newe thing should happen vnto you 1. Pet. 4. but as ofte as ye are made partakers of Christes passions reioyce in al thinges that ye maye at thappearing of his glory reioyce with gladnesse Yf ye be rayled vpoÌ„ for the name of Christ happye are ye For the name of the maiestie power of God resteth in you the which name verely is blasphemed of them but by vs it is glorifyed The .x. Chapter THat iniuries and the paynes of persecution ought not to be feared that no man should be amased at troubles and persecutions which he suffereth in this worlde for-because the Lorde is more myghtye to defende than the deuell is to fight against vs Iohn in his epistell writeth and sayeth 1. Ioan. 4. He that is in you is greater than he that is in the worlde In lyke maner in the psalme The Lorde is my helper I wil not fear what maÌ„ can do vnto me And agayne in an other psalme These boast them selues in their horses but we will boast our selues in the name of the Lorde our God Psal 117. and. 19. They are bouÌ„de are falleÌ„ downe but we are rysen stande vpright And yet further the holy Goost teaching and declaring that the armyes of the deuell ought not to be feared al thoo he shoulde proclaime battaile against vs but rather that we should haue our trust in the selfe same battel that the ryghtfull by fighting against the deuell may attayne to the reward of Goddes seate and eternal lyfe speaketh in the spalme sayeth Psal 26. Thoughe an hoost of men were layde against me yet shall not my harte be afrayed and thoughe ther arose vp warre against me yet wil I put my truste in him One thing haue I desired of the Lord which I wil require that I may dwell in the house of the Lorde all the dayes of my life In lyke maner the holy scripture in Exodus doth declare that we do exceadingly multiplye and encrease thorowe afflictions and troubles sayeng Exod. 1. And the more they oppressed them the more they multiplyed grewe And in the Reuelacion goddes protection is promysed vnto vs in our sufferinges where he sayeth Apo. 2. fear thou none of these thiÌ„ges which thou shalt suffre Neither is it any other that promyseth vnto vs saffetie defence but euen very he that by the ê“phet Esay speaketh sayeth Feare thou not Esaie 41. For I haue redemed the I haue callee the by thy name thou arte myne owne And yf thou shalte go thorowe the water I am with the and the floddes shall not ouerwhelme the. And yf thou shalt passe thorowe the fire the fire shall not burne the. For I am the Lorde thy God which do kepe thee in safetie Which in the Gospel also doth promise that the helpe of God shall not faile goddes seruauntes in theyr persecutions saieng Math. 10. but whaÌ„ they delyuer you vp take no thought how or what ye shall speake For it shal be geuen you in that same houre what ye shall saye For it is not ye that speake but the spirite of your father that speaketh in you And againe he sayeth put in your heartes not to studye before what ye shall answere Mar. 13. Luc. 21. for I wil gyue you a mouthe wisdome wher vnto your aduersaries ar not able to resist Thus doeth God speake also to moses in exodus which delaied to do his coÌ„maundement and feared the people saieng Exo. 4. Who hath made maÌ„s mouth or who hathe made the domme or the deafe the seyng or the blynde haue not I the Lorde God Go nowe therfore and I will open thy mouthe I wyll teache the what thou shalt speake Neither is it any harde mater for God to open the godly mans mouth and to enspire constancy and holdnes of speche vnto his confessor Nu. 22. which as we reade in the boke of Numbres did make the very Asse to speake against Balaam the prophet Therfore let no man in persecution thinke into what daunger the deuel dothe bring but let hym rather consider what helpe God dothe geue Neither let vs be discorraged thorowe mans malice but let vs strenghten our fayth with goddes protection for asmuche as euery man accordyng to the Lordes promyses and the merites of his owne faythe shall receyue asmuche helpe of God as he beleueth to receyue Neither is ther a ny thyng which the almighty can not bring to passe except the fayth of hym that should receyue dothe decaye and fayle The .xi. Chapter THat it was told aforehand that the worlde should hate vs and that it should stere vp persecucioÌ„s against vs that no newe thing happeneth peneth nowe vnto christianes for asmuche as good men haue ben trobled from the beginning of the world and the ryghtfull haue ben oppressed and slayne of the vnrightfull The Lorde in the Gospell doeth afore warne and afore shewe saieng Loan 15. yf the worlde hate you knowe ye that it hated me furst yf you were of the worlde the worlde worlde loue that were his owne But because ye are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you out of the worlde therfore the worlde hate you Remember the worde whyche I haue spoken vnto you ther is no seruaunt greater than his Lorde yf they haue persecuted me they shall also persecute you And agayne he sayeth Loan 16. The houre shal come that euery one that shal kil you shall thinke him selfe to do God seruice But they shall do this because they haue not knowen the father nor yet me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that wheÌ„ the houre of them shal come ye maye remeÌ„ber the I tolde you And againe he saieth