A Godly Letter to the Faithful in London — John Knox

A Godly Letter to the Faithful in London · John Knox

¶A godly letter ſent too the fayethfull in London / Newcaſtell / Barwyke / and to all other within the realme off Englande / that louelove the cōminge of oure LORDE Ieſus by Ihon Knox.

Math. 10. ☞He that continueth vntounto the ende / ſhall be ſaued.

¶Imprinted in Rome, before the Caſtel of ſ. Aungel / at the ſigne of ſainct Peter. In the monethmonth of Iuly / in the yeare of our Lord. 1554. (?)

❧Ihon Knox To the faythfull in Londō / Newcaſtell / Barwyke / & to all others / within the Realme of Englande / that leuith the comming of our Lord Ieſus / Wiſſheth continuance in godlines too the ende With a declaration of prayer / annexeth to the ſame.

WHē I remēber the fearthfull threathninges of God / pro…oficed againſt Realmes / Leuit. xx Matth. x.and nacions / to whom the light of Gods worde hath ben offered / and contemptiouſly by them refuſed / as my hart vnfaynedly / morneth for your preſent eſtate / dearly beloued in our ſauiour Iheſus Chriſt / ſo doth the hole powers / of body & ſoule / trymble and ſhake / for the plagues that are to come. But that Gods trew worde hath ben offered to the realme of England can none denye / except ſuche as by the dyuel holden in bō dage (God iuſtly ſo puniſhing their proud inobediens) hath neither eyes to ſe / Timo. ij.nor vnderſtā ding to dycerne good from bad / nor darkenes from light. Againſt whome no otherwiſe will I contend at this preſent / then dyd the Prephete Ieremie / againſt the ſtyffe necked & ſtubborne people of Iuda / ſayinge:Ierem. xxiii The wrath off the Lord ſhall not be turned awaye, till he hauehave fulfilled the thoughtes of his hart. And thus leaue I them (as of whoſe repētaūce there is ſmall hope) to the handes of hym that ſhall not forget their horrible blaſphemis ſpoken in diſpitte of Chriſtes truthe / and of hys trew miniſter… And with you that vnfainedly morneth for the greate ſhipwrake of goddes trew relygion / purpoſe I to communicat ſuche counſailer / and admonicious / now by my writinge / as ſometymes it pleaſed God / I dyd proclaime in your cares. The ende of whiche my admonicion is / that euin as that you purpoſe / and entend to auoid Gods vengeaunce / bothe in this lyfe / and in the lyfe to come / that ſo ye auoid and flee (aſwell in body as in ſprete) al felowſhip / and ſocietye with Idolaters in their Idolatrye. You ſhrynke (I know) euin at the fyrſt. But yf an orator / had the matter in hādlinge / he wolde proue it honeſte / profytable / eaſye / and neceſſary to be done / and in eueryevery one poynte were ſtore ynough / for a longe oration. But as I neuer labored to perſwade any man in matters of religion (God I take to record in my conſcience) except by the very ſimplicitie & plaine infallable truthe of Gods worde. No more mynde I in this behaulfe. But this I affyrme / that to fle frō idolatrye / is ſo profytable and ſo neceſſary to a Chriſtian / that onles he ſo do / all worldly profyth turneth to his perpetuall diſprofeit / and condemnacion. Profijt aperteyning / either to the bodyes / or to the ſoules / of our ſelues / and our poſteritie / corporall commodities conſiſteth in ſuch thinges as man chiefly couetith for the body / as ryches / eſtimacion / longe lyfe / health and quietnes in earth. The only comfort and ioye of the ſoule is God by his worde expelling ingoraunce / ſynne / and death / and in the place of thoſe / planting trew knowledge of hym ſelfe / and with theſame iuſtice and lyfe / by Chriſt his ſonne. Yf any off theſe forſaide moue vsus / then of neceſſitie it is / that we auoyde Idolatry / for playne it is / that the ſoule hath neither lyfe nor comfort / but by God alone / with whome Idolatours / 1. Cor. vl.hath no other participacion …hen hath the deuils / and albeit that abhominable Idolatours / for a moment …ryſiphe yet approcheth the houre / when Gods vengeaunce ſhall ſtryke / not onelyonly their ſoules / but euin their vile carcaſies / ſhalbe plagued / as God before hath threatned.Leui. xxv Their cyties ſhalbe burned / their lāde ſhalbe layd waſt / their enemies ſhall dwell in their ſtronge holdes / their wyues and doughters ſhalbe defyted their chyldrē ſhall fall in the edge of the ſwerd / mercy ſhall they fynde none / becauſe they hauehave refuſed the God of all mercye / when louingly and longe he called vponupon thē / you wolde know the tyme / and what certitude I hauehave here off. To God wil I appoint no tyme / but that theſe and mo plagues / ſhall fall vponupon England (and that ere it he long) I am ſo ſure / as that I am that my God lyueth. This my affirmacion / ſhall diſpleaſe many / and ſhall content few / God knowith the ſecretes of all hartes / knoweth that alſo / it diſpleaſeth myſelfe / and yet lyke as before I hauehave ben compelled to ſpeake in your preſens (& in preſens of others) ſuche thinges / as were not pleaſable to the eares of men / wherof (alas) a great part this daye are come to paſſe / ſo I am cōpelled now to wryte with the teares of my eyes / I know to your diſpleaſur. But deare brethrē / be ſubiect vntounto God / and geue place vntounto his wrath / that ye may eſcape his euerlaſtinge vengeaunce. My penne I truſt / ſhall now be no more vehemēt / then my tounge hath bene after then ones / not onelyonly before you / but alſo before the chief of the Realme. What was ſayd in Newcaſtel & Barwyke before the ſweat. I truſt yet ſom in thoſe places beareth in mynde / What vpō the daye of all Sainctes / …et New…ſtel wit…es.the yeare that the duke of Somerſet was laſt apprehēded. What before hym / that then was duke of Northumberland / in the towne of Newcaſtell / & other places moo: What before the kynges maieſtye at Wynſore / Hamptoncourt / and Weſtmynſter / & fynally what was ſpoken in London / in moo places then one / when fyers of ioye & ryotous bankettinge were made at the Proclamacion of Mary your quene. Yf men will not ſpeake / the ſtones and tymber of thoſe places / ſhal crye in fyer / and beare record that the truthe was ſpoken / and ſhal abſolue me / in that behalfe in the daye of the Lord.

Suſpect not brethrē / that I delyte in your calamities / or in the plagues that ſhal fal vpō that vnthankefull nation. No / God I take to recorde / that my hart mourneth within me / and that I am crucyet for remembraunce of youre troubles / but if that I ſhoulde ceaſſe / then dyd I agaynſte my conſcience / as alſo agaynſte my knowledge / Eze. xxxiijand ſo ſhoulde be gyltie of the bloud of thoſe that peryſhed for lack of admonicions / and yet ſhal the plague not a moment the longer be delayed / for the Lorde hath apoynted the daye of hys vengeaunce / before the whiche he ſendeth trompettes and meſſingers / that hys electe / watchynge with prayers / and ſobrietie / maye be hys mercye eſſcape the vengeaunce that ſhal come. But now you wolde knowe the groundes of my certitude / God graundt that hearinge them / you maye vnderſtande / and ſtedfaſtlye beleue the ſame. My aſſurances are / not the maruailes of Marlynge / neither yet the darke ſentē ces of prophaine Prophetes / but the playne truthe of Gods holy worde. The immutable iuſtice of the euerliuing God. And the ordenary courſe of hys plagues from the beginning are my aſſuraunces & groundes. Gods worde threatneth diſtrucciō to the inobediēt.Deu. xxvii Ierem v. Amos. iij. Hys immutable iuſtice muſte require theſame. The ordenarye puniſhmentes and plagues ſheweth examples / What menne then hauynge vnderſtandynge / can ceaſe to prophecye?

The worde of God playnely ſpeaketh / Deut …9.that yf a man ſhal heare the curſes of Gods law / and yet in his hart ſhal promys to hym ſelfe / felicitie and good lucke / thinckinge / he ſhall hauehave peace / albeit he walcke after the Imaginacions of hys owne wil and hart. To ſuche a man the Lord will not be mercifull / but hys wrath ſhalbe kyndled againſt him / and he ſhal deſtroye hys name frō vnderunder the heauen / how the Lord threathneth plagues after plague / and euer the laſt to be the fyrſt / whill fynally / he will conſume realmes / and nations / if they repent not / reade the .26. Chapter off Leuiticus / which chapter / oft I hauehave willed you to marke / as yet I do vnfainedly / anh thinke not / it apretāneth to the Iewes only / No brethern. The Prophetes are the interparatours of the law / and they make the plagues off God commō to all offendore / the punyſhment euer beginning at the houſhold of God.The wicked proteſtatiō of the late duke off Northuberlād / at the hour of his death / agaynſte hys owne conſcience in hope off …yfe. Eſai. xiij.xv.xviij.cvij.xix. Ieremi. l lj. Ezech. xxv xxvi. …7. And here I muſt touche a poinct off that deuilliſhe confeſſion made (a late) by that miſerable man / whoſe name for ſorow I can not recyte. This argumēt he vſeth to proue the doctrine of late yeres done / taught amongeſt you / to be wicked / Trobles and plagues (ſayth he) hath folowed the ſame / not only here in England / but alſo in Germany / as he willeth you to marke. This fragill / and vaine argument at this tyme / no otherwyſe will I labor / to confute / then by plaine ſcriptures declaring / that plagues apertayneth to all inobedient / beginninge firſte / where Gods mercies hath bene offered / and obſtinatly refuſed / & that may aunſwere the blynde rage of ignoraūces.

