others more grosse imperfections yet the inwarde man which sobbeth vnto God knowing the causes why the very iust are so troubled and tormâ—nted in bodie and spirite in this life receiueth some comforte and getteth some stay of God his mercie by knowing the causes of the trouble Al causes may I not heere recite but twoo or three of the principal wil I touche The first is to prouoke in God his elect an haâ—â—ed of sinne and vnfainedly repentance of the same 〈◊〉 the which cause if it were rightly considered were sufficient to make all spiritâ—all and coâ—porall troubles tollerable vnto vs. For seeing it is so that without repentance no man doeth attaine to GOD his mercie for it is now appointed by him whose wisedome is infinite I meane of those that are conuerted to the feeling of sinne and that without mercie no man can come to ioy is not that which causeth vs to vnderstand what repentance is gladly to bee receiued and imbraced Repentance conteineth within it a knowledge of sinne a dolour for it and a hatred of it togither with hope of mercy It is very euident that God his owne children haue not at al times the right knowledge of sinne that is to say how odious it is before God Much lesse haue they the dolour of it hatred of it Which if they had as they could not sinne so coulde they neuer be able hauing that same very sense of God his wrath against sinne to delight in any thing that appertaineth to the fleshe more then the woman whome God hath appointed by the helpe of man to produce mankind coulde euer delight in man if at al times shee felt the same pangues of dolour and paine that she doeth in her childebyrth And therefore doeth God for such purposes as are knowne to himselfe sometime suspend from his owne children this fore saide sense and feeling of his wrath against sinne As no doubte heere hee did with Dauid not onely before his sinne but also sometime after But least the sonnes of God shoulde become altogither insolent like the children of the world he sendeth vnto them some portion of this foresaide cuppe in drinking whereof they come to such knowledge as they neuer had before For first they feele the wrath of God working against sinne whereby they learne the iustice of God to bee euen such as he himselfe pronounceth that he may suffer no sinne vnpunished And thus begin they as well to morne for their offences as also to hate the same which otherwise they coulde neuer doe for nothing is so pleasing to the corrupt nature of man as is sinne and things pleasing to nature cannot nature of it selfe hate But in this conflict as God his childrÌ„ feele torments and those most grieuous as they mourne and by God his holie spirite begin to hate sinne so come they also to a more high knowledge that is that man cannot bee sauiour to himselfe for how shal hee saue himselfe from hel that cannot saue himselfe from anguish and trouble heere in the flesh while hee yet hath strength wit reason and vnderstanding and therefore must hee bee compelled in his heart to acknowledge that there is another mediatour betweene God his iustice and mankind then any that euer descended of the corrupt state of Adam yea then any creature that onlie is a creature and by the knowledge of this mediatour at the last the afflicted commeth by some sense and liuely feeling of God his great mercie declared vnto mankinde albeeit they bee not so sensible as is the paine and albeeit that torment by this knowledge is not hastily remoued yet hath the patient some hope that al dolour shal haue ende and that is the cause why hee sobbeth and groâ—eth for an ende of paine why also he blasphemeth not God but cryeth for his health euen in the midst of his anguishe Howe profitable this is to the children of God and what it worketh in them as the plaine scripture teacheth so experience letteth vs vnderstande Verilie euen so profitable as it is to mourne for sinne to hate the same to knowe the mediatour betwixt God and man and finally to knowe his louing mercie towardes them So necessarie is it to drinke this foresaide cuppe What it worketh in them none knoweth but such as taste it In Dauid it is plaine that it wrought humilitie and abiection of himselfe It tooke from him the great trust hee had in himselfe It made him dayly to feare and earnestly to pray that after he shoulde not offend in like manner or bee left in his owne handes It made him lowlie although hee was a king it made him merciful when hee might haue beene rigorous Yea and it made him to mourne for Absolon his wicked sonne But to the rest of the causes The second cause why God permitteth his elect to taste of this bitter cuppe is to raise vp our hearts from these transitorie vanitles for so foolish and forgetful of nature and so addict are wee to the