And many false prophetes shal arise and deceiue many and bicause of the abundaunce of wickednes the charite of many shall ware cold but he the shall endure vnto th ende the same shal be saffe And this gladde tydinges of the kingdome shall be preached thorowe all the worlde for a witnesse vnto all nacyons and than shall the ende come WhaÌ„ therfore ye shall see thabo minacion of desolatyon spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place Daniel 9. let him that reade it vnderstande it Than let them that be in Iury flee in to the mountaines And him which is on the house toppe not com downe to fet any thing out of his house Neither let him which is in the felde returne backe to fetche his clothes Wo be in those daies to women with childe and to them that geue sucke but praie ye that your flight be not in the winter neither on the saboth daie For than shall be great tribulacion suche as was not from the beginning of the world to thys tyme nor shal be And excepte those dayes should be shortned ther should no flesh be saued but for the chosen sake those dayes shall be shortned Then yf any man shall saye vnto you Lo here is Christ or ther is Christ beleue it not For ther shall aryse false Christes and false prophetes and shal do great miracles and wonders In somuche that yf it were possible eueÌ„ the chosen persons should be deceyued But take you hede loo I haue tolde you all thynges before Wherfore yf they shal saye vnto you behold he is in the wyldernes go not forthe Beholde in the serrete places beleue not For as the lyghtning commeth out of the east and syneth into the west So shall the coÌ„ming of the sone of maÌ„ be For whersoeuer a deade carcase is thether wil the Egles be gathered together Forthwith after the tribulatioÌ„s of those dayes the sune shall be darkened and the Wone shall not geue her lyght the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall moue And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in heauen And then shall al the kinreddes of the earthe lament them selues and they shall se the sonne of man commyng in the cloudes wyth great power and glory And he shall sende his Angels with great power glory with a great trompet And they shall gather together his chosen froÌ„ the iiij wyndes froÌ„ the one ende of heauen to the other Neither are these thinges which nowe happeÌ„ to christeans new or sodeine for asmuche as good iust meÌ„ such as be thorowly bent to kepe the lawe of God are afraid to staine the innocency of lyfe true religion do alwayes walke the harde straite waye thorowe trobles iniuries and thorowe the greuous manifolde punishementes of deadly malicious emnities Thus is the ryghtfull Abel first killed of his brother Gen. 4. in the very beginning of the worlde 1. Reg. 14. Iacob is copelled to flye 3. Reg. 19. Ioseph is solde king Saul persecuteth the merciful Dauid king Achab endeuoureth to oppresse Helias which did constantly manfully defende the maiestie of God Ê’a charias the priest is killed betwene the temple the aulter Math. 23. that he myght there be made a sacrifice him selfe where he had offred sacrifices To be shorte ther are very many martirdomes of the rightfull which are oftentymes celebrate Ther are very many ensamples of faithe godlines left for them that shal come after The .iii. children Ananias Ararias Misahel in age equal in loue of one mynde in faithe stabell in godlynes constaunt and stronger then the flaÌ„myng fire and the paynes wherwith they were tormented openly proclaymed that they serued God alone and only that they knewe hym alone Dani 3. that they worshipped him alone saieng O king Na buchodonosor we haue no nede to make the any answer in this mater For God whome we serue is able to deliuer vs froÌ„ the hote burning ouen O king and to ridde vs out of thy handes but yf he will not yet shalt thou knowe that we wil not serue thy goddes nor do reuereÌ„ce to the ymage which thou hast set vp Dani. 14. And the godlye man Daniel full of the holy Goost cryeth out sayeth I worship nothing but only my Lorde which hath made heauen earth Tobias also althoughe he was vnder a kingly tyraÌ„nous boÌ„dage yet being fre in vnderstaÌ„ding spirite coÌ„fesseth God do excelleÌ„tly coÌ„meÌ„d god his power and maiestie saieng Tobi. 13. I wil praise him in the lande of my captiuitie wil shewe his power amoÌ„ges the sinful nacion But what should I speake of the seueÌ„ brethreÌ„ in the Machabees whiche do fulfill the nuÌ„bre of .vii. for a sacrament of absolute ê‘fectnes 2. Mat. 7. These seuen brethren are so lincked together in martirdome as in the disposicion ordinauÌ„ce of God the first seueÌ„ dayes do couteyne seuen thousande yeres As the seuen spirites and seuen Angels ar assistant and present before the face of the Lord And the seuen fashoned caÌ„delstickes in the tabernacle of witnesse And the seuen golden candelstickes in the reuelacion And the seueÌ„ pillars in Salomon vpoÌ„ whome wisdome doeth builde her howse Euen so the number also ther of seuen brethren doeth compreheÌ„de in them the number of seuen churches According as we reade in the first boke of kinges that the barreÌ„ brought furthe seuen And in Esay seuen womeÌ„ take holde vpoÌ„ one maÌ„ after whose name they require to benamed And Paule thapostle being myndefull of this laufull and certaine number writeth vnto seuen churches And in the reuelation the Lord doeth directe his diuine commaundementes and heuenly preceptes to seueÌ„ churches and their angels The which neÌ„ber is now fouÌ„de in these brethren that laufull perfeccyon might be fulfilled With the seuen sonnes the mother also their beginning and rote is certeinly copled which afterwardes brought furthe seuen churches herselfe being thorowe goddes voice first and alone fouÌ„ded vpon the rocke Neither is which out mistery the in the martyrdomes the mother is founde alone with her soÌ„nes For the martyrs which in their sufferinges did testefie them selues to be the sonnes of God ar now cownted to haue none other father but God As the Lorde in the gospel teacheth sayeng call no man your father vpon the earth Math. 23. for ther is but one your father which is in heauen O how glorious confessions did they make Howe noble howe excellent lessons of faithe haue they geueÌ„ The king Antiochus being angery yea rather Antichrist re presented by Antiochus went about to defile with the filth of swines fleshe the gloriouse mouthes of the martyrs which thorowe the spirite of coÌ„fession war inuincible And when he had greuously beaten them with scorges and yet neuer the neare his purpose he commaunded the frieng pannes or cauldrons to
