of kindnes of humility of meeknes of longsuffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarel with another euē as Christ hath forgiuen you Loue one another 1. Ihon 10 as God hath loued you For herein is the difference betwene the children of God and the children of the deuil wherein ye may be knowne to be the true disciples of Christ Ye are al members of one body Iho. 13.35 let there be no diuision or parts-taking among you 1. Cor. 12 25 but feele the afflictions of those that weepe to weepe with them and to comfort them reioyce with those that reioyce to praise God with them If yee be the Citizens of the City Ierusalem wil haue a sure dwelling in it walke in integritie Psal 15 labour to deale iustly speake the truth from your harts keepe you from slandering couetousnes and all other corruption Acknowledge in al men the image of God whereunto you owe honor loue and in your brethren acknowledge the renuing of this image Gala. 6.10 and the brotherly coniunction in Christ in doing good to al men 1. Pet. 4.10 loue honor and help especially those that are of the houshold of faith Ye are debtors to your neighbors of all that ye haue 1. Pet. 4.8 or are able to do to be disposers of it with condition that ye render to God an account Iam. 1.19 Honor the graces of God in your brethren and couer their infirmities by charitie be quicke to heare but slowe to speake and slow to wrath For the wrath of man worketh not that which is righteous in the sight of God Do not desire hope or imagine any other means to prosper by thā by the blessing of God And do not looke that hee stould aduaunce by the ayde of his blessing that which he hath accursed by his mouth So go forward in the amendment of your liues that this day may passe yesterday Seale to the puritie of the doctrine with the holines of your life that the ignorant seing your blameles conuersatiō 1. Pet. 2.12 esteming you by your good workes may glorifie God and imbrace the gospel with you Luke 7.1 when it shall please GOD to call them Haue mind of that great curse pronoūced by the high Iudge 2. Cor. 13 11 against such as offend any of the very least Furthermore reioyce in the Lord indeuour to be perfect be comforted be of one consent liue in peace Phil. 2.13 and the God of loue and peace shall be with you But as it is God which worketh in vs both to will in worke to accomplish according to his good pleasure 6. To pray to God So aboue all thinges imploy your selues to pray feruently continually Prayer saith Chrysostome is the soule of our souls For it also is the soule which quickneth al the actions of the children of God It was the lifting vp of Moses hands to heauen Exo. 17.11 which strengthned Iosuah his army gaue him victorie ouer the Amalckites And in deede without the grace of God the which we obtaine by prayer all that we do is but vanitie Faith is the key that openeth the coffers of the treasures of our God Prayer is the hand to draw it out to inrich our selues Prayer lifteth vp our hearts from earth to heauen it renueth the memorie of the promises of God to confirme vs it assureth vs against all that wee can feare it obtaineth all that we can desire It giueth rest and contentment to our soules It keepeth and strengtheneth the feare to offend God It increaseth the desire to go vnto him whom in praying we feele to be the spring and heape of all good things It ingendreth in vs a stedfast despising of the world and renouncing of the flesh it representeth vnto vs the heauenly and euerlasting felicitie that we may aspire to the inioying of them There is nothing to bee more desired than to be conuersant with him without whome we can not be happy But he that wil alwayes be with GOD he must alwaies eyther pray or reade For when we pray we talke with God and when wee reade Aug. in Psal 85. God talketh with vs. The more we are exercised in prayer to God the more we increase in godlines Therefore also we may not be weary or faint-hearted in prayer although the Lord deferre to make vs feele the fruite of our prayers For we haue a promise of him that can not lie that whatsoeuer we aske of GOD in the name of Iesus Christ it shal be giuen vs. If he deferre for some time to make vs feele the fruit of our praiers it is for our greater benefite Let vs continue still and waight knowing assuredly that he who according to his fatherly loue bounty desireth our good can according to his infinite power giue that which we aske of him and according to his truth will hear vs he also according to his wisdōe knoweth the fittest time as is before said and the meanes most apt to make vs feele the fruite of our praiers When we aske of God saith S. Bernard euen those thinges that concerne this present life our praiers are not so soone gone out of our mouth but they are written in his booke and we ought saith he to be assured that hee will either giue the thing it selfe which we haue asked or other things which hee knoweth to bee more profitable for vs. To conclude Praier is the most mightie