The Prophetes Eſai, Ieremi, Ezechieli, after they had proclaymed plagues to fall vppon the people off Iſrael / and vponupon the houſe of Iuda / prophecyeth particularlye againſte certeyn nations and cyties / not onelyonly adiacēt in circute about Ieruſalem / but alſo againſte ſuche / as were far diſtant / as againſt Moah, Ammon, Paleſtina, Aegipt, Tirus, Damaſcus, and Babilone. And in concluſion generall propheſies / are ſpoken againſt all inobedient / and ſynfull natiōs / as in the .24. chapter off Eſaye plainly apeareth / Ierem. xxvas alſo the Lord commaunding Ieremye / to geue the cuppe off hys wrath / to al nations / one after another / who ſholde drinke off the ſame / although they refuſed it of his hand / That is albeit / they wolde not beleue the voyce off the prophet / yet ſholde they not eſcape.Ierem. …. The plagues that he ſpake. For eueryevery nation lyke vntounto this / ſhal I puniſſhe ſaith the Lord of hoſtes / with theſame agreeth Amos ſaing: Amos. ix.The eyes of the Lord are vponupon eueryevery ſinfull nation, to roote it out of the earthe. Theſe and many mo places euidētly proueth that plagues ſpoke in the law of God / apertaineth to eueryevery rebellions people / be they Iew / or be they Gentile / Chriſtians intytel / or Turkes in profeſſiō / And the grounde off the Prophetes / was theſame / The iuſtice of Godwhiche before I hauehave reherſed for my aſſuraunces / that Englande ſhall be plagued / which is Godes immutable and inuiolable iuſtice / whiche can not ſpare in one Realme and nation / thoſe offences that moſte ſeuerally he hath puniſſhed in another / for ſo were he in equall and made differēs / as touching executiō off his iuſt iudgementes / betwixte parſon and parſon / whiche is moſt contrarious to the integritie off his iuſtice / for thus he ſpeaketh by Ieremy his prophete: Behold, Ierem. xxvI hauehave begōne to puniſſhe in the houſe where my name is incalled / and ſhall I ſpare the reſt, as the Lorde wolde ſaye / howe can my iuſtice permit thoſe crymes vnpuniſhed in proude contemptnors / that neither regardeth me / nor yet my lawe / ſeing I hauehave not ſpared my own people / that externally beareth ſome reuerēs to my name.

Englande ſynfull.That God hath puniſhed other realmes & nations / men of ſmal vnderſtāding / wil eaſly confes. But whether that lyke crymes hathe ben / and yet are committed within the realme of Englande / as were before the laſte plagues of God among thoſe nations / that is to be inquyred / in this caſe can nothing better inſtruct vsus then Gods plaine woorde / rebuking the vices / whiche raigned in thoſe dayes / And omitting all ſuch as propheſied before / it ſhal ſuffice for this tyme / to reherſe ſome places of Ieremye. The tyme of whoſe prophecie wel conſydered / ſhal make the matter more ſenſible. He beginneth in the .13. yeare of the raigne of king Ioſias and contine with tyll after the deſtrucciō of Ieruſalem / whiche came in the .11. yeare of Zedechias / Longe preached this godly man to wite .39. yeares and ſixe monethes / before the vttermoſt of the plagues apprehēded this ſtubborn nation and that he did with much troble and iniurie ſuſteined / as in his propheſyes / is to be ſene. Be all lykelyhold then / there were ſome Cob Carles / that were not pleaſed with the proffit / neither yet with hys preachinges. And yet plaine…t is / that no Kyng ſo truly turned vntounto God with all hys hart / with all hys ſoule / and with all hys ſtrength / accordinge to all the law of Moyſes / as did Ioſias / & yet as ſayd is. The prophet of God was trobled / not by no ſmal number / for I fynd hym complain / vniuerſally & generally vponupon the peoples iniquitie / for thus iudgeth he Gods ſpeakinge. My people hauehave committed dubble iniquitie.Ierem. ij. They hauehave forſaken me / the fountaine of lyning water / and hauehave digged to thē ſelfes Seſtornes / that can holde no water. Why wilt thou iuſtefye thyſelfe? VnderUnder thy wynges is founde the bloud of the ſoules of the poore innocentes / whome thou founde not in corners / and yet thou ſayeſt / I am innocent.Ierem. iij. Thou haſt gotten a whores forehead / thou canſt not think ſhame / my people is foliſh / they know me not / Ierem. iiij. Ierem i.ix.they are folyſh chyldren / and hauehave no wyſdō / wiſe they are to committe miſchiefe / but to do good they are all together ignorant. EueryEvery mā may beware of his neyghbor / and no man aſſuredly maye truſte in hys brother / for eueryevery man is becōme diſ…eatfull / they hauehave practeſed their toūges to lyes / and guyle. They hauehave lef… my law (ſayth the Lord) and hauehave folowed the wicked imaginaciōs of their owne hartes / they hauehave folowed after Baalam / whome their fathers taught them.The offē ces of Iuda before the captiuitie. Of this and of many moo places lyke apeareth the generall offences / off that people to hauehave ben defectiō frō God / ſhedding of innocēt bloud / Iuſtifiyng of thē ſelfes / & defence of their iniquitie / while yet they abeū ded in reaf / murder / oppreſſiō / lyes / crafte / practiſe / deceat / & manifeſt idolatrye / folowing the trade of their fathers / who vnderunder Manaſſes, & Ammō / of whom the one in the beginning / thother all his lyfe mantaineth Idolatrie / had ben the ringleders of all abhominacion.

The prophetes off God wōdering at ſo manifeſt iniquitie iudged that ſuche ingnorauncy and inobediēce was only amonges the raſcals ſorte off men / and therfore he ſayth:Ierem. v. Theſe be but poore ones / they are foliſſhe / they knowe not the waye of the Lord / nor the iudgemēt off their God / I will goo to the nobils and I will talke with them / for they know the waye off theyr Lord / and the iudgemētes of their God. But what findeth he amonges them / he declared in theſe wordes,Ierem. v. They hauehave all brokē the yocke, they hauehave heaped ſynne vpō ſynne / and one miſſchefe vponupon another / frō the leaſt vntounto the moſte / all are bent vponupon auaryce / and gape for lucre / from the prieſt to the prophet / eueryevery man dealth deceatfully.Ierem. vi. Beholde / theyr eares be incircūciſed / they can not aduert / The word of God is a rebuke vntounto them / they delite not in it. They hauehave committed abhominable miſſchiefe / What this abhomination was / God ſheweth to Ezechiel / E…k viii.all had forſaken God in their hartes / in ſo muche that a great number openly / had turned their backes vntounto God / and made ſacrifice to the ſunne / eueryevery man in hys owne ſecret cloſet. Yea / wemen mourned for that they were not permitted to commit open abhomination / is it not to be wondered that al eſtates were ſo corrupte vnderunder ſo godly a prince.Ierem. v. But our prophet Ieremie proceadith in his complainte / ſayinges / they can not repent / neither yet thinke ſhame. They hauehave denied the Lord / and ſayd it is not he / we ſhall neither ſe ſweard nor hūger. You heare the obediens that the prophet founde amonges the princes off Iuda / and yet I ſaye / it is not to be wondered that the vineyarde / which was ſo well mannured / brought forth no better grapes.Herken England. They had a kyng moſt godly mynded / they had prophetes (for Ieremy was not alone) moſt faithful and feruēt. They were admoniſſhed by diuers plagues / and alwaies the prophetes called for repentaunce / and yet folowed nothing / but open contēpt off God / and of hys meſſingers.Oſel. vl. Their repentaunce were lyke the mornyng dewe / it remayned not / although they cold ſaye in their mouthe / the Lord lyueth / yet were their othes nothinge but lyes.Ierem. v… Fynde me one man / that doth equitie & iuſtice &c. to hym will I be mercifull ſayth the Lord. Here was narow and ſharpe inquiſition amonges ſo great a multitude be lyke / there hath not bene very manye / when he that knoweth the ſecrete thoughtes ſearcheth ſo diligētly. But before we proceade further in this matter / it ſhall be profytable / to ſe how theſe procedīges doth agree with our eſtate and tyme.Comparyſon betwixte England and Iuda before the diſtruction. Kyng Edward the ſixte. And firſte that we had not Gods woorde offered vntounto vsus / will none (excepte arrant papiſt) alledge. We had a kynge off ſo godly diſpoſition towardes vertew / and chiefly towardes Gods truthe / that none frō the begynninge paſſed hym / and to my knowledge / none of hys yeare did euer matche hym in that behalfe / iff he might hauehave bene lorde of hys owne will. In this meane tyme / if ſynnes dyd abound / let eueryevery man accuſe hys owne cō ſcience for here I am not mynded to ſpecefie all that I knowe / neither yet is it neceſſarye / ſeynge ſome crymes were ſo manifeſte and ſo heighnous that the earthe colde not hydde the innocent bloud / nor yet could the heauēs without ſhame / behold the craft / the deceat / the violens and wronge / that openly was wroughte. And in the meane ceaſon / the hande off God was buſye ouer vsus / & his trew meſſingers is kept not ſylence. You know that the realme off Englande was viſited with ſtraunge plagues and whether that it was euer propheſied / that the worſe plagues were to folow / I appeale to the teſtemony of your own conſciēce / but what enſewed here vponupon? Alas I am aſhamed to reherſe it / vniuerſal contempt of all godly admonitions / hatered of thoſe that rebuked their vyces: Autoreſing of ſuche / as colde inuente moſt vylanye agaynſte the preachers of God.Witnes certeyne ballates. In this matter I maye be admitted for a ſufficiēt witnes / for I hard and ſaw / I vnderſtood and knew / with the ſorow of my hart / the manifeſt contempt and the crafty deuices of the deuil againſt thoſe moſt godly and learned preachers, that this laſte Lent / Anno. 1553. were apoynted to preache before the Kynges maieſtie / as alſo againſt all others / whoſe toūges were not tempered by the holy water of the courte too ſpeake it plainlye / who flatteringe agaynſte their owne conſcience / coulde not ſaye / all was well / and nothinge neded reformacion.

What reuerēce and audience was geuen vntounto preachers / this laſte Lent / by ſuch as then were in autoritie / their owne countinaunces declared aſſuredly / euen ſuche as was geuen to Ieremye / they hated ſuche / as rebuked their vyce / and ſtubbernlye they ſayde: We wil not amende / and yet howe boldely theyr ſynnes were rebuked / ſuche as were preſente / can witnes with me / almoſte there was none / who dyd not propheſye and plainly ſpake the plagues that are begonne / and aſſuredly ſhall ende. Mayſter Grindall plainlye ſpake the death of the Kynges maieſtie / Mayſter Grindal.complayninge vppon hys houſholde ſeruauntes / who / neyther feared to raile agaynſte the woorde off God / and agaynſte the trewe preachers of the ſame.

