shew that it is not against vs nor yet that hée is angrie with vs bycause he cannot let be nor leaue beare the fatherly affection that he hath towards vs Let vs enter into the withdrawyng place or chamber that hée doeth commaunde vs and then although hée séeme neuer so disformed outwardly yet we shal finde him inwardly such as he hath shewed hym selfe to bée in Christ that is to say a father full of mercy whose bowels doe burn with loue for and towardes vs So that then we need not to dispaire nor yet be dismayed in our selues Although the warres and contradictions of the wicked worldlinges and the worlde béee neuer so great agaynst vs or the misformed and the ilfauored face of death be neuer so gréeuous to our bodies which are mortall yet our most louyng father God almightie will not leaue but be with vs in the middest and greatest of all our temptations troubles vexations calamities and outragious griefes yea euen to their vtter confusion To all the faithfull that are vexed troubled surcharged or ouerloadeÌ„ with the crosse the holy ghost doeth giue aduice by Esay the Prophet in this maner Say vnto the weak and faint of hart comfort your selues and doe not feare behold the Lorde your God that wil take vengeauce on your enimyes and gyue vnto them payment accordyng to their deserte the same God shal come in proper person and saue you This is as much as if he had sayd I pray you heare me my dearly beloued friendes the troubles which you doe suffer is bycause you are myne and gouerned by my worde and for that you haue cast away the yoke of impietie and false religion and haue receyued myne looke not in exterior things which are troubles vnto your fleshe onely but know for a certeyntie that as there is nothyng that the worlde doeth more abhorre or that doeth more suffer the rage and furye thereof then you So for the contrarie there is nothing in the world that I loue better then you And therefore my children haue you a sure trust in me for I haue alreadie ouercome all those thinges that doe torment you and sith your enimyes doe not feare to molest make warre against you doe not you cease to receiue comforte in the ryches of my promyses whiche are yours and are for you If they doe accompt you for cursed and abhomynable doe you praye for them I saye pray and bée not wéery let not your hands be loosed but holde fast the sword of your defence which is my worde be of good cheare feare not bée stoute and of a good courage for why your enimyes doe fable and lye in all that they tell you I am not absente from you as they say but am alwaies with you present apte and ready to defend yon as I haue promysed I doe not abhorre you nor yet I haue not forsaken you but doe loue you and am so nigh that those which touch you doe touche euen the very balles of myâ—â— eyes I euen I saieth the Lord will take vengeance of them that trouble you I my selfe in myne owne person will deliuer you perseuer and goe forwarde constantly in a sure fayth and affiaunce in my loue for your aduersaries haue done what they can and yet know not what they haue don against you in me let the eyes of your harte be setled in me Although your sences be shut vp with smoke ashes and flames of fyre yet doe not think that I am fled or from you one ynch or any thing at all For I will not leaue you but bée alwayes present with you although you sée me not I my selfe am hée that doeth fight for you although you féele it not feare you not that your enimies shall ouercome you according to their determinations assure your selues that I wil giue you the victorie in the ende I haue promised it and I my selfe will fulfill it These and such lyke are the louing words of our good God and sauiour vnto vs that be his choseÌ„ such louing swéet amorous spéeches doth he vse vnto vs notwithstanding that we bée persecuted and afflicted with fyre and other kinde of crosses before we can come to him A persuasion to trust only in God and to avoyd all vaine trust had in any humain helpe c. The xx Chapter SYth therefore that we sée that our swéete God is so present with vs when we think him to be farthest of that he doeth loue vs dearely when wée thynke our selues forsaken and abhorred and that hée doeth not forgette vs when we thinke our selues farre out of fauour remembrance Let vs put our whole truste and confidence onely in hym for that he is altogither sufficient to and wil staÌ„d with vs for our defence in all our troubles and aduersities And also let vs saye with holy Iob Although he giue me vnto death I will not leaue to trust in him As our fleshe is the greatest enimy that wée haue so is it that which doeth make the greatest warre with vs Bicause it doeth not onely deny this fauourable presence of God but also doth not let to fyght agaynst it that is to say against the promises of God and doe leane and trust to things which are vaine thinkyng to bée