Thes 4. We will not saieth he haue you to be ignozauÌ„t brethreÌ„ touching them that are aflepe that you should not be sorowefull as suche that haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus died rose againe eueÌ„ so God shall also brig with him theÌ„ that haue slept in Christ He saieth the they are sorowefull in the departiÌ„g of theirs that haue no hope But we which liue in hope beleue in God truste in Christ that suffred for vs and rose againe abiding in Christ thorowe him rising againe in him why do we our selues either refuse to departe heÌ„ce or mourne sorowe for our freÌ„des departing hence as thoughe they wer lost Seing that Christ him selfe the Lord and our God doeth warne vs saieng I am the resurrectioÌ„ he that beleueth in me althoughe he die yet he shall liue Ioan. 11 â–ª euery on that liueth beleueth in me shall not die for euer yf we beleue in Christ let vs geue credite to his wordes promises and we shal not die euerlastingly but we shall come to Christ with a ioyfull safety with whome we shall liue reigne alwaies But wher as in the meane tyme we die we doo but passe by deathe vnto immortalitie neither can a man attayne eternal life except he happeÌ„ to go out from heÌ„ce it is no end but a passage after this teÌ„poral iorney is finished a going ouer vnto euerlasting lyfe Who wil not make hast to go to better thinges Who wil not desire to be chaunged and fashioned a newe after thymage of Christ to coÌ„ spedely vnto the dignite of the heaueÌ„ly grace accordiÌ„g as Paule thapostle preached safeng our conuersacion is in heauen from whence we also loke for the Lord Iesus Christ Phi. 3. which shall transforme our vile bodye make it like vnto his gloriouse body The Lorde Christ also him selfe doeth promise that we shall be such whan he praieth the father that we maye be with him and liue with him in theuerlasting seates and reioyce in the celestiall kingdomes father saith he I wil that where I shall be those whiche thou hast geuen me maye be with me also Ioan. 17. and maye see the glory which thou hast geuen me before the worlde was made He that shall com to the seate of Christ and to the glory of the heauenly kingdomes ought neither to mourne nor tament but rather according to the Lordes promise and the beleaue of the truthe to reioyce in his translation and iorney Thus do we finde that Enoch which pleased God was translated For thus in the boke of Genesis Goddes worde testifieth and saieth And Enoch pleased God and was not afterwardes founde bicause God had translated him This was the reward of pleasing God to obteyne to be caried out from the infectyon of this worlde This the holy Goost teacheth also by Salomon that they which please God ar plucked quickly hence spedily deliuered Sapi. 4. least that they tarieng long in this worlde might be defiled with the handelinges of the same He was caught awaie saithe he lest thorowe malice his vnderstaÌ„ding should chaunge For his sowle pleased the Lord â–ª therfore he made hast to briÌ„g him out from the myddes of wickednes Thus the sowle it self being addicte vnto God maketh hast in the psalmes also vnto the Lord thorowe spiritual faith as it is writteÌ„ Psal 83. O Lord of hostes how louing at thy dwelling places my sowle desireth and maketh hast vnto the courtes of God yf is his parte to desire to dwelle long in the worlde whose delectacion is in the worlde whome the flattering and deceitful worlde doth allure with enticemeÌ„tes of earthy pleasures Furthermore forasmuche as the world hateth the christian why louest thou him that hateth the and doest not rather folowe Christ which hathe redemed the and loueth the Iohn in his epistle crieth speaketh and exhorteth that we shuld not folowiÌ„g carnal desires loue the world â— Ioan. 2. saieng loue not the world neither the thinges that ar in the world Yf any man shall loue the worlde the charitie of the father is not in him bicause all that is in the world is the lust of the fleshe the lust of theyes the pride of the worlde which is not of the father but of the lust of the world and the worlde shall passe awaye with his lust but he that shall do the wil of God shall abide for euer euen as God abideth for euer Furthermore let vs most dearely beloued brethren be ready with a ê‘fecte mynde a stedfast faithe stroÌ„g power to obey all the will of God let vs banishe the feare of deathe and thinke vpoÌ„ immortalitie that foloweth Let vs shewe our selues to be that that we beleaue So that we neither mourne for the departure of our deare freÌ„des and whan the daie shall come of our owne calling hence we may without delaye and gladly go at the Lordes call This thing forasmuche as it should be done of Goddes seruauÌ„tes alwaies muche more at this present it ought to be obserued Seing the world is now in decayeing and beseged with the blonsteriÌ„g teÌ„pestes of deadly euilles that we which doo see greuous thinges to be already begoÌ„ne and knowe that more greuous