mortall man may be Oh Lord how slipper the loue of man yea man him self is It were better for them to pray for vs rather then to credite or reise rumours that bee vntrue vnlesse they were more certaine thereof then euer they shall be able to proue we haue enemies enough of such as knowe not God Truly this report of weake brethern is a double trouble and a triple crosse I do wyshe you eternall saluation in Chryste Iesu and also require your continuall prayer that he whyche hath begonne in vs may saue vs to the ende I haue taught this truth wyth my tounge and penne heretofore and hereafter shortly will confyrme by Gods grace the same wyth my bloode Pray for me gentle brethern haue no mistrust From New gate 2. February Your brother Iohn Hoper To maistres Wilkinson a woman harty in gods cause comfortable to his aflicted members THe grace of God and the comfort of hys holy spiryte be with you Amen I am very glad to heare of your health doe thank you for your louing tokeÌ„s But I am a great deale more glad to heare how christianly you auoyd idolatry prepare your selfe to suffer the extremity of the world rather theÌ„ to endaunger your selfe to God You do as you ought to do in this behalfe and in suffrynge of transitory paynes you shall auoyde permanent torments in the world to come Vse your life and keepe it with as much quietnes as you canne so that you offeÌ„d not God The ease that coÌ„meth with hys displeasure turneth at length to vnspeakable paynes the gaines of the world with the losse of his fauour is beggary wretchednes Reason is to be ameÌ„ded in this cause of religioÌ„ for it wil choose follow an errour with the multitude if it may be allowed rather then turne to fayth and follow the truth wyth the people of God Moses found the same fault in himselfe did amend it choosyng rather to be afflicted with the people of God Heb. 11. then to vse the libertye of the kynges daughter that accounted hym as her sonne Praye for contentation and peace of the spryte and reioyce in such troubles as shall happeÌ„ vnto you for the truthes sake for in that part Christ saith you be happy Math. 5. Pray also for me I pray you that I may do in al things the wil of our heauenly father to whose tuition and defence I commend you To my dearely beloued Syster in the Lord maistres A. W. THe grace of god be with you AmeÌ„ I thank you for your louing token I pray you burden not your self to much it were mete for me rather to beare a payn then to be a hinderance to many I did reioice at the coÌ„ming of this bearer to vnderstaÌ„d of your constaÌ„cy how that you be fully resolued by gods grace rather to suffer extremity theÌ„ to go froÌ„ that truth in God whych you haue professed He that gaue you grace to begyn in so infallible a truth wil followe you in the same vnto the end But my louing Sister as you be traueling this perillous iourney take this lessoÌ„ with you practised by wyse men whereof ye may reade in the seconde of Sayncte Mathewes gospel Such as traueled to fynde Chryst followed onely the starre and as long as they sawe it they were assured they were in the right way and had greate mirth in thery iourney But when they entred into Ierusalem wher as the starre led them not thether but vnto Bethelem and there asked the citizens the thinge that the starre shewed before as long as they taried in Hierusalem and would be instructed where Christ was borne they were not only ignoraunt of Bethelem but also lost the syghte of the starre that ledde them before Whereof we learne in any case whiles we be going in this life to seeke Christ that is aboue to beware we lose not the starre of Gods word that only is the marke that sheweth vs where Christe is and which waye we maye come vnto hym But as Ierusalem stode in the way was an impedimentte to these wise menne so doth the sinagoge of Antichryste that beareth the name of Ierusalem whiche by interpretacion is called the vision of peace and amonges the people now is called the catholike church standeth in the way that pilgrymes must go by through thys world to Bethelem the house of saturity and plentifulnes and is an impediment to al Christian trauellers yea and except the more grace of God be will kepe the pilgrimes stil in her that they shall not come wher Christ is at al. And to stay them in dede they take away the starre of light which is Gods word that it can not be sene as as ye maye see howe the celestiall starre was hyd froÌ„ the wyse men wheÌ„ they asked of the Phareseis at HierusaleÌ„ wher Christ was borne Ye may see what great daungers happened vnto these wise men whyles they were a learning of liers where Christ was Fyrst they were oute of theyr way and next they lost their guide and conductour the heauenly starre Christ is mounted from vs into heauen and there we seke hym as we say let vs therfore go the theâ—ward by the starre of hys worde and beware we happen not to come into Hierusalem the church of men aske for him If we do we go out of the way lose also our conductor guide that only leadeth vs strayght thether The Poetes write in fables that Iason wheÌ„ he fought with the dragoÌ„ in the I le of Colchis was preserued by the medicines of Medea and so wan the golden fleese And they write also that Titan whom they fayne to be sonne and heyre of the highe God Iubiter woulde neades vpon a day haue the conducting of the Sun round about the world but as they fayne he missed of the accustomed course wherupon when he went to hygh he burned heauen wheÌ„ he went to low he burned the earth the water These prophane histories do shame vs that he christiaÌ„ men Iason agaynst the poison of the dragon vsed onlye the medicine of Medea What a shame is it for a Christian man agaynste the poyson of the deuyl heresye and synne to vse any other remedye then Christ and hys woorde Titan for lacke of knowledge was afearde of euerye signe of the Zodiake that the sonne passeth by wherfore he now went to low and now to high and at length fell down and drowned him selfe in the sea Christian men for lacke of knowlege and for feare of such daungers as ChristiaÌ„ men must nedes passe by goe cleane out of order at length fall into the pitte of hel Sister take heede you shall in your iourney towardes heauen mete with manye a moÌ„strous beast haue salue of gods word therfore ready Ye shall mete husband children louers frendes that shal if god be not with them as god be praysed he is I would it were with al other
my sister wyth Christ for euer Loke therfore that you continue a faithfull syster as you are called and are godlye entered not onely to me but to all the churche of Christe yea to Christ hymself who voucheth you in this your vnfained faith worthy to be his sister Consider this dygnitye to surmounte all the vayne dignitye of the worlde and let it accordynglye preuayle more wyth you then all earthely delyghtes for thereby you are called to an equall portion of the euerlastyng inheritaunce of Christe yf nowe in no wyfe you doe shewe your selfe an vnnaturall syster to hym in forsakyng hym in trouble whiche I trust you wyll neuer for no kynde of worldly respecte doe You are vnder daungerous temptations to bee turned from that naturall loue you owe vnto Christ and you shall be tryed with gods people through a sieue of greate affliction for so Sathan desyreth vs to be sifted Luke 22 that through feare of sharpe troubles we myght fall from the stablenes of our fayth and so be depryued of that honour ioy and rewarde which is prepared for suche as continue faythfull brothers and systers in the Lordes couenaunte to the ende Therefore the wyse man in the booke of Ecclesiasticus byddeth them that come to the seruice of the Lord to prepare them selues to suffer temptations Synce then that for the glory of God and oure fayth we are called nowe to abyde the bronte of them and that when our aduersarye hathe done all that he can yet we maye be stable and stande thys Christ oure fyrste begotten brother looketh for at oure handes and all our brethren and systers in heauen desyre to see our faythe throughe afflictions to be perfecte that we myghte fulfyll theyr number and the vniuersall churche here militaunte reioyseth at our constancye whome all by the contrarye we shoulde make sorye to the daunger of the losse bothe of bodye and soule Feare not therefore what so euer be threatned of the wycked worlde prepare your backe and see it bee readye to carye Christes crosse And yf you see any vntowardnes in you as the fleshe is continuallye repugnaunte to the wyll of GOD aske wyth faythfull prayer that the good spiryte of GOD maye leade youre synnefull fleshe whether it woulde not Iohn 21 for yf we wyll dwell in the flesh and follow the counsel thereof we shal neuer do the wyll of God neyther worke that tendeth to our saluation You are at thys present in the confynes and of Babilon where you are in daunger to drinke of the whores cup vnlesse you be vigilāt in prayer Take hede the serpent seduce you not from the symplicity of your fayth as he dyd our fyrst mother Eue. Let no worldly felowshippe make you pertaker of iniquitie He that toucheth tarre cannot but be defyled thereby and with such as be peruerse a man shall soone be peruerted with the holy you shall be holy Psa 15. Therfore say continually with the prophet Dauid vnto the sainctes which be on the earth all my will is on them You haue bene sanctifyed and made pure through the truth take hede you be not vnholied and defyled least the laste be worse then the first I write not this bicause I stande in any doubt of your syncere continuance of the which I haue had so good experience but because the dayes be euyl and in the same it is the duty of euery one of vs to exhorte another I am bold to put you my good sister in remēbraunce of that which doth not a litle cōfort me to remember in my troubles daily temptations Wherfore I doubt not you wil take that in good part which commeth from your brother both in spirit and bodye who tendreth your saluation as earnestlye as his owne that we might ioy together eternally with such ioye as the world shall neuer be able to take from vs. Thankes be vnto god you haue begunne to runne a good and greate tyme well in the waies of the lord runne out the race to the ende which you haue begunne and then shall you receyue the crowne of glory None shal be crowned but such as law fully stryueth 2. Tim. 2. Be not ouercome of euyl but ouercome tuill wyth good and the Lord shall make you one of those faythfull virgins that shall followe the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth Apo. 4. the which Christ graunt both you and me Amen This was for the fyrst fruits of his Archdeaconry wherof al the tyme of his imprisonment he had no commodity and yet his sureties were compelled to pay the same Cōmend me to all thē that loue me in the Lord vnfaynedly God encrease our faith geue vs grace neuer to be ashamed of his gospel That same request which I haue made to my brother Thomas I make also to you desiring you by al meanes you can co accomplish my request that my sureties myghte be satiifyed wyth that is myne owne to the contentation of my mynde whyche cannot be quiet vntill they bee discharged therefore I pray you helpe to purchase quietnes that I myghte departe oute of this worlde in peace My dissolution I loke for daily but the Lord knoweth how vnworthye I am of so high an honour as to dye for the testimony of hys truth Pray that God would vouchsafe to make me worthy as he hath done of long imprisonmente for the which his name be praysed for euer Praye and looke for the comming of the Lord whose wrath is great ouer vs and I wil praye for you as long as I liue The .ix. of Iulye in the Kinges Benche Your owne louyng brother as well in Fayth as in bodye Iohn Philpot. To my deare frende and brother in the Lord. M. Robert Harrington GEntle maister Harrington I can not tel what condigne thankes I maye geue vnto God for you in respecte of that great gentlenes and payn which you haue takē for the relief of me of other our afflicted brethrē in Christ God be praysed for his mercy whose louing prouidēce we haue sene towards vs by such faythful stewards as you haue bene towards a great many Blessed be you of god for the louing care which you haue takē for his pore flocke God hath reserued your reward of thankes in heauē therfore I do not go about to render you any lest I might seme to iudge that you loked for that here which is reserued to a better place I thāke god for that I haue foūd by your faithful diligent industry god forgeue me my vnworthines of so great benefites god geue me grace to serue him faithfully to rūne out my race with ioy Glorious is the course of the martyrs of Christ at thys day Neuer had the elects of god a better time for their glory thē this is now may they be assured vnder the crosse that they are Christs disciples for euer Me thinke I see you desiring to be vnder the same the fleshe draweth backe Iohn
two thynges one the cause on our behalfe the other what wil be the sequel on straungers For the first yf we be not blynd we cannot but well see that our sinnes are the cause of all this misery our synnes I saye whiche I woulde that euerye one of vs woulde applye to our selues after the example of Ionas and Dauid turnyng ouer the wallet that other mens offences myghte lye behynde and our own before Not that I would excuse other men which exteriorly haue walked much more grossely then manye of you haue done but that I woulde prouoke you all as my selfe to more harty repentaunce and prayer Let vs more more encrease to know and lament our doubtyng of God of hys presence power anger mercy c. Let vs better feele and hate our selfe loue securitie negligence vnthankefulnes vnbeliefe impatience c. and then doubteles the crosse shall be lesse carefull yea it shall be comfortable and Christ most deare and pleasaunt death then shall be desired as the dispatcher of vs out of all misery and entraunce into eternall felicity ioy vnspeakable the which is so much the more longed for by howe muche we feele in dede the Serpentes byttes wherwyth he woundeth our heeles that is our outward Adam and senses If we had I say a liuely and true feelyng of his poyson we could not but as reioyce ouer our Captayn that hath brused hys head so be desirous to follow hys example that is to geue oure lyues wyth hym and for hym Coloss 1 and so to fyll vp hys passions that he myght conquere and ouercome in vs and by vs to his glory and comfort of hys chyldren Now the second I meane the sequell or that whyche wil follow on the straungers my derely beloued let vs wel loke vpon For if so be that god iustly do thus geue to Sathan and hys sede to vexe and molest Christe and hys penitente people oh what and how iustly maye he and wyll he geue to Sathan to intreate the rechlesse and impenitent synners If iudgement beginne thus at gods house what wil follow on them that be wythout if they repent not Certainly for them is reserued the dregges of gods cuppe that is Brymstone fyre and tempest intollerable Nowe are they vnwilling to drynke of gods cuppe of afflictions which he offreth common with hys sonne Christ our Lord lest they shoulde lose theyr pygges wyth the Gergesites Math. 8. They are vnwillyng to come into the waye that bryngeth to heauen euen afflictions they in their hartes crye let vs caste his yoke from vs they walke two wayes that is they seeke to serue god and Mammon which is vnpossible They wil not come nighe the straite waye that bryngeth to lyfe they open their eyes to beholde presente thynges onelye they iudge of religion after reasō and not after gods word they follow the more part and not the better they professe God wyth their mouthes but in their hartes they deny hym or elles they woulde sanctifye hym by seruing him more then men they part stake wyth GGD whych woulde haue al geuing part to the world to the Romishe route and Antichristian Idolatry now set abroad emongest vs publikely they will haue Christ but none of his crosse which will not be they wil be counted to lyue godly in Christe but yet they wil suffer no persecutiō they loue thys world wher through the loue of god is driuen forth of them they sauer those things that be of men and not that be of god Summa they loue god in their lippes ▪ but in their harts yea and in their dedes deny him aswel by not repenting their euils past as by continuing in euil stil by doyng as the world the flesh and the deuil willeth yet stil perchaunce they wil praye or rather prate thy wyll be done in earth which is generally that euery one shuld take vp his crosse and follow christ But this is a hard sermō who is able to abide it Therfore Christ must be praied to depart lest al their pigges be drowned The deuil shal haue his dwelling again in thēselues rather thē in their pigges therfore to the deuil shal they go dwel with him in eternal perdiciō dānation euē in hel fier a torment endles aboue al cogitations incomprehensible if they repent not Wherfore by thē my derely beloued be admonished to remēber your professiō how that in Baptisme you made a solēpne vow to renoūce the deuil the world c. You promised to fight vnder christes stāderd You learned christs crosse afore you begun with A. B. C. Go to thē pay your vow to the lord fyght lyke men and valiant men vnder Christes standerde take vp your crosse and follow your maister as your brethern M. Hoper Rogers Tailor and Saūders haue done and as now your bretherne M. Cranmer Latymer Rydley Farror Bradforde Hawkes c. be redy to do The Ise is broken before you therfore be not afraide but be content to dye for the lord You haue no cause to wauer or doubte of the doctryne thus declared by the bloud of the pastours Remember that Chryste sayeth he that wyll saue hys lyfe shall lose it And what shoulde it profite you to wynne the whole worlde much lesse a little quietnes your goodes c. and to lose your owne soules Render to the Lorde that he hath lent you by such meanes as he would haue you render it and not as you woulde Forgette not Christes disciples must denye themselues as well concernyng their wyl as concernyng their wisedome Haue in mynde that as it is no small mercy to beleue in the Lord so it is no smal kindnes of God towardes you to suffer any thyng muche more death for the Lord. If they be blessed that dye in the Lorde howe shall they be that dye for the Lorde Oh what a blessyng is it to haue death due for our synnes diuerted into a demonstration and testification of the lordes truth Oh that we had a little of Moses faith to loke vpon the ende of the crosse to loke vpon the rewarde to see continuallye wyth Christe and hys people greater ryches then the ryches of Egipt Oh let vs pray that god would open our eyes to see hys hyd Manna heauenlye Ierusalem the congregation of the first borne the melodye of the sainctes the tabernacle of God dwellyng wyth men then should we runne and become violent men and so take the kyngdome of heauen as it were by force God oure father geue vs for hys Christes sake to see a little what and howe great ioye he hath prepared for vs he hathe called vs vnto and most assuredlye geueth vs for hys owne goodnes and truthes sake Amen My derely beloued repent bee sober watch in prayer be obediēt after your vocations shewe your obedience to the hygher powers in all thyngs that are not agaynst gods worde therein acknowledge the soueraigne power of the Lorde howbeit so
brimstone stormye tempestes Whose Palace and home shall be hell fyre and darkenesse Whose cheare shall be weping and gnashing of teeth Whose song shal be woe woe woe from the which the lord of mercye deliuer vs. My dearely beloued I write not thys as one that thinketh not wel of you but as one that would you dyd wel and therfore to helpe you therto I write as I write Beseching God to open your eyes to see the daungers men be in that dissemble with God and man to the ende you doe not the lyke and also to open your eyes to see the hygh seruice you doe to God in aduenturing your selfe and that you haue for hys sake Oh that mens eyes were opened to see that the glorye of God resteth vppon them that suffer any thyng for his sake Oh that we considered that it is happinesse to suffer any thyng for Christes sake which haue deserued to suffer so much for our synnes iniquities Oh that our eyes were opened to see the great reward they shal haue in heauē which suffer the losse of any thing for Gods sake If we knewe the crosse to be as a purgation moste profitable to the soule as a purifying fyre to burne the drosse awaye of our dyrtinesse and synnes as an ouen to bake vs in to bee the Lordes breade as soope to make vs white as a stewe to mundifie and clense vs as Gods framehouse to make vs lyke to Christe here in sufferyng that we maye be so in reygning then should we not so muche care for thys little shorte sorrowe whiche the fleshe suffereth in it but rather in consideration of the excedyng endlesse ioye and comforte which wyl ensue we should runne fowards in our race after the example of oure Captayne Christ who comforte vs all in our distresse and geue vs the spirite of prayer therein to watche and pray that we be not led into temptation whiche God graunt to vs for euer Amen And thus muche I thoughte good to write to you at thys presente to declare my carefulnesse for the well doinge of you and all youre familye whom I commende with you into the handes and tuition of God oure Father So be it Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford An other letter to Maister George Eaton ALmyghtye God oure heauenlye father recompence aboundauntlye into youre bosome my dearelye-beloued here and eternallye the good whiche from hym by you I haue continuallye receaued sythen my comming into pryson Otherwyse can I neuer be able to requite your louing kindnesse here then by praying for you and after thys lyfe by witnessyng youre faythe declared to me by your fruites when we shal come appeare together before the throne of our sauiour Iesus Christ whether I thāke god I am euē now a going euer loking whē the officers wil come satisfie the precept of the Prelates wherof though I cā not cōplain because I haue iustly deserued an hundreth M. deathes at gods hands by reasō of my sines yet I may and must reioice because the Prelates do not persecute in me mine iniquities but Christ Iesus his veritie so that they persecute not me they hate not me but they persecute Christ they hate Christ And because they cā do him no hurt for he sitteth in heauē laugheth thē their deuises to scorne as one daye they shal feele therfore they turne their rage vpon his pore shepe as Herode their father did vpō the infantes Math. 2. Great cause therfore haue I to reioyce that my deare Sauiour Christ will vouchsafe amongest manye to choose me to bee a vessel of grace to suffer in me which haue deserued so often iustly to suffer for my sinnes that I might be most assured I shal be a vessell of honour in whom he wil be glorifyed Therfore my right dere brother in the lord reioice with me geue thanks for me and cease not to pray the god for his mercies sake woulde make perfect the good he hath begon in me And as for the doctrine which I haue professed preached I vnto you do confesse in writing as to the whole world I shortly shall by gods grace in suffering that it is the verye true doctrine of Iesus Christ of hys Church of hys Prophets Apostles al good men so that if an Aungel shoulde come from heauen and preache otherwyse the same were accursed Therefore wauer not deare hart in the Lord but bee confyrmed in it and as youre vocation requireth when God so wil confesse it though it be perillous so to do The ende shall euidenlye shewe an other manner of pleasure for so doing then tounge can tell Be diligence in prayer and watche therein Vse reuerente reading of Gods worde Set the shortnes of this time before your eies let not the eternitie that is to come depart out of your memorye Practyse in doing that you learne by reading hearing Decline frō euil pursue good Remember thē that be in bondes especially for the Lordes cause as members of your body and fellowe heyres of grace Forget not the afflictions of Sion and the oppression of Ierusalem and god our father shall geue you hys continuall blessing through Christe oure Lorde who guyde vs as hys deare children for euer Amen And thus I take my Vale and farewell wyth you deare brother for euer in thys present lyfe tyl we shal meete in eternall blisse whether our good God and father bring vs shortly Amen God blesse all your babes for euer Amen Oute of pryson thys .8 of Februarye Your afflicted brother for the Lordes cause Iohn Bradford A letter writen to hys Mother as a farewell when he thoughte he shoulde haue suffered shortlye after TThe Lord of lyfe and Sauiour of the world Iesus Christ blesse you and comfort you my good and deare Mother wyth hys heauenly comfort consolation grace and spirite nowe and for euer Amen If I thought that dayly yea almoste hourlye you dyd not crye vpon God the father throughe Iesus Christ that he woulde geue me hys blessing euen the blessing of his children then would I write more hereaboutes But for asmuch as herein I am certayne you are diligente and so I besech you good Mother to continue I thynke it good to write somethyng whereby thys your crying might bee furthered Furthered it wyll be if those thynges which hynder it bee taken away Among the which in that I thynke my imprisonmente is the greatest and chiefest I will there about spend thys letter and that brieflye leaste it myghte encrease the let as my good brother thys brynger can tell you You shall knowe therefore good Mother He meaneth the daūger of more streat imprisonment that might hereby folow that for my bodye thoughe it bee in an house oute of the whiche I can not come when I wyll yet in that I haue conformed my wyll to Gods wyll I finde herein lybertye enoughe I thanke God And for my lodging beddyng meate drinke Godlye
not kepe away the foules from picking it vp would he so bestow his sede in you as he hath if that he would not hedge in your hartes his field froÌ„ commoÌ„ pathes froÌ„ breaking in of beastes to destroy it Wil he be more careles theÌ„ a good husbandmaÌ„ to wede out the wedes which are in vs lest they should ouergrow the corne of hys word Wil not he bestow mucke marle vpon vs that we may bring forth more fruite Yf in a good husbandman this be not lacking alas how should we thinke then but that the lord god a good husbandman nothing but good only good how I say should it be but that he is moste careful to kepe his sede alredy soweÌ„ in your hartes by the ministery of vs other his preachers that to the bringing forth of iust and ful frutes He that hath begoÌ„ne with you doute not my derely beloued but that he wil happely make an end with you He hath begon to sow his sede in you as I dare say ye feele it be sure theÌ„ that al this wil follow First he wil haue Skarecrowes in your hartes I meane such sparkcles of his feare wil he droppe yea already he hath dropped into you that the birdes of the aire vain euil cogitatioÌ„s shal not be cherished of you but expelled by crieng to the lord for his help SecoÌ„dly he wil make such hedges as shal kepe you aswell from by pathes of al euil customes vsages as also preserue you froÌ„ the power of euil dominioÌ„ of sinne which would haue the vpper haÌ„d on you Thirdly he wil doutles poure such showres vpoÌ„ you to supple you so â—ede you so mucke marle you by teÌ„ptation other exercises that the Sunshine of persecutioÌ„ shall make more to the ripenyng of hys seede in you then to the witheryng of it away These thynges my dearely beloued the Lord god which hath begonne them in you and for you wyll continue with you that in the ende you maye be broughte into hys barne there to reste wyth hym in eternall felicitie For Gods sake therfore wayte and looke for no lesse then I haue told you at hys handes a greater seruice can you not geue him Yf god kepe not the order I haue told you but perchauÌ„ce beginne to mucke and marle you to poure hys showers vpoÌ„ you to nippe you with his weeding tonges c reioice be glad that God wyll doe that in you and wyth you at once which a long tyme he hath bene a workyng in for others Now vndoubtedly great showers are fallen to supple our hartes that gods word might enter therin and take roote Now the Lord goeth a weedyng to weede out of vs oure carnality securirye couetousnes selfe loue forgetfulnes of God loue of this world Now the lord doth mucke marâ—e vs loading vs wyth heapes and burdens of crosses that our hartes myghte be made good grounde to bryng forthe fruite to gods glory by patience as well in suffryng inward temptations and griefes wherof we must complayn to the Lord for hys Skarecrowes to dryue them forth of vs â—s also in sufferyng outward assaultes for the which we must cry to our Maister for hys hedges and defence Which hathe ij partes the one concernyng vs to helpe and deliuer vs and the other concernyng our or rather hys obstinate aduersaries to take vengeaunce vpon them which he will do in hys tyme. Therfore let vs by patience possesse our soules knowing that they which perseuer to the ende shal be saued Let vs not be werye of well doyng for in our tyme we shall reape the fruites therof But rather whiles we haue tyme let vs redeme it in doyng well to al men but specially to the houshold of fayth which thyng hether to you haue done the lord therfore be praysed and in the day of hys comming he recoÌ„pence you and in the rest I hope well I meane that you haue declared no lesse in coÌ„fessyng the truth planted in your hartes by your wordes and workes after your uocation to the glory of God I hope you haue godly behaued your selues not being as too many be now a daies euen mungrels geuing halfe to God halfe to the worlde halting on both knees going two waies I meane it of the Masse gospellers which are worse theÌ„ any papistes In this point I hope wel of you my dearly beloued that you haue not contaminated your selues that you haue both confessed the truth as ofte as nede hath requyred and also haue refrayned from comming to church now where is nothing but idolatrous seruice â— hope you haue glorifyed god both in soule and body I hope you haue gathered with Christ not scattered abroad I hope you haue drawen no yoke with vnbeleuers nor communicated with other mens synnes but haue abstayned from all appearaunce of euill confessing in harte confessing in tong confessing in dede acte the true knowledge of God which he hath of hys great mercye geuen vnto you not to bee as a candle vnder a bushell but vppon the candlesticke to geue light that men may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen All thys I hope of you my beloued and also of al puritie of life and godly conuersation not doubting but in this behalf also you haue declared gods veritye in your harte and for the Lordes sake do so still in all poyntes that is in your vocations be diligent and ryghteous towards your selues be sober and pure towards your neyghbours be charitable and iuste towardes god be faythfull and thankefull louing and obedient Vse earnest and often hartye prayer Meditate much vpon and often hearken to the word of god If you be called geue with modestye an accompt of the hope whiche is in you Be not ashamed of Gods true seruice allow not that with your presence which is contrary to Gods wil. Make not the meÌ„bers of Christes Church that is your selues meÌ„bers of Antichristes church Be not ashamed of the gospel or of such as be bound therfore but rather be partakers therof first inwardly by coÌ„passion prayer c then outwardlye by geuing according to that the Lord hath lent you to that ende and laste of all by suffering wyth vs if God so will and if it be nedeful for you For my dearly beloued be certayne that no maÌ„ can touch you or lay handes vpon you but by the will of God which is all good towards you euen as the wil of a most deare father which an not alwayes be angrye or otherwyse vse his rodde then only to chastice and correct not to destroy hys children Agayne be certayne that no crosse shall come vnto you before you nede it For God is oure Phisicion and when he seeth oure soules in perill he preuenteth the peryll by purgation and ministring Phisicke which is the crosse As therfore for the body we follow the aduice of the Phisicions for the health
of goodly giftes in wit and learning and sauing that he is somwhat wilde likely to do wel hereafter There be also two women N. Coningham and Alice Alexander that may proue honest For these and al other poore prisoners here I make this my humble suite and prayer to you all my Maisters and especiall good frendes beseching you of all bondes of amitie for the precious bloode of Iesus Christe in the bowels of mercye to render the causes of miserable captiues Helpe to clothe Christ visite the afflicted comforte the sorrowfull and releue the nedye The verye God of peace guyde youre hartes to haue mercye on the poore and loue faythfullye together Amen Thys present Monday when I looke to die and liue for euer Yours for euer Bartelet Grene. ⧠Letters of that faythfull man of God John Careles who by cruell imprisonmente and vnmercifull dealing of the papistes dyed in the Marshalsee and was buryed in the fieldes on a dungehill and therefore is not vnworthye here to be placed amonges the Martyrs To my moste deare and faythfull brethren in Newgate condemned to die for the testimonye of Gods euerlasting truth THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the cōtinual ioy strength cōfort of his most pure holy mighty spirit with the encrease of faith liuely feeling of his eternal mercy be with you my most dere faithfull louing brother Timmes and with al the reste of my deare harts in the Lord your faithful fellow souldiours and most constant companions in bondes yea of men condemned most cruelly for the syncere testimony of gods euerlastīg truth to the ful finishing of that good worke which he hath so graciously begonne in you all that the same maye be to hys glory the cōmoditie of his pore afflicted church and to your euerlasting comfort in him Amen Ah my most swete and louing brethren dearest harts in the Lord what shal I say or how shal I write vnto you in the least point or part to vtter the great ioye that my poore hart hath conceaued in god through the most godly exāple of your christiā constancie syncere confessiō of Christs verity Truly my tong can not declare nor my penne expresse the aboundance of spirituall mirth gladnes that my mind inward man hath felt euer since I heard of your hartie boldnes and modest behauiour before that bloody butcher in the time of al your craftie examinations specially at your cruel condēnatiō in their cursed Cōsistorie place Blessed be god the father of al mercy praysed be his name for that he hath so graciouslye performed vpō you his dere darelīgs his most swete comefortable promises in not only geuing you the cōtinual aide strēgth cōfort of his holy mightie spirite to the faythfull confessiō of his christ for whose cause O most happie mē ye are condēned to die but also in geuing you such a mouth wisdome as al your wicked enemies were not able to resist but were faine to crie peace peace and not suffer you to speake As truly as god liueth my dere brethrē this is not only vnto you a most euidēt probatiō that god is on your side a sure certaintie of your euerlasting saluatiō in him but also to your cruell aduersaries or rather Gods cursed enemyes a plaine demonstration of their iust eternal woe and dampnation whiche they shall be full sure shortlye to feele when ye shal full sweetely possesse the place of felicitie and pleasure prepared for you from the beginning Therfore my dearly beloued cease not so long as ye be in this life to praise the lord with a lustye courage for that of hys great mercy infinite goodnes he hath vouched you worthy of this great dignitie to suffer for his sake not only the losse of goods wife children long imprisonment cruel oppression c but also the very depriuation of this mortal life with the dissolution of your bodies in the fyer The whiche is the greatest promotion that god can bring you or any other vnto in this vale of misery yea so great an honour as the highest Angel in heauen is not permitted to haue and yet hath the lord for his deare sonne Christes sake reputed you worthy of the same yea that before me and many other which haue both long loked longed for the same Ah my most deare brother Timmes whose time resteth altogether in the hands of thy Lord in a ful happye time camest thou into this troublesome worlde but in a much more blessed houre shalt thou depart forth of the same so that the swete saying of Salomō or rather of the holy ghost shal be ful wel verified vpō thee yea al thy faithful felowes Eccle. 7 better is the day of death saith he then the day of birth This saying can not be verified vpon euery man but vpon thee my deare brother and such as thou art whose death is most precious before God and full deare shal your bloode be in his sighte Blessed be god for thee my deare brother Timmes and blessed be god again that euer I knew thee for in a most happy time I came fyrst into thy company Pray for me deare brother pray for me that God wyll once vouch me worthy of that great dignitie whereunto he hath nowe brought you Ah my louing brother Drake whose soule draweth nowe nygh vnto god of whom you haue receaued the same full gladde maye you be that euer God gaue you a lyfe to leaue for hys sake Full well will he restore it to you agayne in a thousand fold more glorious wyse Prayse God good brother as you haue great cause and pray for me I besech you which am so muche vnworthy so great are my synnes of that great dignity wherunto the Lorde hath called you and the reast of your godlye brethrē whom I besech you to comforte in the Lord as you can full well praysed be God for hys giftes which you haue hartely applyed to the setting forth of his glory and the cōmoditie of his pore afflicted church Which thing shal surely redownde to your euerlasting ioy and comfort as you shall most effectually feele or euer it be long though the wycked of the world iudge farre otherwise Ah myne own hartes and most dearly beloued brethren Cauell Ambrose and both the Spurges blessed be the Lord on your behalfe and praysed be his name which hath geuen you such a glorious victory Ful valiaunt haue you shewed your selues in the lords fyght and ful faithful in your painfull seruice Faint not but go on forward as ye haue most godly begonne for great shal your reward be at the end of this your trauell Ah my good faithfull brethren al what shal I say or what shall I write vnto you but euen the same that good Elizabeth did saye to her godly kinneswoman Mary the blessed Mother of Christe Luke 1. Happie art thou quoth that good woman whiche haste beleued for
