discription of Mannes myserable and corrupt nature For to omytte many places wherein he is expressed in his nature and kinde As all flesh had corrupted his way vpon earth and I am but duste and ashes I come to that Dialouge and communication betwéene the vertuous Patriarche Iacob and good Phorao King of Egipt that fastorer and fauorer of Gods people Iacob demaunded by the Prince of his yeares and age aunswereth thus The whole tyme of my Pylgrimage is an hundred and thirty yeares fewe and euyl haue the dayes of my life bene and I haue not attained vnto the yeares of the lyfe of my Fathers in the dayes of their Pylgrimages Out of this aunswer issue thuse two notable lamentatioÌ„s of mans fragility vttred by the two chiefe Prophets Moises and Dauid Most worthie to bee considered and learned without booke of all Christians But to returne to Jacobs aunswere First I thinke it worthy the consideration that hee calleth Mannes lyfe a Pylgrimage Most true it is that we haue not any certain or continewall habitation here vppon earth for we were created of God in the beginning and againe restored by Christe to immortalitie and eternall blessednesse in heauen We are then Pylgrimes here vppon earth neyther haue we any abyding Cittie but looke for another and our conuersation or common wealth is in Heauen and our desyre is to be straungers from the bodye and to be present with the Lorde Let vs then earnestly recorde with our selues alwayes that our lyfe on earth is a perpetuall exyle and Pylgrimage to the true and heauenly Countrey and the laste Harborowe or Inne in this viage is Death from whence we shall passe immediatly into eternall lyfe Nowe as Trauellers Pylgrimes doo not delyte to tary long at any bayte or lodging nor staye not at euery Orcharde or Gardin all theyr minde being set vppon their Natiue Countrey and proper family euen so we running the race of this lyfe ought not to haue our mindes fixed vpon rytches pleasure and honour but dayly to haue our eyes fyred vpon the Gole or marke of eternall lyfe whether wee ought to runne and contend with all our might Moreouer as those that trauell by Sea or by Lande who eyther by the goodnesse of their Horses or commodiousnesse of the winde coming home to their countrey doo thinke their fortune better theÌ„ those that wanted lyke oportunitie Euen so ought we to reioyce of the departure of our friends in their florishing tyme arriuing happily into the hauen of rest The other Epitheton is that mans dayes are euyll for the yéeres of our Infancie are spent in déepe ignoraunce Youthfull dayes vanishe awaye moore quickly then the Maie flower old age seapeth on our backes vnwares which we are admonished to feare For that she neuer commeth alone Whervnto the Wise man consenteth saying All mans daies are sorowes and his trauailes griefe his hart also taketh not rest in the night vvhich also is vanitie Experience verily teacheth vs that no kind of life is without great care pensiuenesse and studie The Craftesman is busie vnquiet and alwayes toyling in the exercise of his Arte The Wise man is commonly seuere and sadde and a straunger to all pleasure The bookes of Ethnickes are full of complaintes concerning the cares and labours which the gouernours of the common wealths sustaine in their Regiment and there is some controuersie amongst them whether the wisedome of Themistocles Demostenes Cicero Cato and such lyke haue more hurte or holpen their Natiue couÌ„trey But certaine it is that in many of them it hath bene an occasion of ruine to themselues for Solon that wyse Lawier dyed in banishment so dyd those famous Captaines Themistocles amongste the Athenians and Scipio amongste the Romaines Achitophell who in the tyme of Dauid was accoumpted a verie Wyse man when he perceyued his counsell to bée contempned hee tooke it so déepelye to harte that he hanged himselfe Some pleasaunt companion wyll happelye choppe in and say Let vs then contemne vvisdome and follow folly Not so let vs rather highly estéeme vvisdome as a singular good gifte of God But let vs not repose any trust and confidence in it for whatsoeuer appertayneth to perfite quietnesse and true felycitie is to bee had at Gods hande onelye as the Prophete teacheth Let not the vvise man sayeth he glorie in his vvisedome c. Therefore if any man wyll vse Wisedome well he must ioyne it vnto God and then it shal be wholsome and take good successe But to returne to myserable man againe The holye scripture stayeth not with such discriptions as not hauing there withall fully comprysed his calamytie but vnto his fraylenesse addeth his daylye daungers by meanes of his dreadfull aduersaries aswell bodily as ghostlie Be sober and vvatche sayeth Saint Peter For your aduersarye the deuyll as a roaring Lion vvalketh about seeking whome he may deuoure whome resist stedfast in the faith And that tryed and approued olde souldior Iob. Is not mannes lyfe a vvarrefare vppon the earth or as the Septuaginta translate it a schoole of temptations Saint Paule also trayning vp his young souldiours the Ephesians in this