A Piteous Lamentation of the Miserable Estate of the Church
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Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A PITVOVS LAMENTATION OF THE MISERABLE ESTATE OF THE CHVRCHE of Christ in England, in the time of the late revolt from the gospel, wherein is contained a learned comparison between the comfortable doctrine of the gospel, & the traditions of the popish religion: with an instruction how the true Christian ought to behave himself in the time of trial. Wrytten by that worthy martyr of god Nicolas Rydley, late Bysshoppe of London. Never before this time imprynted.
Wherevnto are also annexed certain letters of John Careles, written in the time of his imprisonment.
Perused and allowed according to the Queens Majesty's Injunctions.
A Lamentacion of the Church.
A LAS, what misery is thy church brought unto (O Lord) at this day? Whereof late y e word of the Lord was truly preached, was red and heard in every town, in every church, in every vyllage, yea almost in every honest man's house: alas now is it exiled & banished out of the whole Realm. Of late whoo was not glad to be taken for a lover of God's word, for a reader, for a ready hearer, and for a learner of the same: & now (alas) who dare bear any open countenance toward it, but such as are content in Christ's cause & for his words sake to stand to the danger & loss of all that they have?
Of late there was to be found of every age, of every degree and kind of people, that gave their dilygence to learn as they could out of gods word, the articles of the Christian faith, the commaundmentes of god and the lords prayer. The babes and young children were taught these things of their parents, of their masters, & wekely of their curates in every church: & the aged folk which had ben brought up in blindness and in ignorance of those things which every Christian is bound to know, when otherwise they could not, yet they learned the same by often hearing their children and servants repeating the same: But now, alas, and alas again, the false prophets of Antichrist which are past all shame, do openly preach in pulpets unto the people of God that the cat • chisme is to be counted heresy: whereby their old blindness is brought home again: for the aged are afraid of the higher powers, and the youth is abashed & ashamed even of that which they have learned, though it be God's word and dare no more meddle.
Of late in every congregation throughout all England was made prayer & petition unto God to be delivered from the tyranny of the bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities: from all false doctrine and heresy: And now alas, Sathā hath persuaded England by his falshed and craft to revoke her old godly prayer, to recant the same, & provoke the fearful wrath and indygnation of god upon her own pate.
Of late by strait laws and ordinances, with the consent of the nobles and commonality, and full agrement and counsel of the prelates & clergy, was banished hence the beast of Babylon, with laws, I say, and with oaths and all means that then could be deuysed for so godly a purpose: But now alas, all these laws are trodden under foot: the nobles, the commonality, the prelates & clargie are quite changed and all those oaths though they were herein made in judgment, justice and truth, and the matter never so good, doth no more hold then a bond of rushes, or of a barley straw, nor publyke perjury no more fearethe them then a shadow upon the wall.
Of late it was agreed in England of all hands, according to Paul's doctrine and Christ's commandment, as Paul saith plain, that nothing ought to be done in the church in the public congregation, but in that tongue which the congregation could understand, that all might be edified thereby, wheather it were common prayer, administratiō of the sacraments, or any other thing belonging to the public ministry of gods holy and wholesome word: but alas all is turned vpsidedowne. Paul's doctrine is put apart: Christ's commandment is not regarded: for nothing is heard commonly in the Church but in a strange tongue that the people doth nothing understand.
Of late all men and women were taught after Christ's doctrine to pray in that tongue which they could understand, that they might pray with heart, that which they should speak with their tongue: Now, alas, the unlearned people is brought in that blindness again, to think that they pray, when they speak with their tongue, they cannot tell what, nor whereof: their heart is nothing myndefull at all, for that it can understand never a whyt thereof.
Of late the lords supper was duly ministered and taught to be made common to all that were true Chrystians, with thanks giving and setting forth of the Lord's death and passion, until his returninge again to judge both quick and deadde: But now alas, the Lord's table is quite overthrown, and that which ought to be common to all godly, is made private to a few ungodly, with out any kind of thankesgeuinge, or any setting forth of the lords death at all, that the people is able to understand.
Of late all that were endued with the light and grace of understanding of gods holy mysteries, did bless god which had brought them out of that horrible blindness and ignorance, whereby in times paste being seduced by Satan's subteltyes, they believed that the sacrament was not the sacrament, but the thing it self, whereof it is a sacrament: that the creature was the creator, and that the thing which hath neither life nor sense (alas such was the horrible blyndenes) was the Lord him self, which made the eye to see, and hath given all senses and understanding unto man. But now alas, England is returned again like a dog to her own vomyt and spuynge, and is in worse case then ever she was: for it had ben better never to have known the truth then to forsake the truth once received and known. And now, not only that light is turned into darkness, and gods grace is received in vain, but also laws of death are made by high court of parliamente masterfully to maineteine by sword fire and all kind of violence that heinouse Idolatry wherein that adoration is givē unto the lyueles and dum creature, which is only dew unto the euerlyuynge God: yea they faye they can and do make of bread both man and god by their transubstantiation. O wicked invention, and Satan's own brood.
Of late was the Lord's cup at his table distributed according to his own comaundement by his express words in his gospel as well to the laytie as to the clergy, which order Christ's church observed so many hundredth years after (as all the ancient ecclesiastical writers do testyfie) without contradictiō of any one of them that can be shewid unto this day. But now, alas, not only the lords commandment is broken, his cup is denied to his servants, to whom he commanded it should be distributed, but also with the same is set up a new blasphemous kind of sacrifice, to satisfy & pay the price of sins, both of the dead and of the quick, to the great and intolerable contumely of Christ our savior his death & passion, which was and is the one only sufficient and everlasting auaylable sacrifice satisfactory for all the electes of god, from Adam the first, to the last that shall be borne in the ende of the world.
Of late that commandment of god, thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor any similytude or lykenes of any thing in heaven above, or in earth beneath, or in the water under the earth, thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them: this comaundment of God (I say) was graven almost everywhere in churches, was learned of everybody both young and old: whervppon Images that provoked the simple and ignorant people unto idolatry (as the wise man saith) were taken out of the churches, and straytly forbidden that none should any where either bow down to them or worship them: But now alas gods holy word is blotted and rased out of churches, and stocks and stones are set up in the place thereof. God commanded his word so to be ordered that it might be had in continual remembrance at all times and in every place: and on the other side he forbad images and idols so to be either made or set in any place where any should bow or worship them: But now alas, that which god commanded is not passed upon, and that which he forbiddeth is masterfully maintained by falshed and craft, and wickedly upholden.
Of late all ministers that were admitted to the public office and ministry of gods holy word, in their admission made a solempne professyon before the congregation that they should teach the people nothing as doctrine necessary to attain eternal salvation, but that which is gods own holy word or may be thereof grounded without any doubt: whereby vanished and melted away of thenselves many vain yea wicked traditions of man, as wax before the fire: but now at one brunte they are revived and are in full hope all to return again in as great strength as ever they have been. And howe can any man look for any other thing, but whē you have received the head, you must also receive the whole body withal, orelles how can the head abide? The head under Satan of all mischief is Antichrist & his brood, and the same is he which is the baby lonical beast. The beast is he whervppon the whore sytteth, the whore is that City saithe John in plain words, which hath the empire over the kings of the earth. This whore hath a golden cup of abominations in her hand, whereof she maketh to drink the kings of the earth, & of the wine of this harlot hath all nations drunk, yea and kings of the earth have lain by this whore, and merchants of the earth by virtue of her pleasant merchandise have ben made rich.
Now what city is there in all the whole world that whē John wrote, ruled over the kings of the earth? or what City can be red of in any time, that of the city it self, chalēged the empire over the kings of the earth, but only the city of Rome, & that sense the usurpation of that see hath grown to her full strenghe? And is it not red that old and ancient writers understand Peters former Epistle to be written at Rome, and it to be called of him in the same Epistle, in plain terms, Babylō? by the abominations thereof I understand all the whole trade of the Romish religion under the name & title of Christ, which is contrary to the only rule of all true religion, that is gods word. What word of god hath that dy • elishe drab for the maintenance of her manifold abominations, and to set to sel souche marchaundise wherewith (alas the madness of man) the wicked harlott hath bewitched almooste the whole world? Dyd not Peter the true Apostle of Christ, of whom this stinking strumpette beareth her self so high (but falsely and without all just cause) did not he I say, give all the world warning of her pelf and trashe, of her false doctors and apostles (for this whore and beast will be called Dominus Apostolicus, who so ever say nay) after this manner in his later epistle? There was among the people in times past false prophets as there shall be also among you in time to come false teachers, which shall privily bring in pestylent sects, even denying the lord which hath bought them and redeemed thē, procuring to them selves swift damp nation, and many shall follow their damnable ways, by whō the way of truth shall be railed upon, and through covetousness by counterfeit tales or sermons they shall (saith Peter) make merchandise upon you. &c. And doth not John likewise in his revelation, after he hath reconed up a great rablemente of this whores mystical merchandise, at the last (as though he would knit up all in plain words, without any myst at all, setting out the whores marchandyse) reckon up among the rest, & concludeth saying, Et animas hominū, y t is to say, & the souls of men too? Wher, upon I pray you elles rose this true proverb in latin, Omnia Rome venalia, all things for money are set to sale at Rome? Was not that a worthy commendation of Christ's vicar in earth that was written of our holy father, one of the Alexanders a bishop of Rome, thus I wene, in latin?
I grant these verses to be light gere, and the verse is but rude, but alas such conditions were more wicked and lewd then any wit could express. If these had ben but the faltes of one or a few in number, they had ben less pernicious, and might have ben taken for personal crimes, not to be imputed unto that see, but now alas the matter is more thē evident to all that hath godly understanding, that these crimes be grounded upon laws, be stablished by costom, and set forth by all kind of wicked doctrine, falshed, & craft, and therefore are not now to be esteemed for any one man's or of a few men's personal crimes, but are now by laws, costome, and doctrine incorporated into that wicked see, & maketh in deed the body of the beast whervpō the abhominable whore doth sit.
