The Christian Combat

CHAP. I. Man by nature is subject to a great number of afflictions, and more sensible of pain then of pleasure.

MAN by Nature is a dolourous creature, more sensible of pain then of pleasure. For hardly do we feel the health of the whole body, but a sore finger, or the tooth-ach makes us impatient. One sole affliction amidst many a good success, troubleth all our joy, and changeth all our sweetness into bitterness. Prosperity is like a long traile of Cannon which stops by the way for want of a peg. Therefore as the tongue bears it self towards the payning tooth: so we speak oftener of a small affliction which befalls us, then of many of God's blessings. Yea the pleasures do incontinently distaste us, and the greatest delight hath some grains of sorrow, and a tune of sighing; as the tickling of the armepits.

Notwithstanding, if all be well considered, we shall find that the evils of this life do far surpass the goods, both in number and greatness. Then are we not to marvel, if man's life that is more sensible of evils then of good, and that hath more evils then goods, yea and which changeth his good into evil by the indisposition of his mind, is full of bitterness. For God's blessings falling in the lap of a man destituted of God's Spirit, do rot, because his heart is always corrupted; and prosperity ill guided, is more hurtful then affliction. In a word, man hath a soul that kills his body, like unto a sword that cuts his scabbard, and that torments himself, and cuts to himself many a troublesome business.

Unto all these evils the Word of God propoundeth some remedies, and gives wholesome counsels; which if we follow, we shall not only not make worse the evils that befall us, but we shall lighten them, yea we shall make them profitable and wholesome.

Now seeing there are two sorts of Afflictions, whereof some do happen indifferently to all men, as sickness, loss of parents, loss of goods; but the others are proper unto the children of God; we will begin with the first sort of them.

CHAP. II. Counsels and consolations against those evils that befall indifferently all men; And first, against corporal maladies and infirmities.

IN evils common to all men, the man fearing God, behaues not himself after the common fashion, but governs himself otherwise then other men; for worldly men impute the evils to chance, and complain of mischief, or murmur against God; or if the force of their anguish do draw from them some words of repentance, or some prayers suggested by necessity, so soon as the evil is past, they return to their natural disposition; like to hogs that never look towards heaven, but when they are cast to ground and overturned; which if they be let go, return presently their snowts towards the earth.

The same Afflictions happening to the faithful, do produce other effects. For example, If he be sick, he will take this Affliction not as common by chance, or only by natural causes, but as sent from the hand of his heavenly Father; & acknowledging that it is God that strikes, he will turn himself towards him that hath stricken him, and will say with David, I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, because thou diddest. For as the patient that is let blood, if he stir his arm, hinders that the blood-letting do him any good: so we hinder that the afflictions be wholesome unto us, by moving our selves with impatience. Rather the Christian will examine his conscience to know and acknowledge the causes, wherefore God afflicts him, to the end he may glorify God by his humiliation: He will acknowledge that having abused his health, he deserves to be sick; and thereupon he will in his bed pass over his life past, and examine his actions, and will remember the graces of God which he hath abused. He will discharge his tears in the bosom of his Father, and will grieve, not for the evil he feels, but for the evil he hath done; and will lament his sins with tears of repentance. So soon as he feels himself stricken and compelled to be bedrid, in putting off his clothes, he will dispose himself as if he did cast off his body, and well put himself to bed, as ready to be put in his grave, saying in himself, Should this well be the hour of my deliverance?

And if he be troubled with grievous pains, to comfort himself, he will represent to himself those sorrows infinitely greater, that Christ Jesus hath carried for us, and those infinite torments, from which he hath redeemed us. He will meditate on the sweetness and assurance of the promises of the Gospel, and will comfort himself, because his peace is made with God; and will apprehend the excellency of eternal salvation, wherewith the corporal sorrows of a few days are not to be compared, but are as a bitter pill at the beginning of an everlasting feast. It will be good also to represent to himself, so many holy souls, that either from bed, or from the fires and Martyrdom, are gone to the Kingdom of heaven; which being arrived at the haven, continually receive into their number other souls, beaten with the storm, and tossed by the tempest of this world.

And if those that are about the sick, do weep, judging ill of his malady, he will chide them, and tell them, that their sorrow is injurious to Christ, as if they did presume that it were a loss to go to him. He will tell them that which Jesus Christ told his Disciples, If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I go unto my Father.

And if he recovers his health, he will receive it as a gift which God bestows on him, to employ it to his service more diligently then heretofore; and will say, God gives me time to prepare myself to go to him; remembering Saint Peters wives mother, who being healed of her fever, ministered unto our Lord Jesus. He will remember also those words that Christ uttered to the patient, whom he had healed; Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

And seeing that sickness are personal summonings, whereby God warns us to make us always ready; everyone fearing God, whom God hath raised up from some great sickness, and set on foot, will make that this sickness be a preparation unto the last. Having been at deaths door, he will hereafter be familiar with it, and will study to live how he must die, being cloyed with days, but yet more with offending God. O when shall we be in that place where we shall be no more toiled with insatiable desires! where the love of God shall possess all our desires, and where we shall hear no more God's Name blasphemed! Who doubts but that many of the faithful, having had in their sickness their hearts inflamed with these holy desires, have not been sorry to see themselves recovered of their health? and having had as it were the prize in their hand, to see themselves again put to the Combat, and again to live in the Kingdom of Satan?

Such are the thoughts and words of the man fearing God, afflicted with sickness, which are worth a thousand times more then the merry words at banquets. For it is not at banquets, but in sickness, that men speak of God, and of the vanity of this life, and of the hope of salvation. Therefore according to Solomon's judgment, It is better to go to the house of mourning, then to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart. Naaman had never sought for the Prophet Elisha, if he had not be attainted with leprosy. Corporal diseases made sick persons go to Jesus; who with cure of their bodies, received also the cure of their souls.

And if God give to the faithful a languishing and noisome body, he will acknowledge that God tells him covertly, I will not that this life please thee; for we go the more willingly out of a house that sinks, and where it rains rhumes, and where the foundations are shaken by the gout, and where the windows are dimmed by the weakness of the sight. It is a wholesome thing for the soul to serve the body as an ordinary Informer. It is a beautiful and seemly thing to finish ones life before death; living daily, as if one did already touch the end of his race; like to a ship provided of all necessary furniture, that stays but for the wind; or a prisoner detained in the hole of a prison, who beholding the light thorough the crannies, expects with great desire the hour of deliverance.

CHAP. III. Counsels and Comforts against poverty and the loss of goods.

THe love of the goods of this world, is an evil deeply rooted in the heart of man. It is that which makes a man hazard his life, to gain a little money, as one that would cast down headlong his body, to save his clothes. This is the vice, which makes a man more covetous of gold and silver, even then when his age warns him that he hath no more need of it; yea which makes him bemoan the money which shall be spent at his funerals. It is this vice that makes a man serve his riches, instead that they should serve him and make use of them, and be possessed by those goods, in lieu that he should possess them. It is this that hinders alms-deeds, and quencheth Christian charity. For as that Land where are Mines of gold and silver, is ordinarily barren, and those mines are a haunt of devils; so he that is tied to his gold or silver, becomes barren in good works, and his heart becomes the habitation of the evil spirit. And if the covetous man do any good, it is after his death; for he is like to a chest so well shut up, that none can get anything out of it, till it be broken up; and then his money that was prisoner and kept unjustly, is set at liberty.

They that are possessed with this vice, find poverty intolerable: and if they happen to leese their goods, they reject all comfort. But the man fearing God; who by the contempt of goods hath learned to imitate poverty in the midst of his plenty, and to possess the things of the world, as not possessing them; when God takes away his goods, he doth not only not murmur, but he finds gain in this loss, and profit in this trial, and many wholesome instructions.

First, not to find his condition miserable, he will set before his eyes Christ Jesus, who though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, and had not where to lay his head; sanctifying poverty in his person, and honoring it by his example; and the example of the Apostle Saint Paul, that excellent instrument of God's Spirit, who got his living with the labor of his hands; and the example of the other Apostles, whom Jesus Christ sent to preach the Gospel without money and without provision; having told them even at his first preaching, that Blessed are the poor, yea the poor whom Saint James says are rich in Faith.

Now GOD having brought to poverty those whom he loves, will have them take poverty for a spiritual diet, and an exercise of Christian abstinence; whereby it pleasech God to discharge them of earthly cares; or abate their pride and vanity, or to make them fitter to carry the Cross after Christ Jesus, or oblige them to work; or to lift up their hearts towards other goods, the purchase whereof is certain, the possession firm, and the price incomprehensible; that they may labor for goods that cannot be taken away, which follow the faithful in exile, enter with them in prison, and which none can deprive him of, even when he is deprived of this body.

The faithful will also acknowledge, that God by poverty withdraws him from lewdness, keeps him aloof from temptations, and reduceth him to sobriety; God handling him, as when he sends the gout to the feet and hands of that person that charged his fingers with diamonds, and carried his too spruce shoes, to reduce him perforce to plainness. He will therefore say in himself, God knows what is profitable for me; he knows that if I were rich, I should wax insolent; having much to distribute, I should have a greater account to make him. As he proposeth to the rich the Crown of Christian charity, so he lays up for me a Crown of patience. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Surely whosoever hath the fear of God, will find in it an inestimable treasure and riches, which lift up poverty far above all plenty; therefore will he say with David, A little that a righteous man hath, is better thē the riches of many wicked. The Apostle Saint Paul saying, that, Godliness with contentment is great gain, produceth that solid contentment, and the true riches of the fear of God; and esteems that he who fears God, althoug • he have but a little money, hath not a bad portion. For he that hath true godliness, acknowledging that he is a traveler and stranger on earth, will not care in what attire he passeth his way, so that he arrive to the Kingdom of Heaven; where Lazarus is in the bosom of Abraham; the poor with the rich: because this rich one was of the number of the poor and humble in spirit, and this poor one was rich in God; who is no respecter of persons, and who teacheth us, that contentment comes not from plenty, but from his blessing. For man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

He will therefore say secretly to himself, I have but a body to nourish and clothe; a little earth sufficeth to nourish a man in his life, and yet less to cover him after his death. A little money sufficeth to live honestly, and yet less money to die happily. Of so many sheets whereof the coffers of the rich are full, one alone will suffice to wrap him in after his death. For naked came we into the world, and naked shall we go out, and shall carry nothing of all those our goods, but that which we have given to the poor; For he that hath pity upon the poor, he lendeth unto the Lord.

Which nature it self teacheth us. For what care we whether we drink of a great or small brook, so we be satisfied? or whether we take out of a great or small silver plate, so we be nourished.

Whosoever weighs well these things, will confess that the misery of poor folks consists not in that they are poor, but in that they envy the rich, and cannot frame themselves unto poverty. For we have that evil, that in matter of virtues, we compare our selves with those whom we think are our inferiors, and thereby become presumptuous; but in matter of riches, we compare our selves with those that surpass us, and thereby we become envious. We find occasion of pride in other men's vices, and occasion of fretfulnesse by other men's riches: instead that we should look at those that are more virtuous then us, to imitate them; and at those that are poorer then us, to give God thanks. So that in matter of prudence and good understanding, everyone thinks himself well enough portioned, but in matter of money, everyone is discontented, and would willingly control the portions which God hath made; not considering that riches are glewie and a dangerous snare, and a place where Satan spreads his nets, and thorns that often choke the good seed of God's World. They that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. So that whosoever subdueth his judgment to the rules of God's Word, instead of envying the rich, will give God thanks for his poverty. For as a Free-man who is simply clothed, will never envy Lackeyes, though covered with imbrodered clothes, and with magnificent Liueries, because that even that magnificence is a mark of their bondage: Even so a man fearing God, brought to a petty condition, will never repine at the riches of worldly men, because that by the same riches Satan keeps them in slavery, intangles them in his snares, and trailes them by their covetousness.

It pleaseth God to deal thus with his children, to stint them, and to keep them short, while the wicked live in plenty; doing that, which fathers careful of the health of their children do. Even as in a great house it often happeneth, that the servants are drunken and make good cheer, while the father of the family diets his son, to prevent a sickness.

We have another evil; that often we call that poverty, which many excellent servants of God would esteem plenty. Such a one thinks himself poor, that hath more money then all the Apostles together had, whereof the poorest thought himself rich; for we measure our riches with the ell of our covetousness, which hath no end; whereas we should measure them with the ell of Nature, which is short, and contents it self with little. And again, even of that which nature requires, godliness pares off sometimes something, when it pleaseth God to reduce his children to pass without many things which are esteemed necessary, to accustom them to pass the easier without superfluous things.

Wherefore let us follow the Apostles counsel, saying, Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Lest after a covetous toile and full of evil care, it be said unto us, as it was said to that heaper of goods: Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee, then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? That man spake of enlarging his barns, but he should rather have enlarged his charity, and streighted his covetousness. For as the right way to appease the thirst of him that hath the ague, is not to let him drink as much as he will, but to diminish the inward heat by bloodletting; so the means to asswage the thirst of a covetous man, is not in giving him store of wealth, but in diminishing his covetousness. Witness Zacchaeus, who before his conversion, thought himself poor, and all his endeavor was to hoard up. But the very day of his conversion he began to think himself rich, though by his liberality towards the poor, and his fourefould restitution of all that he had got by circumvention, his goods were diminished more then the half.

Every man thus disposed, will take joyfully the spoiling of his goods, knowing in himself, that he hath in heaven a better and an enduring substance: And will esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches, then the treasures in Egypt. Committing his earthly cares unto God's providence, he will say with the Apostle, He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall not he with him also freely give us all things? He that gives unto our souls the bread of life, will he deny the material bread to our bodies? He that will clothe our souls with that heavenly light wherewith he clothes the Angels, will he deny to our bodies that clothing which he hath liberally bestowed on beasts? Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

CHAP. IV. Counsels and comforts touching the loss of our friends.

IN our domestical wounds God requires not of us that we should be insensible, for godliness overturns not Nature. Notwithstanding, if God takes from a man that fears him, any one of his nearest and dearest friends, or frō the husband, his wife, or his children, he will not sorrow as they that have no hope; nor as those which have obstinate tears, and and an ambitious mourning; or as they which would willingly contest against God. Surely he will not be without natural compassion, seeing that Jesus Christ himself, intending to raise Lazarus, omitted not to weep over him: But having satisfied nature and decency, he will give place to reason, and yet more to the fear of God. Which teacheth us, not to resist God's ordinance, and to conform our selves to his will, which is just and unavoidable; Propounding unto us the example of Job, who after the loss of all his children in one day, did not murmur against God, but did glorify him by his humiliation. And the example of David, who during the sickness of his son, did weep bitterly: but after that God had disposed of him, took courage and comforted himself in God. We shall go to our friends, but they shall return no more to us; they are not lost, but they are sent before us, yea I say, that though we could restore them to life by our tears, yet ought we not to trouble their rest; and to content our desires, cast them again into those evils, from the which God hath delivered them. Is it not a great deal better we should prepare our selves to follow them, then to consume our selves in lamenting them? Is it not better we should divert our heaviness by fear and an holy care, then to make our wounds the worse, by putting our hands always on them? And think rather on the good things to come that are certain, and of an infinite value, then on the evils past, which are petty in comparison of them, and without remedy?

It will be good also for a man to say in himself, God hath taken away a person whom I loved singularly, that I may hereafter transfer my thought to him alone, and that he alone from henceforth possess all my love. I cleaved too much to the earth by this root; which God hath cut off, that my desires be not more fastened to the earth, and that there where my treasure is, there my heart and affection be also. God hath honored us with an holy Priesthood: let us not make our selves unclean by the dead, in weeping more for them then for our sins; and lamenting more our domestical afflictions then the breach of Joseph. Wherefore should we, having seen any of our nearest friends die with alacrity, and full assurance of his salvation, lament them with excess, and notwithstanding, behold with dry eyes, and with an vnmouable spirit the affliction of the Church, and the blood of the faithful spilled, with blasphemy of the enemies, and the reproach of the doctrine of the Gospel? Such tears are cruel against the Church, and injurious towards God, whom if we love, the outrage done to his glory, ought to touch us a great deal more then our own discommodity.

