A sermon of blessed Cyprian touching mortality, exhorting men to the love of forsating this life: and showing that notwithstanding the just and unjust die with out difference, yet no man ought to think, that the good & evil come both to one destruction: Forasmuch as the just are called hence to refreshing, and thoususte are caught away unto punishment.  
Although there be many of you most dearly beloved brethren, which have a sound mind, a steadfast faith, and a devout soul, which is not moved at this great mortality, but as a strong and stable rock doth rather break the troublesome assaults, the violent and raging wafes of this world, itself being neither broken nor overcome with temptations, but only tried: Nevertheless because I perceive that there are certain among the people, 
The causes of inconstancy and departing from true religion.  which either thorough the weakness of mind, or litelnes of faith, or sweetness of worldly life, or tenderness of kind, or (which is worse) thorough thignorance of the truth, stand not steadfastly, nor do put forth the heavenvly and the invincible strength of their heart, this thing ought neither to be dissembled nor to be kept in silence, but that we (to the uttermost of our power) should with full force, and words taken of the holy scripture, suppress and keep down the cowardness, of the dainty mind, & that he which is now begun to be the man of God and of Christ, might also be counted worthy of Christ. For he that is a soul diour to God most dearly beloved brethren, and being put in the celestial tents do now hope for heavenly rewards, aught to know himself: so that we should in no wise either fear, or stay for the storms and whirl winds of the world: forasmuch as the Lord hath told aforehand that these should come, instructing and teaching with thexhortation of his for seeing voice, and preparing & strenghtning the people of his church, to all manner of suffering of things to come, hath aforehand showed and taught, that wars, and hongers, 
Mat. 24.  and earthquakes, & pestilences should spring up & arise every where. And that no sudden and new fear of hurtful things should violently shake us, he hath beforehand warned that adversities and troubles shall grow up thicker and thicker, 
The las● times artroblesum.  more and more in the last times. They do now happen loo, that were aforehand told: and forasmuch as the things do now happen which were told aforehand, all things that are promised, shall also follow after, by the promise of the Lord himself, which sayeth: but when ye shall see these things come to pass, 
Luc. 21.  know ye that the kingdom of God is at hand. 
The kingdom of God & external life are at hand.  The kingdom of God dearly beloved brethren beginneth to be at hand: the world passing away, the reward of life, and joy of eternal health, and the continual gladness and possession of paradise lately lost are even now come: Even now do heavenvly things succeed earthy, great things: little, and everlasting transitory and fading away. What place is here left for trouble and carefulness? Who among these things can be fearful and sorrowful, except he want both faith & hope? 
who fear death.  It is his part to fear death, which will not go to Christ: it is his part to refuse to go to Christ, which believeth not that he shall begin to reign with Christ. 
Abac. 2.  For it is written that the rightful man liveth by faith. If thou be rightful and livest thorough faith, if thou believest truly in God, why dost thou not embrace and rejoice of this, that thou shalt be with Christ, & be by the Lords promise in safety, inasmuch as thou art called to Christ, and delivered from the devil? 
Luce. 2.  To be short that just man simeon that was a rightful man in deed, 
Thorough faith gods commandments are observed.  which thorough a perfect faith observed gods commandments, when he had received answer of God, that he should not die before he had sen Christ: And when the babe Christ with his mother was come into the Temple, he knew thorough the spirit, that Christ of whom he was told before was now borne: whom after that he had seen, he knew that he should shortly die. He therefore being glad of death that was now at hand, and fearing nothing his calling hence that was hardby, took, the child in his hands, and praisid God and cried out, saying: O Lord now let thy servant depart in peace according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy saving health. In which words he proveth and testifieth, that than the servants of God have peace, 
when and where we may trust to have sure rest  and that than they have free and quiet rest, when we being drawn out of the boistous tempests of this world, attain the haven of eternal rest and safety: when this death being removed, we come to immortality. For this is our peace, this is the rest that a man may trust to, this is the stable, the sure, 
we have here a continual battle against vices.  and perpetual saffetye. Furthermore in the world what is there else, but a daily fight against the devil? How hard, dangerous, and continual, is this fight against his darts and arrows? We must fight against covetousness, against uncleanness, against wrath, against ambition, against carnal vices: our wrestling with the flickering enticements of the world is laborious, continual, and painful. The mind of man being besieged & compassed in on every side with the assaults of the devil, doth hardly resist any temptation. If covetousness be thrown down, lust riseth up. If lust be suppressed, ambition followeth, If ambition be despised, wrath both vex, pride is puffed up, drunkenness calleth in, envy breaketh concord, zeal cutteth of friendship. Thou art compelled to curse, which gods law forbiddeth: thou art constrained to swear, which is unlawful. So many persecutions doth the mind daily suffer, with so many dangers is the heart daily vexed, and doth it delight us to stand here long among the devils swords: when we ought rather to desire and wish by the means of a swift death, to make haste to Christ? According as he instructed us saying: verily verily I say unto you, ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned in to joy. Who maketh not haste to come unto mirth? 
joan. 18. From hence we go to mirth & joy.  Who desireth not to be without sorrow? but when our heaviness shall be turned in to joy, the Lord himself declareth, saying: I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy shall no man take from you. Forasmuch than as the sight of Christ is our joy, neither can we have any joy, but when we have seen Christ: What blindness or rather madness of mind is this, to love the troubles and pains and tears of the world, and not to make haste to that joy, that can never be taken from us? This thing happeneth dearly beloved brethren, 
why ●e love this▪ life so moche.  because faith is wanting, because no man believeth the things to come, which God (that is true) hath promised, whose word unto them that believe is everlasting, and stable. If a sage man and worthy praise did promise thee any thing, thou wouldest verily believe his promise, neither wouldest thou think to be deceived and beguiled of him, of whom thou art persuaded, that he will abide by his words and deeds: but now God speaketh unto thee, & dost thou unfaithful man waver with an unbelieving mind? God doth promise unto the departing this world immortality and eternal life, and dost thou doubt? This is even to be utterly ignorant of God, 
How profitable a thing ye y● to departed out of this world  this is thorough the sin of unbeleave toffende Christ the master of believing people: This is to be in the church and in the house of faith, & to be without faith: How profitable a thing it is to depart out of this world, Christ himself the master of our salvation and profit showeth, which when his disciples war sorrowful because he said that he should now depart from them, spoke unto them saying: 
joan. 14.  If you loved me, ye would rejoice, because I go to the father: Whereby he doth teach and declare, that we ought rather to rejoice than to be sorrowful, when they whom we dearly love depart this world. Of the which thing the blessed apostle Paul being mindful, writeth in his epistle and saith: Christ is life unto me, 
Phi. 1.  and death advantage: He reckoned it the chiefest gain to be now no more tied with the snares of the world, to be now no more in danger of any sins and vices of the flesh, to be rid of vexing troubles, and delivered from the venomous jaws of the devil, and to go forth at the calling of Christ unto the joy of eternal salvation. But some are troubled, because the disease of this sickness do indifferently come upon our men, aswell as upon the heathen: as though the christian had believed to this end, that he might both be free from the feeling of evelles, & enjoy the pleasures of the world, & not rather suffering here all manner of adversity be reserved and kept unto the joy to come. Some men are troubled because this mortality & death is common to us also with other. 
Troubles, sicknesses, & death are common to all men  But what thing in this world have not we common with other, so long as yet (according to th'ordinance of our furst birth) this common flesh remaineth? So long as we abide here in the world, in the equality of flesh we are joined together with mankind, but in the spirit we are separated. Therefore until this corruptible may put on in corruption, 
1. Cor. 15.  and this mortal may receive unmortalitie, & the spirit bring us unto God the father, we have our part in all manner of incommodities and displeasures of the flesh common unto mankind. Thus when the ground is barren thorough an unfruitful blast, hunger spareth no man. Thus when any city is possessed throw the inroad of th'enemy, captivity wasteth all men together: And when the stonyrocks burst the ship in pieces, the shipwreck is common to all the saiie in the ship without exception. And the pain of thighs, & the raging agwes, & the disease of all parts of the body are common to us with others, so long as we carry about this common flesh in the world. Yea rather if the christian man knew under what condition and what law he believed, 
The true christian hath most trouble in this world  he should know that he must be troubled in this world above other, which above other must wrestle with th'assaults of the devil. The scripture teacheth and warneth us aforehand, saying: My son when thou becomest gods servant, stand in rightfulness and fear, 
Eccle. 2.  and prepare thy soul to temptation. And again: Endure in sorrow and in fear, & thorough humbleness have thou patience, for both gold and silver are tried by the fire. job after the loss of his goods, after the death of his children, 
job. 1.  being thus grievously afflicted both with wounds, and with vermin, was not overcome, but tried: which in the self griefs and sorrows that he suffered, did declare the patience of a godly mind, saying: Naked came I out of my mother's womb, naked also shall I go under thearth, the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: as it pleased the Lord, even so hath it happened, The lords name be blessed. And when his wife would have enforced him, that he being thorough great sorrow impatient, should with a complaining and malicious voice have spoken something against God, he answered her and said: Thou hast spoken as one of the foolish women. 
job. 2.  For if we have received prosperity at the lords hand, why should we not suffer adversity? In all these things that happened unto job, he sinned nothing with his lips in the presence of the Lord. Therefore the Lord beareth him witness, saying: hast thou marked my servant job, there is not one like him upon thearth, a man without fault, a true worshipper of God. 
Tobi. 1.  Tobias also after his noble works, after the manifold and glorious commendations of his mercy, did suffer the blindness of eyes, and he fearing and praising God in adversity, grew up to praise by the self plague of his body: whom his own wife also assayed to corrupt saying: Where are thy rightfulnesses become? loo what thou sufferest. But he being steadfast and stable in the fear of God, and armed with a godly faith to suffer all manner of passions, gave no place in his sorrow, to the temptation of his weak wife, but did thoath greater patience procure the further favour of God: whom afterwards the angel Raphael praised & said: It is an henorable thing to declare and praise the works of God: For when thou and thy daughter in law Sara did pray, I offered up the remembrance of your prayer, in the presence of the glory of God: and when thou didist simply bury the dead, and because thou delayedst not to arise and to leave thine own dynar, and wenst forth and diddest bury the dead, I am sent to try thee. And again he saith: I am sent to heal thee, 
Tobi. 12.  & thy daughter in law Sara: For I am Raphael one of the vij holy angels, which do stand and have our conversation before the glory of God. This sufferance the just men have always had, this discipline th'apostles according to the Lords ordinance kept: not to murmur in adversity, but patiently and manfully to receive what so ever do hap in this world. Whereas the jewish people hath in this point always offended, because they did often murmur against God, as the Lord God doth witness in the book of numbers saying: 
Num. 20.  let them cease to murmur against me, & they shall not die. We may not most dear brethren grudge in adversities, but quietly and strongly suffer what so ever shall happen, seeing it is written: that a troubled spirit is a sacrifice to God, 
Psal. 50.  and that God despiseth not a contrite and an humble heart. In the Deuteronomy also the holy ghost doth warn us by Moses, and saith: 
Deu. 8.  The Lord thy God shall vex thee, and shall throw hunger upon thee, and thine heart shall be known, whether thou wilt truly keep his commandments or not. And again he saith: The Lord your God doth tempt you, that he may know, whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart, & with all your soul. Thus did Abraham please God: 
Gene. 22.  & that he might so do, he neither feared to forego his son nor refused to kill him. Thou that canst not be content, to forego thy son by the law and lot of mortality & death, what wouldest thou do, if thou war commanded to kill thy son? The fear of God & faith ought to make the ready to all things. Be it that thou hast lost thy goods, be it that parts of thy body are continually and grievously vexed with deadly diseases, be it that thy wife, thy children & dear friends are most dolefully and heavily plucked from the by death, let not these things be stumbling blocks unto thee, but battles: neither let them weaken or overthrow the faith of a christian, but let them rather declare strength in the wrestling: Forasmuch as all suffering of these present evelles ought to be despised in hope of the good things to come. Except there shall furst be a battle, there can be no victory, but when a man in the joining of the battle getteth the victory, than is there a crown also given to them that overcome: For in a tempest the governor of a ship is known, & a sowdear is tried in the battle. The brag is but wanton, when there is no danger: The conflict and fight in adversity is the trial of the truth. The tree that is deeply rooted is not moved with the blustering winds: and a ship that hath strong ribs well joined, is beaten of the waves and received no leak, and when the corn is thressed on to barn store, the good & weighty corn regardeth not the winds, but the light chaff are blown quite away. Even thus th'apostle Paul after shipwreck, after scourges, after many & bitter torments of the flesh and the body, he sayeth not that he is grieved with these adversities but amended: so that the more grievously he is afficted, the more truly he is tried: There is given me (sayeth he) the prick of my flesh, 
2. Cor. 11.  the messenger of Satan that doth buffet me, that I should not be exalted: For the which I have beseeched the Lord iii times that it might depart from me: and he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee, for power thorough weakness is made perfit. When therefore either sickness, either weakness, or any destruction doth violently assail us, than is our strengt made perfect, than is faith crowned, if she endure steadfast in temptation: 
Eccle. 27.  according as it is written: The furnace trieth the potter's vessel, and the temptation of trouble trieth just men. Furthermore this difference is between us and other that know not God: They complain and grudge in their troubles: but as for us, adversities do not call us away from the truth, virtue, and faith, but do strengthen us in sorrows. For where as now the bloody flux doth scrape the guts, & taketh quite away the strength of the body, whereas now a fire inwardly conceived in wounds & sores doth rage & burn, whereas now the entrails do shake & pant with continual vomit, whereas the eyes are set on fire with the violence of blood, whereas some men's feet or other ꝑtes of the body are cut of that they should not corrupt the rest, whereas thorough damages & hurts of the body (after the disease once burst out) either the going is weakened, or the hearing stopped, or the sight blinded, all & every of those profiteth unto the instruction & teaching of faith. To fight against so many violent assaults of destruction & death with a stable mind, what a noble courage is it? & how worthy advancement is it for a man to stand right up, among the miseries & destructions of mankind, & not to lie groveling on th'earth with them that have no hope in the Lord? We ought rather to rejoice, and embrace the gift of time, that whiles we steadfastly declare our faith, and by suffering of pains go by the narrow way of Christ unto Christ, we may (he being judge) receive the reward of life & faith. Let him fear to die: but he which being not renewed of the water & the spirit, is delivered in bondage to hell fire. Let him fear to die, 
who be they that fear death.  which is not enrolled in the cross & passion of Christ: Let him fear to die, which from this death shall pass to the second death: let him fear to die, whom after the departure from this world, an everlasting flame shall torment with continual punishment: let him fear to die, which by his long carrying here have only this benefit, that his sorrow & torment is for the while differred. Many of our brethren die in this mortality, that is to say, many of our brethren are delivered from this world. As this mortality is a pestilence to the jews & gentiles that are Christ's enemies, even so to god's servants it is an wholesome departure. Where as without difference of mankind the just die with thunjust, ye may not think that both good & evil are destroyed alike.  
The just are called hence to refreshing, thunjust are caught away to punishment: Defence is quickly given to them that believe: but to thombelevers pain. We are most dearly beloved brethren vncircumspecte, and unthankful to God's benefits, neither do we know what is given unto us. The virgins being in safety, lo depte hence in peace with their glory, fearing nothing the threatenings, deflowringes & brothel houses of Antichrist now coming. The children escape the dangers of their slippery age, & do luckily attain the reward of continency & innocency. The tender matron feareth now no more torments, which thorough a swift death is escaped the fear of persecution, and the hands and torments of the hang man. Thorough th'extreme fear of mortality & time, the lukewarm are made hot, the dissolute are hard wrongen, the slothefull are raised up, the shrinkers are compelled to return, the heathen are constrained to believe, the true faithful people are called to rest, and a new & a great arinye is gathered together with a mightier force to the battle, to fight when the filled shall begin without any fear of death, which in the time of mortality came in to the warfare. Furthermore what thing is this most dearly beloved brethren, how much appertaining to the purpose, how necessary, that this pestilence & morren, which seemeth to be horrible & cruel doth try the rightfulness of every man, & examineth the minds of mankind, whether the hole do service unto the sick? whether neighbours & kinsfolk do godly love together? whether the masters have any pity upon their sick servants? whether the physicians forsake the sick that humbly requireth their council? whether the ●ruel will cease from tyranny & wrong doing? whether thextortioners (at the least wise for fear of death) will quench their insatiable & continual burning of raging covetousness? whether the proud will stoop & bow down their necks? whether the wicked wilmoderate his folehardines? whether the rich (when their dear friends are dead) will yet than give to the poor, seeing themselves shall die without heir? Certainly although this mortality shall bring with it none other profit, yet in this point it hath much profited christians & gods servants, because we begin now gladly to wish for martyrdom, whiles we learn not to fear death. Unto us these are no buriales but execises. They give a glorious strengtht unto the mind, thorough the contempt of death they prepare to the crown. But peradventure some man may object & say: This than in this present mortality maketh me heavy, that where as I was prepared to confess the faith, & had with my hole heart & full strength addict myself to suffer passion, I am now being prevented with death, deprived of my martyrdom. For answer to this, we must first consider, that martyrdom standeth not in our power, but in th'estimation of God, neither canst thou say that thou hast lost aught, which knowest not whether thou didst deserve to receive. Besides this, God which is the searcher of the reins and heart, and the beholder & knower of theyes seeth thee, praiseth and alloweth thee, and he that perceiveth the to be prepared to virtue, will for virtue tender reward. Had Cain now killed his brother when he offered sacrifice to God? and never theles God that foreseeth things old beforehand condemn the murdering of his brother, which he had conceived in his mind. As there the wicked thought & mischenous conceit was manifest unto God, that foreseeth things: even so among the servants of God, which think to confess the truth, & are full purposed to suffer martyrdom, the mind bend to goodness (God being judge) is crowned.  
For it is one thing to want a will to martyrdom, & on other to want martyrdom to a ready wil Look what manner of one God findeth thee when he talleth thee hence, such a one doth he also judge thee, according as himself witnesseth saying: & all congregations shall know, the I am the searcher of the reins & of the heart. For God seeketh not the effusion of your blood, but faith. For neither were Abraham, I saat, nor jacod slain, and yet thorough the merits of faith and rightfulness they were honourable, & obtained to be chief among the patriarchs. Unto whose feast all that are found faithful, just, & praise worthy are gathered together. We ought to remember that we should do the will of God & not our own, according as God hath commanded us daily to pray. How arsewarde & peevish a matter is it for us to desire the will of God to be done,  we do not immediately obey the commandment of God his will, when he calleth us out of this world? Against this we strive & wrestle, & are with heumes & sorrow after the manner of stub burn servants brought unto the lords presence, departing hence compelled by necessity, & not by willing obedience: & will we which heavenvly rewards be honoured of him, to whom we come unwillingly? For what purpose than do we desire & pray for the coming of the kingdom of heaven, if we have our delectation in earthy captivity? why do we pray & beseech with often repeated prayers, that the day of the kingdom might come quickly, if our desires be greater & earnester to serve the devil here, than to reign with Christ there? Further that the tokens of god's providence may more manifestly appear, that the Lord (which knoweth aforehand things to cum) doth provide for the true health of his, when a certain companion in office and fellow priest with us being now wearied with sickness, and troubled with death even at hand, desired a savecondute to be given him, there stood by him as he prayed and being now at deaths door, a young man in honour and majesty worshipful, of stature tall, of countenance so clear and bright, that the carnal eye of man could scant abide to behold such a one standing by him, but only because he the should go out of the world might now abide to look upon such a one. And he not with out a certain anger of mind and voice groaned & said: you are afraid to suffer, depart hence ye will not, what shall I do to you? this is a voice of one rebuking and warning, who will not consent to the present desire of such as be careful for persecution, and careless for their calling hence, but referreth the hole matter unto the time to come.  
Our brother and fellow in office heard that which he might declare to other. For he the was now ready to die, heard these words to that end the he might tell them to others, he heard them not for himself but for us. For what should he learn being now ready to depart? He learned somewhat, but that was for us that here remained, that whiles we parceave that the priest the desired safeconduct was rebuked, we might know what was expedient for every one of us. How often hath it been also revealed unto us that are the jest & out casts? How often hath God vouchsafed manifestly to command us, that we should diligently witness & openly preach, the we ought not to mourn for our brethren, which by the lords calling are delivered from the world? forasmuch as I know, the they are not lost but sent before, the they departing hence go before us, & aught to be wished for as men the are gone forth on a tourney or sailing, and not to be lamented: neither that we here should put on black gowns, 
Morning for the dead in black gowns.  seeing they have received there white garments, that we should give non occasion to the gentiles that they might worthily & justly rebuke us because we mourn for them, as though they were destroyed and lost, which we say do live with God, and should with the witness of our heart and conscience reprove that faith which we profess with our mouth and doice. We are transgressors of our hope and faith, the things that we speak seem to be counterfeit, feigned, paited. it profiteth nothing to profess virtue in words, & to destroy the truth in deeds. Thapostle paul also doth rebuke and blame such as are sorrowful in the departing of their friends. 
●. Thes. 4.  We will not (saith he) have you to be ignozaunt brethren touching them that are aflepe, that you should not be sorrowful as such that have no hope. For if we believe that jesus died & rose again, even so God shall also brig with him them that have slept in Christ. He saith, the they are sorrowful in the departing of theirs that have no hope. But we which live in hope, & believe in God, & trust in Christ that suffered for us and rose again, abiding in Christ, & thorough him rising again in him, why do we ourselves either refuse to depart hence, or mourn & sorrow for our friends departing hence as though they were lost? Seeing that Christ himself the Lord and our God doth warn us saying: I am the resurrection, he that believeth in me although he die, yet he shall live: 
joan. 11.  & every on that liveth & believeth in me shall not die for ever. if we believe in Christ let us give credit to his words & promises, and we shall not die everlastingly, but we shall come to Christ with a joyful safety, with whom we shall live & reign always. But where as in the mean time we die, we do but pass by death unto immortality, neither can a man attain eternal life, except he hap to go out from hence: it is no end but a passage, & after this temporal journey is finished, a going over unto everlasting life. Who will not make haste to go to better things? Who will not desire to be changed and fashioned a new after th'image of Christ, & to con speedily unto the dignity of the heavenvly grace? according as Paul th'apostle preached safeng, our conversation is in heaven, from whence we also look for the Lord jesus Christ, 
Phi. 3.  which shall transform our vile body, & make it like unto his glorious body. The Lord Christ also himself doth promise, that we shall be such, when he prayeth the father that we may be with him, and live with him in th'everlasting seats; and rejoice in the celestial kingdoms: father (saith he) I will that where I shall be those which thou hast given me may be with me also, 
joan. 17.  and may see the glory which thou hast given me before the world was made. He that shall come to the seat of Christ, and to the glory of the heavenly kingdoms, ought neither to mourn nor tament, but rather according to the lords promise and the believe of the truth, to rejoice in his translation and journey. Thus do we find that Enoch which pleased God, was translated. For thus in the book of Genesis God's word testifieth and saith. And Enoch pleased God, and was not afterwards found, because God had translated him. This was the reward of pleasing God, to obtain to be carried out from the infection of this world. This the holy ghost teacheth also by Solomon, that they which please God are plucked quickly hence & speedily delivered, 
Sapi. 4.  lest that they tarrying long in this world, might be defiled with the handelinges of the same: He was caught away (saith he) lest thorough malice his understanding should change. For his soul pleased the Lord▪ therefore he made haste to bring him out from the mids of wickedness: Thus the soul itself being addict unto God, maketh haste in the psalms also unto the Lord thorough spiritual faith, as it is written: 
Psal. 83.  O Lord of hosts how loving at thy dwelling places, my soul desireth and maketh haste unto the courts of God. if is his part to desire to dwell long in the world, whose delectation is in the world, whom the flattering and deceitful world doth allure with enticementes of earthy pleasures. Furthermore forasmuch as the world hateth the christian, why lovest thou him that hateth thee, and dost not rather follow Christ, which hath redeemed thee, and loveth thee? john in his epistle crieth, speaketh and exhorteth, that we should not (following carnal desires) love the world, 
●. joan. 2.  saying: love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man shall love the world, the charity of the father is not in him, because all that is in the world, is the lust of the flesh, the lust of theyes, & the pride of the world, which is not of the father, but of the lust of the world, and the world shall pass away with his lust: but he that shall do the will of God, shall abide for ever, even as God abideth for ever. Furthermore let us most dearly beloved brethren be ready with a perfect mind, a steadfast faith, & strong power to obey all the will of God: let us banish the fear of death, and think upon immortality that followeth. Let us show ourselves to be that that we believe: So that we neither mourn for the departure of our dear friends, and when the day shall come of our own calling hence, we may without delay and gladly go at the Lords call. This thing forasmuch as it should be done of God's servants always, much more at this present it ought to be observed,  the world is now in decayeing, and besieged with the blonstering tempests of deadly evils: that we which do see grievous things to be already begun, and know that more grievous hang over our heads, should count it the greatest gain if we may depart hence quickly. If the walls of thine house were so old that they shaken, and the roof over the did tremble, the house being now wearied, being now tired, & the buildings falling down for age, did threaten an overthrow to be at hand, wouldest thou not with all speed get thee out? If a troublesome & stormy tempest, and the waves being lift up with a violent wind, did aforehand show the a shipwreck coming, wouldest thou not sail in to some haven with out delay? Behold the world shaketh and decayeth, and doth declare her own down fall, not now with the age, but with th'end of things: and dost not thou give thanks to God; and rejoice on thine own behalf that thou art quickly taken hence and delivered from the dangers, shippewrackes & plagues that are hovering over us? We ought to consider most dearly beloved brethren, and often times to think, that we have forsaken the world, & the we live here but for a time as strangers and pilgrims. Let us embrace that day which may appoint every one of us his dwelling place, which doth restore us to paradise and to the kingdom of heaven, after that we are taken hence, and delivered from the snares of the world: Who being far out of his own country, maketh not haste to return home? Who making haste to sail to his friends and kinsfolk, would not earnestly desire a prosperous wind, that he might the rather embrace his dearly beloved? We reckon that paradise is our country, we begin now to have the patriarchs for our parents, why do we not make haste & run, that we may see our country, hat we may salute our parents? A great number of our parents, brethren and sons do there abide us, a great company do wish for us, which are now sure of their own immortality, and careful for our safety. To come to the sight and embracing of these, how great joy shall it be both to us and them? what manner of pleasure is this of the heavenly kingdoms, to be with out the fear of dieing and to live with everlastingness? How excellent and perpetual happiness is this? There is the glorious company of the Apostles: There are the numbered of the rejoicing prophets. There are an infinite company of martyrs, that are crowned for the victory of their fight and suffering. The triumphing virgins are there, which thorough the strength of continency, have subdued the lust of the flesh and body: There are the merciful rewarded, which have done the works of rightfulness, by giving alms, & feeding the poor: which observing the lords commandments, have changed their earthly patrimonies for heavenly treasures. Let us most dearly beloved brethren with earnest desire make haste unto these, le● us wish that we may quickly be with them, that it may be our fortune speedily to come to Christ. Let God see this cogitation and thought of ours, let the Lord Christ behold this purpose of our mind and faith, which shall give the greater rewards of his glory to them, whose desires are more earnest to be with him. Amen.   

