¶ A LETTER SENT FROM A banished Minister of jesus Christ, unto the faithful Christian flock in England, most necessary and comfortable to all such, as be burdened With persecution or heaviness of mind for the Gospel and testimony of jesus.  
Lord increase our faith.  john. xvi. 
In the world you shall have affliction, but be of good cheat, I have overcome the World.  
printed at Roan by Michael Wood, the four of Ianuarye. Anno Do. M.D.LIII   

THE GRACE AND FAVOUR of our Lord jesus Christ, the charity of God, and communication of his holy spirit, rest in you (dearly beloved) to the confirmation of your life in godliness, unto the end. Amen.  
IT was not without an urgent cause (loving friends) that our saviour Christ preaching his excellent Sermonin the mount to his disciples, 
Math. seven Luk. vi, and xiiii  did knit up the same with the similitude of a wise & foolish builder. The one building upon the rock, the other upon the sand: The one building remaining, the other utterly decayed, by the impetuous rage of rain, wind and floods. wherein it behoveth us, to consider principally iii things. First, that the beginning of Christian religion, consisteth in diligent building, and not in idle living. Secondly, the cause why we must build, is to the intent, that in time of need, we may have a strong castle, and invincible fortress, to fly unto, in all our necessities, thereby the better to be preserved from the power, tyranny, and sudden invasion of all our enemies. Thirdly, in this similitude, we are admonished, that as vereli as we have built our tower, & that as verily as it standeth: so certainly shall therain descend, the winds blow, & the floods arise against it, to try the strength and situation thereof.  
We the Christian flock of England (brethren) by the merciful providence of God, for the space of vi or vii years have enjoyed a wondered calm & quiet time to build out tower (god his name be praised therefore) much like the halcyon dares, when the Haltion birds do hatch & bring forth their young ones, void of all stormy tempests. For so hath God been accustomed to deal with his Church, namely to nourish the members thereof, during their infancy, in a wondered calm and quietness, till they be grown up into perfect men: able to receive strong meats, and than doth he alter their diet, from sweetness to towernes, from pleasure to pain. & from quietness to adversity. Such was the security & quietness of the church of God, 
Gene. vi.  while the Ark was in building, in the days of No: but immediately after, there followed such a tempest, as overwhelmed the whole race of the earth. 
two. Para. v  Such was also the quietness amongst the Israelites, while the temple was in building, in the days of Solomon: but immediately after, there followed such a division, as subverted the whole land. Such also was the calmness and quietness of the church, during the presence of Christ, in the flesh: in so much that his disciples wanted no manner of thing, 
Math. ix.  neither could they moon or weep, while the bridgrom was with them, but after he was ascended, their plenti war turned into scarciti, & their mirth into mutning. Such hath been the calmness of other realms, whereas the gospel from time to time hath been preached, as Germani. & other places, & namely of this realm of England, that a greater hath not been heard of, nor known: wherein no enemi durst appear without rebuke, to hinder our fortification in the same. Wherefore let us not now marvel, nor yet be abashed if our heavenly father deal with us his children, as he hath dealt with our predecessors, from the beginning: That is, after a calm, to stir up a tempest, after quietness, trouble: and after security, & ease, travail and pain, to try our building withal, 
Math. seven  whether it be situated upon the rock Christ, in the purity of his gospel, through perfect faith and godly life, to remain evermore: or else upon the sand of the vanity of this world, in the decres, constitutions and pleasures of men, through hypocrisy, forth with to be overthrown. Fot as S. Paul saith: a time will come, 
i Cor. iii.  wherein the fire of tribulation, shall try every man's building, whether he have builded gold, silver, or precious stone: either straw, hay, or timber. And me think brethren, I see the same time appear, as it were Helias his cloud, rising out of the sea, 
