For the Troubled in Mind or Afflicted in Body

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.

H AVING diverse papers and writings committed unto me by a dear friend of mine, whom it pleased God not long since, after many years travail very profitably bestowed in the ministry and preaching of the Gospel, to call out of this miserable, wretched and wicked world: And finding amongst the said writings this Treatise and the Exhortation annexed thereunto: I read both the one and the other all over, to mine own great profit and comfort, I must needs confess. And therefore persuaded by mine own experience in the reading of both these treatises, that the publishing of them in print might be no less profitable and comfortable to many others, then to myself I found them: I thought good not to hold them longer in my private custody as things dead and buried with the Authors, but to commit them to the Printer, so to have them communicated to this Church of England, and as many as understand the English, to the praise and glory of God for his gracious gifts in the writers, and for the comfort and instruction (I doubt not) of so many as shall read them.

Of the Author of the Exhortation, I can say nothing more then that (as I conjecture by that he writeth) he lived in the late reign of Q. Marie, being then an exile in foreign partes for the Gospel, which at that time also was banished from hence, as touching the open profession thereof in any common and public places. And as for the matter of his Exhortation, I shall not need to say anymore in commendation thereof to stir men up to the reading of it, then the bare title given to the same importeth: which with the shortness of the Treatise it self may suffice to allure any godly and well disposed person to peruse the same.

As touching the Author of the Treatise whose name I have expressed, though I could of him say very much to his great commendation, and that of mine own knowledge, for that living together in one house we were long time and familiarlye acquainted: Yet I will for some respects forbear to praise him for his whole life and death, referring thee to that which is briefly said of him (and printed before) in a little book of his entitled, The view of man's estate, &c: of which book, though by another name, him self maketh mention in this treatise: and had I known so much before the impression thereof, as I could not, this coming so lately and long after to my hands, it should have borne no other name, then now I well perceive the Author him self called it by: though the title it now hath, be not (I trust) improper and impertinent to the matter he handleth therein. To whom he writ this Treatise of comfort, and upon what occasion, thou mayest easily perceive if thou read the whole all over: And though she, to whom he writ the same be yet living, and the occasion thereof such as peradventure some will mislike of the publishing thereof: Yet being certainly persuaded that neither the writer, if he were now living, or she, to whom he writ, would have anything concealed for private respects, that may serve so well as this Treatise will (I am assured) to the edifying and comfort of many: I have adventured to be a mean that it might be imprinted, with the approbation of such as by good order in this behalf are appointed to allow of all such matters to be published.

Wherefore, gentle Reader, accept in good part both this Treatise, and the Exhortation adjoined thereunto: which if they may serve for thy instruction and comfort, as no doubt they will, thou hast great cause to praise God both for the writers, and things by them written. {inverted ⁂}

A most Comfortable Treatise written by Andrew Kingesmill to his sister, very profitable for all men, especially for such as are any manner of way afflicted in body or mind, &c.

D Eare sister in our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, whereas I understand of your present state and condition, that it hath pleased God our heavenly Father, somewhat to visit & touch you with his heavy hand, to chastise you with the rod of his correction, and to lay upon you some part of the cross of his Christ: Had I a far better talent then I have, which (God knows) is but simple, yet I thought I could not any otherwise better bestow & occupy the same, then so, as it were, to lay it with you in exchange & bāke, as by y ^e grace of God to utter unto you some saying or sentence, whereout you might receive some piece of relief or comfort: for this usury, and those that have any, so to occupy their talents, as to visit the afflicted, to comfort the comfortless, and to bestow although as it were but one poor penny, to strengthen the pensive in patience, even as our Savior commended the devout woman's work, for bestowing her oil upon him toward his burial: So I doubt not but this task which it hath pleased God now to set me, shall appear unto him a lawful and gaineful usury, a well bestowed ointment, and such a work, that as it lacketh not his charge, so it shall not be either to you fruitless, either with him altogether thankelesse. Rejoice with them that rejoice (saith the Apostle) and weep with them that weep. And the son of Sirach likewise, Let not them that weep be without comfort, but mourn with such as mourn. Now (Sister) considering such & the like sayings, calling to mind howe we have rejoiced together, enjoying the good days, that God of his goodness hath heretofore given us, and nothing doubting, but he will drive away those stormy clouds, and cause again his cheerful sun to rise and shine upon us: and (that which I cannot forget) what a mourner you were w ^t me in the time of my mourning: verily now in the time of your distress if my heaviness would ease you, or my sorrow might turn to your joy, I think my heart be not so hard, but that I should bestow some tears upon you, although that I foresee mine own portion in the world to be none other but pains without pleasure. David we read lamented Saul's death, although one that sought his blood. And likewise Absalom that wicked child & unnatural son, with what a fatherly affection did he pity his case? crying whē he heard the certainty of his death, in such sort as is expressed in y ^e 2. of Sam. 18. My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, would God I had died for thee: So verily ought our cases and calamities to be common, and I especially have just occasion to bear the burden with you, being unto me a true Sister, a Sister by natural nativity, a Sister by heavenly regeneration, one with whom I have enjoyed the sweet, and who with me hath not refused the sour: wherefore as I cannot but with brotherly affection be sorry for your sadness, so when I somewhat lift up mine eyes toward heaven, & have in consideration the infinite mercies and marvelous working of God our heavenly Father, concerning his chosen children and sanctified Saints here on earth, then (me thinks) I receive so plentiful joy of spirit, and provision of patience against those storms and tempests of adversities and afflictions, which I know I have in the way of my pilgrimage to pass, and which I know by the course of God's working abide certainly for all true & steadfast Christians, that in uttering the same unto you it may be I shall give you some occasion of comfort. God therefore I beseech him guide my hand, and direct my heart, and so behold you with his Fatherly eye, and cheerful countenance, that we may both receive comfort of his holy Spirit the true comforter, promised by our Savior, that we may rejoice one with another, and both in the Lord.

Now there are diverse means that God hath ordained & provided for the cherishing and refreshing of heavy hearts and sorrowful souls: for some there are which are proper to the body, as earthly and temporal, other concern the mind, as Ghostly and continual, which whereas they are to be had, neither of them are to be refused, forasmuch as God therein with our use and commodity, looketh to reap the fruit of his own glory. S. Paul alloweth Timothy and counselleth him for his weak stomaks sake moderately to drink wyne: and Solomon likewise, Give the strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto them that have grief of heart. Concerning these, although they be somewhat besides my care, yet this I may truly say, that you have to thank God with a most chereful spirit, y ^t he hath not left you so destitute in this behalf, as he hath thousands of other our brethren.

Howe many are there, not far from you, if you list (as I think you do) to behold them, and consider them with some comparison, in respect of whom you must needs confess yourself and happy handmaid of God: as whose hope is their comfort, patience their pleasure, their wine a cup of cold water, and whom for their apparel, necessity alloweth no more then their bare naked skin? how many poor Lazars are there that would be glad to gather up the crumbs under that table, where your hand is free without grudging? You say peradventure sometimes in your fit, I am a miserable woman: But what may they say, that have neither cloth nor clout to defend them from the bitter biting cold? what may they say, which many times have neither bitte of bread, neither drop of drink, wherewith to satisfy y ^e griedie worm of hunger, or to quench the dry disease of thirst? How many are there, which in comparison of you, and me although peradventure the lease of xiiii, who being driven to the draff of hogs, may say with the prodigal son, In how far better case are the hired servants of that house, then we seely souls are? doutlesse having as we have, although we did get it hardly, & buy it dearly, yet should we be in far better state then a great number, which by experience know what the want of those necessaries are, which God of his gracious goodness hath with a liberal hand, bestowed on us his evil deserving servants: and who for anything to be seen in our selves, deserve as evil and worse thē many of those needy naked souls, which at sundry times faint for want of food, & as the bare beasts stand open to all wind and weather, subject to all adventures, free from no adversity. David well considered these benefits of God, which we, because that we have not felt the lack of them, make little accompt of. God satisfieth saith he, the thirsty sottle, and filleth the hungry soul with good things: and numbering diverse other the like benefits, which God's people daily receive at his hand, he crieth out twice or thryse with earnest zeal, O that men would acknowledge before the Lord his loving kindness, and his wondrous works before the sons of men: Let us likewise acknowledge the goodness of God toward us in this behalf.

And me thinks (Sister) if these outward earthly things may anything make in the matter, you have just cause to rejoice. David you know complaineth often times that his familiars and kindred started from him in his adversity, for beside the multitude of his enemies, which as he maketh his account were more then hears vpō his head, he saith also, I am become a stranger unto my brethren, even an alliant unto my mothers sons: In another place, he uttereth as a part of his grief, that he was bereft of his Father and Mother: Concerning those pointes you are not so far in as David was: you have brethren, you have sisters, I know, that account your case their common case. That God hath visited our Father, I crave as great part of that plague as the best or the worst of you: that God hath so preserved our Mother, the mirror of all mothers, therein you have as great part as the best of us. As for open enemies that seek your hindrance, or that rejoice at your adversity, I know none you have: but you know yourself a number of your friends, that unfeignedly wish your prosperity.

Our Savior, you may remember, complained that the Foxes had holes where to couch them, and the birds of the air have their place of rest, but the Son of man had not where to hide his head. O that we could, that we would compare our selves in our adversities with our Savior, the Son of man, the very Son of God, of him to learn patience: then no doubt but by him we should receive comfort. Cōsider therefore the goodness of God, how he hath provided for us by the gentleness of our dear Mother, a place which we use as an home and habitation, and that no Fox hole, but thanks be to God a warm and well feathered neste, where we have free egress and regress.

This scripture was fulfilled in our Savior, They of a mans own house are his enemies, and he thereof complaining said, He that eateth bread with me hath lift up his heel against me: but thanks be unto our heavenly Father, who hath joined our house in such an unity, that we do not (as far as I see) one disdeine the other in necessities and adversities, neither envy ech other in things succeeding prosperously. God of his mercy grant that band long to continue in y ^e house of Sidmountaine, that it may deserve the commendation of Jerusalem, even to be as a City which is at peace within itself. This was it whereof David received much comfort, that after great divisions, God had granted in his kingdom the peace and concord of his people, so he saith of his experience, Behold how good a thing it is, and how comely, for brethren to dwell even together. He compareth it unto the precious ointment poured on the head, that spreadeth abroad to the refreshing of the whole body, and unto the dew of Hermon, and that which falleth upon the mountains of Zion, places rich and fruitful both with temporal benefits, & with the spiritual blessings of God. This cheerful oil and fresh dew of unity and concord betwixt you, your brethren, sisters and friends, God hath blessed you withal: such dew falleth not in all places, such oil is not to be found in all houses, the fresh flower of unity and amity is not to be found in every field: but this as it groweth green in the Garden of Sidmountaine, which if it fade, then farewell my part: but now flourishing as it doth by the gracious goodness of God, me think you should not but rejoice in the Lord, who hath reserved unto you this piece of Paradise, that you may have the full fruition of that beautiful and sweet smelling flower of concord. Thus I have endeavored somewhat to lead you into the consideration of the temporal benefits and blessings of God bestowed upon you, whereout it may be you shall pick some piece of comfort, if things worldly and earthly, outward and temporal, may make anything in this medicine. But it may be, that as to the sick, things otherwise sweet become sour & unsavory, and to the weak and sickely stomach, the sweet honey is loathsome: so the mothe of pensiuenes hath entered your heart, that these weaker medicines may not have their full force, and due operation.

