Letter to the True Professors of Christs Gospel, Letter
A letter to the trew profeſſors of Chriſtes Goſpell / inhabitinge in the Pariſhe off Allhallowis / in Bredſtrete in London / made by Thomas Sampſon / ſometyme their Paſtore.
2. Corin. 6.
¶ We as helpers therfore exhorte you / that ye receaue not the grace of God in vayne.
¶ Imprynted at Strasburgh in Elſas / at the ſigne of the goldē Bibell / In the monethmonth of Auguſte. the yeare of our LORD. 1554.
The grace ād fauour of God / our heauenly father / pourchaſed vntounto vsus / by the blody death of Chriſt our Sauiour / befelte and encreaſed in all your conſciences / too your euerlaſting conſolation.
THe violēce of this age dothe not ſuffer me / my moſt louinge brethren / to come (as I wolde do) vntounto you / and by talke & brotherly cōferringe / to putte you in mynde of the Goſpel of Ieſus Chriſte / which amongeſte woothers farre more worthie / euen I by Gods grace preached amōg you. I therfore hauehave thought nedeful by theſe letters / now to do theſame / nowe I ſaye / when thoughe the peruerſe frowardnes of men / the trew preaching of Chriſtes Goſpel is banniſhed and mans doctrine is taughte with lyes & fables: And thoughe ſome perchaunce will thinke that thys longeth not to me / but too hym that is youre Paſtore to doo / yet for as muche as once I was your paſtore / I cā not but teſtefye / that ſome pece of paſtorall cure dothe yet reſte in my harte towardes you. The whiche in dede dothe muche perſwade me / as the preſente neceſſitie alſo ſemeth no les to require / to make a longe & a large treatiſe / by whiche ye mighte hauehave an whole armour againſte all the aſſaultes off falſe Prophetes. But whē I conſider / how truly / and that with much diligēce ye hauehave ben taughte / and therewith thinkinge / that ye are not forgetfull hearers of the worde / I thinke that amonge you it ſhall ſuffice / if I do but name thoſe greateſt euelles / whiche nowe are poured forthe out of pulpittes amonge you / and therewith put you in mynd of the truthe / contrary to theſe lyes / which once you both herde and recyeued / deſiring you to abide in the ſame. This will I do ſhortly / as I hauehave but littell / and theſame vnapte tyme to do it / yet truly I truſt to do it / as let Gods worde therein trye it. If firſt ye will ſuffer me to tell you / that throughe theſe fals Prophetes / the caſtell of youre healthe / the ſaluacion of your ſoules is aſſalted / whome if ye ſuffer too be with you if ye yelde vp your ſelfes to the beleuinge & folowing of their doctrine / then knowe ye that as by blynde lears ye be ledde / ſo you wyth them then beynge blynded / Math. 15.ſhal wyth them fall in to the pitte of pardiciō / which is prepared aſwell for the falſely ſeduced / as for the falſe ſeducer. Of thys I coulde be content to ſpeake the leſſe / but that I ſe that whyleſt of to many / and that Londyners / theſe beaſtes befolowed. Ye hauehave euen drawen and pulled vponupon your heades thoſe abhominacions / whiche if but reaſon had ruled / ſhoulde not hauehave bene admitted before that by lawes they had ben thruſt vntounto you / that I ſpeake not / what trew Chriſtianitie ſhoulde hauehave moued you too hauehave done.
Oh London / London / An exclamation vpō London.is this the Goſpelling fruicte / to be the firſte / that withoute a lawe ſhouldeſt banniſh trew preaching out of the / too be the fyrſte that againſte lawes ſhalt admitte that maſſinge Idolatrie / to be the firſte that ſhall geue the example of ſtō bling to all Englande / whych ſhouldeſt yet hauehave bene the fyrſt in conſtancy / in humble / ſayeng for the continuinge of the truthe in the / in quiet and paciente ſuffringe for the truths ſake euen deathe / if by the rulers it had bene offered the. That grounde arte thou / whyche not in perſecucion / but before perſecuciō commeth doſt go backe / a groūd thou arte reſerued for the Lordes wofull cures / to whoſe iudgement London I leue the.
