Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 18 · Letter 5
¶Letters of Mayster Philpot.
¶A letter which he sent to the christian congregation exhorting them to refrayne from the Idolatrous seruice of the papists, and to serue God after his word.
IT is a lamentable thing to behold at this present in England,A letter of M. Philpot to the Congregation. the faithles departing both of men & women frō ye true knowledge & vse of Christes sincere religion, which so plētifully they hauehave bene taught & do know, their own consciences bearing witnes to the veritie thereof. If that earth be cursed of God,Heb. 6· which eftsoones receiuing moisture & pleasant dewes from heauen, doth not bring forth fruite accordingly: how much more greuous iudgemēt shal such persons receiue, which hauing receiued from the father of heauē the perfect knowledge of his word by the ministery therof,Math. 25. do not shew forth Gods worship after the same? If the Lord wil require in the day of iudgemēt a godly vsury of all maner of talentes which he sendeth vntounto men & women how muche more wil he require the same of his pure religion reuealed vntounto vsus (which is of al other talents the chiefest & most pertayning to our exercise in this life) if we hide the same in a napkin and set it not forth to ye vsurye of Gods glory, and edifying of his church by true confessiō? God hath kindled the bright light of his Gospel, which in times past was suppressed & hid vnderunder ye vile ashes of mās traditiōs, and hath caused the brightnes therof to shine in our harts,Math. 5. to ye end yt the same might shine before men to ye honor of his name. It is not onelyonly geuen vsus to beleue, but also to confesse & declare what we beleue in our outwarde couersation.Rom. 10. For as S. Paule writeth to the Romaynes: The beliefe of the hart iustifieth, and toe acknowledge wyth the mouth, Math. 11.maketh a man safe. It is al one before God, not to beleue at al, & not to shew forth ye liuely works of our belief. For Christe sayth:Luke. 12. Either make the tree good and his fruites good: or ells make the tree euill and the fruites euill, because a good tree bringeth forth good fruites: So that ye person which knoweth his maysters will and doth it not,Math. 7. shalbe beaten with many stripes. And not all they which say Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of God, but he that doth the will of the father. And whosoeuer in the tyme of tryall is ashamed of me (sayth Christ) and of my wordes, of him the sonne of man will be ashamed before his father. After that wee hauehave built our selues into the true church of God,Luke. 9. it hath pleased him by geuing vsus ouer into the hands of the wicked sinagoges, to proue our building, & to hauehave it knowne as wel to ye world as to our selues yt we hauehave bene wise builders into ye true church of God vponupon ye rock, & not on the sand,Math. 7. & therefore nowe the tempest is risen, and the stormes doe mightily blow agaynst vsus, that wee might notwithstanding stand vpright and be firme in the Lord, to his honor and glory, and to our eternall felicitie. There is no newe thing happened vntounto vsus, for wt such tāpests & dangerous weathers the church of God hath continually bene exercised. Nowe once agayne as the Prophet Aggeus telleth vsus: The Lord shaketh the earth, that those might abide for euer, Aggeus. ….which be not ouerthrowne.
Therefore my dearely beloued, be stable and immoueble in the word of God,Wisedome of the flesh not to be harkened vntounto. and in the faythfull obseruation therof, and let no man deceiue you with vayn words: saying, that you may keepe your faith to your selues, and dissemble with Antichrist, and so liue at rest and quietnes in the world, as most men doe, yelding to necessitie. Thys is the wisedome of the fleshe but the wisedome of the fleshe is death and enmitie to God,Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 6. Math. 16. as our sauiour for ensāple aptly did declare in Peter, who exhorted Christ not to goe to Ierusalem to celebrate the Passouer and there to be slayn, but counselled him to looke better to himselfe.
Likewise the worlde woulde not hauehave vsus to forsake it, neither to associate our selues to the true churche which is the body of Christ, whereof we are liuely members, and to vse the sacramentes after Gods word with the danger of our liues. But we must learne to answere the world,Heb. 11. Psal. 116. as Christ did Peter, and say: Go behynd me Sathan, thou fauourest not the thinges of God. Shall I not drinke of the cup whiche the father geueth me? For it is better to bee afflicted and to be slayne in the church of God, then to be counted ye sonne of the king and the sinagogue of false religion.Death for righteousnes bringeth felicity. Death for righteousnes is not to be abhorred, but rather to bee desired, which assuredly bringeth with it the crowne of euerlasting glory. These bloudy executioners do not persecute Christes martyrs, but crowne them with euerlasting felicitie, we were borne into this world to be witnesses vntounto the truth, both learned and vnlearned.
