AN EXCELLENT AND LEARNED TREATISE OF APOSTASY MADE BY the most reverend and godly learned man M. john de l'Espine Minister of the word of God in the Church of Angers in the Dukedom of Anjou.  
DIRECTED AGAINST THE Apostates in the Churches of France.  
Written first in the French tongue by the author himself, and now faithfully translated into English.  
The contents of the book appear in the page following.  
ANCHORA SPEI   blazon or coat of arms 
* Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautrollier dwelling in the Blackfriars near Ludgate.  
Anno. 1587.   

THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPters following in this Treatise.  

The Preface. Chap. 1.  
That there is want of judgement in the Apostates. Chap. 2.  
What the wretchedness of the Apostates is. Chap. 3.  
That God departeth from the Apostates. Chap. 4.  
That the Apostates are ever pursued by the justice of God which suffereth them not to have any rest in their consciences. Chap. 5.  
That the Apostates are without God though, they think and defend the contrary. Chap. 6.  
That as the Apostates are without God, so they are without Christ. Chap. 7.  
That the Apostates being departed from jesus Christ are miserable. Chap. 8.  
That the Apostates being separated from jesus Christ are also deprived of his spirit. Chap. 9  
That as the Apostates have given over God, which in the author of life, so also they do contemn those means which they may use to come unto him. Chap. 10.  
That the Apostates are deprived of the Sacraments as well as of the word. Chap. 11.  
That the Apostates have no faith. Chap. 12.  
That the Apostates are without the Church. Chap. 13.  
That it is a most dangerous thing for the delayers of time who know the true Church not to adjoin themselves presently unto it. Chap. 14.  
What the causes are which hinder the delayers from coming to the Church, and how light and frivolous they are. Chap. 15.    

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL MASTER THOMAS RANDOLPH Esquire, Master and Comptrouller of her majesties Posts, and one of the Chamberlains of her highness Exchequer:  
THOMAS VAUTROLLIER Printer, wisheth prosperity in this life, and the joys of the life to come.  
OUR Saviour Christ, (Right Worshipful, and most Christian Gentleman) setting forth the state of the kingdom of heaven, by the parable of the seed, Matth 13. teacheth, that some felvp●n stony ground, where it had not much earth, and ●one it sprang up, because it had not depth of earth, and when the Sun rose up, it was parched, and for lack of rooting withered away; which our Saviour himself in the 20. verse of the same chapter expoundeth to be, he who heareth the word, and incontinently with joy receiveth it, yet hath he no root in himself, and dureth but a season; for assoon as tribulation or persecution cometh because of the word, by and by he is offended. The truth of which doctrine hath been most evident in the Church of God in all ages. 
Gen. 18.  Lot his wife will needs look back to filthy Sodom, because it is a rich, and a pleasant place; and the old sons of Israel rather than they will suffer a little adversity as the people of God, will return into Egypt (an accursed land) so they may have their Leeks, their Garlic, and Onions; and many will rather return to Caiphas, and to the palace of th● High Priest, 
Heb. 13.13  than they will go forth with Iesu● Christ out of the Camp, bearing his reproach refusing utterly to drink of the cup of th● Son of God, to wear his cognisance, and ar● ashamed of the choler of his order; and wil● at no hand suffer any thing with jesus Chris● (who hath suffered all things for them,) t● reign, and to be glorified for ever with him● And surely very miserable experience hereo● in these last times, may daily be seen in th● Churches about us, as those of France, and other places: so many for the heat of persecution, and lest they should bear the cross of Christ, have, and daily do return to that spiritual Egypt, and mystical Babylon, the mother of all abominations. Among many revolts and defections, there hath been none more fearful and horrible, than that most dreadful Apostasy, which befell not long since on Saint Bartholomewes' day, in the Churches of Anjou; so many falling away, which never since returned to the sheepfold of Christ: which moved this excellent and godly learned man, Master I de l'Espine, Minister of the word of God, in the Church of Angers, to write this most excellent Treatise unto them, that they might remember from whence they be fallen; that they may see how they have defiled the Temple of God, and made sad his holy spirit, and the holy Angels to be in sorrow and heaviness, beholding their fall, in betraying the son of God, and in slandering the sufferings of his glorious Martyrs, banished & driven from ●heir countries and houses, deprived and forsaken of their fathers, mothers, wives, children, parents, & friends, cast into dungeons among Toads and Serpents, bound and fettered, with ●ll cruelty and outrage by hangmen and executioners mangled, afflicted, and tormented. But alas these have refused this so great an honour, 
1. Pet. 4. Rom. 8.  as to communicate with the passions of jesus Christ, and to be made conformable unto his image, in suffering with him, and for the profession of his most glorious Gospel. This godly and learned Treatise, written by the Author in the French tongue, for the use and benefit especially of his own Church, being delivered and commended unto me by a reverend and learned man, faithfully translated into English: I thought it a meditation very necessary in these times for the Church of England also: who although now (God be praised) she need notto shrink for any fiery trial yet she knoweth not how near the Lord his visitation is, 
Mat. 25.  and our Saviour teacheth his servants continually to watch. That I have presumed to dedicate it unto your Worship. 〈◊〉 think few men will ask, and no man ought to marvel, who knoweth your zealous and most Christian profession; and the great duties wherein I stand bound to your Worship for your great favour and assistance in my distresses and afflictions. Only I beseech you t● receive it as a signification of my thankful mind in duty towards your Worship. The Lord give you grace still to continue even t● the end, to bless you here with all increase of Worship, and with all spiritual joys in heavenly things, in his most blessed Son Christ jesus. London, From my poor house in the Blackfriars this present 9 of May. 1587.  
Your Worships in all duty THOMAS VAUTROLLIER.   
Heb. 6.4. It is impossible that they, which were once lightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come. If they fall away should be renewed again by repentance: seeing they crucify again to themselves the son of God, and make a mock of him. Heb. 10.26. If we sin willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a fearful looking for of judgement, and violent fire, which shall devour the adversaries.  

To the Reader.  
THere is some space of time expired since, that I purposed to write some little treatise of Apostasy, and especially since the slaughter committed on Saint Bartholomewe his day, in the which there chanced a most horrible & fearful revolting in all our Churches, so that of three parts two of them at the least slipped back, of those which in the beginning entered into it with so great readiness and courage, that it seemed they would continually abide in it, without a mind ever to depart, whatsoever temptation should offer itself unto them. Nevertheless I had hitherto deferred the same hoping that the fear being overpassed, which as a storm and vehement wind, had carried them away from the sheepfold, and having had leisure to settle themselves and gather their wits together, they might either of themselves return, or else be easily called back again by the voice of their pastors. But perceiving that the most part of the Apostates, do not only slumber & harden themselves in their sins: but also become contemners of God, and blaspeme without shame his word and the true religion, and not content with this, strive by all means to withdraw those from the house of God which continued steadfast in his service, and to hinder those that desire to enter into it again. I deemed it not meet to dissemble any longer, but to be necessary to put in execution the charge which God hath given his servants whom he hath placed in the Church, not only to pronounce remission of sins, to all those who by a lively faith will lay hold of it through the preaching of the Gospel: but also the withholding of the same, from all those, who with an hard and obstinate heart, do stillre●ect the words and promises of salvation. Which must not seem strange, seeing the Ministers of the Gospel be not only ordained to unloose & absolve those that believe, but also to bind and condemn those that remain obstinate in their infidelity. For which cause God seeing the stubbornness and hardness of the Jews, doth send unto them his Prophet Esay, to blind and harden them yet more. 
Esay. 6.9.  Go (saith he) and say unto this people ye shall hear in deed, but ye shall not understand: ye shall plainly see, and not perceive. Make the heart of this people fat, make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with eyes, and hear with ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert, and he heal them. Which afterward was oftentimes alleged against the jews by jesus Christ, 
Matth. 13. Mark. 14. Luk. 8. Acts. 28. Rom. 11.  & his Apostles, to condemn their obstinacy. And as Moses publishing the law, said to the people, that in it he set before their eyes life & death, according to their obedience or disobedience towards the same, so S. Paul writeth, that the one & the other are represented in the Gospel, according as the men to whom it is preached, are faithful or unfaithful. We are, 
2. Cor. 2.15.  (saith he) unto God the sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: that is to say, to the one the savour of death unto death, & to the other the savour of life unto life. And jesus Christ also, as Simeon said to the Virgin, is not he as well appointed for the fall, as for the rising again of many in Israel? 
Luk. 2.34.  And as he is to some sanctification and salvation, is he not likewise to others a block of stumbling, and of offence, a snare and a net unto all those which abide in unbelief? If then it chance that any Apostates or delayers of time will spare so much leisure as to read this treatise: I desire them that it may be with great attention, and that without any passionate or prejudicate mind, they weigh all the reasons and arguments of the same, setting always that before their eyes, which jesus Christ spoke to his Apostles: that whatsoever they should bind on earth by his word should be ratified & firmly bound in heaven. To the end they may not deceive themselves in their discourses & vain imaginations, esteeming the thoughts of God to be as their thoughts, & his ways as their ways: contrary unto that which the Prophet saith. Let all of us therefore give place unto the word of God, and let us believe that it shall be sure for ever & endure eternally. And considering that by the decree and irrevocable ordinance of God it is necessary that all knees should bend to do homage unto jesus Christ: let us rather choose to acknowledge and embrace him now for a Saviour, and wellspring of life, then in the end be constrained to avouch him and find him, as the Devils, a judge that will not be entreated, and a consuming fire.   

A TREATISE OF APOSTASY MADE BY M. I. DE L'ESPINE MInister of the word of God in the Church of Angers.  

The Preface.  
Chap. 1.  
THE inconstancy of men is a thing which cannot be but most wonderful, unto those who will consider it well, which may be perce●ued divers ways: but especially in the variety and alteration of their purposes & affections, and in that they can not find any state of life in this world, which may either wholly satisfy their humour, or in which they an abide and rest any long time, for being by ●and by glutted with the thing which they presently enjoy, they do either with grief de●re that which is not any more in their power, ●r else long for those things which they could ●ot as yet obtain, and when they have obtained them, they will loathe them aswell as those which erst they had enjoyed. And are like unto those who having a queasy stomach, find nothing well seasoned for their tooth: or as sick bodies which are not able to find any good resting place in bed, wheresoever they be laid. And although God by an especial favour, doth call some of them into his house, 
Heb. 6.4.  and bringing them into his church, doth adopt them into his family to lighten them, and to make them taste of the heavenly gift and of the good word of God, to make them partakers of the holy ghost, & of the powers of the world to come, which is a condition the best that can be chosen or desired in the world, and the which alone is able to bring contentment, and a perfect felicity to all those that can obtain it: Nevertheless there are some so crooked & froward, that having tasted of it, do in the end loath and disdain it aswell as the other. Though in deed: the dwelling in the house of God be so happy a thing, 
Psal. 84.  that the silly doorekeepers of the same aught to account themselves more happy for having a little corner to abide in it, then if they had in other places the most rich, gorgeous, & stately buildings in the whole world. But that befalleth these kind of men which the Poete● and fables do record of the moon, who desiry●ng her mother that she might have a garment, made fit and proportionable for he● body: she excusing herself, said: my daughter how can that be since thou hast a body subject to so many changes and alterations, and which never any space retaineth the same form? Even so it is not possible to fit these men which are so inconstant and unstable, of any estate wherein they can abide, and although to cover their shame, and to cloak somewhat their inconstancy, they seek some vain and frivolous excuses, striving to ●ay the fault of their lightness, upon that side which they had chosen: raising all the false rumours & seladers that they can imagine, to diffame it & to show that they have not forsaken ●t without great cause: nevertheless when all things shallbe narrowly searched, all the blame will light in their own necks, and in the end ●t will appear, that even as, one can not fit a garment for him that hath a body misshaped, ●or a shoe for him that hath a stubbed foot, ●ot because of the imperfection of the garment, ●r shoe, but because of the body and of the ●oote to which they should be fitted: so these ●inde of men, cannot find any estate which ●oth beseem them, or is altogether answerable to their appetite, only because of the de●ulte and corruption of their minds, which ●e perverse & crooked, for as a body strong & well made, can aswell bear the great colds, and intolerable sharpness of winter, as the extremest heats of summer: so a mind well disposed and aswell instructed, is ever like unto itself, and doth not change according to the diversity of chances which happen unto it: but having foreseen that in all kinds of life, there is pleasure and pain, sweet and sour, and a like succession and recourse from the one to the other, is never but well resolved happen what will: but in all mutations remaineth steadfast, and as a quadrate and foursquare body, is ever firm and stable on what side soever it be laid.   

That there is want of judgement in the Apostates.  
Chap. 2.  
WHat can then be said or judged o● these wretched Apostates of our days, who have so disloyally betrayed and denied jesus Christ, forsaken the Church for the redeeming and sanctifying whereof, he yelde● himself to death, and rejected the doctrine o● the Gospel which was sent us down from heaven by the spirit of God, 
Ephe. 5.25 2. Pet. 1. Heb. 1. 1. Tim. 3.  received of all th● patriarchs, preached by the Prophets, Iesu● Christ and his Apostles believed and approved in the world, and sealed by the death and blout of so many millions of Martyrs and faithful witnesses, all which with great constancy and invincible courage, have confessed and maintained it even before Kings and Emperors, being not astonied either with their presence, or threatenings, or with most cruel torments which were prepared for them, or with any danger which either could be set before their eyes, or else which they themselves could conceive? what ca they allege to colourther Apostasy? They will in deed condene in the company of infidels, (which allow all that they say & take pleasure ●n their talk) our Religion in general: yea there ●e some so far gone and so shameless, that they dare openly name it evil: But when any do urge them to show or note some particular ●ointe, either in the doctrine or discipline, or ●ls in the whole order which we use in our Churches, that may with reason be reprehended: them they become as dumb as dogs, and ●ewe unto all men of judgement & good understanding that they are but backbiters & that it ●s not any want, or colour, that they have espied ●n the religion, that hath caused them to revolt or hindered them from persevering constantly in the ●me, as many have done, unto the end: But ●at it was their own affections, which make all ●ose unsteadfast & inconstant which are not able to rule and govern them: and a grief of mind, which can not bear the burden & weight of the cross, 
1. Tim. 3.  which is joined with the profession of the true religion. And finally a rashness and raging of the passions, which bear rule in that kind of men, & do egg them forward, and carry them away in all their intents and actions, more by a blind and unbridled fury, then by a prudent & sage counsel, & if there had been in them but the least spark of wit and discretion, before they had embraced the Religion, should they not have listened to the counsel of jesus Christ, 
Luk. 14.24  & followed the example of those who intending to build a great & sumptuous house, do before the undertaking thereof cast an account of the cost & charges which must be bestowed thereon, lest that not having well weighed their wealth, taking more in hand then they are able to perform, they be constrained with shame in the end to leave their work unfinished: or of the king who going to war with another, forecasteth diligently whether his power b● sufficient to overcome his enemy: fearing lest that, he assaulting him being but weak, he should be vanquished and put to flight? Our Apostates likewise, ought they not before they embraced the Religion, to have considered first of all the incommodities and commodities they should reap thereby: and that no man is meet to follow Christ which is not resolved to expose himself to the hatred, 
Math. 5.  reproaches, injuries, and persecutions of the whole world? that hath not a cross continually laden on his shoulders to the which he be ready to be nailed and tied up for the confession of the name of God when as his hour shall come? 
Math. 10.  which also is not ready to give over with a cheerful heart, father, mother, wife, children, 
Math. 19  friends, houses, lands, honours, estates, kindred, goods, riches, pleasures, rest, liberty, life, and all whatsoever he accounteth most dear and precious unto him in this world, to follow Christ? And who, to conclude according to the example of Moses, 
Heb. 11.25.  doth not rather chose to suffer adversity with the people of God, then to en●oye the pleasures of sin for a season: estee●nying the Cross and rebuke of Christ greater ●riches, than all the glory and treasures not one●y of Egypt, but also of all the Realms and Empires of the whole earth. If the Apostates ●ad been wise and well advised, they ought to ●aue forecast all these things in their minds before they entered into the Church, and after ●o have considered, whether in taking of this ●arte upon these ca●●●ons and conditions, their strength were sufficient to sustain them, which they did not: but as freshwater soldiers, who for want of experience think, when they cause themselves to be enroled, and when first they muster under their captains, that there is no trouble, no labour, no city, no force, that shall encounter with them, which they are not able to foil and overthrow: and yet nevertheless be discouraged and dismayed as soon as they come to any assault or skirmish, or else to any sore encounter wherein it behoveth them to bestir themselves, and show in deed their virtue and valour. So they which never had assayed the enemies of jesus Christ, nor borne the brunts and assaults which the devil, the world, the flesh, the Antichrist and all their troops do raise against him, and all those that follow him, thought that the profession of the Gospel had been but a play or sport, and under that hope entered into the Church of God. But perceiving the evil entreaty which the children of God receive in it at the hands of the world, they continued not long in it without repenting, and seeking the means by the which they might withdraw themselves from it, 
joh. 6.  with some honest cloak if it might be possible: because they could be content to follow jesus Christ, as those who hoped to have lived of free cost in his company, and to find always the tables furnished: but not as Simon of Cyren, upon condition to carry his cross after him. I appeal unto your consciences, O ye Apostates, is not this the truth of it? If the kitchen of the huguenots had been as fat as that of the Canons, Bishops, Abbots and Cardinals of Papistry, and the Religion which we follow as easy to the flesh, as Antichristes, you would doubtless have stayed with us: being yet at this day convinced in your own consciences, at least if there remain any at all in you, that the ●ruth is on our side, and that the service done unto God in our Churches is wholly administered according to the rules and ordinances which he himself hath left us in his word: and that contrariwise the Popes and all his adherents Religion, is nothing else but mere trifles and toys, and vain ceremonies, which light headed men have invented and established in ●he Church of God of their own brain, 
Psal. 119.  when the candle of the word of God was extinguished and put out, which ought ever to go be●ore us as a light, to lighten and guide us in all things which we do to serve him: for we can ●ot swerver never so little from it but we shall ●umble by and by, like silly blind men: considering that the whole service of God to be ●ue and lawful, must be measured by obedience, which can only be grounded upon his laws and holy decrees. 
1. Sam. 15.  For if we will go about to do any thing which concerneth his service, except that which he himself hath expressly prescribed: he will say unto us that which is written in the prophesy of Esay, 
Esay. 1.12.  who required or sought these things at your hands? Let the Apostates than give glory unto God, and cease, if they can, from blaspheming against the spirit of God, against the doctrine of the Gospel, against the Church, against jesus Christ: to conclude against the truth and wisdom which they themselves have justified and approved, when they were as yet in their right wits, and when as the devil which is entered into their hearts with seven other spirits worse than himself had not troubled their minds, as he hath done since they are departed from the house of God: and let them accuse rather their own foolish inconstancy, which hath caused them to give over the best side without all comparison, and the surest, & the most honourable, that can be chosen by reasonable men, namely God his side of which David speaketh, 
Psal. 16.5.  The Lord is the portion of mine inhetaunce and of my cup, thou shalt maintain my lot, the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places: yea, I have affair heritage. And moreover I will praise the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also teach me in the ●ightes. I have set the Lord always before me: for he is at my right hand: therefore I shall not slide. And ●n another place: yet I was always with thee: 
Psal. 73.23  thou ●ast held me by my right hand: thou wilt guide me ●y thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.   

What the wretchedness of the Apostates is.  
Chap. 3.  
But now let the Apostates stay themselves here a while to consider, into what a ●eepe pit and gulf of wretchedness and miseries they have cast themselves into, leaving God, who is the wellspring and fountain of ●ife & alfelicitie: 
Psal. 36.8.  in whom alone consisteth all ●he good that we can ever desire, look or hope ●or: and who alone by his abundance, is able ●o satisfy and content all our appetites, and ●onely by the brightness of his countenance, 
Psal. 16.  ●o make us perfectly happy. The happy and eternal life, saith S. Augustine, consists in that we live with God and of God: that is to say that he himself be the soul which doth animate and quicken us, and the food which doth ●ourish us. O God, said David: 
Psal. 23.  thou art my portion and all my good: and in the 23. Psalm: The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want: which is to say, that we may handle more particularly that which he saith in general; into what danger so ever I fall thou shalt be my Saviour: in darkness thou shalt be my light: in war, thou shalt be my defender: in sickness thou shalt be my Physician: in sorrow and weariness of mind, thou shalt be my comfort: in my feebleness, thou shalt be my support: in perplexity, thou shalt be my counsel: when I am gone astray, thou shalt be my guide: being fallen, thou shalt take me up again: standing, thou shalt maintain me: in poverty, thou shalt be my treasure: in misery, thou shalt be my felicity: in pain, thou shalt be my solace: in sin thy mercy shallbe my justice: in judgement thy grace shallbe my absolution: to conclude in death, thy spirit shallbe my life. There is nothing then that can be wanting unto us in God in whom are all things: what didst thou think, O thou most wretched creature, when as thou forsookest him to yield thyself over unto Idols, 
Psal. 115.5  which cannot teach thee any thing, being dumb, nor see thy miseries, being blind, nor hear thy prayers, being deaf, 
jer. 10.  nor defend thee, being unable, nor go and come to succour thee, 
Hab. 2.  being notable to bestir themselves at all: dost thou not serve this day for an example to verify the saying of the Prophet? 
Psal. 115.8  that those which serve and worship them are like unto them: having no more sense or understanding than they have? for it is not needful to allege any other argument to prove that thou art deprived of all judgement, than the only exchange and permutation which thou hast made of god to Idol, which is as much as to say of an all to a nothing, and of a happiness to a misery: for so the false gods are called in the Scripture. May we not now ●ay of thee and of those that are like unto thee, ●hat which the Prophet jeremy once spoke with great exclamation. O ye heavens, 
jer. 2.12.  be astonished at this: be afraid and utterly confounded, saith the Lord: for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me the ●ontaine of living waters, to dig them pits, ●uen broken pits, that can hold no water. If a husband's were cruel, rigorous, and altogether ●ntollerable in his manners, and in his conversation, the wife which should leave him, and ●epart from his house, not being able to bear ●is evil entreaty which he should use toward ●er, might in some respect be excused: but if ●e should love her as he ought to do, and in ●ll things be gentle and bountiful unto her, supporting her in all her infirmities, and entreating her with all meekness and, should she not be blamed and condemned of all the world, if she would forsake him? What then can these Apostates object against God wherewithal to cover their Apostasy? 
Psal. 145. Matth, 9 Matth. 5. Psal. 145.8 verse 15. Psal. 146.7  God, I say, who is so meek and gentle, whose mercy, as the Prophet saith, endureth for ever, who alone is good, and causeth his sun to shine upon the good and bad, and who doth send the rain both to the just and unjust. Who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great mercy, who is good to all, and his mercy is over all his works. The eyes of all, saith he a little after, wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thy hand, and fillest all things lusing of thy good pleasure. And in the Psalm following: He executeth justice for the oppressed: he giveth bread to the hungry: the Lord looseth the prisoners: the Lord giveth sight to the blind: the Lord raiseth up the crooked: the Lord loveth the righteous. The Lord keepeth the strangers, he relieveth the fatherless and widow. 
Mich. 6.3.  The Lord complaineth by his Prophet Micha, of his people, that had treacherously forsaken him, having never given them any such occasion. O my people, what have I done unto thee? or wherein have I grieved thee? testify against me. Surely I brought thee ●ut of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants. All this complaint doth it not belong unto the Apostates, who have so villainously given over this mighty God, of whom they have received the life, and all the moving and feeling which they have, who are only of him, and by him, who have neither and house, nor goods, which they hold not of him, and of his mere favour: who without him are nothing else but nothing, and altogether vanity: who hath so often spared them, although through their hypocrisy, and other ●housand and thousand damnable sins, they ●aue deserved many times utterly to be cast ●waye, and who yet at this present hour would stretch forth his arms to receive and unbrace them, if by a true repentance they ●ould in some sort return unto him. And notwithstanding after he had so many ways testified this so great liberality towards them, their children family, and all that belong unto them, they have all at once forgotten the benefits which they have received, together with the author which hath bestowed them: and they themselves who by the enjoying of them, do make themselves at this present guilty of a most villainous ingratitude, is it possible, I pray you, sufficiently to detest this most odious and execrable crime, to have left such a Lord, and with great contempt to have turned the back unto him, after so many honours and favours, such bountiful and good entreaties, to go a whoring after those two ruffians and whoremongers: namely, the Devil, and the world, who are altogether infected, & most filthy, to the end to commit again whoredom and adultery with them? Is it possible also worthily to lament the pitiful and miserable estate, to the which the poor wretches are brought at this day? For as they have forsaken God: so he for his part hath forsaken them, and departing from them, hath also bereaved them of his spirit, and of his grace whereof he threatened the jews, who obstinately rejected him, and the word of the Gospel which he preached unto them: your house saith he to them, 
Matth. 23.  shall be left desolate: for when we regard not to know God, 
Rom. 1.28  he giveth us over into a reprobate mind void of understanding: and then we are cast away utterly and destroyed, without all hope of any recovery. As the Prophet said: Lo, they that withdraws themselves from thee, 
Psal. 73  shall perish: thou destroyest all them that go a whoring from thee: as for me, it is good for me to draw near unto God: therefore I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.   

