¶ An Apology or defence against the calumnation of certain men, which preferring wilful will and carnal reason before the plain truth of God's gospel, (do slander those men, which for the better serving of God with a more pure conscience, according to his holy word) have abandoned their livings and vocation, abiding as exyles in poor estate out of their native country. ☞  ¶ Exodi xxxiij 
☞ O Lord let our hearts evermore joy in thy testimonies, follow not the multitude to do evil.  ¶ Psalm lxxiij 
☞ Like as when a man waketh there remaineth nothing of his sleep, (how pleasant soever it was to the sleper.) So shall there be nothing left of their Gods. Where through they thought themselves happy in this world. But thou (O Lord) shalt rather make even their pictures to be abhorred of every man in the City.  
¶ 1555.   

The mercy and favour of God our heavenly father, purchased to us by the merits of our Saviour Christ. Communicated to us by his holy spirit. I. T. Wishes to the gentle Reader.  
THe thing that moved me to undertake, to answer this slander (good friend) was not. That I either thought or judged myself so wise or so learned, as the I could set it forth with such wisdom, or eloquenche: as so good a matter, and true cause required, or as if some learned man had undertaken it: neither do I write it, to th'end it should be comen and received of all men, or have free access into all places: but only to you my friend: and to that town where ye presently habit (the place of my birth and education.) As also for the excuse of those good m●r, of that town, which in like manner with me have abandoned & given over their rooms, which men as in Greek and latin auctors they be ignorant. By reason whereof, they can not explicate nor make known to you, the cause why they have chosen this painful exile: so they wish you, and all other honest men, to know and understand: that neither lightness, rash will, or inconstancy, hath moved them there unto, (as some of that town, untruly & against their own knowledge do surmise & blow abroad.) But a good zeal grounded up on God's truth, confirmed by the opinion of all good and godly learned men: and that they might with the more pure conscience serve god in the congregation of the godly, where Gods most holy word and Sacraments are purely preached and ministered. In the which place as the Prophet David saith: It is better to dwell in a most poor degree, then to abide in wealth and prosperous estate, among the wicked. Which mind and good purpose of theirs, as a just excuse to satisfy the minds of good and godly men which principally they desire. They have earnestly desired me, to make known and to put forth the same in writing: and to address this Apology to you: Knowig right well, that although for lack of learning and wysoom, I shall not be able to satisfy their expectation, or set it forth according to the worthiness of the matter. For that I never haunted schools or any universities. Nor never was brought up in any other state then with them, as a most poor man and Soldier, (simple and unworthy) yet because they shall aswell perceive my good will and pressed service towards them, as charity and our consuete familiarity would, and compelleth me: as also for that my part is in it participating, the life obloque and slander with them. For that we have wrought all one like fact, and attempted one enterprise. These things weighed and proponed, I have the more gladly granted to full fill their requests, praying you my friend of charity to grant me thus much favour. That if I either shall write or pen any thing the agreeth not with your mind, & the opinion of other men, not to condemn it at the first sight, because it maketh not for your purpose, but rather confer it with the scriptures of God, the true touchstone, which all men's works ought to be judged by, & to the which I pray you submit your conscience: & if ye find that it vary not from the sacred word of god, nor dissent from the mind of good & godly learned men. Then embrace it as a manifest truth, desiring god the father of all mercy for his sons sake Christ, in the work of his holy spirit, to make you consent to it. And to testify our doings to be lawful and consonant to God's gospel. Staying your opinion with this our answer putting other men to silence by the same.  
And now to come to the causes which ye proponed to men in my house, saying: ye were sent from many good honest & godly me, which not a little marveled, that I had set away into flanders my wife & children: & much more that I myself was also delibered to follow. Wherein, as ye alleged, they judged I wrought unwisely & not according to knowledge, but rather preferred a will more wilful, than godly wise, knowig aswell my poor estate & little riches with my great family, as also the incivil nature of this nation with finale relief, saying: within a short time begging to over take me, for the I neither had art, faculty, or occupation to live by. More the if god should turn the impiety of this time, I should never be able to recover the like room or office, & so all my life wander in misery, which they as my very friends much lamented, with many other causes by you alleged, thereby to stay my journey. Which persuasions as to the flesh, they seemed hard and uneasi to be borne, and tolerated of any worldly man. So I for my part do most heartily praise God, whose good work it was: they not abashed me nor altered my purpose, as ye my friend know right well.  
secondly ye alleged against me the doings of other men, which ye named both good honest, and godly: and of an upright pure conscience, which men observed the order of this time.  
thirdly ye said that if my conscience were so straight laced, as that I could not consent, to the putting of my name into the book among others, you for your part judged it no sin, nor felt any repugnance of conscience for your so doing, whérby ye judged it no offence. And if it were sin, as ye said ye doubted, yet it was a light sin, and easy to be forgiven saying: God must remit greater offences, or else ye should never come in heaven.  
