as an heretyke I am condemned shall be burned wherof I aske god hartely mercy that I do no more reioyce then I do hauing so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it maye please my deare lorde and Sauiour to suffer For albeit my manyfolde synnes euen sythen I came into prison haue deserued at the handes of God not onelye this temporall but also eternall fyer in hell much more then my former synful life which the lord pardō for his christs sake as I know he of his mercy hath done neuer wil lay my iniquities to my charge to condemnatiō so great is his goodnes praised therfore be his holy name although I say my manyfold greuous late sinnes haue deserued most iustly all the tyranny that man or deuil can do vnto me and therfore I cōfesse that the lord is iust that his iudgements be true deserued on my behalfe yet the bishops and prelates do not persecute them in me but Christ himself his word his truth and religion And therfore I haue great cause yea most great cause to reioyce that euer I was borne hetherto kept of the lord that by my death which is deserued for my sinnes it pleaseth the heauēly father to glorify his name to testify his truth to cōfirm his verity to oppugne his aduersaries Oh good god merciful father forgeue me my great vnthākfulnes especially herein And you my derely beloued for the lord Iesu christs sake I humbly hartely in his bowels blood do now for my last Yale farewel in this presēt life besech you euery of you that you wil cōsider this worke of the lord accordingly First by me to be admonished to beware of hypocrisie carnal security Professe not the gospel with tong lips only but in hart veritye frame and fashiō your liues accordingly Be ware gods name be not euil spokē of the gospel lesse regarded by your cōuersatiō God forgeue me that I haue not so hartely professed it as I should haue done but haue sought much my self therin The gospel is a new doctrine to the old man it is new wine therfore cannot be put in old bottels without greater hurt then good to the botlels If we will talk with the lord we must put of our shooes carnal affectiōs if we wil heare the voyce of the lord we must wash our garmēts be holy if we wil be christes disciples we must deny our selues take vp our crosse folow christ We cānot serue ij masters if we seke christes kingdō we must also seke for the righteousnes therof To the petition of let thy kingdome come we muste ioyne thy wyll be done done done on earthe as it is in heauen If we wil not be doers of the word but hearers of it we sore deceiue our selues Yf we heare the gospel loue it not we declare our selues to be but fooles builders vpō the sand The lordes spirit hateth faining disceitfulnes the lord abhorteth If we come to him we muste beware we come not with a double hart for thē it may chāce that god wil answer vs according to the blocke which is in our harte so we shal deceiue our selues and others To faithe see that we couple a good conscience lest we make a shipwracke To the Lorde we must come with feare and reuerence If we will be gospellers we must be Christes if we be Christes we must crucify our fleshe wyth the lust and concupiscences thereof If we wyl be vnder grace synne must not beare rule in vs. We may not come to the lord and draw nigh to hym wyth our lippes and leaue our hartes elsewhere lest the lords wrath waxe whotte and he take from vs the good remaynyng in no case can the kyngdome of Christe approche to them that repente not Therfore my dearely beloued let vs repente be hartely sory that we haue so carnally so hypocritically so couetously so vayne gloriously professed the gospel For al these I confesse of my selfe to the glorye of God and myne owne confusion here that he may couer myne offences in the day of iudgement Let the anger and plagues of god most iustly fallen vpō vs be applyed to euery one of our desertes that from the bottome of our harts euery of vs may say it is I Lord that haue sinned against thee it is mine hypocrisy my vayn glory my couetousnes vncleanes carnality security idlenes vnthankefulnes self loue and such lyke which haue deserued the takyng away of our good kynge of thy worde and true religion of thy good ministers by exile prisonmēt and death it is my wickednes that causeth successe and encrease of auctoritye and peace to thine enemyes Oh be mercifull be mercifull vnto vs. Turne to vs agayne oh lord of hostes and turne vs vnto thee Correcte vs but not in thy furye leaste we bee consumed In thy wrathfull displeasure reproue vs not but in the myddes of thine anger remember thy mercye for if thou wylte marke what is done amysse who shall be able to abyde it But with thee is mercifulnes that thou mightest be worshypped oh then be mercyfull vnto vs that we myghte truelye worshyppe thee Helpe vs for the glorye of thy name bee mercyfull vnto our sinnes for they are greate oh heale vs and helpe vs for thyne honoure let not the wycked people say where is theyr god c. On this sorte my right dearely beloued let vs hartely bewayle our synnes repent vs of our former euyll lyfe hartely and earnestly purpose to amende our lyues in all thynges continually watch in praier diligently and reuerently attend heare and read the holy scriptures labour after our vocation to amend our brethren Let vs reproue the workes of darkenes let vs flye from all Idolatrye let vs abhorre the Antichristian romish rotten seruice detest the popyshe masse forsake their Romish God prepare oure selues to the crosse be obediente to all that be in authoritye in all thynges that be not agaynst God and his woorde for then aunswere with the Apostles it is more meete to obeye God then man Howbeit neuer for any thing resiste or ryse agaynst the Magistrates auenge not your selues but committe your cause to the lord to whom vengeaunce pertayneth and he in his time wil reward it If ye feele in your selues an hope trust in god that he will neuer tempte you aboue that he will make you able to beare be assured the lorde wil be true to you and ye shal bee able to beare al bruntes But if ye want this hope fly get you hence rather then by your tarying gods name should be dishonoured In sūme cast your care on the Lord knowing for most certayne that he is careful for you with him are all that heares of your head numbred so that not one of thē shall perish without his good pleasure wil much more then nothing shal happen to your bodies which shal not be profitable
the hart of any creature can conceaue to your eternall ioye Amē Amen Amē The good spirite of god alwayes kepe vs as hys deare children he comfort you as I desyre to be comforted my derely beloued for euermore Amen I breake vp thus abruptly because our common prayer tyme calleth me The peace of Christe dwell in both our hartes for euer Amen ⧠As for the report of W. P. if it be as you heare you must prepare to beare it It is written on heauens dore do wel and heare euill Be content therfore to heare whatsoeuer the ennemye shall imagine to blotte you withal Gods holye spirite alwayes comfort and kepe you Amen Amen This 8. of August by hym that in the Lorde desireth to you as well and as much felicity as to his owne harte Iohn Bradford ¶ To my louyng brethren B. and C. wyth their wyues and whole families I Besech the euerliuing god to geue to you al my good bretherne and systers the comfort of his holy spirite and the continuall feelyng of his mercye in Christe oure Lord nowe and for euer Amen The world my brethern at this presente seemeth to haue the vpperhande iniquity ouerfloweth the truth and veritie seemeth to be suppressed and they whiche take part therwith are vniustly entreated The cause of all this is gods anger and mercy his anger because we haue greuously sinned against him his mercy because he here punisheth vs as a father nurtereth vs. We haue ben vnthākful for his word we haue contemned his kindnes we haue ben negligent in praier we haue ben to carnal couetous licētious c. we haue not hastened to heauēward but rather to helward we were fallen almost into an open cōtempt of god and all his good ordinaunces so that of hys iustice he could not long forbeare but make vs to feele hys anger as now he hath done in taking his word and true seruice from vs and permittyng Sathan to serue vs with Antichristian religion and that in such sorte that if we wil not yelde to it and seme to allow it in dede and outwarde fact our bodies are like to be laide in prison and our goodes geuen we cannot tell to whome This should we looke vppon as a sygne of gods anger procured by our synnes which my good brethern euery one of vs should now cal to our memories often tymes so perticulerly as we can that we might hartely lament them repent them hare them aske earnestly mercye for them and submitte our selues to beare in this lyfe anye kind of punishment which god wil lay vppon vs for them Thus should we do in consideration of gods anger in thys time Now his mercy in this time of wrath is sene should be sene of vs my derely beloued in this the god doth vouchsafe to punish vs in this present life If he should not haue punished vs do not ye thinke that we would haue continuin the euils we were in Yea verely we would haue ben worse and haue gone forwards in hardning our harts by impenitency negligence towardes God true godlines then yf death had come should not we haue perished bothe soule and bodye into eternall fyre and perdition Alas what misery should we haue fallen into if god shoulde haue suffered vs to haue gone forward in our euils No greater a signe of damnation there is then to lye in euill synne vnpunished of god as nowe the papists my derely beloued are cast into Iezabels bed of security Apoc. 3 Hebr. 12 which of all plagues is the most greuous plague that can be They are bastardes and not sonnes for they are not vnder Gods rodde of correction A great mercy it is therfore that god dothe punishe vs for yf he loued vs not he wuld not punish vs. Now doth he chastice vs that we shuld not be damned with the world 1. Cor. 2 Now doth he nurture vs because he fauoureth vs. Now may we thynke our selues to be Gods householde and children 1. pet 4 because he beginneth his chastising at vs. Nowe calleth he vs to remēber our synnes past Wherfore That we myght repent and and aske mercy And why That he might forgeue vs pardon vs iustify vs and make vs his chyldren and so begin to make vs here lyke vnto Christ Rom. 8 that we myght bee like vnto hym elsewhere euen in heauen where already we are set by faith with Christe and at hys commyng in verye dede shall enioye his presence when our synfull and vile bodies shal be made lyke to christes glorious body phil 3. accordyng to the power whereby he is able to make al thynges subiect to hymselfe Therfore my brethren let vs in respect hereof not lament but laude god not be sory but be mercy not wepe but reioyce and be glad that god doth vouchsafe to offer vs hys crosse Rom. 8 2. Timo. 3. Math. 10. therby to come to him to endles ioyes and comforts For if we suffer we shall raigne If we confesse hym before men he wil confesse vs before hys father in heauen If we be not ashamed of his Gospell nowe he wyll not bee ashamed of vs in the last day Math. 5. 