That God departeth from the Apostatates.  
Chap. 4.  
THere have been some which have gone astray sometimes from God, whom nevertheless God forsook not, as our first parents, who being created of God, after his image, that is to say, in state of innocency, good, perfect, whole of body and soul, free, wise, and ●f they themselves had would, immortal and ●appy: nevertheless not being contented with ●heir first estate which he had granted unto ●hem in his house, forgetting themselves, and ●he great benefits which they had received at ●is hands, by a pride and damnable oversight, ●hey forgot strait way their duty, and the obligation by the which they stood bound ●nto him, and withdrawing themselves from ●is obeisance, they did forthwith cast themselves and all their posterity headlong into ●he great miseries which we see and feel yet 〈◊〉 these days in the world. David likewise, ●ho had been so loved, cherished, and favoured ●f God, who had exalted him even to the sceptre, and the royal throne, and had given him the leading and governing of his people of Israel: yea and had honoured him with his covenants and promises, as he had done our father Abraham: nevertheless all these graces and favours did not hinder him from forgetting and offending him: Which was the cause afterward of great broils and tumults which arose and sprung up in his house, as it had ben● out of a springe. The prodigal son also left his father, and in steed of humbling himself before him, and staying in his house to perform that service toward him which was due, came unto him in great pride of mind to ask● him the portion of the goods that fell unto him: and since that time did nothing but go● astray more and more, frequenting evil company, 
Luk. 15.12  and spending in a short space all that h● had gathered together with dissolute and riotous persons, until such time as being driven to extreme necessity, he began to come to himself again, and to return to a good judgement. S. Peter likewise, who by the doctrine works, and example of jesus Christ, had a long time been instructed and informed in his company, in which he had been borne-withall i● his ignorance and other infirmities, and received infinite favours of his master: 
Mat. 26.69  nevertheless he denied him, and at such time as he ought to have been nearest unto him, to have assisted and comforted him. Now all these aforesaid, had for a time left God, and were worthy through their ingratitude and disloyalty, to have been utterly rejected of him, but he did not execute the rigour of his judgement against them, 
Luk. 15.4.  nor rewarded them as they had deserved, because in deed they were his children: but hath sought them himself as poor silly lost sheep, which were altogether ready to perish, if he by his great mercy and grace had not soon prevented them. And all this good did betide them, because he had neither given them over, nor forgotten them, as he had been forgotten of them, & because this deep root of the good pleasure of God did still reserve and retain in it some sap and juice to keep them from withering and dying. But the Apostates who willingly, and of set purpose, not being forced by any constraint, have revolted from God, 
Heb. 6.6.  of whom we see so great a number in these latter days, what hope can remain in them, sithence they can not be renewed again by repentance? 
Heb. 10.26  seeing there remaineth no more sacrifice for their sins: and se●ng they crucify again unto themselves the son of God, and make a mock of him? the Apostle doth propound unto them nothing else but a fearful looking for of judgement, and violent fire which shall devour the adversaries. Moreover, being no more participant of the prayers of the Church, or of the prayers of jesus Christ, 
joh. 17.9.  who going to his death, declared that he prayed not for the world, and by consequent, they were excluded from the Communion of saints, what hope is there of their salvation? I know well enough that the most part of them do jest at those things which we say, and that they do not believe, either the word of the Apostle, or ours: But they ought to note that which S. Paul speaketh: 
1. Cor. 10.22.  namely, that neither we nor they are stronger, no nor so strong as God, that we should prevail against him. 
Matth. 5.18.  Also the heaven and earth shall perish: but one jot of it shall not pass till all be fulfilled: and to conclude, that which the wise man saith, that men commonly make great discourses in their minds: but whatsoever they think, the counsel of God getteth the upper hand, and what imagination soever we have to the contrary, he remaineth stable, firm, and immovable. If then the Apostates having cast themselves out of the Church, do give no more place or authority to the word of God, or to any admonition which may be made unto them in his name, it is time lost to speak unto them, as experience teacheth every day those that will yet make proof thereof. And what show or likelihood soever they make, that they have a desire to return to us again, they do it either to deceive us, or to content in some sort those of whom they have yet some regard, and not for any good will they bear unto it. Let us therefore leave them in their filth, following the counsel of saint john. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: 
Apoc. 22.11.  & he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. Let those notable sayings of the Prophet never be blotted out of our hearts. Blessed are the people that be so, 
Psa. 144.15 Psal. 33.12  yea blessed are the people, whose God is the Lord. And this likewise. Blessed is that nation, whose God is the Lord: even the people that he hath chosen for his inheritance. As also this. 
Psal. 73.27  They that withdraw themselves from thee, shall perish: thou destroyest all those that go a whoring from thee. As for me, it is good for me to draw near unto God: therefore I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.   

That the Apostates are ever pursued by the justice of God, which suffereth them not to have any rest in their consciences.  
Chap. 5.  
WHen we said that the Apostates having left God, are also in like manner rejected of him. It must not be understood generally, as though God were altogether departed from them: for filling all things (as the Prophets save) there is no part of the world which is not replenished with his essence: but we understand only, that he is separated from them, as touching his grace, his mercy, his spirit, his sanctification, faith, remission of sins, repentance, and all means of their salvation. For as concerning the power, wrath, and justice of God, they can not so escape, but that they shall be pursued incessantly. For there is no mean between the mercy and wrath of God: 
joh. 3.  and it is necessary that whosoever doth disdain his grace, should in the end taste of the rigour of his justice. But now the case standeth so, that the wrath of God abideth upon us, until such time as it be turned away, and avoided by a true faith in the Gospel, 
Heb. 10.  that is strong and stable unto the end. The Apostates then, who all at once have not only made shipwreck of their faith, but also of the Gospel, of God, of jesus Christ, and of all religion, have they not day and night, waking and sleeping, the sword of the wrath of God continually hanging over their heads: 
Numb. 22.23.  but as Balaam his ass perceived the sword which pursued him before his master, who road upon him: so such men are so blinded by the Devil and their own lusts, that they can not perceive the judgements of God which are at their heels, and follow them step by step. O that their eyes were open as the eyes of Elisha and his servant, 
2. King. 6.17.  then should they see about them millions of devils ready to destroy them, as the servants of God saw themselves environed with an infinite multitude of Angels to defend and save them, though in deed they think nothing less, they being unto them invisible: nevertheless they ought to consider the danger to be so much the greater, because hidden enemies are ever more dangerous, than those who are altogether open and known. So the Devils and all the gates of hell, yea and all the creatures which are in heaven and in earth, be enemies unto those that are enemies unto God, and to those from whom he hath withdrawn his favour: and there is not one of them which doth not with all her might and main strive and contend to bring to pass their destruction: as likewise contrarily, 
Rom. 8.28  all help to salvation, to those that love God, and are loved of him again: and there is no creature which doth not by and by make a covenant with us, when we are once firmly knit and united unto him. 
Hosea. 2.20.  I will even marry thee unto me in faith fullness, (saith the Lord) and thou shalt know the Lord. And in that day I will hear, (saith the Lord) I will even hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, & the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and they shall hear Israel. Whereby we may easily gather, that all creatures draw near unto the children of god, and do cherish them as soon as they see them come into favour with God: and contrarily, that they slide back and start aside from those who are bereaved of his grace. For it is a general rule which we ought ever to remember: 
levit. 25. Deut. 28.  namely, that the grace and love of God, is the offspring of all benediction, and that his wrath on the other side is the fountain of all male diction: so that without the one nothing is blessed, and with the other all things are cursed. What then can these wretched Apostates do, who eating, drinking, going, coming, whether they sit or stand, whether they walk or lie still, are ever musing in their bed, at the table, within and without the house, before and behind them of the wrath of God, with a firebrand in his hand ready to consume them. If they will turn aside, 
Amos. 5.19.  they shall meet with a Lion (as saith the Prophet) if they will return thinking to flee, and save themselves: on the other part, there will by and by a Bear start out before their eyes: and if to assure themselves on all sides they will come to their house again and lean their hand on the wall, they shall find in it a Serpent which will ●ite them: which is as much to say, as that ●hey can neither find hole nor secret corner, wherein they may hide themselves from the wrath of God, which is exceeding fearful ●o all those to whom he sendeth it, as the Apostle sayeth: 
Herald 10.31.  That it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Which may evidently appear by the examples propounded unto us in the Scriptures, 
Gen. 4.14.  as in Cain, who having slain his own brother for religion, and fled from the face of God, that is to say, having given him over, and the Church which was gathered together in his father's house, never had afterward a●ye rest of conscience: but as a man vexed with fury, went here and there like a vagabond and runagate, with a fire which did consume him, and with an unquietness of mind, which suffered him not to rest in any place. 
1. Sam. 18.10.  Saul likewise when the spirit of God had forsaken him, and was departed from him, did not the evil spiri● forthwith come upon him, and since th● time never ceased to torment him, vnti● he had thrown: him headlong into despair? judas also, after he had betrayed jesus Christ, 
joh. 13.  and that the Devil by reason 〈◊〉 his covetousness had once entered into his heart, and had drawn him away from th● true Church, which was the company o● jesus Christ and his Apostles, to reconcile himself unto the Priests and pharisees, and to make him to enter again into their Synagogue, had he ever any quietness in his soul after that? did he ever think of any thing but only how he might destroy himself hoping though in vain by this means to rid himself out of that fearful grief wherewith his conscience was vexed and tormented? And they of whom mention is made in the Prophets, 
Apoc. 6.16 & cap. 9  and in the Revelation of Saint john, who having received the badge & cognisance of the beast, and having drunk of the cup of her whoredoms & abominations not having repent, seeing themselves in the end overwhelmed with the judgements of God, for having ever been coupled with Antichrist, will they not say to the mountains fall on us; and to the earth open thyself, de●our and swallow us up quick: to the end ●●ey may escape by this means if it were postule the great grief and anguish of mind ●herein they live? All which testify plainly ●nto us, that the wicked who separate themselves from God, and will exempt themselves ●●om his obedience, are so pursued by his justice, that they can never take any good rest ●● their minds. Also the holy Scripture saith ●hat in whatsoever happy & flourishing estate they be, whatsoever prosperity they have, whatsoever riches or goods they do possess, ●o whatsoever honours and dignities they are exalted, and whatsoever delicacies and sweet pleasures they mioye, yet notwithstanding they are never at rest nor at quiet in their minds. 
Esay. 49. Psa. 34.16.  For (as David saith) The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut of their remembrance from the earth. And their conscience which waiteth continually on them as it were a Sargeat never ceaseth to threaten them, and to set before their eyes, continually the wrath of God, and his arm which is always stretched forth to beat them down. And I pray you what other thing is hell, eternal fire, gehenna and the bottomless pit, where the Devil and the reprobate shall be condemned to remain for ever, than this horror, and lively apprehension and feeling of the wrath o● God, which doth pierce and goeth clean through them? 
jam. 2.19.  As Saint james saith, that th● Devils believe there is a God and tremble There is nothing that causeth the Angels in heaven to be contented and happy, but only the feeling of God his love towards them, which they read and plainly see expressed in his face, and in the earth likewise there is nothing that doth comfort the children of God, and uphold them in all their afflictions, but his great and incomprehensible love towards them, which they see unfolded in his word, in his sacraments, and in the whole order of the church, and above all in the face and death of his son. That is it which David desired above all things, 
sal. 4.6.  as it appeareth: Many say, who will show us any good? But Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast given me more joy of heart, than they have had when their wheat and their wine did abound. I will lay me down, and also sleep in peace: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. And contrariwise there was nothing that he grudged at so much nor that grieved him so sore, as when he saw the liberty taken away by the tyranny and violence of Saul from resorting with the people of God, unto those places whereas he discovered his face unto them. 
Psal. 42.1.  As the heart prayeth for the rivers of water, so panteth my ●ule after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, even for the living God: when shall I come ●nd appear before the presence of God. And not only David: but also the whole church in all age's hath ever in her greatest afflictios sought ●nd found her principal consolation in the countenance of God. Let us therefore hear what she saith. Turn us again, O God, 
Psal. 80.3.  and ●ause thy face to shine that we may be saved. And 〈◊〉 little after, Turn us again, O God of hosts: 
vers. 7.  Cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved. As ●e saith in an other place also, 
Psal. 34.5.  They shall look unto him, and run unto him, and their faces ●hall not be ashamed. A man who every where would fly the light of the sun, and seek to ●iue in darkness, would he not be most miserable, abhorring the fairest, the pleasantest, & the most necessary creature, that God hath placed in the world? What will then become of the Apostates who fly the face and presence of God which is a light in which there is no darkness, 
1. joh. 1.5.  and of which as of the sun all the earth ought to rejoice, when as by his grace he sendeth down his clear light and bright beams upon her. For as the moon looking upon the sun by her aspect, doth receive from him all her beauty and brightness so we receive of God alone, all the virtue and perfection that is in us, when as it pleaseth him to look upon us with the eye of his mercie● And as the earth is commonly desert, barren, and not inhabited, in those regions which lie far distant from the sun, having neither delight nor commodity that either may draw strangers to frequent it, or else allure the inhabitants to remain & abide in it: so when God is departed from any realm, province, city, house, or private person, all is dark and out of order in it, and there is neither delight nor any good at all that can rejoice or content him that dwelleth therein. 
Cicero.  The old Philosophers had wont to say to cause friendship to be more commendable and amiable to the whole world, that without it man his life was loathsome and unsavoury, and that in the society and traffic of men, it did serve to that use that fault doth in meats, that is to say, to season them, and cause that the one take pleasure and delight to live and occupy with the other. Which is true, & daily experience doth teach us that when we power out either our joys or our sorrows in the bosom of our friends, such communications serve greatly to increase the one and diminish the other. But there is no comparison between the friendship of men which is inconstant and uncertain, and the ●oue of God which is never more sure and ready, then when all the other fade and fail, as saith the Prophet. 
Psal. 27.10  Though my father and my mother should forsake me, yet the Lord will gather me up. Ought we not then to fear contrary to the Apostates, lest God should turn away his loving countenance from us & look upon us with an angry eye as David. Hid not thy face from me, 
Psal. 27.9.  nor cast thy servant away in displeasure: 
Psal. 143.7  And in an other place Hear me speedily, O Lord, for my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, else I shallbe like unto them that go down into the pit. Consider in what a perplexity the Church is, that is to say, the true spouse of jesus Christ as soon as she feeleth not her husband by her, and how she will not cease seeking of him both day and night, not being able to take any rest until she hath found him: 
Cant. 3.1.  In my bed by night (saith she) I sought him that my soul loved: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise therefore now and go about in the city, by the streets and by the ●en places, and will seek him that my soul lo●●h: I sought him, but I found him not. The ●●chmen that went about the city, found me: to whom I said, have you seen him whom my soul● loveth? When I had passed a little from them, the I found him whom my soul loved: I took hold on him and left him not, till I had brought him unto my mother's house into the chamber of her that conceived me. By these words we may gather how great the desire of the Church is to be ever in the presence and company of her espouse, and the sorrow which she conceiveth, when as she misdoubteth his departure from her, be it never for so short a space, and we may note also the difference which S. Augustine maketh between the true, and the bastardly Church: the one (saith he) resembling a good woman, who being chaste and loyal towards her husband, whom she honoureth and loveth intierely, doth dread nothing so much he being present then lest he should departed very speedily from her, and being absent lest he tarry long before he return unto her home again. And the other contrariwise who being unfaithful unto her husband, and not contented with his company hath one or many lovers, desireth nothing more than if he be absent, then that he tarry long before he return, and if he be present, she feareth nothing more than that there should befall unto him some business whereby he might be constrained to abide a 〈◊〉 continue with her a longer space than she desireth. The Apostates then who having nothing in more horror then to come before God, and appear in his presence in the companies which assemble themselves together in his name, and who would for very shame, and remorse of conscience which doth prick and ●ting them incessantly, that none should ever ●alke of any Christian assembly, or any exercise of true religion: but that all the world, according to their example should return to ●heir former abominations, do they not show evidently by this, by what spirit they are led, ●nd that they have forsaken the chaste and ho●est Church, to return to the unchaste and dis●iall synagogue in which they are ever vexed ●nd tormented with the fear which they have continually to be prevented by the sudden ●omining of the Lord, and by his judgement ●nlooked for: even as the adulterous woman 〈◊〉 in a perpetual fear & mistrust to be found ●nd taken in her fact by the sudden return of ●er husband. Let not those then who revolt ●om God voluntarily, as we see a number every day, think ever to be at quiet, or safety, whatsoever they do to find rest, being pursued by the sergeants and ministers of the justice of God, among whom the principal and most cumbersome is their own conscience: and afterward as many creatures as are in heaven, in earth, and in hell. For as S. Paul saith: The wrath of God is revealed manifestly from heaven, 
Rom. 1.18  that is to say, from all parts, upon allinfidelitie, and unrighteousness of men, keeping back the truth in iniquity. 
Psal. 21.8.  And David saith: Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies, and thy right hand shall find out them that hate thee: thou shalt make them like a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall destroy them in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. Their fruit shalt tho● destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men: for they intended evil against thee, and imagined mischief, but they shall not prenaile: therefore shalt thou put them apart, and the strings of thy bow shalt thou make ready against their faces. Considering that the dominion o● our Lord God is stretched over all things, and by consequent, his justice not being bounded or limited in any place, who is he that can escape and save himself by his own power when as he shall summon him before him David speaketh to this end: 
Psal. 139.7  Whether shall go from thy spirit? or whether shall I fly from thy presence? If I ascend into heaven, thou a●● there: if I lie down in hell, thou art there, Cou● a man who had committed treason, and gri●●uously incensed the king against him, be at surety or ease in any part of his kingdom? Upon what then can the Apostates ground and establish then rest, being wheresoever they shall become under the dominion of our Lord God, from whose eyes they can not hide themselves, but he will espy them out wheresoever they lie, and can not shun the power of his hands, but that he can overtake them, and overthrow them whensoever he thinketh it good. If then there remain in them any spark of light and judgement, to weigh and ponder these things, and as much conscience to apprehend and lay hold on them: it is not possible but that they should feel in their hearts most terrible terrors and torments. For as there are no greater consolations than those which come by a lively apprehension of the mercy of God●●o on the other side there are no crueler pains than those which springe of the sense and seeing of his wrath and judgements. But some will say, that the Apostates have commonly ●heir consciences feared with a hot iron, and ●isensed with the Lethargical drowsiness, that ●hey apprehend no more the wrath than the ●race of God, the threatenings then the promises, the cursings then the blessings, which I ●rant, and likewise that they strive as much as in them lieth, to expel out of their hearts and minds all thoughts which come unto them, aswell of God, as of religion: yet they can not so choke the synteresis of the conscience, but it will set before their eyes and call to mind some times such things as they would willingly but yet are not able utterly to blot out of their memory: for the power of the word of God and his judgement is so great, that it causeth itself to be felt and understood even in creature that are without life, as the sea, the winds, th● waves, the tempests, the stones, the trees, th● mountains, 
Psal. 29.3.  as David saith: The voice of th● Lord is above the waters: the God of glory maketh it to thunder: the Lord is upon the grea● waters: the voice of the Lord is mighty: the voice of the Lord is glorious: the voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars: yea the Lord breaketh the Ceders of Lebanon: he maketh them also to leap● like a Calf: Lebanon also and Chirion like 〈◊〉 young Unicorn. 
Psal. 114.1  And in another place: When Israel went out of Egypt, and the house of Iaco● from the barbarous people, juda was his sanctification, and Israel his dominion. The sea saw it & fled: jordan was turned back: the mountains leapt like Rams, and the hills as Lambs. Wh●● ailed thee, o sea, that thou fleddest? o jordan, wh● wast thou turned back? ye mountains, why leapt ye like Rains, & ye hills as Lambs? The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of jacob, which turneth the rock into water pools, and the flint into a fountain of water. And in another place: Glory be to the Lord forever: let the Lord rejoice in his works: he looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the maintains, and they smoke. And in the prophesy of Nahum: 
Nahum. 1 3.  The Lord is slow to anger, but great in power, and will not surely clear the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind, and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebuketh the sea, and drieth it, and he drieth up all the rivers: Bashan is wasted and carmel, and the flower of Lebanon is wasted. The mountains tremble for him, & the hills melt, and the earth is burnt at his sight, yea the world, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before his wrath? or who can abide in the fierceness of his wrath? his wrath is powered out like fire, and the rocks are broken by him. By these passages it doth appear, how God when it pleaseth him, doth cause even the most senseless, and most brutish creatures in the world, though they have not offended him, to feel the force of his wrath. As men sometimes in their anger will break a pot or a glass, though those things ●e nothing culpable of the fault of the servant or the maid, who hath caused the master to be wroth. And seeing he can cause himself to be hard and known of sicknesses, of death, and of the devils, who are constrained to obey his word presently, how were it possible that the wicked should exempt themselves from his fury, that he should not make them taste thereof, when and in what sort it pleaseth him? Although then the Apostates being departed from God, would feign persuade themselves that they are well at ease, and make the best show outwardly they can with the Papists: yea and laugh and scorn with them of religion, yet they can not so well disguise themselves but that a man may oftentimes perceive the worm which gnaweth their hearts, and that the laughter which appeareth in the outward lips is but a Sardonian laughter, full of anguish and grief, & like unto those who laugh when they are tickled, which is not natural, but noisome and grievous.   

That the Apostates are without God, though they think and defend the contrary.  
Chap. 6.  
THe Apostates complain of us; and say we do them wrong, to think so of them, and to cast in their teeth, that they are without God, considering they make their prayers unto him, and that they serve and worship him in the assemblies of the synagogues where they meet. But when all things shall be diligently examined, and our reasons well weighed, every one will confess, that that which we say is most true. And first of all, when we say of them that they are without God, it is not our intent to say, that they are no more under the dominion of God, as though he had no more authority or power over them: for notwithstanding their defection and Apostasy, he doth not cease to be still their Lord and their judge, as he is also unto the Devils, and vn●o other reprobates. But this is it which we ●olde, that they be not the children of God, 
Gal. 3.  nor comprehended within his covenant: 
Rom. 9.8.  that ●o them the promises of salvation concerning their efficacy and operation do not appertain: 
Gal. 4.6.  and that they have not the spirit of adoption, which hath engraven and ●ealed the grace of God in their hearts, and maketh them to cry Abba father. But now to speak properly: God is God only of those who by faith are engrafted into the family of Abraham, and made the children of the promise: by reason whereof ten tribes of Israel having severed themselves from the covenant of God, under the crown of jeroboam the son of Nebat: God doth denounce unto them by his Prophet that he doth not acknowledge them any more for his people. And to assurr, ●n better thereof he commandeth the Prophet to call his last son his name Locrian for ye are not (saith he) my people: 
Hos. 1.9.  therefore will I not be your God. To the jews also who made their boast that they had God to be their father, jesus Christ who knew very well that they had broken his covenant, rejecting and persecuting him so obstinately as they did, he I say who is the only means and ground thereof said unto them. 
joh. 8.42. joh. 8.44.  If God were your father; then would you love me: for I proceeded forth, and came from God neither came I● myself: but he sent me. Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: 〈◊〉 hath been a murderer from the beginning ● a● abode not in the truth, because there is no truth● him. When he speaketh a lie than speaketh he● his own, for he is a liar, and the father thereo● By this speech which jesus Christ had wit● the jews it may well be thought that the● were far overjoyed in their reckoning, t● think they were the children of God, because they were circumcised, and bare about the● the tokens of his covenant: seeing they were so far of from being accounted for such, as ●he doth rather esteem them the seed and progeny of the Devil, because they yielded themselves wholly obedient to his hests, which are to love untruth and to seek the death of all those, who love, preach, or favour in what sort soever the truth. We must not then judge by outward appearance, of those that are of the house and family of God. For there are many of whom his name is called upon, and who say unto him Lord, Lord, 
Math. 7.21  which shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he only that doth his will. Many (saith jesus Christ speaking to the jews) will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not by thy name prophesied? and by thy name cast out Devils? And by thy name done many great works? And then will I profess to them I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity. And Saint Paul speaking to the jews in the same sort, who thought themselves to be united unto God, because they had received the law, the circumcision, and other badges of the covenant. Did he not say unto them (reprehending that vain confidence which they put in these outward things) Behold thou art called a jew, 
Rom. 2.17  and restest in the law, and gloriest in God, and knowest his will, & allowest all things that are excellent, in that thou art instructed by the law: and persuadest thyself that thou art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of them which lack discretion, a teacher of the unlearned, which hast the form of knowledge, & of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest not thou thyself? Thou that preachest, a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest Idols, committest thou sacrilege? Thou that gloriest in the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? And a little after he doth conclude: 
verse 28.  For he is not a jew which is one outward: neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: but he is a jew which is one within, etc. If then the only observation of the ceremonies of the law, though they were ordained of God, and authorised by his word, were nevertheless unable to knit the people unto God: how cometh it to pass that the Apostates are so foolish as to think that for having betaken themselves to papistry again that is to say, for having returned to their own vomit and abomination, they are entered again into the covenant of God, who is the God of them only, that by faith, words, and works, do profess and show that they are and will continue his people for ever. If ●hen thou hast withdrawn thee from it, and ●o cause thyself to be in account amongst ●hine own, thou dost declare openly and blamely, with a shameless face, that thou wilt never be of that number again? Art thou so unwise as to believe, that God will be a father ●nto him by force, who doth disdain him, and doth refuse to be of his people, and to be accounted in his house among his children? Moreover since there is no agreement between Christ and belial, 
2. Cor. 6.15. 1. Cor. 10.21.  and that No man can be partaker of the Lord his table and of the table of Devils. Having rejected jesus Christ his part, ●n betaking himself to Antichrist and his company, and returning to the mass renounced the death & sacrifice of the son of God: Art thou so brutish as to think that denying jesus Christ to be thy brother, 
john. 1.  his father can account thee for his son? considering that ●e is the only author & mean of our adoption, and that with out him God doth not only not hold us for his friends and confederates, but doth esteem us for his mortal foes. And therefore S. 
Rom. 5.  Paul doth exhort us to withdraw ourselves from the company of Idolaters and Infidels, if we desire that God should adopt us to be his children. 
2. Cor. 6.17.  Come o● (sayeth he) from among them, and separate you● selves, saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you, and I will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord almighty. 
1. joh. 2.23  Saint john sayeth that whosoever confesseth the son hath also the father, and contrarily whosoever denieth the son, the same hath not the father, that i● the reason wherefore when he was circumcised the name of immanuel was given him, to le● us understand, that there is none but he alone that can cause us to come near unto God, and set us into his covenant, making us partaken of his grace, & of the remission of all our sinne● by the perfect obedience which he yielded in our name, 
Phil. 1.  even to endure for us the death of the cross and to bear the curse which was enjoined by the law, 
Gal. 3.  to the end he might acquit us. Considering then that jesus Christ is the only mediator of the agreement and covenant which may be handled between God & men, and that the Apostates departing to Antichrist his side do separate themselves from him thence it may be inferred necessarily, that they are without God, being without Christ: as Saint Paul showed the Ephesians writing to them after this manner. 
Ephe. 2.11  Remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, and called uncircumcision of them, which are called circumcision ●n the flesh, made with hands, that ye were I say, ●t that time without Christ, and were aliens from ●he common wealth of Israel, and were strangers from the covenants of promise, and had no hope, and were without God in the world. If then these who had not as yet been called by the preaching of the Gospel during the time of their ●gnorance and infidelity, were reputed by the Apostle to be without God because they were without Christ: how much more by greater ●eason may we avouch the same of those, who ●fter they have been illuminated, and had tasted of the word of God, and also been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, being willingly departed from the knowledge of the truth, which they had received, have trod the son of God under their feet, and esteemed the blood of the covenant whereby they were sanctified, a thing profane, & committed so horrible an injury against the spirit of grace. It must then be concluded, that as the Apostates have treacherously forsaken God: so he for his part hath justly renounced them, and given them over for a pray: as saith the Prophet. 
Psal. 81.12.  I gave them up unto the hardness of their heart, and they have walked in their own counsels: and also (as sayeth the Apostle) as they have made 〈◊〉 account to acknowledge God: 
Rom. 1.28  so God hath given them up to a spirit void of all judgement, that they may commit things which are not seemly. These are then the guides which these poor blind men have to lead and counsel them in their affairs: 
Rom. 8.  namely, the concupiscence of their own perverse hearts, a reason altogether dulled, 
Ephe. 2.  their unbridled senses, the wisdom of the flesh, which is nothing else but death, and over and beside all that, the Devil, who is the prince of darkness, and the spirit that doth work in the children of disobedience being thus guided can they fail soon to stumble into the pit?   

