argument of fauour and succour and holowe smoothing glauerie a note of reprooch and an argument to perswade the contrarie Nowe therefore let vs gather vppe all these againe together and if heathens hate it Christians loath it and the God of life and death abhor it what strength should anie cause in the earth haue to tempt you vnto it Nay Frailtie howe dare you for anie fauour or gaine vnder the sunne oppose your practise to his alowance whose disliking killeth and casteth into hell for euermore Therefore I pray you be warned and wipe off that mist of earthlie couetousnesse and ambition that bleareth your eyes looke with an other sight vppon these thinges and be assured if the trueth of God be assured that since honest hearts and plaine dealing hath a blessing promised the gaine of flatterie glosing and halting is not the best wealth nor the best wisedome But his little is more whose heart is pure than mountaines of goulde and all honored state that is crept vnto by déepe dissembling and so will the ende prooue in them or theirs if God be God For they are accursed if the pure in heart be blessed as I haue often nowe repeated And iudge if the curse of God will want his effect at one time or other at first or at last But nowe if all this should not yet fully strengthen you which God forbid then procéede with the sentence in Matthewe and ponder well the other part also of it For they shall see God saith it What is this But the Lorde shall reueile vnto them dayly more and more as a rewarde of their sinceritie and honest walking his will his mercie his fauour his comfortes his ioyes prepared and all his goodnesse in Iesus Christ towarde them Which in déede is to sée God as man is able to sée him in this life and therefore is called blessednesse because the ende of such knowledge and sight is blessednesse as woe and miserie is of the contrarie Where by the way we are notablie taught what is necessarie in either man or woman that shall euer profite by reading or hearing the worde of God namely a pure heart that is euen a syncere minde and vpright purpose to learne of the Lorde and not to doe what they doe either for one cause or other whatsoeuer beside that a subtill minde can laie downe Which woordes of Christ include a strong comfort to honest simplicitie and as touching a terrour against smoothing hypocrisie For the one shall sée God the other shall neuer beholde him to their comfort but all their reading all their hearing all their knowledge if the Lord bestowe any shalbe to death and not to life to woe and not to wel a sauour sending them bodie and soule to euerlasting miserie as by necessarie consequence followeth of the place Yet doe I not meane in all this that a man should all be open to euerie one and in euerie matter for that were as great an extremitie the other way and full of inconueniences And I remember well what good counsell wise experienced Syrach giueth in this point Namely that we should not open our heartes to euerie one least they be vnthankefull to vs and put vs to reproofe And in an other place Be not too humble in thy wisedome And I remember Chrysostome confesseth of himselfe without feare of blame for it that he vsed a little subtiltie to make S. Basil accept his Bishopricke and charge which otherwise he would not Therefore I say againe vnder the praise of honest simplicitie and puritie of heart I doe not shrowde or bolster anie plaine foolishnes and vndiscréet séelinesse but my spéech tendeth to the pressing of that euen to hell if I can which you Frailtie are tempted to namely to lie flatter cogge halt glose sooth smooth croutch créepe sigh sorow sawne and fall downe at ones féete sweare and protest liking loue faithfull seruice and friendshippe and what not that may allure for credite and fauour lucre and gaine when there is no more truth of good meaning in you than is in the diuell but onelie for your turne This is that that I inueigh against and this is that God and all good mē haue euer hated as I haue proued To carie two faces vnder an hoode for commoditie and mine owne safety To serue God with lips and outwarde shewe because the law so presseth me if I will liue in accompt and inwardly to be a déepe dissembling hypocrite and a secret scoffer at his truth To salute with a kisse the ministers of the worde as Iudas did his Maister and yet in hidden soule to abhorre them and their counsell as I doe a tode and euery way to remaine a beastly man vnreformed in worde déede and thought vtterly and to care more in the verie trueth of my heart for one secret houre amongst my mates where my thrice damnable desire and vnregenerated humor may be satisfied than I doe for a thousand daies in anie minister or mans companie