verely verely I saie vnto you ye shal wepe and lament but the worlde shall reioyce ye shall sorowe but your sorowe shall be turned in to ioye And againe he sayeth These thinges haue 〈◊〉 spoken vnto you that ye maye haue peace in me in the worlde ye shall haue trouble but be of good cheare for I haue ouercome the worlde And agayne whan he was demaunded of his disciples what should be the token of hys comming and of th ende of the world Luc. 21. he answered and sayd Mar. 13. Take hede that noman deceyue you Math. 24. for many shall come in my name saing I am Christ and shall deceyue many ye shal heare of warres and of the rumours of warres take ye hede and be not troubled for these thinges must come to passe but th ende is not yet Nacion shall aryse against nacion and kingdome against kyngdome and there shal be honger and earthquakes and pestilences thorowe all places All these are the beginninges of sorowes Then shal they put you to trouble and shal kill you and ye shall be hated of all people for my name sake And thaÌ„ shall many be offended shal betraye one an other and shall hate one an other
For it shal be geueÌ„ you in that howre what ye shall speake Math. 10 For it is not you which do speake but the spirite of the father that speaketh in you He hathe promised the yt shal be geueÌ„ offerd vs of God in that houre what we maye speake And that it is not we that thaÌ„ speake but the spirite of the father which forasmuche as he neither departeth nor is separated from them the confesse doeth bothe speake ys crowned in vs. In likemaner Daniel whan he was compelled to worship the Idol Bel whome bothe the king people did than worshippe in the defence of the honour of his God Dani. 14. be brake out with the full liberte of faithe saieÌ„g I worshippeno thing but only the Lord my God which hathe made heaueÌ„ and earthe The maâ—chabeis What should I speake of the bitter tormeÌ„tes of the blessed martyrs in the Machabeis of the manifolde paines of the vn brethren of the mother that did bothe 01 comforte her children in the tormeÌ„tes died also hereself with them Are not ther doctrines of great vertue faithe witnessed And do they not exhorte vs also thorowe their passions vnto the triumphe of martirdome The prephetes Thapostels what we ought to learne at the death of good men Mat. 2. What shal I speake of the prophetes whome the spirite hathe incorraged vnto the aforeknowâ—age of thinges to come What shall I saie of thapostles whome the Lord hathe chosen Haue not the inste whaÌ„ they are slaine for rightfulnes sake taught vs also to dye The birthe of Christ beganne straite waies with the martyrdome of infantes and babes that so many as war two yeares olde and vnder were slayne for his name sake The age that was not yet able for the bataile was neuertheles mete to receiue the crowne that they might appear * to be innoceÌ„tes Or it might appeare which are slayne for Christ the innocent infancye childhode was killed for his name sake It is nowe declared that no man is free from the daunger of persecucioÌ„ seyng that suche lytleones haue suffered martirdome What reasonable cause can any christian man haue 〈◊〉 haue no excuse that wil not beyng a seruaunt suffer seyng the Lorde himselfe hathe first suffered And that we wyl not suffer for our owne synnes when he hauyng no synne of his owne hath suffered for vs The sonne of God hathe suffered to make vs goddes sonnes And wyl not the sonne of man suffer that he maie contynue the soÌ„ne of God Yf we be hated of the worlde the hatered of the world christ suffered first Yf we suffer reuiling wordes in this worlde if we be driuen to flee yf we indure tormentes the maker Lorde of the worlde haue tasted of more grenouse paines who also warneth vs saing Yf the worlde saith he hate you Ioan. 15. remember that yt hated me first Yf you war of the world the worlde wolde loue that which war his owne Ioan. 15. But bicause ye are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you out of the world therfore doeth the world hate you RemeÌ„ber the worde which I haue spoken vnto you ther is no seruauÌ„t greater thaÌ„ his Lorde Yf they haue persecuted me they shall also persecute you The Lord and our God hathe performed and done whatsoeuer he taught and can the disciple and scollar be excused that learneth yet doeth not accordingly Let none of you dearely beloued brethren be so feared with the feare of persecutyon to come or with the comming of Antichrist that houereth ouer our heades that he should not be founde armed at all pointes with thexortacions of the gospel and with the heauenly coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts warninges Antichrist is come but Christ wil also sodeÌ„ly come vpoÌ„ him The ennemy murdereth and is very cruell but the Lord doeth by and by folowe to reuenge our afflictions wouÌ„des The enemy is aÌ„gry threatneth but ther is one that can deliuer vs out of his handes He ought to be feared whose yre veÌ„gauÌ„ce no maÌ„ caÌ„ escape according as he him selfe warneth sayeth Feare ye not them that kill the body but the sowle they can not kill Mat. 10. But feare him rather that is able to destroie bothe sowle and body in to hell Ioan. 12. And againe he saithe he that loueth his life shal lose it he that hateth his life in this worlde shal keape yt vnto