A Preparation into the waye of lyfe vvith a direction into the right vse of the Lords Supper Gathered by VVilliam Hopkinson Preacher of the worde of God Printed at London by Robert Walde-graue for Iohn Harrison the yonger and Thomas Manne 1581. ¶ To the right Honorable Syr Henry Sidney Lorde President of her Maiesties Counsel in the Marches of VVales Knight of the moste noble order of the Garter and of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsell VV. H. wisheth plentie of those blessings which haue promises of this life and the life to come SEing that it is the duetie of euery true Christian Righte Honorable from the highest to the lowest according to the measure of the grace that he hath receyued of the Lord to reache out him selfe vvith continuall attendance to profite euery his felowe neighbour especially in the charge ouer vvhiche the Lorde hath set him for the tyme so labouring in him selfe to exceede the measure of the moste vvho make muche of lyfe vvithout consideration vvherefore they liue I haue held my selfe bounden by all meanes that I might to endeuour the regarde of those ouer vvhom the Lorde by your Honour hath set me And seeing that not onely the iudgement of reason but continuall experience doth teache vs that to make a scholler learned in the tongues the readyest vvay is to begin vvith the letters or vvell profited in any Science to set first a sure foundation in the principles of the same I haue helde it the moste ready entraunce to make the Lordes trueth familiar to his people especially them of vvhom I haue speciall knowledge and ouer vvhom peculiar charge to laye the groundworke as sure as I might namely in leading them in the light of the Lords vvorde to the true sight of them selues in two respectes that is vvhat they are by nature and vvhat by grace vvherof if eyther be vvanting in the knowledge of Christians the Lorde looseth in respect of him his due glory and the people their saluation As if the first be not knowen men receiue the Lordes promises in securitie as vvhich number at this day seemeth to be great and if the second be not had mens hearts are surprised in the vvaye of death And as he that buyldeth without a foundation layde shall buylde in the ayrc so this steddie groundworke surely founded vvell beat vpon shall giue an easie entraunce to further buylding by the vvord of doctrine and faith that the Lordes Saintes by this meanes maye through his grace not onely be gathered as the Apostle sayth but that through the vvorke of the ministery they may be built vp into him vvhich is the head euen Christ Iesus And for this cause I haue as I might gathered these directions by the Lords vvorde for a perpetuall testimony to remayne vvith thē a consent to suche as turne to the Lorde and for a vvitnesse to the rest But especially next vnto this foundation layde haue I laboured to leade them into the right vse of the Lords Supper a speciall confirmation of Gods promises in Christ to our cōfort a matter also miserably neglected and lightly accounted of to the lamentable ruine and downefall of many thousande soules for the Lordes iudgementes stande inuiolably vvhose vvorkes doth testifie that they are iustly in daunger of his endles indignation vvho prophane his misteries in vnworthines of vvhat condition or sort soeuer they be for vvith him is no respect of persons In both vvhich I haue ioyned the desire of mine owne discharge vvith the peoples safetie and gathered the summe of both into suche a forme as may best agree vvith their experience not as refusing or lightly accouting of the labors of such godly brethren as haue much profited the Lords people in the lyke vvay but as casting in two mytes vvith the poore VVidow to the Lotds vvorke vvhich as it vvas specially ment for mine owne charge so haue I yeelded to the perswasion of certayne godly friendes to communicate the same vvith the Church of God by suffering it to be published in print both for the comfort of the godly the Lorde blessing it and testifie to the Papistes the Lordes enimies that though the varietie of speach be diuers yet that vvee holde firmely one and the selfe same grounde and substance of trueth and that there is not amongst vs at all any oddes or varietie of doctrine vvhatsoeuer they and their lyke shame not vniustly to say agaynst vs. But in this case considering that it must vndergoe the viewe aswell of foes as fauourers that as I am assured of fauourable acceptation amongst the godly yet as the sunne neuer vvanteth light the fyre heate or the srostie vvynter coldnes so haue there euer bene and vvyll be plentie of such vvho in steade of vvell deseruing do please them selues vvith vniust reproching of others labours In this respect as that I might content my selfe in accepting gladly any iust occasion to leaue some testimonie of a right thankfull heart for your Honours fauours many wayes vouchsafed me vvhereby I holde my selfe in the Lorde continually bounde to your Honorable house in all that I maye and in consideration vvherof vvhen other meanes be vvanting wherby to testifie the same I shall not cease I truste right humbly to commende your estate vnto the Lorde vvho hath promised to heare the iuste prayers of his seruauntes for the vvorthines of his Christ So haue I bene bolde to present the same vnto your Honour such as it is the rather hauing iust cause to perswade my selfe of