WHen as I do behol­de and consyder the Chur­che, the Spouce off Iesus Christe, the Electe and chosen off God, by the malice off men, to be so evell han­deled, and vnworthelye entreated: ben­dynge vnder the crosse, fatigated with stripes, buffited with blowes, seasoned with sorrowe, travelynge in travaile as a wo­man redy to be delyvered: beynge moued with compassion, I desyre ernestly to comonicate with hyr, and to comforte hyr to the vtter moste off my power: to then­de I may some what asswage hyr sorrowe and induce hyr to a vertious and constant perseuerance.

Lamēt. 3.How lōge O God infinitly good, wilt thow abandon and leave me to the crual­tye off intractable tyrātes?Gene. 3. It semethe properly, O my lorde, that thow hast set me [Page] as a butt agaynst thyne arrowe:Lamēt. 3 For I do most bitterly feale the sharpe stynge of the serpent agaynste my hele: Not witstan­dyng thow knowest ryght well the wronge that ys done vnto me, and how myne enymes do sharpy pursewe me, and hoūt me out as a byrde: Yea & that with out a cause. And yet all this whyll O eternal God thow doeste dissimule and holde thy peace, and semeste that thow haste forgot­ten me.

Ioye be with the, grace, peace, & mer­cye from God the father & from the Lorde Iesus Christe, O thow best beloved a­mongest all other.

What ioye ys that thow gretest me with all, that am assauted with so many enymes?Tobi. 5. Iudg. 5. psal. 65. And yff I be so myche beloved as thow sayeste, wher for then are all the­sse thynges happyned vnto me? Where a­re all the marvayles off the lorde that are expressed vnto me in his holy scriptures? He hath with drawē his hande,psal. 89. his ryght arme ys hyd in his besome. His wrathfull displeasures are gone ouer me, & his ferefulnes hathe oppressed me: They do dayly compasse me about lyke water, and [Page] they haue inclosed me on euery syde. My Lovers and fryndes hathe he put awaye from me, and shuche as are off myn ac­quayntance,psal. 90. are in darknes and hyd out off my syghte. Where are now his fyr­ste mercyes become, that he sware to per­forme vnto me before, by his fayghte?

In herynge the mone and complayne thow shalt possible cause thosse that haue not knowē the, to be abashed & astoyned. I do not as yet persayve the cause off thy lamentation: onles it be, by cause thow warest aged, which naturally lovethe reste: parauenture it greuethe the to endu­re payne.

I do not denye but that I am olde, & off a great Age, yea lovynge reste: But I am not as yet so feble, neyther hathe strenght so vtterly forsaken me, but that (by the grace off my God) I purpose fyrmely to resyste thosse stryffes and battaylles that are erected agaynst me. And wheras thow calleste me aged, It ought not to abashe the for that I mone my selfe: for as muche as it ys comonly say­ed, euery aged cōplaynethe his sorrowe. And forther more, it ys no dyshonour vnto [Page] me to complayne and cast forthe my sobbynge syghtes before my spouce, therby to prouoke hym to inclyne to helpe me.

Agaynste whome?

Doest thow make inquisition of a thynge so apparant? doest thow not se how I am dayly compassed about with most cru­ell bestes, as Lyons, Beares, Tigres, Leopardes, Wolves, Foxes,psal. 79. that seke no thī ge els but to devoure me? They haue gy­uen for meate vnto the byrdes off the aye­re, the dead bodyes of my chyldrin: And the fleshe off my holy ones vnto the bestes off the lande: Theye shede theyre bloude lyke water: They are become an opē shame vnto theyre enymes, and a very scor­ne & derysion vnto them that are rounde about them: And yet thow askeste, agaī ­ste whome? Beholde Fraunce, Italye, Spayne, Flanders, and now also Englā ­de, and all other shuche contryes, & thow shalt see theyre prisons full off my chylderin, the ashes off some fleynge in the aye­re, the bloude off others troddē vnder fot­te, some tremblynge in theyre howses a bydynge an vniuste iustice, other some al sorowfull fleynge awaye, leue wyffe and [Page] childrin: some levynge theyre goodes, are as slaves in strange landes: other some in teares and sorrowe do ende theyre dayes in the hyghe wayes, voyde off all honest buryall: And yet thow askeste what I ayle? Ys not this a sufficient cause for me to morne and complayne?

It is so. But what more haue they do­ne vnto the?

Texte.They haue vexed me, they haue made a thowsande assautes agaynste me.

This ys not only then happyned off late vnto the: How longe ys it syns?

Texte.Even from my byrthe hytherto, even from the tender age off my youthe.

Thow art then very stronge, seynge thow haste byn able so longe tyme to re­siste the grevous assautes off so many enymes.

psal. 18.They had long a gone spoyled and dystroyed me, yff the lorde God (who is my stony rocke and my defence) had not pre­serued me. But in his protection I do remayne [Page] invincible:Texte. so that hyther to myn enymes haue not vanqueshed me, nor prevayled agaynst me.

Dyd they but only moleste and torment the?

The Plowers plowed vpon my backe,Texte. and made longe forrowes: yea they dyd purpose to haue bounde me with theyre cordes, and vtterly to haue vndone me.

And what happyned? who hyndered them.

But the Lorde that ys ryghtous hathe hewen the snares of the vngodly in peces.Texte.

Well then, be off good chere, seynge thow art vnder the shadow and safgarde off shuche a lorde: for all those that hate the shalbe confounded and torned backe. They shalbe even as the grasse growynge vpō the howsse toppes, which wythereth a fore it be plucked vp:Texte. Wheroff the mower fyllethe not his hande, nor the glener his bosome: so that they which go by, say not so muche as the lorde prosper you: we wyshe you good lucke in the name off the Lorde

[Page]Truly thow haste comforted me, and haste spoken to the contentation of my herte.

Esai. 61.Even therfor am I come, to comforte the. For the lorde hath sent me to brynge glade tydynges vnto the afflicted, to byn­de vp the wounded hertes, to preache de­lyverance to the captyve, and to open the prison to them that are bounde, to cōforte them that are in heavynes, & that bew­tye myght be gyven vnto them in the ste­de off ashes, the oyle off ioye in the stede of lamentation, and pleasant rayment for a hevy mynde. It is no reason then that to the, beynge so desyrous off the glorye off God, I shoulde denye that which only thow art worthy off. And so myche the rather do I it wyllyngly and gladly, for that I knowe, it shall torne to thy como­dite. Wherfor then, as thowchynge the fyrste parte (O vertious Churche) wheras thow complayneste that they haue vexed and tormented the wroughtful­lye? Art thow ignorant off this, that to haue the grayne off corne out off the ere, it must be fyrst thresshed, and then fāned before it can be seperated from the chaffe? To make wyne, behovethe it not fyrst of all to gather the grape, and after to brynge [Page] it to the presse, to thende the good wy­ne may be seperated from the huskes?

Doth it greve the then, that God purposynge to place the in his grayner, dothe seperate the from the chaffe (prepared for the fyre inextinguible) by a lytel threshinge & betynge? Art thow sory, that beinge put into the new barrelles of the lorde, thow art not cast forthe with the huskes vnto the hogges?Hebr. 12. I thynke well that this affliction which thow now sufferest, do­the not seme vnto the to be Ioyous, but grevous: but be assured that afterwarde it bryngethe the quyete frute off ryghtousnes vnto thē that are excercised thereby. For truly the lorde wylbe the defence of al thyne, early in the mornynge,Esai. 33. 2. Cor. 4. and theyr healthe in the tyme of trouble: the which ys but momentany and lyghte, and yet it preparethe an exceadynge and an eternal wayghte off glorye for the fayghtfull af­flicted,Roma. 8. whosse afflictions in this lyffe as I suppose are not worthy off the glory to come,Hebr. 11. which then shalbe showed vpon them. Doste not thow remember that Moyses beynge greate, and elevated into honour, refused to be called the sonne off Pharaos daughter. Chusynge rather to suffer aduersite with the people of God, [Page] then to enioye the pleasures off synne for a ceason, extemynge the rebuke off Christe greater ryches then the treasures of Egypte, hauynge respecte vnto the rewar­de?2. Cor. 7. Dyd not thy sonne Paul saye, that he was excedynge ioyous in all his tribulations?Act. 5. And other thyne apostles dyd they not in departynge from the counsayll reioyse that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus Christe?Phil. 1. Is it not also gyven to the fayghtful for Christe, not only to beleve in hym, but also to suffer for his name sake, hauinge a lyke fyghte?2. Tim. 2. For it ys a trew saynge, that thosse that are dead with Christe, shal also lyve with hym, & thosse that suffer with hym shall also raigne with him. Dauid so often tymes oppressed with tribulation, dothe he not contynewally cō ­forte hym selfe in the confidence off the promyses off God, as it apperethe in the 10.17.22, 25. psalmes, as in divers other? Even so then knowynge that all thynges prosperous or aduerse do worke for the best vnto them that loue god:Rom. 8. Cease thē thy lamentations and comfort thy selfe in hym.

