belong but by sheep are meant the electe Matt. 25.32.33 as appeareth by that which is said Math. 25. The Church then is nothing else but the sheepefold or congregation of the elect Fourthlie the auncient writers haue so declared it and set it out For behold how Saint Augustine hath spoken thereof August in psal 122. All faithfull Christians saith he are the Church And Chrysostome The Church saith hee consisteth not in Walles but in the multitude of faithfull people Homel 20. de expuls ipsius Lib. 7. de stroma Clemens Alexādrinus saith also I cal the church not the place or the temple but the congregation of the elect This Church is called Catholike or vniuersall for three reasons First in consideration of the place for it is not tied to one certaine place as citie prouince or kingdome but is dispersed and scatered abroad throughout all the worlde euen as Iesus Christ hath said that he hath receiued all power both in heauen and in earth and as the seconde psalme sheweth that all nations and all the endes and coastes of the earth Math. 28.18 are by the Father appoynted to his sonne for his inheritaunce and therefore also did Iesus Christe sende foorth his disciples through out all the worlde to preache the Gospell and to minister the sacramentes Wherefore Donatus erred Psal 2.8 Matt. 28.19 when he went about to tie the Church to a certain corner of Affrica onely The Romish Catholikes also doe at this day abuse themselues when they indeuour to tie it to Rome alone For though it were so that the Church of Rome were a true Churche wherof we wil speak in a whole plaine chapter afterwards yet it could not be but a particular Church at no hand the vniuersal church wherof we speak They also are likewise deceiued who thinke to chase and banish this Church out of the world For seeing that it is vniuersall it shall neuer want place but it shall alwayes be gathered together receiued in some quarter or corner of the earth Secondlie it is called Catholike in consideration of the persons for it receiueth and containeth al the faithful of what estate sex or condition soeuer they be as S. Paul sheweth when he saith That there is neither Iewe nor Greeke Galat. 3.28 Colos 3.11 bonde nor free man nor Woman but that all are one in Christ Iesus And in the Apocalipse this Church is described and set out in this behalfe as a certayne Citie hauing twelue Gates Reuelat. 21.13 three on the East side three on the North side three on the South side and three on the West side And therefore the Iewes are deceyued whē they suppose that the Church ought to bee restrayned to the onlie fleshly race and linage of Abraham Thirdlie in consideration of the time for it shal indure and continue in the world not as some doe imagine a hundred or two hundred yeares a thousand or two thousand yeares onelie but euen as long as the worlde it selfe shall last as we will declare more at large when we shall speak of the perpetuitie or continuance of the Church Furthermore we hold that this Church is one euen as it is sayde Cantic 6.8 Iohn 10.16 2. Cor. 11.2 Reuel 21.9 1. Cor. 12.12 that there is but one onely Doue perfecte and the onely Daughter of her Mother one sheepefolde one spouse of Christe one bodie And indeede this vnitie or onenesse of the Church doeth not consist in a common and bodilie dwelling together nor in certayne outwarde ceremonies but in a certayne verie spirituall vnitie and in an assured consent of doctrine and faith For amongest all those which truely beleue in Christ there is one bodie and one spirite one hope one Lorde one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and in all and through all and therevppon it is that Saint Paul saith of the whole church Ephe. 4.4.5 Gal. 3.28 That we are all one in Iesus Christ All the particular churches then which consent in true doctrine ought to be holden esteemed for one onely Church seeing that the Church is but one Wherevpon Saint Cyprian saide There is no more but one onely Church which is spreade abroade or stretched out farre and wide as there are manie beames in the Sunne De simplicit praelat and yet the light thereof but one and in a tree there are manie branches or bowes and yet but one bodie which is stayed vpon his owne roote and from one onely fountaine runne manie riuers which no whitt at all hinder or let that the vnitie or onenesse shoulde not abide in the fountaine Now herevpon it followeth that al Scismatikes which by factions sectes partakinges do breake the vnitie of the Church doe sinne greeuously 1. Cor. 1.13.3.3 as also S. Paul declareth the same writing vnto the Corinthians We say also that this church is inuisible and that there is none but God alone who knoweth