Well, now my friend according to my conscience & little knowledge, received from God's word: I will answer your three causes alleged against me. praying you to accept them in as good part, as with an unfeigned heart & good mind I do address them to you.  
And as to the first cause which ye preferred to stay my going: whereas you & many good men lamented that misery should oppress me, and that specially in a strange land far from friends. Where I should be compelled either to beg or labour, which I never had done nor was brought up in such extremity, wherefore they feared I should not be able to endure it. I answer them with S. Paul, I have learned in what estate soever I am, there with to be content. I can do all things through the help of Christ. I also say with S. Paul, 
Phil. iiij. Rom. viii  shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution: either hunger, or nakedness: peril, or sword, separate us from the love of God: 
Timo. vi Mar. viii  More the same Apostle saith: Godliness is great riches, if a man be content with that he hath, for we brought nothing into the world, and it is a plain case, that we can carry nothing out. What should it avail a man to win the whole world, & lose his own soul: I most heartily rejoice in god, that I have not received his gospel in vain. For I had rather with Lazarus enjoy a poor estate, 
Luke. xvi  begging my bread in misery with a quiet conscience: them with dives to wallow in wealth, and for pleasure sake lose the life everlasting. Christ jesus the alone Saviour, 
Philip. ij.  our Lord & master, thought it no robbery, as S. Paul saith, being very God, to take our nature upon him, and for our sakes to become man in most low degree. Who as a most pure pater●● and godly example for us to follow, walked in this vale of misery, in great humility and poor estate, saying: the foxes have holes, 
Luke. ix  & the birds of the air have nests: but the son of man hath not a place to put his head in. O my friend these places of Scripture are not written in vain, but for our learning: 
Roma. x●  that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope. It is given us as S. Paul saith: not only to believe on Christ: but to suffer for his sake, if Christ jesus my Lord and master walked in such poor estate, Wall I a wretched sinner, being but earth & worms meat, havig no certainty of my life, 
Rom. viii ij. Tim. 7.  for a little pleasure in this world lose the life everlasting▪ God forbid, remembering the if we will reign with Christ, we must suffer with him. Now my friend if I & other men should do as you & other do, what need we to suffer with christ: For if, when as the gospel by god his special mercy, & authority of the king is set forth, I then embrace it as a truth in those days there is no cause why I should suffer for the gospel, as in the time of the godly Price king Toward the sixth. 
Psal. lxvi Gapien. 3 Lcclesi. 2  But when for our unthankfulness & wretched living, god doth take his gospel away from us, as it is come to pass in our land at this day, to make trial of his elect according to this saying: As gold is tried in the furnace, so god doth try his elect, if I then (as you & most men do now i these days) dissemble with the truth, which before I embraced, confirming myself to the impiety of this time. There is then no cause why I should suffer with christ, no man will lay any matter to my charge, if externally I observe the law, and then were these words of suffering with christ in vain, & the gospel such a truth as I list to make & apply it. If I shall persuade myself to please christ, & to be in favour with God, & yet will not suffer with christ. My friend in mine opinion it is not in our chose, to take up Christ's cross as we lift, & the way we would: but as god our he avenly father in christ hath destined & appointed us unto: well, let the man be ware which observeth the order of this time, maintaining his own doing, & condemning other men for not doing the same, & yet will say: he is god's seru●●t. Truly I will not condemn high, for God shall be his judge: But surely I think he might aswell say there were no god, for god is none otherwise known & honoured of him, but as his fleshly will list to know & serve him, not captivating his judgement to the word of god, by the which word god is truly served & worshipped & not pleased as we imagine. 
