lyke theÌ„ God therfore casteth his blessinges vpon the wyked that yet fight ageynst him to excercyse our faith sendinge vs in our afflic cions vnto his propiciatory Chryst to his worde there to serche oute as ye here see the cause of their prosperite and of our owne affliccions into owr present coÌ„solacion declaringe vnto vs howe vyle he estemeth these ryches these welthy prosperities and transitorye blessings of the worlde especially in vnthankfull tyrants techinge vs howe terrible are his iugements so hyghe to lyft a man vp to thentent he wold sodenly caste him downe the more greuously Here gaue he the ryche gloton his heuen here aftir to haue his hell Here he gaue Lazarus his hell after this to haue his heuen Reioyse we therfore afflicted Christen brethern in owr trowblouse persecucions and heuye exyle For if we here pacieÌ„tly suffer with christe we shallbe also glorifyed with him in heuen Nether do I saith saynt Paul repute the affliccioÌ„s of this worlde worthei of the glory tocome which shalbe openly geuen vs. Unto vs therfore his childern the curses are become his blessingis and sweete crosse whiche our father laith vpoÌ„ vs to folowe his deare sone owr sauiour Chryst that we might be trwly fasshoned vnto his image once lost in paradise For as we haue borne the image of the erthy Adam so muste we bere the image of our heuenly AdaÌ„ Chryste He thus spekinge vnto vs. My childerne neglecte not my correccion nore faint not when ye be chastened for whom I loue them I chasteÌ„ beat euery childe whom I receyue If ye paciently suffer my chastysinge I will offer my self vnto you alouinge father For what chylde hathe the father whoÌ„ he correcteth not If ye shulde be fre fro my correccion so were ye not my childerne but bastards Now by faith and this knowlege are the curses turned into our blessed and sacred crosses ioyfully and gladly to be borne aftyr Chryste for our correccion lest we be condempned with the wealy wyked worlde God workinge in vs a strange worke to worke his owne as Isay saith This is the rok whom god shewed to Moses Exo. xxxiij aftir he was ta ken out of the water of affliccioÌ„ vpon the which rok god coÌ„maÌ„ded him tostoÌ„de whiles his glorie was in passing foreby where he did sette Moses in the riftes of the same rok defending him with his almighty hande koueringe him vntill his haÌ„de takeÌ„ of he shewed him his hinder parties euen Chryste him selfe his members at laste to come by thorowe the crosse to entre into his glorye And to exclude his our merits for so suffeirnge he tolde him for all that he spake so famyliarely with him that he wolde be mercyfull to whoÌ„ he listed to be piteous Heere also beholde the tree which when Moses Exo. xv did put into the bitter waters of marath auoÌ„ they were made swete so that the people of god myght well drynke of them Beholde the bitter passioÌ„ of Christe hanginge vpon the crosse of tre sufferynge for thy synnes and what water of tribulacioÌ„ is so bitter to the but in him and for his sake layinge it vpon the is not swete and ioyfully dronken of yea it is to the turned into the swete wyne so changed from water at the mery meriage What childe of god will thinke him selfe so innocent that he is worthei no chastement Let vs therfore christen persequnted brethern ascende paciently into this secrete holy place euen owr mercye seat Chryst beholdinge all these heuye curses to be casteÌ„ vpon him beringe awaye all our synnes and sustayninge the paynes dewe vnto them for owr sakis and saluacion made for vs the curse and execracion to redeme vs froÌ„ the curse of the lawe made for vs the malediccion that thorowe him they might be turned into our blessings made I saye for vs vnrightwysenes and synne that we thorowe him myght be rekened of god ryghtwyse and iustyfyed or absolued from synne Thus be we blessed in owr sauiour whilis we suffer persecution for his names sake here aftir to heare it of his owne mouthe openly callynge vs sayinge Come ye my blessed and possede the kingedom prepared for you from the beginninge Nowe therfore let vs paciently suffer dependinge vpon our fathers pleasure whyles his aduersaries persecute vs for preachinge and wrytinge vnto them the trwth let vs constantly suffre to be exyled for that we abhorre theyr idolatry theyr antichrysten rytes and supersticious ceremonyes let vs flye in holy derkenesse out of Babylon into the deserte with our pore lawfull wyues rather then wykedly to suffer our selues violently coÌ„trary to gods lawe to be separated