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
woman in the world euen in the midst of al their worldly wantes be they neuer so great Yet hath it annexed for our further ioie the consent of other places manie and experiences of the same in knowne examples not a fewe As If thou lend to my people that is to the poore I wil blesse the saieth the Lorde The Lorde deliuereth the poore in al his afflictions The Lord wil be a defence vnto the poore euen a refuge in due time of trouble He remembreth and forgetteth not the complaint of the poore when he maketh inquisitiō for bloud The poore shall not alwaies be forgotten neither the hope of the afflicted perish for euer Lorde thou hast heard the desire of the poore thou preparest their heart and thine care hearkeneth thereunto He hath not despised the lowe estate of y e poore but they shal eate and be satisfied I am poore and in miserie but the Lorde careth for mee Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse than he that peruerteth his waies though hee be rich That which is to be desired in a man is his goodnes and better is such a poore man than a lier God regardeth the poore and is their strength And vnto whom againe saieth the Lorde shall I looke and haue regarde but vnto him that is poore and of a contrite spirite and trembleth at my wordes The spirite of the Lorde is vppon mee and hath annointed mee to preach the gospell to the poore And the poore do receiue the glad tidings of the Gospell Call the halt and lame poore to the Supper And hath not God chosen the poore of this world saith Iames c. with a number such like testimonies The comfort whereof if they be rightly considered and the blessing of them vnto our heart by humble praier begged at the Lordes hands no tongue of man is able to expresse For the Lord our God is not a man that hée should repent nor as the son of man that he should change but if hée loued the poore when these things were spoken he loueth them still and to the end he will loue them and if he regarded them he forgetteth not vs and euen amongst our selues if he sée you he beholdeth also me and if he comfort mée hée will doe no lesse for you for there is no respect of persons in his eies Yet adde vnto these the experience of examples and they wil be more swéete Naomi and her daughter Ruth how did the Lorde regarde blesse comfort and prouide for The poore widow of Sareptha whose meale and oile were at an ende and yet the dearth foretolde much to come howe regarded he and fedde during all y e time The other pore widow also helped by Elisha to pay her debts and to liue afterward with comfort of the rest how sheweth it the care of the Lord ouer the poore that are godlie and howe mightily shoulde it encrease our faith What an example is old Tobiah and his familie and what a spéech of faith was that to his sonne Feare not my Sonne because we are made poore for thou hast manie things if thou feare GOD and flie from sinne and do that thing which is acceptable vnto hym Howe loued the Lord the offering of the poore widowe that cast in but two mites How chose he Disciples and folowers of his trueth euer of the poorer sort Howe chose he his parents of the very meanest certainly of a multitude and howe himselfe hath he honored the estate of godlie pouerty for our eternal comfort hauing not so much in this world as the Foxes and Birdes borne in a stable wrapped in ragges laide in the manger and yet the God and Lord of heauen and earth and the disposer of all the glorie in them both O my heart and hand howe is the one too narrowe to conceiue this heauenly swéet and the other vnable to laie downe but euen that little that I doe féele Shall anie worldlie want make vs thinke God loueth vs lesse when wée sée the most loued that euer was in the greatest want shall anie discountenaunce dissauour discredite causelesse shall any snubbes checkes taunts scorne contempt rumours or the very power of y e spite of hel driue vs out of hope in our gratious father when we sée examples in his dearest of them all O Frailtie Frailtie open thine eies looke vpon thy God weigh his nature marke his dealings with his dearest heare his promises make him no liar but gather strength increase in hope and the Lord in mercie graunt it to vs euer Lette the changes and chances of this worlde be what they will or rather what it pleaseth God let our orderly walking in our places with true paines heart and meaning with due carefulnesse with no vnthriftinesse vp early downe late and whatsoeuer meanes that good are to liue and laie vp by for our selues and ours yet want their ende of such reasonable store as we desire let vs neuerthelesse trust in our God and hang vpon his hand and neuer measure his fauour towardes vs by these things for they are no iudges of it being as we sée oft graunted to the wicked and restrained greatly from the most beloued Onelie let our pouertie make poore our spirites and breake the secrete pride of our hearts and then feare not we haue a warrant of truth Blessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen And a broken and contrite hart O God thou shalt neuer despise The contrarie now might as greatly be amplified to our comforte if I thought it néedefull For as his