suppressed those sauadge cruell Beastes Maximiamis Maxencius and Liciuius his Cosyn when they begonne with fyre and sworde to persecute and afflict the Christians There serue also vnder our heauenly Captaine in this armie godly and â—ertuous men of euery vocation calling And amongst this number Ministers Preachers stande in the forefront of the battayle and fight against the Dragon that is to say against the deuyll and his adherentes who defende blasphemie Idolatrie and all abhomination 〈◊〉 were Moises Elins 〈◊〉 togeather with all the Prophets Apostles 〈◊〉 Pastors in the Church of God theology of all tymes and ages whose armor are not earnall but spirituall as the Apostle sayeth For the vvâ—apons of our vvarfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast dovvne holdes Casting downe the imaginations and euerye high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringteth into captiuitie euerie thought to the obedience of Christ That is to saye the armor of godly Teachers and Ministers in the Churche of God are the worde of God the holy ghost working effectually in the worde and earnest prayer and inuocations There folowe in this armie godly hearers of the word who for the glorie of God and their owne saluation fighte againste the fleshe sinne world and deuil whose fight and armour are at large described by the Apostle My brethren be strong in the Lorde and in the power of his might Put on the whole armor of God that ye may bee able to stande against the assaultes of the deuill For we vvrastle not aganste fleshe and against blood but againste principaliâ—ies against povvers and against the worldly gouernours the princes of the darkenes of this vvorlde againste spirituall vvicloednes vvhich are in highe places For this cause take vnto you the vvhole armor of God that you may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand faste Or if thou liste to haue a shorter lesson thus he sayeth in another place Fight thou a good hauing faith and a good conscience whiche some haue put avvay as concerning faith haue made shipvvracke Women and feely children who séeme and are indeede moste vnfitte for temporall warres fight not moste faintly in this spirituall battell but with their chaste and deuoute prayers and faithfulnesse in their vocation giue the deuil and his complices a fowle foyle and ouerthrow There are many examples that confirme this matter and amongst others that which happened of late in Germanie both pleasauntlie and comfortable serueth to this purpose When the Emperour Charles the fifte and the Pope of Rome by Campegius his Legate threatned the Protestauntes with fyre and sword and terrifieâ— them with the multitude of Princes and peoples that were ready to subdue them The learned men of Saxonie were commanded by theyr Prince to assemble at Torga to conferre what they thought conuenient to yeelde vnto the Papistes for the iniquitie of the tyme By meanes wherof there mette many learned men and amongste the rest thyther came Martin Luther and Phillippe Melancthon These men came togeather euery day in the Superintendents or Preachers house of the sayde Cittie and in this conference peace was offered by the papistes but with such harde condicions that a noble man sayde the same were paysed in goldsmythes weyghts so vniust and cruell they were for it was apparent and that they sought wayes and meanes to cyrcumuent destroy frawdulently in tyme of peace those meane whome they could hardly touch intyme of warre This lyttle flocke therefore continued theyr conference with prayers and supplications reposing theyr whole confidence in the lyuing God who in the myddle of dystresse prepareth out a way for man better then him selfe can deuise or thinke On a certaine daye after long delyberation Phillippe Melancthon euen tyred with labor and heauy with cares rose vp verye sorrowfull sadde went out to speake with a straunger who at the gate had knocked and made inquysition for him Nowe after he had geuen the straunger answere and sent him awaye hee hasteth to this assemble againe and in his returne through a gallory he heareth lyttle Chyldren pronounsing theyr Cathechisme which moued him to put open the Parlor doore euen in his waye to talke with those lyttle Babes whose mouthes he hearde so sweetely vtter the prayfe of God For amongst his recreations and pastimes this was the chiefe with pleasaunt and wyttie questions to laugh with lyttle Chyldren and towarde them he woulde shewe howelles of compassion and the entrye affection of a naturall Parent When he came into the Parlor he fouÌ„d there three Women with theyr lyttle Chyldren about them These were the Preacher and the two Dyacons wiues of that place who were dressing and féeding their yong Babes But there was one thing wherewith all hee was then especially delyghted he sawe one of the Dyacons wiues geuing her young Infaunt sucke and therewithall paring parsneppes for her Husbandes dynner and thyrdly hearing another of her children recyting the Lordes Prayer the ten commaundementes and the articles of the Christian fayth Phillippe stoode styll and with great