loueth father mother wife or children Math. 10. goods or landes or yet his owne life more then me saith he is not worthy of me And S. Paul affirmeth to you plainly 2. Timo. 3. that al without exception that will liue Godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecutiō And in an other place he saith Phil. ◠to you it is geuen not only to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Now tell me I pray you whether these textes of Scripture do not proue that all suche as will not gladlye suffer with Christe doe neither loue him nor serue hym nor yet be any of his Disciples Say what you will and thinke what you liste yet shall you finde this full true that all suche as will not suffer with Christ here shall not reigne with him elsewhere neither is it meete that they shoulde But now me thinketh I heare some of you saye to me why Syr we do suffer with Christ as it becommeth Christians in helpyng you to beare the crosse with our liberal relief If we had loued oure goods more thē we do Christe as you seeme to laye to oure charge then woulde we not haue bestowed so muche of them vppon you and other as we haue done yea and daungered our selues to brynge it to you c. In deede deare frendes in thys poynte I muste needes confesse that you haue done youre dewtye towardes vs the Lorde GOD graunte you to doe the reast belonging to him aswell for verelye thys is not all that GOD dothe at this time requyre of you as all those good men and women can tel that haue as largelye sowed the frutes of faith amongst vs as any of you haue done and yet neuer came at any of Antichristes seruice God will not be answered with a piece of your goodes sith you haue promised to forsake all for his loue You must not play the part that Ananias and Saphira his wife dyd Act. 5. for the holy ghoste will not suffer himselfe to be dissembled withall therfore be warned by that example Also God doth not thinke it sufficient that you do forsake all your goodes and landes but doth loke that you should suffer in your owne persons also for his sake yea the very losse of your lifes if he so permitte And but reason sith Christ did not onely geue vs the giftes of his grace and all other good thynges that we doe here possesse but also his very lyfe yea that whē we were his verye enemies He gaue vs that frely which was his own and shall we thinke scorne to render vnto him againe that which is his and but for a tyme lent vs specially seing that we shal receiue the same in a far more glorious wise Leaue it we shall shortly wil we nil we and God he knoweth in what horrour feare or trembling And were we not better then to wishe the same taken from vs by suche meanes as myghte not onely make moste to the settyng forthe of gods glory and the cōmoditie of his church but also to our own euerlasting ioy comfort being certified by the same that we be the true seruantes or rather the chosen childrē of god whose death is ryght dere precious in his sight Ah why do we not with the Apostles desire to be reputed worthye to suffer for Christs sake seing the same is the greatest dignity highest promotion that god can bring vs vnto in this lyfe yea and an honour that the hyghest Angel in heauen is not permitted to haue Oh lord that the crosse whiche is nowe come amongest vs for the trial of our faith should seeme a straūge thing vnto vs that professe the name and gospel of Christ wheras in very dede we should be most familyarlye acquainted therwith as with our inseparable companion in this lyfe Loke vpon all the holy patriarkes prophetes before the comming of Christ looke vppon al the apostels Martyrs Virgines and confessours since the comming of Christ and tel me if any one of them all dyd not cōtinually cary the crosse as long as they liued and al in a maner in the ende died for gods sake yea moste chiefly of al looke vpon Iesus Christ himselfe the very dere and only sonne of god and tell me if all hys lyfe and deathe was not full of moste painfull and bitter crosses and will you loke to be hys disciples yet thynke scorne to beare your crosse wyth hym Disdaine you to drinke of that same cup that your lord and maister hath done before you Wil you loke to enter into the kingdom of god otherwise thē all other haue done that are gone before you I pray you shew me your priuiledge tell me where you haue this prerogatiue aboue the rest of your bretherne yea aboue the sonne of god himselfe concernyng hys humanitie My deare frendes and faithfull louers of London bee not deceyued with selfe loue and your owne fleshlye imagination for at one word this is true euen as God in heauen is most true that if you do not forthwyth euen oute of hande flie from that filthy whore of Babilon and all her abhominable Idolatry and superstition you shal surely perishe wyth her in the plagues that god shal shortly poure vpon her And furthermore I say that if you wyll not here willingly suffer with Christ for the testimony of his euerlasting truth you shall suffer with the world here for your own wickednes and then shall you not raigne wyth Christe in glory at his gracious commyng vnto the whiche I hope now it be not very long For thys is the firme decree and purpose of the immutable God reueled in hys euerlasting worde that al they which will liue godlye in Christe Iesu must suffer persecution 2. Timo. 3. and that euerye one of his elected sonnes shal be scourged proued tried as gold in the furnace or fire And these wordes of Christ shall continue for euer and be most effectuously fulfilled that whosoeuer shal be ashamed of hym Marke 8. or of his word amongest this sinful and adulterous generation of hym wil the sonne of man bee ashamed before his father and hys aungels and he that goeth about by such wycked meanes to saue his life shal surely lose it for euermore Therfore deare hartes loke to your selues in time and cōsider your callyng Lay away al vayne excuses for verely they wil not serue for your discharge when he shal come that will rewarde euery man after the workes of their bodies but he will require of you in thys pointe all that he hath cōmaunded you as he afore hand hath told you bothe plainly and often enough God geue you grace to take it as a warning And if you fele your selues to weake to confesse gods truthe before the tyrannes then for your refuge the Lord hath geuen you leaue to flye from place to place and that is the vttermost that he will permitte you to do which doing yet
hart in that behalf but also by the worde and commaūdement of Christ to pronounce and affirme in the name and worde of the heauenly king Iehouah and in the behalfe of hys swete sonne Iesus Christ our lorde to whome all knees shall bowe whom al creatures shall worship and also by the impulsion of the holy ghost by whose power and strengthe all the faythfull be regenerate I do I say pronounce to thee my deare brother T. V. that thou art already a citizen of heauen The lord thy God in whom thou doest put all thy trust for hys deare sonnes sake in whome thou doest also vndoubtedlye beleue hath freely forgeuen thee all thy synnes clearely released all thyne iniquities and fully pardoned all thyne offences be they neuer so many so greuous or so great and will neuer remember them any more to condemnation As trulye as he liueth he wil not haue thee die the death but hath verely determined purposed eternallye decreed that thou shalt liue with him for euer Thy sore shal be healed and thy woundes bound vp euē of him self for his own names sake He doth not nor will not loke vpon thy synnes in thee but he respecteth beholdeth thee in christ in whō thou art liuely graffed by fayth in his blood and in whom thou art most assuredly elected and chosen to be a swete vessell of his mercye and saluation and waste thereto predestinate in him before the foundation of the world was layde In testimonye and earnest whereof he hath geuen thee his good and holye spirite which worketh in thee fayth loue and vnfayned repentance with other godly vertues contrary to the corruption of thy nature Also he hath commaunded me this daye although a most vnworthy wretch to be a witnesse hereof by the ministerye of his holy woorde grounded vppon the truth of his most faythful promises the which thou beleuīg shalt liue for euer Beleuest thou this my dere hart I know well thou doest beleue The Lord encrease thy fayth geue thee a liuelye feeling of all his mercyes whereof thou arte warranted and assured by the testimonye of the holy ghoste who confirme in thy conscience to the vtter ouerthrowing of Sathan and those his most hurtful dubitations wherby he is accustomed to molest and vexe the true childrē of god all that I haue sayd and by gods grace I will as a witnes therof confirme seale the same with my blood for a most certaine truth Wherefore my good brother prayse the Lorde with a ioyfull hart and geue hym thankes for thys his exceding greate mercye casting awaye all dubita◠on and waueryng yea all sorrowe of harte and pensiuenesse of minde for this the Lord your God and moste deare and louing father commaundeth you to do by me nay rather by his own mouth and worde pronounced by me But nowe my deare brother after that I haue done my message or rather the Lordes message in deede I could fynde in my hart to write ij or .iij. sheetes of paper declaryng the ioye I beare in my hart for you myne owne bowels in the Lord yet the time being so shorte as you do wel knowe I am here constrayned to make an ende desiring you to pardon my slacknesse and to forgeue my great negligence towardes you promising you still that so long as my poore life doth last my praier shall supplye that my penne doth want as knoweth the almighty god to whose most mercifull defence I do hartely commit you all other his deare children as wel as though I had rehearsed them by name desiring them most hartely to remember me in their harty daily prayers as I know right well they do for I feele the daily comfort and commoditie therof and therfore I neither will nor can forget them nor you or any such like The blessing of God be with you all Amen Yours for euer vnfaynedlye Iohn Careles still carefull for you prisoner for the testimony of gods euerlasting truth abiding his most blessed will and pleasure Pray p.p.p. To my deare frend and faythfull Syster Mystres Marye Glouer THe same euerlasting god and most gracious good Lord that blessed Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph and comforted them in al their crosses troubles manifolde afflictions yea preserued them prouided for thē in al extreme parell daunger and necessities blesse comfort preserue and kepe you with al your swete children and familye my deare frende and faythfull Sister in the Lord good Mystres Mary Glouer with and by the power of his holy and mighty spirite our eternal comforter nowe and for euermore Amen Ah my deare frende what shall I saye or howe shall I comforte you in thys great crosse that GOD hath layd vppon you in taking home to hym selfe those his blessed Sainctes whom he for a time lente you Verelye I am afrayde least I shall renewe your sorrowes in speaking of them But my deare hart let that bee farre from you rather now with them reioyce in GOD for their greate glory triumphe and victorye euer submitting with all meekenesse your will vnto his whiche onely is good and woorketh all thinges for your beste of whiche thing if you bee fullye and throughly perswaded you can by no meanes lacke spiritual ioy and comforte Wherof in fewe wordes I wil something saye althoughe I doubte not but you knowe it alreadye though perhappes now sorrow doth a litle darkē the same as at times it hath done in many good men but fayth is of such force and power if it be vnfayned that it will with Ionas forth of the Whales bellye crye vnto the Lorde and bring from him the comfortes of his spirite and promyses whiche chiefelye do consiste in that whiche is rehearsed in the fyrste commaundement Heare Israel sayth the Lorde I am thy Lord GOD and thou shall loue me c. Beholde with a stedfaste and liuely fayth this swete saying and commaundement of God He biddeth vs heare geue credence To what I pray you Forsooth that he of his goodnes hath geuen him selfe wholye vnto vs to bee oure owne peculiar and proper possession for euer Psal 16. as the Prophet Dauid doth pleasauntlye syng The Lord him selfe sayth he is my portion and enheritaunce my lotte is fallen vnto me in a happye grounde c. Oh gracious GOD what a thing is this that the greate Lorde Iehouah that omnipotente GOD whiche made heauen and earth the sea and all that is therein vppon whose prouidence all thinges doe depende at whose onelye becke both Aungell and deuill muste bee fayne to obeye Oh Lorde I saye what a thing is this that he will vouchsafe to geue him selfe wholye to be ours with all that euer he maye bee Oh what are we moste vyle dounge earth and ashes yea most wicked cattiffes and horrible sinners that he woulde vouche vs worthye of this greate benefite whiche can not bee expressed wyth the tounges of men or Aungels Thys muste we now nedes thynke and beleue
Lordes cause VVilliam Coker A letter of Nicholas Shetterden a faith full Martyr of Iesus Christ written to hys Mother a little before hys death O My good Mother whoÌ„ I loue with reuerence in the Lorde according to my dutye I desire your fauourable blessing and forgeuenesse of all my misdedes towards you Oh my deare Mother in fewe wordes I wyshe you the same saluation whiche I hope my selfe to feele and partly taste of before thys come to you to read and in the resurrection I verely beleue to haue it more perfectlye in bodye and soule ioyned together for euer and in that daye GOD graunte you to see my face with ioye but deare Mother then beware of that greate Idolatrye and blasphemous Masse O let not that be your GOD whiche Mice and wormes can deuoure beholde I call heauen and earth to recorde that it is no GOD yea the fyre that consumeth it and the moystnes that causeth it to moulde And I take Christs Testament to wytnesse that it is none of his ordinaunces but a mere inuention of men and a snare to catche innocentes bloode and nowe that GOD hath shewed it vnto you be warned in tyme. O geue ouer old customes and become new in the truth What state soeuer your fathers be in leaue that to God let vs followe the counsel of his word deare Mother embrace it with hartye affection reade it with obedience let it be your pastime and cast of all carnall affections and loue of worldly thinges so shall we meete in ioye at the last day or els I bid you farewell for euermore Oh farewell my frendes and louers all God graunt me to see your faces in ioye Amen From Westgate the .11 of Iuly .555 Nicholas Shetterden appoynted to be slayne for Christes cause and the mayntenaunce of hys most sounde and true religion A letter wrytttn by the Ladye Iane Gray to her Syster the Lady Katheryne immediatly before she suffered I Haue here sent you good Syster Katherin a booke which although it be not outwardly trymmed with gold This booke was a newe Testament in Greke in the end whereof she had written this letter yet inwardly it is more worth then precious stones It is the booke deare Syster of the law of the Lorde it is his testament and last wyll which he bequethed vnto vs wretches whiche shall lead you to the path of eternall ioy and if you with a good mynd do read it with an earnest purpose follow it it shall bring you to an immortal euerlasting life It wil teach you to liue learne you to die It shal winne you more theÌ„ you shold haue gayned by the possessioÌ„ of your woful fathers lands For as if god had prospered him you should haue in herited his lands so if you apply diligently this boke seking to directe your life after it you shal bee an inheritour of suche riches as neither the couetous shal withdraw from you neither the these shal steale neither yet the mothes corrupte Desire with Dauid good Sister to vnderstand the law of the Lord your god Liue stil to die that you by death may purchase eternal life And trust not that the tendernes of your age shal lengtheÌ„ your life for as sone if God cal goeth the young as the old And labour alwayes to learne to die Defye the world denye the deuil despise the flesh delight your self only in the Lord. Be penitent for your sinnes yet despayre not be strong in faith yet presume not desire with S. Paule to be dissolued to be with christ with whoÌ„ eueÌ„ in death there is lyfe Be lyke the good seruaunt euen at midnight be wakyng lest wheÌ„ death coÌ„meth and stealeth vpon you lyke a thefe in the night you be with the euil seruaunt found slepyng and least for lacke of oyle you be found lyke the fyue folyshe women like hym that had not on the weddynge garmente and so be caste out from the mariage Reioyce in Christ as I prayse God I do Folow the steppes of your maister christ take vp your crosse lay your sinnes on his backe alwais embrace him And as touchyng my deathe reioyce as I do good Sister that I shal be deliuered froÌ„ this corruptioÌ„ and put on incorruption for I am assured that I shal for loosing of a mortal lyfe winne an immortal life The which I pray god graunt you send you of hys grace to lyue in hys feare and to dye in the true christian faith from the which in gods name I exhort you that you neuer swarne neither for hope of life nor for feare of death For if you wil deny his truthe to lengthen your life God wil deny you and yet shorteÌ„ your daies And if you wil cleaue vnto him he wil prolong your dais to your comfort his glorye to the which glory god bring me now and you herafter wheÌ„ it pleaseth him to cal you Fare you wel good Sister and put your only trust in god who only must helpe you Letters of M. George Marshe a godly faythfull and learned pastour in Christes churche put to deathe at VVestchester wyth moste cruell kyndes of tormentes as you may see in the booke of Martyrs fol. 1122 for the constant and faythfull confession of Christes Gospell To the professours of gods worde and true religion in the towne of Langhton GRace be wyth you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of Iesus Christ our Lord Amen I thought it my duty to wryte vnto you my beloued in the lord at Langhton to stirre vp your harts to cal to your remeÌ„brance the words which haue ben told you before and to exhort you as that good man and full of the holy ghost Barnabas dyd the AntiochiaÌ„s that with purpose of hart ye continually cleaue vnto the lord Actes â—â— and that ye stand fast be not moued away from the hope of the gospel wherof God be thanked ye haue had plenteous preaching vnto you by your late pastour M. Saunders other faythful ministers of Iesus Christ Luke 8. Rom. 1 which now when persecution aryseth because of the word do not fall away like shrinking children and forsake the truth being ashamed of the gospell wherof they haue bene preachers but are willing and redy for your sakes which are Christes mistical body to forsake not onely the chiefe principal delites of this lyfe I meane their natiue countreyes frendes liuings c but also to fulfill their ministery vnto the vttermost that is to wyt with theyr paynful imprisonments bloodshedings if nede shal require to confirme and seale christes gospel whereof they haue bene ministers and as S. Paule saith they are ready not onely to be cast into prison Acts. 12 but also to be kylled for the name of the lord Iesu Whether these beyng that good salte of the earth Matth. 5. that is true ministers of gods worde by whose doctrine being
with pacience in the feare of god that ye others our brethren through our example may be so encouraged and strengthened to followe vs that ye also may leaue example to your weake brethren in the world to followe you Amen Consider what I say the Lord geue vs vnderstandyng in all thinges 2. Tim. 2 3. Cor. 7 1. Iohn 2. Brethren the time is short it remayneth that ye vse this world as though ye vsed it not for the fashion of this world vanysheth away Se that ye loue not the world neither the things that are in the world But set your affectioÌ„ on heaueÌ„ly things where Christ sitteth on the right hand of god Be meke long sufferiÌ„g serue edisy one an other with the gift that god hath geueÌ„ you Beware of strauÌ„ge doctrine lay aside the old coÌ„uersatioÌ„ of gredy lustes walke in a new lyfe Beware of al vncleannes couetousnes folish talking false doctrine dronkennes reioyce be thankful towards god submit your selues one to an other Cease froÌ„ synne spend no more time in vice be sober apt to pray be pacient in trouble loue ech other let the glorye of god profite of your neyghbours be the only marke you shote at in al your doings Repent ye of the life that is past take better hede to your doings hereafter And aboue al things cleaue ye fast to hym who was deliuered to death for our sinnes rose agayne for our iustification To whom with the father the holy ghost be al honour rule for euer more Amen Salute froÌ„ me in Christ al others whiche loue vs in the fayth and at your discretion make them partakers of these letters and praye ye all for me and other in bondes for the gospel that the same god which by his grace hath called vs from wicked papistrye vnto true christianitie and nowe of loue proueth our patience by persecution will of his mercy fauour in the end gloriously deliuer vs eyther by death or by lyfe to hys glory AmeÌ„ At Lancaster the .30 of Aug. 1554. By me an vnprofitable seruaunt and prisoner of Christ George Marshe The copy of a letter wrytten by Steuen Cotton to his brother Iohn cotton declaryng how he was beaten of Bonner BRother in the name of the Lord Iesus I commend me vnto you and I do hartely thanke you for your godlye exhortatioÌ„ and counsel in your last letter declared to me And albeit I do perceiue by your letter you are informed that as we are diuers persons in number so are we of contrary sectes conditions and opinioÌ„s contrary to that good opinion you had of vs at your last being with vs in Newgate be you most assured good brother in the Lord Iesus the we are al of one mind one raith one assured hope in our lord Iesus whome I trust we altogether wyth one spirite one brotherly loue do daily call vpon for mercy and forgeuenes of our sinnes wyth earnest repentance of our former lyues and by whose precious blood hedyng we truste to be saued onely and by no other meanes Wherefore good brother in the name of the lord seyng these impudent people whose mindes are altogether bent to wickednes enuy vncharitablenes euill speakyng doe go aboute to slaunder vs wyth vntruth beleue them not neither let their wycked sayings once enter into your minde And I trust one day to see you again although now I am in gods pryson which is a ioyful schole to them that loue their lord and god and to me beyng a simple scholer most ioyful of al. Good brother once again I do in the name of our lord Iesus exhort you to pray for me that I may fight strongly in the lordes battail to be a good souldiour to my captaine Iesus Christ our lord and desire my Sister also to do the same and do not ye mourne or lamente for me but bee ye glad and ioyfull of thys my trouble For I trust to be losed out of this dongeon shortly and to go to euerlasting ioy which neuer shal haue ende I heard howe ye were wyth the commissioners for me and how ye were suspected to be one of our company I praye you sue no more for me good brother But one thing I shal desire you to be at my departing out of thys lyfe that you may beare witnes with me that I shal die I trust in god a true christian I hope all my coÌ„panions in the lord our God therefore beleue not these euil disposed people who are the authors of all vntruth I praye you prouide for me a longe shirt against the day of our deliueraÌ„ce for the shirt you gaue me last I haue geueÌ„ it to one of my coÌ„panioÌ„s who had more neede then I and as for the money and meate you sent vs the bishops seruantes deliuered none to vs neither he whoÌ„ you had so great trust in Brother there is none of them to trust to for qualis magister talis serâ—us I haue ben twise beateÌ„ and threatened to be beaten againe by the bishop hymselfe I suppose we shal go into the countrey to Fulham to the bishops house and there be araigned I would haue you to harken as much as you can for when we shal go it shal be sodainly done Thus fare ye wel From the Colehouse thys present Friday Your brother Steuen Cotton A letter of Richard Rothe burnte at Islington to certayne condemned at Colchester ready to die for the lordes cause writen with his own blood O Deare brethren and Sisters how much haue you to reioyce in god that he hath geuen you suche fayth to preuail against these bloudthirsty tyrannes thus farre and no doubt he that hath begon that good worke in you will fulfil it vnto the ende O deare hartes in Christ what a crown of glorye shal ye receyue wyth Christe in the kingdome of god Oh that it had bene the good wil of god that I had ben redy to haue gone with you for I lye in my lordes litle ease in the day and in the night I lie in the Colehouse froÌ„ Rafe Allerton or any other And we loke euery day wheÌ„ we shal be condeÌ„ned for he sayd that I shold be burned wythin .x. dais before Easter but I lie styl at the pooles brynke and euery man goeth in before me but we abyde patiently the Lords laysure with many bandes in fetters stockes by the which we haue receyued great ioy in god And now fare you wel dere brethreÌ„ and Sisters in this world but I trust to see you in the heauen face to face O brother Munt with your wyfe my deare Sister Rose oh how blessed are you in the Lord that god hath found you worthy to suffer for hys sake with all the rest of my dere brethern Sisters knowen vnknowen O be ioyful euen vnto death feare it not saith Christ for I haue ouercommen death Oh dere hartes seyng that Iesus Christ
breade and wine and saide of the cuppe drinke ye all of this the Pope geueth a cleane contrarye commaundemente that no laye man shall drynke of the cup of their saluation as thoughe the cuppe of Saluation by the bloud of Christ pertained not to lay men And wheras Theophilus Alexandrinus whose workes Saincte Hierom did trāslate about eleauen hundred yeres passed saith that if Christ had bene crucified for the Deuils his cup shoulde not be denied them yet the Pope denieth the cup of Christ to christen people for whome Christ was crucified so that if I should obey the Pope in these thinges I muste nedes disobey my sauior Christ But I was answered hereto as commonly the papists do answer that vnder the forme of bread is whole christes flesh and bloude so that whosoeuer receaueth the forme of bread receiueth aswel christes bloud as his fleshe Let it be so yet in the forme of breade onely Christes bloude is not dronken but eaten nor receaued in the cuppe vnder forme of wyne as Christ commaunded but eaten with the flesh vnder the forme of breade moreouer the bread is not the sacrament of his bloud but of his fleshe only nor the cup is not the sacrament of his flesh but of his bloud only and so the Pope kepeth from al lay persons the Sacrament of their redemption by Christes bloud which Christ commaunded to geue vnto them And furthermore Christ ordayned the sacrament in two kindes the one separated from the other to be a representation of his deathe where his bloud was separated from hys fleshe whiche is not represented in one kynde alone so that the lay people receiue not the whole sacrament wherby Christes death is represented as he commaunded Moreouer as the Pope taketh vpon him to geue the temporal sword or royal imperial power to kinges prynces so doth he likewise take vpō him to depose them from theyr imperial states if they be disobedient to hym and commaundeth the subiectes to disobey their prynces assoyling the subiectes aswel of their obedience as of their lawfull othes made vnto theyr true kinges and Prynces directly contrary to gods commaundeniente who commaundeth all subiectes to obey theyr kinges or other rulers vnder them One Iohn Patriarche of Constantinople in the time of S. Gregory claimed superioritie aboue all other bishops to whom sainct Gregorye writeth that therin he did iniurie to hys iij. brethren which were equall with hym that is to say the bishop of Rome of Alexandria of Antiochia which iij. were patriarchal seas aswell as Constantinople and were brethren one to an other But sayeth Saincte Gregorye if anye one shall exalte him selfe aboue all the rest to be the vniuersal bishoppe the same passeth in pryde but now the bishop of Rome exalteth himselfe not only aboue all bishops but also aboue all kynges and Emperours and aboue the whole world taking vpon hym to geue and take away to set vp and put downe as he shall thinke good And as the deuill hauyng no such authoritie The deuil◠the Pope are like yet toke vpon hym to geue vnto Christ all the kyngdomes of the world if he would fall downe and worshippe him in lyke manner the Pope taketh vppon hym to geue Empyres and kingdomes beyng none of hys to suche as wil fal downe worship him and kysse his feete And moreouer his lawyers and glosers so flatter him that they say he may commaund Emperours and kynges to hold hys stirroppe when he lighteth vppon hys horse and to bee hys footemen and that if any Emperour or kyng geue hym any thyng they geue hym nothyng but that is hys owne and that he may dispense agaynst Gods word agaynste the old and new Testament against S. Paules epistles and against the Gospel And furthermore whatsoeuer he doth although he draw innumerable people by heapes wyth himselfe into hell yet may no mortal man reproue hym bicause he beyng iudge of al men may be iudged of no man thus he sytteth in the tēple of god The Pope is Antichrist that is Christs enemy Wherfore the Pope is Antichrist as he were a god nameth him self Gods Vicar yet he dispenseth agaynst God If this be not to play Antichrists part I cānot tel what is Antichrist which is no more to say but Christs enemy and aduersary who shall syt in the temple of God aduauncyng hymselfe aboue all other yet by hipocrisy and fayned religion shall subuert the true religion of Christ and vnder pretense and colour of Christian religion shall worke agaynst Christ therfore hath the name of Antichrist Now yf any man lyfte hymselfe hygher then the Pope hath done who lifteth him selfe aboue all the world or can be more aduersary to Christ thē to dispense agaynst Gods lawes where Christ hath geuen any cōmaundement to commaund dyrectly the cōtrary the mā must nedes be takē for Antichrist But vntyl the tyme that such a person may be found men may easly coniecture where to find Antichrist Wherfore seyng the Pope thus to ouerthrow both gods lawes and mans lawes taketh vpon hym to make Emperours and kinges to be vassals Subiects vnto hym specially the crowne of thys realme with the lawes customes of the same I see no mean how I may cōsent to admit this vsurped power within this realme cōtrary to myne othe mine obedience to gods law mine allegeaunce and duety to your maiesty and my loue and affectiō to thys realme This that I haue spoken against the power and authority of the Pope I haue not spoken I take God to record and iudge for any malice I owe to the Popes person whom I know not but I shal pray to god to geue him grace that he may seke aboue al things to promote gods honour and glory and not to follow the trade of hys predecessors in these latter dayes nor I haue not spoken it for feare of punishment and to auoyde the same thynkyng it rather an occasion to aggrauate then to diminish my trouble but I haue spoken it for my most bounden duty to the crowne liberties lawes and customes of thys realme but most especially to discharge my conscience in vtteryng the truthe to gods glory castyng away all feare Luke 12 by the comfort which I haue in Christes wordes who sayeth Feare not them that kill the body and cannot kill the Soule but feare hym that can caste both body and soule into hell He that for feare to lose this life will forsake the truth shall lose the euerlasting lyfe and he that for the truthes sake wyll spend hys lyfe shall fynde euerlasting life And Christ promiseth to stād fast with them before hys father which wil stand fast with him here Mathe. x. which comforte is so great that whosoeuer hath his eyes fixed vpon Christ cannot greatly passe of thys life knowyng that he may be sure to haue Christ stand by him in the presence of his father in heauen As touchyng
setter forth of Christes Gospell and of Gods true word so I found the and blessed be god so I left thee in deed Wo is me for thee mine own deare Colledge if euer thou suffer thy selfe by anye meanes to be broughte from that trade In thy Orcharde the wals buttes trees if they could speak would beare me witnesse I learned with out booke almost all Paules Epistles yea and I weene all the Canonicall Epistles saue only the Apocalipse Of which study although in time a great part did depart from me yet the sweete smell thereof I truste I shall cary with me into heauen for the profite therof I thinke I haue felte in all my life time euer after and I wene of late whether they abide there now or no I can not tel there was that did the lyke The Lord graunt that this zeale and loue toward that part of gods word which is a kay and a true cōmentary to al holy scripture may euer abyde in that colledge so longe as the world shall endure From Cambridge I was called into Kent by the Archbyshop of Caunterbury Thomas Cranmer that most reuerend father and man of god and of him by and by sente to be Vicar of Herne in Easte kente Wherefore fare well Herue thou worshipful and wealthy parish the fyrst cure wherunto I was called to minister gods word Thou hast heard of my mouth ofttimes the word of god preached not after the popish trade but after the Christs gospel oh that the frute had aunswered to the seede And yet I muste knowledge me to be thy dettour for the doctryne of the Lords supper which at that time I acknowledge God had not reueled vnto me but I blesse God in all that godly vertue and zeale of Gods word which the Lord by preachinge of his worde did kindle manifestly both in the hart and in the life and workes of that godlye woman there my Ladye Phines the Lorde graunte that his worde tooke lyke effecte there in manye other moe Farewell thou Cathedrall churche of Caunterburye the Metropolitike sea whereof once I was a mēber To speake thinges pleasante vnto thee I dare not for daunger of conscience displeasure of my lord God and to say what lieth in my harte were now to muche and I feare were able to doe thee nowe but little good Neuerthelesse for the frendeship I haue founde in some there and for charitye sake I wishe thee to be washed cleane of al worldlinesse and vngodlines that thou mayste be founde of God after thy name Christes Church in dede and in truth Farewell Rochester sometime my Cathedrall Sea in whome to say the truth I did find much gentlenesse and obedience and I trust thou wilt not say the contrarye but I did vse it to Gods glorye and thine owne profite in God Oh that thou haddest and mightest haue continued and gone forewarde in the trade of Gods lawe wherein I did leaue thee Then thy charge and burden should not haue beene so terrible and daungerous as I suppose verely it is like to be alas on the latter daye To Westminster other aduertisement in God I haue not now to say then I haue sayd before to the Cathedral church of Caunterbury and so God geue thee of his grace that thou mayste learne in deede and in truth to please him after hys owne lawes And thus fare you wel Oh London London to whome nowe maye I speake in thee or whome shall I bid farewell Shall I speake to the Prebendaryes of Paules Alas al that loued Gods worde and were true setters forth therof are nowe as I heare say some burnt and slayne some exiled and banished and some holden in hard prison and appoynted daily to be put to most cruell death for Christs Gospel sake As for the rest of them I know they could neuer broke me well nor I could neuer delighte in them Shall I speake to the Sea thereof wherein of late I was placed almost and not fullye by the space of .iii. yeares But what maye I saye to it beynge as I heare saye I am deposed and expuised by iudgemente as an vniust vsurper of that roome O iudgemente iudgement Can this be iust iudgement to condemne the chiefe minister of Gods woorde the pastoure and byshoppe of the dioces and neuer bringe hym into iudgemente that he myght haue heard what crimes were layde to hys charge nor neuer suffer him to haue anye place or time to aunswere for hym selfe Thinkest thou that hereafter when true iustice shall haue place that this iudgemente canne euer be allowed eyther of God or of manne Well as for the cause and whole matter of my deposition and the spoyle of my goodes whiche thou possessest yet I referre it vnto God whiche is a iust iudge and I beseche God if it be his pleasure that that whiche is but my personall wronge be not layde to thy charge in the latter daye this only can I pray for O thou nowe wicked and bloudye Sea whye doest thou sette vppe againe manye alters of idolatrye whyche by the woorde of God were iustlye taken awaye VVhy haste thou ouerthrowne the Lordes Table Why doest thou daylye delude the people maskinge in thy masses in the steade of the Lordes holye Supper whiche oughte to bee commen aswel saythe Chrisostome yea the Lorde him selfe to the people as to the prieste Howe darest thou denye to the people of Christe contrarye to hys expresse commaundemente in the gospell his holye cuppe Why bablest thou to the people the commen prayer in a straunge tounge wherein Saynt Paule commaundeth in the lords name that no man should speake before the congregation excepte it shoulde be by and by declared in theyr commen tounge that all myghte be edified Naye harken thou whorishe baude of Babilon thou wicked lymme of Antichriste thou bloodye Wolfe whye slayest thou downe and makest hauoke of the Prophetes of God Whye murtherest thou so cruellye Christes poore seely sheepe whiche will not heare thy voyce because thou arte a straunger and will followe none other but they re owne pastoure Christe his voyce Thinckest thou to escape or that the Lord wil not require the bloode of hys Sayntes at thy handse Thy God whiche is the woorke of thy handes and whome thou sayest thou haste power to make that thy deafe dumme God I say wil not in deede nor cannot althoughe thou art not ashamed to call hym thy maker make thee to escape the reuenginge hande of the hyghe and almightye God But be thou assured that the lyuinge Lorde our sauiour and redemer which sitteth on the right hand of his father in glory he seeth all thy wicked wayes and cruelty done to his deare members and he will not forget his holy ones and hys hands O thou whorish drabbe shalt thou neuer escape In steade of my farewell to thee now I saye fye vpon thee fye vpon thee filthye drabbe and all thy false Prophetes Yet O thou Londō I may not leaue thee