in the worlde whose tongue rebuketh countenaunce frowneth or heart misliketh my sinne To saie as Ioab saide with a fléering face Howe doest thou my brother Amasa And to stabbe him presently with his dagger or as we saie commonly many an one of vs God giue you good morrowe sir and so foorth when vitter gaule in a festred heart biddeth the Diuell fetch you sir and worse too if I coulde tell howe To prate and speake as a faithfull subiect and yet to be a longing foe to worke a ruine to my will And what should I say to ride and run to watch and wait and performe all dueties as if I were the truest seruant that draweth breath and yet is my heart onlie bent vpon my maisters preferments and not one iote at all of faithfull dutie and affection in me to his person This this abhominable and euen more than diuelish nature if more may be is that I meane and that the worlde too much liketh of that you are tempted to Frailtie and that Iesus Christ in this verse nowe named armeth his children and chosen againste Wherefore my companion Frailtie weigh my drift and marke my proofes consider what you desire and by what meanes you incline to get your desire You desire but the world to speake in a worde and for the worlde to loose your soule what againe is it But if you take this course you shall as certainely loose both bodie and soule as you now liue and heare me for it is cursed of the Lorde and they that vse it shall neuer sée God His nature is all trueth and simplicitie and therefore what feloweship can euer he haue with a false gloser But if you set the Lorde before your eies hang vppon his mercie and trust to his prouidence dealing with all the world sincerely honestly plainely and vprightly bestowing not face and forme but euen all the loue and dutie of your heart where it is due be it to God or man you heare the Lorde you
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
if you leaue it not you knowe you doe drawe vpon you the heauie and angrie hand of him For help whereof no further but euen to the verie next verse following in the same Chapter of Matthew and marke it wel For wel knew the Lorde that as they that feare God and haue not a gaping conscience to swallow for gaine horrible things are both more subiect to pouertie with the companions thereof and also more occasioned to mourne in respect of their owne causes and other mens as also in respect of many checks taunts and vnkindnesses which they shal indure more than others vpon whom this flattering world fléereth and laugheth in whom a lulled conscience offereth sight of little euill in them and therefore néeded to be armed against them as I say this hée knewe so likewise as well did he foresée that these causes publike and priuate of impaciencie and distemperature in affections should arise vnto his children and therefore prouided for it also For cast your eies about the worlde a little and view the course of things and are not the godly harmlesse and quiet men often in this world reiected and wroong and pinched at for this thing and that when more contentious natures are let alone as shrowes to deale withall Hath not y e true meaner often a shrewd turn done before others that are worse disposed Hath not the voice of trueth pronounced it of those that be his that in the world they shall be wronged and hated and persecuted and so foorth Therefore if for this also he had not left vs counsell our happe had béene harder and our fal should haue béene greater by these occasions But like a wise teacher and a good God he hath done it as I saie in the next verse there and commēdeth vnto vs the rule of our nature the victorie ouer our affectiōs be the prouocations neuer so manie to the contrary setting a crowne of happinesse vppon the head of that glorious vertue in these wordes Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherite the earth Nowe the méeke saith a learned man are they which are not easily prouoked with iniuries which are not short and teastie vppon euerie offence but are readie rather to suffer anie thing than to doe the thinges that the wicked doe men and women to conclude that resist not euill but ouercome euill with good Or yet more fullie such as an other saith as are not of nature fearce and desirous euer of reuenge but milde tractable courteous soft and gentle easily forgiuing a wrong if it be done vnto them hating chidings contentions and strife readie to giue place to euerie bodie and choosing rather with a quiet minde to committe all to God than with intemperate heate to pursue his owne right Blessed are these men and women saith the Lorde and happie shall they be the earth is theirs and the commodities in it and they shall inherite them And why so may you