mercifull promises are manie and swéete as we haue heard to the poore so are his fearefull threatnings to the rich not a fewe and as great is the good that is wrought in the childe of God by this crosse of want so feareful are the faults that are giuen vnto the soules of many by their store of wealth Let it suffice to marke what this same our Sauiour saith by the mouth of Luke and opposeth ouer against the promise spoken of nowe alreadie Woe be to you that are rich for you haue receiued your consolation saith he and after him his apostle Iames again Go to now ye rich men weepe and houle for your miseries which shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt and your garments motheaten your golde and siluer is cankred the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shal eate your flesh as if it were fire c. And Paul againe Gaine is not godlinesse but godlinesse is great gaine if a man be content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine that we can carie nothing out Therefore when wee haue foode and rayment let vs be therewith content for they that will be rich fall into temptation and snares and into many foolish and noysome lustes which drowne men in
A briefe Conference betwixt mans Frailtie and Faith VVherein is declared the true vse and comfort of those blessings pronounced by Christ in the fifth of Matthew that euery Christian man and woman ought to make and take hold of in their seuerall tentations and conflicts Laide downe in this plaine order of Dialogue to helpe if it please God the conceit and feeling of the simplest By Geruase Babington PSALME 119. O hovve svveete-are thy vvordes vnto my throte yea svveeter than honie vnto my mouth AT LONDON Printed by Henry Midleton for Thomas Charde 1584. The Contentes of this Booke Strength and comfort out of the worde of God against Pouertie and want pag. 4 Vncheerefulnesse pag. 22 Heat of affections pag. 34 Want of Iustice pag. 52 Vnmercifulnesse pag. 60 Dissimulation pa. 79 Doscoragement to make peace pag. 97 The crosse persecution pag. 113 To the Right Honorable and vertuous Ladie the Ladie Marie Countesse of Penbrooke his verie singular good Ladie and Mistrisse G. B. wisheth al mercy and comfort in Christ Iesus both here novv and for euer IT is sayde of Salomon euen in outwarde matters Right Honorable and my verie singular good Lady that if a man haue riches treasure and honour wanting nothing for his soule of all that it desireth and yet haue not an heart both to feele in comfort the goodnesse of his God therein towardes him and also to vse the sayde blessinges liberally to his owne good and others helpe it is but a vanitie and an euill sickenes yea a price in the hand of a foole as it is saide in an other place that hath no heart That is it is a mercie of God which hee hath no right and true vse of So necessarie in verie outward things is both feeling and faith the one to conceiue the other to applie and both of them to yeeld vs the true profit comfort and good intended into vs in the same by the Lord. Much more Madame in spirituall matters respecting the life of bodie and soule for euer And by name much more in the worde of God which we now so freely and so plentifully vnder the gratious gouernement of our most gracious Prince enioye For if wee reade it ouer ten thousand times our selues heare it of others carefully continually and yet feele not the sweete spirite of the Lorde by it secret power as it were with a dropping dewe piercing and mollifying shaking and comforting our soules by the same assuredly we want what we seeme to haue and for all our reading or hearing of it neuerthelesse it remaineth a sealed booke vnto vs. This proueth Caine that cursed caytise both heere and euer who though he knew the promise of certaine safetie by the seede of the woman hearing it no doubt often in wordes tould and seeing it by sacrifices shadowed out vnto him yet wanting a heart to feele and faith to applie vnto himselfe the benefite of the same wanted also to his woe what he so inioyed So did Esau Saul Achitophell and others all whatsoeuer they were who together with the worde receiued not a touch a tast a very rent as it were in their heartes to feele as also piercing eyes a clasping faith to see and take hould of the hidden sweete comprised in the same Which weying often with my selfe my verie good Ladie together with the place where I spend my time and the burning desire which both his honorable Lo. and your selfe haue that I should doe good amongest them I bowe the knee both of bodie and heart vnto the Lorde for them and I often begge that in that bottomelesse heape of his mercie wherein he euen swalloweth vp himselfe it might please him to see it good to ioine vnto the outward ministerie of his worde which he nowe voutsafeth them that inward touch power and might of his spirite that maketh it both a mortifying sworde and a comforting grace vnto his children For so shall my labours be life vnto them and euer as I speake deliuering but the word their consciences shall approoue and confesse within them that it is a truth Yea further I haue often secretly in my selfe intended to ioyne vnto prayer some further indeuour and according to that measure of mercie which