An Comfortable Exhortation, Part 5
Of pacience
Iacob ivBE ye pacient bretherne vntounto the cō mynge of the lorde Belowed brethern pacence is an virtue whiche is neceſſary in theyr euyl and peralouſe dayes:Epheſio. v ād thereby all ye ſayn… …e… of God hauehave ouercōme all perſecutiō ād trouble put om them in this preſent lyfe / and this pacience Paul cōmended vntounto vsus ſayinge.ij Corint. v… In all thynges let vsus behaue oure ſylfes as the miniſters of God in moche pacience / in afflictions / in neceſſ…te / in auguy…ſhe in ſtrypes / in preſōment / in ſtryfe / in labour in warche / in faſtinge / in purenes / in knowledge / in lōge ſufferinge / in kyndnes / in the holy gooſt / in lowe vnfayned / in the wordes of trueth in the power of God / by the arm… … of righteueſnes on the ryght honde / and on the lyfte honde / in honoure / and diſhonoure / in euyll reporte / and good reporte / as diſceauers / and yet true / as vnknowen / and yet knowen / as deyinge / and beholde we yet liue / as chaſtened and not kylled / as ſorowynge / and yet alwayes mery / as poore / ād yet make many ryche / as hauynge no thynge / and yet poſſeſſynge all thynges.Beholde Iob This pacience is to ſoffre and receaue gladly withoute any murmure whatſoeuer trouble / payne / vexation / Romano. vand aduerſite that God ſent And this pacience commeth of perfect lowe whiche commeth of ſtronge and ſure faith This paciēce teached vsus the apoſtle Iamys ſayenge. Be ye pacient bretherne / Iaco. v.vntounto the commynge of the lorde. Pacience do marke ſome trouble / for in proſperite ſhe loſt her …ome / ſhe ragne neuer but wher trouble ād Beholde wicked Iezabel cauſed to kyll all the holy prophetes in Iſrael excepte they that were hyd ſecretly / or fledde to the deſerte / iij Regū xixas Elias &.c. Of the trouble ād perſecution of the prophetes and ſeruauntes of God ſaith Chriſt to the olde ſcribes and phariſees.Mat. xxiij Beholde I ſende vntounto you / prophetes wyſe men / and ſcribes / and of them ſome ſhall ye kyl and crucifie / and ſome ſhall ye ſcourge in youre ſynagogges / and perſecute them from citie to citie. Take (my brethern) the prophetes for an enſample of ſufferinge aduerſitie / Iacobi vand of longe pacience which ſpake in the name of the lorde. Beholde we counte them happy which endure. Ye hauehave herde of the pacience of Iob: and hauehave knowen what ende the lorde made / for the lorde is pityfull / Tobie i. & ijād merciful. Beholde alſo the greate aduerſitie and trouble of holy Tobie: for all his ſubſtance was taken from hym / ād hymſylfe was ſought to be kylled / ād his ſyght was taken from hym by God / alſo ye hauehave herde what endethe lorde made of all his aduerſite.God tryeth he faith of his children Market his alſo: yf God ſende the to the ſee / and promyſe to goo with ye / and to brynge the ſaffe to londe / he wyl reyſe vp a tempeſt agenſt the / to proue whether thou wilt abyde by his woorde / and that thou maiſt feale thy faith and perceaue his goodnes / for were it all wayes fayre wether ād …ou neuer brought to ſoch ieoperdy when…e his mercy only deliuered the / thy faith …ulde be but a preſumption and thou ſhul…eſt be euer vnthankefull to God and mer…yleſſe vntounto thy neyboure
¶ Yf God promyſe riches: ye waye therto is …owerte. Whō he loweth hym he chaſteſet / …hom he exaltet / he caſteth downe / whom he …ueth he dāneth fyrſt. He bringeth no man …o heuen excepte he ſende hym to hell firſt. Yf he promiſe lyfe he ſleyeth firſt: when he …yldeth / he caſteth all downe fyrſt. He is no …atcher / he can not bylde on a nother mans foundacion. He will not worke vntyll all be paſt remedy and brought vntounto ſoch a caſe / that men may ſe how that his hāde / his power / his mercy: his goodnes ād trueth hath wrought all to gether.Eſaie xl… He will let no man be partetaker with him of his prayſe ād glorie. His workes are wonderful and contrary vntounto mans workes.The worke of God ar… wonderfu… Who euer ſaue he delyuered his awne ſonne / his only ſonne / his dere ſonne vntounto the deeth and that for his enemies ſake / to winne his enemie / to ouercome him with lowe / that he myght ſe lowe and lowe agayne / and of lowe to doo lyke wyſe to other men / and to ouercome them with well doinge
