A CONSOLATORIE EPISTLE TO THE AFFLICTED catholikes set foorth by THOMAS HIDE Priest Be strong and take a Good hart vnto you al you that put your trust in our lord Psalm 30. ECCE AGNVS DEI. Imprinted at Louaine by Iohn Maes for Iohn Lion. 1579. VVITH PRIVILEGE Subsig Strick The ouen proueth the potters vessel so doth temptation of trouble trie the righteous Eccles 27. Our lord knoweth how to deliuer the godlie out of temptation and how to reserue the vniust to be ponished at the daie of iudgmēt 2. Pet. 2. You must suffer patientlie that you maie be knowen to be his disciples for whom you suffer Zepherin epist. A CONSOLATORIE EPISTLE IT is writen that Christe and his disciples vvent into a shippe vvhē sodainelie arose a greate tempest in the sea so that the shippe vvas couered vvith vvaues Christe slept His disciples avvaked hym and saide maister saue vs vve perishe Christe saide vnto them vvhy are you feareful you of litle faithe Then he arose rebuked the vvindes and there folovved a greate calme We must so conceiue of Christes workes that we beleaue them to be don in veritie and to implie an other thinge in signification to shewe one thinge by power and to signifie an other in mysterie It lacketh not mysterie that Christe and his disciples went into a shippe and that this shippe was tēpested You haue heard de Christes facte marke the mysterie This shippe resembled the churche militant wherin al christiā passengers do saile and be tossed with tempestes whyles they driue towarde theire countrie the quiet hauen of heauen that is the churche triumphant The sea resembleth the course of the worlde which is alwayes troublous And by the tēpeste is signified al suche pressure and persecution as they must expecte that folowe Christe into this shippe It was reuealed to sainct Iohn the wel-beloued Apostle of Christe that the churche should haue greate persecution Beholde the diuel shal cast some of you into prison to be tempted and you shal haue tribulation ten dayes By the terme of ten dayes is signified eyther the ten persecutions which the churche suffered vnder the Emperours or els the whole tracte of troubles which she shal endure in hir peregrinatiō There hath ben no age of men nor course of time sithēce Christe wherin this shippe that is to saye the militant churche of Christe hath not ben tempested The vngodlye drevve out their svvorde bente their bovve to cast dovvne the simple and to slaie such as goo the right vvaie Thes wordes of the prophet were verefied after Christes ascension when there arose greate tempestes to wit diuers persecutions against the churche open persecution and secret persecution persecution violent and persecution fraudulent persecution of tyrannie and persecution of heresie the one openlie the other secretlie the one by sworde the other by worde Of these tēpestes heresie was more contrarious to the churche then tyrannie For heresie transformethe hir selfe into the Angel of light proceadeth gilfullie deceiueth the simple striketh greuouselie with the sworde of the tonge and shedeth bloud cruellie by killinge Christe in his mēbers Tyrānie dealeth not with scripture not with drifte of learninge nor by order of iuste proufes but by crueltie and dint of sworde Yet hath the churche gayned more by tyrannie then by heresie for tyrannie maketh martyrs heresie begetteth Apostats Of them that persecuted the churche with tyrannie and heresie they were most ingrate and greatest persecutors who beinge some time christiās and fallinge from christianitie became professed enemies to the christian religion so was Valens the Emperour who of a catholike became an Arian so was Iulianus who borne of christian parentes and brought vp by learned christians became Apostata so was Licinius who of a christian became a persecutor There lacked not in this parte some nomber of the feminine tribe to put to their shrewde heades and helpes as Theodora Iustina Philomenes Prisca Maximilla and Lucilla It is not my final intention to enlarge of persecution nor of persecutors but brefelie to shewe to the persecuted catholikes of our tyme that yf now they finde al possible oppressions vnder heresie and tyrannie it may not seme strainge vnto them yf they consider how Christes shippe was couered with the waues how the churche hath ben persecuted euē from hir infancie and that she lacketh not at this time hir Valentes hir Iulians hir Liciniās hir Theodoras hir Iustinas hir Lucinas This pointe I wil touche a pointe not impertinent to note why Christe permitteth his churche to be so sore tempted and why the diuel raysed so manie blouddie battailes of cruel persecutions in the verie prime of the churche It is the corruption of our sinful nature to forget our dutiful seruice to God when we be secure and holde our desires in quiet We gase vpon the gaie