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
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
did God proue Abraham found him faythfull And he was so faithfull in déede as was possible wherby he vnderstoode that by the same fayth which God had gyuen hym he was made rightuous before his diuine maiestie that it was a true fayth and did vse all his loue and procure all that he loued and did delight in all things to doe and fulfill hys holy commaundements In Mathew and Marke vppon the Gospel of God which they did write it is sayd that there be foure kyndes of people which did and doe heare the word of God all of them sayd they beléeued but when tribulatiō came vppō them for the words sake that they wer tryed therby there was but one parte of them foūd that had receiued the truth and they were thorowly tried by passing the pikes of persecution with patiēce and did fructifie aboūdantly some thirtie fold some sixtie folde some more some lesse So that in such maner I mean by persecution the Lord doth try out distinguishe the true beléeuers from the false fayned As when by a blast of wynde the wheate is discouered from the chaffe so known to be perfect Euen so by puffes of persecution care calamitie trouble other the scourges of God a perfect true Christian is certeinely surely tryed and knowen Wherefore it is written in Iesus the sonne of Syrache as followeth what knoweth he that was neuer tempted and he that was neuer tryed nor experyenced What can he vnderstand such a one is as a man that sléepeth doeth not know nor estéeme christianitie without a tryall or experience Before that we be experienced by patience in bearyng the crosse will any of vs bée so bolde as Peter was to resist agaynst the enimyes of our master and the trueth till he sée himself out of daunger of imprisonment peril and persecutiō by such like persecutors no surely it is muche to bée doubted But yet when God hath sent vppon vs persecutions and troubles and of his mercy hath gyuen vs patyence and constancie wherby we haue confessed before our aduersaryes the fayth which by the gospel we haue receiued and when that to folow our Lord maister we haue put in proofe to aduenture our lyues and so passe thorough all the euils and afflictions that can be offered to vs Euen then and not til then we doe remayne tryed by the touchstone of trueth and doe know by experience that our fayth is firme true and of great effycacie and valour before god Bycause then wée are by him so vnyted in Christ that neyther Castles prysons tormentes threatnings dishonours losses of substance nor yet the same death that hée him selfe dyed can seperate vs from hym So that then haue we suche experience as Peter had and then dare we to strike of Malchus the high priest his seruaunt his right eare if néede were But yet the experyence that Peter had was not altogither by the persecution which hée suffered hymselfe but rather by that which he had séene hys pure good master to suffer c. So that this experience and firme knowledge that we haue to know the good from the euill and wherevppon to grounde our fayth that wee might boast and reioyce in God for it is ingendred and begotten of that constant pacience which by fayth wée haue to tollerate and beare the tribulations that we are brought into for the profession of his name Paciēce also bringeth vnto vs experyence of the pure goodnes truth of our faith doth assure vs that we ar not deceued nor liue by the vain imaginatiōs of men but by the word of god Wherby Christ is reuealed vnto vs we doe know our saluatiō Also there is verified herein that which is spokē by S. Peter in the last tyme ye shal reioyce though now for a season ye be in many temptations yet your fayth once tryed being muche more precious then Goulde that perysheth thoughe it bée tryed with fyre you shal be found in lande glorie and honor at the appearing of Iesus Christ our sauiour Hovve that good experience bringeth forth hope of a shadovv of certein persecutions Cap. xix EXperyence gotten by patience doth beget and bryng foorth hope for hauyng experience in the might and potencie of God wée come and grow to haue a sure hope in hym bycause that how much the more greater our trial experience is so much the more firme certeine sure is our hope as Dauid Danyell and many other holy men which hauing prooued and being experiēced by great terrible tribulatiōs haue passed thorough the pikes of thē with great hope for that they had a feeling of the power presence of God in them thereby assured of the fauour of him that they were imboldened and brought into so sure a hope that none enimy nor nothing could ouercom nor preuaile against them Dauid beyng moued with the féeling of this fauor and full of firme hope in the goodnesse of the Lord which did susteine him against his enimies bring him forth of all his troubles with victorie sayd with all my hart haue I called on