As the Apostates are without God, so are they without Christ.  
Chap. 7.  
WE have showed in the chapter going before, that the Apostates are without God. Let us now show that they are also without Christ, & without a Mediator: which shall be very easy to do. 
1. Tim. 2.5.  For as there is but one God, (as the Apostle saith) so there is but one Mediator between God and men, namely, jesus Christ. Furthermore, as jesus Christ is a Mediator of the new covenant, to reconcile the chosen to God the father, & make him to be their God as he is his, and that with full assurance they may lay hold of him, and call upon him as their father: 
joh. 17.2.  so God doth give them unto his son, to instruct and lead them to salvation, and unto the life to which they are ordained. So that it can not be but that he that hath the Eternal for his God, hath also jesus Christ for his Mediator: and contrariwise, he that is deprived of the one, must be also bereaved of the other. Moreover, following Antichrist, & making open profession of his religion, as well by works as by words, and bearing his name, his badge, his cognisance, how can they appertain to jesus Christ, seeing he is a mortal enemy unto him, 
2. Thes. 2.8 Matt. 6.24.  and Whom he shall consume with with the spirit of his mouth, and shall abolish with the brightness of his coming? None (said jesus Christ) can serve two masters, Especially when their natures and dispositions be so far different, and disagreeing. How then can it be possible to set at one jesus Christ with the Pope? Whose doctrine, life manners, counsels and end are altogether contrary. And if they can not be made to agree between themselves, 
Matth. 12.30.  how is it possible that one man should betake himself to them both? Also He that is nor with Christ is against him, & he that gathereth not with him scattereth. As he said himself to note his, and causeth them to be known. A man may then be known to be a Christian when he is united with his head unseparably, and that with him he doth labour to gather, that is to say, to make the Church populous, and to increase & multiply the number of the citizens of the kingdom of God. When as then there is any man seen who contrarily doth strive & glory to employ, all his means and power, to hinder the establishing of the Church, and who withdraweth all those he can, fearing nothing more than to see it to take root, or hath greater despite then to see it to flourish and bear fruit: may it not be said of him when he is so bend and animated against jesus Christ, that he is his enemy, and a true member of Antichrist? Sithence he fighteth with so great a courage to defend and maintain him in that kingdom and possession which he hath, partly by craft and hypocrisy, and all such evil and wicked means, partly by violence, and too too great favour which some undiscreet princes have borne him usurped, upon the son of God: whom he hath rob of his glory and of all his prerogatives and dignities: striving yet at this with his adherents, to bury wholly the remembrance of his name. Furthermore, considering the case standeth so, that by two marks those are known, who do belong to jesus Christ: 
joh. 18.  namely, when they are not of the world, and be of the truth; who will say that the Apostates appertain unto him, who have forsaken him and his company, to return to the world. For Papistry whereto they have retired, 
1. joh. 2.16  is nothing else but the world: that is to say, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the e●es, the pride of life. And there is neither Realm nor Empire upon the earth, wherein sloth, dainties, pleasures, whoredoms, dissoluteness, pride, banqueting, feasting & ambition, with all kind of vanities and excess, abound more, then in the Roman Court, and in the palaces of their Cardinals, Archbishop's Bishops, Abbots and Priors: neither wherein there are men more effeminate and corrupt, than those who follow the Popish Court: By reason whereof the hears of women are attributed unto them, 
Apoc. 9.8.  by Saint john in the Revelation. Where we may behold a most notable ●nd ample description of their pomps, riotes, ●nd all their royal magnificences, 
Apo. 17.4.  under the figure of the great Whore, arrayed in purple ●nd scarlet, and guilded with gold and precious ●ones, and pearls, having a cup of gold in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. And the mortal hatred likewise which they all bear unto the truth, which they cannot abide to be published without wonderful grief & passion of mind, nor without spilling cruelly the blood of the faithful witnesses of jesus Christ, and that in such abundance, that they and the whole earth are drunken and overcharged therewith. All the world seethe every day the attempts and practice which they work by their Ambassadors whom they send forth into all quarters like a company of Furies, to shake all the corners of heaven and earth, & to stir up by all meane● they may, the great Princes & Potentates, tha● they should hinder their abuses from being descried, and that the truth should not b● known, nor the kingdom of Christ established. Seeing then that the Apostates are re●turned to the world, and are gone again t● the camp of Antichrist, and do employ a● their fetches and forces to quench the light 〈◊〉 the Gospel, and to hinder the advancement 〈◊〉 the truth: may we not justly say of them tha● they are the enemies of Christ? For those tha● are of his flock and are his sheep, 〈◊〉 
joh. 10.3.  hear h●voice, and obey him, acknowledging him fo● their shepherd, & follow him as their light▪ They are neither afraid nor ashamed to confess his name publicly, & by their testimony to confirm the whole doctrine which he hath preached, and are not held back from following of him by the remembrance of the hatred of the world which might be set before their e●es, of the loss of their goods, of the danger of their life, of a thousand other incommodities which do accompany all those that make a true and right profession of the gospel. The Apostates then who will not bear these burdens, nor submit themselves to these condici●ons, can not be the disciples of jesus Christ: neither can he receive them otherwise into his school and company. Moreover did he not say that no man could be his disciple except he were resolved indeed, to abide constant and stable in his doctrine unto the end? those then who for a time have received, followed and approved it, & temptations coming have slid ●acke from it, have they not showed thereby ●hat it had never taken root in their hearts, & that the profession thereof which they made for a time, was but in show and outward appearance only? which action he hath in abomination above all other things: which he doth ●eclare by effectie, when departing from Ieru●lem, 
Math. 21.19.  & finding by the cit●e a fig tree without fruit, which had but leaves only, cursed it at the same time. Neither ought it to be marveled at, if god who is for ever true, & who loveth a roundness & sincerity in all things, can not suffer long in his house such hypocrites & disguised persons, without discovering and making them known. When a branch of the vine is shred of, shall we say it is yet of the vine, or any member to be yet of the body after it is cut of? If then the Apostates not staying the censure or judgement of the Church have prevented it, & have excommunicated themselves, se●uering themselves of their own accord not only from the body: but also from the head: what cā● they look or hope for at jesus Christ his hand● from whom they are altogether separated? did they not evidently show by that, that they were not the plants which God the Father had planted. 
Mat. 15.13  For if they had been of the number he would not have rooted them up. 
joh. 10.  And that likewise they were never of the fold o● jesus Christ: for who were able to pluck o● take them out of his hands by force? and also that they were never well grounded: for th● house which hath not his ground upon th● sand but upon a strong rock, can not fall o● be beaten down by any wind that blows upon it, nor by any tempest or wave that bea●teth teeth against it. To conclude, 
Mat. 7.24.  they have showed by this their revolting, that they were never of the seed: or of the children of Abraham to whom the promises of salvation and blessings do belong. 
Gen. 15.5.  For such are as the stars of heaven, which are so fastened and fixed within the firmament, that they can never be moved out of the place wherein they were set in the beginning. So likewise the children of God being ●nce in the kingdom of heaven, they do abide ●n it as in their houses, and dwell therein without ever departing from thence as the Prophet saith: 
Psal. 65.4  Blessed is he whom thou choosest and cau●est to come to thee, he shall dwell in thy Courts. 
Psal. 23.5  And in an other place, Thou dost anoint my ●eadwith oil, and my Cup runneth over. Doubts kindness, and mercy shall follow me all the days 〈◊〉 my life, and I shall remain a long season in the ●use of the Lord. Whereunto that agreeth which ● spoken by our Saviour Christ in S. john. 
joh. 6.37.  all ●ut the Father giveth me, shall come to me: and ●m that cometh to me I cast not away. Whereby ● appeareth plainly that when the chosen are ●nce entered into the fold of the shepherd it ● to abide therein, and to be nourished in the ●me for ever: and therefore S. john speaking ●f those who in his time had revolted and for●ken the church, said, they were not of us, 
1. jeh. 2.19  for if they had been of us, 
jud. 13  they would have continued with us. What shall we say then of those wandering stars, which could not stay themselves in the house of God, to be continually partakers therein of the brightness of the Son of righteousness, which doth shine day & night without end and for ever: but that they are all eclipsed, and have loved darkness rather than light & the company of the devil who is the Father a murderer from the beginning more, the● jesus Christ's: 
joh. 8.4.  who is the way, the life and the truth.   

That the Apostates being departed from jesus Christ are miserable.  
Chap. 8.  
BY the reasons and arguments which w● have heretofore rehearsed, we have suffici●ently proved, that as the Apostates are without God, so also they are without Christ▪ Whereof it may be inferred, that they are mo●miserable: for who can be happy without Go● who is the wellspring and fountain of li●● and all happiness; and without whom all oth●● goods are nothing but a curse and misery. F●● the temporal goods, as are riches, possession and friends; the corporal goods, as health strēg●an●● & beauty: the goods of the mind, as the ripeness of wit, virtue and learning, if all these be not blessed of God, and accompanied with his grace they can neither profit nor benefit any way him, who possesseth them: but contrarily without the blessing of God all will turn to his misery, 
Esay. 5 1 Tim, 6.9  his riches shall serve to no other end but to set on fire and continue his desires: to puff up his heart with pride, to cause him neither to regard nor make acoumpt of his poor neighbours, to put his trust in vain, corrupt, and uncertain things, to be at superfluous & prodigal expenses, and which is a great deal worse and most dangerous, 
Luk. 3.  to withdraw him from the kingdom of god, & to let as thorns & weeds to hinder the good seed of the word of god, from growing and fructifying in him. His friends in stead of good counsel will flatter him, 
Mat. 13.22  & will seek by him their own profit ●ot his. They will withdraw him from the fear ●k service of God, to entice him to follow the ●anities of this world. In prosperity they will ●ugh with him, & soothe him up, but in aduer●ty they will flit & forsake him. Concerning ●he bodily goods as health they will abuse it to ●ugh, sport, leap, dance, play, to haunt company 〈◊〉 feasts, to quaff, to commit folly & excessewith ●ut all measure: their strength they will employ to beat, strike, maim, ravish, steal, spoil and oppress in every respect all those whom they suppose to be weaker than themselves, & less able to make resistance. They will use their beauty and good favour (if they have any) be it either in their speech or in their countenance in stead of a bawd, to seduce and cirumvent all those with whom they can acquaint themselves, & into whose favour they can insinuate. As for the goods of their mind as it might be quickness and dexterity of wit; they will employ them to invent crafts and subtities, to cozen and deceive those with whom they have to deal: and to boast when by some subtle slight they shall have gotten & alured some one to entrap him in their net: if they have learning, it will serve but to puss them up & to vaunt of: and by a vain ostentation to cause themselves to be esteemed among men to conclude it is not possible for a man without God, who is the chiefest good, to use or acquaint himself with any other good thing. For all creatures be good, & god by his own testimony after be had created all things in six days, 
1. Tim. 4 4.  approved that which he had done, & without any exception spoke of his works that all in general & every one in particular were good: 
Gen. 1.31.  that is to say● commodious, necessary, pleasant, profitable & wholesome. But in that consideration, that he do by his grace bless the use of them. For as the Apostle saith. 
1. Tim. 4.5.  They be all sanctified by the word of God, and thanks giving: unto the faithful only: and to those which have known the truth. For as he sayeth in another place: 
Tit. 1.15.  unto the pure are all things pure, but unto them that are defiled & unbelieving, is nothing pure, but even their minds & consciences are defiled. Is not then the condition of the Apostates wretched, that being without God, without his grace, they are also miserable in all things? that is to say that the bread which they eat, the bed whereon they lie, the very coat and shirt which they put on, the light which doth lighten them, the wood and fire, which warmeth them, the air which they breath in, the water, wherewith they wash themselves, the earth which doth bear and nourish them, and all things generally which they use are unclean unto them, 
levit. 26. Deut. 28.  and bring a wretchedness upon them. For there is nothing but the word of God which we believe and observe, the obedience which we perform unto him, and the fear of his name wherein we walk, that doth make us holy and happy in all things. As the Prophet saith: 
Psal. 1.2.  that he which delighteth in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth meditate day and night? shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, that will bring forth her fruit in due season: whose leaf shall never fade: so whatsoever he shaldo, shall prosper, And in an other place. 
Psal. 119 165  They that love thy law, shall have great prosperity, & they shall have no hurt. And as they who love God & serve him do prosper in all their affairs under his favour & blessing; so the wicked who go astray from him & blaspheme him, though that for a time they have the wind at will, & though it seem to them & to the whole world that all things do fall out unto them according to their mind, nevertheless all their felicity in the end being accursed and not favoured of god, doth finish in great misery. As David also saith: 
Psal. 1.6.  The way of the wicked shall perish. But as the wicked can not be happy without god, being the author of all felicity, so they can be no less being separated from jesus Christ who is the only means thereof. He is the blessed seed which at his coming & by his obedience first hath taken away all the malediction which had been brought into the world, by the disobedience and rebellion of our first parents against the commandements of God. And then secondly hath brought afterward again the blessing which God had promised to Abraham for him: 
Gal. 3.  and his seed. That is to say for those that should believe in the promise to him made. This is also the reason why among other names which are given unto him by Esay, this is one amongst the rest, namely the name of Prince of peace. 
Esay. 9.6.  Peace in the Hebrew tongue signifieth prosperity and happy success, it seemeth them since the spirit of god hath so named jesus Christ, that he would teach us by the name which he giveth him, that he only at this present is the spring of happiness & of all good whatsoever in the world So the Angels bringing tidings of his birth into the world, 
Luk. 2.11.  told the shepherds of judea to whom they disclosed it first, Unto you is borne this day in the city of David, a Saviour, 
& vers. 14.  which is Christ the Lord. Glory be to God in the high heavens & peace in earth, and towards men good will. And the Prophet speaking of his kingdom said, 
Psal. 27.3.  The mountains and the hills shall bring peace to the people by justice. 
vers. 6.  And a little after in the same Psalm, He shall come down like the rain upon the mown grass, and as the showers that water the earth. Also we see that the Apostle in all his Epistles doth wish even in the beginning unto those to whom he writeth, the peace by god the father, & by our Saviour jesus Christ. to teach us, that all prosperity cometh from God, who doth give & send it by his son jesus Christ, which the Prophet Malachy would also have signified unto us, when calling him The son of righteousness, 
Mal. 4.2.  He doth add that it is he that doth bear health under his wings, that is to say, who by his light and heat, which he sendeth to all the world by his beams, doth rejoice and bless all his creatures. 
joh. 8. & 9  For by the self same reason he is called the light of the world; not only because he doth lighten our understanding in the knowledge of God, and of all things which are profitable unto us; but also because in that respect he doth resemble that corporal light: that as it is the means of the bringing forth, growth, and ripeness of all the fruits, plants, trees, and sensible creatures of the earth: so is jesus Christ the cause and mean of the salvation of the good, and of all the happiness and felicity of the world. And what other thing would the Prophet Esay teach: 
Esay. 11.6.  when as prophesying of him he said that at his coming The wolf should dwell with the lamb, & the leopard shouldly with the kid, & the calf, & the lion, and the fat beasts together, and a little child should lead them: and that the cow and the bear should seed, and their young ones should lie together: and the lion should eat straw like the bullock, and the sucking child should play upon the hole of the asp, and the weaned child should put his hand on the cockatrice his hole. Then should none hurt nor destroy in all the mountain of his holiness, for the earth should be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that cover the sea. The Prophet by all this discourse, & by all these allegories which he hath used, and wherewith he hath beautified his speech, would signify unto us nothing else, but that the felicity which had been banished out of the world by the sin of our first parents, should be brought in again at the coming of jesus Christ by his righteousness. Whereof the Apostle in his epistle to the Romans speaketh more plainly after this sort. Likewise then as by the offence of one, 
Rom. 5.18  the fault came on all men to condemnation, so by the justifying of one the benefit abounded toward all men by the justification of life. And in the first to the Corinthians, For as by man came death, 
1. Cor. 15.21.  so by man came the resurrection of the dead; for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. In death which is extreme misery, he doth comprehend all other calamities and curses, which by sin have overflowed as a flood and violency of waters, and have drowned the whole world, and on the other part, by life, which is the chiefest felicity, he doth understand, the good, the happiness and all the blessings that jesus Christ coming into the world, and taking in it our nature, hath by his obedience brought unto the elect, as well in this world as in the world to come. The case then standing so, that he is the only means whereby men may be blessed, considering the Apostates have separated themselves from him, may it not thereof be inferred that they are wretched and miserable, not only in their persons, but also in the use and fruition of all other things which are in their power to attain unto, though they do not perceive or feel it at this present; because they are blockish and like unto children, who at the age of two or three years lose their fathers & mothers with the rest of their friends, who in the absence of their parents, might help and secure them in their necessities: this loss is a great misery unto them, which nevertheless they do not conceive. No more likewise do fools consider the loss of their understanding and use of reason, though it be the greatest evil that can befall them. So these poor souls being in the extremity of all miseries, as well for having forsaken, as for having been forsaken of God and of jesus Christ, think to be at safety because they have abandoned the Church: and hope in time to come to live at their ease and in the mean season do not perceive a thousand thousand miseries which they drag after them in every place wheresoever they go. An old Father had wont to say, he was content if it were possible, never to be sick, but if he were, he desired to have a feeling of his sickness: and surely not without a cause: for the sore which is not felt, is a double sore: so that the misery of the Apostates is so much the more dangerous, by how much the less they feel and know it. Now that we may conclude these things: namely, that as those who are and do abide in jesus Christ, are by his means happy in all things: so contrariwise those that are separated from him, in whom alone consist all the blessings: which are in the world, can not be but most miserable. As it doth appear by the sentence which shall be pronounced at that last judgement, wherein those that shall have abode constantly with jesus Christ, shall be called the blessed of God, and the other, 
Mat. 25.34  who have forsaken him, cursed eternally with the Devils. O good God how should we be happy without jesus Christ, who is our righteousness? 
1. Cor. 1.30.  without him than we are in sin. Secondly, he is our life, without him than we are in death. He is our sanctification, without him than we are polluted and profane. He is our light and wisdom, what are we then without him but darkness, and silly blind men groping and going at all adventures, until we have found the pit even to cast ourselves headlong into the same? He is our redemption, and without him we are servants unto the Devil; who is the cruelest and most barbarous tyrant, that can be imagined. 
Psal. 17.8.  He is our King, our Protector and Defender, and we are at safety under the shadow of his wings: but if we be once from under them, we are a pray to all our enemies. He is our surety, and if by him we be not acquitted, considering it is impossible for us to pay the debt otherwise, 
1. joh. 2.1.  we must remain in perpetual prison. He is our Advocate, and he only can make our atonement with God: without him than we are in perpetual ennemitie and discord with God. Neither can we call upon him or demand any thing at his hands without him: 
S. Ambr.  for he is our mouth and spokesman: neither if he speak unto us, can we understand him; for he is our ear. To conclude, he is our eye, without which we can neither see nor behold him. He is our hand, without which we can neither offer unto him any thing, nor receive any thing from him. And to speak the truth in one word: he is all in all, and without him we are nothing but vanity. Let us conclude then, that sithence he is our bliss, whosoever is separated from him, doth abide in perpetual curse.   