will and pleasure make you to beleue embrace the truth Amen An other farewell to the prisoners in Christes gospels cause and to all them which for the same cause are exiled and banished out form theyr own country chosing rather to leaue al worldly commodity then theyr mayster Christ FArewel my dearly beloued brethrē in Christ both ye my fellowe prisoners ye also that be exiled banished out of your countreis because ye wyl rather forsake all worldly commodity then the gospel of Christ Farewell al ye together in Christ farewell be mery for ye know that the trial of your faith bringeth forth patience and pacience shal make vs perfect whole and sound on euery syde and such after trial ye know shal receiue the crown of life according to the promise of the lord made to his derely beloued let vs therfore be pacient vnto the comminge of the Lorde Iacob 5 As the husbandman abideth paciently the former and latter raine for the encrease of his croppe so let vs bee patiente and plucke vp our hartes for the comminge of the lord approcheth apace Let vs my deare brethren take example of patience in tribulation of the Prophetes which spake lykewise Gods worde truelye in his name Let Iob be to vs an example of patience and the end which the Lord suffered 1. Pet. 1. which is full of mercy and pity We know my brethren by gods word that our fayth is much more precious then anye corruptible golde and yet that is tried by the fyre euen so our fayth is therfore tried likewise in tribulations that it may be found when the Lord shall appeare laudable glorious and honorable 1. Pet. 2. For if we for Christes cause doe suffer that is gratefull before God for thervnto are we called that is our state and vocation wherwith let vs be contēt Christ we knowe suffred for vs afflictions leuinge vs an example that we shoulde folowe his fotesteppes for he committed no sinne nor was there anye guile founde in hys mouth when he was rayled vpon and al to reuiled rayled not again whē he was euill intreated he did not threaten but committed the punishment therof to hym that iudgeth a right Let vs euer haue in fresh remembrance those wonderfull comfortable sentences spoken by the mouth of our sauioure Christ blessed are they whiche suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you Math. 5 persecute you and speake all euell againste you for my sake reioyse and bee gladde for great is you reward in heauen for so did they persecute the prophetes which were before you Therefore let vs alwaye beare this in our minds that if any incommodity do chaūce vnto vs for rightousnes sake happy are we whatsoeuer the world doth think of vs. Luke 21. Christ our maister hath told vs before hand that the brother should put the brother to death the father the sonne and the children should rise against their parentes and kill them that Christs true Apostles should be hated of all men for his names sake but he that shal abide patiētly vnto th end shal be saued Let vs thē endure in al trobles paciētly after the exāple of our maister Christ be cōtēted therw t for he suffred being our maister lord how doth it not thē become vs to suffer Luke 6. For the disciple is not aboue hys maister nor the seruant aboue hys lord It may suffice the disciple to be as his maister and the seruaunte to be as his lord If they haue called the father of the family Math. 10. the maister of the household Belzebub how muche more shall they call so thē of hys household Feare thē not then sayth our sauiour for all priuities shal be made playne there is now nothyng secrete but it shall be shewed in light Of Christes woordes let vs neyther be ashamed nor afrayde to speake them for so Christ our maister commaūdeth vs saieng that I tell you priuily speake openly abroad and that I tel you in your eare preach it vpon the house top And feare not thē which kyll the body for the soule they can not kill but feare him which can cast both body and soule into hel fire Know ye that the heauenly father hathe euer a gratious eye and respecte towarde you and a fatherlye prouidence for you so that withoute his knowledge and permission nothyng can do you harme Let vs therfore cast al our care vpō him and he shall prouyde that which shall be best for vs. For if of ij small sparowes which both are sold for a mite one of them lighteth not on the ground without your father and all the heares of oure head are numbred Math. 10. feare not then sayth oure Maister Christ for ye are more worth then many smal sparowes And let vs not sticke to confesse our maister Christe for feare of daunger whatsoeuer it shal be remembryng the promise that Christe maketh sayeng whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him shall I confesse before my father which is in heauen but whosoeuer shall deny me him shall I lykewyse deny before my father which is in heauē Christ came not to geue vnto vs heare a carnall amity a worldly peace or to knitte hys vnto the world in ease peace but rather to separate deuide thē frō the worlde to ioyn thē vnto hymself in whose cause we must if we wil be his forsake father and mother and stycke vnto hym If we forsake him or shrinke from him for trouble or deathes sake which he calleth hys crosse he wyll none of vs we cannot be hys If for hys cause we shall loose oure temporall lyues here we shall fynde them agayne and enioye them for euermore but if in hys cause we wyll not bee contented to leaue nor lose them here then shall we lose them so that we shall neuer fynd them again but in euerlasting death What though our troubles here be painfull for the tyme and the sting of death bitter vnpleasaunt yet we know that they shal not laste in comparison of eternitye no not the twincklyng of an eie and that they pacientlye taken in Christes cause shall procure and get vs vnmeasurable heapes of heauenly glory 2. Cor 4. vnto the whiche these temporal paynes of death and troubles compared 1. Pet. 4. are not to be estemed but to be reioysed vpon Wonder not saith S. Peter as thoughe it were anye straunge matter that ye are tryed by the fire he meaneth of tribulation whiche thyng sayeth he is done to proue you Nay rather in that ye are parteners of Christs afflictions reioyce that in hys glorious reuelaciō ye may reioice with mery hartes If ye suffer rebukes in Christes name happye are ye for the glory and spirite of god resteth vpon you Ol them God is reuiled and dishonored but of you he is glorifyed Let no man
be ashamed of that he suffreth as a christian in Christs cause for now is the time that iudgement and correctiō must begin at the house of god and if it begin first at vs what shal be the end of those thinke ye which beleue not the gospell And if the righteous shal be hardly saued the wicked and the sinner wher shal he appeare Wherfore they which are afflicted accordyng to the wil of god let them lay down and commit their soules to hym by wel doyng as to a trusty and faithful maker This as I said may not seme straunge to vs for we know that all the whole fraternity of christes congregatiō in this world is serued with the like by the same is made perfect For the feruēt loue that the apostles had vnto their maister Christe and for the great cōmodities increase of all godlines which they felt by theyr faith to ensue of afflictiōs in Christs cause thirdly for the heapes of heauenly ioyes which the same doe get vnto the godly which shal indure in heauen for euermore for these causes I say the apostles of theyr afflictions did ioy and reioiced in that they were had and accompted worthy to suffer cōtumelies and rebukes for christes name And Paule as he gloried in the grace and fauour of god whereunto he was brought and stode in by faith so he reioyced in his afflictions for the heauenly and spiritual profits which he numbreth to ryse vpon them yea he was so farre in loue with that that the carnal man lotheth so much 1. Cor. 2. that is with Christes crosse that he iudged himself to know nothing els but Christ crucified be wil glory he saith in nothyng elses but in Christes crosse yea he blesseth all those as the only true Israelits and elect people of god with peace and mercye which walketh after that rule and after none other O Lord what a wonderfull spirit was that that made Paule in setting forth of himself against the vanity of Satans Pseu dopostels and in hys clayme there that he in Christes cause dyd excel passe thē al 2. Cor. 11 what wonderful Spirit was that I say that made him to recken vp al his troubles his labors his beatīgs his whippings scourgings his shipwracks his daūgers and perils by water and by land his famyne hunger nakednes and cold with many moe and the daily care of all the congregations of Christ among whom euery mans paine did pearce his heart and euery mans griefe was greuous vnto him O Lord is this Paules Primacy wherof he thought so much good that he did excel other Is not this Paules saying vnto Timothy hys own scholler 2. Timo. 2 doth it not pertaine to whosoeuer will be Christes true souldiours beare thou saith he the afflictiōs like a good souldiour of Iesu Christ This is true if we die with him he meaneth Christ we shall liue with him if we suffer with him we shal raign with hym if we deny him he shall denye vs if we be faithlesse he remayneth faythefull he cannot denye himselfe Thys Paule woulde haue knowen to euerye body for there is none other waye to heauen 2. Tim. 3 but Christ and hys waye and all that wyll lyue godlye in Christe shall sayeth Sayncte Paule suffer persecution By thys way went to heauen the Patryarckes the Prophetes Christ our maister hys Apostels hys Martyrs al the godly since the beginnyng And as it hath ben of old that he which was born after the flesh Gal. 4 persecuteth hym whych was borne after the spirit for so it was in Isaackes tyme so sayd Saynt Paule it was in hys tyme also And whether it be so or no nowe lette the Spyrytuall man the selfe same man I meane that is indued wyth the Spirite of almighty God let hym bee Iudge Of the crosse of the Patryarckes as ye may read in their stories if ye reade the booke of Genesis ye shall perceyue Of other Saint Paule in few words comprehendeth much matter speakyng in a generalitie of the wonderful afflictions death and tormentes whiche the men of God in gods cause and for the truth sake willingly and gladly dyd suffer Heb. 11. After much perticuler rehersal of many he saith other wer racked and despised would not be deliuered that thei might obtayne a better resurrection Other againe were tryed with mockinges and scourgings and moreouer with bondes and imprisonment they were stoned hewen a sunder tempted fel and were slain vpon the edge of the sword some wandred to and fro in shepes pilches in goates pylches forsaken oppressed afflicted such godly mē as the world was vnworthy of wandryng in wildernes in mountains in caues and in dennes and all these were commended for their faith And yet they abide for vs the seruaunts of god for those theyr brethren which are to be slayn as they wer for the worde of gods sake that none be shut oute but that we may all go together to meete oure maister Christe in the ayre at his commyng and so to be in blisse with hym in body and in soule for euermore Therefore seyng we haue so muche occasion to suffer and to take afflictions for Christes names sake pacientlye so many commodities thereby so waightye causes so manye good examples so greate necessitye so sure promises of eternall life and heauenlye ioyes of hym that cannot lie Let vs throwe away whatsoeuer might let vs all burden of synne and all kynde of carnalitie and patiently and constantly let vs ronne for the beste game in thys race that is set before vs euer hauyng our eyes vpon Iesus Christ the ryngleader Heb. 12. capitain and perfiter of our fayth which for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse not passyng vpon the ignomy shame therof and is set now at the right hand of the throne of god Consider this that he suffred such strife of synners against hym selfe that ye shoulde not geue ouer nor fainte in your myndes As yet brethren we haue notwithstande vnto death fyghtyng against synne Let vs neuer forget deare brethren for Christes sake that fatherly exhortatiō of the wyse that speaketh vnto vs as vnto hys children the godly wisdome of god saying thus my sonne despise not the correction of the Lord nor fall not from hym when thou art rebuked of hym for whom the Lorde loueth hym doth he correcte and scourgeth euery childe whome he receyueth what chylde is he whome the father doth not chasten If ye be free from chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and no children Seyng then when as we haue had carnal parents which chastened vs we we reuerenced them shall not we much more be subiect vnto oure spirituall father that we myght lyue And they for a little tyme taught vs after theyr owne mynd but this father teacheth vs to our commoditye Heb. 12. to geue vnto vs hys holines Al chastisement for
true honoryng of God also that can shew you the descente of Christes church from the begynning of it vntyll thys daye that ye maye perceaue by the lyfe of your forefathers these two thynges the one that Chrystes woorde whych sayde that al hys must suffer persecutiō and trouble in the world be true the other that none of all hys before our time escaped trouble then shall ye perceiue that it is but a folly for one that professeth Christe trulye to looke for the loue of the worlde Thus shall ye learne to beare trouble and to exercise youre religion and feele in deede that Chrystes woordes be true in the worlde ye shall suffer persecution Iohn 16 And when ye feele your religion in deede saye yee be no better then youre forefathers but be gladde that ye maye be counted worthye souldioures for thys warre and praye to God when ye come together that he wyll vse and order you and youre doyinges to these thre endes whyche ye muste take heede of the fyrste that ye gloryfye God the nexte that ye edifye the churche and congregation the thyrde that ye profyte your owne soules In all youre doynges beware ye be not deceaued For although thys tyme be not yet bloodye and tyrannous as the time of oure forfathers that coulde not beare the name of Christe wythout daunger of lyfe and goodes yet is oure tyme more perellous both for bodye and soule Therefore of vs Chryst sayde Luke 18. thinke ye when the sonne of manne commeth he shall fynde anye fayth vpon earth He sayde not thynke ye he shal fynde anye man or woman chrystened and in name a christian but he spake of the faythe that saueth the christian man in Chryst and doubtles the scarsitye of faith is now more and wyll I feare increase then it was in the time of the greatest Tyrannes that euer were and no maruell whye Reade yee the syxte chapter of Saynte Iohns Reuelation and ye shall perceyue amonges other thynges that at the opening of the fourthe seale came out a pale horse and he that satte vppon hym was called deathe and hell followed hym Thys horse is the time wherein hypocrites and dissemblers entred into the Churche vnder the precente of true religion as monkers Friers Nonnes massynge priestes wyth suche other that haue killed moe soules wythe heresyes and superstystitiō thē al the Tyrānes that euer were killed bodies with fyre sword or banishement as it appereth by hys name that sitteth vpon the horse who is called death for all soules that leaue Christ and trust to these hipocrytes lyue to the diuil in euerlasting payne as is declared by him that followeth the pale horse which is hel These pretēsed and pale hypocrites haue stirred the earthquakes that is to witte the princes of the world agaynst Christes church and haue also darkned the sonne and made the moone bloody and haue caused the starres to fall from heauen that is to saye haue darkned wyth mistes and daylye doe darken as ye heare by they re sermons the cleare sonne of Gods moste pure woorde the moone whiche be Gods true preachers whiche fetche onelye lyghte at the sonne of Gods woorde are turned into blood prisons and chaines that theyr light can not shine vnto the world as they would Wherupō it cōmeth to passe that the stars that is to say Christian people fal frō heauen that is to witte from Gods moste true word to hypocrisye most deuelyshe superstition and idolatrye Let some learned man shew you al the articles of your belief and monuments of Christian fayth from the time of Christe hetherto and ye shall perceiue that there was neuer mention of such articles as these hypocrites teache God blesse you and praye for me as I do for you Out of the Flete by your brother in Christe Iohn Hoper To all my deare brethren my relieuers and helpers in the City of London THe grace of God bee with you Amen I haue receaued from you dearelye beloued in our sauioure Iesus Christe by the hands of my seruant william Downton your liberality for the which I do most hartly thank you and I prayse god hyghly in you and for you who hathe moued youre heartes to showe this kindnes towardes me prayinge hym to preserue you from all famyne scarcity and lacke of the truth of hys word which is the liuely foode of your soules as you preserue my body from hunger and other necessities which should happē vnto me were it not cared for by the beneuolence and charity of godly people Suche as haue taken all worldlye gooddes and landes from me and spoyled me of all that I had haue emprisoned my bodye and appoynted no one halfepeny to feede or to relieue me wythall But I doe forgeue them and praye for them daylye in my poore prayer vnto God and from my hearte I wyshe their saluation and quietlye and pacientlye beare theyr iniuries wyshyng no farther extremity to bee vsed towardes vs. Yet yf it seeme contrary beste vnto oure heauenlye father I haue made my reckenyng and fullye resolued my selfe to suffer the vttermost that they are able to do against me yea death it selfe by the ayde of Christ Iesu who dyed the moste vyle deathe of the crosse for vs wretches and myserable synners But of thys I am assured that the wycked world with all his force and power shall not touche one of the heares of our heades wythout leaue ad lycence of oure heauenly father whose wyll be done in al thynges If he wyll lyfe lyfe bee it if he wyll deathe deathe be it Onelye we praye that oure wylles maye bee subiecte vnto hys wyll and then althoughe bothe we and all the worlde see none other thynge but deathe yet yf he thynke lyfe best we shall not dye no althoughe the sword be drawen oute ouer oure heades as Abraham thoughte to kyll his sonne Isaac yet when god perceaued that Abraham had surrendred hys wyll to Gods wyll and was contente to kill hys sonne god then saued hys sonne Dearely beloued if we be contented to obeye gods wyll and for hys commaundementes sake to surrender oure goodes and our selues to be at his pleasure it maketh no mater whether we kepe goods and lyfe or loose them Nothing can hurte vs that is taken from vs for Gods cause nor nothyng can at length doe vs good that is preserued contrary vnto Gods commaundemente Lette vs wholye suffer God to vse vs and ours after hys holye wysedome and beware we neyther vse nor gouerne oure selues contrarye to hys wyll by oure owne wisedome for yf we doe oure wisdome wyll at lengthe proue folishnes It is kept to no good purpose that we kepe contrarye vnto his commaundementes It can by no meanes be takē from vs that he would should tary with vs. He is no good christian that ruleth hym selfe and his as worldlye meanes serueth for he that so doth shall haue as many chaunges as chaunceth in the world To daye wyth the
reason of sinne He dyd commaunde therfore his disciples when he shewed them that they should take patiently the state of this present life ful of troubles persecutiō Math. 24. Luke ij to pray that they might wel escape those troubles that were to come and be able to stād before the sonne of man When ye finde your selfe to muche oppressed as euery man shall be sometyme with the feare of gods iudgement vse the 77. psal that beginneth psalm 77. I wyll try vnto god with my voice and he shall harken vnto me In which psalme is both godly doctrine and great consolation vnto the man or woman that is in anguish of mind Read also his exposition vpon this psalm most cōfortable for all broken and afflicted hartes Vse also in such troubles the .88 psalme wherin is conteyned the prayer of a mā that was brought into extreme anguish and misery and beyng vexed with aduersaries and persecutions saw nothyng but death and hell and although he felt in himselfe that he had not onely man but also god angrye towardes hym yet he by praier humbly resorted vnto god as the onely porte of consolation and in the middes of his desperate state of trouble put the hope of his saluation in him whom he felt his enemye Howe be it no man of hym selfe can do this but the spirit of god that striketh the mans hart with feare Rom. 8 prayeth for the man striken feared with vnspeakable groninges And when you feele your selfe or know any other oppressed after suche sort be glad for after that god hath made you to know what you be of your self he wil doutles shew you comfort Note this well to thy comfort that art afflicted and read the 4. chap. of Eccle. declare vnto you what you be in Christ hys only sonne vse prayer often for that is the meanes wherby god wil be saught vnto for his gifts These psalmes be for the purpose when the minde can take no vnderstādyng nor the hart any ioye of gods promises therfore were these psalmes also made .6.22.30.31.38.69 frō the which you shal learne both patience consolation Remēber that although your lyfe as all christian mens be be hyd and appeareth not Col. 3. what it is yet is it safe as S. Paule saith with god in Christ and when Christ shal appeare thē shall our liues be made open in him with glory But in the meane time with seekyng and settyng our affections vpon the thynges that be aboue we muste patiently suffer whatsoeuer god shall send vnto vs in this mortal lyfe Notwithstandyng it might fortune some would saye who is so perfect that can let all thynges passe as they come and haue no care of them suffer all thynges and feele nothyng be attēpted of the deuill the worlde and the fleshe and not be troubled Verily no man liuyng But this I say that in the strēgth of Iesus Christ thinges that come may passe with care for we be worldly yet are we not caried with thē frō Christ for we be in hym godly We may suffer things and fele them as mortall men yet beare them and ouercome thē as christian men We may be attempted of the deuil the flesh the world but yet although these thinges pinche they doe not pearce and although they worke sinne in vs Rom. 8. yet in Christe no damnation to those that be grafted in hym Hereof may the christian man learne both consolation patience Consolation in that he is compelled bothe in hys bodye and goodes to feele payne and losse and in the soule heauines and anguish of mynde how be it none of thē both shall separate him from the loue that God beareth hym in Christ He may learne patience for as much as his enemies both of the body and soule and the paines also they vexe vs withal for the time if they tary with vs as long as we liue yet when death commeth they shal auoide and geue place to such ioyes as be prepared for vs in Christ for no paynes of the worlde be perpetuall and whether they shall afflicte vs for all the tyme of our mortall lyfe we knowe not for they be the seruauntes of god to go and to come as he cōmaundeth them But we must take hede we meddle not forceably nor seditiously to put away the persecution appointed vnto vs by God but remember Christes saying Luke 2 possesse you your liues by your patience And in this commaundement god requireth in euery man and woman this patient obedience He sayeth not it is sufficient that other holye Patryarckes Prophetes Apostles Euangelistes and Martyrs continued theyr lyues in patience and pacient sufferyng the troubles of this worlde but Christe sayeth to euerye one of his people by your owne patience ye shall continue your lyfe not that man hathe patience of hym selfe but that he must haue it for hymselfe of God the onelye geuer of it if he purpose to be a godly man Now therfore as our profession and religion requireth patience outwardlye withoute resistaunce and force so requireth it patience of the mynde and not to be angrye wyth God althoughe he vse vs that be his own creatures as him listeth We may not also murmure against God but say alwais his iudgements be right iust and reioyce that it pleaseth him by troubles to vse vs as he vsed heretofore suche as he most loued in this worlde haue a synguler eare to this commaundemēt Gaudete exultate be glad reioyce for he sheweth great cause why Math. 5. your reward saith he is great in heauen These promises of hym that is the truth it selfe shall by gods grace worke both consolation patience in the afflicted christian person And when our sauiour Christ hath willed men in trouble to be content and pacient because god in the ende of trouble in Christ hath ordeyned eternall consolation he vseth also to take from vs all shame and rebuke as thoughe it were not an honour to suffer for Christe because the wycked worlde dothe curse and abhorre suche poore troubled Christians Wherfore Christ placeth all his honourably Math. 24. and saith euen so persecuted they the Prophetes that were before you We may also se with whom the afflicted for Christs sake be estemed Heb. 11. by S. Paule to the Hebrewes where as the number of the blessed and glorious company of Sainctes appeare nowe to our faith in heauen in ioye yet in the letter for the tyme of thys lyfe in suche paynes and contempte as was neuer more Let vs therfore consider bothe them and all other thinges of the worlde sithens the fall of man and we shall perceiue nothing to come to perfection but wyth such confusion and disorder to the eye of the worlde as thoughe thinges were rather lost for euer then like to come to anye perfection at all For of godly men who euer came to heauē no not Christ himselfe
due vnto those his people Wherfore let vs faythfully confesse that we haue offended wyth oure forefathers The which beyng done in our conuersion vnto the Lord our God wyth our whole heart Psal 89. let vs assure our selues that euen as he hath and doth visite our synnes with this captiuity of body and cōscience and such other plagues beyng his rodde of chastisement so hath he not taken away his mercy from vs but wyll plentifully visite vs wyth the same euen for that couenaunt of mercy made vnto vs not in Abraham Isaac and Dauid but in that promysed sede of Abraham in that spiritual Dauid euē Iesus Christ who is that peaceable Salomon makyng peace betwen vs and his Father by the offeryng of hys bodye and sheedyng of hys bloude by whose meanes we must looke for the gilt of our synnes to bee forgeuen and the plagues thereby purchased to be taken away And now dearly beloued we be taught by that heauenly spirit which our god hath geuen vnto vs to seke comfort in these tymes of affliction not in hope of rebellion or fulfillyng vnprofitable yea pestilent welshe prophecies but in the most comfortable glad tidings of the heauenly promises assured in his deare Christ And touchyng this most miserable estate of the ghostly captiuity of conscience and bodely bondage wherin for our synnes presently we be holden let vs fyrst most obediently kysse this rodde of our father by obedience submission to abide al extremity that man may do vnto vs rather then to forgoe faythe and a good conscience Lette vs also beseche our heauenly father for his christes sake to leaue of beating vs and to take awaye the rodde eyther by conuertyng the hartes of those whiche afflicte persecute vs for so dyd he somtyme take away the rodde as namely by conuertyng of Nabuchodonozer Manasses or els if such wycked scourges be not to be cōuerted but be reprobates vessels of gods wrath chyldren of perdition suche vpon whome it pleaseth god to shewe hys iudgementees and in whom he will shew hys power If I saye they be suche let vs wyshe most earnestly that our God wyll spedely aryse that hys and our enemies may shortelye be scattered Yea he knoweth what these execrable erecters of the Romyshe religion are They be the proude builders of the Babilonicall Tower They wyll clyme vppe into Gods kyngdome by theyr owne attempts not expectyng waiting for Gods helpe Yea that lord be iudge betwixt them vs. He knoweth that as theyr buildinges tende vnto the destruction of that true onelye foundation Christ so our buildyng by Gods woorde hathe and dothe tende to the substantiall laying of that only foundation and to the establyshyng of Christes chosen church vpon that same rocke wyth an vnfayned fayth and pure conscience also vnto the building vpon the same faith al fruitfull workes of the Spirite to serue GOD in holines and ryghteousnes c. Tit. 2. Yea that euer lyuyng Lord knoweth the earneste desyre of our hartes is euen the greedy expectation of the glorious commyng of that greate iudge vnto whose iudgemente loe heauen and earthe bee witnes and ye Gods Saynctes we doe appeale in the meane season abidyng our Gods good pleasure to doe wyth vs that may moste redounde vnto hys glorye whether to lyue or dye nothyng doubtyng in hym to be strengthened merely and chearefully to make a sacrifyce and burnte offeryng for the confirmation of thys infallible veritye taughte by vs and once receiued of you And ioyne with vs deare fellowe heires as we ioyne with you in humble prayer that euen as all we be by saithe handfasted vnto our husband and knytte vnto our heade Iesu Christe and also be kyndled by loue one to an other as mutual members in this mysticall body so we may perseuere and continue vnto the ende and that by and in our Christ we may encrease more and abound in the spirite of grace and prayer wherby to fetche all heauenly influence from that our heade Christe one for an other euen as in the bodye one member mynistreth vnto an other Amen Amen In the Marshalsee 17. Octob. 1554. A prisoner in the Lord trustyng shortly to be with the Lord. L. Saunders ¶ To maystres Lucye Harryngton a godly gentlewoman and frendly in hys trouble to hym and his YOur most gentle commendations wherof this messenger made remēbrance vnto me was for two causes very cōfortable Fyrst for that thereby I vnderstoode of the stare of your health and bodely welfare for the which I geue thankes vnto GOD who graunte the long continuāce therof to his honour and fatherly good wil wherunto I will daily saye Amē And father I was refreshed by the expressing of your myndful frendship towards me far vnworthy therof Wherin I take occasion of muche reioysing in oure so gratious a god and mercifull father who as he hath in hys vnmesurable mercy by fayth handfasted vs hys chosen children vnto hys deare sonne our Christ as the spirituall spouse of suche an heauenly husband so he lynketh vs by loue one vnto another beyng by that bonde compacte together with charitable readines to do good one vnto an other so that fyrste to the glory of our god and his christ then to our owne ioying in the testimony of a good conscience and laste of all to the stoppyng of the mouthes and confusion of our aduersaries we beare the badge as the right spouse of our Christ which he hymselfe noteth in this hys sayeng Iohn 13. herein shall all men know that ye be my disciples if ye loue one an other Then farther by thys bonde of mutual loue is set forth the fatherly prouidence of god towardes vs his children that though it be he which careth for vs in whom we lyue moue and be who feedeth all flesh with bodely sustenaunce yet hathe he apointed vs in these present necessities to stand in his stede one vnto an other Wherin is not only set forth our dignitye but also that vnspeakable accorde and vnity among vs the many members in thys mysticall body And thoughe that eyther for lacke of hability or els throughe distaunce of place power and oportunitie of helpyng one another doe fayle yet wonderfull is the workyng of gods childrē through the spirite of prayer as wherby they fetch all heauenly influence from Christe their celestiall heade by hys spirite Iohn 15 to be measured seuerally as may serue to the mayntenance of the whole body Thus doth our faithful prayer which we make one for an other distribute and scatter gods bountifull blessynges both ghostly and bodelye when ordinarye habilitye lacketh and when the arme may not reach such gods riches According hereunto I wel perceaue and vnderstande your readynesse to do good vnto all and especially I haue experience of your readye good will towards me in your hartie desire to stretch out your helpyng hand to releue my lacke and of your helpe to be extended to me