the same therefore Iesus Christ saith Iohn 10.14 That he knoweth his sheepe and that he knoweth them whome he hath chosen And Saint Paul Iohn 13.18 The Lorde saith he knoweth those which are his And as concer-cerning our selues we beleue it as we protest confesse 2. Tim. 2.19 in the christian articles of our beleefe when that by outward signes we cannot point it forth or marke it out For albeit we do not many times see behold the same yet it ceasseth not for all that to be as it was declared vnto Elijah when hee cōplayned that he was alone making profession of the name of God 1. Kings 19 10.18 Rom. 11.3.4 No no saith the Lorde vnto him I haue reserued vnto my selfe seauen thousande men which haue not bowed the knee to Baal But let vs marke that wee speake of the bodye of the church generally and not of the members thereof particularly For there is no doubt but that wee may by signes and outwarde testimonies profitably iudge of election euen as men iudge the tree by the good fruite and yet this must be vnderstoode singularly and specially when the questiō concerneth our selues For according to the testimony of S. Peter 2. Peter 1.10 We make our calling election firme sure through good workes Moreouer this church containeth also many persons which are not yet called vnto the visible church euen as our Sauiour Iesus Christ sheweth in S. Iohn Ioh. 10.60 when he saith Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this folde them also muste I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall bee one sheepefolde and one sheepehearde And hereof wee haue an example in Saint Paul for when hee persecuted the Church it seemed verilie that hee did not appertaine to the Churche being not yet called to be a sheepe of the visible sheepfolde of Christe Notwithstanding the Lorde saith vnto Ananias Goe thy way to him Actes 9
the man that indureth temptation for when he is tried hee shall receiue the crowne of life which which the Lorde hath promised to them that loue him 1. Pet. 1.6.7 Wherein yee reioyce though now for a season if neede require yee are in heauinesse through manifold temptations that the tryall of your faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fier might bee found vnto your praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christe 1. Pet. 4.14 If yee be rayled vpon for the name of Christe blessed are yee for the spirite of glory of God resteth vpon you which on their part is yll spoken of but on your part glorified Mat. 5. 10.11 12. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are yee when men reuile you and persecute you and say all maner of euil against you for my sake falsly Reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen Roma 8.28 Al thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euē to thē that are called according vnto his vnchaungeable purpose Phil. 2.27 In nothing feare your aduersaries which is to them a token of destruction but to you a token of saluation and that of God All the persecutions and afflictions which yee suffer are a manifeste token of the righteous iudgement of God 2. Thess 1.5.6.7 that yee may bee counted worthie of the kingdom of God for the which yee also suffer For it is a righteous thinge with God to recompence trybulation to them that trouble you and to you whiche are troubled deliueraunce and rest with vs When the Lorde Iesus shal shewe him selfe from heauen with his mightie Angels This is a true saying 2. Timo. 11 1◠That if wee die with Christe wee shall also liue with him and if wee suffer with hym wee shall also raigne vvith him Nowe out of these places wee gather a verye greate and singular comforte An exhortation to the faithfull paciently and couragiously to beare their crosse For in the firste place wee knowe that there is not any ignominie or shame in the persecutions and afflictions whiche we suffer for Iesus Christes sake but that they are a good and sweete smellynge sauour before GOD because he approoueth and alloweth our obedience when that by the Sacrifices of our selues wee doe most willinglye presente and offer our selues vnto him Moreouer our combat and fighting shall not bee without good hyre for rest and quietnes is set out vnto vs in our pain and trauel and eternall life in our death of which it is writtē Psal 116.15 Precious before the face of the Lord is the death of his Saints And we are wel assured that this our good god beholdeth from aboue our good will and the cōfession of his holy name which we make and yeeld and that as he aideth our strength and power so also that hee will crowne our victorie and rewarde in vs all that which hee hath giuen to vs and wyll honour that which he himselfe hath