A book of the holy martyr G. Chpriane, conicining an exhortation to martyrdom, divided into, xii. chapters, wherein the sum of the hole matter is more fully known. written unto Fortunatus.  
Forasmuch as O most dear Fortunatus the heavy burden of troubles and persecutions do lie upon the church, & now in th'end of the world the malicious time of Antichrist beginneth to approach, thou hast desired me to prepare & strenghten the minds of the brethren with exhortations of the holy scriptures, whereby Christ's soldiers might be encorraged unto the spiritual & heavenly fight. It behoved me to obey this thy most necessary desire, that (to the uttermost of our little power, by the help of god's inspiration) we might bring forth out of god's word, as it were certain armores and defences for the brethren that shall fight. For it is but a small matter for us, to raise up god's people with the trump of our voice, except we strengthen by the holy scriptures the faith of such as believe, and the devout virtue that is consecrate unto God. For what thing agreeth better and more with our pastoral cure and charge, then to prepare and furnish the people committed unto us of God, and the armey standing in the heavenvly tents, against the arrows and darts of the devil? For he can not be a meet souldear for the battle, which have not been before exercised in the field. Or who seeking a victorious crown shall in the course or running place be crowned, except beforehand he do consider the experience of his strength and cunning? The adversary & enemy with whom we fight, is ancient & of long experience. For six thousand years are fully complete, sense the devil began to fight against man. Therefore he hath now learned even by ancient exercise, all kinds of tentations, all sottelties & deceits to cast us down. If he shall find Christ's souldear unprepared, if he shall find him ignorant, negligent, & not diligently watching: he encloseth in the ignorant, he deceiveth the negligent, he begyseth the foolish. But if any man keeping the lords commandments, and stycking manfully unto Christ, shall stand up against him: he must needs be overcome, because Christ whom man confesseth is invincible. But to make a short tale, lest with long writing I should weary the most dear brother being occupied either in hearing or in reading, I have knit up the matter in a few words, that unto the titles that at set abroad (which every man ought both to know and remember) I might add the lords words, & by authorire of the divine scriptures confirm the which I had set before men's eyes: so that I may not so much seam to have sent unto the this treatise of mine own writig, as to have given occasion to other to write treatesis: which thing being used of every one, is profitable for many. For if I should now give unto the a garment ready made, the garment should be mine, which an other should we are, & peradventure a thing made for an other, would not serve for the proportion and stature of his body. But now I have sent unto the the self wool and purple of the lanibe, by whom we are redempre & made alive, which when thou hast rereaved, thou shalt make for thyself a coat at thine own pleasure, wherein thou shalt more rejoice, than in thy accustomed and proper garments: and thou shalt deliver this that we have sent unto others, that they may also according to their own will make for themselves garments, that all men (the old nakedness being covered) may put on the garments of Christ, being clothed word we the sanctification of the heavenly grace. Furthermore in this most necessary exhortation, which may stir up men to suffer martyrdom, I have perceived this council also most dear brother to be both profitable & wholesome, to cut of the lets and hinderances of our own words, and to take away the goings about the bush of man's talk: and to allege such things only as God himself speaketh, whereby Christ provoketh his servants to martyrdom. For the self commaundemeetes of the Lord as armours and weapons ought to be put in to the minds of them that fight. Let them be the exhortations of the warlike trumpet, let them be the peal of trumpets that may provoke to fight. Thorough them let the ears be lift up, thorough them let the minds be instructed & taught, thorough them let the strength boche of the mind & body be confirmed, to suffer all manner of afflictions and torments. Wherefore let us (which by the sufferance of God have given the first baptism unto them that believe) prepare every man to another baptism also, putting them in mind and teaching, that this baptism is in grace greater, in power mightier, in honour more precious: a baptism wherein Angels baptize, and wherein God and his Christ rejoice: a baptism after the receit whereof no man sinneth any more: a baptism that maketh perfect the increase of our faith, a baptism that do immediately couple us unto God, when we depart this world.  
In the baptism of water is received the remission of sins, in the baptism of blood the crown of virtues. This thing ought to be embraced and wished for, and to be desired by the servant prayers of us all, that we which are the servants of God, may be also his friends.  