hang ouer our heades should counte it the greatest gaine if we maye departe hence quickly Yf the walles of thine house were so olde that they shoke and the roofe ouer the did treÌ„ble the house being now weried being now tired the buildinges falling downe for age did threateÌ„ an ouerthrowe to be at hande woldest thou not with all spede get thee out Yf a troblesome stormye teÌ„pest and the waues being lift vp with a violent winde did aforehande shewe the a shippewracke comming woldest thou not saile in to some hauen with out delaye Beholde the worlde shaketh and decaieth and doeth declare her owne downe falle not now with the age but with th eÌ„de of thinges and doest not thou giue thankes to God and reioyce on thine owne behalfe that thou art quickely takeÌ„ hence and deliuered from the daungers shippewrackes plages that are houeriÌ„g ouer vs We ought to coÌ„sidre most derely beloued brethren and often tymes to thinke that we haue forsaken the worlde the we liue here but for a tyme as straungers and pilgrimes Let vs embrase that daye which may appoiÌ„te euery one of vs his dwelling place which doeth restore vs to paradise and to the kingdome of heauen after that we ar taken hence and deliuered froÌ„ the snares of the world Who being farre out of his owne couÌ„trey maketh not haste to returne home Who making haste to sayle to his frendes and kinsfolke wolde not earnestly desire a prosperous winde that he might the rather imbrace his dearely beloued We reken that paradise is our countre we beginne now to haue the patriarches for our parentes why do we not make hast ruÌ„ne that we maye se our countrey hat we maye
not to make haste to that ioye that caÌ„ neuer be taken from vs This thing happeneth dearely beloued brethreÌ„ whi â—e loue this â–ª liffe so moche bycause faythe is wanting because no maÌ„ beleueth the thinges to come which God that is true hath promised whose worde vnto them that beleue is euerlasting and stable Yf a sage man and worthy prayse dyd promise thee any thyng thou woldest verely beleue his promyse neither woldest thou thynke to be deceyued and begyled of him of whom thou art persuaded that he wil abyde by his wordes and dedes but nowe God speaketh vnto thee doest thou vnfaythfull man wauer with an vnbeleuyng mynde God doeth ê“mise vnto the departing this worlde immortalitie and eternal lyfe and doest thou doubt This is euen to be vtterly ignoraÌ„t of God Howe pâ—â—fitable a thing ye yâ— to depart oute of this world this is thorowe the sinne of vnbeleaue toffende Christ the mastre of beleauing people This is to be in the church and in the house of faithe to be witout faithe Howe profitable a thing it is to departe out of this worlde Christ him selfe the maistre of our saluacion and profit sheweth which whaÌ„ his disciples war sorowful bicause he said that he should now departe from them spake unto them saieng Ioan. 14. Yf you loued me ye wold reioyce bicause I go to the father Wherby he dothe teache and declare that we ought rather to reioyce than to be sorowfull whan they whome we dearely loue departe this worlde Of the which thing the blessed apostle Paule being mindeful writeth in his epistle and saieth Christ is liffe vnto me Phi. 1. and deathe auaÌ„tage He rekened it the chefest gaine to be now no more tyed with the snares of the worlde to be now no more in daunger of any synnes and vices of the fleshe to be ridde of vexing trobles and deliuered from the venemouse iawes of the deuell and to go furthe at the calling of Christ vnto the ioye of eternal saluacion But som ar troubled bicause the disease of this sickenes do indiffereÌ„tly come vpon our men aswell as vpoÌ„ the heathen as though the christean had beleaued to this ende that he might bothe be fre from the fealing of euelles inioye the pleasures of the worlde not rather suffering here al maner of aduersitie be reserued and kept vnto the ioye to come Some men ar troubled bicause this mortalitie deathe is common to vs also with other Trobles sicknesses deathe ar coÌ„mon to all men But what thing in this worlde haue not we common with other so long as yet according to thordenaunce of our furst birthe this coÌ„mon fleshe remayneth So long as we abide here in the worlde in the equalite of fleshe we ar ioyned together with mankinde but in the spirite we ar seperated Therfor vntil this corruptible maye put on in corruption 1. Cor. 15. and this mortal maye receaue unmortalitie the spirite bring vs vnto God the father we haue our parte in all maner of incommodities and displeasures of the fleshe common vnto mankinde Thus whaÌ„ the grouÌ„de is barreÌ„ thorowe an vnfruteful blast hunger spareth no man Thus whan any city is possessed throwe the inrode of thennemy captiuite wasteth all meÌ„ together And whan the stonyrocks burst the shipe in peces the shipwracke is coÌ„mon to al the saiie in the shipe wtout exceptioÌ„ And the payne of thies the raging agwes the disease of al partes of the body ar common to vs with others so long as we cary about this common fleshe in the worlde Yea rather yf the christian man knewe vnder what condicion and what lawe he beleued The true christian hathe most troble in this world he should knowe that he must be trobled in this world aboue other which aboue other must wrestle with th assaultes of the deuel The scripture teacheth and warneth vs aforehande sayeng My sonne whan thou becommest goddes seruauÌ„t stande in rightfulnesse and feare Eccle. 