either say or thinke Surelie because this is not fleshe and bloude in them but an heauenlie alteration of crooked nature by Gods renewing spirite For flesh and bloud can not brooke wronges but a man and woman wrought in an other mould by the working grace of God can dailie doe Nowe the Lorde worketh this in none but in such as shall neuer die for this sanctifying spirit is the pleadge of election and therefore blessed are the méeke O Frailtie then what a place is this to helpe your infirmitie withal if you wil in déede consider of it earnestly You can not forgiue you can not forget you can not be striken but you must strike againe you can not bee wronged by worde or déede either abroade of others or priuately of your owne but by and by you forget your selfe your place your calling your God you serue and a number other néedefull thinges to be regarded you are as hotte as fire for a time But in déede you must do otherwise if you liue for euer as you sée in this litle sentence For the Lorde hath giuen it out and charged his ministers to the ende of the worlde with a bould spirite to proclaime it to his people that blessed are the méeke Nowe they that doe as you do are not méeke and therefore you sée the conclusion howe sharpe it is they shall neuer be blessed And if not blessed then necessarily wretched wofull and cursed Therefore I say againe I pray you let it be regarded and thought vpon very earnestly For truly mee thinke it mooueth my selfe verie much And though I sée in the scripture manie other notable places sounding foorth the same and manie reasons conuincing by forcible conclusion the necessitie of it and many examples of the tried good that hath growen thereby yet as to others God giueth a greater concept of one thing than an other so this to me I finde more pearcing than the other I must néedes confesse And yet because euerie man is not my selfe and you especiallie Frailtie are not Faith though my daylie companion in the worlde least I should misse of helping you by ministring nothing but mine owne medicine to you I pray you consider also of the course of other scripture touching this matter And first you shal sée no calling amongst men whereunto the Lorde by name hath not inioyned this temperance of affections and swéetnesse of nature which now I speake of If they be ministres then instruct saith he them that be contrarie minded with méekenesse If they he Magistrates it is likewise inioyned them And méekenes beawtifieth especially them that are in authoritie saith Chrysostome If they be neither whatsoeuer they be walke worthy of the vocation wherunto God hath called you saieth the Apostle with all humblenesse of minde and meekenesse and long suffering supporting one another through loue And Dauid giueth a reason of it For them that are meeke shall he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way And is this a forcelesse reason That which beautifieth euerie calling and euerie person shal it not bewtifie you thinke you And that which is forbidden to euerie one in so expresse plainenesse can you thinke the Lorde will euer allow in your selfe Surelie he will not and therefore know it and thinke of it if you please the Lord you must be méeke The reasons I spake of be these and such others First the Apostle in his epistle to the Galathians reckoning vp the fruites of the spirite which neuer appeare in anie truly but in such as shall be saued reckoneth this as one amongst them to be méeke and amongest the fruites of the fleshe that shall leade vs vnto death he reckoneth the contrarie choler and heate whereupon wee our selues as cleare as y t sun may sée that if the Lorde voutsafe vs this change of nature from sowre to swéete and from anger to méekenesse there is no more comfortable crie can happen in this earth vnto our soules that they are the Lordes And if he
vse Nowe you haue a God to helpe you beside vse who with his blessed mouth hath promised help and with his mightie spirit shall assist you if you praie Frailtie Yea but the course of the worlde serueth not for this counsel For I tell you nowe adaies who suffereth a little shall suffer more and who putteth vp one wrong shall put vp 20. Men can not liue nowe and either get or keepe if they be so gentle as you woulde haue them Faith O Frailtie howe are you deceiued And howe still sauour all your spéeches of your nature I pray you tell mée if God would saie to you be méeke and I would confirme thée in this world both with sufficient maintenaunce and continuance in the same be the practises neuer so péeuish against thée would you not beléeue him Frailtie Yes for I knowe he is able to doe it if he saie he will do it and I am not yet so weake to doubt his power Faith