1. pet 4 1. pet 5 but wyl be glorifyed in vs crownyng vs with crownes of glory and endeles felicity For blessed are they that suffer persecutiō for rightuousnes sake for their is the kingdom of heauē Be glad sayth Peter for the spirit of God resteth vpō you After that ye are a litle while afflicted god will comfort strengthen confyrme you And therfore my good bretherne be not discouraged for crosse for prison or losse of goodes for the confession of Christes gospell and truth whiche ye haue beleued and lyuely was taught emongs you in the days of our late good most holy prince Kyng Edwarde This is most certayne if ye lose any thyng for Christes sake Math. 19 and for contemnyng the Antichristian seruice set vp agayne amonge vs as ye for youre partes euen in prison shall find gods greate and riche mercies farre passing all worldly wealth so shall your wyues children in thys present lyfe fynd and feele gods prouidēce more plentifully then tounge can tell for he wyl shew merciful kindnes on thousāds of them that loue him The good mans sede shal not go a begging his bread Ye are good mē so many as suffer for christes sake Psalm 27 I trust ye all my dearely beloued wil cōsider this geare with your selues and in the crosse see gods mercy which is more swete and more to bee set by then life it self much more thē then any mucke or pelfe of thys world Rom. 8. This mercy of god should make you merye and chearefull for the afflictions of this lyfe are not to bee cōpared to the ioyes of the lyfe prepared for you Ye know the way to heauen is not the wyde way of the world which wyndeth to the deuil but it is a strayt
remembrance and wish you and all the rest of our foresayde companions well in Christ It should do vs much comfort if we might haue knowledge of the state of the rest of our most dearely beloued which in this troublesome time doe stande in Christes cause and in the defence of the truth therof We are in good health thankes be to God yet the manner of our entreting doth chaung as soure ale doth in sōmer It is reported to vs of our kepers that the vniuersity beareth vs heauely A cole chaunced to fal in the night out of the chimney burnt a hole in the floore no more harme was done the balifes seruants sitting by the fyer An other night there chaunced a drunken fellow to multiply wordes and for the same he was set in Bocardo Vpon these thinges as is reported there is risē a rumor in the towne countrey about that we would haue brokē the prisō with such violēce as if the balifes had not plaid the prety men we should haue made a scape We had out of our prisō a wal that we might haue walked vpon and our seruants had liberty to go abroad in the towne or fieldes but now both they and we are restrayned of both The bishop of Worceter passed by vs through Oxford but he did not visit vs. The same day beganne our restraint to be more and the boke of the communion was taken from vs by the balifes at the Mayors commaundemēt No man is licenced to come vnto vs afore they might that woulde see vs vpon the wal but that is so grudgod at and so euel reported that we are now restrayned c. Sir blessed be God with all oure euell reportes grudginges and restrayntes we are mery in God and all our eare is and shal be by gods grace to please serue him of whome we loke and hope after this temporall and momentany miseries to haue eternall ioy and perpetuall felicity with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Peter and Paule and al the blessed company of the aungels in heauen through Iesus Christ our lord As yet there was neuer lerned man or any scholer or other that visited vs since we came into Bocardo Bocardo is a stinking and filthy prison for drunkards whores and harlottes and the vilest sort of people which now in Oxford may be called a colledge of quondās for as you know we be no fewer here thē thre and I dare say euery one well contented with his portion whiche I doe recken to be our heauenly fathers gracious fatherly good gift Thus fare you wel We shal with gods grace one day mete together be mery the daye assuredly approcheth apace the lord graūt that it may shortly come for before that day come I feare me the world wyl waxe worse worse but thē al our enemies shal be ouerthrown troden vnder foote righteousnes truth then shall haue the victory and beare the bell away wherof the lord graunte vs to be partners all that sincerely loue the truth We al pray you as you can to cause al our commēdations to be made to all such as you know did visit vs you when we were in the tower with theyr frendly remēbrances benefites Mistres Wilkinson mistres Warcup haue not forgottē vs but euen since we came into Bocardo with theyr charitable frēdly beneuolence haue cōforted vs Not that els we lacke for god be blessed which euer hetherto hath prouided sufficiently for vs but it is a great cōfort an occasion for vs to blesse god when we se that he maketh them so frendly to tender vs whom some of vs were neuer familierly acquaynted withall Yours in Christ N. R. To maister Bradford DEarely beloued I wysh you grace mercy peace According to your mind I haue run ouer all your papers and what I haue done which is but smal therin may appeare Sir what shall beste be done with these thinges This was a treatise of the communiō with other thinges which M. Bradforde sent to hym to peruse to geue his iudgement therof now you must consider for if they come in sight at this time vndoubtedly they must to the fier with theyr father and as for any safegarde that your custody can be vnto them I am sure you loke not for it for as you haue bene partner of the worke so I am sure you loke for none other but to haue and receaue like wages and to drinke of the same cuppe Blessed be god that hath geuen you libertye in the meane ceason that you may vse your pen to his glory to the comfort as I heare say of manye I blesse god dayly in you and all your whole companye to whome I beseche you to commend me hartly Now I loue my countreyman in deede and in truth I meane D. Taylor not now for my earthly countreis sake but for oure heauenly fathers sake whome I heard say he did so stoutly in time of perill confesse and yet also now for our countreis sake and for all our mothers sake but I meane of the kingdome of heauen and of heauenly hierusalem and bicause of the sprite which bringeth in hym in you and in your cōpany such blessed fruites of boldnes in the lords cause of pacience and constācy The Lord which hath begon this worke in you al performe and perfite this his own dede vntill his own day come Amen As yet I perceiue you haue not beene baited the cause therof God knoweth which wil let them do no more to his then is his pleased will and good pleasure to suffer them to do for his own glory and to the profit of them which be trulye his for the father whiche dothe guide thē that be christs to Christe is more mighty than all they and no man is able to pulle thē out of the fathers hands except I say it please our father it please our maister Christe to suffer them they shal not be able to sturre one heare of your heades My brother P. the bearer hereof would that we shoulde say what we thynke good concerninge your mynde that is not for to aunswere excepte ye myghte haue somewhat indifferent iudges We are as ye know separated one of vs can not in any thing consult with an other and muche straite watching of the baylifes is about vs that there be no priuy conference amongest vs. And yet as we heare the scholers beare vs more heauelye then the townsemen A wonderful thing among so many neuer yet scholer offred to any of vs so farre as I know any manner of fauor either for or in Christes cause Now as concerning your demaunde of our counsell for my part I do not mislike that which I perceiue ye are minded to do for I loke for none other but if ye aunswere before the same commissioners that we did ye shal be serued handled as we were though ye were as wel lerned as euer was either Peter
