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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17725	Two godly and learned sermons, made by that famous and woorthy instrument in Gods church, M. Iohn Caluin. Which sermons were long since translated out of Latine into English, by M. Robert Horne late Byshop of Winchester, at what time he suffered exile from his country, for the testimony of a good conscience, as his apology in the beginning of the booke will witnes. And because these sermons haue long lyen hidden in silence, and many godly and religious persons, haue beene very desirous of them: at theyr earnest request they are nowe published by A.M.; Quatre sermons. English. Selections	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Horne, Robertc1519?-1580.; Munday, Anthony, 1553-1633.	1584 (1584)	STC 4461; ESTC S110726	58,766	149

him In him only resteth the whole riches of Gods treasure he is the only way to euerlasting life wherevnto who so will attaine must séeke it in the Scripture in the Gospell of Christ and not in the filthy damnable traditions and deuillish doctrine of the Papists Wherfore déere brethren séeing you haue tasted of y e swéete bread of life Gods most holy word take heede of the Papists sower leuen that worketh death And because I would you should not be ignorāt howe you ought to behaue your selues where so much Idolatrie is openlie commaūded and how to learne your Christes crosse a new I meane to beare Christes crosse layd on your backes to followe him strongly and not to faint I haue translated for you two Sermons of that great learned and godly man I. Caluin made for that purpose and these haue I doone trauailing hauing no place certaine where I wil remaine but I trust shortly to be where I wil sticke downe the stake till God call me home againe But for so much as the Bishop of Duresme did opēly to my face cal the doctrine which I had taught in his Dicoces as touching the popish Masse heresie I shall by Gods grace good Christian brethren declare and prooue by the Testimonie of the Scriptures and also of the auncient fathers of Christes Church that the popish Masse is the greatest heresie blasphemie and Idolatrie that euer was in the Church which shal be the next thing that you shall looke for from me by God grace In the meane season remember good brethren that our vnthankefulnes was the cause of this our plague Let vs cry therfore vnto the Lord powringe foorth before him faithfull teares and hee will deliuer vs that we may truely honour him in the gates of the daughter of Syon that is openly in the middest of the faithfull congregation Amen ¶ A Godly and learned Sermon made by Maister Ihon Caluin wherein all Christians are admonished to flie outward Idolatrie Taken out of the thirde verse of the sixteene Psalme I will not communicate with theyr bloody sacrifices neither will I take their names in my mouth THe doctrine which we shal entreat in this place is plaine inoughe and easy sauing that the greatest part of those that professe themselues to bee Christians doo séeke out and bringe I can not tell what subtilties to cloake theyr euill withall But the sum of this whole doctrine is that after we knowe the liuing God to be our father Iesus Christ our redéemer we ought to consecrate bothe bodie and soule vnto him who of his infinite goodnes hath taken vs into the number of his sonnes and to acknowledge with all kind of beneuolence honour and obedience the same benefite which our most déere Sauiour did vouchsafe to bestowe on vs after he had bought it with so great a price And because we are bounde not onely to renounce all infidelitie but also to seperate our selues from all superstitions which do as well disagree with the true seruice of God as the honour of his Sonne which can by no meanes agrée with the pure doctrine of the Gospel and true confession of the faith I sayd this doctrine of it selfe to be so easie that onelie the practise and exercise therof ought to remaine vnto vs sauing that many men doo séeke certayne deceytfull shiftes thorow which they will not be ouercome in that thing the which is most chéefely condemned by Gods own mouth This cause constraineth vs at this time to tarie longer in the declaration of this matter that euerie man may knowe his owne duetie and deceyue not himselfe thinking that he is escaped when he is couered as the common saying is vnder a wet sacke But for that there be many of this opinion whose Churches are thorowlie purged from the filthinesse and Idolatries of the Papisme that this argument or Treatise is but superfluous before we passe any further it