Four godly sermons against the pollution of idolatries comforting men in persecutions, and teaching…Foure godlye sermons agaynst the pollution of idolatries comforting men in persecutions, and teachyng…

We were as it were sheep led to the slaughter, doth declare that this pertained not only to one age, but it was & shall be the common, usual & continual state of Christs church. So that if we see in this time the church to be so handled & vexed, by the insolencie and pride of the wicked, that some bark at her, some bite her, many afflict her, & always invent some mischief & pestilent destruction to her, yea & set upon her without ceasing as it were mad dogs & wild ravening beasts, let us call to remembrance that she was so vexed afflicted and oppressed in all times before. God doth give unto her sometime, some rest & refreshing & as it were a time of truce. And this is that which is spoken in the psal above alleged, the righteous lord doth cut in sunder the cords of the wicked: and in an other place, that he breaketh their rod, lest the good being to much pressed should and move their hands: to iniquity. But god would always have his church to be tossed in this world, and as it were always in a certain conflict reserving ⟨image 40⟩for her quiet rest in heaven. The end of these afflictions was always blessed, yea truly god wrought this ye the church always pressed with many and great difficult calamities, was never utterly oppressed. As it is said in an other place, the wicked with all their labour did never obtain that they desired. S. Paul also doth so glory of like happy end and issue of afflictions, that he showeth this grace of god to be perpetual in his church. We saith he, are pressed with all kind of afflictions, but we are not killed with sorrow and care, we live in great need & poverty, yet are we not forsaken we are cast down but perish not, always carrying about the mortification of our lord Jesus Christ, that his life also may be declared in our mortal body. This issue and end, as we see that god hath always made, it happy & prosperous in the persecutions of the church, ought to bolden us, seeing we know that our fathers, who also acknowledged their frailty and weakness, had always thee victory over their enemies, be cause they continued, constant In patience.

We wer as it wer shepe led to the slaughter, doth declare yt this pertaīed not only to one age, but it was & shalbe the common, vsuall & continual state of Christs church. So that if we see in this time the church to be so handled & vexed, by ye insolencie and pride of the wicked, that some bark at her, some bite her, many afflict her, & alwaies inuent some mischef & pestilent destruction to her, yea & set vpon her without ceasīg as it were mad dogges & wilde rauenīg beastes, let vs cal to remembreunce that she was so vexed afflicted and oppressed in al times before. God doth geue vnto her somtime, some rest & refreshing & as it were atime of truce. And this is that which is spoken in the psal oboue alleged, the righteous lord doth cut in sōder the cordes of the wicked: and in an other place, that he breaketh their rodde, lest the good being to much pressed shuld and moue their handes: to inniquitie. But god wold alwaies haue his church to be tost in thys world, and as it were alwayes in a certaine conflict reseruīg