What they gaine that denye God and runnyng into the daunger of eternall punishement to gaine the short momentes of this lyfe And he beyng ther long tormented nowe at the point of death sighed and sayd as he dyed amoÌ„g stripes and tormentes O Lorde which hast the holy knowlege thou knowest openly that where as I myght be delyuered from deathe I suffer these sore paynes of my body but in my mynde I am wel content to suffer them because I fear thee Certeinly his fayth was sincere true his godlynes perfecte pure ynoughe which consydered not the kyng Antiochê° but God that is Iuge and knewe ryght well that it shoulde nothyng profyte him to saluacion yf he should mocke and deceyue man seyng the God which is the iuge of our conscience ought only to be feared caÌ„ not be mocked nor deceyued by any meanes Yf therfore we do lyue as godly meÌ„ and suche as be dedicate vn to God yf we do walke in the selfe same auncient and holy fote steppes of the iuste Let vs go thorowe the same ensamples of paynes sufferinges thorowe the same martirdomes and passions And let vs reken the glorye of our tyme in this point more excellent that wher as the olde ensamples of martirs are numbred Now after the plenteouse abundaunce of godlines and faithe the christian martyrs can not be numbred As Iohan witnesseth in the reuelacion saieng Apo. 7. After this I behelde a great multytude which no man could number of al nacyons kinredes people and tonges standing before the seate and before the lambe and they war clothed with long white garmentes and they had palmes in their handes and cried which a loude voice saieng Health vnto our God sitting vpon the seate and vnto the lambe And one of thelders answered saieng vnto me what are these which are arayed in long white garmentes and whence came they and I saied vnto him Lord thou wotest And he saied vnto me These are they which came out of great trybulacion they haue wasshed their garments and made them white in the blodde of the lambe Therfore are they in the pÌ„sence of the seate of God serue him daye night in his teÌ„ple But if it be shewed prowed that the people of the christiaÌ„ martyrs are so many no maÌ„ should thinke it an hard thing to be a martyr seing he may ê‘ceiue the the multitude of martyrs caÌ„ not be numbred The .xij. chaptre VVhat hope rewarde abideth for the iuste and martyrs after the fight and passions of this life the holy gost hathe shewed and folde aforhand by SalomoÌ„ saing And thoughe they suffer tormentes before men Sapi. 3. yet is their hope full of Immortalite And although they be punished in fewe thinges yet in many thinges shal they be well rewarded For God hathe proued them and founde them mete for him selfe Yea as the gold in the fornace he doeth trie them and receiueth them as a burnte offering and whan the tyme coÌ„meth they shal be loked vpon They shal Iuge the nacions and haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shal reigne for euer In likemaner the same SalamoÌ„ doeth describe the vengaunce the God shall take for our cause and setteth forthe the penaunce or sorowe of our persecutours and enemyes saieng Then shall the righteouse stande in great stedfastnesse against suche as haue dealt extremely with them Sapi. 5. The late repentauÌ„ce of them that be in hell and taken awaye their labours When they se it they shal be vexed with horrible feare and shal wonder at the hastines of the sodayne healthe groning for very distres of mynde and shal say within them selues hauyng inwarde sorowes and mournyng for very anguishe of mynde These are they whoÌ„ we somtyme had in derision and iesced vpon We fooles thought their life very madnes and their ende to be with out honour Howe then are they couÌ„ted among the childreÌ„ of God their porcion among the saintes Therfore we haue erred froÌ„ the waye of truthe and the lyght of ryghtfulnes hath not shyned ouer vs and the Sunne of vnderstanding rose not vp vpon vs. We haue weried our selues in the waye of wyckednes and destruction Tediouse wayes haue we gone but the waye of the Lorde we haue not knowen What good hathe our pryde done vnto vs Or what ê“fite hath the pompe of ryches brought vs all those thinges are passed awaye like a shadowe In likemaner in 115. psalme the rewarde of martyrdome is declared Psal 115. wheare he saieth preciouse is the deathe of his saintes in the sight of the Lord. Psal 125. Likewise also in 125. is expressed bothe our sorowfull affliction and also our ioyeful rewarde wher he saieth They that sowe in teares shal reape which ioye They went furthe wandering and sowing their seades with weping But they shal com againe with ioye takig vp their lappes And againe in the 118. psalme he saieth blessed are those that be vndefiled in the waie Psal 118. which walke in the lawe of the Lord Blessed are those that searche out his witnesses and seke him with their hole hart Fur thermore the Lord which is the selfe reuengar of our persecucion and the rewarder of our sufferinge saieth