But you would know which be those merchandise which I said this whore setteth forth to sell, for the which all her false prophets with all their iuggelyngs & crafty glosses can not bring one • ote of gods word. Surely surely, they be not only all these abominations which are come into the church of England already, whereof I have spoken somewhat before, but also an innumerable rablement of abhominatious and wicked abuses which now must needs follow As popish pardons, pi • grymages, Romish purgatory, Romish masses, Placebo & dirige, with trentalles & Scala coeli, dispensations & immunities from all godly discipline, laws and good order, pluralities, unions, and • ot quottes, with a thousand moo. Now shall come in the flattering fryers, and the false pardoners and play their old pranckes and knavery as they were wont to do. Now you shall have (but of the see of rome only, and that for money) canonysing of such saints as hath stood stout in the popes cause, shrinynge of relicques and from any kind of wickedness (if you will pay well for it) clear absolution, a pena et cupla, w t thousands of years, yea at every poor bishops hand and suffragan ye shall have halowing of churches, chapelles, altares, superalteres, chaleces, and of all the whole household stuff and adornament, which shall be used in the church after the Romish guise, for all these things must be esteemed of such high pry • e that they may not be done but by a consecrate bishop only. O Lord, all these things are such as thy apostles never knew. As for coniuringe (they call it ha • owing, but it is coniuryng in deed) of water and salt, of chrysteninge of belles and such like light things, what need I to speak? for every priest that can but read, hath power (they say) not only to do y t but also hath such power over Christ's body as to make both god & man once at y e least every day of a water cake. After the rehearsal of the said abominations, and remembrance of a number of many mo, which (the lord knoweth) yrketh me to think upon, and were to long to describe: when I consider on the other side the eternal word of god that abideth forever, and the undefiled law of the Lord, which turneth the soul frō all wyekednesse, and giveth wisdom unto the innocente Babes, I mean that milk that is without all gu • le, as Peter doth call it, that good word of god, that word of truth, which must be graven within the heart, and thē is able to save men's souls, that wholesome seed, not mortal but immortal of the eternal and everliving God, whereby the man is borne a new and made the child of God, that seed of God whereby the man of god so being borne cannot sin, as John saith (he meaneth so longe as that seed doth abide in him) that holy scripture which hath not been deuysed by the wit of man, but taught from heaven by the inspyration of the holy ghost, which is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct to instruct and give order in all righteousness, that the man of god may be whole & sound, ready to perform every good work: when (I say) I consider this holy and wholesome true word that teacheth us truly our bounden dewty towards our lord god in every point, what his blessed will and pleasure is, what his infinyte great goodness and mercy is, what he hath done for us, how he hath given his own only dere beloved to death for our salvation, & by him hath sent us the reuelatiō of his blessed will & pleasure, what his eternal word willeth us both to believe & also to do, and hath for the same purpose inspyred the holy apostles with the holy ghost, and sent them abroad into all the world, and also made them and other dysciples of Christ, inspyred by the same spyrit, to write and leave behind them the same things that they taught, which as they did proceed of y e spyrit of truth, so by the confession of all them that ever were endued with the spirit of God, were sufficient to the obtaining of eternal salvation: and likewise when I consider that all that man doth profess in his regeneratiō when he is receued into the holy catholic church of Christ, and is now to be accounted for one of the lively members of Christ's own body, all that is grounded upon God's holy word, and standeth in the profession of that faith, and obedience of those commandments which are all contained and comprysed in God's holy word: and furthermore when I consider whom our sauyoure Christ pronounceth in his gospel to be blessed, and to whō Moses giveth his benedictions in the law, what ways the Law, the Prophets, the Psalms, and all holy Scryptures both new and old doth declare to be the ways of the Lord, what is good for man to obtain and abide in God's favor, which is that saith that justifieth before God, and what is that charity that doeth pass and excel all, which be the properties of heavenly wisdom, and which is that undefiled religion that is allowed of god, which things Christ himself calleth the weighti matters of the law, what thing is that which is only auaylable in Christ, and what knowledge is that that Paul esteemed so much that he counted him self only to know, what shall be the manner of the extreme judgment of the later day, who shall judge, and by what he shall judge, and what shall be required at our hands at that fearful day, howe all things must be tried by the fire, and that that only shall stand forever which Christ's words shall allow, which shall be the judge of all flesh to give sentence upon all flesh, and every living soul, either of eternal damnation or of everlasting salvation, from which sentence there shall be no place to appeal, no wit shall serve to delude, nor no power to wythstande or revoke: when (I say) I consider all these things and confer the same again and again, all those ways wherein standeth the substance of the Romish religion, (whereof I spake before) it may be euydente and easy to perceive, that these two ways, these two relygions, the one of christ the other of the Romish see in these latter days, be as far dystaunte the one from the other as light and darkness, good and evil, righteousness and unrighteousness, chryst & Belial. He that is hard of belief, let him note and way well with him self the places of holy Scryptures which be appointed in the margent, whereupon this talk is grounded, and by God's grace he may receive some light. And unto the contemner I have nothing now to say, but to rehearse the saying of the prophet Isaiah, which Paul spake to the Jews in the ende of the acts of the apostles. After he had expounded unto them the truth of God's word, and declared unto them Christ out of the law of Moses and the Prophets from morning to night all the day long, he said unto them that would not believe, well (said he) spake the holy ghost unto our fathers saying, go unto this people and tell them ye shall hear with your ears and not understand, and seeing you shall behold, and not se the thing, for the heart of this people is waxed gross or, dull, and with their ears they are hard of hearing, and they have shut together their eyes that they should not see, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their harts, that they might return, and I should heal them, saith the lord God. Alas England alas that this heavy plague of god should fall upon thee, alas my dere beloved country, what thing is it now that may do the good? Vndoutedly thy plague is so great that it is utterly incurable, but by the bottomless mercy and infinite power of almighty Godde. Alas my dear country what haste thou done that thus thou hast provoked the wrath of God to pour out his vengeance upon thee for thine own deserts? Canst thou be content to hear thy faults told thee? Alas thou haste heard often, and wouldest never amende. England, thy faults of all degrees and sortes of men, of the magestrates, of the ministers, & of the common people, were never more plainly told, sense thou barest that name, then thou diddeste bear them of late even before the magestrates in king Edward's days, but thou hardest them only and didst amend never a whit. For even of thy greatest magestrats some (the kings hyghnesse then, that innocente, that godly hearted, & pereles young Christian prince excepted) evermore unkindly & vngētly against those that went about most husely & most holesomly to cure their sore backs, spurned privily, and would not spare to speak evil of them evē unto the prince him self, & yet would they towards the same preacher outwardelye bear a ioly countenance and a fair face. I have heard that Cranmer and an other whom I will not name, were both in high displeasure, the one for showing his conscience secretly but plainly and fully in the duke of Somersets cause, and both of late, but specially Cranmer for repugning as they might against the late spoil of the church goods, taken away only by commandment of the higher powers without any law or order of justice, and without any request of consent of them to whom they did belong. As for Latimer, Leuer, Bradford, and knoxe, theyre tongues were so sharp, they rypped in so depe in their galled backs, to have purged thē, no dout, of the filthy matter that was festered in their hearts, of insaciable covetousness, of filthy carnality and voluptuousness, of intolerable ambitiō and pride, of ungodly lothsomnes to hear pore men's causes, and to hear gods word, that these men of all other, these magestrates thē could never abide. Other there were very godly men & well learned y t went about by the wholesome plasters of gods word, how be it after a more soft manner of handling of the matter, but alas all sped in like. For all that could be done of all hands, their disease did not minishe, but daily did increase, which no doubt is no small occasiō in y e state, of the heavy plague of god that is poured vpō England at this day. As for the common sort of other inferior magestrates, as judges of the law: iustices of peace, sergeantes, common lawyers, it may be truly said of thē as of the most parte of the Clergy, of curates, vicars, persons, prebendaryes, doctors of the law, archdeacōs, deanes, yea, & I may say of bishops also I fear me, for the more part (although I dout not but god had and hath ever whom he in every state knew and knoweth to be his) but for the most part I say, they were never persuaded in their hearts but from the tethe forward, and for the kings sake in the truth of gods word, and yet all these did dissemble and bare a copy of a countenance as if they had been • ound within.
And this dyssimulation Satan knew well enough, and therefore desired and hath ever gone about that the high magestrates by any manner of means might be deceued in matters of religion, for then he being of counsel with the dissimulation in the worldly, knew well enough that he should bring to pass and rule all even after his own will.
Hypocrisy and dissimulation S▪ Jerome doth cal well a double wickedness, for neither it loveth y e truth, (which is one great evil) and also falsely it pretendeth to deceive the simple for another thing. This hipocrisy and dissimulation with God in matters of religion, no doubt, hath wholly also provoked y e anger of god. And as for the common people, although there were many good where they were well and diligently taught, yet god knoweth a great number received God's true word and high benefits with unthankful hearts. For it was great pity & a lamentable thing to have seen in many places the people so lothsomly & so vnreligiously to come to the holy communion & to receive it accordingly, and to the common prayers and other divine service, which were according to the true vein of gods holy word, in all points so godly and holesomely set forth, in comparison of that blind zeal and indiscreet devotion which they had afore times to those things whereof they understood never one whyt nor could be edifyed by thē any thing at all. And again as for alms deeds which ar taught in gods word (whereby we are certain that god is pleased with them, and doth and will require such at our hands, which are a parte of true religion as S. James saith, and such as he saith himself he setteth more by then by sacryfice, as to provide for the fatherless infants and orphans, for the lame, aged, and impotent poor needy folk, and to make publyke provision that the poverty that might labor, should have wherewith to labor upon, and so be kept from shameful beggary and stealing) in these works I say, how wayward were many, in comparison (I mean) of that great prodigality, whereby in times paste they spared not to spend upon flattering fryers, false pardoners, painting and gilding of stocks & stones, to be set up and honored in churches plainly against gods word. And yet because no place is to be defrauded of their just commendacion, London I must confess that such godly works in sir Dobs knight then lord Major his yere, began maruelious well, the Lord grant the same may so likewise persevere, continue, yea and increase to the comfort & relief of the needy and helpless, that was so godli begun. Amen.
