whom you might delite as in your owne soule by whom you might haue the increase of godly children vnto many in deede the verye blessing of God but in this also you must submitte your selfe to the mightie hande of God knowing that he worketh diuerse wayes in diuerse vessels and those ordained to honour for to some mariage is expedient to some it bringeth ioy and gladnes but contrarily in many you may see it is a snare of the worlde a stumbling blocke and plaine diuorcement betwixt God and them And this inconuenience I knowe commeth not of mariage it selfe as the proper and principal cause which God hath ordained as holy and comfortable but by their abuse and for their iust plague Whereas some sucke hony some other meete with gall and venyme and yet the flower beautifull enough and goodly in the eye Wherefore God of his high wisedome knowing much better what is good for vs then we for our selues doth at sundrie times cut vs short from the fruition of many his good creatures benefites and ordinances least by abuse we should in maner turne the nature of them to our owne hinderance and confusion so that it may bee better for vs to lacke them then to haue thē Diuerse I thinke there be good men and honest maydens which peraduenture would be hard husbandes and shrewd wiues neither would it be any straūge case to see that some bare the first yoke honestly and godly which at the second match ouerrule weary their yoke fellows causing them with repentance to wishe their former libertie againe Such is the diuerse working of God that in some he is better pleased with mariage and other he holdeth in single life as most expedient for them Some againe he blesseth with the fruite of children other he maketh baren and fruitlesse yet both for the better both seruing to the glorie of God and cōmoditie of his chosen Looke on the comparison made by Salomon the 4. of the book of wisdome he saith that barennes is better with vertue then to haue a multitude of children Neither doe I write this as one that despaireth of your prosperitie this way I know you haue had good offers which by iudgement of man might haue bene conuenient for you to haue followed but I haue tolde you the worste and yet nothing doubting but that the best is to come Anna you may remember mentioned in the first of Sam. 1. the wife of Elkanah the happie handmaid of God how he exercised her a long time in patience with the shame of barrennes as it was coūted in those dayes But the Lorde when hee had brought her lowe enough then he raysed her againe heard her humble petition and gaue her for her comfort that iuste Iudge her sonne Samuel his true seruant In the historie of Tobias we reade in what distresse that humble mayden Sara was whom it pleased God to visite and chastise her with seuen husbandes so that she became a reproche vnto her owne fathers maydes laying to her charge that she had strangled her husbandes Thinke you Sister your case is comparable to this If it be so then take that remedie which she vsed and mistruste not of the successe that folowed as you haue in the exāple of Anna. So she made her prayer to God the almightie which is expressed in the historie desiring him to pitie her case and by some meanes to take awaye her reproche and accordingly the Lord as his eares are alwayes open to the prayers that proceede from an humble spirit gaue her to wife to good Tobias with whom she sawe many a good day and also for token of Gods blessing issue of children Euen so if we may hope for the best and why shoulde you mistrust the matter seeing that Abraham in a more desperate case hoped against hope the Lord our God I doubt not pitieth your case so farre that he will sende you a trustie Tobias to whom you may betake your selfe without feare with whom you may leade out your life in peace and comfortable quietnes by whom you may conceiue and beare some such sonne as is reported of Samuel in whome you may reioyce as in an obedient sonne and in whom God may be glorified as his seruant But if the example of Anna and Sara do not so much moue you if it be out of your hope to haue their good happe let vs then returne againe to Christ our sweete sauiour righteous redeemer at whose hand when all other aydes do faile we may be bold to fetche comfort and that most plentifully If Tobias come not yet you may wel content your selfe with Christ finding that in him you shal be sped as fully as you can wish You are of the flocke of the faithfull then will he stande you to all purposes in stead of an husband not after an earthly but after an heauenly sort Hee is the heade to defende and gouerne that bodye whereof you are a member Such as the husbād is to the wife such is Christ to those that are of the Christian Congregation as S. Paul hath made cōparison It is a great comfort in deede for Adam to haue his Eue and contrariwise but Christ it is that blessed seede that hath blessed them both There is a narrow bond and copulation betwixt the wife her husband for they