But when persecution once cometh for the word of God, than is God called upon with most hearty & feruē prayers, than are the holy scriptures searched, than do men study for the amendment of life, than do they seek the accomplishment of gods most holy will, than are they altogether desirous of celestial things, and utterly contemn & set at nought 1what so ever pleaseth the eyes of carnal men in this world. Therefore when persecution cometh for righteousness sake, let us not despair, but make our selves conformable to the will of God, rejoice & be me ⟨image 27⟩ry. Let us set before our eies the ex amples of Christ & of all his church, even from the beginning of the world, Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the people of Israel in Egypt, David, Josiah, the Prophets and apostles. We must, saith S. Paul 2be made like unto the image of the son of God. If our elder brother Christ possessed not the eternal inheritance, but by the Cross, shall we that are of a meaner sort think to enjoy it after a more easy sort? To whom is this saying unknown. By many tribulations we must 3enter into the kingdom of God. Christ bare the cross, but he bare it not away with him, but left it here behind him to be borne of us also, if we will be his Disciples, as he saith, if any man cometh unto me, & hateth not his father & mother, 4wife, children & sisters, yea & his own life, he can not be my disciple. ⟨image 28⟩And who so ever beareth not his 5cross & come the after me, he can not be me disciple. The disciple is not above the master, nor the servant above his Lord. It is enough that the disciple be like his master, & the servant like his Lord. If they have called the father of the house hold Beelzebub, how much more shall they so call them, that be of his household? If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before you. 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 that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have per secuted me, they shall also persecute you. If they have kept my word, they shall also keep yours. But all these things shall they do to you for my names sake, because they have not known him, that hath ⟨image 28⟩sent me. Verily verily I say unto you, ye shall weep & lament, but 6the world shall rejoice.
But whan persecucion once cōmeth for the worde of God, than is God called vpon with moost harty & feruē prayers, than are the holy scriptures searched, than do men study for the amedment of lyfe, than do they seke ye accōplishment of gods moost holy wyll, than are they altogither desyrous of celestiall thynges, and vtterly contemne & set at noughte 1what so euer pleseth the eies of carnall men in this worlde. Therfore whan persecucion cōmeth for righteousnes sake, let vs not despayre, but make oure selues conformable to the wyll of God, reioyce & be me ⟨image 27⟩ry. Let vs set before our eies the ex amples of Christ & of all his chyrch, euen from the begynnynge of the worlde, Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, the people of Israel in Egipte, Dauid, Iosias, the Prophetes and apostles. We must, sayth S. Paule 2be made lyke vnto the ymage of the sonne of God. If our elder brother Christ possessed not the eternall enheretaunce, but by the Crosse, shall we that are of a meaner sorte thike to enioye it after a more easy sorte? To whome is this sayenge vnknowē. By many tribulaciōs we must 3enter into the kyngdome of God. Christ bare the crosse, but he bare it not awaye wt hym, but lefte it here behynd hym to be borne of vs also, yf we wyll be hys Disciples, as he sayth, yf any man cōmeth vnto me, & hatethe not his father & mother, 4wyfe, chyldren & systers, yea & hys owne lyfe, he cā not be my disciple. ⟨image 28⟩And who so euer bearethe not hys 5crosse & comme the after me, he can not be me disciple. The disciple is not aboue the mayster, nor the seruaūt aboue his Lord. It is inough that the disciple be lyke his master, & the seruaunte lyke his Lorde. If they haue called ye father of ye house holde Beelzebu•, howe much more shall they so call them, that be of his houshold? If the world hate you, ye knowe that it hated me before you. Because ye are not of ye worlde, but I haue chosen you out of ye worlde, therfore doth the worlde hate you. Remember the worde that I sayde vnto you, the seruaunt is not greater thē his Lorde. If they haue per secuted me, they shall also persecute you. If they haue kepte my worde, they shall also kepe yours. But all theise thynges shall they do to you for my names sake, bycause they haue not knowen hym, that hathe
- 1We ought to reiose in the time of persecution.We ought to reiose in the tyme of persecution.
- 2Rom. viii.
- 3Act. xiiii.
- 4Luke. xiiii.
- 5Math. x. Luke. vi. Joan. xiii. xv.Math. x. Luke. vi. Ioan. xiii. xv.
- 6Joan. xvi.Ioan. xvi.
