but the heauens also you haue destroyed death you shall feele thē all within you the fellowship of Saints Angels the forgiuenes of sinns the resurrection of the body the life euerlasting and the God of glorie your eyes lightened with a pure faith shall see these things in so perfect beautie that you shall cast out death the feare of it yea you should thinke your time wearines if your dayes should be prolonged and you should bee yet many yeares a soiorner in this bodie in which you are a straunger from the presence of the Lorde And the nearer your time approcheth the gladder you shal be of the ende of your iourney when your harte shall feele it And when the earthlie house of this tabernacle shal be destroyed you haue a building giuen of God a house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens In this faith you shall not onely not feare death but you shall sigh and moane as Paule saith till you see your glorie and the lot of the saints that is in light where there is no more sorrow nor care nor feare nor death but the God of all mercie and father of our lord Jesus Christ shal be before vs for euer Thus Madame as my duetie is J haue written vnto you and God will blesse it as his promise is that it shall be for the best in the wisdome of his word we shal be strengthned in his grace that death sicknesse shal be forgotten all the desirs of our heart shal be with him And the Lord God for his Sonnes sake so haue mercie vpon vs that all euill taken from vs we may reioyce in him and see his blessed age that is in immortality is sealed in our heartes with his blessed spirit To whom be glorie for euermore Amen From Saint Ellens the tenth of Ianuarie Anno Domini 1576. Yours bounden in the Lord Iesu the onely forgiuenes of all our sinnes Ed. Deringe A Letter written by M. Edward Deringe to his Lord Maister the Duke of Northfolke Gratia et pax a Deo patre et domino nostro Iesu Christo THE longe good will that I haue borne vnto you as to one that earnestlie professed the Gospell and the great duetie I owe vnto you as to my Lord Master make that nowe I should write vnto you not knowing whether opportunitie shal be such that hereafter J may doe you any seruice God the author of all life he hath shutte both you and me vp in his handes that there is great likelihood our liues in this worlde they are but short The Prince that executeth the iudgement of the Lord she hath found you out in your great sinnes and sickenes that raigneth ouer all fleshe it hath taken now longe holde vpon me So that as I saide we are both in the handes of the Lord we are summoned paremtorilie death hath giuen an assault and the weake holdes of our life they are violentlie shaken Nowe therefore my good Lord let it vs take counsell togither and as a wise Maister learne of a faithfull seruaunt what is best to be done the worst that our sinnes can doe vnto vs is to lay vpon vs the iust rewarde of death my disease which thus afflicteth me for many thousand sinns it can but take away my life which J haue so abused And all your deepe dissimulation and hypocrisie your great ambitions your faithlesse religion which haue so bewitched you what can they doe more then this The remedie nowe is to make of necessitie a vertue that is to beare it wisely which you must needes abide J haue I thanke God founde that grace that I can loue this saying Cupio dissolui esse cum Christo the Lord also open your hearte and guide your vnderstandinge that with all saintes you may doe likewise and praye Veni Domine Iesu And now for asmuch as this is the last duetie that J am like to doe vnto you as God shall giue grace I will so aduice you as I may testifie myne owne faith and make you strong against the daye of triall trusting that our God shall so remember vs both in mercie that after a little while we shall see better dayes and raigne with him that abideth King for euer There is now but one thing necessarie for you to learne in this life that is how you may willinglie desire to die a hard lesson for a natural mā for death is our last enimie his assault most violent to the triall of our faith but Christ who hath ouercome death and hell hee hath broken the strength of this battell and set vp the songes of triumph vnto all that beleeue that we may haue the fulnesse of ioy and say with gladnes ô death where is thy sting Nowe that this ioye may be yours and this gladnes your inheritāce prepare your selfe not in your own wisdō for that hath alredie deceiued you but in the wisdome of god that your hope may be sure Jf you will now haue the hart that shal cōdemne the force of death cōsider wherfore you are called to die It is laid to your charg that you haue delt traytrously with your Prince with your coūtry with the religiō of God and vpon these crimes you are cōdemned to die If you be guiltles ô my Lord blessed are you blessed is your portion he hath spokē it that neuer will change Jf whē you do well you suffer wrōgfully take it patiētly for this is acceptable