fading flower soudenlie plucked vp and withered like grasse like smoke and like the bubble of the water Wee shall be forgotten with all our pompe as the trauailer is that tarrieth but a night our honour shall come to an ende as the players part vpon the stage our doinges sayinges lookes gestures states and maiesties shall be rowled vp as a screule and cast into the office of forgetfulnesse where nothing can bee founde againe And then what remaineth I say what remaineth any thing but woe and wormes if we haue contemned religion and liued disobediently against the Lorde anie thing but vexation and torment both of the bodie and soule in hell fire Will then swearing be liked or drunkennesse or whoring or tipling tauerning sporting in vanity lasciuious talking writing or looking carding and dising roisting and rouing pride and excesse or anie kinde of sinne detested of the Lorde Will then a dissembling time-seruer not be vncased Will then an vniust seruant not be found out Will then an vnfaithfull wife not be discouered or a beastlie furious franticke husbande not be rewarded Will then anie thing abide the face that commeth in the cloudes with thousandes of Angels but onelie a religious heart and soule that hath labored to know and indeuored to liue trusting onelie to the mercie of God in Christ for all wantes to be pardoned Alas we knowe it euen as we knowe we liue it wil not but destruction and death shal then be to the man or woman for euer that lewdly hath liued in this world and comfort endlesse to the contrarie Therfore once againe I saie the Lorde giue vs eies to discrie betimes the rewarde and ende of true religion and of a reformed mind and life in that day euen for his Christes sake our blessed Lord and Sauiour Amen FINIS ¶ A prayer for a familie in the Morning O Most gratious God louing Father the verie comfort that anie sinfull soule can haue when we miserable sinners here met together do consider of the great mercy goodnes that we haue euer since we were borne and before founde and dayly do finde at thy Maiesties handes together with our great vnkindnes shewed euerie way to thée again for y e same we must néedes confesse and euen doe from the bottome of our heartes acknowledge that maruellous is thy mercie in sparing vs still to liue and in not consuming vs away from the earth from before thée For hast not thou O déere God of thy frée mercy before y e foundations of the world were laide chosen and elected vs for thy children when others as good as we by nature shall burne in hell eternally being reiected of thée in that hidden counsell of thine Hast not thou to our endles comfort certified and made known vnto our spirits the same Hast thou not created vs neither beastes todes wormes or any such like ouglie creatures but in thine own image according to thy likenesse to rule ouer the fishes in the sea ouer the foules of heauen and ouer euerie thing that mooueth vppon the earth And when being thus created innocēt yet we persisted not in the same but fell into the curse that bringeth eternall death didst thou not so pitie vs as that for our redemption and safetie thou grudgest not vnto vs and for vs to bée powred out the heart bloud of Jesus Christ thy onelie son our sauiour no other meanes being whereby we coulde be saued Hast thou not by thy holie spirit wrought faith in our heartes to beléeue by him and for him to be iustified before thée Hast thou not in some measure begunne the death of sinne in vs and wrought our sanctification Enioie we not the benefites of thy worde the freedome of conscience great peace and plentie in outward things with manie and infinite benefites moe waking and sléeping at home and abroad in our selues and our friendes For all which O good Lorde what doe wee Are we thankefull vnto thée for them Doe we often thinke of them and labour to knowe thée and to serue thée with a perfect heart and a willing mind for them No no déere God we do not we doe not as we ought to doe But with pleasure or profite with vanitie or selfe loue we are carried away spende our dayes in iniquitie carelesse and vnféeling of our sinne and there is no goodnesse in vs yet is there mercie with thée O Lord and pardon to repentance Wherefore we all héere met together at this time before thy maiestie humblie confessing our wantes most intirelie beséech thée for Jesus Christ his sake to haue mercie vppon vs haue mercie vppon vs most mercifull Father and forgiue vs all that is past strengthen vs hereafter that dailie both in bodie and soule we may glorifie thée more than we haue doone yéelding thankes daily for daylie benefites and striuing in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life But because we cannot but offend and