not to make haste to that ioye that caÌ„ neuer be taken from vs This thing happeneth dearely beloued brethreÌ„ whi â—e loue this â–ª liffe so moche bycause faythe is wanting because no maÌ„ beleueth the thinges to come which God that is true hath promised whose worde vnto them that beleue is euerlasting and stable Yf a sage man and worthy prayse dyd promise thee any thyng thou woldest verely beleue his promyse neither woldest thou thynke to be deceyued and begyled of him of whom thou art persuaded that he wil abyde by his wordes and dedes but nowe God speaketh vnto thee doest thou vnfaythfull man wauer with an vnbeleuyng mynde God doeth ê“mise vnto the departing this worlde immortalitie and eternal lyfe and doest thou doubt This is euen to be vtterly ignoraÌ„t of God Howe pâ—â—fitable a thing ye yâ— to depart oute of this world this is thorowe the sinne of vnbeleaue toffende Christ the mastre of beleauing people This is to be in the church and in the house of faithe to be witout faithe Howe profitable a thing it is to departe out of this worlde Christ him selfe the maistre of our saluacion and profit sheweth which whaÌ„ his disciples war sorowful bicause he said that he should now departe from them spake unto them saieng Ioan. 14. Yf you loued me ye wold reioyce bicause I go to the father Wherby he dothe teache and declare that we ought rather to reioyce than to be sorowfull whan they whome we dearely loue departe this worlde Of the which thing the blessed apostle Paule being mindeful writeth in his epistle and saieth Christ is liffe vnto me Phi. 1. and deathe auaÌ„tage He rekened it the chefest gaine to be now no more tyed with the snares of the worlde to be now no more in daunger of any synnes and vices of the fleshe to be ridde of vexing trobles and deliuered from the venemouse iawes of the deuell and to go furthe at the calling of Christ vnto the ioye of eternal saluacion But som ar troubled bicause the disease of this sickenes do indiffereÌ„tly come vpon our men aswell as vpoÌ„ the heathen as though the christean had beleaued to this ende that he might bothe be fre from the fealing of euelles inioye the pleasures of the worlde not rather suffering here al maner of aduersitie be reserued and kept vnto the ioye to come Some men ar troubled bicause this mortalitie deathe is common to vs also with other Trobles sicknesses deathe ar coÌ„mon to all men But what thing in this worlde haue not we common with other so long as yet according to thordenaunce of our furst birthe this coÌ„mon fleshe remayneth So long as we abide here in the worlde in the equalite of fleshe we ar ioyned together with mankinde but in the spirite we ar seperated Therfor vntil this corruptible maye put on in corruption 1. Cor. 15. and this mortal maye receaue unmortalitie the spirite bring vs vnto God the father we haue our parte in all maner of incommodities and displeasures of the fleshe common vnto mankinde Thus whaÌ„ the grouÌ„de is barreÌ„ thorowe an vnfruteful blast hunger spareth no man Thus whan any city is possessed throwe the inrode of thennemy captiuite wasteth all meÌ„ together And whan the stonyrocks burst the shipe in peces the shipwracke is coÌ„mon to al the saiie in the shipe wtout exceptioÌ„ And the payne of thies the raging agwes the disease of al partes of the body ar common to vs with others so long as we cary about this common fleshe in the worlde Yea rather yf the christian man knewe vnder what condicion and what lawe he beleued The true christian hathe most troble in this world he should knowe that he must be trobled in this world aboue other which aboue other must wrestle with th assaultes of the deuel The scripture teacheth and warneth vs aforehande sayeng My sonne whan thou becommest goddes seruauÌ„t stande in rightfulnesse and feare Eccle. 2. and prepare thy soule to temptacion And agayne Indure in sorowe and in feare thorow huÌ„blenes haue thou pacience for both golde and siluer are tryed by the fyre Iob after the losse of his goodes after the death of his children Iob. 1. being thus greuously afflicted bothe with woundes and with vermine was not ouercome but tried which in the selfe grefes and sorowes that he suffered did declare the pacience of a godly minde sayeng Naked came I out of my mothers wombe naked also shal I go vnder thearthe the Lorde gaue and the Lorde hathe taken awaye as it pleased the Lorde euen so hathe it happened The Lordes name be blessed And whan his wyfe wolde haue enforced him that he being thorowe great sorowe impacient should with a complayning and malicious voice haue spoken somthing against God he answered her and sayd Thou hast spokeÌ„ as one of the folishe womeÌ„ Iob. 2. For yf we haue receyued prosperitie at the Lordes haÌ„de why should we not suffer aduersitie In all these thinges that happened vnto Iob he synned nothing with his lippes in the presence of the Lorde Therfore the Lord beareth him witnesse sayng hast thou marked my seruauÌ„t Iob ther is not one lyke him vpon thearthe a man without faute a true worshipper of God Tobi. 1. Tobias also after his noble workes after the manifolde and glorious commeÌ„dacions of his mercie did suffre the blindnes of eyes and he fearing and praysing God in aduersitie grewe vp to prayse by the selfe plage of his body whome his owne wyfe also assayed to corrupt saing Where are thy rightfulnesses become loo what thou suffrest But he being stedfaste and stable in the feare of God and armed with a godly faith to suffre all maner of passions gaue no place in his sorowe to the temptacion of his weake wyfe but did thothe greater pacience procure the further fauoure of God whom afterwardes the angel Raphael praised said Yt is an henorable thing to declare and praise the workes of God For whan thou and thy daughter in lawe Sara did praie I offred vp the remembrauÌ„ce of your praier in the presence of the glory of God and whan thou didist simply burye the deade and bicause thou delayedst not to arise and to leaue thine owne dynar and wenst furthe and didest burye the deade I am sent to trie thee And againe he saieth I am sent to heale the Tobi. 12. thy daughter in lawe Sara For I am Raphael one of the .vij. holy angels which doo stande and haue our conuersacion before the glory of God This sufferance the iust meÌ„ haue alwaies had this discipline thapostles according to the Lordes ordinaÌ„ce kept not to murmur in aduersitie but paciently and maÌ„fully to receaue what so euer do happeÌ„ in this worlde Wheras the Iuishe people hathe in this pointe alwaies offended bicause they did often murmur against God as the Lord God doeth witnesse in
