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
Thes 4. We will not saieth he haue you to be ignozauÌ„t brethreÌ„ touching them that are aflepe that you should not be sorowefull as suche that haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus died rose againe eueÌ„ so God shall also brig with him theÌ„ that haue slept in Christ He saieth the they are sorowefull in the departiÌ„g of theirs that haue no hope But we which liue in hope beleue in God truste in Christ that suffred for vs and rose againe abiding in Christ thorowe him rising againe in him why do we our selues either refuse to departe heÌ„ce or mourne sorowe for our freÌ„des departing hence as thoughe they wer lost Seing that Christ him selfe the Lord and our God doeth warne vs saieng I am the resurrectioÌ„ he that beleueth in me althoughe he die yet he shall liue Ioan. 11 â–ª euery on that liueth beleueth in me shall not die for euer yf we beleue in Christ let vs geue credite to his wordes promises and we shal not die euerlastingly but we shall come to Christ with a ioyfull safety with whome we shall liue reigne alwaies But wher as in the meane tyme we die we doo but passe by deathe vnto immortalitie neither can a man attayne eternal life except he happeÌ„ to go out from heÌ„ce it is no end but a passage after this teÌ„poral iorney is finished a going ouer vnto euerlasting lyfe Who wil not make hast to go to better thinges Who wil not desire to be chaunged and fashioned a newe after thymage of Christ to coÌ„ spedely vnto the dignite of the heaueÌ„ly grace accordiÌ„g as Paule thapostle preached safeng our conuersacion is in heauen from whence we also loke for the Lord Iesus Christ Phi. 3. which shall transforme our vile bodye make it like vnto his gloriouse body The Lorde Christ also him selfe doeth promise that we shall be such whan he praieth the father that we maye be with him and liue with him in theuerlasting seates and reioyce in the celestiall kingdomes father saith he I wil that where I shall be those whiche thou hast geuen me maye be with me also Ioan. 17. and maye see the glory which thou hast geuen me before the worlde was made He that shall com to the seate of Christ and to the glory of the heauenly kingdomes ought neither to mourne nor tament but rather according to the Lordes promise and the beleaue of the truthe to reioyce in his translation and iorney Thus do we finde that Enoch which pleased God was translated For thus in the boke of Genesis Goddes worde testifieth and saieth And Enoch pleased God and was not afterwardes founde bicause God had translated him This was the reward of pleasing God to obteyne to be caried out from the infectyon of this worlde This the holy Goost teacheth also by Salomon that they which please God ar plucked quickly hence spedily deliuered Sapi. 4. least that they tarieng long in this worlde might be defiled with the handelinges of the same He was caught awaie saithe he lest thorowe malice his vnderstaÌ„ding should chaunge For his sowle pleased the Lord â–ª therfore he made hast to briÌ„g him out from the myddes of wickednes Thus the sowle it self being addicte vnto God maketh hast in the psalmes also vnto the Lord thorowe spiritual faith as it is writteÌ„ Psal 83. O Lord of hostes how louing at thy dwelling places my sowle desireth and maketh hast vnto the courtes of God yf is his parte to desire to dwelle long in the worlde whose delectacion is in the worlde whome the flattering and deceitful worlde doth allure with enticemeÌ„tes of earthy pleasures Furthermore forasmuche as the world hateth the christian why louest thou him that hateth the and doest not rather folowe Christ which hathe redemed the and loueth the Iohn in his epistle crieth speaketh and exhorteth that we shuld not folowiÌ„g carnal desires loue the world â— Ioan. 2. saieng loue not the world neither the thinges that ar in the world Yf any man shall loue the worlde the charitie of the father is not in him bicause all that is in the world is the lust of the fleshe the lust of theyes the pride of the worlde which is not of the father but of the lust of the world and the worlde shall passe awaye with his lust but he that shall do the wil of God shall abide for euer euen as God abideth for euer Furthermore let vs most dearely beloued brethren be ready with a ê‘fecte mynde a stedfast faithe stroÌ„g power to obey all the will of God let vs banishe the feare of deathe and thinke vpoÌ„ immortalitie that foloweth Let vs shewe our selues to be that that we beleaue So that we neither mourne for the departure of our deare freÌ„des and whan the daie shall come of our owne calling hence we may without delaye and gladly go at the Lordes call This thing forasmuche as it should be done of Goddes seruauÌ„tes alwaies muche more at this present it ought to be obserued Seing the world is now in decayeing and beseged with the blonsteriÌ„g teÌ„pestes of deadly euilles that we which doo see greuous thinges to be already