Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 1

A comfortable letter of M. Bradford to his Mother, a godly matron, dwelling in Manchester, and to his brethren and sisters, and other of his friends there.

OUr dear and sweet Sauioure Jesus Christ, whose prisoner at this present (praised be his name therefore) I am, preserve and keep you my good mother, with my brothers and sisters, my Father John Traues, Thomas Sorrocold, Laurence and James Bradshawe, with their wives and families. &c. now and forever. Amen.

I am at this present in prison sure enough for starring, to confirm that I have preached unto you: as I am ready (I thank God) with my life and blood to seal the same, if god vouch me worthy of that honor. For good mother and brethren, it is a most special benefit of God, to suffer for his names sake and gospel, as now I do: I heartily thank him for it, and am sure that with him I shall be partaker of his glory, as Paul saith? If we suffer with him we shall reign with him. Therefore be not faint hearted, but rather rejoice, at the least for my sake which now am in y ^e right and high way to heaven: for by many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of heaven. Now will God make known his children. When the wind doth not blow, then cannot a man know the wheat from y ^e chaff: but when the blast cometh, then fleeth away the chaff, but the wheat remaineth, and is so far from being hurt that by the wind it is more cleansed from the chaff and known to be whea • e. Gold when it is cast into the fire, is the more precious: so are God's children by the cross of affliction. Always God beginneth his judgment at his house. Christ and the Apostles were in most misery in the land of Jewry, but yet the whole land smarted for it after: so now God's Children are first chastised in this world, that they should not be damned with the world: for surely great plagues of God hang over this Realm.

Ye all know there was never more knowledge of god and less godly living and true serving of God. It was counted a foolish thing to serve God truly, and earnest prayer was not past upon. Preaching was but a pastime. The Communion was counted too common. Fasting to subdue the flesh, was far out of use. Alms was almost nothing. Malice, Covetousness, and uncleanness, was common everywhere, with swearing, dronkenes, and idleness. God therefore now is come, as you have heard me preach, and because he will not damn us with the world he beginneth to punish us: as me for my carnal living. For as for my preaching, I am most certain it is & was God's truth, and I trust to give my life for it by God's grace: But because I loved not the Gospel truly, but outwardly, therefore doth he thus punish me: nay rather in punishing blesseth me. And in deed I thank him more of this prison, then of any Parlour, yea then of any pleasure that ever I had: for in it I find God my most sweet good God always. The flesh is punished, first to admonish us now heartily to live as we profess, secondlye, to certify the wicked of their just damnation, if they repent not.

Perchaunce you are weakened in that which I have preached, because God doth not defend it (as you think) but suffereth the popish doctrine to come again and prevail: but you must know, good mother, that God by this doth prove and try his children & people whether they will unfeignedly and simply hang on him & his word. So did he w ^t the Israelites, bringing thē into a Desert after their coming out of Egypt, where (I mean the wilderness) was want of all things in comparison of that which they had in egipt. Christ, whē he came into this world, brought no worldly wealth nor quietness with him, but rather war The world (saith he) shall rejoice, but ye shall mourn & weep but your weeping shall be turned into joy: and therefore happy are they that mourn and weep, for they shall be comforted. They are marked then with God's mark in their foreheads, and not with the beasts mark, I mean the popes shaven • rowne, who now with his shauelinges rejoice: but woe unto them, for they shall be cast down, they shall weep and mourn. The rich glutton had here his joy and Lazarus sorrow, but afterwards the time was changed. The end of carnal joy is sorrow. Now let the whoremōger joy with the dronkarde, swearer, covetous, malicious and blind bussarde syr John: for the Mass will not byte them, neither make them to blush, as preaching would. Now may they do what they will, come devils to the Church and go devils home, for no man must find fault. And they are glad of this: now have they their hearts desire, as the Sodomites had when Lothe was gone, but what followed? Forsooth when they cried peace, all shall be well, then came God's vengeance, fire & brimstone frō heaven, and burnt up every mothers child: even so dear mother will it do to our papists.

Wherefore fear God: stick to his word though all the world would swerve from it. Dye you must once, & when or how, can you not tell. Dye therefore with Christ, suffer for serving him truly and after his word: for sure may we be that of all deaths it is most to be desired to die for gods sake. This is the most safe kind of dying: we cannot doubt but that we shall go to heaven, if we die for his names sake. And that you shall die for his names sake God's word will warrant you, if you stick to that which God by me hath taught you. You shall see that I speak as I think: for by God's grace I will drink before you of this cup, if I be put to it.

I doubt not but God will give me his grace, & strengthen me thereunto: pray that he would, and that I refuse it not. I am at a point even when my Lord God will, to come to him. Death nor life, Prison nor pleasure (I trust in God) shall be able to separate me from my Lord God & his Gospel. In peace when no persecution was, then were you content and glad to hear me, then did you believe me and will you not do so now, seeing I speak that which I trust by God's grace, if need be to verify with my life? Good mother, I write before God to you, as I have preached before him.

It is God's truth I have taught: It is that same infallible word whereof he said: Heaven and earth shall pass: but my word shall not pass The mass and such baggage as the false worshippers of God and enemies of Christ's Cross (the Papists I say) have brought in again, to poison the Church of God withal, displeaseth God highly, and is abhominable in his sight. Happy may he be which of conscience suffereth loss of life or goods in dissalowing it. Come not at it. If God be God follow him: If y ^e Mass be God: let them that will, see it, hear, or be present at it, & go to the devil with it. What is there as God ordained? His supper was ordained to be received of us in the memorial of his death, for the confirmation of our faith, that his body was broken for us, & his blood shed for pardon of our sins: but in the mass there is no receiving, but the p • jest keepeth all to himself alone. Christ saith, Take eat: No, saith the Priest: gape, peep. There is a sacrificing, yea killing of Christ again as much as they may. There is Idolatry in worshipping the outward sign of bread & wyne, there is all in Latin, you cannot tell what he saith. To conclude, there is nothing as God ordained. Wherefore my good mother come not at it.

Oh, will some say, it will hinder you, if you refuse to come to mass and to do as other do. But God will further you, (be you assured) as you shall one day find: who hath promised to them that suffer hinderance or loss of any thing in this world, his great blessing here, and in y ^e world to come life everlasting.

You shall be counted an heretic: but not of others then of heretics, whose praise is a disprayse.

You are not able to reason against the Priests: but God will, that all they shall not be able to withstand you. No body will do so but you only: In deed no matter, for • ewe enter into the narrow gate which bringeth to salvation. Howbeit, you shall have with you (I doubt not) Father Traues and other my brothers and sisters to go with you therein: but if they will not, I your son in God (I trust) shall not leave you an inche, but go before you: pray that I may, & give thanks for me. Rejoice in my suffering, for it is for your sakes to confirm the truth I have taught. How soever you do, beware this letter come not abroad, but into father Traues his hands: for if it should be known that I have pen and ink in the prison, then would it be worse with me. Therefore to yourselves keep this letter, commending me to God & his mercy in Christ Jesus, who make me worthy for his names sake, to give my life for his Gospel and Church sake. Out of the Tower of London, the sixth day of October. 1553.

My name I write not for causes, you know it well enough: Like the letter never the worse. Commend me to all our good brethren and sisters in the Lord. Howsoever you do, be obedient to the higher powers, that is no point either in hand or tongue rebel, but rather if they command that which with good conscience you cannot obey, lay your head on the block, and suffer whatsoever they shall do or say. By patience possess your souls.

After the time that M. Bradford, was condemned, and sent to the Counter, it was purposed of his adversaries, as ye heard before, that he should be had to Manchester where he was borne, and there be burned. Whereupon he writeth to the City of London, thinking to take his last Vale of them in this letter.

To the City of London.

TO all that profess the Gospel and true doctrine of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the City of London, John Bradford a most unworthy servant of y ^e Lord now not only in prison, but also excommunicated & condemned to be burned for the same true doctrine, wisheth mercy, grace, & peace with increase of all godly knowledge and piety, from God the father of mercy, through the merits of our alone and omnisufficient Redeemer Jesus Christ, by the operation of the holy spirit forever. Amen.

My dearly beloved brethren in our Savior Christ, although the time, I have to live is very little (for hourly I look when I should be had hence to be conveyed into Lankeshyre, there to be burned, and to render my life by the providence of God, where I first received it by y ^e same providence, and although the charge is great to keep me from all things whereby I might signify anything to the world of my state: yet having, as now I have, pen & ink, through God's working, maugre the head of Satan and his soldiers, I thought good to write a short confession of my faith, and thereto join a little exhortation unto you all, to live according to your profession.

First, for my faith, I do confess and pray all the whole Congregation of Christ to bear witness with me of the same, that I do believe constantly through the gift & goodness of God, (for faith is God's only gift) all the 12. articles of the Symbole or Creed, commonly attributed to the collection of the Apostles. This my faith I would gladly particularly declare and expound to the confirmation and comfort of the simple: but alas, by starts & stealth I write in manner that I write, and therefore I shall desire you all to take this brevity in good part. And this faith I hold, not because of the Creed it self, but because of the word of God, the which teacheth and confirmeth every Article accordingly. This word of God written by the Prophets and Apostles, left and contained in the Canonical books of the whole Bible, I do believe to contain plentifully all things necessary to salvation, so that nothing (as necessary to salvation) ought to be added thereto and therefore the Church of Christ, nor none of his congregation ought to be burdened with any other doctrine, thē which hereout hath his foundation and ground. In testimony of this faith, I render and give my life, being condemned as well for not acknowledging the Antichrist of Rome to be Christ's vicar general and supreme head of his Catholic and universal Church here or else whereupon earth: as for denying the horrible and idolatrous doctrine of Transubstantiation, and Christ's real, corporal, and carnal presence in his supper, under the forms and accidences of bread and wine.

To believe Christ our Savior to be the head of his Church, and kings in their Realms to be the supreme powers, to whom every soul oweth obedience, and to believe that in the supper of Christ (which the Sacrament of the alter, as the Papists call it, and use it, doth utterly overthrow) is a true and very presence of whole Christ God and man to the faith of the receiver, but not to the stander by & looker upon as it is a true & very presence of bread & wine to the senses of men: to believe this (I say) will not serve, and therefore as an herericke I am condemned, and shall be burned: whereof I ask God heartily mercy that I do no more rejoice then I do, having so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it may please my dear Lord God and Savior to suffer.

For albeit mo manifold sins, even sithen I came into prison, have deserved at the hands of God, not only this temporal, but also eternal fire in hell, much more then my former sinful life, which y ^e Lord pardō, for his Christ's sake, as I know he of his mercy hath done, & never will lay mine iniquities to my charge, to condemnation, so great is his goodness (praised therefore be his holy name) although (I say) my manifold and grievous late sins have deserved most justly all the tyranny that mā or devil can do unto me, and therefore I confess that the Lord is just: & that his judgments be true and deserved on my behalf: yet y ^e Bishops and Prelates do not persecute them in me, but Christ himself, his word, his truth, and Religion. And therefore I have great cause, yea most great cause to rejoice that ever I was borne, and hitherto kept of the Lord: that by my death, which is deserved for my sins, it pleaseth y ^e heavenly father to glorify his name, to testify his truth, to confirm his verity, to repugn his adversaries. Oh good God and merciful father, forgive my great unthankfulness, especially herein.

And you my dearly beloved, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, I humbly and heartily in his bowels & blood do now for my last Vale and farewell in this present life, beseech you and every of you, that you will consider this work of the Lord accordingly: First, by me to be admonished to beware of hypocrisy and carnal security: profess not the Gospel with tongue and lips only, but in heart & verity: frame and fashion your lives accordingly: beware God's name be not evil spoken of, and the Gospel less regarded by your conversation. God forgive me that I have not so heartily professed it as I should have done, but have sought much myself therein. The Gospel is a new doctrine to the old man: it is new wyne, and therefore cannot be put in old bottles, without more great hurt thē good wine to the bottles. If we will talk with y ^e Lord, we must put of our shoes and carnal affections: if we will hear the voice of the Lord, we must wash our garments and be holy: if we will be Christ's disciples, we must deny our selves, take up our cross and follow Christ we cannot serve two masters. If we seek Christ's kingdom, we must also seek for the righteousness thereof. To this petition (Let thy kingdom come) we must join, Thy will be done, done, on earth as it is in heaven. If we will not be doers of the word, but hearers of it only, we sore deceive our selves. If we hear the gospel, and love it not, we declare our selves to be but fools, and builders upon the sand. The Lord's spirit hateth feigning: deceitfulness the Lord abhorreth: if we come to him, we must beware that we come not with a double heart: for then may chance that God will answer us according to the block which is in our heart, and so we shall deceive our selves and others.

