For it shal be geueÌ„ you in that howre what ye shall speake Math. 10 For it is not you which do speake but the spirite of the father that speaketh in you He hathe promised the yt shal be geueÌ„ offerd vs of God in that houre what we maye speake And that it is not we that thaÌ„ speake but the spirite of the father which forasmuche as he neither departeth nor is separated from them the confesse doeth bothe speake ys crowned in vs. In likemaner Daniel whan he was compelled to worship the Idol Bel whome bothe the king people did than worshippe in the defence of the honour of his God Dani. 14. be brake out with the full liberte of faithe saieÌ„g I worshippeno thing but only the Lord my God which hathe made heaueÌ„ and earthe The maâ—chabeis What should I speake of the bitter tormeÌ„tes of the blessed martyrs in the Machabeis of the manifolde paines of the vn brethren of the mother that did bothe 01 comforte her children in the tormeÌ„tes died also hereself with them Are not ther doctrines of great vertue faithe witnessed And do they not exhorte vs also thorowe their passions vnto the triumphe of martirdome The prephetes Thapostels what we ought to learne at the death of good men Mat. 2. What shal I speake of the prophetes whome the spirite hathe incorraged vnto the aforeknowâ—age of thinges to come What shall I saie of thapostles whome the Lord hathe chosen Haue not the inste whaÌ„ they are slaine for rightfulnes sake taught vs also to dye The birthe of Christ beganne straite waies with the martyrdome of infantes and babes that so many as war two yeares olde and vnder were slayne for his name sake The age that was not yet able for the bataile was neuertheles mete to receiue the crowne that they might appear * to be innoceÌ„tes Or it might appeare which are slayne for Christ the innocent infancye childhode was killed for his name sake It is nowe declared that no man is free from the daunger of persecucioÌ„ seyng that suche lytleones haue suffered martirdome What reasonable cause can any christian man haue 〈◊〉 haue no excuse that wil not beyng a seruaunt suffer seyng the Lorde himselfe hathe first suffered And that we wyl not suffer for our owne synnes when he hauyng no synne of his owne hath suffered for vs The sonne of God hathe suffered to make vs goddes sonnes And wyl not the sonne of man suffer that he maie contynue the soÌ„ne of God Yf we be hated of the worlde the hatered of the world christ suffered first Yf we suffer reuiling wordes in this worlde if we be driuen to flee yf we indure tormentes the maker Lorde of the worlde haue tasted of more grenouse paines who also warneth vs saing Yf the worlde saith he hate you Ioan. 15. remember that yt hated me first Yf you war of the world the worlde wolde loue that which war his owne Ioan. 15. But bicause ye are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you out of the world therfore doeth the world hate you RemeÌ„ber the worde which I haue spoken vnto you ther is no seruauÌ„t greater thaÌ„ his Lorde Yf they haue persecuted me they shall also persecute you The Lord and our God hathe performed and done whatsoeuer he taught and can the disciple and scollar be excused that learneth yet doeth not accordingly Let none of you dearely beloued brethren be so feared with the feare of persecutyon to come or with the comming of Antichrist that houereth ouer our heades that he should not be founde armed at all pointes with thexortacions of the gospel and with the heauenly coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts warninges Antichrist is come but Christ wil also sodeÌ„ly come vpoÌ„ him The ennemy murdereth and is very cruell but the Lord doeth by and by folowe to reuenge our afflictions wouÌ„des The enemy is aÌ„gry threatneth but ther is one that can deliuer vs out of his handes He ought to be feared whose yre veÌ„gauÌ„ce no maÌ„ caÌ„ escape according as he him selfe warneth sayeth Feare ye not them that kill the body but the sowle they can not kill Mat. 10. But feare him rather that is able to destroie bothe sowle and body in to hell Ioan. 12. And againe he saithe he that loueth his life shal lose it he that hateth his life in this worlde shal keape yt vnto eternall