A sermon of blessed Cipriane touching mortalitie exhorting meÌ„ to the loue of forsating this lyfe and shewing that notwithstanding the iuste and vniuste dye wyth out difference yet no man ought to thynke that the good euell come bothe to one destructioÌ„ Forasmuche as the iuste are called hence to refreshing and thoususte are caught awaye vnto punishment ALthoughe ther be many of you most dearely beloued brethreÌ„ which haue a souÌ„de mynde a stedfast fayth and a deuoute soule which is not moued at this great mortalitie but as a strong and stable rocke dothe rather break the troblesom assaultes the violent and raging wafes of this worlde it selfe beyng neither broken nor ouercome with temtacions but only tried Neuertheles because I perceiue that ther are certayne among the people The causes of incoÌ„stancy and departing from true religion â–ª which eyther thorow the weaknes of mynde or litelnes of faythe or swetenes of wordly lyfe or teÌ„dernesse of kynde or which is worse thorowe thignoraunce of the truthe stande not stedfastly nor do put furth the heaueÌ„ly and the inuincible strenght of their harte this thing ought neither to be dissembled nor to be kept in sileÌ„ce but that we to the vttermost of our power should with full force and wordes taken of the holy scripture suppresse and kepe downe the cowardnes of the deintie mynde that he which is now begonne to be the maÌ„ of God and of Christ myght also be counted worthy of Christ For he that is a soul diour to God most dearly beloued brethren and beyng put in the celestiall tentes do now hope for heauenlye rewardes ought to knowe him selfe so that we should in no wise either feare or staye for the stormes and whirle wyndes of the worlde forasmuche as the Lorde hathe tolde aforehande that these should come instructing and teaching with thexhortacion of his for seing voice and preparing strenghtnyng the people of his churche to all maner of suffering of thiÌ„ges to come hathe aforehande shewed and taught that warres and hongers Mat. 24. and earthquakes pestilences should spring vp arise euery where And that no sodayne and newe feare of hurtful thinges should violently shake vs he hath beforehande warned that aduersities and troubles shall growe vp thicker and thicker The lasâ— tymes artroblesum more and more in the last tymes They do nowe happen loo that were aforehande tolde and forasmuche as the thinges do now happen which were tolde aforehande all thinges that are promised shal also folowe after by the promise of the Lord hymselfe which sayeth but whan ye shall see these thinges come to passe Luc. 21. knowe ye that the kingdome of God is at hande The kingdome of God eâ—ternal life are at hand The kingdome of God dearely beloued brethreÌ„ beginneth to be at hande the worlde passing away the reward of lyfe and ioye of eternal healthe and the continuall gladnesse and possession of paradise lately loste are eueÌ„ now come EueÌ„ now do heaueÌ„ly thinges succede earthy great thinges lytell and euerlasting transitory and fading away What place is here left for troble and carefulnes Who amoÌ„g these thinges caÌ„ be fearful and sorowful except he wante both faith hope who feare deathe It is his ê‘t to fear death which wil not go to Christ it is his part to refuse to go to Christ which beleueth not that he shal begin to reigne with Christ Abac. 2. For it is written that the rightful maÌ„ lyueth by faythe Yf thou be rightfull and lyuest thorow faythe yf thou beleuest truly in God why doest thou not embrace and reioyce of this that thou shalt be with Christ be by the Lordes promise in saffetie inasmuche as thou art called to Christ and delyuered froÌ„ the deuell Luce. 2. To be shorte that iuste man Symeon that was a rightfull man in dede Thorowe faithe goddes commaundementes are obserued which thorow a perfecte faith obserued goddes coÌ„maundementes whaÌ„ he had receyued answer of God that he should not dye before he had sen Christ And whan the babe Christ with his mother was come into the Temple he knewe thorowe the spirite that Christ of whome he was tolde before was nowe borne whome after that he had sene he knewe that he should shortly dye He therfore being gladde of deathe that was now at hand and fearing nothing his calling hence that was hardby toke the childe in his handes and praisid God and cried out saing O Lord now let thy seruant departe in peace according to thy worde For myne eyes haue sene thy sauyng healthe In which wordes he proueth and testifyeth that than the seruauntes of God haue peace when and wheare we maye trust to haue sure rest and that than they haue free and quiet rest whan we beyng drawen out of the boistous tempestes of this worlde attayne the hauen of eternall reste and saffetie whaÌ„ this deathe beyng remoued we come to immortalitie For this is our peace this is the reste that a man maye truste to this is the stable the sure we haue here a contynuall battaile against vices and perpetuall saffetye Furthermore in the worlde what is ther elles but a dayly fyght against the deuell Howe hard daungerous