Seing in Lōdō theſe euels are receiued / as it is nowe meete for vigilante Paſtors too watche ouer their flocke / to chaſe the wolf awaye / les at the Lordes hande they doo heare the name of hierlinges / Ioan. 10ſo nowe is it hygh tyme for you my louinge brethrē / and all them that he the chyldrē of God / to take heede whoſe voyce ye do heare / too beware of the leauen of papiſticall Phariſeis / and to kepe your ſelfes vndefiled from all their abhominacions.The errour of tranſſubſtantiation. The greateſt of whiche now I will reſite amonges all their abhominacions / one of the principall is their doctrine of tranſſubſtanciatiō / the very pryde of papiſtrie / and the horrible offence / euen of the Turckes and Heathen. That a popiſh prieſt / by his huſſing and buſſinge / and mumblinge vp of the woordes of Chriſte / more lyke a Coniuror then a Chriſtian / ſhoulde worke that miraculous alteracion and chaunginge of the ſubſtaunce of breade and wyne / into the ſubſtaunce of the bodye and bloude of Chriſte / whiche then is to be taken / as Chriſt hym ſelfe God and man / & ſo to be adored. But you knowe my dere brethren / that there is no ſuche miracle too be beleued without the certayne doctrine of Gods worde to warant theſame / which the papiſtes can neuer ſhowe / & therfore their miracle is not to be beleued / Chriſt in Inſtituting the Supper / mēt not to leaue there hys body and bloud really and ſubſtancially as the papiſtes do teache: For Chriſte in the ſubſtaunce of hys body / was then to be crucified / he was to dye / he was to ryſe agayn / he was to aſcende / and he was / and in theſame yet now is / to appeare before the glorious God / our Biſhop / aduocate / & mediator / there ſo to remayne vntill the laſte daye / as the ſchriptures do teache. In the Supper he inſtituted a commemoration of the breaking of hys body / and ſheddinge of hys bloud / to be done and made of them that do eate that breade / and drynke of that cuppe / accordinge to hys inſtitution: which he called his body and bloude / for that it is to the receauers a ſeale and confirmacion of Chriſtes body brokē / and Chriſtes bloud ſhedde for them / that the profite and commoditie thereof is theirs / whiche there do partake by fayth. And ſo theſe woordes: This is my body, and this is my bloud, are to be vnderſtand / and not as the tranſſubſtā ciators / literally enforce them. For their vnderſtanding / them is bothe cōtrary to Chriſtus meaninge / and alſo to the office of hys body / beſydes that it is agaynſt the nature of hys very body. And that theſame phraſe of ſpeakinge is thus to be vnderſtanded / as I hauehave ſayde: The like phraſes in like matters in the ſcriptures dothe ſufficiētly teche vsus. As whereof circumciſion / the LORD dothe ſaye: This is my couenaunt, where it was but the ſeale of the couenaūt / as Paul calleth it. In the ſame ſorte it is ſayde: This is the pasouer. This cuppe is the new Teſtament in my bloud. Chriſt is the rocke. And in lyke maner are theſe to be vnderſtā ded. So that if the aduerſaries will geue the / geue the holy Ghoſte leaue to expound hym ſelf / then theſe woordes. Thys is my body? Thys is my bloud? are figuratiuely to be vnderſtanded. As the leke Phariſeis are / and ſo ſerue they not all for their monſtruus tranſſubſtanciation.The ſacrifice of the maſſe. The ſecond abhominacion is their ſacrifice of the maſſe. In whiche (too let many thinges paſſe / as the ſtraungenes of the tounge / the Ieweſh apparel / the fonde noddes / croſſes / beckes & duckes.) Thre euels moſte notable and to a Chriſtian conſcience intollerable are there. Firſte their wicked ſacrifice / Thre abhominable euels in the ſacrifice off the popiſhe maſſe.whiche their maſſeboke teſtefieth / to be Propiciatorie / to take awaye the ſynnes of all thoſe / be they dead or liuing / for whom thei do ſay maſſe: Yea / profitable and availeable for warres / peace / wether / ſickenes / for murrain of beaſtes / and for whatſoeuer ye luſt to bye their appliecacion. Oh ſhameful blaſphemie. As concerninge the ſacrifice Propiciatorie for ſynne / ye muſt hold the anker of your faith that this ſacrifice Chriſt him ſelf once offered for all in his own bloudy death. He was the prieſt & the ſacrifice / the offerer and the thing offered / & by his own bloudy offering purified he in the ſhedding of his bloude all hys frō ſynne. By it purchaſed he eternall ſanctificacion & ſaluacion for thē that ſhalbe ſaued: & by it finiſhed he for euer / the ful propiciacion for ſynnes:Math. 27 for ſayeng theſe wordes it is fyniſhed or conſummate / he yelded vp the ghoſte. Deteſtable therfore is the papiſticall ſacrifice & ingerous to the bloudy death of Chriſt.
