all creatures are susteined and haue their mouing by a generall strength and vertue which is common to all liuing creatures neither that spirit whereby we haue diuers and sundrie giftes bestowed seuerally vpon eche of vs but the spirit of adoption and sanctification which the Lorde giueth to none but to the Christian man when he receiueth him into the number of his children and separateth him from all other and sundreth him from the world to bring him to the hope of the euerlasting inheritance This Spirit is for this cause called the Spirit of sanctificatiō whereby the image of God is imprinted in a Christian and serueth him for an earnest pēny of his saluation and in deede putteth him in possession and a certaine enioying of his adoption whiche is giuen him by a speciall grace of God to bring that to passe by a secret working which he determined in his secret counsel to bring to passe in him by his mightie hand shewing him selfe to be a most gracious and louing father by his testimony a greater then which and more certaine we can not desire because the light and knoweledge which he giueth is accompanied with such a persuasion and certaintie of spirit and with so stedfast and assured trust of heart in his goodnes that it maketh our vnderstanding surmount all thinges clenseth lifteth vp our hearts to heauen and causeth vs to feele a spirituall tast of heauenly riches And to be short causeth a new birth in him and transformeth him for this light which is in a Christiā mans soule differeth very much frō all other light of knowledge and from that kinde of faith which procedeth from the persuasion of man For it is impossible for mās wit to giue man such vnderstāding of knowledge and faith as this is which is wrought in him by the mightie working of the spirit of God and is this in summe that the Gospel which hath no appearance of witte nor strēgth is notwithstāding a wisdom so high that it surmounteth the heauens is the mightie power of God to saluation to euery one the beleueth to bring him to the kingdom of heauen for in deede what can there be more strange more foolish more simple or more offensiue to reason then to heare a man say that God is made become a mortall man that life was subiect to death righteousnes couered with a shew of sinne blessing subiect to curse that by this meanes men might be ransomed from death made partakers of blessed immortalitie to the end they might obtein life that iustice might raigne sinne being once abolished and last of al to the end that death it self malediction might be swalowed vp and therfore that we haue to enter into glorie by ignominie into felicitie by myseries and into life by death And moreouer that this light is farre different from all other light of knowledge faith which proceadeth from the persuasion of man it is nedelesse to alleage any other example thē the example of that faith which is in the most part of them that beare the name of Christians yet haue nothing but the bare title and beleue in Iesus Christ because they haue bene so learned taught frō father to sonne are so persuaded because they see other men that liue with them beleue so thē especially whom they take to be the holiest the wisest the most religious persuade them selues that their heades can not erre So that if they had chanced to haue bene borne in any other countrie or religion they would as easely haue bene persuaded to it as to that which now they holde and are persuaded is true seeing their knowledge is gotten by reason and discourse of man not giuen of God and from aboue but cold fleshly weake and very changeable which hath no other end but a peculiar respect of his owne and nothing lesse then to be touched with the glorie of god Neither doe they receiue Iesus Christe for such an one as he is offred of God the father in the Gospel by a liuely faith proper to the elect but while they professe his name they spoile him of his glorie vertue and dignitie to transferre it to creatures and mens inuentions in steade of the Creator And therefore it foloweth that this man which we speake of cā not be discerned from other by any iudgement of mans sense reason but by a spiritual iudgement by comparing spiritual things with spirituall things for the Christian people are but a smal flock contemptible scattred here one there one in the thickest of a number that are falsely called the people of God and Christians separate from the cōmō order of mē set apart as a treasure that God reserueth for himself hiddē withdrawē from the sight knowledge of mē as a few graines of corne vnder a great deale of chaf in a floore so that it is not y reputatiō nobilitie greatnes wisdō deuotiō or other apperance that man estemeth be it neuer so glorious which we haue to respect as S. Paul willeth the Corinth to consider that there are but a few called amongst them a few wise a few noble a fewe mightie of authoritie after the flesh neither haue we to respect the title or outward profession ne yet the outward signe of Baptisme as it is written All they that are of Israel are not Israelites nor all they Abrahams children which are borne of Abraham although they haue all one selfe same marke of Circumcision but it is the marke of the Spirit of God which we must haue regard vnto seeing that all signes and appearances because they are onely without are vnprofitable without the holy working of the inward wherein truely consisteth the witnesse whereby a