defended and deliuered by the helpe thereof from all the harme calamitie and griefe that it doeth féele And so doeth not onely fall out to the contrarye but also is an occasion why that greater griefes doe folow And therfore it behoueth vs to be vigilant and to take héede that we doo not tempte God with puttyng anye vayne trust or hope in men whither they séeme or shewe to be good or bad faithfull or vnfaithfull for any thing touching saluatioÌ„ or dampnation For so the wicked by their wickednesse would deuise and be of strength and efficacy sufficient to blinde and bring vs into doubtes and like to dispayre by means of our doubtfull and weake beliefe Bicause that all of vs are full of that monstrous masse of sinne euer fallyng and in déede fully subiecte to fall into all kinde of miserie But let vs giue héede to that which the holy ghost doth commaund by the Prophet Dauid doe not trust in Princes nor in the sonnes of men bicause there is no health nor helpe in them Miserable are the successes of suche as put their trust in men For that as the Prophet Ieremy sayeth cursed is he that putteth his trust in man. Therefore let vs put our trust onely in God and depend and put our trust onely in his moste faythfull promises And so shall we be sure that he will fight for help and defend vs against the world the flesh all other the snares of the diuill As the Prophet Esay sayth if we beleue this word of the Gospel we haue obteyned victorie alreadie Bycause as S. Iohn sayeth our faith is the victorie that ouercoÌ„meth the world Saint SteueÌ„ being
in moste dispiteous or spightfull maner signe of mockery dyd make him naked dispoiling him of his apparreile cloath him at theyr pleasures with purple and put a réede in his hande and a crowne of sharpe thornes vppon his bare tender head they dyd wounde boffet his tender body with most cruell blowes and strypes of fistes and whips they made as it were a may game of him a king in mockery misconstruing the accompt which ought to haue bene had of him and accompted hym a man deceyued in his opynion a deceyuer of the people and not the sonne of God. Of the same sorte and in the lyke maner doe they deale at this day with and to the faithful the members of his blessed bodie our bretheren onely bycause they call them selues the children of God as in truth they are they doe spoile persecute thē euen vnto the death But they shame not to shew themselues if they be faithful in déed therfore they be not apparelled nor doo not were nor yet delight in the ornaments of honor which are vsed in the world bicause they be not thereof They doe onely apparell thēselues with the spitefull dishonors vsed vnto Christ in thē nothing ashamed therof they are hidden therby couered shadowed from the spite of wicked worldlīgs as he hym self was they are cloathed by their foes the enimies of God with S. Bennets liuery coate in significatiō that they are only allowed known of god though the world doe the contrary that he doeth loue them as childrē though the world doe abhorre them as fooles full of folly deceyued in their opinions of the truth great deceyuors Then are they tryed with a certaine kynde of thing on their heads lyke vnto a myter that is painted full of diuilles which doth signify the kingdom that Christ Iesus gayned for the elected when as hée did were the crowne of thorne did suffer his passion precious death so spitefull vppō the crosse by the diuilles painted theron we may vnderstād the sin hell death the diuil are already ouercome killed they haue no more force against them nor can doe no more harme vnto them then those vaine painted pictures Bicause euen as Iesus Christ dyd lyue héere vppō earth dyd wear those or such like cognisāces or badges of dishonor himself So now he doeth liue reigne vnder those ornamēts apparels in thē his own so scorned spited crucified for his loue and professyng of his name Sith he then is thus lyuing in them then by him in them is distroyed all the workes of the diuill Bycause as S. Iohn sayeth Christ came into the world to the same end Whereby it is manifest that those things by the which our persecutors doe thinke to dryue vs from the knowledge of God for that they know him not them selues are sure signes and perfect tokens of our probation tryall and of the certeine inheritance of his blessed kingdome Wherein after the ende of a fewe houres a moment or twinckling of an eye in effect wée are to enter and shall reigne most trivmphantly in great glorie for euer world without ende It is gréeuous vnto vs the faithful when in béeyng persecuted with the peruerse and crooked crueltie of men if any of vs doe happen to faint and for feare renounce to trust vnto the mercy and ayde of God yet by the gift of his holy spirit we doe not onely repent presently and are greatly gréeved in déede to thinke that so fondly we followed the foolish fleashly