All these things do mynyster matter of more mournynge and bewaling the miserable state that now is, for by this it may be perceayued howe well England hath deserved this just plague of God.
And also it is greatly to be feared, that those good things whatsoever they were that had their beginnynge in the time when God's word was freely preached, now with the exyle and banishment of the same, they will depart again.
But to return again to the consideration of this miserable state of Christ's church in England, and to leave farther and more exquisite searching of the causes thereof unto gods secret and unsearchable judgments, let us see what is best now to be done for Christ's little selye flock. This is one Maxim and princyple in Christ's law: he that denieth me before men, him shall Christ deny afore his father and all his angels of heaven. And therefore everyone that looketh to have by Christ our savior everlasting life, let him prepare him self so, that he deny not his master Christ, or else he is but a caste away and a wretch, howsoever he be counted or taken here in the world.
Now then seeing the doctrine of antechriste is returned again into this realm, and the higher powers (alas) are so deceived and bewitched y t they are persuaded it to be truth, and Christ's true doctrine to be error and heresy, and the old laws of antechrist are allowed to return with the power of their Father again, what can be hereafter looked for by reason to the man of God and true Christian abiding in this realm, but extreme violence of death or else to deny his master. I grant the heart of princes are in God's hands, and whether soever he will he can make them to bow, and also that christiā princes in old time used a more gentell kind of punishment, even to thē which were heritikes in deed, as degradation and depositiō out of their rooms and offices, exile and banishmente out of their dominions & coūtreyes, and also (as it is red) the true bishops of Christ's church were sometimes intercessors for the heretics unto princes that they would not kill them, as is red of S. Augustine. But as yet Antechristes kingdom was not so erected at that time, nor is now accustomed to order them that will not fall down and worship the beast and his image, but (even as all the world knoweth) after the same manner that both John and Daniel hath prophesied before, that is by violence of death, and Daniel declareth farther the kind of death accustomably should be by sword, fire, and imprysonment. Therefore if thou O man of God, do purpose to abide in this realm, prepare and arm thyself to die, for, both by antechristes accustomable laws, and these prophecies, there is no apparance or likelihood of any other thing, except thou wilt deny thy master Christ, which is the loss at the last both of body & soul unto everlasting death. Therefore my good brother or syster in Christ whatsoever thou be, to thee that canst and mayest so do, that counsel that I think is the best safeguard for thee, both for thy body, and most surety for thy souls health, is that which I shall show thee hereafter. But first I warn thee to understand me to speak to him or her which be not in captivity or called already for to confess christ, but is at liberty abroad. My counsel I say therefore is this, to fly from the plague and to get thee hense. I consider not only the subtelties of sathā, and howe he is able to deceive by his false persuasions, if it were possible, even the chosen of God, and also the great frailty which is often times more in a man then he doth know in himself, which in the time of temptation then will utter it self: I do not only consider these things I say, but that our master christ whose life was and is a perfect rule of the Christian man's life, that he himself avoided oftentimes the fury and madness of the Jews by departing from the country or place.
Paul like wise when he was sought in Damasco, and the gates of the city were laid in wait for him, he was conveyed by night, let down in a basket out at a window over the wall, and Helias the prophet fled the persecution of wicked Jezebel. And Christ our Savior saith in the Gospel, when they persecute you in one city fly unto another: and so did many good great learned and verteouse men of god, which were great & stout chāpions nevertheless, and stout confessors and mainteyners of Christ and his truth in due time and place. Of such was the great clarke Athanasius. But this is so plain to be lawful by gods word & examples of holy men, that I need not to stand in it. Having this for my ground, I say to thee O man of god this seemeth to me to be the most sure way for thy sauegard, to depart and fly far from the plague, & that swiftly also: for truly before god, I think that the abomination that Daniel prophesied of so long before, is now set up in y e holy place. For all antechrists doctrine, laws, rites & religion, contrary to Christ and to the true serving and worshypping of god, I understand to be that abomination: therefore now is the time in England for those words of Christ: Tūc, inquit, qui • n • udaea runt fugiant ad montes. Then, saith he, mark this Christ's (then) for truly I am persuaded and I trust by the spirit of god, that this then, is commanded: Then, saith Christ, they that be in Jewry let them fly into the moūtaynes, & he that is on the house top let him not come down to take away any thing out of his house, and he that is abroad in the field, let him not return to take his clothes. Woe be to the great bellied women and to them that give suck, but pray saith Christ, that your flight be not in winter nor on the sabbath day. These words of Christ are mystical, & there fore have need of interpretatiō. I understand all those to be in Iewryspiritually, which truly confess one true living god, and the whole truth of his word after the doctrine of the gospel of Christ. Such are they whō here chryst biddeth in the time of the reign of Antechrystes abominations to fly unto the moūtains, which signifieth places of safeguard, and all such things which are able to defend frō the plague. That he biddeth him that is on the house top not to come down, nor him that is in the fyelde not to return to take with him his clothes, he meaneth that they should speed them to get thē away betime, least in their tarrying & trifling about worldly provision, thei be trapped in the snare, or ever they be aware and caughte by the back, and for gain of small worldly things endaunger and cast them selves in to great perilles of more weighty matter. And where he saith woe to the great bellyed women, and to them that give suck: women great with child, and nigh to their lying down, and to be brought to bed are not able to travel, nor also those women which are brought to bed, & now giveth their babes suck: by these therefore christ spiritually understandeth all such to be in extreme danger (which this word woe signifieth) all such I say, as are so letted by any manner of means, that they no ways be able to fly frō the plague. That which christ saith, pray that your flight be not in winter nor on the sabbath day: In winter the common course of the year teacheth us that the ways be foul, and therefore it is a hard thing then to take a far journey for many incōmodities and dangers of the ways in that time of the year: and on the sabbath day it was not lawful to journey but a little way. Now Christ therefore meaning that we should have need both to speed our journey quicklye, which cannot be done in winter for the incommodities of the ways, and also to go far, which can not be done on the Sabbath day: he biddeth us therefore pray that our flight be not in winter nor on the sabbath day, that is, to pray that we may fly in time, and also far enough frō the danger of the plague. Now the causes why we should fly, followeth in y e same place of s. Matthews gospel, which I now pass over: thou mayest read them there.
And in the 18. chapter of the Revelation, the angel is said to have cried myghtely with a loud voice, fly my people out of Babylon lease you be infected with her faults and so be made partners of her plagues: for her offenses and sins are grown so great that they swell and are come unto the heaven: certainly the time doth approach and the lords day is at hand. Hear, I beseech you, also holy Paul, that blessed apostle: he plainly forbiddeth us ducere iugum cum incredulis that is, to join or couple our selves with the unfaithful, for what fellowship can there be (saith he) of righteousness with vnrighteousenes, what company hath light with darkness, or what agreement hath christ with Belial, or what parte can the faithful have with the unfaithful, or how doth the temple of god agre with images or idols, for you are the temple of the living god: as god hath said, I will walk and dwell in them. I will be their god, and they shall be my people, wherefor depart from amongst them and get you from them, saith the lord, & touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and be to you in the stead of your father & you shall be unto me as my sons and daughters, saith the almighty Lord.
This counsel to depart the realm, I do not marvel if it do seme to divers (even of them I mean y e bear favor to godwarde) dyuersly. Many (I trust) that he learned shall think the counsel good. Other there be per adventure that will think it rather a thing to be more tolerable and y t it may be in deed by gods word lawfully done, rather then to be coūsailed to be done, for they will (peradventure) say, we should counsel a man always to do that which is best of all, and of most parfectiō, but boldly in Christ's cause to spend a man's life, is best of all, and of most perfection, and to fly it may seme to smell of cowardnes. In many things, that which is best for one at sometimes, is not best for all at all times, and it is not most perfection nor meet for a child to covet to run before he can go. I will not make here a discourse in this matter what might here be objected, and what might be answered again: I leave that to the witty and eloquent men of the world.
This is my mind which I would thou shouldest know, o man of god, as I would wish and I do pray to almighty God it may be, that every true Christian either brother or syster (after they be called and brought in to the wrestlynge place, to strive in Christ's cause for the best game, that is to confess the truth of the gospel and of the Christian faith in hope of everlasting life) should not shrynke nor relente one ynche, or give back whatsoever shall befall, but stand to their tackle, and styrke by it even unto death, as they will Christ shall stick by them at the latter day. So likewise I dare not wish nor counsel any, either brother or sister of their own swinge to start up into y e stage, or to cast themselves either before or farther in danger then time and need shall require: for undoubtedly when God seeth his time, and his pleasure is that his glory shall be set forth, and his church edefyed by thy death and confession, means shall be found by his fatherly universal prouydence, that thou without thine own presumptuouse prouocatiō, shalt be law fully called to do thy seat & to play thy parte. The miserable ende that one Quintus came unto, may be a warninge and a fearful example for all men to beware of presumption and rashness in such things (as Eusebius writeth in Ecclesiastica historia) for evermore.
But a third sort of men there be which also will be counted favorers of gods word & are, I fear, in mumber far mo and worse to be persuaded to that which is the godly mean. I mean of such as w • ll peradventure say or think that my former counsel which was, to 〈◊〉 the infect • on of the antechristian doctrine by departure out of the realm, is more then needeth, and other ways and means may be found both to abide and also to be clear out of danger of the foresaid plague. If that could be found in deed truly agreeable to gods word I would be as glad to hear it (god is my witness) as who is the other.
