A word in season

Wherefore let us, whose doctrine by the grace of God is sound and agreeable with the holy Scripture, remember this similitude, that when we must suffer hatred, slander, reproaches and all manner of injuries for the Gospels sake, we are not afraid but may learn hereby to judge the Pope, the Bishops, the wicked Princes, with the tormentors and executioners of their cruelty, to be nothing else but grass on the house tops, which seemeth to be somewhat, when indeed it is nothing, and therefore it is without all blessing. To such it shall be said with the rich glutton in hell,¹ Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasures. For if we consider the whole history of the Church even from the beginning of the world, we shall see that God hath always so wrought by his secret counsel, that as grass on the house tops withereth away before the harvest come: so Tyrants are suddenly cut off and never come to their full time. Wherefore let us constantly abide and endure with patience in all afflictions, until the end do show that it was nothing but grass, and suddenly withered when it was most like to increase and flourish. The wicked do enjoy all good things for the Churches sake, like as the grass on the house tops hath the benefit of the rain and of the Sun as well as the Corn in the fields. But as they shall not live half their days, and as they shall see their own counsels and devices to be but vain and without success, so shall they be as a perpetual shame among men: insomuch that no man shall wish any good unto them: As at this day the memory of Judas, Pilate, the wicked Jews Dioclesianus, ⟨p. 45⟩Maximinus and other Tyrants, is without honour, yea most execrable and odious unto all men. This consolation is set forth by the holy Ghost by these gross similitudes and examples, that we may conceive in our minds some shadow or resemblance of Gods Works, since we cannot rightly judge and esteem the things themselves according to the truth, but we judge the enemies and Persecutors of the Church by their goodly show and outward appearance, to be good Wheat, because they prosper and flourish so long upon the earth. Wherefore we must rest wholly in the Word, which with such similitudes painteth out these things;

Wherefore let us, whose doctrine by the grace of God is sound and agreeable with the holy Scripture, remember this similitude, that when we must suffer hatred, slander, reproaches and all manner of injuries for the Gospels sake, we are not afraid but may learn hereby to judge the Pope, the Bishops, the wicked Princes, with the tormentors and executioners of their cruelty, to be nothing else but grass on the house tops, which seemeth to be somewhat, when indeed it is nothing, and therefore it is without all blessing. To such it shall be said with the rich glutton in hell,