to god but if you be guilty you haue not your hope in death for that you haue deserued but your hope is this that you die so as it becōmeth you which if god shal grāt vnto you then blessed is the howre that God shall bring vpon you you shal make that change which god for his Christes sake lay speedily vpon all his children you shal die once that you may liue euer Now that you may know how you ought to die learne this of the lord which he hath so plainly taught you The first part of your true repētāce must be an hūble cōfessiō what soeuer your own conscience can vtter more thē is reuealed O my Lorde speake opēly the trueth sathan is enimie vnto vs his slightes are many if you will treade the malicious serpent vnder your feete triumph with Christ who hath spoiled hell tell the trueth my Lord conceale nothing so shall you shunne the diuel If my words seeme but light to perswade you heare the wisest counsellour that euer raigned in Israel He that hideth his sinne saieth Salomon shall neuer prosper but he that cōfesseth forsaketh them shall finde mercie Whē Acan had transgressed in Israel deserued death when he was brought into iudgemēt Ioshua said vnto him My Son J beseech thee giue glory to the lord God of Israel make cōfession vnto him shew me now what thou hast done Loe my Lord this is to giue glorie vnto God to cōfesse your sin
countenances of the world in which in deede there is nothinge but vanitie of vanities and all is vanitie and thinke good Mistresse B. howe many occasions are before vs to cause vs to forget this or to let the desire of it to be◠quenched in vs or at the least to fill our selues with other pleasures of the worlde but God shall keepe you from the corruptions of the worlde and giue vnto you a wise heart which euery daye may searche your thoughtes and suffer you neuer to forget your latter ende and seeing euery day doeth bring you neare vnto it let euery day kindle more your affections that you may loue it vnto the ende and then our hope shal be full and our mouthes opened for euer Amen Yours Ed. Deringe To Maistres B. THe grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you euer As J trust the Lord doeth strenghten you to better health that you may liue to his prayse so J am desirous to heare also of your amendment but much more as God hath made manifest in you many tokens of his grace so J hartily pray that you may bee made euen as Paule to moorne still in this earthlie tabernacle and to saye vnfainedlie I desire to bee dissolued and to be with Christ this is that good issue of life to which I haue often prayed that J might attayne vnto it this is that measure of grace whiche as I am most bounde so hartely J beseech our God and Sauiour that it may plentifully be powred vppon you And if wee shal be made in our liues so happie then haue we a dwelling in perfect peace and in deede we be receyued into the couenaunt of the newe Testament that wee should be filled with ioye of the holy Ghost For what can disquiet vs or what can bee grieuous vnto vs if in the face of Iesus Christ we see our rising agayne from the graue and feare not before the shaddow of death all other afflictions they are but ministers vnto this in the presence of death they are dispersed and they doe not followe vs vnto the darke places If God will haue mercie vpon vs to blesse vs into this victorie thē hath hee giuen vs our inheritaunce in pleasant places and our portion in a happie lot What so euer enimies are against vs they shall striue in vayne and all things contrarie vnto vs shall haue no strength for beyonde death there is no power in them and death it selfe is dispised in our eyes Jf we felt not this in our heartes but would seeke outwarde testimonie of men let him speake that findeth any greater feare then this The sicke person or prisoner may bee loth to dye but the dead man he feareth no euill and they that liue in prosperitie this is not their feare least they should haue a fall but it is death that is bitter vnto all them that haue peace in their riches Seeing this then is the greatest tyrant that maketh Princes tremble and that anguish of harte that turneth all pleasure into wormwoode what soeuer is vnder the sunne good maistres B. as you are so abyde and as you haue receyued so abounde till the good graces of the liuinge GOD haue made you stronger then sinne or death so shall your dayes be all in blessing and your accounted tymes haue true delight till the latter ende doe shine in hope So shall you bee bolde to saye with Dauid Surely the Lord will deliuer me from the snare of the hunter and from the noysome pestilence I shall not bee afrayde of the feare of the night nor of the arrowe that flyeth in the day nor of the pestilence that walketh in the darkenes nor of the plague that destroyeth at noone I haue set the most highe to bee my refuge and there shall no euill come neare my tabernacle The Lorde blesse vs in this good hope make stronge our confidence in this perswasion that at