¶Ioſeph ſawe ye ſonne and the mone and xi. ſter res worſhepinge him. Neuertheleſſe ſhameful deeth of the croſſe as a thef or a mortherer. Yee an curſed deeth as ſaith the lawe curſed is whoſoeuer hangeth on tree.Deuter. xxi He vas …ende in the warlde by the father to ſuffre trouble / whiche before he apoynted to hym. Yee he ſeet an ſtrōge batayl before hym in the which he do fyght a… an worthy knyght:Ioann. …vi and obtayned victory / and hauehave receaued ye rewarde / but fyrſt he fought / or he wā ne the rewarde / yee he ſuffered to be ſore wounded be fore he obtayned victory. As the holy prophete ſawe longe afore honde / and ſpake of hym.Eſaie liij He ſhal hauehave nether beutye nor fauoure / whē we ſhall beholde hym he ſhalbe oute of ſhappe / ſo that we ſhal not deſyer hym / he ſhalbe deſpyſed and leſte ſet bye of al men / a man hauynge experience and fealinge bothe oure ſorowes and ſykeneſſes / we ſhal (I ſaye) repute hym ſo vyle and lothly that we ſhall hyde oure faces frō hym. When this (not withſtondinge yet) is euen he muſte beare oure ſykeneſſes and ſorowes. But we ſhall iudge hym to be thus caſt doune and ſmyten with ſome plage of God / yee when he is wounded euen of oure tranſſgreſſions: and thus ſmyten for oure vngodlynes / for the punyſhment for oure correction ſhalbe layde apon hym: and by his ſtripes and hurte ſhalbe healed. All we are ſtrayed awaye lyke ſhepe / eueryevery man folouynge his awne waye / but the lorde layeth all oure wykedneſſes vponupon hym to forgeue vsus. It is he that ſhal abyde the anguyſhe and be ſcourged: and yet ſhal he not ons opene his mought / he ſhalbe led lyke a lambe to be offered vp / and he ſhalbe as ſtyl as a ſhepe vnderunder her clyppers hondes / ād ſhal not ons open his lippes / he ſhalbe taken awaye and put to deeth / his cauſe not examined after true iudgement: as a man frenleſſe and kynleſſe. And yet who maye noumbre his kynrede euen then when he ſhalbe thought clene to be kut oute of this worlde? whiche plage ſhal fal apon hym for the tranſgreſſiō of his awne people Farthermore he ſhalbe thought to dye amonge the vngodly and be lyfted vp on the croſſe betwen theues: al thought he neuer dyd hurte nor yet any deſayt founde in his wordes / but the lorde had decreed hym to be thus broken with infirmite that he offered for oure ſynnes / mought ſe his longe lyued proſperite. And this decree of the lorde ſhal proſpere in honde / with the petel of his awne lyfe he ſhall fynde ryches And by this means my right ſeruaunte ſhal iuſtyfie many mē / for he hym ſylfe ſhal beare awaye theyr ſynnes. Wherfore I ſhall diuide to hym the praye bothe of the many men: and alſo of the ſtronge violence / becauſe he ſhal let his lyfe to deeth / and be reputed amonge the myſdoers / whiche not witſtondinge / yet ſhall he take awaye the ſynnes of many / and make interceſſion for the tranſſgreſſours. Therfore be lowed brethern folowe manfullye youre bleſſed lorde vntounto the batayl: ſeynge hym fyght as youre ſtronge captayne before you / and his baner blowynge on bredht. Trowe ye to receaue the rewarde but yf ye ſuffre? or trowe ye to obtayne victory but yf ye put youre ſylfe in ieopardye? no verely. Be not therfore deceaued (my brethern) with fleſſhlye luſtes / but ſtonde vppe and put on the armure of God that ye maye be able to reſiſt in the euyl daye / and to ſtōde perfect in all thynges.Epheſio. vi Stonde therfore and youre loynes gyrd aboute with veritie / hauynge on the breſt plate of righteueſnes / and ſhood with ſhewes prepared by the goſpell of peace. Aboue all take to you the ſhelde of faith / wherwith ye maye quenche all the fyrye dartes of the wicked. And take the helmet of health and the ſwearde of the ſprite / and rynne vnfeardlye to the batayl that is ſet before you / & put youre ſylfe in to preſe folowynge youre maſter. Care not