fulfilled that the Lord hath spoken of to or against his enimies he him self sayth I say vnto you that if my disciples holde their peace in preaching yet the very stones in the stréetes shall giue their voices and sound my glorie And now is the same in fulfillyng amonge the faythfull for that our aduersaries enimies and persecutors doe what they can and doe vse as many lettes and impediments as may be to defeÌ„d vs from speakyng with our proper tonges the commendation praise and glorie of our sauiour and iustifier Iesus Christ But he himselfe in place of one tongue which they tie wil loose vntie and commaunde a number innumerable to speake prayse and glorifie him worlde without ende The long beardes of the persecuted ouer growen so greatly their garments to vncleane rotten and torne with the filthie vncleane filthinesse of the pryson the biting bitter taunts their enimyes byte them with the cordes halters and stringes they tye them with the engines they vse to strangle them with they all will God coÌ„uerte into tounges which with one voice shall vse so great a harmonie as is most wonderfull to the superlatiue prayses of our moste benifitiall brother and head Iesus Christ And shall discouer that hée onely is our Lord and redéemer and we so persecuted the faithfull witnesses of hys truth and rightuousnesse Those tyranicall tirantes and pestilent persecutors can not heare thys heauenly harmonie that so highely soundeth with so excelent an accorde bycause their owne impietie hath so deadly be deafed them Yet all those whiche are sanctified by Iesu Christ shal hear it and also some of them being waked by it will desire to be consortes complisses and companyons with vs in our crosses vppon coÌ„dition they might be made mates with vs in so greate delight witnesses of so beautifull a rightuousnes dyuine sanctification the which the Lorde hath giuen vs to possesse Our death shall be no more barrein theÌ„ was the death of Iesu Christ whose footesteppes we must follow God will make that the verie ashes of our bodies shall fructifie and bée a cause to make many faythfull chosen children to shewe themselues Bycause that many hearing and séeing our firmenesse in fayth of the gospel and vnderstanding our constancie at our death wherewith we are strengthened from aboue will open their eyes for to sée it and so acknowledge him the author thereof for their father And reduce theÌ„selues to his obedience renouncing the seruice of Images Idols leaue altogither the false religioÌ„ of Antichrist his coÌ„federates For that the wordes of our sauiour Christ must néedes be fulfilled who sayth if a grayne of wheat being cast into the earth doe not dye it remayneth alone whole fructifieth not but if we die it bringeth foorth much fruit as to vs is wel experieÌ„ced likewise if it be in the garner or sheafe in the barne it abideth barren beareth no fruit So that to die suffer in the Lord increase commeth therof as of a grain of wheat that dyeth in the earth and more aboundantly manifold To the iudgement of the worlde and of our flesh by our death we are drawen into perdition but it is verie false and an vntruth for in very déed we die to arise againe to beare and carry most copious aboundant plentie of fruit to our glorification with God the father and to the imitation of his sonne Iesus Christ who brought forth more aboundancie and plentie of fruit by his death then he did by his lyfe So that those which suffer doe fulfill that which the holy ghost speaketh of the faithfull they which haue béene called and iustified sayeth he it is conuenient that they be also glorified bicause that by their death they might fructifie to the glorie of God and bée ioyned togyther and glorified with hym God hath ordeined to sublimate and exalt them that be his So that not onely their persons be liuing instruments of his and their glorie but also their passions serue to the same effecte And thus euerie one of them doeth verifie that which the Apostle S. Paule speaketh of him self saying I doe suffer and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my fleshe for his bodies fake which is his churche or congregation So that the passions that euerie one of vs hys members doe suffer is to the filling vp of the measure of conformitie that euerie member of the same bodie oughte to haue with the head Wherefore euery one that is persecuted and killed for the truth endeth the filling vp of his part of that measure and remayneth wholy made conformeable vnto Christ he hath distroyed the whole bodie of sinne and left a confirmation to the rest his fellow members of his patience and constancie bicause they are to passe by the same way after Christ and so come togyther to bée gloryfied with him in his kingdom It appeareth howe our troubles paynes and passions are dignified by reason of the communion that is betwéene the head and his members The holy Ghost doeth call and terme them the afflictions and passioÌ„s of Christ For as by the calamities which he did suffer in his own proper person God was glorified he him selfe lifted vp on high So that by those which we suffer being his faithfull shall we be gloryfied togyther in and with hym Bycause that as he dyd suffer béeing our heade we must also suffer that be his members An excelent comfort against the feare of death vvith a confutation of his povver c. The xxix Chapter ANd therefore sithe hée hathe thus honored exalted vs that he hath made vs wytnesses of hys trueth and of the sauing health that hys sonne dyd bryng into the world and hath sublimate our passions in such sort as consecrating them in his own person that he doth call them his owne wil be glorified in them And also for that our death is so precious before him that he wil take from the world so many liuyng instruments into his presence to hys glorie there is no cause to the contrarie but that we should stifly stand to the professâ—on of hys truth the giuing of our liues ioyfully for the same There bée some which for the vanities and thyngs of thys worlde will ventour lyues goodes and all that they haue yet it sodeinly perisheth The truth of God neuer perisheth no more can none the trust therein Why doe we then flye from being glorifyed with him sith we are no lesse certaine thereof then we are of our passions persecutions troubles death He loued vs with so feruent an effect and so serued vs that he did not rest till tyme that he dyed with wounds of our loue And shall wée bée so vngrateful as to saue or kéepe our liues from him not to venter them with the lyke loue to honour hym likewise with them if we could Shal we so forget
from vs is but lent vs in this worlde But that which God hath giuen vs for our owne I meane the celestial riches which we are heires vnto to inherite for euer they can not be taken away although they doe the worst they can That which is ours is giuen vs for our owne with a pryuiledge irreuocable that we be his children inheritors of his kingdom and partakers of his glory That we also be his inheritance a dwellyng place for him to dwell in for euer with our selues also in him S. Peter doeth reioyce that we doe liue in him eternally and doe holde and account him for our God father and doeth giue thanks saying Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the which according to hys aboundant grace and mercy hath regenerated vs agayne to a lyuely hope by the resurrection from death of our Lord Iesus to enioy an inheritaunce immortall not contamynate but incorruptyble and vndefiled reserued in the heauens for those which are kept by the power of God thorough faith to obteine saluacion So that being kepte by the power of God which passeth strength of castles or any thing els what euill or harme can come or happen vnto vs. Thou dootst hyde them in the secret of thyne owne presence priuilie from prouoking the pride of men sayth the Prophet Dauid also further thou doost hide them as in a tabernacle frō the stowte caluminate strifes of euil tongues So that the greate brauery and boysteous bragges that the wicked doe braue with all it cannot hurt vs For that their pride theyr peuishnesse their caluminates their strifes theyr subtilties nor yet theyr generall and wicked coūsells cannot gréeue vs No more cannot the gréedye gréeuous rauuen nor hawtie hate of the diuel pearce nor penitrate the place where GOD dooth hide vs. That which did happen or fall out to Iesus Christ the same shall happen vnto vs For as he was whipped spoiled spitted on bloud drawen from nayled vppon the crosse otherwise iniured and blasphéemed did remaine the sonne of God and could not bée taken away nor let from callyng and acknowledging of hys God father and continued the redéemer of the world So lykewyse the faithfull the more they bée dishonoured dispoyled condempned cursed and iniurioustie handled the more they remayne alwayes the children of God and hys spirit doeth lyue the rather alwayes in them by the which