A MOST Excellent and com­fortable Treatise, for all such as are any maner of way either trou­bled in minde or afflicted in bodie, Made by Andrew Kingesmyl Gen­tleman, sometime fellowe of Alsolne Colledge in Oxforde.

Whereunto is adioyned a verie godly and learned Exhortation to suffer patiently al afflictions for the Gospel of Christ Iesus.

And also a conference betwixt a godly learned Christian & an afflicted consciēce: wherein, by the holy Scrip­tures the sleights of Satan are made manifest, and ouer­throwen: with a godly prayer thereunto annexed.

Imprinted at London, by Christopher Barkar. ANNO 1577.

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.

HAVING diuers papers and writings committed vnto me by a deare friend of myne, whom it pleased God not long since, after manie yeeres trauaile very profitably bestowed in the ministerie and preaching of the Gospell, to call out of this mise­rable, wretched and wicked world: And finding amongst the said writings this Treatise and the Exhortation annexed thereunto: I read both the one and the other all ouer, to mine owne great profite and comfort, I must needes confesse. And therefore perswaded by mine owne experience in the reading of both these treatises, that the publi­shing of them in print might be no lesse profitable and comfortable to many others, then to my selfe I founde them: I thought good not to holde them longer in my priuate custodie as things dead and buried with the Authours, but to commit them to the Printer, so to haue them communicated to this Church of England, and as manie as vnderstand the Englishe, to the prayse and glorie of God for his gratious giftes in the writers, and for the com­fort and instruction (I doubt not) of so many as shall reade them.

Of the Authour of the Exhortation, I can say nothing more then that (as I coniecture by that he writeth) he liued in the late raigne of Q. Marie, being then an exile in foraine partes for the Gos­pel, which at that time also was banished from hence, as touching the open profession thereof in [Page] any common and publike places. And as for the matter of his Exhortation, I shall not neede to say anie more in commendation thereof to stirre men vp to the reading of it, then the bare title giuen to the same importeth: which with the shortnesse of the Treatise it selfe may suffice to allure any godly and well disposed person to peruse the same.

As touching the Authour of the Treatise whose name I haue expressed, though I could of him saye verie much to his great commendation, and that of mine owne knowledge, for that liuing together in one house we were long time and familiarlye acquainted: Yet I will for some respectes forbeare to prayse him for his whole life and death, refer­ring thee to that which is briefly said of him (and printed before) in a litle booke of his entituled, The view of mans estate, &c: of which booke, though by an other name, him selfe maketh men­tion in this treatise: and had I knowen so much before the impression thereof, as I coulde not, this comming so lately and long after to my handes, it shoulde haue borne no other name, then nowe I well perceyue the Authour him selfe called it by: though the title it nowe hath, be not (I trust) im­proper and impertinent to the matter he handleth therein. To whom he writte this Treatise of com­fort, and vpon what occasion, thou mayest easely perceyue if thou reade the whole all ouer: And though shee, to whome he writte the same be yet liuing, and the occasion thereof such as peraduen­ture some will mislike of the publishing thereof: Yet being certainly perswaded that neither the writer, if he were nowe liuing, or she, to whom he writte, woulde haue any thing concealed for pri­uate [Page] respectes, that may serue so well as this Trea­tise will (I am assured) to the edifying and com­fort of manie: I haue aduentured to be a meane that it might be imprinted, with the approbation of such as by good order in this behalfe are ap­pointed to allowe of all such matters to be pub­lished.

Wherefore, gentle Reader, accept in good part both this Treatise, and the Exhortation adioyned thereunto: which if they may serue for thy in­struction and comfort, as no doubt they will, thou hast great cause to prayse God both for the writers, and things by them written. *⁎*

f. mylles.

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

God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing, but in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified vnto me, and I vnto the worlde.

Gal. 6.14.

DEare sister in our Lord and Sauiour Christe Iesus, wheras I vnderstād of your present state and condition,The cause that moo­ued the Authour to wryte this Trea­tise. that it hath pleased God our heauēly Father, somewhat to visite & touch you with his heauie hand, to chastize you with the rodde of his correction, and to lay vpon you some part of the crosse of his Christ: Had I a farre better talent then I haue, which (God knowes) is but simple, yet I thought I could not any otherwise bet­ter bestowe & occupie the same, then so, as it were, to lay it with you in exchange & bāke, as by ye grace of God to vtter vnto you some saying or sentence, whereout you might re­ceiue some piece of relief or comfort: for this vsurie, and those that haue any, so to occupie their talents, as to visite the afflicted, to com­fort [Page] the comfortlesse, and to bestow although as it were but one poore penie, to strengthen the pensiue in patience,Mat. 26.10 euen as our Sauiour commended the deuoute womans worke, for bestowing her oyle vpon him toward his burial: So I doute not but this taske which it hath pleased God now to set me, shall ap­peare vnto him a lawful and gaineful vsurie, a wel bestowed oyntment, and such a worke, that as it lacketh not his charge, so it shal not be either to you fruitlesse, either with him altogether thankelesse.Rō. 12.15. Reioyce with them that reioyce (sayth the Apostle) and weepe with them that weepe.Eccle. 7.34 And the sonne of Si­rach likewise, Let not them that weepe be without comfort, but mourne with such as mourne. Now (Sister) considering such & the like sayings, calling to minde howe we haue reioyced together, enioying the good dayes, that God of his goodnesse hath here­tofore giuen vs, and nothing doubting, but he will driue away those stormie cloudes, and cause againe his cherefull sunne to rise and shine vpon vs: and (that which I can not for­get) what a mourner you were wt me in the time of my mourning: verely now in the time of your distresse if my heauinesse would ease you, or my sorow might turne to your ioye, [Page] I thinke my heart be not so harde, but that I should bestowe some teares vpon you, al­though that I foresee mine owne portion in the worlde to be none other but paines with­out pleasure.2. Sam. 1.12. Dauid we reade lamēted Sauls death, although one that sought his bloud. And likewise Absolon that wicked childe & vnnatural sonne, with what a fatherly affec­tion did he pitie his case? crying whē he heard the certaintie of his death, in such sort as is expressed in ye 2. of Sam. 18. My sonne Abso­lon, my sonne, my sonne Absolon, would God I had died for thee: So verely ought our ca­ses and calamities to be common, and I es­pecially haue iuste occasion to beare the bur­then with you, being vnto me a true Sister, a Sister by naturall natiuitie, a Sister by heauenly regeneration, one with whome I haue enioyed the sweete, and who with me hath not refused the sowre: wherefore as I cannot but with brotherly affection be sorie for your sadnes, so when I somewhat lift vp mine eyes toward heauen, & haue in conside­ration the infinite mercies and marueilous working of God our heauenly Father, con­cerning his chosen children and sanctified Sainctes here on earth, then (me thinkes) I receiue so plentifull ioye of spirit, and proui­sion [Page] of patience against those stormes and tempestes of aduersities and afflictiōs, which I know I haue in the way of my pilgrimage to passe, and which I know by the course of Gods working abyde certainly for all true & stedfast Christians, that in vttering the same vnto you it may be I shall giue you some oc­casion of comfort. God therefore I beseeche him guide my hand, and direct my heart, and so beholde you with his Fatherly eye, and cherefull countenance, that we may both re­ceiue comfort of his holy Spirit the true cō ­forter, promised by our Sauiour, that we may reioyce one with another, and both in the Lord.

Now there are diuers meanes that God hath ordeined & prouided for the cherishing and refreshing of heauie heartes and sorow­ful soules:Comforts, some are temporall, some eter­nall. for some there are which are pro­per to the bodie, as earthly and temporall, o­ther concerne the minde, as Ghostly and con­tinual, which wheras they are to be had,Temporal comforts. nei­ther of them are to be refused, forasmuch as God therein with our vse and commoditie, looketh to reape the fruite of his owne glo­rie.1. Tim. 5.23. S. Paul alloweth Timothie and counsel­leth him for his weake stomaks sake mode­rately to drinke wyne: and Salomon lyke­wise, [Page] Giue the strōg drinke vnto him that is readie to perishe,Prou. 31.6 and wine vnto them that haue griefe of hearte. Concerning these, although they be somewhat besides my care, yet this I may truely saye, that you haue to thanke God with a most chereful spirit, yt he hath not left you so destitute in this behalf, as he hath thousands of other our brethren.

Meate & drink, &c.Howe many are there, not far from you, if you list (as I thinke you doe) to beholde them, and consider them with some compa­rison, in respect of whom you must nedes cō ­fesse your selfe and happie handmaid of God: as whose hope is their cōfort, patience their pleasure, their wine a cuppe of colde water, and whom for their apparel, necessitie allow­eth no more then their bare naked skin? how many poore Lazars are there that would be glad to gather vp the crummes vnder that table, where your hand is free without grud­ging? You say peraduenture sometimes in your fit, I am a miserable woman: But what may they saye, that haue neither cloth nor clout to defend them from the bitter byting colde? what may they say, which many times haue neither bitte of bread, neither droppe of drinke, wherewith to satisfie ye griedie worme of hunger, or to quenche the drie disease of [Page] thirst? How many are there, which in com­parison of you, and me although peraduen­ture the leaste of xiiii, who being driuen to the draffe of hogges, may say with the pro­digal sonne, In how farre better case are the hired seruantes of that house, then we seely soules are? doutlesse hauing as we haue, al­though we did get it hardly, & buye it deare­ly, yet should we be in farre better state then a great number, which by experience knowe what the want of those necessaries are, which God of his gratious goodnes hath with a li­berall hand, bestowed on vs his euill deser­uing seruantes: and who for any thing to be sene in our selues, deserue as euill and worse thē many of those nedy naked soules, which at sundrie times faint for want of foode, & as the bare beastes stand open to all winde and weather, subiect to all aduentures, free from no aduersitie. Dauid well considered these benefites of God, which we, because that we haue not felt the lacke of them, make litle ac­compt of. God satisfieth saith he,Psal. 107.9 the thirstie sottle, and filleth the hungrie soule with good things: and numbring diuers other the like benefites, which Gods people dayly receiue at his hande, hee crieth out twise or thryse with earnest zeale, O that men woulde ac­knowledge [Page] before the Lord his louing kind­nes, and his wonderous workes before the sonnes of men: Let vs likewise acknow­ledge the goodnes of God toward vs in this behalfe.

Kinsfolkes & friends.And me thinkes (Sister) if these outward earthly thinges may anie thing make in the matter, you haue iust cause to reioyce. Da­uid you know complaineth often times that his familiars and kindred started from him in his aduersitie, for beside the multitude of his enemies, which as he maketh his accoūt were more then heares vpō his head, he saith also,Psal. 69.8. I am become a stranger vnto my bre­thren, euen an aliant vnto my mothers sons: In another place, he vttereth as a part of his griefe, that he was bereft of his Father and Mother: Concerning those pointes you are not so farre in as Dauid was: you haue bre­thren, you haue sisters, I know, that account your case their common case. That God hath visited our Father, I craue as great part of that plague as the best or the worst of you: that God hath so preserued our Mo­ther, the mirrour of al mothers, therein you haue as great part as the best of vs. As for open enemies that seeke your hinderance, or that reioyce at your aduersitie, I know none [Page] you haue: but you know your self a number of your friends, that vnfainedly wishe your prosperitie.

Our Sauiour, you may remember, com­plained that the Foxes had holes where to couch them,A house or dwel­ling place. and the birdes of the aire haue their place of rest, but the Sonne of man had not where to hide his head. O that we could, that we would compare our selues in our aduersities with our Sauiour, the Sonne of man, the verie Sonne of God, of him to learne patience: then no doubt but by him we should receiue comfort. Cōsider therfore the goodnes of God, how he hath prouided for vs by the gentlenes of our deare Mother, a place which we vse as an home and habita­tion, and that no Foxe hole, but thankes be to God a warme and wel feathered neste, where we haue free egresse and regresse.

This scripture was fulfilled in our Saui­our,Concord of brethrē They of a mās owne house are his ene­mies, and he thereof complaining saide, He that eateth bread with mee hath lift vp his heele against me: but thankes be vnto our heauenly Father, who hath ioyned our house in such an vnitie, that we do not (as farre as I see) one disdeine the other in necessities and aduersities, neither enuie ech other in things [Page] succeeding prosperously. God of his mercie graūt that band long to continue in ye house of Sidmountaine, that it may deserue the commendation of Ierusalem, euen to be as a Citie which is at peace within it self.Psal. 122.3 This was it whereof Dauid receiued much com­fort, that after great diuisiōs, God had graū ­ted in his kingdome the peace and concorde of his people, so he saith of his experiēce, Be­hold how good a thing it is,Psal. 133.1 and how come­ly, for brethren to dwell euen together. He compareth it vnto the precious oyntment powred on the head, that spreadeth abroad to the refreshing of the whole bodie, and vnto the dewe of Hermon, and that which falleth vpon the mountaines of Sion, places ryche and fruitfull both with temporal benefites, & with the spirituall blessings of God. This cherefull oyle and freshe dewe of vnitie and concord betwixt you, your brethren, sisters and friendes, God hath blessed you withall: suche dewe falleth not in all places, such oyle is not to be found in al houses, the fresh flow­er of vnitie and amitie is not to be found in euerie fielde: but this as it groweth greene in the Garden of Sidmountaine, which if it fade, then farewell my part: but now flouri­shing as it doth by the gratious goodnesse [Page] of God, me thinke you should not but reioyce in the Lord, who hath reserued vnto you this piece of Paradise, that you may haue the full fruition of that beautiful and sweet smelling flowre of concord. Thus I haue endeuoured somewhat to lead you into the consideration of the temporall benefites and blessings of God bestowed vpon you, whereout it may be you shal pick some piece of comfort, if things worldly and earthly, outward and temporall, may make any thing in this medicine. But it may be, that as to the sicke, things otherwise sweete become sowre & vnsauerie, and to the weake and sickely stomake, the sweet hony is lothsome: so the mothe of pensiuenes hath entered your heart, that these weaker medi­cines may not haue their full force, and due operation.

