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. I wo

Wherefore think with yourselves as touching the felicities of the world, it is good a but yet none other,

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

I have sent of late to D. As it was told me, she never had letter from me since the coming of M. S. unto her the more to blame the messengers, for I have written divers times. The Lord comfort them, and provide for them; for I am able to do nothing in worldly things. She is a godly and wise woman. If my meaning hath been accomplished, she should have had necessary things: but what I mean, God can perform, to whom I commend both her and you all. I am a precious jewel now, and daintily kept, never so daintily for neither mine own man, nor any of the servants of the house, may come to me, but my keeper alone: a simple rude man, God knoweth, but I am nothing careful thereof. Fare you well. The 21st of January 1555.

Yours bounden,

JOHN HOOPER.

A Letter of Master HOOPER to certain godly Professors and Lovers of the Truth, instructing them how to behave themselves in that woful Alteration and Change of Religion.

The grace, mercy, and peace of God the Fa ther through our Lord Jesus Christ, be with you, my dear brethren, and with all those that unfeigni edly love and embrace his holy Gospel. Amen.

It is told me that the wicked idol the mass is established again by a law, and passed in the Parlamenthouse. Learn the truth of it, I pray you, and what penalty is appointed in the act to such as speak against it also whether there be any compulsion to constrain men to be at it; the statute throughly known, such as be abroad and at liberty may pro vide for themselves, and avoid the danger the better. Doubtless there hath not been before our time such a Parliament as this is, that as many as were suspected

to be favourers of God's word, should be banished out of both Houses. But we must give God thanks for that truth he hath opened in the time of his blessed servant King Edward the Sixth, and pray unto him that we deny it not, nor dishonour it with idolatry; but that we may have strength and patience rather to die ten times, than to deny him once. Blessed shall we be, if ever God make us worthy of that honour to shed our blood for his name sake: and blessed then shall we think the parents which brought us into this world, that we should from this mortality be carried into immortality. If we follow the commandment of St. Paul, that saith, "If ye then be risen again with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God," we shall neither depart from the vain transitory goods of this world, nor from this wretched and mortal life, with so great pains as others do.

Let us pray to our heavenly Father, that we may know and love his blessed will, and the glorious joy prepared for us in time to come, and that we may know and hate all things contrary to his blessed will, and also the pain prepared for the wicked in the world to come. There is no better way to be used in this troublesome time for your consolation, than many times to have assemblies together of such men and women as be of your religion in Christ, and there to talk and renew amongst yourselves the truth of your religion, to see what ye be by the word of God, and to remember what ye were before ye came to the knowledge thereof, to weigh and confer the dreams and false lies of the preachers, that now preach, with the word of God that retaineth all truth and by such talk and familiar resorting together, ye shall the better find out all their lies that now go about to deceive you, and also both know and love the truth that God hath opened to us. It

is much requisite, that the members of Christ comfort one another, make prayers together, confer one with another; so shall ye be the stronger, and God's Spirit shall not be absent from you, but in the midst of you, to teach you, to comfort you, to make you wise in all godly things, patient in all adversity, and strong in all persecution.

Ye see how the congregation of the wicked, by helping one another, make their wicked religion and themselves strong against God's truth and his people, If ye may have some learned man, that can out of the Scriptures speak unto you of faith, and true honouring of God, also that can shew you the descent of Christ's church from the beginning of it until this day, that ye may perceive by the life of your forefathers these two things: the one, that Christ's words, which said that all his must suffer persecution and trouble in the world, be true; the other, that none of all his, before our time, escaped trouble; then shall ye perceive that it is but a folly for one that professeth Christ truly, to look for the love of the world.

Thus shall ye learn to bear trouble, and exercise your religion, and feel indeed that Christ's words be true,"In the world ye shall suffer persecution." And when ye feel your religion indeed, say, ye be no better than your forefathers; but be glad, that ye may be counted worthy soldiers for this war: and pray to God when ye come together, that he will use and order you and your doings in these three ends, which ye must take heed to: the first, that ye glorify God; the next, that ye edify the church and congregation; the third, that you profit your

own souls.

In all your doings beware ye be not deceived. For although this time be not so bloody and tyrannous as the time of our forefathers, that could not