Now after that you have stood on this place, to see and look about you what comfort is to be had on earth, where you may well espy more then I have shown you: hencefoorthe (Sister) let us get on the mounting wynge of faith, let us raise our selves up through the clouds, evē to the heavens, let us come from the fotestoole of God to his glorious seat, and that cannot be but comfortable unto us to consider. For S. John (as he describeth his vision) when he saw the Majesty of God sitting on his glorious throne, declareth that the throne of God is compassed about with a rainbow, a sure seal and token of God's mercy towards us, that although he often times rain upon us, yet he will no more drown us. This hath ever been the chief comfort of the godly in all their distresses and afflictions, they all had an especial eye this way: Read you y ^e 121. Psal. the 123. Psalm, there to consider the practice of the Prophet, how he looked toward y ^e throne of God. I will lift mine eyes to the Mountains (saith he) from whence mine help shall come, mine help cometh from the Lord which hath made heaven and earth, &c. I lift mine eyes to thee that dwellest in the heavens: behold, as the eyes of an handmayde mark the eyes of her mistress, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us. Now then (Sister) laying aside all earthly considerations, if they will not work with you, let us look upon that help that cometh from heaven.

This as I remember is one amongst the wise sayings of Solomon: Heauines casteth down the heart of man, but a good word raiseth it up again: If any man's word or wisdom may anything herein prevail, then especially the good word of God, which as David saith is mighty in operation. It is so full of comfort, that if grace wanted not to utter and receive it accordingly, I nothing doubt but if you were half dead, it would soon quicken and set you upright again. So saith S. Paul, whatsoever is written, is written for our learning, that we through comfort and patience of the Scriptures, might have hope. Seeing then the Lord hath left us this heavenly treasure here on earth, even to our so great commodity thereby to learn patience, and receive comfort, let us use these as our spectacles to behold the mercies of God, which of our selves being nothing but blindness it self, are not able to search out or to see: and this shall be as your diet, that you resort to those sweet running rivers, springing up unto eternal life, counseling and advising you, here to lay out the whole line of your life: no day, nor hour cometh amiss, but in the Scriptures you may find comfort: Yea, there ye shall meet with the fountain of all comfort, the Spirit of God chering and cherishing you after a heavenly and marueylous manner. Presently for my part, I chiefly commit your cause to his cure, and by his grace, I shall endeavor to give you some taste of that precious liquor: God grant it be not marred for lack of a better vessel.

First therefore, I am persuaded y ^t you nothing dout of your adoption and election in Christ Jesus, that your name is entered in the book of life, and that you are surely sealed up for a saved sanctified soul. This foundation being laid on so sure a ground, having our hands fastened on this hold, what storms or floods of affliction may there arise, but we may (considering y ^e tender mercy of God towards his chosen children) endure with patience, overcome with comfort, and wade thorough with joy, knowing sure we shall have a day, and seeing certainly although a far of, the quiet and glorious haven we have to arrive at? It is a most comfortable saying which the Apostle uttereth unto you: We know (saith he) that all things work together for the best unto them that love God, even to them that are called of his purpose. This one sentence so setting forth the care that God your heavenly Father hath over you, might satisfy you, if you could weigh it as it is worthy.

Great and manifold were the miseries which that chosen of God suffered, read you the 11. of the 2. to the Corinthians. You shall find there at what hard meat, & how sour sauce the Lord set that his painful and faithful servant: as stripes, perilles both on Sea and land, evil entreaty both of the Jew and the Gentile, the deceit of false brethrē, weariness, painfulness, watching, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, and all kind of persecutiō. Yet he having that confidence and steadfast persuasion of the eternal providence of God, that he turneth all things to the commodity of his elect, even in the midst of these miseries he shown a most chereful spirit, as he saith numbering many kinds of persecutions, in all these things we are more then conquerors, by him that loved us.

In what distress think you was that just Joseph, being endangered to perish in the pit, thrown in by the hands of his own brethren, and afterward sold of them into a strange country, where also being taken of suspicion to have abused his Master Potiphar's wife, was cast into prison: yet he also over these and the like temptations, became in time a conqueror, well perceiving in the ende, that it was the Lord's doing to some good ende, although he did not straight understand the same. And therefore besides his own comfort, he quieted also the troubled minds of his brethren, declaring unto them the providence of God, whereon he wholly depended. I am Joseph your brother (saith he) whom ye sold into Egypt: now therefore be not sad, nor grieved with yourselves that you sold me hither, for God did send me hither for your preservation: neither did he so much attend the fact of his brethren, as the providence of God in the matter, so that he seemeth in respect flatly to deny that they had done ought in the matter: as in these words, Now then you sent me not hither, but God who hath made me a Father unto Pharaoh, and Lord over all his house, and ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. And by this means and considerations, God gave him that he made the less accompt of the absence of his parents, the ingratitude of his brethren, the lack of his country, and also the slanderous and unjust imprisonement.

Likewise David being in flight for the fear of his own son Absalom, heard, and bare with patience, railing Shimei, taking as it were his pleasure of him in his adversity, throwing stones at him as though he accounted no more of him then of a vile dog, cursing and calling him murderer: & whereas Abishai his courage served him to revenge David's quarrel, and would have fet his head, if that he would have but said the word: Behold the humility, the patience of a Prophet, the comfort of a King, verily he lifted up his eyes to the hill, the holy hill of God, from whence he was assured all those things proceeded, to some commodity and furtherance of his: wherefor this was his answer to Abishai that sought revengement, he curseth me, even because the Lord hath bidden him curse David. This was the hold and handfast, that that princely Prophet took wherewith to stay himself, ever depending upon the providence of his living God. He knew that whatsoever befell him, God had a stroke in it, yea and further, being fully persuaded of the mercy of God, he knew most assuredly those chastisements and corrections should turn him to God, as he maketh protestation, in the 119. Psal. It is good for me that I have been afflicted: so that beside his patience and comfort he accounted it a gain, and none of the smalest benefits of God, that he was so corrected at his just and merciful hand.

You may also consider the example of patient Job: How he waded through his temptations, as who knowing that all those hills of misery, fell upon him, no otherwise then by the determinate appointment of the most highest, with the consideration thereof he refreshed himself, after that all worldly succors and comforts were taken from him, and so became a conqueror over all the grievous assaults of Satan, as who, he was assured, could go no further then he had his limittes appointed and assigned unto him, by the just ruling and merciful disposing hand of the everliving God: wherefor he made it no matter of misfortune (as we commonly do in the like cases) that his cattle were made a pray for his enemies, that his sons & daughters had that strange ende, the house falling on their heads: but by such his words he openly showeth the inward comfort of his heart, The Lord hath givē (saith he) y ^e Lord hath taken away, as it pleased the Lord so is it come to pass, blessed be y ^e Name of the Lord: & by this we understand that he had not so much regard of his enemies the Chaldeans and the Sabaeans, whom he knew to be but the instruments of the Devil the chief workman, but always had his eye steadfastly bent upon God his Creator and redeemer, without whose ordinance and appointment, neither of them could have any whit moved or prevailed against him, no more then the senseless wind had power of it self, so to overthrow the house upon his children. And for as much as he was the servant of God, he assured himself, that Satan with his slaves could not do or intend him so much hurt, but his Lord and God would even by the same means turn it to his great furtherance & commodity, as we are given to understand in y ^e end of the history that God did in deed perform y ^e same: So that by this he became so humble and patient, so steadfast in hope, that he said, that if the Lord's pleasure were to kill him, to take his life from him, yet would he not let go his hold, give over his hope, or blaspheme the Name of God, to the which he was marvelously provoked.

Behold likewise the behavior & courage of those three noble young men whom Nabuchodonozor threatened the terrible fire, for that they refused to worship his golden god: see how they take hold on the mercy, and provident care of God their Lord. For thus they answered the King, Behold, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the hot fiery furnace, & he will deliver us out of thine hand (O King.) But if not, be it known to thee (O King) that we will not serve thy gods, nor do worship to thy golden Image, which thou hast set up: and according to that their constant hope and faith, the Lord faileth not, as you know, marvelously to deliver them.

And what other comfort had their fellow Daniel being enclosed to be devoured of the Lions in the Den? according to whose hope, likewise the Lord sent his Angel to shut and mouzle up the Lions mouths, saving him harmless. The Scripture yieldeth plentiful store of the like examples and sayings, whereout if we stand to consider them, we have enough so to arm us against all adventures, that no tribulation, no anguish may be so extreme, but that by patience we may overcome them, no calamities so great or grievous, but that they are to be conquered by comfort of the Scriptures. So saith the Apostle, God is faithful which will not suffer you to be tempted above your power, but will even give the issue with the temptations, that you may be able to bear them: where he so cōforteth the afflicted among the Corinthians, and doth strengthen them under the cross, leading them no farther then into the consideration of God's eternal providence, which maketh the sharp and the sour, soft and sweet in the ende, although no manner of chastisement (as he saith) is joyous for the present time. I have in those former examples according to my simplicity, sent you some of the righteous and tried servants of God, to stand you in stead of Apothecaries and Surgeons, of whom you may learn to cure your wound without douting, forasmuch as they minister you even such sovereign medicines, as they them selves have tasted and tried (as you see) to their endless comfort: but yet the chief physician is to come, Christ Jesus (I mean) the salve of all our sores, the pattern of all patience, and most assured comfort of all sorowing souls, and ready redress in all adversities. You have seen in the examples afore, the experience of good soldiers fighting a good fight, and how they have quitte themselves against the temptations of the world, and the assaults of Satan: Now turn your eyes toward Christ our redeemer the great Captain, and most renowned conqueror of all that ever tasted these worldly infirmities, whose evil entreaty and hard handling the time serveth not now to describe unto you, but I send you to the head spring, the history of the Gospel: you may also at your leisure read that mine exercise concerning the love of God, where I have assayed to say somewhat to this purpose. Only now I give you S. Paul's exhortation, Let the same mind be in you which was even in Christ Jesus, who being the Son of God, and very God, one with his Father, made himself of no reputation, took on him the form of a servant, he humbled him self and became obedient unto the death, evē to the death of the cross. Here learn of your Savior, patience and humility, and mark where lay his comfort, verily that way that other his saved souls have sought, even the providence of his God, and by him our God his Father, & (thankes be to him) our Father: for so he said when that lost child went out from him and his other disciples to work his purposed treason, Verily (saith he) it goeth with the son of man, as it is written of him: and at this mark he seemed to aim, when as Pilate vaunted himself and triumphed over him, saying, that he had power to crucify him, and likewise to loose him: then our Saviors answer was, thou couldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above. So when he did with deep consideration as it were aforehand, taste the bitterness of his cup, this way he found out of his temptatiō, saying to his father, thy will be fulfilled and not mine: this was his comfort in the extremities of the cross, and his flesh also rested in this hope, that the Lord would not suffer his holy one to see corruption. By these you may be sufficiently stored with diverse kind of medicines, you have both the gentle and the strong working before you.