warrefare paynteth out most liuely the assaulting enemie and the surest waye of defence after this manner Brethren be strong through the Lorde and in the power of his mighte Put on the vvhole armour of God that ye maye be able to stande against the assaultes of the deuill For vve vvrestle not against flesh and against blood but against principallities against powers and against the vvorldly gouernours the prince of the darknes of thir vvorlde against spirituall vvickednes vvhich are in the high places For this cause take vnto you the vvhole armour of God that ye may be able to resist on the euyl daye and hauing finished all things stande fast c. These holy men in such symilytudes endued to expresse Mannes miserie heere vpon earth The feare and terror of a battaile is set out by the Prophete Nahum in this sorte O blooddie Cittie the noyse of a whippe and the noyse of the mouing of the wheeles and the beating of the Horses and the leaping of the Charrettes The horsemen lyfteth vp both the brighte sworde and the glyttering Speare and a multytude is slaine and the deadde boddies are many there is no ende of theâ—r Corpses c. As in warrefare al things are sorrowfull and terrible so is Mannes life subiect to a thousand peryls by meanes of his mighty malitious enemy Satan who being Generall chiefe Captaine hath a huge hoast and many Pety captaines of such puissaunce that euen one of them is able to vanquishe and put to flight all mortall menne But there is yet some difference betwéene the Spyrituall and that corporall warrefare For in those worldly conflictes and battaylles albeit there be many fearefull aduentures and present death be verie often before mennes eyes yet the souldior is
dymissed at the last with his passeport and wages returneth to his owne home and there enioyeth desired rest and quietnesse And so it fareth coÌ„monly with all other sorts of men that although theyr calling be full of trouble and calamitie yet it contineweth not so alwayes with them for ther taste of swéete and sower togeather but in this battayl against sathan ther is no peace no rest no quietnes but coÌ„tinual Allarmers dauÌ„gerous assaultes geuen vnto man so long as he lyueth heere vpon earth Now sith the case so standeth it is no maruayle that so many reuolt froÌ„ true Christianitie and it is more marueylous that we al doo not fall perish amongst so many perylles daungers but we should take occasion hereby to be more vigelaunt carefull more déepely to consider our selues more dylligent to meete with the enemie and more earnestly to call vpon God Happy therefore are wee if wee fight manfully for then wee shall be crowned The Ethnickes were wont to saye Those that vvyll be blessed must labour for reuerende knovvledge lyeth not in a softe bedde On the other side those bee vnhappie that suffer them selues to bee ouercome that yeelde them selues captiues and preferre the myseries of this world before the ioyes of Heauen that resist not sinne but followe pleasure as their guide and soueraigne and so defying Heauen make a couenaunt with death and hell destroye and dampnâ— them selues Let vs learne then that we are not borne to ease and rest but to labor and trauell as the holy man Iob sayth Man is borne to labour as the byrde is to flye That we ought to trande in the fielde armed against our enemies As the Apostle exhorteth That vve shoulde fight a good fight keeping our faith and a good Conscience Let vs learne that our lyfe is short instable and fléeting being an â—ccasion to the wicked of eternall destruÌ„cison so that it had bene better for them neuer to haue bene borne then to come to that wofull ende as our sauiour Christ speaketh of Iudas Let vs learne also that if we labour fight with the enemie God wyll geue vs victorie and a Crowne of eternall glorie and though in this conflicte our outwarde man perishe yet the inwarde man is renued daylye for our lyght affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall weight of glorie whyle wee looke not on the thinges which are séene but vpon the thinges which are not séene for the things which are séen are temporall but the things which are not séene are eternall But O good Lorde fewe and small is that number if at least there be any at all that pondereth howe shorte and fleeting Mans lyfe is howe full of myseries how many and mightie enemies he hath howe sorrowfull the last daye shall be to the wicked and howe ioyfull to the blessed The promised rewardes in the lyfe to come and heauenly kingdome doo not styrre vp men to vertue neyther doeth the feare of endlesse formentes staye them from vices Such an amazed sencelesnesse hath euen possessed almost all mennes mindes that albeit they bee compassed and besieged with infinite daungers and enemies and haue death hanging euery moment ouer their heads yet they neuer consider the greatnesse of their daungers nor yet thinke of any remedy whereby this their heauie burden may be mitygated and cased But rather â—yke the wicked Théefe who hanging vpon the Crosse mocked Christe euen so moste part of men in this frayle