thée O Lorde and I will loue thée O my strēgth O Lord thou art my strēgth my Rocke my defēce my libertie and my god And I wil put my whole hope and trust in thee my buckler and my shield I wil call vppō thee so I shal bee deliuered from myne enymyes The troubles sorows of death haue invironed cōpassed me round about but I called vppon the Lorde and hée hath hard me from his holy Temple In lyke maner it happeneth and falleth out to all the faithfull for after that our faith is proued experienced and founde good by the pacience sufferance that God hath giuen vs Euen then our hope doeth so increase that we conceiue a moste firme securitie and certeintie of our saluation And so by means therof we begin to féele and know without doubt that we can not be lost nor forsaken but that for a more certeintie we shall obteine and come to the pure port of eternal health And hereof S. Iames speaketh and sayeth Blessed and happie is the man that suffereth temptations for when he is tryed he shal receiue the crowne of lyfe which God hath promysed to them that loue him In varyable and firme is this hope bycause it is founded grounded vppon Iesus Christ of his wordes and promises Wherof it is spoken in Mathew and Luke in Christes Gospell by them wrytten Blessed arte thou that mournest for thou shalte be comforted Blessed arte thou when men reuyle and abhorre thée persecute thée and speake all maner euill sayings of thée for my name sake Blessed arte thou the wéepest for thou shalt laugh Blessed art thou when men hate thée thrust thée out of their company and rayle abhorre thy name as an euill thing for the sonne of mans sake
armed with this faith which was communicated vnto him by the Gospell did ouercome hys enimies furies so that they could not resist the wisdome and spirit with the which he spake Dauid a verie yoūg man of small age what maner of weapon had he to fight against Golias that mightie capteine of the Philistines hée sought no helpe of Saul nor could not abyde his Armour and weapons nor yet did not fauour any kynde of humaine counseile nor hys own force which was nothing in comparison to the strength of that mightie Gyaunt But onely armed with a sure faith affiance and hope in God he fought couragiously did ouerthrow him cut of his head and so set the chosen hys fellow members at libertie In this is and shall bée for euer verified to all the faythfull that God wil fulfil and performe his promises And so he sayeth by the Prophet Dauid hée that trusteth in mée I will kéepe and deliuer him for that he hath knowen my name And therfore sith he is greater that is in vs then he that is in the world let vs forsake all humayne counseill strength industrie prudencie and wisdome in the same for that how much the lesse we estéeme and depende vppon them so much the more is the efficacie strength power of God in vs and our sight the clearer perfecter to sée the great admirable works don in his elected by his most mightie potencie might Euen then doeth God discouer to our weaknesse the greatnesse of his most mightie power and strength to our health and saluation For when we think our selues most strong depend most vppō terene and earthly defence euē thē are we most weakest and our hope most frustrate Bicause those things in the worlde we accompte and holde most sure for our reliefe in our greatest necessitie falleth from vs and so we left at the worste and in displeasure with god For that we so vaynely dyd forsake him and slée to vanitie which are the things of this world for our help and defence so are we left forsaken both of God man Bicause we made a God of those things the which wée trusted in therein did forsake the true god Those which doe put their trust in worldly things doe it bycause of the fayre shewe thereof to their carnall or fleshly eyes but so they make a deuision of that hope whiche they ought to haue in God put aparte or péece therof into those which are of the worlde which is vanitie and of no value at all Our filthie flesh is fondly ledde to trust and hang all hope on creatures in place and steade of that hope which is due vnto God the creator Suerly it is such a subtle snare of the father of all subtelties lyes that it often deceyueth manye and continually it deceiueth it self For it hath alwayes a custome to couer infidelitie and hipocrisie with some one craftie cloaked colour or other that may not easily be knowen So that when wée bee beguyled by the same we doe thinke our selues in such securitie that we sléepe therein as though fortified with suche humayne helpe furniture and fauour as none might be the like when as in very déede by the ende of experience we may shal finde our owne weaknesse to be such as is of no validitie at all Whereby is manifested that these carnall furnitures weapons armour in which we hope and trust to be succoured by doe not onely serue vs nothing at all for our helpe and defence