salute our parentes A great number of our parentes brethrē and sonnes do ther abide vs a great company do wishe for vs which are now sure of their owne immortalitie and carefull for our safetye To come to the sight and imbrasing of these how great ioye shall it be bothe to vs and them what maner of pleasure is this of the heauenly kingdomes to be with out the feare of dieing and to lyue with euerlastyngnes How excellent and perpetuall happines is this Ther is the glorious cōpany of the Apostles Ther are the numbre of the reioysing prophetes Ther are an infinite companye of martyrs that are crowned for the victory of their fight and suffering The triumphing virgins are there which thorow the strenght of cōtinency haue subdued the luste of the fleshe and bodye Ther are the mercyfull rewarded which haue done the workes of ryghtfulnesse by geuyng almes fedyng the poore which obseruing the Lordes cōmaūdementes haue chaunged their earthly patrimonies for heauenly treasures Let vs most dearly beloued brethren with earnest desire make haste vnto these le◠vs wishe that we maye quickely be with them that it maye be our fortune spedely to come to Christ Let God se this cogitacion and thought of oures let the Lorde Christ beholde this purpose of our mynde and faythe which shall gyue the greater rewardes of his glory to them whose desyres are more earnest to be with him Amen A boke of the holy martir G. Chpriane conicining an exhortation to martyrdome diuided into xii chapters wherin the sūme of the hole mater is more fully knowen written vnto Fortunatus FOrasmuche as O most deare Fortunatus the heuy burden of trobles and persecutiōs do lye vpon the churche nowe in th ende of the world the maliciouse tyme of Antichrist beginneth to approche thou hast desired me to prepare strenghtē the mindes of the brethren with exhortacions of the holy scriptures wherby Christes souldiers myght be encorraged vnto the spiritual heauenly fight It behoued me to obey this thy most necessary desire that to the vttermost of our lytle power by the helpe of goddes inspiracion we might bring furth out of goddes worde as it were certeine armores and defences for the brethren that shall fight For it is but a smale mater for vs to raise vp goddes people with the trompe of our voice excepte we strenghten by the holy scriptures the faithe of suche as beleue and the deuoute vertue that is consecrate vnto God For what thing agreeth better and more with our pastorall cure and charge then to prepare and furnishe the people committed vnto vs of God and the armey standing in the heauēly tentes against the arrowes and dartes of the deuell For he can not be a mete souldear for the battaile which haue not ben before exercised in the felde Or who seking a victorious crowne shall in the course or rūnyng place be crowned except beforehande he do consyder the experience of his strenght and cōnyng The aduersary enemy with whom we fight is auncient of long experiēce For six thousande yeres are fully complete sence the deuel began to fight against man Therfore he hath now learned euē by aūcient exercise al kindes of tētaciōs al sottelties deceytes to cast vs downe Yf he shal fynde Christes souldear vnprepared yf he shal fynd him ygnoraūt negligent not diligently watching he encloseth in the ignoraunt he deceaueth the negligent he begyseth the folishe But yf any man keaping the Lordes commaūdementes and stycking manfully vnto Christ shall stand vp against him he must nedes be ouercom bicause Christ whom man confesseth is inuincible But to make a shorte tale lest with long writing I should wery the most deare brother being occupied either in hearing or in reading I haue knit vp the mater in a fewe wordes that vnto the titles that at set abrode which euery mā ought bothe to knowe and remēber I might adde the Lordes wordes by authorire of the diuine scriptures cōfirme the which I had set before mens eies so that I maye not so muche seame to haue sent vnto the this treatise of myne owne writig as to haue geuen occasion to other to write treatesis which thing being vsed of euery one is profitable for many For if I should now geue vnto the a garmēt ready made the garment should be myne which an other should we are paraduenture a thing made for an other wold not serue for the proportiō and stature of his body But now I haue sent vnto the the selfe wolle and purple of the lanibe by whom we are redempre made aliue which whan thou hast rereaued thou shalt make for thy selfe a coate at thine owne pleasure wherin thou shalt more reioyce than in thy accustomed and proper garmētes and thou shalt deliuer this that we haue sent vnto others that they maye also according to their owne will make for them selues garmentes that al men the old nakednes being couered maye put on the garmentes of Christ being clothed word we the sanctificacion of the heauenly grace Furthermore in this most necessarye exhortaciō which maye stire vp men to suffer martyrdome I haue perceaued this coūcel also most deare brother to be bothe profitable holsome to cut of the lettes and hinderaunces of our owne wordes and to take awaye the goinges about the bushe of mans talke and to allege suche thynges only as God him selfe speaketh wherby Christ prouoketh his seruautes to martyrdome For the selfe commaundemeetes of the Lord as armors and weapons ought to be put in to the myndes of them that fight Let them be the exhortacions of the warlike trompet let them be the peale of trompettes that maye prouoke to fyght Thorowe them let the eares be lifte vp thorowe them let the mindes be instructed taught thorowe them let the strenght boche of the mynde body be cōfirmed to suffer all maner of afflictions and tormentes Wherfore let vs which by the sufferaūce of God haue geuen the first baptisme vn to them that beleue prepare euery mā to another baptisme also putting them in mynde and teaching that this baptisme is in grace greater in power myghtier in honour more precious a baptisme wherin Angels baptise and wherin God and his Christ reioyse a baptisme after the receyte wherof no man synneth any more a baptisme that maketh perfecte the encrease of our fayth a baptisme that do immediatly couple vs vnto God when we departe this worlde In the baptisme of water is receyued the remission of synnes in the baptisme of blood the crowne of vertues This thing ought to be embrased and wyshed for and to be desyred by the seruent prayers of vs all that we which are the seruaūtes of God may be also his frendes The first Chapter In exhorting therfore preparing our brethren The contentes of the. 12. chapters thorowe the stedfastnesse of faythe vertue to attayne the glorye of confessing the Lorde and to arme