Chriſt inſtituted this ſupper to be a ſacrament to vsus / and not that of it a prieſt ſhould make a propiciatory ſacrifice for ſynne: In the eating & drinking of it / that we ſhould declare the Lordes death / offeringe the ſacrifice of thankes therefore (and therefore is it called of the fathers a ſacrifice of thankes) and not leauinge any more ſacrifice propyciatorie for ſynne too anye prieſte too offer:Euchariſtia That we eatynge and drinkynge / according too hys inſtitucion / ſhoulde by fayth applie vntounto oure conſciences / the benefite of hys deathe and paſſion / and not geuinge power too any prieſte by meſſing too applie the benefite of hys death / to whome and to what he lyſteth.
The Lords ſupper ſerue not for one dead.Chriſt ordeined hys Supper neither for the dead / whiche hauehave no vſe of eating and drinking with vsus in the congregacion: nor yet for beaſtes / wether / nor war / for which Chriſt did not dre: but for hys church liuīg vponupon thys earth / that nedeth hys worde / & nedeth hys Sacramēts / for the cōfirminge of their fayth.
☞ Thus plainly / ye ſe one miſcheuous miſuſe in this maſſe. The ſeconde euell is / that the bread and cuppe (which the Lorde inſtituted too be receaued of the faythefull with thankes geuinge) In their maſſe they do abuſe / and make of it an Idol / holding it vp for the people / not onelyonly to gaze vppon / but to geue vntounto it that honor / whiche is dewe vntounto God alone: And ſo bothe make of it an Idol / and of the people groſſe Idolators / and tranſgreſſers of Gods commaundement. The fylthines of which Idolatrie / I know you do ſe ſo plaine / that I nede not with many woordes to impugum it / for a Chriſtian conſcience can not but abhorre it. The thirde euel is that in their maſſe / that that is eaten and drounken is done & deuoured of the prieſt all alone / with quartering and ſoppinge / with lickinge and ſuppinge / with waſſhing and wyping / and ſuch prety trickes of their owne inuenting. Chriſte in hys inſtitucion apoynteth thys ſupper too he ſelebrate of the whole cōgregaciō.Math. 26 Mar. 14. Luc. 22. Take ye, and drynk ye all of this ſayeth he: This do ye in remembraunce of me. For ſo oft as ye eate this bread / and drinke of this cup ye ſhew the Lordes death tyll he commeth. Chriſt and Paule ſpeaketh not to the prieſt alone / but too the whole congregacion / too obſerue thys ordinaunce of eating and drinkinge at the Lordes ſupper: Whereby ye maye playnely ſe how contrary thys doyng of our popiſhe maſſers is in this alſo to the Inſtitucion of Chriſte.The maſſe of all Idoles moſte abhorminable. And too be ſhorte in thys their whole maſſe is nought / els but an horrible prophanaciō of the Lordes ſupper: Wherefore as a moſte iniurius blaſphemye / too the bloude of Chriſte / as a moſte groſſe Idolatrie / as a moſte wicked prophanacion of Chriſtes inſtitucion / of all Chriſtians is this maſſe to be eſchewed and abhorred.
Out of his miſcheuous Idol the maſſe / form they vntounto the people / a new founde ſacrament of their owne inuentinge: deliuering to the people (as they ſaye) through the miracle of their tranſſubſtanciatiō a body / in which body / becauſe alſo there is bloude therefore / they do not miniſter their conſecrated cup accordingly / for feare of ſpilling and yet they geue drinke too their houſeled to waſhe doune the cromes withall. Oh theues where learne ye too miniſter ſuche a ſacrament. Where hauehave ye your ground in the ſcripture for this / your vnholſome houſell. Who can with a good conſciīce receyue ſuche a new found Popiſh ſacramente at a papiſtes hande / ſeynge alſo it is thereto off them vſed / to put Chriſtes true inſtitucion out of hys trew vſe. Whoſe appointed ordinaunce is that the bread of thankesgeuing / and the cuppe of thankesgeuing ſhoulde be eaten and droncken of the congregacion / as before I ſayd.
