MarginaliaAnno. 1555. October.fell and were slaine vpon the edge of the sworde, some wandred to and fro in sheepes pilches, in goates pilches, forsaken, oppressed, afflicted, such godly mē as the world was vnworthy of, wandring in wildernes, in moūtaines, in caues, and in dennes, and all these were commended for their faith. And yet they abide for vs the seruaunts of God, and for those their brethren which are to be slaine as they were for the word of gods sake, that none be shut out, but that we may all goe together to meete our Maister Christ in the ayre at his comming, and so to bee in blisse with him in body and in soule for euermore.

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Therfore, seing we haue so much occasion to suffer and to take afflictions for Christes names sake paciently, so many commodities thereby, so waighty causes, so many good examples, so great necessity, so sure promises of eternall life and heauenly ioyes, of him that cannot lie: Marginalia
Heb. 12.
Reasons to moue vs to pacience vnder the crosse.Let vs throw away whatsoeuer might let vs,  

all burden of sinne, and all kinde of carnality, and patiently and constantly let vs run for the best game in this race that is set before vs, euer hauing our eyes vpon Iesus Christ the ringleader, capitaine, and perfiter of our faith, which for the ioy that was set before him, endured the crosse, not passyng vpon the ignominy and shame therof, and is set nowe at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider this, that he suffred such strife of sinners against himself, that ye shuld not geue ouer, nor faint in your mindes, As yet brethren wee haue not withstand vnto death, fighting against sinne. Let vs neuer forget deare brethen for Christes sake, that fatherly exhortation of the wyse that speaketh vnto vs as vnto his childrē the godly wisdome of God, saying thus: MarginaliaProuerb. 3. Heb. 12My sonne, despise not the correction of the Lord, nor fall not from him when thou art rebuked of him, for whom the Lord loueth, him doth he correct, & scourgeth euery child whom he receiueth. What childe is he whom the father doth not chasten: If ye be free from chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and no children. Seing then, when as we haue had carnall parents which chastened vs, we reuerenced them, shall not we much more be subiect vnto our spirituall father that we might liue? And they for a little time taught vs after their owne minde: but this father teacheth vs to our commodity, to geue vnto vs his holynes. All chastisement for the present time, appeareth not pleasant but painfull: but afterward it rendreth the fruit of righteousnes on them, which are exercised in it. Wherfore let vs be of good chere (good brethren) and let vs plucke vp our feble members that were fallen or began to faynt, hart, handes, knees, and all the rest, and let vs walke vpright and straight, that no limping nor haulting bring vs out of the way. Let vs looke, not vpon the things that be present, but with the eyes of our fayth let vs stedfastly, beholde the thinges that be euerlasting in heauen, and so choose rather in respect of that which is to come, with the chosen mēbers of Christ to beare Christes crosse, then for this short life time, to enioy all the riches, honors, and pleasures of the broad world. Why should we Christians feare death? Can death depriue vs of Christ, which is all our comfort, our ioy, and our life? Nay forsoth. But contrary, death shall deliuer vs from this mortall body,Marginalia2. Corin. 5.which lodeth & beareth downe the spirite that it can not so well perceyue heauenly things: in the which so long as wee dwell, wee are absent from God.

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Wherfore, vnderstanding our state in that we be christians, that if our mortall body, Marginalia2. Corin. 5.which is our earthly house, were destroyed, wee haue a buildyng, a house not made with handes, but euerlasting in heauen &c: therfore we are of good cheare, and know that when we are in the body, we are absent from God, for wee walke by fayth, and not by cleare sight. Neuertheles wee are bolde, and had rather be absent from the body and presente with God. Wherefore, we striue, whether we be present at home, or absent abroad, that we may alwayes please him. And who that hath true faith in our Sauiour Christ, wherby he knoweth somewhat truly what Christ our Sauiour is, that he is the eternall sonne of God, lyfe, light, the wisedome of the father, all goodnes, all righteousnes and whatsoeuer is good that harte can desire, yea infinite plenty of all these, aboue that that mans hart can eyther conceiue or thinke, (for in him dwelleth the fulnes of the godhead corporally) and also that he is geuen vs of the father, and made of God to be our wisdome, our righteousnes, our holynes, and our redemption: who (I say) is he that beleueth this in dede, that would not gladly be with his maister Christ? Marginalia1. Corin. 1. Philip. 1.Paule for this knowledge coueted to haue beene loosed from the

