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
how soeuer for a tyme it seme otherwise to your senses Hang on the prouidence of god not only whē you haue meanes to helpe you but also whē you haue no meanes yea whē al meanes be againste you Geue hym thys honour which of all other thynges he most chieflye requireth at your handes namely beleue that ye are his childrē through Christ that he is your father God through him that he loueth you pardoneth you al your offences that he is with you in trouble wil be with you for euer When ye fal he wil put vnder his hand ye shall not lie stil Before ye cal vppon him he heareth you out of euill he wil finally bring you and deliuer you to his eternal kingdome Doubte not my dearely beloued hereof doubte not I say this wil god your father doe for you in respecte not of your selues but in respect of Christ your captaine your pastour your keper out of whose handes none shal be able to catch you In him be quiet and often consider your dignity namely how that ye bee gods children the saintes of God citizens of heauen temples of the holy ghost the thrones of God members of Christ and Lords ouer all Therfore be ashamed to thinke speake or doe any thyng that should be vnsemely for Gods children Gods saintes Christes member c. Marueil not though the deuil and the world hate you though ye be persecuted here for the seruaunt is not aboue his maister Couet not earthly riches feare not the power of man loue not this world nor things that be in this worlde but long for the Lorde Iesus his comming at which time your bodies shall be made like vnto his glorious body Whē he appeareth ye shal be like vnto him when your life thus shal be reuealed then shal ye appeare with hym in glory in the meane season liue in hope hereof Let the lyfe you lead be in the fayth of the sonne of god for that iuste doth liue by fayth which faith flyeth frō all euill followeth the word of god as a lanterne to her feete a light to her steps her eyes be aboue where Christ is shee beholdeth not the thinges present but rather thinges to come she glorieth in afflictions she knoweth that the afflictions of this life are not to be compared to the glory which god wil reueale to vs and in vs. Of this glory god graunt vs here a liuely tast thē shall we runne after the sent it sendeth forth It will make vs valiant mē to take to vs the kingdome of god whether the lord of mercy bring vs in his good time through Christ our lord to whom with the father and the holy ghost three persons and one God be al honour and glory world without end Amen My dearly beloued I would gladly haue geuen here my body to haue beene burned for the confirmation of the true doctrine I haue taught here vnto you but that my countrey must haue therefore I pray you take in good part this signification of my good wil towards euery of you Impute the want herein to time and trouble Pardon me mine offēsiue and negligent behauiour when I was amonges you With me repent and labour to amend continue in the truth which I haue truly taught vnto you by preaching in al places where I haue come Gods name therefore bee praysed confesse Christe when ye are called what soeuer commeth thereof and the God of peace be with vs al. Amen Your brother in bondes for the Lordes sake Iohn Bradford To al that loue the lord Iesus and his true doctrine being in rhe vniuersity and towne of Cambridge Iohn Bradforde a most vnworthy seruaunt of the lord novve not onely prisoned but also condemned for the same true doctrine vvysheth grace peace and mercye vvith encrease of all godlines from god the father of al mercy through the bloody passion of our alonely Sauiour Iesus Christ by the liuely workyng of the holy spirite for euer Amen ALthoughe I looke hourely when I should bee hadde to the stake my righte dearelye beloued in the Lorde and althoughe the charge ouer me is greate and straite yet hauyng by the prouidence of GOD secretlye penne and inke I coulde not but something signifye vnto you my solicitude which I haue for you and euery of you in the Lord though not as I would yet as I maye Ye haue often and openly heard the truth especially in this matter wherin I am cōdemned disputed and preached that it is nedeles to do any more but only to put you in remembraunce of the same but hetherto ye haue not heard it confirmed as it were sealed vp as now ye do shal do here by me that is by my death and burning For Albeit I haue deserued through my vncleannes hipocrisie auarice vayneglory idlenes vnthankfulnes and carnalitye whereof I accuse my self to my confusion before the world that before God through Christ I mighte as my assured hope is I shal finde mercy eternal death hel fire much more then this affliction fire prepared for me yet my dearelye beloued it is not these or any of these thynges wherefore the Prelates do persecute me but gods veretye and truthe yea euen Christe hym selfe is the onely cause and thynge wherefore I nowe am condemned and shall bee burned as an heretyque because I wyll not graunt the Anttchrist of Rome to be Christs Vicar generall supreame head of his church here and euery where vpon earth by gods ordinance bicause I will not graunt such corporall real and carnall presence of Christes body blood in the sacrament as doth transubstantiate the substance of bread wine and is receaued of the wicked yea of dogs and mice Also I am excommunicated and coūted as a dead member of Christes church as a rotten braunch therfore shal be cast into the fire Therfore ye ought hartely to reioyce with me to geue thankes for me that god the eternall father hath vouched safe our mother to bring vp any childe in whom it would please him to magnifye his holy name as he doth I hope for his mercy and truthes sake wil do in me by me Oh what such benefite vpō earth cā there be as that that which deserued death by reasō of my sinnes should be diuerted to a demonstration a testification and confirmation of gods verity and truth Thou my mother the Vniuersitye haste not only had the truth of gods woorde playnly manifested vnto thee by reading disputing preaching publikely priuately but now to make thee altogether excuseles and as it wer almost to sinne against the holy ghost if thou put to thy helping hand with the Romyshe route to suppresse the verity set out the cōtrary thou hast my life and blood as a seale to confyrme thee if thou wilt be confirmed or els to confound thee beare witnes agaynst thee if thou wilt take parte with the prelates and clergye which
you the most swete and heauēly consolations of the holy ghost To him therfore who is able to do exceding aboūdātly aboue al that euer we can desire or thinke I do most hartely cōmit you with al the rest of your godly prison fellowes who comfort strengthen and defend you wyth hys grace and mighty operatiō of his holy spirit as he hath he therto done that you hauing a most glorious victory ouer the suttle Serpēt and all his wicked sede may also receiue the crown of glory immortalitie prepared for you before the foūdations of the world wer laid is so surely kept for you in the hands of him whose promise is vnfaflible that the Deuill sinne death or hell shall neuer be able to depriue you of the same The blessyng of God be with you now and for euermore Amen Pray pray pray for me Your owne for euer Iohn Careles ¶ To my derely beloued in the lord Mystres A. K. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the helpe comfort and assistaunce of his most pure and holy spirite be wyth you my moste deare Syster to the performaunce of that he hath so graciously begon in you that it maye be to hys glory the profit of hys churche and your eternall comfort in hym Amen As I am ryght sory at my poore hart O worshipfull Matrone that any afflictiōs or passiōs of heauines should trouble your godly and louing hart vnto the which I wish vnfainedly all godly ioye quietnes euē so am I glad and geue god most harty thankes that he of hys great goodnes hath vsed me poore wretched miser by any meanes to be an occasion of the increase of your godlye mirthe and gladnes But O my good and faithfull Syster I see wherabout you go You play wyth me as a good louyng mother doth with her vnwilling child When it dothe any thyng at her desyre she prayseth it and maketh her selfe glad therof that it maye take courage to do better and be more willing against an other tyme. Euen so do you right reuerend Matrone make your selfe glad of my symple doinges to comforte encourage me to cōtinue in that which is good and to grow and go forwarde willingly in the same God for Christes sake geue me hys grace that in all thinges I maye satisfye your godly expectation that I may do some honour to hys heauenly doctrine And as you haue greatly comforted me with your most godly and louyng letter euen so I beseche you to assiste me with your faythful and harty praier as I dout not but you do for I feele the present helpe therof praised be God therfore God make me thankeful for you my deare Syster and also mindfull of my duetye towardes you all other the lordes elect children Ah my deare and faithfull hart in the Lorde how much and how depely am I bound to prayse god for you and to geue hym thankes day and night on your good behalfe Oh happy are you that euer you were borne the God wil so mightely be magnified in you O blessed woman that so surely beleuest and hast so plentifully tasted of gods holy spirit that out of thy wōbe doe flow the ryuers of the water of lyfe to whō god hath made manifest that myght of his meruelous mercy and hath geuen consolatiō in the same so that you are able of your own good experiēce to comfort others in all their afflictions which thyng I can wytnes I praise god therfore in that I do depely tast fele of the same God for christes sake recompence the same all other your good doinges seuen folde into your bosome as I doute not but he wil do according to hys promise God make me suche a one as you report me to be that my frutes might take suche effect as you speake of But alas I am a great horrible most greuous sinner therefore I feare me god be angry with me for presuming to take his word in my mouth God hide my sinnes from the sight of the world that I be not a slaūder to his truth But it is you O dere daughter of Abrahā whiche doe so loue liue the gospel that I other are more confirmed in the truth therof by your good example God hath at thys day in hys poore afflicted church a sort of worthy women which do him and his such seruice as is acceptable in hys sight I speake of experience I prayse god therfore and not to the ende to flatter you or any other the lord is my witnes God for my sinnes hath taken from me the companye of godly learned men to my great grief and heauy discomfort but of his great goodnes mercy he doth supply my spiritual lacke by the good ministery of godly vertuous womē Of which faithful labourers in the gospel whose names are writē in the boke of life my derely beloued Sister you are not the least The lord be thāked for you blessed be the time that euer I knew you for your loue faithful amity is to me a sure signe seale of gods loue mercy Oh dere lord what am I vpon whō thou shouldest vouchsafe to shew such great tokens of thine inestimable loue kindnes Oh faithful father forgeue me my great ingratitude sinnes Oh let me be no lōger negligent in doing my duty towardes thy dere childrē whiche thou haste lincked in loue wyth me knitting oure hartes together in a perfecte bonde of Christian charitye wherby all men may see that we are thy Disciples O my good Syster I would you knewe what ioy cōfort I doe fele in my good christ at this presēt houre God make you partaker of the same for this which I haue partly commeth by you whom god hath vsed as his good instrumēt therto And where as you do most godly counsell me with S. Peter 1. Pet. 5 to cast all my care vpon the Lorde and to be careles not only in name but also in effecte specially in respecte of hym for whose sake I do suffer and the syncere truth which I do professe I thanke you hartely for your most godly and comfortable exhortation and I entend by gods grace to folow the same as farreforth as he shall assist me with his holy and mighty spirit wythout the which I can neither take things patiently neither reioyce vnder the crosse as I ought for to do Oh what great cause haue I to reioyce be glad the god of his great mercy infinit goodnes wil count me worthy to suffer for hys sake to beare hys swete crosse wherwyth he doth meruelously begynne to fashion me into hys owne similitude and likenes that in his glory I maye bee like him also Oh how wel may I be Careles in dede as wel as in name seyng that I haue cast my care vpon the lord hymself who I am ryght well assured by fayth careth for me hath committed me to christes safe custody which
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
victorye is once gotten you maye receiue the inmercessible crowne of glory of gods free gift through hys greate mercy in Iesus Christ our alone Sauiour To whome wyth the father and the holy ghost be all honour glory prayse thankes power rule and dominion for euer and euermore Amē The blessyng of God be wyth you all Iohn Careles ¶ To my faythfull and louyng brother VVilliam Aylsebury THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the continual aide strength comfortes of his most pure holye mighty spirite with the encrease of faith and liuely feelyng othys mercye be wyth you my deare and faythfull louyng brother W. Ailsebury to the increase of hys good gyftes in you and the full finishyng of that which the Lorde hath so gratiouslye begonne in you that the same maye bee to the setting forth of his glory the commoditye of hys poore afflicted churche and to your owne euerlastyng comforte in hym Amen Albeit my dere harte in the lord that at this very present my sorye slowe hande is something pestered with writyng to please my frendes which daily cal vpon me for the performance of my promise and duety towardes them by the meanes wherof I cannot now wryte vnto you in so ample maner as I fayne would yet lest by my to long silence my great ingratitude for your loue and godly letters shuld to muche appeare I haue here in haste scribled these fewe wordes vnto you desiring you to accepte the same in good parte vntyl the Lorde shall sende me a more conueniente tyme to expresse my good will and bounden dutye more largely vnto you promisyng you in the meane space that my poore praier shal supply that which wanteth otherwise as I trust you do not forget me in yours for verely I haue great nede of it My deare brother I thanke you most hartely for your godlye louing and moste comfortable letters in the which I do euidently perceiue the precious gyftes of God wherwith you are plentifully endued the Lorde be praised for you and from the bottome of my harte I do reuerence his spirite in you Wherfore my good brother bee not negligent in the talent that God hath deliuered vnto you but diligently applye the same as I knowe well you doe that the Lorde may receiue his owne wyth vauntage and you the rewarde of a faythfull seruaunt at the tyme of hys most ioyefull returne Truely I wyl not speake it to flatter you neither would I prouoke you to vaine glory but I wyll saye as I see iuste cause that god hathe aboundantly blessed you with the swete knowledge and pure vnderstandyng of his holy worde Be alwaies thankefull vnto god I charge you and humble and meke in your owne sight that GOD onely may haue al the glory from the bottome of your hart And loke that you be very circumspect in al your life conuersation that the light of your good workes may so shine before men that they may be occasioned to glorify your heauēly father on your behalfe Be diligent in your doings and quick trusty in al your Maisters busines that you go about that by al meanes you maye do honour to the doctrine of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Remēber that Sathan nowe wyll haue greater spite at you then at many other because you are such a mortall enemy to his kingdome on enerye syde Therefore bee you sure he will nowe lie bitynge at your heele to see if he can geue you a fall anye manner of waye that he myght make the truth of that godly doctrine which you constantly confesse to be slaundered by the meanes therof I knowe well that Sathans thoughtes are not hidde from you 2. Cor. 2. I doubt not but you will be more circūspecte thē I can declare notwithstanding I thought it my bounden duty to warne you as one whom I loue as myne owne soule wyshing you all the good I can possible Commend me vnto my deare frend Iohn Manning and thanke him for his manifold kindnes I am much to blame for him but if the lord do spare my lyfe a litle longer I wil write somthing to him for a remembraunce when I am gone Desire hym to praye for me as I do not forget hym I haue sente you your writinges agayne wyth thankes I pray you write me a copye of that cōcerning the Trinitie for I lyke it meruelous wel it is so briefe pithy I haue no leisure to write it yet wold I fayne haue it as knoweth the lord GOD to whose moste merciful defence I do hartely committe you wyth my good brother Iohn Manning that he with his grace and spirit wil guide you both with al the rest of his deare children vnto the ende Amen The blessing of God be with you nowe and euermore Amen Your owne vnfainedly Iohn Carelet prysoner of the Lorde Pray praye praye To my most faythefull and deare brother T. V. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the continuall comfortes of his moste pure holy spirit be with you my deare and faythfull brother V. and in all thinges make you ioyfull throughe the liuelye feeling of hys fatherly mercy and godly prouidēce for you that you hauing daily more and more the sure sence of the same may be able of your owne good experience perfectly to comfort me and all other with the same comfort which you haue and further shal receiue of god who blesse and kepe you now and euer Amen I cannot expresse my deare harte in the Lord howe my ioyes do increase to see how god of hys great mercye dothe daily adde vnto his true church and poore afflicted congregation such as he in Christ hath elected to saluation before the foundation of the world was laid of which most happy nūber preserued only by his free mercy and grace the lorde no doubte hath chosen and doth recken you for one and hath registred your name in his booke of life where it shal remaine for euer and that so sure that neither Sathan deathe sinne nor hell shall euer be able to blot or scrape out the same thoughe for the further proofe and triall of your faith god many times suffreth the same to appeare to your senses farre contrary Reioyce therefore and with gladnes geue god most humble prayse and harty thankes that euer you lyued to see this day in the which he hath surely sealed you with his holy mighty spirite vnto the day of your final redemption and most happy deliueraunce from all corruption God make the same certayn vnto you by thou true testimony of the holy ghost in your hart whose witnes vnto your spirit that you are the adopted sonne of God is more sure and certain then al the outward oracles in the world And as this most true heauenly doctryne doth bring al mirth ioy peace and quietnes vnto a christian conscience so doth it set Satan in a most sore rage malice against the same for that auncient enemye of ours
of it to the behoofe of the church or of the house And moreouer I had not only no part of his moueable goods but also as his old receiuer then min called M. StauÌ„ton caÌ„ testify I paied for him towards his seruantes coÌ„moÌ„ liuertes and wages after his deposition 53. li. or 55. pouÌ„des I canot tel whether Notwithstanding these godly and iust requestes no iustice could be had vntil that now of late some of these shameful iniuries by order of law haue bene redressed In al these matters I besech your honourable maiesty to heare the aduise of meÌ„ of conscience and especially the archbishop now of Yorke which for that he was continually in my house a yeare and more before myne imprisonment I suppose he is not altogether ignoraunt of some part of these things and also hys grace doth know my sister for whose succour and some relief now vnto your highnes I make most humble suit The .xvi. day of October Anno. 1555. N. R. ¶ An aunswer to a letter written vnto him by West sometyme hys Chaplayne I Wish you grace in god and loue of the truth without the which truely stablished in mens hartes by the mighty haÌ„d of almighty god it is no more possible to stand by the truth in Christ in time of trouble then it is for the waxe to abide the heat of the fyre Syr know you this that I am blessed be God perswaded that this world is but transitory and as sainct Iohn saith the world passeth away the lust therof i. Iohn 2 Math. 10. I am persuaded christs worâ—es to be true whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him wil I confesse also before my father which is in heauen and I beleue that no earthly creature shall be saued whom the redemer and sauiour of the world shal before his father deny This the lorde graunt that it may be so graffed established and fixed in my harte that neither thinges present nor to come high nor low life nor death bee able to remoue me thence It is a goodly wish that you wish me depely to consider thynges pertaynyng vnto gods glorye but if you had wished also the neither feare of death nor hope of worldly prosperity should let me to maintain gods word and his truth which is his glory and true honour it would haue liked me well You desire me for gods sake to remember my selfe In dede syr now it is tyme so to doe for so farre as I can perceiue it standeth me vpon no lesse daunger then of the losse both of body and soule and I trowe then it is time for a man to awake if any thyng will awake him He that will not feare him that threatneth to cast both body soule into euerlasting fier Luk. 12. whom will he feare With this feare O Lord fasten thou together oure fraile fleshe that we neuer swarue from thy lawes You say you haue made much suite for me Sir God graunt that you haue not in sauyng for my worldly deliueraunce empayred and hindered the furtheraunce of Gods worde and his truthe You haue knowen me long in dede in the which tyme it hathe chaunced me as you say to mislyke some thynges It is true I graunt for sodayne chaunges wythout substantial and necessary cause and the heady setting forth of extremities I did neuer loue Canfession vnto the minister which is able to iustruct correcte comforte and enforme the weake wounded and ignoraunt conscience in dede I euer thought myght do much good in Christs congregation and so I assure you I think euen at this day My doctrine and my preaching you saye you haue heard often after your iudgement haue thought it godly sauyng onely for the Sacrament whiche thyng although it was of me reuerently handled and a greate deale better then of the rest as you say yet in the margeÌ„t you write warely and in this world wisely and yet me thoughte all sounded not well Syr but that I see so many chaunges in thys worlde and so much alteration els at this your saying I would not a lyttle maruayle I haue taken you for my frend and a man whom I fansied for plainesse and faith fulnes as much I assure you as for your learnyng and haue you kept this so close in your hart from me vnto this day Sir I consider mo thinges then one and will not say al that I thynke But what nede you to care what I think for any thing that I shal be able to do vnto you either good or harme You geue me good lessons to stand in nothyng against my learning to beware of vayne glory Truely sir I herein lyke your counsel very wel and by Gods grace I entend to follow it vnto my liues ende To write vnto those whom you name I cannot see what it wyll auayle me For this I would haue you know that I esteme nothyng auailable for me which also wil not further the glory of God And now because I perceiue you haue an entire zeale and desyre of my deliueraunce out of this captiuitie and worldly misery if I shoulde not beare you a good heart in god agayne me thynke I were to blame Sir how nighe the daye of my dissolution and departure oute of thys world is at hand I can not tel the Lords wyll be fulfilled how soone soeuer it shall come I know the Lordes wordes must be verified on me that I shall appeare before the incorrupt iudge and be countable to him of al my former life And although the hope of his mercye is my shooteanker of eternall saluation yet am I perswaded that whosoeuer wittingly neglecteth and regardeth not to cleare his conscience he caÌ„not haue peace with God nor a liuely fayth in his mercye Conscience therefore moueth me consideryng you were one of my familye and one of my householde of whom then I thynke I had a speciall cure and of all them which were within my house whiche in dede ought to haue bene an example of godlinesse to al the rest of my cure not only of good lyfe but also in promotyng of gods word to the vttermost of their power but alas now when the tryal doth separate the chaffe from the corne how small a deale it is god knoweth which the wynd doth not blowe awaye this conscience I say doth moue me to feare least the lightnes of my family shal be layd to my charge for lack of more earnest diligent instruction which should haue ben done But blessed be god which hath geuen me grace to see this my default and to lament it from the bottome of my heart before my departyng hence This conscience doth moue me also now to requyre both you and my frend Doctour Haruy to remember your promises made to me in times past of the pure setting forth preachyng of gods word hys truth These promises although you shal not nede to fear to be charged with them of me hereafter before the world
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
flaming fyre quicke and aliue whosoeuer will goe aboute to bewray their falshed The kind of fight against these church robbers is also of an other sorte and kinde then is that whiche is agaynste the theues of the borders For there the true men go forth against theÌ„ with speare launce with bow and byl and al such kind of bodelye weapons as the true men haue but here as the enemyes be of an other nature so the watchmen of Christs flocke the warriours that fight in the Lordes warre muste be armed and fight with an other kinde of weapons and armour For here the enemies of God the souldiors of Anti-Christ although the battel is set forth against the churche by mortall men being flesh and bloud and neuerthelesse members of theyr father the deuil yet for that theyr graund maister is the power of darknesse theyr members are spirituall wickednes wicked spirites spirites of erroures of heresies of all deceate and vngodlines spirites of idolatry Ephe 6 superstition and hipocrisye which are called of S. Paule Principates powers Lordes of the world rulers of the darknesse of this world and spiritual subtilties concerning heaueÌ„ly things therfore our weapons must be fit and mete to fyght agaynst such not carnall nor bodely weapons as speare and launce but spiritual and heauenly we must fight agaynst such with the armor of God not entendinge to kill they re bodyes but their errours theyr false craft and heresies theyr idolatry superstitioÌ„ and hipocrisy Eph 6. and to saue as much as lieth in vs both theyr bodies and soules And therfore as S. Paule teacheth vs we fighte not against fleshe and bloude that is we fyght not with bodely weapon to kyll the man but with the weapons of God to put to flight his wicked errours vice and to saue both body and soule Our weapons therfore are faythe hope charitye righteousnesse truthe pacience prayer vnto God and our sword wherwyth we smite our enemies we beate and batter and beare down all falshed is the word of God With these weapons vnder the banner of the crosse of Christ we do fyght euer hauinge our eye vpon our graunde Maister Duke and captayne Christe and then we recken our selues to triumphe and to winne the crown of euerlastinge blesse when enduringe in this battaile withoute anye shrinking or yelding to the enemies after the example of our graund Capitaine Christ our Mayster after the exaÌ„ple of his holy Prophetes Apostles and Martyrs when I say we are slayne in oure mortall bodyes of our enemies are most cruelly and without all mercy murdered down like a me any of shepe And the more cruel the more payneful the more vyle and spitefull is the kind of the death whereunto we be put the more glorious in God the more blessed and happye wee recken withoute all doubtes oure Martyrdome to be And thus much dere loeuers frends in god my country men kinsfolk I haue spoken for your comfort least of my deathe of whose life you loked peraduenture sometimes to haue had honestye pleasures and commodities ye myghte be abashed or thinke any euill whereas ye haue rather cause to reioyse if ye loue me indeede for that it hathe pleased God to call me to a greater honoure and dignitye than euer I did enioye before eyther in Rochester or in the Sea of London or euer shoulde haue had in the Sea of Durham whereunto I was last of all elected and named yea I count it greater honoure before God in deede to die in his cause whereof I nothynge doubte then is any earthlye or temporall promocion or honoure that canne be geuen to a man in thys worlde And who is he that knoweth the cause to be Goddes to be Chrystes quarell and of hys Gospell to bee the common weale of all the elect and chosen children of God of all the inheritoures of the kingdome of Heauen who is he I saye that knoweth this assuredlye by Goddes woorde and the testimonye of hys owne conscience as I through the infinite goodnes of god not of my self but by hys grace acknowledge my self to do who is he I say that knoweth this both loueth fereth god in dede in truth loueth beleueth hys maister Christ and hys blessed gospel loueth his brotherhode the chosen children of god and also lusteth and longeth for euerlastinge life whoe is he I say againe that woulde not or can not fynde in his harte in thys cause to be content to dye The Lord forbid that any such shoulde be that shoulde forsake this grace of God I truste in my Lord God the God of mercies and the father of all comfort throughe Iesus Chryste oure Lorde that he whiche hathe put thys mynde will and affection by hys holye spirite in my harte to stande agaynste the face of the enemie in hys cause to chose rather the losse of all my worldly substaunce yea and of my life to then to denye hys knowne truthe that he well comfort me ayd me and strengthen me euermore euen vnto the ende and to the yelding vp of my spirite and soule into hys holye handes wherof I most hartely besech hys moste holye sacred Maiestye of hys infinyte goodnes and mercye throughe Iesus Christe our Lord. Amen Now that I haue taken my leaue of my countrey menne and kinsfolke and the Lorde doth lende me life and geueth me leysure I wyll bydde my other good friendes in God of other places also farewell And whome fyrste or before other then the Vniuersytye of Cambridge whereas I haue dwelte longer founde more faythfull and hartye frendes receyued more benefites the benefytes of my naturall parentes onlye excepted then euer I did euen in mine owne natyue countrey wherein I was borne Farewel therfore Cambrydge my louyng mother and tender nurse If I shoulde not acknowlege thy manyfold benefits yea if I shold not for thy benifits at the lest loue the agayn truly I were to be counted vngrate vnkind What benyfytes hadst thou euer that thou vsest to geue bestow vpon thy best beloued childreÌ„ that thou thoughtest to good for me Thou diddest bestowe on me all thy Schole degrees of thy common offyces the Chaplaynshyppe of the vniuersity the office of the Pâ—ortorship of a coÌ„mon reader and of thy priuate coÌ„modyties emolumeÌ„tes in colledges what was it that thou madest me not partner of Fyrst to be Scholer then Fellow and after my departure froÌ„ thee thou calledst me agayne to a Mastership of a right worshipful colledge I thanck thee my louing mother for all this thy kindnes and I pray God that his lawes the syncere Gospel of Christ may euer be truly taught faythfully learned in thee Farewell Pembroke hall of late mine own Colledge my cure my charge what case thou artin now God knoweth I know not well Thou wast euer named sithens I knewe thee which is nowe a .xxx. yeares agoe to be studious well learned and a greate
