MarginaliaAn. 1555. Aprill.out all ages do declare. The valiant warriour S. Paule, being deliuered from the handes of the vngodly, MarginaliaThe manifold deliueraunces of S. Paul, be examples for our comfort.and that so many tymes, and also from so many extreme perils and daungers of death (as hee hys owne selfe doth witnesse) is fayne to commit him self in the end to the rough waters of the sea: where he was in great peryl and ieopardy of hys own lyfe: yet was God alwayes (to the great comfort of all that heare of it) most ready to comfort and succour hym,MarginaliaActes. 18. and gloriously deliuered hym out of all hys troubles: so that no man that did inuade him, could do hym any harme, and in the ende he was compelled to say: Marginalia2. Tim. 4.I haue finished my course: the tyme of my departing is at hand: MarginaliaPhil. 1.I long to be loosed, & to be with Christ, which is best of all, most hartely desiring death.

MarginaliaRom. 15.These thinges be written for our learning and comfort, and be to vs a sure obligation, that if we submit our selues to God and hys holy word, no man shalbe able to hurt vs, and that he wyll deliuer vs from all troubles, yea euen from death also, vntyll such tyme as we couet and desyre to dye. MarginaliaHebr. 12. MarginaliaPersecution foloweth Christian godlines.Let vs therefore runne with patience vnto the battaile that is set before vs, and loke vnto Iesus the Captayne and finisher of our fayth, and after hys example, for the rewardes sake that is set out vnto vs, patiently beare the crosse and despise the shame: Marginalia2. Timo. 3.For all that wyll lyue godly in Christ Iesu, shall suffer persecution.

MarginaliaMath. 3. 4. MarginaliaWhere Christ is, Sathan there is alwayes ready.Christ was no sooner Baptised & declared to þ^e world to be the sonne of God, but Sathan was by & by ready to tempt hym: which thyng we must looke for also: yea, the more we shall encrease in fayth and vertuous liuing, the more strongly will Sathan assault vs: whō we must learne after the example of Christ, to fight agaynst, and ouercome with the holy and sacred Scriptures & word of God (which are our MarginaliaEphe. 6.heauenly armour) and sword of the spirite. And let the fastyng of Christ,MarginaliaMath. 4. MarginaliaThe fast of Christ, is to vs example of sober lyuing. while he was tempted in the wildernes, be vnto vs an example of sober lyuing, not for the space of fortie dayes (as the Papistes do fondly fansie of their owne braynes) but as lōg as we are in the wildernes of this wretched lyfe, assaulted of Sathan, Marginalia1. Pet. 5.who like a roaryng Lion walketh about, and ceaseth not, sekyng our vtter destruction.

Neither can the seruauntes of God at any tyme come and stād before God, that is, MarginaliaIob. 1. 2. MarginaliaWhen the seruauntes of God stand before hym, Sathan commeth also.lead a godly lyfe, and walke innocently before God. But Sathā commeth also amōg them, that is, he dayly accuseth, findeth fault, vexeth, persecuteth and troubleth the godly: for it is the nature and propertie of the deuill alwayes to hurt, and do mischiefe, vnles he be forbidden of God: for vnles God do permit him, he cā do nothyng at all, not so much as MarginaliaMath. 8.enter into a filthy hogge: but we are more of price then many hogges before God, if we cleaue vnto his sonne by faith.

Let vs therfore knowyng Sathans deceites and rancor, walke the more warely, and take vnto vs the MarginaliaEphe. 6. MarginaliaThe shield of fayth.shielde of fayth, wherwith we may be able to quench and ouercome all the firie and deadly dartes of the wicked. Let vs take to vs the MarginaliaThe helmet of saluation.helmet of saluation, and MarginaliaThe sword of the spirite.sword of the spirite, which is the worde of God, and learne to vse the same accordyng to the example of our graund Captaine Christ. MarginaliaMath. 4.Let vs fast and pray cōtinually. For this frantike kynd of deuils goeth not out otherwise (as Christ doth teach vsMarginaliaMath. 17. MarginaliaPrayer and fasting.) but by faythfull prayer and fastyng, which is MarginaliaTrue fast, what it is.true abstinēce & sobernes of liuyng, if we vse þ^e same accordyng to the doctrine of þ^e Gospell and word of God. MarginaliaHow to fast without hypocrisie.Fasting is acceptable to God, if it be done without hipocrisie, that is to say: if we vse it to this entent, that thereby this mortal body and disobedient carcase may be tamed, and brought vnder the subiection of the spirite: and agayne, if we fast to this intent, that we may spare wherewith to helpe & succour our poore neady brethren. This fast do the true Christians vse all the dayes of their lyfe, MarginaliaAbuse of fasting among christians.although among the common sorte of people remayneth yet still that superstitious kynde of fastyng, which God so earnestly reproueth by his Prophet Esay.MarginaliaEsay. 58. For as for true chastenyng of the body, and abstainyng from vyce, with shewyng mercy towardes our needy neighbours, we will neither vnderstand nor heare of, but still thinke with the Iewes, MarginaliaThe Iewish maner of fasting reproued.that we do God a great pleasure when we fast, and that we then fast, whē we absteine from one thyng, and fill our bellyes with an other. And verely in this point doth our supersticion much excede the supersticion of þ^e Iewes: MarginaliaThe christians in superstitious fasting excede the Iewes.for we neuer read that they euer tooke it for a fast, to absteine from flesh, and to eate either fishe or white meate, as they call it.