eternall life And in the reuelacion he instructeth and warneth vs saing Apo. 14. yf any man worshipe the best and his image and taketh his marke in his forehed and in his haÌ„d he shall also drinke of the wine of the wrathe of God mingeled in the cuppe of his wrathe and he shal be punnished with fire and brymstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lambe And the smoke of their tormeÌ„tes goeth vp world withoute ende Neither shall any of them that worshippe the best and his image haue any rest either daie or night Vnto a temporal and world 〈…〉 and â—ight men at bothe 〈◊〉 and prepared and they counte it great glory honoure yf it maie be their chauÌ„ce to be crowned in the presence of the people in the preseÌ„ce of themperor Beholde the highe and noble fight which ys beutified with an heauenly crowne wher as god maye loke vpon vs fighting and that he casting his eyes vpoÌ„ theÌ„ whome he hathe vouche saued to make his childreÌ„ maye haue a plesaunt beholding and spectacle of of our battaile Whan we warre and fight with the armor of faithe God loketh vpon vs his angels do beholde vs Christ doeth approue vs. What worthye glory is it howe great felicite and happines to fight ther whearas God is the defeÌ„dar and to be crowned ther whearas Christ is iuge Let vs arme our selues most dearely beloued brethren with all our strenght let vs be prepared and made redy to the battaile with an vncorrupted mynde with a perfecte faithe and with deuoute vertue Let the armyes of God marche on and go forewarde vnto the bataille that is â—â—tched against them Let the perfecte man be armed that the perfecte lose not his late consraÌ„cy Let the fallen be also armed that the falleÌ„ maye receuie againe that which be had lou Let honour prouoke the perfecte let sorowe prouoke the fallen vnto the fight and battaile The blessed Apostle doeth arme and prepare vs to the fight saieng we wrastle not against fleshe and blodde Ephe. 6. but against powres against the rulars of this darkenes of this worlde against spiritual wickednes in heaueÌ„ly thinges Put you on therfore all the armor of God that ye may be able to resiste in the most wicked daye that whan ye haue performed al thinges ye may stande hauing your loynes girded with the truthe The armor and weapons of Christians clothed with the brest plate of rightfulnes and shodde that ye maye be redy to the gospel of peace taking vp the shilde of faithe wherby ye maye quenche all the firy dartes of the deuel and take the helmet of healthe and the sworde of the spirite which is the worde of God Let vs put on these armowres let vs fortifie our selues with these spiritual and heaueÌ„ly defences that we maye be able in the most wicked daie to resiste and beate backe the deuels threatninges Let vs put on the brest plate of rightfulnes that our brest maye be defended and saued against the dartes of the ennemye Let vs be shodde thorowe the doctrine of the Gospell and haue our fete armed that when we shal beginne to treade and thurst downe the serpent he maye not be able to byte ouerthrowe vs. Let vs manfully bear the shylde of faythe by whose defence what soeuer the ennemye throweth against vs may be quenched Let vs also take the helmet of saluacion to couer our heades How euery member and parte of the body must be armed â–ª that our eares may be defended that they maye not heare nor geue hede vnto cruell proclamations and lawes Let our eyes be fortiyed that they beholde not the detestable and abhominable ymages Let our forehed be fensed that the marke of God may be kept safe Let the mouth be armed that the myghtye conquering tonge may acknowlege and confesse her Lord Christ Let vs also arme the ryght hande with a spiritual sworde In Cipriaenes tyme the people receiued the sacrament in their right handes that it maye manfully contemne and despise the vncleane and wicked sacrifices that that which hathe receyued the Lordes body being mindful of the thankes geuing maye in the same embrace her Lord which shal after of the same her Lorde receyue the rewarde of an heauenly crowne O howe excellent and great a daye is that that is comming moste dearely beloued brethren when the Lorde shal beginne to numbre his people and by his diuine knowlege to examine the workes of euery one to sende the gylty into hell and to condeÌ„ne our persecutours vnto a perpetuall burning in the paynefull flame but vnto vs to reÌ„der the rewarde of faythe and godlynes What maner of glorye shal that be and how great gladnes to be admitted to see goddes honour the thou maist receaue with Christ the Lord thy God the ioye of euerlasting healthe and lyght To salute Abraham Isaac and Iacob all the Patriarkes and Prophetes the Apostles Martyrs To reioyce in the delectacioÌ„ of the gyft of immortalitie with the iuste men and freÌ„des of God in the kingdome of heaueÌ„ To receiue that ther which neither eye hath seen neyther eare hath herde â— Cor. 2. nor hath entered into the harte of man For thapostle teacheth that we shall receyue greater rewarde then either our workes or afflictions here can deserue sayeng The afflictioÌ„s of this lyfe are not worthy of the glory Rom. 8. which shal be shewed vpon vs. When the shewyng of this glorye shall come when the charitie of God shal shyne ouer vs thaÌ„ shal we be happy mery being in honour thorow the goodnes of the Lorde But alas 〈…〉