CHAP. V. General Counsels and comforts against all sorts of Afflictions.

TO abridge this matter, and not to particularize anymore of all sorts of Afflictions, that we may apply to everyone apart their remedies, I say in general, that the faithful, in all his Afflictions, will find wherewith to profit; for God by Afflictions will humble our pride, stir up our drowzines, inflame our prayers, try our faith, exercise our patience, and make us to experiment his help in our needs; that as the Apostle saith, Tribulation worketh patience, patience experience, and experience hope, which maketh not ashamed. We shall find by experience, that as the cherishing and flatteries of our friends are not so profitable to us, as the reproaches and blames of our enemies; so it is a great deal better for us to be chastened by the hand of God, then to be flattered by the hand of the devil.

It was in Affliction, that the conscience of Joseph's brethren was awaked, and that they said one to another; We are very guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear. Therefore is this distress come upon us. It was in the fullness of his Affliction, that the King Manasseh did turn himself to God, and that God received him into favor. David makes this confession to God, Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but now I have kept thy Word. Experience makes us know, that the prayers which languish in prosperity, do wax hot by adversity. Thē grief forms in an instant the tongues, the most slowest, to an holy eloquence, which breathes forth most fervent prayers, drawn out by anguish. We are beholding to Saul and Absalom for the Psalms of David, and the holy Songs of that royal Harp, the tune whereof doth as yet to this day pacify the troubled consciences, and chaseth away the evil spirit.

All these considerations will make the faithful, not only not to sink under the burden of Afflictions but also to reap some profit by them; and when he shall have looked them near in the face, he will find them to be weak against the man that hath in his hand the Buckler of faith, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; who not fearing death, yea hoping for death, despiseth the more easily the commodities of this life; for with the eyes of faith he pierceth this hideous masque, and under the appearance of death, espies a present of eternal life. He beholds Christ Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith marching before us, and making plain the way of death, and by his death abolishing the curse of ours. Of two bands which keep his soul fastened to his body, whereof the one is natural, and the other voluntary; he hath already broke the voluntary, and untied his affection frō this earthly life, before God cut the natural band by death. Death is no news to him, because that his life hath been a continual mortification. His soul longeth, and his heart crieth out for the living God. He saith with David, When shall I come and appear before God?

In a word, all kind of Afflictions change their nature, when they befall the man endued with God's Spirit; for all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Therefore the consolations which human wisdom propoundeth against evils, are weak, in comparison of those that are ministered to us by the Word of God: for Philosophy draws her consolations from necessity, telling us, that in vain we torment our selves about evils that cannot be remedied. But even that that they are without remedy, is that which troubleth us most, and is the greater part of the evil. She teacheth us that our evils are bitter enough of their own nature, without making them more bitter by impatience. In vain doth man open his arm against the current; and it is some comfort to follow nature, and in a general ruin to enwrap himself in the multitude. But great evils are not cured by blowing upon them: and words cunningly set forth with art, may serve to tickle the wound, but not to bring any remedy to it; the unavoidable necessity of evils serves rather to harden the courage, then to comfort the heart, or to give peace to the conscience. The right comforts are not those which only frame us to patience, but those which settle joy in the heart, and which teach us to reckon Afflictions amongst God's gifts, and to find matter of thanksgiving in our chastisements.

These counsels and comforts may easily be put in practice by him, in whom God's fear hath mortified those burning desires, and planted in his heart a hatred of vice. For as a sound man, and that hath the noble parts of the body well composed, will easily endure labor, and will quietly sleep upon straw; even so the man that hath a conscience sound, and purged of ambition, envy, hatred, and incontinency, which are indispositions and maladies of the soul, will find Afflictions light, and will, under this burden, run on his race with alacrity: But he whom ambition puffs up, pleasure corrupts, whom envy hath dried up, whom covetousness hath bowed towards the earth, will fall under the burden, and will feel himself over-whelmed with Affliction. He who aspiring to high things, is rolled down from his high hopes, will bite off the bit with choller, and impatiently bear poverty. But he who hoped for nothing, nor pretended anything on earth, as he desired not to gain much, so will he not mourn with excess for that he hath lost. For though the evils whereunto our nature is subject, or which God sends us, or which men do unto us, are great, and in great number; are notwithstanding a great deal more tolerable, then those which a man doth to himself by burning hatred and envy, by unjust quarrels, by rash ambition, by disordered desires, by an envious fretfulnesse, and by an impatient precipitation; for as those ulcers that came of themselves, are a great deal worser then wounds and hurts, because the evil is inward, and the complexion or constitution of the body helps: So those evils which a man doth to himself by his vices, are more dangerous, and more obstinate against remedies, then those afflictions which men inflict on us, or which God sends us; because they are evils which we entertain expressly, and which are aided by nature; and which having weakened us, and softened our courage, make us weak to bear afflictions, and incapable to profit by God's chastisements. Think not that he can bear those evils which his enemies do to him, that is an enemy to himself; or that a man that loves his riches more then God, can patiently endure that God take from him his riches.

CHAP. I. The difference between those afflictions that are common to all men, and those that are proper unto the children of God.

ALL those afflictions which we have spoken of heretofore, are afflictions that befall indifferently to all men, as well good as bad: Sauing that God is accustomed to visit oftener his children with his rods, and keep them in a continual exercise of humility, because he is careful of their salvation. Doing as a father, who for the selfsame fault committed by his son, and by his servant, will chastise his son, and will leave his servant unpunished. But in this second Treatise we will only speak of afflictions that are proper to the children of God, and which befall them for the profession of the Gospel.

There is great difference betwixt these two sorts of afflictions. For those happen to us, as to men weak, or as to sinners; but these, as to Christians, and for God's cause. Those are an exercise of patience, these over and above, are matter of glory. Those are chastisements which God sends; these are over and besides scarfes of our warfare, honorable marks, conformities with the eternal Son of God. Wherefore the Apostle, very well exercised in this war, placeth these afflictions amongst the free gifts of our God, saying, For unto you it is given, in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Wherefore we seek comfort against those other afflictions, but these are even a comfort to a Christian; because he receives them as testimonies of his heavenly calling, & makes this conclusion in himself, that seeing God fashions him to the sufferings of his Son, he will also fashion him unto his glory, and that God leads him to the fame end, by the same way.

To bear these afflictions, is to charge upon himself the Cross of Christ, and march after him. For although the man fearing God, bears wifely these other afflictions, and profits by them, notwithstanding the holy Scripture doth not honor them with this honorable title of the Cross of Christ. So Simon, a man of Cyrene, bearing the Cross of Christ Jesus after him, was the image of a Christian. But the two thieves that were nailed to their own Cross, bare the punishments of their crimes: one of the which was converted to Christ Jesus, in the extremity of his pains, to the end that those whom God causeth not to bear the Cross of Christ, and exempts from persecution for the Gospel, may learn by this example to profit in their own afflictions, and so to bear their own cross, that it may serve to convert them to Christ. But here we speak only of afflictions which are proper to the faithful, and which alone may be termed the Cross of Christ.

CHAP. II. The Scripture doth prepare us to afflictions, and hath this condition annexed to the profession of the Gospel.

THe Apostles S. Paul and Barnabas visiting the Churches, do exhort them to continue in the faith, and that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the Kingdom of God. And the Apostle Saint Paul elsewhere saith, that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution. Since God hath said that he would put enmity between the seed of the woman, and that of the Serpent, the Church hath always, ways been perfected. Her sufferings have begun in Abel, and will finish at the Day of Judgment. As soon as God limited his Covenant to the Family of Abraham, of two children that he had, he that was borne after the flesh, did hate him that was borne after the Spirit. Jacob and Esau representing two contrary Nations, struggled together in the belly, and their quarrel began before their life. Wherefore the Church makes her complaint, that she hath been often afflicted from her youth. Now therefore that she is come to her old age, can she hope for any prosperity in this world, seeing that Satan hath not changed his nature, and that the world waxeth worse and worse?

Through this way have passed the Prophets and Apostles, & all that cloud of faithful witnesses, of whō the world was not worthy; whereof the Apostle speaketh. The Gospel propounds to us nothing but y ^e Cross; and the book of the Revelation is nothing else but an allegorical tissue of the combats of the Church of God. He will not be offended at the tribulations of the Church, who will remember what Jesus Christ hath foretold us, Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice. True it is, that the persecutors shall have their turn to weep: but notwithstanding that sentence of the Apostle Saint Peter remains always firm, that judgment must begin at the house of God. So that instead of maruelling to see us afflicted and persecuted, we should rather marvel if it happened otherwise. As a traveler to whom one hath said, Your way will be by a stony Country, & a ground full of bushes and briars, would judge himself out of the way, if he found nothing else but fair meadows, and a smooth way.

This multitude of examples is set before our eyes, not for to comfort us by the multitude of companions in misery, which is the comfort of the wretched: But that considering, that God hath dealt thus with those whom he hath most loved, ye come not by reason of your afflictions to doubt of God's love: but contrariwise, that ye have in that a proof and evidence of the truth of your Religion, seeing that the true Religion alone can be so much hated and contradicted by men, and that not without cause, for it alone impugnes the king dome of Satan. If ye were of the world (saith our Savior) the world would love his own.

Therefore whosoever having the knowledge of true Religion, defers to apply himself to it, till it be exempted from perfection, puts off his conversion for a huge long time, and expects that Satan be at agreement with God, and forging to himself a Iefus Christ without the Cross, changeth, as much as in him lieth, the nature of the Gospel. With that our Lord Jesus began his first Sermon, saying, Blessed are they that mourn; lest that any one embracing the profession of the Gospel, and promising to himself prosperity, finding himself deceived in his calculation, should give over this holy profession: like unto him who having tasted of a tun of excellent good wine, intending to buy it, having heard of the price, hath no mind to it, unwilling to bestow so much. Or to that builder in the Gospel, who having ill calculated his expenses, is disc ouraged, and leaves his building imperfect. For the Son of God will have a man, before he resolve himself to follow him, to know how much he must spend, and that everyone make this reckoning by himself, Must I put to it the half of my goods? I will put it willingly: if that doth not suffice, I will put to it all my goods; if that be not enough, I will put also my honor and reputation. What, must I put my life also? I will expose it willingly; yea, had I many lives, I would courageously leese them in so good a cause: for what do we not owe to Christ Jesus, seeing we owe him our selves, and that he hath given himself to us, and hath exposed his life for our salvation? Besides, we must forgo these things with alacrity, esteeming that there is no gain so profitable as this loss; and that it is a dishonor to possess an honor wherein God is dishonored: encouraging one another, saying, as Thomas said to his fellow Disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. In a word Jesus Christ will have us put all to it, and serve him without excepting anything, without compounding, or making any reserution. No man having put his hand to the Plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of heaven. Whosoever will go out of this Sodom, must not look back from behind him towards the things lost, but hasten to save himself in God's Mountain.

Not that Jesus Christ willes us, that without necessity we run headlong into dangers for his sake; but rather he willes us, that when they persecute us in one City, we fly into another. The faith of the faithful holds the mean between faintness and rashness; it runs not headlong against evils, without necessity; but it supports then constantly, when God calls us to them: it is not faint-hearted and fearful, but also it is not angry against her own life. Then is it time to die for Jesus Christ, when a man cannot save his life but by disloyalty, and without abating something of that freeness and liberty that we owe to God's cause: in that case, the mā fearing God, ought to believe, that God will make use of his blood, for the sealing of the doctrine of the Gospel: then must he, after the example of Joseph, forgo willingly his garment, to save his conscience; and willingly strip himself of this body, that he may save his soul.

True it is, that God gives sometimes truce to his Church, and, as it were, a day of rest, between two fits of a Feauer, that she may breath a little, and lest she should sink under the length of oppression. But if this rest be longer then ordinary, that ought to be taken as a good not looked for; during which time, he must live so, as that this peace be a prentiship of persecution, and that this rest may serve to recover strength for the labor to come.

And if there be any faithful, whom God hath spared and exempted from persecutions, you shall find, that God hath visited him with other trials, and hath not left him without exercise. If he hath not lost his goods, he hath possessed them, as not possessing thē, and as being ready to leese them. If he hath not been banished for the Word of God, he hath lived at home as a stranger, and thinking incessantly to depart. If he hath not suffered death for the Word of God, his life hath been a continual mortification, according to the rules of God's Word. If he hath not suffered the pains of Martyrdom, he hath had the zeal and affection to it.

CHAP. III. Three causes for the which the Church of God is subject to Afflictions.

THE causes for the which the Church is subject to many afflictions, are to be taken, 1. in part from the Wisdom and Justice of God: 2. in part from the nature of the world, and of the devil: 3. in part from the nature of the Church, who hath need of this exercise.

The Wisdom and Justice of God ought to march first; for it is it which dispenseth with all other causes, and makes use of them according to his will. This Wisdom and Justice requires, that seeing the calling of a Christian consists in nothing else, then to follow Jesus Christ, and all his felicity, to be made conformable unto Christ Jesus; that those whom he will make partakers of his Kingdom, partake with him in his sufferances. It is just, and stands with reason, that they have a part with him in his combats, that will have a share with him in his victory: that he that will carry hard by him the Crown of glory, carry first after him the crown of thorns: that he drink first in that cup steeped in gall and vinegar, before he drink of the river of his pleasures. Ye shall be with me at my table (saith he:) ye which have continued with me in my temptations. If we be dead with him, we shall also live with him.

And seeing that Jesus Christ is our Head, there is no reason that the condition of the members be differing from that of the Head, as Jesus Christ saith, The servant is not greater then the Lord; if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? It is an unjust daintiness to desire to attain unto salvation by another way, then by that, by the which Jesus Christ hath passed; to wish to eat of the Lamb, without bitter herbs; and being ashamed of his Cross, to desire to have part of his glory. And it seems that Jesus Christ, to go to Jerusalem, did ordinarily pass through Bethania, because that in the holy tongue Bethany signifies, The house of grief; & the word Jerusalem, signifies as much as the vision of peace; to the end that by his example we make account to pass by afflictions, and thorough the valley of tears, before we can see peace, and enter in the heavenly Jerusalem.

Is it so great a matter? yea is it not a just thing to spill some tears for him, who hath spilled his blood for us? to expose our goods for him, who for us hath exposed his life? to die for the testimony of him, who died for our salvation? Let us go forth unto him without the Campe, bearing his reproaches; looking unto Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The second cause for the which the Church is subject to afflictions, is the nature of the world and of the devil. For the holy Scripture speaks to us, of this world, as of a Country where the Church is a stranger. Every man fearing God, is here below like to a strange plant brought from a far country, who hath much ado to grow; but the wicked are like to nettles which grow without watering of them, because the earth is their own mother. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is not of this world. Now his Kingdom is the Church of God. Wherein Christian Religion corrects Philosophy, which saith, that a wise man is a Citizen of the whole world; but God's Word teacheth that he is a stranger from the beginning of the world. Cain was a tiller of the ground, and fastened to the earth; but Abel, a man fearing God, was a keeper of sheep, which is a rolling occupation, and not tied to one place. Abraham the Father of the faithful, spake thus to the children of Heth: I am a stranger and soiourner with you; and for all his possession he purchased but a Sepulcher. For it is that which the faithful can pretend and lay claim to on earth: Therefore the Israelites that were the only people of God, were called Hebrews, that is to say, passengers and travelers, that in their name they might have notice of their condition; and the Tabernacle was portatiue and ambulatorie until Solomon's time; to show that the Church hath no stay here on earth, until that the true Son of David hath built her an assured house. Jesus Christ himself came unto his own, and his own received him not; and unto him appertaineth that which is said in the Psalm; I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alliant unto my mothers children. The Church therefore as burgesse of heaven, being a stranger here on earth, we must not marvel if it finds no stay nor any firm rest; and, if passing thorough a strange Country, it meets with thorns, with troublesome and dangerous ways. Wherefore by this title of travelers and strangers, God prepares his children to Affliction. Nay there is more, namely, that this strange Country, thorough the which we have to pass, is the Kingdom of Satan. For Jesus Christ calling the devil the prince of this world, calls by consequence this world the Kingdom of the devil. Now it were ill taking of one measures, as to imagine to ones self, that God's children can long live in peace in the Kingdom of Satan. And surely as often as the Scripture names us the children of God, she prepares us covertly to persecution: and who doubts but when Jesus Christ will chase the devil out of a Country by the preaching of the Gospel, that the devil doeth not what lies in him to resist him? We may with good reason compare an estate where idolatry reigns, to a body possessed with an evil spirit. Even as therefore when Jesus Christ commanded an unclean spirit to go out of a body, the evil spirit did wreath and tear that body with all his power. So when Jesus Christ, with the preaching of his Word, will drive away idolatry out of a Country, and dispossess the devil of some corner of his Empire; this unclean spirit tears the Country with civil wars, stirs up troubles, excites scandals; to the end that if he cannot over-whelme the Church, he may make at the least the doctrine of salvation odious among the people, as causes of these confusions.