fall diuers wayes good Lorde for thy mercie sake pearce our heartes with a féeling of the same and neuer suffer vs to goe on with dull and dead soules not séeing or sighing for our offences As a speciall meanes to kéepe vs in obedience before thée O déere Father worke in vs a continuall an effectuall remembraunce that wee shall not alwayes liue héere in the shewe of this wretched worlde that doeth so please vs now but that a day will come when the trumpe shall sounde the dead shall arise and all wee shall appeare before thy tribunall seate of iudgement there to receiue according to our déedes without respect of persons O good Lorde giue vs a remembrance and a féeling of the vnspeakeable comfort and eternall weight of glorie which in that day shall be giuen vnto vs if in this life we serue and please thée And contrariwise euen terrifie our consciences and let vs as it were sée before our faces the dreadfull iudgementes and the fearefull tormentes that both in body and soule they shal be sure to haue for euer more in the pitte of hell which in this life doe not serue and please thée but followe their owne fancies and wicked delights Giue vs an hatred of sinne and a true loue of righteousnesse Blesse thy worde euer more with fruite vnto our soules when we doe heare it giue vs a desire to heare it often Remoue O Lorde in thy good time such hinderances of the fruit thereof as are amongst vs giue it full course and sende foorth labourers into thy haruest which not for filthie lucre and gaine but of loue and zeale to thée and thy people may preach thy worde sincerely Blesse vs O Lorde from all hypocrisie glosing and halting before thée And because we little know how soone thou shalt sende this pampered flesh of ours to the wormes stoppe our breath and call away for our soules to come vnto thée whether this day or no before the euening blessed Father for Jesus Christ his sake prepare make vs readie
doeth aske but what his abilitie is well to spare and giue Thinking belike which in trueth is often so indéede that either modestie or feare or some one regarde or other may make an honest nature not aske so much as in déede he standeth in néede of manie a time therefore good reason a faithfull friend should haue respect to such an one aboue his asking euer Was not this a swéete nature then and a notable vertue in this man Or can anie man reade this of him and not loue and like him for it Great therefore is the praise of mercie and tender kindnesse euer By mercie we resemble God and prooue our selues his children For our heauenlie father is mercifull By mercie we become instruments and as it were amners to the Lorde to deliuer his gratious benefites to our brethren and euen verie equitie requireth it at our handes that if we finde mercie our selues in all our néedes with God wee shoulde not denie it in their wantes vnto our brethren For so saith the Lorde to that euill seruaunt in the Gospell that he should haue forgiuen because he was forgiuen himselfe and shewed kindnesse to his fellowe since he had founde it with the Lorde himselfe Last of all that fearefull threate of mercie euer to be denied to vs if we denie it our selues to others should strengthen and staie vs in this vertue for euermore Therefore looke not I say againe vpon mens acceptance of our dooings but looke vpon the vertue it selfe howe it adorneth a man howe it commendeth a man and howe it maketh his fame to flie both farre and néere in euerie place And looke vppon the sure rewarde that is promised to it by the Lorde If you be mercifull you shall be blessed if you bee mercifull you shall haue mercie if you bee mercifull you shalbe renowned you shall assure your soule that you are the Lordes because you resemble his nature and if you be not both God and man shall curse you Therefore be mercifull This may incourage vs and this will incourage vs certainely Frailtie if the Lorde be not quite departed from vs. But as it is néedful that this vertue should be in vs so is it as néedefull that it be rightly in vs for otherwise we deceiue our selues and wee shall misse the rewarde in the ende And therefore as I haue indeuored to stirre you vp vnto it so it shall not be vnprofitable per aduenture altogether if I also direct you a little in it Some then haue thought this vertue to haue béene deliuered in the verse before which we haue heard of vnder the name of méekenesse but in déede they differ much For méekenesse then is shewed when we our selues are wronged and yet reuenge not but put it vp and leaue it to the Lorde And mercie when wee our selues being no way hurt yet are touched and mooued with other mens wantes and euen suffring with them because they suffer indeuour ourselues to our