me vp to heauen where I shal loke continually for your cōming and others my faithful brethrē in the kinges Bench. And though I tel you that I am in hel in the iudgement of thys world yet assuredly I feele in the same the consolation of heauen prayse god And thys lothsome horrible prison is as pleasaūt to me as the walke in the gardē of the kings Bench. You know brother Careles that the way to heauē out of this life is very narrowe we must striue to enter in at a narrow gate If God do mitigate the ouglenes of mine imprisonment what wil he do in the rage of the fier wherunto I am appointed And thys hath happened vnto me that I might be hereafter an ensample of cōfort if the like happen vnto you or to any other of my deare brethrē with you in these cruel daies in the which the deuil so rageth at the faithful flocke of Christ but in vaine I trust againste any of vs who be persuaded that neyther lyfe neither death is hable to separate vs from the loue of Christes Gospell which is gods high treasure cōmitted to our brittle vessels to glorify vs by the same God of his mercye make vs faythful stewardes to the end geue vs grace to feare nothing whatsoeuer in his good pleasure we shall suffer for the same That I haue not written vnto you erste the cause is our straite keping the want of light by night for the day serueth vs but a while in our darke closet This is the first letter that I haue writen since I came to prison besides the report of mine examinatiōs I am faine to scrible it out in haste Comend me to al our faythful brethren byd them with a good courage loke for their redēption and frame thēselues to be harty souldiers in Christ They haue taken his prest money a great while now let thē shew thē selues readye to serue him faythfully not to flye out of the lords campe into the world as many do Let them remember that in the Apocalips the feareful bee excluded the kingdome Let vs bee of good cheare for our lord ouercame the world that we should do the like Blessed is the seruant whō when the Lord cōmeth he fyndeth watching O let vs watch and pray earnestly one for an other that we be not led into temptation Be ioyfull vnder the crosse prayse the Lord continually for this is the whole burnt sacrifice which the lord chiefly delyghteth in Cōmend me to my father Hunt desire him to loue continue in the vnitie of Christes true church which he hath begon then shall he make me more more to ioye vnder my crosse with him Tell my brother Clements that he hath comforted me muche by his louing token in significatiō of an vnfayned vnitie with vs let him encreace my ioye vnto the end perfectly The Lord of peace be with you all Salute all my louing frendes Maister Meryng Maister Crooth with the rest specially Maister Marshall and hys wyfe with great thankes for hys kyndnes shewed vnto me Fare well my deare Careles I haue dalied with the deuill a while but now I am ouer the shooes God send me well out Out of the Colehouse by your brother Iohn Philpot. An other letter written to Iohn Careles out of the Colehouse of darkenes whereby he geueth lighte and heauenlye comforte to hys heauy and troubled mynde THe God of all comfort and the father of oure Lord Iesus Christ send vnto thee my deare brother Careles the inwarde consolation of hys holy spirite in al the malicious assaultes and troublous temptations of our common aduersarye the Deuill Amen That god geueth you so contrite a harte for your sinnes I can not but reioyce to behold the liuely marke of the children of god whose propertye is to thinke more lowlye and vily of themselues then of any other and often tymes doe set their sinnes before them that they myghte the more bee styrred to bryng forth the fruites of repentaunce and learne to mourne in thys worlde that in an other they myghte bee glad and reioyce Such a broken heart is a pleasaunt sacryfyce vnto God O that I had the lyke contrite harte God mollifye my stonye harte which lamenteth not in such wise my former detestable iniquities Praised be god that he hath geuen you thys sorrowful hart in respect of righteousnes I praye you let me be pertaker of these Godly sorrowes for sinne which be the testimony of the presence of the holy ghoste Dyd not the sword of sorrow pearce the harte of the elect and blessed mother of our Lord Did not Peter wepe bitterly for hys sinnes which was so beloued of Christ Dyd not Mary Magdalene was the feete of oure Sauiour with her teares and receaued therwithall remission of her seuenfold sinnes Be of good comfort therfore mine own deare heart in thys thy sorrowe for it is the earnest peny of eternall consolatiō In thy sorrowe laughe for the spirite of God is with thee Blessed be they sayth Christ that mourne Math. 15. Psa 125. psal 51 Luke 7 for they shal bee comforted They went forth and wepte fayth the Prophet such shall come agayne hauing their gripes full of gladnes And althoughe a sorrowfull harte in consideration of hys sinne be an acceptable sacrifice before God whereby we are stirred vp to more thankefulnes vnto God knowing that much is forgeuen vs that we might loue the more yet the mā of god muste keepe a measure in the same leaste he bee swallowed vppe by to muche sorrowe Sainte Paule woulde not the Thessalonians to be sory as other men whiche haue no hope Such a sorow is not commendable 1. Thess 4. 2. Cor. 7. but worketh damnation and is farre from the children of God who are continually sorrowfull in god when they loke vppon theyr own vnworthynes with hope of forgeuenes For God to thys end by his spirite setteth the sinnes of hys electe still before them that where they perceaue sinne to abounde Rom. 5. there they myght be assured that grace shall superabounde bringeth them downe vnto hell that he myght lift thē vp with greater ioy vnto heauē Wherfore myne own bowels in Christ as long as you are not voyde altogether of hope be not dismayde throughe your pensiue harte for your sinnes howe huge so euer they haue beene for God is hable to forgeue more then you are able to sinne yea and he wil forgeue him which with hope is sory for hys sinnes But know brother that as oft as we do go aboute by the helpe of Gods spirite to do that is good the euil spirit Sathan layeth hard wayte to turne the good vnto euill goeth about to mixe the detestable darnell of desperation with the godly sorrow of a pure penitent heart You be not ignoraunt of hys malicious subtelty and how that continually he assaulteth that good which the grace of
trial of our fayth for the beautifying therof Be not peruerted with them that be peruerse and intractable they resist not you they resiste Christ and bee workers agaynst their own saluation Shew as much modestye and humilitie as you maye possible so shall your labour please God beste and your aduersaryes receaue the more shame and others seing your modest conuersation amongest these contentious bablers shal glorifye god in hys truth by you the more abhorre them as you see it hath come to passe in tymes paste Be contente that Semei doe rayle at Dauid and cast stones a whyle 2. Reg. 16. be sure his raylyng iudgement wil fall vpon hys owne pate Haue alwais that notable rule of Christes church before your eyes 1. Cor. 11. which Sainct Paul writeth that if any bodye be contentious neyther we neyther the churche of god hath any suche custome Desyre all oure brethren in the bowells of Iesus Christe to keepe the bonde of peace which is the vnity of Christs church where bee all the treasures of spirituall consolation in heauenlye thynges Hebr. 12 Let no roote of bytternes sprynge vp which the deuill with all diligence seeketh to thruste in amongest the children of god Kysse one another with the kysse of vnfayned brotherlye loue and take one another by the hande cherefully and say let vs take vp our crosse together and go to the mount of Caluary there be willing to suffer what soeuer it pleaseth god we shal Hetherto we haue not resisted to blodshedding Our blood must not be to deare for the lord and then hys kingdome shall not be to deare for vs. Thus exhorte one an other to offer your selues a ioyfull sacrifice vnto God for thys is that pleasaunte sacrifyce wherew t his wrathe shal be pacifyed which is now kindled moste iustly agaynste vs. Be thankefull vnto God that it hath pleased him to make you worthye of this glrious afflictiō yea I pray you geue thankes vnto god for me that it hath bene hys good wil to take me most filthy vnthankeful sinner to be one of this nūber My ioy of the loue of God towardes me in this behalfe is such that it maketh al my straite imprisonmēt to seme pleasure god be praised I cā not be sory though I would O how great is the loue of God towardes vs Be mery brethren reioyce continually in the lord for the victorye is ours yea heauē is ours all the glory therof Faynte not but runne out for we are euen at an end Be glad of nothing so much as in the mortification of the old Adam murmure not in no case what soeuer necessitie you be in Cōmunicate your necessities to me to others of his people and God will make vs to deuide stakes Be alwaies praysyng God talking cōforting teaching exhorting in God and he will not see you vtterly destitute I commend me to your faythful prayers all And you Careles see that you be in my doungeon with me as I am in spirite with you in the Kynges Bench and with you al. Thyne owne brother Iohn Philpot To Maistres Anne Hartipole who was fallen from the syncerity of the gospel which she had before long knowē and professed to the Pope and his Idolatrous religion THe grace of God and true lyght wherewith he lighteneth the hartes of all the true and faythfull beleuers louers and followers of his holy Gospell lyghten your harte by the mightye operation of his holy spirit Amen I haue not hetherto beene accustomed to write vnto you in the matters of oure cōmon fayth which is now daūgerously assaulted especially for that otherwyse by corporall presence and mutuall conference we haue had consolation in the same as the time present dyd requyre In the which I perceiued your iudgement and constancy to be so much that I receiued by your good and godlye example strength in the same as I haue done euen from the begynnyng before I was called vnto the lyghte of the gospell in the whych you wente before me and ministred occasion to me to follow at such tyme as that blessed woman Anne Askewe nowe a glorious Martyr in the syghte of Iesus christ was harboured in your house so that I thought it superfluous and not nedefull to wryte thereof vnto you that of so long tyme haue ben instructed and by so many learned bookes confyrmed But now hearyng that the old serpente our auncient enemy which lyeth in continual wayte of our steppes hath bytten you by the heele and geuen you a foule fall I cannot but be hartely sory and as brotherly charitye moueth me testifye the same vnto you by writyng for that I maye not presently otherwyse open my selfe in thys behalfe Alas syster that so syncere profession shoulde receyue so grosse an infection to the dishonoure of god and of hys churche What meaneth it that you are so sodeinly departed from Ierusalem vnto Hierico Luk 10 to be a companion of theues idolaters to the vtter ouerthrowyng of that good which you haue professed for as sainct Iames teacheth vs he that offendeth in one is gyltye in all and to come to Idolatrye and straunge worshyppyng of god forbidden by his word is of all transgressions the moste detestable Therefore I cannot cease to wonder howe you could so soone be allured or drawen therto I had thought the loue of the truthe had beene so graffed in youre harte that neyther persecution sworde fyre nor gallowes myght haue broughte thys to passe that at the voyce of a handemayde in the fyrste temptation you shoulde haue denyed Christe For not to walke after the synceritye of hys Gospell in deede is to denye hym and none can be pertakers of the Lordes table and of the table of deuylles whyche is the popyshe Masse and the malignaunte synagoge vsyng the same Me thynke I heare your excuse pretendyng your conscience to be sounde before GOD notwythstandyng and that your conscience wyll geue you leaue thus to doe wyth the common sorte of dissemblers both wyth God and man but I must tell you playn Syster in Gods cause that your conscience so affected is a syckelye and vnsound conscience and craftely blinded for before GOD there is no suche conscience alowed whyche alloweth your bodye to do that whiche it condemneth We shall receyue all accordynge to that whyche we doe in oure bodies whether it bee good or euyll and it is commaunded vs as well to glorifye GOD in our bodies as in oure soules We must shewe oure faythe by our outwarde conuersation that men seynge oure good workes myghte glorifye oure father whiche is in heauen Wyll ye nowe wyth youre presence goe aboute to beautifye that whyche hetherto you haue iustely destroyed What do you elles in so doynge but notifye your selfe to bee an infydell to the churche of Christe that wyll be contente to associate your selfe wyth her enemye for the contentation of man Hathe euer any personne of God so done that
vp their crosse marke they must take it vp follow him not the multitude custome vse Cōsider for gods sake that if we gather not with Christ we scatter abroade What should it profite a mā to winne the whole world and lose his own soule We must not forget that this life is a wildernes and not a paradyse here is not oure home we are nowe in warfare we muste nedes fight or els be taken prisoners Of al things we haue in this life we shal cary nothing with vs. If Christ be our captain we must folow hī as good souldiers If we kepe cōpany with him in afflittion we shal be sure of his societie in glory If we forsake not him he wil neuer for sake vs. If we cōfesse him he wil cōfesse vs but if we deny him he wil deny vs. If we be ashamed of him he wil be ashamed of vs. Wherefore as he forsoke father heauen and al things to come to vs so let vs forsake all thinges to come to him being sure moste certayne that we shal not lose therby Your children shal finde feele it double yea treble what soeuer ye lose for the Lords sake and ye shal finde and fele peace of conscience frendeship with god which is more worth then al the goods of the world My dearly beloued therfore for the Lordes sake cōsider these thynges which I now write vnto you of loue for my Vale and laste farewell for euer in thys present life Turne to the Lorde repente ye your euill and vnthankeful life declare repentaunce by the fruites take time whyles you haue it come to the Lorde whiles he calleth you runne into his lappe whiles his armes be opē to embrase you seeke him whiles he may be found cal vpon him whiles time is conueniente forsake and flye from all euill both in religion and in the rest of your life and conuersation let your lighte so shine before men that they may see your good woorkes and prayse god in the day of his visitation Oh come again come againe ye straunge children I wil receaue you sayth the Lord. Conuert and turne to me and I will turne vnto you Why wil ye nedes perishe As sure as I liue swereth the Lord I wil not your death tourne therefore vnto me Can a woman forget the child of her wombe If she should yet wil not I forget you sayth the lord your god I am he I am he which putteth awaye your sinnes for mine owne sake Oh then deare frends turne I say vnto your dearest father Cast not these his sweete and louing woordes to the grounde and at your tayle for the Lorde watcheth on hys worde to performe it which is in two sortes to them that lay it vp in their hartes and beleue it will he pay all and eternall ioye and comforte But to them that caste it at their backes and wilfully forget it to them I say wil he poure out indignation and eternal shame Wherfore I hartely yet once more besech and pray you and euery of you not to contemne this poore and simple exhortation which now out of prison I make vnto you or rather the Lord by me Loth would I be to be a witnes against you in the last day as of truth I must be if ye repent not if ye loue not gods gospel yea if ye lyue it not Therfore to conclude repent loue gods gospell lyue it in all your conuersation so shall gods name be praysed his plagues mitigated his people comforted his enemies ashamed Graunt all thys thou gracious Lord god to euery of vs for thy deare sonnes sake oure Sauiour Iesus Christ To whom with thee and the holy ghost be eternall glory for euer and euer Amen The 12. of Febr. 1555. By the bondman of the Lord your afflicted poore brother Iohn Bradford To the honourable lord Russell nowe Earle of Bedford being then in trouble for the veritye of gods Gospell THe euerlasting and most gracious god father of our sauioure Iesu Christ blesse your good Lordship with al manner of heauenly blessinges in the same Christ our onely comfort and hope Amen Praysed be god our father which hath vouched you worthy as of fayth in his Christ so of his crosse for the same Magnified be his holy name who as he hath deliuered you from one crosse so he hath made you willinge I trust and ready to beare an other when he shal see his time to lay it vpon you for these are the most singular giftes of God geuē as to fewe so to none els but to those few which are most deare in his sight Faith is reckened and worthely among the greatest giftes of god yea it is the greatest it self that we enioy for by it as we be iustifyed made gods childrē so are we temples possessours of the holy spirit yea of Christ also Eph. 4. and of the father him self Iohn 14. By fayth we driue the deuil away 1. Pet. 5. We ouercome the world 1. Ioh. and are already citizens of heauen and fellowes with gods deare saints But who is able to recken the riches that thys fayth bringeth with her vnto the soule shee sitteth vpō No man nor Angell And therfore as I sayd of al gods giftes she may be set in the toppe haue the vppermost feare The which thing if men considered in that she commeth alonely frō gods own mercy seate by the hearing not of Masse or Mattyns Diriges or such draffe but of the word of God in such a tong as we can and do vnderstand as they would be diligent and take great heede for doing or seing any thyng which might caste her down for thē they fal also so would they with no lesse care read and heare Gods holy woorde ioyning therto moste earnest and often prayer aswel for the more and better vnderstanding as for the louyng liuing confessing of the same maugre the head of the deuil the world our flesh reason goods possessions carnall frendes wyfe children and very life here if they shoulde pulle vs barke to harken to their voyce and counsell for more quiet sure and longer vse of them Now notwithstanding this excellency of fayth in that we read the Apostle to match therewith yea as it were to preferre suffering persecution for Christes sake Philip. 1. I trowe no man will be so fonde as to thinke otherwise but that I and all gods children haue cause to glorifie prayse god which hath vouched you worthy so great a blessing For though the reason or wisedome of the world thinke of the crosse according to their reach and according to their present sense therefore flyeth from it as from a most great ignominie shame yet Gods scholers haue learned otherwise to thinke of the crosse that it is the frame house in the which god frameth his children like to his sonne Christe the fornace that fyneth gods golde the highe waye to heauen the Sute and
iourney to heauen warde found as ye nowe fynde are like to finde if ye goe on forwarde as I truste ye will yet ye haue your maister and your captaine Iesus Christ the dere derlyng and onelye begotten and beloued sonne of God in whom was al the fathers pleasure ioye and delectation ye haue hym to go before you no fayrer way but much fouler into this our city of Ierusalē I nede not I trust to reherse what maner of way he found Beginne at his birth and till ye come to his buriall ye shall finde that euerye foote and stryde of his iourney was no better but muche worse then yours now is Wherfore my derely beloued in the Lord be not so deinty as to loke for that at gods handes your dere father whiche the fathers Patriarckes Prophets Apostles Euangelists Martyrs Saincts and his own sonne Iesus Christ did not fynde Hetherto we haue had fayre way I trow and fayre weather also nowe bicause we haue loitered by the waye and not made the speede we should haue done our louyng lord and swete father hath ouercast the weather and styrred vp stormes and tempestes that we mighte wyth more hast rūne out our race before night come and the dores be sparred The deuil standeth now at euery Inne dore in hys city and countrey of this worlde cryeng vnto vs to tarye and lodge in thys or that place till the stormes be ouerpast not that he would not haue vs wette to the skinne but that the tyme might ouerpasse vs to our vtter destruction Therfore beware of his entisemēts cast not your eyes on things that be present phi 3. how this man doth and how that man doth but caste your eies on the gleue ye runne at or els ye wil loose the game Ye know that he which rūneth at the gleue doth not looke on other that stande by and goe thys waye or that waye but altogether he looketh on the gleue and on them that runne wyth hym that those whiche bee behinde ouertake him not and that he maye ouertake them which be before euen so should we do leaue of lookyng on those which will not runne the race to heauens blisse by the pathe of persecution with vs and cast our eyes on the ende of our race and on them that goe before vs that we maye ouertake them and on them whiche come after vs that we may prouoke them to come the faster after He that shooteth will not cast his eies in his shooting on them that stād by or ryde by the wayes I trowe but rather on the marke he shooteth at for els he were like to wynne the wrōg way Euen so my derely beloued let your eies be set on the marke ye shoote at euen Christe Iesus who for the ioye he set before hym dyd ioyfully cary his crosse contēning the shame and therfore he now sitteth on the right hande of the throne of god Let vs followe hym for this did he that we shoulde not be faynt harted For we may be most assured Hebr. 12 Rom. 8 2. Tim. 3 Math. 12 that if we suffer with him we shall vndoubtedlye raigne with hym but if we denye hym surely he will denye vs for he that is ashamed of me sayeth Christ and of my gospel in this faithles generation I will bee ashamed of hym before the Aungels of God in heauen Oh how heauye a sentence is this to al such as know the Masse to be an abhominable idol ful of idolatry blasphemy sacrilege against god and his Christe as vndoubtedly it is and yet for feare of men for losse of lyfe or goodes yea some for aduantage and gayne wyl honest it with their presence dissemblyng both with God and man as their owne harte and conscience doth accuse them Better it were that such had neuer knowne the truthe then thus wittinglye and for the feare or fauour of man whose breath is in his nosethrelles Esay 2 2. Pet. 2 Heb. 6.10 to dissemble it or rather as in dede it is to deny it The ende of suche is like to bee worse then their beginning Suche had nede to take heede of the two terrible places to the Hebrewes in the vi and x. Chapters leaste by so doyng they fall therein Let them beware they play not wily beguile themselues as some doe I feare me which goe to Masse and because they worship not nor knele not nor knocke not as others doe but sit still in their pues therfore they thinke thei rather do good to others thē hurt But alas if these men would loke into their own consciences there should they se that they are very dissemblers and in seking to deceaue others for by this meanes the magistrates thynke them of their sorte they deceaue thēselues They thinke at the eleuation time al mens eies are set vpō thē to marke how they do They thynke others hearyng of such mē going to masse do see or enquyre of their behauiour there Oh if there were in those men that are so presente at the masse eyther loue to god or to theyr brethern thē would they for the one or both openly take gods parte and admonishe the people of their idolatry Math. 10 3. Reg. 8 Apoc. 3 they feare man more then him which hath power to cast both soule and body into hell fyre they halte on bothe knees they serue .ij. maisters God haue mercy vpon suche and open theyr eyes wyth hys eye salue that they may see that they whiche take not part with god are against God and that they which gather not wyth Chryste doe scatter abroade Oh that they woulde reade what Saincte Iohn sayeth wyll bee done to the fearefull Apoc. 21 Apo. 3. The counsell geuen to the churche of Laodicea is good coūsell for suche 2. Tim 1 Rom. 1 But to returne to you agayn derely beloued be no tye ashamed of gods gospel It is the power of god to saluatiō to al those that do beleue it Be therfore pertakers of the afflictions as God shall make you hable knowyng for certayne that he wyll neuer tempte you farther then he wyll make you able to beare 1. Cor. 10. phi 1. 1. pet 3. Math. 5 And thinke it no smal grace of god to suffer persecution for gods truth for the spiryte of god resteth vpon you and ye are happy as one day ye shall see Reade 2. Thess 1. and Hebr. 12. As the fyre hurteth not golde but maketh it fyner so shall ye bee more pure by suffering wyth Christ 1. Pet. 1. The flaile and wynde hurteth not the wheat but clenseth it from the chaste And ye dearely beloued are gods wheate feare not therfore the flayle feare not the fannyng wynde feare not the milstone feare not the ouen for all these make you more meete for the lordes owne toothe Sope though it be blacke soileth not the clothe but rather at the length maketh it more cleane so doth the blacke crosse helpe vs to more
whitenes if God strike wyth hys batteldore Rom. 8 Because ye are gods shepe prepare your selues to the slaughter alwayes knowyng that in the syghte of the lord our death shall be precious The soules vnder the aultar looke for vs to fyll vp their number happye are we if god haue so apointed vs. 1. pet 5 Math. 10. How soeuer it be derely beloued cast your selues wholye vppon the Lorde with whome all the heares of your heades are numbred so that not one of them shall perishe Will we nyll we we must drynke gods cuppe if he haue appointed it for vs. Drynke it wyllyngly then at the fyrst when it is full lest peraduenture if we linger we shal drynke at the leÌ„gth of the dregges wyth the wycked Psal 75 1. pet 4 if at the beginning we drinke not with hys childreÌ„ for with them his iudgemeÌ„t beginneth wheÌ„ he hath wrought hys wil on mount Syon then wil he visit the nations round about Submit your selues therfore vnder the mighty hand of the Lorde 1. pet 7 Rom. 8 No manne shall touche you wythoute hys knowledge When they touche you therefore knowe it is to your weale GOD thereby will worke to make you like vnto Christe here that ye maye bee also lyke vnto hym elsewhere Acknowledge your vnthankefulnes and sinne and blesse god that correcteth you in the world 1. Cor. 11. because ye shal not be daÌ„ned with the world Otherwyse might he correct vs then in makyng vs to suffer for ryghteousnes sake but this he doth bicause we are not of the world Cal vpoÌ„ his name through Christ for his help as he commaundeth vs. Beleue that he is merciful to you heareth you helpeth you Psa 50. Psal 92 I am wyth hym in trouble wil deliuer him sayth he Know that god hath appoynted boundes ouer the which the deuill and all the worlde shal not passe If all thinges seeme to be against you yet say with Iob. If he kil me I wil hope in him Read the 91. psalm and praye for me your poore brother fellow suffâ—er for gods gospels sake his name therfore be praised of of his mercy he make me you worthy to suffer with good conscieÌ„ce for his names sake Die once we must when we know not happy are they whoÌ„ god geueth to pay natures det I meane to dye for his sake Here is not our home therfore let vs accordingly coÌ„sider things alwais hauyng before our eyes heaueÌ„ly IerusaleÌ„ Heb. 12. Apo. 21.22 the way thether to be by persecutions the deare frendes of God howe they haue gone it after the exaÌ„ple of our sauior Iesus christ whose footesteps let vs follow eueÌ„ to the very Gallowes yf god so wyll not doubtyng but that as he wythin three dayes rose agayne immortal euen so we shal doe in our time that is when the trumpe shall blow and the aungel shal shoots and the sonne of man shal apeare in the cloudes with innumerable sainctes and aungels in maiesty and greate glory then shall the dead arise and we shall be caught vp into the cloudes to mete the lord and so be always wyth him Comfort your selues with these wordes and pray for me for gods sake Ecarcere 19. Nouemb. 1553. Iohn Bradford ¶ To Syr Iames Hales knyght then prisoner in the Counter in Bredestrete THe god of mercy and father of all coÌ„fort plentifully powre out vpon you and in you hys mercy and with his consolations comforte strengthen you to the ende for hys and oure Christes sake Amen Although ryght worshhpfull Syr many causes myght moue me to be contente wyth cryeng for you to your god and my god that he would geue you grace to perseuer well as he hathe righte notably begonne to the great glory of hys name comfort of all such as feare him as lacke of learning of familiarity yea acquaintaunce for I thinke I am vnknowen to you both by face name other such like thinges yet I cannot content my self but presume somethyng to scrible vnto you not that I thinke my scriblyng can do you good but that I might hereby declare my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and compassion loue and affection I beare towardes your mastership which is contented yea desirous wyth vs poore mysers to confesse Christes gospell in these perilous tymes and dayes of trial Oh Lord god how good art thou which doest thus gleane out grapes I meane children for thy selfe and bretherne for Christ Looke good M. Hales on your vocatioÌ„ not many iudges not many knights not many landed men not many rich meÌ„ welthy to liue as you are hath god choseÌ„ to suffer for his sake as he hath now done you Certainly I dare saye you thinke not so of your selfe as thoughe God were bounde to preferre you or had nede of you but rather attribute this as all good thynges vnto hys free mercy in Christe Agayne I dare say you beyng a wise man iudge of things wisely that is concernyng thys your crosse you iudge of it not after the worlde people which is magnus erroris magister nor after the iudgemeÌ„t of reason and worldlye wisedome whiche is folyshnes to fayth nor after the presente sense to that whiche non videtur gaudij sed molestioe as Paule writeth Heb. 1â— but after the woorde of god which teacheth your crosse to be in respect of your selfe betwene god and you gods chastising and your fathers correction nurtour schole trial pathway to heauen glory and felicitie and the furnace to consume the drosse and mortifye the reliques of olde Adam which yet remaine yea euen the frame house to fashion you like to the dearest Saints of god here yea to Christ the sonne of God that elles whece you myght be like vnto him Nowe concerning your crosse in respect of the world betwene the world you gods word teacheth it to be a testimoniall of Gods truth of his prouidence of his power of his iustice of his wisdome of his anger against sinne of his goodnes of hys iudgement of your fayth and religion so that by it you are to the worlde a witnes of God one of his testes that he is true he ruleth all thinges he is iuste wise and at the length wil iudge the world and caste the wicked into perdition but the godlye he will take and receaue into his eternall habitation I knowe you iudge of things after faythes fetch and the effectes or endes of things and so you see aeternum pondus gloriae 2. Cor. 4. which thys crosse shall bring vnto you dum non spectas ea quae videntur sed ea quae non videntur Let the worldlings waye thinges and loke vpon the affaires of men with their worldly and corporall eyes as did many in subscription of the kinges laste wil and therfore they dyd that for the which they beshrewd theÌ„selues but let vs loke on thinges with other manner of eyes as god bee
you drawe nearer the ende of it Euē as in the traueil of a womā the nearer she draweth to her deliuerye the more her paynes encrease so it goeth with vs in the Lordes way the nerer we drawe to our deliuerance by death to eternall felicitie Example whereof we haue I will not say in the holy Prophetes Apostles of god which when they were yong girded themselues and went in maner whether they woulde but when they waxed olde they wente girded of others whether they woulde not Iohn 21. concerning the outwarde man but rather and moste liuely in our Sauioure Iesus Christe whose life and waye was muche more paynefull to him towardes the ende then it was at the beginning And no maruaile for Sathan can something abide a man to beginne well and set forewardes but rather then he should goe on to the ende he will vomyt his gorge and caste floudes to ouerflowe hym before he will suffer that to come to passe Therefore as we shoulde not bee dismayde now at this world as though some straunge thynge were happened vnto vs in that it is but as it was wonte to bee to the Godlye in that the deuill declareth hym selfe after hys olde wonte in that we haue professed no lesse but to forsake the worlde and the deuill as gods very enemye in that we learned no lesse at the fyrste when we came to Gods schole then to denye oure selues and to take vp oure crosse and followe oure Maister whiche leadeth vs none other waye then he hym self hath gone before vs as I say we shoulde not bee dismayde so we shoulde wyth pacience and ioye goe forwardes if we sette before vs as present the tyme to come like as the wyfe in her trauaile doth the deliueraunce of her childe and as the Sainctes of God dyd Hebr. 12 but especiallye oure Sauioure and paterne Iesus Christe for the Apostle sayeth he set before hym the ioye and glorye to come and therefore contempned the shame and sorrowe of the crosse so if we dyd we shoulde finde at the length as they founde For whome woulde it grene which hath a longe iourney to goe to goe throughe a peece of foule waye if he knewe that after that the waye shoulde be moste pleasaunte yea the iourneye shoulde be ended and he at hys restinge place moste happye Who will be afearde or lothe to leaue a little pelfe for a little tyme if he knewe he shoulde shortlye after receaue moste plentifull ryches Who wyll bee vnwillinge for a little whyle to forsake hys wyfe children or frendes c. when he knoweth he shall shortlye after bee associated vnto them inseperablye euen after hys owne hartes desire Who will bee sorye to forsake thys lyfe whiche can not but bee moste certayne of eternall lyfe Who loueth the shaddowe better then the bodye Who can loue thys lyfe but they that regarde not the lyfe to come Who can desire the drosse of thys worlde but such as bee ignorante of the treasures of the euerlastyng ioye in heauen I meane who is afearde to die but suche as hope not to liue eternallye Christe hath promysed pleasure Math. 19. ryches ioye felicitye and all good thynges to them that for hys sake lose anye thynge or suffer anye sorrowe 1. pet 2. And is he not true How can he but bee true for guile was neuer founde in hys mouth Halas then whye are we so slacke and slowe yea harde of harte to beleue hym promysing vs thus plentifullye eternall blisfulnesse and are so readye to beleue the worlde promysyng vs manye thynges and paying vs nothyng If we wyll currye fauoure nowe and halte on both knees if so then it promyseth vs peace quietnesse and manye thynges elles But howe doth it paye thys geare or if it paye it with what quietnesse of conscience Or if so howe longe I praye you Doe not we see before oure eyes men to dye shamefullye I meane as rebelles and other malefactours whiche refuse to dye for Gods cause What waye is so sure a waye to heauen as to suffer in Christes cause If there bee anye waye on horsebacke to heauen surelye thys is the waye By many troubles sayeth the Apostle Act 14. 2. Timo. 3. we muste enter into heauen All that wyll liue Godlye in Christe Iesu muste suffer persecution For the worlde can not loue them that are of GOD the deuill can not loue hys ennemyes the worlde will loue none but hys owne but you are Christes therefore looke for no loue here Shoulde we looke for fyre to quenche oure thurste And as soone shall Gods true seruauntes fynde peace and fauoure in Antichristes regimente Therefore my dearlye beloued be stonte in the Lorde and in the power of hys myghte Putte on you hys armour stande in the libertye of Christ which you haue learned reioyce that you may be counted worthye to suffer anye thynge for Gods cause to all men thys is not geuen Youre rewarde is greate in heauen though in earth you fynde nothing The iourney is almoste paste you are almoste in the hauen hale on a pace I beseche you and merely hoyse vppe youre sayles Caste youre selfe on Christe who careth for you Keepe companye with hym nowe still to the ende he is faythfull and will neuer leaue you nor tempte you further then he wyll make you able to beare yea in the middest of the temptation he wyll make an outskape Nowe praye vnto hym hartelye be thankefull of hys dignation reioyce in hope of the health you shall receaue and bee myndefull of vs which are in the vowarde and by Gods grace trust in Christe to be made able to breake the Ise before you that you followynge maye fynde the waye more easye God graunte it maye so bee Amen Amen Out of prison by your brother in Christe Iohn Bradford To Maystres VVylkinson ALmightie God our moste louing Father encrease in your hart my good mother and dere Maistres in the Lorde hys true knowledge and loue in Christ to the encouraging comforting of your fayth in these stormy dayes as necessarye vnto vs so profitable if we persiste vnto the ende which thing God graunte to vs Amen My right dearly beloued I know not what other thing to write vnto you then to desire you to be thankefull vnto the Lord in that amonges the not many of your calling and state it pleaseth him to geue you his rare blessing I meane to kepe you frō all the filth wherewith our countrey is horribly defiled This blessing assuredly is rare as you see But now if he shall blesse you with an other blessing which is more rare I meane to cal you forth as a Martyr and as a witnes against this filth I hope you will become double thankful For a greater tokē commonly we haue not to iudge of our election and saluation next to Christ and fayth in him then the crosse especially when it is so glorious as on thys sorte to suffer any thing but chiefly
