God is the Lord and that by his worde he ought to be serued and worshipped of all mankinde I say let them doe it if they can but in despight of them I say againe they cannot For all that euer they doe is no more but as if by spetling they shuld prooue or goe about to pearse the heauens and so spitte vpward accordingly and then the same fall backe again into their owne faces whereby they are filthily fouled to their owne reproche Wherefore let vs not feare them in none of their bragges but let vs put on the armour of the Apostles and throw away all humain affiance Let vs assure our selues that by our afflictions and death are distroyed and ouerthrowen the enimies contradytors and geinsayors of vs the Gospell For God doeth deale with our enimies nowe in the same order maner and forme as he did with them in tymes past which persecuted spake against the Prophets and Apostles bycause that they taught the same gospell of lyfe which we now haue and teach by Christ we liue and for him we suffer persecutiō euen so did they yet he hath alwayes gotten the victorie as well for them as for vs And therefore let vs not tempt God but let vs trust wholy in him his mercy power and strength And also haue in hatred all humaine helpes and fauours whatsoeuer What is the cause that so many do fainte fall become amased in their mindes so that they can not perseuer in that trueth which God hath commaunded And also that some other being wonderfully lighted with the cleare and pure light of the Gospell and séeing the workes and wonders so admirable that God doth shew vnto them by the same are so sluggyshe and colde that they stande at a staye and care not whither they goe forewardes yea or no Surely and without doubt there is none other cause but that onely by the instigatiō of the diuill they are so deceiued that they robbe God of his honour put their trustes wholy one in an other taking men for their staffe to staye vppon to the end they might stande in all their troubles regardyng humayne fauor so muche that they leaue God and flye therevnto for refuge in all theyr aduersities and calamities Some doe trust in their ryches others in theyr honours some in the friendshippe of great men other some in that they be Gentlemen and of the noble bloude and so foorth in other the lyke prerogatiues What other thing is thys but as if one should trust in a shadow or a smoake which vanysheth almost so soone as it is seene When that we consider the causes for which we are afflicted whereof God is the author from whom we flée and doe put our trust in men or in any thing that they can doe for vs is as muche in our ayde as to truste vnto Egipt or to the strength of the Egyptians or as in a broken Réede whiche one holdeth to staye him selfe by and it doeth not onely suffer him to fall but also with the slyuers thereof doeth so prick and hurte hys handes as maketh him repent that he had no more vnderstandyng in tyme then to trust thervnto It belongeth to one that is a Christian and faythfull to bée buylded and firmely founded vppon that fyrme Rocke or stone which is Christ and not to flee from the same to any humaine helpe or succour that perisheth for that against this true foundation the wyndes of tribulations tempests of torments nor stormes of mischiefs and wickednesse cannot preuayle agaynst it or make it to remoue or alter And therfore hauing so sure a foundatiō as Christ let vs assure our selues that there is nothyng in the worlde that can remoue vs from it As the holy Ghost doeth testifye saying hée that trusteth in the Lord shal neuer bée confounded but shal be alwayes firme sure as the holy hyll of Syon Hovv vve ought to bee instructed in trueth and veritie and to haue no confidence in mens traditions The xxij Chapter GOd will that we beliue trust and be ruled by him and his word onely and not in no maner of wyse by the aucthoritie of men although they séeme neuer so wyse holy and faythfull if they teach and instruct not by the prescript worde of God wherein is all trueth Bycause if our trust in God be accordyng to had by theyr outward fained holines and goodnes it serueth for little or nothing but to make vs so weake and féeble that we cannot tast the drink of the liquor of lyfe which is the fruit of the Gospell with so stiffe stoute a stomake as we oughte And also that the rather our weakenesse shall bée made more weake our infirmitie more infirme and sicke But if we belieue onely in Iesu Christ trust stedfastly in him we shall be necessarily instructed and strengthened not to dismaye vs but to be more firme and strong agaynst all kynde of euill and wickednes Yet for all that the ministers of God will onely teache according to the worde that mē should repose their trust wholy in Christ as aforesayde and that he is the aucthor of all truth and rightuousnesse Their intent is nothyng but to be faithfull to the Lord which sent them And to prepare his waye teachyng and shewyng vnto men by the law the condempnation in which they were by sinne and howe seuere God is in his iudgementes to the vnbeléeuers and superstitious aucthors of guyle and deceipt and the folowers thereof contrary to true religion they will reduce and induce as many as they can to Iesus Christ their master by the gospell onely as to one in whom is alwayes a remedie for any kynde of mischiefe For that from him the elected doe receiue all things and doe know by him that God is theyr father almightie they do not nor wil not sel nor giue them selues for gods nor yet maintain themselues for gods Viccars generall vppō earth nor one of them doeth not chalenge more authoritie in bynding and loosing blessing or curssing nor in distributing the word of God then an other doth they shewe them selues for men subiecte to all humaine infirmities as wel one as another of them They doe teache and preach that our faith must not come from men from them but from God the word of truth doth teach them this doctrine and vs also And therfore let vs not attribute any kind of thing vnto any maner of mā neither faithfull holy nor Saincte but vnto God who giueth lyfe to the dead some time conuerteth the hartes of and calleth our persecutors into the way of rightuousnesse and truth Although the men be weake lacketh strength doth often stumble to do any thing that is good yet Gods truth which they teache is not so Although they be discoraged afraid bicause of the persecution which they sée yet the word of trueth is almightie fayleth not All the disciples themselues fainted and feared