folly of our enemies and forsooke the blessed banner of Iesus Christ our carefull captaine But also we are then fresh of force in faith and are litle or nothing discomforted thereby nor do not thinke that much is lost though we did stumble stagger and fall by the crosse as aforesaide and so did doubt in the truth of Christe no nor yet we do not looke for our redirection from men nor momishe mamotes the piuish puppetly pelting patchery priests of Baall It is altogether by the good will and loue of God that we do remēber our selues how that we were not onely without sinne but also subiect greatly vnto the same and not onely to the euils of vs had in experience but also to all kinde of wickednesse by vs vnexperimented And also by his like loue wee do remember that God did make promise vnto vs that his mercy should be euerlasting to the humble and penitent with a speciall pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes without any more remembrance of them For as the father hath pittie and compassion vppō his children Euen so hath the Lord almightie pittie and compassion vppon all them that feare him Bycause he doeth knowe right well of what a myschyeuous massye moulde or mettall we are made off and doeth consider that wée are but dust And therefore sith that our Iehouah our most almightie God as a most louing father hath alwayes had mercy vpon vs let vs be most certainly assured that euen so he wil haue now and alwayes for euer Wherefore let vs forsake and cast of that curssed and execrable mercy offered of our aduersaries the condempnors of the Gospell otherwyse we are to forgo our partes and porcions of the true mercye of God which is at as greate enmytye and contrarie with and to their mercie as can bée Of the true similitude of the true church The xxvi Chapter FRom hēceforth neither let vs not feare nor doubt the trueth of Iesu Christ that is crucyfied nor yet beleue as the blynde doe for amongest the christians at this day the conditiō of Christ and the true doctryne of the Gospell is euen as it was when hée him selfe was conuersant on earth amongest our predecessors The rightuousnesse truth preached taught vnto vs now is so the very same that it was then all one Abhorred and euil spoken of by the world now as then Of those that be giuen to superstition holines such as the world doeth allow he is condempned to bée false fained And of those that be fully fraight with worldly affects wisdom he is condempned to be foolysh very ful of folly all of thē both one other doe condēpne him for an heritike ful of errours And also as at the fyrste he was condemned by the sayde holy and wise of the world the doctors of the law the learned the Bushoppes Prouisors Inquisitors Pharises Iudges of religion Euen so now are their others like vnto them so to be poped that they condemne both hym and his gospel together and as much as in them is they vse and set abroch to kill the heire our principall menber and to throwe hym out of the Viniarde And suche as goe aboute to reedifye and builde againe the Temple so longe layde waste they do reproue and séeke to dispoile them of the chiefe and principall cornerstōe of their
no none but with charitie for that is our callinge and therein are we taught bothe by the wordes and workes of Iesus Christe our swéete sauiour redemer pastour and shéepeherde Let not vs take any regarde at all of the euill and harme that our persecutours vse towardes vs but let vs chiefely regarde and looke diligently to that which Iesus Christ did amongst vs and commaund vs vnto The imitacion of him let vs not abhorre condempne nor speake euill of but rather let vs doo the contrary Let vs loue to imitate him and let vs doo the workes of loue The cause why that our enimies and afflictours dooe persecute vs is declared by our Sauiour Lorde Iesus Christ who sayth they shall cast you out of their Sinnagogs excomunicate you persecute you vnto deathe for my name sake shall thincke they doo therin to God very great seruice they shal do these thinges bycause they haue neyther knowen me nor yet my Father There is not nor can not be a greater mischiefe then to be ignorant of or not to know at all our God and Father almightie nor yet his sonne Iesus Christ The want of knowledge hereof maketh all them which lacke the same to be possessed of the diuell seruaunts of sinne and heires and inheritours of hell And also dooth make them to beare carry and mainteine continually a curssed cruel capital war against god heauen and all that is his The which dooth bring vnto them their vtter distruction perdicion for euer Their hell they doo alwayse carry with them their owne consciences doo condempne them bicause the worme thereof euer dying and neuer deade doothe and will for euer accuse them The iudgement of GOD doothe lye very heauy vppon them the Lawe hathe curssed them and the woorckes and déedes which