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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	body_n	bring_v	great_a	4,107	5	2.7376	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17725	Two godly and learned sermons, made by that famous and woorthy instrument in Gods church, M. Iohn Caluin. Which sermons were long since translated out of Latine into English, by M. Robert Horne late Byshop of Winchester, at what time he suffered exile from his country, for the testimony of a good conscience, as his apology in the beginning of the booke will witnes. And because these sermons haue long lyen hidden in silence, and many godly and religious persons, haue beene very desirous of them: at theyr earnest request they are nowe published by A.M.; Quatre sermons. English. Selections	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Horne, Robertc1519?-1580.; Munday, Anthony, 1553-1633.	1584 (1584)	STC 4461; ESTC S110726	58,766	149

him In him only resteth the whole riches of Gods treasure he is the only way to euerlasting life wherevnto who so will attaine must séeke it in the Scripture in the Gospell of Christ and not in the filthy damnable traditions and deuillish doctrine of the Papists Wherfore déere brethren séeing you haue tasted of y e swéete bread of life Gods most holy word take heede of the Papists sower leuen that worketh death And because I would you should not be ignorāt howe you ought to behaue your selues where so much Idolatrie is openlie commaūded and how to learne your Christes crosse a new I meane to beare Christes crosse layd on your backes to followe him strongly and not to faint I haue translated for you two Sermons of that great learned and godly man I. Caluin made for that purpose and these haue I doone trauailing hauing no place certaine where I wil remaine but I trust shortly to be where I wil sticke downe the stake till God call me home againe But for so much as the Bishop of Duresme did opēly to my face cal the doctrine which I had taught in his Dicoces as touching the popish Masse heresie I shall by Gods grace good Christian brethren declare and prooue by the Testimonie of the Scriptures and also of the auncient fathers of Christes Church that the popish Masse is the greatest heresie blasphemie and Idolatrie that euer was in the Church which shal be the next thing that you shall looke for from me by God grace In the meane season remember good brethren that our vnthankefulnes was the cause of this our plague Let vs cry therfore vnto the Lord powringe foorth before him faithfull teares and hee will deliuer vs that we may truely honour him in the gates of the daughter of Syon that is openly in the middest of the faithfull congregation Amen ¶ A Godly and learned Sermon made by Maister Ihon Caluin wherein all Christians are admonished to flie outward Idolatrie Taken out of the thirde verse of the sixteene Psalme I will not communicate with theyr bloody sacrifices neither will I take their names in my mouth THe doctrine which we shal entreat in this place is plaine inoughe and easy sauing that the greatest part of those that professe themselues to bee Christians doo séeke out and bringe I can not tell what subtilties to cloake theyr euill withall But the sum of this whole doctrine is that after we knowe the liuing God to be our father Iesus Christ our redéemer we ought to consecrate bothe bodie and soule vnto him who of his infinite goodnes hath taken vs into the number of his sonnes and to acknowledge with all kind of beneuolence honour and obedience the same benefite which our most déere Sauiour did vouchsafe to bestowe on vs after he had bought it with so great a price And because we are bounde not onely to renounce all infidelitie but also to seperate our selues from all superstitions which do as well disagree with the true seruice of God as the honour of his Sonne which can by no meanes agrée with the pure doctrine of the Gospel and true confession of the faith I sayd this doctrine of it selfe to be so easie that onelie the practise and exercise therof ought to remaine vnto vs sauing that many men doo séeke certayne deceytfull shiftes thorow which they will not be ouercome in that thing the which is most chéefely condemned by Gods own mouth This cause constraineth vs at this time to tarie longer in the declaration of this matter that euerie man may knowe his owne duetie and deceyue not himselfe thinking that he is escaped when he is couered as the common saying is vnder a wet sacke But for that there be many of this opinion whose Churches are thorowlie purged from the filthinesse and Idolatries of the Papisme that this argument or Treatise is but superfluous before we passe any further it is not vnprofitable to declare such men most fowlie to be deceiued First when it is declared how great an offence it is for vs to be polluted and defiled with the Idolaters feyning our selues