did God proue Abraham found him faythfull And he was so faithfull in déede as was possible wherby he vnderstoode that by the same fayth which God had gyuen hym he was made rightuous before his diuine maiestie that it was a true fayth and did vse all his loue and procure all that he loued and did delight in all things to doe and fulfill hys holy commaundements In Mathew and Marke vppon the Gospel of God which they did write it is sayd that there be foure kyndes of people which did and doe heare the word of God all of them sayd they beléeued but when tribulatiō came vppō them for the words sake that they wer tryed therby there was but one parte of them foūd that had receiued the truth and they were thorowly tried by passing the pikes of persecution with patiēce and did fructifie aboūdantly some thirtie fold some sixtie folde some more some lesse So that in such maner I mean by persecution the Lord doth try out distinguishe the true beléeuers from the false fayned As when by a blast of wynde the wheate is discouered from the chaffe so known to be perfect Euen so by puffes of persecution care calamitie trouble other the scourges of God a perfect true Christian is certeinely surely tryed and knowen Wherefore it is written in Iesus the sonne of Syrache as followeth what knoweth he that was neuer tempted and he that was neuer tryed nor experyenced What can he vnderstand such a one is as a man that sléepeth doeth not know nor estéeme christianitie without a tryall or experience Before that we be experienced by patience in bearyng the crosse will any of vs bée so bolde as Peter was to resist agaynst the enimyes of our master and the trueth till he sée himself out of daunger of imprisonment peril and persecutiō by such like persecutors no surely it is muche to bée doubted But yet when God hath sent vppon vs persecutions and troubles and of his mercy hath gyuen vs patyence and constancie wherby we haue confessed before our aduersaryes the fayth which by the gospel we haue receiued and when that to folow our Lord maister we haue put in proofe to aduenture our lyues and so passe thorough all the euils and afflictions that can be offered to vs Euen then and not til then we doe remayne tryed by the touchstone of trueth and doe know by experience that our fayth is firme true and of great effycacie and valour before god Bycause then wée are by him so vnyted in Christ that neyther Castles prysons tormentes threatnings dishonours losses of substance nor yet the same death that hée him selfe dyed can seperate vs from hym So that then haue we suche experience as Peter had and then dare we to strike of Malchus the high priest his seruaunt his right eare if néede were But yet the experyence that Peter had was not altogither by the persecution which hée suffered hymselfe but rather by that which he had séene hys pure good master to suffer c. So that this experience and firme knowledge that we haue to know the good from the euill and wherevppon to grounde our fayth that wee might boast and reioyce in God for it is ingendred and begotten of that constant pacience which by fayth wée haue to tollerate and beare the tribulations that we are brought into for the profession of his name Paciēce also bringeth vnto vs experyence of the pure goodnes truth of our faith doth assure vs that we ar not deceued nor liue by the vain imaginatiōs of men but by the word of god Wherby Christ is reuealed vnto vs we doe know our saluatiō Also there is verified herein that which is spokē by S. Peter in the last tyme ye shal reioyce though now for a season ye be in many temptations yet your fayth once tryed being muche more precious then Goulde that perysheth thoughe it bée tryed with fyre you shal be found in lande glorie and honor at the appearing of Iesus Christ our sauiour Hovve that good experience bringeth forth hope of a shadovv of certein persecutions Cap. xix EXperyence gotten by patience doth beget and bryng foorth hope for hauyng experience in the might and potencie of God wée come and grow to haue a sure hope in hym bycause that how much the more greater our trial experience is so much the more firme certeine sure is our hope as Dauid Danyell and many other holy men which hauing prooued and being experiēced by great terrible tribulatiōs haue passed thorough the pikes of thē with great hope for that they had a feeling of the power presence of God in them thereby assured of the fauour of him that they were imboldened and brought into so sure a hope that none enimy nor nothing could ouercom nor preuaile against them Dauid beyng moued with the féeling of this fauor and full of firme hope in the goodnesse of the Lord which did susteine him against his enimies bring him forth of all his troubles with victorie sayd with all my hart haue I called on thée O Lorde and I will loue thée O my strēgth O Lord thou art my strēgth my Rocke my defēce my libertie and my god And I wil put my whole hope and trust in thee my buckler and my shield I wil call vppō thee so I shal bee deliuered from myne enymyes The troubles sorows of death haue invironed cōpassed me round about but I called vppon the Lorde and hée hath hard me from his holy Temple In lyke maner it happeneth and falleth out to all the faithfull for after that our faith is proued experienced and founde good by the pacience sufferance that God hath giuen vs Euen then our hope doeth so increase that we conceiue a moste firme securitie and certeintie of our saluation And so by means therof we begin to féele and know without doubt that we can not be lost nor forsaken but that for a more certeintie we shall obteine and come to the pure port of eternal health And hereof S. Iames speaketh and sayeth Blessed and happie is the man that suffereth temptations for when he is tryed he shal receiue the crowne of lyfe which God hath promysed to them that loue him In varyable and firme is this hope bycause it is founded grounded vppon Iesus Christ of his wordes and promises Wherof it is spoken in Mathew and Luke in Christes Gospell by them wrytten Blessed arte thou that mournest for thou shalte be comforted Blessed arte thou when men reuyle and abhorre thée persecute thée and speake all maner euill sayings of thée for my name sake Blessed arte thou the wéepest for thou shalt laugh Blessed art thou when men hate thée thrust thée out of their company and rayle abhorre thy name as an euill thing for the sonne of mans sake
death for that he him self triumphed alwayes ouer that lo passed to hys kingdom where he reigneth in glorie with all those hys members which haue followed him sithens the beginning in crosses of passion and persecution And therfore though we be but a little flock let vs be firme cōstant till the end with patience for that Iesus Christ is our onely victorie and victor So that although our aduersaries be neuer so many in number of neuer so great a degrée in the world yet of necessitie they must perish passe after theyr forefathers which persecuted the Prophetes Apostles and the rest the faythfull seruants of god They doe not presently sée any thing of all this they doe neither sée our glorification nor their own perdition yet the scripture doeth discouer the same both to vs them Whereby we may bée as sure both of the one and the other as we be of their cruell persecutions which we suffer Thereby doe they pluck the iust iudgement of God with vengeance and ire vppon their owne heads So that they shal féele his heauie displeasure and in the end shal sée our blessednes now couered with mourning their owne perdition dampnation now couered with pagain and popishe pleasure For proofe whereof let vs pervse that which is written in the booke of wisedome as foloweth in the next Chapter An end vvith a true declaration vvhat the being shal be in the end as vvell of the faythfull as the reprobate The xxxv Chapter THen sayeth the wyse man shall the rightuous appeare with great constancie before those which did persecute thē and those wicked ones séeing the rightuous shall be tormented with great feare and horror and shal be astonied to sée them saued them selues