Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A68157
|
The vocacyon of Ioha[n] Bale to the bishiprick of Ossorie in Irela[n]de his persecucio[n]s in ye same, & finall delyueraunce ...
|
Bale, John, 1495-1563.
|
1553
(1553)
|
STC 1307; ESTC S100629
|
47,183
|
114
|
The vocacyon of IohaÌ„ Bale to the bishoprick of Ossorie in IrelaÌ„de his persecucioÌ„s in y e same finall delyueraunce The English ChristiaÌ„ The Irishe Papist ¶ God hath deliuered me from the snare of the hunter froÌ„ y e noysome pestileÌ„ce Psal. xcj. ¶ If I must nedes reioyce I wil reioyce of myne infirmytees ij Cor. xj The preface ¶ Iohan Bale to y e folowers of Christes Gospell FOr thre consyderacyons chefely dere bretherne haue I put fourth thys treatyse of my vocacyon to the churche of Ossorye in IrelaÌ„de of my harde chauÌ„ces therin and of my fynall deliueraunce by the great goodnesse of God The first of them is for that meÌ„ shulde wele knowe that the office of a Christen byshop is not to loyter in blasphemouse papistrie but purely to preache y e Gospell of God to his christened flocke The secoÌ„de is that they shulde also vnderstande that contynuall persecucyons and no bodyly welthe doeth folowe the same most godly office in them which truly executeth it The thirde is that they myght beholde how gracyously our most mercyfull God wyth hys power wayteth vpon them and fynally delyuereth them in most depe daungers These .3 thynges notable concerninge the electe membres of Gods congregacyon in thys life comprehendeth muche matter in the scriptures of both testamentes with abundaunce of examples from Abel the first to Iohan the euaÌ„gelyst which was the last lyuer in the same The examples also therof are both lyuely and innumerable in the first propagacion and longe contynuaunce of the christen churche from hys tyme to thys our tyme as the chronycles hystoryes most abundauntly specifieth First as concernynge the examples of holye scripture Iesus the eternall sonne of the euerlastynge father in the Godhede preached to Adam in paradyse terrestre and constytute hym so wele an instructour as a father ouer hys posteryte He proued him also after he had sinned by dyuerse afflyctyons and fynally promysed both to hym and to hys deliuerauÌ„ce in the sede of the woman which at the lattre in hys owne persone he louingly ê‘fourmed Christe y e seyde sonne of God contynually still taught by the mouthes of the fathers and prophetes tyll suche tyme as he hymselfe came in the fleshe Than was he aboue all others of hys heaueÌ„ly father appoynted a vniuersall doctor ouer all the worlde and commaunded to be hearde Math. iij. He folowed hys vocacyoÌ„ in most ample wyse very cruelly was he of the clergie thaÌ„ persecuted and gloriously delyuered in hys resurrectyon from deathe The members of hys true churche the prophetes and Apostles were in case like as he their head was first called than afflicted and gracyously alwayes in the ende delyuered He that shall marke the laboriouse procedinges of Abraham Ioseph Moyses of Dauid Helyas and Daniel with the other olde fathers and prophetes shall fynde it no lesse He lyke wyse that shall dyscretely searche the doynges of Peter Iames and Iohan with the other of the Apostles and dysciples shall wele perceyue the same Hieremye for the olde lawe Paule for the newe lawe and Iohan Baptyst betwixt them both were called from their mothers wombe to that heauenly offyce of preachynge Hier. j. Luce. j. Gala. j. yea they suffered extreme persecucyons vndre tyrauntes and fynally were deliuered in this lyfe from parelouse dauÌ„gers â–ª and in deathe froÌ„ synne helle and daÌ„pnacyoÌ„ To rehearce the exaÌ„ples of the primatyue churche and of the ages folowynge concernynge these matters it wolde requyre muche tyme they are so manye and therfor at thys present I omit theÌ„ Thus aÌ„ I not alone in these 3. matters of vocacioÌ„ persecucion deliuerauÌ„ce but haue on my syde an infinyte noÌ„bre of exaÌ„ples Which maketh me the more a great dele to reioyce like as I wishe them to do which haue in these troublouse dayes the lyke Neyther am I ashamed to tell my bretherne what God hath most graciously done for me nomor thaÌ„ s. Paule was for hymselfe in hys owne Epistles and Luke in y e actes for saint Peter though I be farre vnlyke them For I fare lyke the byrde which is deliuered from the snare of the catcher He flyeth to a bough and reioyceth in his delyueraunce and euen so do I. In the which reioyce I make not only my selfe merye but also all my louinge frindes And as for my cruel enemyes the papistes if I make them sorye in the rehearsal of my delyueraunce I am not yll apayde therof For it is better they saye in Northfolke that yonge lyddernes wepe than olde men I call them yonge and not olde for God is oldar than Sathan if age maye be attributed to his eternyte as Daniel sayeth it maye and Christe oldar than the deuyls vycar at Rome their vngracyouse father As we are in most thinges contrarie to these papistes so haue we reioyces coÌ„trary to theirs They reioyce in helthe prosperite riches and worldly pleasures for their bellies sake We in our infirmytees afflictions losses and sorowfull crostes for Christes veritees sake And thus maye we wele do and boast of it also without offence for so ded the forenamed S. Paule 2. Cor. 11. and earnestly willed vs to be his folowers Phil. 3. first he boasted of his vocacion and sayde God sorted me out and appoiÌ„ted me from my mothers wombe and also he called me by his grace to preache his liuely gospell amonge the heatheÌ„ Gal. 1. what if I shoulde in like case boaste y t he by his grace had also called me in this age to preache the same Gospel to the Irishe heathens w c neuer hearde of it afore to knowledge I shulde not do other wise than the truthe is For I was put to it against my wille by a most christen kynge and of his owne mere mocion only without sute of fryndes mede labour expensis or any other sinistre meane els By his Regall power and authorite which both were of God Ro. 13. was I both allowed and confirmed and not all vnioyfully receiued of y e people which causeth me in conscience to iudge my vocacioÌ„ iust Yet was not my reioyce so muche in y e dignite therof as in doinge for the time the office theruÌ„to belonginge But now is it most of all in the leauinge of that bishopricke the Gospell beinge so vnthankefully of the prestes receiued I so terribly of them persecuted and my seruauntes so cruelly slayne Moreouer saint Paule boasted muche of his persecucions described them at large concludinge thus in y e eÌ„de Very gladly saith he will I reioyce of my weakenesse y t the strength of Christe maye dwell in me Therfor haue I dilectacioÌ„ in infirmitees in rebukes in nedes in persecucion and anguyshes for Christes sake 2. Cor. 12. If I haue lyke wyse felte a great meanie of the same afflictions as I haue done in dede maye not I also with