your Churche No qoth I we did condēne her as an heritike Who was of your church quoth he xxx yeares paste Such quoth I as that Romyshe Antichrist andhis rable had reputed and cōdemned as heretikes Wicliffe Thorpe old castle quoth he c. Yea quoth I with many mo as storyes do tel The byshop of Rome hath quoth he long time played aparte in your rayling sermons but now be ye sure he must playe an other manner of part More pitie quoth I and yet some comfort it is to see how that the beste learned wisest and holyest of you al haue heretofore had hym to playe a parte likewyse in your sermons and writynges thoughe nowe to please the world ye turne with the wethercocke Did you euer quoth he heare me preach agaynst the byshop of Rome No quoth I for I neuer heard you preach but I trow you haue bene no wiser then other c. Pray pray God keepe that familye and blesse it Laurence Saunders To his wife and other of his deare frendes and louers in the Lorde GRace and comforte in Christe Iesu our onely comforte in al extreme assaultes be with you Amen Fayne woulde this flesh make straūge of that which the spirite doth embrace Oh Lorde howe lothe is thys loytryng sluggard to passe forth in Gods pathe It fantasieth forsoth much feare of fraybugges were it not for the force of fayth pulling it forwarde by the bridell of Gods moste sweete promises and of hope pricking on behinde greate aduenture there were of faynting by the waye But blessed and euerlastingly blessed be that heauenly father of oures who in his Christ our sufficient Sauiour hath vouched safe so to shine in our hartes that he geueth vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of Iesus Christ and hauing thys treasure in our earthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods 2. Cor. 4 and not ours we are according to his good will troubled on euery side yet are we not withoute shifte we are in pouertye but yet not withoute that is sufficiente we suffer persecution but are not forsaken therein we are caste downe neuerthelesse we peryshe not we beare in our bodye the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the life of Iesus might appeare also in oure bodyes Wherefore by the grace of our Christ we shall not be weryed nor be dismayed by this our probation through the fyre of affliction as though some straūge thing had happened vnto vs but by his power we shal reioyce in as much as we are pertakers of Christes passions that whē he doth appeare we may be mery glad knowing that our tribulation which is momentane light prepareth an exceding and eternall weyght of glorye vnto vs not looking on the things which are sene but on the things which are not sene They that sowe in teares shal reape in ioy Psa 126. he that goeth on hys way now weping scattereth hys good sede shal doutlesse come agayn with ioy and bring his sheaues with him Then then shal the Lord wipe away al teares frō our eyes Then then shal be brought to passe the saying that is written 1 Cor. 15 Death is swalowed vp in victorye Death where is thy sting hel where is thy victorye Yea thankes be to god who hath geuen vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Now then in the meane season it remayneth for vs to follow s Peters biddyng 1. Peter 4. Let them sayth he that are troubled accordyng to the wil of god committe their soules to him with wel doing as vnto a faythful creatour and maker He is our maker we be his handyworke creatures whō now whē he hath made he doth not so leaue forsake as the carpenter doth the shyp leauyng it at al aduentures to bee tossed in the tempest but he comforteth vs his creatures Actes 17 and in him we liue moue and haue our being Yea not only that but now that he hath in hys deare Christe repayred vs beyng before vtterly decayed and redemed vs purgyng vs vnto hymselfe as a peculier people by the bloude of hys sonne he hath put on a most tender good wyll and fatherly affectiō toward vs neuer to forget vs vnto whō by such sure promises he hath plyghted such faythe that though it were possible that the mother could forgette her infante and not be tender harted to the chyld of her wombe Esay 49. yet may it not be that his faithful beleuers should with him fal into forgetfulnes He byddeth vs to cast our care on hym telleth vs that he assuredly careth for vs. 1. Pet. 5. And what though for a season he suffereth vs to be tormoyled in the troublous tempestes of tēptation and seemeth in muche anger to haue geuen vs ouer and forgotten vs Let not vs for all that leaue of to put our trust in hym but let vs with godly Iob conclude in our selues and saye yea though he kyl me Iob. 13 yet wyll I put my trust in hym Let vs with the blessed Abraham in hope euen contrary to hope by beliefe leaue vnto that our louing Lord who though for our probatiō he suffreth vs to be afflicted proued for a seasō yet wil he not be always chiding neither kepeth he his anger for euer for he knoweth whereof we are made he remēbreth that we are but dust Psa 103. Wherfore loke how high the heauen is in cōparison of the earth so great is his mercy towardes thē which feare hym Loke how wide the East is from the West so farre hath he set our synnes from vs. Yea lyke as a father pitieth hys owne childrē euen so is the lord mercyful vnto thē that feare hym Oh what greate cause of reioycing haue wetherfore in our most gracious god We cānot but burst out into the praysing of such a boūtifull benefactor and say with the Psalmist Prayse the lorde O my soule and al that is within me prayse his holy name Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites My deare wyfe ryches I haue none to leaue behinde me wherwyth to endow you after the worldly maner but that treasure of tastyng how swete Christ is vnto hungrye consciences whereof I thanke my Christ I doe feele part and would feele more I bequeath vnto you and to the reste of my frends to al you I say that loue me in the Lorde to retayn the same insense of hart alwayes Pray praye I am merye I I trust shall be mery in the fpyght of al the Deuils in hel I vtterly refuse my self and I resigne my self wholy vnto my christ in whom I know I shal be strong as he seeth nedeful Praye pray pray L. Saunders ¶ To hys VVyfe GRace mercy and peace in Iesus Christ our lord Entierly beloued wife euen as vnto myne owne soule and body so do I daily in my harty prayer wyshe vnto you
dryueth men vnto the incoÌ„uenience against the which Christ with the prophet Esay doth speake sharplye Populus hic labijs me honorat cor autem eorum longe a me est sed frustra me colunt docentes doctrinas praecepta hominuÌ„ Esay 26. Math. 25. That is thys people honoureth me wyth theyr lyppes but theyr hart is farre from me they worshyp me in vayne teachyng the doctryne and preceptes of men And in an other place Reijcitis mandatum Dei vt traditionem vestram statuatis That is ye cast away the coÌ„maundementes of god to maynteyne your owne traditions Wherfore I in conscience wayeng the Romyshe religion and by indifferent discussyng therof fyndyng the foundatioÌ„ vnstedfast and the buildyng therupon but vaine and on the other syde hauyng my conscience framed after the right and vncorrupt religion ratified and fully established by the worde of god and the consent of his true church neither may nor doe intend by gods gratious assistance to be pulled one iote froÌ„ the same no though an aungell from heauen should preach any other doctrine Explicita fideâ— is called of the scholemen that faith wherof a reason may be geueÌ„ and implicita fides is called that symple fayth whiche leaneth onely to the church althoughe there can no reason be geuen therof And although either for lacke of so learned knowledge and profound iudgement or of so expedite vtterance of that I do know and iudge as shal be required I shal not be able sufficiently to answer for the conuincing of the again sayer and albeit I cannot explicita fide as they call it conceiue all that is to be conceyued discusse all that is to be discussed effectually expresse al that is to be expressed Neuerthelesse I do bynd my self as by humble simplicitie so by my fidem implicitam as it is called to wrappe my belief in the credite therof that no aucthority of that Romysh religion repugnaunte therevnto shall by anye meanes remoue me from the same A prisoner in the Lord L. Saunders ¶ To hys wyfe and other of hys frendes after hys condemnation to rhe fyre and a litle before hys death GRace in Christ with the consolation of the holy ghost to the kepyng of faith and a good conscience confyrme and keepe you for euer vessels to gods glory Amen Oh what worthye thankes can be geuen to our gratious god for hys vnmeasurable mercies plentifully powred vpon vs And I most vnworthy wretche cannot but at this present from the bottome of my hart powre out the bewaylyng of my great ingratitude and vnkindnes towards so gratious a god and louing a lord I besech you al as for my other many sinnes so especiallye for this sinne of mine vnthankfulnes against god craue for me in your commendyng me vnto gods mercye in Christe by your hartye prayers pardon and forgeuenes To stand to number these mercies in perticulars were to number the droppes of the sea the sand on the shore the starres in the skie Oh my dere wyfe and ye the rest of my frendes that loue me in the lord reioyce reioyce with me reioyce I say with thaÌ„kesgeuing for thys my present promotion to be made worthy to magnify my god not only in my lyfe by my slow mouth vncircumcised lippes to heare testimony vnto hys truth but also by my bloode to seale the same to the glorye of GOD and confyrming of his church And as yet I testify vnto you the comfort in my swete christ doth driue from my phantasy the feare of death But if my deare husbaÌ„d do for my trial leaue me alone to my selfe I know in what case I shall then be but if for proofe he do so I am sure he wyll not be farre froÌ„ me Though he stand behynd the wal and hyde himselfe as Salomon saieth in his mystical ballade yet wil he peepe in by a crest to see how I do Cant. 2. He is so tender harted a Ioseph that though he speake roughlye to his brethren and handle them hardly yea and put his best beloued brother BeÌ„iamin in prison yet can he not conteyne himselfe from weepynge with vs and vpon vs with clipping vs about the neck and kyssing vs such a brother is our Christ vnto vs all Wherfore hasten to goe vnto hym as Iacob did and hys sonnes and family leauyng theyr own countrey and acquaintance Yea this Ioseph of oures hath obtained for vs his brethreÌ„ that Pharao the infidele shall minister vnto vs charetres wherin to be caried to come vnto hym as we haue experience how our verye aduersaries helpe vs vnto our euerlastyng blisse by their speedy dispatche yea howe all thynges haue bene holpynges vnto vs blessed be our God And be not afraid of fray bugges by the way feare rather the euerlastyng fyre feare the serpent that hath a stynge and that is thys bodely death to them which are not graffed in Christe beyng without fayth and a good conscience and so not acquainted wyth Christ the kyller of death But O my deare frendes and brethern we we whome God hath delyuered from the power of darkenes and hathe translated in to the kyngdome of hys deare sonne by puttyng of the olde man and by faithe puttyng on the newe euen our Lorde Iesus Christ his wisdome holines rightuousnes and redemptioÌ„ we I say haue to triumph against that terrible spiteful serpent the deuil sinne death hell daÌ„nation for Christe our brasen serpent hath pulled awaye the stinge thereof 1 Cor. 15 so that now we may boldly in beholdyng the serpente this bodely death spoiled of her stinge triumphe and with our Christe all his elett say O death where is thy sting O hel where where is thy victory ThaÌ„kes be vnto god who hath geuen vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Wherfore be mery my deare frendes and bretherne alwaies remember the Lord my fellow heyres of the euerlasting kyngdome reioyce in hope be patient in tribulation continue in prayer and for vs pray now already apointed to the slaughter that we may be vnto our heauenly father a fat of â—ring an accepted sacrifice I may hardly wryte vnto you To this his flocke he Wrote also a fruitfull letteâ— exhorting and chargyng theÌ„ to beware of the Romish religioÌ„ which is not yet come to light wherfore let these few words be a witnes of coÌ„mendations to you all theÌ„ which loue vs in the faith and namely vnto my flock emoÌ„gs whoÌ„ I am now resideÌ„t by gods prouideÌ„ce but as a prisoner And although I am not emoÌ„ges theÌ„ as I haue ben to preache to theÌ„ out of a pulpit yet doth god now preach vnto theÌ„ by me by this mine imprisoÌ„meÌ„t captiuity which now I suffer emoÌ„ges theÌ„ for christes gospels sake byddyng them to beware of the Romish Antichristian religion and kyngdome requiring and charging them to abide in the truth of Christ which is shortlye to be sealed with the blood of
god planteth I see the battel betwixt you him but the victory is yours yea that daily For you haue layd hold vpoÌ„ the anker of saluacioÌ„ which is hope in Christ the which will not suffer you to be made ashamed Be not discoÌ„forted that you haue this coÌ„flict but be glad that god hath geueÌ„ you the same to try your faith that you might appeare daily worthy of the kingdome of God for the which you striue God beholdeth your striuing fayth agaynst Sathan is pleased with your mightye resistaunce The spirite which is in you is myghtyer theÌ„ al the aduersaries power Tempt he may lying awayte at your heeles geue you a fal vnwares but ouercome he shall not yea he can not for you are sealed vp alreadye with a liuely fayth to be the child of God for euer and whom God hath once sealed for his own him he neuer vtterly forsaketh The iust falleth seueÌ„ times but he riseth agayn It is mans frailtie to fal but it is the propertie of the deuils childe to lie stil This strife against sinne is a sufficieÌ„t testimony that you are the childe of god for if you were not you should fele no such malice as he now troubleth you withal Luke 11 When thys strong Goliah hath the hold al things be in peace which he posseseth and bicause he hath you not he wil not suffer you vnassaulted But stand fast and hold out the buckler of faith and with the sweard of gods promises smite him on the scalpe that he may receaue a deadly wouÌ„d neuer be able to stand against you any more Iames. 4. S. Iames telleth you that he is but a coward saying resist the deuil and he wil flye away It is the wil of god that he should thus long tempt you and not go away as yet or els he had done with you long ere this He knoweth alreadye that he shall receaue the foyle at your hands and encrease the crowne of your glory for he that ouercoÌ„meth shall be trowned Therfore glory in your temptations since they shal turne to your felicitie Be not afrayd of your continual assaultes Ezechi 33. which be occasions of your daily victory The word of god abideth for euer in what houre soeuer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes they be forgeueÌ„ Who caÌ„ lay anything to the charge of gods elect Do you not perceaue the manifest tokens of your electioÌ„ First your vocation to the gospel after your vocation the manifest giftes of the spirit of god geueÌ„ vnto you aboue many other of your condition with godlines which beleueth and yeldeth to the authority of the scriptures is zelous for the same Seing you are gods own dearling who can hurt you Be not of a deiect mind for these temptations neyther make your vnfayned frendes to be more sorrowful for you then nede doth require Since God hath willed you at your Baptisme in Christ to be Carles why doe you make your selfe carefull Caste all your care on him set the Lord before your eyes alwayes for he is on your right side that you shal not be moued Behold the goodnes of god toward me I am careles being fast closed in a paire of stockes which pinch me for very straitnes wil you be careful I wil not haue the vnsemely addition to your name Be as your name pretendeth for doubtles you haue none other cause but so to be Pray I besech you that I may be stil careles in my carefull estate as you haue cause to be careles in your easier coÌ„ditioÌ„ Be thankful put away al care theÌ„ I shal be ioyful in my strayt preseÌ„t care CoÌ„mend me to al our brethreÌ„ desire them to pray for me that I may ouercome my temptations for the deuil rageth against me I am put in the stockes in a place alone bicause I would not answere to such articles as they woulde charge me with al in a corner at the bishops appoyntment bycause I did not come to masse when the bishop sent for me I wil lie al the dayes of my lyfe in the stockes by gods grace rather then I wil consent to the wicked generation Prayâ—e god be ioyful that it hath pleased him to make vs worthy to suffer somewhat for his names sake The deuill must rage for .x. dayes ComeÌ„d me to maister Fokes thank hym for his law bokes but law neither equity wil take any place among these bloud thirsty I would for your sake their vniust dealing were noted vnto the Parliamente house if it myght auaile God shorten these euil dayes I haue answered the bishop metely playne alredy I sayd to him if he wil cal me in open iudgement I will answer hym as playnlye as he wil require otherwise I haue refused bicause I feare they wil condemne me in hugger mugger The peace of god be with you my deare brother I caÌ„ write no more for lacke of lyght that I haue written I can not read my self god knoweth it is written farre vneasely I pray god you maye pytke out some vnderstanding of my minde towards you Written in a Colehouse of darkenes out of a paire of paynful stockes by thine owne in Christ Iohn Philpot. A letter of Iohn Careles writen to Maister Philpot which we thought best here to place a part from hys other letters hereafter followyng bicause it is an answere to the former letter A faythfull frende is a strong defence who so findeth suche a one findeth a treasure A faythfull frend hath no peere the weight of golde and siluer is not to be compared to the goodnes of hys fayth A faythfull frend is a medicine of lyfe and they that feare the Lorde shall finde him Ecclesiast 6. THe Father of mercye and God of all consolation comforte you with hys eternall spirite my moste deare and faythfull louyng frend good Maister Philpot as you haue comforted me by the mighty operatioÌ„ of the same the euerlasting God be praysed therefore for euer Amen Ah my deare hart and most louing brother if I shoulde do nothyng elles day and nyght so long as the daies of heauen doe endure but knele on my knees and reade psalmes I can neuer be able to render vnto God condigne thankes for hys great mercye fatherly kindnes most louing compassion extended vnto me moste vile sinnefull wicked and vnworthy wretch Oh that the lord would open my mouth and geue me a thankefull hart that from the bottome of the same might flowe his continual prayse Oh that my sinneful flesh which is the cause of my sorow were cleane separated from me that I might sing psalmes of thankesgeuing vnto the Lords name for euer that with good Samuells mother I might continually record thys noble verse following the which by good experience I haue found moste true praysed be my good god therfore 1 Reg 2 The Lord sayth the good womaÌ„ killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth
ye repente not if ye leaue not your Idolatry if ye tourne not spedely to the Lord if ye stil be ashamed of Christes truth whiche ye knowe Oh Perne repent Oh Thomson repente Oh ye Doctors Bachelors and Maisters repent Oh Maior Aldermen towne dwellers repente repente repente that ye maye escape the nere vengeaunce of the Lord. Rent your harts and come apace calling on the Lord. Let vs al say Peccauimus we haue synned we haue done wickedlye we haue not harkened to thy voyce O Lord. Deale not with vs after our deserts but be merciful to our iniquities for they are great Oh pardon vs our offences In thyne anger remember thy mercy Turne vs vnto thee O Lorde God of hostes for the glorye of thy names sake spare vs and be mercifull vnto vs. Let not the wicked people say wher is now their god Oh for thine own sake for thy names sake deale mercifully with vs. Turne thy self vnto vs and vs vnto thee and we shall prayse thy name for euer If in thys sort my dearly beloued in hart and mouth we come vnto oure father and prostrate oure selues before the throne of his grace then surely surely we shal find mercye then shal the Lord loke merely vpon vs for his mercye sake in Christ then shal we heare him speake peace vnto his people for he is gracious and mercifull of greate pitye and compassion he cā not be chiding for euer his anger can not last long to the penitent Though we wepe in the morning yet at night we shal haue our sorow to cease for he is exorable hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner he rather wold our conuersion and turning Oh turne you nowe and conuert yet once againe I humbly besech you then the kingdome of heauen shall draw nygh The eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard nor the harte of mā is able to conceaue the ioyes prepared for vs if we repente amende oure liues and hartely turne to the Lord. But if ye repente not but be as ye were and goe on forwardes with the wicked following the fashion of the world the Lord will lead you on with wicked doers ye shall peryshe in your wickednes youre blood will be vppon your owne heades your part shall be with hipocrites where shall be wepyng and gnashyng of teeth ye shall be caste from the face of the Lorde for euer and euer eternall shame sorrow woe and misery shall be both in body and soule to you worlde without end Oh therfore ryght deare to me in the Lord turne you turne you repent you repent you amend amend your liues departe from euill do good follow peace and pursue it Come out frō Babilon caste of the woorkes of darkenes put on Christ confesse hys truth be not ashamed of hys Gospel prepare your selues to the crosse drinke of Gods cuppe before it come to the dregges and then shall I with you and for you reioyce in the daye of iudgemente whiche is at hand and therfore prepare your selues therto I hartely besech you And thus I take my Vale in aeternum with you in thys presente lyfe myne owne deare hartes in the Lorde The Lorde of mercy bee with vs all and geue vs a ioyfull and sure meetyng in his kingdome Amen Amen Out of prison the .11 of February Anno. 1555. Your owne in the Lord for euer Iohn Bradford ¶ To all those that professe the name and true religion of our Sauioure Iesus Christe in Lankeshyre and Chesshire and specially abyding in Manchester and theraboutes Iohn Bradford a moste vnworthy seruant of the Lord now not only in bondes but also cōdemned for the same true religion wisheth mercye and grace peace and encrease of all godlines frō god the father of all pietie throughe the desertes of our Lorde Iesus Christ by the workyng of the most mighty and liuely spirite the comforter for euer Amen I Heare it reported credibly my derely beloued in the lord that my heauēly father hath thought it good to prouyde that The enemies had apointed to burne hym at Māchester but the lord altered their purpose as I haue preached his true gospel and doctrine amonges you by worde so I shal testify and confyrme the same by deede that is I shall with you leaue my life which by his prouidence I firste receaued there for in Manchester was I borne for a seale to the doctrine I haue taught with you emonges you so that if from henceforth you wauer in the same you haue none excuse at all I know the enemies of Christ which exercise this crueltye vpon me I speake it in respect of mine offence which is none to thē wardes thinke by killyng of me amongs you to affray you and others lest they should attempt to teach Christ truly or beleeue hys doctryne hereafter but I doubte not but that heauenly father will by my death more confyrme you in his truth for euer And therfore I greatly reioyce to see Sathā and his souldiours supplanted in their own sapience which is playne folishnes emonges the wise in deede that is emonges such as haue heard gods worde and do followe it for they onely are accompted wyse of the wisedome of God our sauiour In dede if I shoulde simplye consider my lyfe wyth that which it ought to haue bene and as God in hys lawe requireth then could I not but crye as I do Iustus es domine omnia iudicia tua vera Righteous art thou O lord and all thy iudgements are true For I haue muche greued thee and transgressed thy holy precepts not onely before my professing the gospel but sythen also yea euen sithē my commyng into prison I do not excuse but accuse my selfe before god and all his church that I haue greuouslye offended my Lorde god I haue not lyued hys gospell as I shoulde haue done I haue sought my selfe not symply onely his glory and my brethernes commodity I haue ben to vnthākful secure carnal hypocritical vayn glorious c. Al which my euils the lorde of mercy pardon me for his christes sake as I hope certainly beleue he hath done for hys great mercy in Christ our redemer But whē I consider the cause of my cōdemnation I can not but lamēt the I do no more reioyce thē I do for it is gods verity and truth so that the condēnation is not a condemnation of Bradford simply but rather a condemnation of Christ and his truth Bradford is nothing els but an instrument in whom Christ and his doctrine is condemned And therfore my dearely beloued reioyce reioyce and geue thākes with me for me that euer god did vouchsafe so great a benefit to our countrey as to choose the most vnworthy I meane my selfe to be one in whom it woulde please him to suffer any kynde of affliction much more thys violent kynd of death which I perceiue is prepared for me emongs you for his sake Al glory praise
be geueÌ„ vnto god our father for hys excedynge greate mercye towardes me through Iesus Christ our lord But perchaunce ye wil say vnto me what is the cause for the which you are coÌ„demned we heare say that you deny al prefeÌ„ce of Christ in his holy supper so make it a bare signe common bread nothing els My derely beloued what is said of me wil be I cannot tel It is told me that M. Pendleton is gone down to preach with you not as he hath recaÌ„ted for ye al know how he hath preached contrary to that he was wont to preach afore I came amongs you but to recaÌ„t that which he hath recaÌ„ted How he wil speake of me report before I come wheÌ„ I am come when I am burned I much passe not for he the is so vncertain wil speake so ofteÌ„ against him selfe I cannot thinke he wil speake wel of me except it make for his purpose profit But of this enough In dede the chiefe thing which I am condemned for as an heretyke is because I deny the sacrament of the altar whiche is not christes supper but a plaine peruertyng of it beyng vsed as the papists now vse it to be a real natural corporall presence of christes body blood vnder the formes accidents of bread and wine that is because I deny transubstantiatioÌ„ which is the derling of the deuil and doughter and heyre to Antichrists religion wherby the Masse is mainteyned christes supper peruerted his sacrifice crosse imperfected hys priesthode destroyed the ministery taken away repentance repelled and al true godlines abandoned In the supper of our lord or sacrament of christes body and blood I confesse beleue that there is a true very presence of whole Christe god man to the faith of the receauer but not of the staÌ„der by or loker on as there is a very true presence of breade and wine to the senses of him that is pertaker therof This faith this doctrine which coÌ„fenteth with the word of god with the true testimony of christes Churche whiche the popyshe church doth persecute will I not forsake and therefore am I coÌ„demned as an heretike shal be burned But my derely beloutd this truth which I haue taught ye haue receyued I beleued do beleue and therin geue my life I hope in god shall neuer be burned bound nor ouercome but shal tryumphe haue victory and be at liberty manger the heade of all gods aduersaries For there is no counsell against the lord nor no deuise of man can be hable to defeate the verity in any other then in such as be children of vnbeliefe which haue no loue to the truth and therefore are geuen vp to beleue lies From which plague the lorde of mercies delyuer you and all this realme my deare hartes in the Lorde I humblye beeseche hys mercye Amen And to the ende ye myght be delyuered from thys plague ryght deare to me in the Lorde I shall for my farewell wyth you for euer in thys presente lyfe hartely desyre you all in the bowels and bloode of oure moste mercifull Sauioure Iesus Christ to attende vnto these thynges whiche nowe I shall shortlye wryte vnto you out of the Holy scriptures of the Lorde Ye know an he â—aye plague or rather plagues of God is fallen vpon vs in takyng away our good kyng gods true religion Gods true prophetes and ministers c. and setting ouer vs suche as seeke not the Lorde after knowledge whose endeuoures GOD prospereth wonderfullyâ— to the triall of manye that hys people maye bothe better knowe themselues and be knowen Nowe the cause hereof is oure iniquities and greuous synnes We did not know the tyme of our visitation we were vnthankefull vnto god we contemned the gospell and carnally abused it to serue our hypocrisie our vayne glory our viciousnes auarice ydlenes security c. Longe did the lord lynger tary to haue shewed mercye vppon vs but we were euer the longer the worse Therfore most iustly hathe God dealt with vs and dealeth with vs. Yea yet we may see that his iustice is tempered with much mercy wherto let vs attribute that we are not vtterly consumed for if the lord should deale with vs after oure deserts alas how could we abide it In his anger therfore seyng he doth remember hys mercy vndeserued yea vndesyred on our behalfe let vs take occasion the more spedelye to go out to mete him not with force and armes for we are not so able to withstand hym much lesse to preuaile against hym but to beseche hym to be mercifull vnto vs and according to his waÌ„ted mercy to deale with vs. Let vs arise with Dauyd and say Ne intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo c. Enter not into iudgement oh Lorde with thy seruant for in thy sight no flesh liuyng shall be iustifyed Let vs send ambassadors wyth the Centurion and say Lord we are not worthy to come our selues vnto thee speake the worde and we shal haue peace Let vs peniteÌ„tly with the Publicane loke down on the earth knocke our hard hartes to burst them and cry out oh god be merciful vnto vs wretched synners Let vs with the lost sonne returne and say O father we haue synned against heauen and earth before thee we are vnworthy to be called thy children Let vs I say do on this sort that is hartely repente vs of our former euill lyfe and vnthankefull gospelling past conuert turne to god with our whole hartes hopyng in hys great mercy through Christ and hartelye calling vppon his holye name and then vndoubtedly we shall fynde and feele otherwyse then yet we fele both inwardly and outwardly Inwardly we shal fele peace of conscience betwene god and vs which peace passeth al vnderstaÌ„dyng outwardly we shall feele much mitigation of these miseries yf not an outward taking of theÌ„ away Therfore my derely beloued in the lorde I your poorest brother now departyng to the Lord for my vale in aeternum for this present lyfe pray you beseche you and euen from the very bottome of my hart for al the mercies of god in Christ shewed vnto you most earnestly begge and craue of you out of prison as often out of your pulpittes I haue done that ye will repente you leaue your wycked and euil lyfe be sory for your offences and turne to the lorde whose armes are wyde open to receiue and embrace you whose stretched out hande to strike to death stayeth that he might shewe mercy vpon you for he is the lord of mercy and god of all comfort he wyll not the death of a synner but rather that he should returne conuert and amend he hath no pleasure in the destruction of men hys long suffryng draweth to repentaunce before the tyme of vengeaunce and the daye of wrathe which is at hande doth come Now is the axe layed to the roote of the tree vtterlye to
destroye the impenitent Now is the fyer gone out before the face of the Lorde and who is able to quench it Oh therefore repente you repente you It is enough to haue lyued as we haue done It is enough to haue played the wanton gospellers the proud protestantes hypocriticall false Christians as alas we haue done Now the lorde speaketh vnto vs in mercy and grace oh turne before he speake in wrath Yet is there mercy with the lorde and plenteous redemption yet hath he not forgotten to shew mercy to them that cal vpō hym oh then cal vpon him while he may be founde for he is rich in mercy and plentiful to al them that cal vpon him so that he that calleth vpon the name of the lord shal be saued If your sinnes be as red as skarlet the Lord saith he wil make them as white as snow He hath sworne and neuer will repente hym thereof that he wyll neuer remēber our iniquities but as he is god faithfull and true so will he be our God and we shal be his people Hys law wyll he wryte in oure hartes and engraft it in oure myndes and neuer wyll he haue in mynde oure vnryghteousnes Therfore my dere hartes in the Lord turne you turne you to the lorde your father to the lorde your Sauiour to the Lorde your comforter Oh why do you stop your eares and harden your hartes to day when you heare hys voyce by me your porest brother Oh forget not how that the lord hath shewed hym selfe true me hys true preacher by brynging to passe these plagues which at my mouth by my preaching ye oftē heard before they came specially whē I entreated of Noes flood and whē I preached of the 23. chap. of S. Math. gospel on S. Steuēs day the last that I was with you And now by me the same Lord sendeth you word dere cuntrey men that if ye will goe on forewardes in your impenitencie carnality hypocrisy idolatry couetuousnes swearing gluttony dronkennes whoredome c. wherewith alas alas our countrey floweth yf I saye ye wil not turne leaue of seyng me now burned emongs you to assure you on all sydes how god seketh you and is sory to do you hurt to plague you to destroy you to take vengeance vpon you oh your bloode wyll be vppon your owne heades Ye haue bene warned warned again by me in preaching by me in burnyng As I said therfore I say agayne my deare hartes and derlinges in the Lord turne you turne you repent you repent you cease from doyng euill study to do well awaye with idolatry flye the Romishe god seruice leaue of from swearing cut of carnality abandon auarice driue away drōkennes flye frō fornication flattery frō murther malice destroy disceitfulnes cast away al the workes of darknes put on piety godlines serue god after his word not after custome vse your tonges to glorify god by praier thankes geuing confessiō of his truth c. Be spiritual by the spirit mortify carnal affectiōs be sober holy true louing gentle merciful then shal the lords wrath cease not for this your doyngs sake but for hys mercies sake Go to therfore good cuntreymē take this coūsel of the lord by me now sent vnto you take it as the lords coūsel I say not as mine that in the day of iudgemēt I may reioyce with you and for you the which thing I hartely desyre and not to be a witnes against you My blood wil cry for vēgeance as against the papists gods enemies whom I besech god if it be his good wil hartelye to forgeue yea euen them which put me to death and are the causers therof for they know not what they doe so wyl my blood cry for vengeance against you my dearely beloued in the lord if ye repent not amend not and turne not vnto the Lorde Turne vnto the Lorde yet once more I hertely beseche thee thou Manchester thou Bolton Burye Wigyn Lierpole Ashton vnderlyne Mottrine Stepport Winsley Eccles Preste Middleton Radcliefe and thou Citye of Westchester where I haue truely taught and preached the worde of god Turne I say vnto you all and to al the inhabitauntes thereaboutes vnto the Lord our god and he wil turne vnto you He wyll say vnto his aungel it is enough put vp thy sword The which thyng that he wyl do I humbly besech his goodnes for the precious bloodes sake of his deare sonne our sauiour Iesus Christ Ah good brethrē take in good part these my laste wordes vnto euerye one of you Pardon me mine offences and negligence in behauiour amonges you The Lord of mercy pardon vs all our offēces for our sauiour Iesus Christes sake Amen ¶ Out of prison readye to come to you The .11 of Februarye Anno. 1555. Iohn Bradford ¶ To the faythfull and such as professe the true doctrine of our Sauiour Iesus Christe dwellyng at VValden and thereaboutes Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruant of the Lorde nowe in bandes and condemned for the same true doctryne wisheth grace mercye and peace wyth the encrease of all godlines in knowledge and lyuyng from God the father of all comforte through the desertes of our alone and full redemer Iesus Christe by the mightye workyng of the most holy spirite the comforter for euer Amen WHen I remember how that by the prouidēce and grace of god I haue bene a man by whō it hath pleased hym through my ministery to call you to repentaunce and amendement of lyfe somethyng effectually as it seemed to so we emōgs you his true doctrine religiō left that by my affliction and the stormes now rysen to trye the faythful and to conforme them like to the Image of the sonne of GOD into whose companye we are called ye myghte be faynte harted I coulde not but out of prison secretly for my kepers may not know that I haue penne and ynke to write vnto you a signification of the desyre I haue that you should not only be more confirmed in the doctrine I haue taught emonges you which I take on my death as I shall aunswer at the daye of dome I am perswaded to be gods assured infallible and playne truth but also should after your vocation auouch the same by confession profession and lyuyng I haue not taught you my dearely beloued in the lord fables tales or vntruth but I haue taught you the verity as now by my blood gladly praysed therefore be god I shal seale vp the same In dede to cōfesse the truth vnto you and to all the church of Christ I do not thinke of my selfe but that I haue moste iustlye deserued not onelye this kinde but also all kyndes of deathe and that eternallye for myne hypocrisye vayne glory vncleannes selfe loue couetousnes ydlenes vnthankefulnes and carnal professing of gods holy gospell lyuyng therein not so purely louynglye and painfully as I shoulde haue done the lord of mercy