thought ye be wounded / for deeth ſhall hauehave no power ower you / and of youre woundes ye ſhalbe made hole: by youre awne mooſte noble phiſitiane Ieſus Chriſt.Mat. ix Herefore murmure not thought the batayl be ſtronge / for youre maſter had the greateſt burden of it.Pſal. lxvij By whois helpe ye ſhall ſone hauehave victory: when youre enimies ſhalbe ſubdued: and ye ſhall regne eternaly in glory with Ieſus Chriſt.Hebreo. … Belowed brethern deſpyce not ſo greate health / for a litle and ſhorte trouble· but ſuffre ād ye ſhal regne. Loke vntounto Ieſus:Hebreo. xij the auctor and fynnyſſher of youre faith / whiche for the Ioye that was ſet before hym: abode the croſſe / ād deſpyſed the ſhame and is ſet doune at the ryght honde of the troune of God. Conſider therfor howe that he endured ſoche ſpeakinge agaynſt hym of ſynners / leſt ye ſhulde be weried ād faynte in youre myndes. For ye hauehave not yet (all) reſiſted vntounto the bloud ſhed dynge. &c.Ioann. xv. Epheſio. i Zacha. ix Roma. viij Prefere not youre ſylfes aboue youre maſter and lorde / yee youre heed / and youre kynge. Deſyre not to be ſpared ſeynge that God ſpared not his only begotten ſō ne / but gaue hym for vsus all. Yf ye be ſōnes and children with Chriſt / Hebreo. xijſuffrethe chaſtiſinge of youre heuenly father (with Chriſt) for and ye be not vnderunder chaſtiſinge / whereof al are partetakers▪ then are ye baſtardes ād not ſonnes nor children / caſte not the croſſe from you / whiche Chriſt and all the ſaynctes hath borne. Beholde the heuy croſſe that God layde on the ſhulders of his welbelowed apoſtles / as Chriſt before or they ſuffred ſhewed vntounto them
Ioan. xx. Ioan. xv Mat. xAs my father ſēt me: ſo ſende I you. Yf the perſecute me / then ſhal they perſecute you I ſende you forth as ſhepe amonge wolue The ſhepe fyght not / but the ſheparde fyghteth for them and careth for them. Be harmeles as doues therfore (ſaith Chriſt) and wiſe as ſerpētes.The wiſdome of the ſerpente The doues ymagen no defence nor ſeke to auenge them ſilfes The ſerpētes wiſdome is to kepe his heed and thoſe partes wherin his lyfe reſteth. Chriſt is oure heed: ād Gods worde is that wherin oure lyfe reſteth. To cleue therfore faſt vntounto Chriſt ād vntounto thoſe promyſes whiche God hath made vsus / for his ſake is oure wiſdome. Let vsus therfore loke diligently where vntounto we are called / that we diſceaue not oure ſilfes.Roman. vi We are called to dye with Chriſt: yt we maye lyue with hym: and to ſuffre with hym that we maye regne with hym. We are called vntounto a kingdome / that muſt be wonne with ſufferinge only / as a ſeke mā winneth health. God is he that doeth all thynge for vsus and fyghteth for vsus / and we do but only ſuffre. Beware of men (ſaith Chriſt) for they ſhall delyuer you vp vntounto theyr counſels / Math. x.and ſhall ſcourge you. And ye ſhall be brought before rulars and kynges for my ſake. The brother ſhall betraye or delyuer the brother to deeth / and the father the ſonne. And the childerne ſhall ryſe agenſt father and mother / and put them to deeth / and ye ſhalbe hated of all men / for my name / but whoſoeuer ſhall continew vntounto the ende / ſhalbe ſaued. When they perſecute you in wonne citie / flye into an other. The diſciple is not aboue his maſter / nor the ſeruaunt aboue his lorde. It is ynought for the diſciple to be as his maſter is / and that the ſeruaunt be as his lorde is. Yf they hauehave called the maſter of ye houſſe Beelzebub / howe moche moare ſhall they call them of his houſſholde ſo? feare them not therfore.Luce xiiij Whiche of you diſpoſed to bylde a toure (ſaith Chriſt) ſitteth not doune firſt and counteth the coſt wheter he hauehave ſufficient to performe it? leſt when he hath layed the foundacion and then not able to performe it / all that beholde beginne to mocke hym ſayenge. This man beganne to bylde: and was not able to make an ende. So lyke wiſe none of you that for ſaketh not all that he hath canne be my diſciple. Whoſoeuer therfore caſteth not this afore honde. I muſt