Vnto the faythfull, and most valeaūt souldyours of the great captaine, the Lorde Iesus Christ, that be in prison in Englande, or any other where in banyshmēt and trouble, for the defence of Goddes worde, Iohn Scory willyngly a banished man for the same worde, wisheth from God our father, the grace, comforte, and strength of his holy Goost thorowe our only mediatour Iesus Christ.
VVho wyll not (deare brethrē in Christ) cal the state of our tyme most miserable, and most wicked, yf a man should speake after the maner of men? And who wyl not say, that we should not take it in good parte, forasmuche as a man may beholde all godly men (as moost meke lambes) to be slayne of theyr owne sheperdes: the litle flocke of our Lorde Christ (as fatherles childrē) to be spoiled and robbed of theyr owne tutors: And last of al the very sonnes of God to be murthered of theyr owne spirituall fathers, as they wolde be called? [Page]Who is so blynde or so foolyshe, that doth not euidētly beholde that sworde sprinkeled wyth the bloud of the godly, whyche ought only to be drawen out agaynst the wycked?Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. What is he that visiting the prisons, goyng to the iudgemēt seates of the vngodly, knowwyng the fury and woodnes of Antichrist, beholdyng the gallowes, loking vpon the fyres, whose flammes goeth vp to heauen: To be short, who (I say) rekenyng the nombre of soules of suche, as are so many diuerse wayes murdered for the worde of God, dothe not abhorre thys cruel worlde? Neuertheles yf a man wyl consyder the mater diligētly, he shall perceaue that goddes churche was neuer in any age more happye and more blessed, then she is now. For although in these our dayes the false prophetes, the ministres of Sathā, and of that great Antichrist the man of synne,2. Thess. 2. and chylde of perdicion, beyng confederate and conspyred together wyth the Kynges and Prynces of the earth, haue waged most bloudy battayll agaynst the churche of Christ: yet neuertheles thorow the goodnes of our God, she hath most valeaūt champions, which hath [Page]in suche wyse defended her, that they fyghtyng vntyll theyr harte bloude was shed out, and theyr bodyes burned to ashes, haue moste valeauntly throwen downe, confounded, and put to theyr wyttes endes the subtyll and most deadly enemyes of God, of hys sonne Iesus Christ, and of hys catholyke churche and congregacion. O most bappye tyme wherin pouertie, nede, pynyng in prison, fetters, chaynes, stockes, rebukes, reuilinges, the dennes and caues of the wyldernes, banishementes, gallowes, fyres, and the crueltye of tyrauntes, are agayne restored to the churche.
O most happy Ferrar more strong than yron, the late Bishop and true pastour of S. Dauids in Wales. O most diligent and paynful Hoper, the vigilant watche man, and true bishop latcly of Glocetour. O most hardy & constaunt Rogers, Taylour, & Saunders, Tardemaker, Bradforde, Glouer, Hichye, anh Causon, wyth many more both olde and yong, men & women, maried, wedowes and maydēs (whose names and remembraunce as they are eternal wyth God,Sap. 3. so ought they not to be forgotten of you) [Page]whych in your lyfe tyme called all Englande, and namely London to repentaunce, and faythe in Christ Iesu, and in your deathe gaue them an ensample,Mat. 10. and. 24. to endure in the same to the ende, yf they wyl be saued.