whoÌ„ god hath ioyned This is owr crowne praise as Peter saith vnworthely to suffer with a good consciens for the trwthes sake and not as any malefactours Happy be we whiche haue the worde of owr counfort the doctryne of our faithe confidence hope and ioye in the holy goste to bolden and to confirme vs in these our heuye affliccions for well doinge And wo be vnto theÌ„ whiche haue taken awaye the worde of consolacion from the laye peple whiche soernestly in their anxt thirste for it in stede of the same haue thruste into the coÌ„gregacions erroneouse doctryne idolatrye supersticion and deceyuable sermons and institucions into the dampnacion of many men Them selues not onely seducinge the vnlerned but also with theyr synfull dampnable lyuinge drawinge many aftir theÌ„ vnto perdicion Whereby thei declare theÌ„ selues to haue dronkenin that pharisaicall blodye tyrannouse spirite which may not abyde to heare the verite Which serpeÌ„tyne sprite went euer about to take trap Christe in his wordis deprauinge euery facte miracle worde whiche he wrought or sayd yea although their owne consciences tolde it theÌ„ the same to be done spoken of the holy goste very god This did they to bringe Christe his doctrine into the hatered of all men to be detested abhorred as an heretique a deceyuer a sediciouse persone traytor ageynst the emperowr belyinge him moste deadly moste shamefully For when in iugemeÌ„t Pilate affirmed him innoceÌ„t to haue fownde no capitall cryme in him there this pharisaicall spryte rored out furiously krying He maketh coÌ„mocion and sedicioÌ„ thorowt all Iewrye and Galile Away with him cruâ—ifye crucifye him And eueÌ„ so is our pore afflycted chirche vexed and oppressed with the 〈…〉 calamities iniuries lyes â— tyraÌ„nie The same rebukes iniuste verâ—rious and cruell persecucioÌ„s do we suffer this daye But let vs be of good chere seinge we suffer all this for rightwisenes wel doinge For what thinge do thei persecute vs verely for no nother cause then that we desyer to know to teche the pure clere knowledge of Chryst the very waye of our saluacioÌ„ of the christeÌ„ religion that we other might se the immeÌ„se riches of the mercye rightwysenes lyfe helthe whiche we shuld haue
haue so vniuste so euill the most vngodly cause defendinge the most open errours and manifeste idollatrye and so false a popisshe religion And euen there owne consciences telle them selues their cause to be so vniuste and so manifestly wyked their doctryne faith so false that they be bothe asshamed and affrayd there of and dirste neuer teche nor preche it opâ— ly onlesse thei were sewer of the seculare swerde to defende it and them selues to For thei be afraid to iustifye their owne bokes with their owne tytles aÌ„d names But our doctryne and the confession of our faith be not afraid to staÌ„d forth in the face of emprowrs kinges and princes of the worlde yea and is offred to be loked vpon and iudged of all the hole worlde our doctryne fereth not the light al beit prince ceasers and all the worlde stande with naked swerdes agenst it to slaye the professours therof so farre of be they to defende it Owr doctryne and faithe desyereth to be tâ—yed and examined at the trwe twiche stone of the holy scriptures But the doctryne and faithe of owr antichristen aduersaryes refuse are a fraid of the scriptures and flye vnto longe customes popishe fathers canoÌ„ lawes coun sels of popes and so persecution of vs to deuelisshe doctours and when all these will not serue then flye they to the seclare policye of the realme and vnto their princes swerde and actis af parlements therby to be holpen and defended But all the prophetis of god constantly affirme it and ernestly threatenthe theis their weake reedis and roten staues to be now shortely all to broken When the emprowr and the godly lerned withe the nobles of Germany did sit laste at Auspurgh consultinge and enquiring of the religion and faithe Meu did ernestly desper our aduersaries to geue vs forthe the accompte rekeninge and confession of their faithe and religion in wrytinge but thei coulde not gette it thei dirste not wryte it thei were asahamed or afraid to let their faith come into lyght orels thei coulde not wryte it A goodly godly faithe I warant you that so miserably feared and was asshamed to be sene in wrytinge of so many noble and lerned men But they be to wyse to suffer siche a grosse carnall shameles religion aÌ„d so weake and incoustant a faithsesse faynt faith to come into wrytinge And therfore