life And in the reuelacion he instructeth and warneth vs saing Apo. 14. yf any man worshipe the best and his image and taketh his marke in his forehed and in his haÌ„d he shall also drinke of the wine of the wrathe of God mingeled in the cuppe of his wrathe and he shal be punnished with fire and brymstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lambe And the smoke of their tormeÌ„tes goeth vp world withoute ende Neither shall any of them that worshippe the best and his image haue any rest either daie or night Vnto a temporal and world 〈…〉 and â—ight men at bothe 〈◊〉 and prepared and they counte it great glory honoure yf it maie be their chauÌ„ce to be crowned in the presence of the people in the preseÌ„ce of themperor Beholde the highe and noble fight which ys beutified with an heauenly crowne wher as god maye loke vpon vs fighting and that he casting his eyes vpoÌ„ theÌ„ whome he hathe vouche saued to make his childreÌ„ maye haue a plesaunt beholding and spectacle of of our battaile Whan we warre and fight with the armor of faithe God loketh vpon vs his angels do beholde vs Christ doeth approue vs. What worthye glory is it howe great felicite and happines to fight ther whearas God is the defeÌ„dar and to be crowned ther whearas Christ is iuge Let vs arme our selues most dearely beloued brethren with all our strenght let vs be prepared and made redy to the battaile with an vncorrupted mynde with a perfecte faithe and with deuoute vertue Let the armyes of God marche on and go forewarde vnto the bataille that is â—â—tched against them Let the perfecte man be armed that the perfecte lose not his late consraÌ„cy Let the fallen be also armed that the falleÌ„ maye receuie againe that which be had lou Let honour prouoke the perfecte let sorowe prouoke the fallen vnto the fight and battaile The blessed Apostle doeth arme and prepare vs to the fight saieng we wrastle not against fleshe and blodde Ephe. 6. but against powres against the rulars of this darkenes of this worlde against spiritual wickednes in heaueÌ„ly thinges Put you on therfore all the armor of God that ye may be able to resiste in the most wicked daye that whan ye haue performed al thinges ye may stande hauing your loynes girded with the truthe The armor and weapons of Christians clothed with the brest plate of rightfulnes and shodde that ye maye be redy to the gospel of peace taking vp the shilde of faithe wherby ye maye quenche all the firy dartes of the deuel and take the helmet of healthe and the sworde of the spirite which is the worde of God Let vs put on these armowres let vs fortifie our selues with these spiritual and heaueÌ„ly defences that we maye be able in the most wicked daie to resiste and beate backe the deuels threatninges Let vs put on the brest plate of rightfulnes that our brest maye be defended and saued against the dartes of the ennemye Let vs be shodde thorowe the doctrine of the Gospell and haue our fete armed that when we shal beginne to treade and thurst downe the serpent he maye not be able to byte ouerthrowe vs. Let vs manfully bear the shylde of faythe by whose defence what soeuer the ennemye throweth against vs may be quenched Let vs also take the helmet of saluacion to couer our heades How euery member and parte of the body must be armed â–ª that our eares may be defended that they maye not heare nor geue hede vnto cruell proclamations and lawes Let our eyes be fortiyed that they beholde not the detestable and abhominable ymages Let our forehed be fensed that the marke of God may be kept safe Let the mouth be armed that the myghtye conquering tonge may acknowlege and confesse her Lord Christ Let vs also arme the ryght hande with a spiritual sworde In Cipriaenes tyme the people receiued the sacrament in their right handes that it maye manfully contemne and despise the vncleane and wicked sacrifices that that which hathe receyued the Lordes body being mindful of the thankes geuing maye in the same embrace her Lord which shal after of the same her Lorde receyue the rewarde of an heauenly crowne O howe excellent and great a daye is that that is comming moste dearely beloued brethren when the Lorde shal beginne to numbre his people and