things that are present that vnlesse wee haue another schoolemaister then manly reason and some other spurre and perpetual remembrance then any which wee can choose or deuise our selues Wee neither can desire nor yet rightly remember the departure from this vaine and wicked worlde to the kingdome that is prepared Wee are commanded dayly to praye Thy kingdome come which petition asketh that sinne may cease that death may be deuoured that transitorie troubles may haue an ende that Sathan may bee troden vnder foote that the whole body of Christ may bee restored to life libertie and ioy that the powers and kingdomes of this earth may bee resolued and destroyed And that God the father may be all in al thinges after that his sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiour hath rendred vp the kingdom for euer These thinges are wee al commaunded to pray for but which of vs in the time when al abundeth with vs when neither body not spirite hath trouble from our heart and without dissimulation can wishe these thinges verily none With our mouth wee may speake the wordes but the heart cannot thirst the thinges to come except we be in such state that worldly things be vnsauerie vnto vs. And so can they neuer be but vnder the Crosse. Neither yet vnder al kind of Crosses as are worldly things vnpleasant for in pouertie riches do greately delight many For although they lacke them yet desire they to haue them and so are they neither vnsauerie nor vnpleasant For things that wee earnestly couet are not vnpleasant vnto vs. But when things appertaining to the flesh are sufficiently ministred vnto vs and yet none of them can molifie our anguishe nor paine then sobbeth the heart vnto God and vnfaynedly wisheth an ende of miserie And therefore our heauenly father of his infinite wisedome to holde vs in continual remembrance that in this wretched worlde there is no rest permitteth and suffereth vs to bee tempted and tryed with this crosse that with an
that the Prophet doeth acknowledge all troubles that hee susteined as well in body as in spirite to bee sent of God and not to happen vnto him by chaunce for heerein peculiarly differ the sonnes of God frō the reprobate that the sonnes of God knowe both prosperitie and aduersitie to bee the giftes of GOD onely as Iob doeth witnesse And therfore in prosperitie commonly they are not insolent nor proude but euen in the day of ioy and rest they looke for trouble and sorrowe Neither yet in the time of aduersitie are they altogether lefte without comforte but by one meane or other God sheweth vnto them that the trouble shal haue ende Where contrarywise the reprobate taking all thinges of chance or els making an idol of their owne wisdom in prosperitie are so puft vp that they forget God without any care that trouble shoulde followe And in aduersitie they are so deiect that they looke for nothing bu◠Hell Here must I put you in minde dearely beloued howe often you and I haue talked together of these present dayes till neither of vs both coulde refraine teares when no such apparance there was seene by man How often haue I saide vnto you that I looked dayly for trouble and that I wondred at it that so long I did escape it What mooued me to refuse and that with displeasure of al men euen of those that best loued mee those high promotions that were offered by him whō God hath takē frō vs for our offēces Assuredly the foresight of troubles to come How oft haue I said vnto you that the time woulde not bee long that England woulde giue mee bread Aduise with the last letter that I wrote vnto your brother in lawe consider what is therein conteined While I had this trouble you had the greater sent I doubt not to vs both of God that in that great rest and as we cal it whē the gospel triumphed we should not bee so carelesse and so insolent as others were Who albeit they professed Christe in mouth yet sought they nothing but the worlde with hand with foote with counsel and wisedome And albeit at this present our comfort appeareth not yet before all the plagues be powred foorth it shalbe known that there is a God who taketh care for his owne Secondarily is to be noted that the nature and ingenie of the very sonnes of God in the time of their trouble is to impute vnto God som other affection then there is or can be in him towardes his children And sometime to complaine vpon God as that he did those things that in very deede hee cannot doe to his elect Dauid Iob often complaine that God hath left them was become their enimie regarded not their praiers tooke no heede to deliuer them And yet vnpossible it is that God either shal leaue his chosen or that hee shal despise the humble petitions of suche as doe call vpon his support But suche complaints are the voices