and great deuotion and the scattered bones of these that in this cause haue suffered which are now thoughte vnworthye of ChristiaÌ„ burial shrined in gold wheÌ„ the prophane carcases of hereticks now so costly enbalmed shal be esteemed more worthy of the martyrs preseÌ„t disgrace farr more vnworthy of such funerall soleÌ„nyties So is the example manifest in other contryes where such places of martyrs executions and tormentes are frequented by Kinges Princes great potentates though theyr owne predecessors had ben the chiefe persecutors Lett vs in the meane tyme take this occasion of so greate preferment in gods courte and be as carefull in this age to aspyre vnto this present dignity of wateringe Gods Church with our blood as our fore-fathers haue bene to guide it and further it by theyr vertuous example and glorye of good workes Erat Ecclesia in operibus fratrum candida nunc facta est in martyrum cruore purpurea Flori bus n nec rosae desunt nec lilia Certent nunc singuli ad vtriusque honoris amplissimam dig nitatem vt accipiant coronas vel de operibus candidas vel de sanguine purpureas The Church sayth S. Cyprian was heretofore white in the workes of our brethreÌ„ it is now purplein the bloode of Martyrs For emonge the Churches flowers nether Roses are wanting nor lilyes Lett euerye one therfore now endeuoure to attayne to the moste ample dignitye of eche honoure that they maye receyue crownes eyther whyte of they re good workes or purple of theyr blood Looke vp vnto the Rock out of which you are heweÌ„ that is the martyred bodye of our Sauiour and to the caue of the lake out of which you are cutt that is the deepe and wide wounde of his blessed syde that consideringe from whence you come you maye shew your selues worthy stones of so noble a quarrye and not vnworthye mettall of so honorable a myne RemeÌ„ber your daye penye and you will easily beare the heat wayght of your toyle Let your Rocke be stroken that water of Lyfe maye issue out and be contented to set vppon earth and in the dung of worldlye disgrace the better to be placed with the Princes of Gods people Regnum coeloruÌ„ aliud noÌ„ quaerit pretiuÌ„ ni si teipsum tantum valet quantum es te da habebis illud The Kingdome of heaueÌ„ sayeth S. Augustine requireth no other price but thy selfe It is worth all thou art geue thy selfe thou shalt haueit O thrise happy are you that are now in the last stepp to this glory Ioye in your happynes pray that God may accept vs also to the lyke comforte alwayes remeÌ„bring with your selues that this light and momentary tribulation will worke in you an eternall poyse of glorye And confirming your selues with these comfortable words siue viuimus Domino viuimus siue morimur domino morimur siue viuimus siue morimur Domini sumus Whether we liue vnto our Lord we liue whether we dye vnto our Lord we dye whether we liue or dye our Lordes we are Finallye to conclude with S. Bernardes wordes what now remayneth my deerest but that you be warned of perseueraÌ„ce which only deserueth renoume to the men and rewarde to their vertues For without perseuerance neither getteth the champion the coÌ„quest nor the conquerour his crowne The accomplishing of vertue is the vertue of courage nurce to our meritts mediatrice to our meede It is the sister of patieÌ„ce the daughter of coÌ„stancy the louer of peace the knott of frendship the bande of agreement the bulwarke of godlinesse Take away perseueraÌ„ce no seruice hath any paye no good turne anye thankes no prowes anye prayse In summe not who beginneth but who perseuereth vnto the end he shal be saued By one that reuerenceth your prisons beareth most dutiful affection to your persons humbly craueth parte in your prayers I Saiae ca. 30. In silentio spe erit fortitudo vestra In silence hope shal be your strength FINIS Here you maye find the cheefe faultes escaped And as for the other in or thographye or poynting let the Readers curtesie the french Printers ignorance of our language excuse The folio Faultes Lege CorrectioÌ„s Fo. 5. b. l. 10 feare of wordes feare or wordes fo 6. b. l. 20. Fulgebant Fulgebunt fo 8. a. l. 24. seeketh Seeke Ibid. b. l. 3. enimtye enmitye fo 9. a. l. 27. studebant stridebant fo 9. b. l. 14. sacrilegia Sacrilega fo 12. b. l. 23. ioyce choyce this f. 15. a. l. 12. punishmeÌ„t for this punishmeÌ„t For fo 15. b. l. 7. repellire repellere f. 15. b. l. 24. vigulum iugulum f. 16. b. l. 24. qui slagellantur quia flagellantur f. 16. b. l. 25. alantes aliens f. 19. a. l. 23. to raging the raging f. 19. b. l. 15. Austine oteth Augustine noteth f. 19. b. l. 25. ttoublesome troublesome f. 25. b. l. 26. sayd He. sayde he f. 27. a. l. 19. a grate a greate f. 30. b. l. 14. on stedy no steddye f. 34. a. l. 6. Abneis Abners f. 46. b. l. 12. hangeth on hangeth in f. 46. b. l. 18. amonestg amongest f. 50. a. l. 14. eminent imminent f. 51. b. l. 13. coÌ„sumptioÌ„ The coÌ„sumption the. f. 54. a. l. 19. earth Lett earth lett f. 54. b. l. 4. throughfare thoroughfare f. 54. b. l. 14. peregrines peregrinos f. 55. b. l. 23. bliss What blisse what f. 55. b. l. 27. prsent present f. 59. b. l. 9. disesaed diseases f. 63. b-l 24. regus rogus f. 64. b. l. 19. not to much not so muche f. 70. b. l. 3. torturres torturers f. 80. l. a. 11. Coproninus Copronimus f. 81. b. l. 16. susgesteth suggesteth f. 85. b. l. 6. and in important and important f. 68. a. l. 21. obliquies obloquies f. 88. a. l. 18. Luther vprifâ— Luthers vprist f. 93. b. l. 12. dung hed dungged Ibid. l. 20. driue deriue f. 101. l. 1. other others f. 107. a. l. 25. it verefied it is verified f. 108. a. l. 17. catologue catalogue f. 112. b l. 12. delyt accepted delight accepted Ibid. b. l. 15. vnloseth chey vnlo the cheynes Ibid. l. 23. transentium transeuntium f. 114. l. 18. a. rewardes wardes f. 114. b. l. 10. quasi in certu quasi in incertuÌ„ f. 114. b. l. 26. laboring laboure f. 120. b. l. 8. and is not and it is not f. 126. a. l. 4. sickness sckinne f. 127. b. l. 3. bodye bodyes Ibid. l. 24. deathe deathes IbideÌ„ l. 26. inuitis et euenire inuitis euenire f. 141. a. l. 22. frequentur frequenter f. 148. b. l. 21. as ashâ—s are as ashes f. 154. a. l. 11. vertue vertewes f. 158. a. l. 2. alwayes is alwayes it is f. 160. a. l. 23. yet of him yett of this roote f. 161. a. l. 17. Emprerours Emperours f. 162. b. l. 6. shew me then shew me thow f. 165. b. l. 12. nicole incolae