That godly and feruent man mayſter Leuer / playnlye ſpake the deſolacion off thys common wealthe.Mayſter Leuer. Mayſter Bradford And mayſter Bradforde (whome God for Chriſtes hys ſonne ſacke comforte to the ende) ſpared not the proudeſt of them / but boldely declared / that Goddes vengeaunce ſhortlye ſhoulde ſtrycke / thoſe that then were in auctoritie / becauſe they lothed & abhorred the trew worde of the euerlaſtinge God / & willed thē to take example by a noble man / who became ſo colde in hearing Gods worde / that the year before his death / he wold not diſeaſe hym ſelf to heare a ſermō / God puniſſhed hym (ſayde that godly preacher) and ſhall he ſpare you that be dubble more wicked? No / ye ſhal ſaye / will ye / or will ye not / ye ſhal drinke of the cup of the Lordes wrathe / Iudicium domini, Iudiciū domini. Mayſter Haddon.The iudgemēt of the Lord / the iudgement of the Lorde / cryed he with a lamentable voyce / and weaping teares. Maſter Haddon / moſt lernedly opened the cauſes of the byepaſſed plagues / and aſſured them / that the worſe was after to come / If repentaunce ſhortly were not founde. Muche more I harde of theſe foure / and of others / which now I maye not rehearce / & that (which is to be noted) after that the hole counſail had ſayd they wolde heare no mo of their ſermōs / they were vndiſcrete felowes / yea / & pratynge knaues / but I will not ſpeake all / for yf God contynew me in this troble. I purpoſe to prepare a dyſſhe / forſuche as then ledde the ryng / yea / who but they… but nowe they hauehave bene at the ſkoole of Placebo / and ther they hauehave lerned amongſt ladyes to daunſe as the deuill lyſt to pype. Agaynſt thoſe / whom God hath ſtryken / ſeing now reſteth to them no place of repentaunce / nothing mynd I to ſpeake. But ſuch as lyue to this dai / wold be admoniſſhed that he that hath puniſhed the one / wil not ſpare the reſt But to our matter. This preſidents I iudge ſufficient to proue this oure age to hauehave bene / & yet to remayne lyke wicked (if it be not worſe) with the tyme of Ieremye. Now let vsus ſearche what folowed in Iuda? Miſchefe vponupon miſchefe / notwithſtādinge the continuall and long cryeng of the prophetes / whil fynally God in his anger toke away good king Ioſias / liij. Regum xxllj.becauſe he was determened to deſtroye Iuda / as before he had deſtroyed Iſrael. After the death of this godly Kynge / great was the troble / diuers & ſondry were the alteracions in that commē wealth. Three kynges taken pryſoners / one after other in ſhort ſpace / what other were the miſeries of that ſtubbern nation. O God, for thy greate mercies ſake, let neuer thy ſmal and troubled flocke / within the realme of Englande / learn in experiens. But in all thoſe trobles / no repentaunce appeared / as by the prophet ye may learne / for thus he crieth:Ierem. v. … Eſai. 1. Thou haſte ſtryken them o Lorde / but they hauehave not mourned / thou haſt deſtroyed them / but they hauehave not receaued diſcipline.Ieremi. xij. They hauehave hardened their faces harder then ſtones / they will not cōuert: The hole lād is waſted / but no man wil wyn / Ierem. xiij.ponder & conſider / the cauſe. This people will not heare my worde / They walke in the wicked inuention of their owne hartes: They go after other goddes to worſhip and ſerue them and of the prophetes naturall frendes of the men of Anathotes / ſome plainly ſaid. Speake no more to vsus in the name of the Lorde / leaſte thou dye in our handes / belyke theſe men had ſmal fantaſye to Gods prophet. But yet ſhall a ſermon (and that whiche enſewid the ſame) made in the beginning of the raigne of Iehoiakim / ſonne to Ioſias / make euident / and better knowne / how muche the people were bent to Idolatrye / and to heare falſe prophetes / after the death of their good kyng. The prophet is commaunded by God to ſtande in the court or entres of the Lordes houſe / and to ſpeake to all cities of Iuda / that then came to worſhippe / in the houſe of the Lorde / and is commaunded to kepe no worde backe / yf peraduenture (ſayeth the Lorde) they will herken and tourne eueryevery man from his wicked waye. The tenor of hys ſermon / is this / Thus fayth the Lorde: Iere. xxvi.yf ye wil not obey me to walke in my lawes / which I hauehave geuen you / and to heare the wordes of my ſeruauntes the prophetes whome I ſente vntounto you / ryſing vp betymes and ſtyl ſending / yf ye wil not heare thē (I ſayde) then wil I do to this houſe / as I dyd vntounto Silo / & will make this citie / to be abhorred of al the people in the earth. Heare not the wordes of the prophetes / that ſaid vntounto you / you ſhal not ſerue the king of Babylon / Iere. 27.I hauehave not ſent them (ſayeth the Lorde) howbeit / they are bold to propheſye lyes in my name / yf you geue eare vntounto them / both you and your falſe prophetes ſhal periſh:Denie vvil I nothīg excepte Idolators. But the li…e vvas done in Englande. Here is firſt to be noted / that the people was alredy entered in to iniquitie / and eſpecially ſtraighte after the death of their king / into Idolatry / frō which the Lorde by his prophet labored to call them backe / threatning vntounto them deſolation / yf they procede to rebel.Suche falſe prophetes at this preſente are muche eſtemed in Englande. Secondarely / it is to be obſerued / that amongeſt them were falſe prophetes / not that they were ſo knowen / & holdē of the people / no / they were holdē and eſtemed for ſo they boaſted them ſelfes to be. The trew churche of God that colde not erre / for howe ſhould the law periſh from the mouthe of the preaſts.Ierem. 18 Theſe falſe prophetes were mayntaynors of Idolatrie / and yet boldelye promiſed to the people proſperitie and good lucke. Wherewith the people were ſo abuſed and blinded / that the wordes of Ieremye / dyd rather hardē their hartes / then prouoke any to repētaunce / as the conſequentes declared / for his ſermon ended / the prieſtes / prophetes / and the hole people apprehended Ieremye / and with one voyce cryed / he is worthye of the death. Greate was the vprore agaynſt the poore prophet / Ierem. 26in which appearinglye / he coulde not hauehave eſcaped the death. Yf the princes of Iuda / had not haſtelye comme from the kynges houſe / in to the tēple / and had taken vppon them / the hearinge of the cauſe / in which after much debate (while ſome defendid and ſome accuſed the prophet moſt vehemently) the text ſayth / that the hāde of Ahikan the ſonne of Saphan, In Englāde the true prechers are caſte into priſon, & no cauſe knovven vvhi.was with Ieremye / that he ſhould not be geuen into the handes off the people / to be kylled. Hereof you may eaſlye conſider (beloued brethren) what were the mā nours of that wicked generacion immediatly / after the death of their good kynge / and howe they were encoraged to Idolatrye by falſe prophetes / but in all this tyme / the prophete ceaſeth not moſt faythfully / to execute his office / for albeit after this he mighte not enter in the temple (for he was forbidden to preache)Ier…. 36. yet at Gods commaundement / he writinge hys ſermons / and cauſing them to be openly redde in the temple (alas I feare we lacke Baruck) and after they come to the eares of the counſail / & laſte to the kynge. And albeit in diſpyte they were ones brent / Yet is Ieremy commaunded to writte agayn / and boldely to ſay: Iehoiakim ſhall hauehave no ſede, that euer ſhall ſit vppon the ſeate of Dauid. Their carion ſhalbe caſten to the heate of the daye / and to the fr…ſt in the night / and I ſhal viſet ſayeth the Lord the iniquitie of hym / of his ſede and of hys ſeruaſites / and I ſhal bring vponupon them / vponupon the dwellers in Ieruſalem and vponupon all Iuda / all the calamities that I hauehave ſpoken agaynſt them.

Albeit / when theſe wordes were ſpokē and written / ſo they were contempned / that they d…ſt crye / Let the counſaill of the holy one of Iſraell come, Iere. xviij.we will folow the deuiſes of our owne hartes / yet no worde of his threatninges were ſpoken in vayne / for after many plagues ſuſteyned by the miſſchefes father / the wicked and myſerable ſonne in the thyrde monethmonth of his raigne was led pryſoner to Babylon.iiij. Regum xxiiij. But now when the tyme of their deſolation approcheth / There are to many off ſuche preachers, novv in Englande.God ſtyred aboue thē ſuche a kyng / ſuche prophetes and prieſtes / as their owne hartes wiſhed / euen ſuche as ſhoulde without repugnaunce / leade them to their vomet agayne / that they who neuer delyted in the truthe / might fyll their bellyes with horryble lyes.Ieremie. xxx viii. Zedechias was kyng / and ſuche as longe had reſiſted poore Ieremye / had now gotten in their hande / the fearfull whippe of correction Paschar / and hys companyons ledde the kynge as they lyft / vn goith Topeth (a place of Idolatrie) the hill Aulters ſmoketh with incenſe:Aduertie Englāde / th…s dyd Iuda. Ba…l and hys bellye G…ddes / before the vengeaunce of God / was poured vponupon them / & vpō them whome they deceauid / gettet the day theī longe loked for. Inconcluſion / ſo horrible were the abhominations that newly were erected / As Pas… ruled the Kyng than at his pleaſur, ſo doth the B. of Vvincheſter rule the quene novv, and doth vvhat him luſteth in Englād. O vviccednes intollerable, Iere. xi.that the Lord cryeth to hys ſore trobled flocke / what hath my welbeloued too do in my houſe (meaning in the temple of Ieruſalem) ſeynge the multitude committeth ſuch abhominatiō / they hauehave prouoked me to anger / burninge incenſe vntounto Baäl.

