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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04930	A fort for the afflicted VVherin are ministred many notable & excellent remedies against the stormes of tribulation. Written chiefly for the comforte of Christes little flocke, which is the final number of the faithfull, by Iohn Knoxe.; Percel of the. vi. Psalme expounded	Knox, John, ca. 1514-1572.; Fleming, Abraham, 1552?-1607.	1580 (1580)	STC 15074.8; ESTC S121924	38,221	112

therefore destruction shal sodainly fal vppon them But with what kinde of plagues they shalbee stricken in this life and whome GOD shall appoint to execute his 〈◊〉 vppon them that I remit to his good pleasure and further reuelation But their manifest inquitie is vnto mee an assured assurance that long they cannot escape the 〈◊〉 of them most iustly deserued But in the meane season beloued brethren two● thinges yee must auoide the former that yee presume not to bee reuengers of your owne cause but that yee resigne ouer vengeance vnto him who onely is able to requite them according to their malicious mindes Secondly that yee hate not with any ●arnal hatred these blinde cruel and malicious tyrantes but that yee learne of Christ to pray for your persecutors lamenting and bewayling that the Deuil shoulde so preuaile against them that headlong they shoulde runne body and soule to perpetual perdition And note wel that I say wee may not hate them with a carnal hatred that is to say onely because they trouble our bodies For there is a spiritual hatred which Dauid 〈◊〉 a perfect hatred which the holy Ghost engendreth in the 〈◊〉 of Gods elect against the rebellious contemners of his holy statues And it is when 〈◊〉 more lament that Gods glorie is suppressed and that Chris●es flocke is defrauded of their wholesome foode thē that our bodies are persecuted With this hatred was Ieremie inflamed when he praied let me see thy vengeance taken vpon thine enemies O Lorde With this hatred may we hate tyrants and earnestly may we pray for their destruction be they kings or Queenes Princes or Prelates And further yee shal note that the praiers made in the feruencie of this hatred are before God so acceptable that often times he that praieth obtaineth the selfesame thing that the external words of his praier doe meane as Dauid Ieremie and other of the Prophetes sawe with their corporal eies the whote vengeance of God powred forth vpon the cruel tyrants of their age I am assured that some which this day do ●ob grone vnder your tyrānous bishops shall see the like vpon the Pestile●t Papistes within the Realme of England This my affirmation proceedeth not frō any coniecture of mans phantasie but frō the ordinary cause of gods iudgements against manifest contemners of his preceptes from the beginning which is this First to rebuke and notifie by his messengers such sinnes as before the worlde are not knowen to bee sinne Secondly to prouoke them to repentance Thirdly to suffer the reprobate to declare their owne impenitencie before the worlde and last to powre vpon them so manifest vengeance that his churche may bee instructed aswel of his power as of his seuere iudgementes against inobedience This was the order of his iudgement against Pharao against Saule against Ieroboam against Herode against the Scribes and Pharisees and against the whole citie of Ierusalem Our eares haue hearde and our eyes haue seene the first three diettes of the Lordes iudgement executed against the Pestilent Papistes within the Realme of Englande For wee haue hearde their summoning and citation duelie executed by the Messengers of Gods woorde Wee haue hearde them accused and conuicted before their owne faces of theft and murther of blasphemie against God of idolatrie and finally of al abhominations which crimes being laide to their charge in their owne presence they were not able to deny so potent so plaine euident was gods worde whereby their secrete botches olde festered sores were discouered reuealed We knowe that long processe of time hath beene graunted by Gods lenitie to their conuersion and repentance And howe litle the same hath auailed these present dayes may testifie For who nowe doeth not espie their malice to encrease their obstinacie to bee such as none can be greater Shal wee then thinke that God wil giue ouer his cause as that he were not able to preualie against Tyrants Not so deare brethrē not so But euē so assuredly as our god liueth by whose spirite was stirred vp some of his elect first to espie the great abhominatiōs of those