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truth_n	life_n	speak_v	word_n	4,493	5	4.1347	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17693	A sermon of the famous and Godly learned man, master Iohn Caluine chiefe Minister and Pastour of Christs church at Geneua, conteining an exhortation to suffer persecution for followinge Iesus Christe and his Gospell, vpon this text following. Heb. 13. 13. Go ye out of the tents after Christe, bearing his rebuke. Translated out of French into english,; Quatre sermons avec exposition du Pseaume 87. English. Sermon 2. Selections	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Fielde, John, d. 1588.; I. P., fl. 1581.	1581 (1581)	STC 4439.5; ESTC S116257	19,849	45

that they haue no care to serue God whiles they liue And yet neuertheles this ought to be our ordinary and continuall study and specially in this time wherein we liue In the meane time they whome God hath called to suffer for the testimonye of his name ought to shew in very deede that they were prepared long before too stande thereto constantly And then they ought to cal into their remembrance al the exhortations that they haue hard in times past as if a souldier shoulde take armes when the Trumpet doeth sound But what there is no question of seeking starting holes to escape Persecution is the touchstone wherby god doth discouer his people I speake in respect of the greatest parte For persecution is a true touchstone whereby God discouereth and trieth who are his So farre of is it that he shoulde many times finde who is faythfull vnto him vntill that they franckly offer themselues to death But this is as it were an incredible thing that people whiche boast of some little knowledge of the Gospell Cauilations of the weaklings Mar. 8. VVe must confesse Christ is truth before the wicked VVe must commit our life to the handes of God dare open their mouth to vse such cauilations For one sort say what shall wee game to confesse our faith to obstinate people and to suche who haue determined to fight agaynst God Is not this to cast precious stones before swine As though Iesus Christ had not expresly declared that he will that men confesse him amongst the moste peruerse wickedst men If they be not therby edefied yet at the least they remain cōfounded of such a sweet smelling sauour is the confessiō before god how deadly soeuer it be to the reprobate Others also may be foūd who say what shall our death profit It rather falleth out to an offence as if God had left to their choise to die when they thinke good and when they shall see a fit time But contrariwise wee approue oure obedience leauing the profit into his hand that shall come of our death Wherefore in the first place it behoueth that a christian man in what country soeuer he be notwithstanding daungers and threatninges that hee fully determine to walke in simplicity as God hath commaunded Let him keep him selfe asmuch as he can from the rage of the Wolues so that the same be not done thorough the crafte of the flesh Aboue all let him resign his life into Gods hands Hath he done this If it fall out that hee fall into the handes of enemies let him thinke that God hath brought him into that place He that is once caught for religion hath no means to go backe It is necessary that we aunswere to all that the wicked demand of vs. will haue him to be one of the witnesses of his sonne and therefore that there is no way to draw backe vnlesse it be in denying our fayth to him to whom we haue promised all duety both to liue and to dye and to whome wee are and belong although wee had promised nothing vnto him Hereby I doe not binde all men of necessitye to make a full and entire confession of all that they beleeue admit that they were therto required S. Paul in this point hath vsed a good moderation who was as ready as any other freely to mainteine the cause of the gospel as he ought And also it was not without cause that our Lorde Iesus promised that in suche a case hee will giue vs a mouth Wisedome as if he should say that the office of the holy ghost is not only to strengthen vs to be bold and valiant but also to giue vnto vs Wisdome and discretion to know howe it becommeth vs to rule and gouerne our selues in so great and harde a matter why Christe sometime helde his peace It is the rule of christians to confesse his faith being required Christ neuer dissembled to saue his life Rosse his examination which he wrote is here answered The testimony of the verity ought more to bee regarded of vs then our life VVee maye not regarde what other men do but what they ought to do Iohn 21. The summe is that they which are in such distresse should ask and receiue such Wisdome from aboue not following their carnall counsell to seeke a waye to escape as they say by any crosse or bypathes There are also whiche reply that our Sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe aunswered not to them that asked of him But I say firste of all that this serueth not to abolishe the rule which hee hath giuen vs to make confession of our fayth when we are thereto required Secondly I say that he neuer dissēbled to saue his life Thirdly that he neuer gaue answer so doubtful that it did not import sufficient witnesse of that which he had spoken or rather that hee had not satisfied them already which came to aske him further as it were laying nettes to catch him Wherefore let this point remaine resolute amongst all Christians that is that they ought not to account their liues more dear then the testimony of the trueth inasmuche as God will be glorified in it Is it in vain that hee calleth all those witnesses for the word Martyrs signifith the same that haue answered to the enemies of the fayth Is it not because he would haue them serue to such purpose And