they inuocate call and acknowledge hym for theyr father So that it foloweth that the worlde and all the greatnesse thereof I meane the tiranous tirany of the persecuting wicked worldlings with all the tirany and cursed crueltie they can doe can not hurt vs. To confirme make vs more strong in our faith the holy ghost by the prophet Dauid doeth declare vnto vs that all which our aduersaries dooe commit thonder out and threatten against vs and the Gospell is in vaine For he saith the gentiles fret rage and fume furiously and the people inuent vaine thinges The kings of the earth doo conspire and the princes and rulers of the Earth doo gather them selues together against the Lord and Christ his annointed It is vayne and shall take none effect at any tyme in vs nor yet nothinge at all that they can afflict vs with be it interior or exterior Bicause the Lord our god hath ouercome all our enimies aswell those which are visible and séene as those which are inuisible not séene And hath ouerthowne them in suche sort that they shal neuer more lift vp their heads against vs And thereof it accreweth and groweth that all is in vaine that they doo or can doo against him that hath ouercome them And moreouer all is in vaine that any fury can doo against the faithfull so that their iudgements and condempnacions are all in vaine For that if the iudgement of God can not preuayle agaynst them bycause they as the Apostle sayeth are knitte in Iesus Christ Howe can any of the iudgementes of theyr enimyes in any point preuayle agaynst them Vaine are their sentences and excommunications agaynst them for that God hath communicated them in Christ and made them partakers of his ryches It is a common practise among them to confiscate spoyle robbe the faythfull of their perishing ryches But yet in vayne bycause that Iesus Christ who is their true ryches will not bée robbed from them Their bodies are imprysoned yet hée reigneth in theyr liberties to ioy reioyce comfort and recreate theyr hartes Moreouer they are burned and receyue other kyndes of death to the imaginations of the persecutors bycause they should not lyue but they shall neuer dye For Sainct Paule sayth your liues are hydden with Christ in God. Fynally theyr instrumentes and other weapons the which they take vp to vse theyr cruelties with it is but in vayne agaynst them I meane agaynst the faythfull for that he that sitteth and is resident in the heauens sayeth the Prophet shall deryde and make a mock at their folly the Lord will laughe them to scorne for theyr great foolishnes They doe think them selues to be of the number of his chosen and yet the more they doe impryson and kill the very chosen in déed so muche the more soouer they thinke to recouer his heauēly kingdom a great mockery no doubt and is no more but as it were an Emmet should fighte with an Elephante or a foolishe flea with a foule Cammell Were it not also foolishe phoprie for a man to fight with a shadowe thinkyng it to bée a man of might Surely they doe none other which persecute fight against the faithfull Of whome the Prophete speaketh saying God hath put his faithfull in safetie so that no harme can touch them and where in no wise they may perish by the peuishnesse of any pelting persecuter There is none that séeketh to hurt or harme them but playeth the part of him that pusheth and fighteth with his owne shaddowe Against the Gospel the kinges princes the wise learned and holy in the world haue discouered and shewed openly some of them their knowledge suttelties threats othersome their valiency might and all of them doo affirme say that they doo nothinge but vpon a zeale of christianitie But that is such a zeale as he the gouerneth the Gloabe and in the heauens dwellith doth deride laugh and make a mocke at And doth threaten that in place and lue of the same he will speake to them in his ire and vex them in his heauy displeasure And also chastise them with an horrible and terrible chastisemēt as he hath done from the beginning and that hath béen séene in our daies But sith it is so and that all is vaine that they doo or can inuent against vs that dooe knowe and beleue in Iesus Christ that he dooth deride mocke them in their doings Let vs not feare their foolishnesse and folly
farre better in the worlde to come both in being and suffering It is not lawfull nor requisite to depryue our selues of our liues nor yet to desire death for any euill that happeneth whatsoeuer for whye it perteyneth onely vnto God to take and giue life accordyng to hys good will and pleasure Hée dyd make vs and can vnmake vs when it pleaseth him hée willeth and desireth nothing but onely that wée be readie and doe gyue our selues wholy to his honour and glorie in suche sorte as he hath prescribed vnto vs by hys worde Whyther it be with losse of life if néede requyre or worldly possessions It maketh no matter bycause that so is executed the offyce indéede of true and perfect disciples What reason haue we thē to feare death for a thing so holy and of such rightuousnesse if it were not for that wée thynke that hée with his vglye and lothsome lookes would haue seignorie ouer vs and take vs into hys rule or Lordship when they so cruelly kill vs If we will giue credit to the word of the Lord we shal clear and plainly sée that then we die not we can not die These same are the words verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word beléeueth in him the sēt me shal haue life euerlasting and shal not come in cōdempnation But hath alreadie escaped from death to life He saith also I am the resurrection the life he that beleueth in me although hée were dead yet shall he liue And also all that liue beléeue in me shall neuer tast of sée death nor yet dye These are the true wordes of Gods owne mouth by the which we be fully assured that there is no death at all to them that beléeue in Christ Iesus and that in béeing his he hath alreadye dyed for vs and wée shall dye no more For that by him death is alreadie distroyed and hath no more but as it were the name thereof onely to the faithfull S. Iohn in his reuelation calleth death to the faithful a rest from traueils And in deed to die or departe this lyfe is onely to vs a rest most comfortable with God our lord The lyfe which we liue in this world diserneth not the name of life bicause it is so full of perils daungers but by death as our enimyes terme it we are vppon a sodaine taken foorth of them and deliuered from all and so brought into rest and ioye eternally And therfore S. Paul right wel did desire to be desolued or loosed from his bodie and to be with Christ to ioye of that full libertie alreadye spoken of Iesus Christ dyd distroye death and as death had no power ouer hym no more hath he in none of his members He him selfe sayeth by the Prophet Osée death I will be thy death S. Paule writeth that death hath lost the victorie and is swallowed vp therein And death where is thy sting hell where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the power of sinne is the lawe But thankes be to God that hath giuen vs the victory by our Lorde Iesus Christ So that death hath no power nor naught els wherewith to hurte the faithfull for sinne is the weapon wherewith hée woundeth the which is distroyed by Christ so is death ouercome thus the lyfe that is in vs is eternall and we shall neuer dye And that which our aduersaries offer vnto vs is but a representation of death the which alreadie wee haue ouercome by our conseruator and heade Christ Iesus by whom we possesse the victorie Of the cause that Christ did feare death and hovve constant diuers martirs haue bene sithens in their martirdome c. The xxx Chapter THe cause why that our sauiour séemed to fear death was onely to shewe him self in his manhoode and that he had taken vppon him the sinnes of all mankinde bycause he would winne the victorie of all his enimyes so dryue away the doubt that was in the amased myndes of the faythfull And also to shewe that bicause de dyed death was kylled thereby and could haue no more power ouer vs The true credite and beliefe héereof dearely beloued is verie requisite and necessarie for vs. It hath béene séene that many seruants of God animated by beliefe or faith in the truth of the same haue taken their crosses with great courage ioye and contentment of mynde as if they had gone to feastes of greate honour or as if they ledde a tryumphant Bryde by the hande to sette hyr in some beautyfull throne with the Brydegroome That vertuous Virgyne Agatha when shée was caryed to death out of pryson where long shée had bene with no great worldly delyghtes I warrant you for professing the truth in the Gospell which faithfully shée beléeued sayde that euen then shée went to feastes or a feaste of greate ioye Saincte Vincent or that good holye confessor being laide vppon hoat burnyng coales a broyling for the same trueth made a mocke at his masking persecutors and