comfortably to endure al maner of crosses for the trueth a good conscience sith y t our holding out in them is a certein proofe y t our faith is good our obedience such as will go for paimeÌ„t before the Lord. From wheÌ„ce also we may vndoubtedly perswade our selues that wee shal not faint when the like or greater dangers fall out When we haue a case in law for any landes y t we claime we are glad to haue our euidences examined whether they be good or no before we come to the pinch if we haue golde lye by vs y t we occupy not wee are content to haue it tried before hand y t we may be sure it will bee currant whensoeuer occasion falleth out to vse it Why then be we not glad of disgracings railings complaints losse of fauour imprisonment and such like when they come vnto vs for doing of our duty righteousnes sake seeing y t by our suffering of them the Lord prepareth vs for greater matters our patieÌ„ce in these is as it were an earnest vnto vs that wee shall stand when we bee tried to the vttermost Therfore I conclude this part with that of S. Iames count it for great ioy my brethren when you fall into many tentations knowing y t the triall of your faith bringeth forth patience And let patience haue her perfect work y t you may be perfect entire lacking nothing The second effect of persecutions wherevppon they be compared to a fiery triall I sayd was this As fire drieth vp al maner of drosse in the good golde so they dry vp many corruptions that creepe vpon the godly in the time of their liberty peace For thus it fareth with the best of Gods children when they be a litle quiet the world seemeth to smile vpon them if they breake not out as resty pampred horses to open outrage disorder yet at the least ther stealeth vpoÌ„ them much vanity worldlines delight in things earthly negligence if not conteÌ„pt of things heauenly Wherupon y e loue of the word doth decrease in them and they become not so carefull and zealouse of the honour of God as they were before The examples of Ioseph Dauid Ezechias may serue to proue the trueth of this The Lord seeing the tickle disposition that is in all men to this vnrulinesse was wont to meete with the same before hande with maniâ—olde Crosses euen in such men as he made especiall account of For no doubt this was one principal end of the infinite turmoyles that Abraham and Iacob were encombred with that so they mighte be brought to despise the earth which is replenished with so many miseries seeke after eternity zealously set them selues to y e whereunto the Lorde did cal them Now as he mercifully and in great wisdome did on this wise preuent such disordered affections as were otherwise like to haue postered their hearts so dealeth he as gratiously with his children in seeking to reclaim theÌ„ by the like meanes when they haue bene ouertaken Whereuppon beside the inward afflictions of the minde he often times stirreth vp agaynst vs enemies that speake euil of vs trouble vs for well doing that so he might fre vs from enemies that be more daungerous to our souls For although the ignorant and carelesse in all the crosses that happen vnto them doe only regard the meanes and instrumentes whereby they come crying out of the iniurie of their oppressours and clearing of them selues as parties vniustly troubled Yet it is otherwise with the seruants of God that be wise vnderstanding they looke vp to the hand of the smiter whome they knowe to be the Lorde himselfe whome they straight way conclude to be righteous and so iust as hee will not punishe withoute cause and that therfore somthing is amisse in them which he woulde haue them to ament althoughe that be good commanded of God and nothing but their duty for the which they be persecuted by their aduersaries Whereby it commeth to passe that they examin them selues and their doinges more streightly finde out many corruptions which before were eyther vnknown or else vnregarded and therfore would haue proued very dangerous to their soules if they had not thus bene rouzed vp to consider of them Which they doe so profitâ—bly that in the ende they say with Dauid It is good for me O lord that thou broughtest mee lowe For euen such troubles cause them to doe their duty better to bee marueylous circumspecie of their wayes that their enemies may haue no iust matter against them and sturre vp in them a great zeale to prayer so as they do it more often and earnestly then before We ought therefore to be glad to thanke the Lord most hartely whensoeuer it shall please him to purge vs on this sort Our vessels of siluer and golde which in time doe gather soyle we desire to haue scoured and the linnen that wee vse to our tables we reioyce to haue often washed And why then do we not take in good part all maner of persecutions seeing they be scourgings and washings to our soules whereby the Lorde mindeth to make vs cleane from some vntowardnes that is in vs. Verily this is a greater mercye then any mans tongue is able to vtter and the wisdome of the Lorde in this behalfe is very wonderfull we be entred into an euill course some way or other offensiue to the maiestye of God and hurtfull vnto our selues In the mean time God concealeth those disorders of oures from men whiche peraduenture woulde procure