Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	great_a	holy_a	see_v	3,964	5	3.2444	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08566	The fiue bookes of the famous, learned, and eloquent man, Hieronimus Osorius, contayninge a discourse of ciuill, and Christian nobilitie A worke no lesse pleasaunt then profitable for all, but especiallye the noble gentlemen of England, to vievv their liues, their estates, and conditions in. Translated out of Latine into Englishe by VVilliam Blandie late of the Vniuersitie of Oxeford, and novv fellovv of the middle Temple in London.; De nobilitate civili et christiana. English	Osório, Jerónimo, 1506-1580.; Blandie, William.	1576 (1576)	STC 18886; ESTC S113632	145,792	234

that ende that I did beleeue those thinges to be true as they were set downe by him but that such in deede I supposed to bee the maners of men such to be the Lawes and ordinaūces of Countryes such to be the nature and force of thinges and al other matters to be of the like sorte and condicion as they were by him in wrytinge declared Wherefore to come to my former treatise of Nobilitie in that hee doth by wryting expresse Achilles to be the sonne of Thetis Memnon of Aurora and Sarpedon of Iupiter his meaninge no doubte agreeth with the minde and opinion of all wyse men of that time that they who for wysedome and vertue did farre excell the rest might be iudged not without the especiall prouidence of the Gods to haue bene bore and therefore to haue bene of their linage and consanguinity And this was the chiefe cause that Theseus was thought to haue beene the sonne of Neptune and Romulus borne of the God Mars Alexander also the greate did longe time since delight to bee called the sonne of Iupiter which opinion also grue of Scipio Affrican For the self same rumour which was raysed before of Alexander was vainely bruted of Scipio which was that a Serpent in shape monstruous was oftentimes seene in his mothers chamber Which beinge once of many men euidently noted sodainly vanished and was seene no more Herehence arose this opinion that many did thincke that Scipio his mother was great and conceaued by the Serpente a child But you wil say O notable shameles lie I pray you is there any man so voide of wit reason and vnderstandinge or so farre from the fayth of Christ whiche wil be perswaded that these thinges are true But yet this lie is grounded on a true and good opinyon which is to thincke that the nobilitye of bloude issueth from the excellency of good nature and that the worthines of vertue proceadeth from some noble and Princely parentage Hereby it is euident and most playne and manyfest howe greatly men of auncient memory dyd esteeme gentle and noble families Verely not without good cause For if any thinge were that for the worthines thereof deserued perpetuall and euerlastinge memory it issued from those noble personages for the most part As it is a thing most cleare and euident to him that listeth to reade the reportes and commentaries of antiquity Who knoweth not that the stocke of Hercules so farre excelled other in prowes and vertue that it did easely subdue the force and power of the Pelopidanes and wonderfully strengthened the state of Athens readye to bee ouerronne and destroyed vtterly So greately was any noble familye esteemed that who so were descended by them did thinke they were protected by the power of some heauenly garrison What auaileth it to shew you of the stocke noble line of Perseus Or what should it skill to recite the worthy Actes and famous enterprises of suche as haue beene of the race of Aeacus If any one woulde call to minde howe many and how great affayres howe straunge and howe daungerous enterprices haue bene done wrought by the Athenians should vnderstand for the most parte that nothinge hath ben amōge thē either attēpted or accōplished but by such whose progenitors were in their life honourable whose progenye after their death were honoured of the people To omit to speake of Kinges and Princes whom euerye man knowes to haue béene of singular vertues whose fame was sounded farre and wyde truely Clisthenes who first wrought the ruin and vtter subuersion of tyrannous gouernment Myltiades Cimon Themistocles Pericles and many moe whome to recite were ouer tedious whoe tooke vppon them moste weighty affayres and harde enterprices as well against the Grecians as Barbarians all those for the most parte came of some noble line and princely parentage The like is to be founde amongest the Thebanes the men of Sparta and a numbre of other nations and countries besides But let vs leaue these foraigne and straunge examples and search the Histories of our owne tyme If you geue your selfe to the readinge of holye scripture you shall haue therein conteyned what great oddes there is betwixt man and man and finde many testimonies there specified in confirmation and cōmendation of true nobility And that I leaue other vnspoken of it is apparent that the stocke of Iuda did farre excel the Hebrue Nation in vertue