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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17725	Two godly and learned sermons, made by that famous and woorthy instrument in Gods church, M. Iohn Caluin. Which sermons were long since translated out of Latine into English, by M. Robert Horne late Byshop of Winchester, at what time he suffered exile from his country, for the testimony of a good conscience, as his apology in the beginning of the booke will witnes. And because these sermons haue long lyen hidden in silence, and many godly and religious persons, haue beene very desirous of them: at theyr earnest request they are nowe published by A.M.; Quatre sermons. English. Selections	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Horne, Robertc1519?-1580.; Munday, Anthony, 1553-1633.	1584 (1584)	STC 4461; ESTC S110726	58,766	149

and decking of the body without all dissolute and sumptuous trimming they would haue the Preacher to make their hose and sewe theyr shoes Well what must we doo then In this matter there is a certaine thing set before vs wherevnto we ought to dyrect and conferre our whole minde studie and thought That is that the zeale of Gods house may eate vp our heart and so moue vs that we beare and take vppon our selues all dishonours contumelies and opprobries which are doone most vnwoorthily against Gods holy name When such desire of Gods honour and feruent loue shalbe kindled in our hearts not like drie stubble soone set on fyre and easilie extinguished but lyke a fyre that burneth continuallie a man shall be so farre from suffering or approouing these abhominations wherewith the name of GOD most shamefullie and vnwoorthilie is polluted that when he shall beholde them he shall be able in no wise to suffer dissimulation silence and taciturnitie And it is dilligentlie to be marked that he sayth The zeale of Gods house that we should knowe that to be referred vnto the outward order which is instituted in the Church that we should exercise our selues in confession of our Faith I doo not weigh the mockers which say that I my selfe lyuing héere without any daunger yea rather in great quietnesse doo talke goodlily of these matters I am not hee with whome these men haue any thing to doo For this is well knowne I haue héere no lande of mine owne So may wee thinke and saye of all these Philosophers which giue theyr iudgement without knowledge of the cause For seeing they will not heare GOD who dooth now truely speake so gently to them to teache them I doo declare the day and iudgement at what time béeing called before the iudgement seate of GOD they shall heare that sentence against the which there shall bee no answer nor defence For séeing they will not heare him as the best and most méeke maister they shall then knowe at the last and féele him as theyr most seuere and iust Iudge At which tyme the stoutest and the craftiest of them shall perceyue and knowe that they were deceyued in theyr opinions Let them bee so well exercised and prepared as they will to obscure or subuert iustice and equitie yet their lawlike and iudiciall ornaments and the badges of the great dignitie and power wherewith they now proudly wax insolent shall not then giue them the victory I speake this because Counsailours Iudges Proctours aduocates and such other bearing the swinge in Courtes and iudgements are not onelie bolde to stryue with God and so to contend that they would séeme to haue gotten a certayne right to scorne and mocke his Maiestie but also reiecting all holie Scripture doo spue out theyr blasphemies as the greatest sentenses of the Lawe and most high Decrées These men whome the world dooth honour as certayne Idolles so soone as they haue spoken one worde cannot suffer reason and trueth to haue any place to rest in But yet by the way I doo admonish and warne them beforehand that it shall be better for them to haue some remembraunce of that same horrible vengeance which is ordeined for them that chaunge iustice with iniquitie and trueth with lying Neither the Doctors and Chamber-masters the delitious banquettours and verie voluptuous men take any higher degrée héere then that they may chatter in theyr feasts and banquettes and bable foorth theyr wordes against the heauenlie Maister to whome truelie all men ought to giue most diligent eare Neither can their goodly famous titles plucke any man from this iudgement in which the Lordly and reuerent Abbottes Priours Deanes Archdeacons as chéefe Maisters of the game shall be compelled to leade the daunce in that condemnation which God shall make most gréeuous Now although the Courteours are woont to gratifie men with the sprinckling of theyr holie water let them not thinke that they can with that kinde of dooing satisfie God To conclude all iesters and praters let them holde theyr tongue and boast not out theyr merie wittie sayinges vnlesse they will féele his mightie hand at whose word they ought to tremble Wherein theyr errour is too much foolishe that beléeueth because they take me for theyr aduersary therefore they shall not haue God to be theyr