The staffe of Christian faith profitable to all Christians, for to arme themselues agaynst the enimies of the Gospell: and also for to knowe the antiquitie of our holy fayth, and of the true Church. Gathered out of the vvorks of the ancient doctors of the church, and of the councels, and many other doctors, vvhose names you shall see here follovving. Translated out of Frenche into English, by Iohn Brooke of Ashe next Sandvviche. With a table to finde out all that which is contayned in the booke.

That the magistrates that persecute the faithful, vnder coulour of religion, shall be tormented with eternall paines.

* 1.1HEare therefore (O ye kings) and vnderstande ye therefore ye Iudges of the endes of the earth:* 1.2 Learne and giue eare ye that rule the people, glorifie your selues in the multitude of nations. For the pow∣er is giuen you of the Lord, & the strength from the hiest: whiche shall trye your works and search out your imaginations: howe that yee being officers of his king∣dome haue not executed true iudgemente, haue not kept the lawe of righteousnesse, nor walked after his will. &c.

* 1.3Heare, O ye heades of the house of Ia∣cob, and ye leaders of the house of Israell: Should ye not knowe what were lawefull and right? But ye hate the good and doe that is euill, ye plucke of mens skinnes, and the fleshe from the bones: ye eate the fleshe of my people, and flaye of their skin:

ye breake their bones, ye choppe them in peeces as it were into a cauldron, and as fleshe into a pot. &c. And a little after hee saith, O heare this ye rulers of the house of Iacob, and ye Iudges of the house of Israell: ye that abhorre the thing that is lawefull, and wrest aside the thing that is straighte: yee that buylde vp Sion with bloud, and Ierusalem with doing wrong. O ye Iudges, ye giue sentence for giftes: O ye priestes yee teache for lucre: O yee Prophetes, ye prophecye for mony. &c.

Lactantius Firmianus in his diuine institu∣tions, Lib. 5. Chap. 24. writing vnto the Emperour Constantine.

All that whiche the wicked Princes doe against vs, God doth permit and suffer it to be done. And yet neuerthelesse the most wicked persecuters, in whom the name of God hath bene had in derision and moc∣kery, ought not to thinke therefore to scape vnpunished, for they haue bene as mini∣sters of his wrathe agaynst vs:* 1.4 Truelye they shall be punished by the iudgemente of God, bicause that after receiuing pow∣er they haue abused it aboue all measure, and by that meanes are waxen & growen

into greate pryde agaynst God, and haue vnfaithfully troden vnder their feete his eternall name. Therefore he promiseth that he will with all speede be auenged of them, and roote out of the earth all wicked beastes: But although that he hath accu∣stomed to aduenge the vexations, and tor∣mentes done vnto his people, and espe∣cially in this worlde, neuerthelesse he doth commaund vs to attend and tarye pati∣ently in this worlde vntill the celestiall iudgement, at which day he will rewarde or punishe euery one according to theyr workes.* 1.5 Wherefore the wicked people and cōmitters of sacriledge, ought not to hope that those whom they haue so hand∣led shall be despised & vnreuenged. The re∣ward shal come vnto the rauening wolues, who haue tormented the simple and righ∣teous soules that neuer offended. But as for vs, let vs onely trauayle that nothing be punished in vs by men, but onely righ∣teousnesse, let vs endeuor our selues with all our strength to serue God, and to be a∣uenged of that whiche we suffer, and to receiue our rewarde.

Saint Barnard in his sermon of the con∣uersion of Saint Paule.

Oh Lorde God, these are the chiefeste and first that persecuted thee, whom men see to loue the hiest seates and romes in thy church, and whiche bare the greateste rule: They haue taken the arke of Sion, they haue occupied and vsed the castle, and afterwards haue frankly and by pow∣er set al the citie on fire,* 1.6 their conuersation is miserable, the subuersion of thy people is pitifull, and woulde to God that they should not hurt but in that onely part, per∣aduenture there wilbe some who wilbe aduertised and admonished with the exhor∣tation of the Lorde, who will beware of following their example, and who wyll keepe the commaundements according to that which is sayde,* 1.7 whatsoeuer they byd you obserue, that obserue and doe, but af∣ter their workes doe not: But nowe holy orders are giuen for an occasion of moste filthy gayne, and doe esteeme and thinke gayne to be pietie and godlynesse. The Prophet Esay sayth, O Lord our God,* 1.8 though such Lords haue domination vpō vs as knowe not thee, yet grant, that wee

may hope onely in thee, and keepe thy name in remembrance.