deede the hygh waye whereby as God encreaseth his giftes so sheweth he more linelye hys saluation Psalme 50.107 I haue receaued Gods blessing frō you the which I haue partly distributed vnto my three fellowe prisoners Maister Farer Maister Taylour Maister Philpot and the residue I will bestowe vppon .iiii. poore soules which are imprisoned in the cōmon Iayle for religiō also As for mine own part if I had had nede I would haue serued my turne also But because I had not nor I thanke God haue not I haue beene and will hee your Almner in suche sorte as I haue already aduertised you God rewarde you and geue you to finde it spiritually and corporally Because otherwise I can not talke with you therefore on thys sort as occasion and opportunitie wil serue I am readye to shewe my good will and desire of youre healpe and furtheraunce in the Lorde to euerlasting life whereunto GOD bryng vs shortlye for hys mercyes sake Amen Good Madame bee thankefull to God as I hope you be be earnest in prayer continue in readynge and hearinge Gods woord and if Gods further crosse come as therein God doth serue hys prouidence for elles it shall not come vnto you so bee certayne the same shall tourne to your eternal ioy and comforte Amen Iohn Bradford To the Lady Vane THe euerlasting and most merciful god which is the father of our sauiour Iesus Christ encrease in your ladiship the knowledge loue of hys truth with the gift of perseuerāce to cōtinue therin to the end Amē Albeit at this present I haue no cōuenient leasure to write is shold be semely to send to your personage yet cōsidering your gētle good wil for gods cause towards me I thought I mought be the more bold to write somthing although not in such sort as I would perchaunce on your behalfe might be loked for I doubt not but that your ladiship considereth often with your self the you are the childe of god and a citizen of heauē by Christ in whō God the father before the worlde was made hath chosen you of his own mere mercy and not of your desertes done or to be done That you shoulde with thankefulnes cal this to minde often thereby to excite and stirre vp yourself to the loue of god in his sight and to al holinesse of life in the sight of man many things should moue occasion you iustly as that you were borne of Christen parents that the name of god was called vpon you in baptisme which is a sacrament of regeneratiō and adoption into the children of god with all other benefites which hytherto you haue receaued Amonges which surely your ladiship should not thinke the least euen the crosses that god hath hetherto exercised you with all as the losse of youre good husband landes and other worldly commodities c. But aboue al next to Christ crucifyed this is most thankefully to be considered that god as he hath geuen you pacience I trust in your trouble so in these daungerous dayes he hath geuen you a desire to know him and to helpe them which for hys sake be in trouble for thys I gather and euidentlye see by your twise sending to me which am not otherwise knowen to you but by name I pray god I may be hartely thankeful to him for you and so dispose your benefites as you desyre My best I will doe by gods grace but enough of thys My desire is good Madame although I haue no doubt as I said but that you be diligēt herein that you would oftē call to minde your state before god I meane howe that you be hys childe through Christ and this I would you dyd for diuerse causes Fyrst that you myghte be quiet in conscience before him in this troublesome worlde as we neuer can bee vntill thys be something setled Secondly that you myghte bee carefull to appeare in hys syghte and in the syghte of man as one of Gods children Thyrdly that you myght in all troubles boldelye by prayer throughe Christe goe to hym and cal hym by the name of father with hope of hys helpe alwayes to your comforte Fourthly that you myghte not bee dismayed if trouble come vnto you as it can not be but more or lesse it must needes come for the worlde loueth none but suche as be his the deuill can neuer suffer the children of God to be quiet I will not speake of our mortal and familiar enemye the fleshe which ceaseth not to fyght agaynst the spirite But God your father being hartely called vpon in and through Christ as he will with hys holye spirite helpe you so will he geue you the victorye at the length to your singular comforte Which I pray God you may daily more and more feele Amen From the Kings Benche in hast as appeareth Your Ladiships own in Christ to commaunde Iohn Bradforde To my deare frendes and brethren R. and E. with their wiues and families THe comfort of Christ felte commonly of hys children in their crosse for his sake the euerliuing God worke in both youre hartes my good brethren and in the hartes of bothe your yokefellowes especially of good Mary my good sister in the Lorde Amen If I had not somthing heard of the hazard which you are in for the gospels sake if you continue the profession confession therof as I truste you doe and will doe and that vnto the end God enabling you as he will doubtles for his mercyes sake if you hope in him for this bindeth him as Dauid in Christes person witnesseth our father keped in thee and thou deliuerest them c. Psal 22 yet by coniectures I could not but suppose though not so certainly the tyme of suffering and probation to bee at hande For nowe is the power of darkenesse fullye come vppon this Realme moste iustlye for oure synnes and abusynge the lyghte lente vs of the Lorde to the settynge forthe of oure selues more then of Gods glorye that aswell we myghte bee broughte into the better knowledge of our euilles and so hartely repente which god graūt vs to do as also we might haue more feling sense of our swete sauiour Iesus Christ by the humbling and deiecting of vs therby to make vs as more desirous of him so him more sweete and pleasaunt vnto vs the which thing the good spirite of God woorke sensiblye in all our hartes for Gods holy names sake For thys cause I thoughte it my dutye being now where I haue some libertie to write the Lorde bee praysed and hearing of you as I heare to doe that which I should haue done if I had hearde nothing at all that is to desire you to be of good cheare and comfort in the Lorde although in the worlde you see cause rather to the contrarye and to go on forwardes in the waye of God wherinto you are entred considering that the same can not but so much more and more waxe streite to the outwarde man by howe much
two thynges one the cause on our behalfe the other what wil be the sequel on straungers For the first yf we be not blynd we cannot but well see that our sinnes are the cause of all this misery our synnes I saye whiche I woulde that euerye one of vs woulde applye to our selues after the example of Ionas and Dauid turnyng ouer the wallet that other mens offences myghte lye behynde and our own before Not that I would excuse other men which exteriorly haue walked much more grossely then manye of you haue done but that I woulde prouoke you all as my selfe to more harty repentaunce and prayer Let vs more more encrease to know and lament our doubtyng of God of hys presence power anger mercy c. Let vs better feele and hate our selfe loue securitie negligence vnthankefulnes vnbeliefe impatience c. and then doubteles the crosse shall be lesse carefull yea it shall be comfortable and Christ most deare and pleasaunt death then shall be desired as the dispatcher of vs out of all misery and entraunce into eternall felicity ioy vnspeakable the which is so much the more longed for by howe muche we feele in dede the Serpentes byttes wherwyth he woundeth our heeles that is our outward Adam and senses If we had I say a liuely and true feelyng of his poyson we could not but as reioyce ouer our Captayn that hath brused hys head so be desirous to follow hys example that is to geue oure lyues wyth hym and for hym Coloss 1 and so to fyll vp hys passions that he myght conquere and ouercome in vs and by vs to his glory and comfort of hys chyldren Now the second I meane the sequell or that whyche wil follow on the straungers my derely beloued let vs wel loke vpon For if so be that god iustly do thus geue to Sathan and hys sede to vexe and molest Christe and hys penitente people oh what and how iustly maye he and wyll he geue to Sathan to intreate the rechlesse and impenitent synners If iudgement beginne thus at gods house what wil follow on them that be wythout if they repent not Certainly for them is reserued the dregges of gods cuppe that is Brymstone fyre and tempest intollerable Nowe are they vnwilling to drynke of gods cuppe of afflictions which he offreth common with hys sonne Christ our Lord lest they shoulde lose theyr pygges wyth the Gergesites Math. 8. They are vnwillyng to come into the waye that bryngeth to heauen euen afflictions they in their hartes crye let vs caste his yoke from vs they walke two wayes that is they seeke to serue god and Mammon which is vnpossible They wil not come nighe the straite waye that bryngeth to lyfe they open their eyes to beholde presente thynges onelye they iudge of religion after reasō and not after gods word they follow the more part and not the better they professe God wyth their mouthes but in their hartes they deny hym or elles they woulde sanctifye hym by seruing him more then men they part stake wyth GGD whych woulde haue al geuing part to the world to the Romishe route and Antichristian Idolatry now set abroad emongest vs publikely they will haue Christ but none of his crosse which will not be they wil be counted to lyue godly in Christe but yet they wil suffer no persecutiō they loue thys world wher through the loue of god is driuen forth of them they sauer those things that be of men and not that be of god Summa they loue god in their lippes ▪ but in their harts yea and in their dedes deny him aswel by not repenting their euils past as by continuing in euil stil by doyng as the world the flesh and the deuil willeth yet stil perchaunce they wil praye or rather prate thy wyll be done in earth which is generally that euery one shuld take vp his crosse and follow christ But this is a hard sermō who is able to abide it Therfore Christ must be praied to depart lest al their pigges be drowned The deuil shal haue his dwelling again in thēselues rather thē in their pigges therfore to the deuil shal they go dwel with him in eternal perdiciō dānation euē in hel fier a torment endles aboue al cogitations incomprehensible if they repent not Wherfore by thē my derely beloued be admonished to remēber your professiō how that in Baptisme you made a solēpne vow to renoūce the deuil the world c. You promised to fight vnder christes stāderd You learned christs crosse afore you begun with A. B. C. Go to thē pay your vow to the lord fyght lyke men and valiant men vnder Christes standerde take vp your crosse and follow your maister as your brethern M. Hoper Rogers Tailor and Saūders haue done and as now your bretherne M. Cranmer Latymer Rydley Farror Bradforde Hawkes c. be redy to do The Ise is broken before you therfore be not afraide but be content to dye for the lord You haue no cause to wauer or doubte of the doctryne thus declared by the bloud of the pastours Remember that Chryste sayeth he that wyll saue hys lyfe shall lose it And what shoulde it profite you to wynne the whole worlde much lesse a little quietnes your goodes c. and to lose your owne soules Render to the Lorde that he hath lent you by such meanes as he would haue you render it and not as you woulde Forgette not Christes disciples must denye themselues as well concernyng their wyl as concernyng their wisedome Haue in mynde that as it is no small mercy to beleue in the Lord so it is no smal kindnes of God towardes you to suffer any thyng muche more death for the Lord. If they be blessed that dye in the Lorde howe shall they be that dye for the Lorde Oh what a blessyng is it to haue death due for our synnes diuerted into a demonstration and testification of the lordes truth Oh that we had a little of Moses faith to loke vpon the ende of the crosse to loke vpon the rewarde to see continuallye wyth Christe and hys people greater ryches then the ryches of Egipt Oh let vs pray that god would open our eyes to see hys hyd Manna heauenlye Ierusalem the congregation of the first borne the melodye of the sainctes the tabernacle of God dwellyng wyth men then should we runne and become violent men and so take the kyngdome of heauen as it were by force God oure father geue vs for hys Christes sake to see a little what and howe great ioye he hath prepared for vs he hathe called vs vnto and most assuredlye geueth vs for hys owne goodnes and truthes sake Amen My derely beloued repent bee sober watch in prayer be obediēt after your vocations shewe your obedience to the hygher powers in all thyngs that are not agaynst gods worde therein acknowledge the soueraigne power of the Lorde howbeit so
father for as for the fansie of fortune it is wicked Amos. 3 Thren 3 Math. 10 Esaye 45. as many places of the scripture do teach we must nedes to the cōmendation of gods iustice for in al his doings he is iuste ackdowledge in our selues that we haue deserued at the hands of our heauenly father this hys crosse or rodde fallen vpon vs. We haue deserued it if not by our vnthankfulnesse slouthfulnesse negligence intemperancie vncleannes and other sinnes cōmitted often by vs wherof our consciences can wil accuse vs if we cal thē to counsell with the examination of our former lyfe yet at least by our originall byrth sinne as by doubting of the greatnes of gods anger and mercy by self loue cōcupiscence Psal 51 Heb. 12 Gala. 5. and such like sinnes which as we brought with vs into this worlde so doe the same alwaye abyde in vs and euen as a spring doe alwayes bring somthyng forth in acte with vs notwithstanding the continual fighte of Gods spirite in vs agaynst it The fyrst commoditie therfore that the crosse bringeth is knowledge and that double of God and of our selues Psalm 51. Genesi 8. Ierem. 17. Ephesi 17. 1. Regū 8. Genes 42. Of God that he is iust pure hateth synne Of our selues that we are borne in synne are from toppe to toe defyled wyth concupiscence and corruptiō out of the which hath spronge all the euils that euer at any tyme we haue spokē done The greatest and most speciall wherof by the crosse we are occasioned to cal to minde as did the brethren of Ioseph theyr euill facte against him when the crosse once came vpon thē And so by it we come to the fyrst steppe to get health for our soules that is we are driuen to knowe our sinnes originall and actuall by Gods iustice declared in the crosse Secondly the ende wherfore God declareth hys iustice against our synne original and actual woulde by hys crosse haue vs to consider the same and to cal to minde our former euill deedes the end hereof I saye is thys that we myghte lament be sory sygh and pray for pardon that so doing we myghte obtayne the same by the meanes of fayth in the merites of Iesus Christ hys deare Sonne and further that we being humbled because of the euill that dwelleth in vs might become thankefull for Gods goodnes and loue in continual watchyng and warynes to suppresse the euill which lyeth in vs Iacob 1. that it bring not forth fruites to death at any time This second commoditie of the crosse therfore must we not count to be a simple knowledge onlye but a great gayne of Gods mercy with wonderful riche and precious vertues of fayth repentaunce remission of sinnes humilitie thankefulnesse mortification and diligence in doing good Not that properly the crosse worketh these thinges of it selfe but because the crosse is the meane and way by the which God worketh the knowledge and felyng of these thynges in his children as many both testimonyes and examples in Scriptures are easely found of them that diligentlye waye what therein they read To these too commodities of the crosse ioyne the thyrd of Gods singuler wisedome that it may be coupled with hys iustice and mercye On thys sorte therfore let vs conceaue when we see the Gospell of God and hys Churche persecuted and troubled as now with vs it is that because the greate learned and wise men of the worlde vse not their wisedome to loue and ferue God as to naturall wisedome and reason he openeth hym selfe manifestlye by hys visible creatures Rom. 1. therefore doth God iustlye infatuate and make them folysh geuyng them vppe to vnsensiblenes especially herein For on thys maner reason they concerning the affliction whiche commeth for the Gospell If saye they thys were Gods woorde if these people were Gods children surelye God woulde then blesse and prosper them their doctrine But nowe in that there is no doctrine so much hated no people so muche persecuted as they bee therefore it can not bee of GOD. Rather this is of God whiche our Queene olde Byshops haue professed For how hath God preserued thē and kept them what a notable victorye hath GOD geuen vnto her where it was impossible that thynges shoulde so haue come to passe as they haue done And dyd not the greate Captayne confesse hys faulte that he was oute of the way and not of the fayth which these gospellers professe How many are come agayne from that which they professed to be gods word The most part of thys realme notwithstanding the diligence of preachers to persuade them concerning this new learnyng which nowe is persecuted neuer consented to it in harte as experience teacheth And what plagues haue come vpon this realme sythen this gospel as they cal it came in amongest vs Afore we had plentye but now there is nothing like as it was Moreouer al the houses of the Parliamente haue ouerthrowne the lawes made for the stablishyng of thys gospell and religion and newe lawes are erected for the continuance of the contrary How miraculously dothe God confounde their doctrine and confyrme oures For how was wyat ouerthrowne How prosperously came in our Kyng Howe hathe God blessed our Quene wyth fruite of wombe How is the Popes holines restored agayne to hys ryght All these do teache plainelye that thys their doctrine is not gods word Thus reason the worldly wyse whiche see not gods wisdome For els yf they considered that there was wyth vs vnthankefulnes for the gospell no amendment of lyfe but all kynde of contempt of God all kynde of shameles sinnyng ensued the preachyng of the Gospel they must nedes see that God coulde not but chastice and correct and as he let Sathan loose Apoc. 20. after he had bounde hym a certaine time for vnthankefulnes of men so to let these Champions of Sathan runne abroade by them to plague vs for oure vnthankefulnes Greate was gods anger against Achab because he saued Benadad kyng of Siria after he had geuen hym into his handes 3. Reg. 20. and afterwarde it turned to hys owne destruction God would that double sorrow should haue bene repayde to them by cause of the sorowe they dyd to the sayntes of God Read the .18 of the reuelation As for the victory geuen to the Quenes hyghnes if men had any godly witte they myght see many thyngs in it First god hath done it to wynne her harte to the Gospel Agayne he hathe done it aswel because they that wente agaynst her put their trust in horses and power of men and not in God as because in their doyng they soughte not the propagation of gods gospell which thyng is now plainlye sene Therfore no maruayle why god fought against them would they were hypocrites and vnder the cloke of the Gospel would haue debarred the Quenes highnes of her right but god would not so cloke them Now for the relentyng
my good and most deare Mother geue thankes for me to god that he hath made the fruite of your wōbe to be a wytnes of hys glory and attend to the truth whiche I thank god for it I haue truly taught out of the pulpit of Manchester Vse often and continual prayer to God the father through Christ Harken as you may to the scriptures serue God after hys worde and not after custome beware of the Romyshe religion in Englande defyle not your selfe wyth it cary Christes crosse as he shall saye it vppon your backe forgeue them that kyll me pray for thē for they know not what they do committe my cause to god our father bee myndeful of both your daughters to help them as you can I send all my writinges to you by my brother Roger doe wyth them as you will because I cannot as I woulde he can tel you more of my mynd I haue nothyng to geue you or to leaue behind me for you onely I pray God my father for hys christes sake to blesse you and kepe you from euyll He geue your patience he make you thankeful as for me so so for your selfe that wyll take the fruite of your wombe to witnesse hys verity wherin I confesse to the whole worlde I dye and departe thys lyfe in hope of a much better which I loke for at the hands of god my father through the merytes of hys deare sonne Iesus Christ Thus my deare Mother I take my laste farewell of you in this life besechyng the almighty and eternall father by Christ to graunte vs to mete in the lyfe to come where we shall geue hym continuall thankes and prayse for euer and euer Amen ¶ Out of pryson the .24 of Iune 1555. Your sonne in the Lord Iohn Bradforde To one by whom he had receiued much comfort and reliefe in hys trouble and imprisonment THe mercy of god in Christ peculier to hys children be euer more felt of you my derely beloued in the lord Amē When I consider with my selfe the benefites which God hath shewed vnto me by your meanes if I had so good and thankfull a hart as I would I had I could not wyth drye eyes geue him thākes for certainly they are very many and great And nowe beyng yet still the lordes prisoner I perceiue from him moe benefits by you For the which I thinke my self so much bounde to you my good brother althoughe you were but the instrumēt by whō god wrought and blessed me that I loke not to come out of your dette by anye pleasure or seruice that I shal euer be able to do you in this life I shal hartely pray vnto god therfore to requite you the good you haue done to me for his sake for I knowe that which you haue done you haue done it simply in respect of god his word He therfore geue you dailye more more to be tonfirmed in his truth word so plētifully poure vpō you the riches of his holy spirit and heauēly treasures laid vp in store for you that your corporal earthly riches may be vsed of you as sacraments significations thereof the more to desire the one that is the heauēly and the lesse to esteme the other that is the earthly For Satans sollitation is so to set before you the earthly that therin and thereby you should not haue accesse to the consideration of the heauenly but as one bewitched should vtterly forgette them and altogether become a louer worshipper of the erthly Māmon so to fal to couetousnes a desire to be rich by the meanes to bring you into many noisom and hurtful lustes as now adais I heare of many which haue vtterly forsakē god al his heauēly riches for Antichrists pleasure the preseruing of their worldly pelf which they imagine to leaue to their posterity wherof they are vncertain as they may be most certain they leaue to thē gods wrath vēgeaūce in his time to be sent by visitation if they in time hartely repēt not preuēt not the same by earnest praier Wherin my good brother if you be diligēt harty perseuer I am sure god wil preserue you frō euyll frō yelding your self to do as the world now doth by allowing in bodely fact in the Romish seruice that which the inward cogitatiō mind doth disalowe But if you be cold in prayer come into cōsideration of earthly present thinges simply thā shal you fal into faithles folies woundyng of your conscsēce from which god euermore preserue you with your good wife your babe Leonard al your family to that which I wish the blessing of God now and for euer through Christ our Lord Amen I pray you geue thankes for me to your old bedfellow for his greate frendship for your sake shewed to me when I was in the Tower Iohn Bradford To my dearely beloued Syster Mystres A. VV. THe euerlasting peace of Christ be more more liuely felt in our hartes by the operatiō of the holy ghost now and for euer Amen Although I know it to be more then nedeth to write any thing vnto you good Syster beīg as I dont not you be diligētly exercised in reading of the scriptures meditating the same harty praier to god for the helpe of his holy spirit to haue the sense feelyng especially of the comfortes you reade in gods swete boke yet hauing such opportunitie knowing not whether hereafter I shall haue the like as this bringer can declare I thought good in few wordes to take my farewel in writing because otherwise I can not And now me thinkes I haue done it For what els can I or should I say vnto you my derely beloued in the lord but farewel Farewel dere Sister farewell How be it in the lord our lord I say farewel In him shal you farewel so much the better by how much in your self you fare euil shal fare euil Whē I speake of your self I meane also this world this life al things properly perteining to this life In thē as you loke not for your welfare so be not dismaide when accordinglye you shall not feele it To the lord our god to the Lambe our Christ which hath borne our sinnes on his back and is our mediator for euer do I send you In him loke for welfare that wtout all wauering because of his owne goodnes and truth whiche our euilnes and vntruth cannot take awaye Not that therefore I woulde haue you to flatter your selfe in any euill or vnbeliefe but that I would comfort you that they should not dismay you Yours is our Christe wholye Yours I say he is wyth all that euer he hath Is not thys welfare trow you Mountaynes shall moue and the earthe shall fall before you fynde it otherwyse say the lyer Sathan what he lyste Therfore good Sister farewel and be merye in the Lord be mery I say for you
thereof thankefully vsing their counsell and obeying theyr preceptes so for gods sake let vs for our soules being sicke thankefullye receaue the heauenlye Phisicions phisicke and dyet so shall we waxe stronge men in GOD and in hys Christe Which thyng I besech thee O holy spirite to worke in vs all Amen My dearly beloued thys haue I brieflye written vnto you Phil. 4. not as one that seketh any giftes as Paul sayth but as one that seeketh aboundaunt fruites on your behalfe and to your commoditye For it is better to geue then to receaue sayteh Christe by hys Apostle S. Paule who testifyeth that according to that we sowe so shal we reape He that soweth little 2. Cor. 9. shall reape little he that soweth muche shall reape much Neuer shoulde we forgette how that the Lorde Iesus being riche for our sakes became poore that we myght be made riche by hym Agayn neuer shoulde we forget that we are dead to sinne and aliue to ryghteousnesse Therefore shold we liue wholy vnto god for god not for our selues In al things therfore we must auoide the sekyng of our selues as wel in doing as in leuing things vndone If the crosse come vpon vs therfore then are we happy for the spirite of God and the glorye of God resteth vpon vs. Therefore reioyce saith christ for your reward is great in heaueÌ„ Math. 5 In this we are made like to Christe here therefore we shal be so els where eueÌ„ in eternal ioye endlesse glory The high way to heaueÌ„ you know is affliccioÌ„ so that al that wil liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecution If we were of the world the world wold loue vs Iohn 15 but we are not of the world but beare witnes against the world therfore the worlde doth hate vs. But let vs reioice our lord hath ouercome the world He suffred out of the Citie beariÌ„g our rebuke saith the Apostle Let vs then go out of oure tentes beare hys rebuke that is let vs denye our selues Heb. 13 take vp our crosse which is his also followe him Let vs know esteme this more riches theÌ„ al the treasures of the world as Moses did Let vs know that he that saueth his life shal lose it Let vs know that the way to saluatioÌ„ is a strait waye and a waye wherein we can not carye oure bagges and chestes with vs. Let vs know that no excuse of wife farme house or childreÌ„ wil excuse vs. Let vs know that in this case we must be so far froÌ„ louing father mother Luke 14 â–ª wife children that we must hate theÌ„ our own selues also Though this be a hard saying yet we must not leaue our loades man for a litle foule way Yea rather we shoulde knowe in dede that it is but hard to the flesh which if she be haÌ„dled deintely will be imperious vnder muste she be kepte that the spirit which is a precious thing in gods sight may haue her coÌ„modities If we should follow the fansye of the fleshe we coulde not please god Against it we haue made a solemne professioÌ„ as also agaynst the deuil the world in oure baptisme And shal we now loke for easie thyngs of our enemies Shal we not loke rather to be hardly entreated of theÌ„ O that we considered ofteÌ„ in dede what we haue professed in baptisme then the crosse we should be wel acquainted together For we are baptised into Christs death that is as to be pertakers of the benefite of his death which is remission of sinnes so to bee made like therunto coÌ„tinually by dying to sinne O that we coÌ„sidered what we be where we be whether we are going who calleth vs how he calleth vs to what felicitie he calleth vs wherby he calleth vs then my deare harts in the Lord we should say to al worldly persuasions persuaders follow me Sathan thou seuerest not those things that be of god but the things that be of men Shall we not drinke the cuppe which our heauenly father hath appoynted for vs O Lord god opeÌ„ thou our eyes that we may see the hope wherunto thou haste called vs. Geue vs eyes of seing eares of hearing hartes of vnderstanding In the fauour thou bearest to thy people remember vs visite vs with thy sauing health that we maye see the good things thou hast prepared for thy elect childreÌ„ that we may haue some syght of thy heauenly IerusaleÌ„ and haue some tast of the swetenes of thy house O deare father kindle in vs an earneste desire to bee with thee in soule and body to prayse thy name for euer withall thy saintes in thy eternall glorye Amen Iohn Bradford To my deare fathers D. Cranmer D. Ridley and. D. Latimer IEsus Emanuell My deare fathers in the Lorde I beseche God oure sweete father throughe Christ to make perfecte the good he hath begonne in vs all Amen I had thought that euery of your staues had stande nexte the doore but nowe it is otherwise perceaued Our deare brother Rogers hath broken the Ise valiauntlye and as thys daye I thinke or to morrowe at the vttermoste hartye Hoper syncere Saunders and trustye Taylour ende theyr course and receaue their crowne The nexte am I whiche hourely looke for the porter to open me the gates after them to enter into the desyred reste God forgeue me myne vnthankefulnesse for thys exceedyng greate mercye that amonges so manye thousandes it pleaseth hys mercye to choose me to be one in whom he wyll suffer For althoughe it bee most true that luste patior for I haue beene a greate hypocrite and a greuous synner the Lorde pardon me yea he hath done it he hath done it in deede yet hic autem quid mali fecit Christe whom the Prelates persecute hys veritye whiche they hate in me This is a singuler mercye of God to haue death which is a due punyshmente for synne turned into a demonstratioÌ„ and â—esâ—fication of the Lordes truth hath done no euill nor desermeth death Therefore oughte I moste hartelye to reioyce of thys dignation and tender kindnesse of the Lorde towardes me whiche vseth the remedye for my synne as a testimoniall of hys testament to hys glorye to my euerlasting comforte to the edifying of hys Church and to the ouerthrowing of Antichriste and hys kyngdome O what am I Lord that thou shouldest thus magnifye me so vyle a man and myser as alwayes I haue bene Is this thy wonte to sende for suche a wretche and an hypocrite as I haue bene in a fierye chariot 4. ReguÌ„ 2 as thou diddest for Helias Oh deare fathers be thankfull for me and praye for me that I styll maye bee founde worthie in whom the Lord would sanctifye hys holy name And for your parts make you readye for we are but your gentlemen hushers Nuptiae agni paratae sunt venite ad nuptias I now goe to leaue my flesh
