holye church to y â— chosen meÌ„bres of Chri stes mystical body in al ages How nygh redy was the hande of God to delyuer his people Israel when they were almost ouerwhelmed with desperation in the dayes of Moses Hester the historie doth wytnesse Howe nygh was God to Daniel amoÌ„gest the Lyons To Jonas in the whales bellye to Peter in prison is lykewyse moste euideÌ„tly declared in the holy Scriptures Howe soddenly and beyonde all expectation was Sauid many tymes delyuered from Sauls tyraÌ„ny his owne herte confessed and compelled his penne to wryte tounge to synge sayeng He hath sente froÌ„ aboue and hathe delyuered me he hath drawen me forth of many waters Erecte your eares dere 〈◊〉 thren let your hertes vnderstande That as oure God is vnchaungeable so is not his gracious haÌ„de shor tened this daye Our feare and trou ble is great the storme that bloweth agaynst vs is sore and vehement we appeare to be drowned in the depe But yf we vnfaynedly knowe the daunger and wil call for delyueraunce the Lordes hande is nygher then is the sworde of our enemyes The sharpe rebuke that Christ Ie sus gaue to Peter teacheth vs that God dothe not flatter nor conseale the faultes of his electe but maketh them manifest to the end that the of fendours may repeÌ„t and that others maye auoyde the lyke offences That Christ called Peter of lytle fayth argueth and declareth as we before haue noted that Peter was not altogether faytheles but that he faynted or was vncertayne in hys fayth for so soundeth the Breke terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherof we ought to be admonished that in passynge to Christe throughe the stormes of this worlde is not onely requyred a feruent fayth in the begynnyng but also a constancie to the ende As Christ sayeth he that coÌ„tinueth to the end shal be saued And Paule onles a maÌ„ shall stryue lawfullye he shall not be crowned The remembrauÌ„ce of this oughte to put vs in mynde that the moste feruent man suche as haue longe continued in profession of Christe is not yet sure to stande at al houres but that he is subiecte to many daungers and that he ought to fear his owne frailtie as the Apostle teacheth vs sayeng he that standeth let hym beware that he fal not For yf Peter that began so feruently yet faynted or he cam to Christ what ought we to feare in whome suche feruencye was neuer founde No doute we ought to tremble and fear the worst and by the knowledge of our owne weaknesse wyth the Apostles inceassauntly to praye O Lorde increase our fayth Christes demauÌ„de and questioÌ„ askyng of Peter why doutest thou contayneth in it selfe a vehemencye As Chiste wolde saye whether doutedst thou of my power or of my presence or of my promyses or of my good wil Yf my power had not ben sufficieÌ„t to haue saued thee then coulde I neither haue come to the through the stormy sea neither haue made the waters obey thee wheÌ„ thou begaÌ„nest to come to me And yf my good wil had not ben to haue delyuered thee and thy brethren then had I not appeared vnto you neither had I called vpoÌ„ the buâ—… had permitted the tempest to de uoure and swalowe you vp But coÌ„syderyng that your eyes saw me pre sent your eares herde my voyce and thou Peter especially knewest the sa me and obeyedst my coÌ„maundemeÌ„t why theÌ„ doutedst thou Beloued bre thren yf this same demaunde que stion ware layd to oure charge we should haue lesse pretence of excuse then had Peter For he myght haue alleged that he was not aduertised that any greate storme shoulde haue rysen betwixte hym and Christ whiche iustly we can not allege For syth that tyme that Christ Iesus hath ap peared vnto vs by the bryghines of his worde and called vpoÌ„ vs by hys lyuely voyce he hath continually blo wen in our eares that persecution trouble should folowe the word that we professed which dayes are nowe present Alasse then why doute we through this storme to go to Christ Support O Lorde and let vs syncke no further Albeit that Peter fainted in fayth therfore was worthy moste sharplye to be rebuked yet doth not Christ leaue hym in the sea neither longe permitted he that feare and tempest to coÌ„tinue but first they entred both into the bote therafter the wynde ceassed and laste their bote arriued without loÌ„ger delay at the place for which they longe had laboured O blessed and happy are those that paciently abydes this delyueraunce of the Lorde The ragynge sea shall not deuoure them Albeit they haue fainted yet shall not Christe Iesus leaue them behynde in the stormye sea but soddenly he shal stretch forth his myghtye hande and shall place them in the bote amonge their brethren that is he shall conducte them to the nombre of his electe and afflic ted churche with whome he wil coÌ„tinue to the ende of the worlde The maiestie of his presence shal put to silence this boisteous wynde the malice and enuye of the deuell whiche so bloweth in the hertes of Princes Prelates Kynges and of earthly tyrauntes y t altogether