That the Apostates being separated from jesus Christ, are also deprived of his spirit.  
Chap. 9  
THe misery of the Apostates may easily be known by the former reasons, having first of all forsaken God the Father, and then the son, (to wit our Saviour and Mediator jesus Christ.) It remaineth now to show how for the confirmation of their miseries they are also destitute of the holy Ghost, and by consequent, deprived of the Communication & society of the most blessed and holy Trinity: that is to say in a word, of the whole Deity, so that to rule and govern them, there remaineth only unto them the devil, the world, their flesh and concupiscences. But when we say that they are destitute of the holy Ghost, we understand that, of the spirit of sanctification and regeneration, which is given unto the children of God, to seal in their hearts their adoption, and as a pawn and pledge to assure them of the inheritance of the life which is promised and prepared in heaven for them: for as concerning the spirit of prophecy, & gift of working miracles, 
Numb. 23. ver. 7. & 24 Num. 24.5 1. Sam. 19.23. joh. 11.51 Mat. 24.24 2. Thes. 2.9 Ezech. 36.26.  we know it hath been given unto Balaam, and unto Saul, & to Caiphas, and to judas, and also that it may be granted unto false prophets, and unto Antichrist, and to the reprobate, to whom it pleased God to communicate the same. But that spirit which is given unto the children of God, to change their stony hearts into hearts of flesh to sanctify them, to kindle in them a fire which stirreth them up to all good works, & not to seek in them any other glory then that which is of God: no doubt the Apostates are destitute of such a spirit: yea they never had it. For as S. John saith: 
1. joh. 4.13  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, & he in us, because he hath given us of his spirit. Seeing then they have not remained steadfast in jesus Christ, but voluntarily are departed from him, may it not be thereof inferred, that the spirit of God was never communicated unto them? considering it is given only to strengthen a man against temptations, & to make him so firm & resolute in his will, that he may persevere in the faith unto the end. For it is called for this cause the spirit of strength and power from an high. 
Esay 11.2. Luk. 24.49  Because that men (which otherwise by their nature are so weak & feeble, that the shaking of a leaf or the voice of a damosel will astonish them) be by him made not only invincible against all assaults, but also victorious against the Devil, and all other their enemies, which hath been seen by experience in the Apostles and Martyrs, who endued with this spirit, have by his force vanquished and made subject the world unto jesus Christ, & have overcome not only the threatenings, the fury & violence of tyrants, but also the fear and horror of the fire, of wild and savage beasts, and other cruel torments which were prepared for them by the enemies of the truth. Moreover, to whom doth it appertain to bestow the spirit of jesus Christ? 
Mat. 3.11. joh. 7.38.  Who is he that doth baptise with the holy ghost, and with fire? Who promised it unto all those who should believe in his name? saying: He that believeth in me, (as saith the Scripture) out of his belly shall flow rivers of water of life. Now he spoke this as the Evangelist doth add of the spirit, which they that believe in him should receive. Now than if he give it to those only which believe in him, how can he impart it to those which blaspheme him? who crucify him again, 
Luk. 11.  & stap him under their feet. Furthermore this spirit is communicated to those who are of the children, 
Rom. 8. Gal. 4.  & of the household. The Apostates then being no more of the house or family of God, which they have given over altogether: how can they any more receive this spirit, which is the sign and gage of the adoption of his children: seeing that whosoever is filled with this spirit, is the child of the light, and walketh in the light, not communicating in any wise with the works of darkness: but rather reproveth them, according to the occasion offered unto him: and seeketh the assemblies of the faithful, whereunto he bringeth according to the measure of grace which he hath received, either a Psalm, a hymn, or some spiritual song, there in the midst of all the company of the Saints, to sing publicly with them the praises of God. Considering then that the Apostates this day fly our assemblies, & that they desire in their hearts that they were dispersed, and seeing unto this end the vehementest of them all, do employ their goods & friends which they have, as in this country of Anjou, the church of Angers & Saumeur, have tried: and finally, that they have no greater care at this day, then to go the first to Mass, & to bear the taper in procession of their Idol, to do penance unto it, because they had for a time forsaken it: & some among them have with great charges re-edified, & set up again the altars in their Temples, Idols & images which they themselves before in detestation of idolatry had broken down and all to fitters. And to be short, seeing (I say) that there is no superstition, no impiety, no work of the devil & darkness in all papistry, to which they feign not themselves to cleave: is it possible that the spirit of God which calleth itself & is a spirit of truth: that is to say, 
joh. 14.17.  full of singleness, of sincerity, of simplicity and integrity, should dwell with such hypocrites? which with us for a while have frequented our sermons, & feigned themselves to have loved and liked them: & now the Papists & Infidels go to the Mass, & other idolatries, which they approve by their presence & countenance. 
Wisd. 1.  For it is written, that the spirit of God abhorreth every one that playeth the masker, and is disguised. And who (as we do the fashion of garments) change year by year their faith, their religion, & their customs. And although they have assayed the true religion, & that which God hath prescribed unto us by his word: nevertheless, they could not buckle themselves unto it, nor hold it fast, imitating in that the nature of the Chameleon, who (as they say) can represent & change himself into all colours, except white. Now if the Scribes & Pharisees be so often accursed by jesus Christ, 
Mat. 23.13  for having been hypocrites in one religion only; by how much more strong reason are the apostates more accursed for having been, & being at this day, liars, & counterfeits in their religion both true and false? David saith speaking to God. 
Psal. 5.6.  Thou shalt destroy them that speak lies, the Lord will abhor the bloody man & deceitful. O good God that these poor souls could open their eyes, & see the miserable estate unto which they are brought at this present; for being destitute of the spirit of God they are nothing else but flesh, 
Gen. 5. Esay. 40.  that is to say, a lump of sin, filth, & corruption, & are bondslaves unto Satan & servants unto sin & death. For there is no liberty but only where the spirit of God is, they can not any more understand or conceive the things that are of God; which also they esteem as foolish, 
2. Cor. 1. 1. Cor. 1.  because they cannot be understood, & discerned but only spiritually. So being not any more illuminated nor lightened by the spirit of God, they have neither will nor desire to search for their salvation, no guide to find it out, nor understanding to comprehend it, but have a spirit of slumber (as the Apostle saith) Eyes that they should not see, 
Rom. 11.8  & ears that they should not hear. And are of the number of those of whom David writeth. 
Psal. 63.23  Let their eyes be blind that they see not, & make their lo●nes alwates to tremble. Moreover, of whom can they receive comfort in their adversities, being not assisted with the spirit of God? Who is the great comforter that jesus Christ promised to his Apostles and to all the faithful, to cheer, 
joh. 14.16.  & comfort them in their afflictions to mitigate the sharp & bitter potions which they were to drink, in following him, & bearing his cross after him. Furthermore without this spirit, what strength have they left to bear the harsh, & strong temptations wherewith men are continually assaulted both inwardly & outwardly? Is not this the crook of our shepherd under whose conduct the sheep may be assured of their safety? Finally, is not he the fire & water which can burn our concupiscences, & heat us in the love of God; & wash away our filth, water our hearts, to make them bear fruit, 
1. Cor. 3.  quench the thirst that we have of the grace of God, and of the life eternal, and to sanctify us, and consecrate us wholly to God, to be his temples, to inhabit eternally? 
Psal. 51.7.  Is not this the Isope whereby we are so purged that we become as white as snow, and as wool that cometh from the fuller? It is he that doth create in us a heart wholly pure, and a new life, who doth put of from us the old man that he may put on us the new, who printeth in us the image of God and maketh us new creatures, who doth draw our hearts from the earth to lift them up wholly unto heaven, who doth open our lips, and fill our mouths with the praises of God, who guideth our steps in the paths & ways of righteousness, & causeth us not to go astray out of them. We ought then to marvel if David desired with so great affection that he would continue those things unto him, 
Psal. 51.11  Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me, restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with thy free spirit, For we can not have a better schoolmaster to instruct us, nor a better counsellor to direct us in all our affairs, nor a better guide to lead us safely in all our ways, nor a better champion to defend us, nor (to conclude) a better or a more faithful friend to sustain and uphold us in adversities lest we should faint in them, or be discomfited, and hold us short in prosperity, lest it should carry us away and make us forget our duty, and also reprehend us freely of all the faults which we shall commit, to cause us to repent, and to turn again. Seeing then the great commodities that do redound unto us thereby, when as we are once endued with the same; ought we not carefully to take heed to retain him still with us? Doing nothing that either may be grievous unto him, or drive him away from us? For as soon as he departeth from us, 
Ephe. 4.  the Devil taketh place in us to govern us. 
1. Sam. 15. joh. 13.27.  Which we see evidently in the examples of Saul and judas, and God knoweth how they are handled that fall into the hands of such a squire, who never ceaseth as saith S. Augustine to gallop him on whom he is once gotten up therough cloven rocks, through bushes and through quagmires, until such time as he hath cast him away headlong, and spoiled him in all points, which any man of judgement may observe in the Apostates, who abiding with us had yet some appearance and show of religion and virtue, 
Matt. 7.15  and though they were hypocrites and wolves disguised in sheeps clothing, yet they lived more continently in our Churches then they have done since they forsook them: their malice being suppressed within their hearts, partly because of the word of God which was preached unto them, and the exhortations which were made continually: and partly by the example of many notable personages and virtuous people which they saw among us, but especially by the discipline which we observe, and the punishments which are ordained for the offenders, and for those who would live dissolutely. But when they had shaken of the yoke altogether, and left the Church of jesus Christ which is governed by his word & by his spirit, to return to the Synagogue which is governed by the spirit of the Devil and Antichrist; 
Esay. 59 Apoc. 9 & 13.  it hath not been long but they have showed the exchange which they made, and by what spirit they are now led, for there is no vice that seemeth too abominable unto them; there is neither shame, fear, nor religion that can hinder them from blaspheming, serving of Idols, deceiving, quaffing, whoring, & committing all things without regard or shame, to which the Devil, & their lusts do lead them. I know some, whose credit & names at this time I spare, who since their Apostasy are so out of frame, that notwithstanding they be already very aged, and even upon the edge of their grave, yet there is no law, shame, nor fear that can bridle their looseness, & licentiousness, which they grant to their flesh, to seek & take without any nay all pleasures, wherein they do justify our Churches as it hath been said, in which they were constrained whilst they abode in the, to be more precise in their manners and conversation than they are, and to show in them at least a greater appearance of virtue & honesty, than they have done since they departed from them.   

As the Apostates have given over God which is the author of life, so also they do contemn those means which they may use to come unto him.  
Chap. 10.  
IN the covenant which God hath made with his people he doth promise to give unto them his spirit & his word, which are two things unseparably knit together to work the salvation of men as it is written in Esay. 
Esay. 59.21  This is my covenant with them saith the Lord, my spirit that is upon thee, & my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed: nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed: sayeth the Lord from henceforth for ever. For as in the bringing forth of the fruits of the earth, the seed is first requisite, & afterward the husbandman tilleth the earth, & maketh it fit to receive the seed cast thereon: so in the regeneration of men, the word of god, which is an immortal seed, is first necessary, & then the spirit, who as an husbandman prepareth our hearts to receive it, & to make it fructify in them. But the Apostates have it at this day in disdain & contempt: 
1 Pet. 1.23. 2 Cor. 2.16  nay there is nothing more odious unto than, It is unto them the savour of death unto death: and the cause of it is, that as the evil doer taketh no plea sure to hear the sentence wherein his death is pronounced unto him, nor to see the gibbet, whereon he must be executed, so these traitors can not abide to hear the word of God, wherein their condemnation is written, wherein they see the gallows set up whereon they must be hanged, and punished for there disloyalty. They are like unto those that are sick of the drowsy evil, who will not be awaked but die in their sleep, and as they do exasperate themselves against those that would come nigh their bed, and twitch them by the ear to hinder them from sleeping, thereby to deliver them from death whereunto they run by sleep: so the Apostates would never meet with any that might awake them, and tell them of their disease, and lay before them the great dangers wherein they are, and if by chance they fall in company where their fault is showed them, and the great offence which they have given unto the Church of God, they will either bring them to another matter, or else by and by give them the slip, finally: they are like unto ill pay masters, who cannot ab●de to hear any talk of their debts, because they will not discharge them: And like unto those who had rather die then to hear the news of death least they should take some fearful conceit thereof. The occasion then that causeth the word of God to be so odious unto them, is not in itself, which as the Prophet sayeth: Is sweeter than the honey, and the honey comb: 
Psal. 19.10  But in that they do reject it: who because they have their hearts full of gall, can not taste nor feel the sweetness thereof. As those who have some inflammation in the roof of their mouth can not eat bread, nay they abhor it though it be the best food and most savoury that may be found: for among all other meats there is not one wherewith in time we are not wearied & glutted, be it never so dainty notwithstanding any sauce prepared for the seasoning thereof: yet we are never weary of the taste of bread. Nay there is not so much as sugar and honey, but they seem unsavoury & of an ill taste without it. And as those, who having sore eyes can not abide the light, though it be the pleasantest and most delectable thing that can be desired, although the only cause which maketh them to fly it is not in it, but in the evil disposition and disease of the eye which can not receive it, In like manner that that causeth the Apostates to have in such abomination the word, is nothing but their own disease, & for that at this present their ears and hearts are uncircumcised. They go often to the sermons of these paltry friars taking pleasure to hear their blasphemies, lies and slaverings, and do feel themselves like ravens or filthy beasts on carrions and rotten things having more delight in that then to eat the food of Angels, and to refresh themselves with the pure word of God: which as a sweet breath proceeding from the mouth of God doth quicken all those on whom it is breathed, And they are like unto those that grudged at the stinking garlic which they had left in Egypt, 
Num. 11.5  and preferred it before Manna that was sent them down from heaven. And unto Adam who gave more credit unto the speech of the Devil then to the word of God choosing rather to taste of the tree of knowledge of good & evil against the express commandment which had been given unto him and by that means make himself mortal & wretched for ever: then to enjoy peaceably the fruit of the tree of life, and in obeying the will of god: to become he and his children happy for ever: and unto Esau who esteemed more a mess of pottage: then the birthright whereunto were annexed the promises of the covenant of God, 
Gen. 25 33 Luk. 8.37.  and by consequent a certain and everlasting happiness. And to the Gadarens who had a greater care of the loss of their hogs: 
Mar. 5.17  then of jesus Christ and his word, to which are adjoined all manner of temporal, corporal and spiritual blessings. And unto judas, who loved rather thirty pieces of silver with a gibbet, and a miserable death: then salvation, and an assured happiness with jesus Christ, for the Apostates are as much or rather more wretched than all those above named, because that departing willingly from the church they do deprive themselves not only of the participation that they should have therein of the treasures, 
Coloss. 2 john. 1.  and knowledge of the wisdom of god, which are bestowed & given as a pledge unto it; but also of the fullness of jesus Christ, that is to say, of all the goods which his father will distribute unto us, by his means & by his grace, which they lose by their sliding back: & which is worst, 
Heb. 10  the hope also of ever recovering it again, for the means thereof is wholly taken away from them, when as they lose the fruition of the word of God, which is called in the Scripture, The word of reconciliation: 
2 Cor. 5.  because it is the instrument which God doth use to reconcile unto us him: and to adopt us for his children, and to regenerate us, and make us new creatures: 
Gen. 1.  And as in the beginning god used his word only to create the heaven & the earth, and all that is contained in them, so when he would renew the world, and draw it from the corruption whereunto it was fallen by the sin and disobedience of our parents, he hath wrought it by his word: which he hath sent us in these latter days, first by his son who hath spoken unto us, 
Mar. 16.15  & secondly by his Apostles, & ambassadors whom he sent into all the world, to preach the Gospel to every creature, to the end that whosoever would receive him by faith and true obedience, should receive also by the same means the remission of all his sins, & thereby his salvation & life. Whereby we may see that the word is the instrument which God useth to accomplish his work, when he would regenerate us, call us, justify us, & lead us to glory & happiness to the which he hath predestinated us, and that finally all that which doth appertain to our salvation, is brought to pass & accomplished by this word. By it we are illuminated in the true knowledge of God, of jesus Christ, & of the whole mystery of our redemption; by it we know ourselves that we are nothing but vanity & corruption, 
Psal. 39.5.  to the end we may learn always to humble ourselves before God, and presume nothing of ourselves, nor of our virtues, nor of our dignities, nor of wealth, nor of friends, nor of riches, nor of our power, but to depend of God in all our affairs and to bow down our necks, and make the courtesy ever before him, and not to ground the hope of our salvation in any other thing, then only in his grace and mercy. By it we learn how to serve god; to wit: the affiance which we ought ever to have in him, and the recourse unto him in all our necessities, the homage and reverence that we own unto his majesty, the obedience which we ought to perform towards him, the fear which we ought to have in offending him, the care to acknowledge & call to mind oftentimes the benefits which he hath bestowed on us, to thank him: & above all the perfect love which we ought to bear unto him, with all our heart with all our soul, & with all our strength: & that doth cause us to esteem less of all other things than of his honour & service: by it wear advertised of those things whereby he may be blasphemed & dishonoured, to the end we may take heed of them & shun them. Furthermore by it wear taught how & after what sort we ought to pray, what things we ought to ask, 
Ihon. 14.13. 1. Cor. 14.  what assurance we have to obtain them, when we ask them in the name & favour of jesus Christ: by it we are exhorted & moved to perform our duty when we are neghgent & slothful, & likewise threatened when we are to much behind hand. 
Psal. 19  By it we are comforted and upholden in our afflictions: & there is no kind of sorrow for the which we may not find a ready & present remedy to assuage & heal the same, 
Ephes. 611  By it we are fortified against all temptations which may happen unto us by Satan the world the flesh and other cur enemies by it we are sharply reproved when we go out of order, & out of the way wherein we ought to walk. It is unto us in stead of a bridle to restrain us, when we would go astray, & of a spur to prick us forward when we are lazy & slow to do that which our master commandeth us. It the light which doth direct our steps for fear of stumbling; 
Psal. 19  & the guide which doth accompany us to show us the fairest, surest, & shortest wa●es It is the rule which god hath given us, whereby we must squaire all our thoughts, our affections our words, & actions, & in measuring them thereby we must see whether they be strait that we may continue in them, or crooked that we may redress them. 
Mat. 4.4.  It is the food of our souls, It is the armour both to hurt our enemies & defend ourselves, to strengthen fortify & assure us in all combats, oh, who were able to tell all the commodities which the word of God bringeth to those, 
Psal. 1.2  who will hear, believe, read, & meditate therein day and night as David doth exhort us for the Apostle saith that: 
2. Tim. 316  The whole Scripture is given by inspiration of god, & is sufficient: When by the grace & spirit of god, it is received and well imprinted in the heart of man to make him perfect & absolute in all good works: And he that will diligently know what is the virtue & efficacy of this word, together with the great commodities, honour, riches, pleasures, & the felicity which it bringeth unto all those which love & follow it: Let him read diligently & attentively the psalms of David especially the 119, 
Psal. 119.1  where even in the beginning he doth ascribe unto it the felicity of man. Blessed are those that are upright in their way, and walk in the law of the Lord: Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and seek him with their whole heart: And by & by after he setteth down the parts of true felicity: to wit, honour, riches, and pleasures: the honour in the first place: 
ver. 6,  Then shall I not be confounded, when I have respect to all thy commandments: Secondly the riches: 
ver. 72.  The law of thy mouth is better unto me, 
ver. 14.  than thousands of gold & silver, Thirdly the pleasures, I have had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as mal riches. Furthermore in another place, 
ver. 174.  O Lord thy law is my delight: and in the 19 Psalm when he saith the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul, the testimony of the Lord is sure, & giveth wisdom unto the simple, the statutes of the lord are right, & rejoice the heart, 
ver. 10.  the commandment of the iord is pure & giveth light to the eyes, & a little after: & more to be desired than gold, yea then much fine gold, sweeter also than honey, and the honey comb: and in the 130 Psalm, speaking of the ground of his hope, and the means which he had to uphold & comfort himself in his greatest sorrows, even then when by reason of his sins he did so fear the rigour and severity of the judgement of God, that he was altogether beaten down therewithal, and ready to fall into despair; he saith he had no other means to relieve himself, and to thrust back these horrible fears whereby he felt himself so assaulted, but by the only remembrance and meditation of the word and promises of God, wherein beholding his mercy and readiness to take pity on all miserable sinners, who with grief, for that they have offended him, desire humbly his mercy: began to come to himsellf again & say: 
Psal. 130.5  I have waited on the Lord, my soul hath waited, & I have trusted in his word, my soul waiteth on the Lord more than the morning watch watcheth for the morning. Moreover is not counsel and wisdom as necessary for men to carry & govern themselves in all their affairs well and happily, as the eye for the members of man's body to direct them in all their actions? Furthermore is it possible that in the day without the light of the Sun, or in the night without a lantern, to make good choice of the paths, wherein we must walk, or walk in them any long time without stumbling? Even so our understandings which be not only blind by nature but are even darkness itself, can they any more think that which is good & right, if they be not guided by a light from above, 
Psal. 119.105.  but now there is no other but the word of god as David saith: Thy word is a lantern unto my feet, and a light unto my path, I have sworn, and I will perform it: that I will keep thy righteous judgements. And in an other place in the same Psalm: 
vers. 24.  Thy testimonies are my delight, and my consellers. And in another place: Open mine eyes, 
vers. 18.  that I may see the wonders of thy Law. It may be gathered by all these places going before, & many other like unto than, that without the word of God men are altogether miserable; and that the life, honour, riches, pleasures, and all true felicity do depend thereon: and where it doth want, there wanteth also with it all goodness, and all good hope, and that is the reason why the Prophet doth so commend the reading & meditation thereof unto the whole world: 
Psal. 1.2. Deut. 6.9.  And that Moses exhorteth every one to write and engrave it in all the corners of their houses, to the end it might continually be set before their eyes that they might ever have a present memory thereof, & feed their spirits therewith day & night: for the water, the fire, & so necessary for the life of the body, to maintain and keep it; as is the word of God, for the spiritual life of our souls to preserve it. Whosoever doth love, and follow it, he is sure that God will bless him, & that within & with out his house all things will succeed happily unto him, 
Psal. 119.165.  as David saith: They that love thy law, shall have great prosperity. And in another place: They shall walk in the light of thy countenance, 
Psal. 89.15  and in thy righteousness shall they exalt themselves. Considering these things, we should pray unto God without ceasing for his grace, that he would continue unto us so great a benefit, & say unto him that which is written in Moses song. 
Psal. 90.12  Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom: return O Lord (how long?) & be pacified toward thy servants, and bewail the condition of the Apostates, who having forsaken the Gospel, & the Churches, 
Rom. 1.16  where it is preached; that is to say, the power of God which he hath ordained to salvation to every one that believeth, be without all doubt in the way of damnation, & in danger of eternal death, 
Psal. 119.155.  as David saith: Salvation is far from the wicked, because they seek not thy statutes. For they decave themselves, if they think that they can obtain it any where else, but only in the church of god where it is purely preached. 
Esa. 2.2.  Wherefore the Prophet Esay doth allure every one to hear, & understand. 
Esa. 2.2.  It shall be in the last days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shallbe prepared, in the tops of the mountains, & shall be exalted above the hills; & all nations shall flow unto it, & many people shall go and say: come & let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of jacob, and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go out of Zion, & the word of the Lord from jerusalem. To be informed aright in the will of God, must be done in his church, where he is worshipped in spirit & truth, & called upon purely. And it must be by the mouth of his Prophets & ministers which are ordained & established in the same by him, 
Mal. 2.7.  to preach & expound it. As Malachy writeth. That the Priests lips should keep know ledge, & they should seek the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Moreover, 
Eph. 4. Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12. 1. Tim. 3.  to whom are the true Prophets & preachers sent? Is it not to the Church of jesus Christ? & the spirit of prophesy, and interpretation? Is it not unto it, which is the pillar & stay of the truth? The Church is our mother, & the mouths of the good shepherds which are ordained therein to govern it, be the paps whereby she giveth suck unto her children, who by faith take the breast, draw and suck the milk, wherewith they do nourish and fat themselves so much (especially if it be good milk, and in great abundance) that they become fair, goodly, & marvelous beautiful. But when the breasts come to be stayed and dried up, as it chanceth in time of papistry: where all their Pastors are at this present blind watchmen, 
Esa. 56.10.  that have no knowledge, and dumb dogs, despiteful in mind, which can not bark, who desire and have no other care but to live, and become fat, and sleep softly in this world: and moreover where the milk that is given to the children is all waterish and corrupt, is it not necessary that being so nourished, they should become dry & withered, & that in the end they die with languishing for want of good toode? The Apostates then that are gone out of the Church, where they might if they would, 
Psal. 81.16  have been fed with fine wheat flower, God would have fed them with the fat of wheat, and with the honey of the rock would I have sufficed thee, to return to papistry as to an Egypt, & to be there fed with stinking garlic and onions, which are given there unto them: What can they look for of such nourishment, but in short space to die with languishing: for they have not any whit of the word of God pure in the synagogues and conventicles of Antichrist, but only some little pieces or shreds which are drawn out here and there, out of the four Gospels & the Epistles of the Apostles, and most commonly il fitted to that purpose whereto they would have them serve, whereof neither the Pastors nor the sheep can receive any instruction or edification, because the one and the other being equally ignorant, neither understand the tongue which is spoken, nor the sense and mysteries which are contained therein. Considering that the secrets of the Lord are revealed unto those who have them in honour and reverence, & who by fear and humility are prepared to the understanding of the same: and not unto those proud and arrogant Apostates, which are at this present blasphemers of God, contemners & mockers of his word, and deadly enemies of his Church, which they would wish utterly banished. 
Psa. 25.14.  The secret of the Lord (saith David) is revealed to them that fear him, and his covenant to give them understanding. And doth not jesus Christ say: I give thee thanks o Father, 
Mat. 11.25  Lord of heaven & earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise, & men of understanding, and hast opened them unto babes. It is so Father, because thy good pleasure was such. The conclusion then of all the discourse of this chapter shall be; that the Apostates being out of the Church, are deprived of the word of God, & of all the benefits which do redound of the enjoying thereof. And though some of them have books thereof, yet that doth profit them no more, than it doth the jews to have the Bible: whereof they have not the true sense: and what availeth it saith the Prophet Esay, 
Esay. 29.11  to have a book that is sealed up, or else open, and not to know the letters and characters wherewith it is written.   

The Apostates are deprived of the Sacraments, aswell as of the word.  
Chap. 11.  
THe second instrument which God useth to entertain, preserve and assure always more & more the life which he hath communicated unto it by his word and promises, and which he hath received by the faith which he attributeth unto it, be the 2. Sacraments: to wit, the Baptisine, & the holy Communion, that god hath instituted and annexed unto his word, as seals to confirm & help our faith. 〈◊〉 props & pillars to hold & stay it on both sides so that it abideth stable and invincible against all the temptations wherewith it might be hurt & assaulted of the use & benefit which might be reaped of them, the Apostates do voluntarily deprive themselves, when they depart from the fellowship of the church: for being separated from it the baptism can no more serve than for a token to testify & declare them to be members thereof, or that they appertain any longer to the father, the Son, or the Holy Ghost, whose house & dwelling place they have forsaken. And even as if a knight having received that order of the King, & made promises, & taken the accustomed oaths, if afterward through some hatred or mislike he should departed from that promise & troth which he had given, in token whereof he should send him back his order, to signify unto him that he would afterward be freed & released from his oath. So the Apostates having given over the covenant of God have also by the same means forsaken the tokens & marks thereof: so that they can not at this present call God any more their father whose children they are not, or jesus Christ their Saviour whose members & sheep they are not, or the Holy ghost their director & guide whose temples they are not any longer, & although they have received their external sign of baptism nevertheless they have not the virtue, efficacy, nor the thing which is represented thereby: so that it may be said of them that they have a body without a soul, they have a ring, & not a husband, the deeds & titles without possessing & emoying the inheritance; the sceptre, the crown, the arms, without the kingdom, and that which they have can serve them to no other use out to prove & declare their disloyalty and to make them inexcusable in the judgement of God, when as they shall appear before him. For as a man can not have a more certain, and evident proof against a thief to convince and condemn him, then to find the purse which he hath lately cut in his own hands: so it is not possible to allege or bring a more clear argument against the Apostates to prove that they be disloyal unto God, then to show the covenants of God which they have broken, yet printed and engraven in their bodies. And as the Apostates are departed from jesus Christ who is the substance of the sacraments, and of the Church which is the people of God wherein they are administered and received, & where they only can show forth their virtue & become wholesome, so they have deprived themselves of the whole fruit which they might have reaped by their baptisine staying in the Church, as to assure themselves they were members of the Church, and comprehended within the covenant of God, and that their sins were forgiven them, and washed away in the blood of jesus Christ: that the holy Ghost was communicated unto them to sanctify them, and in begetting getting them a new by little & little to change their nature, and become new creatures which be no small graces, or things lightly to be accounted of. Also they are at this present wholly deprived of the communion of the Lord which is one of the excellentest means that we have to confirm and strengthen the union and fellowship which we have with Christ. 
joh. 6.  For in it we eat his flesh, and drink his blood, that he may dwell in us and we in him inseparably: as the food which is never separated from the body of him that doth eat it after it be once changed into his substance. Now if it be asked to what end they have withdrawn themselves from the table of jesus Christ, disdaining the exquisite and precious meats that are served thereon, to feed those that come unto it, in a sure hope of an eternal and most happy life? It may be answered that it was done that they might be partakers of the table of Devils, 
1. Cor. 10.21.  where they can not eat or receive any thing but venom, and all kinds of poisons. For the Mass whereto they have this day so great devotion, that they run wheresoever it is song, the first to ring to it, and to answer in it, & to help as varlets of the chamber to attire the fool that showeth them this sport: what is this but a mystery of iniquity, 
2. Cor. 2.  much more expectable, then can be named among men, as denying & open renouncing of the blood, and the death, of the sacrifice and of their whole redemption of jesus Christ? The head of all iniquity & idolatry? and to conclude the utter overthrow as well of the salvation of men, as of all religion. For the Devil never made a greater breach into the church of God, them when he established that, because he did at once bury as it were in a tomb of forgetfulness: first of all the honour of God, 
Exod. 20. Mat. 4.  who is more dishonoured & blasphemed by this mass, then by any thing that ever he had invented since the beginning of the world. 
Heb. 9.28. & 10.10.  Secondly, the whole benefit of jesus Christ, which is grounded wholly upon the oblation made by him of himself to make satisfaction for all our sins, & by this satisfaction to procure unto us for ever a general remission & pardon: which this enemy of mankind hath by the means of the mass translated to his abominable priesthood, and sacrifice of papistry. And finally all the means of the salvation & of the hope of men which doth depend of it, which jesus Christ our sole & only mediator hath done and suffered for us. 
1. Tim. 2.5.  What then can these poor wretches find there that can serve either to the glory and service of God, or to their own salvation? I did not stand to prove that which I said of it, because there are whole treatises thereof, wherein the impieties, & horrible blasphemies whereof it is full, are touched particularly, and so well by the grace of God laid open, that there is not this day any child in our Churches, who is not already resolved readily to give an answer thereof, and to satisfy all those who will be content with reason.   