admyration and pleasure lystened vnto as he was woont the heauenly sounde of those swéete Chyldren mindefull of that saying Out of the mouthes of Babes and sucklings hast thou ordained thy praise that thou mightest styll the enimie and the auenger and therewithall exclamed O three vvorkes so holie and acceptable vnto almightie God. So hee lefte them and returned vnto his company exceeding merrye and cheerefull Luther espying his gladsome countenaunce sayd thus vnto him Phillippe howe commeth it to passe that you returne so ioyfull that went out but euen nowe so sorrowfull he answered Let vs bee of good comfort for I haue séene those that wyll fight for vs and defende vs Luther asked what where those stoute and valyant Captaines and souldiers Phillippe answered the chaste wiues and vertuous Chyldren of godly men whose earnest prayers I hearde right now which God wyll accept with vigilaunt and carefull eares For the lyuing and mercifull father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath not hytherto dispised them neither wyll he henceforth as we trust stoppe his eares vnto them The holie scripture in many places maketh mencion of suche denoute women and vertuous Children as of Myriam the Prophetesse syster of Aaron and all the women of Israell who song prayses for theyr delyueraunce out of the lande of Egipte And in lyke maner we reade of certaine good women that serued at the doore of the Tabernacle who gaue theyr glasses to make a Lauer of brasse for the Lorde Such women were Debora and Iaell by whome the Tyraunt Sicera was ouerthrowne And of lytle Children our sauiour saith See that ye despise not these lytle ones for I saye vnto you that in heauen there Angelles alwayes behold the face of my Father who is in heauen And of other Children aduaunsing and
extolling his name before the Scribes and Pharisées and saying Hosanna the sonne of Dauid Which voyte being disdayned by the obstinate Iewes Our sauiour aunswered for them Read ye neuer By the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast made perfite thy praise Finally we may right well accoumpt the SuÌ„ne Moone Starres the Earth Water and Fyre together with all the workes of Gods handes Souldiers in this Armie and warfare which doo not onely serue the needefull vse of man to his greate consolation But also are readie at euerie becke and commandement of almightie God to annoye and destroye the wycked and vngodlie Those thinges therefore that I haue spoken of the Lorde GOD of Hostes and of his Armie haue two vses Fyrst to confyrme and encorage the myndes of the godlye in this warfare Secondarilie to terrifie caste downe and confounde the rebellyous and vngodly Wherefore let vs ioyne and vnyte our selues in faith and obedience vnto this heauenlie Captaine Christe and vnto his chaste and pure Angels being assured that all those who serue in this holye warfare with fayth and a good conscience shall obtayne an euerlasting crowne which our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus hath promised For as the victorie is moste sure and certaine through the blood of the Lambe and the worde of his Testament so all those who are sprynckled with this blood which thing is done when men beleeue in Christ according to his worde shall without all doubte recarie a glorious and tryumphaunt victorie ¶ The seuenth Chapter wherein is declared what Armour the Souldiours of Christ vse in this vvarfare The. 7. Chap. I Haue read that the fyrste lesson or rule which a young souldiour is commaunded to obserue is to prepare his shéelde or Targette and then his sworde And in skirmishes not that maÌ„ sustained a rebuke that let his sworde fall but his buckler and the reason is that menne ought to haue fyrste and chiefe care to defende themselues and then to strycke and ouerthrowe their aduersaries So that in temporall warres armour is of two sorts the one to defend our selues the other to defend the enemie EueÌ„ so in this spirituall warrefare the worde of God maketh often and large rehersal of two sorte of armour of Artilarye of a Christain man The Prophet Dauid and the Apostle Saint Paule séeme most dyligently and of purpose to haue handled this matter out of whom I wyl gather so much as shal be appertayning vnto this matter The Apostle therefore accouÌ„pteth fiue wherwith faythful meÌ„ defend themselues verely a Girdle a brest plate Shooes a sheelde and an Helmet The gyrdle was vsed in warfare not onely to tye and girde faste the garments together but also to defende the lower partes of mans body for it was full of ringes or studs of brasse This girdle he calleth the Trueth being the vnderstanding of true doctrine whiche is the knowledge of the liuing God and of our iustification in Iesus Christe That we may therefore stande faste againste the assaultes of the deuill wée must gird our selues with Truth which is as it were an Armory of all the rest whereof if men bee destitute therefoloweth ignoraunce of God and dublications of his prouidence whereby in a moment they fal into ruine and distruction For we reade of Saule that when he had loste this gyrdle of