and continuall is this fyght against his dartes and arrowes We must fyght against couetousnes against vnclennes against wrathe against ambicion against carnall vices our wrastlyng with the flickering intisementes of the worlde is laborious continuall and paynfull The mynde of man beyng besieged compassed in on euery syde with the assaultes of the deuel dothe hardly resiste any temptation Yf couetousnes be throwen downe luste ryseth vp Yf lust be suppressed ambicion foloweth Yf ambicion be despised wrathe bothe vexe pride is puffed vp dronkenesse calleth in enuye breaketh concorde zele cutteth of frendship Thou arte compelled to curse which goddes lawe forbiddeth thou art constrayned to sweare which is vnlawful So many persecutioÌ„s dothe the mynde dayly suffer with so many daungers is the harte dayly vexed and dothe it delyte vs to stande here long among the deuelles swerdes whan we ought rather to desire and wishe by the meanes of a swift deathe to make hast to Christ According as he instructed vs saieng verely verely I saie vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but the world shal reioyce you shall be sorowful but your sorowe shal be turned in to ioye Who maketh not hast to com vnto myrthe Ioan. 18. FroÌ„ hence we go to mirthe ioye Who desireth not to be wcout sorwe but whan our heuynes shall be turned in to ioye the Lord him self declareth saieng I wil se you againe and your harte shall reioice and your ioye shall no maÌ„ take from you Forasmuche than as the sight of Christ is our ioie neither can we haue any ioie but whan we haue seen Christ What blindnesse or rather madnes of mynd is this to loue the troubles and paines and teares of the worlde and
the boke of nombres saieng Num. 20. let theÌ„ cease to murmur against me thei shal not dye Wee maye not most deare brethren grudge in aduersites but quietly and stroÌ„gly suffer what so euer shal happen seing it is written that a trobled spirite is a sacrifice to God Psal 50. and that God despiseth not a contrite and an huÌ„ble hart In the Deuteronomy also the holy goost doeth warne vs by Moses and saieth Deu. 8. The Lord thy God shall vexe the and shall throwe hunger vpon the and thine hart shall be knoweÌ„ whether thou wilt truly kepe his coÌ„maundementes or not And againe he saieth The Lord your God doeth tempte you that he maie knowe whether you loue the Lord your God with al your harte with al your sowle Thus did AbrahaÌ„ please God Gene. 22. that he might so do he neither feared to forgo his sonne nor refused to kill him Thou that canst not be content to forgo thy soÌ„ne by the lawe and lotte of mortalitie deathe what woldest thou do if thou war coÌ„maunded to kill thy soÌ„ne The feare of God faithe ought to make the redye to al thiÌ„ges Be it that thou hast lost thy goodes be it that partes of thy body ar coÌ„tinually and greuously vexed with deadly diseases be it that thy wiffe thy children deare frendes ar most dolefully and heauely pluct from the by deathe lette not these thinges be stumbling blockes vnto the but batailes neither let theÌ„ weaken or ouerthrowe the faithe of a christian but let them rather declare strenght in the wrastling Forasmuche as all suffering of these present euelles ought to be dispised in hope of the good thinges to come Except ther shall furst be a battayle ther can be no victory but whan a man in the ioyning of the battaile getteth the victory than is ther a crowne also geuen to them that ouercom For in a tempest the gouernour of a shipe is knowen a sowdear is tried in the battaile The bragge is but wanton whaÌ„ ther is no daunger The conflicte and fight in aduersite is the triall of the truthe The tre that is depely roted is not moued with the blustering windes and a shippe that hathe strong ribbes wel ioyned is beaten of the wawes and receaued no leake and whaÌ„ the corne is thressed on to barne store the good weghty corne regardeth not the windes but the light chaffe ar blowen quite awaie EueÌ„ thus thapostle Paule after shipwracke after scorges after many bitter tormentes of the fleshe and the body he sayeth not that he is greued with these aduersities but amended so that the more greuously he is afficted the more truly he is tried Ther is geuen me sayeth he the prick of my fleshe 2. Cor. 11. the messenger of Satan that dothe buffet me that I should not be exalted For the which I haue beseched the Lord .iii. tymes that it might departe froÌ„ me and he sayd vnto me my grace is sufficient for thee for power thorowe weakenes is made perfite Whan therfore either sicknes eyther weaknes or any destructioÌ„ dothe violeÌ„tly assaile vs thaÌ„ is our strengt made perfect than is faithe crowned yf she indure stedfaste in temptacion Eccle. 27. according as it is written The furnace trieth the potters vessell and the temptacion of troble trieth iuste men Furthermore this difference is betwene vs and other that knowe not God They complayne and grudge in their trobles but as for vs aduersities do not call vs awaye from the truthe vertue and faythe but do strenghten vs in sorowes For wher as nowe the bloody flixe dothe scrape the guttes taketh quite awaye the strenght of the body wheras nowe a fire inwardly coÌ„ceaued in wouÌ„des sores doth rage burne wheras now the intralles do shake pant with continuall vomite wheras the eyes are set on fire with the violence of blood wheras some mens fete or other ê‘tes of the body ar cut of that they should not corrupte the rest wheras thorow damages hurtes of the body after the disease once burste out either the goyng is weakened or the hearing stopped or the sight blinded al euery of those profiteth vnto the instruction teaching of fayth To fight against so many violeÌ„t assaultes of destructioÌ„ death with a stable miÌ„de what a noble courage is it how worthy auauncemeÌ„t is it for a maÌ„ to staÌ„de