1. Peter . 1. If ther were none other reason but that S. Peter maketh , we were very co● if wee woulde not bee content therewith , that is , since that gold and siluer , which be not but corruptible mettalles bee purged and examined by the fire , It is the will of God we should suffer persecution . it is good reason that our fayth which surmounteth all the riches of the worlde be proued . God might haue crouned vs as at the firste brunte without making vs to sustain any conflict : but hee willeth that Iesus Christe doth rayn in the middest of his enemies , so hee willeth that we being iugled in the middes of them , should suffer their oppressions and violences , vntill that he deliuer vs from the same . I knowe wel that the flesh reigneth when we goe aboute to bring it to this poynte , but it is requisit , It is naturall for vs to flee the Crosse but we must subdue that affection . that the will of God haue the vpper hand . If we feele any contradiction in vs , we must not be amased thereat , for this is a right naturall thing to flee the crosse , neuerthelesse , we may not goe anye further , knowing that God doth accept our obedience , so that we do subdue and mortifie our sences and desires for to make them subiect vnto him : for the Apostles and prophets went not in such wise to death , that they felt not in themselues , Iohn . 21. a certeine will to go back , another man shal lead thee whether thou wouldest not ( sayde Lorde Iesus Christ to Peter , The battell of a cristian man . ) Likewise when such fear of death doth pricke vs , it is a gaine for vs to heauenward , or rather God winneth vs thereby , or in the mean time let vs be assured , that this is a Sacrifice praysing him : that we doe resist and make force agaynst our affections , for to bee altogether at his commaundement , and this is the principal battell in the which God willeth that his people doe employ themselues , which is , that they endeuour to beate downe all that lifteth it selfe vp in their sences and spirits , for to turne them oute of the way , whiche he sheweth them , and with all this , the consolations be so great that it must needs be sayd , that we are more then cowards when we do faint . In old time an infinite number of people , for the desire of a simple crowne of leaues , they refused not any trauell , trouble or payne for the same , they counted it nothing to dye , The crowne of immortality is prepared for such as do suffer . notwithstanding there was none of them , but did fyght at al aduenturs not knowing whether he should winne the price or not , God hath sette before vs the Crowne of immortality , by the which wee are made partakers of his glory , he intendeth not that we shoulde fight at all aduenture , 2. Tim. 2. but promiseth vs all the price that haue a desire thereof , what occasion haue wee to come to heauen , do we think that it is spoken in vain , Math. 5. that if we dye with Iesus Christ , wee shall liue also with him . The triumph is prepared , and wee flee the Combat as much as lyeth in vs . This is a doctrine repugnant to mans iudgement , I do confesse the same , and also when Iesus pronounceth that those which suffer for righteousnesse be blessed , hee proponeth not a sentence whiche is easie to bee receiued of the worlde . Contrariwise hee willeth vs to repute that for felicity which the world and our sences iudgeth vnhappy . Whom the worldlye counteth miserable are most happie . It seemeth vs that we are miserable when God permitteth vs to bee destroyed by the Tyranny and cruelty of our enemies , but the faulte is , that we haue no regard at all to the promises of God , the which do certefie vs that all shall be turned to our good , we are discouraged to see the wicked to bee stronger , and to hold their foote vpon our throte . but such a confusion ( as saith Saint Paule ) ought rather to lift vs vp on high , Note why the euill do prosper and the good troubled . for in as much we are giuen of our selues too much to muse vpon the thinges present . God in permitting the good folke , to bee euill intreated , and the wicked to haue there will , he teacheth vs by manifest tokens that one day will come , in the which all that is now confused shal be reformed . If the time seeme long vnto vs , let vs runne to the remedie , and not flatter our selues in our vice : for it is certeine , that we haue no fayth at all , vnlesse we lift vp the eyes of our soules to the comming of our sauiour Iesus Christ , our eie must be fixed vpon the comming of Christ . Nowe God to the end he mighte leaue no meane vnattempted , which might be fyt to driue vs forward , he setteth before vs the promises on the one side , and his threatnings on the other . We must haue both the promises and threatnings of god before our eies in our troubles . Math. 10. Luke 12. Do we think that the promises haue not power enogh in vs ? let vs ioin the threatnings for to strengthen them . It is very true , that wee must be so muche the more peruerse and froward , not to adioyne more fayth then we doe to the promises of God , when the Lorde Iesus sayth , that he will auow and acknowledge vs before his father , so that we confesse him before men . and what is there that ought to let vs , that we should not yeld him that confession that he requireth . When men shall haue done their vttermost , they can doe no worse but murther vs . And what shall eternall life be in comparson thereof ? I heape not vp here al the promises conteined in the scriptures whiche tende to one and the same end : yet ( forasmuch as they are so often times repeted ) wee ought wholy to stay vppon them . But if when the plague hang ouer our heades , if three or foure bee not ynough , one whole hundred will not serue to make vs to ouercome all aduersity and contrarye temptations . But if God can drawe vs vnto himselfe thorough gentlenesse , muste wee not bee more then beetle blockkish heades , when his seuere threatnings can doe no more therein ? Iesus Christe citeth all those before his father , Christ doeth sommon all them that denie his trueth . Math 10. Math. 10. who shall through fear of bodily death deny the truth : and sayth , that both the body and soule , shal be throwne to perdition , And in another place he sayth , that he will deny all those that shal deny him before men , vnlesse that we be to much bereued of al vnderstanding these wordes ought to make our hair stand vpright vpon our heads , Howsoeuer it be , when we shall not be moued therewith as were meet , there remaineth nothing for vs but an horrible confusion : For in that , When neither the promises nor threatnings do moue confusion remaineth . that all the wordes of Iesus Christ doe so little profite vs , we are conuinced of too greate infidelitie . We shal haue alledged too godly purpose that there is some pitty in vs , forasmuch as our nature is so brittie : For it sayde contrariwise that Moses looking vnto God through fayth , was strengthened not to bowe vnder any tentation . Heb. 11. An answere to the obiection of fraielnes of nature . Wherefore when we are so soft and flexible yea , that ther is no zeal & constancie in vs , it is a signe that we are vtterly ignorannt both of God and his kingdome . When it is shewed vs that we ought to be ioined to our hed , we think that we haue a goodly couler to exempt ourselues from it , by saying that we are men . But they which haue gone before vs , who were they ? It is true that when we shall not haue the pure doctrine , all the excuses that we can bring forth shal be vain : but hauing so many examples which ought to serue for the greater approbation , so muche the more are we to bee condemned . But heere we haue two pointes to be considered . The church of Christ is continually subiect to afflictions . Psal. 129. The first is , that all the body of the Church generally , was and shal be always subiect till the ende , to bee afflicted by the wicked : as it is sayd in the Psalme . They haue vexed me from my youth vp , they haue drawne the Plow vpon me from one ende to an other . The holy Ghoste bringeth in the old Church speaking , to the end that we , after we haue knowen the afflictions therof , we should not finde it straunge or troublesome if the like at this day be done vnto vs . S. Paule also drawing this place from another Psalme where it is sayd , Rom. 8. Psal. 44. We haue bene as Sheepe that are led to the slaughter , sheweth that this was not for one age alone : but that it is and shall be ordinarily and vsuall in the Church . Seeing the Church of God to be at this day troaden vnder , by the pride of worldlinges , that one barketh , The ordinance of the Church . another byteth , that men torment it , and alwayes mischieuously deuise against it , that without ceasing it is assayled of mad dogs and sauadge beastes : let vs remember that this was done vnto it of olde time . It is true that God may well giue it sometimes certeine truces and releasements . And this is it that is sayde in the Psalme before alleaged , The end of afflictions is blisse . be cutteth asunder the Cords of the wicked . And in another place , that he will breake their stuffe , for feare that the good doth not ouermuch vexe themselues , being too much oppressed . But God woulde alwayes that his Church should be tossed in this worlde , and be as it were in a continuall conflict , reseruing rest for it aboue in the heauens , Notwithstanding that yet the issue of these afflictions was alwaies blessed , and at the least God broughte to passe , that being oppressed with many euilles , it was neuer vtterly oppressed , as it is sayde that the wicked with all their forces neuer attayned to that which they immagined : Psal. 7. S. Paul also reioyceth himselfe of the like to shewe , that this is a continuall grace of God : We ( sayth he ) endure tribulations , 2. Cor 4. but we are not therewith distressed , we are pore but we are not destitute : we are persecuted but we are not forsaken : we are cast downe but we perish not , euery where bering about in our bodies the dying of our Lorde Iesus , to the end that his life may be made manifest in our mortal bodies , Such issue as wee see that God hath giuen at al times in the persecutions of his Church , ought well to encourage vs , knowing that our fathers , who were brickle men as we are , had alwayes the victory ouer their enimies : in as much as they remayned stedfast in patience . But I do but touch this point briefly to that ende I may come to the second , Secondarily wee must looke vpon the particuler examples of martirs which haue bene before vs . Heb. 12. that which more agreeth to our purpose : that it is to make our profite of those particular examples of the Martyrs , which haue gone before vs .