Nowe after that you haue stoode on this place, to see and looke about you what com­fort is to be had on earth, where you may well espie more then I haue shewed you: hencefoorthe (Sister) let vs get on the mounting wynge of fayth,Euerlastīg and hea­uenly comforts. let vs rayse our selues vp through the clouds, euē to the hea­uens, let vs come from the fotestoole of God to his glorious seate, and that cannot be but comfortable vnto vs to consider.Reue. 4.4. For S. Iohn [Page] (as he describeth his vision) when he saw the Maiestie of God sitting on his glorious throne, declareth that the throne of God is compassed about with a rainbow, a sure seale and token of Gods mercie towards vs, that although he often times raine vpon vs, yet he wil no more drowne vs. This hath euer bene the chief comfort of the godly in al their distresses and afflictions, they all had an espe­cial eye this way: Reade you ye 121. Psal. the 123. Psalme, there to consider the practise of the Prophet, how he looked toward ye throne of God. I will lift mine eyes to the Moun­taines (saith he) from whēce mine helpe shall come, mine helpe commeth from the Lord which hath made heauen and earth, &c. I lift mine eyes to thee that dwellest in the hea­uens: beholde, as the eyes of an handmayde marke the eyes of her mistres, so our eyes wayte vpon the Lord our God, vntill he haue mercie vpon vs. Now then (Sister) laying aside all earthly considerations, if they will not worke with you, let vs looke vpon that helpe that commeth from heauen.

This as I remember is one amongst the wise sayings of Salomon: Heauines casteth downe the hearte of man, but a good worde rayseth it vp againe: If any mans worde [Page] or wisedome may any thing herein preuaile, then especially the good word of God,Gods worde. which as Dauid sayth is mighty in operation. It is so ful of comfort, that if grace wanted not to vtter and receiue it accordingly, I nothing doubte but if you were halfe dead, it would soone quicken and set you vpright againe.Rom. 15.4. So sayth S. Paul, whatsoeuer is written, is written for our learning, that we through comfort and pacience of the Scriptures, might haue hope. Seing then the Lord hath left vs this heauenly treasure here on earth, euen to our so great commoditie thereby to learne patience, and receiue comfort, let vs vse these as our spectacles to behold the mer­cies of God, which of our selues being no­thing but blindenesse it selfe, are not able to searche out or to see: and this shalbe as your diet, that you resort to those sweete running ryuers, springing vp vnto eternall life, coun­selling and aduising you, here to laye out the whole line of your life: no day, nor houre cō ­meth amisse, but in the Scriptures you may find comfort: Yea, there ye shall meete with the fountaine of all comfort, the Spirit of God chering and cherishing you after a hea­uenly and marueylous maner. Presently for my part, I chiefly commit your cause to his [Page] cure, and by his grace, I shall endeuour to giue you some taste of that precious liquour: God graunt it be not marred for lacke of a better vessell.

First therfore, I am persuaded yt you no­thing dout of your adoption and election in Christ Iesus,Election in Christ. that your name is entred in the booke of life, and that you are surely sea­led vp for a saued sanctified soule. This foun­dation being layd on so sure a groūd, hauing our hands fastened on this hold, what storms or floods of affliction may there arise, but we may (considering ye tender mercy of God to­wardes his chosen children) endure with pa­tience, ouercome with comfort, and wade thorowe with ioy, knowing sure we shal haue a day, and seeing certainely although a farre of, the quiet and glorious hauen we haue to arriue at? It is a most comfortable saying which the Apostle vttereth vnto you:Rom. 8.28. We knowe (saith he) that all things worke toge­ther for the beste vnto them that loue God, euen to them that are called of his purpose. This one sentence so setting foorth the care that God your heauenly Father hath ouer you, might satisfie you, if you could weigh it as it is worthie.

Great and manifolde were the miseries [Page] which that chosen of God suffered, reade you the 11. of the 2. to the Corinthians. Paul. You shal finde there at what hard meat, & how sowre sauce the Lord set that his paineful and faith­full seruant: as stripes, perilles both on Sea and land, euill entreatie both of the Iewe and the Gentile, the deceit of false brethrē, weari­nesse, painfulnesse, watching, hunger, thirst, colde, nakednesse, and all kinde of persecutiō. Yet he hauing that confidence and stedfast perswasion of the eternal prouidence of God, that he turneth all things to the commodi­tie of his electe, euen in the middest of these miseries he shewed a most chereful spirit, as hee saith numbring many kindes of persecu­tions,Rom. 8.37. in all these thinges we are more then conquerours, by him that loued vs.

In what distresse thinke you was that iust Ioseph, being endangered to perish in the pit,Ioseph. throwne in by the handes of his owne bre­thren,Gen. 37.24. and afterwarde solde of them into a strange countrey, where also being taken of suspicion to haue abused his Master Poti­phars wyfe, was cast into prison: yet he also ouer these and the like temptations,Gen. 39.20 became in time a conquerour, well perceiuing in the ende, that it was the Lordes doing to some good ende, although he did not straight vn­derstand [Page] the same. And therefore besides his owne comfort, he quieted also the troubled mindes of his brethren, declaring vnto them the prouidence of God, wheron he wholy de­pended.Gen. 45.4, 5. I am Ioseph your brother (sayth he) whom ye solde into Egypt: now therefore be not sadde, nor grieued with your selues that you solde me hither, for God did send me hi­ther for your preseruation: neyther did hee so much attend the fact of his brethren, as the prouidence of God in the matter, so that he seemeth in respect flatly to denie that they had done ought in the matter:Gen. 45.8. as in these wordes, Now then you sent me not hither, but God who hath made me a Father vnto Pharao, and Lord ouer all his house, and ru­ler throughout all the land of Egypt. And by this meanes and considerations, God gaue him that he made the lesse accompt of the ab­sence of his parentes, the ingratitude of his brethren, the lack of his countrey, and also the slaunderous and vniust imprisonement.

Likewise Dauid beeing in flight for the feare of his owne sonne Absolon, heard, and bare with patience, rayling Shimei, taking as it were his pleasure of him in his aduersitie, throwing stones at him as though hee ac­counted no more of him then of a vyle dog, [Page] cursing and calling him murderer: & where­as Abishai his courage serued him to reuēge Dauids quarrel, and would haue fet his head,Dauid. if that he would haue but said the worde: Be­holde the humilitie, the patience of a Pro­phet, the comfort of a King, verely he lifted vp his eyes to the hill, the holy hill of God, from whence he was assured all those things proceeded, to some commoditie and furthe­rance of his: wherfore this was his answere to Abishai that sought reuengement, he cur­seth me, euen because the Lorde hath bidden him curse Dauid. This was the holde and handfast, that that princely Prophete tooke wherewith to staye him self, euer depending vpon the prouidence of his liuing God. He knewe that whatsoeuer befell him, God had a stroke in it, yea and further, being fully per­swaded of the mercie of God, he knewe most assuredly those chastisements and correcti­ons should turne him to God, as he maketh protestation, in the 119. Psal. It is good for me that I haue bene afflicted: so that beside his pacience and comfort he accompted it a gaine, and none of the smalest benefites of God, that he was so corrected at his iust and mercifull hand.

You may also consider the example of pati­ent [Page] Iob: How he waded through his temp­tations, as who knowing that all those hils of miserie, fell vpon him, no otherwise then by the determinate appointment of the most hiest, with the consideration thereof he refre­shed himselfe, after that all worldly succours and comforts were taken from him, and so became a conquerour ouer all the grieuous assaultes of Satan, as who, he was assured, could go no further then he had his limittes appointed and assigned vnto him, by the iust ruling and mercifull disposing hand of the e­uerliuing God: wherfore he made it no mat­ter of misfortune (as we commonly do in the like cases) that his cattel were made a praye for his enemies, that his sonnes & daughters had that strange ende, the house falling on their heads: but by such his words he openly sheweth the inward comfort of his hearte, The Lord hath giuē (saith he) ye Lord hath ta­ken away, as it pleased the Lord so is it come to passe, blessed be ye Name of the Lord: & by this we vnderstand that he had not so much regard of his enemies the Caldeans and the Sabeans, whome he knewe to be but the in­struments of the Deuill the chiefe worke­man, but alwayes had his eye stedfastly bent vpon God his Creator and redeemer, with­out [Page] whose ordinance and appointment, nei­ther of them could haue any whit mooued or preuailed against him, no more then the sens­lesse winde had power of it selfe, so to ouer­throwe the house vpon his children. And for as much as he was the seruant of God, he as­sured himselfe, that Satan with his slaues could not doe or intend him so much hurt, but his Lorde and God woulde euen by the same meanes turne it to his great furthe­rance & commoditie, as we are giuen to vn­derstand in ye end of the historie that God did in deede perfourme ye same: So that by this he became so humble and patient, so stedfast in hope, that he said, that if the Lords pleasure were to kill him, to take his life from him, yet would he not let go his holde, giue ouer his hope, or blaspheme the Name of God, to the which he was marueilously prouoked.

Behold likewise the behauiour & courage of those three noble yong men whom Nabu­chodonozor threatened the terrible fire,Three childrē in the fornace. for that they refused to worship his golden god: see how they take holde on the mercie, and prouident care of God their Lord. For thus they answered the King, Beholde, our God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs from the hote firie fornace, & he wil deliuer vs out of [Page] thine hand (O King.) But if not, be it kno­wen to thee (O King) that we wil not serue thy gods, nor do worshippe to thy golden I­mage, which thou hast set vp: and according to that their cōstant hope and faith, the Lord fayleth not, as you know, marueilously to de­liuer them.

Daniel.And what other comfort had their fellow Daniel being enclosed to be deuoured of the Lyons in the Denne?Dan. 6.16. &c. according to whose hope, likewyse the Lorde sent his Angel to shut and mouzle vp the Lyons mouthes, sa­uing him harmlesse. The Scripture yeldeth plentifull store of the like examples and say­ings, whereout if we stand to consider them, we haue inough so to arme vs against all ad­uentures, that no tribulation, no anguish may bee so extreme, but that by patience we may ouercome them, no calamities so great or grieuous, but that they are to be conquered by comfort of the Scriptures. So sayth the Apostle,1 Cor. 10.13. God is faithfull which wil not suffer you to bee tempted aboue your power, but will euen giue the issue with the temptati­ons, that you may bee able to beare them: where he so cōforteth the afflicted among the Corinthians, and doth strengthen them vn­der the crosse, leading them no farther then [Page] into the consideration of Gods eternall pro­uidence, which maketh the sharpe and the sowre, soft and sweete in the ende,Heb. 12.11 although no maner of chastisement (as he saith) is ioy­ous for the present time. I haue in those for­mer examples according to my simplicitie, sent you some of the righteous and tried ser­uants of God, to stand you in steade of Apo­thecaries and Surgeons, of whom you may learne to cure your wound without douting, forasmuch as they minister you euen such soueraigne medicines, as they them selues haue tasted and tried (as you see) to their end­lesse comfort: but yet the chief phisition is to come,Christ. Christ Iesus (I meane) the salue of all our sores, the paterne of al patience, and most assured comfort of all sorowing soules, and readie redresse in all aduersities. You haue seene in the examples afore, the experiēce of good souldiours fighting a good fight, and how they haue quitte themselues against the temptations of the worlde, and the assaultes of Satan: Nowe turne your eyes towarde Christ our redemer the great Captaine, and most renowmed conquerour of all that euer tasted these worldly infirmities, whose euill entreatie and hard handling the time serueth not now to describe vnto you, but I send you [Page] to the head spring, the historie of the Gospel: you may also at your leasure reade that mine exercise concerning the loue of God,This is since imprinted and called, The viewe of the estate of man, &c. Philip 2.5.6.7.8. where I haue assayed to say somewhat to this pur­pose. Onely now I giue you S. Pauls exhor­tation, Let the same minde be in you which was euen in Christe Iesus, who being the Sonne of God, and very God, one with his Father, made himself of no reputation, tooke on him the forme of a seruāt, he humbled him selfe and became obedient vnto the death, euē to the death of the crosse. Here learne of your Sauiour, patience and humilitie, and marke where lay his comfort, verely that way that other his saued soules haue sought, euen the prouidence of his God, and by him our God his Father, & (thākes be to him) our Father: for so he said when that lost childe went out from him and his other disciples to worke his purposed treason, Verely (saith he) it go­eth with the sonne of man, as it is written of him: and at this marke he seemed to ayme, when as Pilate vaunted himselfe and trium­phed ouer him, saying, that he had power to crucifie him, and likewise to loose him: then our Sauiours answere was, thou couldest haue no power against me, except it were gi­uen thee from aboue. So when he did with [Page] deepe cōsideration as it were aforehand, taste the bitternesse of his cuppe, this way he foūd out of his temptatiō, saying to his father, thy will be fulfilled and not myne: this was his comfort in the extremities of the crosse,Act. 2.26, 27. and his flesh also rested in this hope, that the Lord would not suffer his holy one to see corrup­tion. By these you may be sufficiently stored with diuerse kinde of medicines, you haue both the gentle and the strong working be­fore you.

