all pittye amongst you Surely it is no maruell that you shoulde novve pleade youre innocencie vvhen all the vvorlde may knovve your vvicked traiterous trecheries that vvill not vvillingly shut their eyes But it maye bee You thinke by some popishe vvitchery to goe in uisible by hauing some of the Popes trumpery aboute you But you deceiue youre selues and so doth he vvhom you serue Therefore repent and turne to him vvho is able to saue your soules Returne to Iesus Christe that high pastour that suffering for trueth vvith him you maye likevvise bee glorified vvith him othervvise hovvsoeuer you byte his heele vvith the Serpent hee vvill bruse your head and in the end triumph ouer you The Lorde Iesus sanctifie all that are his euen thoroughout both body soul and spirite that vvee may bee kept blamelesse vnto his holy comming Amen Amen the 27. day of this third moneth Thine assured in Christe Iohn Field 1. Pet. 4. 12. Dearely beloued think it not strange concerning the fiery triall which is among you as though some strange thing were come vnto you IT appeareth by the discourse of this epistle that y e Christians to whome Peter wrote were at that time in great persecution whereuppon after other thinges handled before in this text he commeth to giue them instructions touching this matter how they shold patiently â—eare the crosse and comfortably behaue themselues in the middest of their greatest afflictions A point of doctrine not vnnecessary for vs at this time For although by the great mercye of God it fareth not with vs as it did with the churches then Because we liue vnder a gratious prince that doth cherish and mainteine the trueth Yet because our sinnes be such as doe iustly diserue the taking away of heâ— royall maiesty and the restraint of pure religion I see no reason why the teachers should be charged not to take a good course in preparing the people before hande to bear such troubles whensoeuer they should come no more then our sauiour Christ was to be challenged For telling his disciples so oft of his and their own persecutions before they came arming of them againste the same It is the practise of well ordered common wealthes in the time of peace to teach their people the feates of warre And each man that hath any care of himself and his country when all things are most quiet doth neuerthelesse prouide such things in a redinesse as may stand him in steed in y â— time of trouble Euen so is it necessary that in the peace of the gospell weâ— be instructed to bear afflictions for the saâ—e when the trueth hath greatest liberty we should continually looke for persecution therefore by the precepts and comforts of the worde be alwayes prepared to abide whatsoeuer may fal out Which considerations haue moued mee at this present to speake vnto you out of this scripture Thinke it not straunge concerning the fiery triall In this first verse he willeth the Christians not to maruell at the persecution of the churche which hee calleth by the name of fiery triall as thoughe some straÌ„ge thing had happened The last words seeme to bee set downe as a reason to perswade that which he requireth As though he should haue sayde on this wis the trouble affliction of the church or any member thereof is no straunge thing and therfore no reason why you shoulde maruel at it For we maruell at such things onely as doe seldome come to pâ—sse and after an extraordinary maner But if any thing come to passe often and ordinarily that wee are not wont to maruell at although in it selfe it be neuer so wonderfull If we should see a horse flye in the ayre if wee shoulde see great snowes in the middes of sommer or a plentifull haruest in the middes of winter behold iust occasions to make vs wonder because these things seldome or neuer fall out and the course of nature the order set downe by God himselfe shoulde bee inuerted But to see a horse runne apace vpon the grounde to see deepe â—snowes in the middest of winter and haruest in August or September doth neuer cause wonderâ—ng or astonishment although in deede they be most marueilous works of the Lord. Euen so persecutions and afflictions for righteousnes sake beeing the ordinarye portion which from time to time the saints of God haue receiued in this worlde there is no more cause why we should be amazed or astonished at that whensoeuer generally or particularly it falleth out then at the snow in the winter or haruest in the sommer If we looke vnto the beginning we shall see that Cain persecuted his own brother Abel afterward Ismael Isaack Esau Iacob And when y e visible church began to be a great people I mean y e Iewes the Egyptians first then al the nations round about benâ— their force against