The first Chapter.  
In exhorting therefore & preparing our brethren, 
The contents of the. 12. chapters.  thorough the steadfastness of faith & virtue, to attain the glory of confessing the Lord, and to arm them to the battle of persecution and suffering, we must first of all declare, that the idols which man mateth for himself are no gods for the things that are made, are not greater than their matter: neither can these idols defend and save any man, which would themselves perish from their temples, except they were 〈◊〉 of man. Neither ought thelements to be worshipped, which according to th'ordinance and commandment of God do serve man.  
The idols being overthrown and the manner of the lemonies declared, 
The. 2. chap.  we must show that the Lord only aught to be worshipped.  
To these then must we add, what is the threatening of God against them, that do sacrifice to idols.  
We must teach furthermore that God will not easily pardon Idolarers.  
And that God is so grieved with Idolatry, that he hath also commanded them to be slain, which have en●ysed men to sacrifice and serve idols.  
To these must be added, that the which are redeemed and made aly●e thorough the blood of Christ, aught to ●●e far nothing before Christ: because he preferred nothing before us, but for our sales he preferred adversity before prosperity, poverty before riches, bondage, before lordship, death before immortality. contrariwise we in our sufferings prefer the riches and pleasures of paradise before worldly poverty, the dominion and everlasting kingdom before temporal bondage, immortality before death, God and Christ before the devil and Antichrist.  
We ought also to bring to remembrance that none that are escaped out of the devels clutches, and delivered from the snares of the world, should desire (if they happen to fall into afflictions and troubles) to go forth again unto the world, and so lose that they had escaped.  
But rather that they ought to endure & continue in faith, inthe truth, and in the perfection of the heavenly, and spiritual grace, that they may artayne the victory and crown.  
We must also show that afflictions and persecutions do therefore happen that we may be tried:  
And that the sufferings of wrong and battles of persecution ought not to be feared: because the Loide is more mighty to defend, than the devil is to fight against us.  
And to the intent no man should be afraid and troubled thorough afflictions and persecutions which we suffer in this world, we must prove that it was toloe beforehand, that the world should hate us, and that it should stir up persecutions against us, that the truth of God's promise in rewards that shall hereafter follow, might manifestly appear by this self thing in that these persecutions do hap. Neither doth any new thing happen now unto christians, for asmuch as good men from the beginning of the world have been persecuted, & the rightful have been oppressed and Filled of the unrightful.  
Last of all we must declare, what hope and what reward abideth the rightful men and martyrs after the afflictions and passions of this life, and that we shall receive more in reward of our suffering, than we suffer here in the self afflictyons.   