is not vnprofitable to declare such men most fowlie to be deceiued First when it is declared how great an offence it is for vs to be polluted and defiled with the Idolaters feyning our selues to cleaue and consent to theyr impieties we are admonished to mourne for our former sinnes and to aske of God forgiuenesse of them with all humblenesse and in this thing to acknowledge the singular benefite which hee gaue vnto vs drawing vs foorth of that same filth wherin we were holden downe and drowned For we truelie are not able to set foorth this so great a benefite woorthely inough And for that we knowe not what shall happen vnto vs and to what ende GOD dooth reserue vs it is verie expedient to be prepared and armed in tyme that into what state soeuer we shall come or with whatsoeuer temptations we maye be oppugned we neuer swerue from the pure word of God Fyrst it may be that many of this our Church and Congregation shall trauaile into some Papisticall countrey who ought greatly now to bee in a readines and armed to battell Then albeit God dooth giue vs at this time liberty to serue him purely and godlily yet we know not how long this benefit shall continue Let vs therefore take this time of our quietnes and tranquilitye not as though it shal alwaies last but as it were a time of truce wherein God dooth giue vs leasure to strengthen our selues least when we shall be called to vtter the confession of our faith we be found new vnprepared because we contēned the meditation of that matter in due time Neither truely ought we to forget in the meane while our brethren which are kept vnder the tiranny of Antichrist oppressed with most miserable bondage but to take care remembraunce pittie ouer them and so pray God to strengthen them with that constancye which hee requireth in his worde We must also admonishe and solicite them by all wayes not to rest in places where men are faste on sléepe in their voluptuousnes but to apply dilligentlie thought this and will that they confesse the glorie due vnto God For we are not taught of God onelye for our selues but that euery man after the measure of his faith should brotherly communicate with his neighbours and distribut vnto them that thing he hath learned and knowen in Gods schole Now sée we then that it is profitable yea truely necessarie so well to our selues as to our brethren that the remembraunce of this doctrine should bée renued very oft especially séeing the text it selfe which wée shall expound dooth leade vs to the same purpose Dauid dooth openly protest and as it were dooth make a sollem vowe That hee will neuer be partaker in the Sacrifices of Idolaters and also that he will so detest and greeuously hate the Idoles that hee will not at any time once name them as though he should defile his mouth in naming them This is not the facte of some one meane man but the example of Dauid the most excellēt King and

what murthers they doo But if we will haue this staye and moderation of minde that we can patiently abide God wyll at the last declare that it was not without a cause that he so greatly esteemed our life and had it in so great honour In the meane while let vs not take it to gréefe if it be nowe bestowed to confirme and garnishe the Gospell which excelleth heauen and earth in woorthinesse And that we may be more surely perswaded that God will neuer leaue vs as abiect●s in the handes of the enimies let vs not forgette the same saying of Iesus Christe wherein he sayth That it is he himselfe whome men doo persecute in his members God sayde before by Zacharie Who so toucheth you toucheth the sight of mine eye This is much more expressed if we suffer for the Gospel sake it is euen as the sonne of GOD himselfe were and suffered in that affliction Therefore let vs thinke so that Iesus Christe must forget himselfe if he should haue no care and thought of vs at that tyme when we be in prison and daunger of lyfe for his cause and glorie and let vs also knowe that God wyll take all the contumelies and iniuries as doon against his owne sonne Let vs come to the second place of consolation which is one of the greatest among Gods promises that is that God wyll so holde vs vp with the vertue of his spirite in these afflictions that our enimies whatsoeuer they doo nor Sathan theyr chéefe captaine shall in any thing goe away with the vpper hand And trulie we doo sée howe in that necessitie he dooth shew the succour and helpes of his grace For the inuincible stoutnesse and constancie of minde which is séene in the true Martyrs is a notable token of that same most mightie power which God vseth in his Saints