The next care concerneth the vse hereof,The apply­ing of the former ex­amples. that they be applied and placed to the sore. Now therefore if you wil set these glasses of the afflicted seruants of God, and especially Christ crucified before your eyes, I doubt not but that it shall quicken all the dead flesh that lieth about your heart. For first if you wil compare quantitie with quantitie, surely yours may seeme but an April showre in cō ­parison of these bloudie floudes and seas of sorowes that passed ouer their heads. But make your case comparable with others the aforesaid (as peraduenture it is more then I am aware of) yet being grounded on Christ Iesus with stedfast faith, hauing your elec­tion certaine by your honest conuersation in the works of light, and the Spirit of adopti­on [Page] bearing witnes with your spirit that you are a chosen childe of God, hauing in iust con­sideration the iust dealing and mercifull pro­uidence of God towardes his vessels prepa­red to honour, although in your selfe you be humbled (as necessarie it is) yet in God you cannot but reioyce and glorie with his ser­uants and Saintes on the earth. Were it so that men reuiled you as Shimei did Dauid, why should you not content & quiet your self as Dauid did, saying, the Lord hath sent him for this purpose? yea, whatsoeuer kinde of crosse it shall please God to visite vs withall, we ought by his example to cōsider the good purpose of God therein, & to say, It is good for vs that we taste of some trouble,Heb. 12.8. lest we be found for bastard children (as the Apostle speaketh.) If you had susteined losse of friēds, parents, childrē or husbands, standing at one staye with Iob, then for your comfort you haue to say, The Lord hath giuen, the Lorde hath taken away. Let the case be (I am sure it is not so ill) that you were pestered with Iobs miserable disease, as wee are all in the hands of God, vpon vs to worke his wil, and there is neither of both vndoutedly, but haue deserued far worse then iust Iob: yet he hath prouided for vs before hand a staffe to staye [Page] on, and hath giuen vs a lesson of patience in that answere which he made his wyfe, pro­uoking him to yelde to the assault of Satan, and to blaspheme his God: Thou speakest like a foolish woman (saith he) shall wee re­ceiue good at the hand of God, & not receiue euill? If you had lost your countrey, which now you enioye by the benefit of God, might you not well conceiue with your selfe of the will and worke of God therein, to some such purpose as he wrought by Iosephs sale and bannishment? wheresoeuer you shall come, whatsoeuer entertainement or entreatie you should finde, would you not say as he did, it is God that hath sent me hither? Suppose you were in the pit with Ioseph, in the dēne with Daniel, or that you made vp the messe with those three appointed to the fyer, Sidrach, Misach, and Abednego: would you mistrust now especially that they haue made the waye before you, but that God would prouide some issue for you in the middest of these tempta­tions, either to saue you harmlesse by a migh­tie deliuerance, or els as it should be best for you to make you a conquerour by patience?

And to come to Christ that fountaine of all consolation for all Christians: O Sister,Christs to [...] ments and afflictiōs. we neuer felt with our litle finger that fyer [Page] wherein he was consumed for our sinnes, we haue not tasted with the typ of our tongue, that bitter cuppe, wherein he swallowed vp death due vnto vs for our offences: wee sleepe in whole skinnes, his hands, his feete, his sydes were pearced of merciles murde­rers: we for the most part haue ease and rest, he found no place on earth where to rest his head: we thinke much if we be somewhat dis­eased with a litle paine or griefe of bodie, he swet and shed bloudie water to ease vs, and release vs of perpetuall paines. Nowe then (Sister) thrust in your finger with Thomas the Apostle, and feele with faith the bloudie woundes of your sauiour and redemer: and these being considered, what are our grea­test griefes, but fleabites in comparison, be­sides that inward anguishe and passion of the soule, farre passing his outwarde apparent pangues, whereby he felt the seuere iudge­ment and wrath of God, the rewarde of our euil deserts? Come you hither (Sister) with your heauie burthen and here refresh you, for here is the well and the water of life, receiue you hence the most comfortable aqua vite, stilling downe from the crosse of oure redee­mer and peacemaker Christ Iesus the righ­teous. God hath laide vpon you some kinde [Page] of crosse, but none such as his owne Sonne your Sauiour hath borne before you, God hath thought good for some purpose apper­taining to his glorie, to put you to some pai­nes: O why should you or any of vs grudge to take on vs the yoke of God? he hath not spared his deare and onely Sonne, to make him a mā, a seruant, a sacrifice for our soules redemption, which were once solde vnder sinne, the slaues of Satan. But were it (hap­pie were you if it were so in deede) that you had to pledge your sauiour where he hath be­gun vnto you, if that you hong on the crosse together with him, had you not then comfort enough by you: could you not well content your selfe to be baptized with his baptisme, whose handmaid, I know you will not denie your selfe to be? is it not enough for the ser­uant to be serued as his master? were you in the place of the penitent theefe, crauing his pardon as he did hang together with our sa­uiour, would you haue despaired, would you haue mistrusted, might you be comfortlesse, would you not reioyce?

But you will say he had his Sauiour pre­sent before his eyes. But O you of litle faith, if you haue not as good assurāce of mercy as he: do you not cōsider that by the iudgement [Page] of our Iudge, they are most blessed which beleue and see not? But he happie mā heard those ioyfull wordes at his redemers mouth, To daie thou shalt bee with me in paradise.Warrants out of the scriptures for our cō ­fort. And is that sufficient? why then haue not you as sure an obligation, the warrant of his word, his testament sealed with his most pre­cious bloud? or els are you left out of that will? Doth he not say vnto you as directly as to any other, Come vnto me and I shall refresh you? Doth he not say vnto you, Aske and haue, seeke and find, knocke and it shall be opened? are you not assured of that absolu­tion in the daye of the Lord his appearance, Thy faith hath saued thee,Mar. 7.29. goe thy waye in peace? are you not to be numbred among them to whom it shalbe said, Come ye bles­sed of my father?Iohn. 3.16. when that Christ saith vn­to you, he that beleueth hath euerlasting life: when that he saieth, I bring the water of life, I am the bread of life, I am the vine, you are the braunches: I am the good shepherd, the true Messias, the redemer of the worlde, the physition of the sicke, comming to saue that which is lost: in al these can you not picke out that promise to be with him in paradise? I dare not doubt (Sister) that you are to seeke concerning these thinges, you haue (I no­thing [Page] mistrust) laide the foundation of your fayth on Christ the right rocke of saluation: then can you no more doubte, then if you had the possession of paradise alreadie, euen as it was prepared for you from the beginning, se­ing that he made the graunt, that hath the whole matter in his handes, and in whome there is no guile. Stand therfore, stand stiffe and fall not, let not go this handfast, which if you doe, no winde or weather may rise in the worlde that shall any whit moue you or your so sure building,1. Iohn. 1.4 standing on so good a groūd and so sounde a rocke. S. Iohn in his first epi­stle, setting Christ Iesus before thē to whom he writeth, This we write vnto you (saith he) that your ioy might be full. Verely (Sister) if we coulde fully consider Christ with his mercie and merites, our heartes might not but be filled vp full with ioy: for there is no­thing so sowre, but in Christ it becommeth sweete and sauourie, there is no want of any earthly thing, but Christ supplieth with a greater measure. The braunches that abide in that vine, no weather may make them to wither: and although they seeme for a season much like to the naturall vine, to be as drie and rotten stickes, such as men would scarce gather vp in the way, yet the heauenly hus­bandman [Page] so cherisheth and tendereth them, yt in time which he knoweth to be most con­uenient, euen then they shal shew themselues in their kinde, and freshly flourishe in their fruits, when all other flowers are faded, and other trees which are not planted by him may not longer stand for their rotten roots.

Answeres to certain obiections cōcerning the want of things.Let vs therefore stand a litle and see what more comfort we may sucke out of that fresh and fruitfull vine, so shall our hearts receiue ioye, and our ioye shalbe full. You haue no landes, nor liuinges (I thinke) in deede any thing superfluous, but yet competent. and if you were much more needie, euen vtterly destitute, yet you haue not to take great thought for the matter, seeing Christ telleth you, you shall haue life euerlasting, paradise is your inheritance, his owne kingdome is your possession.

Cōpanie.Companie in deede is comfortable: but be it that you were berefte of the companie and comfort of your brethren and sisters, yet the true Christian cannot be solitary.1. Iohn. 1.7 S. Iohn saith, If we walke in the light as he walked, we haue felowship with him. And he him selfe saieth, he will not leaue vs comfortlesse or solitarie, yea he wilbe present with vs vn­to the worldes ende, that is, with all his, at al [Page] times sending vs the Comforter his holy spirit. If we do that which he commaundeth vs, then he accompteth vs his friendes, his brethren, his sisters, and that which is chie­fest, because it is endlesse, after we haue rūne out our course, we shalbe with him in Para­dise, making continually that prayer for vs vnto his Father, which he began here on earth, Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me where I am, that they may beholde my glorie.

Beholde,Worldly estimation you shall beholde the glorie of Christ: what then will you take thought for any piece of worldly estimation? All the glo­rie of man (saith the Prophet) is as the flow­er of the fielde, sone ripe, sone rotten, but the crowne of glorie, which you shall receiue by Christ, is incorruptible, once founde, neuer loste, once ripe, neuer rotten: what neede you passe vpon the wicked earthly Mammon, whereas you be most assured of that trea­sure laied vp for your store in heauen, euen Christ Iesus the riches of the riche, and high God of heauen?

It would be a comfort for you peraduen­ture,Mariage. to haue an head and husband to defende you, & in whom you might delite as in your owne soule, by whom you might haue the in­crease [Page] of godly children, vnto many in deede the verye blessing of God: but in this also you must submitte your selfe to the mightie hande of God, knowing that he worketh di­uerse wayes in diuerse vessels, and those or­dained to honour, for to some mariage is ex­pedient, to some it bringeth ioy and gladnes: but contrarily in many you may see it is a snare of the worlde, a stumbling blocke, and plaine diuorcement betwixt God and them. And this inconuenience I knowe commeth not of mariage it selfe, as the proper and prin­cipal cause, which God hath ordained as holy and comfortable: but by their abuse, and for their iust plague. Whereas some sucke hony, some other meete with gall, and venyme: and yet the flower beautifull enough, and goodly in the eye. Wherefore God of his high wisedome, knowing much better what is good for vs then we for our selues, doth at sundrie times cut vs short from the fruition of many his good creatures, benefites and ordinances, least by abuse we should in ma­ner turne the nature of them to our owne hinderance and confusion, so that it may bee better for vs to lacke them then to haue thē. Diuerse I thinke there be good men, and ho­nest maydens, which peraduenture would be [Page] hard husbandes, and shrewd wiues: neither would it be any straūge case to see, that some bare the first yoke honestly and godly, which at the second match ouerrule & weary their yoke fellows, causing them with repentance to wishe their former libertie againe. Such is the diuerse working of God, that in some he is better pleased with mariage, and other he holdeth in single life as most expedient for them.

Some againe he blesseth with the fruite of children,Barennes. other he maketh baren and fruit­lesse, yet both for the better, both seruing to the glorie of God, and cōmoditie of his cho­sen. Looke on the comparison made by Salo­mon, the 4. of the book of wisdome: he saith, that barennes is better with vertue, then to haue a multitude of children. Neither doe I write this as one that despaireth of your pro­speritie this way: I know you haue had good offers, which by iudgement of man, might haue bene conuenient for you to haue follow­ed, but I haue tolde you the worste, and yet nothing doubting but that ye best is to come. Anna you may remember mentioned in the first of Sam. 1. the wife of Elkanah, Anna. the hap­pie handmaid of God, how he exercised her a long time in patience with the shame of bar­rennes, [Page] as it was coūted in those dayes. But the Lorde when hee had brought her lowe enough, then he raysed her againe, heard her humble petition, and gaue her for her com­fort that iuste Iudge her sonne Samuel, his true seruant.Tob. 3.10. In the historie of Tobias, we reade in what distresse that humble mayden Sara was,Sara. whom it pleased God to visite, and chastise her with seuen husbandes, so that she became a reproche vnto her owne fathers maydes, laying to her charge that she had strangled her husbandes. Thinke you (Si­ster) your case is comparable to this? If it be so, then take that remedie which she vsed, and mistruste not of the successe that folowed, as you haue in the exāple of Anna. So she made her prayer to God the almightie, which is expressed in the historie, desiring him to pitie her case, and by some meanes to take awaye her reproche: and accordingly the Lord (as his eares are alwayes open to the prayers that proceede from an humble spirit) gaue her to wife to good Tobias, with whom she sawe many a good day, and also for token of Gods blessing, issue of children. Euen so if we may hope for the best (and why shoulde you mistrust the matter,Abraham. seeing that Abraham in a more desperate case, hoped against hope?) [Page] the Lord our God I doubt not, pitieth your case so farre, that he will sende you a trustie Tobias, to whom you may betake your selfe without feare, with whom you may leade out your life in peace and comfortable quiet­nes, by whom you may conceiue and beare some such sonne as is reported of Samuel, in whome you may reioyce as in an obedient sonne, and in whom God may be glorified as his seruant. But if the example of Anna, and Sara, do not so much moue you, if it be out of your hope to haue their good happe, let vs then returne againe to Christ our sweete sa­uiour & righteous redeemer, at whose hand, when all other aydes do faile, we may be bold to fetche comfort, and that most plentifully.

If Tobias come not,An excel­lent com­parison betwene the profite & cōfort that the wife may haue of her hus­band, and the same we haue of our head and hus­bād Christ yet you may wel con­tent your selfe with Christ, finding that in him you shalbe sped as fully as you can wish. You are of the flocke of the faithfull: then will he stande you to all purposes in stead of an husband, not after an earthly, but after an heauenly sort. Hee is the heade to defende and gouerne that bodye, whereof you are a member. Such as the husbād is to the wife, such is Christ to those that are of the Chri­stian Congregation, as S. Paul hath made cō ­parison. It is a great comfort in deede for [Page] Adam to haue his Eue, and contrariwise: but Christ it is, that blessed seede, that hath bles­sed them both. There is a narrow bond and copulation betwixt the wife & her husband, for they are reckoned one in flesh: Euen so hath Christ, to make vs vnto him an holy spouse, taken bone of our bones, and fleshe of our fleshe. Your husband would cleaue vn­to you when your other friends would for­sake you, and Christ will accompanie and as­sist you when your husband hath left you. He must sometimes of necessitie be absent from you, death shall make a grieuous diuorce­ment betwixt you: but no time may tye Christ from you: by him it is that you liue, & that you liue well, he shall assist you at your dying day, and at the latter day he shall rayse you againe. Your husbande peraduenture, would thinke no money, no meate, no appa­rell to deare for you, and so doing, you would thinke him a good husband: but whether he would die for you I doubt. But Christ Ie­sus that good shepheard hath shewed you so much loue, that he hath layd downe his life for you, he hath shed his bloud for you, he di­ed euē the death of the crosse, he died for your sinnes, and rose againe for your iustification, and now maketh intercession for you, which [Page] he will continue vntill the time he hath pla­ced you in his kingdome to reigne with him for euer.