they are coniured agaynst the Lorde and against his annointed Christe in dis pite of whom he sauely shal conduct conuey and carye his sore troubled flocke to the lyfe and reste for which they trauel Albeit I saye that somtymes they haue faynted in their iourney albeit that weaknes in fayth permit ted them to sincke yet from the haÌ„de of Christe caÌ„ they not be rent he may not suffre them to drowne nor the deape to deuoure them But for the glorie of his owne name he must de lyuer for they are committed to hys charge proteccion and kepyng and therfore muste he kepe and defende suche as he hath receyued from hys father from synne from death from deuell and hell The remembraunce of these promisses is to myne owne herte suche occasion of comforte as neither can any tounge nor penne expresse but yet paraduenture some there is of Gods electe that can not be conforted in this tempest by any meditacions of Goddes eleccion or defence but rather beholdyng suche as somtymes boldely haue professed Christes veritie nowe to be returned to their accustomed abhominations And also themselues to be ouercommed with feare that againste their knowlege and conscieÌ„ce they stoupe to an Idole and with their presence mainteineth the same And beyng at this point they begynne to reason whether it be possible that the mem bres of Christes bodye maye be permitted so horribly to fall to the denyall of their heade and in the same to remaine of longe continuaunce And from this reasoning they enter in dolour and from dolour they begynne to syncke to the gates of hell and portes of desperation The doloure and feare of suche I graunt to
Amos Daniel Christe Iesus him selfe after him his Apostles expressedly to haue na med the bloude thristy tyrantes abhominable Idolatrers and dissemblynge ypocrites of their dayes Yf that we the preachers within the realme of Englande were appointed by God to be the salt of the earth as his other messengers were before vs. Alas why helde we backe the salt where manifest corrupcion dyd appere I accuse none but my selfe The blynd loue that I dyd beare to this my wicked carcase was y e chefe cause that I was not feruent faith ful enoughe in that behalfe For I had no wil to 〈◊〉 the hatred of al men against me And therfore so touched I the vices of meÌ„ in the pre sence of the greatest that they might se themselues to be offenders I dare not saye that I was the greatest flatterer but yet neuertheles I wold not be sene to proclaime manifest warre against the manifest wicked Wherof vnfainedly I aske my God mercye As I was not so feruent in rebu king manifest iniquitie as it became me to haue ben so was I not so indifferent a feeder as is required of Christes stewarde For in preaching Christes â—…ospel albeit myne Eye as knoweth God was not muche vpon worldly promocion yet the loue of frendes and carnal affeccioÌ„ of some men with whom I was most familiar allured me to make more re sidence in one place then in another hauing more respect to the pleasure of a fewe theÌ„ to the necessitie of many 〈◊〉 daye I thought I had not synned yf I had not bene idle but this daye I knowe it was my dutie to haue had consideracion how loÌ„ge I had remained in one place how many hongry soules were in other places to whome alasseâ—… none toke payne to breake and distribute the breade of lyfe 〈◊〉 remaining in one pla ce I was not so diligent as myn office required but sometyme by coun sel of carnal frendes I spared the bo dye some tyme I spent in worldlye busynesse of particuler frendes and somtyme in takyng recreacion pastyme by exercise of the body And albeit men may iudge these to be light and smale offences yet I knowlege and coÌ„fesse that onles par don should to me be grauÌ„ted in Chri stes bloude that euerye one of these thre offences aforenamed that is to saye the lacke of feruencye in reprouing synne the lacke of indifferency in fedyng those that were hongrye and the lacke of diligence in the execucion of myn office deserued damnacion And besyde these I was assaulted yea infected and corrupted with more grosse sinnes That is my wic ked nature desyred the fauours the estimacion and prayse of meÌ„ against whiche albeit that somtime the spirite of God dyd moue me to fyght earnestly dyd stirre me God know eth I lye not to sobbe and lameÌ„t for those imperfeccioÌ„s yet neuer ceassed they to trouble me when any occasion was offered And so priuely and craftely dyd they entre into my brest that I could not perceaue my selfe to be wounded tyl vaingloâ—…ie had almoste gotten the vpperhande O Lorde be merciful to my great offence and deale not with me accordyng to my great iniquitie but accordinge to the multitude of thy mercyes remoue from me the burthen of my synne for of purpose mynde to haue auoyded the vayne displeasure of man I spared lytle to offende thy Godly maiestie Thinke not beloued of the Lorde that thus I accuse my selfe without iuste cause as though in so doynge I myght appere more holy