last we may dwell in ioye and gladnes if feare haue often recourse into our fraile bodyes because we carrie in vs corruption whiche is the strength of death yet that feare shall not alwayes grieue vs for our hope is perfect and shall not be shaken Wee shall goe but as Saint Paule and Peter Abraham and Jsaac haue gone before and not onely they but oure Fathers our Mothers and our dearest friendes are gone with them and all that are behinde shall ouertake vs. The trouble of the trauell must needes appeare light in the middest of so happie companie or if their loue haue not such force in vs that Parentes and Friendes Apostles Prophetes Patriarkes and all the Saintes of God can make vs say Let vs dye with the righteous and let our latter ende bee as vnto them yet sure when among the dead I haue seene Christ and in the graue haue founde the God of glorie J shall say with a perfect hearte Christ is my life and death is myne aduantage What then remayneth more vnto vs but to striue faithfullie that we may come vnto this that God may worke with vs as with his saintes and wee may be pertaker with the happie Prophete to see the louing kindnes of the Lorde which is better then lyfe and to saye with him As the hart longeth after the water brookes so my soule longeth to see the Lord and in the meane season that we yet fulfill our accounted tyme whiche the Lorde graunt for his Churches sake that you may doe euen vntill olde age and many yeares in good increase of your childrens children happie peace of his chosen people In the meane while I say that your hope may be precious before you and in this earthlie tabernacle yet may haue your conuersation in the highest heauen from thence lookinge for a Sauiour euen Iesus Christ the righteous who shall change this corruptible body to make it like to his glorious body in that blessed time whiche shall skatter away all affliction seale within that happie assurāce of immortalitie whiche shal be in the presence of the God of glorie when this weake body shall haue a recompence of a fewe sorrowfull dayes in euerlastinge righteousnes Jn whiche hope the Lorde graunt many yeares you may rest Yours Ed. Dering To Maistres B. THe Lord who is riche in mercie keepe vs euer in the assured couenant of his newe Testament made in Jesus Christ that we may feele the forgiuenes of our sinnes and reioyce in the hope of eternall life Amen I am sure you wil be gladde good maistres B. to heare of our safe comming home And J would be gladde to heare of all your well dooing at your Saint Ellins therefore J writte vnto you Both to heare agayne that God continueth his good blessinges towardes you and to certifie you that I thanke God J am nowe safe at Shenfildes I haue not yet taken the plaster but this day J haue begonne to drinke Maistres P. Water Let it haue the worke which God will For in health our
not able so much as to thinke a good thought but it is of him whose seede abideth in you And although because you haue that treasure in a brittle vessell you see sometime the fruite of olde Adam and the prickes of his transgression within your bowelles yet feare not his malice that hath wrought this woe You are bought with a dearer price then that sinne may raigne againe within you he that hath purchased you hee will not suffer his inheritance to be spoyled Jt is necessarie you should know your sinne or you could not vnderstande howe great were your redemption But your sinnes can not separate you away from him who hath buried them in the earth and will not see them any more When you shall ascende to come into his sight the earth will holde her owne and keepe your sinnes behinde you The pearcing serpent shall not clime to accuse you nor the crooked serpent shall not hyde your redemption from you Your care is cast vpon him that careth for you you knowe him who hath spoken All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth Ye knowe him who hath a name aboue all names that in the name of Jesus all knees shall bowe Euen hee that bought you with a price and you are not your owne If it bee possible for you to perishe then is it possible againe that Christe should suffer iniurie This boldnes you haue through him who hath made manifest his grace vnto you that you denying impietie worldly concupiscence should liue soberly purely and godly in this present life and looke for the blessed hope that shall be reuealed when all secretes shall be opened To which issue and happy ende of life the Lord bring both you and yours in the fellowship of his saints to prayse his holy name when he shall make knowen vnto you his glorie vnspeakeable and crowne it with immortalitie Amen Farewell in Christ Iesu and pray for me The 26. of December 1572. Yours in the Lord to commaund Ed. Deringe A letter of M. Ed. Deringe to his brother Maister R. D. THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you euer Amen For Maister S. whether he be angrie or no J knowe not if he be God is witnesse betweene him and me