and fruitfull worke of charitie seeing by it we helpe our neighbors present absent knowen and vnknowen great and little and that both with spirituall and corporall good things drawing by our praiers the blessing of God vpon them And in this confidence my very deare and worshipfull Brethren I will continue in this dutie and office of charitie earnestlie to pray to God for you and particularlie I will water with my praiers to God this Exhortation which I haue directed vnto you beseeching him with all my heart that beeing comforted and strengthened thereby in the doctrine of the truth which yee haue receiued yee may continue constantly in it sealing it by the works of godlinesse and charitie comforting your selues in the Lord in that yee are his welbeloued Children in Iesus Christ and surmounting al temptations and assaults to the ende that by the power of the holy Ghost departing Conquerors out of all conflicts ye may attaine at the last to the crowne of glorie which God hath prepared to all his childrē 1. Thess 5.23 through Iesus Christ our Lord. Now the GOD of peace sanctifie you throughout and preserue your whole spirit and soule and bodie blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ He that hath called you is faithfull who also will doo it I also beseech you my brethren to imploy your seiues more and more in feruent and continuall praiers for the preseruation prosperitie and
whom by good right we should loue more than our selues See then more than a sea of ioy proceeding from the happines of the seruants of God Let vs now vnderstand the great deapth of ioy which we shall feele entering into the ioye of our Lord. The cause why wee should loue God saith Saint Bernard is God him selfe Bernard in tract de diligendo deo And the measure which wee ought to keepe in this loue is to loue him without measure and so infinitlie But according to that wee knowe him 1. Cor. 13.12 we loue him But now we knowe him but in part and as it were in darknes euen so very little and obscure is the loue which we beare him But when wee shall knowe him as he is wee shall loue him according as he is What shall our loue bee towards him then 1. Cor. 15.24 when Iesus Christ hauing giuen ouer his kingdome to God his Father God the Father the Sonne and the Holie ghost one onlie God 1. Cor. 15.28 shall bee all things in this man Iesus Christ and in vs and when wee shall knowe him as hee is beholding the brightnes of his face and his Godhead then raigning immediatly in vs filling vs with all happines Without doubt this contemplation of the glory of the diuine maiestie shal bring forth in vs an infinite loue towards God Now to returne to the meditation of Saint Augustine if according to that we loue each one wee should reioyce of his happines Then as in this blessed felicitie each one of vs shall loue God without comparison more than himselfe and more than all the Angels and elect with vs so shall we feele more ioy without comparison of the blessednes and glorie of God than of our owne or of al the Angels and the elect with vs. And if then wee shall loue God with all our heart with all our soule with all our vnderstanding yet so as al our hart al our vnderstanding and all our soule shall not be capable of the excellencie of this loue Surelie wee shall so feele ioy with all our heart with all our vnderstanding and with all our soule as yet all our heart al our vnderstanding and all our soule shall not bee able to comprehend the fulnes of this ioye Howsoeuer it bee then that this full ioy yea more than full through the greatnes of it whereof all our heart all our vnderstanding all our soule shall not be capable cannot enter into vs It shall remaine that we filled with the sea of ioye of the felicitie of the Angels and of all the elect shall enter into this great deapth of ioye proceeding from the contemplation of the glorie of our God And this shal be the ioy of the Lord Matth. 25.21 into which all his faithfull seruants shall enter Now when this felicitie so great and ioy incomprehensible shall indure so manie yeares as there bee drops of water in the sea Of the eternitie of the life to come or graines of sand in the whole earth yet should not this be a perfect happines For howsoeuer the continuance shall seeme to vs infinite yet the end will once come And indeed the drops of water and the graines of the sand are numbred before God But this our felicitie and ioy shal last without end Such shall bee the life euerlasting As also Saint John saith Apoc. 22.5 1. Tim. 1.17 we shall raigne in heauen world without end We shall bee the kingdome of that immortall king whom Esai calleth the father of eternitie Esai 9.6 who hath promised life and immortalitie to those that shall beleeue the Gospell 2. Tim. 1.10 Also death shall then bee swallowed vp into victorie The author and prince of life 1. Cor. 15.45 hauing vanquished the diuell Act. 3.15 who had the rule ouer death shall make vs partakers of the life that is euerlasting And as we shall