Christian man may know him self And the first effect of this inward vertue of God is that which the Scripture calleth Adoption which is not common to all the world as Iesus Christ giueth vs to vnderstād saying That he prayeth not the father for the world but for them whom the father hath giuen him as it is said in an other place That the praise of y adoption is not of men but of God according to his good pleasure and grace giuē in Christ before the foundations of the world were layde So that euen as it is said that Christ dwelleth in vs by the spirit of God euen so doth man know and is knowen to be a Christian by the felowship of the same spirit as by that marke wherewith the heauenly father sealeth and marketh the heart of his elect in assurance of their adoptiō wherby he knoweth thē whō he hath quickened frō heauen by his most secret vertue which no sense of man is able to perceiue being in it self very high of great maiestie in outward appearāce vile beggerly wherby euery Christian mā hath such a conformitie with Christ that as the world did not know him so neither is he knowen to
glorie of GOD I speake it that I can easelier enter into it then come forth so great comfort I receiue of the doctrine which is the chiefest part of the ioye of my saluation Were it not that I had good assurance and feeling of these markes whiche hee setteth downe and are in deede the true markes of our saluation both in vs and to vs that we are saued I should despayre rather then hope and bende my selfe wholly against God then euer bee subiect or submit my selfe to god And therefore so oft as euer I enter into consideration of the wicked doctrines whiche the reprobate and condemned Church of Antichrist giueth out and teacheth I finde none so detestable as this poynt that laboureth to take away from vs all perswasion of Gods loue towarde vs and of our moste sure and certaine redemption by the blood of Christ They call it a presumptuous doctrine a desperate doctrine a doctrine that leadeth man to all kinde of dissolutenes an enemie to godlynes of lyfe and deuotion a furtherer of all sensualitie all lust all wickednes and rebellion agaynst god Though we are taught by the Scripture that none can beleeue but such as are appointed to saluation and none can receyue Christ and beleeue in his name but they which haue this prerogatiue giuen them to be sonnes of God though the Apostle say Knowe ye not that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you and agayne The Temple of God is holy which Temple you are though Christ him selfe saye Reioyce that your names are written in the booke of lyfe and Of those whom my Father hath giuen me I will not leese one yet cease they not agaynst so manifest trueths of the Spirit of God witnes of the Sonne of God yea and euident speaches of God him selfe to disgorge their blasphemies tending to the subuersion of soules because they enuie at other mens saluation not passing as seemeth by their doctrine for their owne though I iudge them not Is it a presumption for a Christian man to say as Christ hath commaunded vs and taught vs to say Our Father which art in heauen Or may I say Our father in doubt whether he be so or no No man can call God his Father but in fayth and fayth is nothing but an vndoubted perswasion that we are beloued of God in Christ beloued as children because he gaue his Sonne for vs because he the righteous dyed for me the vnrighteous whereby as he became a sinner by setting him selfe in my place so doo I become righteous in that that God setteth me in his place And because our condition and state is such with God Iesus Christ our Sauiour willed vs in praying to pray thus Our Father For if this grounde go not before we are lyers in so praying Nay we blaspheme him in so praying for he will not be called Father of the reprobate no more then he will accept the sacrifice of the wicked whereof he sayeth by his Prophet that it is an abomination to him for our prayers are sacrifices and if they be the prayers of his children then are they sweete smelling sacrifices but if they be the prayers of the wicked and reprobate then are they an abomination to the lord Do we not euery one of vs in the Confession of our fayth say I beleeue in God the Father what do we lye when we say so Or must we doubt whē we say so Wel this is the doctrine of the enemies of God the Papistes who say it is presumption for any man to say that he is saued Then I say it is presumption for any man to saye that he is the childe of God then is it presumption for any man to saye that God is our Father then is it presumption for any man to say that he is a Christian then is it presumption for any man to say in a good and true faith I beleeue in god And so by this meanes shal the whole Catholike Church be condemned for charging vs to say so then is Christ a lier and a master of heresies in teaching vs to pray so then do we all wickedly to call and professe our selues Christians with such confidence as we doo And seeing their profession and doctrine is so that no man can assuredly saye that God is his Father let them set it downe in flattermes as they meane it and let the style of the confession of fayth and the Lords prayer go as their doctrine is after this sorte I doubt in God the Father almightie I doubt in Iesus Christ I doubt in the holy Ghost and If thou which art in heauen be our Father halowed be thy name and so forth What a diuelish doctrine