to cleaue and consent to theyr impieties we are admonished to mourne for our former sinnes and to aske of God forgiuenesse of them with all humblenesse and in this thing to acknowledge the singular benefite which hee gaue vnto vs drawing vs foorth of that same filth wherin we were holden downe and drowned For we truelie are not able to set foorth this so great a benefite woorthely inough And for that we knowe not what shall happen vnto vs and to what ende GOD dooth reserue vs it is verie expedient to be prepared and armed in tyme that into what state soeuer we shall come or with whatsoeuer temptations we maye be oppugned we neuer swerue from the pure word of God Fyrst it may be that many of this our Church and Congregation shall trauaile into some Papisticall countrey who ought greatly now to bee in a readines and armed to battell Then albeit God dooth giue vs at this time liberty to serue him purely and godlily yet we know not how long this benefit shall continue Let vs therefore take this time of our quietnes and tranquilitye not as though it shal alwaies last but as it were a time of truce wherein God dooth giue vs leasure to strengthen our selues least when we shall be called to vtter the confession of our faith we be found new vnprepared because we contēned the meditation of that matter in due time Neither truely ought we to forget in the meane while our brethren which are kept vnder the tiranny of Antichrist oppressed with most miserable bondage but to take care remembraunce pittie ouer them and so pray God to strengthen them with that constancye which hee requireth in his worde We must also admonishe and solicite them by all wayes not to rest in places where men are faste on sléepe in their voluptuousnes but to apply dilligentlie thought this and will that they confesse the glorie due vnto God For we are not taught of God onelye for our selues but that euery man after the measure of his faith should brotherly communicate with his neighbours and distribut vnto them that thing he hath learned and knowen in Gods schole Now sée we then that it is profitable yea truely necessarie so well to our selues as to our brethren that the remembraunce of this doctrine should bée renued very oft especially séeing the text it selfe which wée shall expound dooth leade vs to the same purpose Dauid dooth openly protest and as it were dooth make a sollem vowe That hee will neuer be partaker in the Sacrifices of Idolaters and also that he will so detest and greeuously hate the Idoles that hee will not at any time once name them as though he should defile his mouth in naming them This is not the facte of some one meane man but the example of Dauid the most excellēt King and

faintnesse of stomacke we deny crookedly and falsely our Christian profession that we become inconstaunt and double that we defile our selues fowlie with those things which God hath curssed with all kinde of malediction Is this so lyght a matter that after we haue doone it we ought onelie to wipe our mouth and confesse that we haue cōmitted a certaine small fault Let vs therefore put away th●se shiftes speciallie séeing they serue for no other thing but to make vs bolder and to giue vs greater lybertie to sinne and dooth nothing at all diminishe our fault There be also other more impudent which doo not onely chaunging the name go about to persuade that it is not so great and vnwoorthy a sinne but doo plainely and precisely deny it to be sinne It is sufficient say they that God be honoured with hart and minde Euen so truely if the hart it selfe were not double For when the minde is truely sounde and pure the body shall neuer be drawne into a contrarie part I would knowe of them what that is that mooueth and leadeth their féete to the Temple For when they goe to heare Masse theyr legges wyll neuer be styrred of theyr owne motion but must néedes be moued by the inwarde power of the minde Then must they needes confesse that there is in themselues a certayne desyre and motion of the minde wherof they be carried to worshippe the Idolles and chéefelie because they couet to apply them selues after theyr wyl and opinion which are enimies to the trueth yea and doo so conforme themselues to please them that they doo much more estéeme theyr fauour and theyr owne life then Gods honour and glorie Besides this theyr impudencie is so manifest and shamefull that I am ashamed to dispute against it as though it had some colour or lykenesse of reason yet I must néedes doo it séeing they doo please themselues so greatlie and are as it were men droonken in their own opinions and pleasures fallen fast on sléepe They thinke this is inough to worship God in spirite whose then shall the body be Truely Saint Paule Mooueth vs to honour God both in body and spirite for they be his owne and belongeth to none other God hath created the body and shall it be lawfull for vs therewith