The Spirit of God hath foretold us this, where, at every opening of the Seals, wherewith the Book was shut, which are as many manifestations of the doctrine of the Gospel, there happen great earth-quakes, and men kill one another, and these troubles are followed with famine and mortality; for the devil, who imitates God's actions preposterously, and corrupts them in counterfetting them, seeing that the sores and emerods, wherewith the Philistines were stricken, were a cause that the Ark was sent back out of the Country, as a cause of all that evil, endeavours to follow this example, troubling and spoiling a Country, so soon as the Gospel is entered into it, that the princes and people provoked, imputing these evils to the Gospel, may expel it out of their Country. Which was the cause, why when Jesus Christ came into the Country of the Gergesenes; the devils did cast headlong into the sea the herd of many Swine of that Country; to the end that the Gergesenes troubled with this loss, might beseech Jesus Christ, that he would depart out of their coasts; which withdrawing of Jesus Christ will happen unto all those, that have more affected their Swine and their temporal commodities, then the profitable presence of the Son of God.

It is the selfsame spirit, that moved the Jews, Rebels to God's Word, to say unto Jeremiah, Since we left off to burn Incense to the Queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine; as if the service of the true God, were the cause of the public calamity.

So the Infidels did impute unto the Christian Religion, the plagues, barrenness, and the public disasters. If the Nyle had not covered their fields, if the Tiber had sweld over their walls, if the heaven did stop, if the earth was shaken, the enraged people required, that the Christians should be exposed to the Lions of the Amphitheater, as sacrifices of expiation, for the salvation of the Common-weal.

The like hath not been done to other Religions, though very much different among themselves. The Romans having conquered a Country, brought the gods of the Country prisoners, and led them in triumph. But a little after, they built Temples to the very same captive gods. By this means an hundred false religions lived together in peace, even in one City. Against the sole Christian Religion, the whole world hath been stirred up, because It alone beats down the Empire of the devil. Many lies may concur together, but never can untruth agree with truth.

So yet even to this day we see at Rome whole streets of Jews, who hold that Jesus Christ was a seducer, and live in peace under the shade of the Papal seat, and under the protection of him, who styleth himself the Vicar of Jesus Christ. The Mohammedans live also there without danger. There are but those that are of the true Religion, that are not permitted. If any one saith, that the people ought to read the holy Scripture, and understand himself speaking to God; or if any one saith, that there is no other purgation of our sins, then the blood of the Son of God; nor no other sacrifice of Redemption then his death. If any one saith, that we must not pray unto the dead, nor adore Images, and that to adore Jesus Christ, we must lift up our hearts towards heaven, where he sits at the right hand of God; and we must not believe that God can be made by men; such a man must not be permitted to live; against such a one all cruelty is too gentle, and all torments are light. Which is an evident mark of the truth of our Religion, seeing it is most odious to the world, where nothing pleaseth it but that which displeaseth God; and that the Pope of Rome suffering at the feet of his Throne the sworn enemies of Jesus Christ, cannot tolerate our Religion.

The third Cause of the Afflictions of the Church, is the nature of the Church it self, and the vices that creep in by peace and prosperity. For even as the sweet showers causing the corn to grow, causeth also therewith many bad weeds to spring up; and as the Sun at the Spring with many fair flowers causeth many sorts of vermin. So peace restored to the Church after persecution, having restored unto us the preaching of the Word, hath also brought many vices.

After the Massacres which have diminished us, and the banishments which have scattered us, God had reestablished us by an excellent deliverance; and we were a miraculous example of God's favor before the eyes of foreign nations, who were ravished in admiration to see, that at the view of a Court, and in the grand Cities of this Kingdom, where our blood hath been so often spilled, the Church was set up again with luster, and the Gospel preached with such liberty; They said that which is said in the Psalm: Surely the Lord hath don great things for thē.

But we having nothing wanting to us, have been wanting to our selves, and have not well acknowledged the time of our visitation. For few have had care to raise up the ruins of the House of God, but everyone hath been ready enough to repair his own; and addict himself to gather goods, instead of making provision of good works. Covetousness and insolency are increased, but godliness is diminished. The quarrels have been kindled, and zeal wax cold. The apparel have been sumptuous, and the almsedeeds sparing. We have been impatient in our own injuries, but little sensible of the injuries against God's honor. In lieu of encouraging mutually one another in the work of the Lord, we have been envious one against another. And though the soldiers made difficulty to tear our Saviors coat, we have made no conscience to tear his body. By this means, besides the hatred that our enemies bore us already, we have opened our own sides to our selves, and wakened the hopes of those that hate us. Instead of drawing unto us the ignorant by our good life, we have driven away the domestical, and offended the weak by our evil conversation.

That generous Nobility, who in the time of our fathers did burn with zeal, and was the stay and ornament of God's Church; whose virtue supports as yet our vices; which was sober, honest, and courageous, esteeming that to lose for Jesus Christ was a great gain; so liberal of her blood, so sparing of God's glory; hath left a posterity, who for the most part is not hot, but to pleasure; not courageous, but for quarrels; but remiss and weak against vices; full of an arrogant ignorance, ready to sell their brethren for a little money, and to turn their back to God for a morsel of bread.

The haunting of our Adversaries hath corrupted our manners, and we were scarce distinguished from them, but by the difference of profession; As if Satan had plucked up in the night the bounds that separated us; or as if we were come forth out of persecutions to re-enter into vices.

The reprehensions of faithful Ministers have been ill taken, and some have been incensed against them; as if a deformed person brake the looking glass, in the which it hath seen her deformity. And the Word of God hath not had that ordinary efficacy; as if the Spiritual sword had lost his point, or had been blunted against the hardness of hearts; as if the threatenings that God makes by his Prophets concerning the corporal bread, that he would take away his strength and nutritive virtue, were happened to the Spiritual bread of his Word.

Yea in this present Affliction, how many shall we find amongst us, that are more offended when the Name of God is blasphemed, then when men do revile them? or that bears more impatiently his domestical losses, then the Affliction of the Church? Who is it, that in this calamity apprehends not more the loss of his estate, the confiscation of his land, the breaking of his house-hold-stuff, thē to see idolatry set up again, and the Kingdom of Satan restored? And who in the Affliction of his brethren, would not easily comfort himself, if he were assured to live in peace in his own house? Who is it that consecrates his closet, and his hours of solitariness to holy Meditations, and to pour out his sighs before God, rather then to count his money, and look to his domestical affairs? Who is it that endevoreth not rather to leave riches to his children, then to teach them to make use of them rightly, and to leese them courageously for the profession of the Gospel? And if the fear, and the present peril, and the calamity that presseth us doth not range us in order, what would we do in full prosperity? And when persons so ill disposed, and whose zeal is so cold, shall be pressed, and that their turn will be to suffer after others, what can one hope of their perseverance?

Some fears are befallen us since ten or twelve years, and dangers which at diverse times have brought us even at the door of persecution. Then did we fast, and humbled our selves before God, and there was seen amongst us a kind of repentance. But the peril being past, we returned incontinently to our ordinary dissolutions: quarrels have been awakened, and God hath not been better ferued. This Gourd grown up in a moment, withered a while: after, being struck by the worm of our profanation.

Mean while you saw the darkness of ignorance thicken, and error gather strength. In our enemies, superstition was a great deal more fervent, then true Religion in us. They took off, even to their earings, to melt a golden calf: but we were niggards in the building of the holy Tabernacle. Their Images were covered: and our poor naked: and their blind devotion did arraign our irreuerence. Many amongst us, who have mocked at those that durst not read the Scriptures, for fear of being seduced, have not cared to read it, or at least by the reading are not become better. Many amongst us have mocked at those that pray without understanding themselves: but they themselves make their prayer to God, not thinking on that they say, and their gesture witnesseth their want of reverence. Those are ignorant, but these profane; those know not what they do, but these do not what they know; those err in the night, but these do expressly stray out of the way at noon.

There was a time that they testified of our integrity, and did know us by our plainness and homeliness in clothes, and sincerity in our actions, by our mutual, charity and concord, and because God's Word was in our mouths; and said that which the Jews of the house-hold of Caiaphas said unto Peter. Surely thou art one of them, for thy speech bewrayeth thee. But sithence they have begun to alter their manner of speech, and to say, How have these folks endured so many evils for a Religion, whereof they make so little esteem? And can this Religion be good, seeing that thereby men wax worse and worse? Now we conceive why they deny meats: it is because they would dispence with themselves about good works. Now it appears why they mocked at Purgatory: it is because they pretend to enter into Paradise with their uncleanness. And to what tends this justification by faith, without works, but only that they should not be bound to do good works? and the confidence & trust in the mercies of God, but only that they may fall asleep on this pillow, and plunge themselves into vices? By this means we have been the cause that God's holy Name hath been blasphemed, and his truth made stinking among men; we have hardened the ignorant, and give occasion of scandal to the weak.

And it is good that thereupon we be taught by our enemies; if perchance those that have not been moved by the sweetness of the voice of our God, can be pricked by the sharpness of the reproaches of those that hate us. For as one may doubt, which is the better of the two, either to be faithfully reproved by his friends, or be praised by his enemies; so is it a thing out of doubt, that the praises of our friends are not so profitable to us, as the blames and reproaches of our adversaries.

But behold wherewith we are to be more astonished; for such a thing is befallen in the time of prosperity and of rest, that was unheard of before, and which is not happened in the time of fires, and in the heat of persecution. For then, if any Minister of God's Word had revolted, that had been esteemed a wonder; and he that had seen him then, would have suspected his own eyes, and would have had much ado to believe it. But these latter years have produced a number of such examples, and the holy Ministry hath been possessed by traitors. Bellies are mounted up in the Pulpit, who for a little money have sold their souls to the devil; who have not done so much hurt by their apostasy, as they had done by their evil life, seeing that in going out, they have disburdened the body of the Church of an inward plague, as if it had vomited out a worm, or cast out a filth out of the House of God.

And if men seek for the zeal and constancy of our forefathers amongst us, they shall seek for that which God finds not there; for they did snatch at the bread of the Word of God from the midst of the flames, and did seek after it amidst the perils: but we are in distaste with it amidst our plenty. If they were imprisoned for glorifying God, in the self-same prison they glorified God to the double. They ran to martyrdom, and we to pleasure, and to couerousnesse. They were more prodigal of their lives, then we of our money. They suffered more willingly for Jesus Christ, then we do speak for him. They increased and edified the Church of God by their good life, which we destroy by our perverse life. And if these faithful servants of God, who amidst the fires and the persecutions, have planted so many Churches with so great and good success, should rise up from the dust; they could not know their flocks, and would be astonished, how in so little time Satan hath made so great a distraction.

In a word, our Churches do resemble the Statue of Nebuchadnezzar, whose head was of gold, and the stomach of silver, and the belly of brass, and the thighs of iron, and the feet mingled with earth: for the more we descend, and the worser we wax. And as the seven lean kine that appeared to Pharaoh, devoured the seven fat ones that marched before them: our latter years have consumed the plenty of the former, and have brought us the want of the Word of God.

Thereupon, as the expert Mariners beholding the foam shaping it self on the sea, and the Fowls of the sea retiring themselves by flocks towards the land, do presage a storm: so the faithful Ministers of the Gospel, whom God hath established Watchmen over his House, seeing this corruption, did presage with a loud voice, the tempest to come, and did foresee the evil that is befallen us.

The events have verified our words: they have been true, to their great grief, and their threatenings have been prophesies against their will. For God in an iustant hath turned away his favorable countenance; he hath brought the days of weeping, and of anguish, and of desolation: days, wherein after the tears drawn dry, remains naught, according to the world, but sorrowful silence, full of confusion, and an expectation of worser things. Days, in the which the blood of the faithful is spilled, and the wild Bores have broken up the enclosures of the Lord's inheritance; & the remembrance of the services of Joseph is lost. Wherein our Towns are sacked, the people numbered by the sword, and we are driven out of the Country, which we have defended for those that did expel us. Days, wherein the threatenings of the Prophets are fulfilled, prophesying, that amidst the ruins of the House of God, should be heard the Cormorant, and the Owl; and the Satyrs should skip and sport there: that is to say, that the children of darkness, and the evil spirits should rejoice amidst the desolation of the Church.

For God hath said in himself, Seeing that this people doth corrupt himself in prosperity, we will see if he will amend in adversity; Seeing that my words have not moved them, I will move them with pain; Seeing that he hath not heard the sweetness of my voice, he shall feel the weight of my hand. Because we have been tied to our goods, as if we were children of this world, God driving us from our houses into a strange Country, makes us to feel in effect, that we are allies and strangers on earth. Because we have not heard the voice of the afflicted, God hath not heard us in our affliction: because we have been so quick to quarrel, God hath stirred up a stronger quarrel; that as the burning Feauer dries up the itch; so the fear of our enemies may smother up these petty riots that itch us. He punisheth the distastes of his Word with the want, and the abuse of prosperity with persecution. He sends a famine not of bread, but of the Word of God, according to the threatening of the Prophet Amos, They shall wander from sea to sea, and from the North, even to the East; they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord, and shall not find it. Then they lament those happy days, whereof they made so little esteem; wherein they went in great troops to serve God, wherein the ensign of his Gospel was lifted up. They consider with a heart pierced with grief, that in those places where the Word of God was preached with full liberty, there they see an heap of ruins, a horrid silence, or a profane laughter and an insulting of the enemies. O Lord, that thy hand is heavy, and that thy judgments are just, we adore thy counsels with silence, we pass a voluntary condemning over our selves, we give thee glory in humbling our selves.

CHAP. IV. The benefit God makes to his Church by Afflictions.

ALthough afflictions, wherewith God visits his Church, are just punishments; notwithstanding, that hinders not, but that God draws from them other wholesome effects, and diverts them to another use. These effects are either 1. in regard of hypocrites; or 2. in regard of his children that suffer; or 3. in regard of those unto whom this example is propounded; of which three kinds of fruits it is needful to treat in order.

In the first place. Our God by afflictions is accustomed to cleanse his Church, and to make the hypocrites to go out of it. He sifts his Church, to separate the filth from it; whose Fan is in his hand, to purge thoroughly his floor, that the chaff and light spirits may be carried away by the wind of persecution. Those are the waters of trial, whereunto God leads men to call them, and retains for himself none but such as lap with their hand of the water in passing, and do not stop for the enjoining of the commodities of this life. But he sends back those that wallow in them, and give themselves wholly over to them. Could we know what true faith is, if there were no hard trials? Could one discern the true Christians from the hypocrites, if they were not tried in the Cruet of affliction? Then it appears, how much different things they are, to speak and to do well. Then is known the difference between faith and carnal security; between zeal and affected violence; between to be of the true Religion by custom, or by birth; and to be by affection. As Simeon said to the mother of our Lord, A sword shall pierce thorough thine own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. For it is easy to follow Jesus Christ at weddings, or when he gives bread: But to follow him unto the Cross, appertains but to the Virgin Mary, and to Saint John, and to a few of the faithful, who burn with zeal, and whom God strengthens with his Spirit. God puts such persons in sight, trying against them the point of afflictions. He shakes the tree which he hath planted, to make that fruit fall, that have the core tainted; and that adhere not to the Church of God, but by human considerations, and not by a firm confidence and assurance in the promises of the Gospel. And it seems that God will bring forth a time, wherein none shall persevere in the profession of the true Religion, but he that shall have a faith greater then a grain of Mustard-seed.