them Among the Iews hypocrites and naughty persons of the kings priestes prophets and people failed not to hold on the same course in offering all manner of cruelty to such as truely feared the Lorde and zealously executed the functions in them committed as the histories of the scripture doe playnely witnesse If we looke into the enterteinment of our sauiour Christe and his apostles in their time it shall appeare to haue bene nothing better thâ—n the former And that the like condition hath bene vpon the church euer sithence it is knowne to such as haue read the stories In so much as that complaint is most true wâ—ich she maketh in the psal They haue often times afflicted mee from my youth vp that is to say euer sithence I had any being vpon the earth mine enimies haue not ceassed to afflict me as it were to plowe deepe furrowes vpon my backe You see then what we haue here to learne in the first place namely not to be troubled at the persecutions which may happen to our selues or any other the members of Christ For the profession of his truth and doing of our duety as though some strange thing were come to passe seeing it is the ordinary course which the wicked worlde whose works are nought taking their direction from their grandfather Caine hath from time to time practised agaynste the church and the ordinary way by the which the Lord from age to age hath lead all his children to the verifiyng of that which Paul and Barnabas preached wheresoeuer they came Through many afflictions wee must enter into the kingdome of God And this being so It behoueth vs when wee first ioyne our selues to the churche of God and enter into the profession of his trueth with purpose to leade oure liues according thereunto to sitte vs down according to the counsel of our sauiour Christ to make our account on this wise Surely I see that al flesh is grasse and al things vnder the sunne are but vanity The time will come when I must dye and God hath appoynted a day wherein he
A comfortable treatise vpon the latter part of the fourth chapiter of the first Epistle of Saint PETER from the twelfe verse to the ende By O. PIGGE 1. Cor. 49. ¶ I thinke that God hath set foorth vs the last Apostles as men appointed to death for we are made a gasing stock vnto the world and to Angels and to men 1. Peter 4. 15. Let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a thiefe or an euill doer or as a busibodie in other mens matters Seene and alowed AT LONDON Printed by Robert Walde-graue fot Iohn Harison the yonger and Thomas Man 1582. TO THE RELIGIOVS AND VERY worshipful knightes Sir ROBERT IERMYN of Rushbrooke and Sir IOHN HEIGHAM of Baroe in the countie of Suffolke Grace and peace be multiplied from God our heauenly Father and from our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe YOVR worships remember that at the beginning of the last newe yere I presented to you in wrighting that which the Lorde a little before had giuen me to speake in two short Sermons at BURIâ— adding not muche to that which was then vttered as the diligent hearer of me can testifie The reason of my so doing I alledged as the trueth was that I might haue somevvhat according to the maner of that time vvherewith to testifie the good affection vvhich of duty I owe vnto you both as vvel for the manifold blessings vvhich the church of God and the common wealth in these partes of Suffolke enioyeth by your meanes as for your care for my particuler safetie and for the great comfort which by you from time to time I haue had sithence my comming into this countrie The Lord register them in his booke that they may come into your good accounts in the day of his sonne And because it pleased you then to giue such liking of the treatise that both of you desired to reteine the coppie and requested the same at my hands vvherof also I made promise the best vvay for the performance of this I supposed vvas the putting of it in print which I was the rather contented to do because the matter deliuered in it beeing necesâ—arie to be taught beleeued I hoped might be profitable and comfortable to others vvhich also vvas the iudgement of some godlie and learned men that reade it ouer My purpose when I preached of the text was to sturre vp my self and the hearers to beare patiently comfortablie and profitablie al afflictions that might fal out for a good conscience sake my purpose in sending it a broade and in making it more common to the churche of God is the same The doctrine is necessarie to prepare vs for those times of trouble which the abusing of our peace the contempt of the gospell the euill handling of the ministers the infinite abhominations of the land haue most iustly deserued according