To faith see y ^t we couple a good conscience, least we make a shipwreck. To the Lord we must come with fear and reverence. If we will be gospellers, we must be Christ's: if we be Christ's, we must crucify our flesh with the lusts and concupiscences thereof: if we will be under grace sin must not bear rule in us. We may not come to the Lord, and draw nigh to him with our lips, and leave our hearts else where, least the Lord's wrath wax hot, and he take from us the good remaining. In no case can y ^e kingdom of Christ approach to them that repent not. Therefore my dearly beloved, let us repent and be heartily sory y ^t we have so carnally, so hipocritically, so couetously, so vaynegloriously professed the gospel. For all these I confess myself to the glory of God, that he may cover mine offenses in the day of judgment. Let the anger & plagues of God, most justly fallen upon us, be applied to everyone of our deserts, that from the bottom of our hearts every of us may say: It is I Lord that have sinned against thee: it is my hypocrisy, my vainglory, my covetousness, uncleanness, carnality, security, idleness, unthankfulness, self-love, and such like, which have deserved the taking away of our good king, of thy word and true religion, of thy good ministers by exile, prisonmēt, and death: it is my wickedness that causeth success and increase of authority and peace to thine enemies. Oh be merciful, be merciful unto us. Turn to us again, O Lord of hosts, & turn us unto thee: correct us, but not in thy fury, least we be consumed in thine anger: chastise us not in thy wrathful displeasure: reprove us not, but in the midst of thine anger remember thy mercy. For if thou mark what is done amiss, who shall be able to abide it? But with thee is mercifulnes, that thou mightest be worshipped. Oh then be merciful unto us, y ^t we might truly worship thee. Help us, for the glory of thy name: be merciful unto our sins, for they are great: O heal us, and help us for thine honor. Let not the wicked people say, where is their God. &c.

On this sort my right dearly beloved, let us hartilye bewail our sins, repent us of our former evil life, heartily and earnestly purpose to amend our lives in all things continually watch in prayer, diligently and reverently attend, hear, and read the holy scriptures, labor after our vocation to amend our brethren. Let us reprove the works of darkness. Let us flee frō all Idolatry. Let us abhor the Antichristiā and romish rotten service, detest the popish Mass, abrenounce their Romish God, prepare our selves to the cross, be obedient to all that be in authority in all things that be not against God and his word for then answer with the Apostles: It is more meet to obey God then man. Howbeit never for any thing resist, or rise against the magistrates, Auenge not yourselves, but commit your cause to the Lord, to whom vengeance pertaineth, and he in his time will reward it. If you feel in yourselves an hope and trust in God, that he will never tempt you above that he will make you able to bear, be assured the Lord will be true to you: and you shall be able to bear all bruntes. But if you want this hope, flee and get you hence rather then by your tarrying God's name should be dishonored.

In sum, cast your care on the Lord, knowing for most certain, that he is careful for you: with him are all the hears of your head numbered, so that not one of them shall perish without his good pleasure and wille: much more thē, nothing shall hap̄ to your bodies, which shall not be profitable, how soever for a time it seem otherwise to your senses. Hang on the providence of God, not only when you have means to help you, but also when you have no means, yea when all means be against you. Geue him this honor, which of all other things he most chiefly requireth at your hands: namely believe that you are his children through Christ, that he is your father and God through him, y ^t he loveth you, pardoneth you all your offenses, he is with you in trouble, and will be with you forever. When you fall, he will put under his hand, you shall not lie still: before you cal upon him, he heareth you: out of evil he will finally bring you, and deliver you to his eternal joy. Doubt not my dearly beloved hereof, doubt not (I say) this will God your father do for you in respect, not of yourselves, but in respect of christ your Captayne your Pastor, your keeper, out of whose hands none shall be able to catch you, in him be quiet, & often̄ consider your dignity, namely how that ye be God's children, the saints of God, citizens of heaven, temples of the holy Ghost, the thrones of God, members of Christ, and Lord's over all.

Therefore be ashamed to think, speak, or do anything that should be unseemly for God's children, God's saints Christ's members. &c. Marueile not though the devil and the world hate you, though ye be persecuted here: for the servant is not above his master. Couet not earthly riches, fear not the power of man, love not this world, nor things that be in this world: but long for the Lord Jesus his coming, at which time youre bodies shall be made like unto his glorious body, when he appeareth you shall be like unto him: when your life shall thus be revealed, then shall ye appear with him in glory.

In the mean season live in hope hereof. Let the life you lead be in the faith of the son of God: For the just doth live by faith, which faith fleeth from all evil, & followeth y ^e word of God as a Lantern to her feet and a light to her steppes: her eyes be above where Christ is, she behouldeth not the things present, but rather things to come: she glorieth in affliction, she knoweth that the afflictions of this life are not like to be compared to the glory which God will reveal to us, and in us. Of this glory GOD grant us here a lively taste: then shall we run after the sent it sendeth forth. It will make us valiant men to take to us the kingdom of God: whither the Lord of mercy bring us in his good time, through Christ our Lord, to whom with the father and the holy ghost, three persons and one God, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.

My dearly beloved, I would gladly have given here my body to have been burned for the confirmation of the true doctrine I have taught here unto you. But that my Country must have. Therefore I pray you take in good part this signification of my good will towards every of you. Impute the want herein to time and trouble. Pardon me mine offensive and negligent behavior when I was amongst you. With me repent, & labor to amend. Continue in the truth which I have truly taught unto you by preaching in all places where I have come, God's name therefore be praised. Confess Christ when you be called, whatsoever cometh thereof, and the God of peace be with us all. Amen.

To the university and town of Cambridge.

TO all that love the Lord Jesus and his true doctrine, being in the university and town of Cambridge, John Bradford a most unworthy servant of the Lord, now not only prisoned, but also condemned for the same true doctrine, wisheth, grace peace, and mercy, with increase of all godliness from God the father of all mercy, through the bloody passion of our Savior Jesus Christ, by the lively working of the holy spirit forever. Amen.

Although I look hourly when I should be had to the stake (my right dearly beloved in the Lord, and although the charge over me is great and strayt: yet having by the providence of God secretly pen and an ynke, I could not but something signify unto you my solicitude which I have for you and every of you in the Lord, though not as I would, yet as I may. You have often and openly heard the truth, (specially in this matter wherein I am condemned) disputed and preached, that it is needeles to do anymore but only to put you in remembrance of the same: but hitherto have you not heard it confirmed, and, as it were, sealed up, as now you do and shall hear by me, that is, by my death and burning. For albeit I have deserved (through my uncleanness, hypocrisy, avarice, vainglory, idleness, unthankfulness, and carnality, whereof I accuse myself, to my confusion before the world, that before God through Christ I might, as my assured hope is I shall, find mercy) eternal death, and hell fire, much more then this affliction and fire prepared for me: yet my dearly beloved, it is not these, or any of these things, wherefor the prelates do persecute me, but God's verity and truth: yea even christ him self is the only cause and thing wherefore I now am condemned, and shall be burned as an heretic, for because I will not grant the Antichrist of Rome to be Christ's vicar general and supreme head of his church here, and everywhere upon earth, by God's ordinance, and because I will not grant such corporal, real, and carnal presence of Christ's body & blood in the sacrament, as doth transubstanciate the substance of bread and wine, and is received of the wicked, yea of dogs & mise. Also I am excommunicated, and counted as a dead member of Christ's Church, as a rotten branch, and therefore shall be cast into the fire.

Therefore ye ought heartily to rejoice with me, and to give thanks for me, that God the eternal father hath vouched safe our mother to bring up any child in whom it would please him to magnify his holy name as he doth, and I hope for his mercy and truths sake, will do in me, and by me. Oh, what such benefit upon earth can it be, as that that which deserved death by reason of my sins, should be delivered to a demonstration, a testification, and confirmation of God's verity and truth? Thou my mother the University hast not only had the truth of gods word plainly manifested unto thee by reading, disputinge and preaching publicly and privately: but now to make thee altogether excuselesse, and as it were, almost to sin against the holy Ghost, if thou put to thy helpyng hand with the romysh route to suppress the verity, and set out the contrary, thou hast my life and blood as a zeal to confirm thee: if thou wilt be confirmed▪ or else to confound thee and bear witness against thee, if thou wilt take part with the prelates and Clergye, which now fill up the measure of their fathers which slew the Prophets and Apostles, that all righteous blood from Abel to Bradford, sued upon the earth, may be required at their hands.

Of this therefore I thought good before my death, as time and liberty would suffer me (for love and duty I bear unto thee) to admonish thee good mother, and my sister the Town, that you would call to mind from whence you are fallen, and study to do the first works. You know (if you will these matters of the Romish supremacy, and the Antichristian transubstantiation, wh ••• by Christ's supper is overthrown, his priesthood euacuat • , his sacrifice frustrate, the ministry of his word vnplaced, repentance repelled, faith faynted, godliness extinguished, the Mass maintained, idolatry supported, and all impiety cherished: you know I say (if you will) that these opinions are not only besides God's word, but even directly against it, and therefore to take part with them, is to take part against God, against whom you cannot prevail.

Therefore for the tender mercy of Christ, in his bowels and blood I beseech you, to take Christ's collyrium and eye salve to annoint your eyes, that you may see what you do and have done in admitting (as I hear you have admitted, yea alas authorised, and by consent confirmed) the Romish rotten rags, which once you utterly expelled. Oh be not canis reuersus ad vomitum, be not Sus lota reuersa ad volutabrum coeni, Beware least Satan enter in with seven other spirits, and then postrema shall be worse then the first. It had been better ye had never known the truth, then after knowledge to run from it. Ah, woe to this world and the things therein, which hath now so wrought with you. Oh that ever this dirt of the devil should daube up the eye of the Realm. For thou oh mother art as it were the eye of the Realm. If thou be light and give shine all the body shall fare the better: But if thou the light be darkness, alas how great will the darkness be? What is man whose breath is in his nostrils, that thou shouldest thus be afraid of him?

Oh what is honor and life here? Bubbles. What is glory in this world, but shame? Why art thou afraid to carrye Christ's Cross? Wilt thou come into his kingdom, and not drink of his cup? Doest thou not know Rome to be Babilō? doest thou not know that as the old Babylon had the children of Judah in captivity, so hath this Rome the true Judah, that is the confessors of Christ? Doest thou not know, that as destruction happened unto it, so shall it do unto this (And trowest thou that God will not deliver his people now when the time is come, as he did the • . Hath not God commanded his people to come out from her▪ and wilt thou give ensample to the whole Realm to run unto her▪ Hast thou forgotten the woe that Christ threatneh to offense givers? Wilt thou not remember that it were better that a Mylstone were hanged about thy neck, and thou throw into the sea, then that thou shouldest offend the little ones?

And alas, how hast thou offended? yea and howe doest thou still offend? Wilt thou consider things according to the outward show? Was not the Synagogue more seemly and like to be the true Church, then the simple flock of Christ's Disciples? Hath not the whore of Babylon more costly array, and rich apparel externally to set forth her self, then the homely housewyfe of Christ? Where is the beauty of the kings daughter the Church of Christ? without or within? Doth not David say within? Oh remember that as they are happy which are not offended at christ so are they happy which are not offended at his poor church. Can the Pope and his prelates mean honestly which make so much of the wife, and so little of the husband? The Church they magnify, but Christ they contemn. If this Church were an honest woman (that is, Christ's wife) except they would make much of her husband Christ and his word, she would not be made much of them.

When Christ and his Apostles were upon earth, who was more like to be the true Church, they, or the Prelates, Bishops, & Synagogue? If a man should have followed custom unity, antiquity, or the more part, should not Christ and his company have been cast out of the doors? Therefore bade Christ: Search the scriptures. And, good mother, shall the servant be above his master▪ shall we look for other entertaynment at the hands of the world, then Christ and his dear Disciples found? who was taken in Noes time for the Church? Poor Noah and his family, or others? Who was taken for God's Church in Sodom? Lot, or others? And doth not Christ say: As it was than, so shall it go now towards the coming of the son of man? What meaneth Christ when he saith: Iniquity shall have the upper hand? doth not he tell, that charity shall wax cold? And who seeth not a wonderful great lack of charity in those, which would now be taken for Christ's Church: All that fear GOD in this Realm truly, can tell more of this then I can write.

Therefore dear mother, receive some admonition of one of thy poor children, now going to be burned for the testimony of Jesus. Come again to God's truth: come out of Babylon: confess Christ and his true doctrine: repent that which is past: make amends by declaring thy repentance by the fruits. Remember the readings and preachings of God's Prophet and true Preacher M Bucer. Call to mind the threatenings of God, now something seen by the children Leauer and others. Let the exile of Leauer, Pilkinton, Grindall, Haddon, Horne, Scorye Ponet. &c. something awake thee. Let the imprisonment of thy dear sons, Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer move thee. Consider the Martyrdom of thy chickens, Rogers, Saunders, Taylor. And now cast not away the poor admonition of me going to be burned also, and to receive the like crown of glory with my fellows. Take to heart God's calling by us. Be not as Pharaoh was: for then will it happen unto thee as it did unto him. What is that hardness of heart. And what then? destructiō eternally both of body and soul. Ah therefore good mother awake, awake, repent, repent, buskle thyself, and make hast to turn to the Lord. For else it shall be more easy for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment then for thee. Oh harden not your hearts: Oh stop not your ears today in hearing God's voice, though it be by me a most unworthy messenger. Oh fear the Lord, for his anger is begun to kindle. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the tree.

You know I prophesied truly to you before the Sweate came, what would come, if you reap̄ted not your carnal Gospelling. And now I tell you before I depart hence, that the ears of men will tingle to hear of the vengeance of God that will fall upon you all, both Town and University, if you repent, not, if you leave not your Idolatry, if you turn not speedily to the Lord, if you still be ashamed of Christ's truth which you know.

