This sentence ought to be hadde in remembraunce of all men: for if we haue nothing but that which we haue receiued, what can we deserue? or what nede we to dispute and reason of our owne merites? It cometh of the fre gift of God, that we liue, that we loue God, that we walke in his feare. where is our deseruing then? we must also in this our spirituall warfare arme our selues with continuall prayer, a very necessary, strōg, and inuincible weapō, MarginaliaMath. 26 and after the example of Christ, and all other godly men, crie hartely vnto God in faithe, in all our distresses and anguishes. MarginaliaHeb. 4Lette vs goo boldely to the seate of grace, where we shalbe sure to receiue mercie, and finde grace to helpe in tyme of nede. Marginalia1. Mach. 4For nowe is pryde and persecution encreased: nowe is the tyme of destruction and wrathfull displeasure. Wherfore my deare brethren, be ye feruēt in the law of God, and ieoperde ye your liues if nede shall so require, for the testament of the fathers, and soo shall ye receiue great honour, and an euerlastyng name. Remember Abraham: MarginaliaGene. 22 was not he found faithfull in temptation, & it was reckened vnto him for righteousnes? MarginaliaGene. 41Ioseph in time of his trouble kept the commaundement, and was made a Lorde of Egypt: MarginaliaNum. 25Phinees was so feruent for the honour of God, that he obteyned the couenaunt of an euerlasting priesthod: MarginaliaIosua. 1Iosua for fulfilling the woorde of God, was made the captaine of Israell. MarginaliaNum. 14Caleb bare recorde before the Congregation, and receiued an heritage. Marginalia1. Reg. 24Dauid also in his mercifull kyndnes obteined þe throne of an euerlasting kingdome. Marginalia4. Reg. 2Elias being zelouse and feruent in the lawe, was taken vp into heauē. MarginaliaDan. 3Ananias, Azarias, and Misael remained stedfast in the faith, and were deliuered out of the fyre. In like maner MarginaliaDan. 6Daniell being vngiltie, was saued from the mouthe of the Lions.
[Back to Top]And thus ye maye consider throughout all ages synce the worlde began, that whosoeuer put their trust in God, were not ouercome. MarginaliaPsalm. 38.Feare not ye then the wordes of vngodly mē: for their glorie is but donge and wormes, to daye are they sette vp, and to morowe are they gone. for they are turned into earth, and their memoriall cometh to naught. Wherfore lette vs take good hartes vnto vs, and quite our selues lyke menne in the lawe: for if we doo the thinges that are commaunded vs in the lawe of the Lorde our God, we shall obteine great honour therein.
[Back to Top]Beloued in Christ, let vs not faint because of affliction, wherewith God trieth all them that ar sealed vnto life euerlasting: MarginaliaActes. 14. for the only waye into the kyngdome of God, is through muche tribulation. For the kyngdome of heauen (as God teacheth vs by his Prophet Esdras Marginalia4. Esd. 4) is lyke a citie builded & set vpon a broade
[Back to Top]fielde, and full of all good thinges: but the enteraunce is narrowe and sodayne, full of sorowe and trauaile, perils and labours, like as if there were a fire at the right hande, & a depe water at the lefte. And as it were one strayte path betwene them both, so small, that there coulde but one man go there. if this citie now were geuē to an heire, & he neuer wēt through the perillos way, how would he receiue his enheritaunce? Wherfore seing we are in this narowe and strayte waye, whiche leadeth vnto the moste ioyfull and pleasaunt citie of euerlasting life: let vs not stagger, either turne back, being aftraid of the daungerouse and perilouse waye, but follow our captaine Iesus Christe in the narowe and strayte waye, and be affraid of nothing, no not euen of death it selfe: for it is he that must leade vs to our iourneys ende, and open vs the dore vnto euerlasting lyfe. Consider also the course of this worlde, howe many there be whiche for their maisters sake, or for a litle promotions sake, woulde aduenture their lyues in worldly affaires, as cōmonly in warres, and yet is their reward but light and trasitorie, and ours is vnspeakable, great & euerlasting. They suffer paines to be made Lordes on earth for a short season: how muche more ought we to endure like paines (yea peraduēture much lesse) to be made kinges in heauen for euer more? Consider also the wicked of this worlde, which for a litle pleasures sake, or to be auenged on their enemies, wil fight with swearde and weapons, and put them selues in daunger of imprysonment and hanging. So muche as vertue is better then vice, and God myghtier then the Deuill, so muche oughte we to excell them in this our spiritual battail. And seing brethren, it hath pleased God to set me, and that moste worthy minister of Christ, Iohn Bradford, your countremen in the forefront of this battaile, where (for the time) is moste daunger, I beseche you all in the bowels of Christe to helpe vs: and all others our fellowsouldiers, standing in like perilouse place, with your praiers to God for vs, that we may quite our selues like menne in the Lorde, and geue some example of boldnes and constancie, myngled with pacience in the feare of God, that ye and others our brethren, through our example, may be so encouraged and strengthened to followe vs, that ye also may leaue example to your weake brethren in the worlde, to followe you, Amen.
[Back to Top]Consider what I saye: the Lorde geue vs vnderstanding in all thinges. Brethren, the time is short: Marginalia2. Tim. 2 it remayneth that ye vse this worlde as though ye vsed it not. for the fashion of this worlde vanysheth awaye. Marginalia1. Cor. 7.See that ye loue not the worlde, neyther the thynges that are in the worlde. Marginaliai. Iohn. 2
[Back to Top]