sayde that the like crosse and death to any Christian was great cause of ioye to hym and all his companion members The godly man Ignacius Bishoppe of Antyoche in the persecution that the terrible Tyrant Traiano committed and vsed against the christians beyng by him an Infidell and his fidell confederates condempned to bée throwen vnto wylde beastes to the ende that most terriblie hée should bée torne in péeces by their terrible téethe Hee hearyng the roaryng of the Lyons prepared amongest other their panyons to execute the sentence gyuen so against him said with great ioy I am the wheat of Iesu Christ which shal be ground by the téene sharp téeth of those execrable beastes to bée made pure and cleane vnto the Lorde And by report of an english mā my friend this translator there was in Essex where as he was borne in England diuers faithfull witnesses as Wats Hawkes Pigot Cawson Ardely Sympson with many others there and as well in other countreis with in the sayd Realme did most ioyfully receiue valiently stande to their tryall by the fire and in the myddest thereof with great gladnesse of their forewardnesse in getting the victorie dyd imbrace the golden flames of the same eche of them saying with great courage O Lord receyue my soule and Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redéemed mée O Lord God of truth Moreouer many of them in going therevnto gladly and in a most triumphant maner like men goyng to moste gladsome ioyes would with great and mightie good will bid their friendes farewell and so in token therof and of the sure hope which they had in the méeting of God and his heauenly company as well those gone before as they that were to come after would drinke a cup of burned wine vnto them as wel therfore as also to moist a little their sences whereby they might be the
to haue done it but they had no power to doe it theyr strength fayled them Doest thou not knowe saide Pilate that I haue power to loose and frée thée and also to crucifie and kill thée He answered and saide thou haddest not if it were not giuen thée from aboue so muche power as to touche mée No more can those which now doo séeke to afflict the faithfull they can not so muche as filloppe them with their finger if God woulde to the contrarie for that hée hath not so little regarde vnto theyr liues corporall that hée will deliuer them ouer to their foes vntyll their full course be come runne out and expired From the time that Iesus Christ dyd first manifest himselfe by preaching vnto the world they dyd abhorre him till they had most cruelly condemned him and deliuered him vnto deathe yea euen the spitefull death of the crosse The will and mynde they had to kill him when he was crucified had contine wed of olde but the execucion thereof was then newly inuented but yet they could not atteine vnto it without the will of God. Euen so euer sithens the first hower that the worde of God and the true light thereof entred into Iermany England France and this our realm of Spaine and dyd begin to shine as the Sunne there were persecutours which did abhorre it and so doo continewe vntill this daye most mortally and cruelly and dyd and dooe kill all Christians which are quickned thereby with most extremitie They dyd alwayes will wish that which now they doo most wickedly they wer euermore enimies and contrary both to him and vs but they could not at no time conclude their desires till such tyme as God had let loose the power of darkenesse bycause thereby wée might bée examyned purified and tryed and then put into eternal glorie prepared for vs from the begynning And our persecutors afflictors and killers in all their persecutions and tirannie doe no more but fill vp the measure of impietie and sinnes of theyr fathers so full that they will make it runne ouer and bring vppon them selues all the bloud of the Sainctes which haue bene sithens the death of rightuous iuste Abell And therefore sith that men can doe nothyng and that man is no bodye nor nothyng of him selfe and also sith the power which they haue is giuen them from God onely to execute his will let vs not feare them Bycause that God hath commaunded vs not to feare men for that they can but kill the bodie wée can not feare them without greate offence Wherefore let vs giue eare heare that which the Lorde sayeth by the Prophette Esay and assureth vs of thou shalte bée my seruant sayeth hée I haue chosen thée feare not for I am with thée doe not declyne from mée for that I am the Lorde thy God and will fortefie and strengthen thée Thus wé sé that there is no cause whie wée should feare any humaine power hée doeth surely certefie vs that wée are hys seruantes that hée hath chosen vs and that hée is our God So that wée doe iniure hym greatly and filthilie offende hym when that in any poynte wée doe feare the mynisters of death corporall What other thing commeth by fearing of them but in giuing honour vnto them to dyshonour God who doeth defende and forbyd it But let vs beléeue hys promise and say with the Prophette thou arte our GOD and wée shall not die though our killers and persecutors doe neuer so much against vs Let vs beare this faith as a shield let vs not declyne from the right way nor yet be dismayd neither for feare of death nor yet of our persecutors For that therein is fulfilled all which is spoken of by S. Iohn which is that our heauinesse shall be turned into ioye By death is ended all our heauinesse and mournyng and there doeth succeede such ioye as no tongue can tell the which can not be taken away So that when the worlde doeth make greatest accounte that we are kylled lost and for euer vtterly distroyed and hath raysed vp enseignes of our greatest dishonour and infamie Euen then sayeth the holy Ghost by hys Prophet God will wype the teares from the chéekes of vs his chosen and wil take all our dishonours and cares He will turne all dishonour to the dishonorers infamie to the infamors and the abhorrors shall bée possessed with their own hatred The cōdempnation shall reuert to the cōdempners and theire cursse maledictiō death to the termygauntes theyr executioners But the faithful deliuered from all kynde of calamyties and aduersities and the couertures of their holinesse and rightuousnesse béeing distroyed and they wholy taken out of the power of their enimies shall bée put where shall be no more death no more plaintes cryes calamities nor griefes but where shall be the throne of God and of the Lambe and where they shall serue hym sée hys face and haue hys name in theyr foreheades And the Lord God shall lightē them and reygne for euer with them as it is written by Sainct Iohn And sith it is so what is there lost by leauing so tenebrous and darke a dungeon as is the filthie pryson of our bodyes so stinkyng as they are and by leauyng the world where all thynges are corruptible Shall wée feare those which séeke to kyll vs for Christes cause séeyng they procure vs thereby so blessed an exchange that our corruption shall bée turned into incorruption our mortalitie into immortalitie pouertie into ryches dishonour into honour imprysonment into libertye confusion into glorie heauinesse into ioye and our solitarie béeyng into the companie of God and his Saynctes for euer and to bée of the same number and equall with them in glorie Wherefore shall wée refuse to goe from this lyfe so abhominable to goe to that goodly mount Syon to goe to that beautifull Citie of God the newe and celestiall Ierusalem into and among that innumerable many and multitude of blessed Aungelles and Archaungelles the holy and true common wealth of the chosen where as without contradiction is alwayes done the good will of God. Shall we feare to come to this felicitie to the which we were borne and redéemed by the inestimable good wil and loue of God whereas we shal be made perfectly lyke to hym who dyd redéeme vs No let vs put away all those vain feares of the euils present in this world of the ministers therof and assure our selues to be ioyned with Iesus Christ whiche is ascended into heauen where as he sitteth on the right hande of God in hys maiestie with his right hande extended readie to take hold and receiue vs vnto him We holde it impossible in our carnall sence of vnderstandyng to suffer the fire and the terrour thereof that they vse in persecuting the little flocke of vs at this daye for that in burning vs they doe it by little
