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Fayth is a sure confydence of thynges whych are hoped for, and a certasute of thyn∣ges whych are not sene. For by it the elders obtayned a good reporte. Through fayth we vnderstande that the worlde was ordayned by the worde of god, and that thinges which are sene, were made of thinges whyche were not sene. By fayth Abell offred vnto God a
more plēteous sacrifice then Cain, by whych he obtained witnes that he was righteous, god testifiyng of hys gyftes: by whych also he beyng dead, yet speaketh.
THere is nothynge that so greately bryngeth good men into fauoure of God, as faith and sure belefe on God. For it is an argument of a mynde whych hath conceyued the best opinion y• maye be of God, to doubt nothyng of his wordes, though the same appeare no where to the senses of man, neyther can be proued by mannes reason. The cōmon sort of men iudge those thynges vayne, & moste lyke vnto dreames whiche where they be nowhere in dede, are only conceyued of the mynde by hope, & thynketh it an extreme folye to beleue that suche thynges are true as can in no wyse be shewed vnto the eyes. Certes this fayth whereby the ryghtuouse man lyueth when o∣ther do perishe, is not a certayne common lyght belefe, but a substaunciall and sure foundation of those thynges whiche can not be perceyued neyther by the senses, nor argumentacions of man: neuerthelesse sure hope so representeth the same vnto the mynde and soule, as thoughe they were manifestly sene, and hol∣den with the handes, and persuadeth those thynges whych of themselfes are in∣uisible, to be moste certayne and sure▪ not by mannes reasons, but by a su••e be∣lefe towardes God the authour thereof. The Iewes put confydence in theyr workes, but this is the onely thing which maketh vs alowed & well beloued of God, & not vs alonely, but furthermore yf a man wyll make rehersall from the creacion of the worlde, he shall fynde that all oure forefathers and elders, who are muche remembred for theyr laudable vertue and godlynes, deserued that they atteined to by reason of their commendable fayth.
Fyrst of all, are we not bounden vnto fayth that we haue sure perceueraunce that all this whole worlde with all thynges therin couteyned was created with the worde of God, and the onely commaundement of the maker? For who is a∣ble otherwise to perswade, that of inuisible thynges were created & made thyn∣ges visible: or els that thynges which are, were made of thinges which are not? The philosophers reasonynge as men, supposed y• the world was neuer made, neither had any begynnynge more then had the workeman and creatour hym selfe. But this which could neither be sene, ne can be proued by argumentacion of mannes witte, we do as firmely beleue as thoughe we sawe it, ascertayned by holy scripture, which declareth that the world was made by the commaunde∣ment of God, who (as we know right well) is able to do all thinges, and can not lye. Abell first of all men deserued to haue the name of a rightuous manne, and was therefore the more to be praysed, bicause not beyng prouoked by the••∣aumple of any other, he was innocente and faythfull to godward. But what thing was it that made him more dearly beloued of God thē his brother Cayn▪ Forsoth faith, wherby he wholy hanged of him, wheras Cayn lyke a man faith∣lesse, and not contented with those thinges which the earth brought forth of her owne accorde for the fode of innocency, fylled the ground. They both offred sa∣crifices vnto God of their owne propre goodes, but God onely accepted the sacrifice of Abell, bycause the innocent man trusted to his goodnesse with a true harte, and gaped not after the commodities and profites of this world, but ho∣ped for a rewarde of his vertuousnes in heauen. Therfore he deserued not by his sacrifice, but thorow fayth, that almyghtie God imbracyng his gyftes, dyd
by fyre sent down from heauen testifie that he was rightuous, and by reason of this most goodly testimonye, he is now after so many thousand yeares so much renowined and spoken of, of all menne, that beyng deade he semeth euen to liue and speake. He was slayne to his brotherwarde what tyme he was murthered fautelesse, but he was not sleyne to God, vnto whome his bloude as yet cryed vengeaunce from the earthe.
By faith was Enoch translated, that he should not se death, neither was he founde: For God had taken hym away. For a fore he was taken away he obtayned a good report, that he pleased God. But without faith it can not be that anye man should please hym. For he that commeth to God, muste beleue that God is, and that he is a rewarder of thē that seke hym.