them to the bataile of persecutioÌ„ and suffering we must first of al declare that the ydolles which maÌ„ mateth for himselfe are no goddes for the thinges that are made are not greater than their mater neither can these ydolles defende and saue any man which wolde them selues peryshe from their temples except they were 〈◊〉 of man Neither ought thelementes to be worshipped which according to thordenaunce and commauÌ„dement of God do serue man The ydolles being ouerthroweÌ„ and the maner of the lemonies declared The. 2. chap. we must shewe that the Lorde onlye ought to be worshipped To these then must we adde what is the threatning of God against them that do sacrifice to ydolles We must teache furthermore that God wil not easely pardon Idolarers And that God is so greued with Idolatrie that he hathe also coÌ„maunded them to be slayne which haue enâ—ysed men to sacrifice and serue ydolles To these muste be added that the whiche are redemed and made alyâ—e thorow the blood of Christ ought to â—â—e ferre nothing before Christ because he preserred nothing before vs but for our sales he preferred aduersitie before prosperitie pouertie before ryches boÌ„dage before lordship death before immortalitie CoÌ„trarywyse we in our sufferinges preferre the ryches and pleasures of paradise before worldlye pouertie the dominion and euerlasting kingdome before temporall bondage immortalitie before deathe God and Christ before the deuell and Antichrist We ought also to bring to remembraunce that none that are escaped out of the deuelles clouches and delyuered from the snares of the worlde shoulde desire yf they happen to fall into affliccions and troubles to go forthe againe vnto the worlde and so lose that they had escaped But rather that they ought to endure continue in faythe inthe truthe and in the perfectyon of the heuenly and spirituall grace that they maye artayne the victory and crowne We must also shewe that afflictions and persecutions doo therfore happen that we maye be tryed And that the sufferinges of wronge and batailes of persecution ought not to be feared because the Loide is more myghty to defende than the deuel is to fight against vs. And to the intent no man should be afrayde and trobled thorowe afflictioÌ„s and persecutions which we suffer in this worlde we must proue that it was toloe beforehaÌ„de that the worlde should hate vs and that it should stire vp persecutions against vs that the truthe of Goddes promise in rewardes that shal hereafter folowe myght manifestly appeare by this self thiÌ„g in that these persecutions do happeÌ„ Neither dothe any newe thing happen nowe vnto christians for asmuche as good meÌ„ from the beginning of the world haue ben persecuted the rightful haue ben oppressed and Filled of the vnrightfull Last of all we must declare what hope and what rewarde abydeth the rightfull men and martyrs after the afflictions and passyons of this liffe and that we shall receiue more in rewarde of our suffering than we suffer here in the self afflictyons The first chapter THat ydolles are no goddes and that none of thelemeÌ„s should he worshipped in goddes stede is manifest in the Cxiij psalme The ydolles of the geÌ„tiles ar gold siluer Psal 113. the workes of mens handes Mowthes haue they but they speake not they haue eyes and see not They haue eares heare not neither is ther any breath in theyr mowthe Let them be like vnto them that make them In likemaner in the boke of the wisdome of Salamon it is writen Sap. 15. They haue estemed as Goddes all thidolles of the nacions which haue neither eyes to see neither nostrels to drawe brethe neither eares to heare nor fingars on theyr handes to feale Their fete also are vnhapte and sloo to walke For man made them and he that hathe a borowed spirite fashtoned them But no man can make a God like vnto him selfe For Seing he ys mortal that is also but a deade thing which he fashioneth with vngodlye handes For he that maketh them is more excelleÌ„t than the thinges which he worshippeth We reade also in the boke of Exodus Exod. 2â— â–ª Thou shall not make for thy selfe any grauen ymage neither the likenes of any thing Further as touchiÌ„g thelementes Salamon saith Neither toke they so muche regarde of the workes that ar made Sapi. 1â— as to knowe who was the craftesman of them but some toke the fire some the aire some the winde some the course of the starres some the great water some the SuÌ„ne Mone for goddes But thoughe they had suche pleasure in their veauty that they thought them to haue ben Goddes yet sholde they haue knowe howe muche more fairer ys he that made them Or yf they marueled at the power and workes of them they might haue perceiued therby that he that made these mighty thinges is mightyer then they The .ij. chapter THat god only ought to be worshipped we reade in Deuterono Deu. â— Exo. 〈◊〉 Thou shalt worshippe thy Lord God and him only shalt thou serue Also in Exo dus Thou shalt haue non other gods besides me In like maner in the same boke of Deuteronomy Se now how the I I am he and that ther is no God besides me Deu. 32. I can kil and make aliue I strike and heale againe neither is ther any that can deliuer any man out of my handes Apo. 14. Iohan also in the reuelacion saithe And I sawo an Angel flie in the myddes of heaueÌ„ hauing an euerlstaing gospel to praethe vnto them that litte and dwelle on thearthe and to all nacions kinreds tonges and people saing with a loude voice Feare God rather and giue honour to him for the howre of his iugement is com and worshippe him that made heauen and earthe the sed and all that in them ys In like maner also the Lord maketh mentyon in the gospell of the first and second comauÌ„dement saing He are Israel The Lord thy God ys one Lord And thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy harte Math. 22. and with al thy sowle and with al thy strenght This ys the first commaundement and the second ys like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe In these two coÌ„maundementes-consisteth the host lawe ê‘phetes And againe This is eternall liffe Ioan. 17. that they should knowe the alone the true God Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent The .iij. chapter VVhat God threatneth to theÌ„ the do sacrifice to ydols we maye reade in Exodus thus Exod. 22. He the offereth vnto any goddes saue to the Lord only shal be roted out Also in the Deu teronomye Deu. 32. They offered vnto druels and not vnto God Esa 2. In like maner in Esay They worshipped the Idolles which their owne fingars had made Ther kneleth the man ther falleth the man downe before them so that thou canst not bring him awaye froÌ„ theÌ„ce And againe To them
