beloued sone or any mother hir owne tendre frutes of hir owne bodye soukinge at hir brests And were it in case that the mother perchaunce might forgete hir yonge lytle infant yet shall our mercifull father neuer forgete vs Isay. xlix We haue a redemer and a delyuerer euen the moste myghtiest Lorde Christe Iesu to whom is geuen all powr in heuen and erthe Whiche raigneth our all he loueth vs he hath taken vs to be his brethern we are his members he hathe deserued for vs all goodnes and all felicite He hath geuen vs the glorye whiche his father gaue him that we shulde be all one in Chryst and in the father as the father and sonne be one out of the whiche vnite all the treasures of the diuine goodnes of rightwysenes lyfe consolacion and helthe be geuen vnto vs. Thorowe owr faith in Christe and for Chrystis sake we are one that is to saye of one consent mynde and felowship with the father and the sonne and the holy goste so that as the sone cannot be diuidid from the father nor the holy gost from them bothe nomore may we beinge the faithfull in Chryste be separated from Cryste For Christe wolde that where so euer him selfe were there shuld we be with him whiche thinge aftir our departure is as certaynly trwe as is him self the verite which so said it prayd for it and obtayned it for vs of his father Furthermore If our faith be yet to weake to apprehende fermely these infinite so riche benefits theÌ„ let vs flye vnto the promises of god which as they be right many so are they the most trwest certayne whiche ought to be depely printed into our hertis neuer to be forgoten â–ª Owr hertis verely are â—o narow and to skant to receyue the greatnes the multitude of these riche tresures aÌ„d goodnes For these benefits be immense and infinite And therfore let vs thus thinke that right great and mighty is he which promiseth these riches to vs aÌ„d that he is the very god him self euen owr god Whiche in and for his owne onely begoten derely beloued sonne hathe he promised vs this lyfe euerlastinge For all the promises of god are made in and for Chrystes sake to be ferme and fast and inuiolable Certayn it is that god sent vs his sonne in that full apoynted tyme as the prophetes had prophecied it â—o fulfyll these his cleare and gloriouse mighty riche promyses This is trwthe For we haue them confirmed aÌ„d sealled wiâ—he his owne spirite of trowthe with his gospel preched and with his owne blode shed in his passion and autorysed with his owne gloriouse resurreccioÌ„ which is owr head and raigneth aboue all both in heuen and in erthe and in hell And howe then maye we his members for whose sake all these things he hath done and suffered â—arye in synne and in deathe There may nothinge more certaynly stablisshe and confirme our myndis our selues to ryse agen immortal bothe in body and soule then the resurreccion of eryste We can haue no fermer nor stronger argument of our resurreccion then the resurreccion of our Lorde Chryst whiche is the most certayn and sewerest The very sonne of god is made man and toke our nature vnto him selfe which willingly not constrayned suffred death for vs vpoÌ„ the crosse But yet he arose ageyne wolde aftir his resurreccion be sene handled his woundes sene and felt herde spekinge and teachinge his disciples eatinge and drinkinge with them of the whiche his re surreccion his disciples were so certayne that aftirward withe their owne deathes thei coÌ„firmed it And if Chryst be rysen from death so be we certayn that our synnes be cleâ—sed aÌ„d deathe deuicted Wherfore in the Lorde we ought to reioyse for euer aÌ„d to geue him high thanks immortall for these inestimable immense benefits Let Satan with his wyked whelpes freat fume and gryâ—ne with all his idle emnioâ—s impes whom eternall dampnacion abideth But let vs abyde in the faith of the gospell and so abyde we the lyuely members of Chryste And then where so euer is Chryste there are we also Death cannot pluk vs from Chryste For we are the members of his bodye out of his owne flesshe and bones Ephe. v. But if our ferefull infirme consciences doutinge of these so certayn promiseâ— for that we be all sinners caste awaye all hope thinkinge our selues therfore to haue lost all these benefits promised vs sayinge with owr selues We heare god â—o haue promised vs all these riche benefits but because we so syn dayly aÌ„d fall from him doinge no good thing perfitly we are vnworthei to haue theÌ„ With siche though tis verely satan tempteth and troubleth many a good man But this do I answere That if our rightwysenes and saluacion shuld stande vpon our owne good workes and worthynes then sewerly had we lost in euery minute all these riche benefits of god then might we be vncertay ne of all these promyses and of any remission of our synnes and lyfe eternall if lyfe and remission were promised vs vpoÌ„ siche a coÌ„dicion that is if we fulfill gods preceptis and so by owr good dedis merit our saluacioÌ„ so were we without all hope of saluacioÌ„ For we are euery hower synners and all our beste works are imperfect yea thei be as Isaye saith corrupt sinfull if they shulde be expended tryed in the rigour of gods lawe and exammed at his straight iugement If the hope of our saluacion shulde stande vpon the merits worthines of owr workis we must nedis despeyre neuer to haue peace in our consciences when there is no man so