the Lorde should voutsafe me to make some plaine applications of such portions of scripture as I shoulde iudge in vse practise fittest for thē That seeing in them by example the true vse of the worde of God and howe to sucke out strength in their seuerall needes from it they might from one place to manie and from many euen to all without any further guide than the guide of guides Gods mercifull spirit passe with feeling comfort and true concept of the good therin contained intended to vs all And falling by course of reading at last vpon that notable Chapter the 5. of Mathewe and seeing by some further meditation vpon those blessings therin contained such wisedome taught such faultes reprooued such comfort ministred and such matter handled as for thē and all the world is most necessarie I resolued with my selfe euen there to beginne to put in practise my named purpose and to make a tryall if by such indeuour I might profit any Which Inowe haue done presenting the same vnto the Lord with humble prayer for his blessing to mine owne and others with hartie request of Christian acceptance to your honorable L. as to a meanes that shall make it more acceptable to all and especially to them that I chiefely intende it vnto so greatly honoring with all dutie and liking the manifoulde mercies of God in you I am not able Madame to doe with content what ten thousande times I am bounde to doe with all care namely to shew my selfe mindfull and thankefull as I ought for all your La. honourable dealings with me But this I protest in the eies of the Lorde that I would if I could and in witnesse thereof I deliuer vnto the worlde this affirmation and to your selfe these fewepapers most humblie beseeching your Honour that since my want is in abilitie and not in will this small testimonie of the same may according to your accustomed clemencie be accepted of and finde a supplie therein of any want wherewith it may be charged So cease I to adde any further thing leauing your La. to the Lord of heauen to strengthen you still in that happie course of the studie of his worde and all other good learning of the practise of duty to your God of cheereful incouragement to your seruants and of honorable clemencie to all men which is at this daie a crowne vpon your head aboue manie others and a glorious ornament about your necke in the eies eares and tongues of all men that either see you heare of you or speake of you and my selfe remaine to perfourme all dueties that euer I shall be inabled vnto euen with all the power both of bodie and minde as I am most bounde The Lorde open the
windowes of heauen and powre his mercies out vpon your La. the Lorde confirme you in all good workes giue you a true sight of this vaine world make your heart shake at his iudgementes melt with a fruitefull feeling of grace assured to holie life and the Lord to profite make you thinke you euer heare that voice ARISE YOV DEADE AND COME VNTO IVDGEMENT and yet in faith to saie with cheerefull heart COME LORDE IESVS COME QVICKLIE So be it London this first of December 1583. Your Honors most humble bounden to death Geruase Babington A Conference betwixt mans Frailtie and Faith Frailtie O Wicked worlde and wretched state I stand in O heauy hart sorowing soule how should I comfort you I haue it not I see it not I feele it not what any way might ioie mee and howe then can I giue it you The contrary I see in fullest weight and measure and wo is me ten thousand times that euer I sawe this light yea let the day euen perish wherin I was borne and the night when it was saide there is a manchilde conceiued Let that daie be darknesse let not God regard it from aboue neither let the light shine vppon it But let darkenesse and the shadow of death staine it let the cloud remaine vpon it and let them make it fearefull as a bitter day let darkenesse possesse that night let it not be ioined vnto the dayes of the yeare nor let it come into the accounts of the moneths Yea desolate be that night and let no ioy be in it Let the stars of that twilight be dimme through darkenesse of it let it looke for light but haue none neither let it see y e dawning of the daie because it shut not vp the doores of my mothers wombe nor hid sorrowe from my eies Why died I not in the birth or why died I not when I came out of the wombe Why did the knees preuent me and why did I sucke the brests For so shoulde I nowe haue lien and beene quiet I should haue slept then and beene at rest Or why againe was I not hid as an vntimely birth either as infants which haue not seene the light Woe is me I liue woe is mee I doe not die and wo I feare much more when ended is my course Faith Why Frailtie what in the name of God meaneth this fearful impatiencie or what case can there be in the life of man and woman so vncomfortable as that in regard thereof they should thus cris out Open your selfe and conceale not your griefe for the verie speaking of it shall giue some measure of ease Frailtie Alas I knowe not almost howe to doe it For my conceites doe so oppresse me and euer as I thinke of one miserie still the remembraunce of an other thrusteth it selfe so into my minde and at last the heape appeares so huge as all amazed I faint vnder the beholding