abide to be awakened by vs to the ende too make them feele theyr euill I put the case that they did not commit Idolatry with the Papistes yet can they not deny but that this is a miserable and cursed bondage that they cannot be suffered too call vppon the name of God and too confesse Iesus Christe The holy Ghoste when thee woulde peerce the heartes of the faithfull who were captiue in Babylon putteth this sentence into their mouth Psal 137.4 How shal wee sing the prayses of the Lorde in a straunge lande I confesse that the kingdome of God is at this day throughout all the worlde and that there is now no difference betweene Iudea and other Countreis But I say notwithstanding that the Countrey where the seruice of God is abolished and true religion cast of it well deserueth to be accounted for a strange and prophane Countrey It must needes bee then that they whiche haue no remorse not too dare to make protestation of their faith nor to celebrate or set foorth the name of God that they be altogeather blockishe Now let the children of God take heede by this admonition not to become blockish with them Cōcerning those which babble scorning and deriding vs in this asking whether no man can goe to heauen but by Geneua wold to GOD that they had the heart and care to assemble thēselues together in the name of Iesus Christ in what part soeuer they becom that they would erect some forme of a Church aswel in theyr owne houses as in their neighbours to do for their part that which wee doe here in our Churches But what in disdaining to vse the meanes that GOD hath geuen vnto them they will be counted religious and so be saued This were euen asmuch as if they shold aske whether they might not ariue at the Hauen going quite cōtrary and whether they might not by tempting God boast of his fauour But let them be as bolde and bragge as they list too breake the yoke yet let all the faithful take heede how they lyft vp thēselues with them who soeuer hath not the meane to be in a Christian Church wher god is purely worshipped at the least let them mourn day and night with Dauid Thine Altars O Lorde there is nothing that I desire but thine Altars my god and my king And let this fire remaine alwayes kindled in all good heartes too the ende that whatsoeuer may fal out that they think it not paineful to endure any thing that the length of time coole them not from seeking alwayes to purchase to be gathered into a flocke and to come to Christes fold Moreouer that euery one aduise well with him selfe howe hee may moste speedily gette him selfe too the standarde so soone as our Lorde shall geue him the meanes For this is the way too witnesse that a man dooth not faintlye make this requeste too dwell in the house of God Nowe too conclude it remaineth that wee marke well that which Dauid addeth that is That he shal finde the beautie of the Lorde and will consider his Temple For this is not all to exercise our selues with the faithfull in all the outward order of the Church vnlesse we haue our eyes bente to this ende to knowe GOD better and better Heere there are two things requisite one is that we be diligent to frequent sermons and publique praiers The seconde is that we knowe wherefore wee frequente them For manye come thither with a foolishe deuotion imagining that they haue well acquitted themselues whē they haue shewed themselues at Church Let vs therefore my brethren take good heede For it is to be feared leste the most parte finde themselues condemned either in the one or in the other Howe many be there that flee Sermons and think themselues best at ease if they neuer heare any speaking thereof But I leaue them there as those that fully shew them selues too bee contemners of God Onely I speake of the contempt or coldenes that is in many who neuer remember to come to the Sermon vnlesse that the Sunday put them in minde thereof and yet they imagine they haue doone well as though they woulde make vppe a number togither of many running too God The Bell maye well ringe dayly but it is enoughe if they shewe them selues at the ende of the weeke They are called foure times euery sunday but they come very notably if they be found there once For there are that can sufficiently dispence with themselues for cōming once in xv dayes To be short the greatest sort of the multitude verifie the olde Prouerb The nearer the Churche the further from God Yea and some be of the number of those whoe haue forsaken their coūtrey to come here to serue God there are who yet in this behalf behaue themselues negligently enough What is too be doone then forasmuche as God hath shewed himselfe vnto vs let vs beholde his beautie But wee must not cast behinde our backe the manner of beholding it and that is that wee bee rauished in the loue thereof and chaunged into his likenesse as S. Paule sayth 4. Cor. 3. 