Iudge Let them scrape my name out of theyr bookes and vtterlie blotte it foorth speciallie in this kinde of cause and question wherein my purpose is onelie that God be heard and obeyed not that I should rule mennes consciences after my lust and charge them with any necessitie or lawe As for all others which doo not so proudlie despyse Gods word and yet are so delicate and weake that they can in no wise be mooued I doo most heartilie beséeche them that they wyll take more thought and regarde to theyr owne duetie saluation and Gods honour and doo more flatter themselues as they haue doone hytherto Let them therefore open theyr eyes and reare vp themselues that they maye beholde the myserie wherein they are I knowe well inough the euylles diffyculties and stoppes wherein they be wrapt among the Papists I doo not speake vnto them as though it were an easie matter in the middes of the Idolaters to take vppon them and defend the pure and sincere Religion of GOD but if they lacke strength I aduertise them to flie vnto God the aucthour of all power that they may be made strong by him and learne to preferre his glorie before all things of this world For I doo earnestlie desyre that all faithfull men which are myserablie afflicted in the Papisme should vnderstande and knowe this howe that the Prophete Ieremie remaining at Ierusalem in Iewrie dyd send this aduertisement and exhortation vnto the people which were holden captiue and oppressed in Babilon If the tyranny of the Pope and of all his ministers be to them sharpe and cruell they must consider that the Iewes also of that tyme suffered heauy and bytter bondage and yet they are commaunded in the vulgare spéeche of the Country to execrate the Idolatrie of the Chaldeans It is not reason that the tiranny of men should breake or any deale diminish from vs the due honour we owe vnto GOD. Héere is no exception or pretence of priueledge which high or lowe ritch or poore may or ought to vsurpe vnto themselues Let all men therefore bowe downe theyr necke and with most humilitie submitte themselues to God Let the poore man haue the true feare of God let him not say vnconstantly I know not what to doo least God aunswer him neyther knowe I what to doo with thée The ritch and wealthy men let them not lyke dronken sluggardes ●léepe in theyr wealth and consume in theyr prosperitie and aboundaunce of all thinges as it were in a certayne draffe tubbe but rather after the example of Saint Paule let them learne to estéeme all that as dyrte and dammage which dooth withdrawe vs from

Two godly and learned Sermons made by that famous and woorthy instrument in Gods church M. Iohn Caluin Which Sermons were long since translated out of Latine into English by M. Robert Horne late Byshop of Winchester at what time he suffered exile from his Country for the testimony of a good conscience as his Apology in the beginning of the booke will witnes And because these Sermons haue long lyen hidden in silence and many godly and religious persons haue beene very desirous of them at theyr earnest request they are nowe published by A. M. At London Printed for Henry Car and are to be sold in Paules Churchyard ouer against the signe of the blasing Starre The glory of the Honourable is the feare of God 1584 To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester Baron of Denbigh Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and one of her highnesse most honorable priuie Counsell c. A. M. vvisheth continuall happines both in this life and in the life to come WHen these two notable and famous Sermons right Honorable had past the Printers presse and the daily request of zelous persons was to haue thē in their hands in respecte of the woorthinesse of the Booke and the vnfained duety I owe to your Honoure I determined to present them to your godly and learned iudgement beeing perfectlie assured that your honor beeing such a certaine freend to all godly and vertuous exercises this little Booke could not demaund a Patron more fit to countenaunce it which although it shall happen to endure the malicious cauiles of the enemies of Gods trueth as the Author himselfe is well knowne to haue tasted yet so much the lesse shall the enemie boast of his wickednesse when he seeth stampt in the forehead of this little Booke the noble name of him who is and euer hath beene a refuge to the Godly from time to time a ready defender to imbolden them in such excellent studies As for the reuerend Father that tooke first the paynes to translate them I doubt not but he was well knowne to your honour and for his sake I hope they shall be the better welcome and for my selfe bothe the cause that mooued mee to enter into this boldnes and the affection I haue continually borne to your honour in this small gift I referre all to your honorable construction desiring God to blesse you night and day in all you goe about Your Honours ready at commaundement Anthony Munday ¶ The Apologie of Maister Robert Horne late Bishop of VVinchester Grace peace and mercie from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen AFter that God