Yes peradventure will some say, thus it may be. Thou mayest keep thy self, thy faith, and thy religiō close to thyself, and inwardly and privately worship god in spirit & in truth, and outwardlye see thou be no open medler, nor talker, nor transgressor of common order: so mayeste thou be suffered in the common wealth, & yet use thy religion witho • te offense of thy conscience. In other countre • es somwhere this peradventure might be used, but in Eng • ande what sh • ll be, god wot, but it was never yet, so far as ever I have known or heard. And also howe can it be, but either thou must transgress the common order and the Romy • he laws and customs which have ben used in • ngland in the times pa • t of popery, and now (it is certain) they return again: I say, thou must either be a breaker of these rites, laws, and costomes, and so bewray thyself, or else if thou be in deed a man of God, thou shalt offend thy conscience, for in obseruinge of them thou shalt be compelled to break gods law which is the rule of cōscyence to the man of god. For how canst thou resort every holy day to the church and bear a face to worship the creature for the creator (as thou must do) and peradventure confess it to with thy mouth and to sprynckle thyself with their conjured water? Thou must be cōtributor also to y e charges of all their popery, as of books for antechristes service, of lyghtes of the rood lofte, of the sepulcher, for setting up and painting of images (nay in deed of idols) and thou must bear a face to worship them also, or else thou must be had by the back. Thou must serve the turn to give the holy loves, as they call it, which is nothing else but a very mockery of the lords holy table. Thou must be a cōtributor to y e charges of all y e disgised apparel y t the popish sacrificing priest, like unto Aarō, must play his part in. Yea when the pardoner cometh about, or the flatteringe frier to beg for the maintenance of superstition, except thou do as thy neighbors do, loke not longe for to live in rest. If any of thy household die, if thou wilt not pay money for ringinge and singing, for requiem masses, dirige, & commendations, and such like trumpery of the antechristian religion, thinkest thou that thou shalt be reckoned for a catholic man or for Amicus Caesaris? A hundred things mo may be reckoned, & many of more weight and of more evident superstitiō and Idolatry, then some of these which I have now rehearsed, which god knoweth be ill enough: but these are enough to declare and to set before thine eyes the thing that I intend, that is if thou abide and wilt dwell in England, thou must either do these and many other mo contrary to gods word, which forbiddeth not only the thing which is evil, but also saith, Ab omni specie mali abstinete vos, abstain frō all things that hath any apparance of evil: or else if thou wilt not do them, howe thou canst live in England in rest and safe from the stake, truly I can not tell. But peradventure (as a man is ready to find and inuente some color to clooke his conscience, to do that thing that his heart desireth) thou wilt say, though at any time I shall be forced to do any of these things and such like, yet will I have no confidence in them, but outwardly with my body: I will keep my heart unto god, & will not do that of mine own mind willingly neither, but to avoid another inconuenyence: I trust therefore God will hold me excu • ed, for he shall have my heart, what can I do more? O mi friend beware for gods sake, and know that the subte • ties of Satan are depe. He that is not able by gods word to perceive them, is heau • lie laden, pray therefore with David: Lord let me not have a mind to inuente excuses for to cloke my sin. Exam • ne my dear friend, these thy wily ways with the word of god, and if the • do agre, thou mayest use them, if not, know, though they may seme never so fine & goodlye, yet in deed they be of Satan's • rood • God's word it is certain, that forbiddeth to worship the creature for the creator, for that is heinous idola • ry, and against the first commandment of god, and it is also against the second commandment of the first table, to bow down, or to do worship unto any images of god or of any other thing, and gods word requireth not only the belief of the heart, but also▪ the confession of the mouth: and to bear parte of the charges to the maintenance of things ungodly • , what is that but in thy so doing a con • ent to the thing done? Now consenters and the doers gods word account • h to be giltye both. And it is not lawful by S. Paul's doctrine which was inspired him by the spirit of god, to do il that thereof the thing which is good may come. Thy ha • t, thou sayest, god shall have, and yet wilt thou suffer thy body to do the thing that god doeth abhor. Beware O mā, take hede what thou sayest. Man may be deceived, but no man may deceive God, for he is called and is trewely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, the searcher of the heart. Now to give god thy heart is to give him thy whole heart, to love him, to dread him, and to trust in him above all other things. He that hath my commandment saith Christ, and observeth and keepeth them, it is he that loveth me, and to dread god above all other, is rather willingly to incur the danger and peril of all fearful things, then wyttinglye to do that thing which is contrary to his blessed will and commandment: and to trust in him above all things, is assuredly to trust to his promise of his reward, and of his tuition and of his goodness and mercy, and to prefer that above all things in y e world, seme they never so strong, so wise, or so good. Now howe canst thou say truly, that God hath thy heart after this manner of sort (which is to have thy heart in deed) when thy deeds do declare far another thing? Thy body, o man, is gods, and all the partes thereof even as thy soul is: he made them both and Christ with his blood hath redeemed them both, and is lord of both, for he hath boughte thē both dear, & darest thou suffer any parte of either of them to do service to Satan? Surely in so doing, thou committest sacrilege and doest rob God, thou de • ilest the lively temple of the living god if thou suffer thy body to do Satan service. Do you not know saith S. Paul, that your body is a lively temple of god? and may a man then take and use any parte thereof but in the service of God? No surely it is not lawful so to do so y t man of god, neither with hand, tongue, nor foot, nor any part of the whole body.
Doth not Paul command to the Romaines, which pertaineth to every Chrystian soul: As you have in times past (saith he) given your members to do service unto uncleanness and wickedness, from one wickedness to another, so now give your members to do service unto righteousness that you may be sanctified. And I pray thee good brother, what doest thou think is, to bear the marcke of the beast in the forehead and in the hand that s. John speaketh of? I know we ought warely to speak of gods mysteries which he shown by the spirit of prophesying to his servant John, yet to read them with reverence, and to pray for the understanding of the same so much as god knoweth is necessary for our time to know, I think it necessary and good. Wherefore what I suppose is to bear the beasts mark, I will tell thee, and commit the judgment of mine interpretation, as in all other things, to the spiritual man. I suppose he beareth the beast of Babylon's mark in his forehead, which is not ashamed of the beasts ways, but will profess them openly to set forth his master the beast Abaddon, And likewise be beareth his mark in his hands that will and doeth practice the works of the beast with his power and hand. And likewise I will not let to tell thee, what I think to be sygned in the forehead for the servants of God, whereof John also speaketh, reckoning up many thousands so to have been sygned of every tribe. I suppose he is signed in the forehead for the servant of god, whom god hath appointed of his infinite goodness, and hath given him gra • e and strength▪ stoutly to confess him and his truth before the world. And to have grace & strength to confess christ and the doctrine of the cross, and to lament and mourn for the abominations of antechryste, I suppose is to be sygned with Tau whereof Ezekiel the prophet doeth speak. Thus I suppose these prophecies are spiritually to be understanded, and to look for other corporal marks to be seen in men's forheads or in their hands, is nothing else but to loke that there should come some brute beast out of Babylon, or some Elephante, Leoparde, Lion, or Camel or some other such monstrous beast with ten horns, that should do all the wonderful things spoken in John: & yet of a beast speaketh John, but I understand him so to be called not for that he shall be ani such brute beast, but for that he is & shall be the child of perdition, which for his cruelty and beastly manners is well called a beast.
The carnal Jews knew there was a promise made that Helias should come before christ Messias the anointed of god, to prepare his ways: thei knew also there was a promise of Messias, that he should come and be a king & reign in the house of David for evermore, but thei understood all so grossly & so carnally, that they neither knew Helias nor Messias whē they came, for they looked for Helias to come down from heaven in his own persō, & for Messias to come & reign in worldly pomp, power, riches & glory, when as the prophecies of both were spiritually to have been understanded: of Helias that he should come not in person but in spirit, that is, one which should be endued with the spirit and gifts of grace of Helias, which was in deed John Baptist, as christ himself did declare to his apostles: & of Messias reign, all the prophets were to be understanded of y e reign of his spiritual kingdom over the house of Jacob, & the true Israelites for evermore. And so by that their gross and carnal understanding they mystake both Helias and the true Messias, and when they came, knew neither of them both. So likewise I fear me (nay it is certain) y e world that wanteth the light of the spirit of god, (for y e world is not able to receive him, saith John) neither doth, nor shall know the beast nor his marks, though he rage cruelly & live never so beastly, & though his marked men be in number like the sand of the sea. The lord therefore vouchsafe to open the eyes of the blind with the light of grace, that thei may see & perceive, and understand the words of god after the mind of his spirit. Amen.
Here remaineth two objections which may seem ••• yghty, and the which may peradventure move many not to follow the former counsel. The former reason is? a man will say, Oh sir it is no small mat • er ye speak of, to depart from a man's own native country into a strange realm. Manye men have so great let • es, as howe is it possible y t they can or may do so? Some have lands and possessions which they cannot carry with thē, some have father, mother, wife, children, and kinsefolke, from whom to depart is as hard a thing (and all one almost) as to suffer death, and to go to a strange country that thou knoweste not, neither the manner of the people nor how thou mayest away either with y e people or w t the cūtrey. Oh what a hard thing it is to live among a strange people whose tongue thou doest not understand &c.
I grant here thou mayest heap a number of worldly incommodityes which are surely very 〈◊〉 en • ue the departure out of a man • es own native country, I mean 〈◊〉 of the whole realm into a strange lande: but what of all these and a thousand mo of the like sort? I will set unto thē one saying of our Sauioure Christ which unto the faithful child of god and to the true Christyan, is able to countervail all these, yea and to way thē down. Christ our savior saithe in Luke: if any come to me and do not hate his father & mother (he meaneth and will not in his cause forsake his father and mother) his wife, children, and brethren, yea and his life to, he cannot be my disciple: and who soever doeth not bear his cross and come after me he cannot be my discyple. And in y e same place he declareth by two parables, one of a builder, & the other of a king that is a warrior, that every man that will not in Christ's cause forsake all y t ever he hath, he cannot be his dysciple. Loke the place who will, the matter is so plainly set forth, that no glosses nor cloking of conscience to the man of god, can serve to the contrary. Many plac • s there be for the same purpose, for the embracing of Christ's cross, whē Christ and his cause layeth it upon our back, but this is so plain that I need here to rehearse no more.