Notwithstanding, the falls and the reuolts of some, serve to confirm the rest. For observing by what means Satan hath seduced those that are fallen, they avoid his ambush, and do withdraw themselves from the place where the pace is slippery, and Satan lies in ambush. They observe, that this man hath been surprised with covetousness, that man corrupted by pleasure, that other carried away by haunting the wicked; and thereupon being seized with an holy fear, and with a trembling to salvation, they implore earnestly the help and assistance of God. And so that sentence of the Son of God is verified, who saith, that God purgeth and lops his Church as a Vine-dresser, that that which remains may bear more fruit.

It was never otherwise, and it shall be always so. The Prophet Elias thought he remained alone; so great were the reuolts. Many of Jesus Christ's Disciples forfooke him, and walked no more with him. And the Apostle doth foretell, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith. Can a man wonder if a body that hath voided much fleame in his youth, doth void yet more in his old age? And if the sea that hath always cast much foam and filth on the shore, continues yet to cast it now a days? If you say, I but the Church leeseth by these reuolts, and is weakened: I answer, that a body is not weakened in voiding of bad humors, nor a Common-weal in leesing traitors: And that peace did corrupt many more, then affliction doth overturn. For as one takes more birds with bird-lime, then one kills with the Peece: so ease belimes more, then persecution beats down.

From the very same afflictions the children of God gather many fruits. For God by this means keeps them in fear; awakes their zeal which languished; plucks from them the very heart-burning sighs; draws tears from their eyes; inflames their prayers by anguish. And if having acknowledged, that the cause of the evil is in them, and that their sins have stirred up this tempest, they cast this Jonah into the sea; God will appease the tempest, and will restore to them a calm.

By this means also he weans them from earthly delights; plants in their hearts a contempt of the world; and fashions them to humility and obedience, wherein they have the Lord Jesus himself for example, who, saith the Apostle, Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. By banishments, he teacheth them that they are strangers in this world. By reproaches, he stirs them up to seek their glory in Jesus Christ; for if we had here on earth all things according to our desires, we should not think of our going from hence, and we would say, It is good for us to be here: let us make here Tabernacles.

The very same Afflictions do serve to strengthen the faith of the faithful; for after this shock, the faithful, seeing himself standing upright without having staggered, hath a great evidence of his election, and of the favor of God, who hath supported him in so great a temptation. So the metals purified and dried by the fire, are more durable. Experience worketh hope, which maketh not ashamed; and that will happen which Saint Peter saith, That the trial of our faith being much more precious then of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, will be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ. So that all being well considered, it appears that those that persecute us, do serve us; and that our enemies are our Physicians against their intention; and these Horse-leeches, or blood-suckers a-thirst of our blood do heal us. So the King of Assur is termed the rod of God's anger, as sent from God to punish his Church: Howbeit he meaneth not so, nor doth his heart think so, but it is in heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few: In serving his own ambition, he serves the counfell of God, and the salvation of his children.

By these same Afflictions, God makes known what is the efficacy of his Spirit in those that appertain to his election: for who is he, that reading the martyrdom of many holy women, doth not admire in a body so weak, so great a force of courage? How comes it that such tender and delicate creatures, who before durst not snuff a candle with their fingers, have resolved to cast themselves whole into the fire? In the same histories you see persons taken from the dregs of the people, that have confounded the subtleties of the Inquisitors by their wise answers, and overcome the cruelty of the tyrants by their constancy: that that sentence of the Apostle may be verified, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me; and that the promise of the Son of God may be fulfilled; I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

Even as GOD gives stronger roots to those trees which he hath planted on the top of high rocks, because they are more roughly beaten with the winds; so God gives more force to those persons, whom he exposeth to rough temptations, and gives faith according to the temptation. He puts not out his children to the Combat, to forsake them in their need; for neither do we enter into this conflict grounded on our forces, but on his assistance. It is in this extremity, that the Angel of God wipes off the drops of blood, and Jesus showeth to the eyes of faith the crown; and the Spirit of God, who is the comforter, speaks to the heart of God's children, and kindleth within them a heat that is victorious over the heat of the fire. For if God at all times receives the sighs of the faithful, how much more the last sigh of one of his children, that suffers for his Name? If God gathereth up their tears, how much more their blood? If Jesus Christ on the Cross prayed for those that crucified him, how much more will he in his glory make intercession for those, that are crucified for his sake? Surely precious in the sight of the Lord is every kind of death of his Saints. How much more precious is that kind of death particularly consecrated and devoted unto the defense of his quarrel? Unto such he hath prepared crowns, and a rest, whereof we will speak hereafter.

Finally, God makes use of the sufferings of his servants, to build his Church, and encourage the weak; as the Apostle teacheth us, I would ye should understand (brethren) that the things which happened unto me, have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel. So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord waxing confident in my bonds, are much more bold to speak the Word without fear. There is nothing so persuading as the words of a dying man, yea without words his sufferances speak, and persuade more then any preaching; for then all the affections are laid open unto view, and dissimulation hath then no place. The ashes of the Martyrs at all times have been the seed of the Church. Neere by these ashes we warm again our zeal, which hath taken cold; their constancy awakes our faintness; for if they do not serve us for example, they will serve to accuse us. Their example will serve us, if considering their zeal and the greatness of their sufferings, we put our selves in their place, & thinking what we would do, if we were called to the like trial, and if we are provided of sufficient armor for so great a combat.

The which I say of the death of Martyrs, is to be applied also to all those sufferings, by the which the faith of the faithful is tried and laid open unto view. For as the drugs do yield more sent when they are stamped in a mortar; so the faith of the faithful is of better odour during Affliction. So that the Tyrants and persecutors have often served, without their thinking, to build the Church, and to enlarge it, and have spread the good savor of the Gospel. Thus the dissipation of the Church of Jerusalem by the persecution of Saint Stephen, served to spread the doctrine of salvation to the Countries thereabout; and to raise a number of Churches: That happening unto persecutors, which might happen to the man, who to put out a quick fire of coals, should scatter it over all the chamber, and so should set on fire the whole house.

The Tyrants themselves have oftne been astonished to see themselves disappointed of their intention. They have often been affrighted at the constancy of Martyrs; and the breaking of these earthen vessels hath affrighted the Midianites, & hath put out to view the Lamp of faith that was therein enclosed.

CHAP. V. Comforts wherewith the Word of God furnisheth against persecution. And first, the example of Jesus Christ, and the conformity with him.

THe Word of GOD goes yet further. For in these selfsame persecutions, by the which God chastiseth us justly, it finds not only means to profit, but also matter to rejoice and to glory therein. So the Apostle Saint Paul saith, that we glory in tribulation; and the Apostle to the Hebrews commends the faithful Jews, for that they took joyfully the spoiling of their goods. And all the Apostles together, after they had been beaten, departed from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name.

One of the principal grounds of this joy, is to have in these sufferances Jesus Christ for our Chief and companion, and to take part with him in his reproach. For what is there more honorable, then to carry the Cross after Jesus Christ, seeing that in it he hath triumphed over hell, and made a show openly of all the power of the devil? What greater honor can there be, then to be made conformable unto Jesus Christ, and to bear in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus? Or who would be ashamed to wear a garment, which the King of heaven hath worn? Those that in times past have been prisoners with our Kings taken in battle by the enemies, have thereby got great honor; and their memory is engraven in the histories long ago. How much more is it an honorable thing to be a companion of the sufferings of the eternal Son of God, who makes us partakers of his Afflictions, that he may make us partakers of his Kingdom? Truly it is a more honorable thing to suffer with Christ, then to triumph with the world. It is better to be blamed for Jesus Christ his sake, thē to be commended without him or against him. It is a greater honor to be inserted in the Book of Martyrs, then to be put in the Chronicles of the Kingdom. For seeing that we have not life but by the death of Jesus Christ, we must not think that we can have any true glory then by his ignominy. And seeing that our life is so short and so miserable, to what more excellent use can we employ it, then to mingle our blood with the blood of the Son of God, and subsigne and ratify by our death the doctrine of the Gospel?

Moreover, we not only suffer, according to the Conformity of Christ's sufferings, but also Christ declares, that when we suffer, he suffereth also with us. In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Himself spake from heaven, saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Although that the Lord was then in his glory. For he suffers even now-a-days in his members, as the Apostle Saint Paul saith, I fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his bodies sake which is the Church. Whē they massacre the faithful, they pierce again his feet and his hands; and when they take their goods from them, they cast lots upon his coat.

If then ye are banished from your Country for the profession of the Gospel; remember that our Lord Jesus, to show that he was here on earth a stranger, would be borne in an Inn, and being as then in his cradle, fled into Egypt. Are ye poor? remember our Lord Jesus, who lived of the substance of certain women fearing God. Are ye ill bedded? remember Jesus Christ, who had not where to rest his head. Are ye by poverty constrained to drink water? remember that Jesus Christ, who suffered for you, was put to drink vinegar.

Are ye by the ruin of Churches, where the Gospel was preached, brought to assemble together in chambers and secret places, while the false doctrine is preached under vaulted roofs, and in lofty Churches? put before your eyes Jesus Christ, who preached in a boat tossed, & amidst the noise of the waves, whilst that the Scribes and Pharisees did preach in the Temple of Solomon. Doubtless this tossing of the ship, and the noise of waters amidst which he preached, did serve to prepare his Disciples to the preaching of the Gospel amidst the agitation of troubles, and amidst the noise of those great waters; whereof mention is made in the Revelation, which are people's and contrary nations.

Are ye charged maliciously, and blackt with injuries, as seditious and perturbers of the Kingdom, and as enemies to all good work? Remember that our Lord Jesus was called a devil; notwithstanding he was the Son of God; that he was accused to be an enemy to Caesar, and that he would usurp the title of King, though he paid tribute to Caesar, and exhorted others to it. That he was accused as if he would abolish the Law, notwithstanding he came to fulfill it.

CHAP. VI. The second Comfort, the example of Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs.

IT is not a small honor also to march after so many Martyrs, after so many Prophets and Apostles, that have made plain the way. Jezebel did put to death the Prophets of Israel, and Abdias did hide an hundred of them in two caves. Zechariah the son, of Jehoiada, was killed in the Court of the House of the Lord, by the commandment of King Joash. The History of the Jews doth testify, that Isaiah was sawed in two by the commandment of the King Manasseh. That Jeremiah was stoned to death at Taphnes in Egypt. And the Apostles have not been better used. We are enrolled and mustered for the selfsame war, and maintain the selfsame, cause though with less vigor. And although we are inferior to them in virtue, notwithstanding God doth us that honor, to make us of their bands, and propounds unto us the very same Crown. Who had not rather be in prison with the Apostle Saint Paul, then be with Nero on a throne? Or who esteems not the condition of John the Baptist more happy then that of Herod, a slave to his concupiscence? By the example of these excellent servants of God, Jesus Christ encourageth us: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you.

If any one be ill lodged and fitted, let him remember, that the ancient Christians did hide themselves in Caues: if his table be ill furnished, let him say, The Apostles had not so much; & this is better worth then the Locusts & the wild honey of S. John the Baptist. If he be put to get his living with his hands for the Word of God's sake; let him remember the Apostle Saint Paul, who labored with his hands, and got his living with making of Tents; and let him persuade himself, that seeing God makes him conformable to his faithful servants in their afflictions, he will make him conformable to them in that glory which they enjoy. Who is it that burns not with zeal, reading the book of Martyrs? Who is it that feels not himself touched to the quick, by the example of Jerome of Prague, chiding the executioner that would light the fire behind him, and saying, Put the fire before me, for if I feared the fire, I would not be here? Or by the example of that woman, who in the time of Valens, ran with her hair loose about her ears, holding a child in her arms toward the place where the Martyrs were executed; and demanded whither she ran, answered, Crowns are given today, and I will be partaker of them.

But that whereunto Jesus Christ doth principally prepare us by his abouementioned words, is to endure calumnies and outrageous injuries for his sake, after the example of the Prophets. Do not find it strange, if men persuade Kings, that our doctrine is injurious to Sovereigns, and tendeth to the diminution of their authority: For so hath the Prophet Amos been handled by an idolatrous Priest, who accused him to Jeroboam, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee, in the midst of the house of Israel; the Land is not able to bear all his words.

Do no find it strange, if on these calumnies, those that serve God in pureness are expelled out of the house of the King; for commandment was incontinently given to the same Prophet, Prophecy not again anymore at Bethel, for it is the Kings Chapel, and it is the Kings Court.

No more are you to wonder, if nowadays the faithful are accused of sedition, and to be the cause of the troubles of the Kingdom; and the Kings are provoked to persecute thē, and to cut their right hand with their left. For it is the same whereof the Apostle Saint Paul was accused by Tertullus, We have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition. And that which is the most intolerable, is, that those that put those blames upon us, are those that have their hands died in the blood of our Kings; who of fresh memory have stirred up the French to rebellion, out of whose school are issued the Paricides; and who by express books burnt in public by the hand of the executioner, do teach, that the Pope may take away the life and Crown from our Kings, and dispose of their Kingdom. We should have a bad opinion of our selves, if such men spake well of us. God forbid they should praise us, while that they speak ill of God's Word, who is injured and wronged with us, and is joined with us in this quarrel; who also will change their curses into blessings, and will set in view our innocence, as he promiseth us, God shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon day. The day will come, wherein God will hear again our aggrieuances and wrongs in full judgment; and will bring for the last time our suit unto an hearing, and will render unto everyone according to his works.

No more also must we marvel, if all the mischances of the Country are imputed to us. For it is that wherewith Ahab charged the Prophet Elias; Art thou he that troubleth Israel? as if he had been the cause of the famine.

Neither is it at this time only, that the true Religion is accused that it corrupteth manners, and gives liberty to all dissolution; for the enemies of the Gospel have they slandered the Apostles, under color that they preached the grace of God in Jesus Christ, affirming that they say, Let us do evil, that good may come; and, Let us continue in sin, that grace may abound. Satan following the same steps, did of old defame the Christian Affemblies, as if they did commit filthiness one with another, the candles being put out; and killed a child, whose blood they sucked, inventing a thousand such impostures.

It is therefore a great honor to us, that we are blamed with such persons, whom God hath so much honored. It is better to be defamed with the Prophets and Apostles, then to be praised with the world, whose praises are rather an accusation.

CHAP. VII. The third comfort, the greatness of the reward.

TO encourage us to bear the reproach of Christ, the holy Scripture propounds unto us also the greatness of the reward: Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven. for if Jesus Christ declares unto us, that that man shall not leese his reward, that shall have poured and given a cup of cold water to a poor man in his necessity; he that shall have poured out all his blood for the Word of God, shall he have no reward? If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. It is he that tells us, Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a Crown of life: Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints. If men take away our goods, we have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. If they do chase us away, Jesus Christ doth acknowledge us for his brethren. If we are banished, as well are we strangers in this world; and it is no further from hence to heaven, then from the place from whence we were banished. If they make us weep, Jesus Christ wipes off our tears, and the promise of God comforteth us. If they cause us to die, even by that, they make us to live. Thinking to destroy a Christian in putting him to death, is as if one would drown a fish: for it is to put him in the place where only is his life. What imports it us, if we end this life by a fever, or with the sword? If we render up our souls by the mouth, or by a wound? If we die by an emotion of humors, or by a civil commotion? so that we render up our souls into the hands of him that hath purchased them with so great a peril, and that we be placed in the possession of his glory?

Here surely appears the great stupidity of man, and his blindness; for we see soldiers expose themselves to the danger of the shot, for a pay of six pence a day: but for the testimony of Jesus Christ, who gives so great a reward, they recoil by cowardice. Many heathen men are dead courageously for the defense of their Country. Contrariwise, many Christians forsake shamefully the cause of God, and to save their lives, leese their salvation. Shall ambition have greater power in the heathen, then zeal in us? The love of their Country, shall it be of greater force, then the love of God, and the hope of salvation?

Now to enforce this exhortation, the holy Scrip • ure compares the present afflictions with the glory to come, and putting them in a balance, finds no comparison. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us afar more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And, I reckon, that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. To leese this life for the love of him, is as who should cast off his cloke to save his life. To suffer for his sake, is as if a mā should cast a few drops of sweat, to gain a great treasure.