Thys their newe founde Sacrament they hange vppe in the pix / they carrye abrode in proceſſiōs to be adored / with many ſuch miſchiefs of their owne inuentinge / whiche to reken vp / all were an endles labour.The papiſtes defende their doctrine vvith manacinge vvordes, vvith empreſonemēt vvith fyre and faggot, vvith axe and halter. The doctrine of iuſtification corrupted of the papiſtes I leaue them therfore euer liſteninge when I may heare them defende theſe their abhominacions by the written woorde off God / but this as they neuer yet coulde do / ſo ſhall they neuer be able to do it / and therfore of all Chriſtians are they wiſh their euaſyons to be forſaken.
In the doctrine of Iuſtificacion they wander enwrapped in laberin theſe inextricable. They erre in extenuating ſynne bothe originall and actuall / in not vnderſtā dinge the lawe / the force of it (I meane) nor the ende of it / in makynge a Iuſtification / partly of Chriſtes grace / partelye of mans free wil / good mocyons and good worckes / and herein they ſo enwrappe theym ſelfes with their termes of the fyrſt grace / Toyes for an ape too play vvith all.the ſeconde grace / grace preſidente / grace concomitatinge / grace folowinge / with merite of congruence / and merite of condignitie / that neither vnderſtande thee trewe iuſtificacion / neither canne other men vnderſtande what they do meane by their Iuſtificatiō: But their doctrine is too bringe men into a continuall doubtynge of ſaluacion / and leadeth them cleane from that free Iuſtificacion / whiche we hauehave in Ieſus Chriſte. But you my brethren hauehave out of the ſcriptures receyued / and I truſte by the practyſes of youre owne conſcyences hauehave taſted.
☞ That by nature ye are the chyldren of wrath of your ſelfs: as of your ſelfs that ye are but ſuche a lompe of ſynne / that in you dwelleth no good thynge. For whyche the lawe iuſtely condempneth you as gilty of Goddes curſe and wrathe / and ſo dryueth you too Chriſte. By whoſe grace ye be frely iuſtified.
By whoſe bloudde ſheddynge / onelyonly and alone / the attonemente is nowe made made betwene God and you / whiche you beleuing are made the heires of bleſſinge / of whiche your conſciences by fayth beinge aſſured by the worke of Gods ſpirite / Rom. 5.ye be at peace with God / becauſe ye do feale euen in your hartes by liuelye perſwaſion off fayth / that Chriſt hath loued you / and geuen hym ſelf for you / Ephe. 5.for whoſe onelyonly ſake ye are iuſtefied and ſaued: Which you thus felinge / are ledde by theſame ſpirite that worketh thys in you too render vntounto God the ſacrifice of your body / in liuing & doing thoſe workes / which in hys ſight are acceptable / and that in a fredom and libertie off the ſpirite / I meane no fleſhely libertie / but that libertie of the ſpiritie / by whiche we darre drawe nye vntounto the ſeate of Goddes grace / calling hym: Abba father / that libertie that ſubdueth the libertie of the fleſhe / and maketh it captiue & bonde too ſerue the ſpirite. In which you alſo walkinge / when ye hauehave done all that ye can do / yf ye coulde do all that is commaunded you too do / yet ſeinge all mans righteouſnes is but as a defyled clothe / ye ſeke not thereby the perimpliſhment of your Iuſtificacion. Which is all redy fully geuen you in Chriſtes Ieſus / ye loke not to the merite of your good workes: but on your part knowing your owne want and imperfection / Luc. 17.yea / and ſynne euē in the beſt ye do / ye ſaye: we are vnprofitable ſeruauntes commending all your doinges to the grace of God thorowe Chriſte / that by hym they maye be made pure: on Godes parte conſidering / that the good ye do / is the worke of his ſpirite in you / which worketh in all men / bothe to will & to do / ye do geue vntounto hym the glory / ſeyng by his grace onelyonly / ye