not to make haste to that ioye that caÌ„ neuer be taken from vs This thing happeneth dearely beloued brethreÌ„ whi â—e loue this â–ª liffe so moche bycause faythe is wanting because no maÌ„ beleueth the thinges to come which God that is true hath promised whose worde vnto them that beleue is euerlasting and stable Yf a sage man and worthy prayse dyd promise thee any thyng thou woldest verely beleue his promyse neither woldest thou thynke to be deceyued and begyled of him of whom thou art persuaded that he wil abyde by his wordes and dedes but nowe God speaketh vnto thee doest thou vnfaythfull man wauer with an vnbeleuyng mynde God doeth ê“mise vnto the departing this worlde immortalitie and eternal lyfe and doest thou doubt This is euen to be vtterly ignoraÌ„t of God Howe pâ—â—fitable a thing ye yâ— to depart oute of this world this is thorowe the sinne of vnbeleaue toffende Christ the mastre of beleauing people This is to be in the church and in the house of faithe to be witout faithe Howe profitable a thing it is to departe out of this worlde Christ him selfe the maistre of our saluacion and profit sheweth which whaÌ„ his disciples war sorowful bicause he said that he should now departe from them spake unto them saieng Ioan. 14. Yf you loued me ye wold reioyce bicause I go to the father Wherby he dothe teache and declare that we ought rather to reioyce than to be sorowfull whan they whome we dearely loue departe this worlde Of the which thing the blessed apostle Paule being mindeful writeth in his epistle and saieth Christ is liffe vnto me Phi. 1. and deathe auaÌ„tage He rekened it the chefest gaine to be now no more tyed with the snares of the worlde to be now no more in daunger of any synnes and vices of the fleshe to be ridde of vexing trobles and deliuered from the venemouse iawes of the deuell and to go furthe at the calling of Christ vnto the ioye of eternal saluacion But som ar troubled bicause the disease of this sickenes do indiffereÌ„tly come vpon our men aswell as vpoÌ„ the heathen as though the christean had beleaued to this ende that he might bothe be fre from the fealing of euelles inioye the pleasures of the worlde not rather suffering here al maner of aduersitie be reserued and kept vnto the ioye to come Some men ar troubled bicause this mortalitie deathe is common to vs also with other Trobles sicknesses deathe ar coÌ„mon to all men But what thing in this worlde haue not we common with other so long as yet according to thordenaunce of our furst birthe this coÌ„mon fleshe remayneth So long as we abide here in the worlde in the equalite of fleshe we ar ioyned together with mankinde but in the spirite we ar seperated Therfor vntil this corruptible maye put on in corruption 1. Cor. 15. and this mortal maye receaue unmortalitie the spirite bring vs vnto God the father we haue our parte in all maner of incommodities and displeasures of the fleshe common vnto mankinde Thus whaÌ„ the grouÌ„de is barreÌ„ thorowe an vnfruteful blast hunger spareth no man Thus whan any city is possessed throwe the inrode of thennemy captiuite wasteth all meÌ„ together And whan the stonyrocks burst the shipe in peces the shipwracke is coÌ„mon to al the saiie in the shipe wtout exceptioÌ„ And the payne of thies the raging agwes the disease of al partes of the body ar common to vs with others so long as we cary about this common fleshe in the worlde Yea rather yf the christian man knewe vnder what condicion and what lawe he beleued The true christian hathe most troble in this world he should knowe that he must be trobled in this world aboue other which aboue other must wrestle with th assaultes of the deuel The scripture teacheth and warneth vs aforehande sayeng My sonne whan thou becommest goddes seruauÌ„t stande in rightfulnesse and feare Eccle. 2. and prepare thy soule to temptacion And agayne Indure in sorowe and in feare thorow huÌ„blenes haue thou pacience for both golde and siluer are tryed by the fyre Iob after the losse of his goodes after the death of his children Iob. 1. being thus greuously afflicted bothe with woundes and with vermine was not ouercome but tried which in the selfe grefes and sorowes that he suffered did declare the pacience of a godly minde sayeng Naked came I out of my mothers wombe naked also shal I go vnder thearthe the Lorde gaue and the Lorde hathe taken awaye as it pleased the Lorde euen so hathe it happened The Lordes name be blessed And whan his wyfe wolde haue enforced him that he being thorowe great sorowe impacient should with a complayning and malicious voice haue spoken somthing against God he answered her and sayd Thou hast spokeÌ„ as one of the folishe womeÌ„ Iob. 2. For yf we haue receyued prosperitie at the Lordes haÌ„de why should we not suffer aduersitie In all these thinges that happened vnto Iob he synned nothing with his lippes in the presence of the Lorde Therfore the Lord beareth him witnesse sayng hast thou marked my seruauÌ„t Iob ther is not one lyke him vpon thearthe a man without faute a true worshipper of God Tobi. 1. Tobias also after his noble workes after the manifolde and glorious commeÌ„dacions of his mercie did suffre the blindnes of eyes and he fearing and praysing God in aduersitie grewe vp to