here euery one must not looke to his fellow and companion for God doth not shew this honour to al to cal them thereto And forasmuch as we are giuen to marke others VVe must arme our selues with the promises of God in our afflictions the more we ought to take heed thereof Peter hauing hard at the mouth of our Lord Iesus Christe that hee shold be led in his old age whither he wold not asketh what should become of Iohn his companion There is none of vs but hee would willingly make such a reply For this we imagine by and by Why do I rather suffer then others But contrariwise Iesus Christe exhorteth all in generall and euery one in particular alwayes to be ready to the end that as he shal call hither one or other euery man may march forth in his ranke and order I haue shewed before that we shall be ill appointed to suffer Martyrdome vnlesse that we be armed with Gods promises It remayneth now that we laye out a little more fully wherto they tend not to specifie al by piecemeale exactly but to shew the principal things that God would haue vs to hope for to the end to cōfort vs in oure afflictions Nowe these are briefly three thinges three things specially to be considered of a person vnder the crosse The first is that forasmuche as our life and death are in his hande that he will in such fort preserue vs by his power that not one hayre of our heads shall fal but by his licence Wherefore the faythfull ought to holde themselues assured

at the firste brunte without making vs to sustain any conflict but hee willeth that Iesus Christe doth rayn in the middest of his enemies so hee willeth that we being iugled in the middes of them should suffer their oppressions and violences vntill that he deliuer vs from the same I knowe wel that the flesh reigneth when we goe aboute to bring it to this poynte but it is requisit It is naturall for vs to flee the Crosse but vve must subdue that affection that the will of God haue the vpper hand If we feele any contradiction in vs we must not be amased thereat for this is a right naturall thing to flee the crosse neuerthelesse we may not goe anye further knowing that God doth accept our obedience so that we do subdue and mortifie our sences and desires for to make them subiect vnto him for the Apostles and prophets went not in such wise to death that they felt not in themselues Iohn 21. a certeine will to go back another man shal lead thee whether thou wouldest not sayde Lorde Iesus Christ to Peter The battell of a cristian man Likewise when such fear of death doth pricke vs it is a gaine for vs to heauenward or rather God winneth vs thereby or in the mean time let vs be assured that this is a Sacrifice praysing him that we doe resist and make force agaynst our affections for to bee altogether at his commaundement and this is the principal battell in the which God willeth that his people doe employ themselues which is that they endeuour to beate downe all that lifteth it selfe vp in their sences and spirits for to turne them oute of the way whiche he sheweth them and with all this the consolations be so great that it must needs be sayd that we are more then cowards when we do faint In old time an infinite number of people for the desire of a simple crowne of leaues they refused not any trauell trouble or payne for the same they counted it nothing to dye The crowne of immortality is prepared for such as do suffer notwithstanding there was none of them but did fyght at al aduenturs not knowing whether he should winne the price or not God hath sette before vs the Crowne of immortality by the which wee are made partakers of his glory he intendeth not that we shoulde fight at all aduenture 2. Tim. 2. but promiseth vs all the price that haue a desire thereof what occasion haue wee to come to heauen do we think that it is spokē in vain Math. 5. that if we dye with Iesus Christ wee shall liue also with him The triumph is prepared and wee flee the Combat as much as lyeth in vs. This is a doctrine repugnant to mans iudgement I do confesse the same and also when Iesus pronounceth that those which suffer for righteousnesse be blessed hee proponeth not a sentence whiche is easie to bee receiued of the worlde Contrariwise hee willeth vs to repute that for felicity which the world and our sences iudgeth vnhappy VVhom the vvorldlye counteth miserable are most happie It seemeth vs that we are miserable when God permitteth vs to bee destroyed by the Tyranny and cruelty of our enemies but the faulte is that we haue no regard at all to the promises of God the which do certefie vs that all shall be turned to our good we are discouraged to see the wicked to bee stronger and to hold their foote vpon our throte but such a confusion as saith Saint Paule ought rather to lift vs vp on high Note vvhy the euill do prosper and the good troubled for in as much we are giuen of our selues too much to muse vpon the thinges present God in permitting the good folke to bee euill intreated and the wicked to haue there will he teacheth vs by manifest tokens that one day will come in the which all that is now confused shal be reformed If the time seeme long vnto vs let vs runne to the remedie and not flatter our selues in our vice for it is certeine that we haue no fayth at all vnlesse we lift vp the eyes of our soules to the comming of our sauiour Iesus Christ our eie must be fixed vpon the comming of Christ Nowe God to the end he mighte leaue no meane vnattempted which might be fyt to driue vs forward he setteth before vs the promises on the one side and his threatnings on the other VVe must haue both the promises and threatnings of god before our eies in our troubles Math. 10. Luke 12. Do we think that the promises haue not power enogh in vs let vs ioin the threatnings for to strengthen them