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
What they gaine that denye God and runnyng into the daunger of eternall punishement to gaine the short momentes of this lyfe And he beyng ther long tormented nowe at the point of death sighed and sayd as he dyed amoÌ„g stripes and tormentes O Lorde which hast the holy knowlege thou knowest openly that where as I myght be delyuered from deathe I suffer these sore paynes of my body but in my mynde I am wel content to suffer them because I fear thee Certeinly his fayth was sincere true his godlynes perfecte pure ynoughe which consydered not the kyng Antiochê° but God that is Iuge and knewe ryght well that it shoulde nothyng profyte him to saluacion yf he should mocke and deceyue man seyng the God which is the iuge of our conscience ought only to be feared caÌ„ not be mocked nor deceyued by any meanes Yf therfore we do lyue as godly meÌ„ and suche as be dedicate vn to God yf we do walke in the selfe same auncient and holy fote steppes of the iuste Let vs go thorowe the same ensamples of paynes sufferinges thorowe the same martirdomes and passions And let vs reken the glorye of our tyme in this point more excellent that wher as the olde ensamples of martirs are numbred Now after the plenteouse abundaunce of godlines and faithe the christian martyrs can not be numbred As Iohan witnesseth in the reuelacion saieng Apo. 7. After this I behelde a great multytude which no man could number of al nacyons kinredes people and tonges standing before the seate and before the lambe and they war clothed with long white garmentes and they had palmes in their handes and cried which a loude voice saieng Health vnto our God sitting vpon the seate and vnto the lambe And one of thelders answered saieng vnto me what are these which are arayed in long white garmentes and whence came they and I saied vnto him Lord thou wotest And he saied vnto me These are they which came out of great trybulacion they haue wasshed their garments and made them white in the blodde of the lambe Therfore are they in the pÌ„sence of the seate of God serue him daye night in his teÌ„ple But if it be shewed prowed that the people of the christiaÌ„ martyrs are so many no maÌ„ should thinke it an hard thing to be a martyr seing he may ê‘ceiue the the multitude of martyrs caÌ„ not be numbred The .xij. chaptre VVhat hope rewarde abideth for the iuste and martyrs after the fight and passions of this life the holy gost hathe shewed and folde aforhand by SalomoÌ„ saing And thoughe they suffer tormentes before men Sapi. 3. yet is their hope full of Immortalite And although they be punished in fewe thinges yet in many thinges shal they be well rewarded For God hathe proued them and founde them mete for him selfe Yea as the gold in the fornace he doeth trie them and receiueth them as a burnte offering and whan the tyme coÌ„meth they shal be loked vpon They shal Iuge the nacions and haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shal reigne for euer In likemaner the same SalamoÌ„ doeth describe the vengaunce the God shall take for our cause and setteth forthe the penaunce or sorowe of our persecutours and enemyes saieng Then shall the righteouse stande in great stedfastnesse against suche as haue dealt extremely with them Sapi. 5. The late repentauÌ„ce of them that be in hell and taken awaye their labours When they se it they shal be vexed with horrible feare and shal wonder at the hastines of the sodayne healthe groning for very distres of mynde and shal say within them selues hauyng inwarde sorowes and mournyng for very anguishe of mynde These are they whoÌ„ we somtyme had in derision and iesced vpon We fooles thought their life very madnes and their ende to be with out honour Howe then are they couÌ„ted among the childreÌ„ of God their porcion among the saintes Therfore we haue erred froÌ„ the waye of truthe and the lyght of ryghtfulnes hath not shyned ouer vs and the Sunne of vnderstanding rose not vp vpon vs. We haue weried our selues in the waye of wyckednes and destruction Tediouse wayes haue we gone but the waye of the Lorde we haue not knowen What good hathe our pryde done vnto vs Or what ê“fite hath the pompe of ryches brought vs all those