in the gospell happye shall they be which shall suffer persecutyon for rightousnes sake Math. 5. bicause the kingdome of heauen is theirs And againe he saieth blessed shall ye be whan meÌ„ shall hate you and shall seperate and throwe you out and shal curse your name as wicked for the sonne of mans sake be gladde in that daie and reioyce For lo your rewarde is great in heauen And agayne he that loseth his liffe for me shall saue it Neither are the rewardes of Goddes promise laid vp only for suche as be tormented and sayne For although the faithful be not subiecte to the very suffering yet if faithe abide perfecre not ouercome if the thristian despising and forsaking all thinges that at his owne shall shewe him self to folow Christ he also is honored of Christ among the martyrs by his owne promise wher he saieth ther is no maÌ„ that forsaketh house or fielde or father and mother or brethren or wiffe or sonnes for the kingdome of God which do not receiue seuen tymes as muche in this world and in the world to come eternal liffe In likemaner in the reuelacion he speaketh the same thing saieÌ„g Apo. â—0 and I sawe the sowles of them that wer killed for the name of Iesu the worde of God And whan he had made mencyon first of them that war slayne he added saieng who so euer haue not worshipped the Image of the best neither receiued his marke vpoÌ„ their forhedes or on their handes Al which being sen of him at once in one place he coppleth together sayeng And they liued and reigned with Christ He sayeth that they all do lyue and reigne with Christ not only they
ye might remember the I tolde you Let no maÌ„ therfore maruel that we are exceadingly trobled with coÌ„tinual ê‘secutioÌ„s ofteÌ„tymes vexed with paineful trobles seing that the Lord tolde aforehaÌ„de the these should happen in the last daies which the doctrine exhortation of his worde instructed prepared our fight warrefare Peter also his apostle taught that persecutions do therfore happen that we maye betried and that we thorowe deathe and sufferinges myght also be ioyned and knitte to the loue of God after thensample of the iuste men that went before vs For in his epistle he wryteth thus sayeng Dearely beloued wonder not at this heate that is happened vnto you 1. Pet. 4. which is come among you to trie you Neither fall ye awaye as thoughe a newe thing had chaunced vnto you but as ofte as ye are partakers of Christes passions reioyce in althinges that when his glorye appeareth ye may also be mery and gladde yf ye be rayled vpon for the name of Christ happie are ye For the name of the maiestye and power of God dothe reste in you Which verely is blasphemed of them but is glorifyed of you Thapostles haue also taught vs suche thinges as they theÌ„selues did learne of the Lordes preceptes and heauenly commaundementes the Lorde hymselfe strenghtning vs and sayeng Luce. 18. Math. 1â— Ther is no maÌ„ sayeth he that leaueth house or felde other father and mother other betherne or susters other wife or children for the kingdome of goddes sake which shall not receiue seuen tymes as muche in this world and in the world to cum life euerlasting And againe blessed shal ye be saith he when men shal hate you and shal excommunicate and baÌ„nishe you Mat. 5. and shall curse your name as wicked for the sonne of mans sake reioyce and be gladde in that daie for your rewarde is great in heauen The Lorde wold haue vs to be mery and ioyeful in persecutions For in the tyme of persecution the crownes of faithe are distributed and geuen than are Goddes sowldears tried Than do heaueÌ„s open vnto the martyrs For we haue not after suche maner professed souldearfare that we should thinke vpon peace only and should refuse and forsake the fight Forasmuche as the Lord the mastre of humilite patience and sufferaunce hathe himselfe walked in the selfe same souldearfare the he might first do that thing himselfe which he taught to be obserued of others and might himselfe first suffer for vs that which he exhorted vs to suffer Set allwaies before your eies dearely beloued that he which alone hathe receiued al iugement of the father whichshal com to iuge all meÌ„ hathe euennow aforehand pronounced the sentence of his Ingement and knowlage to come Math. 10 shewing aforehaÌ„d witnessing the he will confesse theÌ„ before his father that coÌ„fesse him will denye theÌ„ the denye him Yf we might auoide escape death No man can escape death we might iustely feare to die but seing that of necessite the mortall must die let vs embrace thoccasion which God by his promise hathe vouchesaued to offer vs And let vs so ende our life that we maye receiue the rewarde of immortalite Neither let vs be afraide to be slaine seing yt ys manifest that we are then crowned when we are slaine and killed Neither let any maÌ„ most dearely beloued brethren betrobled Flight for feare of persecutioÌ„ whan he shall se our people driuen awaie scatered thorowe the feare of persecutyon and shall not see the brotherhede