are that good that ye are. Neuertheles / yet this alſo ye knowe that the Lord / Good vvorkes.whiche through Chriſte hath accepted you vntounto his grace / doth of the ſame grace in Chriſte / accept theſe youre workes into hys fauour / as iuſt perfect and good. Whiche though they be the woorkes of hys ſpirite in you / yet is he content to hauehave thē called and eſtemed as yours / and as youres dothe he of hys owne fre grace reward thē bothe in this lyfe / and in the lyfe to come. In this that I hauehave thus ſpoken / you ſe the force of ſynne originall and actuall / the force and ende of the lawe / the power of mans free will / the trew iuſtification / mās regeneracion / and the life / fruictes & perfection of Gods regenerate chylde: By which ye may the more eaſely perceaue how farre the papiſtes wander from the truthe of iuſtification / by which they drawe men into a deſperate doubting of ſaluacion / whyche who ſo liketh / let them taſte therof. Here is occaſion alſo geuen me to warne you of all thoſe meanes that they hauehave taught too be meritorius to deſerue Gods grace / as workes of ſuperrogaciō / workes done of a good entent / fiſh faſtes / vowes / pylgrimages / pardons / Conterfa…ts good vvorkes.and ſuche like Popiſh traſhe / which though as yet perchaūce they dare not teathe / yet hauehave they taught / and will hereafter teache it. But againſt all ſuch / I accōpt you ſufficiently armed / if ye holde faſt thys that our onelyonly merite a valiable before god / is the merite of Chriſt / whiche he frely geueth / and God for his onelyonly ſake frelye imputeth to all trew beleuers / which is vntounto them full perfyt / and ſufficient merit / righteouſnes / ſanctification / & ſaluacion.The interceſſion of ſainctes. They teache alſo inuocacion of ſainctes / to make them mediators / if not too God for vsus / yet vntounto Chriſte to ſpeake the better for vsus.
1. Tim. 2.The ſcripture teacheth playn / that betwen God and man / there is but one mediator / the man Ieſus Chriſt / who therfore became man / that for men he alone ſhould make interceſſiō / as for mans redēpcion he alone did dye.Ioan. 15 Wherefore euen he alſo teacheth mē to call vpō the father in hys name / promiſing to ſuche that they ſhall be harde.Prayer abuſed amonge the papiſtes 1. Cor. 14
Prayer abuſe they not onelyonly in a ſtraūge tonge / contrary to the doctrine of Paule / whiche will hauehave all thinges done in the cō gregacion / to the edifyeng thereof: in ſuperſticious numbring of a certayne number of Pſalmes / or Pater noſters / of whiche becauſe the people ſhalbe ſure / Math. 6they teache thē the vſe of beades / contrarye vntounto whiche Chriſt our Sauiour taught / condemninge it as a phariſeicall ſuperſticion / when for their much clatering ſake / they thinke them ſelfes to be hard:Prayenge for the dead But alſo they teache and defend prayeng for the dead / to be charitable and propiciatory.Apoc. 14
Where as yet the ſcripture teacheth / that they that dye in the Lorde / are inſolace and bleſſednes. As then they nede not our prayers / ſo our prayers can adde noughte vntounto their bleſſednes:Avvaie vvith ioure purgatorij rakers, and four maſſes of Requſē. And on the contrary parte they that dye wickedlye / hauehave no remedye euerlaſtingly: So that on all partes / thys kynde of prayer is in vayne. The wother being in moſte bleſſed ſaftie / and with theſe the tyme of health & grace beinge paſt / theyr curious charitie therfore / and their peuiſhe propiciatorye prayer hath no ground in the ſcriptures. But through this they hauehave picked the purſe of many a poore man / for on thys vnhappye grounde buylde they chantries / trentalles vniuerſaries / diriges / purgatory / pardons for ſoules departed / and a pece of their expiatory ſacrifice / with many ſuche proper deuiſes.