honour and dignity Who frō the time they were happely deliuered from the thraldome and slauerye they susteyned amongest the Egiptians haue bene well approued for their greate vertue and godlines Amongest whom I will onely note vnto youe certaine What time the Egiptian Kinge did greuously torment the Hebrues neither woulde vppon any condition release them as God had geuen them commaundement but rather encreased their misery dayely more more At the length accordinge to his desert suffered iust punishment at what time God him selfe appeared vnto him For their lādes were wasted their fruicts cōsumed through a great and terrible plague then by the verye appoyntmente of God mutch bloude shed great cruelty committed all tyrānie practised In conclusion the kinge being as it did appeare well reclaimed by so many greuous bitter scourges permitted the Hebrues to departe to offer sacrifice The Hebrues then departinge therehence and pitchinge their tentes neere the read sea perceaued some mischife imagined against them otherwise then they looked for For as sone as they passed the boundes of Egipt it repented the kinge much that he had set them at libertye For he beinge puffed vp with great pride did perseuere in his former wickednes in so mutch he purposed to pursue them with great force notwithstandinge knowinge them to be protected by the hande of Almightie god For whereas he was vtterly ouerwhelmed with the outrage of his fury coulde not perceaue what plagues were appoincted readye to confounde hym and his people he prepareth therfore a great troupe of horsemē multitudes of footemē are mustered and all delay beinge set a side hee bendeth his mayne force agaynst the Hebrues At that instante Moyses besought God with earnest prayer and petition for the peace and the happy deliuerance of his people and with that rodde which represented the omnipotent power of Almighty God which he alwayes carried about with him stryketh the Sea and immediatly he made a wide and open way for them through the middest thereof For the Sea beinge subiect and obedient to the will and power of God was vnto them in both sides as a stronge wall and mighty fortresse whereby they did securely passe witho● feare of imminente daunger Notwythstandynge so greate was the feare of those Hebrues as it is reported in certaine histories of the Iewes for holy scripture maketh thereof at al no mention they report therefore that such was their horrour dread the albeit they were assisted by the power of God yet with great adoe were they brought to cōmit them selues to the daungerous passage of

water Moreouer it is verified that they whiche discended from Iuda did manifestly shewe foorth a great experiment of puissance and valiātnes who lingred not or drewe backe but by the example of Moyses with merueylous constancye aduentured firste the Sea and by their stoute stomach encouraged the rest to folowe them But what followed that great and notable confusion wherein the wicked and damnable Kinge hauinge his minde poysoned with moste deadely rancoure and beinge blinded with moste horrible impiety rashely aduentured to passe through the Sea and was with all his armye swallowed vp with the surges and gulfes of the same Was not this people of Iuda euer afterwardes more honoured then the rest for their manly courage and valiaunt harte therevppon it was decreed that among the twelue rulers and Princes for oute of seuerall trybes were elected diuers Captaynes hee shoulde haue the soueraignetie whiche discended from the Trybe of Iuda hee shoulde conducte the hooste he shoulde make peace he should firste offer sacrifice his rule and aucthority the rest did obey Wherby it is most playnly euidentlye gathered that Moyses had consideration of the noblenes of bloud and nature in that he assigneth vnto one peculiar people the title and prerogatiue of honoure and dignity Out of this stock of Iuda sprange one Caleb whoe firste wan great glorye for that he gainesayd the most shamefull oration of such as would againe retorne into Egipt and had rather liue in bondage and slauerye vnder the Egiptians then trye theymselues l●ke mē in the fielde This worth ye wighte Caleb didde spread farre and wyde the glorious renoune of his vertue and constancie by great exclamations working so effectuously in the harts of the souldiars that whereas through their former conceite theyr hope fayled and theyr hartes faynted through feare yet he made them wyth a good stomache and iollie courage wage agayne battaile and excedingly styrred them vp to al vertue and manlines whereas he might paraduenture in that wycked and dastardlye assembly bene moste vndeseruedly torne and dismembred with cruel tormētes This Caleb vnder the noble captain Iosua beyng thē foure score and fiue yeares of age behaued him self so valiantly that no one might be compared vnto him in handlinge his weapon or for his greate skill in martiall affayres He was of that mynde that hee woulde bestowe his daughter beyng very bewtifull vppon no man in mariage except