abilitie to relieue and helpe them So that this vertue of mercy as you sée standeth of two partes to wit of a tender féeling and compassion within vs and of an outwarde louing helpe with our abilitie whatsoeuer it is without vs. The miserie of man is of two sorts and therefore also this mercifull pitie and helpe of as many For either a man wanteth what is néedefull for his soule or what is conuenient for his bodie And both of these doth a mercifull christian tender and pitie and helpe as he can Of the former we haue a proofe in the example of our sauiour Christ whose bowels euen yerned and heart aked to sée the spirituall miserie and want of that great multitude that then he sawe being destitute of knowledge and altogether as wandering shéepe without a sheapheard Of the seconde we haue a proofe also in the Samaritan whose mercifull nature sheweth it selfe towarde bodily wantes and outward griefes of him that théeues had so ill handled And in both these you sée the partes I spake of namelie inwarde compassion and outwarde helpe Without which neuer can this vertue stande nor wee be liked either of God or man For if we pitie and yet helpe not that feareful spéech of Iohn lighteth on vs Howe dwelleth the loue of God in vs and we shall assuredly heare it in the day of iudgement When I was naked yee clothed me not when I was hungrie yee fedde me not and so foorth And if we helpe a man in his néede and yet doe it not vppon anie tender compassion towarde him but vppon a iolitie and pride in our selues and vppon an imagination of merite for the worke sake or such like it is loothsome againe all that euer we doe to the Lorde and we loose our rewarde If you doubt of this you may sée it prooued in the Pharisies whose almes abounded made a glorious shewe But because they let the weightier matters passe as iudgement and Mercie and fidelitie their outwarde déedes had neuer reward Therefore euen a thousande times marke it howe want of right disposition in the heart maketh outwarde dealing of giftes be it neuer so magnificall but pharisaicall and wicked against that blockish assertion of some that the déede doone must néedes be rewarded This tender féeling doth the Apostle both professe in himselfe and require in others In himselfe when hee asketh who is weake and he is not weake who is offended and hee burneth not In others when be saith wéepe with them that wéepe and rebuketh the Corinthians for that they séeing so great a fall of their brother were puffed vp and did not rather sorrowe So well thus you sée what manner of mercie must be in you if it be allowed of the Lorde Nowe howe this good vertue is begotten in vs let vs also consider and beside diuers others that might be named you shall sée the workers of it especially and aboue other meanes to bee experience and sight For the first wee sée it in the wisedome of the Lorde our God most plainely who therefore gaue his owne sonne a sense of our woes that experience might make him a more mercifull readie and carefull regarder of our sutes It behooueth him saith the Apostle in all thinges to be made like to his brethren that hee might be a merciful and faithfull high Priest And againe We haue not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but wee haue one that was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin concluding thereupon presently Let vs therfore go boldlie to the throne of grace that wee may receiue mercie and grace to help in time of neede Why so Assuredlie because wee can neuer féele that want which he knoweth not and knowing experience worketh effectually a readie regarde and helpe Whereuppon by the way wee may grounde a great comfort against anie crosse if we marke it For thus may we thinke if mercifulnes make vs
for thée that when the hower commeth we may neither feare nor faint in faith but ioyfully without anie skrikes and cries of desperation and of a troubled and vexed conscience passe away in full hope and assuraunce that all our sinnes are wiped away in the bloud of Jesus Christ and we to thée in him so reconciled that life for euermore is certaine vnto vs. Last of all good father with most humble and heartie thankes for thy goodnes to vs this night let thy mercifull eye looke vpon vs this day and so kéepe vs bodie and soule that being occupied in our seuerall callinges we may be safe by thée from al our enemies liue to thée or die to thée as it best shal please thy gratious goodnes These thinges O Lorde and whatsoeuer else we haue néede of graunt vs for Christ his sake in whose name we aske them saying as he hath taught vs OUr Father which art in heauen halowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be doone in earth as it is in heauen giue vs this