Oh Perne repent, Oh Thomson repent, Oh you Doctors, Bachelers, & Masters repent, Oh Major, Aldermen, & Town dwellers repent, repent, repent, that you may escape the nere vengeance of the Lord. Rent your hearts, & come apace, calling on the Lord. Let us all say, Peccauimus, we have all sinned, we have done wickedly, we have not hearkened to thy voice O Lord. Deale not with us after our deserts, but be merciful to our iniquities, for they are great. Oh pardon our offenses. In thine anger remember thy mercy. Turn us unto thee, O Lord God of hosts, for the glory of thy names sake. Spare us, and be merciful unto us. Let not the wicked people say: where is now their God: Oh for thine own sake, for thy names sake, deal mercifully with us. Turn thyself unto us, and us unto thee, and we shall praise thy name forever.

If in this sort (my dearly beloved) in heart and mouth we come unto our father, & prostrate our selves before the throne of his grace, then surely surely we shall find mercy. Then shall the Lord loke merely upon us, for his mercy sake in Christ: then shall we hear him speak peace unto his people. For he is gracious & merciful, of great pity, & compassion: he cannot be chiding forever: his anger cannot last long to the penitent. Though we weep in the morning, yet at night we shall have our sorrow to cease. For he is exorable, and hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner: he rather would our conversion and turning.

Oh turn you now, and convert yet once again I humbly beseech you, and then the kingdom of heaven shall draw nigh. The eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, nor the heart of man is able to conceive the joys prepared for us if we repent, amende our lives, and heartily turn to the Lord. But if we repent not, but be as you were, and go on forwards with the wicked, following the fashion of the world, the Lord will lead you on with wicked doers, you shall perish in your wickedness, your blood will be upon your own heads, your part shall be with hypocrites, where shall be weeping & gnashyng of teeth, ye shall be cast from the face of the Lord forever and ever, eternal shame, sorrow, woe, and misery shall be both in body and soul to you world without end. Oh therefore right dear to me in the Lord, turn you turn you, repent you, repent you, amende, amende your lives, depart from evil, do good, follow peace and pursue it. Come out from Babylon, cast of the works of darkness, put on Christ, confess his truth, be not ashamed of his Gospel, prepare yourselves to the Cross, drink of God's cup before it come to the dregs: and then shall I with you and for you, rejoice in the day of Judgment, which is at hand, and therefore prepare yourselves thereto, I heartily beseech you. And thus I take my vale in aeternum with you in this present life, mine own dear hearts in the Lord. The Lord of mercy be with us all, and give us a joyful and sure meeting in his kingdom. Amen. Amen.

To Lankeshire and Cheshire.

TO all those that profess his name and true Religion of our savior Jesus Christ in Lankeshyre and Chesshyre, and specially abiding in Manchester and thereabout John Bradford a most unworthy servant of the Lord, now not only in bounds, but also condemned for y ^e same true religion, wisheth mercy and grace, peace and increase of all godliness from God the father of all pity, through y ^e deserts of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the working of the most mighty and lively spirit the comforter forever. Amen.

I heard it reported credibly, my dearly beloved in the Lord, that my heavenly father hath thought it good to provide, that as I have preached his true doctrine and Gospel amongst you by word: so I shall testify & confirm the same by deed: That is, I shall with you leave my life, which by his providence. I first received there (for in Manchester was I borne) for a seal to the doctrine I have taught with you, and amongst you so: so that if from henceforth you waver in the same, you have none excuse at all. I know the enemies of Christ, which exercise this cruelty upon me (I speak in respect of mine offense which is none to themwardes) think by killing of me amongst you, to affray you and others, least they should attempt to teach Christ truly, or believe his doctrine hereafter. But I doubt not but my heavenly father will be my death, more confirm you in his truth forever. And therefore I greatly rejoice to see Satan and his soldiers, supplanted in their own sapience, which is plain foolishness amongst the wise indeed, that is, amongst such as have heard God's word, and do follow it: for they only are counted wise of the wisdom of God our Savior.

In deed if I should simply consider my life with that which it ought to have been, and as God in his law requireth, then could I not but cry as I do. Iustus es domine & omnia iudicia tua vera. i. Righteous art thou O Lord, and all thy judgments are true. For I have much grieved thee, and transgressed thy holy precepts not only before my professing the Gospel, but sithen also: yea even sithen my coming into prison. I do not excuse, but accuse myself before God and all his Church, that I have grievously offended my Lord God, I have not loved his Gospel as I should have done, I have sought myself and not simply, and only his glory and my brethren's commodity, I have been to unthankfull, secure, carnal, hipocriticall, vayneglorious. &c. All which my evils the Lord of mercy pardon me for his Christ's sake, as I hope and certainly believe he hath done for his great mercy in Christ our redeemer.

But when I consider the cause of my condemnation, I cannot but lament, that I do no more rejoice then I do. For it is God's verity and truth: So that the condemnation is not a condemnation of Bradford simply: but rather a condemnation of Christ and his truth. Bradford is nothing else but an instrument, in whom Christ and his doctrine is condemned. And therefore my dearly beloved, rejoice, rejoice and give thanks with me and for me, that ever God did vouchsafe so great a benefit to our country, as to choose the most unworthy (I mean myself) to be one, in whom it would please him to suffer any kind of affliction: much more this violent kind of death, which I perceive is prepared for me with you for his sake. All glory and praise be given unto God our father, for his great exceeding mercy towards me, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

But perchance you will say unto me: what is the cause for the which you are condemned, we hear say that ye deny all presence of Christ in his holy Supper, and so make it a bare sign and common bread, and nothing else. My dearly beloved, what is said of me, and what will be, I cannot tell. It is told me that Pendleton is gone down to Preach with you, not as he once recanted (for you all know he hath preached contrary to that he was wont to preach afore I came amongst you) but to recant that which he hath recanted. Howe he will speak of me, and report before I come, when I am come, and when I am burned, I much pass not, for he that is so uncertain, and will speak so often against him self, I cannot think he will speak well of me, except it make for his purpose and profit: but of this enough.

In deed the chief thing, which I am condemned for as an heretic, is because I deny in the sacrament of the alter (which is not Christ's supper, but a plain perverting of it, being used as the papists now use it) to be a real, natural, and corporal presence of Christ's body and blood, under the forms and accidences of bread and wine, that is, because I deny transubstantiation, which is the dearling of the Devil, and daughter and heir to Antichrists religion, whereby the Mass is maintained Christ's supper perverted, his sacrifice and Cross imperfited, his Priesthood destroyed, the ministry taken away repentance repelled, and all true godliness abandoned. In the supper of our Lord or sacrament of Christ's body and blood, I confess and believe, that there is a true, and very presence of whole Christ God and man, to the faith of the receiver (but not of the stander by and looker on) as there is a very true presence of bread and wine to the senses of him that is partaker thereof. This faith, this doctrine, which consenteth with the word of God, and with the true testimony of Christ's Church (which the Popish Church doth persecute will I not forsake, and therefore am I condemned as an heretic, and shall be burned. But my dearly beloved, this truth (which I have taught, and you have received, I believed, and do believe, and therein give my life) I hope in God, shall never be burned, bound, nor overcome: but shall triumph have victory, and be at liberty, maugre the head of all God's adversaries. For there is no counsel against the Lord, nor no devise of man can be able to defeat the verity in any other, then such as be children of unbelief, which have no love to the truth, and therefore are given up to believe lies. Frō which plague the Lord of mercies deliver you and all the realm, my dear harts in the Lord I humbly beseech his mercy. Amen.

And to the ende you might be delivered from this plague (right dear to me in the Lord I shall for my fare well with you forever in this present life, heartily desire you all in the bowels and blood of our most merciful Savior Jesus Christ, to attend unto these things which I now shall shortly write unto you, out of the holy scriptures of the Lord.

You know an heavy plague (or rather plagues) of God is fallen upon us, in taking away our good Kyng, God's true Religion, God's true Prophets and Ministers. &c. And setting over us, such as seek not the Lord after knowledge: whose endeavours GOD prospereth wonderfully, to the trial of many, that his people may both better know themselves, and be known. Now the cause hereof is our iniquities and grievous sins. We did not know the time of our visitation: we were unthankfull unto God: we contemned the Gospel, & carnally abused it, to serve our hypocrisy, our vainglory our viciousnes, avarice, idleness, security. &c. Long did y ^e Lord linger, and tarry to have shown mercy upon us, but we were ever longer the worse. Therefore most justly hath God dealt with us, and dealeth with us: yea yet we may see, that his justice is tempered with much mercy, whereto let us attribute that we are not utterly consumed. For if the Lord should deal with us after our deserts, alas, howe could we abide it? In his anger therefore, seeing he doeth remember his mercy undeserved (yea undesired on our behalf) let us take occasion the more speedily to go out to meet him, not with force of arms (for we are not so able to withstand him, much less to prevail against him) but to beseech him to merciful unto us, and according to his wonted mercy to deal with us.

Let us arise with David and say: Ne intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo, &c. i. Enter not into judgment O Lord with thy servant, for in thy sight no flesh living shall be justified. Let us send Ambassadors with the Senturion, and say: Lord we are not worthy to come our selves unto thee, speak the word and we shall have peace. Let us penitently with the Publican loke down on the earth, knock our hard hearts to burst them, and cry out: Oh GOD be merciful unto us wretched sinners. Let us with the lost Son return and say: O Father, we have sinned against heaven and earth, and before thee we are unworthy to be called thy children. Let us I say do on this sort, y ^t is heartily repent us of our former evil life, & unthankful gospelling past, convert and turn to God w ^t our whole hearts, hoping in his great mercy thorough Christ, and heartily calling upon his holy name, and then undoubtedly we shall find and feel otherwise then yet we feel, both inwardly and outwardly. Inwardly we shall feel peace of conscience between God and us which peace passeth all understanding, and outwardlye we shall feel much mitigation of these miseries, if not an utter taking them away.

Therefore my dearly beloved in the Lord, I youre poorest brother now departing to the Lord, for my vale in aeternum for this present life, pray you beseech you, and even from the very bottom of my heart, for all the mercies of God in Christ shown unto you, most earnestly beg and crave of you out of prison (as often out of your Pulpies I have done) that you will repent you, leave your wicked and evil life, be sorry for your offenses, and turn to the Lord, whose arms are wide open to receive and embrace you, whose stretched out hand to strike to death, stayeth that he may show mercy upon you. For he is the Lord of mercy, and God of all comfort, he will not the death of a sinner, but rather that ye should return, convert and amend. He hath no pleasure in the destruction of men: his long suffering draweth to repentance before the time of vengeance, and the day of wrath which is at hand, doth come.

Now is the axe laid to the root of the tree, utterly to destroy the impenitente. Now is the fire gone out before the face of the Lord, and who is able to quench it? Oh therefore repent you, repent you. It is enough to have lived as we have done. It is enough to have pleased the wanton Gospellers, the proud Protestants, Hypocriticall and false Chrystians, as alas, we have done. Now the Lord speaketh to us in mercy and grace: Oh turn before he speaketh in wrath. Yet is there mercy with the Lord, and plenteous redemption: yet he hath not forgotten to show mercy to them that call upon him. Oh then call upon him, while he may be found. For he is riche in mercy, and plentiful to all them that call upon him. So that he that calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved. If your sins be as red as scarlet, the Lord saith, he will make them as white as snow. He hath sworn, and never will repent him thereof, that he will never remember our iniquities, but as he is good, faithful and true, so will he be our God, and we shall be his people: his law will he write in our hearts, & engraffe in our minds, and never will he have in mind our unrighteousness.

Therefore my dear hearts in the Lord, turn you, turn you to y ^e Lord your Father, to the Lord your Savior, to the Lord your comforter. Oh why do you stop your ears, and harden your harts • o day, whē you hear his voice by me your poorest brot ••• ? Oh forget not how that the Lord hath shown hymsel •• true and me his true preacher, by bringing to pass th • • lagues which at my mouth you often heard before they came to pass, specially when I entreated of Noes flood, and when I preached of the 22. chapter of Saint Matthews Gospel, on S. Stevens day the last time that I was with you. And now by me the Lord sendeth you word (dear countrymen) that if you will go on forwards in your impenitency, carnality, hypocrisy, idolatry, covetousness, swearing, gluttony, drunkenness, whoredom, &c. (Wherewith alas, alas our country floweth): if (I say) you will not turn and leave of seeing me now burned amongst you, to assure you on all sides how God seeketh you, and is sory to do you hurt, to plague you, to destroy you, to take vengeance upon you, oh your blood will be upon your own heads: you have been warned, and warned again by me in preaching, by me in burning.