Neither was it any whit preiudiciall vnto godlye Enoch that he was be∣gotten of a wycked father. For holye scripture wytnesseth of hym that he was conuersaunt & familiar wt god, euen whē he lyued in earth, because he pursued by faith, not those thinges which are sene, but such thinges as are not sene yt is to wytte, eternall thinges & heuenlye: & for this cause he was taken vp aliue to those thinges that he loued, & deliuered frō death. For he liued after such a sort before he was taken from the felowshyppe of men, that he semed rather to lyue in heauen then in earthe, and semed also vnworthye to dye for that he hadde commytted nothyng death worthye, to thentent men shoulde firste learne by his example, that the open way to immortalitie is by faith and innocēt lyuing. Therfore he was taken awaye bycause he pleased God. But he pleased hym chiefely by fayth, without the whiche no man pleaseth hym, haue he els neuer so many good dedes. For whosoeuer desyreth to be brought in fauour with al∣myghtye God, must fyrst of all beleue that God is, who can do all thynges, and wylleth what is best. Then muste he also beleue that God careth for the worlde, and that by hym neyther the godly, whiche settyng at noughte the visi∣ble good thynges of thys worlde searche after God inuisible, are defeated of their rewardes, be they neuer so muche afflicted and persecuted in this lyfe: ne∣ther the wicked persones shall lacke their punishementes, althoughe they seme here to lyue in prosperitie and haue the worlde at will. Therefore Enoch maye thanke his fayth for this (I wote nere whether I maye call it glory or felicitie) that he is taken awaye from the felowshyppe of men, and lyueth with God.
By fayth Noe, beyng warned of God, eschued the thynges whych were as yet not sene, and prepared the arcke to the ••auyng of his houshold, through the whych arcke he con∣demned the worlde, and became hei••e of the righteousnes which is according to faith.
Howbeit Noe shewed a more notable example of faith towardes God, e∣uen then this, who when he was forewarned by the mouthe of God, howe it shoulde come to passe that all kyndes of lyuyng creatures in earth shoulde be destroyed thorow inundation of waters, and sawe no apparent argumentes or reasons wherby the saying of God mought be proued, bycause the element was fayre and cleare, and the people that were feastyng & makyng brydeales without any care lawghed to heare these manassyng wordes of the prophecie: Yet surely beleuing that it would so come to passe as God had sayde before it should happē, ordeyned an Arke, wherby he both preserued his own houshold, & cōdēned other mē which so mistrusted y• wordes of god, y• they lawghed hym
to ••korne as a madde man when he was a framynge the sayde Arke agaynste the commyng of the floude. Neyther was he alonely preserued from the flould, but also succeded in the prayse of Abell and Enoch his elders, who are muche renowmed for that rightuousnesse whiche thorowe faith maketh a man com∣mendable before God.
By faith Abraham when he was called, obtayned to go out into a place, whych he shoulde afterwarde receyue to inherytaunce: and he went out not knowyng whether he should go. By faith he remoued into the lande of promyse, as into a strangcoūtrey, when he had dwelt in tabernacles: & so dyd Isaac & Iacob heires with him of the same promi∣se. For he loked for a citie hauing a foundacion, whose builder & maker is god.
Nowe howe ofte dyd Abraham gyue an example of a notable faith to∣wardes God? First where as there is nothynge more pleasant to man then hys natyfe countrey, yet when almyghty God comaunded hym to forsake the same with his affeccions, and flyt into an vnknowne lande, he made no tarieng, but obeyed streight wayes the voyce of God, and that prouoked by no other mans example, nor put in hope and comforte by any probable reasons, how it should so come to passe, that after he had forsaken suche landes and patrimonie as he was borne vnto, he shoulde possesse by enheritaunce, I wot nere what lande, wherof as yet he neyther knewe the name, nor situation. So sure a truste and belefe had he, that all should come to passe what so euer God had promysed. It proceded of the same fayth that when he came into the lande promysed of God, and the matier went not forewarde to hys mynde neyther wyth hym, nor his sonne Isaac, nor his nephew Iacob (where as yet thenheritaunce of thys lande was not promysed to him alone, but also to his ofspring and posteritye) because he was constrayned oftetymes to fyght with his enemyes, and Isaac had muche busynes and trouble with the Philistians, and Iacob was dryuen thence by Esau his brother into the coūtrey of Mesopotamia, frō whence after he was at the length retourned agayn, he was fayne to bye a litle pece of groūd to pytche his pauillion in: yet all these thynges moued not Abraham a whyt to haue any mystrust in God, who promised the lande: neyther complayned he that he was a bannyshed man, and not an enheritour, neither regarded he those thynges whiche are sene in earth, but heauenly thynges whiche are not sene o∣therwise then wt the eyes of fayth. For he perceiued that this was not the lande that God meante of when he made the promes, the whiche lande he set so lytle store by, that he thought it not necessarie therin to buyld neither house or towne but kepe himselfe and his, in tabernacles, as a straunger whiche anon shoulde remoue to an other place. What dyd he then loke for when he sawe that these promyses were not perfourmed? Forsoothe he loked for an other citie whiche was stable and perpetual, from whence he should neuer be dryuen out againe, farre vnlyke these cyties whiche men do buylde and destroye, the maker and buylder wherof was God hymselfe.