is this yet it is the doctrine of the church of Rome what a desperate doctrine is it and yet it is the doctrine that we must confesse to be true or els we be heretikes we must be burned wee must be condemned Christians I say must be condemned because they say they are Christians for it is nothing els we say we say we are the children of God that is an heresie say they and yet they will graunt vs to be Christians A strange kinde of Christian that hath not the Spirit of Christ and if we haue the Spirit of Christ are we not Children The Apostle teacheth vs all this why then what is it els to say we are Christians then to saye we are the children of God and is there any chylde of God that is not faued Paul sayeth if sonnes then heires heires of the kingdome yea felowe heires with Christ So then it is no more presumption to say I am saued then to say I am the the childe of God neyther any more presumption to saye I am the childe of God then to saye I am a Christian Oh but say they this doctrine maketh men desperate for if they stand vpon those termes once that they are saued they will care no more for good workes they will abandon them selues to all kinde of sinne In deede they say as they feele for if thei felt what it were to haue this persuasion groūd they would knowe that as they are freed frō sinne so are they to liue in righteousnes The true Christian and chylde of GOD is more fearefull to sinne because he loueth God and is beloued of God then all the wicked haue for feare of punishment He knoweth and is perswaded that as he is dead with Christ so must he rise againe with Christ in newnes of life to liue after the Spirit not after the fleshe and that God hath prepared his wayes to walke in which are good workes If the liues of all men were looked into it would easely appeare where were the greatest abundance of sinne whether in the true Christian who is a witnes of the trueth of this doctrine or in the enemie of trueth which can not abyde this doctrine And why can he not abyde this doctrine because he can not abyde to
Predestination and Calling but this that predestination is a preparatine of that whereof the calling is the effect and the accomplishment and yet my meaning is not that this generation is made by the vertue of one simple worde vttered by the voyce of man which soundeth onely in the eares which God vseth as his meanes and instrument to call all men indifferently to him for many are called sayeth Christ but fewe are chosen and it were to set a mortall man to much on cockhorse to saye that his voyce giuen him from aboue Nowe as touching the way that our heauenly father taketh in framing a Christian man this it is he first determined in him self to make the world and all things to his glorie and men especially to shewe to one sorte of them which are predestinate to saluation his mercie and to the other sorte his iustice And to this effect he appoynted for an onely and sole Mediatour Iesus Christ his onely begotten Sonne of one selfe same substance with him selfe euen God euerlasting to the ende that by him being made man the two natures vnited and ioyned togither in one in him all corruption of mankinde might be purged and all righteousnes fully accomplished in him for all as one able ynough to susteyne the iudgement of God and woorthie ynough to appease his wrath by the offering vp of himselfe the iust dying for the vniust and to sanctifie all his elect abolishing theyr sinne in them by the communication of his death and quickening them by his resurrection To be short he determined with him selfe to giue them his sonne and in him what soeuer is requisite for their saluation as also to giue them to him and so to make them Christians by ingraffing them into Christ which euerlasting purpose and decree he resolued also to reueile vnto them when they should not thinke of it causing him selfe to be founde as the Prophete sayeth of them which inquired not after him at that time that they walke after the course and fashion of this worlde euen as Satan woulde haue them and proceedeth in it after this sort First to awake them out of the dead stepe of sinne wherinto they are fallen he pricketh them with the sharpenes of his Lawe and laying a nomber of examples of his Iustice before them driueth them into a feare not minding to beate them downe into desperation but to make them turne their faces towardes the Mediatour in whome they may finde some place of refuge And to this end he layeth before them in cōclusion his grace and fatherly goodnes by the preaching of his Gospel He teacheth them he maketh them apt to receyue instruction assureth them of their election summoneth them to his heauenly inheritance stretcheth out his hande vnto them to bring them thyther yea and draweth them vnto him fashioneth thē new eares lighteneth their eyes changeth theyr stonie heart into a fleshy heart openeth their vnderstanding reneweth their senses disposeth and maketh them fit to sauour and taste his worde which he soweth and causeth it to budde and bring foorth fruit in them maketh them fit for his election To be short when he hath once formed Christ in them he decketh and enricheth them with many gyftes and graces and whereas they were farre of from him he maketh them drawe neare to him of strangers he maketh them housebirds of wolues sheepe flocking togyther vnder the great pastour of soules of natural fleshly earthly and deuelish mē he maketh them