holy and perfit of lyuinge whiche may verely glorye him self at altymes so to haue had fulfilled the lawe as it ought to be fulfilled But prayse be vnto god our moste mercifull father whiche hath so intyrely loued vs for Christes sake that he hath taken our saluacion out of owr owne feble handis aÌ„d hathe set it vpon a sewerer and more certayne foundacion that is to weit euen vpon his mere grace and mercye promysed in Christe our faithe reachinge it vnto Chrystes blode wasshinge away al our sinnes If we beleue this promise so be we iustified absolued saued Nothinge els requireth he of vs concerninge our remission and saluacion then thus to beleue in Chryste euen him selfe by his death to haue obtayned vs remission an lyfe eternall Wherfore when siche temptacions assawte vs then let vs crye for faithe to beleue these promyses in Cryste And suffer not our selues to be thruste from them Of the whiche thus saith Paul For owr faith is the heretage geuen vs that frely of grace and fauour ferme fast and sewer shulde the promise stande vnto all the sead not to it that is of the lawe onely but vnto them that are of the faith of Abraham This is our consolacioÌ„ this is our hope onely Who so reacheth this promyse
lesse valewe sithe he hath geueÌ„ vs so riche a treasure Who coÌ„sideringe these inestimable benefit is can be careful heuye false herted hopelesse If many worldis were ageynst vs all the wiked spirites of helleet lose to deuou â—e vs yet is there no perell towerd vs if Chryst be on our parte Thorowe Cryst haue we peace For this his derely beloued sones sake god our father loueth vs. For the preciouse blodis sake of his own innoceÌ„t sone we obtayn remissioÌ„ of al our synnes also victory agenst deathe sataÌ„ For where as synne hath no dominioÌ„ there bere deathe no rule there hath Satan lost his powr What theÌ„ shuld we feare shulde we feare this temporall deathe No. For that is nowe to vs but a sleape reste For Christe hathe so ouercomeâ—â—t that vnto vs whiche be his faithful death is become an ingresse vnto saluacion and lyfe eternall For Christe hath abolesshed and destroyed the body of syn to thenâ—eÌ„t we shuld be led into lyfe Wherfore let vs with constant faith cleaue vnto our lorde Chryst besechinge our father in heueÌ„ for Chrystes sake to augment our faithe Which thinge if we do it so be we salfe without all feare and perell sewer enoughe ageynst all stormye tempestes If our synnes feare and trouble vs let vs sette vp ageynst them the inuincible innoceÌ„cye and infinite rightwysenes of our Lorde Iesus Chryst geuen vs of his father to be our rightwysenes Which once done our sinnes a non vanisshe awaye as dothe waxe ageynst the fyer For Chryst verely is by an holy othe coÌ„stituted of the father to be an euerlastinge kinge preiste whiche for our synnes offred vp him selfe the very sacrifice of our reconciliacion aÌ„d expiacion by the shedinge of his preciouse blode and sitteth on the right hande of the diuine highe maiestye there makinge intercession for vs he beinge our lorde almyghtye all thinges subiecte vnto him bothe aungels and powres celestial at his bek i. Pet. iij. If death feareth vs. Let vs remember Chryst to be our lyfe It is he that once dyed for our synnes and is rysen ayen neuer more to dye It is he that hathe swallowd vp death and hath casten it vnder his fote for euer If aftir this lyfe there were no nother then might we worthely sorowe and feare then were we the moste miserable of all creatures But for asmiche as our lyfe heginneth aftir this is here ended let vs be layd downe in bodye to sleap in the ferme hope of our resurreccion and be neuer afraide to dye Christ our head is rysen we being his bodye and meÌ„bers muste folowe our head Which said I am the resurreccion which is lyfe Who so beleue in me he shall lyue yea although he were dead And all that beleue in me shall neuer dye We verely knowe and beleue the resurreccion of our bodyes and to haue lyfe eternal promised in Chryst and for christes sake And therfore our faith cannot be frustrated For he that beleueth in criste hath lyfe eternall These be crystes owne wordes whiche is the verite and may not lye What nowe can death to vs in his moste furye Uerely nothinge els then for a litle tyme separat our bodies from our soulis so sende owr soulis out of this miserable synfull lyfe combred with all calamites vnto that moste blessed felicite Our bodyes cannot be so vtterly destroyd but they shalbe once restored gloriously vnto our soulis Nether may they slaye our soulis for thei be immortall Thei can not take our bodyes nor soulis out of the haÌ„dis of god Whiche if we be kept in the haÌ„dis of god as in the bosome of our most louing father if we abyde in Cryst Chryste in vs sewerly we shall lyue for euer Chryst thus affirminge My shepe he are my voice I knowe them thei folow me and I geue them euerlastynge lyfe Nether shall they be lost nor noman shall pluk them out of my handis Wherfore let the wiked haithen vnbeleuers be afraid tormeÌ„ted and be with out hope at the syght of dethe which knowe not god in Chryst whiche when they knowe not Chryst to be their very rightwysenes their lyfe their onely sauiour nor beleue not in him thei must nedis abide perisshe in their sinnes in deathe and in eternall dampnacion But we ought not to feare nor to be heauye and tormented in mynde as do