* 1.9Thy rulers in thee are like rauishing wolues, to shead bloude, and to destroy soules for their owne couetous lucre.

* 1.10There is not a godly man vpon earth, there is not one righteous among men, they labour all to shead bloud, and euery man hunteth his brother to death.

* 1.11Iesus Christ saith: The time shal come, that whosoeuer killeth you, will thinke that he doth God seruice.

* 1.12If ye wist what this meaneth, I require mercy and not sacrifice: ye would not haue condemned innocentes.

* 1.13Right deare in the sight of the Lorde, is the death of his saintes.

* 1.14The earth shall discouer the bloud that shee hath deuoured, shee shall neuer hyde them, that shee hath murthered.

* 1.15The Lord sayd vnto the faithfull, who so toucheth you, shall touch the aple of his owne eye.

* 1.16Iesus Christ sayd vnto those that perse∣cuted the faithfull. Fulfill ye likewyse the measure of your fathers, ye Serpentes, ye generation of vipers, how should ye es∣cape

the damnation of hell? wherefore,* 1.17 beholde I sende vnto you prophetes and wyse men, and Scrybes, and of them ye shall kill and crucifie: and of them shall ye scourge in your sinagoges and persecute from citie to citie: That vpon you may come all the righteous bloud that was shead vpon the earth, from the bloud of righteous Abel, vnto the bloud of Zacha∣rias the sonne of Barachias, whome yee slewe betweene the Temple and the Aul∣ter. Verily I saie vnto you al these things shall light vpon this generation. Ierusa∣lem, Ierusalem which killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent vnto thee.

The Iudges and gouernors willing to please and fulfil the wicked desire of Ieza∣bel,* 1.18 condemned the innocent Naboth to be put to death.

Augustine vnto Boniface. 182. Epistle.

To doe well, and not to let and forbyd the things which are vnlawfull, is a verye consenting vnto error.

Origen in the 3. Homilie vpon Leuiticus.

Let vs take heede that we doe not con∣sent

vnto other mens sinnes, I saye con∣sent, not only in doing the lyke things, but also in holding our peace, or winking at things that are euill done.

* 1.19The Lorde hateth as well him that iu∣stifieth the vngodly, as him that condem∣neth the innocent.

* 1.20The righteous considereth the cause of the poore, but the vngodlye regardeth no vnderstanding.

* 1.21The seate of the king that faythfullye iudgeth the poore, shall continue sure for euermore.

* 1.22With thy mouth defende the thing that is lawfull and right, and the cause of the poore and helpelesse.

* 1.23Many there be that seeke the Princes fauor, but euerye mans iudgement com∣meth from the Lorde.

Moyses hath written what the Magi∣strates ought to be. They must be (sayth he) vertuous men, fearing God, men of truth, hating auarice and couetousnesse. &c.

Chrysostome in his imperfect worke. Chapter .23. vpon that text,

And say: if we had bene in our fathers dayes, we woulde not haue bene their cō∣panions,

to shead the bloud of the Pro∣phets. When thou shalt heare any man saye, that the doctors of the olde time be blessed, proue and trye, what good will or zeale he hath towardes those doctors, for if he doe honor and reuerence those with whom he liueth, without doubt he would also haue honored the other if he had liued with them.

In the same place he sayth moreouer: the Iewes haue alwayes bene worship∣pers of the Saintes that be past and dead, and condemners of those that be present and a liue.

S. Ierome in his .4. Tome in the rule of Monkes.

It is very true, that y^e truth can be kept in and bound, but it cannot be vanquished, whiche is content with hir little number, and is not a frayde of the great number of hir enemies.

Saint Ierome vpon Ieremie .5. Tome. Chapter .26.

When the congregation of the people were assembled togither,* 1.24 the Priestes and false Prophetes accused Ieremie, and the Priestes and false Prophetes would haue

destroyed and killed the Prophete, if the Iudges had had the power of iudgement: By that we doe vnderstande that they which seeme to be altogither ordayned for religion, being moued with enuie, with the holynesse of the Prophet, were more cru∣ell than they that had the charge of pub∣like necessities.

