IT is writen,Math. [...] that Christe and his dis­ciples vvent into a shippe, vvhē sodai­nelie arose a greate tempest in the sea, so that the shippe vvas couered vvith vvaues. Chri­ste slept. His disciples avvaked hym and saide, maister saue vs, vve perishe. Christe saide vnto them, vvhy are you feareful, you of litle faithe? Then he arose, rebuked the vvindes, and there folovved a greate calme. We must so con­ceiue of Christes workes,Grego [...]h mel 2 it cap. 18. Luc. that we beleaue them to be don in veritie, and to implie an other thinge in signification, to shewe one thinge by power, and to sig­nifie an other in mysterie. It lacketh not mysterie, that Chri­ste and his disciples went into a shippe, and that this shippe was tēpested. You haue heard [Page] de Christes facte, marke the my­sterie.Aug ser­no. 14. [...]e verb Domini. This shippe resembled the churche militant, wherin al christiā passengers do saile, and be tossed with tempestes, why­les they driue towarde theire countrie, the quiet hauen of hea­uen, that is the churche trium­phant. The sea resembleth the course of the worlde, which is alwayes troublous. And by the tēpeste is signified al suche pres­sure, and persecution, as they must expecte, that folowe Chri­ste into this shippe. It was re­uealed to sainct Iohn the wel-beloued Apostle of Christe,Apoc. 2. that the churche should haue greate persecution. Beholde the diuel shal cast some of you into prison to be tempted, Beda in 2. ca. A­p [...]c. and you shal haue tribulation ten dayes. By the ter­me of ten dayes is signified, ey­ther the ten persecutions which the churche suffered vnder the Emperours, or els the whole tracte of troubles, which she shal endure in hir peregrinatiō. [Page] There hath ben no age of men, nor course of time sithēce Chri­ste, wherin this shippe, (that is to saye the militant churche of Christe) hath not ben tempested.Psal. 36 The vngodlye drevve out their svvorde, bente their bovve to cast dovvne the simple, and to slaie such as goo the right vvaie. Thes wordes of the prophet were ve­refied after Christes ascension,Augu in Psal. [...]9. Ruffin in Psal. 36. when there arose greate tempe­stes, to wit diuers persecutions against the churche, open perse­cution, and secret persecution, persecution violent, and perse­cution fraudulent, persecution of tyrannie, and persecution of heresie, the one openlie, the other secretlie, the one by swor­de, the other by worde. Of these tēpestes, heresie was more con­trarious to the churche,August. tract 5. in euang. Ioan. then ty­rannie. For heresie transforme­the hir selfe into the Angel of light, proceadeth gilfullie, de­ceiueth the simple, striketh gre­uouselie with the sworde of the [Page] tonge, and shedeth bloud cruel­lie, by killinge Christe in his mē ­bers. Tyrānie dealeth not with scripture, not with drifte of lear­ninge, nor by order of iuste prou­fes, but by crueltie, and dint of sworde. Yet hath the churche gayned more by tyrannie then by heresie, for tyrannie maketh martyrs, heresie begetteth Apo­stats.Tertul. [...]le prae­scrip c. 4. Of them that persecuted the churche with tyrannie and heresie, they were most ingrate and greatest persecutors, who beinge some time christiās, and fallinge from christianitie, be­came professed enemies to the christian religion.Theodor. [...]ib. 4. c. 1 so was Va­lens the Emperour, who of a catholike became an Arian. so was Iulianus, who borne of christian parentes, and brought vp by learned christians, beca­me Apostata.Euseb li. 10. cap. 8 so was Licinius who of a christian, became a persecutor.Euagr. lib. 4. ca. 10. There lacked not in this parte, some nomber of the feminine tribe, to put to [Page] their shrewde heades and hel­pes, as Theodora, Iustina,Hiero. 4. ciesc. Philomenes, Prisca, Maximil­la, and Lucilla. It is not my fi­nal intention to enlarge of per­secution, nor of persecutors, but brefelie to shewe to the persecu­ted catholikes of our tyme, that yf now they finde al possible op­pressions vnder heresie and ty­rannie, it may not seme strain­ge vnto them, yf they consider how Christes shippe was coue­red with the waues, how the churche hath ben persecuted euē from hir infancie, and that she lacketh not at this time hir Va­lentes, hir Iulians, hir Lici­niās, hir Theodoras, hir Iusti­nas, hir Lucinas. This pointe I wil touche, a pointe not im­pertinent to note, why Christe permitteth his churche to be so sore tempted, and why the diuel raysed so manie blouddie bat­tailes of cruel persecutions, in the verie prime of the churche. It is the corruption of our sin­ful [Page] nature, to forget our dutiful seruice to God, when we be se­cure, and holde our desires in quiet.Grego. homel. 17. in cap 4. Matth. We gase vpon the gaie glitterings of the wanton worl­de, wee feede our appetites with the delicate cherishinges of the fleshe, so that our heartes begine to be estrainged from God, and to leese the sense and feelinge of godlines, vntil God sende vexa­tion, that geueth vnderstādinge. When prosperitie had brought in libertie, and impunitie of syn­ne corrupted discipline,Euseb. li. [...]. cap. 1. when christians declined from deuou­te conuersation, and committed greate disorders, God waxed angrie, and sterred against thē, against their churches, against ther priestes and pastors, the puissante power of persecutors, to reuenge his conceiued anger.Cyprian de lap. When longe peace had corrup­ted Godes heauenlie discipline, and feruour of faithe beganne to coole in the house of God, God began iudgement in his [Page] owne house, and by seueritie of correction, erected faithe that laie a sleape, and as it were in contempte. Semblablie God dealeth now with his people, knowinge the lewsenes of thei­re life, and seinge the drines of their faithe, he rayseth vp a gre­ate tempeste, wherin they be pi­tiouslie tossed, with manye hur­les of the vnquiet sea. Certes for many hundred yeares, the christian worlde, the christian religion, the faithe catholike, was not so mightelie shaken as it hath ben in thes later tempe­stes of our times, when bothe violent and fraudulent persecu­tion haue assaide euen by penal lawes, to rase out of christian mens heartes, the general fai­the of Christe, and to persecute them that further not such a special faithe, as the spirite of the worlde teacheth.

To you therfore (derelie belo­ued countrie men) to you that be afflicted catholikes for reli­gion, [Page] in what case and place so­euer you be, I addresse this con­solatorie epistle, wherin my en­deuour is to declare suche com­fortes, as the selfe cause of reli­gion semeth to yelde. Seinge now the violent windes blowe and bluster not onelie againste the kingedomes of the worlde, but againste the churche that is the kingedome of god, and kno­winge that they haue shakē out of the shippe manye, and to ma­nye lost christians, I offer vnto you that yet remaine and suffer in the shippe then cōfortes, euen out of the bodie and bosome of religion. I make common to you that suffer for religion such cōfortes, as I labored to gaine to my selfe in the greate tro­bles of thes countries, wherin were vsed manye mischeuous meanes to deface religion.

Firste thē recognise you with me, why and for what cause you suffer. Yf you suffer for any hor­rible [Page] facte, or enormious synne, the name of God is blasphemed emong you. 1. Pet. 4. Yf you suffer for murther, thefte, or sacrilege, you suffer with dishonor, shame, and synne. Yf you be felons, there is an haulter, yf you be traitors, there is an axe, yf you be hereti­kes, there is a stake, fagot, and fire. But the cause of your suf­feringe is knowen, and by your knowē actes testified to the ma­iestie of the christian worlde. It is knowen, that you suffer as christiās for Christes sake, that you suffer as catholikes for the catholike faithe, and that you suffer as open christians, and cōfessant catholikes. You stode in the firste fronte against the violent innouation of religion. You were depriued of honors, of lordeshippes, of landes, and liuelehood. You haue sustained great and longe affliction, you sustaine yet disgrace, imprison­met, and banyshemēt. And why? is it a faute to be a christian? [Page] Is it sinne to confesse the faithe of Christe? or is it blame wor­thy to be a member of Christes catholike churche? If you be christians, yf you be catholi­kes, yf you be afflicted christian catholikes for the catholike re­ligion, If (I saye) when you stande in thes termes, there be no other cause why you suffer, then surelie you suffer directlie, for the catholike cause. In the house of God there is no cause more honorable, no cause more glorious, thē the catholike cau­se. This cause almightie God commended, when he commaū ­ded the worlde to heare his son­ne Christe. For this cause Chri­ste came into the worlde, and he suffered more tribulation, then any creature is able to suffer. Had there ben any cause more noble then this, Christe wolde haue chosen it, and suffered for it.

But there was no worne that made a more manifeste shewe of true vertue, there was no [Page] trial so farre from al suspition, as to suffer for religiō. As Chri­ste hath his sainctes in heauen that honour hym in quiet loue: so hath he his sainctes in ear­the, that honour hym with troubled loue. As there is in heauen nothinge more precious, thē the glorious loue of his sainctes: so is there in earthe no thing mo­re acceptable, then the afflicted loue of the iuste, who for his lo­ue, suffer for his religion. Yf there be no creature,Aug de ciuit. Dei lib 10. cap 1. Idem de spirit & lit. c. 61. that ser­ueth God in rule of religion but man onelie, yf religion be a ser­uice propre to God, and be so called because the soule of man fallinge frō God throughe syn­ne, rebindeth hir selfe againe to him by that seruice, and man cā shewe to God no other supreme seruice, nor soueraigne honor but religion, then surelie it is re­ligion that man hath bounde him selfe vnto, and then is it re­ligious, (that is to saye a mat­ter of conscience) to kepe that [Page] dōde, and rather to suffer for it, then to incurre Godes displea­sure. Nor shoulde any wel infor­med christiā doubte, whether he might suffer for this cause, iusti­ce taketh awaye doubte, and to doubte is lacke of faithe, for fai­the doubteth not but that we should suffer, and Christiā forti­tude chooseth rather to suffer, thē to lese pietie. Yf good mē ha­ue suffered tormētes for concea­linge the secrettes of their frein­des, should not wee suffer for cō ­seruinge the sacramentes of our faithe? Yf euil mē suffer for wrō ­ges don to the common weale, shal not good mē suffer for suche rightes, as belōge to the churche of Christe? Manye haue died in cōbattes whiles they aduētured to helpe their freindes, maye we die for mennes sake, and refuse to die for God? what should I speake of the Gentiles, who su­stained greuous paines in doubtful affaires, onelie for vaine glo­rie? Should we christians refuse [Page] to suffer for veritie, what they sought to suffer, for vanitie? I neede saye no more. Christ the teacher of sufferaunce and humilitie, suffered al that he suffered, to make his churche glorious, and he suffered firste to shewe example to vs, to suffer after. And after him so manye glorious Martyrs, and membres of his churche suffered for the commō cause of the churche, that now to suffer for the same, it should not seeme impertinēt to the dutie of a christian. Yf now then (you af­flicted catholikes) you suffer for this cause, (as in dede you suffer) doubteles in this name you glo­rifie god, in this name you honor God. And what thākes deserue you now whē you feare god, liue in his lawes, obey his churche, and choose rather to endure greefes,2. Pet. 4▪ to beare wrōges for cōscien­ce sake to God, thē to folowe the gospel of the worlde? It were no praise for you, yf you suffered for your sinnes, but when you suffer for that cause, wich is iustifiable [Page] to al the christian worlde, which is commended of al good men, and approued of God him sel­fe, as Godes owne proper and personal cause, when now (I saye) you suffer for that cause, doubtles this is thāke worthie of God. This cause is so im­portante, that none can suffer for it, but by the gratious gifte of God, and God geaueth this gifte to none, but to his special freindes. This ioyneth you neare vnto God, causeth you to set lesse by the worlde, diminisheth your paines in purgatorie, and encreaseth your final rewarde in heauen. This is such a cause, as for the which who so hath not the gifte to suffer, ought to seeke it by praier, and penance. So longe as you suffer for this cause, you haue litle cause to feare the power of your migh­tie aduersaries.Philip. 1. VVhat is to them cause of perditiō, God vvil turne to your saluation. for vnto you it is geuen not onelie to beleue in [Page] Christe, but to suffer also for his sake. Marke the gifte, and con­sider the grace. God that is the geauer of giftes and graces, God that hath called you to his eternal glorie by Christe Iesu, wil make you perfecte,1. Pet. [...] wil strē ­gthen you, and establishe you, after you haue suffered a litle af­fliction. In dede it is but litle, Yet doth it prepare vnto you, 2. Cor. 4▪ an excedinge and eternal vveight of glorie. For what seke you in this sufferinge? Not to folowe the la­wes of men, which be corrupte and crooked, but to do the wil of God, that is iust and righte. And for what suffer you? not for felonie or thefte, not for mur­ther or treason, not for heresie or sacrilege, but for truthe and iu­stice, for vnitie and veritie, for faithe and religion. You suffer not for vice, but for vertue, you suffer not for the thinges that be temporal, but for the thinges which be eternal. Reioyse you constant christians, reioyse you [Page] afflicted catholikes,1. Pet. 4. You that be novve pertakers of Christes passion, shal reioyse muche more at the reuelation of his glorie. What Christe suffered in the bit­ter passage of his deathe, he suf­fered as head,Augu in Psal. 86. it remained that he was to suffer in his mem­bers.Collos. 1. You be his members. You fulfil that in your fleshe, that lacked of his passion, and you fulfil it for his bodie, vvhich is the churche. Christe suffereth no more in fleshe wherin he ascen­ded into heauen, but he suffe­reth in your fleshe, which yet trauaileth on the earthe. What lacked in the head,August. in ps. 42. is supplied in the members. And therfore you suffer as members of his bodie for his bodie, which is the churche, and you suffer for the trial of your faithe, which is tried to this ende, that it might be founde to honor whē Christe commeth, in whom you bele­ue, for whom you suffer, and by whom you shal receaue the [Page] ende of your faithe, euen the sal­uation of your soules.