that ye be no rebelles or rebellers for no cause but because with good conscience you can not obeye be pacient sufferers and the glorye and good spirite of God shall dwell vppon vs. I praye you remember vs your afflicted brethren beinge in the Lords bondes for the testimonie of Christ and abiding the gracious houre of oure deare and most mercyfull father The Lord for Christes sake geue vs merye hartes to drinke lustelye of hys swete cup which daily we grone and sigh for lamenting that the time is thus prolonged The Lord Iesus geue vs grace to be thankeful to abide paciently the prouidente houre of hys moste gracious good will Amen Amen From the Counter in the Poultrye Yours in Christ Iohn Bradford To my good frendes in the Lord Maister R. and hys wyfe MY dearly beloued I hartely cōmēd me vnto you in our common Christ whom I so cal not that I would make him as common things be that is nothing set by but because by him we are broughte into a cōmuniō that as with him so with his father as with his father so with al gods people if we be his people as I trust we are and therefore write I vnto you as one careful but not so much as I shold be for you as for them whose well doing comforteth me is profitable to me and whose euil doing maketh me heuie and woundeth me The dayes are come in the which we can not but declare what we be if we be in deede as we shoulde be as I truste we are that is if we be Christes Disciples I meane we can not now do as the worlde doth or saye as it sayeth but as Gods Churche doth and sayeth The worlde seeketh it self and speaketh therafter The Church of God seketh Christes glory and speaketh accordyngly The worldlinges followe the world the church children follow their Captain Christ and therfore as of the worlde they are not knowen to be as they bee so are they hated and if God permytte it are persecuted and slaine the which persecution is the true touchstone which trieth the true Church childrē from hypocrites as the wynde doth the wheate from the chaffe And of thys geare thys oure tyme and age setteth verye manye forth for example doctrine and feare whiche once were hartye and verye zelous and nowe are so colde that they smell nothyng of the spirite for they are not onely afearde to seeme to speake wyth a Churche childe but also ashamed and not onelye ashamed of them and so of that they professe but also frame and fashion them selues in all outwarde behauiour as in commyng to Church and hearyng Masse so as no man can accuse them for not allowyng it or not honourynge it as well as the papistes where in theyr hartes they disallowe it and knowe the same to be nought at the leaste they haue knowen it but haltynge oute of the waye maye perchaunce haue broughte them so farre that nowe they can not see the waye they are so farre and so longe gone astraye for the further and longer a man goeth wyde the harder shall it bee to recouer and see the waye and therefore the Apostle geueth warnyng thereof Hebrues 12. as doth Moses Deutrono 29. speakinge of men that blesse them selues inwardlye cursynge them selues Read both the Chapiters I praye you And marke the example of Maister Hales whiche after that he consented to seeme to allowe in outwarde facte that whiche he knewe once was euill was fearefullye lefte of GOD to oure admonition For albeit God hath not done thus to all that haue in deede done that he purposed to doe yet in thys example he teacheth vs howe fearefull a thyng it is to wound our conscience and doe any thynge ther agaynste to the offence of the Godly and comforte of the obstinate I wryte not thys as thereof to accuse you or eyther of you for as I can not lyghtlye bee persuaded of anye suche thynge of you so I am assured you hetherto Woulde not doe any suche thinge for I weene there bee yet no greate penaltie to punyshe you for not so doinge if thereof you shoulde haue bene accused For he that will doe a thynge vnforced I can not hope anye thinge of the same but that he will runne apace when he is forced But of thys enough to you which are to bee comforted and exhorted to continew in that purenes of religion whiche you haue as I thynke hetherto receaued and by your open conuersation protested Howbeit considering howe you haue heard and redde as muche as in manner can be spoken herein for the Scriptures whiche of them selues are moste perfect herein you haue red and red againe I thynke it good to exhorte you to vse earnest and hartye prayer as I truste you doe and then doubtles God will so write that you haue redde in your hartes as shall be both comfortable and profitable vnto you and others plentifullye Math. 7. You shall reioyce in the strayte waye whiche fewe fynde and fewer walke in but moste fewe continue therein to the ende Heb. 10 You shall suffer with ioye the direption of your goodes because the best part of youre substance is in heauen You will set before you the example of Christ the beginner and ender of your fayth Heb. 12. who suffred muche more then we can suffer that we shoulde not bee faynte harted You will reioyce and greatly Math. 5 Acte 4. because greate is your rewarde in heauen You will bee glad that GOD accompteth you worthye to suffer anye thynge for hys sake 2. Cor. 4. 2. Thess 1. You wil set before you the ende of thys your short crosse and the greate glorye whiche will ensue the same You wyll knowe that it is no small benefyte of God to suffer for hys sake Phi. 1. You will knowe that your sorrowynge shall bee tourned to ioying Iohn 14.16 Rom. 8 You wil knowe that as God doth make you nowe lyke to Christe in sufferyng so shall you bee in reygning if you be pertakers of affliction you shall bee also of glorye c. Summa you wil knowe that thys is the surest and sauest waye to heauen whiche is called the kyngdome of pacience Apocal. 1. But because I haue written a little treatyse hereof and of the harme of haltynge with the worlde in commyng to Masse I sende them both vnto you to peruse and reade them and then at youre leasure to rediliuer them to thys brynger or my man when I shall sende to you for the same In the meane season I shal as hartely as I can pray to God for you both my most deare mēbers in the lord What sayd I as hartely as I can God forgeue me for I doe nothyng so wel as I myght in that I flatter my selfe to much God lay it not to my charge In dede I haue most cause to pray nyghte and daye and to geue thankes night and day for you both The Lord
and for euer may be their whole glorye But this notwythstanding there is that haue gone aboute together yea to sette abroade enormities out of the doctryne of gods moste holye and comfortable election and predestination where the same doctrine hath moe commodities then all the whole worlde can bee hable to conceyue muche lesse to expresse For what destroyeth enormities so much as it doth It ouerthroweth the moste pestilent papisticall poyson of doutyng of gods fauour which is the very dungeon of dispaire and of the contempte of god It destroithe Ethnicke opinion of fortune It comforteth most comfortablye in the crosse and casteth downe all cogitations that would els couer vs wyth sorrowe and dolour in tellyng that all thynges shall turne to the best Rom. 8 It maketh vs modest and putteth away pride in prosperitie by pulling frō men merityng or deseruing It enforceth men to loue carefully to trauail for their brethrē vtterly impugning the cōtempt of any 1 Cor. 1. 1. Iohn 1 ◠Cor. 6.3 It prouoketh to piety is the greatest enemy to vngodlines that can be by teachyng vs of what dignity we be of what pryce euen our bodies be tēples of the holy gost mēbers of Christ It engendreth a true desire of our home in heauē so to despise this world the things that this world hath in estimation It maketh man wholy continually to geue ouer himself to be careful not for himself but for others for those things that make to gods glory It helpeth very much to the true vnderstāding of the scriptures preserueth frō errours by knowyng what is to be attributed to the law to the gospel to the ministery to the vocal word to the old testamēt to the newe testament to the sacramentes to faythe to workes to prayer to penaūce to god to man c. For by the spirit of election we see know Christ Colloss 1 in whō dwelleth al the riches treasures of knowledge It setteth vppe Christes kingdome and vtterly ouerthroweth the wisdome power choyce and hahlenes of man that al glory may be geuen onely vnto god But what go I about to recken the cōmydities cōming out of the doctrine of gods election in that they be innumerable This is a sūme Tit. 2. that where a christiā mās life hath respect to god to man to himself to liue godly iustly and soberly al is groūded in predestinatiō in Christ For who liueth godly but he that beleueth Act. 13. And who beleueth but such as ar ordeined to eternal life who liueth iustly but such as loue their neighbors And whēce sprīgeth this loue but of gods electiō before the beginning of the world that we might be blameles by loue Who liueth soberly but such as be holy and who are those Ephesi 1 2 Cor. 1 but only thei that be endued with the spirit of sācrificatiō which is the seale of oure electiō which by electiō do beleue Wherfore my derely deloued in the lord I haue takē in hād at this present something to write to you for your sake in this mater which herewtal I haue sent vnto you aswel to be a help to you herein as also to be a pledge of my careful loue harty desire I haue for your continuāce in the truth wher in I trust you stand presētly whē I am dead burned as I loke for none other so sone as god shal geue leaue to hys enemies for my weale endles ioy in Christ to whō as to a most faithful pastour from the bottom of my hart I do cōmend bequeth you beseching him to watch ouer you night day as ouer one of his poore lābes to kepe you out of the clawes of the Lion mouth of the wolues to his glory and your eternall ioy and comfort in him Amen Al things must be estemed after gods wy◠THere is neither vertue nor vice to be cōsidered according to any outward action nor according the wil wisdom of man but according to the wyll of god Whatsoeuer is conformable thereto the same is vertue and the action that spryngeth therof is laudable and good howsoeuer it apeare otherwise to the eies and reason of man as was the liftyng vp of Abrahams hand to haue slayne his sonne Gene. 22. Whatsoeuer is not conformable to the wil of god that same is vice and the action sprynginge thereof is to bee disalowed and taken for euil and that so much the more and greater euill by howe much it is not consonant and agreeyng to gods wil although it seme fayre otherwise to mans wisdome as was Peters wyshe of makyng three tabernacles Math. 17. Mark 9. and the request of some which would haue had fyer to come down from heauen vpon a zeale to god c. Gods will must be sought for in his worde Now the wyl of god is not so knowen as in his word therefore according to it must vice and vertue good and euil be iudged and not accordyng to the iudgemēt wisdom reason and collection of any man or of al the whole world if al the aungels in heauen should take their part Gods word is written in the Bible But thys word of God which is writen in the canonicall bokes of the Byble doth plainly sette forthe vnto vs that god hath of hys owne mercy and good will and to the prayse of hys grace and glory In the Bible is predestinatiō published in christ elected some and not all whome he hath predestinate vnto euerlastyng lyfe in the same Christ and in hys tyme calleth them iustifyeth them and glorifieth them so that they shal neuer perishe and erre to damnation finally Therfore to affyrme teach and preache thys doctryne hath in it no hurt No enormitye is therfore in it no vyce no euil much lesse then hath it any enormities as some doe affyrme to the eyes and spirite of them whyche are guided and will be by the word of god The proposition that sheweth what is ment by election and predestination Which he after proueth by the partes out of the text of S. Paule immediatly followyng That god the eternall father of mercies before the begynnyng of the world hath of hys owne mercye and good wil and to the prayse of hys grace glory elected in Christ some and not al of the posterity of Adam whom he hath predestinate vnto eternal lyfe and calleth them in his tyme iustifieth them and glorifyeth them so that they shall neuer perysh or erre to dampnation finally that this proposition is true and accordyng to gods playne and manifest worde by the helpe of his holy spiryte which in the name of Iesus Iesus Christ I hūbly besech him of his mercy plēteously to geue to me at this present and for euer to the sanctification of hys holy name by the helpe I say of hys holye spirite I trust so euidently to declare that no man of God
we be ashamed hereof for losse of life frendes or goodes he wil be ashamed of vs before his father and his holy Angels in heauen Therfore take hede for the Lords sake take hede take hede defile not your bodies or soules with this Romish AntichristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ set vp amoÌ„gest vs again but come away come away as the Angell cryeth Apoca. 18. from amongest them in their Idolatrous seruice least you be partakers of their iniquitye HarkeÌ„ to your preachers as the ThessaloniaÌ„s did to Paul that is conferre their sayinges with the Scriptures and if they sound not therafter Esay 8. the morning light shal not shine vppon them Vse much and harty prayer for the spirit of wisedome knowledge humblenesse mekenesse sobrietye and repentauÌ„ce which we haue great nede of because our synnes haue thus prouoked the Lords anger agaynst vs but let vs beare his anger acknowledge our faultes with bitter teares and sorowful sighes doubtles he wil be merciful to vs after hys wonted mercy The which thing he vouchsafe to do for his holy names sake in Christ Iesu our Lord to whom with the father and the holy ghoste bee all honoure glorye prayse and euerlastynge thankes from thys tyme forth for euermore Amen Out of prison by yours in the Lorde to commaunde Iohn Bradford To my dearely beloued in the lord Mystres VV. and Mystres VV. ALmighty God our deare and most mercifull father be always with you both my entierly beloued mother and Syster in the Lorde and as hys babes he for euer kepe you vnto hys eternal kingdome throughe Christe our Sauiour Amen I purpose not to go about to render thankes to you for gods great goodnes towardes me by you because I can not Either of you hath so heaped vpon me benefits that it were hard for me to recken the tythes He for whose sake you haue done it and all the good you do one daye recompence you after your hartes desyre in hym In the meane season I beseche hym to reueale vnto you more and more the ryches of hys grace and loue in Christ by whom ye are beloued and were before the worlde was and shall be doutles worlde wythout ende Accordyng to the reuelation your sense or fayth herein so wyll you contend to all pietie and godlines as S. Iohn saith he that hath thys hope wyll purify hymselfe as Christ is pure 1. Iohn 3 For howe should it otherwyse bee but if we bee certainlye persuaded that heauen is ours and we citizens therof but I say we should desire the dissolution of our bodies and death to dispatche vs and to do hys office vpon vs If we dyd certainly beleue we were members of Christ and gods temples how should we but flie from all impuritie and corruption of the worlde whiche commeth by concupiscence If we dyd certainly beleue that god in dede of hys mercy in Christ is become our father in that hys good wyll is infinite and hys power accordyng therto how coulde we be afrayde of man or Deuil Howe coulde we doubte of saluation or any good thynge whiche myght make to Gods glorye and our owne weale Now that we shoulde be certayne and sure of thys that we are Gods children in Christ marke whether all thynges teache vs not Beholde the creation of thys worlde and the gubernation of the same doe not these teache vs that God loueth vs And is gods loue out of Christ the beloued If not his loue as he is vnchangeable Iohn 13. Doth not S. Iohn say that he loueth to the ende whom he loueth Therfore I say the very creatures of god concernyng both their creation conseruation tell vs that god loueth vs that is that we in Christ be his childreÌ„ and dearlinges although in our selues and of oure selues wee bee otherwyse namelye chyldren of wrathe Agayne loke vpon the law of god and tell me whether it do not requyre this certainty of you namely that you be gods dere childreÌ„ in Christ Doth not god plainly affirme say I am the Lord thy God Doth he not charge you to haue none other gods but hym How then can you perishe if god be your god psal 143 Doth not that make god no god Doth not Dauid say that those people be happy which haue the Lord for their God Besides this loke on your beliefe do you not professe that you beleue in God your father almighty whiche wanteth no power to helpe you as he wanted no good wyll in Christ to choose you Do you not say that you do beleue remission of synnes resurrection of the body life euerlasting felowship wyth the sainctes c. But how doe you saye you beleue thys geare and be not certayne therof Is not fayth a certaintie Is not doubtyng against fayth as S. Iames sayeth Pray in faythe and doubte not for he that doubteth obteyneth nothyng Math. 8 When Peter beganne to doubte he had lyke to haue bene drowned beware of it therfore Moreouer for to certifye youre consciences that you be gods childerne shal neuer finally perish through gods goodnes in Christe beholde your heade your Capitaine I meane Christe Iesus Wherefore came he into this world but to redeme you to marry you vnto hymselfe to destroye the workes of Sathan to saue and seeke that whiche was loste Wherfore suffered he so greate and bytter passions Dydde he it not to take awaye your synnes Wherefore dydde he ryse from deathe Dyd he it not to iustifye you Wherfore dyd he ascende into heauen Dyd he it not to take possession there for you to leade your captiuitye captiue to prepare and make ready all thynges for you to appeare before the father alwayes praying for you If these be true as they be most true why theÌ„ stand you in a doubt Do you not therby deny Christ Wherefore were you borne of Christian parentes and in gods churche but because you were Gods chylderne by Christ before you were borne For thys cause you were baptised and hetherto the Lorde hathe thus delte wyth you sparyng you correctyng you and blessyng you but why Verely because you be hys children and shal be for euer through Christ Tell me why hath God kepte you till thys tyme but that he wyll for hys sake haue you euen here made lyke vnto Christ thâ—t elsewhere you may so be Why hathe he opened youre eyes from Popery but because you be hys childerne in deede When you do praye doe you not call hym father Why doe you doubte of it then Why wyll you beleue the Deuil more theÌ„ God your father the Sonne and the holy ghoste more then the holye worde of GOD bothe in the lawe and in Gospell more then all the blessynges and castigations of God Do not all these preach to you and tell you that you are gods babes throughe Christ Therefore my derely beloued beleue it and geue not place to the Deuill but withstand hym strong in fayth Marke 9 Luk.
19 Say wyth the poore man I beleue Lord helpe my vnbelief Say with the Apostels Lord encrease oure fayth This myne owne hartes in the Lorde I wryte not that you shoulde lyue more securely and carnally doing as the Spiders doe whiche gather poyson where bees gather honye but that as the electe of god you mighte liue in all puritie godlines and peace which god encrease in vs all for his Christes sake Amen I pray you hartelie pray for vs that to the verie ende we may as I hope we shall goe lustelie and cherefullie whether soeuer our heauenly father shal bring and lead vs. His will whiche is alwaies good bee done in earthe as it is in heauen Amen Your brother in bondes for the testimonye of Iesus Christ Iohn Bradforde To my good Syster M. H. THe peace of God wyth encrease of fayth and feeling of his mercy to your cōfort in Christ the holy ghost worke in your hart now and for euer Amen As it is much to my comfort that God hath geuen you such a loue and zeale to hys truth so I exhort you my good Syster diligētly to labour as by cōtinual readyng and meditation of gods holy word so by earnest prayer and other godly exercises to maintayne and encrease the same that by the feelyng of gods gratious spirite workyng in you suche good fruites as wytnesses of your fayth you may growe in strength therof and certayntie of gods fauour and good wyl towardes you For aboue all thyngs of thys I woulde haue you to be moste assured that you are beloued of god that you are hys dere chylde and shall bee for euermore throughe Christe in whome you are by fayth and he in you Out of thys certeintie the cause wherof is gods owne goodnes grace and truth spryngeth true loue and louyng feare and obedience to god continually and in all thynges Where it is I meane thys fayth certaintie and persuasion of gods eternall goodnes to you in Christe there no synnes are imputed to you or layd to your charge to condēnation nor shal be though for correctiō sake now thē your heauenly father visit them fatherly or rather you for them Where it is not there is nothyng be it neuer so well done that pleaseth God Labour therfore for this certainty of faith through Christ Whēsoeuer you dout you heape sinne vpō sinne If Satan your cōsciēce or gods law do accuse you confesse your fault hide it not before the lord But whē they woulde inferre that because of your synne you are condemned you are cast away then aunswer them that it is but their office to accuse and witnes not to geue sentence iudge it onely apperteyneth to god to geue iudgement Paule sayth it is god that absolueth who then shall condemne vs God hymselfe promiseth before he demaund any thyng of vs that he is our Lord and our god and are not they happy which haue the lord for their god Is he god to any whose sinnes he remitteth not Through Christ he is our father and therfore we are commaunded so to call him and can there want any fatherly kyndnes in hym towardes vs which be hys children No verely Therfore be sure and wauer not of gods loue fauour towardes you in Christ The cause of hys loue is his owne goodnes and mercy this lasting for euer hys loue loseth for euer How can you then but be quiete happy Vse this geare to comforte the weake conscience and not to vnbridle the mighty affections of the fleshe or olde Adam which must haue other meate Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ An exhortation to the patient sufferyng of trouble and afflictions for Christes cause wrytten to all the vnfayned professours of the gospell thoroughout the realme of England at the beginning of hys imprisonmente and here placed as it came to our handes THe holy spirite of God whiche is the earnest and pledge of God geuen to hys people for theyr comfort and consolation be powred into our hartes by the mighty power merites of our alone Sauiour Iesus Christ now and for euer Amen Because I perceiue plainly that to the euils fallen vpō vs which professe Christes gospell greater are most like to ensue and after them greater Gene. 15. Luke 9. Genes 19 tyl the measure of iniquity be vp heaped except we shrynke hauyng put our handes to the plough do loke back and so wyth Lothes wyfe and the Israelits desiryng to returne into Egipt fal into gods heauy displeasure vncurably al which god forbidde and because I am persuaded of you my derely beloued brethern and Systers throughe out the realme of Englande which haue professed vnfainedly the gospell of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for vnto such do I wryte this epistle that as ye haue begonne to take parte wyth gods gospell and truth so throughe his grace ye will perseuer and goe on forwardes notwithstandyng the stormes risen and to arise I cannot but wryte something vnto you lustely to goe on forwardes in the way of the Lord and not to become faynte harted or fearefull Apoca. 25. whose place S. Iohn appointeth with the vnbeleuers murtherers and Idolaters in eternall perdicion but cherefully to take the Lordes cuppe and drynke of it afore it drawe towardes the dregges and bottom Psal 75 wherof at the length they shall drynke with the wycked to eternal destruction 1. pet 4 which wil not receiue it at the first with gods children with whome god beginneth hys iudgemente that as the wicked world reioyceth when they lament Iohn 16. so they may reioyce when the wycked world shall mourne and without ende fynde woe intollerable First therfore my dearely beloued in the Lord I besech you to consider Iohn 14 Psal 17 2. Cor. 4. Apoc. 12 Heb. 11 1. pet 2 Heb. 13 Psalm 119 Heb. 12 Mat. 28 Rom. 9 1. Ioh. 5 Apo. 13 Luke 6. EZech. 9. Math. 5. Esay 22 1. Cor. 15 that thoughe ye be in the worlde yet ye are not of the world Ye are not of them whiche looke for their porciō in this lyfe whose Captain is the god of this world euen Sathan who now ruffleth it apace as he were woode because his tyme on earthe is not long But ye are of them that loke for a Citye of gods owne blessing Ye are of them that know your selues to be here but pylgrimes and straūgers for here ye haue no dwellyng place Ye are of them whose porcion is the lorde and whiche haue their hope in heauen whose captayn is Christ Iesus the Sonne of God and gouernour of heauen and earth Vnto him is geuen all power yea he is god almighty with the father and the holy ghost prayse worthy for euer Ye are not of them which receyue the beastes marke which here reioyce laugh and haue their hartes ease ioye paradise and pleasure but ye are of them whiche haue receyued the Aungels marke yea Gods marke which here
thereof thankefully vsing their counsell and obeying theyr preceptes so for gods sake let vs for our soules being sicke thankefullye receaue the heauenlye Phisicions phisicke and dyet so shall we waxe stronge men in GOD and in hys Christe Which thyng I besech thee O holy spirite to worke in vs all Amen My dearly beloued thys haue I brieflye written vnto you Phil. 4. not as one that seketh any giftes as Paul sayth but as one that seeketh aboundaunt fruites on your behalfe and to your commoditye For it is better to geue then to receaue sayteh Christe by hys Apostle S. Paule who testifyeth that according to that we sowe so shal we reape He that soweth little 2. Cor. 9. shall reape little he that soweth muche shall reape much Neuer shoulde we forgette how that the Lorde Iesus being riche for our sakes became poore that we myght be made riche by hym Agayn neuer shoulde we forget that we are dead to sinne and aliue to ryghteousnesse Therefore shold we liue wholy vnto god for god not for our selues In al things therfore we must auoide the sekyng of our selues as wel in doing as in leuing things vndone If the crosse come vpon vs therfore then are we happy for the spirite of God and the glorye of God resteth vpon vs. Therefore reioyce saith christ for your reward is great in heaueÌ„ Math. 5 In this we are made like to Christe here therefore we shal be so els where eueÌ„ in eternal ioye endlesse glory The high way to heaueÌ„ you know is affliccioÌ„ so that al that wil liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecution If we were of the world the world wold loue vs Iohn 15 but we are not of the world but beare witnes against the world therfore the worlde doth hate vs. But let vs reioice our lord hath ouercome the world He suffred out of the Citie beariÌ„g our rebuke saith the Apostle Let vs then go out of oure tentes beare hys rebuke that is let vs denye our selues Heb. 13 take vp our crosse which is his also followe him Let vs know esteme this more riches theÌ„ al the treasures of the world as Moses did Let vs know that he that saueth his life shal lose it Let vs know that the way to saluatioÌ„ is a strait waye and a waye wherein we can not carye oure bagges and chestes with vs. Let vs know that no excuse of wife farme house or childreÌ„ wil excuse vs. Let vs know that in this case we must be so far froÌ„ louing father mother Luke 14 â–ª wife children that we must hate theÌ„ our own selues also Though this be a hard saying yet we must not leaue our loades man for a litle foule way Yea rather we shoulde knowe in dede that it is but hard to the flesh which if she be haÌ„dled deintely will be imperious vnder muste she be kepte that the spirit which is a precious thing in gods sight may haue her coÌ„modities If we should follow the fansye of the fleshe we coulde not please god Against it we haue made a solemne professioÌ„ as also agaynst the deuil the world in oure baptisme And shal we now loke for easie thyngs of our enemies Shal we not loke rather to be hardly entreated of theÌ„ O that we considered ofteÌ„ in dede what we haue professed in baptisme then the crosse we should be wel acquainted together For we are baptised into Christs death that is as to be pertakers of the benefite of his death which is remission of sinnes so to bee made like therunto coÌ„tinually by dying to sinne O that we coÌ„sidered what we be where we be whether we are going who calleth vs how he calleth vs to what felicitie he calleth vs wherby he calleth vs then my deare harts in the Lord we should say to al worldly persuasions persuaders follow me Sathan thou seuerest not those things that be of god but the things that be of men Shall we not drinke the cuppe which our heauenly father hath appoynted for vs O Lord god opeÌ„ thou our eyes that we may see the hope wherunto thou haste called vs. Geue vs eyes of seing eares of hearing hartes of vnderstanding In the fauour thou bearest to thy people remember vs visite vs with thy sauing health that we maye see the good things thou hast prepared for thy elect childreÌ„ that we may haue some syght of thy heauenly IerusaleÌ„ and haue some tast of the swetenes of thy house O deare father kindle in vs an earneste desire to bee with thee in soule and body to prayse thy name for euer withall thy saintes in thy eternall glorye Amen Iohn Bradford To my deare fathers D. Cranmer D. Ridley and. D. Latimer IEsus Emanuell My deare fathers in the Lorde I beseche God oure sweete father throughe Christ to make perfecte the good he hath begonne in vs all Amen I had thought that euery of your staues had stande nexte the doore but nowe it is otherwise perceaued Our deare brother Rogers hath broken the Ise valiauntlye and as thys daye I thinke or to morrowe at the vttermoste hartye Hoper syncere Saunders and trustye Taylour ende theyr course and receaue their crowne The nexte am I whiche hourely looke for the porter to open me the gates after them to enter into the desyred reste God forgeue me myne vnthankefulnesse for thys exceedyng greate mercye that amonges so manye thousandes it pleaseth hys mercye to choose me to be one in whom he wyll suffer For althoughe it bee most true that luste patior for I haue beene a greate hypocrite and a greuous synner the Lorde pardon me yea he hath done it he hath done it in deede yet hic autem quid mali fecit Christe whom the Prelates persecute hys veritye whiche they hate in me This is a singuler mercye of God to haue death which is a due punyshmente for synne turned into a demonstratioÌ„ and â—esâ—fication of the Lordes truth hath done no euill nor desermeth death Therefore oughte I moste hartelye to reioyce of thys dignation and tender kindnesse of the Lorde towardes me whiche vseth the remedye for my synne as a testimoniall of hys testament to hys glorye to my euerlasting comforte to the edifying of hys Church and to the ouerthrowing of Antichriste and hys kyngdome O what am I Lord that thou shouldest thus magnifye me so vyle a man and myser as alwayes I haue bene Is this thy wonte to sende for suche a wretche and an hypocrite as I haue bene in a fierye chariot 4. ReguÌ„ 2 as thou diddest for Helias Oh deare fathers be thankfull for me and praye for me that I styll maye bee founde worthie in whom the Lord would sanctifye hys holy name And for your parts make you readye for we are but your gentlemen hushers Nuptiae agni paratae sunt venite ad nuptias I now goe to leaue my flesh
professours and through the grace of GOD the constaunte confessoures of the same are as it were the out swepynges of the worlde yet I say the veritye it selfe is a thyng not vnworthye for your eares to heare for your eies to see and for your hands to handle helpe and succour accordyng to that the Lord hathe made you able and placed you where you are for the same purpose Your hyghnes and honours ought to know that there is no innocency in wordes or dedes where it is enoughe and suffiseth onely to accuse It behoueth kynges Quenes and all that be in authoritye to knowe that in the administration of their kyngdomes they are gods Ministers It behoueth them to know that they are no Kinges but playne tyrannes whiche raigne not to thys ende that they maye serue and set forth gods glorye after true knowledge And therefore it is required of thē that they woulde be wyse and suffer themselueh to be taught to submit them selues to the lordes discipline and to kisse their Soueraign lest they perishe as al those Potentates wyth theyr pryncipalities and dominions cannot long prosper but peryshe in dede yf they and their kyngdomes be not ruled wyth the scepter of God that is wyth hys worde which who so honoureth not honoureth not GOD and they that honour not the Lord the Lord wyll not honour them but brynge them into contempte and at the length take hys own cause whiche he hathe most chieflye committed vnto them to care for into hys owne hands and so ouerthrow them and set vp hys truth gloriously the people also perishing with the Prynces where the worde of prophecy is wantyng muche more is suppressed as it is nowe in thys Realme of Englande ouer whyche the eyes of the Lorde are set to destroye it your hyghnes and all your honours yf in tyme you loke not better to your office and duties herein and not suffer your selues to bee slaues and hangemen to Antichriste and hys prelates which haue brought your highnes honours alreadye to lette Barrabas lose and to hange vppe Christe As by the grace and helpe of God I shall make apparante yf first it would please your excellent maiestye and all your honoures to take to harte gods doctryne whiche rather through the malice of the Pharisees I meane the Bishops and prelates then your consciences is oppressed and not for oure contemptible and execrable state in the syghte of the worlde to passe the lesse of it For it the doctryne I meane is hygher and of more honour maiestye then al the whole worlde It standeth inuincible aboue all power beyng not our doctryne but the doctryne of the euerlyuynge GOD and of hys Christe whome the father hath ordeyned Kyng psal 72 to haue dominion from sea to sea and from the ryuer vnto the endes of the worlde And truely so dothe he and wyll the raigne that he wyll shake all the whole earth wyth hys yron brasen power wyth hys golden siluery brightnes only by the rodde of hys mouth to shyuers in such sorte as though they were pottes of clay accordyng to that whiche the Prophetes doe wryte of the magnificence of hys kyngdome And thus much for the thyng I meane the doctryne and your dueties to harkē to propagate defend the same But now wyll our aduersaries mainly cry out against vs bicause no man may be admitted once to whist agaynste them that we pretend falsely the doctryne and word of god calling vs the most wycked contemners of it and heretikes schysmatikes traytors c. Al which their sayings how malicious and false they are though I myght make reporte to that which is writē by those men whose workes they haue condemned and all that reteyne any of them publikelye by proclamation yet here wil I occasion your maiesty and honours by this my writyng to see that it is farre otherwyse thē they reporte of vs. God our father for his holy names sake directe my penne to be hys instrumēt to put into your eies eares and hartes that which most may make to hys glorye to the sauegard of your soules and bodies and preseruatiō of the whole realme Amen Iohn Bradford To a faythefull and deare frende of hys entreatyng of this place of S. Paule to the Romaynes The feruente desyre of the creature wayteth when the children of God shal be delyuered GRace and peace wyth encrease of all godlynes in Christe I wyshe vnto you my dearely beloued Because thys morning I had some knowledge more then before I had howe that my lyfe stoode in greate danger that euen thys weke so farre as men myght both by the doynges and sayinges of such as be in authoritie attempted and spoken concernyng me iudge and perceiue I thought good my ryght dearely beloued in the Lord to go about somthyng whyche might be on my behalf as it were Cygnea cantio That is which myght be a speciall comfort to hym beīg thē ready to be burnt as the Swannes soung is swetest a little before his death a Swānes song and towardes you both a monumente of the kynde of my loue and also a helpe or at the leaste an occasion for you to profyte in that whiche I beare you recorde you moste desire I meane euerlastyng life and the state therof And thys will I attempt vpon the laste talke we had betwixt vs when you were here with me I know you haue not forgotten that we talked together of the place of S. Paule to the Rom. cap. 8. concerning the groninges of the Creature and hys desyre of the reuelation of the childrē of god You demaūd whether thys word Creature was to be vnderstand of man or no and I tolde you that though some dyd take Creature there for man because there is no kinde of creature whiche may not be acknowledged in man yet sayde I the texte it self considered with that which the Apostle writeth of Christ Eph. 1. Col. 1. the restorer and reformer of all thynges that be both in heauen in earth and with the argument which S Paule presentlye hath in hand there doth enforce a Godlye mynde to take euery creature there as also S. Chrisostome and. S. Ambrose do for the whole worlde and euerye creature both heauenly and earthly All thyngs I told you were made for man according to mans state so are they When man was without sinne in gods fauour there was no malediction curse or corruption But when mā by synne was caste out of fauour then was the earth curse For the wickednes of the inhabitauntes fruitfull landes are tourned into salte grounde as for their pietie barreine countreyes are made fruitfull Psae 107. The Angels them selues doe reioyce ouer one sinner that repenteth thereby geuing vs notice that in their kinde they lament ouer the impenitent In readyng the Prophets you may see how that all thyngs do depende of man When they Prophecye any great blessing or plague to come to gods