That the Apostates have no faith.  
Chap. 12.  
LEt us pass on further & come to the faith which is the chiefest instrument that God doth use to our salvation, 
Rom. 10.  which is wanting in the apostates as well as the other two above named for considering the word of the Gospel which is the word of the promise, 
2. Cor. 4.  is called theword of faith, because it is the seed thereof without which it can not be brought forth: seeing that the spirit of God is called the spirit of faith, because he is the author thereof as well as of other virtues; 
1. Pet. 1.  how can the Apostates be faithful being destitute of the spirit of God, who is the husbandman that watereth the heart as it were a piece of ground to receive faith: & of the word which is the seed that is sown to bring it forth if they think that true faith consisteth only in the approbation of the truth of the scriptures, they deceive themselves, and have no more faith than the Devils, or Simon Magus, of whom it is written, 
Acts. 8.9.  that he believed, and was baptised; though in deed he had only a show and an appearance of faith. For the true faith is in the heart, 
Rom. 10.10.  as the Apostle saith: With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, & with the mouth man confesseth to salvation. And is as well known by her effects, as by the circumstances which do accompany her, whereof the one is a good conscience, 
1. Tim. 1.  and the fear of God, without which it can not stand: for the mercy and grace of God, which faith setteth before itself in his promises, and whereupon she resteth as upon her true ground, is promised only to those who walk aright before his face, and who fear to offend and disobey him, as the Prophet saith: 
Psal. 103. verse 17.  The loving kindness of the Lord endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him, and his righteousness upon children's children, unto them that keep his covenant, and think upon his commandments to do them. Furthermore in another place he saith: 
Psal. 119.1.  Blessed are those that are upright in their ways, and walk in the law of the Lord: blessed are they that keep his testimonies, 
Psal. 73.1.  and seek him with their whole heart. Also in another place: Yet God is good to Israel, even to the pure in heart. Now I would willingly know, whether the conscience of the Apostates can be good: having left God, and broken so villainously the allegiance which they had an hundred and an hundred times openly and solemnly sworn unto him, infringed the holy covenant which they had made with him, & stamped with their feet the precious blood of jesus Christ, which had been spilled to ratify the same: rejecting his word, and the admonitions and reproofs that could possibly be made unto them in his name, blaspheming this day the truth and religion which they have followed a thousand thousand ways, and afterward serving Idols without any end, and omitting no kind of superstition whereto they do not adjoin themselves; making the cruelest war that they can to all good persons, only for this cause, that they are purposed to be more loyal towards God, and more constant in his service than they have been applying themselves unto those whom they know to be weak to seduce them, and cause them to stumble like themselves. Finally making open profession of all impieties, blasphemies, sacrileges, and abominations of Antichrist & being altogether resolved (as they themselves say) to ●liue and die in that estate. I ask whether these resolutions be not of such persons as are altogether, lost, impenitent and desperate? And who can not look for any thing else at God's hands, but his wrath and terrible judgement, with a heat of fire which shall devour them and all his adversaries? And if they yet have any conscience which is not altogether seared with an hot iron: I appeal unto themselves, whether it serve for any thing else than in stead of an apparitor, or tormentor, or Devil to vex & grieve them day & night, not suffering them to take any rest at all, which thing the good conscience doth not, but comforteth & resolveth the man that hath it, in all his affairs, and suffereth him not to become pale or wan in his adversities, yea though it should chance that the world were dissipated, and the heaven should fly here and there in shivers and pieces: yet would it maintain him constant, stable, and unmovable in all these tumults. For as the Apostle sayeth, 
Rom. 2.15.  As it is good or evil so it doth accuse or excuse us, and as he whom it acquitteth, can not give over when it is good: 〈◊〉 when as it is evil and doth accuse us, none can stand or abide before it. The Apostates the● having an ill conscience can not have a good faith: and so being not good, it is not any longer faith. 
1. Tim. 1. Ephe. 4.5.  For there is but one true faith, a● there is but one true God, and one only true Church. And being without faith, how can they live? Seeing the just liveth only by faith. 
Abac. 2.  How can they be in the favour of God, seeing without faith it is impossible to please him? 
Heb. 11.6.  How can they be just, seeing without faith no righteousness can be approved before God? 
Rom. 3.  What place can they have in the kingdom of God? 
joh. 3.3.  Seeing none is admitted unto it that is not borne anew, and none can be borne anew but by faith: which doth purify our hearts, 
Act. 10.  and make us new creatures. Moreover what good works or good fruits can they bring forth without faith? 
Eph. 2.  Which doth engrafted us into jesus Christ, that we may be well able to bear fruit, how can they defend themselves from the Devil, 
1. Pet. 5.18  who walketh about as a roaring lion, to espy how he may overtake us without our armour: that is to say, without faith which is the only target wherewith we cover ●ur selves that we may avoid the shot of his ●iery darts? What steadfastness or joy can they ●aue in temptations, when they are assaulted either of prosperity or advesitie of the world, ●r of their flesh; if they be void of faith, which alone stayeth and upholdeth us in the midst of all winds, storms, 
Mat. 16.  & tempests which ●ay happen unto us Furthermore from whence ●an they have hope for the remission of their sins, and consequently righteousness, and life, which do depend thereon without faith? 
Rom. 4.  Which is the Isope that doth sprinkle us with the blood of the lamb, to wash and cleanse us from all our iniquities; and by this means to preserve us from the destroyer & from the wrath of God, whereby otherwise we should be devoured and utterly consumed. 
Gal. 3.  Finally sithence faith is the instrument and hand whereby we receive all the graces and blessings of God, and as it were salt, whereby we and all our works are seasoned to be pleasant in his taste? We must conclude that without it we are accursed and abominable before him; 
Rom. 14.  and that all our virtues whatsoever show or outward appearance they have, be nothing else but filth, iniquity and sin. And as the Prince's liveries are the marks whereby their pages, and other servants are known: so faith is the badge of the lamb, which his family and household servants do bear in their foreheads, 
Apoc. 7.4.  thereby to be known, and whosoever shall wear this cognisance he is sure that even the Angels (to whom it is permitted now in these last times to hurt the earth, the sea, and the trees) can no● hurt him in any thing, because he is set apart to be safe from all dangers, 
Apoc. 12.  but unto the fear full and unbelievers, unto the Idolaters an● liars (as all Apostates are) their part shall be in lake of burning fire and brimstone, which is the second death. 
Rom. 11.20.  This aught well to contain us in our duties, and to set oftentimes that before our eyes, which the Apostle saith as well of us, as of the jews; to wit, that through unbelief they were broken of, though they were branches of the true olive tree, and that we stand by faith; to the end that we may not lift up ourselves through pride, but live in all fear and humility under the protection and mighty hand of our God.   

That the Apostates are without the Church.  
Chap. 13.  
Having showed by all the chapters and discourses going before, that the Apostates are without God, without Mediator, without law, without faith, without sacraments, it doth follow thereof immediately, that they are also without the Church. For, 
1. Tim. 2.5.  as there is but one God, one creator and redeemer of the world: so there is but one people which he hath chosen and set a part to separate them from others, 
Psal. 74.2.  and to adopt and reserve them for himself, to sanctify them & make aneverlasting covenant with them, to rule & govern them by his word & his spirit, & to defend them from all their enemies, 
Hos. 2.19.  even from death: of whom he will also be particularly known, and called upon, served and worshipped in spirit & truth This people gathered under one head, 
john. 4.23.  which is jesus Christ by whose means they are joined unto God, 
Eph. 1.5.6.  and entertained into his favour for ever. And there is a double means to gather them into the same body with their head. 
Eph. 4.  The one is external, to wit, the public preaching of the gospel: and the other internal, namely the spirit of God: who doth prepare the hearts of every one to believe, and keep steadfastly that which he hath heard, & perfevere constantly there in unto the end. To the which the Sacraments are adjoined as helps, to the end. They may stay: and bear up the weakness of our faith, when the temptations whereby it is assaulted be strong and vehement. 
Rom. 9.8.  Now since there is no people but this which is allied with God and hath the promises of salvation and life, 
Mat. 4.4.  to whom jesus Christ came to save them from their sins, 
Luk. 1.  whose ransom he hath paid, for whom he hath sacrificed and spilled his blood, that they might be of his flock. whom he hath acquitted as touching the justice of God: for whom he hath prayed unto his Father, 
joh. 17.  & at whose judgement he will acknowledge them his own flesh, his blood, his bones his brethren & inheritance, which he hath purchased to himself there is none but they that hope for life. What will then become of those poor Apostates, who are laid open to the wrath of god, no more nor less, than were those to the waters of the flood that were out of the ark & company of Noah: And in Sodom, 
Gen 7.3.  the kins men of Lot, who would not accompany him nor go out with him; 
Goe 19.14.  & in Egypt those who were without the houses, whose doors were not sprinkled with the blood of the lamb, 
Exo. 12.22  And in lerusalem those who had not been marked in the forehead, 
Ezech. 9.6  and who in the siege of the Romans would not retire to the other side of jordan with those that saved themselves in Pella. 
Histor. tripartita.  For every man deceiveth himself, that hopeth to shun the wrath of God in any other place then in his house and in his holy mountain. 
Esay. 26.  By reason whereof Esay exhorteth the people of god to enter into his closet; that is to say) into the Church wherein (he saith is his home & ordinary dwelling place: & there to keep themselves quiet and hidden for a short space, until his indignation were passed over, to which agreeth that which David sayeth. 
Psal. 27.5.  For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his tabernacle. In the secret place of his pavilion shall he hide me & set me up upon a rock. For the one and the other knew well enough, that there is no place surer, no fortress better fortified and strengthened against all dangers: then is his house, though in outward appearance it seem to be destitute of walls and ditches, rampartes, platforms, bulwarks and other crafts and engines which flesh could invent to guard and defend herself from her enemies: nevertheless the grace and favour of God wherewith it is shrouded and environed on all sides: is a great deal more sure and stronger than all that, as saith David: 
Psal. 125.2  The mountains are about jerusalem, so is the lord about his people from henceforth for ever: 
Psal. 71.3.  And in another place: Thou art my rock & fortress. And in truth when it doth want it, all other means be very weak & unsure. As the prophet Nahum saith. 
Nah. 3, 12.  Al thy strong cities shallbe like the fig trees, with the first ripe figs, for if they he shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater, which we have seen by experience in these last days; wherein we have seen holds that seemed to be invincible, brought under the power of the enemy in short time, and with small force, and others which seemed to be very weak and feeble, have by the grace of God resisted the greatest princes of Europe, which could not overcome them with all their forces, and have received thereby great disgrace. Let us then conclude that there is nothing so strong as the house of God that is to say the Church, which by his favour is invincible and inexpugnable for any power, as David sayeth: 
Psal. 46.5.  God is in the midst of it therefore shall it not be moved, God shall help it very early, when the nations raged, and the kingdoms were moved, God thundered and the earth melted, the Lord of hosts is with us the God of jacob is our refuge. How are the Apostates then so unwise as even in the time of war to give over such a hold where they may sleep and watch at ease: having such a watchman as the god of Israel who for the great care he hath to keep all those that be his, doth neither slumber nor sleep day nor night: as saith the Prophet. I will not suffer my foot to slip, 
Psal. 121.3  for he that keepeth the will not flumber, behold he that keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Considering that God doth never forsake them that trust in him, and repose themselves and all their affairs on his providence, though he saw himself in extreme danger, because of the conspiracy of his son and of all the people that were risen against him: nevertheless he was never daunted at it, 
Psal. 3.4  as he doth show. I did call unto the Lord with my voice & he heard me out of his holy mountain, I laid me down and slept, and rose up again for the Lord sustained me, I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people which should beset me round about. O Lord arise, help me my God, for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone, thou haste broken the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord and thy blessing is upon thy people. imitating then this his example, whatsoever storms or tempests we shall see: let us diligently take heed that we go not out of the house of the Lord to shun them as the Apostates do. But contrarily let us beseech God to warrant us, and save us, that he would show us so much favour, as to take aside, and place us in some corner thereof, when we shallbe yet more in safety, then in all the castles of the world. And taking this reasolution, Let us say with him. 
Psal. 27.4.  One thing have I desired of the Lord: and that I will require, even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life: For what can we look for out of the pavilion of God, but as Isaiah sayeth Fear and the pit, 
Esay. 24.17  and the snarres which are upon the inhabitants of the earth: and he that flieth from the noise of the fear, shall fall into the pit, and he that cometh out of the pit, shall be taken in the snare, for the windows from an high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. By these kinds of speech, 
Psal. 5. Gal. 6.  the Prophet would signify nothing else, but the cursing and wrath of God which is spread every where where sin is, which is the seed thereof, and of all miseries that are in the world beside: if then we will find the blessing of God, and the felicity which doth depend thereon, we must search where his grace is; and his grace is, where his righteousness is; 
1. Cor. 1.4. Matth. 25.  and his righteousness is in jesus Christ; and jesus Christ is in his house, and in his Temple, that is to say, in his Church: where he doth abide unto the end of the world, as he also hath been there since the beginning thereof, and not any where else, where a man may be happy. For there lieth the blessing and the blessed seed, which was promised unto Abraham; from whom as from a spring it was derived to all his family & posterity: & whosoever would be participant thereof, must first be adopted, & by faith engrafted into the body of lesus Christ: for there is none but he alone, in whom the father taketh pleasure; 
Mat. 3.17.  now those which are united unto him by faith, are known to be his members: so that the rest of the whole world (this little flock only excepted, which the shepherd hath gathered up) is within the compass of this wrath and curse of God. Are not then the Apostates wonderful miserable, that having the means to be as happy as Angels, have voluntarily abandoned it, to become for ever as miserable as devils. If a man should ask them whether they do not think a man accursed, that is justly banished, and cut of from the body of the Church, where is only salvation and life: I do not doubt but they would answer by and by, it were so: what can they then think of themselves, who voluntarily have excommunicated themselves, 
joh. 1.  leaving jesus Christ, who is the fountain of all good and all liberty, to yield and put themselves under the power of the Devil, who is the cruelest tyrant both of souls and bodies, that they could have chosen, declaring thereby that they love darkness more than light, death more than life, bondage more than liberty, and to live under the dominion of a most barbarous murderer as Satan is, then in the kingdom of jesus Christ, who is the support, shelter and refuge of all poor afflicted persons. Where were ye a while ago, o ye poor souls? in the Church, 
Mat. 13.  that is to say, in the kingdom of heaven, and now ye are gone down to the bottom of hell, to be banished perpetually with Antichrist, and the prince of darkness; 
joh. 8.  who for not having persevered in the truth no more than you have, hath been cast down from the highest degree of glory that it was possible for him to have, to the bottom of the pit of all misery and confusion, without all hope of recovery. 
Gen. 3.23.  When our first parents saw themselves so shamefully banished and thrust out of the garden of paradise, where they did abound in all dainties, end brought by their ingratitude and rebellion, to the miserable estate whereunto they came afterwards, had they not great cause to lament all their life, so great and horrible a change which happened unto them by their own fault? would they not have been desperate at that time, if God had not suddenly prevented them by his mercy, and lifted up their hope, which was altogether beaten down, by the promise which he made unto them of the seed of the woman, 
Gen. 3.15.  which should bruise the serpent's head? If the Apostates either could or would consider the misery, whereinto they have cast themselves headlong by their revolting: they have no less cause to be grieved then our first parents had, for withdrawing themselves from the church they are gone out of paradise, wherein God showeth his face, 
Cant. 4.  his glory, 
Matt. 11. joh. 1. Esa. 66.  his magnificence, and his great works every day; and where he doth unfold his great riches and blessings, and the rich treasures of his deep wisdom in the fullness of his son, to enter into hell, where they find nothing else but a fire to consume them, and a worm that doth gnaw their heart, and a torment and perpetual disquietness in their consciences, without all hope to find any remedy, or any comfort, or any refreshing in their miseries. They are like unto that poor wretched Cain, 
Gen. ●. 14.  who was the first Apostate in the world: who having abandoned his father's house, and the Church that did assemble itself therein, and being by that means departed from before the face of the Lord, was all the rest of his life a vagabond, and unquiet in his mind, not able to find any resting place, as also after him have been all his successors, Cham, Nimrod, Ishmael, Esau, jeroboam, with the ten tribes that followed him, the Sadduces, Pharisees, Scribes, and Priests, in the time of jesus Christ, and his Apostles, and finally, Simon Magus, Ebion, Chemnitus, Carpocrates, Martion, Valentinus, Arrius, Nestorius, Eutiches, and other Heretics, that came afterward; who having separated themselves from the Church of jesus Christ, have met with a thousand miseries: as also the two Princes and Heads of all the Apostates shall shortly do, that is to say, Mahomet and the Pope, with all their adherents, 
2. Thes. 2.8  whom the Lord doth destroy every day by little and little with the breath of his mouth, until such time as he doth pronounce unto them their last sentence and judgement, wherewith they shall be cast and banished into the pit, with the Dragon and his Angels, that is to say, 
Apoc. 12.9  (as Saint john doth expound it) that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth all the world. For it is certain that the great Captain Michael, who is the God of battles and head of the army of the Lord; after a long fight, he will remain victorious over all his enemies, 
Apoc. 14.9.10.  whom he will put under his feet, to wit, the Dragon, the beast, and all those that will worship him, and receive his mark on their foreheads, or on their hands, who shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, yea of the pure wine which is powered into the cup of this wrath, and they shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels, and before the Lamb. And that great Babylon the mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth, 
Apoc. 17.5  which beareth a name written in her forehead, a mystery: which is drunken with the blood of the Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of jesus, must stumble, and her fall must be so great that all the earth shallbe astonished thereat. 
Apo. 14.8.  For which cause all the children and servants of God are exhorted by a voice coming from heaven, to go out of her quickly: 
Apoc. 18.4  that they be not partakers of her sins, and consequently of her plagues. What will then become of the Apostates who in stead of coming and going from it, 
Apoc. 18.2  do return unto it: thinking to be at more safety in Babylon, which is (as S. John saith) the habitation of Devils, and the hold of all foul spirits, and a cage of every unclean and noisome bird: then in the Church of God which is the holy city, 
Heb. 12.22  and the celestial jerusalem where there is an innumerable company of Angels set round about it for to keep it, and the favour of God which is in the midst as a tower to fortify, & strengthen it on all sides? may not one say of them with the Prophet, 
Psal. 94.8.  understand ye unwise among the people and ye fools when will ye he wise? for are they not wonderfully deprived of their senses that do prefer Bethaven before Bethel; that is to say, a house of impiety, of errors, and lies, of Idolatry, of blasphemy, of abomination, before the house of God, of piety truth and holiness, of prayers and thanks giving: and love rather to return again into Egypt, there to feed of Garlic and rotten Onions, which they had left behind them, then to be daintily fed with the Manna of heaven, and with the food of Angels. David desiring with grief in banishment the dainties, and great comforts he did receive in the house of God, then when he had liberty to frequent it with the rest of the people, whereof he saw himself deprived, 
Psal. 84.34  living among the barbarous and idolatrous, spoke unto God, complaining: Where be thine altars O Lord of Hosts, 
vers. 10.  my King and my God: Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will ever praise thee: for a day in thy Courts is better than a thousand otherwhere. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, then to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickedness. If the Prophet esteemeth them happy, 
1. Cor. 14.  which may with all liberty frequent the house of God, and therewith enjoy the exhortations, comforts, prayers, confessions, and public praises which are song to his Name: 
Psal. 42.  and moreover behold his glorious face, which doth shine in this notable order which is kept in these holy assemblies of the people; doth he not repute contrariwise all those unhappy, who are excluded from the enjoying of so great a good? and especially when as they do deprive themselves thereof, and forsake it willingly, 
Goe 25, 33.  making no more account of it then Esau did of his birthright; which he sold unto his brother jacob for a mess of pottage made of Lentils. I dare say that none of all the Apostates, who have left our Churches to return to papistry, and to their Masses; that is to say, 
2. Pet. 2, 22  to their own vomit as Dogs, and to the wallowing in the mire as Swine, did ever taste, except it were with the tip of the tongue only, the sweetness of the precious and exquisite meats wherewith God doth nourish and feed his family. For if they had swallowed them, kept, and well digested them in their stomaches, they would have forgotten all the daunties of the world, in which the children of God (after they have once with a good appetite eaten of the celestial bread) do find no more savour. 
joh. 6, 67.  When jesus Christ demanded of the Apostles whether they would follow the Apostates, who being offended at his Sermon touching the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood, had gone back from him and walked no more with him: Saint Peter answering for all his fellows, said: Master, to whom shall we go? For thou hast the words o● eternal life. Showing thereby the good will that he and his fellows had, never to forsake his company: because of the benefits and great comforts which they received and reaped continually of his doctrine. 
Mat. 15, 22  The Canamtish woman though she had both been sharply rebuked by jesus Christ and his Apostles, and also confessed herself that the bread which he broke was not for the dogs, in the number of whom she accounted herself, but for the children of the household: nevertheless for all this ill welcome and hard words, she thought not herself answered: as a poor soul pressed with hunger, laying aside allshame, is importunate with his crying upon all those that may give her meat; so she never ceaseth ask till she had obtained that which she desired, esteeming herself happy to be partaker only of the little crumbs which fell from her Lord his table: whereby we see how she could not bridle her appetite, and that she did so hunger after the meats which are served at jesus Christ his table, that she preferred them before all other dainties. 
Luk. 10, 39  Marry Martha's sister (jesus Christ being come unto their house, and sitting down to teach the kingdom of heaven) did cast herself by and by at his feet, and stirred not from thence so long as he continued his speech; she being as it were tied and fastened to his tongue: forgetting not only the care of the affairs of the house, but also all other things: for that singular pleasure which she felt in her soul, hearing the heavenly comforts which proceeded from the mouth of jesus Christ, as from a fountain and wellspring of life, and she is so highly commended by jesus Christ, that having laid aside all other things, she was so attentive to hear the word of God: and contrarily her sister blamed and reprehended by him, that for the too too great care she had of worldly affairs, she was drawn away from the study and meditation of heavenly things, which were of greater weight. And the answer must diligently be noted, which jesus Christ made unto her, when as she complained that her sister had left her alone to serve: 
Mat. 10.40  Martha (saith he) thou carest and ar● troubled about many things: but one thing i● needful, Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her. There by it may be gathered, that there is nothing better unto man, then to dwell in the house o● God, and there to apply himself wholly t● meditate day and night on the Law of Go● imparting unto worldly business no more tim● or care, then is sufficient to get and eat his daily bread. 
joh. 4.28.  The woman of Samaria which was a wanton and dissolute woman, which had not all her life long thought of any thing else, but only to follow the world, and to seek and take her pleasure therein: as soon as she heard that excellent Sermon which Christ made unto her by the Wells side, where he spoke unto her: she was so ravished therewith, that forgetting all other things, even the waterpot which she had brought to draw water, she thought of nothing else but of the benefit which she had received, & to run hastily to the city to publish it to her fellow Citizens, and to induce them to come with her to find the Messiah, who was come into the world, that they might be partakers of the fullness, and of the great and inestimable riches which he had brought unto it. Which doth evidently show the force which is in the word of God, to transform men, 
Heb. 4.12.  and make them become in a moment new creatures. When it is received of a heart void of gall, 
Psal. 19  and cast into a ground that hath been before ploughed and tilled by the holy Ghost: for otherwise it bringeth not forth any more fruit, then doth the seed which falleth upon the stones, 
Luk. 8.6.  and among thorns. My sheep (said jesus Christ) hear my voice: showing thereby the mark whereby they might be known, to wit, when they take such a smack in the word of God, as sheep do in the grass which they find in a good pasture. For as the one can not be filled with grass no more can the other with the word: whereof they can not so be well satisfied, but that they hunger & thirst after it still. 
Num. 21.5  The Apostates them who are glutted therewith as the people were of manna in the desert, they show thereby, that they were never of the flock and sheepfold of jesus Christ, & that during the time they were thereof, they were but wolves disguised & cloaked only with counterfeit attire and sheeps skins; for if they had been sheep the shepherd would have attended on them so, that no creature whatsoever could have wrong them out of his hands. 
Mat. 15.13 Psal. 1.4. Mat. 3.12.  But because they were plants which the heavily father had not planted, they have been rooted out: and as chaff have been carried away with the wind as soon as God cleansed his floor & fanned them, which doth not chance to the good corn, which whether they do fan it or thrash it, it doth ever remain in the floor: & if by the violence of the thrashers stroke, it happen to be scattered, it shall not be so far (saith S. Augustine) but that it may be gathered up together again with the broom, as we also see in these latter days, wherein it seemed that the Devil had purposed to war with all his might against the Church, some weak persons have been chased out of the park by the violency of temptations: but yet not so far, but that by the grace of God they were soon reclaimed again & that by tears, sobs, and lamentations (wherein some of them have been seen to melt) have acknowledged & confessed both privately & publicly their fault to the great contentment of those that have seen their repentance, yea of the Angels and of all the host of heaven, which doth wonderfully rejoice at the conversion of all poor sinners. 
Luk. 15.7.10.  And would it had pleased God that all had done the like, & that after the example of the prodigal child, considering the difference that there is in the estate of those that dwell in the house of the householder, where they have store of bread and of all good meats, & of the other who having left it are constrained to live with the swine & to eat with them the husks wherewith they can not be filled, and that they had taken in the end the resolution of the lost child who being come to himself said, 
Luc. 15.17  How many hired servants of my fathers have bread enough, & I die for hunger: I will rise and go to my father & say unto him, father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants. Or else of that poor lewd woman which called to her remembrance the good entreaty she had of her husband, 
Hos. 2.7.  and comparing it with the ill, which she received of her lovers whom she followed, and resolved in the end to leave them and return to her husband, saying: I will go and return to my first husband: for at that time was I better than now. But this conversion hath happened to those only, who fight against temptations, and being not able to vanquish them because of their weakness: have yielded themselves hoping to take heart again and fight, after they had shrunk away, the grace of God assisting them to declare and make manifest his power in their infirmity: 
2. Cor. 12.  which can not be looked for at their hands who in pride of heart, not being pressed with any other temptation then with their own concupiscences nor led with any other counsel then their own carnal wit, have willingly departed from the Church: as it were making no account of God, or of all his blessings, hoping to find a better party than in his house, & howsoever it should fall out, it should be ever open unto them, whensoever it pleased them to return, after they had assayed other estates. But these poor souls do deceive themselves making their reckoning thus without their host, of whose will & advise they make no account, as though the one and the other were in their power, and as though they had the keys of the kingdom of heaven tied at their girdles to open and shut, go out and come in at all times, whensoever it pleaseth them. For as God speaketh by his Prophet My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, 
Esay. 55.8.  saith the Lord, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, & my thoughts above your thoughts. 
Gal. 6.7.  They must not then think that God will suffer himself to be so mocked, and that he doth apply himself to all their foolish & vain imaginations, as they dream, nor that it is in their power to return unto him when they list. 
Rom. 9.16  For all this is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God alone which showeth mercy, 
Phil. 2.  and doth grant both will and power to perform, to whom soever he will. A man (saith Saint Augustine to this purpose) may kill himself, but so that being dead he can not raise himself to life again. 
Psal. 36.  So when we have once separated ourselves from God, & by consequent from life, which doth not abide any where else but only in him: let us not think that there is any one who hath that power besides him, nor that it can otherwise be brought to pass then by a true repentance: from which the Apostates being excluded, 
Heb. 6.  the wrath of God doth hang over them, and so consequently they abide in death: which they show evidently then, when they are exhorted to return unto God and to enter again into his church. For they never find themselves ready to perform it: but still delay & drive it of until such time as the wheel of the judgement of God going over them all at once & even then when they are not aware thereof, they find themselves crushed and over whelmed on the sudden like Esope his frog. 
1. joh. 2.19  Also S. john taketh Apostasy for a sign of reprobation, when he saith, If they had been of us (that is, those whom God hath elected) they would have continued with us, but leaving our company, they have sheewed thereby that they were never of us, though they have been with us: no more then corrupt humours which are not members of the body though they be in the body: or the tars which are not of the wheat although they be in the same field with the wheat. 
Rom. 10.  For if the continuing in faith and the confession of the same be an argument & certain proof of our election, the forsaking thereof contrariwise, shall it not be a mark and token of reprobation? 
Heb. 10.  And if the sin against the holy Ghost be an envious and obstinate hatred that the devils and men that love lying do bear to the truth of the Gospel, 
Heb. 6.4.10.26.  which is as contrary unto them as light to darkness? what is it possible for a man else to judge of the Apostates, who having received followed, approved, believed, and confessed the truth for a time, do now reject and blaspheme it, do condemn it by word & deed & have it in greater detestation, than those who never made profession thereof? then that the spirit of God being utterly departed from them: hath given place to the spirit of blasphemy, 
Mat. 12.44  which findeth the house empty swept and garnished, than he goeth and taketh unto himself seven other spirits worse than himself which being entered dwell there: so that the end of such men is a great deal worse than the beginning? whereof we shall have experience every day in many? who are as it were trumpets to sound the battle to good men, & furies which cease not gadding & running here & there to incense & stir up all contentious and troublesome persons that they can meet with all like unto themselves against the Church. And as a candle of tallow if it be put out having been once lighted, it stinketh a great deal more than if it had never been burned: and as pot likewise wherein there hath been some precious liquor if after there should be mingled some other which were nought, all that rotten together would yield a most corrupt and filthy smell: so the good things being corrupted with the evil in these wicked men, have made them worse by the half. And as among the enemies of jesus Christ, there was none worse or more traitorous than judas, when he was sequestered from his company wherein he had heard so many good lessons and seen so many notable examples: And as among the Christians of the primitive Church: the heretics and blasphemers who did separate themselves from the body of the Church were of all the wickedest: so in these last times the Apostates have been found to be the dregs of our Church when as they were tried. 
Mat. 9  The naughty humours which do impair the health of the body which have been cast out, the sovereign physician purging them: The husks and chaff which have been severed from the grain by the fan and flail, 
Mat. 3.12  god sweeping his flower; and to be the very scum which cometh out of the pot when as the fire is first brought near unto it, to make the flesh seethe which is in it: the dross which hath been drawn from the gold; when the goldsmythe putteth it into the furnace to purify it: The excrements which have been cut of, 
Ezech. 14. Wisd. 3.6.  from the body to beautify it and make it fair, when God as a barber took the razor and scissors, to pair the nails and cut the hairs thereof. 
Esay. 7.  Finally though our churches be diminished by the departing of the Apostates, nevertheless they are not the worse for it: nay they are thereby made more healthful and better disposed. And as man his body being full of corrupt humours is so much greater and bigger, but one the other part weaker and more unable to all other works: so our Churches were in deed greater and more populous when that great multitude of Apostates which have forsaken us were with us: but they were neither so healthful, nor so ready to perform their duty as they have been since: because such hypocrites being mingled with others, were nothing else but an heap of offences and stones of stumbling to make them fall. Hitherto we have spoken only of those who having been entered into our Churches and having abode in them some time, some more, some less have withdrawn themselves: not for any fault that they could find either in the doctrine that we preach, or else in the prayers and confessions which we make, or in the Psalms which we sing, or in the Sacraments which we administer, or in the discipline which we observe, or in the whole course and order which we follow in ruling and governing our Churches. For thanks be to God we know what we worship, 
joh. 4.22. 1. Cor. 9 Leu. 26. 1. Pet. 3.  and that we walk not at random being ready at all times to render an account by the word of God of the hope which is in us, and of all our actions, to any whosoever will require it. It was not them either a fear which they had to offend God staying with us or else a hope that they could more sincerely or purely serve him in other places, that hath made than to leave our company: but if they would give the glory to God, confessing freely and readily the cause of their revolt, they would say that it was because they loved more to serve the flesh than the spirit, and to enjoy these delicates of the world, then to bear the cross of jesus Christ. But whatsoever it be, they have declared that they were not the children of the promise, nor of the seed of Abraham: which is not like unto the planets which are errant in their motions, but as the stars of the firmament, that, is to say, those which are immovable and permanent in the place of the firmament where they were once fixed, 
Gal. 4.3.  and also if they had been the children of the free woman, they would have stayed in the house for ever: and would not have been driven, out as the children of the bondwoman, who have no part of the inheritance.   