The next care concerneth the use hereof, that they be applied and placed to the sore. Now therefore if you will set these glasses of the afflicted servants of God, and especially Christ crucified before your eyes, I doubt not but that it shall quicken all the dead flesh that lieth about your heart. For first if you will compare quantity with quantity, surely yours may seem but an April shower in comparison of these bloody floods and seas of sorrows that passed over their heads. But make your case comparable with others the aforesaid (as peradventure it is more then I am aware of) yet being grounded on Christ Jesus with steadfast faith, having your election certain by your honest conversation in the works of light, and the Spirit of adoption bearing witness with your spirit that you are a chosen child of God, having in just consideration the just dealing and merciful providence of God towards his vessels prepared to honor, although in yourself you be humbled (as necessary it is) yet in God you cannot but rejoice and glory with his servants and Saints on the earth. Were it so that men reviled you as Shimei did David, why should you not content & quiet yourself as David did, saying, the Lord hath sent him for this purpose? yea, whatsoever kind of cross it shall please God to visit us withal, we ought by his example to consider the good purpose of God therein, & to say, It is good for us that we taste of some trouble, lest we be found for bastard children (as the Apostle speaketh.) If you had sustained loss of friends, parents, childrē or husbands, standing at one stay with Job, then for your comfort you have to say, The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away. Let the case be (I am sure it is not so ill) that you were pestered with Job's miserable disease, as we are all in the hands of God, upon us to work his will, and there is neither of both undoubtedly, but have deserved far worse then just Job: yet he hath provided for us before hand a staff to stay on, and hath given us a lesson of patience in that answer which he made his wife, provoking him to yield to the assault of Satan, and to blaspheme his God: Thou speakest like a foolish woman (saith he) shall we receive good at the hand of God, & not receive evil? If you had lost your country, which now you enjoy by the benefit of God, might you not well conceive with yourself of the will and work of God therein, to some such purpose as he wrought by Joseph's sale and bannishment? wheresoever you shall come, whatsoever entertainment or entreaty you should find, would you not say as he did, it is God that hath sent me hither? Suppose you were in the pit with Joseph, in the dēne with Daniel, or that you made up the mess with those three appointed to the fire, Sidrach, Misach, and Abednego: would you mistrust now especially that they have made the way before you, but that God would provide some issue for you in the midst of these temptations, either to save you harmless by a mighty deliverance, or else as it should be best for you to make you a conqueror by patience?

And to come to Christ that fountain of all consolation for all Christians: O Sister, we never felt with our little finger that fire wherein he was consumed for our sins, we have not tasted with the typ of our tongue, that bitter cup, wherein he swallowed up death due unto us for our offenses: we sleep in whole skins, his hands, his feet, his sydes were pierced of merciless murderers: we for the most part have ease and rest, he found no place on earth where to rest his head: we think much if we be somewhat diseased with a little pain or grief of body, he sweet and shed bloody water to ease us, and release us of perpetual pains. Now then (Sister) thrust in your finger with Thomas the Apostle, and feel with faith the bloody wounds of your savior and redeemer: and these being considered, what are our greatest griefs, but fleabites in comparison, besides that inward anguish and passion of the soul, far passing his outward apparent pangues, whereby he felt the severe judgment and wrath of God, the reward of our evil deserts? Come you hither (Sister) with your heavy burden and here refresh you, for here is the well and the water of life, receive you hence the most comfortable aqua vite, stilling down from the cross of our redeemer and peacemaker Christ Jesus the righteous. God hath laid upon you some kind of cross, but none such as his own Son your Savior hath borne before you, God hath thought good for some purpose appertaining to his glory, to put you to some pains: O why should you or any of us grudge to take on us the yoke of God? he hath not spared his dear and only Son, to make him a mā, a servant, a sacrifice for our souls redemption, which were once sold under sin, the slaves of Satan. But were it (happy were you if it were so in deed) that you had to pledge your savior where he hath begun unto you, if that you hong on the cross together with him, had you not then comfort enough by you: could you not well content yourself to be baptized with his baptism, whose handmaid, I know you will not deny yourself to be? is it not enough for the servant to be served as his master? were you in the place of the penitent thief, craving his pardon as he did hang together with our savior, would you have despaired, would you have mistrusted, might you be comfortless, would you not rejoice?

But you will say he had his Savior present before his eyes. But O you of little faith, if you have not as good assurance of mercy as he: do you not consider that by the judgment of our Judge, they are most blessed which believe and see not? But he happy mā heard those joyful words at his redemers mouth, To day thou shalt be with me in paradise. And is that sufficient? why then have not you as sure an obligation, the warrant of his word, his testament sealed with his most precious blood? or else are you left out of that will? Doth he not say unto you as directly as to any other, Come unto me and I shall refresh you? Doth he not say unto you, Ask and have, seek and find, knock and it shall be opened? are you not assured of that absolution in the day of the Lord his appearance, Thy faith hath saved thee, go thy way in peace? are you not to be numbered among them to whom it shall be said, Come ye blessed of my father? when that Christ saith unto you, he that believeth hath everlasting life: when that he saith, I bring the water of life, I am the bread of life, I am the vine, you are the branches: I am the good shepherd, the true Messias, the redeemer of the world, the physician of the sick, coming to save that which is lost: in all these can you not pick out that promise to be with him in paradise? I dare not doubt (Sister) that you are to seek concerning these things, you have (I nothing mistrust) laid the foundation of your faith on Christ the right rock of salvation: then can you no more doubt, then if you had the possession of paradise already, even as it was prepared for you from the beginning, seeing that he made the grant, that hath the whole matter in his hands, and in whom there is no guile. Stand therefore, stand stiff and fall not, let not go this handfast, which if you do, no wind or weather may rise in the world that shall any whit move you or your so sure building, standing on so good a ground and so sound a rock. S. John in his first epistle, setting Christ Jesus before thē to whom he writeth, This we write unto you (saith he) that your joy might be full. Verily (Sister) if we could fully consider Christ with his mercy and merits, our hearts might not but be filled up full with joy: for there is nothing so sour, but in Christ it becometh sweet and savory, there is no want of any earthly thing, but Christ supplieth with a greater measure. The branches that abide in that vine, no weather may make them to wither: and although they seem for a season much like to the natural vine, to be as dry and rotten sticks, such as men would scarce gather up in the way, yet the heavenly husbandman so cherisheth and tendereth them, y ^t in time which he knoweth to be most convenient, even then they shall show themselves in their kind, and freshly flourishe in their fruits, when all other flowers are faded, and other trees which are not planted by him may not longer stand for their rotten roots.

Let us therefore stand a little and see what more comfort we may suck out of that fresh and fruitful vine, so shall our hearts receive joy, and our joy shall be full. You have no lands, nor livings (I think) in deed anything superfluous, but yet competent. and if you were much more needy, even utterly destitute, yet you have not to take great thought for the matter, seeing Christ telleth you, you shall have life everlasting, paradise is your inheritance, his own kingdom is your possession.

Company in deed is comfortable: but be it that you were berefte of the company and comfort of your brethren and sisters, yet the true Christian cannot be solitary. S. John saith, If we walk in the light as he walked, we have fellowship with him. And he him self saith, he will not leave us comfortless or solitary, yea he will be present with us unto the worlds ende, that is, with all his, at all times sending us the Comforter his holy spirit. If we do that which he commandeth us, then he accounteth us his friends, his brethren, his sisters, and that which is chiefest, because it is endless, after we have run out our course, we shall be with him in Paradise, making continually that prayer for us unto his Father, which he began here on earth, Father I will that they which thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory.

Behold, you shall behold the glory of Christ: what then will you take thought for any piece of worldly estimation? All the glory of man (saith the Prophet) is as the flower of the field, sone ripe, sone rotten, but the crown of glory, which you shall receive by Christ, is incorruptible, once found, never lost, once ripe, never rotten: what need you pass upon the wicked earthly Mammon, whereas you be most assured of that treasure laid up for your store in heaven, even Christ Jesus the riches of the riche, and high God of heaven?

It would be a comfort for you peradventure, to have an head and husband to defend you, & in whom you might delight as in your own soul, by whom you might have the increase of godly children, unto many in deed the very blessing of God: but in this also you must submit yourself to the mighty hand of God, knowing that he worketh diverse ways in diverse vessels, and those ordained to honor, for to some marriage is expedient, to some it bringeth joy and gladness: but contrarily in many you may see it is a snare of the world, a stumbling block, and plain divorcement betwixt God and them. And this inconvenience I know cometh not of marriage it self, as the proper and principal cause, which God hath ordained as holy and comfortable: but by their abuse, and for their just plague. Whereas some suck honey, some other meet with gall, and venyme: and yet the flower beautiful enough, and goodly in the eye. Wherefore God of his high wisdom, knowing much better what is good for us then we for our selves, doth at sundry times cut us short from the fruition of many his good creatures, benefits and ordinances, least by abuse we should in manner turn the nature of them to our own hindrance and confusion, so that it may be better for us to lack them then to have thē. Diuerse I think there be good men, and honest maidens, which peradventure would be hard husbands, and shrewd wives: neither would it be any strange case to see, that some bare the first yoke honestly and godly, which at the second match overrule & weary their yoke fellows, causing them with repentance to wish their former liberty again. Such is the diverse working of God, that in some he is better pleased with marriage, and other he holdeth in single life as most expedient for them.

Some again he blesseth with the fruit of children, other he maketh barren and fruitless, yet both for the better, both serving to the glory of God, and commodity of his chosen. Look on the comparison made by Solomon, the 4. of the book of wisdom: he saith, that barennes is better with virtue, then to have a multitude of children. Neither do I write this as one that despaireth of your prosperity this way: I know you have had good offers, which by judgment of man, might have been convenient for you to have followed, but I have told you the worst, and yet nothing doubting but that y ^e best is to come. Anna you may remember mentioned in the first of Sam. 1. the wife of Elkanah, the happy handmaid of God, how he exercised her a long time in patience with the shame of barrenness, as it was counted in those days. But the Lord when he had brought her low enough, then he raised her again, heard her humble petition, and gave her for her comfort that just Judge her son Samuel, his true servant. In the history of Tobias, we read in what distress that humble maiden Sara was, whom it pleased God to visit, and chastise her with seven husbands, so that she became a reproach unto her own fathers maids, laying to her charge that she had strangled her husbands. Think you (Sister) your case is comparable to this? If it be so, then take that remedy which she used, and mistruste not of the success that followed, as you have in the example of Anna. So she made her prayer to God the almighty, which is expressed in the history, desiring him to pity her case, and by some means to take away her reproach: and accordingly the Lord (as his ears are always open to the prayers that proceed from an humble spirit) gave her to wife to good Tobias, with whom she saw many a good day, and also for token of God's blessing, issue of children. Even so if we may hope for the best (and why should you mistrust the matter, seeing that Abraham in a more desperate case, hoped against hope?) the Lord our God I doubt not, pitieth your case so far, that he will send you a trusty Tobias, to whom you may betake yourself without fear, with whom you may lead out your life in peace and comfortable quietness, by whom you may conceive and bear some such son as is reported of Samuel, in whom you may rejoice as in an obedient son, and in whom God may be glorified as his servant. But if the example of Anna, and Sara, do not so much move you, if it be out of your hope to have their good hap, let us then return again to Christ our sweet savior & righteous redeemer, at whose hand, when all other aids do fail, we may be bold to fetch comfort, and that most plentifully.

If Tobias come not, yet you may well content yourself with Christ, finding that in him you shall be sped as fully as you can wish. You are of the flock of the faithful: then will he stand you to all purposes instead of an husband, not after an earthly, but after an heavenly sort. He is the head to defend and govern that body, whereof you are a member. Such as the husband is to the wife, such is Christ to those that are of the Christian Congregation, as S. Paul hath made comparison. It is a great comfort in deed for Adam to have his Eve, and contrariwise: but Christ it is, that blessed seed, that hath blessed them both. There is a narrow bond and copulation betwixt the wife & her husband, for they are reckoned one in flesh: Even so hath Christ, to make us unto him an holy spouse, taken bone of our bones, and flesh of our flesh. Your husband would cleave unto you when your other friends would forsake you, and Christ will accompany and assist you when your husband hath left you. He must sometimes of necessity be absent from you, death shall make a grievous divorcement betwixt you: but no time may tie Christ from you: by him it is that you live, & that you live well, he shall assist you at your dying day, and at the latter day he shall raise you again. Your husband peradventure, would think no money, no meat, no apparel to dear for you, and so doing, you would think him a good husband: but whether he would die for you I doubt. But Christ Jesus that good shepherd hath shown you so much love, that he hath laid down his life for you, he hath shed his blood for you, he died evē the death of the cross, he died for your sins, and rose again for your justification, and now maketh intercession for you, which he will continue until the time he hath placed you in his kingdom to reign with him forever.