Now there are not onely two or three of them , but a thicke and great cloude , as the Apostle sayth in the epistle to the Hebr. Whereby he signifieth that the number is so great , that it ought as it were euen to stop vp our eyes . And that I be not to tedious , I will take onely the example of the Iewes which were persecuted for true religion , as well vnder the Tyranny of Antiocbus the King , as also a little after his death . We cannot alleage that it was a smal number of people : for there were then as it wer a great army of martyrs . Wee cannot say that it was of Prophets , whome God had seperated from the common people : for the women and yong infants were of this company . We cannot say that they were let go for any pryse : for they were tormented as cruelly as was possible . We hear also that which the Apostle sheweth vs of .

Some ( sayth he ) were hanged vp like belles and racked , Heb. 11. making no account to be deliuered , to the ende they might receiue a better resurrection . Others were tried by mockings and scourgings : yea by bondes and prisonment : others were stoned or hewen asunder : A comparison betweene the faithfull in the olde law and vs . other wandred vp and down hither and thither , in Wildernes by mountains and Caues . Let vs nowe enter to make comparison of them with vs . If they suffered for the truth of God , whiche was yet so darke at that time , what ought wee to doe in this greate lighte that shineth nowe ? God hath spoken vnto vs as it were with a full mouth , the great Gate of the kingdome of heauen is opened , Iesus Christe hath called vs vnto him , beeing come down vnto vs , to the end that we shoulde haue him as it were present before our eies . And what a shame shal it be vnto vs to haue lesse zeale to suffer for the Gospel then they had , which onely saluted and behelde the promises of God , as it were a farre off ? Whiche had but a little Wicket open to come to the kingdome of heauen ? which had nothing but a certeine remembrance and figure of Iesus Christe ? These thinges cannot bee expressed with mouth as they are woorthy : wherefore I leaue them for euery one to meditate vppon .

We ought to prepare our selues to the Crosse although we be in no daunger thereof . Now this doctrine as it is generall , so ought it to be put in practise of all Christians : But euery one ought to apply it to his owne vse as necessity shall require . I speak this to the ende that they which see themselues in no apparant daunger , shoulde not thinke that it is superfluous vnto them . They are not at this time in the handes of Tyrantes : but what knowe they how God will deale with them hereafter Wherefore we ought to be so armed afore hand , that if any persecution , which we haue not thoght vpon , shall come vpon vs , we be not taken at vnwares and vnprouided . Howe he ought to be haue him self that is vnder persecution . But I feare me that there are a great sort of deafe ears to heare this worde . So farre off is it , that they which are nice and liue at their ease , prepare them selues to suffer death when need shal be , that they haue no care to serue God whiles they liue . And yet neuertheles this ought to be our ordinary and continuall study , and specially in this time wherein we liue . In the meane time they whome God hath called to suffer for the testimonye of his name , ought to shew in very deede that they were prepared long before , too stande thereto constantly . And then they ought to cal into their remembrance al the exhortations that they haue hard in times past : as if a souldier shoulde take armes when the Trumpet doeth sound . But what there is no question of seeking starting holes to escape : Persecution is the touchstone wherby god doth discouer his people . I speake in respect of the greatest parte : For persecution is a true touchstone whereby God discouereth and trieth who are his . So farre of is it , that he shoulde many times finde who is faythfull vnto him , vntill that they franckly offer themselues to death . But this is as it were an incredible thing , that people whiche boast of some little knowledge of the Gospell , Cauilations of the weaklings . Mar. 8. We must confesse Christ is truth before the wicked . We must commit our life to the handes of God . dare open their mouth to vse such cauilations . For one sort say , what shall wee game to confesse our faith to obstinate people , and to suche who haue determined to fight agaynst God ? Is not this to cast precious stones before swine , As though Iesus Christ had not expresly declared that he will that men confesse him amongst the moste peruerse & wickedst men . If they be not therby edefied , yet at the least they remain confounded : of such a sweet smelling sauour is the confession before god , how deadly soeuer it be to the reprobate . Others also may be found who say , what shall our death profit ? It rather falleth out to an offence , as if God had left to their choise to die when they thinke good , and when they shall see a fit time . But contrariwise wee approue oure obedience , leauing the profit into his hand that shall come of our death . Wherefore in the first place , it behoueth that a christian man , in what country soeuer he be , notwithstanding daungers and threatninges , that hee fully determine to walke in simplicity , as God hath commaunded , Let him keep him selfe asmuch as he can from the rage of the Wolues : so that the same be not done thorough the crafte of the flesh . Aboue all let him resign his life into Gods hands . Hath he done this ? If it fall out that hee fall into the handes of enemies , let him thinke that God hath brought him into that place ,

He that is once caught for religion hath no means to go backe .

It is necessary that we aunswere to all that the wicked demand of vs .