ieopardy lyfe: goodes honoure / whorſepe and all that ther is for Chriſtes ſake diſceaueth hym ſylfe and maketh a mocke of hym ſylfe vntounto the godleſſe ypocrites and infidels. No mane can ſerue two maſters / God and mammon / Mathei vi.that is to ſaye weked ryches alſo. Thou muſt lowe Chriſt aboue all thynge but that doeſ… is not ſlokned / but they abyd for theyr praye wa…thynge as raweninge wolues / yf they mo ſe any of Chriſtes poore ſhepe to deuoure Belowed brethern be ſtronge in the lorde / and feare them not whiche canne do vntounto you no harme but kyll the body:Math. x wher vntounto ye are apoynted of God (yf it ſo come to paſſe) as it is written For thy ſake are we kylled all daye longe:Pſal. xliij and are counted as ſhepe apoynted to be ſlayne. Tribulation is oure righte baptim / and is ſignified by plunginge in to ye water / we that are baptyſed in ye name of Chriſt (ſaith Paul) are baptiſed to dye with hym.Roma. vi The ſprite thorowe tribulacion purgeth vsus and kylleth oure fleſſhly witte: oure wordly vnderſtondinge and bely wiſdome / and fylleth vsus full of the wiſdome of God. Tribulacion is a bleſſinge that cometh of God / Tribulatiō i… a bleſſige Math. vas Chriſt witneſeth. Bleſſed are …hey that ſuffre perſecution for righteueſneſſ is ſake: for theyrs is the kingdome of heuen. Ys not this a confortable worde? who ought not rather to choſe ād deſyre to be bleſſed with Chriſt in a litle tribulation then do be curſed perpetually with the worlde for a litle pleaſure?Proſperite is… a curſe Lu… vi proſperite is a ryght curſe and a thynge that God geueth vntounto his enemies. Woo be to you rich ſaith Chriſt Lo ye hauehave here youre cōſolatiō: woo be to you yt are full: for ye ſhall hōgre / woo be to you that laugh / for ye ſhall wepe / woo be to you when men prayſe you. For ſo did theyr fathers vntounto the falſe prophetes / yee and ſo hauehave oure fathers done vntounto the falſe ypocrites. The ypocrites with worldly preachynge hauehave not goten the prayſe only / but euen the poſſeſſions alſo and the domination and rule of the hole worlde.Tribulatiō for righteueſnes is ye gyfte of god Actor .v ij Thimo. iij Philippe. i Tribulaciō for righteouſnes is not a bleſſinge only / but alſo a gyfte that God geueth vntounto none ſaue his ſpeciall frendes▪ The apoſtles reioyſed that they were counted worthy to ſuffre rebuke for Chriſtes ſake. And Paul ſaith. All that wil lyue godly in Chriſte Ieſu muſt ſuffre perſecution. And in a nother place vntounto you it is geuen not only to beleue in Chriſt / but alſo to ſuffre for his ſake. And Peter ſayeth Happy are ye / i Petri iiijyf ye ſuffre for the name of Chriſte / for the glorious ſprite of God reſteth in you. Is it not an happy thynge to be ſure yt thou arte ſealed with gods ſprite vntounto the euerlaſtinge lyfe? ād verely thou arte ſure therof / yf thou ſuffre paciently for his ſake. By ſuffrynge arte thou ſure.Whereby thē are youre tyrannes ſure? Romano. v ij Corint. xij But by per perſecutinge canſt thou neuer beſure. For Paul ſaith. Tribulation maketh fealinge / that is / it maketh vsus feale the goodnes of God and his helpe and the workynge of his ſprite. And in another place he ſaith. The lorde ſayde vntounto hym / my grace is ſufficiente for ye / for my ſtrength is made perfecte thorowe weaknes. Lo Chriſt is neuer ſtronge in vsus / tyl we be weake. As oure ſtrength abateth / ſo groueth the ſtrength of Chriſt in vsus. When we are clene empted of oure awne ſtrength / then are we full of Chriſtes ſtrength. And loke howe moche of oure ſtrength remayneth in vsus / ſo moch lacketh there of the ſtrēgth of Chriſt. Therfore ſaith Paul in the ſame place. Very gladly wil I reioyſe in my weaknes / that the ſtrength of Chriſt maye dwell in me
¶ Therfore hauehave I delectation ſaith he inmy infirmites / in rebukes / in neade / in perſecutions / and in anguiſſhe for Chriſtes ſake. For when I am weake / then am I ſtronge / meaninge that ye weakeneſſe of ye fleſhe is the the ſtrength of the ſprite. And by fleſhe vnderſtonde witt wiſdome / and all that is in a man before the ſprite of God come / and whatſoeuer ſpryngeth not of the ſprite of God / and of Gods worde. And of lyke teſtimonyes is all the ſcripture full▪