begun and made perfect in vs. In summe by these persecutions we aduaunce and thrust forwarde our selues to goe to the true and eternall dwelling places of the Martyres that wee may there clearely beholde God and that there we may be partakers of so excellēt a glory as all the afflictions sufferings of this present life euen as Sainte Paule saith are not worthie of Rom. 8.18 Isaiah 6.4 1. Cor. 2.9 For the things which the eye hath not sene neither the eare hath hearde neither came into mans heart are they which God hath prepared for them that loue him Wherefore let vs not feare them which kill the body Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the soule but let vs rather feare him which is able to to destroy both soule and body in Hell Mat. 10.32.33 Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men saith Iesus Christe him Will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny mee before menne him will I also deny before my father which is in heauen Hee that will saue his life shall loose it Mat. 10.39 and he that looseth his life for my sake shall saue it Let vs knowe and vnderstand this that from the beginning of the world it hath beene thus ordeined and determined that all which will liue godly in Iesus Christ shal suffer persecutiō 2. Tim. 3.12 And that by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen For at the beginning the righteous Abell was slaine and put to death and after him all the righteous persons the Prophetes and Apostles sent by God whereof some were deliuered and cast to wilde beastes others died in prison through famine others were hanged and strangled others digged into earth buried quicke therein others drowned burned beheaded broken and ground as it were to peeces dismembred rosted boiled singed and sawed flayed all aliue stoned whipped c. And is ther any which is able to describe and set out all the tormēts which the tyrants as wel vnder the old as vnder the newe testament iudged the Christians worthie of Now the Lord Iesus hath set out vnto vs an example in himselfe teaching vs that none shall come to his kingdome but they which haue followed him by his owne way Mat. 16.24 Wherefore let vs not bee faint hearted for the persecutions and afflictions which shall come vnto vs but let vs shewe our selues strong and constant and let vs through a certain spirituall power and force pursue that euen to the end the way into which wee are entred If the waues billowes and surges of the Sea of this worlde lift vp themselues and rise against vs to swallow vs vp and to ouerwhelme vs if our enimies in great companies and bands compasse vs on euery side and assault vs Let vs crie with the apostles Mat. 8.25 Maister or Lord saue vs and he will deliuer vs out of al dangers If death feare vs let vs remember that Iesus Christ in dying hath brought this to passe that death is not death vnto vs but a very redy way to guide leade vs to life eternal glory If the world continue his assaultes against vs yea dubbleth them and trebbleth them as you would say Mat. 10.22 2. Timo. 2.5 let vs cal to our remembrance that he Which endureth vnto the end shal be saued and if any man striue for a maistery Mat. 28.20 Mat. 10.28 2. Tim. 1.12 Psal 112.6 he is not crowned except he striue as he ought to do The sonne of God is our protector and defender who hath promised vs to be with vs alwaies euē vntil the worlds end If we die for him for his sake he will keepe our soules Pro. 10.7 and that which we haue committed vnto him shal be very sure in his hands euen
doctrine of saluation confirming his Gospell by excellent miracles and authenticall signes worthie of credite by which he did euidently shewe vnto them that he was the verie Messias promised in the lawe and the true and onely redeemer of the worlde but howe did these miserable people gouerne and behaue them selues in that behalfe Their obstinacie and rebellion was so great that they were not onely content desperatly to reiect and throwe from them the doctrine of the holie Gospell slaundering it and accusing it of falsehood but which is worse they killed and cruelly murdered the onely sonne of GOD and outragiously persecuted the Apostles as before that they had put to death also euen their owne Prophets and other Christians Who is he then which will affirme that these wicked people did not through their rebellion and pride iustly deserue to be deliuered and giuen ouer for a pray vnto Sathan and to be deceiued through the subtilties and craftes of his false doctrine The same is fallen out in our time and continueth yet euen euery day For there are diuers which are in such sort blinded before hand possessed with the darknesses of the prince