howe litle I haue deserued it true it is hee seemed not very wel pleased but if God be pleased mans goodwil either it shal be recōciled or shal not doe much hurt if I haue the losse in worldlie thinges I am content to beare it and God will supply my want where I am able to doe nothing J had leuer be your Brother not worth a grote but hauing a good conscience to praye for you then haue as I might great liuing encomber my cōscience with much sinne And good Brother Dering here followe me you shal be a great deale richer then you are studie the scripture reade bookes bee able to reason in your faith especiallie and aboue all haue a liuely feeling of God that you thinke more vile of all the glorie of the world then of the dust of the earth you knowe we must all perishe and you must walke the way of all fleshe Our good Parents both Father Mother they are gone before you doe but waite the time and you must goe after your goods and landes must abide behinde and the riches of your minde they are onely your owne You are my eldest brother you knowe not howe glad I would be to see you goe before me in Religion God hath giuen you neither a light heade nor little vnderstanding if you would applie your selfe vnto knowledge you should then reape the fruit of your labour in more gladnes of heart then yet you can imagine begin once but a little and taste how sweet the Lord is and you shall feele the riches of his glorie and say Happie be the time that euer I knewe it Let not good Brother let not the worlde deceiue you it is faithlesse and deceiptfull when you shall loue it best it will soonest deceyue you And of me thinke thus that in the world I can not doe you so great a pleasure as continually to prouoke you to know God and this I shal be able to performe though otherwise I shal be able to pleasure you nothing and therefore I beseeche you praye for me and I will pray for you so the Lord God shall helpe vs both that I may be faithfull which way J am called and you may bee such as I desire And for Maister S. or any other of such high calling I loue them in the Lorde euen as I loue myne owne soule and will pray for them while they and I shall liue Though I beare the losse of worldly things yet by the grace of Christ J will neuer lose a good conscience and though they be angrie with me yet I will not leaue to pray for them and commit my cause vnto God he will one day multiplie his graces where hee hath so well begun and they shall I trust be throughlie taught whom God hath alreadie so farre instructed For my L. of C. J haue bene once with him but J meane not yet to goe the seconde time God will worke his will his name be praysed for euer My L. of L. is a good man I am often with him I haue sene in him so good tokens of a good spirit that I reuerence him in my heart will serue him in Christ all wayes that J may And for my doeing with any man I praie you tell me wher you see me faultie but if you know not of any sin doe not diswade me from going vpright in the Gospell But for my comfort if you see me greeued let me see in you how you professe the gospell perswade your self of this that a liuely zeale holy knowledg in you and in my Sister shal make me gladder then any bishoprike in England The Lorde God for his mercies sake that hath called you out of the kingdome of darkenesse and placed you in the fellowshippe of his saintes in light make you to feele the depth of his graces that you may be renewed confirmed strengthened and made perfite vnto the ende Amen Fare you well in Christ Iesu and doe my hartie commendations to my sister From London the xix of Nouember Your louing brother Ed. Deringe To his brother Maister R. D. THe grace of our Lord Jesu Christ bee with you euer Amen Good brother I would gladlie write oftener vnto you but otherwise I haue so much to doe that some time I forget many dueties Another cause is J haue nothing to write as I would so I haue no pleasure to doe that I would not So it is that I am forbidden to preach which grieueth me most then slaunderous reportes doe hurt me much where J would fainest please so farre as I may in the feare of God But how so euer things are it is a blessed sentence whiche he hath spoken who
am bounde and so my not comminge vnto you shall greeue me the lesse Nowe touchinge your owne case I knowe you are wyse to see that the Lord giueth you newe instructions to be wise in him and to giue ouer your selfe vnto him For as God hath blessed you many wayes and giuen you a good callinge in the worlde So he visiteth you euery day and humbleth you with many chastisementes before him God hath giuen you husbande children famelie and other blessings but you enioye none of them without a crosse sometime one thing sometime another and commonly your owne weake and sicklie body makes you that you can not haue your ioye as you would Yea J doubt not but it is so abridged vnto you that sometime it grieueth you that you cannot eyther haue care ouer your house as you wishe or attende