also as vve haue these many yeares beene vvarned and threatned not only by our prophets teachers but also by fearefnll signes in heauen earth that fortesl vnto vs further euils vnlesse in time from the highest to the lovvest vve repent take a better course and turne from our disobedience Yea in respect of the time present this argument is not altogeather vnnecessary for although we haue iust cause dayly vpon our knees to praise God for her maiesty the most honourable of her counsell and the rest of the gouerners in the Churche common wealth by whose gracious meanes wee haue good lawes established executed for the liberty of true religion for the comfort and incouragement of such as meane well yet wee see howe in euerye place where the worde is taught cold protestantes earthly minded men papistes and Athiests seeke deuise all possible meanes they can to hinder the course of the gospell and to disquiet the preachers professours which oppose them selues againste their corruptions and refuse to ioyne with them in their disorders A matter too to vsual in these euil dayes as the faythfull seruants of God knowe and in many places finde true by miserable experience If the preachers in any towne be carefull to do their duty what quarrelles doe wicked men pick to stop their mouths weary them and to driue them away and if any of the flocke take part with their teachers and professe obedience to the trueth they want no euill words frovvning lookes and hard practises againste them from popish vvorldly irreligious men The practises of our country of Suffolke to let pasâ—e other parts of the lande witnes this to be true cry alowde for vengeance in the eares of the Lorde of hostes as your vvorships very vvell know VVe haue many godly learned wise faithful painful pastors I suppose that diuers Counties of the Realme being put together can scarse afforde so greate a numbeâ— They teache the trueth of God vvith all manner so dutifulnes and holy loialty to her maiesty and the state they be carefull to liue vvell to the vttermoste of their povver and the Lorde be thanked that hath giuen them some good measnre of grace in that behalfe They lacke not countenance comfort and reliefe from the honorable and worshipful in the commission of peace for the shire so farre as they maye with a good conscience and according to the lawes of our most gracious souereigne VVee prayse God therefore and thinke our selues bound to pray daily for you all But I pray you what impes hath Sathan sturred vp amongst vs almost in euery Towne vvhere the vvorde is preached to hinder this vvorke of the Lorde hath there bene any vvay vnattempted to shake some of the preachers and in them no dout al the rest They vvhich seeme to make any account of the teachers and to professe more holinesse then others though alas not so much as they should doe escape not the vennom of poisoned tongues The pore people here and there in the country that be more carefull then the rest to resort to sermons to heare the vvoorde learne their dutie and vvith a good conscience to discharge such duties as by oth are layd vpon them bee not vvithout their crosses Some by the malice of naughty insufficient ministers other vntovvarde men to redeeme peace glad to leaue the tovvn vvhere they dvvelled Others frovvned vpon for doing othervvise then their superstitious landlordes doe vvould haue them Others maliced for indicting and complaining of papists other vvicked men for not resorting to the church not comming to the Communion and for misusing of the prechers some molested one way and some another And this I speak not of any thing done by any magistrate or gouernour in the church or common vveale let no man take me so but by vvicked papistes and godlesse persons that be scattered abroade in the counrry as Goates among the sheepe and darnell among good corne VVho contrary to the lavves peace Crovvne dignity of her highnesse and the kingdome purpose and practise miâ—chife and violence sometime couertly
euer prince or state where the Gospell onely is professed and mainteined as it ought to be by the lawes of the lande did euer suffer or beare so much with them as our gracious prince and state hath done no doubt of a good purpose to winne them to reclaime them to the trueth howsoeuer nowe they maye learne at length by experiâ—nce to take better heede of them seeing they are incorrigible and hate to be reformed Howe long did shee keepâ— her royall sword within her scabbard vntouched with any bloud Surely till they had like if God of his gracious goodnes had not preserued her maiestye to haue set her both beside seate swotd scepter and all and if their diuelish practises coulde haue taken place by