I confess indeed, that to us that are carnal, and tied to the things present, afflictions seem bitter: that it is a hard & offensive thing to this flesh, to forgo house, land, friends, to fly into a strange Country. That it is a hard thing to digest, when a man represents to himself, that the profession of the Gospel is fit for to share a wallet to his children, and to espouse perpetual poverty. And if God will try us further, and call us to martyrdom, and will have us to give our lives for his Word, then the flesh stirs up great conflicts, and hath much ado to resolve; seeing that Jesus Christ testifieth even of Saint Peter, that when he should be led to martyrdom, a nother should gird him and carry him whither he would not; and that he would willingly have been contented to exempt himself from this torment, if he could have done it without offending God. But also it is then when God works powerfully in the hearts of his servants; and even as afflictions do abound, so do the comforts abound in greater measure. And God forsakes not his children, but makes them feel his secret power, and what is the seal of the Spirit, that white stone, that inward witness, that earnest of our inheritance; that Spirit of adoption, who speaketh to the hearts of God's children, who represents the goods to come as present to him, and gives him in this body a taste of the glory to come.

Now the comparison between the afflictions of the present life and the glory to come, consists, either in the continuance; or in the greatness and excellency. As for the continuance; Jacob had already lived an hundred and thirty years, when he said that the days of the years of his pilgrimage had been few and evil. And God by his Prophet Isaiah, speaking of the affliction and captivity of the Church which should last seventy years, saith, For a small moment have I forsaken thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee. And although affliction should last the whole life of a man, notwithstanding, the affliction cannot be long, seeing that life is short. But God is accustomed to give some respite and some days of refreshing, and to stir up some Simon of Cyrene, who easeth us of this burden for a while. But the life promised to God's children, is a thing without end. A thousand millions of years make not a part of the eternity, for if at the end of every million of years the sea should but leese a drop; I say, that at the last it would be dry, and that there would be some end in this diminution. But take from eternity ten thousand of millions of years, it is not diminished at all, and there is always so much remaining as was before. This word For EVER is a bottomless depth, a conceptiō without end, where the thoughts do leese themselves in the infiniteness.

Which makes me often think, seeing that this short life draws after it so great a train and consequence, and that it is a moment whereon infiniteness depends; and that the evil which men do, cannot be amended after the course ended: how it cometh to pass that men leese and languish out needless their time, as if they had always more remaining, and live without thinking to die, and die without having had a thought to live well, and go out of this world, without knowing why they came into the world, being cast into a sleep by a profound lethargy in the fruition of present things.

As for the excellent greatness of the heavenly glory, in comparison of the lightness of affliction; it is a thing wherein we find our selves much incombred, and our words are much beneath our thoughts, and our thoughts much below the truth. For God measures not his gifts according to the capacity of our thoughts and desires, but according to the greatness of his riches and his bounty. And if the Apostle speaking of the doctrine of the Gospel, saith, that they are things that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man: How much more doth the fulfilling of these things, surpass the capacity of our understanding? If the Apostle Saint Peter having seen Jesus Christ transfigured, was in such wise ravished; how much more would he have been ravished, if he himself had been transfigured; as our bodies shall be in the day, wherein the Lord shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body?

The fathers naming the death of the faithful, a birth, and the day of their martyrdom, the day of their nativity; did show how much esteem they did make of the life to come; excellent and glorious in comparison of this present life. And such difference as there is betwixt the life of a child in his mothers belly, and the life of a perfect man, that leads an army, or governs a Common-weal; such a one, yea greater is the difference betwixt the life of the faithful in this body, and the life which he shall enjoy in the Kingdom of heaven. And such a comparison as there is of the corrupted darkness of the womb where the child moves it self, with the brightness of the Sun; such is the comparison of the brightness of the Sun which we enjoy in this body, with the brightness of God's presence, which we shall enjoy in the heavenly glory. That such a comparison as there is of the narrow place where the child is shut up, with this space of the earth, whereon we walk; such is the difference between the wideness of the earth, and the out-stretched cope of the Kingdom of heaven; and as the child coming into the world, comes forth out of darkness, and leaving the secondine that wraps him in, enters into the light; so the soul going forth out of this body, as out of an obscure prison, leaving this body, enters in the light of God: and that as a child, if it had the use of reason, would rather laugh, seeing that he is come out of an infectious and dark place, to enjoy the light of the Sun, instead that it cries at his coming into the world. Even so a man laments when he must die; but if he knew what this light is, whereinto the faithful enter by death, he would rejoice at the going out of this body, instead of being sorrowful.

In this life our delight is to change places, apparel, and food, and to see, or to do some new thing; but there our felicity will consist in rest, and in not changing forever our occupation, & in being always bandied to one action, which we can never change without loss.

Here our souls are distracted with a thousand and a thousand diverse actions, occupied in making the heart, and the arteries, and the panting veins to beat, to puff up the lungs, to digest and distribute the food, to receive the relation of y ^e five senses, to reuolue a thousand thoughts, to hold the bridle of affections, and to make it act a thousand several matters at one time. But there our souls will admire themselves, to see thenselves disburdened of all this toil in a moment; and to enjoy a peace without trouble, a happiness without measure, a contentment without interruption, a good that satisfies all desires, and excludes all fear.

There not only shall be no more vices nor pain, but also the most part of virtues shall be no more, because they are rather remedies unto vices, and a supply against our infirmities. Faith shall be no more, for we shall have the sight. Nor hope, for we shall enjoy the things hoped for. Nor patience, for there shall be no more pain. Nor continency, because there shall be no more temptation. Nor mercy, for there shall be no more misery. The only knowledge of God shall fill up our understandings, and the alone love of God shall possess our affections.

Those that have the knowledge of true Religion, and live in a Country where idolatry reigns, and where it is not permitted to gather together to serve God; if they happen to pass thorough a Country, where there is liberty of conscience; then finding themselves in the great assemblies of the faithful, where the Gospel is purely preached; they admire the good hap of that people that enjoys the Word of God in such plenty. How much more think ye, that those souls which God hath gathered together in heaven, are ravished with joy; when after having so long heard the Name of God blasphemed on earth, and his covenant profaned; they find themselves in the assemblies of the happy Spirits, and mixe themselves with the Saints and Angels; where are other songs, another kind of thanksgiving, that new song which none can understand but those that sing it; where God being fully known, is also entirely served and without any diuertion?

But how much greater shall the contentment be, to see Jesus Christ, and to visit him so near, who is come to visit us from so far off? Who is come down on earth, to lift us up to heaven? And if to see some false and supposed relics of Jesus Christ, or to see the place of his birth or of his passion, the superstitious pass the seas, take and make long journeys with danger and cost; what would they not give to see him in his glorious Majesty, sitting at the right hand of his Father?

But the fullness of contentment and of glory consists in seeing the face of God, as it is said, In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forever-more. And, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied with thy likeness. It is a face that is all eye, a face that transforms into his likeness those that do behold him, as a lookingglasse exposed to the Sun, as Saint John saith, We shall be like to him, for we shall see him as he is. And David saith, They that look unto him, are lightened; God fills them with light and perfection by the Sunbeames of his face, and by the irradiation of his Holiness. He causeth them not only to see his light, but he makes them also to be light. He makes them to see his Brightness, not as we see the brightness of the Sun by two little windows, which we call eyes; but as if a man were eye throughout all his body, and should receive the light on all sides.

And who could conceive things worthy of this sight; seeing that the corporal Sun, which is but darkness in comparison of it, dazzles our sight? Seeing that Moses himself, at the signs of the presence of God, much inferior to this glorious view, said, I exceedingly fear and quake? Seeing that Elijah at lesser signs wrapped his face in his mantle? Seeing that the Seraphim that stand before the Throne, cover their faces with their wings, not able to endure the brightness of his Majesty? Therefore we put our finger on our mouth, and adore with silence that which we cannot express with words.

Then shall we draw out of the well-spring of goods. Then God will wipe all our tears. Then God will be all in all, that is to say, that by the fruition of this one good, he will make us enjoy all kinds of good, and by on good thing will satisfy us in all that we can desire. The number of joint-heirs shall not diminish the portion of any one; for heavenly goods are possessed solidly and by parts vndiuideable; no less then everyone enjoyeth the whole light of the Sun. As formerly Jonathan had his strength, and his eyes enlightened, as soon as he had tasted of the honey dropping from the rock; so the faithful, toiled with evils, and fainting under the burden, recover strength, having tasted something of this sovereign good. It is that that strengthened the Martyrs during their torments, and that made their faith victorious over death, and made them glorify God in the midst of the flame.

It may be that there are many, who for the service they do to God, would be well contented that God would reward them with temporal riches and blessings. But God will not reward his children so ill; he will not give corporal wages for a Spiritual labor. As he regards not what we deserve, so he not resolves that which we desire; and measureth not his liberality by the weakness of our desires; but he considers what is meet for his greatness. For also he rewards not our works, but his gifts, & crowns the work which he hath begun in us.

CHAP. VIII. The fourth Comfort, The weakness of the enemies.

VNto this Comfort drawn from the excellency of the promised reward, the Scripture adds another, taken from the weakness of the enemies of the Church, in comparison of the power of God. The Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Kings of Syria and of Israel, persecutors of the Church, calls them in contempt, The two tails of smoking fire-brands. The tyrants may drive us out of our native Country: but they cannot exclude us from the Burgesseship of heaven. They may beat down our Temples: but mauger them, our hearts are the Temples of the holy Ghost. They may take away our money: but they cannot take away our riches. They may take from us our worldly honors: but not the honor to be the children of God. They may deprive us of our lives, but not of our salvation. And the executioner that cut off Saint Paul's head, hath not taken away his Crown. God holds the devil fettered with the chain of his providence, which he lengthens according to his will. Sometimes he permits this Lyon to stretch out his claws and tallons to our clothes; sometimes even to our bodies: but an Iniunction is given him, not to touch our souls. Our enemies do nothing but by God's permission, who loves us. They move not and breathe not but by the assistance of our Father. And when they have done us all the evil they could do us; God is powerful to make, and good to will, that all things work together for our good and salvation. In the recoiling he finds approchings. The worst tools serve him to make an excellent work. He hath hidden ways; he followeth a way that is unknown to us.

And if we consider the number, we shall find, that though that which appears for us, seems to be almost nothing; notwithstanding that sentence of the Prophet Elisha is true, namely, That they that be with us, are more then they that be with them. For he encampeth legions of Angels round about them that fear him. One Angel alone is stronger then all the men together; and Jesus Christ our brother and our Savior is stronger then all the Angels together. None shall pluck us out of his hand. He hath the number of his elect, who even all of them shall come in their time, what hindrance soever Satan and the world shall put thereunto. As by our sorrow we cannot augment the number of the elect, so our enemies cannot diminish them by their violence.

CHAP. XI. The fifth comfort, God's promise.

ANd thereupon to succor our faith hardly assaulted, it is necessary to have always before our eyes the promises of God, and to hold them as a sure and firm Anchor of the soul, and as a sure foundation, and more firm then heaven or earth. Now he hath promised, that he will not leave us Orphans: he hath made promise to us, that he will not leave us nor forsake us. He hath promised to be with us always, even unto the end of the world. O eternal Son of God, holy and true; those are thy words on the which we have relied, which being found true heretofore, will have no less firmenes and certainty for the time to come. Now therefore seeing forces fail us, make us feel the effects of thy promises, and let not those be confounded nor ashamed that have rested on thy Word. Thou that doest number our hairs, doest thou not number also our sighs, and yet more our souls? Thou that hast delivered us out of hell, wilt not thou deliver us out of these troubles, and out of the hand of those that persecute us? For what hinders us, but that in speaking to God, we may imitate David's speech, resolving himself to the combat with Goliath? The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion, and out of the paw of the Bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistim. Let us also say after the same manner: That great God that hath delivered us out of the jaws of the devil, and out of the power of hell, will also deliver us out of the hand of our enemies. Surely God will not forsake his people, and will be moved with compassion towards his children. If he suffer his Church to be cast into the furnace of persecution, for not bowing the knee before the Idol; the Son of God is in the Furnace with it to protect her. He makes his Church to be like to the burning bush which was not consumed, because that God was in the midst of it. For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. God will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it. For although we are great sinners, we are notwithstanding his children; and we are hated not for our sins, but for his quarrel. And besides, there will be found amongst us some faithful souls that fear God fervently, for whose sake God will leave a remnant, which he will cause to increase, and make it an example of his blessing. Perhaps they shall not be the greatest, nor the richest, but some poor that sigh in secret, whose lifting up of hands will do more then the sword of those that fight. It is the observation which the Wise man makes; There was a little City, and few men within it, and there came a great King against it, and besieged it, and built great Bulwarks against it. Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the City, yet no man remembered that same poor mā.

It is an unjust and illgrounded fear, to fear that the Church of God can ever be wholly abolished out of the world; seeing that the world is but made for the Church of God. It will never happen that the Sun will rise to light only the enemies of God, and for to serve only as a lamp in a temple of idols. But then he will leese his light, and the heavens will fall, when there shall be no more of God's children to be borne, and that the number of the Elect be fulfilled. Remember the forepassed ages, wherein the Church of God beaten down, and ready to give up the ghost, set her self on foot again, and became suddenly dreadful to her enemies. Like unto a ship that defies the tempest, & which was thought often to be drowned, and which is seen again to appear amidst the waves, against all hope: for there within is a Pilot that is Master of the winds, and who seems now to sleep; but he will awake himself, and chide the winds that blow on those waters, on the which the great whore sits, and will give again a calm. Remember also the ages of old, in the which the great and potent Empires are fallen, but the Church remains on foot amidst the ruins: even as after a boisterous wind of many days, you find the great Okes broken and cast to the ground, but the Time and Marioram whole and standing up; for the worldly Empires have for their support the strength of men, but the Church of God is held up with y ^e selfsame hand, which upholdeth heaven & earth. And if Satan could overturn the heavens, he had long ago turned them upside down, for he is an enemy of God's works: but he cannot, because that the heavens are upheld by the Word of God's power; and notwithstanding the Church of God is upheld by a firmer word; to wit, by the Word of his Covenant in Jesus Christ, whereof it is written, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. That Word hath brought forth the light of the eyes, but this is the light of the souls; that Word hath made the earth to bring forth fruit, but this makes our faith to bear fruit; that hath stretched out the heavens, but this procures them to us, and brings us into them; the foundations of the Church are in heaven, far from the undermining of the devil, and where the endeavors and powers of the enemies cannot attain unto.

True it is, that for the sins of a Nation, and for to execute his counsel, touching the election and reprobation of men, God sometimes takes away his Church out of a Country, and transports this Candlestick, to carry it into another Country, and to another Nation that will bring forth better fruits. For the sins and crimes of the Churches of Greece, and of Asia, God suffered Mahumetisme to reign there; and for the vices of the Western Churches, he hath suffered the son of perdition to set up his throne there. And we know not what the counsels of God are for the time to come. But when such a thing happens, we must not think that God doth it only to punish his Church, for the greater part of the punishment lights on his enemies, and on a rebellious Nation that hath long time resisted his Word. Seeing therefore that this Kingdom is since so many years imbrued with the blood of the faithful; and seeing that the French Nation since so long time resisteth the Gospel, and doth willfully oppose himself against the truth by a willful blindness: Is it not reason that God remove from that people his Word, and take away from them the means of their conversion? Is it not reason that God pour upon such a stiff-necked Nation darkness thicker then ever before, and that it be plunged more then ever before in error, and inthralled to idolatry? When Lot was compelled to go out of Sodom, and to lose all his goods, who was the most punished, Lot, or the people of Sodom?