gathered together nor heare the bishoppes preache and declare the scriptures S. Cipriane vseth this worde brother heads We vnto whom it is not lauful to kill but must of necessite be killed can not than be al gathered together Whersoeuer any of the brethren shall in those dayes be for a season seperate from the flocke in body and not in spirite thorow the necessitie of the tyme let him not be troubled thorowe the terriblenesse of that fleing neither let him be afrayd when he departeth to hyde himselfe in the wilsome wildernes For he is not alone which hathe Christ to his companion in fleing He is not alone which keping the temple of God is not without God whersoeuer he shall happen to be And yf the these and murtherer shal destroye the as thou arte fleyng into the wildernes and mountaynes yf the wilde best shall assaile the yf hunger thurst or colde shall pinche the or yf the tempest or storme shall drowne the when thou doest by see hastely flee awaye Christ abydeth and loketh for his soul dear whersoeuer he fyghteth And he geueth vnto him that dyeth for the honour of his name in the tyme of persecution that rewarde A comfort for suche as are preuely pined murdered in presons which he hath promised to gyue in the resurrection Neither is the glory of martirdome any whit the lesse thoughe a man dye not openly amoÌ„g many when Christ his cause was thoccasion of his death For he is a sufficient witnesse of his martirdome that tryeth martirs and crowneth them Abel Let vs most dearely beloued brethren folowe the ryghtful Abel which beganne and consecrated martirdomes when he was the first that was slayne for ryghtfulnes sake Let vs folowe Abraham the frende of God Abraham which delaied not to offer vp his sonne in sacrifice with his owne handes when thorowe a deuouce fayth he obeyed God Let vs folowe the thre children Ananias Azarias and Misahel which being nether feared thorow their tender age nor discorraged thorow captiuitie wheÌ„ Iury IerusaleÌ„ were ouercome takeÌ„ ouercame by the power of faythe the kyng in his owne kingdome Which beyng commaunded to worship the ymage that Nabuchodonosor hade made ouercame bothe the kynges threatninges and the flamyng fyre Crieng out and testefieng their faith which these wordes Dani. 3. We haue no nede O king Nabuchodonosor to make the any aunswer touching this mater For ther is a God whome we serue able to delyuer vs from the fornace of the burnyng fire and he shall delyuer vs O king from thy handes but if he do not let it be knowen vnto the the we will not serue thy goddes neither wil we worshippe the golden ymage which thou hast set vp They beleaued that thorowe faith they might escape neuertheles they added but if he do not that the king might be certefied that they war also able to die for Goddes sake whome they worshipped For this is the power of faithe and vertue to beleaue and knowe that God is able to deliuer froÌ„ present deathe yet neither to feare nor giue place to deathe that faithe maie be tried the better Out of theyr mouth brake furth the vndefiled in uincible strenght of the holy goost the the wordes which the Lord spake in his gospel might appeare to be true whaÌ„ they shall laie haÌ„des on you saithe he be not carefull what ye shall speake
Thes 4. We will not saieth he haue you to be ignozauÌ„t brethreÌ„ touching them that are aflepe that you should not be sorowefull as suche that haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus died rose againe eueÌ„ so God shall also brig with him theÌ„ that haue slept in Christ He saieth the they are sorowefull in the departiÌ„g of theirs that haue no hope But we which liue in hope beleue in God truste in Christ that suffred for vs and rose againe abiding in Christ thorowe him rising againe in him why do we our selues either refuse to departe heÌ„ce or mourne sorowe for our freÌ„des departing hence as thoughe they wer lost Seing that Christ him selfe the Lord and our God doeth warne vs saieng I am the resurrectioÌ„ he that beleueth in me althoughe he die yet he shall liue Ioan. 11 â–ª euery on that liueth beleueth in me shall not die for euer yf we beleue in Christ let vs geue credite to his wordes promises and we shal not die euerlastingly but we shall come to Christ with a ioyfull safety with whome we shall liue reigne alwaies But wher as in the meane tyme we die we doo but passe by deathe vnto immortalitie neither can a man attayne eternal life except he happeÌ„ to go out from heÌ„ce it is no end but a passage after this teÌ„poral iorney is finished a going ouer vnto euerlasting lyfe Who wil not make hast to go to better thinges Who wil not desire to be chaunged and fashioned a newe after thymage of Christ to coÌ„ spedely vnto the dignite of the heaueÌ„ly grace accordiÌ„g as Paule thapostle preached safeng our conuersacion is in heauen from whence we also loke for the Lord Iesus Christ Phi. 3. which shall transforme our vile bodye make it like vnto his gloriouse body The Lorde Christ also him selfe doeth promise that we shall be such whan he praieth the father that we maye be with him and liue with him in theuerlasting seates and reioyce in the celestiall kingdomes father saith he I wil that where I shall be those whiche thou hast geuen me maye be with me also Ioan. 17. and maye see the glory which thou hast geuen me before the worlde was made He that shall com to the seate of Christ and to the glory of the heauenly kingdomes ought neither to mourne nor tament but rather according to the Lordes promise and the beleaue of the truthe to reioyce in his translation and iorney Thus do we finde that Enoch which pleased God was translated For thus in the boke of Genesis Goddes worde testifieth and saieth And Enoch pleased God and was not afterwardes founde bicause God had translated him This was the reward of pleasing God to obteyne to be caried out from the infectyon of this worlde This the holy Goost teacheth also by Salomon that they which please God ar plucked quickly hence spedily deliuered Sapi. 4. least that they tarieng long in this worlde might be defiled with the handelinges of the same He was caught awaie saithe he lest thorowe malice his vnderstaÌ„ding should chaunge For his sowle pleased the Lord â–ª therfore he made hast to briÌ„g him out from the myddes of wickednes Thus the sowle it self being addicte vnto God maketh hast in the psalmes also vnto the Lord thorowe spiritual faith as it is writteÌ„ Psal 83. O Lord of hostes how louing at thy dwelling places my sowle desireth and maketh hast vnto the courtes of God yf is his parte to desire to dwelle long in the worlde whose delectacion is in the worlde whome the flattering and deceitful worlde doth allure with enticemeÌ„tes of earthy pleasures Furthermore forasmuche as the world hateth the christian why louest thou him that hateth the and doest not rather folowe Christ which hathe redemed the and loueth the Iohn in his epistle crieth speaketh and exhorteth that we shuld not folowiÌ„g carnal desires loue the world â— Ioan. 2. saieng loue not the world neither the thinges that ar in the world Yf any man shall loue the worlde the charitie of the father is not in him bicause all that is in the world is the lust of the fleshe the lust of theyes the pride of the worlde which is not of the father but of the lust of the world and the worlde shall passe awaye with his lust but he that shall do the wil of God shall abide for euer euen as God abideth for euer Furthermore let vs most dearely beloued brethren be ready with a ê‘fecte mynde a stedfast faithe stroÌ„g power to obey all the will of God let vs banishe the feare of deathe and thinke vpoÌ„ immortalitie that foloweth Let vs shewe our selues to be that that we beleaue So that we neither mourne for the departure of our deare freÌ„des and whan the daie shall come of our owne calling hence we may without delaye and gladly go at the Lordes call This thing forasmuche as it should be done of Goddes seruauÌ„tes alwaies muche more at this present it ought to be obserued Seing the world is now in decayeing and beseged with the blonsteriÌ„g teÌ„pestes of deadly euilles that we which doo see greuous thinges to be already begoÌ„ne and knowe that more greuous hang ouer our heades should counte it the greatest gaine if we maye departe hence quickly Yf the walles of thine house were so olde that they shoke and the roofe ouer the did treÌ„ble the house being now weried being now tired the buildinges falling downe for age did threateÌ„ an ouerthrowe to be at hande woldest thou not with all spede get thee out Yf a troblesome stormye teÌ„pest and the waues being lift vp with a violent winde did aforehande shewe the a shippewracke comming woldest thou not saile in to some hauen with out delaye Beholde the worlde shaketh and decaieth and doeth declare her owne downe falle not now with the age but with th eÌ„de of thinges and doest not thou giue thankes to God and reioyce on thine owne behalfe that thou art quickely takeÌ„ hence and deliuered from the daungers shippewrackes plages that are houeriÌ„g ouer vs We ought to coÌ„sidre most derely beloued brethren and often tymes to thinke that we haue forsaken the worlde the we liue here but for a tyme as straungers and pilgrimes Let vs embrase that daye which may appoiÌ„te euery one of vs his dwelling place which doeth restore vs to paradise and to the kingdome of heauen after that we ar taken hence and deliuered froÌ„ the snares of the world Who being farre out of his owne couÌ„trey maketh not haste to returne home Who making haste to sayle to his frendes and kinsfolke wolde not earnestly desire a prosperous winde that he might the rather imbrace his dearely beloued We reken that paradise is our countre we beginne now to haue the patriarches for our parentes why do we not make hast ruÌ„ne that we maye se our countrey hat we maye