on him whiche coulde subdue a strong and mighty citye of his enemyes and in fine his brothers sonne vanquished the same Herby it may euidētly appeare that vertue is accompaned wyth nobilitye This glorious and perelesse p rsonage had in chosynge his sonne no respect to the kinred but to the vertue of the mā For the name of gētilitie taketh his beginning frō no other thing then from the praise and due commendation of vertu Yet this often times happeneth that the glory and renoune of vertue is surely knitte and tyed to the worthines of byrth and parentage So that none could imitate so wel or com so neare vnto Caleb in prowes and vertue as hee whiche was nearest vnto him through cousanguinity What happened after the death of Iosue was not the whole charge of martial affayres the swaie and gouermēt of the whole nation appoynted to the trybe of Iuda Tyme would not su●fyce me to recite and speak of particularly eache noble wight of this familye that by his vertue merited euerlastinge memory If then the definition and nature of trewe noblenes whiche I haue set down be euident true there is no doubt then but that the stocke and trybe of Iuda haue attayned the perfection of honour and soueraigntie From thence sprang vp a nombre of noble captaynes frō thence issued out most wise and prudent fathers frō thence proceded many excellent men for equitye iustice fromthence hath discended kinges and princes righte worthye and honourable and emongest the rest whō I passe ouer wyth silence the most noble and holye Kinge Dauid a myrroure and spectacle of all vertue and godlines To conclude onely for the excellencie of their vertue as long as the estate of the Iewes florished cōtinued prosperous the kingdome remayned in this stock family but to omit these matters of antiquity truely it is most clear and manifest that in holy scripture where the glorious workes of our sauiour Chryst are regestred there is regard made of honoure and nobility whereas in entringe to speake to anye on their is mention made of his excellency and worthynes as apperteynynge to hym wythe whome wee haue communication As for example when the Angell heauenly messenger of God speaketh thus Ioseph the sōne of Dauid feare not and agayne Iesus the sone of Dauid haue mercie vppon vs Moreouer Paule speaking to the Romaynes what tyme hee would set forth the honoure and glorye of Christe as well touchinge his deuine as humayne nature doth say that he in respecte of his humanity is discended from the stock house of a kinge I haue of a great many picked out a few examples only to auoyde yrksome tediousnes Yet notwithstanding it may appeare by these fewe parcells that noblenes of byrth distinctiō of bloud is by auctority of holie scripture allowed and confyrmed NOwe I haue to my simple skill shewed sufficientlye the first grounde and originall of nobility deriuynge the foundation thereof from that good inclination whiche is through the benefite of nature printed in haughty mindes which yf it happely grew and by continuance of tyme come to perfectiō it bringeth forth that noblenes of birth and parentage whych euery where is so muche esteemed and honoured For it is a thing worthye to be noted that we speake som thinge of this also how muche antiquitye setteth foorth the glorye and dignitye of true nobility as a greate profe confirmation through the testimony wherof-al worthy actes and noble enterpryses are committed and commended to posterity For those thinges which for wāt of memory haue almost bene forgotten are most highlye of vs esteemed so that we do much more admire them for theyr prowes and vallantnes then that we suppose many of our tyme not able wyth al labour and industrie to ensue and imitate Herehence doth arise that great emulation recorded in aunciēt historys betwene nation natiō while some do vaunt themselues to haue beene beyonde all memory agayne other seeke to draw al renowne of antiquitye to themselues The Egyptians did willingly yelde the antiquity to the Phrigianes and onely exceptinge thē they vaunte themselues more auncient then any other nation The peple of Arcadia proceaded to fictions and fayned fables They affirmed thēselus in auncienty of birth to exceede the Moone What shall I say of the Athenians whoe did attribute so much vnto themselues for the glory and title of antiquitie that they thought themselus onely by that name of righte moste worthye to rule all Greece For whereas the firste beginninges of other partes of Greece were regestred either