18. And that wee may the better doe this it is meet that we be more attentiue then we are or haue been accustomed too be too marke that which God setteth foorth vnto vs in his Temple For what is the cause that we reape so little fruite but that we doe not more diligently apply our study to that which is there saide and doone Thus we haue our eares beaten with continuall doctrine whereas our heartes are no whit touched Moreouer there are a great many which neuer heare vnderstand a whole sermon thorow but here and there a woorde or halfe a worde rather with out regarde Wherefore it is not without cause that Dauid speaketh of visiting the temple of the Lorde so diligently And in very deede the great treasures of the wisedome of God which are there fet out vntoo vs worthily deserue that a man shoulde settle himselfe carefully to marke them But as I haue already touched God woulde not that we shoulde so marke them that we shoulde returne emptie and without profite from them Let vs knowe therefore that the doctrine hath profited and shewed her fruite in vs when wee are dewly reformed to serue God and this is it that Dauid meaneth in the 84. Psalme which wee haue alledged before That they that dwel in the house of GOD shall prayse him To what end therefore doe we assemble our selues Wherefore is the Gospell preached vnto vs Wherefore haue we Baptisme and the Lords Supper vnlesse it be that God may be magnified in vs Nowe this praise consisteth not onely in the tip of the tongue or the lippes but it stretcheth out it selfe thorowe our whole life And therefore it is saide in another place I will wash my handes ô Lorde in innocencie and then I will enter into thy Aultar Psal 26.6 We see nowe what the true
or to the other but to shewe them wherein they haue faulted to the ende they may amend it If any will come and demaunde this or that particularly I will sende suche enquirers to that generall rule of GOD which I holde I speake this because there are some so importune that a man shall neuer haue doone if he would answere all theyr doubtes Such people may rightly be compared to them who after they haue hearde a Sermon wherein they are exhorted without superfluitie pompe soberly to hearken vnto it would rather haue the preacher to make theyr Hose and sewe their shooes Well what muste we doo then wee haue in all this a certaine marke whereunto we must aime that is that the zeale of Gods house do euen eate vp our hearte and so moue vs that we take vppon our selues all the dishonours and opprobries which are doone vntoo vs for his name When such zeale shall be well kindled in our heartes and shall not be like stubble set on fyer and quickly quenched but shall burne continually therewith a man shall bee so farre of from makyng shewe too approue the abhominations wherewith GOD is dishonoured that it shall bee impossible for vs too holde our peace and too dissemble when we see them And let vs marke well that it is saide The zeale of Gods house to the ende we shoulde knowe that this is too be referred to the outward order which is in the church to the end wee shoulde exercise our selues in the confession of our faith I way not those mockers who say that I can talke trimly of these matters liuing at mine own ease for they haue no great adoe with me forasmuche as it is well knowen that I haue no land heere And as muche say I of all these philosophers who geue sentence thereof without knowledge of the cause For seeing that they will not hearken vnto God who speaketh vnto them to teache them I cite them too appeare before his iudgemente seate where they shall heare their sentence against which there shal be no more question of replie Seeing they will not now heare him as their maister they shal then vnderstande him too bee theyr iudge in spite of their teethe The best able and craftiest shall there find theÌ„selues ouerreached deceiued in their accouÌ„t Let theÌ„ be as wel exercised and trained as can bee to ouerthrowe or to darken the trueth yet their Miniuer hoodes and badges wherin they are woont so proudly to vaunt them selues and in highly esteeming them selues to deceiue them selues shall not geue them the victory I speake this because my Lordes the Counsellours Iudges and Aduocates not onely enterprise too pleade against GOD too haue a priuiledge to mocke him but in reiecting the holy Scripture they spewe out their blaspemies as Soueraigne and vnreuocable determinations and sentences And suche manner of Idolles wyll bee so prowde that when they haue once spoken a woorde they cannot abide that reason or trueth haue anye place