A sermon of blessed Cipriane touching mortalitie exhorting meÌ„ to the loue of forsating this lyfe and shewing that notwithstanding the iuste and vniuste dye wyth out difference yet no man ought to thynke that the good euell come bothe to one destructioÌ„ Forasmuche as the iuste are called hence to refreshing and thoususte are caught awaye vnto punishment ALthoughe ther be many of you most dearely beloued brethreÌ„ which haue a souÌ„de mynde a stedfast fayth and a deuoute soule which is not moued at this great mortalitie but as a strong and stable rocke dothe rather break the troblesom assaultes the violent and raging wafes of this worlde it selfe beyng neither broken nor ouercome with temtacions but only tried Neuertheles because I perceiue that ther are certayne among the people The causes of incoÌ„stancy and departing from true religion â–ª which eyther thorow the weaknes of mynde or litelnes of faythe or swetenes of wordly lyfe or teÌ„dernesse of kynde or which is worse thorowe thignoraunce of the truthe stande not stedfastly nor do put furth the heaueÌ„ly and the inuincible strenght of their harte this thing ought neither to be dissembled nor to be kept in sileÌ„ce but that we to the vttermost of our power should with full force and wordes taken of the holy scripture suppresse and kepe downe the cowardnes of the deintie mynde that he which is now begonne to be the maÌ„ of God and of Christ myght also be counted worthy of Christ For he that is a soul diour to God most dearly beloued brethren and beyng put in the celestiall tentes do now hope for heauenlye rewardes ought to knowe him selfe so that we should in no wise either feare or staye for the stormes and whirle wyndes of the worlde forasmuche as the Lorde hathe tolde aforehande that these should come instructing and teaching with thexhortacion of his for seing voice and preparing strenghtnyng the people of his churche to all maner of suffering of thiÌ„ges to come hathe aforehande shewed and taught that warres and hongers Mat. 24. and earthquakes pestilences should spring vp arise euery where And that no sodayne and newe feare of hurtful thinges should violently shake vs he hath beforehande warned that aduersities and troubles shall growe vp thicker and thicker The lasâ— tymes artroblesum more and more in the last tymes They do nowe happen loo that were aforehande tolde and forasmuche as the thinges do now happen which were tolde aforehande all thinges that are promised shal also folowe after by the promise of the Lord hymselfe which sayeth but whan ye shall see these thinges come to passe Luc. 21. knowe ye that the kingdome of God is at hande The kingdome of God eâ—ternal life are at hand The kingdome of God dearely beloued brethreÌ„ beginneth to be at hande the worlde passing away the reward of lyfe and ioye of eternal healthe and the continuall gladnesse and possession of paradise lately loste are eueÌ„ now come EueÌ„ now do heaueÌ„ly thinges succede earthy great thinges lytell and euerlasting transitory and fading away What place is here left for troble and carefulnes Who amoÌ„g these thinges caÌ„ be fearful and sorowful except he wante both faith hope who feare deathe It is his ê‘t to fear death which wil not go to Christ it is his part to refuse to go to Christ which beleueth not that he shal begin to reigne with Christ Abac. 2. For it is written that the rightful maÌ„ lyueth by faythe Yf thou be rightfull and lyuest thorow faythe yf thou beleuest truly in God why doest thou not embrace and reioyce of this that thou shalt be with Christ be by the Lordes promise in saffetie inasmuche as thou art called to Christ and delyuered froÌ„ the deuell Luce. 2. To be shorte that iuste man Symeon that was a rightfull man in dede Thorowe faithe goddes commaundementes are obserued which thorow a perfecte faith obserued goddes coÌ„maundementes whaÌ„ he had receyued answer of God that he should not dye before he had sen Christ And whan the babe Christ with his mother was come into the Temple he knewe thorowe the spirite that Christ of whome he was tolde before was nowe borne whome after that he had sene he knewe that he should shortly dye He therfore being gladde of deathe that was now at hand and fearing nothing his calling hence that was hardby toke the childe in his handes and praisid God and cried out saing O Lord now let thy seruant departe in peace according to thy worde For myne eyes haue sene thy sauyng healthe In which wordes he proueth and testifyeth that than the seruauntes of God haue peace when and wheare we maye trust to haue sure rest and that than they haue free and quiet rest whan we beyng drawen out of the boistous tempestes of this worlde attayne the hauen of eternall reste and saffetie whaÌ„ this deathe beyng remoued we come to immortalitie For this is our peace this is the reste that a man maye truste to this is the stable the sure we haue here a contynuall battaile against vices and perpetuall saffetye Furthermore in the worlde what is ther elles but a dayly fyght against the deuell Howe hard daungerous and continuall is this fyght against