The copy of an epistle sentThe copie of an epistle sent

God (I say) did not so familiarly communicate him self with you in his only beloved Son Christ Jesus, to the end that ye at your pleasure and appetite or for the fear of worldly men, for losing of goods, or corporal life should return to darkness, that ye should refuse to serve that sovereign prince in the day of his battle,¹ before whom all knees shall bow. But contrariwise that according as ye were called to the participation of light, that so constantly ye should walk in the same that as ye were appointed soldiers to fight against Satan the ⟨p. 13⟩•rince of this world, and against •is progeny, enemies to Christ Jesus, so should ye boldly abide •n the rank, in which God had placed you, being farther most certainly persuaded, that he that •lieth the battle and denieth Christ Jesus before men, shall be denied before his heavenly father,² yea also that such as refuse not father, mother, sister and brother, are not worthy of him: and moreover that such as do not boldly confess him before this wicked generation, shall never be confessed to appertain to him, nor to the glory of his kingdom, when he shall be accompanied with his angels. Which things I thought once had been so deeply grafted in your hearts, that albeit angels from heaven should have persuaded you to the contrary, that ye should have holden them accu•sed, and so in that behalf have rejected their persuasion ⟨p. 14⟩& doctrine, as a poison most pestilent, which is death & damnation to all that receive it. For so did ye once profess and such was my hope of you, that so in hart you had determined: for Christ Jesus was not preached amongst you without his cross.³

God (I say) dyd not so familiarely cōmunicate hym self with you in his onely beloued sōne Christ Iesus, to the end that ye at your pleasure and appetite or for the feare of wordly men, for losing of goods, or corporal lyfe shuld returne to darkenes, that ye shulde refuse to serue that soueraing prince in the day of his battayle,