Trueth hée fell into fearefull pauors and murdred himselfe and therefore Dauid prayeth earnestly saying Thy worde is a lanterne to my feete and a light vnto my pathes And this gyrdle serueth also to another ende verely that no man should giue ouer much vnto his owne liberty neither yéelde himself to the sweete intisements of Sathan and so eyther laye snares for himselfe or cherishe a deadly enimie at home For hereof commeth the admonition of Christ If thy righte eye cause thee to offende plucke it out and caste it from thee for better it is for thee to haue one of thy members perish then that thy vvhole bodie shoulde bee east into hell And in another place hee sayeth Let your loynes begyrte The Loynes in the bodie are the couples of the inferior superior members and therin the beginning of ryotusnesse is thought to be To gyrde our Loynes therfore is to brydle lust al other vyces to decline from euyll and to do that which is good The breast plate is the defence of the breast which hee tearmeth the Breast plate of righteousnes that is to saâ—e reconciliation with God and thâ— of a good Conscience for both these are so coupled together the one cannot be without the other as the Apostle excellentlie vniteth them Eight a good fight hauing faith and a good conscience vvhich some haue put awaye and as concerning faith haue made shipwracke And again our reioysing is this The testimony of a good CoÌ„science that is in simplicity and godly purenes The matter goeth verie hardlie with vs if our owne conscience fight against vs hope of reconciliation through Christ be waÌ„ting vnto vs For then aryseth byting vexation of mind trembling feare wherof ensueth diffidence distrust finally eternall death Wherof Christ our sauiour doth admonish vs That our loynes be gyrte about and our lyghts burning and that the same shold so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our father which is in heauen The thyrde kinde of defending Armour are Shooes which signifie our profession or rather they dyrect and gouerne our professioÌ„ that we intermedâ—â— not with thinges that appertaine nothing vnto vs Neither is there any kinde of temptation more vsuall dangerous then when Sathan our capytall enimye draweth vs from our profession to things impertynent and vnnecessarie Which peruerse inclynation is almost naturally bredde with vs wherof the verie Panims séemed not to bee ignoraunt whyles one of them sayde That a great part of our tyme passeth away in doing nothing a greater parte in doing euyl the greatest part in doing those thinges that are besides our calling A Christian souldiour may not therfore breake his araye and order but doo the workes of his office calling and abide in that roome wherein God hath placed him By mans féete the scripture vnderstaÌ„deth oftentymes his carnall affectioÌ„s desires The meaning therefore of the Apostle is that we should well defend keepe them vnder that they leade vs not captiues to terrene earthly things but that we may be prepared for the gospell of peace which proclaimeth an vniuersall peace vnto both betweene God and man and also betwene man and man. The fowrth kinde of Armour is the shéelde which is fayth and hath therefore that name bicause it fyrmelie apprehendeth Gods promises in Christ beateth backe all the fierie dartes of the deuyll For as the worldlie souldiour holdeth his shéelde before his bodie so the spirituall warrier proposeth Gods goodnesse and mercie and
dymissed at the last with his passeport and wages returneth to his owne home and there enioyeth desired rest and quietnesse And so it fareth coÌ„monly with all other sorts of men that although theyr calling be full of trouble and calamitie yet it contineweth not so alwayes with them for ther taste of swéete and sower togeather but in this battayl against sathan ther is no peace no rest no quietnes but coÌ„tinual Allarmers dauÌ„gerous assaultes geuen vnto man so long as he lyueth heere vpon earth Now sith the case so standeth it is no maruayle that so many reuolt froÌ„ true Christianitie and it is more marueylous that we al doo not fall perish amongst so many perylles daungers but we should take occasion hereby to be more vigelaunt carefull more déepely to consider our selues more dylligent to meete with the enemie and more earnestly to call vpon God Happy therefore are wee if wee fight manfully for then wee shall be crowned The Ethnickes were wont to saye Those that vvyll be blessed must labour for reuerende knovvledge lyeth not in a softe bedde On the other side those bee vnhappie that suffer them selues to bee ouercome that yeelde them selues captiues and preferre the myseries of this world before the ioyes of Heauen that resist not sinne but followe pleasure as their guide and soueraigne and so defying Heauen make a couenaunt with death and hell destroye and dampnâ— them selues Let vs learne then that we are not borne to ease and rest but to labor and trauell as the holy man Iob sayth Man is borne to labour as the byrde is to flye That we ought to trande in the fielde armed against our enemies As the Apostle exhorteth That vve