punish vs yet more rigorouslie than hetherto thou hast done that for one stripe wee should receiue an hundred If thou shouldest transport the kingdome of thy sonne from vs to the Turkes and the Iewes If thou shouldest send such a famine of thy word as running through the forrests to haue some refreshing and finding none our soules should faint Yea Lord if thou shouldest throw vs down into hell we confesse that it were verie right and yeeld our selues guiltie acknowledging that we haue well deserued it Notwithstanding O good God and father there is mercie with thee yea thy mercies are infinite to swallowe vp the multitude and grieuousnes of our sinnes Thou art a God gracious pitifull slowe vnto wrath abounding in mercie and trueth keeping mercie for thousands pardoning iniquitie transgression sinne Thou hast said that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but rather that hee turne and liue Conuert vs then O Lord that we may be conuerted and that we may liue before thee We are poore sinners we confesse it but yet thy sonne Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Behold vs then O Lord not in our selues for wee are vnworthy of thy grace but behold vs in the face of thy sonne Iesus Christ and for his sake bee at tone with vs and be mercifull and fauourable vnto vs that in the multitude of our sinnes the greatnes of thy grace may shine if thou regard our iniquities who is he that is able to stand before thee Wee haue been vnfaithfull but thou remainest still faithfull Thou canst not renounce thy mercie and goodnes we haueforsaken thee but thou hast promised not to forsake vs. Wee haue forgotten thee but thou hast said that though a mother should forget her childe yet wouldst not thou forget vs. Thou hast made a couenant with vs wherein thou hast promised to pardon our sinnes and to remember our iniquities no more Thou hast promised that though our sins were as red as scarlet thou wouldest make them as white as wooll if they were as red as crimson that they should be made as white as snowe We are heauie laden and labour with our iniquities But Iesus Christ hath called vs to him and hath promised to refresh vs. Haue pitie thē on vs O Lord haue pitie vpon vs. Let our miseries moue the bowells of thy mercie Forgiue vs O our GOD forgiue vs for thine owne sake for the glorie of thy name and for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake Impute vnto vs the goodnes that is in him that the euill that is in vs may not be imputed Thou hast pumshed the iust that thou mightest pardon the wicked Accept thou the merites of his death and passion for satissaction of all that is in vs worthie of thy wrath and indignation and make vs to feele the fruites of our reconciliation with thee If thou wilt afflict our bodies haue yet pitie of our soules If thou wilt impourish vs on the earth depriue vs not yet of the riches of heauen If thou wilt take away the bread of our bodies yet leaue vs the spirituall bread of our soules Though wee bee in reproach among our enemies yet let not thy name be blasphemed Though we bee accursed of the world yet let vs bee blessed of thee Though the world hate vs yet let thy loue abide vpon vs. O Lord we are thine forsake vs not Thou hast saide I am the Eternall this is my name I will not giue my glorie vnto Images nor my praise vnto another For thine owne sake then euen for thine owne sake haue mercie vpon vs. For why shall thy name bee blasphemed for our sakes Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue glorie and honour in shewing foorth the riches of thy graces of thy truth and of thy might Thou art the God of glorie sanctifie thy name in drawing light out of our darknes and lift out of death making perfect thy power in our infirmitie and thy great grace in our vnworthines to thy praise and glorie Heare the blasphemies of thine enemies boasting them selues in their counsels and their forces triumphing and reioycing in our confusion as if we were not thy people thy children thy Church as if wee were cast off of thee as if thou were not able to helpe or keepe vs. Neuerthelesse thou art our creatour and wee are the worke of thy hands Thou art our shepheard wee are thy flocke Thou art our father wee are thy children Thou art our God wee are thine inheritance Thou art our redeemer wee are the people whome thou hast bought It is thou also O our God who by thy word alone hast created the heauen and the earth the sea and al that is in them it is by thee that all things liue be and haue their mouing it is of thee by thee and for thee that all things are It is thou which dooest whatsoeuer thou wilt And there is neither counsell wisedome nor strength against thee Represse then O Lord the rage and furie of thine enemies breake their forces dissipate their counsels confound them in the bold enterprises which they haue taken in hand against thee and thy sonne lesus Christ Maintaine the rest of thy flocke which thou hast kept vntill this day Establish againe the Churches that are ruined and dispersed Suffer