thei there desyered instantly to dispute with vs with fagots fyer and swerde aÌ„d euen a certayn blody cardinall offred him selfe to wryte vs an answer with our owne blode Oh blodye beastes abhorred aÌ„d detested of god casten vp into a reprobate mynde worthy to be perpetually daÌ„pned This was all their importune labour and blody dryfte at that cownsell and hathe ben euer sence to devolue peaceable assem bles for the reformacion of the chrysteÌ„ religion vnto bloudye bataiâ—es And nowe this daye haue thei thorow Satan Paul the thirde Pope of Rome with his blody bisshops brought their blody purpose to passe in that thei coÌ„federed withe the Tur ke had leifer the Turke to inuade ouerrune al Chrystendom then the gospell of Chryst shulde haue any fre course in any one of their dicions and dioceses This is lo their deuilisshe dryft when thei cannot defende their false religion and faithe by no worde of god It wolde haue abhorred any chrysten man to haue sene the synfull and viciouse conuersacion of these papisti ke prelates with their patrones in that towne at that counsell howe openly thei kept their whores howe lordely thei loked howe dronken thei went euery night to bed how beastly thei banketted vomited aÌ„d spewed out their swete sinfull surfettes And yet wolde the belly bawdy be astis there stoutely and gloriously dispute of fastinge of chastite of temperancye aÌ„l of sobriete to fulfill the schriptures sayinge In the laste dayes there shall come vpon you perellouse tymes for there shal be men all for their owne lustes louinge theÌ„selues couetuouse puâ—t vp with pryde mischeuouse bitterly cursinge false of their promise vniustly vexinge good meÌ„ lecherouse glotenouse dronkerdes arrogant the louers of their owne lustes rather then of god Hauinge a shew of godly religion but the verye trwe religion it self thei haue vtterlye abâ—yed aÌ„d renownced it And these men auoyde estiewe beware of and thruste theÌ„ out of thy syght The. iiij consolacion Owr aduersaries vnderstande not this great aÌ„d godly cause Nether shall nor may thei at any tyme defende it with any ferme argumeÌ„ts ANd nowyet for our more counfort let vs coÌ„syder how weake are owr aduersaries eueÌ„ thei that be yet called the most prudeÌ„t and wold be sene the highe lerned misshapeÌ„ or bisshapen bissho pis What thing haue thei I praye you to fraye vs haue they any wysedoÌ„ But craftynes subtyle serpeÌ„tyne fraudes apparent sophistical reasons without scripture malice and mischeif thei haue to micheâ—buâ— as for any godly vnderstandinge good lerninge and trwe wysedome they haue â—on at all They wryte preache and speke so childysshe so fonde so inconstant impertinent and repugnant things in so â—aighâ—y a cause and wreste the scriptures so violently to stablisshe their errours and recyte them so folisshely â–ª that the very bâ—â—es in the grammer stoles and the ploughe men shomakers wyues spinninge at their rockis ieste one them and laughe them worthely to skorne so that the prophecye of Isaye is nowe well verifyed vpon them wysedom shall perisshe in the wyse and the vnderstandinge of the prudent shall be put out their wysedom and koninge shal be reiected of god and come all to naught So that it is asked of them into their owne shame and confusion of Paul Where is nowe your wyse man where be nowe your writers for your pope and his religion Where are your disputers for your faithe haue not god made theÌ„ all folis Thei consult miche and oft togither thei imagyne enforce aÌ„d tempte to proue many and diuerse wais thei conspire thei coniure aÌ„d cluster vpon heapes they wryte they sende thei runne to eche other Thei haue their secrete conuenticles open conuoâ—aâ—ious conciliables and counsels thei furnesshe vpholde their popisshe preistes scholes aÌ„d vniuersities Thei hyerd Rochester syr Thomas More promoted Eccius Emser Cocleus Piggius Latomus with lyke drafe aÌ„d dregges to wryte ageynst vs their lyinge fonde bokis full of threatis mockis tauntis reuylings But of their blodye counsells to destroye the parties of Germanye whiche haue receyued the gospell I will not nowe speke therof But what I praye ye haue they goten by all these cruell meanes The gospell standeth and shall stande neuerthelesse and will be spred into all the worlde accordinge to gods ordinance which no enforcements no counsels of men nor powr may let it nor tarye it although these papists wolde breake their beastly bellis therfore At Auspurgh and at Batisbone their drift was to haue vtterly extinguysshed the gospell and what successe had their wyked enforcements Uerely in
