worlde is but a banishemēt al the worlde is but a citie of punishementes and dwellinge place of wretched mē The godlye christian can not be banished from Christe wher euer he be in Christe there is no banyshemēt and without Christe al is banyshement But yf this banyshement be a punishement yet doth God turne it to our benefite If it be a punishement to lacke our countrie which is now the countrie of deuisiō and schisme yet is it our benefite to be where we may lyue in vnitie wher we may serue God openlye and confesse our faithe frelie Yf it be a punishement to lacke the companie and comforte of our freindes yet is it our benefite to be out of the companie of schismatikes and heretikes God commaunded Moyses to wil his people to departe from the tabernacles of Chore and his complices who wer swalowed into the earthe aliue for the synne of schisme Who knoweth not that the verie place of schisme and heresie hath in it a secret infection Who knoweth not that the common corruption of the time breadeth dulnes of deuotion wher ther is no open exercise of pietie Yea the leauinge vndone of deuoute vsages the discontinuance from seinge and hearinge of religious actes worketh insensibilitie of synne How many good folkes liue now where heretikes beare the swaye out of seinge and hearinge of catholike religion which desire to see and heare what we see and heare For alas what dayes see they what threates heare they In what trobles be they what lacke of vnitie what losse of charitie finde they Were there no outeward persecution yet is this an inwarde persecution to heare the disorders and to see the outrages of euil men What an exercise is it to the catholike to liue amonge vnciuil protestantes to liue amonge suche as be not so litle as heretikes What a coraze is it to heare their blasphemous wordes and to see their shamles workes What man that is of any christian sense or catholike zeale can heare with patiēt eares Godes anointed priest and prince of his people to be called Antechrist Christes sainctes to be dishonored Christes sacramentes to be contemned and Christes holie name to be blasphemed To the good and godlie this is a persecution thoughe there were no other persecution For what doth so persecute the good as the lyfe and maners of the euil Now an persecuted Loth when he liued amōge the Sodomites but makinge his abode amonge vnclene proude and blasphemous liuers he suffered persecution not in sufferinge any punishement but in hearinge and seinge that which was yl To catholikes which be in this case this may be saide Thoughe it be a greuous exercise to cōuerse amōge euil liuers yet may good men so doo without mayme of innocēcie It is a holie heuines and yf it may be so called a happie miserie to be trobeled so you be not intangeled with other mens vices This is the persecution that al men suffer which wyl liue holelie in Christe It is not so commendable to be good with the good but to be good amonge the euil Iob that liued in the lande of gentiles saieth of hym selfe I haue ben a companiō of dragōs and a felovve of Ostriches The prophet saith Thou sonne of mā faithlesse people and renegates be in thy cōpanie thou dvvellest amonge scorpions The Philippians liued in the middes of a croked and peruerse nation yet S. Paule willed them to be fauteles and to shyne as lightes in the vvorlde It was saide to them that were of the churche of Pargamos I knovve thy vvorkes and vvhere thou dvvellest euen vvhere sathanas seate is yet doest thou kepe my name and hast not denied my faithe He refuseth to be an Abel that wil not abyde Cains malyce In one barne lyeth corne and strawe in the threshinge flowre the corne is troden vnder the strawe Doo we not see in the feldes flowres growinge amonge brambles Euenso malitious synners be ioyned with the iuste and they be approued good which endure good amonge the euil But to returne to vs that liue in banyshemente in that wee be departed from those tabernacles and from the feloshippe of those schismatikes in that we now liue out of our coūtrie in a countrie where we liue in Christes vnitie this is our benefite and this is our comforte that God turneth this temporal punyshement to our spiritual benefit I am no prophet nor the sonne of a prophet yet for that wee professe the faithe of the prophetes the faithe of the Apostles and the auncient catholike Romaine faithe for that we stande in the disgrace and indignation of them by whose lawes we were depriued of our liuinges and lyke to be depriued of our liues also had wee not fledde I doute not but God that fed the prophet Elias when he fledde frō Iesabel wil feede vs also for other cause wee had none to flee but for Godes cause onelie Wee fledde as Moyses fledde out of Egipte frō the face of Pharao Wee fledde as Elias fledde frō Achab and Iesabel Wee fledde as Christe byd vs into an other citie Nowe in what place or case so euer wee bee See that vve put our confidence in God and he vvil bringe to naughte