thinges are passed awaye like a shadowe In likemaner in 115. psalme the rewarde of martyrdome is declared Psal 115. wheare he saieth preciouse is the deathe of his saintes in the sight of the Lord. Psal 125. Likewise also in 125. is expressed bothe our sorowfull affliction and also our ioyeful rewarde wher he saieth They that sowe in teares shal reape which ioye They went furthe wandering and sowing their seades with weping But they shal com againe with ioye takig vp their lappes And againe in the 118. psalme he saieth blessed are those that be vndefiled in the waie Psal 118. which walke in the lawe of the Lord Blessed are those that searche out his witnesses and seke him with their hole hart Fur thermore the Lord which is the selfe reuengar of our persecucion and the rewarder of our sufferinge saieth in the gospell happye shall they be which shall suffer persecutyon for rightousnes sake Math. 5. bicause the kingdome of heauen is theirs And againe he saieth blessed shall ye be whan meÌ„ shall hate you and shall seperate and throwe you out and shal curse your name as wicked for the sonne of mans sake be gladde in that daie and reioyce For lo your rewarde is great in heauen And agayne he that loseth his liffe for me shall saue it Neither are the rewardes of Goddes promise laid vp only for suche as be tormented and sayne For although the faithful be not subiecte to the very suffering yet if faithe abide perfecre not ouercome if the thristian despising and forsaking all thinges that at his owne shall shewe him self to folow Christ he also is honored of Christ among the martyrs by his owne promise wher he saieth ther is no maÌ„ that forsaketh house or fielde or father and mother or brethren or wiffe or sonnes for the kingdome of God which do not receiue seuen tymes as muche in this world and in the world to come eternal liffe In likemaner in the reuelacion he speaketh the same thing saieÌ„g Apo. â—0 and I sawe the sowles of them that wer killed for the name of Iesu the worde of God And whan he had made mencyon first of them that war slayne he added saieng who so euer haue not worshipped the Image of the best neither receiued his marke vpoÌ„ their forhedes or on their handes Al which being sen of him at once in one place he coppleth together sayeng And they liued and reigned with Christ He sayeth that they all do lyue and reigne with Christ not only they
A sermon of blessed Cipriane touching mortalitie exhorting meÌ„ to the loue of forsating this lyfe and shewing that notwithstanding the iuste and vniuste dye wyth out difference yet no man ought to thynke that the good euell come bothe to one destructioÌ„ Forasmuche as the iuste are called hence to refreshing and thoususte are caught awaye vnto punishment ALthoughe ther be many of you most dearely beloued brethreÌ„ which haue a souÌ„de mynde a stedfast fayth and a deuoute soule which is not moued at this great mortalitie but as a strong and stable rocke dothe rather break the troblesom assaultes the violent and raging wafes of this worlde it selfe beyng neither broken nor ouercome with temtacions but only tried Neuertheles because I perceiue that ther are certayne among the people The causes of incoÌ„stancy and departing from true religion â–ª which eyther thorow the weaknes of mynde or litelnes of faythe or swetenes of wordly lyfe or teÌ„dernesse of kynde or which is worse thorowe thignoraunce of the truthe stande not stedfastly nor do put furth the heaueÌ„ly and the inuincible strenght of their harte this thing ought neither to be dissembled nor to be kept in sileÌ„ce but that we to the vttermost of our power should with full force and wordes taken of the holy scripture suppresse and kepe downe the cowardnes of the deintie mynde that he which is now begonne to be the maÌ„ of God and of Christ myght also be counted worthy of Christ For he that is a soul diour to God most dearly beloued brethren and beyng put in the celestiall tentes do now hope for heauenlye rewardes ought to knowe him selfe so that we should in no wise either feare or staye for the stormes and whirle wyndes of the worlde forasmuche as the Lorde hathe tolde aforehande that these should come instructing and teaching with thexhortacion of