Through faith Sara also receiued strength to conceiue and be with child, and was delyuered of child when she was past age, because she iudged hym faithfull whych had promised. And therfore sprang there of one (euen of one whiche was as good as deade) so manye in multitude, as are starres of the skie, and as the sand the which is bi the sea shore innumerable.
Moreouer his wyfe Sara when she had bothe an olde man to her husband, and her selfe was so stricken with age, that her matrice lacked natural strength to drawe mannes sede vnto it, and retayne the same, dyd neuerthelesse cōceyue, and was deliuered of Isaac, mistrusting the strength of nature, but yet giuing credence vnto God, who by an aungell promysed her a man chylde the nexte yeare. She gaue no eare to nature reclaming and barking to the contrarie, but onely had a sure belefe that God coulde not lye. God promysed Abraham a po∣steritie equall in nombre to the starres, and the sande of the sea shore, and yet by the course of nature was there no hope of yssue at all. That notwithstandyng, he had no mystrust. And therfore of this one olde man beyng barayne by rea∣son of age, there yssued a posteritie so many in numbre, as are the starres of the s••ye, and the sande in the sea shore. For he loked for sonnes and nephewes, not after the kynred of bloud, but after the imitacion of faith, wherby al we are the ofspring and posteritie of Abraham, whiche do beleue the promises of the gos∣pel. Therfore not onely Abraham, but also all his true posteritie were of suche constaunt fayth, that very death bereaued not them therof.
These all died according to faith when they had not receyued the promises: but saw thē a far of, and beleued them, and saluted them, and confessed that they were straungers and pilgremes on the yearth. For they that say such thinges, declare that they seke a coūtrey. Also if they had bene myndeful of the countrey, from whēce they came out, they had lea∣sure to haue returned agayne: but now they desire a better (that is to saye) an heauenly. Wherefore God hymselfe is not a shamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a cytie.
For all these dyed when they as yet had not the promysses perfourmed, but lawe them a farre of by fayth, and beleued them: and for greate desyre saluted them, puttyng so lytle trust in this lande, wherein no man maye lyue anye long space, that they confessed them selfes straungers and pylgrymes, not onely in Palestyne, but in the whole worlde. For oftetymes they call this lyfe a pil∣grimage and straunge dwellyng. And Dauid in the mystical! Psalme confes∣seth himselfe to be a pylgryme on the lande as all his forefathers and elders were, and yet reigned he in Palestine, and builded there a citie. And verely this countre y was compassed about with very narrowe lymites, and a great parte thereof came not to the possession of the Hebrues the ofspryng & successours of Abraham, bycause they coulde not driue out the olde possessioners: neyther dyd Moyses entre into the same, but behelde and saluted if a farre of from a moun∣tayne, when he was aboute to passe out of the world, and yet had he no mistrust of the promyses. Therefore sence they confesse themselues to be pylgrymes, they sufficiently declare that they desyre and long for a countrey. What coun∣trey seke they after vnto whom all this worlde is an exile and banishement? They forsoke their countrey of Chaldey, the whiche, if they had so sore longed for it, was not so farre of, but that they myghte haue had conueniente recourse thider at pleasure. Therfore they longed not for that, but for an other coūtrey better then it, wherin they myght liue for euer, quite exempte and deliured from all greuous sorowes and paynes of this wretched worlde. This was that hea∣uenly countrey, into the whiche God called them out from theyr owne, for the loue wherof he wylled them so to lyue in this worlde, as thoughe they were not therin. And for this cause almyghtie God, where he is the maker & soueraigne Lorde of all men, calleth himselfe speciallye the God of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob.