shrinke fall perissh in this batail Sithe Chryst is present we muste nedis haue the victory And where soeuer is Chryste there be all his faithfull yea all his aungels wherfore we beinge his chosen muste nedis be withe them The aungels of the Lorde pitche their tentes rownde aboute vs. The aungels delyuer vs that feare the Lorde Psalm xxxiiij The thirde consolacion Owr cause is goddis cause and it is the moste iuste cause FUrthermore this thinge ought to confirme and counfort vs most especially for that we haue so iust so good and so godly a cause for it is not our cause wherfore we suffer but is is goddis cause euen his own holy gospel bi Chryste and the holy gost sent vs from heuen For as for vs we neuer thought to do any man iniurye nor hurte we take no mans goodis from him But we study to monishe and to profit all men vnto their saluacion We desyer onely and receyue the infinite and inestimable riches of the gospell with ioye at gods hande In which worde not els then the mere grace rightwisenes peace delyuerance from all euils helpe and helthe are promised and geuen vs in Chryst and for his sake to as many as beleue in him And this same so riche inestimable glorye of the grace of god in Chryste we wolde it purely and frely to be shewed tought preched and writen to all men vnto the glorye and sanctifyinge of the name of god for the right wysemakinge and saluacioÌ„ of many men For the gospell is the powr of god vnto saluacion to all them that beleue For this studye for this owr dewtye in spekinge wrytinge and good willis to profite and to sa ue all men and to bringe theÌ„ to the knowlege of god in Chryste do the world render to vs the same thankes whiche were once rendred to Chryste and his apostles and paynteth vs with the same sediriouse and obprobrious names For whilis we wysshe preache and wryte to them eternall peace thei accuse vs of the moste haâ—â—ouse cryme of sedicion When we teche them the moste certayn verite out of gods owne mouth they cal vs heretiques notinge and slaunderinge vs with al theÌ„ moste infamie and ignominye they can imagine then they rage and rase runinge vpon vs lyke wylde beastes and wode dogges enforcinge to throdowne to subuerte and extinguisshe bothe Chryste and all chrysten faithfull with the gospell to And yet make the bisshops of Englond men to recant that there is any persecucion in the realme but all is iuste execucioÌ„ As though it were nowe the same paradise alredye whiche first was created vpoÌ„ the whiche erthe there dwelt â—o â—â—o but Adam and Eue in the state of innocencye before any serpentyne sead tempted theÌ„ And as thoughe Englond were the same paradyse and londe of the perpetuall lyninge immortall bodyes now rysen ayen wherof Peter saythe Rightwysenes to dwell vpon it euen the same newe erthe kouered with a newe heueÌ„ and newe elements purged with fyer mencioned of I say and Iohan in the Apocalypse There is mencion in Luke and Matt. of a standing water called a Mear which was a comon passage oute of Galile into the londe of the Gadarens which Chrystis disciples and all men passed oft ouer without any perell But wheÌ„ thei chaunced to are the bisshops of Englond â—eâ—â—owpled and câ—â—fedeâ—ed with the bisshop oâ— Romes bisshops aÌ„d his wheâ—â—is in â—ewâ— the sonde as once were Sampsons foxes tayles tyed togither withe fyer brandis ageynst the Lorde his audinted to burne vp the Philynstens good vyneyardis euen the pore sely persecuted chirche of Chryste But let vs not be abasshed noâ— yet afrayd it is the truth that we set forthe It is the eternall and immutable will and counsell of god that Chryste shulde make sinners iuste salfe out of his mere grace and that this shuld be reueled and preached before all the worlde This mater wolde he to consiste in and vpon faith that who so beleue in Chryst shulde haue forgeuenes of his synnes and lyfeeternal not for his owne but for Christes merits This glorie of our fathers diuine mercye ought to be preched and setforthe before all men that thorowe Christe they might come vnto the father which hath sette Christ at his right hande and made him Lorde of the aungels of men and of all creatures celestiall and terrestriall and to be iuge ouer the lyuinge and dead and to raigne in the glory of the father with all the faithfull and chosen in Chryst. This is the constant immutable will of god This is his eternall sentence God will therfore defende fight for his