not the memorie of thy name to be abolished from the earth rather let thy word sound and thy Gospell bee preached where it hath not yet been heard to gather thine elect vnto thee and to magnifie thy name And that so wee may see it florish more more and the kingdome of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord to bee aduanced for euer more Amen The necessitie and benefite of affliction GReat trouble and vexation the righteous shall sustains By Gods determination whilest heere they doo remaine Which grieuous is and irksome both for flesh and bloud to beare Because by nature we are loath to want our pleasure heere And eke because our enemie that auncieat deadly foe Satan with cruell tyrannie the worker of our woe Doth still prouoke the wicked sort in sinne which doo delight To please themselues make great sport to vexe vs with despite Yet doo the righteous by the crosse moe blessed things obtaine Than anie waie can be the losse the dolor or the paine The losse is that which in few daies would passe fade and decay Euen of it selfe the gaine alwaies can no man take away All earthly estimation the crosse may cleane deface But heauenlie consolation the soule dooth then imbrace Afflictions worldly pleasures will abandon out of minde Then is the soule more earnest still the ioyes of heauen to finde These worldly riches goods and wealth by troubles may depart Then inward ioyes and sauing health may wholly rule the heart In trouble friends doo start aside as cloudes doo with the winde But Gods assistance doth abide to cheare the troubled minde Jfwe should feele these losses all at once by sudden change We may not be dismaid withall though it seeme verie strange Iob lost his frends he lost his wealth and comfort of his wife He lost his children and his health yea all but wretched life When all was gone the Lord aboue did still with him remaine With mercie kindnes and with loue asswaging all his paine Teaching him by experience that all things fickle be Which subiect are to humane sence and yeeld all miserie But godlinesse within the heart remaineth euer sure In wealth and woe it is her part true comfort to procure Affliction turn'th these worldly ioyes to greater paine and woe Because the loue was linck'd with toyes religion is not so For when mans heart doth most delight in pleasure wealth and pride Religion then will take her flight she may not there abide Where by our soules in wofull plight continually remaine Yet haue not we the grace or might from such lusts to refraine In which estate mest willingly though tending right to hell We compt our chiefe felicitie and loue therein to dwell Therefore the Lord which is aboue regarding vs below With mercie pitie grace and loue that alwases from him flow Doth mix with griefe these earthly things wherein we doo delight Which to our soules all sorow brings or else remoou'th them quite Then dooth the holie word of God most comfortable seeme Which we before we felt the rod mere follie did esteeme The world which earst most pleasant was now loathsome seem'th to be It doth appeare as in a glasse all fraught with miserie Then feare we hell then flie we sinne then seeke we heauen the more To vse good meanes we then begin which we despisde before Then can we pray then can we call to God for strength and grace Which things before might not at all with vs haue anie place Then heare we with attentiuenes then read we with all care Then pray we with great feruentnes no trauaile then we spare Then shall we see feele and confesse the state wherein we dwelt To be nothing but wretchednes though worldly ioyes we felt Because the soule by godlinesse more comfort doth receaue In one day than by worldlinesse for euer it can haue Then we with Dauid shall confesse that God from heauen aboue By humbling vs doth well expresse his mercie and his loue For ere we felt the scourging rod we er'de and went astray But now we keepe the law of God and waite thereon alway Then forreligion loue the crosse though it doo bring some paine The ioy is great small is the losse but infinite the gaine FINIS
Iesus Christ Rom. 5.1 And this peace and beginning of life surmounteth al vnderstanding Philip. 4.7 as Saint Paule doth witnes God his children doo feele And indeed it is a thing rauishing our soules with ioye vnspeakable when GOD maketh the brightnes of his face to shine vpon vs As also Dauid sheweth Psalm 80. whē he asketh so oft of God this grace for a full measure of all felicitie As touching the bodie the first degree of life lieth in this that the afflictions of it be not onlie mitigated made light by this life of the soule reconciled to God and feeling ioye through the brightnes of his countenance Rom. 8.27 Heb. 12.6 but also are conuerted being the fruits of the loue of God towards vs into saluation and glorie The second degree of life may bee considered in the seperation of the soule and the bodie The second degree of life the which improperlie as touching the faithful is called death For euen as touching our bodies although they goe to rot in the earth yet being then deliuered and free from all sicknes from hunger thirst heate cold and from a thousand other torments which of their nature are a kind of death they goe to rest in their beds Esay 57.1 as Esai saith and being deliuered from their labours and trauailes Apoca. 