the cause thereof The .iiii. Chapter BVt persisting and going forewarde in suche estate as then was ours which was without Christ reputed as alients and straūgers to the common wealth of Israell and to the couenaunts conteyned in the testament and promise of reconciliacion voyde of hope and without God in this worlde It pleased him who is most ritche in mercy thorough his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen whē we were dead by sinne To quicken vs againe in Christe together with him by whose grace we be saued raysed vp made to sitte together in heauenly thinges through him notwithstādinge as I say that we were dead by sinne and at the brimme or brincke of our condempnacion yet he called vs to his knowledge that we might haue lyfe together in Christ Iesus and beinge so farre from him he called vs nigher by the power vertue of his most precious bloud And so sayth Sainct Paule in another place that God dyd set out and cōfirme his loue and charitie in vs for that we as yet beinge sinners enimies vnto him and so iustly condempned he dyd giue his own sonne to most direfull death to reconcile vs vnto him therby and to make vs partakers of his rightuousnes and sanctificacion So that the whole cause of our perdicion was in our selues bicause that by vs sinne had his first beginninge for that we dyd throw our selues so voluntaryly into his cursed handes who dyd dispoile and robbe vs of all goodnesse Wherfore God so louing vnto vs thought it most necessary for our saluacion to take all vpon him selfe for that wée might thereby obteine remission and forgiuenesse of all our transgression for euer And that being at the first true the condempnacion that we had deserued it might aswell be true the healthe and saluacion graunted to deliuer vs from the same So the holy Ghost dooth testifie vnto vs by the Prophet Osea sayinge from thée thy selfe O Israell doothe proceede thy perdicion and from mée onely doothe come thy saluacion And by the holy Apostle sainct Paule it is sayde that when the beninge kyndenesse and loue of our Sauiour God to man warde apeared he saued vs not by the workes which we had done and are vnrightuous but conformable to his mercy by the washing of the regeneracion or new birth and renewing of the holy ghost the which he hath shedde abundantly vppon vs by Iesu Christe our Sauiour for the iustifyed by his grace we should be made heires thorough according to our hope of the lyfe eternal Wherby it apeareth that of the calling by the which God dyd by is mercy most pitifully call vs vnto him dooth procéede all our health and saluacion Bicause as at the beginning God did make vs of himselfe without receiuinge any helpe of our partes and so gaue vs the being of men that we might be wholly his owne pure woork Euen so hath he now called vs and now that we be called he hath reformed and sāctified vs without our helpe in any thing that we might be his children If Lazarus were dead foure dayes buryed and stincking in his graue and coulde not frée himselfe therefro but the God dyd rayse him from death giue him a newe lyfe Much lesse may we frée our selues from death for that we be captiuated and buryed so by the help of sinne that we are much more deade stincking before God then was the corporall body of Lazarous to the sighte of men But as by the might strēgth vertue and power of that voyce with the which Iesus Christ dyd call him he was set frée from the prison stinge of death purifyed of all corrupcion restored to a new lyfe euen so we by the voyce of the same Lorde are raysed againe to a new lyfe Bicause god dooth call those things which are not as though they were For by the efficacie and strengthe of the voyce with which he dooth cal he doth giue a new being For the euill being of a sinner is as no being before god But in callinge himselfe to mynde to call vpon God with a feruent fearefull and louing heart vnfayned his louinge almightifull kindenesse will giue him a diuine essence participated ioyned with the same woord with the which he called him when as he had no sufficiencie at all to doo the woorks of lyfe We our selues in the estate which we were could not by any meanes doo any kinde of thing that might be pleasant or acceptable to God but dyd cōtinue still sléeping possessid of deathe without any féeling of lyfe We dyd not call nor séeke vpon God but were of the numbre of those which Dauid hath spoken of before which haue not knowen God bicause we called those dead which liue dyd séeke the things we knewe not And therefore it was sayde by the Prophet Esaye I am founde of them that haue not sought me haue apeared manifestly to those which haue not asked after me For that we should vnderstand that he onely did séeke vs dyd call vs and giue him selfe to be knowen vnto vs Yet we in the meane tyme were dronken with obliuion buried in sinne in all kinde of wickednesse also were possessid with the diuel whome we dyd obey in such sort that we accoūted his coūsell and workes for the vphouldinge and rule of our lyfe The cause why that God dyd so call vs out of that duskye darckenesse in the which we were to his admirable light was onely the loue that he had to vs in his sonne Iesus Christe by whome he dyd determine to saue vs By Christ Iesus sayth S. Paule we are chosen to the inheritance predestinated accordīg to the purpose of him which dooth will all thinges conformable to the councell of his diuine wil so that we which doo put our trust in him should be in all thinges for the setting foorth of his honour and glory Of the cause of our calling and redempcion Cap. v. BY the purpose counsell of GOD which he dyd ordeyne before the beginninge of the world that we might be partakers of his healthe and saluacion is the cause why he suffered vs to fall that wée might be made knowen vnto his son by whose merittes we should be made acceptable vnto him Sainct Peter sayth that we haue béene elected and chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in sanctificacion of the spirit to obey him and to be cleansed washed in the bloud of his sonne Iesus Christ Sainct Paule considering the goodnesse of god for his benefits so much vndeserued of men dooth giue thankes vnto him for himselfe and for all the faithful that haue béene called to the participacion thereof and sayth Blessed be God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe which hath blessed vs with all maner of spiritual blessing in heauenly things by Christ according as he had
chosen vs in him before the foundacion of the worlde was layde that we should be saincts without blame and irreprehēsible before him through loue and ordeined vs before through Iesus Christ to be heires vnto himselfe according to the pleasure of his good will to prayse the glory of his grace wherwith he hath made vs acceptable in his beloued So by the meanes that god hath elected and chosen vs from the beginninge in Iesus Christ is the foundacion vpon the which is grounded our vocacion by the which we wer called in time to inioy a participacion of that ioy and those good thinges for the which we were elected whereby we may perceiue that how firme soeuer the foundacion of our blessednesse is euen so firme and sure is our vocacion calling so firme true is also the iustice rightuousnesse and holinesse of heauē which by meanes of our calling is cōmunicated vnto vs We could giue nothing to god for our election bicause that he dyd electe vs before our essenciall beinge and when as we were not All the whole cause of our election was onely in Christe Iesu there was nothing in vs wherby we might be called nor yet nothinge whereby we might be iustified Bicause as it is afore sayde we were so fully possessed of the diuell and of sinne that euen of iustice we were allotted to an estate so naked and miserable as might be thought Wherefore of force we must néedes conclude that it is only the grace and good will of God that hath called vs by his Gospell for although we be callid we mai not come to Christe Iesus if that the Father drawe vs not giue vs eares to heare his voyce and a heart to conceiue and vnderstande what is his wyll For that he himselfe sayth none can come to me if my Father draw him not he dooth drawe vs vnto him bicause we should be pardoned by his rightuousnesse that the bond should be broken wherwith we were so surely bounde to euerlasting death For that as the Apostle sayth by the bloud of Christ Iesus we had our redempcion which is remissiō of sinnes according to the riches of his grace which he is moste aboundantly full of He was made to vs by God onely wisedome rightuousnesse sanctificaciō and redemption for that he which neuer dyd sinne was made a sacrifise for our sinnes bicause god would haue vs made rightuous by him so that he is our whole rightuousnesse and ful satisfaction before the diuine iudgement of his Father Bicause sayth Esay the euerlasting God dyd put vpon him all our sinnes which by the potencie power and might of his deathe he dyd destroy and dyd satisfie wholly to the diuine iudgement of God the Father and so obteyne full forgiuenesse and Remission of sinnes for vs. Thus that by him we are made rightuous and beloued of God for that if the diuell were so mightie to put vs in such condempnacion againste the which we had no remedy in our selues much more mightie without comparison is the rightuousnesse of Iesus Christ to giue vs true and perfect libertie and forgiuenesse of all the wickednesse with the which