There be two thinges in persecutions gréeuous tedious and intollerable to the fleshe whereof the one consisteth in the checkes and rebukes of men the other in the payne and torment of the body In both these kindes of temptations GOD dooth promise so his assistaunce that we shall easily ouercome all the infamy and violence of the gréefes and paynes And truelie what he promyseth he dooth perfourme in déede with most manifest and assured helpe Let vs then take this buckler to defend vs against all feare and let vs not measure the power of Gods spirits so slenderly that we should not thinke and beléeue that he wyll easily ouercome all the iniuries bitternesse and contumelies of men And of this diuine and inuinsible operation among all other we haue a notable example in this our age A certayne young man who liued godlilie héere with vs in this Cittie when he was taken at Dornicke was condemned with this sentence that if he would deny the confession of his Faith he should be but beheaded but if he perseuered in his purposed opinion he should be burned When he was asked whether he would doo he aunswered plainly he who wyll giue me this grace to dye patientlie for his name wyll also worke by the selfe-same grace that I maye abide broyling and burning We ought to take this sentence not as pronounced of a mortall man but of the holy Ghost that we should thinke that GOD can so well confirme and make vs ouercome all paines and tormentes as to mooue vs to take any other kinde of méeker death in good parte Yea we sée also oftentymes what constancie he giueth to euyll and wicked men who suffer for theyr euill déedes and wickednesse I doo not speake of such as be obstinate and hardned in theyr wickednesse which haue no repentaunce but of them which doo perceyue consolation by the grace of Iesus Christe and so doo take and suffer quietlie and with good will most gréeuous and sharpe paine and as we sée a notable example in that theefe who turned at the death of our Lord Iesus Christ Will God who assisteth with so great power wicked men that suffer condignly for theyr euill actes forsake them who defend his cause and will he not rather giue them inuinsible power The thyrd place of promises which God promiseth to his Martyrs is the fruite which they ought to looke for of theyr suffering and of death it selfe if néede so require But this fruite is that after they haue set foorth and honoured Gods name and edified his Church with their testimony they may be gathered together in immortall glorie with the Lord Iesus But because we haue spoken largely enough before of this reward of eternall glorie it is now sufficient to renue the memorie of those thinges that are already spoken Wherefore let the faithfull learne to reare vp theyr heads to the crowne of immortall glorie wherevnto God dooth call them let them not take the losse of this lyfe gréeuouslie considering the greatnes and woorthines of the reward And that they maye be sure and perfectly perswaded of this so great a good thing as cannot be expressed with any spéeche nor in thought to be comprehended nor with any honour enough to be estéemed let them haue continually before theyr eyes this lyke and conformable reason with our Lord Iesus Christe that in death it selfe they beholde lyfe as he by ignominie of the Crosse and infamie came to glorious resurrection wherein all our felicitie triumphe and ioye consysteth Amen FINIS Gods word displaced Idolatrie brought in 2. Tim. 4.2 No man can speake against the truth without great blasphemy to God 〈◊〉 the na● of the ●sts to ●er and ●e euill ●e god● A compari●on between the Phari●eis and the popish pre●ates The Papists haue found out that which the Phariseis neuer heard of The Papists slaundering of the god●ie Christe his example a comfort to the godly Matth. 10.24.25.26 A question demaūded The Aunswer Luke 18.13 Galat. 5.17 ●th 11.19 ●th 9 11. ●th 9.14 ●th 12.2 ●e slande●s spee●s of the ●ariseis a●nst christ 〈◊〉 the iu●ying of ●mselues The intent of the popish hypocrites by their rayling Iohn 9.24 1. Tim. 5.19 Such as theyr Religion is such is their life Iebr. 13.4 The Papists ●biection Aunswer 1 2. Cor. 12.7.8.9 An example of the oath of vnmaried ●riests that 〈◊〉 virgins 〈◊〉 notable ●biection ●hich all ●he Papistes ●re not able ●o deny S. Augus● The Papi● proued h●pocrites s Augusti● wordes God knoweth the secretes o● all hearts ● Paules ●ctrine to 〈◊〉 Gala●ans and ●hessalo●ans poy●ed by ●se tea●ers ●ala 1.10 Thes 2.4 The Papists would rayle against Christe him selfe if they durst but because thei dare not they reuile his word A question demaunded of the