Mat. xvij  We are commanded to hearken to the voice of christ & to hear him, which saith: he the will be my disciple let him forsake himself, & take up his cross & follow me. Now if the man which will live ● all security & pleasure of this life, when God maketh trial of his church, will neither suffer with him, 
Mat. xvi.  nor take up his cross & follow him & yet will say he hath right in his doing, surely this place may be verified of him. Not all they which say, lord, lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, 
james i Roma. ij.  but he the doth the will of my father which is in heaven: not the hearers of the law, but the doers shallbe justified. Christ saith: Zroade is the way that leadeth to destruction, & many go in thereat, but narrow is the way the leadeth to salvation, 
Mat. seven. Luke. xiii  & few there be which find it. Christ's flock is b●t a little flock. The cause my friend, why it is but little & the narrow way not found out, is: because the of our nature we are sinful, & delight in the corruption thereof, pleasing ourselves with corruptible things, not delighting in heavenvly mysteries, for flesh & blood is not capable of heavenly knowledge. Therefore hath God given us over to a lewd mind, persuading ourselves to be in the right, when as manifestly we are in the wrong, according to the saying of S. Paul, 
Roma. i.  when as they knew God & did not worship him an god, the lord gave them over to their own lusts And because that when we had the light of God's Gospel among us, we embraced not, nor walked in the same. Therefore hath God suffered darkness & error to overwhelm us: & yet we will say, we are in the right, & may dissemble for the time, saying: God knoweth our hearts. My friend be not deceived: God requireth the whole man withal our powers to serve him according to the first commandment, 
Exod. xx. Mat. xxij.  where it is written. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God withal thy heart, soul, & mind, & withal thy powers. How we observe this precept when as we prostrate ourselves before an Idol partaking with the ungodly: the Lord at the last day shall reveal & make openly known. It is like as if a married woman should submit her body to the use of another man: & when her husband layeth the offence to her charge, she answereth: husband be not angry for my so doing, for although I abandoned my body to that man's use yet I reserved my heart wholly to you. My friend I think there is no man, being of any godly knowledge, could digest that answer of his wife, or take it in good part: but condemning her as an adulteress would repudiat and forsake her. And shall we persuade ourselves to please God, 
Exod. xx. Deut. vi.  being a ialouse God (as the scripture calleth him) who requireth of us the whole man to serve him withal: when as we give the greater part of his creation to the serving of Idols, saying: God knoweth & hath my heart. Well God deal with us according to his great mercy, & give us an heart to repent & knowledge our offences, lest we perish in our sins: for as God is merciful, so is he just. Christ saith: 
Luk. xiv Math. x. Luke. ix.  he that setteth more by father or mother, wife, children, lands, riches, or countryr, then by me, is not meet for me, nor worthy to be my disciple. Read the whole Chap. in Luke, & examen what the building of the tower signifieth. Ye have heard often taught & preached, that, he the will profess the Gospel in time of prosperity should cast account with himself, what may happen to him for the same, in the days of adversity. Or else in vain hath he begun to buy ide, and shallbe called a foolish builder. I think there be a great many of honest & good men in that town, which in times past have been fervent Gospelers, and yet at this day love the truth, sorrowing in their hearts the impiety of this time. That if it were not for fear to lose their livings, riches, & country: & to become poor in a strange land, would follow & seek Christ in the wilderness: 
Apoca. xii  searching with pain to seek out the narrow way. But alas so cold is our love to Christ, which hath so dearly bought us, that we could be content to love him so that we lose not by him. But these doubts to taste misery, pole us from following poor Christ. So frail is our life, & such a lump of sin & corrupt tabernacle, we are wrapped in. That seeing the best way & knowing the better part, we can not choose it, nor walk in the same. I pray God this sentence be not verified upon us. 
Luke. xii  He that knoweth his masters will & doth it not, shallbe beaten with many stripes. By many tribulations must we enter into the Kingdom of heaven. Christ saith: 
Luke. ix.  he that putteth his hand to the plough, & looketh back, is not meet for the kingdom of heaven. 
mat. 24. x.  It is not enough for us to have begun in the knowledge of Christ, whiles we persever & follow him to the end. Closing our days in his peace, which peace of Christ is better in a beggars bosom, at the hour of death, them a mountain of gold to a rich man with a troubled conscience. Christ saith: my sheep hear my voice: now my friend, because the voice of our shepherd Christ, 
john. x.  is not to be heard in that town where ye dwell. Therefore I & other men of that place, have abandoned our livings & vocation, to seek our shepherd christ that we might hear his voice and participate his sacraments purely ministered according to his holy word, & in the place to our great comfort to praise him: where, to our great consolation we now remain. In the which company how joyful it is to be among. The Prophet David describeth in the lxxxiiij Psalms, 
Psal. 84.  which I most heartily require you, not only to read, but diligently to mark & examine, what the Prophet meaneth in the same, & by th●● place to judge whether we have right in our doyuges, or are justly to be condemned, O my friend in that town where ye presently inhabit, the gospel of jesus Christ hath been most plenteously preached & purely taught the space of seven years. 