begoÌ„ne and knowe that more greuous hang ouer our heades should counte it the greatest gaine if we maye departe hence quickly Yf the walles of thine house were so olde that they shoke and the roofe ouer the did treÌ„ble the house being now weried being now tired the buildinges falling downe for age did threateÌ„ an ouerthrowe to be at hande woldest thou not with all spede get thee out Yf a troblesome stormye teÌ„pest and the waues being lift vp with a violent winde did aforehande shewe the a shippewracke comming woldest thou not saile in to some hauen with out delaye Beholde the worlde shaketh and decaieth and doeth declare her owne downe falle not now with the age but with th eÌ„de of thinges and doest not thou giue thankes to God and reioyce on thine owne behalfe that thou art quickely takeÌ„ hence and deliuered from the daungers shippewrackes plages that are houeriÌ„g ouer vs We ought to coÌ„sidre most derely beloued brethren and often tymes to thinke that we haue forsaken the worlde the we liue here but for a tyme as straungers and pilgrimes Let vs embrase that daye which may appoiÌ„te euery one of vs his dwelling place which doeth restore vs to paradise and to the kingdome of heauen after that we ar taken hence and deliuered froÌ„ the snares of the world Who being farre out of his owne couÌ„trey maketh not haste to returne home Who making haste to sayle to his frendes and kinsfolke wolde not earnestly desire a prosperous winde that he might the rather imbrace his dearely beloued We reken that paradise is our countre we beginne now to haue the patriarches for our parentes why do we not make hast ruÌ„ne that we maye se our countrey hat we maye
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
you haue powred out your drinke offeringes and to theÌ„ you haue offered your sacrifices shal not I be angry with these thiÌ„ges saieth the Lord In like maner Hieremy saith walke not after strauÌ„ge goddes to serue them worshippe theÌ„ not Hiere 7. neither prouoke me thorowe the workes of your haÌ„des to scatter you abrode Io. also in the reuelacioÌ„ saithe Apo. 14. If any doo worshippe the best and his ymage shall receue his marke in his forehead or in his haÌ„d he also shal drin ke of the wine of Goddes wrathe myngled in the cuppe of his wrathe he shal be punished with fire brymstone in the presence of the holy angels in the presence of the lambe And the smoke of their tormentes shal asceÌ„de vp euermore Neither shal they haue any rest daye or night who so euer they be that shall worshipe the best his ymage The .iiij. chapter THat God wil not easely iê‘don ydolaters it appeareth by Moses in Exodus the praieth for the people and yet obteyned not Oh Lorde saithe he this people haue synned a great synne Exod. 32. and made for them selues Goddes of gold yet forgeue them their sinne I beseche the yf not wipe me out of the boke which thou hast writeÌ„ And the Lord said vnto Moses I will put him out of my boke that hathe synned against me In like maner whan Ieremy praied for the people the Lord spake vnto him saieng Iere. 7. Thou shalt not praie for this people thou shalt neither geue thankes nor byd praier for theÌ„ for I wil not heare them in the tyme that they shall call vpon me in the tyme of theyr troble Ezech. 14. Ezechiell also threateneth the same wrathe of God against them the synne against God saieng and the worde of the Lord came vnto me saieng Thou sonne of man whan the land sinneth against me and goeth furthe in wickednes I shall stretche out myne haÌ„d vpon it and destroy all the prouision of their bread and I will send huÌ„ger among them to destroye man best in the land And thoughe Noah Daniel Iob these .iii. meÌ„ war amoÌ„g theÌ„ yet shall they deliuer neither sonnes nor daughters but shall them selues only be saffe In likemaner in the furst boke of kings it is writeÌ„ yf one man synne agaist an other 1. Reg. 2. they shal make intercession vnto the Lord for him but if a man synne against the Lord who shall praieÌ„ for him The .v. chapter THat God is soangrey with ydolatry that he hathe also coÌ„maunded theÌ„ to be slayne which haue entised others to offer to ydolles and to serue them we reade in the Deuteronomy Deu. 13. Yf thy brother or thyne owne sonne or thy daughter or thy wiffe the lieth in thy bosome or thy frende which is as thine owne sowle vnto the entise the secretly saieÌ„g let vs go serue strauÌ„ge goddes the Goddes of the geÌ„tiles thou shalt not coÌ„sent vnto him nor herken vnto him neither shal thine eye spare him nor kepe him secrete but shalt vtter him Thine hande shall be first vpon him to kill him and than the handes of all the people To be short they shal stone him and he shall dye because he went about to turne thee awaye froÌ„ the Lorde thy God And agayne the Lord speaketh and sayeth that a cytie ought not to be spared althou the hole tytie shall coÌ„sent to Idolatrie Yf thou shalt heare saye of one of thy cyties which the Lorde thy God shall geue