our punishmente by their Lawes and intending to reclayme vs to bring vs to himselfe againe hee sturreth vp some against vs and to our great honor causeth some afflictioÌ„ to come vnto vs for well doing that was due vnto vs for our sinne and disobedience O the ritches of his grace who is able to conceiue it Certeinly the Lord his retiring of Saul from pursuiug of Dauid causing the Pailistines to inuade the lande was not so ioyfull to the wearied man as this should be ioifull vnto vs when after this manner he stoppeth vs in our euill course and causeth vs to retire from that which is not good But ynoughe of this fruite of persecutions and the purpose of God in the same It remaineth that each man in all such troubles sturre vp his heart and pray to God that he may profite by them as we haue heard It followeth But reioyce in as much as you are partakers of Christes sufferings that when his glory shall appear ye may be glad reioice In this verse he requireth more then in the former There he would haue vs not to bee astonished at our persecutions for the truth sake here he sayth that we must reioyce be glad when any such thing commeth vnto vs. And least he shoulde seeme to call for any thing without rendring a reason therof in this
and somtimes openly against suche as mean most faythfully to God and their Counrrye and desire to take that course in euersy thing that might bee acceptable to him that shall iudge the quick the dead VVe haue good cause to pray continually for the long preseruation of our renouned princes Elizabeth our gratious Mother and Nâ—â—sse vnder the shadow of vvhose vvinges as of the Lordeâ— annointed by the meanes of her good lavves and Lieâ—etenauntes in her ovvne courte and in the country there is reliefe for all the good people of the land against such vexations of the vvicked Othervvise assuredly it should go hard vvith them that of all others ought most to be made off because the deuill vvill not cease to sturre vp enemies against them For the instruction comfort of such as be any vvay troubled for vvel doings I confesse that I labour somvvhat in this litle booke Praying the Christian reader if hee reape any small good thereby to giue the praise vnto God to whom only it is due and to pray for me that my selfe according to my need either present or to come may be partaker of the doctrine comforts herein mentioned Concerning your good worships to vvhom I am so muche beholden euen as openly and to the view of the country you haue declared your readines to further me in my good and lavvfull causes so much as in you haue lieÌ„ to restrain theÌ„ that haue soght to vex me vniustly inteÌ„ded my hurt so haue I thought my self in duty bound to giue forth some publike testimony of thankfulues to you In regarde vvhereof if it may please you to accept this my pore trauell it is an especiall thing that I desire I am bold to ioine you both in one because the Lord hath knit you fast together not only by the bond of kindred perfect friendship but also in care of my good estate that vvhich is principall in an holy desire to further true religioÌ„ to procure the peace vvelfare and prosperity of the prince and the country vvhere you dvvel The Lorde increase in you all his graces that being zealous according to knovveledge you may become yet more glorious instruments for the furthering of his kingdom may go forvvard in the profession of his gospell euen vnto the ende to his immortall prayse the sturring vp of manye other knightes and gentlemen to be of this your christian order in the true obedience of Gods vvord to the euerlasting saluatioÌ„ of your souls in the life to come vvhich graces in like manner I praye him to povvre dovvne from heauen vpon the right vvorshipful the Ladies of both your houses vpon your children and all your company for Iesus Christes sake our only omnipotent Sauiour Amen At London this sixt day of April 1582. the day vvherein the great fearfull Earthquake vvas tvvo yeares before a day to bee called to oure remembraunce because of the greatest number so rare and terrible a thing is quite forgotten and so certeine a forerunner of other iudgements is not regarded Your worships in the Lord OLIVER PIGGE To the Christian Reader Grace and peace from God the father by Iesus Christ sealed by the spirite of adoption till he haue assuraunce of euerlasting life in him Amen HOwe necessary bookes of such like arguments as this by the godly labour of our faithful and painful brother now published to the profite of many are I need noâ— long to stand vpon and to declare as well in respect of vs that professe the gospell in these breathing dayes muche forgetting our selues though we lacke not diuers crosses to put vs in remembraunce and to awaken vs as in respect of of oure enemies who of late haue more threatned and blustered out against vs then in many years before crying out of persecution when they suffer not for Christ or for any his causes but against him laboring theÌ„selues to death to ouerthrow his kingdome which though they burst they shall neuer I am sure be able to do vndermining his ministers most disloyally whom he hath placed in that highest authoritie to execute his owne iust iudgements against them It is wonder to heare what