on your children as you desire or reioyce with your husbande as otherwise you might But this griefe God recompenceth with great benefite for our Sauiour Christ is our good warrant that this is the lot of Gods saintes to enioye his blessinges with afflictions so that the more that you bee sorrowsull the more you be sure that the liuing God hath giuen you your portion And so your sorrowe is ioye vnto you Besides this the mingling of your ioye with sorrowe and wealth with woe is a happie tempringe vnto you of heauen with earth that you should neither loue nor rest in this aboue that which is meete but acknowledge all is but vanitie so loue it as transitorie things and haue your great delight with the Lord alone who is vnto you health prosperitie ioye and eternall life This good Maistres K. you knowe but yet this I also put you in minde of for though God haue blessed you yet you are but a weake woman and haue neede in the common frayeltie of mans nature to be stirred vp with exhortatioÌ„ Remember therefore euer that which is the ende of all Feare God and keepe his commandements For this is the whole scope of our life which when we haue brought to his appointed ende wee shall see the hope which we haue long looked for and when immortalitie hath brought happines into light and scattered away our feare we shall saye then Blessed be the daye in whiche firste wee learned to feare the Lorde And the Lorde blesse you with his holy spirit that you may in the middest of other care haue pleasure in this and in other sorrowe reioyce in the Lord and alwayes reioyce CoÌ„mende me J pray you to your litle ones Nan Besse and Marie And the Lord make you and maister K. gladde parentes of good children Amen From Tobie the last of Februarie 1575. Yours in the Lord Iesus Ed. Dering To Maistres K. THe grace of our Lord Iesu Christ bee with you euer Amen I thanke you good Maistres K. for your letter and for your medicine and for your good will to him to whom you before did owe so little Touching my disease I did soddainlie cogh and spit much bloud so that when with much forcing my selfe I refrained it ratteled in my throte as if I had bene a dying next day in the like sorte J did and once since the taking of these medicines for the staying of it it is nowe stayed but J feele a great stopping of my winde and much prouocation to coughe whiche if I did J should spit bloud as before I pray you aske your Phisicion what he thinketh good to bee done And good Maistres K. against all diseases and sicknesses of the body doe as you doe and increase it with an vnfayned testimonie of your owne heart Committ your health your sickenes your body your soule your life and your death to him that died for vs and is risen againe A sicke body with such an ayde hath greater treasure then the Queenes Iewell-house Praye still and pray for me J see the goodnes of God such towardes me as I thanke God except sinne I waighe not all the worlde a fâ—ather and with as a gladde a minde I spitt bloud I trust as cleare spitle To those that loue God all thinges are for the best hee hath a harde heart that beleeueth not this For the Church I commit it to the Lorde the Lorde graunt with that affection that I owe vnto it and for all my labour in it I thanke God I am guiltie neither of couetousnes nor ambitioÌ„ but as God hath giuen me grace J sought onely his glorie J write this vnto you good Maistres K. because you knowe it and that you may the more effectuallie remember him that will knowe you when the worlde your health your corruptihle bodie death and sinne it self haue done their worste CoÌ„mende me to Maister K. your little ones to Maister R. The Lorde blesse vs all that we make our bodies shake not our bodies vs. Vale in Christo Iesu 25. Iul. 1575. Tuus in Christo Ed. Dering To Maistres K. TTe Lord God who sheweth mercie to whom hee will shewe mercie and haue compassion on whom he will haue compassion accordinge to his loue with which he loued vs before the worlde was made looke vpon vs and leade vs in our wayes that in righteousnes and holines peace and ioye of the holy Ghost wee may finishe our compas and come vnto him Amen If I could good Maistres K. doe as J should then my wayes were perfect among men but it is with mee as with manie other small hinderances to an vnwillinge minde are occasions great enough to keepe vs from doing well This hath made me to pretermitt manie dueties which had bene better done And J dare not make anie other excuse why J haue not written vnto you oftener for though I haue in a wearie bodie many thinges to doe and could make excuses whiche you would easilie beleeue yet sure I am if slought and negligence were vtterlie gone a fewe lines were so soone written that J could not want time for so little labour this is true sit erranti medicina confessio Touching my sicknes hee that sent it he doeth rule it and as he will so farre let it goe J feele yet difficultie of breath and coughinge and I see palenes and leanes abyding still yet I thanke God I am so well as wee supposed all to haue seene you at Henden this next Monday but God hath changed our waye and by occasion we haue differred it trusting yet to see you verie shortlie if the Lord will to whom we commit both your wayes and ours And nowe good Maistres K. further J neede not write vnto you for whiche cause yet especiallie you craue my letters I knowe whom you haue beleeued vpon what grounde you stande who hath sealed your perswasion in you he is able to keepe that you haue committed vnto him euen vntill that day that the things of the worlde are changed before vs all Affliction may be great and make vs murmur prosperitie may abounde and make vs proude the
