Marginalia1555. Febr.dome of hys beloued Sonne, by whom we haue redemptiō through his bloud. &c. Oh most happy estate, that in an vnspeakeable wise, MarginaliaColoss. 3.our life is hid with Christ in God: But whensoeuer Christ which is our life shall shew him selfe, then shall we also appeare with him in glory. In the mean season as Marginalia1. Cor. 13.our sight is but in a glasse, euē in a darck speking, so we walk in faith, not after outward appearance, þ^e which fayth although for want of outwarde appearance, reason reputeth but as vayn, yea the chosen of God doe know the effect therof, to bring a more substantiall tast and liuely fruition of very felicity and perfect blessednes, then reason can reach or sences conceyue. By this faith we haue in our profession all good things: yea euen thē MarginaliaEsay. 64. 1. Cor. 2.which the eye hath not seene, and the eare hath not heard, neither hath entred into the hart of man. &c. Then if hereby we doe enioy all good thinges, it followeth that we must nedes possesse, haue and enioy you most reuerend Fathers, who be no small part of our ioy & good thinges geuen vs of God.

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We heretofore haue had the fruition of you by bodely presence to our inexplicable benefite, praysed bee that our gratious God therfore. And now in spirite we haue the experience of vnspeakable comfort, by your reuerent fatherhoodes for that in this so glorious sort, ye become a town set vpon a hill, a candle vpon a candlesticke, a spectacle vnto the worlde both to the angels & vnto men.MarginaliaMath. 5. So that, as we to our great comfort doe feele, you also may assuredly say with S. Paul, that Marginalia1. Cor. 4.the thinges which happen vnto vs, do chance vnto the great furtherance of the gospel, so that MarginaliaPhil. 1.our bondes in christ are mauyfest, not onely throughout all the iudgement hall, but in all wholl Europa, in so much that many of the brethren in the Lord, being incouraged through our bondes, dare more boldly speak the word without feare. And herein as you haue with s. Paule greatly to reioyce: so wee doe reioyce with you, and wee doe in deed with you geue thāks for this excellent worthy fauour of our God, towards you, that Christ is thus magnified in you, yea and herafter shal be magnified in your bodyes, whether it bee through lyfe or death. Of which thinge truely we are assured in our praiers for you, and ministring of the spirite. And althoughe for your own partes MarginaliaPhil. 1.Christ is vnto you life, and death aduauntage, and that your desire is (as in deede it were better for you) to be loosed and to be with Christ, yet for the church of Christ were it much more n[illegible text]cessary, that ye should abyde in the flesh. Yea that mercyfull God, euē for his Christes sake graunt that ye may abide and contynue for the furtherance of the Church and reioysing of fayth, that the reioysinge therof may be the more aboundant through Iesus Christ, by your restoring, Amen, Amen.

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But if it seem better otherwise vnto the diuine wisdome, that by speedy death he hath appointed you to glorifie him, the Lordes will be done. Yea euē as we doe reioyce both on your behalfes, and also on our own, that God is magnified by lyfe, and should bee more aboundantly glad for the contynuance therof: so we shall no lesse reioyce to haue the same wrought by death. We shall geue thankes for this honoure geuen vnto you, reioysing that ye are accounted worthy to suffer for the name of christ, & that MarginaliaPhil. 1.it is geuen to you of god, not onely that ye shoulde beleue in hym, but also that ye should suffer for his sake. And herein we shall haue to reioyce in the behalfe of the church of Christ whose faith may be the faster fixed vpon Gods verity, being confirmed with three such worthy witnesses. Oh thankes be to god for this hys vnspeakeable gift.

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And now most reuerend Fathers, that you may vnderstand the truth of vs and our estate how we stand in þ^e lord, I do assure your reuerences, partly by that I perceiue by such of our brethren as be here in bondes with me, partely by that I heare of them which be in other places, & partly by that inward experiēce which I most vnworthy wretch haue of Gods good comfort, (more abundaunce wherof I know there is in others) you may be assured (I saye) by Gods grace, MarginaliaThe constant minde of a Christian souldiour.that you shall not be frustrate of your hope of our constaunte continuaunce in the chearefull confession of Gods euerlasting veritie. For euen as we haue receyued the word of truth, euen the Gospell of our saluation, MarginaliaEphes. 1.wherin we beleuyng are sealed with the holye spirite of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritaunce )MarginaliaRom. 8.the which spirite certifieth our spirite that we are the children of God, and therfore MarginaliaGalat. 4.god hath sent the spirite of his sonne into our harts, crying, Abba, Father) so after such portiō as god measureth vnto vs, we with the whole church of Christ, and with you reuerēd fathers, receiuing the same spirit of fayth, accordyng as it is written: Marginalia2. Cor. 4. Psal. 116.I beleued and therfore I haue spoken. We also beleue, & therfore speak. For the which we in this dāgerous bondage and other afflictions, hauing euē such a fight as we haue sene in you and haue heard of you, MarginaliaPhil. 1.are in no wise afraid of our aduersaries.