Thus (Sister) as my simplicity serveth me, I have attempted that, which I fear I have not obtained, (if it might be) to comfort you, or rather to tell you where you may seek and find comfort, then of myself to make you any deed of gift: For God is called the author of all consolation, therefore I refer you to him by your prayer, and by resort unto his word, written for all our comforts. I have but somewhat assayed to play John Baptists parte, I am not he of whom you must receive this good gift, but you must look toward another: Therefore I say unto you of him whose shoolatchet I am not worthy to unloose, Behold the Lamb of God who bringeth this comfort with him, a salve (me thinks) sufficient to heal all sores, as that he is that Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world. Nature hath so provided that if we receive any wound in the head, the whelke that is in the hand, the corn that is in the foot, we soon forget & lose the sense thereof. O consider (Sister) howe your head was wounded, then shall your hands and your feet the less grieve you: Now again our head is whole, triūphing in heaven: why then should our hearts be heavy on earth, as though the head had forgotten the body, or any part thereof? No (Sister) doubt you not, he will not suffer an hear to perish of that body which he so dearly purchased, seeing that this mighty Michael hath subdued our archenemy, that terrible dragon, and subtle serpent with his petty captains, death and hell, what should we be so much moved with any force of the flesh, or any mischief that the world may work us? Yea, here also your Savior speaketh comfortably unto you, saying, Be of good there, I have overcome the world. Seeing that he hath broken the head of our enemy, what should his tail so much trouble us? seeing he hath taken away our sins, what should any sorrows remain amongst us? & if we sorrow not for our sins, why do we lament for any other earthly trifle? So (Sister) if your eye be fully fixed on Christ your redeemer, seeing his pains and his patience, you may not but quiet yourself, considering his merits and his mercy, you can nothing mistruste but he that took away the greater burden of your sins, will also open you a way out of your sorrows, so that now you have no occasion left of mistrust in the goodness of God. For he that gave us his Son, howe should he not with him give us all things also? and now your joy must needs be full, as S. John saith. Say not then you are in misery, for you see present remedy having good assurance of eternal felicity. And if a mā should ask you how you prove your state to be miserable, I am sure you cannot prove so fast as I can disprove.

You will say, I am an abject in the world: I answer, the more meeter for God, the liker you are to your Savior: so saith the Apostle to your comfort and mine, The vile things of the world, things despised and things of naught, hath God chosen.

I am sad and pensive, (you will say) my meat doth me no good, I enjoy not the world. But these are no arguments, hereby to conclude miseries. For even the holy and happy David had such sugar and sauce to his meat, he mingled his bread with ashes, and where was most likelihood of rest, his bed he watered with tears, so that of your sorrow it self you may receive comfort, because that short worldly sorrows are but a passage unto unspeakable, incredible, and eternal joy and consolation. Our Savior saith they are happy that lament, for they shall be comforted, but he setteth a woe upon those that laughe: so that by his judgment happiness (and heavenly happiness he speaketh of) cometh rather by lamenting then laughing. Yea, God himself will take y ^e pains to wipe away the tears of the eyes of such as sheade any under the cross, & especially in the cause of his Christ. You have little comfort peradventure in the world, yet I am sure more then Lazarus in his penury, or Job in his perplexity: and the less you find on earth, the more belike you shall have in heaven. You know the answer to the riche man, in the parable, that he had his earthly pleasure for his portiō. But what an exchange made Lazarus? even eternal pleasure for temporal penury. If you have not your portion with the riche man here; you may the less doubt to have parte and place with Lazarus in the kingdom of God. And here let Christ be your comforter: You shall lament (saith he) but the world shall rejoice, and in him, he saith you shall have peace. O see that pitiful and saving Samaritan, how he poureth wine and oil into your wounds, even the peace of conscience, the peace of God that passeth all understanding. If the world hate you (saith he) you know that it hated me before you: & if our Savior hath lead us the way, what should we stick at the matter? where as he hath ouerlept so great blocks, why should we stumble so at every straw which the devil casteth in our way? The Apostle saith, If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him: and if we die with him, we shall live with him. O Sister, let us not shrink from our Captain, whom we see already to be a conqueror. Let us prepare our selves patiently to abide the pleasure of God: let us exercise patience in the lighter, that we may the better bear the greater burden. Let us live and die with our Savior, let us suffer with him in all patience, that we may reign with him in glory, to the which the afflictions of this world with all extremity (as S. Paul hath cast the matter) are nothing comparable. We hope to have our part in the kingdom of Christ Jesus, let us not then look for it there where he hath told us it is not to be found: Let us not seek after worldly wealth or earthly felicity, let us not look here to rule the roste, but to be roasted rather of Rulers. Our kingdom is where Christ reigneth, let that content us, knowing that his kingdom is above all powers, all things being in subjection under his feet.

Here I leave you (Sister) betaking you to Christ, who covereth you as one of his chosen chickens, under the shadow of his comfortable wings, against whom as long as you live, neither the world, which he hath conquered, neither death, which he hath swallowed up, neither the gates of hell, which he hath closed unto you, shall anything prevail. That which I have said, I have said once, & peradventure as good vnsaid: but Christ continually cōforteth you with his sweet promises and everlasting word of salvation: he still crieth unto you, Be of good chere, I have overcome the world: rejoice in this (saith he) that your name is written in the book of life. Betake you therefore wholly to him, rejoice in his cross, resort to his word, whence, as out of paradise you may gather flowers sufficient to fill you with joy. And if it hath pleased almighty God anything to refresh you with this my poor posy, his will be done, his name be glorified, Amen: I have my reward: and he the God of all consolation grant us the heavenly comfort of his holy Spirit, that peace which the world cannot give, and that constant patience in all his fatherly corrections, that we be not found false hirelings, but true and trusty servants: no bastard children, but by unfeigned faith, the blessed posterity of the blessed Abraham, and true regenerates of God by our Savior Christ. And the holy sanctifying Spirit of truth, and God be blessed forever, Amen.

A very godly and learned Exhortation to suffer patiently imprisonment, exile, or what misery soever else may happen to a man in this life for the profession of the Gospel of CHRIST JESUS.