The first chapter.  
THat idols are no gods, and that none of thelemens'elements should he worshipped in god's stead is manifest in the. Cxiij. psalm. The idols of the gentiles are gold & silver, 
Psal. 113.  the works of men's hands. mouths have they, but they speak not, they have eyes and see not. They have ears & hear not, neither is there any breath in their mouth. Let them be like unto them that make them. In likemaner in the book of the wisdom of Solomon it is written: 
Sap. 15.  They have esteemed as Gods all thidols of the nations, which have neither eyes to see, neither nostrils to draw breath, neither ears to hear, nor fingers on their hands to feal: Their feet also are unhapte and sloo to walk. For man made them, and he that hath a borrowed spirit fashtoned them. But no man can make a God like unto himself: For  he is mortal, that is also but a dead thing, which he fashioneth with ungodly hands: For he that maketh them, is more excellent than the things which he worshippeth.  
We read also in the book of Exodus: 
Exod. 2●.  Thou shall not make for thyself any graven image, neither the likeness of any thing. Further as touching thelements Solomon saith: Neither took they so much regard of the works that are made, 
Sapi. 1●.  as to know who was the craftsman of them: but some took the fire, some the air, some the wind, some the course of the stars, some the great water, some the sun & Moon for gods. But though they had such pleasure in their veauty, that they thought them to have been Gods: yet should they have know, how much more fairer is he that made them. Or if they marveled at the power and works of them, they might have perceived thereby, that he that made these mighty things, is mightyer than they.   

The two chapter.  
THat god only ought to be worshipped we read in Deuterono, 
Deu. ●. Exo. 〈◊〉  Thou shalt worship thy Lord God and him only shalt thou serve. Also in Exo does. Thou shalt have none other gods besides me. In like manner in the same book of Deuteronomy: See now how the I, I am he, and that there is no God besides me: 
Deu. 32.  I can kill and make alive, I strike and heal again: neither is there any, that can deliver any man out of my hands. 
Apo. 14.  johan also in the revelation saith: And I sawo an Angel fly in the mids of heaven, having an everlstaing gospel to praethe unto them that little and dwell on thearth, and to all nations, kindreds & tongues and people, saying with a loud voice: Fear God rather, and give honour to him, for the hour of his judgement is come: and worship him that made heaven and earth, the sed and all that in them is. In like manner also the Lord maketh mention in the gospel of the first and second commandment saying: He are Israel, The Lord thy God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
Math. 22.  and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment: and the second is like unto this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. In these two commaundementes-consisteth the host law & ꝑphetes. And again: This is eternal life, 
joan. 17.  that they should know the alone the true God, & jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.   

The three chapter.  
What God threateneth to them the do sacrifice to idols, we may read in Exodus thus: 
Exod. 22.  He the offereth unto any gods save to the Lord only shall be rooted out. Also in the Deu teronomye. 
Deu. 32.  They offered unto druels and not unto God. 
Esa. 2.  In like manner in Esay: They worshipped the Idols which their own fingers had made: There kneeleth the man, there falleth the man down before them, so that thou canst not bring him away from thence: And again, To them you have powered out your drink offerings, and to them you have offered your sacrifices: shall not I be angry with these things saith the Lord? In like manner Hieremy saith: walk not after strange gods to serve them, & worship them not, 
Hiere. 7.  neither provoke me thorough the works of your hands to scatter you abroad. Io. also in the revelation saith: 
Apo. 14.  If any do worship the best and his image, & shall receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of God's wrath mingled in the cup of his wrath: & he shall be punished with fire & brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, & in the presence of the lamb. And the smoke of their torments shall ascend up evermore. Neither shall they have any rest day or night, who so ever they be that shall worship the best & his image.   

The four chapter  
THat God will not easily iꝑdon idolaters, it appeareth by Moses in Exodus, the prayeth for the people, and yet obtained not: Oh Lord (saith he) this people have sinned a great sin, 
Exod. 32.  and made for them selves Gods of gold: yet forgive them their sin I beseech thee: if not, wipe me out of the book which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses? I will put him out of my book, that hath sinned against me. In like manner when jeremy prayed for the people, the Lord spoke unto him saying: 
jere. 7.  Thou shalt not pray for this people, thou shalt neither give thanks, nor bid prayer for them, for I will not hear them in the time that they shall call upon me, in the time of their trouble. 
Ezech. 14.  ezechiel also threateneth the same wrath of God against them, the sin against God saying: and the word of the Lord came unto me saying: Thou son of man, when the land sinneth against me, and goeth forth in wickedness: I shall stretch out mine hand upon it, and destroy all the provision of their bread, and I will send hunger among them, to destroy man & best in the land. And though Noah, Daniel, & job these iii men war among them, yet shall they deliver neither sons nor daughters but shall themselves only be safe. In likemaner in the furst book of kings it is written: if one man sin against an other, 
1. Reg. 2.  they shall make intercession unto the Lord for him, but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall praien for him?   

The .v. chapter.  
THat God is soangrey with idolatry, that he hath also commanded them to be slain which have enticed others to offer to idols and to serve them we read in the Deuteronomy: 
Deu. 13.  If thy brother, or thine own son, or thy daughter or thy wife the lieth in thy bosom, or thy friend which is as thine own soul unto the entice the secretly saying, let us go & serve strange gods, the Gods of the gentiles: thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him, neither shall thine eye spare him, nor keep him secret, but shalt utter him. Thine hand shall be first upon him to kill him, and than the hands of all the people. To be short they shall stone him and he shall die, because he went about to turn thee away from the Lord thy God. And again the Lord speaketh and sayeth, that a city ought not to be spared, althou the hole tytie shall consent to Idolatry: If thou shalt hear say (of one of thy cities which the Lord thy God shall give thee to dwell in) that they say: Let us go and serve strange Gods, which thou haste not known: Thou shalt smite & kill with th'edge of the sword all that are in that city, and thou shalt burn the city with fire, & it shall never more be inhabited: Yea it shall never be built again, that God may turn from his fierce wrath. And the Lord shall show the mercy, and have compassion on thee, and multiply thee, if thou shalt hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and keep his command mentes. Mathathias being mindful of the force of this commandment slew him that came to thaltar to do sacrifice. 
1. Mac. 2.  But if before the coming of Christ these commandments touching the worshipping of God, and despising of idols, war observed & kept: How much more ought they to be kept after the coming of Christ? Forasmuch as he at his coming did not exhort us with words only, but also with deeds: which after he had suffered all manner of injure is and reviling words, was also crucified, to teach us by his example, both to suffer and die: that who so ever he be that will not suffer for his sake, should be utterly without excuse, forasmuch as he hath suffered for us. And seeing the he hath suffered for other men's sins, much more ought every man to suffer for his own sins. And therefore in the gospel he treatneth and saith: who so ever shall confess me before men, 
Math. 10.  him will I also confess before my father which is in heaven: but who so ever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my father which is in heaven. In like manner th'apostle paul saith: If we die together with him we shall also live together with him: 
2. Tim. 2.  If we suffer with him we shall also reign together with him: If we deny him he shall also deny us. johan also saith: 
●. joan. 2.  he that denieth the son hath not the father, he that confesseth the son, hath both the son and the father. Wherefore the Lord doth exhort and strengthen us to despise death: 
Math. 10.  saying: Fear ye not them that kill the body, but can not kill the soul: but rather fear him, which can kill both soul and body in to hell fire. 
joan. 12.  And again he saith, he that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world, shall preserve it unto eternal life.   

The vi chapter.  
THat we which are redempte & made alive thorough the blood of Christ, aught to prefer no thing before Christ, the Lord speaketh in the gospel and saith: he that loveth father or mother above me, is not worthy of me. 
Math. 10.  And he that taketh not up his cross & follow me, is not worthy of me. In the Deuteronomy it is also written in like manner: 
Deu. 33.  They that say to father or mother I know the not, & the parents that have not known their own sons, these have kept thy commandments, and observed thy testament. 
Rom. 8.  In like manner saith th'apostle Paul: Who shall separate us from the charity of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, either persecution or hunger, either nakedness, or danger, or the sword? as it is written: For thy sake are we killed all the day long, 
Psal. 43  and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain. Nevertheless in all these things we overcome, thorough his help that loved us. And again he saith: ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a great price. 
1. Cor. 6.  Therefore glorify and bear god in your body. And again: he died for all that they which live, should not now live to themselves, 
2. Cor. 5.  but to him which died for them, and rose again.   