or that yet I do it of purpose and intent by occasion therof to accuse other of my brethren the true preachers of Christ of lyke or of greater offences â—…o God is iudge to my conscience that â—…do it euen from an vnfayned and sore troubled herte as I that knowe my selfe greuously to haue offended the maiestie of my God duryng the tyme that Christes Gospel had free passage in Englande And this I do to let you vnderstande that the ta king awaye of the heauenly breade and this greate rempest that nowe bloweth against the poore disciples of Christ within the realme of Englande as touching our parte commeth from the great mercye of oure heauenly father to prouoke vs to vn fained repentaunce for that that neither preacher noâ—…pâ—…ofessoure dyd rightly consider the tyme of our mer ciful visitacioÌ„ But altogether so we spent the tyme as thoughe Goddes worde had bene preached rather to satisfie our fantasies theÌ„ to reforme our euel maners which thing yf we earnestlye repente then shal Iesus Christ appeare to oure coÌ„forte be the storme neuer so great Haste O Lord for thy names sake The seconde thyng that I synd to be noted is the vehemencye of the feare whiche the disciples endured in that great daunger beyng of longer continuauÌ„ce then euer they had at any tyme before In saint Mathewes Gospel it appereth that an other tyme there arose a great stormy tempest and sore toffed the bote wherin Christes disciples were labouring but that was vpon the daye lyght and then they had Christe with them in the bote whome they awated and cryed for helpe uâ—…to him for at that tyme he slept in the bote and so were shortly delyuered from their sodain feare But nowe were they in the middest of the raging sea and it was nyght and Christ their comfortour absent from them and coÌ„meth not to them neither in the fyrst secoÌ„de nor third watche What feare trowe you were they in then And what thoughtes arose vp out of their so troubled hertes duringe that storme Suche as this daye be in 〈◊〉 daunger within the realme â–ª of Englande dothe by this storme better vnderstande then my penne can expresse But of one thynge I am wel assured that Christes presence wold in that great perplexitie haue ben to them more comfortable then euer it was before and that paciently they would haue suffe red their incredulitie to haue ben re buked so that they might haue escaped the present death But profitable it shal be and somwhat to our comforte to consyder euery parcel of their daunger And first ye shal vnderstande that when the disciples passed to the sea to obey Christes coÌ„maundemeÌ„t it was faire wether and no suche tempest sene But sodenly the storme arose with a contrarious flawe of wynde when they were in y e middest of their iour ney For if the tempest had bene as great in the beginninge of their entrauÌ„ce to y e sea as it was after when they were about the middest of their iourney neither wolde they haue auentured suche a great daunger neither yet had it ben in their power to haue attayned to the middest of the Sea And so it may be euydently gathered that the sea was calme when they entred into their iourney Secondly it is to be marked by what meanes and instrumeÌ„tes was this great storme
also to be the power of God to salua cion to al that beleue the bryght laÌ„tarne to the fete of these that by nature walke in darkenesâ—…e the lyfe to those that by synne are dead A com forte of suche as be in tribulation the towre of defence to suche as be moste feble the wysedome and great felicitie of suche as delyteth in the same and to be shorte you knowe Goddes worde to be of suche efficacie and streÌ„gth that therby is synne purged death vanquyshed tyrauntes suppressed and finally the deuell the 〈◊〉 of all myserie ouerthrowen and consounded This I saye I write that ye knowynge this of the holy worde and moste blessed gospel and voyce of God whiche once you haue herde I trust to your comforte maye nowe in this houre of darkenesse and moste ragynge teÌ„peste thriste and praye that ye maye heare yet once agayne this amiable voyce of your sauiour Christe be of good comforte it is I feare not And also that ye maye receaue some consolacion by that blessed Gospel which before you haue professed assuredly knowyng that God shal be no lesse mercyfull vnto you then he hath bene to other afflicted for hys names sake before you And albeit that god by and by remoue not thys horrible darknesse neither yet that he soddenly pacifieth this tempeste yet shall he not suffer his tossed bote to be drowned Remembre brethren that Goddes vengeaunce plaged not Pharao the fyrst yeare of his tyranny Neyther dyd the dogges deâ—…oure and coÌ„ sume bothe the fleshe and bones of wicked Iezabel when she first erected and set vp her Idolatrie And yet as none of them escaped due pu nishment So dyd God preserue his afflicted churche in despite of Sathan and of his blynde and moste wretched seruauntes As he shal not faile to do in this great tempest