heauenly spiritual angellike and diuine and by this meanes translateth them from the kingdome of darkenes into the kingdome of light transporteth them from death to life and bringeth them into his own housholde To be short hauing thus ingraffed them into the body of his Sonne he ioyneth and allieth him selfe to them he maketh him selfe one with them maketh them his children and heyres partakers of his immortalitie and glorie and all this he worketh by the inward vertue of his holy Ghost with an other maner of efficacie then by restoring the reliques of free will as some popish mates vse to speake seeing that all the remainder that man hath of this free will serueth to nothing els but to sinne willingly to flie from God to hate him and to haue no wil to heare him nor beleeue in him nor acknowledge any of his blessings and that more is to think vpon nothing but vpon sinne and not to haue so much as one good thought Which wonderfull order S. Bernard considering cryeth out and sayeth Beholde an high and marueilous counsell which hath bene published to vs God knoweth thē that are his and what he knewe he hath shewed to men he receyueth none to the knowledge of this mysterie and hidden thing but suche as he hath predestined And addeth moreouer The mercie of God from euerlasting to euerlasting on them that feare him from euerlasting because of his predestination to euerlasting because of the blessednes which they looke for the one hath no beginning the other hath no end S. Augustin also saith in lyke sort Is not this a kinde of schole far from the sense of the fleshe wherein the Father is the scholemaster that teacheth vs to come to him and the Sonne of God is the worde whereby he teacheth and whiche entreth by the eare euen to the heart where is also the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne who teacheth also iointly with them and not a part for the workes of the Trinitie are inseparable so that if we see nombers come to the Sonne it is by him that maketh many to beleue in Christ But where whē euery man hath heard bene taught by the Father we see it not because this grace is hidden secret heauenly wrought by the renewing of the holy Ghost powred out plentifully vpon thē And truely it is a marueylous generatiō which maketh man a new creature not that he receyueth an other soule or an other body in substance but in qualitie by repayring the Image of God in him by an inward renewing of the whole nature that was corrupted yea it is a worke which setteth out vnto vs no lesse vertue and power of God then that whereby Iesus Christ was raysed from the dead and placed at the right hand of God his Father To be short it is done by the word as by the ordinarie instrument whiche maketh vs partakers of Christ and frameth the Christian man so that vnlesse the doore of our hearing be opened by the preaching of the Gospell the worde can not enter into the heart and the preaching is wrought by the voyce of man assisted by the inward vertue of the holy Ghost which man must be sent by a special grace of God to declare vnto vs that this special grace is according to his electiō which is according to his euerlasting counsell determined according to the good pleasure of his will which onely is iust and reasonable And so consequently both the calling
powred out vpon his members according to the measure of euery one by which grace man was made a Christian when he first began to belieue as our sauiour was made Christ according to the fleshe when he first began to be man And therefore was hee called Christ and the other by his meanes Christiās as streames flowing from the chiefe fountaine for so had the Almightie purposed in him selfe to gather them vnto him by the blood of the Crosse of Iesus Christ at the fulnes of time appointed finding them miserably strayed and scattred amongst the other and set them in their right state whiche is to cleaue continually to him being knit and coupled together with him in a true perfite vnitie by engraffing them into the bodie of his sonne Who for that cause are called elect or chosen through the good pleasure of God to make a difference betweene them and the other which were not kept in the said vnitie but forsaken by a secret reprobation in the secret counsel of God. So that whether we meane the cause or the matter it selfe of the excellencie of a Christian man so farre I am either from seeking or setting the said excellencie of a Christian in man him selfe as the Philosophers doe that I meane not to ascribe it to any thing in the world but to that headspring of all graces benefites and blessings that is to saye to the euerlasting loue and gracious goodnes of God by Iesus Christ in whom God chose his elect before the foundation of the world to adopt them according to the purpose of his will and made them agreable in his welbeloued sonne who was by him appointed head ouer them which by him through him and no otherwise are restored and setled in his grace and made his heires to enioye his kingdome where as before they were a cursed rase of Adam and inheriters of hel fyre for the Father loueth none but in his Sonne and vouchsafeth none his inheritance vnlesse he first ioyne them to his sonne by a secret bond vnitie causing the vertue of the head to descende into the members as the sappe of the roote of the tree goeth into the graffe that is imped into it in so much as this spirituall bond and knot belongeth not only