with God I thanke God my common disease doth lesse trouble me now then whē I was abroad which doth teach me the merciful prouidence of god towards me Commend me to Maistres Wilkinson whom we pray god to strengthē in his truth grace vnto the end Vse true and harty prayer and you shall perceaue god at length will declare him selfe to see where now many thinke he sleepeth Out of the Tower by the Lordes prisoner Iohn Bradford To Maistres I. H. a faythfull woman and fearyng God whom he exhorteth to bee pacient vnder the crosse not to feare death MY dearly beloued I besech our mercifull father to comfort your heauie and pensiue hart with his own cōsolations in Christ as I am assured he will in his good time which with pacience loke for good sister after the example of Iob Iames. 5. Helias Abrahā and al the deare Sainctes of God whiche are set forth vnto vs for patrons of pacience god graunte vs well to cutte oure clothe after them for God is the same God nowe and the ende will shewe that he is a mercifull Lorde and full of compassion My deare sister you shall vnfaynedly feele it at the length though presently it semeth otherwise vnto your sense you shall after you be a litle exercised herein Heb. 12 finde a quiet fruite of righteousnes the God of grace which hath called you vnto hys eternal glorye confirming strengthning you being some deale afflicted with your brethren and sisters that be in the worlde 1. pet 5 for alone you suffer not as I truste you knowe It comforted me to reade in your letters that no displeasure of father mother husband children c. doth moue you to be ruled after the counsell of the worlde and therefore you will me not to bee afearde for you Oh my beloued what thankes shoulde I geue to our god and deare father for thys hys excedyng kindenes towards you His name be magnified for you for euer his mercy be more and more multiplyed vnto you in you vpon you for euer and euer Amen God make me thankefull herefore But you adde that the feare of death doth now and then moue you a little Howbeit you saye that as I haue counseyled you you wyll stryue there agaynste My good Ioyce I take you at your woorde keepe promyse I praye you that is stryue agaynste it and I promyse you in the name of the Lord that you shall haue the victorie which I woulde wishe you to set before your eyes also so shall the terrour of death trouble you the lesse Souldiers goinge to warre set not before their eyes simplye the stripe but rather the victorye and my good sister will not you herein followe them In your trauaile with childe doth not the hope of the babe to be deliuered mitigate the maladye Doth not the sicke in taking bitter and lothsome Phisicke set before him the commoditie which wil ensue And my deare sister wil not you by these be somthing enformed Consider what this life is consider what death is consider what is prepared for you after death Concerning thys life you knowe that it is full of miserye vanitie and woe it is a playne exile and hath nothing in it permanente It is therfore compared to a vapor to a smoke to a shadowe yea to a warrefare a wildernes a vale of wretchednes wherein we are compafed on euery side with moste fearce and fearefull enemyes and shoulde we desire to dwell here Should we lust to liue in this lothsome and laborious life Shoulde we wyshe to tarrie in thys wretchednes Shoulde we haue pleasure to remaine in thys perillous state Daniells denne is not so dreadfull as is this dongeon we dwell in Concerning death to them that be as I knowe you are Gods deare children my tenderlye beloued sister what other thynge is it then the dispatcher of all displeasure the ende of al trauaile the doore of desires the gate of gladnes the porte of paradyse the hauen of heauen the rayle of reste and quietnes the entraunce to felicitie the beginnyng of all blisfulnes It is the very bedde of doune and therefore wel compared to a sleepe for the doulefull bodies of Gods people to reste in oute of the whiche they shall rise and awake moste freshe and lustye to life euerlasting It is a passage to the Father a chariot to heauen the Lordes messenger a leader vnto Christ a going to oure home a deliueraunce from bondage and prison a dimission from warre a securitie from all sorrowes and a manumission from all miserye So that the very heathen dyd in some places cause the daye of their death to be celebrated with myrth melody and minstrelsie and should we be dismayde at it Shoulde we be afrayde of it Should we tremble to heare of it Should such a frend as it is be vnwelcome Should the foulnes of hys face feare vs from his good conditions Should the hardenes of his huske hinder vs from his swete cornell Shoulde the roughnes of the tide tie vs to the bancke and shore there to be drowned rather then the desire of oure home dryue vs to go aburde Shoulde the hardnes of the saddle set vs on our feete to perish by the waye rather then to leape vp and endure the same a litle and so to be where we woulde be Concerning that which is prepared for you after death if I shoulde go about to expresse it the more I should so do the further I should be from it For the eye hath not seene neither the eare hath heard nor the harte of man is able to conceaue in any poynte the ioye myrth melodye pleasure power welth riches honour beautie fellowshippe deynties odours glorye wisedome knowledge threasures securitie peace quietnes and eternall felicitie which you shal haue and enioye world without ende with God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost with the Aungels Archangels with the Patriarckes and Prophetes with the Apostles and Euangelistes with the Martyrs and Confessors and with all the Saintes of God in the Palace of the Lorde in heauen the kingdome of God the glorye of the Father Oh woe to the blyndnes of our eyes that see not this Woe to the hardnes of our hartes that feele not this Woe to the deafnes of our eares that heare not thys in suche sort as we should do wherthrough we might be so farre from fearyng death that rather we shoulde wish it crying with Simeon Now let thy seruaunt depart in peace With Paul I desire to be desoulued and to be with Christ With Dauid when shall I come and appeare before thee And agayne Oh woe is me that my habitation is thus prolonged c. Psa 119. But halas deare sister great is oure vnbeliefe Full faynte is oure fayth or elles nyghte and daye teares shoulde be oure bread and drinke Psal 41. whilest it is sayde vnto vs where is your GOD It is a token of little loue
reuerent obediēce vnto her in al godlines Be not vnkind nor vnthākful Praye for her preseruation cōtinuance amongest you Pray that she may be an ensample to you in al the waies of the Lord. And how ye may be haue your selues towards god your mother and al other estates and degrees let alwayes gods word be your rule Exercise your selues therin night and day ioyning alwaies praier therewith God send you a good guide good passage if it be his wil out of this idolatrous blody realm And as Christ cōmitted his mother to Iohn so I cōmit you in this world to the Angell of God Augustine Bernher Hys aduertisement if you wil folow I trust you shal not decline frō the feare of god Be thankful for him cease not to pray for hys preseruation And thus I cōmit al aswell seruaunts as wife children to the merciful tuition of our most mercifull god and father to his deare sonne our onely Sauiour Iesus Christ with the holy ghoste the comforter to hym be al prayse now and for euer Amen I hartely forgeue you al and doubt not but that you do the same to me Robert Glouer Be faythfull vnto the death and I will geue thee the crowne of lyfe Apoc. 2. ⧠Letters of Robert Smyth one of the Chappell at Wyndsor who as a true and constant witnes of Gods woorde which he most faythfullye had professed was cruellye Martyred at Vrbridge the .14 daye of Auguste In the yeare of oure Lorde 1555. To all them whiche loue God vnfaynedlye and entend to lead a Godly lyfe accordyng to hys gospell and to perseuer in his truth vnto the end grace and peace from God the father and from our Lorde Iesus Christ Amen BE not afraid most dearely beloued in our Sauiour Iesus Christ at these most perilous daies This letter is thought of some to be M. Hopers partely for that in one copie amonges diuers it is entitled vnto him and also by the phrase and manner of writing it may be well coniectured so to be wherein by the sufferaunce of God the prince of darkenes is brokē lose and rageth in hys members agaynst the elect of god with all crueltye to sette vp againe the kingdome of Antichrist agaynst whom see that ye be strong in fayth to resiste hys moste deuelyshe doctrine with the pure Gospell of God armynge your selues with pacience to abyde what soeuer shall bee layde to your charge for the truthes sake knowing that thereunto ye be called not onelye to beleue in him but also to suffer for him Oh howe happye are ye that in the syght of God are counted worthye to suffer for the testimonye of Christe Quyet therefore your selues Oh my louynge brethren and reioyce in hym for whome ye suffer for vnto you doe remayne the vnspeakeable ioyes which neyther the eye hath sene nor the eare hath heard neyther the harte of man is hable to comprehend in any wise Be not afrayd of the bodely death Apo. 17. for your names are wrytten in the booke of life And the Prophette doth recorde Psalm 115. that in the fighte of the Lorde precious is the death of hys Sainctes Watche therefore and praye that ye be not preuented in the day of temptation Nowe commeth the daye of your tryall wherein the waters rage Matth. 