2. and prepare thy soule to temptacion And agayne Indure in sorowe and in feare thorow huÌ„blenes haue thou pacience for both golde and siluer are tryed by the fyre Iob after the losse of his goodes after the death of his children Iob. 1. being thus greuously afflicted bothe with woundes and with vermine was not ouercome but tried which in the selfe grefes and sorowes that he suffered did declare the pacience of a godly minde sayeng Naked came I out of my mothers wombe naked also shal I go vnder thearthe the Lorde gaue and the Lorde hathe taken awaye as it pleased the Lorde euen so hathe it happened The Lordes name be blessed And whan his wyfe wolde haue enforced him that he being thorowe great sorowe impacient should with a complayning and malicious voice haue spoken somthing against God he answered her and sayd Thou hast spokeÌ„ as one of the folishe womeÌ„ Iob. 2. For yf we haue receyued prosperitie at the Lordes haÌ„de why should we not suffer aduersitie In all these thinges that happened vnto Iob he synned nothing with his lippes in the presence of the Lorde Therfore the Lord beareth him witnesse sayng hast thou marked my seruauÌ„t Iob ther is not one lyke him vpon thearthe a man without faute a true worshipper of God Tobi. 1. Tobias also after his noble workes after the manifolde and glorious commeÌ„dacions of his mercie did suffre the blindnes of eyes and he fearing and praysing God in aduersitie grewe vp to prayse by the selfe plage of his body whome his owne wyfe also assayed to corrupt saing Where are thy rightfulnesses become loo what thou suffrest But he being stedfaste and stable in the feare of God and armed with a godly faith to suffre all maner of passions gaue no place in his sorowe to the temptacion of his weake wyfe but did thothe greater pacience procure the further fauoure of God whom afterwardes the angel Raphael praised said Yt is an henorable thing to declare and praise the workes of God For whan thou and thy daughter in lawe Sara did praie I offred vp the remembrauÌ„ce of your praier in the presence of the glory of God and whan thou didist simply burye the deade and bicause thou delayedst not to arise and to leaue thine owne dynar and wenst furthe and didest burye the deade I am sent to trie thee And againe he saieth I am sent to heale the Tobi. 12. thy daughter in lawe Sara For I am Raphael one of the .vij. holy angels which doo stande and haue our conuersacion before the glory of God This sufferance the iust meÌ„ haue alwaies had this discipline thapostles according to the Lordes ordinaÌ„ce kept not to murmur in aduersitie but paciently and maÌ„fully to receaue what so euer do happeÌ„ in this worlde Wheras the Iuishe people hathe in this pointe alwaies offended bicause they did often murmur against God as the Lord God doeth witnesse in
A sermon of blessed Cipriane touching mortalitie exhorting meÌ„ to the loue of forsating this lyfe and shewing that notwithstanding the iuste and vniuste dye wyth out difference yet no man ought to thynke that the good euell come bothe to one destructioÌ„ Forasmuche as the iuste are called hence to refreshing and thoususte are caught awaye vnto punishment ALthoughe ther be many of you most dearely beloued brethreÌ„ which haue a souÌ„de mynde a stedfast fayth and a deuoute soule which is not moued at this great mortalitie but as a strong and stable rocke dothe rather break the troblesom assaultes the violent and raging wafes of this worlde it selfe beyng neither broken nor ouercome with temtacions but only tried Neuertheles because I perceiue that ther are certayne among the people The causes of incoÌ„stancy and departing from true religion â–ª which eyther thorow the weaknes of mynde or litelnes of faythe or swetenes of wordly lyfe or teÌ„dernesse of kynde or which is worse thorowe thignoraunce of the truthe stande not stedfastly nor do put furth the heaueÌ„ly and the inuincible strenght of their harte this thing ought neither to be dissembled nor to be kept in sileÌ„ce but that we to the vttermost of our power should with full force and wordes taken of the holy scripture suppresse and kepe downe the cowardnes of the deintie mynde that he which is now begonne to be the maÌ„ of God and of Christ myght also be counted worthy of Christ For he that is a soul diour to God most dearly beloued brethren and beyng put in the celestiall tentes do now hope for heauenlye rewardes ought to knowe him selfe so that we should in