own cause nother may any man resiste him Christ will raigne and put all his enimies vnder his feet And who shall let it He is of an infinite almighty powr and will sone defende his cause eueÌ„ ageynst all the power of the spirituall antichristis and let them take all the seculare swerdes and the deuill to to helpe them If this our cause might be ether weakened or ouercomen so were God and Chryste febled ouercomen But Chryste is allmighty vnable to be ouerthrone abideth for euer wher fore this his cause and owrs and his gospell and all that beleue it shall stand for euer inuincible For who so beleue in him shall neuer be confounded Mightier is Christe and his worde then all the worlde and Satan to with all his preistly prelates and shall bringe them all into an heuey dampnable destruccion whyles they enforce to subuerte vs Crystes gospell For Chryste is verely the stomblinge stone at whom whoso stomblethe he hurteth him selfe greuously But this stonne it selfe is not hurte nor once moued but standeth ferme and fast ageynst all his aduersaries assawtes vnhurte And who so falleth at him is all to broken aÌ„d vpon whom this stonne falleth he is all to pressed and grownden into powlder Singe and reade we the. ix x. xi and â–ª xij and siche lyke Psalmes and there let vs seke fyn de consolacion Nether let vs cesse at any tyme to heare and reade the scriptures the swete promises let vs engraue into our brestes and cleane to them constaÌ„tly For they be the moste certayne and assewered consolacions to vs in this heuey exyle and harde persecucion Faithfull is our Lorde God and trewe in all his wordis But as in Englonde the realme of ryghtwisenes lo there is no siche stonne to stomble therat so be there non that stoÌ„ble at Chryst but they leape quyte ouer him He falleth there vpon nomaÌ„ our noman vpon him There is no persecucion but all iuste execucion lo. And therfore is there no siche coÌ„solacion nor Psalmes nor scripture to lyft them vp agene But in a full heuey state be they that be fallen and dedely hurte and yet beleue they theÌ„ selues to staÌ„d vpright hole aÌ„d sowâ—de Full wo and ferefull may our aduersaries be which
bothe the same cities in all the countrye aboute their owne fylthey fasshons and cruell conuersacion so promoued it and stablisshed it that they shal neuer be able to queÌ„che it For euery man sawe howe fonde weake were their reasons and foundacions thei espyed their cruell false and subtyle dryftis to depresse gods wordis All men sawe their abhominable shameles lyues thei perceyued howe gretely thei were afrayd to let their faithe and doctryne come into light Many wyse and noble men there were whiche merueled greately to se these men so fyercely and so furiously to take on with the gospellers reuilinge and spittinge out their venome at them as at the moste pestelent heretiques and so callinge them prechinge and affirminge so boldely the popes cause and his doctryne to be the trwe iuste and godly religion And when thei shulde bothe come to the tryoll treatinge and disputinge of the causes then were thei asshamed to bring forth their popisshe doctryne or to wryte their religion openly whiche they so gloriously and so stoughtly had bosted before to be the very trwe catholike faithe and doctryne of god aÌ„d of their holy mother the chirche vnable to be resisted or once spotted Euen here begane many good men and euen the laye peple to doute mistrust their doctrine so highly craked of and bosted before euen here perceyued the people there doctryne and religion to be starke naught vncertayne aÌ„d false for that wheÌ„ a rekening therof was asked them thei feringe the lyght sought blody shiftes and leet their owne religion lye still lurkinge in derke dennes Then sayd the nobles and comon people who shall beleue theire doctryne sithe the defenders therof dare not let it be sene in wrytinge but seke howe to defende it withe violence and murther Sewrly said thei this their cause can not be iuste and good as they boste aÌ„d crake it Trwly the verite flieth not from the light but dare be sene tryed and iuged of all men And euen thus said many whiche came out of al cooltes as out of Spayne Italye Portugale and out of the nether Germanye and oute of the other partes of Europe to these counsels whiche before were thought to stande of the papystes syde Whiche when thei had sene aÌ„d herd owr doctryne and red it euery where mightely confirmed with the testimonies of the holy scriptures clerely and iustely alledged and also