lyfe being in the myddle of death doo with wicked securitie scoffe at godlinesse féeke after filthy pleasure as though all things were well and they them selues out of all Conne shotte They very much resemble those that are taken with the Phransye who neyther vnderstande the gréeuouse daunger of their discease neyther regarde the holsome counsayle of Phisicions euen so blynde and carelesse men repute sermons and communications of Gods wrath of the daye of doome of endles torments to be but vaine bugges and no better then olde wiues fables Hipocrates doeth accoumpte it an yll sygne in disceases if the minde be sicke and those soores are accoumpted of the Chirurgian moste daungerous that can féele neyther knife nor Coraziue euen so that misery and blyndnesse is the greatest when mans harte is harder then anye flynt and so without all sence that he considereth not any perryll or daunger Let vs then that haue any feare of God before our eyes abandon this deathfull dullnesse farre from vs let vs vnfould and in partycularites set before our eyes the infinit immensie and Desperate daungers wherevnto our lyfe is subiect by meanes of our mighty and most malycious enemy the deuyll and his Petycaptaynes and souldiers and afterwarde let vs examyne and finde out if we can some heroyecall and noble Prince who wyl be content to ioyn vs in leage and confederacy with him and receaue vs into his Tutele and protection Of the first I haue sayd somwhat before but as I sayde I meane to handle the same in his parts more specially ⧠Of the temptations and assaults of Sathan against man kinde handled more particularly Chap. 2. EXperience plainlye prooueth and euery mannes conscience wyll wytnesse vnto him that this lyfe is most myserable hauing in it no rest quietnesse nor contentation whyles euerie man is wearie of his condition and wisheth an exchaunge with his neyghbour The Prince and mightie man oppressed with endlesse cares and subiect to many daungerous downefalles wisheth himselfe a poore countrey man who hath commonly a quiet minde and with healthfull exercise of his boddy getteth his lyuing They sée oftentymes the highe mountaine stricken with lyghtnings and thunderboltes and the long Ashe tumbled downe with the great winde but the lowe valley and lyttle bushe to remaine vntouched The rytche Marchaunt in many perylles vpon the Sea by meanes of Pyrates of rockes flats sandes and in great stormes almoste sonken in the sourges wisheth himselfe a poore Coteger vpon the Lande with a smokie house a few acres of grounde and the poore Husbandman who styll toyleth in the myre to foster and cherish his séely familye is wearie of husbandrie and wisheth for a house in the Cittie full of costly wares and Marchaundise The honourable Lawier stricken with daungerous sicknesse accoumpteth the Physitions profession most excellent Againe the Phisition alwayes wrastling with disseases and as it were with death it selfe hauing sighing groning and gasping as a common Tune whether soeuer he is inuited accoumpteth the Lawiers lyfe more happie And to be shorte euerie one thinketh anothers condicion better then his owne and wisheth an exchaunge with his neyghbour But this vaine opinion is discouered by an earnest consideration and collation of one estate with another whereof one wryteth no lesse truely then finely after this manner I knowe right well that if all men woulde laye downe puylikely their priuate
poyson preuayle much against at those that 〈◊〉 no I that precious and perfith 〈◊〉 al me which is the worde of Got conâ—prehonded in the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles The deuyll hath also verie faithfull trustie spyes whome he sendeth alwaies before his armie to divure commoditie of the place and the multitude strengthe of his aduersueâ—…â—â—â— These especials are of as cleare light as any Eagle or Dragon and 〈◊〉 cast their eyes vppon all coastes and corners and examine euery phrase and fyllable of the Protestants and if they â—â—n by wresting things into a wrong sence take any small aduauntage they lyâ—â—â— Sycophants gnawe and byte the good meaninges of godlie men and with great vâ—â—yueration sclauâ—â—der and backbite the sauie All these sortes of Souldiours with many others are bounde vnto the deuyll with an othe faithfullye to serue and obiy him and doo in deede bende all their power and strength to vanquithe and suâ—due the Church of Christ and to settls and establish the kingdoms of Antichrist ⧠The fift Chapter declaring-Mannes onelie succour and re fuge in their great temptations and assaultes of Sathan The. 5. Chap. MOst part of men in their miseries and calamities doo flee vnto humaine helpes and fence them selues with the power fauor of earthly friends of whome if they be forsaken they commonly become desperate crye out with the Tyraunt O wretche that I am I being forsaken of my frinds do perish Others ruÌ„me to the deuill and aske counsaile of him by Southsayers Coniurers who to confirme me men in Idolatrie helpeth some in such euylles whereof him selfe is the author but wheÌ„ God restraineth this power of his that hee can not nowe helpe any more then miserable men doo frette and murmur against God and with Saul Iudas and Nero laying violent handes vppon them selues hasten their owne ende and destruction There haue haue bene some that in their miseries haue sought consolations out of Philosophie and monumentes of Heathen writers But there they coulde finde no reliefe as many lamentable examples make manifest vnto vs Marcus Cato in that bitter sorrow of his which hee conceyued by meanes of Pompeis ruine and ouerthrow read ouer againe and againe that notable booke of Plato of the immortalitie of the soule to mitigate his sorrowe and griefe But he coulde finde no rest in that vexation of minde for ouercome with dolour cast hee awaye the booke and murdred him selfe Philosophers both sawe and lamented all kinde of calamities but they could finde no salues for their sores nor medicines for their sicknesses For their coÌ„solations are nothing else but a vaine sounde without any matter and bare wordes wanting efficacie in the mindes of miserable and afflicted persons The worde of God onelie teacheth the reliefe and remedie in such cases and deliudreth vnto man munitions and defences whereby he maye eyther stoutlie contempne or patientlie continue in verations and troubles Trueth is the best buckler and shielde Whiche is the worde of God contained in the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles proceeding out of the mouth of the true God whereby the holie ghost is effectuall in pensiue and afflicted mindes who are preserued and comforted beyonde all mans iudgement and expectation that they faint not in tribulation neyther murdre theÌ„ selues nor yet ruÌ„ne into eternall ruine destruction This word truth of God is our Target for so it is â—med in many places of the holy scripture The worde of the Lorde saith Salomon is pure and a buckler to them that beleeue Pro. 30. And the worde of the Lorde is liueliy and more effectuall or peercing then any sworde Heb. 5. And the woorde of the Lorde is named a candle 〈◊〉 to men ne lyfe and â—pyrite Pro. 21. Those that are couered and defenced with this sheelde neede not to feare the fyrie dartes of the worlde and deuyll for they are compassed with such straÌ„ge munitions that no cruell enimie is able to peirce the same This worde of God doeth shew vnto vs a sure and certaine refuge and counselleth vs to flye into the campe of the almightie Lorde who wyll hyde vs vnder his wings and defende vs with his holy Angellos who hath promised to bee our captaine and defender who neuer forsaketh the field but is alwayes in the forefront of the battayle and is neuer taken of the enimie So â—riteth Chrisostome Our Captaine is alwayes readie to helpe the enimie can neuer take him prisoner he hath armour of proofe for all his souldiours This Captaine doth not onlie preserue his souldiours in the fyelde safe sound but he also gaueth them victorie aduanceth them to great honours satisfyeth them with a long lyfe and letteth them see and feele his ayde and helpe There are many examples which 〈◊〉 approue and confirme the same to the great 〈◊〉 and comfort of the godlie Hee was in the fierie furnace with the three yong men with Laurence vpon the Gridiron with Daniell amongst the Lyons with Ieremie in Babilon with Ioseph in prison with the Israelites in Egipte and in the Wyldernesse with Elisaeus the Prophete when Samaria was besieged where the famine was so great that an Asses head was solde for fowrescore siluer pence and the fowrth parte of a Cabbe of Dooues dunge for fiue peeces of siluer He was with Dauid in the Pestilence when as in a shorte tracte of tyme there dyed thrée score and tenne thousande He was with Ezechias lying sicke in his bedde of the pestilence By the which examples many other of that sort we maye most firmely conclude that this heauenly Captaine is alwayes present at hande with his seruauntes is there sheelde and buckler according to his manifolde promyses by most earnest assuerations and othes in his holy worde assured and confirmed vnto vs. So that Christians are neuer desolate and alone in their fight and battell but haue allwaies their Captaine presently assisting them according to that saying The Lorde is with you whyles you bee with him And againe feare not because I haue redeemed thee and called thee by thy name thou art mine owne If thou passe through water I wyll be with thee and the flooddes shall not couer thee If thou walke in the fire thou shalt not bee burned and the flame shal not hurt thee for I am the Lorde thy God thy holye one O Israell Consider good Reader dillygentlie the weyght and circumstaunce of this texte fyrst marke who doeth promise euen God the holy one of Israell Then what hee doth promise verelye protection and defence in all daungers Afterwarde to whome this promise is made euen to all faythfull beleeuers whome hee calleth by theyr proper name which is a signe of kindnesse and entyre loue towarde them Thus you see howe this trueth of Gods woorde which is our buckler doeth set out and describe in the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles the infinite power goodnesse