To fastyng and prayer must be ioyned almes, & MarginaliaMercy to the poore.mercy towardes the poore & nedy: and that our almes may be acceptable vnto God, thre things are chiefly required:

First, that we geue with a cherefull and ioyfull heart: Marginalia2. Cor. 9. MarginaliaIn almes 3. thinges required.For the Lord loueth a chearefull geuer.

Secondly, that we geue liberally, puttyng aside all nigardshyp, knowyng that he that soweth litle, shall reape litle: and he that soweth plenteously, shall reape plenteously. Let euery may therfore do according as he is able. The poorest caitiffe in the world may geue as great and acceptable an almes in the sight of God, as the richest man in the world can do. MarginaliaMark 18.The poore widow that did offer but two mites, which make a farthyng, did hyghly please Christ: In somuch that hee affirmed with an oth, That she of her penurie, had added more to the offringes of God, then all the rich men, which of their superfluitie had cast in very much. For if there be first a willyng mynd (as S. Paul saythMarginalia2. Cor. 8.) it is accepted, accordyng to that a man hath, and not accordyng to that a man hath not.

Thirdly, we must geue MarginaliaAlmes without ostentatiō.without hypocrisie and ostentation, not seekyng the prayse of men, or our owne glory or profite. And although the Scriptures in some places make mention of a reward to our almes and other good workes, MarginaliaWorkes of mercy do not merite with God touching our saluation, any thyng.yet ought we not to thinke that we do merite or deserue any thing: but rather we ought to acknowledge, that God of hys mere mercy rewardeth in vs hys own giftes. For what hath he that giueth almes, that he hath not receiued? He then that geueth vnto a poore man any maner of thyng, geueth not of his owne, but of those goodes which hee hath receiued of God. VVhat hast thou (sayth the ApostleMarginalia1. Cor. 4.) that thou hast not receiued? If thou hast receiued it, why reioicest thou, as though thou haddest not receiued it?

This sentence ought to be had in remembraunce of all men. For if we haue nothing but that which we haue receiued, what can we deserue? or what nede we to dispute and reason of our owne merites? It commeth of the free gift of God, that we lyue, that we loue God, that we walke in his feare. Where is our deseruyng then? We must also in this our spirituall warfare arme our selues with continuall prayer, a very necessary, strong, and inuincible weapon, and after the example of ChristMarginaliaMath. 26. and all other godly mē, crie hartly vnto God in fayth, in all our distresses and anguishes. MarginaliaHeb. 4.Let vs go boldly to the seate of grace, where we shalbe sure to receiue mercy, and fynde grace to helpe in tyme of neede. For now is pryde and persecution encreased: Marginalia1. Mach. 4.now is the tyme of destructiō and wrathfull displeasure.MarginaliaContinuall prayer.

Wherfore my deare brethren, be ye feruent in the law of God, and ieoperde ye your lyues if nede shall so require, for the testament of the fathers, and so shall ye receiue great honour, and an euerlastyng name. Remember Abraham: MarginaliaTo be faythfull in temptatiō.MarginaliaGene. 22.Was not he found faithfull in temptation, and it was reckened vnto him for righteousnes? MarginaliaGene. 41.Ioseph in time of his trouble kept the commaundement, & was made a Lord of Egypt. MarginaliaNum. 25.Phinees was so feruent for the honour of God, that he obteined the couenaunt of an euerlastyng Priesthode. MarginaliaIosua. 1.Iosua for fulfillyng the word of God, was made the Captaine of Israell. MarginaliaNum. 14.Caleb bare recorde before the Congregation, and receiued an heritage. Marginalia1. Reg. 24.Dauid also in his mercifull kyndnes obteyned the throne of an euerlastyng kyngdome. Marginalia4. Reg. 2.Elias beyng zelous and feruent in the law, was taken vp into heauen. MarginaliaDan. 3.Ananias, Azarias, and Misaell remained stedfast in the fayth, and were deliuered out of the fyre. In lyke maner MarginaliaDan. 6.Daniell beyng vngiltie, was saued from the mouth of the Lions.

And thus ye may consider throughout all ages since the world begā, that who soeuer put their trust in God, were not ouercome. Feare not ye then the wordes of vngodly men: for their glory is but donge and wormes: MarginaliaPsal. 38.to day are they set vp, & to morow are they gone: For they are turned into earth, and their memoriall commeth to naught. MarginaliaHe exhorteth to zeale and courage.Wherfore let vs take good hartes vnto vs, and quyte our selues lyke men in the law: for if we do the thynges that are commaunded vs in the law of the Lord our God, we shall obteine great honour therin.

Beloued in Christ, let vs not faint because of afflictiō, wherewith God trieth all them that are sealed vnto lyfe euerlastyng: MarginaliaActes. 14.for the onely way into þ^e kyngdome of God, is through much tribulation. For the kyngdome of heauen (as God teacheth vs by his Prophet Esdras) Marginalia4. Esd. 7.Is lyke a Citie buylded and set vpon abroad field, and full of all good thyngs: but MarginaliaStraite is the way which the elect must walke in.the enteraunce is narrow and sodayne, [full of sorrow and trauaile, perils and labours]: lyke as if there were a fire at the ryght hand, and a deepe water at the left: and as it were one straite path betwene them both, so small, that there could but one man go there. If this Citie now were geuen to an heire, and he neuer went through the perillous way, how would he receaue his enheritaunce? Wherfore seyng we are in this narowe and strayt