his for seing voice and preparing strenghtnyng the people of his churche to all maner of suffering of thiÌ„ges to come hathe aforehande shewed and taught that warres and hongers Mat. 24. and earthquakes pestilences should spring vp arise euery where And that no sodayne and newe feare of hurtful thinges should violently shake vs he hath beforehande warned that aduersities and troubles shall growe vp thicker and thicker The lasâ— tymes artroblesum more and more in the last tymes They do nowe happen loo that were aforehande tolde and forasmuche as the thinges do now happen which were tolde aforehande all thinges that are promised shal also folowe after by the promise of the Lord hymselfe which sayeth but whan ye shall see these thinges come to passe Luc. 21. knowe ye that the kingdome of God is at hande The kingdome of God eâ—ternal life are at hand The kingdome of God dearely beloued brethreÌ„ beginneth to be at hande the worlde passing away the reward of lyfe and ioye of eternal healthe and the continuall gladnesse and possession of paradise lately loste are eueÌ„ now come EueÌ„ now do heaueÌ„ly thinges succede earthy great thinges lytell and euerlasting transitory and fading away What place is here left for troble and carefulnes Who amoÌ„g these thinges caÌ„ be fearful and sorowful except he wante both faith hope who feare deathe It is his ê‘t to fear death which wil not go to Christ it is his part to refuse to go to Christ which beleueth not that he shal begin to reigne with Christ Abac. 2. For it is written that the rightful maÌ„ lyueth by faythe Yf thou be rightfull and lyuest thorow faythe yf thou beleuest truly in God why doest thou not embrace and reioyce of this that thou shalt be with Christ be by the Lordes promise in saffetie inasmuche as thou art called to Christ and delyuered froÌ„ the deuell Luce. 2. To be shorte that iuste man Symeon that was a rightfull man in dede Thorowe faithe goddes commaundementes are obserued which thorow a perfecte faith obserued goddes coÌ„maundementes whaÌ„ he had receyued answer of God that he should not dye before he had sen Christ And whan the babe Christ with his mother was come into the Temple he knewe thorowe the spirite that Christ of whome he was tolde before was nowe borne whome after that he had sene he knewe that he should shortly dye He therfore being gladde of deathe that was now at hand and fearing nothing his calling hence that was hardby toke the childe in his handes and praisid God and cried out saing O Lord now let thy seruant departe in peace according to thy worde For myne eyes haue sene thy sauyng healthe In which wordes he proueth and testifyeth that than the seruauntes of God haue peace when and wheare we maye trust to haue sure rest and that than they haue free and quiet rest whan we beyng drawen out of the boistous tempestes of this worlde attayne the hauen of eternall reste and saffetie whaÌ„ this deathe beyng remoued we come to immortalitie For this is our peace this is the reste that a man maye truste to this is the stable the sure we haue here a contynuall battaile against vices and perpetuall saffetye Furthermore in the worlde what is ther elles but a dayly fyght against the deuell Howe hard daungerous and continuall is this fyght against his dartes and arrowes We must fyght against couetousnes against vnclennes against wrathe against ambicion against carnall vices our wrastlyng with the flickering intisementes of the worlde is laborious continuall and paynfull The mynde of man beyng besieged compassed in on euery syde with the assaultes of the deuel dothe hardly resiste any temptation Yf couetousnes be throwen downe luste ryseth vp Yf lust be suppressed ambicion foloweth Yf ambicion be despised wrathe bothe vexe pride is puffed vp dronkenesse calleth in enuye breaketh concorde zele cutteth of frendship Thou arte compelled to curse which goddes lawe forbiddeth thou art constrayned to sweare which is vnlawful So many persecutioÌ„s dothe the mynde dayly suffer with so many daungers is the harte dayly vexed and dothe it delyte vs to stande here long among the deuelles swerdes whan we ought rather to desire and wishe by the meanes of a swift deathe to make hast to Christ According as