14.13 they are blessed as Saint Iohn saith And this rest proceeding from the fauour of God cannot properlie be called death but is to them a kind of life But speciallie the soule thē entreth into the possession of the second degree of life For being deliuered from the bodie she is carried vp by the Angels into the bosome of Abraham Luk. 16.22 Luk. 23.43 and into Paradise with Iesus Christ exempted then from ignorance from incredulitie frō mistrust from couetousnes ambition enuie hatred feare terrour lustes and from all other passions vices and corruptions which are deadlie in thē which also bring forth the fruites of death And contrariwise is then fully sanctified victorious and assured against Satan Hell sinne and all other enemies waiting after that with great ioye for the accomplishment of her glorie in the resurrection of her bodie The third degre The third degree of life shall bee at the glorious comming of Iesus Christ when our bodies being awaked out of their sleepe they shall rise againe all renued bodies incorruptible 1. Cor. 15.42 spirituall and immortall Philip. 3.21 yea fashioned like to the image of the glorious bodie of Iesus Christ And so being ioyned together againe to their soules 1. Thess 4.17 they shall be together caught vp into the clowdes before our Lord Iesus Christ in the ayre Ephe. 4.10 Ioh. 14.2 Ioh. 17.24 and exalted aboue all the heauens into the house of God our father 1. Thess 4.17 Then also shall be the accomplishmēt of the life of our soules reunited to their bodies being together where Iesus Christ is and with him as members of his bodie his brethren and his spouse vnited to him by him to God the fountaine of life And by this vnion inioying a communitie in all his goods and of this incorruptible inheritance 1. Pet. 1.4 which can neither faile nor fade away referued for vs in heauen Then shall God wipe all teares from our eyes Reue. 21.4 death shall be no more neither shal there be any sorrow crie or trauaile any more All these old things shall be gone away God shall make all things new Then shall we be before the throne of God Reue. 7.14 and shall serue him night and day in his Temple and shall be led by the Lambe to the liuing fountaines of waters Reue. 19.7 Then shall be the day of our mariage with the Lambe when being clothed with pure bright raiments wee shall sit at his mariage banquet Then shal we be like vnto the Angels If our bodies shall shine then as the Sunne Matth. 22.30 what shall the brightnes of our soules be Matth. 13.43 Then our pilgrimage being finished we shall be indeed the citizens of this heauenlie and holie Ierusalem Bern. meditation 9. which shall bee all of pure gold like vnto the cleere glasse Reue 21.18 hauing the foundations of the wall garnished with pretious stones whereof also the twelue gates are twelue pearles which hath no need of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it because the brightnes of God shall be the light of it and the Lambe him selfe shall be the candle of it O how happie shall the citizens be that shall liue in such a Citie See then what good things are signified by life euerlasting and the three degrees of it But Saint Paul lifteth vs vp yet higher into the contemplation of this life which wee shall inioy after the resurrection Then 1. Cor. 15.24 saith Saint Paule Iesus Christ shall giue vp his kingdome vnto God his father as if he should say Father behold those whom thou hast giuen to me before the foundation of the world they were lost thou diddest send me to saue them I haue redeemed them with my bloud thou hast appoynted me King ouer them they are my kingdome which I haue gotten and which I haue so guided and gouerned that hauing sanctified and deliuered them from all their enemies I haue brought giuen and presented thē vnto thee that hauing as touching my selfe accomplished the worke charge which thou haddest enioyned me frō this time forth thou maiest be king raigning immediatlie in them and filling them with all happines and glorie Then shall there be no creature either in heauen or in earth that shall haue any domination or Lordship There shall bee neither King nor Prince 1. Cor. 15.28 neither Master nor Lord. There shall bee neither father mother husband nor wife There shall be neither Prophet Doctor Minister nor Pastour There shall be neither riches nor estates All the enemies also of Iesus Christ shall bee destroyed for euermore death being swallowed vp into victorie and Satan with his angels and all the reprobate being cast into the bottomlesse pit Contrariwise the Elect being fullie sanctified shall bee lifted vp both in bodie soule aboue all the heauens The worke of Christ shall be finished And all being done Reue. 21.6 The verie same offices which Christ hath receiued shall exercise for the accomplishment of our saluation to be a King a Priest and a Prophet and to sit at the right hand of God shall cease but so as the fruites and the incomprehensible benefits gotten by thē vnto the church shal euer abide to his euerlasting glorie But what shall that be then God the Father the Sonne and the Holie ghost one onlie God shall be immediatlie all thinges both in this man Christ and in all vs the members of his bodie The Godhead I say shall be in the man Iesus Christ and in vs King Prince father riches life and
