Treatise on 1 Peter 4

To the Christian Reader, Grace and peace from God the father by Jesus Christ, sealed by the spirit of adoption, till he have assurance of everlasting life in him. Amen.

H Owe necessary books of such like arguments, as this, (by the godly labor of our faithful and painful brother, now published to the profit of many) are, I need no • long to stand upon, and to declare: as well in respect of us▪ that profess the gospel, in these breathing days, much forgetting our selves, though we lack not diverse crosses to put us in remembrance, and to awaken us, as in respect of of our enemies, who of late have more threatened, and blustered out against us, then in many years before, crying out of persecution when they suffer not for Christ, or for any his causes: but against him, laboring thenselves to death to overthrow his kingdom, (which though they burst, they shall never (I am sure) be able to do) & undermining his ministers most disloyally: whom he hath placed in that highest authority, to execute his own just judgments against them. It is wonder to hear what complaints they make of persecution & Tyranny, when for their just deserts they receive the punishment due to their treasons, conspiracies, and rebellions. They lay us on, and yet they cry out against us, they complain of persecution, & yet them selves are the persecutors, that set themselves against the servants of the Lord, in all ages, against his faithful minnisters & against all professors, & which is most lamentable against the holy truth of God, yea, against God himself, to whom they owe all duty and reverence. But alacke this is a thing common together with them and all other heretics, that when they have no truth at all, yet they must pretend some, and though they can never justify their cause, they must at least a •• ever it, as though they possessed it, and face us out, to shroud their idolatrous abominations and cursed corruptions that they maintain and stand for, to their utter destruction. There cannot be a Traitor nowadayes executed according to his demerits, (but favoring their superstition, which indeed is always joined with treason, to shake the seat of our gracious sovereign, and to overthrow any state else wheresoever they live) but by and by, they take him up and make him a martir. So did the Donatists as Aug • stine witnesseth: to whom we must make the same answer, that he did to them. They are true martyrs, of whom the Lord saith: Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake. They must not su • fer for iniquity, & for the wicked rending of Christian unity: but they that suffer for righteousness, they are the true martyrs in deed. If therefore they endure anything at our hands, they may thank their own unquiet and hamering heads that like (Moules, are always heauing in their dark paths to mar the Lord's vineyard) & to overthrow the gracious work of the Gospel, which God will have to proceed, Maugre their heads, when they have used all their treasonable practices they can against it. Neither shall the persecution of Agar, (if it may be called a persecution rather then a correction) be compared to that of David, nor that of the thieves to our savior Christ's, whom though the suffering made one, yet the cause did separate. They cry out of persecution, and fo • ste out their traitorous books like wildfire, that they might set all on fire •• make a h • rly burly, and so open some way to their further devised mischief: They allege examples of parti • ular judgments, against particular persons, sarced with as many untruths, as their books are▪ no • with leaves, but almost with lines: when yet they will not see that if any offense have been committed on our partes it hath been in this that they have been to much borne with. For we appeal to themselves that have any modesty in them, whether ever prince or state, where the Gospel only is professed and maintained (as it ought to be) by the laws of the lande, did ever suffer or bear so much with them, as our gracious prince and state hath done, no doubt of a good purpose to win them, & to reclaim them to the truth howsoever now they may learn at length by experi • nce to take better heed of them, seeing they are incorrigible and hate to be reformed. Howe long did she keep • her royal sword within her scabbard, untouched with any blood? Surely till they had like (if God of his gracious goodness had not preserved her majesty) to have set her both beside seat, swotd, scepter and all: and if their devilish practices could have taken place by rebellion at home, or treason abroad, to laid her full low, and to have brought us again under the • r cruel & unsupportable yoke of their Egyptiacall bondage: From the which, the Lord for his mercy sake deliver us. If they count it therefore any persecution, it is a just persecution against the enemies of God, against the enemies of our state and Country. It is also done in love, to draw them from iniquity, to reduce them from error, & for the safeguard of the whole pollitique body. I will not speak of their persecutions, & horrible butcheries from time to time: God shall give better opportunity one day and in another place. But I beseech thee (good Christian reader) mark what is delivered concerning persecution in this book, then thou shalt both • learn what it is, and upon whose backs it is like to light, if they will be like him who is entered by the same gate before us. Neither let us be discouraged, though it be in deed our portion. For it shall be a token unto us of our salvation, but unto them who are persecutors of perdition and destruction. The reason is because Christ the Capitaine & finisher of our battle is with us, and hath troade the pathe before us, with whom as long as we suffer, let the yssues be never so hard, we cannot quail nor perish. He hath forewarned us, to look for them. They come not by chance but by his appointment. They are for our good and the cause being just and God's, according to his will and for the holding out of his excellent glory, though • we d • e for it we shall be most happy. Our adversaries understand not th • s, and therefore they smite they care not where nor whom, but a time shall come, they shall see whom they have smitten, & tremble before him, for fear of his judgments. Be therefore of good comfort, & rejoice, O all the Saints of God, though we pass thorough this wretched vale, in contempt and misery, in heaviness, and sorrow with mourning and tears, with lack of liberty, & commodity, that many usurpers enjoy: yet a day shall come of an abundant harvest where we shall sit upon the seats of glory & be satisfied with it, when we shall be crowned with immortality, & shall see God, even as he is. The troubles are short, though they be sharp, and though they be many, yet they are light, in comparison of that eternal weight of glory. And you that are persecutors, whom the Lord hath not given utterly over. Take heed whom you strike. Think not to overcome him whose power is infinite. God will reign in despite of his enemies in the midst of them. Look upon your old predecessors what became of them. Where is Decius and Dioclesian, where is Valerius, Maximinianus and Maximius, where is Lucius, Julianus & Aurelius? But you will say: these were ethnikes and persecuted Christians, surely so do you. You are Christians in name, but you deny the power thereof. You boast of the fa • th of your ancestors, but you deny the faith of Christ. You say you would not have slain the prophets, but your hands have been the first upon those whom God hath stirred up and sent amongst you? Are you not ashamed to boast of the Truethe, and yet to to persecute poor Christians for it? You complain of our hard laws, of the severity of the punishment of treason, of the iniquity of our ministers, of the hard estate of your falsenamed Catholics that live amongst us: of their infamy after their death, of the contumelies they suffer in their life, yea when they are taken at their Mass how they are brought forth in their Pageant apparel, and what revel is kept with your breaden Idol: ye complain of our prisons, and show the hardness of our Jailor's, at London, at York & in other places. Mystresse Tomson. Master Dimock and others are still in your books, as though they had received great wrongs Thus you kick & flyng as untamed heifers ye care not where, sparing neither noble nor unnoble, that might once by any occurrent, come to your intelligence: but all this while you speak not a word, to the proore of it, whereupon the proof lieth. For in respect of the cause, yours is false & ours true, ours the cause of Christ & yours the cause of Antichrist, we suffer for religion & you for treason. Agayne there is no comparison betwixt that pun • shment laid upon you, for your just offenses, and our persecution, laid upon us not for our sins, but for righteousness sake. If we have laid a finger upon you, you have laid upon us an intolerable clog. If we have scourged you with father • y rods for amendment:, you ha • e whipped us with scorpions, utterly to destroy us: if we have derided your superst • tion & brought out your priests, as they were playing their pageants, that the people might wonder at their follies: you have made us spectacles (as much as lay in you) both to men and angels, and lastly we have with the truth, pursued you, to bring you to the truth, & so to God, but you with falsehood have persecuted us to bring us from the truth to error, and so to the Devil. You talk of orderly proceeding with us, that we were tried in time past by order of Justice, and disputed withal, that we might if we would, see our own weakness &c I pray you in whose Courtes hath it been most found, either in yours, where all justice was perverted, or in ours, where the truth of God's word guidingal; they have been taught the fear of God, and to do as they would be done to: Where hath been greater murders, by disordered dealings then amongst you, without all color of law & justice, killing them by whole multitudes, and sometimes some of youre own profession for company, that you might enjoy their riches? where hath private men been more armed, to make dispatch of princes that might stand in your way, then amongst youre selves? Your pope dispensing with the sins either they had already, or should afterwards commit: Example by that Caitife, that upon his pardon would have slain the worthy Prince of Orange, had not God miraculously delivered him? to how many such treasons, by poisoning and killing have sundry been sturred up without all pittye amongst you? Surely it is no marvel, that you should now plead youre innocence, when all the world may know your wicked & traitorous trecheries, that will not willingly shut their eyes. But it may be, You think by some popish witchery, to go in uisible, by having some of the Popes trumpery about you. But you deceive youre selves, and so doth he whom you serve. Therefore repent, and turn to him, who is able to save your souls, Return to Jesus Christ that high pastour, that suffering for truth with him, you may likewise be glorified with him, otherwise howsoever you byte his heel with the Serpent, he will bruise your head and in the end triumph over you. The Lord Jesus sanctify all that are his, even throughout both body, soul, and spirit, that we may be kept blameless unto his holy coming. Amen. Amen. the 27. day of this third month.