write Fyrst wil my man William to make all thinges readye for me for I am persuaded I shall into Lankeshire there to be burnt howbeit first they say I must to the Fleete Then will him to harken earelye in the morning whether I be not conueyed away before men beware Also I pray you will Robert Harrington who I hope wil go with me to looke for that iourney Visit often my deare sister and although I can not nowe write vnto her as I would for al things are more straunge here cases more more perelous yet tell her that I am carefull for her desire her to be of good comforte God shall geue vs to meete in hys kingdome In the meane season I will praye for her as my dearest sister Of truth I neuer did loue her halfe so well as I now do and yet I loue her not halfe so well as I woulde doe shee is the very daughter of Abraham I pray thee hartelye bee merye my good brother and desire all my frendes so to be for I thanke god I feele a greater benefite then all the Byshops in England can take from me Praise God and praye for me mine owne deare harte in the Lord whom I hope I shall neuer forget Your poore brother in the Lorde Iohn Bradford To certaine men not ryghtly persuaded in the most true comfortable and necessarye doctrine of Gods holy election and predestination GRace mercye and peace wyth encreace of all godly knowlege and liuing from god the eternal father of al consolation through the bloudy death of our alone and full redemer Iesus Christ by the mighty and liuely workyng and power of the holy spirit the comforter I wish vnto you now and for euer Amen Although I loke hourely for officers to come and haue me to execution yet can I not but attēpt to write somthing vnto you my dearely beloued as alwayes you haue bene how soeuer you haue taken me to occasion you the more to wey the things wherin some controuersy hath bene emongest vs especially the article and doctrine of predestination Wherof I haue writē a little treatise therin as briefly shewing my faith so answering the enormities gathered of some to slaūder the same necessary comfortable doctryne That litle piece of worke I commend vnto you as a thing wherof I doute not to answer to my comfort before the trubual seat of Iesus Christ and therfore I hartely pray you and euery of you for the tender mercies of God in Christe that you woulde not be rashe to condemne thinges vnknowen lest gods woe should fall vpon you for callyng good euyll and euyll good For the greate loue of god in Christe cauil not at things that be wel spoken nor construe not things to the euil part when ye haue occasion otherwise Do not suppose that any man by affirmyng predestination as in that boke I haue truly set it forth accordyng to gods worde and the consent of christes church either to seke carnalitie or to set forth matter of desperation Only by the doctrine of it I haue taught as to my selfe so to others a certaintie of saluation a setting vp of Christ only an exaltatiō of gods grace mercye righteousnes truth wisdom power and glory and a casting downe of man and al hys power that he that glorieth may glory onelye and altogether and continuallye in the Lorde Man consisteth on .ij. partes the soule and the body euery man of god hath as a man wold say ij men an outward or old man and an inward or new man The Deuils drifte is to bryng the one into a carnalitie and the other into a doubt and so to dispayre and hatred of god but god for remedy hereof hath ordeined hys word which is deuided into ij partes the one is a doctrine which demaundeth of vs our duety but geueth no power thereto the other is a doctrine which not so much demaundeth as geueth The former is called the law which hath hys promises cōditionals and comminations or threates accordinglye The other is called the gospel or rather the free promises hanging not on conditiōs on our behalfe but simply on gods verity mercy although they requyre conditions but not as hangyng theron of which promyses the gospell may well be called a puplication The former that is the law wyth her promyses and comminations tell man what he is and shew hym what he can do The later that is the gospell and free promises tell and set forth Christ and what mercy at Gods hand throughe Christ we haue offred and geuen vnto vs. The former parte serueth to keepe the olde man from carnalitie and security and to stirre hym vp to diligence and sollicitude The later parte serueth howe to kepe the newe and inwarde man from doubtyng and dispayre to bryng vs in to an assured certayntye and quietenes wyth God through Chryste The olde man and the fielde he resteth in maye not be sowen with any other seede then is agreable to the former doctrine The newe man and the fielde he resteth in maye not be sowen wyth anye other then is agreeynge to the later doctryne By thys meanes man shall be kepte from carnalitie and from desperation also and broughte into diligence and godlye peace of conscience It is forbydden in the olde law Deut. 22. to sowe .ij. kyndes of seedes in one fielde to weare lynsey wolsey perticotes or to eate beastes that dyd not cleaue the hofes Deut. 14. God graunte vs to be wyse husbandmen to sowe accordyng as I haue sayd God graunte vs to bee wyse tayloures to cutte oure coates for two men of one whole clothe as is declared GOD graunt vs to be cleane beasts to cleaue the hofes accordinglye that is to geue the olde man meate meete for the mowers that is the lawe wyth hys appurtenaunces conditionals promises and comminations and to geue to the newe man the gospel and sweete free promises as appertayneth and then doutles we shall walke in the ryghte hyghe waye vnto eternal lyfe that is in Chryste Iesu the ende of the lawe and the fulfyllyng of the promises in whome they be yea and Amen If thys my poore aduise bee obserued my deare bretherne in the Lorde I doubte not but all controuersies for predestination originall synne freewyll c shall so cease that there shall be no breache of loue nor suspicion emonges vs which GOD graunte for hys mercies sake I am persuaded of you that you feare the Lord and therfore I loue you and haue loued you in hym my deare hartes thoughe otherwyse you haue taken it wythout cause on my parte geuen so farre as I know For hetherto I haue not suffred any copye of the treatise aboue specified to goe abroade because I woulde suppresse all occasions so farre as myghte bee Nowe am I goyng before you to my God and your God to my father and your father to my Christ and your Christe to my home and your home I goe
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
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
of goodly giftes in wit and learning and sauing that he is somwhat wilde likely to do wel hereafter There be also two women N. Coningham and Alice Alexander that may proue honest For these and al other poore prisoners here I make this my humble suite and prayer to you all my Maisters and especiall good frendes beseching you of all bondes of amitie for the precious bloode of Iesus Christe in the bowels of mercye to render the causes of miserable captiues Helpe to clothe Christ visite the afflicted comforte the sorrowfull and releue the nedye The verye God of peace guyde youre hartes to haue mercye on the poore and loue faythfullye together Amen Thys present Monday when I looke to die and liue for euer Yours for euer Bartelet Grene. ⧠Letters of that faythfull man of God John Careles who by cruell imprisonmente and vnmercifull dealing of the papistes dyed in the Marshalsee and was buryed in the fieldes on a dungehill and therefore is not vnworthye here to be placed amonges the Martyrs To my moste deare and faythfull brethren in Newgate condemned to die for the testimonye of Gods euerlasting truth THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the cōtinual ioy strength cōfort of his most pure holy mighty spirit with the encrease of faith liuely feeling of his eternal mercy be with you my most dere faithfull louing brother Timmes and with al the reste of my deare harts in the Lord your faithful fellow souldiours and most constant companions in bondes yea of men condemned most cruelly for the syncere testimony of gods euerlastīg truth to the ful finishing of that good worke which he hath so graciously begonne in you all that the same maye be to hys glory the cōmoditie of his pore afflicted church and to your euerlasting comfort in him Amen Ah my most swete and louing brethren dearest harts in the Lord what shal I say or how shal I write vnto you in the least point or part to vtter the great ioye that my poore hart hath conceaued in god through the most godly exāple of your christiā constancie syncere confessiō of Christs verity Truly my tong can not declare nor my penne expresse the aboundance of spirituall mirth gladnes that my mind inward man hath felt euer since I heard of your hartie boldnes and modest behauiour before that bloody butcher in the time of al your craftie examinations specially at your cruel condēnatiō in their cursed Cōsistorie place Blessed be god the father of al mercy praysed be his name for that he hath so graciouslye performed vpō you his dere darelīgs his most swete comefortable promises in not only geuing you the cōtinual aide strēgth cōfort of his holy mightie spirite to the faythfull confessiō of his christ for whose cause O most happie mē ye are condēned to die but also in geuing you such a mouth wisdome as al your wicked enemies were not able to resist but were faine to crie peace peace and not suffer you to speake As truly as god liueth my dere brethrē this is not only vnto you a most euidēt probatiō that god is on your side a sure certaintie of your euerlasting saluatiō in him but also to your cruell aduersaries or rather Gods cursed enemyes a plaine demonstration of their iust eternal woe and dampnation whiche they shall be full sure shortlye to feele when ye shal full sweetely possesse the place of felicitie and pleasure prepared for you from the beginning Therfore my dearly beloued cease not so long as ye be in this life to praise the lord with a lustye courage for that of hys great mercy infinite goodnes he hath vouched you worthy of this great dignitie to suffer for his sake not only the losse of goods wife children long imprisonment cruel oppression c but also the very depriuation of this mortal life with the dissolution of your bodies in the fyer The whiche is the greatest promotion that god can bring you or any other vnto in this vale of misery yea so great an honour as the highest Angel in heauen is not permitted to haue and yet hath the lord for his deare sonne Christes sake reputed you worthy of the same yea that before me and many other which haue both long loked longed for the same Ah my most deare brother Timmes whose time resteth altogether in the hands of thy Lord in a ful happye time camest thou into this troublesome worlde but in a much more blessed houre shalt thou depart forth of the same so that the swete saying of Salomō or rather of the holy ghost shal be ful wel verified vpō thee yea al thy faithful felowes Eccle. 7 better is the day of death saith he then the day of birth This saying can not be verified vpon euery man but vpon thee my deare brother and such as thou art whose death is most precious before God and full deare shal your bloode be in his sighte Blessed be god for thee my deare brother Timmes and blessed be god again that euer I knew thee for in a most happy time I came fyrst into thy company Pray for me deare brother pray for me that God wyll once vouch me worthy of that great dignitie whereunto he hath nowe brought you Ah my louing brother Drake whose soule draweth nowe nygh vnto god of whom you haue receaued the same full gladde maye you be that euer God gaue you a lyfe to leaue for hys sake Full well will he restore it to you agayne in a thousand fold more glorious wyse Prayse God good brother as you haue great cause and pray for me I besech you which am so muche vnworthy so great are my synnes of that great dignity wherunto the Lorde hath called you and the reast of your godlye brethrē whom I besech you to comforte in the Lord as you can full well praysed be God for hys giftes which you haue hartely applyed to the setting forth of his glory and the cōmoditie of his pore afflicted church Which thing shal surely redownde to your euerlasting ioy and comfort as you shall most effectually feele or euer it be long though the wycked of the world iudge farre otherwise Ah myne own hartes and most dearly beloued brethren Cauell Ambrose and both the Spurges blessed be the Lord on your behalfe and praysed be his name which hath geuen you such a glorious victory Ful valiaunt haue you shewed your selues in the lords fyght and ful faithful in your painfull seruice Faint not but go on forward as ye haue most godly begonne for great shal your reward be at the end of this your trauell Ah my good faithfull brethren al what shal I say or what shall I write vnto you but euen the same that good Elizabeth did saye to her godly kinneswoman Mary the blessed Mother of Christe Luke 1. Happie art thou quoth that good woman whiche haste beleued for
is a good confession of Christ and his verity before the wycked world Oh that you would follow the good example of a great nuÌ„ber of your godly neighbours which are graciously escaped the snares of SataÌ„ are nowe where they serue the Lord with a safe conscience and enioy the right and free vse of hys worde and sacramentes followe them for the lordes sake get you hastely out of Sodom for surely the lorde is vtterlye minded to destroy it Lynger not as Lothe did if you loue your owne liues lest you find not altogether so much mercy at the lordes hands as he did for verely you haue tempted him to farre alredy haue to much despised his long sufferyng leuitie and gentlenes whiche ought to leade you to earnest and hartye repentaunce He hath mercifully forborne you these ij yeres past and more if he fynd no fruite in you shortly make reckening to be pulled vp by the rotes euery mothers sonne of you for the axe is alredy laid at the rote of EnglaÌ„d as it was by the Romains at the roote of the Iewes when Iohn Baptiste began hys preachyng I pray god that we fele not the sharpe stroke of it as they did Pray pray pray and repent in time conuerte to the lord that he may heale your backslidings before your woundes be vncurable I could here say much more but time wil not suffer me I trust this shal be sufficient to al such as haue any sparke of faythe loue or true feare of God As for the rest they are as a point with themselues whatsoeuer any man either write or say thei wil surely disseÌ„ble one way or other to saue their pigges yea thoughe they doe but put their names in the Popes bookes Wel yet saye not an other daye but that ye were warned and though it were but by a poore symple man yet it was by him that wisheth wealthe to all youre soules one that in this pointe hath told you the truth and he trusteth shortly you shal see him seale the same wyth his blood through the helpe of the good prayers of all you that truly repeÌ„t and mind vnfainedly to turne the lord in time As for the rest I wil pray for them but let them kepe their owne praiers to themselues in goddes name for I wil bee no pertaker wyth them sith I know the same is turned vnto sinne Thus with most harty thankes for all your benefites and manifolde kindnes shewed vnto me my poore brethren beseching god to recompence the same seuen folde into all your bosomes as I doubt not but he wil according to his vnfallible promises I do hartely coÌ„mit you al vnto gods most merciful defeÌ„ce who euer haue you al in his blessed kepyng Amen The blessyng of God be with you al Amen Your poore daily and most bounden Oratour Iohn Careles prisoner of the Lorde in the kinges Bench at all tymes abiding gods moste mercifull will and pleasure Pray for me for gods sake as I will neuer forget you by gods grace To hys VVyfe AS by the great mercye of God at the tyme of hys good wyl and prouidence appointed my dearely beloued wife you and I were ioyned together in the holy and christian state of godly matrimony as well to our great ioye and comfort in Christe as also to the encrease of his blessed churche and faithfull congregation by hauyng lawful children by and in the same with the which God of his mercy hath blessed vs praised be his name therfore euen so now by his merciful wil and deuine ordinaunce the tyme is come so farre as I can perceiue wherin he wyl for his glory and our eternal comfort dissolue the same and separate vs asunder agayne for a tyme. Wherfore I thought it good yea and my bounden duetye by this simple letter to prouoke stirre and admonish you to behaue your self in all your doinges sayinges and thoughtes most thankfully vnto our good God for the same And therefore my deare wyfe as you haue hartely reioyced in the lord ofteÌ„times geuen god thankes for his goodnes in bringing vs together in his holy ordinaunce euen so now I desire you wheÌ„ thys tyme of our separation shal come to reioyce with me in the lord and to geue him most harty thanks that he hath to his glory and our endles commoditie separated vs agayne for a little time and hathe mercifullye taken me vnto him selfe forth of this miserable world into his celestial kingdom beleuing and hoping also assuredly that God of his goodnes for his sonne Christes sake will shortly bryng you youre dere childâ—rne thether to me that we may most ioyfully together sing praises vnto his glorious name for euer And yet once again I desire you for the loue of god as euer you loued me to reioyce with me and to geue GOD continuall thankes for doing his most mercifull wil vpon me I heare saye that you doe oftentimes vse to repete this godlye sayinge the Lordes will be fulfilled Doubtles it reioiceth my pore hart to heare that report of you and for the Lordes sake vse that godly praier continually teach your children and family to say the same day and nighte and not onely to say it wyth your tonges but also with your hart mind ioyfully to submit your wil to gods wil in very dede knowing and beleuing assuredly that nothing shal come to you or any of yours otherwise then it shall be his almyghty fatherly good will pleasure for your eternall comfort and commodity Which thing to be moste true and certaine Christ testifieth in his holy gospell saying are not .ij. Math. 10. little sparrowes sold for a farthing and yet not one of them shal perish without the wil of your heauenly father And he concludeth saying feare not ye therfore for ye are better theÌ„ many sparowes As though he should haue said if god haue such a respecte and care for a poore sparrow whiche is not worth one farthing that it shal not be takeÌ„ in the lime twig nette or pitfall vntil it be his good wyll and pleasure you may be wel assured that not one of you whom he so derely loueth that he hath geuen his only dere sonne for you shal perish or depart forth of this miserable life without his almighty good will and pleasure Therfore deare wyfe put your truste and confidence wholy and only in him and euer pray that his wyll be fulfilled and not yours excepte it be agreeing to his wil the which I praye GOD it may euer bee Amen And as for worldly things take you no care but bee you well assured the Lorde your deare God and father wyll not see you nor yours lacke if you continue in his loue and childly feare and kepe a cleare conscience from al kind of idolatry superstition and wickednes as my trust is that you will doe althoughe it bee with the losse and daunger of this temporall life And good
the conuersion or confounding of al gainesaiers and to the comfort and confirmation of al gods dere children Amen Farewel mine owne swete brother farewel as myne owne harte Your owne in Christ Iohn Careles Because he maketh mention in the former letter and other heretofore of the most godlye and christian conflictes which he had susteyned we thought good to adioyne hereto this swete and heauenly exercise followyng whereby it may appeare what fruite these conflictes wroughte in hys most godly and christian conscience SOme men for sodayne ioye do wepe And some in sorow syng When that they lie in daunger depe To put away mournyng Betwene them both will I beginne Being in ioy and payne In sighing to lament my sinne But yet reioyce agayne My sinfull life doth still increase My sorow is the more From wyckednes I cannot cease Wo is my hart therfore Sometimes when I thinke to do wel And serue God night and day My wycked nature doth rebell And leadeth me astray As bonde and captiue vnto sinne which greueth me full sore This miserye do I liue in Wo is my harte therfore In dede sometyme I do repent and pardon doe obtaine But yet alas incontinent I fall to sinne agayne My corrupte nature is so yll Offending more and more That I displease my Lord god still Wo is my harte therfore Wo is my harte wo is my mynd woe is my soule and sprite That to my God I am vnkynde In whome I shoulde delite Hys loue alwayes I should regard which towarde me was so pure But I wyth synne do him rewarde O most vnkynd creature The beast the byrde the fishe the foule Their maker doe obey But I that am a liuing soule Am farre much worse then they For they accordyng to their kinde To serue him do not cease But I wyth sinfull hert and mynde Do daily him displease Thus do I sore complayne of synne And with kyng Dauyd wepe For I do feele my harte within The wrath of God full deepe To heauen myne eyes I dare not life Agaynst it I haue trespaste And in the earth I fynde no shifte Nor succour that can last What shall I do shall I dispaire And from my Sauiour slide Nay god forbid there is no feare Syth Christ for me hath dyed God became man and for vs men He dyed and rose againe His mercy great we may see then For euer doth remayne Therefore my sinne I will confesse To God and mourning make who wil forgeue the same doutlesse for hys sonne Christes sake Yf sinne in me god should respecte Then do I know full well His iustice would me sone reiecte To the deepe pit of hel Hys glorious eies cannot abide The foule and filthy smoke Wherwith I am on euerye syde Couered as with a cloke But he in Christ doth me behold In whom he doth delite And myne offences manyfold Through him releaseth quite Reputyng me amongest the iust Forgeuyng al my sinne Therfore my faith my hope my trust Shall euer be in hym O Lord encrease true faith in me Thy good spirite to me geue That I may grow in loue toward thee And euer seeke to liue In true obedience of thy will And thankefulnes of hart And with thy grace so guide me stil That I neuer departe From thy true word and testameÌ„t All the dayes of my life Nor froÌ„ thy churche most innocent Thine owne true spouse and wife But froÌ„ that filthy whore of Rome Lord kepe me euermore As gratiously thou hast yet done Thankes be to thee therfore And sith thou haste of thy goodnes Forgeuen me all my sinne StreÌ„gth me thy truth for to coÌ„fesse And boldly die therin That as I haue confessed thee Before the wicked sort thou maiest in thy good time know me To my ioy and comfort My soule returne vnto thy reste Thou art wel satisfied The Lord hath graunted thy request And nothyng thee denied Prayse be God the father of myght Praise be to thee O Christ Praise be to thee O holy sprite Three in one God most hyest Continue constant in Christ ê™ Careles ¶ A briefe admonition wrytten to Mystres Iane Glascocke in a booke of hers when she came to the pryson to visite hym THere is nothynge that the holye Scripture throughout doth so much coÌ„mend vnto vs as a true faith stedfast trust in the promises of gods eternal mercies towardes vs in Iesus Christ For from the same as forth of the chiefe fountaine and welspring of lyfe doe flowe al kindes of vertues and godly fruites specially true loue towardes God in the which we ought purely to serue hym all the daies of our lyfe and also christian charitie towardes our neighbours aswell to helpe them at all nedes as also not to hurt them by any meanes Therfore pray earnestly for the encrease of faith and liuely felyng of gods mercy for al things are possible vnto hym that can vndoubtedly beleue Faithe is the thynge whiche assureth vs of gods mercy and wherby we vanquishe all the fiery dartes of the deuill our victory that ouercommeth the worlde the knyfe that killeth and mortifieth the flesh and finally that whiche setteth vs at peace with God and quieteth our consciences alwayes before hym and maketh vs mery and ioyful vnder the crosse with many moe things then I can now expresse Pray therefore for fayth in fayth And for the Lordes sake beware of popery and popish idolatry the idâ—lle of the wicked Masse and other Idolatrous seruice Make not your body which is a member of Christ a member of Antichrist Remember that we shall receaue of God according to that we do in the body be it good or euill Therfore glorifye god in your body which is dearly bought Betray not the truth lest the Lorde denye you If God be God follow him You caÌ„ not serue .ij. Maisters I write not this as doubting you but by the way of admonition God kepe you from al euill ☞ My Syster dere god geue you grace With stedfast fayth in Christes name Hys gospell styll for to embrace And lyue accordyng to the same To dye therfore thinke it no shame But hope in god wyth faythfull trust And he wyl geue you prayse with fame When you shall ryse out of the duste For which most swete and ioyful day To God with fayth your prayer make And thinke on me I do you praye The which did wryte this for your sake And thus to God I you betake Who is your castell and stronge rocke He kepe you whether you slepe or wake Farewel dere Mystres Iane Glascoke If God be with vs who can be agaynst vs. ☞ Though worldly waues do rage apace And wicked wyndes blowe out of frame Though MouÌ„taynes moue forth of their place Through the great tempestes of the same Yet shall the Lorde styll you defende Vnder the shadowe of hys wynges He loueth you vnto the ende And for your wealth doth worke all thynges Therefore in hym put all your trust Feare not
with pacience in the feare of god that ye others our brethren through our example may be so encouraged and strengthened to followe vs that ye also may leaue example to your weake brethren in the world to followe you Amen Consider what I say the Lord geue vs vnderstandyng in all thinges 2. Tim. 2 3. Cor. 7 1. Iohn 2. Brethren the time is short it remayneth that ye vse this world as though ye vsed it not for the fashion of this world vanysheth away Se that ye loue not the world neither the things that are in the world But set your affectioÌ„ on heaueÌ„ly things where Christ sitteth on the right hand of god Be meke long sufferiÌ„g serue edisy one an other with the gift that god hath geueÌ„ you Beware of strauÌ„ge doctrine lay aside the old coÌ„uersatioÌ„ of gredy lustes walke in a new lyfe Beware of al vncleannes couetousnes folish talking false doctrine dronkennes reioyce be thankful towards god submit your selues one to an other Cease froÌ„ synne spend no more time in vice be sober apt to pray be pacient in trouble loue ech other let the glorye of god profite of your neyghbours be the only marke you shote at in al your doings Repent ye of the life that is past take better hede to your doings hereafter And aboue al things cleaue ye fast to hym who was deliuered to death for our sinnes rose agayne for our iustification To whom with the father the holy ghost be al honour rule for euer more Amen Salute froÌ„ me in Christ al others whiche loue vs in the fayth and at your discretion make them partakers of these letters and praye ye all for me and other in bondes for the gospel that the same god which by his grace hath called vs from wicked papistrye vnto true christianitie and nowe of loue proueth our patience by persecution will of his mercy fauour in the end gloriously deliuer vs eyther by death or by lyfe to hys glory AmeÌ„ At Lancaster the .30 of Aug. 1554. By me an vnprofitable seruaunt and prisoner of Christ George Marshe The copy of a letter wrytten by Steuen Cotton to his brother Iohn cotton declaryng how he was beaten of Bonner BRother in the name of the Lord Iesus I commend me vnto you and I do hartely thanke you for your godlye exhortatioÌ„ and counsel in your last letter declared to me And albeit I do perceiue by your letter you are informed that as we are diuers persons in number so are we of contrary sectes conditions and opinioÌ„s contrary to that good opinion you had of vs at your last being with vs in Newgate be you most assured good brother in the Lord Iesus the we are al of one mind one raith one assured hope in our lord Iesus whome I trust we altogether wyth one spirite one brotherly loue do daily call vpon for mercy and forgeuenes of our sinnes wyth earnest repentance of our former lyues and by whose precious blood hedyng we truste to be saued onely and by no other meanes Wherefore good brother in the name of the lord seyng these impudent people whose mindes are altogether bent to wickednes enuy vncharitablenes euill speakyng doe go aboute to slaunder vs wyth vntruth beleue them not neither let their wycked sayings once enter into your minde And I trust one day to see you again although now I am in gods pryson which is a ioyful schole to them that loue their lord and god and to me beyng a simple scholer most ioyful of al. Good brother once again I do in the name of our lord Iesus exhort you to pray for me that I may fight strongly in the lordes battail to be a good souldiour to my captaine Iesus Christ our lord and desire my Sister also to do the same and do not ye mourne or lamente for me but bee ye glad and ioyfull of thys my trouble For I trust to be losed out of this dongeon shortly and to go to euerlasting ioy which neuer shal haue ende I heard howe ye were wyth the commissioners for me and how ye were suspected to be one of our company I praye you sue no more for me good brother But one thing I shal desire you to be at my departing out of thys lyfe that you may beare witnes with me that I shal die I trust in god a true christian I hope all my coÌ„panions in the lord our God therefore beleue not these euil disposed people who are the authors of all vntruth I praye you prouide for me a longe shirt against the day of our deliueraÌ„ce for the shirt you gaue me last I haue geueÌ„ it to one of my coÌ„panioÌ„s who had more neede then I and as for the money and meate you sent vs the bishops seruantes deliuered none to vs neither he whoÌ„ you had so great trust in Brother there is none of them to trust to for qualis magister talis serâ—us I haue ben twise beateÌ„ and threatened to be beaten againe by the bishop hymselfe I suppose we shal go into the countrey to Fulham to the bishops house and there be araigned I would haue you to harken as much as you can for when we shal go it shal be sodainly done Thus fare ye wel From the Colehouse thys present Friday Your brother Steuen Cotton A letter of Richard Rothe burnte at Islington to certayne condemned at Colchester ready to die for the lordes cause writen with his own blood O Deare brethren and Sisters how much haue you to reioyce in god that he hath geuen you suche fayth to preuail against these bloudthirsty tyrannes thus farre and no doubt he that hath begon that good worke in you will fulfil it vnto the ende O deare hartes in Christ what a crown of glorye shal ye receyue wyth Christe in the kingdome of god Oh that it had bene the good wil of god that I had ben redy to haue gone with you for I lye in my lordes litle ease in the day and in the night I lie in the Colehouse froÌ„ Rafe Allerton or any other And we loke euery day wheÌ„ we shal be condeÌ„ned for he sayd that I shold be burned wythin .x. dais before Easter but I lie styl at the pooles brynke and euery man goeth in before me but we abyde patiently the Lords laysure with many bandes in fetters stockes by the which we haue receyued great ioy in god And now fare you wel dere brethreÌ„ and Sisters in this world but I trust to see you in the heauen face to face O brother Munt with your wyfe my deare Sister Rose oh how blessed are you in the Lord that god hath found you worthy to suffer for hys sake with all the rest of my dere brethern Sisters knowen vnknowen O be ioyful euen vnto death feare it not saith Christ for I haue ouercommen death Oh dere hartes seyng that Iesus Christ
boke the testamēt of Iesus Christ in these woful wretched dais what you shold thinke and what you should stay vpon for a certayne truth and whatsoeuer you heare taught trie it by your boke whether it be true or false The dayes be daungerous and ful of perill not only for the world and worldly thinges but for heauen and heauenly thinges It is a trouble to loose the treasures of this life but yet a verye paine if they be kepte with the offence of god Cry call praye and in Christ daily requyre helpe succour mercy wisdome grace and defence that the wickednes of this world preuaile not againste vs. We began well god preserue vs vntill the ende I woulde wryte more often vnto you but I do perceyue you be at so much charges with me that I feare you would thinke whē I write I craue Send me nothyng tyll I send to you for it and so tell the good men your partners and whē I nede I will be bold of you .3 Decem. 1554. Yours with my prayer I. Hoper A report of hys miserable imprisonment and most cruell handlyng by Babington that enemye of god and of hys truthe then Warden of the Fleete THe fyrst of Semptember 1553. I was committed vnto the Flete from Richmont to haue the liberty of the prison and within vi dais after I payed for my liberty fyue poundes sterling to the Warden for fees who immediatly vpon the paymente therof complained vnto Steven Gardiner bishop of Winchester and so was I committed to close pryson one quarter of a yeare in the Tower chāber of the Fleete vsed very extremely Then by the meanes of a good gentlewoman I had libertye to come downe to dinner and supper and not to speake wyth any of my frendes but as soone as dinner and supper was done to repayre to my chamber againe Notwithstanding whiles I came downe thus to dinner and supper the Warden and hys wyfe pyked quarels with me and complained vntruly of me to their great frend the bishop of winchester After one quarter of a yeare and somewhat more the Warden and hys wyfe fell out with me for the wicked masse and thereupon the warden resorted to the byshop of Winchester obteined to put me into the wardes where I haue continued a long time hauing nothing appoynted to me for my bedde but a little pad of straw a rotten couerynge with a tike and a few fethers therin the chamber beyng vile and stynckynge vntill by Gods meanes good people sente me bedding to lye in of the one side of which prison is the synke filth of all the house on the other syde the towne ditch so that the stinche of the house hath infected me wythe sundrye diseases During which tyme I haue bene sicke the dores barres haspes and chaynes beinge all closed and made faste vpon me I haue mourned called and cryed for helpe But the warden when he hath knowen me many tymes redy to dye and when the poore men of the wardes haue called to helpe me hath commaunded the doores to be kepte fast and charged that none of hys men should come at me sayenge lette hym alone it were a good riddaunce of hym And amonge manye other tymes he did thus the 18. of October 1553. as many can witnes I payd alwayes like a Baron to the sayd warden aswell in fees as for my boord whych was xx shyllinges a weke besides my mans table vntil I was wrongfullye depriued of my bishoprycke And sithens that time I haue payde hym as the beste gentleman doth in hys house yet hath he vsed me worse and more vylye then the veriest slaue that euer came to the hall commons The sayde warden hath also emprisoned my man Wylliam Downton and strypped him out of his clothes to search for letters and could finde none but onelye a little remembraunce of good people names that gaue me theyr almes to relieue me in prisonne And to vndoe them also the Warden deliuered the same bill vnto the sayd Steuen Gardiner Gods enemy and myne I haue suffred emprisonmente almost eighten monethes my goods lyuyng frendes and comfort taken from me the Quene owyng me by iuste accompte foure score poundes or more She hath putte me in pryson and geueth nothynge to fynde me neyther is there suffred any to come at me wherby I myght haue relief I am with a wicked man and woman so that I see no remedy sauyng Gods help but I shal be cast away in prison before I can come to iudgement But I commit my iuste cause to God whose will be doone whether it be by life or death Iohn Hoper ¶ A letter concerning the vayne and false reportes whiche were spreade abrode of him that he had recanted and abiured that doctrine whiche he before had preached THe grace and peace of God be wyth al them that vnfeinedly loke for the coming of our sauiour Christ Amē Deare brethren and sisters in our lord and my fellow prisoners for the cause of Gods gospell I do reioyce and geue thankes vnto God for your constancy and perseuerance in affliction wyshing and praying vnto him for your continuance therin to the end And as I do reioyce in your faythfull and constant affliction that be in prisō euen so do I mourne and lament to heare of our deare brethren abroade that yet haue not suffred nor felt such daūgers for Gods truth as we haue and do fele are like dayly to suffer more yea the very extreme death of the fier Yet suche is the reporte abroade as I am crediblye informed that I Iohn Hoper a condemned man for the cause of Christ now after sentence of death being in Newgate prisonner lokinge daylye for execution shoulde recante and abiure that heretofore I haue preached And thys talke riseth of this that the byshoppe of London and his chapleines resort vnto me Doubtles if our brethren were as godly as I could wish them to be thei would think that in case I did refuse to talke wyth them they might haue iust occasiō to say that I were vnlerned disdained to speak with them Therfore to auoyd iust suspition of both I haue and doe daylye speake wythe them when they come not doubtinge but they will reporte that I am neyther proude nor vnlearned And I would wysh all men to do as I doe in thys poynte for I feare not theyr argumentes neyther is death terrible vnto me wherfore I pray you to make true export of the same as occasiō shal serue also that I am more confyrmed in the truthe that heretofore I haue preached by theyr cōmunication and ye that may send to the weake bretherne abroad prayinge thē that they trouble me not with such reports of recātation as they do For I haue hetherto left all thinges of this world suffred great paynes long imprisonment I thanke God I am ready euen as gladly to suffer deathe for the truthe I haue preached as a