but also is and are extréeme lets and hynderances to kéepe vs from the doyng of that which we ought and are bound to doo by the commaundementes of god And therfore in this lyfe which is a tyme of trouble tirannie battail and warfare let vs be imitators and folowers of Dauid who neuer did bear other armes nor weapōs against his enimyes then onely his sure trust in God wherewith he alwayes got the victorie and ouerthrew them all How we oughte to doe and behaue our selues to our enimyes as wel visible as in visible corporall as spirituall God doeth teache vs by hys Apostles All the wyse holy and mightie of the world All the riches aucthoritie dignitie exelencie greatnesse humaine strength and policie that was in the same was against them in such sorte that it séemed inuinsible There was very fewe scarce none neither Lordes Earles Dukes Princes Kings and Emperours kingdomes nor countreis but were against them with most cruell warres and persecutions But yet they I mean the childrē and disciples of God armed with confidence and affiance in God and pacience by the onely wordes of the Gospell did convince and ouerthrow to the grounde all the power and potencie of them all aswell the principalles as the reste And by beléeuyng truely in the Gospell they did fyght with and ouerthrowe all the sublymate and supreme highnesse that dyd rise repugne against them Christ their heade in them They did ouercome captiuitie bring a great number to be ruled by preaching the pure Euangelie of truthe in the Gospell and to the obedyence of fayth therin By force wherof they made the world to tremble and did work marueilous works most worthy of memory The world was not so strong nor Sathan so mightie nor yet his ministers so subtil that they altogither with their strength mighte policie and subtiltie could let or hinder the small grayn of musterd séede the fayth in the Gospell but that it did increase florysh and growe into a great and mightie trée the braunches wherof did extend into all partes of the worlde so that the byrdes of heauen might buylde their neastes therein at hys pleasure The diuill all his vaseilles bōdslaues are beaten down daily ouercome with that Armour weapon wherwith God hath armed the faithfull elected If those which serue the prince of darkenes that are marked with the mark of the beast which S. Iohn speaketh of could make that the sonne did not aryse and shewe it selfe so that dayly he did not or might not dryue awaye the darkesome nyghtie cloudes so spread his beames into all parts of the world wherby the force may bée felte of the heate and light of the same they might as well let and hinder the shyning sonne of the Gospell that the splendant light thereof should not shine and shewe his inestimable brightnesse to giue light vnto the blynd that they might goe and be guyded thereby in the righte way of truth And also let that the potencie of God therein shoulde not take the captyue out of captiuitie open the prysons to the prysoners and that the contrite of hart should not receiue frée lybertie thereby Let them goe to heauen if they can and throwe the sonne downe oute hir place vsuall vnto the earth or let them let hinder the shining of the Gospell of glorie which doeth manyfest that
God is the Lord and that by his worde he ought to be serued and worshipped of all mankinde I say let them doe it if they can but in despight of them I say againe they cannot For all that euer they doe is no more but as if by spetling they shuld prooue or goe about to pearse the heauens and so spitte vpward accordingly and then the same fall backe again into their owne faces whereby they are filthily fouled to their owne reproche Wherefore let vs not feare them in none of their bragges but let vs put on the armour of the Apostles and throw away all humain affiance Let vs assure our selues that by our afflictions and death are distroyed and ouerthrowen the enimies contradytors and geinsayors of vs the Gospell For God doeth deale with our enimies nowe in the same order maner and forme as he did with them in tymes past which persecuted spake against the Prophets and Apostles bycause that they taught the same gospell of lyfe which we now haue and teach by Christ we liue and for him we suffer persecutiō euen so did they yet he hath alwayes gotten the victorie as well for them as for vs And therefore let vs not tempt God but let vs trust wholy in him his mercy power and strength And also haue in hatred all humaine helpes and fauours whatsoeuer What is the cause that so many do fainte fall become amased in their mindes so that they can not perseuer in that trueth which God hath commaunded And also that some other being wonderfully lighted with the cleare and pure light of the Gospell and séeing the workes and wonders so admirable that God doth shew vnto them by the same are so sluggyshe and colde that they stande at a staye and care not whither