had striken our head shéephearde vnder Christe that worthy King and confessour Edward the sixt good Christian brethren which he threatened by his faithful seruants long before if we would not turne from our sinnes wickednesse I perceyued that it could not be auoided God so disposing the matter for our vnthankfulnesse but that the kingdome of God at the least for a time must be taken from vs and the Christian flock dispersed The which thing began to appeare to me more plainlie when I sawe Gods booke conteining the word of life taken foorth of the Churches in the Bishopricke of Duresme and a fowle sort of Idols called lay mennes bookes brought in therfore when the common prayer commaunded by publique aucthoritie set foorth after S. Paules rule to the edifying of Christes congregation in the vulgar tongue was against Gods lawe and also against the lawes of the Realme banished in the place therof a kinde of prayer vsed farre dissonaunt from Gods lawe the example of the primitiue Church in a strange tongue farced ful of superstition idolatrie false fables hauing nothing tollerable in it sauing that the people could not vnderstand it therefore were lesse harmed thereby although I suppose the popish Prelats kéep it in a strange language least that if the cōmon sort of men should heare it in their owne tongue they would perceiue it to be vaine false lying fables and therfore credite theyr dooings much worse in all other things But especially when I sawe the Lords table whereon was ministred the holy Supper of the Lord according to his owne institution ordinance was caried away the Cōmunion abhorred as heresie and for these Baals altars reared vp and his Priests monkish hipocrites returned to theyr abhominable blasphemous and idolatrous Masse as Dogs to their vomit Wherefore I began to recorde with my selfe call to my remembrance not without earnest calling on Gods name for the assistaunce of his spirit mine owne state condition and to examine more déepelie both y e doctrine which I had taught wherof I perceyued that of necessitie I must render an account and that within short time and also my duty of allegaunce vnto the Quéens highnesse wherin I found my selfe so cleare blameles that if the deuil himselfe and all mine enimies should doo theyr worst they could not haue accused me iustlie neither of word nor déede perpetrated against her grace And as cōcerning the doctrine which I had taught the more dilligentlie I did examine it by the holie Scriptures and the testimony of the auncient Fathers the more sincere and pure it appeared I was the more earnestly perswaded and setled in the trueth thereof my conscience dyd more plainelie laye to my charge that I could not reuoke saye against nor dissemble it without blasphemous contempt of God and most horrible deniall of his Sonne Iesus Christe So that I found no fault in my selfe as touching my preaching but that as an vnprofitable Seruaunt I dyd not so much as I ought to haue doone although I had doone much more then some thought I should haue thanks for But what soeuer men thought or spake as touching thankefull reward for my labour I perswaded my selfe that I should haue all thinges weied after equitie and therefore considering both mine owne integritie that I had offended no law of the Realme but liued like an obedient subiect and also that the same men bare the chéefe rule vnder the Quéenes highnes and should be my Iudges as did know that the sword was deliuered them for the defence of the good obedient subiect so soone as I heard tell that I was exempted the Quéenes highnes pardon I tooke my iourney towardes London with so much conuenient spéede as I might Where I found all thinges farre otherwise then I would haue beléeued if I had not béen put in experience therof my selfe For I found in the place of equitie preiudice for lawe lust for reason will and such as should haue giuen sentence according as matter had béen obiected and iustlie prooued plaide both the part of the accuser of the witnesses also of the Iudge and gaue this sentence immediatlie that I should eyther vndoo that I had doone or else what that or else meant I knewe well inough for I

charge vs with all if they had we should haue heard tell of it or nowe thankes be to God for his mercy towards vs for this was onely his worke in vs and God graunt these vnshamefast hypocrites true repentaunce and amendment of theyr liues for a number of them be notorious Tauernehaunters common braulers very dronkards knowne Sodomits and manifestlie proued whoremongers And if they will say this is spoken of mallice I protest before God that is not trulie sayd for I doo not name them because I loue the men although I hate their conditions As touching fasting prayer and preaching lybertie when did euer any Preacher speake against true prayer Christian fasting or set men at lybertie to sinne but alwayes inueighed against abuses in popishe prayer and fasting as Christe rebuked the praiers and fastings of the pharisaical hypocrites which in déede was all one with these mens prayers fastinges And the lybertie we preached was not