the man that indureth temptation for when he is tried hee shall receiue the crowne of life which which the Lorde hath promised to them that loue him 1. Pet. 1.6.7 Wherein yee reioyce though now for a season if neede require yee are in heauinesse through manifold temptations that the tryall of your faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fier might bee found vnto your praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christe 1. Pet. 4.14 If yee be rayled vpon for the name of Christe blessed are yee for the spirite of glory of God resteth vpon you which on their part is yll spoken of but on your part glorified Mat. 5. 10.11 12. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are yee when men reuile you and persecute you and say all maner of euil against you for my sake falsly Reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen Roma 8.28 Al thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euē to thē that are called according vnto his vnchaungeable purpose Phil. 2.27 In nothing feare your aduersaries which is to them a token of destruction but to you a token of saluation and that of God All the persecutions and afflictions which yee suffer are a manifeste token of the righteous iudgement of God 2. Thess 1.5.6.7 that yee may bee counted worthie of the kingdom of God for the which yee also suffer For it is a righteous thinge with God to recompence trybulation to them that trouble you and to you whiche are troubled deliueraunce and rest with vs When the Lorde Iesus shal shewe him selfe from heauen with his mightie Angels This is a true saying 2. Timo. 11 1◠That if wee die with Christe wee shall also liue with him and if wee suffer with hym wee shall also raigne vvith him Nowe out of these places wee gather a verye greate and singular comforte An exhortation to the faithfull paciently and couragiously to beare their crosse For in the firste place wee knowe that there is not any ignominie or shame in the persecutions and afflictions whiche we suffer for Iesus Christes sake but that they are a good and sweete smellynge sauour before GOD because he approoueth and alloweth our obedience when that by the Sacrifices of our selues wee doe most willinglye presente and offer our selues vnto him Moreouer our combat and fighting shall not bee without good hyre for rest and quietnes is set out vnto vs in our pain and trauel and eternall life in our death of which it is writtē Psal 116.15 Precious before the face of the Lord is the death of his Saints And we are wel assured that this our good god beholdeth from aboue our good will and the cōfession of his holy name which we make and yeeld and that as he aideth our strength and power so also that hee will crowne our victorie and rewarde in vs all that which hee hath giuen to vs and wyll honour that which he himselfe hath begun and made perfect in vs. In summe by these persecutions we aduaunce and thrust forwarde our selues to goe to the true and eternall dwelling places of the Martyres that wee may there clearely beholde God and that there we may be partakers of so excellēt a glory as all the afflictions sufferings of this present life euen as Sainte Paule saith are not worthie of Rom. 8.18 Isaiah 6.4 1. Cor. 2.9 For the things which the eye hath not sene neither the eare hath hearde neither came into mans heart are they which God hath prepared for them that loue him Wherefore let vs not feare them which kill the body Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the soule but let vs rather feare him which is able to to destroy both soule and body in Hell Mat. 10.32.33 Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men saith Iesus Christe him Will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny mee before menne him will I also deny before my father which is in heauen Hee that will saue his life shall loose it Mat. 10.39 and he that looseth his life for my sake shall saue it Let vs knowe and vnderstand this that from the beginning of the world it hath beene thus ordeined and determined that all which will liue godly in Iesus Christ shal suffer persecutiō 2. Tim. 3.12 And that by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen For at the beginning the righteous Abell was slaine and put to death and after him all the righteous persons the Prophetes and Apostles sent by God whereof some were deliuered and cast to wilde beastes others died in prison through famine others were hanged and strangled others digged into earth buried quicke therein others drowned burned beheaded broken and ground as it were to peeces dismembred rosted boiled singed and sawed flayed all aliue stoned whipped c. And is ther any which is able to describe and set out all the tormēts which the tyrants as wel vnder the old as vnder the newe testament iudged the Christians worthie of Now the Lord Iesus hath set out vnto vs an example in himselfe teaching vs that none shall come to his kingdome but they which haue followed him by his owne way Mat. 16.24 Wherefore let vs not bee faint hearted for the persecutions and afflictions which shall come vnto vs but let vs shewe our selues strong and constant and let vs through a certain spirituall power and force pursue that euen to the end the way into which wee are entred If