Seinge then religion is the soueraigne honor,1. Pet. 1. and the one­lie supreme seruice that you owe to God, seinge it is the most glorious and honorable cause, for which you can suffer, respec­te of no creature, loue of no fe­licitie, feare of no aduersitie, should withdrawe you frō this cause. Loue of parentes and countrie, loue of wife and chil­dren, loue of goodes and ho­nors, loue of liuelehood and life, must geue place to this. They that for this cause forsake the temporal welth of the world shal receaue the spiritual bles­singes of God our lorde. This saith our lorde.Math. 19 Euerie man that forsaketh hys house, or hys bro­thers, or sisters, or father, or mo­ther, or vvife, or children, or lan­des for my name sake, shal receaue an hundred folde. He promiseth more then this, to them that dye [Page] for his sake.Math. 16 This saith our lor­de. He that leeseth his life for me, shal finde the same. Ther be di­uersities of christian dewties, diuersities of honor, obedience, and loue. There is a loue dewe vnto our parentes, and this hath his limitation. Who so lo­ueth them aboue Christe, is not Christes disciple, nay whoso ha­teth them not for Christe, is not his disciple, and he that forsa­keth not al, and beareth not Christes crosse for Christes sa­ke, can not be his disciple. When faithe is called in questiō,Luc. 14. when christians be conuented for reli­gion, and Godes cause must be answered, they be our mothers, they be our brothers, which do the wil of our father in hea­uen.Math. 12 If they beleue in Christe, they must preferre vs that figh­te for Christe, yf they beleue not, let the deade burie the deade.Hiero. epist. 1. There is a loue dewe vnto our natural father, so longe as he withdraweth vs not from our [Page] heauenlie father. We must not acknowledge any lōger our pa­rent age, kinred, stocke, or other creature, thē they acknowledge God theire creator.Idē epist. 10.Our pa­rentes may doo what shal best like them of theire goodes and substance, with our soules they haue not to doo. Our soules be not theirs by whō we were ge­nerate, but his, to whom we be regenerate. Idē epist. 1. Thoughe thy nephe­we a litle ladde and playnge boye hange aboute thy necke, thoughe thy mourninge mother with rēte heares and blubbered chekes shewe thee hir pappes wherwith she gaue thee sucke, thoughe thy feble father lye at thy thresholde, passe by thy father, passe by thy mother with drie eyes, and hasten to the crosse of Christe, crueltie in this case, is the onelie kinde of pietie, and pietie for God, is no crueltie.Idē epist. 53. Ther is an honor and obedien­ce dew to princes and ciuil ru­lers of the worlde. Thes dew­ties [Page] also haue their limitation. The children of Israel saide vnto their ruler Iosue.Iosue 1. As vve haue obeyed Moyses, so vvil vvee obeye thee, looke onelie to this, that our lorde God be vvith thee, as he vvas vvith Moyses. As who wold saye, we wil obeye thee so lōge, as thou obeiest God, God is to be obeied, and so is Iosue, God before Iosue, God aboue Iosue, and rather God then Iosue.Daniel. 3 The children of Israel obeied kinge Nabuchodonosor inal that he might cōmaunde by authoritie of a kinge. But when he proclamed, that his subiec­tes shoulde kneele downe and adore his Idol, they denied that obedience.Daniel. 6 Daniel obeied kinge darius in externe matters, but when the kinge gaue out edicte, that whoso prayed to any o­ther God but to him should be caste to the lions, he forsoke the courte, entred his chamber, and there praied thrise adaye vpon his knees. Likewise Matha­thias [Page] saide.1. Macha. cap. 2. VVe vvil obeie the lavve of our fathers, vve vvil not harkē vnto the commaundemen­tes of the kinge. Was it not obiected to Christes Apostles, that they contraried the senate and counselers? and therevnto S. Peter made this breefe Apo­logie.Act. 5. VVe must obeye God ra­ther then men. Euseb. hist. li. 4. cap. 15. What time the holie man and blessed Martyr sainct Policarpe was broughte before the proconsul, and re­quired to sweare to Cesar, and to reuile Christe, he made this answer. I haue serued Christe foure score yeares and syxe, and to this daye Christe neuer iniured mee, nor dyd ought, why I should reuile him. My selfe am a Christian, and wee christians be taughte to geue to princes, and seculer powers suche honor, as is not contra­rie to our religion. In thes dew­ties then, this is the limitation, our soueraigne loue, honor, and obedience, is dewe onely to god, [Page] and thes may be done with oute dishonor or preiudice to princes, as the children of Israel did, as Daniel did, as Mathathias did, as the Apostles did, as sain­cte Polycarpe did, who obeied God, and men, but rather God then men, who gaue to Cesar what belonged to Cesar, and to God what belonged to God. Kinges, princes, and potētates of the worlde, be the seruantes of God, God is their maister, we may not obeie the seruant a­gainst the maister.Aug. 11. quaest. qui re­sist. When infe­riour authoritie commaundeth what we should not doo, we must refuse that authoritie, and feare the superior power. Yf the Emperour cōmaunde one thin­ge, and God an other, he must pardon vs, thoughe wee obeie not, he threateneth prison, God threateneth hel. In Gods cause, we must obeie God and not mē, when men be contrarie to God, nor shoulde we therfore be cal­led disobedient subiectes, or dis­contented [Page] persones, yf in Godes matters wee preferre God, be­fore men. This is the scope I leauel at, that our soueraigne o­bedience, must be to God in al dewties without exception, and that in the house of God, there is no greater cause nor greater obedience, then to suffer for the loue of God. Sainct Paule en­flamed with this loue, and with the zeale of Godes house, bras [...]e oute thes wordes. VVho shal separat vs from the loue of God, Rom. [...]. shal tribulation or anguishe, or persecution, or honger, or na­kednes, or peril, or svvorde? I am sure that neyther deathe, nor lyfe, neyther angelles, nor rule, nor povver, neyther thinges pre­sent, nor thinges to come, nor hi­ghe, nor lovve, nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs, from the loue of God. What sterred vp the stoute standinge of the Confessors, the blouddye battaile of the Martyres, the chaste combat of the virgins, [Page] but the loue of Godes house? This moued s. Athanasius that holie cōfessor to saye,Euseb. hist. li. 10 cap. 34. let vs go to meete with our persecutor, that he may perceaue how much greater the power of him is that defendeth vs, then the power of him that persecuteh vs. This moued that couragious capi­taine and glorious Martyr.Basil in Cord. Mart. S. Gordius whē he was exhorted to kepe his faithe secrete in his hearte, and to denie it with his mouthe, opēlie to saye, corde cre­dimus, we beleue in hearte to iu­stice, and cōfesse with mouthe to saluation, God is my helper, I feare not what mā cā doo. That noble woman, and holie martyr S. Iulitta,Basil ser. in Iulit. complained to the iudge of iniuries dōne vnto hir, soughte for iustice at his hādes. His answer was, that nor shee nor any suche as shee was (which adored not the emperors gods, which were not of the Empe­rours religion,) shoulde expecte iustice, or pleade wronge. Why [Page] then (sayde she) I haue done, farewel my liuinge, adewe my life. Consider you nowe, you af­flicted catholikes that God ma­keth you worthye to suffer for his loue, and to render your su­preme obediēce to his holye na­me, wherin you haue to cōforte your selues, that God reputeth you for his freindes, for to his freindes he geueth this special gifte. You suffer wronges, you sustaine the princes indignatiō, you beare the displeasure of the magistrates for your obediēce to gods churche. This poynte you choose not, and gladlye would you haue it otherwyse. But yf you choose it for pieties sake, your choice, is iustifiable. S. Basil in the like case made this answer.Theodo. lib. 4. cap. 17.Of the emperours frēd­shippe fauour and furtherāce, I do wel esteeme so lōge as it is ioyned with godlines, without that I holde it pernitious. It was saide to Maris a deuoute cler­ke, be of the Emperours religiō, [Page] and he wyl make thee an Arche bishope. I may not so be saide he, least I offende God that is my Emperour. His promotion I wil not take, because he is not of my religion.