be vnited to the fountaine of life Heb. 2.14 Apoc. 21.6 so shall it run in vs eternallie For as the fountain of this life which we shall inioy hath no beginning so the life that procedeth from it shall haue no end The mercie of GOD saith S. Bernard is from eternitie to eternitie vppon those that feare him from eternitie because of the predestination to eternitie because of the glorification The one hath no beginning the other hath no ending This therefore shall be a happines incomprehensible for the greatnes and infinite for the eternitie of it Behold also how we shall then inioy a ful and perfectioy Ioh. 16.22 which shal neuer be taken away from vs. Now this life is promised and assured to all the children of God in as much as they are heires of God the fountaine of life Rom. 8.17 Psal 36.10 Ioh. 14.6 Ioh. 3.15 coheires and members of Iesus Christ who is the way the trueth and the life who also hath so oftē protested that whosoeuer beleeueth in him he hath life euerlasting Ioh. 6. Let vs conclude then that the children of God are truelie and onlie blessed being assured to inioye this great and incomprehēsible happines of life euerlasting which is purchased promised and kept for them in Iesus Christ our Lord. How we shall knowe that we are the children of God CAP. 2. OF this conclusion it followeth that there is no greater ioy or contentmēt in this present life or any thing more sure or more necessarie for the happie ouercomming the difficulties of it thā to knowe and feele that wee are the children of God For this foundation being laid wee ought to bee assured that whatsoeuer shall happen vnto vs can bee none other than the blessing of a father and so consequentlie a meane aide and way disposed by his prouidence either to leade vs vnto life euerlasting or to increase our glorie in it True it is that GOD onelie knoweth his owne 2. Tim. 2.19 whom hee hath chosen before the foundation of the world to bee his children 2. markes of our adoption Yet there are two principall meanes by which he giueth vs to vnderstand who are his children the one is outward by markes visible vnto men the other is inward by testimonies which he that is the child of GOD feeleth in himselfe The outward marke lieth in this Of the outward mark that we be mēbers of the church of Christ Now wee call that the church of Christ in which the word of God is trulie preached the Sacramēts are purelie ministred and one onelie God is called vpon in the name of his onelie sonne Iesus Christ Matth. 13. First this Church is often called the kingdome of heauen because that by it wee enter in thether so that it is as it were the suburbs or the gate of it Whereof it followeth that being the true members of the Church we are in the way and forwardnes to enter make our abode in heauen Mat. 21.13 It is also
for vs in heauen and to giue vs euerlasting enioying of them as when wee are depriued of them being persecuted for his name And that which more is when wee feele weakenes in faith negligence to heare the worde of GOD coldnesse in charitie impatience in our afflictions and we hauing asked of God graces cōtrarie vnto these feele no amendment his wil is to make vs feele that these graces are the gifts of God seeing we haue them not when we will and that he wil keepe vs in humilitie by the feeling of our infirmities and trie our patience faith in waighting patiently vntill hee make vs feele the fruite of our praiers I thinke well wilt thou say that those that pray vnto God feruentlie and continue constantlie in such praiers haue therin testimonies that they are the children of God are assured to be heard But what comfort may I take therein seeing my praiers are so colde and with so litle feeling of zeale faith required in them But is it not in the name of Iesus Christ that thou prayest And it is for the loue of his welbeloued Sonne Ioh. 16.23 our aduocate and mediatour that God heareth vs and not for the excellencie of our praiers It is as it were Exo. 28.38 by the mouth of Iesus Christ that we present our praiers to God to be sanctified by him and acceptable to God for his sake in whom he hath delight Mat. 17.5 Satan the enemie of our praiers by the feeling of this infirmitie would make thee leaue praying to thy God Resist thē this tēptation Thinke that it is not a thing indifferent or left in thy liberty to pray to God or not Mat. 6.9 God hath cōmāded thee to pray 1. Th. 5.17 thou owest him obedience it is an honour he requireth of thee thou canst not denie it him Mat. 22.37 God cōmandeth thee to loue him with al thy hart Wilt thou say I will not loue God at all because I loue him so coldly I will help the poore no more because I cannot doo it with a feruent charitie To conclude what infirmitie or coldnes soeuer thou feelest thou art bound to pray and to continue in thy dutie Ro. 12.12 In the mean time acknowledge thy infirmitie and in thy prayers aske double pardon first of thy sinnes which thou hast committed before secondly for this sinne that thou prayest