election, and a confirmation of Gods continuall fauour (my ••earely beloued): how much more ought it to bee so vnto you? Unto whom he hath not onely geuen to beleue but also to come into the trace of suffering for his sake, and that not commonly of common enemies, but euen of your owne father, mother, and all your fr••ends, I meane kins∣folks as you told me. By which I see Christes wordes to be true: How that he came to geue his childrē such a peace with him, as the Deuill might not, nor may abide, & ther∣fore stirreth vp father and mother, sister and brother, ra∣ther then it should continue. But (my deare sister) if you cry with Dauid to the Lord, and complaine to him: how that for conscience to him, your father and mother haue forsaken you, you shal heare him speake in your heart, that he hath receiued you, and by this would haue you to see, how that he maketh you here lyke to Christ, that elswhere in heauen you might be like vnto him whereof you ought to be most assured, knowing that in time, euen whē Christ shall appeare, you shalbe lyke vnto hym. For he wil make your body which now you defile not with Idolatrical ser∣uice in goyng to Masse, lyke vnto his owne glorious and immortall body, accordyng to the power whereby he is a∣ble to do all thyngs. He wil confesse you before his father, which doe not deny his veritie in worde nor deede before your father: he wil make you to raign with him, that now suffer for him and with him: he wil not leaue you comfort∣les, that seeke no comfort but at his hand, though for a lit∣tle tyme you be afflicted, yet therein will hee comfort and strength you, and at the length make you to be mery with hym, in such ioy as is infinite and endlesse. He wil wipe al the teares from your eyes: he will embrace you as your deare husband: he will after he hath prooued you, crowne you with a crowne of glory and immortalitie, such as the hart of man shall neuer be able to conceiue in such sorte as the thyng is. He now beholdeth your stedfastnes, and st••i∣uyng to doe his good will: and shortly will hee shew you how stedfast he is, and will be ready to do your will, after that you haue fully resigned it to his will.
Pledge him in his cup of the crosse, & you shall pledge him in the cuppe of his glory. Desire to drinke it before it come to the dregs, whereof the wicked shall drinke, and all those that for feare of the crosse and pledging the Lord, doe walke with the wicked in betraying in fact and deed, that which their hart embraceth for veritie. The which thyng if you should do (which God forbid) then my deare Mi∣stres and Sister in the Lord, you should not onely loose all that I haue before spoken, and much more infinitely of e∣ternall ioy and glory, but also be a cast away, and partaker of gods most heauy displeasure in hell fire eternally: and so for a little ease, which you cannot tell how long it wyll last, to l••ose for euer and euer, all ease and comfort. For hee that gathereth not with me (sayth Christ, as no Masse Go∣spel••er doth) scattere••h abroad. Accordyng to that we do in this body, we shall receyue, be it good or badde. If of our words we shall be iudged to condemnation or saluation: much more then of our factes and deedes. You cannot be partaker of Gods religion and Antichrists seruice, wher∣of the Masse is most principall. You cannot be a member of Christes Church, and a member of the Popes Church. You must glorifie God not onely in soule and hart, but al∣so in body and deede. You may not thinke that God re∣quireth lesse of you his wyfe now, then your husband dyd of you. I•• both hart and body your husband would haue, shall Christ haue lesse (trow you) which hath so bitterly & dearely bought it? If your husband could not admitte an excuse how your hart is his onely if he should haue taken your body in bed with another: do you thinke that Christ will allow your body at Masse, although your heart con∣sent not to it?
God esteemeth his children, not onely of their hartes, but of their pure hands and workes, and therefore in He∣lias tyme, he counted none to be his seruants and people, but such as had not bowed their knees to Baall: as now he doth not in England accompt any other to be his der∣lings, which know the truth in hart, and deny it in theyr deeds, as do our Masse Gospellers.
We ought to desire aboue all thyngs the sanctifieng of Gods holy name, and the commyng of his kingdom, and shall we then see his name blasphemed so horribly as it is at Masse, by making it a sacrifice propitiatorie, and setting forth a false Christ of the Priests and bakers makyng, to be worshipped as GOD, and say nothing? The Iewes rent their clothes asunder in seeyng or hearing any thyng blasphemously done or spoken against God, and shall we yet come to Church where Masse is, and be mute? Paule and Barnabas rent their clothes to see the people of Ly∣caonia to offer sacrifice vnto them, and shall we see sacri∣fice and gods seruice done to an inanimate creature and be mumme? What thing helpeth more or so much Antichrists kingdom as doth the Masse? And what destroyeth prea∣chyng and the kyngdome of Christ vpon earth more then it doth? And how can we then say: Let thy kyngdome come, and go to Masse? How can we pray before God: Thy will be done on earth, when we will do our owne will, and the will of our father or friendes? How pray we: Deliuer vs from euill: which knowyng the Masse to be euill, do come to it?
But what goe I about to light a candle in the Noone day, that is, to tell you that we may not go to Masse, or to the congregation where it is, except it be to reprooue it, in that all men in so doyng, do but dissemble both with God and man? And is dissembling now to be allowed? How lōg will men yet halt on both knees (saith God)? Halting (sayeth Paule) bringeth out of the way, that is to say, out of Christ, which is the way: so that he which is not in him shal wi∣ther away, and be cast into hell fire. For Christ will be a∣shamed of them before his father, which be now ashamed of his truth before this wicked generation.
Therfore my good maistresse take good heed: for it had bene better for you neuer to haue knowen the truth, and there through to haue escaped from papisticall vncleanes, then now to returne to it, making eftsoones your mēbers, beyng members of righteousnesse, members of vnrighte∣ousnesse, as you do, if you do but goe to the Church where Masse is. Be pure therefore, and keepe your selfe from all filth of the spirit, and of the flesh. Abstaine not onely from all euil, but from all appearance of euill.
And so the God of peace shall be with you, the glory of God shall gouerne you, the spirite of God shall sanctifie you, and be with you for euer, to keepe you from all euill, and to comfort you in all your distresse and trouble, which is but short if you consider the eternitie you shall enioy in glory and felicitie in the Lorde, which vndoubtedly you shall not fayle but inherite for euer, if so be you, as the elect chylde of God, put your trust in hys mercy, call vpon hys name vnfainedly, and yeld not ouer to the wicked world, but sticke still agaynst it vnto the ende. God for his holy names sake, which is properly the God of the Widowes, be your good and deare Father for euer, and helpe you al∣wayes as I my selfe would bee holpen at hys handes in all thynges, and especially in this hys owne cause, Amen, Amen.