of this world that they doe not onely despise all true religion and doctrine but also they inforce and straine them selues to bring into credite and estimation all the dreames dotages raylings and false opinions of Antichrist and his instrumentes in so much that for to attaine thereto they cease not to make warre vpon the poore faithfull people desiring with a burning affection the sheading of their bloud Who is he then which dare say that such people are not verie worthie and meete to be deliuered vnto Sathan that they may be so made drunken with the deadly poison of his false doctrine as they may neuer after be able to taste or smel the sweetnes pleasantnes of the word of God To be short then in that the diuell hath so great a sway in the world it is a very manifest signe or as a man would say a banner displayed of the iust vengeance of GOD and of his horrible and fearefull furie vpon all those who reiect and persecute the Gospell of his sonne For the vngodly perseuering in their vnbeliefe deserue to be couered and clothed with so great abhomination seeing that the trueth of GOD can finde no place amongst them CHAP. VII That Iesus Christ alone is the head of his Church and not Saint Peter neither any Pope what so euer EXperience teacheth vs what euill it bringeth vs when we turne aside from the worde of God be it neuer so little In olde time all the Pastors of the Church were commonly called Elders Auncients Bishops and they were all brethren and fellowes equall also and of like authoritie in their ministeries And this continued vntill such time as he that was chosen in the assemblies of the Pastours there for the time to be president and to gather the voyces came at the last to be especially and as it were only named a Bishop Hence the diuell beganne to frame and spinne as it were the tyrannie of Antichrist in the Church euen such as we beholde it at this day so that the man of sinne 2. Thes 2.3.4 and sonne of destruction reuealed is set downe in the temple of God as God shewing him selfe as though he were God For from Bishops they came to Metropolitanes who also are called Archbishops that vnder goodly shew and great pretence For these Metropolitanes were not but as it were Presidents or rulers to set the other in order and to call them together when it was needfull to haue some Synode for the affaires and businesses of the Churches of the Prouince and in good order and without confusion to redresse and guide matters in the assemblies made From Metropolitanes they leaped to foure Patriarches as though the whole Christian common wealth ought to be diuided into foure partes and be ruled and gouerned by foure Prelates These Patriarches were one of Antioch who bare rule ouer Syria one of Alexandria who gouerned Egypt Ethiopia one of Constantinople bearing rule ouer Asia Grecia and Illyricum and one of Rome ruling all the West that is to say Italie France Spaine Germanie Herevpon afterwardes there arose contentions and stirres betwene these foure Patriarches touching their iurisdiction and primacie in so much that they in such sorte set them selues one of them against an other with the hurt and losse indeede of the poore Church that at the last two to wit that of Antioche and that of Alexandria gaue place and yelded their roomes to the other two that is Constantinople and Rome the controuersie betweene which endureth as yet euen vnto this day For it is not yet well determined nor made plaine which of these two ought to be head and vniuersall Bishop In some sorte to quiet them and to make them contented and to keepe them selues within their owne boundes men haue limitted their charges thus the Patriarch of Constantinople to beare rule ouer all the Churches of the East and the Patriarch of Rome to beare rule ouer all the Churches of the West Wherefore the laâ—ter of these two is he whom the Romish Catholikes make them selues to beleeue that he is the head of the vniuersall Church as being the Vicar of Iesus Christe on earth and the lawfull or right successour of Saint Peter But we haue here two pointes to examine and sift the one touching Saint Peter The other touching the Pope who saith that he is his successour Concerning the first we shall not finde in all the scriptures that S. Peter was ordained at any time to be head of the whole Church and to beare rule ouer it neither that he him self did at any time either pretend or vsurpe such a iurisdiction and primacie bicause it did not at any hand belong vnto him but vnto Iesus Christ alone as we hope to proue and manifestly to shewe it by the reasons following The first reason is this Iesus Christ alone is called the head of the Churche Ephesians 1. verse 