no wise either feare or staye for the stormes and whirle wyndes of the worlde forasmuche as the Lorde hathe tolde aforehande that these should come instructing and teaching with thexhortacion of his for seing voice and preparing strenghtnyng the people of his churche to all maner of suffering of thiÌ„ges to come hathe aforehande shewed and taught that warres and hongers Mat. 24. and earthquakes pestilences should spring vp arise euery where And that no sodayne and newe feare of hurtful thinges should violently shake vs he hath beforehande warned that aduersities and troubles shall growe vp thicker and thicker The lasâ— tymes artroblesum more and more in the last tymes They do nowe happen loo that were aforehande tolde and forasmuche as the thinges do now happen which were tolde aforehande all thinges that are promised shal also folowe after by the promise of the Lord hymselfe which sayeth but whan ye shall see these thinges come to passe Luc. 21. knowe ye that the kingdome of God is at hande The kingdome of God eâ—ternal life are at hand The kingdome of God dearely beloued brethreÌ„ beginneth to be at hande the worlde passing away the reward of lyfe and ioye of eternal healthe and the continuall gladnesse and possession of paradise lately loste are eueÌ„ now come EueÌ„ now do heaueÌ„ly thinges succede earthy great thinges lytell and euerlasting transitory and fading away What place is here left for troble and carefulnes Who amoÌ„g these thinges caÌ„ be fearful and sorowful except he wante both faith hope who feare deathe It is his ê‘t to fear death which wil not go to Christ it is his part to refuse to go to Christ which beleueth not that he shal begin to reigne with Christ Abac. 2. For it is written that the rightful maÌ„ lyueth by faythe Yf thou be rightfull and lyuest thorow faythe yf thou beleuest truly in God why doest thou not embrace and reioyce of this that thou shalt be with Christ be by the Lordes promise in saffetie inasmuche as thou art called to Christ and delyuered froÌ„ the deuell Luce. 2. To be shorte that iuste man Symeon that was a rightfull man in dede Thorowe faithe goddes commaundementes are obserued which thorow a perfecte faith obserued goddes coÌ„maundementes whaÌ„ he had receyued answer of God that he should not dye before he had sen Christ And whan the babe Christ with his mother was come into the Temple he knewe thorowe the spirite that Christ of whome he was tolde before was nowe borne whome after that he had sene he knewe that he should shortly dye He therfore being gladde of deathe that was now at hand and fearing nothing his calling hence that was hardby toke the childe in his handes and praisid God and cried out saing O Lord now let thy seruant departe in peace according to thy worde For myne eyes haue sene thy sauyng healthe In which wordes he proueth and testifyeth that than the seruauntes of God haue peace when and wheare we maye trust to haue sure rest and that than they haue free and quiet rest whan we beyng drawen out of the boistous tempestes of this worlde attayne the hauen of eternall reste and saffetie whaÌ„ this deathe beyng remoued we come to immortalitie For this is our peace this is the reste that a man maye truste to this is the stable the sure we haue here a contynuall battaile against vices and perpetuall saffetye Furthermore in the worlde what is ther elles but a dayly fyght against the deuell Howe hard daungerous and continuall is this fyght against his dartes and arrowes We must fyght against couetousnes against vnclennes against wrathe against ambicion against carnall vices our wrastlyng with the flickering intisementes of the worlde is laborious continuall and paynfull The mynde of man beyng besieged compassed in on euery syde with the assaultes of the deuel dothe hardly resiste any temptation Yf couetousnes be throwen downe luste ryseth vp Yf lust be suppressed ambicion foloweth Yf ambicion be despised wrathe bothe vexe pride is puffed vp dronkenesse calleth in enuye breaketh concorde zele cutteth of frendship Thou arte compelled to curse which goddes lawe forbiddeth thou art constrayned to sweare which is vnlawful So many persecutioÌ„s dothe the mynde dayly suffer with so many daungers is the harte dayly vexed and dothe it delyte vs to stande here long among the deuelles swerdes whan we ought rather to desire and wishe by the meanes of a swift deathe to make hast to Christ According as he instructed vs saieng verely verely I saie vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but the world shal reioyce you shall be sorowful but your sorowe shal be turned in to ioye Who maketh not hast to com vnto myrthe Ioan. 18. FroÌ„ hence we go to mirthe ioye Who desireth not to be wcout sorwe but whan our heuynes shall be turned in to ioye the Lord him self declareth saieng I wil se you againe and your harte shall reioice and your ioye shall no maÌ„ take from you Forasmuche than as the sight of Christ is our ioie neither can we haue any ioie but whan we haue seen Christ What blindnesse or rather madnes of mynd is this to loue the troubles and paines and teares of the worlde and