But yet this I shew them by the way that it were much better for them to think what an horrible vengeance is prepared for all those that turne the trueth of God into a lye Let not these chamber and carpet Doctors take heere any higher estate vpon them then is fit for them For this were to chatter againste our heauenly maister to whome it is meete that all we giue audience These goodly titles auaile nothing heere too exempt any man from iudgement except it bee that the Lord Abbots Pryors Deanes and Archdeacons be constrained to lead the dance in this greeuous condemnation that God shall pronounce Now although my Lordes the Courtiers were woont too please men with their holie Water yet they shall not so please God To conclude let all these trifling Spendthriftes Iesters and Praters holde their tongue and not caste foorth their accustomed cauills vnlesse they wil feele his mightie hande at whose woorde they ought too tremble This is a foule errour to make men beleeue that in taking me to be their aduersarie they shall not haue God any more to be their Iudge Let them then blot my name out of their papers in this matter I pretende therein nothing but that God may be hearde obayed and not to gouerne mens consciences according to my appetite not to lay any necessitie or lawe vpon them Concerning others that reiect not Gods word in such pride and outrage and yet notwithstanding are so weake and sluggish that one cannot make them once to wag I exhorte them that they take better heede unto themselues not to flatter themselues as they haue doone hetherto But that they open their eyes awaken to see and to feele their wretchedneâ— and miserie I knowe the difficulties and straightâ— wherein they are neyther doe I speake vnto them of seruing GOD purely among Idolaters as of an easie matter but if they want strength let them flye vntoo GOD too the ende hee may fortifie them and they may learne to preferre his glory before all the thinges in the worlde I desire al the poore faithfull ones that are in the Papacie that they wyll mark this as the Prophet Ieremie beyng in Ierusalem sente the same lesson too the people that were kept in captiuitie at Babylon If the tyrrannie of the Pope and of his bee so harde and cruell the Iewes of that time had their parte thereof And yet notwithstandyng they were commaunded too detest and abhorre the Idolatrie of Chaldea euen in the very bosome of the Countrey For it is no reason that the tyrrannye of men shoulde empayre or diminish the due honor that wee owe vnto GOD. There is here no exception or priuiledge for great or small rych or poore Let all men therefore bowe downe theyr neckes let the poore feare least he saying for feare I knowe not what to do GOD aunsweare neyther knowe I what too make of thee Let not the ryche be drunken with theyr ease as it were lying vppon theyr Bedde But rather let them learne by the Apostle Sainte Paule his example too accounte all but Dung and losse which may turne or hynder them from Christian life In the meane tyme let not vs forget for our parte that which I touched in the beginning that is too applie this to our instruction too bee alwayes ready into what coast of the world so euer wee shall be carried or what thing soeuer happen vnto vs too continue stedfaste in the sincere confession of our faith detestyng all superstitions and Idolatries and abuses which are contrary too the trueth of GOD darken his honour and ouerthrowe his seruice ⧠The seconde Sermon conteining an exhortation to suffer persecution too followe Iesus Christe and his Gospell vppon that place which is in the thriteenth Chapter too the Hebrewes Let vs therefore gâ—◠〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 his reprochâ— ALL the exhortatioÌ„s that can be made vnto vs to suffer patiently for Christe his name and for the Gospels cause shall haue no
place if wee bee not well assured of the cause for whiche we fyght For when the question is of forsaking our lyfe wee must be well resolued and certayne wherefore it is And such constancie can not bee in vs vnlesse it bee grounded in the certaintie of faith It is true that certaine wyll foolishly and rashly venter too die too vpholde certaine foolishe opinions and dreames that they haue conceyued in theyr owne braine But such headinesse deserueth rather to be holden for frensie then for Christian zeale As also in verye deede there is no stayednesse not setled vnderstanding in such people which so cast them selues into peril with such headie rashnes Howsoeuer it be there is nothing but a good cause that maketh god to auow vs for his Martyrs for death is coÌ„mon to all And the childreÌ„ of God shal be coÌ„demned withlike ignomie and torments as Theeues