they goe forewardes yea or no Surely and without doubt there is none other cause but that onely by the instigatiō of the diuill they are so deceiued that they robbe God of his honour put their trustes wholy one in an other taking men for their staffe to staye vppon to the end they might stande in all their troubles regardyng humayne fauor so muche that they leaue God and flye therevnto for refuge in all theyr aduersities and calamities Some doe trust in their ryches others in theyr honours some in the friendshippe of great men other some in that they be Gentlemen and of the noble bloude and so foorth in other the lyke prerogatiues What other thing is thys but as if one should trust in a shadow or a smoake which vanysheth almost so soone as it is seene When that we consider the causes for which we are afflicted whereof God is the author from whom we flée and doe put our trust in men or in any thing that they can doe for vs is as muche in our ayde as to truste vnto Egipt or to the strength of the Egyptians or as in a broken Réede whiche one holdeth to staye him selfe by and it doeth not onely suffer him to fall but also with the slyuers thereof doeth so prick and hurte hys handes as maketh him repent that he had no more vnderstandyng in tyme then to trust thervnto It belongeth to one that is a Christian and faythfull to bée buylded and firmely founded vppon that fyrme Rocke or stone which is Christ and not to flee from the same to any humaine helpe or succour that perisheth for that against this true foundation the wyndes of tribulations tempests of torments nor stormes of mischiefs and wickednesse cannot preuayle agaynst it or make it to remoue or alter And therfore hauing so sure a foundatiō as Christ let vs assure our selues that there is nothyng in the worlde that can remoue vs from it As the holy Ghost doeth testifye saying hée that trusteth in the Lord shal neuer bée confounded but shal be alwayes firme sure as the holy hyll of Syon Hovv vve ought to bee instructed in trueth and veritie and to haue no confidence in mens traditions The xxij Chapter GOd will that we beliue trust and be ruled by him and his word onely and not in no maner of wyse by the aucthoritie of men although they séeme neuer so wyse holy and faythfull if they teach and instruct not by the prescript worde of God wherein is all trueth Bycause if our trust in God be accordyng to had by theyr outward fained holines and goodnes it serueth for little or nothing but to make vs so weake and féeble that we cannot tast the drink of the liquor of lyfe which is the fruit of the Gospell with so stiffe stoute a stomake as we oughte And also that the rather our weakenesse shall bée made more weake our infirmitie more infirme and sicke But if we belieue onely in Iesu Christ trust stedfastly in him we shall be necessarily instructed and strengthened not to dismaye vs but to be more firme and strong agaynst all kynde of euill and wickednes Yet for all that the ministers of God will onely teache according to the worde that mē should repose their trust wholy in Christ as aforesayde and that he is the aucthor of all truth and rightuousnesse Their intent is nothyng but to be faithfull to the Lord which sent them And to prepare his waye teachyng and shewyng vnto men by the law the condempnation in which they were by sinne and howe seuere God is in his iudgementes to the vnbeléeuers and superstitious aucthors of guyle and deceipt and the folowers thereof contrary to true religion they will reduce and induce as many as they can to Iesus Christ their master by the gospell onely as to one in whom is alwayes a remedie for any kynde of mischiefe For that from him the elected doe receiue all things and doe know by him that God is theyr father almightie they do not nor wil not sel nor giue them selues for gods nor yet maintain themselues for gods Viccars generall vppō earth nor one of them doeth not chalenge more authoritie in bynding and loosing blessing or curssing nor in distributing the word of God then an other doth they shewe them selues for men subiecte to all humaine infirmities as wel one as another of them They doe teache and preach that our faith must not come from men from them but from God the word of truth doth teach them this doctrine and vs also And therfore let vs not attribute any kind of thing vnto any maner of mā neither faithfull holy nor Saincte but vnto God who giueth lyfe to the dead some time conuerteth the hartes of and calleth our persecutors into the way of rightuousnesse and truth Although the men be weake lacketh strength doth often stumble to do any thing that is good yet Gods truth which they teache is not so Although they be discoraged afraid bicause of the persecution which they sée yet the word of trueth is almightie fayleth not All the disciples themselues fainted and feared