prayse by the selfe plage of his body whome his owne wyfe also assayed to corrupt saing Where are thy rightfulnesses become loo what thou suffrest But he being stedfaste and stable in the feare of God and armed with a godly faith to suffre all maner of passions gaue no place in his sorowe to the temptacion of his weake wyfe but did thothe greater pacience procure the further fauoure of God whom afterwardes the angel Raphael praised said Yt is an henorable thing to declare and praise the workes of God For whan thou and thy daughter in lawe Sara did praie I offred vp the remembrauÌ„ce of your praier in the presence of the glory of God and whan thou didist simply burye the deade and bicause thou delayedst not to arise and to leaue thine owne dynar and wenst furthe and didest burye the deade I am sent to trie thee And againe he saieth I am sent to heale the Tobi. 12. thy daughter in lawe Sara For I am Raphael one of the .vij. holy angels which doo stande and haue our conuersacion before the glory of God This sufferance the iust meÌ„ haue alwaies had this discipline thapostles according to the Lordes ordinaÌ„ce kept not to murmur in aduersitie but paciently and maÌ„fully to receaue what so euer do happeÌ„ in this worlde Wheras the Iuishe people hathe in this pointe alwaies offended bicause they did often murmur against God as the Lord God doeth witnesse in
salute our parentes A great number of our parentes brethrē and sonnes do ther abide vs a great company do wishe for vs which are now sure of their owne immortalitie and carefull for our safetye To come to the sight and imbrasing of these how great ioye shall it be bothe to vs and them what maner of pleasure is this of the heauenly kingdomes to be with out the feare of dieing and to lyue with euerlastyngnes How excellent and perpetuall happines is this Ther is the glorious cōpany of the Apostles Ther are the numbre of the reioysing prophetes Ther are an infinite companye of martyrs that are crowned for the victory of their fight and suffering The triumphing virgins are there which thorow the strenght of cōtinency haue subdued the luste of the fleshe and bodye Ther are the mercyfull rewarded which haue done the workes of ryghtfulnesse by geuyng almes fedyng the poore which obseruing the Lordes cōmaūdementes haue chaunged their earthly patrimonies for heauenly treasures Let vs most dearly beloued brethren with earnest desire make haste vnto these le◠vs wishe that we maye quickely be with them that it maye be our fortune spedely to come to Christ Let God se this cogitacion and thought of oures let the Lorde Christ beholde this purpose of our mynde and faythe which shall gyue the greater rewardes of his glory to them whose desyres are more earnest to be with him Amen A boke of the holy martir G. Chpriane conicining an exhortation to martyrdome diuided into xii chapters wherin the sūme of the hole mater is more fully knowen written vnto Fortunatus FOrasmuche as O most deare Fortunatus the heuy burden of trobles and persecutiōs do lye vpon the churche nowe in th ende of the world the maliciouse tyme of Antichrist beginneth to approche thou hast desired me to prepare strenghtē the mindes of the brethren with exhortacions of the holy scriptures wherby Christes souldiers myght be encorraged vnto the spiritual heauenly fight It behoued me to obey this thy most necessary desire that to the vttermost of our lytle power by the helpe of goddes inspiracion we might bring furth out of goddes worde as it were certeine armores and defences for the brethren that shall fight For it is but a smale mater for vs to raise vp goddes people with the trompe of our voice excepte we strenghten by the holy scriptures the faithe of suche as beleue and the deuoute vertue that is consecrate vnto God For what thing agreeth better and more with our pastorall cure and charge then to prepare and furnishe the people committed vnto vs of God and the armey standing in the heauēly tentes against the arrowes and dartes of the deuell For he can not be a mete souldear for the battaile which haue not ben before exercised in the felde Or who seking a victorious crowne shall in the course or rūnyng place be crowned except beforehande he do consyder the experience of his strenght and cōnyng The aduersary enemy with whom we fight is auncient of long experiēce For six thousande yeres are fully complete sence the deuel began to fight against man Therfore he hath now learned euē by aūcient exercise al kindes of tētaciōs al sottelties deceytes to cast vs downe Yf he shal fynde Christes souldear vnprepared yf he shal fynd him ygnoraūt negligent not diligently watching he encloseth in the ignoraunt he deceaueth the negligent he begyseth the folishe But yf any man keaping the Lordes commaūdementes and stycking manfully vnto Christ shall stand vp against him he must nedes be ouercom bicause Christ whom man confesseth is inuincible But to make a shorte tale lest with long writing I should wery the most deare brother being occupied either in hearing or in reading I haue knit vp the mater in a fewe wordes that vnto the titles that at set abrode which euery mā ought bothe to knowe and remēber I might adde the Lordes wordes by authorire of the diuine scriptures cōfirme the which I had set before mens eies so that I