are But God maketh a difference betwixt them in so much as he can not deny his owne trueth Nowe it is requisite that on our parte we haue a certaine and vndoubted testimonie of the doctrine for which we suffer Therfore as I haue sayd we cannot bee mooued nor earnestly touched by any exhortations which may bee made vnto vs to suffer persecution for the Gospel if there be not a true certaintie of faith imprinted in our heartes For it is not a naturall thing too hazarde our liues at aduenture And when we shall doe it it shal be nothing but rashnesse and not any Christian vertue Finally God will allowe nothing of all that we shall doe vnlesse we be fully perswaded that it is for him and for his quarrell that we are molested and that the worlde is enemie vnto vs. Nowe when I speake of such a certaintie I meane not onely that we must knowe to discerne betweene true religion and the abuses or follyes of men but also that we be well perswaded of euerlasting life and of the crowne which is promised vnto vs from aboue after that wee shall haue fought heere beneth in this world By the way let vs note that these two pointes are requisite and ought not to be separated the one from the other It is meete for vs therfore to begin at this poynt thorowly to knowe what our Christianitie is what manner of faith it is that we haue to holde and to followe and what rule it is that God hath giuen vnto vs and that we be so thorowly armed with such instiâ—â—◠〈…〉 able boldly to condemne all the falâ—â—â—â—â—â—es errorâ— and superstitioÌ„s that Satan hath brought in to corrupt the pure simplicitie of Gods doctrine Wherefore a man ought not at this day 〈…〉 if he see not many people which are disposed to suffer for the Gospell and that the most part of thâ—se which are named Christians know not what christianitie is For all are as it were ignorant and they make no reckoning too heare oâ— to reade but it 〈…〉 haue some little tast of the Christian faith And this is the cause that there are very feâ—â— setled and if they be assaulted they are found straightway to be scattered This ought to stirre 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 diligently after 〈…〉 of God to the 〈…〉 certaine therof But yet this is not al that 〈◊〉 thorowly instrâ—â—â—ed â—â—â—ght For we may see that those which 〈◊〉 to be as it were altogether setled in good doctrine who◠〈…〉 affection in them 〈…〉 if they had neuer knoweâ— any thing of GOD vnlesse it be by some flying fantasie And why is this vnlesse it be bicause they neuer comprehended the maiesty of the holy Scripture And in deed 〈…〉 coÌ„sider that it is goâ— that had spâ—keÌ„ 〈◊〉 it is very certaine that we should be 〈◊〉 attâ—â—â—â—â— to hearken also doe it with greater reuerence When we should thinke that in reading the holy Scripture wee are in the schoole of Angels we should haue another maner of care and desire to exercise our selues in that doctrin that is set foorth vnto vs. We see nowe what manner of meane it is whereby we shoulde prepare our selues to suffer for the Gospel to wit that we haue profited thus far in the schoole of God that we are resolute coÌ„cerning true religioÌ„ and coÌ„cerning the doctrin that we ought to hold that we can despite al the subtilties and crafts of Satan al mens inuentioÌ„s as things not onely friuolous but also accursed for as much as they corrupt the christiaÌ„ puritie that herein we differ as the true Maryrs of Iesus Christ froÌ„ those franticke ones which suffer for their foolish opinions For the secoÌ„d that being certaine of a good cause we be so inflamed as it becoÌ„meth vs to follow God throughly whither soeuer he calleth vs that his word haue such authority with vs as it deserueth that being withdrawen froÌ„ this world we be as it were rapt vp rauished to seek the heaueÌ„ly life But this is a thing more then strange that the light of god shining at this day as clearely as euer it did that there is so smal zeale as it is pitiful to behold If we be not confounded with shame it is so much the worse For to be brief if we should come before that great iudge where the euil that wee haue labored to couer shal be brought to light with such rebukes reproches we shal haue wherwith to be altogether swalowed vp For if we be bouÌ„d to beare witnes to GOD according to the measure of knowledge which he hath geueÌ„ vs froÌ„ wheÌ„ce I pray you is it that we are so feareful so cold to enter into coÌ„bat seeing that he hath in suche sort manifested him selfe in this time that it may be said that he hath opened and displaied the great treasure of his secretes Muste it not heedes be saide that we would not haue any thing too do with God For if we had any regard of his maiestie we durst neuer be so