O most worthye and blessed martyrs, whych haue by your pacient sufferinges, confounded the malyce of Christes aduersaries, whych by the effusion of your bloud haue sealed, rarifyed, and confirmed, the true catholike doctrine of Christes moste holy gospel, in the consciences of goddes electe and chosen people: whych by the contempt of thys vayne lyfe, haue declared that ye sought a better lyfe that perisheth not,1. Pet. 1. which is immortal and vndefyled, kept for you in heauen: whych thorowe your moste willyng and constaunt deathe, haue glorifyed your alone and onely saueour, and strenghtned hys feble afflicted church and congregacion. You knewe and were certeynly persuaded (as now appeareth) that it had ben a most vile chaunge for you, to haue redemed the shorte vse of thys myserable lyfe, with the losse of that ioyfull and eternall lyfe. You remembred wel thys sayeng [Page]of your mayster Christ.Mat. 10. and. 16. Ioan. 12. He that loueth hys lyfe, shal destroye it. And he that hateth his lyfe in this worlde, shal kepe it vnto lyfe eternal. And agayne, what shall it procyt a man, though he should winne ye hole world, yf he lose hys owne soule? You reioysed not a lytle to remember, that by your pacient sufferyng, you should be added and put vnto the nombre and felowship of the most holy prophetes, Apostles, and martyres of Christe: Wherof some were racked,Heb. 11. and word not be delyuered, that they myght receyue a better resurreccion: other tasted of mockinges and scorginges, moreouer of bandes and prisonment: were stoned, were sawen in sounder, were tēpted, were slayne wyth sweddes, walked vp and downe in shepes skynnes, in gotes skynnes, in nede, in tribulacion, and vexacion, whome the worlde was not worthye to haue. O most valeaunt (I saye) noble & blessed martyres of our age, whych were not murdered, as in old tyme, of Emperours or kynges that professed manifest hatered agaynst Christ and his churche, but of suche as glorie of the tytles and names of the very pastore, [Page]and wolde be counted the defendours, and fathers of the church, and the faythe of Christ. Wherfore be not dismayed dere brethrē at thys sodaine and feruent heate, whych is nowe come amōg you to trie you, as though some straunge thyng had happened vnto you:1. Pet. 4. but rather reioyse, yea I saye, a thousande tymes reioyse, because ye shall not be defended by any earthy power, but by the strong arme of the most myghtye and mercyfull God, and by the most myghtye worde of Iesu Christe, whyche was sharper then any two edged sworde.Heb. 4. For what earthy authoritie, what power, what kynde of armour, what ar tillarye is able to suppresse so great rage and fury, of these most cruel and mercylesse, that woulde yet be called pastours and fathers of the churche, and defendours of the faythe. Reioyse I say, therfore, for euen as ye be now made lyke vnto the ymage of ye sonne of God in suffryng,Rom. 8.2. Tim. 2. and be partakers wyth hym in dyeng: euen so shall ye moste certaynly be partakers of hys lyfe, and raigne wyth hym hereafter in hys celestial kyngdome. And do not thynke pour selues better than [Page]your brethrē the blessed martyrs that lately haue suffred for the testimony of the Lorde Iesu among you, & your forefathers the holy Prophetes and Apostles, but saye with them: We are troubled on euery syde,2. Cor. 4. yet ar we not wythout shifte, we are in pouertie, but not vtterly wythout somwhat: We are persecuted, but are not forsaken, we are cast downe, neuertheles we are not confounded: And we alwayes beare about in our bodyes,Rom. 8. the dyeng of the Lorde Iesu: We are killed all the daye long, and are counted as shepe appoynted to be slayne: Notwythstandyng in all these thynges, we myghtely ouercome, thorowe his helpe that loued vs. Therfore be not afrayed of your aduersaries, whyche are vnto them selues a cause of perdicion,Phil. 1. but vnto you a cause of saluaciō. For bothe it hathe ben tolde you afore hande, and also it is geuē you now of God thorowe Christ, that you shoulde and must passe thorowe hungre, nakednes, colde, fetters, stripes, stinche, darke dongeons, swordes, gallowes, and fires, and that ye furious rage of most rauening wolfes should violently assaile you. For likewise as [Page]the churche of our God (as a mā may easely perceyue sins the fyrst beginnyng of the same) dyd neyther spring vp, nor was stably shed by ryches, by pleasures, by ydelnes, by eatyng and drynkyng, by the power of kyngdōs, by aboundaunce and ercesse of earthy thinges, by glorious stiles, tytles, and woridly pompe, but by the bloud shedyng and sufferyng of the sayntes:
Euē so in the last dayes of thys blynd and bloudy worlde, the most glorious spouse of our saueour & Lorde Christ (which by Antichrist was almost quit banished, and rooted vp) can not be agayne planted, watered, and establyshed, but by many sondry, straunge & truel persecucions & effusion of much innocent bloude: whych neuertheles the Lorde wyl as certeynly requyre (& that shortly,Bloudy handes. of the mercyles tyrauntes of thys worlde, as he requyred the bloud of Abell of the vnnaturall brother, and cruel murtherer Tam, and as he required the bloud of the Prophetes of that moste godles & vnthākfull cytie Ierusalem.Gen. 4. Mat. 23. Be therfore pacient deare brethren a whyle:Heb. 10. For within a very lytle whyle, he that shal come wyl come,Iaco. 5. and wyl not tary.
Beholde the husbande man wayteth for the precious frute of the earthe, and hathe long paciēce therupon, vntyl he receyue the early & latter raine. Be ye also therfore pacient and satle your hartes, for the commyng of the Lorde draweth nye.2. Tim. 3. For as many as wyl lyue godlye in Christ Iesu, must nedes nowe suffre persecucion. Thys is that waye, thys is that pathe that leadeth vnto lyfe. In thys must ye walke, yea rather ye muste runne in thys: whych we trust ye wyl do, forasmuche as the Lorde yt dwelleth wyth you vnto ye worldes ende,Math. 28. wil not suffre you to be tēpted aboue your strength.1. Cor. 10. He hathe promised to geue you a mouthe and wisdome,Luc. 21. where agaynst all your aduersaries shall not be able to speake, nor resiste, (whych promise as many of you doo knowe, the Lord dyd most truly kepe wyth thaforenamed gloryouse martyrs, that did lately suffer among you) he hathe promised that not one heare of your heades shall perishe. Ar not two sparowes (saieth the truthe that cā not lye) sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not falle on the grounde wythoute your father? feare ye not therfor (saieth [Page]he) ye at of more valure then many sparowes. All ye therfor that haue pleasure in ryghtfulnes,Esa. 55. and haue ye lawe of your god writtē in your hartes, feare not the curse of men, nor be afrayed of theyr blasphemyes and reuilynges (saythe your lord God) for wormes and mothes shall eate them vp like clothe and wolle: neuertheles my ryghtfulnes (saythe the lord) and my sauyng healthe shall endure for euer. And the saueor of men saythe, that he came downe frō heauen,Ioan. 6. not to doo hys owne wyll, but the wyll of hym that sent hym. And that thys is the fathers wyll that sent hym, that he shuld lose no thing of all whych he hathe geuen hym, but shuld rayse thē vp agayne at the last daye. Therfore cōfort your selues (beloued bretherne) wyth these and suche like wordes of the truthe.
And yf they shal pursue you, that you shal be compelled to forsake your natiue countre, wyth other of your pore bretheren and countremen, & to leue your labors and lyuinges vnto mercyles straungers, and blody papistes: Remember that the holl earthe is the lordes,Psal. 24. and all that is in it. Remember [Page]also howe that holy Dauso was compelled thorowe the tyranny of Saul,1. Reg. 28. not only to forsake hys owne natiue countre, but also to fle & saue himselfe among ye heathen idolaters.Mat. 2. Forget not the most innocent babe Christ, wyth the most pure virgine hys mother, and good father Ioseph, whych were cōpelled thorowe Herodes ambycious tyranny to fle in to Egipt. Remember also that the same God that helped Dauid, and the babe Christ in all daungers, and brought them home agayne in to their owne countre, is yet aliue, & as hable bothe to saue you now, and also to throwe downe your ennemyes, as euer he was. Therfor if ye shall be compelled to fle from your natiue countre, saye as Danid sayde, when he was compelled to fle from hys owne citye Ierusalē, thorowe the rebellyon of hys owne trayterous sonne Absalon:2. Reg. 15. Yf I shal finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bryng me home againe in to myne owne countre: but if the Lord thus saye, I haue no luste vnto thee, behold here am I, let him doo wyth me what semeth good in hys eyes, yf they shall put you in to prisō, [Page]be myndefull of Ieremy, Paule, and Sylas,Ier. 28. wherof the one was let downe in to a doungeon,Act. 16. wheare as was no water, but myre: wherin the prophet of God stoke fast: The other two wer thrust in to an inner prysō, and theyr fete made fast in the stockes. Yf they wil robbe & spoile you of your goodes,Iob. 1. Remember yt naked ye came oute of your mothers wombe, [...]