maye we saye that thoughe the cause of religion were alwayes honorable yett is it in vs more worthelye defended then of anye Martirs of former ages For they defēded it ether agaynst Epicures and heathens or agaynst the Iewes and Rabbines or agaynst some one heretike and his ofspringe But we are now in a battayle not onlye agaynst men o four tymes who are both Epicures in conditions Iewes in malice and Heretickes in proud and obstinate spirittes But agaynst the whole rable and generatiō of all heretiks that since Christes tyme haue ben in a māner with Satan the father of lying and his whole armye who albeit they be fast cheyned in hell there reape the fruite of their blasphemyes yett haue these companions of theires borowed all their weapons and reuiued some of all their heresies So that encountring with these we chalenge all the olde heretickes into the fielde and must in one age susteyne a multitude of enemies ioyntlye assaulting vs euerye one of the which haue in times past made worke enough for diuerse Doctours in seuerall ages accordinge as they did ryse one after an other For we must defend that God is not author of sinne agaynst Simon Magus Cerdon and Florinus We must defende that the whole Churche can not erre agaynst Nestorius That tradtions are to be obserued agaynst Cerdon Arrius Eunomius Aerius Nestorius and almoste all heretickes That onlye faythe suffiseth not agaynst Aetius Eunomius and Simon That good works are necessary agaynst the same together with Valentinus That man hath free will agaynst Simon Valentinus and Manicheus That the fathers writinges are of great authoritye agaynst Paulus Samosathenus Aetius and Eunomius That sinnes are not alike Virginitye to be preferred before Matrimonye against Iouinian That Baptisme is ne-cessarye to saluation agaynst Manicheus the Euchytes and Philoponus We must defend the Sacrament of the Altar agaynst the Donatistes Arrians that trodd it vnder thelr feete and gaue it to their dogges agaynste Berengarius and the Ichonomachie that made it but a figure of Christes bodye The Sacrifice of the Masse agaynst Manicheus The Priestes or namentes agaynst Pelagius Purgatorye agaynst the Armenians Reliques chastitie of Priestes voluntarie pouertye aud prayer for the deade agaynst Vigilantius and Aerius The Vow of obedience agaynst the Lampetians Churches Altares against the Eustachians and Euchites We must defend confirmation agaynst Nouatianus Confessiō agaynst .32 Mon tanus Matrimonye agaynst the Apostolici The Sacrament of Order and Priesthoode agaynst the Pepusites that gaue it to women Lent and other appoynted fastes agaynst the Gnostickes Eustathians Aerians and Iouinians All which men are by S. Augustine Epiphanius Ireneus Tertullian and al antiquitye registred in the Catalogue of condemned heretikes Finally we mnst defend in a manner all Catholicke truthes agaynst all hereticall innouations I am ashamed to say that we are forced to defend that Christ is come agaynst the Iewes that he is of the same snbstance with his father and Homoousios agaynst the Arrians yea and that there is anye Christ or God at all agaynst the Politiques and Atheistes Yet vndoubtedlye if euer there were anye neede euen when Epicurus sect moste florished to proue a God a hell or a heauen then surely is there now when heresye is growne so ripe and the infinite sectes and diuisions so spread besyde new daylye vprisinge that the varietye of religions hath abolished almost all religion and the vncertaintye which emongest so many is truest hath made the greatest parte of our contrey to beleeue none at all Yea and we see the liues consciences and dispositions of men in this behalfe to be at suche a staye that should the Prince but commaunde them to adore Mahomett or renewe the memorye of the olde Godds and Goddesses as Iupiter Iuno Venus with the rest of that crew there would be thousandes as readye to embrace them and seeme as zealous in their seruice as now they be in a belief of they can not tell what them selues And this in truthe is the ende and last stepp that heresie bringeth men vnto Seinge therfore that Peters shipp now sayleth not agaynst the wynde of one euill spirite or agaynst the streame of one fludde of heresye but agaynst all the pestilent spirittes of former ages and agaynst the maigne streame of all heresye It is no lesse necessarye then glorious for vs to employe our last endeuours to the defence thereof And thincke our limmes happelye lost our bloode blessedlye bestowed our lyues most honorablye spent in this so noble and in important a businesse And how beit it maye seeme much for men of one age to fighte with the enemyes of so many for Catholikes of one beliefe to encounter with hoastes and armyes of all sundrye sectes yett this comfort we haue to encourage vs that first as some medicines there be of such qualitye that they are not onlye profitable for this or that disease but haue a generall and common force aganst all so sayeth Hillarius the Catholicke fayth not onlye agaynst euerye heresye but agaynst them all hath so vniuersall a remedye that nether the straunge kynde of the disease can hinder it nor the nūber ouercome it nor the varietye deceyue it but one electuarye serueth it agaynst all hereticall pestilences which is the vnfallible