I F the world hate you, good Brethren, and thereupon with sundry afflictions and griefs do moleste and vex you, marvel not with grudging, but praise GOD with patience, who in this furnace fashioneth you to the lykenesse and image of his own Son, whom the world hath hated from the beginning, for whose sake also in no wise it can love you, but with moste spiteful hate will pursue you, even unto the death, for that you are chosen by Christ from the world, to walk forth and bring out fruit, which shall continue to sanctification, whereof the end shall be everlasting life. For as a riche and beautiful Harlot full of amorouse filth, with a painted face, wantō looks, trim array, fair words, large promises, great gifts, & with the enticement of quiet, wealthy and pleasant life, allureth them on whom she casteth love (yet at the end rewardeth them with pockes, piles, fighting, brawling, and most shameful death) whom if she can by no means entice to follow her fancy, she hateth so deadly, that she ceaseth not, but causeth the whole rablement of her bawdie bauds, ruffling roysterkins with brawling brags, shameful slanders, subtle surmises, quarreling questions, and falsely feigned accusations, to vex, trouble and bring to destructiō: So the Princesse of the world, that most filthy harlot wooeth God's children, espoused unto his son Christ, to break their faith and truth to him plighted, and to become her dearlings, setting before their eyes all the kingdoms of the world and the glory thereof, promising with holowe holiness, subtle suspicion, falsely feigned religion, and a pokefull of such pretty persuasions, that if they will fall down and worship as she doeth, she will give unto them all these same: for then shall they be her own dear dearlings, and she will love them, as her own: but the end shall be most dreadful damnation. Whom if she cannot persuade, neither by one way or by other unto her love, from Christ their best and only beloved spouse, she conceiveth so great an hatred against them, that she stirreth all her champions with might & main to do them displeasure in their goods, to work them hatred of their friends, to impayre their good name, to punish their bodies, to offend their consciences, to make their life irksome unto them, and moste cruelly without mercy to kill them, yet whose death is most precious in God's sight, and hath to reward a most glorious resurrection. Thus the world hath served our dear and best beloved Christ before us for our sakes, who was given into the hands of this harlot to be thus cruelly dealt withal, for to be unto us a pattern, which we should follow, an image, after which we must be fashioned, painted forth before our eyes in the Scriptures, to teache us to follow his trace with patience, and in running this race to conceive comfort, hoping after victory through faith in him, who both gave us warning of the pain, and lest we should faint, to comfort us, promised victory, saying, In the world shall you have affliction, but in me peace: be of good cheare, for I have ouercommed the world. To fight with a puissant enemy, whose courage was never abated, whose strength is invincible, and who hath been oftentimes assailed by many, but never vanquished, might discomfort a weak heart, and cause it to give over at the first without further resistance: But for so much as this stern madame with all her chiualrie and force is so overcome, and weakened to our hands, that she is not able to resist, what countenance so ever she makes, much less able to overcome such as do stoutly withstand her malice and cruelty, how faint hearted & cowardly milksoppes may we be judged, that will be abashed, and may not abide the lowering countenance of a feeble, maimed, and beaten bragger, especially seeing that in striving faithfully against her and her soldiers, the loss of renown here is the purchasing of eternal glory, the loss of worldly goods, the gaining of heavenly riches, the loss of a miserable and short life here, the winning and very entrance into a joyful and everlasting life in heaven? Is the friendship of the world so dear to us, that therefore we should not esteem God's favor? Ought our goods, wife, children, friends, lands and possessions so much to be regarded, that for to save them we should forsake the heavenly riches and everlasting inheritance? Ought we to be so desirous to live here, that for a short life and unpleasant, we will purchase an everlasting and most painful death? But the burden of poverty is importable, hunger, imprisonment, exile is intolerable, the bitter storms of persecution, and the sharp showers of death are so insufferable, that we fear least we should not be of power to abide and pass thorough them, and therefore do think it better to sit still then to rise & take a fall, better not to enterprise the conflict, then in the middes for lack of strength through faintnes to give over with shame, and run away. How delicate, fearful, and therefore unwilling the flesh is to suffer, common experience teacheth, all men having any feeling of them selves perceive, and chiefly they, who setting all persuasions of the flesh apart, have of full purpose and resolute determination with them selves, entered into the school of sufferance, beginning at Christ his cross, and so forth to learn therein only to glory, can by that they feel in them selves best declare. For as the deadly foe to mankind assaulted our dear brother Jesus Christ then most hotly, after he perceived by plain tokens, that he was God's Son, bent, by the cross and contempt of the world to enter into glory with y ^e fiery darts of famine, poverty, ignominy, shame, & afterward with the fear of death: on y ^e other part, with plenty, riches, honor, possessions, and glory of the whole world, knowing most perfectly y ^t these persuasions should be most strong to move & persuade the flesh to refuse y ^e cross, weighing y ^e pains & the travail with one eye, & the pleasant wealthy honor with y ^e other: so he ceaseth not to assayle Christ's menbers with the self same enticements, to cause the flesh to abhor the cross, and seek after ease, but then most busilie, when he perceyueth the heart moved by God's Spirit to contemn these as vanities, and to seek after true wealth, quietness and glory. And without all doubt the mistrust in God's providence, wherewith all flesh is naturally infected, & fear of the great painful bitterness, y ^t hunger, imprisonment, & persecution bringeth, always objected and propounded by the delicate flesh, doth move the heart of man to hate, and fly by always the cross, and to invent and pretend excuses and causes which it should be better to refuse thē to enter into trouble, among which this is not the least, y ^t the flesh, not regarding God's working in the middes of afflictiō, far above the capacity of man's wit, pretendeth as though it would gladly for truths sake enterprise great matter, but y ^t it hath not power given, able to go thorough withal accordingly. And this excuse is pretended even by them, y ^t yet will not seme to be fleshly, but spiritual, not flattering the world for fear, but favoring the truth of love, & so deceive them selves, where they utterly forsake & refuse that thing they would seem most gladly to obtain. Wherein they commit double offense: of hypocrisy, whē they would seem to be that they are not: and of incredulity, for that they declare plainly in this saying, that they think either that God cannot, or else that he will not comfort, strengthen, and deliver them forth of all miseries, not esteeming his promises, wherein he hath declared his will, neither marking his wondrous working for his children from time to time in their afflictions, wherein his power most manifestly appeareth, neither yet considering his fatherly care, which is more mindful and tender over his, then the mother can be over her only beloved child. It sufficeth betwixt man and man, specially if they be of honesty & credit, that things pass by word and writing: we persuade our selves, that the thing so promised & confirmed ought and also shall be performed. Upon this persuasion, if the Prince promise to the subject, the noble man to the mean, the father to the son, and among merchants one to another, it is accounted so sure, that we will make our reckoning thereof, as though we had it in possessiō: such trust we give one unto another: and shall we then doubt in God's promise, which hath not only past by words, but also by writing sealed, & confirmed with the blood and death of his only Son? Is there any man so mindful of his promise, or so able to perform the same, as our heavenly Father is, of that he promiseth to us? It is commonly seen among men, that leagues, couenantes and bargains cannot be so wisely made, nor so surely confirmed, but that with wyelie falsehood and false unfaithfulness, they are defeated & of none effect. But God is so faithful in performing the thing to us, which he promiseth, that heaven and earth shall rather come to nothing, thē one title of his promise shall be unperformed. Yea, they that mistrust or doubt of the surety of his promise, are no less in doubt whether there be a God or no. For to doubt or deny his truth and fidelity, is to mistrust or deny him to be GOD. A Prince & noble man for his own honor sake, a Father for his father like affection to his child, a Marchaunt for his credit sake will keep their promise: & would not our heavenly Prince (who as he hath made all things to serve to his own glory, so will not give the same to any creature) have his honor herein advanced and most highly regarded, that he is most sure, just, and true of promise? Would not our heavenly Father we should persuade our selves, that his love towards us doth far surmount the affection of a carnal father to his child? Can any man so much esteem his own credit, and estimation of trustines, as he, who is faithful truth it self, regardeth so to be known to his creatures? It is the greatest dishonesty among men to be so unthankful, to suspect or mistrust him, whose friendly fidelity, and faithful friendship we have been sure of at all times, whensoever we have been in distress: much more shame is it, to suspect, mistrust, or doubt of God's faithful assistance, whensoever we shall have need, for so much as his faithful friendship, & friendly love is far above the trustines of man, as heavē above y ^e earth, fine gold above filthy dross, & precious pearls above dirty dung. Yea there is no engine, wherewith y ^e devil worketh so forcibly man's destructiō, which draweth so many frō god, & doth wring forth of God's justice his fearful vengeance, as mistrust in gods promise, & incredulity: On the other part, nothing attaineth salvation, bringeth men nere to God's presence, & draweth forth of gods mercy his favorable love, but only faith & constant affiance in his most sure & faithful promises. The loss of riches, lands, & earthly possessions is a sore grief: but is not the winning of an hundred fold so much, and the obtaining of an everlasting kingdom a good salve for this sore? If we gain with the loss of transitory things, heavenly treasures, with the forsaking of worldly friends, Christ to be our dear & sure friend, and with refusing father, mother, brother, sister, wife, childrē, purchase God to be our most merciful Father, Christ our most loving brother, & to be loved of the Sōne of God, as his dear dearlings, & only beloved spouse, what have we lost? what greater gain can we have? or what more profitable exchāge can be made? This bargain and profit hath our heavenly Father promised unto us by a byl of his own hand, sealed with the blood of his only Sōne, testified by the witness of his Apostles, and left with us in our own custody to be paid at the sight, whensoever we shall require it: whereof this is the content: Who so hath forsaken house, brother, sister, father, mother, wife, children, or lands for my Names sake, he shall receive an hundredth fold, and the inheritance of everlasting life. Who will deny, but that hunger, cold, nakedness, extreme poverty, & want of things partly necessary, are an heavy burden for man to bear? but the weight hereof is lightened and made easy to thē, that with right eye, & unfeignedly, do believe God's promise, and cast their care on him. Cast thy care vpō the Lord, for he hath care over thee. Your heavenly Father knoweth y ^t you have need of all these things, meat, drink and clothes: he ministereth these things in due time to the beasts of the earth, the fouls of the air, the fishes in the sea, he clotheth and decketh with beautiful apparel the flowers of the field, according to his promise: and will he not keep his promise unto us, for whose sakes he hath made these creatures, and hath made us lords over them? What cause have we rather to mistrust his promise, thē y ^e birde that flieth forth in y ^e morning upon this natural persuasion, y ^t she shall find food, not douting, but he, who made her, will not suffer her to starve with hunger? Have we seen such as have put their trust in him, starve for hunger, die of cold, perish through nakedness? It hath not been heard of, y ^t the righteous hath been forsaken, or his seed (beg) wanting bread. For they y ^t know the Name of the Lord, will trust therein: for he forsaketh not them, that seek after him. Seek after y ^e kingdom of God & the righteousness thereof, & all these things shall be ministered unto you, saith Christ. If he be true that maketh this promise, why should we fear hunger, cold, or nakedness? If he be not to be trusted, why will we take on us his Name? If we cannot deny him, but to be most just of promise, as he is in deed, we argue our selves of to much hypocritical incredulity, when we say, that we would gladly suffer these for his sake, saving for fear to want necessaries in our need, and