without any hope thereof Sore sighing for sorow and their mynds full fraught with bitternesse saying beholde these are they which sometimes past wée mocked and scorned against whom we made songes and sonnets of great dishonor as we thought and we insenssed with errors accompted theyr lyues and doctrine for fond foolishnes and procured their spoiles with spyte most spitefull Yet we may see them héere accompted among the children of God and haue their parte with his Sainctes But we haue gone a stray farre from the way of truth the light of rightuousnes hath not lighted vs nor the sonne of vnderstanding hath not shyned vppon vs we were weried in the way of wickednes and walked in by pathes and did not know the way of the Lord what hath pryde profited vs or what wealth hath our worldly riches arrogancie wrought vs All these things haue passed away as a shadow as a correo that runneth post or as a shippe that sayleth on the Seas full before the wynde and no print or pathe are séene when shée is once passed So that wée as soone as we were born wexed weak and now we can shewe no signe of vertue the whiche is accordyng as a speiciall friend of this translator did write in his absence as an olde prouerbe vppon the first page of the coppie hereof As foloweth Who so beleueth as he is borne in hande Forovveth in the Sea sovveth in the sand It may bée iudged hée ment this text for that it is so with the wicked but to the purpose if doeth not greatly degresse from the meaning of the wyse man who sayeth further the wicked are consumed in their wickednesse and their hope is as the dust or chaffe which the winde scattereth abroade or as the remembrance that a well guested host hath of euery guest that commeth to his house which can not be possibly But the rightuous shall liue for euer their rewarde shall bée in the world the highest shall haue charge ouer them Wherefore they shall receiue a kingdom of honor and a beautifull diadeame at the handes of the lord For he will couer them with his right hand wil defēd them with his holy arme as with a shield Héere we may sée that those which now persecute vs for the truth shal be forced and dryuen to confesse them selues incenssed with errors loste allowing the cause for which so cruelly they persecute vs And therefore sith they shal allow our rightuousnes and truth in such maner cōdempne them selues and their doinges for wicked and vniuste And sithe it is so manifest a testimony that our cause is such now as they shall confesse to be true and iust then And that nowe we be such by Christ as they shall sée vs then And also for that we shall be equall parteners in cōmune with the Sainctes alreadie gone before vs Let vs dearely beloued perseuer alwayes in Iesus Christ and his truth without fayntyng or fearyng till we haue obteyned hys eternall kingdom bicause the Sainctes our bretherē are gone before vs and doe tarrie tyll the tyme that wee and the rest doe come and fill vp the number that God hath appoynted and that then wée might togyther enioy and reioyce of the riches and possession of the same with Iesus Christ who is there alreadie abydyng to crowne vs with celestiall glorie for our victory Very short are the pleasures and prosperities of our aduersaryes as they shall their gyue testymonie accordyng to the saying of the booke of Sapience but much more shorter are our troubles and aduersities as the holy Ghost gyueth testimonie by the Prophet Esay hée sayeth they are but momentarie And also he sayeth further to hys people I will leaue thée a little sayeth the Lorde thy God. But with great mercyfulnesse I wil receyue thée agayne a little as it were a moment or the tyme of twincklyng of an eye in indignation I wil hyde my face from thée Yet I haue pittied thée with mercie sempiternall sayeth the Lorde thy Redéemer for although the mountaynes shoulde remoue the valleys should tremble and fall downe yet shall not my louing kyndnesse be remoued nor the bond of my peace shal not fall from thée Here God doth confirme vnto vs that all our tribulations indure but a moment and that his mercy and peace with vs is sempeternall And although that all thyngs in the world doe perish yet his blessed promyses vnto vs shall neuer haue end Therefore let vs not change the mercie and peace of God which is eternall for the prosperities of the wicked world which are shorte and so sodainly passe away Let vs content our selues though they florishe neuer so al la flanta and gallantly that are of of the world Let them reigne lustily for that the more high they arise and clyme against God so much the greater will be their fall at length The holy Ghost sayeth by the mouth of the Prophet Dauid the wicked shall florish as the gréene grasse and so shall all the works of iniquitie but sodeinly after shall they perish togither for euer The prosperitie which they passe in is but a slumber in awakyng out of the same
compell me to kéepe my bed and chamber viij or ix wéekes I had read this booke in Spanish diuers times before and had begunne to translate a parte thereof the which with the whole matter deare friendes in the booke contayned was no small pleasure for mée to remember Surely it was my excéeding comfort I vowed then to finish the translation therof the which now I thanke God is done ended with a generall publication therof among you beséeching you and euerie of you to whose handes it shall come to pervse it diligeÌ„tly ouer that ye may perfectly haue the same in mynde so that if néed be you may therby receiue coÌ„solation answere in my behalfe against as many as shall reprooue mée in myne absence for my trauail therin I am sure that some will reprooue me and say quam quisque norit artem in hac se exerceat let euerie man exercyse him selfe in the arte or facultie which he knoweth Sed stultus stulta loquitor but a foole speaketh foolish things And therfore as one that passeth not greatly what be sayd against me by any of them I doe banish all feare and waxe sturdie considering that Audaces fortuna Iuuat fortune helpeth men of good courage for Timidi nunquam Statuerunt ad tropheum cowerdes neuer got victorie And therefore as one thus imboldened I rest to abyde the batterie of any assalter whatsoeuer trustyng of your ayde as necessitie requyreth the which if I haue you make me yet more boulder to gyue a greater attempt Thus fare ye well Iohn Daniell Faultes escaped in the printing Leafe lyne page fault Correction 7 9 1 Ioquitor Ioquitur 14. 16 2 not our selues we our selues 15 20 2 satissie satisfie 16 24 2 know knew 18. 11 2 is mercy his mercy 36. 14 2 see him see in him eodem 27  vnhappie happie 40. 3 2 tosse toase 50. 5 1 as vs 52. 9 1 dootst dooest 57 8 1 we depriued we be depriued 87 6 2 captiuitie captiuate 110 8 1 tryed tiered 112 6 2 so to be poped so all to be poped 113. 6 1 masters master 215. 25 1 were are 128 6 1 we die it die 132. 