the diuell had fraught and filled vs Bicause as Sainct Paule sayth if for the delight offence and transgression of one deathe dyd rule and reigne by one muche more they which receiue the aboundance of grace the gyft of rightuousnesse shall rule and reigne in lyfe by one only by Iesu christ As by the offēce and transgression of one man condempnacion dyd come vpon all men euen so by the rightuousnesse of one man is come iustificacion of lyfe vnto all men And as the sinne of Adam dyd condempne to eternall deathe all that dyd discende from him euen so the rightuousnesse of Christe is cause by the which are iustified all that beleue in him are made heires with him of his heauenly kingedome Of our iustificacion by the rightuousnesse of god c. The .vi. Chapter GOd dyd not onely call vs giue vs his woorde but also by meane of the operacion and workinge of the holly ghost he did ingendre fayth in our hartes the which is armes and handes vnto vs to imbrace Iesus Christ with all his riches blessings And in this maner we are brought vnto him the which doothe confirme in vs the sayinge of Sainct Paule Christ did redéeme vs from the cursse of the lawe made himselfe a cursse for vs bicause we should receiue by fayth the promise of the holy Ghoste for that we had sinned all and were naked of the glory of God we were graciously iustified by his grace by the redempciō gotten by Christ Iesu the which God dyd purpose for propitiacion by faythe in his bloud to the ende that he would be founde iuste a iustifier of them that haue fayth in him Of grace you haue béen saued by fayth sayth Paule to them of Ephesus and this doothe not come of your selues for it is the gyft of God not by our workes for that we should not boast bicause we are his workes created in Christ Iesus Wherby it doth and may apeare that our iustificacion is a new creacion and a worke onely of god who as at the beginning he dyd create vs by the sounde of his word So nowe by the vertue potency and might of the same he dooth forme and make vs a newe in his sonne He dyd giue them saith S. Iohn power to be made the children of God to as many as doo receiue him by fayth that is to saye to as many as doo beléeue in his name The which are not borne of bloud of the wyll of the fleshe nor of mans will but by the will of god Whereby we sée that to be iuste and rightuous commeth not by nature nor by humaine industrie but by the frée gift of our Lorde God that of his owne proper good will doothe regenerate vs by the woorde of trueth All of vs saith S. Iames be the children of god bicause we haue beléeued in Iesus Christ and for that we doo know that man is not nor cannot be iustified by the woorkes of the lawe but by fayth in Christ Iesus And Sainct Paule sayth we haue also beléeued to be iustified by fayth in him and not by the workes of the lawe for no flesh shal be iustified by the woorkes of the lawe And so the Apostles dooe conclude that the benediction of Iesus Christe which was promised to Abraham and his séede should perteine onely to them which doo receiue him by fayth beléeuing in his diuine promises and doo aply vnto him all that is conteined in them Sainct Paule to the Galathiās sayth again all those that haue faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham bicause all that are of the workes of the lawe are vnder the cursse and malediction thereof So that it remayneth manifest that all those
are we his faithfull by the way and mean is onely that we might bear bring forth more copious plentious aboundance of true fruite So that Christ is he by whom we gaine Antichrist is he by whom those that folow him doe loose And Christ is hée that gayneth and Antichrist he that looseth Bicause that where he thought thinketh that by his tirānicall meanes he had and hath gotten a number for his owne of those persecuted lambes out of the handes of God he was and is deceiued for that Iesus Christ doeth possesse them most mightifully who will in no wise loose them He doeth vnyte and knit them with him selfe most streightly in and with the cheine or bonde of most vnfayned loue for that he will not vary from the truth of hys promyse with the which hée sayeth that neyther the force of hell the diuil death sinne Antichrist and all that they can doo with the helpe of all their mynisters is not so muche to preuayle agaynst them that bée elected as is his strength to preuayle in defence to kéepe them for the inherytance of lyfe euerlastyng which hée hath alreadie gyuen them from the fyrst day of theyr calling The wysedome of God is suche that hée knoweth perfectly that of or amonge all those which hée hath called there is none without sinne but are most subiecte and apte therevnto and to all kynde of wickednesse And yet notwithstandyng hée doeth accept them for hys own and knowing of theyr great féeble weakenesse will not the losse of one of them Iesus Christ dyd know right well that all his disciples would feare faynte forsake and deny hym yet although he knewe it at hys laste supper with most firme loue and fauourable affection he made them promises of performance of the whole summe of hys goodnesse tyll the end and in the end lyfe euerlastyng And did also declare vnto them that his death and passyon should bée to distroy sinne in them and their discendentes or successors and that they with them therby shuld receyue eternall lyfe How be it for all that afterwardes they did all fall feare faint did haue a doubt in him But yet for that he had taken charge ouer them with promyse of forgyuenes he did not deny forsake thē but had regard vnto them with such a loue that he would not suffer them to perish Although that wilfully with a wauering mind they had gyuen them selues into the perdurable estate of perdition yet hee with a francke frée and euerlastyng pardon dyd restore them to strength from thencefoorth against all kynde of weakenesse and infirmytie Vppon vvhat condition God receiueth vs vvith an excelent comfort to the Christian c. The xxiij Chapter SO that nowe although the ouercome with weaknesse we haue fallē vnderneath the crosse of froward furyous affliction and persecution yet God will not forsake vs bicause he hath elected accepted and taken vs for hys owne with promise of lyfe euerlasting Those which he at any tyme of his mercy doth take charge of he will not at no time suffer to perish but wil helpe them in all their necessities and cure theyr woundes to the glorification of hym selfe therein also giue them life euerlasting Bycause that when he doeth receyue vs he doeth it not with any such cōdition that we should doe any good of our selues be faithfull or perseuer in any goodnesse for it for that he knoweth our natures to be to to much corrupted whereby of force it doth and will doo to to much to the contrary But he dooth receiue vs with condicion that we should onely truste in him that he wil be our lyfe remittour pardoner and forgeuer of our sinnes our strēgth and perseuerance our Phisicion and medicine our maister our teacher our saluacion and perpetuall redéemer It is a most greuous offence to deny the truth of God and to giue our selues vnto lyes and errours It is most execrable before God to bereaue him of all worship due vnto him and giue the same vnto a beast it is a true testimony of our ingratitude and that we haue forsaken the lorde by whose liberalitie we haue receiued so great and mightie a multitude of benifits Go my people sayth the Lord by Ieremy the Prophet into the Ilelandes a farre of sée and consider attentiuely and behoulde If the people there dooe like vnto you if any of them doo change their owne proper gods for others which in déede are no gods yet you haue changed the glory of your god for an Idoll God dyd call vs bicause we should accompt him for our father that we should loue and worshippe him as our father he dyd take vs out of the most darcke and drowsie cloudes of deceit and errours and dyd discouer vnto vs that onely Iesus Christe is our moste gracious saluacion When that we went lyke children of perdicion worshippinge of stockes and stones he dyd reduce vs into the right waye when we were possessid of the diuell and of sinne he did deliuer vs from theyr mischeuous tiranny being a lost people he made vs his people treated and vsed vs as his owne people geuinge vs his worde for our spirituall sustenaunce He beinge our onely Lorde GOD and Father we dyd denye him in an Idoll the glory which he had geuen vs beinge his people we chaunged for vainest vanitie takinge in and allowinge of false doctrine and forsakinge of the trueth We haue left and forsaken our true and lawefull spouse Iesus Christ with whome we dyd contract matrimony by fayth in him as saythe the Prophet Oseah and haue commytted fornicacion in seperatinge oure selues from and denyinge the faythe that wée dyd vowe to haue in him when we receiued our Baptisme The Turckes nor the Mores doo dot refuse theyr religion no more dooe the Indians nor the slauishe subiectes of Antechrist denye theirs and yet is it false abhominable and full of lyes But we hauinge a religion so diuine and pure as is possible and also suche a benefite thereby as is wholly holy and trwe euen come downe from heauen the authour whereof is the LORD GOD almyghtie maker of all thinges doo deny it most shamefully for a vain feare of loosing our liues and yet our liues without gods true religion what are they better then liues of brute beastes surely nothinge at all what doo we differ from all other nacions vnder heauen but onely in that we doo know Iesus Christ the sonne by the reuelacion of the father and that we haue by him lyfe euerlasting And where as they walke in the darcknes of theyr misticall errours we if we be ruled by this true doctrine which he hath giuen vs doo walke in the light of lyfe by the worde of truth By vertue whereof and to be conserued and kept thereby God created all things If God had béene our enimie