and bryddled those two bloodie men Saule and Sennacherib were drawne from pursuing and besieging good Dauid and Ezechias With the sounde of Trumpettes and lyghtes of Lampes God scattered the great armie of the Madeanites So that the saying of Sophocles is verie true VVhen God punisheth the cowarde vanquisheth the hardie souldiour And all these sortes of armor wherwithal the wicked men are put to flight are named by the Prophet Dauid with one worde The hande of the Lorde For the Lorde destroyeth his enimies eyther immediatlie by him selfe or immediatly by Angelles men So the Angell of the Lorde slewe in the Assirian Campe one hundred fowâ—e score and fiue thousande He ouerthrew Nero by goastes and fearefull sightes By the handes of the Kinges of Persia hee tooke Valerianus the Emperour a cruell persecutour of his Churche and caused his skinne whyles he was a lyue to be stripped of But Dauid being a man but of a meane proporcion he kylled Goliath of a huge and monstrous stature All those therefore that wyll gette the victorie in battayle must fight with prayer and sworde For to vse the sworde without prayer what other thing is it but a poynt of arogant follie Such a man was Aiax who at his going into warfare was admonished godlie by his Father that hee shoulde fyght the Gods assysting him who answered O father the Gods helpe cowards and dastardes but I vvyll vanquish my enimies vvith my owne hande vvithout the aide of the Gods But there fell vengeance vpon him for this hautines of stomack for hee was strycken with a frenesie wherein he murdred him selfe The example therefore of Dauid is rather to be folowed who encountring Goliath sayde I come vnto thee in the name of the lyuing God. And in another place Blessed be the Lord my God vvho teacheth my handes to battaile and my fingers to fight Wherein he giueth vs to vnderstande that valiauntnesse and corage in warre and pollicie therein is in the godlie and heauenlie gyfte Wee learne not onelie in holie scripture but in prophane wryters that good euent and victorie in battayle dependeth vpon the pleasure of almightie God and not in the multytude and strength of souldiours For Demostenes repeateth verie often this sentence That the euent of vvarres are gouerned from aboue And Cyrus was wont to say vnto his souldiours You know that victory in warre is gotten neither vvith multitude nor with strength of men but such as are assisted by the Gods are not by any meanes to be resisted of the aduersarie Againe to fight with prayer without the sworde is the poynt of cowardes and rashbraynes who sitte ydle at home moumbling praiers onely and reicet ordenarie means appointed and comaunded by god Many there be also that being verie foole hardie obiect themselues without defence into perrills againste whome that saying of Saint Augustine is to be remembred All thinges ought to be done which may godly by wisdome be practised to auoide perilles yea euen when God is most assuredly on our sides And againe If thou doo not decline daungers as much as lyeth in thy power thou doest rather tempte then trust in god Let these things I saye admonish vs to auoyde snares and perylles with good counsayle consonaunt to Gods holy wyll and let vs take good héede that we aduenture not our selues vnaduisedlye to thraldome and miserie In tyme of warre therefore let vs vnytte and lyuke togeather prayer and swoorde In tyme of Pestilence let vs call on God and vse preseruatiues and curatiues let vs not without vrgent occasion go into infected places He that loueth daunger shall perish therein For although Gedeon had a commaundemeÌ„t of God to pull downe the Alter of Baall and to cutte downe the Groue nigh vnto the same Yet to auoyde daunger which might aryse in the daye tyme vnto him being but one hée tooke vnto him tenne of his seruauntes and executed that commaundement in the night season And Daniell dyd not breake the kinges commaundement mallapartlie in the myddle of the stréete but went into his Chamber and prayed Tobias buryed the dead bodyes not in the daye but in the night season And so Ezechias albeit he receyued a coÌ„fortable answere of his recouerie yet notwithstanding the Prophete Esai commaundeth him to laye a Figge leafe vnto his soore Our Lorde and sauiour being able without any externall meane to cure all disseases and defectes Yet hee sighing and grooning cast by his eyes towardes heauen and touched the tongue of the domme And in that great storme wherin Saint Paul and his company in their voyage to Rome when an Angell had assured him of his life and all those that were with him yet when the Marryners were about to flée out of the shippe and in a lyttle boate to rowe vnto the shoare Saint Paul cryeth out and sayth Vnlesse these men abyde in the shippe you can not be safe These examples ought to be set before our eyes whereby we may be moued in case of necessitie to conioyne prayer with lawfull meanes that wee maye auoyde and withstande perylles