are reckoned one in flesh Euen so hath Christ to make vs vnto him an holy spouse taken bone of our bones and fleshe of our fleshe Your husband would cleaue vnto you when your other friends would forsake you and Christ will accompanie and assist you when your husband hath left you He must sometimes of necessitie be absent from you death shall make a grieuous diuorcement betwixt you but no time may tye Christ from you by him it is that you liue that you liue well he shall assist you at your dying day and at the latter day he shall rayse you againe Your husbande peraduenture would thinke no money no meate no apparell to deare for you and so doing you would thinke him a good husband but whether he would die for you I doubt But Christ Iesus that good shepheard hath shewed you so much loue that he hath layd downe his life for you he hath shed his bloud for you he died euē the death of the crosse he died for your sinnes and rose againe for your iustification and now maketh intercession for you which he will continue vntill the time he hath placed you in his kingdome to reigne with him for euer Thus Sister as my simplicitie serueth me I haue attempted that which I feare I haue not obtained if it might be to comfort you or rather to tell you where you may seeke and finde comforte then of my self to make you any deede of gift For God is called the authour of al consolation therefore I referre you to him by your prayer and by resort vnto his worde written for all
heauenly comfort of his holy Spirit that peace which the world can not giue and that constant patience in all his fatherly corrections that we be not founde false hirelings but true and trustie seruants no bastard children but by vnfained faith the blessed posteritie of the blessed Abraham and true regenerates of God by our Sauiour Christ And the holie sanctifying Spirit of trueth and God be blessed for euer Amen A verie godly and learned Exhortation to suffer patiently imprisonment exile or what miserie soeuer els may happen to a man in this life for the profession of the Gospel of CHRIST IESVS IF the worlde hate you good Brethren and thereupon with sundrie afflictions and griefes do moleste and vexe you marueile not with grudging but prayse GOD with patience who in this fornace fashioneth you to the lykenesse and image of his owne Sonne whome the worlde hath hated from the beginning for whose sake also in no wise it can loue you but with moste spitefull hate will pursue you euen vnto the death for that you are chosen by Christ from the worlde to walke foorth and bring out fruite which shall continue to sanctification whereof the end shal be euerlasting life For as a riche and beautifull Harlot full of amorouse filth with a painted face wantō looks trimme araye fayre wordes large promises great giftes with the entisement of quiet wealthie and pleasant life allureth them on whom she casteth loue yet at the end rewardeth them with pockes piles fighting brawling and most shamefull death whom if she can by no meanes entise to folow her fancie she hateth so deadly that she ceaseth not but causeth the whole rablement of her bawdie bawdes ruffling roysterkins with brawling bragges shamefull slaunders subtill surmises quarreling questions and falsly fayned accusations to vexe trouble and bring to destructiō So the Princesse of the world that most filthie harlot wooeth Gods children espoused vnto his sonne Christ to breake their faith and trouth to him plighted and to become her dearlings setting before their eyes all the kingdomes of the worlde and the glorie thereof promising with holowe holines subtill suspicion falsely fained religion and a pokefull of such pretie persuasions that if they wil fal downe and worship as she doeth she will giue vnto them all these same for then shall they be her owne deare dearlings and she will loue them as her owne but the end shal be most dreadful damnation Whom if she cannot perswade neither by one way or by other vnto her loue from Christ their best and onely beloued spouse she conceiueth so great an hatred against them that she stirreth all her champions with might maine to doe them displeasure in their goods to worke them hatred of their friendes to impayre their good name to punishe their bodies to offende their consciences to make their life yrksome vnto them and moste cruelly without mercie to kill them yet whose death is most precious in Gods sight and hath to rewarde a most glorious resurrection Thus the worlde hath serued our deare and best beloued Christ before vs for our sakes who was giuen into the handes of this harlot to be thus cruelly dealt withall for to be vnto vs a patern which we should folow an image after which we must be fashioned painted forth before our eyes in the Scriptures to teache vs to folowe his trace with patience and in running this race to cōceiue comfort hoping after victorie through fayth in him who both gaue vs warning of the paine and lest we should faint to comfort vs promised