Math. 18This is our lordes lesson, Let hym be vnto thee as an heathen and publican, that heareth not the churche. As the heathen which neuer came to the faithe peri­sheth: so doth the heritike that hath forsaken the faithe. Out of the churche no religion can ser­ue, no faithe can saue. he that is founde out of the churche, is a stranger frō the childrē of God. Nor cā he haue God for his fa­ther,Aug. li 4 de sym. cap. 10. that hath not the churche for his mother. O you trobeled christians, and you afflicted ca­tholikes, beholde, here haue you manye greate and ghostlie comfortes to cōsider. For what seeke you, when you suffer for the churche? Nothinge (I wene) but what the selfe cause requi­reth, [Page] to wyt, that you do the wyl of our lorde, which you be sure to finde in his churche. For of his churche our lorde sayde,Esaiae 62 Thou shalt be called a citie sought for, and not forsaken. In his churche you can not be decea­ued of his wyl, for in his chur­che he is alwaye resiant, and therfore is his churche called,Ezech. 48 Dominus ibidem, Our lorde is therein. Note here what tem­pestes and trobles the churche hath had. The churche hath ben laide at, and shaken from eue­rie parte, and quarter of the worlde. The Archeheretikes of eache parte, men of condemned memorie, gaue the first onset with violent shotte of tonges, and al possible policie of penne. The crooked crewe of their vn­gratious of springe put to theire batteries, and shaked the weake walles of them, that were not faste in faithe. The shippe nowe tottered, the shippe nowe was tossed with many contrarious [Page] windes. Many were shaken in the shippe, and al made wrecke, that kepte not within bourde. The sterrers of this tēpest were fraudulente persecutors, who could temper theire tale in suche wyse, couer theire hypocrisie with so liuelie colours, that they obtayned credite of good natu­res.Tertul. de prae­script. cap 7. To suche men it is agreinge to racke the scriptures, to cor­rupte the fathers, and with sweete wordes to tole and baet the readers that see not the hoo­ke of falsehood, wherwith they choke them.Ambr de fide cr [...]h. contra Arian. cap. 1. Because thes mis­meaninge men, haue in outwar­de shewe manye poyntes com­mon with the catholikes, they intrappe incircūspecte readers, and infecte the simple beleauers, as it were with one droppe of poyson, amonge manye softe and sugered wordes. And here­sie hath ben alwaye accōpanied with tyrannie, that vseth world­lye wysedome and pestilēte poli­cie to further hir proceadinges. [Page] Yet coulde neyther of thes pro­ceede so farre hitherto, as to put out the catholike name.Theodo. li. 3. c. 15 They vsed many suttle sleightes with the catholikes, as Iulianus vsed, when he byd his souldiers (that woulde receaue their paie) cast frankensence into the fire,Euseb. li. 5. ca. 27. as Theodotus vsed, when he of­fered a byshoprike to Natalius,Theod li. 4 cap. 17 as Modestus vsed, when he went aboute to perswade Ba­sil to yelde to the time, and to vse the fauoure of the Empe­rour. But faire meanes, fine­nesse, and flatterie could not preuaile against the fast, firme, and wel vnderstandinge catho­like. foule meanes, crueltie and violence lacked not,Euseb li. 8. cap. 3. con­tempte, disgrace, indignities, abasement were added. Aulters were rased, churches destroyed,Euag. li. 4 cap. 4. Sezom. li. 5. c. 17. priestes depriued, catholikes iniured by imprisonmentes and tormentes. Then were not catholikes permitted to beare office in the common weale, [Page] onely because they were catholi­kes.Theodo­rus lib. 4 cap. 1.Now were al factions and fashions of pretended religions suffered to make their assēbles, and openlie to vse their religion, but onelie the catholike. Now were bishopes and priestes cō ­pelled oute of their churches, spoyled of theire goodes, and called before lay iudges. Now were the prisōs replenished with christians that were not suffered to be releaued, suche was the mercelesse tyrannie of the perse­cutors. Certs thes were greate tēpestes, thes were bothe frau­dulent, and violent persecutiōs, yet dyd not thes preuaile. And why? Dominus ibidem. Thou­ghe now the world like the bub­linge sea boyie and breake out his force, thoughe the potenta­tes of the worlde execute theire furye against you, feare you not, faile you not, fainte you not, you I saye that sayle in the shippe which nowe is tempested with contrarious windes, feare you [Page] not, our lorde is with you, you be safe, Dominus ibidem. Asee, who is that lorde by whom you be gouerned in this shippe.Ambr. lib. de Sal. ca. 4 Christ the sonne of God is hop­sted into the mast of the shippe, that is on the crosse. God the fa­ther gouerneth the hinder par­te, the holie ghoste sitteth in the foreparte. There be xij. roers in this shippe, to wyt the twelue Apostles, and thes driue for­warde the shippe, bringinge hir through the straightes of this troblesom sea into the quiet por­te.Aug ser. 14. de verb. de. Christe our lorde that prayed for his churche, doth stil praie. Thoughe this shippe be tossed, yet can she not be drowned, be­cause Christe praieth.Chrysos. ho. 24 in 1. Math. oper. im­perf. Thoughe this shippe be shaken with the violent windes of seculer attēp­tes, yet is she safe from wracke, because Christe gouerneth. And the holie ghoste our lorde, that sitteth in the fore parte of the shippe, strengtheneth al such as bee windeshakē, the holie ghoste [Page] dilateth the heartes of thē, that be in tribulation. When Chri­ste tolde his disciples that they should be accused,Math. 10 conuented, and reuiled, for his names sake, he tolde thē also that he would not leaue them comfortlesse. I vvil sende you a comfortor. Ioan. 15. This comfortor gaue them strengthe to beare al that the malice of the worlde, was able to laie vpon thē. It came to passe as Christe foretolde, they were caste oute, conuented, and reuiled. did they grudge at it, did they murmure for it?Act. 5. The storie saithe, They vvent oute from the coūsel house reioysinge, that they vvere vvor­thie to suffer reuiles for the name of Iesus. Act. 16. Paulus and Silas vvere put in prison, and vvhipped cruel­lie, they did not repine, the storie saithe? They sange at midnighte, praienge and praisinge our lorde. This ioye in this correction, this iocunditie of spirite in this tribulation, came of the holie ghoste, that sitteth at the fore­parte [Page] of the shippe, and geueth comfort in al tempestes and tri­bulations. This promise of comforte extended not onelie to Christes disciples, but in them to theire ofspringe, and to the whole corps of Christes chur­che whersoeuer it be scatered in dispersion. Who emboldened the persecuted Christians, to stande in the confession of their faithe so constantlie, to professe theire religion so confidentlie, euen to the face of the tyran­nes, when they made thes stou­te asseuerations? Ego Christia­nus sum. I am a christian.Hila lib. cōt. Cōst.Catholicus sum, I am a catho­like. Arianus non sum, I am not an Arian. Haereticus esse nolo, I wil not be an here­tike. They were nickenamed,Tripart. lib. 6. c. 7 Hist. eccl. lib. 5 c. 16 called men of Galile, called Homousions and murtherers of Prophetes. The tyran ex­clamed against them. Ad be­stias, awaye with thes wretched christians, awaye with them, [Page] sende them to the beastes, haue them to the lyons, hale them to the leopardes, awaye with thes naughtie wretches to the my­nes, let them digge metalles.

Now were thes miserable men sent ad campum Martyrū, where they were done to deathe. Now did the cutthrotes scoure theire swordes, in the bowels of the christians. Now did the bloud-suckers dyp and washe their hā ­des, in the bloudde of the sainc­tes. Who now did cōforte them, who now did strengthen them, but the holie ghoste, that gouer­neth the foreparte of the shippe, and comforteth the windeshakē in al tempestes and tribulation. To caste a litle more to this, this comforte hath wel appea­red in thes latter persecutions of our times. What halteringe, what hanginge, what hewinge downe of christians, what mur­deringe, what quateringe, what martyringe of catholikes hath there ben, since the partie prote­stant [Page] began his newe no gospel? What mischeuous machina­tions haue the sectaries practi­sed, to vnderproppe theire rui­nous religion? What lamenta­ble tragedies haue they made, that nowe shake so mightelie the whole frame of Christes fai­the? And yet notwithstandinge al theire possible oppressions, al theire pernitious plottes, faithe endureth, the churche standeth, the catholike encreaseth. And of this you that be in this storme tottered and tossed, do see what you comforte your selues in. As there be manye in manye quar­ters of our countrie, that suffer for the catholike cause: so be there manie that be broughte by theire sufferinge, to knowe the catholike name, to enquire of the catholike churche, and to learne to confesse the catholike faithe. Yea there be many that neuer knewe the catholike reli­gion, which now in the com­mon trobles of catholikes come [Page] vnto it, receaue it, beleue it, and suffer for it. It may be presumed by common intendement, that there is not lefte amōg you any nomber of the catholike race. In dede it is rather miraculous then maruelous there should be any, consideringe ther hath not ben for some number of yeares any outwarde face, any open exercise of the catholike faithe, consideringe there is no place, where catholikes be not pried for, apprehended and impriso­ned, no prison so vile where they bee not harbored, yea those pla­ces which were ordayned for theifes, murtherers, bankerou­tes, heretikes, and treitors, be made the lodginges of holie fa­thers, of reuerend bishopes, of priestes, of gentlemen, and gent­lewomē, finallie cōsideringe the lawes of the realme be againste the catholikes, and that catholi­kes be depriued, spoyled, hated, disgraced, persecuted, and some of them executed. Notwithstan­ding [Page] al this, Godes churche hath hir faitheful flocke, that confesseth the catholike truthe openlie, maugre the diuel, here­sie, and tyrannie. And hot withstādinge al worldelie disgraces, ouertwhartes, iniuries, persecu­tion, and execution, yet is there lefte some good number, that neuer bowed theire knees to Baal, neuer receaued the brea­ded communion, neyther went to the schismatical seruice. Yea some nomber that be readye to render their goodes to the worl­de, and their soules to God, as willinge in this quarrel to dye, as to liue. Blessed be the name of God that hath raysed a ca­tholike youthe, to supplye the ruful ruine of them, which haue perished with Chore, Dathan, and Abirō. It is the blessed wyl of God, that the glorye of his militant churche should multi­plie in persecution, should en­crease vnder oppressiō, and that out of the bloud of one catholi­ke [Page] sufferinge deathe for Christe, should aryse manye holie chri­stians. The bloud of the marty­res (saith S. Cypriā) is the seade of the churche, wherof aryse and encrese mo, as of the seede in the felde springeth newe corne. The churche was amōge the Israe­lites when they laye vnder the cruel bondage of Pharao, and of them it is written,Exod. 1. The more they vvere oppressed, the more they increased. Act. 8. The churche was but a litle flocke, when the fyrst persecution began at Hierusalē, and yet ther of Christes gospel spred mightelie. It is Godes gracious gifte, that his churche should prosper, when she is per­secuted.Hila. de Triniitate lib 7. When she is oppressed then she is increased, when she is iniured, then she ouercometh, euen then she cōquereth, whē she semeth to be ouercomed. The churche is lyke the palme tree, the greater waight is laide on it, the broder it spreadeth. The churche is lyke camomil, the [Page] more you treade on it, the thic­ker it waxeth. It is written of the persecuted.Aug. de ciuitate lib. 22. cap. 6. They were im­prisoned, tyed in chaynes, whip­ped, killed, and torne in peeces, yet they encreased. The storie mentioneth of a notable womā, who hearinge that manye chri­stians should be put to deathe, tooke hir childe in hir armes, ranne to professe hir faithe, and to dye with them. The officer meetinge hir, demaunded whi­ther she wente, she tolde, hym to the place of the christians. Why (sayed he) they shal be al put to deathe. And I goo (quoth she) to dye with them. But why (sayed he) doest thou carye thy childe with thee? she answered my chil­de shal take suche parte, as the mother doth. You that be nowe tēpested in the shippe of Christe, you that beare affliction for the churche of Christe, abide in the shippe, leape not oute, be not tipte ouer bourde, your gouer­nours be sure, skilful, and suffi­ciente [Page] to saue you in al tēpestes, your twelue roers wil driue you into a safe porte, where no ma­lice of man, nor machination of diuel, shal ouertrowe you. You haue the helpe of God the fa­ther, that gouerneth, you haue the promise of Christe his sonne, that praieth, you haue the com­forte of the holie ghoste, that strengtheneth. God the father helpeth you, god the sōne praieth for you, God the holie ghoste strengtheneth you. The holie Trinitie in one deitie gouer­neth you, and wil not leaue to giue you grace and fortitude to endure what affliction so euer, for the glorie of his holie name.