. Tim. 6. and naked you shall depart hence: Remember the faithful bretherne of the hebrues,Heb. 10. whych toke in good worthe the spoyling of theyr goodes, and that wyth gladnes, knowyng in thēselues that they had in heauen a better and an induring substaunce. Yf they shal after theyr common maner reuile you, & call you knaues, theues, traitours, sedicious, scismatikes, heretikes, and falsely speake al maner of euel sayenges agaynst you for your mayster Christes sake,Mat. 5. thā reioyse and be glad, for your rewarde is great in heauen. For euen so haue theyr forfathers reuiled the holy prophetes, Christ, & hys apostles. And remembre that ther is no disciple aboue hys maister, nor no seruaunt aboue hys lorde.Mat. 10. Yf you shallbe betrayed of your fathers, [Page]mothers, brothers, suffers, sonnes, doughters, & of your owne houshold, familiars and kynsfolke: remember that our saueour tolde you,Math. 10. bothe that these vnnaturall treasons should be committed,Math. 26. and also that he hym self was betrayed and solde of hys owne familiar Apostle. yf they shall sawe you in sounder, thynke on the Prophete Esay, whych by (the testimonie of Ecclesiasticall writers) suffred the same deathe. yf they wyl throwe you in to the bottome of the waters and drowne you,Ion. 1.2. forget not the history of Ionas. yf they wyll caste you to the Lyons, or other cruell beastes to be deuoured of them:Dani. 6. Consyder that the holy prophete Daniel was so handeled before you. yf they wyl stone you to deathe, you shalbe in that suffering,Act. 7. companions wyth the fyrst martyr Stephen. yf they wyll stryke of your heades wyth the sworde,Mat. 14. remember that Iohn the Baptiste hade the same ende. yf they wyll vniustly laye sedicion or treason vnto your charge, & so hang you vp on the gallowes, loke vp to your head & maister Christ, whych was in like maner vniustly accused of the same crymes,Luc▪ 23▪ & so hanged [Page]vpon the tre among malefactors and theues. yf they will cut oute your tonges and pulle your skynnes ouer your eares, you haue a most noble ensample to beholde, the most excellēt mother and hyr vii. sonnes, in the .ii. boke of the Machabeis: And forasmuche as ye most wicked enterprises of thys tyme, [...] ▪ Mach. 7 in restoring idolatrous and false religion, and persecuting the true christians, is muche like vnto the tyrannous time of Antiochus: Reade diligently I praye you among other thynges, the foure fyrst chapters of the fyrst boke of the Machabees, and the .vi. and .vii. chapter of the seconde boke. Wherby you maye be both comforted in your afflictiōs, and also be the lesse offēded, that now ye people by heapes, some for flatery, some for feare, and some for filthy lucre, forsake the lawe of the Lorde, cō mitte muche euel in the lande, chase out the secrete christians, whych had hid themselues in corners and preuy places, [...] ▪ Mach. 1. & ioyne themselues vnto the Papistes, runnyng an horyng after theyr most false, hypocritical and abhominable worshippinges, as they were wode. For euen to dyd they in [Page]the tyme of the cruel tyraunte Antiochus, as you maye perceiue in ye firste and second chapters, of the fyrst boke of the Machabees. And therfore if you shall perceiue yt any for feare of trouble, shall shrinke and recante the open truthe of Christes holy doctrine (whiche the cursed papistes desire chieflye yt so they maye gratefie theyr father ye Deuel,Ioan. 8. in murderyng bothe soules & bodies) remember that Christ hathe bothe tolde you aforehand of suche shrinkers in the parable of the sower,Math. 13. by the sede that fell vpon the rocke: And also that al hys apostles shronke from him in hys most trouble:math. 26. and of them, one denied and abiured hym, as the Papistes now compelle men to abiure that truthe, yt is more manifest then the noone daye: remēber also,2. Tim. 4. that when Paule was first presented before Nero in iudgement at Rome, all the brethren forsoke him: for whome he prayeth vnto God, that he will not laye that shrinkyng and backeslydyng vnto theyr charges.