assistance of Gods spiritt Secondlye we fight agaynst suche as deriue their petegree from the offalles and condēned castawayes of Gods Chuche whose weapons and wardes hauinge bene seuerallye blunted and broken by the Champions of former tymes they are lesse able to offend vs or defend theire vnhappye posteritye Whereas on the other syde we are coūtergarded with the assistance of so vnuīcible aydes that as hitherto they could neuer be discomfited so is ther no possibillitye that they should be hereafter And firste what an assured defence of our cause haue we by that continuall and neuer interrupted descent and succession of Bishopps in the sea of Rome of whom from S. Peters tyme vntill this daye we are able from tyme to tyme to giue a certayne accounte to shew of euery one the same beliefe that they haue from hand to hand deliuered vnto vs without chaunge or alteration as agaynst the impious obliquies of heretiques of our tyme Bellarminus learnedlye sheweth in the fourth booke of of his first Tome and third controuersye This sayeth Ireneus confoundeth all heretickes who were alwayes them selues the first and often tymes the last pretensed Bishoppes of theire beliefe nether laufullye descended from anye Apostle nor orderlye installed in their cathedral seates but intruded by them selues with-out anye vsuall creation This same doth S. Hierom S. Epiphanius and S. Augustine oppose against sectaries for an vncōquerable engine as in
expanges vngulae fodiant cruces suspendant ignes lambant gladij guttura detruncent bestiae insiliant Paratus est ad omne supplicium ipse habitus orantis Christiani Whyle we are thus prayinge with our armes spread abroade lett the hookes digge vs the Gibbetes hang vs the fyers consume vs the swordes cutt our throates the beastes flye vppon vs the verye behauiour of a Christian in prayer sheweth him readye to all kynde of tormentes A wyse shipmaister when he setteth forth from the shore and goeth to sea layinge asyde the remembrance of wyfe children house and familye employeth his bodye and mynd onlye to the due performance of his office in auoydinge the daungers and directinge his shippe to a gaynfull hauen You are now lanched out of the porte of worldlye prosperitye into the sea of temporall discomforte in Gods cause and therefore it behoueth you to vncomber your selues of all earthlye cares You must displaye the sayle of your soule vppon the mast of Christes Crosse betake you to the tacklinge of vertue keepe your hande vppon the sterne of good order and discipline and beinge aparted from earth lifte vp your eyes towarde heauen You must directe your course by the motion of the starres and planettes that is by the example of former Saintes that so hauinge Christ for your Pilott the inspirations of the holy Ghost for your gale you maye goe through the stormes of persecution ouercome the surges of worldlye pleasure passe the shelfes of alluringe occasions auoyde the shipwracke of deadlye offence and finallye safelye arryue to the porte of lyfe and perfitt repose Now is the tyme wherof the spouse in person of the Churche sayde Surge Aquilo veni Auster perfla hortum meum et fluant aromata illius Arise north and come southwynde blowe my gardeyne and lett the spice therof flow downe These windes now blow it is now tyme that the spice fall the vertues constant examples of Saints that laye hidden and couered amongst the leaues be with this persecution shaken from them and layde open for euery one to gather We must now ascend ad Montem mirrhae to the mounte of mirrhe which is in taste bitter and Ad collem Thuris to the hill of frankincense that giueth no sweete sauour but whē it is by fyer resolued Our heauenly smith hath now brought vs into the forge of triall and kyndled the coales of persecution to proue whether we be pure golde and fitt to be layde vp in his trea surye Now whyle this winde is stirring commeth the winnoer with his fanne to see who is blowen awaye lyke lyghte chaffe and who resisteth to the blastes lyke massye wheate That which lyeth hidd in the younge blade of corne is displayed in the ripe eare that which is concealed in the flower is vttered in the fruite Many beleeuers are deemed aequall whome triall prooueth of vnequall fayth the tribunall sheweth what was couered in the budd agreeablye to that sayinge by theire fruite you shall knowe them Manye flowers promise a multitude of fruite but when they are once putt to the proofe by stormes of wynde verye few perseuer to the full grouth So manye seeme faythfull in the calme of the Churche but when the blastes of aduersitye bluster agaynst them few are founde in the fruite of martirdome The conninge of the Pilott is not knowne till the tempest riseth nor the Captaynes courage till the warre beginneth nor the Catholickes constancye till the Persecutor rageth Persecution as Tertullian noteth is Pala quae Dominicam aream purgat scilicet ecclesiam confusum aceruum fidelium euentilans discernens frumentum martirum paleas negatorum The shulue which purgeth our Lordes floore that is the Church fāning the confused heape of the faithfull and seueringe the corne of Martirs from the chaffe of deniers This is the ladder which Iacob dreamed of which shewed to some the waye into heauen and to others the descent into hell This is the water of contradiction by which Gods seruauntes are proued according to that Probasti in tentatione iudicasti ad aquas contradictionis Thou hast taken triall by tentation and iudged vs at the waters of contradiction This is the water at which our heauenlye Gedeon trieth who are fitt soldiers to assist him agaynst the Madianites and he seuereth such as fall on theire knees for greedines and thirst of worldly vanityes from those that reach with their hande so much onlye as their necessity requireth Of whome God sayeth in tre