and darkenesse within the realme of En glande And therfore yet agayne be loued in the Lorde let the comforte of Goddes promises somwhat quyc ken your dulled spirites Erercise your selues now secretly i reuoluing that which somtymes you haue herde openly proclamed in your eares And be euery man nowe a faythful preacher vnto his brother Yf youre cammunicacion be of Christ assured ly he wyll come before you be ware His worde is lyke vnto swete smellynge oyntmeÌ„t or fragrant flowres which â—…eue â–ª can be moued nor haÌ„dâ—… but forth goeth the odoure to the comforte of those that standeth by whiche is nothyng so delectable yf the oyntment remayne wythin the boxe and the floures stande or lye wythout touchyng or mocion Marke well dere brethreÌ„ before that Christe spake his disciples iudged hym to haue bene some wycked spirite which was to them no delectable sauoure But wheÌ„ he speaketh the swete odoure of his voyce pearseth their heartes For what coÌ„forte was in the heartes of the disciples when they herde these wordes Be of good comforte it is I. That is Iudge not that I am a spirite come to your destruccion â—…o I am come for your delyuerauÌ„ce It is I. Youre maister yea your maister most familiar It is I whose voyce and doctrine you knowe for ye are my shepe It is I whose workes you haue sene although perfytly ye consydered not the same It is I who coÌ„maunded you to entre into this iourney and therfore am I come to you now in the houre of your trouble therfore be not affrayed This storme shall â—…casse and you shal be delyuered What comforte I say deare bre thren was in the hertes of the disciples hearing Christes voice â—… ynge hym by the same can neither the tounge nor penne of maÌ„ expresse but onely suche as aster longe conflicte and stryfe whiche is betwixte the fleshe and the spirite in the tyme of extreme troubles when Christ appereth to be absent feleth at laste the consolation of the holy ghost can wytnesse and declare And Peter geueth some external signe what Christes wordes wrought inwardly in his herte For immediatly after he heard his masters voice he sayeth Lorde yf it be thou Commaunde me to come vnto the vpon the waters Here maye be sene what Christes voyce had wrought in Peters herte truely not onlye a forgettynge and contempt of the greate tempeste but also suche bolde nesse and loue that he coulde feare no daunger folowyng but assuredly dyd beleue that his maister Christes puissaunce power and myghte was suche that nothyng myght resiste his worde and coÌ„manÌ„dement and therfore he sayeth CommauÌ„de me to come As thoughe he woulde saye I desyre no more but the assuraunce of thy commaundement Yf thou wilt commaunde I am determined to obeye For assuredlye I knowe that the waters can not preuaile against me Yf thou speake the worde So that what so euer is possible vnto thee by thy wil and word maye be possible vnto me Thus Christe to instructe Peter further and vs by his example condescended vnto his petition And coÌ„ maunded him to come And Peter quickly leauyng y e bote came downe from it and walked vpoÌ„ the waters to come to Christe Thus farre of Pe ters facte in whyche lyeth great aboundaunce of doctrine but I will passe ouer al that especially appertai neth not to the qualitie of this time within the realme of Englande Before it is sayd welbeloued bre threÌ„ that somtymes the messengers of lyfe are iudged to be very messengers of death that not onely with the reprobate but also with goddes electe As was Moses with the Israelites Ieremie with the citie of IerusaleÌ„ and Christe him selfe with his apostles But that is not a synne permaneÌ„t and that abydeth for euer with goddes electe but it vanysheth awaye in suche sorte that not onely they knowe y e voyce of their pastour but also they earnestly studye to obey and folowe it with the daunger of theyr owne lyues For this is the spe cial difference betwixte the children of God and the reprobate The one obeyeth God speaking by his messengers whome they imbrace wyth vnfayned loue And that they do somtymes not onely against al worldly appearaunce but also against ciuile statutes and ordinaâ—…ces of men And therfore in their great extremitie receyue they comforte beyonde expectacion The other alwayes resysteth god des messengers hateth his worde And therfore in their great aduersitie God either taketh from them the presence of his worde or els they fal into so deadly desperacion that although goddes messengers be sente vnto them yet neyther can they receaue comforte by Goddes promyses neyther folowe the couÌ„sel of god des true messengers be it neuer so perfite and frutful Hereof haue we many euident testimonies within the scriptures of God Of Saul it is plaine that God so lefte him that neither wolde he geue him aunswere by prophete by dreame nor by vision To Ahas kynge of Iuda in his great anguyshe and feare whiche he had conceyâ—…ed by the multitude of those that were conâ—…ured