Therfore yf suche thynges haue or shal happen, be nothyng discouraged (dearely beloued) to continue your fyght agaynst Antichrist,Ephe. 6. (as ye haue [Page]begonne) wyth the sworde of the spirite, and pacient suffryng: but plucke vp your hartes lyke valcaunt souldiours. Beholde with Steuen the Lorde Iesus standyng at the ryght hande of power,Act. 7. ready to take your parte, and to helpe you, vpon whome your faith hangeth, and not vpon any worldlye creature. For yf nowe agayne al the disciples should shrynke frō theyr maister, and al the brethrē forsake Paule: yet should▪ Christ and hys worde (vnto whych ye sticke, and for the whych Antichrist dothe persecute you) be the truthe, and Paule hys faythfull seruaunt and Apostle. Fynally yf they shal (accordyng to theyr most cruel custome) burne you also quicke, as that mercyles generacion hathe alredy burned a great nūbre of your faythful pastours (that gladly gaue theyr liues for theyr flockes) besides a great number of your innocēt fathers, mothers, sōnes, doughters, brothers, susters, husbādes, and wyues, kynsfolke and frendes, whom they haue in lyke maner consumed to ashes, & yet their bloudy appetites is not satisfyed, nor wylbe, so long as the long pacience of the Lorde shal suffre them to haue the [Page]sworde in theyr handes, Yf, I saye, they shall also burne you quicke, Remember the .iii. chyldren that were throwē in to the fyry fornace,Dani. 3. because they would not (accordyng to the vnlawful commaundement of the Idolatrous King Nabuchodonosor) worship with theyr body ye golden ymage, that he had set vp to be worshipped.
Remember also the holy martyr of Christ Policharpus,Euse. eccl. li. 4. ca. 15 the disciple of S. Iohn the Euangelist: whych beyng threatned by the Iudge that he would burne hym quicke, (as nowe the Papistes threaten you) made hym aunswere and said: Thou threatnest fyre, that shall burne but an houre, & sone after must be quenched: for because thou knowest not that fyre of the iudgemēt to come, and of the eternal punishment, that is reserued for the vngodly. But why taryest thou? do what thou wilt. Yf (I saye) you shalbe by any of the aforesayd wayes, or by any other tormented, aboue all thynges lyft vp your heades, & loke vnto your heade captayne the Lorde Iesus, the author and fynisher of your fayth (as S. Paule calleth hym) whych for the ioye that was set before him abode theHeb. 12. [Page]crosse, and dispised the shame, and is set downe on the right hande of the trone of God. Cōsider therfore, howe that he endured shuche speakyng agaynst him of synners, lest ye should be wearied & faynt in your myndes.2. Cor. 4. The tribulations ar but momētany, shorte, and lyght, but the glory that is prepared for you thorowe Christ, is eternal,1. Pet. 1. 1. Cor. 2. Rom. 8. 1. Pet. 4. immortal, vndefiled, & suche as neyther eye hathe seen, nor eare heard, nor hath entred in to the harte of mā: where of the afflictions of this life are not worthy. Wherfore before al thinges take hede (dearly beloued) that none of you suffer as a murtherer, or as a thefe, or an euill doer, or as a busibody in other mens maters: but if any of you shal after the ensample of the late blessed Martyrs (for which of all the shameles Papistes, and moste filthy Sodomites, could or can iustely conuince the gloriouse Martyrs of Christ, Ferrar, Hopar, Taylor, Rogers, Saūders, Bradford, Glouer, Cardemaker, or any of them, whome they haue moste wilfully and maliciousely murdered, of any notable cryme) if, I saye, any of you shall after theyr ensample, suffer as a Christian [Page]man: let hym not be ashamed, but let hym glorifye God on thys behalfe, and committe hys soule vnto hym wyth wel doyng, as vnto a faythful creatour. These be in dede, I can not denye, stormy and troublesome dayes, neuertheles yf ye in the holye Goost, thorowe