centis viris qui lambuerunt aquas liberabo vos In those three hundred men that haue licked the waters will I deliuer you S. Chrisostome reporteth that the shepherdes of Capadocia for the care they haue of their flockes many times lye three dayes together couered with snow and they of Libia are contented whole monethes to wander after their flockes in those desertes that are full of cruell wilde beastes preferring the care of their catell before their owne daungers How much more are the Pastores yea al the Catholikes of this time boud to endure the pinchinge and freesinge colde of what aduersitye soeuer yea and the hazardes of cruell persecutors that lyke wylde beastes haue turned this vinevard of our contrye into a bar ren desert rather thē to suffer so much as in vs lyeth Christes flocke ether to be scandalized by our example or destitute of our necessarye endeuours For as in a serious earnest battayle wher vppon the state of the common welth depended and the King him selfe were in cōplet harnesse with his weapons ready in person to fight for his kingdōe If anye of his nobles should come into the fielde with a fanne of fethers in steed of a buckler and a poesye of flow ers in steede of a sworde and in euerye other respect more like a carpet knight then a man of armes The Kinge could not but take it in verye euill parte So surelye must Christ if in this spirituall warre agaynst his Churche for which he fought in person and receyued so manye woundes we should looke on more lyke worldly wantones then true soldiers and not be as readye as our Kinge Capteyne to venture our liues in the same quarell Now therefore is the tyme that it standeth vs vppon to shew proofe of our selues Now must it be knowne whether we be vasa in honorem or contumeliam Vessels of honour or reproch whether we be signed with the name of the lambe or touched with the marke of the beast Antichriste whether we be of the wheate or of the cockle and finallye whether we belong to the flocke of Christ or to the herd of Beliall Cap. 8. And a thousande tymes happye are you whose prisons are proofes whose cheynes are pledges of your future immortallitye A thousand tymes happye I saye whose estate is both glorious here a sure waye to an vnspeak able glorye of the worlde to come For as S.
Ciprian sayeth Longo temporum ductu glorias vestras non subtrahitis sed augetis tot vestras laudes quot dies quot mentium curricula tot incrementa meritorum By the longe tract of tyme you diminishe not your glorye but increase it So manye are your prayses as dayes so many encreases of merites as courses of monethes Of you there is no doubt whether you be for the barne or for the fyer for you being there layde vpp lyke cleane wheate and precious corne Hospitium carceris horreum computatis Your lodginge of the prison you accounte your barne For though the prisons be in them selues foldes of Satan to harbour his lewde flocke yett when the cause ennobleth the name of a prisoner the prisoner abolisheth the dishonour of the place What thing of olde more odious then the Crosse what place more abhorred then the mounte Caluarie what roomes more reprochefull then the Criptes grottes and dungeons of Saintes Yett now what thing more honorable then the holye Crosse what place more reuerenced then the foresayde mounte what sanctuaries more desired then the dungeons of Saintes So doth God defeate the Deuill of his vsuall hauntes and of kenels ordeyned for the couching of his hell houndes frameth mansions of greate merite portes of saluation for his owne seruaunts A reprochefull thing it is to be cheyned in sinne gyued in wickednesse and shutt vpp in the deadlye prison of mortall offence A miserable thing it is to be enthralled in the vassalage of the deuill in the seruile subiection to our lawlesse appetites and in the slauishe bondage of worldlye vanityes But O pedes faeliciter vincti qui itinere salutari ad Paradisum dirrigantur O pedes compedibus trauersarijs interim cunctabundi sed celeriter ad patriam glorioso itinere cursuri O feete happelye cheyned which are directed a safe waye to paradyse O feete for a tyme foreslowed with fetters and boltes but shall hereafter with a glorious iorneye swiftelye runne vnto their contrye Honorable it is in Gods quarell to be abridged of bodilye libertye for mainteyning the true libertye and freedome of our soule The birdes beinge vsed and naturallye delighted with the full scope of the ayre though they be neuer so well fedd in the Cage yett are they all wayes pooringe at euery cranie to see whether they maye escape For why they vnderstand not that in the Cage they are both surer from the kyte hauke and fouler then abroade neyther marke they the benefitt of theire assured repayre from harde weather and worse foode But for a reasonable creature and withall a Christian Catholicke so much to affecte a daungerous libertye as not to accounte of the benefitt of his prison in so good a cause it can not but be thought an imperfection especiallye consideringe how manye perils of our soule are cutt of and how highlye our spirituall welfare is aduaunced Lett vs not in this be lyke the senselesse byrdes but rather imitate them in an other propertye which is that in the cage they not onlye singe their naturall note both sweetlyer and oftener then abroade but learne also diuerse other farre more pleasant and delightsome So we both keepe and oftener practise our wonted deuotions and besydes learne new exercises of vertue both for our owne comfort and example of other And when might you so freelye range emongest the quires of Angels as when you are sequestred from the distractions of vaine companye when could you take a fuller repast of the sweete fruites of prayer and contemplation then when the onions garlicke and fleshe pottes of Egipt are farthest out of sent