22. Ephesians 5. verse 23. Ephes 1.22 Ephes 5.23 Saint Peter then is not otherwise the Churche should be a bodye with two heads If they wil replie and say that Iesus Christ indeede is the onely head of the Church bicause that he alone reigneth ouer it and that by his owne onely authoritie yet that this nothing hindreth but that there may be an other head ministeriall as they call it that is to say one in respect of the execution of the charge and office vnder him who should be his great Vicar and liuetenant generall for to gouerne the Church I will demaund of them to shewe me when and howe this ministeriall head was ordained by Iesus Christ for if Iesus Christ be God liuing for euer Rom. 9.5 what neede hath he of a successour If we haue all his will in writing Ioh. 15.15 Act. 20.27 Matt. 18.18.28.20 and if he
1. Tim. 2.4 that God will haue all men to bee saued that is to say all persons of what qualitie condition soeuer they be And in that place of Saint Matthewe Matt. 4.23 where he saith that Iesus Christ being in Galilee healed all sickenesse and all disease among the people That is to say all sortes of sickenesses and diseases And indeed S. Peter in the seconde Chapter of the Actes Act. 2.16.17 maketh this sense manifest and plaine vnto vs when he saith that this prophecie was then accomplished when Iesus Christ sent his holy spirite vpon the Apostles Nowe we knowe that all fleshe that is to say all men were not at that time indewed with the gift of prophecie Secondly The Prophet speaketh not here of the publike office and charge to teach but of the particular duetie of euerie one calling them generally Prophetes who in the time of the Gospell should be indewed with so great light of doctrine that they might after a sort bee compared with the auncient prophetes Iere. 31.34 Wherevnto also must be referred the place of Ieremiah Mala. 4.2 Matt. 13.16.17 which wee haue expounded in the former argument and likewise the place of Malachie and of Iesus Christe in the 13. of Saint Matthewe It is not then without cause that Ioel attributeth this title or name of prophete to them who haue no publike charge or office to teach but are onely inlightened by the holye spirite and the preaching of the Gospell 1. Thes 5.11 because that this light is farre more excellent then the gift of Prophecie it self was in diuers who liued vnder the law And also though we are bounde to exhort one an other and to teach one an other in the doctrine of godlines and the feare of God yet for al that the publike ministerie of the worde is not superfluous or vaine in the Church For the selfe same God that hath commanded fathers to instruct their children and all vs to admonish one an other hath also ordeined the publike ministerie of the word in the Church that it may be there practised and exercised not for some fewe yeares onely but euen vnto the ende of the world And thus much touching the argumentes of the aduersaries and such as set them selues against the ministerie of the Church Now let vs bring foorth our reasons to proue the contrarie The first reason is Iesus Christe hath commaunded that the Gospell should bee preached and the sacraments administred in the Church vnto the ende of the world Thē it followeth that the ministery is alwaies requisite and necessarie in the Church I proue the Antecedent or former proposition by these wordes of Christ written in the last Chapter of Saint Matthew Matt. 28.19.20 Goe teach all nations baptising thē in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue whatsoeuer I haue commanded you and beholde I am with you vnto the worldes ende For after the cōmaundement to preach the worde and to administer baptisme vnder which sacrament the other also of the holy supper is conteined because the disciples might doubt or feare their charge as being great in labour and harde to execute Iesus Christ addeth a promise of his assistaunce not for tenne or twentie yeares onely but for alwayes euen vnto the ende of the worlde Wherein hee manifestly setteth out and declareth two thinges One that he willeth and ordeineth that the ministerie be exercised in the Church not for one age onely but continually vnto the consummation and ende of all things The other is that he promiseth that although Sathan subtillie deuise and inuent and practise all that hee can to hinder the ministerie the work of Gods seruants and that tyrants by their practises and violences inforce thē selues to the vttermost of their power to ouerthrowe and to bring to naught the Church of God yet hee will by his godly and heauenly power alwaies mayntein his trueth in the worlde and preserue his Church therein by the ministerie labor of his