to serue and honour the deuill as though he should séeme to be the aucthour and maker thereof It were better they would professe themselues openlie to be Manichées and deny that God made the whole man If they had neuer so lyttle taste of the Gospell they would not burst out into so lycentious impudencie But nowe it is plaine inough that they in no wise know what is the power and greatnesse of this benefite to be redéemed with the blood of Gods sonne And to proue this true how can we looke for the resurrection of the fleshe except we beléeue that Christe Iesus is the redéemer both of bodyes and soules Saint Paule also dooth admonish vs Not to be the seruauntes of men because wee were bought and purchased with so great a price which is the blood of Gods sonne Then he that dooth ioyne and addict him selfe to the wicked seruice of Idols dooth he not treade vnder his féete the most sacred blood of Iesus Christe wherein dooth consist the price of the eternall and immortall glorie which we looke for in our bodies What reason is it that our bodies should be defiled and prophaned before Idolles séeing the crowne of eternal lyfe is promised vnto them in heauen This wallowing in Sathans stewes and most filthy defiling is it a meane and waye whereby we may come to the kingdome of God Moreouer it was not sayd without a great cause Our bodies are the temples of the holie Ghost therefore they which perceyue not that they ought to be kept in all holinesse doo plainlie shewe themselues to perceyue and vnderstande nothing at all of the Gospel Also they declare that they knowe no whit at all what is the power of Iesus Christe and of his grace For when it is sayde on this wise That we are bone of his bones and fleshe of his fleshe We ought to vnderstande that we be ioyned with him both in body and soule Therefore no man can defile his owne body with any manner Superstition but hée dooth seperate himselfe from that coniunction and vnion whereby we are made the members of the sonne of God But now let these wittie and subtyll doctours aunswer me whether they haue receyued baptisme onely in theyr soules or whether God hath cōmaunded rather and instituted that this signe should be imprinted in our flesh Shall the body then wherin the marke of Iesus Christe is printed be polluted and defiled with so contrarie repugnaunt and so wicked abhominations Also the Lordes Supper is it receyued in the mind onelie and not also in the hands and mouth Hath God engrauen in our bodies the arms and badges of his sonne that we afterward should pollute our selues with all vncleannes with most fowle spottes and shame and so vnséemelie deforme our selues that no kinde nor lykenesse of Christian beautie should appeare It is not lawfull in coyning one péece of golde to print two contrarie coynes neyther to set two seales the one repugnaunt to the other vnto one writing and shall a mortall man take vppon him to counterfeite and corrupt Baptisme and the most holie Supper of Iesus Christe and also be bolde to saye that there is no euyll in so great and mischéeuous a facte Such men truelie are woorthy that theyr seruauntes should perswade and make them beléeue they haue a great pleasure to doo them seruice when notwithstanding they giue themselues to sléepe pleasures and all idlenesse and doo not mooue one finger to doo any worke at all If they saye it is not a lyke reason because we haue néede of theyr labour that bee vnder vs I aunswere although GOD haue no neede of vs yet for that hee wyll vse our labour seruice and obedience to serue and honour him truelie it is too much vnséemelie and for vs the greatest shame and infamie to doo all things otherwise then hee wyll and cleane to bee voide of the studie and duetie which wee owe vnto him yea our shame is so much the greater that the woorme of the earth and an vnlyuing Creature shall requyre more power ouer vs and honour then his Creatour But yet wee must talke with these beasts more plainely They say it is lawfull for them to feine and cloake whatsoeuer they will among the Papists and to conforme themselues to that manner and fashion of religion which is thought most apt to nourish superstition Who is he then that giueth them bread to be fed therewithall Who dooth make the ground fertile to bring foorth fruite If GOD doo féede and nourishe them in those places where they dwell as he dooth all other men in the other partes of the earth why doo they not honour the giuer of the