thee to dwel in that they saye Let vs go and serue straunge Goddes whiche thou haste not knowen Thou shalt smyte kill with th edge of the sworde all that are in that cytie and thou shalt burne the cytie with fire it shall neuer more be inhabited Yea it shall neuer be buylt againe that God may turne froÌ„ his fearce wrathe And the Lorde shal shewe the mercy and haue compassioÌ„ on the and multiply the yf thou shalt heare the voice of the Lorde thy God and keape his coÌ„mauÌ„de mentes Mathathias beyng myndfull of the force of this coÌ„mauÌ„dement slewe him that came to thaltar to do sacrifice 1. Mac. 2. But yf before the comming of Christ these coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes touching the worshipiÌ„g of God and despising of ydolles war obscrued keapt How muche more ought they to be keapt after the comming of Christ Forasmuche as he at his comming did not exhorte vs with wordes only but also with deades which after he had suffred al maner of iniure is and reuiling wordes was also crucified to teache vs by his example bothe to suffer and die that who so euer he be that will not suffer for his sake should be vtterly wtout excuse forasmuche as he hathe suffred for vs. And seing the he hathe suffred for other mens synnes muche more ought euery maÌ„ to suffer for his owne synnes And therfore in the gospel he treatneth and saithe who so euer shal confesse me before men Math. 10. him wil I also confesse before my father which is in heaueÌ„ but who so euer shall denye me before men him wil I also denye before my father which is in heaueÌ„ In like maner thapostle paule saithe Yf we die together with him we shall also liue together with him 2. Tim. 2. Yf we suffer with him we shall also raygne together with him Yf we denye him he shall also denye vs. Iohan also saieth â— Ioan. 2. he that denieth the sonne hathe not the father he that confesseth the sonne hathe bothe the sonne and the father Wherfore the Lord dothe exhorte and strenghten vs to despise deathe Math. 10. saieng Feare ye not them that kil the body but can not kill the sowle but rather feare him which can kille bothe sowle and body in to hell fire Ioan. 12. And againe he saieth he that loueth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his liffe in this worlde shall preserue it vnto eternal liffe The .vi. chapter THat we which ar redeÌ„pte made aliue thorowe the blode of Christ ought to preferre no thing before Christ the Lord speaketh in the gospel and saithe he that loueth father or mother aboue me is not worthy of me Math. 10. And he that taketh not vp his crosse folowe me is not worthy of me In the Deuteronomy it is also writeÌ„ in like maner Deu. 33. They that saie to father or mother I knowe the not the parents that haue not knoweÌ„ their owne soÌ„nes these haue keapt thy commaundementes and obserued thy testament Rom. 8. In like maner saieth thapostle Paule Who shall separate vs from the charite of Christ shall tribulacion or anguishe either persecution or hungar either nakednes or daunger or the sword as it is writen For thy sake are we killed al the daie long Psal 43 and are cownted as shepe appointed to be slayne Neuertheles in all these thinges we ouercome thorowe his helpe that
be made hote in to the which after they war made hote and set on fire he commaunded that he which had furst spoken and had most prouoked the king to anger thorowe the constancy of godlines and faithe should be throwen in the fried But they furste plucked out hys tonge whiche had confessed God and cut it of What martyrdome hathe ther ben more glorious For the tonge whiche had confessed the name of God ought it selfe first to go to God Afterwardes they inuented more bitter punishmentes for the seconde For before they tormented his other membres They of a purposed hatred againste God plucte of the skinne of his heade with the heares and all For seyng Christe is the heade of man and the heade of Christ is God he that dyd so bocherly teare the martyrs heade did persecute in the head God and Christ But the martir hoping in his martirdome and assuring him selfe of the rewarde of the resurrection thorowe the gifte of God cryed out and sayde Thou thorowe thy power destroyest vs from this present lyfe but the kyng of the worlde shall rayse vs vp that are deade for his lawes in to the eternall resurrection of lyfe The thirde beyng demaunded to put forthe his tonge did it quickely For he had nowe learned of his brother to contempne the payne of cutting of the tonge He did also constauntlye stretche forthe his handes that they myght be cutte of and was very happye in suffering this kynde of punishment For asmuche as it was his fortune wyth stretched out handes to be made like vnto the Lordes passion in this suffering ▪ The fourth also with like corrage dispising the tormentes and answering with an heauenly voice to the kinges confusion cryed out and sayde It is beste for vs beyng put to deathe of men to haue our hope and