complaints they make of persecution Tyranny when for their iust deserts they receiue the punishment due to their treasons conspiracies and rebellions They laye vs on and yet they crye out against vs they complain of persecution yet them selues are the persecutours that set themselues agaynst the seruauntes of the Lorde in all ages against his faithful minnisters against al professors which is most lamentable againste the holy trueth of God yea againste God himselfe to whome they owe all duetie and reuerence But alacke this is a thing common together with them and all other heretikes that when they haue no truth at all yet they must pretend some and though they can neuer iustifie their cause they muste at least aâ—â—euer it as though they possessed it and face vs out to shroud their idolatrous abhominations and curssed corruptions that they maynteine and stand for to their vtter destruction There cannot be a Traitor nowadayes executed according to his demerits but fauouring their superstition which indeede is alwayes ioined with treason to shake the seate of our gracious soueraigne and to ouerthrow any state else wheresoeuer they liue but by and by they take him vp and make him a martir So did the Donatists as Augâ—stine witnesseth to whom we must make the same answere that he did to them They are true martyrs of whome the Lord sayth Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake They must not suâ—fer for iniquity for the wicked rending of Christian vnity but they that suffer for righteousnes they are the true martyrs in deede If therefore they endure any thing at our hands they may thanke their owne vnquiet and hamering heads that like Moules are alwaies heauing in their dark pathes to marre the Lords vineyard to ouerthrow the gracious worke of the Gospell which God will haue to proceede Maugre their heads when they haue vsed all their treasonable practises they can against it Neither shall the persecution of Agar if it may bee called a persecution rather then a correction be compared to that of Dauid nor that of the theeues to our sauiour Christes whom though the suffering made one yet the cause did seperate They crye out of persecution and foâ—ste out their traiterous bookes like wildfire that they might set al on fire â—â—make a hâ—rly burly and so open some way to their further deuised mischiefe They alleadge examples of partiâ—ular iudgments against particuler persons sarced with as many vntruths as their books are noâ— with leaues but almost with lines when yet they will not see that if any offence haue bene committed on our partes it hath bene in this that they haue bene to much borne with For we appeal to themselues that haue any modesty in them whether
A comfortable treatise vpon the latter part of the fourth chapiter of the first Epistle of Saint PETER from the twelfe verse to the ende By O. PIGGE 1. Cor. 49. ¶ I thinke that God hath set foorth vs the last Apostles as men appointed to death for we are made a gasing stock vnto the world and to Angels and to men 1. Peter 4. 15. Let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a thiefe or an euill doer or as a busibodie in other mens matters Seene and alowed AT LONDON Printed by Robert Walde-graue fot Iohn Harison the yonger and Thomas Man 1582. TO THE RELIGIOVS AND VERY worshipful knightes Sir ROBERT IERMYN of Rushbrooke and Sir IOHN HEIGHAM of Baroe in the countie of Suffolke Grace and peace be multiplied from God our heauenly Father and from our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe YOVR worships remember that at the beginning of the last newe yere I presented to you in wrighting that which the Lorde a little before had giuen me to speake in two short Sermons at BURIâ— adding not muche to that which was then vttered as the diligent hearer of me can testifie The reason of my so doing I alledged as the trueth was that I might haue somevvhat according to the maner of that time vvherewith to testifie the good affection vvhich of duty I owe vnto you both as vvel for the manifold blessings vvhich the church of God and the common wealth in these partes of Suffolke enioyeth by your meanes as for your care for my particuler safetie and for the great comfort which by you from time to time I haue had sithence my comming into this countrie The Lord register them in his booke that they may come into your good accounts in the day of his sonne And because it pleased you then to giue such liking of the treatise that both of you desired to reteine the coppie and requested the same at my hands vvherof also I made promise the best vvay for the performance of this I supposed vvas the putting of it in print which I was the rather contented to do because the matter deliuered in it beeing necesâ—arie to be taught beleeued I hoped might be profitable and comfortable to others vvhich also vvas the iudgement of some godlie and learned men that reade it ouer My purpose when I preached of the text was to sturre vp my self and the hearers to beare patiently comfortablie and profitablie al afflictions that might fal out for a good conscience sake my purpose in sending it a broade and in making it more common to the churche of God is the same The doctrine is necessarie to prepare vs for those