so lowe a foundacion We beyng there were hungerbaned and famyshed and among you so poore and nedye that to gette our dayly lyuyng fayne were we to sowe lether we byle and cruelly vexed syncerely and without corrupcion preached Christ vnto you and are ye now come to this to despise vs by other Apostles councell to be so fyerce through full fedyng and by reason of your ryches so puffed vppe with pryde so wranglyng and sediciouse by reason of your dominion and kyngdome Haue ye taken possession of so great ryches for your selfe and thrust vs out of doore that haue sustayned the greatest brunte of this matter Whether ye haue obtayned any great thing or not iudge your selfes Certaynly I would wishe ye had obtayned such a kingdome as were semely for Christe Then would we thrust our selfes into some one parte or other therof to raygne with you because we layed the foundacion For I cannot be brought in minde to thinke that ye would be so vnmanerly as to thrust such out of the company of your welthy state as vnto you were begynners of thesame vnlesse we be vtterly borne to this misery to haue no rewarde at all but despite famine infamie emprisonmente strypes and to be in ieopardie of our life when other menne with theyr false learning gette them selfes so great a renoume Yf an Apostles office should be recompensed with worldly rewardes I thinke we ought of ryght to haue the beste whiche firste of all with so great ieopardyes haue graffed Christe in you The texte For me thinketh that God hath set forth vs which are Apostles for the lowest of all â–ª as it were menne appoynted to death For we are a gasyng stocke vnto the worlde and to thâ— Angels and to men We are fooles for Christes sake but ye are wise through â–ª Christe We are weaâ—e but ye are strong Ye are honorable but we are despysed Euen vnto this time we honger and thryst are naked and are buffeâ—ed with fystes and haue no certayne dwellyng place and labour working with our owne handes We are reuiled and yet we blesse We are persecuted suffre it We are euill spoken of and we praie We are made as it were the filthines of the world the ofscowring of al thinges euen vnto this daie Yf such lawfully raigne emong you as haue builded vpon the good foundacion we layed but meane thynges then thynke we our selues onelye miserable by the wrath of god Theyr ryches and fame of wysedome hathe broughte them in authoritye and to beare a rule among you but vs as it seameth hath Christe called loweste of all to the apostles office to bee punished and to suffre deathes as they doe whiche for theyr mischeuouse deedes are caste vnto wylde beastes to be an exaumple to the people What courte of iudgemente is there whyther we haue not been draweÌ„ what prison is there that knoweth not our trouble What commen place is there wherein we haue not been openly mocked so that we were not onely a gazyng stocke to the worlde whiche defyeth Christe nor onely to men that are worldly wyse but also to the deuils themselfes whiche are with our troubles delighted O the chaunge of thynges tourned vpsidown and contrarye We are foles for Christes sake despysed because we preached yâ— he humbled hymselfe and was fastened to the crosse ye as wyse men vpon coÌ„fidence in Christ do proudely auaunce your selfes We lyke weake and feble for Christes glorye humbled our selfes ye lyke strong are proude and insolente Despised wer we and rascalles ye are noble and honourable We haue no profyte but our payne and trauayle but al the profite is yours For what reward haue we I praye you for so manye daungers and troubles So farre haue we bene vntill this daye from bearyng any great rule as some dooe that coumpt themselfes for chiefe Apostles that we oftetymes lacke meate oftetymes drynke oftetymes clothyng muche lesse gote we by the ghospell any greate ryches Yea and are oftetymes buffited so far were we from obteynyng honour and that whiche is a playne proufe of extreme nede we wander abrode hauing none appoynted dwellyng place nor house of oure owne wherein to suffre and endure our pouertye with somewhat lesse griefe because it is not seen So far from poulyng and pillyng any manne that we gotte our lyuyng with our own handes We seke not for worldelye prayse but rather suche as reuyle vs we blysse and for vnlanyes and reproche oftetymes done vnto vs we on oure side geue prayses So far are we from oppressing that we without complaint suffer cruel persecucion What nede many wordes Other emong you are in great renoume but we for your sakes haue been coumpted hytherto as outcastes of this world moste vyle and leaste set by Yf I as some men doe woulde caste in your teeth my trauayles my ieopardies and labours should I not haue a very good cause to quarell with you The texte I wryte not these thynges to shame you but as my beloued sonnes I warne you For thoughe ye haue ten thousand instructours in Christ yet haue ye not many fathers In Christ Iesu I haue begotten you thorow the Gospel Wherfore I desire you to folow me as I folowe Christ For this cause haue I sent vnto you Timotheus whiche is my dere sonne and faythfull in the Lorde whiche shall put you in remembraunce of my waies yâ— I haue in Christ euen as I teache euery where in all congregacions Some swell as though I woulde come nomore at you But I wyll come to you shortly if God wyll and wyll knowe not the wordes of them whiche swell but the power for the kingdome of God is not in wordes but in power What wyll ye Shall I come vnto you with a rodde or els in loue in the spyrite of softnesse I write not this nowe as one that for youre vnkyndnes hateth you to make you ashamed but rather as a most louyng father warne you as my most dearly beloued children for your owne profite and not for myne For yf by my onely hurte your matters shoulde well goe forwarde I would not passe vpon myne owne losse but would reioyce in you for whose profite I would not sticke to dye But nowe syth I perceiue that ye through your new Apostles become woorse godlye loue compelleth me to warne you of the ieopardie which I coumpte as mine owne Ye Corinthians maie not despise this good will of myne which is very fatherly without any fayning A great difference is there betwene a scholemaister and a father for he for the tyme is cruell to the vnhurtefull age and doth his duety if he doe it at all either for rewardes sake or for feare of eiuill but a father prouoked thorough a naturall loue prouideth for the profite of his childreÌ„ though he ther by beare losses and damage Though ye chaunce to haue yea ten thousande scholemaisters surely ye shall fynde but fewe of them to be fathers And whye shoulde I not