7. and the stormye windes blowe Nowe shall it appeare whether ye haue builded vppon the fleting sande Ephe. 2 or vpon the vnmoueble rocke Christe whiche is the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets whereon euery house that is builded groweth into an holy temple of the Lorde by the mightye woorking of the holye ghoste Nowe approcheth the daye of your battaile wherin it is required that ye shewe your selues the valiaunte souldiours of Iesus Christe 2. Tim 8 Ephe. 6 phil 2 Heb. 12. Col. ◠wyth the armoure of God that ye maye be hable to stande faste againste all the craftye assaultes of the deuill Christe is your Captayne and ye be hys souldiours whose cognisance is the crosse to the which he willingly humbled hym selfe euen vnto the death and thereby spoyled his enemies and nowe triumpheth he ouer them in the glorye of his father making intercession for them that here doe remayne to suffer the afflictions that are to bee fulfilled in his misticall bodye Pet. 5. It behoueth therefore euery one that will be counted hys scholer to take vppe his owne crosse and followe hym as ye haue him for an ensample and I assure you that he being on your side nothing shall be hable to preuaile againste you And that he will be with you euen to the worldes ende ye haue his promise in the .28 of Mathewe He will goe forth with his hoste as a conquerer to make a conquest He is the man that sitteth on the whyte horse Apoc. 6 1. Cor. 1. crowned with immortalitie and ye brethren are hys felowshippe whereof he is the heade He hath your harte in hys hande as a bowe bente after his godlye will he shall direct the same according to the ryches of hys glory into al spirituall and heauenly cogitations He is faythfull 1 Cor i◠and wil not suffer you to be further assaulted thē he wil geue you strēgth to ouercome and in the most daunger he will make a way that ye maye be hable to beare it Shrynke not therefore deare hartes when ye shall hee called to aunsweare for the hope that is in you i. Pet. 3. for we haue the comforter Luk. 13. Act. 2. psalme 52. euen the spirite of truth whiche was sente from the heauens to teach vs. He shall speake in vs he shall strengthen vs what is he then that shall be able to confoūd vs Nay what Tiranne is he that now boasteth hym selfe of hys strengthe to doe mischiefe whom the Lord shall not with the same spirite by the mouthe of hys seruauntes stryke downe to hell fyre Yea sodainly will the Lorde brynge downe the glorye of the proude Philistians by the handes of hys seruaunte Dauid Their strengthe is in speare and shielde ◠Regū 17. psal 6. 2. Cor. 6 Heb. 8. Psalm 32. but oure helpe is in the name of the Lorde whiche made both heauen and earth He is our buckler and our wall a stronge tower of defence He is oure God and we are his people He shal bryng the counsels of the vngodlye to nought He shall take them in their owne nette He shal destroye them in their owne inuentions The ryghte hande of the Lorde shall woorke thys wonder Psalm 117. Psalm 52. psal 65. Hys power is knowen amonge the children of men ▪ Their fathers haue felt it and are confounded In lyke maner shall they knowe that there is no counsell agaynste the Lorde when their secretes are opened to the whole worlde and are founde to be agaynst the liuyng God Woorke they neuer so craftelye Gene. 12. builde they neuer so stronglye yet downe shall
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
therof wyll be so pitifull withoute spedye repentaunce that I tremble and feare to haue it in remembraunce I woulde to God it lay vpon some earthly burden so that fredome of conscience mighte begenen vnto them I write as god knoweth not of presumption but onlye lamentinge they re state whome I thought nowe in thys daungerous time should haue geuen bothe you and me comfortable instructions But alas in stede therof we haue perswasions to follow I lament me to rehearse it superstitions idolatrye yea that worste of all is they will seeke to proue it by the scripture The Lord for his mercy turne theyr hartes Amen Yours N. R. A letter which he wrote as his last farewell to al his true and faythefull frendes in God a little before he suffred with a sharpe admoniton by by the way to the papists the enemies of the truth AT the name of Iesus let euery kne bow both of thyngs in heauen and things in earth and thinges vnder the earth and let euerye tonge confesse that Iesus Christ is the lord vnto the glory of God the father Amen As a man minding to take a farre iourney and to depart from his familiar frendes commenly and naturally hath a desire to byd his frendes farewell before hys departure so likewise now I loking dayly when I shoulde be called for to departe hence from you O al ye my dearely beloued brethren and sisters in oure Sauioure Christe that dwel here in this world hauing a like mind towardes you all also blessed be God of this such time leasure whereof I right hartely thank his heauenly goodnes do byd you all my deare brethren and sisters I say in Christ that dwel vp on the earth after such manner as I can Farewell Farewel my deare Brother George Shypside whome I haue euer found faythfull trusty and louinge in all state and condicions and now in the time of my crosse ouer all other to me most frendly and steadfast that which liked me best ouer all other thinges in Gods cause euer harty Farewell my deare sister Alice his wyfe I am gladde to beare of thee that thou doest take Christes crosse whiche is layed now blessed be God both on thy backe and mine in good parte Thanke thou GOD that hathe geuen thee a godly and a louing husband se thou honor him and obey hym according to Gods lawe Honour thy mother in lawe his mother and loue al those that perteyne vnto hym being ready to do them good as it shall lye in thy power As for thy chyldren I doubte not of thy husbande but that he whyche hathe geuen hym a hearte to loue and feare God and in God them that pertayne vnto hym shall also make hym frendely and benefyciall vnto thy children euen as yf they had bene gotten of hys owne body Farewell my welbeloued brother Iohn Rydley of the Waltowne and you my gentle and louyng Syster Elizabeth whome besydes the naturall league of amitye your tender loue whiche you were sayde euer to beare towardes me aboue the reste of youre brethren dothe bynde me to loue My mynde was to haue acknowledged this youre louyng affection and to haue acquyted it wyth dedes and not wyth woordes alone Youre daughter Elizabeth I byd farewell whom I loue for the meeke and gentle Spiryte that God hath geuen her which is a precious thyng in the syght of God Farewell my beloued Syster of Vnthancke wyth all youre chyldren my nephewes and nices Synce the departure of my Brother Hughe my mynde was to haue beene vnto them in the steade of theyr father but the Lorde god must and will be theyr father if they wil loue hym and feare him and lyue in the trade of hys law Farewell my welbeloued and worshipfull Cosyns maister Nicholas Ridley of Wyllimountswick and your wife and I thanke you for all youre kyndnesse shewed bothe to me and also to all youre owne kynsefolke and myne Good Cosyn as GOD hath sette you in that oure stocke and kyndred not for anye respecte of youre personne but of hys aboundaunte grace and goodnesse to bee as it were the Belweather to order and conducte the reaste and hathe also endued you wyth his manyfold gyftes of grace bothe heauenlye and worldlye aboue others so I praye you good Cosin as my truste and hope is in you continue and increase in the mayntenaunce of truthe honestye rightuousnesse and all true godlynesse and to the vttermost of your power to wythstande falsehode vntruthe vnryghteousnesse and all vngodlynesse whych is forbid and condempned by the word and lawes of God Farewel my yong Cosin Rafe Whitfield Oh your tyme was verye shorte wyth me my mynde was to haue done you good and yet you caughte in that little tyme a losse but I truste it shall bee recompenced as it shall please almighty god Farewell al my whole kyndred and countreymen farewell in Christ altogether The Lorde which is the searcher of secrets knoweth that accordyng to my hartes desire my hope was of late that I should haue come among you and to haue brought wyth me aboundaunce of Christes blessed Gospell accordyng to the duetye of that office and ministerye wherevnto among you I was chosen named and appoincted by the mouth of that our late piereles Prince king Edwarde and so also denounced openly in hys court by his priuye counsayle I warne you all my welbeloued kynsfolke and countreymen that ye be not amased or astonied at the kynde of my departure or dissolution for I ensure you I thynke it the most honour that euer I was called vnto in all my life and therfore I thanke my Lorde GOD hartely for it that it hath pleased hym to cal me of hys great mercye vnto this hyghe honour to suffer deathe wyllynglye for hys sake and in hys cause vnto the which honour he called the holy Prophets hys dearly beloued Apostels and hys blessed chosē martyrs For knowe ye that I doubte no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to deathe are gods causes and the causes of the truthe then I doubte that the Gospell whyche Iohn wrote is the Gospell of Christe or that Paules Epystles are the verye worde of GOD. And to haue a harte wyllyng to abyde and stande in gods cause in Christs quarell euen vnto death I ensure thee O man it is an inestimable and an honourable gyft of GOD geuen onely to the true electes and dearely beloued children of GOD and inheritoures of the kyngdome of heauen For the holye Apostle and also Martyr in Christes cause Sayncte Peter sayeth ◠Pet. 4 yf ye suffer rebuke in the name of Chryste that is in Christes cause and for hys truthes sake then are ye happye and blessed for the glorye of the Spirite of God resteth vppon you If for rebukes sake suffered in Chrystes name a man is pronounced by the mouthe of that holye Apostle blessed and happye howe muche more happye and blessed is he that hathe