if you can hastely Prouide me Maister Philpots .ix. examinations for a frende of myne and I shal pay you therfore by the leaue of almighty GOD our heauenlye father who correcteth all hys deare chyldren in this world that they shoulde not be damned wyth the world and trieth the fayth of hys saintes through many tribulations that being found constant to the ende he may crowne his owne giftes in them and in heauen highly reward thē Whether I trust to go before loking for you to followe my faithful frend that we may sing perpetuall prayse to our louing Lord god for victory ouer Sathan sinne wonne for vs by Iesus christ God and man our only sufficient sauiour and aduocate Amen Farewel and pray in faith Yours Thomas Whittell Minister and now condemned to dye for the Gospels sake Anno 1555. Ianuary 21. ¶ To my deare frende and brother Thomas VVente and other hys prison fellowes in Lollardes Tower HE that preserued Ioseph prisoner in Egipt Act. 16 fed Daniel in the Lions denne deliuered Paule Peter and the other Apostels out of pryson vouchsafe of hys goodnes to kepe fede and deliuer you my good brother Wente wyth the other our fellow souldiours your prison fellowes as may be most to hys glorye to your consolation and the edification of hys church I cannot but prayse god most earnestly when I heare of your constancy in the fayth and ioy in the crosse of christ which you now beare and suffer together with many other good members of Christ 2. Thess ◠which is a token that by Christe ye are counted worthy the kyngdome of God as Paule sayeth And though the world counteth the yoke and crosse of Christ as a most pernicious hurtful thyng yet we whiche haue tasted how frendly the Lord is cannot but reioyce in this persecution as touching our selues 1. pet 2 in as muche as the cause for the which we suffer is the lordes cause and not altogether oures at whose hand if we endure to the ende we shall receyue through hys liberall promise in Christ not only a greate rewarde in heauen but also the kingdom of heauen it self and also in the meane season be sure to be defended cared for so that we shall lacke no necessary thynges Math. 10 neyther a heare of our heades shall perysh wtout his knowledge O what is he that woulde mystrust or not gladlye serue so louyng a father O howe vnhappye are they that forsake hym and put their truste in man But howe blessed are they that for hys loue and for hys holy wordes sake in these troublesome dayes 1. pet 4 doe committe their soules and bodies into hys handes with wel doing counting it greater happines and ryches to suffer rebuke wyth Christ and hys church Heb. 11 then to enioy the pleasures of this life for a litle short seasō This crosse that we now beare hath ben cōmon to al the faithful frō Abel hetherto shal be to the end for because the deuil hauyng great wrath agaynst god hys Christ Apo. 12 cānot abide that he should for his manifold mercies be lauded and magnified and Christ to be taken and beleued vpon for our only and sufficient redemer Sauiour and aduocate And therfore because wyll not denye Christ nor dissemble wyth our faythe but openly proteste and professe the same before the world he seketh by all meanes to styrre vp his wicked members to persecute and kyl the bodies of the true christians Apo. 2. psal 115 as Iohn sayeth the deuil shall caste some of you into prison And Dauid sayeth I beleued and therefore haue I spoken but I was sore troubled This notwythstandyng go forward deare brethren as ye haue begonne to fight the lordes battell consideryng Christ the captaine of your war who wil both fyght for you geue you victory and also highly reward your paines Consider to your comfort the notable chiefe shepehards and souldiours of Christ which are gone before vs in these days I meane those learned godlo bishops doctours and other ministers of gods worde whose faith and examples we that be inferiors ought to folow Heb. 13 as Paule saith Remember them that haue declared vnto you the word of god the ende of whose conuersation see that ye loke vpon and follow their fayth The grace blessyng of God wyth the ministery of hys holye Aungels be wyth you for euer Amē All my pryson fellowes grete you From the Colebouse this this .4 of December By your poore brother Thomas Whittell an vnworthy minyster of Christ now hys prysoner for the gospels sake Amen ¶ To all the true professours and louers of Gods holy Gospell wythin the Citye of London Rom. 4. Luke 1. THe same fayth for the which Abrahā was counted rightuous and Mary blessed the Lord god encrease and make stable in your hartes my dere and faythfull bretherne and Sisters of London for euer and euer Amen Dearly beloued be not troubled in this heate which is now come amongs you to try you 1. Pet. 4. as though some straūge thīg had happened vnto you but reioice in as much as ye are pertakers of Christes passions that when his glory appeareth ye may be merye glad c. Out of these words of S. Peter I gather most specially these .4 notes First the persecutiō happeneth to Christs church for their triall that is for the probation prose of their faith Which faith like as it is knowē with god in the depth of our hartes so wil he haue it made manifest to the whole world thorow persecutiō that so it may euidently appeare that he hath such a church people vpon earth which so trusteth in hym feareth hys holy name that no kind of persecution paynes Rom. 8. Gene. 22. Iob. 1 nor death shal be able to seperate thē frō the loue of hym And thus was Abrahā tryed Iob tempted that their fayth which before lay hyd almost in their harts might be made knowen to the whole world to be so stedfast stronge that the deuil natural loue nor no other enemy could be able to bereue thē therof wherby also god was to be magnifyed who both trieth his people by many tribulatiōs and also standeth by thē in the middest of their troubles to deliuer thē by life or death as he seeth best like as he assisted Loth deliuered him out of his enemies hands Rom. 9. 2 Cor. 11. Aect. 16. Genesis 4. 2. Macb. 6. Aect. 7. Matth. 27. Iames. 4. Ioseph out of the hands of his brethren out of prisō Paule frō his enemies in Damasco the Apostles out of the stockes prison These with many mo he deliuered to life also he deliuered Abel Eleazar Steuē Iohn Baptist with other many by death and hath also by the trial of their faith made them good presidents exāples to vs al that come after to suffer affliction
in the lyke cause as s Iames sayth Take my brethren sayth he the Prophets for an ensāple of suffering aduersitie and of long pacience which spake vnto you in the name of the Lord behold we count thē happy which endure Y e haue heard of the paciēce of Iob haue knowen what end the lord made with hym for the lord is very pitiful merciful Also the lord trieth vs to let vs see our own harts thoughts that no hypocrisy nor ambitiō deceaue vs that the stronge in Christ may pray that he fal not but endure to the end that those that fal through fearful infirmitie might spedely repent ryse agayn wyth Peter also that the weake ones myght bewayle theyr weakenes cry with Dauid haue mercy vpō me O lord Psalme 6. for I am weake O lorde heale me for all my bones are vexed Of thys opening of the hart by persecutiō spake holy Simeō to Marye Christes Mother when he sayde Luke 2. the sworde that is the crosse of persecution shall pearse thy soule that the thoughtes of manye hartes maye be opened For like as a King that shoulde goe to battell is compelled to looke in hys cofers what treasure he hath and also what number and puisaunce of men and weapons so that if he see hymselfe vnreadye and vnarmed to bycker wyth hys ennemye he surceaseth and taketh truce for a tyme euen so we by persecutions haue oure hartes opened that we maye looke therein to see what faythe in Christe we haue and what strengthe to wythstande the enemyes and to beare the crosse that if we bee ryche in these treasures we myghte reioyce and valiauntlye goe to battell or if we wante these thinges with all speede to call and crye vppon him whiche geueth all good giftes to those that aske them Item the crosse trieth the good people from the badde the faithfull frō the worldlings hypocrites also clēseth scoureth the faythful hartes from al corruption filthynesse both of the flesh the spirit And euē as an yron except it be oftē scoured wil sone waxe rustye so except our sinfull hartes flesh be often scoured with the whetstone of the crosse they wil sone corrupt ouergrow with the rust of al filthynesse and sinne And therfore it is mete good for vs as the wismā sayth that as gold siluer are tryed in the fyre Sirach 2. so shoulde the hartes of acceptable men be tryed in the fornace of aduersitie Abide the tryal dere frends that ye may obtayne the crowne of life Fyght manfully in thys the Lords cause that ye may obteyne a gloryous victory here and receaue a great reward in heauen hereafter As ye are called Christians and would be angrye to be called Iewes or Turkes so declare your christianitye by followyng the steppes of Christe whose name ye beare suffer with hym and for hys Gospelles sake rather then to denye hym or to defyle youre fayth and conscience wyth false worshippyng or Romyshe religion Take vppe your crosse my deare hartes nowe when it is offered you and goe vppe wyth Christe to Ierusalem amongest the Byshoppes Priestes and rulers yf GOD call you thereto and they wyl anone send you to Caluarye from whence dying in the cause of the Gospell wherin oure good preachers and brethren haue geuen their lyues your soules I warrant you through Christe Iesu Eccle. 12. shall ascende to GOD that gaue them and the bodye shall come after at the laste daye and so shall ye dwell wyth the Lorde for euer in vnspeakeable ioye and blysse O blessed are they that suffer persecution for ryghteousnesse sake as Christes people in thys Iewyshe Englande now doth for theirs is the kyngdome of heauen O my beloued sette your myndes on this kyngdome where Christe our heade and Kyng is consideryng that as the brute beaste looketh downewardes wyth the face towardes the earth so is man made contrarye wise wyth hys face looking vpwardes towardes the heauens because hys conuersation shoulde be in heauen and heauenly thyngs and not vppon the earth and earthlye chynges Col. 3 as Sainct Paule sayth set your myndes on thynges which are are aboue where Christe is And agayne he sayeth phil 3. our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for oure Sauiour who wyll chaunge oure vyle bodyes and make them like to his glorious body Oh the glorious estate that we bee called vnto the Lorde preserue vs blamelesse to hys eternall kyngdome throughe Christe Iesus oure Lorde Amen The seconde thyng that I note in the foresayde wordes of Peter is that he calleth persecution no straunge thynge And truth it is for whiche of the Prophettes were not persecuted wyth Christe and hys Apostles and some of them in the ende cruellye kylled for the truthes sake Caine kylled Abell Isaac was persecuted of Ismaell 3. Regum 4. Regum Iacob was hated of Esau Iosephe was prysoned and sette in the stockes The Prophette Esaye was cutte in two wyth a sawe Ieremye was stoned Micheas was buffeted and fedde wyth breade and water Helias was sore persecuted Eleazer and the woman with her seuen sonnes were cruellye kylled 2. mac 6.7 What Christe and the Apostles suffered it is well knowen so that by manye tribulations as Paule sayeth we muste enter into the kyngdome of heauen Act. 14 All the holy Prophettes Christe and hys Apostles suffered suche afflictions not for euel doing but for preachinge Gods woord for rebukyng the worlde of synne and for their fayth in Iesus Christe Thys is the ordinaunce of GOD my frends this is the hygh way to heauen by corporal death to eternal lyfe Iohn 5. as Christ sayth he that heareth my words beleueth in hym that sent me hath eternal life shal not come into iudgemēt but is escaped from death to lyfe Let vs neuer feare death which is kylled by christ but beleue in him liue for euer Roman 8. as Paul sayth there is no damnation to them that are in christ Iesu which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirit 1. Corin. 15. And agayne Paule sayth Death where is thy sting Hel where is thy victory Thankes be to god whiche hath geuen vs victory through Iesu Christ Besides this ye haue sene dayly do see the blood of your good preachers brethren which hath bene shed in the gospels cause in thys sinful Sodome thys bloody Ierusalē this vnhappie citie of Londō Let not their blood be forgottē nor the blood of your good byshop Ridley who like a good shepeherd to your cōfort exāple hath geuē hys lyfe for his shepe S. Paul saith remember them that haue spokē to you the word of god Iohn 10. Heb. 13 loke vpon the end of their conuersation and folow their faith The deuil euer stirreth vp false teachers as he hath done now ouer al England 2. peter 2. 1. Timot 4. 2. Timo. 3.
Iude. 1. as Peter Paul Iude prophecyed it shold be to poison kil our soules wyth false doctrine And where he fayleth hys purpose that way then moueth he hys members to persecute the sely carcases of the Saints because they wyl not denye nor dissemble theyr pure fayth in our liuyng Christ confesse a dead bready christ and honour the same as Christ god man Exod 20. 1. Iohn 5. 2. Corin. 10 contrary to gods cōmaundements Thys is the working of Sathā who knowing hys own iust dāpnation would al mankynd to be pertakers wyth him of the same such a mortal hatred beareth he agaynst god his people Matth. 4. And therfore when thys wicked tempter could not kyll Christ with suttel temtation to fal down worship him thē he stirred vp hys seruantes the byshops Pharisees to kil hys body wherby notwithstanding the deuyl lost hys title enterest which he had to mans soule and mā by his precious passion and death was raunsomed frō the deuil death hel to immortalitie lyfe euerlasting and so when Sathan thought to haue wonne all in kylling of Christ he lost all and so shall he do in vs if we abyde constant and strong in the fayth of our lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ vnto the end God graunt it for his mercyes sake in Christ blessed are al they that put their trust in hym Amen Wherfore my hartely beloued brethrē sisters be of good cōfort through Iesus Christ for he that is in vs is strōger thē he that is in the world Therfore draw ye nere to god Iames. 2 he wil draw nere to you Resist the deuil he wil as Iames saith flee frō you Beware of the leuē of the Pharisees Math. 16. Touch not pitche least ye be defiled therewith Eate no swynes fleshe for it is against the lawe I meane defyle not your selues neither inwardly nor outwardly with thys false wicked religion of Antichrist for it is nothing els but pitch Apo. 13.14 Apo. 18 2. Cor. 6. swynes flesh Beware of the beastes marke lest ye drinke of the cup of gods wrath If god haue geuē you knowlege fayth dissēble not therwith Deny not the knowen verity before men lest Christ denie you before hys father Come away frō Babilon as Iohn biddeth you touch no vncleane thing but seperate your selues from the companye of the vngodly as Paul commaundeth you What soeuer ye haue done amysse heretofore now repent and amend psal 129. for with the lord there is mercye and plenteous redemption The third thing note which I gather out of the foresayd words of Peter is this that he sayth reioyce because ye are pertakers of Christs passiōs Our sufferings my welbeloued are christs sufferings and that iniury that is done to vs for his sake he rekoneth it to be done to himself as he said to Paul Act. 9. Saule Saule why persecutest thou me Col. 1. Therfore we ought to reioyce in our sufferings as Paul writeth which we suffer with Christ one with an other as Peter sayth so to fulfyll that which is behinde of the passions of Christ in our flesh which Christ hath by hys passion fully redemed saued vs in hys own person howbeit hys elect must suffer with him for him vnto the worldes end Mat. 5. that he may be glorifyed in thē and they therby corrected clensed frō sinne in thys world be made more mete temples for the holy ghost and also obtain a great reward in heauē for their suffering for righteousnes sake according to his promise And therfore I say my brethrē reioyce in the lord alwayes agayne I say reioice Let vs reioyce in the crosse of our lord Iesus Christ Phil 3. Galat. 6. wherby the word is crucifyed to vs we to it And why shoulde we so greatly reioyce in the crosse of Christ which we now suffer Because saith Peter when his glory appeareth we may be mery glad And this is the fourth note that I gather out of his words aboue writē Wherin is set out the reward of suffering not to be had in this world but at his coming to iudgement when we shal be raysed agayn and then shall they that haue sowen in teares reape in ioy as christ sayth blessed are they that wepe here for they shal laughe Blessed are ye when mē hate you thrust you out of their company rayling on you abhorring your name as an euel thīge for the sonne of mās sake Luke 6 reioyce ye in that day and be glad for your rewarde is great in heauen Wherfore my dearly beloued through hope of thys heauenly ioye reward 1. Cor. 2. Heb. 12 which he that cā not lie hath promised which ioy is so great that no eare hath heard no eie hath sene nor the hart cā thinke where we shal dwel for euer in the heauenly citie the celestiall Ierusalē in the presence of God the father Iesus Christ our mediatour as Paul sayeth and in the cōpany of innumerable Angels and with the spirits soules of al faythful iust men reioyce be glad seīg ye be called to so great glory 2 pet i. see that ye make your election vocation sure by good workes specially by suffering aduersitie for the Gospels sake Phil. 1. for it is geuen vs of god saith Paul not only to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Continue in prayer pray for me that I may end my course with ioye Haue brotherly loue amongest your selues Iohn 14 which is a tokē that ye be Christs distiples Edifie cōfort one an other in the word of the lord the god of peace loue be with you alwaies Amē For your liberalitie kindnesse shewed vpō the prisoners afflicted people of god in this time of persecutiō the lord wil reward you whē he cometh to reward euery mā according to their dedes and wil not leaue a cup of cold water bestowed vpon his faythfull people vnrewarded God make you rich in al grace Matth. 10. 2. Cor. 8. that ye alwayes hauing sufficient may be ryche vnto al manner of good workes The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of god and the felowship of the holy ghost be with you alwayes Amen Your brother nowe in bondes for the gospell Thomas Whittell To my louyng and faythfull brother Iohn Careles prisoner in the Kynges Benche THe same faith for the which Abrahā was accompted iuste and Mary blessed wherby also al iust men liue the lorde god our louing father encrease and stablyshe in you and me to the obteining of eternal life in our alone and swete Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen I cā not worthely sufficiently prayse god my hartely be loued brother for the consolation ioye that I receaued by reasō of your louing letters repēting me much that
I being so long so nere you did not enterpryse to stirre vp familiaritie comunicatiō betwene vs by writing to our mutual cōsolation in Christe For what is there vpon earth wherin to reioyce where al things are transitory vaine yea mā him self respecting this life but as Dauid saith Psal 16 the Saints that dwel vpon the earth such as excel in vertue But here now I consider that if the felowship loue ioy of faythful men and children of god being as we now be in double bondage the body within clay walles the soule wtin these frayle earthly bodies be so great and comfortable howe vnspeakeable wil those ioyes be when we shal be deliuered frō al corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of god Where we shal be present together continually in our glorified bodies beholding the face of our father presently whō now we see but in the glasse of fayth with his dere sonne christ our redemer brother and the blessed companye of Angels al faithful saued soules Oh the incomparable good things and heauenly treasures layd vp for vs in heauen by christ Iesu For the obteyning wherof we ought to set light by al tēporal grefes and transitory afflictions so much the more in that our good God is faythful wil not suffer vs to be tēpted aboue oure strength that namely in the end of our life Eccle. 11. whē the tree where it falleth lieth stil as the preacher sayeth when euerye one causa sua dormit causa sua resurget for els before the end he suffereth hys somtime to fal but not finally to perysh as Peter sincked vpon the sea but yet was not drowned and synned greuously vpon the lande throughe infirmitie denying his Maister but yet found mercye for the ryghteous falleth oftentymes And Christs holy Apostles are taught to say remitte nobis debita nostra Yea thoughe the righteous fall saieth Dauid he shal not be cast away for the Lord vpholdeth hym wyth hys hande Oh the bottomlesse mercy of God toward vs miserable sinners He vouchsafe to plante in my harte true repentance and fayth to the obteyning of remission of al my synnes in the mercyes of God and merites of Christe hys sonne and therto I pray you say Amen Oh my hartely beloued it greueth me to see the spoyle hauocke the Saule maketh with the congregation of Christe but what remedye This is gods wil ordinance that his people shal here both be punished in the flesh tried in their fayth as it is writtē many are the troubles of the righteous but the lord deliuereth thē out of al for by a strait path narowe dore must we enter Whether Into the ioyful kingdome of heauē Therfore blessed are you other that suffer persecutiō for christs sake for the possessing of the same Pray for me my felowes good brother that we may fyght a good fyght that we may kepe the fayth and end our course with ioyful gladnes for now the tyme of our deliuerāce is at hand The lord guide defēd and kepe vs you al his people in our iourney that we may safely through a short death passe to that long lasting life Farewel my dere and louing brother fellow souldiour in Christ farewel I say in him who receaue our soules in peace when they shal depart frō these tabernacles and he graunt vs a ioyfull resurrection and a mery metyng at the last day and continuall dwelling together in hys eternall and heauenly kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Yours with my poore prayer other pleasure can I do you none Thomas Whittell minister To my deare brethren M. Filles and Cutbert MY dere and welbeloued brethren in Christ M. Filles and Cutbert I wish you al welfare of soule body Welfare to the soule is repentance of synne faythful affiance in christ Iesus a godly life Welfare to the body is the health of the same with al necessary things for this bodely life The soule of mā is immortal therfore ought to be wel kept lest immortalitie to ioy should turne to immortalitie of sorow As for the body be it neuer so wel kept much made of yet shortly by nature wil it perysh decay But those that are engraffed and incorporated into Christ by true fayth feeling the motion of Gods holy spirite as a pledge of their electition and enheritaunce excityng and stirring them not onelye to seke heauenly thyngs but also to hate vyce embrace vertue wyll not onely do those things but also if neede requyre wyll gladlye take vppe theyr crosse and followe theyr Captayne Mat. 26. Mar. 14 theyr Kynge and theyr Sauioure Iesus Christe as hys poore afflicted Churche of Englande nowe doth agaynste that false and Antichristian doctrine religiō nowe vsed and specially that blasphemous masse wherein christes supper and holy ordinaūce is altogether peruerted and abused contrary to his institution Luke 22. 2. Cor. 1◠and to Paules procedinges so that that whiche they haue in their Masse is neyther sacramēt of christ nor yet sacrifice for sinne as the priestes falsely pretende It is a sacrament that is as S. Augustine saith a visible signe of inuisible grace when it is ministred to the communicantes accordyng to christes example and as it was of late yeares in thys realme And as for sacrifice there is none to be made now for sinne Heb. 9.10 for Chryste with one sacrifice hath perfited for euer those that are sāctified Beware of false religion and mens vaine traditiōs and serue god wyth reuerence and godly feare accordyng to the doctryne of hys Gospel Luke i1 whereto cleane ye that ye maye be blessed though of wycked men ye be hated accursed Rather drinke of the cup of Christ wyth his church Apo. 18. then of the cup of that rose coloured whore of Babylon which is ful of abhominatiōs Rather striue ye to go to heauē by that path which is strayte to fleshe and bloud wyth the little flocke then to go the wyde way followyng the enticements of the worlde and the flesh which leadeth to damnation Lyke as Christ suffered in the flesh saith S. Peter pet 4.3 so arme ye yourselues with the same minde for Christe suffered for vs leauyng vs example to follow hys footesteppes Blessed are they that suffer for hys sake great is their reward in heauē He that ouercommeth saith S. Iohn shal eate of the tree of lyfe he shal haue a crowne of life Apoca. 2.3 and not be hurt of the second death he shall be clothed with white aray not be put out of the booke of life yea I wil confesse hys name sayth Christ before my father and before hys aungels he shal be a piller in the house of God and sit with me on my seate And thus I bydde you farewel mine owne bretherne and deare fellowes in Christ whose grace and peace be alwaye
grene and sappie tree and what followed then on the dry braunches Ieremye speaking in the person of God sayth in the City wherin my name is innocate Luke 14. will I beginne to punish but as for you meanyng the wycked you shal be as innocentes and not once touched Ieremy 15. for the dregges of gods wrathe the bottome of all sorrowes are reserued vnto them in the ende but gods householde shal drinke the flower of the cuppe of hys mercye 2. Para. 3. And therfore let vs saye with Ezechias play the men and shrynke not let vs comfort our selues for the lorde is with vs our helper and fighteth for vs. The Lord is saith he wyth you when you bee wyth hym and when you seke hym he wyl be found of you and agayne when you forsake hym he wil forsake you Wherfore we oughte not to be dismayde or discourage our selues but rather to be of good comfort not to be sadde but mery not sorrowful but ioyful in that god of his goodnes wyll vouchsafe to take vs as hys beloued children to subdue our sinfull lustes our wretched flesh and blood vnto his glory the promoting of his holy word and edifyeng of hys churche 2. Cor. 5. What yf the earthly house of this our habitation Paule meanyng the body be destroyed We knowe assuredlye we shall haue a building of God not made wyth handes but euerlasting in heauen wyth such ioyes as faith taketh not hope toucheth not nor charitye apprehendeth not They passe all desires and wishes Gotten they may be by Christ estemed they cannot be Wherfore the more affliction persecution the word of God bryngeth the more felicity greater ioy abydeth in heauē But the worldly peace idle ease wealthy pleasure and thys present pleasaunt transitory lyfe and felicity which the vngodly folishly imagine to procure vnto themselues by persecuting and thrustyng away the gospel shal turne vnto their owne trouble and at laste vnto horrible destruction and mutations of realmes and countreyes and after thys lyfe if they repent not into their perpetuall infelicity perdition and damnation 1. Regū 25 For they had rather wyth Nabal and hys temporal pleasures descend to the Deuyl then wyth poore Christ and his bodely troubles ascend into the kingdome of God hys father But an vnwise man saith the psalmist comprehendeth thē not negther doth the folish vnderstand them that is these bloody persecutours growen vppe and flourishyng like the flower and grasse in the fielde But vnto this ende do they so floryshe that they might be cut downe and caste into the fyre for euer Iob. 21. For as Iob saith their ioy lasteth but the twinklyng of an eye and death shall lye knawyng vpon them as doth the flocke vpon the pasture psal 4◠Mar. 9. yea the cruell worme late repentance as S. Marke saith shal lie gnawyng tormentyng and accusing their wretched conscience for euermore Let vs therfore good christians be constante in obeying God rather then men For although they slay our synfull bodies yea rather our deadly enemies for gods verity yet can they not do it but by gods sufferance and good wil to hys prayse and honour and to our eternall ioy and felicity For our bloode shedde for the gospell shall preache it with more fruite and greater furtheraunce then dyd oure mouthes lyues and writynges as dyd the bloud of Abell Steuen wyth many other moe What thoughe they laughe Christ and hys worde to scorne which sytte in the chayre of peruerse pestilent scorners To whom as to the wyse Gentiles of the world the gospell of Christe is but folishnes as it was to the Iewes a slaūder and a stumbling stone wherat they now beyng fallen haue prouoked the wrath and vēgeaunce of god vpon them Luke 2. These are the dayes of vengeaunce saith Luke that all thynges written may be fulfylled And surely it shall be no lesse then a huge storme of euylles that shall come vpon vs because that a longe and a cursed obstinate maliciousnes of vs hath gone before crying in the eares of the Lorde GOD of hostes who so manye tymes and so many wayes haue bene prouoked wyth the vnspeakable ryches of hys goodnes hys patience and longe sufferyng to amendment and haue neuertheles contemned the same Esay 3 and proceded forward to worse and worse prouokyng and styrryng the presence of gods maiesty vnto anger EZech. Now therfore sayth God by the mouth of hys Prophet I will come vpon thee and I wyl send my wrathe vpon thee vpon thee I say O Englande and punyshe thee accordyng to thy wayes reward thee after al thine abhominations Thou hast kyndled the fyer of gods wrathe and hast styrred vp the coales Esay 5. For thou wast once lyghtned and haddest tasted of the heauenly gifte and wast become pertaker of the holy Ghost and haddest tasted of the good worde of God Yea it is yet in thy mouth saith the Prophet Alas O England thou knewest thy Lord maisters wil but dydst nothing therafter thou must therfore saith he suffer many stripes many sharpe strokes walke on in the glittering whote flame of thyne owne fyer and in the coales that thou hast kindled This commeth to thee from my hand saith the Lord namely that thou shalt slepe in sorrowe yea euen so thou shalt The playne truth telleth the tale the immutable iustice of the euerliuing God and the ordinary course of hys plagues from the begynning confirmeth the same The ioy of our hart saith Ieremy is gone our glory is fallen away Ieremy 5. our mery singyng is turned into mournyng the garland of our heade is fallen Alas and weale away that euer we synned so sore Wo worth all abhominations and wyckednes wo worth cloked hypocrisie wo worth our carnall liberty wo worthe our most cursed Idolatry For because of these thynges sayth the Lord ye shall perishe wyth sword hunger and pestilence Wherfore let all the wycked enemies of Christ and all the vnbeleuers be afrayed to bee tormented and vexed wyth all hellish furies and cleane without hope at gods accountyng day which know not God in Christe to be theyr very rightuousnes their life Iohn 8. theyr onely saluation and alone Sauiour nor beleue not in hym They must saieth S. Iohn nedes abyde and perishe wyth their sinnes in death and in eternal damnation But we be the chyldrē of saints as the elder Toby dyd aunswer and loke for an other lyfe whyche God shall geue to all them which chaunge not their fayth nor shrynke not from hym Reioyce therfore ye christian afflicted brethern for they can not take our soules and bodies out of the handes of the almighty which be kept as in the bosome of our most swete and louyng father Matth. i0 and yf we abyde fast in Christe and turne not away lyke weathercockes surely we shall lyue for euer Christe affirmyng the same saying my sheepe here my voyce I knowe
sufferyng hys passion crucyfyed dead and buryed to the entent to bring vs again into fauour with god the father almighty to be a sacrifice host oblation Esa 48.43 Gen. 1.22 Esay 53. Act. 10. Math. 8. not only for original sinne but also for al actuall sinnes of the whole generatioÌ„ of mankind For al the works merites deseruings doings obedieÌ„ce of maÌ„ towards god although they be done by the spirit of god in the grace of god yet being thus done be of no validitye worthynes nor merite before god except god for his mercy grace accompt theÌ„ worthy for the worthines merites of Christe Iesus The same Christe went downe to the hels and trulye rose agayn the thyrd day and ascended into the heauens that he mighte there stil reigne haue dominioÌ„ ouer al creatures froÌ„ theÌ„ce shall come c. I beleue in the holy ghost coequal with god the father the soÌ„ne proceding froÌ„ theÌ„ both by whose vertue streÌ„gth operation the true catholike church which is the comunioÌ„ societie of Saints is guyded in al truth veritie kept froÌ„ al errours false doctrine the deuil all power of sinne Which church is sanctifyed hallowed with the precious blood spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ Iohn 10.8 Galat. 1. 1. Timo. 3. which hath also her signe and marke that she heareth foloweth the voyce of her only true pastour christ no straungers Thys church also is the house of god the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of the liuing god the pyller of truth the liuely body of Christ a church both in name in dede I beleue the remission of synnes by the only meanes merites of christs death passioÌ„ who was made vnto vs of god that only sacrifice oblation offered once for al for euer for al theÌ„ that be sanctifyed I beleue the resurrectioÌ„ of the body wherby in the last day al meÌ„ shal ryse again froÌ„ death the soules ioyned againe to the bodyes the good to euerlastinge lyfe the wycked to euerlastyng payne punyshment And nothyng may more certaynly stablysh confyrme our fayth that we shal ryse agayn immortal both in body soule theÌ„ the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ our Sauiour fyrst fruites of the dead Now that Christ our head is rysen we being his body meÌ„bers must folow our head Death hell and synne can not sunder nor plucke vs from him For as the sonne can not be deuyded nor sundred froÌ„ the father nor the holy ghost from them both no more may we being the faythful meÌ„bers of Christ be seperated froÌ„ christ And for a confyrmatioÌ„ of our resurrection christ wold be sene after his resurrectioÌ„ in his most gloryous bodye hys wouÌ„des being handled felt speaking teaching eating drinking c. We looke sayth S. Paule Iohn 10 Iohn 1. Phil. 3. for Iesus Christ our Sauiour which shall transfygure our vile bodies conforme theÌ„ to his glorious body by the same power vertue wherwith he is able to subdue all things euen like as the grayn of wheate soweÌ„ in the grouÌ„d Iohn 12. is fyrst putrifyed brought as into a thiÌ„g of nought yet after that it spriÌ„geth vp freshly with a goodlyer colour forme beautye then it had before The bodye is sowen in corruption and ryseth in incorruptioÌ„ 1. Cor. 15 it is soâ—en in dishonour riseth in honour Thus I verely knowe and assuredly beleue the resurrection of our bodyes to haue lyfe eternal by Christ for Christes sake Verely verely I say vnto you sayeth Christe he that heareth my woorde and beleueth on hym that sent me Iohn 5. hath euerlasting lyfe and shall not come into dampnation but is escaped from death to lyfe It is Christ that died once for our sinnes Roma 10 Ose 13. and is rysen agayne neuer more to dye it is he that swallowed vppe death and hath caste it vnder hys fete for euer What nowe can death doe vnto vs Verely nothyng ells but for a little tyme seperate our precious soules from oure wretched bodyes that diuyne substance from a Masse of synne that eternall lyfe from a bodye of death and so send our soules out of this miserable wretched sorrowfull lyfe cumbred wyth all calamities vnto that most blessed felicitie and ioyes eternall As concerning the holye and reuerente sacramentes of Christes Church whiche be in number .ii. the Sacramente of baptiseme and the Supper of the Lord I beleue them to be as Saint Paule calleth them confyrmations or seales of Gods promises whiche haue added to them a promyse of grace and therefore they are called inuisible signes of inuisible grace The Sacramente of baptisme is a marke of Christes Churche a seale and confirmation of oure acceptation into the grace and fauour of God for Christes sake For hys innocencye hys ryghteousnesse hys holynesse hys iustyce is ours geuen vs of God and our synnes and vnryghteousnesse by hys obedience and abasing of hymselfe to the death of the crosse are hys whereof baptisme is the signe seale and confirmation Baptisme is also a signe of repentaunce to testifye that we be borne to the waues of perilles and chaunges of lyfe to the entent that we shoulde dye continuallye as longe as we liue from sinne and ryse agayne like new men vnto ryghteousnesse Rom. 6. The other sacrament which is the Supper holy maundy of our Sauiour Christ wherby the church of Christ is knowen I beleue it is a remembraunce of Christes death passion a seale confirmation of his most precious body geueÌ„ vnto death eueÌ„ to the vile death of the crosse wherwith we are redemed deliuered from synne death hel damnation It is a visible word because it worketh the same thing in the eyes which the word worketh in the eares For like as the woorde is a meane to the eares wherby the holy ghost moueth the hart to beleue Ro. 10 so thys Sacramente is a meane to the eyes whereby the holy ghoste moueth the harte to beleue it preacheth peace betwene God and man it exhorteth to mutuall loue and all godly life and teacheth to contemne the world for the lyfe to come when as Christe shal appeare which now is in heaueÌ„ no where els as concernyng thys humaine body Act. 1.3 â–ª Yet doe I beleue assuredly that hys very body is present in his most holy supper at the contemplatioÌ„ of our spirituall eyes so verely eaten with the mouth of our fayth For as sone as I heare these most comfortable heauenly words spoken and pronounced by the mouth of the minister thys is my bodye which is geuen for you when I heare I say thys heauenly harmonye of gods vnfallible promises truth I loke not vpoÌ„ neyther do I behold bread wyne for I take beleue the words simply and plainly euen as Christ spake them For hearing these words my senses be rapte vtterly