to giue the flesh occasion to sinne but to comfort by the death of Christe the conscience ouercharged loden with sinne and such burdens of Pharisaical traditions as they were not able to beare But this I know well they wyll charge me with all and many others that heerein I shewed my selfe a carnall Preacher for that I dyd not liue a sole lyfe without mariage as they doo If they liue chaste without mariage let them giue God thankes therefore I doo not enuie in them that gift of God But surelie God gaue not me that gift that I could liue a Virginall chaste life but after the manner of hypocrites and therfore dyd enter into that holy state of Matrimonie Which is honourable among all men to the ende I might serue God in pure chastitie of Matrimony And where as they say that although it be the gift of God yet may we attaine it if we will fast and praye for God hath made vs a promise that he will heare our prayers and graunt our peticions I graunt he will so doo if we aske after his will if that the thing we craue appeare to him that it be profitable for vs for he knoweth before we aske what thing we haue néede of And I doubt whether all the Priestes that saye they haue chastitie by this that they praye and fast as they say obtaine and haue it or no We reade in the scriptures of many godlie men that earnestlie and faithfullie begged of God that thing which they obtained not and yet God heard them and loued them but he knewe that to graunt theyr peticion was not so profitable for them As Saint Paule testifieth of himselfe Howe he was vexed with the pricke of the fleshe the deuilles messenger he did desire the Lord thrise to be delyuered there from but he obtained not but had the assistaunce of Gods grace promised where withall he was bidden to be content I will not now enter into the disputation of this matter I may be so occasioned that I shall speake of it another time But I will héerin purge my selfe of this crime whereof I and my fellowe preachers are accused as carnall because we are maried and I will purge my selfe after the order of the Canon lawe as I sawe it put in practise once in Cambridge for the purgation of an holie and learned Virgin if all vnmaried Priestes be Virgins The order was that being accused of whordome foure or fiue as honest as himselfe of no lower degrée in the Vniuersitie must after he himselfe haue taken an oath that he is no whoremonger sweare that they think his oath to be true Which doone the matter standeth cleare and he maye iustlie take an action of slaunder against them that accused him Now doo I affyrme before my Iudge Iesus Christe and his whole Church that I haue not sinned because I tooke a wife and therefore am falselie accused as a carnall or fleshlie man for so dooing and for my purgation héerein and to prooue my saying to be true in déede and also to approue my dooing héerein I take witnesse to the lawe of God the lawe of nature and the ciuill lawes tyll thrée hundreth yeeres after Christes ascention the example of Christes Apostles S. Paules counsayle to the Corinthians and in many other places the Councell of Nice and all the Fathers of the Church to the second Carthage Councel which was foure hundred and twenty yéeres after Christes ascencion If these suffice not or else maye be excepted against when I heare it I shall aunswere it If these be allowable and sufficient then am I falselie accused for all these testifie plainlie that it is lawfull and godlie and in no wise forbidden but that a Priest may marie Wherefore I ende with this saying of S. Augustine Quest nou veter test quest c.xxvii Talis est enim quorundam versutia quia vt sanctitatis castinoniae amatores se simu● l●nt nuptias esse dicunt dānandas vt per hoc commendentur populum à veritate auertant Such is sayth S. Augustin the subtiltie of some men because they would faine themselues louers of holinesse and chastitie they saye mariages are to be damned that by this meanes they might be commended and turne the people from the trueth Marke that S. August noteth these men of hypocrisie subtiltie of seeking worldlie prayse and deceiuing the people Consider also that the mariages of Priestes were not forbidden in his time but then this painted holinesse began as you may perceyue by his words and was confirmed by the second Carthage Councell shortlie after his death When these subtill hypocrits who condemne holy matrimony as carnalitie and faine themselues chaste lyuers to be estéemed in the world and that they may the rather deceyue the simple people haue runne tyll they be wearie in this race then heape they this on also to aggrauate the matter and make vs more odious vnto y e people that all our preaching was but flatterie to please the Magistrates and the Nobilitie that we might thereby aduaunce our selues and clime to promotion But héere must you note by the waye or else theyr tale is not woorth the hearing that looke what crimes soeuer they laye to vs they themselues be cleare and frée from them and they be replenished with the contrarie vertues We are carnall they are spirituall we cannot liue without wiues they liue chaste Virgins our Ladies husbands we do no good works all the world maye wonder of theyr good workes we preach to please men they spare no man we sought to liue idlelie and delycatelie they studie they preach to theyr flocke dailie we sought for promotion and would heape vp lyuing vppon lyuing they wyll none if you wyll giue it them or at the most they wyll haue but one at once if they thought that you would not thus esteeme and iudge of them they would no more impute vnto vs these faults for they should but loose theyr labour