Whiche great abhominations / when God had ſhewin / not onlye to Ieremie / who then was in Ieruſalem / but alſo to Ezechiel being priſoner in Babylon. Their bodies being ſeperated / in prophecie they did bothe agre / that hole Iſrael & Iuda ſhould be deſtroied. Thus writeth Ezechiel / Ah / vponupon all the abhominations of the houſe of Iſrael / they ſhal fal by the ſwearde / by peſtilence and hunger / he that is far of ſhall dye of the plagues / he that is …ye / ſhal fal by the ſwearde / he that is lefte / and is beſeaged / ſhal dye by hunger / and I ſhall cōplet my wrath vponupon them. A…d Ieremie ſayth: Behold / I wil geue this citie in the handes of the Caldees / in the hande of Nabuchod…ſer / kyng of Babylon / who ſhal take it.Ieremie xxxij. The Caldees verely ſhal entre in to it / & they ſhal burn i… with fyre / & the houſes in which they burnt incenſe to Baal. &c. The chyldren of Iſraell & the chyldren of Iuda had done nothinge frome their youth / but wickednes & that before my eyes to prouoke me to anger / They hauehave turned vntounto me their backes / and not their faces: They / their kynges / their princes / All the glyſtering ceremonies off the papiſtes are very donge… and abhominacion before God.their prophetes / their prieſtes / hole Iuda and all the citie of Ieruſalem / they wolde not heare / and be reformed. They hauehave ſet vp their dōge (ſo tearmeth he their Idols) in the place that is conſecrate to my name. And where the kyng of Babylon was lyeng about the citie / he ſayth to the meſſyngers of Zedechias (who were ſente to demaunde of the prophete / what ſhould become of the citie).Ierem…e. xxxvij. The Caldees ſhall take this citie and ſhall burne it with fyre: Yea / if you had kylled al the hoſte of the Caldees that beſageth you / Vvho vvolde not hauehave called the prophet a traitour Iere. 38.& if they kylled / mē were left / eueryevery man ſhould ryſe in hys tent / and ſhould burne this citie with fyre / he that abideth in this citie ſhal dye / either by ſweard / by hūger / or by peſtilēs / but he that ſhal go furthe to the Caldees / ſhal lyue / & ſhal wynne hys ſoule for a praye / And to the kynge in ſecret aſkinge hys counſaile / he boldly ſayeth / yf ſodenly thou ſhalt go forth to the princes of the Babylonians. Thy ſoule ſhal lyue / and this citie ſhall not be brent with fyre / but and yf thou go not forthe to the captaines of the Babylonians / this citie ſhalbe geuen ouer into the hādes of the Caldees / who ſhal burne it with fyre / neither ſhalte thou eſcape their handes. Thus did theſe two prophetes (as alſo did others) before them plainlye ſpeake the deſolation of that place / for ſuch offences / as before hath bē rehearſed. But how pleaſeth ſuch meſſaige the citie of Ieruſalem? the prieſtes / princes & people of Iuda? & what reward receaueth Ieremie for hys longe trauayle and painfull preachinge.The crymes layd againſte Ieremy Iere, 9.23 Ezec. 20. Verely / euin ſuch as Paſhur & his counſail iudgeth mete. He ſpake againſt the temple, he prophecied miſchief againſt the citie, he fainted the hartes of the ſouldiours, and of the people, but principally,Such vvealthe do the papiſtes promis the people for receauinge the Idolatrous maſſe, againe into Englande. Iere. 28. he was vnfrendly to the faythe, that Paſſhur taught the people: To weke / the fayth of their forefathers / who alwaies rebelled agaynſt God. And therefore he was reputed a heretycke / accuſed of ſedicion / and dampned of treaſon. Playne preachinges were made agaynſte all that he had ſpoken / and ſuche felicitie was promiſed / that within twoo yeares ſhoulde the yocke of Nabuchonoſor be broken from the neckes of all people and the veſſels of the lordes houſe (together with all pryſoners) ſhould be brought agayne to Ieruſalem.Iere. 13. Habōdaūce cam before the deſtruccion. Iere. 38. Now dyd this habound with wyne & oyle / O pleaſing and bleſſed amōgſt the people were ſuch prophetes / Ieremy had trobled them, and therefore he muſt dye. To pryſon ſhall he go / for the kyng can denye nothing to his princes / of whome Paſhur apeareth / to hauehave ben chief chaūcelour / by whom was not only the kyng / but alſo the hole multitude ſo blinded / that boldly they durſt crye: No miſchaunce ſhall come too vsus, we ſhall neither ſe peſtilens nor hunger. The kynge of Babylon ſhall neuer come againſte thys lande. Iere. 27In the middeſt of theſe ſtormy trobles / no other comfort had the prophet / then to complayn to hys God / at whoſe commaundement he had ſpoken. And in this his cōplaint he is ſo kyndled agaynſt their Idolatrie / and great vnthankefulnes that he crieth / as in a raige. O thou Lord of hoſtes, Iere. …0.the tryar of the iuſt, thou that ſeith the reynes and the hart, Let me ſe thy vengeaunce taken vponupon thē, for vntounto the hauehave I referred my cauſe▪ … this prayer was moſt fearful to his enemyes / yf they had ſene the effiaccie therof ſo by theſame was the prophet aſſured / that Goddes wrath was kyndled againſt that ſinful natiō & that it ſhoulde not turne backe / till he had performed the cogitations of his owne hart. I appeale to the conſciēce / of eueryevery indifferēt mā / in what one point differeth the regiment manners / A cōpariſon betwene Englāde & Iuda.and eſtate of Englande this day frō the aboue rehearſed eſtate off Iuda in thoſe dayes / except that they had a kynge / a man (as apeareth) of nature / more facied / nor cruell / who ſometymes was entreated in the prophetes fauour / and alſo requyred hym of counſail in ſome daungers.The quene ſtubburne againſt the truthe of gods vvord and hateful to the preachers of the ſame. And you hauehave a Quene / a woman of a ſtoute ſtomack / more ſtyffe in opynion / then flexible too the truthe / who in nowyſe maye abyde the preſens of Gods prophetes. In this one thing you diſagre in al other thinges ſo lyke as one nut is too another. Their kyng led by peſtilence prieſtes / who guides your quene / it is not vnknowē / VnderUnder ſuch came Idolatrie to the highte agayne. O wold to God / that the worſe were not amōgſt you / In Ieruſalem was Ieremie perſecuted / for ſpeakinge the truthe / & for rebuking their Idolatrie. What pryſon within London / tormenteth not ſome trew prophet of God?The Idolatrous maſſe of late. firſt erected in the tovver of London. for the ſame cauſes: And o thou doungeon off darkenes where that Idole of late dayes was fyrſt erected (thou Tower of London) in the doth moo Ieremies then one ſuffer iniurye & trouble / The B. of Canterb. D. Ridleye. M. Latimer Bradforde. Sandes. Becon. Veron. &c. Preachers and priſoners in the Tovver of London.whome God ſhal comfort according to hys promyſe / and reward their perſecutors euen as they hauehave deſerued / and in that daye ſhalt thou trymble / and ſuche as ſhal purpoſe to defende the / ſhal periſhe with the / becauſe thou waſte fyrſt defyled with that moſt abhominable Idol.

Conſider (deare brethern) if all thinges / as appertayninge to iniquitie be a lyke betwixte Englande and Iuda / before the deſtruccion therof / yea / Yf Englande be worſe then Iudea was in thoſe dayes / ſeing God ſpared not them / ſhal we thinke that the Lordes vengeaunce ſhal ſlepe / mans iniquitie beyng ſo rype? No deare brethren:Iere. ix. He that hath vnderſtandinge muſte know the contrary, And he to whome the Lordes mouth hath ſpokē / muſt ſhew the cauſes / why the lande ſhalbe waſte.

It maye offende you / that I cal Englande worſe / then was vnthankeful Iudea / but yf good and euident reaſones aduiſed maye take place / then I feare not iudgement.Wherein Iudea was better then England is now. From Ieruſalem / many paſſed at admonition of the prophetes / leauing all that they had / rather then they wolde abyde the daunger of Gods plagues that were threatned. Goddes prophetes hath cryed. but I heare not of many that prepareth to flye / God graunte they repent not. In Ieruſalem were princes / & noble men who defended Ieremy, and alſo that dyd abſolue hym / when wrongfully he was accuſed by the prieſtes. But howe many now of the nobilitie within Englande boldely ſpeaketh in in the defence of Gods meſſinger is eaſy too be tolde. Amongeſt them had Gods prophet lyberty / to ſpeake in maintenaunce of his doctrine. How ſuch as ſeketh a tryal of their doctrine / hath bene and are entreated amongeſt you / it is hard of in ſtraunge countries. In Ieruſalem was Abdemelech / why when the prophet was caſt in pryſō (as worthy of death) boldly paſt to the king / and defending the innocency of the innocent / obtayneth hys liberty / but in Englād I hear of none (God ſtur ſome) that dare be ſo bolde / as to put their handes betwixt the Lyons / and their praye / the poore ſainctes of God / & thoſe cruell murtherers. In Ieruſalem / Ieremy beyng dampned to pryſon / was fedde of the kynges charges / & that when great hunger and ſcante of bread was in the hole citie: In London where all plenty haboundes / are Gods meſſingers permitted to hunger. Yea / (O horrable to be harde) and aunciente fathers / are ſo cruelly entreated / that lyke extremetye hath ſeldom bene vſed vponupon theues and murtherers. In this behalf do I not blame you (beloued brethren) for I aſſuredly know your hartes to mourn for the trobles of your brethren / and faythfull preachers, and that you ſeke all meanes poſſible / how they maye be comforted & releaued / but theſe thinges to thende that you mayeſe / that more abhominacion / & leſſe fear of God / more in iuſt dealing / and leſe ſhame more cruel perſecucion againſt Gods meſſengers / and leſſe mercy and gentlenes / is now amongſt youre chief rulars within Englande / then in thoſe dayes was in Iudea / and yet did not Ieruſalē eſcape the puniſhmēt of God.Bevvare … diſſembling goſpelers, vvhichwhich for the ſafegarde off …oure vvorld lij pelfe defile four ſelfes vvith all popiſhe abhominacions. Shall we then beleue that England maye auoide the vengeaunce that is threatned / No deare brethren, Yf Idolatrie continew / as it is begonne / no more can England eſcape Gods vengeaunce / then God hym ſelf may leaſe his iuſtice. And therfore (dearly beloued in our ſauiour Ieſus Chriſt) Yf profit to your ſelfe or to your poſteritie can moue you any thinge / then muſte ye avoide and fle Idolatrie. For if the Lordes meſſengers / that ſhalbe ſente too execute hys wrath / fynde you amongſt fylthie Idolators / your bodies committing lyke abhomination with them. Ye hauehave no warrant that ye ſhall eſcape the plagues / prepared for the wicked. But rather it is to be feared that ye ſhall be plagued with them.Iudi. 20 The hole trybe of Beniamin, periſhed with the adulterers / & yet were they not all adulterers in faict.1. Reg 15 Hole Amalek was commaunded to be deſtroyed / & yet was not one of thoſe lyuīg that trobled the Iſraelites / in their paſſage from Egipte. Pharao was not drouned alone (as in another letter / I hauehave more plainly writtē) neither yet foūd Ionathas mercy / as touchinge lyfe corporal / in the daye when Gods vengeaunce puniſhed Saule the repobater / and why? the Apoſtle aunſwereth:Rom. 1. Becauſe men knowing the iuſtice of God, (ſayeth he) and doing the cōtrary are worthy of death / not only thoſe that doth wickedly / but alſo ſuche as conſenteth to theſame.Who cō ſenteth. And no man can be excuſed / but that he conſentes / who dayly frequenting in the companye of wicked men / geuinge neither ſigne in woordes nor in dede / that iniquitie diſpleaſeth hym. And therefore yet I ſaye / yf profyt may moue vsus. &c. moſt profytable ſhall it be euen for the body in this preſent lyfe too auoide Idolatrye / for ſo doinge / As we ſhal eſſcape the plagues / whiche the vngodlye ſhall ſuffer / ſo is God by hys promis obliſhed vntounto vsus to be our father / our portiō / Eſai. 49. Zacha. 2.our īheritaū ce & defence / he promiſeth (& wil not diſceaue) to cary vsus vppon hys owne wynges from all daunger.Pſal. lij. Pſalm. c.xlvi. Pſalm. c.xl. To plant vsus & our poſteritie in euerlaſting memorial. To feade vsus in the tyme off hūger / and fynally to fight for vsus / and to ſaue vsus from all miſeries and miſchaunces, But now to the ſubſequent.