Off good rygh I ought to love the, & [Page] reuerence the, (O Consolator) in repu­tynge my selfe happy to haue mett with the, no thynge doutynge but that thy co­mynge vnto me ys a synguler gyfte off God. Wherfor perswadynge my selfe off thyne accustomed clemēcye, I wyll devyce so myche the more familiarly with the: Let it not seme strange vnto the thē, that I do move vnto the the same questiō that the holy prophet Ieremie so myche experimēted with afflictions:Iere 12. Psal 73. Iob. 21. Abac. 1. Dauid so faightful & renowmed a kynge: Iob the iuste, the invincyble rocke of paciēce: & Abacuc the vertious, haue done: al they not a lytell meruelynge to se the wycked abounde in prosperite. And for my parte I am not so myche perplexed and sorow­full for all the oultrages and iniures that they do vnto me in my mēbers, as to se the holy name off my God blasphemed, blamed, & defamed. As also to heare that the Seducers, are called holy Doctors. People cōtagious, good Religious. The Apostates, Apostles. The wycked, v (er)ti­ous. The persecutors, zelators. The poluted, vndefiled: And contrarywysse the peace makers are sayd to be heretykes, & troublers off comen wealthes: and good people are extemed worsse then dogges: [Page] But yet the thynge that most troubleth my chyldren: and ministreth matter off pryde vnto the ignorant, ys, that the lorde semethe interely to resiste agaynst thosse that by al meanes seke to avaunce his glorye: and on the other syde ys fauorable vnto thosse that do resiste hym with all theyre power: from the which thynge only proceadeth that divers do affirme, the evell to be good, and the good to be evell: lyght to be darknes,Esa. 5. and darknes to be lyght: sower to be swete, and swete to be sower. I coulde produce vnto the sufficient examples hereof out off all ages past, yff we had not now in thesse dayes some presently preste before oure eyes. What fayghtfull man ys there, that dothe not sobb and mourne when as he remembre­the that miserable realme eff England? Whosse eyes are so dryed vp, that dothe not distyll plenty off teares, to be holde, A lande so floryshynge, A kynge so wel instructed, Churches so well reformed, to haue had so soddē a fall, so spedy a rewy­ne, and so hasty an ouerthrowe? Was there euer tragedy more tyrryble, horror more horrible, and iudgment more admerable? To beholde the holy seruyce off God and his diuine worde so tyrannous­ly [Page] trodden vnder fotte, dysdaynfully disspiced, and contemptiously corrupted: and contrarywysse the servyle supersticious servyces off idoles erected and avansed. What may the wycked seduced saye at this present, or at lest wayes (all though they speke not) what do they thynke? Do they not saye, that eyther the worde that was preched off late, was not the pure worde off God, or els they thynke that God ys weaker then the devell, seynge that he dothe not defende and mayntay-his worde. Ys not this an intollerable blasphemye and worthy to be lamented?

where fore yff there be any exhortatiō in Christe,Phil. 2. yff there by any consolation off charite, I praye the power forthe thesa­me in me.

I wyll not depreue the off that, for the which (as I sayed before) I was sent vnto the. Wherefor to satisfye vnto thy firste requeste, wherby thow wēteft about to prove the occasion of thy sorrowe to be iuste, allegynge for the same divers testi­monyes worthy off credyte which here to fore were produced off shuche as were perplexed as thow art now: The one purposynge to dispute with God, and to [Page] talke in iudgment with hym.Iere. 12. Psal. 73. Iob. 21. Abac. 1. The other sayinge that his fette were al most gon, & his treadynges had well nye slypte. The thyrde troublynge hym selfe sayed that fe­re had pocessed his fleshe. And the four­the complaynethe to haue cryed violētly, & yet not hearde. Wherin it behoueth the to vnderstande that not witstandynge the fidelite, vertu, and piete of thesse holy men, yet had they theyr humayne affectiōs, off the which the scriptures hath not kepte sylence, to declare therby that no thynge ys perfytt but one only God, who hath easely pardoned them that faute, wherin also they dyd not remayne, as wery well declareth theyre godly say­inges afterwardes. Forther more it may be sayed with out straynge from the tru­the that shuche questions are as excessyve admirations off myndes, transported and rapte into the iudgment off God. Consyderynge that a nō after,Abac. 1. one off thē say­eth: O lorde my God my holy one, thy­ne eyes are clere, thow mayst not se evel, thow cannest not beholde the thynge that ys wycked. The other dothe he not saye with a great confidence:Iere. 12. But thow Lor­de to whom I am well knowen, thow hast sene me, and proved my herte? And [Page] Dauid comynge to hym selfe dothe he not saye by and by after:Psal. 73. Yea I had all most sayed evē as they, but Lo then I should haue comdemned the generation off the chyldren off God, vntyll I went into the sanctuarye off the lorde, then vnderstode I the ende off the wycked?Iob. 21. But Iob spekynge more profoundly sayed: who cā teache God any knowlege, in as myche as he hathe the hyghest power off all? For other wysse it ys wrytten:Esa. 45. Cursed be he that stryuethe againste his maker, as the pott agaynst the potter: seynge that he ys that great lorde formynge the lyghte, and creatynge darknes, makynge peace, and creatynge aduersite: Hathe he not created the waster to distroye?Iob. 5. Ys not he also the almyghty, that makethe the wounde, & layethe to the playster? that hurtethe and makethe whole agayne?Iob. 9. Who shall saye vnto hym thē, wherfore doste thow this or that, and be reputed innocent? And therefore the iustice off his wyll ys a suf­ficient contentation in this behalfe: not witstandynge the scriptures dothe here & there declare certayne causes. Wherfor then as to wchynge the wycked, I beleue that thow art not offended with the goodnes that God dothe vnto them.Math. 5. Causynge [Page] his sonne to shyne vpon them, and sen­dynge them rayne,Math. 20 as to the good: for o­ther wysse that great father off how shol­de myght iustly allege agaynst the, that which was sayed vnto the murmerynge laborers: Ys it not lawfull for me to do with myne owne what I wyl? And, thyn eye, ys it evel by cause I am good: But I persayve very well that the cheffe cause why thow art offended, ys, to beholde the godly comtemned, dispyced, persecu­ted, oppressed, and God in them dyshonored: Thow haste all redy harde how that every man in this respecte ought to captyvate his vnderstandynge, and to subdew hym selfe vnto the pleasure off God, as he hath also wylled vs to praye, That his wyll be done in earth as it ys in heaven, beynge ryche and plentyfull in bothe.

Psal. 115.For all the wholl heavens are the lor­des, the earthe hath he gyvē vnto the children off men: yea even to the wycked to thende that there by they myght be made inexcusable,Iob. 9. when as God shall reproche them off theyr ingratitude, and that the­re was no lett in hym why they should not be ressayved into the ryches off the ce­lestiall kyngdom: seynge that he hath all redy so benyngly allured them there vnto [Page] by earthly goodes and pleasures. Even so was it answered vnto that wycked Diues beynge in tormentes in hell:Luc. 16. Sonne (sayed Abraham vnto hym in whosse bo­some was Lazarus one off thy chyldren) remember that thow ressayvedst felicyte in this lyffe, and Lazarus ressayved pay­ne, and now ys he comforted, and thow art tormented. Even so then the wyc­ked neyther belevynge nor scerchynge any thynge els but thynges temporall: God dothe gyve vnto them some tyme, for so­me speciall respecte, prosperyte: wherin also shynethe forthe the greatnes off his mercye. And this truly may suffice to cōtente the: vnderstādynge that god reseruinge to thosse that are his, the celestial treasour and ryches to come, he wyll not haue them to mvse & to be carfull about the felicites and pleasures off this worlde: which cōpared to the thynges eternall are no thynge but vanite and miserye.