thei which haue no hope for we se a beter lyfe aftir this abydinge vs. Whiche the ignorant vnbeleuers in Chryste know not And albeit here for a tyme we passe forthe laid agaynst many perells molested and whetted with diuerse and many greuouse affliccioÌ„s yet at last all the laboriouse myseries of this lyfe passed ouer the glorye of the sonnes of god shall be shewed and declared vpon vs euen as we here vpon erthe haue ben in hope salfe and blessed Nowe we wepe and be heuye but the daye of our gladnes is not farre of in the whiche our Lorde God shall wype awaye the teares from the chekis of vs that beleue in him and shall happely change our heuynes into an infinite perpetuall ioye then to singe this triumphe Death is swallowed vp into victorye Oh deth where is thy stinge Oh hell where is thy victorye Oh syn where is now thy myght ThaÌ„kes be to our God and father which hath geuen vs the victory by our Lorde Iesus Chryste i. Corin. xv If the feare of dampnacion and perpetuall death shulde vexe vs then let vs remember our selues to haue ben baptyzed into Chryst ingraffed into his death owr synnes buryed in his woundes and rysen with him into glorye and lyfe And so is there no condempnacion as saynt Paul sayth vnto them whiche are thus by faith ingraffed into Iesu cryste which walke not after the flesshe but aftir the spyrite In this our swete and plentuouse vynestok yf we as lyuely faithfull braunches abyd by constant faithe our sinnes are neuer more imputed vnto vs. By this faithe we be made the sonnes of god and the ayers of eternall lyfe euen the felowe ayers with Christe If we haue Chryst in vs by faith we fele him preseÌ„t in our hertes so feare we no condempnacion For Chryst is our lyfe and our sauinge helthe eternall dwellinge in vs ageynst whom nether hell nor death nor synne can preuaile Let vs thefore abyde by constant faith in our sauiour Chryst walkinge in him roted aÌ„d framed vpon him perseueringe in faithe coÌ„stantly cleauinge to him committing our selues hole vnto his goodnes mercye and let vs with hert mouth and lyfe testifye and declare our faith obedience and thankfulnes vnto him for his inestimable ryches of his gospell now geuen vs. What can I more saye We haue our celestiall father our father I say of an infinite clemencie goodnes and mercye which can no lesse forget vs then any erthely father his owne derely
with his faith he shal neuer despeper For certain it is the some of our helthe to staÌ„d vpon fayth in Iesu Chryste vpon this growndsole is the dore of our saluacion turned and returned Let vs therfore apprehende with our faith this diuine promise whiche we nother may nor can deser ue and we haue all these celestiall benefitis euen remission of our sinnes the holy goste and eternall lyfe All these hath god promised vs in Christe and for Chrystis sake In this promise consisteth all our coÌ„solacion our hope our rightwysenes reconciliacion and helthe Beleue god to be trwe of his promise and caste not awaye the gospell of his sone preched vnto the but receyue it thankfully with all thy herte enbrace it with bothe thyne armes aÌ„d dout it not this gospell to be as well thyne as Pauls and Steuens as mightely to saue the as it saued them Doute not of the grace mercye powr trowth of God and thou art iustifyed and as salfe as is Abraham and all the sayntis in heuen To do good workes commanded of god studye and endeuour thy selfe ernestly with all diligence so that thou doiste nothinge els but well Studye to excell almen in innocencye of lyuinge in alâ—ose dedis doing be merciful counfortable piteouse and helping all men yea and euen thyne enemyes But vse these deadis continually as thy dewtye seruice dewe vnto god as testimonyes of thy faithe and obedience vnto his lawes Euermore aknowledginge them to be farre inferiour vnpurer weaker and vnperfitter then that thou maist of them reioyse and glorye before god or by theÌ„ to deserue any rightwysenes Think thy self an vnprofitable seruant yea when thou haste done all which is but thy dewtye and no deseruinge And beware lest thou thinkest thy workis to be meritis of right wysenes and helthe before God For this opinion and persuasion is an vngodly blasphemie ageynst Chryste For in the cause of our saluacioÌ„ we may not truste in any parte to our owne workis but onely by faithe cleaue to the promises of God in Chryst. The workis merits of Christe onely geue vs frely our saluacion not ours nor yet the workes of any creature els Let vs therfore with faithset fast holde vpon the promyses of god in the gospell nether be we diuelled from them by any engyne of tentacion or persecucion Let vs consyder the verite of God to be inuiolable promisinge and geuinge vnto vs his faithfull in Chryste lyfe eternall for Chrystis sake It is he onely that hath deserued it for vs. It is his onely benefit vnto him onely must we â—â—â—der the thankis Unto him onely must we cleaue by faith And so shall we with stand all temtacions wrestle out of and ouercome all difficulties If the promyse as concerninge vs shulde not be out of fauour frely made so could it not be ferme and certayn because our workis and obedience to the lawe of god be so vnpure miserable filthei and so imperfit and naught if they shulde be compared layd ageynst the severe iugement and extremite of the lawe of god Thus therfore dothe the holy goste counfort