newe thing should happen vnto you 1. Pet. 4. but as ofte as ye are made partakers of Christes passions reioyce in al thinges that ye maye at thappearing of his glory reioyce with gladnesse Yf ye be rayled vpoÌ„ for the name of Christ happye are ye For the name of the maiestie power of God resteth in you the which name verely is blasphemed of them but by vs it is glorifyed The .x. Chapter THat iniuries and the paynes of persecution ought not to be feared that no man should be amased at troubles and persecutions which he suffereth in this worlde for-because the Lorde is more myghtye to defende than the deuell is to fight against vs Iohn in his epistell writeth and sayeth 1. Ioan. 4. He that is in you is greater than he that is in the worlde In lyke maner in the psalme The Lorde is my helper I wil not fear what maÌ„ can do vnto me And agayne in an other psalme These boast them selues in their horses but we will boast our selues in the name of the Lorde our God Psal 117. and. 19. They are bouÌ„de are falleÌ„ downe but we are rysen stande vpright And yet further the holy Goost teaching and declaring that the armyes of the deuell ought not to be feared al thoo he shoulde proclaime battaile against vs but rather that we should haue our trust in the selfe same battel that the ryghtfull by fighting against the deuell may attayne to the reward of Goddes seate and eternal lyfe speaketh in the spalme sayeth Psal 26. Thoughe an hoost of men were layde against me yet shall not my harte be afrayed and thoughe ther arose vp warre against me yet wil I put my truste in him One thing haue I desired of the Lord which I wil require that I may dwell in the house of the Lorde all the dayes of my life In lyke maner the holy scripture in Exodus doth declare that we do exceadingly multiplye and encrease thorowe afflictions and troubles sayeng Exod. 1. And the more they oppressed them the more they multiplyed grewe And in the Reuelacion goddes protection is promysed vnto vs in our sufferinges where he sayeth Apo. 2. fear thou none of these thiÌ„ges which thou shalt suffre Neither is it any other that promyseth vnto vs saffetie defence but euen very he that by the ê“phet Esay speaketh sayeth Feare thou not Esaie 41. For I haue redemed the I haue callee the by thy name thou arte myne owne And yf thou shalte go thorowe the water I am with the and the floddes shall not ouerwhelme the. And yf thou shalt passe thorowe the fire the fire shall not burne the. For I am the Lorde thy God which do kepe thee in safetie Which in the Gospel also doth promise that the helpe of God shall not faile goddes seruauntes in theyr persecutions saieng Math. 10. but whaÌ„ they delyuer you vp take no thought how or what ye shall speake For it shal be geuen you in that same houre what ye shall saye For it is not ye that speake but the spirite of your father that speaketh in you And againe he sayeth put in your heartes not to studye before what ye shall answere Mar. 13. Luc. 21. for I wil gyue you a mouthe wisdome wher vnto your aduersaries ar not able to resist Thus doeth God speake also to moses in exodus which delaied to do his coÌ„maundement and feared the people saieng Exo. 4. Who hath made maÌ„s mouth or who hathe made the domme or the deafe the seyng or the blynde haue not I the Lorde God Go nowe therfore and I will open thy mouthe I wyll teache the what thou shalt speake Neither is it any harde mater for God to open the godly mans mouth and to enspire constancy and holdnes of speche vnto his confessor Nu. 22. which as we reade in the boke of Numbres did make the very Asse to speake against Balaam the prophet Therfore let no man in persecution thinke into what daunger the deuel dothe bring but let hym rather consider what helpe God dothe geue Neither let vs be discorraged thorowe mans malice but let vs strenghten our fayth with goddes protection for asmuche as euery man accordyng to the Lordes promyses and the merites of his owne faythe shall receyue asmuche helpe of God as he beleueth to receyue Neither is ther a ny thyng which the almighty can not bring to passe except the fayth of hym that should receyue dothe decaye and fayle The .xi. Chapter THat it was told aforehand that the worlde should hate vs and that it should stere vp persecucioÌ„s against vs that no newe thing happeneth peneth nowe vnto christianes for asmuche as good men haue ben trobled from the beginning of the world and the ryghtfull haue ben oppressed and slayne of the vnrightfull The Lorde in the Gospell doeth afore warne and afore shewe saieng Loan 15. yf the worlde hate you knowe ye that it hated me furst yf you were of the worlde the worlde worlde loue that were his owne But because ye are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you out of the worlde