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Marginalia2. Cor. 4.And for asmuch as we haue such an office, euen as God hath had mercy on vs, we go not out of kynd, but euē with

you, after our little power, we labour to maintayn the faith of the gospell: knowyng most certainly, that though Marginalia2. Cor. 4.we haue this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of this power might be gods and not ours: yet shall we not be dashed in pieces: For the Lord will put his hand vnder vs. [Whē] we are troubled on euery side, yet are we not without shift: [when] we are in pouerty, we are not vtterly with out some thing: [when] we suffer persecution, we are not forsaken therin: [when] we are cast downe, yet we shall not perish: but to communicate with our sweete Sauiour Christ in bearing the crosse, it is appoynted vnto vs, that euen w^t him also we shalbe glorified. For it is a true saying: Marginalia2. Tim. 2.If we be dead with him, we shall also liue with him: If we be patient, we shall also raigne with him: If we deny him, he shall also deny vs. Wherfore we be of good chere, Marginalia2. Cor. 4.1891alwais bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Iesus, that the lyfe of Iesus might appeare also in our bodye: For we know that he which raised vp the Lord Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus, and shall ioyne vs to himself together with you. Wherfore we are not weried: but thogh our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renued day by day. For our tribulation, which is momentane and light, prepareth an exceedyng and eternall weight of glory vnto vs, while we looke not on the things which are sene, but on the things which are not sene. For the things which are sene are temporal: but the things which are not sene, are eternal.

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We testifie vnto you, Reuerend fathers, that MarginaliaEsay. 12.we drawe these waters with ioy out of the Wels of the sauiour. And I trust we shal continually with you blesse the lord, & geue thankes to the Lord out of the wels of Israel,MarginaliaPsal. 48. we trust to bee mery together at that great Supper of the Lambe, whose spouse we are by fayth, and there to sing that song of euerlasting Haleluyah, Amen. Yea come Lorde Iesu. The grace of our lord Iesu Christ be with you, Amen.

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An other letter written to his wyfe, wherin is to bee sene how this woorthy Warriour prepared hymselfe to the appoynted fight, and to keepe hys standyng in Christes Campe.

MarginaliaM. Saunders letter to his wyfe.

GRace and comfort in Christ Iesu our only comfort, in all extreme assaultes, Amen.

Fayne would this flesh make strange of that which the spirit doth embrace. Oh lord, how loth is this loyteryng sluggarde to passe forth in Gods pathe? It fantasieth forsooth much feare of fraybugs:  

and were it not for the force of faith, which pulleth it forward by the reyne of gods most sweete promise, and of hope which pricketh on behynd, great aduēture there were of faintyng by the way. But blessed, and euerlastingly blessed be that heauenly father of ours, who in his Christ, our sufficient sauiour, hath vouched safe so to shyne in our hartes, Marginalia2. Cor. 4.that he geueth vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Iesu Christ: and hauyng this treasure in our earthen vessels, that the excellency of þ^e power might be gods and not oures, Marginalia2. Cor. 4.we are [accordyng to his good will] troubled on euery side, yet are we not without shift: we are in pouerty, but yet not without that is sufficient: we suffer persecution, but are not forsaken therein: we are cast downe, neuertheles we perish not: we beare in the body the dying of the Lord Iesus, that the lyfe of Iesus might also appeare in our body. Wherfore by the grace of our Christ we shall not be weried, neyther be dismayed by this our probation thorough the fire of affliction, as though some strāge thing had happened vnto vs: but by his power we shall reioyce, in as much as we are pertakers of Christs Passion, that when he doth appeare we may be mery and glad, knowyng that, Marginalia2. Cor. 4.our tribulation which is momentane and light, prepareth an exceding and an eternall weight of glory vnto vs, while we looke not on the thinges which are sene, but on the thinges which are not sene. MarginaliaPsal. 126.They that sow in teares, shall reape in ioye. For hee that goeth on his way weping and scattering his good seede, shall doubtles come againe with ioy, and bring his whole sheaues with hym. Then, then shall the Lord wipe away all teares from our eyes. Then then shalbe brought to passe that saying which is written: Marginalia1. Cor. 15.Death is swallowed vp in victory. Death where is thy sting? Hell where is thy victory? Yea, thankes bee to God which hath geuen vs the victory thorow our Lord Iesus Christ. Amen.

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In the meane season it remayneth for vs to follow Saint Peters bidding: Marginalia1. Pet. 4.Let them (saith he) that are troubled according to the wil of God, commit their soules to him with well doing, as a faithfull Creatour and Maker. He is our maker: we are his handyworke and creatures, whom nowe when he hath made: he doth not leaue and forsake as the shypwright doth the shyp, leauyng it at al aduentures to be tossed in the tempest, but he comforteth vs his creatures, & MarginaliaActes. 17.in him we liue, moue, and haue our beyng: Yea not onely that

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