Thus (Sister) as my simplicitie serueth me, I haue attempted that, which I feare I haue not obtained, (if it might be) to comfort you, or rather to tell you where you may seeke and finde comforte, then of my self to make you any deede of gift: For God is cal­led the authour of al consolation, therefore I referre you to him by your prayer, and by re­sort vnto his worde, written for all our com­fortes. I haue but somewhat assaied to playe Iohn Baptistes parte, I am not he of whom you must receiue this good gifte, but you must looke toward an other: Therefore I say vnto you of him whose shoolatchet I am not worthy to vnloose, Behold the Lambe of God who bringeth this comfort with him, a salue (me thinkes) sufficient to heale all sores, as that he is that Lambe that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde. Nature hath so prouided that if we receiue any wound in the head, the whelke that is in the hande, the corne that is in the foote, we soone forget & lose the sense thereof. O consider (Sister) howe your head was wounded, then shall your handes and your feete the lesse grieue [Page] you: Nowe againe our head is whole, triū ­phing in heauen: why then should our hearts be heauie on earth, as though the head had forgotten the bodie, or any part thereof? No (Sister) doubte you not, he will not suffer an heare to perishe of that bodie which he so dearely purchased, seeing that this mightie Michael hath subdued our archenemy,Reuel. 12. that terrible dragon, and subtill serpent with his petie captaines, death and hell, what should we be so much moued with any force of the fleshe, or any mischiefe that the worlde may worke vs? Yea, here also your Sauiour spea­keth cōfortably vnto you, saying, Be of good there, I haue ouercome the world. Seeing that he hath broken the head of our enemy, what should his taile so much trouble vs? se­ing hee hath taken away our sinnes, what should any sorowes remaine amongst vs? & if we sorowe not for our sinnes, why doe we lament for any other earthly trifle? So (Si­ster) if your eye be fully fixed on Christ your redeemer, seing his paines and his patience, you may not but quiet your selfe, considering his merites and his mercie, you can nothing mistruste but he that tooke away the greater burthen of your sinnes, will also open you a waye out of your sorowes, so that nowe you [Page] haue no occasion left of mistrust in the good­nes of God. For he that gaue vs his Sonne,Rom. 8.32. howe should hee not with him giue vs all things also? and now your ioye must needes be full, as S. Iohn saieth. Say not then you are in miserie, for you see present remedie ha­uing good assurance of eternall felicitie. And if a mā should aske you how you proue your state to be miserable, I am sure you can not proue so fast as I can disproue.

You will say, I am an abiect in the world:Comforts against the contēpt of the world, and sorow and hea­uines. 1. Cor. 12. I answere, the more meeter for God, the li­ker you are to your Sauiour: so saieth the Apostle to your comfort and mine, The vile thinges of the worlde, things despised and things of nought, hath God chosen.

I am sad and pensiue, (you will say) my meat doth mee no good, I enioye not the world. But these are no arguments, hereby to conclude miseries. For euen the holy and happie Dauid had such sugar and sauce to his meate, he mingled his bread with ashes, and where was most likelyhood of rest, his bed he watered with teares, so that of your sorow it selfe you may receiue comfort, because that shorte worldly sorowes are but a passage vn­to vnspeakeable, incredible, and eternall ioye and consolation. Our Sauiour saith they are [Page] happie that lament, for they shalbe comfor­ted, but hee setteth a woe vpon those that laughe: so that by his iudgement happines (and heauenly happines he speaketh of) com­meth rather by lamenting then laughing. Yea,Reue. 21. God himself wil take ye paines to wipe away the teares of the eyes of such as sheade any vnder the crosse, & especially in the cause of his Christ. You haue litle comfort perad­uenture in the worlde, yet I am sure more then Lazarus in his penurie, or Iob in his perplexitie: and the lesse you finde on earth, the more belike you shal haue in heauen. You knowe the answere to the riche man, in the parable, that he had his earthly pleasure for his portiō.Luk. 16.25 But what an exchange made La­zarus? euen eternal pleasure for temporal pe­nurie. If you haue not your portion with the riche man here; you may the lesse doubte to haue parte and place with Lazarus in the kingdome of God. And here let Christ be your comforter: You shall lament (saith he) but the world shall reioyce, and in him, hee saith you shall haue peace. O see that pitifull and sauing Samaritan, how he powreth wine and oyle into your woundes, euen the peace of conscience, the peace of God that passeth all vnderstāding.Ioh. 15.18. If the world hate you (saith [Page] he) you know that it hated me before you: & if our Sauiour hath lead vs the waye, what should we sticke at the matter? where as he hath ouerlept so great blockes, why should we stumble so at euery strawe which the de­uill casteth in our way? The Apostle saith,2. Tim. 2.11, 12. If we suffer with him, we shall raigne with him: and if we die with him, we shall liue with him. O Sister, let vs not shrinke from our Captaine, whome we see already to be a conquerour. Let vs prepare our selues pa­tiently to abide the pleasure of God: let vs exercise patience in the lighter, that we may the better beare the greater burden. Let vs liue and die with our Sauiour, let vs suffer with him in all patience, that we may reigne with him in glorie, to the which the afflictiōs of this world with all extremitie (as S. Paul hath cast the matter) are nothing compara­ble. We hope to haue our part in the king­dome of Christ Iesus, let vs not then looke for it there where he hath tolde vs it is not to be found: Let vs not seeke after worldly wealth or earthly felicitie, let vs not looke here to rule the roste, but to be rosted rather of Rulers. Our kingdome is where Christ reigneth, let that content vs, knowing that his kingdome is aboue all powers, al things [Page] being in subiection vnder his feete.

Here I leaue you (Sister) betaking you to Christ, who couereth you as one of his chosen chickens, vnder the shadow of his cō ­fortable winges, against whom as long as you liue, neither the world, which he hath cō ­quered, neither death, which he hath swal­lowed vp, neither the gates of hel, which he hath closed vnto you, shal any thing preuaile. That which I haue said, I haue said once, & peraduenture as good vnsaid: but Christ cō ­tinually cōforteth you with his sweete pro­mises and euerlasting word of saluation: he still crieth vnto you, Be of good chere, I haue ouercome the worlde: reioyce in this (sayth he) that your name is written in the booke of life. Betake you therefore wholy to him, reioyce in his crosse, resorte to his word, whence, as out of paradise you may gather flowers sufficient to fill you with ioye. And if it hath pleased almightie God any thing to refreshe you with this my poore posy, his wil be done, his name be glorified, Amen: I haue my rewarde: and he the God of all consola­tion graunt vs the heauenly comfort of his holy Spirit, that peace which the world can not giue, and that constant patience in all his fatherly corrections, that we be not founde [Page] false hirelings, but true and trustie seruants: no bastard children, but by vnfained faith, the blessed posteritie of the blessed Abraham, and true regenerates of God by our Sauiour Christ. And the holie sanctifying Spirit of trueth, and God be blessed for euer, Amen.

A verie godly and lear­ned Exhortation to suffer patiently impri­sonment, exile, or what miserie soeuer els may happen to a man in this life for the profession of the Gospel of CHRIST IESVS.