times of trouble which the abusing of our peace the contempt of the gospell the euill handling of the ministers the infinite abhominations of the land haue most iustly deserued according also as vve haue these many yeares beene vvarned and threatned not only by our prophets teachers but also by fearefnll signes in heauen earth that fortesl vnto vs further euils vnlesse in time from the highest to the lovvest vve repent take a better course and turne from our disobedience Yea in respect of the time present this argument is not altogeather vnnecessary for although we haue iust cause dayly vpon our knees to praise God for her maiesty the most honourable of her counsell and the rest of the gouerners in the Churche common wealth by whose gracious meanes wee haue good lawes established executed for the liberty of true religion for the comfort and incouragement of such as meane well yet wee see howe in euerye place where the worde is taught cold protestantes earthly minded men papistes and Athiests seeke deuise all possible meanes they can to hinder the course of the gospell and to disquiet the preachers professours which oppose them selues againste their corruptions and refuse to ioyne with them in their disorders A matter too to vsual in these euil dayes as the faythfull seruants of God knowe and in many places finde true by miserable experience If the preachers in any towne be carefull to do their duty what quarrelles doe wicked men pick to stop their mouths weary them and to driue them away and if any of the flocke take part with their teachers and professe obedience to the trueth they want no euill words frovvning lookes and hard practises againste them from popish vvorldly irreligious men The practises of our country of Suffolke to let pasâ—e other parts of the lande witnes this to be true cry alowde for vengeance in the eares of the Lorde of hostes as your vvorships very vvell know VVe haue many godly learned wise faithful painful pastors I suppose that diuers Counties of the Realme being put together can scarse afforde so greate a numbeâ— They teache the trueth of God vvith all manner so dutifulnes and holy loialty to her maiesty and the state they be carefull to liue vvell to the vttermoste of their povver and the Lorde be thanked that hath giuen them some good measnre of grace in that behalfe They lacke not countenance comfort and reliefe from the honorable and worshipful in the commission of peace for the shire so farre as they maye with a good conscience and according to the lawes of our most gracious souereigne VVee prayse God therefore and thinke our selues bound to pray daily for you all But I pray you what impes hath Sathan sturred vp amongst vs almost in euery Towne vvhere the vvorde is preached to hinder this vvorke of the Lorde hath there bene any vvay vnattempted to shake some of the preachers and in them no dout al the rest They vvhich seeme to make any account of the teachers and to professe more holinesse then others though alas not so much as they should doe escape not the vennom of poisoned tongues The pore people here and there in the country that be more carefull then the rest to resort to sermons to heare the vvoorde learne their dutie and vvith a good conscience to discharge such duties as by oth are layd vpon them bee not vvithout their crosses Some by the malice of naughty insufficient ministers other vntovvarde men to redeeme peace glad to leaue the tovvn vvhere they dvvelled Others frovvned vpon for doing othervvise then their superstitious landlordes doe vvould haue them Others maliced for indicting and complaining of papists other vvicked men for not resorting to the church not comming to the Communion and for misusing of the prechers some molested one way and some another And this I speak not of any thing done by any magistrate or gouernour in the church or common vveale let no man take me so but by vvicked papistes and godlesse persons that be scattered abroade in the counrry as Goates among the sheepe and darnell among good corne VVho contrary to the lavves peace Crovvne dignity of her highnesse and the kingdome purpose and practise miâ—chife and violence sometime couertly
hireling a greedy dog that is neuer satisfied a dumbe dog a blinde guide or an idle pastor cannot in trueth applye the comforts to them here mentioned sith they be iustly reproched and punished for their sinne which the Apostle doth â—orbid vs in this place And yet this is not so spoken as though all men were to dispayre of them selues which bee any wâ—ie corrected for their euill doings no we knowe what is written of the thiefe y â— was crucified with our Lorde and how he sayd vnto him this day shalt thou be with me in paradise Euen so assuredly whatsoeuer the offeÌ„ces be that we be euill spoken of for or otherwise punished by imprisonmeÌ„t or deth yet we be happy shal be saued if grace be giuen vs w t the thief to repent to hate our sinne to beleue For this is true for euer blessed are y e deade y t dye in y e Lord in what sort or for what cause soeuer they dy Therefore y e maÌ„ y t sufferreth for Christes sake is blessed in respect of the goodnes of his cause and â—e that suffereth for his sinne is blessed if the Lord by that punishment bring him