the waues billowes and surges of the Sea of this worlde lift vp themselues and rise against vs to swallow vs vp and to ouerwhelme vs if our enimies in great companies and bands compasse vs on euery side and assault vs Let vs crie with the apostles Mat. 8.25 Maister or Lord saue vs and he will deliuer vs out of al dangers If death feare vs let vs remember that Iesus Christ in dying hath brought this to passe that death is not death vnto vs but a very redy way to guide leade vs to life eternal glory If the world continue his assaultes against vs yea dubbleth them and trebbleth them as you would say Mat. 10.22 2. Timo. 2.5 let vs cal to our remembrance that he Which endureth vnto the end shal be saued and if any man striue for a maistery Mat. 28.20 Mat. 10.28 2. Tim. 1.12 Psal 112.6 he is not crowned except he striue as he ought to do The sonne of God is our protector and defender who hath promised vs to be with vs alwaies euē vntil the worlds end If we die for him for his sake he will keepe our soules Pro. 10.7 and that which we haue committed vnto him shal be very sure in his hands euen
vnto the last day Psal 34.20 He wil keep the remembrance of vs for euer that it may not be any maner of way fading away or darkened Hee will keepe our bodies to the very bones thereof Iob. 19.25 against the day of the resurrection of al fleshe and will at the last crowne vs with eternal life which he himselfe hath purchased for vs by his owne blood O death then 1. Cor. 15.55 where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory Certainely wee haue very much wherewith to comforte our selues by the consideration of these thinges and when wee heare that Iesus Christe saith vnto vs Luke 9.23 If any man wil come after mee let him denie him selfe and take vp his crosse daily and followe me We ought to learne howe and after what sorte it behoueth vs to beare afflictions For first by these wordes Let him take vp his crosse Iesus Christe meaneth that wee shoulde willingly bowe downe our shoulders vnder the burthen of the crosse and shoulde subiect our selues with a free hearte and courage to beare the same yea that wee shoulde bee glad and reioyce if in this respect and behalfe we could yeeld and perfourme any seruice to God Acts. 5.41 Rom. 5. 3. according to the example of the Apostles and the doctrine which they taught Secondly when hee addeth dayly hee declareth that wee are neuer at the ende of our striuing vntill wee depart out of this worlde and therefore this is our continuall exercise that when wee shall haue indured and suffered sundrie persecutions wee shoulde prepare and dispose our selues to suffer them againe and other new beside them knowing as we haue ere while alleadged That he which shall continue to the end shal be saued .. Mat. 10.22 Wherefore they abuse and deceiue them selues who thinke that they haue rightly and duely discharged their duetie if they haue stoode fast in the time of one persecution or of two for it is not with the first flight that we flie to the ioyes of Paradise and Iesus Christe commaundeth vs not any thing here which he himselfe hath not first of all shewed vs the way thereto seeing that he was not only vnder the crosse but that al his life was no other thing then a perpetuall combate and striuing against afflictions 2. Corin. 11.14 c. And Saint Paul although hee might haue set out his labours his perils his prisonings his beatings his shipwrackes and an infinite number of other afflictions notwithstanding he saide yet That hee was altogether ready to suffer not onely to bee bounde and put in pryson but also willingly Actes 20.23 24. and without any grief to dye for Christes cause O how great is this honour to giue vp our life for the name of God They that are in the wages or souldiership of som eathly Prince make no great difficultie to forsake their owne parents and their goods that they may go to his seruice yea it troubleth them not muche to hazarde and giue vp their owne liues to mainteine his quarrell and cause which very often is vniust wicked And shall we which haue such a Prince as Iesus Christe the sonne of God is who died for vs poore and miserable sinners shall wee I say doubt to leaue all thinges yea to aduenture and yeelde vp our owne liues to maintain his cause his quarrel which is so iust and vpright specially seeing hee hath power to render and giue the same againe vnto vs afterwards Moreouer the meditation of the glory to come as wee haue already touched the same ought to strengthen and incourage vs in the middest of afflictions as we see Saint Paule fully resolued and settled himselfe thereupon when hee saide to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4. 17.18 Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall weight of glory While wee looke not on the thinges which are seene but on the thinges which are not seene For the things which are seene are temporall but the thinges which are not seene 2. Tim. 2.11 12. are eternall And to Timothie It is a true saying If we be dead with Christ we shall allso liue with him if we suffer with him we shal also reigne with him Do we think to haue the crowne of glory without hauing first fought as our great Captaine did Do wee thinke to reigne with the Prince of life on high in heauē without hauing first suffered and borne troubles with him in this worlde If men take the earth from vs let vs looke vp to heauen Actes 7.55.56 which is open for vs as it was to Saint Steeuen If they put vs to death let vs looke to Iesus Christe who is our life who also dyed and rose againe Rom. 14.8.9 to the ende that if wee dye wee shoulde dye vnto him that afterwardes wee may bee raysed vp in glory as hee was Phill. 