¶ Beholde God ſetteth before vsus a bleſſinge and alſo a curſe. A bleſſinge verely and that a glorious and a euerlaſtinge▪ yf we wil ſuffre tribulation and aduerſite with oure lorde and ſaueoure Chriſt. And an euerlaſtinge curſe / yf for a litle pleaſures ſake we with drawe oure ſylfes from the chaſtiſinge and murtoure of God / wherwith he teachet all his ſōnes and faſchioneth thē after his godly will and maketh them perfect (as he did Chriſt) and maketh them apte and mete weſſels to receaue his grace and his ſprite / that they myght perceaue and feale the exceadinge mercy which we hauehave in Chriſt / and the innumerable bleſſinges / and the vnſpeakeable enheritaunce where vntounto weare called and choſē and ſealed in oure ſaueoure Ieſus Chriſt vntounto whom be prayſe for euer. Amen
¶ Finally whom God choſeth to regne euerlaſtyngly with Chriſt / hym ſealeth he with his myghtye ſprite / and powreth ſtrength into his herte to ſuffre afflictions alſo with Chriſt for berīge of vit…es vntounto ye trueth.The differē ce betwene ye childerne of God and of the deuil Deute. viij And this is ye differēce betwene the childerne of God and ſaluation / and betwene the childerne of the deuil and of damnation / that the childerne of God hauehave power in theyr hertes to ſuffre for Gods worde which is theyr lyfe and ſaluation / theyr hope and truſt / and wherby they lyue in the ſoule before God
And the childerne of the deuyll in tyme of aduerſite do flye frō Chriſt.Ioan .vi Whom they folowed faynedly / theyr hertes not ſealed with his holy and myghtie ſprite / and get them to the ſtondert of theyr ryght father the deuyl / Ioan .viijand take his wages / the pleaſures of this worlde / which are erneſt of euerlaſtinge damnation. As ye reade in many places of the holy ſcripture.i. Corin. ix. The whiche are writtē for oure learnynge
Mat. xix.¶ Ieſus ſayde / vntounto his diſciples. Verely I ſaye vntounto you / a ryche man ſhall with difficulte enter into the kingdom of heuen. And moreouer I ſaye vntounto you / it is eaſier for a camel to go through the eye of a nedle then for a ryche man to enter in to the kingdom of heuen
Luce. xij.¶ The londes of a certayne man brought forth frutes plenteouſly: and he thought in hym ſylfe ſayinge / what ſhall I do: becauſe I hauehave no roume where to beſtowe my frutes? and he ſaide. This will I do. I will deſtroye my barnes / and bilde greater ād ther in will I gadder all my frutes / and all my goodes / and I will ſaye to my ſoule. Soule thou haſte moch goodes layde vp in ſtoore for many yeares / take thyne eaſe / eate / drinke / and be my mery. But God ſayde vntounto hym. Thou fole / this night will they fetche awaye thy ſoule agayne frō the. Then whoſe ſhall thooſe thynges be which thou haſt …rouided? So is it with hym that gaddreth ryches / and is not ryche in God
¶ There was a certayne riche man / which was cloethin purpure / and fine raines / Luce. xviand fared deliciouſly eueryevery daye. And ther was a certayne begger named Lazarus / whiche laye at his gate full of ſoores deſiringe to be refreſſhed with the cromes whiche fell from the riche mannes borde / but there was no mā that gaue hym ought. Neuertheleſſe / ye dogges cam / and licked his ſoores. And it fortuned that the begger dyed / and was caryed by the angelles into Abrahams boſome. The riche man alſo dyed / and was buried in hell
¶ When he lifte vppe his eyes / as he was in tormentes / he ſawe Abraham a farre of: and Lazarus in his boſome / and cried / and ſaith / hauehave mercy on me / and ſende Lazarus that he maye depe the rippe of his finger in water / and cole my tonge / for I am tourmented in this flame. Abraham ſaith vntounto hym. Sonne remembre: that thou in thy lyfe tyme receauedſt thy pleaſure / and contrary wyſe Lazarus payne. Nowe therfore is he conforted: and thowe arte puniſſhed. &.c.