bold too turne the doctrine which proceedeth from his mouth into a philosophy or I know not into what idle speculation To be short there is no excuse that we should not be greatly aâ—â—â—med yea that we shold not haue an horrible condemnation hauing knoweÌ„ so much of the trueth of God and hauing so little courage to mainteine it Aboue al when we shal loke vnto the Martyres that haue bin in times past we shal find passâ—ng great cause to detest the villany that is in vs. For the greatest part were not so mightily exercised in the holy scripture to haue thorow knowledg to dispute of al things they knew that there was one God whoÌ„ they ought to worship to serue Also that they were redeeâ—â—â— by the blood of Iesus Christ to the end they might pâ—â— the confidence of their saluation in him and in his grace And fâ—â—ther that al that which had â—in foâ—â—◠〈…〉 was nothing but fâ—â—th 〈◊〉 wherby 〈…〉 condemne al Idolatrie and superstitions To 〈…〉 their diuinitie was there is one God
in the persecutions of his Churche ought well too encourage vs knowing that our Fathers who were brickle men as wee are had alwayes the victorie ouer theyr enimies in as muche as they remayned stedfast in patience But I doo but touch this poynt briefly to the ende I may come to the seconde the which more agreeth to our purpose that it is to make our profite of those particular examples of the Martyrs which haue gone before vs. Nowe there are not onely two or three of theÌ„ 〈◊〉 a thicke and great cloude Heb. 12.1 as the Apostle saith in the Epistle to the Heb. Wherby he signifieth thâ—â— the number is so great that it ought as it were euen 〈…〉 â—p our eyes And that I be not too tedious I 〈…〉 onely the example of the Iewes which were persecuted for true Religion aswell vnder the tyranny of Antiochus the King as also a little after his death We cannot alleadge that it was a small number of people for there were then as it were a greate armie of Martyrs Wâ—â— cannot say that it was of Prophets whome God had separated from the common people for the women young infants were of this company We cannot say that they were let go for any prise for they were tormented as cruelly as was possible Wee heare also that which the Apostle sheweth vs therof Heb. 11.35 Some sayth hee were hanged vp like belles and â—â—ked making no account to be deliuered to the endâ— they might receiue a better resurrectiâ—â— Others were tryed by â—â—â—kings and scouâ—gingâ— yâ—â— by banâ—â—â— and prisonment others were 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 â—sunder other wandred vp and downe hither and thither in wildernesses by 〈…〉 and Caues Let vs now enter to make comparison of them with vs. If they suffred for the trueth of God which was yet so darke at that time what ought wee to doe in this great light that shineth nowe God hath spoken vnto vs as it were with full mouth the greate Gate of the kingdome of Heauen is opened Iesus Christ hath called vs vnto him beeing come downe vnto vs to the ende that wee shoulde haue him as it were presente before our eyes And what a shame shall it bee vnto vs too haue lesse zeale to suffer for the Gospell then they had which onely saluted and behelde the promises of GOD as it were a farre off Which had but a little Wicket open to come to the kingdome of heauen which had nothing but a certayne remembraunce and figure of Iesus Christe These tâ— cannot be expressed with mouth as they are wooâ—â—e wherefore I leaue them to euery one to meditate vpon Nowe this doctrine as it is generall so ought it to bee putte in practice of all Christians But euery one ought to applie it to his own vse as necessitie shal require I speake this to the end that they which see theÌ„ selues in no apparant daunger shoulde not think that it is superfluous vnto them They are not at this time in the handes of Tyrantes but what know they how God wyll deale with them heareafter Wherefore we ought to be so armed afore hande that if any persecution which we haue not thought vpon shal come vpon vs we be not takeÌ„ at vnwares vnprouided But I feare me that there are a great sorte of deafe eares to heare this worde So farre of is it that they which are nice liue at theyr ease prepare themselues to suffer death when neede shal be that they haue no care too serue God whiles they liue And yet neuertheles this ought to be our ordinary and continuall studie and specially in this time wherein wee liue In the meane time they whome God hath called to suffer for the testimony of his name ought too shewe in verye deede that they were prepared long before too stand thereto constantly And then they ought to call into their remembraunce all the exhortations that they haue hearde in