therefore throughe their furye and madnes hurt and wounde their countrye but beyng oute in daūger of vtter vndoyng they are able by no meanes to saue it or restore it beyng once lost and decayed to his for●●●●onour and dignity It is therefore most cleare and euident that the estat of that coūtry is lamētable where people are preferred before their peeres and the ignoble and ●●l●born before the honourable But when the case standeth thus that noble men do flow and abound in al vertue and noblenes and are not onelye through the good inclination of th●yr noble natures but also through the loue of vertue inflamed with iustice and temperance and daylye study to do good to all men and to knit vp al in one word doe depely cōsider the office and duty of a noble personage what is hee were he neuer so vilanos a verlet or cursed caytiue with wold not willīgly obey their wil autoriti Nay who wil not rather persuade the body of a cōmōwealth to be geuerned by so worthi and noble a coūsel For who soeuer is of so a le●● mynde as to thinke it not a thinge most needful profitable to yeld himselfe conformable to the protection of some one most wise and modeste gouernour who for his wisedom and modestie onely deserueth commendation is not to be thought a louer of liberty but rather corrupted with the luste of licentiousnes and would by his ryot and foule demeanour molest the quiet estat of the country For there is nothing in the vniuersal worlde that is more apt to preserue the common societye of men then good lawes with out the which no familye no nation no countrye is ●●l to stande and haue any contynuance But you will saye it is greeuous and intollerable burden to become seruile Truely I am of that mynde that no euill may be compared to seruitude but it is one thinge to serue and another to obeye For ther is greate odds between a lorde and a gardian The gardian is carefull for the safegard of those who are committed to him to be defended the lord onely doth respect his priuate commodity Euen so the loyalty and obedience of hym that is free greatlye dyfferethe frome the bondage of hym that is seruyle For seruitude is thus when the slaue wanting will free election foloweth the commaundement and becke of his lorde and hauinge no choyse repyneth at his lordes auctoritye But it is the propertye of a liberal nature to yeelde all dutye and reuerence to them whiche doth excell other in knowledge and wisedom and to whom for a long tyme haue bene committed the care and custodye of many people And as the sicke man doth no maner of seruice to the Phisition but willinglye foloweth his aduise and councell because he shal thereby be restored to health and as the passenger obeyeth the master of the shippe and the souldier his captaine so it behoueth a multitude well disposed to yeeld them selues wholy into the handes of right noble and worthy personages For the people through their dull wits and brutish nature cannot perceyue what is profitable eyther to themselues or for their countrye on the other side the noble mynd is not onely the worker of present profite but also through great foresight preuents imminent daunger Furthermore the people hath no taste or feelinge of honoure and renoume and glorye excepte they be by some strayght law brydeled and therefore are most couetous and giuē to al impyetie and in the defence of their countrye are of no stoute hardye stomache On the other syde the noble bloude is inflamed with the loue of renoume and abhorreth dastardlines as a most foule vgly vice and in defence of a common profitt accompteth greate and daungerous enterpryces Whiche by Homer whose graue sentences I do often recite and willinglye repete is in manye places most playnly declared For after suche sorte hee bryngeth in the king with sundrye and diuers kyndes of oracions perswadinge with the people as thoughe therby his meaninge were to geue notice and intelligence to al worthy and noble personages by the recitall of Agamemnon his prayse and worthines that they in like maner ought to excite and stirre vp themselues to striue with him for fame and glory But vnto the rude and barbarous people yf they turne their backes in battayle scourginge and killinge he denounceth Therefore as the stomach and courage of a lusty horse doth most appeare when hee yeeldeth to be guided by the will of a skillfull rider And as we suppose our minde to bee best setled when will to reason geueth the soueraignty And as we thincke a houshoulde to be well ordered when it leaneth to the aduised disposition of a wise and carefull housholder So must we persuade oure selues that the good estate of the people is then best ordered and established when they yeelde the free administration and as it were the sway of gouernmente to true Nobilitie ❧ THE SECONDE Booke of ciuill Nobilitie WHat the nature force order efficacie of true Nobilitie is Lewis most noble famous Prince how first beinge bred fostered by worthines of witte and excellencie of vertue it attayned the highest place of honour and soueraingtie and howe the people in all antiquitie was fully perswaded that noble birthe and worthines of parentage by bloude and aliaunce was ioyned and linked to the Gods and how great and honourable titles ensignes in all wel gouerned cōmon wealthes were attributed and geuen thereunto I haue alreadye not onely by testimonies of excellent Poets and manifeste presidents of aunciente Records but also by authoritie of holy Scripture aboundantly declared and confirmed sufficiently And after I had put downe in writinge howe much