I T appeareth by the discourse of this epistle, that y ^e Christians to whom Peter wrote, were at that time in great persecution: whereupon, after other things handled before in this text, he cometh to give them instructions touching this matter, how they should patiently • ear the cross, and comfortably behave themselves in the midst of their greatest afflictions. A point of doctrine not unnecessary for us at this time. For although by the great mercy of God, it fareth not with us, as it did with the churches then: Because we live under a gracious prince that doth cherish and maintain the truth. Yet because our sins: be such, as do justly diserue the taking away of he • royal majesty, and the restraint of pure religion, I see no reason why the teachers should be charged not to take a good course in preparing the people before hand to bear such troubles, whensoever they should come, no more then our savior Christ was to be challenged. For telling his disciples so oft of his and their own persecutions before they came, & arming of them against the same. It is the practice of well ordered common wealths, in the time of peace to teach their people the feats of war. And each man that hath any care of himself and his country, when all things are most quiet, doth nevertheless provide such things in a redinesse, as may stand him in steed in y ^• time of trouble. Even so is it necessary, that in the peace of the gospel, we • be instructed to bear afflictions for the sa • e: & when the truth hath greatest liberty, we should continually look for persecution, & therefore, by the precepts and comforts of the word, be always prepared to abide whatsoever may fall out. Which considerations have moved me at this present, to speak unto you out of this scripture.

Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial: In this first verse, he willeth the Christians, not to marvel at the persecution of the church (which he calleth by the name of fiery trial) as though some strange thing had happened. The last words seem to be set down as a reason to persuade that which he requireth. As though he should have said on this wis: the trouble & affliction of the church or any member thereof, is no strange thing, and therefore no reason why you should marvel at it. For we marvel at such things only, as do seldom come to p • sse, and after an extraordinary manner: But if anything come to pass often and ordinarily, that we are not wont to marvel at, although in it self it be never so wonderful. If we should see a horse fly in the air: if we should see great snowes in the middes of summer: or a plentiful harvest in the middes of winter: behold just occasions to make us wonder, because these things seldom or never fall out, and the course of nature, the order set down by God himself should be inverted. But to see a horse run apace upon the ground, to see deep • snowes in the midst of winter, and harvest in August or September, doth never cause wonder • ng or astonishment, although in deed they be most marvelous works of the Lord. Even so persecutions and afflictions for righteousness sake, being the ordinarye portion which from time to time the saints of God have received in this world, there is no more cause why we should be amazed or astonished at that whensoever generally or particularly it falleth out, then at the snow in the winter, or harvest in the summer. If we look unto the beginning, we shall see that Cain persecuted his own brother Abel: afterward Ishmael Isaac, Esau Jacob. And when y ^e visible church began to be a great people (I mean y ^e Jews:) the Egyptians first, & then all the nations round about, ben • their force against them. Among the Jews hypocrites, and naughty persons, of the kings, priests▪ prophets, and people failed not to hold on the same course, in offering all manner of cruelty, to such as truly feared the Lord, and zealously executed the functions in them committed, as the histories of the scripture do plainly witness. If we look into the enterteinment of our savior Christ and his apostles in their time, it shall appear to have been nothing better th • n the former. And that the like condition hath been upon the church ever sithence, it is known to such as have read the stories. In so much as that complaint is most true, w • ich she maketh in the psal. They have often times afflicted me from my youth up: that is to say, ever sithence I had any being upon the earth, mine enemies have not ceased to afflict me, & as it were to plow deep furrows upon my back. You see then what we have here to learn in the first place, namely not to be troubled at the persecutions which may happen to our selves, or any other the members of Christ, For the profession of his truth and doing of our duty, as though some strange thing were come to pass, seeing it is the ordinary course, which the wicked world (whose works are naught) taking their direction from their grandfather Cain, hath from time to time practiced against the church, and the ordinary way, by the which the Lord from age to age, hath lead all his children: to the verifiyng of that, which Paul and Barnabas preached wheresoever they came: Through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of God.

And this being so, It behooveth us, when we first join our selves to the church of God, and enter into the profession of his truth, with purpose to lead our lives according thereunto: to sit us down, according to the counsel of our savior Christ & to make our account on this wise. Surely I see that all flesh is grass, and all things under the sun are but vanity. The time will come when I must die, and God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge all the world. He hath prepared life and blessedness for them that fear him, and vengeance for them that knoweth him not, nor obey his gospel. I perceive therefore it is necessary, that I care for the life to come, & provide for the safety of my soul after death. If I take the course of the world, I run to eternal destruction, If I embrace the word the only way unto heaven & eternal life, I must make my full reckoning of that which all the faithful professors thereof have tasted before me, I must prepare my back for stripes, I must look to be evil spoken of, jested upon, scorned at, to lose the favor of those that be mighty, to be cast in prison, lose my goods, yea and my life also. For I see this is the estate of the true servants of God in this world. He that shall thus debate the matter with him self, and with an heart careful of his own salvation cal upon God for his direction, will soon be resolved with Moses, to choose rather afflictitions with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of si • ne here for a short time. Moreover when storms arise, the winds b • ow, and the floods bear upon his house: y ^t is, when troubles and persecutions come, he shall be able to bear them more patiently, and with greater comfort, since in t • ueth he may say, I thought so: Loe, it is come to pass as I looked for long since. It is a common saying: evils that be thought upon before do hurt less when they come. Then they pierce us deeply whē they come upon us at unawares, and when we never before suspected any such matter. Therefore to conclude this point, since the cross is in: seperably joined to the profession of the truth, let him that will stand with comfort in the time of his trial, before hand make his reckoning and look for no better. It followeth in the text.

Concerning the fiery trial, or trial by fire, the words do bear either. Now the apostle doth on this wise, term the persecutions of God's children. According as he doth before in the first chapter. The speech is metaphorical or borrowed, signifying thus much: As fire trieth the pure gold, from that which is counterfeit and naught, fining it, & moreover burneth, wasteth & sun dreth y ^t dross & rust from y ^t which is good, so troubles and afflictions for Christ's sake, do discern the faithful Christian from the hypocrite, and time seruer, and wasteth away the corruption of sin that creepeth and stealeth in upon the faithful in their peace and prosperity, making them more pure and fine to the Lord. For the first, there lurketh so great self love & hypocrisy in us, and there are so many deceitful corners in our hearts, that it is a meruelious hard matter, to be undoubtedly persuaded in our consciences of our integrity and uprightness to the Lord and his truth, while the profession thereof is commanded by Princes, and hath countenance, liberty, & profit waiting upon it. For then how earnest soever we seem to be, peradventure we love our selves, & not the Lord, & it is our own estimation & preferment y ^t we seek, & not the holding forth of the truth with a pure conscience. Then in deed we know our selves, when we have been tried. And if in the midst of all temptations, we continue without fainting and turning back, we may be bold of our obedience y ^t it is good, y ^t we be such as have built our house vpō y ^e rock, and y ^t neither heighth nor depth, principalities nor power, life nor death, things present or things to come, shall be able to separate us frō the love of God. While our savior Christ was at liberty, Peter thought himself marvelous stout, he affirmed very confidently, y ^t he would not shrink frō his master, although all the rest should run away: yea when the officers came to attach him, he drew out his sword, & smote of a servant of the high priest his ear. But when y ^e matter came to y ^e pinch in deed, we know how all his courage was quailed, & the very speech of a damsel caused him to abjure the savior of y ^e world, to whō he had before so earnestly vowed him self. By him we may learn to suspect our selves, and our own weakness, and not to imagine that we be without all fear of revolting, because in the liberty & peace of the gospel we make pro • ession of the same. The sandye ground nourisheth his blade, so long as the weather continueth seasonable and calm, which nevertheless in hot and scorching wether, withereth and is unprofitable. That only we approve for good ground indeed, which in the extremity of heat, we have seen bring forth the ears with full corn. Even so, it is nothing in these days to pro • esse the true religion, the same being commanded by the laws, and countenanced by so many good means: but if for our sins God should take away the prince, if popery should be established again, or a mingle mangle of religiō permitted as in France: then y ^• true & faithful professors should be easily discerned from the hypocrite and dissemvler. When all the enemies of David were subdued round about, and the whole kingdom of Judah approved him for their only and true sovereign, there was no great trial of the fidelity of his subjects But when Sheba the son of Bichri blew the Trumpet and said, we have no parte in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse, every man to his tents O Israel. And this drew away great numbers of the people to make an insurrection: Then such as in the midst of those rebels by word or practice, testified their subjection to David with the hazard of their estate, gave undoubted testimonies of their fidelity. We cannot say for a truth, that all such be faithful to her majesty, which in this her great prosperity (wherein no enemy dare quech) seemeth so to be: they which in the days of Westmorland and Nort humberlaud, stood unto her in those partes of the North against their Lord's to their danger, were faithful in deed, and the land might make a good reckoning of thē, in any other the like occasion. As therefore by such means as these, loyal and true hearted subjects to their prince be tried: so when troubles and persecutions arise for the word, they which be sincere & upright in the fear of the Lord, be discerned from the counterfeit, which in their profession • aue sought nothing but their advantage • nd ease. And then in deed we have put the church of God and our own consciences out of all doubt concerning our entegritye, when in the midst of afflictions for the gospel sake, we have continued with boldness to profess the same. We see therefore y ^t it is not without good cause, why persecutions be called a fiery trial. Now, even this should teach us, patiently & comfortably to endure all manner of crosses, for the truth & a good conscience, since y ^t our holding out in them, is a certain proof y ^t our faith is good & our obedience such as will go for paimēt before the Lord. From whence also we may undoubtedly persuade our selves, that we shall not faint when the like or greater dangers fall out. When we have a case in law for any lands y ^t we claim, we are glad to have our evidences examined, whether they be good or no, before we come to the pinch: & if we have gold lie by us, y ^t we occupy not, we are content to have it tried before hand, y ^t we may be sure it will be currant, whensoever occasion falleth out to use it. Why then be we not glad, of disgracings, railings, complaints, loss of favor, imprisonment, and such like, when they come unto us for doing of our duty & righteousness sake? seeing y ^t by our suffering of them, the Lord prepareth us for greater matters, & our patience in these is as it were an earnest unto us, that we shall stand when we be tried to the uttermost. Therefore I conclude this part, with that of S. James: count it for great joy (my brethren) when you fall into many temptations: knowing y ^t the trial of your faith bringeth forth patience. And let patience have her perfect work, y ^t you may be perfect & entire lacking nothing.