As I said therefore, I say again, my dear harts and dearlings in the Lord, turn you, turn you, repent you, repent you, cease from doing evil, study to do well, away with idolatry, fly the Romish God and service, leave of from swearing, cut of carnality, abandon avarice▪ drive away drunkenness, fly from fornication and flattery, murder and malice, destroy deceiptfulnesse, and cast away all the works of darkness. Put on pity and godliness, serve God after his word, and not after custom, use your tongs to glorify God by prayer, thanksgiving and confession of his truth, &c. be spiritual, and by the spirit mortify carnal affections, be sober, holy, true, loving, gentle, merciful, and then shall the Lord's wrath cease, not for this our doings sake, but for his mercies sake. Go to therefore good countrymen) take this counsel of the Lord, by me now sent unto you, as the Lord's counsel, and not as mine, that in the day of judgment I may rejoice with you, and for you: the which thing I heartily desire, and not to be a witness against you. My blood will cry for vengeance, as against the Papists God's enemies (whom I beseech God if it be his will, heartily to forgive, yea even them which put me to death, and are the causers thereof, for they know not what they do (so will my blood cry for vengeance against you (my dearly beloved in the Lord) if ye repent not, amend not, and turn unto the Lord.

Turn unto the Lord yet once more, I heartily beseech thee thou Manchester, thou Ashton underline, thou Bolton, Bury, Wigme, Lierpoole, Mottrine, Stepport, Winsley, Eccles, Priestwich, Middleton, Radcliefe, and thou City of Westchester, where I have truly taught and preached the word of GOD. Turn, I say unto you all, and to all the inhabitours there aboutes unto the Lord our God and he will turn unto you, he will say unto his Angel: It is enough, put up the sword. The which thing that he will do, I humbly beseech his goodness, for the precious bloudes sake of his dear Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Ah good brethren take in good parte these my last words unto everyone of you. Pardon me mine offenses and negligences in behavior amongst you. The Lord of mercy pardon us all our offenses, for our Savior Jesus Christ's sake, Amen. Out of Prison ready to come to you the eleventh of February. Ann. 1555.

To the Town of Walden.

TO the faithful and such as profess the true doctrine of our Savior Jesus Christ, dwelling at Walden and thereaboutes, John Bradford a most unworthy servant of the Lord, now in bands, and condemned for the same true doctrine, wisheth grace, mercy, and peace, with the increase of all godliness in knowledge and living, from GOD the Father of all comfort, through the deserts of our alone and full redeemer Jesus Christ, by the mighty working of the most holy spirit, the comforter forever. Amen.

When I remember how that by the providence and grace of God, I have been a man, by whom it hath pleased him through my ministry to call you to repentance, and amendment of life, something effectually, as it seemed, and to sow amongst you his true doctrine and religion, least that by my affliction, & storms now arisen to try the faithful, and to conform them like to the Image of the son of GOD, into whose company we are called, you might be faint hearted: I could not but out of prison secretly (for my keepers may not know that I have pen & ynke) write unto you a signification of the desire I have, that you should not only be more confirmed in the doctrine I have taught amongst you, which I take on my death, as I shall answer at the day of dome, I am persuaded to be God's assured, infallible, and plain truth: but also should after your vocation avow the same by confession, profession and living. I have not taught you (my dearly beloved in the Lord) fables, tales, or untruth, but I have taught you the verity, as now by my blood gladly (praised be God therefore) I do seal the same.

In deed to confess the truth unto you, and to all the Church of Christ, I do not think of myself, but that I have moste justly deserved, not only this kind but also all kinds of death, and that eternally, for mine hypocrisy, vayneglory, uncleanness, self love, covetousness, idleness, unthankfulness, and carnal professing of God's holy Gospel, living therein not so purely, lovingly, and paynefully as I should have done. The Lord of mercy for the blood sake of Christ pardon me, as I hope, yea I certainly believe he hath done for his holy names sake thorough Christ. But my d • arely beloved, you and all the whole world may see, and easily perceive, that the Prelates persecute in me another thing then mine iniquities, even Christ himself, Christ's verity and truth, because I can not, dare not, nor will not confess Transubstantiation, and howe that wicked men, ye Mise and Dogs eating the Sacrament, which they term of the alter, thereby overthrowing Christ's holy Supper utterly, do eat Christ's natural and real body borne of the virgins Mary.

To believe, and confess as God's word teacheth, the primative Church believed, and all the Catholic and good holy Fathers taught five hundredth years at the least after Christ, that in the Supper of the Lord (which the Mass overthroweth, as it doth Christ's Priesthoode, sacrifice, death and passion, the ministry of his word, true • ayth repentance, and all godliness whole Christ God and man is present by grace, to the faith of the receivers, but not of the standers by, and lookers on, as bread and wyne is to their senses, will not serve: and therefore I am condemned & shall be burned out of hand as an heretic. Wherefore I hartelye thank my Lord God, that will and doth vouch me worthy to be an instrument, in whom he himself doeth suffer. For you see my affliction and death is not simply, because I have deserved no less, but much more at his hands and justice: but rather because I confess his verity and truth, and am not afraid through his gift that to do, that you also might be confirmed in his truth. Therefore my dearly beloved. I heartily do pray you, and so many as unfeignedly love me in God, to give with me and for me most hearty thanks to our heavenly Father, through our sweet Savior Jesus Christ, for this his exceeding great mercy towards me and you also, that your faith waver not from the doctrine I have taught, and ye have received. For what can you desire more to assure your consciences, of the verity taught by your preachers, then their own lives?

Go to therefore my dear hearts in the Lord, waver not in Christ's religion truly taught you, and set forth in king Edward's days. Never shall the enemies be able to burn it, to prison it, and keep it in bonds. Vs they may prison, they may bind and burn, as they do, and will do, so long as shall please the Lord: but our cause, religion, and doctrine which we confess, they shall never be able to vanquish and put away. Theyr Idolatry and Popish religion, shall never be builte in the consciences of men that love God's truth. As for those that love not God's truth, that have no pleasure to walk in the ways of the Lord, in those I say the Devil shall prevail: For God will give them strong illusion to believe lies. Therefore dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, I humbly beseech you, and pray you in the bowels and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus • Christ, now going to the death for the testimony of Jesus, as oftentimes I have done before this present out of your Pulpitte, that you would love the Lord's truth: love (I say) to love it, and frame your lives thereafter. Alas, you know the cause of all these plagues fallen up us, and of the success which God's adversaries have daily, is for our not loving God's word.

You know how that we were but Gospellers in lips, and not in life. We were carnal, concupiscentious, idle, unthankful, unclean, covetous, arrogant, dissemblers, crafty, subtle, malicious, false, backebiters. &c. and even glutted with God's word, yea, we lothed it, as did the Israelites the Manna in the wilderness: and therefore as to them the Lord's wrath waxed hot, so doth it unto us. So that there is no remedy, but that (for it is better late to turn, then never to turn) we confess our faults, even from the bottom of our hearts, & with hearty repentance (which God work in us all for his mercies sake) we run unto the Lord our God, which is exorable, merciful, & sory for the evil poured out upon us, and cry out unto him with Daniel saying: we have sinned, we have sinned grievously oh lord God, against thy majesty, we have heaped iniquity upon iniquity: the measure of our transgressions floweth over, so that just is thy vengeance and wrath fallen upon us. For we are very miserable, we have contemned thy longe suffering, we have not harkened to thy voice. When thou hast called us by Preachers, we hardened our hearts, and therefore now deserve that they send thy curse hereupon to harden our hearts also, that we should henceforth have eyes and see not, ears and hear▪ not, hearts and understand not, lease we should convert and be saved. Oh be merciful unto us: spare us good Lord and all thy people, whom thou hast dearly bought. Let not thine enemies triumph altogether, and always against thee, for then will they be puffed up. Look down and behold the pittyfull complaints of the poor: let the sorowefull sighing of the simple come in thy fright, and be not angry with us forever. Turn us oh Lord GOD of hosts unto thee, and turn thee unto us, that thou mayest be justified in thy sweet sentences, and overcome whē thou are judged, as now thou art of our adversaries, For they say, where is their God? Can God deliver them now? Canne their Gospel serve them? Oh Lord howe long? for the glory of thy name, and for thy honors sake, in the bowels and blood of Jesus Christ, we humbly beseech thee, come and help us, for we are very miserable.

On this sort I say dearly beloved, let us publicly and privately bewail our sins: but so that hereto we join, ceasing from willfulness & sin of purpose, for else the Lord heareth not our prayers, as Deuid saith. And in S. John it is written: The impenitent sinners God heareth not. Now, impenitent are they which purpose not to amend their lives. As for example: not only such which follow still their pleasures▪ uncleanness, carnality: but those also which for fear or favor of men, do against their conscience to consent to the Romish rags, and resort to the rotten Religion, communicating in Service & ceremonies with the Papists, thereby declaring themselves to love more the world then God, to fear man more then Christ, to dread more the loss of temporal things, then of spiritual: in whom it is evident, the love of God abideth not. For he that loveth the world, hath not God's love abiding in him saith Saint John: therefore my dear hearts, and dear again in the Lord remember what you have professed, Christ's Religion and name, and the renouncyng of the Devil, Sin and the world.

Remember that before ye learned A. B. C. your lesson was Christ's cross. Forgette not that Christ will have no Disciples, but such as will promise to deny thenselves▪ & take up their cross (mark, take it up) and follow him: and not the multitude, custom. &c. Consider for God's sake, that if we gather not with Christ, we scatter abroad. What should it profit a man to win the whole world, and loose his own soul? We must not forget that this life is a wilderness, and not a Paradise: here is not our home, we are now in warfare: we must needs fight, or else be taken prisoners. Of all things we have in this life, we shall carry nothing with us. If Christ be our Captayne, we must follow him as soldiers. If we keep company with him in affliction, we shall be sure of his society in glory. If we forsake not him, he will never forsake us. If we confess him, he will confess us: but if we deny him, he will deny us. If we be ashamed of him he will be ashamed of us. Wherefore as he forsook his father, and heaven, & all things to come to us, so let us forsake all things and come to him, being sure and most certain, that we shall not lose thereby. Your children shall find and feel it double, yea treble, whatsoever you loose for the Lord's sake: and you shall find and feel peace of conscience, and friendship with God which is more worth then all the goods of the world.

My dearly be loved, therefore for the Lord's sake, consider these things which now I write unto you of love, for my Vale, & last farewell forever in this present life. Turn to the Lord: repent you your evil and unthankfull life, declare repentance by the fruits: take time while you have it: come to the Lord whiles he calleth you: run into his lap whiles his arms be open to embrace you: seek him whiles he may be found: call upon him whiles time is convenient: forsake and fly from all evil, both in religion, and in the rest of your life and conversation. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your works, and praise God in the day of his visitation. Oh come again, come again you strange children, and I will receive you saith the Lord. Conuert and turn to me, and I will turn unto you. Why? will ye needs perish? As sure as I live (sweareth the Lord) I will not your death: turn therefore unto me. Can a woman forgette the child of her womb? If she should, yet will I not forget you, saith the Lod your God. I am he, I am he which put away your sins for mine own sake.

O then dear friends, turn I say unto your dearest father. Cast not these his sweet and loving words to the ground, and at your tail, for the Lord watcheth on his word to perform it: which is in two sortes: to them that lay it up in their hearts, and believe it, will he pay all, and eternal joy and comfort. But to thē that cast it at their backs, and will forget it, to them (I say) will he pour out indignation and eternal shame. Wherefore I heartily yet once more beseech and pray you, and every of you, not to contemn this poor and simple exhortation, which now out of prison I make unto you, or rather the Lord by me. Loth would I be a witness against you in the last day: as of truth I must be, if ye repent not, if ye love not God's Gospel, yea, if ye love it not.

Therefore to conclude, repent, love God's Gospel, live in it all your conversation so shall God's name be praised, his plagues be mitigated, his people comforted, and his enemies ashamed. Graūt all this thou gracious lord god to everyone of us for thy dear sons sake, our Savior Jesus Christ: To whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be eternal glory forever and ever. Amen.

*To my loving brethren B. C. &c. their Wives and whole families, I. Bradford.

I Beseech the everliving God, to grant you all, my good brethren and sisters, the comfort of the holy spirit, and the continual sense of his mercy in Christ our Lord, now and forever amen.

The world my brethren seemeth to have the upper hand, iniquity overfloweth, the truth and verity seemeth to be suppressed, and they which take parte therewith, are unjustly entreated: as they which love the truth lament to see and hear, as they do. The cause of all this is God's anger, and mercy: his anger, because we have grievously sinned against him: his mercy, because he here punisheth us, and as a Father nourtereth us. We have been unthankfull for his word: We have contemned his kyndenesse: We have been negligent in prayer: We have been so carnal, covetous, licentious. &c. We have not hastened to heaven ward, but rather to hellwarde. We were fallen almost into an open contempt of God, and all his good ordinances: so that of his justice he could no longer forbear, but make us feel his anger: as now he hath done, in taking his word and true service from us, and permitted Satan to serve us with Antichristian religion, and that in such sort, that if we will not yield to it, and seem to allow in deed an outward fact, our bodies are like to be laid in prison, and our goods given we cannot tell to whom.

This should we look upon as a sign of God's anger, procured by our sins: which my good brethren, every of us should now call to our memories oftentimes, so particularly as we can, that we might heartily lament them, repent them, hate them, ask earnestly mercy for them, and submit our selves to bear in this li • e any kind of punishment, which God will lay upon us for them. This should we do, in consideration of God's anger in this time. Now his mercy in this time of wrath is seen, and should be seen in us my dearly beloved, in this, that God doth vouchsafe to punish us in this present life. If he should not have punished us, do not you think that we would have continued in the evils we were in? Yes verily, we would have been worse, and have gone forwards in hardenyng our hearts by impenitency, and negligence of God & true godliness. And then if death had come, should not we have perished both soul and body into eternal fire and perdition? Alas, what misery should we have fallen into, if God should have suffered us to have gone on forward in our evils? No greater sign of damnatiō there is, then to lie in evil and sin unpunished of God, as now the Papists (my dearly beloved) are cast into Jezebels bed of security which of all plagues is the grieuousest plague that can be. They are bastards and not sons, for they are not under God's rod of correction.