and confessed And doutles so arrogant is our nature that neither will it knowe neither confesse the infirmitie of y e selfe vnto suche tyme as it haue a tryal by experience of y e selfe And y t is moste playne by Peter longe after this teÌ„peste For when Christ said to his disciples This nyght shall ye all be staaÌ„dered in me Peter boldly brag ged and sayd Albeit that all should be slaundered and should flie from thee yet shall I not be slaundered but I am redye to go to prison and to dye with thee This was a bolde presumpcion and an arrogant promyse spoken in contempt of all his brethren frome whiche he could not be reduced by Christes admonicion But the more that Christ shewed hym y t he should denye hym the more bolde was he to affirme the contrarie as thoughe his maister Christe the author of all trueth yea rather the trueth it selfe should make a loud lye And therfore of necessitie it was that he should proue in experience what was the frailtie of maÌ„nes nature And what was the imbecillitie and weaknesse of fayth euen of those that were hys chiefe Apostles which had continually herde his heaueÌ„ly doctrine sene dayly his wonderful miracles whiche had heard theÌ„ selues so many ad monicions and exhortacioÌ„s of hym which also had folowed and obeyed hym in many thinges That imbecil litie and weaknesse of fayth yf Peter had not proued and felte it in hym selfe neither could he ryghtlye haue praysed goddes infinite goodnes â—…brased hys free mercy Neither had he bene apte and mete to haue bene a pastoure to the weake shepe â—…ender laÌ„bes of Christ but he should haue bene as presumptuouse a boaster of his owne strength as the Pa pistes are of their free wyll And he should haue ben as proude a conteÌ„pner dispiser of his weake brethren as the errogant Papistes that contempne and dispise all godly great learned men though they be a thousande partes more excellent theÌ„ theâ—… But to correct and reforme both presumptuouse arrogancy and fraile imbecillitie and weaknes of fayth Peter was permitted once to sincke and thryse most shamefully to refuse and denye his maister to the intent that by the knowledge of his owne weaknes he myght be the more able to instructe other of the same and al so that he myght more largely magnifie goddes free grace and myghty delyuerauÌ„ce And that Christ taught hym before his fall sayeng When thou arte conuerted strength thy brethron As though Christ shoulde haue sayde Peter yet arte thou to proude to be a pastoure thou caâ—…te not sâ—…oupe nor bowe thy backe down to take vp thewcake shâ—…pe thou doest nor yet knowe thinc owne infirmitie and weaknesse therfore canst thou do nothinge but despyse the weake ones but when thou shalt be instruc ted by experience of thyne owne selfe what hydde iniquitie lurketh wythin the nature of man then shalt thou learne to be humble and to stoupe amonge other synners And also thou shalt be an example to other whyche after shall offende as thou dyddest so that yf they repente as thou dyddest they nede not dispayre of mercy but maye truste moste assuredly of Christ to obtaine grace mercy forgeuens of their sinnes as y â— dyddest This frute haue we to gâ—…ther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Peters downsynckynge in y â— sea which was a secrete know lege and priuie admonicion that he after should denye Christe That we are assured by the voyce of Christ y t yf in the tyme of our trouble and extreame dauÌ„ger we crye with Peter we shal be deliuered as he was And if we mourne for our denial of christ as he dyd we shal fynde y e same gra ce fauour at Christes haÌ„de that he fouÌ„de But nowe let vs touche the thirde note which is this That with goddes electe in their greatest feare daunger ther resteth some smal sparcke of faith which by one meanes or other declareth it self albeit the afflicted persone in fear or dauÌ„ger doth not presently perceaue the same As herein Peter is moste clear manifest For perceyâ—…g him selfe to synck down he cryed saying Lorde saue me which wordes were a declaracioÌ„ of a lyuely quick faith which lay hyd within his afflicted sore affrayed herte whose nature is I meane of faithe to hope against hope y t is against al appearauÌ„ce or lycklyhode to loke for helpe delyuerauÌ„ce as y e wordes of Peter wytnesseth y t he dyd â—…e sawe nothing but the ragyng sea redy to swalow hi vp He felte nothyng but hymselfe syncâ—…yng downe in body and sore troubled in herte and yet he cryed Lorde saue me Which wordes first declare that he knewe the power of Christ able to delyuer hym For folyshnesse it had bene to haue called for y e helpe of hym whome he had knowen to be impotent and vnable to helpe The calling for Christes helpe by prayer in this extreame daunger declared also that Peter had some hope through his gracious goodnesse to obtayne delyuerannce For in extrea me perils impossible it is that the herte of man can crye for Goddes helpe wythout some hope of hys mercye It is also to be noted that