3.21 If our abiect and base body bee despised and dishonoured let vs looke to the glorious body of our Lorde Iesus Christe like vnto which our bodies shal be made in the last day To bee short if wee weepe and waile in this wonderfull heape and sea of miseries 2. Cor. 5.1 being in this worlde strangers pilgrimes passengers let vs remember that when wee shall once come to our celestiall and heauenly Citie which wee nowe waite and hope for then wee shall reioyce with a ioy which cannot bee comprehended and that with God himselfe and the holy angels Prophets Apostles and Martyres Reuela 21.4 For the Lord wil wipe away all teares frō our eies and there shal be no more death neither sorow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine Then shall wee feele the fruite of the crosse and tribulation whiche wee haue indured and suffered in this worlde Then shal we knovv hovv much vve be blessed Reue. 21.4 that haue suffered for Iesus Christe and haue made our robes vvhite in the blood of the Lambe 1. Iohn 3.2 1. Cor. 13.12 Then shal vve behold God euen as hee is and shal knovv him perfectly as he knoweth vs and wee shal liue and reigne with him for euer The Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes doeth by this meditatiō incourage the faithfull when he said vnto thē Ye haue bin partakers of the aflictions of my hāds Hebr. 10.34.35 suffered with ioy the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selues how that yee haue in heauen a better and induring substance Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence and rewarde But shall wee now thinke or suppose that wee loose our life when we shall haue abandoned forsaken and as it were giuen vp the same vnto tyrants for gods cause and matters Mat. 5.12 Shall wee iudge that wee die vpon imagination and as it were foolishe and insensible madde people as in deede the worlde supposeth seeing Iesus Christe hath promised
an houre he yelded vp the Ghost Seuerus was blessed and happie in the beginning of his raigne Seuerus but so soone as he had moued persecution against the Christians then immediatly his prosperitie beganne also to faile and hee was distracted and drawne hither and thither by many daungers and diuers ciuile warres Platina as Platina saieth And as touching his ende although hee were not slaine or that his blood was not shead Victor notwithstanding as Victor hath left it in writing feeling a vehement griefe in all his members and specially in his feete hee asked and desired that some woulde giue him poison to cause him to die and so with a hastie and headlong death hee finished his dayes in England Maximinus Maximinus after he had begunne his persecution was so ouercouered with shame that there was neuer any Emperor more miserable than hee The Senat of Rome in despight of him This is found vvritten in Aurelius Victor and Capitolinus chose other Emperors while he liued His souldiers reuolted froÌ„ him in Affrica And at the last after that he had raigned whole three yeeres hee was slaine by his owne souldiers being threescore yeeres old and with his own sonne being nienteene yeres olde and the manner of his death was terrible and fearefull for hee was cut in peeces and cast into the Riuer and this scoffe or taunte trotted and was rise in the souldiers mouthes that it was not meet to keepe no not a little dogge of a naughtie rase or kinde Afterwardes all those fauourers which were ioyned with him and all those which had been his familiar friendes and acquaintaunce were slaine drawne vp and down and cast into the iakes and priuies Decius Concerning the Emperour Decius beholde that which wee finde of his end Nauclerus rehearseth that hee was drowned Nauclerus and that his body was neuer founde Pomponius hath written Pomponius that in a wicked war against the Gothes he was swallowed vp of a whirlepoole into which hee threwe himselfe headlong to the end that hee might not fal into his enimies hands Fasciculus Temporum saith Fasciculus tempo that hee was slaine in war his sonne also which also is in like sorte put downe set foorth by Eusebius saying that before hee had raigned two yeres Eusebius lib. 7. cap. 1. he was miserably slaine together with his children The vengeance of God likewise horrible was declared in against Valerian Valerianus punishing him for the christiaÌ„s blood which was spilte by his appointment and commandement For wee reade in the xxiii booke of Volateranus Volateran lib. 23 and in other historie writers that hee alittle before he beganne to persecute the Christians went to make war against the Persians and that in battell hee was taken by Sapores the king of the saide Persians who handeled him so vncourteously and intreated him so chourlishly that so often as this king Sapores woulde get vp on horse backe hee vsed the backe of this poore slaue to help him to