In the same Chapter he saith moreouer: If at anye time for the commaundement of God, and for the veritie of the fayth, the Priestes, or false Prophetes, or the foolish people, are angry with vs, let vs not esteeme nor make any account of it: but let vs execute the sentence of God, not thinking on the euilles that are pre∣sente, but beholding the goodnesse to come.

* 1.25Wo be vnto you that make vnrighteous lawes, and deuise things which be to hard to keepe: thorow which the poore be op∣pressed on euery side, and the Innocentes of my people are therewith robbed of iud∣gement: the wydowes may be your pray, and that ye may rob the fatherlesse. What will ye doe in time of the visitation and de∣struction that shall come from farre? To

whom will ye run for helpe?* 1.26 or to whom will ye giue your honour, that yee maye keepe it: that ye come not among the pri∣soners, or lye among the deade: After all this shall not the wrath of the Lord cease, but yet shall his hande bee stretched oute styll.

It is verily a righteous thing with God,* 1.27 to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you whiche are troubled, rest with vs when the Lord Ie∣sus shall shewe himselfe from heauen, with his mighty Angelles, in flaming fire, ren∣dring vengeance vnto them that doe not knowe God, neyther obey vnto the Gos∣pell of our Lorde Iesus Christe. Whiche shall be punished with euerlasting damna∣tion, from the presence of the Lorde, and from the glorye of his power.

At the daye of iudgement (saythe the booke of wisedome) the righteousnesse shall stand in great stedfastnesse agaynst such as haue dealt extreamely with them,* 1.28 and taken away their labours: when they see it, they shal be vexed with horible feare, and shall wonder at the hastinesse of the sodayne health: Groning for very di∣stresse

of minde,* 1.29 and shall say within them selues, hauing inward sorowe and mour∣ning for very anguish of minde. These are they whom we sometime had in derision, and iested vpon. We fooles thought their life very madnesse, and their ende to be without honor. But loe, howe they are counted among the children of God, and their porcion is among the saintes. Ther∣fore we haue erred from the way of truth, the light of righteousnesse hath not shined vnto vs, and the sonne of vnderstanding rose not vp vpon vs. We haue weried our selues in the way of wickednesse and de∣struction. Tedious wayes haue we gone: But as for the way of the Lord we haue not knowen it. What good hath our pride done vnto vs? or what profite hath the pompe of riches brought vs? all those thinges are passed away like a shadowe. And towardes the ende of the Chapter he sayth:* 1.30 his cruell wrath shall hee sharpen for a speare, and the whole compasse of the worlde shall fight with him against the vnwyse. Then shall the thunder boltes go out of the lightnings, and come out of the rayne bowe of the cloudes to the place ap∣pointed:

out of the harde stonie indigna∣tion there shall fall thicke hayles, and the water of the sea shall bee wroth agaynst them, and the flouds shall runne roughlye togither, yea, a mihgtie wynde shal stand vp agaynst them, and a storme shall scat∣ter them abroade. &c.

Beholde howe the true christian doctrine is at this day called a new pestilentious doctrine by the worldlinges. Euen as in the old time it was called, and in the Apostles time.

Men haue called before time (as they doe at this day) the doctrine of the Apo∣stles newe doctrine,* 1.31 as it appeareth in the actes of the Apostles where it is sayde: And they tooke Paule,* 1.32 and sayde vnto him, maye we not knowe what this newe doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? for thou bringest straunge tydings in oure eares. Some called him a babler, and a ti∣dings bringer of newe Gods.

All men did speake agaynst the Aposto∣licall doctrine,* 1.33 as it appeareth by that which the Iewes sayde vnto Saint Paul when he was come to Rome, saying vnto him: we will heare of thee what thou thin∣kest:

for as concerning this sect, we know that euery where it is spoken against.

Saint Paule being accused and brought before the great gouernor, they accused him after this sort: We haue founde this fellowe,* 1.34 a pestilent fellowe, and a mouer of debate vnto all the Iewes throughout the worlde, and a chiefe mayntayner of the sect of the Nazarites.