IF the worlde hate you, good Brethren, and thereupon with sundrie afflictions and griefes do moleste and vexe you, marueile not with grudging, but prayse GOD with patience, who in this fornace fashio­neth you to the lykenesse and image of his owne Sonne,Ioh. 15. whome the worlde hath ha­ted from the beginning, for whose sake al­so in no wise it can loue you, but with moste spitefull hate will pursue you, euen vnto the [Page] death, for that you are chosen by Christ from the worlde,Rom. 6. to walke foorth and bring out fruite, which shall continue to sanctification, whereof the end shalbe euerlasting life. For as a riche and beautifull Harlot full of amo­rouse filth, with a painted face, wantō looks, trimme araye, fayre wordes, large promises, great giftes, & with the entisement of quiet, wealthie and pleasant life, allureth them on whom she casteth loue (yet at the end rewar­deth them with pockes, piles, fighting, braw­ling, and most shamefull death) whom if she can by no meanes entise to folow her fancie, she hateth so deadly, that she ceaseth not, but causeth the whole rablement of her bawdie bawdes, ruffling roysterkins with brawling bragges, shamefull slaunders, subtill sur­mises, quarreling questions, and falsly fayned accusations, to vexe, trouble and bring to de­structiō: So the Princesse of the world, that most filthie harlot wooeth Gods children, es­poused vnto his sonne Christ, to breake their faith and trouth to him plighted, and to be­come her dearlings, setting before their eyes all the kingdomes of the worlde and the glo­rie thereof, promising with holowe holines, subtill suspicion, falsely fained religion, and a pokefull of such pretie persuasions, that if [Page] they wil fal downe and worship as she doeth, she will giue vnto them all these same: for then shall they be her owne deare dearlings, and she will loue them, as her owne: but the end shalbe most dreadful damnation.Ioh. 15. Whom if she cannot perswade, neither by one way or by other vnto her loue, from Christ their best and onely beloued spouse, she conceiueth so great an hatred against them, that she stir­reth all her champions with might & maine to doe them displeasure in their goods, to worke them hatred of their friendes, to im­payre their good name, to punishe their bo­dies, to offende their consciences, to make their life yrksome vnto them, and moste cru­elly without mercie to kill them, yet whose death is most precious in Gods sight, and hath to rewarde a most glorious resurrecti­on. Thus the worlde hath serued our deare and best beloued Christ before vs for our sakes, who was giuen into the handes of this harlot to be thus cruelly dealt withall, for to be vnto vs a patern, which we should folow,1. Pet. 2. an image, after which we must be fashioned, painted forth before our eyes in the Scrip­tures, to teache vs to folowe his trace with patience, and in running this race to cōceiue comfort,Rom. 8. hoping after victorie through fayth [Page] in him,Rom. 15. who both gaue vs warning of the paine, and lest we should faint, to comfort vs, promised victorie,Ioh. 16. saying, In the world shall you haue affliction, but in me peace: be of good cheare, for I haue ouercommed the worlde. To fight with a puissant enemie, whose courage was neuer abated, whose strength is inuincible, and who hath bene of­tentymes assailed by many, but neuer vanqui­shed, might discomfort a weake heart, and cause it to giue ouer at the first without fur­ther resistance: But for so much as this stern madame with all her chiualrie and force is so ouercome, and weakened to our handes, that she is not able to resist, what countenance so euer she makes, much lesse able to ouercome such as doe stoutly withstand her malice and crueltie, how faint hearted & cowardly milk­soppes may we be iudged, that wil be aba­shed, and may not abyde the lowring counte­nance of a feeble, maymed, and beaten brag­ger, especially seeing that in striuing faith­fully against her and her souldiours, the losse of renowme here is the purchasing of eter­nall glorie, the losse of worldly goods, the gayning of heauenly riches, the losse of a miserable and short life here, the winning and very entrance into a ioyfull and euerla­sting [Page] life in heauen? Is the friendshippe of the worlde so deare to vs, that therefore we should not esteeme Gods fauour? Ought our goods, wife, children, friendes, landes and possessions so much to be regarded, that for to saue them we should forsake the heauenly riches and euerlasting inheritance? Ought we to be so desirous to liue here, that for a short life and vnpleasant, we will purchase an euerlasting and most painefull death? But the burthen of pouertie is importable, hun­ger, imprisonment, exile is intolerable, the bitter stormes of persecution, and the sharpe showres of death are so insufferable, that we feare least we shoulde not be of power to a­bide and passe thorow them, and therefore do thinke it better to sit still then to rise & take a fall, better not to enterprise the conflict, then in the middes for lacke of strength through faintnes to giue ouer with shame, and runne away. How delicate, fearfull, and therefore vnwilling the fleshe is to suffer, common ex­perience teacheth, al men hauing any feeling of them selues perceiue, and chiefely they, who setting all persuasions of the fleshe a­part, haue of full purpose and resolute deter­mination with them selues, entred into the schoole of sufferance, beginning at Christ [Page] his crosse, and so forth to learne therein onely to glorie, can by that they feele in them selues best declare. For as the deadly foe to mankinde assaulted our deare brother Iesus Christ then most hotly, after he perceiued by plaine tokens, that he was Gods Sonne, bent, by the crosse and contempt of the world to enter into glorie with ye firie dartes of fa­mine,Math. 4. pouerty, ignominy, shame, & afterward with the feare of death: on ye other part, with plentie, riches, honour, possessions, and glorie of the whole world, knowing most perfectly yt these perswasions should be most strong to moue & persuade the fleshe to refuse ye crosse, weying ye paines & the trauail with one eye, & the pleasant wealthy honour with ye other: so he ceasseth not to assayle Christes mēbers with the self same entisements, to cause the fleshe to abhorre the crosse, and seeke after ease, but then most busilie, when he percey­ueth the heart moued by Gods Spirit to cō ­temne these as vanities, and to seeke after true wealth, quietnes and glorie. And with­out al doubt the mistrust in Gods prouidēce, wherewith all fleshe is naturally infected, & feare of the great painfull bitternes, yt hun­ger, imprisonment, & persecution bringeth, alwayes obiected and propounded by the de­licate [Page] fleshe, doth moue the heart of man to hate, and flye by alwayes the crosse, and to in­uent and pretende excuses and causes which it should be better to refuse thē to enter into trouble, among which this is not the least, yt the flesh, not regarding Gods working in the middes of afflictiō, far aboue the capacitie of mans witte, pretendeth as though it would gladly for trueths sake enterprise great mat­ter, but yt it hath not power giuen, able to go thorow withal accordingly. And this excuse is pretēded euen by them, yt yet wil not seme to be fleshly, but spirituall, not flattering the world for feare, but fauouring the trueth of loue, & so deceiue them selues, where they vt­terly forsake & refuse that thing they would seeme most gladly to obtayne. Wherein they cōmit double offence: of hypocrisie, whē they would seeme to be that they are not: and of incredulitie, for that they declare plainely in this saying, that they thinke either that God can not, or els that he will not cōfort, streng­then, and deliuer them forth of all miseries, not esteeming his promises, wherein he hath declared his will, neither marking his won­derous working for his children from time to time in their afflictions, wherein his pow­er most manifestly appeareth, neyther yet [Page] considering his fatherlie care, which is more mindfull and tender ouer his, then the mo­ther can be ouer her onely beloued childe. It sufficeth betwixt man and man, specially if they be of honestie & credit, that things passe by word and writing: we persuade our sel­ues, that the thing so promised & confirmed ought and also shalbe performed. Vpon this persuasion, if the Prince promise to the sub­iect, the noble man to the meane, the father to the sonne, and among marchants one to another, it is accounted so sure, that we will make our reckoning thereof, as though we had it in possessiō: such trust we giue one vn­to another: and shall we then doubt in Gods promise, which hath not only past by words, but also by writing sealed, & confirmed with the bloud and death of his onely Sonne? Is there any man so mindfull of his promise, or so able to performe the same, as our heauēly Father is, of that he promiseth to vs? It is cōmonly seene among men, that leagues, co­uenantes and bargaines can not be so wisely made, nor so surely confirmed, but that with wyelie falshoode and false vnfaithfulnes, they are defeated & of none effect. But God is so faithful in performing the thing to vs, which he promiseth, that heauen and earth shal ra­ther [Page] come to nothing, thē one title of his pro­mise shalbe vnperformed. Yea, they that mi­strust or doubt of the suretie of his promise, are no lesse in doubt whether there be a God or no. For to doubt or denie his trueth and fidelitie, is to mistrust or denie him to be GOD. A Prince & noble man for his owne honour sake, a Father for his father like affe­ction to his childe, a Marchaunt for his cre­dit sake will kepe their promise: & would not our heauenly Prince (who as he hath made all things to serue to his owne glorie, so will not giue the same to any creature) haue his honour herein aduanced and most highly re­garded, that he is most sure, iuste, and true of promise? Would not our heauenly Father we should persuade our selues, that his loue towardes vs doth farre surmount the affec­tion of a carnal father to his childe? Can any man so much esteeme his owne credite, and estimation of trustines, as he, who is faithful trueth it selfe, regardeth so to be knowen to his creatures? It is the greatest dishonestie among men to be so vnthankfull, to suspect or mistrust him, whose friendlie fidelitie, and faithfull friendship we haue bene sure of at al times, whensoeuer we haue bene in distresse: much more shame is it, to suspect, mistrust, or [Page] doubt of Gods faythful assistance, whēsoeuer we shal haue need, for so much as his faithful friendship, & friendly loue is farre aboue the trustines of man, as heauē aboue ye earth, fine golde aboue filthie drosse, & precious pearles aboue dirtie doung. Yea there is no engine, wherwith ye deuil worketh so forcibly mans destructiō, which draweth so many frō god, & doth wring forth of Gods iustice his fearfull vengeance, as mistrust in gods promise, & in­credulity: On the other part, nothing attai­neth saluation, bringeth men nere to Gods presence, & draweth forth of gods mercie his fauourable loue, but only fayth & constant af­fiance in his most sure & faithfull promises. The losse of riches, landes, & earthly possessi­ons is a sore grief: but is not the winning of an hundred fould so much, and the obtaining of an euerlasting kingdome a good salue for this sore? If we gaine with the losse of tran­sitorie things, heauenly treasures, with the forsaking of worldly friēds, Christ to be our deare & sure friend, and with refusing father, mother, brother, sister, wife, childrē, purchase God to be our most mercifull Father, Christ our most louing brother, & to be loued of the Sōne of God, as his deare dearlings, & only beloued spouse, what haue wee lost? what [Page] greater gain can we haue? or what more pro­fitable exchāge can be made? This bargaine and profite hath our heauenly Father promi­sed vnto vs by a byl of his owne hand, sealed with the bloud of his only Sōne, testified by the witnes of his Apostles, and left with vs in our owne custodie to be paide at the sight, whensoeuer we shall require it: whereof this is the content: Who so hath forsaken house,Matth. 