Prophet which ought to bee vnto all Gods Children a certaine common rule to right and Godly life And to the entent we may the better perceiue this thing and more vehemently be mooued with the true feare of God the cause is to be noted which he addeth wherein truely resteth as it were a certaine foundation of that same alienation and offence whereby he dooth most greatlie abhorre the Communion of Idolaters The Lord sayth he is mine inheritaunce But is not this thing common to all faithfull and godlie men There is no man truelie which would not glorie in so excellent a thing And this is sure without all doubt that God being once giuen vnto vs in the person of his Sonne dooth daylie entise vs to possesse him But there be verie fewe which are so affected in this parte as the greatnesse and woorthinesse of this same matter should séeme to aske and deserue Neither truelie can we by any meanes possesse God vnlesse on this condition that we also become his Dauid therefore of good right and woorthelie dyd set foorth the foundation of his godlinesse and Religion in this sentence and reason séeing that God is his inheritance he will refraine from all pollutions of Idolles which doo turne vs from God himselfe This is the cause why the Prophet Esaie when he had vpbraided the Iewes that they had giuen themselues to false and strange Gods whome they had made added afterward these sayth he are thy portion signifying by these wordes that God dooth deny to the worshippers of Idolles all bonde and fellowshippe of couenaunt and disenheriteth them and vtterlie depriueth them of that so infinitlie great benefite which he would haue bestowed on them giuing himselfe vnto them So man will except and saye that the Prophet entreateth in that place onelie of them which put theyr affiaunce in Idolles and deceyueth themselues thorowe opinion and incredulitie I graunt but this also I aunswere if they that doo transferre Gods honour vnto Idolles are vtterlie seperated and cut off from his fellowshippe they also doo erre and declyne somewhat from him which doo feine themselues to consent to superstitions thorowe feare and weakenesse of minde For no man can in heart or any conformable fashion or in wyll and in purpose of minde or feyning or by any true or feyned waie approche to Idolles but he must so farre goe backe from God Wherefore let this sentence be thorowlie perswaded and remaine déepelie printed in our hearts that they which séeke God with a true and pure minde to the ende to possesse him for theyr enheritaunce wyll haue no communion and fellowship with Idolles with whome God hath that diuorce debate that he would haue all his to proclaime and make continuall and deadly warre vpon them And in this place Dauid by name dooth expres That hee will neuer be partaker of theyr oblations neither haue theyr names in his mouth and talking He might haue saide on this wise I will not deceyue my selfe with the vnwise and foolishe deuotions of the vnbeléeuers I will not put my trust in such abuses nor I will neuer forsake Gods trueth to follow these lyes but he speaketh not on this manner but dooth rather promise constauntlie that he will neuer be conuersaunt among theyr Ceremonies Therefore he dooth testifie that so farre foorth as concerneth the seruice of God he will abide continually in all puritie and holinesse both of body and soule And first in this place we must consider whether this be not Idolatrie to signifie and declare by outward tokens our agréement with those Superstitions wherewith the seruice of God is corrupted and vtterlie peruerted They that swim as the common saying is betwixt two waters alledge this saying séeing that God would be honoured in spirite Idolles can by no wayes be honoured vnlesse a man put his trust in them But to this maye be easilie aunswered that God dooth not so require the spyrituall seruice and adoration of the minde that he graunteth and remitteth the other parte of our nature vnto Idolles as though that parte should séeme nothing at all to belong vnto him For it is sayde in many places that the knées must be bowed before GOD and also the handes lyfted vp to heauen What then Surely the chéefe honour that God requireth is spirituall but the outward signification whereby the faithfull doo testifie that it is God onely whom they serue and honour must so immediatlie followe that they must at one tyme be ioyned together But one place shall so suffice for all to confute that obiection which they snatch of one worde that they shalbe plainlie rebuked and conuicted In the thyrd Chapter of Daniell it is written that Sidrach Misach Ab●dnago refused and denied vnder any maner of colour to consent vnto the superstition set vp and erected by Nabuchodonozor Declaring that they would in no wise honour his Gods If these goodlie wittie Sophisters had béene there at that tyme they would haue laught to scorne the simplicitie of these thrée seruauntes of God For I suppose they would haue taunted them with such lyke wordes you foolishe men this truely is not to honour them séeing you put no affiaunce in these thinges There is no Idolatrie but where there is deuotion that is to saye a certaine bending and application of the mind to honour and worship the Idolles But these godlie men dyd followe a better and wiser councell for this aunswere which they made