maye not so muche seame to haue sent vnto the this treatise of myne owne writig as to haue geuen occasion to other to write treatesis which thing being vsed of euery one is profitable for many For if I should now geue vnto the a garmēt ready made the garment should be myne which an other should we are paraduenture a thing made for an other wold not serue for the proportiō and stature of his body But now I haue sent vnto the the selfe wolle and purple of the lanibe by whom we are redempre made aliue which whan thou hast rereaued thou shalt make for thy selfe a coate at thine owne pleasure wherin thou shalt more reioyce than in thy accustomed and proper garmētes and thou shalt deliuer this that we haue sent vnto others that they maye also according to their owne will make for them selues garmentes that al men the old nakednes being couered maye put on the garmentes of Christ being clothed word we the sanctificacion of the heauenly grace Furthermore in this most necessarye exhortaciō which maye stire vp men to suffer martyrdome I haue perceaued this coūcel also most deare brother to be bothe profitable holsome to cut of the lettes and hinderaunces of our owne wordes and to take awaye the goinges about the bushe of mans talke and to allege suche thynges only as God him selfe speaketh wherby Christ prouoketh his seruautes to martyrdome For the selfe commaundemeetes of the Lord as armors and weapons ought to be put in to the myndes of them that fight Let them be the exhortacions of the warlike trompet let them be the peale of trompettes that maye prouoke to fyght Thorowe them let the eares be lifte vp thorowe them let the mindes be instructed taught thorowe them let the strenght boche of the mynde body be cōfirmed to suffer all maner of afflictions and tormentes Wherfore let vs which by the sufferaūce of God haue geuen the first baptisme vn to them that beleue prepare euery mā to another baptisme also putting them in mynde and teaching that this baptisme is in grace greater in power myghtier in honour more precious a baptisme wherin Angels baptise and wherin God and his Christ reioyse a baptisme after the receyte wherof no man synneth any more a baptisme that maketh perfecte the encrease of our fayth a baptisme that do immediatly couple vs vnto God when we departe this worlde In the baptisme of water is receyued the remission of synnes in the baptisme of blood the crowne of vertues This thing ought to be embrased and wyshed for and to be desyred by the seruent prayers of vs all that we which are the seruaūtes of God may be also his frendes The first Chapter In exhorting therfore preparing our brethren The contentes of the. 12. chapters thorowe the stedfastnesse of faythe vertue to attayne the glorye of confessing the Lorde and to arme
you haue powred out your drinke offeringes and to theÌ„ you haue offered your sacrifices shal not I be angry with these thiÌ„ges saieth the Lord In like maner Hieremy saith walke not after strauÌ„ge goddes to serue them worshippe theÌ„ not Hiere 7. neither prouoke me thorowe the workes of your haÌ„des to scatter you abrode Io. also in the reuelacioÌ„ saithe Apo. 14. If any doo worshippe the best and his ymage shall receue his marke in his forehead or in his haÌ„d he also shal drin ke of the wine of Goddes wrathe myngled in the cuppe of his wrathe he shal be punished with fire brymstone in the presence of the holy angels in the presence of the lambe And the smoke of their tormentes shal asceÌ„de vp euermore Neither shal they haue any rest daye or night who so euer they be that shall worshipe the best his ymage The .iiij. chapter THat God wil not easely iê‘don ydolaters it appeareth by Moses in Exodus the praieth for the people and yet obteyned not Oh Lorde saithe he this people haue synned a great synne Exod. 32. and made for them selues Goddes of gold yet forgeue them their sinne I beseche the yf not wipe me out of the boke which thou hast writeÌ„ And the Lord said vnto Moses I will put him out of my boke that hathe synned against me In like maner whan Ieremy praied for the people the Lord spake vnto him saieng Iere. 7. Thou shalt not praie for this people thou shalt neither geue thankes nor byd praier for theÌ„ for I wil not heare them in the tyme that they shall call vpon me in the tyme of theyr troble Ezech. 14. Ezechiell also threateneth the same wrathe of God against them the synne against God saieng and the worde of the Lord came vnto me saieng Thou sonne of man whan the land sinneth against me and goeth furthe in wickednes I shall stretche out myne haÌ„d vpon it and destroy all the prouision of their bread and I will send huÌ„ger among them to destroye man best in the land And thoughe Noah Daniel Iob these .iii. meÌ„ war amoÌ„g theÌ„ yet shall they deliuer neither sonnes nor daughters but shall them selues only be saffe In likemaner in the furst boke of kings it is writeÌ„ yf one man synne agaist an other 1. Reg. 2. they shal make intercession vnto the Lord for him but if a man synne against the Lord who shall praieÌ„ for him The .v. chapter THat God is soangrey with ydolatry that he hathe also coÌ„maunded theÌ„ to be slayne which haue entised others to offer to ydolles and to serue them we reade in the Deuteronomy Deu. 13. Yf thy brother or thyne owne sonne or thy daughter