antiquitie might preuaile for the furtheraunce and settinge forth of true Nobilitie I declared consequentlye that they who were of highe degree and noble parentage were not onely borne to beare rule and sitte in the place of Maiestie but also that the securitie safegarde and preseruation of the people was then beste kept and maintayned when the whole gouernmente was yelded vnto worthy noble personages But for as much as there is nothing in this world certaine stable and permanent but al thinges are frayle mutable and much subiect to alteration it may not be that Nobilitie and the glory thereof shoulde continue alwayes and be euerlasting Nobilitie therfore as most part of other thinges to the state and condition of man is subiect to mortalitie Wherefore 〈◊〉 ●f ●ll 〈◊〉 ●hings ●o o● nobilitie there is a certaine prime and youthly Estate then riper yeares ensue and old age foloweth last of all death wasteth and consumeth all vtterly so that no printe or signe appeareth of auncient Nobility Wee see therfore that many families which were in time past barbarous obscure and litle reckoned of are excedīglye stirred vp and enkindled to purchase prayse and winne glorie Againe other wee see scarcely vphold the renowne of their auncestors other daily

of the common wealth the souldiar clad in armour might wyth dint of sworde repell and put a side from the commonwealth all imminent daunger For this cause Iohn neuer exhorteth men from applyinge themselues to the knowledge of feates of armes but prescribeth lawes vnto souldiours of harmelesse vsage and temperate behauour And Paule calleth those magistrates the seruaunts of God which wyth the sword punishe wicked and desperate persons Truly nothing were more hartely to bee desired of a Christian man then that all men woulde refrayne themselues from wickednes and sinnefull luste But forasmuche as that cannot alwayes fall oute and in steede of continencie vnbridled luste in steede of iustice either forraine force or ciuil broyles vse to aryse then of necessitie either the force of the ennemye is wyth weapons mayne strength to be beaten backe or the outrage of oure citizens with sword to be repressed That say they is contrary to Christian charitie As thoughe any kinde of cruelty were greater then to be dissolute and negligēt in a generall distresse and miserie Chryst hath commaunded that we shoulde bee reuenged of our enemyes No doubt it is the propertye of perfecte and absolute vertue when priuatlye wee susteyne wronges and iniuryes to shewe a singular and wonderfull patience of the mynde but when ether the common wealth and saftye of our countrye or the honour estate of religion is impugned thē agaynste outrage and villanye to take an inuincible stomach Chryst hath especiallye commended vnto vs peace No doubt that peace he hath commended whiche hee himselfe gaue vs which doth not cōsiste in pleasaunt reste and quietnes that mannes nature is prone to desire for who can suppose that he hath graunted vnto vs that kynd of securitye when he suffered his owne discples to be tossed as it were with troublesome waues of mannes outragious fury but that peace by the which we were reconciled into the grace and fauoure of God whiche had conceyued greate wrath and indignation agaynst vs and to whose religion our wilfull aypetytes were moste repugnāte These enmityes therfore and dislykinges betweene vs and God Christe as Paule testifieth in manye places with his own precious bloude hath done away and hath purchased for vs a peace continuall and euerlastinge The which we may then especially enioy when we most vehemently and egrely fighte other for the safetye of our country or maintenaunce of the sayth of Chryste and his religion Vnlesse paraduenture wee suppse that Abraham wanted the benefite of this peace at what time he gathering a bande of men of his owne domesticall seruauntes encoutred with a huge and puissante host of his enemyes and valiauntlye farre exceedinge the estimation of man vanquished fowre mighty Kynges and his enemyes beyng parte of theym slayne the other part put to the worse he caried away the spoyle Or if wee thinke likewyse of Gedeon who beynge garded onely with three hundred men of warre slew innumerable multitudes of his enemyes Agayne what thinke you of Iosua Moses his sucsessour what of Ieptes what shoulde I reherce manye other noble menne honowred as well for theire feruente zeale of religion as magnifyed for theire worthye exploites in martiall affayres May we think that they did offende God when they most valiantly set vpon theyr enemyes Or shal we not rather say that thē especially the peace of God tooke effect among them when in the cause of righteousnes agaynst Godlesse they waged battaile But what haue we to do say they with those examples of antiquitye They were Hebrues but we are Christians And are you still of this opinon that you will exclude oute of the numbre and from the worthy callinge of Christians those holye men who as I haue before declared were right good true worshipers of