of the flesh wherwith God is not offended to the forsaking reiection of his elect but pardoneth them among other innumerable infirmities sinnes And therefore dearely beloued dispaire you not albeit the fleshe sometime burst out into heauie complaints as it were accusing God you are not more perfect then was Dauid and Iob. And you cannot bee so perfect as Christ himselfe was who vppon the crosse cried My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Consider deare mother how lamentable and horrible were these wordes to the onely sonne of God And Dauid in the 88. Psal. which for better vnderstanding I desire you reade cōplaineth vpon God that night day he had cried and that yet he was not deliuered But saith he my soule is replenished with dolour I am as a man without strength I am like vnto those that are gone downe into the pit of whom thou hast no more minde like vnto those that are cut of by thy hande Thou hast put mee in a deepe dungeon al thy wrath lieth vpon mee Why leauest thou me Lorde why hydest thou thy face from me thou hast remoued al my freendes from mee thou hast made mee odious vntoo them And thus hee endeth his Psalme and complainte without mention of any comfort at al receiued And Iob in diuers places of his booke maketh euen the like complaintes sometime saying that God was his enimie and had set him as it were a marke to shoote at and therefore that his soule desired the very destruction These things I recite vnto you deerely beloued vnderstanding what haue beene your troubles heeretofore and knowing that Sathan wil not cease nowe to perswade to your tender conscience that none of God his elect hath beene in like case as you are but by these presidentes and many other places which now to collect I haue no opportunitie it plainely doth appeare that God his chosen vessels haue suffered the like temptations I remember that ofte you haue complained vpon the grudging and murmuring that you founde which in your selfe fearing that it prouoked God to more displeasure Beholde and consider deere mother what God hath borne with his saintes before wil hee not beare the same with you beeing most sorie for your imperfections Hee cannot other wise do◠But as his wisedome hath made vs al of one masse and nature earth and earthly and as hee hath redeemed vs with one price the blood of his only sonne so hee according to his promise like mercifully pardoneth doneth the offences of al those that cal vpon the name of the Lorde Iesus of those I meane that refuse all other Iustice but his alone But to our matter of these presidents plaine it is that God his elect before you haue suffered the like crosse as presentlie you suffer that they haue complained as you complaine that they haue thought themselues abiect as you haue thought and yet may thinke your selfe and yet neuerthelesse they were sure in GOD his fauour Hope deare mother and looke you for the same hope I say against hope Howe horrible the paine is to suffer that crosse can none expresse except such as haue prooued it feareful it is for the very payne it selfe but most feareful it is for that the godlie so tormented iudge God to bee angrie in furor and in rage against them as is before expressed Seeing wee haue founde this crosse to appertaine to God his children profitable it shalbe and necessarie to searche out the causes of the same Plaine it is that not only God worketh al to the profite of his elect but also that hee woorketh it of such loue towardes them and with such wisedome that otherwise thinges coulde not bee and this to vnderstande is very profitable partly to satisfie the grudging complaintes of the fleshe which in trouble commonly doeth question Why doth God this or that And albeeit the fleshe in this earth can neuer bee fully satisfied but euen as hunger and thirst from time to time assaulteth it so doe
the secrete seede of God which is hid in Gods elect children and that only sobbe is vnto God a more acceptable sacrifice than without this crosse to giue our bodies to bee burned euen for the truethes sake For if God bee present by assistance of his holy spirite so that no doubt is in our conscience but that assuredly we stande in Gods fauour what can corporal trouble hurt the soule or mind seeing the bitter frostie wind cannot hurt the body it selfe which is most warmely couered and clad from violence of the colde But when the spirite of God appeareth to bee absent yea when God himselfe appeareth to be our enimie then to say Oh to thinke with Iob in his trouble albeit he should destroy or kill mee yet will I trust in him or what is the strength and vehemencie of the faith which so looketh for mercy when the whole man feeleth nothing but dolours on euery side Assuredly that hope shal neuer bee