to God so negligently See how GOD supporting the infirmitie of thy prayers will smell a sweete sauour of them as incense offered by our high Priest Iesus Christ Psal 141.2 and shall make thee at last feele the fruite of thy praiers Manie cōplaine of another infirmitie that hardly they begin their praiers but in stead of thinking of God of that which they aske of him their minde is wandring other where And for this they are vexed and troubled and in truth it is a great infirmitie for the which we ought gretly to be displeased with our selues Notwithstanding it is common to all the children of God in general Chrisostome reproouing those of his time for this infirmitie sheweth quickly the first originall and after the remedie Chrisost Homil. of the Canaanit Mat. 13 Whence commeth this saith he that if we talke of warre of merchandize or of other things of the world wee can discourse a great while without thinking of anie other thing and so soone as wee set our selues to praye vnto God our mindes wander It is because the Diuel knoweth well that in speaking of things of this world thou deost him no hurt therefore he suffereth thee to talk at thy pleasure but when he seeth that thou settest thy selfe vpon thy knees to pray to God he knoweth that thou goest to procure that which is against his heart to the ruine of his kingdōe Therfore he thrusts himself in by by trobling drawing thy thoughts hither thither to hinder the fruite of thy praiers Say then to satan who is hard by thee and fighteth against thee go behind me satan for I must pray to my God And if hee bee importunate yet must thou pray to god to driue him away frō thee So thinking to whom thou speakest to wete to the Maiestie of God and how great things thou askest of him be displeased with thy infirmity fight against it lifting vp thy hands to heauen cōtinue in praier and doo it so much the more couragiouslie and constantlie for that satan feareth nothing more thā the praiers of the children of God showeth sufficiently in going about to troble and turn away their mindes to other things that he feeleth himselfe hindred by their praiers and that hee feareth the fruite of them On the other side if it happen that by affliction either of body or of spirite thou art so cast downe that thou cast not make a framed praier vnto God bee not discouraged for that for at the least thou canst desire thine owne health saluation There is neither sicknes nor yet tyrant that can let thee to desire now desire is praier before God saith Saint Augustine according whereunto Dauid saith that God heareth the desire of the humble Psal 10.17 Say thou then with Dauid Lord all my desire is before thee Psa 38 10. and the sighs of my thoughts are not hid from thee Ezechias King o Iuda in his affliction Esai 38.14 could not distinctly pray vnto God but chattered as a Crane or a Swallowe and mourned as the Doue yet so lifting vp his eyes on high hee was heard What prayer maketh the little Infant to his mother Hee weepeth and cryeth not beeing able to expresse what hee lacketh The Mother offereth him the breast or giueth him some other thing such as shee thinketh his necessitie requireth Much more then the heauenly father heedeth the sighes the groanes the desires and teares of his children and dooing the office of a Father he heareth them and prouideth for them The 4. temtation because of the little increas of grace by the exercises of religion Mat. 13.19 There are some also that doubt of their adoption saluation because they feele not anie comfort or increase of the graces of GOD neither by reading or hearing the word neither by communicating at the holie Supper of the Lord. Now if thou feele thy selfe afflicted and troubled in this respect vnderstand that when thou goest to employ thy selfe in these spirituall excrcises satan followeth thee to make it vnsauerie to thee yea and to take out of thy minde the word of GOD that thou hast heard Pray then to GOD that he driue him away from thee Secondlie this commeth forasmuch as thou art not yet much accustomed to the language of the holie Ghost so as it is to thee as if thou didst heare an excellent sermon but of one whose language thou didst scarce vnderstand whereby thou canst neither feele taste nor pleasure and so thou canst receiue but small pro sit