and shall stande a farte of for feare of her punishmeÌ„t saying Alas alas that great citie BabiloÌ„ that mighty citie for at one houre is thy iudgemeÌ„t come And the merchauntes of the earth shal wepe and wayle in them selues for no man wyll bye theyr ware any more the ware of golde and syluer and precious stones nether of pearle raynes and purple and skarlet and al thynne wod and al maner of vessels of yuery and all maner vessels of moost precious wodâ—e and of brasse yron and synamon and odoures and oyntmentes and franckynsence and wyne and oyle and fyne â—â—ouâ—e and wheate beastes and shepe and horsses and charettes and bodyes and soules of men With this Babylon haue princes and prelates yea whole kyngdoms coÌ„mitted whordome For she hathe receyued and geuen them yea hathe set them in and out And all for worldly gayne and for honour sake without any respect of rightuousnes onely for money brybes For there was neuer founde more shamefull marchandyse than that whiche they of the Popes courte specially the Curtysans haue exercysed many yeares with other mennes goodes and with nothing els but with leade and syluer with parchement and byshoprikes with sellyng of their Pallium and Robes whiche shoulde be a spirituall iurisdiccioÌ„ and with first frutes c. Yea there is no ende of suche marchaundyse lyke as in the texte all thinges are named whiche are of any pryce So that in the Popes churche there was nothinge but for mony not so muche as the water or salte of the see nor oyle nor breade nor creame c. All must serue for holynes and for the maintenaunce of the couetousnes of the spiritualtye To be shorte reade but onely a boke that is called the Popes Fayre there is his marchandyse well descrybed and proued by the customes and lawes of the Romaynes The texte ¶ And the apples that thy soule lusted after are departed from the. And al thinges which were deâ—â—tie and had in pryce are departed from the and thou shalte fynde them nomore The maâ—ch aunâ—es of these thinges whiche were wexed ryche shall stande a farre of from her for feare of the punishment of her wepinge and waylinge and saying Alas alas that great cytie that was clothed in raines and purple and scarlet and decked wâ—tâ— golde and precious stones and pearles for at one houre so great riches is come to naught First of all there was muche holynes and muche good example and doctrine in the holy churche of Rome as S. Paule testifieth in his Epistle to the Romaynes and there were many holy byshops and martirs which loued yâ— trueth vnto whome the gospell was a synguler ioy delyght comforte and glorye But in processe of tyme it was turned vpsyde downe So yâ— there was nothing lefte in the rulers and heades of that churche but onely the name of the churche Al that was perfyght godlye and holy was lost and gone And at length their marchandyse whiche they inuented woulde no more be estemed amonge yâ— true godly christianes For they haue inoughe of those thinges whiche these marchauntes doe promyse of the grace and mercye of God and of his word And therfore the Romanystes doe meruell and frete againste the gospel because it bringeth no nother ware with it but her olde ware that is to saye humylite lowlynes pouertye sorowe contempte whiche all men doe flee and abhorte And it maketh an ende also of all worldlye pompe and honour ioy and pleasure ydlenes and wantonnes The outwarde and glorious supersticous wil bryng no more profyte or aduantage precious garmentes and perles wyll not become the professours of the gospell Coules and shauen crounes wyll no longer be taken for holynes of them that haue any vnderstandynge and knowledge Peter and Iohn and all the Apostolicall ministers of Christ wyll contemne and despyse golde and syluer For Christ hath taught them faith loue and truth pouertye and lowlynes The texte ¶ And euery shyppe gouerner and all they that occupyed shyppes and shypmen whiche worke in the see stode a farre of and cryed when they sawe the smoke of her burnynge sayinge what citie is lyke vnto this great citie And they â—ast dust on their heades cryed wepynge and waylynge and sayde Alas alas thaâ— great citye wherin were made riche all that had shyppes in the see by the reason of her costlynes for aâ— one â—oure is she made desolate Reioyce ouer her thou heauen and ye holy Apostles and prophetes for god hath geuen you iudgement vpon her Thus dothe the lorde God shewe and aduenge him selfe of all violent and tyrannous pryde and presumpcion of them whiche perswade them selues that there is no God but they or els that he hath no care of those thinges that are vpon earth Wheras it is euident and manifest out of gods worde what hathe alwayes bene the ende of all proude and presumptuous kyngdoms Whiche the spiritualtye should best haue knowen and haue taught other also And speciallye he that hath had and woulde haue suche a byshoprike And woulde also kepe it vntyll he shoulde peryshe together with it because he hathe not ordered him selfe therin after the wil of god nor after the