your honorable acceptation and protection of vvhatsoeuer may profite the Church of God I haue also together deliuered to the print for the care I haue of my brethrens health a most notable and christian cōfortable letter vvritten by that notable member of the Church of God in his time M. Edward Dering to a godly christiā gētlewomā by which through the Lordes blessing I must needes confesse to haue gayned muche comfort as also mine hartie desire and hope is that others shall So that vvhile the vncleane and impure Atheistes frozen harted Papistes temporisers carnall Gospellers and infidels shall suppe out the measure of Gods iudgementes to the bottome vve vvell vvarranted in our Christian estate soundly directed in the right vse of the Lordes mysteries by the vvorde preserued in the extremities of sinne and in all lightned to the right application of the grace of Christ shall vvith inuincible constancie runne out the course that is set before vs and patiently vvayte for our deliueraunce euen the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ of vvhom it is vvritten that he shall appeare the seconde time vvithout sinne to saluation to them that vvayte for him VVhich that vve maye continually do our good God and Father graunt vnto vs by the speciall direction of his holy spirite of sanctification and grace and powre plentifully vpon your Honour those blessings vvhich speciallye concerne the aduauncement of his glory your Honours safetie both in body and
Christes righteousnes holynes innocencie and immortalitie and of all the merites of Christ and his whole glory For it is written The glory which thou gauest me I haue giuen them He also is made partaker with the Church and all the good that euer it or any member of it had hath or shall haue for there is in it a communion and fellowshippe of Saintes which we beleue and which hath wayting on it alwayes the forgiuenes of sinnes the rising agayne and eternall lyfe with God Qu. In examining our selues The third matter in examination what els must we looke for An. Our estate before the Churche The state of the faythfull before the Church wherein is required not onely that we forgiue from our hearts those that haue offended vs that we may haue an experience within our selues of Christes spirit and so glorifie God in our heartes by assurance of his mercy in forgiuing vs and accepting of vs in Christ As it is written Forgeue and you shall be forgiuen Math. 6. But also we muste seeke to be reconciled to them whom we haue offended As it is written Mat. 5.23 If thou offrest thy gyft vpon the alter and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought agaynst thee leaue there thy gifte and go and be reconciled first to thy brother and then come and offer thy gifte and this must not only be done of vs before we come to the Sacrament but also concerning prayer to the Lorde For it is written When you pray say thus Our father c Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse agaynst vs. Qu. But were it not better firste to doe these thinges that concerne Gods glory then to seeke reconcilement afterwardes for is not this to prefer to offices of charity before the worship of God and to set the the second table which cencerneth our brethren before the first which concerneth the Lorde him selfe An. As the heart of man is prone into the way of offence euen from the wombe and hath not any inclination of it selfe into the way of the Lord The naturall man hath an cuill heart so they in vain pretend to haue receiued eternall blessings from him by his spirite where there is not in some measure these the like fruites of the same spirite And the Lorde taxeth them as false pretenders to worship God which proudly coÌ„temn their brethren whoÌ„ they haue offeÌ„ded And vnder one kinde he setteth downe the outward exercises of the diuine worship wherby men ofteÌ„ times do more couÌ„terfet lines theÌ„ truly testify it which is the property of al hipocrits as it is seen in the pharasie Qu. The papistes in steede of all this say goe to the prieste and tell him all thy sinnes then come at Easter and receiue c. do you thinke it well An. No nothing of vs ought to bee accounted well done that is not done to the gloric of God Qu. Why they will say they doe it to the glorie of God and how can you prooue the contrarie An. There is no good thing vvithout the light of the vvorde Nothing can be done to the gloric of God without obedience There is no obedience without the worde so that I conclude nothing can bee done to the glory of God without the testemony of the worde But these vile immaginations be not only without the worde which were enough to throw them withall their good put poses intents down to the diuel in iudgment but that they may holde their interest in a deeper and more horrible vengeance they are directly agaynst the manifect testimonies of the worde of the Lorde First they will haue the people to confesse their sinnes to them The Scripture willeth vs to confesse our sinnes to the Lorde onely Dauid sayth Remember not Lorde the sinnes of my youth Psal 25.7 Psa 51.3 4. c. And agayne Agaynst thee O Lorde haue I sinned Also Luke teacheth vs by the example of the lost sonne to confesle our sinnes to the Lorde The Publicane sayde Luc. 15.1 Luc. 18.18 Lorde be mercifull to me a sinner And where the Priestes say they must confesse all the Prophet Dauid sayth Who can