And all be it that he hathe some tyme gy­ven to some off his fayghtfull servantes abondance off ryches, as to Abraham, Isaac, Dauid, and others: yet hathe he alwayes myxed thesame with many aduer­sites & troubles, be cause he woulde with drawe theyr hertes from thynges cadu [...] ­que [Page] and corruptible, to stablyshe thesame on thynges perfytt and durable. But myche more syns the comynge off Christe, who knowynge fully the wyll off his fa­ther hath more amplye expressed as well by doctryne, as cōuersation that by many tribulations it behoueth vs to enter into the kyngdom off heaven.Act. 14. And he hym selfe beynge sett forthe for a sygne off contradiction,Luc. 2. Hebr. 12. for the ioye that was sett before him, abode the crosse, dispiced the shame, and suffred shuche gayne sayinge off syn­ners agaynste hym. It ought not then to greve them that beare his name, to be are also his marke: neyther ought the mē bers to presume to pas by any other waie then the hedd hath done. For the father hath set hym forthe for an example vnto all that are his, and we must aske non o­ther reason theroff, but that which the apostell. S. Paul gyvethe, to wytt, that God hath made the wysdō off this worlde folyshnes,1. Cor. 1. in that it pleasethe hym by the preachynge off the crosse (which the worlde reputeth folishnes) to save thosse that beleue:1. pet. 4. who ought not to be abashed when as they are proved, as in a fornace, in as myche as they do comonycate in the afflictions off Christe. who not witstandynge [Page] hath suffred for an other occasion and purpose, then do his fayghtfull, as also his bloude ys off an other nature thē ys the bloude of his marters:1. pet. 3. For Christe hath suffred for the synnes of all the worlde, the ryghtouse for the vnryghtouse, as he in whosse mouthe there was foūde no gyle: But thow most comonly in the person of thy children,psal. 32. thow suffreste for thy synnes, the which nev (er) the les it plea­sethe the lorde to hyde and couer, and through hys inexplicable mercye not to impute them vnto the: But rather in thyne afflictions makethe the confirma­ble vnto the image of his sonne,Rom. 8. Hebr. 5 who hath lerned obedience by the thynges that he hath suffred: whose bloud also dothe produce and budd forthe better thynges, thē the bloud off thosse that are thyne: For the bloud of Christe dothe bowe and inclyne God to mercye,Hebr. 12. and publyshethe the glade tidynges of peace. Wher as the bloude off thy chyldren prouokethe the iustyce of God,Gene. 4. Apoc. 6. and cryethe for vengance agaynste thosse that shede thesame, to whom cō maundment ys gyven to reste a lytell, tyll shuch tyme as the nomber off theyre followe servātes be accōplyshed: & theyre brytherne who must be slayne, as they [Page] are. Whereby it apperethe that the nomber off the sanctifyed marters off Christe are not yet accomplyshed.3. Reg. 19 Forther more when as Helias dyd complayne to be le­fte alone, hauynge the zeale off the lorde: Answer was made vnto hym that in Israel there were yet reserved .vij. m. whosse knes were neuer bowed before Baall.

Rom. 2.This ys a nother cause also off the paci­ence of God, that for the love off his chyldren dothe some tyme spare the wycked, whom he by his longe contynewed pacience and benyngnyte dothe inuitate and prouoke to repentance.

Thow haste greatly recreated and forty fyed my spirete, with thy swete sayinges: so that thow hast al most dryed vp my teares: or at least wysse changed them: for whereas before I dyd bewayle with sor­rowe off herte the afflictions off my chyldren, thow doest now mynyster matter vnto me to sorrow rather the impiete off myne adv (er)saryes, in hearynge the saye, that the terryble recompense off theyre wyckednes ys eternal deathe: & that the paynes off my chyldren ys but momenta­nye, abydynge an infinite glorye. But I pray the expresse vnto me more aboun­dātly [Page] by the testimonyes off the holy scriptures this matter, accordynge vnto the good gyfte that god hath gyvē the,Hebr. 4. wher­in only restethe all my ioye and comfor­te: for thow doest allege no texte vnto me that doth not perse even to the devy­dynge a sonder off the soull and the spirete, and off the ioyntes and mare.1. Cor. 6. Wherfor I requyre the off the same remuneration, as off my chylde, and as I haue ope­ned my herte vnto the, evē so inlarge me thyne.

It shalbe to me no small pleasure to induce the to yelde thy selfe laudable in all thynges, as the seruante off God,2. Cor. 6. in my the tribulatiō, in afflictions, in necessi­tes, in angueshes, in strypes, in impri­sonmentes, in stryves, in labours, in pacience, by the armour off ryghtousnes off the ryght hande, and on the lefte han­de, by honour and dyshonour, by evel reporte & good reporte, in shuche sorte that thy chyldren beynge extemed as dyssay­uers, and yet founde verytable, as deiynge and yet lyvynge, as chastyned and yet not kylled, as sorrowynge and yet alwayes merye, as poore and yet makynge ma­ny ryche, as hauynge no thynge and yet [Page] pocessynge all thynges.Col. 1. Yea it ys also ve­ry expediēt that they do accomplyshe that which ys lefte behynde off the passions of Christe in theyre fleshe as longe as they are in this worlde: berynge allwayes every where in theyre bodyes the mortifyca­tion off the lorde Iesus,2. Cor. 4 that the lyffe off Iesus Christe myght appere in theyre bo­dyes,1. pet. 4. with out beynge ashamed, yff they be afflicted as christeans: knowynge that they do gloryfye God in that behalfe: for at the apparynge off the glorye of Christe they shall reioyce with an inexplicable gladnes. The which thynge also Iesus Christe dothe very aptly declare by a proper simylytude,Ioh. 16. A woman (sayeth he) when she travaylethe, hath sorrowe, bycause hyr houre ys come, but as sone as she ys delyvered off the chylde, she remē brethe no more the anguyshe, for the ioye that a man ys borne into the worlde, E­ven so he promysethe that after theyre sorrowe he wyll se them agayne and theyre hertes shall reioyce, the which ioye no mā shall take from them, sayinge forther more vnto them, In the worlde ye shall haue tribulation, but in me ye shall haue peace, & in the ende he dothe ēcorrage thē with this sayinge, that he hath ov (er)come [Page] the worlde. To this purpose also serue­th very well the parabole that ys propo­sed vnto Esdras,4. Esd. 7.4. of a sumptious Cyte set in a dangerous place, the entrance very narrowe & yll to come to, for at the ryght hād there ys fyre, & a depe water at the lefte, and but one lytell strayte pathe bet­wyrte them bothe, to wytt, betwyxte the water and the fyre, so small that the pa­the cōtaynethe but the bredth off one mā: Yff this Cyte were now gyven to an heyre, and he never went through the pere­lous waye how woulde he enioye his en­herytance? Even shuche ys the portion off thy chyldren. The which similitude Iesus Christe confirmethe saiynge,Mat. 7. that the waye ys narrowe that leadethe vnto lyf­fe, and fewe there be that enter there by. There ys no doute but that this narrowe waye, ys the pathe of afflyction:1. pet, 4. as it ys sayed that the iuste ys scarsely saved by suffrynge: And the cause ys, that Adam hauynge ons trāsgressed the constitutiōs off the lorde,4. Esd. 10 the entrance off the lyffe to come was forth with made strayte, we­ry, and paynfull. And all be it that the same be comone as well to the fayghtfull as to the vnbelevers: yet ys it so, that the almyghty God wyllynge to declare his power towardes his chyldren doethe cause [Page] them to come to theyre determyned and most happy ende, by thynges that are cō ­trarye: to wytte, to soveraigne felycite by great myserye, to honour by dysho­nour, to blyssynge by cursynge, to rest & quyetnes by travayll and payne, to ioye and gladnes by wepynge and sorrowe, to tranquylyte and peace by troubles and afflictions, to a haven of reste by a stormye tempeste, to lyffe by deathe, to salvation by perylles, to libertye by captyvyte, to lyght by darknes, to ryches by povertye, to contentation by contempte, to amyte by inimyte, to consolation by dyssolatiō, to saciete and fulnes by hoūger and nedy­nes, to pleasure by dyspleasure, to a mo­derate coldnes by an excessyve heate, to glorye by infamye, to a happy state by an vnfortunate meanes. Wherfor as thow hast now present eyperience off thynges aduerse and troublesome, even so assure thy selfe off thynges happy & prosperous in tyme to come.