Now since the time is come yt we must shew our fayth and declare whether we will be Gods seruauntes in righteousnes & holines, as we hauehave bene taught & are boūd to follow, or els with hipocrisie to serue vnrighteousnes: let vsus take good heed that we be found faithfull in the Lords couenaunt and true members of hys Churche: in yt which through knowledge we are engraffed, from the whiche if we fall by transgression with the common sort of people, it will more straightly be required of vsus, then many yet doe make accompt therof. We cannot serue two maysters: we may not halt on both sides, and thinke to please God:Godly counsell Luke. 18. 3. Reg. 18. Apoc. …. we must bee feruent in Gods cause, or els hee will cast vsus out from him. For by the first commaundement wee are commanded to louelove God with all our hart, with all our mind with all our power and strength: but they are manifest transgressours of this commaundement, which with their heart, mynde or bodely power doe communicate with a straunge religion, contrary to the word of God, in the papisticall Sinagogue, which calleth it selfe the Church, and is not. As greatly do they offend God now which so doe, as the Israelites did in tymes past by forsaking Ierusalē the true churche of God and by going to Bethell to serue God in a congregation of theyr owne setting vp,3. Reg. 31. God will not be serued after mans imagination but as himselfe prescribeth. and after theyr own imaginations and traditions: for the which doyng God vtterly destroyed all Israell, as all the Prophetes almost doe testifie. This happened vntounto them for our ensample, that we might beware to hauehave any fellowship with any like congregation to our destruction.
God hath one Catholicke church dispersed throughout the world, and therfore we are taught in our Creed to beleue one Catholicke Churche, & to hauehave communion therwith: which catholicke churche is grounded vponupon ye foundation of the Prophets and of the Apostles, and vpō none other, as S. Paule witnesseth to the Ephesians.Ephe. 2. Therfore whersoeuer we perceaue any people to worship God truly after the word, there we may be certayne the churche of Christe to bee: vntounto the whiche we ought to associate oure selues, & to desire with the Prophet Dauid, to prayse God in ye middest of this churche.Psal. 21. But if we hehold through iniquitie of time, segregations to be made with counterfayt religion, otherwise then the word of God doth teach, wee ought then if we be required, to be companions therof, to say agayne with Dauid:Psal. 26. I hauehave hated the Sinagogue of the malignant, and will not sit with the wicked. In the Apocalips ye church of Ephesus is highly commended, because she tried such as said they were Apostles, and were not in deede, & therfore would not abide the company of them. Further God commanded his people yt they shuld not seek Bethel neither enter into Gilgal where idolatry was vsed by the mouth of his Prophet Amos.…. 5. Also wee must consider that our bodyes be ye tēple of God, & whosoeuer (as S. Paule teacheth) doth prophane the tēple of God, him the Lord wil destroy. 1 Cor. 3.May we thē take ye tēple of Christ & make it ye mēber of an harlot. All strange religion and Idolatry is counted whoredome with the Prophetes, and that more detestable in the sight of God, then the aduoutrous abuse of ye bodye.
Not lawfull … true … Popish ….Therfore the Princes of the earthe in the reuelation of S. Iohn, be sayd to go a whoring, whē they are in louelove wt false religion, and follow the same. How then by any meanes may a christian man thinke it tollerable to be present at the popish priuate Masse (which is the very prophanation of the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ) and at other idolatrous worshippings and rites, which be not after the word of God, but rather to the derogation therof, in setting mans traditions aboue Gods preceptes, since God by his word iudgeth all straunge religion, whiche is not according to his institutiō, for whoredom & aduoutry.
Some fondly think that the presence of the body is not materiall, so that the hart doe not consent to theyr wicked doings.Not … to … God in …, but in …. But suche persons litle consider what S. Paule writeth to the Corinthians, commaunding them to glorifie God as well in body as in soule.
