Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Appendix · Letter 2
*The first Epistle of Iohn Alcocke.
GRace be with you, and peace from the father and our Lord Iesus Christ, which gaue himself for our sinnes, that he might deliuer vsus from this present euill world,Gal. 1. according to the will of God our father, to whome be praise for euer and euer, Amen.
Oh my brethren of Hadley, why are ye so soone turned from them which called you in the grace of Christ vntounto an other doctrine, whiche is nothing els but that there be some which trouble you, and entēd to peruert the gospell of the Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ. Neuerthelesse though these shoulde come vntounto you that hauehave bene your true preachers, and preache an other way of saluatiō, then by Iesus Christes death and passion, hold them accursed. Yea if it were an Aungell came from heauen, and woulde tell you that the sacrifice of Christes body vponupon the crosse,Heb. 9.10. Christes …. oute for all euer, for all the sinnes of all those which shalbe saued, were not sufficient: accursed be he. If he were an aungell, or what soeuer he were, that would say that our seruice in English were not right Gods seruice, but will better allow that moste wicked mumming that you nowe hauehave.Church seruice. Those what soeuer they be, except they doe repent & allow the Gospell of Iesus Christ, they shall neuer come into that kingdome, that Christ hath prepared for those yt be his. Wherefore my dearly beloued brethren of Hadley, remember you well what you hauehave bene taught heretofore of the Lorde Gods true and simple Prophetes,True Prophetes. that onelyonly did wish your health and consolation.
Do not my good brethren, I pray you, forget the comfortable worde of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe. Come vntounto me all you that are troubled and loden,Math. 11. with the daungers that yeare in these stormy dayes, and heare my wordes and beleue them, and you shal see the vnspeakable comfort that you shal receue. The Lord is my shepheard,Psal. 23. sayth the Prophet Dauid, so yt I cā want nothyng. He feedeth his sheepe in greene pastures, and leadeth thē vntounto cleare and holsome waters of comfort. I am that good Shepheard sayth our Sauiour Iesus Christe: for I geue my lyfe for my sheepe,Iohn. 10. and I knowe my sheepe, and my sheepe know me: but my sheepe will not know an hyerling: for hee careth not but onelyonly for his God the belly, and so seeketh the destruction of theyr soules. Therefore beware of hirelinges, you that count your selues the sheep of Iesus Christ.Hyrelinges. Be sure that ye know his voyce and obey it, and be not deceiued through straunge voyces, but goe from them, and earnestly abide by your professiō that you hauehave made in your baptisme, and shrinke not from it. For if you do, you shall declare your selues to be a vayne people, and without vnderstanding. And for this cause doth God plague his people, and suffereth them to be deceiued with false Prophets & wicked men,A vayne people. Esay. 1. I pray you note what that Prophet Esay sayth to the people of those dayes, because they were slipping from the Lord theyr God, which had done so maruellous workes for them, as you well do know in the historyes of the Bible. Heare O heauen (sayeth he) and harken thou earth, for the Lord hath spoken, I hauehave nourished and brought vppe children, but they hauehave done wickedly agaynst me. The Oxe hath knowne hys owner, and the Asse his maysters Cribbe: but Israel hath receiued no knowledge. My people hath no vnderstanding. Alas for this sinnefull nation, a people of great iniquity, a froward generation, vnnaturall children. They hauehave forsaken the Lorde, they hauehave prouoked his wrath & are gone backeward.Ierem. 2. Harken also what the Prophet Hieremy sayth. Be astonyed ye heauens, be afrayde and ashamed at suche a thing, sayeth the Lorde, for my people hath done two euilles. They hauehave forsaken me, the well of the waters of life, and digged them brokē pittes that can hold no water. Is Israel a bond seruaunt or one of the householde of the Lord? Why then is he so spoiled? Why then do they roare and cry vpō him as a Lyon? Understand those thinges now in these dayes that the Prophet spake of thē, O my brethren of Hadley. Why commeth this plague vponupon vsus, that we hauehave now in these dayes and other times? Harken what the Prophets say: commeth not this vponupon thee because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God?An euill & hurtfull thing. Thyne owne wickednesse shall reproue thee, and thy turning away shall condemne thee, that thou mayst know and vnderstand, how euill and hurtful a thing it is, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and not feared him, sayth the Lord God of hostes, the holy one of Israell, that is to say: he that maketh Israell holy.Israell. And vnderstande by Israell, the children of God, and those things that were spoken to the carnall Israel, are spoken vntounto vsus, that are or should be the spirituall Israell. Grace be with you all. Amen.
Yours, Iohn Alcock Prisoner for Gods word, in Newgate at London.