by his diuine knowlege to examine the workes of euery one to sende the gylty into hell and to condeÌ„ne our persecutours vnto a perpetuall burning in the paynefull flame but vnto vs to reÌ„der the rewarde of faythe and godlynes What maner of glorye shal that be and how great gladnes to be admitted to see goddes honour the thou maist receaue with Christ the Lord thy God the ioye of euerlasting healthe and lyght To salute Abraham Isaac and Iacob all the Patriarkes and Prophetes the Apostles Martyrs To reioyce in the delectacioÌ„ of the gyft of immortalitie with the iuste men and freÌ„des of God in the kingdome of heaueÌ„ To receiue that ther which neither eye hath seen neyther eare hath herde â— Cor. 2. nor hath entered into the harte of man For thapostle teacheth that we shall receyue greater rewarde then either our workes or afflictions here can deserue sayeng The afflictioÌ„s of this lyfe are not worthy of the glory Rom. 8. which shal be shewed vpon vs. When the shewyng of this glorye shall come when the charitie of God shal shyne ouer vs thaÌ„ shal we be happy mery being in honour thorow the goodnes of the Lorde But alas 〈…〉
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
you haue powred out your drinke offeringes and to theÌ„ you haue offered your sacrifices shal not I be angry with these thiÌ„ges saieth the Lord In like maner Hieremy saith walke not after strauÌ„ge goddes to serue them worshippe theÌ„ not Hiere 7. neither prouoke me thorowe the workes of your haÌ„des to scatter you abrode Io. also in the reuelacioÌ„ saithe Apo. 14. If any doo worshippe the best and his ymage shall receue his marke in his forehead or in his haÌ„d he also shal drin ke of the wine of Goddes wrathe myngled in the cuppe of his wrathe he shal be punished with fire brymstone in the presence of the holy angels in the presence of the lambe And the smoke of their tormentes shal asceÌ„de vp euermore Neither shal they haue any rest daye or night who so euer they be that shall worshipe the best his ymage The .iiij. chapter THat God wil not easely iê‘don ydolaters it appeareth by Moses in Exodus the praieth for the people and yet obteyned not Oh Lorde saithe he this people haue synned a great synne Exod. 32. and made for them selues Goddes of gold yet forgeue them their sinne I beseche the yf not wipe me out of the boke which thou hast writeÌ„ And the Lord said vnto Moses I will put him out of my boke that hathe synned against me In like maner whan Ieremy praied for the people the Lord spake vnto him saieng Iere. 7. Thou shalt not praie for this people thou shalt neither geue thankes nor byd praier for theÌ„ for I wil not heare them in the tyme that they shall call vpon me in the tyme of theyr troble Ezech. 14. Ezechiell also threateneth the same wrathe of God against them the synne against God saieng and the worde of the Lord came vnto me saieng Thou sonne of man whan the land sinneth against me and goeth furthe in wickednes I shall stretche out myne haÌ„d vpon it and destroy all the prouision of their bread and I will send huÌ„ger among them to destroye man best in the land And thoughe Noah Daniel Iob these .iii. meÌ„ war amoÌ„g theÌ„ yet shall they deliuer neither sonnes nor daughters but shall them selues only be saffe In likemaner in the furst boke of kings it is writeÌ„ yf one man synne agaist an other 1. Reg. 2. they shal make intercession vnto the Lord for him but if a man synne against the Lord who shall praieÌ„ for him The .v. chapter THat God is soangrey with ydolatry that he hathe also coÌ„maunded theÌ„ to be slayne which haue entised others to offer to ydolles and to serue them we reade in the Deuteronomy Deu. 13. Yf thy brother or thyne owne sonne or thy daughter or thy wiffe the lieth in thy bosome or thy frende which is as thine owne sowle vnto the entise the secretly saieÌ„g let vs go serue strauÌ„ge goddes the Goddes of the geÌ„tiles thou shalt not coÌ„sent vnto him nor herken vnto him neither shal thine eye spare him nor kepe him secrete but shalt vtter him Thine hande shall be first vpon him to kill him and than the handes of all the people To be short they shal stone him and he shall dye because he went about to turne thee