The more that I heare thy swete sayn­ges and comfortable consolations so my­che the more do I ressayve cōtentation by thesame. Wherefor blyssed be thow off the lorde that haste so myche comforted [Page] me. And seynge thow doste so frely and largly comonycate thy selfe vnto me, I am thereby so myche the more boldened to dysclose vnto the all that lyethe in my herte. Thow hardest me saye even now,Texte. that the wycked haue assauted me all the daye longe, even from my youthe vp, & haue many tymes vexed me, but they coulde neuer as yet ouercome me nor dys­troye me. But I now feale my selfe greatly debylytated and weakened, as well for that I am waxen decrepyte and aged, as for that my great age ys not so prompte and apte to sustayne shuche grevous blowes and buffetes, as when I was younge and stronge. And yet not withstandinge the more that I am feabled and and approchynge towardes myn ende, so myche the more do they la­de me with strypes: so that I fere me in the ende I shalbe constrayned to yelde vp my weapon & armore, and to holde my selfe for vanqueshed. For even as I do declyne to impotencye and feablenes, so do myn enymes increase in force & strēgh­te: yea they haue made all redy a wonderful breache in my fortresse. Truthe it ys, that I haue plenty off monytions: but yf I throuh weaknes cannot vse them, nor [Page] defende my selfe with them, what shall they proffyte me? I was wount to haue the greateste and myghtyeste on my syde, but now god hath taken them awaye frō me. There are a great nomber that in the begynynge dyd showe them selfes ve­ry stoute and manly in my defence:The Fait herted. But afterwardes wayinge the longe contyne­wance off the battayll, and the great dā ­ger off the same, they are now vtterly dys­courraged, and are become very faynt harted and ferefull. Other some are so gyven over to voluptiousnes,The Li­bertines. in the which they are so drowned that they seke no thynge but to haue peace wyth the enymye, to thende they may wallowe in theyre weal­the, and remayne in theyre fylthy pud­dell off fleshly pleasure.The Incō stante Mynded Othersome throught an inconstāt lyghtnes haue quyte abandoned and forsaken me at my nede, & haue vnyted them selfes with myn eny­mes, to take part with them agaynst me. Othersome are disperced here and there who do enforce them selfes to the vtter­most off theyre power not only to wage battayll agaynst me,The Anabaptistes but also agaynste the Papistes myn aduersares.The Da­vidiens. Othersome are as spyes to spye ont thosse that are most weake, to werye them: and to pur­sewe [Page] the stronger, to trouble thē. So that fynaly I se none remaine on my syde,1. Cor. 4. but people condemned to deathe, shuche as a­re made agasynge stocke vnto the worlde, to the angelles and to men, people that a­re become fooles for Christes sake, and dyspiced vnto this tyme, hauynge hounger, thyrste, and nakednes, beynge buffyted with fystes, strayinge from place to place laborynge and workynge with theyre ow­ne handes: who are revyled, and yet they blysse: who are persecuted, and yet thy suffer: who are evell spoken of, and yet they praye: yea they are made as it were the fylthynes off the worlde, and the of­scourynge of all thynges, even vntyl this daye.

Truly thow art worthely compared vnto the woman great with chylde,Apo. 12. who cryethe in travell and suffrethe great pay­ne to be delyvered: For the serpent dothe most cruelly and continewally fyghte a­agaynste thosse of thy seade that kepe the comaūdement off God: and haue the testimonye off Iesus Christe, whom I doute not but that thow loueste as a mother hyr dere chyldren. But,4. Esd. 5. Dani. 12. doeste thow lo­ve thē more thē he that hathe made thē? [Page] Who by that meanes wyll clence pourge and proue them: whether it be by sworde, by fyre, by captyvite, or by the spoyle off theyre goodes for a longe season. But now I wyll answer particularely to all the complayntes that thow haste made. Wheras thow allegeste that frō thy you­the vp they haue vexed the:Lamē. 3. that ought not to trouble the, seyinge that it ys a good thynge to take vp the yoocke of the lorde in youthe,prou. 22. for so waxethe it the more easy in age, for the waye that men are accustomed to travell in, in theyre you­the, they do not lothe nor refuse in they­re age. Wherfor content thy selfe with the contynewance of this yoocke, for the lorde wyll not forsake the for ever. And me thynkes that thyne age vs more to thine avantage then otherwysse: For the el­der thow waxeste, the better ougheste thow to be exersyced in the warre: and the better that thow knoweste the cautel and sutteltye of thyne enymes, so myche the easelyer mayst thowe ouer come thē, for the more experyence that a man hathe off fyghtynge, so myche the sonner doth he vanquyshe his aduersarye. Which thynge ought not a lytel to encorrage the, and to pull vp a good herte, as one that [Page] hopeth shortly to fynyshe the battayll, subdew the enyme, and optayne full vic­torye. Wherfor seynge that this excersy­ce off fyghtynge ys appoynted vnto the of the lorde,2. Tim. 2. ys it not then thy parte lyke a worthy champion valiantly to stryve vn to the ende, for no mā that stryvethe for a mastrye shalbe crowned, excepte he strive lawfullye? They also that rōne in a race, rōne all, but one berethe awaye the pryce, namly he that perseuerethe his curse vnto the ende.Math. 16.24. For it ys wrytten that he that perseuereth vnto thende, shalbe saved. It behovethe the husband man fyrste to imploye hys labour, before he taste off the frutes. Wherfor I thyn­ke it not vnmete to put the in remembrā ­ce off the wordes off thy sonne Paul ap­prochynge towardes his ende:2. Tim. 4 I am now redy (sayeth he) to be offred and put to deathe, the tyme off my departynge, ys at hande: I haue fought a good fyghte, I haue fulfylled my curse, I haue kep­te the fayght, from hens forthe there ys layed vp for me a crowne off ryght­ousnes, which the lorde (that ys a ryghtouse iudge) shall gyve me at that daye: not vnto me only, but vnto all thē also that love his comynge.

[Page]Yea, but thow wareste very weake (as thow sayeste) & thyne enymes incre­se in strenght?Psal. 34. Truly, the aduersytes off the ryghtouse are manye, but the lorde delyvereth hym from them all.Psal. 35. Ys it not he that supporteth thy quarrell agaynste them that moue warre agaynste the? Doe the he not take vp the buckler and the spere & ryse vp into thy succour? Doethe he not brynge forthe the spere and stope the waye agaynste them that pursewe the?

Doethe not he confounde & put to shame all thosse that seke after thy soul, & imagē evell agaynst the? Are not all they repul­sed and put to foyle that pretende mysche­ffe agaynste the? Doethe not the magnifecent lorde loue the peace off his seruātes? Seeste thow not how that the wycked haue drawen out theyre sworde, and bent theyre bowe, to cast downe the poore and nedy, and to slaye shuche as be off ryght conuersation: but theyre swordes shall perce theyre owne herte, & theyre bowe shalbe broken? Off thesse thynges I wyll speke more amply here afterwardes.

Content thy selfe then (with out beynge discorraged through thyne age) with the answer that was made to Paul, whē as he prayed vnto the lorde that the angell of [Page] the lorde myght departe from hym: my grace ys sufficient for the,2. Cor. 12 for my strēght ys made perfyte through weaknes, say­eth the lorde. Wherfor then with that holy apostell reioyse agaynst thyne aduer­saryes in thyne infirmites, to thēde that the strenght off Christe thy spouce may dwell in the: Take the lyke delectation that he dyd in infyrmytes, in rebukes, in necessites, in persecutions, in anguyshes for Christes sake: For when thow shalbe so weakened, then shalt thow be founde strongeste.