right rule and square of gods worde and of holy scripture nor hath not done that thinge that his offyce and vocacion hath required as he ought to haue done as it is euident vnto all men They haue desyred and studyed onely to haue great power and dominion vpon yâ— who le earth in all nacions and yles onely for honour and gayne with very small studye or dilygence to rule the worlde well and godlye or to further gods honour and the saluacion of the soule onely And for this cause doeth all the worlde wonder at suche a great and horrible fall And they that seke study after dignite honour and auctorite after worldly lucre they tremble for feare and mourne and bewayle the heuy iudgement of God and their worldly hynderance But the holy and faithfull whiche not onely vpon earth regarde and seke the honour and glorye of God whiche they doe chefely desyre but also in heauen whiche haue the fruicion and perfyght syght and knowledge of the rightuousnes of God they prayse God hartely for the rightuous iudgement whiche is reueled vnto the worlde The texte ¶ And a mightie angell toke vp a stone lyke a great milstone and cast it into the see sayinge with suche violence shall that great citye Babilon be cast and shal be founde no more And the voyce of harpers and musicions and of pypers and tromperters shal be hearde no more in the and no craftes man of whatsoeuer crafte he be shal be founde any more in the. And the sounde of a myll shal be hearde no more in the and the voyce of the brydgrome and of the bryde shal be hearde no more in the for thy marchauntes were the great men of the earth And with thyne â—â—ch auntment were deceaued al ancions and in
vnto the prayse of God the father Let not this wycked thought come in any of your myndes why shoulde I beyng the better gyue place wyttynglye and wyllynglye vnto hym that is worse Be not ashamed to folowe the example of Christe For why doth it not become you beyng companyons and but felowe lyke to be so louinglye mynded one to an other as Christe was to vs all In case he haue chalenged superioritie to hym selfe In case he haue gredylye soughte after hys owne gayne than maye you honestlye ynoughe stryue one wyth an other for suche thynges But he where he was veray God by nature and declared hym selfe to be God by expresse dedes in that that he restored dead men vnto lyfe agayne with a becke in that he altred the elementes and natures of thynges in that he maketh deuilles obedyent to his commaundement in that he healeth all kyndes of dyseases wyth a worde yet to the intente he myghte set vs an example of perfite modestie he thoughte it no rauyne to be equall wyth God and neuertheles humbled and made hymselfe basse among men lokynge to receyue glorye of the father the entraunce wherunto his example teacheth to be not by proude ambition but by lowe humilitie And where he was the moste hyghest he humbled him selfe so lowe neuerthelesse that he was not onelye conuersaunt as a man amonge men beyng payned for lacke of slepe and suffryng thurste honger wearynesse pouertie and other daungiers and iniuries after the condicion of vs but also he toke vpon hym the shape of a seruaunte and that of an hurtefull seruaunte wheras he is very innocencie it selfe For what is it elles but the desertes of an hurtefull seruaunte to be taken to be bounden to be scourged with whippes and to be spytte vpon But Christe submitted hym selfe not to abyde thus muche onely but also as thoughe he had bene an euell dooer he humblye suffred the punishement of death and that the mooste shamefull deathe of the crosse Suche was the decreed wyll of the father that Christe shoulde suffre these paynes for oure offences and he shewed hymselfe wyllynglye obedyent in all thynges not shrynkyng in any condition to abyde what so euer was auayleable to our saluation They that are of a worldely affected mynde are corruptelye prouoked vnto feyned boastyng of them selues throughe ambicion and stryfe thoughe other deserue the prayse But he that is a christian and seketh after true glorye that neuer shall decaye muste preace vnto it the same waye that Christe entred into it The waye vnto true glorye is by false feyned slaunders and the entrie vnto immortall thirfte is throughe losse of transitorie thynges that fade awaye in a moment It behoueth not to stryue for commendacion but to deserue commendacion Will you heare what Christe deserued by hys humilytie Certes he vsed not arrogauntlye amonge men to boaste of hys maiestie before the time but God the father aduaunced his sonne vnto mooste excellente hyghnesse and throughe humilitie and shame of the crosse exalted hym and gaue him a name that passeth all the glorye that man can reporte of y◠is to say y◠in the name of y◠same Iesus which was spitte vpō crucified euery knee should bowe make courtesie not only of thynges that that are on earth but of al thinges also y◠are ether vnder the earth or in the heauens aboue And that there should be no kynd of tongue either of men or of aungelles or deuilles but it shoulde confesse that Iesus is the prince and Lorde of all thynges and that he sytteth on God the fathers ryghte hande as equall possessor of all hys kyngdome and glorye and that vnto the glorye of God the father frome whome procedeth and vnto whom redoundeth all the glory of the sonne What mannes ambicion what ryches what kyngdome what humayne diligence dyd euer wynne any man so excellente renoume with men as Christes humilitie wonne vnto hym And as for these thynges he did all for our sakes and not for his owne For he neyther deserued to be brought lowe nor neded to be aduaunced hygher But that you should learne to practise lyke humilitie in asmuche as without it you can not possyblye be preserued The texte Wherfore my dearely beloued as ye haue alwayes obeyed not whē I was presēt only but now