benefite with that part of themselues which is so bountifuly nourished of him Why doo they rather obey and serue the deuil with theyr bodies If these men were in any parte Christians I would vse with them more waighty and higher reasons and I would aske of them to what ende we liue in this world and wherevnto our lyfe ought to be referred But Oh myserable case that they which with subtilties and shifts wyll dally with GOD are so brutishe that they must be handled as men not onely destitute of Gods spirite but in a maner voide of naturall common sence They thinke this is a sufficient excuse to saye they doo nothing in this kinde but for feare of perill and daunger but if this colour may take place then must we say That Ioseph should haue doone none euyll if he had committed whoredome with his Mistresse when it was violentlie offered him seeing he should not haue followed his owne wyll but haue giuen place to necessitie and violence which she did vnto him It should haue béene a foolishe fact of him to enter such peryl and infamie as afterward he suffered by the false accusation of that naughtie woman séeing he might haue escaped those euilles if he had accomplished her wyll But we ought rather to followe the example of Ioseph and allowe the testimony of the holy Ghost who dooth commend his constancie If there be no wickednesse in taking vppon vs Idolatrous religion when we doo it to auoide the raging cruelty of the Papistes the seruaunt shall not sinne who for his Maisters pleasure shall playe the bawde kyll and playe the traytour for feare to displease him vnder whose power he is But I abyde too long in this matter wherein as I sayde before there is no doubt or difficultie It shall not be farre from the purpose to consider into how great confusion they fall which trauayle with all theyr craftes to escape Gods iudgement Others there be that haue founde an other shifte and starting hole they graunt that the superstition of the Gentiles is a wicked and detestable Religion but it is not all one reason of these and the superstitions which are in the Papisme As though all the false religion that euer was among the Heathen was not a corrupting and deprauation of the true Religion of God From whence did the Heathen drawe and take to themselues theyr Ceremonies but of the holie Fathers In which dooing this was theyr great fault that they depraued and vtterly peruerted those thinges which they had receyued well and wisely instituted of God But yet all the abhominations that euer were in the world haue béene cloaked with a beautifull tytle of God himsefe and the culture of his Religion But those counterfeite Religions had neuer that commendation power and aucthoritie that God dyd any tyme approoue those seruice● and congregations or that faithfull men did vse and frequent them Go too let vs procéede further Although I should graunt the Idolatrie of the Papistes to be vnlyke and differre from the superstition of the olde Gentyles yet can they not deny but God so earnestly dyd forbidde the Religion wickedly set vp in Bethel as all other superstitions which were instituted and celebrated in other places When the Calues were erected in Dan and Bethel this was instituted and done vnder a certaine colour of his name which had brought his people out of Egipt and yet the same Religion which was there appointed is manifestly against the doctrine of the lawe God dooth condemne all those that goeth thyther to defyle and pollute themselues And truely the Supper of Iesus Christ and the popishe Masse are no lesse repugnaunt and contrarie the one to the other then the Sacrifices of Moses and Ieroboam From whence then is this dispensation and lycense to goe and heare Masse vnder this colour that the Supper of Iesus Christe is but transfourmed yea rather in déede defourmed But I saye and affyrme contrariwise that all they that doo feare GOD truelie and honour him godlilie ought so much the more to hate and detest it for that it dooth more openly violate and prophane the holy institution of Iesus Christe then if it were not so repugnaunt and contrary vnto the same Wherefore let vs kéepe this common rule generally that all the ordinaunce and inuencions of men proponed and taken in hande to corrupt the simple trueth of Gods worde and to peruert that Religion which he requireth and alloweth are verie sacriledges with which the Christian man may in no wise communicate without that iniurie and contumelie which treadeth vnder féete Gods honour most wickedlie I know wel inough how gréeuous and vntollerable