It is very true that wee must be so muche the more peruerse and froward not to adioyne more fayth then we doe to the promises of God when the Lorde Iesus sayth that he will auow and acknowledge vs before his father so that we confesse him before men and what is there that ought to let vs that we should not yeld him that confession that he requireth When men shall haue done their vttermost they can doe no worse but murther vs. And what shall eternall life be in comparson thereof I heape not vp here al the promises conteined in the scriptures whiche tende to one and the same end yet forasmuch as they are so oftē times repeted wee ought wholy to stay vppon them But if when the plague hang ouer our heades if three or foure bee not ynough one whole hundred will not serue to make vs to ouercome all aduersity and contrarye temptations But if God can drawe vs vnto himselfe thorough gentlenesse muste wee not bee more then beetle blockkish heades when his seuere threatnings can doe no more therein Iesus Christe citeth all those before his father Christ doeth sommon all them that denie his trueth Math 10. Math. 10. who shall through fear of bodily death deny the truth and sayth that both the body and soule shal be throwne to perdition And in another place he sayth that he will deny all those that shal deny him before men vnlesse that we be to much bereued of al vnderstanding these wordes ought to make our hair stand vpright vpon our heads Howsoeuer it be when we shall not be moued therewith as were meet there remaineth nothing for vs but an horrible confusion For in that VVhen neither the promises nor threatnings do moue confusion remaineth that all the wordes of Iesus Christ doe so little profite vs we are conuinced of too greate infidelitie We shal haue alledged too godly purpose that there is some pitty in vs forasmuch as our nature is so brittie For it sayde contrariwise that Moses looking vnto God through fayth was strengthened not to bowe vnder any tentation Heb. 11. An answere to the obiection of fraielnes of nature Wherefore when we are so soft and flexible yea that ther is no zeal constancie in vs it is a

into whose handes soeuer they shall come that God hath not cast of the safegarde whiche hee hath of their personnes If such a perswasion were well imprinted in our hearts we should be deliuered from the most part of doubts and perplexities that torment and hinder vs from doing our duety We see that Tyrants are let lose and hereupon it seemeth to vs that God hath no further meane to saue vs For this cause wee are tempted to prouide for our selues as though there were no more wayting vpon him But contrariwise his prouidence which he hath declared vnto vs is such as ought to be vnto vs an inuinsible fortresse Our bodies be in the handes of him who hath created them Let vs therefore labour to learne this shorte sentence that our bodies are in his hands who hath created them For this cause hee hath sometimes deliuered his owne after a miraculous manner and beyonde all hope of men as Sidrach-Misach and Abednago from the fiery furnace Daniel from the Lyons denne Peter from Herods prison where he was enchained fettered kept so straightly By these examples he would testifie vnto vs God giueth our enemies power ouer vs. that he holdeth our enimies bridled though it seem not so and hath power to drawe vs out euen from the mouth and middest of death when he will Not because he always doth it but by keeping vnto himselfe the aucthority of disposing of vs both in life death he wold haue vs fully resolued that he hath vs in his keeping in suche sort that whither soeuer Tyrantes looke or with what fury soeuer they rush vppon vs that it is from him onely who is the orderer of oure life If he suffer Tyrants to kil vs Our life i● deare in the sight of God it is not because our liues are not deare vnto him and in greater recommendation an hundred folde then it is worthy seeing it is so that hee hath pronounced by the mouth of Dauid Psal 116. Esai 16. our enemie shall render accompt of our blood That the death of his saints is precious before him and sayth hee also by the mouth of Esay That the earth shal disclose the blood which seemed to be bidden Let the enemies therefore of the Gospel be as prodigal in shedding the blood of his martyrs as they will yet shall they render a terrible account euen to the last and vttermost drop They doe scornfully mock at this day when they burne the faythful The power of Gods spirite is stronger then mā and after they haue bathed them selues in their bloode they are so drunken therewith that they care nothing at al what murders they commit But if we haue patience to wait God will shew in the ende that it is not in vayne that he hath set suche an high price vpon our life The constancy of martirs is the worke of God In the mean time if he doth vs no euil that it serueth to ratifie his gospel which in worthinesse surmounteth heauen and earth And the better to assure vs that God leaueth vs not in the handes of Tyrants as hauing forsaken vs let vs call to minde the sentence of Iesus Christe where he sayth that it is he whome they persecute in his members God had well sayde before by Zacharie He that toucheth you toucheth the ayple of mine eye A notable example But this is yet more plaine that if we suffer for the Gospell it is as if the Sonne of God were there in his own person Wherefore let vs knowe that Iesus Christ must forget himselfe if he should not thinke of vs when wee are in prison or in danger of death for his cause And let vs knowe that God taketh to his owne heart all the outrages that Tyrantes doe vnto vs as if they were fastened to his owne sonne Let vs come to the second pointe that God in his promises hath set forth vnto vs for our consolation that is that he