you haue powred out your drinke offeringes and to theÌ„ you haue offered your sacrifices shal not I be angry with these thiÌ„ges saieth the Lord In like maner Hieremy saith walke not after strauÌ„ge goddes to serue them worshippe theÌ„ not Hiere 7. neither prouoke me thorowe the workes of your haÌ„des to scatter you abrode Io. also in the reuelacioÌ„ saithe Apo. 14. If any doo worshippe the best and his ymage shall receue his marke in his forehead or in his haÌ„d he also shal drin ke of the wine of Goddes wrathe myngled in the cuppe of his wrathe he shal be punished with fire brymstone in the presence of the holy angels in the presence of the lambe And the smoke of their tormentes shal asceÌ„de vp euermore Neither shal they haue any rest daye or night who so euer they be that shall worshipe the best his ymage The .iiij. chapter THat God wil not easely iê‘don ydolaters it appeareth by Moses in Exodus the praieth for the people and yet obteyned not Oh Lorde saithe he this people haue synned a great synne Exod. 32. and made for them selues Goddes of gold yet forgeue them their sinne I beseche the yf not wipe me out of the boke which thou hast writeÌ„ And the Lord said vnto Moses I will put him out of my boke that hathe synned against me In like maner whan Ieremy praied for the people the Lord spake vnto him saieng Iere. 7. Thou shalt not praie for this people thou shalt neither geue thankes nor byd praier for theÌ„ for I wil not heare them in the tyme that they shall call vpon me in the tyme of theyr troble Ezech. 14. Ezechiell also threateneth the same wrathe of God against them the synne against God saieng and the worde of the Lord came vnto me saieng Thou sonne of man whan the land sinneth against me and goeth furthe in wickednes I shall stretche out myne haÌ„d vpon it and destroy all the prouision of their bread and I will send huÌ„ger among them to destroye man best in the land And thoughe Noah Daniel Iob these .iii. meÌ„ war amoÌ„g theÌ„ yet shall they deliuer neither sonnes nor daughters but shall them selues only be saffe In likemaner in the furst boke of kings it is writeÌ„ yf one man synne agaist an other 1. Reg. 2. they shal make intercession vnto the Lord for him but if a man synne against the Lord who shall praieÌ„ for him The .v. chapter THat God is soangrey with ydolatry that he hathe also coÌ„maunded theÌ„ to be slayne which haue entised others to offer to ydolles and to serue them we reade in the Deuteronomy Deu. 13. Yf thy brother or thyne owne sonne or thy daughter or thy wiffe the lieth in thy bosome or thy frende which is as thine owne sowle vnto the entise the secretly saieÌ„g let vs go serue strauÌ„ge goddes the Goddes of the geÌ„tiles thou shalt not coÌ„sent vnto him nor herken vnto him neither shal thine eye spare him nor kepe him secrete but shalt vtter him Thine hande shall be first vpon him to kill him and than the handes of all the people To be short they shal stone him and he shall dye because he went about to turne thee awaye froÌ„ the Lorde thy God And agayne the Lord speaketh and sayeth that a cytie ought not to be spared althou the hole tytie shall coÌ„sent to Idolatrie Yf thou shalt heare saye of one of thy cyties which the Lorde thy God shall geue thee to dwel in that they saye Let vs go and serue straunge Goddes whiche thou haste not knowen Thou shalt smyte kill with th edge of the sworde all that are in that cytie and thou shalt burne the cytie with fire it shall neuer more be inhabited Yea it shall neuer be buylt againe that God may turne froÌ„ his fearce wrathe And the Lorde shal shewe the mercy and haue compassioÌ„ on the and multiply the yf thou shalt heare the voice of the Lorde thy God and keape his coÌ„mauÌ„de mentes Mathathias beyng myndfull of the force of this coÌ„mauÌ„dement slewe him that came to thaltar to do sacrifice 1. Mac. 2. But yf before the comming of Christ these coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes touching the worshipiÌ„g of God and despising of ydolles war obscrued keapt How muche more ought they to be keapt after the comming of Christ Forasmuche as he at his comming did not exhorte vs with wordes only but also with deades which after he had suffred al maner of iniure is and reuiling wordes was also crucified to teache vs by his example bothe to suffer and die that who so euer he be that will not suffer for his sake should be vtterly wtout excuse forasmuche as he hathe suffred for vs. And seing the he hathe suffred for other mens synnes muche more ought euery maÌ„ to suffer for his owne synnes And therfore in the gospel he treatneth and saithe who so euer shal confesse me before men Math. 10. him wil I also confesse before my father which is in heaueÌ„ but who so euer shall denye me before men him wil I also denye before my father which is in heaueÌ„ In like maner thapostle paule saithe Yf we die together with him we shall also liue together with him 2. Tim. 2. Yf we suffer with him we shall also raygne together with him Yf we denye him he shall also denye vs. Iohan also saieth â— Ioan. 2. he that denieth the sonne hathe not the father he that confesseth the sonne hathe bothe the sonne and the father Wherfore the Lord dothe exhorte and strenghten vs to despise deathe Math. 10. saieng Feare ye not them that kil the body but can not kill the sowle but rather feare him which can kille bothe sowle and body in to hell fire Ioan. 12. And againe he saieth he that loueth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his liffe in this worlde shall preserue it vnto eternal liffe The .vi. chapter THat we which ar redeÌ„pte made aliue thorowe the blode of Christ ought to preferre no thing before Christ the Lord speaketh in the gospel and saithe he that loueth father or mother aboue me is not worthy of me Math. 10. And he that taketh not vp his crosse folowe me is not worthy of me In the Deuteronomy it is also writeÌ„ in like maner Deu. 33. They that saie to father or mother I knowe the not the parents that haue not knoweÌ„ their owne soÌ„nes these haue keapt thy commaundementes and obserued thy testament Rom. 8. In like maner saieth thapostle Paule Who shall separate vs from the charite of Christ shall tribulacion or anguishe either persecution or hungar either nakednes or daunger or the sword as it is writen For thy sake are we killed al the daie long Psal 43 and are cownted as shepe appointed to be slayne Neuertheles in all these thinges we ouercome thorowe his helpe that