shoulde fight a good fight keeping our faith and a good Conscience Let vs learne that our lyfe is short instable and fléeting being an â—ccasion to the wicked of eternall destruÌ„cison so that it had bene better for them neuer to haue bene borne then to come to that wofull ende as our sauiour Christ speaketh of Iudas Let vs learne also that if we labour fight with the enemie God wyll geue vs victorie and a Crowne of eternall glorie and though in this conflicte our outwarde man perishe yet the inwarde man is renued daylye for our lyght affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall weight of glorie whyle wee looke not on the thinges which are séene but vpon the thinges which are not séene for the things which are séen are temporall but the things which are not séene are eternall But O good Lorde fewe and small is that number if at least there be any at all that pondereth howe shorte and fleeting Mans lyfe is howe full of myseries how many and mightie enemies he hath howe sorrowfull the last daye shall be to the wicked and howe ioyfull to the blessed The promised rewardes in the lyfe to come and heauenly kingdome doo not styrre vp men to vertue neyther doeth the feare of endlesse formentes staye them from vices Such an amazed sencelesnesse hath euen possessed almost all mennes mindes that albeit they bee compassed and besieged with infinite daungers and enemies and haue death hanging euery moment ouer their heads yet they neuer consider the greatnesse of their daungers nor yet thinke of any remedy whereby this their heauie burden may be mitygated and cased But rather â—yke the wicked Théefe who hanging vpon the Crosse mocked Christe euen so moste part of men in this frayle lyfe being in the myddle of death doo with wicked securitie scoffe at godlinesse féeke after filthy pleasure as though all things were well and they them selues out of all Conne shotte They very much resemble those that are taken with the Phransye who neyther vnderstande the gréeuouse daunger of their discease neyther regarde the holsome counsayle of Phisicions euen so blynde and carelesse men repute sermons and communications of Gods wrath of the daye of doome of endles torments to be but vaine bugges and no better then olde wiues fables Hipocrates doeth accoumpte it an yll sygne in disceases if the minde be sicke and those soores are accoumpted of the Chirurgian moste daungerous that can féele neyther knife nor Coraziue euen so that misery and blyndnesse is the greatest when mans harte is harder then anye flynt and so without all sence that he considereth not any perryll or daunger Let vs then that haue any feare of God before our eyes abandon this deathfull dullnesse farre from vs let vs vnfould and in partycularites set before our eyes the infinit immensie and Desperate daungers wherevnto our lyfe is subiect by meanes of our mighty and most malycious enemy the deuyll and his Petycaptaynes and souldiers and afterwarde let vs examyne and finde out if we can some heroyecall and noble Prince who wyl be content to ioyn vs in leage and confederacy with him and receaue vs into his Tutele and protection Of the first I haue sayd somwhat before but as I sayde I meane to handle the same in his parts more specially ⧠Of the temptations and assaults of Sathan against man kinde handled more particularly Chap. 2. EXperience plainlye prooueth and euery mannes conscience wyll wytnesse vnto him that this lyfe is most myserable hauing in it no rest quietnesse nor contentation whyles euerie man is wearie of his condition and wisheth an exchaunge with his neyghbour The Prince and mightie man oppressed with endlesse cares and subiect to many daungerous downefalles wisheth himselfe a poore countrey man who hath commonly a quiet minde and with healthfull exercise of his boddy getteth his lyuing They sée oftentymes the highe mountaine stricken with lyghtnings and thunderboltes and the long Ashe tumbled downe with the great winde but the lowe valley and lyttle bushe to remaine vntouched The rytche Marchaunt in many perylles vpon the Sea by meanes of Pyrates of rockes flats sandes and in great stormes almoste sonken in the sourges wisheth himselfe a poore Coteger vpon the Lande with a smokie house a few acres of grounde and the poore Husbandman who styll toyleth in the myre to foster and cherish his séely familye is wearie of husbandrie and wisheth for a house in the Cittie full of costly wares and Marchaundise The honourable Lawier stricken with daungerous sicknesse accoumpteth the Physitions profession most excellent Againe the Phisition alwayes wrastling with disseases and as it were with death it selfe hauing sighing groning and gasping as a common Tune whether soeuer he is inuited accoumpteth the Lawiers lyfe more happie And to be shorte euerie one thinketh anothers condicion better then his owne and wisheth an exchaunge with his neyghbour But this vaine opinion is discouered by an earnest consideration and collation of one estate with another whereof one wryteth no lesse truely then finely after this manner I knowe right well that if all men woulde laye downe puylikely their priuate