to entreate his Children in this worlde delicatelie and to set them vp in riches and high estate wee might haue some occasion to doubt whether wee were the Children of GOD all calamities and afflictions quite contrarie falling vpon vs. But seeing it is so that the Holie Ghost hath foretolde vs both often and manifestlie that the children of GOD shoulde bee afflicted and that those that woulde liue faithfullie in the feare of GOD in Christ shall suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3 12 this persecution and affliction ought rather to serue vs for a signe that wee are the children of GOD. Moreouer if the most excellent seruants and children of GOD haue alwayes beene most afflicted Afflictions ought not to make vs doubt of our adoption and saluation except wee will call in doubt the saluation and felicitie of those whom wee confesse to bee the verie blessed children of GOD Especiallie if afflictions do serue greatlie to pull our hearts from the Earth and to lift them vp into Heauen to purifie our faith as golde in the fire and to fashion vs into a true obedience of God Then the vtility and profite which commeth vnto vs thereby ought to serue vs for a sufficient proofe that in afflictions GOD sheweth himselfe to be our father hauing care of our welfare and saluation And yet more seeing the taking awaie of our goods temporall shall bring vs foorth an eternall treasure in Heauen the mockeries and reproches shall bee turned vnto glorie before GOD the teares into ioy our sufferings into comfortes Who is hee that will not confesse that such afflictions proceede from the verie loue of GOD towards vs To be short seeing that GOD strengthening vs in the middest of the fires of tribulations sheweth in our infirmitie his might and bountie and seeing when wee suffer for his name hee maketh vs witnesses of his trueth our afflictions are as it were stages from whence he maketh his own glory to shine and giueth increase vnto ours So farre off is it then that beeing afflicted wee shoulde bee troubled or offended that contrariwise those troubles ought to serue vs for an assurance that we are the children of GOD whereof that wee may bee the better resolued we wil treate of these points more at large That the afflictions that happen vnto vs haue beene foretolde and therefore they ought to confirme vs in the assurance of our adoption CAP. 7. THE holie Ghost hath at all times foretold and testified by sundry and manifest sentences that the children of God shoulde be persecuted and afflicted in this life yea in such sort as the first afflictions shoulde bee but the beginnings of greater and that passing one euill they shoulde prepare themselues to indure others that should followe as the waues in the Sea Gen. 3.15 Prophecies of the olde testament GOD from the beginning of the worlde hauing pronounced that hee woulde put enmitie betweene the seede of the woman and the seede of the Serpent hath aduertised vs that as long as there shal be deuils in the world and children of God they must vnderstand that such enemies will imploy all their strength means to persecute thē As this also is represented in the Reuelatiō in that which is said by S. Iohn Reue. 12 that the olde serpent not being able to deuoure the Sonne of GOD nor the body of the church was very angry and went to make war with the rest of her seede which kept the commaundements of God and which had the testimonie of Iesus Christ Likewise God hauing promised seede vnto Abraham and added that it shoulde bee as the Starres of the Heauen Gen. 15.13 He tolde him by and by that it shoulde bee afflicted saying Knowe thou for a certayne that thy seede shall dwell and serue in a Land that is not their owne and shal be afflicted foure hundred yeeres And that which is more hee confirmeth this aduertisement by a vision or notable signe commaunding him to diuide in peeces an heifar a ramme a hee goate a turtle and a pigeon and sending a flight of Birdes vpon the dead carcases cut in peeces he shewed him that his seede by the greatnesse of afflictions should be like vnto dead carcases cut in peeces and exposed for a pray vnto the Birdes Dauid in a few wordes sheweth this condition to be common to all the children of GOD saying Psal 34.20 that the afflictions of the righteous are manie And in howe manie sortes and in how many places haue the Prophetes foretolde of the afflictions that came vpon the tenne tribes of Israel carried after captiues