Moreouer, wee can doe no greater iniury to the true Church of Christ, then to seeme to hauehave forsaken her, and disalow her by cleauing to her aduersary: whereby it appeareth to others which be weake, that we allow the same & so contrary to ye word, do geue a great offence to ye church of God, and do outwardly sclaunder (as much as menne may) the truth of Christ. But woe be vntounto hym by whom any such offence commeth. Better it were for him to hauehave a milstone tyed about his necke, and to bee caste into the bottome of the sea. Such be traytors to the truth, like vntounto Iudas, who wt a kisse betrayed christ. Our god is a gelous God, and cannot be content that we should be of any other then of yt vnspotted church, whereof he is the hed onelyonly, and wherin he hath planted vsus by baptisme. Thys gelousy which God hath towards vsus, will cry for vengeance in the day of vengeance, against al such as now hauehave so large consciences to do that which is contrary to Gods glory,A lesson for large consciences. and the sinceritie of hys worde, excepte they doe in time repent, and cleaue vnseperable to the Gospel of christ how much soeuer at this present both men and women otherwise in theyr owne corrupt iudgement,… do flatter thē selues.Persons … true Christians ought in no … to par…cipate with …. God willeth vsus to iudge vprightly, and to allow & follow that which is holy and acceptable in hys sight, and to abstayne from all maner of euill, and therfore Christ cō maundeth vsus in the Gospell to beware of the leauen of the Phariseis, which is hipocrisie.
S. Paule to the Hebrues sayth: if any man withdraw hymselfe from the fayth, his soule shal hauehave no pleasure in hym: therefore he sayth also: That we are none suche as doe withdraw our selues into perdition, but wee belong vntounto sayth, for the attaynment of life. Heb. 10. Apoc. 13.S. Iohn in the Apocalips telleth vsus playnly, that none of those, who are written in ye book of lyfe, doe receaue the marke of the beast, which is of the Papisticall Sinagogue,…. 5. eyther in theyr foreheades, or els in theyr hands, that is, aparantly or obediently.
…. 2.S. Paule to the Philippians affirmeth, that wee may not hauehave any fellowship with the works of darkenes, but in the middest of this wicked and froward generation we ought to shyne lyke lightes vpholding the word of truth. Further hee sayth, that wee may not touch anye vncleane thing:1 Cor. 6. Which signifieth that our outward conuersation in forreigne thinges, ought to be pure and vndefiled as well as the inward, that with a cleane spirite and rectified body we might serue God iustly in holines and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life.
Apoc. 18.Finally in the 18. of the Apocalips, God biddeth vsus playnely to depart from this Babilonicall Synagogue, & not to be partakers of her trespasse. S. Paule to the Thessalonians commaundeth vsus in the name of the Lorde Iesus Chryst, to withdraw our selues from eueryevery brother yt walketh inordinately,… 3. and not according to the institution whych he had receaued of hym.
Ponder ye therfore well good brethren & sisters, these scriptures whiche be written for your crudition and reformation,The place …. 5. …. wherof one iot is not written in vayne: which bee vtterlye agaynste all counterfait illusion to bee vsed of vsus wt the papysts in theyr phantastical religion, and be aduersaryes to all them that hauehave so light cōsciences in so doing: and if they do not agree wyth thys aduersary (I meane ye word of God) which is contrary to theyr attēpts he will as it is signified in the Gospell) deliuer them to the Iudge, which is Chryst,Math. 24. and the Iudge will declare them to ye executioner, yt is the deuill, & the deuil shal commit thē to the horrible prison of hell fire (where is the portion of al hypocrites) with sulphure and brimstone,A cursed thing to sinne vponupon hope of forgeuenes. wyth waylyng & gnashyng of teech world wythout ende. But yet manye wyll say for theyr vayne excuse: God is mercifull, and hys mercy is ouer al. But the scripture teacheth vsus, that cursed is he that sinneth vponupon hope of forgeuenes. Truth it is, yt the mercy of God is aboue all his workes, & yet but vponupon such as feare him: for so is it written in the Psalmes: The mercy of God is on thē that feare him, and on such as put theyr trust in him. Psal. 102.146.Wher we may learn yt they only put theyr trust in God, that feare hym, & to feare God, is to turne from euil and to do that is good. So that such as do looke to be partakers of Gods mercy, may not abide in that which is known to be manifest euil and detestable in ye sight of god.
An other sort of persons doe make them a cloke for the rayne vnderunder the pretence of obedience to the Magistrates whome we ought to obey although they bee wicked.Luke. 20. 1. Pet. 2. But such must learne of Christ to geue to Caesar that is Cesars, and to God that is due to God, and with saint Peter to obey the hyher powers in the Lord, albeit they bee euill,Obedience to Magistrates, what, and how farre. if they commaund nothing contrary to Gods word: otherwise we ought not to obey theyr commaundementes, although we shoulde suffer death therefore: as wee hauehave the Apostles for our example herein to follow, who aunswered the magistrates as we ought to do in this case, not obeying their wicked preceptes, saying: Iudge you whether it be more righteous that we should obey man rather then God.Actes. 4. Daniell 6. Math. 15.