watching gréedely young chickens and when he espyeth any peaking farre from their dame he straight way falleth downe ceasoneth vpon the praye and caryeth it awaye euen so the Infernall Gleade flyeth byther and thyther in the ayre where he is a Prince as the Apostle sayeth and is lyke an Arrow flying in the noone day as the Psalmist noteth and with his bryght eyes beholdeth men walking vpon the earth and if he espye any of them wander and erre from the foundament of fayth and from the society of Christs Churche hée falleth sodenly vppon them and all to renteth them The dyuills practises are terrible and fearful when he openly assaulteth mankinde sheweth himself plainely in his coolers euen as he is that is to saye a cruell Théefe and murderer but his practyses are more daungerous when hée dealeth couertly and as the Apostle writeth transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light And example of this his practise is extant in the historie of the Origen of the world When hée tooke vppon him the shape of the Serpente being the wysest of all the beastes of the earth and comming to Eue tooke occasion to talke of God and faigned himselfe to lament his vncurtuous harde dealing with Adam and Eue in enuying them perfite felicitie And therewithall promised them equalitie with God if they woulde obeye and followe his counsayle And so he deceiued them being ouer credulous and drewe them violently with all their posteritie into those miseries out of the which they coulde be deliuered by no meanes but onelie with the price of Christes moste precious blood So he deceyued Achab when he became a lying spyrite in the mouth of his Prophetes and in the name of the Lord promised him victorie against the Syrians And after the same manner he seduced all the Paynims vnder the color of wisedome and trueth whereby they faygned infinit Gods serued Idolles poluted them selues with al filthy lust Moreouer in tempting of Christe he pretended him self carefull for his glorie and health and couered the malice with sentences of scripture And perswading Gregorie the first to offer prayers and sacrifices for the deadde he shewed him selfe in reuelations and apparitions in the forme of those that were sometime his familiar friendes Wée our selues attending warely shall finde his lyke practises with vs he kéepeth styll his olde woonte For if at any time he solicite vs to forsake God to renege our faith to geue our selues to superstitions and curious artes to folow filthy vnlawful pleasures to coÌ„mpt all kinde of mischiefe he doeth not shew himselfe openly and in his very colors for then his hornes and nayles as they saye woulde make vs lathe and deteste him But he counterfeyteth the forme of a friende faigneth him selfe carefull for our wealth shadoweth false doctrine with a color of trueth excuseth our denyall of God through necessity and fynally extenuateth yea and sometime commendeth abhomynation and witkednesse with the cloke of profitte and common example of worldinges We haue good cause therfore to record these thinges oftentimes to watch and pray that we fall not into temptation Antigonus the king was wont to praye that God woulde defend him from fayned friendes for he thought himselfe able with moane pollicy to with stande his open enemyes howe muche more ought Chrystians to praye agaynst the temptations of the deuyll who often commeth with subtyll suggestions vnto man hauing according to the prouerbe hony in his mouth but â—aull and poyson in his harte which he desireth to conuey and powre into vs. Fiftlie and finallie this enemie of mankinde is resembled to a roaring Lyon which image and picture is most terrible For the strength of Lyens and gréedinesse in pursuing their praye is well knowne Euen so the deuyll inflamed with mallice against the sonne of God and his scruaunts grinteth his teeth against vs egerlie coueting to swallowe vppe and destroye both our bodies and soules Peraduenture he desisteth from open assaultes for a tyme and season but this pollicie he vseth that the Castell may be kept more nerlygentlic The lyke practise is vsed of prudent Captaines in their temporall warres who when they see their aduersarie vnprouided they then set vpon him and easily spoyle him as we our selues knowe by Callys which taken by y English hardly after the besiedge of thirteene monethes being vnfurnished of â—â—en was easily woÌ„ne by the French almost within thirtene howres such an especiall commeditie it is to vse occauÌ„on and opportunity Euen so fareth our ghostly enemie with vs in suirituall temptations and assaultes for then doeth hee with his doubble 〈◊〉 and great engyns of warre batter our Forte and Castell when it is weake vnprouided At the howre of death carnall man is weake in body and faint in minde for besides the paines of the disease and the face of death which of all terrible thinges is most terrible the weeping and wayling of wife and chyldren the care of our wyll and Testament and the setting of our goodes in order doeth exceedingly withdraw our mindes front the contemplation of heauenly