The second effect of persecutions, whereupon they be compared to a fiery trial, I said was this. As fire drieth up all manner of dross in the good gold, so they dry up many corruptions, that creep upon the godly, in the time of their liberty & peace. For thus it fareth with the best of God's children, when they be a little quiet, & the world seemeth to smile upon them, if they break not out, as resty & pampred horses, to open outrage & disorder, yet at the least there stealeth vpō them much vanity, worldliness, delight in things earthly, & negligence (if not contempt) of things heavenly. Wherupon y ^e love of the word doth decrease in them, and they become not so careful and zealouse of the honor of God as they were before. The examples of Joseph, David, & Hezekiah, may serve to prove the truth of this. The Lord seeing the tickle disposition that is in all men to this unruliness, was wont to meet with the same before hand with mani • old Crosses, even in such men as he made especial account of. For no doubt this was one principal end, of the infinite turmoyles, that Abraham and Jacob were encumbered with, that so they might be brought to despise the earth which is replenished with so many miseries, seek after eternity, & zealously set them selves to y ^e whereunto the Lord did cal them. Now as he mercifully and in great wisdom did on this wise prevent such disordered affections, as were otherwise like to have postered their hearts: so dealeth he as graciously with his children in seeking to reclaim thē by the like means when they have been overtaken. Whereuppon, beside the inward afflictions of the mind, he often times stirreth up against us, enemies that speak evil of us, & trouble us for well doing, that so he might free us from enemies that be more dangerous to our souls. For although the ignorant and careless, in all the crosses that happen unto them, do only regard the means and instruments whereby they come, crying out of the injury of their oppressors, and clearing of them selves as parties unjustly troubled. Yet it is otherwise with the servants of God, that be wise & understanding, they look up to the hand of the smiter, whom they know to be the Lord himself, whom they straight way conclude to be righteous and so just, as he will not punish without cause, and that therefore something is amiss in them which he would have them to ament: although that be good, commanded of God, and nothing but their duty for the which they be persecuted by their adversaries. Whereby it cometh to pass, that they examine them selves and their doings more straitly, & find out many corruptions, which before were either unknown, or else unregarded, and therefore would have proved very dangerous to their souls, if they had not thus been roused up to consider of them. Which they do so profit • bly, that in the ende they say with David, It is good for me (O lord) that thou broughtest me low. For even such troubles cause them to do their duty better, to be marueylous circumspecie of their ways, that their enemies may have no just matter against them, and stir up in them a great zeal to prayer, so as they do it more often and earnestly then before. We ought therefore to be glad, & to thank the Lord most heartily, whensoever it shall please him to purge us on this sort. Our vessels of silver and gold which in time do gather soil, we desire to have scoured: and the linen that we use to our tables, we rejoice to have often washed. And why then do we not take in good part all manner of persecutions? seeing they be scourgings and washings to our souls, whereby the Lord mindeth to make us clean, from some untowardness that is in us. Verily this is a greater mercy then any man's tongue is able to utter, and the wisdom of the Lord in this behalf is very wonderful: we be entered into an evil course some way or other, offensive to the majesty of God, and hurtful unto our selves, In the mean time God concealeth those disorders of ours from men, which peradventure would procure our punishment by their Laws, and intending to reclayme us, & to bring us to himself again, he sturreth up some against us, and to our great honor causeth some afflictiō to come unto us for well doing, that was due unto us for our sin and disobedience. O the riches of his grace: who is able to conceive it? Certeinly the Lord his retiring of Saul from pursuiug of David, causing the Pailistines to invade the lande, was not so joyful to the wearied man, as this should be joyful unto us, when after this manner he stoppeth us in our evil course, and causeth us to retire from that which is not good. But enough of this fruit of persecutions, and the purpose of God in the same. It remaineth that each man in all such troubles stir up his heart, and pray to God, that he may profit by them as we have heard. It followeth.

But rejoice, in as much as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall appear, ye may be glad & rejoice. In this verse he requireth more then in the former. There he would have us not to be astonished at our persecutions for the truth sake: here he saith that we must rejoice & be glad, when any such thing cometh unto us. And least he should seem to call for anything, without rendering a reason thereof, in this sentence he delivereth two arguments of great force, whereby he laboreth to persuade the reioy sing mentioned. The first is drawn from the example of Christ to whose image we should desire to be conformed, because we were thereunto predestinate: the next, is from the reward, that we shall have at such time, as Jesus Christ shall appear, the second time in glory. For the first: his meaning is, that whensoever we be afflicted for righteousness sake, it is no otherwise with us, then it was with Christ, our Lord, our king, our head and savior before. He was baptized with this baptism, and he began of this cup unto us. If we be railed upon, he was charged to be a glutton, a Samaritan, an enemy to Caesar, and to work by the devil: If men desire to have us out of their companies & countries: so was he dealt with all by the Gergesenes. If we be put to our shifts, to fly from place to place for our own safety: he was so before us. If some of our friends whom we trust do betray us, so did Judas to our Lord. If we be arraigned before the indgemente seats of princes, if there, we be scoffed and mocked at, beaten with rods, and condemned to death: was not this also the portion of the son of God? If we be thought the worst men upon the earth, more dangerous and hurtful to the common wealth then any others, we know that Barabbas was preferred before the Lord of life. This is therefore a certain truth, that Jesus Christ hath gone this way before us. And Cranmer in those manifold disgracings about his disgrading: y ^e man whom Bonner scourged in his garden, and all the martyrs in their torments, were nothing else but his companions. Now this should be sufficient to comfort us in all our troubles, and to cause us most joyfully to endure the same. It is an old saying: it is comfort to the wretched, to have companions in their miseries: howe comfortable then should it be unto us, seeing Jesus Christ took part with us? When Uriah, by David's commandment was sent to the court, and by the king himself willed to go to his wife to his own house to take his ease: he refused it, & chose rather to sleep at the palace door with the rest of the kings servants. And being demanded the reason by David of his so doing, he answered that it was unequal and vncomly for him to be at rest in his bed in the house, when Joab his Lord lay in the fields. The valiant & courageous soldier thought it a matter of delight unto him, to endure hardness with his captein, and the greatest dishonor that could be, to do otherwise. How much more ought we to rejoice in all our extremities? seeing in them we do after a sort drink of one cup with Christ, and as it were draw in one yoke with him. It had been sufficient to cheare us, if Peter had said as our Lord spake before in the gospel of Matthew: so persecuted they y ^e prophets which were before you. But when he telleth us, that persecution and affliction was the portion of the son of God, it is an instruction to patience, and a comfort in trouble, free from all challenge, exception, and speaking against. If the prince should say unto us, or any other subject: you must do somewhat for me, which the L. Chanceller, & the rest of my priuye counsel have done before you, surely the thing being good, though never so painful, we ought to yield unto it. But if the prince should say, mine only son and heir, or mine own self have borne this brunt already: how could we challenge the prince of any hard measure offered unto us? and how beastly faint hearted, and cowardly should we be to refuse it? Therefore to end this matter: let us be patient in all our afflictions and rejoice in the same, seeing therein we be partakers with Jesus Christ the son of God, and our true sovereign and everlasting king. For as the wood cast into the bitter waters at Marah, made them sweet to the children of Israel: so Jesus Christ being thrown into the sea of afflictions, hath made them most sweet to so many as believe in him. The second reason is the recompense promised unto such, as with Jesus Chrste suffer afflictions for a good conscience. When his glory shall appear (saith the apostle) then shall you rejoice, and leap for joy: For y ^e word seemeth to signify so much. His meaning is y ^t the joy of God's children shall be perfect then, whereas now by reason of our corruption & mortality, it is mingled with much heaviness and sorrow. But we must note, that this shall be at such time, as Christ appeareth again in his majesty. Which glorious manifestation of himself, is opposed or set against, that base condition of his, which he was in here upon the earth, in the sight & judgment of men. For as he is now in perfect glory, even in respect of his humanity, although the world neither see it, nor believe it: so when the day cometh, wherein the father hath appointed by him to judge the earth, he shall appear most glorious and excellent as he is, with millions of Angels attending upon him, sitting upon his throue of majesty, so as from his face, the heaven and earth shall fly away, and all the ungodly of the world shall run into caves, to hide them, & shall call for mounteines to fall upon them, y ^t so (if it were possible) they might not come into his presence, The apostle telleth us, that at that time, we shall lift up our heads and rejoice, all tears being forever wiped away from our eyes, because after that we shall never more have any occasion of sorrow. For so we be taught by Sanct Paul in other places. That if we die with Christ we shall reign with him, and if we suffer with him: we shall reign with him: & if we be partakers with him of his shame, we shall also communicate with him in his glory. Now this reason should be of grea • force with us. We see natural men, ver • well contented to endure some hardness and pains with the Sons of mortal men, that be of honor and wealth, during the time of their mynormitye, because when they come to their lands, they hope for some preferment from them. And to be in great straightes in a strange Countrye with the kings son, who would not be glad for a time? especially having certeynty of their return into their own Lande, and undoubted promise to be preferred then with the prince. Let us therefore rejoice in the midst of all our temptations, when Jesus Christ shall restore all things, and come again to declare his authority in judging all flesh: all our mourning shall be turned into joy, and our shame into honor. The hope of a moste blessed and happy estate at that time, must make us comfortable in all our troubles, insomuche as in respect of it, they should seem easy and nothing unto us. And this may be the reason why hope, is compared to an Helmet: because as men having a good Helmette upon their heads, do not feel any smarte by very great blows given there: so the hope of eternal life, should cause us not to feel (as it were) the afflictions of this present. We see the husbandman how he comforteth him self in all his painful travel about manuring, tilling, sowing, and weeding his ground, only with the hope of recompense a good while after in the harvest time. And the soldier setteth light by the cold in winter, the heat in somner, his lying upon the ground, his hunger, his gross diet, and his wounds, because he hath an eye to the end of the battle, the victory, the spoil, the praise of his capteyne, & the return into his country with honor. Now what is all the pelf of this earth, being compared with the kingdom of God? what is the vic • ory against men, in respect of the triumph against sin and Satan? and what is the spoil of tents, to the riches of heaven? and what is the praise of men, to the commendation of of the Lord, saying unto us? O good and faithful servant enter into the joy of thy master. seeing therefore all these things shall come unto us, if we patiently suffer afflictions for well doing, there is good reason why we should embrace the counsel of the Apostle, and in our greatest miseries rejoice our selves in the hope of that glory that in the world to come shall be poured upon us. It followeth.