truste in God to be raised agayne of him vnto eternall lyfe As for thee thou shalt haue no resurrection to lyfe The fyfthe besydes that thorowe the strenght of faythe he trode vnder the fote the bocherly tormentes of the king and many cruel paynes he was also strenghtened thorow Goddes spirite to a foreknowlege of thinges to come and prophecied vnto the kynge that bothe the indig nacion of God and also his vengeaunce wolde shortlye folowe vpon him Thou sayeth he hauynge power amonge men for thou arte a mortall man also thy selfe doest what thou wilt But thinke thou not that Bod hathe forsaken our generacion Abide the behold the great power of God after what maner he wil torment the and thy seade O what an easement was this of martyrdome howe great howe excellent was this comforte In his sufferinges not to thinke vpon his owne torments but to tell furthe the punishememtes of his tormentor In the .vi. not only godlines but humilite also ought to be commēded in that the martyr chalenged no thing to him selfe The humilite of Martyrs neither did he with proude wordes bost of the honour of his confession but did rather impute vnto his owne synnes that he suffred persecutiō of the king and as touching vengaunce that should folowe he committed that vnto God He taught martyrs to be shamefast to hope in God for reuengement and to bragge no thing in their sufferinges Be not vainely deceiued O king saieth he For we suffer here for our owne sakes bicause we haue synned against our God But thinke not thou to escape vnpunished scing thou hast attēpted to fight against God The wōder full mother also which was neither discorraged thorowe the weakenes of the kinde nor trobled with the manifolde lacke of children behelde gladly her sonnes dieing neither did she only consider their paines but also their glories and thorow the vertue of her eies she offered vnto God as great martyrdome as did her sonnes in the sufferinges tormētes of their membres After the six war tormented and slayne ther remayned yet one of the brethren vnto whome the king promised riches Lordeshipe and many thinges that at the lest by ouercommīg of one his fearce crueltye might be cōforted he desired that the mother together with him The xāple of a godly mother wolde be a meane to ouerthrowe her sōne She intreated her sonne But after suche sorte as became a mother of martyrs as it became one myndeful of the lawe of God As it became one that loued her sonnes not wantonly but strongly She intreated him in dede but that was to confesse God She intreated him that he being a brother shoulde not be separate from his brethren in the felowshipe of praise and glory Than reconning her selfe to be a mother of seuen sonnes yf it might be her fortune to bring furthe seuen to God and not to the world She therfore arming and strenghtning him bearing thā againe her sonne which a more happey birthe saied vnto him O my sonne haue pitye vpon me that bare the .ix. monethes in my wombe and gaue the sucke thre yeres and norished brought the vp vnto this age I beseche the my sonne loke vpō heauen and earthe whan thou hast considered all thinges that are in them vnderstande that God made them and mans generacion of nothing Therfore my sōne feare not this hāgman but suffer deathe stedfastly like as thy brethren haue done that I maye receiue the againe in the same mercy with thy brethren Great is the praise of this mother in exhorting to godlynes but greater was her praise in the feare of God in the truthe of faithe bicause she warranted neither her selfe nor her sōne any parte in the honour of the .vi. martyrs neither did she beleaue that the praier of the brethren should profite to the saluacion of him that denied She rather persuaded him to be partaker with them in suffering that in the daye of iudgement he myght be founde among his brethren After these thinges the mother dyed also together with her children For this was nowe most cumbely for ber to be ioyned vnto them in the felowship of glory whom she had borne and fashioned to martirdome and that her selfe myght also folowe them whō she had before hande sent vnto God And that no man should by any deceitfull occasion offered him either to recante or any other waye embrace the wicked gyft or rewarde of deceyuers Let vs also speake of Eleazarus Eleazarus 2. Mac ▪ 6. who hauyng libertie geuen him by the kinges seruauntes to take suche fleshe as was lawful for him to eate should but fayne himselfe to eate of the sacrifices vnlawful meates that were brought in and so deceiue the king He wolde in no wyse consent to this deceyte sayeng that it became neither his age nor his noble stocke to fayne himselfe to do that wherin many myght be offended and brought into error Thinking that Eleazarus being nynety yeres olde had forsaken and betrayed the lawe of God and were gone to the maners of straungers Neither dyd he thinke it any worthy matter by offendyng God
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