right vp among the myseries destructions of maÌ„kinde not to lye groueling on th earth with them that haue no hope in the Lord We ought rather to reioyce and embrace the gyft of tyme that whiles we stedfastly declare our faythe and by suffering of paynes go by the narowe waye of Christ vnto Christ we may he beiÌ„g iudge receiue the rewarde of lyfe faythe Let hym feare to die but he which being not renewed of the water the spirite is delyuered in boÌ„dage to hel fire Let him feare to dye who be they that feare deathe which is not inrolled in the crosse passion of Christ Let him fear to die which froÌ„ this death shall passe to the seconde deathe let him feare to dye whome after the departure froÌ„ this worlde an euerlasting flame shal torment with coÌ„tinual punishemeÌ„t let him fear to dye which by his long carieng here haue only this benefite that his sorowe torment is for the while differred Many of our brethren dye in this mortalitie that is to say many of our brethren are delyuered from this world As this mortalitie is a pestileÌ„ce to the Iewes gentiles that are Christes enemies euen so to goddes seruauÌ„tes it is an holsome departure Where as without difference of mankinde the iust die with thoniuste ye maye not thinke that both good euel are destroyed alyke The iuste are called heÌ„ce to refreshing thoniuste are caught awaye to punishment Defence is quickly geuen to theÌ„ that beleue but to thoÌ„beleuers paine We are moste dearely beloued brethren vncircuÌ„specte and vnthankful to Goddes benefites neither do we knowe what is geuen vnto vs. The virgins being in safetie lo depte heÌ„ce in peace with their glory fearing nothing the threateninges deflowringes brothel houses of Antichrist now coÌ„ming The childreÌ„ escape the daungers of their slippery age do luckely attayne the rewarde of coÌ„tineÌ„cy innocency The tender matrone feareth now no more tormentes which thorowe a swift deathe is escaped the feare of persecutyon and the handes and tormentes of the hang man Thorowe thextreme feare of mortalitie tyme the luke warme are made hote the dissolute are hard wrongen the slothefull ar reised vp the shrinkers are compelled to returne the heatheÌ„ are constrained to beleue the true faithfull people are called to rest and a newe a great arinye ys gathered together with a mightier force to the battayle to fight when the filde shall beginne without any feare of deathe which in the tyme of mortalitie came in to the warfare
Furthermore what thing ys this most dearely beloued brethren how muche apperteining to the purpose how necessary that this pestilence morren which semeth to be horrible cruel dothe trie the rightfulnes of euery maÌ„ examineth the myndes of maÌ„kynde whether the hole do seruice vnto the sicke whether neighboures kinsfolke do godly loue together whether the masters haue any pitie vpon their sicke seruauÌ„tes whether the phisicioÌ„s forsake the sicke that huÌ„bly requireth their couÌ„cel whether the â—ruel wil cease froÌ„ tyraÌ„ny wroÌ„ge doyng whether thextorcioners at the least wyse for feare of deathe will quenche their insaciable continuall burning of raging couetousnes whether the proud wil stoupe bow downe their neckes whether the wicked wilmoderate his folehardines whether the riche whaÌ„ their deare frendes are dead wil yet thaÌ„ geue to the poore seing themselues shal dye wtout heire Certeinly althoughe this mortalitie shal bring with it none other profite yet in this point it hathe muche profited christians goddes seruauÌ„tes because we beginne now gladly to wishe for martirdom whiles we learne not to feare death Vnto vs these are no buriales but execises They geue a glorious strengtht vnto the mynde thorowe the contempt of deathe they prepare to the crowne But paradueÌ„ture some man maye obiecte saye This thaÌ„ in this present mortalitie maketh me heauy that where as I was prepared to confesse the fayth had with my hole harte full streinght addicte my selfe to suffre passion I am nowe being preuented with death depriued of my martirdome For answere to this we must first consider that martirdome standeth not in our power but in thestimacion of God neither canst thou saye that thou hast lost ought which knowest not whether thou diddest deserue to receyue Besides this God which is the searcher of the reynes and harte and the beholder knower of theyes seeth the prayseth and alloweth the and he that perceyueth the to be prepared to vertue will for vertue reÌ„der rewarde Had Cain now killed his brother whan he offered sacrifice to God and neuer theles God that forseeth thinges old beforehande condeÌ„ne the murthering of his brother which he had conceyued in his minde As ther the wicked thought mischenous coÌ„ceit was manifest vnto God that forseeth thinges eueÌ„ so among the seruauÌ„ts of God which thinke to coÌ„fesse the truthe are ful purposed to suffer martirdome the mynde bent to goodnesse God being iudge is crowned For it is one thing to wante a will to martirdome on other to waÌ„te martirdome to a ready wil. Loke what maner of one God fyndeth thee when he talleth thee hence suche a one dothe he also iudge thee according as him selfe witnesseth saing al coÌ„gregacioÌ„s shal knowe the I am the searcher of the reynes of the harte For God seketh not the effusion of your blood but faith For neither wer AbrahaÌ„ I saat nor Iacod slayne and yet thorowe the merites of faith and rightfulnes they were honorable obteyned to be chief amoÌ„g the Patriarkes Vnto whose feast all that are fouÌ„de faithfull iuste prayse worthy are gathered together We ought to remeÌ„ber that we should do the wyll of God not our owne according as God hath coÌ„mauÌ„ded vs daily to pray How arsewarde peuishe a mater is it for vs to desire the will of God to be done Seing we do not immediatly obey the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of