If you be railed upon in the name of Christ, &c. By y ^e name of Christ he understandeth the doctrine of Christ, as S. Paul in y ^e same speech expoundeth the meaning of y ^e holy ghost in another place. Where name and doctrine b • ing mentioned, the latter is set down, as the interpretaion of the first. There is good reason of the speech because as the name of everything declareth what the thing is, so the doctrine of Christ doth set forth, and as it were painte him out unto us.

Saint Peter here speaketh of one particular kind of persecution consisting in evil and opprobrious words: which although worldly men think no great matter so long as they proceed not to imprisonment, fire and sword: yet the spirit of God in this place giveth it no better title, agreeing with saint Paul in his epistle to the Galatians: whereas it is apparent in y ^e history that Isaac was but mocked of Ishmael. If therefore thou wilt not be counted a persecutor secuter of the church and servants of God, look well to thy tongue, that it spew forth no taunting nor reproachful words against the professors of the truth: if thou do, the sentence against them is penned already, & thou art branded in the cheek, with the note of a persecutor. And how odious this thing is in the sight of God, how slenderly soever thou account of it, may appear in the history that we read of in the seconde book of the Kings: Two and forty little children were miraculously destrOyed with Bears, for mocking the Prophet of God, & calling him baldhead: and thinkest thou to escape vengeance if thou be a railer upon the servants of God? the extraordinarye punishment, after so strange a manner, upon young children that might seem to offend rather of wantonness then upon any set purpose, declareth howe the Lord misliketh of the like dealings, by such as be of riper years, whose fault must needs be y ^e greter. The instructiō is profitable against the mockers at all times. Now the apostle seemeth to speak of this kind of cross, rather then any other, because it doth inseparably & always wait upon the profession of y ^e gospel: insomuch as in y ^e gretest peace & liberty of the church, it is not free from y ^e same. For even in those kingdoms where the truth is received by the prince, & established by laws, so as open tirranie is restrained, yet no man in any calling or conditiō can walk uprightly before the Lord, but he offereth himself to hard speeches checks, taunts, & reproaches. The practice of our own time proveth it, wherein pestelent tongues of professed popish enemies pour out their vennom, by giving y ^e sound professors of religion & the loyal subjects to her majesty: y ^e names of prescisians, puritans, hot of the spirit, family of love, & disobedient subjects, confounding names, & multiplying their scoffs, not knowing y ^e good & faithful protestants, are as far from these heresies as they are from truth or honesty: seeing therefore it is a thing y ^t doth ordinarily fall out, y ^e holy ghost in this place provideth well for our infirmity, in ministering unto us so great comfort against the same. You are blessed (saith Peter ) if you be railed upon for the name of Christ, according to that speech of our Lord: Blessed shall you be when men hate you, and separate you, and rail upon you, and put out your 〈◊〉 as evil, for the son of man's sake. Rejoice and be glad in that day▪ for behold great is your reward in heaven. A natural man whose judgment is corrupt, seeth notblessednes in this condition: neither can he possibly conceive, how we should be happy in the midst of the shame and reproaches which happen unto us, when we be mocked and tannted for righteousness sake. Nay, he is of an opinion clean contrary, imagining those to be happy of whom all men speak well, and therefore he laboreth to keep an even hand, and to displease neither side: whereas Christ saith, woe unto you when all men speak well of you. Thus the natural man being led by his own reason and sense, pronounceth them accursed, whom the Lord doth bless, & them blessed, whom the Lord doth curse. But let it suffice us that he hath spoken it which is holy & true: let us patiently wait for the performaunce of his promise. And seeing he saith, that we be happy, notwithstanding all the railings and speakings against of our enemies, let us according to the sayings of the Apostle, through honor and dish •••• r, thorough good report and evil rep ••• 〈◊〉 forward, to finish the work whereunto he hath called us. It followeth.

For the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: Lest the Apostle should seem to affirm anything without good proof, here h • e rendereth a reason of that which he had said before: namely, that it cannot otherwise be, but such are happy that be railed upon for the name of Christ, because the spirit of glory & of God resteth upon them. His meaning is, that it is a most certain evidence and demonstration, of the spirit of God (which is always accompanied w ^t glory) dwelling within us, when we patiently endure persecutions for the words sake, & hold on our scincere profession notwithstanding all the mockings of our enemies. It may come from flesh and blood, and the corruption of our nature, to pretend zeal to the truth in the liberty thereof: but to continue in the storms and tempests of afflictions, so as no hardness can remove us from the zeal, which according to knowledge we bear unto God, this must needs be supernatural, upright, and no other but the fruit of the spirit: which being the Lord's, he cannot but acknowledge wheresoever he find • it: and therefore must necessarily be glorious in his sight, and everlastingly honored in heaven hereafter, howsoever for the present time it appear vile and odious in the eyes of men. Whereupō saint Paul exhorting the Philippians, not to fear their adversaries which opposed thenselves against them, affirmeth constantly, that persecutions were manifest signs of the destruction of the wicked from whom they came, and most evident tokens, and as it were earnest pence of y ^e salvation of such against whom they were intended: agreeing with that which is in his later epistle to the Thessalonians: where having spoken before of their sufferings, he saith, that it was a manifest declaratiō of the just judgment of God, to the end they might be counted worthy of his kingdom. The sense of this place is the same with that going before, although the words seem somewhat to differ. Let us therefore despise all y ^e scorns of y ^e ungodly, & set light by all the mockings of y ^e wicked: in our shame we be honorable, & in all confusion suffered for a good conscience we are glorious, for the spirit of God & of glory resteth upon us, & we shall be saved if we continue to y ^e end. This spirit (the apostle saith here) is blasphemed on y ^e behalf of y ^e wicked, and glorified on the behalf▪ of the godly. The meaning of the first words is, that the enemies of the Church, deride and scorn the graces of God in his children, & therefore blaspheme the spirit it self being the author and fountain of the same: as we see despite offered to the gift of the Prince, is worthily deemed villainy to the Prince himself. We read that the zeal of God in our Savior Christ was termed frenzy: and his faith reposed in his father scorned on this wise: he trusted in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him. The grace of speaking with diverse tongues in the apostles, was challenged of drunkenness with new wine: And Festus said unto Paul: thou art out of thy wits, too much learning hath made thee mad. And in all times of the afflictions of the Church, we shall see not only the professors taunted and reproached, but also the gifts of the spirit of God in them mocked & gibed at: As their knowledge, their patience, their chastity, temperance, trust in God, and watchfulness over their tongues: In so much as we may find tirants, that jested at the Christians, because they would not swear when there was no necessary cause: Well: they deal with one that is more then their match, & they shall one day feel y ^e smart of it, since their treachery is against the holy Ghost even God himself, when they scorn his graces in the saints. wheretas it is said in this place that the same spirit is glorified on the behalf of the godly, his meaning is, that we honor the spirit of God, when in all temptations we continue to profess that which it sealeth in our hearts, and think it sufficient comfort against all our troubles, that it testifieth to our hearts, we be the children of God, that we may call upon him as a father, and that we please him in all our sufferings▪ To conclude this verse, let it not appear strange unto us, that evil men despise the grace of God that is in us. It we glorify his spirit as we have heard, we shall hereafter be glorified with him eternally in the heavens: even as our Lord by his own example hath taught us to pray with comfort: I have glorified thee upon the earth, now (O Father, glorify me with thyself. It followeth.