Fynally wheras thow doeste bewayll the inconstant weaknes and wycked vn­godlynes off them that haue forsaken the: Doeth not Iesus Christe saye,Math. 15. that eve­ry plant that my father hathe not plan­ted shall be pluked vp by the rootes?Ioh. 15. Doe­the he not also cut of from the trew vyne (which ys Christe) ev (er)y brāche that bryngethe not forthe good frute?Esai. 6. Are they not that people that haue theyre hertes har­dyned, theyre eayres stopped, theyre eyes blynded,Esai. 8. whom the lorde hathe throwen awaye? All though they assemble and conspyre to gyther, feare them not,Esai. 1. ney­ther be a fearde of thē: for it ys a synful people, a felowshype off great iniquyte, [Page] a sede off vngracious chyldren corruptyn­ge theyre wayes, who haue forsaken the lorde (and not only the) and haue prouo­ked the holy one off Israel vnto anger, & are gone quyte awaye from hym.Esai. 30. Yea they are that rebellious people, whosse sonnes are mortherers, and whosse chyl­dren wyll not heare the lawe off the lor­de. But what shalbe theyr ende? The same prophet declarethe it:Esa. 49. therfor shall they haue myscheffe for theyre dystructi­on, and fall lyke as a hyghe wall that fallythe by cause off some ryfte or blaste, whosse brekynge comethe sodenly. But off the, it ys sayd: that thosse that shall bylde the vp shall make haste, and thosse that woulde rewynate and dystroye the, shalbe expelled fare from the.

As towchynge that People off En­gland which thow lamentest so myche, bycause off the great iniure and sklande­rous offence that they haue commytted agaynst the:Apoc. 13. Suppose, Englande to be o­ne off the .vij. heades off that beaste that rysse out off the see, which was (as it were) woūded to deathe, & his deadly woū de was healed: which wounde was ma­de with that sworde dyed in bloud, which ys the worde off God, who hathe now [Page] reproued and reiected them, wherin he hath declared his marvelous iudgment But what wroūge hath he done to them,Esai. 50. by gyvynge them shuche a byll off devorcement, and by puttynge a waye shuche a harlott? And who ys the vserer to whō he hath solde them? Were they not sol­de for theyre inyquytes? And was not that wycked strompet forsaken for hyr of­fences? When he cam vnto them: why woulde they not ressayve hym? When he dyd cal them: why dyd they not answer? But yet for all that, ys his hande so shortened that he cānot helpe them? Or hath he not power to delyver them? Beholde all the wycked amongeste them shalbe ly­ke vnto an olde clothe, & the mothe shall eate them vp: Cannot the lorde then re­store them agayne, when it shall please hym? And all though he wyll not do it: what art thow (O peacyble Churche) that so myche fereste mortall man,Esai. 54. & the sonnes off men, who are lyke vnto wyt­hered haye. For even as the lorde dyd cal the beynge as a younge desolate sorrow­full woman, and as a younge wyffe that hathe broken hyr wedlocke, so al thoughe for a lytell whyle he do forsake the, yet with great mercyfulnes shall he take the [Page] vp gayne: and all though he beynge an­gry for a lytell ceason do hyde his fate frō the, yet throught an euerlastynge mercye wyll he haue cōpassion on the. And hol­de this for a sure certaynte that not with­standynge the inconstāt mutabilite of mē, theyre vanite & corruption:2. Tim. 2 yet the fyrme fondation of God abydethe parmanant for ever, which hathe this seale: the lor­de knowethe thē that are his, & let every man that callethe vpon the name of Christe depart from iniquyte.

And fynally to cōclude, as towchynge thosse that haue withdrawen them selfes from the, of whō I spacke some what be­fore, I wyll put the in remēbrance of that which.1. Ioh. 2. S. Iohn sayde to the longe ago. They went out from the, but they were not of the: for yff they had byne of the nō ber of thyne, they woulde no doute ha­ue cōtynewed with the: but they are gone awaye, to thende it myght appere that they were none of thyne:1. Cor. 11. Amōgest whō also it ys necessarye that there be sectes, to thende that thosse which are perfyt, may be knowen. But waye the ende, I pray the, of shuche offēcive persons & sterers vp of sectes,Math. 13. Even as the tares (sayeth Iesus Christe) are gathered & brēt in the fyre, [Page] so shall it be in the ende off the worl­de: the sōne of mā shall send forth his an­gelles, and they shal gather out of his kyngdō all thynges that offende, & thē which do iniquyte, & shall caste them into a for­nace of fyre, & there shalbe wepynge and gnashynge of teethe.

Truly all that ys cōtayned in the wor­de of god is most certaine & veritable: for all the wordes of God are pure & cleane & a shylde vnto all thē that put theyre trust there in,prou. 30. yea it ys lyke vnto a fyre that cō ­sumeth all the assautes of Sathan:Iere. 23. and lyke vnto a hāmer that breketh the har­de stone. And therefor in herynge the speke it semethe vnto me that my grevous woū des are eased & couled with the most cōfor­table playster of consolation: And by the power of the worde of God I feale my selfe wonderfully fortyfyed: for thereby, in fyghtyng I am sustayned, in trouble cō ­forted, in dangers assured, in mornynges reioysed, & in tēptations protected. Wherfor I wyll frō hens forthe more fyrmely put my trust in the lorde,psal. 37. my delyte shalbe all to gyther in hym, I wyll caste my ca­re vpon hym, I wyl cōmyte my waye vnto the lorde, & put my whol truste in him:Iob. 13. [Page] And all though he wyll kyll me, yet wyl I settel my hope in hym: for I knowe he wylbe my salvation. And yet for al that I am wōderfully invyroned with many grevous afflictions. Namly the plowers haue plowed vpon my backe,Texte. & haue ma­de longe forrowes: & haue forged vpō my backe as yff they had beaten vpō an an­vyle: in shuche sorte that all thosse that pas by me,Lamē. 2. clape theyre hādes at me, hyssynge, & waggynge theyre heddes: so that this cōplaynt of Esdras may worthely be appropried vnto me.4. Esd. 10 Oure sanctuarye (which ys the pure servyce off God) ys now layed waste:Hebr. 13. Oure aulter (to wytt Christe imolated) ys broken downe: ou­re tēple dystroyed, & chāged into a tēple of idoles: oure syngynge of psalmes (by de­solute songes) ys layed downe: oure thā ­kes gyvynge (by fals inuocation) ys put to sylence: oure myrthe (by sorrowe) ys vanyshed awaye: the lyght of oure candelstycke (which ys the worde off God) ys quenched by ignorāce: the arke of oure covenāte (by the corrupters of sacramētes) ys taken awaye: oure holy thynges (by the fylthynes of mens traditiōs) are de­fyled: the name that ys called over vs, ys dishonored: oure chyldren (for wāt of in­struction) [Page] are put to shame: oure mi­nysters of the worde, are brente: oure seuiours & elders are led into captivite: oure vyrgens (by wycked vowes) are defy­led: oure wyffes (by baalles prestes) ra­vyshed: oure ryghtous men, spoyled: oure chyldrē (by naughty educatiō) distroyet: oure younge men, cōpelled to serve strāge godes: and oure stronge worthyes haue lost theyre strēght, & are vtterly fal­len awaye from me by the suttell perswations of popyshe prelates: and that wor­ste ys, it semethe that I am vtterly forsa­ken, & destytuted of my honour, & that God hath delyvered me into the handes of them that hate me. Yet nevertheles for all that I wyll not dyspayre nor dyst­rust in my god, but that he wyl performe in me all that he hath promysed. Wherfor consyderynge this my purposed intēt founded vpō the holy worde of my God: do not hyde frō me (O Cōsolator) thosse talētes that God hath gyven the:Math. 23 but trafyque & imploye them with me, hopynge that thow shalt gayne as many more, to thende that the lorde havynge founde the a fayghtfull servāt in a lytell, he may cō stitute & stablyshe the over myche & so en­ter into his reste.