* 1.35Saint Paule answereth vnto the same: This I confesse vnto thee, that after that way (which they call heresye) so worship I the God of my fathers, beleeuing all thinges which are written in the lawe and the Prophets.* 1.36 And haue hope towardes God, that the same resurrection of the deade which they them selues looke for al∣so, shall be both of the iust and vniust: some sayde that the Apostles with their doc∣trine, did nothing but moue the people to sedition, as it appeareth by the actes of the Apostles:* 1.37 saying, certayne vagabonds which were wicked fellowes did make as∣sault against the house of Iason, and drewe him with certayne brethren vnto y^e heades of the citie, crying, these are they whiche haue subuerted the state of the world, and

here they are, which Iason hath receiued: and these all doe contrary to the decrees of Ceasar, affirming that there is another king one Iesus.

Therefore we labour and suffer rebuke,* 1.38 bicause we haue sure hope in the liuing God, which is the sauiour of all men, but specially of those that beleeue.

The Tyrantes shall not escape vnpuni∣shed, but often times they them selues that did put to death the children of God, by the handes of the hangmen, haue not that good to be killed of the hangmen, but they them selues are the hangmen or murde∣rers of their owne bodyes.* 1.39 As it appea∣reth by Saule which persecuted Dauid. It was not needefull that Dauid shoulde haue pursued him, for he was auenged more then he desired. It was not needefull to hang vp Achitophel: nor the Apostles to pursue Iudas that betrayed his mai∣ster,* 1.40 for he him selfe was his owne hang∣man, hanging himselfe by the necke, brast a sunder in the middes, and all his bow∣elles gusshed out.* 1.41 And Senacherib had for his hangmen his owne sonnes: and it did cost Ezechias nothing for to auenge him

selfe of the tyrannie agaynst him.

* 1.42Were Antiochus and Herode left vn∣punished for theyr tyrannie vpon the chil∣dren of God?* 1.43 It appeareth no. For they were consumed and eaten with lyce and vermine. God will not leaue the wic∣ked vnpunished as it appeareth of Achab,* 1.44 Manasses, Se∣dechias and many Em∣peroures of Rome.

1. Timo. 6.

Regi autem seculorum immortali, inuisibili, soli sapienti deo, honor & gloria in secula seculorum. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sapien. 6. Rom. 10.
• * 1.2

  An admo∣nition vnto Kings, Prin∣ces, and Iud∣ges.
• * 1.3

  Miche. 3.
• * 1.4

  Persecuters cruelly tor∣mented.
• * 1.5

  Luk. 18.
• * 1.6

  The despi∣sing of the poore peo∣ple of God is pitifull.
• * 1.7

  Mat. 23.
• * 1.8

  Esay. 26.
• * 1.9

  Eze. 22.
• * 1.10

  Miche. 7.
• * 1.11

  Iohn. 16.
• * 1.12

  Mat. .12.
• * 1.13

  Psal. 116.
• * 1.14

  Esa. 26.
• * 1.15

  Zacha. .2.
• * 1.16

  Mat. .23.
• * 1.17

  Persecution is propheci∣ed to happen vnto the children of God.
• * 1.18

  3. Reg 21.
• * 1.19

  Prou. 17. Esay. 5.
• * 1.20

  Prou. 29.
• * 1.21

  Prou. 29.
• * 1.22

  Prou. 31.
• * 1.23

  Prou. 29.
• * 1.24

  Ierem. 26. Ieremy vvas accused by the priests.
• * 1.25

  Esa. 10.
• * 1.26

  The tor∣ments of the vvicked princes.
• * 1.27

  2. Thess. 1
• * 1.28

  Sap. 5.
• * 1.29

  The com∣plaint of the persecutors at the day of iudgement.
• * 1.30

  Sapi. 5.
• * 1.31

  The doctrin of the Apo∣stles nevve doctrine.
• * 1.32

  Act. 17.
• * 1.33

  Act. 28.
• * 1.34

  Act. 24.
• * 1.35

  Act. 24.
• * 1.36

  The resur∣rection of the righte∣ous and vn∣righteous shall come.
• * 1.37

  Act. 17.
• * 1.38

  1. Tim. 4.
• * 1.39

  1. Sam. 31 Note the vengeance of God a∣gaynst the vvicked persecutors.
• * 1.40

  Act. 1.
• * 1.41

  Esay. 37. 2. Mac. 8.
• * 1.42

  Act. 12.
• * 1.43

  Euseb. li. 1 cap. 9. li. 2 cap. 10.
• * 1.44

  3. Reg. 22 4 Reg. 15.21.24.25