Let no man among you suffer as a man's • eier, or a thief, or an evil doer, or as a busibody. Having spoken before of the blessedness of the Christians, that be troubled for righteousness sake: in this verse the Apostle calleth upon us, to be so circumspect and wary of all our doings, that we commit no evil for the which we might justly be punished as malefactors. He rehearseth three particular offenses: the first two be plain: the third which in english we read a busibody, (y ^t is, such a one as curiously busieth himself in such matters as concern not his calling, & neglecteth them that belong to his duty) the learned think may as fitly be interpreted, a man greedy of other men's goods. The other word malefactor or evil doer, may be understood of every offender whatsoever▪ as well those that transgress the laws of the first table in matters of Religion and the service of God, as those that break the commandments of the second table, in such things as concern our duty toward men: so that under these. Saint Peter comprehendeth all manner of sin and corruption, heresy and idolatry which the word doth forbid & punish, as well as disordered behavior of one man toward another. We must therefore take heed, that as we profess the name and gospel of Christ, so all our sufferings may come for the truth of that, and not for any Idolatry, heresy, schism, murder, adultery, whoredom, theft, covetousness, going beyond the bounds of our callings, or any such other thing. For if we be evil spoken of, brought before judges, restrained of our liberty, cast in prison, and put to death in th • se cases, there is no reason why we should rejoice of the matter, and think our selves happy therefore. Our master Christ speaking to his disciples of this point said: blessed are you, when they speak all manner of evil of you lying: for my sake: He saith not simplye blessed are you when they speak all eui • l of you: but when they lie in so doing. And it is an ancient saying of a Father: it is not the punishment, but the goodness of the cause that maketh a Martyr. The papists therefore in resp • cte of God and his true church, Heritiques and Schismatics, & in respect of their prince and country high Traitors, have no cause to boast themselves of any their sufferings, as though they were persecuted for righteousness sake: since besides their heresies and corrupt opinions concerning religion, for y ^t which they be worthy of death, they bear treacherous and traiterous hearts to their sovereign prince and country, which also from time to time hath been found out by their unnatural and cursed attempts. The like is to be said of the false pretended Family of love, & all other heretics & evil doers: the unclean person, the oppressor, deceiver, usurer, drunkard: the evil minister when he is cried out against, and taunted by the name of a hireling, a greedy dog that is never satisfied, a dumb dog, a blind guide, or an idle pastor: cannot in truth▪ apply the comforts to them here mentioned, since they be justly reproached and punished for their sin: which the Apostle doth • orbid us in this place. And yet this is not so spoken, as though all men were to despair of them selves, which be any w • ie corrected for their evil doings: no, we know what is written of the thief, y ^• ▪ was crucified with our Lord, and how he said unto him: this day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Even so assuredly whatsoever the offenses be, that we be evil spoken of for, or otherwise punished by imprisonment or death, yet we be happy & shall be saved, if grace be given us w ^t the thief, to repent, to hate our sin, & to believe. For this is true forever: blessed are y ^e dead y ^t die in y ^e Lord, in what sort, or for what cause soever they dy. Therefore, y ^e mā y ^t sufferreth for Christ's sake, is blessed in respect of the goodness of his cause: and • e that suffereth for his sin, is blessed, if the Lord by that punishment bring him to repentance. But let us with all good conscience attend upon this of the apostle, to honor our profession and high calling with good life, and abstaining from evil. We see how it fareth with the faithful servants of God, though they walk never so prescisely, yet wicked men will espy somewhat to speak evil, to take away their crown of suffering for well doing. How then shall all our honor justly be turned into shame, and lie in the dust, if we walk retchles • ye and dissolutely? The exhortation is very profitable for our time, wherein great numbers turn the grace of God into wantonness: and therefore although they profess the gospel & true religion of God, yet are worthily, reproached for their uncleanness, riot, vsurye, oppression, covetousness, and deceit. It followeth.

But if he suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed: nay let him▪ glorify God in this behalf: In the former verse, as you hard, he willed us to take heed of being punished for doing evil, because then there is just matter of humiliation offered unto us. In this sentence he returneth to y ^t which he had in hand before, namely to comfort us in all afflictions, y ^t hap̄ for y ^e truth sake. If (saith he) any suffer as a Christian, y ^t is for y ^e scincere professiō of Christ's doctrine, let him never be ashamed of y ^e mater, but let him thank God in y ^t behalf. There are two thi • gs required of us in this verse: y ^e one is y ^t we be not ashamed of y ^e persecutions y ^t we eudure for a good conscience: y ^e other y ^t we rejoice & be glad of them. Cōcerning y ^e first: y ^e evil of y ^t which we do, & the unworthiness or baseness of y ^e party for whom we do it, are the only occasions y ^t minister just matter of blusshing & shame unto us. But the truth y ^t we profess in the word is so pure & excellent: & the son of God, in whom we believe, and for whose sake we suffer is so holy, so glorious, so mighty, & worthy of all honor and service from us, that there is no cause why we should be ashamed of the crosses which we suffer in that behalf. S Paul he believed this, and therefore in the midst of all the calamities that came unto him for doing of his duty, could say with confidence. I am not ashamed. For I know him well enough in whom I have believed, and am fully persuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Let us be like minded: and since Jesus Christ hath all power in heaven and earth, so as he is able to defend us from the rage of our enemies here, and to keep our salvation sure from being hurt by any means, let us never blush for any thing that happeneth unto us for his sake. Natural men think that moste vile and ignominious, which in deed is moste glorious and beautiful. Michal thought it the greatest disgrace that might be unto David, to abase himself to dance before the Ark of God, gyrded with a linen Ephod: But David thought no honor like this, by humbling himself, and being vile in the sight of others, to exalt and set up the Lord. Even so, they which be carried only by sense and reason, can see n • thing but confusion in the persecutions of y ^e saints, when as in deed it is the most honorable thing under heaven. In so much as neither Iosep • , having the kings ring upon his finger, arayde in fine linen, with a chain of gold about his neck, and set upon the best Charret of the king save on • , and hono • r ably saluted of all the people: nor Mordecai, at the kings commandment most gorgiously carried thorough the City upon the kings hors, with this proclaimation before him: thus shall it be done to the man whom the king will honor: were so glorious in the sight of their▪ beholders, as the true Christians are in the eyes of God, when in the judgment of man they seem to be covered with most confusion and shame. And in deed Cranmer, when he was brought forth, and as it were set upon a stage, to be mocked at by all the people, his Pall pulled of, his hair cut by a Barber, his singers ends scraped, an old gown put upon his back, and an old cap upon his head: the admirall of France first mained with a shot, then most treacherously slain in his chamber, after tumbled out of a window, his head cut of, his corps dragged through the streets in Paris, & after hanged upon a gallows by y ^e heels: in y ^e midst of all these were more glorious then either Mordecai or Joseph in all their pomp & majesty. Intsomuch as these never vanted so much of y ^e one, as they no doubt did of the other. Even as we find n • such boasting of any the servants of God in the scriptures, in respect of their outward estate were it never so good: as we do of S. Paul for his sufferings: according to y ^e which is writ̄: frō henceforth let no man put me to business: for I bear in my body the marks of y ^e Lord Jesus. The imprisonments, bands, scourgings, stripes, stonings, & reproaches y ^t he endured, he calleth the badges of the Lord Jesus, whereby he was known to be highly in his favor, as a faithful servant of whom he made a special account, & therefore is not only not ashamed, but also after a godly sort boasteth of thē. Therefore let us not think it any shame unto us, whensoever the Lord shall think it good to have us tried on this wise. It followeth.