iii. Regu. xviii,  being as yet no bigger than an hand: but forthwith I fear me, it will spread over all this land. wherefore with the prophet, let us gird up our loins, and run in time to our tower, before the storm descend: and therein, if the same be builded upon the rock Christ, we shall not only find consolation, but also preservation. And for this purpose, 
two. Tim. two.  we are called in the scriptures wariours, and soldiers. wherefore now that the battle approacheth, wherewith the enemies purposeth to beseage our fortress: let us not as Cowards wax faint hearted, running away before the blows, but rather as men, tepleate with an invincible courage and boldness, let us stand to our tackling, in holding fast the plough of our profession, whereunto we have put to hands: & thus not in confidence of our own strength, which is nothing, but in the force & strength of our captain, under whose banner we have promised to fight, which was never overcome, beaten down, not put to flight: but by suffering hath subdued all his enemies, and by a cross, vanquished his adversaries. And as he our head, hath gone before, the strait path, and narrow way unto eternal life: even so must we his members follow the same race, if we will in herit his kingdom. And for this purpose, saith S. Paul, 
Rom. viii  are we fashioned unto the shape of the son of God, not only to reign with him in glory, but also to suffer with him in misery. For as he saith in another place: If we die with him, 
li. Tim. two.  we shall also live with him if we be patiented, we shall also reign with him. But if we shall deni high, he shall also deni us. For the afflictions of this life, are not compatable to the glori of the life to come. This is the only wai brethren, that the church of god obtaineth victory by, not as worldly princes do by subduing, but by suffering: not by drawing out the sword with Peter, but by having our heads stricken of with the same: not by imprisoning, & binding of other, but by being imprisoned & bound ourselves. For as Christ's kingdom was not of this world, as he himself witnesseth, no more is out force, strength & inheritance here. For our portion in this life, is but as sheep appointed to the slaughter, & as pilgrims, traveling through many tribulations, necessities & miseris, 
Psa. xliiii i. Pete. two.  towards the land of promise, being compassed about with enemies on every side. But they with all their malice, shall not annoy us, nor yet hinder our journey, if we continued faithful, but rather further the same. Yea, the lord will never forsake us, but by day go before us, in a cloud. & by night in a pillar of fire. And although Moses for our unworthiness be taken from us: 
Exo. xiiii  yet will the Lord stir up a josuah, to lead us into our inhentaunce, in throwing out our enemies before our faces. Here is set forth (brethren) the tragedi of our lives. Let us be contented withal, & above all things, let us avoid murmutations against the higher powers, who are Gods instruments, to work his will: whether it be life, or death, good or evil, lest we perish with the rebellious Israelites in the desert. Furthermore, 
Nu. xiiii. and xvi  if we do depeli consider the great utility that the cross bringeth to the church of god, we have rather occasion to wish for it, & to rejoice when it cometh, them to repine & murmur. For by it our foundation is tried, our faith confirmed, our knowledge increased, continuance in prayer exercised, being from the wicked & hypocrites separated, whereby the dross & corruption of our life is beaten of, as the rust of iron with a hammer. For if we lie still as rusty yronne, & be not brought under the hammer of adversiti, we consume away, and serve to no use. For gold is not purified, but by fire. wherefore if we desire to be pure, let us not then despise that fire, whereby we at made pure. For hitherto we have experienced a christian life, as Children practise the feats of war, by signs and shows without any bloody battle, in triumphing before the victori: but victory is not obtained with loss and danger. Christ our head, lost his human life, to obtain victory for us, and to triumph over our enemies: and do we think to obtain the same, by sitting in securiti and ease at home in our houses? passing our time in pleasures, ease and joy, with our wives, children and friends, environed with our riches, lands, and possessions, without coming to the battle without hasarding our lives. without for saking our countries, without passing the seas? No truly. For as S. Paul saith. no man that warreth; 
two. Tim. two  entangleth himself with worldly business, & that he may the better please him, that hath chosen him to be a soldier.  