¶ For as moch then as we muſt neades be baptiſed in tribulations / and goo thorowe the redde ſee / and a greate and fearful wildernes:Hebreo. xiij and a londe of cruell ge…untes into oure awne contree / for here hauehave we no contynuinge citie / but we ſeke … citie to come / yee and in as moch as it is of playne erneſt there is no nother waye into ye kyngdome of heuē / Which way goo youre perſecuters to heuen thē Mathei vijthen thorowe perſecutiō and ſufferinge of payne and very deeth: after the enſā ple of Chriſt. For we …uſtenter in at ye ſtrayte gate▪ for wyde is the gate: and broade is the waye that leadeth to diſtruction / and many there be which goo in there at. For ſtrayte is the gat: and narawe is the waye which leydeth vntounto lyfe / and feawe there be that fynde it
¶ Therfore let vsus arme oure ſoules with the conforte of the ſcriptures / howe that God is euer ready at honde in tyme of neade to helpe vsus. And howe that ſoch tyrauntes and perſecuters are but Gods ſcourge and his rodde to chaſtiſe vsus. And as the father hath alwaye in tyme of correction the rodde faſte in his honde / Youre perſecuters hauehave no power to do vntounto you what they woldeſo that the rodde doeth no thynge but as he moweth it / euen ſo hath God all tyrauntes in his honde / and letteth them not doo whatſoeuer they wolde / but as moch only as he apoynteth them to do and as for forth as it is neceſſa…y for vsus. And as when the childe ſubmit…eth hym ſylfe vntounto his fathers correction / and nurtoure and humbleth hym ſylfe all to gether vntounto the will of his father: then …he rodde is taken awaye / euen ſo when we are come vntounto the knowleage of the righte waye and hauehave forſakē oure awne wyll and offer oure ſylfes clene vntounto the will of God to walke which waye ſo euer he will hauehave vsus / then turneth he the tyrauntes. Or elſe yf they enforce to perſecute vsus any forther: he putteth them out of the waye accordynge vntounto the confortable enſamples of the holy ſcripture
¶ Moareouer let vsus arme oure ſoules: with the promyſes both of helpe and aſſiſtence: and alſo of the glorious rewarde that foloweth.Mat. v Mat. x Greate is youre rewarde in heuen ſaith Chriſt. And he that knowledge me before men / hym ſhall I knowledge before my father that is in heuen.Pſalm. xlix And call on me in tyme of tribulation:Pſal. xxxij. and I ſhal delyuer ye And beholde the eyes of the lorde are …uer them that feare hym / ād ouer them that truſt in his mercy. To delyuer theyr ſoules from deeth / and to fede them in the tyme of hongre
Pſal. xxxiij.And Dauid ſayeth. The lorde is nye the… that are troubled in theyr hertes / and the m…ke in ſprite he wyll ſaue. The tribulation of the righteous are many / and out o… them all will the lorde delyuer them. Th… lorde kepeth all the bones of them / ſo tha… not one of them ſhalbe broſed. The lor…de ſhal redeme / the ſoules of his ſeruauntes. And of ſoch lyke conſolation are the pſames full / the lorde open youre hertes / to reade them and vnderſtonde them perfectly in the ſprite.Mat. x When ye delyuer you take no tho…ught what ye ſhal ſaye. It ſhalbe geuen you the ſame houre what ye ſhall ſaye. For it is not ye that ſhall ſpeake / but the ſprite of you…re father ſpeaketh in you. The very heares of youre heedes are noumbred. Yf God care for oure heares / he moch moare careth for oure ſoules which he hath ſealed with his holy ſprite.i Petri v Therfore ſaith Peter. Caſt al you…re care apon hym / for he careth for you / and Paul ſaith. God is true he will not ſuffre you to be tempted aboue youre myght·Pſal. liiij A Chriſten mans care Caſt thy care apon the lorde. Let thy care be to prepare thy ſylfe with all thy ſtrēgth to wal…ke which waye he wyl hauehave the / and to beleue that he wyl goo with the / and aſſiſte the and ſtrength the agenſt all tyrannes and delyuer the out of all trib…lation. But what waye or by what meanes he wyll do it / that committe vntounto hym and to his godly plea…ure and wiſdome