this seuere iudgement seemeth to them which would after theyr owne lust and delycate minde be more nicely and méekely spoken too and taught VVherein what would they I should doo What moderation and lenity should I vse Truely now I perceyue how tender and deinty they are I couet so much as may be to spare them but both I and they must be condemned so soone as God hath spoken therefore if we wyll tender our owne saluation let vs take it in good part They saye they finde no man more seuere and sharpe then I am but I will declare vnto them on the other part that I handle them more méekely and tenderlie then the trueth of the cause the woorthynesse of Gods name and theyr saluation dyd require Which thing beeing so in déede truely they cannot excuse and delyuer themselues from the necessitie of that duetie and testimony that the Prophete Ieremie dooth require of the Iewes captiues in Babylon whome hee not onelie forbiddeth to come néere the abhominations of the Chaldeans or colourablie or feinedlie to giue any consent to them but also doth giue a plaine commaundement that they should declare the wicked Religion of the Chaldeans to be vnto them a most filthy sauour You shall say to them sayeth the Prophete Ieremie the Gods which haue not made heauen and earth shall perish both out from the earth and also from vnder heauen There is also in this place an other cyrcumstaunce to be marked that when the Prophete had written his booke in Hebrue yet he put in this sentence exprest in the common vulgar spéeche of the Chaldeans as though he would by this means constraine the Iewes to chaunge from theyr tongue to the ende they might more apertlie professe the hatred and disagréement they haue with the wicked Idolatours Now let our nice yonglings complaine of me as though my aduertisement excéedeth all measure yet I haue not at any tyme desired the halfe part of that duetie which the Prophete requireth and asketh so earnestlie But whatsoeuer be the manner eyther of my saying or moderation or else of my silence and taciturnitie neuerthelesse we are tyed and bounde to that lawe which God dooth giue vnto vs. And truelie it is not without a cause that God speaking to his faithfull sayeth to them You

dooth set foorth on the one part promises on the other part threatninges Doo we féele that the promises of God haue not force inough and aucthoritie in vs To confirme them withall let vs ioyne thereto the threatnings We shewe our selues woonderouslie froward since we beléeue Gods promises no more then we doo When the Lorde Iesus Christ sayth He will acknowledge vs for his owne and confesse so of vs before his Father so that we also confesse him before men what should let vs to giue to him that confession which he requireth of vs When men haue doone all they can the wurst they maye doo is to take away our liues How precious then shall the heauenly life be vnto vs when it is compared with this present life which is lost It is not my purpose in this place to collect all the promises set foorth in the scripture to this ende Yet since they be repeated and so oftentymes renued vnto vs we ought so to be exercised not onelie in reading but also in the knowledge and consolation of them that we might be as it were died and surelie confirmed in them But if when the plague hangeth ouer our heads thrée or fowre of them are not sufficient to confirme and strengthen vs truelie an hundreth should be sufficient to ouercome all aduerse and contrarie temptations But if GOD with these great swéete promises can not entise and drawe vs to him are we not verie great dullardes and betle heades when neyther the seuere threatninges can worke any more in vs Iesus Christe dooth appoynt a daye to accuse all them before his Father Which denye the trueth for feare of loosing this life for whome he declareth destruction both of body and soule to be prepared Also in an other place he protesteth that he will refuse all manner of communion of them That deny him before men These words vnlesse we be vtterlie voide of all sence ought vehementlie to mooue our minds and so to fray vs that for feare the heaires of our head should start vp But how soeuer it be vnlesse we be so affected and mooued as the greatnesse of the matter and daunger requireth there remayneth nothing else for vs but to looke for horrible and most myserable confusion wherin we may excuse our fault so much as we lust and we may saye that in this great frayltie and weakenesse of nature we rather are woorthy of mercie then of any seueritie sharpnesse of punishment it will not serue For it is written on the contrarie part That Moses after he had seene God by faith was so hardned and strengthened that no violence of temptation could melt his minde and bend him from that great constancie Wherefore when we be so tender and flexible that there appeare in vs no power of firme and constaunt minde we signifie and declare plainlie that we be vtterlie ignoraunt of God and his kingdome Also when we are warned that we ought to be ioyned and coupled with our head we haue gotten a goodly colour to exempt and seperate