A great mercy it is therefore that GOD doth punish us: For if he loved us not, he would not punish us. Now doth he chastise us, that we should not be damned with the world. Now doeth he nourtour us, because he favoreth us. Now may we think our selves God's house and children, because he beginneth his chastising at us: Now calleth he us to remember our sins past. Wherefore? that we might repent and ask mercy. And why? That he might forgive us, pardon us, iustifye us, and make us his children, and so begin to make us here like unto Christ, that we might be like unto him elsewhere, even in heaven where already we are set by faith with Christ, and at his coming in very deed, we shall then most joyfully enjoy, when our sinful and vile bodies shall be made like to Christ's glorious body, according to the power whereby he is able to make all things subject to himself.

Therefore my brethren, let us in respect hereof not lament, but land God, not to be sory, but be merry, not weep, but rejoice and be glad, that God doth vochsafe to offer us his Cross, thereby to come to him to endless joys and comforts. For if we suffer, we shall reign, if we confess him before men, he will confess us before his father in heaven: if we be not ashamed of his Gospel now, he will not be ashamed of us in the last day, but will be glorified in us, crowning us with crowns of glory and endless felicitye: For blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven: Be glad (say • h Peter) for the spirit of God resteth upon you. After that you are a little afflicted, God will comfort, strengthen, and confirm you. And therefore my good brethren, be not discouraged for Cross, for prison, or loss of goods, for confession of Christ's Gospel and truth, which ye have believed, and lively was taught amongst you in the days of our late good Kyng, and most holy Prince Kyng Edward. This is most certain, if you loose anything for Christ's fake, and for contemning the Antichristian service, set up again amongst us: as you for your partes, even in prison shall find God's great and riche mercy, far passing all worldly wealth: so shall your wives and children in this present life, find and feel God's providence, more plentifully then tongue can tell. For he will show merciful kindness on thousands of them that love him. The good man's seed shall not go a begging his bread. You are good men, so many as suffer for Christ's sake.

I trust you all, my dearelye beloved, will consider this gear with yourselves, & in the cross see God's mercy, which is more sweet, and to be set by, then life it self, much more then any Mucke or Pelfe of this world. This mercy of God should make you merye and cheerful: for the afflictions of this life, are not to be compared to the joys of the life prepared for you. You know the way to heaven is not the wide way of the world, which windeth to the devil, but it is a strayte way which few walk in. For few live Godlye in Christ Jesus, few regard the life to come, few remember the day of judgment, few remember howe Christ will deny them before his father, that do deny him here, few consider that Christ will be ashamed of them in the last day, which are ashamed of his truth and true service, few cast their accounts, what will be laid to their charge in the day of vengeance, few regard the condemnation of their own consciences, in doing that which inwardly they disallow, few love god better then their goods.

But I trust yet you are of this few, my dearly beloved, I trust you be of that little flock, which shall enherite the kingdom of heavē, I trust you are the mourners and lamenters, which shall be comforted with comfort, which never shall be taken from you, if you now repent your former evils, if now you strive against the evils that are in you, if now you continue to call upon God, if now you defile not your bodies with any Idolatrous service, used in the Antichristian Churches, if you molest not the good spirit of God, which is given you as a gage of eternal redemption, a counselor and Mayster to lead you into all truth, which good spirit I beseech the Father of mercy to give to us all, for his dear sons sake Jesus Christ our Lord: to whom I commend you all, and to the word of his grace, which is able to help you all, and save you all that believe it follow it, and serve GOD thereafter.

And of this I would ye were all certain, that all the hears of your heads are numbered, so that not one of them shall perish, neither shall any man or devil be able to attempt anything, much less to do anything to you, or any of you, before your heavenly father, which loveth you most tenderly, shall give them leave: and when he hath given them leave, they shall go no further then he will, nor keep you in trouble any longer then he will. Therefore cast on him all your care, for he is careful for you. Only study to please him, and to keep your consciences clean, & your bodies pure from the Idolatrous service, which now everywhere is used, and GOD will maruellouslye and mercifully defend and comfort you: which thing he do for his holy names sake in Christ our Lord. Amen.

*To his dearly beloved in Christ, Erkinalde Rawlins, and his wife.

GOd our dear and moste merciful Father thorough Christ, be with you my good Brother and Sister, as with his children forever, and in all things so guide you with his holy spirit, the leader of his people, as may be to his glory, and your own everlasting joy and comfort in him. Amen. Because I have oftentimes received from either of you, comfort corporal (for the which I beseech the Lord, as to make me thankful, so to recompense you both now & eternally) I cannot but go about (Lord help hereto for thy mercies sake) to write something for your comfort spiritually.

My dearly beloved, look not upon these days and the afflictions of the same here with us, simplye as they seem unto you, that is, as dismal days, and days of God's vengeance, but rather as lucky days, and days of God's fatherlye kindness towards you, and such as you be, that is, toward such as repent their sins, and evil life paste, and earnestly purpose to amende, walking not after the will of the world, and most part of men, for the preservation of their pelf, which will they nill they, they shall leave sooner or later, and to whom or howe it shall be used, they know not. In deed to such as walk in their wickedness, and wind on with the world, this time is a time of wrath and vengeance, and their beginning of sorrow is but now, because they contemn the Physic of their father, which by this purging time and cleansing days, would work their weal, which they will nor: and because they will not have God's blessing, which both ways he hath offered unto them by prosperity and adversity: therefore it shall be kept far enough from them. As when the sick man will no kind of Physic at the hands of the Physician, he is left alone, and so the malady increaseth, and destroyeth him at the length. To such men in deed, these days are and should be doleful days, days of woe and weeping, because their damnation draweth nigh.

But unto such as be penitent, and are desirous to live after the Lord's will (among whom I do not only count you, but as far as a man may judge, I know ye are) unto such I say, this time is and should be comfortable. For first now your father chastiseth you and me for our sins: for the which if he would have destroyed us, then would he have letten us alone, and left us to our selves, in nothing to take to heart his fatherly visitation, which here it pleaseth him to work presently, because else where he will not remember our transgressions, as Paul writeth: He chastiseth us in this world, least with the world we should perish. Therefore my dear hearts, call to mind your sins to lament them, and to ask mercy for them in his sight, and withal undoubtedly believe to obtain pardon and assured forgiveness of the same, for twice the Lord punisheth not for one thing.

So that I say, first we have cause to rejoice for these days, because our father suffereth us not to lie in Iesabels bed, sleeping in our own sins and security, but as mindful on us, doth correct us as his children. Whereby we may be certain, that we be no bastards, but children: for he chastiseth every child whom he receiveth. So that they which are not partakers of his chastising, or that contemn it, declare themselves to be bastards, and not children: as I know ye are, which as ye are chastised, so do ye take it to heart accordingly. And therefore be glad my dear hearts and folks, knowing certaynelye even by these visitations of the Lord, that ye are his dear elect children, whose faults your father doth visit with the rod of correction, but his mercy will he never take away from us. Amen.

Secondly, ye have cause to rejoice for these days, because they are days of trial, wherein not only ye yourselves, but also the world shall know that ye be none of his, but the Lord's dearelinges. Before these days came, Lord God, how many thought of them selves, they had been in God's bosom, and so were takē, and would be taken of the world? But now we see whose they are. For to whom we obey, his servants we are. If we obey the world (which god forbid, and hitherto ye have not done it) then are we the worlds: but if we obey God, then are we God's. Which thing (I mean that ye are God's) these days have declared both to you, to me, & to all other that know you, better then ever we knew it. Therefore ye have no cause to sorrow, but rather to sing, in seeing yourselves to be God's babes, and in seeing that all God's children do so count you.

What though the world repine thereat? What though he kick? What though he seek to trouble and molest you? My dear hearts, he doth but his kind, he cannot love the Lord, which liveth not in the Lord, he cannot brook the child, that hateth the Father, he can not mind the servant, that careth not for the Mayster. If ye were of the world, the world would love you, ye should dwell quietly, there would be no grief, no molestation. If the Devil dwelt in you (which the Lord forbid) he would not stir up his knights to besiege your house, to snatch your goods, or suffer his friends to enter into your Hogs. But because Christ dwelleth in you (as he doth by faith) therefore styreth he up his first begotten son the world, to seek how to disquiet you, to rob you, to spoil you, to destroy you: and perchance your dear Father, to try, and to make known unto you, and to the world, that ye are destinate to another dwelling the • here on earth, to another Citty then man's eyes have seen at any time: hath given, or will give power to Satan, and to the world, to take from you the things, which he hath lent you, and by taking them away, to try your fidelitye, obedience, and love towards him (for ye may not love them above him) as by giving that ye have, and keeping it, he hath declared his love towards you.

Satan perchance telleth GOD (as he did of Job) that ye love GOD for your goods sake. What now then, if the Lord do try you with Job, shall give him power on your goods and body accordingly, should ye be dismayed? should ye despair? should ye be faint hearted? should ye not rather rejoice, as did the Apostles, that they were counted worthy, to suffer anything for the Lord's sake? Oh forget not the end that happened to Job: for as it happened to him, so shall it happen unto you. For GOD is the same God, and cannot long forget to show mercy, to them that look and long for it, as I know ye do, and I pray you so to do still. For the Lord loveth you, and never can nor will forget to show, and pour out his mercy upon you. After a little while that he hath afflicted & tried you (saith Peter) he will visit, comfort and confirm you. As to Jacob wrestling with the Angel, at the length morning came, and the son arose: so dear hearts, doubtless it will happen unto you. Howbeit do ye as Job and Jacob did, that is (order and dispose your things that God hath lent you, as ye may and whiles ye have time. Who knoweth whether God hath given you power this long even to that end.

Go to therefore, dispose your goods, prepare yourselves to trial, that either ye may stand to it like God's Champions, or else if ye feel such infirmitye in yourselves, that ye be not able, give place to violence, and go where ye may with free and safe conscience serve the Lord. Think not this counsel to come by chance, or fortune, but to come from the Lord. Other Oracles we may not look for now. As God told Joseph in a dream by an Angel, that he should fly: so if you fele such infirmity in yourselves, as should turn to God's dishonor and your own destruction withal: know that at this present I am as God's Angel, to admonish you to take time whiles ye have it, and to see that in no case God's name by you might be dishonored. Joseph might have objected the omission of his vocation, as perchance ye will do. But dear hearts, let vocations and all things else give place to God's name, and the sanctifying thereof.

This I speak, not as though I would not have you rather to tarry, und to stand to it: but I speak it in respect of your infirmity, which if you feel to be so great in you that ye are not certain of this hope, that God will never tempt you above your ability: fly and get you hence, and know that thereby GOD will have you tried to yourselves, and to others. For by it you shall know howe to take this world, and your home here is no home, but that ye look for another, and so give occasion to others less to love this world, and perchance to some to doubt of their Religion. Wherein though they be earnest, yet would they not loose so much, as ye do for your Religion, which ye do confirm to me and others, by your giving place to violence.

Last of all, ye have cause to rejoice over these our days, because they be the days of conformation, in the which and by which, GOD our heavenly Father maketh us like unto Christ's Image here, that we may be like unto him elsewhere. For if that we suffer with him, then we shall reign also with him: if we be buried with him, then we shall rise with him again, if that we company with him in all troubles and afflictions, then we shall rejoice with him in glory: if we now sow with him in tears, we shall reap with him in gladness: if we confess him before men, he will confess us before his father in heaven: if we take his parte, he will take ours: if we loose ought for his names sake, he will give us all things for his truths sake. So that we ought to rejoice and be glad: for it is not given to everyone, to suffer loss of country, life, goods, house. &c. for the Lord's sake. What can God the father do more unto us, thē to call us into the camp with his son? What may Christ our Savior do more for us, thē to make us his Warriours? What can the holy Ghost do to us above this, to mark us with the cognisaunce of the Lord of hosts?

This cognisaunce of the Lord, standeth not in forked cappes, typettes, shaven crowns, or such other baggage and Antichristian pelf, but in suffering for the Lord's sake. The world shall hate you, saith Christ. Loe, • here is the Cognisaunce and Badge of God's children: The world shall hate you. Rejoice therefore my dearly beloved, rejoice, that God doth thus vouchsafe to begin to conform you, and make you like to Christ. By the trial of these days ye are occasioned more to repent, more to pray, more to contemn this world, more to desire life everlasting, more to be holy (for holy is the end wherefore God doth afflict us) and so to come to God's company. Whych thing because we cannot do, as long as this body is as it is, therefore by the door of death we must enter with Christ into eternal life, and immortality of soul and body: which God of his mercy send shortly for our Savior Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

To Maystres A. Worcup.

THe everlasting peace of Christ be more and more lively felt in our hearts, by the operation of the holy ghost, now and forever. Amen.

