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.

To M. Iohn Hall and his wife, prisoners in Newgate for the testimonie of the Gospell.

ALmightye God oure heauenly Father through Iesus Christ, be w^t you both my dearely beloued, as with hys

deare children for euer, & so he blesse you with his holy spi∣rite, that you may in thys your crosse (for his cause doubt∣les) reioyce, and gladly take it vp to beare it so long as hee shall thinke good. I haue heard (my good brother & sister) how that god hath brought you both into his scholehouse, (whereas you were bothe purposed by his leaue to haue pla••ed the trewands) that thereby you might see his care∣fulnes & loue towarde you.* 1.1 For if it be a token of a louing and careful father for his children, to preuent the purpose, and disappoynt the intent of his children, purposing to de∣part a while from the schoole for feare of beating, (whych thing they woulde not doe if they did as much consider the commodity of learning which there they might get): how should you take this worke of the Lorde preuenting your purpose, but as an euident signe of loue and fatherly care∣fulnes that he beareth towardes you? If he shoulde haue winked at your willes, then would you haue escaped bea∣ting: I meane the crosse, but then should you haue lost the commoditie of learning, which your father will now haue you to learne and feele, and therfore hath he sent to you his crosse. Hee I say, hath brought you where you be: and though your reason and wit wil tell you, it is by chance or fortune, or otherwise, yet (my dearely beloued) knowe for certaine that what so euer was the meane,* 1.2 God your fa∣ther was the worker heereof, and that for your weale, al∣though otherwise your old Adam doth tel you, & you fele: yet I say of truth that your duty is to thinke of this crosse, that as it is of Gods sending, and commeth from him: so although your deserts be otherwise, it is of loue & fatherly affection for your weale and commodities sake.

What commodity is hereby, you wil perchance obiect. You are now kept in close prison you wil say: your family and children be without good ouerseers: your substance di∣minisheth by these meanes: pouertie will approche: and perchance more peari••s also, yea and losse of life too. These are no commodities but discommodities, and that no smal ones: so that iustly you would be glad to know what com∣moditie can come to you by this crosse, whereby commeth so great discommodities,

To these things I answer, that in deede it is true you ••ay of your bodies, families, children, substance, pouertie, life. &c. Which things, if you would consider a while wyth inwarde eyes, as you beholde them with outwarde, then perhaps you should finde more ease.* 1.3 Doe not you now by the inward sense perceiue that you must part frō all these and all other commodities in the worlde? Tell me then, haue not you this commoditie by your crosse, to learne to loath and leaue the worlde, and to long for and desire an other world, where is perpetuity? You ought of your own head and free will to haue (according to your profession in baptisme) forsaken the worlde and all earthly things, v∣sing the world, as though you vsed it not, Your hart only sette vpon your hourde in heauen,* 1.4 or els you coulde neuer be Christes true disciples, that is be saued, and be where he is. And trowe you (my good heartes in the Lorde) trowe you I say, that this is no commoditie, by this crosse to be compelled hereto, that you might assuredly enioy with the Lord endles glory? Howe now doth God (as it were) fa∣therly pull you by the eares to remēber your former offen∣ces concerning these things & al other things, that repen∣tance and remission might ensue? Howe doth God nowe compell you to call vpon him, and to be earnest in prayer? Are these no commodities?* 1.5 Doth not the scripture say, that God doth correct vs in the worlde because we shall not be dam∣ned with the worlde? That God chasteneth euery one whome he loueth? that the ende of this correction shall be ioy and ho∣linesse? Doeth not the Scripture saye, That they are hap∣pie that suffer for righteousnesse sake, as you nowe doe, that the glory and spirite of God is vpon them? that, as you are nowe made like vnto Christ in suffering, so shall you be made like him in raigning? Doeth not the Scripture say that you are nowe going the high and right way to heauen? that your suffering is Christes suffering? My dearly beloued, what greater commodities then these, can a godly heart desire?

Therefore ye are commaunded to reioyce and be glad when ye suffer, as now ye doe: for through the goodnesse of God, great shalbe your reward: Where? Forsooth on earth first for your children: for now they are in Gods mere and immediate protection. Neuer was father so careful for his children, as Gods is for yours presently. Gods blessing which is more woorth then all the world, you leaue in dede to your children. Though all your prouidence for thē shuld be pulled away: yet God is not poore, he hath promised to prouide for them moste fatherly.* 1.6 Cast thy burthen vppon me (sayth he) and I will beare it. Do you therfore cast them and commend them vnto God your father, and doubt not that he will die in your dette. He neuer yet was found vnfaith∣full,* 1.7 and he wil not nowe begin with you. The good mans seede shal not go a begging his bread: for he wil shew mer∣cy vpon thousands of the posterity of them that fea••e him.* 1.8 Therfore as I sayd, Gods reward first vpon earth shalbe felt by your children euen corporally, and so also vpon you if God see it more for your cōmoditie, at the least inwardly you shal feele it by quietnes and comfort of conscience: and secondly after this life, you shal find it so plentifully, as the eye hath not seene, the eare hath not hard, the heart cannot conceiue how great & glorious Gods reward wil be vpon your bodies, much more vpon your soules. God open our eies to see and feele this in deede. Then shall we thinke the crosse which is a meane hereto, to be commodious. Then shal we thanke God that he would chastice vs. Then shal we say with Dauid: Happie am I that thou hast punished me, for before I went astray, but nowe I keepe thy lawes.

This that we may doe in deede my dearely beloued, let vs first know y^t our crosse commeth from God: Secondly,* 1.9 that it cōmeth from God as a father, that is, to our weale and good. Therefore let vs thirdly cal to minde our sinnes and aske pardone. Whereto let vs fourthly looke for helpe certainly at Gods hand in his good time: helpe I ••ay, such as shall make most to Gods glory, and to the comfort and commodity of our soules & bodies eternally. This if we certainely conceiue, then will there issue out of vs heartie thankes geuing, which God requireth as a most precious sacrifice. That we may all through Christ offer this, let vs vse earnest prayer to our God and deare father, who blesse vs, keepe vs, and comforte vs vnder his sweete crosse for euer. Amen. Amen.

My deare hearts, if I could any way comfort you, you should be sure therof, though my life lay thereon, but now I must do as I may, because I cannot as I would. Oh y^t it would please our deare father shortly to bring vs where we shoulde neuer depart, but enioy continually the blessed fruition of his heauenly presence: pray, pray, that it maye speedely come to passe, pray. To morrow I will send vnto you to know your estate, send me word what are the chie∣fest things they charge you withall. From the Counter.

By your brother in the Lord, Iohn Bradford.

Notes

• * 1.1

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• * 1.2

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• * 1.3

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• * 1.4

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• * 1.5

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• * 1.6

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 55.
• * 1.7

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 37.
• * 1.8

  Care of children to be left to Gods proui∣dence.
• * 1.9

  4 Thinges to be considered of all men that be vnder the crosse.