vs vtwardly in the holy scryptures and inwardly with this lyuely testimonye of the spirit as Paul affirmeth sayinge Ye haue not receyued the spirit of bondage ageyne vnto feare But ye haue receyued the spirit of adopcion by whom we crye father father The same spirit witnesseth vnto ours that we be the sonnes of god If we be his sonnes so be we the ayers of god and euen the felowe ayers with Chryste if we suffer with him to be also glorifyed with him Which con firmeth vs also in Cryst for it is god that hath anoynted vs and sealled vs vp geuen vs the pledge of his spirit in ouâ— hertis Agene saith Paul Aftir ye had beleued the gospell of your saluacion ye were vp sealed with the holy promised spirit which is the pledge of our heretage into the redempcion of our purchased possession into the prayse of his glorye Also the spirit helpeth our weaknesses For trewly the thinge that we shuld prayfore and how to aske it we knowe not But the spi rit him selfe maketh intercession for vs with sythes vnable to be expressed Nether is it any lesse counfort whiche our god and father hath ordined for vs in his great felowship emonge the faithfull congregacioÌ„s of whom mencion is made emonge the articles of our faithe We beleuinge theÌ„ to be the holy catholyke chirche Whiche all be our members we all togither beinge one bodye as techeth vs Paul right counfortably i. Cor. xij One meÌ„ber to be carefull for a nother of whiche if one of vs suffer all the rest haue compassion and if one of vs be hole and well all the other membres reioyse with the fame So that we beinge thus kâ—it to gither with the bondis of loue haue all thing is hothe mierth and sorowe heuines and ioye comon And if one of vs suffer for Chrystis sake in EngloÌ„d all the trwe brethern and sisters in the same londe in France in Germany orels where suffer the same And where one of vs being pâ—â— sent cannot counfort another yet beinge neuer so farrof we praye incessauntly one for other vnto god our father to be counforted with his holy spirit that it wolde please his goodnes for Chrystes sake to lyft vp to restore and confirme our persecuted brethern and systeâ—â— and to make theÌ„ constaÌ„t in all Crysten pacieÌ„ce strongly in faithe to endure in our affliccion to perseuer â—o bere awaye a gloriouse victorye And if the prayer of one faithfull maÌ„ may do so miche with god as the scripture teacheth of howe mighty efficacye muste then be the comoÌ„ prayers of all the hole holy congregacions ioyned togither in faith and loue Uerely we are not a loue in our affliccions we wrestle and fight not aloue in these labours nether suffer we a lone persecucions But euen Chryste suffereth with vs. For who so thus per secuteth and molesteth vs he iniuriethe persecuteth Christ and all the hole chirches of Chryst. For we be al one bodye hauinge one head euen Chryst one holy spirit withe all his spirituall giftis comon to vs all And whiles we thus praye together we doutles be herde of god For we haue the moste grave and plentuouse yea many aÌ„d that the moste present promises of god full of all consolacion that he will heare our mutuall prayers aÌ„d be present with his helpe in all our distresses nede and trouble If we shuld here a lone wrestle and buckle with Satane we were all to weake and shulde despayer ouercomen in our affliccions whiche is our own pusillaâ—iâ—ite and naturall feare But sith we be sewer to haue Chryste with all the hole chirche of Chryst on ower sydes to fyght for vs with their mutuall and continuall prayers yea and all the aungels of heuen defending and fightinge for vs howe can we
shrinke fall perissh in this batail Sithe Chryst is present we muste nedis haue the victory And where soeuer is Chryste there be all his faithfull yea all his aungels wherfore we beinge his chosen muste nedis be withe them The aungels of the Lorde pitche their tentes rownde aboute vs. The aungels delyuer vs that feare the Lorde Psalm xxxiiij The thirde consolacion Owr cause is goddis cause and it is the moste iuste cause FUrthermore this thinge ought to confirme and counfort vs most especially for that we haue so iust so good and so godly a cause for it is not our cause wherfore we suffer but is is goddis cause euen his own holy gospel bi Chryste and the holy gost sent vs from heuen For as for vs we neuer thought to do any man iniurye nor hurte we take no mans goodis from him But we study to monishe and to profit all men vnto their saluacion We desyer onely and receyue the infinite and inestimable riches of the gospell with ioye at gods hande In which worde not els then the mere grace rightwisenes peace delyuerance from all euils helpe and helthe are promised and geuen vs in Chryst and for his sake to as many as beleue in him And this same so riche inestimable glorye of the grace of god in Chryste we wolde it purely and frely to be shewed tought preched and writen to all men vnto the glorye and sanctifyinge of the name of god for the right wysemakinge and saluacioÌ„ of many men For the gospell is the powr of god vnto saluacion to all them that beleue For this studye for this owr dewtye in spekinge wrytinge and good willis to profite and to sa ue all men and to bringe theÌ„ to the knowlege of god in Chryste do the world render to vs the same thankes whiche were once rendred to Chryste and his apostles and paynteth vs with the same