therfore the worlde hate you Remember the worde whyche I haue spoken vnto you ther is no seruaunt greater than his Lorde yf they haue persecuted me they shall also persecute you And agayne he sayeth Loan 16. The houre shal come that euery one that shal kil you shall thinke him selfe to do God seruice But they shall do this because they haue not knowen the father nor yet me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that wheÌ„ the houre of them shal come ye maye remeÌ„ber the I tolde you And againe he saieth verely verely I saie vnto you ye shal wepe and lament but the worlde shall reioyce ye shall sorowe but your sorowe shall be turned in to ioye And againe he sayeth These thinges haue 〈◊〉 spoken vnto you that ye maye haue peace in me in the worlde ye shall haue trouble but be of good cheare for I haue ouercome the worlde And agayne whan he was demaunded of his disciples what should be the token of hys comming and of th ende of the world Luc. 21. he answered and sayd Mar. 13. Take hede that noman deceyue you Math. 24. for many shall come in my name saing I am Christ and shall deceyue many ye shal heare of warres and of the rumours of warres take ye hede and be not troubled for these thinges must come to passe but th ende is not yet Nacion shall aryse against nacion and kingdome against kyngdome and there shal be honger and earthquakes and pestilences thorowe all places All these are the beginninges of sorowes Then shal they put you to trouble and shal kill you and ye shall be hated of all people for my name sake And thaÌ„ shall many be offended shal betraye one an other and shall hate one an other
What they gaine that denye God and runnyng into the daunger of eternall punishement to gaine the short momentes of this lyfe And he beyng ther long tormented nowe at the point of death sighed and sayd as he dyed amoÌ„g stripes and tormentes O Lorde which hast the holy knowlege thou knowest openly that where as I myght be delyuered from deathe I suffer these sore paynes of my body but in my mynde I am wel content to suffer them because I fear thee Certeinly his fayth was sincere true his godlynes perfecte pure ynoughe which consydered not the kyng Antiochê° but God that is Iuge and knewe ryght well that it shoulde nothyng profyte him to saluacion yf he should mocke and deceyue man seyng the God which is the iuge of our conscience ought only to be feared caÌ„ not be mocked nor deceyued by any meanes Yf therfore we do lyue as godly meÌ„ and suche as be dedicate vn to God yf we do walke in the selfe same auncient and holy fote steppes of the iuste Let vs go thorowe the same ensamples of paynes sufferinges thorowe the same martirdomes and passions And let vs reken the glorye of our tyme in this point more excellent that wher as the olde ensamples of martirs are numbred Now after the plenteouse abundaunce of godlines and faithe the christian martyrs can not be numbred As Iohan witnesseth in the reuelacion saieng Apo. 7. After this I behelde a great multytude which no man could number of al nacyons kinredes people and tonges standing before the seate and before the lambe and they war clothed with long white garmentes and they had palmes in their handes and cried which a loude voice saieng Health vnto our God sitting vpon the seate and vnto the lambe And one of thelders answered saieng vnto me what are these which are arayed in long white garmentes and whence came they and I saied vnto him Lord thou wotest And he saied vnto me These are they which came out of great trybulacion they haue wasshed their garments and made them white in the blodde of the lambe Therfore are they in the pÌ„sence of the seate of God serue him daye night in his teÌ„ple But if it be shewed prowed that the people of the christiaÌ„ martyrs are so many no maÌ„ should thinke it an hard thing to be a martyr seing he may ê‘ceiue the the multitude of martyrs caÌ„ not be numbred The .xij. chaptre VVhat hope rewarde abideth for the iuste and martyrs after the fight and passions of this life the holy gost hathe shewed and folde aforhand by SalomoÌ„ saing And thoughe they suffer tormentes before men Sapi. 3. yet is their hope full of Immortalite And although they be punished in fewe thinges yet in many thinges shal they be well rewarded For God hathe proued them and founde them mete for him selfe Yea as the gold in the fornace he doeth trie them and receiueth them as a burnte offering and whan the tyme coÌ„meth they shal be loked vpon They shal Iuge the nacions and haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shal reigne for euer In likemaner the same SalamoÌ„ doeth describe the vengaunce the God shall take for our cause and setteth forthe the penaunce or sorowe of our persecutours and enemyes saieng Then shall the righteouse stande in great stedfastnesse against suche as haue dealt extremely with them Sapi. 5. The late repentauÌ„ce of them that be in hell and taken awaye their labours When they