Christ and had receiued the same gifte and grace at the handes of God that we our selues haue receiued for what other thīg signifyeth that outcry The sword of God and Gedeon a gayne that place The spirit of god was poured vpō Iephthe and other like places innumerable but that not withoute the mightye power of Christe so greate warres coulde be takē in hand and dispatched Further what signifieth that out of heauen battail was waged agaynst thē the stars continuinge in theire order and in theire proper course fought agaynste Sisara but that the hostes of Heauen vnder the charge of Christ their captayne whom the holye scripture calleth lorde of hostes do fighte for the Godly against the vngodly and wicked Therefore there is no cause why we shoulde lightlye make accounte of those examples of vertue left vnto vs by those most holye men for a memorial to cōtinue with vs as lōg as time indureth For they are not to vs straūg exāples but properly belonging vnto vs and familiar as done by our owne auncestours to the imitation whereof wee must at length stirre vp our dull natures For I woulde not haue any man so weake-brainde to thincke that contrary to the will and pleasure of Christe which we know assuredly to haue beene don by his holye ayde and assistaunce and to the accomplishinge whereof it is most euidente that the valiauntest men of all haue bin with his voyce almost excited and stirred vp For to omitte Historyes of auncient time Constantine the Emperour ouercame Maxentius not so much throughe the multitude and nomber of his souldiars or strength of his hoste or his skill and experiēce in warrefare as by the furtheraunce and helpe of Christ whom at the very first onset he so terrifyed that after a moste shamefull sort he put him to flighte and made him ready to seeke his owne destruction in the ende compelled him to drowne himselfe in the channel of Tiber the riuer The which maruaylous and wonderfull terrour Christe himselfe stroke into the hartes of his ennemyes For whereas Constantine at that time thought very well of Christian relligion he saw almost at the very instant when he should encounter with his ennemy the ayre being most fayre and cleare the signe of the Crosse shyning marueylous brightly and hearde a voyce sent downe from Heauen declaringe vnto him that he should obtayne the victory if he would folow the crosse as the ensigne and flagge of God most high euerlasting From hence proceedeth the ground and cause that kinges and Princes especially in theyr Ensignes haue a crosse In this signe Constantine not onely obtained victory but reposed in the same the cause of immortalitye and euerlasting glory Hauing that signe caryed before him he put to wracke hostes of his ennemyes innumerable and did most largely extende the handes of the Romayne Empyre VVHat shoulde I speake of Theodosius Who had such a conflicte with Eugenius that he might easily perceiue that by the helpe of Christe himselfe present with him he gat the vpper hand Whych Emperour truly in one poincte was mutch to be meruailed at For at such time as others cherished their bodies with sleepe and delicious meats he

religion of Christ For if the minds of men instructed with precepts of Christian religion are thereby made cowardlye and dasterdly and by those olde and vnclean ceremonies in which Godlye honoure was doone to the Idols of wicked men they were incited to valiantnes surely they seame to be preferred before the rules of our religion But consider with thy self the foolish madde and erronious opinion thou hast helde They whiche haue truelye tasted of Christes religion are not moued with the flyinge of birdes the scrychinge of shrechowles nor the intralles of beastes threatninge some dolefull euent They are not troubled with earthquakes with thunderclappes with any prodigious and monsterous wonders To conclude there is nothinge that can daunt or dismay the mynde of a Christian man. For he is so trayned that if hee should se all the worlde egrelye bente to battayle if hee shoulde see all manner of daungers deuysed and prepared agaynste hym if he shoulde see euerye thinge rounde aboute set on lighte fire and almost consumed hee notwithstandinge through an assured hope and confidence shoulde remayne vnchangeable neither be discouraged through the terrour of any mischiefe First because he beleeueth that he is garded and defended with a mightye and puissante armye For he readeth in the holy scriptures that there are garrisōs of Angells whiche defende the Godlye from all iniurye and in tyme of neede qualifie the outrage force of the enemye For Iacob knew him selfe with this strength to bee fortified when he declared that he saw the tents of God. Agayne when the Syrians army was euen vppon Helizaeus readie to deuoure him and his seruaunt stroken with great fear cryed for help feare not sath Heliseus and be of good courage for our number farre excedeth theirs And it foloweth in that holye history And when Heliseus hadde made his prayers to god hee sayth O Lord open the eyes