procéeded not of theyr owne witte but rather of the holy Ghost which moued them thus to speake whome if we wyl not resist we must accept this place and this example as a certayne rule and definition that Idolatrie is an outwarde action against Gods honour yea although it procéed not from the wyll and purpose of the minde but be onelie colourable and feined In which matter they make goodlie cauillations that there is no Idolatrie at all when as our affiance is not put in Idols Yet shall these men continuallie remaine condemned by the sentence which the mightiest Iudge hath pronounced But these men doo contende onelie for that name onely going about somewhat to lesson theyr faulte which they can by no meanes defend nor excuse Yea they will graunt that this thing is euill doone and not rightlie yet notwithstanding they would haue this fact to be iudged as a certaine veniall sinne But although we graunt them as touching the name that thing they aske yet they shal not get so much therby that they may make theyr cause much the better Let vs saye thus that such manner of feined worshipping of Idolles is not called Idolatrie yet neuerthelesse it shall be a trayterous enterprise against God a certaine fact repugnaunt to the confession of faith and a fowle filthy pollution most full of wicked sacriledge I praye you when the most sacred seruice and honour of God is so violated that we falselie breake that promise we made to him that thorow cowardise and

spoken is sufficient inough to conuince so fowle and shamefull impudencie But if these men be so foolishe and dull witted that they perceyue not this filthinesse the word of God must suffice vs as when the Lorde sayth by the Prophete Ieremie Israell if thou doost turne turne vnto mee In which wordes is most plainelie expressed with what simplicitie and integritie of minde wee ought to deale and walke before GOD without any thought and will to returne to those thinges which wee knowe are not thankefull nor allowed of him Which is a cause why S. Paule dooth testifie that he was sent to turne the vnfaithfull from their vanities vnto the lyuing God as though he would say it is to no purpose to chaunge some one olde and accustomed euyll with other hypocrisies and feininges but vtterly to abolishe all superstitions that the true Religion may be set in her owne puritie and holinesse For without this Faith and integritie men neuer come the right way vnto God but doo alwayes wauer are vncertaine to what part they may turne themselues There be others that are come thus farre that they disalowe and refuse the Masse but they would haue some patches kepte styll which they call Gods seruice least as some men saye they should séeme to be destitute of all Religion And it may be that some of these be mooued with a godly minde and zeale at the least I wyll so thinke but whatsoeuer theyr zeale and purpose be yet maye we not saye that they kéepe the true rule or any good measure Many saye we may come to theyr baptismes because there is no manifest Idolatrie in them As who would saye that this Sacrament were not also corrupted and vtterlie deformed with all kinde of corruption in so much as Iesus Christe may séeme to be yet styll in Pilates house to suffer all opprobries and shames To conclude where as they saye that this is the cause why they would retayne some Ceremonies least they should appeare to be voide of all Religion if one should examine theyr consciences the same truelie will aunswere that they doo it to satisfie the Papists and they chaunge their countenaunce to flie persecution Other some doo watche a tyme least they come in the Masse whyle and yet they come to the Temple that men should suppose they heare Masse Othersome doo come but at Euensong tyme of whome I woulde knowe whether they thinke this to be nothing that at that same tyme the Idols be honoured that the Pictures and Images be sensed with Fumigations that a solemne prayer is made in the intercession of some Saint and grounded on his merites that Salue Regina be soong with a loude voice and that on euerie side a matter is heard so filled and replenished with deuillishe and curssed blasphemy that the minde shall not onelie abhorre the offence of the eares and eyes there present but moste vehementlie the thought and recordation thereof I doo passe ouer that the singing it selfe in an vnknowne tongue is manifest prophanation of Gods prayses and of holie Scripture as Saint Paule dooth admonish in the fouretéenth to the Corinthians But let this fault be forgiuen them If they come to Euensong to giue some signe and testimony of theyr Christianitie they will doo this chéefelie on the solemne Feastes But then there shal be solemne ensensing the chéefest Idolles and great plentie of swéet fumigations powred out the which is a kinde of Sacrifice as the Scripture teacheth It was also a manner vsed among the Gentiles and wherby they