much more in myne absence euen so worke our youre owne saluacyon wyth feare and tremblyng For it is God whiche worketh in you bothe the will and also the deede euen of good wyl Do al thynge without murmuring and dysputyng that ye maye be suche as no man can complayne on and vnfained sonnes of god without rebuke in y◠middes of a croked and peruerse nation among whom see that ye shyne as lightes in the world holdyng fast the worde of lyfe that I maye reioyce in the daye of Christ how that I haue not tunne in vayne neither haue laboured in vayne Yea though I be offred vp vpon the offryng and sacrifice of your faith I reioyce reioyce with you all For the same cause also do ye reioyce and reioyce with me Nowe therefore my dearely beloued brethren see that you goe forwarde also in thys behalfe to be lyke youre selues styll that euen lyke as accordyng to the example of Christ you haue alwayes obeied the ghospel preached by vs so loke you do styll herafter not onely whan we shal be present but much more nowe when we are absente and shewe that diligente endeuour one to an other that I would haue bestowed vnto you in case I had ben present with you Doe the businesse of youre saluation not carelesly but with all carefulnes and tremblyng and considre howe weyghtie a cause you muste take in hande to defende and what maner of aduersaties you muste haue to doe with all There is no oportunitie to slepe or to be careles and agayne there is no cause why you shoulde be discouraged For youre parte is to stycke to it with all your possyble powers But it is God that worketh thys habilitie in you that as perteynynge to youre saluation you maye bothe wyll and doe the thyng that your good purpose putteth you in mind that you should not be ignoraunt vu to whom it is to be ascribed yf your will put any thyng in to your mynde It standeth you in hande with all circumspect behauiour to commende the doctrine of the ghospell expressely in your owne conuersacion euen to them that be straungers to it Whiche thing you shall doe in case they see you lyue in perfite concorde and like trusly affiaūce and that what so euer you doe be done without murmurynges and puttyng of doubtes of which the one apperteyneth to them that doe thynges agaynst theyr willes the other commeth of theym that haue none affiaunce in that they doe But be you rather syncerely vyryghte in all thynges and of so pure and vnspotted demeanour that no man be hable iustlye to complayne of you and that it maye euindently appeare vnto
far other maner regenerate not of a mortall an earthly seede after the bodye but of an immortall and a heauenly sede by the worde of God which lyueth and endureth for euer whose gospel you haue beleued you shall loue the brethren with a heauenly loue Moses lawe was geuen for a tyme. But the worde of God hathe brought forthe the lawe of the gospel vnto vs whiche neuer shall perishe The thing that procedeth from men is but for a season but the thing that cometh from heauen is euerlasting as Esay sayd before Al fleshe is as grasse and all the glory of man as the floure of the fielde The grasse is wythered and his â—loure fallen awaye but the worde of the Lorde endureth for euer This is the eternall worde of the eternall father whom the shadowes of the former lawe in tymes past paynted out vnto vs but nowe he is openly declared by the preachers of the gospell and not onely vnto you but vnto all them that receyue Christe with a syncere vpright fayth ¶ The .ii. Chapter The texte Wherfore laye a syde all malicioushes and all gile and fayâ—ednesse and enuy and all backbytyng and as newe borne babes desyre ye that mylke not of the bodye but of the soule which is without disceite that ye may grow there by vnto saluacion yf so be that ye haue tasted howe gracyous the Lord is to whom ye come as vnto a liuing stone disaâ—â—wed of men but chosen of God and precyous and ye as â—â—ing stones are made a spirituall house an holy priesthood for to offer vp spirituall sacrifyces acceptable to God by Iesus Christe FOrasmuche as you are lately borne againe by an heauenly generacion through the doctrine of the gospell caste all the vices of your former conuersacion quyte away from you yf there were any malyce yf there were any deceite yf there were any holowe heartednesse yf there were any enuy yf there were any backebytyng or cursed speakyng and from henceforthe as babes newe borne gredely couete that mylke not of the body but of the soule the mylke that knoweth no deceyte and is fitte for your age which is more harmelesse than strong euen the mylke of the ghospels ordinaunce For the ghospels doctryne hath his principles it hathe his infancye it hathe his dyet mete for weake tendre age it hath also his farther growinges finally it hath his perfite groweÌ„ age Those first thinges are not to be supped lothesomly but gredily yea and thrustily neyther yet must you lyngre continually in them but to procede from them stil vnto thinges of more perfeccion For in dede it were euen a straunge thing if a man borne of his mother should be alwaies a babe and couet nothing els but mylke And it behoueth you also to ware bigge tyll you growe vnto perfite saluacioÌ„ and not alwaies to sticke still in making the foundacions but to ryse by lytle and lytle vnto the perfite buyldyng of the house For in case according to the psalme wryters counsell you haue tasted that the Lorde Iesus is swete it is requisite for you to bee prouoked with that taste to sette your appetites vpon greater thynges In humayne buyldynges the stones neyther chaunge theyr place ne grow any bigger But in this buyldyng which standeth vpon liuing stones the chiefe principall stone whereof and the stone that conteyneth all thynges is the liuyng and eternall Iesus Christe whiche of late after the psalme writers prophecying was cast away of