victorie saying In the world shall you haue affliction but in me peace be of good cheare for I haue ouercommed the worlde To fight with a puissant enemie whose courage was neuer abated whose strength is inuincible and who hath bene oftentymes assailed by many but neuer vanquished might discomfort a weake heart and cause it to giue ouer at the first without further resistance But for so much as this stern madame with all her chiualrie and force is so ouercome and weakened to our handes that she is not able to resist what countenance so euer she makes much lesse able to ouercome such as doe stoutly withstand her malice and crueltie how faint hearted cowardly milksoppes may we be iudged that wil be abashed and may not abyde the lowring countenance of a feeble maymed and beaten bragger especially seeing that in striuing faithfully against her and her souldiours the losse of renowme here is the purchasing of eternall glorie the losse of worldly goods the gayning of heauenly riches the losse of a miserable and short life here the winning and very entrance into a ioyfull and euerlasting life in heauen Is the friendshippe of the worlde so deare to vs that therefore we should not esteeme Gods fauour Ought our goods wife children friendes landes and possessions so much to be regarded that for to saue them we should forsake the heauenly riches and euerlasting inheritance Ought we to be so desirous to liue here that for a short life and vnpleasant we will purchase an euerlasting and most painefull death But the burthen of pouertie is importable hunger imprisonment exile is intolerable the bitter stormes of persecution and the sharpe showres of death are so insufferable that we feare least we shoulde not be of power to abide and passe thorow them and therefore do thinke it better to sit still then to rise take a fall better not to enterprise the conflict then in the middes for lacke of strength through faintnes to giue ouer with shame and runne away How delicate fearfull and therefore vnwilling the fleshe is to suffer common experience teacheth al men hauing any feeling of them selues perceiue and chiefely they who setting all persuasions of the fleshe apart haue of full purpose and resolute determination with them selues entred into the schoole of sufferance beginning at Christ his crosse and so forth to learne therein onely to glorie can by that they feele in them selues best declare For as the deadly foe to mankinde assaulted our deare brother Iesus Christ then most hotly after he perceiued by plaine tokens that he was Gods Sonne bent by the crosse and contempt of the world to enter into glorie with the firie dartes of famine pouerty ignominy shame afterward with the feare of death on the other part with plentie riches honour possessions and glorie of the whole world knowing most perfectly that these perswasions should be most strong to moue persuade the fleshe to refuse the crosse weying the paines the trauail with one eye the pleasant wealthy honour with the other so he ceasseth not to assayle Christes mēbers with the self same entisements to cause the fleshe to abhorre the crosse and seeke after ease but then most busilie when he perceyueth the heart moued by Gods Spirit to cōtemne these as vanities and to seeke after true wealth quietnes and glorie And
thus deuided Gods enemies the Philistims who had lyen long in wayte therfore shoulde snatche vp from both the parties the kingdome of Israel and not onely vtterly banishe Gods true religion from among the Israelites but also bring thē their countrey and their posteritie into most miserable bondage and thraldome and that to Gods enemies the most vile people and hated of all the world Dauid in all these perilous daungers of his owne lyfe losse of his kingdome vtter destruction of Gods people did not discourage himself but vnderstāding all this to be the worke of Gods owne hande acknowledging the true cause vnfainedly did perswade him self that the Lord after a time when his good wil should be woulde giue a cōfortable end to al these stormes and bitter pāgs His whole behauiour he himself describeth in a Psalme which is left in writing for vs to learne therafter how to behaue our selues in the like persecutions Whē he was fled from Ierusalem the priestes were departed frō him with the Arke of the Lords Couenaunt he went vpon mount Oliuet barefoote wept as he went and had his head couered and so did all the people that were with him And he made his mone vnto the Lord saying O Iehoua how are they encreased that trouble me how many are they that rise against me howe many are there that saye of my soule There is no helpe for him in his God Selah Wonder not though this good King with an heauie hearte and sorowfull cheare doeth lament and bewaile his dolorouse estate Woulde it not grieue a King when he thinketh of no such matter sodainly to be cast out of his Royall seate and brought in daunger of his lyfe and that by his owne naturall Sonne Can the displeasure of