tyrantes in this our age which his messengers in despite of their tyranny God preserued to proclaime notifie before their owne faces such sinnes as the worlde knewe not to bee sinne and assuredly as we haue espied thē still to continue in malice against God against his eternal veritie and against the messengers of the same so assuredly shal wee see Gods extreme plagues powred foorth vppon them euen in this corporal life That some 〈◊〉 vs may witnesse to the generation that shal folowe the wonderous workes that the Lorde hath wrought and will worke in this our age Neither shal the●e plagues more then the worde of God which passed before worke in them any true repentance but stil in a blinde 〈◊〉 they shall rebel against the Maies●●e of God For the deadly venome of that malicious serpent their father the Diuel can ●euer bee purged from their cankered heartes And therfore after these plagues of whome some wee haue hearde and seene for what a Plague was it to the false Bishop of Doresme before his face to bee called murtherer and theefe and of the same to be conuict that neither could him selfe deny it neither any of his proctours or diuine doctours being present with him durst enterprise to speake one worde in defence of his cause After these plagues I say of whom some wee haue seene and the rest wee shortly looke for res●eth the last the vnq●ēchable fire which is prepared for their portion And therfore yet again dearely beloued in our Sauiour Iesus Christe hope you against hope and against al worldly appearance For assuredly as God is immutable so assuredly shal he stirre vp one Iehu or other to execute his vengeāce vpon those blood thirstie tyrants and obstinate idolaters And therefore abide yee patiently the time that is appointed to our correction and to the ful ripenesse of their malicious mindes Bee not discouraged although the Bishops haue gotten the victorie So did the Beniamites naturall brethren to our Bishops defenders of who●edom of al abhohominable adulterie twice preuaile against the Israelites who fought at Gods commaundement Yee shall consider beloued brethren that the counsels of God are profounde and inscrutable The most iust man is innocent in his sight There may be secrete causes why God sometimes wil permit the most wicked to preuaile triumph in the most vniust action but yet wil hee not long delay to execute his his wrath and iustly deserued vengeance vpon such as bee proude murtherers obs●inate idolaters and impenitent malefactours And the●fore haue they not great cause to reioyce For albeit they haue once preuailed against fleshe yet shall GOD shortely bring them to vtter confusion and great shame for euer Let Winchester and his cruel counsel deuise and studie till his wits faile howe

without al feeling of consolation and that they thinke themselues altogether destitute as may be seene in Dauid But it is chiefly to be noted that Dauid in this his anguish remembreth that God sometimes had bene familiar with him for he saieth Turne again O Lord signifying thereby that before he had felt the sweetenesse of Gods presence but now he was left to him selfe without feeling of comfort or consolation For thus appereth Dauid to complaine Hast thou not bene familiar with mee O Lorde thy vnprofitable seruaunt Diddest thou not cal me from keeping sheepe to be annointed King ouer thy people Israel Diddest thou not so incourage my minde that I feared not the fresh strēgth of the cruel Lion neither yet the deuouring teeth of the hungry Beare frō whose iawes I deliuered my sheepe Didst not thou once inflame my hart with the zeale of thy holie name that when al Israel were so afraid that none durst incoūter with that mōster Goliah yet thy spirit made me so bold and so valiant that without harnesse or weapons except my slingstaffe stones I durst enterprise singular battel against him was it not thy strength that gaue me victorie not only at that time but also of al other my enimies that haue sought my life since Hast not thou made mee so glad by the multitude of thy mercies thy most gracious fauor which thou from time to time most abūdantly hast powred vpō me that both soule body hath reioyced through the galdnes of thy countenāce hast thou not bin so effectually with me present in troubles and dangers that my very enemies haue known cōfessed that thy power was alwaies with me and that thou diddest take my defence vppon thy selfe and wilt thou now so leaue the habitation which thou hast chosen Shal it bee left desolate for euer can thy mercies haue an end and shal thy fatherly pitie