rebellion at home or treason abroade to layd her full low and to haue brought vs againe vnder theâ—r cruel vnsupportable yoke of their Egyptiacall bondage From the which the Lorde for his mercy sake deliuer vs. If they count it therfore any persecution it is a iust persecution against the enemies of God against the enemies of our state and Country It is also done in loue to draw them from iniquitie to reduce them from errour for the safegard of the whole pollitique body I will not speake of their persecutions horrible butcheries from time to time God shall giue better opportunity one day and in another place But I beseeche thee good Christian reader marke what is deliuered concerning persecution in this booke then thou shalt bothâ— learne what it is and vpon whose backes it is like to light if they will be like him who is entred by the same gate before vs. Neither let vs be discouraged though it be in deed our portion For it shalbe a token vnto vs of our saluation but vnto them who are persecuters of perdition and destruction The reason is because Christ the Capitaine finisher of our battell is with vs and hath troade the pathe before vs vvith vvhome as long as vvee suffer let the yssues be neuer so hard vve can not quaile nor perish Hee hath forevvarned vs to looke for them They come not by chaunce but by his appointment They are for our good and the cause being iust and Gods according to his vvill and for the holding out of his excellent glory thoughâ— vve dâ—e for it vve shal be most happy Our aduersaries vnderstand not thâ—s and therefore they smite they care not where nor whome but a time shall come they shall see whom they haue smitten tremble before him for feare of his iudgements Be therfore of good comfort reioice O al the Saints of God though we passe thorow this wretched vale in contempt and misery in heauines and sorrow with mourning and teares with lacke of liberty commodity that many vsurpers enioy yet a day shall come of an aboundant haruest where we shall sit vpon the seates of glorie be satisfied with it when we shal be crowned with immortality shall see God euen as he is The troubles are short though they be sharpe and though they be many yet they are light in comparison of that eternall waight of glory And you that are persecuters whome the Lorde hath not giuen vtterly ouer Take heede whom you strike Thinke not to ouercome him whose power is infinite God vvill raigne in despite of his enemies in the middest of them Looke vpon your olde predecessours what became of them VVhere is Decius and Dioclesian where is Valerius Maximinianus and Maximius where is Lucius Iulianus Aurelius But you will say these were ethnikes and persecuted Christians surely so do you You are christians in name but you deny the power thereof You boast of the faâ—th of your ancestours but you deny the faith of Christe You say you vvoulde not haue slaine the prophets but your handes haue beene the first vppon those vvhome God hath styrred vp and sente amongste you Are you not ashamed to boaste of the Truethe and yet to to persecute poore Christians for it You complayn of our harde lawes of the seuerity of the punishment of treason of the iniquitie of our ministers of the hard estate of your falsenamed Catholiques that liue amongst vs of their infamye after their death of the contumelies they suffer in their life yea when they are taken at their Masse how they are brought forth in their Pageant apparrel and what reuell is kept vvith your breaden Idoll ye complayne of our prisons and shevv the hardnes of our Iaylors at London at Yorke in other places Mystresse Tomson Master Dimock and others are still in your bookes as though they had receiued great vvrongs Thus you kick flyng as vntamed heifers ye care not where sparing neither noble nor vnnoble that might once by any occurrent come to your intelligence but al this while you speak not a vvord to the proore of it vvhereupon the proofe lieth For in respect of the cause yours is false ours true ours the cause of Christ yours the cause of Antichriste vvee suffer for religion you for treason Agayne there is no comparison betvvixt that punâ—shment layd vpon you for your iust offences and our persecution laide vppon vs not for our sinnes but for righteousnes sake If vve haue layd a finger vpon you you haue layd vpon vs an intollerable clog If vve haue scourged you vvith fatherâ—y roddes for amendment you haâ—e vvhipped vs vvith scorpions vtterly to destroy vs if vvee haue derided your superstâ—tion brought out your priests as they were playing their pageants that the people might vvonder at their follies you haue made vs spectacles as much as lay in you both to men and angels and lastly