awaye froÌ„ the Lorde thy God And agayne the Lord speaketh and sayeth that a cytie ought not to be spared althou the hole tytie shall coÌ„sent to Idolatrie Yf thou shalt heare saye of one of thy cyties which the Lorde thy God shall geue thee to dwel in that they saye Let vs go and serue straunge Goddes whiche thou haste not knowen Thou shalt smyte kill with th edge of the sworde all that are in that cytie and thou shalt burne the cytie with fire it shall neuer more be inhabited Yea it shall neuer be buylt againe that God may turne froÌ„ his fearce wrathe And the Lorde shal shewe the mercy and haue compassioÌ„ on the and multiply the yf thou shalt heare the voice of the Lorde thy God and keape his coÌ„mauÌ„de mentes Mathathias beyng myndfull of the force of this coÌ„mauÌ„dement slewe him that came to thaltar to do sacrifice 1. Mac. 2. But yf before the comming of Christ these coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes touching the worshipiÌ„g of God and despising of ydolles war obscrued keapt How muche more ought they to be keapt after the comming of Christ Forasmuche as he at his comming did not exhorte vs with wordes only but also with deades which after he had suffred al maner of iniure is and reuiling wordes was also crucified to teache vs by his example bothe to suffer and die that who so euer he be that will not suffer for his sake should be vtterly wtout excuse forasmuche as he hathe suffred for vs. And seing the he hathe suffred for other mens synnes muche more ought euery maÌ„ to suffer for his owne synnes And therfore in the gospel he treatneth and saithe who so euer shal confesse me before men Math. 10. him wil I also confesse before my father which is in heaueÌ„ but who so euer shall denye me before men him wil I also denye before my father which is in heaueÌ„ In like maner thapostle paule saithe Yf we die together with him we shall also liue together with him 2. Tim. 2. Yf we suffer with him we shall also raygne together with him Yf we denye him he shall also denye vs. Iohan also saieth â— Ioan. 2. he that denieth the sonne hathe not the father he that confesseth the sonne hathe bothe the sonne and the father Wherfore the Lord dothe exhorte and strenghten vs to despise deathe Math. 10. saieng Feare ye not them that kil the body but can not kill the sowle but rather feare him which can kille bothe sowle and body in to hell fire Ioan. 12. And againe he saieth he that loueth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his liffe in this worlde shall preserue it vnto eternal liffe The .vi. chapter THat we which ar redeÌ„pte made aliue thorowe the blode of Christ ought to preferre no thing before Christ the Lord speaketh in the gospel and saithe he that loueth father or mother aboue me is not worthy of me Math. 10. And he that taketh not vp his crosse folowe me is not worthy of me In the Deuteronomy it is also writeÌ„ in like maner Deu. 33. They that saie to father or mother I knowe the not the parents that haue not knoweÌ„ their owne soÌ„nes these haue keapt thy commaundementes and obserued thy testament Rom. 8. In like maner saieth thapostle Paule Who shall separate vs from the charite of Christ shall tribulacion or anguishe either persecution or hungar either nakednes or daunger or the sword as it is writen For thy sake are we killed al the daie long Psal 43 and are cownted as shepe appointed to be slayne Neuertheles in all these thinges we ouercome thorowe his helpe that
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
them to the bataile of persecutioÌ„ and suffering we must first of al declare that the ydolles which maÌ„ mateth for himselfe are no goddes for the thinges that are made are not greater than their mater neither can these ydolles defende and saue any man which wolde them selues peryshe from their temples except they were 〈◊〉 of man Neither ought thelementes to be worshipped which according to thordenaunce and commauÌ„dement of God do serue man The ydolles being ouerthroweÌ„ and the maner of the lemonies declared The. 2. chap. we must shewe that the Lorde onlye ought to be worshipped To these then must we adde what is the threatning of God against them that do sacrifice to