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body, and to haue bene with Christ, for that he counted it much better for himselfe, and had rather to be loosed than to liue. Therfore these wordes of Christ to the thiefe on the crosse, that asked of him mercy, were full of comfort and solace: MarginaliaLuke. 23.This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. To die in the defence of Christes gospell, it is our bounden duety to Christ, and also to our neighbour. MarginaliaRom. 9.To Christ, for he dyed for vs, and rose againe that he myght be Lord ouer all. And seing he died for vs, we also (sayth S. IhonMarginalia1. Iohn. 3.) should ieopard, yea geue our life for our brethren. And this kind of geuyng and losing, is getting and winning in deede: for he that geueth or looseth his lyfe thus, getteth and wynneth it for euermore. MarginaliaApocalip. 14.Blessed are they therfore that dye in the Lord, and if they dye in the Lordes cause, they are most happy of all. Let vs not then feare death, which can do vs no harme, otherwise then for a moment to make the fleshe to smart: but that our faith which is surely fastned and fixed vnto the word of God, telleth vs that wee shall bee anone after death, in peace, in the hands of God, in ioy, in solace, & that from death we shall go straight vnto life.MarginaliaTo couet to be with Christ, & not to feare death.For S. Iohn sayth: he that liueth and beleueth in me, shall neuer dye. MarginaliaIohn 11. Iohn 5.And in an other place: he shall depart from death vnto life. And therefore this death of the Christian, is not be called death, but rather a gate or entraunce into euerlasting life Therefore Paule calleth it but a dissolution and resolution, and bothe Peter & Paule,Marginalia2. Peter 1. 2. Corin. 5.a putting of this Tabernacle or dwelling house. Meanyng therby the mortall body, as wherin the soule or spirit doth dwell here in this world for a small time. Yea this death may be called to the christian, an ende of all miseries. For so long as we liue here, MarginaliaAct. 14.we must passe through many tribulatiōs before ve can enter into the kingdome of heauen. And now, after that death hath shot his bolt, all the christian mans enemyes haue done what they can, and after that they haue no more to do. What coulde hurt or harme poore Lazarus that ley at the rich mans gate?MarginaliaLuke. 16.His former penury and pouerty? his misery, beggery, and horrible sores and sicknes? For so sone as death had striken him with his dart, so soone came the angels, and caryed him straight vp into Abrahams bosome. What lost hee by death, who from misery and paine, is set by the ministery of Aungels in a place both of ioy and solace.

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Farewell deare brethren, farewell, and let vs comfort our hartes in all troubles, and in death with the word of God: for heauen and earth shall perish, but the word of the Lord endureth for euer.

Farewell Christs dearly beloued spouse here wādring in this world as in a straunge land, farre from thine own country, and compassed about on euery hād with deadly enemies, which cease not to assault thee, euer seking thy destruction.

Farewell, farewell O ye the whole and vniuersall cōgregation of the chosen of God here liuing vpon earth, the true church militāt of Christ, the true mystical body of Christ, the very houshold and family of God, and the sacred temple of the holy ghost. Farewell.

Farewell, O thou little flocke of the high heauenly pastor Christe, MarginaliaLuke. 12.for to thee it hath pleased the heauenly father to geue an euerlasting and eternall kingdome. Farewell.

Farewell thou spirituall house of God, thou holy and royall priesthode, thou chosen generation, thou holy nation, thou wonne spouse. Farewell. Farewell.

N. R.

MarginaliaThe state of the church of England described and lamented.ALas, what miserie is thy Churche brought vnto (O Lorde) at this daie? Where of late the woorde of the Lorde was truely preached, was read and heard in euery toune, in euery church, in euery village, yea, almoste in euery honest mannes house: Alas nowe is it exiled, and banished out of the whole realme. Of late who was not taken for a louer of Gods woorde, for a reader, for a ready hearer, and for a learner of the same? And nowe (alas) who dare beare any open countenaunce toward it, but suche as are content in Christes cause, and for his wordes sake to stande to the daunger, and losse of all that thei haue?

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Of late there was to be found of euery age, of euery degree and kinde of people, that gaue their diligēce