Mat. xiii. Mar. iiij.  And if there should no good ground appear after so much & long sowing of so good seed, to bring forth increase of good corn, it might well be called a cursed place, & an ill soil. I say this my friend, if all men of that town, which were called gospelers should observe the order of this unhappy time, submitting themselves to this ungodly religion. What a cause of triumph should the papists have to rejoice: perswadig & blowing abroad no truth or religion to be true, but only that which they now teach & set forth, because all men observe the same. But for because they see a numbered of good & godly learned men with the loss of their lives, & spilling of their blood, to testify it an untruth. As also a great noumbre of honest men of good conversation do depart their country, leaving their riches & livings: some of them beginneth to doubt, whether his religion be a truth or not. Other which are of the worst sort of papists, & that most setteth forth this religion, be ashamed to make great boast of their doctrine: for that in the time of the gospel, like dissemblers & hypocrites, they gave place to the truth, and would in no wise suffer for their religion. And now they seeing men to die and suffer penury in a strange land, it maketh them poul back their to much boasting of their religion, so that by this means it appeareth most plain to him that hath but half an eye, that the gospel is a most manifest truth and pure religion, in that men suffer for the same, which is promised to all them, 
ij. Tim. i●  that will live godly in Christ jesus. These causes my friend & many other, moved me with other men to under take this painful journey, & grievous exile. Examen the book of genesis, & ponder well the doing of the old Patriarch jacob, who forsook no small substance & riches beside the commodity of his country & dwelling place, 
Gene. 43.  onli as the scripture saith Because of famine that occupied the soil and land where he dwelt, and in much pain and great travail in his old days with a great family drew into Egipte, a people in manners & conditions, not agreeing with his nature. If our father jacob did undertake this long and painful journey, to seek meat for the body: consider my friend, how much more we that are called Christians, & which have professed Christ, aught to seek for the food of the soul, which is the preaching of God's holy word & participation of his holy Sacraments: by the which we wax strong in faith, patience, & all good works, 
Mat. iiij.  as Christ our master saith: Man shall not live by bread only, but by every word the proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Christ commandeth by Esay the Prophet, 
Esay. lij.  saying to his people: Away, away, get you out from thence, and touch no unclean thing. jeremy in another place crieth, 
jerem. li.  saying: Flee away from Babylon, every man save his life. O my friend do ye think that the word of the spirit of God, speaking so earnestly & with such vehemence, by the●●nouthes of those holy men: to command us to avoid the company of Idolaters, is written in vain & to no purpose. Truly in my simple judgement, & as my conscience testifieth to me (ruled by God's holy spirit) They are written specially for our days, that we should be without all excuse, when as God shall lay & make open every man's deeds. 
ij. Cor. vi.  S. Paul hath the like saying: Come out from among them, & separate yourselves from them, saith the Lord: read out the Chap. and note the words well. And let your conscience witness with you, who hath the right. It is a thing very difficile to touch pitch, 
Eccl. xiii.  and not to be defiled. I wylknitte up the first part of your matter objected against me with this conclusion. The. viii. Chap. to the Romans, and so consequently all the whole Scripture through, doth teach these two points. That first, God the father in his free mercy by hy● son Christ hath chosen us, without any deserving on our parts, according to this saying: Those which he appointed before, them also he called: & which he called, them also he justified: which he justified, them also he glorified. Secondly, he did it to this end: that as the scripture saith: they might be made like to the Image of his son, in suffering with him. Now my friend, if we will persuade ourselves, to be chosen in Christ: and will not suffer with him, and yet think to reign with him. I pray God we beguile not ourselves.  
To come to the second part, In that ye laid against me the doings of other men, which being both good and godly observed the order of this time. Laying to my charge, why I should be more precise and scruple of conscience, than other men they being godly.  
To that saying I answer. The doings of men, is no president for a Christian man to follow, how good soever they be called, unless they direct their ways, according to God's holy word. Howbeit following the counsel of S. Paul. I will report well of them, as Christian charity, would to judge the best in hid things. Therefore for that I can not know with what mind they do it, I must follow the admonition of the Apostle, to think well of them. Only this I know, & am not ignorant of, & by experience do prove & taste in my frail life and corrupt nature (which is altogether sinful) that terror of laws maketh us to stoop and decline to things, sinning against knowledge, for the preservation of this uncertain life, & keeping of our goods. O that we would remember this saying: 
i Petri. i.  All flesh is as grass, & all the glory of man is as the flower of grass, which sentence well weighed would keep us from dissembling in that thing whereof our conscience accuseth us: & to the which my heart in no wise can agree to consent. 