se it they shal be vexed with horrible feare and shal wonder at the hastines of the sodayne healthe groning for very distres of mynde and shal say within them selues hauyng inwarde sorowes and mournyng for very anguishe of mynde These are they whoÌ„ we somtyme had in derision and iesced vpon We fooles thought their life very madnes and their ende to be with out honour Howe then are they couÌ„ted among the childreÌ„ of God their porcion among the saintes Therfore we haue erred froÌ„ the waye of truthe and the lyght of ryghtfulnes hath not shyned ouer vs and the Sunne of vnderstanding rose not vp vpon vs. We haue weried our selues in the waye of wyckednes and destruction Tediouse wayes haue we gone but the waye of the Lorde we haue not knowen What good hathe our pryde done vnto vs Or what ê“fite hath the pompe of ryches brought vs all those thinges are passed awaye like a shadowe In likemaner in 115. psalme the rewarde of martyrdome is declared Psal 115. wheare he saieth preciouse is the deathe of his saintes in the sight of the Lord. Psal 125. Likewise also in 125. is expressed bothe our sorowfull affliction and also our ioyeful rewarde wher he saieth They that sowe in teares shal reape which ioye They went furthe wandering and sowing their seades with weping But they shal com againe with ioye takig vp their lappes And againe in the 118. psalme he saieth blessed are those that be vndefiled in the waie Psal 118. which walke in the lawe of the Lord Blessed are those that searche out his witnesses and seke him with their hole hart Fur thermore the Lord which is the selfe reuengar of our persecucion and the rewarder of our sufferinge saieth in the gospell happye shall they be which shall suffer persecutyon for rightousnes sake Math. 5. bicause the kingdome of heauen is theirs And againe he saieth blessed shall ye be whan meÌ„ shall hate you and shall seperate and throwe you out and shal curse your name as wicked for the sonne of mans sake be gladde in that daie and reioyce For lo your rewarde is great in heauen And agayne he that loseth his liffe for me shall saue it Neither are the rewardes of Goddes promise laid vp only for suche as be tormented and sayne For although the faithful be not subiecte to the very suffering yet if faithe abide perfecre not ouercome if the thristian despising and forsaking all thinges that at his owne shall shewe him self to folow Christ he also is honored of Christ among the martyrs by his owne promise wher he saieth ther is no maÌ„ that forsaketh house or fielde or father and mother or brethren or wiffe or sonnes for the kingdome of God which do not receiue seuen tymes as muche in this world and in the world to come eternal liffe In likemaner in the reuelacion he speaketh the same thing saieÌ„g Apo. â—0 and I sawe the sowles of them that wer killed for the name of Iesu the worde of God And whan he had made mencyon first of them that war slayne he added saieng who so euer haue not worshipped the Image of the best neither receiued his marke vpoÌ„ their forhedes or on their handes Al which being sen of him at once in one place he coppleth together sayeng And they liued and reigned with Christ He sayeth that they all do lyue and reigne with Christ not only they
ye might remember the I tolde you Let no maÌ„ therfore maruel that we are exceadingly trobled with coÌ„tinual ê‘secutioÌ„s ofteÌ„tymes vexed with paineful trobles seing that the Lord tolde aforehaÌ„de the these should happen in the last daies which the doctrine exhortation of his worde instructed prepared our fight warrefare Peter also his apostle taught that persecutions do therfore happen that we maye betried and that we thorowe deathe and sufferinges myght also be ioyned and knitte to the loue of God after thensample of the iuste men that went before vs For in his epistle he wryteth thus sayeng Dearely beloued wonder not at this heate that is happened vnto you 1. Pet. 4. which is come among you to trie you Neither fall ye awaye as thoughe a newe thing had chaunced vnto you but as ofte as ye are partakers of Christes passions reioyce in althinges that when his glorye appeareth ye may also be mery and gladde yf ye be rayled vpon for the name of Christ happie are ye For the name of the maiestye and power of God dothe reste in you Which verely is blasphemed of them but is glorifyed of you Thapostles haue also taught vs suche thinges as they theÌ„selues did learne of the Lordes preceptes and heauenly commaundementes the Lorde hymselfe strenghtning vs and sayeng Luce. 18. Math. 1â— Ther is no maÌ„ sayeth he that leaueth house or felde other father and mother other betherne or susters other wife or children for the kingdome of goddes sake which shall not receiue seuen tymes as muche in this world and in the world to cum life euerlasting And againe blessed shal ye be saith he when men shal hate you and shal excommunicate and baÌ„nishe you Mat. 5. and shall curse your name as wicked for