As it is moſt profytable for body and ſoule to auoyde Idolatry / ſo is it ſo neceſſary / that onles we ſo do / we refuſe to be in leage with God.What we doo when we ioyn our ſelfs with idolaters Exo. xx. We declare ourſelf to hauehave no faythe / & we …enye to be Gods witnes / and ſo muſte he of this iuſtice expreſſed in his worde denye vsus to apertaine to hym or to hys kyngdom. And then (alas) what reſtith for vsus / but perpetuall death ordeined for thoſe that wil not continew in leage with God. The leage betwene God & vsus conteyneth theſe conditions / that God ſhall be our God / and we ſhal be his people / he ſhal communicat with vsus / of his graces & goodnes we ſhal ſerue hym in bodye & ſoule / he ſhall be our ſauegarde from death and damnacion / we ſhal ſticke too hym / and fle from all ſtraunge Goddes. This is the leage in making whereof we ſwear ſolempnedly / neuer to hauehave felowſhip with any religiō / except with that which God hath auctoriſ…d by hys manifeſt worde. Yf by Gods ſcriptures theſe preſydents be ſo playne / that reaſonably no man can de…ye any point therof. Then hauehave I good hope that ye wil admitte it to be neceſſarie / that you auoide Idolatry / yf the leage betwene God and you ſhalbe kept ſure. And fyrſt it is to be obſerued / that Goddes iuſtice / beyng infinite in matters of religion / requireth lyke obediens of al thoſe that be within hys leage at all tymes / that he requireth of any one nation / or particular mā in any one age / for al that byde with ī his leage / Deu. 29.are one body (as Moyſes doth witnes) recompting men / wemen / chyldren / ſeruauntes / prynces / prieſtes / officers / and ſtraungers within the couenaunt of the Lorde. Then what God requireth of one (as touching this leage) he requireth of all / for hys iuſtice is immutable / & what he dampneth in anye one that he muſte dampne in others / for he is righteous without parcialitie. Then let vsus conſider what God hath requyred of ſuche as hathe bene in leage with hym / and what he pronounceth dampnable.Deu. xiij Moyſes the mouth of God to his people of Iſrael ſpeaketh as foloweth: Yf thy brother the ſōne of thy mother / or the wyfe of thy own boſome / or thy neyghbour / whom thou loueſt as thy own lyfe / ſhal priuely ſolyſt the / Sayng let vsus go and ſerue other Goddes, whome thou haſt not knowē. &c. Obey hym not / hear hym not / neither yet let thy eye ſpare hym / be not merciful vntounto hym / nor hyde him not / but kyll hym / let thy hand be the fyrſt vponupon hym / that ſuche a one maye be kylled / and then the handes of the holy people ſtone hym with ſtones / vntil he dye. And likewiſe commaundeth he to be donne with a hole citie / if the indwellers therof turne backe to Idolatrie / addinge alſo / that the citie and the whole ſpoyle therof ſhalbe brent. That no portiō ſhalbe ſaued / nor yet that the citie ſhalbe buylded foreuer again becauſe it is accurſed of God.

Here is a playne declaracion / what God requyreth of them that wil continew in leage with him / and what he hath dampned by his expreſt wordes. And do we eſteme (beloued brethren) that the immutable God will wincke at our Idolatrie / as that he ſaw it not: ſeing he commaundeth iudgement to be executed ſo ſeuerly againſt Idolators / and againſte ſuche as onelyonly prouoked or ſoliſted others to Idolatrie / that neither ſhould blood nor affinitie neither multitude nor ryches / ſaue ſuche as offendeth / neither yet that we ſhould coūſayll their offences / but that we ſhould be the fyrſt that ſhould accuſe brother / ſonne / doughter / or wyfe / and why? becauſe he entendeth (ſaith Moyſes) to bring the frō the Lorde thy God / Who led thy furth from the land of Egipte / and therfore let hym dye / that all Iſrael hearing / maye feare / and preſumed not after too commit the lyke abhomination. Let nothing apertayninge to ſuche a man or citie / cleaue vntounto thy hande / that the Lord may turn frō the furor of his wrath & be moued ouer thy with moſt tender mercy and affeccion / and that he maye multiplye thy / as he hathe ſworne vntounto thy fathers.

Vvliij Idolatrie is too be eſchevved. & the mainteners therof.In theſe wordes moſt euidently is expreſſed vntounto vsus / why God wil that we auoide all felowſhip with Idolatrie / & with the maintainers of the ſame: In whiche are thre thinges chiefly to be noted / fyrſte that the holy Ghoſt inſtruct vsus / that maintaynours of Idolatrie / & prouokers to the ſame / intēdeth to draw vsus frō God / & therfore he cōmaūdeth vsus / that we ſhal not coūſail their īpietie / but that we ſhall make it knowen / & that we ſhall puniſhe it / if we will hauehave the leage betwixte vsus & God too ſtande ſure. And here is the firmamente of my fyrſt cauſe / why / it is neceſſary to auoyde Idolatrie / becauſe that otherwiſe we declare oure ſelfes litell to regard / yea / to hauehave broken / and plaīly denied that holy leage / which is betwen vsus & God / through Chriſt Ieſus. Secōdarely it is to be noted / that Idolatrie ſo kindleth the wrath of God / that it is neuer quenched / vntill the offendors / & all that they poſes / be deſtroyed frō the earth / & that by fyre. It may appeare that this is ſeueare & rygorous iudgement / but let the cauſe be cōſidered / & thē ſhall we vnderſtāde / that in the ſame / God ſheweth vntounto vsus his moſt ſinguler louelove / declaring him ſelfe enemye vntounto oure enemies / for all thoſe that wold draw vsus frō God (be the kynges or quenes) beīg of the diuels nature / Dravvers of men frō God are of the deuils nature.are enemies vntounto God / & therfore wil God that in ſuch caſes / we declare our ſelfes enemies vntounto them. And laſt it is to be noted / that obediēs geuē vntounto God / in taking vēgeaūce vpō Idolatours / by ſuche meanes / as God hath appointed / is a cauſe why God ſheweth his mercye / why he multiplieth vsus / & enbraſeth vsus with brotherly louelove / where cōtrary wyſe / by cōſentinge with Idolatrye / are the mercies of God ſhut vp frō vsus / & are cutted of the bodie of Chriſt / to wyther and roote / as trees withoute moyſture. But nowe ſhall ſome demaunde / what then? ſhall we go too / and kyll all Idolatours.Queſtiō Aūſwere That were the office & dutye of eueryevery ciuell magiſtrate within hys realme and Iuriſdiccion. But of you is requyred only to auoyd participacion and company of that abhominacion / as wel in body as in ſoule / as Dauid and Paule plainly teacheth.Pſal. xvi Dauid in his exile / in the middes of Idolatours ſayth: I will not offer their drinke offeringes of bloud, neyther yet will I take their name into my mouthe, & Paule ſayth: 1. Cor. x.You maye not be partakers of the Lordes table, and of the table of deuils, you may not drinke the Lordes cup / and the cup of deuils. As theſe two places / of ſcriptur plainly reſolueth the former queſtion / ſo do they confirme that which is before ſayd. That the leag betwixt vsus and God requireth / auoydinge off all Idolatrye.1. Regū. xxvij. Fyrſt playne it is / that in Gathe and in Corinthus / were no ſmal number off Idolatours / when Dauid was there in exile / & when Paule wrote hys Epiſtle / yet neither ſayth Dauid / that he wil kyl any in that place becauſe he was their magiſtrate / neither geueth Paule any ſuche commaundement / but in one thing they both agre / that ſuche as hath ſocitie & leage with God / muſt ſo abhorre Idolatrye / that no parte of the bodye be defyled therwith. For Dauid ſayeth: I will not take their names in my mouth. As he wolde ſaye / ſo odious are the names of falſe & vaine Goddes / that the mencion of them is righteouſlye compared to ſtinckinge donge / & vile carion / whiche neither can be eaten / neither yet ſmellid without diſpleaſur of ſuche that hath not loſt the iudgemente of their ſences / & therfore ſayeth Dauid / I wil not defyle me mouth with thē / that is / I wil neuer ſpeake one fauorable worde of them. I thinke much leſſe / wolde he hauehave croched and kneled before them for anye mans pleaſure. Aduert brethren / Shyfte makers are double diſſemblers.that Dauid inſpyred with the holy Ghoſte knew no ſuch ſheftes / as worldly wyſe men imagyn nowe a dayes: That they maye kept their hartes pure and cleane to God / howbeit / their body daūſe with the diuel: Not ſo deare brethrē, not ſo, The temple of God hath nothing to do with Idols. The cauſe expreſſeth Dauid in their wordes: The Lorde hym ſelfe is my portion and my enheritaunce. Greate is the cauſe / yf it be deaply conſidered. Dauid illuminated by the holy Ghoſt ſeyth euē the ſelfe ſame thing / which before we hauehave aleaged of the Apoſtles wordes / that God will not parte ſpoyle with the deuil / promitting hym to hauehave the ſeruaūt of the body / & he too ſtande contente with the ſoule / harte and mynde. No brethren / Dauid marketh this / the fundament & reaſon / why / he wil neither offer ſacrefice to Idols / neither yet defyle hys mouthe with their names / becauſe (ſayeth he) the Lorde is my porcion, Vvhat the leage betvvene vsus and God requireth.as he wolde ſaye / ſuche is the cōdiciō of the leage betwene me and my God / that as he is my tower of defence againſt my enemies / preſeruing and noriſhing bothe the body & ſoule / ſo muſte I be hole his in bodye and ſoule / for my God is of that nature / that he will ſuffer no portiō of hys glory to be geuen to another. In confirmation of this ſayeth Eſay / Eſai. 57.after he had rebuked their Idols and vayne inuecinons. Theſe are thy porcion, and Ieremy likewiſe, in mockinge of thē ſayth / let thy bedfellowes deliuer thy / call vponupon them / and let them heare thy / thou haſt committed fornicacion & whordome with ſtocke and ſtone.Ierem. 3. The prophetes meaning thereby / that Idolators can hauehave no leage nor couenaunt with God / in ſo farre / that their hartes be alyenated from hym / which the ſeruice of their bodies doth teſtefye / and therfore renounceth God ſuche leage / & bounde as was before offered for Eſay wolde ſaye / euen ſuche as thou haſt choſen / ſuche ſhalbe the portion. And Ieremye wolde ſay / thou put thy truſt to them / which he meaneth / by the lyēg with thē in bed / & therfore let them ſhewe their power in thy deliueraunce / and thus he ſendeth them as it were to ſucke water from hote burninge coles.Note wel It ſhall nothing excuſe / to ſaye we truſt not in Idols / for ſo will eueryevery Idolatour alleage / but if either you or they in Gods honor / do any thing contrary to Gods woorde / you ſhew your ſelfe to put your truſt / in ſomwhat els beſydes God / and ſo are you Idolatours. Marke brethren / Truſting in mans vviſdome is Idolatrie.that many maketh an Idoll of their owne wiſedom or fantaſye / more truſting to that / which they thinke good / nor vntounto God / who plainly ſayeth not that thinge / which ſeameth good in thy eyes / do vntounto thy God / but what thy Lord God hath commaunded them. But of this ſome other tyme / God willing / more ſhalbe ſpoken herof / I ſuppoſe it be plaine / that lyke as God is immutable / who / by his law / hath not only forbiddē all felowſhip with Idolators in their Idolatrie / but alſo hath cōmaūded that vengeaūce / & puniſhment be taken vpō thē. And as the ſaintes of God were inſpired with the holye ghoſte / who wolde not ſo much as ones fauourablye ſpeake of Idols / Marke.& laſte as the ſcriptures be infallable / which promiſeth that God maye not abyde / that our bodies ſerue the deuill / in ioyning our bodies with Idolatrie / ſo is it off more neceſſitie / that both in bodye & ſoule / we abſtaine frō theſame / yf we wil hauehave the leage betwene God & vsus to ſtande ſure. I will not troble this tyme with aūſwering to any ſuch obiections / as men ſekinge to leue as they liſte / dothe now a daies inuent / ſeing that partely in another letter: I hauehave aūſwered theſame / & yf God ſhal graūt any reſt in this wicked world / I purpoſe by the grace of God / as occaſiō ſhal be offered fully to aunſwere what can be ſayd for their defence / whiche in very dede / when all is ſayde that they can / they hauehave ſayde nothing that God will admit.By frequentin of Idolalatrie, men ſhevv them ſelf to hauehave no faith.