Mat. xvi.  Christ sayeth: who soever shall lose his life for my fake, shall find it. More I am a jealous God, 
Exod. xx.  that cannot suffer my honour to be given to any other, nor no part thereof. The Lord in these words doth accommodate himself to us, as our weak nature can know him. Our flesh is in no one cause so soon moved or provoked to wrath, as in that fight that may stir us to ialowsye, which offence we can almost by no intercession or suit scantly remit or pardon. And God which seeth all our doings, & before whose presece all things are open, beholdeth how we dissemble with his love making familiar friendship & league with his enemies. Well these words I am a jealous god, require in us an upright pure, undefiled conversation, lest by our dissimulation we provoke the lord to anger. 
i Petri. i.  O my friend the god which in his mercy hath so dearly bought us (not with corruptible gold or silver, but with his most holy & precious heart blood, requireth of us our whole man, with mind & conversation to serve him, according to this saying: ●e holy, 
levit. nineteen i. Petri. 1. ij. Cori. vi  for I am ho●●: be not partakers with the ungodly: for what ●ncorde hath Christ with Belial 〈◊〉 or how agreeth darkness with light: Now thy friend ●amen these words well, & judge whether it ●e the act or part of him, that would ●e repu●d & taken for a perfect Christian man, to com●unicáte & be partaker with idolaters, and to ●●ire his ●a●●e into the book among them, to ye●reat slander of God's Gospel. In that the papists may triumph, that all me (and specially such as were called Fervent gospelers) do embrace and follow the order of this unhappy ●yme: whereby they boasts & glory their religion to be most true. On the other part, consy●●e how ye wound & offend the conscience of ●our weak brother, not yet grown to full perfection of knowledge, who hath his eyes open ●pon you, who seeing you to do the same, thin●eth it a lawful act, & so ye are the cause of his ●all. S. Paul saith: when ye sin against the brethren, & wound their weak conscience, 
i Cor. viii  ye fin against Christ. Read the Chapt. if S. ●aul had that mind in lawful things: that ●ather than he would offend the conscience of ●is weak brother, he would never ●ate flesh while he lived, how much more my friend ought ●e to have a conscience to offend your brother, ●n an unlawful thing: We be to him sayeth ●hrist: that offendeth one of these little ones. It were better for him to have a millstone tied ●t his neck, & so cast into the sea. 
Luk. xvij.  Cal to your remembrance, & digest well the worthy commendation given to Elea●a● in God's book called the Bible. That were as his friends move with peevish pity (having no taste of an up right conscience) persuaded him for the sau● guard of his life to eat swines flesh, 
2. Mac. 6  whic● in no wise he would do, for that it was against the law● of God, & his conscience. And wh●● his friends perceyned that for no perswasio● he would not eat it, they earnestly oportun●● and counseled him to make a countenance, a● though he had eaten some, which dissimulaci● Elenazar knowing it to be against God's wo●● aswell fearing the ill precedent & example, th● might grow thereof to other men: being yo● weak, and unperfect in God's word, as al● remembering his honourable life, good conue● sation & old age, would in no case make coun● nannce to eat, nor use any such dissimulacio● but rather presar●ed to die, than he would co● terfect such hypocrisy. Look & read the ter● calling for wysoo & knowledge to God. Co●ming to the book with a pure my●de, & ye sha●● easily perceive, whether the observers of th● time walk in that purity of life, which 〈◊〉 ch●fely required in him, that in time past ha●● been called a gospeler. There is another no● and lesson in Eleagar to be marked▪ that wh●● his friends pa●aiued the constancy and pu●● mind of him that he would in no case consent to their persuasions & counsel: they conu●●ted their amytis▪ & frandyship into malice. S●● if that El●●●ar had consented to that unpiety they had had a goodly close to maintain a● colour their between to be good, with thy saying: Lo, such a man doth dissemble, who ●oth good & learned: and so they would have justified their doings to be lawful by hy● example: which Elear●r ●ercey●ing, constantly to the death, withstood that coloured conscience, and unpure mind of theirs. My friend I write this because some men of that town will report evil of me and other men which ●e gone away, not for that they can lay any wictednesse or ungodly conversation to our charge (God be glorified therefore,) but only of an ill mind: because we will not consent to their doings, and join with them in obser●inge the order of this religion. Well, let them ●ay what they lift. 