or thy wiffe the lieth in thy bosome or thy frende which is as thine owne sowle vnto the entise the secretly saieÌ„g let vs go serue strauÌ„ge goddes the Goddes of the geÌ„tiles thou shalt not coÌ„sent vnto him nor herken vnto him neither shal thine eye spare him nor kepe him secrete but shalt vtter him Thine hande shall be first vpon him to kill him and than the handes of all the people To be short they shal stone him and he shall dye because he went about to turne thee awaye froÌ„ the Lorde thy God And agayne the Lord speaketh and sayeth that a cytie ought not to be spared althou the hole tytie shall coÌ„sent to Idolatrie Yf thou shalt heare saye of one of thy cyties which the Lorde thy God shall geue thee to dwel in that they saye Let vs go and serue straunge Goddes whiche thou haste not knowen Thou shalt smyte kill with th edge of the sworde all that are in that cytie and thou shalt burne the cytie with fire it shall neuer more be inhabited Yea it shall neuer be buylt againe that God may turne froÌ„ his fearce wrathe And the Lorde shal shewe the mercy and haue compassioÌ„ on the and multiply the yf thou shalt heare the voice of the Lorde thy God and keape his coÌ„mauÌ„de mentes Mathathias beyng myndfull of the force of this coÌ„mauÌ„dement slewe him that came to thaltar to do sacrifice 1. Mac. 2. But yf before the comming of Christ these coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes touching the worshipiÌ„g of God and despising of ydolles war obscrued keapt How muche more ought they to be keapt after the comming of Christ Forasmuche as he at his comming did not exhorte vs with wordes only but also with deades which after he had suffred al maner of iniure is and reuiling wordes was also crucified to teache vs by his example bothe to suffer and die that who so euer he be that will not suffer for his sake should be vtterly wtout excuse forasmuche as he hathe suffred for vs. And seing the he hathe suffred for other mens synnes muche more ought euery maÌ„ to suffer for his owne synnes And therfore in the gospel he treatneth and saithe who so euer shal confesse me before men Math. 10. him wil I also confesse before my father which is in heaueÌ„ but who so euer shall denye me before men him wil I also denye before my father which is in heaueÌ„ In like maner thapostle paule saithe Yf we die together with him we shall also liue together with him 2. Tim. 2. Yf we suffer with him we shall also raygne together with him Yf we denye him he shall also denye vs. Iohan also saieth â— Ioan. 2. he that denieth the sonne hathe not the father he that confesseth the sonne hathe bothe the sonne and the father Wherfore the Lord dothe exhorte and strenghten vs to despise deathe Math. 10. saieng Feare ye not them that kil the body but can not kill the sowle but rather feare him which can kille bothe sowle and body in to hell fire Ioan. 12. And againe he saieth he that loueth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his liffe in this worlde shall preserue it vnto eternal liffe The .vi. chapter THat we which ar redeÌ„pte made aliue thorowe the blode of Christ ought to preferre no thing before Christ the Lord speaketh in the gospel and saithe he that loueth father or mother aboue me is not worthy of me Math. 10. And he that taketh not vp his crosse folowe me is not worthy of me In the Deuteronomy it is also writeÌ„ in like maner Deu. 33. They that saie to father or mother I knowe the not the parents that haue not knoweÌ„ their owne soÌ„nes these haue keapt thy commaundementes and obserued thy testament Rom. 8. In like maner saieth thapostle Paule Who shall separate vs from the charite of Christ shall tribulacion or anguishe either persecution or hungar either nakednes or daunger or the sword as it is writen For thy sake are we killed al the daie long Psal 43 and are cownted as shepe appointed to be slayne Neuertheles in all these thinges we ouercome thorowe his helpe that
ye might remember the I tolde you Let no maÌ„ therfore maruel that we are exceadingly trobled with coÌ„tinual ê‘secutioÌ„s ofteÌ„tymes vexed with paineful trobles seing that the Lord tolde aforehaÌ„de the these should happen in the last daies which the doctrine exhortation of his worde instructed prepared our fight warrefare Peter also his apostle taught that persecutions do therfore happen that we maye betried and that we thorowe deathe and sufferinges myght also be ioyned and knitte to the loue of God after thensample of the iuste men that went before vs For in his epistle he wryteth thus sayeng Dearely beloued wonder not at this heate that is happened vnto you 1. Pet. 4. which is come among you to trie you Neither fall ye awaye as thoughe a newe thing had chaunced vnto you but as ofte as ye are partakers of Christes passions reioyce in althinges that when his glorye appeareth ye may also be mery and gladde yf ye be rayled vpon for the name of Christ happie are ye For the name of the maiestye and power of God dothe reste in you Which verely is blasphemed of them but is glorifyed of you Thapostles haue also taught vs suche thinges as they theÌ„selues did learne of the Lordes preceptes and heauenly commaundementes the Lorde hymselfe strenghtning vs and sayeng Luce. 18. Math. 1â— Ther is no maÌ„ sayeth he that leaueth house or felde other