our selues from him if we say we are men And were not they that were before vs men so well as we are Yea if we had nothing else but euen the bare doctrine of godlinesse yet were all the excuses that we can bring weake and of no value But now are we woorthy more greater checke and condemnation since we haue so great and notable examples whose great aucthorite ought vehemently to excite and confirme our minds There are two chéefe partes of this our exhortation or consolation to be considered The first is that this hath béene a common state to the vniuersal body of the Church alwayes and euer shall be to the end of the world that it was vexed with such iniuries and contumelies of the wicked as it is reported in the Psalm They haue vexed me euen from my youth hytherto and haue drawne a plough ouer and ouer euerie part of my backe The holy Ghost in this place dooth bring in the olde Church speaking on this wise that it should not séeme now vnto vs a newe thing nor greeuous if we sée in these daies our cause and condition to be lyke Saint Paule also reciting the same place of an other Psalme where it is sayd We were as it were sheepe ledde to the slaughter dooth declare that this pertained not onely to one age but it was and shall be the common vsuall and continuall state of Christes Church So that if we sée in this time the Church to be so handled vexed by the insolencie and pride of the wicked that some bark at her some bite her many afflict her and alwayes inuent some mischéefe and pestilent destruction to her yea set vpon her without ceasing as it were mad dogges and wilde rauening beasts let vs call to remembrance that she was so vexed afflicted oppressed in all times before God dooth giue vnto her sometime some rest and refreshing and as it were a time of truce And this is that which is spoken in the Psalme aboue alleadged The righteous Lord doth cut in sunder the cordes of the wicked And in another place That he breaketh theyr rod least the good being too much pressed should faint and moue their hands to iniquitie But God would alwayes haue his Church to be tost in this world and as it were alwaies in a certaine conflict reseruing for her quiet rest in heauen The end of these afflictions was alwayes blessed yea truly God wrought this that the Church alwayes pressed with many and great diffycult calamities was neuer vtterly oppressed As it is sayd in another place the wicked with all theyr labour dyd neuer obtaine that they desyred S. Paule also dooth so glorie of lyke happie end issue of afflictions that he sheweth this grace of God to be perpetuall in his Church We sayth he are prest with all kinde of afflictions but we are not kylled with sorrowe and care we lyue in great neede and pouertie yet are we not forsaken we are cast downe but we perish not alwaies carrying about the mortification of our Lord Iesus Christe that his life also may be declared in our mortall body This issue and end as we sée that God hath alwayes made it happy and prosperous in the persecutions of the Church ought to bolden vs seeing we know that our fathers who also acknowledged their frayltie and weakenesse had alwayes the victorie ouer theyr enimies because they continued constaunt in patiencie I doo entreate this first part of my exhortation bréefely that I maye come the sooner to the second which dooth more pertaine to the purpose And that is that we applie certaine examples of the Martyrs which were before vs to our consolation and comfort And in this kinde or number there be not two or thrée but a great and thicke clowde as the Apostle writeth to the Hebrues Whereby he signifieth That there is so great

we haue promised all our endeuours both to lyue and die yea whose we are although we had promised nothing at all I meane not héereby to driue euery man of necessitie at all tymes to giue a full and perfect confession of theyr Faith no not sometymes when they be asked For I knowe what measure and moderation Saint Paule vsed who was ready with heart and minde to defend the Gospell as any other Neyther was this spoken by the Lord Iesus and promised without a cause that God would giue vs in that tyme matter a mouth and prudence As though he would haue sayde the office of the holie Ghost is not onlie to confirme vs that we maye be willing bolde and strong but also it consisteth in giuing vs iudgement prudence and counsayle how we may as it becommeth gouerne and rule our selues in so great and so harde a matter Trulie this whole Treatise is to this ende that they that be in such distresses should desire and receyue from heauen that moderation and prudence not following the counsayle of the fleshe to séeke some shiftes to escape But there be that doo obiect in this place that the Lord Iesus yea when he was asked would make to them no aunswer But I say that this suffiseth not to take away that rule which he hath giuen to vs to witnesse our faith then when the confession thereof is necessarilie required Furthermore that he did neuer dissemble or kéepe silence for this purpose to saue his lyfe Last of all that he dyd neuer make so