Let the Father of mercy, the God of all consolation, rather punish us with any other punishment in this life, then by taking away from us his Word. Let him lead us thorough the hideous Desarts; let him cause us to pass amidst the rolling waves, and thorough fiery Serpents, so that he causeth to rain on us always the Manna of his Word, and that Bread of heaven, until we come unto the inheritance which he hath promised us; and that whilome the thundering voice of the Lord breaks the Cedars, and maketh the Desert and Liban to tremble, and the Hinds to cast their Calves; withdrawing us in his house, we may be comforted by his Word. That it will please him to let yet his Tabernacle to remain in this Shiloh, and soften rather the hearts of those that persecute us; and not suffer that the seeds of his knowledge that are in many weak souls, which the hardness of time hinders from converting themselves, come to be altogether choked by an oppression without recovery. God forbid, that because we have preached the Gospel within, and near unto the chiefest City of the Kingdom, it should only serve to make her inexcusable, and to draw upon her the horrible judgments of God, after it hath served for a testimony in such a stiff-necked age. For doubt not, but as the retrait of the Church of the Apostles from Jerusalem at Pella, was incontinently followed with the desolation of the Country; so if so great an evil should happen, as that the Church of God were rooted up from so many places where it hath been planted; you should presently see exemplary Judgments of God, and the viols of God's anger proceed upon a people, that hath rejected his grace, and turned upside-down the Candlestick of his Word: for if these things be done in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Which we say not by wish, but with fear; not to make any predictions, but to propound that which God declares to us by his Word.

CHAP. X. An exhortation to be joyful during Affliction.

BVt to return to our selves, and to set together again these comforts: The Apostle Saint James begins thus his Epistle, My brethren, count it all joy, when ye fall into diverse temptations. And Saint Paul writing to the afflicted Thessalonians, exhorts thē to rejoice evermore. And Jesus Christ himself saith, Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven. Which commandment the Apostles practifed, when they were beaten and scourged, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And the Apostle giveth this testimony to the faithful Hebrews, that they took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves, that they have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

Now when Jesus Christ saith, Blessed shall ye be when men have reviled you, and persecuted you for my sake; he doth not only declare the judgment he maketh of our afflictions, but declares also his will, which is, to make those blessed that suffer for his name. And when he saith, Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: this encouragement contains a promise; for he that saith, Rejoice, is the very same that gives the true causes of joy, and that gives that Spirit which is likened unto the oil of gladness. Whereupon also he is termed the Comforter. For it is he that comforts the hearts, and disperseth the clouds of sorrow, and brings the true peace and tranquility of conscience, namely, that peace that passeth all understanding. Which is a small cantle of that peace and rest that is in heaven. The fruit of the Spirit, is love, joy, peace, and longsuffering.

For the fear of God doth hardly agree with a fretfull spirit, that nourisheth his griefs inwardly, and feedeth himself with melancholy, that corrupts all the blessings of God by an obstinate peevishness, as the Snailes soil the fairest flowers with their frothy slauer. After that God hath humbled us by repentance, he raiseth us by faith. After the lamentations for the wound of the Church, he comforts us with his promises, and with the expectation of our salvation, and with the honor whereby we are made like to his Son, and have the Prophets and Apostles for companions. There is no reason, that the reproach of men should have more power to make us sad, then the honor to be the children of God hath power to make us joyful. There is no reason we should be more sorrowful for the war man makes against us, then we are glad for our peace and reconciliation with God. And we must take heed, that our sorrow, besides weakness, have not also ingratitude.

Therefore let us not suffer our selves to be overcome by an excessive sorrow and an obstinate forgetfulness; and let us soak the bitterness of our afflictions with the comforts which God's Word affords us. For are not these news of peace and of reconciliation, which the eternal Son of God hath brought us from heaven, a great cause of joy, by the virtue whereof we apprehend no more the face of our God, as of an angry Judge, but we have access unto the Throne of his grace, and can pour out our tears into his bosom, and speak to him with assurance, as children do to their father?

Add unto this the honor of the Covenant, in the which we are entered by Jesus Christ, seeing we are the brethren of the eternal Son of God, and thereby made the children of the high God. Whosoever lifts up his heart to such an high thought, and so full of glory and of comfort, beholds from above the commotions of people's, and of Princes, and the confusions of this age, as things that are a great deal under him, and that cannot trouble the peace of his conscience. Even as those that are on the top of the Alps, are above the showers and tempests; see it lighten, and hear it thunder under their feet, and with a rauishment of their spirits, behold the plain region and Country beaten with tempests, while that in place where they are, the air is still, the sky clear, and the weather calm.

But who can express the sweetness of the prayer of the faithful, and of his secret and solitary consultation and communication with God? For seeing that a man in pouring out his griefs into the bosom of his friend, finds himself eased, although he can find no remedy to it: How much more in disburdening himself on God by fervent and familiar prayers, seeing it is he that can, that will, and that hath promised to apply remedies to them? Therefore the Apostle in the same place where he saith, Rejoice evermore: adds thereto, Pray without ceasing. And elsewhere, Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God: for he knew and had experience, that the sovereign remedy to discharge himself of fretting and care, was to converse often with God. Happy is he, who having had secret conference long with God, departs with a merry countenance, and with a calm Spirit, as proceeding from a sweet and gracious entertayning.

It will be good also for the comforting of ones self in his afflictions, to remember often the words so sweet, and so full of comfort, whereof the Word of God is full, whereby God assures us; That he gathereth up our tears. That though a woman should forget her suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb; yet will he not forget us, nor forsake us. That he that toucheth us, toucheth the apple of his eye. That God is near us, and that the Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him. That whatsoever we ask in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ, that will he do. That we shall weep and lament, and the world shall rejoice, but our sorrow shall be turned into joy. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.

Specially when the case is concerning the deliverance of his Church, and the help which God promiseth unto his children; the Prophets are rich in exquisite terms, and in words full of majesty, and of a sweet efficacy. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, shall your God say. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. The Lord shall make bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. He will swallow up death in victory, and will wipe away tears from off all faces, and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. It is he that breaks the lions teeth, That puts a hook in their nose; That stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of the waves, and the tumult of the people. Surely the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

These Comforts are a Spiritual restorative to the faithful, a supply to his faith assaulted, which makes him to say with David, I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set thenselves against me round about; Yea though I walk thorough the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod & thy staff they comfort me. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved; therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth, my flesh also shall rest in hope. Even to say with the Apostle, I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. For as the same Apostle saith, Whatsoever things were written afore-time, were written for our learning; that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Let us meditate on these things (my brethren) and let us be holily courageous, comforting our selves in God, trusting in his promises, and suffering our selves to be guided by his wisdom. For if the way by the which he leads us, is rough, yet is it right; and let everyone, having poured out his sighs and his familiar complaints, raise up himself in an holy assurance, and say, I will rejoice in my God in the midst of my afflictions, were it but to do spite to the devil, who thinks to overwhelm me with grief, and to make my faith to stagger. But all being well pondered, when I put in a balance the subjects of grief, against the subjects of joy, and that I weigh them in the balance of the Sanctuary; I find that the subjects of joy ouerweigh very much the balance, both in regard of the continuance, and of the greatness of the goods. This persecution is a rough tempest, which cannot last always; either it will carry us away out of this world, or God will remove it from us. But amidst and through the tempestuous time, I have a glimpse of the haven of salvation, where the winds blow not, and where brightness and tranquility is everlasting. Our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen, are temporal, but the things which are not seen, are eternal.

CHAP. XI. Profitable Counsels for perseverance in time of persecution, whereof the first, is, to withdraw ones self from vices.

THe Comforts above specified, may serve for counsels during afflictions. For whosoever shall have a taste of them, shall have a great help to perseverance. Besides the which, behold yet some more Counsels, which Christian piety and prudence do minister unto us.

The principal counsel and the most wholesome of all, is, to eschew vices, and to give ones self to integrity, honesty, and a good conscience. The first vice that one hath to fight withal, is covetousness; for it is that vice which resists most a man's courage and Christian constancy, & which frameth it self least unto the profession of the Gospel in time of persecution: Because it is a trembling vice which doth mistrust everything, which thinks that everyone spies out his money. Loade a valiant man with crowns, and he will presently be come fearful and apprehensive; there is nothing so faint-hearted, as a man that puts his trust in his riches. It is an impatient vice, which makes a covetous man think that one flayeth him, when one doth vnclothe him, and that one taketh from him his life, when one taketh away from him his money, and that he leeseth all that he gains not. It is a vice, that makes that the covetous man is content to serve God, so that he have first a pawn in his hands for better security, as those that plead, having the mortgage in their hand. He will well believe in Jesus Christ, but by the benefit of the Inventory, and without charging himself with any discommodity. How can it possible be, that a man thirsting after money, and that placeth all his delight in his riches, can resolve with himself to carry all naked the cross, and to leese all in one day for the profession of the Gospel?

By that, corruption is entered amongst us, and that prodigious disloyalty, whereby the salable souls in selling themselves for money, have sold the life and liberty of those Churches, the protection of which was committed unto them. From thence come those reuolts, and that shameful forsaking which is seen in many: for as the Apostle saith, The love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves thorough with many sorrows. Of the number of those was Demas, of whom the Apostle complaineth, saying, Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world. Even as the Raven sent forth of the Ark, a figure of the Church, returned not again unto the Ark anymore, because he found some carrion whereon he lighted. So many having taken the flight out of the Church, return no more unto it, because they have found a prey, and received some wages of unrighteousness.

The same is of other vices, the which whosoever hath not tamed, will find himself incapable to carry the Cross of Christ. For a proud man will have much ado to endure contempt and reproach for Jesus Christ, and see him brought to a base condition. The heat of quarrels, and the heat of the zeal of the House of God, cannot dwell together. Even as we see by experience, that the refiners of the point of honor, that are subtle to form a quarrel ordinarily, flinch away cowardly in a good cause; and that he that is quarrelsome in time of peace, is commonly faint-hearted in war; so every riotous and hot fellow in his own quarrel, will be found cold and fainting in God's quarrel, and the defense of the Church; like unto horses that are impatient with flies, but hard to the spurr.

The same we say of pleasure, of gluttony, and drunkenness, and curiosity to serve this body. For it is not credible that a glutton or a drunkard will willingly for the Word of God be brought to bread and water in prison, or in a strange Country. That a Libertine will easily suffer captivity. That a man softened with ease, can be firm against grief. That a woman, which by daintiness cannot endure the Sun, can resolve with her self to endure the fire.

In a word, as they who by purges have emptied their bodies of bad humors, are afterwards more fit to labor; so if by the Meditation of the Word of God, which is a spiritual purgation, and by the Spirit of his fear ye cleanse your hearts of evil desires, you will feel yourselves strong to carry the Cross of Christ. A man must mortify his flesh afore death come, that he may die willingly with Jesus Christ, die first unto sin, and crucify his concupiscence. Which he must accustom betimes to make it to be silent, lest that when he is to resolve himself to persecution, it intrude not it self importunately to tell her mind, and divert our resolution.

If under color of good will it comes to us, to warn us to think and consider of our life, and our honor, and the commodity of our family; we must chide it roughly, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offense unto me; for thou sauourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. And hold for a sure maxim, that the true ground of perseverance, is the fear of God, and a good conscience, which some having put away, concerning faith have made shipwrake.

CHAP. XII. A second Counsel, To cast off the shame of men.

THat we may the better bear the Cross of Christ, it is no less necessary to cast off a certain evil shame, which is to be found in many, whereby even in peace, and out of persecution, and among our friends, we are ashamed to speak of God and of his Word, instead that we should take greedily hold of occasions of glorifying God, and defending his cause. Can a man hope that you would speak courageously for God's cause before a fire, or a criminal Judge, if you dare not do it among your friends, and for the cause of God? Shall we be ashamed to speak for him, that was not ashamed to die for us? Shall we refuse our tongues to him, that hath not refused us his Kingdom? Or shall we dissemble a thing, that alone ought to be our glory, and a perpetual subject of thanksgiving?

Some excuse themselves on the fear of men whom they fear to offend, and to be importunate to them. But this fear is wicked, this discretion is ungrateful, and injurious towards God; seeing that for fear to displease men, they fear not to displease God; and despise that sentence of the Son of God, declaring unto us, that of him shall the Son of God be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels, that shall be ashamed of him, and of his words, in this adulterous and sinful generation.

CHAP. XIII. A third counsel is, to have an abridgement of Popery.

IT is also a counsel which helps much our perseverance, to consider well the greatness of the errors, and darkness of Popery, and to have an abridgement, and as it were a short table, which may represent unto us to the life, the face of the Church of Rome; where is celebrated daily another sacrifice of expiation for the redemption of souls, then the death of our Savior Jesus Christ. Where the communion of the Cup, so expressly commanded in the Word of God, is taken away from the people. Where the reading of the holy Scriptures is not permitted, as if the Word of God were a dangerous Book. Where the poor people prayeth to God, not understanding himself, & is present at a service which he understandeth not. Where they worship Images of stone and of wood. Where God himself is represented in stones and pictures. Where they adore the bones of the dead, and their relics. Where men do vaunt that they can make God with words, and can give God to the people, though they cannot give them salvation. Where there is another purgation of our sins, then the blood of Jesus Christ. Where they will have God burn the souls of his children in a fire of many ages, for faults remitted, and for sins already pardoned, and for the which Jesus Christ hath fully satisfied; and that not for to amend them, but to content himself, and satisfy his own justice. Where they teach, that the death of our Savior exempteth us not from the satisfactory punishment due unto our sins committed since Baptism. Where a man rules, who in his decrees & counsels is called GOD, and, The Divine Majesty; who placeth the Cross at his feet, and vaunts that he cannot err in the faith; and distributes unto men the super-abounding satisfactions of Saints and Monks, which he saith he hath in his treasure. And having heaped together riches surpassing the riches of Kings, he boasteth to be the successor to Saint Peter, in quality and title of the head of the Catholic Church, without producing any one word out of the Word of God, that speaks of this succession. Where they teach, that a man cannot only fulfill the Law, but also make works of supererogation more holy and more perfect then those which God hath commanded. Where marriage is forbidden, and the Stews open, especially at Rome, and in the sight of the Pope, and that by his permission. Where they hold, that man is justified by his works, which binds them to teach, that a man cannot be assured of his salvation. Whence it happeneth that men die with terror, and would be quitted of it, on condition they might be roasted five hundred years in the fire of Purgatory, which they say is seven times hotter then our ordinary fire. Where the traffic of Pardons is public, and where they do no particular service for the soul of a man that hath given nothing to the Church. Where they ask of God salvation, not only by the intercession of Saints, but also by their merits. Where they call upon creatures that know not the hearts, and Saints whom the Pope hath made Saints; yea, many fabulous saints, and those that never were in the world; for the authorizing of which things they have found an unwritten word. And the Church of Rome hath made it self a sovereign Judge in all questions and matters of faith; yea, in questions where question is of the duty of the Church, and of her authority, so that it is both Judge and party, and judge of the Word of God.

Every man fearing God, will behold these things with an horror mixed with compassion; and consider with grief, millions of people, whom the prince of this world hath blinded, and drags (their eyes being bound) into perdition, tied by custom & a trembling superstition: And thereupon turning his eyes on himself, will admire the singular grace that God hath done him, that hath withdrawn him from that dangerous cliffe and steep down-fall, by enlightening his eyes with his Word, and delivering him from so horrible a slavery; not for his own merits, but to make him an example of his grace. Like unto him that from the top of a Mountain beholds a flood, and a great overflowing of a big swollen river, that trailes along men, cattle, and houses, and carries away in one day the work of many ages; by which violent irruption himself being carried away, saves himself with great difficulty.

This thought will hearten the courage of a man fearing God, and make him to take a holy resolution, and to say in himself, Should I be so miserable, as to forget and neglect those inestimable graces, which I have received from my God? Should I for so short a life and so miserable, decline from the way of eternal salvation? Should I come to plunge myself again in this mire, and in lamenting the Garlike and Onions of Egypt shamefully, turn back by a mutiny of my desires, and turn my back to God, and break my promise with him, and offend the Church in her oppression, and rank myself with those that persecute her? Let the earth sink under me, and let men try against me all their cruelty, before any so wicked a thought rise in my mind, or that I give ear never so little to such a dangerous temptation.