Furthermore it should be to you no litle cōforte, to recognise the manifolde benefites, and blessinges of God, which you enioye, whiles you kepe your selues within the shippe of Chri­ste. Christe hath but one shippe, that is one churche, one in vni­tie [Page] of faithe, one in vnitie of pro­fession, one in vnitie of sacra­mentes, one in vnitie of head. They that be not of this one churche of this one faithe, vnder this one head, enioye not the healpe of the father, enioye not the prayer of the sonne, nor the assistance of the holie ghoste. To be of Christes churche, in Chri­stes vnitie, is of such importāce, that a constant christian shoulde rather chose to die, thē to aparte from it. It is no lesse glorie to suffer martyrdome for the con­seruation of vnitie, thē it is,Hist. eccl. li. 6. c. 34 not to offer to idolles, yea rather it is a greater martyrdome, for in the one, eache man suffereth for him selfe, in the other eache man suffereth for the whole churche. Now then you that be in vnitie, suffer for this vnitie, and chrise happie be you, whō god maketh worthie so to suffer. They that forsake the general faithe of Christes churche, and truste to some one article, leape out of the [Page] shippe, and seme to catche at a litle bourde ther of. The bele­uinge of any one article wil not saue vs, the not beleuinge of any one, wil cōdemne vs. They that forsake antiquitie, vniuersalitie, consente, and vnitie, enter into the streames of schisme, driue at the rocke of heresie, whiuer vp and downe at euerie blaste of doctrine, and populer flaterie, and shal neuer finde place of reste, or quiet porte to arriue. Beholde, in how many greate perilles they be, whom this tro­belous storme hath shaken out of the shippe. Do they not endo­mage, and hasarde their soules, whē they enter into schisme, and rōne out of schisme into heresie? As by schisme they bereue them selues of charitie: so by heresie they bereue thē selues of faithe. How can they separat from the bodie, but they aparte also from the heade? They can hardelie dismember them selues frō the churche, and firmelie holde the [Page] righte faithe, seinge faithe is the gifte of God, that floweth from Christe as from the heade, into his bodie and mēbres. An easie leape it is out of schisme into he­resie, and as easie to procede frō heresie to Apostasie, for in here­sie there is no stoppe, nor staye. Scantlie shal you finde an opi­natiue heade that falleth into one heresie, but slideth frō poyn­te to poynte into a multitude, vntil he dislike euerie poynte of the catholike faithe, which poynte perdie is plaine Aposta­sie. And thē from Apostasie into Atheisme, and Epicurisme, the waye is made plaine. As then it cā not but comforte you to con­ceaue, that you kepe with in the shippe, out of schisme in vnitie: so it cānot but recomforte you, that you be vnder vnitie of hea­de, in vnitie of faithe, that faithe which Christe preached, that faithe which his Apostles recea­ued, that faithe which the chri­stiā worlde beleueth, that faithe [Page] which our forefathers liued in, euen that Catholike Romaine faithe which now you liue in, and for which you suffer. Of this faithe you haue the righte sense and felinge, when you hol­de Christe in the foundation, when you confesse the substance of Christes doctrine vnderstan­ded by that holie spirite, which firste penned it. Greate is the obediēce of your faithe, in al doctrines, in al sacramentes, in al articles, and in al Apostolike and churchelie traditions. In obedience of this faithe, you beleue that Christes worde is Christes worke, and that by the mightie power of his word, he is made presente with you, and geueth remission and grace. In obedience of this faithe, you praye vnto Christes sainctes in heauen, you praye for Christian soules in purgatorie, that they may praye for you in heauen. In obedience of this faithe, you grounde your hope, that God [Page] wyl not leaue vnrewarded your prayers, your penance, your fastinges, your almes, nor any good worke els what soeuer. When you suffer nowe for the general faithe of Christe, you suffer for euerie poynte, that christian iustice bindeth you to confesse. And this is a ful con­fession of the faithe catholike, wherin you haue to acknowled­ge the blessinges of God, that maketh you worthie to suffer for faithe, in obedience of faithe, for vnitie, in vnitie, for charitie in veritie. And here vpon haue you to muse and meditate, when greefes recurre, that you suffer for the churche of Christe, and for the faithe of Christe with Christe, that suffered paineful deathe, to make his churche glo­rious. They that be not of this churche, and of this faithe, be whithoute charitie,Aug. li. 2 con. Cres­con c. 13 nor can they be pertakers of Godes charitie, which be enemies of his vnitie. Thoughe they receaue the sacra­ment [Page] of faithe, thoughe theire faithe be whole and sounde, it doth not auaile them, so longe as soundnes of charitie, is killed with the dedlie wounde of schis­me,Idem lib. 1. contra D [...]n. cap. 8. Idē tract. 19. in euang. Ioan. by whos onelie deathe, what euer thinges be sounde of them selues, be drawen to dea­the. And schismatikes may doo good workes, but good workes doo not profite them. Thoughe they praye, thoughe they faste, thoughe they geue almes, thou­ghe they liue continent, thoughe they kepe virginitie, al doth not helpe, al doth not profite, becau­se they breake vnitie. Put to this, so longe as they be deuided from Christes churche, they re­ceaue not the life of his holie spi­rite, for oute of his churche his holie spirite geueth not life.

The churche is the mystical bo­dye of Christe, they must be of his bodie, that wil liue of his spirite.Gregor. expla. 5. Psal. pae­nitent. Heretikes liue not of his spirite, schismatikes liue not of his spirite, excommunicat per­sons [Page] liue not of his spirite, and why? Because they be not of his bodie. What lyfe thē haue they? they haue the lyfe of theire bo­dies, but lacke the life of theire soules. they liue in their fleshe, and die in their spirite, they die aliue. they liue without faithe, without charitie, without chur­che, without aulter, without prieste, without sacrifice, with­out God. Consider then the la­mentable losse of them that bee leapte out of the shippe now in the time of this tempeste. Consi­der the domage and dainger of them, which dismember them selues frō Christe and his chur­che. Schisme bereueth them of vnitie and charitie, schisme se­perareth them from Christe and his churche, schisme ioyneth thē to the synagoge of the diuel, schisme spoyleth them of sanctifica­tion and grace. And where there is a communiō of prayers, and of al good workes common to them that be vnited in Christe, [Page] schisme bereueth thē of the frute of al prayers, of al good wor­kes, and of al sacrifices, finallie schisme excludeth them frō hea­uen, and leadeth thē to hel. Be­holde, you that be of one vnitie in the house of God, beholde, what they lese by schisme, and see what you gaine by vnitie. You (I saye) that be in the ship­pe of Christe, you that be confes­sant catholikes, al you that suf­fer for the catholike vnitie, let your comfortes encrease to vn­derstāde thes blessinges of God, to wyt that you be of one faithe, of one charitie, of one churche, of one vnitie, vnder one heade, that you be of the communion of sainctes, that you be perta­kers of sanctification, of remis­sion and grace, that you be per­takers of al good workes done in the whole christian worlde, of al sacrifices, of al prayers, of al penance, of al fastinges, and of what els soeuer be done in the v­niuersal churche of Christe, and [Page] that in the ende, you be sure to be pertakers of Christes deathe and merites, which is al that you labour for, when now you beare the crosse of Christe. And for what thinge soeuer God permitteth you presentlie to beare his crosse, (his iudgementes be secrete,) in effecte you suffer on the crosse, which thinge must be your comforte. For yf you suffer for your sinnes, you suffer vpon the crosse of the good thefe. If you suffer for iustice sake (as suf­feringe for religion you can not but suffer for iustice) then may you take more comforte therof, because you suffer vpō Christes owne crosse.