glitterings of the wanton worlde wee feede our appetites with the delicate cherishinges of the fleshe so that our heartes begine to be estrainged from God and to leese the sense and feelinge of godlines vntil God sende vexation that geueth vnderstādinge When prosperitie had brought in libertie and impunitie of synne corrupted discipline when christians declined from deuoute conuersation and committed greate disorders God waxed angrie and sterred against thē against their churches against ther priestes and pastors the puissante power of persecutors to reuenge his conceiued anger When longe peace had corrupted Godes heauenlie discipline and feruour of faithe beganne to coole in the house of God God began iudgement in his owne house and by seueritie of correction erected faithe that laie a sleape and as it were in contempte Semblablie God dealeth now with his people knowinge the lewsenes of theire life and seinge the drines of their faithe he rayseth vp a greate tempeste wherin they be pitiouslie tossed with manye hurles of the vnquiet sea Certes for many hundred yeares the christian worlde the christian religion the faithe catholike was not so mightelie shaken as it hath ben in thes later tempestes of our times when bothe violent and fraudulent persecution haue assaide euen by penal lawes to rase out of christian mens heartes the general faithe of Christe and to persecute them that further not such a special faithe as the spirite of the worlde teacheth To you therfore derelie beloued countrie men to you that be afflicted catholikes for religion in what case and place soeuer you be I addresse this consolatorie epistle wherin my endeuour is to declare suche comfortes as the selfe cause of religion semeth to yelde Seinge now the violent windes blowe and bluster not onelie againste the kingedomes of the worlde but againste the churche that is the kingedome of god and knowinge that they haue shakē out of the shippe manye and to manye lost christians I offer vnto you that yet remaine and suffer in the shippe then cōfortes euen out of the bodie and bosome of religion I make common
the shippe of Christe you that be confessant catholikes al you that suffer for the catholike vnitie let your comfortes encrease to vnderstāde thes blessinges of God to wyt that you be of one faithe of one charitie of one churche of one vnitie vnder one heade that you be of the communion of sainctes that you be pertakers of sanctification of remission and grace that you be pertakers of al good workes done in the whole christian worlde of al sacrifices of al prayers of al penance of al fastinges and of what els soeuer be done in the vniuersal churche of Christe and that in the ende you be sure to be pertakers of Christes deathe and merites which is al that you labour for when now you beare the crosse of Christe And for what thinge soeuer God permitteth you presentlie to beare his crosse his iudgementes be secrete in effecte you suffer on the crosse which thinge must be your comforte For yf you suffer for your sinnes you suffer vpon the crosse of the good thefe If you suffer for iustice sake as sufferinge for religion you can not but suffer for iustice then may you take more comforte therof because you suffer vpō Christes owne crosse And what yf the professed enemies of the churche nickename you What yf they reuile you yea what yf they hate you The coniunction of soules vnited in God the dislikinge of spirites aparted from God is such that their can be no entier likinge nor louinge aliāce betwene faithe and infidelitie truthe and falsehood lighte and darkenes Antechriste and Christe They that breake charitie wil not like of you that kepe vnitie nor wil they commende you that be gon frō you The diuel that is auctor of diuision is alwayes sterringe againste the vnited members of Christe It is his tricke to blemishe and abase to infame and obscure the glorious name of thē that be of better note and conuersation to the ende they mighte finde lesse reputation amōge the childrē of the worlde Porphirius was a reuiler of christians and a rayler at their religion whē he could not finde oughte that he might iustly reprehende in Origenes commentaries he began to nickename him and to rayse at his person In like maner doth the partie protestante mislikinge with the catholike cause and with the catholike onelie for the cause beinge insufficiēte to answere theire matter nickename theire personnes that they mighte make them odious by reprocheful names and false intended crimes What ado make they whē they chapter as they doo cōmonlie vpon the names of Rome pope and papiste How rappe they oute theire railinge rhetorike when they heare the consented doctrine of Christes churche alleaged As they discourse smothelie and make a populer shewe of sugered wordes conningelie so yet when