Also, Daniell chose rather to be cast into the denne of Lions to be deuoured, thē to obey ye kings wicked cōmandements. If ye blind lead the blind, both fall into the ditch. There is no excuse for the transgression of Gods worde, whether a man do it voluntarily or at commaundement, although great damnation is to thē, by whom the offence commeth. Some other there be yt for an extreme refuge in their euil doings, do rū to gods predestinatiō & electiō,Agaynst such … sinne wilfully vponupon hope of Election. Rom. 3. saying: yt if I be elected of god to saluation, I shalbe saued, whatsoeuer I do. But such be great tempters of GOD and abhominable blasphemers of GODS holy election, and cast them selues downe from the pinacle of the temple in presumption, that God may preser… them by his aungels through predestination. Suche verily may recken themselues to be none of Gods elect children, that will doe euill that good may ensue: whose damnation is iust, as S. Paule sayth. Gods predestination and election ought to be with a simple eye cōsidered, to make vsus more warely to walke in good & godly cōuersation according to Gods word, & not to set cocke in the hoope, and put all on Gods backe to do wickedly at large: for the elect childrē of God must walk in righteousnes & holynes after yt they be once called to true knowledge:Ephe. 1. For so sayth S. Paule to ye Ephesiās: That God hath chosen vsus before the foūdatiōs of the world were layd, that we should be holy & blameles in his sight.
Therfore S. Peter willeth vsus through good workes to make our vocation & electiō certaine to our selues,2. Heter. 1. which we know not but by the good workyng of Gods spirite in vsus, accordyng to ye rule of the Gospell: & he that cōformeth not him selfe to the same in godly conuersation, may iustly trēble & doubt that he is none of the elect children of God, but of the viperous generation, and a child of darkenesse. For the children of light will walke in the workes of light and not of darkenes: though they fall, they do not lye still.Prouerb. 24.
Let all vayne excusations be set a part,Iohn. 12. and whiles ye hauehave light, as Christ commaundeth, beleue the light and abide in the same, lest eternall darkenesse ouertake you vnwares. The light is come into the world,Iohn. 3. but (alas) men louelove darkenesse more thē the light. God geue vsus his pure eyesalue to heale our blindnes in this behalfe. O that men and women would be healed, and not seeke to be wilfully blinded. The Lord open their eyes,Heb. 6.10. that they may see how daūgerous a thyng it is to decline from the knowledge of truth, contrary to their conscience.
But what sayd I conscience? many affirme their conscience will beare them well enough to do all that they do,Large consciēce. and to go to the Idolatrous Church to seruice: whose cō sciēce is very large to satisfie man more then God. And although their conscience can beare them so to do, yet I am sure that a good conscience will not permit them so to doe: which cā not be good vnlesse it be directed after the knowledge of Gods word: and therfore in Latin this feelyng of mynde is called Conscientia, which soūdeth by interpretation, as much as with knowledge.
And therfore if our conscience be led of her selfe, & not after true knowledge, yet we are not so to be excused,1. Cor. 4. 1. Tim. 1. as S. Paul beareth witnes, saying: Although my cōscience acseth me not, yet in this I am not iustified. And he ioineth a good cōscience with these 3. sisters, charitie, a pure heart, & vnfayned fayth. Charitie keepeth Gods commaundements, a pure hart loueth and feareth God aboue all, & vnfayned fayth is neuer ashamed of the profession of the Gospell, whatsoeuer damage he shal suffer in body therby:Charitye. Pure hart. Fayth vnfayned. the lord which hath reuealed hys holy will vntounto vsus by hys word, graunt vsus neuer to be ashamed of it, and geue vsus grace so earnestly to cleaue to hys holy word and true church, that for no maner of worldly respecte we become partakers of the workes of hipocrisie, which God doth abhorre: so that we may be found faythfull in the Lords Testament to the end both in hart, word, and deede, to the glory of God and our euerlasting saluation. Amen.
Ioh. Philpot prisoner in the Kinges Benche for the testimony of the truth. 1555.