Although I know it be more then needeth to write any thing unto you (good Sister) being, as I doubt not you be, diligently exercised in reading of the Scriptures in meditating of the same, and in hearty prayer to GOD, for the help of his holy Spirit, to have the sense and feeling, especially of the comforts you read in God's sweet book: yet having such opportunity, and knowing not whether hereafter, I shall ever have the like (as this bringer can declare) I thought good in few words to take my farewell in writing, because otherwise I can not. And now me thinks I have done it. For what else can I, or should I say unto you (my dearly beloved in the Lord) but farewell? Farewell dear Sister, farewell: howbeit in the Lord, our Lord (I say) farewell. In him shall you farewell, & so much the better, by howe much in yourself you fare evil, and shall fare evil.

When I speak of yourself, I mean also this world, this life, and all things properly pertaining to this life. In them, as you look not for your welfare, so be not dismayed, when accordingly you shall not feel it. To the Lord our GOD, to the Lamb our Christ, which hath borne our sins on his back, & is our Mediator forever, do I send you. In him look for welfare, and that without all wavering, because of his own goodness and truth, which our evils and untruth cannot take away: Not that therefore I would have you to flatter yourself in any evil or unbelief, but that I would comfort you, that they should not dismay you. Yours is our Christ wholly, yours I say he is, with all that ever he hath. Is not this welfare trow you▪ Moūtaynes shall move, and the earth shall fall before you find it otherwise, say that liar Satan what he list.

Therefore good Sister farewell, and be merry in the Lord be merry I say, for you have good cause. If your welfare, joy, and salvation hanged upon any other thing then only God's mercy & truth, then might you well be sad, heavy, and stand in a doubt: but in that it hangeth only upon these two, tell Satan he lieth, whē he would you to stand in a mammering, by causing you to caste your eyes (which only in this case should be set on Christ your sweet Savior) on yourself. In some part in deed look on yourself, on your faith, on your love, obedience. &c. to wake you up from security, to stir you up to diligence, in doing the things appertaining to your vocation: but when you would be at peace with God, and have true consolation in your conscience, altogether look upon the goodness of God in Christ. Think on this commandment which precedeth all other: that you must have no other God's but the Lord Jehovah, which is your Lord & God: the which he could not be, if that he did not pardon your sins in very deed. Remember that Christ commandeth you to call him father for the same intent. And hereto call to mind all the benefits of God, hitherto shown upon you: and so shall you fele in very deed, that which I wish unto you now, and pray you to wish unto me. Farewell, or welfare in the Lord Jesus, with whom he grant us shortly to meet as his children, for his name and mercies sake, to our eternal welfare. Amen.

To mine own dear brother M. Laurence Saunders, prisoner in the Marshalsee.

MY good brother, I beseech our good and gracious Father, always to continue his gracious favor & love towards us, & by us, as by instruments of his grace, to work his glory &, the confusion of his adversaries. Ex ore infantium & lactentium fundet laudem ad destruendum inimicum. &c. Amen. 1. Out of the mouth of infantes and babes, he will show forth his praise to destroy the enemy. &c.

I have perused your letters to myself, and have read them to others. For answer whereof, if I should write what Doctor Taylor, and Mayster Philpot do think, then must I say that they think, the Salt sent unto us by your friend is unseasonable. And in deed I think they both will declare it heartily, if they should come before them. As form, if you would know what I think (my good and most dear brother Laurence) because I am so sinful and so conspurcate (the Lord knoweth I lie not) with many grievous sins (which I hope are washed away Sanguine Christi nostri) I neither can nor would be consulted withal, but as a sypher in Agrime. How be it, to tell you how and what I mind, take this for a sum: I pray GOD in no case I may seek myself, and in deed (I thank • GOD therefore) I purpose it not. Quod reliquum est Domino Deo meo committo, & spero in illum, quod ipse faciet iuxta hoc: Iacta in Dominum curam▪ &c. Omnis cura vestra coniecta sit in illum. &c. Reuela Domino viam tuam & spera. &c. Sperantem in Domino misericordia circundabit. i. That which remaineth, I commit to my Lord God: and I trust in him, that he will do according to this: Cast thy care on the Lord. &c Cast all your care upon him. &c. Reueale unto the Lord thy way, and trust. &c. Who that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about. I did not, nor do not know, but by your Letters, quod cras we shall come, coram nobis. Mine own heart, stick still to dabitur vobis. Fidelis enim est Dominus, dabit in tentatione euentum quo possumus sufferre. Nouit Dominus pios e tentatione • ripere. &c. O vtinam pius ego essem. Nouit Dominus in die tribulationis sperantes in se. &c. i. It shall be given you &c. For the Lord is faithful. He will in temptation make away that ye may be able to bear it. The Lord knoweth how to rid out of temptation the godly. &c. O would God I were godly. The Lord knoweth howe to deliver out of temptation such as trust in him. &c. I can no • think that they will offer any kind of indifferent, or mean conditions: for if we will not adorare bestiā, we never shall be delivered, but against their will, think I, God our father & gracious Lord, make perfect the good he hath begun in us. Faciet mi ••• ter, charissime frater, quem in intimis visceribus habeo ad conuiuēdum & commoriendum. O si tecum essem. He will do it my brother, my dear brother, whom I have in my inward bowels to live and die with. O if I were with you. Pray for me mine own heart root in the Lord.

An other Letter to Mayster Laurence Saunders.

GOds sweet peace in Christ be with you, my good brother in the Lord Jesus, and with all your concaptiues. Amen.

I was letted this morning from musing on that, which I was purposed to have thought on by reason of you, against whom I saw myself guilty of negligence, even in this point that I would not write, I should say, that I had not written unto you as yet: therefore out of hand in manner I prepared myself, to purge myself hereof, not that I will go about to excuse my fault (for that were more to load me) but by asking both GOD and you pardon, to get it no more laid to my charge. Now then as I was thus purposing, and partly doing, cometh there one with a letter from you, for the which as I have cause to thank GOD and you (howbeit not so that you should think, I give not the whole to God) so I see myself more blame worthy, for this long holding my peace. Howbeit good brother, in this I have given a demonstration to you, to behold my negligence in all other things, and especially in praying for you, and for the Church of GOD, which for my sins and hypocrisy (hypocrisye in deed even in this writing, GOD deliver me • rom it) have deserved to be punished. Just is God, for we have deserved all kinds of plagues at his hands: but yet merciful is he that will on this wise chastise us with this world, ne cum mundo condemnemur. i. That we should not be condemned with the world. He might otherwise have punished us, I mean, he might have for other causes cast us in prison, me especially, then for his Gospel and words sake. Praised therefore be his name, which voucheth us worthy this honor. Ah good GOD forgive us our sins, and work by this thy fatherly correction on us, on me especially, affectually to love thee and thy Christ: and with joyfulness unto the end, to carry thy Cross through thick and thin. Always set before our eyes, not this gallows on earth, if we will stick to thee, but the gallows in Hell if we deny thee, and swerve from that we have professed.

Ah good Brother, if I could always have GOD, his Maiestye, mercy, heaven, hell. &c. before mine eyes then should I obdurare, as Paul writeth of Moses. Heb. 11. Obdurauit inquit, perinde quasi vidisset eum qui est inuisibilis. i. He endured (saith he) as he that saw him which is invisible. Pray for me, as I know you do, and give thanks also, for In Domino spero: non nutabo Si ambulauero per vallem vmbrae mortis, non tim • bo quia tu Domine mecum es. &c. Amen. i. In the Lord I trust: I shall not waver. If I walk by the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear, for thou art with me O Lord. I think we shall be shortly called forth, for now legem habent, & secundum legem. &c. otherwise will they not reason with us: and I think their shootanker will be, to have us to subscribe. The which thing if we do though with this condition: (so far as the thing subscribed to, repugneth not against God's word) yet this will be offensive. Therefore let us vadere plane and so sane, I mean, let us all confess that we are no chaungelings, but reipsa are the same we were in religion, and therefore cannot subscribe, except we will dissemble both with God, our selves and the world. Haec tibi scribo frater mi charissime in Domino. I am legam tuam Epistolā. i. These things I write to you dear brother in the Lord. Now I will read your Epistle. Ah brother that I had practicam tecum scientiam in vite illa quam pingis: roga Dominum vt ita vere sentiam. Amen. i. The practical understanding with you in that vine which you describe. Pray the Lord that I may so think in deed. God make me thankful for you. Salutant te omnes concaptiui & gratias Domino pro te agun • : idem tu facies pro nobis & ores. vt. &c. i. All our fellow prisoners salute you, & give thanks to God for you. The same do you for us, & pray that. &c.

To my dear Fathers, D. Cranmer, D. Ridley, and D. Latimer.

IEsus Immanuel. My dear fathers in the Lord, I beseech GOD our sweet Father through Christ, to make perfect the good he hath begun in us all. Amen.

I had thought that every of your staves had stand next the door, but now it is otherwise perceived. Our dear Brother Rogers hath broken the ise valiantly, and as this day (I think) or tomorrow at the uttermost, hearty Hooper, sincere Saunders, and trusty Taylor end their course, and receive their crown. The next am I, which hourly look for the porter to open me the gates after them, to enter into the desired rest. GOD forgive me mine unthankfulness for this exceeding great mercy, that amongst so many thowsandes, it pleaseth his mercy to choose me to be one, in whom he will suffer. For although it be moste true, that just patior. i. I justly suffer (for I have been a great hypocrite, and a grievous sinner, the Lord pardon me, yea he hath done it, he hath done it in deed) yet, hic autem quid mali fecit? i. What evil hath he done? Christ, whom the Prelates persecute, his verity which they hate in me, hath done no evil, nor deserveth death. Therefore ought I most heartily to rejoice of this dignation and tender kyndnesse of the Lord towards me, which useth the remedy for my sin as a testimonial of his Testament, to his glory, to my everlasting comfort, to the edifying of his Church, and to the overthrowing of Antichrist and his kingdom. O what am I Lord, that thou shouldest thus magnify me so vile a man and miser, as always I have been? Is this thy wont to send for such a wretch and an hypocrite as I have been, in a fiery Charyot, as thou diddest for Helias? Oh dear Fathers, be thankful for me, and pray for me, that I still may be found worthy in whom the Lord would sanctify his holy name. And for your part, make you ready, for we are but your gentlemen hushers. Nuptiae agni paratae sunt, venite ad nuptias. 1. The marriage of the Lamb is prepared, come unto the marriage. I now go to leave my flesh there, where I received it. I shall be cōueied thither, as Ignatius was at Rome, to Leopardis: by whose evil I hope to be made better. God grant, if it be his will that I ask, it may make them better by me. Amen.

For my farewell therefore, I write and send this unto you, trusting shortly to see you where we shall never be separated. In the mean season I will not cease, as I have done, to commend you to our father of heaven. And that you would so do by me, I most heartily pray everyone of you. You know now I have moste need. But fidelis Deus, qui nunquam sinet nos tenta • i supra id quod possumus. i. Faythfull is God, which will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength. He never did it hitherto, nor now, I am assured, he will never do. Amen. A dextris est mihi, non mouebor. Propter hoc laetabitur cor meum, quia non derelinquet animam meam in inferno, nec dabit me sanctum suum per gratiam in C • risto, videre corruptionem. E carcere raptim, expectens omni momento carnificem. i. He is on my righte hand, therefore I shall not fall. Wherefore my heart shall rejoice, for he shall not leave my soul in hell, neither shall suffer me his holy one by his grace in Christ, to see corruption. Out of prison in haste, looking for the Tormentour.

*To the honorable Lord Russell, now Earl of Bedford, being then in trouble for the verity of God's Gospel.

THe everlasting and most gracious God and Father of our Savior Jesus Christ, • less your good Lordship with all manner of heavenly blessings in the same Christ our only comfort and hope. Amen.

Praised be God our Father which hath vouched you worthy, as of faith in his Christ, so of his Cross for the same. Magnifyed be his holy name, who as he hath delivered you from one cross, so he hath made you willing (I trust) and ready to bear another whē he shall see his time to lay it upon you: for these are the most singular gifts of God given as to few, so to none else but to these few which are moste dear in his sight. Faith is reckoned, and worthily, among the greatest gifts of GOD, yea it is the greatest it self that we enjoy, for by it, as we be justified and made God's childrē, so are we temples and possessors of the holy spirit, yea of Christ also. Eph. 4. And of the Father himself. John. 14. By faith we drive the Devil away▪ 1. Peter. 5. We overcome the world. 1. John. And are already Citttizens of heaven and fellows with God's dear Saints. But who is able to reckon the riches that this faith bringeth with her unto the soul she sitteth upon? No man or Angel. And therefore (as I said) of all God's gifts, she may be set in the top and have the vpmost seat. The which thing if men considered (in that she cometh alonely from God's own mercy seat, by the hearing, not of Mass or Mattyns, Dyriges or such drasse, but of the word of God in such a tongue as we can and do understand) as they would be diligent and take great heed for doing or seeing any thing which might cast her down (for then they fall also) so would they with no less care read and hear God's holy word, joining thereto most earnest and often prayer, as well for the more and better understanding, as for the loving, living and confessing of the same, mauger the head of the devil, the world, our flesh, reason, goods, possessions, carnal friends, wife, children, and very life here: if they should pull us back to hearken to the voice and counsel, for more quiet, sure, and longer use of them.