father and mother other betherne or susters other wife or children for the kingdome of goddes sake which shall not receiue seuen tymes as muche in this world and in the world to cum life euerlasting And againe blessed shal ye be saith he when men shal hate you and shal excommunicate and baÌ„nishe you Mat. 5. and shall curse your name as wicked for the sonne of mans sake reioyce and be gladde in that daie for your rewarde is great in heauen The Lorde wold haue vs to be mery and ioyeful in persecutions For in the tyme of persecution the crownes of faithe are distributed and geuen than are Goddes sowldears tried Than do heaueÌ„s open vnto the martyrs For we haue not after suche maner professed souldearfare that we should thinke vpon peace only and should refuse and forsake the fight Forasmuche as the Lord the mastre of humilite patience and sufferaunce hathe himselfe walked in the selfe same souldearfare the he might first do that thing himselfe which he taught to be obserued of others and might himselfe first suffer for vs that which he exhorted vs to suffer Set allwaies before your eies dearely beloued that he which alone hathe receiued al iugement of the father whichshal com to iuge all meÌ„ hathe euennow aforehand pronounced the sentence of his Ingement and knowlage to come Math. 10 shewing aforehaÌ„d witnessing the he will confesse theÌ„ before his father that coÌ„fesse him will denye theÌ„ the denye him Yf we might auoide escape death No man can escape death we might iustely feare to die but seing that of necessite the mortall must die let vs embrace thoccasion which God by his promise hathe vouchesaued to offer vs And let vs so ende our life that we maye receiue the rewarde of immortalite Neither let vs be afraide to be slaine seing yt ys manifest that we are then crowned when we are slaine and killed Neither let any maÌ„ most dearely beloued brethren betrobled Flight for feare of persecutioÌ„ whan he shall se our people driuen awaie scatered thorowe the feare of persecutyon and shall not see the brotherhede gathered together nor heare the bishoppes preache and declare the scriptures S. Cipriane vseth this worde brother heads We vnto whom it is not lauful to kill but must of necessite be killed can not than be al gathered together Whersoeuer any of the brethren shall in those dayes be for a season seperate from the flocke in body and not in spirite thorow the necessitie of the tyme let him not be troubled thorowe the terriblenesse of that fleing neither let him be afrayd when he departeth to hyde himselfe in the wilsome wildernes For he is not alone which hathe Christ to his companion in fleing He is not alone which keping the temple of God is not without God whersoeuer he shall happen to be And yf the these and murtherer shal destroye the as thou arte fleyng into the wildernes and mountaynes yf the wilde best shall assaile the yf hunger thurst or colde shall pinche the or yf the tempest or storme shall drowne the when thou doest by see hastely flee awaye Christ abydeth and loketh for his soul dear whersoeuer he fyghteth And he geueth vnto him that dyeth for the honour of his name in the tyme of persecution that rewarde A comfort for suche as are preuely pined murdered in presons which he hath promised to gyue in the resurrection Neither is the glory of martirdome any whit the lesse thoughe a man dye not openly amoÌ„g many when Christ his cause was thoccasion of his death For he is a sufficient witnesse of his martirdome that tryeth martirs and crowneth them Abel Let vs most dearely beloued brethren folowe the ryghtful Abel which beganne and consecrated martirdomes when he was the first that was slayne for ryghtfulnes sake Let vs folowe Abraham the frende of God Abraham which delaied not to offer vp his sonne in sacrifice with his owne handes when thorowe a deuouce fayth he obeyed God Let vs folowe the thre children Ananias Azarias and Misahel which being nether feared thorow their tender age nor discorraged thorow captiuitie wheÌ„ Iury IerusaleÌ„ were ouercome takeÌ„ ouercame by the power of faythe the kyng in his owne kingdome Which beyng commaunded to worship the ymage that Nabuchodonosor hade made ouercame bothe the kynges threatninges and the flamyng fyre Crieng out and testefieng their faith which these wordes Dani. 3. We haue no nede O king Nabuchodonosor to make the any aunswer touching this mater For ther is a God whome we serue able to delyuer vs from the fornace of the burnyng fire and he shall delyuer vs O king from thy handes but if he do not let it be knowen vnto the the we will not serue thy goddes neither wil we worshippe the golden ymage which thou hast set vp They beleaued that thorowe faith they might escape neuertheles they added but if he do not that the king might be certefied that they war also able to die for Goddes sake whome they worshipped For this is the power of faithe and vertue to beleaue and knowe that God is able to deliuer froÌ„ present deathe yet neither to feare nor giue place to deathe that faithe maie be tried the better Out of theyr mouth brake furth the vndefiled in uincible strenght of the holy goost the the wordes which the Lord spake in his gospel might appeare to be true whaÌ„ they shall laie haÌ„des on you saithe he be not carefull what ye shall speake