worthie of the moste spytefull death of the crosse to professe the name of Iesu Christ and to acknowledge and confesse that hée onely is the redéemer heade and quyckner of his church Amongest such audiences and iudgement places of mischieuous mercyful nay rather mercilesse men there doeth aryse spryng procéede and growe nothyng but homicyde and suckyng of bloud from the beginning And therefore there can be nothyng in them but vnrightuousnesse crueltie which shineth in them according to the doctryne which they teach And how much the greater and more their tiranny is braueth against the faithfull their doctrine which is a moste pure truth So much the more pure celestiall diuine comfortable is it to the author therof who is Iesu Christ And therfore my dearely beloued be no more deceyued by reposing any truste or confidence at all in their mercy so mischieuous For whereas they so mercifully nay mercilesly doe suffer you to inioy the liues of your bodies they doe therein dispoile you of the liues of your soules which is the true fayth of the Euangelicall Gospell The maner of parte of the persecution in Spaine vvith a comfort against the lyke c. The xxv Chapter THe signes tokens and fruites that commeth groweth and are shewen of them is verie like vnto the mercie which is in them They giue for a liuery Saint Bennets coate which is in signe of pennance about a yarde and a halfe of yellow cloth with a hole cut in the middest thereof where through the recantantes doe put their heads so that the one halfe thereof is worne before on the brest the other halfe behynde on the shoulders the which hath twoo red crosses called by them S. BeÌ„nets crosses the one before the other behynd this they do appoint to be worne for certaine yeares within a certaine precinct vppon payne of death To signifie that by them and the wearers thereof the fayth of Christ is denyed that they bée wholy guided by the diuilish doctrine of Antichrist and the diuell his fellow to whome they are faythful with a fayth vnfayned most vnfaythfull to God that they haue chaunged the ioyes eternal for vaine ioyes and vanitie it selfe which perisheth and haue according to the prouerbe like a dogge torned againe to theyr vomit or like a sowe well washed torned againe and wallowed in the myre So that this signe or liuery is a perfect shew signe and token of the mischeuous minde that is in them and of theyr mercilesse mercy so vnequall to the true mercy which GOD dooth shew vnto his elected persecuted by them beinge his enimies wherefore we ought not to séeke nor trust to any other for mercie but onely to god nor to change his mercy for any feare flattery or crueltie whatsoeuer of men nor the diuell although they doo thonder it out with theyr dissembled sounde or voice neuer so fiersly Let vs vnderstande that the mercie which god dooth shew vnto his people is very great when that for his name sake our liues are taken from vs by such or those which ought to doe their best to kéepe lyfe in vs we may bée bold to take it to be a substancial and most certayne and sure signe that wée are partakers of and doe perteyne to the kingdome of God when that for his loue or for the confession of his name we be euill entreated and condempned of men and the worlde let vs not feare nor flée away so fast from death that for to liue eight dayes longer in this lyfe we will loose the lyfe euerlasting which is the true life a lyfe perdurable which neuer will haue end What other thing is the lyfe which they graunt vs by their mercy as they say but a cruell continuall death full of sorowes troubles of no coÌ„tinuance to true life but many times taken away dispatched by light occasioÌ„s Wherfore for that for so short a thing a thing of so momeÌ„tary a béeing we aduenture our humayne liues for eternall blessednes a lyfe that neuer shall haue end our lot or hap is the better more blessed in that we dye with such dishonors theÌ„ is the lotte of our persecutors though they lyue with neuer so muche péeuish popishe pompe Our death here is a true testimony of the life which we haue in christ with eternall resurrectioÌ„ by him and wher as they cruelly kil craftily coÌ„dempne vs it is an infallible signe testimony most true that they be clean from Christ haue no parte with them Blessed are they saith S. Iohn the dye in the lord And the prophet Dauid saith the death of the Sainctes are precious in the presence and sight of god And therefore our death béeyng a thyng which the Lord doth loue a testimony that we are blessed we ought not to feare it in no maner of wyse béeyng his children but rather to glorifie hym in the same to the imitation of the Apostles Let vs giue attentyue eare to the wordes of our sauiour Christ Iesus directed to them that will folow him He that loueth father or mother more theÌ„ me is not worthy of me he that will not take vp his crosse and folow mée is not worthy of me For whosoeuer will saue his lyfe shall loose it but he that wil loose his life for my sake the same shall saue it For what auayleth or profiteth it a man to win the whole world then to loose his owne soule or what may a man giue to redéeme his soule from death And also he that shall be ashamed of mée or of my worde before the men of this adulterous and sinfull generation the sonne of man shall bee also ashamed of hym when hée shall come before mée in hys glorie accompanyed with holy Angelles So that the forme and order of keping sauing our liues according to the doctrine of Iesus christ is to loose them by affliction for hys sake for the profession of his name And thereby it is manifest that we kéeâ—â— and saue our liues most sure wheÌ„ as and at such time as they doe take theÌ„ from vs for that by the meanes therof we are put in the hands of god Let vs not be ashamed of Iesus Christ nor of his word although they dishonour vs neuer so muche therefore but let vs rather account theyr most dishonored spite vsed towardes vs for our most triumphant honour and victory yea lette vs accompt euen the verye sweardes axes fleshookes stranggeling stringes paynted myters liueries of mockery faggots fire rackes boiling leade pitche rosen and tarre tortures and all other their instrumentes of torment to be enseignes of honour vnto vs badges of the eternall kingedome to the which we be brought by bearing and sufferinge of them Iesus Christ was the sonne of God and kinge of all creatures such a one as was promised by the Prophets But yet his crucifiers
God that did remember and know vs before the beginning of all things visible and did determyne all these his blessings for vs that we shall for euer be buried in obliuion and refuse so smal a thing as worldly affliction I pray you deare friends bretheren wherfore serueth our liues if we will be saued but to glorify him did we not promyse hym to aduenture all things to his glorie and honour wherfore then shall we reserue any thing to the detriment thereof Hée him self went before vs and dyd passe first thorough the pikes of persecution and affliction in the world hée is our head shall we theÌ„ stagger stop or stay in following him beyng hys members whose is the wealth and riches that we haue whose is our life or who did giue vs our honours did not he giue vs all bycause wée should glorifie him as his chosen faithful and beloued then for what cause should we let to glorifie him in all that euer we can or haue Haue we not sayde that with all and in all thinges Iesus Christ did glorifie his father and that we were chosen to be conforme and lyke vnto him And therfore sith we sée it is our duties let vs doe and indeuour our selues all that possiblie we may to accomplish the same at the least a parte that we mighte the sooner attayne to the whole in imitatyng that we might be glorified alyke with him For when wee serue him doubtfully and follow him waveryngly as if wée thought all to no purpose all that we doe in such sort is but in vayne of no validitie nor effect