The latter reason & objection whereof I spake before, is of more force, and includeth a necessity which after the common saying hath no law, and therefore it is more hard to shape for it a good answer.
This may be objected of some. Alas sir I grant all these things do grieve me, and because I understand they do not agre with gods word which is the rule of my conscience, I loath either to loke on them or to hear thē. But sir, alas, I am an impotēt man, an aged man, a sick man, a lame man, or I have so many small infants and a lame wife, which all liveth by my labor and by my provision, if I leave them, they shall starve, & I am not able to carry them with me, such is my state. Alas sir what shall I do? And these causes may chance to some men of god, whereby either it shall be for them utterly impossible to depart the country, or else in departing, they shall be enforced to forsake such in extreme necessities of whom both god and nature hath committed unto thē the care. Alas what counsel is here to be given? O lamentable state, O sorowefull heart that neither can depart, and without extreme danger and peril is not able to tarry still. And these are they whom our savior Christ saw before should be, and called them in his prophecy of the latter time, great bellied or trauelinge women, and women that giveth after they be brought to bed, their small babes suck. The state of such as are not able to fly the infection of the pestiferous plague of antechrists abominations, Christ lamentinge & not cursing, saith: woe be unto the great bellyed and trauelynge women, and women y t giveth suck in those days. For these alas my heart mourneth the more, the less I am able to give any comfortable counsel but this, that always, as they loke for everlasting life, they abide still in the confession of his truth whatsoever shall befall, and for the rest to put their trust now wholly in God, which is able to save them against all apparau • ce: & commonly in extremities, whē all worldly comfort sayleth and the danger is at highest, then unto his he is wont after his accustomed mercy to be most ready for to put his helpynge hand. Daniel God suffered to be caste into 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 the den of lions, and the three children into the hot burning furnace, and yet he saved thē all▪ Paul was plucked out of the mouth of the lion, as be saith of himself, and in Asta he was brought in such trouble y t he looked for no other thing but for present death, & yet he that raiseth the dead to life: again did bring him out of all his troubles, and taught him and all other that he in troubles for Christ's cause not to trust to thenselves but in almighty God. Of gods gracious aid in extreme perils toward them y e put their trust in him, all scripture is full both old & new. What dangers were the patriarks often brought unto, as Abrahā, Isaac and Jacob, but of all other Joseph, & how mercifully were thei delivered again: In what perylles was Moses: when he was fain to fly for y e safeguard of his life? & whē was he sent again: to deliver the Israelytes from the ser • yle bondage? not before they were brought into extreme misery. And when did the lord mightily deliver his people from Pharaoh his sword? not before they were brought in such straytes y t they were so compassed en every side (the main sea on the one side, & the main host on y e other) y t they could look for none other; yea what did they▪ else in deed loke for then, but either to have been drowned in y e sea, or else to have fall̄ on y e edge of Pharaoh his sword. These judges, which wrought most wonderful things in the delivery of the people, were ever given when the people was brought to most misery before: as Othoniel, Aioth, Sangar, Gideon, • ephthe, Samson, And so was Saul endued with strength and boldness from above, against the Ammonites, Philistines, & Amalechites for the defense of the people of God. David likewise felt gods help most sensibly ever in his extreme persecutions. What shall I speak of the prophets of god whom god suffered so oft to be brought into extreme perils and so mightily delivered them again? As Helias, Hieremy, Daniel, Micah, and Jonah, and many other whom it were but to longe to rehearse, and set out at large. And did the lord use his servants otherwise in the new law after Christ's incarnation? Read the acts of the apostles and you shall see no. Were not thapostels cast into prison and brought out by the mighty hand of god? Did not the angel deliver Peter out of y e strong prison & bring him out by the iron gates of the city and set him free? And whē I pray you? even the same night before Herod appointed to have brought him in judgment for to have slain him, as he had a little before killed James the brother of John. Paul and Silas, when after they had been sore scourged and were put into the inner prison and there were laid fast in the stocks, I pray you what apparāce was there that the magestrats should be glad to come the next day themselves to thē, to desyer them to be content and to depart in peace? who provided for Paul, y t he should be safely conducted out of all danger and brought to Felix y e Emperors deputy? whē as both the high priests the Pharisyes and rulers of y e Jews had conspired to require judgment of death against him, he being fast in prison, and also more thē forty men had sworn eche one to other that they would never eat nor drink until they had slain Paul. A thing wonderful, that no reason could have invented, or man could have looked for, god provided Paul his own sisters son a young man, that disaponited that conspiracy and all their former coniuratiō. The manner how the thiuge cam to pass, thou mayest read in the .23. of the acts. I will not be tedyous unto thee here with the rehearsal thereof.
Now to descend from the apostles to the martyrs that followed next in Christ's church, & in them likewise to declare howe gracious our good god ever hath been to work wonderfully w e them, which in his cause have ben in extreme perilles, it were a matter enough to write a longe boke. I will here name but one man and one woman that is Athanasius the great clerk & godly man stoutly standing in Christ's cause against the Arians, & that holy woman Blandina, standing so constantly in all extreme pains, in the simple confession of christ. If thou wilt have examples of mo, loke and thou shalt have both these & a hundred mo in Ecclesiastica historia of Eusebius, & in Tripartita historia.
But for all these examples both of holy scripture and of other histories, I fear me the weak man of God incombred with the frailty and infirmity of the flesh, will have now and then such thoughts and guawmes (as they cal thē) to run over his heart, and to think thus: all these things which are rehearsed out of the scripture, I believe to be true, & of the rest truly I do think well, and can believe them also to be true, but all these we must needs grant were special miracles of god, which now in our days are ceased we se, & to require them at gods hands, were it not to tēpt god?
Welbeloued brother, I grant such were great wonderful works of god, and we have not seen many of such miracles in our time, either for that our sight is not clear (for truly God worketh w t his, his part in all times) or else because we have not y e like faith of thē for whose cause God wrought such things: or because after that he had set forth the truth of his doctrine by such miracles then sufficiently, the time of so many miracles to be done was expired withal. Which of these is the moste special cause of all others, or whether there be any othere, God knoweth: I leave that to God. But know thou this my well-beloved in God, that God's hand is as strong as ever it was, he may do what his gracyous pleasure is, and he is as good and gracious as ever he was. Man chaūgeth as the garment doth, but god our heavenly father is even the same now that he was, and shall be for evermore.
The world without doubt (this I do believe, & therefore I say) draweth towards an end, and in all ages god hath had his own manner, after his secrete and unsearchable wisdom to use his elect, sometimes to deliver thē and to keep them safe, and sometimes to suffer them to drink of Christ's cup, that is to fele the smarte, and to fele of the whyp.
And though the flesh smarteth at the one, and feeleth ease in the other: is glad of the one, and sore vexed in y e other: yet the lord is all one, towards them in both, and loveth them nolesse when he sufferethe them to be beaten, yea and to be put to bodelye death, then when he worketh wonderes for their marvelous delivery.
Nay rather he doth more for them when in anguish of the torments he standeth by them & strenghneth them iu their faith, to suffer in the confession of the truth and his faith, the bitter pangs of death, then when he openeth the prison door and letteth them go lose: for here he doth but respite thē to another time, and leaveth them in danger to fall in like peryl again: and there be maketh them Perfect, to be without danger, pain, or peril after that forever more. But this his love towards them, howe soever the world doth judge of it, is all one, both when he delivereth and when he suffereth them to be put to death. He loved as well Peter & Paul when, after thei had (according to his blessed will, pleasure and providence) finished their courses, and done their services appointed them by him here in preaching of his Gospel, the one was beheaded, and the other was banged or crucified of the cruel tyraunte Nero, as the Ecclesiastical history saith: as when he sent the Angel to bring Peter out of prison, and for Paul's delivery, he made all y e doors of the prison to fly wide open, and y e foundation of the same like an earthquake to tremble and shake.
Thinkest thou O thou man of god, that Christ our Savior had less affection to the first martyr Stephen, because he suffered his enemies even at the first conflicte to stone him to death? No suerlye, nor James John's brother, which was one of the three that Paul calleth Primates or Principals amongst y e Apostles of Christ. He loved him never a whit y e worse then he did the other, although he suffered Herod the tyrants sword to cut of his head, Nay doth not Daniel say speaking of the cruelty of Antichrist his time: Et docti in populo docebunt plutimos, & • uent in gladio, & in flamma, & in captiuitate, & in rapina dierum &c. Et de cruditis ruent 〈◊〉 cōflentur & e •• gātur & dealbentu • , &c. That is, and the learned (he meaneth truly learned in gods law) shall teach many, and shall fall upon the sword, and in the flame (that is, shall be burned in the flaming • yer) and in captiuitye (that is, shall be in prison, and be woe •• d and robbed of their goods for alonge season). And after a lyttel in the same place of Daniel it followeth: and of the learned there be, which shall fall or be overthrown y e they may be known, tried, chosen, & made white: he meaneth, be furnyshed and scou •• d a new, picked and chosen; & made fresh and luster. If that then was foresene for to be done to the godly learned, and for so gracious causes, let everyone to whom any such thing by the will of God doeth chance, be merry in God, and rejoice, for it is to God's glory and to his own everlasting wealth. Wherefore well is he y t ever he was borne; for whom thus graciouslye God hath provided, having grace of God and strenghe of the holy ghost to stand steadfastly in the height of the storm. Happy is he that ever he was borne, whom God his heavenly father hath vouchsafed to appointe to glorify him, & to edify his church by y e effusion of his blood. To die in Christ's cause is an high honor, to the which no man certainlye shall or can espire, but to whom god vouthsafeth that dignity: for no man is allowed to presume for to take unto himself any office of honor, but he which is there unto called of god. Therefore John saith well, speaking of them which have obtained the victory by the blood of the lamb and by the word of his testimony, that they loved not their lives, even unto death. And our savior Christ saith, he that shall lose his life for my cause shall find it. And this manner of speech pertaineth not to one kind of Christians, as the worldly do wyckedly dream, but to all that do truly pertain unto Christ. For when christ had called unto him the multitude together with his dysciples, he said unto them (mark y t he said not this to y e disciples and apostles only, but he said it to all) whosoever will so low me let him forsake or deny himself & take up his cross and follow me: for whosoever will save his life shall lose it (he meaneth whosoever will to save his life, both forsake or leave him & his truth) and whosoever shall lose his life for my cause and the gospels sake, shall save it: for what shall it profit a man if he shall win the whole world and lese his own soul? his own life? or what shall a man give to recompense that loss of his own life and of his own soul? Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words (that is to confess me and my gospel) before this adulterous & sinful generation, of him shall the son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his father, with the holy angels. Know thou O man of god, that all things are ordained for thy behofe and to the furtherance of thee, towards thy salvation. All things (saith Paul) worketh with the good to goodness, even the enemies of god. and such kind of punishments whereby they go about to destroy them, shall be forced by God's power, might, and fatherly providence, for to do them service.