worlde may fill our eyes and our eares that sometime we may be blinde and not see our hope our owne concupiscence may peraduenture stinge vs that wee forgett the good workes wherein wee had delight but the councell of the Highest standeth fast for euer the Lord knoweth all that are his Jn this tower of defence our dwelling is made for vs and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against vs. When wee sinne wee must needes be sorrowfull and to offende such a Sauiour it will greeue vs more then death it selfe but to remember againe so assured hope we can not but reioyce in the Lorde and alwayes reioyce Thus I leaue you to your owne hearte where is your strong safetie and to your secrete thoughtes which comfort you in the night And committing my selfe vnto your prayers I beseeche God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe to keepe you and yours Commende me to your little ones pardon me for writing in such piece of paper J could hardlie gett this Maister H. and my wife wishe to see you The Lord keepe vs vnblameable in his sight From Tobye the xiiij of August 1575. Your bounden in the Lord Ed. Deringe To Maistres K. THe Lord God direct vs in all our wayes that they may bee vnblameable in his sight and our faith may be strenghtened in the blessed hope of his elect so that nothing be able to shake it from henceforth from the boldnes and assurance of eternall life Many and iust causes good Maistres K. haue kept mee so that these holy dayes I could not see you but I knowe no excuse why I could not write vnto you and therfore for the one as I am sure you doe willinglie pardon me so the other I beseeche you to except both as a testimonie of my minde that I forget you not and as a discharge of that duetie J owe vnto you for if I should not faithfullie remember you though you had otherwise done nothing for me yet I were vnworthie of so much good will And if I should not as in bounden duetie be most carefull to strenghten and comfort that good purpose whiche your selfe haue chosen for the curse of your life I were not worthie of the acquaintance of the saintes of God Therefore departing from London againe as J could not chuse I haue yet written vnto you as I must needes And I hartelie praye that God may increase his goodnes in you and earnestlie beseech you as you haue receyued that so you would abounde more and more a short request and soone hearde but exceeding difficult to some to practize yet not difficult vnto you but easie and light as you can desire for he that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde And the anointing as Iohn saieth which you haue receyued of God dwelleth in you and you neede not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all thinges and it is true and not lyinge and as it is taught you you shall abyde in it Maruell not that J write this vnto you nor be vnwillinglie affected to heare of your owne happinesse Jt is as Salomon sayeth an other mans mouth that prayseth you and not your owne and what neede you feare And I speake not deceitfullie which J thanke God J hate nor giue I titles as Iob sayeth which the Lorde doeth abhorre But seeing as I am perswaded that in you which Saint Iohn could see in the people to whom hee wrote and to whom he gaue so honorable prayse why should not J be bolde vpon so good warrant to say also vnto you You are the Lordes and God who iustified then his Apostles wordes he will iustifie them nowe and euer for he is mercifull without ende Lett vs not then good Maistres K. bee hencefoorth sorrowfull or faint hearted Paule and Peter and all tht Apostles and Prophetes haue spoken glorious thinges vnto vs and we will beleeue them And yet not they but the spirit of God hath giuen vs this testimonie and it is true For what were the Romaynes Corinthians Galathians and all other whome the Spirite nameth Saintes and Holy ones were they not as wee Fraile and weake as wee and our faith as theirs But wee feele a great deale of infirmitie in our selues did not they so and did not the spirit of God see more in them then them selues could feele yet it calleth thē saintes yea and so it calleth vs that wee should not feare and therefore as I saide I saye agayne you are anoynted of the Lorde and you shall not fall if your heart