Now reſtith to ſhew that in haunting Idolatrie / we declare oure ſelfes too be withoute fayth / and dothe denye to beare witneſſe vntounto God / but that fayth purgeth the hart / I truſt none of you will denye. But whether that inwarde fayth requyreth an eternal confeſſion / and yf a man maye not hauehave faythe / and yet doo in ceremonies of the Churche / as the worlde dothe / herein perchaunce you doubte. As too the fyrſte the Apoſtle aunſwereth in theſe woordes / Rom. 10.in the harte it is beleued vntounto Iuſtice / but by the mouthe is confeſſion vntounto ſaluacion.

And Dauid ſayth: I hauehave beleued / & therefore I hauehave ſpoken / but I was ſore trobled / as Dauid wolde ſaye / I wolde not counſaile the confeſſion of my faith / howbeit / troble did enſew theſame. Thus the holy Ghoſt ioyneth fayth and confeſſion / as thinges that be inſeperable the one from the other / and therefore dare I not take vponupon me to diſceauer them / but muſte ſaye / that where trew faith is / there is alſo cō feſſion of the ſame / Note welwhen tyme and neceſſitie requireth / & that where confeſſion is not foūd that their faithe is a ſlepe / if we be not frome home.

Now is it to be conſidered / if this tyme requireth the confeſſion of our faith.Vvhether this tyme requireth confeſſiō of our faith. Chriſt and his Euangile are oppugned / his holye ſacramētes are prophaned. Chriſtes meſſengers are ſome exiled / ſome cruelly tormented in pryſon / our aduerſaries hath gotten the vpperhande / and an execrable Idol / the maſſeerected vp in confirmation of all iniquitie. What now ſhall I do? that am aſſured that all this is abhominaciō / here Chriſt is in battaile / ſhal I do as the multitude / or as Chriſtes enemies doth / what cō feſſion geue I then? Aſſuredly euen ſuch as the reſt doeth / for neither doeth foote / hande / eye / nor mouth witnes the contrary.Note. The feete carieth the bodye to ſerue an Idoll. The eye beholdeth it with a certayn reuerēce. The mouth dare not whiſper what the hart thīketh / yea / the handes are extended / and geueth ſignificacion of humble obedience. HaueHave I not nowe iuſtefied the deuell / and damned Chriſt? it can not be denyed. But let me hauehave no credit / oneleſſe theſame be yet proued by moſte plaine demonſtrations of Gods ſacred ſcripture. The Lord by hys prophete Eſaye / ſayeth his people of Iſrael / and this is aunſwer alſo to the ſecōd queſtion / yf I may not do as the worlde doth / and yet hauehave faithe / You are my witneſſes, Eſai 44.whether there be anye God but I alone / is there any creator that I ſhould not know him Theſe woordes were ſpoken / as it were making an entreſſe too rebuke all Idolatrie & the vaine inuētours of the ſame / as the Lord wold ſaye. Thou houſe of Iacob / and your naturall chyldren / diſcending from Abraham. You are my people / whom peculiarly I hauehave choſen to ſhew in you the greatnes of my name / and for that ende hauehave I ſpoken vntounto you / hidde thinges from the beginning / that you may vnderſtande and knowe that there is no knowlege but in me alone / that you perſwaded of my infinet wiſedome / power and goodnes may teſtefye / and beare witnes of theſame / too ſuche as hath not then lyke vnderſtanding with you. Hereof it is playne / that of ſuche as to whom God geueth knowlege / he requireth a confeſſion to prouoke the ignoraūce to embrace God and his worde / or at leaſt that by the vnderſtā ding man / the vanitie of the foliſhe ſhoulde be rebuked. So zelous is God ouer hys giftes / that yf we labour not to employe them to the glorie of God / and to proffit of others his creatours / he will according to the threatning of Chriſt / take the talent from vsus / and will geue it to ſuche as will labor there vppon. Some perchaūce wolde gladly labo… / but theyſe not what frute ſhall ſuccede / & therfore iudge they better to ceaſe. Euen as God could bring forth no fruite / except he make vsus fyrſt of counſaile. God is to be obeyed in his commaundementes / and the ſucceſſe is to be committed to him / whoſe wiſedome is vnſearcheable / he cōmaundeth vsus refraine Idolatrie / to let other mē ſee that thei do wrōg.Vvhy vve ſhould abſteine from Idolatrie. This ought we obey / albeit the preſent death ſhould folow / for we are called as witnes betwene God & the blind world / as is beforeſaid: Iſrael thou arte my witnes. The world aſketh / Note.is the mans Gods ſeruice / or is it Idolatrie? God hath opened to vsus / that it is abhominable Idolatrie / but when that we for feare of our vyle carkaſes / The maſſe is abhominable Idolatrie.do as the blinde world doth. What witnes beare we? Aſſuredly falſe witnes againſt God / for that we iuſtefye and mayntaine that with our preſence / which God condemneth againſt our neyghbour / for that we confirme hym in errour to bothe our condemnacions. But when we abſtaye from all felowſhip of Idolatrie / what euer enſewe there vponupon / we do our dueties vntounto Gods glorie. Let no man thinke that I am more ſeuear then neceſſitie requireth. No brethren / I alwayes contein my affirmations / within the boundes of Gods ſcriptures / and that ſhal Ieremie the prophet witnes / who writing to the Iewes / being pryſoners in Babylon / after he had forbidden them to folowe the vaine relygion of that people / amongeſt whome they wexe then conuerſant by many reaſons / prouinge that their Idols were no Goddes / at laſte he ſayth / you ſhall ſaye to them:Ierem. 10 The Goddes that made neither heauen neither earthe, ſhall periſh from the earthe / and from vnderunder the heauen. Here is to be obſerued / as Ihon Caluine / that ſingular inſtrumente off God moſte diligently noteth.

That the reſte of the prophetes worke was written in the Hebrew tounge / The prophet cōſtraineth the Ievves, to declare their confeſſiō againſt Idols & that chaū ginge their natural tōg.whiche then was peculiar to the Iewes / but theſe verſes and woordes aboue reherſed / were written in the Caldee tounge / in the tounge of that people / when the Iewes were then in thraldome as that the prophet woulde conſtrein them to chaunge their naturall tounge / and in plaine woordes declare the hatered and alienation / whiche they had from all worſhippynge off Idols. I beſeche you brethren / marke the woordes of the prophete / he ſayeth not / you maye thinke in your hartes / that they are vayne / & that they ſhall periſhe / but you ſhall ſaye it / & that not preuely / but to them / who putte their truſte in ſuche vanitie / as that the thre chyldren openly ſpake / denyenge to geue the reuerence of their bodies before an Idoll. And Daniel that wolde not kepe ſecrete the confeſſion of hys fayth onelyonly thyrty dayes / as in my former letter more plainely is expreſſ…d / hereof it is playne that requyringe that you prophaine not your bodyes with Idolatrie. I requyre no more then Goddes ſcriptures by plaine preceptes and exāples teacheth. Neither yet requyre I of eueryevery man / and at all tymes ſo muche. For I conſtraīne no man to go to Idolators / in the tyme of their Idolatrie / and to ſay that all that they do / is abhominable and naughte. But onelyonly that we kepe our owne bodyes (called of the Apoſtle the tēples of the holy Ghoſt)1. Cor. 5. cleane from all ſuch diabolicall conuencions / which that we do is moſt profitable / and alſo neceſſary to the preſeruation of our ſelfes / and of our poſteritie / of whome ſomwhat (now at thende) muſt I ſpeake.

EueryEvery man that is not degenerated too the nature of a brute beaſte / will appeare to beare ſuche louelove to his chyldren / that to leaue them riche / in reſt / and in good ſtate / he paciētly will ſuffer troubles / and without grudge will doo many thinges / that otherwiſe are contrary to hys owne pleaſure. And with my hart I wiſh to God / that the perfection of this were more deaply grounded in mans hart / I meane very louelove / 1. Cor. 13& not fonde foliſhnes / whiche vnderunder the name of louelove / procureth deſtruction of bodye and ſoule / where cōtrariwiſe / trew louelove moſt carefully laboureth for ſaluation of bothe / yf this louelove I ſaye / towardes our chyldren / which eueryevery man pretendeth to hauehave / be in vsus. Then of neceſſitie it is / that for theſe cauſes we ſhall aduoid all ſocietie of thoſe fylthye abhominations. This my affeccion may apeare ſtraūge but if it be with indifferencye perceaued / it ſhalbe very eaſy to be vnderſtande.

Note ye fathers.The onelyonly way to leaue our chyldren bleſſed and happy is to leaue thē righteouſly inſtructed in Gods trew religion / for what auayleth all that is in earth / Note.if condēnacion folow death yea / & Goddes vengeaunce goo before theſame as of neceſſitie they muſte / where the trewe knowlege of God is abſent.The trevv knovvlege of god is not borne vvith man. Playne it is / that the trew knowlege of God is not borne wyth man / neither yet commeth vntounto him with naturall power / but he muſt hauehave ſcoolemaſters to trayne hym vp in that / whiche he lacketh / The chief ſcholemayſter, (the holy Ghoſt excepted) of the age folowing / is the worke practeſies & lief of the forefathers / where vntounto commonly we ſe the chyldren ſo addict & bound / & eſpecially / if it be in Idolatrie. That God cryeng by the mouthes of his meſſingers / hauehave muche to do / to ryffe or plucke any man backe from their forefathers footeſteppes.