into Assyria In like manner of the kingdome of Iuda the destruction of the Temple the sacking of the Citie the massacre of a great part of the people and the captiuitie of the rest Prophecies of the newe testament Mat. 10.16 by the space of seauentie yeares in Babylon Aboue all Iesus Christ who is the wisedome of GOD how often hath hee foretolde the afflictions of his faithfull seruants and members of his body Beholde saith he to his A postles I send you as Sheepe amongest Wolues Yee shall bee deliuered vnto the Consistories and whipped in the Synagogues Yee shall bee hated of all men for my names sake If they haue called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more his seruauntes I am not come to bring peace vpon the Earth but a Sworde Mat. 16.24 If anse will followe mee let him renounce him selfe and take vp his Crosse and followe mee They shall deliuer you to bee punished and shall slay you Mat. 24.9 If they haue Persecuted mee they will also persecute you Againe Ihon 16.2 Verelie verelie I saie vnto you that yee shall weepe and lament and the worlde shall reioyce Yea hee compareth the faithfull vnto a Woman which trauaileth of childe Iho. 16.21 True it is that the wicked are also tormented in their course But Iudgement sayeth Saint Peter 1. Pet. 4.17 must beginne at the house of GOD. And of this iudgement it is that Saint Paule dooth speake 2. Thes 3.7 saying That wee are ordayned to bee afflicted which hee dooth confirme by a Sentence full of comforte Act. 14 22 faying That by manie tribulations wee must enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Agayne 2. Tim. 3.12 all they that will liue godlie in Christ must suffer persecution But aboue al that is to be noted that hee saide in an other place Col. 1.24 I reioyce and fill vp in my selfe that which wanted of the sufferings of Christ meaning by Christ all the faithfull with their head and shewing that GOD hath ordained a certain measure of passions for this Christ and consequently to euery one of his members his portion which hee must suffer to accomplish the passions of Christ Now this is not without great reason that the Holie Ghost hath so carefully and in so many sortes and manners foretolde that the children of GOD shoulde bee afflicted
Let vs giue our neckes to Iesus Christ to receiue his yoake and the honour of his order How manie great Lords of the world trauaile all their life to come to this honour to be Knights of the Order of any Prince And hauing attained to it they accompt themselues happie men And what bee the ensignes or such Orders The one shall haue a Fleece the other a Garter and the ensigne of the Order of Christ is prison bannishment losse of goods reproaches beatings death This is the Order that Saint Paule receiued and whereof he gloried saying I beare in my bodie the markes of Iesus Christ Gal. 6.17 Now although that a Fleece a Garter are in themselfes vile or base things yet are they honorable and to be desired in the world because princes take them for the ensigne of their Order acknowledging and calling them brethren that weare thē The ensigne then that Christ the King of kings hath taken for his order shall not it be honourable Shal we not accompt our selues happie to attain vnto it Let vs folow cheerfully this glorious troupe marching before vs with triumph honoured with this Order of the Prince of Glorie IESVS Christ Let vs suffer our selues to be guided by him who is infinitely wiser than we and loueth vs better than wee loue our selues And let vs receiue this fauour of GOD that so seruing his glorie our glorie may also be aduaunced Let vs not be troubled nor shaken with feare whē we see the persecutors come to the ende of their enterprises and the children of GOD afflicted That is to them sayth Saint Paule a manifest token of destruction Philip. 1.28 and to vs of saluation There is no greater curse sayth Saint Augustine than the prosperitie and felicitie of the wicked because it is as a strong wine to make them drunke in their iniquities and to make a heape and tresure as it were of the wrath of GOD vpon them It seemeth to vs that the worlde goeth to confusion and disorder when the wicked triumph and the children of God weepe But on the contrarie that is to vs a manifest token of the iust iudgement of GOD as Saint Paule sayth 2. Thess 1.5 That wee are also made worthy of the kingdome of GOD for which also wee suffer For it is a iust thing saith hee with God to render affliction to those that afflict vs and to vs that are afflicted deliueraunce then when the Lord Iesus shall shewe himselfe from heauen with the Angels of his power and with the flame of fire to doo vengeance vpon those that did not know God obeyed not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ the which shal be punished with an euerlasting punishmēt from the face of the Lord and from the glorie of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints to be made wonderfull among all the faithfull Wee are so impatient so hot or so foolish that wee consider nothing