the boke of nombres saieng Num. 20. let theÌ„ cease to murmur against me thei shal not dye Wee maye not most deare brethren grudge in aduersites but quietly and stroÌ„gly suffer what so euer shal happen seing it is written that a trobled spirite is a sacrifice to God Psal 50. and that God despiseth not a contrite and an huÌ„ble hart In the Deuteronomy also the holy goost doeth warne vs by Moses and saieth Deu. 8. The Lord thy God shall vexe the and shall throwe hunger vpon the and thine hart shall be knoweÌ„ whether thou wilt truly kepe his coÌ„maundementes or not And againe he saieth The Lord your God doeth tempte you that he maie knowe whether you loue the Lord your God with al your harte with al your sowle Thus did AbrahaÌ„ please God Gene. 22. that he might so do he neither feared to forgo his sonne nor refused to kill him Thou that canst not be content to forgo thy soÌ„ne by the lawe and lotte of mortalitie deathe what woldest thou do if thou war coÌ„maunded to kill thy soÌ„ne The feare of God faithe ought to make the redye to al thiÌ„ges Be it that thou hast lost thy goodes be it that partes of thy body ar coÌ„tinually and greuously vexed with deadly diseases be it that thy wiffe thy children deare frendes ar most dolefully and heauely pluct from the by deathe lette not these thinges be stumbling blockes vnto the but batailes neither let theÌ„ weaken or ouerthrowe the faithe of a christian but let them rather declare strenght in the wrastling Forasmuche as all suffering of these present euelles ought to be dispised in hope of the good thinges to come Except ther shall furst be a battayle ther can be no victory but whan a man in the ioyning of the battaile getteth the victory than is ther a crowne also geuen to them that ouercom For in a tempest the gouernour of a shipe is knowen a sowdear is tried in the battaile The bragge is but wanton whaÌ„ ther is no daunger The conflicte and fight in aduersite is the triall of the truthe The tre that is depely roted is not moued with the blustering windes and a shippe that hathe strong ribbes wel ioyned is beaten of the wawes and receaued no leake and whaÌ„ the corne is thressed on to barne store the good weghty corne regardeth not the windes but the light chaffe ar blowen quite awaie EueÌ„ thus thapostle Paule after shipwracke after scorges after many bitter tormentes of the fleshe and the body he sayeth not that he is greued with these aduersities but amended so that the more greuously he is afficted the more truly he is tried Ther is geuen me sayeth he the prick of my fleshe 2. Cor. 11. the messenger of Satan that dothe buffet me that I should not be exalted For the which I haue beseched the Lord .iii. tymes that it might departe froÌ„ me and he sayd vnto me my grace is sufficient for thee for power thorowe weakenes is made perfite Whan therfore either sicknes eyther weaknes or any destructioÌ„ dothe violeÌ„tly assaile vs thaÌ„ is our strengt made perfect than is faithe crowned yf she indure stedfaste in temptacion Eccle. 27. according as it is written The furnace trieth the potters vessell and the temptacion of troble trieth iuste men Furthermore this difference is betwene vs and other that knowe not God They complayne and grudge in their trobles but as for vs aduersities do not call vs awaye from the truthe vertue and faythe but do strenghten vs in sorowes For wher as nowe the bloody flixe dothe scrape the guttes taketh quite awaye the strenght of the body wheras nowe a fire inwardly coÌ„ceaued in wouÌ„des sores doth rage burne wheras now the intralles do shake pant with continuall vomite wheras the eyes are set on fire with the violence of blood wheras some mens fete or other ê‘tes of the body ar cut of that they should not corrupte the rest wheras thorow damages hurtes of the body after the disease once burste out either the goyng is weakened or the hearing stopped or the sight blinded al euery of those profiteth vnto the instruction teaching of fayth To fight against so many violeÌ„t assaultes of destructioÌ„ death with a stable miÌ„de what a noble courage is it how worthy auauncemeÌ„t is it for a maÌ„ to staÌ„de right vp among the myseries destructions of maÌ„kinde not to lye groueling on th earth with them that haue no hope in the Lord We ought rather to reioyce and embrace the gyft of tyme that whiles we stedfastly declare our faythe and by suffering of paynes go by the narowe waye of Christ vnto Christ we may he beiÌ„g iudge receiue the rewarde of lyfe faythe Let hym feare to die but he which being not renewed of the water the spirite is delyuered in boÌ„dage to hel fire Let him feare to dye who be they that feare deathe which is not inrolled in the crosse passion of Christ Let him fear to die which froÌ„ this death shall passe to the seconde deathe let him feare to dye whome after the departure froÌ„ this worlde an euerlasting flame shal torment with coÌ„tinual punishemeÌ„t let him fear to dye which by his long carieng here haue only this benefite that his sorowe torment is for the while differred Many of our brethren dye in this mortalitie that is to say many of our brethren are delyuered from this world As this mortalitie is a pestileÌ„ce to the Iewes gentiles that are Christes enemies euen so to goddes seruauÌ„tes it is an holsome departure Where as without difference of mankinde the iust die with thoniuste ye maye not thinke that both good euel are destroyed alyke The iuste are called heÌ„ce to refreshing thoniuste are caught awaye to punishment Defence is quickly geuen to theÌ„ that beleue but to thoÌ„beleuers paine We are moste dearely beloued brethren vncircuÌ„specte and vnthankful to Goddes benefites neither do we knowe what is geuen vnto vs. The virgins being in safetie lo depte heÌ„ce in peace with their glory fearing nothing the threateninges deflowringes brothel houses of Antichrist now coÌ„ming The childreÌ„ escape the daungers of their slippery age do luckely attayne the rewarde of coÌ„tineÌ„cy innocency The tender matrone feareth now no more tormentes which thorowe a swift deathe is escaped the feare of persecutyon and the handes and tormentes of the hang man Thorowe thextreme feare of mortalitie tyme the luke warme are made hote the dissolute are hard wrongen the slothefull ar reised vp the shrinkers are compelled to returne the heatheÌ„ are constrained to beleue the true faithfull people are called to rest and a newe a great arinye ys gathered together with a mightier force to the battayle to fight when the filde shall beginne without any feare of deathe which in the tyme of mortalitie came in to the warfare