the moste precious death of our alone and omnisufficient mediator, the mā Christ Iesu,1. Tim. 2. Hebr. 4. wyl now runne vnto the throne of grace & mercy, and wyl not cease to call vpon our most myghty & mercyful father: He wyl vndoutedly, graciously heare you, he wyll most certaynly delyuer you.Psal. 49. For he sayeth call vpon me in the daye of thy trouble, & I wyl delyuer thee. Here is a most playne promyse of delyueraunce.Psal. 145. God is faythful and true in al hys wordes: he neuer fayled any that called faythfully vpon hym. Thys promyse is sealed thorowe the bloud of Iesus Christ, in whome all goddes promyses are, yea and Amen.2. Cor. 1. Therfore be not weary, be not fainte harted, shrynke not.2. Para. 20. The battail is not yours, but the Lordes. Only stande furthe lyke men, and beholde the Lordes helpe? Saye wyth the most noble Iosaphat,Act. 4. O Lorde ther is no strength [Page]in vs to resyste these furious and ragyng enemyes of thyne, neither wote we what to do, but only we lyfte vp our eyes vnto thee. Saye wyth the Apostles of our Lorde and saueour: Now Lorde beholde theyr threatnynges, and graunt vnto thy seruauntes wyth all confidence and boldnes to speake thy worde.Dani. 9. Saye wyth the holy prophete Daniel, O Lorde our God thou art ryghteous in al thy workes, we haue iustly deserued all these plages, that thou hast brought vpon vs, because we wolde not harkē vnto thy voyce. We haue synned o Lord, & done wickedly against al thy ryghtfulnes: yet let thy wrathful displeasure be turned awaye (we beseche the) from this afflicted realme of Englande, and thy sorowful congregaciou. O our God enclyne thyne eare and harken, at the least for thyne owne sake, for thy dear sonnes sake, in whose name thou hast promysed to heare vs. Open thyne eyes, & heholde howe we be desolate. We caste not our prayers before thee in our owne ryghteousnes, but onely in thy great mercyes. O Lorde heare, o forgyue Lorde, o Lorde consyder, tarye not ouer long, most myghty Lord [Page]and mercyful father we beseche thee▪ yf we shall after thys maner: boldlye and wythout ceassyng are, call, seke, & knocke at the throne of grace and of mercye, we shall certainly fynde fanour to helpe in the tyme of nede.Hebr. 4. The vnryghteous Iudge yt neyther feared God, nor cared for man, to be rydde of the importunate sute & crye of the widowe, herde her request, and auenged her of her enemye. And shal not God (sayeth Christ) auenge hys electe,Lucc. 18. whych crye daye and nyght vnto hym, yea though he deferre them? I tel you, sayeth he, that he wyl auēge them, and that quickely. Marke wel this parable, derely beloued, & it wyll in a maner cōpel you, wyl ye, nyl ye, to confesse frankely and playnly, that God can not (because he cā not denye hymselfe) but that he must nedes hear your prayers, yf ye faynte not, nor ware weary in calling vpō him. This Iudge is not a father, but a tyraunte, and yet neuertheles he herd the widowes crie: But God is our father and so wold be called of vs,Mat. 6. and shuld he not heare vs? This Iudge is cruell and hathe no compassion of other mens calamites. And yet he fulfylled [Page]the widowes desire:Psal. 103. Hebre. 4. But God is naturally merciful & pitiefull. We haue not sayeth S. Paule anye priest, whiche cā not haue cōpassion on our infirmities, but was in al pointes tempted like as we are, but yet wtout synne. And should he contemne our cō tynuall, humble and faythfull sutes? The Iudge neuer commaunded the wedowe to cum vnto him for healpe, but was rather offeded wt her, because she troubled him with her dayly cryeng, & neuertheles he herd her: But God hathe commaunded vs to call vpon him.Psal. 49 Math. 7. And. 26. Call vpon me (sayeth he) in the daye of thy trouble: Aske, seke, knocke, sayeth Christ, watche & praye, that ye entre not into