menne that is to were of the phariseis who holding of their teÌ„ple that should go to naught had no knowledge of this heaueÌ„ly building howbeit he was chosen by the iudgement of God and had in muche price there is nothing to hinder but that it may procede forward to the perfite finishyng of the buildyng Therefore you must necessarily goe through forewarde encrease of vertues vnto Christ the liuing stone the chosen stone the stone preciously sette by in the sight of God that you also being grounded vpon suche a foundacion may be builded vpon by litle and litle vntyll you bee made spirituall temples muche more holy than the teÌ„ple that the Iewes brag of and in the which temples muche more wholy priesthood is exercised than was vsed in that temple For in it the leuites and priestes offered vp beastes but in these spirituall temples you your selues offer vp spirituall sacrifices moste acceptable to God who as he is a spirite and not a bodye so doeth he delyte in spirituall sacrifices that you should nothing mynde the rites of Moses now being worne out through the preachyng of the Gospell in stedde of sundrye kyndes of brute beastes you slea worldly and brâ—tish affectes lecherous lustes pryde wrath enuie desyre of reuengement ryot and couetousnes and in stedde of incense you offer pure prayers flying out of the aulter of a pure herte into heauen These are the sacrifices that are offered at al seasons in the spirituall temple and are at al tymes acceptably welcome vnto God For those sacrifices of Moses are now all ready growen in to a lothesomenes as the prophet Esaye beareth recorde But these maner of sacrifices are contynually allowed through Iesus Christ by whose commendacion the diligent seruice doinges of the Chrystians are acceptable vnto the father The texte Wherfore it is contayned also in the scripture behold I put in Sion a stone to be layed in the chiefe corner electe and precious and he that beleueth on him shell not he confouÌ„ded Vnto you therfore whiche beleue he is precious but vnto them whiche beleue not the stone whiche the buylders refused the same is begunne to bee the head of the corner and a stone that men stomble at and a rocke wherat they be offended whiche stomble at the woorde and beleue not that wheron they were set But ye are a chosen generacion a royall priesthod an holy nacioÌ„ a people which are wonne that ye shuld shew the vertues of hym that called you out of darkenes into his meruelous syght which in tyme past were not a people but are nowe the people of God which some tyme had not obtayned mercye but no we haue votayned mercye There is no cause why you should be in any mystrust as long as ye cleaue fast vnto the head Chryst as long as you stande harde vpon the noble and â—nmoueable ston Christ of whom god spake in tymes past by the mouthe of Esaye Beholde I put in Sion a ston to be placed in the chief corner tryed chosen â–ª and precious â–ª And he that shall put his trust in hym shall not be ashamed And that whiche he spake of before hand we se now al ready perfourmed For the selfe same one stone was precious and â—olsome vnto some and to some hurtfull and noysome vnto you he is iustly precious because you are grouÌ„ded surely vpoÌ„ him because you put your whole trust in him and are preserued by his ayde agaynste al stormes of tempestes But vnto them that had
intent that of giftes diuersly distributed and of offices diuersly gone about God may be glorified on euery parte of whom as of the welspring we haue al thynges flowynge vnto vs not by Moses but by Iesus Chryste by whom whatsoeuer the father geueth he geueth it vnto vs as his only sonne Vnto God therfore shall he ascribe the dede that is holpen by his brothers good turne vnto God shall he rendre the thankes whiche is glad that his brother is holpen by his ministerie So that y◠totall summe of al glorie redoundeth on euery parte vnto God the father and the sonne vnto whom is continual glorie dominion for euer world without ende Amen We ought not in this behalfe to seke after glory but it behoueth vs to remembre our duetie wherwith we may please God Concerning the rewarde let hym alone with all that we put our truste in For he shall turne the persecutours malice into your good be shal change your paynful sorowes into gladnesse your reproche into glorie The texte Derely beloued maruaile not that ye are proued by fire which thing is to trie you as though some straunge thing happened vnto you but reioyce in asmuche as ye are partakers of Christes passion that when hys glorye appereth ye maye be mery and glad If ye be rayled vpon for the name of Christ happy are ye For the glorye and the spirite of God resteth vpon you On their part he is euil spoken of but on your parte he is glorified Se that none of you be punyshed as a murtherer or as a thefe or an euyll doer ▪ or as a busy body in other mens matters If any man suffre as a Christian man let hym not be a shamed but let hym glorifie God on his behalfe For the tyme is come that iudgement must begin at the house of god If it first begin at vs what shal the ende be of them which beleue not the gospel of God And if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appere Wherfore let them that are troubled according to the will of God commyt their soules to hym with wel doing as vnto a faythfull creatour Therfore dearly beloued be not disquieted in y◠meane season as it were a newe matter though you which shal be the felowes to gether of the kyngedom heauen be tried with afliccions in this worlde as gold is with fire That thing ought to seme no newe matter vnto you whyche wente long a go before in the triedly proued prophetes and lately in Christe It ought to be the more easylye borne in asmuche as you see it happen cōmonly vnto you with all the tried people of god And seyng y◠in this behalfe