and daungers Let vs then gyrde our weapons about vs but let vs praye to almightie God to dyrecte our handes and fingers let vs also flye vnto those for succour that can with theyr worde and déede vnder God reléeue vs as many pressed with persecution vnder Licinius fledde to Constantine for helpe Let vs in the tyme of plague and pestilence call vpon the sonne of God the true and perfyte Phisition and therewithall séeke the counsayle of the learned godlie and honest Phisition and yet notwithstanding all our trust and confidence ought to be onely setled and reposed in the lyuing God. ⧠The eyght Chapter declareth that those onely who serue in this warrefaire vnder Christs banner are victors and conquerors The eyght Chapter THe holy ghoste in the forenamed Psalme affyrmeth that those men only may fréely and safely without feare or shame haue accesse vnto this heauenly Capitayne VVho dwell in the secret of the moste high and abide in the shadowe of the almightye That is to saye that haue a roome or place in the house of the Lord and Church of Christe Out of which station and place no man may without perril of his own life depart or haue any conference with the enemy But he must harken to the worde and commaundement of his Capitayne onely hee muste knowe his name he must perfytly knowe the badges and tokens giuen out by his Captaine to discrie the enimie He ought to haue recourse to this his master in all distresse and in the name of his sonne Christe to craue remission and forgeuenesse of sinnes to haue constant faith and fyrme hope in him alone which suffereth not a man to be ashamed neither to come to confusion To suche a man and to no other sayth the holy ghost that this victory and
and liketh or at such tyme as we desire or by those noble men who wee suppose to be wise strong ynough for such a matter This therefore commeth to passe that men may vnderstand euen by vse experience that the church is not defended by mans strength but by the liuing God according to that sentence Leaste you should say our handes haue donne it Secondarely we ought to knowe that vnto Gods promise of temporall blessings there is alwayes annixed a condition or an exception of temporall affliction which is a companion or waytingÌ„ seruant vnto the milytant Church For assuredly there are thrée thinges that are linked together in a true Christian one Faith Confession and Persecution He that will follow mée let him take vppe his crosse that is let him perseuer vnto the ende in fayth hope and patience The world and deuill do hate those most vehementlye that folowe Christ but in the myddle of theyr formentes their fayth is so kindled and their strength and patience confirmed by the holie ghost that the hotest flames of fire make them shrinke no more then if they were beaten with a fâ—ther Many of vs haue séene with our eyes and those that haue not séene maye reade in the booke of Martyrs of the constancie and patience of Christes seruantes in the flames of fyre so straunglye and aboue all humane strength that they wearied and appaled the cruell tormentors For when some of them vntyed stoode styll whyles their handes burned in the fyre and othersome lynked faste in the chaine and the fyre feeding and consuming theyr bodies casting vppe their handes and eyes towarde Heauen and neuer struglyng what doeth it shew but eyther a sencelesnesse of payne or an heauenlie gyfte of tollerancie and patience Peruse that notable storie of the mother and her seuen Sonnes suffering Martyrdome and you shall see that Antiochus was ouercome ashamed and wearyed with tormenting whiles the seruaunts of GOD ouercame reioysed and endured The Hystorie as it is memorable so is it confyrmed by experience in this our age whyles many weake Women with more then manlye stomackes endured wyllinglie and cheerefullie greate paynes and tormentes wherein that speach of our sauior Christ is verifyed My power is made perfecte through weaknes This mightie operation of the holye ghoste in the deathes and sufferings of his Saintes is one of the vndoubted testimonies which the auncient Fathers haue vsed as an euident demonstration to proue the certainty of Christian Religion in that the holy ghost is giuen into mennes hartes to breede and kyndle diuine flames of consolaâ—ion which can not bee quenched with the myghtye flooddes of Persecution whereof the Apostle speaketh You haue receyued the spirite of adoption of sonnes vvhereby vve call Abba Father this spyrite giueth testimony vnto our spirite that vvee are the sonnes of God. These things we finde true indéede in dolours and paines when we heare the sounde of the gospell wherein the sonne of God sheweth vnto vs the will of his Father confirmeth our assent and perswasion and also powreth the holy spirit into our hartes whereby we féele and cast an heauenly ioye rest in peace flye not from God but lyke sonnes call vpon him in our distresse Surely this stoutnesseÌ„ of minde in men wherby they triumphe euen in death is an euident testimonie that they are the children of God. Somtime also the Lorde sheweh