confounded for so it is promised by him who cannot repent of his mercy goodnesse Reioyce Mother and fight to the end for sure I am that ye are not vtterly destitute of that spirite who taught Dauid Iob. What obedience I haue hearde you giue vnto God in your most strong torment it needeth mee not to write only I desire which is a portion of my dayly prayer God for our Iesus Christe his sonnes sake that in al your trouble you may continue as I haue left you and that with Dauid yee may sobbe Albeit the mouth may not speak yet let the heart grone and say Haue mercy vpon mee O Lorde and heale me and then I nothing doubt your greeuous torment shal not molest you for euer but shortly shal haue an ende to your euerlasting consolation and comfort Yee thinke peraduenture that ye would gladly cal and pray for mercy but the knowledge of your sinnes doe hinder you Consider dearely beloued that al Phisick or medicine serueth onely for the patient so doeth mercy onely for the sinner yea for the wretched and most miserable sinner Did not Dauid vnderstande himselfe to bee a sinner an adulterer and a shedder of innocent blood Yea knewe hee not also that he was punished for his sinnes Yes verily he did and therfore he called for mercy which hee that knoweth not the heauines and multitude of sinnes can in no wise doe but most commonly doth despise mercy when it is offered or at the least the maÌ„ that feeleth not the burdeÌ„ of sin lightly regardeth mercy because he feeleth not how necessary it is vnto him as betwixt Christ the proude Pharisees in many places of the newe Testament it is to be seen And therfore deare mother if your aduersary trouble you either with your sinnes past or present obiecting the mercy apperteineth not vnto you by reason of your sinnes answer to him as you are taught by Christ That the whole needeth no Phisiâ—ioÌ„ neither yet the iust mercy pardon But that Christ is come to giue light to the blind to cal sinners to repentaÌ„ce of whoÌ„ you acknowledge your selues to be the greatest yet that ye doubt nothing to obteine mercy because it was neuer denied to none that asketh the same in faith And thus no doubt yee shal obteine victorie by Christ Iesus to whom be praise for euer and euer Amen In the rest of Dauids praiers now will we bee shorter that wee may come to the groundes of the same After the desiring of mercy nowe desireth Dauid a corporal benefite saying Heale mee Lorde Heereof is to bee noted that bodily health being the gift of God may bee asked of him without sinne albeit that wee vnderstand our selues to bee punished for our offences Neither yet in so praying are wee contrary to Gods will for his prouidence hath planted in the nature of man a desire of health a desire that it may be conserued therfore is he not offended that we aske health of body when we lacke it neither yet that we seeke preseruation of our health by such ordinary meanes as hee hath appointed Prouided alwaies that God himselfe be first sought and that we desire neither life neither health to the hinderance of Gods glory nor to the hurt or destruction of others our brethren but rather that by vs Gods glory may bee promoted that others our brethren by our strength health and life may bee comforted and defended These presidents nowe rightly obserued it is no sinne earnestly to aske at God health of body albeit wee knowe our sicknesse to bee the very hand of God punishing or correcting our former euil life This I write because some are so seuere that they would not that we should aske bodily helth of God because the sicknes is sent to vs by him but such men doe not righteously vnderstande neither yet consider that sicknes is a trouble to the body and that God commandeth vs to cal for his help in our troubles Surely our submission and praiers in such extremitie is the greatest glory that wee can giue vnto God for so doing wee thinke that his mercy aboundeth aboue his iudgemeÌ„t and so wee are bold to pray for the withdrawing of his scourge which petition no doubt hee must graunt for so he promiseth by Ieremy his Prophet saying If I haue spokeÌ„ against any nation or Citie saying that I wil destroy it and if it turne from iniquitie and repent it shal repent me also of the plagues that I haue spoken against it God promiseth to shewe mercie to a whole Citie or nation if it repent wil he not doe the same to a particular person if in his sicknesse he cal for grace He hath shewed vnto vs that hee wil by diuers examples and specially by the leprosie of Mary the sister of Moses and Aaron which shee receiued at the Lordes hande punishing her high and hautie minde and againe vpon her submission and at the prayer of Moses shee shortly was restored to health But to proceed Dauid moreouer prayeth Turne