vve haue vvith the trueth pursued you to bring you to the trueth so to God but you vvith falsehoode haue persecuted vs to bring vs from the trueth to error and so to the Deuill You talke of orderly proceeding vvith vs that we vvere tried in time past by order of Iustice and disputed vvithall that vvee might if vve vvoulde see our ovvne vveaknesse c I pray you in vvhose Courtes hath it bene most found eyther in yours vvhere all iustice vvas peruerted or in ours vvhere the trueth of Gods word guidingal they haue beene taught the feare of God and to doe as they vvould be done to VVhere hath beene greater murthers by disordered dealings then amongst you vvithout all colour of lavv iustice killing them by vvhole multitudes and sometimes some of youre ovvne profession for company that you mighte enioy their ritches vvhere hath priuate men beene more armed to make dispatch of princes that mighte stand in your vvay then amongst youre selues Your pope dispensing vvith the sinnes either they had already or should aftervvardes commit Example by that Caitife that vppon his pardon vvoulde haue slaine the vvorthy Prince of Orange had not God miraculously deliuered him to hovv many such treasons by poisoning and killing haue sundry beene sturred vp vvithout
will iudge all the worlde He hath prepared life and blessednesse for them that feare him and vengeance for them that knoweth him not nor obey his gospell I perceiue therefore it is necessary that I care for the life to come prouide for the safety of my soul after deth If I take the course of the world I run to eternal destruction If I embrace the word the only way vnto heauen eternall life I must make my ful reckoning of that which al the faithful professors therof haue tasted before me I must prepare my backe for stripes I must looke to bee euil spoken of iested vpon scorned at to lose the fauour of those that bee mighty to be cast in prison lose my goodes yea and my life also For I see this is the estate of the true seruants of God in this worlde Hee that shall thus debate the matter with him selfe and with an heart careful of his owne saluation cal vpon God for his direction wil soone be resolued with Moses to chuse rather afflictitions with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of siâ—ne here for a short time Moreouer when stormes arise the windes bâ—ow and the floods beare vpon his house y t is when troubles and persecutions come he shal be able to beare them more patiently and with greater comfort sith in tâ—ueth he may say I thought so Loe it is come to passe as I looked for long since It is a common saying euils that be thought vppon before doe hurt lesse when they come Then they pearce vs deeply wheÌ„ they come vpon vs at vnwares and when wee neuer before suspected any such matter Therfore to couclude this poynt sith the crosse is in seperably ioyned to the profession of the trueth let him that wil stand with comfort in the time of his trial before hand make his reckoning and looke for no better It followeth in the text Concerning the fiery triall or triall by fire the wordes do beare either Now the apostle doth on this wise terme the persecutions of Gods children According as hee doth before in the first chapter The speech is metaphoricall or borrowed signifying thus much As fire trieth the pure golde from that which is counterfait and naught fining it moreouer burneth wasteth sun dreth y t drosse rust from y t which is good so troubles and afflictions for Christes sake doe discerne the faythfull Christian from the hypocrite and time seruer and wasteth away the corruption of sinne that creepeth and stealeth in vppon the faythfull in their peace and prosperity making them more pure and fine to the Lord. For the first there lurketh so great selfe loue hipocrisie in vs and there are so many deceitfull corners in our heartes that it is a meruelious harde matter to be vndoubtedly persuaded in our consciences of our integrity and vprightnesse to the Lord and his trueth while the profession thereof is commanded by Princes and hath countenance liberty profite wayting vpon it For then how earnest soeuer wee seeme to be peraduenture wee loue our selues not the Lord it is our own estimation preferment y t we seeke not the holding forth of the trueth with a pure conscience Then in deed we know our selues when we haue bene tried And if in the middest of al temptations we continue without fainting and turning back we may be bold of our obedieÌ„ce y t it is good y t we be such as haue built our house vpoÌ„ y e rock and y t neither heighth nor depth principalities nor power life nor deth things present or things to come shal be able to seperate vs froÌ„ the loue of God