to the soule but also to the body so the the Christian mā is made one with Iesus Christ flesh of his flesh bones of his bones yea euē so farre forth the they beare his name person before God and he rather respected in their persons then in his own To be short euē as naturally the only beholding of the face of man moueth vs to loue him and al his parts though if we should vew his mēbers apart we might happily find somewhat to mislike vs bring vs out of tast so fareth it likewise with the Christiā who is a member of Iesus Christe being considered in Christs face person which when God beholdeth in his elect imprinted as it were in them by repairing of his image in them loueth and cherisheth them as persons with whom he is well pleased So that to speake in few words it is this felowship which they haue with Christ whereunto they are called both by the communion of one self same spirit one self same nature which is both in them and him wherein the excellencie of a Christian man consisteth and appeareth very euidently in that he is set in the highest degree of honour being made the childe of God by Iesus Christ taking vpon him that that was proper to man to be made man as he was and to make him felow with him selfe in that that was proper to him self by making him the sonne of god For thēce commeth this holy brotherhood whiche he teacheth vs saying I go to my father your father to my God your god Being not ashamed as the Apostle saith notwithstāding the great oddes that is betwixt him vs to abase him self so far as to cal vs Brethrē euē after his resurrectiō whē he had put of al his infirmitie vs I say which are not otherwyse worthy to be vnder his seruāts Herein therfore the Christiā mā appeareth to be a loft not onely aboue al other liuing creatures by reason of his owne nature as the Philosophers say but also aboue all other men by this preeminence which those Philosophers knew not at all whereby he surmounteth the dignitie of the first man taking him in the greatest perfection he euer had because the grace of God is farre more setled and sure in the regeneration of the faithfull then it was in the first state of man that beyng greater which we haue recouered in Christ Iesus then that which we lost in Adam For Adam had grace giuen hym to continue in goodnes if he had would but to the Christian it is giuen to haue a will and in hauing a will he ouercommeth his lustes So that Adam might if he would but he had no wil that he might and the Christian hath both will and might giuen him so that the first libertie was giuen to Adam that he might absteine from sinne and not die but that that is giuen to the Christian the pledges wherof we haue here and looke for the perfection in heauen standeth in this that he can neither sinne nor die because the elect are vnseparably knit with Iesus Christe their head which bond maketh them strong and stedfast to cleaue to God for euer To be short this excellencie of a Christian man mounteth so high that it surmounteth the excellencie of the verie Angels in this respecte that the euerlasting Sonne of God vnited him selfe to mans nature and not the nature of Angels minding to perfit and accomplishe in it the wonderful worke of our redemption and afterwarde hauing glorified it with immortalitie by his resurrection hee set it in his heauenly kingdome aboue all principalities and heauenly powers in all honour and glorie so that the Christian man being partaker of the fleshe of Christ which is carried vp and reigneth on hygh hath part also of the same kingdome and glorie And though the Angels as touching their naturall essence are counted more excellent then man yet notwithstanding because they haue no head of their kind and nature the Sonne of God euen according to the fleshe surmounteth them in dignitie and noblenes To this purpose S. Peter speaking of Christians thought it not inough to say that they are a chosen generation an holy race a peculiar people to set forth the great vertues of God and a Royall Priesthode consecrated to Iesus Christ to offre sacrifices not for the remission of sinnes For that office is throughly accomplished by Christ Iesus his onely sacrifice the force whereof remaineth for euer but sacrifices of prayse and thankesgiuing and calling vpon the name of God which are the calues of our lippes and sacrifices of beneuolence imparting our goods with the poore
with the finger before his eyes to the ende he may be humbled and brought to a more true certain knowledge of him self by a liuely feeling of his feblenes and learne to cal for strength from the Lord as Jonas did saying I remembred the Lord when my soule was in anguishe Dauid when I was in tribulatiō I cried to the Lord for it fareth so with men as it doeth with the sea which would be infected and stinke if it were not troubled with the windes so would men be naught if they were not sometimes tossed with afflictions And therefore as the worldly crosse serueth the world for a witnes of his cōdemnation so this crosse being sanctified is an assurance and certaintie to the elect of their election adoption felowship they haue with Christ the rest of his afflictiōs being accōplished in thē as mēhers parte of him For as Christ suffred once in himself so suffreth he daily in his members as the head suffreth with the parts of the bodie And so his members are made like to him by the same tryal of obediēce with such a grace that moreouer beside they