For he is properly the God of those that haue put their whole trust, and all aydes of felicitie in him. And vnto suche hath he prepared, not an earthly, but a celestiall citie in the whiche they reygne alwayes in blysse with him, for whose sake they contemned all thynges.
By faith Abraham offered by Isaac when he was proued, and offered hym being his only begotten sonne, in whom he had receiued the promisses. And to hym it was sayd: •••• Isaac shall thy sede be called: for he considered that God was hable to rayse hym up agayn from death. Therefore receiued he hym also for an ensample of the resurreccy on. By faith dyd Isaac blesse Iacob and Esau, concernynge thynges to come.
Was not this also a notable exaumple of fayth in Abraham? that when God tryeng howe vnfaynedly he trusted hym, commaunded hym to offre vp in sacrifice his sonne Isaac, where as he was hys onely sonne, and he in whose name the posteritie was promysed (for these were the wordes of the promyser: Thy sede shall be called in Isaac) yet he without further delaye dyd as he was cōmaūded to do, not reasonyng here with himselfe on this wise: Of whom shal I haue posteritie if I sley hym in whom onely resteth all the hope of my poste∣ritie? But he consydered this in his mynde, that God who made the promyse coulde not lye, and that he was able yf it pleased hym, to reyse his deade sonne the multiplier of his stocke euen from death: And because he beleued the resur∣rection of the dead, it was therfore gyuen him to bryng home his sonne againe with him beyng as it were, restored to lyfe, notwithstādyng he was as much as in the father laye, dead, who euen then represented by a certayne figure the re∣surrection of Iesu Christe to come. This was also a manyfest example of a mynde hauyng a great confidence in God, that when Isaac saye on hys death bedde, and had not as yet receyued the felicitie promysed of God, yet was he bolde to promyse the same to Iacob and Esau his sonnes, when he blessed thē both, foreseyng both theyr lyues, and the contrarie rewarde that eche of them shoulde haue. So quycke of syght is faith, that she seeth euen those thinges as present whiche are farre distant from the bodely senses.
By faith Iacob, when he was in dying, blessed bothe the sōnes of Ioseph, and bo•••••• hymselfe toward the toppe of his scepter. By faith Ioseph when he dyed, remembred the departynge of the children of Israel, and gaue commaundement of his bones.
It came of lyke faithe that Iacob at the hower of his death, blessed all the sonnes of Ioseph, not ignoraunt what was to come, who crossynge hys armes layed his right hande vpon Ephraim beyng on his left syde, and his lefte hāde vpon Manasse standynge on hys ryghte syde, nothynge doubtynge but that woulde come to passe, which the holy ghost tolde him before shoulde happen. But this faithfull olde man saw a greate deale farther, what time he kyssinge the toppe of the sceptre of his sonne Ioseph, worshypped Christe in hym, who should haue soueraigne auctoritie & rule ouer all men, of whō the said Ioseph falsely accused & betrayed of his brethren bare the figure. Neither dyd Ioseph growe out of kynde, & become vnlike his auncestours in faith. For when he should departe this world in the land of Egipt, he foresawe how it should come to passe by gods helpe (the whiche thing as then semed nothing lykely) that the Israel ites shoulde remoue out of Egypt to come vnto the lande promysed of God: and so true is it that he doubted not herof, that he gaue then a commaū∣dement of the translating of his bones to the same place.
By fayth Moses when he was borne, was hyd thre monethes of his father and mo∣ther bycause they saw he was a proper chylde, nether feared they the kinges commaūde∣mente.
Moreouer Moyses, when he was newly comen into the world was preser∣ued by the fayth, of his parentes. For when the kyng had commaunded that al the men children borne of the Hebrues should streyght wayes be done to death, his father & mother after they had vewed the childe (who semed anon as he was borne to be marked to do some greate and notable feate, euen by the verie to∣wardnes and lykelyhod that appeared in his countenaunce) supposyng it to be an acceptable pleasure vnto God that it were preserued for the common weale of the people, contemned the kynges commaundement, & hyd the sayde childe thre monethes in their house: that done, they put it in a lytle cofer, and layde it oute vpon a ryuers banke, nothyng doubtyng but God woulde preserue the yonglyng whom he had endued with so greate grace: to conclude, they feared more to displease God then the Kynge, bycause they perceyued that suche as lyue well and vertuouflye, can not, howe soeuer the worlde go with them, lacke theyr rewarde.