Thes 4. We will not saieth he haue you to be ignozauÌ„t brethreÌ„ touching them that are aflepe that you should not be sorowefull as suche that haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus died rose againe eueÌ„ so God shall also brig with him theÌ„ that haue slept in Christ He saieth the they are sorowefull in the departiÌ„g of theirs that haue no hope But we which liue in hope beleue in God truste in Christ that suffred for vs and rose againe abiding in Christ thorowe him rising againe in him why do we our selues either refuse to departe heÌ„ce or mourne sorowe for our freÌ„des departing hence as thoughe they wer lost Seing that Christ him selfe the Lord and our God doeth warne vs saieng I am the resurrectioÌ„ he that beleueth in me althoughe he die yet he shall liue Ioan. 11 â–ª euery on that liueth beleueth in me shall not die for euer yf we beleue in Christ let vs geue credite to his wordes promises and we shal not die euerlastingly but we shall come to Christ with a ioyfull safety with whome we shall liue reigne alwaies But wher as in the meane tyme we die we doo but passe by deathe vnto immortalitie neither can a man attayne eternal life except he happeÌ„ to go out from heÌ„ce it is no end but a passage after this teÌ„poral iorney is finished a going ouer vnto euerlasting lyfe Who wil not make hast to go to better thinges Who wil not desire to be chaunged and fashioned a newe after thymage of Christ to coÌ„ spedely vnto the dignite of the heaueÌ„ly grace accordiÌ„g as Paule thapostle preached safeng our conuersacion is in heauen from whence we also loke for the Lord Iesus Christ Phi. 3. which shall transforme our vile bodye make it like vnto his gloriouse body The Lorde Christ also him selfe doeth promise that we shall be such whan he praieth the father that we maye be with him and liue with him in theuerlasting seates and reioyce in the celestiall kingdomes father saith he I wil that where I shall be those whiche thou hast geuen me maye be with me also Ioan. 17. and maye see the glory which thou hast geuen me before the worlde was made He that shall com to the seate of Christ and to the glory of the heauenly kingdomes ought neither to mourne nor tament but rather according to the Lordes promise and the beleaue of the truthe to reioyce in his translation and iorney Thus do we finde that Enoch which pleased God was translated For thus in the boke of Genesis Goddes worde testifieth and saieth And Enoch pleased God and was not afterwardes founde bicause God had translated him This was the reward of pleasing God to obteyne to be caried out from the infectyon of this worlde This the holy Goost teacheth also by Salomon that they which please God ar plucked quickly hence spedily deliuered Sapi. 4. least that they tarieng long in this worlde might be defiled with the handelinges of the same He was caught awaie saithe he lest thorowe malice his vnderstaÌ„ding should chaunge For his sowle pleased the Lord â–ª therfore he made hast to briÌ„g him out from the myddes of wickednes Thus the sowle it self being addicte vnto God maketh hast in the psalmes also vnto the Lord thorowe spiritual faith as it is writteÌ„ Psal 83. O Lord of hostes how louing at thy dwelling places my sowle desireth and maketh hast vnto the courtes of God yf is his parte to desire to dwelle long in the worlde whose delectacion is in the worlde whome the flattering and deceitful worlde doth allure with enticemeÌ„tes of earthy pleasures Furthermore forasmuche as the world hateth the christian why louest thou him that hateth the and doest not rather folowe Christ which hathe redemed the and loueth the Iohn in his epistle crieth speaketh and exhorteth that we shuld not folowiÌ„g carnal desires loue the world â— Ioan. 2. saieng loue not the world neither the thinges that ar in the world Yf any man shall loue the worlde the charitie of the father is not in him bicause all that is in the world is the lust of the fleshe the lust of theyes the pride of the worlde which is not of the father but of the lust of the world and the worlde shall passe awaye with his lust but he that shall do the wil of God shall abide for euer euen as God abideth for euer Furthermore let vs most dearely beloued brethren be ready with a ê‘fecte mynde a stedfast faithe stroÌ„g power to obey all the will of God let vs banishe the feare of deathe and thinke vpoÌ„ immortalitie that foloweth Let vs shewe our selues to be that that we beleaue So that we neither mourne for the departure of our deare freÌ„des and whan the daie shall come of our owne calling hence we may without delaye and gladly go at the Lordes call This thing forasmuche as it should be done of Goddes seruauÌ„tes alwaies muche more at this present it ought to be obserued Seing the world is now in decayeing and beseged with the blonsteriÌ„g teÌ„pestes of deadly euilles that we which doo see greuous thinges to be already begoÌ„ne and knowe that more greuous hang ouer our heades should counte it the greatest gaine if we maye departe hence quickly Yf the walles of thine house were so olde that they shoke and the roofe ouer the did treÌ„ble the house being now weried being now tired the buildinges falling downe for age did threateÌ„ an ouerthrowe to be at hande woldest thou not with all spede get thee out Yf a troblesome stormye teÌ„pest and the waues being lift vp with a violent winde did aforehande shewe the a shippewracke comming woldest thou not saile in to some hauen with out delaye Beholde the worlde shaketh and decaieth and doeth declare her owne downe falle not now with the age but with th eÌ„de of thinges and doest not thou giue thankes to God and reioyce on thine owne behalfe that thou art quickely takeÌ„ hence and deliuered from the daungers shippewrackes plages that are houeriÌ„g ouer vs We ought to coÌ„sidre most derely beloued brethren and often tymes to thinke that we haue forsaken the worlde the we liue here but for a tyme as straungers and pilgrimes Let vs embrase that daye which may appoiÌ„te euery one of vs his dwelling place which doeth restore vs to paradise and to the kingdome of heauen after that we ar taken hence and deliuered froÌ„ the snares of the world Who being farre out of his owne couÌ„trey maketh not haste to returne home Who making haste to sayle to his frendes and kinsfolke wolde not earnestly desire a prosperous winde that he might the rather imbrace his dearely beloued We reken that paradise is our countre we beginne now to haue the patriarches for our parentes why do we not make hast ruÌ„ne that we maye se our countrey hat we maye