but the beginning of the workes of our God but wee must ioyne them together and consider the accomplishment of thē as S. Iames teacheth vs Ye haue heard the patience of Iob Ia. 5.11 and haue feene the ende which the Lord made and that the Lord is verie mercifull and full of pitie He that shall set himself to consider in his minde how poore Ioseph was handled sold of his brethren how refusing to consent to the shamefull and detestable request of his Mistres he was cast into prison Gen. 37.39 and kept there 2. yeres surelie a man would take pitie on him as on a miserable person but let vs see the accomplishment of the worke of God let vs cōsider him by this meanes exalted to the gouernment of al the Kingdome of Aegipt then we shall count him happie Aboue all if we behold Iesus Christ mocked scourged crowned with thornes crucified between 2. theeues who would not be offended that the Prince of glorie Sauior of the world shuld so be hādled But let vs behold him risen againe ascēded into heauen sitting at the right hand of God aboue al principalities power inioying a glory incomprehensible and we will admire and praise the worke of God So if we behold his mēbers persecuted banisht mocked spoiled imprisoned entering into the fire what will we say is this a father which handleth his childrē in this sort But if we ioyne to the crosse the glorie the resurrection to the death to bee short if wee beholde them in that estate wherein we shall be when Iesus Christ meeting vs in his maiestie glory shal lift vs vp aboue al the heauens into the house of GOD his father to liue with him euerlastingly and that the Crosse shall be to vs as a ladder to go vp vpon to the inioying of such a glory Who is he then amōg vs that would not shout out for ioy seing this wonderful worke of God Who is he that wold not count himself happie Who is he that would haue bin more daintily hādied Who is he that would not be rauished with the bounty wisedome loue of God towards his children He that neuer saw a haruest seeing the plowman taking so much paine to till the earth to spread it with dung and after to cast faire wheat into the field so tilled he would thinke that this man were mad that a childe were to be whipt that should do such a thing but seeing after the haruest that should come of it he woulde chaunge his minde and acknowledge that the husbandman had doone an excellent worke Now this is the time to til to dung to sowe the haruest shal folow Let not vs change the course of the seasons neither yet let vs seperate them the one from the other but let vs ioyne the time of the death with the day of the resurrection and let vs assure our selues Psal 126 6 as it is written in the Psalmes that hauing sowed with teares wee shall reape with ioye He that in old time had seene poore Lazarus full of sores at the gate of the rich man Luk. 16.19 the rich man at the table in all delights and pleasure he would not haue chosen to bee Lazarus but the rich man But if tarrying a while he sawe the soule of Lazarus carried straight by the Angels into heauen and the rich mans soule goe to the fire of hell he would change his mind and would desire to be Lazarus Let vs then detest the glistering state of cursed riches and let vs compt the poore and afflicted condition of the Lazarusses of our time waighting to be carried vp into euerlasting glorie happie The wicked haue nothing in heauen nor we in the world Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man saith Dauid whom the Lord instructeth by the power of his spirit and by the doctrine of his lawe to haue contentment and rest in the time of aduersitie while the graue is digged for the
of kindnes of humility of meeknes of longsuffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarel with another euē as Christ hath forgiuen you Loue one another 1. Ihon 10 as God hath loued you For herein is the difference betwene the children of God and the children of the deuil wherein ye may be knowne to be the true disciples of Christ Ye are al members of one body Iho. 13.35 let there be no diuision or parts-taking among you 1. Cor. 12 25 but feele the afflictions of those that weepe to weepe with them and to comfort them reioyce with those that reioyce to praise God with them If yee be the Citizens of the City Ierusalem wil haue a sure dwelling in it walke in integritie Psal 15 labour to deale iustly speake the truth from your harts keepe you from slandering couetousnes and all other corruption Acknowledge in al men the image of God whereunto you owe honor loue and in your brethren acknowledge the renuing of this image Gala. 6.10 and the brotherly coniunction in Christ in doing good to al men 1. Pet. 4.10 loue honor and help especially those that are of the houshold of faith Ye are debtors to your neighbors of all that ye haue 1. Pet. 4.8 or are able to do to be disposers of it with condition that ye render to God an account Iam. 1.19 Honor the graces of God in your brethren and couer their infirmities by charitie be quicke to heare but slowe to