In all thesse thy tribulations, which thow haste alleged, thow cāst do no better thē to staye thy selfe vpon the goodnes & mercye of thy God:1. cor. 10. who ys fayghtful & wyll not suffer the to be tēpted aboue thy strenght, but wyll in the myddes of thy tēptation make awaye, that thow mays­te be able to beare it. The which thynge thow haste all redy sufficyently experimē ted in that he hath al wayes delyvered the from so many enymes, as thow hast had syns the begynynge, beynge so stronge and myghty,Eccle. 2. & from so many grevous assau­tes as they haue made agaynste the: and therfor it was not writtē with out a cause, that he that wyll enter into the seruyce of God, let hym prepare his soul to tēptation: For the hatred of the persecuters ys neyther,2. Cor. 11. new, nor seldom: As Paul one of thy worthy warryours & valiant chāpions hathe suffyciently experimēted, in strypes aboue measure, in pryson plē ­tiously, in peryll of deathe often, hauynge ressayved of the iewes fyve tymes .xl. strypes lackynge one, beynge thrysse beatē with roddes, ons stoned, thrysse suffred shypwracke on the see, wheron he was nyght & daye, in iorneynge oftē, in perylles [Page] of robbers, in perylles of his owne nation, in perylles amongeste the heathē, in perylles in the cyte, in perylles in the wildernes, in perylles in the see, in perylles amōgest fals brytheren, in labour & tra­vell, in watchynge often, in hoūger and thyrste, in fastynge often, in colde & na­kednes: hauynge thorowly tasted that which the lorde Christe promysed hym before,Act. 9. nāly how grrat thynges it behoued hym to suffer for his names sake.

Forther more also were as thow sayeste that the plowers haue plowed vpon thy backe:Texte. therby thow mayst vnderstande that thy persecuters are called & cōpared to plowmen & laborers for as myche as they do take payne to persecute the, as do the the laborer to labor, & the plowmā to tyll the earthe: which hath byne ever syns the begynynge.Gene. 4. For Cain cōspyrynge the deathe of his brother, was not his face altred & chāged with displeasure?

Pharao persecutynge the people of Israell in what payne was he?Exo. 8 9.10.11.14. 1. reg. 18. Saul afflyc­tyng David, & lokynge ov (er)twharte vpō hym, after that he had kylled the Philistian: was he not more troubled & vexed then Dauid hym selfe?3 reg. 21, 22.28. In what travell & agonye was Achab persecutynge Nabot [Page] for his vynyarde, the prophet Elias and Micheas?Dani. 3. In what affliction & agonye was Nabucodonesor beholdinge the great cōstancy of the three young Israelytes? was he not all togyther replet with indignation so that the coūtynance of his face chāged agaynste them?2. mac. 9. What happyned there vnto that myserable Antiochus persecutynge the Iewes, then the people off God, dyd he not fynyshe his dayes with myserye & dollor intollerable?Luc. 16. What in­explycable payne & trouble had thosse wycked scribes & phareses in pursewynge that most innocent, Iesus Christe? And thosse also that dyd persecute Stephen,Act. 7. dyd not theyre hertes cleve a sonder & gnashed on hym with theyre teethe?Act. 14. Herode the mor­therer of Iames persecutynge the in thy­ne youthe, was not his wyckednes most grevously ponyshed?Act. 16. Thosse also that impresoned Paul & Silas at Philippos, were they not more troubled & vexed thē they that were imprisoned?Act 12.22.23. What travayll and trouble had the persecutors of Paul, as well in theyre proces, as in theyre cōspyraces agaynst hym? And to cōclude, in thesse dayes what payne & trouble haue thyne aduersares, in all theyre attēptes, enter­pryces, spyinges, serchynges, chasynges hyther and thyther, commaundynges, [Page] prohybytynges, thretenynges, excomuny catynges, and pursewynges? And there for, in respect of the payne that they do take, they are iustly called plowmē or labo­rers: & for the frute of theyre labor there abydethe them no thynge els but eternall dānation. In that also thow art plowed & labored thow hast some similitude with the earthe, the wich as by plowynge & la­borynge it ys pourged & clensed off all thornes, brābels & wedes, & afterwardes bringethe forthe good & pleasant frute: evē so by afflictions thow art excitated & better disposed to bringe forthe the frute of godlynes in pacience. And as many tymes as thow art plowed & harrowed by persecu­tion & afflictiō,Math. 13. Luc. 8. Mat. 4. so many thornes & wedes are there taken awaye from the. For this sede which ys the worde of God cā brynge forthe no frute in the: excepte fyrste thesse stony places be altred and dygged vp with the mattocke of adv (er)syte: the thornes that so miche checke the worde of god torned vp by the ploughe of persecutiō, & that harde hyghe waye labored with the harrow off affliction: For otherwysse the good sede that that ys sowen therin wylbe come vt­terly vnprofytable & eaten vp of ravens. But thow beyinge thorowly tylled & labored, art not altogyther vnlyke thy spou­ce [Page] Iesus Chrlste of whō it ys sayed. That he hath trodden the vyne presse alone,Esa. 63. & there was no mā to helpe hym. Forthermore thow mayst evydētly persayde that thy persecutors thynkynge to do the great hurte, they do the myche good: al though they beat vpon thy backe as vpon an an­vile, yet can they no more hurte the with theyre strypes, then the smyte hurtethe the anvyle with his hamer.Texte. I persayve also that the longe lastynge of thy persecutiō signyfyed by the lōge forrowes, dothe not a lytell anoye the & semeth vnto the very tedious & lōge: But be of good chere, & assure thy selfe that the ende of all thyn­ges approcheth & drawethe nye.2. pet. 3. For this ys the last tyme. But thow mayste not be ignorāte of this, that a daye with the lor­de ys as a thowsande yere, & a thowsand yere as a daye: the lorde ys not slacke in his promes, as the persecuters exteme slacknes: but ys paciēt to wardes all, in that he woulde haue no mā loste, but woulde haue al mē torne to repentāce. And let this suffice the, that thyne enymes do no thynge els, but hasten & prycke the forwarde to the comynge of the daye of the lorde: wherfor marke this sentēce wel which ys wrytten.Apoc. 22. The tyme ys at hande, that he [Page] that dothe evell, let hym do evell styll, & he which ys fylthy let hym be fylthy styll: & he that ys ryghtous, let hym be more ryghtous, & he that ys holy, let hym be more holy: for beholde I come shortly, & my rewarde with me, to recōpence every mā accordynge to his dedes.Texte. Hebr. 6. For the lorde whose thow art, & whō thow serveste, ys iuste, he wyll not forgett thy worke & thy labor.Texte. Hebr 13. Iosua. 1. He hathe all redy cut in sonder the cordes of the wycked. And hath sayed I wyll not forsake the, neyther wyll I abā ­don the. So that thow mayst surely saye: the lorde ys my helper.psal. 118. Hebr. 10. I fere not what mā can do vnto me. Tary a lytell whyll & he that shall come, wyll come & wyll not tary, who cuttynge a sonder the cordes off thy persecutors, wyll render vnto them as they haue done vnto the, & wyll rewarde thē double accordynge to theyre dedes. And into the same cuppe which they haue fylled vnto the,Apoc. 18. the lorde wyll power in double: And loke how myche they gloryed in them selfes, & toke pleasure to afflicte the, so myche shall there be gyvē vnto thē of tormēt & teares. And this ys it that one of thy prophetes spekynge vnto the in the name of God, sayethe:Esai. 51. O thow mysera­ble & drōken, but not with wyne, heare [Page] this, thus sayethe the lorde: thy lorde and god, the defender of his people: Beholde I haue takē the slūbrynge cuppe out of thy hande, evē the cuppe with the dregges off my wrathe: & that frō hens forthe thow shalt nev (er) dryncke it more: but I wyll put it into theyre handes that trouble & vexe the. So that it ys apparāt here by, that they haue more occasion to wepe & way­le, thē thow. The which thynge cōsyde­dered of Iesꝰ Christe goynge vnto his deathe, moved hym to saye vnto the womē of Ierusalē that followed mournynge after hym.Luc. 23. O ye dawghters of Ierusalem, wepe not for me, but wepe for your selfes & for your chyldren: for yf they haue do­ne this vnto grene wood, what shall the­re be done vnto the drye?prou. 11. Beholde sayeth the wyse mā: the iuste shalbe ponyshed yf he do wyckedly in the earthe, how myche more then the vngodly & synner? Where vnto ys to be refarred the saynge of the lorde by the mouthe of his prophet.Iere. 25. Yff I begyne to plage that cyte (sayeth the lor­de) where vnto my name ys gyvē: thyn­ke ye thē that I wyl leave ye vnponyshed? Ye shall not go quyte,Iob. 21. but wyl cause your tribulation to fall vpon your owne hedd. For truly the wycked ys kepte for the day [Page] off dystruction, and the vngodly shalbe brought forthe in the daye of wrathe.