iustifie sayeth hée doe I also glorifie So that the ende thereof is to be glorified as Iesus Christe was when God the father did put hym in hys kingdome and there made him Lorde ouer all hys enimyes by the afflictions and crosses which hée had suffered passed And as the way which our redéemer Tetragramatō tooke to be glorified by was crosses of persecutiō whereby he passed and tooke possession of his heauenly kingdome In lyke maner by those persecutions whych now we suffer is the most perfect way for vs to bée glorified by also As wée may be well assured by Iesus Christ our head who is alreadie gone before vs by the same way whose footesteps of force we must follow This way is so direct that whosoeuer passeth by it it is not possible so he do it with faith that he should misse but with all perfectnesse enter into his kingdom Bycause as those that passe any other way doe walke till they loose them selues so those that kéepe this way which is the true way cannot but bée glorified in suffering with Christ for that they did perseuer in his truth and true religion till the end And therefore all those which shall suffer dy for so iust a cause let thē reioice be glad assurīg thēselus of their glorification with Christ Iesus for euer For why Gods truth cānot alter nor chaūge nor yet any thing that is ioyned therw t cānot be seperated by mā The holy ghost saith by the apostle S. Paule that all those which God dyd knowe and acknowledge he did predestinate bycause they shoulde be conformable and lyke in shape vnto the image of his sonne And those which were predestinate he did call those which hée called he also iustified those which he iustified he did glorifie So that of necessitie those which he did predestinate he did also glorifie and the way and meanes to come to be glorified is to be called and iustified by passions and crosses to be conforme and lyke vnto his sonne Wherefore those two things be so vnyted and knit togither that the one is comprehended within the other for that in suffering with Christ and to be made lyke vnto him is comprehended the ioyntely beyng glorified with him And therefore all them that suffer afflictions and calamities in this world may assure them selues that in the ende they shall bée glorified in Christ for whome they were afflicted Beloued bretheren we haue béene alreadie called of God by the Gospel And although that before our callyng we were loste yet nowe we are washed sanctified and iustified by the bloud and name of our Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our god This is a plaine testimony that we haue all our secret election from one and that is Christ by whom we doe certifie our selues thereof Also the world by the persecutions and sorowes that we suffer in it and by the hatred that it vseth towardes vs doeth manifestly shew that by the diuyne mercie of God we are called and iustified For why the world can not abyde vs nor none but his owne Whilest we were of the worlde hée made vs many delycate deintie delightes and trimly intreated vs as if we had bene his owne But afterwardes whē God had giuē vs the true light of his Gospell and so seperated vs a sunder that it was euident and apparant vnto all that we were the true members of Christ our head and none of his Then he blustered and blowed against vs he rufled roared brayed and rayled at vs and did so extréemely abhorre vs that he did nor will not rest to vse all kynde of crueltie that he can to cast vs out quyte from hym And so our sauiour Christ doeth confyrme vnto vs by Sainct Iohn saying if the world doe abhorre and hate you then remember howe that fyrst it hated mée If you were of the world the world would loue you as hys owne But bycause you be not of the worlde and that I haue chosen you to my self the world doeth hate and abhorre you Remember the wordes which I haue sayde vnto you the seruaunt is not greater then his Lorde if they haue persecuted mée they will also persecute you Wherby it resteth manifest that those which be persecuted killed and abhorred of the world are alreadie taken called by God from the worlde to him selfe and washed and purified with the bloud of hys sonne Iesus Christ So that we are to acount our selues glorified if we be hated doe suffer in such maner And therefore sith we be so certified and shewed by such signes and tokens so euident that we be elected and chosen eternally in Christ Iesu and that wée be partakers of his rightuousnesse let vs also be assured of it that we shall atteine to the ende of our election in dispite of the world and all the ministers thereof and of all their false and curssed religion When that men without God and hys Christ will and doe burne vs or giue vs any other kynde of death let vs vnderstand that it is the checkmate and ende of all our troubles and calamities and that then is set open vnto vs the gates of the glory of God that we might enter in enioy with him for euer the inestimable ryches of his