sediriouse and obprobrious names For whilis we wysshe preache and wryte to them eternall peace thei accuse vs of the moste haâ—â—ouse cryme of sedicion When we teche them the moste certayn verite out of gods owne mouth they cal vs heretiques notinge and slaunderinge vs with al theÌ„ moste infamie and ignominye they can imagine then they rage and rase runinge vpon vs lyke wylde beastes and wode dogges enforcinge to throdowne to subuerte and extinguisshe bothe Chryste and all chrysten faithfull with the gospell to And yet make the bisshops of Englond men to recant that there is any persecucion in the realme but all is iuste execucioÌ„ As though it were nowe the same paradise alredye whiche first was created vpoÌ„ the whiche erthe there dwelt â—o â—â—o but Adam and Eue in the state of innocencye before any serpentyne sead tempted theÌ„ And as thoughe Englond were the same paradyse and londe of the perpetuall lyninge immortall bodyes now rysen ayen wherof Peter saythe Rightwysenes to dwell vpon it euen the same newe erthe kouered with a newe heueÌ„ and newe elements purged with fyer mencioned of I say and Iohan in the Apocalypse There is mencion in Luke and Matt. of a standing water called a Mear which was a comon passage oute of Galile into the londe of the Gadarens which Chrystis disciples and all men passed oft ouer without any perell But wheÌ„ thei chaunced to are the bisshops of Englond â—eâ—â—owpled and câ—â—fedeâ—ed with the bisshop oâ— Romes bisshops aÌ„d his wheâ—â—is in â—ewâ— the sonde as once were Sampsons foxes tayles tyed togither withe fyer brandis ageynst the Lorde his audinted to burne vp the Philynstens good vyneyardis euen the pore sely persecuted chirche of Chryste But let vs not be abasshed noâ— yet afrayd it is the truth that we set forthe It is the eternall and immutable will and counsell of god that Chryste shulde make sinners iuste salfe out of his mere grace and that this shuld be reueled and preached before all the worlde This mater wolde he to consiste in and vpon faith that who so beleue in Chryst shulde haue forgeuenes of his synnes and lyfeeternal not for his owne but for Christes merits This glorie of our fathers diuine mercye ought to be preched and setforthe before all men that thorowe Christe they might come vnto the father which hath sette Christ at his right hande and made him Lorde of the aungels of men and of all creatures celestiall and terrestriall and to be iuge ouer the lyuinge and dead and to raigne in the glory of the father with all the faithfull and chosen in Chryst. This is the constant immutable will of god This is his eternall sentence God will therfore defende fight for his own cause nother may any man resiste him Christ will raigne and put all his enimies vnder his feet And who shall let it He is of an infinite almighty powr and will sone defende his cause eueÌ„ ageynst all the power of the spirituall antichristis and let them take all the seculare swerdes and the deuill to to helpe them If this our cause might be ether weakened or ouercomen so were God and Chryste febled ouercomen But Chryste is allmighty vnable to be ouerthrone abideth for euer wher fore this his cause and owrs and his gospell and all that beleue it shall stand for euer inuincible For who so beleue in him shall neuer be confounded Mightier is Christe and his worde then all the worlde and Satan to with all his preistly prelates and shall bringe them all into an heuey dampnable destruccion whyles they enforce to subuerte vs Crystes gospell For Chryste is verely the stomblinge stone at whom whoso stomblethe he hurteth him selfe greuously But this stonne it selfe is not hurte nor once moued but standeth ferme and fast ageynst all his aduersaries assawtes vnhurte And who so falleth at him is all to broken aÌ„d vpon whom this stonne falleth he is all to pressed and grownden into powlder Singe and reade we the. ix x. xi and â–ª xij and siche lyke Psalmes and there let vs seke fyn de consolacion Nether let vs cesse at any tyme to heare and reade the scriptures the swete promises let vs engraue into our brestes and cleane to them constaÌ„tly For they be the moste certayne and assewered consolacions to vs in this heuey exyle and harde persecucion Faithfull is our Lorde God and trewe in all his wordis But as in Englonde the realme of ryghtwisenes lo there is no siche stonne to stomble therat so be there non that stoÌ„ble at Chryst but they leape quyte ouer him He falleth there vpon nomaÌ„ our noman vpon him There is no persecucion but all iuste execucion lo. And therfore is there no siche coÌ„solacion nor Psalmes nor scripture to lyft them vp agene But in a full heuey state be they that be fallen and dedely hurte and yet beleue they theÌ„ selues to staÌ„d vpright hole aÌ„d sowâ—de Full wo and ferefull may our aduersaries be which