Papistes Theyr aunswer Math. 9 17 Why the Papists call the Gospell the new learning The church of Antichrist the continuall enimy to the Gospell Aug. lib. de bap paruul The Papists say they be Peters successours so in some respectes they be The cause why the godly fled in tyme of trouble The Papists cast in prison and banishe the cheefe learned men then cal for disputation when no body is to answere them nor any that they wil suffer to come The practises of the Papistes to vpholde their Religion Acts 16.16 Acts. 19.24 A note of the Aurhor to the noble men Math. 22.17 Mat. 16.26 Math. 19.29 Math. 6.26 1 Tim. 6.7 ● Heb. 13.14 Philip 3.8 Mat. 16.6 Psal 16 4. ● Psal 16.6 Gods honour abused throug● Idolles ●sal 16.5 Dani. 3. 1. Cor. 6.19.20 ● Cor. 7.22 ● 1. Cor. 6.19 Gala. 5.30 Gene. 39. False religion a corrupting of true religion God dooth forbid false religion Iere. 10.11 Masses 〈◊〉 vnlyke to harlottes The maner how the papists do defend them selues Iere. 3.12 Singing in an vnknowen tōgue is an open ●●ophaning 〈◊〉 Gods ●ord ● Cor. 14. Psal 16.5 Gene. 28.6 7 8 9. ●ds ho●ur is to 〈◊〉 preferd ●ore all ●nges ●e 29. All men are careles in a maner and do not delight to reade the Gospell In reading of holy scripture w● must think● vs in a scol● of Angels The way ●ow to pre●are our ●lues vnto ●atience 〈◊〉 we had a● regard God we ●uld not ●ne his ●ly gospel ●o lyes ●e con●ncie of ●artyrs in ●de time Idolles ar● to be detested of all men Vertue is be embraced of all God is to be honor with all uerence Heb. 13 13 We are all ●lled to ●ffer per●cution ●ll daun●ers to be ●ffered for ●e gospell ●ke Rom. 9. ●ffering ●rsecution ●r the gos●lles sake 〈◊〉 the iudg●ent of the ●orld is the ●eatest in●my wee 〈◊〉 suffer Acts. 5.41 1 Pet. 4 15 1● ●esus Christ 〈◊〉 an exam●e to vs. God doo shewe vs many causes why w● should sufer persecution ●od dooth ●repare for ●is elect a ●owne of ●mortall ●lory Math. 5.10 Math. 10 32 Luke 2. The worst they can d● vs is to tak● away our liues Luke ● 2 ●h 10 32 Gods ●d dooth 〈◊〉 terrifie 〈◊〉 mindes ●hing I terrifie ●n ●br 11. ●at faith Two parte● to be considered Psa 129.2 ●al 44.22 ●sal 2.3 ●sa 125.3.5 2. Cor. 4 〈◊〉 1.12 ●euous ●secutions ●ered by 〈◊〉 Iewes Hebr. 11.36 37 3● ●ompa●n be●en them 〈◊〉 vs. ●at mat● cannot 〈◊〉 declared 〈◊〉 they ●ght ●ersecution is a ●ouchstone Euerie ma● must liue in that simplicity and integritie that God requireth We ought 〈◊〉 commit ●ur lyfe in● Gods ●and What this word Martyr signifieth Dani. 3.26 Dani. 6.20 ●l 116.15 ●y 26.21 ●owe the ●apists doo ●lory when ●hey burne ●he faithful Acts. 9.4 Zacha. 2 8. ●wo things ●eeuous in ●rsecution ●od dooth ●omise his ●lpe in ●th kinds The great constancie of the yo● man Question Aunswer ●ke 23. ●hat fruit 〈◊〉 Martirs ●ght to ●oke for

Prophet which ought to bee vnto all Gods Children a certaine common rule to right and Godly life And to the entent we may the better perceiue this thing and more vehemently be mooued with the true feare of God the cause is to be noted which he addeth wherein truely resteth as it were a certaine foundation of that same alienation and offence whereby he dooth most greatlie abhorre the Communion of Idolaters The Lord sayth he is mine inheritaunce But is not this thing common to all faithfull and godlie men There is no man truelie which would not glorie in so excellent a thing And this is sure without all doubt that God being once giuen vnto vs in the person of his Sonne dooth daylie entise vs to possesse him But there be verie fewe which are so affected in this parte as the greatnesse and woorthinesse of this same matter should séeme to aske and deserue Neither truelie can we by any meanes possesse God vnlesse on this condition that we also become his Dauid therefore of good right and woorthelie dyd set foorth the foundation of his godlinesse and Religion in this sentence and reason séeing that God is his inheritance he will refraine from all pollutions of Idolles which doo turne vs from God himselfe This is the cause why the Prophet Esaie when he had vpbraided the Iewes that they had giuen themselues to false and strange Gods whome they had made added afterward these sayth he are thy portion signifying by these wordes that God dooth deny to the worshippers of Idolles all bonde and fellowshippe of couenaunt and disenheriteth them and vtterlie depriueth them of that so infinitlie great benefite which he would haue bestowed on them giuing himselfe vnto them So man will except and saye that the Prophet entreateth in that place onelie of them which put theyr affiaunce in Idolles and deceyueth themselues thorowe opinion and incredulitie