faithfull pastors The seconde reason Rom. 10.17 The Apostle Saint Paul saith to the Romanes That faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Whereby he declareth that God hath accustomed to plant faith in our harts by the preaching of his word It is true that the power of God is not tyed to this outward meane but that he is able to beget faith in vs after some other fashion and by some other meane although it be to vs incomprehensible euen as it shal please him selfe but notwithstanding all this the ministerie of his worde is the ordinarie meane which hee vseth or serueth himselfe with to giue vs faith by so that they which will haue faith wirhout the preaching and hearing of the worde doe as much as though they woulde liue without meates and drinkes which GOD hath ordeyned for our bodily life Nowe herevpon we take and frame our argumēt thus Faith is in all times and alwayes necessarie for men But faith is giuen vnto men from God by the ministerie of the worde Therefore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde is in all times and alwayes necessarie for men The thirde reason It is certaine that for as much as the sacramentes are ordeyned by God to be as it were seales of the worde to seale in our heartes that which is therein conteyned alreadie that is to say the vnion fellowshippe and partaking which we haue in Iesus Christ it followeth that where there is not the worde of God preached there wee cannot haue any sacramēt For as a seale is altogether vnprofitable yea is not allowed a seale vnlesse it be bound or set to some instrument or writing for the confirmation thereof euen so the sacrament is altogether vnprofitable yea indeed is not a sacramēt if it be not ioyned with the worde of God preached to confirme the same vnto vs. Whervpon S. Augustine hath sometimes saide Let the worde be ioyned to the sacrament Augu. sup Iohan. hom 13. there shall be made a sacrament Of what worde speaketh he verily not of a worde mumbled vp murmured or whispered without vnderstanding ouer the elements but of the worde of God preached to the faithful and receiued of thē through faith as he himself maketh it plaine when speaking of baptisme he addeth this is the word of faith which we preach by which baptisme is consecrated and hallowed 1. Cor. 11.21 to haue power to make cleane Nowe from that which is aboue saide we reason after this manner The administration of the holy supper is alwayes necessarie in the Church euen vnto the end of the world for Iesus Christ hath commaunded vs to celebrate it by that meanes to preach or shewe foorth his death vntill his comming againe But the administration of the supper cannot be performed without the ministerie of the worde Therefore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde
it and gathered out the stones of it and haue planted it with the best plantes and built a Tower in the middest thereof and made a Wine presse therein looking that it should bring foorth Grapes but in steede of Grapes it bringeth foorth wilde Grapes And nowe I will tell you what I will doe to my Vineyarde I wil take away the hedge therof and it shal bee eaten vp I will breake the wall thereof and it shal be troden downe and I will laie it wast Isaiah 24.3.4.5 c. And againe The earth shal be cleane emptied and vtterly spoyled the earth shal lament and vade away for the inhabitants thereof haue transgressed the lawes they haue chaunged the ordinaunces and haue broken the euerlasting couenaunt Therefore shal the curse deuour the earth for the inhabitantes thereof haue done wickedly And therefore shall the inhabitantes of the earth burne and fewe men shall bee left therein Ierem. 25.8.9 c. Also in Ieremiah Because yee haue not heard my woordes beholde I will sende and take to mee all the families of the North and Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babell my seruaunt and I wil bring them against this lande and against the inhabitantes thereof and against all these nations rounde about and I will destroie them and make them an astonishment an hissing and a continuall desolation In this place Isaiah 10.5 the Lord calleth Nebuchadnezzar his seruaunt as in an other place he calleth Saneherib or Ashur The rod of his wrath because hee serueth him selfe with Princes tyrantes and wicked Magistrates and vseth them that hee may by them punish the vngodlines and vnthankfulnesse of his people Isaiah 59.2 Wherefore Isaiah speaketh excellently well That our iniquities haue made a diuision or separated betweene God and vs. And therefore when wee are afflicted and persecuted wee ought to cōfesse and acknowledge that God by that mean punish vs as wee in deed haue rightly deserued