bothe the same cities in all the countrye aboute their owne fylthey fasshons and cruell conuersacion so promoued it and stablisshed it that they shal neuer be able to queÌ„che it For euery man sawe howe fonde weake were their reasons and foundacions thei espyed their cruell false and subtyle dryftis to depresse gods wordis All men sawe their abhominable shameles lyues thei perceyued howe gretely thei were afrayd to let their faithe and doctryne come into light Many wyse and noble men there were whiche merueled greately to se these men so fyercely and so furiously to take on with the gospellers reuilinge and spittinge out their venome at them as at the moste pestelent heretiques and so callinge them prechinge and affirminge so boldely the popes cause and his doctryne to be the trwe iuste and godly religion And when thei shulde bothe come to the tryoll treatinge and disputinge of the causes then were thei asshamed to bring forth their popisshe doctryne or to wryte their religion openly whiche they so gloriously and so stoughtly had bosted before to be the very trwe catholike faithe and doctryne of god aÌ„d of their holy mother the chirche vnable to be resisted or once spotted Euen here begane many good men and euen the laye peple to doute mistrust their doctrine so highly craked of and bosted before euen here perceyued the people there doctryne and religion to be starke naught vncertayne aÌ„d false for that wheÌ„ a rekening therof was asked them thei feringe the lyght sought blody shiftes and leet their owne religion lye still lurkinge in derke dennes Then sayd the nobles and comon people who shall beleue theire doctryne sithe the defenders therof dare not let it be sene in wrytinge but seke howe to defende it withe violence and murther Sewrly said thei this their cause can not be iuste and good as they boste aÌ„d crake it Trwly the verite flieth not from the light but dare be sene tryed and iuged of all men And euen thus said many whiche came out of al cooltes as out of Spayne Italye Portugale and out of the nether Germanye and oute of the other partes of Europe to these counsels whiche before were thought to stande of the papystes syde Whiche when thei had sene aÌ„d herd owr doctryne and red it euery where mightely confirmed with the testimonies of the holy scriptures clerely and iustely alledged and also approued withe the hole consent of the olde holy doctours of the chirche immediately after the Apostles seinge the chrysten men constaÌ„tly offeringe vp this owr faithe religion and doctrine before all the worlde and that their ad uersaries coulde not by no scriptures truly taken conuince and ouerthroe owr doctryne but were bothe asshamed confownded and afrayd they repented them selues that euer they had other mayntayned it or beleued it so longe Then all these nacions returned home applyed them selues to readinge and hearinge the scriptures and sought out lerned and faithfull preachers so that sence that tyme they haue in many countryes caste awaye the Pope with his Autichrysten relygion and by Gods grace are they called vnto the very gospell And nowe is it openly knowne with what and howe blody counsels with whom they conspyred whom they encensed to murther the holy innocent chyrches of Cryste and violently with swerde and fyer to oppresse the gospell of Chryst so that all the worlde seeth all their hope and shote ancore of their helthe not to stande in the arme of god but their hole confidence to consist in the multitude of papistes in worldly powr and policye in a flesshely arme and in lordis aÌ„d princes whom they so perswaded withe all maner kyndes of flaterye obsequye carnall pleasurs and reasons and withe the moste shamefull lyes encensinge them that their owne patrones and pylars if they were not bewitched blinde might perceyue them openly to go about to stablisshe and defende the very tyranni of Antichryste If their doctryne were godly and right wherfore shulde they hyde it what nede they ageynst vs swerde and fyer But all the worlde seeth it to be false and vngodly for that thei seke siche crafty tyranny and violent engyus to defende it For the verite defendeth hir selfe with hiâ— owne weapen euen with the swerde of the worde of God Nowe ye se what soft solgiers and cruell knyghtes they be and vnto what bataill them selues layd downe to sleape thei stere vp other men to fight for them but praysed be god our almighty Lorde one alone for vs sufficient out of whom procedeth our victorye Prouerb xxi But here peradueÌ„ture will some saye Howe shulde we but feare their violent powr and greuouse threates seinge they be so many so myghtye so riche aÌ„d so highe exalted aboue vs so fewe so pore weake aÌ„d feble I answere That in the apostles tyme very small was the nowmber of the crystians compared vnto the haithen infidels all the worlde then being full of gentyles yet not conuerted to the faith Skant one eâ—oÌ„ge a thousande then dirst professe Chryst euen emonge the peple of god whiche were the Iewes And sone aftir that the faith begane to take rore emonge the gentyles what els did the tyrannouse emprowrs of Rome but play the bochers in slayinge the ChristiaÌ„s Nethelesse yet with no kinde of tormeÌ„ts were thei neuer so cruell sharpe aÌ„d terrible nether with their insaciable blod thirstinge coulde the persecutours put away and quenche the chrysten faith But the cruellier thei persecuted the faith in Chryst the wyder it spred the deper it roted and the higher it grewe and encreased aÌ„d the more and mightier was the nowmber of the crystianes This was verely a meruelouse thinge But it was god whiche assisted defended aÌ„d animated his chirche the lorde faught for them mightely Deuter. xx The gentyles had slayne so many and that so cruelly for the gospell that they beinge wery of tormentinge might martir no moo as witnesseth Iosephuâ— For the mo the tyrants killed the mightelier the