loued vs. And againe he saithe ye are not your owne for ye are bought with a great price 1. Cor. 6. Therfore glorifie and beare god in your body And againe he died for all that they which liue should not now liue to them selues 2. Cor. 5. but to him which died for them and rose againe The .vij. chapter THat they which are plucte out of the deuelles Iawes and deliuered from the snares of the world ought not to returne agayne to the worlde lest they should lose that they war escaped The people of the Iues before figured after the shadowe and image of vs whan they hade escaped thorowe the healpe and deliueraunce of God the most cruel boÌ„dage of Pharao Egipte that is to saye of the deuell They being vnfaithfull and vnthankfull to God did murmur agaist Moses They coÌ„sidering the dauÌ„gers of the wildernes and labor and vnder standing not Goddes benefites of liberty and saluacion sought to returne againe in to Egipte that ys to the bondage of this world from which they were deliuered Whan as they ought rather to haue trusted and beleaued in God bicause that he which hathe deliuerde his people from the deuell the world shal defeÌ„d theÌ„ that are deliuered Exo. 14. Why hast thou sayd they serued vs thus for to cary vs out of Egipte it had ben better for vs to haue serued the Egiptyans thaÌ„ to die in this wildernes And Moses said vnto the people Stande vp boldly and behold the saluacion that coÌ„meth from the Lord which the lord wil do for vs this daie The Lord him selfe shall fight for you and you shall hold your peace Of this thing the Lord doeth also in his gospel warne vs teache vs that we should not returne againe to the deuel and the world whome we haue forsakeÌ„ from whome we haue escaped saieÌ„g Luce. 9. and. 17. No man putting his hande to the ploughe and loking backe ys mete for the kingdome of God And againe he saieth he that is in the felde let him not returne backe Remember Lottes wiffe And lestany might be hindered in the folowing of Christ either thorowe any worldly lust or thorowe thaffectyon and loue to his kinsfolke and frendes he added and saieth He that doeth not forsake al that he hathe can not be my disciple The .viij. chapter VVe must endure coÌ„tinue in faith vertue in the ê‘fectyoÌ„ of spiritual grace that we maye attayne the victory crowne In the .ij. boke of Cronicles we reade thus 2. Pard 15. The Lord abbideth with you as loÌ„g as ye abide with him but yf ye shal forsake him he shal also forsake you In like maner saieth Ezechiei Eze. 33. In what so euer daye the rightouse meÌ„ shal wander oute of the waie his rightfulnes shal not deliuer him Math. 10. Ioan. 8. The Lord also in the gospel speaketh saieth He that shall contynue to th eÌ„de the same shal be saffe againe he saieth if you shal abide in my worde ye shal verely be my disciples and shall knowe the truthe the truthe shall make you fre He also beforehaÌ„d warning vs to be alwaies prepared and to staÌ„d maÌ„fully in a redynes he added and saieth Let your loynes be girte about Luc. 12. and your lightes burning and ye your selues like vnto men that waite for their master whan he wil returne froÌ„ a wedding that assone as he shall coÌ„ knocke they may opeÌ„ vnto him Happye are those seruauntes which the Lord whaÌ„ he coÌ„meth shal finde watching In likemaner the blessed Apostle exhorteth vs to go forwarde encrease in faithe vntil it coÌ„me to perfectyoÌ„ saieng knowe ye not that they which runne in a corse runne al yet but one receiueth the crowne So runne that ye maye obtayne 1. Cor. 9. And they do yt to obtayne a corruptible crowne but we to obtayne an incorruptible crowne And againe he saieth No man that warreth vnto God 2. Tim. 2. entangleth him selfe with worldly cares that he maye please him of whome he is allowed to be a sowldier And thoughe a man striue for a mastery yet is he not crowned except he striue laufully The same Apostle saithe also Rom. 12. I beseche you brethren by the mercifulnes of God that you make your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy and plesaÌ„t to God and fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be ye chaunged in your shape by the renewieng of your spirite that ye maye proue what thing that good and pleasing perfecte will of God is And againe he saieth Rom. 8. We are the sonnes of God But and if we be sonnes we are also heires the heyres I meane of God and heires annexed with Christ Yf so be that we suffer together that we maye be glorified together The exhortacion of the dyuine preaching speaketh the same thinges in the reuelacion saieng Apo. 5. holdefast hat thou hast that another taketh not thy crowne An ensample of this enduring and continuing vnto th ende is set forth in Exodus wher as Moses in the signe and sacrament of the crosse lyfteth vp his heauy handes to ouercome Amalech which beareth the figure of the deuell Neither could he ouercome thaduersary vntyl he continued stable in the signe with his handes continually lifted vp And it happened saieth he that Israel had the better when Moses helde vp his hande Exod. 17. And when he let his hande downe Amalech had the better And they toke a stone put it vnder him he sat downe theron And Aaron and Hur stayed vp his handes the one on the one syde and the other on thother syde and his handes were stedy vntyl the Sunne was downe And Iesus put Amalech to flight al his people And the Lorde said to Moses write this for a remembrauÌ„ce in a boke and tel it vnto Iesu For I wil put out the remembraucne of Amalech from vnder heauen The .ix. Chapter THat troubles and persecucions do therfore happen that we maye be tried we reade in the Deuteronomy Deu. 25. The Lorde your God doth teÌ„pte or proue you that he may knowe whether that you loue him with your hole hert and with all your soule and wyth all your strenght Againe it is written in Salomon The furnace proueth the potters vessell Eccle. 27. and temtacion of troble trieth rightfull men In lyke maner Paule testifieth and speaketh the same sayeng We reioyce in hope of the glory that shal be geuen of God Neyther do we so only Rom. 5. but also we reioyce in trobles knowing that tribulacion bringeth pacience but pacience bringeth triall trial hope and hope is not coÌ„fouÌ„ded because the loue God is spreade abrode in our hertes by the holy goost which is geueÌ„ vnto vs. Peter also in his epistle writeth and sayeth Dearely beloued maruell not at this heate that is come among you to trye you that ye fall not awaye as tho any