the grace to suffer death also Wherfore al ye that be my true louers frends reioice and reioyce with me agayne and render wyth me hartye thankes to God oure heauenly father that for hys sonnes sake my Sauioure and redemer Christ he hathe vouchsafed to cal me beyng elles without hys gratious goodnes in my selfe but a synnefull and a vyle wretche to call me I say vnto this hygh dygnitye of hys true Prophetes of hys faythfull Apostles and of hys holye electe and chosen Martyrs that is to die and to spende thys temporall lyfe in the defence mayntenāce of hys eternal and euerlastyng truth Ye knowe that be my Countreymen dwellyng vpon the borders where alas the true man suffreth oftentimes muche wronge at the theues hande if it chaunce a man to be slaine of a theefe as it oft chaunceth there whiche wente oute with his neyghbour to helpe hym to rescue hys goods agayne that the more cruelly he be slayne and the more stedfastly he stooke by his neyghboure in the fighte agaynst the face of the theefe the more fauoure and frendeship shall all hys posteritie haue for the slayne mans sake of al them that be true as long as the memorye of his facte and his posteritye dothe endure euen so ye that be my kynsefolke and countreyemen knowe ye howe soeuer the blynde ignoraunt and wycked world hereafter shall rayle vppon my death which thyng they can not do worse then their fathers did of the death of Christ our sauiour of his holy prophets Apostles and Martyrs Knowe ye I say that both before God and all them that be godly and that truely know and followe the lawes of God ye haue and shal haue by goddes grace euer cause to reioyce and to thanke God highlye and to thinke good of it and in god to reioyce of me your flesh blood whome God of his gratious goodnes hath vouchsafed to associate vnto the blessed company of hys holy martyrs in heauē I dout not in the infinite goodnes of my lord god nor in the faithful felowship of his elect chosē people but at both theyr hands in my cause ye shal rather fynd the more fauour grace for the Lord sayeth that he wil be both to them and theyrs that loue hym the more louyng agayne in a thousande generations Deut. 7. Iohn 15. the Lorde is so full of mercye to them I saye and theyrs which doe loue hym in deede And Christe sayeth agayne that no man can shewe more loue then to geue hys lyfe for his frende Now also know ye all my true louers in god my kynsfolk and countreymen that the cause wherfore I am put to death is euen after the same sort and conditiō but touchyng more nere gods cause and in more weighty matters but in the general kynd al one for both is Gods cause both is in the mainteināce of right both for the commē welth and both for the weale also of the christiā brother although yet there is in these two no smal difference both concernyng the enemyes the goods stollen and the manner of the fighte For knowe ye all that lyke as there when the poore true man is robbed by the theefe of hys owne goodes truely gotten whereupon he and hys household should lyue he is greatly wronged and the theefe in stealyng and robbyng with violence the poore mans Goods dothe offende god doth trāsgresse hys lawe and is iniurious bothe to the poore man and to the commen wealth so I saye know ye all that euen here in the cause of my death it is with the church of englād I meane the congregatiō of the true chosen chyldren of god in this realme of england which I knowlege not only to be my neighbors but rather the congregatiō of my spirituall brethren and Sisters in Christe yea members of one body wherein by goddes grace I am and haue beene grafted in Chryste Thys Churche of Englande had of late of the infinite goodnesse and aboundaunte grace of almighty God greate substaunce greate ryches of heauenlye treasure greate plentye of gods true and syncere woorde the true and wholesome administration of Christes holye Sacramentes the whole profession of Christes religion truelye and playnelye sette forthe in Baptisme the playne declaration and vnderstandyng of the same taughte in the holye Cathechisme to haue beene learned of all true Christians This churche hadde also a true and syncere forme and manner of the Lordes Supper wherein accordyng to Iesus Christes owne ordinaunce and holy institution Christes commaundements were executed and done For vpon the bread and wyne set vpon the Lords table thanks were geuen the commemoration of the Lordes death was had the bread in the remembraunce of christes bodye torne vpon the crosse was broken and the Cuppe in the remembraunce of Christes bloud shedde was distributed and both communicated vnto all that were presente and woulde receyue them and also they were exhorted of the minister so to doe All was done openlye in the vulgare toungue so that euerye thyng myghte be bothe easely heard and plainlye vnderstande of all the people to Gods hygh glory and the edification of the whole churche Thys churche had of late the whole Diuyne seruice all common and publique prayers ordeyned to be sayde heard in the cōmē congregation not onely framed and fashioned to the true vayne of holye Scripture but also all thynges so set forthe accordyng to the commaundemente of the Lorde and Sayncte Paules doctryne for the peoples edification in theyr vulgare toungue It had also holye and wholsome Homelies in commendation of the principall vertues which are commended in Scripture and lykewyse other Homelies agaynste the moste pernitious and capitall vyces that vseth alas to raygne in thys Realme of Englande Thys churche had in matters of controuersye articles so penned and framed after the holye Scripture and grounded vpon the true vnderstandyng of Gods worde that in short tyme yf they hadde bene vniuersally receyued they should haue beene able to haue sette in Christes churche muche concorde and vnitye in Christes true Religion and to haue expelled manye false erroures and heresyes wherewyth thys churche alas was almoste ouergone But alas of late into thys spyrytuall possession of the heauenly treasure of these godlye ryches are entred in theues that haue robbed and spoyled all thys heauenlye treasure awaye I maye well complayne on these theues and crye oute vppon them wyth the Prophete saying Deus venerunt gentes in haereditatem tuam c. Psalme 79. O Lord GOD the Gentiles heathen nations are come into thy heritage they haue defyled thy holye Temple and made Ierusalem an heape of stones that is they haue broken and beate downe to the grounde thy holye citye This hethenyshe generation these theeues of Samaria these Sabei and Caldei these robbers haue rushed out of their dennes and haue robbed the Churche of Englande of all the foresayd holy treasure of god they haue caried it away and ouerthrowne
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
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
remembraunce of me not sixe dais ago saying that I am more worthy to be burnt then any that was burned yet Gods blessyng on their hartes for their good reporte GOD make me worthye of that dignitie and hasten the tyme that I might set forthe hys glorye Praye for me deare harte I beseâ—h you and will all your company to doe the same and I wil pray GOD for you all so longe as I liue And now farewell in Christe thou blessed of gods owne mouthe I wil for a time take my leaue but not my last farewell Blessed be the tyme that euer I came into the kynges Benche to bee ioined in loue and fellowship with such deare childreÌ„ of the lord My good brother Bradford shal not be deade whyles you be alyue for verelye the spirite of hym dothe teste on you in most ample wyse Your letters of comforte vnto me in eche poynt do agree as though the one were a copy of the other He hath planted in me and you doe water the Lorde geue good increase My deare brethreÌ„ and fellow prisoners here haue them humbly and hartely commended vnto you and your company mournyng for your miserye but yet reioysing for your plenteous consolation and comfort in Christ We are all cherefull and mery vnder our crosse and do lack no necessaries praised be god for his prouidence and great mercyes towardes vs for euermore Amen Iohn Careles ¶ To certayne godly women forsakyng theyr owne countrey and goyng beyond the seas in the tyme of persecution for the testimony of the Gospell THe spirite of truth reueled vnto you my derely beloued by the gospell of our sauiour Iesus Christ be continually abidyng with you and augmented into a perfecte buildynge of you into the lyuely temple of God throughe the mighty operation of his power Amen I read in the Euangelists of certain godly women that ministred vnto Christ followyng hym in the dayes of his passion and neuer forsooke hym but beyng dead in hys graue brought oyle to annoynt him vntil that he had shewed himself vnto them after hys resurrection and hydden them shewe vnto hys disciples which at his passion were dispersed and tell them that he was rysen and that they should see him in Galile To whom I may iustly compare you my louing systers in Christ who of late haue sene hym suffer in hys members and haue ministred to their necessity annointing them with the comfortable oyle of your charitable assistance euen to the death and now since ye haue sene Christ to liue in the ashes of them whom the tyrannes haue slayne he wylleth you to go away vpon iust occasion offered you to declare to our dispersed brethren and systers that he is risen and liueth in hys elect members in England and by deathe doth ouercome infidelitye and that they shall see hym in Galile which is by forsakyng this world and by a faythfull desyre to passe out of this world by those wayes which he with his holy martyrs hath gone on before God therfore entier systers direct your way as he dyd Abraham and Tobias vnto a strauÌ„ge land God geue you helth both of body soule that ye may go from vertue to vertue grow froÌ„ streÌ„gth to strength vntyl ye may see face to face the god of Sion in his holy hyl with the innumerable coÌ„pany of hys blessed Martyrs and Sainctes Let there be continuall ascensions vnto heaueÌ„ in your hartes Let there be no decrease of any vetue which is already planted in you Be as the