christianes encreased vnder their handis euen as the kinge Pharao of Egipt the greuouslier that he oppressed aÌ„d slew the Israelitis the more were thei multiplied in so mich that he was afrayd of theÌ„ at laste The worlde euer contendeth to pluke the crystians froÌ„ the trwe worship vnto idolatrye aÌ„d to papistrye now with fayer promises and then with greuouse threates and bitter terrible deathes But the chosen of god shall euer stande constantly and the sewerer in Chryst vnable to be ouercomen whose crysten constancye so angreth the vngodly that their fierre furye rageth into wodenes madnes aÌ„d murther Whose fyerce madnes when it rageth moste tyrannously yet can it not slaye the sowle but onely our mortall bodies wherfore the very crystians do laughe at their threates and torments For we be perswaded certainly in our faithe Chryste to haue ouercomen dethe for vs so that death is no death to vs but a ioyfull ende of synne and a glad passage to
not shyne vpon vs nether did the sonne of the trwe vnderstandinge of the scriptures spring vnto vs. We weried our selues in the way of wykednes walkinge as it were in an hard wilderâ—es but the way of the Lorde we knew it not What did our pryde and highe lokis pro fit vs what gote we by our bragginge bosted forthe ryches As a shade we and a runner on poste all these thing is be passed awaye neuer to come agene In our owne mischeif be we consumed These are the wordes of the dampned in hell Whiche haue persecuted vs nowe lyuinge perpetually with Chryste Thus do the god for our sakes arme him selfe to punisshe our persewers to be auenged of his enimies These thinges shall sewerly come vpoÌ„ them Wherfore let them rage and bewode as dogges into their own destruccion Thei thinke here to raigne and rule to saue and to slaye to change and transpose what they liste for euer and to excercyse their tyrannye and their lustes but oh wretched mortall men ye be gretely deceyued full nighe in the twinklinge of an eye is your soden fall and heuey dethe at hande when ye leste thinke there vpon albeit you readinge this monicioÌ„ will laughe swetely therat kindlinge and encrea singe your cruell mischeif agenst vs. But he that sitteth in heuen laugheth you to skorne Oh miserable feble madde men oh folisshe oh blinde beastes oh mischenouse tyrannouse fyercenes of miserable creatures ageyust their owne almightye maker whose powr is almighty aÌ„d euerlastinge vnable to be resisted It is he that throith downe your prowd lokis All the powr and enforcements of the worlde ageynst vs and Chryste are but vayne and frultrate for our capitall enymye Satan is ouercomen God hathe geuen vs his owne most stronge weapens ageynst all his enginnes openinge vnto vs his holy scriptures where in we fynde redye all maner of strengthe redy wayes and howe to resiste and to ouercome him eueÌ„ the sewer verite to coÌ„fute all his lyes and the sharpe swerde and sewer bukler of faithe constantly to put of his falshed and to wype it cleane awaye Let vs not therfore nowe crysten brethern be to sewer idle and sloughisshe in owr giftis receyued but praye incessantly god to encrease in vs faithe in Cryste Let vs abyde in the faithe of his gospell cleuinge vnto it ernestly And so be we with out perell in all salfgard and sewertye Faith glueth vs and Chryste togither neuer to be diuelled And if we haue Cryste so can there no thinge hurte vs nether synne nor deathe nor hell nor yet Satan nor all his ministers in the worlde The fifte consolacion is The rewarde and ende of the faithfull in Chryste is lyfe euerlastinge FYftly let vs be conforted and confirmed in our hertis whiles yet we lyue in our persecucion For that there abydeth vs the moste inestimable most ioyfull felicite promised vs of god if we constantly contine we and perseuer vnder this our crosse vnto the ende for a transitory light payne we be sewer of an euerlastinge ferme ioye What paynes what trauels and perels do the marchant man take bothe by sea and Londe to gather and get him but transitorye and sone lost goodes And shall we ether with feare be deiected or for a lytle paynes taking be repelled from that inestimable ioy aÌ„d felicite which as no man can take it from vs so shall we enioye them euerlastinge Owr tresure for whiche we trauell and are sewer to obtayur it no mortall eye ha ue sene it no care may heare it nor hert may comprehende it whiche treasure god hathe prepared for vs that loue him And as for the affliccions and persecucions of this tyme saith Paul thei be not to be coÌ„pared as worthei the glorye which shall be openly geuen vs here aftir For the transitory lyghtnes or easynes of our gre uouse afflliccions aboue measure bringeth forth vnto vs the euerlasting waighty glorye whylis we beholde not things sene but thing is not yet sene For the thinges sene are transitorye but the things not sene are eternall Nowe if the worlde take so greate paynes and labours puttinge it selfe into so great perels sufferinge aÌ„d trauellinge from place to place for transitorye shadews euen ryches shortely to be loste and lefte in whose gettinge men be oftentymes caste behynde and their hope frustrated and if they be goten thei be but for a litle tyme kept possessed and that with grete care inquietnes â–ª trouble and feare and at laste loste and forsaken with miche more heuynes sorowe and affliccion of mynde what