suche as trobble vs. Wee that haue suffered and stil do suffer for so iuste so noble and so honorable a cause as religion is may not be dismayed with the trobles of the worlde God calleth by the rodde of correction and by the mercies of his consolation It is the righte course and directe way wheroye God calleth his freindes to him to beginne with them in tribulatiō The hope of the one is the comforte in the other and a soueraigne cōforte it is to vnderstāde that the thinges which be trobelous passe awaye the thinges which be glorious endure for euer Therfore is the tribulation of this worlde called lighte not in respecte of the qualitie of tribulation but in respecte of the wil the hope and the rewarde of them that throughe tribulation contende to glorie Who is ignorante but God declareth a singuler loue towardes them whom he correcteth VVhom he loueth he correcteth and beateth euerie sonne vvhom he receaueth And why doth he correcte but to amende vs Why wolde he amēde vs but to make vs worthie of him We haue therfore cause to reioyse in correction for yf we be iuste then be we tryed yf we be vniuste then be we amended The children of the worlde do maruel why God so dealeth with his freindes why he abaseth them so greatelie in this worlde whō he chose so highelie before the worlde God commended his faitheful seruant Iob by the testimonie of his owne mouthe Yet was he broughte to suche abasemente that him selfe bemoned his calamitous case and doleful dayes vpon a dungehil Were not the prophetes and sainctes of the olde testamente persecuted tried vvith mockinges vvith scourginges vvith prisonment vvere they not stoned hevven asunder and
members You be his members You fulfil that in your fleshe that lacked of his passion and you fulfil it for his bodie vvhich is the churche Christe suffereth no more in fleshe wherin he ascended into heauen but he suffereth in your fleshe which yet trauaileth on the earthe What lacked in the head is supplied in the members And therfore you suffer as members of his bodie for his bodie which is the churche and you suffer for the trial of your faithe which is tried to this ende that it might be founde to honor wheÌ„ Christe commeth in whom you beleue for whom you suffer and by whom you shal receaue the ende of your faithe euen the saluation of your soules Seinge then religion is the soueraigne honor and the onelie supreme seruice that you owe to God seinge it is the most glorious and honorable cause for which you can suffer respecte of no creature loue of no felicitie feare of no aduersitie should withdrawe you froÌ„ this cause Loue of parentes and countrie loue of wife and children loue of goodes and honors loue of liuelehood and life must geue place to this They that for this cause forsake the temporal welth of the world shal receaue the spiritual blessinges of God our lorde This saith our lorde Euerie man that forsaketh hys house or hys brothers or sisters or father or mother or vvife or children or landes for my name sake shal receaue an hundred folde He promiseth more then this to them that dye for his sake This saith our lorde He that leeseth his life for me shal finde the same Ther be diuersities of christian dewties diuersities of honor obedience and loue There is a loue dewe vnto our parentes and this hath his limitation Who so loueth them aboue Christe is not Christes disciple nay whoso hateth them not for Christe is not his disciple and he that forsaketh not al and beareth not Christes crosse for Christes sake can not be his disciple When faithe is called in questioÌ„ when christians be conuented for religion and Godes cause must be answered they be our mothers they be our brothers which do the wil of our father in heauen If they beleue in Christe they must preferre vs that fighte for Christe yf they beleue not let the deade burie the deade There is a loue dewe vnto our natural father so longe as he withdraweth vs not from our heauenlie father We must not acknowledge any loÌ„ger our parent age kinred stocke or other creature theÌ„ they acknowledge God theire creator Our parentes may doo what shal best like them of theire goodes and substance with our soules they haue not to doo Our soules be not theirs by whoÌ„ we were generate but his to whom we be regenerate Thoughe thy nephewe a litle ladde and playnge boye hange aboute thy necke thoughe thy mourninge mother with reÌ„te heares and blubbered chekes shewe thee hir pappes wherwith she gaue thee sucke thoughe thy feble father lye at thy thresholde passe by thy father passe by thy mother with drie eyes and hasten to the crosse of Christe crueltie in this case is the onelie kinde of pietie and pietie for God is no crueltie Ther is an honor and obedience dew to princes and ciuil rulers of the worlde Thes dewties also haue their limitation The children of Israel saide vnto their ruler Iosue As vve haue obeyed Moyses so vvil vvee obeye thee looke onelie to this that our lorde God be vvith