A Letter which Master HOOPER did write out of Prison to certain of his Friends. THE grace of God be with you. Amen. I did write unto you of late, and told you what extremity the Parliament had concluded upon concerning religion, suppressing the truth, and setting forth the untruth, intending to cause all men by extremity to forswear themselves, and to take again, for the head of the church, him that is neither head nor member of it, but a very enemy, as the word of God and all ancient writers do record: and for lack of law and authority, they will use force and extremity, which have been the argument to defend the Pope and Popery, since this authority first began in the world. But now in the time of trial, to see whether we fear God or man, it was an easy thing to hold with Christ whiles the prince and world held with him: but now the world hateth him, it is the true trial who be his. Wherefore in the name, and in the virtue, strength, and power of his holy Spirit, prepare yourselves in any case to adversity and constancy. Let us not run away when it is most time to fight; remember none shall be crowned, but such as fight manfully and he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Ye must now turn all your cogitations from the perils you see, and mark the felicity that followeth the peril, either victory in this world of your enemies, or else a surrender of this life to inherit the everlasting kingdom. Beware of beholding too much the felicity or misery of this world; for the consideration and too earnest love or fear of either of them draweth from God. Wherefore think with yourselves as touching the Amen. The Lord Jesus Christ with his holy Spirit comfort and strengthen us all. Amen. May 6, Anno 1554. Yours, and with you unto death in Christ, An Exhortation to Patience, sent to his godly Wife ANN HOOPER: whereby all the true Members of Christ may take comfort and courage, to suffer trouble and affliction for the profession of his holy Gospel. Our Saviour Jesus Christ (dearly beloved, and my godly wife) in St. Matthew's Gospel said to his disciples, that it was necessary scandals should come: and that they could not be avoided, he perceived as well by the condition of those that should perish and be lost for ever in the world to come, as also by their afflictions that should be saved. For he saw the great part of the people would contemn and neglect whatsoever true doctrine or godly ways should be shewed unto them, or else receive and use it as they thought good to serve their pleasures, without any profits to their souls at all, not caring whether they lived as they were commanded by God's word or not; but would think it sufficient to be counted to have the name of a Christian man, with such works and fruits of his profession and Christianity, as his fathers and elders, after their custom and manner, esteem and take to be good fruits and faithful works, and will not try them by the word of God at all. These men, by the just judgment of God, be de livered unto the craft and subtilty of the devil, that they might be kept by one scandalous stumbling-block or other, that they never come unto Christ, who came to save those that were lost: as ye may see how God delivereth wicked men up unto their own lusts, to do one mischief after another, careless until they come into a reprobate mind, that forgetteth itself, and cannot know, what is expedient to be done, or to be left undone, because they close their eyes, and will not see the light of God's word offered unto them: and being thus blinded, they prefer their own vanities before the truth of God's word. Where such corrupt minds be, there is also corrupt election and choice of God's honour: so that the mind of man taketh falsehood for truth, superstition for true religion, death for life, damnation for salvation, hell for heaven, and persecution of Christ's members for God's service and honour. And as these men wilfully and voluntarily reject the word of God, even so God most justly delivereth them into the blindness of mind and hardness of heart, that they cannot understand, nor yet consent to any thing that God would have preached, and set forth to his glory, after his own will and word: where fore they hate it mortally, and of all things most detest God's holy word. And as the devil hath entered into their hearts, that they themselves cannot nor will not come to Christ to be instructed by his holy word: even so they cannot abide any other man to be a Christian man, and to lead his life after the word of God, but hate him, persecute him, rob him, imprison him, yea, and kill him, whether he be man or woman, if God suffer it. And so much are these wicked men blinded, that they pass of no law, whether it be God's or man's, but persecute such as never offended, yea, do evil to those that daily have prayed for them, and wish them God's grace. In their pharisaical and blind fury they hang respect to nature. For the brother persecu brother, the father the son; and most dea in devilish slander and offence, are becom wise than it standeth with the favour of God. It is to be kept; but so far forth, as by keeping of it we lose not God. It is good abiding and tarrying still among our friends here: but yet so, that we tarry not therewithal in God's displeasure, and hereafter dwell with devils in fire everlasting. There is nothing under God but may be kept, so that God, being above all things we have, be not lost. Of adversity judge the same. Imprisonment is painful, but yet liberty upon evil conditions is more painful. The prisons stink: but yet not so much as sweet houses, where the fear and true honour of God lacketh. I must be alone and solitary. It were better so to be and have God with me, than to be in company with the wicked. Loss of goods is great but loss of God's grace and favour is greater. I am a poor simple creature, and cannot tell how to answer before such a great sort of noble, learned, and wise men it is better to make answer before the pomp and pride of wicked men, than to stand naked in the sight of all heaven and earth before the just God at the latter day. I shall die then by the hands of the cruel man: he is blessed that loseth this life full of miseries, and findeth the life of eternal joys. It is pain and grief to depart from God and friends: but yet not so much, as to depart from grace and heaven itself. Wherefore there is neither felicity nor adversity of this world, that can appear to be great, if it be weighed with the joys or pains in the world to come. "I can do no more, but pray for you; do the same for me, for God's sake. For my part (I thank the heavenly Father), I have made my accounts, and appointed myself until the will of my heavenly Father as he will, so will I by his grace. For God's sake, as soon as ye can, send my poor wife and children some letter from you, and my letter also which |