day our dailie bread and forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs and lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill Amen Let thy mightie hand out stretched arme O Lorde be still our defence thy mercy louing kindnes in Jesus Christ our saluation thy true and holy worde our instruction thy grace and holy spirite our comfort and consolation vnto the ende and in the end Amen The Lorde blesse vs and saue vs the Lord make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs the Lorde turne his fauourable countenance towarde vs and this day and euermore vouchsafe to sende vs his peace Amen The blessing of God alminghtie the father the sonne and the holie Ghost be amongst vs and remaine with vs both nowe and for euer Amen ¶ An other for the same at night O Immortall God creatour of heauen and earth before whome all creatures feare and tremble were it not that thou hast commaunded vs neuer durst we appeare before thée so corrupt is our nature and so manie are our sinnes But good Lorde thou doest bid and therefore we obey thou doest call and therefore we come giue vs spirites to pray aright First then héere met together déere father we yéelde thy maiestie most humble and heartie thankes for all the mercies that euer thou hast bestowed vpon vs in bodie or minde in our selues or in ours priuate or common temporall or eternall Manie and meruelous haue they béene and still are vpon vs yea euen good Lorde past finding out This day what thou hast done for vs which of vs knoweth or is able to expresse Father of heauen forgiue vs that wée cannot acknowledge them or praise thée for them as we ought and quicken vs in this duety more and more Pardon and forgiue vs whatsoeuer wée haue offended thée withal this daie or euer before either in thought worde or déede yea euen our secret sinnes such as we haue committed and knowe not of remit them vnto vs for Christs sake Change vs O Lorde and wee shal be changed Create in vs cleane hearts and renew a right spirite within vs. Breake the strength of sinne that would subdue vs more and more And O mercifull father so frame these harts of ours within vs that we may more delight to liue according to thy will than to enioy all the worlde and all the pleasures therein Laie it often good Lorde before our eies by thy remembring spirite that thou hast not breathed the breath of life into vs that we should liue as wée list but that in holinesse and righteousnesse wée shoulde walke before thée all our daies Laie it before vs O Lorde that the time will come when the trumpe shall sounde the dead shall rise and we euen wée here mette together at this time all and euerie one of vs shall most assuredly stand before thy iudgement seate with naked hearts with open and vnfolded consciences there to giue an accompt howe wée haue so doone In which daie O the ioie O the endlesse ioie that they shall haue who waining themselues from the glistering shew of this wretched world in heart trueth haue sought serued thée Come come ye blessed of my father to their comfort shal they beare possesse the kingdom prepared for you But woe woe to all carelesse liuers in that flerie daie they shall drinke the wine of the wrath of God be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holie Angels and before the lambe they shall haue no rest daie nor night and the smoke of their torment shall ascende for euermore Father of hauen haue mercie vpon vs knit these hearts of ours fast vnto thée and now whil we haue time giue vs grace rightly to thinke of these things O continue thy worde of truth amongest vs euer to our comfort Let the séede thereof nowe sowen in our hearts take such déepe roote that neither the burning heat of persecution cause it to wither nor the thornie cares of this worlde riches or voluptuous liuing choke it but as séede sowen in good grounde it may bring foorth fruite according to thy pleasure O father giue grace that whē we heare or finde by thy word anie sinne that is in vs touched we maie striue and study without delay willingly to reforme it Kéepe vs good God y t wée neuer swarue for the feare of man from our own true knowledge becōming seruers of time and deniers of thée Kéepe vs from all hardnes of hart contempt of thy word and from all dissembling of sinceritie increase true loue amongst vs more and more stay our heady wrathful and wicked affections more and more And euerie waie good Lorde renew vs to thy liking Blesse thy whole Church O God with graces necessarie this parcel of it our natiue land and countrey déere father blesse it still with continuance of thy truth Lessen in it daily the number of blinde and wilfull Papists prophane Atheists increase the number of thy true children O presse