that we shall not be able to abide it. And he hath promised no less assistance, aid, and comfort in all kind of persecution, whether it be imprisonment, banishment, loss of life or any member. Yea, because we should not faint in prison, wax feeble in exile, give over through fear of y ^e bitter pangs & sharp pricks of death, he hath promised not only to be revenged on our persecutors, but also to be present w ^t us, to help, comfort & deliver us. Wherefore he hath willed us in y ^e day of our troubles to cal upon him, adding this promise, y ^t he will deliver us. Wherunto the Prophet David did so trust, feling y ^e comfortable truth thereof at sundry times in many and dangerous perils, that he persuaded himself, all fear set apart, either of one painful danger or other whatsoever: yea, if it were to walk in y ^e valley of the shadow of death, y ^t he should not have cause to fear, comforting himself w ^t this saying, which was God's promise made unto us all, For thou art with me: Thy rod & thy staff, evē they shall comfort me. Is God's staff waxed so weak, that we dare not lean to much now theron, lest it should break? Or is he now such a chāgeling, y ^t he will not be w ^t us in our troubles according to his promise? Will he not give us his staff to stay us by, and reach us his hand to hold us up, as he hath been wont to do? If he be the self same God and no chaungeling, when we be put into prison, or led into captivity, he goeth with us, or thrown into the sea to be drowned, he doeth not leave us, or cast into the raging fire, he is with us, to this ende, either to deliver us from the violent force of them utterly, or at the least so to comfort us in the middes of them, that we should rather take pleasure therein, then feel pain. Wherefore he crieth unto us continually: Fear not thou little flock: fear not them, that can do no more but kill the body, that is their uttermost: but now the Lord that made thee (O Jacob ) and he that fashioned thee (O Israel ) saith thus, Fear not, for I will defend thee, I will call thee by thy name, thou art mine: when thou wentest in the waters, I was by thee, that the strong floods should not pluck thee away, when thou walkest in the fire, it shall not burn thee, and the flame shall not kindle vpō thee: For I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Israel, thy savior. Let the cruel Papists rage and roar, let the obstinate Sodomites fret and fume, let the rablemēt of Antichrists soldiers, the devils own dear dearlings threaten with sack, sword, faggot and fire, yet if God be with us, who can be against us? the mighty, strong, holy one of Israel hath made a faithful promise, that he will be with us, defend & deliver us. This promise sufficeth to a Christian to arm him against all fear of trouble, anguish, persecution, hunger, nakedness, peril, sword and death, for that none of all these can separate us from God, but we shall overcome, and have the ouerhand in all these things through the aide and comfort of him, who hath loved us: for he is a faithful God, which will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength, but shall in the middes of temptation make a way to come out, that we may bear it. Who now weighing these promises dare surmise that God will not aid, comfort, and strengthen you in all necessities? And will you think he is not able to perform the thing he willeth? Is the arm of the Lord shortened? Shall not he who is able to raise of stones children unto Abraham, be of power to comfort, relieve & defend, whom he hath already made? If we be assured of his will, which his promise teacheth us, we need not doubt of his power: for whatsoever him pleaseth, he doeth in heaven, earth, the sea, and in all deep places. If we believe his promise, all things are possible, yea there is nothing, but it is easy of him to be done. As a mighty Captain, who hath under his government many soldiers & servants, hath thē so at his commandment, y ^t when he biddeth thē go, they go, whē he saith abide, they abide, & when he willeth them to do this or that, they obey his word: so is pain, pleasure, grief, ease, sickness, health, life, death at the beck & cal of God, that they come & go at his appointment, as the faithful Centurion confesseth in the Gospel. Yea he worketh so forcibly in his children, that lean wholly unto his promise, y ^t he maketh to them of pain, a pleasure, of grief, an ease, of sickness health, & of death, life: as contrariwise to y ^e unbelieving, pleasure, ease, health, life is a weary irksome, & painful death. When you were in prosperity, had the true religion of Christ among you, & were so strong within yourselves, as no foreine Prince could invade and overcome you, the Lord of hosts turned all upside down in y ^e twinkling of an eye, hath wrapped you up in adversity, choked your whole realm w ^t false superstition, & given you up into the rule and government of such lean locusts, stinging serpēts, & spiteful spāgers, as no people have been heretofore plagued withal. And is the Lord's power not so able to deliver his from these miseries, to restore his true religion, and vanquishe these Sodomitical Babylonians, as it was to give them up, for a time to be chastened, into their subjection? Let the Idolatrous Papists ascribe their victories, and whole felicity unto their Idols and God of bread: yet our hope is in the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth, who can, and will for his own glories sake, show him self to be the only God of might in giving overthrow to these Idolators with a sudden confusion, when they think thē selves most sure, and look least for it. Let them now for a while fret and fume against the Lord and his Christ, shake of his yoke, and break his bōdes in sunder: Yet is the Lord in his holy temple, his abiding is in heaven, his eyes behold these sons of men, and laugh them to scorn, and at the length shall talk with them in his fury, pouring upon them from heaven, snares, fire, and brimstone, whose cup and portion shall be burning storm and tempest. Let them persuade them selves, and believe darkness to be light, truth falsnes, blindness sight, and life death, and bring this to pass, that men's eyes may seem with a skin or slime of superstitious ignorancie to be covered and made blind, yet can the Lord, and also will, when he seeth time, restore light, truth, sight & life again to the advancement of his own glory, the comfort of his Church, and utter confusion of his enemies. Folowe therefore after the Lord, cry unto him with the two blind men, desire him of his mercy to restore your sight, mistrust not but he is able to do it, say with them that you so believe, and the Lord will make you answer and perform it in deed: after your faith be it unto you. If you trust in the Lord and confess him to be omnipotent, why should you fear the cruelty of Antichrist, who afflicteth Christ in his menbers, persecuting and punishing their souls with superstition, idolatry and unbelief, and afflicting their bodies with hunger, imprisonment, exile and painful death? Hath not God aforetime assisted his to wade thorough, and overcome the pains of all these, yea in the middes of y ^e bitter storms to take great pleasure? And is he of less power to help us? shall not we now by his assistance be so able to abide, and take pleasure in pains, as our brethren have been before us? My brethren, be strong in the Lord, and through the power of his strength learn, to whatsoever estate God shall call you, therewith to be content, knowing how to be low, & how to exceed, everywhere and in all things instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to have plenty, and to suffer need, yea, to do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth you, by whom also you shall overcome. For if you be troubled on every side, yet shall you not be without shift: when you be vexed with poverty, you shall not be utterly without somewhat: wrapped in persecution, not forsaken therein: cast down, yet perish not: that the excellency of the power may be God's, and that you may only glory in the Cross of Christ. By the cross he entered into glory, and they that are his, must enter in the same way. The Princes had no power over him, further then was given them from above, neither have they over you, no not to pluck of one hear of your head, for they be all numbered, and not one falleth away without the will of your heavenly Father, who worketh all things for the best to all them that love him. And would we not have all things work to our most advantage? In worldly things we seek after most gain, and will we neglect that in heavenly things? For to win a small sum of money, we will take upon us a far journey in danger of robbing, in perils of drowning, and let for no pain, persuading our selves that God will be with us, assist and prosper us in all our travail: and shall we refuse to traueile by land, to pass the seas, to suffer what pain soever thereunto belongeth, to win the penny of everlasting life, mistrusting that God will not be with us, aid and further us in whatsoever painful peril we shall come in? O blind incredulity, that makest easy things to seem hard by working an unwillingness in the minds of men, whom thou rulest! If men forsake their own willes, submitting them selves wholly unto God's will, what thing can be to hard? But if we will follow the appetites and delicate niceness of our own willes, what can be easy? Crye therefore with Christ, (dear brethren,) Not our wylles, but thy will (O heavenly Father) be done: So eschew troubles, as may stand with his good will and pleasure: When they come upon you, embrace them willingly, suffer them patiently, wade thorough them faithfully, for that is his good will and pleasure. Folowe the example of Christ, of the Prophets, Apostles, and holy martyrs, who were not wedded to their own willes, but submitted them selves wholly unto God's will, who wrought so with them, that in poverty they wanted not necessaries, in prison among ravening Lions they lived harmless, in the middes of fire they burnt not, in the most cruel torments they felt no pain, and trusting to the faithful promise and mighty aid of their heavenly Father, desired rather to be exercised under the cross, to die with Christ, then to be at ease, and live with the world. Abraham with his Father There forsook his native country, and from thence was commanded to depart into a country, whereof he neither knew the name, where it was, neither what commodities were therein for men to live withal, neither yet could he abide there any while: for a great dearth did oppress the whole land, so that he was compelled to fly into Egypt, where he was in danger of much displeasure, for he perceived before he entered, that he must forgo either his wife, or else sustain danger for keeping her. He was constrained oftentimes to remove his habitation not without great loss, travail and peril. Jacob also went forth of his native country into a strange place, partly for that his father would not that he should be joined in marriage, with the daughters of the Idolators of that country, partly to fly the cruelty of wicked Esau his natural brother, where he served Laban fourteen years for his two daughters, in keeping his sheep: a painful kind of labor. Afterwarde in his old days was constrained by the force of a great dearth to remove into Egypt, where his offspring was grievously molested many years. Joseph was sold by his brethren to the Ishmaelites, and by them unto an Egyptian, where he sustained great pain and peril in a strange country. The Prophet Eli, being persecuted by the wicked Jezebel, fled from post to pillar. The Prophet Daniel with a great number of good and godly Israelites were carried into Babylon captives, there to live in captivity in a strange country among their deadly enemies. The Apostles of Christ, and many godly men, and also women in their time forsook all they had, and went into strange coūtreis for the Gospels sake. And after their time to this our time the Ecclesiastical histories are full of y ^e examples both of men and also women, that left lands and goods, fled their countries, and did choose rather in an vnkoth and vnknowē land to live in hardness with freedom of conscience, to serve God after his will, then to tarie at home in wealth with bondage of conscience, and dishonor the Lord in disobeying his holy will. It is not read that any of these did murmur & grudge to leave their houses, lands, goods, and native countries, fearing the want of friendship, the hatred of strangers, the burden of poverty, the raging of hunger, and the lack of things necessary for man's life here, nor yet that they came into any such distress, but that they had sufficiency, if not of the finest sort, yet such as served their turn, and they well content therewith. Abraham when he perceived it stood with the Lord's will he should depart, he wist not whither, nor what shift to make, did not debate the matter with himself, take counsel of his friends, consult with his wife, whether he should do the thing y ^t most pleased God or no, but setting apart all persuasion and wisdom of flesh, bowed down his own will subject unto God's pleasure, bent himself without further delaye to obey his will, that ought only to be obeyed in all manner of creatures: and therefore in a strange country, yea in the middes of his enemies, had not only at all times sufficiency, but also did grow unto great abundance of riches. Of like sort Jacob was not only not left destitute of succor, but did come to so great abundance, that at his return into his country, he made therewith his most mortal foe, his dear friend, and served the Lord all his life in great wealth. Joseph being a bondman in a strange country, was not so moved with the fear of false and slanderous accusations, of