Uerie well and I pray you what followeth in this verse of Christ which now we handle Is it not a flatte promise that the méeke shall inherite the earth If you will then stande to your speech and beléeue the Lorde vppon his worde doe it nowe then and euer hereafter for here you see his promise The whole world may rage against vs and yet shal we inherite the earth in dispite of them all if we will be méeke That is we shall both get and kéepe that portion which the Lord thinketh méet for vs will they nill they that doe trouble vs neither euer shal the force of foe further preuaile against vs than shall be good one waie or other for vs. Blessed father of heauē what a promise is this and how contrarie to mans reason and sense yet repeated ouer and ouer in the scripture for further assuraunce as you may sée if you reade but that one psalm the 37. confirmed to vs by Paul who saith he had nothing and yet possessed al things and by the experience of all the godlie that euer was Therefore euen a thousande times marke it Frailtie and laie it vp The worlde pitieth these méeke ones and calleth them Gods fooles but the Lord blesseth them and his blessing maketh wise The worlde iudgeth méekenesse the verie high way to beggerie and yet you heare the Lord euen flatly say they shall inherite the land that haue the same were all the worlde against them Therefore to go no further conclude nowe with your heart Frailtie to vse this remedy of the Lordes laid downe to bridle fraile affections and trust his worde Certaine now you sée it is for the Lord hath said it Blessed are the meeke And euen by that holde that I for my parte haue taken of this promise I pronounce vnto you againe that the very day and houre of your birth you may blesse if the Lorde giue you victory ouer your affections and make you méeke and so I leaue you to his mercie The fourth temptation arising of want of iustice in our causes c. Frailtie I Cannot denie but your perswasions are vpon true warrant they ought greatly to mooue yet me thinke you doe not fullie marke my case For if I sought anie thing either at home in my house of my familie or abroade in the worlde of others which were not bothe meete for a Christian to demaunde and in trueth mine owne flat right I could see mine anger to be faultie patiently learne to put vp the matter I trust in time But I tell you Faith I doe not so I seeke nothing but as I haue saide mine owne due what I ought to haue and what I truely pay for and therefore I tell you in this case my choler hath more warrant than you well marke For it woulde touch anie bodie to loose his right And a man were better out of this worlde than to bee robbed thus of iustice and lawfull fauour as I am It makes mee wearie of my life and I tell you I feele it stirre within mee euen to strike handes with the wicked and to doe as men may like me that I may be quiet Faith Softlie Frailtie softlie your tongue tumbleth too fast and your nature I tell you plaine breaketh out too much Shall I loose my labor with you and preuaile nothing with either spéech or good will Are you not ashamed with this affirmation that if you sought anie thing vnlawefull you could beare in méekenesse the deniall Why no thankes to you Thus could a Turke or Heathen doe and almost the Diuell common reason woulde make them But I tell you except your méekenesse excéede this you shall neuer be saued For the scripture is plaine there is no praise to bee patient when a man deserues of mā his paine but if when we doe well wee suffer wrong and yet be méeke patient this is acceptable to God saieth the Apostle And euen in your verie case of sutes and demaundes that are but right if iustice be not had yet must this vertue of méekenesse remaine in vs as may euidentlie appeare in the verie next verse of Matthewe For there the Lord knowing the nature of fraile flesh how it would startle and storme at this matter and be tempted by it to forsake his trueth as it were of purpose hitteth your obiection on the mouth with his hande and biddeth it stande backe as not worthie to appeare and be hearde For Blessed saith he are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall bee satisfied That is blessed are they that notwithstanding they so moderate their desires as neuer they seeke or wish but what is iust and right and their owne due debt yet as hungrie and thirstie liue in patience cannot be satisfied with recept of iustice for their owne Blessed I say are these and they shalbe satisfied Where you sée euē with both your eyes except you wil winke y e euen in our owne right we must want right somtimes in this world yet must be méeke and godly and faithful stil And in the ende we shalbe satisfied either of man or God or