his helping hande in the extréeme néede and distresse of his seruaunts For moste myraculously he deliuered the three children in the fiery fornace Daniell in the Lyons denne and Peter out of Prison Wee reade also of a Bisshoppe in the Cittie Nilopolis named was one Cheremon who being dryuen into eryle and banishment with a great company of the Christians was not able with his Wyfe to goe any farther by reason of their olde age and therefore in the sight of the multytude hee and his wife were taken vp into Heauen So that the honour and glorie of the Churche then especiallie appeareth and shyneth eyther when men with inuinsible courage doo without murmuring and dispayre tollerate most painful forments or are at the last myraculouslie delyuered In these matters therefore we must open not the eyes of Reason but of Fayth not the sence of the fleshe but of Gods spyrite is to bee considered I graunt that it is a ioyfull spectacle to the deuyll to beholde A bell murdered Iob afflycted Daniell caste vnto the Lyons and Stephen stoned But I saye the viewe thereof is more acceptable to God VVho vvitnesseth that the death of his Sainctes is precious in his syght But not in respect of the payne but of the euent Both God and deuyll beholde the tormentes of the godlie but with dyuerse affectes and counsayles For God permyâ—â—eth his Saintes to be afflycted of his meere goodnesse but the deuyll desyreth it in malyce God to crowne them the deuyll to confounde them God as a Father the deuyll as a tyraunt and hangman God doeth it for the glorie of Saintes the deuyll for theyr ignominie Of these causes Saint Augustine wryteth thus Euery vvycked person hath vvyll to him of himselfe but power by Gods dispen 〈◊〉 on only he is permitted to preuayle against some 〈◊〉 punish them against others to proue them and against other some to crowne them StrauÌ„gers were permytted to punishe the Chyldren of Israell bicause they had offended against god The dyuell was permyfted to proue and trye Iob but him selfe was confounded Persecutours afflicted holy Martyrs but to their crowne and victorie The holie wytnesses and Martyrs of God therefore are more happie in their tormentes then myghtye Princes in their pleasures for as Saint Augustin beareth witnesse Men of this worlde are happie vnhappilye But Martyrs are vnhappy happelie they were vnhappie temporallie but happie eternally This euent of Martyrs is paynted out in a sweete symilytude by the Psalmist They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioye They went weeping and carryed precious feede but they shall returne with ioye and bring then sheaues For the holie Martyrs cast not their eyes onelie vpon the tyme of sowing and vpon the practise of sathan who seeketh to ouerflowe the Churche with streames and floodes of blood but vpon the ioyfull tyme of Haruest when as they shal be confourmed and made lyke the glorious bodie of our sauiour Iesus Christ God would haue vs therefore to bée constant in faith and hope and to haue all our confidence reposed in the omnipotencie of the eternall maiesty who is able in euery monument to remoueaway his crosse from vs whiche not with standing he doeth not commonly vntyll we be sufficiently chastised and turned vnto him by true repentaunce For as the tryer of mettayles taketh not his golde out of the furnace before it be perfectly purified and clensed euen so God doeth not deliuer vs from temptation before wee bee throughly tryed and confirmed Wherefore let vs depende vpon almightie God
who can and wyll delyuer vs if not corporally yet spiritually if not our body yet our soule For it was the same God that deliuered the thrée children out of the fierie fornace and suffered the Machabeis to bée consumed with fyre They singe in the fyre and these dye and yet hée was the same God of them both He delyuered them to confound the Idolles of Babilon and suffred the other to perish in their bodies that the paine and damnation of their persecutours might bée the greater It commeth to passe also sometyme that the godly and vngodly suffer in this worlde together but for diuerse respectes and endes They in the distruction of their bodies doo in a momente and spéedely lay aside the vncleanenesse of their fleshe and are so brought to euerlasting peace and reste but the other doo then but beginne to feele fearfull and endles torments of body and minde And that saying of Dauid hath place herein In the hande of the Lorde there is a cuppe and the wine is redde in it it is full myxt and he powreth out of the same As for the dregges thereof all the vngodlye of the earth shall drynke of them and sucke them out When therfore we stande in some perylles lyke braunches to be cutte of the body of the trée or lyke valiant souldiers to fall in the forefront of this battell let vs comforte our selues with the consideration of these things Let vs be assured that God can deliuer vs if he wyll but if he wyll not it is for great and weighty causes and the same tending to our owne best profite For hée eyther closeth our eyes with good King Iosias