the cause why S. Peter after he had moued vs to lyue a godly holy lyfe in the fear of god farr from that lyfe wherfore other men as theues whormongers adulterours and menkillers suffer by and by addeth this yf we muste suffer as christen men there in we geue glory to god for that great and singuler benefite which he hath bestowed on vs. Nor it is not for nothing that the holy man speaketh thus what are we I pray you that we shuld be witnesses of gods truth as it were proctours apointed to defeÌ„d his cause Behold we be miserable men as it were wormes of the earth creaturs full of vanities lies yet god will haue his truth defended by vs which is truly so great honor that it semeth not to pertaiÌ„e to the angells iÌ„ heueÌ„ This one reasoÌ„ wel considered oght it not to enflame stire vp our mindes to offer oure selues wholy to god to shew our wholl endeuoire in so holy and excelleÌ„t a matter to please him And yet many caÌ„ not forbear but that thei wil speak against god or at the least thei wil complaine that he hath no greater regard to ease their imbecillitie it is a merueilous mater sai thei that seiÌ„g god hath borne vs thus much fauour that he hath choseÌ„ vs to be his childreÌ„ yet he wil suffer vs to be so cruelly vexed oppressed of wicked men I do yet answer these men that although we know no reason why god doth so deal with vs yet his authoritie shuld be such with vs that we shuld applye and coÌ„forme our selues to his wil but now wheÌ„ we se Iesus christ to be set for an example to vs least we should seke any other oght we not to thiÌ„k our selues greatly happye that we be so drawen after his image and liknes Morouer God doeth set forth and shewe playne and manifest causes wherefore he will haue vs to suffer persecution emonge which yf there were non other but the reason and aduertismeÌ„t which S. Peter geueth we must nedes be very peuish sturdy onles we be satisfied therw t This is his reasoÌ„ that seing gold siluer which are corruptible matals are purged and tried in the fier it is reason that our faith also which in value excelleth all riches be tried and approued wyth such perils of lyfe and greues He could by and by after our calling without any conflict sufferyng of these calamities haue crowned vs. But as he wolde haue Christ to raigne in the middest of his enemies euen so he wolde haue vs also dwelling amonge the selfe same to bear suffer their violence oppression vntil we be deliuered from these afflictions calamities by him And I am not ignorant that the flesh wil then greatly spurne and refuse to be ruled when it must be brought into this state but yet the will of god must rule al our thoghts and lustes Yf we fele in our selues som contradiction resistance it is not greatly to be merueyled at For that is planted engrauen in our nature to flye the crosse Yet let vs abide still in that tendernes of the fleshe but let vs go on forwarde knowing that our obedience is thankful acceptable to god so that we cast down our senses appetites dâ—â— so subdue them that thei be vnder his power Nether did the prophetes and apostles come to death with minde that they did not perceaue their will to be against it enclining another way They shal lead the whether thou would not sayde our lord Iesus to Peter So when such fear of death doth pricke our mindes let vs labour by all meanes that we maye haue the ouerhande or rather that god mai ouercome in the meane while let vs thus persuade our selues that it is to him a most pleasaunt sacrifice when we resist our appetites do so withstande theÌ„ that by this meanes being subdued vnder his power we may order leade our life after his wil pleasure This is the chefest greatest battel wherevnto god wil haue al his with al their power to applie to th ende thei mai labour to cast downe depresse all that which doth so much exalt it self in their sences witts appetites that it doth cary wtdraw them froÌ„ the way which god doth shew to theÌ„ In the mean seasoÌ„ the consolatioÌ„s are so great weighty that it can not be expressed how much deinty cowardnes is in vs when we waxe faint hearted and geue ouer for these perils and troubles In olde time the numbre was almost in finite of them which for the desier of a garland made of corruptible leaues did refuse no laboure paine and wrastlinge and also did so suffer death it selfe that thei might seme to haue their lyfe in no price And yet ther was none of them but did contend chanceably being vncertaine whether he should winne or lose the game God doth set before vs an immortall crown wherin we may optaine his own glorye And he hath not apointed vs