againe O Lord. It appeareth vnto Dauid beeing in the extremitie of his paine that God was altogether departed from him for so alwaies iudgeth the flesh yea the whole man when trouble worketh by any continuance of time Dauid had sustained trouble many dayes hee had prayed and yet was not deliuered And therefore iudgeth he that God being offended for his sinnes had left him And yet plain it is that God was with him working in his hart by his holy spirite repentance expressing forth those sobbes and grones as also the desire he had to be restored to that comfort and consolation which somtimes he had felt by the familiaritie which he had with God Al these motioÌ„s I say were the operations of Gods holie spirite and yet Dauid could perceiue no coÌ„sort nor presence of God in that his trouble but lamentably complaineth as before you haue heard Heereof it is plaine that the verie elect sometimes are
last grounde of Dauids praiers was the glory and and praise of Gods name to be shewed and vttered in his life as in these wordes hee declareth For there is no remembrance of theâ— in death who landeth thee in the pitte As Dauid woulde say O Lorde howe shal I pray and declare thy goodnesse when I am dead and gone downe in to the graue I is not thy ordinary course to haue thy myracles and wonderous works preached vnto men by those that are buried and gone downe into the pit those that are dead make no mention of thee in the earth And therefore O Lorde spare thy seruant that yee for a time I may shewe and witnesse thy wonderous woorkes vnto mankinde These most godly affections in Dauid did ingender in him a vehement horror and feare of death besides that which is natural and common to al men bicause he perfectly vnderstood that by death hee shoulde be letted any further to aduance the glory of God Of this same he complaineth most vehemently in the 88. Psalm where apparauntly hee taketh from the dead sense remembrance feeling and vnderstanding aledging that God worketh no miracles by the dead that the goodnes of God cannot be preached in the graue nor his faith by perdition and that his meruellous workes are not knowne in darkenesse By which speache we may not vnderstand that Dauid taketh all sense and feeling from the dead â—either yet that they which are dead in Christ are in such estate that by God they haue not consolation and life no Christ him selfe doth witnesse the contrary but Dauid so vehemently expresseth their estate and condition because that after death they are depriued from al ordinatie ministration in the Church of God None of those that are departed are appointed to bee preachers of Gods glory vnto mankinde But after death they ceasse any more â—o aduannce Gods holy name heere amongest the liuing on earth and so shall euen they in that behalfe be vnprofitable to the congregation as touching any thing that they can do either in body or soule after death And therefore most earnestly Dauid desired to liue in Israel for the further manifestation of Gods glory Heere is to bee obserued a short but yet a most necessary note which is this what the thinges bee which wee ought principally to seeke in this transitorie life Not those for the which the blinde world contendeth and striueth but God and his louing kindnes to ward mankind his amiable promises and true religion to be aduanced and preached vnto others our brethren that be ignorant For if we doe not we may rather bee counted beastes then men dead stocks not liuing creatures yea rather thinges that bee not at al then substance hauing either being or life Seeing that the heauens declare the glory of God the earth with the whole contentes thereof what euer they bee doe geue praise to his holy name the Sea floods and fountaines with the wonders conteined in the same do not ceasse to make manifest the wisedome the power and the prouidence of their creator what then shalbe saide of man that neither seeketh neither regardeth Gods glory Yea what shal bee iudged of those that not onely hinder Gods glory but also declare them selues enimies to such as woulde promote it I must speake my conscience with a sorowful heart they are not onely dead but they are also of the nature of him by whose malice and enuie death entred into the worlde that is of the Diuel But them I omit at this present because their accusation doeth not muche apperteine to this our matter whereof nowe I must make an ende somewhat contrary to my minde For so I am compelled by some present troubles as wel of body as of Spirite The fourth part of this Psalm I omit til more opportunitie for it doth not much appertaine to the spiritual crosse but it is as it were a Prophesie spoken against all such as reioyce at the troubles of Gods elect who assuredly shalbe confounded