that we should not behold the wofull estate of our countrey and Church which shall ensue or else he taketh vs awaye in our best tyme least malyce and wickednesse should alter our harts and in the meane tyme hee maketh vs worthy vesselles to testifie his honour and glorie euen before most cruell tyrauntes and ryddeth vs shortlie out of temporall miserie to the ende we maye spéedelie passe into endlesse felicitie And if we geue our lyues vnto death for these thinges as the matter is most excellent and lawdable so is it not so terryble and fearefull to the mortified and spirituall man as fleshe and bloode woulde make vs beléeue For if the Heathen souldiours doo abyde a long and sharpe warfare eyther to defende their owne countrey or to enlarge their dominions shall we shrinke to passe the pykes to the ende wee maye keepe our faith and possesse those dominions that are most excellent and endlesse Codrus king of Athens vnderstoode by an Oracle that if hee were preserued his Countrey shoulde perishe hee therefore purposely procured his owne death and shall we sticke to giue our lyues for our heauenlie Ierusalem That noble Romane Marcus Curtius cast him selfe headlong into a bothomles lake for his Cittie and Countrey and shall we feare imprisonment and daungers temporall that we maye possesse Pallaces and lyberties eternall Shall Zopirus the Persian cause his seruaunts to whippe him to cutte off his noose his eares and lyppes and that so comming to Babilon he myght the more spéedily obtaine credite of them to haue some authoritie whereby hee might betraye and yéelde the Cittie otherwyse inuinsible vnto his Maister King Cyrus and shall Christyans faynt with lyke tormentes to purchase not for others but to rerayne and keepe that Cittie alreadye prouyded for them by Christe Surelie these thinges made Iob to exclame Albet he kyll mee yet wyll I trust in him And the Apostles departed from the counsayle reioysing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus And Saint Paule certyfied by Agabus the Prophet of the calamyties and miseries which he should suffer at Ierusalem and his case much bewayled by the Brethren aunswered VVhat doo you weeping and vexing my harte for I am not onely ready to be bounde but also to suffer death for the name of the Lorde Iesus So spake Ignasius in â—â—ke case I am ready to abide the fire beastes sworde and crosse so that I may see Christ my sauiour who dyed for me And againe Let all paines and tormentes most exquisitly deuised by the diuell himselfe be executed vpon me alone so that I may haue the fellowship of Iesus Christ Fynallie the blessed and happye exchaunge of temporall paine into euerlasting ioye which the godlie shall possesse in the worlde to come ought to make them abide these short afflictions manfully whereof wee haue an euident example in the ritche man and Lazarus Abraham sayde to the ritche man Sonne remember that thou hast receyued vveale in thy life and Lazarus woe But nowe he is in ioye and thâ—â— art in tormentes Our sauiour Christ also sayeth to his Apostles You shall vvepe and lament but the vvorld shall reioyce You shall be full of sorrow but your sorrowe shall be turned into love VVhen a vvoman traueileth shee hath paine bicause hir howre is come but vvhen she is deliuered she remembreth not hir paine bicause a man chylde is borne into the vvorlde And you novv shall haue sorrovve but I vvyll see you againe and your hart shall reioyce and your ioye shall no man take avvay from you Although there are no greater paynes then in Chyldebâ—…th yet after delyueraunce the Mother for ioye of hir Chylde forgetteth all Euen so the godlie in this worlde â—…de wonderfull tormentes but after they haue passed this lyfe they neuer thinke of worldlie sorrowes by meanes of that vnspeakeable ioye of Heauen Which as yet the eye hath not séene the eare hath not hearde neyther hath it entered into the harte of man For our lyght affliction vvhich is but for a time causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall waight of glorie Whereof he Apostle saint Peter wryteth thus VVe are regenerate to an inheritaunce immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for you The man of God nameth the celestiall inheritance immortall bicause it neuer fleeteth nor vanish away as the ioyes of this world doo Whether they be honour or ryches or power or friendshippe all these perish and decaye he calleth it vndefiled bicause it is voyde of all sorrowe heauinesse and sinne it is pure sincere and permanent he sayth also that it fadeth not away bicause there is no fulnesse nor wearinesse of it These ioyes are in a vision expressed more largelye in the Reuelation And after these I beheld and loe a great multitude vvhich no man could number c. stoode cloathed vvith long vvhite robes and palmes in their handes These are they which come out of great tribulation and haue vvashed their long robes and haue made their long robes vvhite in the blood of the Lambe Therefore are they in the presence of the throne of God and serue him day and night in his Temple