any enemie so much pearce the heart of a kinde father as the vnnaturall crueltie of the sonne to seeke his death of whom he himselfe had his life It grieued him no small deale to perceiue such as had bin his wise Counsailours whom he much trusted whose duetie it had bin with the spending of their owne liues to haue defended the common weale brought to good and quiet order both in matters of policie of Gods true religion to be the supporters and mainteiners of an hypocrite who had neither respect to Gods true honour nor yet consideration of duetie to his most honourable Father neither yet regarde to the prosperous weale of his natiue countrey But nothing of all these grieued him so much as this one thing the remembrance and true acknowledging in himselfe that he himselfe was the only cause of all these euils He called to his remembrance that these plagues fell vpon him sent from God whose worke it was and that for his sinnes which were the cause thereof and this made him weepe and mourne For so soone as the Prophet Nathan had warned him of his offence he cryed peccaui I haue sinned and afterward when hee sawe this grieuous and sodaine chaunge folowe he perceiued it came partly for his sinne by the worke of God and therefore submitted him self wholy to Gods will saying If I shall finde fauour in the eyes of the Lorde he will bring me againe and shew me both his Arke and the Tabernacle thereof but and the Lorde thus saye I haue no lust vnto thee behold here am I let him doe with mee what seemeth good in his eyes Thus the worthie man of God acknowledgeth his troubles to be of Gods hande his sinnes to be the cause and therefore humbly and faithfully submitteth himselfe to Gods ordering wel content to receiue whatsoeuer should be layd vpon him He assured himselfe that when he himselfe were most weakest then God would declare his strength for his owne glories sake and after he were reduced to a faithfull repentaunce by the correction of his mercifull Father then the rod should be cast into the fire This consideration of plagues both to priuate men particularly and also of Realmes whole common Wealthes is diligently to be weyed that as they come from God so haue they this ende that they tende partly to his owne glorie partly to our profit and amendement For although sinne is the generall cause wherefore all mankinde generally was is shal be molested with many and sundrie kindes of troubles and calamities yet the calamities afflictions are not to all kinde of men alike nor yet for one end and purpose For the wicked and reprobate are punished whipped of God to a farre other end and meaning then the godly and chosen children who are the true church of God the liuely mēbers of Christ such as shal be neuer separated frō God and his louing fauour in Christ Iesu These although they be neuer without trouble in this world but alwayes exercised vnder the crosse yet the cause and cōsideration why God will haue them thus exercised is either for the glorie and honour of his owne Name or the profite commoditie and exceeding benefit of them whom he thus afflicteth either els for both these considerations together for that there is no trouble that cōmeth to Christes church or any mēber therof which appeareth not plainly to redound to Gods glorie the profit of the afflicted if it be wel iustly cōsidered These two causes considerations doth the Scripture teach in all calamities of the church whether they be generall or particular which being wel marked will easily put out of the way this stūbling block wherat many stumble fal marueyling wherfore God wil suffer his word his chosen childrē thus to be vsed euil dealt withall The childrē of Israel were in Egypt most cruelly dealt withal 400. yeeres oppressed with most painfull labours most seruile exactions their infants slaine they cried vnto the Lord their griefs encreased for God had hardened Pharao his heart that he shoulde not ease or deliuer his people Wherefore did God thus afflict his people and stirred this cruell tyrant so grieuously to vexe thē truely for his own glorie their profit God rehearseth this cause and cōsideratiō in the scripture of the hard cruel hearts of the Egyptians towards his people The Egyptians shal know that I am the Lord and that I will deliuer my people by strong hand frō among thē For this purpose saith God to Pharao haue I raysed thee vp that in thee I may declare my power thorowout the whole world This profit they receiued the exercise of their faith the triall of their patience and the confirming of their hope for deliueraunce which was not deceyued Thus S. Paul noteth and collecteth of this historie the one end to be Gods glorie for the honourable fame and renowme of his Name throughout the whole world and also the profit that the afflicted receiue which is the exercise of faith as he noteth of Moses and his parents to the Hebrues But much more plainly doth S. Paul note teach these two