neuer appeare more vnto me Shalt thou leaue me for euer thus to be tormēted whō thou hast afore so abundātly comforted O Lorde I am sure thy mercies wil not so entreat me and therfore turn again O Lorde and make mee glad with thy countenaunce whome of long time thou hast left voide of consolation comfort Aduert and consider dearely beloued in what estate was Dauid when that he had none other comfort except the only remembrāce of Gods former benefits shewed vnto him And therfore meruel ye not nor yet dispaire ye albeit that you find your self in the same case that Dauid was Sure I am that your owne heart must confesse that ye haue receiued like benefits at the hand of God as Dauid did He hath called you from a more vile office then from the keeping of sheepe to as great a dignitie touching the euerlasting inheritance as hee did Dauid For from the seruice of the Deuil and sin hee hath annointed vs Priestes and Kings by the blood of his onely Sonne Iesus hee hath giuen you courage and boldnesse to fight against more cruel more suttle more dangerous and against enemies that be more nigh vnto you then either was the Lyon the Beare or Goliah to Dauid against the Deuil I meane and his assaultes against your owne fleshe and most inwarde affections against the multitude of them that were and yet remaine enemies to Christes religion yea against some of your natural friendes which appeare to professe Christ with you and in that part the battel is the more vehement What boldnesse I haue seene with you in al suche conflictes it needeth not me to rehearse I write this to the praise of God I haue wondred at that bolde constancie which I haue found in you at such time as mine owne heart was fainte Sure I am that fleshe and blood coulde neuer haue persuaded you to haue contemned and set at naught those thinges that the worlde most esteemeth you haue tasted and felte of Gods goodnes and mercies in suche measure that not onely ye are able to reason and speake but also by the spirite of God working in you to giue comfort and consolation to such as were in trouble and therefore most deare mother thinke not that God wil leaue his own mansion for euer No impossible it is that the Deuil shal occupie Gods inheritance or yet that God shal so leaue and forsake his holie Temple that hee wil not sanctific the same Againe God sometimes suspendeth his own presence from his elected as heere by Dauid may be espied And verie often suffer●th he his elect to tast of bitternesse griefe for such causes as are before expres●ed but to suffer thē to bee at rest out of his hands he neither wil nor may permit for so were he a mutable God gaue his glorie to another if he permitted himself to be ouercome of his aduersarie which is as like impossible as it is that God shal cease to bee God Now lastly Dauid prayeth Deliuer my soule saue me In this praier no dout Dauid desired to bee deliuered from the verie corporal death at that time his soule to be saued frō those present plagues grieuous tormēts that he susteined In which it might appeare to some that he was more addict to this present life that he loued more the quietnes of the flesh then it became a spiritual man to do But as before is said God hath naturally ingraffed and planted in man this loue of life tranquilitie and rest the most spiritual man oft time desireth them because they are seales witnesses of that league and felowship that is betweene God and his elect And albeit that troble doth most commonly folow the friends of God yet is he nothing assured that earnestly we aske our quietnes neither is that our desire any declaration of carnalitie or of inordinate loue that we haue to the world considering that the final cause wherfore we desire to liue is not for inioying of worldly pleasures for many times in the midst of those we grāt and cōfesse that better it is to be absent from the body but the chi●fe cause why Gods elect do desire life or to haue rest in earth is for the maintenance of Gods glory that other may see that God taketh a care ouer his elected But now to the grounds foundatiōs of Dauids praiers wherupon his praiers do stand The first is taken from the vehement troble which he sustained from the long continuance of the same The second is takē from the goodnes of God And the third from Gods glorie and from the insolent rage of his enemies Here is to be obserued noted that neither is trouble neither long continuance of the same neither yet the proud hautie mindes of wicked men the chiefe mouing cause why God heareth our praiers declareth himselfe merciful vnto vs and therfore they may not be the sure and sound foundations of our praiers But only Gods infinit goodnes is the fountaine of al mercy grace which springeth

