Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 18 · Letter 12
Here followeth an other letter of M. Philpot to the Lady Vane, which, because for the length I could not wholy insert, I hauehave excerpted certaine specialties thereout, as followeth.
THe principall spirite of GOD the father, geuen vntounto vsus by Christ Iesus our mercifull Sauiour, confirme, strengthen, and stablish you in the true knowledge of the gospel, that your faithful heart (worshipfull and deare sister in the Lord) may attaine & tast with all the Saincts, what is the height, the depth, the length, and the breadth of the sweete crosse of Christ. Amen. &c.
O, happy are you amōgst all other women, that hauehave found this precious stone which is hidden in the gospell: for the which we ought to sell all other thinges, and to purchase the same. O happy woman, whose heart God hathe mooued and enlarged to be in the profession thereof. Other seeke worldly goodes, hohours, and delightes: but you seeke with a good vnderstanding, to serue God in spirite and veritie. This is the gate that leadeth to heauen: this is your portion for euer. By this you shall see God face to face (which sight is vnspeakeable ioy) & by this shal ye see a full sight of all the beautiful heauenly powers, and of all the celestiall Paradise. By this shal ye know them that you neuer knewe, and be ioyous and gladde wyth those whiche you hauehave knowen heere in God, world without end. &c.
Ah, I lament the infidelitie of Englande, that after so great light, is stept into so huge darkenesse againe. The seruaunt that knoweth his maisters will and doeth it not,He bewayleth the state of England. shall be beaten wyth many stripes. Ah, great be the plagues that hang ouer England, yea though the Gospell shoulde be restored againe. Happye shall that personne be, whome the Lorde shal take out of this worlde, not to see them.Plagues prophesied to England though the Gospell be restored agayne. Ah the great periurie which menne hauehave runne into so wilfully against God by receiuing Antichrist againe and his wicked lawes: which doe threaten a greate ruine vntounto Englande. O that the Lorde woulde tourne his iust iudgements vppon the authours of the truce breaking betweene God and vsus, that they myghte be broughte lowe (as Nabuchodonosor was) that his people might be deliuered, and his glorye exalted, God graunte that that good lucke which you hope shortly to come vppon the house of God, be a true prophecie, and not a well wishing onelyonly. Ah Lorde, take away thy heauie hande from vsus, and stretch it out vponupon thine ennemies these hypocrites, as thou hast begon,Good lucke forshewed in restoring agayne the Gospell. that they may be confounded. O let not the weake pearish for want of knowledge through our sinnes. Although thou kill vsus, yet will we put our trust in thee.
Thus (deare heart) you teache me to pray with you in wryting. God heare our praiers, and geue vsus the spirite of effectuall prayer, to poure out our harts cōtinually together before God, that we may find mercy both for our selues, and for our afflicted brethren and sistern. I can not but praise God in you, for that pitifull heart that taketh other folkes calamities to heart, as your owne. Blessed be they that mourne, for suche shall be comforted. God wipe away all teares from your pitifull eies, and sorrow frō your merciful heart, that you may (as doutles you shal do shortly) reioyce with his elects for euer. You hauehave so armed me to the Lordes battell both inwardly and outwardly, that except I be a very coward, I can not faint, but ouercome by death. You hauehave appointed me to so good and gracious a General of the field, to so victorious a Captaine, and to so fauorable a Marshall, that if I should not goe on lustely, there were no spectacle of heauenlye manhode in me. I wil present your coate armour before my Captaine, and in the same I trust by him to ouercome.Philpo… ▪ Scarffe. The Scarffe I desire as an outward signe to shew our enemies, who see not our glorious ende, neither what God worketh inwardly in vsus, thorough the blindnesse of their hearts, that they persecute Christes crosse in vsus, whereby he hath sealed vp the truthe of his Gospell by his death vntounto vsus, that we by our death (if neede be) myghte confirme the same, and neuer be ashamed, whatsoeuer torment we doe suffer for his names sake: and our weake brethren seeing the same mighte be more encouraged to take vp Christes crosse, and to followe him. God geue vsus grace to doe all thinges to his glory. Amen. &c.
The world wondreth how we can be mery in such extreeme misery, but our God is omnipotent,Experience of Gods comfort… in the ti… of affliction. … whe… th…y prison mens bodies, they set their soule… at liberty…. which tourneth misery into felicity. Beleue me deare sister, there is no such ioy in the worlde as the people of Christ hauehave vnderunder the crosse. I speake by experience: therfore beleue me, and feare nothing that the world can do vntounto you. For when they imprison our bodies, they sette our soules at liberty with God. When they cast vsus downe, they lift vsus vp: yea when they kill vsus, then doe they bring vsus to euerlasting life. And what greater glorye can there be, then to be at conformitie with Christ? which afflictions do worke in vsus.
God open our eies to see more and more the glorye of God in the crosse of Iesus Christe, and make vsus woorthy partakers of the same. Let vsus reioyce in nothing with S. Paul, but in the crosse of Iesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified vntounto vsus, and wo to the worlde. The crosse of Christ be our standard to fight vnderunder for euer. Whiles I am thus talking with you of our common cō solation, I forget howe I trouble you with my rude and vnordinate tediousnesse: but you must impute it to louelove which can not quickely departe from them whome hee loueth, but desireth to poure himselfe into their bosomes.
Therefore though your flesh woulde be offended (as it might iustly be) at such rudenesse, yet your spirit will say nay, which taketh all thing in good part that commeth of louelove. And now I am departing: yet will I take my leaue ere I goe, and woulde faine speake somewhat that might declare my sincere louelove to you for euer: farewell. O elect vessell of the Lorde, to the comfort of hys afflicted flocke, farewell on earth, whome in heauen, I am sure, I shall not forget. Farewell vnderunder the crosse most ioyfully: and vntil we meete, alwaies remember what Christe sayeth: Be of good cheare, for I hauehave ouercome the world. &c.
God poure his spirit abundantly vponupon you mine owne deare bowels in Christ, vntil you may come to see the God of all Gods with his electes in the euerlasting Syon. I send to you the kisse of peace, with the which I do most entirely take my leaue of you at this present. It is necessary we depart hence, or els we could not be glorified. Your heart is heauy because I say I must depart from you. It is the calling of the mercifull father, wherewithal you are contēt, and so am I. Be of good comfort: holde out your buckler of faith: for by the strength therof we shal shortly mete in eternal glory: to the which Christ bring both vsus, Amen. Amen. The 10. of December. 1555.
Death why should I feare thee, since thou canst not hurt me,
But rid me from miserie, vntounto eternall glorie.
Dead to the world, and liuing to Christ, your owne brother, sealed vp in the veritie of the Gospel for euer.
Iohn Philpot.