and sight Your eyes are not to much troubled with impious and wicked sightes your eares not annoyed with bloodye outcryes and heynous blasphemies You are quitt from many scandals and seuered from occasion of diuers tentations Finallye thincke not of the name of a prison and you shall finde it a retyringe place fittest to serue God If it restrayne you of temporall comfortes your bootye is gainfull that by losse of transitorye deserue eternall If your bodye be chastised your soule is cherished and the pyninge of the one is the pamperinge of the other You forsake a paradyse of of poysening delightes for a place that yeldeth cause of grounded and true solaces Yea and as Tertullian noteth if you way from whence you came and where you are you shall fynd that you are rather deliuered out then committed into prison Greater darknesse hath the worlde which inueigleth and blindeth not onlye the eyes but the hartes of men Heuyer cheynes and shackles doth the worlde lay on vs which doe fetter and entangle our verye soules Farr worse ordure and stenche doth the worlde breath out I meane ribaldrye carnallitye and all kynde of brutishe behauiour Finallye more prisoners guiltye persons hath the worlde the whole generation of mankynde not to be iudged by the vmpiershippe of anye earthlye magistrate but by the censure and verdicte of almighty God Happye therfore are you if you can recken your selues translated out of prison into a place of preseruation which if it be combred with darcknesse your selues are lampes to light it If it charge you with gyues yett are you loose and vnbound towardes God If you be pestered with vnsauery smell you are frankincense and sauour of sweetnesse If it affright you with expectatiō of iudges Your selues hereafter shall iudge nations and rule ouer peoples With this saying of Tertullian doth S. Ciprian agree O blessed prison sayeth he which your presence hath honored O blessed prison that sendeth the men of God to heauen O darknesse brighter then the sunnne it selfe and more cleere then the light of this worlde where the temples of God are now placed and your members sanctified with your diuine confessions of your fayth Lett them complayne of the difficultyes of the prison that haue fastened their affection vpon worldlye vanityes A Christian Catholicke euen out of prison hath renounced the worlde in his baptisme and it litle importeth in what place he be in the world who by promise and profession hath vowed neuer to be of it Lett them complayne of the prison that knowe not the glorye and soueraigne prerogatiue of that place but for a Catholike that hath Christ for his auctor the Apostles for his witnesses all former Saintes for testimonyes howe honorable it is to suffer in Gods quarell It is a greate shame not to thincke worthilye and reuerentlye therof One that knoweth not the vertue of herbes when he walketh in the fieldes or hils without any regard treadeth vnderfoote whatsoeuer groweth in his waye making no more accounte of one herbe then of an other but if he come into a Phisicians house where he seeth manye not onlye holsome herbes but to his thinckinge stronge and vnsauerye weedes he neuerthelesse conceyueth that there is in them some secrett vertue to cure diseases And if he see the experience of theire operation muche more accounteth
he of them and wheras before he trampled with contempt vppon them he now would be as carefull to gather them Euen so one that knoweth not the vertue and honour of the Crosse cheynes prisons of Christ despiseth and abhorreth them as contemptible dishonorable thinges but if he come into this schoole of our heauenlye Phisician I meane the scripture and there see these thinges had in accounte and view the strange operation of them not onlye in Christ him selfe but in S. Paule S. Ihon Baptist others how can he choose but haue them in greate esteeme and be readye if occasion serue to trye the force thereof in his owne selfe howsoeuer the ignorant iudge them as vnprofitable weeds and badges of disgrace What place of more price then Kinges Pallaces yea what place so glorious as heauen and yett S. Chrisostome sayeth that kings courtes and heauen it selfe yeldeth to the glory of the prison that harboreth Christes prisoner For as the Princes presence honoreth the basest cottage and maketh it more esteemed and resorted vnto then the most statelye buildinges So the presence of Gods prisoner in the most infamous dungeon maketh it a courte and resorte of Angels and a paradyse where God him selfe delighteth to walke and taketh pleasure in the constancye of his afflicted seruantes For such is the honor that the cheynes giue him that is a captiue in Gods quarell that his roome what soeuer it be is honorable and he by his fetters more richely adorned then he could be with anye Princely or imperiall robes Mardocheus was not so much honored with Assuerus royall garmentes nor Salomon so glorious in his costliest habitt nor Herode so adorned when he sought in his gorgeous attyre to boast him selfe for a god as S. Ihon Baptist was when he had atchiued that title Ioannes in vinculis Ihon in cheynes Yea imagin not onlye what pompe hath of any Emperour or worldly potentate ben shewed In golde iewels or anye ornamentes of highest price but also what might be shewed if mans wishe might be putt in execution yett maye it still be sayed with S. Chrisostom Pudet diuitias et auream munditieÌ„ huiusmodi conferre vinculis I am ashamed to compare riches or the purenesse of golde with such cheynes For in truth they are but base comparisons in respect of other things of greter preeminence whiche neuerthelesse amouÌ„t not to the dignitye of beinge cheyned for Gods cause It was a great prerogatiue to be an Apostle a Doctour an Euanglist It was a singuler fauour to be rapt into paradyse and to the third heaâ—en