Let vs therefore take this buckler too repulse and put backe all feares wherewith wee are assayled and let vs not restraine the power of Gods spirite too so narrowe a scantling that we thinke not but that he will easily ouercom al mens cruelties And hereof amongst others we had an notable example in our time not too bee forgotten This is called also Dornick A certain young man who dwelt here with vs beeing taken in the Citie of Tournay was condemned to bee but beheaded if he recanted and too bee burned aliue yf he continued in his opinion When hee was asked what he woulde do he aunswered simply Hee that shall geue me grace too dye paciently for his name he wyll geue mee grace to endure the fier We ought too esteeme this sentence not as the sentence of a mortall man but as a sentence of the holy Ghost to the ende too assure our selues that GOD is as able to strengthen vs and too make vs too ouercome all tormentes as too mooue vs too take any other kinde of meeker death in good part Which is more we see often tymes what constancie he geueth to poore malefactours who suffer for their offences I speake not of the obstinate but of those which comfort themselues in the grace of Iesus Christ and by this meane receiue with peaceable heart the most grieuous punishement that can de doone vnto them As we may see a notable example thereof in the Theefe who was conuered at the death of our Lorde Iesus Christe GOD who so mightily assisteth poore offenders beeing worthily punished for their misdeedes wyll he faile his who fight for his cause that he wil not geue them an inuincible power The third point concerning the promises that GOD hath made to his Martyrs is of the fruite that they ought too hope for of their sufferinges and in the ende if neede be of death it selfe Nowe this fruite is after that hee hath glorified his name edified his Church through theyr cōstancie when they shal be gathered with the Lord Iesus Christ into his immortal glory But because that wee haue spoken more fully of it before it is enough nowe too bring it in our remembrance Wherfore let the faithfull learne too lifte vp theyr heades on high too this crown of immortality glory whervnto God doth call them to the end that he do them no hurte in making them to forsake theyr present life for such a rewarde and to be assured of this inestimable benefite let them alwayes haue before their eyes this conformitie which they haue with our Lorde Iesus too beholde life in the middest of death as he by the opprobrye and shame of the crosse came too that glorious resurrection in whiche consisteth al our felicitie ioye and triumphe ⧠The third Sermon shewing how the Faithfull ought too esteeme the beeyng in the Churche of GOD where they haue free libertie purely to woorship God gathered vpon the theame of the 27. Psalme I haue required one thing of the Lorde Ver. 4. and that I wil require it is that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my lyfe too the end I may he hold the beautie of the Lord and may visite his holy Temple I is woonderfull what a diuersitie a man shall finde in mens desires and yet notwithstāding there is one thing wherein all agree and iumpe togeather and that is to bee occupied here beneth in the worlde Euery man may well haue his marke and meane by hymselfe but this vanitie raigneth ouer all not to seeke their good and felicitie any where else but in this corruptible life The which sheweth that men are wonderful brutish For wee are created too an ende altogeather contrary and that is that hauing our conuersatiō in this worlde wee shoulde aspyre to that heauenly kingdome of GOD. And this is the cause why this present life is called a pilgrimage or away Wherefore whosoeuer will not depriue him selfe wittingly and willingly of the euerlasting inheritaunce of the kingdom of God hee must beginne at this point too cut of all foolyshe desires and light thoughtes whereby hee may bee occupied and witholden in this worlde so as his principall desire be to draw neare vnto God and that nothing at the least hinder vs from making haste thither I say at the least forasmuch as it were very requisite that all our earthly affections which do nothing but cause vs to drawe backe from God were fully rooted out of our heartes to the ende wee maye runne through swiftly in this voyage wee haue too perfourme But because we are so farre of from hauing a minde that is pure and voyde from all affections it remayneth in the seconde place that wee ouercome all the lettes that may hinder vs and followe our course howsoeuer it be so as in the middest of our infirmities we doe neuerthelesse preferre the heauenly life before all that is in this world It remaineth nowe that we see by what meanes wee may attayne theereto Nowe this is not in vs to deuise but we must take these which God hath ordeined of which the most principall are named heereby Dauid to wit the order and pollicie that God hath established in his Churche that we be taught by his woorde that wee woorship him all with one accorde and cal vpon him and haue the vse of the Sacramentes to ayde vs herevnto And thus must wee be exercised too the ende we way bee better better confirmed in the faith in the feare of God in holynesse in the