he instructed vs saieng verely verely I saie vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but the world shal reioyce you shall be sorowful but your sorowe shal be turned in to ioye Who maketh not hast to com vnto myrthe Ioan. 18. FroÌ„ hence we go to mirthe ioye Who desireth not to be wcout sorwe but whan our heuynes shall be turned in to ioye the Lord him self declareth saieng I wil se you againe and your harte shall reioice and your ioye shall no maÌ„ take from you Forasmuche than as the sight of Christ is our ioie neither can we haue any ioie but whan we haue seen Christ What blindnesse or rather madnes of mynd is this to loue the troubles and paines and teares of the worlde and
the boke of nombres saieng Num. 20. let theÌ„ cease to murmur against me thei shal not dye Wee maye not most deare brethren grudge in aduersites but quietly and stroÌ„gly suffer what so euer shal happen seing it is written that a trobled spirite is a sacrifice to God Psal 50. and that God despiseth not a contrite and an huÌ„ble hart In the Deuteronomy also the holy goost doeth warne vs by Moses and saieth Deu. 8. The Lord thy God shall vexe the and shall throwe hunger vpon the and thine hart shall be knoweÌ„ whether thou wilt truly kepe his coÌ„maundementes or not And againe he saieth The Lord your God doeth tempte you that he maie knowe whether you loue the Lord your God with al your harte with al your sowle Thus did AbrahaÌ„ please God Gene. 22. that he might so do he neither feared to forgo his sonne nor refused to kill him Thou that canst not be content to forgo thy soÌ„ne by the lawe and lotte of mortalitie deathe what woldest thou do if thou war coÌ„maunded to kill thy soÌ„ne The feare of God faithe ought to make the redye to al thiÌ„ges Be it that thou hast lost thy goodes be it that partes of thy body ar coÌ„tinually and greuously vexed with deadly diseases be it that thy wiffe thy children deare frendes ar most dolefully and heauely pluct from the by deathe lette not these thinges be stumbling blockes vnto the but batailes neither let theÌ„ weaken or ouerthrowe the faithe of a christian but let them rather declare strenght in the wrastling Forasmuche as all suffering of these present euelles ought to be dispised in hope of the good thinges to come Except ther shall furst be a battayle ther can be no victory but whan a man in the ioyning of the battaile getteth the victory than is ther a crowne also geuen to them that ouercom For in a tempest the gouernour of a shipe is knowen a sowdear is tried in the battaile The bragge is but wanton whaÌ„ ther is no daunger The conflicte and fight in aduersite is the triall of the truthe The tre that is depely roted is not moued with the blustering windes and a shippe that hathe strong ribbes wel ioyned is beaten of the wawes and receaued no leake and whaÌ„ the corne is thressed on to barne store the good weghty corne regardeth not the windes but the light chaffe ar blowen quite awaie EueÌ„ thus thapostle Paule after shipwracke after scorges after many bitter tormentes of the fleshe and the body he sayeth not that he is greued with these aduersities but amended so that the more greuously he is afficted the more truly he is tried Ther is geuen me sayeth he the prick of my fleshe 2. Cor. 11. the messenger of Satan that dothe buffet me that I should not be exalted For the which I haue beseched the Lord .iii. tymes that it might departe froÌ„ me and he sayd vnto me my grace is sufficient for thee for power thorowe weakenes is made perfite Whan therfore either sicknes eyther weaknes or any destructioÌ„ dothe violeÌ„tly assaile vs thaÌ„ is our strengt made perfect than is faithe crowned yf she indure stedfaste in temptacion Eccle. 