and sodenly brought to shame when the Lord shal heare the voices of the sore afflicted Now dearely beloued in our Sauiour Christe Iesus seeing that the spiritual crosse is proper to the children of God seeing that it is geuen to vs as a most effectual medicine aswel to remome diseases as to plant in our soules most notable vertues such as is humilitie mercy contempt of our selues and continual remembrance of our owne weakenesse and imperfection And seeing that you haue had most euident signes that this same medicine hath wrought in you a part of al the promises receiue it thankfully of your fathers hand what trouble soeuer it bring with it and albeit that the fleshe grudge yet let the spirite reioyce stedfastly looking for deliuerance assuredly yee shall obteine according to the goodwil promise of him who cannot deceiue to whom bee glory for euer and euer before his congregation Amen Now seeing it is vncertaine beloued mother if euer we shal meete in this corporal life which wordes I wil not that yee take in any displeasure for if God continue you in life me in health I shal attempt to speake with you face to face within lesse time theÌ„ is passed since the one of vs last saw the other And be ye assured beloued mother that neither shal it be the feare of death nor the rage of the Diuel that shal let me therfore I beseech you take not my wordes in that part as though I were not minded to visite you againe no I assure you that onely Gods hande shal withholde mee But because our life doeth vanish as the smoke before the blast of wind my conscience moueth me to write vnto you as though I should â—â—ke from you my last good night in earth The summe whereof is this to exhort and admonish you euen as that yee wil haue parâ— with Christ Iesus to coâ—tine we in the doctrine to the ende which before the world ye haâ—e professed For before God before Christ Iesus his soâ—ne and before his holy angelles neither shame I â—o confesse neither doubt I to affirme that the doctrine which you and others haue hard not only of my mouth but also faithfully taught by the mouthes of many others of whom some are exâ—lâ—d some cruelly cast into prison and the rest commanded to silence is the onely worde of life and that al doctrine repugning to the same is diabolical erronius which assuredly shal bring death and perpetual condemnation to al those which shal therto condiscend and agree And therefore Mother be not moued with any winde but sticke to Christe in the day of this his battel also I admonish you too auoide that abhomination which oft yee haue heard by me affirmed to be damnable idolatrie God I take to record in my conscience that neither then neither now I spake nor doe speake for pleasure or hatred of any liuing creature in erth whatsoeuer that it be but as my coscience
the kingdom of his father the Antichrist of Rome may prosper And let him and them drinke the blood of Gods Saintes til they be drunke and their bellies burst yet shal they neuer preuaile long in their attemptes Their connsels and determinations shalbe like the dreame of a huÌ„grie thirstie maÌ„ who in his sleepe dreameth that he is eating or drinking but after he is awaked his paine continueth and his soule is vnpatient and nothing eased Euen so shal these tyrants after their profound counselles long deuises and assured determinations vnderstande and knowe that the hope of hypocrites shalbe frustrate and that a kingdome begunne with tyranny and blood can neither be stable nor permanent but that the glory the riches and mainteiners of the same shalbe as strawe in the flame of fire altogether with a blast they shalbe consumed in such sort that their places shalbe an heape of stones their congregation shalbe desolate and such as doe depende vpon their helpe shal fal into destruction and ignominie with them And therefore beloued brethren in our Sauiour Iesus Christ seeing that neither can our imperfection nor fraile weakenes hindeâ— Christe Iesus to returne to vs by the presence of his worde neither that tyranny of these blood thirstie wolues may so deuour Christes small flocke But that a great number shal bee preserued to the praise of Gods glory neither that these most cruel tyrants can long escape Gods vengeance let vs in comfort lift vp our heads and constantly looke for the Lordes deliuerance with hearte and voice saying to our God O Lorde albeit other lordes then thou haue power ouer our bodies yet let vs onely remember thee and thy holy name to whome bee praise for euer and euer Amen God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe by his omnipotent spirite guide and rule your heartes in his true feare to the ende Amen Written at Deepe the last day of May. 1554. The comforte of the holy Ghost c. For salutation