you beyng disciples resemble your maister and beyng membres resemble your heade Iesus Christe ought to be glad and reioyce y◠lyke as now he doeth vouchesaue to haue you companions of his affliccions euen so afterwarde whā he shal open his maiestie vnto al men hauing made them ashamed astonied y◠afflicted him and you for malice of him you shal reioyce with vnspeakeable wirthe which may be felte but not expressed with wordes In the meane season yf men reuyle you howe sore soeuer you are afflicted in bodye not for your owne naughtye dedes but for the profession of Christ yet in this behalfe you are blessed that euen in y◠middes of your tormentes in the myddes of your dispightfull handlinge the glorious spirite of god is kyndled againe in you for your harmeles harte good conscience sake It is a swete thing to suffer with Christ and it is a glorious thing to suffer for Christ For as muche as in them lyeth they reuile euē Christ himselfe howbeit your innocencie your pacient suffraunce causeth it to chaunce vnto his glorye But God forbydde y◠any of you should be punished for manslaughter or theft eyther for naughty wordes speaking or for curious meddlynge of those thinges that perteine nothing to you For it is y◠cause not the tormenting y◠maketh a Marter And whosoeuer suffreth for none other cause but y◠he is called a Christian he nedeth not to be ashamed of his punishment It is a shame to be called a thefe but it is a glorious thīg to be called a Christiā Blessed are they whiche though it be after that painful sorte may escape the tormentes of hell fire and that through affliccions y◠shall endure but as it were y◠space of a moment haue passage geuen them vnto ioyes that shal neuer haue ende Wherunto God admitteth none but him that is notably proued and tried by muche suffring of sorowes Ones he shal practise dreadful iudgemēt whā the tyme of mercy is past wherat euery one shal be rewarded accordīg to his deseartes In y◠meane while y◠iudgemēt is more easye inasmuche as beyng purely tried by tēporal tormētes we are made worthy of y◠felowship of Christ whiche wil allow nothing but the thinge that is most pure and most perfitely scowred from drosse Nowe is the tyme that this iudgement be exercised to thintent it maye more euidently appeare who doe trulye put their truste in God and whoe doe trulye loue Christe in dede Thinges beynge in prosperous and quiet estate are not argumētes of true godlines As for Moses ceremonies euen a very hipocrite maye kepe them but as for losse of goodes reuilinges enprisonmentes stripes and death no man taketh paciently but he y◠hath an inuincible faith ioyned with a gospellyke charitie And vnto these let thē readily prepare them selues that wil in tyme cōming reigne with Christ This iudgemēt shal beginne at y◠house of god whiche is the congregacion Than yf it be nedefull for vs to be so clensed whiche beleue the gospell and liue vprightely what ende what iudgemēt what payne abideth them that haue no constaunt belefe in the gospel and continue styl in their owne wickednesses Yf they be so tryed whiche with single plaines obeye the gospell and hauynge forsaken all the pleasures of this worlde haue geuen ouer them selues to the studye of godlynes what shall become of them whome the preachinge of the gospell hath made worse And yf they whiche lyue iustly knowinge themselues giltie in none euyll atchieue not without peryll and muche a doe the porte of eternall saluacion In what hope shall the wicked and mischeuous doers shewe their face in so straight and so dreadefull a iudgement Therfore they maye in no wyse hope to get any saluacion there to thintent that they also whiche are tormented in this worlde not for euyll doynges but for the wyll of God must not trust to them selues but to their possible powers exercisinge y◠workes of godlynes they shoulde after this sorte put their soules in the handes of God their maker who of his goodnesse wyll not suffer it to peryshe that he hath made yf they continue in well doyng to deathe and yf they wyll haue none affiaunce in their owne merites but loke
of god whan he seeth his tyme accordynge as the person place requireth And therfore they bathe receyued one rewarde of saluacion and remayned as it were immortall and are prophecied to come againe in spirite before the latter day of iudgement to resiste and confounde the wycked Antichrist and to heale with the oyle of lenitie suche as are apte to receyue it or els with the fyre of feruente zeale to confounde the wycked enemyes of god bothe with worde deade as Enoche and Elyas dyd by the commaundement and ordinaunce of god in their tyme whan they were vpon the wicked earth Lyke as also suche men might be founde in our tyme with their names writynges and doynges not in one place of the earth moued with the same spirite with the same worde and lyke zeale of god euery one after the gyfte of grace geuen vnto him Moued I saye by the holy goost of a godly mynde and lyke purpose as the nacions people persons and other circumstances required Against these and suche lyke frendes and ministers of god shall many greuous troubles be alwayes deuised and attempted by the wicked malignant churche bothe against their good name bodye lyfe and also against their goodes And they haue no nother refuge succour comforte helpe nor weapon to defende them with but the onely holy eternall and inuyncible worde of god in their mouthes and handes whiche confoundeth all their aduersaries and deadly enemyes whiche euen them selues the longer they mainteyne their euyll and naughtye cause the worse they make it tyll at length they shall vtterly confounde and destroy themselues But these .ii. ministers of the spirite of god workynge in loue and feruentnes with all softnes burnynge zeale lyke vnto Enoche and Elyas they haue power thorowe the spirite of