for I doe dailye twyse at the least in thys sorte remember you And I do not doubt deare wyfe but that bothe I and you as we be writen in the boke of lyfe so we shal together enioy the same euerlastingly through the grace mercy of god our deare father in his sonne our Christ And for thys present life let vs wholy apoynte our selues to the wil of our good god to glorify him either by life or by death and euen that same mercyfull Lord make vs worthye to honour hym eyther way as pleaseth him Amen I am mery I thanke my god and my Christ in whome and through whome I shall I knowe be hable to fyght a good fighte and fynyshe a good course then receyue the crowne which is layde vp in store for me and all the true souldiours of Christ 1. Timo. 4. Wherfore wyfe let vs in the name of our God fyght lustely to ouercome the flesh the deuyll and the world What our harnesse and weapons be in thys kynd of fyght looke the vi vnto the Ephesians and pray praye praye I would that you make no sute for me in any wyse Thanke you knowe whom for her moste swete and comfortable puttyng me in remembraunce of my iourney whether I am passyng God send vs al good spede and a ioyfull meetyng I haue to fewe suche frendes to further me in that iorney which is in dede the greatest frendeship The blessyng of god be wyth you all Amen A prisoner in the Lord. Laurence Saunders ¶ To hys VVyfe GRace mercye and peace c. Deare wyfe euen that our mercifull God and moste louyng father whom we call vpon daily and of whose mercies we daily taste â—nd who wyl be a most tender father vnto all theÌ„ which hartely turne vnto hym beleue in hym and cast theyr care vpon hym that our good god I say euen for hys sonne our swete Christs sake be your helper and keper Amen Amen And nowe you see hys goodnes towardes you by manye wayes prouokyng you to embrace him as your only god only comfort He is more redy mercifully to receiue you theÌ„ you can be readye to runne vnto hym for helpe He saith by hys prophet I wyll fauour them euen as a father doth fauour hys chyld that offendeth Esay 49. And in an other place is it possible that a mother can forget her childe which she hathe borne If she be forgetfull yet wyl not I forget thee Thus sayth he vnto al such as vnfaynedly seke hym You be in the Lordes bondes and in his blessed tuition I do not doubte Commend your selfe and that which he hath geuen you vnto his mercyfull and blessed wyll and so do I and shall doe by hys goodnes Exercise your selfe in the comfortable remembraunce of gods manyfold mercifull promises Put hym in remembraunce of the same by often prayer and put your whole trust in him who for hys names sake hys promyse sake and for hys Christes sake wyl do that is best for you Commend me to all the godly there Send me word in any wyfe if you lacke Take hede that you be no more chargeable vnto them at whose house you be then you shal fully content them in any wise God kepe you A letter wrytten to Steuen Gardiner Byshop of VVynchester and then Lord Chauncellour as an aunswer to some thyngs wherwith he had before charged hym TOuching the cause of myne imprisonment I doubt whether I haue broken any law either proclamatioÌ„ In my doctrine I did not forasmuch as at the time it was permitted by the proclamatioÌ„ to vse accordyng vnto our coÌ„scieÌ„ces such seruice as was theÌ„ established My doctrine was theÌ„ agreable vnto my conscieÌ„ce and the seruice then vsed He meaneth the publike preaching of gods word in hys owne paryshe This proclamatioÌ„ was to inhibite the preaching of gods holy word The acte which I dyd was such as beyng indifferently weighed sounded to no breaking of the proclamation or at leaste to no wylful breakyng of it for as muche as I caused no bell to bee ronge neyther occupied I any place in the pulpit after the order of Sermons or lectures But be it that I dyd breake the proclamation thys long tyme of continuance in prysoÌ„ may be thought to be more then sufficient punishmente for such a faulte Touchyng the chargyng of me with my religion I say wyth S. Paule Confiteor hoc quod iuxta viani quaÌ„ vocaÌ„t haeresim Actes 24 sic colo patriuÌ„ deuÌ„ credens omnibus quae in lege et prophetis scripta sunt spem habeÌ„s in deuÌ„ c. Quin in hoc et ipse studeo sine offendiculo conscientiam habere erga deum et erga homines semper That is to saye this I confesse that after the waye whiche they call heresy so worshyp I the God of my forefathers beleuyng all thynges whyche are written in the law and prophets and haue hope towardes God c. And herein I endeuoure my selfe to haue alwaye a cleare conscience towardes God and towardes men So that GOD I call to witnes I haue a conscience And this my conscience is not grounded vppon vayne fantasye but vppon the infallible veritye of Gods woorde with the witnessyng of hys chosen churche agreable vnto the same It is an easye thynge for them whiche take Christe for their true pastour to discerne the voyce of their true shepeheard from the voyce of wolues hirelynges and straungers forasmuch as Christ saith Iohn 10 Oues meae vocem meam audiunt That is my shepe heare my voyce Yea and therby they shall haue the gifte to know the ryght voyce of the true shepehard and so to follow hym and to auoide the contrary as he also sayth Oues pastorem sequuntur quia nouerunt vocem eius altenum vero non sequuntur sed aufugiunt ab eo quia non noueruut vocem alienorum That is the shepe follow the shepeheard for they know hys voyce a straunger wyl they not follow but fly from him for they know not the voyce of a strauÌ„ger Such inward inspiratioÌ„ doth the holy ghost put into the children of God beyng in deede taught of god but otherwyse vnhable to vnderstaÌ„d the true way of theyr saluation And albeit that the wolfe as Christe sayth commeth in shepes clothyng yet he sayth ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos That is by their fruites ye shall know them For there be certaine fruites wherby the wolfe is bewraied notwithstandyng that otherwise in sundry sortes of deuout holines in outward shew he semeth neuer so simple a shepe That the Romish religion is rauenyng and woluishe it is apparant in three pryncipal pointes Fyrst it robbeth god of his due and only honour Secondly it taketh away the true comfort of conscieÌ„ce in obscuring or rather burieng of Christ his office of saluation Thirdly it spoyleth god of hys true worship seruice in spirit truth apointed in his prescript coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts
me vp to heauen where I shal loke continually for your cōming and others my faithful brethrē in the kinges Bench. And though I tel you that I am in hel in the iudgement of thys world yet assuredly I feele in the same the consolation of heauen prayse god And thys lothsome horrible prison is as pleasaūt to me as the walke in the gardē of the kings Bench. You know brother Careles that the way to heauē out of this life is very narrowe we must striue to enter in at a narrow gate If God do mitigate the ouglenes of mine imprisonment what wil he do in the rage of the fier wherunto I am appointed And thys hath happened vnto me that I might be hereafter an ensample of cōfort if the like happen vnto you or to any other of my deare brethrē with you in these cruel daies in the which the deuil so rageth at the faithful flocke of Christ but in vaine I trust againste any of vs who be persuaded that neyther lyfe neither death is hable to separate vs from the loue of Christes Gospell which is gods high treasure cōmitted to our brittle vessels to glorify vs by the same God of his mercye make vs faythful stewardes to the end geue vs grace to feare nothing whatsoeuer in his good pleasure we shall suffer for the same That I haue not written vnto you erste the cause is our straite keping the want of light by night for the day serueth vs but a while in our darke closet This is the first letter that I haue writen since I came to prison besides the report of mine examinatiōs I am faine to scrible it out in haste Comend me to al our faythful brethren byd them with a good courage loke for their redēption and frame thēselues to be harty souldiers in Christ They haue taken his prest money a great while now let thē shew thē selues readye to serue him faythfully not to flye out of the lords campe into the world as many do Let them remember that in the Apocalips the feareful bee excluded the kingdome Let vs bee of good cheare for our lord ouercame the world that we should do the like Blessed is the seruant whō when the Lord cōmeth he fyndeth watching O let vs watch and pray earnestly one for an other that we be not led into temptation Be ioyfull vnder the crosse prayse the Lord continually for this is the whole burnt sacrifice which the lord chiefly delyghteth in Cōmend me to my father Hunt desire him to loue continue in the vnitie of Christes true church which he hath begon then shall he make me more more to ioye vnder my crosse with him Tell my brother Clements that he hath comforted me muche by his louing token in significatiō of an vnfayned vnitie with vs let him encreace my ioye vnto the end perfectly The Lord of peace be with you all Salute all my louing frendes Maister Meryng Maister Crooth with the rest specially Maister Marshall and hys wyfe with great thankes for hys kyndnes shewed vnto me Fare well my deare Careles I haue dalied with the deuill a while but now I am ouer the shooes God send me well out Out of the Colehouse by your brother Iohn Philpot. An other letter written to Iohn Careles out of the Colehouse of darkenes whereby he geueth lighte and heauenlye comforte to hys heauy and troubled mynde THe God of all comfort and the father of oure Lord Iesus Christ send vnto thee my deare brother Careles the inwarde consolation of hys holy spirite in al the malicious assaultes and troublous temptations of our common aduersarye the Deuill Amen That god geueth you so contrite a harte for your sinnes I can not but reioyce to behold the liuely marke of the children of god whose propertye is to thinke more lowlye and vily of themselues then of any other and often tymes doe set their sinnes before them that they myghte the more bee styrred to bryng forth the fruites of repentaunce and learne to mourne in thys worlde that in an other they myghte bee glad and reioyce Such a broken heart is a pleasaunt sacryfyce vnto God O that I had the lyke contrite harte God mollifye my stonye harte which lamenteth not in such wise my former detestable iniquities Praised be god that he hath geuen you thys sorrowful hart in respect of righteousnes I praye you let me be pertaker of these Godly sorrowes for sinne which be the testimony of the presence of the holy ghoste Dyd not the sword of sorrow pearce the harte of the elect and blessed mother of our Lord Did not Peter wepe bitterly for hys sinnes which was so beloued of Christ Dyd not Mary Magdalene was the feete of oure Sauiour with her teares and receaued therwithall remission of her seuenfold sinnes Be of good comfort therfore mine own deare heart in thys thy sorrowe for it is the earnest peny of eternall consolatiō In thy sorrowe laughe for the spirite of God is with thee Blessed be they sayth Christ that mourne Math. 15. Psa 125. psal 51 Luke 7 for they shal bee comforted They went forth and wepte fayth the Prophet such shall come agayne hauing their gripes full of gladnes And althoughe a sorrowfull harte in consideration of hys sinne be an acceptable sacrifice before God whereby we are stirred vp to more thankefulnes vnto God knowing that much is forgeuen vs that we might loue the more yet the mā of god muste keepe a measure in the same leaste he bee swallowed vppe by to muche sorrowe Sainte Paule woulde not the Thessalonians to be sory as other men whiche haue no hope Such a sorow is not commendable 1. Thess 4. 2. Cor. 7. but worketh damnation and is farre from the children of God who are continually sorrowfull in god when they loke vppon theyr own vnworthynes with hope of forgeuenes For God to thys end by his spirite setteth the sinnes of hys electe still before them that where they perceaue sinne to abounde Rom. 5. there they myght be assured that grace shall superabounde bringeth them downe vnto hell that he myght lift thē vp with greater ioy vnto heauē Wherfore myne own bowels in Christ as long as you are not voyde altogether of hope be not dismayde throughe your pensiue harte for your sinnes howe huge so euer they haue beene for God is hable to forgeue more then you are able to sinne yea and he wil forgeue him which with hope is sory for hys sinnes But know brother that as oft as we do go aboute by the helpe of Gods spirite to do that is good the euil spirit Sathan layeth hard wayte to turne the good vnto euill goeth about to mixe the detestable darnell of desperation with the godly sorrow of a pure penitent heart You be not ignoraunt of hys malicious subtelty and how that continually he assaulteth that good which the grace of
before you though it be to come as euen now present lyke as you do and wyl your patientes to doe in purgations and other your ministrations to consyder the effecte that wil ensue where through the bitternes and lothesomnes of the purgatiō is so ouercome and the painfulnes in abydyng the workyng of that is mynistred is so eased that it maketh the patient willyngly ioyfully to receiue that is to be receiued although it be neuer so vnpleasaūt so I say set before you the ende of this straite way and thē doutles as Paule saith aeternū pōdus gloriae pariet whiles you loke not on the thyng sene for that is temporal but on the thing which is not sene which is eternall So dothe the husbandman in plowing and tilling set before him the haruest time so doth the fisher consider the draught of his nette rather thē the casting in so doth the merchaunt the returne of his merchaūdise and so shoulde we in these stormy daies set before vs not the losse of our goods liberty very lyfe but the reaping time the comming of our sauiour Christ to iudgement the fire that shall burne the wicked disobediēt to gods gospel the blast of the Trumpe the exceding glory prepared for vs in heauen eternally suche as the eie hathe not sene the eare hath not heard nor the harte of man can conceyue The more we lose here the greater ioye shall wee haue there The more we suffer the greater tryumphe For corruptible drosse we shall fynde incorruptible treasures for golde glorye for syluer solace without ende for ryches robes royall for earthely houses eternall Palaces myrthe wythout measure pleasure wythout payne felicitye endeles Summa we shall haue God the father the sonne and the holy Ghoste Oh happye place oh that thys daye woulde come Then shal the ende of the wicked be lamentable then shall they receiue the iust rewarde of thy vengeaunce then shall they crye woe woe that euer they dyd as they haue done Reade Sapien 2.3.4.5 Reade Mathew 25. Reade 1. Corrinthians 15. 2. Corrinthians 5. and by fayth whiche GOD encrease in vs consyder the thinges there set forth And for your comforte reade Hebrewes 11. to see what faythe hath done alwayes consyderyng the way to heauen to be by many tribulations that all they which wyll lyue godlye in Christe Iesu must suffer persecution You know thys is oure Alphabet he that wyll bee my Disciple sayeth Christ must denye hymselfe and take vppe his crosse and followe me not thys Bishoppe nor that Doctour not thys Emperour nor that Kynge but me sayeth Christe for he that loueth father mother wyfe chyldren or verye lyfe better then me is not worthye of me Remember that the same Lorde sayeth Math. 8. he that wyll saue hys lyfe shall loose it Comforte your selfe wyth thys that as the Deuyls had no power ouer the Porkettes or ouer Iobes goodes wythout Gods leaue so shall they haue none ouer you Remember also that all the heares of your head are numbred wyth GOD. The Deuyll maye make one beeleue he wyll drowne hym as the Sea in hys surges threateneth to the lande but as the Lorde hathe appoynted boundes for the one ouer the whyche he cannot passe so hathe he done for the other On god therfore cast your care loue him serue him after hys worde feare him trust in him hope at his hande for all helpe and alwayes praye lookyng for the crosse and when soeuer it commeth bee assured the Lorde as he is faythfull so he will neuer tempte you further then he will make you able to beare but in the myddest of the tēptation wil make such an euasion as shal be most to his glorye and your eternall comfort God for his mercy in Christe with his holye spirite endue you comforte you vnder the winges of hys mercy shadow you and as his deare childe guide you for euermore To whose merciful tuition as I doe wyth my hartye prayer committe you so I doubte not but you praye for me also and so I beseche you to do stil My brother P. telleth me you would haue the last part of sainct Hieromes workes to haue the vse thereof for a fortenighte I cannot for these .iij. dais wel forbeare it but yet on thursday next I wil send it you if god let me not vse me that I haue as your owne The lorde for his mercy in Christe directe oure wayes to his glory Amen Out of pryson by yours to commaunde Iohn Bradford To Maystres M. H. a godly gentlewoman comfortyng her in that common heauines and godly sorrow which the feeling and sense of sinne worketh in gods children I Humblye and hartelye praye the euerlyuyng good god and father of mercye to blesse and kepe your harte and mynd in the knowledge and loue of his truth of his Christ through the inspiration and workyng of the holy spyryte Amen Although I haue no doubte but that you prosper and go forwardes daily in the way of godlines more and more drawyng towardes perfection and haue no neede of anyethyng that I can wryte yet because my desyre is that you myghte be more feruent and perseuer to the ende I coulde not but wryte somethyng vnto you besechyng you bothe often and diligently to call vnto your mynd as a meane to styrre you hereunto yea as a thyng which god most straitly requireth you to beleue that you are beloued of god that he is your dere father in through and for Christ and his deathes sake This loue tender kyndnes of god towards vs in Christ is aboundātly herein declared in that he hath to the godly worst of creation of this worlde made vs after his image redemed vs beyng lost called vs into his church sealed vs with his marke and signe manuel of Baptisme kept and conserued vs all the dais of our lyfe fed nourished defended and moste fatherlye chastised vs and nowe hath kindled in our hartes the sparcles of hys feare faith loue and knowlege of hys Christ and truth and therfore we lament because we lament no more our vnthankfulnes our frailenes our diffidence and waueryng in things wherin we should be moste certain Al these thyngs we shuld vse as meanes to cōfyrme our faith of this that god is our god and father and to assure vs that he loueth vs as our father in Christ to this end I say we should vse the thynges before touched especially in that of all thinges god requyreth this faith and persuasion of hys fatherly goodnes as hys chiefest seruyce For before he aske any thyng of vs he saieth I am the Lord thy god geuyng hymselfe and then all he hath to vs to be our own And this he doth in respect of hymself of hys owne mercye and truth and not in respect of vs for then were grace no grace In consideration wherof when he saieth Thou shalte haue none other gods but me thou shalt loue me with all thy hart
champions or els yf ye feele suche infirmitie in your selues that ye be not hable geue place to violence and go where ye maye with free and safe conscience serue the lord Thinke not this counsel to come by chaunce or fortune but to come from the Lorde other oracles we may not looke for nowe As God tolde Ioseph in a dreame by an aungel that he shoulde flye so yf ye feele such infirmity in your selues as shoulde turne to gods dishonor and your owne destruction wythal know that at this present I am as gods aungel to admonish you to take tyme whyles ye haue it and to see that in no case Gods name by you myghte be dishonoured Ioseph myghte haue obiected the omission of his vocation as perchaunce ye wil doe but deare hartes let vocations and all things els geue place to gods name the sanctifyeng therof Thys I speak not as though I wuld not haue you rather to tary to staÌ„d to it but I speake it in respect of your infirmity which if ye feele to bee so greate in you that ye are not certayne of thys hope that god wyll neuer tempt you aboue you hability fly and get you hence and know that therby god wil haue you tried to your selues to others For by this you shal know how to take thys world and your home here as no home but that ye loke for an other and so geue occasion to others lesse to loue thys world and perchaunce to some to doubte of their religion Wherin though they be earnest yet would not they loose so much as ye do for your religion which ye confyrme to me others by your geuyng place to violence Laste of all ye haue cause to reioyce ouer these daies because they be dayes of conformation in the which and by the which god our father maketh vs lyke to christes image here that we may be like to him elswhere For if we suffer with him we shall reigne with him if we be buryed with him we shal rise with him if we coÌ„pany with him in afflictions we shall reioyce with him in glorye if we sowe with him in teares we shal reape with him in gladnes if we coÌ„fesse him before men he will confesse vs before his Father in heauen if we take his part he will take ours if we lose ought for his names sake he wil geue vs all thinges for his truthes sake So that we ought to reioyce bee glad for it is not geueÌ„ to euery one to suffer losse of couÌ„trey life goods house c. for the Lords sake What can god the father do more vnto vs then to cal vs into campe with his sonne What may Christe our Sauiour doe more for vs then to make vs his warriours What can the holy ghost doe to vs aboue this to marke vs with the cognisaunce of the Lord of hostes This cognisance of the Lord standeth not in forket cappes tippettes shauen crownes or such other baggage and antichristian pelfe but in suffering for the Lords sake The worlde shall hate you saith Christ Loe there is the cognisance and badge of gods children the world shal hate you Reioyce therfore my dearly beloued reioyce that god doth thus vouchsafe to beginne to conforme you and make you like to Christ By the triall of these dayes ye are accasioned more to repeÌ„t more to pray more to contempne this worlde more to desire life euerlasting more to be holy for holy is the ende wherfore GOD doth afflict vs and so come to gods company Which thing because we can not do as long as this body is as it is therfore by the doore of death we must entre with Christ into eternall life and immortalitie of soule and body which God of his mercy send shortlye for our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake Amen Iohn Bradford To myne owne deare brother Maister Laurence Saunders prisoner in the Marshalsee GOds sweete peace in Christe be with you my good brother in the Lord Iesus with all your concaptiues AmeÌ„ I was letted this morning from musing on that which I was purposed to haue thought on by reasoÌ„ of you against whoÌ„ I sawe my selfe giltie of negligence euen in this poynt that I would not write I should say that I had not written vnto you as yet therfore out of hande in maner I prepared my selfe to purge my self hereof not that I wil go about to excuse my fault for that were more to loade me but by asking both god and you pardon to get it no more layde to my charge Now then as I was thus purposing partly doing coÌ„meth there one with a letter from you for the which as I haue cause to thanke god and you howbeit not so that you should thinke I geue not the whole to god so I see my selfe more blame worthye for thus longe holding my peace Howbeit good brother in this I haue geuen a demonstration to you to behold my negligence in all other things and especially in praying for you and for the church of god whiche for my sinnes and hypocrisie hypocrisie in dede euen in this writing god deliuer me from it haue deserued to bee punished Iust is god for we haue deserued all kindes of plaggues at his hands but yet merciful is he that will on thys wise chastise vs with this world ne cuÌ„ muÌ„do condeÌ„nemur He myght otherwise haue punished vs I meane he might haue for other causes cast vs in prison me especially then for his gospell and wordes sake Praysed therfore be his name whiche voucheth vs worthy thys honour Ah good god forgeue vs our sinnes and worke by this thy fatherly correction on vs on me especially effectually to loue thee and thy Christ and with ioyfulnes vnto the end to cary thy crosse through thicke and thinne Alwayes set before our eyes not this gallowes on earth if we still sticke to thee but the gallowes in hell if we denye thee or swarne from that we haue professed Ah good brother if I coulde alwayes haue GOD hys maiestie mercye heauen hell c. before mine eyes then should I obdurare as Paule writeth of Moses Heb. 11. obdurauit in quit perinde quasi vidisset eum qui est inuisibilis Praye for me as I know you doe and geue thankes also for in domino spero non nutabo Psal 22. Si ambulauero per valleâ—n vmbrae mortis non timebo quia tu domine mecum es Amen I thinke we shall bee shortly called forth for now legeÌ„ habent secuÌ„duÌ„ legem c. otherwise will they not reason with vs and I thynke theyr shootanker wil be to haue vs to subscribe The which thing if we do though with this condition so farre as the thing subscribed to repugneth not agaynst Gods word yet thys will be offensiue Therefore let vs vadere planê and so sanê I meane let vs all confesse that we are no chaungelinges but reipsa are the same we were in
me Oh that GOD woulde hartelye touche youre husbandes harte so that he woulde gette hym beyonde the Seas althoughe by that meanes I shoulde neuer more corporallye see you as in deede I feare it I feare it but Gods good will bee done I haue wrytten to hym God for hys mercyes sake tourne it to youre and hys good Amen But to come agayne to that from whence I am digressed whereunto you occasion me also by youre letters complayning to me of the blyndnesse of youre mynde and of the trouble you feele throughe talke with some my dearlye beloued GOD make you thankefull for that whiche he hath geuen vnto you he open youre eyes to see what and howe greate benefytes you haue receaued that you maye be lesse couetous or rather impaciente for so I feare me it should bee called and more thankefull Haue not you receaued at his handes syghte to see youre blyndnesse and thereto a desirous and seekyng harte to see where he lyeth in the mydde day as hys deare spouse speaketh of her selfe in the Canticles Oh Ioyce my good Ioyce what a gifte is thys Manye haue some syghte but none thys sobbing and sighinge none thys seekynge whiche you haue I knowe but suche as he hath marryed vnto hym in hys mercyes You are not contente to kysse hys feete with the Magdalen but you woulde bee kissed euen with the kysse of hys mouth Canti 1. You woulde see hys face wyth Moses forgettyng howe he biddeth vs seeke hys face Psalme 27. yea and that for euer Psalme 105. Whiche sygnifyeth no suche syghte as you desire to bee in thys presente life whiche woulde see GOD nowe face to face where as he can not bee seene but couered vnder somethynge yea some tyme in that whiche is as you woulde saye cleane contrarye to God as to see hys mercye in hys anger in bringyng vs to hell fayth seeth hym bring vs to heauen in darkenesse it beholdeth bryghtnes in hydyng hys face from vs it beholdeth hys merye countenaunce Howe dyd Iob see God but as you woulde saye vnder Sathans cloke For who caste the fyre from heauen vppon hys goodes Who ouerthrewe hys house and styrred vppe men to take awaye hys cattell but Sathan And yet Iob pearced throughe all these and sawe Gods worke saying the Lorde hath geuen the Lorde hath taken awaye c. In reading of the psalmes howe often doe you see that Dauid in the shadowe of death sawe Gods sweete loue And so my dearelye beloued I see that you in your darkenesse and dymnesse by fayth doe see claritie and bryghtnesse by fayth I saye because fayth is of thynges absente of thynges hoped for of thynges whiche I appeale to your conscience whether you desire not And can you desire anye thyng whiche you knowe not And is there of heauenlye things any other true knowlegde then by fayth Therefore my deare harte be thankefull for before God I write it you haue greate cause Ah my Ioyce howe happye is the state wherein you are Verelye you are euen in the blessed state of Gods children for they mourne and do not you so and that not for worldly weale but for spiritual riches faythe hope charitie c. Math. 5 Do you not hunger and thirste for righteousnesse And I praye you saieth not Christ whoe can not lie that happye are such How shoulde GOD wipe awaye the teares from youre eyes in heauen if now on earth you shed no teares How could heauen be a place of reste if on earth you dyd finde it Howe coulde you desire to bee at home if in youre iourneye you founde no greffe Howe could you so often cal vpō god and talke with him as I knowe you doe if your enemye should sleepe all daye longe Howe shoulde you elswhere be made lyke vnto Christe I meane in ioye if in sorrowe you sobbed not with hym If you wil haue ioye and felicitie you muste firste needes feele sorrowe and miserye If you will goe to heauen you must sayle by hell If you will embrace Christe in hys robes you muste not thynke scorne of hym in hys ragges If you will sitte at Christes table in hys kingdome you muste fyrste abide with hym in hys temptations If you will drinke of hys cuppe of glorye forsake not hys cuppe of ignominye Can the head corner stone bee reiected and the other more base stones in Gods buildyng be in thys worlde set by You are one of hys liuely stones be contente therefore to be hewen and snagged at that you myghte be made the more meete to bee ioyned to youre fellowes which suffer with you Sathans snatches the worlds woundes contempte of conscience and frettes of the fleshe where throughe they are enforced to crye Oh wretches that we are Rom. 6 who shall deliuer vs You are of Gods corne feare not therfore the flayle the fanne mylstone nor ouen You are one of Christes Lambes looke therefore to bee fleeced hayled at and euen flayne If you were a market shepe you shoulde goe in more fatte and grasye pasture If you were for the Faire you shoulde bee staulfed and wante no weale but because you are for Gods owne occupying therefore you must pasture on the bare common abyding the stormes and tempestes that will fall Happye and twyse happye are you my deare syster that GOD nowe haileth you whether you woulde not Iohn 21. that you myghte come whether you woulde Suffer a little and bee still Let Sathan rage agaynste you let the worlde crye oute let youre conscience accuse you let the lawe loade you and presse you downe yet shall they not preuaile for Christe is Emanuell that is god with vs. If God be with vs who can be agaynst vs The Lord is with you your father cā not forget you your spouse loueth you Math. 8 If the waues and surges arise crye with Peter Lord I perishe and he wil put out his hand and helpe you Cast out your anker of hope and it wyll not cease for all the stormy surges till it take holde on the rocke of gods truthe and mercy Thinke not that he whiche hathe geuen you so many thynges corporallye as inductions of spirituall and heauenlye mercies and that wythout your desertes or desyre can deny you any spiritual comfort desiring it phi 2. For yf he geue to desire he will geue you to haue and enioye the thyng desired The desyre to haue and the goyng aboute to aske ought to certifye your conscience that they be his earnest of the thyng whiche you askyng he will geue you yea before you aske and whilest you are aboute to aske he wyll graunt the same as Esay sayth to his glory and your eternal consolation He that spared not his owne sonne for you Rom. 8 wyll not nor cannot thynke anye thynge to good for you my hartely beloued If he had not chosen you as most certainlye he hathe he would not haue so called you he would neuer haue iustified you he
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