to repentance But let vs with all good conscience attend vpon this of the apostle to honour our profession and high calling with good life and absteining from euill We see how it fareth with the faithful seruants of God though they walke neuer so prescisely yet wicked men will espy somwhat to speake euill to take away their crowne of suffering for well doing How then shall all our honour iustly be turned into shame and lye in the dust if we walke retchlesâ—ye and dissolutely The exhortation is very profitable for our time wherin great numbers turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and therefore although they professe the gospell true religion of God yet are worthily reproched for their vncleannes riot vsurye oppression couetousnesse and deceite It followeth But if he suffer as a christian let him not be ashamed nay let him glorifie God in this behalf In the former verse as you hard he willed vs to take heede of being punished for doing euill because then there is iust matter of humiliation offered vnto vs. In this senteÌ„ce he returneth to y t which he had in haÌ„d before namely to comfort vs in al afflictions y t happeÌ„ for y e trueth sake If saith he any suffer as a christian y t is for y e scincere professioÌ„ of Christs doctrin let him neuer be ashamed of y e mater but let him thaÌ„k God in y t behalf There are two thiâ—gs required of vs in this verse y e one is y t we be not ashamed of y e persecutions y t we eudure for a good coÌ„science y e other y t we reioyce be glad of them CoÌ„cerning y e first y e euil of y t which we do the vnworthines or basenes of y e party for whome we do it are the only occasions y t minister iust matter of blusshing shame vnto vs. But the truth y t we professe in the word is so pure excellent the sonne of God in whome we beleeue and for whose sake wee suffer is so holy so glorious so mighty worthy of all honor and seruice from vs that there is no cause why we shoulde be ashamed of the crosses which we suffer in that behalfe S Paule he beleeued this and therefore in the middest of all the calamities that came vnto him for doing of his duty coulde say with confidence I am not ashamed For I know him wel inough in whom I haue beleeued and am fully persuaded that hee is able to keepe that whiche I haue committed vnto him against that day Let vs be like minded and sith Iesus Christ hath all power in heauen and earth so as he is able to defend vs from the rage of our enemies here and to keepe our saluation sure from being hurt by any meanes let vs neuer blush for anye thing that happeneth vnto vs for his sake Naturall men thinke that moste vile and ignominious whiche in deede is moste glorious and beautifull Michal thought it the greatest disgrace that might be vnto Dauid to abase himselfe to daunce before the Arke of God gyrded with a linnen Ephod But Dauid thought no honor like this by humbling himselfe and being vilde in the sight of others to exalt and set vp the Lord. Euen so they which be carried onely by sense and reason can see nâ—thing but confusion in the persecutioÌ„s of y e saints when as in deede it is the most honourable thing vnder heauen In so much as neither Iosepâ— hauing the kings ring vpon his finger arayde in fine linnen with a chaine of gold about his necke and set vpon the best Charret of the king saue onâ— and honoâ—r ably saluted of al the people nor Mordecay at the kings commaundement most gorgiously carried thorough the Citie vpon the kings hors with this proclaimation before him thus shall it be done to the man whom the king will honour were so glorious in the sighte of their beholders as the true Christians are in the eyes of God when in the iudgement of man they seeme to be couered with most confusion and shame And in deede Cranmer when hee was broughte forth and as it were set vpon a stage to bee mocked at by all the people his Pall pulled of his haire cut by a Barber his singers endes scraped an old gowne put vpon his backe and an olde cap vpon his head the admirall of Fraunce first mained with a shot then most trecherously slayne in his chamber after tumbled out of a windowe his head cut of his corps dragged through the streates in Paris after hanged vpon a gallows by y e heels in y e middest of al these were more glorious then either Mordecay or Ioseph in all their pompe maiesty Intsomuch as these neuer vanted so much of y e one as they no doubt did of the other Euen as we finde nâ— such boasting of any the seruants of God in the scripturs in respect of their outward estate were it neuer so good as we do of S. Paul for his sufferings according to y e which is writteÌ„ froÌ„ henceforth let no man put me to busines for I bear in my body the markes of y e Lord Iesus The imprisonments bands scourgings stripes stonings reproches y t he indured he calleth the badges of the Lord Iesus wherby he was known to be highly in his fauor as a faithful seruant of whom he made a special account therfore is not only not ashamed but also after a godly sort boasteth of theÌ„ Therfore let vs not think it any shame vnto vs whensoeuer the Lorde shall thinke it good to haue vs tried on this wise It followeth But let him glorifie God in this behalfe This is the second thing we must be glad of our