approued withe the hole consent of the olde holy doctours of the chirche immediately after the Apostles seinge the chrysten men constaÌ„tly offeringe vp this owr faithe religion and doctrine before all the worlde and that their ad uersaries coulde not by no scriptures truly taken conuince and ouerthroe owr doctryne but were bothe asshamed confownded and afrayd they repented them selues that euer they had other mayntayned it or beleued it so longe Then all these nacions returned home applyed them selues to readinge and hearinge the scriptures and sought out lerned and faithfull preachers so that sence that tyme they haue in many countryes caste awaye the Pope with his Autichrysten relygion and by Gods grace are they called vnto the very gospell And nowe is it openly knowne with what and howe blody counsels with whom they conspyred whom they encensed to murther the holy innocent chyrches of Cryste and violently with swerde and fyer to oppresse the gospell of Chryst so that all the worlde seeth all their hope and shote ancore of their helthe not to stande in the arme of god but their hole confidence to consist in the multitude of papistes in worldly powr and policye in a flesshely arme and in lordis aÌ„d princes whom they so perswaded withe all maner kyndes of flaterye obsequye carnall pleasurs and reasons and withe the moste shamefull lyes encensinge them that their owne patrones and pylars if they were not bewitched blinde might perceyue them openly to go about to stablisshe and defende the very tyranni of Antichryste If their doctryne were godly and right wherfore shulde they hyde it what nede they ageynst vs swerde and fyer But all the worlde seeth it to be false and vngodly for that thei seke siche crafty tyranny and violent engyus to defende it For the verite defendeth hir selfe with hiâ— owne weapen euen with the swerde of the worde of God Nowe ye se what soft solgiers and cruell knyghtes they be and vnto what bataill them selues layd downe to sleape thei stere vp other men to fight for them but praysed be god our almighty Lorde one alone for vs sufficient out of whom procedeth our victorye Prouerb xxi But here peradueÌ„ture will some saye Howe shulde we but feare their violent powr and greuouse threates seinge they be so many so myghtye so riche aÌ„d so highe exalted aboue vs so fewe so pore weake aÌ„d feble I answere That in the apostles tyme very small was the nowmber of the crystians compared vnto the haithen infidels all the worlde then being full of gentyles yet not conuerted to the faith Skant one eâ—oÌ„ge a thousande then dirst professe Chryst euen emonge the peple of god whiche were the Iewes And sone aftir that the faith begane to take rore emonge the gentyles what els did the tyrannouse emprowrs of Rome but play the bochers in slayinge the ChristiaÌ„s Nethelesse yet with no kinde of tormeÌ„ts were thei neuer so cruell sharpe aÌ„d terrible nether with their insaciable blod thirstinge coulde the persecutours put away and quenche the chrysten faith But the cruellier thei persecuted the faith in Chryst the wyder it spred the deper it roted and the higher it grewe and encreased aÌ„d the more and mightier was the nowmber of the crystianes This was verely a meruelouse thinge But it was god whiche assisted defended aÌ„d animated his chirche the lorde faught for them mightely Deuter. xx The gentyles had slayne so many and that so cruelly for the gospell that they beinge wery of tormentinge might martir no moo as witnesseth Iosephuâ— For the mo the tyrants killed the mightelier the christianes encreased vnder their handis euen as the kinge Pharao of Egipt the greuouslier that he oppressed aÌ„d slew the Israelitis the more were thei multiplied in so mich that he was afrayd of theÌ„ at laste The worlde euer contendeth to pluke the crystians froÌ„ the trwe worship vnto idolatrye aÌ„d to papistrye now with fayer promises and then with greuouse threates and bitter terrible deathes But the chosen of god shall euer stande constantly and the sewerer in Chryst vnable to be ouercomen whose crysten constancye so angreth the vngodly that their fierre furye rageth into wodenes madnes aÌ„d murther Whose fyerce madnes when it rageth moste tyrannously yet can it not slaye the sowle but onely our mortall bodies wherfore the very crystians do laughe at their threates and torments For we be perswaded certainly in our faithe Chryste to haue ouercomen dethe for vs so that death is no death to vs but a ioyfull ende of synne and a glad passage to