But let him glorify God in this behalf: This is the second thing: we must be glad of our persecutions, & thank God most highly, if he vouchsafe this honor upon us. For in deed this is an especial token, y ^t he maketh some reckoning of us, when as he calleth us out, to undergo some hardness for his sake. As we see the prince so thinketh of those men, whom he picketh forth from among the rest, to send about some notable & most famous exploit, whereunto many are not meet. This made the apostles to leap for joy, because they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ, even then when they had been▪ cruelly beaten: this stu • red up like affections in some of them after in prison: and this moved S. Paul to wrighte to the Philippians, that they should esteem of their sufferings, as of an especial blessing, or mercy of the Lord bestowed upon them: to you (saith he) it is given for Christ, that you should not only believe in him, but also suffer for his sake. Now we have to thank God, not only in respect of the reward, that shall follow our persecutions, as we have hard: but espe • iallye in respect of the cause for the which we suffer. And in deed this offereth more matter of joy, then the tongues of men and angels be able to utter: that, whereas the best of God's servants for their lewdness and evil, might justly be defamed, brought before governors, cast in prison and put to death, (for who can deny this, seeing eternal damnation is due to everyone): The Lord should conceal and cover all these, & in the mean time give them over, to be punished for his sake and for well doing: and that punishment to be recompensed with eternal happiness. Seeing then we be blessed if we endure troubles for righteousness sake, and all manner of judgments be due unto us for sin, let us moste heartily praise God (according to the counsel of the Apostle) when soever by any means we be corrected for well doing. It followeth.

For the time is come wherein judgment must begin at God own house. By the house of God is understood his church, & the peotple that do rightly worship him▪ and truly call upon his name: as we may learn by the first epistle of S. Paul to T • mothie, and that which is written to the Hebrews. The speech teacheth: that the Church of God, ought in everything to be ordered and governed by his laws and statutes: as it is equal and right, that the house of each man, and all things in the same, should be disposed according to the direction of the owner and master. They which think or practice otherwise▪ accuse the almighty, either of want of skill, that he should not know what was best: or else of want of care for his people, in not delivering that in his word, which he knew moste expedient and necessary to be established. But because it is great blasphemy, once to imagine any such thing: they shall on day answer for their sin, which turning all things upside down, command that for the discipline and order of God's house, which he hath not given in charge or else forbidden: and neglect or forbid that, which he moste excellently and in great wisdom hath set down and appointed. No prince would think himself well dealt with, if any subject or subjects should thus presume to invert the government of his house: and will earthly princes being subjects to the almighty God, and dust and ashes in his presence, think to escape unpunished, if they command or suffer to be commanded any thing for the orderi • ng of the church the house of god, which he before hath not allowed? The master is of more importance then the most be ware of: & all princes that profess the religion of Jesus Christ, had need to look unto it. If Moses for the building of the Tabernacle of y ^e Jews, and for the ordering of enerye thing appertaining to that first worship of God, had a pattern and laws shown him by the Lord, which be must keep himself unto, and for his fidelity in that behalf hath his just commendation: It is meet that we think as magnificentlye of the chn • rhe under the gospel, that nothing is left for the devising of man, since Jesus Christ as the son of God, was faithful in his fathers house by delivering the orders for the government of the same. Therefore let not the Lord's remembrancers keep silence, nor give him any rest, until he repair the ruins of Jerusalem.

Moreover, this speech teacheth what puritye of doctrine and manners ought to be continually in the church, and every particular member of it. Even such as becometh the temple and house of God, and the place where the almigty hath his residēce, and doth dwell. We see what care there is in the officers of princes houses, that no filthiness be in any corner of the Court, to offend the prince, or the nobles passing by: & for this purpose there be writings set up in every place. But there is not the like regard of the Lord's court, to keep corruption out of his house. We see how the church is pestered, with evil ministers, with adulterers, whoremasters, swearers, profaners of the Sabbath, mockers of the word, and the messengers thereof, userers, deceivers, riotous & contentious persons. Against whom there is very small discipline. Although the Lord have on every wall set up is bills forbidding these enormities, and commanding they should be thrust out of his church, as unworthy of any place there, until they have declared openly their true repentance Seeing then the people that profess the true religion of Christ, be the church and house of God: it concerneth all those to whom God hath committed y ^e • ouernment, to see y ^t it • e kept from the pollution of sin: and each Christian must look to himself, to posses his vessel in holiness & honor, as it becometh the temple of the holy ghost.

The apostle telleth us here, that the time was then come, that the Lord would begin to punish his most faithful servants: and therefore we must either be contented to endure afflictions, or else not to be acconnted of the household and Church of God. The Lord in this place is likened unto a wise and careful prince, who although he have an eye to the disorders of the whole realm and kingdom, yet doth especially regard to correct y ^e offenses of his own famili. Even so God: although in all ages he hath testified his displeasure against sin in all kind of people and persons: yet his rods and scourges have at all times been so occupied about the chastising of his church, that in comparison of it, he hath seemed to spare the rest, and to neglect the transgressions • of the heathen. Let us consider the temptations, of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph. & David. Had not he most wicked of y ^t time, greater ease and peace then they had in the greatest part of their life? surely if we know their stories, we must confess so much. And if we look to the whole nation of the Jews, first in Egypt, and then after in the lande of Canaan: we shall find that the Lord punished them always first, and that to, so sharply, as the like vengeance and destruction lightened not upon any people. As it is mentioned in Daniel: And as Jeremiah saith: I begin to plague the City where my name is called vpō. The reason of this proceeding of the Lord, is best known unto himself, it sufficeth us for this text to be persuaded of this truth, which we may understand by the records of the scriptures. Although it might be briefly said, that he hath an especial care of the salvation of his people, and therefore punisheth them above and before the rest, to reclaim them from their sins, that they should not be damned with the world. Moreover, because his mercies towards his Church, are beyond all comparison more then unto others: It is equal and righteous, that it offending, should both be first punished, and more severely then the rest. But as this hath been the ordinary course of the Lord toward his Church, from the beginning: so was it especially true of the time wherein the Apostle writ, after the manifestation of the son of God in the flesh. For both then, & ever sithence, the Lord was and continueth so sharp to them that truly worship him, & be careful to please his ma • esty, (in the mean season seeming often times to spare the wicked and ungodly) that in the judgment of flesh and blood, it was better with such as said unto God: depart from us, we will none of thy law, what is the almighty that we should fear him? then with those that stood in awe of his commandments, and set naught by all the pleasures, and torments of the world, in comparison of the favor of God, and keeping a good conscience before him. Consider the estate of the Apostles, and professors in the Acts. The condition of the Church hath not amended anything sithence, but as the glory of it approacheth nearer & nearer: so the warrfare of it upon the earth hath increased sharper & sharper: The persecutions, under the Romaine emperors, the Turks, and last in the usurped dominions of the Prieste of Rome, do sufficiently prove the truth of this matter. Let us remember what hardness, Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, Hooper, Bradford, and the rest, endured of late years with in our own realm, when as it was peaceable and quiet, with all the wicked of the lande. And how hath it gone more lately with the true Christians, and faithful servants of God in our neighbor countries of Flanders, France, and Spayue, as their stories do witness: when as in the mean time, brothels, witches, adulterers, incestuous persons, murderers, blasphemers, ruffians, and abhominable Idolaters were untouched. And was there ever such a judgment under heaven, as after that marriage at Parise fell upon those zealouse and sincere professors of the truth? S. Paul therefore saith truly, of all faithful Christians, that if the hope of the life to come were taken away, of all other men, they were most miserable. If in this life only we believed in Christ, we were (saith he) moste wretched of all others. Neither spake he this, without good matter to lead him unto it. For whereas the wicked, live peaceablie in the world (because the world loveth it own) be free from adversity, and in their prosperity rejoice them selves: the faithful servants of God be always hated and persecuted one way or other: they no sooner creade awry, but the Lord calleth them again into the way, with some scourge, & in the midst of their greatest peace, they be humbled with inward temptations, sorrow for sins past, grief for present and daily falls, doubts & terrors, so as they always work out their salvation with fear & trembling. Insomuch as indeed the most wicked were in better case then they, if their faith, hope, & good conscience, had no other recompense but in this life. But the life to come is their comfort, because they know, that if the tabernacle of this earthly house, be put off and dissolved, they shall have a building given them of God, that is an house not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens. Therefore let us not be discomforted in our troubles, as though for them we might conclude we were forsaken of the Lord, and did not belong unto him. We see here the apostle telleth us, that judgment beginneth at his own house. It followeth.