it Yet all this notwithstanding we haue to consider and weigh an other cause for which the worlde persecuteth vs which ought to bee a great comfort vnto vs in the middest of our Crosse and Martyrdome For in the first place the world in persecuting vs looketh not to our sinnes but to that religion which wee make profession of which religion in deed the world reiecteth and persecuteth because it knoweth not the Authour thereof and because it is altogether contrarie to his maners and peruerse and wicked orders of life and cōuersation euen as Iesus Christ hath foretolde the same and made his Disciples to see it Iohn 3.19.20 when he said vnto them This is the condemnation that light is come into the worlde and men loued darknesse rather than light because their deedes were euil For euerie man that euill doeth hateth the light neither commeth to light lest his deeds should be reproued Iohn 15.20.21 Also if they haue persecuted mee they will persecute you also But all these thinges will they doe vnto you for my names sake because they haue not knowne him that sent mee Iohn 17.14 And againe Father I haue giuen them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the worlde as I am not of the world Hereby we may see that the right and verie cause of the persecutions of the church is the plaine profession of the trueth righteousnesse and word of God as Saint Paule saieth That That all they which will liue in the feare of God or godly in Christ Iesus 2. Timo. 3.12 shall suffer persecution And also what shoulde bee our consolation and comforte in the middest of the Crosse if this point were not Socrates The answere which Socrates made to his wife was verie apt and fit for the purpose shee lamented because they put him to death wrongfully but he being somewhat moued answered That it was better for him to die an innocent without cause than if he had offēded But how much greater matter and iust cause haue we of comfort and ioy seeing wee knowe that God of his vnspeakeable gentlenesse goodnesse mercy burying all our sins giueth vs ouer or leaueth vs but for a time to suffer vniust persecutions to the end that we bearing the Crosse with Iesus Christ should communicate also and bee made partakers of glorie with him The punishment Saint Augustine hath saide maketh not a Martyre but the cause August And the Deuill hath as well his witnesses and Martyrs as Iesus Christ hath his In former times there were Heretikes which bragged much and boasted wonderously vnder the shadowe colour that men persecuted them And at this day the Anabaptists do in that behalfe the verie selfe same thing yea and that so farre that by this meanes they account them selues blessed and happie Math. 5.10 But we must marke what the scripture saith Blessed are they thus saieth Iesus Christ which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdom of heauē Luk. 6.22 Blessed are you when men hate you whē they separate you reuile you put out your names as euil for the sonne of mās sake If yee bee rayled vpon for the name of Christ saith Saint Peter 1. Pet. 4.14.15.16 Blessed are yee For the spirite of glorie and of God resteth vpon you which on their part is euil spoken of but on your part is glorified But let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a theefe or as an euil dooer or as a couetous person of other mens goods or as a busie bodie in other mens matters But if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in this behalfe And this is the marke or badge by which the scripture discerneth the Lordes true Martyres from others that suffer For the wicked men and vngodlie persons doe in deede suffer persecution but in the meane season it so falleth out that they cannot bost them selues for all that to bee true Martyres neither by consequent that they are blessed for they suffer not for righteousnes sake neither to maintein Gods truth as doe the Martyres and witnesses of Iesus Christ Moreouer wee ought to marke that our good God sheweth vs great grace and aduaunceth vs to singular honour when hee vouchsafeth vs meete and worthie to suffer any thing for his names sake when as he might verie iustly if he would haue pursued vs with rigour nay if he woulde haue proceeded against vs by iustice haue punished vs with all kindes and sortes of afflictions sending them to vs and laying the same vpon vs. wherin he dealeth with vs as if a king should take from the Gibbet or Gallows some man who had rightly deserued to be bound thereto and hanged thereon and yet woulde set and appoint him among the chiefe Capitaines of his orders that he might goe to warre and imploy him for the maintenance and defence of his Crown and of his kingdō For who or