9. brother, sister, father, mother, wife, children, or landes for my Names sake, he shall re­ceiue an hundreth folde, and the inheritance of euerlasting life. Who will denie, but that hunger, colde, nakednes, extreme pouertie, & want of things partly necessarie, are an hea­uie burden for man to beare? but the weight hereof is lightned and made easie to thē, that with right eye, & vnfainedly,1. Pet. 5. do beleue Gods promise, and cast their care on him. Cast thy care vpō the Lord, for he hath care ouer thee.Math. 6. Your heauenly Father knoweth yt you haue neede of all these things, meate, drinke and clothes: he ministreth these things in due time to the beastes of the earth, the fouls of the aire, the fishes in the sea, he clotheth and decketh with beautifull apparell the flowers of the fielde, according to his promise: and wil he not keepe his promise vnto vs, for whose [Page] sakes he hath made these creatures, and hath made vs lords ouer them?Psal. 8. What cause haue we rather to mistrust his promise, thē ye birde that flieth forth in ye morning vpon this natu­ral persuasion, yt she shal finde foode, not dou­ting, but he, who made her, wil not suffer her to sterue with hūger? Haue we seene such as haue put their trust in him, sterue for hūger, die of cold,Psal. 37. perish through nakednes? It hath not bin heard of, yt the righteous hath bin for­saken,Psal. 9. or his seede (begge) wāting bread. For they yt know the Name of the Lord, wil trust therin: for he forsaketh not them, that seeke after him.Math. 6. Seeke after ye kingdome of God & the righteousnes therof, & all these things shalbe ministred vnto you, saith Christ. If he be true that maketh this promise, why should we feare hunger, colde, or nakednes? If he be not to be trusted, why will we take on vs his Name? If we cannot denie him, but to be most iust of promise, as he is in deede, we argue our selues of to much hypocriticall in­credulitie, when we saye, that we woulde gladly suffer these for his sake, sauing for feare to want necessaries in our neede, and that wee shall not be able to abyde it. And he hath promised no lesse assistaunce, ayde, and comfort in all kinde of persecu­tion, [Page] whether it be imprisonment, banishmēt, losse of life or any membre. Yea, because we should not faint in prison, waxe feble in exile, giue ouer through feare of ye bitter pangs & sharpe prickes of death, he hath promised not only to be reuenged on our persecutors, but also to be present wt vs, to helpe, cōfort & deli­uer vs.Psal. 50. Wherfore he hath willed vs in ye day of our troubles to cal vpon him, adding this promise, yt he wil deliuer vs. Wherunto the Prophet Dauid did so trust, feling ye comfor­table trueth therof at sundrie times in many and daūgerous perils, that he persuaded him self, al feare set apart, either of one painefull daunger or other whatsoeuer: yea, if it were to walke in ye valley of the shadow of death, yt he should not haue cause to feare, comforting him self wt this saying, which was Gods pro­mise made vnto vs al, For thou art with me:Psal. 23. Thy rod & thy staffe, euē they shal cōfort me. Is Gods staffe waxed so weake, that we dare not leane to much now theron, lest it should breake? Or is he now such a chāgeling, yt he wil not be wt vs in our troubles according to his promise? Wil he not giue vs his staffe to stay vs by, and reache vs his hande to holde vs vp, as he hath bene wonte to doe? If he be the selfe same God and no chaunge­ling, [Page] when we be put into prison, or led into captiuitie, he goeth with vs, or throwen into the sea to be drowned, he doeth not leaue vs, or cast into the raging fyre, he is with vs, to this ende, either to deliuer vs from the violent force of them vtterlie, or at the least so to comfort vs in the middes of them, that we should rather take pleasure therein, then feele payne. Wherefore he cryeth vnto vs continually:Mat. 10. Feare not thou litle flocke: feare not them, that can doe no more but kil the body, that is their vttermost: but now the Lord that made thee (O Iacob) and he that fashioned thee (O Israel) saith thus,Esa. 43. Feare not, for I will defende thee, I wil call thee by thy name, thou art myne: when thou wentest in the waters, I was by thee, that the strong floudes should not plucke thee a­way, when thou walkest in the fier, it shal not burne thee, and the flame shal not kindle vpō thee: For I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Israel, thy sauiour. Let the cruel Pa­pistes rage and roare, let the obstinate Sodo­mites fret and fume, let the rablemēt of An­tichristes souldiours, the deuils owne deare dearlings threaten with sacke, sworde, fag­got and fire, yet if God be with vs, who can be against vs? the mightie, strong, holy one [Page] of Israel hath made a faithfull promise, that he wil be with vs, defend & deliuer vs.Rom. 8. This promise sufficeth to a Christian to arme him against all feare of trouble, anguishe, perse­cution, hunger, nakednes, perill, sworde and death, for that none of al these can separate vs from God, but we shall ouercome, and haue the ouerhand in all these things through the aide and comfort of him, who hath loued vs: for he is a faithfull God, which wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength, but shal in the middes of temptation make a way to come out, that we may beare it. Who nowe weying these promises dare surmise that God will not ayde, comfort, and strengthen you in all necessities? And will you thinke he is not able to performe the thing he wil­leth? Is the arme of the Lorde shortened? Shall not he who is able to raise of stones children vnto Abraham, be of power to com­fort, relieue & defend, whom he hath already made? If we be assured of his wil, which his promise teacheth vs, we neede not doubt of his power: for whatsoeuer him pleaseth,Psal. 13.5. he doeth in heauen, earth, the sea, and in al deepe places. If we beleue his promise,Mar. 9. all things are possible, yea there is nothing, but it is ea­sy of him to be done. As a mighty Captaine, [Page] who hath vnder his gouernment many soul­diers & seruants, hath thē so at his cōmande­ment, yt when he biddeth thē go, they go, whē he saith abide, they abide, & when he willeth them to do this or that, they obey his word: so is paine, pleasure, grief, ease, sicknes, health, life, death at the becke & cal of God, that they come & go at his appointmēt, as the faithful Centurion confesseth in the Gospel.Matth. 8. Yea he worketh so forcibly in his children, that leane wholy vnto his promise, yt he maketh to them of paine, a pleasure, of grief, an ease, of sicknes health, & of death, life: as cōtrariwise to ye vn­beleuing, pleasure, ease, health, life is a weary irksome, & painful death. When you were in prosperitie, had the true religion of Christ a­mōg you, & were so strōg within your selues, as no foreine Prince could inuade and ouer­come you, the Lord of hosts turned al vpside down in ye twinkling of an eie, hath wrapt you vp in aduersity, choked your whole realme wt false superstition, & giuen you vp into the rule and gouernmēt of such leane locusts, stinging serpēts, & spiteful spāgers, as no people haue bene heretofore plagued withall. And is the Lords power not so able to deliuer his from these miseries, to restore his true religion, and vanquishe these Sodomitical Babylo­nians, [Page] as it was to giue them vp, for a time to be chastened, into their subiection? Let the Idolatrous Papistes ascribe their victo­ries, and whole felicitie vnto their Idols and God of bread: yet our hope is in the Lord, who hath made heauen and earth, who can, and wil for his owne glories sake, shewe him selfe to be the onely God of might in giuing ouerthrowe to these Idolatours with a so­daine confusion, when they thinke thē selues most sure, and looke least for it. Let them nowe for a while fret and fume against the Lord and his Christ, shake of his yoke,Psal. 2. and breake his bōdes in sunder: Yet is the Lord in his holie temple, his abiding is in heauen, his eyes beholde these sonnes of men, and laugh them to scorne, and at the length shal talke with them in his furie, powring vpon them from heauen, snares, fyre, and brim­stone, whose cup and portion shalbe burning storme and tempest. Let them persuade them selues, and beleeue darkenes to be light, trueth falsnes, blindnes sight, and life death, and bring this to passe, that mens eyes may seeme with a skinne or slime of superstitious ignorancie to bee couered and made blinde, yet can the Lord, and also will, when he seeth time, restore light, trueth, sight & life againe [Page] to the aduancement of his owne glorie, the comfort of his Church, and vtter confusion of his enemies.Matth. 9. Folowe therefore after the Lord, crye vnto him with the two blind men, desire him of his mercy to restore your sight, mistrust not but he is able to doe it, saye with them that you so beleeue, and the Lord wil make you answere and performe it in dede: after your faith be it vnto you. If you truste in the Lord and confesse him to be om­nipotente, why should you feare the crueltie of Antichrist, who afflicteth Christ in his mē ­bers, persecuting and punishing their soules with superstition, idolatrie and vnbeliefe, and afflicting their bodies with hunger, impri­sonment, exile and painful death? Hath not God aforetime assisted his to wade thorowe, and ouercome the paines of all these, yea in the middes of ye bitter stormes to take great pleasure? And is he of lesse power to helpe vs? shall not we now by his assistance be so able to abide, and take pleasure in paines, as our brethren haue bene before vs? My bre­thren,Ephe. 6. be strong in the Lord, and through the power of his strength learne, to whatsoeuer estate God shal call you, therewith to be con­tent,Philip. 4. knowing how to be lowe, & how to ex­ceede, euery where and in al thinges instruc­ted [Page] both to be full and to be hungrie, both to haue plentie, and to suffer neede, yea, to do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth you, by whom also you shal ouercome. For if you be troubled on euery side,2. Cor. 4. yet shall you not be without shift: when you bee vexed with pouertie, you shall not be vtterly with­out somewhat: wrapt in persecution, not forsaken therein: cast downe, yet perishe not: that the excellencie of the power may bee Gods, and that you may onely glorie in the Crosse of Christ. By the crosse he entred into glorie, and they that are his, must enter in the same way. The Princes had no power ouer him, further then was giuen them from aboue, neither haue they ouer you,Mat. 10. no not to plucke of one heare of your head, for they be all numbred, and not one falleth away with­out the will of your heauenly Father,Rom. 8. who worketh all things for the best to all them that loue him. And woulde we not haue all things worke to our most aduantage? In worldly things we seeke after most gaine, and wil we neglect that in heauenly things? For to winne a small summe of money, we will take vpon vs a farre iourney in daun­ger of robbing, in perils of drowning, and let for no payne, perswading our selues that [Page] God wil be with vs, assist and prosper vs in all our trauayle: and shall wee refuse to tra­ueile by land, to passe the seas, to suffer what paine soeuer thereunto belongeth, to winne the penny of euerlasting life, mistrusting that God will not be with vs, ayde and further vs in whatsoeuer painefull perill we shall come in? O blinde incredulitie, that makest easy things to seeme hard by working an vnwil­lingnes in the mindes of men, whome thou rulest! If men forsake their own willes, sub­mitting them selues wholy vnto Gods will, what thing can bee to harde? But if we will followe the appetites and delicate nicenesse of our owne willes, what can be easy? Crye therefore with Christ, (deare brethren,) Not our wylles, but thy will (O heauenly Father) be done: So eschue troubles, as may stande with his good will and plea­sure: When they come vpon you, embrace them willingly, suffer them patiently, wade thorowe them faithfully, for that is his good will and pleasure. Folowe the exam­ple of Christe, of the Prophetes, Apostles, and holy martyrs, who were not wedded to their owne willes, but submitted them selues wholy vnto Gods will, who wrought so with them, that in pouertie they wanted not ne­cessaries, [Page] in prison among rauening Lions they liued harmeles, in the middes of fyre they burnt not, in the most cruell torments they felt no payne, and trusting to the faith­full promise and mightie ayde of their hea­uenly Father, desired rather to be exercised vnder the crosse, to die with Christ, then to be at ease, and liue with the world.Gen. 11. Abraham with his Father Thare forsooke his natiue countrey,Gen. 12. and from thence was commaun­ded to depart into a countrey, whereof he neither knewe the name, where it was, nei­ther what cōmodities were therein for men to liue withall, neither yet could he abide there any whyle: for a great dearth did op­presse the whole land, so that he was com­pelled to flye into Aegypt, where he was in daunger of much displeasure, for he percei­ued before he entred, that he must forgoe either his wyfe, or els sustaine daunger for keeping her. Hee was constrained often­times to remoue his habitation not without great losse, trauayle and perill.Gen. 28. Iacob also went forth of his natiue countrey into a straunge place, partlie for that his father would not that hee should be ioyned in ma­riage, with the daughters of the Idolatours of that countrey, partly to flye the crueltie of [Page] wicked Esau his naturall brother, where he serued Laban fourteene yeres for his two daughters,Gen. 46. in keeping his sheepe: a paine­full kinde of labour. Afterwarde in his olde daies was constrained by the force of a great dearth to remoue into Aegypt, where his of­spring was grieuously molested many yeres. Ioseph was solde by his brethren to the Is­maelites, and by them vnto an Aegyptian, where he susteined great paine and perill in a straunge countrey.3. Reg. 19. The Prophete Ely, being persecuted by the wicked Iezabel, fled from post to pillar.Dan. 1. The Prophete Daniel with a great number of good and godlie Is­raelites were caried into Babylon captiues, there to liue in captiuitie in a straunge coun­trey among their deadly enemies. The Apo­stles of Christ, and many godly men, and al­so women in their time forsooke all they had, and went into straunge coūtreis for the Go­spels sake. And after their time to this our time the Ecclesiastical histories are full of ye examples both of men and also women, that left landes and goodes, fled their countreis, and did choose rather in an vnkoth and vn­knowē land to liue in hardnes with freedom of conscience, to serue God after his wil, then to tarie at home in wealth with bondage of [Page] conscience, and dishonour the Lord in diso­beying his holy will. It is not read that any of these did murmure & grudge to leaue their houses, landes, goodes, and natiue countreis, fearing the want of friendship, the hatred of straungers, the burden of pouertie, the ra­ging of hunger, and the lack of things neces­sarie for mans life here, nor yet that they came into any such distresse, but that they had sufficiencie, if not of the finest sort, yet such as serued their turne, and they wel cōtent ther­with. Abraham when he perceiued it stode with the Lordes will he should departe, he wist not whither, nor what shift to make, did not debate the matter with himselfe, take counsail of his friendes, cōsult with his wife, whether he should do the thing yt most plea­sed God or no, but setting apart all persua­sion and wisedome of flesh, bowed downe his owne will subiect vnto Gods pleasure, bent himselfe without further delaye to obey his will, that ought onely to be obeyed in all ma­ner of creatures: and therefore in a straunge countrey, yea in the middes of his enemies, had not onely at all times sufficiencie, but also did growe vnto great aboundance of ri­ches. Of like sort Iacob was not onely not left destitute of succour, but did come to so [Page] great aboundance, that at his returne into his countrey, hee made therewith his most mortall foe, his deare friende, and serued the Lord all his life in great wealth. Ioseph beeing a bondman in a straunge countrey, was not so moued with the feare of false and slaunderous accusations, of hunger, impri­sonement, and such like griefes, that hee would, to eschue these, committe vncleane things against Gods will, but cleauing to Gods prouidence, was