hunger, imprisonement, and such like griefs, that he would, to eschew these, committee unclean things against God's will, but cleaving to God's providence, was fostered up against the rage of hunger, the violence of imprisonment, cleansed from the fowl spots of slanders, set at liberty, and at length made ruler over Egypt. Although his brethren meant his destruction, when they sold him to strangers, and drove him forth of his native country, yet he acknowledgeth this their fact to be the good will of GOD, who worketh all things to the best for them that love him, whether it be hunger, cold, exile, imprisonment, or death it self, and maketh that which seemeth painful and grievous, easy and pleasant. What should we say to the Prophets Eli and Daniel? Eli flying the fierceness of Ahab, because he should not suffer more pain of hunger, then he might well away withal, was fed by ravens sent unto him morning and evening, to bring him bread and meat for that purpose, and afterward by a poor widow of Sarephta, and last of all by God's Angel, when he was in a desert, flying the cruelty of Jezebel. In like sort Daniel was fed in the prison by Habacuc brought by God's Angel, whereupon Daniel said: O Lord thou hast remembered me, thou doest not forsake them that love thee. A saying of him, who had felt the ease and relief, that GOD provideth for all them that unfeignedly trust in him, worthy to be written in golden letters, and deeply graven into our hearts. This is a common and pleasant persuasion to the Apostles, and all other of Christ's Church, who suffered for Christ's sake, poverty, exile, persecution, that in the middes of poverty they were most riche, when they had nothing left them at all, then had they all things, and wanted nothing. These examples should move us to set apart all fear of want, and to cast our care whollye upon the Lord, for so much as he is no less our loving and merciful Father, then he was to Abraham or any other: yea, he hath exhibited unto us in deed, and we have seen that Abraham would gladly have beholded. God hath not spared his only Son, but hath given him for us all unto death: howe much more will he give unto us, if we trust in him, all other necessary things? It is not a necessary thing to have strength and ableness to abide patiently for his sake, not only poverty, loss of goods, imprisonment and exile, but also power to pass thorough easily the burning flames of fire, hanging, drawing, stoning, racking, devouring with wild beasts, broiling, boiling, and such kind of most cruel torments and bitter death, as the enemies to Christ, the old tyrants and Antichrist him self, the Pope with his clergy now daily inuenteth and practiseth to withdraw and fraye men from Christ? God hath always to his time given his such strength to overcome and contemn these, and whatsoever cruelty could be invented, yea he hath so encouraged them to take pleasure in the middes of most cruelty, that they rejoiced most, when they seemed to be in the greatest pain, as it is plain in many histories of the Church: and will not God deal so mercifully with us now, as with them of old time? Is his mercy waxed less now towards us, or his power not so able? God is not like unto man to change his purpose, and to be every yere of a new mind, he is faithful, he changeth not, although to the judgment of the flesh he seemeth to forsake the man that is cast in prison, banished his country, thrown into the fire, and most cruelly dealt withal, yet he is present with him, aideth and comforteth much more strongly, then the tormentors be able to grieve or discomfort, yea, turneth the bitterness into sweetness, the pain into pleasure, and that, which seemeth unto others most intolerable, to be most sufferable. The three Israelites were commanded to fall down and worship the golden Image, they did not dissemble the matter, but plainly said they would not: they were threatened to be cast into the burning furnace, they feared it not, they might have dissembled the matter for a time, following the world, but they knew GOD could not be deceived, nor would not be played withal. The oven was made seven times hotter, then ever before, & they cast into it, yet were they well able to abide it, and had much more solace in the burninge fire, then they that only looked on. The mother with her seven sons in the Maccabees chose rather to suffer most cruel death, which they passed thorough most joyfully, then to committee the least thing against the Law of their GOD. So likewise Mathathias his sons, and Eleazarus. Rhais that Christian woman, although not yet so fully catechized, that she was admitted to baptism, set on fire with the burning heat of God's Spirit, and the famous chaste woman Potamiena with her mother Marcella, after they had suffered great and horrible torments for the truths sake, were consumed in burning fire. Quinta the faithful woman and constant martyr of Christ, suffered rather to have her legs tied together, and to be drawn thorough the streets upon the sharp stones, and whipped most sharpelie, then she would seem to worship the images or idols in the temples. The constant old matron Apollonia was beaten about the lace till all her teeth were beaten out, a great heap of wood set on fire before her face, and threatened to be cast thereinto quick, if she would not agree to the Idolators, and did willingly choose to be burnt in the raging fire. So likewise the history showeth of Ammonarion, Mercuria, Dionysia, and other notable women, that were so vnfearefull to suffer most sharp death, that they would run, when they heard, where the execution was in hand, and carry their young children with them (such delight had they to suffer for Christ's sake) in great hast as unto a joyful feast, fearing nothing else, but that the tormentors would spare them, and that they should not be thought worthy to bear witness to Christ's death with their own blood. Call to your remembrance that faithful woman and worthy martyr of Jesus Christ your own country woman Anne Askew: her imprisonment moved her not, she little weighed the cruel torture and tearing her body on the rack, she joyfully went to the fire, and was of more comfort in feeling the pain, and less weary thereof, then the lookers on to behold, or the tormētours to do execution. The history saith, that Theodorus a young man, was so grievously tormented with diverse and sundry kinds of torments, and at length his body so rent and torn, that they left him for dead: Whome Ruffinus the writer of the Ecclesiastical story, afterward asked whether he felt not grievous pains, whiles he was in the torments, to whom he answered, that he felt very little pain: For, said he, there stood, as he thought, a young man by him, who always wiped the sweat from him, and so much comforted his stomach, that the time of the tormenting seemed to him much more pleasant then painful. Who made the young men walk in the fire and burn not? Who hardened these martyrs of men and women, that they did not shrink at pain, but ran thorough fire, water, and most cruel torments, and not be overcome? Certainly even he, who had promised them, that neither in fire, water, no nor yet in the shadow of death he would be from them, but would be their buckler, defendour and shield, faithfully performing that no temptation should so assail them, but that he would give a joyful ende and deliverance: whereunto they trusted, and so by their constant faith overcame, and had the victory. For this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Yea as S. Paul saith, y ^e time would not serve us, if we would rehearse how the Patriarchs, prophets, Apostles & Martyrs through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained the promises, stopped y ^e mouths of Lions, quenched y ^e violence of fire, escaped y ^e edge of y ^e sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens, y ^e women received their dead raised to life again. Other were racked and would not be delivered, that they might inherit a better resurrection. Again, other were tried with mockings and scourgings, moreover with bonds and imprisonments, were stoned, were hewn in sunder, were tempted, were slain with sword. And these all through faith obtained good report. The holy Ghost hath caused these histories to be kept in writing for us, y ^t are now in the latter days, to this ende, that we should not only behold in them the fiery raging of the world from the beginning against the chosen people of God, & how stoutly they withstood & overcame by faithful patience the malice thereof, but also y ^t by reading of thē, we should in our like troubles, learn like patience, receive the same comfort, & being thoroughly tried, conceive a sure hope of y ^e same victory, which they after many & sundry trials did win: whereof we shall not be disappointed, if we to y ^e ende strive lawfully. If it be to hard & above your capacity to behold all y ^e histories & examples propounded in y ^e scriptures, & the Chronicles of Christ's church with such consideration, that you may espy & behold in them the order of God's working with his Church in all ages, whereby to perceive these your grievous changes to be no new and unwonted work of God: If you do not perceive & see in them the true & just cause, which moveth the Lord hereunto, and thereby to learn faithful reap̄tance: & if you do not understand in diligent perusing them, that the end and issue was always joyful and glorious victory & deliverance, wherewith to comfort yourselves in the middes of miseries, take into your hands the comfortable history of King David, mark his whole life from that time he was taken from his fathers sheep to his death: behold in him, yourselves: in the people during the time of his rule, the church of England: and in the wonderful judgment of God in ordering his Church then, what shall be the ende of his sharp cross, wherewith he doeth exercise you at this time. And to the ende you may the better see, how to wade in considering his whole life, we have disclosed and opened for you to behold a part thereof: wherein you shall see plainly, that the grievous afflictions of everyone of you severally, and of the whole Church of England together, is not fallen by chance of evil or good fortune, but by the mighty hand of God, whose good will it is thus to have you tried for a while, also for what cause GOD thus worketh, and what shall be the ende of all these doings. After the Lord had found out David, a man after his own mind, and appointed him King over his people, who labored worthily to deliver and defend God's people from their enemies the Idolators, that dwelt nere about them, he did not grant to him such quietness, neither to his people, but that he was in continual troubles, and no small dangers, during the life of Saul, and also after his death, the Idolators, and also Saul's friends, seeking all the ways that might be, to disturb him forth of his kingdom. And not only was he thus vexed with his foreign enemies, but also most grievously of all, by those of his household, who should have been his most dear friends, his own natural son Absalom, his most privy Counselours, the nobility of his Realm, & y ^e most part of his subjects. Absalom pretending to his father David a great holiness, (as the manner of the hypocrites is) desired to have leave to go into Hebron, there to do sacrifice for the performance of a vow, which he had made in the time of his being in Syria, but his meaning was to obtain the kingdom from his Father, and to stir all Israel against him, which he brought to pass: David was banished, and pursued unto y ^e death by his own son, who wrought so much vilanie against his father, that he did not forbear in the despite of him, to misuse his fathers wives in the sight of all the people: how grievous and dangerous this sudden change was to David, & to the godly people, which were but a very few in respect of the great number of the malicious hypocrites, which followed Absalom, it appeareth plainly in the story, and you may easily consider. The best that was like to come of the matter, was, that whiles the kingdom of Israel was thus divided, God's enemies the Philistines, who had lain long in wait therefore, should snatche up from both the parties the kingdom of Israel, and not only utterly banishe God's true religion from among the Israelites, but also bring thē, their country, and their posterity into most miserable bondage and thralldom, and that, to God's enemies the most vile people, and hated of all the world. David in all these perilous dangers of his own life, loss of his kingdom, & utter destruction of God's people, did not discourage himself, but understanding all this to be the work of God's own hand, acknowledging the true cause unfeignedly, did persuade himself y ^t the Lord after a time, when his good will should be, would give a comfortable end to all these storms and bitter pāgs. His whole behavior he himself describeth in a Psalm, which is left in writing for us to learn thereafter how to behave our selves in the like persecutions. Whē he was fled from Jerusalem, & the priests were departed frō him with the Ark of y ^e Lord's Couenaunt, he went upon mount Olivet barefoot, wept as he went, and had his head covered, and so did all the people that were with him. And he made his mone unto the Lord, saying, O Jehovah, how are they increased that trouble me? how many are they that rise against me, howe many are there that say of my soul, There is no help for him in his God? Selah. Wonder not though this good King with an heavy heart, and sorrowful cheare doeth lament and bewail his dolorouse estate. Woulde it not grieve a King, when he thinketh of no such matter, suddenly to be cast out of his Royal seat, and brought in danger of his life, and that by his own natural Son?