in his great ieopardye Peter murmureth not agaynst Christe Neither dothe he impute or laye any cryme or blame vpon Christe albeit at his commaundement he had lefte his bote He sayeth not why lettest thou me synke seyng that I haue obeyed thy coÌ„maundement Moreouer Peter as ked helpe at Christe alone of whom he was perswaded bothe could and would helpe at a pynche He cryed not vpon Abraham Jacob Moses Samuel Dauid neither vpon any other of the Patriarkes Prophetes or saintes departed neither yet vpon his owne felowes in the bote but vpon Christ at whose commaundement he had left the bote All these thynges together consydered decla re that Peter in this his extreame feare daunger had yet some sparke of fayth albeit in that present ieopar die he neither felte consolacion nor coÌ„ forte For these premisses are vndoubted tokens that he had faythe But now to the ende which is this And immediatly Jesus stretched forth his hande and caught hym and sayd vnto hym O thou of lytle fayth wherfore dyddest thou dout And wheÌ„ they were come into the shyppe the wynd ceassed And they that were in the shyppe came and worshipped him sayng Of a truth thou arte the sonne of God And immediatly the shippe was at the lande whyther they went Hereof first is to be noted that God is alwaye nyghe to those that calleth vpon hym faythfully and so willyng is he to delyuer them that neither can feare nor extreame dauÌ„ger hynder his Godly hande Peter was synckyng downe loked for no other thyng but present death yet the haÌ„de of Christe preuented hym That y â— was visibly opeÌ„ly done to Peter in y â— his great peril is inuisibly secretly done to Christes
be moste iuste For oh how fearfull is it for the loue of this tran sitorie lyfe in presence of man to denye Christe Iesus and his knowen and vndoubted veritie But yet to suche as be not obstinate contempners of God and of al godlynes I woulde geue this my weake counsaâ—…e y t rather they should appeale to mercy then by the seueire iudgementes of God to pronounce agaynst themselues the fearfull sentence of condempnacion And to con sider that God concludeth all vnder vnbelefe that he maye haue mercye vpon all That the Lorde kylleth and geueth lyfe he leadeth downe to hel yet lyfteth vp agayne But I wyll not that any maÌ„ thinke That by this my counsaile I either iustiâ—…ie suche as horriblye are returned backe to their vomete Either yet that I flatter suche as maintaineth that abhominable Idole with their dayly presence God forbyd for then were I but a blynde guyde leadyng y t blynd headlinges to perdicion Only God knoweth the doloure and sobbes of my herâ—…e for suche as I heare dayly to turne backe But the cause of my counsail is That I knowe the consei ence of some to be so teÌ„der that wheÌ„ soeuer they fele themselues troubled with feare wouÌ„ded with anguyshe or to haue slyddeÌ„ backe in any point that then they iudge their fayth to be quenched and them selues to be vnworthy of Goddes mercies for euer To suche directe I my counsail To those I meane that rather offendes by weaknes infirmitie then of malice and set purpose And I woulde that such should vnderstande and câ—… sider that all Christes Apostles fled from hym and denyed hym in their hartes And also I wold they should consyder that no man euer from the begynnynge stode in greater feare greater daunger nor greater doute then Peter dyd when Christes presence was taken from hym Yea no man felt lesse comfort nor sawe lesse appearaunce of delyueraunce yet neither were the disciples reiected for euer neither was Peter permitted to drowne in that depe But some shall obiecte fayth was not vtterly quenched in them ther fore they got delyueraunce were restored to comforte Answer That is it which I wold that the afflicted and troubled consci ences in this age should consider that neither feare neither daunger neither yet doutyng nor backslyding maye vtterlye destroye and quenche the fayth of Goddes elect but that alwayes there remaiueth with them some roote and sparke of faith How beit in their anguyshe they neither fele nor can decerne the same Yet some shal demaunde how shall it be knowen in whome the sparke and roote of fayth remayneth in whom not seyng that al fleeth from Christ and boweth downe to 〈◊〉 Harde it is and in a maner impossible that one man shall wittyngly iudge of an other for that could not Helias do of the Israelites of hys dayes but euery man maye easelye iudge of hymselfe For the roote of fayth is of that nature that longe it wyll not be ydel but of necessitie by processe of 〈◊〉 it wyll sende forthe some braunches that maye be sene felte by the outwarde man yf it remayne lyuely in the herte As you haue herd it dyd in Peter compellynge hym to crye vpon Christ wheÌ„ that he was in greatest necessitie Wilt thou haue a triall whether the roote of fayth remayneth wyth the or not I speake to such as are weak and not to proude contempners of God Fealest thou thy soule fayntynge in fayth