commeth vnto vs by Christ Iesus his sonne But they are causes by operation of the holy Ghost helping our weaknes to beleeue to trust that God who is the father of mercies wil not be angry for euer at the sore afflicted neither yet that hee wil punishe without mercy suche as cal for his helpe and comforte as also that GOD who hath alwaye declared him selfe enemie to pride wil not suffer the proude and obstinate cōtemners of his poore Saintes long to blaspheme his lenitie gentlenes but that he wil powre foorth his plagues vppon them according to his threatninges and so are our troubles and the tyrannie of our enemies in that behalfe fundaments wherupon our pray●rs may stande as here appeareth Dauid describeth his dolour and the continuance therof in these wordes I am consumed away with sicknesse al my bones are vexed my soule is in horrible feare But how long lord wilt thou thus intreat me I am weeried for sobbing I water my bed with my teares Let vs imagine that Dauid thus speaketh O Lord maiest thou who euer hast taken care for me from my mothers wombe nowe forget mee the woorke manship of thine owne hands Maiest thou that hast declared thy selfe so merciful vnto me in al my tribulatiōs nowe in the ende take thy mercies cleane from me Hast thou no pitie O Lord● Doest thou not beholde that I am pined and consumed by this greeuous torment wherein is not onely my tender flesh but also my verie bones the strōgest parte of my bodie so vexed that neither is there beautie nor strength left vnto mee If thy anguishes occupied the bodie onely yet were the paine almost intollerable but O Lord so horriblie is my soule tormented that albeit it be immortal yet it so quaketh and trēbleth as verie death should deuour it And thus doe I sustaine most grieuous tormentes both in bodie soule of so long continuance that it appeareth vnto me thou hast forgotten to be merciful O Lorde howe long wilt thou intreate me in this maner Hast thou forgotten thy louing mercies Or hast thou lost thy fatherly pitie I haue no lōger strength to cry yea and for sobbes and grones I am so weery that my breath faileth me the teares of mine eyes ● herewith nightly I haue wette my bed haue borne witnesse of my vnfained dolour but nowe my eyes are waxen dimme and my whole strength is dried vp In al these lamentable complaintes Dauid speaketh vnto God as he would speake vnto a man that were ignorant what an other man suffered whereof it may bee vnderstood howe the most prudent and the most spiritual man iudgeth of God in the time of troble assuredly he thoght that God taketh no care for him and therfore doeth hee as it were accuse God of vnmindfulnesse that he loketh not vpon him with the eyes of his accustomed mercie as clearely by these worodes may be espied And yet are Dauids troubles the first ground cause why he maketh his praiers claimeth to be heard not that troubles as before is noted are sufficient by them selues for Gods deliueraunce but in recounting his dolour Dauid hath a secret accesse to Gods mercie which chalengeth clameth of dutie to appertein to al his who in the time of trouble cal for his support help aide And it is the same ground that Iob taketh where he saith is it profitable vnto thee that thou violently oppresse me wilt thou despise the worke of thine own hands thou hast formed made me altogether and wilt thou now deuour me Remēber I beseech thee that thou hast fashioned me as a moulde and that thou shalt bring me to dust thou hast couered me with skin flesh with sinowes bones hast thou ioyned me with life gētlenes hast thou beautified me thy prudence hath kept my spirit Here may be espied vpō what groūd these two stood in this most grieuous paynes Their trouble mooued them to complain and to appeale to the great mercie of God which as they alledge euen so is it most sure he may deny to none that aske it for as the troubles of his creatures is none aduantage vnto God so to denie mercie when it is asked were to deny himself herein dearely beloued I hartily wish you to reioyce For I can be witnesse howe constantly yee haue called for grace in your anguishes and your owne conscience must testifie that oftētimes ye haue found release and comfort in suche measure that you haue bin bold to triumph against your aduersaries in Christ Iesus our sauior Be nothing afraid albeit presently ye feele not your accustomed consolation that shal