all thinges whiche the Lord hath spoken to thee shall be fulfilled So I saye to you my deare hartes in the Lorde happye are ye all yea twyse happye shall ye bee for euermore because ye haue stedfastlye beleued the moste swete promises which god the father hath made vnto you with his own mouth in that he hath promised you which are the faythful seede of the beleuing Abraham that ye shal be blessed euer world wtout end The promises of God your sweete father as ye do beleue so do ye beare record the god is true The testimony wherof ye haue full worthely borne to the world and shortly will full surely seale the same with your blood yea euen to morow I do vnderstand Oh constant Christians oh valiaunt souldiers of the high Captaine Iesus Christ who for your sake hath conquered the deuill death sinne hell and hath geuen you full victory ouer theÌ„ for euer more Oh worthy witnesses most glorious Martyrs whose inuincible fayth hath ouercome that proud sturdie bragging prince of the world and al his wicked army ouer whoÌ„ ye shall shortly triumphe for euermore Ah my swete hartes the euerlasting treasures are full surely layd vp for you in heaueÌ„ The immercessible and most glorious crowne of victory is already made and prepared for you to be shortly clapt vpon al your happy heads The holy Aungels of your heauenly father are already appointed to conduct your sweete soules into Abrahams bosome All the heauenly host reioyceth alreadye for that they shall shortlye receaue you with ioye and felicitye into their blessed fellowship Selach Reioyce with double ioy be glad my deare brethren for doubtles ye haue more cause then caÌ„ be expressed But alas I that for my sinnes am left behinde maye lie and lamente with the holye Prophet saying psalm 119. woe is me that the daies of my ioyfull rest are prolonged Ah cursed Sathan which hath caused me so sore to offende my moste deare louing father wherby my exile and banishment is so much prolonged Oh Christ my aduocate pacifie thy fathers wrath which I haue iustelye deserued that he maye take me home to him in his sweete mercy Oh that I might nowe come home vnto thee with my blessed brethren Wel thy wil Oh Lord be effectuouslye fulfilled for it is onely good turneth al things to the best for such as thou in thy mercyes haste chosen And now farewell my deare hartes moste happye in the Lord. I trust in my good God yet shortlye to see you in the celestiall Citye wherof vndoubtedly the Lord hath already made you free Citizens Though ye be yet with vs for a litle time your very home is in heauen where your treasure doth remaine with your swete lord redemer Iesus christ whose calling you haue heard with the eares of your harts therfore ye shall neuer come into iudgement but passe from death to life Your sinnes shal neuer be remeÌ„bred be they neuer so many so greuous or so great for your Sauiour hath cast theÌ„ all into the bottome of the sea he hath remoued them froÌ„ you as farre as the east is froÌ„ the west psalm 103. his mercy hath much more preuailed ouer you then is distance betwene heauen and earth and he hath geuen you for an euerlasting possession of the same al his holines righteousnes iustification yea and the holy ghost into your hartes wherwith ye are surely sealed vnto the day of redemption to certifie you of your eternal electioÌ„ and the ye are his true adopted soÌ„nes wherby ye may boldely crie vnto god Abba deare father for euer more so that nowe no creature in heaueÌ„ earth nor hel shall be able to accuse you before the throne of the heauenly King Gen 3. SathaÌ„ is now cast out from you he him self is iudged hath no part in you He wil once more bite you by the heele and then he hath done for at the time you shal squise his head through your own good Christ so haue finall victorie for euer more In ioyfull triumph wherof ye shall swetely ascende into the place of eternal rest whether your eldest brother Christ is gone before you to take possession for you and to prepare your place vnder the holy Alter with Cranmer Latymer Ridley Rogers Hoper Saunders Farrer Tailour Bradford Philpot with many other who will be full glad of your coÌ„ming to see vi moe of their appointed number that their blood may so much the soner be reuenged vpon them that dwel on the earth Thus I make an end committing you al to gods moste merciful defence whose quarrell ye haue defended whose cause ye haue promoted whose glory ye haue set forth and whose name ye haue constantlye confessed Farewell for a while my dere hartes in the Lord I wil make as much hast after you as I may Al our deare brethren salute you They praie for you and praise god for you continually Blessed be the dead that die in the Lord for they rest froÌ„ their labours saith the holy ghost Apo. â—1 and their workes followe them Your owne Iohn Careles a most vnprofitable seruaunt of the Lord yet of hys great mercy prysoner for his sake abiding his further good pleasure Pray praye praye To M. Greene M. VVhittell and certaine other prysoners in Newgate condemned and ready to be burnt for the testimony of the Lord Iesus THe euerlasting peace in Iesus Christ the continuall comfort of his most pure holy spirite be with you my most deare and faithful brethren and sisters of Newgate the Lordes appoynted shepe vnto the slaughter to the good performance of the great and notable worke of the lord which he hath so graciously begoÌ„ne in you all that the same may redownd to the setting forth of his glory and to the commoditie of his churche and to your owne euerlasting comfort in him So be it Ah my dere harts most faithful brethreÌ„ sisters in the lord what high laudes praise yea what humble and continuall thankes am I bouÌ„d to geue to god oure father for you on your moste happie behalfe who so mightely hath magnified himself in you thus farforth in geuiÌ„g you his holy mighty spirit to the constant confessing of christes veritye euen to the cruel condeÌ„pnation I dout not but he wil do the same to the death Oh happie blessed are you the euer you were borne that the lord wil vouch you worthie of this great dignitie to die for his sake Doubtles it is the greatest honour the god can geue you in this life Yea if they be so blessed of god that die in the Lord as the holy ghost saith they be how much more blessed happie then are you that die not only in the lord Apo. 11. but also for the lord Oh that it were the good will of god that the good houre were now come that I might go with you Ah that my sinnes made
me not vnworthy of such an excellent dignitie Be thākful deare harts be thankful reioice in the lord for mighty is his mercy towards you great is your rewarde in heauē the which you like faithful persons haue plucked to you with a godly violēce of an inuincible faith Oh worthie warriours of the most high captain oh cōstant confessours of the euerlasting verity howe glorious a crown of victory shal you shortly receaue which is prepared for al such as do cōnue to the end Oh you swete Saints of the lord how precious shal your death be in his sight Oh how dere are your soules to your redemer in whole hand they shal most ioyfully rest and the paynes of death shall neuer touch you Oh howe blessed shall you be when Christe shall appeare at the which tyme you shal receaue your bodies againe ful of immortalitie Oh how ioyful shal you be when Christ according to his promise shall knowledge you before his father his holy Angels as you haue most constantlye confessed him to be your Lord and only Sauiour before men Oh blessed Grene thou meeke louing lambe of the lord how happy art thou to be appoynted to die for hys sake A full deintye dishe arte thou for the lords own to the. Fresh grene shalt thou be in the house of the Lord thy fruites shal neuer wither nor decay Althoughe thou go here forth sowyng thy good fruites with teares the tyme shall come that thou shalt reape with ioy and gladnes the fruites of euerlasting life and that without ceasing Be mery therefore and feare not for it is thy fathers will to geue thee a kingdome Luke 12. whereunto he hath chosen thee before the foundations of the worlde were layde Oh happye Minister thou man of God how glad mayest thou be of Gods gracious fauour which hath preuented thee in the day of thy triall Oh happy Peter whose part thou hast wel played therfore thy reward and portion shal be like vnto his Now hast thou good experience of mans infirmitie but much more profe taste yea sense and felyng of gods aboundaunt bottomles mercy Although Sathan desired to sifte thee Luk. 22 yet Christ thy good Captaine prayed that thy fayth should not faile Gods strength is made perfect by thy weakenes and his grace is sufficient for thee his dere child Thine example did so encourage and strength thy pore brethren that God is euery way glorified by thee and shortlye wil he glorifie thee with him selfe with that glory which he hath prepared for thee his elect dearling before the worlde was made Therfore reioyce and be gladde for thou haste good occasion in finding such fauour in his syght This is most true Oh my other brethren whō I do not knowe neyther haue I heard much of you happye are you that euer you were borne and blessed be our god which hath geuen you such victorye ouer the bloody beast Apo. 1◠Shortly shal you be clothed in large white garmentes and fyne raynes of righteousnes so shall you follow the Lambe on mount Syon wyth new songes of myrth and melody for your delyuery forth of Satans power and tyranny God for euermore be blessed for you and strengthen you to the end as I doute not but he wyll for he neuer fayled them that put their trust in hym Oh my deare and faithfull Sister Ioane Warner what shall I say to thee Thy triall hath bene great thy victorye in Christ hath bene notable Thou hast ouercome manye a sharpe shower storme Shortly shalt thou ariue at the hauen of quiet rest receiue a reward due to a cōstant Martyr Thou shalt goe home to thy heauenly father possesse for euer the inheritance which Christ hath purchased for thee where thy earthly parentes be still lokyng for thee whiche haue triumphed ouer Antichrist most victoriously Oh blessed Parentes of happy children which haue shewed such an example as the like hath bene seldome sene I salute thee deare Syster of lyke constant mynde whose constant example is worthy of continuall memory Praysed be God for you my owne swete Systers which hath made you to playe suche wyse Virgines partes Math. 25 He hath plētifully powred the oyle of hys spirite into the lampes of your fayth so that the light thereof shall neuer be extincte You shall enter wyth your bridegrome into euerlastyng ioy wherunto you were chosē in hym from the beginning Oh my deare bretherne and Systers you blessed saints of the Lord how much how depely am I bound to praise god for you both day and nyght Pray pray for me my dere hartes for the tender mercye of God that I maye be made worthy to folow your trace Oh that I had runne the race of my lyfe as farre as you haue done yours and were as nigh my iorneyes ende as you be vnto yours But alas I lie lyke the lame man at the pooles side by Salamōs porch Iohn 5. and euery man goeth into the place of health before me But God wyl appoint me one one day to put me in I trust my Lord of Londons colehouse is empty and all his officers idle Therfore they muste shortlye fetche more shepe to the Shambles for he is the common slaughter slaue of al England But happy are you that are passed through the pikes and deliuered out of his handes and from all the aungels of the darkenes of this world whiche long tempted you in the wyldernes of the same but now shal the aungels of god come and minister vnto you for they are your seruantes to hold you vp in their handes that you shall not hurte your fote psal 60. 4. Reg. 2. no nor one heare of your head shal perish They shal cary you vp to heauē in a fiery chariot though you leaue your mantell behind you for a tyme tyll God restore the fame to you agayne in a more ample and glorious sorte Thus in hast as it doth appeare I am constrayned to make an ende committyng you all to gods moste mercifull defence who euer haue you in hys blessed kepyng desiring you all to remember me in your godlye and faythfull prayers as I wyll not forget you in myne by gods grace The blessyng of God bee wyth you all my deare bretherne and Sisters All our brethern and fellow prisoners here haue them most hartely commended vnto you and pray for you wythout ceasyng God sende vs a mery metyng in his kingdome Amen By your brother and vnfayned louer Iohn Careles prysoner abidyng his most mercifull wyll and pleasure Praye praye praye To my deare and faythfull brother VV. Tymmes prysoner in Newgate THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ with the cōtinual ioy comfort strength of his swete spirit be multiplied daly more more encreased in your good hart my most faythful dere brother Tymmes to the ful quietyng of your conscience and beating backe of al the fiety dartes
their pigges of worldlye pelfe c. Could the wicked papistes euer haue wroughte their cursed feates as they haue nowe done for the aduauncing of their paultrye and brynging the reaste of their tyrannye and cruell purpose to passe had not these dissembling gospellers bene so aplyable to their myndes at the fyrste dashe and with theyr subtill persuasions bewitched the hartes of others to come to their wickednesse No surely they shoulde sooner for shame dispaire and distresse of minde haue hanged themselues as their predecessour Iudas dyd and therefore I dare accuse them all before God excepte they repent as accessaryes to the wilfull murther of all the Godlye Christian Preachers that haue of late bene putte to death wythin this Realme and also of the soules of such as perish for lacke of true preaching Ah now do I perceaue that it was not for noughte that the Prophet so sore threatneth them with eternall damnation Esay 30 when he cryeth woe be vnto those shrincking children that secke succour vnder the shadow of wicked Pharao Oh woe is my harte for them that euer they shoulde so slyde frō the Lord their Instructour and cause other to do the same Yea the most mercifull Lorde hym selfe doth in his woorde bewayle them and as it were mourne for them saying alas for these disobediente shrinckyng children that they will take counsell withoute me alas that they will take a secrete aduyse and not oute of my spirite Esay 30. and therefore heape they synne vppon sinne c. Nowe tell me O you vayne and carnall gospellers that bee not onely content to playe the disobediente shrincking children your selues but also as muche as in you lyeth doe assure all other to doe the lyke to the greate dishonour of GOD and destruction of your brethrens soules tell me I saye where you haue that counsell and wicked aduyse Verely oute of the spirite of errour and lyes for oute of the Lordes spirite of truth you haue it not for the spirite of God is alwayes consonante and agreable to hys woorde Yea in his word he commaundeth the true seruauntes of God to set themselues at libertye 2. Cor. 6 and not anye longer to beare the straunge yoke with the vnbeleuers But you contraryewyse counsell them to become agayne the bondslaues of Sathan and his sonne Antichriste seruyng their Idolatrye and superstition with their bodelye presence You byd them beare still the straunge-yoke of mens traditions and deuilyshe inuentions with the vnbeleuers tellyng them that there is honest fellowship betwene ryghteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse and good companye betwene lyghte and darkenesse and frendlye concorde betwene Christ and Beliall and that the beleuer and the infidell may parte stakes well enough that their bodye which is or ought to be the tēple of the holy ghost may agree with Images wel enough whiche be forbidden by the word of God yea and teaching them to worshippe the greatest Idoll that euer was vnder heauen and therefore whereas the Lorde by hys holye Prophet doth commaunde hys people to come oute from amongest them and to seperate thē selues from thē and to touch no vncleane thinge you like tempting Serpents do will them to thruste in them selues amonge the thickest of them to ioyne thē selues which ought to be the mēbers of Christes mysticall bodye to the wicked members of Sathā And not only to touch vncleane thinges but also to behold and outwardly worship them yea to receaue into their bodies which ought to be the temple of the liuyng god the most filthy Idoll the straunge god Mauzim the papistes God of defence yea and there to retain him vntil the Iakes receaue hym which is a more meter place for hym then the sanctifyed body of a Christian Alas and weale away that euer anye man that beareth the name of a Christian yea of a Gospeller and fauourer of Gods word should become such a vyle slaue to Sathan and to do hym such notable seruice in these perilous dayes by the meanes wherof he hath preuailed more then he euer dyd in so shorte tyme since the beginnynge of the worlde Oh what deuyll hath bewitched you you runnagates frō God that you shoulde now doe hym such diligente seruice whom you haue not only pretended to hate but also promised at your baptisme vtterlye to forsake Yea and that you shoulde nowe become suche pernitious enemyes to Christ whose woorde you haue so long pretended to loue some of you nygh these .20 yeares Haue you cleane forgotten what you professed and promysed vnto hym at your baptysme Hath not the deuill seruauntes enough of the papistes and infidells to sette a woorke to suppresse Christes syncere religion but he muste sende forth you to helpe hym whiche of all other oughte to hynder his cruell enterpryse Where bee your wittes become oh you madde men the which for a little mucke of thys molde wyl lose the precious parte of euerlasting lyfe Well if you wyll needes playe the traytours agaynst God and dissembling deuils and runne hedlong into hell your selues yet I praye you take not suche paines to draw others wyth you which by their wil would not come there Goe not aboute to persuade them that euil is good Esay 5. that darkenes is light and that soure is swete least your woe and damnation be the greater If he shal be sore punyshed that hydeth hys talente in the grounde and doth none other man good therewyth howe muche more shall he be punished that occupyeth his talent to euill vses and imployeth the same to the destruction of hys weake brethren Math. 18. for whom Christe dyed If it were better for one to haue a mylstone hanged aboute his necke and to be caste into the middest of the sea then to offend one of Christes little ones yea though it were but by example what then shall become of them that leade them forth of the waye to commit most strong and detestable Idolatry If euill may not be done although good should come therof then that euil may not be done wherof cōmeth nothing but innumerable euils both to bodye soule yea so many as a greate volume were not able to contayn thē if they should be ryghtly descrbed I could make a great many of strong argumentes forth of the scriptures to proue the doings of these dissēblers both with god man to be deuilish detestable but these be sufficient to warne such as haue not their harts hardned but as for the rest I will say wyth S. Iohn Apoc. 22. he that is filthy let hym be filthy stil and vpon their own heades be the peril of their perishyng And now againe to you my deare hartes which by such haue bene deceaued or are by feare or fragilitie fallen to you I speake and of loue I warne you my deare and faithfull frendes of London whom I loue in the Lorde as I am no lesse bounde I woulde bee full lothe to be a witnesse agaynste anye of you all at
the greate daye I haue founde great kyndnes of you God recompence you and therefore dutye doth bind me and loue doth compel me to call crye vnto you to come away from that filthy whore of Babilon and bie no more of her wicked wares Meddle not with her marchaundyse at thys market tyme of Easter for verelye her synne is alreadye ascended vppe into heauen and hath also procured Gods plagues and vengeaunce shortlye to be poured vppon her whereof you shall surelye be partakers if you doe not in time repent your backeslidyng shrinking from the Lord. Repent I say repente for the tender mercy of God and haue compassion vppon your owne soules before it bee to late Trulye deare frendes it is nowe no tyme to flatter with you neyther can I laughe at your harme whiche I see to be at hande thoughe it be hydde from your eyes as it was from the Ierosolimitanes when Christe wepte full bytterly at their merye singing c. It is not the parte of a true harte to laughe with his frend when present peryll is at hande but rather to lament to see hym so merye when he hath more cause to mourne In whiche respecte I am euen constrayned with weepyng teares to call vnto you my deare frendes of London in generall because I will name no person that you may yet take hede know the tyme also of Gods first visitatioÌ„ for sure I am that hys seconde is harde at hande Doe not you thinke to flee from hys presence for hys heuye hand will finde you out though you should hyde your selues in the very bottome of hell as the Prophette Dauid sayeth Psal 139 Thinke not then that these Romyshe rockes whereinto you daylye creepe can couer you from hys fearefull face when he shal beginne to cal you to accompte for the talent that he hath lent you It is not that your fayned excuse of feare and fragilitie of the fleshe that shall excuse your follye and flying backe from hym No no you will be euen spechles at that day when euery bodye shall spye howe you haue defyled your maryage gramente wyth the superstitions of the whore of Babilon Apoc. 7. and howe you haue wyth that greate harlotte committed fornication in the body and spirite agaynst your deare husband Christ whiche redemed you neyther with corruptible gold nor siluer 2. Pet. 1. but with hys owne moste precious harte bloode and clensed you in the fountayne of water through his woorde that you myghte bee vnto him selfe a glorious spouse and congregation Eph. 5. withoute spotte or wryncke in hys syghte Then will it appeare in the presence of Aungell man and deuil how lyke dogges you haue tourned to your vomitte agayne and as filthye swyne soyled your selues in the popyshe mier pittes and dyrte of the Romyshe dregges Repente therefore I saye agayne repente in tyme and take the earneste warnyng that GOD doth sende you by me his poore messenger willyng you to turne vnto hym before it be to late But peraduenture you will saye as the gestes dyd that were fyrst bidden to the feaste you can not so easelye forgoe your farmes your cattell goodes and landes your wyues and children c. O my deare frendes for the Lords sake lay awaye these vayne yea wicked excuses for verelye God wil in no wise accepte them Consider for Christes sake your duty towardes God in these daungerous daies Math. 3. wherin the Lorde is willing to trye the chaffe from the good corne and to purge hys store with his fanne that is his crosse that he may bring the wheate into his barne and burne the chaffe with vnquencheable fyer You are called vnto a kyngdome that must be wonne with suffering on euery side Into the which you must also enter as S. Paule sayth through many tribulations temptations and afflictions Act. 14. in that whiche you must trauell as strauÌ„gers pilgrimes in thys wretched world which is not our natiue countrey nor the place where we must rest for euer Oh theÌ„ learne to leaue all things willingly that you do here possesse and lift vp your mindes alwayes to the heauenly habitation where you shal continually remaine in ioyes vnspeakeable Repose not your felicitie in the pelfe of this world which shortly shal perish come to nought but set your harts ioy vpon the liuing god who in Christ for his sake hath geuen him self wholy to be your portion and inheritance for euer therefore of ryght ought you with gladnes to geue your selues wholy vnto him both in body and soule But that do you not so long as you seeke to serue two Maisters Math. 6. which yet you can not do as Christe affirmeth though you cloke colour and counterfeite neuer so much Do you thinke it but a smal thing for the Lord god hym selfe euen the mightye Iehouah to geue him selfe wholye to be your owne good God and moste deare louing father Do you thinke it but a light matter that he hath geuen for you eueÌ„ to the death of the crosse his own onely dere sonne Iesus Christ in whoÌ„ was is all his whole pleasure delite yea and that wheÌ„ you were his very enemies by the whiche gift he hath geuen you al thinges both in heauen in earth Do you esteme it but a trifle that he hath geueÌ„ you the holy ghost by whose power mighty operation you are made the very sonnes of god and coheyres annexed with Christ of al your fathers goods and possessions But peraduenture you will aske me who doth not seriouslye regard all these aforesayde most precious giftes Verely I say that none of you al doth regard theÌ„ that do not wholye geue ouer your selues agayne to serue him yea and that in suche holynesse ryghteousnesse as is accepted before hym For if you did dulye consider the depthe of hys aboundaunte bottomeles loue and mercye in Iesus Christe you woulde so loue hym agayne that you woulde boldly burste out and saye with S. Paule who is he or what is it that shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God in Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 8. Read the whole Chapter and the .11 and .12 to the Hebrewes for your comfort But I knowe that some of you wyll saye doth none loue god and serue hym trulye but such as lye in pryson or geue their liues for hys sake Then God helpe vs for verye fewe shal be saued In dede deare frends eueÌ„ so our sauiour christ doth say Math. 22. Math. 7. Luk. â—2 many are called but fewe are chosen and straite is the gate that leadeth to lyfe and fewe finde it And in an other place Christ calleth his true Church a little flocke And as concerning the fyrst parte of your question Christe doth also make you a playne direct answere saying that whosoeuer will be hys Disciple Math. â—6 must nedes take vp hys crosse follow him And againe he that
of GOD or elles we doe moste wickedly transgresse the greate and fyrste commaundemente But doe we obeye and beleue that thys is true So shall we of force by the same bee constrayned to fulfyll the seconde parte that is to saye loue hym wyth all oure harte c. For whoe seeing the goodnesse of GOD towardes hym in Iesus Christe for whose sake onelye he hath geuen hym selfe wholye to bee oures in most large ample wise that may be who I say seing thys woulde not with all his hart soule and minde loue the Lord againe and of loue not only leaue the doing of such things as might displease him but also be ready and willing to doe what so euer is acceptable in his sight yea moste gladly and ioyfullye suffer what soeuer he wil appoint vs to do for his sake knowing assuredly that nothing can come vnto vs no not the diminishing of one heare of our head wtout his good wil pleasure and merciful appointment and that he louing vs so wel that he would geue hys sonne him selfe the holye ghoste and finally all other thinges in Christe to vs will not appoynt any thing vnto vs otherwise then shall bee to the setting forth of his glory and our euerlasting commoditie This great aboundaunt bottomles loue and mercye of god did holy S. Paule depely feele when he made that bold proclamation in the latter ende of the .8 Chap. to the Rom. saying who is it or what is it that shal bee able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord Reade the whole Chapter often times I besech you Thus deare hart you see the eternall loue fatherly care prouidence of God towardes you In respecte whereof I trust you do not onely caste al your care vpon him but also most louingly obeye him in all his holy ordinaunces euermore meekely submitting your will vnto his in all and euery thing knowing that the same wil make all thinges turne to your beste and that without his pleasure a poore sparow shall not peryshe in the foulers nette muche lesse you or your deare husband your good Vncle M. Latymer or any of yours Let this fayth and godlye persuasion euer more be firme in your hart without doubting or wauering for â—ouâ— it al that euer you go about is in vaine yea without this faith in God you can not please him you can not commit and betake your self wholy vnto him you can not truly feare him you can not loue him in deede you can not call vpon him or hartely praye vnto him neither yet prayse him a tyght Therefore let this be your alone and continual endeuour to be confirmed more and more of this that GOD is your owne moste deare louing father throughe Christ that he hath a moste tender care ouer you and for you as alwayes he hath hadde and euer wyll haue both in soule and body for this life for eternal life how so euer things haue or shal happeÌ„ to appeare vnto you According to this your fayth and as you beleue so shal it be vnto you and as you thinke god to be vnto you so shal you feele him Thinke therfore swetely of the lord of his goodnes thaÌ„ke him most hartely that euer he would vouch you worthy to sustaine the losse of your chefest treasures in earth for his sake and that he would euer geue you any thing to bestowe for his loue And as you prayse the Lord for his great mercyes manifolde benefites so largelye geuen vnto you before many other so do you faythfully pray vnto him that he wil continue hys louing kindnes towards you and kepe you blamelesse through loue in Christ vnto the ende yea make you worthye stronge and able to suffer the losse of your owne life for the testimonye of his truth whiche as your good Vncle sayde to me once and your deare husband full often is the greatest promotion and dignitie that God can bring vs vnto in this life yea it is an honour which the highest Aungells in heauen be not permitted to haue And in this your hartye and faythfull prayer I doe moste humblye require you to remember me a moste miserable wretch I feare me not compted worthye to become one of his constante witnesses vnto the worlde in such sorte as I woulde fayne be pray for me my deare hart pray for me as I will neuer forgette you nor your blessed childreÌ„ so long as I am in this prison of the body CoÌ„mende me vnto Hewgh Glouer Marmaduke and to their younger brother and sister The Lord god comfort and blesse them and poure his good spirite vpon them wherewith their good father was plentifully endewed I praye you do my hartye commendations vnto my good brother her Augustine and his wife and I hartely thanke you for your goodnesse towardes them Desire them also to praye for me for now the needefull time doth approche I prayse God I am more harty then euer I was and so I beseche hym to make you all to bee I haue manye thinges to say more but I am here constrayned to make an end Al my doinges come to an ende with extremitie God graunt that I may enter into his glory through the straite gate though I struggle striue thrusting amonge the preasse with great violence I beseche you yet once againe all my deare frends in god to ayde strengtheÌ„ me with your praiers as I wil neuer forget any of you so long as this wrasteling life of mine doth laste as knoweth God to whose most merciful defence I do hartely coÌ„mitte you and al yours The swete blessing of god the father the sonne the holy ghoste be with you all Amen Your dayly and most bounden Oratour Iohn Careles prysoner of the Lorde pray praye for me in fayth To my good brother M. Iohn Bradford THe peace of god in Iesus Christ the eternal coÌ„fort of his swete spirite which hath surely sealed you vnto eternall saluation be with you and strengthen you in your ioyfull iourney towards the celestial HierusaleÌ„ my deare frend and most faythfull brother M. Bradforde to the setting forth of Gods glory and to your eternall ioy in Christ Amen Euer since the good M. Philpot shewed me your last letter my deare hart in the lord I haue continued in great heuynes perplexitie â–ª not for any hurt or discoÌ„moditie that I caÌ„ perceaue comming towardes you vnto whom doubtles death is made life and great felicitie but for the greate losse that gods chuch here in England shal sustaine by the taking away of so godly worthy and necessary an instrument as the lord hath made you to be Oh that my life a thousand such wretched liues moe might goe for yours Oh why doth god suffer me such other Caterpillers to liue that caÌ„ do nothing but consume the almes of the church and take away you so worthy a workmaÌ„ labourer in the Lords vineyard But woe
