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
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
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
to instruct people in the way of saluation require of them againe meate drinke and clothing for his paines doth he require a thing vnreasonable or doeth he demaunde anie more than is his due right Yet did Paul the déere seruaunt of the Lorde hunger and thirst after this righteousnesse and had it not For vnto this houre saith he of himselfe we both hunger and thirst and are naked are buffeted and haue no certaine dwelling place c. Yet was he méeke patient his affections orderly for all this yet he had not his right as you sée What did Dauid againe desire at Sauls hande but that since he had voutsafed to make him his sonne in lawe hee would likewise vse him so or at least as a true subiect and seruant with safetie of life til he deserued worse And was not this right and his verie due Yet pleased it God Dauid should hunger and thirst for this righteousnes and not haue it And yet you sée I saie againe it was his right What did Ioseph hunger and thirst for but to be reputed honest when hee was honest and not stained with that crime which his soule abhorred Yet did he want it What did all the Prophetes and Martyres desire but Gods glorie to be increased and their owne liues saued when they deserued no death Yet did they want it Nay what did euen Christ himselfe hunger and thirst for whilest he here liued but the rising vp of Gods kingdome in the heartes of men and the saluation of their soules Yet euen this right and due to him and this great and endlesse good to men themselues could hee not obtaine but hungring and thirsting after it was despised and scorned and in the end killed Yet were all these méeke and gentle and quiet in their affections notwithstanding all this and neuer fretted themselues at the crooked course of a cursed worlde but staied thēselues and at the Lordes handes they were all satisfied in the ende according to this promise Ye haue heard that it hath bin saide an eie for an eie and a tooth for a tooth but I say vnto you resist not euill but whosoeuer shall smite thee on the right checke turne to him the other also Yea euen yet further they thus wronged in the worlde spake of méekenesse and commended it both to themselues and others For Learne of me saieth our sauiour Christ that I am meeke and lowelie in heart And them that be meeke saieth Dauid shall the Lorde guide in iudgement and such as be gentle them shall he teach his way Wherefore I conclude if it pleased the Lorde thus to deale euer with his children and euen with his owne déere son yet satisfying them in the ende and hath in mercie made a faithfull promise to deale no worse with vs in the ende if we will be content truly then no want of iustice euer in our most righteous sutes and demaundes should make vs intemperate but rather driue vs to this promise and in it wee to bee content with all méeke mildenesse both of heart tongue and countenance till the Lorde sée his time to satisfie vs. And I pray you Frailtie consider of it You sée it with your eyes your excuse is nought be your right neuer so good and your wrong neuer so great But wee can not doe what we should doe euer and especiaily in these harde conflictes Yet as néere as we can let vs be ruled and drawe to this heauenly vertue dayly more and more of méekenesse and patience If we will not surely as we liue when the Lorde hath tried vs a while with mercie séeking our good and cannot bowe vs he will at last scourge vs in anger fiercely breake vs. If the iudge should say it or anie mortal man be content and I will satisfie you we would be quiet and shall the God of heauen earth so saying not be heard trusted and regarded The Lord shew his worke vpon vs for otherwise if there be a hell or he be a God this intollerable contempt of so swéete a promise and so sure a blessing will haue a scortching rewarde at the last I can say no more Frailtie but bid you looke upon his owne wordes he saith you are blessed when you are oppressed for want of right if you will be content and you shall of his owne selfe be truly and fully satisfied if you will mildely tarie for it Nowe if you will call him lier to his face and say you are miserable because you are so dealt withall or not happie neither shall it be better with you vnlesse you wil leaue his lawes and ioyne felowshippe with the wicked you may worke your owne woe and who can helpe it But I hope better of you and I wish better to you which you shall neuer misse if you will be méeke And so let the Lorde worke with you you sée his worde and you knowe my minde The fifth temptation against mercifulnesse by reason of vnthankefulnesse Frailtie SInce then you are so plaine and comfortable I will yet further bewraie my secrete assaultes vnto you if I shall not be troublesome and craue your strength as in these hoping when the remedie appointed of God is vsed it will preuaile with mee I doe then ouer and beside all these find manie other infirmities and euen in any thing that God hath commanded somthing or other fast creepeth vppon mee to slacke mee from that duetie which I knowe to be enioined mee As first in dealing with such as haue neede of my helpe as a good Christian shoulde truely you will not beleeue howe the ingratitude of the world quencheth my hart and stayeth my hand For I see the course of men and the naughtinesse of natures in these euil daies Let a man lende his poore neighbour something to helpe him withall as God commaundeth or let him euen giue cleerely for euer to him yet shall he neuer a whit be better loued of a number for it but if he lende be driuen to sue for his owne and if hee giue haue rather vnkindnesse and a taunting scornefull speech than any other commendable and thankefull consideration for his goodwil Whereby I am often I confesse my corruption driuen euen to the point of this worldly and wicked conclusion with my selfe Let them sinke or swimme for mee I wil seeke to liue my selfe out of al mens daungers and I wil neither borrow nor lend giue nor take make nor meddle Let other mens wantes be other mens woes and God helpe them there are manie waies to make a man poore though his hand be harde ynough Now this I know is vngodly and I was not borne to doe thus yet Frailtie I am and by reason of the monstrous ingratitude that the worlde aboundeth with perforce I confesse it I am often driuen towardes this rocke Againe I see euerie man euen from the head to the foote so giuen to halting cogging glosing lying soothing smoothing flattering and
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