heauenly thinges at what tyme the deuyll goeueth most terrible and sharpe assaultes For he then especially setteth before our eyes calleth to our remembraunce our works our wordes our thoughtes euen from our tender yeares And whereas before tyme he couered sinne perswaded vs to accounâ—â— it but a tryfle he nowe appéereth and vnfoldeth the same yea and amplyfieth the heynousnesse of the offence and vseth all meanes to weaken and cutte of our fayth and hope of forgeuenesse And to the â—nde he might carrie vs into the gulfe of dispayre hee putteth vs in minde of the iudgemente seate of God of the endlesse tormentes in hell of Gods seueritie of examples of his wrath and indignation Whereof aryseth to seelye man in that afflycted case an astonied minde an vnquiet conscience an vncertaine hope and finally without Gods especiall grace and protection a shipwracke of faith and a sinking into the bottomlesse pyt of hell There are many other pictures and Images of the deuyll in the holy scripture As Math. 12. Luk. 22. Iob. 11. et 3. Ephe 6. All which tende to this ende that we laying asyde all other cogitations shoulde wholly bende our selues to resyste so mightie and malyeious an enimie And for that we being both carefull and vigelaunt are weake inough of our selues to encounter him much more vnable shal we be if we entrappe our mindes in vnnecessary most vaine cogitations of the world Hereunto we may ought to adde that this our aduersary seeketh not our goodes bodies only but he greedely gapeth as it were in one morsell to swallowe vp both body and soule The strife therefore betweene him and vs is about a matter of great importauÌ„ce euen for life death saluation dampnation wherefore as the Apostle sayth it standeth us vppon to take vnto vs the whole armour of
conquest apperteyneth because hee is shaddowed vnder Gods winges so that no euill can come nighe him neither touch his house his famely his cattell nor his ground as Moyses to mans great comforte writeth after this maner And the haile smote throughout the Land of Egipt al that was in the feeld both man and beasts also the haile smote all the herbes of feelde and brake to peeces al the trees of the feelde Onely in the Lande of Goshen where the children of Israell were was no hayle Where vnto consenteth Dauid saying The Lorde saueth both man and beast Surely the Children of Israell and al that is theirs that is to say the true and liuely members of Christ with all their goods are vnder the wings of the Lord in the custody and Tutele of his Angels in whose hands they are borne whiles they walke in Gods wayes and doo the workes of their vocation Which addition is especially to bee remembred For there are manie in the shadowe of the Churche that pollute themselues against their conscience with many gréeuous offences and busie themselues in other mens matters and presumptuously obiect themselues againste great daungers tempting almightie god But these men kéepe not the heauenly discipline of this warrefare albeit outwardly they make a shewe that they be souldiers vnder this Capitayne King Osias contrary to his vocatiō went into the Church to offer sacrifice he was not couered vnder Gods wings but striken with an incurable Leprosie The sonnes of Aaron were not kept by the Angels but in the sight of the Lord were killed for laying straunge fyre vpon the Aulter so Chore Dathan and Abiron were swalowed vp quicke into the earth Absolon walking in his owne wayes was myserablie hanged by the hayre This victorie therefore properlie appertayneth vnto those who abide vnder Gods winges walke in his wayes doo the workes of their vocation in true repentaunce and fayth are content with their estate which they labour to adorne and bewtifie and auoyde sinnes of presumption against the conscience Such men are not only partakers of this glorious victorie but also sée oftentymes the fall of those Tyrauntes that with sworde and fyre persecuted them for the profession of the gospell So Noha sawe the wycked men in the firste age drowned with the floode who had long mocked and laughed him to scorne Loth sawe the fearfull destruction of Sodome The children of Israel with their owne eyes behelde the army of Pharao drowned in the red sea Dauid saw the distruction of Saul and of many other his enimies so Mardocheus behelde Hamon Iohn the Euangliste Cernithus the hereticke Many godly Christians sawe the destruction of that bloodye Tyraunte Maxentius Didimus Bishoppe of Alexādria sawe in his dreame the death of Iulian the Reneger Alexander Bisshop of Cōstantinople with many other faithfull men saw howe Arius the dampned heretique perished terribly but worthily And examples in all tymes and ages plainly verify that saying of Dauid Doubltes with thy eies thou shalt behold and see the reward of the wicked This is verilye no small comfort that the holie ghost doeth succour and releeue all such as are oppressed for the profession of the gospell And that we who are oppressed of tyrauntes shall see in this life theyr ruine and fall or if that come not alwayes to passe in this worlde yet without all doubte wee