but rather falleth out cleane to the coÌ„trarie for that in doubtful dealing can no true seruice be done nor yet he be glorified So that all maner of doings or workes which are not to his glorie are lost of none effect nor valour but yet all that is done in true faith is of muche validitie and verie effectuall thervnto The which he will neuer forget bicause he doeth so loue vs that he is verie vnwillyng we should loose our labours in anye thing or spend our traueils in vaine He accepteth all that possibly may agrée with his iustice for the great desire and good will hée hath to bée our guarder sauiour kéeper and defender He asketh of his father for vs all things as well honour wealth and riches as healthe lyfe and saluation There is nothing that he taketh into his handes for vs but it taketh effecte in vs there is nothyng in the handes of our persecutors that hath any effect at all or securitie Why doe the foolishe phoppes infected with fylthie incredulitie and misbeliefe loose their lyues euerlastingly but onely bycause they trust not in God rather would saue their lyues to serue the world then lightly to loose them and to glorifie God and yet therein they loose for euer both lyfe and loue of him By the ryghtuousnesse of fayth sayeth Sainct Paule we are constituted and choseÌ„ heires of the world euen lyke vnto our father Abraham Then being heires thereof why doe we feare to put into the handes of God all that we haue Sith wée are sure to receiue it again bettered with so great aduantage He that shall ouercome sayeth the same Lord shall possesse all things I will be his God and he shall be my sonne Thus if we dye for his loue we doe ouercome in ouercommyng we enter into the possessioÌ„ of all things we haue God for our God and we be his true children if we be children we be also heires both in heauen and earth In what then should we doubt sithe to make so great and good an exchange we giue him nothyng yet we remayne with him and receyue all things We gyue nothyng vnto God bycause we haue nothyng that is our owne all that wée haue is his so that in giuing him all we giue him nothing And therefore let vs not be vnwillyng to yéelde all that we may vnto him sith he is so liberall magnificall in giuyng vnto vs all things yea euen till he had giuen hym selfe for vs but let vs loue hym accordyng to our callyng as Iesus Christ our onely sauiour redéemer health saluation and reconciliation and in any wyse let vs loue his honour and glorye more then anye worldlye thing Haue we not hearde of many of the Gentyles that dyd offer them selues vnto death and so desyre it that they kylled them selues wyth theyr owne proper handes onelye vppon desyre to bée delyuered from the paines and trauayles of the world their liues in it And vppoÌ„ some vain hope which they had and thought to finde by their immortalitie of the soule This they did vppon a certayne opynion which was foolishe had amongest a number of them yet they were not onely frée from worldly traueils by this immortalitie but also by their desperate dealinges to departe from their lyues in suche wyse they enâ—ered a new into ten tymes treble more torments yea a number infinite euerlastingly God doth not commauÌ„d of vs any suche maner of death but doeth most ernestly forbid it yet béeing animated by true faith as thus if we beléeue that our lyfe is his and that he is our lyfe so that when our tyme shall come and he shall call vs to render our lyues agayne to him of whom we hold them as tennants at his will that then we doe obey hym and yéeld them vp be it by fire sword halter presse Racke by wyld horsses Tigres Lyons wilde beastes or any kinde of crosse we doo but our duties and no more then we are bounde vnto And in so doing we shewe the fruits of our fayth hope in him proclaime crye out and preach vnto the world and shewe vnto the braue ministers thereof that we be none of theirs but his owne who hath bought and best payde for vs In this maner we shall also openly appeare to haue more estimation of his glorie and rather to fulfill his heauenly holy will then to séeke the maintenance of our liues in this world which perisheth togither with the people thereof He will not in any maner of wise that we run into any kynde of daunger rashly to procure our death Nor yet that we denie and so blasphéeme him to eschue or escape the same But rather that as tyed on a string wée should bée prompte and readie lyke faithfull seruaunts to follow hym so soone as he plucketh or calleth vs we may certainly assure our selues that hée hath counted and numbred our dayes and hath made such a determination for vs as we may in no wyse passe Hée hath put and inclosed our soules in our bodies as in a tabernacle to the end they should be wel kept and preserued vntyll hée hym selfe which put them there shall returne againe to call and receyue them So then in being called we ought not to refuse our filthie lodginges in thys worlde for that we are to receiue a
and little the more to increase our tormeÌ„ts for theyr reuenge onely bycause we confesse the trueth of Christe our maister whome they can not abyde Howe can it be sayth our blynd fleshsences but that suche crueltie must néedes ouercome our patience What other thyng may this bée called but a blasphemie wherewith we denie the myghtie potenciall power of God that which he is to vse to all the trust in him a mean to seperate vs from his crosse to which he dooth call vs so amorously and louingly bicause we might be gloryfied with Christ And therefore let vs not heare nor yet giue credit to any suche leasinges and errours Worldly men doo easily suffer those thinges wherin they féele some grief for their gain By these firy tormeÌ„ts wherof we haue such horrour there can be no kynde of harme nor griefe that is euill but rather a great and mightie blessednesse much more to our gayne wherefore wée ought not to beleue nor thincke that our pacience which God giueth wil be ouercome thereby From syx trybulacions the Lord will deliuer thée and in the seueÌ„th no maner of euill shall touch thée sayth the holy ghost by iust Iob the seauenth is the very last instant howre or tyme of death So that when it séemeth to sight that al our euills are heaped vppon vs and that our enimies doo vse theyr greatest tiranny and make account to haue gotten the victory and that wée remayne ouercome swallowed vp with all maner of mischief Euen then the same holy Ghost doth assure vs that no maner of euil doth touch vs. What occasioÌ„ is ther theÌ„ for vs to flie froÌ„ that which hurteth nor toucheth vs not or to make accompt that humain persecution will or can ouercome our pacience or thâ—â— our patience is not able to abide 〈◊〉 All things are possible to them that beléeue saith the Lord So that vnto such it is also certainly possible to haue patience to abide the extremitie and furie of the fyre and to suffer the same with great constancie It was patiently passed ouer by the Prophets in the olde time Euen so it is now to them that be holy faithfull and beléeue Bycause that which the Apostle sayth concerning the same must néedes bée true therein God is faithfull sayeth hée and will suffer no man to bée tempted more then he will make him able to beare but rather with our temptatioÌ„s he sendeth good successe bicause we may suffer Wherby it is most manifest plain that christian patience doeth not onely ouercome death executed by extremitie of fyre but also all the moste cruell kynds of deaths and torments that any Triant and all the Tirants in the world can vse deuise Bycause that with all the tyrannie they can execute God will not alter his purpose from accordyng to his worde nor leaue to admynister some one secret vertue or other to them that be his whereby they shall ouercome death tirannie hell sinne the diuill and all other kynde of mischiefes So full of compassion pittie is our high priest Iesus Christ that as hée ouerpassed temptations which happened to him selfe so will he also by hys power and might ayde strengthen all those which are tempted As the Apostle sayth if Iesus Christ in whom wée beléeue and for whom wée suffer doe knowe by experience our griefes and troubles and is not onely moste myghtie louyng and good to vs in our helpe but also doth suffer with vs as the heade with the members shall he be so weak in vs that he can not abyde the fyre or being strong as hée is will not he help vs in the middest therof béeyng principall in persecution and suffering the same with vs. Is it possible that God will forsake and leaue vs or that we should fear or doubt the same when that for professyng of hys name wée are by our enymies throwen into the myddest of the fyre or that wée should thinke God to bée forgetfull of hys louing chyldren and that hée loueth vs in wordes and not in déedes and truth Surely in so dooyng wée should much iniure hym and gyue hym greate cause to bée gréeuouslie offended with vs for it For vs