By fayth Moses when he was great, refused to be called the son of Pharaos daugh∣ter, and chose rather to suffre aduersite wyth the people of god then to enioye the pleasu∣res of synne for a season, and estemed the rebuke of Christe greater riches then y• treasures of Egypt. For he had respecte vnto the rewarde.
Howebeit the parentes of Moyses deserued to haue the prayse hereof, lyke as this was his owne propre commendation, that after he was shotte vp to∣wardes mannes state, and chosen of Pharaos dawghter to be her sonne, he re∣fused the honourable kynred of the bloud Royal, hauyng leuer to confesse him selfe to be an Hebrue borne, & so to suffre cōmon persecution with the people of God, then by wycked disimulation to enioye the commodities and pleasures of thys worlde, reckenynge it to be muche happier riches then all the Egiptians treasures, at that tyme to suffre the rebukes of aduersities for the preseruation of the people, therby to fygure Christ, who in tyme to come should suffre grea∣ter euels for the sauetie of his nation. Fynallye he contemned that he myghte haue had, and was sure of, and with the eyes of fayth regarded those thynges onely whiche are farre from the senses, puttyng his affyaunce in God, who suf∣freth not the vertue and goodnes of mā, to be disapointed of worthy rewardes.
By faith he forsoke Egypt, & feared not the fearcenes of the kinge. For he endured, euen as though he had sene hym whych is inuisible. Through faith he ordayned the passe∣ouer and the effusion of bloude, left he that destroyed the first borne, shoulde touche them.
The same Moyses puttyng his trust in the ayde of God, boldlye attempted thynges of muche greater enterprise then these. For he sticked not to flye oute of the lande of Egypte, and thence to conuey with him the people of God, no∣thyng fearyng the wrath of the fierce tyrante. He contemned the kynge whom he sawe wt his eies. He regarded not the threatnynges of so myghtye a Prince, whom he sawe in armes pursuynge his nation the Israelites at the heles, and readie to sleye them. Neyther did he with lesse boldnesse and courage of mynde trust vpon the inuisible socours of the inuisible God, then yf he had openlye sene him with hys eyes. Moreouer of the same fayth came it, that when he vn∣derstode how it would come to passe, y• the reuengyng Aungel would raunge
thorowe the whole lande of Egypte, and sley all the fyrstborne, he was nothyng afrayde of his people the Hebrues, vnto whom in those daies aboute the tyme of the same destruction, he ordeyned the annuall vse or ceremonie to eate the Pas∣chall Lambe, with whose bloude they sprynkeled the thrasholde and haunse of the dore, with both the postes of the house, and trustyng vpon this sygne feared not them selues in the myddes of the slaughter of the Egipcians.
By faith they passed through the red see as by drie lande, which when the Egipcians had assaied to do, they were drouned.
Anon after when the reed sea letted the Hebrues in their flyeng, by vertue of lyke fayth it deuided asonder at the stroke of Moyses rodde, and lefte suche a waie in the middes, that they passed therby as wel as by drye lande. And by this meanes all the people puttynge theyr truste in God, fled a waie safe and without any harme. But when the Egyptians beeyng rashe and ouer hastie thorowe wrathe, were entred therin, by and by the waters closed together, and they all were drowned.
¶ By faith the walles of Ierico fell downe after they were compassed about seuen dayes.
What thyng made in tymes paste the walles of Iericbo, after they were se∣uen tymes compassed aboute, on the seuenth daye sodaynely to fall without any violence of engyns at the sounde of the priestes trompettes, & the crye or shoune of the people, in suche wise that all the Hebrues who enuyroned the towne, had entraunce made themeuery man in the place where he stode? was it not the faith of the capitayne Iosua and the people? he was thorowly persuaded with hym selfe that god was able to do all thynges, and that the thyng woulde vndoub∣tedly come to passe whiche he had promised to do.
By fayth the hatlotte Raab peryshed not with them that were disobed ie••t, when she had receiued the spyes to lodgyng peaceably.