The vij chapter.  
THat they which are plucte out of the devels jaws, and delivered from the snares of the world, ought not to return again to the world lest they should lose that they war escaped, The people of the jews before figured after the shadow and image of us, when they had escaped thorough the help and deliverance of God the most cruel bondage of Pharaoh & Egipte, that is to say, of the devil: They being unfaithful and unthankful to God, did murmur aghast Moses: They considering the dangers of the wilderness and labour, and under standing not Gods benefits of liberty and salvation, sought to return again in to Egipte, that is to the bondage of this world from which they were delivered. When as they ought rather to have trusted and believed in God: because that he which hath delivered his people from the devil & the world, shall defend them that are delivered. 
Exo. 14.  Why hast thou (said they) served us thus, for to carry us out of Egipte? it had been better for us to have served the Egiptyans, than to die in this wilderness. And Moses said unto the people. Stand up boldly, and behold the salvation that cometh from the Lord, which the lord will do for us this day. The Lord himself shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. Of this thing the Lord doth also in his gospel warn us & teach us, that we should not return again to the devil and the world whom we have forsaken, & from whom we have escaped, saying: 
Luce. 9 and. 17.  No man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is meet for the kingdom of God. And again he saith: he that is in the field, let him not return back: Remember Lot's wife. And lestany might be hindered in the following of Christ, either thorough any worldly lust, or thorough thaffection and love to his kinsfolk and friends, he added, and saith: He that doth not forsake all that he hath can not be my disciple.   

The eight chapter.  
We must endure & continued in faith & virtue, & in the ꝑfectyon of spiritual grace, that we may attain the victory & crown. In the two book of Chronicles we read thus: 
2. Pard. 15.  The Lord abbideth with you, as long as ye abide with him: but if ye shall forsake him, he shall also forsake you. In like manner saith Ezechiei. 
Eze. 33.  In what so ever day the righteous men shall wander out of the way, his rightfulness shall not deliver him. 
Math. 10. joan. 8.  The Lord also in the gospel speaketh & saith: He that shall continue to th'end the same shall be safe: & again he saith: if you shall abide in my word, ye shall verily be my disciples, and shall know the truth, & the truth shall make you free. He also beforehand warning us to be always prepared, and to stand manfully in a readiness, he added and saith: Let your loins be girt about, 
Luc. 12.  and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their master, when he will return from a wedding, that assoon as he shall con & knock, they may open unto him. Happy are those servants which the Lord when he cometh, shall find watching. In likemaner the blessed Apostle exhorteth us to go forward & increase in faith, until it come to perfectyon saying: know ye not that they which run in a corpse, run all, yet but one receiveth the crown. So run that ye may obtain. 
1. Cor. 9  And they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we to obtain an incorruptible crown. And again he saith, No man that warreth unto God, 
2. Tim. 2.  entangleth himself with worldly cares: that he may please him of whom he is allowed to be a sowldier. And though a man strive for a mastery, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The same Apostle saith also: 
Rom. 12.  I beseech you brethren by the mercifulness of God, that you make your bodies a quick sacrifice, holy, and pleasant to God: and fashion not yourselves like unto this world, but be ye changed in your shape, by the renewieng of your spirit, that ye may prove, what thing that good, and pleasing, & perfect will of God is. And again he saith: 
Rom. 8.  We are the sons of God: But and if we be sons, we are also heirs: the heirs I mean of God, and heirs annexed with Christ: If so be that we suffer together, that we may be glorified together. The exhortation of the divine preaching speaketh the same things in the revelation saying: 
Apo. 5.  holdefast hat thou hast, that another taketh not thy crown. An ensample of this enduring and continuing unto th'end, is set forth in Exodus, where as Moses in the sign and sacrament of the cross, lifteth up his heavy hands to overcome Amalech, which beareth the figure of the devil: Neither could he overcome thadversary, until he continued stable in the sign, with his hands continually lifted up. And it happened (saith he) that Israel had the better, when Moses held up his hand: 
Exod. 17.  And when he let his hand down, Amalech had the better. And they took a stone, & put it under him, & he sat down thereon. And Aaron and Her stayed up his hands, the one on the one side and the other on tother side, and his hands were steady until the Sun was down. And jesus put Amalech to flight & all his people. And the Lord said to Moses: writ this for a remembrance in a book, and tell it unto jesus. For I will put out the remembraucne of Amalech from under heaven.   

The ix Chapter.  
THat troubles and persecutions do therefore happen that we may be tried we read in the Deuteronomy: 
Deu. 25.  The Lord your God doth tempt or prove you, that he may know whether that you love him with your hole heart and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Again it is written in Solomon: The furnace proveth the potter's vessel, 
Eccle. 27.  and temptation of trouble trieth rightful men. In like manner Paul testifieth and speaketh the same, saying: We rejoice in hope of the glory that shallbe given of God: Neither do we so only, 
Rom. 5.  but also we rejoice in troubles, knowing that tribulation bringeth patience, but patience bringeth trial, trial hope, and hope is not confounded, because the love God is spread abroad in our hearts, by the holy ghost which is given unto us. Peter also in his epistle writeth and sayeth: dearly beloved marvel not at this heat that is come among you to try you (that ye fall not away) as though any new thing should happen unto you: 
1. Pet. 4.  but as oft as ye are made partakers of Christ's passions, rejoice in all things, that ye may at thappearing of his glory rejoice with gladness. If ye be railed upon for the name of Christ, happy are ye: For the name of the majesty & power of God resteth in you: the which name verily is blasphemed of them, but by us it is glorified.   

The ten Chapter.  
THat injuries and the pains of persecution ought not to be feared, & that no man should be amazed at troubles and persecutions, which he suffereth in this world, for-because the Lord is more mighty to defend, than the devil is to fight against us: john in his epistle writeth and sayeth: 
1. joan. 4.  He that is in you is greater, than he that is in the world. In like manner in the psalm: The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me. And again in an other psalm: These boast themselves in their horses, but we will boast ourselves in the name of the Lord our God. 
Psal. 117. and. 19  They are bound & are fallen down, but we are risen & stand upright. And yet further the holy ghost (teaching and declaring that the armies of the devil ought not to be feared, all thoo he should proclaim battle against us, but rather that we should have our trust in the self same battle, & that the rightful by fight against the devil, may attain to the reward of God's seat and eternal life) speaketh in the spalme & sayeth: 
Psal. 26.  Though an host of men were laid against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid, and though there arose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him. One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. In like manner the holy scripture in Exodus doth declare that we do exceadingly multiply and increase thorough afflictions and troubles saying: 
Exod. 1.  And the more they oppressed them, the more they multiplied & grew. And in the revelation gods protection is promised unto us in our sufferings, where he sayeth: 
Apo. 2.  fear thou none of these things, which thou shalt suffer. Neither is it any other that promiseth unto us safety & defence, but even very he that by the prophet Esay speaketh & sayeth: Fear thou not, 
Esaie. 41.  For I have redeemed thee: I have callee the by thy name, thou art mine own. And if thou shalt go thorough the water I am with thee, and the floods shall not overwhelm the. And if thou shalt pass thorough the fire, the fire shall not burn the. For I am the Lord thy God which do keep thee in safety. Which in the Gospel also doth promise, that the help of God shall not fail gods servants in their persecutions saying: 
Math. 10.  but when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak. For it shallbe given you in that same hour, what ye shall say. For it is not ye that speak, but the spirit of your father that speaketh in you. And again he sayeth: put in your hearts not to study before, what ye shall answer: 
Mar. 13. Luc. 21.  for I will give you a mouth & wisdom where unto your adversaries are not able to resist. Thus doth God speak also to moses in exodus, which delayed to do his commandment and feared the people, saying: 
Exo. 4.  Who hath made man's mouth? or who hath made the dumb or the deaf, the seeing or the blind, have not I the Lord God? Go now therefore, and I will open thy mouth, & I will teach the what thou shalt speak.  
Neither is it any hard matter for God to open the godly man's mouth, and to inspire constancy and holdnes of speech unto his confessor: 
Nu. 22.  which (as we read in the book of Numbres) did make the very Ass to speak against Balaam the prophet. Therefore let no man in persecution think into what danger the devil doth bring, but let him rather consider what help God doth give: Neither let us be discorraged thorough man's malice, but let us strengthen our faith with god's protection: for asmuch as every man according to the lords promises, and the merits of his own faith, shall receive asmuch help of God, as he believeth to receive. Neither is there any thing which the almighty can not bring to pass, except the faith of him that should receive doth decay and fail.   