might be the better by them if he returne not agayne Euen so dearly beloued and ryght worshipfull my good frendes I hauing shortlye to passe vnto my heauenly inheritaunce whiche is hidden with Christ to our common countrey and eternal dwelling place which we shal haue ◠god neuer to returne before the latter day in the whiche our soules shall come to iudgement and receaue their bodyes to be glorifyed according to their doings haue thought it my dutye to cōmunicate vnto you somthing with whō I haue foūd great humanitie of the fewe heauenly treasures with the whiche God among others hath endued me in Christe whereby he hath made me his childe and assuredly the enheritour of the kingdome of heauen wich all those which vnfaynedly loue him and constantly cleaue to his holy gospell and that is by the renouation of his Image whereunto man was first created lyke vnto god which is to be in the fauour of God to know God truly to liue iustely to delight feruently in the contēpplacion of God to bee continually happye to be immortall voyde of al corruption and sinne the which blessed Image through synne is deformed in vs and in maner loste sauing that it hath pleased GOD of his mercye who willeth not the death of a sinner to restore that Image by grace throughe knowledge and beliefe of the Gospell whiche otherwyse in our nature is cleane suppressed extinguished Therefore we knowing the greate and lamentable losse whiche we doe sustaine in Adam ought moste earnestly to seeke the recouerye thereof that we mighte eternallye liue like vnto God in immortalitie and felicitie the whiche we shall neuer recouer vnlesse we goe aboute to mortifye our outwarde man all the dayes of our life more and more and bee renewed in spirite according to the true knowledge of GOD the whiche if we bee then may we bee assured that we haue found that ioye felicitie and eternall life whiche Adam had in paradise yea and more then that tenne thousand folde for that it is suche as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither the hart cā cōceaue which christ hath prepared for vs. This image of god whosoeuer by faith doth fynd he hath found the most precious treasure that any man can finde for he is euen here a citizen of heauen and in possession of eternal life Therefore I cōmit vnto you principally a dailye care of the renouation of this image as the chiefest iewel you can desire in this world And hereof now I am the more moued to put you in remembraunce because I loue you entierly in the lord and desyre your fellowshyp which the iniquity of our tyme will not permit me to enioy here And for asmuche as we haue a better life to come then this present is an eternall societie with Christ whiche neyther the malice of tyme neither the distance of place can dissolue or separate I exhort you now as one that hath obtained mercy of god in the reparacion of hys image in me to embrace the care therof with earnest desyre to attayn the same wherby we shal al haue a perfect fruition of our loue frendship which alreadye we haue here begon with god in heauen shal bee wythout all doute made ioyfully perfect Let this be a perpetual remembrance of your poore afflicted frend which daily loketh through fire to enter into that eternal life where he trusteth assuredly to enioy your fellowship if the image of god be renued in you through the knowledge of Christ which you haue receyued do know Loke whose image the coyne beareth his it is Semblably if your conuersation be after the gospell verely you are the elect of Christ but if it be according to the world his seruants you are whom your lyfe doth expresse We haue all in Baptisme put on Christ whom if we endeuour to represēt we are in dede the sonnes of God and inheritours wyth Christ One good rule S. Paule to the Rom. in the xij chap. doth appoint for the restauration of this our image of God Fashion not your selues saith he vnto thys world but be ye chaūged in your shape by the renewyng of your mynde that ye maye proue what is the will of god which thing is good acceptable perfect God graūt that this rule may take place with you then doutles our companye shall be inseparable wyth all the saynts of God in eternall blesse Be you not deceyued by the vayne possessions and vncertayne pleasures of this worlde whiche serue to none other purpose then to blynde your eyes that they mighte not behold the things which be glorious and permanent for euer The thynges whiche we see are mortall but the thynges which we see not but certainly hope for be immortall For all flesh as the Prophete Esay saythe is but grasse and the glory therof as the flower of the fielde Oh that you whiche haue the possessions of thys world would so accompt thē not sel your eternal inheritance for a messe of porrige as Esau dyd God open your eyes that you may see the glory of Christ in the mount wyth Peter Iohn and Iames. Then I doubte not you would say with Peter Lord it is good for vs to abyde here let vs here make our dwelling places We haue in this world no fyrme mansion but we seke after that which is to come the which yf we seke nowe where it maye be found we shal surely finde it If we mortify the image of Adam which through synne raigneth in our flesh then shal the image of Christ reuiue in vs to our eternall glorye We are all baptised to die wyth Christe to the ende we shoulde walke in newnes of lyfe as persons dead to the world and liuyng to God And if we dye with hym by crucifieng our concupiscence and lustes we shall eternally lyue Infidelitie is the cause of all our misery which causeth vs to feare mā more then GOD and to esteme the thynges presence more then the thynges to come God illighten our eyes that we may vnderstand how precious an inheritaunce Christ hath prepared for suche as hunger and thurst therafter Then I doubte not we would say wyth Sayncte Paule I am surely persuaded that neyther deathe nor lyfe neyther Aungels nor rule neyther power neyther thynges present neyther thynges to come neyther anye other treasure or creature shall separate vs from the loue whych is in Christe Iesus The Lorde encrease our fayth and geue vs hys holy spirite to discerne wyth our selues howe muche we are growen in hys image and are lyke vnto hym for howe muche we are vnlyke to the worlde so muche more are we like vnto god and so much the more do we approche vnto hym The lord drawe you by hys holye spirite and fashion you vnto hys lykenes that we may eternally lyue together The meanes to come therevnto is diligent exercise in gods worde continuall and faithfull prayer a desyre and loue to
of my fal also deliuered me his name be praised foreuermore Amē Neyther deuil nor cruel Tyrāne can plucke any of christes shepe out of hys hand Of the whych flocke of christes shepe I trust vndoubtedly I am one by meanes of his death bloudshedyng which shal at the last day stand at hys right hand and receyue wyth other his blessed benediction And now beyng condēned to dye my cōscience mind I prayse god is quyet in Christ I by his grace am very wel willyng content to geue ouer thys body to the death for the testimony of hys truth and pure religiō agaynste Antichriste and all hys false religion and doctryne They that reyort otherwyse of me speake not truely And as for Fountayne I saw him not all thys while Thomas Whittle Ministes Another letter of M. Thomas VVhittell written to a cerrayne godly woman OH my deare and louing Sister in Christ bee not dismayd in this storme of persecution for Paul calleth the gospel the word of the crosse because it is neuer truly taught but the crosse and cruell persecution immediatlye and necessarilye doth followe the same and therefore it is a manifeste token of Gods truth that hath bene here and is styl abroade and that is a cause of the rage and crueltye of Sathan agaynste Christ and hys members whiche muste bee corrected for their sinnes in thys worlde their fayth muste bee tryed that after tryall and paciente suffering the faythfull maye receaue the crowne of glorye Feare not therefore my welbeloued but proceede in the knowledge and feare of GOD and he will keepe you from all euill Call vppon hys holy name and he will strengthen you and assiste you in all your wayes and if it please hym to lay his crosse vppon you for his Gospells sake refuse it not neyther shake it of by vnlawfull meanes leste you shoulde as God forbyd fynde a more greuous crosse and tormente of conscience if you shoulde dissemble and denye the knowen veritye then is any persecution or death of bodye Oh howe happye are they that suffer persecution for ryghteousnesse sake Their rewarde is greate in heauen The momentane afflictions of thys lyfe are not worthy of the glorye that shall bee shewed vppon vs. Oh remember the Godly wemen of the olde testamente and newe whiche liued in Gods seruice and feare and therefore are nowe in blisse and cōmended for euer as namely Iudith Hester Abigaell the Mother of the .vij. sonnes Marye Elizabeth Susanna Lidia and Phebe and others Set their examples before your eyes and feare nothing for Sathan is conquered by our Sauiour Christ sinne is putte to flyght and the gate of immortalitie and eternall life is sette wyde open God graunt we may enter therin through the doore Iesus Christe Amen Thomas Whittel Maister Bartlet Grene to certayne of hys frends a litle before his death BEtter is the day of death sayth Salomon then the day of byrth Mā that is borne of woman liueth but a short time and is replenyshed with many miseries but happy are the dead that die in the Lord. Man of woman is borne in trauell to liue in misery Man through Christ doth die in ioye and liue in felicitie He is borne to die and dyeth to liue Strayght as he commeth into the world with cryes he vttereth his miserable estate strayghte as he departeth with songes he prayseth god for euer Scarce yet in hys cradell in deadly enemyes assaultes him after death no aduersarye maye anoye him Whilest he is here he displeaseth god whē he is dead he fulfilleth his will In thys life here he dyeth through sinne in the life to come he liueth in righteousnes Through manye tribulations in earth is he still purged with ioye vnspeakeable in heauen is he made pure for euer Here he dyeth euerye houre there he liueth continualy Here is synne there is righteousnesse Here is tyme there is eternitie Here is hatred there is loue Here is payne there is pleasure Here is myserye there is felicitie Here is corruption there is immortalitie Here we see vanitie there shall we beholde the Maiestie of God with triumphant and vnspeakeable ioye in glorye euerlasting Seeke therfore the thynges that are aboue where Christe sitteth on the ryghte hand of God the father vnto whom with the sonne and the holy ghost be all honour and glorye worlde wythoute end Amen Christe deus sine te spes est mihe nulla salutis Te duce vera sequor te duce falsa nego In Englyshe thus O Christ my God sure hope of health besides thee haue I none That truth I loue and falshode hate thou arte my guyde alone Yours in Christe Bartlet Grene. A letter of Iohn Careles to one Mystres Cotton THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the eternall comfortes of his most pure holy mightye spirit with the encrease of fayth liuely feeling of his swete mercies be with you dere frend faythfull louing Sister good Mystres Cotton to the ful encrease of your ioye in Christe now and euermore Amen As from the very bottome of my poore hart I wish vnto you health both of body soule my deare louing Syster in the Lord so will I neuer cease praying vnto god for the same according vnto my most boūdē duty Howbeit of your body vpō conditiō but of your soule without any conditiō being wel assured that the lord for his deare sonnes sake wil perfectly graūt me the same so farre forth as shal be most for your profite So that if the health of your body wil stand with the wealth of your soule I am sure I shal haue my peticiō graunted for the health of the same But if the sicknes of your body be for the health of your soule as I am sure it is then haue I also my desire graūted because I aske the same no further thē it maye stand with the other But for the euerlasting health of your soule do I hartely pray without the additiō of any conditiō for it is the lords good wil I should so do Therefore I am sure my request is already graunted therin for his sake who hath redemed the same with his most precious blood yea in whō you were elected before the foūdation of the world was layd This is moste true therfore let nothīg perswade you to the contrary Rest vpō this rocke be you sure the gates of hel shal not preuaile agaīst you I know deare hart that you haue done much good to the poore for Iesus Christs sake yet beware you do not put any truste or confidence in your good dedes merits or deseruings but only in Iesus christ which hath geuē you him self wholy to be yours with al his holynes righteousnes iustificatiō redēptiō al that euer he may On the other side he hath takē vpon himself al your sinnes misery infirmitye hath made a full satisfaction for them with the sacrifice of his own
prayer must be ioyned almes and mercy towards the poore nedy And that our almes may be acceptable vnto god three things are chiefly requyred First 2. Cor. 9. that we geue with a cherefull ioyful hart for the lord loueth a cherefull geuer Secondly that we geue liberally putting a syde al nigardship knowing that he the soweth litle shal reap little and he that soweth plentifully shal reape plentifully Let euery mā therfore do according as he is able The porest caitife in the world may geue as great acceptable an almes in the syght of god as the rychest man in the world can do The poore wydowe that did offer but two mytes Marke 12 whiche make a farthing did hyghly please Christ in so much that he affyrmed wyth an othe that she of her penury had added more to the offrings of god then al the rych mē which of their superfluitie had cast in very much For if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to the a man hath not according to that a mā hath not Thirdly we must geue wtout hypocrisie ostentatiō not seking the prayse of mē or our own glory or profite And althoughe the scriptures in some places ake mentiō of a reward to our almes other good works yet ought we not to think that we do merite or deserue any thīg but rather we ought to acknowledge that god of his meere mercy rewardeth in vs his own giftes For what hath he that geueth almes that he hath not receaued He than the geueth vnto a poore mā any maner of thing geueth not of his own but of those goods which he hath receaued of god What hast thou saith the Apostle that thou hast not receaued If thou hast receaued it ◠Cor. 4 why reioycest thou as though thou haddest not receaued it This sentence ought to be had in remēbrance of al mē for if we haue nothing but that which we haue receaued what can we deserue or what nede we to dispute reasō of oure own merites It cōmeth of the free gift of God that we liue that we loue god that we walke in his feare where is our deseruing them ▪ We must also in this our spirituall warfare arme our selues with continual prayer a very necessary strong inuincible weapon Math. 26. Heb. 4. ◠Mach. 4 after the exāple of Christ al other godly men cry hartely vnto god in fayth in all our distresses anguyshes Let vs goe boldely to the seate of grace where we shal be sure to receaue mercy and fynde grace to helpe in time of nede For now is pryde and persecution encreased now is the time of destruction and wrathfull displeasure Wherfore my dere brethren he ye feruent in the law of god ieoperd ye your liues if nede shal so require for the testament of the fathers so shall ye receaue great honour an euerlasting name Remēber Abrahā was not he foūd faythful in temptation Gene. 22. Gene. 41. Num. 25. it was reckned vnto him for ryghteousnesse Ioseph in time of his trouble kept the cōmaūdemēt was made a Lord of Egipt Phinees was so feruent for the honour of god that he obtayned the couenaunt of an euerlasting priesthod Iosua 1 Num. 14 1. Regū 24 Iosua for fulfilling the word of God was made the captayne of Israell Caleb bare recorde before the congregation and receaued an heritage Dauid also in hys merciful kindnes obtained the throne of an euerlasting kingdome 4. Regū 2 Elias being zelous and feruent in the law was takē vp into heauen Annias Azarias Dan. 3. Misaell remayned stedfast in the fayth and were deliuered out of the fyre In lyke maner Daniell being vngiltie Dan. 6. was saued frō the mouth of the Lyons And thus ye maye consyder throughout al ages synce the world began that whosoeuer put their trust in god were not ouercome Feare not ye then the words of vngodly men for their glory is but donge wormes Psal 38. To day are they set vp to morrowe are they gone for they are turned into earth their memorial cōmeth to nought Wherfore let vs take good hartes vnto vs quyte our selues like mē in the law for if we do the things that are cōmaunded vs in the law of the lord our god we shal obteyn great honour therin Beloued in Christe let vs not faynt because of affliction wherwith God tryeth al thē that are sealed vnto life euerlasting for the only way into the kyngdome of god Act. 14. 4. Esdr 7. is through much tribulation For the kingdome of heauen as god teacheth vs by his Prophet Esdras is lyke a citie builded and set vpō a broad field full of all good things but the enteraunce is narrow sodayne ful of sorow trauaile perils labours like as if there were a fyre at the right hand a depe water at the left and as it were one strayte pathe betwene thē both so small that there could but one man go there If thys citie nowe were geuen to an heyre and he neuer went through the perilous way how would he receaue his enheritance Wherfore seing we are in this narowe strayt way which leadeth vnto the most ioyful pleasant citie of euerlasting life let vs not stagger either turne back being afraid of the daūgerous perillous way but folow our Captayn Iesus Christ in the narow strayt way be affrayd of nothyng no not euen of death it selfe for it is he that must lead vs to our iourneyes end open vs the dore vnto euerlastīg lyfe Cōsider also the course of thys world how many there be which for their Maisters sake or for a litle promotions sake would aduēture their liues in worldly affayres as cōmonly in warres yet is their reward but light transitorye ours is vnspeakeable great and euerlasting They suffer paines to be made Lordes on the earth for a shorte season howe muche more oughte wee to endure lyke paynes yea peraduenture muche lesse to bee made kinges in heauen for euer more Consider also the wycked of this world which for a litle pleasures sake or to be auenged on their enemies wil fyght with sword weapons putte thē selues in daunger of imprisonment hanging So much as vertue is better then vyce god myghtyer thē the deuil so much ought we to excel thē in this our spirituall battell And seing brethrē it hath pleased God to set me that most worthy minister of Christ ▪ Iohn Bradford your countreymē in the forefront of this battel where for the time is most daunger I beseche you all in the bowels of Christ to helpe vs al others our felow souldiers stāding in like perilous place with your prayers to god for vs that we maye quite our selues like men in the Lord geue some exāple of boldnesse constancie mingled
suffred them that toke your bodies then to haue takē your life also now had ye ben folowing the lābe in perpetual ioyes away from the cōpany assēble of wicked men But the lord woulde not haue you sodainly so to depart but reserueth you gloriously to speake maintain his truth to the world Be ye not careful what ye shal say for god wil go out in with you wil be presēt in your harts in your mouthes to speak his wisdō althogh it seme folishnes to the worlde He that hath begon this good work in you confirme strengthen continue you in the same vnto the end and pray vnto him that ye may fear him only that hath power to kil both body and soule to cast thē into hel fire Be of good comfort al the hears of your heads be numbred Math. 10. and there is not one of them canne perishe except youre heauenlye father suffer it to peryshe Nowe ye bee euē in the field and placed in the forefront of Christes battaile Doubtles it is a singuler fauour of God and a special loue of hym towardes you to geue you this foreward and preeminence and a signe that he trusteth you before others of hys people Wherfore deare brethrē and sisters continually fyght thys fyght of the Lorde Your cause is most iuste and godly ye stand for the true Christ who is after the flesh in heauen and for hys true religion and honour whiche is amplye fully sufficiently and aboundantly conteined in the holy Testament sealed wyth christs own blood How much be ye bound to god to put you in trust with so holy and iust a cause Remember what lokers vpon ye haue to see beholde you in your fight euen god and all hys holy aungels who be redy alway to take you vp into heuē if ye be slain in thys fight Also you haue standing at your backes al the multitude of the faithful who shall take courage strength desire to folow such noble and valiaunte christians as ye be Be not afeard of your aduersaries i. Iobn 4. for he that is in you is stronger then he that is them Shrynke not although it be payne to you Your paynes be not now so greate as hereafter your ioyes shall be Reade the comfortable chapiters to the Ro. 8.10.15 Heb. 11.12 And vppon your knees thanke god that euer ye were accoūpted worthy to suffer any thing for hys names sake Reade the second chapter of S. Lukes gospell and there ye shall see howe the shepheardes that watched vpon their shepe all night as soone as they heard that Christe was borne at Bethlem by and by they went to see hym They did not reason nor debate with themselues who should kepe the wolf from the shepe in the mean time but did as they were cōmaūded cōmitted their shepe vnto hym whose pleasure they obeyed So let vs do now whē we be called and commit all other thynges vnto hym that calleth vs. He wyll take heede that all thinges shal be wel he wyll helpe the husband he will comfort the wyfe he wil guide the seruaunts he wyll kepe the house he wil preserue the goods yea rather then it should be vndone i. Pet. 5 he wil wash the dishes and rocke the cradell Cast therfore all your care vpon god for he catech for you Besides thys ye may perceaue by your imprisōment that your aduersaries weapōs against you be nothing but flesh bloud and tyranny For if they were able they would maintaine their wycked religion by gods worde but for lacke of that they woulde violently compel such as they can not by the holy scripture perswade because the holy worde of God and all Christes doings be cleane contrary vnto them I pray you pray for me and I wyll praye for you And although we be a sunder after the world yet we are in Christe I truste for euer ioyning in the spirite and so shal meete in the palace of the heauēly ioyes after this short and trāsitory life is ended Gods peace be with you Amen .4 of Ianuary 1554. ¶ To certaine of hys beloued frendes in god exhortyng them to sticke constantlye to the professed truth of the gospell in those days of tryall and not to shrynke for any trouble THe grace of God be with you Amen I did write vnto you of late told you what extremitye the parliamente had concluded vppon concernyng religion suppressyng the true and settyng forthe the vntrue entendyng to cause all men by extremity to forsweare themselues and to take agayne for the head of the church him that is neyther heade nor member of it but a very enemy as the word of god and all auncient writers do record and for lacke of law and authority they wyll vse force and extremity which haue bene the arguments to defend the Pope and popery sith his wicked authority began fyrste in the worlde But nowe is the tyme of tryall to see whether we feare more God or man It was an easy thing to hold with Christ whiles the prince and world held with hym but now the worlde hateth hym is the true tryall who be hys Wherfore in the name and in the vertue strength and power of his holy spiryte prepare youre selues in any case to aduersitye and constancie Lette vs not runne away when it is most tyme to fyght Remember that none shal be crowned but such as fyghte manfully and he that endureth vnto the ende shal be saued Ye muste now turne all your cogitations from the peryll ye see and marke by fayth what foloweth the peryl either victorye in this worlde of your enemies or els a surrender of this life to inherite the euerlastyng kyngdome Beware of beholdyng to much the felicity or the myserye of this worlde for the consideration and earnest loue or feare of eyther of thē draweth from god Wherfore thynke wyth youre selues as touchyng the felicity of the worlde it is good but yet none otherwyse then it stādeth with the fauoure of god it is to be kept but yet so farre forthe as by kepyng of it we loose not god It is good to abyde and tary styll among our frendes here but yet so that we tary not therwithall in gods displeasure and hereafter to dwell in hell with the deuils in fyre euerlastyng There is nothyng vnder god by may be kept so that god beyng aboue all thynges we haue be not loste Of aduersity iudge the same Imprisonment is paynefull but yet liberty vpon euil conditions is more payneful The prisons stincke but yet not so much as swete houses where as the feare and true honor of god lacketh I must be alone and solitary it is better so to be and haue god with me thou to be in company with the wicked Losse of goods is great but losse of gods grace and fauour is greater I am a poore symple creature and cannot tell how to answer before such a greate sorte of noble
learned and wyse It is better to make answer before the pompe and pryde of wycked men then to stande naked in the syght of all heauen and earth before the iuste God at the latter daye I shal dye then by the handes of the cruell man he is blessed that looseth this life full of mortall miseries and fyndeth the lyfe full of eternal ioyes It is a griefe to depart from goods and frendes but yet not so much as to depart from grace and heauen it self Wherefore there is neither felicitye nor aduersitie of this world that can appeare to be greate if it be wayed with the ioyes or paynes in the worlde to come I can doe no more but praye for you doe the same for me for Gods sake For my parte I thanke the heauenly father I haue made myne accoūptes appointed my selfe vnto the wil of the heauenly father as he will so I will by his grace For gods sake as soone as ye can sende my poore wyfe and chyldren some letter from you and my letter also whiche I sente of late to Downton As it is tolde me she had neuer letter from me sith the comming of master S vnto her the more to blame the messengers for I haue written diuers times The lord comfort them and prouyde for them for I am able to do no thyng in worldly thinges She is a godly and wise womā if my meanynges had bene accomplished she should haue had necessary thinges but that I meant god can performe to whome I commend both her and you all I am a precious iewell now and deintely kepte neuer so deintely for neither mine own mā nor any of the seruaunts of the house may come at me but my keper alone a simple rude mā god knoweth But I am nothing careful thereof 21. Ianu. 1554. Yours bounden Iohn Hooper An other letter to certaine godly parsons wrytten to the same effecte THe grace of god be with you Amen I doe geue our heauenly father thankes that moueth you to remēber your afflicted brethern and I do as I am bound pray for you that wyth your remembraunce of me ye prouide helpe succour me with such goods as god doth endue you withall Doubtlesse yf euer wretch vyle synner was bounde vnto God I am most specially bound for these tenne monethes almost euer synce my imprisonmente I haue had no lyuyng nor goods to sustayne my self wythall yet such hath bene the fauoure of our heauenly father that I haue had sufficient to eate and drynke and the same payed for Seyng he is so mercifull and carefull for my synful body I doubt not but he hath more care of my wretched soule so that in bothe I may serue his maiesty and be a liuely and profitalbe mēber of hys poore afflicted church I do not care what extremity this world shal worke or deuise praying you in the bowels of hym that shedde his precious bloode for you to remember and folow the knowlege ye haue learned of his truthe Be not ashamed nor afrayde to follow hym beware of this sentence that it take no place in you Luke 9 no man sayeth Christ that putteth hys hand to the ploughe and looketh backewarde is meete for the kyngdome of God Remember that Chryste wylled hym that would builde a Tower to sytte downe fyrst and loke whether he were able to performe it leaste he should begin and leaue of in the myddest and so be mocked of hys neyghbors and lose therwythall asmuche as he bestowed Luke 14 Christe tolde suche as woulde builde in hym eternall lyfe what the price thereof was euen at the begynnyng of hys doctryne and sayde they shoulde be persecuted Math. 10. Also they shoulde sometyme paye and bestowe both goodes and landes before the Tower of saluation woulde be builded Seyng the pryce of truthe in religion hathe bene alwayes the displeasure and persecution of the worlde let vs beare it and Christ wil recompence the charges aboundantly Yt is no losse to lacke the loue of the worlde and to fynde the loue of God nor no harme to suffer the losse of worldly thinges and fynde eternall lyfe Yf man hate and god loue man kyll the body and god bryng both body and soule to eternall lyfe the exchange is good and profitable For the loue of God vse synglenes towardes hym beware of this folyshe and disceytfull collusion to thynke a man may serue god in spirite secretly to his conscience althoughe outwardly with his bodye and bodelye presence he cleaue for ciuyl order to such rytes and ceremonies as nowe be vsed contrarye to god and hys worde Be assured that whatsoeuer he be that geueth thys counsayle shal be before God hable to doe you no more profytte then the fygge leaues dyd vnto Adam 1. Cor. 6. Glorifye GOD bothe in your bodyes and in your spirites which are gods Take heede of that commaundement no man is able to dispense wyth it Such as be yet cleare and haue not bene presente at the wicked masse and idolatrous seruice let thē pray to god to stande fast such as for weakenes and feare haue bene at it repente and desyre god of forgeuenes and doubtles he wyll haue mercy vppon you It is a feareful thynge that many doe not a lonelye thus dissemble wyth God but also excuse and defende the dissimulation beware of that dere brethern for it is a sore matter to delite in euil things Prouer. 2 Let vs acknowledge and bewayle oure euyl then god shal sende grace to amend vs and strength better to beare his crosse I doubt not but ye wyll iudge of my wrytyng as I meane towardes you in my hearte which is doubtles your eternall saluation in Christe Iesus to whome I hartelye commende you 14. Iune 1554. To a merchaunte of London by whose meanes he had receyued much comfort in his greate necessity in the Fleete where how cruelly he was handled you shall see in the letter nexte followyng THe grace of god be with you Amen I thanke god and you for the great helpe and consolation I haue receiued in that tyme of aduersity by your charitable meanes but most reioice that you be not altered from truth although falshod truelly seketh to distayne her Iudge not my brother truth by outward appearance for truthe now worse appeareth more vily is reiected thē falshod Leaue the outward shew see by the word of god what truth is accept truth dislike her not though man call her falshode As it is now so hath it ben heretofore the truth reiected falshod receiued Suche as haue professed truthe for truthe haue smarted and the frendes of falsehode laughed them to scorne The tryall of both hath ben by contrary successe the one hauyng the cōmendation of truth by mā but the cōdemnatiō of falshode by god florishing for a time with endles destruction the other afflicted a litle season with immortal ioyes Wherfore dere brother aske demaūd of your
people they do communicate the same both to heauen and earth to euery thing elles As for example when the Prophets do foreshowe the ouerthrowes of realmes peoples how do they say that the whole shape of the worlde shal be moued therat Loke vpō Esay how he whē he prophecieth the fall of Babilon doth say that the starres shall not shyne from heauen the sunne shal be darkened in his rising the mone shall not geue her light And afterwards he saith I wil shake the heauens the earth shall be moued out of his place Esay 13. But the historyes do witnesse that there are wonderful chaunges of al creatures both heauenly earthly in the ouerthrowes and destructions of realmes people Agayne when Esay doth Prophecye of the kingdome of Christ he doth promyse new heauens new earth and that so excellent and new that he sheweth the former heauens earth to be vtterly forgotten Esay 63. Wherto the Apostle agreeth making Christ the repairer of al things in heauen in earth Ephesi 1. Col. 1. Howe dyd both heauen and earth geue their seruice to the Israelites cōming forth of Egipte aswel in preseruing them as in destroying their enemyes How did the sunne shyne longer thē it was wont to do for Iosue to ouercome hys enemies How did euē the very Angels fyght for Ezechias against the Assirians Read the .30 chap. of Esay And behold the history of Christ cōsider how the Angels reioyced how the starre brought the wise men to Christe howe the Aungells were ministers vnto him in the wildernesse howe the deuilles confessed hym In his death how dyd all the whole world shew compassion The sunne was darkened the earth dyd quake the rockes claue a sunder the vaile of the temple rent a sunder When he arose both heauē for the Angels with great heauēly brightnesse appeared and earth which was moued dyd reioyce the Angels were preachers of it In hys ascension also dyd not a bryghte cloude receaue him and take hym vp Dyd not the Angels testifye of hys returne When he sent the holy ghoste and made his new couenaunte of grace dyd not all the whole worlde serue thereto by thunder smoke fyer earthquake Now how wonderfully they will do their seruice to Christ comming to iudgement it is more plaine then I nede to rehearse And in asmuch as we are the members of Christe he being our head we may sone see how that all thyngs haue a certayne compassion with man do after their kinde as the Apostle writeth loke for a deliuerance from vanitye which they shal obteyne in their restauration I therfore tolde you how that I do take the Apostle to meane by euery creature simply euē al the whole shape creatures in the world He doth attribute vnto them how that they looke for the perfection of our saluatiō how that they are subiecte to vanitie howe that they are subiecte in hope how that they grone and trauel attributing these things vnto the senseles creature by trāslation from man to signifye the societie cognation and cōsent which all euery creature hath with man that as euery all thinges were made for man so by the man Christ al and euery thing both earthly and heauenly shal be restored These thinges you know in effecte I spake vnto you to stirre vp both my self and you to a deper consideratiō of our blessed state which now we enioy in hope which wil neuer deceaue vs the more to occasion vs to desire the ful fruition of the same But I do remēber that you were something troubled with some doutfulnes hereabout Therfore I purpose now to write of thys matter more at large therby to occasion vs both to see better through the helpe of gods spirit that which we desire I pray God graunt vnto vs both for his mercies sake I meane the felicitie of his childrē and the happie state which one day in very deede my dere hart we shal fully possesse and both together prayse the Lord with al hys Saintes world without end Amen Amen Thys was your doubt If so be that S. Paul dyd meane by all creatures simply as I haue spoken that they shal be deliuered from corruption into suche a state as shall adorne the fredome of Gods children whether that plantes beasts and other thinges hauing life shal bee restored If yea then you would know whether al thinges that haue bene shal be restored also And after thys you wil perchaunce aske in what place they shall be what they shall do and so forth As I thinke vpon this matter and as I am accustomed to answere such questiōs cōming to me I wil here write for an answere vnto you also not douting but that therwith you wil be satisfyed because I know your hart is satisfyed with godlye sufficient answeres Thus I thinke All euery creature groneth traueleth as yet hoping loking for my restauration for they be subiect to corruption for my synnes sake but they al shal be deliuered by my Christ frō the bondage of corruptiō thē whē he shal restore vs his mēbers Thys wil I muse on way with my self that I may dulye knowe both in me and in al other things the atrocitie and bitternesse of synne whieh dwelleth in me so may the more hartely geue ouer my self wholy to the lord Christ my Sauiour that he may with what crosse soeuer shal please him sley synne in me and bring me after his own wil way to newnesse of life Wherunto that I for my part may faythfully withal my whole hart do my diligence in mortifying the desires of my flesh in labouring to obey the desires of the spirite to liue a life acceptable to him I besech him of his grace And that I maye do this cherefully cōtinue in thys purpose diligence I wil fasten my minde as much as the Lord shal enable me to cōsider this my so great happinesse wherunto I shal be restored in the resurrection the which resurrection doutles shall be adourned by the whole shape of the world deliuered frō corruptiō These thinges wil I thinke on these things wil I pause on herein wil I as it were drowne my self being careles of thys I meane what partes of the world the Lorde Christ wil restore with me or how he wil do it or what state or condition he wil geue it It is enough enough for me that I and all the whole world with me shal be much more happie thē now I can by any meanes conceaue By reasō hereof I will prayse and glorifye my Lorde and by hys grace I wil study to please hym with al my hart with all my soule with all my strengthe singing vnto him that he both doth wel and hath done and made al thinges wel to hym be eternal glory for euer This is my cogitation in thys matter and not mine only He meaneth that most godly and learned father M.