his dartes and arrowes We must fyght against couetousnes against vnclennes against wrathe against ambicion against carnall vices our wrastlyng with the flickering intisementes of the worlde is laborious continuall and paynfull The mynde of man beyng besieged compassed in on euery syde with the assaultes of the deuel dothe hardly resiste any temptation Yf couetousnes be throwen downe luste ryseth vp Yf lust be suppressed ambicion foloweth Yf ambicion be despised wrathe bothe vexe pride is puffed vp dronkenesse calleth in enuye breaketh concorde zele cutteth of frendship Thou arte compelled to curse which goddes lawe forbiddeth thou art constrayned to sweare which is vnlawful So many persecutioÌ„s dothe the mynde dayly suffer with so many daungers is the harte dayly vexed and dothe it delyte vs to stande here long among the deuelles swerdes whan we ought rather to desire and wishe by the meanes of a swift deathe to make hast to Christ According as he instructed vs saieng verely verely I saie vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but the world shal reioyce you shall be sorowful but your sorowe shal be turned in to ioye Who maketh not hast to com vnto myrthe Ioan. 18. FroÌ„ hence we go to mirthe ioye Who desireth not to be wcout sorwe but whan our heuynes shall be turned in to ioye the Lord him self declareth saieng I wil se you againe and your harte shall reioice and your ioye shall no maÌ„ take from you Forasmuche than as the sight of Christ is our ioie neither can we haue any ioie but whan we haue seen Christ What blindnesse or rather madnes of mynd is this to loue the troubles and paines and teares of the worlde and
them to the bataile of persecutioÌ„ and suffering we must first of al declare that the ydolles which maÌ„ mateth for himselfe are no goddes for the thinges that are made are not greater than their mater neither can these ydolles defende and saue any man which wolde them selues peryshe from their temples except they were 〈◊〉 of man Neither ought thelementes to be worshipped which according to thordenaunce and commauÌ„dement of God do serue man The ydolles being ouerthroweÌ„ and the maner of the lemonies declared The. 2. chap. we must shewe that the Lorde onlye ought to be worshipped To these then must we adde what is the threatning of God against them that do sacrifice to ydolles We must teache furthermore that God wil not easely pardon Idolarers And that God is so greued with Idolatrie that he hathe also coÌ„maunded them to be slayne which haue enâ—ysed men to sacrifice and serue ydolles To these muste be added that the whiche are redemed and made alyâ—e thorow the blood of Christ ought to â—â—e ferre nothing before Christ because he preserred nothing before vs but for our sales he preferred aduersitie before prosperitie pouertie before ryches boÌ„dage before lordship death before immortalitie CoÌ„trarywyse we in our sufferinges preferre the ryches and pleasures of paradise before worldlye pouertie the dominion and euerlasting kingdome before temporall bondage immortalitie before deathe God and Christ before the deuell and Antichrist We ought also to bring to remembraunce that none that are escaped out of the deuelles clouches and delyuered from the snares of the worlde shoulde desire yf they happen to fall into affliccions and troubles to go forthe againe vnto the worlde and so lose that they had escaped But rather that they ought to endure continue in faythe inthe truthe and in the perfectyon of the heuenly and spirituall grace that they maye artayne the victory and crowne We must also shewe that afflictions and persecutions doo therfore happen that we maye be tryed And that the sufferinges of wronge and batailes of persecution ought not to be feared because the Loide is more myghty to defende than the deuel is to fight against vs. And to the intent no man should be afrayde and trobled thorowe afflictioÌ„s and persecutions which we suffer in this worlde we must proue that it was toloe beforehaÌ„de that the worlde should hate vs and that it should stire vp persecutions against vs that the truthe of Goddes promise in rewardes that shal hereafter folowe myght manifestly appeare by this self thiÌ„g in that these persecutions do happeÌ„ Neither dothe any newe thing happen nowe vnto christians for asmuche as good meÌ„ from the beginning of the world haue ben persecuted the rightful haue ben oppressed and Filled of the vnrightfull Last of all we must declare what hope and what rewarde abydeth the rightfull men and martyrs after the afflictions and passyons of this liffe and that we shall receiue more in rewarde of our suffering than we suffer here in the self afflictyons The first chapter THat ydolles are no goddes and that none of thelemeÌ„s should he worshipped in goddes stede is manifest in the Cxiij psalme The ydolles of the geÌ„tiles ar gold siluer Psal 113. the workes of mens handes Mowthes haue they but they speake not they haue eyes and see not They haue eares