Now if that you altogether refuſinge / Note and deſpiſe not.God ſtoupe vnderunder Idolatrie / what ſchoolemaiſters are you to your poſteritie / what …mage ſhewe you to your chyldrē? Yea / in what eſtate leaue you them / bothe touching bodye & ſoule.3. Reg. 1… Aſſuredly / you are euen ſuche ſcholemaiſters / as were thoſe fathers / who conſentinge to Ieroboam / to his Idolatrie left vntounto their chyldrē a patrone of perdicion. To ſpeake it plainly / you leaue them blynded in Idolatrie / & bound ſlaues to the deuell without hope of redemption or light to be receaued.Euaſ you Aūſwere Tuſſhe wilſome ſaye. The Lord knoweth his owne: Trewe it is. But this ordenary meanes to come by hys knowledge / are not to contempned. He commaundeth you to teache your chyldren his lawes / ſtatutes and ceremonies. That they likewiſe maye teache the ſame to the generations folowing. But yet will ſome obiecte / what taught our fathers vntounto vsus? O deare breathrē be not ſo ingrate and vnthankefull vntounto god. Neither yet I wolde that you ſhoulde flatter your ſelfes / thinking that ſuche a trōpet ſhall be blowen to your poſteritie / as hath bene blowen vntounto you.Let the reader vnderſtande. Yf all come to ſo cloſe ſylence / as che Lordes meſſengers fonde the beginning of this our age. When this hole realme of Englāde was drouned in ſo deadly a ſlepe / that the ſounde of the Lordes trompet was not vnderſtande / while fyrſte the moſte parte of the blowers gaue their bloude in a teſtimonie / that their doctrine was the ſame / which begā with bloud / was planted and kept in mynde by theſame / and by bloud encreaſed / and did fructefye / will the Lord hauehave his meſſengers to fight alone?Note. will he beſtowe ſuche abundaunce off bloude vponupon your chyldren / to encorage them / as that he did vponupon you / for your inſtruction & encoragement / yf that ye all ſo traytorouſly fle frō hym / in the daye of this his battaile. The contrary is greatly to be feared. Oft reuoluinge howe God hath vſed my tounge (my tounge I ſay / being moſt wretched of others) plainly to ſpeake the trobles that are perfet. There occurreth to my mynde a certein admonicion / that God wolde / I commonly ſhoulde vſe in all congregations. The admonitiō was this / that the laſte trompet was in blowynge within the realme of Englande / and therfore ought eueryevery man to prepare him for battaile / for if the trompet ſhould ceaſe / and be put too ſylence / then ſhoulde it neuer agayne blowe with lyke force in Englāde / tyll the comming of the Lorde Ieſus. O deare brethren / howe ſore theſe threatninges perſeth my owne hart this daye / onelyonly God knoweth / & in what agonye of harte I wryte this ſame / God ſhall declare / when the ſecretes of all hartes ſhalbe diſcloſed. I wyſhe my ſelfe to be accurſed of God / as touching all earthly pleaſure or comforte for one yeare of that tyme / which (alas) neyther you nor I dyd righteouſly eſteme / whē all abounded with vsus. I ſob and grone / I cal and I praye / that in that point I may be deceaued. But I am commaunded to ſtande content / for it is God hym ſelf / that perfourmeth the wordes of his trew meſſengers / hys iuſtice & order can not be peruerted. The ſunne kepeth hys ordenary courſe / and leapeth not backe frome the Weſt to the South / but whē it goith doun we lacke the light of it tyl it ryſe the next day towards the Eaſt again. And ſo is it w…th the light of the goſpel / which hath his day apointed by God / Ioh. 12.as witneſſeth Chriſt ſaying while ye hauehave the light / beleue in the light / that darkenes apprehēd you not.Rom. 13. Heb. 3. And Paul / the night is paſſed / & the day is come (meanīg of the goſpel) & alſo this day / yf you heare his voice harden not your hartes. And albeit that this daye be all tyme frō Chriſtes incarnacion / tyll his laſt cōming again.Note. Yet euidēt it is / that all natiōs hath not had at one ſiene the light of goddes worde. But by the cōtrary moſt euidēt it is / that where the light of the goſpell for mās vnthākfulnes / hath ben takē away / there is it not to this day yet reſtored again / witnes hole Iſrael / & all the congregatiōs of the gentylles where Chriſt was firſt preached by thapoſtels. What is in Aſya? ignoraunce of God / what in Affrika?Examples of gods vengeaunce: … gainſt vnthā kefulnes. abnegation of Chriſte / what in thoſe moſt notable Churches of the Greciās / wher Chriſt was planted by Paule & long after / vttered by others? Mahomet and his falſe ſecte / Yea / what is in Rome? the moſt Idol of all others / that aduerſary to Chriſte / that man of ſynne extolled aboue all that is called God. Hath God puniſſhed thoſe natiōs before vsus / not onelyonly the firſt offendors / but euen their poſteritie to this day / & ſhal he ſpare vsus? yf we be lyke vnthankefull as they were / yea / if we be worſe then they were? for of them no ſmal nū ber ſuffered perſecution / baniſhment / ſclaunder / pouertye / & fynally the death for the profeſſiō of Chriſt / who hauing only this knowledge / that Idols were odious before God / could neither for loſe of temporal goodes / for honours offered if they wolde obeye / nor yet for moſt cruel tormentes ſuffered in reſiſting ones be perſwaded to bowe before Idols. And (alas) ſhal we after ſo many graces that God hath offered vntounto vsus for pleaſure / or for vaine threatning of thoſe / whom your hartes knoweth / & your mouthes hath confeſſed to be odious Idolatours / ronne backe to Idolatrie / to the perdicion of your ſelfes / & of your poſteritie to come. Shall goddes holy preceptes worke no greater obedience in you? ſhall natur no otherwiſe mollifye your hartes? ſhall not fatherly pitie ouercome that cruelnes. O behold your chyldern / and conſider thende of their creation / greate crueltie it were to ſaue your ſelfes / & to dampne them. But o more then crueltie and madnes / that can not be expreſſed / yf for the pleaſure of a momente / you depriued your ſelfe / & your poſteritie of that eternall ioye / that is ordeyned for thoſe that continueth in confeſſion of Chriſtes name / & truthe to the ende / which aſſuredly you do / yf without reſiſtaunce al together / you retorne to Idolatrie againe.Note. Alas / then the trompet hath loſt the ſound / the ſunne is gone doune / and the light vaniſhed / but & if that God ſhall ſtrengthen you / boldely to withſtand all ſuche impietie / thē is their but a darke myſtie cloude ouerſpred the ſunne for a momēt / which ſhortlye ſhall vaniſhe / ſo that the beames of the ſunne / afterward ſhalbe ſeuēfolde more bright and amyable then they were before. Your pacience & conſtauncie ſhalbe the lowdar trompet to your poſteritie / god graunt you may vnderſtande.then were all the voyces of the prophetes that cryed vntounto you / and therfore for the tendre mercye of God. Arme your ſelfe to ſtand with Chriſt / Flie frō that abhominable Idol. The mayntaynors therof ſhall not eſcape the vengeaunce of God. Let it be knowen to your poſteritie / that you were Chriſtians / and no Idolatours / and ſo is not the trompet ceaſed ſo longe as any boldely reſiſteth Idolatrie.The obſeccion of the fleſhe. Anſwer. Theſe preceptes are ſharpe & harde to be obſerued will ſome obiect. And yet agayn I affirme that / compared with the plagues / which aſſuredly ſhal fal vponupon the cō tempnours / they ſhalbe founde eaſye & light for auoyding Idolatrie / Note this Antitheſis, and cōſider it vvel.it maye chaunce that you be contempned in the world / but obeyers of Idolatrie / as before God thei are abhominable / ſo ſhall they be cōpelled body & ſoule to burne in hell / for auoyding of Idolatrie / your worldly ſubſtaūce ſhalbe ſpoyled / but for obeyng Idolatrie / heauenly ryches ſhalbe loſt for auoyding Idolatrie / you maye fall in the handes of earthly tyrauntes / but obeyers / conſenters and mayntaynors of Idolatrie ſhall not eſcape the handes of the liuing God / for auoiding Idolatrie / your chyldern ſhalbe depriued of father / frendes / ryches / & earthly reſt / but by obeyeng Idolatrie / they ſhalbe left without God without the knowlege of his worde / and without the hope of his kyngdome.

Conſider deare brethren / that how muche more dolerous it is to be tormēted in hel / then to ſuffer troble in earth / to be depriued of heauenly ioye / then to be robbed of tranſitory ryches. To fall in the hādes of the lyuing God / then to abyde mans vayne / & vncertein diſpleaſure. So muche more fearfull & daungerous it is / to obey Idolatrie or diſſēbling to cō ſent too that abhomination / then auoydinge the ſame / to ſuffer what inconueniēs may folow therupon by mans tyrāny. O be not like to Eſau / that ſolde and loſt his byrthright for a meaſe of potage. I am not preiudiciall too Gods mercies / as that ſuche as after ſhall repent / ſhall not fynd grace. God forbidde / for here in am I moſt aſſuredly perſwaded. That in what ſo euer houre a ſynner ſhall repente / God ſhall not remēber one of hys iniquities / but albeit / his offences were as redde as Skarlette / they ſhall be made as whyte as ſnowe.ze. 18.33 And albeit in multitude they paſſed number / yet ſo ſhall they be blotted out / that none of thē ſhall appeare to the dānacion of the very repē tant / for hys promiſes be infallible / Eſai. 1.that ſuche as truly beleue in Chriſt / ſhall neuer entre in to iudgement / for the bloud of Chriſte Ieſus / Ioh. 3.5purgeth them frō all ſynne / ſo that how farre the heauen is dyſtant from the earth / ſo farre doth he remoue the ſynnes from the penitēt. But conſider dearly beloued brethren, 1. Ioh. 1.that theſe and lyke promiſies are made to penitent ſinners / & dothe nothing apertaininge to prophaine parſons / Idolatours / The confutable promiſes of God are made to penitent ſinners onelyonly.nor too fearfull ſhrinkers from the truthe / for feare of worldly troble. And yf any alleage / God may cal them to repentaunce / how wicked that any man be. I aunſwere that I acknowlege / and doth cenſes Gods omnipotenſye / to be ſo free / that he maye do what pleaſeth hys wyſedom / but yet is he not bounde to do / all that our fanteſie requyreth.Note. And likewiſe I know that God is ſo louing and ſo kinde / to ſuche as feareth hym / that he will performe their willes and pleaſures / although kynges & princes had ſworne to the contrary. But herein ſtādeth the doubt whether that ſuche as for pleaſure of men / or for auoydinge tempo all puniſhment / defyleth them ſelfes with Idolatrie. Feareth God / and whether they with all their lyues / denyeth Chriſt by conſentinge to Idolatrie / ſhal at the laſte houre / be called to repentaunce. No ſuche promeſe hauehave we within the ſcriptures of god but rather the expreſt contrarie. And therfore God is not to be tempted / but is too be harde / feared and obeyed.