Auriculer confeſſion.Auriculer confeſſiō they teache / in which they enforce a numbring of ſynnes / whiche is nought / els but the tyrāny of their kingdome / and as they vſe it a killing of Chriſtiā conſciences / and hath no groūde of the ſcriptures. In an anguiſhe and dute of conſciēce it is both good / neceſſary / and comfortable / for a man to counſail with ſum ſuche learned elder / in whoſe lippes dothe lye the law of truthe. Agayne / if the trew eccleſiaſticall diſcipline were vſed / a pece of it oughte too be / that the man reſtored / ſhoulde of hys faulie make an open confeſſion before the congregacion / to declare publicquely hys repentaunce. Yea / and a miniſter may vppon iuſt groūde examine any / of whom he hath cure / of ſuch a faute / as he ſeeth him worth to be reproued for: But this is ſo farre frō their eareſhrifte / that a man moſte blynde / maye eaſely iudge thereof.Popiſſhe inuencions. But the rable of their errors are to many now to recite / as of the authoritie of the churche / of the not erring of the churche / of diſcipline / of theyr fyue new enuented ſacrament / of voues / of ckoyſe of meates / of images / and ſuch lyke. Againſt all / whiche that ye maye be armed my deare brethren / I require you not onelyonly to call to minde the doctrine of the truthe receyued. But alſo that for the triall of thē ye do abyde in the worde of the truthe / Godes worde I meane. And becauſe / here they hauehave alſo an error / I will but recite it / and ſo make an ende.Tradicions
Their error is / that Gods writtē worde is not a ſufficiente doctrine vntounto ſaluacion / but (ſay they) the voyce of the church / tradicions / and counſayles are to be harde of neceſſitie. As for tradicions / there is no tradicion of any matter of faithe to be receyued / other then is in the ſcriptures expreſſed. Likewiſe doctors and counſailles / Doctors. Counſails. Cuſtomes. Note.with the conſent and cuſtome of the churche / are ſo farre to be harde in matters of faithe / as they do agre with the writen ſcripture: for it is the touche ſtone to trye them all by / & that in ſuche ſorte / that if they ſaye not / according to this woorde / then as there is no light in them / ſo are they not to be folowed.Eſa. 8. As for tradicions / cuſtomes / Ceremoniesand by and for the order of the churche ceremonies receyued and vſed / which be no matters of faith / they may be admitted and altered at the diſcrecion of theym that hauehave the rule of the church vnderunder Chriſt / according to the neceſſite of the tyme / and the diſpoſition of the people / ſo that in them be nothinge elles but trew edifying to vnfayned Godlynes. And ſuche are of the people with humblines too be receyued. But for the ful triall of ſuche / …ea / and for the full and perfect inſtitucion of all men / in ſuche thinges as concerning ſaluacion / God hath lefte vntounto his church and people hys written worde.The holy ſcripture is a ſufficient doctrine for oure ſaluacion, vvithout the Popiſhe vnvvrittē verites. Ioan. 20. In whiche though all thinges that God mighte hauehave cauſed to be written / be not writtē. Yet in it ſo much is written / as ſufficeth to teache vsus that Ieſus Chriſt is the ſonne of God / and alſo that we beleuing / might hauehave lyfe euerlaſtinge / as Ihon dothe witnes / by whiche we learne / that the written worde of God. is a ſufficiēt doctrine to inſtruct vsus in that fayth / whiche bringeth to lyfe euerlaſtinge. It is that ſufficient doctrine that can alone make men learned vntounto ſaluacion / by the fayth which is in Chriſt Ieſus / it alone ſufficeth to make the mā of God perfectly enſtructed too all that is good / as witneſſeth Paule.2. Tim. 3 Ioan. 5. Luc. 16. 2. Pet. 1. Therefore vntounto the ſcriptures do Chriſte ſende the Phariſeis / Abraham too Moyſes and the Prophetes / Peter alſo to theſame worde of the Prophetes / as to the doctrine that ſufficeth to enſtructe vsus too ſaluacion. The knowledge of whiche worde whoſoeuer goeth aboute to take from the people by putting it into a ſtraunge langage to the ende that the more ſafely / our popiſh marchaūtes maye kepe their marte of falshead and Popery / he robbeth the people of their meane to ſaluacion / he openith a dore for theues and murtherers / to deuoure the flocke of Chriſt / and if at the worldes hāde / he ſuſtayneth not the iudgemente of a thefe / yet at Godes hande ſhall he be ſure to hauehave the iudgement of a ſoule murtherer.