I graunt but this also I aunswere if they that doo transferre Gods honour vnto Idolles are vtterlie seperated and cut off from his fellowshippe they also doo erre and declyne somewhat from him which doo feine themselues to consent to superstitions thorowe feare and weakenesse of minde For no man can in heart or any conformable fashion or in wyll and in purpose of minde or feyning or by any true or feyned waie approche to Idolles but he must so farre goe backe from God Wherefore let this sentence be thorowlie perswaded and remaine déepelie printed in our hearts that they which séeke God with a true and pure minde to the ende to possesse him for theyr enheritaunce wyll haue no communion and fellowship with Idolles with whome God hath that diuorce debate that he would haue all his to proclaime and make continuall and deadly warre vpon them And in this place Dauid by name dooth expres That hee will neuer be partaker of theyr oblations neither haue theyr names in his mouth and talking He might haue saide on this wise I will not deceyue my selfe with the vnwise and foolishe deuotions of the vnbeléeuers I will not put my trust in such abuses nor I will neuer forsake Gods trueth to follow these lyes but he speaketh not on this manner but dooth rather promise constauntlie that he will neuer be conuersaunt among theyr Ceremonies Therefore he dooth testifie that so farre foorth as concerneth the seruice of God he will abide continually in all puritie and holinesse both of body and soule And first in this place we must consider whether this be not Idolatrie to signifie and declare by outward tokens our agréement with those Superstitions wherewith the seruice of God is corrupted and vtterlie peruerted They that swim as the common saying is betwixt two waters alledge this saying séeing that God would be honoured in spirite Idolles can by no wayes be honoured vnlesse a man put his trust in them But to this maye be easilie aunswered that God dooth not so require the spyrituall seruice and adoration of the minde that he graunteth and remitteth the other parte of our nature vnto Idolles as though that parte should séeme nothing at all to belong vnto him For it is sayde in many places that the knées must be bowed before GOD and also the handes lyfted vp to heauen What then Surely the chéefe honour that God requireth is spirituall but the outward signification whereby the faithfull doo testifie that it is God onely whom they serue and honour must so immediatlie followe that they must at one tyme be ioyned together But one place shall so suffice for all to confute that obiection which they snatch of one worde that they shalbe plainlie rebuked and conuicted In the thyrd Chapter of Daniell it is written that Sidrach Misach Ab●dnago refused and denied vnder any maner of colour to consent vnto the superstition set vp and erected by Nabuchodonozor Declaring that they would in no wise honour his Gods If these goodlie wittie Sophisters had béene there at that tyme they would haue laught to scorne the simplicitie of these thrée seruauntes of God For I suppose they would haue taunted them with such lyke wordes you foolishe men this truely is not to honour them séeing you put no affiaunce in these thinges There is no Idolatrie but where there is deuotion that is to saye a certaine bending and application of the mind to honour and worship the Idolles But these godlie men dyd followe a better and wiser councell for this aunswere which they made procéeded not of theyr owne witte but rather of the holy Ghost which moued them thus to speake whome if we wyl not resist we must accept this place and this example as a certayne rule and definition that Idolatrie is an outwarde action against Gods honour yea although it procéed not from the wyll and purpose of the minde but be onelie colourable and feined In which matter they make goodlie cauillations that there is no Idolatrie at all when as our affiance is not put in Idols Yet shall these men continuallie remaine condemned by the sentence which the mightiest Iudge hath pronounced But these men doo contende onelie for that name onely going about somewhat to lesson theyr faulte which they can by no meanes defend nor excuse Yea they will graunt that this thing is euill doone and not rightlie yet notwithstanding they would haue this fact to be iudged as a certaine veniall sinne But although we graunt them as touching the name that thing they aske yet they shal not get so much therby that they may make theyr cause much the better Let vs saye thus that such manner of feined worshipping of Idolles is not called Idolatrie yet neuerthelesse it shall be a trayterous enterprise against God a certaine fact repugnaunt to the confession of faith and a fowle filthy pollution most full of wicked sacriledge I praye you when the most sacred seruice and honour of God is so violated that we falselie breake that promise we made to him that thorow cowardise and