That it is a most dangerous thing for those that know the true Church not to adjoin themselves presently unto it.  
Chap. 14.  
IT remaineth now before we shut up our treatise, to speak also of some who in deed confess that the Church which we follow is the true church, and that it is built according to the platform that jesus Christ and his Apostles have left unto us: and yet they dare not adjoin themselves thereunto. Some being held back with many vain fears, and other by as many frivolous hopes that they do propound unto themselves. They may well be compared unto Tantalus who dieth for hunger & thirst though he hath by him great abundance wherewithal both to eat & drink: this difference only being excepted that is between him & them, that the meats do fly Tantalus when he would approach unto them, & they contrariwise fly the meats when they come near them. For they have (as I may say) the Church set up and open at their doors, and yet will not take the pains to take three steps to enter into it, to be fed with the celestial bread. Which doth show that they do not much hunger after it, and by consequent that they make themselves unworthy of the administration thereof unto them. For the benefits of God are only for those which do desire and long after them, & not for the other who do disdain them: as the virgin Marie sayeth in her song: 
Luk. 1.53.  He hath filled the hungry with good things and sent away the rich empty. To which that agreeth also which jesus Christ said, 
Matth. 5.6  Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be filled: And in an other place, 
joh. 7.37.  If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth in me (as saith the Scripture) out of his belly shall flow rivers of water of life. Which he spoke of the spirit that they should receive who should believe in him. And Esay agreeing unto this, 
Esay. 55.1.  saith: Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters, and ye that have no silver, come, buy and eat: Come I say, buy wine and milk without silver and without money. Wherefore do ye lay out silver & not eat bread? And your labour without being satisfied? hearken diligently unto me, and eat that which is good and let your soul delight in fatness: Incline your ears, and come unto me: hear, & your souls shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant, with you, even the sure mercies of David. By all these places of the Scripture) it may appear that the Gospel, the grace of God, the remission of sins & all spiritual blessings, be not offered but only to those who desire them: not given but to those who seek them, yea and ask them it is forbidden: 
Mat. 7.6.  to give that which is boly unto Dogs, or to cast pearls before swine, 
james. 1.  that is to say unto profane men, which love rather the muck of this world, 
Mat. 11.  than all the rithes of the kingdom of heaven, which was greedily longed after by them in old time, & as it were snatched by those who were more vehement: so great was the press and multitude of those which strived to enter therein first, and were not kept back from running and advancing themselves unto it, with any fear they had of the threatenings of tyrants, or of the loss of their goods, or of most cruel torments which they saw prepared for them, if they followed the Religion of jesus Christ. For they counted nothing more dear than the ready suffering of martyrdom, to be crowned with glory, which he doth promise in heaven to all those which shall neither be ashamed, 
Mat. 10.32.  nor afraid to confess his name beneath here in earth But at this present men be so cowardly and so faint hearted, that the most part of them draw back, and look one upon another, lingering who shallbe the last to follow the captain. And they think that their cowardice is not seen when they do forego some frivolous excuses to cloak it withal. But before we come to the confutation of their excuses and to take away the visard, whereby they would dissemble their hypocrisy, we must propound unto them some certain infallible Axioms it shall serve for a rule to direct them, & for a light to lighten them in their consultations. The first shallbe that theridamas is no salvation but in the church. As the Prophet saith. 
joel. 2.32.  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call one the name, of the Lord, shallbe saved for in mount Zion, & in jerusalem shallbe deliverance as the Lord hath said, & in the reniant, whom the Lord shall call. 
Esay 4.5.  Esay saith as much. The Lord shall create upon every place of mount Sion, & upon the assemblies thereof, a cloud & smoke by day, & the shining of a flaming fire by night, for upon all the glory shallbe a defence, & a covering shallbe for a shadow in the day for the heat, & a place of refuge, & a cover for the storm & for the rain. So doth Zachary in his song, 
Luc. 1.68.  Blessed be the Lord god of Israel, because he hath visited & redeemed his people. That we may then be made partakers of the salvation which god the Father doth offer unto us in his son, we must be united unto him, & made members of his body: that is to say that we be adopted into the household of Abraham with whom the covenant hath been made, and associated by faith with the holy & universal church, which can not be done except we believe the communion of the Saints and until such time as we be joined with them in the public assemblies, wherein the word of God is preached, the Sacraments administered, the order kept in confessions, prayers, and open thanks givings, and in the discipline and censures, which are made of manners, to put in authority the practice and use of the word of God, and to meet with those corruptions which otherwise easily enter into the Church and alter it. The second Axiom is, 
Luke. 12.  that in things: which God doth command we ought not to delay, nor to be slow to put them in execution. But always to have our loins girded up, and hold in our hands the burning lamp, to be ready to go every where, whether it shall please him to send us. And to do readily that which he commandeth us: 
Rom. 1. Heb. 11. Gen. 12.4.  For true faith is ever accompanied with this ready obedience, as we see by experience in Abraham the Father of the believers; who was ready to depart out of his country and leave all his commodities, yea and to sacrifice his own son in whom he put the effect and truth of the promise, 
Gen. 22.3.  as soon as God had commanded him. And that is it which jesus Christ teacheth us to ask of his Father, to wit: 
Mat. 6.10.  that his will should be done in earth as it is in heaven: That is to say that he do grant us the grace, that we be as ready and willing to do his will, as the Angels which are in heaven who have no sooner received the commandment of God but even in the very instant they put it in execution: for God loveth not those dodgers which bargain and ask still more days of advise to deliberate upon that which he commandeth them, whether they should do it, or not. For sithence he is the Sovereign Lord, & commandeth nothing but that which is reasonable and for the profit of those whom he will employ in his service must we take counsel: whether we should obey him or no in that which he doth command us? and to be more hasty or slower in accomplishing his will, then are senseless creatures; which do not come short, or go beyond in any one little point of that, which the creator doth command them. 
Psal. 23.5. Exod. 4.14 jer. 1.7.  The Scripture teacheth how God was grievously provoked against Moses, jeremy and jonas, in that they were wayward in taking the charge and commission which he was to give them, & in obeying that which he commanded them. And the great danger wherein jonas fell because because he would have fled away, 
jon. 1.4.  to the end he might have exempted himself from going to Ninivye, whether God would have sent him doth show plainly enough, the imminent peril to which they lay open themselves who delay so long to enter into the Church: & to obey in that the calling of god, who doth summon & invite them so willingly unto him, 
Esay. 65.  having every day from morning to night his arms stretched forth to receive and embrace them coming unto him. And are they not amazed at that which jesus Christ spoke unto him that would have followed him, but upon that condition that he would suffer him: 
Luk. 9.62.  first to go bid them farewell which were at his house: No man (sayeth he to him) that putteth his hand to the plough, and looketh back, is apt for the kingdom of God. The third Axiom, that we ought never to let flippe the occasion of well-doing, nor a receiving the benefit that God doth set before us, when occasion offereth itself: but apply ourselves immediately unto it, and use it, lest that it being once lost, it cannot be possibly recovered again. That is it which Christ jesus said speaking unto the jews, Yet a little while is the light with you, 
joh. 12, 35.  walk while ye have light, lest the darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in the dark knoweth not whether he goeth, admonishing them thereby, that they should take heed of rejecting of the grace which God offered unto them in him, & by him, & that if they did, it being taken from them, they could no more come by it, which they have found in deed; for having not received the light then when it was offered, they have been utterly deprived thereof, and are yet at this day. So that since fifteen hundred years ago, there hath not been in the whole world, a people more wretched than that; because they have not known the time of their visitation, 
Luk. 19, 44  and have not received the great benefits which God would have bestowed on them, than when they were offered; those that were bidden to the wedding of the king's son did excuse themselves, 
Matt. 22, 5.  the one alleging their merchandise, the other their domestical business, and the rest those impediments which they had: they were so far from satisfying and contenting the king by these excuses, that contrariwise his anger being more extremely kindled against those that had not made any account of the honour & favour that he did unto them, he pronounced them unworthy of his liberality, and of ever being received into his house. 
Mat. 25.10  The foolish virgins, because they had not the care to light their lamps in due time, were overtaken by the coming of the bridegroom, and excluded out of the hall where the banquet was made, which doth teach us not to imitate the slothful, who gasp and wring their hands, or hang down their arms then, when they should work in the time of need. But to follow the example of the Ant, who early and betimes maketh her provision, foreseeing, that in winter she shall not have either means or leisure to do the same. The Turtle, the Crane, 
jer. 8.7.  and the Swallow observe the time wherein they must go a way, lest they should be overtaken with the frosts and cold, which be contrary and hurtful unto their nature. But my people (saith God) knoweth not the judgments of the Lord. jesus Christ did object the same thing to the Scribes & pharisees, 
Mat. 16.3.  O Hypoenites (said he) ye can discern the face of the sky, and can ye not discern the signs of the times? To conclude then our purpose, when the occasion & opportunity is given us to do that which God commandeth, we must never delay, but readily put the hand to the work, and willingly apply ourselves thereunto, and ever be prepared to receive his graces; whensoever he is willing to impart them unto us. The fourth Axiom is, that it is a most dangerous thing to tempt long the patience of God. Whereof there is such a notable place in S. Paul: 
Rom. 2.4.  Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulness and patience, and long, sufferance, not knowing that the bountifulness of God leadeth thee to repentance? but thou, after thine hurdnes, and heart that can not repent, heapast unto thyself wrath, against the day of wrath, and of the declaration of the just judgement of God, who will reward every man according to his works: that is, to them which by continuance in well doing, seek glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, & disobey the truth, and obey unrighteousness, shall be indignation and wrath. For my part, I do marvel that such threatenings do not move otherwise these delayers, which do abuse so long the patience & goodness of God, which we can not contemn, without thrusting ourselves into an open danger of alienating of God and his grace from us for ever, and to deprive ourselves consequently of all the hope that we can have of eternal life, and of the rest which God hath promised to his chosen. 
Psal. 95.7.  As the Prophet saith: To day, if ye shall hear his voice, harden not, your hearts, as in Moribah, and as in the day of Massa in the wilderness. When your Fathers tempted te, proved me, though they had seen my works. Forty years have I contended with this generation, and said, they are a people that err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways. Wherefore I swore in my wrath, saying: surely they shall not enter into my rest.   