fostered vp against the rage of hunger, the violence of impri­sonment, cleansed from the fowle spottes of slaunders, set at libertie, and at length made ruler ouer Aegypt. Although his brethren meant his destruction, when they solde him to straungers,Gen. 45. and droue him forth of his natiue countrey, yet he acknowledgeth this their fact to be the good will of GOD, who worketh all thinges to the best for them that loue him, whether it be hunger, colde, exile, imprisonment, or death it selfe, and maketh that which seemeth painefull and grieuous, easye and pleasaunt. What should wee saye to the Prophets Ely and Daniel? Ely flying the fiercenes of Achab, because he should not suffer more payne of hunger, then he might well awaye with­all, [Page] was fedde by rauens sent vnto him morning and euening,3. Reg. 17. to bring him bread and meate for that purpose, and afterwarde by a poore wydowe of Sarephta, and last of all by Gods Angell,3. Reg. 19. when hee was in a desert, flying the crueltie of Iezabel. In like sort Daniel was fedde in the pryson by Habacuc brought by Gods Angell,Dan. 14. where­upon Daniel sayde: O Lord thou hast re­membred me, thou doest not forsake them that loue thee. A saying of hym, who had felt the ease and reliefe, that GOD pro­uideth for all them that vnfainedly trust in him, worthy to be written in golden letters, and deepely grauen into our heartes. This is a common and pleasant persuasion to the Apostles, and al other of Christes Churche, who suffered for Christes sake, pouertie, exile, persecution, that in the middes of po­uertie they were most riche, when they had nothing left them at all, then had they all thinges, and wanted nothing. These ex­amples shoulde moue vs to set apart all feare of want, and to cast our care whollye vpon the Lorde, for so much as hee is no lesse our louing and mercifull Father, then hee was to Abraham or any other: yea, he hath exhibited vnto vs in deede, and wee [Page] haue seene that Abraham woulde gladlye haue beholded.Rom. 8. God hath not spared his one­ly Sonne, but hath giuen him for vs all vn­to death: howe much more will he giue vn­to vs, if we trust in him, all other neces­sarie thinges? It is not a necessarie thing to haue strength and ablenes to abide pa­tiently for his sake, not onely pouertie, losse of goodes, imprisonment and exile, but also power to passe thorowe easely the burning flames of fyre, hanging, drawing, stoning, racking, deuouring with wilde beastes, broy­ling, boyling, and such kinde of most cruell tormentes and bitter death, as the ene­mies to Christ, the olde tyrantes and Anti­christ him selfe, the Pope with his clergie now daily inuenteth and practiseth to with­drawe and fraye men from Christ? God hath alwayes to his tyme giuen his such strength to ouercome and contemne these, and whatsoeuer crueltie coulde be inuented, yea he hath so encouraged them to take plea­sure in the middes of most crueltie, that they reioyced most, when they semed to be in the greatest payne, as it is playne in manie hi­stories of the Churche: and will not God deale so mercifully with vs nowe, as with them of olde time? Is his mercie waxed [Page] lesse nowe towardes vs, or his power not so able? God is not like vnto man to chaunge his purpose, and to be euery yere of a newe minde, he is faythfull, he chaungeth not, al­though to the iudgement of the fleshe he see­meth to forsake the man that is cast in pri­son, banished his countrey, throwen into the fire, and most cruelly dealt withall, yet he is present with him, aydeth and comforteth much more strongly, then the tormentours be able to grieue or discomfort, yea, turneth the bitternesse into sweetenesse, the payne into pleasure, and that, which seemeth vnto others most vntolerable, to be most suffera­ble. The three Israelites were commaun­ded to fall downe and worshippe the golden Image, they did not dissemble the matter,Dan. 3. but playnely saide they woulde not: they were threatened to be cast into the burning fornace, they feared it not, they might haue dissembled the matter for a time, following the world, but they knew GOD could not be deceiued, nor woulde not be plaied with­all. The ouen was made seuen times hotter, then euer before, & they cast into it, yet were they well able to abyde it, and had much more solace in the burninge fyre, then they that onely looked on. The mother with her [Page] seuen sonnes in the Machabees chose rather to suffer most cruell death,2. Mach. 7. 1. Mach. 2. 2. Mach. 6. which they pas­sed thorowe most ioyfully, then to com­mitte the least thing against the Lawe of their GOD.Ecclesiast. hist. lib. 6. cap. 4. So likewyse Mathathias his sonnes, and Eleazarus. Rhais that Chri­stian woman, although not yet so fully ca­techized, that shee was admitted to bap­tisme, set on fyre with the burning heate of Gods Spirit, and the famous chaste wo­man Potamiena with her mother Marcella, Ecclesiast. hist. lib. 6. cap. 5. after they had suffered great and horrible tormentes for the truthes sake, were con­sumed in burning fyre.Eccle. hist. li. 6. cap. 41 Quinta the faith­full woman and constant martyr of Christ, suffered rather to haue her legges tied to­gether, and to bee drawen thorowe the streetes vpon the sharpe stones, and whip­ped most sharpelie, then she would seeme to worshippe the images or idoles in the tem­ples. The constant olde matrone Apollo­nia was beaten about the lace till all her teeth were beaten out, a great heape of woode set on fyre before her face, and threa­tened to be cast thereinto quicke, if she would not agree to the Idolatours, and did willin­gly choose to be burnt in the raging fyre. So likewise the historie sheweth of Ammo­narion, [Page] Mercuria, Dionysia, and other no­table women, that were so vnfearefull to suffer most sharpe death, that they woulde runne, when they heard, where the execu­tion was in hande, and carie their young chil­dren with them (such delight had they to suffer for Christes sake) in great hast as vn­to a ioyfull feast, fearing nothing els, but that the tormentours would spare them, and that they should not be thought worthie to beare witnesse to Christes death with their owne bloud. Call to your remembrance that faith­full woman and worthie martyr of Iesus Christ your owne countrie woman Anne Askew: her imprisonment moued her not, she litle weyed the cruel torture and tearing her bodie on the racke, she ioyfully went to the fyer, and was of more comfort in feeling the paine, and lesse wearie thereof, then the lookers on to beholde, or the tormētours to do execution. The historie sayeth, that Theo­dorus a yong man, was so grieuously tormē ­ted with diuers and sundrie kindes of tor­mentes, and at length his bodie so rent and torne, that they left him for dead: Whome Ruffinus the writer of the Ecclesiasticall storie, afterward asked whether he felt not grieuous paines, whiles he was in the tor­ments, [Page] to whom he aunswered, that he felt verie litle paine: For, said he, there stood, as he thought, a yong man by him, who always wiped the sweat from him, and so much com­forted his stomacke, that the time of the tor­menting seemed to him much more plea­saunt then painefull. Who made the yong men walke in the fire and burne not? Who hardened these martyrs of men and women, that they did not shrinke at paine, but ranne thorow fire, water, and most cruell torments, and not be ouercome? Certainely euen he, who had promised them, that neither in fier, water, no nor yet in the shadowe of death he woulde be from them, but woulde be their buckler, defendour and shield, faithfully per­forming that no temptation should so assaile them, but that he woulde giue a ioyfull ende and deliuerance: whereunto they trusted, and so by their constant fayth ouercame, and had the victorie. For this is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde,1. Iohn. 5. euen our fayth. Yea as S. Paul saith,Heb. 11. ye time woulde not serue vs, if we would rehearse how the Patriarks, prophets, Apostles & Martyrs through faith subdued kingdomes, wrought righteousnes, obtained the promises, stopped ye mouthes of Lyons, quenched ye violence of fire, escaped ye [Page] edge of ye sworde, out of weaknes were made strōg, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliants, ye women receiued their dead raysed to life againe. Other were racked and would not be deliuered, that they might inherit a better resurrection. Againe, other were tried with mockings and scour­gings, moreouer with bonds and imprison­ments, were stoned, were hewen in sunder, were tempted, were slaine with sworde. And these al through fayth obtayned good report. The holy Ghost hath caused these histories to be kept in writing for vs, yt are now in the latter dayes, to this ende, that we should not onely behold in them the fierie raging of the world from the beginning against the chosen people of God, & how stoutly they withstood & ouercame by faythfull patience the malice therof, but also yt by reading of thē, we should in our like troubles, learne like patience, re­ceiue the same cōfort, & being thorowly tried, cōceiue a sure hope of ye same victorie, which they after many & sundrie trials did winne: whereof we shal not be disapointed, if we to ye ende striue lawfully. If it be to hard & aboue your capacitie to beholde al ye histories & exā ­ples propounded in ye scriptures, & the Chro­nicles of Christes church with such cōsidera­tion, [Page] that you may espie & behold in them the order of Gods working with his Church in all ages, wherby to perceiue these your grie­uous chaunges to be no new and vnwonted work of God: If you doe not perceiue & see in them the true & iust cause, which moueth the Lord hereunto, and thereby to learne faithful repētance: & if you doe not vnderstand in di­ligent perusing them, that the end and issue was alwayes ioyfull and glorious victorie & deliueraunce, wherewith to comfort your selues in the middes of miseries, take into your handes the comfortable historie of King Dauid, marke his whole life from that time he was taken from his fathers sheepe to his death: beholde in him, your selues: in the peo­ple during the time of his rule, the church of England: and in the wonderfull iudgement of God in ordering his Church then, what shalbe the ende of his sharpe crosse, wherwith he doeth exercise you at this time. And to the ende you may the better see, how to wade in considering his whole life, we haue disclosed and opened for you to beholde a part thereof: wherein you shall see plainely, that the grie­uous afflictions of euery one of you seueral­ly, and of the whole Church of England to­gether, is not fallen by chaunce of euill or [Page] good fortune, but by the mightie hande of God, whose good will it is thus to haue you tried for a while, also for what cause GOD thus worketh, and what shalbe the ende of al these dooings. After the Lorde had founde out Dauid, a man after his owne minde, and appointed him King ouer his people, who la­boured worthily to deliuer and defend Gods people from their enemies the Idolatours, that dwelt nere about them, he did not graūt to him such quietnes, neither to his people, but that he was in continuall troubles, and no small daungers, during the life of Saul, and also after his death, the Idolatours, and also Sauls friends, seeking all the wayes that might be, to disturbe him forth of his king­dome. And not onely was he thus vexed with his foraine enemies, but also most grieuously of all, by those of his houshold, who shoulde haue bin his most deare friends, his owne na­tural sonne Absalom, his most priuie Coun­selours, the nobilitie of his Realme, & ye most part of his subiectes.2. Reg. 15. Absalom pretending to his father Dauid a great holines, (as the maner of the hypocrites is) desired to haue leaue to go into Hebron, there to doe sacri­fice for the performance of a vowe, which he had made in the time of his being in Syria, [Page] but his meaning was to obtaine the king­dome from his Father, and to stirre all Israel against him, which he brought to passe: Da­uid was banished, and pursued vnto ye death by his owne sonne, who wrought so much vilanie against his father, that he did not for­beare in the despite of him, to misuse his fa­thers wiues in the sight of all the people: how grieuouse and daungerous this sodaine chaunge was to Dauid, & to the godly peo­ple, which were but a very fewe in respect of the great number of the malicious hypocri­tes, which folowed Absalom, it appeareth plainly in the storie, and you may easely con­sider. The best that was like to come of the matter, was, that whiles the kingdome of Israel was thus deuided, Gods enemies the Philistims, who had lyen long in wayte ther­fore, shoulde snatche vp from both the par­ties the kingdome of Israel, and not onely vtterly banishe Gods true religion from a­mong the Israelites, but also bring thē, their countrey, and their posteritie into most mise­rable bondage and thraldome, and that, to Gods enemies the most vile people, and ha­ted of all the world. Dauid in all these peri­lous daungers of his owne lyfe, losse of his kingdome, & vtter destruction of Gods peo­ple, [Page] did not discourage himself, but vnderstā ­ding all this to be the worke of Gods owne hande, acknowledging the true cause vnfai­nedly, did perswade him self yt the Lord after a time, when his good wil should be, woulde giue a cōfortable end to al these stormes and bitter pāgs. His whole behauiour he himself describeth in a Psalme,Psalm. 3. which is left in wri­ting for vs to learne therafter how to behaue our selues in the like persecutions. Whē he was fled from Ierusalem, & the priestes were departed frō him with the Arke of ye Lords Couenaunt,2. Reg. 15. he went vpon mount Oliuet barefoote, wept as he went, and had his head couered, and so did all the people that were with him. And he made his mone vnto the Lord, saying, O Iehoua, how are they en­creased that trouble me?Psalm. 3. how many are they that rise against me, howe many are there that saye of my soule, There is no helpe for him in his God? Selah. Wonder not though this good King with an heauie hearte, and sorowfull cheare doeth lament and be­waile his dolorouse estate. Woulde it not grieue a King, when he thinketh of no such matter, sodainly to be cast out of his Royall seate, and brought in daunger of his lyfe, and that by his owne naturall Sonne?