speake and slow to wrath For the wrath of man worketh not that which is righteous in the sight of God Do not desire hope or imagine any other means to prosper by thā by the blessing of God And do not looke that hee stould aduaunce by the ayde of his blessing that which he hath accursed by his mouth So go forward in the amendment of your liues that this day may passe yesterday Seale to the puritie of the doctrine with the holines of your life that the ignorant seing your blameles conuersatiō 1. Pet. 2.12 esteming you by your good workes may glorifie God and imbrace the gospel with you Luke 7.1 when it shall please GOD to call them Haue mind of that great curse pronoūced by the high Iudge 2. Cor. 13 11 against such as offend any of the very least Furthermore reioyce in the Lord indeuour to be perfect be comforted be of one consent liue in peace Phil. 2.13 and the God of loue and peace shall be with you But as it is God which worketh in vs both to will in worke to accomplish according to his good pleasure 6. To pray to God So aboue all thinges imploy your selues to pray feruently continually Prayer saith Chrysostome is the soule of our souls For it also is the soule which quickneth al the actions of the children of God It was the lifting vp of Moses hands to heauen Exo. 17.11 which strengthned Iosuah his army gaue him victorie ouer the Amalckites And in deede without the grace of God the which we obtaine by prayer all that we do is but vanitie Faith is the key that openeth the coffers of the treasures of our God Prayer is the hand to draw it out to inrich our selues Prayer lifteth vp our hearts from earth to heauen it renueth the memorie of the promises of God to confirme vs it assureth vs against all that wee can feare it obtaineth all that we can desire It giueth rest and contentment to our soules It keepeth and strengtheneth the feare to offend God It increaseth the desire to go vnto him whom in praying we feele to be the spring and heape of all good things It ingendreth in vs a stedfast despising of the world and renouncing of the flesh it representeth vnto vs the heauenly and euerlasting felicitie that we may aspire to the inioying of them There is nothing to bee more desired than to be conuersant with him without whome we can not be happy But he that wil alwayes be with GOD he must alwaies eyther pray or reade For when we pray we talke with God and when wee reade Aug. in Psal 85. God talketh with vs. The more we are exercised in prayer to God the more we increase in godlines Therefore also we may not be weary or faint-hearted in prayer although the Lord deferre to make vs feele the fruite of our prayers For we haue a promise of him that can not lie that whatsoeuer we aske of GOD in the name of Iesus Christ it shal be giuen vs. If he deferre for some time to make vs feele the fruit of our praiers it is for our greater benefite Let vs continue still and waight knowing assuredly that he who according to his fatherly loue bounty desireth our good can according to his infinite power giue that which we aske of him and according to his truth will hear vs he also according to his wisdōe knoweth the fittest time as is before said and the meanes most apt to make vs feele the fruite of our praiers When we aske of God saith S. Bernard euen those thinges that concerne this present life our praiers are not so soone gone out of our mouth but they are written in his booke and we ought saith he to be assured that hee will either giue the thing it selfe which we haue asked or other things which hee knoweth to bee more profitable for vs. To conclude Praier is the most mightie and fruitfull worke of charitie seeing by it we helpe our neighbors present absent knowen and vnknowen great and little and that both with spirituall and corporall good things drawing by our praiers the blessing of God vpon them And in this confidence my very deare and worshipfull Brethren I will continue in this dutie and office of charitie earnestlie to pray to God for you and particularlie I will water with my praiers to God this Exhortation which I haue directed vnto you beseeching him with all my heart that beeing comforted and strengthened thereby in the doctrine of the truth which yee haue receiued yee may continue constantly in it sealing it by the works of godlinesse and charitie comforting your selues in the Lord in that yee are his welbeloued Children in Iesus Christ and surmounting al temptations and assaults to the ende that by the power of the holy Ghost departing Conquerors out of all conflicts ye may attaine at the last to the crowne of glorie which God hath prepared to all his childrē 1. Thess 5.23 through Iesus Christ our Lord. Now the GOD of peace sanctifie you throughout and preserue your whole spirit and soule and bodie blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ He that hath called you is faithfull who also will doo it I also beseech you my brethren to imploy your seiues more and more in feruent and continuall praiers for the preseruation prosperitie and