as Peter felt his body sinck downe into the waters Arte thou as sore affrayed that thy soule should drowne in hel yf y u consentest or obeyest Idolatrye as Peter was that his bodye shoulde drowne in the waters Desyrest thou as earnestly the de lyuerauÌ„ce of thy soule as Peter dyd the delyueraunce of his body Beleuest thou that Christ is able to delyuer thy soule and that he wyl do the same accordynge to his promisse Doest thou call vpon him wythout hipocrisie nowe in the day of thy trouble Doest thou thrist for his presence and for the lybertie of his worde agayne Mournest thou for the great abhominacions that now ouerflowes the realme of Englande Yf these premisses I say remaine yet in thy harte theÌ„ arte thou not altogether destitute of fayth neyther shalt thou descende to perdition for euer But mercifullye shal the Lorde stretche forth his myghtie hande shal delyuer the from the very throte and bottome of hell But by what meanes that he shall performe that his merciful worke it neither apperteyneth to thee to demaunde nor to me to defyne But this is requisite and our bounden deutie that suche meanes as the hande of oure Bod shall offer to auoyde Idolatrie we refuse not but that willyngly we embrace the same albeit partly disagree to our affeccions Neither yet thinke I that soddenly and by one meanes shal all the faythful in Englande be delyuered froÌ„ Idolatrie No it may be that God so strengtheÌ„ the hertes of some of those that haue fainted be fore that they wyl resist Idolatrie to the death and that were a glorious and triumphant delyueraunce Of others God maye so touche the hertes that they wyll rather chose to walcke and go as pilgremes frome realme to realme sufferyng honger colde heate thrist wearines and po uertie then that they wyl abyde hauyng al haboundaunce in subieccioÌ„ of Idolatrie To some may God offer suche occasion that in despite of idolaters be they princesse or prelalates they maye remayne within their owne dominions and yet neyther bowe their knees to Baal neither yet lacke the lyuely foode of god des moste holy worde Yf God offer vnto vs any suche meanes let vs as suredlye knowe that Christe Iesus stretched forth his hadÌ„e vnto vs willyng to delyuer vs from that daunger wherin many are lyke to perishe and therfore let vs not refuse it but with gladnes let vs take holde of it knowyng that God hath a thousand meanes very vnapperyng to mannes iudgement wherby he wyll delyuer supporte and conforte his afflicted churche And therfore moste dearly beloued in our sauiour Iesus Christ considerynge that the remem braunce of Christes banket whereof I doute not some of you taisted with comforte and ioye is not yet vtterlye taken from your mynde And that we haue entered in thys iourney at Christes commaundementes Consi dering that we feale the sea wyndes blowe contrary and againste vs as before was prophecied vnto vs. And that we se the same tempest rage againste vs that euer hath raged against Christes electe Churche And consideryng also that we feale oure selues ready to fainte and lyke to be oppressed by these stormye seas let vs prostrate oure selues before the throne of grace in the presence of our heauenlye father and in the bytternes of oure hertes let vs confesse oure offences and for Christe Iesus sake lette vs aske delyueraunce and mercy
sayeng wyth sobbes and gro nes from our troubled hertes O God the heathen are entred into thyne enheritaunce They haue defiled thy holye Tempel and haue prophaned thy blessed ordinaunce in place of thy ioyfull sygnes they haue erected their abhominable ydo les The deadly cuppe of al blasphe my is restored agayne to their harlottes hande Thy prophetes are per secuted and none are permitted to speake thy worde frelye The poore shepe of thy poore pasture are commaunded to drynke the venemouse waters of mennes tradicions But O Lorde thou knowest howe sore they greue vs. But suche is the tyranny of these moste cruel beastes that playnlye they saye They shall roote vs out at ones so that no remembraunce shall remayne of vs in earth O Lorde thou knowest that we are but fleshe and that we haue no power of our selues to withstand their tyranny and therfore O father open the eyes of thy mercy vpon vs and confirme thou in vs the worke whiche thyne owne mercy hath begon We acknowledge and confesse o Lord that we are punished moste iustlye bycause we lyghtly regarded the tyme of our mercyfull visitarion Thy blessed Gospell was in oure eares lyke a louers songe it pleased vs for the ryme but Alasse oure lynes dyd nothynge agree with thy statutes holy commaundementes And thus we acknowledge that our owne iniquitie hath compelled thy iustice to take the lyght of thy worde from the hole realme of Englande But be thou myndful O Lorde that it is thy truthe which we haue professed and that thy enemyes blasphemeth thy holy name and our possession with out cause Thy holy Gospel is called heresye and we are accused as traytours for