God his will wheÌ„ he calleth vs out of this world Against this we striue wrestle ar with heumes sorow after the maner of stub burne seruaÌ„tes brought vnto the lordes presence departing hence coÌ„pelled by necessitie not by willing obedieÌ„ce wil we which heaueÌ„ly rewardes be honored of him to whoÌ„ we com vnwillingly For what purpose than do we desire praye for the coÌ„ming of the kingdome of heauen yf we haue our delectacion in earthy captiuitie why do we praye beseche with often repeted praiers that the day of the kingdome might come quickly yf our desires be greater earnester to serue the deuil here than to reigne with Christ ther Further that the tokens of goddes prouidence maye more manifestly appere that the Lorde which knoweth aforehand thinges to cum doeth prouide for the true healthe of his when a certeine companion in office and felowe priest with vs being now wearied with sicknes and trobled with deathe euen at hand desired a sauecondute to be geueÌ„ him ther stode by him as he praied and being now at deathes dore a yoÌ„g man in honour and maiesty worshipfull of stature tall of countenaunce so cleare and bright that the carnall eye of man could scante abide to behold suche a one standing by him but only because he the should go out of the worlde might now abide to loke vpoÌ„ such a one And he not with oute a certeyne angre of minde and voice groned said you are afraid to suffer departe hence ye will not what shall I do to you this ys a voice of one rebuking and warning who will not consent to the present desire of suche as be carefull for persecucyon and careles for their calling hence but referreth the hole matter vnto the tyme to come Our brother and felowe in office heard that which he might declare to other For he the was now redy to die hearde these wordes to that ende the he might tel them to others he heard theÌ„ not for himself but for vs. For what should he learne being now ready to departe He lerned somwhat but that was for vs that here remayned that whiles we parceaue that the priest the desired saueconducte was rebuked we might knowe what was expedieÌ„t for euery one of vs. How often hath it ben also reueled vnto vs that are the lest out castes How often hath God vouchsaued manifestly to coÌ„maunde vs that we should diligeÌ„tly witnesse opeÌ„ly preach the we ought not to mourne for our brethreÌ„ which by ye. Lordes calling are deliuered froÌ„ the world forasmuche as I knowe the they ar not lost but sent before the they departing hence go before vs ought to be wisshed for as men the are gone furth on a torney or sailing and not to be lamented neither that we here should put on black gownes Morning for the deade in blacke gownes seing they haue receiued ther white garmentes that we should giue non occasion to the geÌ„tiles that they might worthely iustely rebuke vs because we mourne for them as thoughe they wer destroyed and lost which we saie doo liue with God and should with the witnesse of our harte and conscience reproue that faithe which we professe with our mouth and doice We ar traÌ„sgressours of our hope and faithe the thinges that we speake seme to be couÌ„terfaite fayned paited yt profiteth nothing to professe vertue in wordes to destroy the truth in dedes Thapostle paule also doth rebuke and blame suche as are sorowefull in the departing of their frendes â—
them to the bataile of persecutioÌ„ and suffering we must first of al declare that the ydolles which maÌ„ mateth for himselfe are no goddes for the thinges that are made are not greater than their mater neither can these ydolles defende and saue any man which wolde them selues peryshe from their temples except they were 〈◊〉 of man Neither ought thelementes to be worshipped which according to thordenaunce and commauÌ„dement of God do serue man The ydolles being ouerthroweÌ„ and the maner of the lemonies declared The. 2. chap. we must shewe that the Lorde onlye ought to be worshipped To these then must we adde what is the threatning of God against them that do sacrifice to ydolles We must teache furthermore that God wil not easely pardon Idolarers And that God is so greued with Idolatrie that he hathe also coÌ„maunded them to be slayne which haue enâ—ysed men to sacrifice and serue ydolles To these muste be added that the whiche are redemed and made alyâ—e thorow the blood of Christ ought to â—â—e ferre nothing before Christ because he preserred nothing before vs but for our sales he preferred aduersitie before prosperitie pouertie before ryches boÌ„dage before lordship death before immortalitie CoÌ„trarywyse we in our sufferinges preferre the ryches and pleasures of paradise before worldlye pouertie the dominion and euerlasting kingdome before temporall bondage immortalitie before deathe God and Christ before the deuell and Antichrist We ought also to bring to remembraunce that none that are escaped out of the deuelles clouches and delyuered from the snares of the worlde shoulde desire yf they happen to fall into affliccions and troubles to go forthe againe vnto the worlde and so lose that they had escaped But rather that they ought to endure continue in faythe inthe truthe and in the perfectyon of the heuenly and spirituall grace that they maye artayne the victory and crowne We must also shewe that afflictions and persecutions doo therfore happen that we maye be tryed And that the sufferinges of wronge and batailes of persecution ought not to be feared because the Loide is more myghty to defende than the deuel is to fight against vs. And to the intent no man should be afrayde and trobled thorowe afflictioÌ„s and persecutions which we suffer in this worlde we must proue that it was toloe beforehaÌ„de that the worlde should hate vs and that it should stire vp persecutions against vs that the truthe of Goddes promise in rewardes that