shall see their eternall obiection and condempnation which farre passeth all worldlye paine and punishment For there can bee no conuenient proportion or comparison betweene thinges finite and infinite temporall and eternall But heere aryseth a question and a great scruple in mennes mindes howe this promise of the holy ghoste can bee true That no euyll shall come nigh the godly nor his familie but that they shal be shadowed vnder Gods winges and kept by his holy Angels For both many examples in the holye scripture and dayly experience teacheth that the most excellent lyghtes and members of Christes church are first and most commonlie taken away with sworde fyre pestilence and other plagues and mischiefes Abell dwelling vnder the shadowe of the highest beleeuing in Christ and walking in his wayes was murdred of his wicked and vnnaturall brother Caine. Ioseph from his chyldhoode fearing the Lorde and doing the worke of his vocation is solde by his brethren into Egipte was there without cause imprisoned Esaias the Prophet in whome was many excellent gyftes wherewithall he gouerned the Church was cutte in two peeces by the tyraunt Manasses Apries king of Egipt caused Ieremy to be stoned to death Herode cutte of Iohn Baptist heade then whom there was no greater amongst the sonnes of women Nero caused Saint Paule to be crucified And the cruell tyrannie of Diocletian Maximanus and Maximinus murdred in one moneth seuenteene thousād Christians bicause they would not offer sacrifice to the Idolles of the Panims Nowe when carnall reason considereth these such lyke examples it begynneth to doubte of Gods prouidence of his promises touching mans protection and defence wherof I speake somewhat in my Booke intytuled The armour of proofe But because it is verie pertinent to this tractation I wyll handle the matter more perticularlie largelie in this place If say they God doth protect and defend his seruauntes vnder his winges and keepeth them by his holy Angelles why then are there many thousandes of those that serue God sincerely and call vpon him earnestly either murdred cruelly or spoiled miserablie or drawne into heauie bondage vvhere they serue barbarous godles people painefully And heare I haue good occasion to speak generally of the causes of persecutions againste the Church of God but I will kéepe my self within compas deduce my Reader to the consideratiō of those things which are most needful for these troublesom times I wyl first speake of the sartenty of Gods promises whiche are in the obiection infyrmed and weakened I say therefore that these promises of God made to his Churche are not therefore frustrate because throughout all times some members thereof perrishe For the body of the Church is preserued and shall continewe vntyll the ende of the worlde allthough some bowghes and Braunches be cut of and albeit some of the souldiers of this armye fall with sworde as oftentimes it cōmeth to passe that both the godly and vngodly perish together yet other souldiers by and by succéede in their places who fight manfully for the lawe and for the congregations This heauenly capitaine the sonne of God shall alwayes haue a strong army allthough the number be somtime more sumtime lesse No infernall power shal preuaile against this whole armie wherin if peraduenture there bee some as fearfull as hayres or hartes yet the capitaine hath the hart of a Lion and is therefore called the Lion of the tribe of Iuda And if he doo not saue his armie by those meanes which humaine reason deuiseth
bring vs not out of this place And afterwarde desiring to see Gods glorie to this God answereth Thou canst not see my face for there shal no man see me an liue but behold there is a place by me where thou shalt stande vpon the rocke And whyle my glory passeth by I wyll put thee in a cleft of the rocke and wyll couer thee with my hand vvhyles I passe by After I vvyll take away mine hande and thou shalt see my back parts but my face shall not be seene This is a harde and obscure history which although I cannot open handle according to the worthynesse thereof and if I coulde this place doeth not requyre it yet I wyll briefely touch it for it comprehendeth most graue comfortable consolation concerning the church of Christ which this scripture testifieth to bee couered in this worlde with the hand of God and that it shal be glorified here after And herein I folow the plaine and vsuall exposition which is That Moises beseecheth God to open and reueale vnto him the ende of that people which was then the Church of god Wherevnto God answereth That he vvill not haue his face seeneâ— vvhich is that he vvill not haue his secreete counsailes knowne before the ende of the Church consuÌ„mate and perfitted But he sheweth his backe parts VVhich is that in the ende vve shall see his glorie In the meane season the people lyeth hydde in the clefte of the rocke that is in this present Church which is often tymes pressed with persecution But it standeth vpon the Rocke Christ and is couered with the hande of God whiles he passed that is vntyll the Churche bee consummate and