It were surely to purchase dearly a few years of a miserable life, as to purchase them with the renouncing of the profession of the Gospel, and with a continual torment of the conscience, and with the loss of ones salvation: for the remnant of life after it, is a continual anguish, and a torture of the conscience. How can he after that, lift up his eyes to God, whom he hath denied and abjured? How can he hope for eternal life of him, whom he hath renounced for this temporal life, and having been enrolled by Jesus Christ, in the list and catalogue of soldiers, how can he hope for the pay which is given to none but such that have faithfully fought? Then to a faint-hearted and disloyal man, the remembrance of the time comes in his mind, wherein he glorified God in the assembly of the faithful, he sets before his eyes the Martyrs, whose company he hath abandoned, which he promised to keep. Each day of his life after his revolt, will be a new torment: for he will consider, that his life henceforth serves for naught but to dishonor God, and that every step that he makes, is a crime and a scandal, and an accusation against the Church of God. The right time to die is when that which remains of our life, serves no more to glorify God: how much more when it waxeth hurtful, and serves only to the defamation of the truth of the Gospel? Thus Origen, who had exhorted other to Martyrdom, having himself bowed under the persecution, could never more open his mouth to preach the Gospel, though he were often requested to it. Only on a day having taken for his Text, Unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes, or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth? He wept very much, and could speak no more. And the Histories of those times do furnish us examples of persons, who falling sick after their revolt, have refused all comfort in their death.

Not that I would despair of the salvation of a man, fallen by fear and infirmity; only I say, that few folks do raise up themselves from so great a fall; and for so great a fault there needeth a very great repentance. Fear & weakness excuseth not, seeing the Spirit of God placeth the fearful and unbelieving with the abominable, and murderers, and forcerers, and idolaters, and sends them together to the Lake of hell, which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. For it is a kind of rebellion in a son, to fear less his father, then the servants of the house.

CHAP. XIV. A fourth counsel, Continuall Prayer.

NOw that these counsels may profit us, it is necessary to be earnest with God by continual prayers, and after the example of Jacob, not to let him go, before he hath given us his blessing; saying with Job, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. This obstinacy is acceptable unto him, he takes pleasure to be thus importuned and urged. By the delaying of his help, he kindleth our prayers, and sharpens our faith. Thus our Savior did put back twice the woman of Canaan, but at the third time he gave testimony of her faith, and grants her her request. And if that wicked Judge did right to the Widow, overcome by her importunity, Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you, that he will avenge them speedily. And if Abraham believed in hope, against hope; hath hoped against all appearance of hoping well: Why we having so many promises of God, and so many trials of his succor; should we not hope in the goodness of our God, although he seemeth to give way to the ruining of his Church; and demolish himself in his anger that, which he hath built in our forefathers time with so many wonders?

Therefore let us not be aweary to cry unto God, and let us not faint under the length of affliction. In your patience possess your souls. Stand still, and behold the salvation of the Lord; and know, that these violent endeavors, which Satan doth in these last times, are a proof that his time is near, and that he feeleth himself pressed with the approaching Judgment of God. You therefore that fear God, be not weary, but cry strongly unto God; and as the Prophet Isaiah saith, Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. And thereupon God permits, not only that we press him with continual prayers, but also that we form our complaints with an holy liberty; saying, O God, seeing it is thy cause, why sufferest thou thine enemies to have the upper hand? Art thou aweary to be served, and to be called upon by us? Wilt thou that Satan rule absolutely, and that the darkness of ignorance cover again the face of the earth? Hast thou built so many Churches with the blood of thy Martyrs, and by the preaching of the Gospel, to undo now that which thou hast done, and thy self to dissolve thine own work? Wherefore shouldst thou permit thy glory to be set at naught, and thy holy Name to be blasphemed, without punishment, and that our enemies do ask, Where is now your God? O God, holy and true, where are thy promises and thy zeal? Where thy ancient compassions, and the sounding of thy fatherly affections? Is thine arm shortened, or thine ears stopped unto our prayers, or thine eye shut, that thou seest not the wrong and outrage done unto thy children, the dissipation of thy poor people? And why hast thou not taken away my soul from this body, before it see this desolation? Why was thy will that I should outlive the prosperity of thy Church? O Lord, hearken understand, pardon, look down from thy habitation. Turn thyself to us, and we shall be turned; Lord Jesus, stay with us, for the night beginneth to come, and the darkness of ignorance doth much increase. Yea, as Jeremiah saith, The day goeth away, and the shadows of the evening are stretched out. God takes pleasure in such a contestation, so it be without murmuring, and when it is set forth to our grief, or to ask for instruction. Thus the Prophets spake, as the Prophet Jeremiah, Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee, yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper, wherefore are they all happy that deal very treacherously? And in the 89. Psalm, there are many complaints, as if God had failed of his promises, or broken his Covenant. And the Prophets with a holy private familiarity, do set before him his promises, his Covenant, the fore-past deliverances, the oppression of the innocent, the blaspheming of his great Name, and the injury done to his glory. Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake as in the ancient days, in the generation of old. Art thou not he that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the Dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep? Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness, and of thy glory. Where is thy zeal, and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards me? are they restrained? O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy names sake; for our backslidings are many, we have sinned against thee; O the hope of Israel, the Savior thereof in time of trouble; why shouldest thou be as a mighty man that cannot save? Yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name: leave us not, do not abhor us, for thy name sake, do not disgrace the Throne of thy glory; remember, break not thy Covenant with us. O Lord, it is thou that bringest down to the grave, and bringest up, that hast the issues of death in thy hand. God, true in thy words, wise in thy counsels, full of compassion towards those that fear thee: Thou art our hope, and our comfort, thou wilt not suffer us to be altogether confounded.

I. Of the Commandment of calling upon God.

TOuching the Commandment to call upon God, the Scripture is full of it, Pray without ceasing; Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.

As we admire the goodness of God, in that he vouchsafeth to speak to us by his Word; so surely it is his great goodness, that he will have us speak to him, and address our selves to him in our necessities, and that we after a sort hang on his ear by an importunity, that is acceptable to him; & is not contented to say, Call upon me, but also he fashioneth our prayers, and prescribes to us the terms and words. He that admits our prayers, is the selfsame that frames them, and that giveth his holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of supplications; for as Saint Paul saith, The Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit it self maketh intercessions for us with groanings, which cannot be uttered.

This Commandment was needful for us. For we being malefactors and guilty, durst not present our selves before our Judge, if he himself had not invited us with so much gentleness. And being called of God, we could not know what we should say to him, if he had not afore-hand instructed us; yea and after that he hath instructed us touching that which we have to say to him, we could not bring that disposition, nor that reverence, nor that needful assurance, if himself did not touch our harts with his Spirit.

II. Of his promise to hear us.

IT is no marvel therefore, if prayer hath such efficacy with God, and if he promiseth to hear us, saying, Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. And, Ask, and it shall be given you; Seek, and ye shall find. And, Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, I will do it.

And though we had not so many promises, notwithstanding this one commandment, Call upon me, includeth a promise. For God calls us not to him, to send us empty away: he commands us not to stretch out our hands to him, to put nothing in them.

Touching this efficacy of prayer, ye have many memorable examples in the Word of God. The example of Moses, who often stood at the breach, to stay God's indignation against his people. Of Joshua, at whose prayer the Sun stood still. Of Jonah, whose prayer from the bottom of the gulf, and from out the belly of the Whale, mounted up unto heaven. Of Elias, of whom Saint James saith, that he was a man subject to the like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain. Of Daniel, whose prayer stopped the mouth of the Lions extraordinarily an hungry. The Ancient Christian History makes mention of a Legion of Christian soldiers, which was called the thundering Legion, because that by prayer it caused a shower of rain to fall upon the army of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, that was athirst, and caused thunder, lightening and tempests to fall on the army of the enemies. God himself declareth, that he feels himself forced and compelled by the prayer of his children. So the Spouse saith to his Spouse, Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me. And God saith to Moses and Aaron, Get ye up from among this Congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. Therefore he forbids Samuel to pray anymore for Saul: and Jeremiah to pray for the people, because being resolved to punish them in his anger, he would not that the prayer of his servants should be unprofitable, and he should have been sorry not to grant them their request. Yea, before the prayer be ended, he declares, that he hears effectually his children: for he speaketh thus, And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and whiles they are yet speaking, I will hear. And I dare boldly affirm, that there is no man that taketh pleasure in this holy exercise, and delights to speak to his God, but hath had experience of his help, and hath carried away some comfort. For if God hears the beasts that call unto him for food, as the Psalmist saith; if he giveth to the beast his food, and to the young Ravens which cry; what would he not hear those to whom he saith, Call upon me, and that call upon him in faith, grounded on his Commandment? If the unjust Judge did right to the poor Widow, & dispatched her, to deliver himself from her importunity: How much more shall God avenge his own Elect, which cry day and night unto him?

I but someone will say in himself, I feel not that, and I have often prayed to God, since that he hath heard me. How often have we asked of God the recovery of our children's health, and notwithstanding they are dead? How often have we asked for victory in battles, and yet after that, we have been beaten? Saint Paul himself, hath he not besought the Lord thrice, that the messenger of Satan, that thorn in his flesh might be taken away, but God granted him not his request?

If I spake to persons that had but little, or not at all the fear of God, I would answer with the words of the Apostle Saint James, Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. I would say also, that God not hearing you, hears you the more, because ye ask hurtful things, and which God knows ye would abuse: and I would send you to Plato's prayer, who said, O God, give us good things, though we ask not them; and give us not evil things, yea though we should demand them of thee. Or rather to the sentence of Saint John, This is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he will hear us. I would also say, that God hears you not, because your hands are full of blood, and your hearts full of evil desires, and your prayers full of hypocrisy.

But because I presume I speak to persons that fear God; I answer otherwise and say, that if those things which we ask of God, are necessary to salvation, God will have us believe, that he will hear us: because that salvation is the object of our faith, it is necessary to demand it with faith, and with full assurance, according to the commandment of the Apostle to the Hebrews, who wills, that we draw near God with a true heart in full assurance of faith: And, that we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Condemning those, that by a profane humility, and an impudent modesty, do teach men to doubt of their salvation, and endeavor to be incredulous with reason, saying secretly to God, O Lord, I feel myself unworthy to trust in thy Word; making the doctrine of the Gospel to be a doctrine of distrust, in lieu that it is a doctrine of faith. Notwithstanding, seeing that they ground their hope on their own merits, I hold that their diffidence is just, and that they have reason to doubt of their salvation. As for us, we put our trust in the promise of God, which is more firm then heaven or earth, whereby he promiseth, that whosoever believeth in Christ Jesus, shall have eternal life.

But if the things which ye demand, are things that concern this present life, or not necessary to salvation; we have no promise of God that he will give us all that we ask of him; but that only he will not forsake us, and will not leave us Orphans, and that he will give that which he knoweth to be expedient for our salvation: and therefore these requests ought to be conditional, as that of the poor Leper, who said to Jesus Christ, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

But here commonly we deceive our selves, esteeming that God grants not our request, and notwithstanding he hath granted our requests. For we ask of God to be protected and preserved from whatsoever danger, by such and such means: but God wall preserve us by other means. We desire that the Church be preserved by victories and battles, and by human aids, and we expect from far Countries some imaginary succor; but God will preserve us by other means: he will strike the enemies with astonishment, or he will put division amongst them, or he will divert their counsels. He will cause that the powers of this world strike against some weak place, and break themselves in pieces, and stop at small obstacles, as a starting horse that starts and stops at a straw; or he will cause our sufferings to be of good savor; and amidst the persecution, he will give efficacy to the doctrine of the Gospel; ye shall be beaten down, but afterwards raised up. With the Iaw-bone of an Ass, with a Goad, God will strike the adversaries, and you shall subsist, not by your power, but by his favor, that the glory of your subsisting, may appertain to him alone. Then will you say, I thought that God had not heard me: but now I acknowledge the contrary, and have experience of the truth of his promise, Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee.

Sometimes we think that God hath not heard us, because we are impatient, and cannot wait for the time of deliverance: but God will try you for a time; he seeth that we are not enough pulled under and humbled: He seeth that we are not low enough to be lifted up by miracle, and to cause his enemies to admire his virtue, and acknowledge his work in our preservation. Besides that, as the showers that fall drop by drop, do soke the earth better, then those that come in a tempest, and boisterously; so the graces of God given little by little, do much better favor, and stir up our prayers, and exercise our faith. But when the time of the delinerance shall come, then you will say, I was too impatient and too delicate, and too much rash in my judgment. I see now that God hath heard me, and I acknowledge the fulfilling of that promise, Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Item, we think that God hath not heard us, because he taketh not away the evils that press us; but he giveth you force to bear them, he increaseth your faith, he hardeneth your courage; that ye may the easier bear that which you think to be unsupportable, and will cause you to glory in the bearing of the Cross of Christ, and with alacrity to go forth after him without the Campe, bearing his reproach.

Such is (my brethren) the efficacy of prayer towards God. But it is also of marvelous efficacy towards our selves.

I. For first, that thought, that it is before God that we present our selves, and that it is to God we speak, ought to seize us with fear and reverence, and make us to quake, and our hairs to stare with a religious horror, by setting before our eyes, that the creature appears before his Creator; dust and ashes, before the Sovereign God, who dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto; a poor sinner, before a Soueraign Justice. For as those that speak often unto Kings, do clothe themselves more civilly, and have a greater heed to that they say: So he that speaketh often to God, feels himself bound to live honestly and civilly, and to look nearer, not only to his words, but also to his life.

II. Prayer will also draw you to eschew hypocrisy, because you appear before God, who knoweth your hearts, who knoweth your requests before you present them to him, who is not contented with gestures, who pierceth with his eyes the darkness, and the thickest cloke of hypocrisy.

III. Item, prayer will bind you to do no wrong to any man, and to empty your hands of other men's goods, and of extortion, usury, and oppression. For God saith by his Prophet Isaiah, When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood. Without it, we cannot follow the Apostles counsel, that willeth us to lift up to God our hands pure, and holy; nor follow the example of David, who saith, that he will wash his hands in innocence, before he compasseth the Altar of the Lord.

IIII. Besides, prayer will oblige you secretly to be alms-givers, and charitable to the poor. For you will say in yourself, In my prayer I ask an alms of God, will he give it me, if I refuse it to my neighbor? Will he hear my voice; if I stop mine ear at the cry of the afflicted? For behold what God saith, Who so stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. And in Saint Matthew, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Therefore we are taught to ask in the plural number our daily bread, as asking it for many; but the covetous reserves it to himself, and imparts nothing to his brother.

V. Prayer also will tie you to hearken attentively to the Word of God: for you will say in yourself, Will God hear my prayer, if I hearken not to his Word? will he receive my prayers, if I reject his commandments?

VI. Prayer also doth bind us to the peace, and to concord with our neighbors. For this thought will come in your minds, Can I seek for peace with God, while that I have in my house war and discord? Lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting; before thou bringest thy gift to the Altar, go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother. And truly where there are quarrels between man and wife, observe it, and you shall find that the evil cometh, because they have not bowed their knees together before God. For this one action would have reunited them together, and have quenched their quarrels. Being well with God, they would have been well together. It is a thing that rarely happeneth among men, that two enemies present themselves before a Prince, to present to him together one and the selfsame request.

Nay which is more, in fashioning our prayers, every word that we speak, is a lesson to us. For we cannot desire of God, that his Name be hallowed, and that his will be done, but that thereby we are warned to labor to glorify his Name, and to subject our selves to his will. In asking the bread which is ours, we learn not to covet other folks bread. In asking the forgiving of our sins, we bind our selves to the forgiving of those, that have trespassed against us. In demanding not to be led into temptation, we learn to fly the temptations of the devil. So that in speaking to God, we speak also to our selves; and so many requests are as many exhortations to the fear of God.

And if prayer contains so many instructions to godliness, it brings no less comfort and refreshings in our griefs. Wherefore God saith to us in this Psalm, Call upon me in the day of trouble.

For if to pour ones griefs in the bosom of a friend, gives some ease, although that friend can give no remedy: How much more ease shall we find, when we disburden our sorrows on our God, seeing he is he alone that both can, and will give remedy? Whereupon David saith, that Prayer was his refuge in adversity, and the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians, to be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanks-giving, let your request be made known unto God. Declaring thereby, that prayer delivereth the spirit from anguish and fear. The which appeareth plainly in the Psalms of David, in the which often we see the beginnings full of anguish and perplexity, but the end full of assurance; as if in the midst of prayer his affairs were changed, or as if one had brought him the best news. For by how much he did confer with God, by so much he felt a refreshing, and his hope strengthened, and his courage increased.