an vncertaine and chanceable coÌ„flict but doth promise such a reward to the which we ought to confer all the couÌ„seills studies and desiers of our lyfe What is the cause that we ar so faynt herted in the largenes and worthines of this honour which is certaine eternal Do we think that this was spoken in vaine that we shal lyue with Christ yf we be dead with hym The triumph is prepared for vs but we so much as we may do flye from the conflycte and battell But thys doctrine is suche that it semeth plainlye to disagre with mans Iudgement Thys is true Nether also Christ wheÌ„ he pronounceth them blessed which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake doeth propound such a sentence as the opinion of the worlde wold allow or receyue Yea he wil haue vs to thinke that the chefest felicitie which we iudge the greatest miserie We thinke our selues most miserable when god doth suffer vs to be afflicted and oppressed with the tyrany and crueltie of our enemies But we do wonderfully erre in this that we set not before our eies gods promises which do plainly confirme vnto vs that al things shal come to our perfect ioy and saluacion We cast down our stomackes and dispaire when we see wicked and noughty men to haue the ouer haÌ„d on vs to do that crueltie to vs that thei seme to treade down our necke with their feet But thys same most cruel vexation of the wicked so great trouble confusioÌ„ of things as S. Paul warneth oght rather to confirme our mindes raise vp lift theÌ„ into heauen For because of our own nature we ar bent to the study loue of things preseÌ„t ar so iÌ„flamed that with our whole knowledge minde cogitatioÌ„ we ar occupied in to much louiÌ„g vsing this vanitie god when he suffreth vs to be thus eueâ— vexed and handled the wicked to grow and florish in al
as boūtiful prodigal in sheddīg the martyrs bloud as thei wil yet this must be that thei shal make a reckening horrible accompt of the effusion of that deare and precious blood yea euen to the vttermost droppe But nowe in thys time thei do scornefully and proudly laugh when thei burne the faithfull men and after they haue dipt washed them selues in their blood they become so dronken that they care nothing at al what murthers thei do But if we wyll haue this stay and moderation of mind that we can paciently abide god wil at the last declare that it was not without a cause that he so greatly estemed our life and had it in so great honour In the meane while let vs not take it to grief yf it be now bestowed to confirme garnish the gospel which excelleth heauen and earth in worthines And that we may be more surely persuaded that god wil neuer leaue vs as abiectes in the hands of the enemies let vs not forget that same saying of Iesus Christ wherein he saieth that it is he himself whō men do persecute in his membres God had said before by Zachary who so toucheth you toucheth the sight of mine eie This is much more expressed if we suffer for the gospell sake it is euen as the sonne of him selfe were and suffered in that affliction Therefore let vs thinke so that Iesus Christ must forget himself if he should haue no care and thought of vs at the time when we be in prison and danger of life for his cause and glory let vs also know that God wyl take al the contumelies and iniuries as done against his owne sonne Let vs come to the seconde place of consolation which is one of the greatest among gods promises that god wyll so hold vs vp wyth the vertue of his spirit in these afflictions that our enemies whatsoeuer they do nor Satan their chiefe captaine shal in any thyng go awaye with the ouerhand And truly we do see howe in that necessitie he doth shew the succour and helpes of his grace For the inuincible stoutnes and constancie of minde which is sene in the true martyrs is a notable token of that same most mighty power which god vseth in his sainctes There be two things in persecutions greuous tediouse intolrable to the flesh whereof the one consisteth in the checkes and rebuks of men the other in the payne tormēt of the body In both these kinds of temtations god doth promise so his assistaunce that we shal easely ouercom al the infamie violence of the grefes and payn And truly what he promiseth he doth performe in dede with most manifest and assured helpe Let vs then take this bucklere to defend vs against al feare and let vs not measure the power of gods spirit so sclendrely that we shuld not thinke and beleue that he wil easely ouercome all the iniuries bitternes and contumelies of men And of this diuine and inuincible operation emong all other we haue a notable example