2 2 by their by the 134 10 2 deserneth deserueth 137 17 2 blasphemie blasphemors 142 23 1 Hrophet prophet eodem 20 2 cares cares from vs 145 5 2 triant tirant 148 22 2 perisheth perished 152 11 1 also and also 153 20 1 There is we be not ignorant of that which is superfluous bicause it is printed twise 154 9 1 doeth he he doeth 155 27 2 sodaine so disdaine 157 10 2 sheetes sheates 158 3 1 byâ—ause bicause 159 14 1 Membrothe Nembrothe eodem 5 2 much is much 160 2 1 to the Israelits his Israelits The Argument of the Booke THe Aucthor heereof was a Spanyard and liued in Spaine a couÌ„trey of great persecutioÌ„ by the spirit of God he did rightly vnderstand the scriptures beeing greatly persecuted hee doeth verie diuinely comfort hym selfe giuing heereby the lyke vnto others in any kinde of calamitie exhorting therwith patience and doeth proue that patience bringeth experience and that experience bringeth hope and so loue c. with a conclusion that great blessednesse is the ende of all Also he doth expresse by shadowes diuers kindes of cruelties practised by diuers Tyrants in parties beyond the Seas with a plaine declaration of the constancie of diuers Martirs that haue dyed by many kindes of death truely testified by aucthoritie sufficient so comfortable delightfull as is possible c. In Mundo in coelis in perpetuisque tenebris est labor est requies et sunt sine fine dolores hunc fer vt hanc speres illos conamene vites G. R. ¶ Of the wyll of God an entry into the comfort with a perswasion to know the will of God perfectly The first Chapter THe grace and peace of God our father and of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you al that trust in his mercy and that call vpon him with a pure hart desire his comming and the setting forth of his glory By the which may it please him to comfort vs all and to geue vs streÌ„gth by the vertue of his holy spirit againste all the common temptacions that we which are partakers of his reconsiliation are afflicted with in this world For that by theÌ„ we might not be discouraged but rather made constant til the end in the grace that god hath geuen vs to know his sonne Iesus Christe for the aucthour of our saluacion and euerlasting aduocat before his diuine maiestie bicause we might haue by his onely rightuousnes a firme sure hope to enioy wholly the eternall inheritaÌ„ce promised to all those which are saÌ„tified by the word of trueth Amen God is so faithful that he wil suffer nothing to touch vs without his expresse wil whose poteÌ„cy might is without any determinate ende equal with his wil for that he may can all that he will wil nothing that doth not serue for his honour glory for the helth of his chosen which maketh that al things how aduersse so euer they be do serue vs for our helth welth prosperitie And for the god hath giuen vs of his clemeÌ„cy Iesus Christ his sonne to be our head made vs all meÌ„bres of his holy body it is not possible so being but that one of vs shuld féele spiritually the pain trouble of another how far soeuer we be distant a sondre corporally bicause the spirite of Iesu Christ by the which we his meÌ„bres do liue hath coÌ„ioined knit vnited vs more nigher closer togither theÌ„ is the soule to the body Forasmuch dearly beloued brethre according to my hope that I am partaker of the mercy that we all shal receue in the name behalfe of the lord that dyd giue his lyfe for ours I haue thought it good to coÌ„fort you in your afflictioÌ„s with the which you are troubled and oppressed in this world only bicause you wold liue faithfully in Christ Iesu For the quickned streÌ„gthened by the word of trueth I am partaker of the ioy of your consolacion comfort also of the firmnesse of your faith for the I haue hope in his goodnes that he wyll make perfect his worke in euery one of vs in such maner sort that by all wayes meanes possible he may be glorified all be it we liue or dye bicause that in lyfe death he is our gaine we his glory The persecutioÌ„ that we suffer now at these dayes is cruel very perilous dangerous for that they which persecute vs are no Turks nor PagaÌ„s in their professioÌ„ but baptised as we are and that saye they haue a zeale and loue to god as we haue and in that they vse and put in vre to afflict vs with they doo it to serue god to merit or deserue Heauen But greatly deceaued no doubt wherefore we ought to
procure to be so much the more certaine and sure of our vocacion and calling of the good will that God had and hath vnto vs and that we doo not doubt by no way nor meanes of the immutabilitie and firmnesse of his diuine councel with and by the which he dyd determine before the beginninge of the worlde to saue vs in Christ Iesu in knowledge of whome dothe concist all our wealth comfort and consolacion The want of knowledge the doubt had hereof is wont to dooth engender great amasednesse dismayinges troubles in the myndes of some of the faithfull it dooth make them fearfull weake full of cowardise sad discomforted mistrustfull and doth put them into great forgetfulnesse of the benefits which they haue receiued of god From hence dooth also arise growe springe those déepe moorninges groninges and sighinges with the which many séeinge themselues afflicted for the trueth doo repent them that they haue vsed their eares heard and beleeued the voyce of the lord Bicause that they séeinge the aduersities that doo succede follow by reason of professing and confessing the name of Iesu Christ they call it guile and deceit and doo retorne againe to wallow in the dirtie mire of their olde errours and supersticions in which they were before their calling doo become more enemies to God and more cruell against the trueth by meanes wherof their last ending is worser then theyr beginninge And for the contrary to know the trueth thereof aright and well and to haue the same printed in the hart it dooth make the good christian the stronger againste all kindes of aduersities and the more mightie to warre and fight magnanymousely manfully against all the might force of hell and neuer more to turne his shoulders to the enemie but doth become from day to day the more inriched with heauenly giftes whereby he is made the more exceptable to god All that is agaīst Iesus Christ in the world maketh war contradiction againste him but yet he ouercommeth all victoriously and most triumphantly by the vertue and strength of his perfect knowledge thereof And how much the more as it is printed in his heart so much the more shal be increased his cōfort in the time of affliction persecucion more strong firme constant in aduersitie more burning in desire to be with god greater in disdaine of the worlde and of all the delights the reigneth therein know the better how to sanctifie the name of the Lord and to demaunde with more feruent zeale that his kingdome may quickly come bicause his enimies might be destroied wholly and that he alone might be obeyed and reigne in the consciences of all those which he hath redéemed with his most precious bloud What we were before our being reduced to god Cap. ii IF we dyd vnderstād how the sinne which we dyd commit against God in the beginning dyd leaue vs after it had once gotten power emperye ouer vs we should vnderstand aswel how great the loue goodnesse of him was that dyd redeeme and take vs out of the same and deliuer vs from the condēpnacion so iustly due vnto vs for it The diuell by sinne dyd breake in and destroy all goodnesse that God had indued vs with by the which we were cléerely knowen to be his owne workmāship he did blot out the Image of god which was grauē in our soules so that the likenes of him by whom we were created was taken quite frō vs we depriued of all kinde of holines rightuousnes also made