temtacion. Seyng than that he hathe commaunded vs to call vpon hym, wyl he not heare vs, whan we do accordyng to hys cō maūdement? The Iudge made neuer promyse to ye wedowe to helpe her, he neuer pmysed to heare her cause, but rather dyd oftē tymes denye eyther to helpe her or heare her: And notwythstandyng in conclusion he dyd bothe heare her, and helpe her. But God hathe promysed to heare vs, and hath not only so promysed, but hath also ratified [Page]the same with an othe, sayteng: Verely, verely I saye vnto you,Ioan. 16. what so euer ye shall aske the father in my name, he wyl gyue it you: howe is it possible nowe, that God should go frō hys owne promyses? To be short,Luc. 11. the Iuge naturally is euel, and yet do the good vnto ye widowe in hearyng her cause and helpyng her: And wyl not god beyng naturally good, do vs good in hearyng our prayers? Therfore al though God semeth nowe to differre vs, & to suffer the bloudy and cruel aduersaries, to long to triumphe euer vs: yet let vs not despaire, but cōtinue in prayers, beyng fully persuaded, that though he seme nowe to be farre of, that yet he wyl certeinly come, and delyuer vs. He can not faile nor lye, but wyl come (as the prophete sayeth) and wyl not tarye.Aba. 2. Luc. 18. Gen. 15. And I saye vnto you (sayeth Christ) that he wil auenge hys electe, and that quyckly. But the iniquitie of the Englyshe Ammorites is not yet full, neyther theyr cruel tyranny yet rype. For so fone as theyr wyckednes is ful, and theyr crueltye rype,Apo. 14. the Lord wyl fende hys reapers to cut them down (as he reuealed vnto hys seruaunt Iohn) and they shall [Page]be caste into the great wynesat of the wrath of God: yea they shall be theomen into the pyt, that burneth wyth fyre and brimstone, into that vnquē cheable fyre where as shalbe wepyng and waylyng,Apo. 19. Marc. 9. and gnashing of tethe. Go to nowe ye tender parnelles, that come in proudely wyth stretched out neckes,Esa. 3. and wyth vayne wantō eyes, trippyng and daūsyng so nycely with your fete, that can not endure, that a blast of the north east wynd in ye wynter, or that the funne beames in the sommer, should ones touche the bare of your owne stynkyng carcases: and yet be so mercyles to the poore membres of Christ, to honest, godly, quiet, and obedient subiectes, that neuer offended you, that would fayne by all meanes please you (so that they might not therby displease God) that praye continually to God for your amendement (so mercyles I saye) that you put them into the mouthes of moste bloudy rauenyng wolfes, & most currishe hocherlidogges, to be baited, harried, & torne in peces: to be spoyled & robbed of landes, houses, lyuynges, lybertie, goodes, and countreye, to be pinched & pyned in stynking prisons, [Page]with stockes, fetters, chaines, rackes, colde, famine and other rigorous tormentes: to be strangled with halters, to spille theyr innocent bloude wyth swordes & axes, to burne them quicke to ashes, Go to I saye you tender parnelles, that be nowe so tender & daintie ouer your owne vyle fleshe,Ephe. 5. and. 1. 1. Cor. 6. and so mercyles to the fleshe, bloud, bones, bodies, and membres of Christ, & temples of the holy Goost: tell me what wyll ye do in the tyme of the visitacion and destruccion,Esa. 10. Pro. 1. that shal come vpon you sodaynly, lyke a storme & tempest? To whom wyl ye rūne for helpe? or to whome wyll ye gyue your honour, that he maye kepe it? that ye come not among the prisoners, or lye among the deade?Esa. 66. Mar. 9. Tel me (I praye you) howe well you shalbe able to endure that vnquencheable fyre, wherin for your manyfolde, blodye tyrannies, & murtheryng of Goddes people, you shall most certaynly burne worlde wt out ende, wt wepyng, wayling, & gnashinh of tethe,Math. [...] which are prepared for the deuil & hys aūgels. Neither shall your Romishe pardons, nor your Sodomitical massemōgers with al theyr trōpery, be able to plucke you out of ye fyry lake:
When as ye shall se the ryghteous stande in great stedfastnes agaynst you,Sap. 5. that haue dealt so extremely wt them, and takē awaye theyr labours, when you beyng vexed wyth an horrible feare, and wonderyng at the sodayne health, glorious kyngdome, & beautiful crowne, whych the ryghteous shal receyue at the Lordes hande, and gronyng for very distresse & anguyshe of mynde, shall saye wythin your selues. These are they whome we sometyme had in derision, and iested vpō. We fooles thought their life very madnes, & theyr ende to be wtout honour: but lo howe they are counted among the chyldrē of God, and theyr porcion is among the sayntes. Therfore we haue erred from the waye of trueth, the lyght of ryghteousnes hathe not shyned vnto vs, and the sunne of vnderstandyng rose not vpon vs. We haue wearyed our selues in the waye of wyckednes, and destruccion. Tedious wayes haue we gone, but the waye of the Lorde we haue not knowen. What good hath our pryde done vnto vs? or what profyte hathe the pompe of ryches brought vs? al those thynges are passed awaye lyke a shadowe. [Page]&c. O ye proude and bloudy Papistes, suche miserable wordes shal ye speake beyng in hell, and burnyng in fyre vnquencheable wyth the deuell & hys aungels, whose kyngdome you haue promoted, maynteyned, and defended. Wherfore (deare brethren) be not greued at theyr moste vayne pompous,Psal. 37. And. 73. and shorte pryde, and glorious welthe, thorowe the whyche they are become so maliciously wood, to practise dayly suche furious & monstrous madnesse and tyrannye, agaynst the Lorde Christ, hys Gospell, & hys pure membres: but consydre ye the most horrible endes of Pharao,Exod. 14. 1. Reg. 31. 2. Mac. 9. Act. 2. Euse. eccl. Li. 9. ca. 9 Theod. li. 4. cap. 25. Saul, Antiochus, Herode, Maxencius, Iulianus the apostata, and suche other tyrauntes, whose endes the tyrauntes of the Popishe Sodomites and princes of Gomorra wyl shortly folowe: And so thou shalt haue iuste cause rather to lamēt the most myserable state, wherin they are now holdē captiue of Satan, than to folowe theyr cursed & cruelenterpryses. The Lorde (sayeth Dauid) hath set them in a slippery place,Psal. 73. that he maye caste them downe headlynges, and destroye them. O howe sodenly do they consume, peryshe, and [Page]come to a fearfull ende? yea euen as a dreame whā one awaketh. So makest thou theyr ymage to vanishe out of the cytie. Thys had Dauid founde true by erperience, therfore in an other psalme,Psal. 37. I my selfe (sayeth he) haue sene the vngodly in great power, & floryshe lyke a grene Baye tree: but I went by, lo he was gone, I sought him, but he coulde no where be foūde. Kepe ye therfore innocency, and take hede vnto the thyng that is ryght. Sit stil, be quyet, and pacient, embrace & kysse the Lordes rodde:Esa. 30. For in quyetnesse and in hope (sayeth the Lorde) shall your strength lye. Call vpon God wythout ceassyng, and in your prayers be myndfull of the afflicted, oppressed & scatered churche of Christ, whych is nowe once agayne almost rooted vp by the wylde Bore of Rome,Psal. 80. and other of that swynishe generacion, that God for hys mercy sake maye yet agayne (yf it be hys blessed wyll) buylde vp the walles of the Englyshe Ierusalem,Psal. 50. and. 124. and turne aways the captiuitie of our Syon.
¶ The God of all grace,1. Pet. 5. whych hathe called you vnto hys eternall glory by [Page]Christ Iesu, shal hys owne selfe (after ye haue suffred a lytle affliccion) make you parfyte, setle, strengtht, and stablyshe you. To hym be glorye and dominion for euer, and whyle the world endure. Amen. The peace of God, the strength and cō forte of the holy Goost,Ephi. 6. be wyth you al that loue the Lorde Iesus in purenes. AMEN.