in this our age A certaine yonge man who liued godlylye here with vs in this cytie when he was taken at Dornick was cōdemned with this sentence that yf he wold denye the cōfessiō of his faith he shuld be but beheaded but yf he perseuered in his purpased opinion he shuld be burned When he was asked whether he wold do he answered plainly he who will geue me thys grace to dye patiently for his name wil also work by the selfe same grace that I may abide broyling and burnīg We oght to take thys sentence not as pronoūced of a mortall mā but of the holy gost that we shold thinke that god cā so wel cōfirme make vs ouercom al payns tormēts as to moue vs to take any other kinde of meker death in good part Yea we see often times what cōstācy he geueth to euel wicked men who suffer for their euel dedes and wickednes I do not speake of such as be obstinat hardned in their wickednes which haue no repētāce but of thē which do perceaue cōsolatiō by the grace of Iesus Christ so do take suffer quietly with good wil most greuous sharpe pain as we see a notable example in the thefe who turned at the death of our lord Iesus christ Wil god who assisteth with so great power wicked men that suffer cōdingly for their euell actes forsake them who defēd his cause wil he not rather geue thē inuincible power The third place of promises which god promiseth to his martyres is the fruit which thei oght to loke for of their sufferīg of death it self yf nede so requier But this fruit is that after they haue set forth honoured gods name edified his church with their testimonie they may be gathered together in immortall glory with the lord Iesus But because we haue spoken largely inough before of this reward of eternal glory it is now sufficient to renue the memorie of those thīgs that are already spoken Wherfore let the faithful learn to reare vp their head to the crowne of immortall glory whereunto god doeth call them let them not take the losse of this life greuously cōsidering the greatnes and worthines of the reward And that thei may be sure and perfectly persuaded of this so great a good thing as can not be expressed with any speache nor in thought be comprehended nor with any honour inough estemed let them haue continually before their eyes this like and conformable reason with our Lord Iesus Christ that in death it selfe they beholde life as he by ignominie of the crosse infamie came to glorious resurrection wherin all our felicitie triumph and ioy consisteth Amen The thirde Sermon VVHEREIN THE FAITHFVL are admonished how greatly thei oght to esteme it to liue in the churche of god where they may purely and with libertie worship him taken forth of this sentence of the. Psalm 27. One thing haue I demanded of the lorde that wyll I require that I may dwel in the house of the lord al the dayes of my life that I maye see the beautie of the Lorde c. ALthough amonges men there be soche a varietie defference of myndes and desyres that it is a world to se them yet do all consent and agre in this one poynte moste plainly that with hole harte mynde thei are occupied in the worlde Euery one I graunt wyll haue some what apart wherin he doth set his hole felicitie and wherunto he wyll applye and therevpon bestowe all his care and study and the whole trade of hys lyfe But this vanitie beareth rule generally in al that thei seke their felicitie and principal cōmoditie none other where but in this present life subiect to corruption The which thing declareth moste euidently that men whiche haue caste downe their myndes hope and iudgemen from the dignitie and excellencye of their nature are so degenerat and growen out
man can let him that is to say that he mourne day night with dauid Thine altars o lorde There is none other thing that I desyre but thine altars o my God and my kinge And the fere of this most holy loue and desire oght so enflame al good hearts that thei shold not thinke it painfull to suffer ani thīg that can come no not to consume themselues wholy by this so great zele and desyre neither that there sholde be any tyme so long differred which shold quenche or diminishe this feruent desyre but rathere continally require this thing most carefully that they maye once be broght vnto Christes folde Moreouer euery man oght to considre thys by hymselfe howe he maye moste speadily get himselfe to the standerd so soone as our lord shal graunt any liberty to come therunto Finalli to make an end of this exhortatiō now it remaīeth that we do diligētly note that which dauid adioygneth that is That he will behold the beawty of the lord consider his temple For it is not enoghe