way Math. 7 2. Timot. 3 2. Cor. 5 Math. 14. which few walke in for fewe lyue godly in Christ Iesu few regard the lyfe to come few remember the day of iudgement fewe remember how Christ will deny them beforh hys father that do denye him here few consider that Christ wyll be ashamed of them in the last day which are ashamed now of hys truthe true seruice few cast theyr accomptes what will be laid to theyr charge in the day of vengeaūce fewe regard the condemnation of their owne consciences in doyng that which inwardly they disalow few loue god better then theyr goodes Rom. 14. but I trust yet ye are of these few my derely beloued I trust ye be of the little flocke which shall enherite the kyngdome of heauen I trust ye are of the mourners and lamēters which shal be comforted with comfortes which neuer shal be taken from you if ye nowe repente your former euils Luke 10 if nowe ye stryue agaynste the euyls that are in you if now ye cōtinue to call vppon God if nowe ye defile not your bodies with anye Idolatrous seruice vsed in the Antichristian churches Ephesi 4. if ye moleste not the good spirite of God which is geuen you as a gage of eternal redēption a coūseller master to lead you into all truth whiche good spirit I beseche the father of mercy to geue vs all for hys dere sonnes sake Iesus Christ our lord Acts. 20 to whom I cōmend you al to the word of his grace which is able to helpe you all saue you all that beleue it follow it serue god therafter And of this I would ye were al certain that al the heares of your heades are numbred so that not one of thē shal perish Math. 8. Iob. 1. Psa 104 Psa 13. 1. pet 5 neither shal any man or deuil be able to attempt any thing much lesse to doe any thing to you or any of you before your heauēly father which loueth you most tēderly shal geue thē leaue when he hath geuen them leaue they shal go no further then he wyll nor kepe you in trouble any longer then he wyll Therfore caste on hym all your care for he is carefull for you onely studye to please him and to kepe your consciences cleane and your bodies pure from the Idolatrous seruice which now euery where is vsed and god will meruelously and mercifully defend and comforte you whiche thing he doe for hys names sake in Christ our Lord. Amen Iohn Bradforde To my good Lady Vane THe true sense and swete feelyng of gods eternall mercies in Christe Iesus bee euer more and more liuely wrought in your hart by the holy ghost Amen I most hartely thanke you good madame for your comfortable letters where as you would be aduertised what were beste to bee done on your behalfe concernyng your iij. questions the truthe is that the questions are neuer well sene nor aunswered vntil the thynge whereof they arise bee well considered I meane vntill it be sene how great an euill the thing is If it be once in dede in your hart perceaued vpon probable and pithy places gathered out of gods booke that there was neuer thing vpon the earthe so great so much an aduersary to gods true seruice to Christes death passion priesthode sacrifice and kingdome to the ministery of gods worde and sacraments to the church of God These questions were concerning the masse wherin she desired hys iudgement to repentaunce faith and all true godlines of life as that is wherof the questiōs arise as most assuredly it is in dede then cannot a christiā hart but so much the more abhorre it and al thynges that in any point might seme to allow it or anye thyng pertainyng to the same by howe much it hath the name of gods seruice Agayne your Ladiship doth know that as all is to be discommended and auoyded which is followed or fledde from in respect of our selues in respecte of auoyding Christes crosse so the ende of all our doynges should be to godwards to his glory to our neighbours to edification and good example wherof none can be geuen in allowing anye of the .iii. questions by you propoūded But because this which I write now is breefe and needeth the more consideration or explication as I doubt not of the one in you so from me by Gods grace you shall receaue the other shortly For I haue alreadye written a little booke of it which I will send vnto you He meaneth his booke whiche he calleth the hurt of hearīg masse in the which you shall haue your questions fully aunswered and satisfied and therefore I omitte to write any more hereaboutes presentlye beseching God our good father to guide you as his deare childe with his spirite of wisedome power and comforte vnto eternall life that you may be stronge and reioyce in him and with his church to cary Christes crosse if he shall so thinke it neede 1. Pet. 1. which is a thyng to be desired wished and embraced if we looked on thinges after the iudgement of Gods word and tryed them by that touchstone If you be accustomed to thinke on the breuitie vanitie and miserie of this life and o◠the eternitie truth and felicitie of euerlasting life if you looke on thinges after their endes and not after their present appearaunce only if you vse your self to set gods presence power and mercy alwayes before your eyes to see thē as god by euery creature would you should I doubt not but you shall finde such strength and comforte in the Lord as you shall not be shaken with all the power of Sathan Gods mercy in Christ be with you and his good spirite guide you for euer Amen An other letter to the Lady Vane AS to myne owne soule I wishe to your Ladiship grace and mercy from God our deare Father in Christe our Lorde and Sauioure I thanke God that something he hath eased you and mitigated his fatherly correction in vs both I woulde to God he had done so much in the behalfe of the greefe of the body to you as he hath done to me For as for the soule I trust you feele that which I pray god encrease in you I meane his fatherly loue and graunte that I may with you feele the same in such degree as may please him I wil not say as you feele least I should seeme to aske to muche at one time God doth often muche more plentifullye viset with the sense of hys mercye them that humble them selues vnder his mightye hande and are sore exercised as you long haue bene then others whiche to the face of the worlde haue a more shewe and appearaunce Therfore I wysh as I do and that not only for myne own commoditye but also that I myght occasion you to the consideration of the goodnesse of God which I by your letters doe well espye which is in
of christ In this life your childrē shal finde gods plentiful blessyng vpon thē whē you are gone and all your goods taken away God is so good that he helpeth the young Rauens before they can flye and feedeth them when their dammes haue moste vnkindly lefte them and trowe ye that God which is the God of the wydowes and fatherlesse children Psa 68 2. Cor. 4. Iohn 21. 1. Pet. 5. Psa 55. math 6. Luke 12. will not speciallye haue a care for the babes of hys deare Sainctes whiche dye or lose any thyng for conscience to hym Oh my dearely beloued therfore looke vp with the eyes of fayth Consider not things presente but rather things to come Be cōtent nowe to goe whether God shal girde lead vs. Let vs now cast our selues wholy into his hands with our wiues children al that euer we haue Let vs be sure the heares of our heade are nūbred so that one heare shall not peryshe without the good will of our dere father Math. 10 Psal 91. who hath commaūded his Angels to pitche their tentes about vs in their hāds to take hold vs vp that we shal not hurt as much as our foote against a stone Let vs vse earnest prayer Ephesi 6. Luke 13. Deut. 6. 3. Cor. 7. 1. Thess 5. Math. 25. 1. Timo. 5. Rom. 12 Rom. 16. let vs hartely repent let vs harken diligently to gods word let vs kepe our selues pure frō all vncleanesse both of spirite and body let vs flee from al euil and al appearance of euill let vs be diligent in our vocation and in doing good to al men especially to them that be of the housholde of fayth let vs liue in peace with al men as muche as is in vs. And the Lorde of peace geue vs hys peace and that for euer more Amen I praye you remember me youre poore afflicted brother in your hartye prayers to god This .2 of September Iohn Brdford An other letter to Maister Richarde Hopkins then Shriefe of Couentrye and prysoner in the Fleete for the faythfull and constant confessing of gods holy Gospell DEarelye beloued in the Lorde I wyshe vnto you as vnto myne owne brother yea as to myne owne harte roote Gods mercye and the feeling of the same plentifullye in Christe our sweete Sauioure who gaue hym selfe a raunsome for oure synnes and price for oure redēption praysed therefore be hys holy name for euer and euer Amen I will not goe aboute to excuse my selfe for not sending vnto you hetherto sufferynge for the Lordes sake as you doe to the comforte of me and of all that loue you in the truth but rather accuse my selfe both before GOD and you desirynge you of forgeuenesse and with me to praye to GOD for pardon of thys my vnkynde forgettinge you and all other my synnes whiche I beseche the Lorde in his mercye to doe awaye for hys Christes sake Amen Nowe to make amends to your ward I would be glad if I could but bycause I cannot I shall hartely desire you to accepte the will and thys whiche I shall nowe wryte vnto you thereafter I meane after my will and not after the dede to accept and take it At this present my deare hart in the lord you are in a blessed state although it seme otherwise to you or rather vnto your olde Adam the which I dare now bee so bolde as to discerne frō you because you would haue him not only discerned but also vtterly destroyed For if god be true then is his word true Now his word pronounceth of your state that it is happie therfore it must nedes be so To proue this I thinke it nede not for you know that the holy ghost sayth that they are happie which suffer for righteousnesse sake that Gods glorye and spirite resteth on them which suffer for conscience to God Now this you can not but know that this your suffering is for righteousnes sake and for conscience to god wards for els you might be out of trouble euē out of hand I know in very dede that you haue and feele your vnthankefulnes to god and other sinnes to witnes to you that you haue deserued this prisonment and lacke of libertie betwixt god your self and I would you so would confesse vnto god in your prayers with peticion for pardon thankesgeuing for his correcting you here But you know that the Magistrates do not persecute in you youre sinnes your vnthankefulnes c. but they persecute in you Christ himselfe his righteousnes his veritie and therefore happie be you that haue founde such fauour with God your father as to accompt you worthy to suffer for his sake in the sight of man surely you shal reioyce therfore one daye with a ioy vnspeakeable in the sight of man also You may thinke your self borne in a blessed time that haue found this grace with God to be a vessel of honour to suffer with his Saints yea with his sonne My beloued god hath not done so with many The Apostle saith not many noble 1. Cor. 8 not many riche not many wise in the world hath the Lord god chosen Oh then what cause haue you to reioyce that amongest the not many he hath chosen you to be one For thys cause hath God placed you in your office that therefore you might the more see his special dignation loue towards you It had not been so greate a thing for Maister Hopkins to haue suffred as Maister Hopkins as it is for M. Hopkins also to suffer as Maister Shrefe Oh happie day that you were made Shrefe by the whiche as God in this worlde woulde promote you to a more honourable degree so by suffering in this roume he hath exalted you in heauen in the sighte of his church children to a much more excellent glory When was it redde that a Shrefe of a citie hath suffred for the Lords sake Where reade we of any shrefe that hath bene cast in prison for conscience to godwardes How could god haue delt more louingly with you then herein he hath done To the end of the world it shall be written for a memoriall to youre prayse that Richard Hopkins Shrefe of Couentry for conscience to do his office before god was cast in the Flete there kept prisoner a long time Happie twyse happy are you if herefore you may geue your life Neuer could you haue attayned to this promotiō on this sort out of that office How do you preach nowe not onely to all men but speciallye to Magestrates in this realme Who would euer haue thought that you should haue bene the first Magestrate that so Christes sake should haue lost any thing As I sayd before therefore I saye agayne that your state is happie Good brother before god I write the truth vnto you may conscience hearing me witnes that you are in a most happy state with the lord and before hys sight Be thankefull therfore reioyce
word for mine hypocrisie in professing preaching hearing speaking of gods word for my not praying to God for the continuance of it for my not liuing of it throughly as it requireth c. I wil speake nothing of my manyfeste euils for they are knowē to you wel enough Deare brother sister with me say ye the like for your owne parts with me ioyne your hartes let vs goe to our heauenly father for his Christes sake besech him to be mercifull vnto vs and to pardō vs Oh good father it is we that haue deserued the taking away of thy worde it is we that haue deserued these thy iust plagues fallen vppon vs we haue done a mysse we haue dealt vniustly with thy Gospel we haue procured thy wrath therfore iust art thou in punishing vs iust art thou in plaging vs for we are very miserable But good Lorde and deare father of mercy whose iustice is such that thou wilte not punish the poore soules of thys realme which yet haue not thus sinned against thee as we haue done for many yet neuer heard thy word for our trespasses whose mercye is so great that thou wilt put our iniquities out of thy remembraunce for thy Christes sake if we repent beleue graunt vs we besech thee true repētaunce and fayth that we hauing obtayned pardon for our sinnes may through thy Christ get deliueraunce frō the tyrannye of Antichrist now oppressing vs. Oh good father which haste sayd that the Scepter of the wicked should not long lie vpon and ouer the iuste lest they put forth their hands to iniquitie also make vs iust we pray thee in Christes name cut a sunder the cordes of thē that hate Sion let not the wicked people saye where is their god Thou our god art in heauen doest what soeuer it pleaseth thee vpō earth Oh that thou wouldest in the meane whiles before thou do deliuer vs that I say thou wouldest open oure eyes to see al these plagues to come frō thee al other that shal come whatsoeuer they be publike or priuate that they come not by chaunce nor by fortune but that they come euē frō thy hand and that iustly mercifully iustlye because we haue do deserue them not only by our birthpoyson stil sticking working in vs but also by our former euil life past which by this punishment al other punishments that wouldest haue vs to cal to our remēbrance to set before vs that the mightest put thē frō before thee where as they stād so long as they are not in our remēbrance to put thē away by repentance Mercifully oh lord god doest thou punish in that thou doest not correct to kil but to amend that we might repent our sinnes aske mercy obteine it freely in Christ and to beginne to suffer for righteousnes sake to be part of thy house wherat thy iudgement beginneth to be pertakers of the afflictions of thy church and thy Christ that we myght be pertakers of the glory of the same to weepe here that we might reioice elswhere to be iudged in this world that we might with thy Saints iudge hereafter the world to suffer with Christ that we might reigne with him to be like to Christ in shame that we might be like to him in glory to receaue our euelles here that we might with poore Lazarus finde rest elswhere rest I say such a rest as the eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard nor the hart of man is able to cōceaue Oh that our eyes were open to see this that the crosse cōmeth frō thee to declare thy iustice thy mercy and hereto that we might see how short a time the time of suffring is how long a time the time of reioysing is to thē that suffer here but to thē that wil not how long and miserable a time is appointed and prepared a time without tyme in eternal woe and perditiō too horrible to be thought vpon Frō the which kepe vs deare father geue more sight in soule to see this geare and how that al thy dearest childrē haue caried the crosse of greuous affliction in thys lyfe in whose cōpany do thou place vs and such a crosse lay vpō vs as thou wilt make vs able to beare to thy glory and our saluation in Christ for whose sake we pray thee to shorten the dayes of thys our great misery fallen vpon vs most iustlye and in the meane season geue vs pacience repētaunce faith and thy eternal consolation Amen Amen Amen And thus deare hartes I haue talked me thinkes a litle while with you or rather we haue all talked with god Oh that god would geue vs his spirite of grace and prayer My dearly beloued pray for it as for your selues so for me and that god would vouchsafe to make me worthy to suffer with a good conscience for his names sake Pray for me I shal do the like for you This .20 of December by him whom by this bringer ye shal learne I pray you geue my commendations to all that loue me in the Lord. Be mery in Christ for one day in heauen we shall mete and reioyce together for euer more Amen Iohn Bradford To my good brother Iohn Careles prysoner in the King Bench. THe father of mercy god of all cōfort viset vs with his eternal consolatiō according to his great mercies in Iesus Christ our Sauiour Amen My very deare brother if I shall report the truth vnto you I can not but signify that sithē I came into prisō I neuer receaued so much consolation as I did by your last letter the name of god be most hartely praysed therfore But if I shal report the truth vnto you and as I haue begonne speake stil the verity I must confesse that for mine vnthankfulnes to you wardes to god especially I haue more nede of gods merciful tydings thē I had euer heretofore Ah that Sathā enuieth vs so greatly Ah that our Lord would tread hys head vnder our feete shortly Ah that I myght for euer both my self beware be a godly example to you others to beware of vnthankefulnes Good brother Careles we had more nede to take hede after a lightning of a foile thē before God therfore is to be praysed euen whē he hideth that of long a chearful countenaunce from vs lest we being not expert how to vse it as we should do do hurt more our selues thereby so great is our ignorance and corruptiō Thys my good brother ryghte deare to my very hart I write vnto you as to one whō in the Lorde I embrace and I thanke god that you do me in like maner God our father more more geue vs both his good spirite that as by fayth we may fele our selues vnited vnto him in Christ so by loue we may fele oure selues linked in the same Christe one to an other I to you and you to me
gleue but those that runne to the appointed marke None shal be saued but suche as persiste and continue to the verye ende Therfore dere Syster remember that we haue nede of patience Hebr. 20 that when we haue done the good wyll of God we may receiue the promise Patience and perseueraunce be the proper notes wherby gods children are known from counterfaites They that perseuer not were alwayes but hypocrites Manye make godly beginnings yea their progresse semeth meruelous but yet after the ende they fayle These were neuer of vs sayth S. Iohn for yf they had bene of vs they woulde haue continued vnto the verye ende Goe to therefore myne owne beloued in the Lorde as you haue well begunne and well gone forwarde so well persyst and happely ende and then all is yours Though this be sharpe and sower yet it is not tedious or long Doe all that euer you doe symplye for GOD and as to God so shall neuer vnkyndnes nor anye other thynge make you to leaue of from well doyng so longe as you may do well Accustome yourselfe nowe to set GOD continuallye that he may be all in all vnto you In good thynges beholde hys mercye and applye it vnto your selfe In euyl thinges and plagues beholde hys iudgementes wherthorough learne to feare hym Beware of synne as the Serpente of the soule which spoyleth vs of all oure or nature and seemelye apparell in Gods syghte Let Chryst crucifyed be your booke to studye on and that bothe nyghte and daye Marke youre vocation and be diligente in the workes thereof vse hartye and earneste prayer and that in spyryte In all thynges geue thankes to GOD our father throughe Chryste Laboure to haue here lyfe euerlastynge begonne in you for elles it wyll not be elsewhere enioyed Set Gods iudgement often before your eies that now examinyng your selfe you maye make diligent sute and obtayne neuer to come into iudgemente Vncouer your euyls to God that he maye couer them Beware of thys Antichristian trashe defyle not your selfe in soule or bodye therewyth but accomplyshe holynes in the feare rf GOD and beare no yoke wyth vnbeleuers Looke for the commyng of the Lorde whyche is at hande by earnest prayer and godly lyfe hasten it GOD oure father accomplyshe hys good worke in you Amen Commende me to my good Mother Mystres Wylkynson and to my verye deare Syster Mystres Warcuppe I shal dayly commende you all to GGD and I praye you do the lyke for me Iohn Bradforde To Mystres Browne GOod Syster I beseche god to make perfecte the good he hath begonne in you vnto the very ende Amen Thys lyfe more and more waxeth vnto vs as it shoulde be that is a miserable life a wepyng lyfe a wofull lyfe and therfore let vs long for our happy life our laughing life our ioyfull lyfe which we shall enioy then haue in very dede whē we depart by death out of this daūgerous state wherin we nowe are by reason of this synful flesh which we cary about vs. Therfore let vs prepare our selues accordyngly and in misery and sorrow be glad through hope Now we are dispersed but we shal be gathered together again there where we shall neuer part but alwayes be together in ioye eternall In hope hereof let vs beare wyth better wyl our bytter burthens which we feele and shall feele in thys miserable world We haue cause to thanke god that maketh this worlde vnto vs a wyldernes If so be therein we bee patient kisse gods todde and humble oure selues before God assuredly we shall come into the most pleasaunt land of rest Wherfore good Sister as I said I say again be mery with sorrow reioyce in hope be pacient in trouble pray in affliction amongest other I pray you hartely pray for me that god woulde forgeue me my vnthankefulnes not onelye against you which is great in dede but also agaynste all hys people but specially agaynst hys maiesty As I can I shall commende you vnto the tuition of our shepeharde Christe who alwayes kepe vs as hys Lambes for hys holy names sake Amen Your afflicted brother Iohn Bradford ¶ To a faythfull frende of hys whome for hys godly symplicity and synglenes of hart in the wayes of the Lorde he called Nathanaell as he doth also here in thys letter THe merciful God and father of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which loueth vs as a most dere father and hath put vpon hym towardes vs the affectiō of a most tender mother towards her chyldren so that he can no lesse thynke vpon vs althoughe of oure selues we bee moste vnworthye and deserue nothyng lesse then she can thynke on her onelye begotten childe in hys distresse yea if she should forget her childe as some vnnaturall mother will doe yet wyll he neuer forgette vs althoughe for a tyme he seme to slepe that we myghte bee occasioned to call loude and awake hym thys good GOD keepe you my deare brother Nathanaell and your good yokefellowe my hartelye beloued Sister in the Lorde in all thyngs nowe and for euer to hys glorye and your eternall comforte and also of hys goodnesse he graunte you both the feeling of that hope whiche vndoubtedlye he hath layde vppe in stoore for you both farre passing the store and prouision not onely whiche you had made but all the worlde is hable to make as I truste alreadye he hath wroughte it in you but I beseche hym to encrease it more and more and kindle in you a hartye longing for the enioying of the same the whiche once felte and had indeede then the meanes by the whiche we come thereto can not be so greatly dredde as most mē do dread thē because either they want this feling I meane it of altogether or elles because the sense of thys presente tyme and thynges therein are as a myste to the hyding of those thynges from oure syghte least we shoulde runne and embrace them by hartye prayer the spirite whereof God graunte vs and in deede we shoulde attayne enough in this behalfe if we continued therein For auriculer confession wherein you desyre my aduice for your good yokefellowe and familye my moste dere brother I am as readye to geue it as you to desire it yea more gladde forasmuch as halfe a suspitiō was in me at the least touching my dere sister your wife of a lothing of my aduice that too muche had beene geuen where in deede I shoulde lamente my to little feeding you spirituallye as both you oute of pryson and in pryson haue fedde me corporallye But as I alwayes thoughte of her so I yet thynke that she is the childe of GOD whom God dearely loueth and wyll in hys good tyme to her eternall comforte geue her her hartes desire in sure feelyng and sensible beleuyng of thys which I would she had often in her mynde namely that he is her God and father throughe Christe Iesus oure deare Lorde and Sauiour A greater seruice to God shee can not geue
then to beleue thys If Sathan saye she beleueth not to aunswere not him but the Lord and to saye yea Lorde helpe my vnbeliefe and encrease my poore faythe whiche Sathan sayeth is no fayth make hym a lyer Lorde as alwayes he hath beene is and shall bee Vndoubtedlye sooner or later God will graciouslye here her groues and keepe all her teares in hys bottell yea wryte them in hys counting booke for he is a ryghteous God and hath no pleasure in the death of hys creature he loueth mercye he will retourne and shewe her his mercye he will caste all her sinnes and iniquities into the bottome of the sea and the longer that he taryeth as he doth it but to proue her so the more liberallye will he recompence her longe lookyng whiche no lesse pleaseth hym then it greueth nowe her outward Adam For the mortification whereof God vseth this crosse and therefore if she desire to beare the same doubtles God will make her able to beare it and in presumption of hys goodnesse and strengthe let her caste her selfe wholye vppon hym for he is faythfull and wyll assuredlye confyrme and bring to a happye ende that good whiche graciouslye he hath begonne in her The whiche thing I desyre hym to doe for hys owne glorye and names sake Amen Amen And nowe to the matter Confession auriculer as it was fyrst vsed and instituted whiche was by the way of a coūsel asking I take to be amonges those traditiōs which are indifferent that is neyther vnlawfull nor necessarilye binding vs excepte the offence of the weake could not be auoyded But to consider it as it is now vsed I write to you but as I thinke and what my minde is the whiche followe no further then good men by Gods woorde doe allowe it to consider it I saye as it is nowe vsed me thynkes it is plainelye vnlawfull and wicked and that for these causes Fyrste because they make it a seruice of God and a thynge whiche pleaseth God of it selfe I will not saye meritorious Thys brynger my brother can tell you at large howe greate an euill thys is Secondlye because they make it of necessitye so that he or shee that vseth it not is not taken for a good Christian Thyrdlye because it requireth of it selfe an impossibilitie that is the numbring and tellyng of all oure sinnes whiche no man perceaueth muche lesse can vtter Fourthlye because it establisheth and confyrmeth at the least alloweth praying to Sainctes precor Sanctam Mariam you muste saye or the prieste for you Fyfthly because it is verye iniurious to the libertye of the Gospell the whiche to affyrme in example and facte I take to bee a good worke and a deare in Gods sighte Sixtlye because as it is vsed it is a note yea a verye synowe of the popyshe Churche and therefore we shoulde be so farre from allowing the same that we shoulde thynke oure selues happye to lose anye thynge in bearyng witnesse there against Seuenthly because in stead of counsell thereat you shoulde receaue poyson or if you refuse it vnder Syr Iohns benedicite you shoulde no lesse there bee wounde in the bryers Eyghtlye because the ende and purpose why we goe thether is for the auoyding of the crosse that is for oure owne cause and not for Christes cause or for oure brethrens commoditye For in that they make it so necessarye a thyng and a worshipping of God it can not but be agaynste Christe and the freedome of hys Gospell and the same thing teacheth vs that it is agaynste the commoditie of oure brethren whiche eyther be weake eyther be stronge eyther be ignoraunt either be obstinate If they be weake by your resorting to it they bee made more weake If they bee strong you do what you can to infyrme their strengthe if they bee ignoraunte therein you helpe to keepe them by your facte If they be obstinate your resortyng to it can not but rocke them a slepe in their obstinate error of the necessitye of this rite and ceremonie These causes recited do shew you what I thinke in thys but my thinking muste no further binde you then a mannes thought should do except the same be grounded vpon gods word which bindeth in dede as I thinke they do I dout not but you waying these causes and especiallye .ii. of the fyrste and the laste if you pray to God for hys spirite to directe you and thereto aske the aduice of thys my good brother and other godly learned mē I doubte not I say but you shoulde bee guided to doe that whiche is beste in Gods syght althoughe in the syghte of the world perhappes you shoulde bee counted folyshe and precyse But be at a point with your selues as the Disciples of Christ whiche had forsaken themselues to followe not your wyll but Gods will as you daylye praye in the Lords prayer The crosse of Christ be willyng to carye leaste you carye the crosse of the worlde the fleshe or the deuill One of these .iiii. crosses you muste cary Three of them bryngeth to hell why the more part goe that way that leadeth to perdition and therfore the more parte goeth that way whiche is a broade way Only the fourth bryngeth to heauen but fewe goe that waye aswell because the waye is strayte as also because fewe walke in it Howbeit thoughe it be straite it is but shorte and the fewe are manye if you consider the godly as the Patriarkes Prophettes Apostles Martyrs Confessours and Christ Iesus with all hys Gard traine Thinke not scorne to come after them which are gone before you and after them whiche nowe goe before you in whose number I trust I am appoynted to bee one and I beseche you pray for me that god woulde vouche me worthye that honour Our sinnes deserue plagues prison and the losse of al that euer we haue therfore if god remoue our sinnes out of syght and send vs prison or losse of goods and liuing for his names sake Oh how happye are we My deare hartes in the Lorde consider this geare and be assured that he whiche loseth any thyng for Christes sake the same in his posteritie shal finde it here and in heauen elswhere As for vnablenes to answeare for your fayth it shall be enough to will thē to dispute with your teachers Fayth stādeth not in disputing I thinke fewe if it came to disputing could defend the Godhead of Christ and many other articles I speake it for the simple sort Pray for me Lacke of paper maketh thys ende Commend me to my good brother Richard Bleacher and my good sister his wyfe I pray them to pray for me I trust by this bearer to heare how you doe Iohn Bradforde To certayne Godly men whom he exhorteth to bee patient vnder the crosse constant in the true doctrine which they had professed MY dearely beloued in the Lord as in hym I wyshe you well to fare so I praye God I and you maye continue in
there where I receaued it He meaneth that he shold be coÌ„ueyed by the Queenes Garde into Lankeshire to be burnt as the aduersaries had oneâ— determined like as ignatius was by a company of souldiers conueyed to Rome casâ— to the Leoperdes Eccle. hist Libr. 3. Cap. 36. I shal be conueyed thether as Ignatius was to Rome Leopardis by whose euil I hope to be made better God graunt if it be his will that I aske it maye make them better by me Amen For my farewell therefore I write and sende thys vnto you trusting shortlye to see you where we shall neuer be seperated In the meane season I will not cease as I haue done to commende you to our father of heauen And that ye would so do by me I most hartely pray euery one of you You know now I haue most nede But fidelis deus qui nunquam finet nos tentari supra id quòd possumus He neuer did it hetherto nor now I am assured he wyll neuer do Amen A dextris est mihi non mouebor Propter hoc laetabitur cor meum quia non derelinquet animam meam in inferno nec dabit me sanctum suum per gratiam in Christo videre corruptionem E carcere raptim expectans omni momento carnificem The. 8. of febr Anno. 1555. Iohn Bradford To the Ladye Vane OVr deare and moste meeke father alwayes be with vs for his Christes sake and as his children guide vs for euer Amen Your comfortable and necessarye letters laste sente to me ryghte worshipfull and dearely beloued doe deserue at my hands as other your benefites haue done that which I can not geue The Lord my God recompence you as he can and will vndoubtedly Nowe am I going to my good father and your father now am I going to my Christ and your Christe nowe am I going to my home and your home I goe before but you shall followe howbeit when or which way I know not the Lord knoweth Vnto his prouidence and will commend your selfe For as it can not but come to passe so is there nothing so good to vs as it is Happy were we that euer we were borne that God myghte set forth his glory by vs how soeuer he do it Though I am led as to Peter was sayd whether I woulde not yet with me and for me geue thankes that it pleaseth my father thus to lead me I haue deserued yea eueÌ„ since I came into this prison many a shamefull death such and so great is my ingratitude and sinnes But loe the tender kindnesse of my father doth correct me as a childe sonne making the remedie for my sinnes an occasion of his glory a witnessing of his veritie a confirmation of his true religion heretofore set forth preached by me Wherin good Madame persiste you shal be safe Be not now ashamed of it for though it seme to be ouercome yet by suffering it ouercommeth that Gods wisedome which is folishnesse to the world gods power which is weaknes to the reason of man may triumph and confound that which with the world is wise and mightie Now do I beginne to be Christes disciple now I beginne to be fashioned like to my Maister in suffering that so I maye bee in reygning nowe do I for euer take my farewell of you for thys lyfe nowe commend I my selfe into the handes of my father by whose prouidence I came into thys worlde by whose prouidence I haue bene kept in thys worlde and by whose prouidence I do departe hence And as his prouidence is towardes me so doubte you nothing but it is towardes you thoughe not in such sorte exteriourlye yet in such loue sollicitude and carefulnesse for you interiourlye God our God father of mercy for the blood of his Christ washe away al our sinnes comfort hys Church strengthen the weake conuert or confouÌ„d as may make most to his glory his ennemies and he with vs Emanuell for euer Amen Amen In haste oute of pryson the .5 of Febru 1555. Iohn Bradforde To my good brother Augustine Berneber MYne own good Augustine the Lorde of mercy blesse thee my deare brother for euer I haue good hope that if you come late at nyght I shall speake with you but come as secretly as you can Howbeit in the meane season if you can and as you can learne what Maister G. hath spoken to Doctor Storie and others The cause of al this trouble both to my keper and me is thought to come by him It is sayd that I shall be burned in Smithfield and that shortlye Domini voluntas fiat Ecce ego domine mitte me Ah myne owne sweete frend I am nowe alone lest I shoulde make you others worse If I shoulde liue I would more warely vse the companye of gods childreÌ„ then euer I haue done Iram domini portabo quonâ—am peccaui ei Mich. 6. Commend me to my most dere Sister for whom my hart bledeth the Lord comfort her and strengthen her vnto the ende I thinke I haue taken my leaue of her for euer in this life but in eternal life we shal most surely meete and prayse the Lord continually I haue now taken a more certayne aunswere of death then euer I dyd and yet not so certayne as I thinke I shoulde do I am now as a sheepe appoynted to the slaughter Ah my God the houre is come glorifye thy moste vnworthye childe I haue glorifyed thee sayth thys my swete father I will glorify thee Amen Ah myne own bowels prayse God for me and pray for me for I am his I hope I hope he wil neuer forsake me though I haue aboue all other moste deserued it I am the moste singuler example of hys mercye praised be hs name therefore for euer Cause Mystres Perpoynte to learne of the Shriefe M. Chester what they purpose to do with me and knowe if you can whether there be any writ forth for me Factus sum sicut nicticorax in domicilio Psa 101. â— passer solitarius in tecto Ah my Augustine how long shall Gods enemyes thus triumphe I haue sent you thys of the baptisme of children to write oute when thys is done you shall haue other thyngs Pray pray myne owne deare hart on whom I am bolde The keper telleth me that it is death for any to speake with me but yet I trust that I shal speake with you Iohn Bradford To myne owne good Augustine DEare brother Augustine I can not but bee bolde of you in my nede and therfore I write as I do Come hether betimes I pray you in the mornyng vse so to do for then I thinke you shall speake with me Also vse to come late in the euenyng let me know whether in the daye tyme I may send for you Pray Walshe to steale you in as I hope he will doe If he do bryng you in then shall thys whiche followeth not neede but doubtyng the worst thys do I