And what yf the professed ene­mies of the churche nickename you? What yf they reuile you? yea what yf they hate you? The coniunction of soules vnited in God, the dislikinge of spirites aparted from God is such,Cypr. ad Quir. dē lib. 1. pist. 3. ib. 4. pist. 2. that their can be no entier likinge, [Page] nor louinge aliāce betwene fai­the and infidelitie, truthe and falsehood, lighte and darkenes, Antechriste and Christe. They that breake charitie, wil not like of you that kepe vnitie, nor wil they commende you, that be gon frō you. The diuel (that is auc­tor of diuision,) is alwayes ster­ringe againste the vnited mem­bers of Christe. It is his tricke to blemishe and abase, to infame and obscure the glorious name of thē, that be of better note and conuersation, to the ende they mighte finde lesse reputation, amōge the childrē of the worlde. Porphirius was a reuiler of christians,Hist. eccl. lib 6. cap. 16. and a rayler at their religion. whē he could not finde oughte that he might iustly re­prehende in Origenes commen­taries, he began to nickename him, and to rayse at his person. In like maner doth the partie protestante, mislikinge with the catholike cause, and with the ca­tholike onelie for the cause, bein­ge [Page] insufficiēte to answere theire matter, nickename theire per­sonnes, that they mighte make them odious by reprocheful na­mes, and false intended crimes. What ado make they, whē they chapter (as they doo cōmonlie,) vpon the names of Rome, pope and papiste? How rappe they oute theire railinge rhetorike, when they heare the consented doctrine of Christes churche al­leaged? As they discourse smo­thelie, and make a populer she­we of sugered wordes conninge­lie, so yet when al is saide, the somme of theire drifte is, to ma­ke their rouinge aduantage, vpō the names of Rome, Pope, and papistrie. And what els do they saye in substāce againste the be­leued doctrines of the churche, but that the beleuers be papi­stes, and the doctrines papistrie. As it may be, that a good natu­red man wolde shonne a contu­melious speache: so it should not greue a right enformed catho­like [Page] that liueth in the feare of God, and in the faithe of Go­des churche, to be reproched by the vngodlye, which haue no feare, nor faithe, no remorse what God seeth, nor what the worlde sayeth. As for the na­mes of papiste, and papistrie, they bringe in dede with them a preiudice amonge the children of the worlde, and were inuen­ted by the firste founders of the fifth gospel, to bringe religion in contempte, and to make the catholike odious, wheras in truthe thes names be not infa­mous by diriuation, but by ca­lumnious interpretation. It should not greatelie moue an vnderstandinge christian, to be called papiste, for yf he consider a principal grounde of our chri­stianitie, he can not be a saued christian, that is not a pure pa­piste. In the beginninge of the gospel,Chrisost. [...]o. 3. in [...]ict. A­post ha­bent eun­dē spirit. 2. Cor. 4. christians began to be odious, euen then they were re­uiled, mocked, called fooles, and [Page] witlesse folke, because they folo­wed Christe. Euen then they were spoyled, and al that would iniurie thē, mighte make theire praye of them. It may come to passe againe in the reuolution of a fewe yeares, that the name of a christian, wil be as odious with the Machiauelian, that vseth religion but for a polecie, as nowe is the name of papiste with the protestante, that is in­different to any religion. As odious was the christian name some nomber of yeares after Christe, as nowe is the name of papiste, and as muche malice did the enemies of christianitie worke againste the knowē chri­stians, whom they called scof­finglie Christicolas, to wit wors­hipers of Christe, as now the e­nemies of Christes churche worke againste the catholikes, whō they cal odiouslie Papistas, to wit such as shewe their obe­dience to the pope, that is Chri­stes vicar, Peters successor, [Page] the highe preeste, and heade byshoppe of the whole christian worlde. You be the children of the churche, you be the children of vnitie, yf you be nickenamed for dewties sake where dewtie is dewe, that is oute of course, and blame worthie in thē, that so name you. But the case beinge as it is remedilesse, the seruan­tes of Christe muste holde them selues cōtente to suffer tearmes, and tauntes, raylinges, and reproches, seinge Christe their lorde and maister, coulde not es­cape them.Math. 11 Was not Christe re­uiled with opprobrious wor­des, importinge shame and syn­ne? Was he not saide to be a freinde to publicans and syn­ners? Was he not called Sama­ritan? and albeit there was ne­uer founde in him excesse, yet they called him a wyne bibber, and a man of meate aboue mea­sure. Yea they lefte not his di­uine workes vntouched, in them also they saide he wroughte by a [Page] diuel, and the prince of diuelles.Math. 9. & 12. When they coulde not abide his doctrine, for his doctrines sake, they glaunced at his person. It can not be defended but you be synners. But what synne is im­plied in the name of papiste? Doubtles none at al, but that vnder this name, they woulde make odious not onelie your personnes, but your faithe and religion, which is that onelie re­ligion and faithe, of whos com­munion whosoeuer be not, be not of Christes faithe, and com­munion. Amonge vs that be in banishemēte, it is counted more irkesome in thes rebellious at­temptes, to be forced from coun­trie to countrie, from state to state, to be sacked, to finde penu­rie, and in euerie parte to see a feareful face of miserie, then to heare a fewe syllables, and them not of yl sounde nother, yf they bee wel taken. Wordes be often as they be takē, and as the min­des of thē be, that speake them. [Page] S. Peter and the diuel vsed like wordes,August. tract 6. in epist. Ioan. Ioan. 18. whē bothe cōfessed Christe to be the sōne of God. Christe asked the Iewes for whō they soughte, they answered, for Ie­sus of Nazareth. Their wordes were good, theire meaninge yl. The Iewes mocked Christe, whē they saluted him thus, Aue rex iudaeorum. Math. 27 The christiās honor him with the same wordes, whē they knele downe and saye, Aue rex, &c. Wordes that may haue good meaninge, should not offē ­de good meaninge mē, thoughe miscreātes miscōstre thē. Should we not abide the worde Galilaea, Triper. li. 6. cap. 7. for that Iulianus Apostata ca­ste oute a tauntinge blasphemie against Christ, what time he cried out vicisti Galilaee, thou of Galilee hast ouercomed? Or be­cause he called the christiās, men of Galilee?Triper li. 6. ca. 32. Should we haue lesse reuerent opinion of Christe, be­cause that vnhappie man Felix treaseror to Iulianus, called Christe Maries sonne, vsinge [Page] thes wordes? Ecce quibus vasis Mariae filio ministratur. Asee in what vesselles they serue Ma­ries sōne. Or shoulde we forsake the faithe of Christes deitie and cōsubstantialitie with God his father, because the Ariās called the catholikes Homousiās? what reproches, calūnes, and slaūders the enemies of Christe inuented againste the christians, the chur­chelie stories beare witnesse, but yf you marke who they were that reproched Christe, and who they be that nowe nickename the christians, you shal see litle cause to be offended, but rather cause to praye, that they may be amēded.Hiero in proc dia­lo aduer. Pelag. To good mē it hath not ben greuous, to haue the disple­sure of the euil. As for displea­sure of heretikes, good mē haue sought it, and thought glorie to' beare it.Idē epist. 80. S. Hierō endeuored to' make the enemies of the churche his enemies, and wrought to S. Austē that it was his glorie to be detested of heretikes. How much [Page] they deteste your honor, your fa­me, and your personnes, it is apparente when they blasphe­me your religion, cal you papi­stes, rebelles, and treitors. But this their demeanor maketh good your cause and renoumeth your persōnes,Grego. li. 1. super Eze bo. 11. amōge the good. For then doth there appeare so­me euident iustice in you, when you displease them, that please not God. No man can be grate­ful to almightie God, and to his enemies in the same thinge. For he denyeth hym selfe a freinde to God, that pleaseth his enemie. And it may be feared lest they that blemyshe the good partes of deuoure christians, (whō they can not charge but for religion, which in dede is Godes parte,) wyl fal as far oute with God, yf his grace tēper not their defec­tes.Chrisost. hom. 7. cap. 3. in Tim [...]. 2. Cain maligned his brother Abel, and therwith contemned God. Iosephes brothers regar­ded hym not, and they regarded God as litle. The children of [Page] Israel reiected Moyses, and in hym they reiected God. It is sayde to be a machiauelian po­licie to terrifie the vntowarde and recusante parte, with the o­dius termes of rebel and trai­tor, when greate purposes be in­tended. Though it can not be but greuous to a true meaninge man that is of ciuile loialtie, to be pressed with termes of hap­nous crimes not at al intended, and that for his dewe seruice to God: yet should not this pointe infirme the confession of a con­stante catholike, that feareth God aboue al, knowinge that it hath ben proper to tyrannycal states in tymes of persecutiō, to alter the worshepers of Christe, by terrours and tormentes, to terrifie the deuoute christians with word and sworde, therbye to wynne them to theire purpo­se, therbye to make them indue theire affections, to loue and to hate what they loued or hated, or els to haue no quietnes. In­dede [Page] we be neyther rebelles nor traitors to princes, yf we leaue vndone the commaundemēte of the prince, and do the commaū ­dement of God. When Daniel praied thrise adaye to God con­trarie to the kinges commaun­demēte, whē the Apostles prea­ched contrarie to the willes of the rulers, it was neyther trea­sō, nor rebelliō, nor were they re­belles or traitors. Thoughe the rage of the rulers go so farre as to caste vs to the hōs, as they ca­ste Daniel, thoughe they whippe vs, as they wipped the Apostels, wee must suffer with Daniel, ād saye with the Apostles, we muste rather obeye God in doinge our dewtie, thē man forbiddinge the same. And what is our comforte herein, but that god hath wayes enoughe to deliuer vs, as he de­liuered Daniel, as he deliuered the Apostles, or els wil strēgthen vs to die in his quarel, whether shal be more for his glorie, and the edefyinge of his holie chur­che. But let thē hate you, let thē [Page] cal you what thē listeth for reli­giōs sake, be cōtente to beare, it is godes cause, it is Christes quarel, leaue to him the reuenge. Yf you were giltie of that violēt in­nouatiō of religiō which opened the waye to a ruffiālike rushinge into al vice, yf you were giltie of a monsterous masse of tragecal treasōs, yf you sowed seditiō at home, or maintained rebellion abrode, yf hauinge no churche at home to robbe, you sought a­brode in the coūtries adioynin­ge to robbe churches, to breake images, to be hange men to the images of Christ and our ladie, to dismount aulters, to kyl prie­stes, ād to defile with prophane handes the pretious bodie and bloud of our sauiour Christ in the holy sacramēt of the aulter, yf (I say) you were giltie of thes horrible factes, and in this res­specte they called you heretikes, traitors, churche robbers, and murtherers, surelie then you should not be offended, for such factes, deserue suche names. [Page] And thes names perdie importe muche more, and be of greater consequence, then the termes of papiste, and papistrie. Now be­cause you folowe not theire course which forsake the highe waye, and vnder the name of Chri­stes crosse, haue so crossed the waye, brokē downe the hedges, trodde downe so muche good corne, and so manie faire pastu­res of pietie, that except they co­me backe, they can neuer come to God. Because (I saye) you fo­lowe not this course of proce­dinge, they afflicte you by al pos­sible meanes, they persecute you with wordes, they persecute you with swordes.

1. Cor. 2.You haue not receaued the spirite of the worlde, but the spi­rite which is of God. Yf the worlde hate you, Christe our lor­de loueth you. Harken what our lorde saithe.Ioan. 15. If the vvorlde hate you, you knovve that it hated me before, yf you vvere of the vvorl­de, [Page] the vvorlde vvolde loue his ovvne. Because you be not of the vvorlde, but I haue chosen you oute of the vvorlde, therfore the vvorlde hateth you. The seruant is not greater then the lorde, yf they haue persecuted me, Math. 5. they vvil also persecute you. Blessed be you vvhen they shal curse you, and persecute you, vvhē they shal saye al yl against you, makinge lies of you for my sake, be you glad and reioyse, because your revvarde is greate in heauen, for so haue they persecuted the prophetes, that vvere before you. And why did the worlde hate our lorde, that came for loue to saue the worl­de? This saieth our lorde.Ioan. 7. The vvorlde hateth me, because I testi­fie that the vvorkes of the vvorl­de be yl. Here may I saye, and trulie saye, that yf heresie be a spiritual idolatrie, yf schisme he­resie and blasphemie be nowe the workes of the worlde, then surelie the worlde hateth you, because you testifie that the workes [Page] of the worlde be yl, you te­stifie in your faithe, you testifie in your life. Why were you be­refte of dignities, offices, liuele­hood, and libertie? Why be you in bondes and bondage, in pry­sonmente, and banishemēt? why be you yet displaced, abased, and defaced in the worlde? I speake vnto you, o you worthie confes­sors, and cōfessante catholikes, that lie at home in chaines, and feede on the noysome ayres, of vnsauerie prisonnes. I speake vnto you that haue suffered a longe, and lingeringe martyrdo­me,Cip lib. 2 epist. 4. and stil do suffer paineful fighte not ouercōmed. Doubt­les you bee daylie crowned, the longer you fighte, the more is your victorie, the greater is your rewarde. And you that beare aboute you your paineful endu­rance, to whom al your countrie is but a prison, and you that ha­ue your heartes wrapped in he­uines to see religion abandoned, to se godes honor contemned, to [Page] see Godes seruātes punished, al you do testifie, that the workes of the worlde be yl. Repose you therfore your comforte in God, his workes be righte, he dispo­seth al thinges sweetelie, and worketh to good ende. He per­mitteth not you to suffer for his cause but to the ende you mighte take profite of it, and suche pro­fite, as tendeth to the healthe of your soules. In this suffe­ring you can not but take com­forte in the equitie of your cau­se, againste which men haue no more power then God geueth, no more then God permitteth, for al power is of God. Yf God permitte euil men to plage the good, that turneth to theire comforte, yf they consider,Aug. in Psal. 54. that God worketh good of theire yl, and suffereth the euil to liue ey­ther to be amended, or that the good by them mighte be exer­cised. God dealeth with you as the angrye father dealeth with his childe, whom after he [Page] hath beaten, casteth the rodde into the fire,Idem in Psal. 73. maketh muche of him, and leaueth to him his pa­trimonie. It is godes ordinarie mercie, to instructe the good by the euil, and to expercise those that shal be saued, by the tēporal power of thē, that shal be dāned. In this exercise this is the com­forte, that he vseth euil men but for a tyme, as the father vseth the rodde to beate his childe. This is the comforte, such as be nowe called flagella Dei, suche as be punishers and persecutors of goddes people, haue but theire time, in the ende they be caste in­to the fire, as Pharao was, as Herod was,Isa. 10. as Assur was, of whom it is saide, Assur the rodde of my furie. The churche hath nowe hir Pharaos, hir Assurs, and hir Herodes, which be the roddes and whippes of Godes people. God wil caste thes rod­des also into the fire, for he is bothe merciful and iuste, kno­winge their malicious machi­nations, [Page] and seinge theire wic­ked attēptes againste the throne of his maiestie, against the we­althe of his holie churche, he wil trippe them in their turne, and turne them into the fire, in good time. This saith our lorde. The reuenge is myne, Deut. 32 I vvil so paye them in tyme, as they shal faile of theire standinge. Arise o lorde in time, let al the kinges of the ear­the feare thy name.Psal. 10 [...] Arise and haue mercie vpon Sion, for it is time to haue mercie vpon hir, pea the time is come. There is risen a great tempeste in the sea, thy shippe is couered with wa­ues, thy churche is sore afflicted.Math. 13 2. Cor. 6. The enemie soweth darnel in the lande of our lorde. Belial would haue felowshippe with Christe,2. Tim. 4 Alexander the coper­smyth doth the sainctes muche yl. What shal I saye?Math. 27 Barrabas is lowsed, Christ is bounde, the lawes be chainged, catholikes that now be afflicted for iustice sake, suffer by lay lawes suche [Page] punishementes, as traitors and heretikes suffered, whē the chur­che lawes were in place.August. epist. 48 Vincent. But recomforte here your afflicted spirites, o you afflicted catholi­kes, consider you the difference of the cause in sufferinge. When good and euil men do the same thinges, and suffer the same paynes, they are not to be discer­ned by their doinges or sufferin­ges, but by the causes, why they so doo,Exod. 5. or suffer, marke the point. Pharao afflicted godes people with greuous labours. Here the persecutor was a wicked man, the persecuted were the people of God.Exod. 32 Moyses afflicted the sa­me people for their disobedience againste God and him. Here the persecutor was a good man, the people persecuted were euil. Pharao and Moyses dyd the like thinges, bothe afflicted the people, but bothe had not like purpose, and entention. The one afflicted with tyrannical affection to oppresse them, the [Page] other punished with charitable zeale, to amende them. Sem­blablie Iesabel slewe the true prophetes of God.3. Reg. 18 Elias slewe the false prophetes of Baal. Christe whiype the Iewes,Ioan. 2. Idem 19 the Iewes whipped Christe. The Apostles were deliuered to the power of men to be punished,Act. 16. 1. Cor. 5. the Apostles deliuered mē to the power of the diuel to be tormen­ted. In good times when God was feared, and the churche la­wes reuerenced, catholikes pu­nished heretikes, nowe hereti­kes persecute catholikes. In this similitude of punishemen­tes, the cause of punishemente is to be discerned, and so be the mindes of thē that be punishers, for the punishemēte may be like, yet the cause vnlike, the punishe­mente one, the cause not one. In the cause this is to be noted who be the doers, who be the suffe­rers, who do for iustice and ve­ritie, who suffer for synne and iniquitie, who do to hinder, [Page] and who do to profite. Bet­wene the churche of Christe, and the synagoge of the diuel, this is the differēce, the churche afflicteth for loue, the synagoge for hatred. the churce to correc­te, the synagoge to deiecte, the one to reuoke from error, the other to prouoke into error.Gen. 16. Sa­ra corrected Agar hir maide, that fledde from hir, and was willed by the Angel to returne. In Agar schismatikes and he­retikes be represented,August. epist. 48. who set them selues proudelie againste the churche, that is theire mai­stris and mother, and therfore be corrected by hir, that after they be made humble by holso­me discipline, they mighte re­turne to hir. Our lorde geueth a manifeste note, how to discerne them that suffer for his sake, wher he saith,Aug li. 1 de sermo in Mōte. Blessed be they that suffer persecution for iustice sake, because theirs is the king­dome of heauen. When he ad­deth, For iustice sake, comfor­tinge [Page] them that so suffer with the promis of his heauēlye kin­gedome, heretikes be excluded from this rewarde, because they suffer not propter iustitiam, for iustice. Where there is not a sound faithe, there cā not be iu­stice, for the iuste man liueth by faithe. Nor can schismatikes en­ioye this reward, because where there is not charitie, there can not bee iustice. When therfore the doers do like, and the suffe­rers suffer like, wee must discer­ne the mindes of them that be doers, and the cause of them that be sufferers. Certaine it is, that bothe good and euil do so­me tyme afflicte, vse the like pu­nishementes, and pretende the same cause, euen the cause of re­ligion. The difference is, bothe do it not in like order, with one minde, nor to one ende. In the cause of religiō, the good afflicte the euil by censures and churche lawe to represse diuision, to es­chewe error, and to saue veritie. [Page] The euil afflicte the good a­gainst lawe and order, to serue their intended purpose, to pre­ferre their faction, and to main­taine heresie. In the cause of re­ligiō the good afflict the euil, for disobedience and breache of iu­stice, the euil afflicte the good, for kepinge obedience, and hol­dinge with iustice. And here in the name of iustice is implied truthe of doctrine, which stan­deth in inward belefe, and out­ward profession. And this pro­fession may be eyther in wordes or in workes, so that who so suf­fereth for any facte wherbye he cōfesseth the faithe, and beareth witnes of Christe, suffereth for truthe and iustice.Mat. 14. So dyd Iohn Baptist suffer, so do they nowe suffer, that be persecuted for the catholike cause, they that be per­secuted for seruinge of god, they that saye Masse, they that heare Masse, brefelie al they that suf­fer for the confession of Christes churche, suffer for iustice. You [Page] therfore o you persecuted catho­likes, to you I speake againe, you directelie suffer for iustice sake. You abide by it, you stande in the face of the persecutors, to you belongeth the promis of Christe, yours is the kingedome of heauen. You glorious confes­sors, what honor shoulde Chri­ste haue nowe in our miserable countrie, yf you were not open cōfessors of his honor? You suf­fer this affliction for his honor, you suffer for the honor of his sainctes, you suffer for the honor of his sacramentes, you suffer for the honor of the vniuersal churche. You blessed sufferers, endure you to suffer so longe as God woulde you to suffer, and blessed be you that suffer, for yours is the kingedome of hea­uen.