Besides that, prayer fashioneth us to patience, because it enureth us to look towards God, and to turn our eyes frō men, who do afflict us, towards God, who doth employ them; and not to be like the dog stricken, that bites the stick, or shappes at the stone.

Yea, I say, that though we should not obtain of God the help we ask in affliction; notwithstanding, there is some contentment, to have amiddest ones grief, so sweet a diuersion as to speak with God. Such ought to be the entertainment of our solitariness, and of our thoughts in the night. Being weary to speak to men, who commonly speak of bad things, or of things to no purpose; let our occupation be to entertain our selves with God.

Now although GOD commands us to call upon him in the day of our trouble, it followeth not that we should not call upon him also in prosperity. For there is always matter of fear and of apprehension; we are always exposed to the ambuscadoes of the world and the devil. At all times we have inward maladies and infirmities; there is always means to profit; always occasion to ask forgiveness. Yea, also it is certain, that prayer in prosperity hath, I know not what more seemliness and grace then it hath in affliction, because it is not drawn out by the force of grief, but suggested by love and a filial affection; it being no marvel, if we cry to God when he hath stricken us.

But because that in time of peace and prosperity, we are negligent in this duty, God sends us afflictions; He kindleth this heat by his contrary, as when one kindleth lime, by pouring water upon it. Few fervent prayers mount up to God during prosperity, and the spirits slackened with ease, do conceive but languishing thoughts, and prayers indicted by custom. Griefe is the mother of that eloquence, by the which God is persuaded. It draweth out fervent prayers, pushed forth by necessity. And that is true which men say, that prayer is more affectionate on the sea then on the land, because there the danger is continual, and there is but two or three inches off between us and death.

Here I doubt not, but that too many amongst you, that have the fear of God rooted in your hearts, this thought comes in your mind, and that you say in yourselves, I know that as Saint James saith, that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. But this is my affliction, that in my prayer my mind wandereth often, and my attention is miss-led, and there come other thoughts in my mind. How often being distracted, have I renewed my prayer, and am fallen again to the self-same straying! If I speak to a man, my thought is settled, and I think not elsewhere; why therefore in speaking to God, can I not have the like attention? Surely my brethren, prayer is a task, whereof the greater part of men do acquit themselves very slightly, and more by custom then by affection. How will we have God to hear us, if we hear not our selves? And who is the Prince? yea, the man of mean condition, that would suffer one to speak to him, thinking on another thing, or looking else-where? Those prayers by the which we ask the forgiveness of our sins, are sins thenselves, of the which we must ask pardon; and must make other prayers to amend the former. It were necessary to say to many, Hold your peace, speak not to God, lest he hear you, and you provoke him to anger. Truly, God dealeth with us very gently, if he pardoneth our prayers, and layeth not to our charge our good works.

Now touching this difficulty of staying ones thoughts in prayer, we will show you first the causes thereof, and afterwards we will seek the remedies.

Four things do contribute to this evil. The first is, the natural lightness of our spirits, that have much ado to stay themselves, and to keep themselves a long time in one state. The second is, because the divine things are far off from our selves, and from our apprehension. Now they are the senses that tie the attention. Is it not true, that you have much ado to hear a Sermon, when you behold not him that speaketh? Therefore the Israelites said to Aaron, Up, make us gods which shall go before us. The third cause is in our lusts, that is to say, that he that makes his prayer, bears a hatred, or hath a quarrel against some, or burns with covetousness, or hath a burning ambition to attain unto some state or honor. Is there any marvel, if these longings so quick to move themselves, and so rooted in, do trouble our spirits, and do distract our attention in prayer? The fourth cause is in the devil, who if he seeth that you are telling of a tale, or speaking of the affairs of this world, hath no intention, I warrant you, to trouble you, because that it doth no prejudice to his Kingdom, and troubleth him not at all. But when he beholds a man bending his knees to pray to God, he saith in himself, This man goeth to his prayers, and in his prayer will ask that God's Kingdom come; that is against me, and against my Kingdom. He will pray that God deliver him from evil; thats also against me, and to beat back my temptations. Therefore let us endeavor to cause some vain thought to glide easily in his mind, and to distract his attention, that even his prayer it self may be a sin, and that even by prayer he may fall in the hands of the devil.

Whosoever knoweth man's frailty, knoweth that there is nobody that is freed from this infirmity, and that the best are troubled with it; and therefore those are mockers and hypocrites, who retiring themselves in the deserts, and leading an Hermits life, say that they give incessantly their minds to prayer and to meditation. That is an abuse. Doubt not, but that in solitariness, and in that retired life, they burn with temptations, and that a presumptuous fretfulnesse makes them to frown, because they have nobody with whom to compare but themselves, and that amiddest these hollow and shallow meditations, the devil hath fair play.

This evil cannot be remedied with certain tricks which they employ to oblige their attention, namely, to say fifty times the same Orisō in a barbarous or unknown tongue, in turning certain beads, or in saying certain Orisons which they call Iaculatories, as if they whisked or squirted prayers towards heaven: Or in composing certain meditations with words puffed up with an extravagant devotion, as if they would prattle like Iayes to God.

Therefore we must come to the remedies of this evil, and know by what means we may stay our spirits in prayer, without any idle digression. Of these remedies, there are some that are slight, and are rather counsels of prudence then of godliness, which notwithstanding are not to be despised; and others, stronger and more necessary.

Therefore to begin with the lesser remedies: I say, that to keep the spirit attentive, the gesture of the body composed to reverence, the lifting up of the hands and eyes, and the bowing of the knee do serve. Besides, the voice: for the thought alone is the easier distracted. Item, the darkness, and the removing of all objects that may ingender a diuersion. It is also a good counsel for those that cannot stay their spirits and thoughts, and that have the carriage of their attention short, to accustom themselves to short prayers, & to return to them the oftener.

But these remedies are weak, in comparison of those that follow; whereof the one is, that seeing they are the burning lusts and desires which in awaking & stirring themselves, come to trouble our spirits, and disorder our thoughts, and break their flight when they are mounting up to God; we must labor to quiet them, and to strip off our hatred and quarrels, to heal ones envies, to bridle our covetousness, our choller, our wantonness: for as long as these perverse affections make a tumult within us, they will traverse our prayers, and disturb our holy meditations. This is the true and sovereign remedy. The remedies are, as when to heal an ague, one applieth on the wrist some herbs, or some liquid medicine on the flankes and soft parts under the short ribs. But this remedy which is to range the desires under the fear of God, is as it were a phlebotomy, or a purgation, which purgeth that which is within, and tempereth the inward heat.

We must add to this remedy a wholesome counsel, which is, that when question is to pray to God, to stay a little, and not to bow so soon the knee, but to meditate a little in himself afore, on the greatness of him, before whom you go to appear; what are his eyes which pierce into our hearts; what horror of his judgments; what our misery and weakness is, and the greatness of our sins; to the end ye never begin to pray, but being possessed with a religious fear, and touched with reverence. David did thus, as it appeareth in the beginning of a Psalm, Truly God is good to Israel. Which is a broken speech, and a sequel of a long meditation. It is no marvel therefore, if our minds do stray, and if their attention is slack, seeing that we go to prayer heedlessly and without preparation.

By this a man may know, whether these remedies have profited him; if after prayer done, the same thoughts do continue in him a while, and if his spirit hath much ado to apply it self presently after, to any other action.

But what care so ever you take, there will be always some defect. This perfection, to think always on God without any distraction, is reserved for the life to come; where we shall have but one object that will fill our understanding, content all our desires, and where God shall be all in all.

III. To glorify God.

THe end of all this discourse, and the last fruit of our prayers is, that God is thereby glorified, as it is added, Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

For when we have our refuge to God, we acknowledge him the Author of all good, and testify that we acknowledge him true in his promises, inclined to love us, and powerful to do us good. Chiefly in the public prayers which the Church offers unto God with one accord, God is glorified, in that these prayers are the agreement of diverse spirits, and a spiritual harmony whereby he is magnified; there being but that on earth, which is an imitation of the accord of heavenly spirits, that are continually attentive, and bandied to glorify him.

Now the Scripture willeth, that as our prayers, so all our actions tend to glorify God, as S ^t Paul saith, Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. In a word, all things are made for his glory.

God hath created the world, & men, & Angels, to picture himself in his work, and to manifest the greatness of his glory; for nothing merits so much to be represented, as that which is soueraignly fair. Now the light is the first of beauties, and God is Light, and the Father of lights.

That God may be glorified, he hath sent his Son into the world; for thereby he hath declared his love towards men, and his truth in fulfilling his promises; & the hatred he bears against sin, in that he had rather strike his own Son, then leave sin unpunished. He hath also thereby manifested his Wisdom, in finding a means to satisfy fully his Justice, without prejudice to his Mercy. He hath shown his Power, in making use of the flesh of a weak man, to ruin the empire of the devil.

To the end he be glorified, he will send his Son to judge the quick and the dead, that at the sight of all creatures, his righteousness may be known and acknowledged, the love he beareth to his children, and the Empire he hath given to his Son above all things: for it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

That he may be glorified, he throws down Kings, and overthrows Empires in his anger, as God saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my Name might be declared thorough all the earth.

That he be glorified, he punisheth y ^e iniquity of his people, and of his servants; as in the book of Numbers, having declared, that not one of that rebellious assembly shall enter in the Land of promise; he adds, But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. And in Leviticus, having sent out fire to devour Nadab and Abihu, I will be sanctified (saith he) in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified.

Because he is jealous of his glory, he will be alone served, saying, My glory will I not give to another, nor my praise to graven Images. Not that God hath need to be glorified by men, or that he feeleth himself tickled as it were with our prayers; for before that man was created, he enjoyed a sovereign glory. And if he had need of glory, he hath his Angels that glorify him in another fashion: for our prayers do debase his greatness, and our service is a kind of dis-service: our thanks-giuings are secret requests. The love we bear to God, is guided by our interest, and grounded on the love of our selves; but he will be glorified of us, because there is no reason that we should receive incessantly his goods, without making him some acknowledgement. Because it is also a means to draw new benefits, when we bury not the precedent benefits, either with oblivion, or ingratitude.

Therefore God will have us sensible of the outrage done to his glory, and that in the affliction of the Church we lament, not the loss of our goods, not our banishment from our houses, not the peril of our lives; but the abasing of his glory, the blaspheming of his holy Name, and the reestablishing of the kingdom of the son of perdition. Therefore Moses making intercession for the sin of the people, doth not allege the misery of that Nation, nor the ruin of so many persons; but (saith he) What wilt thou do to thy great Name? The Egyptians will say, Because the Lord was not able to bring this people unto the Land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the Wilderness. We have also a singular example of this in the Prophecy of Jeremiah, where God denounceth against the King Jehoiakim this judgment, that his house shall be rooted out, and his dead body shall be cast out in the field, because that after the reading of three or four leaves of the Prophecy of Jeremiah, he suffered the Secretary to cut the leaves with the Penknife, and to cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire, that he was not afraid, nor rent his garments.

To this purpose may be applied that which the naturalists say, that all natural things have two diverse inclinations; the one to preserve themselves, the other to preserve the world; as the water glideth downwards to preserve it self, for it seeketh after the place of her rest, but sometimes it mounteth up on high to fill the empty place, because that the vacuum impugneth the laws, and the conservation of the universal world; and the particular inclination ought to yield to the universal Law, and the general good. So the faithful hath these two inclinations; the one, to seek for his rest and commodity; the other, to procure the glory of God, which is a general good, and whereunto all things ought to tend and serve it. When these two inclinations do justle together, and are incompatible, the preservation of our goods, and of our lives, ought to be set apart and left behind, that God may be glorified.

But thereupon you will ask; But is it lawful or possible to desire to be reproved and cut off eternally from the grace of God, that God may be glorified, and others saved? Not to hold you long in this point: I hold it, that that is neither lawful, nor possible. For he should be ill instructed, that should think that his damnation could be a sufficient and fit ransom to redeem or save others. It were an unjust thing to desire, that a man who loveth God, and feareth him, should be punished for the guilty, and to will that God should commit an injustice: but the strongest reason is, that if any, pushed on with the love of God, desired to be eternally damned, that God might be glorified; he should desire to be an enemy unto God, and to hate him eternally: now they are things incompatible and contradictory, that a man should be set on by God's love, to desire to hate him; and that with loving him much, he desireth to be his enemy; for all the damned hate God with a sovereign hatred, and are his enemies forever.

Therefore when Moses speaketh thus to God, Yet now if thou wilt, for give their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy Book, which thou hast written. He speaks not of the Book of life, nor of the roll of eternal Election, out of the which he knew that none can be blotted; but he desireth to be blotted out of the book of the living; that is to say, to die, rather then to see the destruction of the people. Of which book of the living, the Psalmist speaketh, Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous: that is to say, Cause them to die, and extirpe them from off the face of the earth, that they may have no more a place in God's Church; for that in the two and thirtieth of Exodus, where is mention made of a book, out of the which God blots men; God himself declareth, saying in the same place, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my Book.

For the same reasons, we say that the Apostle Saint Paul may have wished, that himself were an Anathema, and an execration among men, and separated from Christ as concerning the outward communion; but he could not, nor ought not to have wished to be a reprobate, and damned eternally. God forbid that any one of us should have such an irregular zeal, as to will to be damned, that God might be glorified: in that consisteth all the contentment of the faithful, that he knoweth that God will be glorified in doing us good.

To conclude, ye are called (my brethren) to glorify God: this is the task of the faithful in this world.

Now you must glorify God, first, in words, not speaking of him without reverence, and flying all hypocrisy and false-hood. For as Joshua said unto Achan, that to speak the truth, is to give glory unto the Lord.

Besides, you must glorify God in trusting in his promises; for it is to acknowledge and to assure ones self that God is true, as Saint Paul saith, that Abraham staggred not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. Whosoever hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal, that God is true.

Item, you are to glorify God by good works, as Jesus Christ saith, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

You ought to glorify God in humbling your selves: for there is nothing that is so opposite to God's glory, as man's glory; as Christ said to the Pharisees, How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only? For this cause God casteth down the proud, because that in glorifying themselves, they have not given glory unto God.

Finally, ye must glorify God in maintaining his cause, and being moved with the zeal of his glory; in lieu that we are quick to stir up our selves for our own interest, and we are pricked and moved with a cross word.

How many persons do you think there are like unto Lot, whose soul was vexed with the filthy conversation of Sodom? Or that are moved as Saint Paul was at Athens, whose spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the City wholly given to Idolatry? Seeing y ^t if one cōmits adultery, others laugh at it: If any one blaspheme, the others hear without being moved, as if God's quarrel were not ours: Notwithstanding, the truth is, that we are not only guilty of the sins we commit, but also of those that we approve in others.

Notwithstanding, brethren, seeing that all things are made for God's glory, yea even the wicked for the day of evil; it is impossible but that ye glorify God in some sort: for he that will not glorify him willingly, shall glorify him perforce. If he be not glorified by you, he shall be glorified in you; if ye are not the Heralds of his glory, ye shall be examples of his justice.

But we hope better things of you. For God hath not called you and honored you with his Covenant for naught, but that you may be saved. Labor therefore to glorify God by work, and by word; in life, and in death; glorify God in your life, that he may glorify you in your death.

Yea even in this life he will make you feel the effect of this promise, Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me: And will manifest his glory in the deliverance of his Church. There is yet Balm in Gilead. There are yet some wholesome consolations and remedies with God. His compassions are not quenched: the Lord will not leave his people, nor forsake his inheritance. For feeing the world hath been made for the Churches sake, it is certain, that as Satan cannot overturn the world, so can he not overturn the Church. The Lord that hath delivered us from the Iawes of the devil, and from the power of hell, will deliver us also from the hands of men, conspiring against the Church; and having made us to see his deliverance here on earth, he will make us see his riches in heaven, and receive us in his Kingdom.

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory, forever and ever.

Amen.