thee as he vvas vvith Moyses As who wold saye we wil obeye thee so loÌ„ge as thou obeiest God God is to be obeied and so is Iosue God before Iosue God aboue Iosue and rather God then Iosue The children of Israel obeied kinge Nabuchodonosor inal that he might coÌ„maunde by authoritie of a kinge But when he proclamed that his subiectes shoulde kneele downe and adore his Idol they denied that obedience Daniel obeied kinge darius in externe matters but when the kinge gaue out edicte that whoso prayed to any other God but to him should be caste to the lions he forsoke the courte entred his chamber and there praied thrise adaye vpon his knees Likewise Mathathias saide VVe vvil obeie the lavve of our fathers vve vvil not harkeÌ„ vnto the commaundementes of the kinge Was it not obiected to Christes Apostles that they contraried the senate and counselers and therevnto S. Peter made this breefe Apologie VVe must obeye God rather then men What time the holie man and blessed Martyr sainct Policarpe was broughte before the proconsul and required to sweare to Cesar and to reuile Christe he made this answer I haue serued Christe foure score yeares and syxe and to this daye Christe neuer iniured mee nor dyd ought why I should reuile him My selfe am a Christian and wee christians be taughte to geue to princes and seculer powers suche honor as is not contrarie to our religion In thes dewties then this is the limitation our soueraigne loue honor and obedience is dewe onely to god and thes may be done with oute dishonor or preiudice to princes as the children of Israel did as Daniel did as Mathathias did as the Apostles did as saincte Polycarpe did who obeied God and men but rather God then men who gaue to Cesar what belonged to Cesar and to God what belonged to god Kinges princes and poteÌ„tates of the worlde be the seruantes of God God is their maister we may not obeie the seruant against the maister When inferiour authoritie commaundeth what we should not doo we must refuse that authoritie and feare the superior power Yf the Emperour coÌ„maunde one thinge and God an other he must pardon vs thoughe wee obeie not he threateneth prison God threateneth hel In Gods cause we must obeie God and not meÌ„ when men be contrarie to God nor shoulde we therfore be called disobedient subiectes or discontented persones yf in Godes matters wee preferre God before men This is the scope I leauel at that our soueraigne obedience must be to God in al dewties without exception and that in the house of God there is no greater cause nor greater obedience then to suffer for the loue of god Sainct Paule enflamed with this loue and with the zeale of Godes house brasâ—e oute thes wordes VVho shal separat vs from the loue of God shal tribulation or anguishe or persecution or honger or nakednes or peril or svvorde I am sure that neyther deathe nor lyfe neyther angelles nor rule nor povver neyther thinges present nor thinges to come nor highe nor lovve nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God. What sterred vp the stoute standinge of the Confessors the blouddye battaile of the Martyres the chaste combat of the virgins but the loue of Godes house This moued s Athanasius that holie coÌ„fessor to saye let vs go to meete with our persecutor that he may perceaue how much greater the power of
to you that suffer for religion such cōfortes as I labored to gaine to my selfe in the greate trobles of thes countries wherin were vsed manye mischeuous meanes to deface religion Firste thē recognise you with me why and for what cause you suffer Yf you suffer for any horrible facte or enormious synne the name of God is blasphemed emong you Yf you suffer for murther thefte or sacrilege you suffer with dishonor shame and synne Yf you be felons there is an haulter yf you be traitors there is an axe yf you be heretikes there is a stake fagot and fire But the cause of your sufferinge is knowen and by your knowē actes testified to the maiestie of the christian worlde It is knowen that you suffer as christiās for Christes sake that you suffer as catholikes for the catholike faithe and that you suffer as open christians and cōfessant catholikes You stode in the firste fronte against the violent innouation of religion You were depriued of honors of lordeshippes of landes and liuelehood You haue sustained great and longe affliction you sustaine yet disgrace imprisonmet and banyshemēt And why is it a faute to be a christian Is it sinne to confesse the faithe of Christe or is it blame worthy to be a member of Christes catholike churche If you be christians yf you be catholikes yf you be afflicted christian catholikes for the catholike religion If I saye when you stande in thes termes there be no other cause why you suffer then surelie you suffer directlie for the catholike cause In the house of God there is no cause more honorable no cause more glorious thē the catholike cause This cause almightie God commended when he commaūded the