benefite with that part of themselues which is so bountifuly nourished of him Why doo they rather obey and serue the deuil with theyr bodies If these men were in any parte Christians I would vse with them more waighty and higher reasons and I would aske of them to what ende we liue in this world and wherevnto our lyfe ought to be referred But Oh myserable case that they which with subtilties and shifts wyll dally with GOD are so brutishe that they must be handled as men not onely destitute of Gods spirite but in a maner voide of naturall common sence They thinke this is a sufficient excuse to saye they doo nothing in this kinde but for feare of perill and daunger but if this colour may take place then must we say That Ioseph should haue doone none euyll if he had committed whoredome with his Mistresse when it was violentlie offered him seeing he should not haue followed his owne wyll but haue giuen place to necessitie and violence which she did vnto him It should haue béene a foolishe fact of him to enter such peryl and infamie as afterward he suffered by the false accusation of that naughtie woman séeing he might haue escaped those euilles if he had accomplished her wyll But we ought rather to followe the example of Ioseph and allowe the testimony of the holy Ghost who dooth commend his constancie If there be no wickednesse in taking vppon vs Idolatrous religion when we doo it to auoide the raging cruelty of the Papistes the seruaunt shall not sinne who for his Maisters pleasure shall playe the bawde kyll and playe the traytour for feare to displease him vnder whose power he is But I abyde too long in this matter wherein as I sayde before there is no doubt or difficultie It shall not be farre from the purpose to consider into how great confusion they fall which trauayle with all theyr craftes to escape Gods iudgement Others there be that haue founde an other shifte and starting hole they graunt that the superstition of the Gentiles is a wicked and detestable Religion but it is not all one reason of these and the superstitions which are in the Papisme As though all the false religion that euer was among the Heathen was not a corrupting and deprauation of the true Religion of God From whence did the Heathen drawe and take to themselues theyr Ceremonies but of the holie Fathers In which dooing this was theyr great fault that they depraued and vtterly peruerted those thinges which they had receyued well and wisely instituted of God But yet all the abhominations that euer were in the world haue béene cloaked with a beautifull tytle of God himsefe and the culture of his Religion But those counterfeite Religions had neuer that commendation power and aucthoritie that God dyd any tyme approoue those seruice● and congregations or that faithfull men did vse and frequent them Go too let vs procéede further Although I should graunt the Idolatrie of the Papistes to be vnlyke and differre from the superstition of the olde Gentyles yet can they not deny but God so earnestly dyd forbidde the Religion wickedly set vp in Bethel as all other superstitions which were instituted and celebrated in other places When the Calues were erected in Dan and Bethel this was instituted and done vnder a certaine colour of his name which had brought his people out of Egipt and yet the same Religion which was there appointed is manifestly against the doctrine of the lawe God dooth condemne all those that goeth thyther to defyle and pollute themselues And truely the Supper of Iesus Christ and the popishe Masse are no lesse repugnaunt and contrarie the one to the other then the Sacrifices of Moses and Ieroboam From whence then is this dispensation and lycense to goe and heare Masse vnder this colour that the Supper of Iesus Christe is but transfourmed yea rather in déede defourmed But I saye and affyrme contrariwise that all they that doo feare GOD truelie and honour him godlilie ought so much the more to hate and detest it for that it dooth more openly violate and prophane the holy institution of Iesus Christe then if it were not so repugnaunt and contrary vnto the same Wherefore let vs kéepe this common rule generally that all the ordinaunce and inuencions of men proponed and taken in hande to corrupt the simple trueth of Gods worde and to