to heare secrettes that it is not lawfull for man to speake It was a rare priuiledge to heale anye disease not onlye with the touch of his handes but with the touche of his verye handkerchers and girdles And yett S. Chrisostome of these thinges sayeth Admiranda quidem fuerunt ista sed non qualia illa Cae sum autem multis plagis coniecerunt in carcerem Merueylous thinges were these but not lyke to those other whipped with manye stripes they cast him into prison And this S. Paule him selfe seemed to acknowledge in thâ—t he writinge to Philemon he omitteth his vsuall style of Paulus Apostolus or seruus Iesu Christi Paule an Apostle or seruant of Iesus Christ begineth his epistle with Paulus vinctus Iesu Christi Paule a prisoner of Iesus Christ. Wherin he seemeth to follow the custome of great personages who when from inferiour dignityes they are enhanced to more honorable titles they alwayes in theire letters omitting the other sett downe their principall style proper to theire new atchiued prefermente But now to speake of the highest glorye whiche men chiefely esteeme what place more acceptable then heauen what seate more to be wished then the thrones on Gods right hande what company comparable to the felowshippe of Angells what dignitye so greate as to be one of the celestiall spirittes that haue theire roome next vnto God And yet S. Chrisostom thought S. Paules prison a worthyer place his clogges and cheynes worthyer seates his fellowe captiues more honorable companye and the state of Christes prisoner a more surpassing dignitie And if you aske the cause he will answere for that it is more glorious to a stout soldier more pleasant to a true louer to suffer for their Captayne and laboure in seruice of their Loue then to be honoured by them Potius mihi habetur affici pro Christo quam honoraria Christo. I account it more honorable sayeth he for Christ to be trobled then of Christ to be honored For if Christ becomminge man stripping him selfe in a manner of his maiestye thought it not so honorable to be in his glorye as for vs vppon the Crosse how much more ought we to deeme it a singuler preferment to suffer for his sake The Apostles did greatlye reioyce that they were vouchsafed with this honour Ibant gaudentes a conspectu consilij quod digni habiti sint pro nomine Iesu contumeliam pati They wente reioycing from the presence of the couÌ„cell for that they were thoughte worthye to suffer reproche for the name of Iesus But we neuer reade that they so reioyced at their power ouer deuils the gyfte of miracles or other lyke especiall fauours which well declareth how muche they prised theire persecution more then theire authoritye And therfore Christ sayde Beati estis not for commaunding deuils not for raysinge the dead or healing the lame or working of infinite wonders But beati estis cum maledixerint vobis homines persecuti vos fuerint dixerint omne malum aduersus vos mentieÌ„tes propter me You are blessed wheÌ„ men hate you and persecute you and speake all the euill they can agaynste you belying you for my sake But if it were a blessednesse to worke wonders in this respect also the cheynes of Christ were able to make vs blessed What greater miracles then for those that are fast bounde to vnloose for those that haue their handes manacled and theire feete fettered to shake the foundations of the prison to open without key or other materiall instrument locked fast barred dores To vncheyne not onlye the fast bound bodyes but the enthralled captiue soules What stranger thing then the same cheyne that byndeth the bodye in earthe to bynde the soule to God in heauen to make a prison of miscreantes a church of Christians and the nest of vipers a nurcerye of Saintes What greater wonder then Iaylours to desire to be vnbounde by theire cheyned Captiues and yelde them selues voluntarye prisoners to those whome they violentlye kept in durance And if these seeme smale matters consider what reuereÌ„ce the verye senselesse and vnreasonable creatures beare vnto Christes cheynes The Viper durst not stinge the hand of S. Paule that those cheynes had bound Nether tempest storme sea nor shipwracke coulde drowne those passengers whome these cheynes defended How did Felix tremble and quake at
ended his lyfe Diocletian after manye diseases in the ende consuminge a waye fell mad and killed himselfe his house was burnt vpp with fyre from heauen Antiochus President vnder Aurelian whyle S. Agapitus was in martyring cryinge that he burned within sodaynly gaue vpp the ghost Flaccus the Prefect after the martrydome of Gregorye Byshoppe of Spoleto stroken by an Angell did vomit out his intrailes Dioscorus S. Barbaraes Father was burnt vpp with fire from heauen for his butcherye towardes his daughter for her faythe That nyghte wherin S. Chrisostome was exiled the Citye of Constantinople and especiallye that parte where the Emperours Pallace stoode was so shaken with an earthequake that they were glad to call him backe agayne When Valens the Arrian Emperoure would haue chased the Catholikes out of the same Citye there fell suche a hayle of stones that it had lyke to haue destroyed it I omitt the horrible endes of Antiochus Herode Iulianus Apostata of which the fyrst two were eaten vpp with vermin the other being stroken miraculously with an arrowe from heauen the earth opened breakinge out with fyery flames swallowed him quicke into hell as S. Gregorye Nazianzen writeth Wherfore consider you also that persecute Catholiks in Englande how easye it is for God to practise the lyke punish-mentes vppon you as the examples of some haue sufficientlye already geuen you warning Remember the sodayne and horrible deathe of one Yonge an Apostata and Pourswivaunt who pursuing a Catholike at Lambeth fell doune on the sodayne ere he could laye handes on him that he