that we shulde be exercised in the outward order discipline of the church except we haue our eies bent and speciall regarde to this end that we maye know god himselfe euer more and more There be two thinges which are heare required the one that we do occupy the time of the preachings publike praiers with all care diligence the other that we do vnderstand the cause of our assemblies comming together in the churches For many do come thither drawen with a certane folishe deuotion thinking that thei haue done their hole deuty yf they come forthe into that place shew thēselues once in the temple let vs take heade therfore diligently deare brethren that we do not fal into any fault of negligence of ignoraunce or of folishnes For it is greatly to be feared lest the most part of thē that ar herew t vs mai be cōdemned in the one of these two vices that either thei are negligēt to come to these assembles in the church or els they do not whaigh with themselues nor well vnderstād wherfore thei do come thither How many are they the come to the sermones which wold be most glad neuer to heare of any sermons But I will not speake of thē which in the hole course of their life do shew thēselues manifest contemners of God I do speake of the contempte which is many who wolde neuer remēbre to come to the sermon but that the sonday doth monishe them moue them to com thither and that for maner sake only as thoghe they wolde then make vp the nomber of mani runīg together to god The bell may well ring daily call thē together But it is sufficient for suche if then at last they come forth in the ende of the weke vnto the church company of the cōgregation Thei are called four times euery sōday but thei come very notably if thei once may be seene to haue beene there For there be many of them also whych take to them thys lyberty that they wyll scarse come euery .xv. Daye And surelye the moste parte prooueth thys prouerbe to be trewe that beyng nygh to the Churche they are verye farre from god And some of them be of that sort which haue lefte their contrey that they might serue god who yet in this part of gods seruice do shew thēselues ouer negligent What oght we thā to do Seing god doeth so shew himselfe vnto vs let vs beholde his beauty not passe by the meanes whereby we may most clearely haue the fruition cōtemplation of this his beautie That is to say to that we may be moued as it were rauished with the loue of him as S. Paul saith that we be transformed changed into his simitude likenes And to come to this point we must consider more diligently earnestly then we haue accustomed what god doth propoūd vnto vs in his church For what is the cause I pray you why we do take so smale profit of the sermons sacramēts but that we giue no diligence to the things that are their spoken done We haue our eares beaten with continual doctrine wheras our minds are voide barren of good mocions not touched with any good affection Moreouer also there be some that here neuer the whole sermon but here there a word or half a word rather with out regard Wherfore Dauid saieth not without great cause that he woulde go to the temple of the lord to visit and regard it with great care diligence and the whole study of his minde And doubtles the excellent treasures of the great wisedome of god which are therein set forth vnto vs are most worthy to haue the eies of our minds wholy bent set thervpō But as I haue now touched god would not haue vs to beholde these treasures only to please our eies so to depart wtout any profit Let vs therefore vnderstand that the doctrine of christ hath then shewed in vs her force fruit when our mindes life maners are so chaunged that we can worship god purely serue him wtout corruption And this is it that Dauid saith psalm lxxxiiii That thei which dwell in the house of the lord shall prayse him for euer Wherfore thē do we assemble our selues īto one place whi is that gospel preached vnto vs why do we vse baptisme the lords supper but that god shuld be praised magnified by vs with all kind of praises the which praise standeth not only in the lips but continueth al the life long and florisheth for euer Therefore saith he in another place I wil wash my hands O lord in innocencie then wyll I enter vnto thyne altare Now do we see what is the true lawfull vse of all the order in the church to wit that we beyng diligently instructed therein may worshyp God purely and as becometh hys seruaunts In the olde time vnder the law thei that came to the temple to worship god especially the preistes whē thei shuld execute their office they continually washed them selues