Thow sayest that they haue plowed & harrowed the, well let them also prepare theire sythes, for the harveste ys rype:Ioel. 3. let them come and gett them downe, for the wynepresse ys full: Yea the wynepresse ronnethe ouer, for theyre wyckednes ys waxen greate: What restethe now thē, but that the angell of the lorde mēsi­oned in the Apocalypes,Apoc. 14 do thruste in his sharpe syckell into the earthe, & gather the clusters of the vynes of the earthe, for hir grapes are rype, & caste thē into the great wyne fatt of the wrathe of god: who bryngethe marvelous thynges to pas, who forseethe the coūsayll of the wycked,Esa. 25. and stablysheth thynges certayne. For it ys he, that ys the strēght of the poore, & the succor of the nedy in his trouble: A refuge a­gaynste foul weather, & a shadowe agaynste the heate: It ys he that suppressethe the noyse of the wycked infideles, as the heate in a drye place, & bryngethe low the brāche of the myghty, as the heate in the shadow of the cloude: And the perse­cutors shalbe trodden downe vnder hym,Iere. 49. & cōsumed to peces, as strawe in a doūg hyll. For beholde they that mē thought vnmete to dryncke of the cuppe, haue tasted [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] of it with the fyrste, & shall the vngodly the thynke to escape fre? No, for evē as they haue done to the, so shall it be done to them agayne.Esai. 63. Thow shalt be as the fy­re, & thy chyldren as the flābe, & thy persecutors shalbe as the strawe. For the lorde wyll tread them downe in his wrathe, & bathe thē in theyre owne bloude in his displeasure: & beat downe theyre strēght vpō the earthe, & cōsume them in the fu­ry of hid indignation.

Deut. 33.But as for the▪ thow art most happy (O Churche) who ys lyke vnto the? for thow art saved in the lorde, which ys the shylde off thy helpe, & the sworde off thy glorye: thyne enymes shall losse theyre strenght to the warde, & thow shalt tread vpon the hyghest of them, This ys the iustyce of thy God,Esai. 66. & the pacience of Saynctes, who in the ende shall reioyse, whē as the wycked shalbe confoūded: Then thy chyldren shall synge for ioye of herte, and thy persecutors shall crye through sor­rowe off mynde, & shall howle through dysquyetnes of spirete, & shall leve theyre name for execration vnto the elect of god.

Truly thow haste greatly cōforted me, & haste spoken very lovyngly vnto me:Ruth▪ 2. & [Page] hast sufficyently satisfyed all my demaundes: not doubtinge but that throught the­sse consolations off the scryptures which thow hast alleged, I shall frō hens forthe be greatly fortyfyed in all my tribulati­ons, when as the glory of God shall re­quyre the same: And seynge that he ys my helper,Esai. 50. I am sure I shall not be confoū ­ded: & all though my face be hardened lyke a a flynt stone in the fyre, yet am I certayne I shall not come to cōfusion: for he that wyll iustifye me, ys at hande: who wyll thē go to the lawe with me? Let myn adv (er)sarye come forthe now & pleat agayn­ste me, for the lorde shall heare my cause. Beholde the lorde standethe by me, what ys he then that shal condēne me?Esai. 51. I do not fere the curse of men: I am not afferde of theyre blasphemes and reuelynges: for mothes shall eate them vp lyke clothe, & wormes shall devoure them lyke wooll.

Yet would I fayne haue forther instruction of the issew & fynal ende of the vngodly myne aduersares, all though thow ha­ste partly all redy towched the same. For what? Shall they floryshe any lōge con­tynewāce before theyre floure fall? Shall theyre glorye last for ever with out beyn­ge throwen downe? Shall they all wayes [Page] haue the vpper hande? Shall they not o­ne daye be brought vnder? Theyre crual­tye, shall it not cease, so that they shal no more shead the bloude of innocētes? Whē shall the impostumation of theyre corrup­te hertes breke a sonder? Shall not the dregges of theyre pryde be shortly pressed out, so that the fylthynes thereof may appere? Shall the floure of theyre vanyte laste lōge with out wytherynge & corruption? Ys the tyme longe before theyre gren­nes be dryed vp, to thende they may be cast into the fyre and bornte?

Iob. 34.The eare provethe & deserueth the wordes: & the mouthe tasteth the meate. I am glade that the lorde hathe gyven me a toūge, to expresse in tyme cōvenyent the worde of cōsolation to hyr that ys vexed & afflycted.Hebr. 11. I haue all redy declared vnto the, how that thy chyldren haue byn rac­ked & beaten & woulde not be delyvered: how that othersome were tryed with skornynges & mockynges, with bondes & im­presonmētes: other were stoned, were hewen a sunder, were tēpted, were slay­ne with sworde, walked vp & downe in shepskins & gotskins, beynge destitute, troubled & vexed, of whō the worlde was [Page] not worthy of: whosse enymes are also peryshed, as though they never had byn. But thesse are ryghtous mē whosse ryghtousnes shall nev (er) be forgottē,Eccl. 44. whosse chyldren & glorye shall never be forsaken, they­re bodeys are buryed in peace, but theyre name lyvethe for ever, the people cā talke of theyre wysdome, & the cōgregation cā speke of theyre prayse: for it was requysi­te that (with out any excusse) distructiō shoulde come vpō thosse that vsed tyrānye,Sapi. 16. wherby they myght leve an exāple vnto men as a memoryall of theyre follye, & to showe vnto other, how theyre enymes were dystroyed.Sapi. 17. For when the vnryght­ous thynke to haue thy holy people in subiection, then shall they be boūde with the bondes of darknes & longe nyght, & cut in peces:Sapi. 3. But the soules of the ryghtous are in the handes of God, & the payne of deathe shall not towche them: in the eyes of the vnryghtous they shall seme to dye, & theyre ende to be very dystructiō: but they rest in peace, & all though they suffer pay­ne before men, yet ys theyre hope full off īmortalite: they are ponyshed but in few thynges, never the les in many thynges shall they be well rewarded,Eccle 32. for God provethe them & fyndethe them mete for him [Page] selfe. As evell ys all wayes agaynst good, & deathe agaynste lyffe, so ys the vngodly agaynste shuche as fere God, the synner agaynste the ryghtous, & the persecuter a­gaynst the fayghtfull: but in the ende god wyll breke the hedd off the enymes, who saye,Texte. there are none but we. Not witstandyng for thy cōsolation it ys sayed, that shuche as hate the shall be confoūded & put to silence.psal 73. Esa. 29. And that not with out a cause, for they are set in slypry places & God wyl make them fall into dystruction. For evē as he that ys hongrye, dremethe that he eateth, but when he a wakethe his soule ys emptye, & as he that ys thurstye dremethe that he drynkethe, but whē he awakethe, he ys faynte, & his soule hathe appetyte: even so shall it be to the multitude off all thosse nations that fyght agaynste the. For thosse that do the hurte shalbe extermy­ned:psal. 37. & it shall come to pas shortly that the vngodly shall haue no more place. They shal peryshe cōsumynge as the fatt of a lā be, & vanyshe awaye as she smoke. Tary the lordes leasure & thow shalt se the dyst­ruction of the wycked: who all though they haue some tyme floryshed as the gre­ne lawryell, yet so ys it that they passynge a lytell forther shalbe no more foūde, for [Page] theyr last rewarde ys dystructiō. For the lorde wyl plucke thē vp as vntymely gra­pes frō the vyne,Iob. 15. & shal let theyre flower fall as dothe the olyve tre, yea they shal­be as chaffe before the wynde, & as duste that the horse wynde blowethe awaye. The which thynge ys more amplye expressed in those wordes which I resyted vnto the before, to wytt,Texte. They shalbe as the gresse that groweth vpō the howse toppes, which wythereth a fore it be plucked vp. Beholde thys ys the ende of the labor off the vngodly, & theyre wyn̄ynges, for all theyre lōge forrowes, toyle, & payne: for al that shall profyte thē no more thē the gresse that growethe vpō the howsse toppe: yea, & they them selfes shalbe cut downe as haye, & shall drye awaye as grene gresse. So happyned it vnto Senacherib,Esa. 35. 4. reg. 19. persecutynge the Churche of of Israel in the dayes of Esaias & Ezechias, of whō thesse wordes are spoken, as of all other thy persecutors: Shuche as ys the sede of the wycked, shuche ys theyre harveste.