If it begin first with us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God. We have heard before of the troublesome estate of God's Church & people upon the earth, and how the Lord seemeth to favor the wicked, because for a time they flourish, and be spared in their sins. Now, least the faithful should be deceived with the prosperity of the wicked, and imagine that the Lord would ever bear with them in their naughtiness: here the apostle telleth us, that they likewise must have their course, and that necessarily there must be a time wherein they shall be plagued. For thus doth he reason from the less unto the greater: If God correct them that embrace his gospel, and be careful to do him faithful service, if he begin first to scourge such: is it possible that they should escape moste fearful vengeance, which be sworn enemies to his majesty: superstitious, idolatrous, ignorant, and disobedient to his will? The time certainly will come (God being just) when they shall be rewarded seuenfolde into their bosoms. Therefore let not wicked men presume upon their safety, because they be spared for a time: & let them not insult upon the Seruauntes of God, because they are afflicted and kept under, when themselves, enjoy the desire of their hearts, and often times be the Lord's rods, whereby he whippeth his chosen. For when the Lord hath worn them to the stumps, about the backs of his children, to their great good, then must themselves be thrown into the fire of destruction, because the Lord hath no more use of them. This did Isaiah the prophet prophesy to the comfort of the church in his time: when saith he, the Lord hath acomplished all his work upon Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will visit the fruit of the proud heart of the king of Ashur. As though he should have said: although God for a time, give up his church: to be chastised by the king of Assyria a wicked man, so as he may seem to have cast of his own people forever, and to have taken the proud and irreligious Assyrians in their stead, Yet the time will come, when they shall be restored to their beautye, and the wicked king with his people brought to confusion and ruin: Even when the Lord hath by them, accomplished that correction of his Church, which he hath determined. According to that which he saith in another place: Woe to thee that spoilest, and wast not spoiled: and doest wickedlye, and they did not wickedly against thee: when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled: when thou shalt make an end of doing wickedly, they shall do wickedly against thee. With these testimonies agreeth that of Jeremiah, which he prophesied against the Babylonians, after that the People of God should have been with them in bondage 70. years: I begin to plague the Cytye (saith the Lord) where my name is called upon, and should you go free? You shall not go quit.

And howe truly these Prophesies against the Assyrians, and Babylonians were accomp • ished, may appear to all those that read the Scriptures of the old Testament. To the same purpose might be alleged, that which God long before cold Abraham, concerning the bondage of Israel in Egypt, their wonderful deliverance from thence, and the destruction of Pharaoh and his people. So it came to pass with Saul, when he had a long time afflicted David: with Haman when he had obtained that murdering decree against the Jews, and with Antiochus the tyrants, when for a time they had blasphemed the God of heaven, overthrown his true worship, and killed his people. Saul slew himself: Haman & his children were hanged vpō the gallows, that he had set up for Mordecai: the first Antiochus died in great vexatiō of his mind, & the later so eaten with woormes, that his most familiar friends could not abide him for stink.

Of Henry the second the father, & Charles the ninth the son, kings of France: the first when he had caused much blood to be shed, and lately before had said, that himself would see the burning of a noble Protestāt called Anduburge, had one of his own eyes first put out by Mountgomerie, after a wonderful manner, running with him at a Iusting in sport, and died in great weariness of his life by reason of his pain, the tenth of August. 1559. The other the son, when he had brought to pass that most strange massachre immediately after the marriage of his Sister with the king of Navarre, and had sucked much blood of God's servants afterwards, died himself most miserably y ^e 30. of Maie, 1574. it is writ̄ of him in y ^e french histories, that he was sick of a bloody flixe, and reported for a truth, that blood yssued from diverse partes of his body where there were other natural yssues, so as tossing and tumbling himself in his bed most fearfully: horribly curssing, and blaspheming the name of God, even until his last gasp, which also he had used to do from his childhood, he so ended his wretched life, being at length filled with blood which he had before insaciably thirsted after. Of the Cardinal of Loreine a chief practiser of mischief against God's church who as the stories witness of him, died in a frenzy, and when the priest brought oil to annoint him after their popish order, he thrust his hand into the dishe, and all to be smeared the face of the priest with it. So he died at Auineon. 1574. The like might be said of Herod, Stephen Gardener in England, & others. Such ferful ends c • me to diverse bloody persecutors, as our own countryman M. Fox reporteth. And assure yourselves (O all you wicked of y ^e earth,) y ^• same portiō abideth for you, if you turn not to the Lord. Go to therefore mock on, at the saints of God, set yourselves against his truth, persecute his servants, and proceed in all mischief, and flatter yourselves because God stayeth to punish, & the world smileth upon you: doubt you not but the day will come when you shall pay full dearly for it. And we that suffer, or shall suffer any thing at the hands of the ungodly, let us not be offended at our sufferings, and their prosperity: For it shall be a righteous thing with God, to recompense trouble to those that trouble us, and to our selves rest, if not in this world, yet at the least, when y ^e Lord Jesus shall again show him self from heaven with his mighty Angels. And seeing the apostle saith here, that it must needs go hard with them, that obey not the gospel, let us not content our selves, with a bare and naked profession of the truth: but whatsoever is taught, and we know, let us take heed, that we be obedient thereunto. It followeth.

And if the righteous be scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? By the righteous he understandeth, such as be studious of righteousness, and be careful to please God, although they be not free from all sin.

And by sinners he meaneth not all manner of offendoures, but such as yield them selves to corruption, and delight in wickedness: according as this word is used in other places of the Scripture. Now the purpose of the Apostle in this sentence, is the same with that in the ende of the last Verse: He confidentlye affirmeth, that the wicked must needs be judged with extreme seueritye, sithe the hand of God is often times heavy upon them that fear him. This hardness for y ^e righteous must not be understood, of the last judgment, as some would have it, as though they should not there acquit thems • lues without great difficulty, and be saved without much ado. Noah, we see what saint Paul writeth touching this matter: Who (saith he) shall lay anything to the charge of God's chosen? it is God that justifieth who shall condemue? it is Christ which is dead, yea or rather which is risen again, who is also at the right hand of God, and maketh requests also for us. The sum of his speech is, that there shall be none to accuse, or to pronounce sentence against any of the elect of God, and therefore their passage into glory at that time shall be moste easy. Whereupon our savior Christ willeth us, that we look up, and lift up our heads for joy, whensoever there appear any tokens of the approaching of that day. Which there were no great cause that we should do, if such hardness were then to be endured as some have imagined. And howe should the saying of the son of God be true? blessed be the dead that die in the Lord, and they rest from their labors: if new labors were to be taken in hand at the last judgment. This difficulty therefore is to be understood of this life, according also as the verb (be saved) in the present tense doth evidently show: So as the Apostle his meaning is, that the estate of the godly is so troublesome upon the earth, that they enter not into the kingdom of rest & glory, except first in the world, they have gone thorough infinite dangers, and escaped as it were a thousand deaths. Even as the Apostles preached wheresoever they came, exhorting the disciples to continue in the faith, affirming that they must thorough many afflictions enter into the kingdom of God: and as David saith: Great are the troubles of the righteous: and as S. Paul setteth it down for a principle unto Timothy: that all such as will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution. The truth of this we have heard before: and each man which knoweth any thing of himself, and the Church of God as he ought to know, doeth understand and believe it. Now this being proved true by continual experience: can the Lord be just, thus to chastise and keep in heaviness his faithful servants? except in time, most fearful vengeance light upon the sinners: shall not the judge of all the world do right? Yes verily. For this doth certeinely preach unto us, and crieth as loud in our ears as all the teachers in the world, that there shall be a judgment, when all things shall be brought in good order: when the godly shall cease from all their sorrow, and the wicked shall drink the full cup of God's wrath. Therefore as Jesus Christ said of himself, so may it be spoken of all the children of God forever: if they do these things to a green tree that is fruitful, what shall be done to the dry and barren? And if the righteous be not saved but through so many afflictions: howe miserable must the condition of the sinner be? If Abraham rested not in peace, til he had a great while wandered as a stranger from place to place, was pinched with famine, driven to deny his wife, to strive for water, and commanded to be a butcher of that son in whom the hope of his salvation rested? If Jacob ended not his pilgrimage to pass into glory, till first he was constrained to flee for fear of his own brother: to lie all night in the broad field with a stone under his head for a pillowe: to serve seven years for one wife, & seven for another, under an uncivil and barbarous uncle: to abide manifold stirs & discords in his house between his wives: to be checked by Laban's children: to be deceived by their father: to have his own daughter ravished: his sons Simeon and Leuie, to commit most horrible murder: to have one of his wives abused by his own son: his dearling Joseph torn in pieces of wild beasts as he was brought to believe: and in his old age to be vexed with hungre. O Lord, what shall be the ende of the ungodly? If the Prophets in their time: If Jesus Christ himself the Lord of glory: & his holy Apostles, endured the displeasure of princes, imprisonments in myerie dungeons, buffetings, whippings, scornings, sawing asunder, crucifying, stoning and beheading, before they were glorified? O howe miserable shall the portion be of the sinner? It the most famous witnesses of Jesus Christ, Jerome of Prague, John Hus, Wycliffe, Cranmer, Latimer, Hooper, Ridley, Philpot, Bradford. the Shatillion of France, Bucer, Paulus Fagius and the rest, entered not into heaven till they were first imprisoned, mocked, dragged through the streets, scorched, and their flesh with fire consumed unto asshes: If the last two, could not be glorified in their bodies, till first they were taken up being dead, and their bones burnt: If so strange a kind of manacle was Cuthbearde Simpsons Ladder into heaven? Is any tongue able to express, or any heart able to conceive, the height & depth of the miseries prepared for the wicked, and all the enemies of the Church? although for a time in this world, they prosper and have peace. If such as have lived without all blame before men: or for a time having gone out of the way, do afterward vnfeynedly repent, and become as zealous in God's matters, as they have been forward in corrupt • 〈◊〉 and declare as great a detestation of 〈◊〉 •• ines in themselves and others, as ever they shown liking of the same: yet for all that, in this life endure extreme poverty, as did Lazarus: be plunged in the gul • e of all outward miseries as was Job, who scraped the filth from his body with a po • sherd, and was even loathed of his own wife: be pressed with such agonies of the soul, as no tongue can utter, as was that Job, David and others: insomuch as they refuse all comfort of meat, spend many nights without sleep, flee the company of men, fear everything that they see: the earth lest it should take them down quick, the heavens lest they should fall, and crushe them to pieces, and all creatures, because they see nothing but horror in them. Moreover be troubled with strange visions and dreams, be brought marvelous low in their bodies, their bones weakened, their flesh consumed, and their eyes sunk in their head: that when it is evening, they say, would God it were morning, and when it is morning, they say, would God it were evening. And that which is the depth of all misery, have their sins (committed by them since they had any understanding) at one time brought to their remembrance, & all comfort concerning hope of remission so taken away (because they can see nothing in God but an angry judge) that in the end they break out into these most lamentable speeches: woe is me poor caytife that ever I was born: cursed be the hour wherein I was conceived, and the day wherein I first faw the sun: O that God had made me a Serpente to lick the dust upon the earth, or a toad to creep upon the ground: so should my misery have ended at my death. But now alas I know it shall be mine entrance tnto eternal pains, hell is my portion, and there I must remain forever: I am most sure of it. Comfort you not me (my friends) the promises of God belong to you and to his elect: there is no mercy for me: I have so grievously offended: I feel my self destitute of all marks of God's child: and I was a reprobate from before the beginning. If for a time such be thus cast down, & peradventure thrown into greater miseries then any of these rehearsed, that no comforts be able to raise up their tired souls, but either yet wrestling with Satan and despair, or else overcome by them, be pressed out of all measure: And notwithstanding all these, recover afterwards, & casting away all horror, doubting and slavish sea • e, by their faith mount above the heavens, where they see their Savior whom their soul hath longed after, sitting at the right hand of God: so as they bewail their former unbelief, lament those speeches of despair, be thoroughly persuaded of the remission of all their sins, have certain hope of eternal life, & become so comfortable in God's promises, that by his grace they be able to raise up such as doubt and fear: & finally leave behind them undoubted proofs of the elect of God, that to all such as have judgment and understanding, they appear plainly to have been sealed up unto eternal life from the beginning? Can it otherwise be, but that there are unspeakable torments after this life, appointed to such as make a sport of sin, never turn to God, and die without repentantaunce: although in this world they abound with all health, wealth, and prosperity? let us therefore rejoice in all our afflictions, wherein we take part with all the servants of God: and let us not be offended at the prosperity of the ungodly: the time will come when we shall have comfort, & when they shall be tormented: For so doth it stand with the truth & justice of God, according to that which Abraham said to the rich man in hell: son remember that thou in thy life time receyuedst thy pleasures, and likewise Lazarus pains: now therefore is he comforted, & thou art tormented. If followeth.