When thus earneſtly he calleth & threatneth not withoute cauſe.Apoc. 18. Paſſe from the middeſt of her / o my people (ſaith the Lorde) that you be not partakers of her plagues / and that is ment of that abhominable whore / and of her abhomination.3. Reg 18 1. Cor. 10 Math. 10 How long will you halte on bothe partes, you maye not bothe be partakers of the cup of the Lorde / and of the cup of the deuel. He that denieth me before men / I will denye hym before my father / he that refuſeth not hym ſelfe / & taketh vp hys croſſe & folow me / is not worthy of me. No man putting his hande to the plough / & lokinge backwarde is worthie of the kyngdome of God. And Paule to the Hebrewes only meaneth of this ſynne / where he ſayeth:heb. 6.10 who willinglye ſynneth after the knowledge of the trueth / cā not be renewed to repentaunce. O deare brethren / remember the dignitie of your vocatiō / you hauehave folowed Chriſt / you hauehave proclaymed warre againſt Idolatrie / you hauehave laide hande vpō the trueth / and hath communicat at the Lordes table. Will you now ſodenlye ſlyde backe? will ye refuſe Chriſt & his truth? and make paccion with the dyuell & with his deceauable doctrine? Will ye treade the precious bloud of his teſtament vnderunder your fete / and ſet vp an Idoll before the people / whiche thinges aſſuredly you doo / as ofte as euer you preſent your bodies amongſt Idolatours / before that blaſphemous Idoll. God the father of all mercies for Chriſt his ſonnes ſake preſerue you from that ſore temptation / whoſe dolours and daungers / very ſorowe will not ſuffer me to expreſſe. Alas brethren / it is to be feared / that if you fall once a ſlepe / you lye to long before you be wakened.Note. Yet ſome ſhall obiect / Peter the Denyar obteyned mercye.A compariſō betvven Peter & our diſſembling goſpelers. To whome I aunſwer particular examples / maketh no common law / neither yet is there any reſemblance or lykelyhodde betwene the fall of Peter / and our daily Idolatrie. Peter vponupon a ſodayn / without any former purpoſe / thus denyed Chriſte within the ſpace of a houre or two. We vponupon determined purpoſe / and aduiſed mynde dayly deny Chriſt. Peter had Chriſtes aſſurance and promyſe / that after hys deniall he ſhould be conuerted. We hauehave Chriſtes threatninges / that if we denye we ſhalbe denyed. Peter in the biſhops hall / and amongſt wicked men of warre / committed hys offence for feare of lyfe. We in oure citie and houſholde / onelyonly for the looſe of the wicked Mammon / dothe no leſſe. Peter at the warninge of the Cocke / and at Chriſtes looke / left that companye / that prouoked hys ſynne. We after Chriſtes admonitions yea / after gentle exhortations / and fearfull threatninges / will continew in the middeſt of Idolatours / and for their pleaſures will crocke & knele / as the deuel commaundeth / what lykelyhode is here / let eueryevery mā iudge. But much I wonder / that men that can eſpye ſo narow thiftes / as to hyde them ſelfes frome the preſens of God / behynde a buſſhe with Adam their father / can not alſo eſpye that Iudas was an Apoſtle in preſens of men / of no les auctoritie then Peter was / that Cayn was the fyrſt borne in the world.1. Reg. 10 That Saule was the firſt anoynted king by Gods commaundement / and by his prophete / and that Achitophel was a man of moſte ſingular wyſedom / and yet none of theſe foūd place of repentāce.2. Reg. 16 HaueHave we any other aſſuraunces and particuler warrantes within the ſcriptures of God / then they had that all our lyfe we maye be in leage with the deuell / Note.and then at oure pleaſure that we maye laye hande vppon Chriſte / and clothe vsus with hys iuſtice:Ioel. 2. Rom. 10. 2. timo. 2 Be not deceaued brethren, for albeit moſte / trewe it is / that who ſoo euer incalleth the name of the Lorde / ſhalbe ſaued / Yet lyke trew it is / that whoſoeuer incalleth the name of the Lorde / ſhall auoyde and eſſchewe all iniquitie / & that whoſoeuer contine with in open iniquitie / theſame man incalleth not the name of the Lord / neither hath God any reſpecte to hys prayer / Ioh. 9. Ioh. 38. The maſſe the deuels ſacrament and ſeale.and greater iniquitie was neuer from the beginninge of the worlde / then is contayned in that abhominable Idoll / for it is the ſeale off that leage / whiche the deuell hath made with the peſtilent ſonnes of Antechriſte / and is the very chief cauſe / why the bloud of the ſainctes of God / hath ben ſhed nere the ſpace of a thouſand yeare / for ſo longe almoſt hath it bene in deuiſing / and in deckinge with that whoriſhe garmēt / The longe parching of the popiſſhe …aſſe.wherein it now triumpheth / againſt Chriſt / againſte the onelyonly one ſacrifice of hys death / & merites of hys paſſion / which whole abhomination you confirme / and ſheweth youre ſelfes / conſentinge to the murther of thoſe that hath ſuffered for ſpeaking againſte it / as oft as euer you decore that Idoll wyth your preſens.Note. And therfore auoyde it / as that ye will be partakers with Chriſt / with whom ye hauehave ſworne to dye and to lyue in baptiſme and in his holye ſupper. Shame it were to breake promys vntounto man / but is it not more ſhame too breake it vntounto God? fooliſhnes it were to leaue that kynge / whoſe victorie you did ſe preſente / and too take parte with hym / whome vnderſtode & perceaued to be ſo vanqueſhed and ouerthrowen / that he neither might withſtande / neither yet abyde the comming of his aduerſarie.Ioh. 12.16 O brethren / is not the deuel the prince of this worlde / vanquiſhed & caſt out? hath not Chriſte made conqueſte off hym? hath he not caryed our ſelfe vp to glorie in diſpite of ſathans malice.Acto. 1. Shall not oure champion retorne? you vnderſtande that he ſhall and that with expedition / when ſathan and his adherentes Idolatours / Apo. 20.worſhippers of that blaſphemous beaſt / fylthie perſonnes / and fearefull ſhrinkers frome the truthe of God ſhalbe caſte in the lake burninge fyre and brimſtone / which neuer ſhalbe quenched.Foliſhe feare. But in the meane tyme / you feare corporall death / yf nature admitted any man too lyue euer / then had your feare ſome aparēce of reaſon / but yf corporall death be common to all / why will you leoperde to leſe the lyfe euerlaſtinge? to decline and eſcape / that whiche neyther ryche / neither poore / neither wyfe / neyther fooliſhe / proude of ſtomake / nor feable of coraige / and fynally no earthly creature / by no craft nor mene of man did euer eſcape / yf any hath eſcaped the horrible feare of deathe / it was ſuche as boldely did withſtande mennes iniquitie in the earthe.

The fleſhe can doo nothing but grudge.But it grudgeth the fleſſhe (ſaye you) for feare of the torment / let it do the owne nature and office / for ſo muſt it do tyll it be burdened with Chriſtes croſſe / and then no doubte / ſhall God ſende ſuche comforte / as now we looke not for. Let vsus not torne backe from Chriſte / albeit the fleſhe cōplaine / and feareth the torment. Wonder it is that the waye too lyfe is ſo fearfull vntounto vsus, conſidering that ſo greate a number of our brethren / hath paſſed before vsus in at the ſame gatte / that we ſo muche alhorre. Hath not the moſte parte of the ſainctes of God entred in to their reſt / by tormente & trobles of whome witneſſeth Paule / ſome were racked / Others before vsus hath paſt to lyfe by torment.ſome heawin a ſonder / ſome ſlayne with ſwerdes / ſome walked vp & doun in ſhepe ſkinnes / in neade, tribulatiō & vexation, Heb. 11.in mountaines / dennes / and in caues off the earthe / and in all thoſe extremities / what complaintes heare we of their mouthes / except it be that they lament the blindnes of the world / and the perdition of their perſecutors. Did God comforte them / and ſhall he deſpiſe vsus yf in obediens to him / we folow their footſteppes / he ſhall not do it / for he hath promyſed the contrarye. And therfore dearly beloued in the Lorde, As that you purpoſe too auoyde the vengeaunce of God / that ſodenly ſhall ſtrike all obſtinate Idolatours. As that you wolde hane the leage betwene God and you to ſtande ſure / and as that you will declare your ſelfes to hauehave true faith / withoute whiche no man euer ſhall entre in lyfe. And fynally / as that you wil leaue the true knowledge of God / in poſſeſſion to youre chyldren. Auoyde Idolatrie / & all participation thereof / for it is ſo odious before Gods preſens / that not onelyonly dothe he puniſhe the inuentours / and fyrſte offendours / but oftentymes theyr poſteritie are ſtryken with blindenes and daſynes of mynde.Deut. 28. The battaylle ſhall apeare ſtronge / which you are to ſuffer / but the Lord hym ſelfe ſhall be youre cōforte / he ſhall come in youre defence with hys mightie power / Zacha. 2… Pſal 46.57.61.he ſhall geue you vittorie / when none is hoped for / he ſhall tourne your teres to euerlaſtynge Ioye / he ſhall confounde your enemyes with the breath of hys mouthe / Apoc. 7.22. Pſal. 55.he ſhall ſet you ſe their deſtruction that now are moſt proude.

The God of all comforte & conſolation for Chriſt Ieſus / his ſonnes ſake / graūt that this ſimple & plaine admonition / yea / rather the warning of the holy ghoſte maye be receaued / & accepted of you with no les feare & obediēce then I hauehave written it vntounto you with vnfayned louelove / and ſorowfull hart / & then I doubte not / but we ſhall be comforted / when all ſuche as now moteſteth vsus / ſhall trymble & ſhake by the comming of our Lord Ieſus / whoſe omnipotent ſprete perſerue and kepe you vndefiled bodye and ſoule to the ende. Amen.

A Godly Letter to the Faithful in London, Title page 1 – Letter

❧Ihon Knox To the faythfull in Londō / Newcaſtell / Barwyke / & to all others / within the Realme of Englande / that leuith the comming of our Lord Ieſus / Wiſſheth continuance in godlines too the ende With a declaration of prayer / annexeth to the ſame.