Keep your conscience pure and undefiled, and say against that nothing. Stick at necessary things, and remember the blasphemies of the enemies of Christ saying, they find none but that will abjure rather than suffer the extremity. Moreover, the death of them that come again after they have once denied, though it be accepted with God and all that believe, yet is it not glorious, for the hypocrites say, he must needs die, denying helpeth not; but might it have holpen, they would have denied five hundred times: but seeing it would not help them, therefore of pure pride and mere malice together, they speak with their mouths what their conscience knoweth false. If you give yourself, cast yourself, yield yourself, commit yourself wholly and only to your loving Father, then shall his power be in you and make you strong, and that so strong, that you shall feel no pain, which should be to another present death; and his Spirit shall speak in you, and teach you what to answer, according to his promise. He shall set out his truth. by you wonderfully, and work for you above all that your heart can imagine: yea, and you are not yet dead, though the hypocrites all, with all that they can make, have sworn your death. Una salus victis, nullam sperare salutem; that is, To look to no man's help bringeth the help of God,' to them that seem to be overcome in the eyes of the hypocrites: yea, it shall make God to carry you through thick and thin, for his truth's sake, in spite of all the enemies of his truth. There falleth, not a hair till his hour be come: and when his hour is come, necessity carrieth us hence, though we be not willing. But if we be willing, then have we a reward and thanks. Fear not the threatening therefore, neither be overcome of sweet words: with which twain the hypocrites shall assail you. Neither let the persuasions of worldly wisdom bear rule in your heart: no, though they be your friends that counsel you. Let Bilney be a warning to you. Let not their visor beguile your eyes. Let not your body faint. He that endureth to the end shall be saved. If the pain be above your strength, remember, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, I will give it you." And pray to your Father in that name, and he shall ease your pain or shorten it. The Lord of peace, of hope, and of faith, be with you. Amen. WILLIAM TINDAL. Two have suffered in Antwerp, unto the great glory of the Gospel; four at Rysels in Flanders, and at Luke hath there one at the least suffered, and all the same day. At Roane, in France, they persecute, and at Paris are five doctors taken for the Gospel. See, you are not alone; be cheerful, and remember that among the hard-hearted in England there is a number reserved by grace, for whose sakes, if need be, you must be ready to suffer. Sir, if you may write, how short soever it be, forget it not that we may know how it goeth with you, for our heart's ease. The Lord be yet again with you, with all his plenteousness, and fill you that you flow over, Amen. If when you have read this, you may send it to Adrian, do, I pray you, that he may know how that our heart is with you. George Joy, at Candlemas, being at Barrow, printed two leaves of Genesis, in a great form, and sent one copy to the king, and another to the new queen, with a letter to N. for to deliver them; and to purchase license, that he might so go through all the Bible. Out of this sprung the noise of the new Bible, and out of that is the great seeking for English books at all printers and bookbinders in Antwerp, and for an English priest that should print. This chanced the ninth day of May. Sir, your wife is well content with the will of God, and would not for her sake have the glory of God hindered. WILLIAM TINDAL.' OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH. "They rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." We have spoken of the rest of the Sabbath as a command of God unto all his creatures. God has a right to the obedience of all whom his hand has formed. God is no hard master, but makes his laws for the good, and with regard to the comfort of his creatures. The bodily rest of one day in seven is absolutely necessary for the good of man and beast. The rest of mind to those engaged in business or in study, is scarcely less advantageous. The time and leisure thus acquired, wherein men may and ought to attend to their souls, is so important, that no person, giving attention rightly to employ the Sabbath days, will remain ignorant of those things that belong to his everlasting peace. Sabbaths, ever kept holy to to the Lord-that is, spent in seeking to know more of him by the study of his word, the earnestly uniting in prayer and praise in his house, diligent attention to his word read and preached, careful consideration of our ways, frequent petitions for his Spirit: Sabbaths so spent, to the rejection of all worldly business, pleasures, society, thoughts, or conversation will beget in our souls such a hunger and thirst after righteousness; such an interest in things not seen as yet; such love of God who hath prepared for us such good things as pass man's understanding; such longing desire to live to him, and be conformed to his image who lived, and died, and rose again for us; such anxiety to be made meet for that of the saints in light, that Sunday duties will one by one become Sunday pleasures; that, treading the sure and up-hill path of all those duties that lead to the knowledge and love of God, we at length get enough of the knowledge we seek to make us long to have more; enough love of God to prefer him above all things. And thenceforward our Sunday is not only the best, but the happiest day of our week-because we are free to spend it in the most holy, the most noble, the most glorious, the most delightful of all intercourse-that of communion with God. Our thoughts may dwell on him, our ears may rest with him, our hopes may rise to him, until we realize his presence, which is fulness of joy even here according to our power of valuing it, and gives us to understand how those who see his face rest in his perfect love; and rest not day and night, saying," Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." |