compelled the weake men to denie God And for this cause the greatest parte of Martyrs dyd suffer death constauntlie for that they would not make perfumes and burn● incense to Idolles When these men be come thus farre that they receiue in theyr noses the sauour of the Sensours they also pollute themselues with that pollution which is moste greatest and execrable there And yet they thinke we ought to hide and couer this so great wickednesse and mischéefe But I beséeche them in the honourable and holie name of God that they wyll dilligentlie marke this saying of the Psalm That Idolles are so to be detested of the faithfull and godly man that they should not be in his mouth or tongue least the talke had of them should seeme to contaminate and defile him This one word ought to fray and withdrawe vs from all Congregation and fellowshippe of Idolatours because that we lyuing in that Congregation may easilie be wrapped in and defiled But to speake plainlie and fréely what I thinke of all these which séeke a meane way betwixt GOD and the deuill they haue double and variable mindes and I cannot finde out a more apt and fitte comparison to set them out and paint them in theyr liuelie colours then that same which may be brought of Esau that same filthie and double man For when hee sawe his brother Iacob sent by his father Isaack into Mesopotamia to seeke a wife because the women of the lande of Canaan did so much mislike the father and his wife Rebecca that they thought theyr lyfe bytter and irkesome to liue among them rather wisheth death he marieth a new wife somewhat to satisfie his Parents but he doth not put away the olde So that hee dooth keepe styll the euyll whereof Isaack did so greeuouslie complaine but somewhat to amend the matter he marieth a new wife Euen so they that are wrapped vp in the world that they can in no wise follow God doo mingle and tosse together many and diuerse kindes of Religions and Superstitions that they may applie and conforme themselues by some waye to the will of God and they alwayes kéepe styll some corruption so that whatsoeuer they doo cannot appeare to be pure and sincere I knowe also right well that there be in those places many miserable soules which liue there in great difficulties and cares which truelie coueteth to walke rightlie without hypocrisie and yet cannot loose themselues out of many doubtes and scruples which is no meruaile in so great and horrible confusion as we sée at this time in the Papisme Yea I doo greatlie pittie theyr myserable state which séeke meanes whereby they maye serue God deuoutlie and liue among the enimies of Faith if it may be possible by any wayes But what wyll we I can doo nothing else to the one or to the other but declare theyr errour and sinne that they themselues may adde the remedie If they come héereafter to aske of me this or that more dilligentlie and particularlie I will send such curious inquisitours to the common rule which I haue of God I speake this for that there be some of this sort of men so importune that if a man should aunswere all theyr difficulties and doubtes he should séeme neuer to make an ende of any thing And me thinke such men maye well be compared to them who after they be taught in a Sermon to vse sober apparell

dooth set foorth on the one part promises on the other part threatninges Doo we féele that the promises of God haue not force inough and aucthoritie in vs To confirme them withall let vs ioyne thereto the threatnings We shewe our selues woonderouslie froward since we beléeue Gods promises no more then we doo When the Lorde Iesus Christ sayth He will acknowledge vs for his owne and confesse so of vs before his Father so that we also confesse him before men what should let vs to giue to him that confession which he requireth of vs When men haue doone all they can the wurst they maye doo is to take away our liues How precious then shall the heauenly life be vnto vs when it is compared with this present life which is lost It is not my purpose in this place to collect all the promises set foorth in the scripture to this ende Yet since they be repeated and so oftentymes renued vnto vs we ought so to be exercised not onelie in reading but also in the knowledge and consolation of them that we might be as it were died and surelie confirmed in them But if when the plague hangeth ouer our heads thrée or fowre of them are not sufficient to confirme and strengthen vs truelie an hundreth should be sufficient to ouercome all aduerse and contrarie temptations But if GOD with these great swéete promises can not entise and drawe vs to him are we not verie great dullardes and betle heades when neyther the seuere threatninges can worke any more in vs Iesus Christe dooth appoynt a daye to accuse all them before his Father Which denye the trueth for feare of loosing this life for whome he declareth destruction both of body and