heare not neither is ther any breath in theyr mowthe Let them be like vnto them that make them In likemaner in the boke of the wisdome of Salamon it is writen Sap. 15. They haue estemed as Goddes all thidolles of the nacions which haue neither eyes to see neither nostrels to drawe brethe neither eares to heare nor fingars on theyr handes to feale Their fete also are vnhapte and sloo to walke For man made them and he that hathe a borowed spirite fashtoned them But no man can make a God like vnto him selfe For Seing he ys mortal that is also but a deade thing which he fashioneth with vngodlye handes For he that maketh them is more excelleÌ„t than the thinges which he worshippeth We reade also in the boke of Exodus Exod. 2â— â–ª Thou shall not make for thy selfe any grauen ymage neither the likenes of any thing Further as touchiÌ„g thelementes Salamon saith Neither toke they so muche regarde of the workes that ar made Sapi. 1â— as to knowe who was the craftesman of them but some toke the fire some the aire some the winde some the course of the starres some the great water some the SuÌ„ne Mone for goddes But thoughe they had suche pleasure in their veauty that they thought them to haue ben Goddes yet sholde they haue knowe howe muche more fairer ys he that made them Or yf they marueled at the power and workes of them they might haue perceiued therby that he that made these mighty thinges is mightyer then they The .ij. chapter THat god only ought to be worshipped we reade in Deuterono Deu. â— Exo. 〈◊〉 Thou shalt worshippe thy Lord God and him only shalt thou serue Also in Exo dus Thou shalt haue non other gods besides me In like maner in the same boke of Deuteronomy Se now how the I I am he and that ther is no God besides me Deu. 32. I can kil and make aliue I strike and heale againe neither is ther any that can deliuer any man out of my handes Apo. 14. Iohan also in the reuelacion saithe And I sawo an Angel flie in the myddes of heaueÌ„ hauing an euerlstaing gospel to praethe vnto them that litte and dwelle on thearthe and to all nacions kinreds tonges and people saing with a loude voice Feare God rather and giue honour to him for the howre of his iugement is com and worshippe him that made heauen and earthe the sed and all that in them ys In like maner also the Lord maketh mentyon in the gospell of the first and second comauÌ„dement saing He are Israel The Lord thy God ys one Lord And thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy harte Math. 22. and with al thy sowle and with al thy strenght This ys the first commaundement and the second ys like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe In these two coÌ„maundementes-consisteth the host lawe ê‘phetes And againe This is eternall liffe Ioan. 17. that they should knowe the alone the true God Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent The .iij. chapter VVhat God threatneth to theÌ„ the do sacrifice to ydols we maye reade in Exodus thus Exod. 22. He the offereth vnto any goddes saue to the Lord only shal be roted out Also in the Deu teronomye Deu. 32. They offered vnto druels and not vnto God Esa 2. In like maner in Esay They worshipped the Idolles which their owne fingars had made Ther kneleth the man ther falleth the man downe before them so that thou canst not bring him awaye froÌ„ theÌ„ce And againe To them
And many false prophetes shal arise and deceiue many and bicause of the abundaunce of wickednes the charite of many shall ware cold but he the shall endure vnto th ende the same shal be saffe And this gladde tydinges of the kingdome shall be preached thorowe all the worlde for a witnesse vnto all nacyons and than shall the ende come WhaÌ„ therfore ye shall see thabo minacion of desolatyon spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place Daniel 9. let him that reade it vnderstande it Than let them that be in Iury flee in to the mountaines And him which is on the house toppe not com downe to fet any thing out of his house Neither let him which is in the felde returne backe to fetche his clothes Wo be in those daies to women with childe and to them that geue sucke but praie ye that your flight be not in the winter neither on the saboth daie For than shall be great tribulacion suche as was not from the beginning of the world to thys tyme nor shal be And excepte those dayes should be shortned ther should no flesh be saued but for the chosen sake those dayes shall be shortned Then yf any man shall saye vnto you Lo here is Christ or ther is Christ beleue it not For ther shall aryse false Christes and false prophetes and shal do great miracles and wonders In somuche that yf it were possible eueÌ„ the chosen persons should be deceyued But take you hede loo I haue tolde you all thynges before Wherfore yf they shal saye vnto you behold he is in the wyldernes go not forthe Beholde in the serrete places beleue not For as the lyghtning commeth out of the east and syneth into the west So shall the coÌ„ming of