of them and my cogitations are so distracted as it is not possible for me to make an orderly rehearsall of my woe Yet since I haue met with you I wil performe it as I can committing my selfe to that mercie that hath no measure and to your selfe as an instrument to applie his comfortes to me begging it euen with teares tenne thousand times at your handes I consider then that I am created heere in this worlde a reasonable creature consisting of bodie and soule both subiect to dreadfull and endlesse woe if I finde not mercie with the Lorde which I confesse vnto you I comfortablie cannot assure my self of as yet bicause the hand of God me thinke more heauily presseth me diuers waies than I imagin it would do if he loued me Faith And wherein I praie you doe you thinke you are pressed ouer heauily Pouertie the first temptation Frailtie ALas in manie things and yet God laie not my pleading with him to my charge To begin with some thing I must needes confesse vnto you that my lowe estate in the world is a maruellous temptation to me manie a time For God knowes I am poore and euen verie poore notwithstanding all my paines carke and care which is not a little My charge also is great for such an one as I am and their want as good reason bindeth is my continuall woe Yet if this were all me thinke I could wrastle with it and by Gods helpe get the victorie but these companions of pouertie are they that sting me so sore to wit disdaine and contempt both of me and mine of my doinges sayinges or any thing that proceedeth from me and that reiection which is made of me out of all meetings and companies those whisperinges that I heare reproches that I carrie euen at their handes that I little thought would haue done it and that scornefull pitying of me which often appeareth with such like For in deede if euer anie found it I finde it true that by wise Syrac was saide so long agoe There is euen as much peace betwixt the riche and the poore as betwixt Hyena and the dogge But looke howe the wilde Asse is the Lions pray so are the poore meate for the riche And looke howe the proude hate humilitie so doe the rich abhorre the poore If a rich man fall his friendes set him vp againe but when the poore falleth his friendes driue him away If a rich man offende he hath many helpers hee speaketh proude wordes and yet men iustifie him but if a poore man faile they rebuke him and though he speake wisely yet can hee haue no place When the riche man speaketh euerie man holdeth his tongue and looke what he sayeth they praise it to the clouds but if the poore man speake they say What felowe is this And if he doe amisse they will destroy him These these companions of my pouertie are the thinges that euen cut my heart a sunder and wil I nill I it breaketh euen vpon mee by force as it were to thinke that if the lord loue a man hee should neuer suffer him for want of worldly trash so despitefully to be intreated in this worlde and so generally This is but one thing that troubleth me besides which I haue manie moe but helpe me if you can ere I go anie further Faith Nay goe on vtter your gréefe fullie and then your minde wilbe the fitter to heare a great deale For otherwise you will be musing of the rest when I shall he speaking to you for your ease in this Frailtie An other verie daungerous torment then I must needes confesse is that continuall vncomfortablenesse which is still in me by reason of diuerse thinges as by a weightie and stinging sense of mine owne sinnes by sight of other mens loose course and grieuous dishonouring of God in euerie place giuing thēselues to flatterie dissembling and all manner of holowe dealing with God and man by meditation of the fierce wrath of God and most dreadfull iudgementes which assuredly hang ouer vs for these thinges
y e childe that is her flesh before he can forget vs and aswell can a man suffer the apple of his eye to be pricked as he vs to be hurt if we cleaue to him then iudge if his crosse shoulde euer dismaie vs. Fourthly it is no strange thing or vnhearde of or vnséene before that befalleth to vs when we are persecuted but such as all our brethren haue tasted founde and felt before vs and why then should we faint when we drinke but of the same cuppe that the déerest saintes and soules nowe blessed with the Lorde haue begunne to vs in Cast your eyes about sée the course of times although I knowe you knowe it well ynough Beganne not Abell vnto vs in this cup and course assoone as euer the Lord bewrayed his loue vnto him before his brother Followed not the Patriarkes and Prophetes men and women elde and young in their times and measures euen till Christ came Then was it not the cuppe that his owne selfe beganne to his children in and the baptisme wherewith he was baptized Followed not his disciples sent out into the world as shéepe amongst wolues whipped and beaten checked and snubbed imprisoned and cheyned c. Followed not againe after them those thousandes of his children vnder the primitiue persecution some scalded some burned some broyled some hanged some headed some throwne down from the rocks vpon stakes some stabbed in with forkes some racked and torne in péeces their tongues cut out their eyes bored out their fleshe twitched off