He that soweth in the fleshe,Gala. 6. shal also of the fleshe reape corruption: But of the & thyne which sowe in teares, it ys sayd, that ye shal reape in ioye.psal. 126. They wēte (sayeth the psalmiste) on theyre waye we­pynge, [Page] berynge forthe theyre sede, butt doutles they shal come agayne with ioye & brynge theyre sheaues with them. But it shall happē cōtrarywysse vnto the wycked, for they sowe in ioye, but they shall reape in teares:Texte. for of theire sede the mower fylleth not his hande, nor the glener his bosome.Iob. 24. And why? For they spoyle the suckynge fatherles chylde, & take the pledge from the poore, so that they let hym go naked with out clothynge, & ha­ue taken awaye the sheave of the houn­grye: ys it any mervell then yff theyr sheave be with out frute? seynge that they haue violated & taken awaye the sheave of o­thers?Eccle. 8. The preacher noteth one goodly sentēce, By cause (sayeth he) that evell workes are not forth with ponyshed in the workers, therfor the herte of mā gy­veth hym selfe vnto wyckednes: for all though an evell person offende an houn­dreth tymes, & god defarre, gyvinge him lōge lyffe: yet am I sure that it shall go well with them that fere God, by cause they haue him before theyr eyes: as for the vngodly it shal not be wel with hym, neyther shall he prolōge hys dayes? but even as a shadowe so shall he be that fereth not God.

[Page]To cōclude all the labor of the wycked & vngodly tendeth to no thynge els,Eccle. 10. but to afflicte them selfes: in as myche as the sheave of theyre labor dothe not fyll they­re hande. And yf the mowers do fynde no thynge that ys valuable,psal. 1. the gleayners nede not to go after them, to hope to ga­ther any goodnes. For how cā there be foū de any good thynge, when as they are as chaffe, which the wynde bloweth awaye? Theyr vayne attēptes are wel expres­sed of the prophet, wheras he sayethe:Esa. 17. They shalbe chased awaye lyke as drye strawe vpō the moūtaines before the wynde, & lyke as a thynge that torneth before the storme: at evē beholde there ys trou­ble, & or ev (er) it be mornynge beholde it ys gone. And this ys it that Iohn baptyste mēt,Math. 3. whē he sayed, that god hath his fanne in his hande, & wyll purge his flower, & gather his wheate into his barne, but wil borne the chaffe with vnquēcheable fyre. For the wycked shalbe beaten as smal as duste before the wynde,psa. 18. & shalbe caste for­th as the dyrte in the stretes: And theyr hope shall melte awaye as the wynter,Sapi. 18. & roūe awaye as a swyfte water streme in the ryv (er). By thesse & shuche other similitudes the scriptures dothe declare vnto the, [Page] that the enterpryses of the wycked are vaine & nyghe to cōfusion,2. thesse. 2. to thende that all thosse myght be dāned that beleved not the truthe, but had pleasure in vnryghtous­nes.Psa, 37. Yea they are fallē & cānot ryse vp againe: so that they which go by, saye not so myche as the lorde prosper you,Texte. we wyshe you good lucke in the name of the lorde. Who are the goars by, but the lyvynge? What good cā they saye of that, werof there cometh no goodnes? Who wyll prayse that, that god hathe dispraysed▪ what good lucke shal any mā wyshe vnto a thīge that ys so wycked? what shal oure blyssinge prevayl in that thīge, that god hath cursed? who wyll reioyse in the facte of a mortherer? who wyll cōgratulate a mā that sheadeth bloude, which thynge requyreth vē ­gāce & no blyssyng? who wyl allowe a tyr­rāt, but only shuche as thurste the bloud of innocētes?An obiection. Math. 5. Rom. 12. what thē? Ys it for nought that Christe hath saied, blysse thē that curse you, do good thē that hatt you? And dothe not one of his apostels saye as myche? Speke wel of thē that persecute you, blysse thē, but curse not? Lykewysse a nother sayeth:1. pet. 3. Render not evel for evel, nor maledictiō for malediction, but cōtrary wy­sse blysse, knowynge that you are there [Page] vnto called, nāly to pocesse the herytage of blissynge. Or els? The faightful are not they the by goers, & passers by thosse wicked workmen, of whō we spack evē now. How thē agreethe this doctryne of Iesus Christe & his apostles with the doctryne of the psalmiste & the prophetes before re­sited, the one forbiddinge vs to blysse the vngodly, & the other comādynge to blysse the?An Ans­wer. Vve maij praie for the cōuersion of the tirrāt jf [...] it do not evidētly appere that he is the reprobat of God For vvhō vve are forbidd to praie. 1 Ioh. 5. Truly Iesus Christe nor yet his apostles do comāde no thynge agaynste the doctryne of the prophetes: for God hath all wayes wylled, & yet wylleth, that al tho­sse that are his, do blysse, love & praye for theyr persecutors. But it ys a nother thī ge to praye for the persecutors: and for the persecution. What godly mā ys there that woulde pray for the good successe of any wyckednes? we must praye for the tyr­rāt, & not for his tyrrānye, but rather for his cōuersion. And this ys it that the pro­phet mēte whē he sayed. Lorde haue I not hated thē, that haue hated the? & am not I greued with thosse that rysse vp against the? yea,psal. 139. I haue hated thē with a perfytt hatred, evē as though they were myne enimes. But this hatred how vehemēt so ever it be, yet doeth it not hynder the faightfull to do good vnto the vngodly, as [Page] lōge as it shal please the lorde to permyēt thē, succorynge thē, in that thynge which they haue of god, to wytt, in the body for, seynge that god doeth not as yet with drawe frō thē his benevolēce: who so ev (er) wyll resemble hym, must not also with­drawe his. But in that thynge wherin they are lyke vnto Sathā, nāly in theyre lyffe & naughty māners, in theyr enter­pryses & iniquites, they must be abhorred & detested as a pestelēce, with out wyshynge wel vnto thē by any meanes. There resteth thē no thīge els vnto thosse that shede the bloud of innocētes but maledictiō, execratiō, & cursynge, as it hath byn suf­ficiently declared vnto the here before. Wherin thow mayst cōfort & cōfyrme thy selfe in paciēce, in abydynge the comīge of thy spouce, who wyll come shortly, and wyll not tarry.

¶ I haue diligently noted all thy wordes, which seme vnto me mo­re sweter thē hōny.2. Cor. 4. The lorde my god who hathe comāded the lyght to shyne out off darknes, knowynge thynges that are not, as yf they were: which hathe shyned in oure hertes to thēde we may ressayve the lyght of the knowlege of his glorye in the face of Iesꝰ Christe: accordīge to his great [Page] mercye & infinite boūtye replenyshe me, with all strenght, constancye, corrage & pacience in my tribulations: gyvynge me an invyncible herte interely to abhere & cleve vnto hym: to settel & staye my selfe in his promysses: to fere & reuerence his thretenynges, & to avaunce the kyngdom and glorye of his sonne. And forther that it wyll please hym to publyshe & manifeste his gospell every where, & his god wyll towardes al people, so that the darknes off ignorācye may be vniuersally expelled, by the comynge of his bryghtnes: and that all ignorāt persecutors may be reduced to the ryght waye of salvatiō, ceasyng [...] [...] re tyrrānye & persecution. [...] I do vndoutedly beleue, cō [...] [...] [...] lege that the lorde god [...] the castel, the strē [...] [...] thosse that p [...] [...] who ys Go [...] [...] strōge but [...] wayed [...] me, [...] he [...] sla [...] [...] me [...] [...] re [...] pl [...] [...] [Page] for we are his, whether it be in lyffe or deathe. Onely we beseche him that he wil not leave vs, nor forsake vs, but that we may perfytly serve hym, to the fortherāce of his glorye, & the exaultation of the kyn­gdome of his sonne Iesus Christe, who lyveth with hym & the holy goste in eternall felicyte: to whom be prayse for ever and ever. So be it.