beare you witnesse that the profession which you make is vnfained in you as I am sure it beareth you witnesse One care onelie wee haue which also wee will haue vnto the ende and that is that we may glorifie him who hath glorified vs. Jn this doing as I accuse my selfe most aboue all other men so J prayse not you a white For J knowe good Maistres K. herein you are too too faultie and so is all fleshe our fleshe the world and the Deuill they are to stronge for vs but blessed bee the Lorde God who hath giuen vs victorie in Jesus Christ and wee will doe if God giue vs grace as his Apostles did wee will chastise our bodyes and bringe them in subiection that all that knowe our religion shall not blame our workes And I thanke God for all that you haue obteyned And I beseeche you increase and abounde more that as hee will giue vs a full rewarde so wee may offer vp our bodyes a holy sacrifice to prayse his name who hath had mercie vppon vs. And pray for me that my handes tonge may ioyne in the workes of Gods Saintes and let vs all growe togither vnto that blessed hope till wee haue founde that happie strēght by which the world is crucified vnto vs and wee vnto the worlde But the Lord that teacheth you to him I leaue you whom I beseech to open your eies into so large wyde a spiritual sight that you may yet more clearlie see and feele the glorie of God immortalitie Fare well good Maistres K. Commende mee to Nan Besse Marie The Lorde blesse you with them euer Amen Tuus in Christo Edwardus Deringe A Letter of M. Ed. De. to the Ladie G. ¶ The grace of our Lorde Iesu Christ bee with you euer Amen JF either I might doe the duetie wherevnto your well deseruing hath bound me or might requite with thanks that with all your good wil you haue deserued I knowe and confesse it good Madame longe since I should haue come to see you but such is my case as I cannot doe either what is most meete or what I most desire for sometimes by busines sometime by sicknes sometime by opportunity of others I am holdē here that J could neuer yet haue opportunitie to ryde fare or to see my natiue Countrie nighest friendes Once in Sōmer J would haue gone to M. B. besides Windsore and
tell what you haue done The good king Dauid wheÌ„ he had deserued death feared greatly the sentence of the Prophet he coÌ„fessed gladly made it knowen vnto the world what his sin was wherin he had offended WheÌ„ God gaue his lawes vnto Israel in the bloud of goates calues sheweth theÌ„ the redemptioÌ„ that was in Christ Jesus He so ordeined that before their forgiuenes was preached the high priest should proclaime openlie what were the sins of the people so lay their sins vpon the beastes So standeth it nowe with vs if we will finde forgiuenes of our sins let vs cast off the cloaks of shame coÌ„fesse before heaueÌ„ earth what we haue sinned what we haue done What greater perswasions can you yet require or how can you thinke to please God if you wil hide your sins That was the practise of old Adam but you are borne anew that was the sin of Cain but you my good Lord are of a better kinred Speak the truth shrinke not God will once reueale the secrets of harts theÌ„ you shal reioice that ther is nothing of yours hid fie vpoÌ„ that sin that you should turn away for one houre receiue hereafter euerlasting coÌ„fusioÌ„ better a thousaÌ„d times to receiue the reproch of flesh after receiue your glory of the Lord. WheÌ„ John Baptist preached first the Gospell he bpatized no more theÌ„ such as confessed their sins The lost Son wheÌ„ he ran away he found no hope of pardoÌ„ til he called heaueÌ„ earth to witnesse his great iniquitie Paul who preached the gospell to vs Gentils how ofteÌ„ doth he confesse that he was a persecutor The happy thief that was haÌ„ged entred not into paradise til he first in the hearing of all Israell said we are rightly punished receiue things worthy of that we haue done What should J say more J trust you feare God and J haue seene in you many signes of grace I doubt not but you will make it knowen whatsoeuer is in your hart It is the word of God that I haue spoken it is the onely trueth vpoÌ„ which you may build your faith This thing toucheth so neare the glory of God the safetie of his gospell that you must now needs forsake your friends kinsmeÌ„ yea forget the loue of your selfe and if you haue bin partaker of any counsell disclose the coÌ„spiracies of the wicked you haue stood in iudgement not before meÌ„ for they are but ministers but before the Lord who sitteth in the middst of iudgement Surely if you seeke to hide your sins you seeke to hide them froÌ„ him that knoweth the secrets of the hart raynes and to dissemble with him that will not be mocked and therefore with all humblenes of dutie I beseech you in the name of God J craue this at your hands vnburtheÌ„ your own coscience make your hart glad cast of the burtheÌ„ of your secret sinns purge the eyes of your minde that you may see Christ let true repeÌ„tance breake forth in holy