chrysteÌ„ faithfull will not constantly with the moste paynes perels and afflliccions aÌ„d euen with many sharpe deathes sufferinge con tend and aspire withe the moste assewered hope vnto his eternall ioyes and felicite promised and reposed for him in heuen euen to be made the sonne and ayere of god there to lyne for euer and euer Sewerly all the affliccions heuynesses and persecucions here are very light and litle to vs if we well ponder owr felicite and blessed ioyouse state shortely to come The Lorde mought illumyn the eyes of owr vnderstandynge that we might lerne what is the hope of our vocacion and what be the ryches of the glorye of the heretage of the faithfull So be it Nowe moste dere brethern do I warne and warne you yet ageyne to beware and estiewe the leauyn of hipocritis that is their false erroâ— use dampnable doctryues And let vs not curse aÌ„d caste our aduersaries into hell pitte but let vs rather pytie their miserable blindnes remembringe in what a dampnable state they stande tormented in mynde bownd For I remember the woundis of my sauiour whiche is wounded for myne infirmities What sinne is so vnto death whiche by Crystis deathe may not be forgeuen When I therfore remember so effec tuouse and so mighty a medicyne there can no sinfull sykenes make me afraide And therfore he erred sinned greuously whiche said Greater is my iniquitie then godis mercye maye forgeue it But that man as he was non of crystis members so did not crystis meritis and his satisfac cion pertaine vnto him But I shall with confidence in faith call them my merits my rightwysenes my reconciliacion and my satisfaccion with my faith fermely to setholde vpon them euen as thei were my nowne good But yet do I chalenge and receyue them oute of the bowells brest of my Lorde euen those things whiche I haue not of my selfe For his holy bodie dropeth oute yea it floweth forth mercye and forgeuenes nether waÌ„teth there any holes wherbye thei may flowforth aboun dantly and iucessantly For with the eyes of mi faithe in continuall rememberance I see his haÌ„dis and feet digged thorowe and a speare pearsinge his syde Thorow these swete holes I souke me houâ—y out of the rocke aÌ„d oyle out of the harde stonne Here I taste and fele oh my father howe swete is my Lorde Chryste Iesus To whoÌ„ with my father the holy goste be glorye prayse and thankis for euer aÌ„d euer So be it LEt vs dere brethern take it for great ioye as oft as we fall into son drye tentacious and troubles knowinge that it is for the tryoll of our faith and it bringeth forth pacience Unto good myndes regenerated of the spirit all perturbacions temptacions and affiliccions be good and profitable to excercise pacieÌ„ce encrease constancye and faith and to proue owr hope to kindle loue to nourâ—â—re vs in crystis religion For owr faith and all the giftes of god be encreased by this vse and excercyse Which thus encre ased are also by affliccion and the crosse defended Unto whiche pertaineth That our fathers all were vnder the clowde aÌ„d passed thorowe the sea and all were bapti sed into Moses in the clowde in the sea Wherby the apostle shewth in how great feare were the Israelits the sea lyinge before their eyes and their mortall enimies the Egipcians beinge at their heelis It was a fearefull syght to see them in this distresse passinge downe into the botome the sea the waters lyke heuey walles swellinge vp one echesyde lykely euer to ouerwhelme them But yet here were thei baptised into Moses scole him to be their teacher and scolemaster to take them for the from vnder the lawe that they and we also at laste myght be baptysed into Cryste to do him vpon vs perfitly enstructe and confirmed in the faith of his promises reueled and performed vnder the grace of the gospell So that by this baptisme euen the face of our perpetuall repentance we be taught and warned of our Crysten profession that is to take the crosse of Cryst vpon vs and to folowe him by paciently sufferinge into his perpetuall glorye So be it 1544 in September G. I. Matth. viij Mat â–ª Luke ij Cant. ij â— v. Amos. viij Amos. vi Act. xxviij Act. vi Psalm xxix IonÌ„ xv i Marc. xiij Mat. x. Genesi iiij ij Tim. iij. Tit. i â–ª Abac. i. Psalm xxxvi xxxvij Psalm lxxiij Deute vij xviij xxviij Ier. xij Psalm exlv Isay. lv Matth. xx Psal. li. Psalm lxxiij Psalm xxxvij Psalm xlix Ro. viij i. Câ—â—â—n xv Isay. xxviij Ioan. ij Ro. iij. Gal. iij. Mat. v. Matth. xxv i. Petr. i Roma xv Satan World Flesh. Genesi viij Rom. vi IoaÌ„ xvi â–ª iij. IoaÌ„ xv ij Tim. ij i. Tessa iij. i. Petr. iiij Pro. xi Ier. xlix Ezec. ix Lu. xxiij ij Act. ix Psalm xxiij Psalm xxxiij Psalm xxvi Psalm xxij Psalm xlv Ro viij Isay. xl Isa. xxv Act. vij Ioan. xi Ose. xiij Ro. viij Consolacion ageynst our synnes i. Cori. i. Psal. iiij Hebre. i. Consolacion a geynst dethe Rom. x. Isa. xxv i. cor xv Ioan. iij i. cor xv Mat. x. Ioan. x. ConsolacioÌ„ ageynst the fere of daÌ„pnacion Ro. viij Ioan. xviij Ioan. xvij ij cor i. The ver tewe of the xâ— surreccion An obieccion Thanswer Ro. iiij Ro. viij ij Cor. i. Ephe. i. Ro. viij Iacob v Rom. i. iâ— Petr. iij. Luk. viij Iudi. xv Psal. ij Isa. viij Matth. xxi Psal. c. xv ij Tim. iij. Isay. xxix i. Cor. i. Li. viij ix Luk. xij Io. xvij i. Ioan. v. Phili. i. Phili. i. Sapi. iij iiij v. Danie iiij Ro. viij ij cor iiij Iacob i. i. Pet. i. Exo. xiij and. xiiij i. Cor. x.