persecuted and foming at the mouthe presentlye dyed Remember Iustyce Bromlye whoe after he condemned in Wales a Catholike Schoolmaster called Richard White became soone after bethered and childish and neuer sat in Iudgement synce but remayneth still in that impotente takinge The Iurye also that went vppon him after a while dyed eyther all or the most parte And the clarke of the Assyse was so strooken in his eyes that he could not reade the endytement Consyder the deathe of Norton your rackmaister who vppon his death bed in desperat maner cryed out that he was racked more cruellye then euer he racked any to omitt that which to his sonne and his wyfe befell to the more apparent reuenge of hys crueltye Consyder the accidente that befell to Blythe a man of speciall authority in the councel of Yorke who when a Prieste comminge to the barre made the signe of the Crosse spake in derision therof very vnreuerent wordes with in a fewe howers fallinge downe a large payer of stayers in the presidents house lyued not manye dayes after Remember the iuste reuenge of God agaynste Cheeke and Hurlestone the cheefe agents in the apprehension cōdemnation executiō of M. Inglebye Prieste notorious enemyes of Catholikes of which the fyrst suruiued not longe after and the seconde goinge to speake with the Bishope at his house without Yorke hauing sente one in to aduertyse hym of his cōming when the messenger returned was found dead with so vntolerable a sauour that the verye ground where he laye as it is crediblye reported retayned the stench and they were fayne to drawe him awaye with longe ropes at a boates tayle in the riuer not being able to indure him in the boate for the extreme bad sent that came frō him I omitt Iudge Alephe who sitting to keepe the place when the other Iudges retyred while the Iurye consulted aboute the condemnation of Father Campian and his companye pullinge of his gloue founde all his hande and hys seale of Armes bloodye without anye token of range pricking or hurte and being dismayed therwith because with wipinge it went not a waye but still returned he shewed it to the Gentle men that sat before him who can be witnesses of it till this daye and haue some of them vppon theyr faythes and credites auouched it to be true Yea and he him selfe soone after by deathe was cutt of frō so bloodilie occupying that roome anye longer I omitt the straunge and sodayne deathes of the chiefe knightes gentlemen in Deuon shiere who presently vpon their cruell vniuste handelinge producing certayne Catholike straūgers by Gods Iustice soone dyed to the terrour of others were appayed with they re due reuenge I omit the wonderful stay and standing of the Thames the same day that Father Campian and his companye were martyred to the great maruayle of the Cittizens and maryners I omit the lyke staye of the ryuer Trente about the same tyme. Which accidents though some will impute to other causes yet happening at such speciall times when so open vnnaturall iniustice was dōne they cānot be but interpreted as tokens of Gods indignation For doe not thincke but that he hath as much care of his seruantes nowe as in former Ages he had he is as much enemy to wickednesse now as then he was and no lesse able to reuenge that whiche he mislyketh then heretofore he hath bene as the rehearsed exāples maye geue you proofe We speake not this in waye of daring For as Tertullian sayde to Scapula non vos terremus qui nec timemus sed velimus vt omnes saluos facere possimus monendo mi theoma chin We fright you not for we feare you not But our desire is to helpe all to saluation and to warne them not to bid God battayle The Priestes and Catholickes whome you persecute are stones that God throweth at you to make you by they re example and exhortation to leaue feedinge vppon the carryon of sinne and heresye But you like enraged houndes breake your teeth vppon the stone not considering the hande that threw it But as for vs our countes are caste and oure reckoninge knowne this only I speake to warne you of your erroure If God suffer you while you breake your owne teeth to worow also vs to butcher our bodyes we know he dothe it not for our harme But S. Chrisostome well sayeth that as the cunning artificer to abetter an image doth first melte and disolue it to cast it afterwarde in a more perfecte moulde So God permitteth oure fleshe by you to be mangled to make it more glorious in the seconde casting And as a cunninge imbroderer hauinge a peece of torne or fretted veluet for his ground so contryueth and draweth his worke that the fretted places being wroughte ouer with curious knottes or flowers they farr excel in shew the other whole partes of the veluet So God being to worke vpon the groūde of our bodyes by you so rente dismembred will couer the ruptures breaches wounds which you haue made with so vnspeakable glory that the whole partes which you lefte shal be highlye beautifyed by them And as the paperer of olde rottē shreddes often times gathered out of vncleane dunghils by his industrie maketh so fyne white and cleane paper that it is apte to receyue anye curious drawinge paynting or limminge so oure scattered