The xi Chapter.  
THat it was told aforehand, that the world should hate us, and that it should steer up persecutions against us: & that no new thing happeneth peneth now unto Christian, for asmuch as good men have been troubled from the beginning of the world, and the rightful have been oppressed and slain of the unrightful: The Lord in the Gospel doth afore warn and afore show saying: 
Loan. 15.  if the world hate you, know ye that it hated me furst. if you were of the world, the world world love that were his own. But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hate you. Remember the word which I have spoken unto you: there is no servant greater than his Lord. if they have persecuted me, they shall also persecute you. And again he sayeth: 
Loan. 16.  The hour shall come, that every one that shall kill you, shall think himself to do God service. But they shall do this, because they have not known the father nor yet me. These things have I spoken unto you, that when the hour of them shall come, ye may remember the I told you. And again he saith: verily verily I say unto you, ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: ye shall sorrow, but your sorrow shall be turned in to joy. And again he sayeth: These things have 〈◊〉 spoken unto you, that ye may have peace in me: in the world ye shall have trouble, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. And again when he was demanded of his disciples, what should be the token of his coming, and of th'end of the world, 
Luc. 21.  he answered and said: 
Mar. 13.  Take heed that noman deceive you, 
Math. 24.  for many shall come in my name saying: I am Christ, and shall deceive many. ye shall hear of wars, and of the rumours of wars, take ye heed, and be not troubled: for these things must come to pass, but th'end is not yet. Nation shall arise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shallbe hunger and earthquakes, and pestilences thorough all places. All these are the beginnings of sorrows.  
Then shall they put you to trouble and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all people for my name sake: And than shall many be offended, & shall betray one an other, and shall hate one an other. And many false prophets shall arise, and deceive many: and because of the abundance of wickedness, the charity of many shall wear cold, but he the shall endure unto th'end, the same shall be safe. And this glad tidings of the kingdom, shall be preached thorough all the world for a witness unto all nations: and than shall the end come. When therefore ye shall see thabo mination of desolatyon spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: 
Daniel. 9  let him that read it, understand it: Than let them that be in jury flee in to the mountains: And him which is on the house top, not come down to fet any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field, return back to fetch his clothes. Woe be in those days to women with child, and to them that give suck, but pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day. For than shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time, nor shallbe: And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the chosen sake, those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo here is Christ, or there is Christ, believe it not. For there shall arise false Christ's, and false prophets, and shall do great miracles and wonders, In so much that if it were possible, even the chosen persons should be deceived. But take you heed, loo I have told you all things before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, behold he is in the wilderness, go not forth. Behold in the serrete places, believe not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and syneth into the west: So shall the coming of the son of man be. For wheresoever a dead carcase is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together. Forthwith after the tribulations of those days the sune shall be darkened, and the Won shall not give her light, & the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall move. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. And then shall all the kindreds of the earth lament them selves, and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And he shall send his Angels with great power & glory & with a great trumpet. And they shall gather together his chosen from the iiij. winds, & from the one end of heaven to the other. Neither are these things which now hap to christians, new or sudden: for asmuch as good & just men, & such as be thoroughly bend to keep the law of God, & are afraid to stain the innocency of life & true religion, do always walk the hard & strait way thorough troubles & injuries, and thorough the grievous & manifold punishments of deadly & malicious emnities. Thus is the rightful Abel first killed of his brother, 
Gen. 4.  in the very beginning of the world, 
1. Reg. 14.  & jacob is copelled to fly, 
3. Reg. 19  & joseph is sold: & king Saul persecuteth the merciful David, & king Achab endeavoureth to oppress Helias, which did constantly & manfully defend the majesty of God. ʒa charias the priest is killed between the temple & the altar, 
Math. 23.  that he might there be made a sacrifice himself, where he had offered sacrifices. To be short, there are very many martyrdoms of the rightful, which are oftentimes celebrate. There are very many ensamples of faith & godliness left for them that shall come after. The iii children Ananias, Ararias, Misahel, in age equal, in love of one mind, in faith stabell, in godliness constant, and stronger than the flaming fire, and the pains wherewith they were tormented, openly proclaimed that they served God alone and only, that they knew him alone, 
Dani 3.  that they worshipped him alone, saying: O king Na buchodonosor, we have no need to make the any answer in this matter. For God whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the hot burning oven O king, and to rid us out of thy hands: but if he will not, yet shalt thou know that we will not serve thy gods, nor do reverence to the image which thou hast set up. 
Dani. 14.  And the godly man Daniel full of the holy ghost crieth out & sayeth: I worship nothing but only my Lord, which hath made heaven & earth. Tobias also although he was under a kingly & tyrannous bondage, yet being free in understanding & spirit confesseth God, & do excellently commend god his power and majesty saying: 
Tobi. 13.  I will praise him in the land of my captivity, & will show his power amongs the sinful nation. But what should I speak of the seven brethren in the Maccabees which do fulfil the numbered of vii for a sacrament of absolute ꝑfectnes. 
2. Mat. 7.  These seven brethren are so linked together in martyrdom, as in the disposition & ordinance of God, the first seven days do couteyne seven thousand years: As the seven spirits and seven Angels are assistant and present before the face of the Lord, And the seven fashioned candlesticks in the tabernacle of witness, And the seven golden candlesticks in the revelation, And the seven pillars in Solomon, upon whom wisdom doth build her house: Even so the number also there of seven brethren, doth comprehend in them the number of seven churches: According as we read in the first book of kings, that the barren brought forth seven: And in Esay seven women take hold upon one man, after whose name they require to benamed: And Paul th'apostle being mindful of this lawful and certain number, writeth unto seven churches: And in the revelation the Lord doth direct his divine commandments, and heavenly precepts, to seven churches, and their angels: The which nember is now found in these brethren, that lawful perfection might be fulfilled. With the seven sons the mother also their beginning and rote is certainly coupled, which afterwards brought forth seven churches, herself being thorough god's voice first and alone founded upon the rock. Neither is which out mystery, the in the martyrdoms the mother is found alone with her sons. For the martyrs which in their sufferings did testify themselves to be the sons of God, are now counted to have none other father but God. As the Lord in the gospel teacheth saying: call no man your father upon the earth, 
Math. 23.  for there is but one your father, which is in heaven. O how glorious confessions did they make? How noble, how excellent lessons of faith have they given? The king Antiochus being angry (yea rather Antichrist represented by Antiochus) went about to defile with the filth of swine's flesh the glorious mouths of the martyrs, which thorough the spirit of confession war invincible: And when he had grievously beaten them with scourges, and yet never the near his purpose, he commanded the frieng pans or cauldrons to be made hot, in to the which (after they war made hot, and set on fire) he commanded that he which had furst spoken, and had most provoked the king to anger thorough the constancy of godliness and faith, should be thrown in the fried. But they first plucked out his tongue, which had confessed God, and cut it of. What martyrdom hath there been more glorious? For the tongue which had confessed the name of God, ought itself first to go to God. Afterwards they invented more bitter punishments for the second. For before they tormented his other members. They of a purposed hatred against God plucte of the skin of his head with the hears and all. For seeing Christ is the head of man, and the head of Christ is God: he that did so bocherly tear the martyrs head, did persecute in the head God and Christ. But the martyr hoping in his martyrdom, and assuring himself of the reward of the resurrection thorough the gift of God, cried out and said: Thou thorough thy power destroyest us from this present life: but the king of the world shall raise us up (that are dead for his laws) in to the eternal resurrection of life. The third being demanded to put forth his tongue, did it quickly: For he had now learned of his brother, to contemn the pain of cutting of the tongue: He did also constantly stretch forth his hands, that they might be cut of, and was very happy in suffering this kind of punishment: For asmuch as it was his fortune with stretched out hands, to be made like unto the lords passion in this suffering▪ The fourth also with like courage despising the torments and answering with an heavenly voice to the kings confusion, cried out and said: It is best for us being put to death of men, to have our hope and trust in God, to be raised again of him unto eternal life. As for thee, thou shalt have no resurrection to life. The fifth besides that thorough the strength of faith he trod under the foot the bocherly torments of the king, and many cruel pains: he was also strenghtened thorough God's spirit to a foreknowledge of things to come, and prophesied unto the king, that both the indig nation of God, and also his vengeance would shortly follow upon him. Thou (sayeth he) having power among men (for thou art a mortal man also thyself) dost what thou wilt. But think thou not that Bod hath forsaken our generation. Abide thee, & behold the great power of God, after what manner he will torment the and thy seed. O what an easement was this of martyrdom, how great, how excellent was this comfort? In his sufferings not to think upon his own torments, but to tell forth the punishememtes of his tormentor? In the vi not only godliness but humility also aught to be commended in that the martyr challenged no thing to himself, 
The humility of Martyrs.  neither did he with proud words boast of the honour of his confession: but did rather impute unto his own sins, that he suffered persecution of the king, and as touching vengeance that should follow, he committed that unto God. He taught martyrs to be shamefast, to hope in God for revengement, and to brag no thing in their sufferings. Be not vainly deceived O king (saith he) For we suffer here for our own sakes, because we have sinned against our God: But think not thou to escape unpunished, scing thou hast attempted to fight against God. The wonder full mother also which was neither discorraged thorough the weakness of the kind, nor troubled with the manifold lack of children, beheld gladly her sons dieing: neither did she only consider their pains, but also their glories, and thorough the virtue of her eyes, she offered unto God, as great martyrdom, as did her sons in the sufferings & torments of their members. After the six war tormented and slain, there remained yet one of the brethren, unto whom the king promised riches, Lordeshipe, and many things: that at the lest by overcoming of one, his fierce cruelty might be comforted: & he desired that the mother together with him, 
The xample of a godly mother.  would be a mean to overthrow her son. She entreated her son: But after such sort as became a mother of martyrs, as it became one mindful of the law, & of God: As it became one that loved her sons, not wanton but strongly. She entreated him in deed, but that was to confess God: She entreated him that he being a brother, should not be separate from his brethren in the fellowship of praise and glory: Than reconning herself to be a mother of seven sons, if it might be her fortune to bring forth seven to God, and not to the world. She therefore arming and strenghtning him, & bearing than again her son which a more happy birth, said unto him: O my son have pity upon me that bore the ix months in my womb, and gave the suck three years, and nourished & brought the up unto this age: I beseech the my son look upon heaven and earth, & when thou hast considered all things that are in them, understand that God made them and man's generation of nothing. Therefore my son fear not this hangman, but suffer death steadfastly, like as thy brethren have done: that I may receive the again in the same mercy with thy brethren.  
Great is the praise of this mother in exhorting to godliness, but greater was her praise in the fear of God, & in the truth of faith, because she warranted neither herself, nor her son any part in the honour of the vi martyrs: neither did she believe that the prayer of the brethren, should profit to the salvation of him that denied. She rather persuaded him to be partaker with them in suffering, that in the day of judgement he might be found among his brethren. After these things the mother died also together with her children. For this was now most cumbely for her, to be joined unto them in the fellowship of glory, whom she had borne and fashioned to martyrdom, and that herself might also follow them, whom she had before hand sent unto God. And that no man should by any deceitful occasion offered him, either to recant, or any other way embrace the wicked gift or reward of deceivers: Let us also speak of Eleazarus, 
Eleazarus 2. Mac▪ 6.  who having liberty given him by the kings servants, to take such flesh as was lawful for him to eat, should but feign himself to eat of the sacrifices & unlawful meats that were brought in, and so deceive the king. He would in no wise consent to this deceit, saying: that it became neither his age, nor his noble stock, to feign himself to do that, wherein many might be offended and brought into error: Thinking that Eleazarus being nynety years old, had forsaken and betrayed the law of God, and were gone to the manners of strangers: Neither did he think it any worthy matter by offending God, 
What they gain that deny God.  and running into the danger of eternal punishment, to gain the short moments of this life. And he being there long tormented, & now at the point of death, sighed and said as he died among stripes and torments: O Lord which hast the holy knowledge, thou knowest openly, that where as I might be delivered from death, I suffer these sore pains of my body: but in my mind I am well content to suffer them, because I fear thee. Certainly his faith was sincere, & true, & his godliness perfect & pure enough: which considered not the king Antiochus but God that is judge: and knew right well that it should nothing profit him to salvation, if he should mock and deceive man, seeing the God (which is the judge of our conscience, & ought only to be feared) can not be mocked nor deceived by any means. If therefore we do live as godly men, and such as be dedicated unto God, if we do walk in the self same ancient, and holy foot steps of the just: Let us go thorough the same ensamples of pains & sufferings, thorough the same martyrdoms and passions: And let us reckon the glory of our time in this point more excellent, that where as the old ensamples of martyrs are numbered: Now after the plenteous abundance of godliness and faith, the christian martyrs can not be numbered. As johan witnesseth in the revelation, saying: 
Apo. 7.  After this I beheld a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations & kindreds, people and tongues standing before the seat, and before the lamb, and they war clothed with long white garments, and they had palms in their hands, and cried which a loud voice saying: Health unto our God sitting upon the seat, and unto the lamb: And one of th'elders answered, saying unto me: what are these which are arrayed in long white garments, and whence came they? and I said unto him: Lord thou wottest. And he said unto me: These are they which came out of great tribulation, & they have washed their garments, and made them white in the blood of the lamb: Therefore are they in the presence of the seat of God, & serve him day & night in his temple. But if it be showed & prowed that the people of the christian martyrs are so many, no man should think it an hard thing, to be a martyr, seeing he may perceive, the the multitude of martyrs can not be numbered.   