Christ had said blessed are they which suffer for righteousnes sake he addeth as a reason 2. For the promises 1. Of the kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.10 For theirs is the kingdome of heauen They that through zeale and charitie imploye themselues to maintaine the innocencie and right of an other and aboue all the trueth of God incurre ordinarilie the hatred of the world lifting vp it selfe against them to bring them to ruine But let them comfort themselues for what can they leese seeing the kingdome of heauen is theirs and cannot bee taken from them Yea farther seeing these persecutions assure them and prepare them to come thether Iesus Christ addeth that wee are blessed Mat. 5.12 and that wee ought to skip for ioye when anie iniurie is offered vs either in word or deed 2. For the reward lying on vs for his names sake For your reward saith he is great in heauen Note that he saith in heauen for it shall be speciallie in the life to come that we shall receiue it Yet notwithstanding in an other place he promiseth recompence in this present life 1. In this life For marke what he speaketh to his Apostles Mar. 10.29 Verelie I say vnto you that there is none that shall forsake house or brethren or sisters fathers mothers or wife or children or lands for the loue of me and of the Gospell which shall not now in this world receiue an hundred folde as much houses brethren sisters fathers mothers children and lands with persecution and in the world to come life euerlasting Now the purpose of Iesus Christ is to teach vs that when by persecution it shall happen that wee shall be constrained to forsake father mother brothers sisters and lands he will giue vnto vs in that poore vile and base estate cansed through persecution more ioye contentment and happines than if wee had recouered an hundred fathers for one and an hundred times as much lands and possessions as was taken from vs. And experience maketh the faithfull to feele the trueth of this promise And we should feele it much more aboundantlie if the mouth of our faith were greater But yet in this weakenes of faith doo not we knowe that the wicked in their aboundance are poore and wee in our pouertie are rich Their couetousnes is insatiable and like vnto fire which the more wood you put on the greater it is As for vs wee finde contentment and rest in the prouidence of GOD which neuer forsooke those that put their trust in him In the time of Eliah 1. King 17. manie had greater store of foode than the widdowe of Sarepta vnto whom he was sent but she hauing this blessing of the Lord that the oyle failed not in the cruse nor the flowre in the barrell she had more than the richest in the countrie As he that hath a spring of running water in his house may say that hee is more assured and hath more plentie of water than he that hath it in a cesterne and that all broken Besides this great happines that we feele our selues to be the children of God that being pilgrimes in this world the end of our voyage is to come to heauen which also wee see open and Iesus Christ reaching out his hands vnto vs to gather vs into his glorie giueth vs more contentment without comparison in eating of bread and drinking of water than the vnfaithfull haue in all delicates hauing nothing in their hearts but the world and the earth and liuing or rather languishing in continuall feare to be sodainlie depriued of all that wherein they set their whole felicitie This is it which Dauid noteth Psal 37.10 saying A little that the righteous hath is more worth than the great aboundance of the wicked Yea the verie ordinary experience teacheth vs that GOD prouideth for our necessities both more aboundantlie than euer we looked for also by such meanes as we neuer thought accomplishing in his children persecuted that which Saint Paule saith 1. Tim. 4.8 That godlines hath the promise of this present life and of the life to come If then as it is said the contented bee rich and that it is not the aboundance which giueth this contentment but the feeling that wee are the children of a father that is almightie which loueth vs with a loue incomprehensible in his beloued sonne who hath taken vpon him to make vs happie It must needes followe that euen in this life we recouer an hūdred times as much as we haue lost through persecution And who is he that can doubt if he carefullie meditate this sentence of Saint Paule Rom. 8.31 He that hath loued vs so much as he gaue his owne and onlie sonne vnto the death for vs much more shall he giue vs all other things with him And indeede seeing wee are the members brethren of him whom God hath appoynted the vniuersall heire of all things let vs not doubt but that all things are ours As also the goods of the house appertaineth to the pupils although the Tutor gouerne it and giueth it them by portion and that which is more hee shall sometimes appoint to euery one his diet according to that which by the coūsell of the Phisition shall bee thought fit Mat. 6.33 And indeede if wee seeke first the kingdom of God and his righteousnes Let vs not doubt following the promise of Iesus Christ but that all other things shall be added In the meane time we must especially lift vp our vnderstanding to the reward promised in the life euerlasting For true it is that besides this contentment whereof wee haue spoken God to shew that it hapneth not for lacke of power to enrich his children that pouertie and other afflictions do often follow and accompanie the profession of the Gospell dooth oftentimes dispose that they which haue forsaken father mother their worldly goods for the name of Iesus Christ finde afterwardes many which serue them for fathers and mothers and