contempt of this worlde and in the loue of the heauenly life And to this purpose and none other tendeth this that Dauid protesteth that he hath a desire aboue all to dwel in the temple of God For vnder this woorde of the Temple he comprehendeth the libertie of hauing freedome purely to worship God with the faithful to make confession of his faith to pray to be a partaker in the sacraments For God for this time had chosen a certaine place in which he woulde that men shoulde sacrifice vntoo him shoulde doe him homage protesting that they accounted him for theyr alone God were instructed in his lawe had the testimonies of his presēce And indeede he sufficiently expresseth what regard he had in desiring to dwell in the Temple when hee addeth that he was in the beautie of God Wherein he sheweth that the Temple of it selfe was nothing but that he rested him selfe in the vse whereto it was consecrated and appointed If we thinke that he was occupied with a materiall building of wood stone wee shoulde doo him great iniury and wrong For this were to charge him with superstition and not too attribute it to his vertue We ought therefore to bee resolued that hee setteth foorth howe honourably hee esteemed the outwarde order and regiment whereby the faithfull are gouerned in the Church To be short he signifieth that this is an inestimable benefite and a
reioice our selues in the wouÌ„ds of Iesus christ as it were in certain imprinted marks by which God acknowledgeth vs and auoweth vs for his And we know what S. Luke reherseth of S. Peter Iohn Act. 5.42 to wit that they reioyced that they were accounted worthy too suffer infamy reproche for the name of our Lord Iesus Loe two things quite coÌ„trary ignomy dignitie yea inasmuch as the world being mad and outragious iudgeth contrary to all reason and by this meanes turneth the glory of God into dishonour But for our part let vs not refuse coÌ„cerning the world to be defased and basely estemed that we may hereafter be honored before god his angels We see what pain ambitious men take to obteine the order of some king what triuÌ„phes they make therof The sonne of god preseÌ„teth his order vnto vs euery one despiseth it I pray you in doing this are we worthy to haue any thing coÌ„mon with him Our voluptuousnesse is here bitten and can perceiue nothing for these are the true armes of heauenly nobilitie Prisons banishmeÌ„ts cursed spekings import nothing but altogether shame reproch in the faÌ„tasie of men but what shal let vs to look vp vnto that which God hath iudged pronouÌ„ced therof vnles it be our own infidelitie Wherefore let the name of the soÌ„ne of god haue such credit amoÌ„g vs as it deserueth to the end that we may learn to take it for a singular honor that he setteth his marks vpoÌ„ vs otherwise our vnthankfulnesse is intollerable If God handle vs according too our desertes hath hee not iust cause too chastise vs dayly a thousande kinde of wayes yea which is more a hundred thousand deathes were not sufficient for some litle portion of our misdeedes But by his infinite goodnesse he putteth all our faultes vnder his feete and abolisheth them and whereas he might punish vs as we haue deserued he findeth a woÌ„derful meane to cause our afflictions to be turned too our honor a speciall priuiledge forasmuch as thorowe them we are associated and knit into the felowshyp of his sonne And must we not say that when we disdayne such a blessed condition that we haue il profited in the Christian doctrine 1. Pet. 4.15 And this is the reason why S. Peter after that he hath exhorted vs to walke holily in the feare of god that we suffer not as theeues Whoremaisters and Murderers hee addeth by by that if we suffer as Christians therein we glorifie god with that benefite which he hath bestowed vppon vs. It is not without cause that he hath spoken so For who are we I pray you that we shoulde bee witnesses of the trueth of GOD and procurers of the maintenance of his cause Loe we bee poore wormes of the earth creatures ful of vanities and lyes and yet God wil that his trueth be defeÌ„ded by vs which is truly so greate honour that it apperteineth not no not too the angels of Paradise Ought not this consideratioÌ„ alone sufficiently inflame vs to offer vp our selues vnto god seeing that it pleaseth him to imploy vs to so honorable a thing Notwithstanding many cannot withold them selues from reasoning against GOD or at the leaste from making theyr complayntes for that GOD dooth not better supporte theyr weakenesse It is a merueilous matter say they seeing that GOD hath chosen vs for his children how he can suffer that wee shoulde bee so troden vnderfoote and tormented of the wicked I answere although that it appeare not vnto vs wherefore he doth it yet that he ought by good right to haue this authoritie ouer vs to bring vs in to order according to his pleasure But when wee see that Iesus Christe is our patterne ought we not too esteeme it a great blessing to be made like vnto him without any further enquirie Notwithstanding god sheweth vs most euident causes why hee will haue vs to be persecuted When there shal be no other thing but this admonition which S. Peter maketh 1. Pet. 1.7 wee are disdainfull and sturdy enough if wee