And you afflicted catholikes, you that lie and liue as strain­gers scattered in dispersion, to you nowe I speake, you leese not [Page] the name of confessors. Many of you stode in the firste fronte of the fighte, and confessed your dewtiful obedience before the face of the maiestrate. Many of you fledde without preiudice, but not withoute minde to fight againe. You haue ben afflic­ted by degrees, you haue bē for­ced oute of your countrie, into this countrie, where in time you were brought oute of credite by them, that wished you wel ney­ther at home nor abrode. Cōspi­racies were made, terrible trea­sonnes contriued, the factious parte rebelled, and nowe began­ne ciuil and vnnatural warre. What ouertwhartes foūde wee, into how many suspitions rāne wee, What obloquies, and ter­mes of treason sustained wee, that meāt not vniustlie? If wee looke to the common trobles of thes countries, they haue not bē so cōmon to this people, as pro­per and personal to vs. The sac­kage and spoyles which the gil­tie [Page] deserued, fel vpon vs that de­serued them not. Wee haue ben greued not onelie by the hereti­ke, whos treasons wee misliked, but by the catholike also, to whō wee fledde to be releued. And wee haue bē so greued by bothe, that necessitie forced to chainge our place, hardelye were wee suffered to remaine in place, and not without troble in whatsoe­uer place. Thy iudgementes (o lorde) be secrete, thy mercies be greate, to thee we must singe mercie and iudgemēte, for thou hast kepte vs, and stil doest com­forte vs, in thes cōtinewed tro­bles. O you holie fathers and Monkes of Scheme, o you de­uoute brothers and virgins of Sion, you prelates and priestes, you lordes and ladies, and you that be of pope Gregories fa­mous seminaries at Rome, and Reimes, the risinge helpe and hope of your decayed countrie, al you of what note so euer you bee, that be banished catholi­kes, [Page] and beare affliction for the catholike cause, al you do testi­fie to the worlde, that the wor­kes of the worlde be yl, al you reporte to good mennes consciē ­ces in open truthe, that you suf­fer for iustice sake. How many of you were at home in good ca­se and place to serue God, and your coūtrie? But when Godes honor was displaced, you chose to relinquishe al, and to truste to his holie prouidence. You that haue enioyed muche worldlie prosperitie, refuse not nowe to sustaine aduersitie, and to saye with holie Iob.Iob 1. Dominus de­dit, &c. our lorde gaue it, our lor­de hath taken it avvaye, blessed be the name of our lorde. What euer the iudgemēte of the worlde be, it is no syn to be in banishment, it is no shame to be poore for Christes sake.Pro. 28. Better is the poore that liueth barelie, thē the ritche man that walketh cro­kedlie. And better is a litle with the feare of God, then greate [Page] treasures without his feare.

Humiliation is the christian ex­altation,Iacob. 1. therfore is the christiā willed to reioyse in it. Whē he is broughte to be poore, when he is made an outecast not repu­ted, he must reioyse in pouertie, in ignomie, and in pressure, for thes be the exaltations of chri­stians, thes be the prefermentes of sainctes, who be exalted of God, when they be contemned of the worlde. And thē the com­forte is, that God maketh them poore in substāce, to make them ritche in faithe, the comforte is, that our lorde leaueth them not hopelesse. This saith our lorde.Esa. 41. Probaui te in camino paupertatis. I haue tried thee, in the fornai­ce of pouertie. It is often sene, that our lorde taketh from his freindes the worldelie partes and pelfe wherin they trusted, that they might put their whole truste in him. What soeuer God hath taken from vs, yet hath he not lefte vs destitute, such is his [Page] merciful prouidence.2. Cor. 4. Wee be in pouertie, but not vtterlie with­oute somwhat, we be persecu­ted, but not forsaken, we be caste downe, yet we perishe not. God gaue vs liuinges, some in one degree, some in an other. Some had muche, some had litle, al had inoughe. How muche be we al bounde to render daylie than­kes vnto God, who of his good­nes vouchesafed to geue vs som­what, that we mighte leese for his sake. Let vs confesse in Go­des name, the rechelesnesse wee had of Godes house, and the ouermuche care wee had of the worlde. God knewe vs to be wantonnes, and farre rōne out of that course of righteousnes, which our holie fathers had in Christes churche. Yet doth he not beat vs cruellie as he might of iustice, but hydeeth the fea­reful scourge of his greuous correction, and sheweth the softe rodde of his sweete discipline. Blessed be the name of God, [Page] that aduersitie hath opened our eies, which prosperitie had shut. And blessed be his name againe and againe, that we may iust­lie saye. Our lorde is at hande. Philip. 4. Psal. 9. Our lorde is our helper at our nee­de, and in our tribulation. We may iustlie saye,Psal. 22. Virga tua & ba­culus tuus: &c. Thy rodde and thy staffe hath cōforted me. Thoughe God beate vs with his rodde, yet he beareth vs vp with his staffe. He beateth vs with the rodde of his outwarde correc­tiō, and gideth vs with the staf­fe of his inwarde direction, the direction of the holie ghost who in our correction directeth vs, geueth vs grace and strengthe to beare, that we murmure not, nor despaire in affliction. As for banishement why should we thinke it punishement, seinge al the worlde is but a banishemēt, al the worlde is but a citie of punishementes and dwellinge place of wretched mē. The god­lye christian can not be banished [Page] from Christe wher euer he be, in Christe there is no banyshemēt, and without Christe al is ba­nyshement. But yf this banys­hement be a punishement, yet doth God turne it to our bene­fite. If it be a punishement to lacke our countrie (which is now the countrie of deuisiō and schisme) yet is it our benefite to be where we may lyue in vnitie, wher we may serue God open­lye, and confesse our faithe fre­lie. Yf it be a punishement to lacke the companie and com­forte of our freindes, yet is it our benefite to be out of the companie of schismatikes and heretikes. God commaunded Moyses to wil his people to departe from the tabernacles of Chore and his complices, who wer swalowed into the earthe aliue, for the synne of schisme. Who knoweth not that the verie place of schisme and heresie, hath in it a secret in­fection. Who knoweth not that [Page] the common corruption of the time breadeth dulnes of deuo­tion, wher ther is no open ex­ercise of pietie. Yea the lea­uinge vndone of deuoute vsa­ges, the discontinuance from seinge and hearinge of religi­ous actes, worketh insensibi­litie of synne. How many good folkes liue now where hereti­kes beare the swaye, out of se­inge and hearinge of catholike religion, which desire to see and heare, what we see and heare? For alas, what dayes see they? what threates heare they? In what trobles be they? what lacke of vnitie, what losse of charitie finde they? Were there no outeward persecution, yet is this an inwarde persecu­tion to heare the disorders, and to see the outrages of euil men. What an exercise is it to the ca­tholike, to liue amonge vnciuil protestantes, to liue amonge su­che, as be not so litle as hereti­kes. What a coraze is it to heare [Page] their blasphemous wordes, and to see their shamles workes? What man that is of any chri­stian sense, or catholike zeale, can heare with patiēt eares Godes anointed priest and prince of his people, to be called Antechrist? Christes sainctes to be dishono­red, Christes sacramentes to be contemned, and Christes holie name to be blasphemed? To the good and godlie, this is a perse­cution,August. epist. ad Sebast. thoughe there were no other persecution. For what doth so persecute the good, as the lyfe and maners of the euil? Now an persecuted Loth when he liued amōge the Sodomites,2 Pet. cap. 2. August ser 24. de verb. apost. but makinge his abode amonge vnclene, proude, and blasphe­mous liuers, he suffered persecu­tion, not in sufferinge any punis­hement, but in hearinge and seinge that which was yl. To catholikes which be in this case, this may be saide. Thoughe it be a greuous exercise to cōuerse amōge euil liuers, yet may good [Page] men so doo without mayme of innocēcie. It is a holie heuines,Idē epist. ad Se­bast. and (yf it may be so called) a hap­pie miserie, to be trobeled (so you be not intangeled) with other mens vices. This is the perse­cution that al men suffer, which wyl liue holelie in Christe. It is not so commendable to be good with the good, but to be good amonge the euil.Grego. 1. ca lib 1. in Iob. Iob. 30. Iob that liued in the lande of gentiles, saieth of hym selfe. I haue ben a companiō of dragōs, and a felovve of Ostri­ches. The prophet saith.Ezech. 2. Thou sonne of mā faithlesse people, and renegates be in thy cōpanie, thou dvvellest amonge scorpions. Phil. 2. The Philippians liued in the mid­des of a croked and peruerse na­tion, yet S. Paule willed them to be fauteles, and to shyne as lightes in the vvorlde. Apoc. 2. It was saide to them that were of the churche of Pargamos, I knovve thy vvorkes and vvhere thou dvvellest, euen vvhere sathanas seate is, yet doest thou kepe my [Page] name, and hast not denied my faithe. Grego. in Iob. lib. 20. cap. 29. He refuseth to be an Abel, that wil not abyde Cains ma­lyce. In one barne lyeth corne and strawe, in the threshinge flo­wre, the corne is troden vnder the strawe. Doo we not see in the feldes, flowres growinge a­monge brambles? Euenso mali­tious synners be ioyned with the iuste, and they be approued good, which endure good amon­ge the euil. But to returne to vs that liue in banyshemente, in that wee be departed from those tabernacles, and from the felo­shippe of those schismatikes, in that we now liue out of our coū ­trie, in a countrie where we liue in Christes vnitie, this is our be­nefite, and this is our comforte, that God turneth this tempo­ral punyshement, to our spiri­tual benefit. I am no prophet nor the sonne of a prophet, yet for that wee professe the faithe of the prophetes, the faithe of the Apostles, and the auncient [Page] catholike Romaine faithe, for that we stande in the disgrace and indignation of them, by whose lawes we were depriued of our liuinges, and lyke to be depriued of our liues also, had wee not fledde, I doute not but God that fed the prophet Elias when he fledde frō Iesabel, wil feede vs also, for other cause wee had none to flee, but for Godes cause onelie.Exod. 2. Wee fledde as Moyses fledde out of Egipte, frō the face of Pharao.3 Reg. 17 Wee fledde as Elias fledde frō Achab and Ie­sabel. Wee fledde as Christe byd vs into an other citie. Nowe in what place or case so euer wee bee,Psal. 59. See that vve put our confi­dence in God, and he vvil bringe to naughte suche as trobble vs.

