A comfortable epistle, too God's faithful people in EnglandA comfortable epistle, too Goddes faythfull people in Englande

¶ The. xi. Chapter.

Moreover / in the Acts of the Ap• stles ¹we read / that after king Herod had killed James / the brother off John with the sword / he laid hand on Peter / and put him in prison / committing him to four quaternions of soldiers to be kept / & intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people / and so to kill him. But prayer was made without ceasing of the congregation to God for him. Here Peter was apprehended / caste into prison / bound with chains / warders appointed to keep him / & all things so handled / that he should by no means escape / but all times be ready at the first call to be brought forth unto death. Peter looked continually for present death. Herod and the Jews persuaded them selves to be sure of Peter to kill him at their pleasure / as though they had slain him all ready. But behold the mighty power of God / which findeth a means to deliver his servants / when reason seeth no way to escape. The night before that Peter should be brought forth to death / there was a very diligent watch / because they would be sure of him. Peter him self was bound with two chains. Two soldiers also kept him in the prison / one on the one side of him / and another on the other side. Besides this / there were ⟨image 24⟩keepers set before the door to keep the prison. All things were as sure as might be. Peter was paste all hope of deliverance. He committed the matter unto God / & gave him self to rest / looking the next day after to have been slain. And while Peter was ²a sleep / and had given over the matter / God wrought / and sent his angel into prison unto Peter / which wonderfully brought him out of prison / and delivered him from all danger. Read the chapter. O the almighty power of the Lord our God / in the deliverance of his servants. If God de termineth too save alive / who is able too put to death? Here see we the saying of our ³