both as surelie as wee liue Therefore Frailtie if it bee possible cease to be Frailtie and gouerne affections by these swéete promises of eternall trueth No want of iustice no wrongfull oppression no crosse and vnconscionable dealing of men must make vs fall out with our God or strike handes with the wicked God forbid Shall we serue God no longer than hee will rule his wisedome by our wisedome and serue our desires fitly But wordes bee but wordes and yet I tell you these wordes are true reason Notwithstanding consider you for your confirmation what godly men in the scriptures haue euer done and if God will haue mercie vpon you reform your nature to their alowed course I pray you if a man serue at the altar is it not reason that he liue of the altar that is if a man spende himselfe his bodie his minde his goods
kingdome diuided in it selfe can neuer stande And that other also of the Poet. By concorde small to muche is brought And discorde great thinges brings to nought Upon al which then gather this conclusiō that if this great vertue of peace and loue be to the Lorde himselfe so acceptable and to all estates in the world so profitable must it not néedes be in it selfe howsoeuer the worlde accepteth it a most singular thing and a most deserued praise to a man to be a peace-maker amongest men Certainelie it must But we neede not to gather it by conclusion For the Lorde Christ himselfe hath saide it in the same 5. of Matthewe as preparing strength before hande for this verie same temptation that nowe you féele That blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God And neuer as I haue nowe often saide doeth he set a blessing vppon the heade of anie thing but the same in it nature and before his maiestie is a worthie thing Wherefore this place shoulde bee to you euen a thousande argumentes to confirme your obedience in so Christian a duetie as peacemaking is and a thousande spurres to pricke you dailie to it when opportunitie is offered and occasion giuen to the same For Frailtie what can you resolue this speach of Christ into if you marke it wel but into this sense As if he should haue saide to his disciples in this order I knowe the manifolde discomfortes that shall bee giuen to all men and especiallie to you ministers in that duetie of peace-making which yet both belongeth to al men and especially to your calling notwithstanding euer to indeuour so farre as power shall serue And therefore least hereafter when it shall so fall out either you or anie other should be tempted through mens vnthankefulnesse to the giuing ouer of that so thrise néedeful a thing I forewarne you here before hande and euen giue you in charge as I am your Lorde and maister that you neuer regarde cleaue and sticke in the acceptaunce or thankefulnesse of men for your paines and trauell in this matter For if you doe you shall be discouraged But euer looke you vppe to heauen what is there thought of it and to the better sort of the worlde also whome the Lorde hath giuen eyes to discerne good things with al. And whatsoeuer you finde at mens handes for so godlie a labour you shall well knowe it finde it and féele it that with the Lorde in heauen blessed for euer shall bee the peacemakers and both of him and his true children heere in earth that knowe what is what they shall be counted taken and acknowledged for the sonnes of almightie God that shall liue with their Father for euermore Which is inough Frailtie if there be either touch or tast or anie féeling in the worlde in vs to staie vs for euer in this dutie be the peruersenesse of men neuer so much For what can we desire more than to haue our doinges accepted of the Lorde and our selues assured of euerlasting rewarde at his handes for men Let men be mad and mad againe let their crooked affections worke and writhe them whither they can and euen all vnthankefull spéeches burst from them against vs for our good-will that may be imagined my God is pleased shoulde a Christian heart thinke with my indeuour and his acceptaunce is my satisfaction his content is my rest and a sufficient requitall of all my paines Otherwise Frailtie I pray you euen earnestlie consider it What loue of God is that in vs that the loue of man driueth out of vs what care to please him is that that mens displeasure quencheth Fie fie it is too grosse and ten thousand wonders may it be that euer anie of vs can sléepe with this imagination that wee loue God aboue all and yet in such thinges as by name are commaunded and by promises commended to vs wholie guide our obedience according to mens acceptance or not acceptance liking or misliking Wherefore on still Frailtie with this dutie and indeuor to reconcile disagréeing mindes in the name