al is saide the somme of theire drifte is to make their rouinge aduantage vpō the names of Rome Pope and papistrie And what els do they saye in substāce againste the beleued doctrines of the churche but that the beleuers be papistes and the doctrines papistrie As it may be that a good natured man wolde shonne a contumelious speache so it should not greue a right enformed catholike that liueth in the feare of God and in the faithe of Godes churche to be reproched by the vngodlye which haue no feare nor faithe no remorse what God seeth nor what the worlde sayeth As for the names of papiste and papistrie they bringe in dede with them a preiudice amonge the children of the worlde and were inuented by the firste founders of the fifth gospel to bringe religion in contempte and to make the catholike odious wheras in truthe thes names be not infamous by diriuation but by calumnious interpretation It should not greatelie moue an vnderstandinge christian to be called papiste for yf he consider a principal grounde of our christianitie he can not be a saued christian that is not a pure papiste In the beginninge of the gospel christians began to be odious euen then they were reuiled mocked called fooles and witlesse folke because they folowed Christe Euen then they were spoyled and al that would iniurie thē mighte make theire praye of them It may come to passe againe in the reuolution of a fewe yeares that the name of a christian wil be as odious with the Machiauelian that vseth religion but for a polecie as nowe is the name of papiste with the protestante that is indifferent to any religion As odious was the christian name some nomber of yeares after Christe as nowe is the name of papiste and as muche malice did the enemies of christianitie worke againste the knowē christians whom they called scoffinglie Christicolas to wit worshipers of Christe as now the enemies of Christes churche worke againste the catholikes whō they cal odiouslie Papistas to wit such as shewe their obedience to the pope that is Christes vicar Peters successor the highe preeste and heade byshoppe of the whole christian worlde You be the children of the churche you be the children of vnitie yf you be nickenamed for dewties sake where dewtie is dewe that is oute of course and blame worthie in thē that so name you But the case beinge as it is remedilesse the seruantes of Christe muste holde them selues cōtente to suffer tearmes and tauntes raylinges and reproches seinge Christe their lorde and maister coulde not escape them Was not Christe reuiled with opprobrious wordes importinge shame and synne Was he not saide to be a freinde to publicans and synners Was he not called Samaritan and albeit there was neuer founde in him excesse yet they called him a wyne bibber and a man of meate aboue measure Yea they lefte not his diuine workes vntouched in them also they saide he wroughte by a diuel and the prince of diuelles When they coulde not abide his doctrine for his doctrines sake they glaunced at his person It can not be defended but you be synners But what synne is implied in the name of papiste Doubtles none at al but that vnder this name they woulde make odious not onelie your personnes but your faithe and religion which is that onelie religion and faithe of whos communion whosoeuer be not be not of Christes faithe and communion Amonge vs that be in banishemēte it is counted more irkesome in thes rebellious attemptes to be forced from countrie to countrie from state to state to be sacked to finde penurie and in euerie parte to see a feareful face of miserie then to heare a fewe syllables and them not of yl sounde nother yf they bee wel taken Wordes be often as they be takē and as the mindes of thē be that speake them S. Peter and the diuel vsed like wordes whē bothe cōfessed Christe to be the sōne of god Christe asked the Iewes for whō they soughte they answered for Iesus of Nazareth Their wordes were good theire meaninge yl The Iewes mocked Christe whē they saluted him thus Aue rex iudaeorum The christiās honor him with
of dignities offices liuelehood and libertie Why be you in bondes and bondage in prysonmente and banishemēt why be you yet displaced abased and defaced in the worlde I speake vnto you o you worthie confessors and cōfessante catholikes that lie at home in chaines and feede on the noysome ayres of vnsauerie prisonnes I speake vnto you that haue suffered a longe and lingeringe martyrdome and stil do suffer paineful fighte not ouercōmed Doubtles you bee daylie crowned the longer you fighte the more is your victorie the greater is your rewarde And you that beare aboute you your paineful endurance to whom al your countrie is but a prison and you that haue your heartes wrapped in heuines to see religion abandoned to se godes honor contemned to see Godes seruātes