if you can hastely Prouide me Maister Philpots .ix. examinations for a frende of myne and I shal pay you therfore by the leaue of almighty GOD our heauenlye father who correcteth all hys deare chyldren in this world that they shoulde not be damned wyth the world and trieth the fayth of hys saintes through many tribulations that being found constant to the ende he may crowne his owne giftes in them and in heauen highly reward thē Whether I trust to go before loking for you to followe my faithful frend that we may sing perpetuall prayse to our louing Lord god for victory ouer Sathan sinne wonne for vs by Iesus christ God and man our only sufficient sauiour and aduocate Amen Farewel and pray in faith Yours Thomas Whittell Minister and now condemned to dye for the Gospels sake Anno 1555. Ianuary 21. ¶ To my deare frende and brother Thomas VVente and other hys prison fellowes in Lollardes Tower HE that preserued Ioseph prisoner in Egipt Act. 16 fed Daniel in the Lions denne deliuered Paule Peter and the other Apostels out of pryson vouchsafe of hys goodnes to kepe fede and deliuer you my good brother Wente wyth the other our fellow souldiours your prison fellowes as may be most to hys glorye to your consolation and the edification of hys church I cannot but prayse god most earnestly when I heare of your constancy in the fayth and ioy in the crosse of christ which you now beare and suffer together with many other good members of Christ 2. Thess ◠which is a token that by Christe ye are counted worthy the kyngdome of God as Paule sayeth And though the world counteth the yoke and crosse of Christ as a most pernicious hurtful thyng yet we whiche haue tasted how frendly the Lord is cannot but reioyce in this persecution as touching our selues 1. pet 2 in as muche as the cause for the which we suffer is the lordes cause and not altogether oures at whose hand if we endure to the ende we shall receyue through hys liberall promise in Christ not only a greate rewarde in heauen but also the kingdom of heauen it self and also in the meane season be sure to be defended cared for so that we shall lacke no necessary thynges Math. 10 neyther a heare of our heades shall perysh wtout his knowledge O what is he that woulde mystrust or not gladlye serue so louyng a father O howe vnhappye are they that forsake hym and put their truste in man But howe blessed are they that for hys loue and for hys holy wordes sake in these troublesome dayes 1. pet 4 doe committe their soules and bodies into hys handes with wel doing counting it greater happines and ryches to suffer rebuke wyth Christ and hys church Heb. 11 then to enioy the pleasures of this life for a litle short seasō This crosse that we now beare hath ben cōmon to al the faithful frō Abel hetherto shal be to the end for because the deuil hauyng great wrath agaynst god hys Christ Apo. 12 cānot abide that he should for his manifold mercies be lauded and magnified and Christ to be taken and beleued vpon for our only and sufficient redemer Sauiour and aduocate And therfore because wyll not denye Christ nor dissemble wyth our faythe but openly proteste and professe the same before the world he seketh by all meanes to styrre vp his wicked members to persecute and kyl the bodies of the true christians Apo. 2. psal 115 as Iohn sayeth the deuil shall caste some of you into prison And Dauid sayeth I beleued and therefore haue I spoken but I was sore troubled This notwythstandyng go forward deare brethren as ye haue begonne to fight the lordes battell consideryng Christ the captaine of your war who wil both fyght for you geue you victory and also highly reward your paines Consider to your comfort the notable chiefe shepehards and souldiours of Christ which are gone before vs in these days I meane those learned godlo bishops doctours and other ministers of gods worde whose faith and examples we that be inferiors ought to folow Heb. 13 as Paule saith Remember them that haue declared vnto you the word of god the ende of whose conuersation see that ye loke vpon and follow their fayth The grace blessyng of God wyth the ministery of hys holye Aungels be wyth you for euer Amē All my pryson fellowes grete you From the Colebouse this this .4 of December By your poore brother Thomas Whittell an vnworthy minyster of Christ now hys prysoner for the gospels sake Amen ¶ To all the true professours and louers of Gods holy Gospell wythin the Citye of London Rom. 4. Luke 1. THe same fayth for the which Abrahā was counted rightuous and Mary blessed the Lord god encrease and make stable in your hartes my dere and faythfull bretherne and Sisters of London for euer and euer Amen Dearly beloued be not troubled in this heate which is now come amongs you to try you 1. Pet. 4. as though some straūge thīg had happened vnto you but reioice in as much as ye are pertakers of Christes passions that when his glory appeareth ye may be merye glad c. Out of these words of S. Peter I gather most specially these .4 notes First the persecutiō happeneth to Christs church for their triall that is for the probation prose of their faith Which faith like as it is knowē with god in the depth of our hartes so wil he haue it made manifest to the whole world thorow persecutiō that so it may euidently appeare that he hath such a church people vpon earth which so trusteth in hym feareth hys holy name that no kind of persecution paynes Rom. 8. Gene. 22. Iob. 1 nor death shal be able to seperate thē frō the loue of hym And thus was Abrahā tryed Iob tempted that their fayth which before lay hyd almost in their harts might be made knowen to the whole world to be so stedfast stronge that the deuil natural loue nor no other enemy could be able to bereue thē therof wherby also god was to be magnifyed who both trieth his people by many tribulatiōs and also standeth by thē in the middest of their troubles to deliuer thē by life or death as he seeth best like as he assisted Loth deliuered him out of his enemies hands Rom. 9. 2 Cor. 11. Aect. 16. Genesis 4. 2. Macb. 6. Aect. 7. Matth. 27. Iames. 4. Ioseph out of the hands of his brethren out of prisō Paule frō his enemies in Damasco the Apostles out of the stockes prison These with many mo he deliuered to life also he deliuered Abel Eleazar Steuē Iohn Baptist with other many by death and hath also by the trial of their faith made them good presidents exāples to vs al that come after to suffer affliction
I being so long so nere you did not enterpryse to stirre vp familiaritie comunicatiō betwene vs by writing to our mutual cōsolation in Christe For what is there vpon earth wherin to reioyce where al things are transitory vaine yea mā him self respecting this life but as Dauid saith Psal 16 the Saints that dwel vpon the earth such as excel in vertue But here now I consider that if the felowship loue ioy of faythful men and children of god being as we now be in double bondage the body within clay walles the soule wtin these frayle earthly bodies be so great and comfortable howe vnspeakeable wil those ioyes be when we shal be deliuered frō al corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of god Where we shal be present together continually in our glorified bodies beholding the face of our father presently whō now we see but in the glasse of fayth with his dere sonne christ our redemer brother and the blessed companye of Angels al faithful saued soules Oh the incomparable good things and heauenly treasures layd vp for vs in heauen by christ Iesu For the obteyning wherof we ought to set light by al tēporal grefes and transitory afflictions so much the more in that our good God is faythful wil not suffer vs to be tēpted aboue oure strength that namely in the end of our life Eccle. 11. whē the tree where it falleth lieth stil as the preacher sayeth when euerye one causa sua dormit causa sua resurget for els before the end he suffereth hys somtime to fal but not finally to perysh as Peter sincked vpon the sea but yet was not drowned and synned greuously vpon the lande throughe infirmitie denying his Maister but yet found mercye for the ryghteous falleth oftentymes And Christs holy Apostles are taught to say remitte nobis debita nostra Yea thoughe the righteous fall saieth Dauid he shal not be cast away for the Lord vpholdeth hym wyth hys hande Oh the bottomlesse mercy of God toward vs miserable sinners He vouchsafe to plante in my harte true repentance and fayth to the obteyning of remission of al my synnes in the mercyes of God and merites of Christe hys sonne and therto I pray you say Amen Oh my hartely beloued it greueth me to see the spoyle hauocke the Saule maketh with the congregation of Christe but what remedye This is gods wil ordinance that his people shal here both be punished in the flesh tried in their fayth as it is writtē many are the troubles of the righteous but the lord deliuereth thē out of al for by a strait path narowe dore must we enter Whether Into the ioyful kingdome of heauē Therfore blessed are you other that suffer persecutiō for christs sake for the possessing of the same Pray for me my felowes good brother that we may fyght a good fyght that we may kepe the fayth and end our course with ioyful gladnes for now the tyme of our deliuerāce is at hand The lord guide defēd and kepe vs you al his people in our iourney that we may safely through a short death passe to that long lasting life Farewel my dere and louing brother fellow souldiour in Christ farewel I say in him who receaue our soules in peace when they shal depart frō these tabernacles and he graunt vs a ioyfull resurrection and a mery metyng at the last day and continuall dwelling together in hys eternall and heauenly kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Yours with my poore prayer other pleasure can I do you none Thomas Whittell minister To my deare brethren M. Filles and Cutbert MY dere and welbeloued brethren in Christ M. Filles and Cutbert I wish you al welfare of soule body Welfare to the soule is repentance of synne faythful affiance in christ Iesus a godly life Welfare to the body is the health of the same with al necessary things for this bodely life The soule of mā is immortal therfore ought to be wel kept lest immortalitie to ioy should turne to immortalitie of sorow As for the body be it neuer so wel kept much made of yet shortly by nature wil it perysh decay But those that are engraffed and incorporated into Christ by true fayth feeling the motion of Gods holy spirite as a pledge of their electition and enheritaunce excityng and stirring them not onelye to seke heauenly thyngs but also to hate vyce embrace vertue wyll not onely do those things but also if neede requyre wyll gladlye take vppe theyr crosse and followe theyr Captayne Mat. 26. Mar. 14 theyr Kynge and theyr Sauioure Iesus Christe as hys poore afflicted Churche of Englande nowe doth agaynste that false and Antichristian doctrine religiō nowe vsed and specially that blasphemous masse wherein christes supper and holy ordinaūce is altogether peruerted and abused contrary to his institution Luke 22. 2. Cor. 1◠and to Paules procedinges so that that whiche they haue in their Masse is neyther sacramēt of christ nor yet sacrifice for sinne as the priestes falsely pretende It is a sacrament that is as S. Augustine saith a visible signe of inuisible grace when it is ministred to the communicantes accordyng to christes example and as it was of late yeares in thys realme And as for sacrifice there is none to be made now for sinne Heb. 9.10 for Chryste with one sacrifice hath perfited for euer those that are sāctified Beware of false religion and mens vaine traditiōs and serue god wyth reuerence and godly feare accordyng to the doctryne of hys Gospel Luke i1 whereto cleane ye that ye maye be blessed though of wycked men ye be hated accursed Rather drinke of the cup of Christ wyth his church Apo. 18. then of the cup of that rose coloured whore of Babylon which is ful of abhominatiōs Rather striue ye to go to heauē by that path which is strayte to fleshe and bloud wyth the little flocke then to go the wyde way followyng the enticements of the worlde and the flesh which leadeth to damnation Lyke as Christ suffered in the flesh saith S. Peter pet 4.3 so arme ye yourselues with the same minde for Christe suffered for vs leauyng vs example to follow hys footesteppes Blessed are they that suffer for hys sake great is their reward in heauē He that ouercommeth saith S. Iohn shal eate of the tree of lyfe he shal haue a crowne of life Apoca. 2.3 and not be hurt of the second death he shall be clothed with white aray not be put out of the booke of life yea I wil confesse hys name sayth Christ before my father and before hys aungels he shal be a piller in the house of God and sit with me on my seate And thus I bydde you farewel mine owne bretherne and deare fellowes in Christ whose grace and peace be alwaye
miserable worlde aboue all thinges geue your selfe continuallye to prayer 1. Timo. 2 lifting vp as Saint Paul sayth cleane or pure handes withoute anger wrath or doubting forgeuing as he sayeth also if you haue any thing againste anye man as Christ forgeueth vs. And that we may be the better willing to forgeue it is good often to call to remembrance the multitude and greatnesse of our own sinnes which Christ dayly and hourely pardoneth and forgeueth vs then we shal as Saint Peter affirmeth 1. peter 4. be ready to couer and hide the offences of our brethren be they neuer so many And because gods word teacheth vs not only the true maner of praying but also what we ought to doe or not doe in the whole discourse and practise of this life What pleaseth or displeaseth God and that as Christ sayth the worde of god that he hath spoken shall iudge in the last daye let your prayer be to this end specially that god of his greate mercy woulde open and reuele more more daily to your hart the true sense knowledge and vndersteanding of his moste holy word and geue you grace in youre liuing to expresse the fruites thereof And for as muche as it is as the holye ghoste calleth it the woorde of affliction 1. Cor. 1. that is it is seldome withoute hatred persecution peryll daunger of losse of life and goodes and whatsoeuer seemeth pleasante in this worlde as experience teacheth you in this time call vpon GOD continuallye for hys assistance alwayes as Christ teacheth casting your accomptes what it is lyke to coste you endeuoring your selfe throughe the helpe of the holye ghoste by continuance of prayer to laye youre foundation so sure that no storme or tempeste shall be able to ouerthrowe or caste it downe remembryng alwayes as Christe sayeth Lothes wyfe Luke 17. that is to beware of lookinge backe to that thinge that displeaseth GOD. And because nothing displeaseth GOD so much as Idolatrye that is false worshippyng of God otherwyse then hys woorde commaundeth looke not backe I saye nor tourne not your face to their Idolatrous and blasphemous Massing manifestly agaynst the word practyse example of Christe as it is most manifest to all that haue any taste of the true vnderstanding of Gods word that there remayneth nothyng in the church of England at this presēt profitable or edifying to the church and congregation of the Lord all thynges being done in an vnknowen tonge contrary to the expresse comaundemente of the holy ghost They obiect that they be the Churche and therefore they must be beleued My aunswere was the Church of GOD knoweth and reknowledgeth no other heade but Iesus Christe the sonne of GOD whom ye haue refused and chosen the man of sinne the sonne of perdition enemye to Christ the deuilles deputye and Lieuetenaunte the Pope Christes Churche heareth Iohn 10 teacheth and is ruled by hys woorde as he sayeth my sheepe heare my voyce If you abyde in me my worde in you you be my Disciples Their churche repelleth gods worde and forceth all men to follow their traditions Christes Church dare not adde or diminyshe alter or chaunge his blessed testament but they be not afrayde to take awaye all that Christ instituted and goe a whoring as the Scripture sayeth with their own inuentions letari super operibus manuum suarum to glorye Act. 7. reioyce in the workes of their owne handes The Churche of Christ is hath bene and shal be in all ages vnder the crosse persecuted molested and afflicted the world euer hating thē because they be not of the worlde But these persecute murther slaye kill such as professe the true doctrine of Christ be they in learning liuing cōuersation other vertues neuer so excellent Christ and his Church reserued the tryal of their doctrine to the word of god Iohn 5. and gaue the people leaue to iudge therof by the same word search the scriptures But thys Churche taketh awaye the woorde from the people and suffer neyther learned nor vnlearned to examine or proue their doctryne by the woord of God The true Church of God laboureth by all meanes to resyste and withstande the lustes desyres and motions of the worlde the flesh and the deuyll These for the moste part geue themselues to all voluptuousnesse and secretlye commit suche thinges whiche as Saint Paule sayeth it is shame to speake of Ephe. 5. By these and suche like manifest probations they do declare themselues to be none of the Churche of Christe but rather of the Sinagoge of Sathan It shall be good for you oftentymes to conferre and compare theyr proceedynges and doinges with the practyse of those whom the woorde of God doth teache to haue bene true members of the Churche of God and it shall woorke in you both knowledge erudition and boldnesse to withstand wyth sufferyng their doings I likened them therfore to Nemrod whom the Scripture calleth a mightye hunter or a stoute champion telling them that that which they coulde not haue by the worde they would haue by the sworde and be the Church whether men wil or no and called them wyth good conscience as Christ called their forefathers the children of the deuil and as their father the deuyll is a lyer and murtherer so their kyngdome and church as they call it standeth by lying and murtheryng Haue no fellowshyppe with them therfore my deare wife with their doctrine and traditions least you be pertaker of their synnes for whom is reserued a heuye dampnation wythoute spedye repentaunce Beware of such as shall aduertyse you somethyng to beare with the worlde as they do for a season There is no dallying with Gods matters it is a fearefull thynge as Saincte Paule sayeth to fall into the handes of GOD. Remember the Prophet Helias 3. Regū 18 Luk. 9. why halte ye on both sydes Remember what Christe sayeth he that putteth hys handes to the ploughe and looketh backe is not worthy of me And seing god hath hetherto allowed you as a good souldiour in the forewarde play not the coward Apo. 2. neyther draw backe to the rereward Saint Iohn numbreth amonge them that shall dwell in the fierye lake suche as be fearefull in gods cause Set before your eyes alwayes the examples of suche as haue behaued themselues boldelye in Gods cause as Steuen Peter Paul Daniell the three children the wydowes sonnes and in youre dayes Anne Askewe Laurence Saunders Iohn Bradford with many other faythfull witnesses of christ Phil. 1. Be not afrayd in nothing sayth S. Paule of the aduersaries of Christes doctrine the which is to thē the cause of perdition but to you of euerlasting saluation Christe commaundeth the same saying feare thē not Let vs not followe the example of hym whiche asked tyme fyrste to take leaue of hys frendes If we so doe we shall fynde fewe of them that wyll encourage vs to goe forwarde in our businesse
letters to nor fro I coniectured that when the bishop and the Chauncellour had sene them it moued them the rather to haue me away being more desirous as I suppose to haue had me dispatched priuily in pryson thē to come opēly to my answer The maner of entreating vsing me at my first cōming to prison dyd partly declare the same Certayne sergeauntes Constables of Couentry beyng appointed to haue the conueying of vs to Lichfield to be deliuered there to one Iephcot the Chaūcellours man sent frō Couentry wyth vs for the same purpose we were commaunded to horsebacke aboute 11. or .12 of the clocke on Friday beyng market day that we myght be the more gased and wondred at And to kindle the peoples hartes more against vs they did proclayme a letter concerning a proclamation made for calling in and disanulling of al such bokes as truly expound interprete the scriptures We came to Lichfield about 4. of the clocke at nyght had leaue to repose our selues our supper tyme. We Inned at the signe of the Swanne where we were enterteyned frendly and gently After supper Iephcot repayred to vs whome we intreated that vpon sureties we myght rest our selues that nighte beyng vnprouided of any thyng to helpe our selues withal in the pryson at that present He was content at the fyrst as he semed but afterwards whether it was by persuasiō or rather as it semed to me he did but of pollicy put of the tyme till he had gathered a multitude to stare and wonder vpō vs and also that we should prouyde nothyng to ease our selues wythall he reuoked hys promise and so by consente we were hadde to the pryson the the multitude wonderyng at vs. I wylled Iephcot before to execute hys offyce wyth mercy tellyng hym that they shoulde haue iudgement wythout mercy that shewed no mercy And this mercy I founde at hys hand He put me into a pryson the same nyght where I continued vntyll I was condemned a place next to the doungel narrow of roumes strong of buildyng and very cold wyth small lyght and there alloweth he me a bundel of straw in stead of my bed wythout chaire forme or any thyng els to ease my selfe wythall God of his mercy gaue me great patience through prayer that nyghte so that if it had bene hys pleasure I could haue bene cōtented to haue ended my life But Iephcot and one Persey the bishops man whyche afterwardes was my continuall keper for the most part came to me in the mornyng to whome I said this is great extremity god send vs patience and no more Then they were content that I should haue a bedde of myne owne procurement But I was allowed no helpe neyther night nor day nor company of any man notwythstanding my great sicknesse nor yet paper penne or ynke or bookes sauing my new testament in Latine a prayer boke which I priuily stole in Within two daies after M. Chauncellour and one Temsey a prebendary there came to me into my prison M. Chauncellor exhorted me to conforme my selfe to my Lord and to the church He wished to my soule no more hurt thē to his owne belike because I had laid to hys charge at Couentry the sekyng of my bloode vniustly and wrongfully Now thus the second tyme I aunswered M. Chauncellour to hys exhortation that I refused not to be ruled by that church that was content to be ordered and gouerned by the worde of GOD. He asked me how I knewe the worde of God but by the churche The churche sheweth whiche is the word of god therfore the church is aboue the word of God This is no good reason in learnyng sayd I to Mayster Chaūcellor For it is like vnto this Iohn shewed the people who was Christ Ergo Iohn was aboue Christe Or els I haue a man that knoweth not the king and I tel him who is the kyng am I therfore aboue the kyng M. Chaūcellour said he came not to reason with me and so departed So remained I without any further conference of any man by the space of .8 dayes and tyll the bishops commyng in in the which tyme I gaue my self continually to prayer and meditation of the mercifull promises of god made vnto al wythout exception of person that cal vpon the name of his deare sonne Iesus Christ I found in my selfe daily amendment of health of body increase of peace in conscience and many consolatiōs from god by the help of his holy spirit sometymes as it were a tast and glymmering of the lyfe to come all for hys only sonne Iesus Christes sake to hym be all prayse for euer and euer Amen The enemy ceased not many tymes sundry waies to assault me oftētimes obiectyng to my consciēce mine own vnworthines through the greatnes of the benefite to be coūted among the number of them that should suffer for christ or his gospels sake Against hym I replyed wyth the word of God in thys sort what were all those whome God had chosen from the begynnyng to be hys witnesses and carye his name before the worlde Were they not men Act. 14. as Paule Barnabas said similiter obnoxii peccato aswel subiect to wickednes sinne imperfections as other men be Euen such were Noe Abraham Dauid and all the rest Rom. 11 Roma 4. Quis prior dedit illi as S Paule sayth Who gaue firste vnto him And also speaking to euery mā What hast thou that thou receiuedst not Likewise Iohn al haue receiued of his fulnes Iohn ◠they wer no bringers of any goodnes to god but altogether receyuers They chose not god first but he chose them They loued not god first but he loued thē first Yea he bothe loued and chose them when they were his enemies Roma 10. full of sinne and corruption and voyde of all goodnes Est dominus omniū diues in omnes super omnes inuocātes eū He is and wyl be stil the same god as riche in mercy as mighty as hable as redy as wyllyng to forgeue the synnes wythout respect of person to the worldes ende of all them that call vpon hym Prope est dominus omnibus inuocantibus eum God is nere he is at hād Psal 145. he is wyth all wyth al I say and refuseth none excepteth none that faithfully in true repentaunce cal vpon hym in what houre what place or what tyme soeuer it be It is no arrogancy nor presumption in any man to burthen god as it were wyth hys promise of duty to clayme and chalēge hys aide helpe and assistance in all our perils daungers and dystresse calling vpon him not in the confidence of our owne godlines but in the truste of hys promises made in Christ in whom and by whome and for whose sake whosoeuer boldly approcheth to the mercye seate of the father is sure to receyue whatsoeuer is expedient or necessary either for body or soule in more ample wayes and large manner
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
of the wycked that you maye shortly receaue the glorious crowne of victory and in the same tryumphe ouer all your enemies foreuermore Amen I cannot expresse the excedyng great ioy consolation of my poore hart considering the meruelous workes of God most gratiously wrought vpō you not only in prouing you tryeng your faith by his great huge crosses both inwardly and outwardly but also in geuyng you so great consolation constancy in the middes of the same Faithful is god true of his promises who hath said that he wil neuer suffer his chosen children to be tēpted aboue their strength but in the middes of their temptatiō wil make an outscape for thē by such meanes as may make to his glory and their euerlastyng consolation My deare hart great cause haue you to be of good comfort for I see in you as lyuely a token of Gods euerlasting loue sauour in Iesus Christ as euer I perceiued in any man In respect wherof I do euē with my hart loue honour and reuerence you besechyng god for his glorious names sake in the bowels blood of our lord and only Sauiour Iesus christ to finish his good worke in you as I doubt not but he wil do according to his vnfallible promyses yea I am wel assured therof forasmuch as you haue so effectuallye receiued his holye spirite into your harte as a pledge sure seale of your eternal redēption a testimonye of your adoptiō in Christ Iesu For which cause Sathan so sore enuieth you that he hath now bente all his fierce ordynaunce against you thinking therby vtterly to destroy the inuincible forte of your faith founded most firmely vpon the vnmoueable rocke christ against the which the deuil sinne nor yet hell gates shal neuer preuaile Selah Therfore mine owne bowels in the lord be not discomforted for this your conflicte which doutles shal greatly encrease your crowne of glorye triumphe and victorye but take a good hart vnto you and buckle boldly with Sathan both in himself and in his suttle mēbers It is the very diuine ordinaunce of god that all his regenerate children shal be tempted proued and tried as we see by the exāple of our Sauiour Christe who as sone as he was baptised was straight waies led of the holy ghost into the wildernes ther to be tēpted of the deuill But there got he such a glorious victory of Satan that he could neuer since finally preuaile against any of his poore mēbers but in euery assault that he maketh either inwardly or outwardly he getteth a foile and taketd shame so that now he rageth with al the spite possible specially because he knoweth his tyme is but short Iames. 4. Saincte Iames testifieth that he is but a very coward that wil sone flye if he be faithfully resisted And as for his temptinge tooles the Lord hath made them manifest vnto vs so that he cannot deceiue vs though he assaulte vs for as Sainte Paule saythe 2. Cor. 3 hys verye thoughtes are not vnknowen to vs as it dothe in you largely appeare praysed bee the Lordes name therfore You see deare brother that now to molest you suche as you are that be euen passyng frō this vale of misery he hath but two waies or two pieces of ordinance to shoote at you wyth the whiche he cannot hurte you because you haue two bulwarkes to defend you The first of these terrible gunnes that Sathan hath shotte at you is the very same that he continually shooteth at me that is to say feare and infidelity for the vglesomnes of death horrour of my sinnes which be so many greuous and greate But this pellet is easily put away with the sure shield of faith in the most precious death and bloodsheding of our deare Lord and only Sauiour Iesus Christ whome the father hath geuen vnto vs wholy to be oures for euermore wyth him hath geuen vs al things as Paule saith so that though we be neuer so great sinners yet Christ is made vnto vs holines righteousnes and iustification He hathe clothed vs wyth all hys merites mercies and most swete sufferyngs and hath taken vnto hym al our misery wretchednes synne and infirmitie So that if anye should nowe be condemned for the same it must nedes be Iesus Christ which hath taken them vpō him But in dede he hath made satisfactiō for thē to the vttermost iote so that for his sake thei shal neuer be imputed to vs if they wer a thousād times so many moe as they be This do you most effectuously feele and know dere brother a great deale better then I can tel you blessed be God therefore And now Sathan seyng that he cannot preuaile wyth hys boistrous battery against this bulwarke of fayth which doth so quenche al his fiery dartes that they can do you no harme but rather do you good seruice to cast you down vnder the mighty hand of God that he may take you vp by his only grace power so you may render hym al the glory by Iesus Christ which thyng the enemy cannot abyde in no wise therfore he shooteth of his other piece most pestilent to prouoke you to put some parte of your truste and confidence in your selfe in your own holines righteousnes that you might that way robbe god of hys glory Christ of his honour and dignity of his death But blessed be the Lord God you haue also a full strong bulwarke to beate backe this pestiferous pellet also euen the pure law of god which proueth the best of vs al dānable sīners in the sight of god if he would enter into iudgement with vs accordyng to the seuerity of the same that euen our best workes are polluted defyled in such sort as the Prophet describeth them Wyth which maner of speakyng Esay 64. our freewyl Phariseis are muche offended for it felleth all mans righteousnes to the groūde I had lyke to haue sayd to the botome of hel and extolleth only the righteousnes of Iesus Christ which is allowed before god is frely geuen to all those that firmely beleue as blessed be god you do Ah my good brother Tymmes Satan hath put his hand in a wrong boxe when he beginneth to tempt you either to vayne glory or mystrust for you are an olde beaten souldiour and haue had good experience of these maner of temptations both by your selfe other whom you know wel were the beloued of god Be of good chere therfore deare harte be of good chere for now Satan hath wrought al hys malice he hath done al that he can and hath shotte of al hys last pieces wherw t he had thought to haue done most mischief but now he seeth he can not preuaile the strong tower of your fayth beyng so inuincible he wyll plucke vp al hys tentes and gette him to some other place to practise the like assaultes and then wil the aungels of god come and minister vnto