This ceremony in dede is passed awaye but the truth that yet remaineth oght of vs alwayes to be mainteyned and practised And because we nowe do knowe all the wais meanes wherby we may atteyn to the most perfit pure worship of god wherefore we must enter and holde the way of life more warely thē others For the more furtherance that we haue graunted vs by god so much lesse of excuse shal be left onles we do appli the same both vnto our vse profite also to the true worship of god For if we do stumble by the waye it is not because we doe not see a plain troden way before our fete And if we do stray forth of the way wander without assuraunce we can not blame god therfore as though he did not continually set vp the clear light of
constancie which he requireth in his word We muste also admonishe and solicite them by al wayes not to rest in places where men are fast on slepe in their voluptuousnesse but to applie diligently this thought and wyl that thei confesse the glorie due vnto god For we are not taught of god onely for our selues but that euery man after the measure of his faith shuld brotherly communicat with his neighbors and distribute vnto them that thing he hath learned and knowen in gods schole Nowe se we then that it is profitable yea truly necessary so well to our selues as to our brethren that the remembrance of this doctrine shulde be renued very oft especiallye seyng the text it selfe which we shal expound doth leade vs to the same purpose Dauid doth openly protest and as it wer doth make a solemne vow that he wil neuer be partaker in the sacrifices of Idolaters and also that he wyll so detest and greuously hate the idols that he wyl not at anye time once name thē as though he shuld defile his mouth in naming them This is not the fact of som one man but the example of Dauid the most excellent kinge and prophet which oght to be vnto al gods children a certain comon rule to ryght and godly life And to th entent we may the better perceaue this thyng and more vehemently be moued with the true fear of god the cause is to be noted which he addeth wherein truly resteth as it were a certain foundation of that same alienation and offence wherby he doth most greatly abhorre the communion of idolatours The lorde saieth he is myne enheritaunce But is not this thing comon to all faithful and godlye men There is no man truly whych wold not glorie in so excellent athyng And this is sure without al doubt that god being once geuen vnto vs in the person of his sonne doth dayly entise vs to possess him But ther be veray fewe which ar so affected in this part as the greatnes and worthines of this same mater shuld seme to aske and deserue Nether truly can we by any meanes possess god onles on this condition that we also be come hys Dauid therfore of good right and worthely did set the foundation of hys godlynes and religion in this sentence and reason seing that god is his enheritaunce he wil refrain from all pollutions of idoles which do turne vs from God hymselfe This is the cause why the prophet Esay when he had vpbraided the iewes that they had geuen themselues to fals and strange goddes whō they had made added afterwarde theis saith he ar thy portion signifieng by these words that god doth deny to the worshippers of idoles all bond felowshyppe of couenante and disenheryteth them and vtterly depriueth them of that so infinitly great benefite whiche he wold haue bestowed on them geuing him selfe vnto them Som man will except and sai that the prophet entreateth in that place only of them which put their affiance in idoles and deceaueth them selues thorow opinion and incredulitie I graunt but this also I answar yf they that do transferre gods honour vnto idoles are vtterly separated and cut of from his felowship they also doe are and decline some what from him which doe feine them selues to consent to supersticions thorow feare and weakenesse of mynde For no man can in heart or any conformable fashion or in wyll and in purpose of minde or faining or by any true or fained waye approch to idols but he must so far go back frō god Wherefore let this sentence be thorowly persuaded and remaine depely printed in our heartes that thei which seke god with a tru and pure minde to the ende to possesse him for their enheritance wyll haue no communion and felowship with idoles with whome god hath that diuorce and debate that he wold haue al his to proclaim and make continuall and deadlye war vpon them And in this place Dauid by name doth expresse that he wyll neuer be partaker of their oblations nether haue theyr names in his mouth and talking He might