Now, notwithstanding this excellency of faith in that we read the Apostle to match therewith, yea (as it were) to prefer suffering persecution for Christ's sake, I trow no man will be so fond as to think otherwise, but that I and all God's children have cause to glorify and praise God, which hath vouched you worthy so great a blessing. For though the reason or wisdom of the world think of the Cross according to their reach and according to their present sense, and therefore flieth from it as from a most great ignominye and shame: Yet God's Scholers have learned otherwise to think of the Cross, that is the frame house in the which God frameth his children like to his son Christ: the Fornace that fineth God's gold: the high way to Heaven: the Sute and Livery that God's servants are served withal: the earnest and beginning of all consolation and glory. For they (I mean God's scholars, as your Lordshyp is, I trust) do enter into God's sanctuary, least their fecte slip. They look not as beasts do, on things present only, but on things to come, and so have they as present to faith, the judgment and glorious coming of Christ, like as the wicked have now their worldly wealth wherein they wallow and will wallow till they tumble headlong into Hell, where are torments too terrible and endless. Now they follow the Feende as the Bear doth the trayne of Honye and the Sowe the swillinges, till they be brought into the slaughter house, and then they know that their prosperity hath brought them to perdition. Then cry they woe, woe. We went the wrong way: we counted these men (I mean such as you be that suffer for God's sake loss of goods, friends and life, whom they shall see endued with riche robes of righteousness, crowns of most pure precious gold, and Palms of conquest in the goodly glorious palace of the Lamb, where is eternal joy, felicity, &c.) We counted (will they then say) these men but fools and mad men, we took their conditions to be but curiosity. &c. But then will it be to late, then the time will be turned, laughing shall be turned into weeping, and weeping into rejoicing, Read Sapien. 2.3.4.5.

Therefore (as before I have said) great cause have I to thank God which hath vouched you worthy of this most bountiful blessing: much more then you have cause (my good Lord) so to be, I mean thankful. For look upon your vocation I pray you, and tell me how many noble men, Earls sons, Lord's, Knightes, and men of estimation hath God in this Realm of England dealt thus withal? I dare say you think not that you have deserved this. Only God's mercy in his christ hath wrought this on you, as he did in Ieremyes time on Abimelech, in Ahab's time on Abdias, in Christ's time on Joseph of Arimathia, in the Apostles time on Sergius Paulus, and the Queen of Candaces Chamberlayne. Only now be thankful and continue, continue, continue (my good Lord) continue to confess Christ. Be not ashamed of him before men, for then will not he be ashamed of you. Now will he try you: stick fast unto him and he will stick fast by you: he will be with you in trouble and deliver you. But then must you cry unto him, for so it proceedeth: He cried unto me and I heard him: I was with him in trouble. &c.

Remember Lottes wife which looked back. Remēber Francis Spira. Remember that none is crowned but he that striveth lawfully. Remēber that all you have, is at Christ's commandment. Remember he lost more for you then you can lose for him. Remember you lose not that which is lost for his sake, for you shall find much more here and elsewhere. Remember you shall die, and when, where, and howe, ye cannot tell. Remember the death of sinners is most terrible. Remember the death of God's Saints is precious in his sight. Remember the multitude goeth the wide way which windeth to woe. Remember that the straight gate which leadeth to glory hath but few travelers. Remember, Christ biddeth you strive to enter in thereat. Remember, he that trusteth in the Lord shall receive strength to stand against all the assaults of his enemies. Be certain all the hearers of your head are numbered. Be certain your good Father hath pointed bounds over the which the devil dare not look. Commit yourself to him: he is, hath been, and will be your Keeper. Cast your care on him and he will care for you. Let Christ be your scope and mark to prick at: let him be your patron to work by: let him be your ensample to follow: give him as your heart so your hand, as your mind so your tongue, as your faith so your feet, and let his word be your candle to go before you in all matters of Religion. Blessed is he that walketh not to these Popish prayers, nor standeth at them nor sitteth at them: glorify God in both soul and body. He that gathereth not with Christ: scattereth abroad. Use prayer, look for God's help, which is at hand to them that ask and hope thereafter assuredly. In which prayer I heartily desire your Lordshyp to remember us, who as we are going with you right gladly (God therefore be praised) so we look to go before you, hoping that you will follow, if God so will, according to your daily prayer: Thy will be done on earth. &c. The good spirit of God always guide your Lordship unto the end. Amen.

*To M. Warcup and his Wyfe, Maistres Wilkenson and others of his godly friends with their families.

THe same peace our Savior Christ left with his people, which is not without war with the world, almighty God work plentifully in your hearts now and forever, Amen.

The time I perceive is come, wherein the Lord's ground will be known, I mean it will now shortly appear who have received God's Gospel into their hearts in deed, to the taking of good root therein, for such will not for a little heat or sunburning, wither, but stiffly will stand and grow on maugre the malice of all burning showers and tempests. And for as much as (my beloved in the Lord) I am persuaded of you, that ye be in deed the children of GOD, God's good ground, which groweth and will grow on (by God's grace) bringing forth fruit to God's glory after your vocations, as occasion shall be offered (burn the Sun never so hot) therefore I cannot but so signify unto you, and heartily pray you and everyone of you, accordinglye to go on forwards after your Mayster Christ, not sticking at the foul way and stormye weather, which you are come into and are like so to do, of this being most certain, that the ende of your journey shall be pleasant and joy full in such a perpetual rest and blissfulness as cannot but swallow up the showers that ye now feel and are soussed in, if ye often set it before your eyes after Paul's counsel in the latter ende of the 4. and beginning of the 5. chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians. Read it I pray you, and remember it often, as a Restoratiue to refresh you, lease ye faint in the way.

And besides this, set before you also, that though the weather be foul and storms grow apace, yet go not ye alone, but other your brothers and sisters pad the same path, as Saint Peter telleth us, and therefore company should cause you to be the more courageous and cheerful. But if ye had no company at all to go presently with you, I pray you tell me, if even from the beginning the best of God's friends have found any fairer weather and way to the place whether ye are going (I mean heaven) then ye now find and are like to do, except ye will with the worldlings, which have their portion in this life, 〈◊〉 still by the way til the storms be overpast, and then either night will so approach that ye cannot travel, either the doors will be sparred before ye come, and so ye shall lodge without in wonderful evil lodginges. Read Apocal. 22. Begin at Abel, & come from him to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, the Patriarchs, Moses, David, Daniel, and all the Saints in the old testament, and tell me whether ever any of them found any fairer way then ye now find.

If the old Testament will not serve, I pray you come to the new, and begin with Mary and Joseph, and come from them to Zacharias, Elizabeth, John the Baptist, and everyone of the Apostles and Evangelists, and search whether they all found any other way into the Citty we travail towards, then by many tribulations. Besides these, if ye should call to remembrance the primative Church, Lord GOD, ye should see many to have given cheerfully their bodies to most grievous torments, rather then they would be stopped in their journey, that there is no day in the year, but (I dare say) a thousand was the fewest that with great joy lost their homes here, but in the City they went unto, have found other manner of homes then man's mind is able to conceive. But if none of all these were, if ye had no company now to go with you, as ye have me your poor brother and bondman of the Lord, with many other, I trust in GOD: if ye had none other of the Fathers, Patriarchs, Kynges, Prophettes, Apostles Evangelists, Martyrs, and other holy saints and children of God, that in their journey to heauenward, found as ye now find and are like to find if ye go on forward as I trust ye will: yet ye have your Mayster and your Captayne Jesus Christ, the dear dearlyng and only begotten and beloved son of God, in whom was all the fathers pleasure, joy, & delectation ye have him to go before you, no fairer way but much fouler, into this our City of Jerusalem. I need not (I trust) to rehearse what manner of way he found. Begin at his birth, and till ye come at his burial, ye shall find that every foot and stryde of his journey, was no better, but much worse then yours is now.

Wherefore (my dearly beloved in the Lord) be not so deintie as to look for that at God's hands your dear father, which the Fathers, Patriarckes, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, Martyrs, Saints▪ and his own son Jesus Christ did not find Hitherto we have had fair way (I trow) and fair weather also▪ now because we have loytered by the way, and not made the speed we should have done, our loving Lord and sweet father hath overcast the weather, and stirred up storms and tempests, that we might with more hast run out our race before night come, and the doors be sparred. The Devil standeth now at every Inn door in his City and Country of this world crying unto us to tarry and lodge in this or that place till the storms be overpast: not that he would not have us wet to the skin, but that the time might over pass us to our utter destruction. Therefore beware of his entisementes. Cast not your eyes on things that be present, how this man doth, and howe that man doth: But cast your eyes on the gleue ye run at, or else ye will lose the game. Ye know that he which runneth at the gleue, doth not look on other that stand by, and go this way or that way, but altogether he looketh on the gleue, and on them that run with him, that those which be behind overtake him not, and that he may overtake them which be before: even so should we do, leave of looking on those which will not run the race to heaven bliss by the pathe of persecution with us, and cast our eyes on the ende of our race, and on them that go before us, that we may overtake them, and on them which come after us, that we may provoke them to come the faster after.

He that shooteth, will not cast his eyes in his shootyng on them that stand by, or ride by the ways (I trow) but rather at the mark he shooteth at, for else he were like to wynne the wrong way: Even so my dearly beloved let your eyes be set on the mark ye shoot at, even Christ Jesus, who for the joy set before him, did joyfully carry his Cross, contemning the shame and therefore he now sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God. Let us follow him, for this did he that we should not be fayntharted. For we may be most assured, that if we suffer with him, we shall undoubtedly reign with him, but if we deny him, surely he will deny us: for he that is ashamed of me (saith Christ) and of my Gospel, in this faythles generation, I will be ashamed of him before the Angels of God in heaven. Oh howe heavy a sentence is this to all such as know the Mass to be an abhominable idol, full of idolatrye, blasphemy, and sacrilege against God and his Christ (as undoubtedly it is) and yet for fear of men, for loss of life or goods, yea, some for aduaūtage and gain, will honest it with their presence, dissembling both with God and man, as their own heart and conscience doth accuse them? Better it were that such had never known the truth, then thus wittingly, and for the fear or favor of man, whose breath is in his nosethrels, to dissemble it, or rather (as in deeede it is) to deny it. The end of such is like to be worse then their beginning. Such had need to take heed of the two terrible places to the Hebrews in the sixth and tenth Chapiters, least by so doing they fall therein. Let them beware they play not wily begile themselves, as some do, I fear me, which go to Mass, and because they worship not, nor kneel not, nor knock not as others do, but sit still in their pues, therefore they think they rather do good to others then hurt.

But (alas) if these men would loooke into their own consciences, there should they see they are very dissemblers and in seeking to deceive others (for by this means the Magistrates think them of their sort) they deceive themselves. They think at the elevation time, all men's eyes are set upon them, to mark howe they do. They think others hearing of such men going to Mass, do see, o • inquire of their behavior there. Oh if there were in those men that are so present at the Mass, either love to God, or to their brethren, then would they for the one or both, openly take God's part, and admonish their people of their idolatry. They fear man more then him, which hath power to cast both soul and body to hell fire: they halte on both knees: they serve two masters. God have mercy upon such and open their eyes with his eye salve, that they may see, that they which take no part with God, are against God, and that they which gather not with Christ, do scatter abroad. Oh that they would read what S. John saith, will be done to the fearful. The counsel given to the Church of Laodicea, is good counsel for such.

But to return to you again (dearly beloved) be not ye ashamed of God's Gospel, It is the power of God to salvation, to all those that do believe it. Be therefore partakers of the afflictions, as God shall make you able, knowing for certain, that he will never tempt you farther then he will make you able to bear: and think it no small grace of God to suffer persecution for God's truth, for the spirit of God resteth upon you, and ye are happy, as one day ye shall see. Read 2. Thess. 1. Heb. 12. As the fire hurteth not gold but maketh it finer, so shall ye be more pure by suffering with Christ. 1. Pet 1. The flayle and wind hurteth not the wheat, but cleanseth it frō the chaff And ye dearly beloved are God's wheat▪ fear not therefore the flayle, fear not the fanning wind, fear not the millstone, fear not the oven, for all these make you more meet for the Lord's own toothe. Sope, though it be black, soyleth not the clothe, but rather at the length maketh it more clean: so doth the black Cross help us to more whiteness, if God strike with his battledore. Because ye are God's sheep, prepare yourselves to the slaughter, always knoing that in the sight of the Lord, our death shall be precious. The souls under the altar look for us to fill up their number: happy are we if God have so appointed us. How soever it be (dearly beloved) cast yourselves wholly upon the Lord with whom all the hears of your heads are numbered, so that not one of them shall perish. Will we nill we, we must drink God's cup, if he have appointed it for us. Drink it willingly then, and at the first when it is full, least peradventure if we linger, we shall drink at the length of the dregs with the wicked, if at the beginning we drink not with his children: for with thē his judgment beginneth, and when he hath wrought his will on mount Zion, then will he visit the nations round about.