light of the iust such as Salomon sayth increaseth to the perfect day of the Lorde Let the strength of god be coÌ„mended in your weake vessels as it is Be examples of faythe and sobrietie to all that ye shall come in company withall Let your godly conuersation speake where your tonge may not in the congregation Be swift to heare and slow to speake after the counsell of S. Iames. Be not curious about other mens doings but be occupied in prayer and continuall meditation wyth reuerent talkyng of the worde of God without contention amongest the sainctes Let your faythe shine in a straunge countrey as it hathe done in your owne that your father which is in heauen may be glorified by you to the end This farewell I send you not as a thyng nedefull which know alredy what your duety is and be desirous to performe the same but as one that woulde haue you vnderstand that he is myndefull of your godly conuersation whereof he hathe had good experience and therefore wryteth this to bee as a perpetuall memoriall betwixt you and hym vntyll our metyng together before god where we shall ioy that we haue here louyngly put one another in memory of our duetye to performe it Farewell agayne myne owne bowels in christ and take me with you wheresoeuer you goe and leaue your selues with me that in spirite we may be present one wyth another Commend me to the whole congregation of christ wyllyng them not to leaue their countrey without witnes of the Gospell after that we all be slayne which already be stauled vp and appoynted to the slaughter and in the mean season to pray earnestly for our constancy that Christe may be glorified in vs and in them both by lyfe and death Farewell in the Lorde Yours for euer Iohn Philpot. ¶ An exhortation to a Syster of hys constantlye and cherefully to stick to the truth and to abide the triall of that doctrine which she had fruitefullye professed GOd the eternall father who hath iustifyed you by the bloode of hys sonne Iesus Christe and calleth you to hallowe hys name thoroughe a good conuersation and profession of lyfe he sanctifye you with daily encrease of vertue and fayth by his holy spirite that you may appeare a vessell of sanctification in the myddest of thys wycked and peruerse generation to the lande and prayse of the Gospell Amen I haue occasion myne own deare syster to prayse God in you for two causes the one that to your habilitie you are readye to shewe your selfe a naturall louyng syster vnto me your poore afflicted brother as by your gentle tokens you haue eftsones testified beyng absent as also presently visityng me which well declareth that you be a verye naturall syster in dede and to be praysed in this behalfe But in the other that you be also a syster to me in faythe after Christes gospell I am occasioned to thanke god so muche the more how much the one excelleth the other and the spiritual consaÌ„guinity is more perdurable then that which is of flesh and bloode and is a worker of that whyche is by nature for coÌ„monly such as be vngodly be vnnaturall and onely louers of themselues as daily experience teacheth us The lyuyng lord which throughe the incorruptible seed of hys worde hath begotten you to be my liege syster geue you grace so to grow in that generation that you may encrease to a perperfecte age in the lord to be
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
an incorruptible crowne of immmortal vnspeakable glory but if for bicause of gods tarying which is only to proue you you relent which god forbid thinking it enough in hart to serue god and in body to do as may make most to your commodity temporally as many do then vndoubtedly your stāding hetherto wherfore gods holy name be praised shall make much more for the papisticall kyngdome and glory thereof then if you had neuer done as you haue done Wherof my good lord be not wearye nor vnthankfull for with the godly and in the church of god you are and shal be had as a worthy mēber of christ worthy of double honour because god of his goodnes hath vouched you worthy with out your desertes In the one that is for landes and possessions you haue companions many but in the other my good lord you are A per se A with vs to our comfort and ioye vnspeakable so long as you continue as I trust you wil do to the ende and to our most heauy sorrowe which god forbid if you should relente in any pointe Therfore I besech your lordshippe in the bowels and blood of our sauiour Iesus Christ to perseuer and continue to the ende He that hathe not tempted you hetherto aboue your strength wil continue so to the ende If for a tyme he hyde hys face from you yet he doth it but for a momente to make you the more hartely to cry to hym and surely he wil heare you not onely when you are in cryeng but also whilest you are in thynkyng how to cry he is with you in trouble and wyll in deede delyuer you The longer he taryeth the more pleasantly and comfortably will he appeare Only beleue and loke for his helpe and you shall haue peace such peace as the world knoweth not nor can know the whiche god geue vs a true feelyng of and then we shall not be greued with afflictions but rather reioyce in thē because they are but exercises and tryals of faith to the encrease of faith and patience with many godly vertues c. As cōcernyng the number and charges of vs heare which this day I heard your lordship desired to vnderstande this is so much as I know that we are iiij in number together whose names this bearer shall tell you The charges of the least is xij s. a weake There are .v. others whose charges be not so great but as they will themselues I meane they pay daily as they take and that to the vttermost these were neuer ministers I trust there is no vrgent neede in anye of vs al I thinke leaste in my self through god my fathers prouidence the which I haue and doe dayly wonderfullye feele his name therfore be praysed Other thynges I would wryte but because they may be more safely told by this bringer I haue omytted the same for that purpose God of hys goodnes euer be wyth you kepe your lordship to the very ende as hys dere child Amē Amen Your humble to commaund Iohn Bradford ¶ To. M. VVarcuppe and his wife Maistres VVilkinson and other of his godly frendes with their families THe same peace our sauiour Christe left with his people whiche is not wtout warre with the world almighty god worke plentifullye in your hartes now and for euer Amen The time I perceiue is come wherein the lordes ground will be knowen I meane it will now shortly appeare who haue receyued gods gospel into their harts in dede to the taking of good roote therin for such will not for a litle heate or sunne burning wyther but stiffely will stande and growe on mangre the malice of al burning showres tempests And for as much as my be loued in the Lorde I am persuaded of you that ye bee in deede the children of god gods good ground which groweth and will grow on by gods grace bringing forth fruit to gods glory after your vocatiōs as occasion shal be offered burne the sunne neuer so whote therfore I cānot but so signify vnto you hartely pray you and euery one of you accordingly to go on forewardes after your maister Christe not sticking at the foule way and stormye wether which you are come into and are like so to do of this beyng most certain that the ende of your iorney shal be pleasaunt ioyful in suche a perpetuall rest and blissefulnes as cannot but swalowe vp the showres that ye nowe feele and are soused in if ye often set it before your eies after Paules counsell in the later ende of the 4. and begynnyng of the 5. of the 2. epist to the Cor. Read it I pray you and remember it often as a restoratiue to refreshe you least ye fainte in the way And besides this set before you also that though the weather be foule stormes growe apace yet go not ye alone but other your brothers sisters pad the same path as S. Peter telleth vs therfore company should cause you to be the more couragious chereful But if ye had no companye at al to go presently with you I pray you tell me if euen frō the beginning the best of gods frends haue foūd any fairer weather way to the place whether ye are going I meane heauen then ye now find are like to do excepte ye wyll with the worldlings which haue their portion in this lyfe tary stil by the way till the stormes be ouerpaste and then eyther night wil so approche that ye cannot trauaile either the dores wil hee sparred before ye come and so you shal lodge without in wonderful euil lodgings Reade Apo. 22. Beginne at Abel and come frō him to Noe Abrahā Isaac Iacob Ioseph the Patriarckes Moses Dauid Daniel al the Saints in the olde testamēt tel me whether uer any of them founde any fairer way then ye now finde If the olde Testamēt wil not serue I pray you come to the new beginne with Mary Ioseph come frō thē to Zachary Elizabeth Iohn Baptist euery one of the Apostles Euangelists and search whether they al found any other waye into the City we trauel towardes then by many tribulacions Besydes these if ye should call to remembraunce the primatiue church lorde god ye shoulde see so manye to haue geuē cherefully their bodies to most greuous tormēts rather then they would be stopped in their iorney that there is no day in the yere but I dare say a M. was the fewest that with greate ioye loste their homes here but in the Citye they wente vnto haue found other manner of homes then mans mynd is able to conceiue But if none of al these wer if ye had no cōpany now to go with you as ye haue me your poore brother and bondman of the lorde with many other I truste in god if ye had none other of the fathers Patriarckes good Kings Prophetes Apostels Euangelists Martyrs and other holy sainctes children of God that in their
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.