they dooe in persecutinge the faythefull are euident tokens testimony of their vtter condempnation Bycause that those whom they persecute with persecutions slaunders condempnations curses cloathed with saint Benits crosses shut vp in close prysons and afterward burned are little or nothing touched thereby but Iesus Christ in them It is he it is he that beareth the spitefulnesse of their passions and Persecutions as hée hymselfe did declare to Saint Paule before his conuersion for when that he had cruelly persecuted the Christians our sauiour Christ sayde with a terrible voyce Saule Saule why persecutest thou mée What greater euill may be thought then to persecute our swéete sauiour and redéemer how can the wrath of God be more euident vnto to them then when they may sée that he careth not for them but suffereth them to fall and runne headlong into that loathsome lake of perdition and yet in vsing the same they think themselues in suche securitie of saluation that they solemnise their tiranycall dispositions as if they did solemly halow some festiuall feast And doe think they doe God good seruice Oh lamentable case that they know not the truth in those their wicked doings Sin hath so captiuated and blynded them that they estéeme light for darkenesse the truth of God for deceyueable errours and the rightuousnesse of heauen for iniquitie And therefore with the bowels of pitifull compassion we ought to pray to God for them beséechyng him of his mercy that hée will take them out of that so mortal deadly and dampnable estate Now then sith it is God that is the aucthor of our afflictious calamities and griefs if we take them at his hands they wil be healthfull for vs and make vs to be true imitators and folowers of Christ hys sonne so that we shall not at all dysdaine our enimies nor shal in no wise vse them euilly for euil but rather desire that they may be brought into the bowels of his loue and so reduced into the way of health With faintnes are we filled with edible wrath indignatiō against thē bicause we thinke that with their irefull hatred their caluminate strifes flaūderous reportes their false testimonies and burning desires to shead our blud they doo or can do as much grief or harme But if we doe vnderstande Gods diuine counsell a right doo not looke a wrye from his worde we shall and may know perfectly wel how impossible it is for thē to doo vs any kynd of dammage with all that euer they can doe or imagine whatsoeuer it bée If we doe but heare the words that the holy Ghost speaketh by the Prophet Dauid we may wel vnderstand sée that they can not preiudice vs in any thing at all An excelent comfort to the afflicted Cap. xiij HE that dwelleth sayeth he vnder the defence of the highest shall be sure vnder the shadow of the almightie The defence wherin doeth consist our sureste securitye is the fyrme truste and affyaunce that the Lords hath giuen vs to haue in him By the which we are made partakers of hys omnipotencie and as his omnipotencie is in securitie from all kynde of euill euen so are we thereby bycause he is onely our hope our foretresse our strength and God in whom wée chiefly trust And the chiefe ground of his promise is that he will deliuer vs from all euilles and that hys trueth shall be vnto vs a buckler and shield And also the Prophet sayth in the same Psalme Bycause thou haste put thy selfe vnder the guarde and custodie of the most highest there shall no euill happen vnto thée neyther shall any plague come néere thy dwellynge Whereby it appeareth playnly what vayne traueyles our enimyes take in hand when they séeke rather to afflict vs or fight so furiously as they doe against the truth For that as they can not preuayle against the truth so shall they not preuayle against them that folow it bycause the auctthor thereof is their mightie defendor Héere the Lord doeth promyse and certifie that no euill shall happen vnto vs nor plague come to our dwelling or Tabernacle if we know and feare hym So that it followeth the euilles and mischiefes that our aduersaries doe séeke towardes vs cannot hurte vs if we be faithfull Bycause the elected whose tutor and gouernour is God are not neither riches honor dignity high estate bodily or corporal health lyfe nor any thing els whereof there is any vertue or power giuen to the wicked But are the liuing members of Iesus Christ vnited and knit vnto him most surely and therefore inuisible to the children of this world as is the same lord And bycause the wicked should not sée howe to doe them harme in that true being which they bee God did so fauour them that by hym they were incorporated in Iesu Christ for that as hée is firme sure substanciall strong and may not bée throwen out of the throne of his maiestie So be those his members of such strength and force in him that they may in no wyse be separated frō him That which by tirannie of Tirants is to be taken