hurt you no more then the trobles of Dauid Iob did hurt thē who in the time that they spake these former words found no more consolation then you do now in the most extremitie of your troble Neither yet did they hastily obtain cōfort for Dauid saith O Lord howe long wilt thou so cruelly punish me And yet we know most assuredly that they were heard that they obtained their own harts desire as no dout euery man shal that in time of troble be it spiritual or corporal appeareth only to Gods mercie The second ground and foundation wherupon the prayers of Dauid doe stande is the infinite goodnesse of God for thus hee saieth Saue me O God for thy goodnesse Dauid before had asked mercie and declared his complaintes but now searching reasoning with him selfe secretly in his conscience after this maner Why should God shewe mercie vnto him that so hainously had offended and that iustly was tormented by Gods hande for his transgression sin No other grounde that is alwayes sure permanent findeth he except Gods infinite goodnesse which he espieth to bee onely the staie which neither tempest of windes neither floodes of water are able to ouerthrow nor vndermind And oh how pearcing are the eyes of Faith that in so deepe a dungeon of desperation can yet espie in the midst of those troublesome darknesse goodnes to remaine in God yea and such goodnesse as is sufficient and able to ouercome deuour and swalow vp al the iniquities of his elect so that none of them are able to gainstande or hinder Gods infinite goodnesse to shewe his mercie to his troubled childrē Hereby are we taught beloued mother in the extremitie of our trobles to run to Gods only goodnesse there to seeke comfort by Iesus Christ and no where els I feare nothing the blasphemous voices of such nor their raging against God and against his onely eternal veritie that are not ashamed to affirme that this kinde of doctrine maketh men negligent to doe good workes against whom no otherwise wil I contend then doth the Apostle saying their damnation is iust For my purpose and minde is to edifie those whō God hath called from darknesse to light whose eyes it hath pleased his mercie so to open that euidētly they feele the fl●sh to rebel

flocke within the Realme of Englande this day First I say this is my hope that a iust vengeance shalbee taken vppon those blood-thirstie tyrantes by whome Christes Iesus in his members is nowe crucified amongst you And after that his veritie shall so appeare to the cōfort of those that now do mourne that they shall heare and know the voice of their owne Pastour And this shal our merciful God doe vnto vs to let vs knowe and in practi●e vnderstand that his promises are infallible and that hee wil not intreate vs according to the weakenesse of our corrupt nature which alwaies is readie to fal from God to distrust his promises and to forget that euer wee haue receiued benefite or comforte from Gods hand when trouble lieth vpon vs or when extreeme danger doeth appeare And therefore beloued in the Lord albeit you finde your harts sometimes assaulted with dolour with grudging or with some kinde of desperation yet dispaire not vtterlie neither be ye troubled aboue measure as that Christ Iesus shoulde neuer visite you againe Not so deere brethren not so for such imperfections rested with Christes owne Apostles of a long time and yet did they not hinder his comming againe vnto them No more shal our weakenesse and imperfections hinder or let the brightnesse of his countenance and the comfort of his worde yet once againe to shine before vs. Prouided alwaies that Iudas his obstinacie his impenitencie traiterous hearte bee absent from vs. As I doubte not but it is from al the members of Christes bodie who are permitted sometime to fal so that of the most feruent professors they become fearefull denyers of the most knowen trueth but they are not permitted of any continuance to blaspheme neither to remaine in vnbeliefe and desperation to the ende as in Christes Apostles plainely may be seene And that more cleerely wee may vnderstande our time and estate within the Realme of Englande this day to agree with the time and estate of Christes disciples immediately after his death let vs consider what chaunced to them before and after the same Before Christes passion as they were instructed by Christes owne mouth of many things appertaining to that kingdome of God which they neither perfectly vnderstoode neither worthily then regarded so were they aduertised and ofte admonished that Christ their Maister shoulde suffer a cruel death