doubtfull an aunswere but that it contayned an apte testimony of that which he had spoken before or else did first satisfie them that laye in waite to marke bothe his wordes and déedes Wherefore let all Christians be well perswaded and sure of this thing that no man ought more to estéeme his life then the testimony of the truth wherin God will haue the prayse and glorie of his name to appeare Is it without cause that he calleth all those his witnesses for this dooth the word Martyr signifie who are brought to make aunswer before the enimies of Faith and Religion Or is not this rather the cause for that he would vse all theyr speaking and whole course of lyfe to the confession of his name Wherein euerie man must not so looke to his neighbour and fellowe that he will seeme to doo nothing at all without his example and testimony And this curiositie is so much the more to be eschued because we are prone to this vice of our owne nature Peter when he heard of Christe That he should be ledde in his olde age whether he would not he enquired what should become of Iohn his fellowe and companion There is none of vs which to auoide peryl and daunger would not gladly make aunswere in that wise because when we should suffer any thing by and by this commeth into our minde what is the cause wherefore I should suffer more then others But Iesus Christe dooth counsayle and admonish otherwise vs all in common and euerie man priuatlie to be prepared and ready that as he calleth one or other so euerie man come foorth in his order And I haue shewed this before that we shall be vnarmed and vnprepared to take and suffer Martyrdome vnlesse we be fensed and armed with the promises of God Now remaineth to declare plentifully such promises not that we wyll set foorth euerie one exactlie but to shewe the cheefe and most excellent thing which GOD would haue vs to hope for to comfort vs in our callamities And there be thrée such thinges the first that séeing all the tymes both of our lyfe and death doo consist in his hand he will so defend vs by his power That not one heaire of our head shall fall but after his will Wherefore all faithfull men ought thus to be perswaded in whose hands so euer they be tossed that God in no wise wil lay aside that gouernaunce and custody which he hath taken vppon him for them with so great care If this perswasion of Gods fatherlie care and prouidence did rest and cleaue déepe in our hearts we should be deliuered out of hande of the greatest parte of these doubtes and difficulties which doo now trouble and hinder our duetie We behold now the bitternesse of the tyrants and vnbridled crueltie brawling péeuishlie in all sharpnesse of punishments And heereby we iudge that God hath no more care nor regard to defend and kéepe vs in safetie And therefore we be so styrred and prouoked by our owne reasons to look and prouide for our selues as though the whole hope of Gods helpe and succour were cleane taken away But on the other part the so great prouidence of God as he hath shewed vnto vs ought to be vnto vs like a strong fensed Castle which can be ouercommen with no power Let vs therefore learne holde fast this short sentence that our bodies are in his hand and power who also did create them And this is the cause wherfore God hath deliuered his after a meruailous sort and contrarie to the opinion and hope of all men as Sydrach Misach and Abednego foorth of the burning Ouen Daniell out the Lyons denne Peter out of Herodes prison wherein he was shutte and watched and dillygentlye faste bounde in chaines By these examples he would declare vnto vs that he could staye our enimies as it were with a certayne bridle and that hee had that power that when hee would hee could preserue and as it were plucke vs out of the mouth of Death it selfe Not that hée dooth alwayes thus delyuer his from such perylles but of right hauing the aucthoritie to appoint our life and death he wyll haue vs perswaded that we are so continued and kept vnder his custodie and tuition that whatsoeuer the tyrauntes doo inuent or with what furie soeuer they set vppon vs yet it is onelie in his hande to appoint lyfe or death and therefore this matter ought onelie to be referred to his wyll But if hée suffer the tyrauntes to kyll vs yet our lyfe is vnto him deare and much more set by of him then it is woorthy The which he dyd plainly declare to be so when he pronounced by the mouth of Dauid That the death of his Saints was honorable and precious in his sight And also when he sayde by Esaie That the earth it selfe should shewe foorth the blood that was shedde which seemeth altogether hidden Nowe then let the enimies of the Gospell be as bountifull and prodigall in shedding the Martyrs blood as they will yet this must be that they shall make a reckoning and horrible account of the effusion of that déere and precious blood yea euen to the vttermost droppe But now in this tyme they doo scornfully and proudly laugh when they burne the faithfull men and after they haue dypte and washed themselues in theyr blood they become so dronken that they care nothing at all