It is not as the wicked thinketh, that poverty, adversity, sycknes, tribulation, yea painful death of the godly, be tokens that God doeth not love them: but even clean the contrary, as all the whole course of scripture doth euedently declare: for then he would never have suffered his most dear beloved y e Patriarchs to have had such troubles, his prophets, his Apostles, his Martyrs and chief chāpions and maintainers of his truth and gospel • , so cruelly of the wicked to have been murdered and •• in. Of the which (some were racked as the apostle saith) and would not he delivered, that they might re • e • l • better resurrection. Some were lived by mockings and scourgings, yea more over by bonds and imprison mente: they were • oned, they were he wen and cut in • ūder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword, they wandered up and down in sheep skins and Gotes skins, being forsaken, afflicted and tormented, such men as the world was not worthy to have, wandringe in wildernesses, in mountains, in dens and caves of earth. All these were approved by the testimony of faith, and received not the promise, because god did provide better for us, that with • u • e us they should not be consūmated. They tarry now for us undoubtedly lōging for the day. But they are commanded to have patience yet, saith the lord, a littel while, until the number of their fellow servants be fulfilled, and or, their brethren which are yet to be slain, as they were.
Now thou O man of God, for our Lord's sake, let us not for the love of this life, tarry them to longe, and be occasion of delay of that glorious cōsummation, in hope and expectation whereof thei departed in the lord, and the which also y e living end • ed with God's spirit, ought so earnestly to desire and to groan for with all the creatures of God. Let us all with John the servant of God, cry in our harts unto our savior Christ: Veni domme Jesus, come Lord Jesus come. For then when christ which is our life, shall be made manifest and appear with him in glory, thē shall the children of god appear what thei be, even like unto Christ: for this our weak body shall be transfygurated and made like unto Christ's glorious body, & that by the power whereby he is able to subdue unto himself all things. Then, that which is now corruptible, shall be made incorruptible: that is now vile, shall thē be made glorious, that is now weak, shall rise then mighty and strong, that is gross and carnal, shall be made fine and spiritual, for thē we shall see & have y e unspeakable joy and fruition of the glorious majesty of our lord even as he is.
Who or what then shall let us to ieopard, to leopard? yea to spend this life which we have here in Christ's cause? in our lord God his cause? O thou therefore man of god, thou that art loden and so letted like unto a great bellied woman▪ that thou canst not fly the plague, yet if thou lust after such things as I have spoken of, stand fast whatsoever shall befall in thy masters cause: and take this thy letting to fly, for a calling of god to feighte in thy master Christ his cause. Of this be thou certain, they can do nothing unto thee, which thy father is not aware of, or hath not foresene before: they can do no more then it shall please him to suffer them to do for the furtherance of his glory, edifyinge of his church and thine own salvation. Lette them then do what they shall, seeing to thee O man of God, all things shall be forced to serve, and to work with thee unto the best before God. O be not afraid and remember the ende.
All this which I have spoken for the comfort of the lamentable case of the man whō christ calleth the great bellied woman: I mean to be spokē likewise to the captive and prisoner in God's cause: for such I count to be as it were already summoned and prested to fight under the banner of the cross of Christ, and as it were soldiers allowed and taken up for the Lord's wars, to do to their lord and master good and honorable service, and to stycke to him as men of trusty service in his cause even unto death, and to think their life lost in his cause, is to win it in eternal glory for evermore.
Therefore now to conclude and to make an ende of this treatise, I say unto all that love God our heavenly father, that love Christ Jesus our redeemer and Sauioure: that love to folowethe ways of the holy ghost, which is our comforter and sanct •• er of all: unto all that love Christ's spouse and body, the true catholic church of Christ, yea that love life & there own souls health: I say unto all these, hearken my dear brethrē and sisters, all you that be of God, of all sortes, ages, dignities, or degree: hearken to the word of our savior Jesus Christ spoken to his Apostles and meant to all his in Saint Matthews Gospel: Fear not them which kill the body, for they can not kill the soul: but fear him more which may destroy and caste both body and soul into • ell fire. Are not two small-sparrows • old for a mite and one of them shall not fall or light upon the ground without your father? All the hears of your head be numbered. Fear them not, you are much more worth then are the littel sparrows. Everyone then that confesseth me before mē, him shall I likewise confess before my father, which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, I shall deny him likewise before my father which is in heaven.
The lord grant us therefore of his heavenly grace & strength, that here we may so confess him in this world amongst this adulterous and sinful generation, that he may confess us again at the latter day, before his father which is in heaven, to his glory and our everlasting comfort, joy and salvation.
To our heavenly father, to our savior & redeemer Jesus Christ, and to the holy ghost, be all glory and honor now and forever Amen. (∴)
CERTEYNE Godly and comfortable letters of the constaut witness of Christ John Careles, written in the time of his imprisonment, and now first set forth in printe. (∴)
Anno Domini. 1566.
Thomas Pirry to the Christian reader, in commendacion of that worthy man of god John Careles.
Psalm. 54.
The grace and free mercy of God in Jesus Christ, the sweet consolations of the holy ghost, the guide of all God's dere children be with you, strengthen and comfort you my dearly beloved sweet sister K. E. now & ever. Amen.
A L be it, my derly beloved syster in Christ, that as yet we did never see one another personally to any knowledge, yet by the virtuous report, that I have heard of you, and also by the large loving token that I have received frō you, my think that I do even presently see you, & behold your person, faithfully walkinge in the fear and love of god, joying and rejoicing with you in y e spirit as though we were swetly talkynge together of Christ's verity. The lord god do I humbly beseech in the bowels and blood of our lord and savior Jesus Christ, that he will strengthen us both, with his holy and mighty spirit, that we may constantly continue in the confession of his truth unto the ende: that like as we now see one another presently in spirit, we may also see one another personally in the glorious presence of God, and his holy angels. where undoubtedly, we shall know one an others personage, to our great joy, felicity, and endless comfort. And now therefore dear sister K. be strong in the Lord our god, for doubtless the time of trial is at hand: a great persecution with cruel murtherynge of gods dear saints is like to be very shortly in this woeful wicked realm of England. Therefore dere sister, for the love of God, prepare you to the cross with all diligence, and make yourself ready to die with Christ, that you may also live with him for ever. There is no remedy, if you will be Christ's disciple, you must needs take up your cross, and follow him, for the disciple must not loke to be above his master, nor the servant to be better entreated, then his lord. If we were of the world (good sister) no doubt the world would love us.
But for as much as Christ hath chosen us out of the world to serve God in spirit and veritye, let us be well assured the world will hate us & persecute us, as it hath done our lord & master Christ. But yet let us be of good chere, for Christ hath overcome the world. The pain is but short that we can fele here, but the pleasure is perpetual that we shall feel else where. Let us set before us the example of Christ, which abode the cross and despised the shame, in respect of the joy that was set before him: Evē so let us consider, for whose sake we suffer, whose cause we defend, & what glorious reward we shall have at the day of our victory, and then doubtless the consolation of these things will make sweet all our sufferings, and sone swallow up all the sorrows that we are sowsed in for God's sake. I could recite diverse texts of the scripture to confirm this point. But I need not, for I am well assured that you do know them most perfectly all ready. The lord give you strength & assiste you with his holy spirit, that you may continually walcke in all points according to your godly knowledge: And then shall you not do as the moste parte of our Gospellers do now a days, the more is the pity. There are a great many in England, that do perfectly know, that the idolatrous mass is abhominable, diuelyshe and detestable in the sight of God. And yet, alas they be not afraid to pollute and defile their bodies, which ought to be the temples of the holy ghost, with being present at it, so synning against God and their own conscience. But dere syster K. do you fly from it, both in body and soul, as you would fly from the very devil himself. Drink not of the whore of Babylon's cup by no means, for it will infecte the body & poison the soul. Be not partakers of her sins (saith the angel) least you be partakers of the plagues, that shortly shall be poured upon her. O what an array is this? that so many that know gods truth, will now tourne again and defile them selves in the filthy puddle of antichristes stinking religiō. They go about to save their lives with their double dissimulatiō, but doubtless, they shall lose everlasting life by it, if they do not repent in time and turn unto the lord. But dear sister, my trust is, that you do utterly abhor the coming to any such thing. I hope that you will not by any means turn back into Egypt now, but that you will boldly venter through the wilderness of trouble & persecution, that you may come into the lande that floweth with all kind of heavenly pleasures & joyful delectatiōs, and possess the same for ever. Let us consider, howe that every one of us doth owe unto god a death by nature, and howe sone the Lord will require it of us, we know not. O howe happy are we then, if god of his goodness appoint us to pay natures det with suffringe for his truth and Gospelles sake, and so making us his faithful witnesses with the prophets, apostles, martyrs, & confessors, yea with his dearly beloved son Jesus Christ, to whom he doth here begin to facion us like in suffering, that we might be like him also in glory. Thus my dearly beloved sister, I have ben bold to trouble you a littel with my rude and simple letter, being made in haste as it doeth appear. Yet I desier you to take it in good woorthe, as a token of my pore zeal unto you, & to accept my good will. And if it please god to spare me life and liberty. I trust hereafter to write unto you more largelye. Fare ye well dear sister K. E. the Lord bless you and all yours, and pour upon you the heavenly dew of his grace. The lord endue you with plentiful knowledge of his veritye, and fill you with his holy and mighty spirit, that you may continually rejoice in the cōfortes of the same now and ever. Amen. Praye, pray, pray, with steadfast faith.
