ll
the soule. He which doth denye that all theis sayinges must be
vnderstond of persequutors / he saithe that darcknes is lighte.
Yea and in Marc he doth playnly saye.

[[Marc. 8.]]

Whosoeuer therfor shalbe ashamed of me and of my wordes in this
aduoutrus and synefull generacion / of hym also shall the sonne
of man be ashamed. He requirith therfor a confession of the
truithe not only in the companye of the godly / but also in the
companye of the vngodly and persequutours / howsoeuer it be
ioyned with the ieoperdie of lyfe and of all the substaunce. The
lord speaking in the boke of the reuelacion with the church of
pergamos /

[[Apocal. 2.]]

I knowe (saith he) where thow dwellest / euen where Sathans seate
is / and thow keapest my name / and haste not denyed my faythe:
And in thos dayes in which Antipas was a faythfull witnes of
myn / which was slayne amonge yow where Sathan dwellithe. In which
wordes truly the confession made in persequution is allowed /
made I saye in that place / wher Sathan did beare rule / wher
euen very then Antypas thaty notable Martir of Christe was slayn
for confessinge of religion. Otherwise when all thinges are
quiet it is not so harde a thing to confes the name of Godde.
For if so be that the lord will not haue vs be in ieoperdie of
bodie goodes and lyfe / if it seme to be euill and a synne for a
man / as it wer to procure deathe to hymself by the confessinge
of truithe / wherfor dothe the lorde (I praye yow) exhorte thos
his disciples / that they shuld not feare them which do kill the
bodie / and can not kill the soule? Whi doth he by playne wordes
saye / as it wer prouoking vs to martirdome?

[[Marc. 8.]]

Whosoeuer will folow me / let hym forsake hymselfe / and take vp
his crosse / and folowe me. For whosoeuer will saue his lyfe
shal lose it. But whosoeuer shall lose his lyfe for my sake /
and the gospelles the same shall saue it. He addith forthwithe
wordes which do make for the contempt of thos thinges / for
which theis men do thincke that in religion silence maye be kept
and dissimulacion vsed / sainge. What shall it profite a man / yf
he wynne al the worlde / and lose his owne sowle. Therwith also
doth he adde through what thinge we do lose our soules / that is
through Shame. For he saithe. Whosoeuer therfor shalbe ashamed
of me and of my wordes / in this aduowtrus and synefull
generacion / of hym also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when
he commithe in the glorie