professyng the same Be mercyfull therfore O Lorde and be saluaciō vnto vs in thys tyme of our anguyshe Albeit our synnes accuse and condempne vs yet do thou accordyng to thyne owne name We haue offended against thee Oure synnes and iniquities are without nombre and yet art thou in the mid des of vs O Lorde albeit that tyraūtes beare rule ouer oure bodies yet thrusteth our soules for the comforte of thy worde Correct vs therfore but not in thy hote displeasure spare thy people and permitte not thyn enheritaunce to be in rebuke for euer Let suche O Lorde as now are most afflicted yet ones agayne prayse thy holy name before thy congregation Represse the pride of these bloode thristye tyrauntes consume them in thyne anger according to y e reproche which they haue laid against thy ho ly name Powre forth thy vengeaūce vpon them and let our eyes behold the blood of thy saintes required of their handes Delaye not thy venge aunce O Lorde but let death deuoure them in haist let the earth swallowe them vp let them go downe quick to the helles For there is no hope of their amendement the feare and reuerence of thy holye name is quite banished from their hertes therfore yet againe O Lorde cōsume them cōsume them in thyne anger and let them neuer bringe their wic ked counselles to effect But according to the godly powers let them be taken in the snare whiche they he ue prepared for thyne electe Loke vpon vs O Lorde wyth the eyes of thy mercy and shewe petie vpon vs thy weake and sore oppressed flocke gather vs yet ones agayne to the holsome treasures of thy moste holye worde that openly we may confesse thy blessed gospell within y ◠realme of Englande Graunt this O heauenlye father for Christe Jesus thy sonnes sake Amen Yf on thys maner or otherwyfe as god shal put in our hertes with out hipocrisie in the presence of oure God respecting more his glory thē our priuate wealth continuallye we powre forth our complaint confession and prayers Then so assuredlye as our God lyueth and as we feall these present troubles shal our God hymselfe ryse to our defence he shall confounde the counseilles of our ene myes trouble the wyttes of suche as moste wrongfully troubleth vs. Be shall sende Iehu to execute hys iuste iudg◅nentes againste ydolatours and against suche as obstinatly defendeth them Iesabel her selfe shall not escape the vengeaunce and plages that are prepared for her por cion The flatterers and the mainteners of her abhominaciōs shal drink the cuppe of goddes wrath with her And in despite of the deuell shall yet the glorye of Christe Jesus and the bryghtnesse of his countenaunce so shyne in oure hertes by the presence of his grace and before our eyes by the true preaching of his gospel that altogether we shall fall before him saye O Lorde thou arte our God we shall extol thee and shall confesse thy name for thou haste brought wonde rous thinges to passe accordynge to thy counseilles which albeit appear to be farre of yet are they true and moste assured Thou haste broughte to ruyne the palaces of tyrauntes therfore shal the afflicted magnifie thee and the citie of tyranfull natiōs shal feare thee Thou haste bene O Lorde a stronge defence to the poore a sure place of refuge to the afflicted in the tyme of his anguis◅he This no dout dear brethrē shal one day be the songe of gods electe with in the realme of England after that God haue poured forth his vengeaunce vpon these inobediēt blood thrusty tyrauntes which now trium pheth in all abhominations therfore yet agayne beloued in the Lord abyde patientlye the Lordes deliueraūce auoiding and flyeng suche offences as may seperate and deuyde you from the blessed felowship of the Lorde Iesus at his seconde cōming Watche and praye resist the deuel and rowe against this vehement tē pest and shortly shal the Lorde come to the comforte of your hertes which nowe are oppressed with anguyshe and care but then shal ye so reioyse that through gladnes you shall saye Behold this our God we haue way ted vpon him and he hath saued vs. This is our Lorde we haue longe thristed for his cōmyng now shal we reioyce and be glad in his saluation So be it The great Bishop of oure soules Iesus our Lorde so strengthē and assist your troubled hertes with the myghtie comforte of his holye Ghoste that earthlye tyrauntes nor worldly tormentes haue no power to dryue you from the hope and expe ◅tracion of that kyngdome whiche for the electe was prepared from the begynnyng by our heauenly father to whome be all prayse and honour now and euer Amen Remember me deare brethren in your dayly prayers The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be wyth you all Amen Yours with sorowfull herte Iohn Knox. Imprynted at Kalykow the 20. daye of Iulij 1554. Cum gratia priuilegio ad Imprimendum solum 1. Petri. 4. Genes 4 Ezechie 18. 3. Reg. 21. Ezebie 14. Psal. 50. Exodi 14. Mathei 21. 4. Reg. 9. A note ma de vpō the sendyng of Christes disciples to the Sea the miraculous fedinge of