in their cōspiracies which they vse against vs to deuide apart and seperate vs therby from gods trueth But let vs laugh at their folly with our good father who dooth nothing but laugh at and deride them for the same Of gods exceding loue greatly to the comfort of his people c. The .xiiii. Chapter ANd also sith that those fonde foolish fooles cannot harme nor gréeue vs and that we cannot be harmed nor gréeued by any kinde of calamitie For that we be in such securitie with God and that we be not made by our naturall weakenesse to follow their vanities and so brought with them to be subiect to the wrath and ire of god Let vs assure our selues of the great loue that god hath towardes vs consider the causes of our afflictions and so giue him thanckes accordingly And also let vs loue him as his true children for the loue of Iesus Christ with the same loue that his father hath loued him Of all those that were and should be his disciples he spake to his father the night before he should suffer saying O Father thou hast loued them with the same loue that thou hast loued me The loue with the which God loued his sonne is perpetuall and euerlasting and yet with the same loue hath he loued vs As it is sayde by Ieremy the prophet I haue loued you sayth the Lord with a loue charitie euerlasting Though all thinges perish vanish consume vade away yet this loue neither perisheth nor vanisheth but indureth for euer in one most mighty force being whether it be in prosperitie or aduersitie God dothe loue and except vs as his owne The which is verified experienced and proued by the Prophet Dauid which being in the toppe and chéefe of his tribulacions GOD dyd knowe him and deliuer him So that hée puttinge hys truste in him sayde althoughe my fréendes haue forsaken mée and my parents haue cast mée foorth yet the Lord my God wil deliuer mée and take mée vp Iesus Christe was loaden with all the sinnes of mankynde and with paines and passyons moste bytter intollerable and cruell for the same he was forsaken of his fréendes ouerwhelmed with enimies and extréemely persecuted yet GOD dyd loue him moste déerely was alwaies with him and dyd not nor wyll not neuer forsake him but dyd heare him in all his agonies and troubles Also he sayde to his Disciples euery one of you shal be afrayed of mée and scattered awaye and I shal be left alone yet I am not alone bicause the Father is with mée Also the Prophet sayth sith god is on my right hande I will not faynt nor feare what men doo to mée Wherby it apeareth that God dooth loue them that be his and wil be alwaies on theyr right hande when they be in greatest agonyes troubles and distresses How Iesus Christ dooth loue vs he himselfe dooth testifie and saye as the father hath loued me euen so haue I loued you He loued me most dearely vpon the crosse euen so doo I loue you He dooth loue vs as himselfe bicause we all which beleue be membres of his body of his fleshe and of his boanes There is no man that will forget and abhorre his owne flesh for when any part or mēbre of the body is wounded and most sicke then yea euen then is his loue the greater and greatest of all with greatest tendernesse doothe shew his might loue without forgetfulnesse So that in our greatest calamities afflictiōs we are of him best beloued for that he cannot nor will not forget vs. By the Prophet Esay he sayth can the mother by possibilitie forget hir selfe of hir owne onely sonne which she dyd beare in hir belly and bringe vp with milke euen from hir tendre breast Is it possible for hir so to forget him that she should neuer more take pitie vppon him If she doo forget hir selfe yet will I neuer forget you Bicause I haue you written in my handes at my fingers endes O worthy wordes spoken with suche a maiestie let vs not be mistrustful of thē for that God dooth speake them himselfe and to vs he doothe directe his speache And therefore when we depriued of our wealth and worldly riches most cruelly afflicted and héeld and accounted for abhominable Let vs thincke that God dooth and wil gouerne and helpe vs and will not forget but remembre vs as a thing most dearely beloued of him He sayth that he dyd write vs in his fingers endes and handes bicause that as the hands fingers endes be alwayes in sighte and cannot be forgotten So thereby doothe be giue vs to vnderstande that he dooth alwaies looke vpon his elected and wyll neuer forget them Bicause he dooth loue them with an affection more tēder a great deale then is that of the Mother towardes hir childe The which he declared right well to his disciples when he should depart from them by death he made a great many of very louing comfortable countenaunces vnto them and dyd promise great consolacion comfort in all their griefes and calamities though they wer neuer so great after his departure And therefore as assured of this great loue