27. according as it is written The furnace trieth the potters vessell and the temptacion of troble trieth iuste men Furthermore this difference is betwene vs and other that knowe not God They complayne and grudge in their trobles but as for vs aduersities do not call vs awaye from the truthe vertue and faythe but do strenghten vs in sorowes For wher as nowe the bloody flixe dothe scrape the guttes taketh quite awaye the strenght of the body wheras nowe a fire inwardly coÌ„ceaued in wouÌ„des sores doth rage burne wheras now the intralles do shake pant with continuall vomite wheras the eyes are set on fire with the violence of blood wheras some mens fete or other ê‘tes of the body ar cut of that they should not corrupte the rest wheras thorow damages hurtes of the body after the disease once burste out either the goyng is weakened or the hearing stopped or the sight blinded al euery of those profiteth vnto the instruction teaching of fayth To fight against so many violeÌ„t assaultes of destructioÌ„ death with a stable miÌ„de what a noble courage is it how worthy auauncemeÌ„t is it for a maÌ„ to staÌ„de right vp among the myseries destructions of maÌ„kinde not to lye groueling on th earth with them that haue no hope in the Lord We ought rather to reioyce and embrace the gyft of tyme that whiles we stedfastly declare our faythe and by suffering of paynes go by the narowe waye of Christ vnto Christ we may he beiÌ„g iudge receiue the rewarde of lyfe faythe Let hym feare to die but he which being not renewed of the water the spirite is delyuered in boÌ„dage to hel fire Let him feare to dye who be they that feare deathe which is not inrolled in the crosse passion of Christ Let him fear to die which froÌ„ this death shall passe to the seconde deathe let him feare to dye whome after the departure froÌ„ this worlde an euerlasting flame shal torment with coÌ„tinual punishemeÌ„t let him fear to dye which by his long carieng here haue only this benefite that his sorowe torment is for the while differred Many of our brethren dye in this mortalitie that is to say many of our brethren are delyuered from this world As this mortalitie is a pestileÌ„ce to the Iewes gentiles that are Christes enemies euen so to goddes seruauÌ„tes it is an holsome departure Where as without difference of mankinde the iust die with thoniuste ye maye not thinke that both good euel are destroyed alyke The iuste are called heÌ„ce to refreshing thoniuste are caught awaye to punishment Defence is quickly geuen to theÌ„ that beleue but to thoÌ„beleuers paine We are moste dearely beloued brethren vncircuÌ„specte and vnthankful to Goddes benefites neither do we knowe what is geuen vnto vs. The virgins being in safetie lo depte heÌ„ce in peace with their glory fearing nothing the threateninges deflowringes brothel houses of Antichrist now coÌ„ming The childreÌ„ escape the daungers of their slippery age do luckely attayne the rewarde of coÌ„tineÌ„cy innocency The tender matrone feareth now no more tormentes which thorowe a swift deathe is escaped the feare of persecutyon and the handes and tormentes of the hang man Thorowe thextreme feare of mortalitie tyme the luke warme are made hote the dissolute are hard wrongen the slothefull ar reised vp the shrinkers are compelled to returne the heatheÌ„ are constrained to beleue the true faithfull people are called to rest and a newe a great arinye ys gathered together with a mightier force to the battayle to fight when the filde shall beginne without any feare of deathe which in the tyme of mortalitie came in to the warfare
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
For it shal be geueÌ„ you in that howre what ye shall speake Math. 10 For it is not you which do speake but the spirite of the father that speaketh in you He hathe promised the yt shal be geueÌ„ offerd vs of God in that houre what we maye speake And that it is not we that thaÌ„ speake but the spirite of the father which forasmuche as he neither departeth nor is separated from them the confesse doeth bothe speake ys crowned in vs. In likemaner Daniel whan he was compelled to worship the Idol Bel whome bothe the king people did than worshippe in the defence of the honour of his God Dani. 14. be brake out with the full liberte of faithe saieÌ„g I worshippeno thing but only the Lord my God which hathe made heaueÌ„ and earthe The maâ—chabeis What should I speake of the bitter tormeÌ„tes of the blessed martyrs in the Machabeis of the manifolde paines of the vn brethren of the mother that did bothe 01 comforte her children in the tormeÌ„tes died also hereself with them Are not ther doctrines of great vertue faithe witnessed And do they not exhorte vs also thorowe their passions vnto