of God and were the bitter gaule the spitefull péeuishnesse and all the vnthankfulnesse of the Diuell and his whole hoast in euerie man and woman you deale withall yet haue you comfort inough if either the Lords acceptance can content you or your owne promised rewarde and blessing please you or good accompt to bée one that God hath chosen for his childe with the better sort of the worlde comfort you Nowe by the way of a little digression in hope I doe not wearie you I would also wish you a little to consider that if this peace and agréement amongest neighbours in towne or countrie be such and so swéet in the sense of the Lorde as that euen the preseruers of it and restorers when it is broken are so heartily blessed and accompted for it the sonnes of God must it not néedes followe that those thinges likewise are in high accompt before his maiestie which being in men and women doe most mightilie maintaine this blessed vertue in all and euerie societis vnder heauen Surely it must néedes followe And what are they Manie and diuerse are they if one should make a curious recitall but for my part when I marke the course of thinges and the causes of good agréement in anie place I thinke but euen especiallie of these thrée First a patient and méeke nature in our selues able to beare and tolerate something without mounting into the house top immediatly and flashing out all on fire by and by vppon the sight or hearing of it Secondly a wel iudging heart of others till wée be certaine of the contrarie And lastly a good tongue Must not I say if peace be so pleasing to the Lorde these things also be pretious in his eies which all the worlde knoweth to be nourishing nurses of the same wheresoeuer they are If peace-making pull a blessing vppon vs as the Lorde liueth these so great preseruers of peace shal haue a happy reward And if this be true then on the other side againe the contrarie vices for their contrarie effect must néeds be as loathsome hatefull and accursed Namely an impatient hastie fierce frowarde furious nature y e is as short as mosse that hath neuer fought withall and foiled anie affection but cleauing still in pure naturalles is vnregenerated and euer casteth out the sauour of old Adam vpon euerie occasion be it but a trifle Secondly a suspicious misdéeming mind of euerie bodie that they say thus of vs worke this against vs or at least thinke thus of vs when in trueth it is nothing so O poison of peace in anie kingdome countrie towne house or person liuing in the worlde this misdéeming minde And to a mans selfe there is no more twitching tormēt vnder the son For it is euen a worme that is euer gnawing and euer biting and can neuer be contented Lastly an euill tongue a peaceles tongue that can neuer be
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
c. Againe both publikelie abroad in such as I deale with all and priuately at home in such as I trust I finde such naughtie vnfaithfulnes such vnfaithfull naughtinesse as that I am driuen into greater choler and heate than can anie way stand with my profession of the Gospell and with the liking of my heauenly father whome I haue euer founde good vnto me and therefore iustly I stande in feare that he will punish me for such intemperancie and yet I cannot amende it Nowe I pray you let me goe no further without some comfort if you know any for so wretched and wofull a case Faith Indéede Frailtie your tearmes are too sharpe and sower For me thinke for any thing you haue yet vttered your estate is neither wretched nor woful in trueth but Christianlike if you wil lay a while away your earthly eyes and be iudged by the word of God Frailtie Ah fie fie is your feeling of my case no more then haue I vttered inough too much But see my heauie plight I am euerie way wrapped in woe and yet I am not pitied Faith Nay but staie your selfe for shame Frailtie and be not so rash And if I can not prooue what I say then be offended but if I can then as you feare God be reformed for this impaciencie in you is daungerous I say therefore againe me thinke your tentations be not strange but such as vsuallie happen to Gods déere ones and such as for anie thing I sée Jesus Christ the Sauiour of man did foretell and deliuer sure and soueraygne comfortes for while hee was here on earth in diuers places and by name in that notable Chapter of Mathewe the fifth But before I can applie the same vnto you I must knowe of you one thing concerning your first griefe namely how you féele your heart within humbled by these thinges For indéede if you be poore and bare and so forced to stoupe in outward matters to the richer and yet your heart remaine proude within you arrogant hawtie and conceited your tongue bragging the