finished Wherein God signifieth that hee passeth by at all tymes in this worlde in the which passage he gathereth his Church wherein both him selfe is glorifyed and the same by him also glorifyed in the life to come And that this his Church is gouerned not by mans counsaile and pollycie but by the voyce and sounde of his woorde giuen from Heauen and that it is defended not with the strength of carnall man but with the onelie hande of the lyuing God. So this text doth propose vnto vs a pleasaunt pycture of Christes Churche besydes the consyderation of a greate poynt of doctrine of the sight and perfite knowledge of God whereby Gods face is seene As our sauiour answered Phillippe desyring to haue the heauenlie Father shewed vnto him Phillippe he that seeth me seeth the Father Euen so Moises desiring a deeper and clearer in sight of almightie GOD is deduced to the worde touching Messias reuealed vnto the Churche and it is also shewed howe GOD woulde be knowne vntyll the seconde comming of Christe when it is sayde Thou canst not see my face but thou shalt stand in the cleft of the Rocke That is thou shalt stande vpon Christe and his gospell vntyll I passe and so thou shalt see my hynder partes For the Churche doeth not perfitlie see God in this lyfe neyther enioyeth the glorie promysed but standeth yet vpon the Rock Christ by fayth and being in the cleft of the Rocke subiect to persecution looketh and awayteth for glorie whyles God passeth euen when the Church is consumate and finished For after this passage there is eternall glorie wherein wee shall beholde God perfitlie and as hee is Whereas nowe we onelie see his backe partes But I omitte the deepe mysteries of this peece of scripture I onelie propose the storie to bee considered of my godly Reader that he might obserue howe this sentence serueth all times of the Church to the ende he may reape such effectuall consolations that hell gates shall not preuayle against him We ought to know therfore that the Church shal coÌ„tinue alwayes amongst the raginge stormes and tempests of the world and that by the maruailous and mighty protection of God whyles God passeth by euen vntyll the tyme of glorifycation Surelie the Church of God in these latter tymes wandereth as it were in the wyldernesse almost without any certaine seate or defence sauing it hath his Halcions dayes presenteth in this Ilande In the meane season as amongst the people of Israell a great multitude forsooke God and so fell into Gods wrath and vengeaunce euen so nowe a dayes we maye beholde Kings and Princes and a great multitude to contempne the gospell and so to procure vnto them selues euerlasting maladiction and destruction On the other syde that lyttle flocke which professeth the gospell to bee depriued of all humaine helpe to wraffle daylye with miseries and callamities But let vs beholde the Image proposed in the hystories of the Israelytes and assure our selues that although the Church seeme nowe to bee as an exyle and banished person vpon earth yet that it is couered with Gods hande and with a heauenlie pyller of fire and that Christ her captaine is present with her Who wyll as the Psalmist sayth Appeare to be a God in Sion For albeit God appeareth sheweth his presence throughout the rounde worlde by his prouidence regiment and conseruation of all things yet he manifest his presence in the Church by more peculyar and speciall meanes Namelie by preseruing and maintayning the Ministerie and sacramentes by his dwelling in the Saintes through fayth by his internall consolation in the holy Martyrs and to conclude in defending his congregation myraculouslie against the raging furors of diuelles worldlings Whereof Moises speaketh thus They haue heard that thou Lorde art amongst this people and that thou art seene face to face And Iosua You shall knowe that the Lorde God is in the middle of you And againe That all the inhabitaunts of the earth maye know that God is in Israell This presence and protection of God ouer his Church hath two endes wherof the one appertayneth to such as are without and as yet prophane persons the other vnto those that be of the housholde of fayth and Cittie of god And as touching the vngodlie this is the ende of Gods presence in the Church that they either conioyne them vnto the congregation of the faithfull through true repentance renouncing aâ—â— impietie and wickednesse or else being obstinate maye haue their owne consciences as wytnesses of their iust condempnation For it shall come to passe according to that sentence of the Psalme All mine enimies shal be confounded and sore vexed they shal be turned backe and put to shame sodainlie And againe God shall destroy thee for euer he shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy tabernacle and roote thee out of the lande of the liuing The righteous also shall see it and shall feare and shall laugh at him saying Behold the man that tooke not God for his strength but trusted vnto the multitude of his ritches and put his strength in his malice c. There can therefore be no greater plague then by sinne to be separated from God to