times paste as yf a souldier shoulde take armes when the Trumpet doeth sounde But what there is no questioÌ„ of seeking starting holes to escape I speake in respect of the greatest part For persecution is a true touchstone whereby god discouereth and trieth who are his So farre of is it that hee shoulde many tymes finde who is faithfull vnto him vntill that they franckely offer them selues to death But this is as it were an incredible thing that people whiche boast of some little knowledge of the Gospell dare open theyr mouth to vse suche cauilations For one sort say what shal we gayne to confesse our faith to obstinate people and to such who haue determined to fight against God Is not this to cast pretious stones before swine Mat. 8.38 As though Iesus Christ had not expresly declared that he wil that men confesse him amongst the most peruerse and wickedest men If they be not therby edified yet at the least they remayne confounded of suche a sweete smelling fauour is that confession before God howe deadly soeuer it be too the reprobate Others also may be founde who saye what shall our death profite It rather falleth out to an offence As yf God had lefte too theyr choyse too die when they thinke good and when they shall see a fitte time But contrariwise we approoue our obedience leauing the profite into his hande that shall come of our death Wherefore in the first place it behooueth that a christian man in what Countrey soeuer hee be notwithstanding dangers and threatninges that he fully determine to walke in simplicitie as God hath commaunded Let him keepe hymselfe asmuche as he can from the rage of the woolues so that the same be not done through the crafte of the fleshe Aboue all let him resigne his life into Gods handes Hath hee doone this If it fall out that he fall into the handes of enimies let him think that God hath brought him into that place and will haue him to bee one of the witnesses of his sonne therfore that there is no way to draw back vnlesse it be in denying our faith to him to whom we haue promised al duetie both to liue to die and to whoÌ„ we are belong although we had promised nothing vnto him Hereby I do not bind all men of necessiitie to make a full entire confesslinn of all that they beleeue admit that they were therto required Sainte Paule in this point hath vsed a good moderation who was as readye as anye other freely too maynteine the cause of the Gospell as he ought And also it was not without cause that our Lord Iesus promised that in such a case he will giue vs a mouth and wisedome as if he shoulde say that the office of the holy Ghost is not onely to strengthen vs to be bold valiant but also to geue vnto vs wisedome and discretion to know how it becommeth vs to rule gouern our selues in so great and hard a matter The summe is that they which are in
reioice our selues in the wouÌ„ds of Iesus christ as it were in certain imprinted marks by which God acknowledgeth vs and auoweth vs for his And we know what S. Luke reherseth of S. Peter Iohn Act. 5.42 to wit that they reioyced that they were accounted worthy too suffer infamy reproche for the name of our Lord Iesus Loe two things quite coÌ„trary ignomy dignitie yea inasmuch as the world being mad and outragious iudgeth contrary to all reason and by this meanes turneth the glory of God into dishonour But for our part let vs not refuse coÌ„cerning the world to be defased and basely estemed that we may hereafter be honored before god his angels We see what pain ambitious men take to obteine the order of some king what triuÌ„phes they make therof The sonne of god preseÌ„teth his order vnto vs euery one despiseth it I pray you in doing this are we worthy to haue any thing coÌ„mon with him Our voluptuousnesse is here bitten and can perceiue nothing for these are the true armes of heauenly nobilitie Prisons banishmeÌ„ts cursed spekings import nothing but altogether shame reproch in the faÌ„tasie of men but what shal let vs to look vp vnto that which God hath iudged pronouÌ„ced therof vnles it be our own infidelitie Wherefore let the name of the soÌ„ne of god haue such credit amoÌ„g vs as it deserueth to the end that we may learn to take it for a singular honor that he setteth his marks vpoÌ„ vs otherwise our vnthankfulnesse is intollerable If God handle vs according too our desertes hath hee not iust cause too chastise vs dayly a thousande kinde of wayes yea which is more a hundred thousand deathes were not sufficient for some litle portion of our misdeedes But by his infinite goodnesse he putteth all our faultes vnder his feete and abolisheth them and whereas he might punish vs as we haue deserued he findeth a woÌ„derful meane to cause our afflictions to be