eternall kingdom When the enimies of God and his Gospell persecuted S. Steuen to the death euen whē he was in the most chiefest checks tauntes troubles amongest them he sawe the glorie of God did sée heauē open Iesus Christ sitting on the right hād of the father ready to receiue him to crown him as his martir faithful witnesse So that in the strongest torments and most cruell deathes heauen is opened vnto vs And therefore we ought not to be abashed to faynte nor to feare at any of their torments but to stand strongly and go forward with a good stomake and courage and neuer to looke behynde vs that wee might ouertake attain to and apprehend or comprehende the resurrection of Christ Iesus accordyng as wée be in him comprehēded Our enimies are vnwilling herewith but god willeth and hath ordeyned that there is nothyng that may or can be any let hinderance or impediment to kéepe backe that hys election and eternall counsell wherein he loued vs should not take effecte accordingly that wée might be made conformeable and like vnto his sonne as well in his death as also that we should be pertakers of his glorious resurrection All the euill that men doe against the faithfull is to none other end but to let and hynder if they could the predetermination of god Thinking to make them beléeue that there is no other way to bring the same to passe or that it passeth by none other meane or rule thē by those which they doe allowe and not by the truth which they cōdempne after their owne fantasies delights No no God nor no pointe of hys gouernement and will
is not nor shall not be directed by them neither hée his people nor yet his doctrine is nor are not guided by any parte péece or pointe of their wayes or teachings As great distance are betwéene my wayes and yours sayeth the Lord as is betwéene the heauen and the earth God wil not haue to deale with the wicked least it be to vse them as the vessels of his wrath for the health and wealth of his chosen For whn by their wayes institutions and decrées they goe about to blotte rase vs out of the memoriall of God that we might not attaine to the lande of the liuing But in that mansion and most mightie monarchie God hath vs in remembrance and doth lift vp enriche and glorifie vs with his inestimable giftes and riches where our ende will be to rest shyning in great ioye and glorie lightned by the lyght of truth in all heauenly felicitie The bretheren of holy blessed Ioseph what did they leaue vndone and not put in practise to punish let and hinder the comming to passe of the counsel of God wherby he had determined to lift on high glorifie his seruant they persecuted him iniured him mocked him stripped him sold him as a slaue he was caried into strauÌ„ge couÌ„treis there vsed intreated most extréemely and hardly But wheÌ„ they thought no more to haue hard of him behold he remayned lifted vp by the handes of God and made a mightie maiestrate in Egipt and a superior Lord and ruler ouer his byers sellers All that they did against him was onely and vppon set purpose a pretence to hinder him that hée should not atteyne to any parte thereof I meane that glorie but they could not in no one iote let or hynder the good will of God nor yet coulde vse no impediment in his loue towardes Ioseph nor in guyding him as a shéepe that had bene among Wolues from all his troublesome enimyes and persecutors till hée had performed hys great glorification in this world and in the worlde to come inherited hyporsioÌ„ of those inestimable treasures prepared by the loue and good wil of God for the faithfull from the beginning Thus it appeareth how he tooke hys steppes into all hys troubles and doynges by degrées as it were vp a ladder or paire of stayers til God had assumpted and lifted him vp into the toppe of all his glorie accordyng to his determination before the foundation of the world So that as these carnall and worldly bretheren did agaynst Ioseph euen so at this day doe the children of this world against the faithfull in beating downe and persecuting them by all the meanes and wayes which possibly they can but therein God doeth lifte them vp tyll they be glorified in Christ Iesus Of the mightie povver and exceeding loue of god The xxviij Chapter THe Hipocrites scribes Pharises and other the enimyes of God were greatly against the glorifycatyon of Iesus Christ and to conclude him from the same they persecuted hym with so great and gréeuous furie and also condempned hym to death beastly beléeuing that after the same there would nor coulde bee no more noyse of hys name that wholy he should peryshe for euer and so be most out of memorie altogither in obliuion that they should holde his kingdome in peace and haue his people subiecte to theyr tirannie But the dyuyne meaning of God and hys prouidence was cleane to the contrarie By those meanes and wayes which they wrought to ouerthrow hym he lifted hym vp in such