many things well, but except ye persevere to the end, ye cannot be blessed. For if ye turn from God, then God will turn away his merciful countenance from you. And what remaineth then to be looked for, but only a terrible expectation of God's judgments, and an heaping up wrath against the day of wrath. But I trust in God, your majesty will always humble yourself under his mighty hand, and go forward in the zealous setting forth of God's true religion, always yielding due obedience and reverence to the word of God, the only rule of faith and religion. And if ye do so, although God hath just cause, many ways, to be angry with you and us, for our unfaithfulness; yet I doubt nothing, but that for his own name's sake, and for his own glory's sake, he will still hold his merciful hand over us, shield and protect us under the shadow of his wings, as he hath done hitherto. I beseech God, our heavenly Father, plentifully to pour his principal Spirit upon you, and always to direct your heart in his holy fear. LETTER LXX. BERNARD GILPIN, in reply to an offer of a benefice. (') Louvain, Nov. 22, 1554. Right honourable, and my singular good master, (1) "Which of our modern gaping rooks," exclaimed the Bishop of Chichester on this occasion, "could endeavour (my duty remembered in most humble manner,) pleaseth it your honour to be informed that of late my brother wrote to me, that in any wise I must meet him at Mechlin, for he must debate with me urgent affairs, such as could not be dispatched by writing. When we met, I perceived it was nothing else but to see if he could persuade me to take a benefice, and to continue in study at the University which if I had known to be the cause of his sending to me, I should not have needed to interrupt my study to meet him; for I have so long debated that matter with learned men, especially with the holy prophets, and most ancient and godly writers since Christ's time, that I trust, so long as I have to live, never to burden my conscience with having a benefice, and lying from it. My brother said, that your lordship had written to him, that you would gladly bestow one on me; and that your lordship thought, and (so did other of my friends, of which he was one,) that I was much too scrupulous on that point. Whereunto I always say, if I be too scrupulous, (as I cannot think that I am,) the matter is such, that I had rather my conscience were therein a great deal too strait, than a little too large for I am seriously persuaded, that I shall never offend God by refusing to have a benefice and lie from it, so long as I judge not evil of others; which I trust I shall not, but rather pray God daily, that all who have cures may discharge their office in his sight, : with more industry to obtain a benefice, than this man did to avoid one !" as may tend most to his glory and the profit of his church. He replied against me, that your lordship would give me no benefice, but what you would see discharged in my absence as well or better than I could discharge it myself. Whereunto I answered, that I would be sorry, if I thought not there were many thousands in England more able to discharge a cure than I find myself; and therefore I desire they may both take the cure and the profit also, that they may be able to feed the body and the soul both, as I think all pastors are bounden. As for me, I can never persuade myself to take the profit, and let another take the pains: for if he should teach and preach as faithfully as ever St. Austin did, yet, should I not think myself discharged. And if I should strain my conscience herein, and strive with it to remain here, or in any other university, with such a condition, the unquietness of my conscience would not suffer me to profit in study at all. I am here at this present, I thank God, very well placed for study among a company of learned men, joining to the friars minors; having free access at all times to a notable library among the friars, men both well learned and studious. I have entered acquaintance with divers of the best learned in the town; and for my part was never more desirous to learn in all my life than at this present. Wherefore I am bold, knowing your lordship's singular good-will towards me, to open my mind thus rudely and plainly unto your goodness, most humbly beseeching you to suffer me to live without charge, that I may study quietly. And whereas I know well your lordship is careful how I should live, if God should call your lordship, being now aged, I desire you let not that care trouble you: for if I had no other shift, I could get a lectureship, I know, shortly, either in this university, or at least in some abbey hereby; where I should not lose my time: and this kind of life, if God be pleased, I desire before any benefice. And thus I pray Christ always to have your lordship in his blessed keeping. By your lordship's humble scholar and chaplain, BERNARD GILPIN. LETTER LXXI. BERNARD GILPIN to MR. WREN, in reply to his slanderers. I am very sorry, Mr. Wren, to hear that you should fall into such unlawful contention with any one; and that, to maintain an evil cause, you should make an untrue report of me. You say I am called hypocrite: I know I am so by divers. How they will answer God's law therein, I leave to their own conscience. But, verily, for my own part, I can thank them; for, when I hear it, I trust in God, I gain not a little thereby in studying clearly to subdue that vice, which I have strived against ever since I studied the Holy Scriptures. And I suppose very few or no preachers in England have preached oftener against that vice than I; and that, as I trust, with a clear conscience. But to make an end at this time, (because the bearer can show you what small time I have, being sore overcharged with manifold studies and businesses,) it is time, good Mr. Wren, both for you. and me (age and sundry diseases, messengers of death, giving us warning) more deeply to ripe our own consciences, and more diligently to search our own faults, and to leave off from curious hearkening and espying of other men's: especially when it breedeth contention, and can in no wise edify. I pray you read St. James, the latter part of the third chapter, and there learn from whence cometh contentious wisdom. And this, I beseech you, remember, that it is not long since God did most mercifully visit you with a great sickness. At that time I doubt not but you lamented sore your duty forgotten in your life past and for the time to come, if God would restore you to your health, I trust you promised a godly repentance, and reformation of life. Good Mr. Wren, if you have somewhat forgotten that godly mind, pray to God to bring it again, and being had, keep it. Pray in faith, and St. James saith, God will hear you, whom I beseech evermore to have you in his blessed keeping. Your loving friend to his power, |