Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

An admonition to certaine professours of the Gospell, to beware they fall not from it in consen∣ting to the Romish religion, by the exam∣ple of other halting and double faced Gospellers.

THe peace of Christe whiche is the true effecte of Gods Gospell beleued (my dearly beloued) be more and more plentifully perceiued of you,* 1.1 through the grace of our dere father, by the mighty working of the holy spirite our com∣forter. Amen.

Thoughe I haue many lettes presently to hinder mee from wryting vnto you, yet being desired, I could not but something signifie my ready good will in this behalfe, so much as I may, when I can not so much as I would.

You heare and see howe Sathan bestirreth hym, ra∣ging as a roaring Lyon to deuoure vs. You see and feele partly what stormes he hath raised vp to drowne the poore Boate of Christe, I meane hys Churche. You see howe terribly he traineth his souldiers to geue a fierce onset on vowarde of Gods battaile. You see how he hath receyued power of God, to molest Gods children, and to beginne at hys house. By reason whereof consider two thinges: one, the cause on our behalfe: the other, what will be the sequele on straungers.

For the first, if we be not blind, we can not but wel see that our sinnes are the cause of all this miserie:* 1.2 our sinnes I say, which I would that euery one of vs would applye to our selues after the example of Ionas and Dauid, tur∣ning ouer the wallet, that other mens offences myght lie behinde, and our owne before. Not that I woulde excuse other men, whyche exteriourly haue walked muche more grossely then manye of you haue done: but that I woulde prouoke you all as my selfe to more hearty repentance and prayer. Let vs more and more encrease to knowe and la∣ment our doubting of God, of his presence, power, anger, mercy. &c.

Let vs better feele and hate our selfloue, securitie, neg∣ligence, vnthankfulnes, vnbelief, impacience. &c. and then doubtlesse the crosse shall be lesse careful, yea it shalbe com∣fortable, and Christ moste deare and pleasaunt: death then shalbe desired,* 1.3 as the dispatcher of vs ou•• of al miserie, and entrance into eternall felicitie and ioye vnspeakeable: the whych is so much the more longed for, by howe muche we feele in dede the serpents bits wherwith he woundeth our heeles, that is, our outward Adam and senses. If we had, I say, a liuely and true feeling of his poyson, we could not but as reioyce ouer oure captaine y^t hath bruised hys head,* 1.4 so be desirous to followe his example, that is, to geue our liues with him and for him, and so to fill vp his passions, that he might conquere and ouercome in vs and by vs, to his glory and comfort of his children.

* 1.5Nowe the seconde (I meane the sequele, or that whych will folowe on the straungers) my dearely beloued, let vs well looke vpon. For if so be that God iustly doe thus geue to sathan and his seede, to vexe and molest Christe and hys penitent people: Oh what and how iustly may he and wil he geue to Sathan to intreate the rechlesse and impenitent sinners? If iudgement beginne thus at Gods house, what will followe on them that be wythout, if they repent not? Certainely for them is reserued the dregs of Gods cuppe, that is, brimstone, fire, and tempest intollerable. Now are they vnwillinge to drinke of Gods cuppe of afflictions which he offereth commō with his sonne Christ our Lord,* 1.6 least they shoulde lose their pigges with the Gergelites. They are vnwilling to come into the waye that bryngeth to heauen,* 1.7 euen afflictions: they in their hearts crie, Let vs cast his yoke from vs: they walke two wayes, that is, they seeke to serue God & Mammon, which is vnpossible, they will not come nigh the straight way that bringeth to life: they open their eyes to beholde present things onely: they iudge of Religion after reason, and not after Gods word: they folowe the more part, and not the better: they professe God wyth their mouthes, but in their hearts they denye him, or els they would sanctifie him by seruing hym more then men: they parte stake with God, which woulde haue all, geuing part to the world, to the Romish rout, and An∣tichristian Idolatrie now set abroad amongst vs publike∣ly: they will haue Christ, but none of his crosse, which will not be: they will be counted to liue godly in Christ, but yet they wil suffer no persecution: they loue this world, wher∣through the loue of God is driuen foorth of them: they sa∣uour of those things that be of menne, and not that bee of God: Summa, they loue God in theyr lippes, but in theyr hearts, yea and in their deedes deny hym, as well by not repenting their euils past, as by continuing in euill stil, by doing as the world, the flesh and the deuil willeth, and yet still perchaunce they will pray or rather prate: Thy will be done in earth, which is generallye that euery one shoulde take vp his crosse and follow Christe. But thys is a harde saying: who is able to abide it? Therefore Christ must be praied to depart, least al their pigges be drowned. The de∣uill shall haue his dwelling againe in themselues, rather then in their pigges, and therefore to the Deuill shall they go, and dwel with him in eternall perdition and damnati∣on, euen in hell fire a torment endlesse, and aboue all cogi∣tations incomprehensible, if they repent not.