ydolles We must teache furthermore that God wil not easely pardon Idolarers And that God is so greued with Idolatrie that he hathe also coÌ„maunded them to be slayne which haue enâ—ysed men to sacrifice and serue ydolles To these muste be added that the whiche are redemed and made alyâ—e thorow the blood of Christ ought to â—â—e ferre nothing before Christ because he preserred nothing before vs but for our sales he preferred aduersitie before prosperitie pouertie before ryches boÌ„dage before lordship death before immortalitie CoÌ„trarywyse we in our sufferinges preferre the ryches and pleasures of paradise before worldlye pouertie the dominion and euerlasting kingdome before temporall bondage immortalitie before deathe God and Christ before the deuell and Antichrist We ought also to bring to remembraunce that none that are escaped out of the deuelles clouches and delyuered from the snares of the worlde shoulde desire yf they happen to fall into affliccions and troubles to go forthe againe vnto the worlde and so lose that they had escaped But rather that they ought to endure continue in faythe inthe truthe and in the perfectyon of the heuenly and spirituall grace that they maye artayne the victory and crowne We must also shewe that afflictions and persecutions doo therfore happen that we maye be tryed And that the sufferinges of wronge and batailes of persecution ought not to be feared because the Loide is more myghty to defende than the deuel is to fight against vs. And to the intent no man should be afrayde and trobled thorowe afflictioÌ„s and persecutions which we suffer in this worlde we must proue that it was toloe beforehaÌ„de that the worlde should hate vs and that it should stire vp persecutions against vs that the truthe of Goddes promise in rewardes that shal hereafter folowe myght manifestly appeare by this self thiÌ„g in that these persecutions do happeÌ„ Neither dothe any newe thing happen nowe vnto christians for asmuche as good meÌ„ from the beginning of the world haue ben persecuted the rightful haue ben oppressed and Filled of the vnrightfull Last of all we must declare what hope and what rewarde abydeth the rightfull men and martyrs after the afflictions and passyons of this liffe and that we shall receiue more in rewarde of our suffering than we suffer here in the self afflictyons The first chapter THat ydolles are no goddes and that none of thelemeÌ„s should he worshipped in goddes stede is manifest in the Cxiij psalme The ydolles of the geÌ„tiles ar gold siluer Psal 113. the workes of mens handes Mowthes haue they but they speake not they haue eyes and see not They haue eares heare not neither is ther any breath in theyr mowthe Let them be like vnto them that make them In likemaner in the boke of the wisdome of Salamon it is writen Sap. 15. They haue estemed as Goddes all thidolles of the nacions which haue neither eyes to see neither nostrels to drawe brethe neither eares to heare nor fingars on theyr handes to feale Their fete also are vnhapte and sloo to walke For man made them and he that hathe a borowed spirite fashtoned them But no man can make a God like vnto him selfe For Seing he ys mortal that is also but a deade thing which he fashioneth with vngodlye handes For he that maketh them is more excelleÌ„t than the thinges which he worshippeth We reade also in the boke of Exodus Exod. 2â— â–ª Thou shall not make for thy selfe any grauen ymage neither the likenes of any thing Further as touchiÌ„g thelementes Salamon saith Neither toke they so muche regarde of the workes that ar made Sapi. 1â— as to knowe who was the craftesman of them but some toke the fire some the aire some the winde some the course of the starres some the great water some the SuÌ„ne Mone for goddes But thoughe they had suche pleasure in their veauty that they thought them to haue ben Goddes yet sholde they haue knowe howe muche more fairer ys he that made them Or yf they marueled at the power and workes of them they might haue perceiued therby that he that made these mighty thinges is mightyer then they The .ij. chapter THat god only ought to be worshipped we reade in Deuterono Deu. â— Exo. 