shall crye vnto me and I will heare they re cryes And my furye shall take indignation and I will stryke you with the sworde and your wyues shal be widdowes and your children orphans Yea and I will meate the enemyes of my churche with they re owne fleshe and they shall be dronken with theyr owne bloode as it were with newe wyne Remember what is sayde in the booke of wisdome Condemnat iustus mortuus viuos impios One iust man dead coÌ„demneth many wicked yet alyue They shall see sayeth Salomon the end of the wise man and shall not vnderstande what God hath determined of him and whye our Lord did protecte him They shall see and shall contemne him but our Lord shall laugh them to scorne And after these thinges they shal fall without honour with reproch amongst the dead for euer for he shal burste theÌ„ puffed vpp without voyce he shall moue theÌ„ from the very foundations shall bring them to vtter desolation And they shall grone and theyr memorye shall perish Thus hath it happened to persecutours of former tymes who haue as is shewed euen with theyr posteritye bene rooted out for they re cruelty shewed to their mother the Churche Neyther can suche stepchildren euer prosper accordinge to that saying of Christe Omnis plantatio quam non plantauit Pater meus eradicabitur And that of Salomon Spuria vitulamina non dabunt radices altas nec stabile firmamentum collocabunt All planting that my Father hath not planted shal be rooted vp And bastard slypps shal neuer take deepe roote nor be setled in any stayed suerty RemeÌ„ber that he which speaketh these things is able to ê‘forme theÌ„ doubtlesse will doe it if you wil not cease to deserue it Cap. 16. BVT Now to returne to you moste glorious Confessors remeÌ„ber who sayd vnto you Feare you not my litle flocke For the aduersaries of our Lord shal be afrayed of him more then you of them and he will thunder from heauen vppon them He wil tourne they re lyghteninges into rayne of consolation And if here he measure the waters of your short miseries with his closed fiste heauen and his eternall rewardes he will measure vnto you with his open span If here he hath made darkenesse his secrete place he will afterwarde shew himselfe vnto you clothed with lighte as with a garmente and will make the comfortlesse deserte wherin you nowe dwell as it were a place of delights and the wildernesse of your desolation as the garden of our Lorde In the meane tyme you muste be contented to saye with Iob I haue bene a brother vnto Dragons and a felowe of Ostriges taking well they re euill vsage and requitinge Dragons spite with brotherlye charitye and the vnnaturalnesse of the Ostrige that as the Scripture sayeth is hardened against her yonglinges as thoughe they were not hers with friendlye demeanour dutifull subiection Remember what S. Gregorye sayth Abel esse non potest quem Caini malitia non exercet rosa quae redolet crescit cum spina que pungit Abel he cannot be that is not exercysed by the malice of Cayne the rose whose pleasant sauour delighteth groweth with a stalke whose prickle woundeth God will not be angrye for euer neyther will he all wayes conteyn in wrath his mercyes Adhuc paululum modicumque consummabitur indignatio mea furor meus super scelus eorum Iuxta est dies perditionis adesse festinant tempora Yett a litle whyle and a verye shorte space and my wrath sayeth he shal be consummated and my rage vppon the enormitye of mine enemyes The daye of theyr destructioÌ„ is nere and the tymes hasten to be at hande And then shall the burthen be taken from your shoulders and the yoke from youre necke Then shall God afford you a crowne of glorye in stead of the ashes of your disgrace Oyle of ioye for your mourning and a garmente of prayse for the spirite of heauines Happy therfore is he that drinketh in the way of the torreÌ„t of martirdome for he shall lifte vp his heade to an vnspeakeable crowne Hapye is he that is quasi torris raptus ex incendio lyke a fyre brand snatched out of the flame of persecution because with a most fortunate vyolence is he caryed brighte with an enflamed charitye to the presence of God Happye is he that sucketh honye out of this rock and oyle out of this most harde stone For by the taste of this honye shall his eyes be opened as it hapened to Ionathaâ— and he shall see the yoake of all miserye rott awaye from the face of this oyle Finally blessed is he that with Dauid can saye my mouth sayde in my tribulation I will offer vpp vnto the holocaustes full of marow yelding himselfe with Isaac as a perfecte sacryfyce rather then our mother the Churche shold want lyuing hoastes euen of her owne children to offer when God shall appoynte it for the confirmation of his trueth For withe suche hoastes is Gods fauoure earned And seeinge that persecutioÌ„ in Gods cause is a signe that you are Sathans enemyes sith he thus pursueth you That you are Gods children sith he thus chastiseth you Seeinge that you haue Christes example to encourage you the necessarye miseryes of this world to make you willing the auoyding of greater paynes due vnto your sinnes to comforte you seing your cause is so good the estate of the persecuted so honorable in Gods Churche imprisonmente glorious martirdome pretious in it selfe profitable to the Churche and so beneficiall to the sufferers and last of all your finall rewarde so ample and greate what remayneth but for you to reioyce in somanye tytles of consolation happelye to continew that which you haue fortunatlye begonne For as S. Cyprian seyeth Parum est adipiscialiquid potu isse plus est quod adeptus es posse seruare It is a small matter to haue ben able to gett a thinge more it is to be able to keepe it when it is once gotten Now is the time that many of our forfathers haue desyred to lyue in that is when they might not only profitt the Churche by example of they re lyfe and by vertue of they re preachinge but also which they accounted most to be desyred by effusioÌ„ of their blood WheÌ„ Englande was Catholike it had manye glorious Confessors It is now for the honour and benefit of our countrye that it be also well stored with the number of Martyrs and we haue God be thanked suche martyrquellers now in authoritye as meane if they may haue they re will to make Saynctes enough to furnishe all our Churches with treasure wheÌ„ it shall please God to restore them to they re true honoures I doubte not but eyther they or they re posteritye shall see the verye prisons and places of executioÌ„ places of reuerence