god whiche worketh all thinges in his ministers to procure and obteyne of god grace and vengeaunce accordynge to their faith and zeale to the furtherauÌ„ce of goddes glorye and to the profite and reformacion of the faythfull christen churche as necessitie and conueniencie shall require Euen lyke as Elyas had ouer the water whan as thorowe his prayer he obteyned of god that it shoulde not rayne vpon earth for the space of three yeares And agayne also fyre from heauen against those that mocked and contemned his offyce and testymonie The texte ¶ And when they haue fynisshed their testimonye the beast that came out of the bottomlesse pyt shall make warre against them and shal ouercome them and kyl them And their bodyes shall lye in the stretes of the great citee whiche spiritually is called zodom and Egipte where our Lord was crucified And they of the people and kynredes and tonges and they of the nacions shall se their bodyes thre dayes and an halfe and shall not suffer their bodyes to be put in graues And they that dwel vpon the earthe shall reioyce ouer them and be glad shal sende gyftes one to another for these two prophetes vexed them that dwelt on the earth It hath alwayes from tyme to tyme bene well sene howe this beast hathe behaued hymselfe towarde the messagiers and ministers of god whiche were sent vnto them And specially vnder Achab and Manasses and suche lyke kynges and ydolatrous and hethenysshe priestes whiche serued false goddes whiche persecuted the faythfull ministers of God cursed and contemned them burnt and drowned them so farre as god permytted them Whiche thing was for the best vnto the persons that suffered suche thinges and for the synguler profyte of the faythfull churche and congregacion And yet for all their persecucion the doctrine and workynge of the faythfull was euer vpright and lyuely and their good and holy name with the commendacion of their godly feruent zeale was also wonderfully preserued to the vtter shame and confusioÌ„ of the abhomynable and terryble beast and all his members and lymmes As the examples of the whole world doe testifye and beare wynes And specially euen in our tyme and also the moost true and infallyble storye of the prouydence and of the holy worde of god This citie where Christ is dayly crucified is in figure and symilitude the citie of Ierusalem whiche for sheadyng of the bloude of his Apostles hath receyued her iust and due rewarde as she deserued and lykewyse the wycked churche corrupte and poysoned of Sathan wherin he beareth rule murtheringe the faythfull frendes of God and ministers of the gospell whose holy zeale and truth of God whiche they haue preached they coulde not nor woulde not suffer nor abyde vntyll they were alwayes at length confounded and vtterly destroyed Whiche thinge shall vndoubtedly happen also vnto them whiche doe resist and withstande all christen reformacion of the churche in their state and order Yea they see already before their eyes and smell the indignacion of god his terryble iudgement wherof they haue bene earnestly and faithfully warned but they were neuer affrayd nor abasshed of it At that tyme the holy seruauntes and ministers of god shall be fayne to suffer muche trouble euen the very bytter and moost slanderous death But at length whan all thinges shall be truly discussed all the worlde shall see and perceyue the true doctrine and belefe of the faithfull godly the impietie of the wycked obstinate blinde and vngodly infydels whiche woulde neuer beleue And thus fayth and truth in god shall haue the victorye The texte ¶ And after thre dayes and an halfe the spirite of lyfe from God entred into them And they stode vp vpon their fete and a great feare came vpoÌ„ al them that saw them And they hearde a great voyce from heauen sayinge vnto them Come vp hyther And they ascended vp into heauen in a cloude and their ennemyes sawe them And the same houre was there a great earthquake and the â—enth parte of the citie fell and in the earthquake were slayne names of men seuen M. and the remnaunt wer feared gaue glorye to the god of heauen The seconde woo is past and beholde the thirde woo wyll come anone Howe this beast with her members the wycked hethenyshe prelates and their sworne adherentes haue alwayes in our tyme for a long season cruelly dealt with the ministers of gods word and with the preachers of the truth of the moost sacred gospell it is playne and euident ynoughe at this day vnto all the world and thorowe the cronicles whiche shall be publyshed shall not be hydden vnto our posteritie how whan and by whome dyuerse godlye men haue bene persecuted and murthered and moost shamefully handeled of the spirituall prelates and their sworne adherentes onely for the true doctrine and faythes sake But an other tyme wyll come by the very iudgement and grace of god whan as these holy men and faythfull witnesses of Christ shall be had in hyghe honour and estimacion and shall bryng more to passe with their preaching writinges and monumentes whiche they left behynde them to the profyte and edificacion