best and your vanitie euer as it can breaking out giuing testimonie what you would doe if your handes were not tyed and your hornes made shorte of purpose by the Lorde then indéede I must plainely tell you that your pouertie is a whippe of an angrie God as yet with you and it will not certainely be remoued from you in anie fauour but euen still God shall checke you and euerie neighbour either openlie or secretly mislike you For a beggers hand and a proude heart hath euer offended the eye both of God and man But if God hath giuen you this blessed grace that by this crosse of want disdaine contempt scorne and such like in your calling your soule is schooled your heart is humbled your spirite broken all your vnrulie and headie affections tamed within you verie greatly in comparison of former times so that euen truelie your conscience doth witnesse to you it is not with you as it hath béene in manie respectes and if now you find that often you are driuen to God and his prouidence by this meanes casting vp your eyes to heauen for helpe staie and succour because you finde but frosen heartes in men and falsehoode in the best fellowship lesse or more truelie then must I as plainely tel you againe and with as bolde a spirite as such a truth requires your pouertie is welth your contempt may be your comfort if euer man or woman had God their friende you may assure your soule in truth he is no foe vnto you Frailtie O Faith say not this but prooue it Comfort against pouertie Faith With a verie good will I pray you therefore marke me When Christ as I saide before was here vpon earth to gather vnto himselfe the soules of men by life and death knowing in his infinite wisedome the raine that would fal the floudes that woulde come and the windes that woulde blowe and beate vpon the houses of mē that is their faith and religion on a time his disciples being come together and much people beside out of manie places hee sate him downe and tooke as it séemeth to me this matter in hande of verie purpose deliuering out such comfortes and helpes such defences and staies as béeing of men and women rightlie applied and vsed shall euer holde vp their course and kéepe their pathes straight in the feare of the Lorde and true religion And sée amongst the manifold temptations that he sawe in wisedome would arise and be vrged by Sathan to shake men from y e trueth this of yours which nowe we speake of is the first namely pouertie Against which his heauenly voyce deliuereth out this comfort Blessed are the poore for theirs is the kingdome of God Which golden sentence laide out in fuller tearmes carieth and implieth vnto vs this sense and meaning Although earthlie mindes can frame out no felicitie vnlesse with worldly wealth their cuppe may ouerflowe yet I auouch vnto you contrarie to the wit and wisedome of them all that in my fathers kingdome blessed are the poore the poore I say againe and such as want what others wallowe in not halfe so loued of the Lorde as they Now least his meaning should be mistaken he saying no more but so and euerie spoiling vnthrift whose vnreformed heart doeth make an vnrepaired purse or idle drones that shunne the course of men and shut themselues vp in cloisters as pore that with more ease they may liue of other mens labours or anie proud heart yet wanting wealth might thinke it spoken vnto him hée more plainely hath interpreted his meaning and shewed what poore hée thinketh of namely the poore in spirite That is such as vsing godly means yet are of purpose by their God kepte vnder and being vnder doe not swel with pride arrogancie and conceit but euen as the beggar knowing his want and no way hauing of his own to trust to confesseth other mens helpe néedefull for him humbleth himself before them beggeth their aide and giueth them as instruments the praise of his liuing so they humbled tamed schooled and reformed by their want towardes all men carie a lowlie heart and onely at the Lordes handes looke for both comfort in this world and saluation in the worlde to come These poore men and women that is these that are thus affected vnder their Crosse saith Christ were their want more than euer any abode the companions of their wantes snubbes checkes taunts and such like moe and more bitter than euer anie mans were yet euen in the most of them all I pronounce them blessed and I assure them happie that euer they liued for theirs is the kingdome of God For this cause therefore I asked you howe you were affected vnder your pouertie And nowe Frailtie consider and weigh this sentence of the Lord. For ynough it is of it selfe if our incredulitie be not monstrous to comfort the hart of any man or
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