and caſt that care apon hym. And thougth it ſeme neuer ſo vnlikely or neuer ſo vnpoſſible vntounto naturall reaſon yet beleue ſtedfaſtly that he will doo it. And …hen ſhall he accordynge vntounto his olde vſe / chaunge the courſe of the worlde / euen in the …winkelinge of an eye / and come ſodēly apon youre tyranntes and myghtye geauntes as a thefe in the nighte / and compaſſe them in theyr wiles and worldly wiſdome: when they crye pece ād all is ſaffe / then ſhal theyr ſorowes begynne / as the ſorowes of a woman that traueleth with childe. And then ſhall he dyſtroye them / ād delyuer you / vntounto the glorious prayſe of his mercy ād trueth. Amen
And as perteyninge vntounto them that deſpice Gods worde:The deſpicers perſecuters ād they that fall frō Gods worde ar…h… a…ead countinge it as a phantaſy or a dreame / and to them alſo that for feare of a litle perſecutio flye frō it ſetthes before thy eyes. How God ſens the beginnynge of the worlde before a general plage: euer ſē te his true prophetes and preachers of his worde / to warne the people / and gaue them ſpace to repente. But they for the greateſt part of them hardened theyr hertes and perſecuted the worde that was ſente vntounto them And then God deſtroyed them vtterly and toke them cleane from the erthe. As thou ſeiſt what folowed the preachynge of Noe in the olde worlde / Noe Lot Moſes Aaronwhat folowed the preachinge of Lot amonge the Sodomites / and the preachinge of Moſes: and Aaron amonge the Egiptians / and that ſodenly agenſt all poſſibilite of mans witte. Moareouer as ofte as the childerne of Iſrael fell frō God to the whorſepinge of ymages / he ſente his prophetes vntounto them. And they perſecuted and waxed harde herted.The prophetes And then he ſente them into all places of the worlde captiue. Caſt of all he ſente his awne ſonne vntounto them.Chriſt And they waxed moare harde herted then euer before. And ſe what a fearfull enſample of his wrath and cruell vengeaunce he hath made of them vntounto all the worlde nowe almoſt fyftene hūdred yeres
¶ Marke alſo howe Chriſt threathnet them that forſake hym for whatſoeuer cauſe it be Whether for feare: eyther for ſhame / eyther for louſſe of honoure / frendes / lyfe or goodes?Mat. x he that deniet me before men (ſaith he) hym wil I denie before my father that is in heuen / he that loweth father or mother moare then me / Marci viijis not worthy of me. Whoſoeuer is aſſhamed of me (ſaith he) or of my wordes amonge this adoutours and ſinneful generation / of hym ſhall the ſonne of …an be aſſhamed when he cometh in the …lorie of his father with his holy Angels.Luc. ix Alſo none that layeth his honde to the plowe and loketh backe / is mere for the kingdome of heuen
¶ Neuertheleſſe yet yf any man hauehave reſiſted ignorauntly / as did Paul / Thimoth. i God receaueth them that come agaynelet hym loke vntounto the trueth which Paul wrate after he come to knouledge. Alſo yf any man clene agenſt his herte: but ouercome with the weaknes of the fleſſhe for feare of perſecution: hauehave denied as did Peter / or hauehave delyuered his boke to the tyrauntes or put it awaye ſecretlye
¶Let hym (yf he repente) come agayne and take better holde and not diſpare or take it for a ſigne that God hath forſaken hym.Why letteth god his choſē childerne fall? For God oft tymes taketh his ſtrength euē from his very electe: when they other truſt in theyr awne ſtrength or are negligente to call to hym for his ſtrength. And that doeth he to reach them and to make them feale that in the fyre of tribulation fo… his wordes ſake no thynge canne endure and abyde / falſe his worde and that ſtrength only which he hath premyſed. For which ſtrēgth he wil hauehave vsus to praye vntounto hym nyght ād daye with all inſtaunce
Epheſi. iijWhich alſo is able to do excedinge aboundātly / aboue all that ye are or thynke: accordynge to ye power that worketh in vsus vntounto whom be prayſe in the congregation by Ieſus Chriſte / thorowe out all generation for euer. Amen