peruert that Religion which he requireth and alloweth are verie sacriledges with which the Christian man may in no wise communicate without that iniurie and contumelie which treadeth vnder féete Gods honour most wickedlie I know wel inough how gréeuous and vntollerable this seuere iudgement seemeth to them which would after theyr owne lust and delycate minde be more nicely and méekely spoken too and taught VVherein what would they I should doo What moderation and lenity should I vse Truely now I perceyue how tender and deinty they are I couet so much as may be to spare them but both I and they must be condemned so soone as God hath spoken therefore if we wyll tender our owne saluation let vs take it in good part They saye they finde no man more seuere and sharpe then I am but I will declare vnto them on the other part that I handle them more méekely and tenderlie then the trueth of the cause the woorthynesse of Gods name and theyr saluation dyd require Which thing beeing so in déede truely they cannot excuse and delyuer themselues from the necessitie of that duetie and testimony that the Prophete Ieremie dooth require of the Iewes captiues in Babylon whome hee not onelie forbiddeth to come néere the abhominations of the Chaldeans or colourablie or feinedlie to giue any consent to them but also doth giue a plaine commaundement that they should declare the wicked Religion of the Chaldeans to be vnto them a most filthy sauour You shall say to them sayeth the Prophete Ieremie the Gods which haue not made heauen and earth shall perish both out from the earth and also from vnder heauen There is also in this place an other cyrcumstaunce to be marked that when the Prophete had written his booke in Hebrue yet he put in this sentence exprest in the common vulgar spéeche of the Chaldeans as though he would by this means constraine the Iewes to chaunge from theyr tongue to the ende they might more apertlie professe the hatred and disagréement they haue with the wicked Idolatours Now let our nice yonglings complaine of me as though my aduertisement excéedeth all measure yet I haue not at any tyme desired the halfe part of that duetie which the Prophete requireth and asketh so earnestlie But whatsoeuer be the manner eyther of my saying or moderation or else of my silence and taciturnitie neuerthelesse we are tyed and bounde to that lawe which God dooth giue vnto vs. And truelie it is not without a cause that God speaking to his faithfull sayeth to them You

godly and Christian lyfe nor maye séeme any thing to hinder vs. We also which liue héere in rest and quiet enioying the vse of the greatest and singular benefites of God let vs not forget that I touched in the beginning that we apply these thinges to our learning that whatsoeuer héereafter befall vs or into whatsoeuer Countrey wee shall be ledde yet wee may alwayes constauntlie abide in the pure confession of our faith detesting all Idolatrous religion superstitions and abuses which are against Gods trueth doo obscure his honour and vtterlie subuert his Religion Amen ❧ A Godly and learned Sermon made by M. Iohn Caluin conteyning an exhortation to suffer persecution that we may therein follow Iesus Christ and his Gospel taken out in this saying in the 13. Chapter to the Hebrewes ver 13. ¶ Let vs goe foorth to him without the gates bearing his opprobrie AL the exhortations which can be made to instruct vs to suffer patiently and constauntlie for Christe Iesus name and his Gospel shall not much moue vs vnlesse we knowe and be perfectly perswaded of the right truth and woorthinesse of the cause wherefore we contend For when we be in that ieoberdy and daunger that we must loose our lyfe we ought to be most certayne of that thing wherefore we enter into so great perill But that constauncie and fyrmenesse of minde cannot be had vnlesse it be déeplie founded in a certainety and sure perswasion of faith There be many which wyll vnaduisedlie and rashlie venter to dye for certayne foolishe opinions inuented of theyr owne brayne But such forewardnesse of minde ought rather to be thought a furiousnesse then a Christian zeale and loue For assuredlie there is no firmenesse eyther of minde or witte or of common sence in these men which doo cast themselues into peryll with such hardy rashnes How so euer it be God will not acknowledge and take vs for his Martyrs and witnesses without a good cause For death is common for all men and also the condemnation of Théeues and of Gods chyldren the sufferaunce of shame and punishment séemeth to be all one but God maketh a difference betwixt them because he cannot denie and