and charitie that the Lord our God hath towards vs perpetually Let vs not giue place to any thinge that is contrary to vs against him for that our firmnesse cōstancy and perseuerance dooth concist therein The conformitie which god dooth pretende that we which be his should haue with Christ by meane of the crosses and afflictions that we are to passe through is a sure and manifest signe and token of this his great loue with the which he loueth vs Bicause the effect thereof is so admyrable that it cannot procéede but from so high principle grounde or beginning as is our election the vocation with the which God dyd call vs doothe procéede from the loue which he hath towards vs in Christ So that all the meanes practises that he dooth vse towards vs to bring vs to the ende of our election which is to be gloryfied with him of necessitie must néedes procéede from the same originall When he dyd open our eies to sée our perdicion in the which we were and did giue vs the power and vertue of his spirit to imbrace and receue his sauing health it was a perfect sure signe that he dyd loue vs that we should not doubt thereof bicause he had done so great a pleasure for vs And therefore let vs now not feare that which thē we wer put out of doubt of bicause that all those afflictions calamities which now wée suffer from our Lord god are fruits a confirmacion of our calling And bicause we are so called beloued of him we are therefore so afflicted hated of the world Yet let vs not faint nor fal◠from the trueth bicause that which the holy ghost doth testifie to all the mēbres of the
enioy the most blessed fruite thereof which is as a thing of inestimable vallew appendant and regardant or belonging to the excercisours of the same A great comfort to the Christian with a terrible threate to the vngodly and wicked c. Cap. xvi ALso God would haue vs to vnderstand thereby how great how vile a villanous euil sinne is And how great without measure the rewarde thereof is to those vnfaithfull ones that will not know him for that thereby of a suerty they are set a farre distance from god and brought in hatred with him For if god haue loued vs so much that he hath all ready pardoned and reconsiled vs to him by the death of his sonne then for the rest of the sinne that remayneth in vs he dooth with the greater iustice treate and deale with vs so seuerely as to make vs liue and dye in crosses and calamitie And therefore what a wonderfull correction or punishment may we thinck that he wil vse to them that are so fully fraught with mischiefe that they be euen the seruants of sinne and of the diuell enimies to all kinde of rightuousnes But yet for all this god dooth not punish vs for sinne bicause that Christe hath bene punished therefore already But he dooth punish the sinne that dooth alwayes reigne in vs not for the hatred he hath vnto vs but for the mallice that he hath vnto sinne And if we beinge sonnes children be put in such a streight by our father that for the sinne that is in vs we be iudged of men to be stranges and forriners to him what shall be come of those or them that beléeue not the gospell but are rather enimies thereof He will not onely punish the sinne that is in them but also will of necessitie consume them and their sinnes together to euerlasting destructiō for that they cānot abide so rigorrous a iudgement of God who most horribly hateth sinne as is due for the same The tyme is already come sayth S. Peter that iudgement must begin at the house of god If it begin first with vs what ende will then come of thē which haue not nor doo not beléeue his gospel nor yet wil be none of his houshould If the rightuous can scarsely be saued what will then become of sinners or where shall they appeare If amongst vs I say which are his temple and holy habitacion he doo beginne to punishe with suche rigour what wyll he then dooe when as his wrath and ire shal be inflamed against all both one and the other That is to say as well the househould of god as the houshould of the diuell When he beginneth to take vengeance of that house where the diuell dwelleth is obeyed and all his will fulfilled he will take in his hand the cuppe of his wrath against sinne all shal drincke thereof for all are sinners But the children of God shall drincke tast of the first best purest thereof bicause they may vnderstande what enmytie they ought to haue to sinne Sith god doth abhorre it so much that he will punishe it first in vs it is a great significacion that the rest I meane the reprobate shall be also punished tast of his wrath and shall not escape although they thincke themselues at libertie and loose there from And if we the sonnes of God be subiect to suppe the first and best thereof it cannot be but that the other must néedes drinck and swallow vp the dregges last and worst But for the childrē and sonnes of God I meane the faithful