maner that there is nothing in heauen nor earth more highe sublymate and supreme then he Where they sought all the mischieuous meanes they could to darken and hinder hys glory it was to no purpose God made it with maiestie the more to shyne and did spred the beames thereof the farther throughout the vnyuersall world They did crucifie hym in most cruellest and most spytefullest maner and killed hym with the most vylest death such as was most infamous bycause he myght be the more hated and the lesse accounted vailâ—able for the health and saluation of his chosen But in thys was fulfilled that which was spoken by Esay the Prophet the father shall drawe vnto him an innumerable number of disciples that neyther shall nor will loue nor séeke after none other helpe holines nor rightuousnesse but his owne And also it is written that God by hys death vppon the crosse dyd cause that his sonne should haue emperiall rule and be the onely Lord ouer all his enimyes It was a thyng which they could not conceiue in their hard harted harts mindes But in that they thought by their doinges to deface and foredoe for euer the name of our swéete sauiour Iesus Christ it is fallen out quyte to the contrarie and so altered and turned that there is none other name in the worlde where to or to which all creatures shall bowe but onely his So that where they did their best indeuour to spoyle all hys honour and dygnitie it is nowe so come to passe that therby he is most gloriously glorified hath greatest supremisie and a name aboue all names the greatest As it is of his owne wordes written by S. Iohn If I be lifted vp from or aboue the earth I shall and wil drawe vnto me all things Meanyng that by his death he should gayne and win the victorie and bryng all things in subiection vnder hym As hys enimyes and rebellious aduersaryes could not with all the force and power they had preiudise or hinder his glorification no more can those terrible tormentors that séeke to persecute kill vs let nor preiudise ours Bycause it is dependant vppon hym and altogither his owne for that the glorification of the head is also common to the members vnited and knit therevnto Euen as at those dayes the crosse and passion of our Lord did Annunciate and declare his glorie potencie and might to all beléeuers So the persecutions calamities and afflictions that we doe suffer also those which an innumerable number of our fellow members and bretheren haue suffered sithens haue bene bée shall be for euer publishers proclaymors and preachers of the same glory The enimies of the gospel aduised taught by the spirit of Sathan when they doe lead vs to the place of the execution of our death they doe tye our tonges an act as diuilish pagan like as possible bicause that we should neither speak nor yet that they woulde heare the laude and prayse of Iesus Chryste our maister but those tyinges or strings wherewith our said tonges be restrayned shall be tonges to talke and speake agaynst them as agaynst the greatest enimyes to the glorie of God and vse a new language wherby shall be vnderstoode and knowen the vertue and mightie power of the highest vnto them that he hath ordeined to health and saluatioÌ„ It is greatly necessarie that all be
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
more ayte to set forth wholy togither the glory of him for whom they suffered But herein a number of Papists and diuill Antichristes companions found great occasion to vse many false reportes saying of such a one as did so surely it is easie to be iudged the faith of such Heritikes sée I pray you doth or did he not drink wyne to be drūken and so to dye desperately such blasphemy my translator telleth me he cā finde out an number to many But truely truly suche Trées suche fruites by the diuill planted and by him they beare bring forth What mary abhominable lyes wherof he that filthie feend and diabolicall beast is the author and father Lykewyse and the verie like hath bene in most partes of the worlde as well héere with vs in Spaine as in Italie Germany Portugall Fraūce Flaūders Brabant Zellond Hollond other countreys many mo Thys vertue and strength commeth vnto them by Iesu Christ and by the faith they haue in him his Gospell which will alwayes continue amongest them that bée his What a number more haue we séene with our owne eyes consumed with the fyre what admyrable workes of God haue they shewed in the middest of their greatest passions and how haue they gone to theyr martyrdome Surely many as well men and woemen in olde age as younglings and tender impes both young men and maydes chast bachellers and damosell vyrgines The men as if they had gone to great Tryumphes the maydens as if they had bene ledde to be maried vnto the greatest Lords and Prynces in the world Yea euen in the middest of the fyre and torments dyd they eleuate theyr handes to the heauens with great ioye singyng Psalmes