punished al you do testifie that the workes of the worlde be yl Repose you therfore your comforte in God his workes be righte he disposeth al thinges sweetelie and worketh to good ende He permitteth not you to suffer for his cause but to the ende you mighte take profite of it and suche profite as tendeth to the healthe of your soules In this suffering you can not but take comforte in the equitie of your cause againste which men haue no more power then God geueth no more then God permitteth for al power is of god Yf God permitte euil men to plage the good that turneth to theire comforte yf they consider that God worketh good of theire yl and suffereth the euil to liue eyther to be amended or that the good by them mighte be exercised God dealeth with you as the angrye father dealeth with his childe whom after he hath beaten casteth the rodde into the fire maketh muche of him and leaueth to him his patrimonie It is godes ordinarie mercie to instructe the good by the euil and to expercise those that shal be saued by the tēporal power of thē that shal be dāned In this exercise this is the comforte that he vseth euil men but for a tyme as the father vseth the rodde to beate his childe This is the comforte such as be nowe called flagella Dei suche as be punishers and persecutors of goddes people haue but theire time in the ende they be caste into the fire as Pharao was as Herod was as Assur was of whom it is saide Assur the rodde of my furie The churche hath nowe hir Pharaos hir Assurs and hir Herodes which be the roddes and whippes of Godes people God wil caste thes roddes also into the fire for he is bothe merciful and iuste knowinge their malicious machinations and seinge theire wicked attēptes againste the throne of his maiestie against the wealthe of his holie churche he wil trippe them in their turne and turne them into the fire in good time This saith our lorde The reuenge is myne I vvil so paye them in tyme as they shal faile of theire standinge Arise o lorde in time let al the kinges of the earthe feare thy name Arise and haue mercie vpon Sion for it is time to haue mercie vpon hir pea the time is come There is risen a great tempeste in the sea thy shippe is couered with waues thy churche is sore afflicted The enemie soweth darnel in the lande of our lorde Belial would haue felowshippe with Christe Alexander the copersmyth doth the sainctes muche yl What shal I saye Barrabas is lowsed Christ is bounde the lawes be chainged catholikes that now be afflicted for iustice sake suffer by lay lawes suche punishementes as traitors and heretikes suffered whē the churche lawes were in place But recomforte here your afflicted spirites o you afflicted catholikes consider you the difference of the cause in sufferinge When good and euil men do the same thinges and suffer the same paynes they are not to be discerned by their doinges or sufferinges but by the causes why they so doo or suffer marke the point Pharao afflicted godes people with greuous labours Here the persecutor was a wicked man the persecuted were the people of God. Moyses afflicted the same people for their disobedience againste God and him Here the persecutor was a good man the people persecuted were euil Pharao and Moyses dyd the like thinges bothe afflicted the people but bothe had not like purpose and entention The one afflicted with tyrannical affection to oppresse them the other punished with charitable zeale to amende them Semblablie Iesabel slewe the true prophetes of God. Elias slewe the false prophetes of Baal Christe whiype the Iewes the Iewes whipped Christe The Apostles were deliuered to the power of men to be punished the Apostles deliuered mē to the power of the diuel to be tormented In good times when God was feared and the churche lawes reuerenced catholikes punished heretikes nowe heretikes persecute catholikes In this similitude of punishementes the cause of punishemente is to be discerned and so be the mindes of thē that be punishers for the punishemēte may be like yet the cause vnlike the punishemente one the cause not one In the cause this is to be noted who be the doers who be the sufferers who do for iustice and veritie who suffer for synne and iniquitie who do to hinder and who do to profite Betwene the churche of Christe and the synagoge of the diuel this is the differēce the churche afflicteth for loue the synagoge for hatred the churce to correcte the synagoge to deiecte the one to reuoke from error the other to prouoke into error Sara corrected Agar hir maide that fledde from hir and was willed by the Angel to returne In Agar schismatikes and heretikes be represented who set them selues proudelie againste the churche that is theire maistris and mother and therfore be corrected by hir that after they be made humble by holsome discipline they