the triumphe of martirdome The prephetes Thapostels what we ought to learne at the death of good men Mat. 2. What shal I speake of the prophetes whome the spirite hathe incorraged vnto the aforeknowâ—age of thinges to come What shall I saie of thapostles whome the Lord hathe chosen Haue not the inste whaÌ„ they are slaine for rightfulnes sake taught vs also to dye The birthe of Christ beganne straite waies with the martyrdome of infantes and babes that so many as war two yeares olde and vnder were slayne for his name sake The age that was not yet able for the bataile was neuertheles mete to receiue the crowne that they might appear * to be innoceÌ„tes Or it might appeare which are slayne for Christ the innocent infancye childhode was killed for his name sake It is nowe declared that no man is free from the daunger of persecucioÌ„ seyng that suche lytleones haue suffered martirdome What reasonable cause can any christian man haue 〈◊〉 haue no excuse that wil not beyng a seruaunt suffer seyng the Lorde himselfe hathe first suffered And that we wyl not suffer for our owne synnes when he hauyng no synne of his owne hath suffered for vs The sonne of God hathe suffered to make vs goddes sonnes And wyl not the sonne of man suffer that he maie contynue the soÌ„ne of God Yf we be hated of the worlde the hatered of the world christ suffered first Yf we suffer reuiling wordes in this worlde if we be driuen to flee yf we indure tormentes the maker Lorde of the worlde haue tasted of more grenouse paines who also warneth vs saing Yf the worlde saith he hate you Ioan. 15. remember that yt hated me first Yf you war of the world the worlde wolde loue that which war his owne Ioan. 15. But bicause ye are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you out of the world therfore doeth the world hate you RemeÌ„ber the worde which I haue spoken vnto you ther is no seruauÌ„t greater thaÌ„ his Lorde Yf they haue persecuted me they shall also persecute you The Lord and our God hathe performed and done whatsoeuer he taught and can the disciple and scollar be excused that learneth yet doeth not accordingly Let none of you dearely beloued brethren be so feared with the feare of persecutyon to come or with the comming of Antichrist that houereth ouer our heades that he should not be founde armed at all pointes with thexortacions of the gospel and with the heauenly coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts warninges Antichrist is come but Christ wil also sodeÌ„ly come vpoÌ„ him The ennemy murdereth and is very cruell but the Lord doeth by and by folowe to reuenge our afflictions wouÌ„des The enemy is aÌ„gry threatneth but ther is one that can deliuer vs out of his handes He ought to be feared whose yre veÌ„gauÌ„ce no maÌ„ caÌ„ escape according as he him selfe warneth sayeth Feare ye not them that kill the body but the sowle they can not kill Mat. 10. But feare him rather that is able to destroie bothe sowle and body in to hell Ioan. 12. And againe he saithe he that loueth his life shal lose it he that hateth his life in this worlde shal keape yt vnto eternall life And in the reuelacion he instructeth and warneth vs saing Apo. 14. yf any man worshipe the best and his image and taketh his marke in his forehed and in his haÌ„d he shall also drinke of the wine of the wrathe of God mingeled in the cuppe of his wrathe and he shal be punnished with fire and brymstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lambe And the smoke of their tormeÌ„tes goeth vp world withoute ende Neither shall any of them that worshippe the best and his image haue any rest either daie or night Vnto a temporal and world 〈…〉 and â—ight men at bothe 〈◊〉 and prepared and they counte it great glory honoure yf it maie be their chauÌ„ce to be crowned in the presence of the people in the preseÌ„ce of themperor Beholde the highe and noble fight which ys beutified with an heauenly crowne wher as god maye loke vpon vs fighting and that he casting his eyes vpoÌ„ theÌ„ whome he hathe vouche saued to make his childreÌ„ maye haue a plesaunt beholding and spectacle of of our battaile Whan we warre and fight with the armor of faithe God loketh vpon vs his angels do beholde vs Christ doeth approue