strāgers to all trueth cleannes He did leaue vs without the direction libertie that we had to cōfort our selues with in all thīgs by the diuine wil of god Finally we did remaine voyde emptied of all those gifts graces with the which God had adorned bewtified enritched vs to be serued by Bicause we might haue him euermore to be our god and that we might be known to be his childrē by the effect of those his wicked works in the world he dyd destroy in vs all the good that god had geuen vs so that we remayned full of all euill that is to be abhorred and cōtrary to god For that the diuel in place of the perfect picture Image and likenesse of him that was in vs did put his owne And so we were ful of all vnrightuousnesse of life hipocrisie fornicacion mallice couetousnesse enuie guyle hatred wickednesse abhominable abhorrours haters of god and his trueth proud vaine glorious disobedient vnfaithfull without vnderstandinge altogether blynde and without mercy made at the last a pestilent picture euen like vnto the diuell whose captiues we were In the Epistle to them of Ephesus Sainct Paule declareth and in them to vs that such was our condicion before God did call vs And you sayth he were dead by your owne delightes of sinne in the which sometyme ye walked according to the course of this world after the prince and gouerner that ruleth in the Ayre which is the spirit that now worcketh in the children of vnbeléefe amonge the which we all in tymes past haue béene conuersant in desires of the flesh and fulfylled the wyll and mynde thereof so that by nature we wer the children of wrathe And thus he concludeth that in vs there was not one spot of goodnesse nor rightuousnesse but that we were in all subiect to the diuell that all our delightes and pleasure was in naughtinesse and infidelitie so that all our works were of the flesh corrupted and accursed Bicause that if the flesh be an enemie to God and not subiect to his lawe nor may nor can be All the worckes that procéede thereof is so likewise and plaine demōstracions of the hatred of the truth wherewith the hart should be possessed And if that all humaine thoughts or thoughts of men doo from the beginning tend to euil all workes done by them be of the same qualitie euil cōdempned lost prouokers of gods great indignacion and ire so that all our euil commeth by nature At the first we were the childrē of god now by sinne we are the children of his wrath that is wholly lost banished disinherited of his riches goodnesse moreouer enimies to all that dooth please him All of vs are corrupted abhominable saith the Prophet there is none that dooth good there is none no not one Then being by sinne and the flesh al corrupted what may spring come therof but curssed stick of such efficacie the it corrupteth all goodnesse by the which it passeth By reasō wherof we are compared by the same prophet to an open sepulchre wher ther is nothing but bodies dead rotten ful of worms frō whēce may nor can come nothing but suche cruel stincke as dooth infect corrupt and kill The mouth of this sepulchre is our throfe as the said Prophet saith
which we ought alwayes to accōpt for his plāts with a dayly study to be of that numbre which the Prophet Dauid speaketh of that haue all their affection delight in the lawe and ordinance of the Lorde and doo meditate and walke in the same bothe day and night bicause we might fructifie and bringe foorthe good fruite in dewe season God dyd plant vs in his sonne giuing him vnto vs to be our redéemer the footesteppes of whome we should followe and with whose rightuousnesse our faults were couered And therfore we ought to haue a constant faythe and beléefe that he is such a one as wée confesse him to be in our Créede or twelue Articles of our Faythe and reioyce that we haue him to be our eternall highe Preste Kinge and Sauiour that liueth eternally to be an intercessour for vs and to fulfill for vs all that God dooth commaunde or aske for that in him is hidden all science treasure and wysedome This is the faythe that muste be in our hartes by the which we are ioyned to Christ Iesus and dooe knowe the sufficiency that we haue in his ritches by him to whose goodnesse we must be appendant but not as in the tyme of our blindenesse when we confessed him with our mouthes and denyed him in our workes We confessed that wée dyd loue and beleue him but it was a lye false and nothinge so We sayde that we dyd beleue he was our sauiour but it was not true for why wée sought healpe and healthe in vaine thinges that he dyd neither commaunde nor yet alowe and also dyd liue in the beléefe and follow those vaine vanities vntill now of late We confessed him to be Christ King of all Kings and principall highe Preste and yet we gaue no place vnto the fruite of his Gospell in our hartes where it should haue béene and he also haue liued We sayde hée was a highe Preste but yet we accounted better of Antechrist and made him our high Prest Of him onely dyd we séeke pardon for our sinnes and sinfull delightes we set a syde Iesus Christe our true remitter whome by his moste precious deathe and passion dyd make and fulfiill suche satisfaction to our GOD his Father for our offences as none but hée coulde doo the like Yea although the wrath and heauie displeasure of GOD were neuer so fully satysfied yet wée dyd thincks our selues to make satisfaction by our owne deuised merittes and nothing estemed the merites of Iesus Christ which were of a most infinite and vnspeakeable vallour for the healthe of his elected beleuers Yet now déerely beloued let vs account for vaine all our owne deseruinges and all mens merites so full of vnrightuousnesse trust onely to his mercy in his diuine iudgement in which none may perfectly percist but onely his owne He was giuen vnto vs for our onely euerlasting Aduocate to God the Father commaūding vs that we should aske any thinge that we haue néede of at the handes of god the Father in his name But making little price hereof lesse regarding him we sought other mediatours as to this sainct and by the diuillish helpe of that relique c. What was this but to denie the fayth by ours workes which we confessed with our lippes bicause therein we would be accompted christians yet in our hartes we were condempned for vngodly For why with our mouthes we made confession to serue and honour Christ when as in déede with all our workes and studies we serued curssed Antichrist and walked in errors euery man after his owne way and accordyng to our owne inuentions as sayeth the Prophet Esay But now sith it is so apparant that by the great goodnes and singular benifit of the almightie God we doe beleue truely in Iesu Christ his onlye sonne our sauiour Let vs accordingly liue in that godlinesse and trueth that he hath taught and shewed vnto vs by his word and spirite hée hath marked vs for his owne with the same signe seale the which he hath marked his chosen They which doe persecute vs doe not knowe vs but doe both holde accompt vs for aliaunts and straungers vnto themselues they maye nor can not suffer vs in the world no more then they might suffer our Lord Iesus Christ who hath done such a benifite for all mankinde and of whom assuredly we are So that we ought to vnderstand and accompt for most certeine and sure that all the causes of our