shal hereafter folowe myght manifestly appeare by this self thiÌ„g in that these persecutions do happeÌ„ Neither dothe any newe thing happen nowe vnto christians for asmuche as good meÌ„ from the beginning of the world haue ben persecuted the rightful haue ben oppressed and Filled of the vnrightfull Last of all we must declare what hope and what rewarde abydeth the rightfull men and martyrs after the afflictions and passyons of this liffe and that we shall receiue more in rewarde of our suffering than we suffer here in the self afflictyons The first chapter THat ydolles are no goddes and that none of thelemeÌ„s should he worshipped in goddes stede is manifest in the Cxiij psalme The ydolles of the geÌ„tiles ar gold siluer Psal 113. the workes of mens handes Mowthes haue they but they speake not they haue eyes and see not They haue eares heare not neither is ther any breath in theyr mowthe Let them be like vnto them that make them In likemaner in the boke of the wisdome of Salamon it is writen Sap. 15. They haue estemed as Goddes all thidolles of the nacions which haue neither eyes to see neither nostrels to drawe brethe neither eares to heare nor fingars on theyr handes to feale Their fete also are vnhapte and sloo to walke For man made them and he that hathe a borowed spirite fashtoned them But no man can make a God like vnto him selfe For Seing he ys mortal that is also but a deade thing which he fashioneth with vngodlye handes For he that maketh them is more excelleÌ„t than the thinges which he worshippeth We reade also in the boke of Exodus Exod. 2â— â–ª Thou shall not make for thy selfe any grauen ymage neither the likenes of any thing Further as touchiÌ„g thelementes Salamon saith Neither toke they so muche regarde of the workes that ar made Sapi. 1â— as to knowe who was the craftesman of them but some toke the fire some the aire some the winde some the course of the starres some the great water some the SuÌ„ne Mone for goddes But thoughe they had suche pleasure in their veauty that they thought them to haue ben Goddes yet sholde they haue knowe howe muche more fairer ys he that made them Or yf they marueled at the power and workes of them they might haue perceiued therby that he that made these mighty thinges is mightyer then they The .ij. chapter THat god only ought to be worshipped we reade in Deuterono Deu. â— Exo. 〈◊〉 Thou shalt worshippe thy Lord God and him only shalt thou serue Also in Exo dus Thou shalt haue non other gods besides me In like maner in the same boke of Deuteronomy Se now how the I I am he and that ther is no God besides me Deu. 32. I can kil and make aliue I strike and heale againe neither is ther any that can deliuer any man out of my handes Apo. 14. Iohan also in the reuelacion saithe And I sawo an Angel flie in the myddes of heaueÌ„ hauing an euerlstaing gospel to praethe vnto them that litte and dwelle on thearthe and to all nacions kinreds tonges and people saing with a loude voice Feare God rather and giue honour to him for the howre of his iugement is com and worshippe him that made heauen and earthe the sed and all that in them ys In like maner also the Lord maketh mentyon in the gospell of the first and second comauÌ„dement saing He are Israel The Lord thy God ys one Lord And thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy harte Math. 22. and with al thy sowle and with al thy strenght This ys the first commaundement and the second ys like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe In these two coÌ„maundementes-consisteth the host lawe ê‘phetes And againe This is eternall liffe Ioan. 17. that they should knowe the alone the true God Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent The .iij. chapter VVhat God threatneth to theÌ„ the do sacrifice to ydols we maye reade in Exodus thus Exod. 22. He the offereth vnto any goddes saue to the Lord only shal be roted out Also in the Deu teronomye Deu. 32. They offered vnto druels and not vnto God Esa 2. In like maner in Esay They worshipped the Idolles which their owne fingars had made Ther kneleth the man ther falleth the man downe before them so that thou canst not bring him awaye froÌ„ theÌ„ce And againe To them
that were slayne but all suche also as standing manfully in the stedfastnesse of their faythe and in the feare of God haue not worshipped the ymage of the beast neither haue consented vnto them in their haynous and cruell proclamacions lawes That we shall receyue more in rewarde of our suffeting thaÌ„ are the paynes and afflictions whiche we nowe endure the blessed Apostle Paule dothe proue which beyng thorowe goddes fauour taken vp into the thirde heauen into paradise 2. Cor. 12. witnesseth that he herde wordes that can not be vttered which glorieth that he had thorowe secrete faythe sene Iesus Christ which hauyng certeine knowlege of the truth professeth that which he had bothe learned seen sayeng The afflictioÌ„s of this lyfe are not worthy that glorye which shal be shewed vpon vs. Rous. 8. Who is it nowe that will not labour with all his strenght to attayne so great glory that he maye be made the frende of God and immediatly reioyce with Christ That after these worldly tormentes and paynes he may come to the diuine and heaueÌ„ly rewardes Yf the souldears of this worlde thinke it a glorious matter after they haue oucrcome thennemy to returne into their couÌ„trey with triumphe howe muche more noble and excellent a thing is it after we haue ouercome the deuel to returne into paradise triumphing And he beyng subdued which before deceyued to beare with vs the tokens of victorye into that place from the which fynful Adam was cast out To offer vnto God a most acceptable sacerfice that is an vndefiled faythe the sounde vertue of the mynde the bright prayse of godlines To folowe him A descripcion of the glori of eternall