countreis fearing the want of friendship the hatred of straungers the burden of pouertie the raging of hunger and the lack of things necessarie for mans life here nor yet that they came into any such distresse but that they had sufficiencie if not of the finest sort yet such as serued their turne and they wel cōtent therwith Abraham when he perceiued it stode with the Lordes will he should departe he wist not whither nor what shift to make did not debate the matter with himselfe take counsail of his friendes cōsult with his wife whether he should do the thing that most pleased God or no but setting apart all persuasion and wisedome of flesh bowed downe his owne will subiect vnto Gods pleasure bent himselfe without further delaye to obey his will that ought onely to be obeyed in all maner of creatures and therefore in a straunge countrey yea in the middes of his enemies had not onely at all times sufficiencie but also did growe vnto great aboundance of riches Of like sort Iacob was not onely not left destitute of succour but did come to so great aboundance that at his returne into his countrey hee made therewith his most mortall foe his deare friende and serued the Lord all his life in great wealth Ioseph beeing a bondman in a straunge countrey was not so moued with the feare of false and slaunderous accusations of hunger imprisonement and such like griefes that hee would to eschue these committe vncleane things against Gods will but cleauing to Gods prouidence was fostered vp against the rage of hunger the violence of imprisonment cleansed from the fowle spottes of slaunders set at libertie and at length made ruler ouer Aegypt Although his brethren meant his destruction when they solde him to straungers and droue him forth of his natiue countrey yet he acknowledgeth this their fact to be the good will of GOD who worketh all thinges to the best for them that loue him whether it be hunger colde exile imprisonment or death it selfe and maketh that which seemeth painefull and grieuous easye and pleasaunt What should wee saye to the Prophets Ely and Daniel Ely flying the fiercenes of Achab because he should not suffer more payne of hunger then he might well awaye withall was fedde by rauens sent vnto him morning and euening to bring him bread and meate for that purpose and afterwarde by a poore wydowe of Sarephta and last of all by Gods Angell when hee was in a desert flying the crueltie of Iezabel In like sort Daniel was fedde in the pryson by Habacuc brought by Gods Angell whereupon Daniel sayde O Lord thou hast remembred me thou doest not forsake them that loue thee A saying of hym who had felt the ease and reliefe that GOD prouideth for all them that vnfainedly trust in him worthy to be written in golden letters and deepely grauen into our heartes This is a common and pleasant persuasion to the Apostles and al other of Christes Churche who suffered for Christes sake pouertie exile persecution that in the middes of pouertie they were most riche when they had nothing left them at all then had they all thinges and wanted nothing These examples shoulde moue vs to set apart all feare of want and to cast our care whollye vpon the Lorde for so much as hee is no lesse our louing and mercifull Father then hee was to Abraham or any other yea he hath exhibited vnto vs in deede and wee haue seene that Abraham woulde gladlye haue beholded God hath not spared his onely Sonne but hath giuen him for vs all vnto death howe much more will he giue vnto vs if we trust in him all other necessarie thinges It is not a necessarie thing to haue strength and ablenes to abide patiently for his sake not onely pouertie losse of goodes imprisonment and exile but also power to passe thorowe easely the burning flames of fyre hanging drawing stoning racking deuouring with wilde beastes broyling boyling and such kinde of most cruell tormentes and bitter death as the enemies to Christ the olde tyrantes and Antichrist him selfe the Pope with his clergie now daily inuenteth and practiseth to withdrawe and fraye men from Christ God hath alwayes to his tyme giuen his such strength to ouercome and contemne these and whatsoeuer crueltie coulde be inuented yea he hath so encouraged them to take pleasure in the middes of most crueltie that they reioyced most when they semed to be in the greatest payne as it is playne in manie histories of the Churche and will not God deale so mercifully with vs nowe as with them of olde time Is his mercie waxed lesse nowe towardes vs or his power not so able God is not like vnto man to chaunge his purpose and to be euery yere of a newe minde he is faythfull he chaungeth not although to the iudgement of the fleshe he seemeth to forsake the man that is cast in prison banished his countrey throwen into the fire and most cruelly dealt withall yet he is present with him aydeth and comforteth much more strongly then the tormentours be able to grieue or discomfort yea turneth the bitternesse into sweetenesse the payne into pleasure and that which seemeth vnto