troubles wherewith we are so hated afflicted persecuted in this world is as S. Paule saith bicause we trust beleue in the lyuing God who is the sauiour of all the faithfull Notwithstāding the false coulers which they vse in their quarelsome war that they make with vs they couer thēselues with a cloak say that we are heritikes that they are holy it is so in déede but yet it is but a fayned holynesse the which God by his worde hath cōdempned for abhominable Wherfore let vs arme our selues with a firme sure hope the God yea our God will bée our sure helper defender against thē in all our troubles for that we be the worke of his handes he hath made vs redéemed vs and we be his owne the cause is his and will suffer no harme nor euil to touch vs Let vs not fal from nor yet be weake in this truth which God hath reuealed vnto vs but let vs be fully assured that it is his might power will the deliuereth vs saueth all beleuers We are set sure therby from all perils dangers and taken out of all afflictions S. Simon in the gospel of S. Luke doth prophesie that Iesus Christ was sent for the rysing falling of many people in Israel that by him are reuealed the thoughtes of meny hartes that wée should be saued from all that hate vs Euen now in these dayes is this prophesie fulfilled Assoone as the worde of the Gospel was preached amōgst vs and that it did reueale vnto vs thē our lord Iesus both they we might haue séene the effect of this prophesie euen so it may be still some of them he did please to condempne for that they did resist furiously did persecute condempne him Others which were thē that did beleue were reysed edifyed and saued by him for whose sake they are hated held accoūted for abhominable in the world And the thoughtes of some that were holy hallowers sanctifiers of mē were are discouered and shewed to be of such cōditiō qualitie that they cānot suffer the holines of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ but do so rebell against him that they vse their vttermoste force wyth crueltye to throw him out of the world Of a great cause of comfort by reason of the crosses of Christ c. Cap. ix BVt sith it hath pleased God that our lotte hath bene so luckye our happe so
are we his faithfull by the way and mean is onely that we might bear bring forth more copious plentious aboundance of true fruite So that Christ is he by whom we gaine Antichrist is he by whom those that folow him doe loose And Christ is hée that gayneth and Antichrist he that looseth Bicause that where he thought thinketh that by his tirānicall meanes he had and hath gotten a number for his owne of those persecuted lambes out of the handes of God he was and is deceiued for that Iesus Christ doeth possesse them most mightifully who will in no wise loose them He doeth vnyte and knit them with him selfe most streightly in and with the cheine or bonde of most vnfayned loue for that he will not vary from the truth of hys promyse with the which hée sayeth that neyther the force of hell the diuil death sinne Antichrist and all that they can doo with the helpe of all their mynisters is not so muche to preuayle agaynst them that bée elected as is his strength to preuayle in defence to kéepe them for the inherytance of lyfe euerlastyng which hée hath alreadie gyuen them from the fyrst day of theyr calling The wysedome of God is suche that hée knoweth perfectly that of or amonge all those which hée hath called there is none without sinne but are most subiecte and apte therevnto and to all kynde of wickednesse And yet notwithstandyng hée doeth accept them for hys own and knowing of theyr great féeble weakenesse will not the losse of one of them Iesus Christ dyd know right well that all his disciples would feare faynte forsake and deny hym yet although he knewe it at hys laste supper with most firme loue and fauourable affection he made them promises of performance of the whole summe of hys goodnesse tyll the end and in the end lyfe euerlastyng And did also declare vnto them that his death and passyon should bée to distroy sinne in them and their discendentes or successors and that they with them therby shuld receyue eternall lyfe How be it for all that afterwardes they did all fall feare faint did haue a doubt in him But yet for that he had taken charge ouer them with promyse of forgyuenes he did not deny forsake thē but had regard vnto them with such a loue that he would not suffer them to perish Although that wilfully with a wauering mind they had gyuen them selues into the perdurable estate of perdition yet hee with a francke frée and euerlastyng pardon dyd restore them to strength from thencefoorth against all kynde of weakenesse and infirmytie Vppon vvhat condition God receiueth vs vvith an excelent comfort to the Christian c. The xxiij Chapter SO that nowe although the ouercome with weaknesse we haue fallē vnderneath the crosse of froward furyous affliction and persecution yet God will not forsake vs bicause he hath elected accepted and taken vs for hys owne with promise of lyfe euerlasting Those which he at any tyme of his mercy doth take charge of he will not at no time suffer to perish but wil helpe them in all their necessities and cure theyr woundes to the glorification of hym selfe therein also giue them life euerlasting Bycause that when he doeth receyue vs he doeth it not with any such cōdition that we should doe any good of our selues be faithfull or perseuer in any goodnesse for it for that he knoweth our natures to be to to much corrupted whereby of force it doth and will doo to to much to the contrary But he dooth receiue vs with condicion that we should onely truste in him that he wil be our lyfe remittour pardoner and forgeuer of our sinnes our strēgth and perseuerance our Phisicion and medicine our maister our teacher our saluacion and perpetuall redéemer It is a most greuous offence to deny the truth of God and to giue our selues vnto lyes and errours It is most execrable before God to bereaue him of all worship due vnto him and giue the same vnto a beast it is a true testimony of our ingratitude and that we haue forsaken the lorde by whose liberalitie we haue receiued so great and mightie a multitude of benifits Go my people sayth the Lord by Ieremy the Prophet into the Ilelandes a farre of sée and consider attentiuely and behoulde If the people there dooe like vnto you if any of them doo change their owne proper gods for others which in déede are no gods yet you haue changed the glory of your god for an Idoll God dyd call vs bicause we should accompt him for our father that we should loue and worshippe him as our father he dyd take vs out of the most darcke and drowsie cloudes of deceit and errours and dyd discouer vnto vs that onely Iesus Christe is our moste gracious saluacion When that we went lyke children of perdicion worshippinge of stockes and stones he dyd reduce vs into the right waye when we were possessid of the diuell and of sinne he did deliuer vs from theyr mischeuous tiranny being a lost people he made vs his people treated and vsed vs as his owne people geuinge vs his worde for our spirituall sustenaunce He beinge our onely Lorde GOD and Father we dyd denye him in an Idoll the glory which he had geuen vs beinge his people we chaunged for vainest vanitie takinge in and