obtaine after greater possessions in following the Gospell than they had before Alwayes this is not the purpose of Christ to haue vs to rest vpon so bare recompence as to giue vs goods which are common to the wicked and the infidels Saint Paule proposeth to the bondslaues of men for recompence of their faithfull seruice Col. 3.24 the inheritance of Heauen The children then of the house of God shold do thēselues great wrong to looke for at the hands of a Father so mightie so rich so liberall earthlie and transitorie riches other commodities of the flesh Hee esteemeth it not agreeable to his greatnes nor to the anguishes and trauailes of those which haue forsaken father mother their goods and their life for his seruice to giue them things so vaine to the ende that they should not set their mindes thereon thinking that their felicitie lay in them The Master of a house who keepeth his inheritance for his Sonne doth not thinke
honor Act. 22.20 calling him the Martyr of Iesus Christ And S. Iohn maketh mention of Antipas Reu. 2.13 whome hee calleth a faithful Martyr of Christ And in the same booke of the Reuelation he saith that he saw the great whore drunk with the bloud of the Saints Reu. 17.6 with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus In like manner the apostle to the Hebrues hauing recited how many faithful had bin mocked scourged cut in peeces stoned Heb. 11. 12. otherwise persecuted he addeth that in them wee haue as it were a cloude of martyrs or witnesses cōpassing vs round about and exhorting vs to follow constantly their exāple The Apostles did well vnderstand and confesse this honor who after they had been publikelie whipped for the name of Iesus Christ Act. 5.40 they went before the councel reioycing that they had this honour to suffer reproach for his name And indeed when when we indure persecution to maintaine the glorie the authoritie and the truth of Christ against Antichrist and his supposts it is as if Iesus Christ shuld borrowe our goods our renowme our bloud our life to serue for autenticall seales most sure witnesses that cannot faile of the right and the glorie that appertaineth vnto him And what are we poore wormes of the earth that the eternall Sonne of GOD the King of Kings and Lord of Lords shall doo vs this honor to put his glorie as it were into our handes to bee the keepers and defenders of it against those that would spoile him of it And heere let vs consider the incomprehensible wisedome and goodnes of God towards vs. The most perfect offend God daylie and one onely sinne be it neuer so little to our iudgement deserueth death and euerlasting condemnation then it is yet more than the losse of our goods the corporall life Now in stead of exercising his iust iudgements vpon vs hee doth vs this honour that it which wee endure which is not the thousand part of that wee haue deserued chaungeth the nature and instead of beeing the punishment of sinne God imputeth it as a most excelent seruice for the maintenance of his glorie But yet there is more 2. Frute the glorie of God declaclaring and accomplishing his power in our infirmitie and shewing his goodnes and the trueth of his promises first toward euery faithfull For what are wee to suffer willinglie The loue of riches ambition the plesure of fleshly commodities the affectiō toward father mother wife children aboue al to this life is so strong and vehement in vs that in stead of renouncing them for Christ we renounce Christ and his Kingdome to entertaine vs. And experience sheweth this too much We are also so very impatient and daintie when there is any question of suffering that if we should but onely snuffe a candle with our fingers we wet them with our spittle that wee might not feele the fire of that small snuffe which yet we throw from our fingers in al haste and how then should we abandon our bodies to the death entring quicke into the fire to be there consumed if God did not strengthen vs supernaturally Howe shoulde wee maintaine his trueth against the supposts of Antichrist if the spirit of his father the which he promised vs Mat. 10.19 20 did not worke mightily in vs Then when we see these vessells so fraile and weake to surmount the threatnings of kings the apprehension of fire the assaults of Antichrists supposts and the temptations proceeding from father mother wife and children are not these so many testimonies of a wonderfull and mighty grace and power of God which fortifieth them and maketh them victorious against Sathan the worlde and the flesh I can doo all things sayth Saint Paule through Christ who strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 2. Cor. 12 10 And in an other place I reioyce sayth he in infirmities in iniuries in necessities in persecutions in anguishes for christ For whē I am weake then am I strong euen thorough the might and power of Christ which shewed it selfe and was made perfect thorough his weaknesse as hee had saide before So then this constancie this faith this zeale other