of thanks gyuyng vnto the Lorde for that he had made them worthie for to suffer for hys names sake What is this but fruites of beliefe in the trueth of the Gospell and also that both the one and the other of them were fully assured by the holy Ghost that they went to bée glorified and to ioye of the whole fulfilling of the dyuine promises of God. Those had effectually perfectly and fully prynted and grauen in theyr heartes that Iesus Christ is the resurrection and the lyfe and for that they haue beléeued in him they shall neuer die Whereby wée maye sée that the effycacye and force of Gods worde is of no lesse effecte nor doeth worke no lesse in them that receyue it at this daye then it was to those which receyued it in olde tyme for that it is the same nowe that it was then So that there is no cause to fear death at all and therefore Christ saith vnto his disciples that they should not feare them which kill the bodie and haue no power to touch the soule The power of the Tirants our aduersaries is so weake that it can not reach nor touch but our bodies onely which are mortall and must néedes dye by one meane or other And yet not neither tyll the tyme which God hath appointed and the dayes which hée hath numbred be fully determyned and ended Iesus Christ hath promised and assured vs that they shall not kill our soules Then what doeth it auaile or profite them though they kill our bodies or what regard néede we to haue thervnto considering that in so little a tyme being seperate from the soule it ioyneth therewith again to immortalitie to be no more subiect to the trauayles and troubles of life in this miserable world When we haue a Iewell of golde or siluer if it be olde or broken of a verie good will we deliuer it to the workeman that made it for him to put in his furnace and so to trie it and forge it agayne a new So likewise our bodies whither they be olde or young yet so crooked and subiect to sinne and to fall on euerie side as is possible wherfore should we doubt to giue them vnto God that made them that they may be forged and framed a new for the soule to receiue againe to immortalitie to bée incorruptible voyde of all corruption shyning as cleare as can be The celestiall and heauenly truth teacheth vs that our soules are in safetie so that they can in no wise perish and dye nor yet be hurte with all the tyrannie that our tyranicall persecutors the Pope and hys darlings doe or can doe Bicause as God can not dye nor bée killed no more can they kill our soules the members of hys sonne our heade for that the lyfe that we haue is by and of him Rightuous Abell was killed in his bodie by the crueltie of hys curssed brother Caine yet hys soule dyd lyue by the faith and hope which he had in god So at this present day the séede and posteritie of Abell are killed and slaine by the crueltie and tirannie of Caines successors but for all that their soules doe liue by the faith and hope which they haue alwayes had in God abiding the glorification of their bodies And therefore sith our soules can not dye nor be killed why should we feare them which can but kill the bodie for a tyme There is none but God onely that did giue vs thys lyfe why should not he then haue it when and howe it pleaseth him Bycause that hée onely is both lyfe and death for all without his license and good will our enimyes can not harme nor gréeue vs if they doe the best and worst they can for hée hath so restrayned them in suche a brydle that vnlesse hée loose and let flippe the reines therof they can doe nothing For the Lord hath sayde I will kill and I will giue lyfe So that as we haue our lyues from him euen so commeth our death Wherfore let vs onely feare him and not thē for that if they doe their worst yet they can not doe that they would The diuill that mischieuous malicious olde Dragon doeth alwayes desire wholie to distroy and ouerthrow quyte the church or congregation of Christ but God by his mightie potencie doeth so restrayne the reignes of the brydle wherwith hée hath brideled him that hée maketh hym euermore to recoyle and stande back and in no wyse will suffer hym to haue anye parte of his will nor yet passe nothyng that God hath appointed Of the goodnesse of God in our defence agaynst our persecutors c. The xxxj Chapter HOw often would the aduersaryes of Iesus Christ haue killed hym into how many coūsayls cōsultatiōs haue they entred to the same effect but they could not bring any part of their purposes to passe vntil his houre was fully come and that God the father had let loose the power of darkenesse How many times or how oftē saith he him selfe haue I bene with you in the Temple teachyng and talkyng with you and ye haue not taken mée I am sure they had such hatred to him and his Gospel that there wanted no good will in them
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
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