not to make haste to that ioye that caÌ„ neuer be taken from vs This thing happeneth dearely beloued brethreÌ„ whi â—e loue this â–ª liffe so moche bycause faythe is wanting because no maÌ„ beleueth the thinges to come which God that is true hath promised whose worde vnto them that beleue is euerlasting and stable Yf a sage man and worthy prayse dyd promise thee any thyng thou woldest verely beleue his promyse neither woldest thou thynke to be deceyued and begyled of him of whom thou art persuaded that he wil abyde by his wordes and dedes but nowe God speaketh vnto thee doest thou vnfaythfull man wauer with an vnbeleuyng mynde God doeth ê“mise vnto the departing this worlde immortalitie and eternal lyfe and doest thou doubt This is euen to be vtterly ignoraÌ„t of God Howe pâ—â—fitable a thing ye yâ— to depart oute of this world this is thorowe the sinne of vnbeleaue toffende Christ the mastre of beleauing people This is to be in the church and in the house of faithe to be witout faithe Howe profitable a thing it is to departe out of this worlde Christ him selfe the maistre of our saluacion and profit sheweth which whaÌ„ his disciples war sorowful bicause he said that he should now departe from them spake unto them saieng Ioan. 14. Yf you loued me ye wold reioyce bicause I go to the father Wherby he dothe teache and declare that we ought rather to reioyce than to be sorowfull whan they whome we dearely loue departe this worlde Of the which thing the blessed apostle Paule being mindeful writeth in his epistle and saieth Christ is liffe vnto me Phi. 1. and deathe auaÌ„tage He rekened it the chefest gaine to be now no more tyed with the snares of the worlde to be now no more in daunger of any synnes and vices of the fleshe to be ridde of vexing trobles and deliuered from the venemouse iawes of the deuell and to go furthe at the calling of Christ vnto the ioye of eternal saluacion But som ar troubled bicause the disease of this sickenes do indiffereÌ„tly come vpon our men aswell as vpoÌ„ the heathen as though the christean had beleaued to this ende that he might bothe be fre from the fealing of euelles inioye the pleasures of the worlde not rather suffering here al maner of aduersitie be reserued and kept vnto the ioye to come Some men ar troubled bicause this mortalitie deathe is common to vs also with other Trobles sicknesses deathe ar coÌ„mon to all men But what thing in this worlde haue not we common with other so long as yet according to thordenaunce of our furst birthe this coÌ„mon fleshe remayneth So long as we abide here in the worlde in the equalite of fleshe we ar ioyned together with mankinde but in the spirite we ar seperated Therfor vntil this corruptible maye put on in corruption 1. Cor. 15. and this mortal maye receaue unmortalitie the spirite bring vs vnto God the father we haue our parte in all maner of incommodities and displeasures of the fleshe common vnto mankinde Thus whaÌ„ the grouÌ„de is barreÌ„ thorowe an vnfruteful blast hunger spareth no man Thus whan any city is possessed throwe the inrode of thennemy captiuite wasteth all meÌ„ together And whan the stonyrocks burst the shipe in peces the shipwracke is coÌ„mon to al the saiie in the shipe wtout exceptioÌ„ And the payne of thies the raging agwes the disease of al partes of the body ar common to vs with others so long as we cary about this common fleshe in the worlde Yea rather yf the christian man knewe vnder what condicion and what lawe he beleued The true christian hathe most troble in this world he should knowe that he must be trobled in this world aboue other which aboue other must wrestle with th assaultes of the deuel The scripture teacheth and warneth vs aforehande sayeng My sonne whan thou becommest goddes seruauÌ„t stande in rightfulnesse and feare Eccle. 2. and prepare thy soule to temptacion And agayne Indure in sorowe and in feare thorow huÌ„blenes haue thou pacience for both golde and siluer are tryed by the fyre Iob after the losse of his goodes after the death of his children Iob. 1. being thus greuously afflicted bothe with woundes and with vermine was not ouercome but tried which in the selfe grefes and sorowes that he suffered did declare the pacience of a godly minde sayeng Naked came I out of my mothers wombe naked also shal I go vnder thearthe the Lorde gaue and the Lorde hathe taken awaye as it pleased the Lorde euen so hathe it happened The Lordes name be blessed And whan his wyfe wolde haue enforced him that he being thorowe great sorowe impacient should with a complayning and malicious voice haue spoken somthing against God he answered her and sayd Thou hast spokeÌ„ as one of the folishe womeÌ„ Iob. 2. For yf we haue receyued prosperitie at the Lordes haÌ„de why should we not suffer aduersitie In all these thinges that happened vnto Iob he synned nothing with his lippes in the presence of the Lorde Therfore the Lord beareth him witnesse sayng hast thou marked my seruauÌ„t Iob ther is not one lyke him vpon thearthe a man without faute a true worshipper of God Tobi. 1. Tobias also after his noble workes after the manifolde and glorious commeÌ„dacions of his mercie did suffre the blindnes of eyes and he fearing and praysing God in aduersitie grewe vp to prayse by the selfe plage of his body whome his owne wyfe also assayed to corrupt saing Where are thy rightfulnesses become loo what thou suffrest But he being stedfaste and stable in the feare of God and armed with a godly faith to suffre all maner of passions gaue no place in his sorowe to the temptacion of his weake wyfe but did thothe greater pacience procure the further fauoure of God whom afterwardes the angel Raphael praised said Yt is an henorable thing to declare and praise the workes of God For whan thou and thy daughter in lawe Sara did praie I offred vp the remembrauÌ„ce of your praier in the presence of the glory of God and whan thou didist simply burye the deade and bicause thou delayedst not to arise and to leaue thine owne dynar and wenst furthe and didest burye the deade I am sent to trie thee And againe he saieth I am sent to heale the Tobi. 12. thy daughter in lawe Sara For I am Raphael one of the .vij. holy angels which doo stande and haue our conuersacion before the glory of God This sufferance the iust meÌ„ haue alwaies had this discipline thapostles according to the Lordes ordinaÌ„ce kept not to murmur in aduersitie but paciently and maÌ„fully to receaue what so euer do happeÌ„ in this worlde Wheras the Iuishe people hathe in this pointe alwaies offended bicause they did often murmur against God as the Lord God doeth witnesse in