Furthermore, it was also a notable example of fayth that the harlotte Raab, whiche had before receyued the spies to lodgyng that were sent vnto the Citie by the Hebrues, after she perceyued howe that people was dearly beloued and in the fauoure of God, she was better wyllynge to prouide for them with the daunger of her owne lyfe, then to get thanke of the wycked Citizens, and ther∣fore had she this rewarde for her faith, that she and her familie onely were pre∣serued frō death, because they shuld not perishe wt thē, which trustyng to their own strength beleued not that god would destroye their Citie at his pleasute.
And what shall I more say? For the tyme wyll be to shorte for me to tell of Sed••••••, of Barache, and of Samson, and of Iephthae, of Dauyd also & Samuell, & of the •••••• phetes: whych through fayth subdued kyngdomes: wrought tyghteousues: obtayned the promyses: stopped the mouthes of lions: quenched the violence of fire: escaped the edge of y• swearde, out of y• wekenes, wer made strong, wared valyant in fight, turned to flyghte the armyes of the alyentes, the women receyued their dead raysed to lyfe agayne.
But seyng that among so many wonderfull actes of oure forefathers and elders there was none at all notably achiued wt out the aide of faithe, for what purpose shoulde I stande in the particuler rehersall of them all? I shoulde so∣ner lacke tyme, then examples if I would go forth with the stories of the Cap∣tayne Gedeon, who trustynge vpon the aydes of God feared not with three hundred men to set vpon the hooste of the Madianites excedyngly wel fourni∣shed
with men, armoure, and all other habilimentes of warre: And in conclusi∣on dyscomfited and put to flyght a great multitude of them, with the sownd of trompettes, noyse of pytchers, and merueylous and sodayne appearynge of candels, in suche wyse that the Hebrues neuer drawyng their swerdes, one of them slewe an other.
Of Barache, who trusting vpon the propheceie of the woman Debora, set vpō the excedyngly well appoynted hooste of the Captayne Selara, and slewe the same not leauing one man aliue, and finally put kyng Iabin to flight, who anon after was slayne of a woman.
Of Sampson, who beyng ayded with the helpe of God achiued manye wonderful enterprises against the Philistians, for the defence of his countrey, the whiche coulde not be done of a greate manye together, nor yet by any puis∣saunce and strength of mannes bodye.
Of Iephthae, who albeit he was a vile basterd, and of base fortune in his countrey, yet trustyng vpon Goddes helpe had a merueylous goodly victorie ouer the Immonites enymyes to his people.
Of Dauid, who besydes so many victories by Gods helpe gotten, besydes so many ieoperdies as he escaped by the preseruation of almighty God, feared not beyng but a younge striplyng, and wythout armoure, to encountre wyth Goliath well weaponed and armed at all peces, whom he ouerthre we with the ••••oke of a slyng, bycause God should haue the whole glory and prayse of this victorie and not man.
Of Samuell, who withoute anye garde of men to defende his personage, gouerned many yeares the people of Israell, freely executynge the office of a Iudge and chief ruler among them, beyng well assured that God woulde re∣warde, yf any man dyd any thyng aryght in his ministracion. Tyme (I saye) would fayle me yf I would procede in recityng of al such exāples. I wyll here ouerhyp so many noble Prophetes, as puttynge theyr trust in God set naught by the threatnynges of tyrantes: so many men of renowmed holines as not by worldly goodes & riches, but by the ayde of god in whō they put their whole af∣fyaūce dyd wōderful dedes, & by theyr worthy actes left behynde thē a memori∣al of thē selues vnto posteritie. For, to make a brief & sūmarie rehersal of stories omittyng the names of thauctours, it is to be ascribed vnto theyr fayth yt they beyng as touchyng all other thynges vnable, dyd by the helpe of God subdue most wealthye and riche kyngdomes, and coulde not by any maner of feare be brought from the kepyng of the lawe that was geuen them, lokyng for theyr reward of almyghtie God. And because no delayeng of the promises minished their fayth, at length they attayned those thynges whiche God promysed vnto their elders. They obteyned of him by faithfull prayers that whiche coulde in no wyse be done by the course of nature. They were by his preseruation dely∣uered from excedyng greate daungers. The lyons whiche agaynste other are of fiercenesse inuincible, they either vanquished, or proued harmles, as though their mouthes beyng stopped, or els their clawes faste bownden, they had had no power to hurt those whom God would haue preserued without any anoy∣aunce. When they were cast into the myddes of the fyre, they so endured with∣oute hurte, as though they had quenched the naturall violence and heate ther∣of with their bodyes. Agayne, by the protection of God they escaped awaye safe from their enemyes swerdes that were drawen agaynste them. Further∣more
God recomfortyng them, they receyued after viter desperation, exceding greate strength and courage of mynde, insomuche that beyng not longe before taken for dead mē, they sodaynly acquited them selues manfully in battayll, & valiauntly put to flyght their enemies, of whom they were inuaded. Moreo∣uer the faithe also of the wemen deserued that the mothers sawe their deade children reysed from death to lyfe agayne.