Wee that haue suffered, and stil do suffer for so iuste, so noble, and so honorable a cause as reli­gion is, may not be dismayed with the trobles of the worlde. God calleth by the rodde of cor­rection, [Page] and by the mercies of his consolation. It is the righte course and directe way wheroye God calleth his freindes to him, to beginne with them in tribulatiō. The hope of the one, is the comforte in the other, and a soueraigne cōforte it is to vn­derstāde, that the thinges which be trobelous passe awaye, the thinges which be glorious en­dure for euer. Therfore is the tribulation of this worlde cal­led lighte, not in respecte of the qualitie of tribulation, but in respecte of the wil,2. Cor. 4. the hope and the rewarde of them that throu­ghe tribulation contende to glo­rie. Who is ignorante, but God declareth a singuler loue towar­des them,Hebr. 12 whom he correcteth. VVhom he loueth, he correcteth, and beateth euerie sonne, vvhom he receaueth. And why doth he correcte but to amende vs? Why wolde he amēde vs,Aug. hō. 46. ho­mel. 50. but to make vs worthie of him. We haue therfore cause to reioyse in cor­rection, [Page] for yf we be iuste, then be we tryed, yf we be vniuste, then be we amended. The chil­dren of the worlde do maruel, why God so dealeth with his freindes, why he abaseth them so greatelie in this worlde, whō he chose so highelie before the worlde.Iob 3. God commended his faitheful seruant Iob, by the testimonie of his owne mouthe. Yet was he broughte to suche abasemente, that him selfe be­moned his calamitous case, and doleful dayes vpon a dungehil. Were not the prophetes and sainctes of the olde testamente persecuted?Heb. 11. tried vvith mockin­ges, vvith scourginges, vvith pri­sonment? vvere they not stoned, hevven asunder, and slaine vvith svvorde? vvalked not they vp and dovvne destitute and trobeled? dyd they not vvander in vvilder­nes, in mountaines, in dennes and caues of the earthe? they vvould not be deliuered of theire troble, that they might inherite a better [Page] resurrection. Euen so it fel to the Apostles and sainctes of the ne­we testamente,1. Cor. 4. VVhom God set forthe for the lovvest of al, as men appointed to deathe, as men that vvere made gasinge stockes to the vvorlde, as men that vvere fooles for Christes sake, men that vvere naked, hungred, thristed, and had no certaine dvvellinge place, men that vvere accounted the filthe and scouringe of the vvorlde. Amonge the children of women there was not a grea­ter then Iohn Baptiste yet was he imprisoned, and done to dea­the. It is godes ordinarie mer­cie, firste to amende his children by correction, and after to deli­uer them from damnation. And in this life God spareth the wicked, and not the electe, in the life to come, he spareth the elec­te, and not the wicked. He suffe­reth his seruātes to be broughte to the lowest, because he seeth how to aduaunce them in the higheste. He deiecteth them oute­wardelie [Page] euen to contempte, be­cause he bringeth thē inwardlie, to thinges incomprehensible. Yf God thus afflicte them whom he hath chosen and loueth, what are they like to suffer, whom he doth hate and reprobate? The prophet toke it for Godes good blessinge, that he was made humble by tribulation.Psal. 118 This he saith, It is good for me that thou hast humbled me, before I vvas corrected, I sinned. And he spea­keth further in the person of thē, who seke of God to be assayed in this worlde by tribulation. Proue me o lorde, assaye me, burne my raynes, and my hearte. Psal. 25. It was S. Austin that saide, Hic vre, hic seca, vt in eternum parcas. Cut me here, seare me here, that thou mayest spare me for euer.