Submit yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of the Lord. No man shall touche you without his knowledge When they touch you therefore, know it is your weal. God thereby will work to make you like unto Christ here, that ye may be also like unto him else where. Acknowledge your unthankfulness and sin, and bless God that correcteth you in the world, because ye shall not be damned with the world. Otherwise might he correct us, then in making us to suffer for righteousness sake: but this he doth because we are not of the world Call upon his name through Christ for his help, as he commandeth us. Believe that he is merciful to you, heareth you, and helpeth you: I am with him in trouble, and will deliver him, saith he. Knowe that God hath appointed bounds over the which the Devil, and all the world shall not pass. If all things seem to be against you, yet say with Job: If he will kill me, I will hope in him. Read the 91. Psalm, and pray for me your poor brother, and fellow sufferer for God's Gospelles sake: his name therefore be praised, and of his mercy he make me & you worthy to suffer with good conscience, for his names sake Die once we must, and when we know not: happy are they whom God giveth to pay Natures debt: I mean to die for his sake.

Here is not our home, therefore let us accordingly consider things, always having before our eyes the heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 12. Apoc. 21 22 the way thither to be by persecutions: the dear friends of God, howe they have gone it after the example of our Sauioure Jesus Christ, whose footesteppes let us follow even to the gallows, if God so will, not doubting but that as he within three days rose again immortal: even so we shall do in our time: that is, when the trump shall blow, and the Angel shall shoot, and the son of man shall appear in the clouds, with innumerable saints and Angels in majesty and great glory: then shall the dead arise, and we shall be caught up into the clouds to meet the Lord, and so be always with him. Comfort yourselves with these words, and pray for me for God's sake.

*To sir James Hales Knight, then prisoner in the Counter in Bredstreate.

THe God of mercy and father of all comfort, plentifully pour out upon you and in you his mercy, and with his consolations comfort and strengthen you to the end, for his and our Christ's sake, Amen.

Although, right worshipful sir, many causes might move me to be content, with crying for you to your God and my God, that he would give you grace to perseu • re well, as he hath right notably begun to the great glory of his name, and comfort of all such as fear him, as lack of learning, of familiarity, yea, acquayntance (for I think I am unknown to you, both by face and name) and other such like things: yet I cannot content myself, but presuming something to scrible unto you, not that I think my scribbling can do you good, but that I might declare my 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and compassion, love, and effection I bear towards your maistership, which is contented, yea desirous with us poor misers, and to confess Christ's Gospel, in these perilous times and days of trial. Oh Lord God how good art thou, which doest thus glean out grapes, I mean children for thyself, and brethren for Christ? Look good M. Hales on your vocation: not many Judges, not many knights, not myny landed men, not many riche men: and wealthy to • iue as you are, hath God chosen to suffer for his sake, as he hath now done you. Certainly I dare say you think not so of yourself, as though God were bound to prefer you, or had need of you: but rather attribute this, as all good things, unto his free mercy in Christ. Agayne, I dare say, that you being a wise man, do judge of things wisely, that is, concerning this your Cross, you judge of it not after y ^e world and people, which is magnus erro • is magister, nor after the judgment of reason and worldly wisdom, which is foolishness to faith, nor after the present sense, to the which non videtur gaudij sed molesti • e, i. it seemeth not to be joyous but grievous, as Paul writeth: but after the word of God, which reacheth youre Cross to be, in respect of yourself between God and you, God's chastising and your fathers correction, nurture, school, trial, patheway to heaven, glory and felicity, and the furnace to cōsum the dross, and mortify the relics of old Adam which yet remain, yea even the framehouse to fashyon you like to the dearest saints of God here, yea Christ to the Son of GOD, that elsewhere you might be like unto him.

Now, concerning your cross in respect of the world between the world and you, God's word teacheth it to be a testimonial of God's truth, of his providence, of his power, of his justice, of his wisdom, of his anger against sin, of his goodness, of his judgment, of your faith and religion: so that by it you are to the world, a witness of god one of his testes that he is true, he ruleth all things, he is just, wise, and at the length will judge the world, and cast the wicked into perdition, but the godly he will take & receive into his eternal habitation. I know you judge of things after faythes fetch, and the effects or ends of things, and so you see aeternum pondus gloriae. i. An eterweight of glory, which this Cross shall bring unto you dum non spectas ea quae videntur, sed ea quae non videntur. i. While you look not on things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen. Let the worldlings way things, and look upon the affairs of men with their worldly and corporal eyes, as did many in subscription of the kings last will, and therefore they did that, for the which, they beshrewed themselves: but let us look on things with other manner of eyes, as God be praised you did, in not doing that which you were desired, and drivē at to have done. You then beheld things not as a man, but as a man of God, and so you do now in Religion, at y ^e least hitherto you have done, and that you might do so still, I humbly beseech and pray you, say with David: Defecerunt oculi mei in eloquium tuum, quando consolaberis me? i. Myne eyes fail for thy word, saying: when wilt thou comfort me? Though you be as vter in fumo. i. like a bottle in the smoke: (for I hear you want health) yet ne obliuiscaris iustificationes Dei. i. Do not forget the statutes of y ^e Lord: but cry out, quot sunt dies serui tui • quando facies de persequētibus me iudicium? i. Howe many are the days o • thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? And be certain quod Dominus veniens veniet & non tardabit. Si moram fecerit, expecta illum. i. The Lord will surely come, and not stay: though he tarry, wait for him: for he is but ad momentum in ira sua, & vita in voluntate eius, Ad vesperam demorabitur fletus, & ad matutinum laetitia. i. He is but a while in his anger, but in his favor is life, weeping may abide at evening, but joy cometh in y ^e morning, Follow therefore Isaiah’s counsel: Abscondere ad modicum, ad momentum, donec pertranseat indignatio eius, i. Hide thyself for a very little while, until the indignation pass over, which is not indignatio in deed, but to our sense, and therefore in the 26. chapiter of Isaiah God saith of his Church and people, that as he keepeth night and day, so non est indignatio mihi. i. There is no anger in me, (saith he.)

The mother sometime beateth the child, but yet her heart melteth upon it even in the very beating, and therefore she casteth the rod into the fire, and culleth the child giveth it an apple, and dandleth it most motherly. And to say the truth, the love of mothers to their children is but a trace to trayne us to behold the love of God towards us, and therefore saith he: can a mother forget the child of her womb? As who say, no: but if she should so do, yet will not I forget thee, saith the Lord of hosts. Ah comfortable saying: I will not forget thee, saith the Lord. In deed the children of God think oftentimes that God hath forgotten them, and therefore they cry: Ne abscondas faciem tuam â me. &c. i. Hide not thy face from me. &c. Ne de • elinquas me Domine. &c i. Leave me not O Lord. &c. Whereas in very truth it is not so but to their present sense, and therefore David said: Ego dixi in excessu meo, proiectus sum â facie tua. i. I said in my agony, I was clean cast away from thy face. But was it so? Nay verily. Read his Psalm and you shall see. So writeth he also in other places very often, especially in the person of Christ, as when he saith: Deus meus, Deus meus, vt quid derequisti me. i. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? he saith not, vt quid derelinquis? i. Why doest thou forsake me? or, derelinques? i. Why wilt thou forsake me? but, vt quid dereliquisti? Why hast thou forsaken me? Where in deed God had not left him but that it was so to his sense, & that this Psalm telleth full well: which Psalm I pray you now and then read, it is the 22. and thereto join the 30. and the 116. with diverse other. The same we read in the Prophet Isaiah in his 40. chapiter, where he reproveth Israel for saying, God had forgotten them. Nunquid nescis (saith he?) i. Knowest thou not? An non audiuisti? &c. i. Hast thou not heard? &c. Qui sperant in Domino mutabunt fortitudinē. i. They that trust in the Lord shall renew their strength. And in his 54. chapiter: Noli timere. &c. Ad punctum enim, in modico dereliqui te & in miserationibus magnis congregabo te. In momento indignationis obscondi faciem meam parumper â te, & in miserecordia sempiterna misertus sum tui, di xit redemptor tuus dominus. Nam istud erit mihi sicut aquae Noah. Vt enim iuraui ne porro aquae Noah pertransirent terram, sic iuraui vt non irascar tibi & non increpem te. Montes enim comouebuntur & colles contremiscent, miserecordia autem mea non recedet à te, & foedus pacis meae non mouebitur, dixit miserator tuus Dominus. i. Fear not. &c. For a little while I have forsaken thee, but with great compassion will I gather thee. For a moment in mine anger I hyd my face from thee, for a little season: but in everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee, saith the Lord thy redeemer. For this is unto me, as the waters of Noah. For as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be angry w ^t thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall remove, and hills shall fall down, but my mercy shall not depart from thee, neither shall the couenaunte of my peace fall away, saith the Lord, that hath compassion on thee.

But the scriptures are full of such sweet places to them that will portare iram domini & expectare salutem & auxilium eius. i. Bear the wrath of the Lord, and way for his health and help. As of all temptations this is the greatest, that God hath forgotten, or will not help us through the pykes, as they say: so of all services of God, this liketh him y ^e best, to hope assuredly on him & for his help always, which is adiutor in tribulationibus. i. An helper in tribulations, and doth more gloriously show his power by such as be weak, and feel themselves so. For quo infirmiores sumus, eo sumus in illo robustiores. Sic oculi domini. i. The weaker we are, the more strong we are in him. Thus the eyes of the Lord be on them that tremble and fear. Voluntatem eorum faciet: i. he will accomplish their desire: he is with them in their trouble, he will deliver them. Antequam clamauerint exaudit eos. i. before they cry, he heareth them, as all the scriptures teach us. To the reading whereof and hartye prayer, I heartily commend you, beseeching almighty God, that of his eternal mercies he would make perfect the good he hath begun in you, and strengthen you to the ende, that you might have no less hope, but much more, of his help to your comfort now against your enemies, then already he hath given you against. N. for not subscrybing to the kings will.

Be certain, be certain good M. Hales, that all the hears of your head your dear father hath numbered, so that one of them shall not pearishe: your name is written in the book of life. Therefore upon God cast all your care which will comfort you with his eternal consolations, and make you able to go through the fire (if need be) which is nothing to be compared to the fire where into our enemies shall fall and lie forever: from the which the Lord deliver us, though it be through temporal fire, which must be construed according to the ende and profit that cometh after it: so shall it then not much dear us to suffer it for our master Christ's cause, the which the Lord grant for his mercies sake. Amen.

To my very friend in the Lord Doctor Hyll Physician.

THe God of mercy and father of all comfort, at this present and forever engraffe in your heart the sense of his mercy in Christ, and for the continuance of his consolation, which cannot but enable you to carrye with joy, whatsoever cross he shall lay upon you, Amen.

Hitherto I could have no such liberty as to write unto you, as I think you know: but now in that through God's providence I have no such restraynte, I cannot but something write, as well to purge me of this suspicion of unthankfulness towards you as also to signify my carefulness for you in these perilous days, least you should wax cold in God's cause (which God forbid) or suffer the light of the Lord once kindled in your heart to be quenched, and so become as you were before, after the example of the world and of many othere, which would have been accounted otherwise in our days, and yet still beguile themselves, still would be so accounted, although by their outward life they declare the contrary, in that they think it enough to keep the heart pure, notwithstanding that the outward man doth curry favor.

In which doing, as they deny God to be jealous, and therefore requireth the whole man as well body as soul, being both create, as to immortality and societye with him, so redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and now sanctified by the holy spirit to be the temple of GOD, and member of his son, as (I say) by their parting stake to give God the heart, and the world the body, they deny God to be jealous (for else they would give him both, as the wife would do to her husband whether he be jealous or no, if she be honest,) so they play the dissemblers with the Church of GOD by their fact, offendyng the godly, whom either they provoke to fall with them, or make more careless and consciencelesse if they be fallen, and occasionyng the wicked and obstinate to tryumphe against God, and the more vehemently to prosecute their malice against such as will not defile themselves in body or soul with the Romish rags now revived amongst us. Because of this, I mean least you my dear Mayster and brother in the Lord, should do as many of our Gospellers do for fear of man, whose breathe is in his nostrils, and hath power but of the body, not fearing the Lord which hath power both of soul and body, and that not only temporallye, but also eternally: I could not but write something unto you, as well because duty deserveth it (for many benefits I have received of God by your hands, for the which he reward you, for I cannot, as also because charity and love compelleth me: not that I think you have any need (for as I may rather learn of you, so I doubt not but you have hitherto kept yourself upright from haltyng) but that I might both quiet my conscience calling upon me hereabout, and signify unto you by some thing my carefulness for your soul, as payneful and often you have done for my body.

Therefore I pray you call to mind that there be but two masters, two kinds of people, two ways, and two mansion places. The masters by Christ and Satan: the people be seruitures to either of these, the ways be strayte and wyde: the mansions be Heaven and Hell, Agayne, consider that this world is the place of trial of God's people and the devils servants for as the one will follow his master whatsoever cometh of it, so will the other. For a time it is hard to discern who pertaineth to God and who to the Devil: as in the calm and peace, who is a good shipman and warrior, and who is not. But as when the storm ariseth, the expert mariner is known, and as in war the good soldier is seen, so in affliction and the Cross, easily God's children are known from Satan's servants: for then as the good servant will follow his master, so will the godly follow their captain, come what come will, where as the wicked and hypocrites will bid adewe, and desire less of Christ's acquaintance. For which cause the Cross is called a probation and trial, because it trieth who will go with God and who will forsake him.