While our sauiour Christe was at liberty Peter thought himself maruellous stout he affirmed very confidently y t he would not shrink froÌ„ his maister although all the rest should runne away yea when the officers came to attach him he drew out his sword smote of a seruaunt of the high priest his ear But when y e matter came to y e pinch in deede we knowe how all his courage was quailed the very speech of a damsell caused him to abiure the sauiour of y e world to whoÌ„ he had before so earnestly vowed him self By him wee may learne to suspect our selues and our owne weaknesse and not to imagine that wee bee without all feare of reuolting because in the liberty peace of the gospell wee make proâ—ession of the same The sandye grounde nourisheth his blade so long as the weather continueth seasonable and calme which neuerthelesse in hot and scorching wether withereth and is vnprofitable That onely we approue for good ground indeed which in the extremity of heat we haue seene bring forth the eares with full corne Euen so it is nothing in these daies to proâ—esse the true religion the same being commanded by the lawes and countenanced by so many good means but if for our sinnes God should take away the prince if popery shold be established again or a mingle maÌ„gle of religioÌ„ permitted as in France then y â— true faithful professors shold be easily discerned from the hypocrit and dissemvler When all the enemies of Dauid were subdued round about and the whole kingdome of Iudah approued him for their only and true souereigne ther was no great trial of the fidelitie of his subiects But when Sheba the sonne of Bichri blew the Trumpet and sayd we haue no parte in Dauid neither haue we inheritaunce in the sonne of Ishai euery man to his tents O Israel And this drew away great numbers of the people to make an insurrection Then such as in the middest of those rebels by word or practise testified their subiection to Dauid with the hazard of their estate gaue vndoubted testimonies of their fidelity We can not say for a truth that al such be faythfull to her maiestie whiche in this her great prosperity wherein no enemye dare quech seemeth so to be they which in the dayes of Westmerland and Nort humberlaud stoode vnto her in those partes of the North agaynst their Lordes to their daunger were faythfull in deede and the land might make a good reckoning of theÌ„ in any other the like occasion As therefore by suche meanes as these loyall and true hearted subiectes to their prince be tried so when troubles and persecutions arise for the word they which be sincere vpright in the feare of the Lord be discerned from the counterfeite whiche in their profession â—aue sought nothing but their aduauntage â—nd ease And then in deed we haue put the church of God and our owne consciences out of al doubt concerning our entegritye when in the middest of afflictions for the gospell sake we haue continued with boldnes to professe the same We see therefore y t it is not without good cause why persecutions be called a fiery trial Now euen this should teach vs patiently
hireling a greedy dog that is neuer satisfied a dumbe dog a blinde guide or an idle pastor cannot in trueth applye the comforts to them here mentioned sith they be iustly reproched and punished for their sinne which the Apostle doth â—orbid vs in this place And yet this is not so spoken as though all men were to dispayre of them selues which bee any wâ—ie corrected for their euill doings no we knowe what is written of the thiefe y â— was crucified with our Lorde and how he sayd vnto him this day shalt thou be with me in paradise Euen so assuredly whatsoeuer the offeÌ„ces be that we be euill spoken of for or otherwise punished by imprisonmeÌ„t or deth yet we be happy shal be saued if grace be giuen vs w t the thief to repent to hate our sinne to beleue For this is true for euer blessed are y e deade y t dye in y e Lord in what sort or for what cause soeuer they dy Therefore y e maÌ„ y t sufferreth for Christes sake is blessed in respect of the goodnes of his cause and â—e that suffereth for his sinne is blessed if the Lord by that punishment bring him to repentance But let vs with all good conscience attend vpon this of the apostle to honour our profession and high calling with good life and absteining from euill We see how it fareth with the faithful seruants of God though they walke neuer so prescisely yet wicked men will espy somwhat to speake euill to take away their crowne of suffering for well doing How then shall all our honour iustly be turned into shame and lye in the dust if we walke retchlesâ—ye and dissolutely The exhortation is very profitable for our time wherin great numbers turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and therefore although they professe the gospell true religion of God yet are worthily reproched for their vncleannes riot vsurye oppression couetousnesse and deceite It followeth But if he suffer as a christian let him not be ashamed nay let him glorifie God in this behalf In the former verse as you hard he willed vs to take heede of being punished for doing euill because then there is iust matter of humiliation offered vnto vs. In this senteÌ„ce he returneth to y t which he had in haÌ„d before namely to comfort vs in al afflictions y t happeÌ„ for y e trueth sake If saith he any suffer as a christian y t is for y e scincere professioÌ„ of Christs doctrin let him neuer be ashamed of y e mater but let him thaÌ„k God in y t behalf There are two thiâ—gs required of vs in this verse y e one is y t we be not ashamed of y e persecutions y t we eudure for a good coÌ„science y e other y t we reioyce be glad of them CoÌ„cerning y e first y e euil of y t which we do the vnworthines or basenes of y e party for whome we do it are the only occasions y t minister iust matter of blusshing shame vnto vs. But the truth y t we professe in the word is so pure excellent the sonne of God in whome we beleeue and for whose sake wee suffer is so holy so glorious so mighty worthy of all honor and seruice from vs that there is no cause why we shoulde be ashamed of the crosses which we suffer in that behalfe S Paule he beleeued this and therefore in the middest of all the calamities that came vnto him for doing of his duty coulde say with confidence I am not ashamed For I know him wel inough in whom I haue beleeued and am fully persuaded that hee is able to keepe that whiche I haue committed vnto him against that day Let vs be like minded and sith Iesus Christ hath all power in heauen and earth so as he is able to defend vs from the rage of our enemies here and to keepe our saluation sure from being hurt by any meanes let vs neuer blush for anye thing that happeneth vnto vs for his sake Naturall men thinke that moste vile and ignominious whiche in deede is moste glorious and beautifull Michal thought it the greatest disgrace that might be vnto Dauid to abase himselfe to daunce before the Arke of God gyrded with a linnen Ephod But Dauid thought no honor like this by humbling himselfe and being vilde in the sight of others to exalt and set vp the Lord. Euen so they which be carried onely by sense and reason can see nâ—thing but confusion in the persecutioÌ„s of y e saints when as in deede it is the most honourable thing vnder heauen In so much as neither Iosepâ— hauing the kings ring vpon his finger arayde in fine linnen with a chaine of gold about his necke and set vpon the best Charret of the king saue onâ— and honoâ—r ably saluted of al the people nor Mordecay at the kings commaundement most gorgiously carried thorough the Citie vpon the kings hors with this proclaimation before him thus shall it be done to the man whom the king will honour were so glorious in the sighte of their beholders as the true Christians are in the eyes of God when in the iudgement of man they seeme to be couered with most confusion and shame And in deede Cranmer when hee was broughte forth and as it were set vpon a stage to bee mocked at by all the people his Pall pulled of his haire cut by a Barber his singers endes scraped an old gowne put vpon his backe and an olde cap vpon his head the admirall of Fraunce first mained with a shot then most trecherously slayne in his chamber after tumbled out of a windowe his head cut of his corps dragged through the streates in Paris after hanged vpon a gallows by y e heels in y e middest of al these were more glorious then either Mordecay or Ioseph in all their pompe maiesty Intsomuch as these neuer vanted so much of y e one as they no doubt did of the other Euen as we finde nâ— such boasting of any the seruants of God in the scripturs in respect of their outward estate were it neuer so good as we do of S. Paul for his sufferings according to y e which is writteÌ„ froÌ„ henceforth let no man put me to busines for I bear in my body the markes of y e Lord Iesus The imprisonments bands scourgings stripes stonings reproches y t he indured he calleth the badges of the Lord Iesus wherby he was known to be highly in his fauor as a faithful seruant of whom he made a special account therfore is not only not ashamed but also after a godly sort boasteth of theÌ„ Therfore let vs not think it any shame vnto vs whensoeuer the Lorde shall thinke it good to haue vs tried on this wise It followeth But let him glorifie God in this behalfe This is the second thing we must be glad of our