Marginalia1555. Decemb.might the more be stirred to bring forth the fruites of repentance, and learne to mourne in this world, that in an other they might be glad and reioyce. Such a broken hart is a pleasant sacrifice vnto God: O that I had the lyke contrite hart. God mollify my stony hart, whych lamēteth not in such wise my former detestable iniquities. Praysed be God that he hath geuen you thys sorrowfull hart in respect of righteousnes,and I pray you let me be pertaker of these godly sorrowes for synne, which be the testimony of the presence of the holy Ghost. Did not the sword of sorrow pearce the hart of the elect and blessed mother of our Lord? Did not Peter weepe bitterly for his synnes, which was so beloued of CHRIST? Did not Mary Magdalen wash the feete of our Sauiour with her teares, and receiued therwithall remission of her seuēfold sinnes?

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MarginaliaMath. 15. Psal. 125. Psal. 51. Luke. 7.Be of good comfort therfore mine own deare hart, in this thy sorrow, for it is the earnest peny of eternall consolation. In thy sorrow laugh, for the spirite of God is with thee. Blessed be they (sayth Christ) that mourne: for they shall be comforted. They wēt forth and wept, sayth the Prophet: such shall come againe, hauing theyr gripes full of gladnes. And although a sorrowfull hart in consideration of his synne, be an acceptable Sacrifice before God, wherby we are stirred vp to more thākfulnes vnto God, knowing that much is forgeuen vs that we myght loue the more: MarginaliaSorowe in a christian man ought to be moderate.yet the man of God must kepe a measure in the same, lest he be swallowed vp by to much sorrow. S. Paul would not the Thessalonians to be sory as other mē which haue no hope.Marginalia1. Thes. 4. Such a sorrow is not commendable, but worketh damnation, & is farre from the children of God, who are continually sorrowfull in God when they loke vpon theyr own vnworthines, wyth hope of forgiuenes. Marginalia2. Cor. 7.For God to this end by his spritie setteth the synnes of his elect still before them, that where they perceyue synne to abound, there they might be assured that grace shall superabound:MarginaliaRom. 5. and bringeth them downe vnto hell, that he might lyft them vp wyth greater ioy vnto heauen. Wherfore, myne own bowels in CHRIST, as long as you are not void altogether of hope, be not dismayd through your pensiue hart for your sinnes, how huge so euer they haue bene, for God is able to forgeue more then you are able to synne: yea, and he will forgeue him which wyth hope is sory for his synnes.

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MarginaliaSathans practise to bring the godly repētance of a sinner to desperatiō.But know brother, that as oft as we do go about, by the helpe of Gods spirite, to do that is good, the euill spirite Sathā layeth hard wayt to turne the good vnto euil, and goeth about to mixe the detestable darnel  

of desperation with the godly sorrow of a pure penitent hart. You be not ignorant of his malicious subtelty, and how that continually he assaulteth that good which the grace of God planteth. I see the battell betwixt you and him, but the victory is yours, yea & that daily: For you haue layd hold vpon þ^e anker of saluation, which is hope in Christ, the which wyll not suffer you to be made ashamed. Be not discomforted that you haue this conflict: but be glad that God hath geuen you the same to try your fayth, and that you might appeare daily worthy of the kingdome of God, for the which you striue. God beholdeth your striuing fayth against Sathan, & is pleased with your mighty resistance. The spirite which is in you, is mightier thē all the aduersaryes power. Tempt he may, and lying await at your heeles, geue you a fall vnwares: but ouercome he shall not: yea he can not, for you are sealed vp already with a liuely fayth to be the child of God for euer: and whom God hath once sealed for his own, him he neuer vtterly forsaketh. MarginaliaGods children fall. The deuils children lie still.The iust falleth, vij. times, but he riseth againe. It is mans frailty to fall, but it is the property of the Deuils childe to lie still.