doo not reste our selues vpon it that is that forasmuch as gold and siluer which are but corruptible meâ—alles are puâ—ged and tried by the fire it is good reason that our faith which excelleth al the riches of the worlde Psalme 110. should be proued God coulde very well crowne vs at the firste dashe without making vs too endure any combates but as hee woulde that Iesus Christe shoulde raigne in the middest of his enimies vntil the end of the world so likewise he would that we being mingled amongst them wee shoulde suffer their wronges and oppressioÌ„s vntill that he shoulde deliuer vs from them I know very well that the fleshe will spurne when it muste be brought to this pointe but yet must the wil of god haue the maisterie If we feele any contradiction in vs we must not woonder at it For this is very naturall too flie the crosse Notwithstanding let vs not cease to go forward knowing that god accepteth our obedience so that we bring vnder and subdue all our senses and desires to the end to make them subiect vnto him for the Prophetes and the Apostles went not so readily to death but that they felte in them selues some desire of falling backe Iohn 21.18 Thou shalt be led thither saith our Sauiour Iesus Christe vnto Peter whyther thou wouldest not So when such feares of death shall pricke vs let vs labour to haue the vpper hand or rather let God ouercome for vs and not withstanding let vs holde our selues assured that this is an acceptable sacrifice vnto him that we resist fight against our affections to the ende we may be wholy at his commaundement And this is the principall warre wherein God wyl haue those that are his to employ them selues that is that they enforce themselues to bring downe all that which exalteth it self in their minds vnderstaÌ„dings too turne them away from the path that is shewed vnto them In the meane time the consolations are so ample that we may well say that wee are more then slouthfull when we faile and waxe faint hearted In olde time a great number of people for the desire of a silly Garland of leaues refused no trauaile no paine nor trouble yea they made no accounte to die Notwithstanding there was not any one of them whiche fought not at aduenture being vncertaine whether he shoulde winne or loose the prise God hath set foorth vnto vs an immortall crowne through which we are made partakers of his glorye Hee meaneth not that we shoulde fight at aduenture but he promiseth vnto vs all such a reward as wee ought specially too desire What occasioÌ„ then haue we to seeke any farther doe we think that it is said in vaine that if we die with Iesus Christ we shal also liue with him The triumph is altogeather like â— Tim. 2. we shun to fight as much as lieth
suche distresse shoulde aske and receiue such wisdome from aboue not folowing their carnall coūsel to seeke a way to escape as they say by any crosse or by pathes There are also which replye that our Sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe answered not to them that asked of him But I say first of al that this serueth not to abolish the rule which he hath geuē vs to make confession of our faith when we are thereto required Secondly I say that he neuer dissembled too saue his life Thirdly that he neuer gaue aunswere soo doubtfull that it did not import sufficient witnesse of that which he had spoken or rather that he had not satified them already which came to aske him further as it were laying nettes to catch him Wherfore let this point remain resolute amongst al christians that is that they ought not to accoūt their liues more deare then the testimony of the trueth inasmuch as God wil be glorified in it Is it in vaine that hee calleth all those witnesses for the worde Martyrs signifieth the same that haue answered to the enimies of the faith Is it not because hee woulde haue them serue too suche purpose And here euery one must not looke to his felow and companion For God doth not shew this honour to all to call them therto And forasmuch as wee are geuen to marke others the more we ought to take heede therof Iohn 21.18 Peter hauing heard at the mouth of our Lord Iesus Christ that he should be led in his old age whether he would not asketh what should become of Iohn his companiō There is none of vs but he would willingly make such a reply For this we imagine by and by Why do I rather suffer then others But contrariwise Iesus Christ exhorteth all in general and euery one in particular alwayes to be ready to the end that as he shall cal either one or other euery man may march forth in his rank order I haue shewed before that we shal be ill appointed to suffer Martyrdom vnlesse that we be armed with Gods promises It remaineth now that we lay out a little more fully whereto they tend not to specify al by peecemeale and exactly but to shew the principal things that god would haue vs to hope for to the end to comfort vs in our afflictions Now these are briefly 3. thinges The first is that forasmuchas our life and death are in his hand that he wil in such sort preserue vs by his power that not one heare of our heades shal fal but by his licence Wherefore the faithfull ought to hold themselues assured into whose handes soeuer they shall come that GOD hath not