tell howe ofte hee offendeth Psal 19.12 Also where as they say they can forgiue sinnes Sooner sayde then proued they shew their fust condemnation namely that the diuell and sinne reigneth in them For if they can forgiue sinnes then Christ dyed in vayne But let God be euerlastingly true and the diuell and all Papistes lyers I euen I am he sayth the Lord that put away thine iniquities for mine owne sake Esa 43.23 and will no more remember thy sinnes Psal 3.8 Also whereas they alow the Sacrament to the people onely at Easter they do in that as in the rest for as they robbe the Lorde of his honour and put an holines in the time so all the other times of the yere wherein the Lorde sayth to the whole Church in respect of the Supper beeing a publike action Take ye eaâ—e ye the Papists say let the Priest eate it alone and let all the people gase looke on But be the Lords trueth neuer so playne ageynst this kind of superstitious receyuing the Lords Sacraments yet such force hath these deuises of the diuell to holde the vngodly in condemnation that you shall see many in many places and they not the least euen at this day The Popes friends which professe to ferue the Lord by seasons come once a yere to the Sacrament more for feare of the lawe then for loue to the Lord. who at Easter will come very deuoutly and all the yere after neuer a whit in whom the foule stenche of the diuels excrementes in these and the like practises of popery hath so forestalled their senses that there is no place in them for the sweete fauour of the worde of lyfe whose condemnation sleepeth not And for so muche as these and their Popish teachers hold vp an other doctrine then Christ hath taught vs we are warranted by the Apostle to holde them accursed Qu. What say you to the place of Saint Iames which thy alleage for eare confesseon Iames. 5.16 where he saith confesse your sinnes one to another An. Saint Iames in the wisedome of the holie Ghoste prouideth for the comfort of Gods chosen in the distresse of spirite thorough the conscience of sinne in which case he adutseth the Lords people to imparte them such greefe with some such of their brethren as in the wisedome of Gods spirite according to the folowwip of his hee may iustly hope both for such counsell in the warrantise of the word as his soul needeth and also may be strengthened by his feruent prayers to the Lord and so the words following proue for he saith Confesse your sinnes one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed c. Also if this gaue any strength to eare confession then must the prieste
any measure in the like heauinesse JT is true good maistres H. which the Spirite hath spoken and wee seele it by experience that by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdom of heauē This is a common decree whiche God hath sanctified to be a let for all his children So the author and finisher of our faith Iesus Christe himselfe was made perfect Into his similitude we are also predestinate that we should first die with him then be partakers of his glorie Let vs not therefore refuse that condition of life in whiche we haue the fellowship of al the Saints of God But rather confesse with the holy Apostle that blessed is the man who endureth temptation But because al afflictions are bitter for the present time when the minde is shaken with sorrowe it is then moste easily throwne downe of the enimie let vs learne wisely what our troubles are and be prepa red of remedie in the day of triall All our afflictions are ether according to the fleshe in hunger cold nakednes shame contēpt slander c. or according to the spirite in lamentations mournings which the world knoweth not The first euilles are easilie borne for they are all but vanitie and in vanity ther shall dye if we see no fauour in the sight of the Sun that shire not heare acceptable vnto vs when we haue paide the debt we owe vnto death the Lord then wil deliuer vs from al the iniuries of men But in this behalfe let me confirme my selfe God hath set you free from such afflictions your goodes are vnto you in a liberal portion your life made happie with a louing husband your calling acceptable vnder a gratious and good maistresse In whose sight you haue found fauour In this estate you shall feele no trouble therefore I let it passe The other affliction whithe is the spiritte and whiche can not bee resisted with anye earthlie blessing looke for it assuredly for it will come vnto you the you may suffer with Christ and reign with him in glorie These troubles they come many waies euē accordingly as God doth leade vs into life First we are commanded to learne and knowe the worde of God against this looke for many tentations the enimy will try which way to plucke that out of our hearts out of the worde we must learn a pretious faith hold that vmnouable before God against this what tentations are betweene heauen and earth you shall feele your portion if any thing possible can discourage you with faith you must ioine a liuelie hope which is a longing apprehensiō of gods glory in this also Satan wil pretermit nothing to quēch your affectiō the it may be dead to darken your mind the you may see nothing with out these you can not possiblie liue vnto these you can not possblie come but firste you shall feele what is the strength of sinne And yet notwithstanding faint not the Lion hath ouer come which is of the tribe of