that they shoulde bee ashamed slandered and offended in him that they shoulde flye from him And finally that persecution and trouble from time to time should apprehende them With these most dolorous tydinges hee also promised that hee shoulde rise vppon the thirde day that he shoulde rise for them againe to their comfo●ce and consolation and that he shoulde mightily deliuer them from al troubles and aduersities But what auailed al these admo●●tions to Christes 〈◊〉 before his death or in that extremi●ie of their anguishes shortly after the same did they feare and verily looke for trouble before it came Or did they looke for any comforte when the forespoken trouble was come It is most euident that no such thing did enter into their heartes For before Christes death their greatest minde was vppon worldly honour for which sometimes they debated and contended amongest themselues yea euen when Christe was most earnestly preaching of his crosse And after his death they were so oppressed with anguishe with care with dolour and desperation that neither coulde the witnessing of the women affirming that they had seene Christ neither the graue left emptie voide neither the Angels who did appeare to certifie his resurrection neither yet the very voice and presence of Christ Iesus himselfe remoue al doubtes from their afflicted heartes but from time to time their mindes wa●ered and fully coulde not be established that their Lord and Maister was verily risen to their comforte according to his former promises In this case consider I the true professours of Christes holie Euangelie to be this day in the Realme of Englande For these dayes of our present dolour and tribulation haue beene before spoken and blowen in our eares long time before they came Our weakenesse and fraile infirmitie was also painted foorth before our eyes but who woulde haue beleeued that those dayes of our trouble had beene so nigh Or that so shorte a tempest shoulde haue ouerthrowen so greate a multitude I thinke no man within the whole Realme for al men appeared to liue in such carelesse securitie as that the immutable sentence of God pronouncing that whosoeuer wil liue godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution had nothing appertained to our age And such a bolde confidence or rather a vaine persuasion had a greate number of their owne strength that if they had continued without any backe slyding they might haue beene iudged rather Angels then men But beloued in the Lorde the sworde of anguishe and of dolour hath nowe pearced the tender hearte of Christes mother that is of his very church● that the cogitations of many heartes are sufficiently reuealed The fire is come which as it hath burnt awaye with a blast the stubble Haye and Wood so in trying the golde siluer and precious stones it hath founde such drosse and duste that the whole masse may appeare to bee confused For who nowe calleth to minde that the same voice which forespake our dolours forespake also our euerlasting comforte with Christ Iesus Who delighted nowe in his amiable promises Who reioiceth vnder the crosse yea who rather doeth not feare tremble grudge and lament as that there were no helpe in God or as that hee regardeth not the trouble which wee suffer These are the imperfections that continually remaine in this our corrupt nature the knowledge whereof ought to moue vs earnestly to crye O Lorde increase our fayth bee merciful vnto vs and let vs not drowne in the deepe for euer Which if we doe with vnfained hearts ●hen yet shall Christ Iesus appeare to our comforte his power shalbee knowne to the praise and glorie of his owne name in despite of al his coniured enemies And this is the chiefe and principal cause of my comforte and consolation in these most dolorous dayes that neither can our infirmities nor dayly desperation hinder or let Christ Iesus to returne to vs againe The other cause of my comforte and consolation is that I am assured that the iudgement of these Tyrantes that nowe oppresse vs shall not slippe but the vengeance shal fal vppon them without prouision For they haue sufficiently declared the malice of their mindes They haue violated the lawe and holy ordinances of the Lorde our God They haue opened their mouthes against his eternal veritie They haue exiled his trueth and established their owne lyes They dayly persecute the innocentes and stoutly maintaine open murthers their heartes are obdurate and their faces are become shamelesse like harlottes so that no hope of repentance nor amendement is to bee had of them And