Wherefore by them (my dearely beloued) be admony∣shed to remember your profession, howe that in Baptisme you made a solempne vowe to forsake the Deuill, the world. &c. You promised to fight vnder Christes standard. You learned Christes Crosse afore you begunne wyth A. B. C. Goe to then, pay your vowe to the Lorde: fighte lyke mende, and valiant menne vnder Christes standarde: take vp your Crosse and follow your maister, as your brethren M. Hoper,* 1.8 Rogers, Tailor, and Sanders haue done, and as nowe your brethren M. Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, Farrar, Bradford, Haukes. &c. be ready to doe. The Ise is broken before you, therefore be not afraide, but be content to die for the Lorde. You haue no cause to wauer or doubt of the doctrine thus declared by the bloud of the pastours. Remember that Christ sayeth: He that will saue his life, shall lose it. And what should it profite you to winne the whole worlde, muche lesse a little quietnesse, your goodes. &c. and to lose your owne soules? Render to the Lord that he hath lent you, by such meanes as he would haue you render it, and not as you would. Forget not, Christes disciples must deny themselues, as well concerning their will, as concer∣ning their wisdome. Haue in mind, that as it is no small mercy to beleeue in the Lorde,* 1.9 so it is no small kindnesse of God towardes you to suffer any thing, much more deathe for the Lorde. If they be blessed that die in the Lord, howe shall they be that die for the Lorde? Oh what a blessing is it to haue death due for our sinnes, diuerted into a demon∣stration and testification of the Lordes trueth?* 1.10 Oh that we had a little of Moises faith to looke vppon the ende of the Crosse, to looke vpon the rewarde, to see continually wyth Christe and hys people, greater richesse then the richesse of Egypt. Oh let vs pray that God would open our eyes to see his hi•• Manna, heauenly Ierusalem, the congregation of the first borne, the melodie of the Saintes the tabernacle of God dwelling with men: then shuld we runne and be∣come violent men, and so take the kingdome o•• heauen as it were by force. God our father geue vs for hys Christes sake, to see a litle, what and howe great ioy he hath prepa∣red for vs, he hath called vs vnto, & most assuredly geueth vs for his owne goodnes and truthes sake. Amen.

My dearely beloued, repent, be sober and watche in prayer, be obedient, and after your vocations shewe your obedience to the higher powers in all thinges that are not against Gods word, therein acknowledging y^e soueraigne power of the Lorde: howbeit, so that ye be no rebels or re∣bellers for no cause: but because wyth good conscience you can not obey, be pacient sufferers, and the glorye and good spirit of God shall dwel vppon vs. I pray you remember vs your afflicted brethren, being in the Lordes bondes for the testimonie of Christ, and abiding the gracious houre of our deare and most merciful father. The Lord for Christes sake, geue vs merry hearts to drinke lustely of his sweete cuppe, which daily we grone and sigh for, lamenting that the tyme is thus prolonged. The Lorde Iesus geue vs grace to be thankeful, and to abide paciently the prouident houre of his most gracious good will. Amen. Amen.

From the Counter in the Poultrie.

Yours in Christ Iohn Bradford.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An other letter or admonition of M. Bradford to certayne godly professors of Gods truth.
• * 1.2

  2. Thinges to be considered in the persecution of gods people▪
• * 1.3

  Earnest repen∣tance maketh the Crosse more pleasaunt.
• * 1.4

  Coloss. 1.
• * 1.5

  If Gods iudge∣mentes be so sharpe to his children, what will it be to his enemyes.
• * 1.6

  Math. 8.
• * 1.7

  The doinges & wayes of the wicked descri∣bed, and what is the end there∣of.
• * 1.8

  He doth embol∣den them to take vp Christes Crosse and to follow him
• * 1.9

  Blessed be they that dye in the Lord: but more ••••••ssed be they that dye for the Lord.
• * 1.10

  The end riches 〈◊〉〈◊〉 follow 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cross••.