Now brethren, if there be a battle towards, as we suppose, let us show ourselves worthy soldiers, considering the worthiness of our Captain, whom we serve, who did not let to abandon his incomparable glory, and to cloth himself with our miserable humanity, for our commodities: therein optaining victory, not for him, but for us. So likewise, let there be no worldly thing so dear unto us, as may once retort, or strai us, from faithful serving of our lord and prince, whose servants we are by profession (and I trust by election) without any mutation, 
Rom. viii  continuing in probation, the end whereof is glorification. What is he brethren, that would not be contented to have the seed of tribulation sown in his life, when it bringeth forth such plenty of good fruit, as patience, experience, & hope which shall never be confounded. These are the utilities, profits and commodities, that adversity bringeth to the church of God, with a great deal more, which I am not able to recite, for want of experience, in that behalf. wherefore let us not despice the cross, when it cometh, considering the benefits thereof: but rather obey the council of the wise man, where he saith: 
Eccle. two.  My son, if thou wilt come into the service of God, stand fast in righteousness, & fear, & arm thy self to suffer temptation. Settle thine heart, & be patient, & shrink not away, when thou art enticed. Read for your consolation the hole chapter, for therein is briefly described, what ought to be the life of a Christian, & whereunto he must prepare himself, even to the cross of tribulation, as to the only sovereign medicine to cure all our festered diseases. On the other side brethren, for our farther comfort, in the days of our trouble, let us often call to remembrance, not only the great loving kindness of our everlasting god & father, wherewith he hath always loved us: but also his omnipotency, & mighty hand, wherbi he onli ruleth & governeth all his creatures, every where: So that nothing is, or can be done against his providence, purpose & will. For all thing serve him at a beck, 
Isaiah. xxxiiii.  yea he putteth a bridle in the mouth of tyrants, so that although they pretend to make a long race, yet doth he stop them suddenly, as it appeareth by Senacherib, when he purposed to destroy Jerusalem in the time of king Ezechias. For the wicked & the ungodly, are nothing else, but the instruments of god, where by he worketh his pleasure: As witnesseth the prophet Esaias, 
Isaiah. x.  calling them Axes, Saws, Rods, & staves which can proceed no further, than it pleaseth their owner to use them to his glory. Satan could not molest job, till he had licence, no. 
job. i. two.  The devil could not so much, 
Mat. viii.  as enter into the poor Hog, without the commandment of Christ. And shall then his wicked members, annoy & hurt us, the children of god, without the leave and licence of our father? No truly. wherefore let us comfort ourselves, for we are dear unto him, 
●acha. two. Math. x.  as the Apple of his eye. The hears of our heads are numbered, and the race of our life is limited. So that, if all the world would conspire, to abridge the same, they shall not be able, till our hour come. And when it cometh, it is the final end of all our sorrow, misery, calamity, & pain: and the beginning of all our joys, felicities, and pleasures. For during the time of this life, Christ promiseth us nothing, 
john. xv. and xvi  but afflictions, sorrow, & weeping: But he biddeth us be of good cheer, saying, that our sorrow shall be turned into joy: what need we fear, 
Mark. iiii Luk. viii.  as long as we have Christ with us in our boat? although storms & tempests do arise able to overwhelm us? And if he, during the calm time, do fall a sleep in our hearts. by over great security, and confidence in our own strength, yet in the time of our adversity, if we earnestly call upon him, he will surely awake, and help us: not only in rebuking the winds, and sees our enemies, but also bringing us to a quiet harbour, even the kingdom of his father, purchased for us through his blood.  
And thus I end, being bold to touble you with this my long letter, wherein are contained many words, but few sentences: But as it is, take it in worth, and according to my rudeness, I have supplied your honest request, in performing my promise. And where there is no better, be content to accept a little water from the hands of your friend, to quench your thirst with all, instead of good wine.  
The Lord bless you, prosper and increase you in knowledge, wisdom and understanding, preserving you faithful unto the end. Amen.  
The spirit of Christ be with you and comfort you all, to his glory. Amen.