mount vp and so this Emperour spent his olde age in this so miserable seruitude and bondage Eusebuis Eusebius in the Oration or Sermon which hee made to the assemblie of the Saints saith that Sapores at the last caused Valerian to bee fleied and these are his wordes And thou also Valerian because thou diddest exercise so greate crueltie of murthers againste the seruauntes of GOD the iust iudgement of God hath been declared on thee when beeing captiue and bounde and ledde with thy imperiall ornament haddest at the last thy skin pulled off by the commaundement of Sapores King of the Persians and salted thou hast set vp somewhat as a perpetuall remembraunce of thy wickednesse Henric. Erdford lib. 6. Cap. 27. Some say that Claudius Valerius his Lieuetenant was possessed with a Deuill that his tongue was cut out of his head and chopped in peeces and that at the last he was choaked Aurelian Aurelian was not exempted from Gods punishment for as he beganne his persecution against the Christians a thunderbolt fell nigh vnto him wherewith hee was sodeinly afraide as wee haue saide heretofore But he became not the better for that Wherefore pursuing his enterprise and attempt soone after hee was slaine by his owne people going the seconde time to warre against the Illyrians and this was done betweene Constantinople Heracleas about the yeare of Christ 272. Some affirme also of his Lieutenaunt Antiochus Henric. Erdford li. 6. Ca. 29. that while they were tormenting Agapitus the Martyre hee sodeinlie fell from his seate where hee satte in iudgement crying as though he dispaired that he burned in his bowels that he dyed crying out after that sort Diocletian and Maximianus Herculien Diocletian and Maximianus hauing raigned twentie yeares together and verie much tormented the Churche of GOD by the tenth persecution which they moued against it at the last came to so great a chaunge and alteration of their state and condition and to suche wilfulnesse and madnesse Nicepho lib. 7. Cap. 20. Euseb lib. 8. ca. 13 Volaterra lib. 23 both two of them that as we read in the histories for dispight which they had against Christ because they had not power to establish and blot out his name beeing letted by the constancie courage and might of the noble Martyres they deposed them selues from the Empire and leauing it to the gouernment of Galerius and Constantius Diocletian withdrewe him selfe to Nicomedia and Maximianus to Millain and both of them afterwardes liued as priuate men Dioclesian liued certaine yeeres after But at the last hauing receiued threatning letters from Constantine and Licinius because he would not be at a marriage banket or feast they hauing also inuited and bidden him thereto and fearing a shamefull death hee drunke poyson and died when he was seuentie three yeres old This is recited and reported by the Romane historiographers themselues Aurelius Victor Pomponius Laetus Volateranus Aurelius Victor and Pomponius Laetus Volateran and certaine others say that after his death hee was Deified that is to say put placed and established in the number of the goods Naueleâ—us Vespergensis in suo Cronic And as concerning Maximianus Heculien the Historie writers saye that Maxentius his sonne hauing beene ordeined created and called Emperour at Rome the father tooke courage to him againe purposed in his minde to recouer the Empire from which he had deposed him selfe together with Diocletian In this hope he came to Rome and assaied all the power hee had to put downe and cast out his sonne but hee was driuen backe and withstoode by the Citie and went from thence toward Constantine his sonne in lawe thinking to come vpon him at vnawares to catch him by treason and so to kyll him But his treason beeing discouered hee fledde away and being pursued he was slaine by Constantine nigh vnto Marsilles as Vincentius reciteth it in
vs so great a rewarde and hyre in heauen Shall wee say that our death is wicked and accursed when hee himselfe by his sacred and holy Reue. 14.13 mouth hath pronoūced the same blessed or els that when we die for Christ Iesus his name wee shoulde bee cursed when the holy Ghoste pronounceth vs blessed Wherefore let vs not stay our selues in the iudgemente of the flesh which is so muche blinded that shee seeth not life in death neither blessednesse in the curse but let vs behold with the eyes of our faith the promises of God and be fully resolued of this that the way and meane to make vs conformeable and like to our head Iesus Christe is to carry and beare with pacience our crosse after him For as Saint Paule saith Wee must suffer with Iesus Christe Rom. 8. 