What the causes are which hinder the delayers from entering into the Church, and how light and frivolous they are.  
Chap. 15.  
THere are three things which cause the delayers to slumber, which they ever set before their eyes, to flatter themselves in their sluggishness, and which the devil can use marvelous well, to keep them fast in his bands, & to hold them from going from him. The first is, that they doubt of the threatenings of God, and that which causeth them to doubt is, 
Psal. 103.6  that he is slow unto anger, and to execute his judgements. For he is inclined of his own nature unto mercy and meekness, 
Ezech. 18.23. & 32.  and desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent and live. It is a grief to him, and against his will, that he stretcheth out his hand to strike us: and when he doth it, being constrained by our malice and obstinacy, he doth it against his own nature, and doth as Esay saith, 
Esa. 28.21.  a strange work. The Lord shall stand as in mount Perazim, he shall be wrath as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act. Nevertheless, being just as he is, to satisfice his justice after he hath long stayed, if he should see that we should persevere in our iniquities, and that we should make no account of leaving our evil ways, to return to him, then to his great grief he beginneth to show his wrath, and execute his judgements upon us: protesting in the mean time, that it did not lie in him, 
Osea 13.  that we are not saved, and that our ruin and destruction cometh from none other, but from ourselves. So though God suffereth our sin to sleep for a season, and goeth not about to punish it as soon as it is committed: yet notwithstanding he forgetteth nothing of his justice, but calleth at the very instant, wherein he holdeth his assizes all his debtors, and emiseth them to pay unto him his due, and all revenues already past. We must then hold this for certain, that God is true in all his sayings, and that his truth being essential and coeternal with him, he can not choose but put it in execution, 
2. Cor. 1. james. 1.  and as well his threatenings as his promises, in the time which he hath appointed: because in him there is not yea and nay, nor any mutation or shadow of change. The other thing which doth abuse the delayers, is the opinion which they have, that the judgement of God is ever farther of from than than it is: and that seeing it approach they may easily escape it. That is it which deceived those who lived in the time of the flood, and the Sodomites, and Pharaoh, and Achab, and Balthasar, and the inhabitants of jerusalem when it was destroyed by Nabuchadnezar, and since by the Romans. For although the judgements of God were even at their doors, and that they were often forewarned thereof by the Prophets and servants of God; nevertheless they never believed any thing, until that they were taken at unwares, and that drinking, eating, laughing, sporting; 
Matth. 24.  and even then when they thought themselves to be most sure, they were all at once overthrown. For, 
1. Thes. 5.2  The day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night, Who doth watch a fit hour to slip himself easily into the house which he intendeth to rob, that he be not discovered. And as the lightning, which is no sooner seen but it vanisheth away: therefore they that delay to perform their duty and do take their pleasure for the hope they have that God is not ready to call them to his audit to make their accounts, are oftentimes deceived, as well as the naughty servant who said in his heart, my master doth defer his coming, let me eat, and drink and be merry: and in the mean time his master cometh in a day when he looketh not for him, 
Mat. 24.50  and in an hour, that he is not aware of, and doth cut him of, and give him his portion with the hypocrites, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. The third thing which deceiveth these delayers, is the vain hope which they have, that they shall ever have some means or other to agree with God before they die. 
Prou. 3.7.  But it were better for them not to be wise in their own eyes: but to fear the Lord and to depart from evil. And hear what the wisdom of God saith by Solomon, 
Prou. 1.24  Because I have called and ye refused: I have stretched out my hand, and none would regard: but ye have despised all my counsel, and would none of my correction. I will also laugh at you destruction, and mock when your fear cometh, like sudden desolation, and your destruction shall come like a whirlwind: when affliction and anguish shall come upon you, then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer: they shall seek me early, but shall not find me: because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counsel, but despised all my correction, therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices, for ease slayeth the foolish, and the prosperity of fools destroyeth them. But he that obeyeth me, shall dwell safely, and be quiet from fear of evil. It is recorded of Fabius Maximus, that in prolonging the time he stayed and assuaged by little and little the fierceness of Hannibal, and by delay he delivered the common wealth of Rome, from the greatest peril that ever befell unto it: by reason whereof the wise worldlings use of ten-times dissimulation and leisure in their affairs, and condemn swiftness and speediness for great rashness: and in truth, for those who have to do amongst men it is requisite to have a stayed, and well settled wit that doth not hasten too much: but ponder and weigh wisely all counsels, and all reasons before it conclude what to do. For as the Grecians say, the latter thoughts are commonly the wisest and best, but towards God there is nothing more dangerous then to delay, nor more necessary to salvation then a swiftness and readiness, to hear and put in practice that which God commandeth us because he commandeth nothing but with reason, and for the great benefit of those that obey him. Let us not then be slack: But let us cast away every thing that presseth down, 
Heb. 12.1.2.  and the sin that so easily compasseth us about: let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto jesus the author & finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider ye delayers him who hath suffered such gainsaying of sinners against himself, that you give not over in your hearts. 
1. Cor. 9.24.  Know ye not, that they which run in a race, run all, yet one receiveth the price? So run that ye may obtain. See that ye despise not him that speaketh: 
Heb. 12.25  for if they escaped not which refused him that spoke on earth: much more shall we not escape, if we turn away from him, that speaketh from heaven. Pray ye unto him that he may break the nets, which hold you so entangled: and that he unwrap you out of all those vain fears and desires which hinder you, and cause you to let his spirit from directing you in doing his will. 
Psa. 119.32.  Say unto him as saith David, I will run the way of thy commandements, when thou shalt enlarge mine heart. Furthermore I will keep thy statutes: forsake me not overlong. Tertullian speaketh that which we shall find daily to be most true, that is, that our flesh which by nature is rebellie us against them will of God, can not stoop to submit and suffer itself to be tied to the yoke of his word: but will still strive to the contrary. And as it is crafty and politic, and hath ever some subtlety and sophistry to flotter herself in her iniquity, and doth allege always an excuse to those that do exhort her to do her duty, when they urge her somewhat more instantly to do any thing which is against her will, and when one of her reasons be answered, she doth presently invent an other to make reply again: so that she findeth as many or more shifts and exceptions to excuse her from doing well, than an onion hath skins to cover itself. But we ought to think or at least we should think, with whom we have to deal, and that we dispute in vain against God, who as David sayeth: 
Psal. 44.21 Psal. 138.6  Knoweth the secrets of the heart. And as in an other place, For though the Lord be high, yet he beholdeth the lowly. For every thing that he commandeth, and whatsoever he doth, is most justly and most wisely done, and there is nothing in all his counsels, his words, and his works, that is not void of all blame or reproof. 
Psal. 111.8  As the Prophet saith: All his statutes are established for even and ever, and are done in truth and equity. Wherefore it were most safe and expedient for us, when God speaketh, to stop our mouths continually, to reply nothing against that he saith, to open our ears, and to hearken attentively to that which pleaseth him to command us: and to be always ready to crave his grace, to obey and execute cheerfully his will. For we can not offer unto him a more acceptable sacrifice, than a ready and willing obedience. But to show how frivolous the excuses are, which the delayers commonly bring forth, to acquit themselves from performing their duty, and entering into the Church, which is the only place where they ought to seek, and are able to find their salvation. We will examine some of them more particularly, to the end we may see what show of ground they can have. The commonest is, for the most part, that which all use to allege, the fear that they have of falling into those dangers, whereunto they see those laid open, who would withdraw themselves from the company of Antichrist, to follow jesus Christ. But now I demand of them, whether the fear of God ought not to take place and be preferred before all other fears? And whether as the love of God which commandeth us to love him with all our heart, with all our strength; & aught to be the rule of all other our affections? So also the fear of God ought not so to govern all other fears, that we love and dread him as much or rather more than any other thing? But if this true fear, which is the chief and principal point of true wisdom and godliness, 
Prou. 1.7.  were well imprinted in our hearts, it would straight way chase away all other vain fear, as Saint Augustine saith: will thou fear nothing? (saith he) fear God. And experience hath proved in all honest persons of time past, who walking uprightly in their calling, and setting always before their eyes the favour and grace of God, which did assist them in all their ways, were not daunted with any danger that could happen unto them. 
Exod. 14.  Had Moses any fear and dread of Pharaoh, when he saw himself and all the people which he led, enclosed between the sea and the army of the Egyptians, so that there appeared no means, either to fly back, or else to pass one? Was he moved, or any whit amazed at all this? though he saw the imminent peril, and all the people about him in that sort astonied, that they thought not but that they had been utterly cast away: nevertheless he remained steadfast and inmooveable in the midst of this great fear, never doubting but that God would show some notable act of his sovereign power, or else open unto them some passage whereby they might escape. 
Ios. 12.  josuah to whom God after the decease of Moses committed the charge of his people, and to make war to thirty and one Kings, all of them mighty and having their people brought up in Martial feats, their cities strong and well fortified, their men well appointed to fight: did he ever fear any of all these things? Did he not go cheerfully against his enemies, making no more account of them and their forces then to eat a morsel of bread? 
judg. 3.31.  Shamgar with an ox goad assaulted six hundred Philistines, 
judg. 7.19.  whom he discomfited. Gedeon with three hundred men who were only armed with trumpets and pitchers, went boldly against an innumerable multitude of Madianites, 
judg. 15.15  whom he destroyed. Samson with the jaw bone of an ass, smote a thousand men. David being yet but a child addressed himself courageously to the combat, 
Sam. 17.49  against that great and terrible giant Goliath: whom he smote dead to the ground, with the first throw of his sling. And he himself was wont ever since that time to say (to show the great boldness that he went withal unto the war under the confidence and conduct of the Lord, of whom he saw himself assisted in all his affairs) I will not be afraid for ten thousand of the people, that would beset me round about. Whereby we may plainly see, that all they that live in a true fear of God, and who by his promises assure themselves of his help & favour: do not fear nor are affrighted with any thing whatsoever. Nay even in death they are most resolute: as it appeareth in David. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, 
Psal. 23.1.  he maketh me to rest in green pastures, and leadeth me by the still waters. He restoreth my soul, and leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea though I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear none evil: for thou art with me: thy rod & thy staff, they comfort me. Thou dost prepare a table before me, in the sight of mine adversaries. And we must not think, that this was a peculiar grace which God had bestowed upon David only: for it is common to all true believers, as he himself doth testify unto us. 
Psal. 125.1  They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which can not be removed, is most justly and most wisely done, and there is nothing in all his counsels, his words, and his works, that is not void of all blame or reproof. 
Psal. 111.8  As the Prophet saith: All his statutes are established for even and ever, and are done in truth and equity. Wherefore it were most safe and expedient for us, when God speaketh, to stop our mouths continually, to reply nothing against that he saith, to open our ears, and to hearken attentively to that which pleaseth him to command us: and to be always ready to crave his grace, to obey and execute cheerfully his will. For we can not oss●● unto him a more acceprable sacrifice, than a ready and willing obedience. But to show how frivolous the excuses are, which the delayers commonly bring forth, to acquit themselves from performing their duty, and entering into the Church, which is the only place where they ought to seek, and are able to find then salvation. We will examine some of them more particularly, to the end we may see what show of ground they can have. The commonest is, for the most part, that which all use to allege, the fear that they have of falling into those dangers, whereunto they see those laid open, who would withdraw themselves from the company of Antichrist, to follow lesus Christ. But but remaineth for ever. The reason whereby the delaiers are tossed, 
Mat. 6.33.  and withholden by so many vain fears, which hinder them from obeying God readily, and seeking his kingdom and his righteousness above all other things, is for that they have no true fear of God, which would expel out of their hearts all other fear, if it were once entered into them: But so long as they lie still in their filth, and will not once move themselves to enter into the Church to hear the word of God, 
Esay. 59  to be strengthened by his spirit which doth accompany it: they will still tremble for fear, imagining unto themselves fear, where there is none. There shall need as the Prophet saith, But the sound of a leaf shaken, 
Psal. 53.5. Leu. 26.38  To terrify them, and to exanimate them altogether. Whereas being endued with faith they would be so constant, 
Mat. 16.18  that even the very gates of hell, that is to say, the counsel and the power of the Devils, could in no wise move them. If they will then be rid of this so weak and effeminate an heart, which doth entangle and hinder them from performing their duty: let them hasten to come into the Church? Which (as the Prophet sayeth) doth bring forth men children, 
Esay. 66.7.  that is to say, having a stout and a manly courage: and who do not yield themselves easily, 
Apoc. 12.5  whatsoever sharp and furious assaults the Devil and the world make against them. Now after we have spoken in general of the vain fear which they have, and showed that it proceedeth not from any other thing, then from the want in them of love and affiance and true fear towards God: let us now show the same more particularly, and let us handle every fear more severally one by one. They do allege first the fear that they have to endanger the loss of their life. To which I answer them, 
Rom. 1.25 Rom. 2.5.  that trusting to save it as they hope, to wit, in dissembling and withholding the truth of God in unrighteousness, and on the other part, heaping continually unto themselves the wrath of God, by the idolatries and superstitions wherewith they defile themselves day by day, they do lose it, as jesus Christ sayeth: 
joh. 12.25.  He that loveth his life, (and studieth to keep it by unlawful means) shall lose it: And contrariwise He that hateth his life in this world, and doth not fear to forego it for the honour & service of God and for the confession of the name of jesus Christ, and of the truth of the Gospel, shall keep it unto life eternal. Moreover God who hath given it unto them is it not he alone which can continued it unto them, & can defend it a 'gainst all those that would take it away from them: as theprophet saith, 
Psal. 31.15  my times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Furthermore in another place ye that love the Lord, 
Psal. 97, 10  hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints: he will deliver them from the hand of the wicked light is sown for the righteous, and ●ye for the upright in heart: rejoice ye righteous in the Lord, & give thanks for his holy remembrance Again in an other place, 
Psal. 17.8.  He keepeth all his bones not one of them is broken: all these places do teach & assure us that no creature whatsoever can hurt us, either in our bodies, or any thing else, but by the permission & will of God; who keepeth us as the apple of his eye, & hideth us under the shadow of his wings. Moreover what reason is there to preserve the life of the body, which is so vain, so short and moment any, so uncertain, so frail and miserable, in this world to lose the happy and eternal life, aswell of the body as of the soul in the kingdom of heaven. 
Psal. 36.9. joh. 14.6 joh. 6. Abac. 2.  For God being the well of life and jesus Christ the way truth and the life: and the word of God and faith being the two means whereby God granteth life unto us: if we be deprived of both these, that is to say, of all causes and means of life (as we are in deed being out of the Church) be not the delayers aswell as the Apostates wonderfully deceived, seeking and hoping to find life, in the world, 
Rom. 14.8  where there is nothing but death and malediction. Furthermore do we not appertain unto jesus Christ aswell concerning the body as the soul. 
1, Pet. 1.18  Who hath redeemed us by his death, and paid our ransom: not with gold, silver, or other corruptible things, but with his precious blood, 
1. Cor. 6.20.  which was the greatest price which could be esteemed in the world. Seeing then we now belong unto him, and not unto ourselves, and that he is Lord of our life, and of our death; is not the one and the other in his disposition, to do with them, as it shall seem good unto him. And ought not we also to consecrate them wholly unto his honour, and to have them ever ready to employ in his service? And casting away all fears and dread that may withdraw us or keep us back from doing our duty, & resting wholly upon the providence of God, 
Mat. 28.20  who hath promised to be always with us and to have so great a care of our souls, and bodies, 
Mat. 10.30  that even one hear shall not fall from our head, without his will and special ordinance: Good God what maketh us (I pray you) so to love this life wherein there is no kind of liberty, no rest, no pleasure that is perfect, and that is not intermingled with a thousand griefs, sorrows, and bitter vexations: and where at all hours of the day we are constrained to fee and hear against our wills innumerable things which grieve us; and which is worse: wherein we can not walk three steps but we shall meet with some offence, that shall cause us to stumble dangerously and offend our good God, to whom we are so much bound. And alas, what doth make us likewise to have so great a fear of death, which is at this present so unarmed, 
1. Cor. 15.  that there is not so much as one sting left unto it to prick us withal, 
Act 2.24.  nor a chain, or cord wherewith to bind us: which is the door and entrance into the kingdom of heaven, and as a commissary appointed and sent of God to put in possession and enjoying of life, glory, honour, 
Rom. 8.  peace, joy, rest, and all the perfect, and abfolute felicity, which we possess not here in earth, but only by hope. Where is the faith which we ought to have of eternal life? which can not be in our hearts but it shall send away presently all fear of death. 
Luk. 24.  Where is the spirit of strength and virtue from above & that old faith of the Martyrs wherewith they have astonished the most cruel and fiercest tyrants of the world, 
Math. 12.24.  and made Beelzebub himself the prince of the Devils, with all his troops and legions to tremble in Hell? Where are the invincible courages which never yielded either to the iron, or to the fire, or to the teeth of Lions, or to threatenings, or to armies, or to any torment that was set before them, 
Herald 11.33  were it never so cruel and horrible? For they had ever that before their eyes, If God be one our side, 
Rom. 8. 3●  who can be against us? And that which the Prophet said seeing the rage, of his enemies, 
Psal. 118.9.  The Lord is with me: Therefore I will not fear what man can do unto me: The delayers than think to be at more safeguard being one men's part then on Gods, and that following the band of the Idolaters and blasphemers they can not fall into the dangers whereunto they see the children and servants of God subject who do serve him and walk in his fear. But David is not of this opinion. It is better to trust in the Lord, 
Psal. 108.12.  then to have confidence in man: It is better to trust in the Lord, then to have confidence in Princes. And otherwise, Give us help against trouble, for vain is the help of man: Through God we shall do valiantly for he shall tread down our enemies. Then to assure ourselves sufficiently both living and dying, we can not do better than to commit ourselves to his protection, who hath in his hands the keys of life and of death: 
Apoc. 1.18.  The delayers allege also unto those that do exhort them to come into the Church, to lay open themselves and to make public profession of their faith, as God hath commanded them: that the fear wherein they are & of the loss of their goods doth hinder them, 
Luk. 1.1.  and that they will not be poor and naked as commonly those are who make true profession of the Gospel. Yea? but I demand of them, who hath bestowed these goods upon them, and to what end they have been given unto them? is it not God, who being more liberal towards them, then towards many others, doth make them wealthier than their fellows, that he may bind them unto himself more straightly, and give them occasion to love him more, and serve him with a more willing heart? and yet that which ought to draw them nearer unto him, and make them more devout & affectionate toward his service, is that which doth withdraw them, and maketh them altogether to forget it. Good Lord can they think that such a heinous ingratitude, shall in the end remain unpunished? and that God hath not as much power to punish it, and as much will to take it away from them or their children, as he hath had to bestow it on them? Let us hear what David saith thereof. 
Psal. 37.17  The arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholdeth the just men: the Lord knoweth the dates of upright men; and their inheritance shall be perpetual. They shall not be confounded in the perilous time, and in the days of famine they shall have enough, but the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed as the fat of Lambs, even with the smoke shall they consume away. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous is merciful, and giveth: For such as be blessed of God, shall inherit the land, and they that be cursed of him, shall be cut of. Also in another place: Their beauty shall consume, 
Psa. 49.14  when they shall go from their house to grave: but God shall deliver my soul from the power of the grave: for he will receive me. Be not thou afraid when one is maderiche, and when the the glory of his house is increased: for he shall take nothing away when he dieth, ●either shall his pomp descend after him. And in another place: 
Psal. 39.5.  Surely every man in his best estate is altogether vanity: doubtless man walketh in a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and can not tell who shall gather them. Thereby it may appear, how uncertain the hope of those is, who by offending God, and disobeying him, think to keep their goods, and to enjoy them peaceably: seeing it is he alone that can give them, and take them away, as it seemeth good unto him. Moreover, what availeth it to have many riches, if God do not bless them, and give us the power to use them aright? For we possessing them without his grace, except he stretch forth or extend his blessing upon them, they can not serve but for our own evil, and for a means to accomplish & augment our destruction, making us the more sinful before God. But what can it profit me to live here a very short time, enjoying all the riches of the world with great labours, fears, sorrows, and defiances, if in the end of this life I be constrained to leave them, 
Luk. 16.23  as the naughty rich man, for having abused them? We do root out of our fields and gardens, thorns, briars, and all weeds, which do hinder the growth and prospering of the grain, and other good seed: why do we not pluck out of our hearts also that covetousness, and greedy desire, that hindereth the word of God (which is an incorruptible seed,) 
Luk. 3.  from taking root, and doth beat it down, and smother it when it would arise? Crates the Theban, knowing that the goods of this world hindered the mind, from applying herself freely to the study of Philosophy, took all that he had and threw them into the sea, saying: that he had rather drown them, than he should be drowned by them. Will not this poor pagan rising from the dead, in the day of judgement, condemn all those, which for the excessive love they bear to their riches, are gone astray from the true Christian Philosophy? that is to say, the word of God, where as they might learn to know God, 
joh. 17.8.  and jesus Christ, and to know themselves, and all the foolish vanity of the world, which are the only means whereby men can be saved. I would to God that all delayers, and all other persons, who are kept back by their goods from entering into the church of God, to learn the way of their salvation, had sound practised in the whole course of their life this one lesson of the Apostle: to wit, 
1. Tim. 6.6.  that godliness is great gain, if a man be content with that he hath: and that having food, and raiment, we ought to be by reason contented, seeing we have brought nothing into the world, 
Psal. 37.16  and that we can carry nothing away. And this of David. A small thing unto the just man is better than great riches to the wicked and mighty. Let such persons consider diligently, that which the Apostle saith, touching the desire of riches. The desire of money is the root of all evil, which while some lusted after, they erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows, and are fallen into temptations and nets, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which cast men into destruction and perdition. And what a great and grievous loss they sustain, when to obey their desires they lose the faith, and by consequent, 
Phil. 3.8.  the grace of God, which is the wellspring of all goodness. Saint Paul after he had known jesus Christ, and the great riches which he bringeth unto those which receive and possess him by faith: did esteem no more of all those things whereof the flesh useth to boast, then of dung. So all those who (as he) have sound felt and tasted of the benefits which God the Father doth bestow on us, by the means and favour of his son; do not now make any great account of worldly riches, 
1. Cor. 7.13. Psal. 62.10  or of any other earthly goods, but possess them as not possessing them, and not setting their hearts upon so frivolous and so uncertain things. As we see by experience in the example of Abraham, 
Gen. 12.4.  who after that he had made a covenant with God, and believed that which he had promised unto him, that he would be his buckler, 
Gen. 15.1.  and his exceeding great reward, and that he would always be with him, 
Gen. 17.  to guide and lead him in all his ways, and defend him in all dangers, did not delay to obey his commandment that he laid upon him, to go out of his own country, to leave all his inheritances, houses, lands and possessions, his parents, and friends, and generally all his commodities and eases, to go (as it were at all adventure unto the place that he should show him, 
Gen. 24.9.  nor to purchase land but so much as would serve him to make a common sepulchre for him, his wife, and his children, neither he, nor all his household to dwell otherwise then in tents and pavilions. Showing thereby, 
Heb. 11.9.  that he esteemed himself as a pilgrim and stranger in this world, and that he waited for a city in heaven which hath a foundation, 
Heb. 11.24  whereof God is the workmaster and founder. Moses also since, being come to age, refused he not to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter? choosing rather to be afflicted with the people of God, then to enjoy for a time the dainties of sin, esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. The Apostles followed jesus Christ so soon as he had called them, 
Mat. 4.20.22. Luk. 19  and to follow him readily left Father, mother, wife children friends, houses, and all other things even to nets and boats. And after they had continued a space in his company, and perceived the great treasures of the knowledge and wisdom of God that flowed out of his mouth, as it were out of a lively spring: then they forgot altogether the commodities & ease which they had in their houses, having not any mind to return unto them, for the pleasure and contentment that they received of the words of life which he preached unto them. 
joh. 6. Mat. 9.9. Luke. 19.2  S. Matthew leaveth his custom, & his chief traffic Zacheus the chief receiver of tribute, a man rich and wealthy, giveth liberally the half of his goods to the poor, and restoreth fourfold if he had taken away from any man by forged cavillation: so soon as the one and the other had known jesus Christ, and the great benefits which he brought from heaven to those which would receive them on earth. And after that jesus Christ was ascended up into heaven, and the holy Ghost being descended upon the Apostles, and the Church began to grow and ●●ultiply in jerusalem: All those that believed were they not together making all things common, and selling all the possessions and goods to impart them unto all, according to every one his need? Whereby it may appear, that that which was propounded heretofore is most certain: namely, that the sense and feeling which we have of jesus Christ, and of the heavenly treasure which he bringeth unto us, doth impair and diminish much the value of the earthly and bodily goods, the desire and love whereof beguineth by little and little to fade away, assoon as we have tasted of the other which are sound and stable, and which bring a true joy unto all those that do possess them. Moreover, is there any good thing more to be desired then the peace & the rest of the spirit? and that our hearts be ever constant and settled, to bear moderately all chances, mutations, and alterations that may hap, without troubling them, or being amafed at them? Now there is nothing but the faith which we have in jesus Christ, that can bring unto us this great benefit: for it is he alone that is the Prince of peace, 
Rom. 5.  and who is able to still the storms, 
Esay. 19  & torments of our consciences, when they are oppressed with the fear which they have of the wrath and judgement of God, because of our sins: 
Ephe. 3.  and that he dwelleth by faith in our hearts, doth make us feel in them by his spirit, the remission that he hath obtained for us by his death. But otherwise the desires do never cease troubling them: and it is not possible for a man that is desirous to take any sound sleep, to rest at his ease, because day and night he is ever dreaming how he may satisfy all his covetous lusts: but it is in vain, for they are insatiable and infinite. Every man than is miserable, who for the fear he hath of foregoing some corruptible goods, which do but torment him, loseth goods incorruptible, which would by and by content him, if he would receive them when they are proffered unto him. But the most part of men think no more than brute beasts of any other life but of this. And therefore also they are not careful, but only to seek those things which can set the flesh at ease, for that short time which they have to live in this world, without remembering at all what they shall ask, when by death they shall be constrained to forsake them. It is of them of whom David speaketh, 
Psal. 49.18  when he saith: While he lived he rejoiced himself: and men will praise thee, when thou makest much of thyself: he shall enter into the generation of his fathers, & they shall not live for ever; man is in honour, & understandeth not: he is like beasts that pe●●ish. Such persons seem to be accursed, as the Serpent was, because as he, so they also live with earth, and yet are not afraid, that their hearts being buried in the earth, do rot as all other things which are covered therewith. It is here where they make their paradise like Moules. For as jesus Christ saith: 
Matt. 6.11.  Where their treasure is, there will their heart be also: & where their heart is, there will be their God: and where their God is, there will their paradise be. O poor souls, that for an apple (as I may say) do give over, not earthly paradise, as our first parents did, but the kingdom of heaven, where the majesty and glory of God doth show itself openly to the blessed spirits that be with him. 
Mat. 18.8.  Here it is, here it is (I say) where we should use violence unto ourselves, and pluck out not our eyes, if they cause us to offend, not cut of our hands if they give us occasion to stumble (as jesus Christ adviseth us) but cut down even to the root this cursed desire which entangleth our hearts, & hindereth them from lifting themselves up on high from meditating and seeking those things that are heavenly, as all Christians that are regenerate, (that is to say) dead and risen again in jesus Christ) ought to do; which those never did, in whom sin reigneth as yet. So that they are more possessed of their goods than they possess them, & more servants to their own affections then to God. They say also that the fear which they have of persecution, and losing their ease and rest, doth withhold and keep them back from adjoining themselves to the Church. 
Mat. 10.  Whereby they show themselves to be of a lither and cowardly heart, and altogether unworthy of jesus Christ, refusing to go with him to the battle that he maketh in their behalf, against their enemies, wherein they are sure to bear away the victory, going under his banner and conduct: and besides that, first to enjoy a glory and immortal praise, & afterward an eternal and heavenly kingdom, in which they shall triumph for ever. 
2. Tim. 2.12.  For this is a true saying: that if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he will also deny us. But I would gladly demand of them, whether they desire or hope one day to enter into paradise, and whether there be any other way to lead us thither, then that which the son of God hath traced out unto us? who saith himself, 
Luk. 24.26  that he ought to have suffered, and to enter into his glory. To which also that agreeth which Saint Paul saith: 
Act. 14.22.  That by many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of God. 
2. Tim. 3.12.  And in another place: All those which will live in the fear of God, and of jesus Christ, shall suffer persecution. For it is an ordinance of God which is general, that if we be partakers of the glory of his son, 
Rom. 8.17  we must be likewise participant of his cross and tribulations. Will they then that God, who is unchangeable in his counsels & decrees, should break them for their sakes; that by an especial privilege he should except them from the common rule, and exempt them alone from persecution, from which his own son was not freed, when in great fear and horrible anguish of death, he desired his father, saying: 
Mat. 26.39  O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Should they not content themselves with this condition, that their estate should be like to their Lord and Masters? And yet it is better; 
Heb. 7.26.  for of all the children of God, there is none that hath suffered so much in this world, as the first borne, who was his natural son, his only son, his well-beloved son: and who alone was innocent and undefiled amongst all men. Were it not a great shame for a man to request to be crowned, having not fought? and to receive the price of the race, 
2. Tim. 2.5  wherein he never ran? that were to reap, having not sown; and to gather, not having laboured? 