this worlde as he is also in the hartes of the vngodly and supersticious heathen and ydolaters whiche knowe nothing of the onely true lyuynge God The texte ¶ And I sawe one of his heedes as it were wounded to death and his deadly wounde was healed And all the worlde wondred at the beaste and they worshipped the dragon whiche gaue power vnto the beaste and they worshipped the beaste sayinge who is lyke vnto the beaste who is able to warre with him This Empire of Rome dyd suffer muche at the beginning and was ofte tymes very feble and many tymes deadly sycke by the meanes of the daylye continuall vproares and sedicions of the nobilitie against the commons and againe of the kynges against them bothe In so muche as at length they made and suffered great battels amonge them selues vntil the dominion at the laste came in to one hande and so was thought to be healed and safe againe As than had they y◠who le earth vnder them but they honoured and serued the deuyll and false goddes the enemies of God of all truth and true godlynes Vnto these goddes of theirs dyd they ascribe the fortune and successe of their power and of their kingdome And so dyd their subiectes lykewyse whiche dyd honour the Romaynes for goddes and toke and estemed them for inuincible The texte ¶ And there was geuen vn to him a mouthe that spake great thinges and blasphemyes and power was geuen vnto him to do two fourtye monethes And he opened his mouthe vnto blasphemye against God to blaspeme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen And it was geuē vnto him to make warre with the sainctes and to ouercome them And power was geuen him ouer all kinred and tonge and nacion and all that dwell vpon the earth worshipped him whose names are not wrytten in the boke of lyfe of the lambe whiche was kylled from the beginning of the worlde Bothe Iewes and false christians of very pryde malice and obstinacye haue blasphemed and persecuted the God of Israell and the christen faith Christe him selfe also the sauiour of y◠worlde with deede worde statutes lawes and that a great deale ouerlong Through Pilate their depute thei put our sauiour Christ vnto death and all the Apostles also vnder their regiment and iurisdiccion vntill the tyme of Constantyne and also more than .iii. hundred yeares afterwarde Here haue we again .xlii. monethes for .iii. yeares an halfe and by these .iii. yeares an halfe is vnderstanded thre hundred yeares an halfe in whiche time y◠name of the true God of our sauiour Christ hath bene wonderfully manyfolde wayes blasphemed shamefully dyshonoured in his moste faithful seruantes ministers whom they haue most cruelly tormented put to most painful death throughout y◠who le Romishe Empire onely for the true faithes sake in y◠onely one god His tabernacle that is to say y◠temple of Ierusalem did they pollute breake downe withall y◠seruice religion of God And after that they began a sore battel persecuciō against the christen faithe against al faithful beleuers throughout y◠who le world by their deputes In so muche that all the worlde must honour the kyngdome dominion of Rome and be obedient therunto onely the holy electe excepte whiche obserued y◠word of God and his wyll and refused their ydolatrie And therfore a great nomber dyd suffer and were put to death by them The texte ¶ If any man haue an eare let him heare He that leadeth into captiuite shall goe into captiuitie he that kylleth with a swearde muste be killed with a swearde Here is the pacience and the faithe of the sainctes As thoughe he woulde saye wilt thou heare howe the pryde abhominacion and tyrannye hath or shall haue an ende Than heare in one worde howe the Assirians Bybylonians Medes and the Grecians had an ende And euen so shall Rome also Lyke as y◠hath ouercome robbed spoiled murthered shamed and condemned all the world euē so shall it be serued againe also And so shall it happen vnto all them that doe lyke vnto them as Christ sayde in the garden And therfore the angell and S. Iohn exhorte all christians that are combred and oppressed with persecucion and him selfe also whiche was banysshed into Pathmos condemned of Domicianus for God and the true faithes sake vnto pacience in perfyte faithe in God whiche shall once geue and sende a prosperous a blissed ende vnto al suche afflicciōs And shal eyther reforme y◠rageing Romyshe kingdome or els shal vtterly destroye it as he hath done the other The texte ¶ And I behelde another beast comminge vp out of the earth and he had two hornes lyke a lambe and he spake as did the dragon And he dyd all that the first beast could do in his presence and he caused the earth and them whiche dwel therin to worship the first beast whose dedly wounde was healed And he dyd great wonders so that he made fyre come downe from heauen in the syght of men And deceaued them that dwelte on the earthe by the meanes of those signes whiche he had power to doe in the syght of the beaste saying to them that dwelt on the earthe that they shoulde make an ymage vnto the beaste which had the wounde of a swearde and dyd lyue Whan as the Romyshe kyngdome after the tyme of Iulyanus began to be diuided into the east and west and to diminishe for a ceason than began a newe Romyshe kingdome and iurisdiccion namely the Popes pompe which was not onely in the spirituall iurisdiccion as he dyd first pretende with his wordes but also in secular power and toke vpon him this power euen with the sworde And for this cause this beast hath .ii. hornes not with out a cause And yet he wyll be named lyke the lambe and Christes deputie or vicar and wyll haue all power as Christ hathe bothe in heauen and in earthe This beastes dragonishe speache maye well be estemed and taken for none other but for y◠bloudye murtheringe suspendynge excommunicatinge and banysshinge of the good Emperour of the Grecians because he dyd take al ymages out of the churches and also the godlye byshoppes of the Grecians because they woulde haue kepte their Easter as they had learned of saincte Iohn the Apostle This dyd no angell commaunde hym to doe nor yet the worde of God but onely this dragon or destroyer This kingdome of papacie toke vpon it all the power of the first beast the romyshe Emperour and compelleth the christians to ydolatrye and the seruice of false goddes vnder a priuie colour and a secret pretēce as to further the true faithe the honour of the holy sainctes of the martirs of the seruauntes of Christ and of Christ him selfe By the meanes of the whiche pretence it came to passe in processe of tyme that men did honour and worship euen the very deuyll in