forsake his owne trueth This also is required that wee haue a sure wytnesse voide of all errour of that doctrine which we will defende Wherefore as I sayde there is no exhortation so weightie that can mooue and perswade vs to suffer for the Gospell but if a true certayntie of Faith be imprinted in our hearts For to put our lyfe in daunger without any consideration vnaduisedlie and chaunceablie is most against nature And so to doo should be thought rather rashnesse then Christian boldenesse Moreouer God alloweth nothing that we doo vnlesse wee be plainly perswaded that it is for his names sake and for his cause that the world is so against vs and dooth hate vs. But when I speake of such certaintie and perswasion of minde I doo not onelie vnderstande this that wee should knowe to discerne and iudge betwixte the true Religion and the foolishe oppinions and constitutions of menne but also that wee be thorowlie perswaded of euerlasting lyfe and the Crowne promysed vnto vs in heauen after our conflict in this world Let vs nowe marke well that these two reasons doo pertayne to our duetie and must be ioyned togeather that the one maye in no wise be seperated and disioyned from the other It is meete therefore to take our begynning of this that we vnderstand and knowe what is our Christian Religion what Faith it is that we ought to holde and followe what rule of lyfe God hath giuen vs Neither must we onely haue our mindes instructed with this godlie doctrine but also haue our mindes so armed and prepared that we maye fréely and boldly damne all errours lyes and superstitions which Sathan hath brought into the world to corrupt the pure simplicity of Gods doctrine Therefore it is no meruaile that there is so small a number of men that haue a ready minde and desyre to suffer for the Gospel and that the greatest part of them that professe themselues Christians knoweth not the power of the Christian Religion and theyr owne profession All men in a manner are negligent and haue no desyre or verie small to heare and reade who thinketh it sufficient if they haue gotten some small taste of the Christian Faith And this is the cause why there is séene in these no suretie and constancie of minde and that so soone as they come into any conflict they are so abashed as though they should by and by vterlie perishe For which consideration our desyre ought to be greater to pursue and search out most dilligentlie Gods trueth that therewith our hearts may be perswaded without any doubt Neither is this all to haue such knowledge and vnderstanding For we sée many so well trauayled in Gods doctrine that they séeme as though they were stayned and dyed therewith in whome neuerthelesse there is no desyre and loue of GOD no more truelie then if they had knowne nothing at any tyme of the godlie doctrine but by a certaine vnsure lyght and wauering opinion But what other cause is there of this so great vncertaintie and leuitie but that they did neuer perceyue in theyr minde the maiestie of the holie Scripture And truely if we would rightlie weigh that it is God that speaketh to vs therein we would heare him with more dilligence attention and reuerence If we would thinke in reading the Scripture that we are are in the schoole and discipline of Angelles we should haue another manner of desyre to exercise our selues in that doctrine which is set foorth vnto vs to comfort strengthen and instructe our mindes Now we sée what is the waye to prepare our selues to patience and sufferaunce for the Gospell that is so to goe foreward in the doctrine thereof that being thorowlie perswaded of the true Religion and that doctrine which we ought to holde and defend we maye nothing estéeme and despise all the fraudes and illusions of the deuill and all the inuentions of men as thinges not onely of no value but also execrable because they vtterlie corrupt the Christian sinceritie And héerein we differre as true Martyrs of Iesus Christ from the furious and stifnecked men which suffer for theyr owne foolish opinons Secondlie we ought to be so minded that being assured of the right and goodnesse of the cause wee should be enflamed with this due desyre to follow God whether soeuer he shall call vs to embrace his word with such reuerence as it is woorthy and being called backe from the deceytfull fashion of this worlde as men rauished with theyr whole minde and endeuour should be caried to an heauenlie lyfe But O most myserable case that when the lyght of God dooth shine vnto vs in these dayes so bright as it did neuer shine in the remembraunce of men yet so little zeale fauour and loue should be