vs not déere God with the weight of our ingratitude whose liues and knowledge answeare not the daies that we haue had worke with vs hence forward for thy mercies sake Preserue vnto vs long aliue good Lord our gracious prince gouernour multiplie thy spirite vpon her that still more and more she may séeke and sette out kéepe and maintaine that which pleaseth thée Giue to her honourable counsell graces necessarie for so high a calling Blesse all other Nobles Magistrates and the whole bodie of this realme with true heartes to thée and this country Increase in Israel the number of true watchmen whose harts may séeke thée and thy people and not their owne glorie or commoditie Bring to thy tolde by them such wandring remnants as are thine and O Lorde be gracious to our kinred and friendes in the flesh lighten their heartes with the sunne of vnderstanding that they and we acknowledging
doe not then as mightilie ministreth it an argument againe of woe alas and endlesse woe vnto vs. Secondlie to be méeke is a true imitation of Christ for Learne of me saieth he I am meeke and lowly in hoart But he that treadeth the steps of this Lorde and God shall neuer die and therefore blessed are the méeke Contrariwise to be hastie furious and intemperate is to followe Caine Esau and all reprobates which whoso followeth shal neuer liue and therefore cursed is the contrarie Thirdlie the Lorde careth for vs if wée be méeke and watcheth ouer our wronges séeing all the wordes déedes and verie thoughtes conceiued against vs and the Lorde will pay our debtes if we leaue it to him and iustle him not out of his throne sitting downe our selues therein as iudges and reuengers of our owne causes He knoweth our vprising and downe lying he is about our bed and about our pathes and spieth out all our goinges and séeth hée not when we are wronged He hath taken a reckoning of the verie heyres of our heads he putteth our teares into his bottle and are not our wronges thinke we noted in his booke O therefore how should we our selues learne to be méeke to forgiue and to referre our selues euer to him since we haue such a iudge The wife whilest her husbande liueth quieteth her selfe from forren toyles and leaueth all incumbrances to him for he careth for them but if he by death depart from her then she her selfe because she hath lost her aide Nowe we if we be indéede as wee thinke wee are the children of the Lorde we are the spouse of an husbande that neuer dieth but in life is permanent in power sufficient in care still vigilant and therefore how should this consideration kill our affections mortifie our hastie heartes and handes and altar vs daily to an heauenly temperance patience and méekenes The Lorde is our aduocate to put vp our sute the Lorde is also iudge to giue sentence of our wrong and Frailtie then howe can any escape that hurteth vs if we would be méeke and leaue it vnto him Me thinke me thinke I could euen dwel continually in this consideration it is so comfortable What madnesse should moue vs to harbour our hurt to hatch vp our harme and to kéepe matters boyling and festring within vs vnforgiuen and vnforgotten when wee haue such a Judge God strengthen vs and giue vs victorie of our selues But why Frailtie standest thou yet so mute Beléeuest thou not all this If thou dost yet hang in the bryers of thy vnreformed passions adde hereunto some further proofe of passed practise and experience let that as mightie to perswade confirme and comfort thée to this vertue if it be the Lordes will The Israelites in AEgypt oppressed and harmed could not with right counternaile might but as patiently and méekely as God made them able abid it and cried vnto the Lord and what folowed The Lorde heard them Moses was sent they were deliuered and Pharaoh with all his host drowned in the sea Sée with your own eies the reward of méekenesse Dauid oppressed by Saul his father in lawe whom at home and abroade hee truely serued and honored sought no reuenge but euen refused it when it laie before him and with all méekenesse mildnesse and patience committed it to the Lorde and Saul had his punishment Dauid the kingdome Iacob being threatned destruction by his brother conceiued not by and by the like towardes him againe but leaueth his countrie and fathers house putteth vp the wrong possesseth his spirit in patience and meeknesse and what insued The Lorde was with him both daie and night the Angels of heauen are his seruantes the Lord giueth him wiues and wealth comfort strength euerie where and Esau liueth to die for euer as the fatted oxe is prepared for the slaughter Ioseph horribly slaundered for his faithful seruice bare his grieuous crosse méekely and honour is his ende euen great