the sone of maÌ„ be For whersoeuer a deade carcase is thether wil the Egles be gathered together Forthwith after the tribulatioÌ„s of those dayes the sune shall be darkened and the Wone shall not geue her lyght the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall moue And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in heauen And then shall al the kinreddes of the earthe lament them selues and they shall se the sonne of man commyng in the cloudes wyth great power and glory And he shall sende his Angels with great power glory with a great trompet And they shall gather together his chosen froÌ„ the iiij wyndes froÌ„ the one ende of heauen to the other Neither are these thinges which nowe happeÌ„ to christeans new or sodeine for asmuche as good iust meÌ„ such as be thorowly bent to kepe the lawe of God are afraid to staine the innocency of lyfe true religion do alwayes walke the harde straite waye thorowe trobles iniuries and thorowe the greuous manifolde punishementes of deadly malicious emnities Thus is the ryghtfull Abel first killed of his brother Gen. 4. in the very beginning of the worlde 1. Reg. 14. Iacob is copelled to flye 3. Reg. 19. Ioseph is solde king Saul persecuteth the merciful Dauid king Achab endeuoureth to oppresse Helias which did constantly manfully defende the maiestie of God Ê’a charias the priest is killed betwene the temple the aulter Math. 23. that he myght there be made a sacrifice him selfe where he had offred sacrifices To be shorte ther are very many martirdomes of the rightfull which are oftentymes celebrate Ther are very many ensamples of faithe godlines left for them that shal come after The .iii. children Ananias Ararias Misahel in age equal in loue of one mynde in faithe stabell in godlynes constaunt and stronger then the flaÌ„myng fire and the paynes wherwith they were tormented openly proclaymed that they serued God alone and only that they knewe hym alone Dani 3. that they worshipped him alone saieng O king Na buchodonosor we haue no nede to make the any answer in this mater For God whome we serue is able to deliuer vs froÌ„ the hote burning ouen O king and to ridde vs out of thy handes but yf he will not yet shalt thou knowe that we wil not serue thy goddes nor do reuereÌ„ce to the ymage which thou hast set vp Dani. 14. And the godlye man Daniel full of the holy Goost cryeth out sayeth I worship nothing but only my Lorde which hath made heauen earth Tobias also althoughe he was vnder a kingly tyraÌ„nous boÌ„dage yet being fre in vnderstaÌ„ding spirite coÌ„fesseth God do excelleÌ„tly coÌ„meÌ„d god his power and maiestie saieng Tobi. 13. I wil praise him in the lande of my captiuitie wil shewe his power amoÌ„ges the sinful nacion But what should I speake of the seueÌ„ brethreÌ„ in the Machabees whiche do fulfill the nuÌ„bre of .vii. for a sacrament of absolute ê‘fectnes 2. Mat. 7. These seuen brethren are so lincked together in martirdome as in the disposicion ordinauÌ„ce of God the first seueÌ„ dayes do couteyne seuen thousande yeres As the seuen spirites and seuen Angels ar assistant and present before the face of the Lord And the seuen fashoned caÌ„delstickes in the tabernacle of witnesse And the seuen golden candelstickes in the reuelacion And the seueÌ„ pillars in Salomon vpoÌ„ whome wisdome doeth builde her howse Euen so the number also ther of seuen brethren doeth compreheÌ„de in them the number of seuen churches According as we reade in the first boke of kinges that the barreÌ„ brought furthe seuen And in Esay seuen womeÌ„ take holde vpoÌ„ one maÌ„ after whose name they require to benamed And Paule thapostle being myndefull of this laufull and certaine number writeth vnto seuen churches And in the reuelation the Lord doeth directe his diuine commaundementes and heuenly preceptes to seueÌ„ churches and their angels The which neÌ„ber is now fouÌ„de in these brethren that laufull perfeccyon might be fulfilled With the seuen sonnes the mother also their beginning and rote is certeinly copled which afterwardes brought furthe seuen churches herselfe being thorowe goddes voice first and alone fouÌ„ded vpon the rocke Neither is which out mistery the in the martyrdomes the mother is founde alone with her soÌ„nes For the martyrs which in their sufferinges did testefie them selues to be the sonnes of God ar now cownted to haue none other father but God As the Lorde in the gospel teacheth sayeng call no man your father vpon the earth Math. 23. for ther is but one your father which is in heauen O how glorious confessions did they make Howe noble howe excellent lessons of faithe haue they geueÌ„ The king Antiochus being angery yea rather Antichrist re presented by Antiochus went about to defile with the filth of swines fleshe the gloriouse mouthes of the martyrs which thorowe the spirite of coÌ„fession war inuincible And when he had greuously beaten them with scorges and yet neuer the neare his purpose he commaunded the frieng pannes or cauldrons to