〈◊〉 Thou shalt worshippe thy Lord God and him only shalt thou serue Also in Exo dus Thou shalt haue non other gods besides me In like maner in the same boke of Deuteronomy Se now how the I I am he and that ther is no God besides me Deu. 32. I can kil and make aliue I strike and heale againe neither is ther any that can deliuer any man out of my handes Apo. 14. Iohan also in the reuelacion saithe And I sawo an Angel flie in the myddes of heaueÌ„ hauing an euerlstaing gospel to praethe vnto them that litte and dwelle on thearthe and to all nacions kinreds tonges and people saing with a loude voice Feare God rather and giue honour to him for the howre of his iugement is com and worshippe him that made heauen and earthe the sed and all that in them ys In like maner also the Lord maketh mentyon in the gospell of the first and second comauÌ„dement saing He are Israel The Lord thy God ys one Lord And thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy harte Math. 22. and with al thy sowle and with al thy strenght This ys the first commaundement and the second ys like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe In these two coÌ„maundementes-consisteth the host lawe ê‘phetes And againe This is eternall liffe Ioan. 17. that they should knowe the alone the true God Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent The .iij. chapter VVhat God threatneth to theÌ„ the do sacrifice to ydols we maye reade in Exodus thus Exod. 22. He the offereth vnto any goddes saue to the Lord only shal be roted out Also in the Deu teronomye Deu. 32. They offered vnto druels and not vnto God Esa 2. In like maner in Esay They worshipped the Idolles which their owne fingars had made Ther kneleth the man ther falleth the man downe before them so that thou canst not bring him awaye froÌ„ theÌ„ce And againe To them
And many false prophetes shal arise and deceiue many and bicause of the abundaunce of wickednes the charite of many shall ware cold but he the shall endure vnto th ende the same shal be saffe And this gladde tydinges of the kingdome shall be preached thorowe all the worlde for a witnesse vnto all nacyons and than shall the ende come WhaÌ„ therfore ye shall see thabo minacion of desolatyon spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place Daniel 9. let him that reade it vnderstande it Than let them that be in Iury flee in to the mountaines And him which is on the house toppe not com downe to fet any thing out of his house Neither let him which is in the felde returne backe to fetche his clothes Wo be in those daies to women with childe and to them that geue sucke but praie ye that your flight be not in the winter neither on the saboth daie For than shall be great tribulacion suche as was not from the beginning of the world to thys tyme nor shal be And excepte those dayes should be shortned ther should no flesh be saued but for the chosen sake those dayes shall be shortned Then yf any man shall saye vnto you Lo here is Christ or ther is Christ beleue it not For ther shall aryse false Christes and false prophetes and shal do great miracles and wonders In somuche that yf it were possible eueÌ„ the chosen persons should be deceyued But take you hede loo I haue tolde you all thynges before Wherfore yf they shal saye vnto you behold he is in the wyldernes go not forthe Beholde in the serrete places beleue not For as the lyghtning commeth out of the east and syneth into the west So shall the coÌ„ming of the sone of maÌ„ be For whersoeuer a deade carcase is thether wil the Egles be gathered together Forthwith after the tribulatioÌ„s of those dayes the sune shall be darkened and the Wone shall not geue her lyght the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall moue And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in heauen And then shall al the kinreddes of the earthe lament them selues and they shall se the sonne of man commyng in the cloudes wyth great power and glory And he shall sende his Angels with great power glory with a great trompet And they shall gather together his chosen froÌ„ the iiij wyndes froÌ„ the one ende of heauen to the other Neither are these thinges which nowe happeÌ„ to christeans new or sodeine for asmuche as good iust meÌ„ such