allowinge of false doctrine and forsakinge of the trueth We haue left and forsaken our true and lawefull spouse Iesus Christ with whome we dyd contract matrimony by fayth in him as saythe the Prophet Oseah and haue commytted fornicacion in seperatinge oure selues from and denyinge the faythe that wée dyd vowe to haue in him when we receiued our Baptisme The Turckes nor the Mores doo dot refuse theyr religion no more dooe the Indians nor the slauishe subiectes of Antechrist denye theirs and yet is it false abhominable and full of lyes But we hauinge a religion so diuine and pure as is possible and also suche a benefite thereby as is wholly holy and trwe euen come downe from heauen the authour whereof is the LORD GOD almyghtie maker of all thinges doo deny it most shamefully for a vain feare of loosing our liues and yet our liues without gods true religion what are they better then liues of brute beastes surely nothinge at all what doo we differ from all other nacions vnder heauen but onely in that we doo know Iesus Christ the sonne by the reuelacion of the father and that we haue by him lyfe euerlasting And where as they walke in the darcknes of theyr misticall errours we if we be ruled by this true doctrine which he hath giuen vs doo walke in the light of lyfe by the worde of truth By vertue whereof and to be conserued and kept thereby God created all things If God had béene our enimie
fulfilled that the Lord hath spoken of to or against his enimies he him self sayth I say vnto you that if my disciples holde their peace in preaching yet the very stones in the stréetes shall giue their voices and sound my glorie And now is the same in fulfillyng amonge the faythfull for that our aduersaries enimies and persecutors doe what they can and doe vse as many lettes and impediments as may be to defeÌ„d vs from speakyng with our proper tonges the commendation praise and glorie of our sauiour and iustifier Iesus Christ But he himselfe in place of one tongue which they tie wil loose vntie and commaunde a number innumerable to speake prayse and glorifie him worlde without ende The long beardes of the persecuted ouer growen so greatly their garments to vncleane rotten and torne with the filthie vncleane filthinesse of the pryson the biting bitter taunts their enimyes byte them with the cordes halters and stringes they tye them with the engines they vse to strangle them with they all will God coÌ„uerte into tounges which with one voice shall vse so great a harmonie as is most wonderfull to the superlatiue prayses of our moste benifitiall brother and head Iesus Christ And shall discouer that hée onely is our Lord and redéemer and we so persecuted the faithfull witnesses of hys truth and rightuousnesse Those tyranicall tirantes and pestilent persecutors can not heare thys heauenly harmonie that so highely soundeth with so excelent an accorde bycause their owne impietie hath so deadly be deafed them Yet all those whiche are sanctified by Iesu Christ shal hear it and also some of them being waked by it will desire to be consortes complisses and companyons with vs in our crosses vppon coÌ„dition they might be made mates with vs in so greate delight witnesses of so beautifull a rightuousnes dyuine sanctification the which the Lorde hath giuen vs to possesse Our death shall be no more barrein theÌ„ was the death of Iesu Christ whose footesteppes we must follow God will make that the verie ashes of our bodies shall fructifie and bée a cause to make many faythfull chosen children to shewe themselues Bycause that many hearing and séeing our firmenesse in fayth of the gospel and vnderstanding our constancie at our death wherewith we are strengthened from aboue will open their eyes for to sée it and so acknowledge him the author thereof for their father And reduce theÌ„selues to his obedience renouncing the seruice of Images Idols leaue altogither the false religioÌ„ of Antichrist his coÌ„federates For that the wordes of our sauiour Christ must néedes be fulfilled who sayth if a grayne of wheat being cast into the earth doe not dye it remayneth alone whole fructifieth not but if we die it bringeth foorth much fruit as to vs is wel experieÌ„ced likewise if it be in the garner or sheafe in the barne it abideth barren beareth no fruit So that to die suffer in the Lord increase commeth therof as of a grain of wheat that dyeth in the earth and more aboundantly manifold To the iudgement of the worlde and of our flesh by our death we are drawen into perdition but it is verie false and an vntruth for in very déed we die to arise againe to beare and carry most copious aboundant plentie of fruit to our glorification with God the father and to the imitation of his sonne Iesus Christ who brought forth more aboundancie and plentie of fruit by his death then he did by his lyfe So that those which suffer doe fulfill that which the holy ghost speaketh of the faithfull they which haue béene called and iustified sayeth he it is conuenient that they be also glorified bicause that by their death they might fructifie to the glorie of God and bée ioyned togyther and glorified with hym God hath ordeined to sublimate and exalt them that be his So that not onely their persons be liuing instruments of his and their glorie but also their passions serue to the same effecte And thus euerie one of them doeth verifie that which the Apostle S. Paule speaketh of him self saying I doe suffer and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my fleshe for his bodies fake which is his churche or congregation So that the passions that euerie one of vs hys members doe suffer is to the filling vp of the measure of conformitie that euerie member of the same bodie oughte to haue with the head Wherefore euery one that is persecuted and killed for the truth endeth the filling vp of his part of that measure and remayneth wholy made conformeable vnto Christ he hath distroyed the whole bodie of sinne and left a confirmation to the rest his fellow members of his patience and constancie bicause they are to passe by the same way after Christ and so come togyther to bée gloryfied with him in his kingdom It appeareth howe our troubles paynes and passions are dignified by reason of the communion that is betwéene the head and his members The holy Ghost doeth call and terme them the afflictions and passioÌ„s of Christ For as by the calamities which he did suffer in his own proper person God was glorified he him selfe lifted vp on high So that by those which we suffer being his faithfull shall we be gloryfied togyther in and with hym Bycause that as he dyd suffer béeing our heade we must also suffer that be his members An excelent comfort against the feare of death vvith a confutation of his povver c. The xxix Chapter ANd therefore sithe hée hathe thus honored exalted vs that he hath made vs wytnesses of hys trueth and of the sauing health that hys sonne dyd bryng into the world and hath sublimate our passions in such sort as consecrating them in his own person that he doth call them his owne wil be glorified in them And also for that our death is so precious before him that he wil take from the world so many liuyng instruments into his presence to hys glorie there is no cause to the contrarie but that we should stifly stand to the professâ—on of hys truth the giuing of our liues ioyfully for the same There bée some which for the vanities and thyngs of thys worlde will ventour lyues goodes and all that they haue yet it sodeinly perisheth The truth of God neuer perisheth no more can none the trust therein Why doe we then flye from being glorifyed with him sith we are no lesse certaine thereof then we are of our passions persecutions troubles death He loued vs with so feruent an effect and so serued vs that he did not rest till tyme that he dyed with wounds of our loue And shall wée bée so vngrateful as to saue or kéepe our liues from him not to venter them with the lyke loue to honour hym likewise with them if we could Shal we so forget