turned too our honor a speciall priuiledge forasmuch as thorowe them we are associated and knit into the felowshyp of his sonne And must we not say that when we disdayne such a blessed condition that we haue il profited in the Christian doctrine 1. Pet. 4.15 And this is the reason why S. Peter after that he hath exhorted vs to walke holily in the feare of god that we suffer not as theeues Whoremaisters and Murderers hee addeth by by that if we suffer as Christians therein we glorifie god with that benefite which he hath bestowed vppon vs. It is not without cause that he hath spoken so For who are we I pray you that we shoulde bee witnesses of the trueth of GOD and procurers of the maintenance of his cause Loe we bee poore wormes of the earth creatures ful of vanities and lyes and yet God wil that his trueth be defeÌ„ded by vs which is truly so greate honour that it apperteineth not no not too the angels of Paradise Ought not this consideratioÌ„ alone sufficiently inflame vs to offer vp our selues vnto god seeing that it pleaseth him to imploy vs to so honorable a thing Notwithstanding many cannot withold them selues from reasoning against GOD or at the leaste from making theyr complayntes for that GOD dooth not better supporte theyr weakenesse It is a merueilous matter say they seeing that GOD hath chosen vs for his children how he can suffer that wee shoulde bee so troden vnderfoote and tormented of the wicked I answere although that it appeare not vnto vs wherefore he doth it yet that he ought by good right to haue this authoritie ouer vs to bring vs in to order according to his pleasure But when wee see that Iesus Christe is our patterne ought we not too esteeme it a great blessing to be made like vnto him without any further enquirie Notwithstanding god sheweth vs most euident causes why hee will haue vs to be persecuted When there shal be no other thing but this admonition which S. Peter maketh 1. Pet. 1.7 wee are disdainfull and sturdy enough if wee doo not reste our selues vpon it that is that forasmuch as gold and siluer which are but corruptible meâ—alles are puâ—ged and tried by the fire it is good reason that our faith which excelleth al the riches of the worlde Psalme 110. should be proued God coulde very well crowne vs at the firste dashe without making vs too endure any combates but as hee woulde that Iesus Christe shoulde raigne in the middest of his enimies vntil the end of the world so likewise he would that we being mingled amongst them wee shoulde suffer their wronges and oppressioÌ„s vntill that he shoulde deliuer vs from them I know very well that the fleshe will spurne when it muste be brought to this pointe but yet must the wil of god haue the maisterie If we feele any contradiction in vs we must not woonder at it For this is very naturall too flie the crosse Notwithstanding let vs not cease to go forward knowing that god accepteth our obedience so that we bring vnder and subdue all our senses and desires to the end to make them subiect vnto him for the Prophetes and the Apostles went not so readily to death but that they felte in them selues some desire of falling backe Iohn 21.18 Thou shalt be led thither saith our Sauiour Iesus Christe vnto Peter whyther thou wouldest not So when such feares of death shall pricke vs let vs labour to haue the vpper hand or rather let God ouercome for vs and not withstanding let vs holde our selues assured that this is an acceptable sacrifice vnto him that we resist fight against our affections to the ende we may be wholy at his commaundement And this is the principall warre wherein God wyl haue those that are his to employ them selues that is that they enforce themselues to bring downe all that which exalteth it self in their minds vnderstaÌ„dings too turne them away from the path that is shewed vnto them In the meane time the consolations are so ample that we may well say that wee are more then slouthfull when we faile and waxe faint hearted In olde time a great number of people for the desire of a silly Garland of leaues refused no trauaile no paine nor trouble yea they made no accounte to die Notwithstanding there was not any one of them whiche fought not at aduenture being vncertaine whether he shoulde winne or loose the prise God hath set foorth vnto vs an immortall crowne through which we are made partakers of his glorye Hee meaneth not that we shoulde fight at aduenture but he promiseth vnto vs all such a reward as wee ought specially too desire What occasioÌ„ then haue we to seeke any farther doe we think that it is said in vaine that if we die with Iesus Christ we shal also liue with him The triumph is altogeather like â— Tim. 2. we shun to fight as much as lieth