are quit exempt frō those paines which all men deserue generally for their sinnes they are honorably marked with the markes and badges of his sonne for that the Father appointed they should be afflicted for his name And wheras he might by good reason haue made thē suffer more grieuously yea as shamefull thieues murderers robbers euil doers he maketh thē suffer as innocents laying vpon them the persone of his sonne and causeth them to suffer for his sake And though notwithstāding al this they be subiect to al miseries which al men tast of indifferently both good and euil yea worse punished then other in so much that if a man would compare their afflictions with other mens a man would thinke there were none so bad as they that God doeth as a man would say spare the wicked in cōparison of his rigour which he sheweth toward his yet we may not thinke that God taketh a pleasure in their torments as some prophane men say that he maketh but a sport pastime of it when he so afflicteth men hauing cast of the care prouidēce of mens affaires But on the cōtrarie side because God iudgeth the world a right so that no man can escape his hands without punishment he moderateth cōpasseth his iudgemēts in such sort that he winketh at many lewde turnes which the wicked cōmit as though he sawe them not and in the meane season correcteth his childrē as sone as they make a fault the reason is because he hath a care of them to bring thē into the right way purposing to make his prouidēce especially knowen in the gouernement of his Church and so vseth his arme towardes it that by the waye he giueth vs to vnderstande he hath a fatherly care of vs and prouideth for the saluation of his Church And truely if amongest men there be no father of sounde and right iudgement but will chastice his children because without correctiō he is not able to bring them to any good point howe shall God who is a most gracious wise father forslacke a remedie that is so necessarie Which notwithstanding he vseth insuch sort that whereas he punisheth and iudgeth the world and sheweth him self a seuere angrie iudge against the froward he sheweth him self gracious and gentle towards his For by this meanes he meaneth to giue al men some litle taste of that which he wil shew playnely in the latter day to wit that he is the iudge of the world and loueth iustice in deede and hateth vniustice deadly both to make the vnbeleuers so much the more inexcusable and also for the great profit and commoditie of the faithful to whom he protesteth that he doeth not punish them for any hatred he beareth them but contrariwyse because he loueth them to amende them by afflictions which are the fruites of sinne and cause them to runne more feruently to his grace hauing once felt in the crosse what the anger of God is so that whereas the wicked are ouerwhelmed with the fearful torments which they suffer the Christian by being made partaker of the sanctification of Christ thorowe the crosse hath an entrance into the ioyes of heauen and euerlasting life with him And by this way it is that God wil proue euery mans fayth whether it be buylt vpon a sure rocke or no whether the seede of the word be fallen vpon good ground whether the doctrine of the Gospell whiche men haue receyued be golde siluer and precious stones or whether it be hay stubble which the fire of tribulation consumeth and bringeth to naught For if we make so great accompt of golde which is but a metal that we wil trye it in the fyer to make it please vs the better what marueill is there if God trye the faith of his children after the same sort to the end that when we are once wel purged from the dregges and filthe of incredulitie whiche remayneth in vs and are purified in the fournace of diuers afflictions and so melted as it were a new our faith may be of like accompt before him And surely it wil be as easie to knowe a Christian from an hypocrite by this tryal of affliction as it is to know a piece of gold frō a piece of brasse when they come both to the anuile and to be striken with the hāmer for brasse wil not be handled but when it commeth to the beating it breaketh and maketh a sharpe dinne and irkesome and gold soundeth sweetely is plyable you may stretch it out both in length and breadth in thinne and fine leaues as you list euen so when an hypocrite cōmeth betwene the anuile the hammer of affliction he brasteth with impatience he murmureth cryeth out and lamēteth in blasphemies against God whereas the Christiā praiseth God giueth him thanks and layeth out his heart submitting him self willingly vnder the lords hand that striketh him Againe by this exercise God exerciseth the faithfull to contemne this life stirreth them vp to thinke vpon and desire the life to come by drawing them away by litle litle from the foolish and immoderat loue of this world daseled with a vayne shew of fleshly transitorie things and moreouer to ioyne them togither with his sonne in y felowship of the crosse that as he passed through a bottomlesse pit of miseries to enter into heauenly glorie so should they also come thither by diuers tribulations herein honouring thē in making them suffer persecution for righteousnes sake that is to say for the defense of his trueth agaynst the lyes of Satan or to mainteine al iust causes that thei may be in like sort renowmed as his sonne was here in this world and through more sufferance of miseries wherein he maketh his gifts and