of this boye that hee may also see And the Lord opened the eyes of the boy and he sawe and behold a mountayn al couered with horsemē and fiery chariotes that compassed Heliseus rounde aboute And that no man may thinke that God dealeth but with fewe in that maner it is written els whereof all them whiche with a pure and vndefiled hart embrace righteousnes and honoure God in all singlenes and simplicity The Angell of the Lorde hath pitched his tentes rounde aboute them that feare him He therefore which doth faithfullye creditte those testimonies and doth vndoubtedly beleue that he is by the power of God protected can in no wise tremble with feare but wyth a lustye and boulde cowrage will vse that sayinge that in another place is writtē If tentes stand vp agaynst me my hart shall not feare If a battaill rise vp against me in him wil I put my trust And that place also These in chariottes they in horses but wee in the name of the Lord haue our hope reposed They beyng vanquished weere slayne but wee beeynge of good courage caried away the victory This hope therefore I say will not suffer the familye of Christians to be weake and fayntharted Further the cogitation of immortalitye and a certayne foreknowledge of glorye to come what force hath it to the confirmation establishing of their constancie Caesar reporteth that the Frenche men were maruaylously stirred vppe to all prowes and valiauntnes throughe an opynion that the Druides did perswade thē to be of which was that the soules of mē were not subiect to death but after their departure passed from one bodye to another and therefore castinge a part all feare of death they valiauntly tooke in hande wayghty and daungerous enterpryces not makinge accompte of lyfe Whereas they were perswaded that death was nothinge els but the chaung alteration of lyfe and passinge of the soules from bodies to bodies And is it euen so in deede The auncient Frenche men through a moste vayne opinyon grounded vppō a vile fond superstition feared no māner of daunger and shall Christians feare death who beleeue not through a slender opynyon but throughe a constāt trust and affiaunce that after they haue departed this lyfe they shal obtayne most perfecte blessednes For what is moore manifestlye knowen in Christian religion then that all they that embrace iustice and godlines after that they are losed out of their bodies as it were oute of bonds shall as it were flye vp into heauen that they mighte obtayne worlde without ende euerlastinge glorye Agayne what is more deepelye printed in oure myndes then that the bodyes whiche are nowe vtterlye consumed shal bee agayne restored and beeynge wyth celestyall and heauenlye bryghtenes illumyned shall bee agayne vnyted to the soules wyth so fyrme and sure a league and band that it can bee by no meanes vyolated and broken that we beeynge after suche an heauenlye sorte renewed mought enioy al perfect eternal pleasurs both in bodye soule He who in this poynte is fullye perswaded beleeue me will neuer vnwyllynglye and wyth a grudgynge mynde departe from this lyfe intermedled wyth so manye myseryes calamityes Lastly what should I speak of the infinite wōderful loue with the which they that are truly entered into Chrysts holy profession are euery day more and more nflamed This vndoutedly is moste euidente that our minds are by no meanes so muche incited and stirred vp to hazard aduenture our liues as by loue and charity For to him that is in loue nothinge seemeth harde and all thinges are moste sweete and pleasaunte which are enteprysed for the attayninge that thinge which is vnto him moste deare and tender In so much that he not onely contemneth death which seemeth to all men most terrible and dreadfull but sometimes perswadeth himselfe moste willingly to desire the same That if loue lightly begonne betwixte man and man and grounded on very small causes hath such force that it causeth the contempt of death what may be thought of the excellencie of charitie which is through the gifte grace of the holy spirite moste liberally powred into pure and vndefiled mindes by the force thereof Christian Nobilitie supposeth all the sweete pleasure of life to be reposed in labours and perils despising all pleasures of the bodye and the britle estate of honoures and all aboundance of worldly wealth And being greatly inflamed wyth the desire of Christe it cannot be remoued from Godlines neither wyth threatninges nor wyth terrours nor wyth straunge and newe deuised punishmentes To conclude this loue maketh a man thincke that all tormentes which he suffreth for Christes sake whom hee tenderly and earnestly loueth are lighte and pleasaunt Furthermore nothinge is so much desiered and wished for of Christians as for the relligiō of the euerliuing God to loose theyr liues in the middest of the most exquisite tormentes of the body that can be deuised Which truly is not to be wōdered at For whereas loue turneth aside the cogitacion of the minde from feare it muste needes be that perfecte and godly loue is