mighte returne to hir Our lorde geueth a manifeste note how to discerne them that suffer for his sake wher he saith Blessed be they that suffer persecution for iustice sake because theirs is the kingdome of heauen When he addeth For iustice sake comfortinge them that so suffer with the promis of his heauēlye kingedome heretikes be excluded from this rewarde because they suffer not propter iustitiam for iustice Where there is not a sound faithe there cā not be iustice for the iuste man liueth by faithe Nor can schismatikes enioye this reward because where there is not charitie there can not bee iustice When therfore the doers do like and the sufferers suffer like wee must discerne the mindes of them that be doers and the cause of them that be sufferers Certaine it is that bothe good and euil do some tyme afflicte vse the like punishementes and pretende the same cause euen the cause of religion The difference is bothe do it not in like order with one minde nor to one ende In the cause of religiō the good afflicte the euil by censures and churche lawe to represse diuision to
sawe men and by and by to open the eyes of your soule to see your sauiour Christe Howsoeuer it pleaseth Godes holie wil to deale with you endure you vnder correction ▪ for God offereth him selfe therin vnto your as to his children There is not a childe of his vvhom he correcteth not vvhom he loueth he proueth In this endured correction you haue this comforte that God geueth you grace to confesse him and fortitude to suffer for him You haue this comforte that there cōmeth nothinge to you but what you may make your profite of Amonge manye profites this is not the leaste that it bringeth you to ioyne your selues near vnto God it moueth you to do more penance to make more prayer to receaue more often the holie sacramentes by meanes and vertue of whiche God assisteth you God strengtheneth you and wil make that perfecte in you which he hath begonne Aboue the reste of comfortes which you haue in this endured affliction the moste soueraigne comforte is to remember that what euer the iniquitie of time or malice of men shal worke againste you for your religion you can suffer no more then Christe him selfe suffered to make his churche glorious no more then Christes sainctes suffered when they cōfessed Christe and his religion euen to deathe Nor can you suffer for a better cause then for which Christe and his sainctes suffered And how muche better is it for you so to suffer then to liue in a false felicitie of the worlde and to die from God in schisme and heresie How lamētable should your losse be yf nowe you shoulde folowe the newe no faithe of the worlde and lacke God in the worlde to come because you lacked iustice of faithe You se how the storme endureth the sea is trobeled the shippe is tēpested and how Christe sleapeth in the shippe What now muste you doo but goo to Christe as his disciples did awake him as they did say vnto him as they did O lord saue vs Feare you not so to do for you haue Christe in the shippe with you he is the gouernor of the shippe he gouerneth you in the waye And your faithe I doubte not is nowe stronger then the faithe of Christes disciples was when they were in the shippe with him for they had not yet sene the crosse the deathe the resurrection and ascension of Christe They coulde not but be waueringe as men that were not yet confirmed nor comforted with the holie ghoste Your faithe is strengthened by the frutes of thes your faithe is confirmed by the doctrine of the Apostles by the preachinges of the Confessors by the deathe of the martyres by the vniforme consente of your forefathers finallie by the general practise of the whole christian worlde You that be so manye wayes cōfirmed in your faithe can not but goo vnto Christe with good currage and boldelie awake him and frelie saye vnto him Domine salua nos And to him muste you become humble suppliātes that he vouchesafe to quiet the tempestes of the sea as he did at the prayers of his disciples As Christe then in raysinge that tempeste did prepare the mindes of his disciples to beare trobles and enforme their vnderstanding to make theire refuge vnto him that he mighte shewe the mightenes of his power Euenso doth he stil dispose that greate trobles come vpon his faitheful seruantes which yet he quieteth in good time after they haue prayed vnto him And that we shoulde praye it is his holie wil. This hath he saide Thou shalt cal vpon me in the daye of tribulation and I vvil heare thee He shewed vs an example hereof when he went in to the monute Oliuet before his passion to praye And certain it is that prayer is of valour eyther to take awaye tribulation or to geue strenghte to beare it Holie writers affirme that to geue strengthe is a farre greater grace then to take it awaye and that our