The twelve chapter.  
What hope & reward abideth for the just and martyrs after the fight and passions of this life, the holy ghost hath showed and fold aforhand by Solomon saying: And though they suffer torments before men, 
Sapi. 3.  yet is their hope full of immortality. And although they be punished in few things, yet in many things shall they be well rewarded. For God hath proved them and found them meet for himself. Yea as the gold in the furnace he doth try them, and receiveth them as a burnt offering, and when the time cometh, they shall be looked upon. They shall judge the nations and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. In likemaner the same Solomon doth describe the vengeance the God shall take for our cause, and setteth forth the penance or sorrow of our persecutors and enemies saying: Then shall the righteous stand in great steadfastness, against such as have dealt extremely with them, 
Sapi. 5. The late repentance of them that be in hell.  and taken away their labours. When they see it, they shallbe vexed with horrible fear, and shall wonder at the hastiness of the sudden health, groaning for very distress of mind, and shall say within themselves having inward sorrows, and mourning for very anguish of mind. These are they whom we sometime had in derision, and iesced upon. We fools thought their life very madness, and their end to be with out honour. How then are they counted among the children of God, & their portion among the saints: Therefore we have erred from the way of truth, and the light of rightfulness hath not shined over us, and the Sun of understanding rose not up upon us. We have wearied ourselves in the way of wickedness and destruction. tedious ways have we gone: but the way of the Lord we have not known. What good hath our pride done unto us? Or what perfect hath the pomp of riches brought us? all those things are passed away like a shadow. In likemaner in. 115. psalm the reward of martyrdom is declared, 
Psal. 115.  where he saith: precious is the death of his saints in the sight of the lord 
Psal. 125.  Likewise also in. 125. is expressed both our sorrowful affliction and also our joyful reward, where he saith: They that sow in tears, shall reap which joy. They went forth, wandering and sowing their seeds with weeping: But they shall come again with joy, takig up their laps. And again in the 118. psalm, he saith, blessed are those that be undefiled in the way, 
Psal. 118.  which walk in the law of the Lord: Blessed are those that search out his witnesses, & and seek him with their hole heart. Fur theremore the Lord which is the self revengar of our persecution, and the rewarder of our suffering, saith in the gospel: happy shall they be which shall suffer persecution for righteousness sake, 
Math. 5.  because the kingdom of heaven is theirs: And again he saith: blessed shall ye be, when men shall hate you, and shall separate and throw you out, and shall curse your name as wicked for the son of man's sake, be glad in that day and rejoice, For lo your reward is great in heaven. And again: he that loseth his life for me shall save it. Neither are the rewards of Gods promise laid up only for such as be tormented and sayne: For although the faithful be not subject to the very suffering, yet if faith abide perfecre & not overcome, if the thristian (despising and forsaking all things that at his own) shall show himself to follow Christ, he also is honoured of Christ among the martyrs by his own promise, where he saith: there is no man that forsaketh house or field, or father and mother, or brethren, or wife, or sons, for the kingdom of God, which do not receive seven times as much in this world, and in the world to come eternal life. In likemaner in the revelation he speaketh the same thing saying: 
Apo. ●0.  and I saw the souls of them that were killed for the name of jesus & the word of God: And when he had made mention first of them that war slain, he added saying: & who so ever have not worshipped the Image of the best, neither received his mark upon their foreheads, or on their hands: All which being sen of him at once in one place, he coppleth together saying: And they lived and reigned with Christ. He sayeth, that they all do live and reign with Christ: not only they that were slain, but all such also as standing manfully in the steadfastness of their faith, and in the fear of God, have not worshipped the image of the beast, neither have consented unto them in their heinous and cruel proclamations & laws. That we shall receive more in reward of our suffeting, than are the pains and afflictions which we now endure, the blessed Apostle Paul doth prove (which being thorough god's favour taken up into the third heaven & into paradise, 
2. Cor. 12.  witnesseth that he heard words that can not be uttered, which glorieth, that he had (thorough secret faith) seen jesus Christ: which having certain knowledge of the truth, professeth that which he had both learned, & seen) saying: The afflictions of this life are not worthy that glory, which shallbe showed upon us. 
Rous. 8.  Who is it now that will not labour with all his strength to attain so great glory, that he may be made the friend of God, and immediately rejoice with Christ: That after these worldly torments and pains, he may come to the divine and heavenvly rewards? If the soldiers of this world think it a glorious matter, (after they have oucrcome th'enemy) to return into their country with triumph: how much more noble and excellent a thing is it, after we have overcome the devil, to return into paradise triumphing? And (he being subdued, which before deceived) to bear with us the tokens of victory into that place, from the which fynful Adam was cast out? To offer unto God a most acceptable sacerfice, that is an undefiled faith, the sound virtue of the mind, the bright praise of godliness? To follow him, 
A description of the glori of eternal life.  when he shall come to take vengeance of his eunemyes? To sit on his side, when he shall sit to judge? To be made an heir an nexed with Christ? To be made equal unto the Angels? To reivyse together with the patriarchs, Apostles and prophets in the possession of the heavenly kingdom? What perfecution can overcome, what torments can overthrow these cogitations and thoughts?  
The mind that is ground upon godly meditations, abideth strong & stable: And he whose heart is strenghtned with a certain and sound faith of things to come, standeth immovable against all the terrors of the devil, and threatenings of the world. The eyes are shut up in the persecutions of the world, nevertheless heaven is opened: Antichrist doth threaten, but yet the Lord Christ doth defend: death is brought in, notwithstanding immortality doth follow after: The world is violently plucked from him that is slain: Neverthles paradise is given to him that is restored. The temporal life is destroyed, but yet th'eternal is repaired. O how great is the dignue, how great is the saffety to depart hence joyfully, to depart hence gloriously among afflictyons and torments? In a moment to close up theyes, wherewith men and the world war seen: and immediately to open again the same to behold god and Christ? O how swift is this departure, to be conveyed from thearth suddenly, and to be situate and placed in the celestical & heavenly kingdom? These things ought to be considered in our hearts and minds, upon these things ought we to study & muse both night and day. if the day of the persecuting of Christ shall find such a sowldear: the virtue which is ready for the reward can not be over come. Or if he shall be prevented & called hence before: the faith which was ready unto martyrdom, shall not be without reward. Reward is given (God being judge) without hindrance of time. In persecution the sowldearfare, in peace the conscience is crowned (God being judge) Amen.  
th'end of thebofe of exhortation to marurdome.    