confession shame the Lords enimies make the church of God reioyce and loe in the name of Christ J tell it you Blessed is the day in which it was said of you a man-child is borne and blessed shal be the houre in which it shal be said of you you are dead in the Lord the closing vp of your eyes shal be the beginning of your sight and death your entrance into life And now my Lord I beseech you pray for me humbly vpoÌ„ my knees I aske you hartie forgiuenes wherein I haue not done as it became me touching you You knowe howe in my time I haue persuaded you froÌ„ your wicked seruants froÌ„ your popish frieÌ„ds froÌ„ your adulterous woman But alas my Lord your high calling hath bridled my words I could not speak as I shold my words wer to soft to heale so old a disease why should I haue taried in your lordships house except these things had bin ameÌ„ded this bearing with your euill was the greatest euill I could haue done you And I beseech you forgiue me God for his mercies sake shall make me strong that herafter J shall not feare to reproue the sinner God shall forgiue you your dulnes of spirit that could not be moued with a litle couÌ„sel Now my Lord be strong in the Lord feare not if you must dye remeÌ„ber that Christ bath ouercome him that hath the power of death hath set vs free froÌ„ the power of the graue Though you doe for a very litle time turne again vnto dust yet again you shal heare the voyce of the trumpet corruptioÌ„ shall die because he was no better theÌ„ his fathers you wheÌ„ you go you shall go to your fathers the long race of Nobilitie of which God hath raised you euery one in his time is gone before you so many as haue died in the faith they shal be againe of your fellowship kindred and you shall prayse God with theÌ„ not feare the secoÌ„d death The lord opeÌ„ your eyes that you may see your hope you shall loue that coÌ„pany aboue Kings Princes You shall see AbrahaÌ„ of whoÌ„ you haue heard so much Jsaac Iacob Iob Samuell Daniell whose names you loued you shall see Paule Peter whose society you wish for all the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles that are gone before you Be bold therfore be bold to dye with Elias you shall see Christ clothed with your flesh who hath immortaâ—â—â—â—e in his hande shal make you raigne for euer yo◠〈◊〉 shall not be tedious and your glory shall 〈…〉 change he that made the heauens so high aboâ—â— earth the Sun the moone the starres so ful of excelleÌ„t beauty he shal be your portioÌ„ in his endles glory wold God you cold see him now with opeÌ„ couÌ„tenance that you might knowe his louing kindnes how much it is better theÌ„ life J wold you cold withal his saints perceue what wer the height the â—reath the lenght the depth of his vnsearchable riches â—â—apy 〈◊〉 that shal neuer end ô blesed inheritaÌ„ce that shal neuer wast O holy citty new IerusaleÌ„ the perfectioÌ„ of beauty where the inhabitaÌ„ts are princes O'pretious buildng that is not made with hands ioyfull tabernacles which God himselfe hath pitched my voice faileth my tonge cleaueh to my mouth wheÌ„ I wold declare the euerlasting gladnesse wheÌ„ God shal wipe away al teares froÌ„ our eies ther shal be no more death nether sorow nor crying nor yet any paine for the first things past Who remeÌ„breth this saith not all flesh is grasse and the glory of man is as the flower of the fielde We haue nothing here but feare of our enimie griefe in pouertie paine in labour care in ritches vnstedfastnes in frindship enuy in authoritie emulation in honor change in nobilitie feare in a kingdome as the greatest of al princes hath wisely pronounced vexatioÌ„ of spirit in al things that is vnder the Suâ— so true it is vanity of vanities al is but vanity You need no example O my Lord Maister behold your selfe see what you were reioice in the lord loue better things cease to eate of this corruptioÌ„ desire MaÌ„na drink not of these puddels but goe to the pure water of life which is cleare as christal procedeth out of the throne of god of the laÌ„be you are but one step froÌ„ this glorious blessing that is to die willingly well speak forth the secrets of your hart giuâ— God glorie The Lord blesse kepe you the Lord make his face to shine vpon you and be mercifull vnto you the Lord â—â—ft vp his countenance vpon you and sende you peace FINIS MAISTER DERINGS WORKES LO heere the Pearle of precious price From Deringe dead that liues againe To preache in print and giue aduice Of that he taught in life with payne Lo nowe he liues both heere and there Whose life his foes could hardly beare Reade then to learne and putte in vre And taste the sweetenesse of his vayne So shall you see an heauenlie lure That drawes you vp from th' earth amaine And shewes the way that leads to life And eke the rest that endes all strife Studie to be approued to the Lord for if hee alowe not our doinges though all the world be with vs it shall bringe vs no comfort and this is our reioycinge the testimonie of a good conscience