as be thorowly bent to kepe the lawe of God are afraid to staine the innocency of lyfe true religion do alwayes walke the harde straite waye thorowe trobles iniuries and thorowe the greuous manifolde punishementes of deadly malicious emnities Thus is the ryghtfull Abel first killed of his brother Gen. 4. in the very beginning of the worlde 1. Reg. 14. Iacob is copelled to flye 3. Reg. 19. Ioseph is solde king Saul persecuteth the merciful Dauid king Achab endeuoureth to oppresse Helias which did constantly manfully defende the maiestie of God Ê’a charias the priest is killed betwene the temple the aulter Math. 23. that he myght there be made a sacrifice him selfe where he had offred sacrifices To be shorte ther are very many martirdomes of the rightfull which are oftentymes celebrate Ther are very many ensamples of faithe godlines left for them that shal come after The .iii. children Ananias Ararias Misahel in age equal in loue of one mynde in faithe stabell in godlynes constaunt and stronger then the flaÌ„myng fire and the paynes wherwith they were tormented openly proclaymed that they serued God alone and only that they knewe hym alone Dani 3. that they worshipped him alone saieng O king Na buchodonosor we haue no nede to make the any answer in this mater For God whome we serue is able to deliuer vs froÌ„ the hote burning ouen O king and to ridde vs out of thy handes but yf he will not yet shalt thou knowe that we wil not serue thy goddes nor do reuereÌ„ce to the ymage which thou hast set vp Dani. 14. And the godlye man Daniel full of the holy Goost cryeth out sayeth I worship nothing but only my Lorde which hath made heauen earth Tobias also althoughe he was vnder a kingly tyraÌ„nous boÌ„dage yet being fre in vnderstaÌ„ding spirite coÌ„fesseth God do excelleÌ„tly coÌ„meÌ„d god his power and maiestie saieng Tobi. 13. I wil praise him in the lande of my captiuitie wil shewe his power amoÌ„ges the sinful nacion But what should I speake of the seueÌ„ brethreÌ„ in the Machabees whiche do fulfill the nuÌ„bre of .vii. for a sacrament of absolute ê‘fectnes 2. Mat. 7. These seuen brethren are so lincked together in martirdome as in the disposicion ordinauÌ„ce of God the first seueÌ„ dayes do couteyne seuen thousande yeres As the seuen spirites and seuen Angels ar assistant and present before the face of the Lord And the seuen fashoned caÌ„delstickes in the tabernacle of witnesse And the seuen golden candelstickes in the reuelacion And the seueÌ„ pillars in Salomon vpoÌ„ whome wisdome doeth builde her howse Euen so the number also ther of seuen brethren doeth compreheÌ„de in them the number of seuen churches According as we reade in the first boke of kinges that the barreÌ„ brought furthe seuen And in Esay seuen womeÌ„ take holde vpoÌ„ one maÌ„ after whose name they require to benamed And Paule thapostle being myndefull of this laufull and certaine number writeth vnto seuen churches And in the reuelation the Lord doeth directe his diuine commaundementes and heuenly preceptes to seueÌ„ churches and their angels The which neÌ„ber is now fouÌ„de in these brethren that laufull perfeccyon might be fulfilled With the seuen sonnes the mother also their beginning and rote is certeinly copled which afterwardes brought furthe seuen churches herselfe being thorowe goddes voice first and alone fouÌ„ded vpon the rocke Neither is which out mistery the in the martyrdomes the mother is founde alone with her soÌ„nes For the martyrs which in their sufferinges did testefie them selues to be the sonnes of God ar now cownted to haue none other father but God As the Lorde in the gospel teacheth sayeng call no man your father vpon the earth Math. 23. for ther is but one your father which is in heauen O how glorious confessions did they make Howe noble howe excellent lessons of faithe haue they geueÌ„ The king Antiochus being angery yea rather Antichrist re presented by Antiochus went about to defile with the filth of swines fleshe the gloriouse mouthes of the martyrs which thorowe the spirite of coÌ„fession war inuincible And when he had greuously beaten them with scorges and yet neuer the neare his purpose he commaunded the frieng pannes or cauldrons to