to drinck of that cuppe in such maner of wyse and to that ende that God hath determined me thincketh it is more saludable and healthfull to them for that the lorde will vse suche moderacion so much alay the extréeme bitter taste thereof bicause he giueth it them to none other ende but to bring them to humilitie that being humbled brought low in mynde they might with more greater earnestie in christian affectes imbrace the benefites of him already receaued open their eyes with such clearenesse that they might the more soner sée and behoulde how dearely louingly he loueth fauoureth them So that thereby he hathe made them more capable of his riches as Dauid sayth although the Lorde doo cast them downe neuer so déepe yet he leaueth them not therein but lifteth and exalteth them thereby into his great glory bicause it is his condicion and qualite to exalt the humble and méeke to reise the poore from the dounghill Sith the determinacion of the almightie Iehouah is so fatherly frēdly for vs let vs drinke with a good wil of the cup that he dooth giue vs be they crosses or griefes whatsoeuer for that thereby he dooth call vs to his knowledge which for our ingratitude other vices were seperated frō him for a season with deseruing of most rigorous pain punishmēt for the same And therefore I saye we ought that rather too take in good part the bitter tast of being tost in the floud of any affliction We haue deserued to be chorlishly cheined in perpetual prison world without ende yet god is so mercifull louing vnto vs that without respect of any thinge he hath allotted vs but a lyght penance with suffering a few of short sorrowes calamities But we moste stobbernly refuse thē with al our strōgist forces that we haue Yet for all that sith Iesus Christ hath called vs to the crosse we ought not to grudge at the bearing therof but accept it paciētly bicause of the cōdiciō with it alredy performed If we wold looke and sée about vs we should sée finde know that it is not we our selues that bear these crosses alone but he himselfe in vs for the prophet Esay saith that it is he it is he himself that dooth carry his kingdom vpon his shoulders Whom shal we vnderstand for his kingedom but the persecuted the imprisoned the abhorred and condempned that are kylled for his name sake It is he him selfe that they persecute and punishe in vs his membres for the hate they haue to his inheritance which he beareth on his shoulders So the althoughe he doo giue vs to drinck of his wrath yet he dooth mynister with it such moderacion and gentlenesse as is possible for in the ende all commeth to rest vpon his owne shoulders and so we by him are vnleaden and discharged And therefore let vs loue him and giue him thankes sith we haue deserued to drincke of the extreme bitternesse of his wrath and yet he giueth vs the purest with the moste lenitie and gentlenesse that may be But the dregges which is all the rigour of his wrath of his indignaciō his fury his condempnacion his cursse eternall sentēce irreuocable are kept for thē to drincke which haue not beléeued the Gospell but in stéede of the worship and due obedience to be done therby they did afflict
Reioyce you all then and be glad for beholde your rewarde is great in heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets The foundation of our hope beyng grounded vppon these promises and such lyke The Apostle sayeth it shall neuer be confounded For that if wée beleue and trust firmely in the fulfylling of thē we shall neuer be defrauded from the fruites of our hope nor shall not be confoūded before the childrē of this world nor yet haue shame of our hope and trust in those diuyne promises For that we shall be assured to obteine the fulfilling of them and besides remayne without feare of our worst enimyes for they shall not bée able to say that our hope is had in vaine but shall with their owne eyes full surely sée vs saued therby Dauid doth declare and confirme this vnto vs by his owne experience saying in the Lord haue I trusted I shall neuer be cōfounded And Esay sayeth he that beleueth in the Lord shall not be cōfoūded And by S. Paul it is said by hope we be alreadie saued Fynally by the holy ghost it is pretēded to giue vs all to vnderstande that as many as trust in God shall bée saued set frée from all tribulations both temporall and eternall by Iesus Christ So that being anymated and imboldened by this hope wée may reioyce in them and say with Sainct Paule if God bée with vs who can bée against vs Hée that spared not his owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all howe is it possible that hée shoulde not gyue vs all thyngs in hym Who shall accuse or laye any thyng to the charge of the chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall then condempne it is Christ that is deade yea rather rysen agayne which is also on the ryght hande of God and maketh intercession for vs. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of hym shall tribulation anguyshe persecution hunger nakednesse perill or the sworde No God forbyd for that it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long are accounted as shéepe appoynted to be slayne And yet in all these things we are victors victorious by that good god our father who so loueth vs Thus if the foundation of our hope be by faith we are thē perfectly sure we shall neuer come to confusion and that no creature can parte nor seperate vs from the loue and charitie of God which is in Iesu Christ our Lorde Bycause of necessitie by hys rightuousnesse he is to fulfill in vs all things as the holy Ghost hath spokē That is to say if we suffer with Christ we shall also reigne with hym and if we be dead with him we shall lyue togyther with him also And therfore if we doe communicate togither in his passions and do suffer and be killed with him we may assure our selues that we shal also liue with him for euer So that the tribulatiōs and persecutions which we suffer for his sake with pacience is a frée confirmation and full assurance of our hope in his eternall kingdome of the which he hath alreadie taken possession is glorified and doeth reigne therin to his owne vse and ours So that we may sée that all that God doeth is to assure vs to make confirmation accordyngly of our saluation the which hée hath giuen vs in Christ And to confirme in vs also the rest of the effect of his diuine counsell which was determined before the beginning of the worlde And as this his counsell is mutable so muche the more is the fuming furie of his enymyes and of the diuill their capteyne set agaynst vs who as he is the principall minister of all the mischief and tribulatiōs that we suffer So he doth as muche as in hym is to obteyne the victorie of vs as wel in administring temptations to vs interiorly as exteriorly wherby he would by one mean or other plucke and seperate vs from the right way When he doeth come to the combate to fighte for victoorie the villayne is so nymble dyligēt and subtil as is possible all his armye of Soldiors and warriours are armed and set in aray for the best aduauntage as hée thynketh And all to deriue vs from the firmnesse of our faith that we haue in Christ He doth shew vs the greatnesse of his estate and of all his furniture for that hée woulde make vs afrayd to faynt and bée dismayed at the full fiersenesse of hys force And when as this is thus shewed vnto vs there is a certeyn number of vs that are troubled and doe thinke them selues as shéepe among Wolues in the mouthes of Wolues When as they sée them selues forsaken of theyr friendes and famyliars abhorred denyed of theyr kinsfolks forsaken and without helpe of them that were déepest in debte for theyr friendship And that all the world doth reioyce to sée them so afflicted as whē the sentences of their condempnors thunder out so terribly against them as though it were from the mouth of almightie God pronoūced Thē great are the troubles sorowes that they suffer in their myndes it séemeth then vnto them that both heauen earth is beset with ire wrath against thē that god his creatures make mortal war euen to distroy them Thē for another practise may they sée the kings Princes rulers which ought to be their defēdors in Gods causes to rise stand vp against them doe say all with one voice togither kill thē kil thē as traytors enimies to God our kingdō On the other side they sée torments tortures and stout sturdy stomackt tormētors stād redy prepared for them with shame infamy cōfusion reproch to be receiued before their friends familiars enimies they doo sée the terrible fearful face of direfull death the slauish hāgman or executioner ready to light the fire to burn them to stretch the roape to strāgle them In all these troubles there is not one to cōfort them but in stead place of cōfort they doo vse exortatiōs to blaspheme or speake blasphemy of the redēption obteined by Iesus Christ These I say these are wōderfull anguishes sorows troubles in their thus troubled minds And yet they doo increase frō degrée to degrée for all this time they either thinke the God is a sléepe there is no God or els that he hath forgotten them And then the diuil plyeth him by all the meanes he may to bring them to dispair he doth procure persuasions vnto them that they would deny abhorre cursse God thē he doth leaue to entreat them in this maner will suffer no man to succor them So that more gréeuous is this anguish to the mynde of those members thē were presēt death to their bodies A pure proofe vnto vs that vve are beloued of God in our greatest griefs c. The xx Chapter ANd yet al these mischieuous thīgs are but mystic cloudes of darkenes cast
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
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