☞ Thus briefly I hauehave put you in mynd my deare brethren of the principall errors of the aduerſaries / and of the truthe contrary to them / not ſo copiouſly as the matter deſerueth / but ſhortly meaſuring the neade of your knowledge / for I hauehave not to do now with the ignorant / but with you / of whom by the tyme and kynde of your teachinge / I iudge that ye be able not onelyonly too iudge off the truthe / but too be brotherly enſtruetors of other in theſame. And thus I hauehave done furſt to exorte you conſtantly to abide in the truthe receyued.Continuan̄e in the truth Call to youre mynde that God of his great mercy and goodnes hathe long ben in planting / ſowing / and watering of you / as it were to make you a garden off pleaſure vntounto hym ſelfe. Theſe ſedes of lyfe the deuel by hys doctors will now go about to picke out of your hartes. But if in thys Goſpelling adge / ye hauehave bene worthy hearers of the Goſpel / if with the worde herde with youre eares / the Lordes ſprite hathe touched your hartes to beleue the worde of truthe preached / as he hath done to ſo many as hauehave vnfaynedly deſired it / Ioan. 10if ye be the ſhepe / which hauehave rightely herde the ſhepeherdes voyce / then ſurely the ſtraungers ſupplanting voice ſhall ye not heare / but ye ſhall flee frome ſuche hurelinges / as frome theues / robbers and murtherers. Hereby verely ſhall ye be knowen what ground ye are / fruteful / or vnfruteful conſtant / or ſeruers of the tyme:The propertie of good goſpelers. Good Goſpel hearers be not ſuche as will be toſt aboute with eueryevery wynde / they be no ſuche grounde as wil be dried vp with eueryevery blaſt of bourning heate / but they abide in Godes truthe / ſerchinge and learninge theſame in hys holy ſcriptures / and that with ſuche faithfull diligence and conſtante obedience / that if an aungell from heauen ſhal preache an other Goſpel / they holde hym accurſed:Galat. 1. Yea / and thoughe there be many counterfaicie Chriſtians / that fall awaye frome the Lordes truthe / yet abide they with Chriſte and ſaye:Ioan. 6. Heare and kepe the vvorde off god. Thou hafte the wordes of euerlaſting lyfe: Conſider my deare brethren / that not too heare alone / but to kepe Chriſtes woorde maketh a man happie. And in kepinge the principall parte is too perſeuer in the doctrine off truthe / thys maketh Chriſtes diſciples / this maketh you free / yea / thys is it / that maketh a man ſafe / for he that perſeuereth too the ende / ſhalbe ſaued.
Matth. 10Thys alſo hauehave I written too exorte you / to kepe your ſelfes vndefiled frome all Popiſhe leauen / Note and bevvare.yf ye do fall from the Goſpell / and embrace Poperie / ye fall frome truthe to lyes / frome the woorde of lighte and lyfe / to darkenes and death / frome ſaluacion to dampnacion / from God too the deuell.Luce. 11. Ye are then they / into whome the euell ſprete reentreth with ſeuē worſe then hym ſelfe / ye are then the foliſhe buylders whiche ſuffer the vnrecouerable ruin. And as then with that filth that is in Popery / ye be defyled with it: ſo of the dampnacion whiche is due to ſuche abhominacion / ye ſhall be partakers of it.Chriſtes death & the Popiſh Maſſe can not agre together. But if ye thinke that ye can bothe embrace Popery and the Goſpel / ye do diſceaue your ſelfes / for you can not bothe holde the taſte off Chriſtes deathe in your conſciences / and alowe alſo that maſſe / whiche is the defacer of Chriſtes deathe / you can not embrace the righte vſe of the Lordes ſupper / and alſo vſe and partake the horrible prophanacion of theſame: Ye can not by faythe apprehende free iuſtificacion / and yet ſeke by your righteouſnes and merites too be ſaued: you can not accepte Godes written woorde / as the ſufficient doctrine of ſaluacion: and alſoo take mans doctrine and tradicions / as neceſſarie to theſame / and ſo forthe of the reſt. This can ye not do bothe / they are ſo contrarie.