caste of the sauegard which he hath of theyr persones If suche a perswasion were well imprinted in our heartes we should be deliuered from the most parte of doubtes and perplexities that torment and hinder vs from dooing our duetie Wee see that Tyrantes are let loose and hereuppon it seemeth to vs that God hath no further meane too saue vs For this cause we are tempted to prouide for our selues as though there were no more waiting vppon him But contrarywise his prouidence which he hath declared vnto vs is such as ought to be vnto vs an inuincible fortresse Let vs therefore labour to learne this short sentence that our bodies are in his handes who hath created them For this cause he hath sometimes deliuered his owne after a miraculous manner and beyonde all hope of men as Sidrach Misach and Abednago from the fyery furnace Daniel from the Lions denne Peter from Herodes prison where hee was enchained fettered and kept so straightly By these examples hee woulde testifie vnto vs that he holdeth our enimies bridled though it seeme not so hath power to draw vs out euen frō the mouth middest of death whē he wil. Not because he alwaies doth it But by keeping vnto himselfe the authoritie of disposing of vs both in lyfe and death hee woulde haue vs fully resolued that he hath vs in his keeping in such sort that whether soeuer Tyrantes looke or with what fury soeuer they rushe vppon vs that it is from him onely who is the orderer of our life If he suffer Tyrants to kyll vs it is not because our liues are not deare vnto him and in greater recommendation an hundred fold then it is worthie seeing it is so that he hath pronoūced by the mouth of Dauid Psal 116.15 Esay 26.21 That the death of his Saintes is precious before him sayth also by the mouth Esay That the earth shall disclose the blood which seemed to be hidden Let the enimies therefore of the gospel be as prodigal in shedding the blood of his Martyrs as they will yet shall they render a terrible accounte euen too the last and vttermost drop They doe scornfully mock at this day when they burne the faithful after they haue bathed themselues in their blood they are so drunken therwith that they care nothing at all what murders they commit But if we haue pacience too waite God will shewe in the ende that it is not in vaine that he hath set such an high prise vpon our life In the meane time yf hee doeth vs no euill that it serueth to ratifie his Gospell which in woorthinesse surmounteth heauen earth And the better to assure vs that God leaueth vs not in the handes of Tyrantes as hauing forsaken vs let vs call too minde the sentence of Iesus Christe where he sayth Act. 9.4 that it is hee whom they persecute in his members God had well saide before by Zacharie Zach. 2.8 Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of myne eye But this is yet more plaine that if wee suffer for the Gospell it is as yf the sonne of GOD were there in his owne person Wherefore let vs knowe that Iesus Christe must forget him selfe if hee shoulde not thinke of vs whē wee are in prison or in daunger of death for his cause And let vs knowe that God taketh to his owne heart all the outrages that Tyrauntes do vnto vs as if they were fastened to his owne sonne Let vs come too the seconde point that GOD in his promises hath set foorth vnto vs for our consolation that is that he will so susteine vs by the power of his holy Spirite that our enimies whatsoeuer they do or Satan theyr head yet shall they not get the vpper hande ouer vs. And in deede wee see how he displayeth his graces in suche a neede For suche inuincible constancie as is in the true martyres is a sufficient shewe that GOD worketh mightily in them There are two greeuous thinges to the flesh in persecutions too wit the one the rebukes and shame of men and the other the tormentes that the body endureth But GOD promiseth vs suche assistaunce that through patience we shal ouercome both the one the other And he perfourmeth indeede that which he hath promysed vnto vs.
which hath created al the world hath declared vâ—to vs his will by Moyses by the prophets â—â—â—â—lly by Iesus Christ his apostles we haue 〈…〉 who hath boughâ— vs by his blood through whose grace we hope to be saued All the Idolatries of the world are accursed and execrable hauing nothing but this they weÌ„t stoutly freely either to the 〈◊〉 or to some other kind of death And this was not for 〈◊〉 but in so great troups that the nuÌ„ber of those which went through the hands of tyrants was as it were infinit We aâ—â— for our parts so great clarkes as none can bee greater at the least wee think for indeed coÌ„cerning the vnderstanding of the holy scripture god hath so liberally delt with vs as he hath neuer done with any age NotwithstaÌ„ding ther is hardly found one drop of zeale Now to nourish such slouth there is no other way vnlesse we would willingly and wittingly prouoke the vengeance of God what then must wee doe too gette a good courage We haue to consider in the first place that there caÌ„ be no more pretious a thing before God theÌ„ the coÌ„fession of our faith for we do little know how god esteemeth it wheÌ„ our life which is nothing is more deare vnto vs theÌ„ it And herein we shew a marueilous