corruption And let vs consider these thinges so that we wholy may bende our selues to put away all the oldenes of our flesh whence in dede corruption and death doth come and that we may prouoke our selues to the newnes of the spirite and the lyfe of Christe wherin is all incorruption and the true taste of the resurrection for to thys ende the holy ghost dyd wryte this by the Apostle That therfore this spirit might lead vs hereunto let vs pray then we shall vnderstand this place of Paule wyth profit If perchaunce it wyll moue you that the Apostle speaketh not of thys delyueraunce of the creature from corruption in anye other place but here neither anye other holye wryter I would you would thynke that the misery of the restauration of Israel also of Antichrist is not expounded but in the Apostels writyngs and that but in one place yea the manner of our resurrection is not written but in .ij. places We oughte to knowe that they are the wordes of the Lorde what soeuer the Apostle hathe lefte to vs written Again the simplicity of this place Rom. 8 is plaine And thus my dearely beloued I haue written to you so muche as I thynke is sufficient about thys mater and therfore nede not to tary herein any longer or to spende anye more tyme about the answeryng of that which is but curiositye God our father geue vs nowe hys holye spirite to leade vs into thys and all other necessary truth in such sort that we may haue a liuely feelyng of eternall lyfe begonne in vs that we may become first new and so loke for new heauen and earthe wherin ryghteousnes dwelleth which God impute to vs and begynne in vs for hys Christes sake Amen Amen Your owne for euer in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ⧠Certayne letters of mayster Thomas Whyttel a godlye and a faythefull Minyster and preacher of gods worde who after he had relented by the tyrannye and cruel dealyng of Bonner returned agayne wyth greate constancye and stoode to the defence of the truthe vnto the fyre The .12 of Ianuary In the yeare of our Lorde 1556. To my beloued frende and faythfull Brother in Christe Iohn Careles prysoner in the Kynges Benche THe peace of god in Christ be wyth you continually dearely beloued brother in Christe with the assistaunce of gods grace and holye spirite to the workyng and performyng of those thynges which may comforte and edifye hys churche as ye daily do to the glorye of hys name and the increase of your ioy and comforte of soule in thys lyfe and also your rewarde in heauen wyth Christ our captayn whose faythful souldiour you are in the lyfe to come Amen I haue greatly reioyced my deare hart with thankes to god for you synce I haue heard of your fayth and loue towards god and hys saintes wyth a most godly ardent zeale to the verity of Christes doctrine and religiō which I haue heard by the reporte of many but specially by the declaryng of that valiaunt captaine in Christes church that stout chāpion in gods cause that spectacle to the world I meane our good brother Philpot who now lyeth vnder the aultare swetely enioyeth the promysed rewarde And speciallye I my condemned fellowes geue thankes to God for your louyng and comfortable letter in the depenes of our trouble after the fleshe sente vnto vs to the consolation of vs al but most specially to me most sinfull myser on mine owne behalfe but happy I hope through godslouing kindnes in Christ shewed vnto me who suffred me to fainte and fayle through humayne infirmity by the workyng of the Archenemye in hys sworne souldiours the byshops and priestes In whome so liuely appeareth the verye visage and shape of Satan that a man if it wer not preiudice to gods word might wel affirme them to be Deuils incarnate as I by experiēce do speake Wherfore who so shal for consciēce matters come into their hands had nede of the wilines of the Serpent to saue hys head though it be with the woundyng of his body and to take diligent hede how he consenteth to theyr wycked writyngs or setteth hys hand to their couenaūtes Sore dyd they assault me and craftelye tempte me to theyr wycked wayes or at least to a denegation of my faythe and true opinions though it were but by colour and dissimulation and alas somethyng they dyd preuayle Not that I any thyng at all lyked their opinions and false papisticall religion or els doubted of the truth wherin I stand but only the infirmity of the flesh begyled me desiryng lyberty by an vnlawfull meanes God lay it not to my charge at that day so I desire you hartely to pray How be it vncertain I am whether more profite or disprofite came therby profit to me in that god suffred Satan to buffit me by his foresayd ministers of myschiefe shewyng me mine infirmitye that I should not boste nor reioyce in my selfe but only in the Lord. Who when he had led me to hel in my conscience through the respect of hys fearefull iudgementes agaynste me for my fearefulnes mistrust and crafty clokyng in suche spirituall and weighty matters in the whiche myne agony distresse I found thys old verse true Non patitur ludum fama fides oculus yet he left me not there but brought me from thence againe to the magnifieng of hys name suspectyng of fleshe and bloud and cōsolation of myne own soule also that I myght fele the disprofite in offending the congregatiō of god which peraduenture will rather adiudge my fal to come of doutfulnes in my doctrine religion thē of humain imbecillity Wel of the importune burdē of a troubled consciēce for denying or dissembling the knowē verity I by experience could saye very much more which perhaps I wil declare by writyng to the warnyng of other if god graunt time for now am I my fellowes redy to go hēce euen for Christes cause Gods name be praysed who hathe hetherto called vs. Pray I pray you that we may end our course wyth ioy and at your appointed tyme you shal come after But as the Lord hath kepte you so wyll he preserue your lyfe styll to the intent you should labour as you do to appease and conuince these vngodly contentions and controuersies which now do to muche raigne brauwlyng about termes to no edification GOD is dishonoured the church disquieted and occasion to speake euyll of the Gospel ministred to our aduersaries But such is the subtilty of Sathan that whom he cannot wynne with grosse idolatrye in open religion them he seketh to corrupt and deceyue in opinions in a priuate profession But here I wyl abrutply leaue least wyth my rudenes and symplicity I shuld be tedious to you desiring you my louyng brother if it shal not seme greuous vnto you to wryte vnto me and my fellowes yet once agayne if you may haue leasure and we tyme to the same and sende me worde
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
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
them they harken vnto me and to no straungers and I geue them euerlastyng lyfe Iohn 10 for they shall not be loste nor no man shall plucke them out of my handes no nor yet this flatte ryng world wyth al his vayne pleasures nor any Tyranne wyth his great threates and stoute bragges can once moue them out of the way of eternall lyfe What consolation and coÌ„fort may we haue more pleasaunt and effectuous then this God is on our side and fighteth for vs he suffereth he smarteth is afflicted with vs. As the world can do nothing against his might Esay 4 neither in takyng away or diminishing of hys glory nor putting him from his celestial throne so can it not harme nor hurte any one of his chyldren without his good wyll Ephesi 5 for we are members of hys bodye out of his flesh and of his bones and as deare to him as the apple of his eye Let vs therfore with an earnest fayth set fast hold and sure feeling vpon the promises of God in the gospel and let vs not be sundred from the same by any teÌ„ptation tribulation or persecution Let vs consider the verity of god to be inuincible inuiolable and immutable promising and geuing vs his faythfull souldiours life eternall It is he onely that hath deserued it for vs it is his only benefite and of his only mere mercy vnto hym only must we render thaÌ„kes Let not therfore the vayne fantasies and dreames of meÌ„ the folish gauds and toyes of the world nor the crafty delusions of the deuil driue separate vs from our hope of the crown of righteousnes that is laid vppe in store for vs against the last day Oh that happy and mery last day I meane to the faythfull when Christ by hys couenaunt shall graunte and geue vnto them that ouercome and kepe hys wordes to the ende that they maye ascende and sit in seate with him as he hath ascended and sitteth on throne wyth hys father The same body and soule that is now wyth Christ afflicted shal then be wyth Christ glorified nowe in the butchers handes as shepe appointed to die 2. Timo. 2. then sitting at gods table wyth Christ in hys kyngdom as gods honourable and dere childerne where we shall haue for earthly pouerty heauenlye riches for hunger and thirst saturitye of the pleasaunt presence of the glory of God Psalm 16. for sorrowes troubles and colde irons celestial ioyes and the company of Aungels and for a bodely death lyfe eternall Oh happy soules oh precious death and euermore blessed righte deare in the eyes of god to you the spring of the Lord shall euer be florishyng Then as sayth Esay the redemed shall returne come againe into Sion praysing the Lord and eternall mercyes shal be ouer their heades they shall obtaine myrthe and solace sorrowe and woe shall be vtterly vanquished yea I am euen he sayeth the Lord that in all things geueth you euerlastyng consolation To whom with the Father and the holy ghost be glory and prayse for euer Amen Robert Samuell An other letter written to the Christian coÌ„gregation called the fayth of Robert Samuell The beliefe of the hart iustifyeth and to knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe Rom. 10. Feare not the curse of men be not afrayde of theyr blasphemies and reuilinges for wormes