liffe wheÌ„ he shal come to take vengeaunce of his eunemyes To syt on his syde when he shall syt to iuge To be made an heire an nexed with Christ To be made equall vnto the Angels To reiuyse together with the patriarkes Apostles and prophetes in the possession of the heauenly kyngdome What perfecucion can ouercome what tormentes can ouerthrowe these cogitacions and thoughtes The mynde that is grownded vpon godly meditacions abideth strong stable And he whose hart is strenghtned with a certeine and sounde faithe of thinges to come standeth immoueable against al the terrors of the deuell and threatninges of the worlde The eyes ar shutte vp in the persecutions of the world neuertheles heaueÌ„ is opened Antichrist doeth threaten but yet the Lord Christ doeth defende deathe is brought in notwithstaÌ„ding immortalite doeth folowe after The world is violeÌ„tly pluct from him that is slayne Neuerthles paradise is geuen to him that is restored The temporall life is destroied but yet theternall is repaired O how great is the dignue how great is the saffety to departe hence Ioyfully to departe hence gloryously among afflictyons and tormentes In a moment to close vp theyes wherwith men and the world war seen and immediatly to open againe the same to beholde god and Christ O how swift is this departure to be conueied froÌ„ thearthe sodenly and to be situate and placed in the celestical heueÌ„ly kingdome These thinges ought to be considered in our hartes and myndes vpon these thinges ought we to study muse bothe night and daie yf the daie of the persecuting of Christ shall finde suche a sowldear the vertue which is redy for the rewarde can not be ouer come Or if he shal be preuented called hence before the faithe which was redy vnto martyrdome shall not be wtout rewarde Rewarde is geueÌ„ God being iudge wtout hinderance of tyme. In ê‘secution the sowldearfare in peace the coÌ„scieÌ„ce is crowned God being iuge Amen Th ende of thebofe of exhortacion to marurdome Th argument of the Epistle folowing By this Epistle S. Cipriane exhorteth the people that dwelt at Thibaris to fepe and endure in the coÌ„fessioÌ„ of Christ with a pure mynde perfit fayth and Godlye deuocion CipriaÌ„ vnto the people of Thibaris c. THad decreed and was fully purposed most dearely beloued brethren yf the state of thynges coÌ„uenient tyme wolde haue geuen lyberty to haue come my selfe vnto you according as you haue ofteÌ„ desyred beyng present to haue ther strenghtned the brotherhed with our exhortacion to the vtter most of our power The Image of a true bishope But forasmuche as thorough vrgent great busynes we are thus wtholden letted that we haue no lybertye to go farre froÌ„ hence to be long absent from the people which thorowe goddes mercy is coÌ„mitted to our gouernemeÌ„t I haue in the meane tyme sent you these letters in my stede and rowme For it is our deutye seyng the Lorde dothe vouche saue often tymes to pricke vs forewarde to admonish vs to extende forth the care of our instruction warning vnto your coÌ„science also For ye ought to knowe for a certeintie to beleue holde that the day of troble beginneth to houer ouer ouer heades that th ende of the world the tyme of Antichrist draweth neare that we al may stande ready to the bat taile 1. Ioan. 2. that we thinke vpon nothing but only of the glory of eteruall lyfe the crowne the shal be geueÌ„ to theÌ„ the coÌ„fesse the Lorde Neither let vs thinke that the thinges coÌ„ming are suche as ar alredy passed A more dauÌ„gerus crueller fight houereth now ouer vs vnto the which Christ his souldiers ought to prepare theÌ„selues with an vncorrupted faith strong vertue the laye people dranke the cuppe of Christes bloode in Cipriaenes tyme 〈…〉 ToÌ„ sidering the they do therfore daily drinke the cup of the blodde of Christ the they maye also shede their blodde for Christ his sake For this is to desire to be fouÌ„de wyth Christ to folowe the which Christ bothe taught and dyd according to the sayeng of IohnÌ„ thapostle he that sayeth the he abydeth in Christe ought also to walk after the same maner the he walked In like maner exhorteth teacheth the blessed apostle Paule saieng Rom. 8. we ar the soÌ„nes of God but it we be soÌ„nes than are we also heires the heires I meane of God and heires annexed with Christ yf we suffer together with him that we may be also glorified together with him Al these thinges ought to be coÌ„sidered of vs at this preseÌ„t that no maÌ„ should desire any thing of the worlde which is now in dyeng but might folowe Christ which bothe liueth him selfe euerlastingly also maketh aliue his seruauntes that abide in the faithe of his name For the tyme is come most dearely beloued brethren which our Lord long sins warned vs of tolde vs aforehand that it wold com saieng The howre shall com Ioan. 16. that whosoeuer shall kill you will thinke the he doeth God seruice But these thiges wil they do bicause they haue not knowen the father neither yet me These thinges haue tolde you that whan the howre of them is come