Iuda The force of the Serpent shall bruse our heele but it shall not take away from vs the head peece of saluation Learn therefore first the word of God this is the seede of regeneration by which we are made new creatures this is the bread of spirituall nourishment by which wee are growne vp into eternall life This is the weapon of our warfare by which we may wounde and driue away our enimies This is the scepter of our glo rious kingdome by which we do knowe the God doth reign in vs. Take this vnto you the shield of your defence the strengthe of your age the wisedome of your hearte and the safetie of your life cōmended vnto you in the word of Christ Search the Scriptures and seale it in your heart with a good persuasion that it is the word of God of life and he hath grauen in it an expresse image of eternall trueth Let it dwell plentifully within you and your hart is armed with a most strong defence all enimies shall fall before it the wisedome of the wise shall be brought to nought and the counsaile of the prudent shal be made foolishnes the waies of the aduersaries shall be scattered and the scorners seate shall be thrown down so true it is that the Lord hath spoken Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lorde and whose meditation is in it day night Let vs then bring downe the hawtinesse of our minds and receiue with meekenesse the word grafted in vs whiche can saue our soules To this desire of vnderstanding when God hath brought vs then let vs pray to be deliuered from tentation take heed we be not spoiled of so great a treasure we haue three especial enemies in this behalfe of which S. Paule biddeth vs al beware the one is Philosophy that is a vain curious searching of Gods misteries or measuring thinges reuealed according to our vnderstanding with which tentations whilest our fathers were ouercome they became foolish in their own imaginations and changed the glory of God into the likenes of a corruptible man making images praying to angelles immagining of soules like little children deuising purgatorie rea soning of Gods wiseddme aboue our capacitie As if we be predestinate we may liue as wee list if we are commanded to worke if our daies are numbred why seeke we any safetie to our life If the Angels do keep vs in all our waies that we shall not hurt our foote against a stone why feare we any falling these phantasies and worse then these disquiet our mindes and fight within vs against our humble obedience to the worde of God which all when we haue ouercome and said with the Prophet secrete things are for the Lorde but thinges reuealed for vs and our children yet we haue no peace A second enimie riseth vp greater then the first which S. Paul calleth the traditions of men for the heart of man which drinketh in error as the grounde doth drinke water is very obstinately bound with old customes and long continuaunce measuring trueth which is pure holy onely by time which is corrupt and euil not only this but nature also hath inflamed our affections to loue to muche our fathers waies to like their opinions to esteeme their iudgements to prayse their doings to commend their rage to talk of their names til throgh many entisemēts we are at last bewitched our wisdome is stollen away and trueth is taken from vs by this meanes all corruptions which haue ouerflowed the earth haue still wide roomes in the hearts of many the Popes supremacie latine seruice praier for the dead Masses diriges pardons pilgrimages sensing all poperie with the Authors of it Popes Cardinals Monks Friers all which haue neither trueth nor shadow of truth not one word of them in al the gospel of Christ only old custome hath bred it in our benes an opinion of our fathers hath printed it in our brests
we wil not cast it out but the Lorde be thanked who hath had mercie vppon vs to make hold fast the word of truth what soeuer our fathers haue vainely taught vs And yet we are not in securitie But a third enimie is in the hart of man that the word of God may not haue his perfect honor and that is an opinion conceiued of earthly thinges planting of holines in corruptile creatures As in meates drinkes daies garmentes conditions of life places times Cerimonies neither hearing our Sauiour Christ that God is a spirite and onelie he is to be worshipped in spirite and trueth neither his Apostle Paule that the element of that world commend vs not vnto God for neither if we eate are wee euer the worse neither if we eate not are we euer the better These many and great tentations stand against vs assoone as wee woulde giue our selues to the word of God which is the beginning of a christian life Trowe you that in the continuance of our course and iorney before we come at our sauiour Christ shall we not be sifted and tried to see what is within vs. And you good mystresse H. to apply this to your selfe tell me howe you haue learned Christe hath his gospell bene peaceable in you from the first day til now without all contradiction was your minde neuer puffed vp in vaine imaginations did the traditions and persuasions of men neuer shake your thought haue you not ben tēpted w e opinions of creatures as though some wer more holy some more prophane I knowe as you long after Christ desire his trueth in single heart so his grace you haue not without sharp bitter trials and the more freely the word of God shall possesse your soule and fill