Your daily Orator John Careles prisoner of the Lord at all times abydinge his most merciful will and pleasure.
Grace, mercy and peace, from god our eternal and most deer loving father, with quyetnes of conscience in our sweet lord and only savior Jesus Christ, with increase of knowledge, health, strength, and spiritual joy in and through the mighty operatiō of the holy ghost our everlasting comfort, be with you now and ever, my moste dere & loving sister K. E. to the good performance of all that he hath so graciously begun in you, in such sort as may be moste to his glory • , the comfort of his pore afflicted church, and to the eucrease of your own everlasting joy in him. Amen.
A S I am by no means hable, (my deer heart in the lord) in the lease pointe to recompense any part of the great love, faithful friendship & manifold kindness, that you have so largely extended unto me: even so am I not able to declare, how much, and how depelye I am continually bound to give god most humble praise and continual thanks for you, and on your behalf. Before God I speak it, I cannot with pen express what joy and comfort my poor afflycted heart hath conceived of you, and that in mo respects then I will or can now declare. Ah my dear syster K. whose humble heart and lowly spirit doth to me presently appear in youre most godly and loving letter, blessed are you, and all such meek handmaids of y e lord. For doubtless you shall be eralted in that day, when y e proud persons of the world, and high minded Pharaseys shall be cast down. God for evermore be blessed, who hath given you (contrary to nature) such a meek & humble heart. For vpō all such (he saith himself) his holy spirit shall rest, which promise is full well verified on you: which holy spirit of his, is the good guide and leader, yea the only teacher and instructer of all the lords dear elect children. And as it hath truly taught you to caste yourself down (as it is most convenient) even so will it raise you up again (as I doubt not but it hath already done, and set you upon a high rock of stone, whereon you shall stand sure, and dwell safe forever: I mean upon Jesus Christ, on whom your faith is fyrmely built, so that the gates of death or hell, shall not finallye prevail against the same. Selah. But as I do righte well on your parte admit the similytude of y e faithful wife of Cana, which came to Christ for to have her daughters health, with whō you may be well compared, both for faith, and humble mekenes: even so I will in no wise allow, that you should so much exalt me (a moste vile wretched sinner, yea slime, earth, and asshes, and a very lump of Adams dung) as though • there were some thing in me, in respect whereof you should think yourself unworthy to call me brother, Alas, what am I (in respect of myself) but a depe and a damnable sinner, yea such a one, as daily doth deserve not only this long enprisonment, and death which now knocketh at my door, but also Gehenna and hell fire, if God for his son Christ his sake did not forgive the same, I mean my sin, which partly hath provoked God to plage all this Realm. Therefore my dear sister, if you think yourself unworthy to cal me brother, let it be only in respect that I am moste unworthy of that name. Otherwise you must consider, that you may (and I trust dailye do) boldly call Jesus Christ the eternal son of God your most dear and loving brother, who by his death hath brought you life, and hath made you the child of God, and fellow heir with him, of the kingdom of heavē, whither he is also ascended for your possession taking, and hath thereto left with you in pledge his pure and holy spirit, as a sure earnest penye of the same, wherewith I am right suer we are both sealed unto the day of redemption. That spirit certifyeth our spirit, that we are the true adopted sons of God, and therefore we may boldlye call him dear father: then must I needs be youre brother, and so I pray you cal me: god make me worthy of that name. And where as you dear heart, do desier to be refreshed with the fruitful water of life, which floweth forth of the holy ghost, the fountain of all grace: I say with Christ that blessed is your hungry soul, for it shall be well satisfied with that heavenly manna, which • maketh the eaters thereof to live for evermore. For God hath given you his spirit, which hath taught, and doth still teach you, what you ought to believe, and how to live according to the same, as hitherto you have done, youre light so shininge before men, that god hath ben and is greatly glorified by the same. Therefore be you certain & suer, that God will likewise glorify you with himself in everlasting glory. For as y e lord did know and elect you for his before the foundation of the world was laydi • : so hath he called you by the sincere preaching of his holy gospel. And as he hath truly called you, so doeth he moste mercyfullye iustifye you of his free grace and favor. And as he doeth iustifye you, or repute you righteous in his sight: so will he glorify you with a crown of immortality in his kingdom forever. Read the eight to the Romaines for your consolation: and put your trust in God, who careth for you, and will keep you in his safe custody, free from all the assaults of your cruel adversary: though in his myscheuous members he do transform himself into an aungel of light, moste craftelye to deceive, yea • uen the very elect, if it were possible for him so to do. I perceive dear sister • k. that you have met w t some of the grievous wolves, which are fearslye entered in amongst the seely sheep of Christ to scatter them. I know well that you have been sore assaulted of the Papists. But I am sure they shall not prevail against you. For their cruel tyranny and all the rest of their diuelyshe doings, is so directly against the word of God in all points, that they cannot beguyle you though they would never so fain. Perchaunce you have also been troubled with our spronge up heretykes the Arians and Anabaptists. God keep you and all his dear children forth of their wicked company: for verily they are a crafty kind of men, and many a gentle heart and simple soul, they do full sore abuse, & depely deceive, bringing them far from the sincere faith of Christ, and from the pure understanding of his holy word, though in their outward appearance they would seme as holy as any flattering frier. If any such come about you to persuade you from that everlasting truth, which was taught you in the days of our late good king Edward, by those worthy witnesses which have sealed y e same with their blood: let thē not come within your doors, neither bid thē once god speed, If I were sure that any such blind prophets did go about to lead you in to the dike of darkness, I would take a little more pain for your sake. I have sent unto my good brother Henry Jones of Witney, a true and christiā confession of my faith, the which I would wish you to read, and in all points to be ruled thereby. My good brother Richard Brice will help you to it well enough: I have spoken to him and to my brother Henry also. Ah dear sister, these be the dangerous days, in which Christ did prophecy, and Paul, and Peter also, that many false Prophets should appear, & bring in damnable sects, even denying the lord that boughte them, as these devilish Arians do, in denying Jesus Christ to be the ternall son of God, of one substance and equal with the father. But my dear heart in the lord be of good chere. For though this time of darkness, be never so dangerous to the cage of unclean and hateful birds, that cannot abide the light, that is to say, the congregation of Satan which had no lust to believe the truth, and therefore God hath sent them strong delusion to believe lies: yet the sure ground of Ged, remaineth still, and hath his seal, which is the spirit of truth: The lord knoweth them that are his, and hath committed them unto Christ his keeping, who will lose nothing of that which his father hath given him, but will raise it up at the last day. yea for his chosē sake, the Lord hath said, these sorrowful days shall be shortened, of which most happy number, whose names are registered in the book of life, my firm faith is, that you are one, as by your steadfast faith, and fruits of the same, it doth appear. And whereas you say that my simple letters have been a stay and comfort to you, I am moste glad thereof, & do most heartily praise God therefore: that God of his great mercy will use me poor miser of the world, as his instrument or mean to do good to any one of his dear saints. And I do moste heartily desier you to forgive me my great negligence towards you, in that I have not more oftener written letters to you, seeing that you do so well esteem them as you do. But if god spare me life, I will be a littell more diligent to write unto you, then heretofore I have been. And as for my pore prayer, as you have been, so shall you continually be sure of it. I trust you do also remember me in yours, as your large and loving deeds do declare no less. Ah good syster what do you mean to send me fo rich a token. Alas you make me sory to se how careful you are for me, and what great cost you have bestowed upon me a most unprofitable member in Christ's church. But verily I do perceive whereaboute you go. You are minded to bring God a great deal into your debt, and to put your money unto a godly usury, according to the sainge of the wise man: He that hath pitye upon the pore (saith he) lendeth unto the lord, and loke what he layeth out, it shall be paid him again. The lord recompense your pitiful hert, which is so careful for the children of God in the time of their captivity. God be blessed who hath made you so chereful in giving, and diligent in well •• ing, for verily the time is at hand, that you shall reap without ceasing, the fruit of eternal life. Therefore be of good chere, for they that now sow their good seed with tears, shall thē reap their full sheues with gladness, and god shall wipe all tears frō their eyes forever. Cast all your care upon the lord, and commit your soul and body unto him as unto a faithful creator: for doubtless dear sister, he cōtinuallye keepeth you, and careth for you. The moste and principal thing that God requireth of you, is, that you be fully persuaded, that he careth for you, and that he is your god and most dear loving father, and will be so forever. Without this faith and true persuasion, you cannot please him, you cannot commit and betake yourself wholye unto him, you cannot truly fear him, or love him in deed, you cannot call upon him, or heartily pray unto him. Therefore let this be your alone and continual endeavor, to be confirmed more and more of this, that God is youre most bear loving faher, through▪ Jesus Christ, that he hath a most tender care over you and for you, as always he hath had, and always will have, both in soul and body, for this life and for eternal life, howsoever things appear and seme unto you. According as you believe, so shall it be unto you, and as you think God will be unto you, so shall you fele him: Think therefore swetelye of the lord and his goodness, and pray for the increase of faith, which God grant unto us both for his mercies sake. Amen. Thus, most dear and faithful sister, for this time I make an ende, commyttinge you and all yours, to God's most merciful defense, who bless, keep, and preserve you, now and • or evermore Amen. Fare you well in Christ good sister.
your pore brother and daily Orator Thou Careles prisoner of the Lord at all time abiding his most merciful will and pleasure. pray, pray.