th'rgument of the Epistle following.  
By this Epistle S. Cyprian exhorteth the people that dwelled at Thibaris to fepe and endure in the confession of Christ with a pure mind, perfect faith, and Godly devotion.  
Cyprian unto the people of Thibaris. etc.  
T'hadHad decreed, and was fully purposed most dearly beloved brethren (if the state of things, & convenient time would have given liberty) to have come myself unto you (according as you have often desired) & (being present) to have there strenghtned the brotherhood with our exhortation to the utter most of our power. 
The Image of a true bishope.  But forasmuch as through urgent & great business we are thus withholden & letted, that we have no liberty to go far from hence, & to be long absent from the people, which thorough god's mercy is committed to our government: I have in the mean time sent you these letters in my stead and room. For it is our duty (seeing the Lord doth vouch save often times to prick us forward & to admonish us) to extend forth the care of our instruction & warning unto your conscience also. For ye ought to know, & for a certainty to believe & hold, that the day of trouble beginneth to hover over over heads, & that th'end of the world & the time of Antichrist draweth near, that we all may stand ready to the bat tail, 
1. joan. 2.  & that we think upon nothing but only of the glory of eternal life, & the crown the shallbe given to them the confess the Lord: Neither let us think, that the things coming are such as are already passed. A more daungerus & crueler fight hovereth now over us, unto the which Christ his soldiers ought to prepare themselves with an uncorrupted faith, & strong virtue: 
the lay people drank the cup of Christ's blood in Cipriaenes time 〈…〉  Ton sidering the they do therefore daily drink the cup of the blood of Christ, the they may also shed their blood for Christ his sake. For this is to desire to be found with Christ, to follow the which Christ both taught and did, according to the saying of Iohn th'apostle: he that sayeth the he abideth in Christ, ought also to walk after the same manner the he walked In like manner exhorteth & teacheth the blessed apostle Paul saying, 
Rom. 8.  we are the sons of God: but it we be sons, than are we also heirs, the heirs I mean of God, and heirs annexed with Christ: if we suffer together with him, that we may be also glorified together with him. All these things ought to be considered of us at this present, that no man should desire any thing of the world, which is now in dying: but might follow Christ, which both liveth himself everlastingly, & also maketh alive his servants that abide in the faith of his name. For the time is come most dearly beloved brethren, which our Lord long sins warned us of, & told us aforehand that it would come saying: The hour shall come, 
joan. 16.  that whosoever shall kill you, will think the he doth God service. But these things will they do, because they have not known the father neither yet me. These things have & told you, that when the hour of them is come, ye might remember the I told you. Let no man therefore marvel, that we are exceadingly troubled with continual ꝑsecutions, & oftentimes vexed with painful troubles, seeing that the Lord told aforehand, the these should happen in the last days & which the doctrine & exhortation of his word instructed & prepared our fight & warfare. Peter also his apostle taught, that persecutions do therefore happen, that we may betried, and that we thorough death and sufferings might also be joined and knit to the love of God, after th'ensample of the just men that went before us: For in his epistle he writeth thus, saying: dearly beloved wonder not at this heat that is happened unto you: 
1. Pet. 4.  which is come among you to try you. Neither fall ye away as though a new thing had chanced unto you: but as oft as ye are partakers of Christ's passions rejoice in allthings, that when his glory appeareth, ye may also be merry and glad. if ye be railed upon for the name of Christ, happy are ye: For the name of the majesty and power of God doth rest in you. Which verily is blasphemed of them, but is glorified of you. Thapostles have also taught us such things, as they themselves did learn of the lords precepts and heavenly commandments, the Lord himself strenghtning us and saying: 
Luce. 18. Math. 1●.  There is no man (sayeth he) that leaveth house, or field, other father and mother other betherne, or sisters, other wife or children for the kingdom of god's sake, which shall not receive seven times as much in this world, and in the world to come life everlasting. And again, blessed shall ye be (saith he) when men shall hate you, and shall excommunicate and banish you, 
Mat. 5.  and shall curse your name as wicked for the son of man's sake: rejoice and be glad in that day, for your reward is great in heaven. The Lord would have us to be merry and joyful in persecutions: For in the time of persecution the crowns of faith are distributed and given: than are Gods sowldears tried. Than do heavens open unto the martyrs. For we have not after such manner professed souldearfare, that we should think upon peace only, and should refuse and forsake the fight: Forasmuch as the Lord, the master of humility, patience and sufferance hath himself walked in the self same souldearfare, the he might first do that thing himself, which he taught to be observed of others, and might himself first suffer for us that, which he exhorted us to suffer. Set always before your eyes dearly beloved, that he (which alone hath received all judgement of the father, & whichshal come to judge all men) hath evennow aforehand pronounced the sentence of his Ingement and knowledge to come, 
Math. 10  showing aforehand & witnessing, the he will confess them before his father, that confess him, & will deny them the deny him. If we might avoid & escape death, 
No man can escape death.  we might justly fear to die: but seeing that of necessity the mortal must die, let us embrace thoccasion which God by his promise hath vouchsafed to offer us: And let us so end our life that we may receive the reward of immortality: Neither let us be afraid to be slain, seeing it is manifest that we are then crowned, when we are slain and killed. Neither let any man most dearly beloved brethren betrobled, 
Flight for fear of persecution  when he shall see our people driven away & scattered thorough the fear of persecution and shall not see the brotherhood gathered together, nor hear the bishops preach and declare the scriptures. 
S. Cyprian useth, this word brother heads  We unto whom it is not lawful to kill, but must of necessity be killed, can not than be all gathered together. wheresoever any of the brethren shall in those days be for a season separate from the flock in body and not in spirit thorough the necessity of the time, let him not be troubled thorough the terribleness of that fleeing: neither let him be afraid, when he departeth to hide himself in the wilsome wilderness: For he is not alone, which hath Christ to his companion in fleeing: He is not alone, which keeping the temple of God, is not without God, wheresoever he shall happen to be. And if the these and murderer shall destroy thee, as thou art fleeing into the wilderness and mountains, if the wild best shall assail thee, if hunger, thirst, or cold shall pinch thee, or if the tempest or storm shall drown thee, when thou dost by see hastily flee away, Christ abideth and looketh for his soul dear wheresoever he fighteth: And he giveth unto him (that dieth for the honour of his name in the time of persecution) that reward, 
A comfort for such as are privily pined & murdered in presons  which he hath promised to give in the resurrection. Neither is the glory of martyrdom any whit the less, though a man die not openly among many, when Christ his cause was thoccasion of his death. For he is a sufficient witness of his martyrdom, that trieth martyrs and crowneth them. 
Abel.  Let us most dearly beloved brethren follow the rightful Abel, which began and consecrated martyrdoms, when he was the first that was slain for rightfulness sake. Let us follow Abraham the friend of God, 
Abraham  which delayed not to offer up his son in sacrifice with his own hands, when thorough a devouce faith he obeyed God. Let us follow the three children Ananias, Azarias, and Misahel, which being neither feared thorough their tender age, nor discorraged thorough captivity (when jury & jerusalem were overcome & taken) overcame by the power of faith the king in his own kingdom. Which being commanded to worship the image that Nabuchodonosor had made, overcame both the kings threatenings and the flaming fire, Crying out and testefieng their faith which these words: 
Dani. 3.  We have no need O king Nabuchodonosor to make the any answer touching this matter. For there is a God whom we serve able to deliver us from the furnace of the burning fire, and he shall deliver us O king from thy hands: but if he do not, let it be known unto thee, the we will not serve thy gods, neither will we worship the golden image, which thou hast set up. They believed that thorough faith they might escape, nevertheless they added (but if he do not) that the king might be certified, that they war also able to die for God's sake, whom they worshipped. For this is the power of faith and virtue, to believe and know, that God is able to deliver from present death: & yet neither to fear nor give place to death, that faith may be tried the better. Out of their mouth broke forth the undefiled & in vincible strength of the holy ghost, the the words which the Lord spoke in his gospel, might appear to be true: when they shall lay hands on you (saith he) be not careful what ye shall speak. For it shall be given you in that hour, what ye shall speak. 
Math. 10  For it is not you which do speak, but the spirit of the father that speaketh in you. He hath promised, the it shall be given & offered us of God in that hour, what we may speak: And that it is not we that than speak, but the spirit of the father: which (forasmuch as he neither departeth, nor is separated from them the confess) doth both speak, & is crowned in us. In likemaner Daniel when he was compelled to worship the Idol Bel (whom both the king & people did than worship) in the defence of the honour of his God, 
Dani. 14.  be brake out with the full liberty of faith, saying: I worshippeno thing but only the Lord my God, which hath made heaven and earth. 
The ma●chabeis.  What should I speak of the bitter torments of the blessed martyrs in the Maccabees, & of the manifold pains of the un. brethren, & of the mother that did both 01 comfort her children in the torments, & died also hereself with them? Are not their doctrines of great virtue & faith witnessed? And do they not exhort us also thorough their passions unto the triumph of martyrdom? 
The prephetes Thapostles. what we ought to learn at the death of good men. Mat. 2.  What shall I speak of the prophets, whom the spirit hath incorraged unto the aforeknow●age of things to come? What shall I say of th'apostles, whom the Lord hath chosen? Have not the inste, (when they are slain for rightfulness sake) taught us also to die? The birth of Christ began strait ways with the martyrdom of infants and babes: that so many as war two years old and under, were slain for his name sake. The age that was not yet able for the battle, was nevertheless meet to receive the crown: & that they might appear * to be innocentes, 
Or, it might appear.  which are slain for Christ, the innocent infancy & childhood was killed for his name sake. It is now declared that no man is free from the danger of persecution, seeing that such lytleones have suffered martyrdom. What reasonable cause can any christian man have, 
〈◊〉 have no excuse.  that will not (being a servant) suffer, seeing the Lord himself hath first suffered: And that we will not suffer for our own sins, when he (having no sin of his own) hath suffered for us? The son of God hath suffered, to make us gods sons: And will not the son of man suffer. that he may continue the son of God? If we be hated of the world, the hatred of the world christ suffered first. If we suffer reviling words in this world, if we be driven to flee, if we endure torments, the maker & Lord of the world have tasted of more grenouse pains: who also warneth us saying: If the world (saith he) hate you, 
joan. 15.  remember that it hated me first. If you war of the world, the world would love that which war his own. 
joan. 15.  But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore doth the world hate you. Remember the word which I have spoken unto you: there is no servant greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they shall also persecute you. The Lord and our God hath performed and done whatsoever he taught: and can the disciple and scholar be excused that learneth, & yet doth not accordingly? Let none of you dearly beloved brethren be so feared with the fear of persecution to come, or with the coming of Antichrist that hovereth over our heads, that he should not be found armed at all points with thexhortations of the gospel, and with the heavenly commandments & warnings. Antichrist is come, but Christ will also suddenly come upon him. The enemy murdereth and is very cruel, but the Lord doth by and by follow to revenge our afflictions & wounds. The enemy is angry & threateneth, but there is one that can deliver us out of his hands. He ought to be feared, whose ire & vengeance no man can escape, according as he himself warneth & sayeth: Fear ye not them that kill the body, but the soul they can not kill. 
Mat. 10.  But fear him rather, that is able to destroy both soul and body in to hell. 
joan. 12.  And again he saith: he that loveth his life, shall lose it, & he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto eternal life. And in the revelation he instructeth and warneth us saying: 
Apo. 14.  if any man worship the best and his image, and taketh his mark in his forehead and in his hand, he shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, mingled in the cup of his wrath: and he shall be punished with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the lamb: And the smoke of their torments goeth up world without end: Neither shall any of them that worship the best, and his image, have any rest either day or night. Unto a temporal and world 〈…〉 and ●ight, men at both 〈◊〉 and prepared, and they count it great glory & honour, if it may be their chance to be crowned in the presence of the people, & in the presence of themperor. Behold the high and noble fight, which is beautified with an heavenly crown, where as god may look upon us fight: and that he casting his eyes upon them whom he hath vouch saved to make his children, may have a pleasant beholding and spectacle of of our battle. When we war and fight with the armour of faith, God looketh upon us, his angels do behold us, & Christ doth approve us. What worthy glory is it, how great felicity and happiness, to fight there whearas God is the defendar, and to be crowned there whearas Christ is judge? Let us arm ourselves most dearly beloved brethren with all our strength, & let us be prepared and made ready to the battle with an uncorrupted mind, with a perfect faith, and with devout virtue. Let the armies of God march on and go forward unto the bataille, that is ●●tched against them. Let the perfect man be armed, that the perfect lose not his late consrancy. Let the fallen be also armed, that the fallen may receive again that which be had lou. Let honour provoke the perfect, let sorrow provoke the fallen unto the fight and battle. The blessed Apostle doth arm and prepare us to the fight saying: we wrestle not against flesh and blood, 
Ephe. 6.  but against powers, & against the rulars of this darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenvly things. Put you on therefore all the armour of God, that ye may be able to resist in the most wicked day, that when ye have performed all things, ye may stand, having your loins girded with the truth, 
The armour and weapons of Christians.  & clothed with the breast plate of rightfulness, and shod, that ye may be ready to the gospel of peace: taking up the shield of faith, whereby ye may quench all the fiery darts of the devil, and take the helmet of health, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Let us put on these armowres, let us fortify ourselves with these spiritual and heavenvly defences, that we may be able in the most wicked day to resist, and beat back the devils threatenings. Let us put on the breast plate of rightfulness, that our breast may be defended and saved against the darts of the enemy. Let us be shod thorough the doctrine of the Gospel, and have our feet armed, that when we shall begin to tread and thirst down the serpent, he may not be able to bite & overthrow us. Let us manfully bear the shield of faith, by whose defence, what soever the enemy throweth against us may be quenched. Let us also take the helmet of salvation to cover our heads, 
How every member and part of the body must be armed.  that our ears may be defended, that they may not hear nor give heed unto cruel proclamations and laws. Let our eyes be fortiyed, that they behold not the detestable and abominable images. Let our forehead be fenced, that the mark of God may be kept safe. Let the mouth be armed, that the mighty conquering tongue may acknowledge and confess her Lord Christ. Let us also arm the right hand with a spiritual sword, 
In Cipriaenes time the people received the sacrament in their right hands.  that it may manfully contemn and despise the unclean and wicked sacrifices, that that which hath received the lords body, being mindful of the thanks giving, may in the same embrace her Lord, which shall after of the same her Lord receive the reward of an heavenly crown. O how excellent and great a day is that, that is coming most dearly beloved brethren, when the Lord shall begin to numbered his people, and by his divine knowledge to examine the works of every one, to send the guilty into hell, and to condemn our persecutors unto a perpetual burning in the painful flame: but unto us to tender the reward of faith and godliness. What manner of glory shall that be, and how great gladness, to be admitted to see god's honour, the thou mayst receive with Christ the Lord thy God the joy of everlasting health and light? To salute Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, all the patriarchs and Prophets, the Apostles, & Martyrs? To rejoice in the delectation of the gift of immortality, with the just men and friends of God in the kingdom of heaven? To receive that there, which neither eye hath seen neither ear hath herd, 
●. Cor. 2.  nor hath entered into the heart of man? For th'apostle teacheth that we shall receive greater reward, then either our works or afflictions here can deserve, saying: The afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory, 
Rom. 8.  which shallbe showed upon us. When the showing of this glory shall come, when the charity of God shall shine over us, than shall we be happy & merry, being in honour thorough the goodness of the Lord. But alas  〈…〉