and rare honour O harts of ours then where are they What a God serue we whose mercie vppon méekenesse hath thus shewed it selfe beside in numbers moe Shall it not mooue vs Shall it not pierce vs Nay shall it not change vs God forbid wée shoulde be senselesse and therefore you sée Frailtie what must be done and what soueraigne helpe the Lorde laieth downe for your infirmitie be your occasion publike or priuate at home or abroad with manie or few affections certainely must be brideled and euen fought withall till they yéeld and become more quiet otherwise we run vpon our ruine both in heauen and earth For the one thus as you sée is prooued and truly the other is as true For what gouernment are they worthy that wil not gouerne as they possibly can themselues well What trueth can they know that can not abide to heare indifferently both parties No euery man shal frame him selfe to their humours till his turne be serued and truth shall neuer dare to appeare before them What daunger can be preuented or what guilefull guest cā be discouered when heate doth thunder out threates ere the time serue to take knowledge of the matter The enimie is armed the friend is discouraged and iudge your selfe then howe strength is impaired What seruant if God rule not in him mightily will truly serue where comfortable countenance either giueth not hope of conuenient rewarde or at least presently accepteth what is done in fauour What one that hath anie gifts friends or abilitie will euer abide with a louing and true hart where reproches and discomforts are his daily death No no it will neuer be nor it cannot be Well may a worldlie minde in regard of passed time and charge make men rubbe out and carie coales till they can do better or may get a cheate but the heart being alienated and the true faithfull kinde affection that is aboue golde worne away with oftē rebukes which being not digested send vp at times as tokens of their remaining a bitter tast all is but hollowe all is but in regarde of themselues and if time shoulde serue to néede them God knowes howe their snubbed harts would call their snubbes to remembraunce whereas méekenesse gentlenesse comfort and countenaunce maketh a seruant true in his dealings painefull willing constant in his place and readie euen to die in the seruice of them whose louing vsage hath pierced his soule with a permanēt affection if he be of any good nature and if he be not the same vertue of méekenesse watcheth loketh heareth and considereth all things wisely not bewraying himselfe till he haue found indéede a hollow seruant and then wéedeth out iustly so ill a member Therefore I saie againe whatsoeuer your occasiōs be of disorder in your affections be they at home or abroade truely Frailtie fight with your selfe and neuer suffer your infirmitie to preuaile For God requires it and euen worldlie wisedome requires it and the verie hardest things are made easie by some
mans liking vnlesse it haue further warrant nor cast downe with his disliking vnlesse wee knowe hee so déemeth iustly And therefore againe I say consider of this comfort Consider of this worlde and consider of the world to come the one is transitorie the other permanent the one full of woe and secret sorowe in the verie middest of pompe the other ful of ioy comfort and solace and that without all ending Then whether is here good to be happie and there vnhappie here iudged miserable and there founde most blessed iudge your selfe euen with verie reason Certainly therefore it is a comfort sufficient so knowne to be by Christ that gaue it and euer hath and shall comfort the children of god against worldly conceit blessed are they that for a good cause suffer persecution for theirs is the kingdome of heauen That is all comfort possible to be thought of and tenne thousand times more This was Paules comfort in the middest of all his miserie and therefore he boldly and chéerefully saith he neuer counted the afflictions of the world worthie the ioy that should be reuealed This comforted Dauid also that he perished not in his affliction as himself witnesseth and as that spéech by comparisō may shew I should vtterly haue fainted but that I beleeue verily to see the Lorde in the lande of the liuing And what should I name them this euer hath comforted first or last lesse or more yet euer sufficiently anie that were the Lords But sée further how not onelie thus in generalitie against persecution it pleased Christ to strengthen our weakenes but euen in specialitie also against those kinds which most bitterly tast vnto vs and shake vs sore if we be not strong to wit reproch and report For Blessed are you saith he when men reuile you and shall falsely say all manner of euill saying