your hart full with all desire of it the more you shall feele what fight is againste it looke for the like in all your life and when you approche to the true feare of God prepare youre hearte to the strongest assault The word of God thus made knowen vnto vs and when we follow it with all our soule that we maye haue a liuely fayth to reioyce at the promises of God to feare at his threatning and feele a full perswasion of a certayne performance of all his words O Lorde what is the malice of Satan and though many temptations are against vs the long prosperities of the wicked in which they triūph whiles the goodnes of God prouoketh thē still to repentaunce the bitter sighing of the godly in which they mourne vnder many crosses whiles God maketh their fayth precious before him these haue rooted quite out of the hearts of the vngodly the fayth and truth which they owe vnto God so that agaynst all his iudgementes they haue opened their mouths and said aloude Where is the promise of his cōming and against all his mercies they haue proclaymed warre and sayde they will not haue Christ to reigne ouer them But these temtations Christ hath ouercome in vs and giuen vs his spirite in which we know assuredly that the Lord reigneth neither slacketh he his comming as many accounte slacknes but he will come and his glory shall be knownen And yet we are not in peace but Satan wil sift vs another way He will lay our sinnes before vs to make vs feare that the promises of God belong not vnto vs and this of all temptations is the greatest yet we feare not for what belongeth to all our sinnes which Christe hath not borne sorowe sicknes death hel condemnation were they not in his body and are they not all crucified vppon the Crosse Is he not risen from them and hath he not broken the chaynes of death and so is ascended vnto glory If this be my feare because I am a sinner rather let me reioyce for Christ hath takē my sinnes vpon him and hath buried them deeper then the bottome of the sea he hath ledde it openly in triumph and nayled it vppon the crosse from henceforth and for euermore It hath no strength whosoeuer secme to colour it as redde as scarlet or make it like purple it is still nothing and casteth but a vayue terror before our eyes we will neuer deny this but freely confesse it that we be miserable sinners and not worthy to lifte vp our eyes to heauen but who will lay our sinnes to our charge now god hath iustified vs Or what sinne can rest vpon vs now Christ hath washed them away That which once was in fight with Christ and he hath ouercome it who shall set to his hande the seconde time to make the victorie perfect This is true and euerlasting trueth hath sealed it vp that sinne is abolished for euer and euer howsoeuer we feare or tremble or be faynt harted yet before the Lorde with whom our life is hid there is no perill no daunger no fcare but peace and righteousnes without ende Let our sinnes be neuer so great neither we nor our sinnes can chaunge the new testament that God is mercifull to our sinnes and will blot out all our transgressions therefore this care is paste that our sinnes be many the more they are the greater is his mercy who hath forgiuen them And this is the token which God hath giuen vs that we are his because we are greeued with our sinnes for our Sauiour Christe ouercame sinne with paynes sufferings which belong vnto it and this is the badge of our redemption to be made like him in afflictions we haue sinne and abhorre it it woundeth vs with feare it setteth before vs condemnation we haue a sence and feeling of Gods anger agaynst it and hell gnaweth vpon our soules because of transgression O blessed state and treasure of gladnes this was the image of Christ when he ouercame sinne a marke of my redemption in my owne flesh that I should not faynt As the sunne maketh the day and the night darknes so this affliction of sinne is the badge and cognisaunce of our certayne forgiuenes And herein see the goodnes of God which turneth all things to the best to those that loue him Through feare of sinne the diuell fighteth agaynst vs without feare of sinne we could neuer haue boldnes through anguish of heart the diuell woulde ouerwheline vs with sorrowe without anguish of heart we coulde neuer haue ioye In feeling Gods anger the diuel would make vs to dispayre without feeling his threatning and trembling before him we could neuer haue strength of fayth that his mercies are for euer In all sufferings I am like to Christ they are the markes of mine addoption that I am hys childe do we not heare the Lord him selfe doth speake If we be without correction then are we bastardes and not sonnes and to shewe what our correction shall be he sayth in another place If we be planted with him into the similitude of his death then shall we also be partakers of his resurrection Who hath heard so great salnation as this Euery weapon