Serue God accordinge to his vvorde.But if ye coulde do it / yet may ye not do it / for God will none of your māgeled ſeruice / for as there is no cōueniēce betwene Chriſte and Beliall / ſo men muſt not halte on both ſydes in Godes ſeruice / but eyther ſay that God is God / or els that Baal is god.2. Cor. 6. 3. Reg. 18 God neuer allowed that ſeruice of the Samaritaines / whiche both ſerued their Idols / and worſhipped the lyuing God. But if ye be turned to the Lord / then all ſtraunge Gods muſte ye cleane forſake. The Lorde is God alone / alone therfore according to hys worde will he be ſerued.Exod. 20 God is ouer mā a gelious God / wherefore he will hauehave whole man wholy to be hys alone / as our fyrſt commā dement teacheth vsus. Agayne / if you thinke that in your hartes ye will ſerue the Lord / but yet ye will be and may be preſent in parſon at their Idolatrie.Fleſhlij pollecie. For your hart ſhalbe in heauē. This is but a fleſhly policie / which fayleth as many as truſt vntounto it.The maſſe is an vvhoriſh thefe. How can you / too whome Chriſtes deathe is deere: abyde to ſe that whoriſh thefe / that ſtealeth from Chriſte the glory of his death. Howe can ye / which hauehave ben and are ready to receaue with thankefulnes the Lordes ſupper according to Chriſtes inſtitucion / abide to ſe the horrible prophanacion thereof?Harte and mouth muſt go together in matters of God. And ſo forth of the reſt. But if your conſciēce were ſuche that ye coulde thus do / yet knowe ye thys / that it is againſte your Chriſtian profeſſion.Rom. 10. For we are taughte / that too beleue with the hart / & to confeſſe with the mouth maketh a man ſafe. Bothe hartes belefe / & mouthes confeſſiō muſt go together / whiche dothe not ſo in you / when inwardly ye are Goſpelers / & outwardly deſſemblers with papiſtes. Ye are bought with a pryce (ſayeth Paule) glorify now God in your body and in your ſprite / whiche are Gods.1. Cor. 6. Seinge both body an ſprite are Goddes / not onelye by creacion / but bought alſo by redempciō / euen in the price of Chriſtes bloude / ye can not with a diſſembling pretēce / couple your bodies with papiſtes / for then ye do not glorifie God in your bodies. We rede not that any chylde of God / vſed euer iuſtlye anye ſuche diſſimulacion.Examples of conſtanci in goddes vvorde. dan. 6.14 Dan. 3. Daniel vſed none ſuch and therfore was he ſone accuſed of not adoring the kyng / Bel and the Dragon. The thre chyldren / whether they came by cōpulſion / or came of their owne mynde / where the Idol was / diſſembled not / for forth with they were accuſed as tranſgreſſors of the kynges commaundement. Eleazarus wold not diſſemble / eating euen of lawful fleſhe.2. mach. 6 Theſe men glorified God in body & ſprite / theſe men beleued in hart / & confeſſed with the mouth / & ſo muſt you do / without any other muyſinge / yf ye will do the office off Chriſtians.Of offence geuinge. Note vvel. And this to do not onelyonly the profeſſion of Chriſtianitie enforceth / but Chriſtian cheritie alſo. Our doinges muſt be without offence geuinge: But by thys diſſembling a double ſtomble blocke is geuē whiche euen in thinges indifferent is to be auoyded. For what though a Chriſtian may eate frely of meates offered vntounto Idols / yet if thereby an Idolater / whoſe conſcience in hys ſuperſticion / ſhoulde be confirmed therby / it were better neuer to eate fleſhe. And what though al thinges be clean to the clean to be eaten on all dayes with thankes geuing / yet better it is not to eate fleſh / nor to drinke wyne:Rom. 14 1. Cor. 8 then too offende thereby thy weake brother:Note ye diſſemblinge goſpelers. If this be to be obſerued in thinges indifferente / howe muche more in thinges which are abſolutely euell / muſt ye take heede that neither ye geue occaſion off concerninge the conſcience of an Idolatrie / nor yet of offending the weke to draw them to the leeke euell with you: bothe whiche ye do / when bothe a papiſt and a weke brother ſeeth you as mingrels myngling your ſelfs with the Papiſtes in their Idolatrie. As muche might I ſpeake / howe that all thynges that ye do in the congregacion muſte be done to edifyeng.1. Cor. 14 But of this to hauehave full inſtruccion.Caluine. I referre you to the mynde off mayſter Caluine / lately trāſlated & printed in Engliſh. Thus now I ende wiſhing you all well in the Lorde.Godly exhortations. Abide in hys truthe / kepe your ſelfes vndefiled. Offer youre ſelfes hūbly to ſuffer all violence of blouddye lawes for the truthes ſake / kepe ſafe your conſciēces / thoughe the ſworde taketh your lyues from you / ſuffer & beare withal humblenes and quiet obedience. Humble your ſelfes in vnfayned repentaunce before the Lorde / in the horrible plague of Popery / that of hys mercy he maye be moued to ende theſe dayes of deluſion / and let your prayers alwayes aſcend vp before the Lord / begginge of hym ſuche thynges as ye nede. In which I beſech you to praye alſo for me.
Youre louinge frend and orator. Thomas Sampſon.
The grace of our LORD Ieſus Chriſt be with you all. AMEN.
End of the text · Thomas Sampson, Letter to the True Professors of Christs Gospel (1554)