Therefore let them that suffer according to the will of God: commit their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

This is the conclusion of the whole treatise: as though he should have said on this wise: since the afflicting of the church is no new thing, since it is a mean to try the good from the bad, and to make them better, in whom there is (by the grace of God) some goodness: since in all sufferings it is a partaker with Jesus Christ, & shall rejoice with him, when he appeareth again in glory: since we be happy when we be railed upon in the name Christ, because the • pirite of God & of glory resteth upon us: since we suffer not as evil doers, but as Christians, & so have no cause to be ashamed: since the time is now, wherein the Lord will scourge his own house: and hereafter will most severely proceed against the wicked although he spare them for a time: Let us continue in well doing, and committee our selves to him, that is faithful, and able to keep that, which we trust him with. There is yet another comfort for us in this verse, that we heard not before: and that is where he telleth us, that we be not afflicted by the will and pleasure of men, but only at the pleasure & appointment of the Lord. To prove this point of doctrine, I shall not need to labor much: the truth of it should soon be granted, if we knew what we said in this confession: I believe in God the father almighty maker of heaven and earth. For what is this else, but to ascribe such a sovereign power unto God, that nothing is done nor can be done, in heaven, earth, or hell, but that only which he determineth & appointeth? The devil himself could not stir one foot forward, to hurt Job in his cattle, children, or himself, till the Lord from heaven had first said, go: Nay the legion of Devils, could not touche one of the Gadarenes swine, til the Lord Jesus had first given them license. And shall we think that mortal men, (whose malice against the hurch is not so deadly, nor their power so great) can so much as lift up a finger to pul a hair frō the faces of any of God's children, till first the Lord have taken order for the matter? we be deceived, & greatly detogate from the majesty of the almighty, if we once imagine any such thing. Whereupon Nabucadonizer in the midst of all his malice to the Jews the church of God, is termed the Lord's servant: because in deed as an hangman or executioner, he did nothing else, but that which he had determined. Although the sin of the king was in this behalf great, because his purpose was not to do the will of the Lord, but to satisfy his own proud and cruel affections. So is Ashur. (y ^e king of Assyria) called the rod of God. And to this purpose it is said in the acts, that Poncius Pilate and the Jews, in condemning and crucifying the son of God, did that which the father before had appointed. Insomuch as it may be truly concluded, that the devil and all the wicked of the earth, in their extremist rage against the saints, do nothing else but the will of God, although they know it not, neither do it to any such intent, since they wholly oppose themselves against his majesty. And yet the Lord must not be charged to be the author of evil: for the self same fact, I mean the troubling of the church, in respect of God, and his purpose therein, is holy, glorious, righteous, full of mercy, and to the great good of his servants: which nevertheless in respect of the instruments by whom God worketh it, is wicked, unjust, full of cruelty, and intended to the hurt of his children. But enough of this common place, that the enemies of the faithful, be nothing else, but the Lord's rods, wherewith he exerciseth his people: and that of themselves they can do no more, then a rod or a whip out of the hand of the smiter. Now this teacheth us not to fear the faces of the ungodly, nor to be dismayed at their threats: the Lord appointeth them certain bonds, beyond the which they can not pass the breadth of an hair. And this offereth unto us great comfort. For what child that is wise and hath understanding, doeth not rejoice, in the correction of his father? since being persuaded of his fatherly and tender affection, he is out of doubt, that it is well meant, and shall turn to his good. Seeing then the Lord is our Father, & his compassion over us, passeth the kindness of a mother toward the infant sucking upon her breast: Let us be comfortable in all our afflictions, since they come from him, and fall upon us according to his will. And that we may have to cheare us in all our distresses, let us seriosly meditate upon this one thing: the Lord sendeth them. After which consideration: it by the testimony of the spirit crying in our hearts (Abba) father, & the sanctification of our lives, we can persuade our selves, that we be his children: y ^e present smart shall not quail us, because of the fruit of righteousness following after: & it must needs turn to our best, because it cometh from our father. Thus much of these words of y ^e apostle: Let so many as be afflicted according to the will of God. &c.

His conclusion is, that in all well doing we commend our souls unto God, that hath made them. For, as we have before in the time of our peace, declared some rare of pleasing God, and doing his will: so is it our duties to continue in our afflictions, and not for them, to take any liberty to do evil. And therefore we must not murmur against the Lord, as though he dealt hardly with us: we must not be fainthearted to deny his truth: we must not be bitter to our enemies in curssing of them, and rewarding them as they deal with us: but with all patience, weekenesse, gentleness, courage, forgiving of our adversaries, and praying for them: constantly to endure whatsoever the Lord will try us with, according to the precepts of the scriptures, & the example of David, Christ himself, Stephen, and the rest of the holy martyrs, which blessed their persecutors, and in the destruction of their bodies, committed their spirits into the hands of God: In whom they believed, that he was faithful, & able to keep safe whatsoever was commended unto him: whose steppes if we do follow, according to the doctrine of the apostle in this place: then, although our bodies be turned into dust, whence they came, being racked by Tyrants, cast in prison, burnt, and the ashes thrown into rivers: yet unto our souls they shall offer no violence, but being committed into the hands of the Lord, shall return to him that gave them, till the day come when all our enemies shall be troaden under our feet: when the earth and Sea, rendering their dead, body and Soul shall meet together, to be crowned in token of victory, and with all the holy Angels to take full possession of that glorious and immortal kingdom, which now we hope for. Where we shall follow the Lamb wheresoerver he goeth, and sing praises to him that hath redeemed us forever. Which days the Lord hasten, that we may be partakers of that happiness, even for Jesus Christ his sake, to whom with y ^e Father & the holy ghost, three persons & one true and everliving God, be all praise, honor, power, might and dominion, now and for evermore. Amen, Amen. Amen.