wherewith the enimie striketh the same armeth vs to greater saluation and euery wounde that we do receiue the same confirmeth vs to a suter life Then before as I sayde care not for sinne for that is abolished so here I may adde Care not for hell for the nearer we feele it the further we are from it Let them feare sinne that feele it not and let them be afrayde of condemnation that knowe not what it is vpon whom destruction shall come sodenly as an armed man Our eyes haue be kept waking and we haue seene our sinnes our harts haue fainted before the anger of the Lorde and wee haue not despised his heauenly calling therefore in the daye of trouble we shall haue rest In this perswasion we will liue and dye and if our soules should melt for feare within vs although the Lord should kill vs yet would we trust in him Abraham beleeued in the Lorde and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes against hope he beleeued vnder hope and if our hoye seemed to be takeÌ„ from vs yet would we patiently wayte the Lordes leasure vutill we saue our hope agayne that at the least our fayth might haue agayne the glorye and trueth of full assuraunce An other thing we must labour in and in an other thing we shall haue temptation and that is that we may see what is the glorie of God and immortall life herein lette vs meditate in our beddes and thinke on this in our secret places in the middest of companies let these cogitatioÌ„s be often in our heartes and in all places let these be out mâ—ses when we shall apprehende with all the seruauntes of God what is the height the bredth the length the depth we shall know that the glory is great of immortalitie and he is onely to be belecued who shall shine in honour when this vanitie is ouerpast His strength is great that layde the foundations of the worlde and bys brightnes exceeding that made the Sunne and the Moone His treasure and ritches are aboue measure who hath giuen princes their golde siluer and other precious stones for the honour of man he in deed is of excellent maiesty who is king of kings Lord of Lords his power is aboue all who maketh sicknesse his messengers and death his minister till he shal abolish them both for his mercies are vnspeakable that forgineth vs all our sinnes his goodnes is great who hath had regard to the children of men From nothing be brought vs into life he kept vs from the graue he wil restore vs make vs see his glory When I would think on this my soule is compassed with dulnes of flesh that I cannot see the fulnes of his fauour When I would consider in my heart what is his grace darknes ouershaddoweth mine vnderstaning all my thoughts do vanish in his immortality WheÌ„ I would speak of al his louing kindnes my toung cleaueth to the roote of my mouth and my words stick fast within my lippes But this one thing in al mine infirmities I can perceiue that his glorie is exceeding great whose glorie I can not comprehend the life is long appointed vnto man where his heart and minde can see no end If al the world were a flowing water and euery yeare one drop shoulde be deminished the Sea should be all made dry and the bottomes of the deepe shoulde appeare before he shall ceasse to liue whome God hath raised from the dead and this breadth widenesse betweene heauen and earth if it shoulde be filled vp and cuerie yeare but one handful of earth added to the work yet sooner should the great distance be closed vp the emptie places made full then he shall cease from ioy and gladnes who shal stand in the resurrection of the iust This is the glorie that hath neither spot nor blemishe before which me thincketh not only princesse the glory of the world but the Sun and Moone all the hostes of heauen are nothing else but meere vanitie for death shaddoweth the glorie of man though hee spread his branches neuer so farre yet the graue closeth vp in little roome the ambitious heart which before was enlarged from East to West And the heauens that are high free from death yet are holden vnder the tyranny of enuious and consuming time in which they shall be changed onely the Lorde is in honour and maiestie who hath set eternity rounde aboute him cast out time vnto confusion Oh Lorde where are their eyes that say not this or their hearts that see and regard it not who hath be witched them in the countenances of meÌ„ to carry the hearts of beasts and to forget the latter ende The Lord turne them the run astray the they may know see wher is their glorie but the teÌ„ptations haue ouertaken them which are against our hope when the Lord shall deliuer them from euil they shal giue thee thankes and reioice with vs that they also haue eyes to see And blessed are you good mystres H. and God hath visited you in an acceptable time whose heart he hath touched with feare whose affections he hath filled with hunger and thirst that you should mourn for the redemption that is in Christe and be pleased with nothing but with the grace of his countenance This is a schoolmystres to bring you vnto him a bond to tye you fast that you shal not be seperate And accomplishe I beseeche you this good worke of his grace till you loue the Lorde withall your heart and till you can say with the blessed Apostle I desire to be desolued and to be with Christ For this purpose we are chastised of the Lorde and when our faith is tried at the last it shall be made strong that w e it wee may quench al the firie darts of Sattan and in righteousnes and peace and ioy of the holy Ghost runne the course that is set before vs till in a blessed issue of happy daies with a good spirite wee maye say boldly Lorde nowe lettest thou thy seruaunte departe in peace whiche I beseeche GOD the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the God of mercâ— and Father of all consolation graunte vnto you Amen Pray pray pray pray this is your best seruice wheresoeuer your duetie is most bounde