haue said on this wise I wil not deceyue my self with vnwise and folishe deuocions of the vnbeleuers I will not put my trust in suche abuses nor I wil neuer forsake goddes truth to folow these lies but he speaketh not on this maner but doth rather promise constantly that he wyll neuer be cōuersant among theyr ceremonies Therfore he doth testifie so far furth as concerneth the seruice of god he will abide continually in al puritie and holynes both of bodye and soule And first in this place we muste consider whether this be not idolatrie to signifie and declare by outward tokens our agremēt with those supersticions wherwith the seruice of god is corrupted vtterly peruerted Thei that swim as the cōmon saying betwixt two waters allege this saiyng seing that god wold be honored in spirit idols cā by no meanes be honored vnles a mā put his trust in thē But to this may be easly answered that god doth not so require the spiritual seruice adoration of the minde that he granteth and remitteth the other part of our nature vnto idols as though that part shuld seme nothing at al to belong vnto him For it is said in many places that the knees must be bowed before god also the hands lifted vp to heauen What then surely the chief honor that god requireth is spiritual but the outward signification wherbey the faithful do testifie that it is god only whō thei serue and honour must so immediatly folow that thei must at one time be ioined together But one place shal so suffice for al to cōfute that obiection which thei snatch of one word that thei shal be plainly rebuked conuict In the .iii. chap. of Daniel it is writtē that Sidrach Misach Abdenego refused denied vnder any maner of colour to consent vnto the superstition set vp erected by Nabuchodonosor declaring that thei wold in no wise honor his gods If these goodly wittie sophisters had bene there at that time wold haue laught to scorne the simplicitie of these thre seruants of god For I suppose thei wold haue taunted them with such like words you folish mē this truly is not to honor them seing you put no affiance in these thynges There is no idolatrie but where there is deuociō that is to say a certain bending application of the minde to honour and worshippe the idoles But these godly men did folowe a better wiser counsell for this answer which thei made proceded not of their owne wit but rather of the holy gost which moued thē thus to speake whō if we wil not resist we must accept this place this example as a certen rule definicion that idolatry is an outward action against gods honor yea although it procede not frō the wil and purpose of the mind but be only colourable and feined In which matter thei make goodly
of the ChaldeaÌ„s It is not reason that the tiranny of men shoulde break or any deal diminish from vs that due honour we ow vnto god Here is no exceptioÌ„ or pretence of preuelege which high or low riche or poore may or ought to vsurpe vnto them selues Let al men therefore bow downe their neck with moste humilitie submit them selues to god Let the poore maÌ„ haue the true fear of god let him not say vnconstantly I know not what to do least god answer him nether know I what to do with thee The riche and wealthy men let theÌ„ not like drunken sloggards slepe in their wealth and consume in their prosperity and abundance of al thynges as it wer in a certain draftubbe but rather after the example of S. Paule let them learn to esteme al that as dirt and dammage which doth withdraw vs from godly christian life or may seme any thing to hinder vs. We also whiche liue here in rest quiet enioyeng the vse of the greatest and singuler benefits of god let vs not forget that I touched in the beginning that we apply these things to our learning that what so euer hereafter befall vs or into what soeuer countrey we shal be led yet may we alwayes constantlye abide in the pure confession of our faith detesting al idolatrous religion superstitions and abuses which are against gods trueth do obscure his honour and vtterly subuert his religion The .ii. sermon conTEINING AN EXHORTATION to suffer persecution that we may therein folow Iesus Christ and his gospell taken of this saying in the .13 Cap. to the Hebrues Let vs go forth to him without the gates and suffer rebuke with him AL the exhortations which can be made to instruct vs to suffer paciently and constantly for Christ Iesus name and his gospel shall not much moue vs onles we know and be perfectly persuaded of the right truthe and worthenes of the cause wherfore we contend For when we be in that Ieoperdie danger that we must loose our lyfe we ought