The everlasting peace of GOD in Jesus Christ, the continual aide and strength, joy and comforts of his most pure, holy, & mighty spirit, with the increase of faith and lively felinges of his eternal mercies, be most effectuously wrought in your heart, and graven in your mind, my dear friend and faithful loving sister K. E. to the full finishing of all the good works which he hath most graciously begun in you, that the same (by all means) may be to the setting forth of God's glory, the commodity of his pore afflicted Church and to youre own everlasting comfort in him. Amen
A S the dailye occasions which happen to me, dear sister in the lord, puttinge me in remembrance of my most happy departure and final deliverance to be at hand, do move my pore heart to much spiritual mirth and gladness in the lord, even so doth the daily remembrance of you, and other the dear saints of God (whom I shall leave behind me) engender much sorrow and sadness, even to my very soul, to se in what a miserable world you must remain, subject to our deserved plages both spiritual and temporal. In respect whereof, as I daily make mention of you in my cotinual prayers, that God will protect you under the wings of his mercy, from all things that may be hurtful either to soul or body: so have I thought it good, yea, & my very bounden duty, to write these few lines unto you, as well to comfort you, what soever cross it shall please the Lord to lay vpō you, as also to warn you to walk circumspectly, as the child of light, least at any time the darkness should overtake you, as it is like to do those foolish virgins, which have let their lamps go out already, y e bridegromes coming being so nigh at hand, as surely it is not far hence, as it appeareth both by y e prophecies of the holy scriptures, & also by daily examples, whereof we have experience. God for his Christ's sake give us all grace diligently to watch and pray, that we may be ready prepared for that longe desired day. Amen. My dear sister K. cal to your remembrance always the great love and merciful kindness that God your most dear loving father hath from time to time extended unto you, specially in that he would vouchsafe to give for you his own only & dearly beloved son, in whom was and is all his whole pleasure and delight, unto the very death of the cross, yea and that whē you were his very enemy, the child of wrath, the bond servant of Satan, and a very fierbrand of hell, and should have so remained forever. Cōsider also, howe he hath given you with his sweet son, all things necessary either for body or soul, yea all that ever is in heaven and earth, and hath made you by him, heir unto himself, and owner and possessor of all that ever he hath. In consideratiō whereof, you ought so to love him again, that nothing should be able to separate you from him: yea of very love only you ought to serve him in such holiness and righteousness, as is accept before him, all the days of youre life: and also to abstain moste willingly, from all things that be detestable in his sight, what danger so ever should ensue to you for the same. But in deed, my dear heart, to be plain with you, I do hear to my great grief that the due consideration of this great love and infinite mercy of god, hath not yet effectuously wrought all these aforesaid things in you, according to my lōng expectacion: but it is informed me by credible persons▪ that you, notwithstanding the great love of God towards you, and the excellent knowledge he hath so graciouslye given you before many other, do yet many times defile your faith, or marriage garment, with coming into the company of filthy idolaters, at the time of their Antechristian service. Trulye if it be so, it is a token that the great abundant bottomless love & mercy of God towards you, hath not yet in such sort ben considered of you, that it hath (as it ought to have done) swallowed up all the vain love of the world. Ah, where is true faith become, and lively seling of God's mercy, that were wont to make the children of god diligent to keep God's commandments, and merilye to bear his cross? But perchance you do not think it a breaking of God's commandments, to go to the Idols temple, and to be present with the papists at their superstitious service. &c. But god forbid you should be so ignorant, after so many instructions, in so great & weightye a matter. For surely the unknown sickness is most dangerous evermore, as experience teacheth. But I verily think, at the least wise I hope, that youre knowledge is so great in these things, that the danger in being partaker with the wicked, is not hid frō your eyes. Therefore your fault is so much the greater, & the sorer punishment is due for the same. But my undoubted trust is, that almighty God our most dear loving father, will not leave you in your weakness, but will raise you up again, by true and earnest repentance, and give you such grace and strength of his spirit, that henceforth you shall be so far from cominge to any of their abhominable superstition, that you shall be able well to persuade this bearer, and many other the saints of God from the same. I know dear heart that this thing which I require of you, will bring a great cross unto you, as well at the hands of your husband, as of many other your worldly friends and foes. But let not that discourage you any thing at all, sith you are one of the chosen children of God, to whom his cross doth specially belong. Let not tribulation for righteousness sake, seme a strange thing unto you: but rather rejoice and be glad, that God will vouche you worthy of so great dignity. For truly it is the greatest honor, that God can bring his elect unto in this mortal life: I mean to make them his witnesses to y e world, and to make them worthy to suffer for his sake, which thing is not permitted to the highest Angel in heaven: albeit I believe they would more rejoice thereof, then in all the glory they have. Oh why are we then so loath to come to this great promotiō, seeing it is the very ordinance of god upon all his dear children, as S. Paul affirmeth, saying: To you it is given not only that you should believe in Jesus Christ, but also that you should suffer for his sake. Again he saith: all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution. Oh what cause have we to rejoice, if it please God, by suffringes to make us something conformable to the passions of our sweet Christ, who first suffered for us, and afterward entered into his glory? We have in this world nothing so much to rejoice in, as that we are made meet to be under the cross with Christ. For thereby are we assured, not only that the glorious spirit of god resteth upon us, but also that we shall reign with Christ, and be glorified together with him, who hath testified with his own mouth, that they be blessed which suffer persecution for righteousness sake, for theirs (saith he) is the kingdom of heaven: into the which we must also enter by many tribulations. Happy is he (saith christ) that endureth to the end. Be faithful unto death (saith the holy ghost) & I will give thee a crown of life. &c. But what mean I to make so long a circumstance unto you, my dear heart, who knoweth all these things as well or better then I? Oh that you had the grace and strength to do all things according to youre knowledge: I mean, concerning the fleing frō Idolatry, and suffering for the truth. As for all other things, I know you are unspotted, praised be god for you. Oh that you durst pledge me of the same cup, (if need do require) whereof the lord of our glory hath not refused himself to drink before us, and hath left us an example to follow his fotesteps, that he might crown us with his own glory, and most precious gifts. Oh lord help thy dear children that would fain come unto the, and loke not narrowly vpō our sins, which are the cause of our long absence from thee, but cover them for thy Christ's sake, with the mantell of thy manifold mercies, which far surmounteth all thy works, that we may not be ashamed, but rejoice at thy most glorious coming, y e which do thou hasten according to thy promise, for thy chosens sake. We have dear sister, been of longe season acquainted with this earthly old man of ours to much, which is full of sin, and presseth down sore our understanding, that it is needful for us to be tried through many trybulations, that the rust thereof might be worn away, that we might be made mete vessels for the lords own use, and be sanctified to honor. Happy is he that endureth chasticinge. Whyche blessing (my good sister) God offereth unto us at this present, yea, and him self also as our moste dear loving father. Let us willingly embrace him therefore, and give thanks unto his name, that hath triumphantly got̄ victory over all our enemies, and is now pleading our cause on the right hand of God his father, in the kingdom of heaven, where he keepeth possession for us. To whom if we direct our eyes with a steadfast faith, we shall not need to fear, neither death, sin, nor hell, for their whole power is taken away, and Christ's righteousness maketh aūswer for us. Yea he is wholly ours with all his merits, mercies and moste sweet sufferings, and we are his for evermore: so that we may boldly say, the lord is our help, and therefore we will not fear what man may do unto us, for he is but flesh, and his breath is in his nostrils: but the strength of the lord, and the power of his word endureth forever: unto the which let us steadfastly trust, & then shall we not be confounded. My dear friend & faithful sister K. think no unkindness in me, that I write thus boldlye unto you: for verily it is of pure love and a true heart that I bear unto you, as I am most depely bound, yea double and treble. I have plentifully reaped your temporal things, god recompense you for it. And ought not I thē much more to sow unto you some of those spyritual things, wherewith God hath blessed me? yes truly: and everlasting woe and damnation were most due and suer unto me, if I did it not. God for his Christ's sake, forgive me my great negligence in this behalf towards you, and all the rest of his dear children, whom I love in the lord, as mine own soul, and thank God most hartelye, that you do me likewise, which am most unworthy of the same. God give me the spirit of prayer, that I may therewith supply some part of my duty towards you: for verily I am far in your debt, and so am like to die. But my suer trust is, that my good God, for whose sake I lose life and goods, and all earthly commodityes, will abundantly recompense you with his blessing, both spiritual and temporal, and in the ende bring you unto me, in the place of perpetual joy and quietness, where we shall rest from all our labors, and remain together for evermore. There shall we most perfectly know one another personally: though in this life we are not like to do so, for I am already proclaimed heretic at Paul's cross, I praise god most heartily for it. For now I know I shall shortly be with him, for whose sake I am so called: and shall be yet more solēnely y e sūday after Trinity sunday, doctor Harpesfield saith▪ I thank him for his pains. For he hath given me good warning to prepare myself ready against the day of slaughter: which time is not yet in their hands, for all their brags and proud bostinges, but in the good will & determinatiō of my most dear God, and loving father. And right suer I am, that they (I mean my enemies) and if all the devils in hell do help them, cannot shorten my life one minute of an hour, otherwise then GOD hath appointed, for his glory and my eternal profit. Therefore upon him will I cast all my care, & be careless, according to my name, in spite of them all, and tell them I will, when I come before them, that God doth laughe all their doings to scorn, and shortly will bring all their counsels to naught, to their own utter confusion, if they be not converted. For which thing let us pray to him, which only is able to do it, and will, when he seeth his good time and pleasure. In y e mean space, the same LORDE give us his peace and patience, with plentiful consolation and joy in the holy ghost: who govern, guyds, lead and conduct us unto the very end. Thus yet once again I commit you unto God's moste merciful defense, whoever have you, and all yours, in his blessed keeping. The blessing of God be with you evermore. Amen.
yours forever moste vnfeynedlye, John Careles, prysoner of the Lord, at all times abidinge his most merciful will & pleasure.
Pray, pray, pray.Imprinted at London by Willyam Powell, dwelling in Fletestrete, at the sign of the George, nere to Saint Dunstons Church.