loueth me vnto the ende and wyll not lose me but wyll rayse me vnto lyfe at the last day psalm 27. The lord is my lyght and my defence of whom then should I be afrayde The lorde is the preseruer of my lyfe what can man then do vnto me I am one of the lordes elect who shal lay ought thē to my charge The lord hymselfe doth iustifye me Rom. 8. who shall then condempne me Sith Christ is myne and I am hys what shal make me carefull or who shal separate me from his swete loue which as Salomon saith in his sweete songes is mightier then the deathe No no let the Tyrannes come when they wyll I trust they shall fynd me ready and wyllyng to goe home to my heauenly father whether my good brethern be gone before me wyth ioy tryumphe and victorye ouer the bloodye Beast and her Babilonicall broode blessed be god therfore Your swete examples of Helias Daniel and the Israelites doe muche confirme my faith in Christ although I be farre inferiour to any of them But as you say full well god himself is my father doth loue me his prodigal sonne wyth an euerlastyng loue sure I am therfore he wil not see me lacke eyther for body or soule for he fedeth the birdes brute beastes yea and men that he much worse then they as you ful wel haue sayd And further my deare hart where as you say that your heauines and sorowe is when you call to remēbrance my crosse and double crosse c ah my good louing sister let not my crosses make your good tender harte heuie but rather be glad reioyce with me that God of hys great mercye will repute me worthye to beare them for his sake Sing psalmes with me of prayse thankesgeuing for God hath made me able to beare them paciently if they wer a thousande times so many moe as they bee as in deede my sinnes haue iustly deserued Wel is me the euer I was born that he woulde vouch me worthy to suffer at al hands or al sorts of men for hys sake or rather that it would please his goodnes to choose me poore caitiffe in whom him self would suffer For the enemies doe not punishe me for my sinnes as they might iustely doe but they do persecute swete Christe in me whose truth I do professe And now as concerning the most comfortable doctrine of our eternall election in him before the foundation of the world was laid I do protest before God man that if euery heare of my head were a mans lyfe I would willingly geue them all in the defence therof Full litle wotteth our free wil men what they do whē they go about so rashely to condēne that doctrine The Lord illuminate their mindes with the light of his holy spirit that they may once see the truth therof and leaue their kicking against the pricke In dede deare frend in the respect of thē and the peril which they be in you and I both haue good cause to mourne lament and be sory to pray for them day night that the Lord if it be his wil would conuert them And whether their blindnes be of simplicitye as I hope it is or of wilful obstinacie which thing is greatly to be feared yet haue I no cause to be angry with them for it is their own harme where as mine should haue bene the like if god had left me to my self as he myght most iustly haue done and for that I am as I am his name only haue the prayse and for hys sake I will alwayes seeke to do them good as much as lyeth in me And what soeuer they haue sayd or shall saye or do againste me I doe and will as hartely forgeue them al as I would be forgeuen of god my great sinnes trespasses For sure I am that what soeuer he be that hath any true tast or liuely felyng of the great mercye loue and kyndnesse of God towardes hym in Christe he can not beare hate or displeasure agaynste anye thynge but synne Sathā the only author therof Therfore in that they doe talke so muche of loue and let so little appeare in their dedes it doth euidently appeare how litle taste and liuelye feelyng of the free mercye of God in Christe they haue A weake fayth hath euer a colde charitie annexed vnto it which is quenched with euery vnkinde worde Yours vnfaynedly Iohn Careles To my deare Sister M. C. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the cōtinuall ayde strength comfort of hys most pure holy and mightye spirite with the increase of faith and liuely feling of hys eternall mercyes be moste effectuouslye wrought in your hart my deare and faithfull Syster to the full accomplishing of that good worke which the Lorde hath so graciously begonne in you that it may be to the setting forth of his glory the comfort of hys poore afflicted church and to your owne eternall consolation in hym Amen I thanke God most hartely for you my deare hart in the Lord with all remēbrance of you in my prayers as of duty I am bound not douting but you do the same for me to my great ioy comfort in the middest of my crosses which daily do increase yea and that in such sort that if the faythful god by your hartye prayer and others gods deare children dyd not put to hys helpyng hand I should surely syncke downe vnder thē Ah good sister begge hard of our deare father for me that he would shortly tread Sathan vnder my feete and that I may play the man in the Lordes battel as you bydde me be ioyfull in my Christ what payne or peril soeuer I suffer And reioyce wyth me good sister in the Lord and let vs be mery in him not only to chere the good harts of al our faythfull frends but also to anger the cankered hart of Sathā that croked Serpent our ancient enemy For I know that there is nothyng that can greue his malicious mind more thē the myrth gladnes and hartye reioysyng of the childrē of God in their good Christ Ah my faythfull frend if your good hart be heuye who cā make mine light If you be sory who cā make me glad But if you be mery and reioyce in the Lord there shal no trouble make me sad or sorowful Be of good cheare therfore my good sister comfort my swete brother V. Oh that I mighte once heare that he and his bridegrome were in bedde both together and that he had taken a swete slepe in hys louers armes as Iohn dyd vpon hys lappe on the Maundie night Iohn 13 Commend me vnto him most hartelye and desyre hym for the Lords sake to fulfyl my ioye increase my crowne Bid hym be mindefull of me in hys harty prayers as I neyther wyll nor can forget hym in myne Full deare is he vnto my soule So are you my good sister the Lord he knoweth
might be the better by them if he returne not agayne Euen so dearly beloued and ryght worshipfull my good frendes I hauing shortlye to passe vnto my heauenly inheritaunce whiche is hidden with Christ to our common countrey and eternal dwelling place which we shal haue ◠god neuer to returne before the latter day in the whiche our soules shall come to iudgement and receaue their bodyes to be glorifyed according to their doings haue thought it my dutye to cōmunicate vnto you somthing with whō I haue foūd great humanitie of the fewe heauenly treasures with the whiche God among others hath endued me in Christe whereby he hath made me his childe and assuredly the enheritour of the kingdome of heauen wich all those which vnfaynedly loue him and constantly cleaue to his holy gospell and that is by the renouation of his Image whereunto man was first created lyke vnto god which is to be in the fauour of God to know God truly to liue iustely to delight feruently in the contēpplacion of God to bee continually happye to be immortall voyde of al corruption and sinne the which blessed Image through synne is deformed in vs and in maner loste sauing that it hath pleased GOD of his mercye who willeth not the death of a sinner to restore that Image by grace throughe knowledge and beliefe of the Gospell whiche otherwyse in our nature is cleane suppressed extinguished Therefore we knowing the greate and lamentable losse whiche we doe sustaine in Adam ought moste earnestly to seeke the recouerye thereof that we mighte eternallye liue like vnto God in immortalitie and felicitie the whiche we shall neuer recouer vnlesse we goe aboute to mortifye our outwarde man all the dayes of our life more and more and bee renewed in spirite according to the true knowledge of GOD the whiche if we bee then may we bee assured that we haue found that ioye felicitie and eternall life whiche Adam had in paradise yea and more then that tenne thousand folde for that it is suche as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither the hart cā cōceaue which christ hath prepared for vs. This image of god whosoeuer by faith doth fynd he hath found the most precious treasure that any man can finde for he is euen here a citizen of heauen and in possession of eternal life Therefore I cōmit vnto you principally a dailye care of the renouation of this image as the chiefest iewel you can desire in this world And hereof now I am the more moued to put you in remembraunce because I loue you entierly in the lord and desyre your fellowshyp which the iniquity of our tyme will not permit me to enioy here And for asmuche as we haue a better life to come then this present is an eternall societie with Christ whiche neyther the malice of tyme neither the distance of place can dissolue or separate I exhort you now as one that hath obtained mercy of god in the reparacion of hys image in me to embrace the care therof with earnest desyre to attayn the same wherby we shal al haue a perfect fruition of our loue frendship which alreadye we haue here begon with god in heauen shal bee wythout all doute made ioyfully perfect Let this be a perpetual remembrance of your poore afflicted frend which daily loketh through fire to enter into that eternal life where he trusteth assuredly to enioy your fellowship if the image of god be renued in you through the knowledge of Christ which you haue receyued do know Loke whose image the coyne beareth his it is Semblably if your conuersation be after the gospell verely you are the elect of Christ but if it be according to the world his seruants you are whom your lyfe doth expresse We haue all in Baptisme put on Christ whom if we endeuour to represēt we are in dede the sonnes of God and inheritours wyth Christ One good rule S. Paule to the Rom. in the xij chap. doth appoint for the restauration of this our image of God Fashion not your selues saith he vnto thys world but be ye chaūged in your shape by the renewyng of your mynde that ye maye proue what is the will of god which thing is good acceptable perfect God graūt that this rule may take place with you then doutles our companye shall be inseparable wyth all the saynts of God in eternall blesse Be you not deceyued by the vayne possessions and vncertayne pleasures of this worlde whiche serue to none other purpose then to blynde your eyes that they mighte not behold the things which be glorious and permanent for euer The thynges whiche we see are mortall but the thynges which we see not but certainly hope for be immortall For all flesh as the Prophete Esay saythe is but grasse and the glory therof as the flower of the fielde Oh that you whiche haue the possessions of thys world would so accompt thē not sel your eternal inheritance for a messe of porrige as Esau dyd God open your eyes that you may see the glory of Christ in the mount wyth Peter Iohn and Iames. Then I doubte not you would say with Peter Lord it is good for vs to abyde here let vs here make our dwelling places We haue in this world no fyrme mansion but we seke after that which is to come the which yf we seke nowe where it maye be found we shal surely finde it If we mortify the image of Adam which through synne raigneth in our flesh then shal the image of Christ reuiue in vs to our eternall glorye We are all baptised to die wyth Christe to the ende we shoulde walke in newnes of lyfe as persons dead to the world and liuyng to God And if we dye with hym by crucifieng our concupiscence and lustes we shall eternally lyue Infidelitie is the cause of all our misery which causeth vs to feare mā more then GOD and to esteme the thynges presence more then the thynges to come God illighten our eyes that we may vnderstand how precious an inheritaunce Christ hath prepared for suche as hunger and thurst therafter Then I doubte not we would say wyth Sayncte Paule I am surely persuaded that neyther deathe nor lyfe neyther Aungels nor rule neyther power neyther thynges present neyther thynges to come neyther anye other treasure or creature shall separate vs from the loue whych is in Christe Iesus The Lorde encrease our fayth and geue vs hys holy spirite to discerne wyth our selues howe muche we are growen in hys image and are lyke vnto hym for howe muche we are vnlyke to the worlde so muche more are we like vnto god and so much the more do we approche vnto hym The lord drawe you by hys holye spirite and fashion you vnto hys lykenes that we may eternally lyue together The meanes to come therevnto is diligent exercise in gods worde continuall and faithfull prayer a desyre and loue to
body blood offred once for al. This I know my good sister you do constaÌ„tly coÌ„fesse beleue as the godly fruite of your christiaÌ„ fayth doth dayly testify I trust to be a witnes with you at the great day that your fayth is vnfayned ful of godly charitie the lord encrease the same I am constrayned here to make an end full sore agaynst my will My poore prayers shall supply that whiche my penne doth lacke The blessing of God be with you nowe and euer Amen Your dayly Oratour Iohn Careles A letter of M. John Rough wrytten a little before hys death to the Christian congregation in London whereof he was a minister and Preacher THe comfort of the holy ghost make you able to geue consolation to others in these daungerous dayes when Sathan is let lose to the tryal of the chosen when it pleaseth our God to sift his wheate from the chaffe I haue not leasure and time to write the great temptations I haue bene vnder I speake to Gods glorye my care was to haue the senses of my soule open to perceaue the voyce of god saying who that denieth me before men them wil I denie before my father his Angels and to saue the life corporall is to lose the life eternall and he that will not suffer with Christe shall not reigne with him Therefore moste tender ones I haue by Gods spirite geuen ouer the fleshe with the fyghte of my soule and the spirite hath the victorye The fleshe shall nowe ere it be longe leaue of to sinne the spyrite shall reygne eternallye I haue chosen the death to confyrme the truth by me taughte What can I doe more Consider with your selues that I haue done it for confyrmation of Gods truth Praye that I maye continue vnto the ende The great parte of the assaulte is paste I prayse my GOD. I haue in all my assaultes felte hys presente ayde I geue hym moste hartye thankes therefore Loke not backe nor bee ye ashamed of Christes Gospell nor of the bondes I haue suffered for the same thereby ye maye bee assured it is the true word of God The holy ones haue bene sealed with the same marke It is no tyme for the losse of one man in the battel for the campe to turne backe Vp with mens hartes blowe downe the dawbed walles of heresyes Let one take the Banner an other the Trumpet I meane not to make corporall resistance but praye and ye shall haue Elias defence and Heliseus companye to fight for you for the cause is the lords Now my brethren I can write no more tyme will not suffer and my harte wyth panges of death is assaulted but I am at home wyth my God yet alyue Pray for me and salute one an other wyth the holy kysse The peace of God reste with you all Amen From Newgate pryson in hast the day of my condeÌ„nation Iohn Rough. A letter of Cutberte Symson a Deacon of the Christian congregation in London burnt in Smythfielde for the veretye of Christes Gospell written to his wyfe out of the Colehouse MY dearelye beloued in the Lorde Iesus Christe Of the exceeding cruell vnmercifull Rackings and other tormeÌ„ts that thys man of God most paciently suffred read see in the boke of Martyrs Fol. 16â—1 I can not wryte as I doe wyshe vnto you I besethe you with my soule submytte your self vnder the mighty hand of our God trusting in hys mercy and he will surely helpe vs as shal be moste vnto hys glorye and oure euerlasting comforte being sure of thys that he will suffer nothing to come vnto vs but that which shal be most profitable for vs. For it is eyther a correction for oure synnes or a tryall of oure fayth or to set forth hys glorye or for altogether and therefore muste needes be well done for there is nothing that commeth vnto vs by fortune or chauÌ„ce but by our heauenly fathers prouidence And therfore pray vnto our heauenly father that he wil euer geue vs his grace so to consider it Let vs geue him most harty thankes for these hys fatherly corrections for as many as he loueth he correcteth And I besech you now be of good chere counte the crosse of Christ greater riches then al the vaine pleasures of England I do not doubt I prayse God for it but that you haue supped with Christ at his Maundie I meane that you beleue in him for that is the effect theÌ„ must you drinke of his cup I meane his crosse for that doth the cup signifye vnto vs. Take the cup with a good stomacke in the name of god then shal you be sure to haue the good wine Christs blood to your poore thirstye soule And when you haue the wine you muste drinke it out of this cup. Learne this wheÌ„ you come to the Lords supper Pray continually In al things geue thankes Cutbert Symson A letter of VVilliam Coker then prysoner in Caunterburye and afterwarde burnt for the testimonye of the truth wrytten to a frend of hys AS your hartye frend in god and through the mercy of our lord Iesus Christ as pertaining to the fayth your brother I send you greting most ChristiaÌ„ salutations For your kindenes in that you wrote so spedely to me again I coÌ„mend you thanke god for it though of necessitie you say you were partly moued so to do by reasoÌ„ of my bondes in the Lorde I hartely ioyed by occasioÌ„ of your letter because I vnderstode thereby the state of mine olde frends godly acquaintance and how ye al continually labour as we do in the Gospel of Christ which is the worde of saluation to as many as beleue Wherin we haue this coÌ„fidence through our fayth in the blood of Christ the thoughe Sathan his rabble of ministers doe rage neuer so muche with lying deceaueable power yea though he shoulde appeare neuer so glorious Angellike in the sight of the world yet shal his fiery dartes be quenched he neuer able to preuaile against vs. For the which testimonye of conscience I geue thankes vnto god froÌ„ the bottome of my hart praye alwaies vnto the Lord that as we haue begonne eueÌ„ so we may go forwardes vnto the end vntil the time that the darknes be cleane put away and the perfect light shine in oure harts soules bodyes in the eternal kingdome with god where we shal be sure our enemies shal not preuaile agaiÌ„st vs but then most victoriouslye be ouercome by that sweete Lambe the sonne of God In the meane time the Lord preserue keepe vs froÌ„ euil The Lorde make vs stoute in hys cause geue vs grace to confesse the truth before thys whorysh generation The Lord graunt we may worke his heauenly wil that when the time shal come he may receaue vs vnto himself in the glory euerlasting To whom be prayse honour for euer and euer Amen Your brother in bondes for the
mercy and not sacrifice Reade the 25. chap. of Math. The third is wheÌ„ we make our body a quick sacrfice holy acceptable vnto God that is when we mortify and kil our fleshly concupisâ—nces and carnall lustes so bring our flesh through the helpe of the spirite vnder the obedience of Gods holy law This is a sacrifice to god most acceptable which the apostle calleth our reasonable seruing of God And let vs be sure that vnlesse we doe nowe at thys present take better hede to our selues and vse thankefullye the grace of God offred to vs by the gospell preaching these yeares past wherby we are induced brought to the knowlege of the truth Ephes 3 vnlesse I say we kepe Christ and his holy word dwellyng by faith in the house and teÌ„ple of our harts the same thyng that Christ threatneth vnto the Iewes shal happen vnto vs Math. 14 that is to wytte the vncleane spirite of ignoraunce superstition idolatry and infidelitie or vnbeliefe the mother and head of all vices which by the grace of god was cast out of vs bringyng with him seuen other spirites worse then hymself shal to our vtter destruction returne again into vs so shal we be in a worse case then euer we wer before 1. Pet. 2 For if we after we haue escaped from the fylthines of the world through the knowlege of the lord and sauiour Iesus Christ be yet tangled therin agayne ouercome then is the latter ende worse then the beginning it had bene better for vs not to haue knoweÌ„ the way of ryghteousnes then after we haue knowen it to turne from the holy coÌ„maundemeÌ„t geueÌ„ vnto vs Prouer. 26 for it happeneth theÌ„ vnto vs according to the true prouerbe the dogge is turned to his vomite agayne and the sow that was washed to wallowyng in the myre And thus to continue and perseuer in infidelitie to kicke against the manifest and knowen truth and so to dye without repentaunce and with a dispayre of the mercye of god in Iesu Christ is to sinne agaynst the holy ghost which shal not be forgeuen neither in thys worlde neyther in the world to come Math. 23 Heb. 6 For it is not possible saieth S. Paule that they which were once lighted and haue tasted of the heauenly gyft and were become partakes of the holy ghost haue tasted of the good word of god of the power of the world to come if they fal away should be renued again â–ª by repentaÌ„ce for asmuch as they haue as concernyng themselues crucified the sonne of god againe makynge a mockynge of hym Sainct Paules meaning in this place is that they that beleue truly vnfainedly gods word do continue abide sted fast in the knoweÌ„ truth If any therfore fal away froÌ„ Christ and his word it is a plaine tokeÌ„ that they were but dissembling hypocrites Math. 26 for al their faire faces outwardly neuer beleued truely as Iudas Simon Magus Demas Hymeneus Philetus others wer which al fel away froÌ„ the knowen verity made a mocke af Christ which S. Paule dothe cal here to crucify Christ a newe because that they turning to their old vomit again did most blaspemously tread the benefites of christes death passion vnder their fete They that are such caÌ„ in no wise be cenued by repeÌ„tance for their repeÌ„tance is fleshly as the repeÌ„tance of Caine Saule and Iudas was which being without godly coÌ„fort breedeth desperatioÌ„ vnto death These are not of the nuÌ„ber of thelect as S Iohn doth say they went out froÌ„ vs but they were not of vs 1 Iohn 2. for if they had bene of vs they woulde haue remained with vs vnto the ende Also the apostle saith in an other place Heb. 10 yf we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowlege of the truth ther remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearful loking for iudgemeÌ„t violent fyre which shal deuoure the aduersaries They sinne willingly which of a set malyce and purpose do wthold the truth in vnrighteousnes lying Rom. 1. kyâ—kyng against the manifest open knowen truthe which although they do perfectly know that in all the worlde there is none other sacrifice for sinne but only that omnisufficieÌ„t sacrifice of christes death yet notwithstanding they wyll not commit theÌ„selues wholy vnto it but rather despise it allowyng other sacrifices for synne â—inueÌ„ted by the imaginatioÌ„ of man as we see by daily experience vnto whoÌ„ yf they abide stil in their wickednes and sinne remaineth a most horrible and dreadful iudgement This is that synne vnto death for whych S. Iohn would not that a man should pray Wherfore my derely beloued in Christ 1. Iohn 5 1. Cor. 10 Apoc. 12 Math. 24. Rom. 1 let vs on whoÌ„ the endes of the worlde are come take diligeÌ„t hede vnto our selues that now in these last perilous tymes in the which the Deuil is come doune hath great wrath because he knoweth his time is but short wherof the prophets Christ the apostles haue so much spokeÌ„ geueÌ„ vs so earnest forewarning we wthold not the truth in vnrighteousnes beleuing doing or speaking any thing against out knowlege coÌ„scieÌ„ce or wtout faith For if we do so for what cause soeuer it be Iohn 8. phi .. 2. Math. 3 it is a wilful obstinate infidelity a sinne vnto deathe as our Sauiour Christ saieth if ye beleue not ye shall die in your sinnes For vnlesse we hold fast the word of life both beleuing it also bring forth fruit worthy of repeÌ„tance we shal with that vnprofitable figge tree which did but cuÌ„ber the ground Luke 13 bee cut doune our talent taken froÌ„ vs geuen vnto an other that shal put it to a better vse we through our own vnthaÌ„kfulnes put froÌ„ the mercy of god Matth. 18. shal neuer be able to pay our debts that is to say we shall altogether bee lost and vndone Heb. 6. For the earth that drinketh in the rayne that commeth ofte vppon it and bryngeth foorth herbes meete for them that dresse it receyueth blessing of God But that grounde that beareth thornes and brears is reproued and is nygh vnto cursyng whose ende is to be burned Neuertheles dere frendes we trust to see better of you and such things as accompany saluation and that ye being that ground watered with moistnes of gods word plenteously preached amongs you Luke 8 Iames. 1. wil with a good hart heare the worde of god kepe it bringing forthe fruite with patience and bee none of those forgetfull and hypocritishe hearers whiche althoughe they heare the worde Math. 13 yet the Deuil commeth and catcheth away that which was sowen in the hart eyther hauyng no roote in themselues endure but a season and as sone as tribulation or persecution aryseth because of the worde by and by they are
continuallye woorke in fayth labour in loue perseuer in hope and be pacient in all your tribulations and persecutions euen vnto the ende and gloryous comming of Christ Coloss 2. Phil 2. 1. Pet. 3 Mat. 10 Luk. 11. these shall be earnestly to exhort and besech you in Christ that as ye haue receaued the Lord Iesus euen so to walke rooted in hym and not to be afrayde of anye terrour of your aduersaryes be they neuer so many and mighty and you on the other side neuer so fewe and weake for the battaile is the Lordes And as in tymes paste God was with Abraham Moses Isaac Dauid the Machabees and other and fought for them and deliuered all their enemyes into their hands euen so hath he promised to be with vs also vnto the worldes ende and so to assist strengthen and helpe vs that no man shall bee able to withstande vs. Math. 28. Iosua 1. For as I was with Moses so will I bee with thee sayeth God and neither leaue thee nor forsake thee Be stronge and bolde neither feare nor dread for the Lorde thy God is with thee whether so euer thou goest Nowe if God be on our side who caÌ„ be agaynst vs Rom. 8. In thys our spirituall warfare is no man ouercome vnlesse he trayterouslye leaue forsake his Captaine either cowardly caste awaye his weapons or willingly yeld him self to hys enemies either fearfully turne his backe and flye Be strong therfore in the Lord deare brethren and in the power of hys myght and put on all the armour of god Eph. 6. that ye may be able to stand stedfast against the craftye assaultes of the deuill Now what weapons ye muste fight with all 2. Cor 11.12 Act. 21. learne of S. Paule a champion both much exercised and also most valiaunt and inuincible For we muste thinke none other but that the lyfe of man is a perpetuall warfare vpon earth as the examples of all godly men throughout al ages do declare The valiaunt warriour S. Paule being deliuered froÌ„ the hands of the vngodly and that so many tymes from so many extreme perils and daungers of death as he him selfe doth witnesse is fayne to coÌ„mitte hym selfe in the end to the rough waters of the sea where he was in greate perill and ieoperdie of his own life Act. 12. yet was god alwayes to the greate comforte of all that heare of it moste readye to comfort and succour hym gloriously deliuered hym out of al hys troubles so that no man that did inuade him could do hym any harme in the end he was coÌ„pelled to say I haue fynyshed my course 2. Tim. 4. Phil. 1. Rom. 15. the time of my departyng is at hand I long to be losed to be wyth christ which thing is best of al most hartely desiring death These things be wrytteÌ„ for our learning coÌ„fort be to vs a sure obligatioÌ„ that if we submit our selues to god his holy word no maÌ„ shal be able to hurt vs that he will deliuer vs from al troubles yea eueÌ„ froÌ„ death also vntyll such tyme as we couet desyre to dye Heb. 12. Let vs therfore runne with pacience vnto the battel that is set before vs loke vnto Iesus the captayn fynysher of our fayth after his example for the rewards sake that is set out vnto vs paciently beare the crosse despise the shame for all that will liue godly in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3. Math. 3.4 Christ is no soner baptised declared to the world to be the sonne of god but SathaÌ„ is by by ready to teÌ„pt him Which thyng we must loke for also yea the more we shal encrease in fayth and vertuous liuing the more strongly will SathaÌ„ assault vs whoÌ„ we muste learne after the example of Christ to fyght agaynst ouercome wyth the holy sacred scriptures Eph. 6. Math. 4 word of God which is our heauenly armour sword of the spirit And let the fasting of christ while he was tempted in the wildernesse be vnto vs an example of sober liuing not for the space of fortye dayes as the papistes doe fondly fansye of their owne braynes but as long as we are in the wildernes of this wretched lyfe assaulted of Sathan who like a roaring LyoÌ„ walketh about ceaseth not seking our vtter destruction 1. Pet. 5. neither caÌ„ the seruauntes of god at any time come stand before god that is lead a godly lyfe walke innocently before god but Sathan commeth also among theÌ„ Iob. 1.3 that is he dayly accuseth fyndeth faulte vexeth persecuteth troubleth the godly for it is the nature propertie of the deuil alwayes to do harme to hurt vnlesse he be forbidden of god for vnlesse god do permit him he can do nothyng at al Math. 8 no not so much as enter into a fylthy hogge but we are more of price them many hogges before God if we cleaue vnto hys sonne by fayth Let vs therfore knowing Sathans deceites and rancour Eph. 6. walke the more warely and take vnto vs the shielde of fayth wherwith we maye bee able to quenche and ouercome all the fierye and deadlye dartes of the wicked Let vs take to vs the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirite which is the word of god learne to vse the same according to the exaÌ„ple of our grauÌ„d Captain Christ Let vs fast pray continually Mat. 4. Math. â—7 for this frantike kynde of deuills goeth not out otherwise as Christe doth teathe vs but by faithfull prayers fasting which his true abstinence sobernes of liuing if we vse the same according to the doctrine of the gospell word of God Fasting is acceptable to god if it be done withoute hypocrisie that is to say if we vse it to this entent that therby this mortal body disobedient carcase may be tamed broughte vnder the subiectioÌ„ of the spirit and againe if we fast to this intent that we may spare wherwith to helpe succour oure poore nedy brethren This fast do the true christians vse al the daies of their life although among the common sort of people remaineth yet stil that supersticious kind of fasting which god so earnestly reproueth by his Prophet Esay Esay 58 For as for true chastening of the body abstayning froÌ„ vice with shewing mercy towardes our nedy neighbours we wil neither vnderstand nor heare of but still thinke with the Iewes that we do god a great pleasure wheÌ„ we fast that we then faste wheÌ„ we abstaine froÌ„ one thing fill our bellies with an other And verely in this poynt doth our superstition muche excede the superstition of the Iewes for we neuer read that they euer toke it for a fast to abstayne froÌ„ fleshe and to eate either fyshe or whyte meate as they cal it To fastyng
if you will not speake then I besech you let these my letters speake vnto M. Gates to M. Wrothe to M. Cicill whom all I doe take for men that doe feare God It was sayd here constantly my Lord Chamberlaine to haue bene departed Syr though the day be delayed yet he hath no pardon of long life therfore I do besech his good Lordship so many as shall read these letters if they feare God to helpe that neither horse neither yet dogge be suffered to deuour the poore liuings appointed founded by godly ordinance to the ministers of gods worde The causes of conscieÌ„ce which do moue me to speake write thus are not only those whiche I declared once in the cause of this Prebend before the Kings Maiesties Counsell which now I let passe but also now the man M. Grindal vnto whoÌ„ I would geue this Prebend doth moue me verye muche for he is a man knowen to be both of vertue honestie discretion wisedome learning And besides al this I haue a better opinion of the Kings Maiesties â–ª honourable Counsel theÌ„ although some of them haue subscribed at this their Clarkes crafâ—ie vngodly sute to such a letter then I say they wil let not suffer after request made vnto them the liuing appoynted founded for a preacher to bee bestowed vppon so honest and well a learned man Wherfore for gods sake I besech you al helpe that with the fauour of the Counsel I may haue knowledge of the kings maiesties good pleasure to geue thys preachers liuing vnto M. Grindall Of late there haue bene letters directed from the Kinges Maiestie and his honourable Counsell vnto all the bishops wherby we be charged commauÌ„ded both in our own persons and also to cause our preachers ministers especially to crie out against the insatiable serpeÌ„t of couetousnesse whereby is sayd to be suche a gredynes amonges the people that eche one goeth about to deuour other and to threaten theÌ„ with Gods greuous plagues both now presently throweÌ„ vpon them and that shal be likewise in the worlde to come Syr what preachers shall I gette to open and set forth suche matters and so as the Kings Maiestie and the Counsel do commaunde them to be set forth if either vngodlye men or vnreasonable beastes bee suffered to pull awaye deuoure the good and godlye learned preachers liuings Thus I wyshe you in god euer wel to fare to helpe Christes cause as you would haue helpe of him at your most nede From Fulham this present the 23. of Iulie 1551. Yours in Christe Nicholas London A letter of Cutbert Symson to certayne of hys frendes concernyng hys Rackyng and other cruell tormentes which he suffred in the Tower THe .13 daye of December I was sente to the Tower and on the Thursdaye after I was called into the warehouse before the Constable of the Tower and the Recorder of London Maister Cholmeley They commaunded me to tel them whom I dyd wil to come to the Englyshe seruice I aunswered I woulde declare nothyng Thys Engine is called Skenyngtons Giues wherin the body standeth double the head being draweÌ„ towardes the seete The forme maner of these Gyues and of his Rackyng you may see in the booke of Martyrs Folio 1631. Then was I set in an engine of Yron for the space of .iij. houres as I iudged After that they asked me if I woulde tell them I aunsweared as before Then was I losed and caryed to my lodging agayne On the Sundaye after I was broughte into the same place agayne before the Lieutenant being also Constable and the Recorder of London and they examined me As before I hadde sayd I aunsweared Then the Lieutenaunt sware by god I shoulde tell Then dyd they bynde my two forefyngers together and putte a small arrowe betwixt them and drew it through so faste that the bloode followed and the arrowe brake Then they racked me twyse After that was I caryed to my lodging agayne and tenne dayes after the Lieuetenaunt asked me if I woulde not confesse that whiâ—he before they had asked me I sayde I had sayde as muche as I woulde Then fyue weekes after he sent me vnto the hyghe priest where I was greatlye assaulted and at whose hande I receaued the Popes curse for hearyng witnesse of the resurrection of Iesus Christe And thus I commend you vnto God and to the woorde of his grace with all them that vnfaynedly call vppon the name of Iesus desiring GOD of his endles mercy through the merites of hys deare sonne Iesus Christ to bryng vs al to his euerlastyng kingdome Amen I prayse God for hys great mercy shewed vpon vs. Syng Osanna vnto the hyghest with me Cutbert SymsoÌ„ God forgeue me my sinnes I aske al the world forgeuenes I do forgeue al the world and thus I leaue this worlde in hope of a ioyfull resurrection Cutbert Symson A briefe admonition wrytten by M. Bradford in a newe testament of a frend of hys THis boke is called sermo crucis the word of the crosse 1. Cor. 2 because the crosse doth alwais accompany it so that if you wil be a student hereof you must nedes prepare your self to the crosse which you began to learne before you learned your Alphabet and Christ requireth it of euery one that wyll be his disciple therin not swaruing from the common trade of callings or vocations for no profession or kind of life wanteth hys crosse So that they are farre ouerseene whyche thynke that the profession of the gospel whiche the deuyll most enuieth the world most hateth the flesh most repineth at can be without a crosse Lette vs therfore pray that god would enable vs to take vp our crosse by denying our selues E carcere 18. Februarij 155â— Iohn Bradford A letter of Maister Thomas Leauer beyng then in exile for the testimonye of gods gospell to M. Bradford prisoner in the tower of London THe grace of god be vnto you wyth my harty commendations I haue sene the places noted the doctrine and discipline and talked wyth the learned men of Argentine Basyll Zurich Berne Lausan and Geneua and I haue had experience in all these places of syncere doctryne godly order and great learnyng and especially of suche vertuous learning diligence and charitie in Bullinger at Zurich and in Caluine at Geneua as doth much aduaunce gods glory vnto the edifying of Christes church with the same religioÌ„ for the which you be now in prison And as I dout not but you in readyng of their bookes haue fouÌ„d much godly and comfortable knowledge so I am sure that they in hearyng of your constancy patieÌ„ce take occasioÌ„ greatly to reioyce wyth thankes geuing vnto God whiche doth testifye his truth vnto the worlde not onely by their writyng but also by your suffering The lord therefore which vseth thys your suffering ioyned wyth godly learnyng to set forth his glory not onely vnto the comfort of simple soules in