with pinsons womens brestes seared off with hoat yrons pricked vnder the nayles with néedles and a thousande waies tormented Yea was it not euer true with the godly In hoc vocati estis For this ende were yee called And good Lorde then why should not a common case be a cōmon comfort Why should any man or woman that loueth God séeke or wishe a priuiledge aboue all the children of God that euer were and euen aboue the sonne of God himselfe Christ Jesus Is it not honor ynough mercy ynough and fauour ynough to be dealt withall as they were Therefore the communitie of it to vs with all our brethren and sisters and euen with our eldest brother Christ Jesus should stay our hearts whensoeuer it pleaseth the Lord to sende it Fiftly the cause being not ours but the Lorde our Gods and good should also confirme vs. The short time that it can indure were it suppose as long as we liue should comfort vs. For our life is but a flower as grasse as smoke as a bubble of the water and as the vainest fickle fading thing that you can imagine Againe that passed promise from the Lorde of life and trueth sealed with the bloud of his owne sonne vnto vs the swéetenesse whereof all the tongues of men and Angels can neuer expresse That hee will neuer lay more vppon vs than hee will make vs able to beare should be like a thousande staies rounde about vs to houlde vs vp The promises of peace comfort and quiet for euermore aboue measure and concept of man in heauen if we continue faithfull to the end should hould vs vp That sentence passed in the Lords court of bastardie and consequently of depriuation of all inheritance if we be without correction should hould vs vp And what should I goe any further The examples of our brethren of al rallings of all ages men and women that haue constantly caried their crosse and neuer deliuered it vp till they deliuered soule and all to their God should hould vs vp Wherefore Frailtie euen as Iudas the Machabee could incourage his men not to feare the multitude of their enemies neither to be afraid of their assault but to remember howe their fathers were deliuered in the redde sea when Pharaoh pursued after them so say I to you and to my selfe let vs neuer feare affliction nor the euill day for our momentanie crosse causeth an euerlasting weight of glorie But let vs remember the firme faith of our fathers of our mothers of our brethren and friendes let vs looke vpon their paciencie vppon their constancie their hope beséech the liuing God we may followe their good steppes and staie in strength vppon his mercy whatsoeuer he sendeth vs knowing it as we know we liue that though our braines cleaue to the wales though our bones be strowed in the stréetes and our bloud runne downe euerie chanell yet shall we rise againe restored by the power of our God be gathered into his barne as his pure wheate our bloud reuenged we crowned and our tongues sounde the praise of him that sitteth vpon the throne with maiestie and honour aboue all concept of anie earthly heart Frailtie O but Faith the worlde will giue such a spitefull censure of a man or womans life religion honestie wisedome and such like as that it is euen a hell to heare them when the Lorde doth exercise vs. For it was euer and I thinke euer will be the concept of flesh and bloude that a good man and woman truely religious truely honest and sufficiently wise cannot bee so plagued as they tearme it of God at anie time and therefore the crosse must needes testifie to the worlde a want in all these Faith It is most certaine and daily found what you say yet is there nothing vnder heauen more absurde than that opinion For loued not God Abell Abraham Isaak and Iacob loued he not his Prophets loued he not his owne sonne and all that followed his steppes to this day Were none of them of a true religion of an honest life and wise ynough to take that course in the worlde that God allowed Yet all of them plagued he as they call it And neuer any further humbled in this world than Christ himselfe and therefore prosperitie or aduersitie may not be taken for signes euer of fauour or displeasure But the worst man most quiet often in this worlde and most honored loued promoted and renowned his deserued torment being deferred to an other day and the truest christian most troubled tossed reiected and humbled his comfort and rewarde remaining for him in an other worlde But beside all this plaine demonstration of a tried trueth vse with your selfe Frailtie to oppose against that concept of the worlde the sentence of the Lorde our God next following in the fifth of Matthewe after those that nowe haue béene considered of Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen And thinke with your selfe as I haue nowe often sayde that if our God set a blessing vpon it what skilleth it what the whole worlde and ten thousande worldes moe if they were extant doth iudge Shall the voice of man be the guide of our course and the line of our life Shall mans iudgement or Gods iudgement stande in the later day O Frailtie we may not hang vppon so broken a réede as flesh and fleshlie wit is Wee may not be lifted vp with
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
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