to be most certain of that thing wherfore we enter to so great perill But that constauncye and firmnes of minde caÌ„ not be had onles it be depely fouÌ„ded in a certaintie sure perswasioÌ„ of faith Ther be many which will vnaduisedlyâ— rashly ventre to dye for certain folysh opinions inuented of their own brain But suche forwardnes of minde ought rather to be thought a furiousnes then a christian zeall and loue For assuredly ther is no firmnes other of minde or wit or of common sence in these men which do cast them selues in to peril with such hardie rashnes How so euer it be god wil not acknowlege and take vs for his martirs and witnesses without a good cause For death is coÌ„mon for all men also the condemnation of theues and of gods children the sufferaunce of shame and punishment semeth to be al one but god maketh a difference betwixt theÌ„ because he can not denie and forsake his own truth This also is required that we haue a sure witnes void of al errour of that doctryne whiche we will defend â–ª Wherfore as I said ther is no exhortation so weightie that can moue and perswade vs to suffer for the gospel but yf a true certaintie of faith be imprinted in our hartes For to put our lyfe in danger without any coÌ„sideratioÌ„ vnaduisedly and chaunceably is most against nature And so to do shuld be thought rather rashnes theÌ„ christian boldnes Morouer god aloweth nothing that we do onles we be plainly perswaded that it is for his name sake and for his cause that the world is so against vs doth hate vs. But when I speak of suche certaiÌ„tie and perswasion of minde I do not only vnderstand this that we shuld know to discern and iudge betwixt the true religion and folish opinions constitutioÌ„s of men but also that we be thorowly perswaded of euerlasting lyfe and the â—roune promised vnto vs in heaueÌ„ after â—ure conflict in this world Let vs now marke wel that these two reasons do partaine to oure dutye and muste be Ioyned to gether that the one may â—n no wise be separated and disioyned from the other It is mete therfore to take oure begynning of thys that we vnderstand and know what is our Christian religion what faith it is that we oght to holde and folow what rule of lyfe god hath geuen vs. Nether must we only haue our minds instruct with thys godly doctrin but also haue our mindes so armed and prepared that we maye freli and boldly damne all errours lies and superstitions which Satan hathe brought in to the world to corrupt the pure simplicitie of gods doctrine Therfore it is no meruaill that ther is so small a number of men that haue a ready mid and desier to suffer for the gospell and that the greatest part of them the profese them selues Christans knoweth not the power of the Christian religion and there own profession All meÌ„ in a maner are negligeÌ„t and haue no desier or very small to here and read who thynketh it sufficient yf they haue gotten some small taste of the Christian faith And thys is the cause why there is sene in these no surety and constancie of minde and that so sone as they come in to any conflict they are so abashed as though thei shuld hiÌ„ bi vtterly perish for which coÌ„sideratioÌ„ our desier oght to be greater to pursue and serche oute most diligently gods truth that therw t our hartes may be perswaded with out any doubt Nether is this al to haue suche knowledge and vnderstanding For we see many so well trauailed in gods doctrine that thei seme as though thei were stained died ther with in whom neuer the less there is no desier and loue of god no more truly then if thei had knowen nothinge at any time of the godly doctrin but by a certain vnsure light and wauering opinion But what other cause is there of this so great vncertaintie and leuitie but that thei did neuer perceaue in there minde the maiestie of the holi scripture And truly if we wold rightly waye that it is god that speaketh to vs theirin we wold here him with more diligence attention and reuereÌ„ce If we wold think in reading the scripture that we are in the schole and discipline of angels we shulde haue an other maner of desier to exercise our selues in that doctrine which is set forth to vs to confort strenghtheÌ„ instruct our miÌ„ds now we se what is the wai to prepar our selues to patieÌ„ce sufferauÌ„ce for the gospel that is so to go forward in the doctrine thereof that being throughly persuaded of the true religion and that doctrine which we oght to holde and defende we may nothing esteme and despise al the fraudes and illusions of the deuell and al the inuencions of men as things not only of value but also execrable because they