and mothes shall eate them vppe lyke cloth and woll but my ryghteousnesse shall endure for euer and my sauing healthe from generation to generation Esay 51. COnsidering with my self these perillous times 2. Timo. 3. perishing daies the vnconstant and miserable state of man the decay of our fayth the sinister reporte false slauÌ„der of gods most holy word these vrgent causes in coscience do constrayne me to confesse acknowledge my fayth and meanyng in Christes holy religion as S. Peter teacheth me saying 1. pet 3 be readye alwayes to geue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with mekenes feare hauing a good coÌ„science that wheÌ„ they backbite you as euill doers they may be ashamed for asmuche as they haue falselye accused your good conuersation in Christe As touching my doctrine for that litle talent that god hath geuen me god I take to recorde mine own conscience mine auditorie knoweth that I neither in doctrine nor maners willinglye taughte any other thing then I receaued of the holy Patriarckes Prophets Christ hys Apostles For it were not only sinne but also the very part of a cursed miscreant to deny to belye or betray the innoceÌ„cie of that heaueÌ„ly doctrine or to be ashamed to coÌ„fesse staÌ„d to the defence of the same Mar. 8. seing the christ plaÌ„ted it with his most precious blood and all good men haue more estemed the true infallible word of god then al this transitorye worlde or their own mortal liues And I beleue this doctrine of the Patriarkes Prophets Christ hys Apostles to be sufficient absolutely perfect to enstruct teach me al the holy church of oure duties towards god the magistrates our neighbours Fyrst principally I do assuredly beleue wtout any douting that there is one deitie or diuine essence infinite substaÌ„ce which is both called is in dede god euerlasting vnbodely vnpartable vnmeasurable in power wisdome goodnesse the maker preseruer of al things as wel visible as inuisible yet there be three distinct persons al of one godhead or diuine being of al one power coequal coÌ„substantial coeternall the father the sonne the holy ghost I beleue in god the father almighty c. As touching god the father of heaueÌ„ I beleue as much as holy scripture teacheth me to beleue The father is the first person in trinitie Ephesi â— first cause of our saluation which hath blessed vs with al maner of blessings in heaueÌ„ly things by Christ which hath choseÌ„ vs before the fouÌ„dations of the worlde were layd that we should be holy without blame before him who hath predestinate vs ordeyned vs to be his childreÌ„ of adoption through Christ Iesu Act. 17. Psal 176. In him as it is sayd we liue we moue haue our being he nourisheth feedeth geueth meate to euery creature And in Iesus Christ hys onely sonne oure lord I beleue that the word that is the sonne of god the second person in trinitie did take mans nature in the wombe of the most blessed virgin Mary Heb. 1. So that there be in hym .ii. natures a diuine nature an humaine nature in the vnitie of persoÌ„ inseperable conioyned knyt in one Christ truly god trulye maÌ„ the expresse perfect image of the inuisible god wherin the wil of god the father shineth apparantly wherin maÌ„ as it were in a glasse maye behold what he ought to do that maye please god the father Borne of the virgin Mary â—â—trulye
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
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
Margaret feare not them that can but kil the bodye and yet can they not do that vntill God geue them leaue but feare to displease him that can kill both body and soule and cast them into hel fire Let not the remembraunce of your children kepe you from God The Lorde hymselfe wil be a father and a mother better then euer you or I could haue bene vnto them He himselfe will do al things necessary for them yea as much as rocke the cradell if nede be He hath geuen his holy aungels charge ouer them therfore coÌ„mit them vnto hym But if you may liue with a cleare conscience for els I would not haue you to lyue and see the bringyng vp of your children your self loke that you nourture them in the feare of God and kepe them farre from Idolatry superstition and all other kynd of wickednes and for gods sake helpe them to some learning if it bee possible that they may increase in vertue godly knowledge which shal be a better dowry to mary them withal then any worldly substaunce and when they be come to age prouide them such husbandes as feare god and loue hys holye worde I charge you take heede that you matche them wyth no papistes and if you lyue and marrye agayne your self which thing I would wishe you to do if nede require or els not good wyfe take heede howe you bestowe your selfe that you and my poore children be not compelled to wickednes But if you shal bee able well to lyue gods true widowe I would counsell you so to lyue stil for the more quietnes of your selfe and your poore children Take hede Margaret play the wise womaÌ„s part You haue warning by other if you wil take an example And thus I committe you my swete children vnto gods most merciful defence The blessing of god be with you god send vs a mery meeting together in heauen Farewel in Christ farewel myne own deare harts all Pray pray To my deare Syster M. C. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus christ the coÌ„tinuall comfortes of his most pure and holy spirit be wyth you my deare and faithful louing Sister and comforte your harte with the plenteous consolation in Christ that with the aboundance of the same you may according to your old custome comfort me in my sorowful estate that I may be occasioned therby to praise the lord with and for you and other his deare children Amen Albeit my dere faithful louing Sister that it were now my part very duty to shew myself so coÌ„fortable ioyful in god for the greate triuÌ„phe glorious victory that he hathe so graciously geueÌ„ vnto his dere faithful child good M. Philpot that you al other whose sorrowes I dare saye are much encreased might be solaced by the same yet alas such is my losse lack of him that I caÌ„not but so sore lameÌ„t the same that I feare me I shal not onely discoÌ„fort you therw t but also displease god which for my siÌ„ne hath takeÌ„ him away And thoughe it had ben both mine honesty duty seing my self to be in so much sorrow to haue kept the same to my self not to haue encreased yours therwith yet could I no loÌ„ger forbeare but to coÌ„municate some part therof to the ende that you might communicate again to me either your ioy or sorrow whether so euer you haue most store of If your ioy in christ haue the victory as doutles it ought to haue in the respect of gods glory which is so mightely set forth by his swete saint theÌ„ I pray you come to me as shortly as you can coÌ„municate some part thereof vnto me whose froward and stubborne harte cannot yet be coÌ„tent to preferre the good wil glorye of god before myne own wil coÌ„modity as I ought to do But if sorrow in you haue gotteÌ„ the vpper hand as in very dede it doth be guide to do in me good Sister come speake with me â—o loâ—e as you can that we may measure our mourning together and in coÌ„forting one an other may be both coÌ„strained to forget our sorrowes praise god with him who is now synging in solaâ—e â— hys swete companions that so constantly went before hym loking and wishing for vs two I dare wel say god graunt vs grace to follow their faith and fotesteppes vnto the end Amen Ah my dere harte me thinkes I am like a vessel of wine that after it hathe bene tumbled and tossed to and fro if it should not haue a vente would burst in pieces Euen so the takyng away of this very man of god whose swete coÌ„fort my poore soule doth lacke so tosseth and tormoileth my poore heuy harte that excepte I shoulde as it were wyth a vent expresse the same to god wyth weping teares and opeÌ„ the same to you wyth wordes and letters I thinke verelye it would burst in pieces which thyng were to me most happely welcome so that god were pleased therewithall Oh yf nature wil so worke in a wycked worldlyng to make hym hartely to lameÌ„t the losse of his frende by whose death he doth yet obtaine diuers commodities howe can it be but the tender harts that be mollified with the good spirit of god must nedes bewayle the taking awaye of those deare hartes by whose death they are depriued of so many heaueÌ„ly benefits which so farre without comparison do passe al earthly treasures Ah deare hart I neuer wiste what the benefit of that worthy Bradford was vntil now that I feele the wante of hys deare fellow Philpotte which full oft poured the precious water of lyfe and comforte vppon my poore afflicted foule But now alas for my great ingratitude negligence other my great sinnes god hath taken them bothe from me I shal no more hear theÌ„ in thys life the more is my sorrow declare vnto me the most coÌ„fortable message of gods great mercy towards me Their worthy writings alas shal no more bring me the most ioyfull newes and mery tidinges of the Gospel to tel me that al my horrible sinnes and offences are frely forgeueÌ„ me Oh my great losse which maketh me much to lament and so vexeth and tormenteth my minde that I cannot wel tel what I write Oh true token of gods terrible wrath agaynst me in takyng away suche precious iewels of comforte from me But iust is the iudgement of god against me for my synne which haue largely deserued to be depriued of their swete and comfortable company not onely in thys life but also in the lyfe to come But yet I know the Lord wil not so do but of his great mercy he hath taken theÌ„ at thys time froÌ„ me that I might make the more haste with harty desyre to be dissolued to be with them Oh gracious god how much is thy mercy How meruelous is thy louiÌ„g power how great is thy goodnes and the aboundance of thine exceding kindnes which
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