soule to be prepared Also in an other place he protesteth that he will refuse all manner of communion of them That deny him before men These words vnlesse we be vtterlie voide of all sence ought vehementlie to mooue our minds and so to fray vs that for feare the heaires of our head should start vp But how soeuer it be vnlesse we be so affected and mooued as the greatnesse of the matter and daunger requireth there remayneth nothing else for vs but to looke for horrible and most myserable confusion wherin we may excuse our fault so much as we lust and we may saye that in this great frayltie and weakenesse of nature we rather are woorthy of mercie then of any seueritie sharpnesse of punishment it will not serue For it is written on the contrarie part That Moses after he had seene God by faith was so hardned and strengthened that no violence of temptation could melt his minde and bend him from that great constancie Wherefore when we be so tender and flexible that there appeare in vs no power of firme and constaunt minde we signifie and declare plainlie that we be vtterlie ignoraunt of God and his kingdome Also when we are warned that we ought to be ioyned and coupled with our head we haue gotten a goodly colour to exempt and seperate our selues from him if we say we are men And were not they that were before vs men so well as we are Yea if we had nothing else but euen the bare doctrine of godlinesse yet were all the excuses that we can bring weake and of no value But now are we woorthy more greater checke and condemnation since we haue so great and notable examples whose great aucthorite ought vehemently to excite and confirme our minds There are two chéefe partes of this our exhortation or consolation to be considered The first is that this hath béene a common state to the vniuersal body of the Church alwayes and euer shall be to the end of the world that it was vexed with such iniuries and contumelies of the wicked as it is reported in the Psalm They haue vexed me euen from my youth hytherto and haue drawne a plough ouer and ouer euerie part of my backe The holy Ghost in this place dooth bring in the olde Church speaking on this wise that it should not séeme now vnto vs a newe thing nor greeuous if we sée in these daies our cause and condition to be lyke Saint Paule also reciting the same place of an other Psalme where it is sayd We were as it were sheepe ledde to the slaughter dooth declare that this pertained not onely to one age but it was and shall be the common vsuall and continuall state of Christes Church So that if we sée in this time the Church to be so handled vexed by the insolencie and pride of the wicked that some bark at her some bite her many afflict her and alwayes inuent some mischéefe and pestilent destruction to her yea set vpon her without ceasing as it were mad dogges and wilde rauening beasts let vs call to remembrance that she was so vexed afflicted oppressed in all times before God dooth giue vnto her sometime some rest and refreshing and as it were a time of truce And this is that which is spoken in the Psalme aboue alleadged The righteous Lord doth cut in sunder the cordes of the wicked And in another place That he breaketh theyr rod least the good being too much pressed should faint and moue their hands to iniquitie But God would alwayes haue his Church to be tost in this world and as it were alwaies in a certaine conflict reseruing for her quiet rest in heauen The end of these afflictions was alwayes blessed yea truly God wrought this that the Church alwayes pressed with many and great diffycult calamities was neuer vtterly oppressed As it is sayd in another place the wicked with all theyr labour dyd neuer obtaine that they desyred S. Paule also dooth so glorie of lyke happie end issue of afflictions that he sheweth this grace of God to be perpetuall in his Church We sayth he are prest with all kinde of afflictions but we are not kylled with sorrowe and care we lyue in great neede and pouertie yet are we not forsaken we are cast downe but we perish not alwaies carrying about the mortification of our Lord Iesus Christe that his life also may be declared in our mortall body This issue and end as we sée that God hath alwayes made it happy and prosperous in the persecutions of the Church ought to bolden vs seeing we know that our fathers who also acknowledged their frayltie and weakenesse had alwayes the victorie ouer theyr enimies because they continued constaunt in patiencie I doo entreate this first part of my exhortation bréefely that I maye come the sooner to the second which dooth more pertaine to the purpose And that is that we applie certaine examples of the Martyrs which were before vs to our consolation and comfort And in this kinde or number there be not two or thrée but a great and thicke clowde as the Apostle writeth to the Hebrues Whereby he signifieth That there is so great