beastlines For we caÌ„not spare our life in this point but we must coÌ„fesse that it is more esteemed of vs then the honour of God and the saluation of our soules A certayne Heathen had the knowledge to saie that it was a miserable thing to forsake and betray the cause why we liue for the conseruation of our life notwithstanding he and such like neuer knew truely to what end men were placed in this world and wherefore they liued therein It is true that they kâ—â—we well that a man ought to followe vertue that he ought to mainteine him self honestly without blame but all their vertues were nothing else but colloures and shadowes We knowe much better whereto our life ought too be applied to wit that we glorifie God to the ende that he may be our glory without this woe vpon vs and we cannot prolong our life vppon the earth one minute but that wee shall alwayes heape vpon our heades so muche the more malediction Notwithstanding we are nothing ashamed for the redeeming of a fewe dayes for this feeble life to renounce that euerlasting kingdome and to separate our selues from him through whose power we are mainteined in this life If a man aske the veriest idiots yea the most brutishe people of the worlde wherefore it is that they liue they dare not simply say that it is too eate too drinke and to sleepe For all men knowe that they are created to a more noble and excellent ende And what other ende shall we finde out vnlesse it be to honor God and to suffer our selues to bee gouerned by him as children of a good father to the end that after we shall haue finished the voyage of this coruptible life we may bee receiued into his euerlasting inheritaunce And this is the moste principall thing yea and all in all When we make no account thereof and that we are so ill inclyned to a beastly life which is worse then a thousand deathes what can we alleadge for our excuse To liue and not to knowe wherfore this is euen against nature To reiect the causes wherfore we liue for the desire of prolonging our life as it were for three dayes too the ende to liue in this deceitfull worlde and beeing separate from God is such a bewitching and madnesse as I knowe not by what name to cal it But because that persecutioÌ„s ceasse not to be hard bitter vnto vs let vs marke howe and by what meanes christians may strengthen them selues to patience euen to the laying downe of their liues for Gods trueth The text which we haue recyted when it shall bee well vnderstoode is sufficient inough for to leade vs heerevnto Heb. 13.13 Let vs goe foorth saith the Apostle of the Cittie after our Lord Iesus Christe bearing his reproch First of al he exhorteth vs although that the swoordes were not drawen against vs nor fyers kindled for to broile and burne vs that yet we cannot be truely ioyned and knit to the sonne of God so long as we are rooted in this world Wherfore a Christian although he be in quiet yet he must haue one foote alwayes lifted vp to match towardes the battell and not onely this but hee must haue his affection withdrawen from the worlde although that his body dwell therein Admit that this at the first fight seeme vnto vs very blunt yet ought we well to content our selues with this word of S. Paule that is That wee are called and appointed to suffer persecution 1. Thes 3.3 As if he should say that such is the conditioÌ„ of our Christianitie that we must needes enter in and passe thorow this path if we will followe Iesus Christ In the meane time too ease our infirmitie too sweeten and mitigate the trouble and heauinesse that persecutions may bring vnto vs we haue this great and sweete comfort that is that in suffering for the Gospel we followe as it were step by step the sonne of God and wee haue him for our guide If it had beene simply saide vnto vs that to bee Christians we haue to march thorowe all the opprobryes of the worlde to come freely to death as often as it should please God we shold haue had some coullor as it should seeme to replye that this were a very strange thing and farre from our nature to wander so without a guide But seeing we are commaunded to followe our Lorde Iesus his leading is more right and honourable then for vs to refuse it But to the ende that wee may bee better touched it is not onely sayde that Iesus Christ goeth before vs as our Captaine but that we are conformed to his image as S. Paule hath spoken in the 8. to the Romaines Rom. 8. â—9 that God hath ordeined al those whom he hath adopted to be his Children that they should be made conformable to him who is the head and paterne of all Are we so nice and dayntie that we will indure nothing then must we renounce the grace of God whereby he hath called vs to the hope of saluation For these are two things that can not be sundred too be a meÌ„ber of Iesus Christ to be exercised with many afflictioÌ„s Surely we ought a great deale more to esteeme such a conformity with the soÌ„ne of God theÌ„ we do It is true that in the world to suffer for the Gospel is a thing condemned but seeing that we know that Infidels are blinde ought not we to haue clerer better eies theÌ„ they It is ashame to be afflicted of theÌ„ which occupye the place of iustice but S. Paul sheweth vs by his exaÌ„ple that we haue gretly to