lorde doth more benefite vs when he geueth strengthe to sustaine persecution then when he taketh persecutiō from vs. No doubte but Christes disciples which be nowe in the shippe windeshaken and sore beaten with the cruel tempestes of the sea cal vpon him make theire contineual praier that he vouchesafe to arise to rebuke the windes and to make calme the tempeste No doubte but they saye and daylie saie Arise o lorde saue vs and helpe vs oute of tribulatiō But for that Christe heareth not theire praiers by and bie for that Christe releueth not their miseries presentlie Christe semeth to them asleepe wheras in dede it is his merciful dispensation and diuine power not to recomforte the afflicted so sone as they cal but firste to exercise and to proue theire vertues to proue theire faithe theire hope theire charitie to proue theire humilitie pacience and constancie It is written Our lorde God tempteth you to knovve vvhether you loue hym or no. that is God maketh you to knowe whether you loue him He knoweth you you knowe not your selues he maketh you to knowe your selues by iuste trialles and proufes And yet doth he not tēpte you to knowe you but permitteth you to be tempted to make you to be knowen to your selues and to othes how muche you haue profited in his loue which doubteles men can not vnderstande but when God trieth you And Christe our lorde is saide to sleape when of his mercie he prolongeth iustice when of his mercie he suffereth synners vncorrected and iuste liuers to be punished when he suffereth the euil to be exalted and the good to be deiected thē to haue prosperitie and peace of the worlde thes to finde aduersitie and trobbles in the worlde But the holie scripture muste nedes be true He that kepeth Israel doth not slumber nor vvil sleape And therfore muste not the afflicted leaue of to praye thoughe God protract his mercie for a time to trie the constancie of theire faithe and to exercise their vertues Some thinges be not denied thoughe for a time deferred And God deferreth for a time to geue them in more conuenient time God deferreth that the yl affection of our heartes might be better purged and that the thinges which wee longe for might be better welcome when they be obtained Thinges that be obtayned easelie be lesse regarded God kepeth for vs in store what he wyl not geue by and bye that we may learne to longe for greate thinges with longe and greate desire I crye saith Iob and thou hearest me not I stande and thou lokest not on mee In tyme of persecution the holie churche standeth in faithe and crieth in desire But God almightie such is his hidden iudgement and secret coūsel vseth to defer the praiers of them that be persecuted to the entente their merites might encrease and they be heard rather to their merite then to their desire And it helpeth to encrease the vnderstandinge of godlie mē whē their desires be not accōplished but after a tyme For
desire kindeleth of delaie and vnderstādinge encreaseth of desire We must aske we must seeke we muste knocke Our lorde hath saide Aske you and you shal receaue Seeke and you shal finde Knocke and the doore shal be opened Wee must perseauer eager and feruente in prayer not doubtinge but in tyme we shal receaue what we aske in tyme we shal finde what wee seeke and after wee haue knocked the doore wil be opened That sweete ladie of consolatiō and quene of comforte with al the heauenlie courte to whom you so often poure forthe your mourninge plaintes wyl not wante to make intercession for you before the throwne of his maiestie Theire praiers wyl not faile but gaine you comforte in your distresses And assure your selues that God wyl heare you and them for you for he is al wayes nighe to them that be afflicted Christe may seeme longe a sleepe to you that be afflicted to you it may seeme timelie that Christe take pitie of his churche so pitiouslie afflicted with heresie and tyrannie But it is not our parte to appointe him time he knoweth beste what is necessarie for vs To him wee muste humble our soules and praye for suche times as may be moste for his honor It was saide to them of Bethulia Vnderstande you that God vvil heare your prayers yf stil you perseuere in fastinge and prayer God almightie hath appointed tyme and knoweth when and how to deliuer the Godlie out of temptation After a storme he maketh fayre wether After weepinge and heuines he geueth mirthe and ioye The shippe hath ben shaken with no lesse stormes at other times then at this time Christe quieted those and Christe wil quiet thes Doubte you not but he wil bringe his trobeled freindes throughe the middes of thes tempestes and repose them in quiet hauen I conclude with thes considerations Christians are nowe put together as it were in apotte ouer the fire to be tried as goulde is tried from other metalles The