others most vntolerable to be most sufferable The three Israelites were commaunded to fall downe and worshippe the golden Image they did not dissemble the matter but playnely saide they woulde not they were threatened to be cast into the burning fornace they feared it not they might haue dissembled the matter for a time following the world but they knew GOD could not be deceiued nor woulde not be plaied withall The ouen was made seuen times hotter then euer before they cast into it yet were they well able to abyde it and had much more solace in the burninge fyre then they that onely looked on The mother with her seuen sonnes in the Machabees chose rather to suffer most cruell death which they passed thorowe most ioyfully then to committe the least thing against the Lawe of their GOD. So likewyse Mathathias his sonnes and Eleazarus Rhais that Christian woman although not yet so fully catechized that shee was admitted to baptisme set on fyre with the burning heate of Gods Spirit and the famous chaste woman Potamiena with her mother Marcella after they had suffered great and horrible tormentes for the truthes sake were consumed in burning fyre Quinta the faithfull woman and constant martyr of Christ suffered rather to haue her legges tied together and to bee drawen thorowe the streetes vpon the sharpe stones and whipped most sharpelie then she would seeme to worshippe the images or idoles in the temples The constant olde matrone Apollonia was beaten about the lace till all her teeth were beaten out a great heape of woode set on fyre before her face and threatened to be cast thereinto quicke if she would not agree to the Idolatours and did willingly choose to be burnt in the raging fyre So
did persecute them And Dioclesianus more like an infernall serpent then an earthly man did as it were deuoure the Church most cruelly In this time was the greatest persecution that had bene before The tormentours were much more wearie in sheading the Christian bloud and cruelly tormenting the faithfull then the holy martyrs were in suffering the paines There were in this persecutioÌ„ within thirtie daies aboue seuenteene thousand Christians killed most spitefully But Constantine the good Emperour became a Christian set the Church in peace was the fâ—â—â—… Emperour that did by publike authoritie put downe gentilitie and truely mainteined the Christianitie But that lasted not long for within short time after Iulianus th'apostata being Emperour went about to vndo al that Constantine had done vsed wonderfull policies to destroy the Christian religion and did afflict the faithfull verie grieuously After this time the Church was grieuously molested by the Arrians after with Hunnes Vandals and Gothes and so continued many yeres till all good learning began wonderfully to be decayed and at the length albeit the Church seemed to be at rest yet hath it bene euen to this daye miserably afflicted and the pure religion vtterly defaced by two vicars the Deuil put in commission at one time about eight hundreth yeres since the Antichrist of Rome for the West and Mahomet for the East Nowe weye and consider with your selues this same briefe rehersall of the state of Gods Churche howe the Church of the Israelites was afflicted in Aegypt then in the time of the Iudges next vnder the Ringes at the last caried into a straunge countrey captiues after their returne and reedifying of the Temple what great perils and troubles it sustained till after the dayes of the Machabees next consider the historie of Christ the Actes of the Apostles After this the ten notable persecutions the Church suffered vnder most cruell tyrantes from the eight yere of Nero by the space of three hundreth and twenty yeres vnto the time of Constantine and from his time three hundreth yeres after by the Arrians and barbarous Hunnes Vandals and Gothes by whose meanes good learning was decaied and ignorancie brought in And then marke with aduisement how that from that time hitherto Mahomet hath vsurped and afflicted the East Church and the Pope the west for he began to exercise his proude power ouer the Churche about the same time that Mahomet brought in his religioÌ„ consyder I saye with aduisement in all these times howe litle whyle Gods religion was mainteined in the Churche what perilous chaunges were in the kingdomes what exeeeding crueltie was alwayes vsed against the people of God as though they had bene heretikes his word condemned as heresie and the cause of all euils and you shall perceiue that this is no newe or vnkoth thing that the true religion of God should be thus put away and condemned and the faithfull Churche molested and afflicted both generally as is plaine in these histories and also particularly in the ministers faithful members as appeareth in Abel the Patriarches Prophets Christ his Apostles in a great number of holy sainctes and martyrs since the death of Christ til nowe our daies Thus may you plainely see how God hath wrought with his Church