〈…〉  God from whom no secret ●s hid, & which knoweth the hearts of all men, ●an judge with what conscience we have abandoned our vocations, & country: & how glad we would be to have their good will & commendation, doing also as they d●, so we knew and were assured to please god. But thus much for ●n answer to the second poyn●: I would if 〈◊〉 pleased God, I had sufficient learning and ●ype knowledge in his holy word, 
〈…〉  by the same ●o argue their doings. But this much I writ and think, that if they be good men fearing God, and of a good conscience, as ye say they ●e, which observe the order of this ty●e, (and ●rnely I think they be so a great noumbre of ●hem,) than I say they have a prick of conscience, which testifieth to them, their doings ●o be unlawful. And which before God with ●eares and sorrow of heart they do dewayle, 
〈…〉  ●ot standing in defence of their doings, as ●e my friend do, which in my 〈…〉 d●●th aggravate▪ the offence before God 〈◊〉 man.  
To answer the third point, in that y● make it so facile and light, believing it to be no● sin, saying▪ The Lord must remit greate● offences. Well, I pray God ye presume not to● much in his mercy, for he is not mercy full, bu● to them that repent, their wickedues. I coul● somewhat more by the scriptures dilate & approve the same, as unlearned as I a●●but the●● few leaves areynoughe, to him that hath 〈◊〉 good conscience▪ The Bible sayeth there is 〈◊〉 way which seemeth right unto a man, but th● end of it leadeth to destruction. 
Deu. 5.12  Ye shall not 〈…〉 every one of you, the se●eth right in your own eyes, but that which ●●gumaund you, sayeth● the Lord: because thy sy●●e is forgiven thee● Be no● therefore without●●are, 
Ecclesi. v  neither heap●● one sin upon another. And say not: tu●●e the mercy of the Lord is great: he shall for● give me my sins, be they never so many. Fo● like as he is merciful, so goeth wrath from hyn● also, 
Isaiah. v.  & his indignation cometh down upon syn●ne●s. Woe be to them, that call evil good, and good evil, which make, darkness light, & light darkness: that make sour s●●ete, and swet●● sour. Now my friend, if ye may do the which ye commit without offence, them ye have scripture to assure & warrant your d●ynge. Or else you nor no mā●ls, (be he never so well learned) ca●● defend the same, but to be sinful. For sain●● Paul● say●●h: 
Roma. 14  Whatsoever is not of faith, tha● same is sin. Read the. x●. and xix Psalm o● David, judge yourself by them. And wher● 〈…〉 between sins of 〈…〉 the 〈…〉. Kem●●●b●●, 
〈…〉  ●sau sought 〈…〉 ●eares, and found it not: Iusti●●●. 〈…〉, least ye provoke the Lord. 〈…〉. 
Lu. xviij.  The Publican confessing his fault 〈…〉: but the Pharisee, justifying him 〈…〉▪ was condemned. The Prophet David 〈…〉 psalms desireth God to par●●● 〈…〉 of those which fall of frailty, 〈…〉 for vengeance, to fall upon 〈…〉 ●●folde, which sin of obstina 〈…〉 I pray▪ God the father of all mercy, & Lord 〈…〉 consolation for his mercy sake in the blood 〈…〉 his son Christ, to make you withal them, 〈…〉 in this time of implete fall through frail 〈…〉 and for fear ●f laws in the noumbre of 〈…〉 man, which▪ 〈◊〉 xxxij. Psalm speaketh of. 〈…〉 thus an end●▪ according to my one talent 〈…〉 Far well in the Lord Ies● withal 〈…〉 that vnfay●edlye call upon the name of 〈…〉 Lord.  
And thus my friend I end this 〈…〉 & ●●ple writing, praying●●●●not to 〈…〉 with the same. And if ye 〈…〉 in it, which agreeth not with your ●●●nion, and wherein ye think I err & stray 〈…〉 the scriptures, advertise me ●●nd I shall ●●●ste gladly revoke and recant the same. But 〈…〉 find that it agreewith the word of God, 〈…〉 I pray you cease to say or think our do 〈…〉 to be ill, being a 〈◊〉 & advocate for 〈…〉 to all good men: which through ignorance 〈…〉 all sinesterly report of our going away. 〈…〉 quiet my conscience;, and assure my 〈…〉 then the sclaundenrous 〈…〉 table 〈…〉