to thynke that hys almightinesse will forsake vs in any necessitye it were an abhomynable actyon of vs if he haue not as in déed hée hath not forsaken but remembred vs in the greatest matters of a suertie hée will not forsake but remeÌ„ber helpe and deliuer vs in and from such trifles it were abhominable to think the contrarie much more worsser to beleeue it Well my dearely beloued bretheren and sweet fellow members I trust there is none of vs that doeth eyther beléeue or thynke any such thing but rather my hope is that we thinke and surely beléeue to féele his goodnesse according to the saying of the holy Ghost by Esay the Prophet who sayeth the Lorde God thy creator sayeth feare thou not for I haue redéemed thée and called thée by thy name thou arte myne and when thou passest by the water I will bée with thée the ryuers shall not ouerwhelme thée when thou passest by the fyre thou shalt not be burned nor the flames thereof shall not bende them selues against thée for I am the Lord thy holy God of Israell which kéepeth thée God hath alwayes in remembrance the benifite which he vsed in calling and makyng vs partakers of his redemption and in adopting vs hys children neuer to leaue vs. So that when it shall séeme to the iudgement of the world that hée hath left vs that is when he suffereth vs to passe into the middest of the fyre or any other torment euen then is he most nighest vnto vs and so nyghe in déede that he is closely ioyned with vs and temperating the furie of the fyre bicause it should doe vs no harm and for that it might appeare that he is both God and father to all his and will kéepe and defende vs from all euill in all tymes of torment and tribulation If the gates of hell may not preuayle agaynst vs how can the fire which is visible and corporall preuail against vs if eternal and euerlasting death haue no parte in vs how can any thing that is temporal and momeÌ„tarie harme vs will God deliuer vs from the greatest euilles and suffer vs to perish in the little ones no for a certeintie his euerlasting promise is to the contrarie A meruailous comfort to those that are afflicted eyther by fyre or othervvise The xxxij Chapter THe fyre and all things terestriall are creatures of God and serue for the health and wealth of his chosen and also for the distruction of his enimyes As it is written in the booke of wisdom Bycause the iust should bée sustayned and vpholden the fyre doeth loose his force furie for that it béeing a creature in seruing him that is his creator and maker doeth vse hys furies and inflame hym selfe to
any other rule to serue him by then that which he doth cōmaund and teach for a rule by the holy ghost Let vs not feare the creatures but the creator onely Let vs not take héed nor make accompt of things that be visible but of things which are inuisible Let vs not meruaile bée dysmayed nor afrayde of the crueltie of men but let vs behold and be inamored of the clemencie and goodnesse of God our good and louing father Bicause that he in all things is true let vs be louers faithfull and true vnto him Hée dyd not forget that he did knowe and elect vs to bée made conformeable and lyke vnto hys sonne hée doth alwayes remember and will neuer forget that hée called vs of his owne singuler mercie to vs warde and dyd let others alone in the same condempnatiō in the which we were and béeyng vnrightuous as we were in déede he did iustifie vs washe vs by the bloude of Christ bycause wée should be holy in his presence Let vs remember all this how he loued vs in Christ when we were his enimies and would not pardon him in his passions one iote Yet he did pardon vs and gyue hym self vnto death yea the most vile death on the crosse to distroy sinne the which but for hys mercye and loue had distroyed vs vtterlie and all bycause wée should haue life in hym Syth hée loued vs so then béeing so horrible sinners and hys cruell enymies it is most sure and certain that he loueth vs nowe muche better for that he hath so rebuked and killed sin in vs that we are reconsiled vnto him and hath also made vs the children of his mercie And therefore for that hée doeth so loue vs with the burnyng bowels of his true loue he will also gloryfye vs in Christe for why all that he doth vnto vs is to the same ende wherefore he wyll that we suffer whilst wee liue in this worlde that we might be partakers of the crosse and death of Christe also of his resurrection and gloryficacion So that to be like vnto hym in suffering heere he gueth vs to vnderstand that we shall be with him and like vnto hym in his kingdome and therefore it is very necessary that wee passe many tribulationes in entring therinto Wherefore with shuttinge our eyes to all the impedimentes of our glorificacion and with geuing no eare to the resons of our flesh and the world let vs run with pacience to the battayle wherevnto we are so louingly pressed lookinge to our chieftaine Iesus Christ who hauing before him as we haue such ioy as is vnspeakeable did willingly suffer his crosse nothing regarding the dishonor of hys death and is set on the right hande of God in his inestimable glory Thus considering the contradiction that his enimyes vsed to him selfe whilest be was on earth amongest them let not vs be troubled nor faint in our minds at any kynde of calamitie but with a great and stout courage let vs go forward and not stay to rest till that we haue gotten that Iewell which is his blessing and set vp for a pryse or rewarde for all those which perseuer vpryght and in the true knowledge of hys trueth and obedience of the same till the ende An entrie into the conclusion vvith many godly exortations The xxxiii Chapter ANd therfore let vs haue alwayes before our eyes the admonytion and counsaile that our onely sauiour Christ did often exhorte hys disciples with saying let your myndes bée possessed with patience and be ye prudent and wyse as Serpents and simple and innocents as Doues Let vs be therfore so wyse and prudent that we doe vse all things at all tymes to the glorie of Christ our redéemer Wherefore let not our wysedom bée cautelous and subtile with malyce agaynst God according to the worlde but according to the knowledge that we haue from God by his good will so that we may be guyded by the holy Ghost in all that we doe or suffer And let our innocencio bée no otherwyse but in such maner as wée may vouchsafe with good will to tast of the bitter gall hatred and enmitie offered vs by men so that we be not ignorāt of that we be not ignorant of that which belongeth to christianitie bicause that to be otherwise simple were but rudenesse and bestiallitie and no simplicitie euangelicall Let vs not be slow nor colde in the workes of the Lorde but with a feruente zeale to GOD with knowledge and Christian modestie Let vs follow our forefathers the Prophets and Apostles in our vexatiō calling that wée may haue all one selfesame féeling in Christ Iesus Let vs all and euerie one of vs confesse hym in all places and the rather that edification might come therby so that we cast not pearle amōg swine Let our communication be seasoned with salte of knowledge of fayth with the word of god so that it may be gracious acceptable to the hearers And let thē not be to scorne mock and murmour at the ignorant blind such as be alwayes vnder the clouds of errors curssed captiues vnder the emperie gouernmēt of the diuil but alwaies let vs speak with grauitie christian honestie in the fear of the lord Let vs vse our words with all honor reuerēce bicause we may stop the mouthes of euil curssed speakers constrain thē to say cōfesse the God hath his dwilling in vs Behold what the Apostle Peter writeth saith the hée that speaketh let him speak the words of God let him not onely pronoūce with hys mouth but also let the same come frō his hart So that whē we speak we should thinke bona fide from our hartes to be beléeued therby not to be hard onely bicause God is neither contented nor any thing pleased that we should onely haue him dissēblingly in our mouths nothing in our hartes wherfore doth he cōmaūd vs earnestly to engraue print his picture law gospel most déepely in our best booke of remēbrāces which is our hartes for that from thēce it might come to our tonges bicause it shuld not happen to vs as it doth to many which for the ther haue him but in their toūgs to talk of if they chaūce to be examined by their enimies what Christ is they do easly deny forsake fear remain doubtful of him are occasiō by their incōstācie for others to do the lyke bicause so shamefully slēderly they let slip their faith do doubt of Gods most mightie power But although the some of these weaklings do so let vs be firm in our faith not faile to shew the same in profession of true religion which assuredly came downe from heauen It is not the religion of men which is contented with wordes onely and outwarde shewes but it is of God which asketh first and principally the