will so susteine vs by the power of his holy spirite that our enemies whatsoeuer they doe or Satan their head yet shal they not get the vpper hand ouer vs. And in deede we see howe hee displaieth his graces in suche a neede For such inuincible constancie as is in the true martyrs is a sufficient shew that God worketh mightily in them There are two grieuous things to the flesh in persecutions too wit the one the rebukes and shame of men and the other the tormentes that the body endureth But God promiseth vs suche assistannce that through patience wee shall ouercome both the one and the other And hee perfourmeth in deede that which hee hath promised vnto vs. Let vs therefore take this buckler too repulse and put backe all feares wherwith we are assailed and let vs not restrain the power of Gods spirite to so narrowe a scantling that wee thinke not but that hee will easily ouercome all mens cruelties And hereof amongst others we had an notable example in our time not to be forgotten A certeine yong man who dwelt heere with vs being taken in the citie of Tournay was condemned to bee but beheaded if hee recanted and to be burned aliue if he continued in his opinion When he was asked what he woulde doe he aunswered simply He that shal giue me grace to dye patiently for his name he will giue mee grace to endure the fire We ought to esteeme this sentence not as the sentence of a mortall man but as a sentence of the holy ghoste to the end to assure our selues that God is as able to strengthen vs and to make vs to ouercome all torments as to mooue vs to take any other kinde of meeker death in good part Which is more wee see often times what constancy hee giueth to poore malefactors who suffer for theire offences I speake not of the obstinate but of those which comfort themselues in the grace of Iesus Christ and by this mean receiue with peaceable hearte the moste grieuous punishment that can bee done vnto them As we may see a notable example thereof in the theefe who was conuerted at the death of Christ God who so mightely assisteth poore offenders being worthily punished for their misdeedes will hee faile his who fighte for his cause that hee will not giue them an inuincible power The thirde poynt concerning the promises that God hath made to his martirs is of the fruite that they ought to hope for of their sufferings and in the end if neede be of death it selfe Now this fruite is after that he hath glorified his name and edified his Church through their constancie The fruite of our death when they shal be gathered with the Lorde Iesus Christe into his immortall glory But because wee haue spoken more fully of it before it is ynough nowe to bring it in our remembraunce Wherefore let the faythfull learne too lifte vp their heades on highe to this Crowne of Immortalitye and Glorye whereunto GOD doth call them to the ende that he doe them no hurte in making them to forsake their present life for such a reward and to be assured of this inestimable benefite let them alwayes haue before their eyes the cōformity which they haue with our Lorde Iesus to beholde life in the middest of death as he by the opprobrye and shame of the Crosse came to that glorious resurrection in which consisteth all our felicity ioy and Triumph An answere to the slaunders of the papistes against Christs syllie flock appointed to the slaughter through fire HOW desperatly how desperately can thus the papistes grone To see Gods worde so faythfully through fire to be borne 2 Therfore their teeth toung they wher like a raser so fine Against Christes martyrs for to spet their poison and repine 3 And whereof trueth they cannot lay to them that loue the worde With cursse and lies they doe assay to shew their learned sworde 4 And when they haue with force falsely condemned that is right Then studdy they full craftely to wash their handes of spight 5 It is not we then can they vpholde that any man do kill Least our cold charity be outtolde our ranckor and our yll 6 Therefore wee must deuise straighte lawes Our iudgements to be kept And make the nobility like Dawes so be caught in our net 7 Thus we in faire places reigne and make good cheere and game To see noble men put to payne to execute their shame 8 To them it is a matter staunge to see golde fire byde And sayth to be without exchange when paynes of death betyde 9 If turne as wether cocks men woulde that gospell doe professe Then for Catholique men they should be counted as they gesse 10 But fayth is a Substance playne of thinges that be not seene And will in stedfastnesse remayne though chaungelings turne weene 11 What though liuely hope they call falsely desperation Who knoweth not the trueth at all blinded by sedition 12 Was not Christe Belzebub named because that trueth he sayd And yet was not to be blamed as euil tongues betrayde 13 Now Ione of Kent and heretike for helpe they in doe call Who in her heresy did sticke and died therewithall 14 Who knoweth not the prince of Hell to haue his seruantes stout As wel as the sincere gospell professors rounde about 15 But in this we differ playn for vs we haue the worde And they for them haue naught certain but onely selfe accorde 16 Also vaynglory they obiect to such as for trueth dye By all meanes they would them reiect whose glory is on hie 17 That glory is not counted vayne which gloryeth in the Lorde And for the same to abide great payn it is after the word 18 Iudge therefore with equity and call not trueth amisse Least for your great impiety ye leese the endlesse blisse 19 O noble men of famous England looke well to your doings Let not partakers be your handes of guiltlesse bloodsheddings 20 No drop of Faythfull bloodshed is through rage of cruelnesse Which God will not require as his repent therefore and cease FINIS quod I. P.