vs. What worthye glory is it howe great felicite and happines to fight ther whearas God is the defeÌ„dar and to be crowned ther whearas Christ is iuge Let vs arme our selues most dearely beloued brethren with all our strenght let vs be prepared and made redy to the battaile with an vncorrupted mynde with a perfecte faithe and with deuoute vertue Let the armyes of God marche on and go forewarde vnto the bataille that is â—â—tched against them Let the perfecte man be armed that the perfecte lose not his late consraÌ„cy Let the fallen be also armed that the falleÌ„ maye receuie againe that which be had lou Let honour prouoke the perfecte let sorowe prouoke the fallen vnto the fight and battaile The blessed Apostle doeth arme and prepare vs to the fight saieng we wrastle not against fleshe and blodde Ephe. 6. but against powres against the rulars of this darkenes of this worlde against spiritual wickednes in heaueÌ„ly thinges Put you on therfore all the armor of God that ye may be able to resiste in the most wicked daye that whan ye haue performed al thinges ye may stande hauing your loynes girded with the truthe The armor and weapons of Christians clothed with the brest plate of rightfulnes and shodde that ye maye be redy to the gospel of peace taking vp the shilde of faithe wherby ye maye quenche all the firy dartes of the deuel and take the helmet of healthe and the sworde of the spirite which is the worde of God Let vs put on these armowres let vs fortifie our selues with these spiritual and heaueÌ„ly defences that we maye be able in the most wicked daie to resiste and beate backe the deuels threatninges Let vs put on the brest plate of rightfulnes that our brest maye be defended and saued against the dartes of the ennemye Let vs be shodde thorowe the doctrine of the Gospell and haue our fete armed that when we shal beginne to treade and thurst downe the serpent he maye not be able to byte ouerthrowe vs. Let vs manfully bear the shylde of faythe by whose defence what soeuer the ennemye throweth against vs may be quenched Let vs also take the helmet of saluacion to couer our heades How euery member and parte of the body must be armed â–ª that our eares may be defended that they maye not heare nor geue hede vnto cruell proclamations and lawes Let our eyes be fortiyed that they beholde not the detestable and abhominable ymages Let our forehed be fensed that the marke of God may be kept safe Let the mouth be armed that the myghtye conquering tonge may acknowlege and confesse her Lord Christ Let vs also arme the ryght hande with a spiritual sworde In Cipriaenes tyme the people receiued the sacrament in their right handes that it maye manfully contemne and despise the vncleane and wicked sacrifices that that which hathe receyued the Lordes body being mindful of the thankes geuing maye in the same embrace her Lord which shal after of the same her Lorde receyue the rewarde of an heauenly crowne O howe excellent and great a daye is that that is comming moste dearely beloued brethren when the Lorde shal beginne to numbre his people and by his diuine knowlege to examine the workes of euery one to sende the gylty into hell and to condeÌ„ne our persecutours vnto a perpetuall burning in the paynefull flame but vnto vs to reÌ„der the rewarde of faythe and godlynes What maner of glorye shal that be and how great gladnes to be admitted to see goddes honour the thou maist receaue with Christ the Lord thy God the ioye of euerlasting healthe and lyght To salute Abraham Isaac and Iacob all the Patriarkes and Prophetes the Apostles Martyrs To reioyce in the delectacioÌ„ of the gyft of immortalitie with the iuste men and freÌ„des of God in the kingdome of heaueÌ„ To receiue that ther which neither eye hath seen neyther eare hath herde â— Cor. 2. nor hath entered into the harte of man For thapostle teacheth that we shall receyue greater rewarde then either our workes or afflictions here can deserue sayeng The afflictioÌ„s of this lyfe are not worthy of the glory Rom. 8. which shal be shewed vpon vs. When the shewyng of this glorye shall come when the charitie of God shal shyne ouer vs thaÌ„ shal we be happy mery being in honour thorow the goodnes of the Lorde But alas 〈…〉