Other were tacked, and woulde not be deliuered, that they myght inherite a better resurreccion. Agayne other were tried with mockinges and scourgynges, moreouer, with bondes and prysonemente, were stoned, were hewen asunder, were tempted, were slayne with sweard, walked vp and downe in shepe skynnes, & goates skynnes, being destitute, troubled audvered, whiche men the world was not worthy of: They wandred in wilder∣nesses and in mountaynes, and in dennes, & caues of the yearth.
Other beyng racked, and sore handled with diuerse kyndes of tourmentes, were better wyllyng to dye in suche paynes, then to be delyuered with conditi∣on to obeye the wycked commaundementes of Prynces: yeldynge with greate fayth theyr lyues to almyghtye God, whiche they knew ryght wel they should receyue agayne with vauntage in the resuttection of the deade, supposynge i•• muche better to bye immortalitie with the losse of this shorte and transitorie lyfe, then for a lytle gayne of small tyme to loose the lyfe eternall. Agayne by reason of a constaunt desyre they had to mayntayne the trueth and rightuous∣nes, they were iestynge stockes to all the worlde, laughed to skorne of euerye bodye, and slaundered for madde menne, and workers of myschief, and not on∣lye put to shame for theyr faith towardes God, but also had their vertue and goodnesse tryed with scourgynges, and moreouer with bondes and emprison∣ment. Furthermore they were stoned, hewen a sonder, and torne in peces wyth horrible punishemente of bodye. To make an ende, with what kynde of euyls were they nat tryed with al? They dyed with dynt of swerde, beynge fully per∣swaded that good men coulde not by very death be seuered from God.
Agayne suche of them as chaunced not to make an ende of their tourmentes by death, wanne nothyng els by prolongyng of their lyues, but that they were tourmented with long martyrdome. They were banished from their houses, and beyng dryuen oute of townes wandred vp and downe in wyldernesse lyke wilde beastes, couered, as well as it woulde be, with shepe skynnes, and Goate skynnes, hauyng scarcitie of all necessaries, vexed with the cruelnesse of perse∣cutours ready to assayle them on euery syde, & troubled with the sondrye disco∣modites and miseries of this lyfe, beyng so vnworthy to suffre suche euels and aduersities, that the worlde was rather not worthye to haue in it so vertuous and holy men: in suche wyse, that God moughte seme euen for this purpose to haue taken them away from the company of men, lest they beyng men of pure and chast conuersation, should haue ledde their lyues among defyled persons and synners. Therfore they wandered aboute in wylde mountaynes, hauynge no certayne habitacion or dwellyng place to resorte vnto, vsyng Dennes and Caues of the earth in the stede of houses.
And these al thorow faith obtayned good report &, receiued not the promyse, bicau•••• god had prouided a better thing for vs that they without vs, should not be made perf••••••••.
And all these before named albeit they haue not yet obteyned the rewarde promysed them for their godly lyuynge, whiche rewarde shalbe geuen them •••• the generall resurreccion of the bodyes: Yet haue they deserued perpetuall prayse for the constantnesse of their fayth. Some man wyll here saye: Why
hath not euery man his rewarde by and by gyuen him after death? For soothe it hath so pleased almyghtye God, that all the whole bodye of Christe shall re∣ceiue the glory of immortalitie together. For we are all membres of the same body: and suche as haue gone before vs do gladly tarye for vs, to thende that they maye wholy and ioyntly with theyr bodyes, and all the felowshyppe of theyr brethren, entre into thenheritaunce of eternal glory, and be conioyned vn∣to their heade.