fire flameth the pot seetheth the waters be thicke the scombe is caste awaye Catholikes are in the forge vnder the workemans hande to be refined They are in the forge not as coles that burne and turne to ashes but as golde that is tried The forge is the worlde you are the golde tribulation is the fire God is the worke man. The Christian catholike life consisteth in sufferinge wee must not therfore doo our owne wil but the wil of god And amonge men wee must eyther suffer the rulers wil or theire power their wil to order vs or theire power to punishe vs And then the consequēce is eyther to haue victorie in this worlde or to surrender this life to inherite the life euerlastinge The sureste waye to come into the peaceable porte of our countrie towarde which wee saile tossed in many tempestes is to remaine in the shippe and in the same to trace the true wayes of them that haue gon before to treade in their steppes and to become heires of their vertues Hard thinges may be mollified straite thinges may be loused and heauie thinges shal litle greue them that can beare them hansomlie Thoughe God suffer for a time the wicked to rage and the hypocrite to raigne yet the same hande that woundeth heyleth the same hande that presseth refresheth Godes pitiful grace wyl quenche the firebrandes asswage the rage and releue the innocentes The wisedome of the worlde maketh worldlie heades deffecte from god Good mens heartes be create of God and be resteles in the worlde but when they reste in God. As there is but one God one faithe and one baptisme so is there but one Christe one churche and one religion No faithe can profite but that one which is the catholike Romaine faithe confessed in the catholike Romaine churche that is but one vnder one heade The Lutheran the Caluinian and Puritan faithe is a newe no faithe a newe no religion founded vpon mannes fancie without Godes worde or authoritie It hath no churche no bishoppe no prieste no aulter no sacrifice and consequentlie no God. And they of this newe no faithe hauinge no grounde in Christe nor of his churche dissente in their owne groundes without vnitie from veritie You haue the groundes of Christe You haue the authoritie of Christes churche You haue the testimonies of Christes sainctes You haue the confirmations of general councelles With you is the vniforme consente of the people of god With you is the publike practise of the Christian worlde You should not be discomforted to suffer for such a cause as hath so manye greate so manye good and so sufficience groundes for suche a cause I saye as with which concurre so manye comfortes As that you sustaine the greateste cause under the cope of heauen the common cause of Christes catholike churche the cause of religion which is the supreme seruice and soueraigne honor that you can offer vnto god That God maketh you worthie geueth you grace to confesse and fortitude to suffer That you enioye in the vnitie of Christes churche the bountie of his blessinges That you be safe in this churche throughe the mightie power of your guides and rulers That you be pertakers of al praier of al sacrifice of al good workes and shal be pertakers of Christes deathe and merites That in sufferinge you be daylie crowned that you haue victorie and shal haue rewarde That in sufferinge your vertues be exercised and your merites encreased That you suffer directelie for iustice that you suffer but for a time That by suffering God maketh you lowe to bringe you to the highest maketh you ritche in faithe and turneth your temporal punishemēte to your spiritual benefite That you ouercome the worlde that you shal not be condemned with the worlde That you be open confessors That you haue secrete martyrdome that you haue al possible comfortes with which faithe is strengthened to make you opē Martyres Yf any of you take comforte in any of thes comfortes geue the praise to God and cal vpon him in al your pressures and sufferinges God wil be your helpe and God muste be your hope Yf there be remedie it wil once fal yf there be none thanke God of al. Beleue wel and liue wel Do wel and die wel that you may die to liue with god God the father of al mercies and the God of al comforte comforte you in al your tribulation with the same comforte wherwith our selues are comforted of God. Fare you wel At Louaine the last of September 1579. A Prayer Almightie God father of al mercies and God of al comforte haue mercie on vs the afflicted members of thy catholike churche Forgeue vs our synnes geue vs tyme to do penance grace to resiste synne and peace to serue thee in holynes Comforte vs that be thy prisoners reliue vs that be straingers in dispersion succour al that be afflicted for confessinge thy holie name Make vs worthie to suffer geue vs strengthe to beare and constancie to confesse Let no feare