harte and secondly all that his worde teacheth to belonge vnto it Let vs heare the wordes of the Apostle attentiuely who sayeth be you not deceiued for God wil not be mocked as men are if be haue ordeyned that wée shal professe Iesus Christ openly and publiquely and that we shall suffer for his rightuousnes let vs doe it in such order as it may appeare the Gods good admonishion hath taken place in vs. As Sainct Peter exhorteth saying let vs leade a life so holy and worthy of the Lord which called vs that none of vs be afflicted as an homicide or a théefe blasphéemer adulterer or one that hath committed sacraledge one full of strife an euill doer or a person that is couetous of the goods of other men least our harmes happen to vs by a iust occasion for if we suffer for any of these crymes we doe dishonor and vse greate iniurie to our father which is in heauen bycause béeyng his children we must néedes dishonor him greatly where as otherwyse we ought to honour and sanctifie his holy name according to our calling by him Let vs so rule our selues that the wicked haue none occasion to persecute vs but onely bicause wée doe abhorre vyce loue vertue doe séeke and desire the light which they flée from and bicause wée flée from that filthie darkenesse which they desyre to imbrace Let vs so doe that they may haue no other cause to abhorre vs but bycause we will not be conuersant with them in dissolution in concupiscence in surfeting in gluttonie in drunkennesse and abhominable Idolatrie and that we doe not runne with them in that vnbrideled lyfe so full of insolencie and dissolute that we bée lyke to them in nothing nor that we be not as they are which can not suffer the light of Gods trueth bicause it discouereth all their wickednesse and vice as the suÌ„nne doth discouer the drousie darknes of the night Also let vs take héede that we be not lyke to many that bée so wyse and prudent that they will suffer nothing for Christes sake in his beloued church and so being full of fleshly prudencie they doo accompt it christian spirituall wisedome as though God did not knowe howe to fynde out the subtelties of those wyse and subtile dissemblers as if Iesus Christ had allowed them place among the louers of the gospel or as if they might burie their taleÌ„ts which God had giueÌ„ them in the grouÌ„de of forgetfulnesse lyke vnto the slouthfull and disobedient seruant spokeÌ„ of in the euangelical scriptures Bicause by such kinde of bestiall blindnes we may sée a many of them vse the knowledge that God hath gyuen them so peruerslie that they thinke theÌ„selues satisfyed in theyr owne opinions and so doe yéelde them selues euerie day most beastlye and blyndly to bende theyr knées before blockish Baal and sodain Iesus Christ being most shamfully ashamed both of him and his gospel And not contented with this mischieuous monstruous doings in this dishonoring of him his trueth they doe the worst best they can to driue by their diuillish dealings in that order all those which are the simple ignorant know little into merueilous doubtes And moreouer we may sée theÌ„ with great rage rashenes iudge and condempne the innocentes onely for their firmenesse in faith and constancie to maintaine the same by Iesu Christ who yéeld their liues therfore most magnanimously Therfore let vs runne away flée most ferueÌ„tly from them and let vs not allow their counsailes and prudencie nor yet follow none of their workes Bycause that all their pretence is nothing but to plucke appart vs secreatly from the crosse of Christ and from our glorification thereby Let them alone in their way by wicked Antichrist let vs kéepe our way by our sauior Iesu Christ who hath called vs to the same Let not vs vse the grace goodnes of god wickedly for a cloake to couer our vice and iniquitie and so make our concupiscences full of lycencialitie which the spirite of God doeth commaund vs to refrain But let vs mortefie our terestriall and earthly members and cast of our olde corrupted Adam so that in tyme of tribulation when we be tempted out of the way on the lefte hand wée may call vppon God and desire of hym strength to stand that we fall not vnder the fardell of affliction nor fainte not in the worke of the lord The which is not better for vs to be thought vppon and done in the tyme of aduerse necessitie then when we are in purest prosperitie Bicause it is much more difficult and harde to continue in fyrme fayth in tymes of prosperitie then in the cruell tyme of aduersitie Amongest the people of Israell which are as a myrrour or glasse for vs to looke in so for the gouernement guyding of our humaine liues we haue diuers examples of the lyke one of Dauid which suffitiently and singularly sheweth the vnloyall or desseall trueth that he vsed to God in the tymes of his princely prosperitie many crimes of adulterie incestious fornication and homicide did he most wickedly commit whilest he forgot his louing Lorde who had elected hym to glorie notwithstanding Verie godly exhortations for all men that are afflicted and also for those vvhich are in prosperitie The xxxiiij Chapter ANd therefore if it happen that we liue in rest and quiet without any aduersitie or persecution let vs not forget the Lord but follow his counsaile deuised and published by his diuine wisedom let vs then remember also the dangerous dayes of dollor trouble and aduersitie that the children of Israell had in the land of Canaan let theyr bondage and captiuitie in Egipte bée had in remembrance of vs let vs bée vigilant watche and pray more then in the prosperitie of ours then at any other tyme Let vs not lyue to our selues in leasings sléeping in the cradle of securitie as some of the Israelites did promising theÌ„selues rest fantasticall Let vs be alwayes as men on the Seas which are good expert sailors although it be calme that no wynde doe blow yet they haue theyr hallyards shéetes sayles tackes and bowlines in a readynesse y are to strike hoyse hall and set in any tempestious time of tossing the troublesome Sea of tribulation most dangerous Likewise let vs watch be in a readines what tempest of tribulation so euer shall happen in these dangerous seas the world wherin we do liue and saile let vs set hope to the healme let faith stand to let flie the sheat let humilitie strike the sayle and let our fâ—re affiance and trust in God be our pilat to invocate and call for helpe to the tacke and Bowlyne to straine and grype thorow the tempest of troubles into the porte hauen of health Let vs not let slippe this prouision least we bée taken voyde and without those helping mates