17. that we may also be glorified with him The eleuenth point what is the ende which persecutors haue had Examples of the punishmēts vengeances of God against the persecutors of the Church Experience teacheth vs that ther was yet neuer any tyrant with whome it wente well at the last in banding and setting himselfe againste God And the holy Scripture giueth vs also a faithfull testimonie and an assured witnesse thereof as also the Ecclesiasticall historie it selfe God hauing wylled and appointed that the issues and ends of the persecutors of his Church shoulde be put in order and declared by writing for a testimonie of his wrath and fury againste them to the end that the examples of his vengeance might be knowne to them that came after that thereby they might bee bridled and kept in and not exercise crueltie against his faithfull people vnlesse they would bee most seuerely and sharply punished as their predecessors were to the ende also that Christians liuing holily shoulde bee comforted in this that their keeper and defender is in heauen who seeth and knoweth al their oppressions to take vengeance thereof in time and place as to himselfe seemeth good Wherefore it is necessary that we shew heere some examples touching the issue end of tyrāts and persecutors of the children of God And first of Pharaoh and of his Egyptians It is written that they pursuing the Israelites were all ouerwhelmed and drowned in the Sea so that there remained not of them Pharao Exod. 14.6.7.8.9.28 Saneherib 2. Kin. 19.35 so much as one alone although they were a very greate number Zennacherib and his Assyrians making warre vpon Israell did not lesse feele by experience Gods reuenging hand For they being before Ierusalem and besiegeing it it came to passe that the Angel of the Lorde went foorth and slue an hundred fourescore and fiue thousande men of those that besieged it And as concerning Zennacherib himselfe he at that time escaped and went to dwell at Niniueh but as he worshipped in the temple of his idol he was slaine by his two sonnes Adramilech and Sharezer Antiochus what end had he Antiochus 2. Macha 9.4 for al the oppressions cruelties which he exercised against the Iewes After an infinite nūber of murthers which hee had committed that in his pride he had said that he would make Ierusalem a commō butcherie burying place of the Iewes the Lord God of Israel stroke him with an innumerable and inuincible plague so that a horrible griefe tooke him in the bowels and greeuous torments within in his body he notwithstanding ceased not for all this frō his malice but hauing his heart kindled set on fire against the Iewes and hastening his iourney to goe to Ierusalem there to execute his purpose it came to passe that going ouer hastily violently hee fell from the Charriot and hurte himselfe sore in the members and partes of his body so that all his body was bruised in the same body was so great corruption that wormes issued and came out of it and his fleshe whilest hee was aliue fell of from the bones by peece-meale through paine and torment insomuche that his armie being greeued at the smell or stinch of his corruption and rottennesse and hee himselfe also not being able any longer to indure the same died like a murtherer and blasphemer of a miserable death Herod the great Herode the greate after that hee had committed many execrable and detestable offences against the innocent people ended not his dayes but that the vengeance of God was horriblie and fearefully kindled against him For hee was tormented with many and very cruell sicknesses neither more nor lesse then if he had had hangmen or tormentors alwayes beating his body both within and without till that at the last hee dyed of a violent and cruell death And beholde heere what Iosephus hath saide thereof Iosephus lib. 17. Cap. 8. de antiquitat Iudaeor The disease and sicknesse of the King increased waxed more sharpe and God manifestly and openly shewed that hee punished him for his vngodlines for hee was burned with a verie slowe heate neither could any man perceiue that heat without but he him selfe felt it within because that it gnawed his entralles and bowels Moreouer hee was so hungrie that hee tooke no leasure to chewe his meate but deuoured and swallowed vp all that entered into his mouth and so they must cast meate continually into his throate Besides this hee had his inwarde partes full of sores hurtes and biles and was tormented with the colicke of passion he had his feete puffed vp and swelled with a moist kinde of fleme hee had also his nose swelled His priuie partes and members were rotted full of wormes and his breath was verie stinking insomuch that none durst come nigh him Besides all this he had a certeine shrincking or drawing together of the sinewes and he had much adoe to take breath Wherefore all they who made profession to deuice and foretell thinges to come were of one and the selfe same opinion and resolued all vpon this that this was a verie punishment and vengeaunce sent from God who punished him for this because he had so many sortes and wayes violated the honour prophaned the reuerence which he ought to God the loue which he ought to his wiues and children and so he died miserably Herode Agrippa Herode Agrippa the sonne of Aristobulus who was the sonne of the foresaide Herode the great by his seconde wife named Marianne and put to death by him hauing cruellie tormented and persecuted the Church Act. 12.1.2.3.4.18.19 c. and namelie put Saint Iames to death beeing also at the last lifted vp to the highest of his honors cloathed in his kinglie apparell and set vpon the iudiciall seate making an oration to the people and the people crying out this is the voyce of God and not of a man hee I say was striken sodeinly by the Angell of the Lorde and was gnawen and eaten with wormes and gaue vp the Ghost Herode Antipas Herod Antipas the tetrarch of Galilee