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MarginaliaLuke. 11. MarginaliaStrife against sin is a token of gods childe.This strife against synne is a sufficiēt testimony that you are the childe of God, for if you were not, you should feele no such malice as he now troubleth you withall. When this strong Goliah hath the hold, all things be in peace whych he possesseth, and because he hath you not, he will not suffer you vnassaulted. But stand fast, and holde out the buckler of fayth, and wyth þ^e sword of Gods promises smite him on the scalpe, that he may receiue a deadly wound, and neuer be able to stand against you any more. S. Iames telleth you that he is but a coward, saying: Resist the Deuill and he wil flie away.MarginaliaIames. 4. It is the wil of God that he should thus long tempt you and not goe away as yet, or els he had done with you long ere this. He knoweth already that he shall receiue the foyle at your hands, and encrease the crowne of your glory: for he that ouercometh shall be crowned. Therefore glory in your temptations, since they shall turne to your felicitie. Be not afraid of your continual assaults: which be occasions of your daily

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victory. The word of god abideth for euer.MarginaliaEzech. 33. In what hour soeuer a synner repenteth him of hys synnes, they be forgeuen. Who cā lay anything to the charge of gods elect? Do you not perceiue the manifest tokens of your election? First your vocation to the gospell, and after your vocation, the manifest gifts of the spirit of God geuen vnto you aboue many other of your condition, wyth godlines which beleueth and yeldeth to the authority of the scriptures, & is zelous for the same? Seing you are gods own dearling, who can hurt you? Be not of a deiect minde for these temptations, neyther make your vnfayned frendes to be more sorrowful for you, then nede doth require.

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Since God hath willed you at your Baptisme in CHRIST to be Careles, why do you make your self careful? Cast all your care on him. Set the Lord before your eyes alwayes, for he is on your right side that you shall not be moued. Behold the goodnes of God toward me. MarginaliaTrue Christians how they ought to be careles in their carefull estate.I am careles, being fast closed in a payre of stocks, which pinch me for very straitnes: and will you be careful? I will not haue that vnsemely addition to your name. Be as your name pretendeth, for doubtles you haue none other cause but so to be. Pray, I besech you, that I may bee still careles in my carefull estate, as you haue cause to be careles in your easyer condition. Be thankfull and put away all care, and then I shall be ioyfull in my strait present care. Commend me to al our brethren, and desyre them to pray for me that I may ouercome my temptatiōs: for the Deuill rageth against me. I am put in the stockes in a place alone, because I would not answer to such articles, as they would charge me with all in a corner at the bishops appoyntment, and because I did not come to Masse whē the Byshop sent for me,  

I will lye all the daies of my life in the stockes (by gods grace) rather then I will consent to the wycked generation. Praise God and be ioyful that it hath pleased him to make vs worthy to suffer somewhat for hys names sake. The Deuill must rage for ten dayes. Cōmend me to Maister F.   and thanke him for hys law bokes, but law, neither equity will take any place among these bloudthirsty. I would for your sake theyr vniust dealing were noted vnto the Parlament house, if it might auayle. God shorten these euil dayes. I haue answered the Bishop meetely plaine already, and I sayd to hym, if he wil call me in open iudgement, I wil answere him as plainly as he wil require: otherwise I haue refused, because I feare they wil cōdemne me in hugger mugger. The peace of God be wyth you my deare brother: I can wryte no more for lacke of lyght, and that I haue wrytten I can not read my selfe, and God knoweth it is wrytten farre vneasely. I pray God you may picke out some vnderstanding of my mind towards you. Wrytten in a Colehouse of darkenes out of a payre of painefull stockes by thyne owne in CHRIST.

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Ihon Philpot.

MarginaliaAn other letter of M. Philpot to certaine godly women.THe spirite of truth reueled vnto you my derely beloued, by the gospell of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST, be continually abiding wyth you, and augmented into a perfect building of you into the liuely temple of God, through the mighty operation of his power, Amen.

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I read in the Euangelists of certayne godly women that mynistred vnto CHRIST, following him in the dayes of his passion, and neuer forsoke him, but being dead in his graue, brought oyle to annoynt him, vntill that he had shewed himself vnto them after his resurrection, and bidden them shew vnto hys disciples, which at his passion were dispersed, and tell them that he was risen, & that they should see him in Galile. To whom I may iustly compare you (my louing Sisters in CHRIST) who of late haue seene him suffer in hys mēbers, and haue ministred to theyr necessity, annoynting them with the comfortable oyle of your charitable assistance, euen to the death: and now since ye haue seene CHRIST to liue in the ashes of them whom the tyrannes haue slayne, he willeth you to go away vpon iust occasion offered you, and to declare to our dispersed brethren and sisters, that he is risen and lyueth in hys elect members in England, & by death doth ouercome infidelitie, and that they shal see him in Galile, which is by forsaking this world, and by a faythful desire to passe out of thys world by those wayes which he wyth his holy Martyrs hath gone on before.

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God therefore (entire Sisters) direct your way, as he