ye might remember the I tolde you Let no maÌ„ therfore maruel that we are exceadingly trobled with coÌ„tinual ê‘secutioÌ„s ofteÌ„tymes vexed with paineful trobles seing that the Lord tolde aforehaÌ„de the these should happen in the last daies which the doctrine exhortation of his worde instructed prepared our fight warrefare Peter also his apostle taught that persecutions do therfore happen that we maye betried and that we thorowe deathe and sufferinges myght also be ioyned and knitte to the loue of God after thensample of the iuste men that went before vs For in his epistle he wryteth thus sayeng Dearely beloued wonder not at this heate that is happened vnto you 1. Pet. 4. which is come among you to trie you Neither fall ye awaye as thoughe a newe thing had chaunced vnto you but as ofte as ye are partakers of Christes passions reioyce in althinges that when his glorye appeareth ye may also be mery and gladde yf ye be rayled vpon for the name of Christ happie are ye For the name of the maiestye and power of God dothe reste in you Which verely is blasphemed of them but is glorifyed of you Thapostles haue also taught vs suche thinges as they theÌ„selues did learne of the Lordes preceptes and heauenly commaundementes the Lorde hymselfe strenghtning vs and sayeng Luce. 18. Math. 1â— Ther is no maÌ„ sayeth he that leaueth house or felde other father and mother other betherne or susters other wife or children for the kingdome of goddes sake which shall not receiue seuen tymes as muche in this world and in the world to cum life euerlasting And againe blessed shal ye be saith he when men shal hate you and shal excommunicate and baÌ„nishe you Mat. 5. and shall curse your name as wicked for the sonne of mans sake reioyce and be gladde in that daie for your rewarde is great in heauen The Lorde wold haue vs to be mery and ioyeful in persecutions For in the tyme of persecution the crownes of faithe are distributed and geuen than are Goddes sowldears tried Than do heaueÌ„s open vnto the martyrs For we haue not after suche maner professed souldearfare that we should thinke vpon peace only and should refuse and forsake the fight Forasmuche as the Lord the mastre of humilite patience and sufferaunce hathe himselfe walked in the selfe same souldearfare the he might first do that thing himselfe which he taught to be obserued of others and might himselfe first suffer for vs that which he exhorted vs to suffer Set allwaies before your eies dearely beloued that he which alone hathe receiued al iugement of the father whichshal com to iuge all meÌ„ hathe euennow aforehand pronounced the sentence of his Ingement and knowlage to come Math. 10 shewing aforehaÌ„d witnessing the he will confesse theÌ„ before his father that coÌ„fesse him will denye theÌ„ the denye him Yf we might auoide escape death No man can escape death we might iustely feare to die but seing that of necessite the mortall must die let vs embrace thoccasion which God by his promise hathe vouchesaued to offer vs And let vs so ende our life that we maye receiue the rewarde of immortalite Neither let vs be afraide to be slaine seing yt ys manifest that we are then crowned when we are slaine and killed Neither let any maÌ„ most dearely beloued brethren betrobled Flight for feare of persecutioÌ„ whan he shall se our people driuen awaie scatered thorowe the feare of persecutyon and shall not see the brotherhede gathered together nor heare the bishoppes preache and declare the scriptures S. Cipriane vseth this worde brother heads We vnto whom it is not lauful to kill but must of necessite be killed can not than be al gathered together Whersoeuer any of the brethren shall in those dayes be for a season seperate from the flocke in body and not in spirite thorow the necessitie of the tyme let him not be troubled thorowe the terriblenesse of that fleing neither let him be afrayd when he departeth to hyde himselfe in the wilsome wildernes For he is not alone which hathe Christ to his companion in fleing He is not alone which keping the temple of God is not without God whersoeuer he shall happen to be And yf the these and murtherer shal destroye the as thou arte fleyng into the wildernes and mountaynes yf the wilde best shall assaile the yf hunger thurst or colde shall pinche the or yf the tempest or storme shall drowne the when thou doest by see hastely flee awaye Christ abydeth and loketh for his soul dear whersoeuer he fyghteth And he geueth vnto him that dyeth for the honour of his name in the tyme of persecution that rewarde A comfort for suche as are preuely pined murdered in presons which he hath promised to gyue in the resurrection Neither is the glory of martirdome any whit the lesse thoughe a man dye not openly amoÌ„g many when Christ his cause was thoccasion of his death For he is a sufficient witnesse of his martirdome that tryeth martirs and crowneth them Abel Let vs most dearely beloued brethren folowe the ryghtful Abel which beganne and consecrated martirdomes when he was the first that was slayne for ryghtfulnes sake Let vs folowe Abraham the frende of God Abraham which delaied not to offer vp his sonne in sacrifice with his owne handes when thorowe a deuouce fayth he obeyed God Let vs folowe the thre children Ananias Azarias and Misahel which being nether feared thorow their tender age nor discorraged thorow captiuitie wheÌ„ Iury IerusaleÌ„ were ouercome takeÌ„ ouercame by the power of faythe the kyng in his owne kingdome Which beyng commaunded to worship the ymage that Nabuchodonosor hade made ouercame bothe the kynges threatninges and the flamyng fyre Crieng out and testefieng their faith which these wordes Dani. 3. We haue no nede O king Nabuchodonosor to make the any aunswer touching this mater For ther is a God whome we serue able to delyuer vs from the fornace of the burnyng fire and he shall delyuer vs O king from thy handes but if he do not let it be knowen vnto the the we will not serue thy goddes neither wil we worshippe the golden ymage which thou hast set vp They beleaued that thorowe faith they might escape neuertheles they added but if he do not that the king might be certefied that they war also able to die for Goddes sake whome they worshipped For this is the power of faithe and vertue to beleaue and knowe that God is able to deliuer froÌ„ present deathe yet neither to feare nor giue place to deathe that faithe maie be tried the better Out of theyr mouth brake furth the vndefiled in uincible strenght of the holy goost the the wordes which the Lord spake in his gospel might appeare to be true whaÌ„ they shall laie haÌ„des on you saithe he be not carefull what ye shall speake