by you for my name sake reioice and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen a saying neuer to be forgotten of vs whilest the life is in vs. For the gaule of these Crosses is not little and the power of this assault hath appeared not as féeble in great Prophets and members of the Church The verie words also of Christ his comfort insinuate a secrete force aboue manie others of this temptation For hée biddeth them reioice and promiseth great reward in heauen as forséeing a great downefall both of heart and countenance in man when he is once touched either with reuiling spéeches to his face or false reportes behinde his backe Wherfore to conclude and leaue you nowe to your other readings of this matter I praie you Frailtie open your eies or rather desire the Lorde to open them that you may both nowe in the day of peace and whensoeuer also it shall please the Lorde further to trie you sée with your eie heare with your eare and beléeue with your heart your offered comfort in the worde both against al other and against this temptatiō by name of persecutiō The word teacheth and we know it is decréede by the Lord to be the lotte of his déere ones euer in this worlde and therefore welcome be it The worde teacheth it and we knowe it much good is wrought in vs by it therefore welcome be it The worde teacheth it and we knowe it no chance nor fortune but the will of our heauenly father laieth it vpon vs and therefore welcome be it We knowe it is no new thing or vnséene before but the old portion of the godly that haue euer béen before vs therefore welcome be it The cause is not ours whē it is a truth but his that made vs and therefore welcome be it We haue a promise wée shall not be oppressed with more than we may beare and therefore welcome be it Wée knowe wée are children if as children we be corrected and therefore welcome be it Wée are told we are bastards if we be without it and therefore welcome be it And all our forefathers haue patiently carried it and nowe are rewarded therefore welcome be it Welcom I say the crosse in generall and persecution for truth all or part as it pleaseth God and welcome in particular this kinde of crosse if so our God will reuilings reprochings reportings false and vniust For we knowe our case the plea is ended and sentence is giuen neuer to be reuoked blessed are we good cause wée haue to reioice and be glad for great is our rewarde in heauen O the God of heauen and father of mercy strengthen vs that these swéete promises may preuaile with vs and that our eies may sée the comfortes of his worde What should feare vs Frailtie that haue such a God and that stande in such a state I pray you looke vp and clasp your God in your armes embrace his mercie beléeue his truth and as you liue though you be afflicted on euerie side yet shall you not be in distresse though you be in doubt yet shal you not dispaire though you be persecuted yet shall you not be forsaken though you be caste downe yet shall you not perish and though euerie where you beare about in your bodie the dying of the Lord Jesus yet shall the life of Jesus appeare in your body and there is neither life nor death Angelles Principalities nor powers things present or to come height or depth or anie other creature that euer shall be able to separate you from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Frailtie The Lorde chaunge me and I shall be chaunged and greatly both ought I and doe I thanke you Faith for this conference beseeching you still to praie for me as for one whose name and nature you knowe but too well I can promise nothing but seeing what I woulde doe I leaue my selfe to his mercie that is able to make me doe both what I ought and would doe And so the Lorde keepe vs both Faith Amen Frailtie Amen And the Lord giue vs eies to sée what it is to haue a true heart to God and to imbrace true religion Is it not to stand in possession of all these heauenlie promises whatsoeuer befalleth to vs in this worlde to be happie and blessed in it and by it Be it pouertie be it sorrowe be it oppression or whatsoeuer And contrariwise what it also is to be of a prophane heart of an vncircumcised life Surely euen to stand as depriued of all these comfortes and if we be poore to be also accursed in our pouertie in our sorow and whatsoeuer befalleth vnto vs gréeuous in this world The Lorde I saie giue vs eies to sée it and harts to thinke of it For full well wée knowe that were euerie one of vs a Monarch of a whole worlde by himselfe they béeing as this world is the glorie both of them and vs must passe away like a shippe in the water whose tract cannot be séene againe like an arrow through the aire or a weauers shuttle through his work like a