at all times and therefore should not discourage your selues because of this sodain chauÌ„ge but with Dauid acknowledging your sinnes to God declare vnto him how many they be that vexe you and rise against you naming you heretikes and the children of Belial as they named Dauid Let the wicked Idolaters boast and bragge that they haue ouercome you and that God hath giuen you ouer wil no more be your God let them put their trust in Absalom with his long golden lockes and in the wisedome of Achitophel the wise counsailour yet say you with Dauid thou O Lord art my defender thou art my worship and the lifter vp of my head feare not their violence to hurt you in your bodies to harme you in your goodes Perswade your selues with Dauid that the Lord is your defender who hath coÌ„passed you round about and is as it were a shielde that doeth couer you on euery part it is he only that may and will compasse you about with glorie and honour it is hee that will thrust downe those prowde hypocrites from their seat and exalt his lowly and meeke Dauid in the mids of his miseries did thus comfort him selfe leaning to the prouidence of God looking for deliuerance from him appointing God no time but coÌ„mitting the whole matter vnto his wisedome and goodnesse He layed him selfe to sleepe rose againe was not afrayed for innumerable people that set him round about to haue destroyed him for the Lord wil sustaine me saieth this good king This was his shot anker here was his refuge herewith he comforted himselfe that the Lord would bee his defender and sauegarde and at the length restore him to his place againe He armed him selfe with the armour of God but aboue al he tooke to him the shield of faith wherewith he quenched the fyrie dartes of the wicked Hee had the helmet of saluation the sworde of the spirit the promises of God and buckled these fast vnto him selfe with this long and durable girdle of faithfull prayer and watching saying I wil crye vnto the Lord with my voyce and he will heare me from his holy hill If you will receiue comfort crye with Dauid vnto the Lorde exercise your faith in earnest and continual prayer say arise O Lord help me and he will smite your enemies on the cheekebone and brast all their teeth in sunder he will hang vp Absalom by his owne long heare Achitophel through desperation shall hange him selfe the bandes shal be broken you deliuered for this belongeth to the Lord to saue his froÌ„ their enemies to blesse his people Thus Dauid in the mids of his affliction did comfort him self trust to the only prouidence of his most mercifull God perswading himselfe both of his good will and mightie power whereby he should haue deliuerance and was not deceiued This blessing shall also be on you if that neglecting the wisdome of the worlde you submit your selues to the correctioÌ„ of God your heauenly Father faithfully crying him mercie patiently abiding his good will and pleasure FINIS The cause that mooued the Authour to wryte this Treatise Mat. 26.10 RoÌ„ 12.15 Eccle. 7.34 2. Sam. 1.12 Comforts some are temporall some eternall Temporal comforts 1. Tim. 5.23 Prou. 31.6 Meate drink c. Psal. 107.9 Kinsfolkes friends Psal. 69.8 A house or dwelling place Concord of brethreÌ„ Psal. 122.3 Psal. 133.1 EuerlastiÌ„g and heauenly comforts Reue. 4.4 Gods worde Rom. 15.4 Election in Christ Rom. 8.28 Paul. Rom. 8.37 Ioseph Gen. 37.24 Gen. 39.20 Gen. 45.4 5. Gen. 45.8 Dauid Three childreÌ„ in the fornace Daniel Dan. 6.16 c. 1 Cor. 10.13 Heb. 12.11 Christ This is since imprinted and called The viewe of the estate of man c. Philip 2.5.6.7.8 Act. 2.26 27. The applying of the former examples Heb. 12.8 Christs toâ—ments and afflictioÌ„s Warrants out of the scriptures for our coÌ„fort Mar. 7.29 Iohn 3.16 1. Iohn 1.4 Answeres to certain obiections coÌ„cerning the want of things CoÌ„panie 1. Iohn 1.7 Worldly estimation Mariage Barennes Anna. Tob. 3.10 Sara Abraham An excellent comparison betwene the profite coÌ„fort that the wife may haue of her husband and the same we haue of our head and husbaÌ„d Christ Reuel 12. Rom. 8.32 Comforts against the conteÌ„pt of the world and sorow and heauines 1. Cor. 12. Reue. 21. Luk. 16.25 Ioh. 15.18 2. Tim. 2.11 12. Ioh. 15. Rom. 6. Ioh. 15. 1. Pet. 2. Rom. 8. Rom. 15. Ioh. 16. Math. 4. Matth. 9. 1. Pet. 5. Math. 6. Psal. 8. Psal. 37. Psal. 9. Math. 6. Psal. 50. Psal. 23. Mat. 10. Esa. 43. Rom. 8. Psal. 13.5 Mar. 9. Matth. 8. Psal. 2. Matth. 9. Ephe. 6. Philip. 4. 2. Cor. 4. Mat. 10. Rom. 8. Gen. 11. Gen. 12. Gen. 28. Gen. 46. 3. Reg. 19. Dan. 1. Gen. 45. 3. Reg. 17. 3. Reg. 19. Dan. 14. Rom. 8. Dan. 3. 2. Mach. 7. 1. Mach. 2. 2. Mach. 6. Ecclesiast hist lib. 6. cap. 4. Ecclesiast hist lib. 6. cap. 5. Eccle. hist li. 6. cap. 41 1. Iohn 5. Heb. 11. 2. Reg. 15. Psalm 3. 2. Reg. 15. Psalm 3. 2. Reg. 12. 2. Reg. 15. Exod. 7. Exod. 9. Rom. 9. Hebr. 11. 2. Cor. 4. Iohn 9. Rom. 8. Heb. 12. 3. Reg. 11. 3. Reg. 22. 4. Reg. 21. 4. Reg. 22. Mat. 15. Act. 8. Eusebius eccle hist li. 8. cap. 9. Ephe. 6.