1. Cor. 9  Do not we fear lest we should be thought not only too too fine and dainty, but also treacherous and disloyal, if whilst the other fight in the field covered on all sides with dust and blood, weary & out of breath, & half dead for the great thirst which they endure: we should stay still under the tent in the shadow to refresh us at our ease, by the bottles & flagons? When David would have sent the valiant knight Vriah unto his house, 
2. Sam. 11.11.  there toly & delight himself with his wife being returned from the camp, from which he came by the commandment of his general, to bring tidings unto the King of the army: excused himself from doing of that which the king commanded, by a notable & excellent answer, God forbidden (said he) that thy servant should ever suffer so shameful a reproach, that he hath lain soft in his house, when his captain in the war hath in his pavilion laid on the straw bed. What shame then, or rather what impudence is it for the delaiers, to dwell still in their houses, drinking of good wine & making merry, & in the mean time they behold their captain jesus Christ tied unto the cross; 
joh. 19.29.  to whom is given vinegar to quench his thirst. The Rubenites Gadites and the half tribe of Manasses, 
Numb. 32.  though Moses by the consent of all the other tribs, had assigned unto them their portion & dwelling in the lands which they had conquered on the other side of jordan, upon the two Amorean Kings Sehon & the King of Basan: & for that cause, had noweleisure to rest themselves, their wives, and their children, not taking any more pains in the travels & labours of war: nevertheless they would not enjoy this rest whilst their brethren were in the fields fight & conquering of the Chananits, & the residue of the land which God had promised unto them for their inheritance; but with a noble & valiant heart did offer themselves to go the foremost in the battle, & to be partakers of all the toils & dangers of their brethren, until such time as they also should be settled & have occasion to rest as they themselves had. Which is an example of great courage, & which these weak and faint hearts, should set before their eyes to imitate: & consider with themselves what a reproach it is to eat the honey as drones when it is gathered, and refuse in the mean time the pains to go into the fields to gather it. But what? Which of these two will they be? Children, or bastards? 
Heb. 12.8.  If they choose rather to be bastards, besides the reproach they get thereby, they can not be heirs. If they be children, they must be partakers of the chastisements & afflictions which are common to all the children, whereby they get their inheritance. 
Rom. 5. Gal. 6. Mat. 5.11.  Why do they fly the cross and persecutions of jesus Christ; seeing it is the badge and chiefest glory of Christians? Do they think they shall be miserable when they shall be injuried, imprisoned, banished, rob of all their goods? That their names shall stink and be execrable to the whole world? and that every evil word shall be said against them for jesus Christ his cause? Nay contrariwise he pronounceth those happy, and saith that it is one of the seals of our election to assure them that the kingdom of God doth belong unto them, and that this narrow way which they abhor so much, 
Mat. 7.14.  is even that which leadeth thereunto, and he pronounceth those wretched who desire riches, pleasures, and the honours of this world. Woe be to you that are rich: 
Luk. 6.24.  for ye have received your consolation. Woe be to you that now laugh: for ye shall wail and weep. Woe be to you when all men speak well of you: (for as he saith in an other place) that which is highly esteemed amongst men, 
Luc. 16.15  is most commonly abominable in the sight of God. 
Soph. 1.  I will visit all those who as wine rest upon their dregs. That is to say, which love rather to wallow and rot in their filth then to rise and hasten themselves to prevent the judgement of God, and the day of his wrath. Which shall be unto them no doubt a day of tribulation, & anguish, of darkness and obscurity, of weeping and gnashing of teeth. 
Apoc. 21.8  The fearful (sayeth S. john) shall not enter into the kingdom of God: but shall have their part (as also all unbelievers, liars, and Idolaters) in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death: but he that overcometh, shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Should not the threatenings of God so horrible, correct the fear of the most fearful person in the world? And on the other side those excellent promises that God maketh unto all those that shall, be courageous, and who fight manfully shall be victors over their enemies: ought they not to encourage & stir up the greatest coward that is, to take the whole armour of God, that is the breastplate of righteousness, The shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, 
Eph. 6.13.  the sword of the spirit which is the word of God: To resist the Devils & the Lords of the world and governors of the darkness of the same and to fight against all the malicious spirits which are in heavenly places, 
1. Cor. 10.5  & cast down all imaginations & every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God: and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. The spirit of God which is a power from on high, 
Luk. 24.49 joh. 3.5.  which by faith is communicated unto us by our regeneration, is it a spirit of fear, and not rather of power, of love, and of a sound mind? How can they then that are destitute of this spirit, assure themselves in their consciences that they are Christians? But I do marvel much how these persons think that they may be of the church of jesus Christ, & in the mean time be freed from persecution, seeing jesus Christ hath foretold to all his disciples, that in the world they should suffer affliction, and that if he hath been hated & persecuted in the world, 
joh. 15.20. Chap. 16.  so shall they be also: purposing to teach them thereby, that injuries & persecutions can by no means be avoided of them. Wherefore Lactantius saith, that it is the poesy of the true church, 
1. Tim. 13.  to do good & suffer evil: in being the pillar and the prop of truth, 
joh. 8.44.  & as it were a witness thereof, considering that the truth is, & hath been of all antiquity odious unto the devil, who is the father of lies, & to all men who by nature are vain & liars: but above all other to Princes & great Lords who love to be flattered. 
Psal. 39 & 116.  Is it possible that either the true ministers & servants of God, can make a true profession of preaching thereof, or his children believe & follow it, not raising against them by & by the joint hatred both of men and devils? So that the painters which would draw her, have given unto her a sword in her hand, which she thrusteth through the throat of him that beareth her. 
3. Esd. 4.  But that ought not to astonish us, for howsoever it standeth, she will in the end remain victorious over all her enemies. And we are certain that God who is the Father thereof, will uphold all those that will freely embrace her & will destroy, not only those, who by hatred, & because they are possessed by the devil, do reject & fiercely resist it: but also those who for fear lest they should incur the hatred & the evil will of the world, do love rather to dissemble & delay time with the enemies, them to join themselves to the companies of her friends, & put themselves under her banner to defend her. Ought we not to think that to preserve faith and other graces and virtues which God hath engrafted in us, it is needful that they should be practised? And that without exercise they do rust, and become in time cankered as Iron &, in the end come to nothing? It is then for our profit that we should have enemies, which make war continually against us to exercise us. For that maketh us vigilant; strong and ready, as Saint Paul saith, My power is made perfect through weakness, 
2. Cor. 3.9.  very gladly therefore will I rejoice rather in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Wherefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in anguish for Christ's sake: for when I am weak then am I strong. Seneca saith, that virtue will fail, and fade away, if she have not an adverfary, who in exercising of her doth make her to flourish. Let not the delayers than allege any more either their persecutions, or their infirmities, to excuse themselves withal from entering into the Church: for both the one and the other aught to drive them unto it. The cross, because it is an occasion to fight, and fight a mean to come unto the glory, honour, rest, crown, happiness, and felicity, whereunto they aspire: and their infirmity, to the end they may be strengthened: for the church is the school where all virtues are learned, but especially magnanimity & constancy which do still accompany faith: to cause her to contemn death threatenings, 
Mat. 16.  dangers, prosperity, adversity, and all other frail and corruptible things. Is it possible that hearing so many excellent promises of God, 
Psal. 46.  whereby he doth make us certain for ever of his presence and favour, and that he will never forsake us either in fire, or water: but will keep us ever in our ingoings and outgoings whether soever we walk. 
Esay. 43.2. Psal. 83. Psal. 121.  And after seeing so many examples, of those who being upholden by the spirit of God in the church, have been invincible against all temptations and torments, 
Heb. 11.  is it possible but that we should be encouraged? And although we were more fearful than hearts, is it possible (I say) that following so many valiant captains and champious, we should not be under their conduct as bold as Lions? Hasten you, o ye delayers to enrol yourselves among the company of old beaten soldiers that never fled back for any assault whatsoever was made against them, and who continually esteemed the glory of God and of his truth dearer, than all the dainties of the world. There be some also that fear to be expelled out of their own country where they are had in honour, and have great offices and gorgeous houses; where they, their wives, and their children, be at their ease and well provided of all those things they need, dare not commit themselves to the church, lest that perfecution coming, they be in danger to lose all their commodities. To answer particularly to all that which they object, I say first, that the true country of a Christian man (as saith S. basil) is the Church wherein he is borne a new: and where he hath his father, 
joh. 3.  his mother, his brethren, and friends, his dwelling, his goods, & his inheritance. And I say furthermore that it is the best, happiest and most delightful and pleasantest sojourning that is in all the world. For it is the guard on which God hath plated, which he himself hath tilled, and wherein he taketh all his delight; where the trees of righteousness, the blessed plants of the house of God, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life, which is always green are to be found. beside there are the clear rivers and springs, of the water, 
Cant. 4.  of life, springing to life eternal: There are also the sweet flowers, the smelling of the lily, the roses, the camphor, the spikenard, the Lavender, saffron, calamus, cinnamon with the trees bearing incense, myrrh, aloes, with all other chief spices: 
Apoc. 21.  And to conclude there is the gold, and precious stones, the most rare and excellent that can be found: 
Esay. 5.  desired and wished for. It is the vine of the Lord which he hath adorned: withal the greatest excellencies that can be wished, to take his pleasure therein. If then God do content himself to dwell therein, as in the stateliest palace, as in the gallantest garden of pleasure that he hath: should not this dwelling like us? Moreover, is not our habitation in heaven? 
Phil. 3.  since we are heavenly plants (as Plato said) and that we are risen with jesus Christ. Wherefore then have we our hearts still in the earth, to seek the things that are beneath? why do we not lift up our selves to heaven, where our treasure is? 
Coloss. 3  when it was demanded of Socrates from whence he was? He answered: I am a citizen, and burgess of the world: Showing by his answer, that a good man ought to esteem the whole earth to be his country, and that there is no place so desolate or so waste, nor any Nation so barbarous, in which God doth not lodge and place his, when it pleaseth him to call them from their native country, to place them else where, where he knoweth they will fructify best. As we see in the examples of Abraham joseph, Mardochie, Daniel, all which came to high estates out of their own country. There was an old father who said, that honest men, yea even the faithful aught to be like unto Torteises and Snails, and carry still their houses about with them. For they which build in one place, thinking ever to dwell there, deceive them selves, and do not consider that the condition of the Christians in this world is not to have any certain house or City: 
Eb. 13. 1. Cor. 4. Heb. 11  but to be in it as travailers & pilgrims, now in this place & anon in another. And so pass therein as pilgrims and strangers, not resting our affections in any place: but so long as God shall appoint. Briefly we ought to build, purchase, and possess, as though we possessed not, and use the world and all the things that are therein, as though we used it not: as the Apostle sayeth, that The fashion of this world goeth away and there is nothing certain therein. 
1. Cor. 7.30.  If our earthly affections were well mortified, and the world were well crucified unto us, and we unto the world, as we ought to be, we should not be so curious or so coy in all these things, which do but serve for the body and for this present life, as we are. For very little or nothing at all is needful to content a mind which desireth nothing but that which is necessary to maintain itself. This unsatiable desire then which we have to dwell at our ease, and only caring to leave our houses well stored and furnished of all things that may be desired for delight, can not proceed from any other cause, then from too too great desires of those superfluous things and of a false opinion which we have, that without those things we can not live coninodiously. For if we could content ourselves with the things which are necessary for the preservation of this life, we could not have so little but it would suffice us. We would not fear that serving God, lodging, food, or garments should never fail us, in what place soever we should be, were it in the midst of Scythia. 
Gen. 28.11  jacob slept at his ease though he were in the fields in the rawness of the night, and had but a stone under his head for his bolster. 
1. Kin. 19.6  Elias contented himself for a meal to have but a cake baked upon coals, and a pot of water. 
Mat. 3.4.  So John who was appareled but with camels hear, and was nourished but with locusts and wild honey, was contented therewith. 
Luke. 19  The Apostles having barley bread with two or three little fishes broiled upon the coals, with a little water, desired no more. 
Dan. 1.  Daniel and his fellows which were fed only with herbs were fatter and in better case than the other children which were served with the King's dishes. And jesus Christ the son of God being in the world had not where to lay his head: and yet none of all these ever wanted any thing that was necessary for the preservation of their bodily life. True it is that God sometimes to prove and put in practise the faith of his children and servants, or else to make them known that they may serve for examples to others, doth drive them to great necessity: so that it seemeth he will give them over or else that he hath forgotten them. But he never faileth to be ready at the ●erie hour and instant, wherein they have most need of his help, making them to understand and prove abundantly the remembrance that he hath of his promise and care, to secure his, when nederequireth. Whereof Paul warneth the Corinthians and all of us, 
2. Cor. 4.8.  that we be not discouraged. Though sometimes being in affliction, we be brought to the pinch, sayeth he, yet are we not in distress, being in poverty, we are not destitute: being persecuted, we are not forsaken: being cast down, we perish not. 
Psal. 66.9.  And David to this purpose sayeth: He holdeth our souls in life, and suffereth not our feet to slip: for thou, O God, haste proved us, thou haste tried us as silver is tried, thou haste brought us unto the snare and laid a straight chain upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads. We went into fire, and into water, 
Heb. 13.  but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. I will go into thy house with  offerings and will pay my vows. Having then so many promises of God that he will not leave us, 
Mat. 6. 1. Pet. 5.  nor give us over, that in seeking his kingdom, and his righteousness all temporal charges shall over and beside be administered unto us; Let us than cast all our care upon him, and assure ourselves that he will be careful to provide all things that shallbe necessary in what place soever we do remain. I say necessary, and not superfluous: for what need have we of them: when we may be without them: And moreover they hinder us and increase the cares and vexations of our minds, and finally they serve for nothing else, but to kindle and stir up the concupiscencees of our flesh. Which we should mortify. Ye: 
jam. 4.3  ask. (sayeth Saint james) And ye receive not because ye ask amiss, that you might consume in your own lusts. Let us then take heed that we so rule all our affections, that having our food, and wherewithal to cover our bodies, that is to say, our daily bread: which we ask every day of God, we content ourselves therewithal. And then we shall know by experience, that God never faileth to provide in time for all the necessities of all those that hope in him, and call upon his name. For that which maketh as so to mistrust poverty, and to fear that entering into the Church to serve God sincerely, we should have great discommodity through the want of many things: is because we covet to many things to satisfy not our necessities but rather our delights and pleasures. When then our desires shall be well governed and brought under the yoke of reason, which will keep them under through, sobriety and temperance, we shall not fear, but that we shall have ever in all sufficiency that, which is needful for us. If they fear the loss of their offices, and that keep them back from the service of GOD: let them call to remembrance that which the Prophet saith, speaking unto God, in the grief he had, to see himself banished from his house. 
Psal. 87.9.  Behold, O GOD, our shield, and look upon the face of thine unnoynted. For a day in thy Court, is better than a thousand other where: I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my GOD, then to devil in the Tabernacles of wickedness. The honours then, and the great offices which either we have, or hope to obtain in the Courts of Kings and earthly Princes, ought not to hinder us from enteruig into the house of GOD, wherein we can not be so base, but we shall be higher than all the Lords, or most famous and noble men that are in the world: as jesus Christ showed, speaking to the people of john Baptist; whom he preferred before all other men. Verily I say unto you, 
Mat. 11.11  among them which are begotten of women, arose there not a greater than john Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven, is greater than he: For all the servants of GOD, 
Apoc. 19  and all those that are in his kingdom, be all Kings and Priests; and judges of the world, and of the Angels. All that then, which we could possibly lose in the world, we do recover, to follow jesus Christ; not two fold or four fold, but an hundred fold: and over and beside life everlasting, 
Heb. 11.25  which can not be measured. Which Moses considering, he was not grieved to give over the kingdom, and all the glory of Egypt, to serve God, to couple himself with his people, and to be partaker with them of all their afflictions, which were more dear unto him, than all the riches and royal wealth. The chiefest Gentlemen and Officers in the Court of the Emperor of Constance, at being preferred and permitted unto them to keep their Estates and the services of their Lord, so that they would forsake their Religion: chose rather to forego all the honours and favours of the Court, then decline never so little from the pure and lawful service of God: which the Prince perceiving, kept them in his house, and continued unto them and made them an assurance of all their estates and offices. And contrariwise sent all from his house and out of his service which had offered to leave their Religion and serve him, delivering unto them a sentence worthy remembrance, that seeing they were faithless unto God, it was not possible they should ever be faithful unto man. When the Emperor Dioclesian made a proclamation of the general persecutions, which he and his fellows had purposed to make against all the Churches that were established within the dominions of the Roman Empire, the Governor of Nichomedia which was a City in Asia where the Court of the Emperor lay, In the which the proclamation was first published, went into the common place where it was set up, and in the presence of all the people pulled it down and rend it as a thing full of iniquity, and done against God, and against all reason. Which being signified unto the Emperor, he commanded him forthwith to be put to death. Now as they talked in the evening in the Palace, of the death of this Governor, and of the great constancy which he had showed unto the end, three Gentlemen of the chamber which were most in credit, 
Euseb.  and which were the forwardest, in the Court, namely Peter, Gorgogne, and Dorotheus, began to defend his innocency, and to hold that he was unjustly condemned, and that in no wife he had offended his Majesty, or done any thing against duty, opposing himself unto a cruel and barbarous Proclamation, which was made against all right and equity: and though the Emperor who loved them desired to save them, and to withdraw them from their Religion, promised unto them the chiefest offices in his house, and the greatest governements in his Empire, nevertheless he could never obtain any thing at their hands, nor prevail with them in any sort so far, but that they still rather chose to give over the proffers which he made unto them, and even lose their lives, then to say or do any thing which should derogate never so little from the Religion and service of God, and from the duty whereby they were bound unto him. Valentinianus being solicited by julian the Emperor, to forsake his Religion, if he meant to continue in the office and charge of his constableship which he had bestow upon him, as well in recompense of his services, as in consideration of his virtues; made no difficulty to yield over presently his office into the hands of the Emperor, to dispose it at his pleasure, being fully resolved to persevere constantly in his religion, and show by deed that there was nothing in the world so great, that could be more dear or precious unto him, than the service of God. The delayers should propound unto themselves such examples to imitate, and following the heroical virtue of those great men, should prefer the fear of God before all other things, and not do as Pilate did, who for fear he should incur the displeasure of the Emperor, and lose his office, 
joh. 19  condemned jesus Christ: or as the Princes, who loving the praise of men more than the praise of God, durst not make manifest the faith which they had in him, 
joh. 12.  and in his doctrine which they heard preached. There be some also which allege their wives and their children▪ whom they can not forsake with a good conscience, and in the mean time are not afraid to abandon God, whose honour ought to be more dear unto us, than the very salvation of our own souls: for if our death could serve to advance 〈◊〉, we must no more spare it in this case, than our life, considering he is as well the Lord of the one as of the other, and that he hath created us, and all other things for his glory. It is then too too great ingratitude in men, when the wife and the children, and other innumerable goods which GOD hath bestowed upon us, to provoke us to serve and honour him: are contrariwise an occasion to cool us▪ and in the end altogether to withdraw us from his service. It is true in deed, 
1. Tim. 5.  that we ought to have a singular care of our family, and of all those which are of our household: love our wives, and our children, procure their good and their salvation, as much as lieth in us, yea but the best means that we can invent to that end, is it not that we should instruct them as well by word, as example? to know, love, and fear GOD, sithence he doth promise his grace, 
Exod. 20.  and all happiness to those that shall love him, and keep his commandments? Thou dost then accuse thyself hypocrite, when thou wouldst excuse thyself: For if thou lovedst thy wife and children, as thou sayest; thou wouldst bring them to the Church of God, and wouldst show them by thine example the way to follow and enter in. For it is the school and only place, where it is possible for any man to learn to be happy; and if they refused to follow thee being not drawn of the Father, without whose favour none can come to jesus Christ: thou art yet at the least discharged of thy duty towards them, and towards God. But what if a woman be so wilful, that she will torment her husband without ceasing, if he do not consent unto her to commit idolatry, and go to the Mass with her: ought he not in this to obey her, to live with her in friendship, and to continue peace in his house? To answer to this question, when that chanceth, it is a great temptation for the husband, who ought then to pray unto God earnestly, that he would strengthen him to abide constantly in the obedience of his holy will, without declining from the same in any sort. 
Gen. 3.  And not do as Adam did, who willing to please his wife, displeased God, breaking his commandment, whereby a thousand and a thousand evils ensued unto him, and all his posterity. 
1. King. 11.  Neither as Solomon, who to the end he might not offend the strange woman which he had taken to wife, against the commandment of God, was by them brought even to that point: namely, to build Temples to their Idols, and forgot himself so much, that he worshipped and offered sacrifice unto them. 
1. King. 12.  Which was the cause that of three parts of his Realm, two and more were taken away from his son Reheboam, and translated to lereboam the son of Nebat. 
Deut. 13.  If there had been found in old time among the people of Israel, a woman which would have enticed her husband to go and serve strange Gods, the husband was commanded by and by to make her known unto the Magistrate, that she might be condemned, and after sentence given, that he might cast at her the first stone to stone her. So far was it in those times from the husbands to be permitted to believe their wives, & to obey them, & worship strange Gods with them. Let them then allege no more such excuses to cloak their disloyalty. There are some also, who when they are urged to enter into the Congregation of the Church, that allege for their excuse, that it is good to wait until all things be at a better stay, and more at quiet: but they stay, for that they will not be of a long time ready: 
Gen. 3.  for do they think that the Devil, who beareth a deadly hate against the Church, & who hath sworn to make war even from the beginning of the world, will ever cease to provoke & stir up by almeans possible, the tyrants, the heretics, the Philosophers, the hypocrites, & the whole synagogue, with all her adherents against it; 
Apoc. 20.  to persecute it especially in these last times, wherein he is loosed & more fierce than ever he was before, seeing the day of his judgement draweth near, wherein he shall be condemned to the bottomless pit of hell for ever. 
Apoc. 9  Do they think also that the 2. Antichrists, that is to say, Mahomet & the Pope, the one in the East, and the other in the West, would not strive with all their might to maintain their tyranny which they have usurped in the Church of God, & to this end, 
2. Thes. 2.  they would not endeavour still to put out the light of the gospel & of the word of God, which is the sword whereby the one & the other shall in the end be destroyed? Do they think moreover, that the truth can be without enemies in the world, where the devil the father of lies, beareth rule? & men being liars & unfaithful by nature, be his bondslaves? Moreover, what doth the Apostle promise us more in the end and latter age of the world? 
2. Tim. 3.  This know (saith he to Timothe) That in the last days shall come perilous times: for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, cursed speakers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, intemperdte, fierce, despisers of them which are good, traitorous, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a show of godliness, & denying the power thereof. 
Matth. 24.  And hath not jesus Christ admonished us & foretold us, that there shall be so great tribulation, as was not from the beginning of the world, nor is at this present, nor shall be hereafter? We must not then hope that in this wretched world, 
Psal. 12. & 119.  where good men are abased, & where there is no faith, no law, that can hold back the malice of men, that we shall ever have rest that shall be permanent or sure: By reason whereof the delaiers must not flatter themselves, nor feed this vain hope, nor think that in the Church of jesus Christ, so long as it endureth in the world, there should ever be peace, which will not be troubled by the devil & the wicked. Let us tarry to see those happy times, & enjoy that rest which we desire, 
Psal. 110.  until jesus Christ put all his & our enemies under his footstool: & that the son having abolished all principalities, & all powers, & strength, 
Heb. 1. 1. Cor. 15.  & give the kingdom to his Father, God be all in all. Finally, there are some that allege for their excuse, when they are exhorted to come to the Church, that they pray unto God in their houses, & that is sufficient for them: but they abuse themselves 2. ways: first, in that they think that being out of the body of the Church their prayers and other exercises can be acceptable unto God: for if the father approveth no oblation but that which is offered upon the altar, that is to say which is presented unto him by the son, how can they assure themselves that their prayers are heard & granted of him, seeing they are not members of the body of jesus Christ? And also that they be cast of and denied of him, which knoweth his sheep and those which are in his sheepfold. My sheep (saith he) hear my voice, 
joh. 10.  and I know them, and they follow me. Considering then that they do follow not the pastor and hear not his voice. Thereof it ensueth that they are not numbered among his sheep, and consequently that they and all that proceedeth from them is abominable before God. Therefore he saith, speaking of such persons who being separated from the Church content themselves to make their prayers privately. 
Matth. 7.  Every one that saith unme Lord, Lord shall not enter into my kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not by thy name prophesied, and by thy name cast out Devils, and by thy name done many great works? And then will I profess to them I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity. Let us then conclude, that the prayers which are made at home, & privately done by some particular man can not be acceptable unto God if he be not a member of the Church, and he can not be a member of the Church, except he be united with the body & the head. For those that thus withdraw themselves from the assemblies, whatsoever exercise of religion they perform in their houses, they make a sect by themselves, and by consequent are excommunicated. The second is, that a faithful man ought not to withdraw himself from frequenting of the assemblies, which be made in the name of God by his people in certain days that are appointed, wherein they are called together, to sanctify publicly his name for the reasons which follow. First of all, it is forbidden them, 
Heb. 10.24  Let us consider one an other (sayeth the Apostle) to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the fellowship we have among ourselves, as the manner of some is: but let us exhort one an other, & that so much the more, because ye see that the day draweth near. For if we sin willingly after we have received knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a fearful looking for of judgement, and violent fire, which shall devour the adversaries. And afterward when God commandeth every one so expressly to sanctify the day of rest, is it not to the end that the people may inore conveniently assemble themselves, to hear the word of God preached, and by their confessions, praises, and public prayers, which they make together, join and unite themselves still more and more, in the one and self same faith and religion, and wait for the performance of the promises which God hath made to be in the midst of such assemblies, and to power upon them abundantly his spirit, his graces, favours, and holy blessings (as David saith) As the due of Hermon which falleth upon the mountain of Zion: 
Psal. 133.3  there the Lord appointed the blessing & life for ever. And this is the reason why this good & wise king esteemed so much these holy assemblies that there was nothing in the world more dear and precious in his eyes, then to be in the midst of them, at the days wherein they were called together, as it appeareth by an innumerable multitude of places in the Psalms. 
Psal. 26.8.  O Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house & the place where thine honour dwelleth, 
Psal. 43.3.  And in an other place, Send thy light & thy truth: let them lead me: let them bring me to thy holy mountain and thy tabernacles. Again other where: 
Psal 138.1  I will praise thee with my whole heurt: enen before the Gods will I praise thee. I will worship towards thine holy temple, & praise thy name, because of thy loving kindness & for thy truth. And in many other places he showeth the delight which he had to resort to the public congregations of the church, & the singular pleasure & contentation of mind he received in them, & doth teach every one by his example to seek after & frequent them, because there is no better means to preserve, nourish & increase faith them that: & to be edified in the knowledge & fear of God, & in all true kind of godliness & religion, 
1. Cor. 14. Ephes. 4.  as the Apostle teacheth the Corinthians & the Ephesians. Moreover those that abstain from them do they not detest the church of God & jesus Christ, who is ever in the midst of those that are gathered together in his name? Do they not make themselves unworthy, of the great blessings that God imparteth to them so abundantly, 
1. Cor. 11. Matth. 18.  as though they were heathen and publicans? Do they not forsake the company of jesus Christ of the Patriarches, prophets, & Apostles & of all the elect children of God, which are all members of the church? 
Deut. 23.  To go to the bastards the Ammonits & the Moabits, who by the ordinance of God were in old time banished from the tabernacle and from the covenant of God. O wretched souls which do not know the days of their visitation & who turn their backs to the shepherd when he seeketh them, and shut the door on him when he cometh to knock. But to come to the end of this speech and treatise, I say in a word that the delayers whatsoever faith they suppose or feign themselves to have. They are endued with none at all: for the true faith is always joined with confession (as the Apostle saith) which ought to be public and in the sight of men: 
Rom. 10. Matth. 10. Matth. 5.  for our light ought not to lie under the bushel but to be Set on high upon a candlestick to lighten all those that come into the house We ought to bear the badge of our Saviour jesus Christ in our foreheads, 
Apoc. 7.  which is the place most eminent and apparent in all our body, we ought not to hide our scarves, nor to turn our coats, nor fear to be known by our livery to the soldiers of jesus Christ. He hath died for us, not secretly, in an unknown corner, or closed from the knowledge of the world: but in the open place of the skulls, where they had wont to execute the guilty and evil doers, 
john. 19  and was lifted up on high on the cross between two thieves, and hath drunk & swallowed up this shame & ignominy in the midst of the world, that we might be honoured before God. What villainous and detestable ingratitude than is in them, which would dissemble that, and conceal such an act to, as all the trumpets in the world can not sufficiently sound, and spread abroad? He is not ashamed even now that he is in his glory to acknowledge and avouch us for his brethren, and shall we be ashamed to confess him to be our Saviour? God by his grace and perfect goodness, grant to the delayers, to know and understand betime the great fault which they commit, by dissembling so long: that they may by a true repentance speedily prevent the fearful judgement of God which hangeth over their heads if they hasten not. So be it.