worlde to heare his sonne Christe For this cause Christe came into the worlde and he suffered more tribulation then any creature is able to suffer Had there ben any cause more noble then this Christe wolde haue chosen it and suffered for it But there was no worne that made a more manifeste shewe of true vertue there was no trial so farre from al suspition as to suffer for religiō As Christe hath his sainctes in heauen that honour hym in quiet loue so hath he his sainctes in earthe that honour hym with troubled loue As there is in heauen nothinge more precious thē the glorious loue of his sainctes so is there in earthe no thing more acceptable then the afflicted loue of the iuste who for his loue suffer for his religion Yf there be no creature that serueth God in rule of religion but man onelie yf religion be a seruice propre to God and be so called because the soule of man fallinge frō God throughe synne rebindeth hir selfe againe to him by that seruice and man cā shewe to God no other supreme seruice nor soueraigne honor but religion then surelie it is religion that man hath bounde him selfe vnto and then is it religious that is to saye a matter of conscience to kepe that dōde and rather to suffer for it then to incurre Godes displeasure Nor shoulde any wel informed christiā doubte whether he might suffer for this cause iustice taketh awaye doubte and to doubte is lacke of faithe for faithe doubteth not but that we should suffer and Christiā fortitude chooseth rather to suffer thē to lese pietie Yf good mē haue suffered tormētes for concealinge the secrettes of their freindes should not wee suffer for cōseruinge the sacramentes of our faithe Yf euil mē suffer for wrōges don to the common weale shal not good mē suffer for suche rightes as belōge to the churche of Christe Manye haue died in cōbattes whiles they aduētured to helpe their freindes maye we die for mennes sake and refuse to die for God what should I speake of the Gentiles who sustained greuous paines in doubtful affaires onelie for vaine glorie Should we christians refuse to suffer for veritie what they sought to suffer for vanitie I neede saye no more Christ the teacher of sufferaunce and humilitie suffered al that he suffered to make his churche glorious and he suffered firste to shewe example to vs to suffer after And after him so manye glorious Martyrs and membres of his churche suffered for the commō cause of the churche that now to suffer for the same it should not seeme impertinēt to the dutie of a christian Yf now then you afflicted catholikes you suffer for this cause as in dede you suffer doubteles in this name you glorifie god in this name you honor god And what thākes deserue you now whē you feare god liue in his lawes obey his churche and choose rather to endure greefes to beare wrōges for cōscience sake to God thē to folowe the gospel of the worlde It were no praise for you yf you suffered for your sinnes but when you suffer for that cause wich is iustifiable to al the christian worlde which is commended of al good men and approued of God him selfe as Godes owne proper and personal cause when now I saye you suffer for that cause doubtles this is thāke worthie of god This cause is so importante that none can suffer for it but by the gratious gifte of God and God geaueth this gifte to none but to his special freindes This ioyneth you neare vnto God causeth you to set lesse by the worlde diminisheth your paines in purgatorie and encreaseth your final rewarde in heauen This is such a cause as for the which who so hath not the gifte to suffer ought to seeke it by praier and penance So longe as you suffer for this cause you haue litle cause to feare the power of your mightie aduersaries VVhat is to them cause of perditiō God vvil turne to your saluation for vnto you it is geuen not onelie to beleue in Christe but to suffer also for his sake Marke the gifte and consider the grace God that is the geauer of giftes and graces God that hath called you to his eternal glorie by Christe Iesu wil make you perfecte wil strēgthen you and establishe you after you haue suffered a litle affliction In dede it is but litle Yet doth it prepare vnto you an excedinge and eternal vveight of glorie For what seke you in this sufferinge Not to folowe the lawes of men which be corrupte and crooked but to do the wil of God that is iust and righte And for what suffer you not for felonie or thefte not for murther or treason not for heresie or sacrilege but for truthe and iustice for vnitie and veritie for faithe and religion You suffer not for vice but for vertue you suffer not for the thinges that be temporal but for the thinges which be eternal Reioyse you constant christians reioyse you afflicted catholikes You that be novve pertakers of Christes passion shal reioyse muche more at the reuelation of his glorie What Christe suffered in the bitter passage of his deathe he suffered as head it remained that he was to suffer in his