the sonne of mans sake reioyce and be gladde in that daie for your rewarde is great in heauen The Lorde wold haue vs to be mery and ioyeful in persecutions For in the tyme of persecution the crownes of faithe are distributed and geuen than are Goddes sowldears tried Than do heaueÌ„s open vnto the martyrs For we haue not after suche maner professed souldearfare that we should thinke vpon peace only and should refuse and forsake the fight Forasmuche as the Lord the mastre of humilite patience and sufferaunce hathe himselfe walked in the selfe same souldearfare the he might first do that thing himselfe which he taught to be obserued of others and might himselfe first suffer for vs that which he exhorted vs to suffer Set allwaies before your eies dearely beloued that he which alone hathe receiued al iugement of the father whichshal com to iuge all meÌ„ hathe euennow aforehand pronounced the sentence of his Ingement and knowlage to come Math. 10 shewing aforehaÌ„d witnessing the he will confesse theÌ„ before his father that coÌ„fesse him will denye theÌ„ the denye him Yf we might auoide escape death No man can escape death we might iustely feare to die but seing that of necessite the mortall must die let vs embrace thoccasion which God by his promise hathe vouchesaued to offer vs And let vs so ende our life that we maye receiue the rewarde of immortalite Neither let vs be afraide to be slaine seing yt ys manifest that we are then crowned when we are slaine and killed Neither let any maÌ„ most dearely beloued brethren betrobled Flight for feare of persecutioÌ„ whan he shall se our people driuen awaie scatered thorowe the feare of persecutyon and shall not see the brotherhede gathered together nor heare the bishoppes preache and declare the scriptures S. Cipriane vseth this worde brother heads We vnto whom it is not lauful to kill but must of necessite be killed can not than be al gathered together Whersoeuer any of the brethren shall in those dayes be for a season seperate from the flocke in body and not in spirite thorow the necessitie of the tyme let him not be troubled thorowe the terriblenesse of that fleing neither let him be afrayd when he departeth to hyde himselfe in the wilsome wildernes For he is not alone which hathe Christ to his companion in fleing He is not alone which keping the temple of God is not without God whersoeuer he shall happen to be And yf the these and murtherer shal destroye the as thou arte fleyng into the wildernes and mountaynes yf the wilde best shall assaile the yf hunger thurst or colde shall pinche the or yf the tempest or storme shall drowne the when thou doest by see hastely flee awaye Christ abydeth and loketh for his soul dear whersoeuer he fyghteth And he geueth vnto him that dyeth for the honour of his name in the tyme of persecution that rewarde A comfort for suche as are preuely pined murdered in presons which he hath promised to gyue in the resurrection Neither is the glory of martirdome any whit the lesse thoughe a man dye not openly amoÌ„g many when Christ his cause was thoccasion of his death For he is a sufficient witnesse of his martirdome that tryeth martirs and crowneth them Abel Let vs most dearely beloued brethren folowe the ryghtful Abel which beganne and consecrated martirdomes when he was the first that was slayne for ryghtfulnes sake Let vs folowe Abraham the frende of God Abraham which delaied not to offer vp his sonne in sacrifice with his owne handes when thorowe a deuouce fayth he obeyed God Let vs folowe the thre children Ananias Azarias and Misahel which being nether feared thorow their tender age nor discorraged thorow captiuitie wheÌ„ Iury IerusaleÌ„ were ouercome takeÌ„ ouercame by the power of faythe the kyng in his owne kingdome Which beyng commaunded to worship the ymage that Nabuchodonosor hade made ouercame bothe the kynges threatninges and the flamyng fyre Crieng out and testefieng their faith which these wordes Dani. 3. We haue no nede O king Nabuchodonosor to make the any aunswer touching this mater For ther is a God whome we serue able to delyuer vs from the fornace of the burnyng fire and he shall delyuer vs O king from thy handes but if he do not let it be knowen vnto the the we will not serue thy goddes neither wil we worshippe the golden ymage which thou hast set vp They beleaued that thorowe faith they might escape neuertheles they added but if he do not that the king might be certefied that they war also able to die for Goddes sake whome they worshipped For this is the power of faithe and vertue to beleaue and knowe that God is able to deliuer froÌ„ present deathe yet neither to feare nor giue place to deathe that faithe maie be tried the better Out of theyr mouth brake furth the vndefiled in uincible strenght of the holy goost the the wordes which the Lord spake in his gospel might appeare to be true whaÌ„ they shall laie haÌ„des on you saithe he be not carefull what ye shall speake