NOt so muche to instruct you as for to leaue with you dearely beloued brethren some testimonie of my loue I haue thought good too communicate with you in these fewe lines my weake counsel how I woulde yee should behaue your selues in the middes of this wicked generation touching the exercise of Gods most sacred and holy worde without which neither shal knowledge encrease godlines appeare not feruencie continue amongst you For as the worde of God is the beginning of spiritual life without which all flesh is dead in God's presence And the Lanterne to our feete without the brightnesse whereof al the posteritie of Adam doeth walke in darknesse And as it is the foundation of faith without which no man vnderstandeth the good wiâ— of God So it is also the onely organ and instrument which God vseth too strengthen the 〈◊〉 to comfort the afflicted to reduce to 〈◊〉 by repentaÌ„ce such as haue 〈◊〉 and finally to preserue keep the very life of the soule in al assaultes and tempâ—ations And thereof if that yee desire your knowledge to bee increased your faith to bee confirmed your conscience to be 〈◊〉 and comforted or finally your soule to bee preserued in life let your exercise be frequent in the lawe of the Lorde God Despise not the precepts which Moses who by his owne expeâ—ieuce had learned what comforte lyeth hid within the worde of God gaue to the Israelites in these words These wordes which I commande thee this day Sow in thine heart and thou shalt exercise thy children in them Thou shalt talke of them when thou aâ—t at home in thy house and as thou walked by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a figne vpon thine hande and they shalbe papers of remembrance betweene thine eâ—es and thou shalt write them vppon the postes of thy house and vpon thy gates And Moses in another place commaundeth them to remember the lawe of the Lorde God to do it that iâ— may bee well with them and with their children in the lande which the Lorde their God should giue them meaning that like as frequent memory repetitoÌ„ of Gods precepts is the meanes wherby the feare of God which is the beginning of al wisdome and felicitie is kept recent in mind so is negligence and obliuion of Gods benefites receiued the first degree of defection from God Now if the lawe which by reason of our weakenesse can worke nothing but wrath and auger was so effectual that remembred rehearsed of purpose to doe it it brought to the people a corporal benediction what shal wee say the glorious Gospel of Christ Iesus doeth worke so that with reuerence it be entreated Saint Paule calleth it the sweete odor of life to those that shal receiue life boro wing his similitude of odoriferous hearbs or precious ointments whose nature is the more that they be touched or moued to send foorth their odour more pleasant and delectable Euen such deare brethren is the blessed Euangelie of our Lorde Iesus for the more that it be entreated â—he more comfortable and puisant is it to suche as doe heare reade or exercise the same I am not ignorant that as the Israelites lothed the manna because that euerie day they saw and eate but one thing so some there bee nowe adayes who wil not be holden of the worst sort that after once reading some parcelles of the scriptures doe commit them selues altogether to prophane authours and humane lectures because that the varietie of matters therein conteined doeth bring with it dayly delectation where contrariwise within the simple scriptuâ—es of God the perpetual repetition of one thing is fashions weerisome This temptatioÌ„ Iâ—confesse may enter into Gods very elect for a time but impossible it is that therin they continue to the end for Gods election besides other ouident signes hath this euer ioyned with it that Gods elect are called from ignorance I speake of those that are come to the yeares of knowledge to some tast and feeling of Gods mercie of the which they are neuer so satisfied in this life but from time to time they hunger and they thirst to eaâ—e the bread that descended from heauen and to drink the water that springeth to life euerlasting which they cannot doe but by the meanes of Fayth and Fayth looketh euer to the wil of God reuealed by the worde so that Fayth hath both her beginning and continuance by the worde of God And so I say that impossible it is that Gods chosen children can despise or reiect the worde of their saluation of any long continuance neither yet loath it to the ende Often it is that Gods elect are holden in such bondage and thraldom that they cannot haue the bread of life broken vnto them neither yet free libertie to exercise them selues in Gods holie word but then doe not Gods children loath but most gladly doe they couet the foode of their soules Then do they