[Page]Can the displeasure of any enemie so much pearce the heart of a kinde father, as the vn­naturall crueltie of the sonne to seeke his death, of whom he himselfe had his life? It grieued him no small deale to perceiue such as had bin his wise Counsailours, whom he much trusted, (whose duetie it had bin, with the spending of their owne liues, to haue de­fended the common weale brought to good and quiet order, both in matters of policie, & of Gods true religion,) to be the supporters and mainteiners of an hypocrite, who had neither respect to Gods true honour, nor yet consideration of duetie to his most honou­rable Father, neither yet regarde to the pros­perous weale of his natiue countrey. But nothing of all these grieued him so much, as this one thing, the remembrance and true acknowledging in himselfe, that he himselfe was the only cause of all these euils. He cal­led to his remembrance, that these plagues fell vpon him sent from God, whose worke it was, and that for his sinnes, which were the cause thereof, and this made him weepe and mourne. For so soone as the Prophet Nathan had warned him of his offence,2. Reg. 12. he cryed, peccaui, I haue sinned: and afterward when hee sawe this grieuous and sodaine [Page] chaunge folowe, he perceiued it came partly for his sinne by the worke of God, and there­fore submitted him self wholy to Gods will, saying,2. Reg. 15. If I shall finde fauour in the eyes of the Lorde, he will bring me againe, and shew me both his Arke and the Tabernacle there­of: but, and the Lorde thus saye, I haue no lust vnto thee, behold here am I, let him doe with mee what seemeth good in his eyes. Thus the worthie man of God acknowled­geth his troubles to be of Gods hande, his sinnes to be the cause, and therefore humbly and faithfully submitteth himselfe to Gods ordering, wel content to receiue whatsoeuer should be layd vpon him. He assured himselfe that when he himselfe were most weakest, then God would declare his strength for his owne glories sake, and after he were re­duced to a faithfull repentaunce by the cor­rection of his mercifull Father, then the rod should be cast into the fire. This considera­tion of plagues both to priuate men particu­larly, and also of Realmes & whole common Wealthes is diligently to be weyed, that as they come from God, so haue they this ende, that they tende partly to his owne glorie, partly to our profit, and amendement. For although sinne is the generall cause where­fore [Page] all mankinde generally was, is, & shalbe molested with many and sundrie kindes of troubles and calamities, yet the calamities & afflictions are not to all kinde of men alike, nor yet for one end and purpose. For the wic­ked and reprobate are punished & whipped of God to a farre other end and meaning, then the godly and chosen children, who are ye true church of God, the liuely mēbers of Christ, & such as shalbe neuer separated frō God and his louing fauour in Christ Iesu. These al­though they be neuer without trouble in this world, but alwayes exercised vnder ye crosse, yet the cause and cōsideration why God will haue them thus exercised, is either for the glorie and honour of his owne Name, or the profite, commoditie; and exceeding benefit of them whom he thus afflicteth, either els for both these considerations together, for that there is no trouble that cōmeth to Christes church or any mēber therof, which appeareth not plainly to redound to Gods glorie, & the profit of ye afflicted, if it be wel & iustly cōside­red. These two causes & considerations doth the Scripture teach in all calamities of the church, whether they be generall or particu­lar, which being wel marked, will easily put out of ye way this stūbling block, wherat ma­ny [Page] stumble & fal, marueyling wherfore God wil suffer his word, & his chosen childrē thus to be vsed & euil dealt withall. The childrē of Israel were in Egypt most cruelly dealt wt ­al 400. yeeres, oppressed with most painfull labours, most seruile exactions, their infants slaine, they cried vnto ye Lord, their griefs en­creased, for God had hardened Pharao his heart, that he shoulde not ease or deliuer his people. Wherefore did God thus afflict his people, and stirred this cruell tyrant so grie­uously to vexe thē? truely for his own glorie, & their profit. God rehearseth this cause and cōsideratiō in ye scripture, of the hard & cruel hearts of ye Egyptians towards his people, The Egyptians shal know yt I am the Lord,Exod. 7. and that I will deliuer my people by strong hand frō among thē.Exod. 9. For this purpose (saith God to Pharao) haue I raysed thee vp, that in thee I may declare my power thorowout the whole world. This profit they receiued, the exercise of their faith, the triall of their patience, and the confirming of their hope for deliueraunce, which was not deceyued. Thus S. Paul noteth and collecteth of this historie, the one end to be Gods glorie,Rom. 9. for the honourable fame and renowme of his Name throughout the whole world, and also [Page] the profit that the afflicted receiue, which is the exercise of faith,Hebr. 11. as he noteth of Moses and his parents to the Hebrues. But much more plainly doth S. Paul note & teach these two considerations to the Corinthes, say­ing,2. Cor. 4. But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels, that ye power which excelleth, might be of God, and not of vs. We are troubled on euery side, yet are we not without shift: we are in pouertie, but not vtterly without somewhat: we are persecuted, but we are not forsaken: we are oppressed, neuerthelesse we perishe not. But seeing we haue the same Spirit of faith (according as it is writteng beleeued, and therefore haue I spoken) we also beleeue, and therefore we speake. For we knowe that he which raysed vp the Lord Iesus, shall raise vs vp also by the meanes of Iesus. Therefore we are not wearie, but though our outwarde man be corrupt, yet the inwarde man is renued day by day. For our trouble, which is but temporall and light, worketh an exceeding and an eternall weight of glorie vnto vs. What can Saint Paul speake more to the commendation of Gods prayse and glorie, then that the excel­lencie of his mightie power is declared and aduaunced in this, that his are troubled, im­pouerished, [Page] persecuted, oppressed, and yet in all these doe not perishe nor faint, but ouer­come by him, who hath willed his in all their troubles to call vpon him, and he will so de­liuer them, that his Name shall thereby be glorified, and honoured? And what greater profit can come to the Church, then to haue the faith of Gods children so exercised, that the inward man may be renued day by day, and that as Christ entred into his glorie by troubles, the crosse, and death, so also our troubles, which are but short and light in re­spect of his, may worke vnto vs an exceeding and eternall weight of glorie. Both these two things S. Paul noteth in the generall af­flictions of Christes Churche, and also the Scripture teacheth the selfe same generall causes of the troubles of euery priuate mem­ber of Christ. As our Sauiour Christ repor­teth of the infirmitie of the borne blind man, which was for this cause, saieth he,Iohn. 9. that the workes of God should be shewed on him. And in like case when Christ heard tell that Lazarus was sicke, he saide. This sicknes is not to death, but for the praise of God, yt the sōne of God might be praised there through. This did much set forth ye glorie of God in Christ, that he was of power to rayse vp frō [Page] death a man, which had bin in his graue huri­ed 4. daies, & was so corrupted yt he did stink. And wherin doth ye power of God more excedingly appeare to his glory, thē in raising his church & faithfull people frō the graue & pit of troubles, afflictions, and many intolerable miseries, wherin the worlde goeth about to treade them downe, & burie them? Doth not Christ herein most marueilously set forth his glorie, yt when the world by motion of ye deuil doth furiously fret & rage against his faithful to roote out his word, then it springeth & flo­risheth most plentifully, & the faithful are fa­stened & confirmed therin most vnfainedly & boldly? This hath God wrought in al ages in ye fier of troubles & afflictiōs, trying his faith­full childrē for his own honours sake & their profit, as appeareth in ye histories of ye church frō the beginning. And beside this yt our faith is thus tried, our patience proued, our hope cōfirmed by these afflictions, ye faithful do re­ceiue also diuers other cōmodities & profites by troubles which are more necessarie to thē then either meate, or drinke: The worldly ones set more by their easy life here to serue their idle bellies, thē by the necessarie & pro­fitable things to eternal life. By troubles and afflictions the faithfull are made of like and [Page] semblable shape to the Image of Gods own Sōne Iesus Christ, saith S. Paul, Rom. 8. If they suf­fer with Christ, they shall liue wt him in glo­rie. Whom the Lord loueth,Heb. 12. him he chaste­neth, yea & he scourgeth euery sonne, whom he receiueth, & nourtereth vs to that, which is profitable, yt we might receiue of his holi­nes. And to ye Corinthians S. Paul saith, that when we are afflicted, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be damned with the world. Thus the scriptures do teach plainly & also aboundantly, that for these two conside­rations, God doeth suffer his church to be af­flicted, and his owne people in this worlde to be exercised vnder the crosse: which appea­reth in all ages by the examples of all histo­ries. For behold the face of Gods church frō that good King Dauid vnto this our time, & you shal see what wonderful chaūges & grie­uous ouerthrowes his people haue suffred al­waies, & therefore should not maruell of this our chaunge in England. After Dauid was anoynted King ouer Gods people, ye 2. booke of Samuel declareth with what troubles God did exercise him, & his whole kingdome du­ring his time. But he obserued the ordinan­ces of the Lord, and kept the true religion a­mong his people according to the comman­dement [Page] of God. After him Salomō hath go­uernance of Gods people; who in the begin­ning of his reigne walked after his Father Dauid, 3. Reg. 11. did build Gods temple, and obserued the true religion, but yt lasted but a while: for in his latter yeres he fell to idolatrie and the seruice of false gods, so that the true seruice of God began thē to be corrupted. After him his sonne Roboam reigned, at whose begin­ning yt realme had such a miserable chaunge, that it could neuer after recouer it self again: for the kingdome was deuided, and 10. tribes which were called afterward Israel, fell from Roboam, & from the true religion vnto ido­latrie, & false seruing of God, & so continued in false supersticious religion, always hating the true seruice of God, killing the Prophets that did teach the trueth, & the godly people that confessed the same many yeres: and yet al that time perswaded them selues that they had the true seruice of God, and that their doings did much please God: yea the face of Gods Church was so blemished and brought to such a smal number of true professors, that the Prophet Ely complaineth, that there was not one left, but he himselfe alone, whose life also they sought after. Consider well this historie, and the working of God with his [Page] Church & true religiō. The Prophet Samu­el had taught the people the true seruice of God: the worthy king Dauid maintained the same all his time, but with great difficultie. Salomon his sonne a Prince of most wisdom and knowledge, perfectly instructed in the wayes of the Lorde, fell from God, and cor­rupted Gods religion with the false seruices inuented by man, so that the Lord was so of­fended therewith, that he cutte of from the rule of his posteritie ye most part of the king­dome: for the tenne tribes were neuer after him vnder the gouernance of his succession, neither did afterwarde walke in the feare of God, but in Idolatrie and false religion, till at the last God sent the Assyrians to inuade them in that wise, that they ouercame them, caried them forth of their owne countrey, dispersed them in many countreyes among the heathen, sent straungers to inhabite their land, and so vtterly destroyed that kingdom. God defende the realme of England from the like punishment. This was a fearfull iudgement of God, where hee had but one smal kingdome in the whole worlde, that bare the face of his Churche, where his true honour was maintained, and that so sodainly of twelue tribes ten should fal from God to [Page] idolatrie, and false religion: yea and the other also, during all the time of Roboam, and his sonne Abia after him, so yt during al this time there was not in the worlde any Churche or people, where the syncere religion and pure word of God was receiued by publike autho­ritie and common order: although God re­serued always some that priuatly serued him and feared his Name faythfully, who were alwayes so hated and punished by the Idola­ters, that their liues were bitter vnto them. In those daies did ye idolaters make the selfe same reasons & arguments against the Pro­phets and their doctrine, which your Idola­ters doe make now against Gods people & his true religion. The faithfull then liued a­mong those Idolaters with no lesse feare, trouble and persecution, then the Christians doe nowe in England. The Prophets were then imprisoned, & driuen out of their coun­trey like seditious heretiks, the causers of all euill, as the true preachers now in England are partly imprisoned, partly driuen out of the realme. After the death of these wicked Kinges of Iehuda, God visited his peo­ple with some light of the trueth by the meanes of Aza, and King Iosaphat after him: who restored, although not perfect­ly, [Page] the true religion, bannished the false, and destroyed the Altars of the Idolaters. The which reformation was not done with­out great difficultie and trouble,3. Reg. 22. and con­tinued but a small time in that same order. For Ioram the sonne of Kinge Iosaphat ouerthrewe the true seruice of GOD, con­demned it, and brought in the place there­of the superstitions, and Idolatries of the Kinges of Israel, and so the Churche continued neuer perfectly reformed, but al­wayes afflicted, till the time of Ezechias. For although Aza, Iosaphat, Ioaz, Amazias, Vz­zias, and Ioatham, attempted a reforma­tion, and were indifferently good Kinges, yet was not the Church cleansed of all the Idolatries, and false counterfeit religion, as it appeareth by the Prophets, Ely, Amos, Esay, Ozea, Micha. But the worthy King Ezechias in the first yere of his raigne began to reforme the religion, brake downe and ba­nished all Idols and Images, hil altars, and whatsoeuer was against Gods commaunde­ment, restoring Gods true religion after the rule of Gods worde. The which thing as he brought to passe not without great trou­bles and difficulties, so it continued in puri­tie but a litle time. For his Sonne, wicked [Page] Manasses, who raigned after him, put away, and did forsake the true way, and brought in againe all maner of Idolatrie and false reli­gion, and did grieuously punishe and perse­cute the faithfull people, and true Prophets. He shed (saith the Scripture) innocent bloud exceeding aboundantly. In lyke maner did his sonne Ammon also,4. Reg. 21. who raigned after him. This grieuous change remained thus, vntil the good King Iosias made a newe and godly reformation: which ought to bee a glasse to all Princes to beholde themselues in.4. Reg. 22. But this godly reformation of this good King did not continue: for his sonne, and al the Kings of Iehuda after him forsooke the wayes of God, and restored againe the Ido­latrie, and false religion of their forefathers, and so continued, till God sent the King of Babylon to destroye their citie, Temple, and coūtrey. Who also led them captiue into Ba­bylon, where they continued many yeres in great affliction, as it appeareth by the Pro­phets, Ieremie & Daniel, so that in fiue hun­dreth yeres and aboue, in the dayes of all the Kinges of Iehuda Gods religion was set forth, and receiued in publike order syncerely and perfectly, and the contrarie vtterly bani­shed & abolished, but only in the times of Da­uid, [Page] Ezechias and Iosias: as Iesus the sonne of Sirach witnesseth, saying, all Kings except Dauid, Ezechias and Iosias committed wic­kednes: for euen the Kings of Iehuda also forsooke the lawes of God. With what diffi­cultie and troubles, Gods religion and true seruice was restored after ye returne of Gods people from Babylon, and how short a time it continued in puritie, what troubles and grieuous persecutions the true seruants of the Lord suffered, it is partly set forth in Es­dras, and Nehemiah: after in Hester, & then in the Machabees: And although vnto the comming of Christ, there was an outwarde face and beautifull shew of Gods religion a­mong the Iewes, yet was it so defaced, and vtterly falsifyed with traditions of the Pha­rises, who were that time in estimation, that Christ himselfe doth testifie, that their seruice was but vaine traditions of men,Mat. 15. and the commaundement of God was not obserued. All that time there were no Pro­phets to instruct them in the right waye. For immediatly after the captiuitie, all pro­phecying ceassed in Israel. Nowe peruse the historie of our Sauiour Christ in the foure Euangelistes, and you shall perceiue in what state Christ founde his true religion, what [Page] paines and trauaile he tooke to restore the true and syncere honouringe of God, with howe great difficultie hee brought it to passe, and at the last, howe it cost hym his life. After whose death the crueltie of them, who would seeme to haue and maintaine the true honouring of GOD,Act. 8. ceased not, but stirred most vehement persecution a­gainst the true Churche of Christ, and di­spersed it thorowout all the worlde: with what paines, troubles, and difficultie true Christianitie was planted, and false religion put away, S. Lucas partly mentioneth in the Actes of the Apostles, who spent their liues in the buylding of Christ his Church. After Christ his death the cruell tyrant Nero the Emperour did persecute the Church most cruelly, after whose time, the Church was in some quiet, but not long: for Domitian the Emperour did persecute Christ his Church to destroye his true religion most hainously. Nerua his successour was friendly to the Christians. Traiane after him a cruell perse­cutour, and enemie: and then Hadriane: after whose tyme the Churche had rest for a whyle. For shortly after, the Christians that were in Asia, and also in the West par­ties, were cruelly disquieted. Shortly after [Page] this tyme did England receyue the Christiā fayth, and was the fyrst countrey of all the world that receiued the faith of Christ by pu­blique authoritie (Lucius beeing their first Christian King,) but the puritie of Christ his trueth, did not long there cōtinue, not much aboue an hundreth yeres. Seuerus the Em­perour wrought all the meanes that might be, to destroy Christes Churche, and to sub­uerte the true religion with most sharpe per­secution, after whose time there was some quiet: but shortly after the cruel tyrant Maxi­minus did sore molest the faithfull, and like­wise after him Detius, Gallus, Hostilianus, Lucius Valerianus. Galienus graunted the Christians peace, Aurelianus did persecute them. And Dioclesianus more like an infer­nall serpent, then an earthly man, did as it were deuoure the Church most cruelly. In this time was the greatest persecution, that had bene before: The tormentours were much more wearie in sheading the Christian bloud, and cruelly tormenting the faithfull, then the holy martyrs were in suffering the paines.Eusebius eccle. hist. li. 8. cap. 9. There were in this persecutiō with­in thirtie daies aboue seuenteene thousand Christians killed most spitefully. But Con­stantine the good Emperour became a Chri­stian, [Page] set the Church in peace, & was the f [...] Emperour that did by publike authoritie put downe gentilitie, and truely mainteined the Christianitie. But that lasted not long: for within short time after, Iulianus th'apostata being Emperour, went about to vndo al that Constantine had done, vsed wonderfull poli­cies to destroy the Christian religion, and did afflict the faithfull verie grieuously. After this time the Church was grieuously mole­sted by the Arrians, after with Hunnes, Van­dals, and Gothes, and so continued many yeres till all good learning began wonder­fully to be decayed, and at the length albeit the Church seemed to be at rest, yet hath it bene euen to this daye miserably afflicted, and the pure religion vtterly defaced, by two vicars the Deuil put in commission at one time about eight hundreth yeres since: the Antichrist of Rome for the West, and Ma­homet for the East. Nowe weye and con­sider with your selues this same briefe re­hersall of the state of Gods Churche, howe the Church of the Israelites was afflicted in Aegypt, then in the time of the Iudges, next vnder the Ringes, at the last caried into a straunge countrey captiues, after their re­turne and reedifying of the Temple what [Page] great perils and troubles it sustained till af­ter the dayes of the Machabees, next consi­der the historie of Christ, & the Actes of the Apostles. After this the ten notable persecu­tions the Church suffered vnder most cruell tyrantes from the eight yere of Nero, by the space of three hundreth and twenty yeres, vnto the time of Constantine, and from his time three hundreth yeres after by the Ar­rians, and barbarous Hunnes, Vandals and Gothes, by whose meanes good learning was decaied, and ignorancie brought in: And then marke with aduisement, how that from that time hitherto Mahomet hath vsurped and afflicted the East Church, and the Pope the west (for he began to exercise his proude power ouer the Churche about the same time, that Mahomet brought in his religiō) consyder I saye with aduisement in all these times, howe litle whyle Gods religion was mainteined in the Churche, what perilous chaunges were in the kingdomes, what ex­eeeding crueltie was alwayes vsed against the people of God, as though they had bene heretikes, his word condemned as heresie, and the cause of all euils: and you shall per­ceiue that this is no newe or vnkoth thing, that the true religion of God should be thus [Page] put away and condemned, and the faithfull Churche molested and afflicted both gene­rally as is plaine in these histories, and also particularly in the ministers & faithful mem­bers, as appeareth in Abel, the Patriarches, Prophets, Christ, his Apostles, & in a great number of holy sainctes and martyrs, since the death of Christ til nowe our daies. Thus may you plainely see how God hath wrought with his Church at all times, and therefore should not discourage your selues, because of this sodain chaūge, but with Dauid acknow­ledging your sinnes to God, declare vnto him how many they be, that vexe you, and rise against you, naming you heretikes and the children of Belial, as they named Dauid. Let the wicked Idolaters boast and bragge that they haue ouercome you, and that God hath giuen you ouer & wil no more be your God: let them put their trust in Absalom with his long golden lockes, and in the wisedome of Achitophel the wise counsailour, yet say you with Dauid, thou O Lord art my defender, thou art my worship, and the lifter vp of my head, feare not their violence to hurt you in your bodies, to harme you in your goodes. Perswade your selues with Dauid that the Lord is your defender, who hath cōpassed you [Page] round about, and is as it were a shielde, that doeth couer you on euery part: it is he only that may and will compasse you about with glorie and honour, it is hee, that will thrust downe those prowde hypocrites from their seat, and exalt his lowly and meeke. Dauid in the mids of his miseries did thus comfort him selfe, leaning to the prouidence of God, looking for deliuerance from him, appoin­ting God no time, but cōmitting the whole matter vnto his wisedome and goodnesse. He layed him selfe to sleepe, rose againe, was not afrayed for innumerable people, that set him round about to haue destroyed him, for ye Lord wil sustaine me, saieth this good King. This was his shot anker, here was his re­fuge, herewith he comforted himselfe, that the Lord would bee his defender and saue­garde, and at the length restore him to his place againe. He armed him selfe with the armour of God,Ephe. 6. but aboue al he tooke to him the shield of faith, wherewith he quenched the fyrie dartes of the wicked. Hee had the helmet of saluation, the sworde of the spirit, the promises of God, and buckled these fast vnto him selfe with this long and durable girdle of faithfull prayer and watching, say­ing, I wil crye vnto the Lord with my voyce, [Page] and he will heare me from his holy hill. If you will receiue comfort, crye with Dauid vnto the Lorde, exercise your faith in earnest and continual prayer, say, arise O Lord & help me, and he will smite your enemies on the cheekebone, and brast all their teeth in sun­der, he will hang vp Absalom by his owne long heare. Achitophel through desperation shall hange him selfe, the bandes shalbe bro­ken, & you deliuered: for this belongeth to ye Lord to saue his frō their enemies, & to blesse his people. Thus Dauid in the mids of his af­fliction did comfort him self, trust to the only prouidence of his most mercifull God, per­swading himselfe both of his good will, and mightie power, whereby he should haue de­liuerance, and was not deceiued. This bles­sing shall also be on you, if that neglecting the wisdome of the worlde, you submit your selues to the correctiō of God your heauenly Father, faith­fully crying him mercie, & patiently abiding his good will and pleasure.

FINIS.

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