Albeit holie mē liue perfecte­lie in this life,Ruffin. in Psal. 2 [...]. yet desire they fa­therlie correction, that they may goo to theire countrie so muche the more perfecte, by how muche [Page] God correctinge thē here, pur­geth their litle synnes. For whē the ruste of synne is scoured out by correction, when the blottes of synne be rased oute throughe the sworde of persecution, they thus persecuted and purged, can not but come with comforte, to the iudgemēte seate of our lorde. And for that the presente course of this life,Grego. li. 5. cap 15 in Iob. is but the waie wher in they rūne toward theire coū ­trie that be here passengers, lea­ste they should loue the waye, or those thinges which they finde in the waye, in stede of theire countrie, they be knocked and whipped forwarde with trobles by the waye, which yet by godes good mercies, and comfortable graces, they ouercome. Al that is borne of God, ouercometh the vvorlde. Ioan. 5. And they be so borne that forsake the thinges of the worlde, which be against God. They ouercome, that withstāde concupiscence,Ber ser. 1. in octa. pasca. ambition, and pridie of life, which the worlde [Page] loueth. They ouercome, that forsake libertie, schisme, and he­resie, which the worlde prefer­reth. And they ouercome, that suffer afflictions for Christes sa­ke, which the worlde shonneth. You that be borne of God, and nowe suffer for Godes house▪ you suffer in the worlde, that you may not be cōdemned with the worlde.1. Cor. 11 Contente your sel­ues with this kind of suffering. This daylye affliction is a kinde of martyrdom, and a cer­taine effusion of bloudde, which they shed in a milde,Ber. ser. 1 in octa. pascae. but a lon­ge martyrdome, that can not once die for Christe. In this prolonginge of deathe by day­lie punishement, the diuel she­weth his craftines, for sekinge youre deathe by slowe and dul sworde, he coueteth to kyl your soules, and not your bodies. He coueteth to take from you, the glorious name of martyrdome. But you may be martyrs with­oute stroke of sworde, yf you [Page] kepe pacience in your heartes.Cipr. de exhor. ad Marty. cap. 10. For notwitstādinge wee deferre the honor of martyrdome pro­perlie to them, that endure in tormentes for Christe euen to deathe, yet be they martyres also, which beare witnes of Christe in conuersation of life, and confession of faithe. They be called martyres, which be cō ­tente for Christes sake to suffer rebukes,Grego. ho. 35. reuiles, slaunders, and what persecution of tonges so euer. This is the secret martyr­dome of the minde, the other is the open martyrdome of the bo­die by deathe. That any be a martyr, God requireth not effu­sion of bloud but faithe, for de­fence wherof a man may dewti­fullie shedde his bloudde. And martyrdome is in worke and in wil,Ber. in nata. S. Innocen. ser. 1. as it was in S. Stephan, or in wil onelie, as it was is S. Iohn Euangeliste, or in worke onelie, as it was in the blessed Innocētes. The merite of mar­tyrdome in S. Iohn that suffe­red [Page] not,Aug. lib. de bon. con. ca. 21 and in S. Peter that suffered, was not vneuen. But be it that God permite the po­wers of the worlde, to put you to open martyrdome, as some good and constant catholikes amonge you haue ben put of late yeares, then trulie aboue al, you shal ouercome the worl­de, and become open marty­res. For this is the victorie that ouercometh the worlde, fides nostra. By this the Martyres conquered when they suffered.August. lib. 2 de serm. in Monte. Thoughe they were killed in bodie, yet could they not be ma­de to yelde in soule. The tor­mentors were ouercomed, be­cause they coulde not doo what theire wil was to doo, theire wil was to kil Christe in thē, and to extincte Christes faithe, which thinge they coulde not doo. And therfore wee singe and re­ioyse of the martyres glorious triūphes. We kepe their deathe dayes, which he called theire birthe dayes, because in theire [Page] deathe and martyrdome, they ouercome the worlde, they be borne againe, newlie baptised, and beginne to liue with God in eternitie of glorie. Blessed and thrise blessed be then, to whom God geueth his gratious gifte to ouercome the worlde by dea­the. It is the requital that wee can make to Christe, whē bloud is recompensed with bloudde,Hiero. epist. 22. and when we that were rede­med by the pretious bloud of Christe, doo willinglie shed our bloud for him. Marye this is not in your power, but in your worthines, which is not of you, but of God. But yf God make you worthie to goo that waye, the waye is made easie and plai­ne before you.Aug. ser. de temp. 46. Christe your hea­de is gon that waye. Manye thousande Martyres are gon that waye. Olde mē, yonge men, children, and maydes, are gon that waye. Popes, Bishopes, priestes, kinges, Senators, coū ­selors, noblemen, noble women, [Page] holie widowes, deuoute virgin­nes, babes, and infantes, are gon that waye. Into that waye, you haue him to leade you by him selfe, to him selfe, that was made the waye for you, Iesus Christ that saide, I am the vvaye. And when you goo that waye,Cypri. de exhor. Mar cap. 12. your eyes be closed in the perse­cution of the earthe, the heauēs be opened to you that be perse­cuted. Antechriste threateneth, Christe defendeth, deathe goeth before, life foloweth, temporal life is loste, eternal life is foun­de. And what comforte, what ioye, what securitie, wil it be to passe gloriouselie in pressure, and sodēlie to shutte the eyes of your bodie with which you sawe men, and by and by to open the eyes of your soule, to see your sa­uiour Christe. Howsoeuer it pleaseth Godes holie wil to dea­le with you, endure you vnder correction▪ for God offereth him selfe therin vnto your, as to his children. Heb. 1 [...]. There is not a childe of [Page] his, vvhom he correcteth not, vvhom he loueth he proueth. In this endured correction, you ha­ue this comforte, that God ge­ueth you grace to confesse him, and fortitude to suffer for him. You haue this comforte, that there cōmeth nothinge to you, but what you may make your profite of. Amonge manye pro­fites, this is not the leaste, that it bringeth you to ioyne your sel­ues near vnto God, it moueth you to do more penance, to ma­ke more prayer, to receaue more often the holie sacramentes, by meanes and vertue of whiche, God assisteth you, God streng­theneth you, and wil make that perfecte in you, which he hath begonne. Aboue the reste of com­fortes which you haue in this endured affliction, the moste so­ueraigne comforte is to remem­ber, that what euer the iniquitie of time, or malice of men shal worke againste you for your re­ligion, you can suffer no more [Page] then Christe him selfe suffered to make his churche glorious, no more then Christes sainctes suf­fered when they cōfessed Christe, and his religion, euen to deathe. Nor can you suffer for a better cause, then for which Christe and his sainctes suffered. And how muche better is it for you so to suffer, then to liue in a false feli­citie of the worlde, and to die from God, in schisme and here­sie. How lamētable should your losse be, yf nowe you shoulde fo­lowe the newe no faithe of the worlde, and lacke God in the worlde to come, because you lac­ked iustice of faithe. You se how the storme endureth, the sea is trobeled, the shippe is tēpested, and how Christe sleapeth in the shippe. What now muste you doo but goo to Christe, as his disciples did, awake him, as they did, say vnto him as they did. O lord saue vs. Feare you not so to do, for you haue Christe in the shippe with you, he is the [Page] gouernor of the shippe, he go­uerneth you in the waye.Isa. 48. And your faithe (I doubte not) is nowe stronger then the faithe of Christes disciples was, when they were in the shippe with him, for they had not yet sene the crosse, the deathe, the resurrec­tion, and ascension of Christe. They coulde not but be waue­ringe, as men that were not yet confirmed nor comforted, with the holie ghoste. Your faithe is strengthened by the frutes of thes, your faithe is confirmed, by the doctrine of the Apostles, by the preachinges of the Con­fessors, by the deathe of the mar­tyres, by the vniforme consente of your forefathers, finallie by the general practise of the whole christian worlde. You that be so manye wayes cōfirmed in your faithe, can not but goo vnto Christe with good currage, and boldelie awake him, and frelie saye vnto him. Domine salua nos. And to him muste you become [Page] humble suppliātes, that he vou­chesafe to quiet the tempestes of the sea, as he did at the prayers of his disciples. As Christe then in raysinge that tempeste, did prepare the mindes of his disci­ples to beare trobles, and enfor­me their vnderstanding to ma­ke theire refuge vnto him, that he mighte shewe the mightenes of his power: Euenso doth he stil dispose, that greate trobles come vpon his faitheful seruan­tes, which yet he quieteth in good time, after they haue prayed vnto him. And that, we shoulde praye, it is his holie wil. This hath he saide.Psal. 29. Thou shalt cal vpon me in the daye of tribu­lation, and I vvil heare thee. He shewed vs an example hereof, when he went in to the monute Oliuet, before his passion to praye. And certain it is, that prayer is of valour eyther to take awaye tribulation, or to geue strenghte to beare it. Ho­lie writers affirme, that to [Page] geue strengthe is a farre greater grace, then to take it awaye, and that our lorde doth more bene­fite vs, when he geueth streng­the to sustaine persecution, then when he taketh persecutiō from vs. No doubte but Christes disciples which be nowe in the shippe windeshaken, and sore beaten with the cruel tempestes of the sea, cal vpon him, make theire contineual praier that he vouchesafe to arise, to rebuke the windes, and to make calme the tempeste. No doubte but they saye and daylie saie. Arise o lor­de, saue vs, and helpe vs oute of tribulatiō. But for that Christe heareth not theire praiers by and bie, for that Christe releueth not their miseries presentlie, Christe semeth to them asleepe, wheras in dede it is his merci­ful dispensation, and diuine po­wer, not to recomforte the afflic­ted so sone as they cal, but firste to exercise, and to proue theire vertues, to proue theire faithe, [Page] theire hope, theire charitie, to proue theire humilitie, pacience, and constancie. It is written,Deut 13 August. tract. 43. in Euan. Ioan. Our lorde God tempteth you to knovve vvhether you loue hym or no. that is, God maketh you to knowe whether you loue him. He knoweth you, you knowe not your selues, he maketh you to knowe your selues by iuste trial­les and proufes.Idem quaest. 60 de quae­stio. 83. And yet doth he not tēpte you to knowe you, but permitteth you to be temp­ted to make you to be knowen to your selues and to othes, how muche you haue profited in his loue, which doubteles men can not vnderstande, but when God trieth you. And Christe our lor­de is saide to sleape, when of his mercie he prolongeth iustice, when of his mercie he suffereth synners vncorrected, and iuste liuers to be punished, when he suffereth the euil to be exalted, and the good to be deiected, thē to haue prosperitie and peace of the worlde, thes to finde aduer­sitie, [Page] and trobbles in the worlde. But the holie scripture muste nedes be true.Psa. 120. He that kepeth Israel doth not slumber, nor vvil sleape. And therfore muste not the afflicted leaue of to praye, thoughe God protract his mer­cie for a time to trie the constan­cie of theire faithe and to exerci­se their vertues.Chrisost. [...]o 13 in cap. 7. [...]at ope [...]nper. Some thinges be not denied thoughe for a time deferred. And God deferreth for a time, to geue them in more conuenient time.Grego. in Iob li 9. cap. 5. God deferreth that the yl affection of our hear­tes might be better purged, and that the thinges which wee lon­ge for,August. Ver. 1. de verb. do. might be better welcome when they be obtained. Thin­ges that be obtayned easelie, be lesse regarded. God kepeth for vs in store what he wyl not geue by and bye, that we may learne to longe for greate thinges, with longe and greate desire. I crye (saith Iob) and thou hearest me not. I stande and thou lokest not on mee. In tyme of persecu­tion [Page] the holie churche standeth in faithe, and crieth in desire.Grego in Iob lib. 20. c 22. But God almightie (such is his hidden iudgement and secret coūsel) vseth to defer the praiers of them that be persecuted, to the entente their merites might encrease, and they be heard ra­ther to their merite, then to their desire. And it helpeth to encrease the vnderstandinge of godlie mē, whē their desires be not ac­cōplished, but after a tyme. For desire kindeleth of delaie, and vnderstādinge encreaseth of de­sire. We must aske, we must see­ke, we muste knocke. Our lorde hath saide. Aske you, and you shal receaue. Seeke and you shal finde. Knocke and the doore shal be opened. Wee must perseauer eager and feruente in prayer, not doubtinge but in tyme we shal receaue what we aske, in tyme we shal finde what wee seeke, and after wee haue knocked, the doore wil be opened. That swee­te ladie of consolatiō, and quene [Page] of comforte, with al the hea­uenlie courte to whom you so often poure forthe your mour­ninge plaintes, wyl not wante to make intercession for you, be­fore the throwne of his maiestie. Theire praiers wyl not faile, but gaine you comforte in your distresses. And assure your sel­ues, that God wyl heare you, and them for you, for he is al wayes nighe to them that be af­flicted. Christe may seeme longe a sleepe to you that be afflicted, to you it may seeme timelie that Christe take pitie of his churche so pitiouslie afflicted with here­sie, and tyrannie. But it is not our parte to appointe him time, he knoweth beste what is ne­cessarie for vs. To him wee muste humble our soules, and praye for suche times, as may be moste for his honor. It was sai­de to them of Bethulia,Iudith 4 Vnder­stande you that God vvil heare your prayers, yf stil you perseuere in fastinge and prayer. God al­mightie [Page] hath appointed tyme, and knoweth when and how to deliuer the Godlie out of temp­tation.2. Pet. 2. Tob. 3. After a storme he maketh fayre wether. After weepinge and heuines, he geueth mirthe and ioye. The shippe hath ben shaken with no lesse stormes at other times, then at this ti­me. Christe quieted those, and Christe wil quiet thes. Doubte you not but he wil bringe his trobeled freindes throughe the middes of thes tempestes, and repose them in quiet hauen. I conclude with thes considera­tions.

Christians are nowe put to­gether,1 as it were in apotte ouer the fire to be tried, as goulde is tried from other metalles. The fire flameth, the pot seetheth, the waters be thicke, the scombe is caste awaye.

Catholikes are in the forge 2 vnder the workemans hande to be refined. They are in the forge [Page] not as coles that burne and tur­ne to ashes, but as golde that is tried. The forge is the worlde, you are the golde, tribulation is the fire, God is the worke man.

3 The Christian catholike life consisteth in sufferinge, wee must not therfore doo our owne wil, but the wil of God. And amon­ge men wee must eyther suffer the rulers wil or theire power, their wil to order vs, or theire power to punishe vs. And then the consequēce is, eyther to haue victorie in this worlde, or to sur­render this life, to inherite the life euerlastinge.

4 The sureste waye to come in­to the peaceable porte of our countrie, (towarde which wee saile tossed in many tempestes) is, to remaine in the shippe, and in the same to trace the true wayes of them that haue gon before, to treade in their step­pes, and to become heires of their vertues.

[Page]Hard thinges may be molli­fied,5 straite thinges may be loused, and heauie thinges shal litle greue them, that can beare them hansomlie.

Thoughe God suffer for a 6 time the wicked to rage, and the hypocrite to raigne, yet the same hande that woundeth heyleth, the same hande that presseth, re­fresheth. Godes pitiful grace wyl quenche the firebrandes, as­swage the rage, and releue the innocentes.

The wisedome of the worlde 7 maketh worldlie heades deffecte from God. Good mens hear­tes be create of God, and be re­steles in the worlde, but when they reste in God.

As there is but one God, one 8 faithe, and one baptisme, so is there but one Christe, one chur­che, and one religion. No faithe can profite but that one, which is the catholike Romaine fai­the, confessed in the catholike [Page] Romaine churche, that is but one, vnder one heade. The Lutheran, the Caluinian, and Puritan faithe, is a newe no fai­the, a newe no religion, founded vpon mannes fancie, without Godes worde or authoritie. It hath no churche, no bishoppe, no prieste, no aulter, no sacrifice, and consequentlie no God. And they of this newe no faithe, ha­uinge no grounde in Christe, nor of his churche, dissente in their owne groundes, without vni­tie from veritie. You haue the groundes of Christe. You haue the authoritie of Christes chur­che. You haue the testimonies of Christes sainctes. You haue the confirmations, of general coun­celles. With you is the vniforme consente of the people of God. With you is the publike practise of the Christian worlde. You should not be discomforted to suffer for such a cause, as hath so manye greate, so manye good, and so sufficience groundes, for [Page] suche a cause (I saye) as with which concurre so manye com­fortes. As that you sustaine the greateste cause under the cope of heauen, the common cause of Christes catholike churche, the cause of religion, which is the supreme seruice and soueraigne honor, that you can offer vnto God. That God maketh you worthie, geueth you grace to confesse, and fortitude to suffer. That you enioye in the vnitie of Christes churche, the bountie of his blessinges. That you be safe in this churche, throughe the mightie power of your guides and rulers. That you be perta­kers of al praier, of al sacrifice, of al good workes, and shal be pertakers of Christes deathe and merites. That in sufferinge you be daylie crowned, that you haue victorie, and shal haue re­warde. That in sufferinge, your vertues be exercised, and your merites encreased. That you suf­fer directelie for iustice, that you [Page] suffer but for a time. That by suffering God maketh you lowe, to bringe you to the highest, ma­keth you ritche in faithe, and turneth your temporal punishe­mēte to your spiritual benefite. That you ouercome the worlde, that you shal not be condemned with the worlde. That you be open confessors. That you haue secrete martyrdome, that you haue al possible comfortes with which faithe is strengthened to make you opē Martyres. Yf any of you take comforte in any of thes comfortes, geue the praise to God, and cal vpon him in al your pressures and sufferinges. God wil be your helpe and God muste be your hope. Yf there be remedie, it wil once fal, yf there be none, thanke God of al. Bele­ue wel, and liue wel. Do wel and die wel, that you may die to liue with God. God the father of al mercies, and the God of al com­forte, comforte you in al your tribulation with the same com­forte, [Page] wherwith our selues are comforted of God.

Fare you wel. At Lo­uaine, the last of Sep­tember. 1579.