Can the displeasure of any enemy so much pierce the heart of a kind father, as the unnatural cruelty of the son to seek his death, of whom he himself had his life? It grieved him no small deal to perceive such as had been his wise Counsailours, whom he much trusted, (whose duty it had been, with the spending of their own lives, to have defended the common weal brought to good and quiet order, both in matters of policy, & of God's true religion,) to be the supporters and mainteiners of an hypocrite, who had neither respect to God's true honor, nor yet consideration of duty to his most honorable Father, neither yet regard to the prosperous weal of his native country. But nothing of all these grieved him so much, as this one thing, the remembrance and true acknowledging in himself, that he himself was the only cause of all these evils. He called to his remembrance, that these plagues fell upon him sent from God, whose work it was, and that for his sins, which were the cause thereof, and this made him weep and mourn. For so soon as the Prophet Nathan had warned him of his offense, he cried, peccaui, I have sinned: and afterward when he saw this grievous and sudden change follow, he perceived it came partly for his sin by the work of God, and therefore submitted himself wholly to God's will, saying, If I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both his Ark and the Tabernacle thereof: but, and the Lord thus say, I have no lust unto thee, behold here am I, let him do with me what seemeth good in his eyes. Thus the worthy man of God acknowledgeth his troubles to be of God's hand, his sins to be the cause, and therefore humbly and faithfully submitteth himself to God's ordering, well content to receive whatsoever should be laid upon him. He assured himself that when he himself were most weakest, then God would declare his strength for his own glories sake, and after he were reduced to a faithful repentance by the correction of his merciful Father, then the rod should be cast into the fire. This consideration of plagues both to private men particularly, and also of Realms & whole common Wealthes is diligently to be weighed, that as they come from God, so have they this ende, that they tend partly to his own glory, partly to our profit, and amendment. For although sin is the general cause wherefore all mankind generally was, is, & shall be molested with many and sundry kinds of troubles and calamities, yet the calamities & afflictions are not to all kind of men alike, nor yet for one end and purpose. For the wicked and reprobate are punished & whipped of God to a far other end and meaning, then the godly and chosen children, who are y ^e true church of God, the lively menbers of Christ, & such as shall be never separated frō God and his loving favor in Christ Jesus. These although they be never without trouble in this world, but always exercised under y ^e cross, yet the cause and consideration why God will have them thus exercised, is either for the glory and honor of his own Name, or the profit, commodity; and exceeding benefit of them whom he thus afflicteth, either else for both these considerations together, for that there is no trouble that cometh to Christ's church or any menber thereof, which appeareth not plainly to redound to God's glory, & the profit of y ^e afflicted, if it be well & justly considered. These two causes & considerations doth the Scripture teach in all calamities of the church, whether they be general or particular, which being well marked, will easily put out of y ^e way this stumbling block, whereat many stumble & fall, marueyling wherefor God will suffer his word, & his chosen childrē thus to be used & evil dealt withal. The childrē of Israel were in Egypt most cruelly dealt w ^t all 400. years, oppressed with most painful labors, most servile exactions, their infants slain, they cried unto y ^e Lord, their griefs increased, for God had hardened Pharaoh his heart, that he should not ease or deliver his people. Wherefore did God thus afflict his people, and stirred this cruel tyrant so grievously to vex thē? truly for his own glory, & their profit. God rehearseth this cause and cōsideratiō in y ^e scripture, of the hard & cruel hearts of y ^e Egyptians towards his people, The Egyptians shall know y ^t I am the Lord, and that I will deliver my people by strong hand frō among thē. For this purpose (saith God to Pharaoh ) have I raised thee up, that in thee I may declare my power throughout the whole world. This profit they received, the exercise of their faith, the trial of their patience, and the confirming of their hope for deliverance, which was not deceived. Thus S. Paul noteth and collecteth of this history, the one end to be God's glory, for the honorable fame and renown of his Name throughout the whole world, and also the profit that the afflicted receive, which is the exercise of faith, as he noteth of Moses and his parents to the Hebrews. But much more plainly doth S. Paul note & teach these two considerations to the Corinthes, saying, But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that y ^e power which excelleth, might be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet are we not without shift: we are in poverty, but not utterly without somewhat: we are persecuted, but we are not forsaken: we are oppressed, nevertheless we perish not. But seeing we have the same Spirit of faith (according as it is writteng believed, and therefore have I spoken) we also believe, and therefore we speak. For we know that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise us up also by the means of Jesus. Therefore we are not weary, but though our outward man be corrupt, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our trouble, which is but temporal and light, worketh an exceeding and an eternal weight of glory unto us. What can Saint Paul speak more to the commendation of God's praise and glory, then that the excellency of his mighty power is declared and advanced in this, that his are troubled, impoverished, persecuted, oppressed, and yet in all these do not perish nor faint, but overcome by him, who hath willed his in all their troubles to call upon him, and he will so deliver them, that his Name shall thereby be glorified, and honored? And what greater profit can come to the Church, then to have the faith of God's children so exercised, that the inward man may be renewed day by day, and that as Christ entered into his glory by troubles, the cross, and death, so also our troubles, which are but short and light in respect of his, may work unto us an exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Both these two things S. Paul noteth in the general afflictions of Christ's Church, and also the Scripture teacheth the self same general causes of the troubles of every private member of Christ. As our Savior Christ reporteth of the infirmity of the borne blind man, which was for this cause, saith he, that the works of God should be shown on him. And in like case when Christ heard tell that Lazarus was sick, he said. This sickness is not to death, but for the praise of God, y ^t the sonne of God might be praised there through. This did much set forth y ^e glory of God in Christ, that he was of power to raise up frō death a man, which had been in his grave huried 4. days, & was so corrupted y ^t he did stink. And wherein doth y ^e power of God more exceedingly appear to his glory, thē in raising his church & faithful people frō the grave & pit of troubles, afflictions, and many intolerable miseries, wherein the world goeth about to tread them down, & bury them? Doth not Christ herein most marvelously set forth his glory, y ^t when the world by motion of y ^e devil doth furiously fret & rage against his faithful to root out his word, then it springeth & flourisheth most plentifully, & the faithful are fastened & confirmed therein most unfeignedly & boldly? This hath God wrought in all ages in y ^e fire of troubles & afflictions, trying his faithful childrē for his own honors sake & their profit, as appeareth in y ^e histories of y ^e church frō the beginning. And beside this y ^t our faith is thus tried, our patience proved, our hope confirmed by these afflictions, y ^e faithful do receive also diverse other commodities & profits by troubles which are more necessary to thē then either meat, or drink: The worldly ones set more by their easy life here to serve their idle bellies, thē by the necessary & profitable things to eternal life. By troubles and afflictions the faithful are made of like and semblable shape to the Image of God's own Sōne Jesus Christ, saith S. Paul, If they suffer with Christ, they shall live w ^t him in glory. Whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth, yea & he scourgeth every son, whom he receiveth, & nourtereth us to that, which is profitable, y ^t we might receive of his holiness. And to y ^e Corinthians S. Paul saith, that when we are afflicted, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be damned with the world. Thus the scriptures do teach plainly & also abundantly, that for these two considerations, God doeth suffer his church to be afflicted, and his own people in this world to be exercised under the cross: which appeareth in all ages by the examples of all histories. For behold the face of God's church frō that good King David unto this our time, & you shall see what wonderful chaūges & grievous overthrows his people have suffered always, & therefore should not marvel of this our change in England. After David was anointed King over God's people, y ^e 2. book of Samuel declareth with what troubles God did exercise him, & his whole kingdom during his time. But he observed the ordinances of the Lord, and kept the true religion among his people according to the commandment of God. After him Salomō hath governance of God's people; who in the beginning of his reign walked after his Father David, did build God's temple, and observed the true religion, but y ^t lasted but a while: for in his latter years he fell to idolatry and the service of false gods, so that the true service of God began thē to be corrupted. After him his son Roboam reigned, at whose beginning y ^t realm had such a miserable change, that it could never after recover itself again: for the kingdom was divided, and 10. tribes which were called afterward Israel, fell from Roboam, & from the true religion unto idolatry, & false serving of God, & so continued in false superstitious religion, always hating the true service of God, killing the Prophets that did teach the truth, & the godly people that confessed the same many years: and yet all that time persuaded them selves that they had the true service of God, and that their doings did much please God: yea the face of God's Church was so blemished and brought to such a small number of true professors, that the Prophet Eli complaineth, that there was not one left, but he himself alone, whose life also they sought after. Consider well this history, and the working of God with his Church & true religiō. The Prophet Samuel had taught the people the true service of God: the worthy king David maintained the same all his time, but with great difficulty. Solomon his son a Prince of most wisdom and knowledge, perfectly instructed in the ways of the Lord, fell from God, and corrupted God's religion with the false services invented by man, so that the Lord was so offended therewith, that he cut of from the rule of his posterity y ^e most part of the kingdom: for the ten tribes were never after him under the governance of his succession, neither did afterward walk in the fear of God, but in Idolatry and false religion, till at the last God sent the Assyrians to invade them in that wise, that they overcame them, carried them forth of their own country, dispersed them in many countries among the heathen, sent strangers to inhabit their land, and so utterly destroyed that kingdom. God defend the realm of England from the like punishment. This was a fearful judgment of God, where he had but one small kingdom in the whole world, that bare the face of his Church, where his true honor was maintained, and that so suddenly of twelve tribes ten should fall from God to idolatry, and false religion: yea and the other also, during all the time of Roboam, and his son Abia after him, so y ^t during all this time there was not in the world any Church or people, where the sincere religion and pure word of God was received by public authority and common order: although God reserved always some that privately served him and feared his Name faithfully, who were always so hated and punished by the Idolaters, that their lives were bitter unto them. In those days did y ^e idolaters make the self same reasons & arguments against the Prophets and their doctrine, which your Idolaters do make now against God's people & his true religion. The faithful then lived among those Idolaters with no less fear, trouble and persecution, then the Christians do now in England. The Prophets were then imprisoned, & driven out of their country like seditious heretics, the causers of all evil, as the true preachers now in England are partly imprisoned, partly driven out of the realm. After the death of these wicked Kings of Iehuda, God visited his people with some light of the truth by the means of Aza, and King Jehoshaphat after him: who restored, although not perfectly, the true religion, bannished the false, and destroyed the Altars of the Idolaters. The which reformation was not done without great difficulty and trouble, and continued but a small time in that same order. For Joram the son of Kinge Jehoshaphat overthrew the true service of GOD, condemned it, and brought in the place thereof the superstitions, and Idolatries of the Kings of Israel, and so the Church continued never perfectly reformed, but always afflicted, till the time of Hezekiah. For although Aza, Jehoshaphat, Ioaz, Amazias, Vzzias, and Ioatham, attempted a reformation, and were indifferently good Kings, yet was not the Church cleansed of all the Idolatries, and false counterfeit religion, as it appeareth by the Prophets, Eli, Amos, Isaiah, Ozea, Micah. But the worthy King Hezekiah in the first yere of his reign began to reform the religion, brake down and banished all Idols and Images, hill altars, and whatsoever was against God's commandment, restoring God's true religion after the rule of God's word. The which thing as he brought to pass not without great troubles and difficulties, so it continued in purity but a little time. For his Son, wicked Manasseh, who reigned after him, put away, and did forsake the true way, and brought in again all manner of Idolatry and false religion, and did grievously punish and persecute the faithful people, and true Prophets. He shed (saith the Scripture) innocent blood exceeding abundantly. In like manner did his son Ammon also, who reigned after him. This grievous change remained thus, until the good King Josiah made a new and godly reformation: which ought to be a glass to all Princes to behold themselves in. But this godly reformation of this good King did not continue: for his son, and all the Kings of Iehuda after him forsook the ways of God, and restored again the Idolatry, and false religion of their forefathers, and so continued, till God sent the King of Babylon to destroy their city, Temple, and country. Who also led them captive into Babylon, where they continued many years in great affliction, as it appeareth by the Prophets, Jeremiah & Daniel, so that in five hundredth years and above, in the days of all the Kings of Iehuda God's religion was set forth, and received in public order sincerely and perfectly, and the contrary utterly banished & abolished, but only in the times of David, Hezekiah and Josiah: as Jesus the son of Sirach witnesseth, saying, all Kings except David, Hezekiah and Josiah committed wickedness: for even the Kings of Iehuda also forsook the laws of God. With what difficulty and troubles, God's religion and true service was restored after y ^e return of God's people from Babylon, and how short a time it continued in purity, what troubles and grievous persecutions the true servants of the Lord suffered, it is partly set forth in Esdras, and Nehemiah: after in Hester, & then in the Maccabees: And although unto the coming of Christ, there was an outward face and beautiful show of God's religion among the Jews, yet was it so defaced, and utterly falsifyed with traditions of the Pharisees, who were that time in estimation, that Christ himself doth testify, that their service was but vain traditions of men, and the commandment of God was not observed. All that time there were no Prophets to instruct them in the right way. For immediately after the captivity, all prophesying ceased in Israel. Now peruse the history of our Savior Christ in the four Evangelists, and you shall perceive in what state Christ found his true religion, what pains and travail he took to restore the true and sincere honouringe of God, with howe great difficulty he brought it to pass, and at the last, howe it cost him his life. After whose death the cruelty of them, who would seem to have and maintain the true honoring of GOD, ceased not, but stirred most vehement persecution against the true Church of Christ, and dispersed it throughout all the world: with what pains, troubles, and difficulty true Christianity was planted, and false religion put away, S. Lucas partly mentioneth in the Acts of the Apostles, who spent their lives in the building of Christ his Church. After Christ his death the cruel tyrant Nero the Emperor did persecute the Church most cruelly, after whose time, the Church was in some quiet, but not long: for Domitian the Emperor did persecute Christ his Church to destroy his true religion most heinously. Nerua his successor was friendly to the Christians. Traiane after him a cruel persecutor, and enemy: and then Hadriane: after whose time the Church had rest for a while. For shortly after, the Christians that were in Asia, and also in the West parties, were cruelly disquieted. Shortly after this time did England receive the Christiā faith, and was the first country of all the world that received the faith of Christ by public authority ( Lucius being their first Christian King,) but the purity of Christ his truth, did not long there continue, not much above an hundredth years. Seuerus the Emperor wrought all the means that might be, to destroy Christ's Church, and to subuerte the true religion with most sharp persecution, after whose time there was some quiet: but shortly after the cruel tyrant Maximinus did sore molest the faithful, and likewise after him Detius, Gallus, Hostilianus, Lucius Valerianus. Galienus granted the Christians peace, Aurelianus did persecute them. And Dioclesianus more like an infernal serpent, then an earthly man, did as it were devour the Church most cruelly. In this time was the greatest persecution, that had been before: The tormentors were much more weary in sheading the Christian blood, and cruelly tormenting the faithful, then the holy martyrs were in suffering the pains. There were in this persecutiō within thirty days above seventeen thousand Christians killed most spitefully. But Constantine the good Emperor became a Christian, set the Church in peace, & was the f •••… Emperor that did by public authority put down gentilitie, and truly maintained the Christianity. But that lasted not long: for within short time after, Julianus th'apostata being Emperor, went about to undo all that Constantine had done, used wonderful policies to destroy the Christian religion, and did afflict the faithful very grievously. After this time the Church was grievously molested by the Arians, after with Huns, Vandals, and Goths, and so continued many years till all good learning began wonderfully to be decayed, and at the length albeit the Church seemed to be at rest, yet hath it been even to this day miserably afflicted, and the pure religion utterly defaced, by two vicars the Devil put in commission at one time about eight hundredth years since: the Antichrist of Rome for the West, and Mahomet for the East. Now weye and consider with yourselves this same brief rehearsal of the state of God's Church, howe the Church of the Israelites was afflicted in Egypt, then in the time of the Judges, next under the Ringes, at the last carried into a strange country captives, after their return and reedifying of the Temple what great perils and troubles it sustained till after the days of the Maccabees, next consider the history of Christ, & the Acts of the Apostles. After this the ten notable persecutions the Church suffered under most cruel tyrants from the eight yere of Nero, by the space of three hundredth and twenty years, unto the time of Constantine, and from his time three hundredth years after by the Arians, and barbarous Huns, Vandals and Goths, by whose means good learning was decayed, and ignorancie brought in: And then mark with advisement, how that from that time hitherto Mahomet hath usurped and afflicted the East Church, and the Pope the west (for he began to exercise his proud power over the Church about the same time, that Mahomet brought in his religiō) consider I say with advisement in all these times, howe little while God's religion was maintained in the Church, what perilous changes were in the kingdoms, what exeeeding cruelty was always used against the people of God, as though they had been heretics, his word condemned as heresy, and the cause of all evils: and you shall perceive that this is no new or vnkoth thing, that the true religion of God should be thus put away and condemned, and the faithful Church molested and afflicted both generally as is plain in these histories, and also particularly in the ministers & faithful members, as appeareth in Abel, the Patriarchs, Prophets, Christ, his Apostles, & in a great number of holy saints and martyrs, since the death of Christ til now our days. Thus may you plainly see how God hath wrought with his Church at all times, and therefore should not discourage yourselves, because of this sudden change, but with David acknowledging your sins to God, declare unto him how many they be, that vex you, and rise against you, naming you heretics and the children of Belial, as they named David. Let the wicked Idolaters boast and brag that they have overcome you, and that God hath given you over & will no more be your God: let them put their trust in Absalom with his long golden locks, and in the wisdom of Achitophel the wise counsailour, yet say you with David, thou O Lord art my defender, thou art my worship, and the lifter up of my head, fear not their violence to hurt you in your bodies, to harm you in your goods. Perswade yourselves with David that the Lord is your defender, who hath compassed you round about, and is as it were a shielde, that doeth cover you on every part: it is he only that may and will compass you about with glory and honor, it is he, that will thrust down those proud hypocrites from their seat, and exalt his lowly and meek. David in the mids of his miseries did thus comfort him self, leaning to the providence of God, looking for deliverance from him, appointing God no time, but committing the whole matter unto his wisdom and goodness. He laid him self to sleep, rose again, was not afraid for innumerable people, that set him round about to have destroyed him, for y ^e Lord will sustain me, saith this good King. This was his shot anker, here was his refuge, herewith he comforted himself, that the Lord would be his defender and safeguard, and at the length restore him to his place again. He armed him self with the armor of God, but above all he took to him the shield of faith, wherewith he quenched the fiery darts of the wicked. He had the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit, the promises of God, and buckled these fast unto him self with this long and durable girdle of faithful prayer and watching, saying, I will cry unto the Lord with my voice, and he will hear me from his holy hill. If you will receive comfort, cry with David unto the Lord, exercise your faith in earnest and continual prayer, say, arise O Lord & help me, and he will smite your enemies on the cheekebone, and brast all their teeth in sunder, he will hang up Absalom by his own long hear. Achitophel through desperation shall hange him self, the bands shall be broken, & you delivered: for this belongeth to y ^e Lord to save his frō their enemies, & to bless his people. Thus David in the mids of his affliction did comfort himself, trust to the only providence of his most merciful God, persuading himself both of his good will, and mighty power, whereby he should have deliverance, and was not deceived. This blessing shall also be on you, if that neglecting the wisdom of the world, you submit yourselves to the correctiō of God your heavenly Father, faithfully crying him mercy, & patiently abiding his good will and pleasure.