vertues which God communicateth by his free goodnes to his elect are manifest by persecutions which otherwise shoulde bee hid As in running the course the agility or swiftnes of the horse is known the strength of a mā in the combat the sauour of many drugges in rubbing or brusing of them or casting them into the fire as we see in the incense The Starres saith Saint Bernard which appeare not by day shine in the night Bernar. in Can. so the vertue that is hid in prosperitie sheweth it selfe in aduersitie Now 2. Toward the body of the church this which wee haue saide of the power of GOD shewing it selfe in the infirmitie of his children to his glorie is seene also in the bodie of the Church which ordinarily is so poore so weake so little holpen at the handes of men that if GOD did not sustaine it it shoulde quickly be swallowed vp Then when we see it so mightelie assailed by the potentates of this worlde conspiring her ruine by so many forces and slights and by so many heretiks doth not God in the guiding deliuering and preseruing of it shewe that it is hee himselfe and he alone which maintaineth and defendeth it And that his power and wisedome is woonderfull in preseruing it against so many enemies and that his truth is certaine in accōplishing that which he hath promised vs of being with his Church vntill the end of the world And that it is he which is the stone cut out without hand which hath broken Mat. 28.29 Dan. 2.34 and dooth still breake the great image representing the empires and kingdomes of the worlde Which to shew vnto vs more liuely oftentimes he so disposeth that leaning vpon the strength of men she hath beene throwen downe and being throwen downe God hath lift her vp againe without meanes and beyond all hope of man that all men may know that the preseruation of the Church is not the worke of Man but indeede the very worke of God Iudg. 7.2 As also the Lord declareth to Gedeon this his intent commaunding him to abate his army There is too many people with thee sayth the Lord that I shoulde giue Madian into their handes least peraduenture Israel would glory in themselues against mee saying 3. Fruit the aduāce ment of the church My hand hath deliuered me See also howe it commeth to passe that when the Deuill thinketh quite to ouerthrowe the Church by persecution God quite contrary hath aduanced and increased it Saint Luke hauing recited that the high Priestes and the chiefe rulers of the Temple Act. 4 the Sadduces laying hands vpon the Apostles put them into prison he addeth by and by that many of those that heard the word beleeued and the number was
punish vs yet more rigorouslie than hetherto thou hast done that for one stripe wee should receiue an hundred If thou shouldest transport the kingdome of thy sonne from vs to the Turkes and the Iewes If thou shouldest send such a famine of thy word as running through the forrests to haue some refreshing and finding none our soules should faint Yea Lord if thou shouldest throw vs down into hell we confesse that it were verie right and yeeld our selues guiltie acknowledging that we haue well deserued it Notwithstanding O good God and father there is mercie with thee yea thy mercies are infinite to swallowe vp the multitude and grieuousnes of our sinnes Thou art a God gracious pitifull slowe vnto wrath abounding in mercie and trueth keeping mercie for thousands pardoning iniquitie transgression sinne Thou hast said that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but rather that hee turne and liue Conuert vs then O Lord that we may be conuerted and that we may liue before thee We are poore sinners we confesse it but yet thy sonne Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Behold vs then O Lord not in our selues for wee are vnworthy of thy grace but behold vs in the face of thy sonne Iesus Christ and for his sake bee at tone with vs and be mercifull and fauourable vnto vs that in the multitude of our sinnes the greatnes of thy grace may shine if thou regard our iniquities who is he that is able to stand before thee Wee haue been vnfaithfull but thou remainest still faithfull Thou canst not renounce thy mercie and goodnes we haueforsaken thee but thou hast promised not to forsake vs. Wee haue forgotten thee but thou hast said that though a mother should forget her childe yet wouldst not thou forget vs. Thou hast made a couenant with vs wherein thou hast promised to pardon our sinnes and to remember our iniquities no more Thou hast promised that though our sins were as red as scarlet thou wouldest make them as white as wooll if they were as red as crimson that they should be made as white as snowe We are heauie laden and labour with our iniquities But Iesus Christ hath called vs to him and hath promised to refresh vs. Haue pitie thē on vs O Lord haue pitie vpon vs. Let our miseries moue the bowells of thy mercie Forgiue vs O our GOD forgiue vs for thine owne sake for the glorie of thy name and for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake Impute vnto vs the goodnes that is in him that the euill that is in vs may not be imputed Thou hast pumshed the iust that thou mightest pardon the wicked Accept thou the merites of his death and passion for satissaction of all that is in vs worthie of thy wrath and indignation and make vs to feele the fruites of our reconciliation with thee If thou wilt afflict our bodies haue yet pitie of our soules If thou wilt impourish vs on the earth depriue vs not yet of the riches of heauen If thou wilt take away the bread of our bodies yet leaue vs the spirituall bread of our soules Though wee bee in reproach among our enemies yet let not thy name be blasphemed Though we bee accursed of the world yet let vs bee blessed of thee Though the world hate vs yet let thy loue abide vpon vs. O Lord we are thine forsake vs not Thou hast saide I am the Eternall this is my name I will not giue my glorie vnto Images nor my praise vnto another For thine owne sake then euen for thine owne sake haue mercie vpon vs. For why shall thy name bee blasphemed for our sakes Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue glorie and honour in shewing foorth the riches of thy graces of thy truth and of thy might Thou art the God of glorie sanctifie thy name in drawing light out of our darknes and lift out of death making perfect thy power in our infirmitie and thy great grace in our vnworthines to thy praise and glorie Heare the blasphemies of thine enemies boasting them selues in their counsels and their forces triumphing and reioycing in our confusion as if we were not thy people thy children thy Church as if wee were cast off of thee as if thou were not able to helpe or keepe vs. Neuerthelesse thou art our creatour and wee are the worke of thy hands Thou art our shepheard wee are thy flocke Thou art our father wee are thy children Thou art our God wee are thine inheritance Thou art our redeemer wee are the people whome thou hast bought It is thou also O our God who by thy word alone hast created the heauen and the earth the sea and al that is in them it is by thee that all things liue be and haue their mouing it is of thee by thee and for thee that all things are It is thou which dooest whatsoeuer thou wilt And there is neither counsell wisedome nor strength against thee Represse then O Lord the rage and furie of thine enemies breake their forces dissipate their counsels confound them in the bold enterprises which they haue taken in hand against thee and thy sonne lesus Christ Maintaine the rest of thy flocke which thou hast kept vntill this day Establish againe the Churches that are ruined and dispersed Suffer not the memorie of thy name to be abolished from the earth rather let thy word sound and thy Gospell bee preached where it hath not yet been heard to gather thine elect vnto thee and to magnifie thy name And that so wee may see it florish more more and the kingdome of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord to bee aduanced for euer more Amen The necessitie and benefite of affliction GReat trouble and vexation the righteous shall sustains By Gods determination whilest heere they doo remaine Which grieuous is and irksome both for flesh and bloud to beare Because by nature we are loath to want our pleasure heere And eke because our enemie that auncieat deadly foe Satan with cruell tyrannie the worker of our woe Doth still prouoke the wicked sort in sinne which doo delight To please themselues make great sport to vexe vs with despite Yet doo the righteous by the crosse moe blessed things obtaine Than anie waie can be the losse the dolor or the paine The losse is that which in few daies would passe fade and decay Euen of it selfe the gaine alwaies can no man take away All earthly estimation the crosse may cleane deface But heauenlie consolation the soule dooth then imbrace Afflictions worldly pleasures will abandon out of minde Then is the soule more earnest still the ioyes of heauen to finde These worldly riches goods and wealth by troubles may depart Then inward ioyes and sauing health may wholly rule the heart In trouble friends doo start aside as cloudes doo with the winde But Gods assistance doth abide to cheare the troubled minde Jfwe should feele these losses all at once by sudden change We may not be dismaid withall though it seeme verie strange Iob lost his frends he lost his wealth and comfort of his wife He lost his children and his health yea all but wretched life When all was gone the Lord aboue did still with him remaine With mercie kindnes and with loue asswaging all his paine Teaching him by experience that all things fickle be Which subiect are to humane sence and yeeld all miserie But godlinesse within the heart remaineth euer sure In wealth and woe it is her part true comfort to procure Affliction turn'th these worldly ioyes to greater paine and woe Because the loue was linck'd with toyes religion is not so For when mans heart doth most delight in pleasure wealth and pride Religion then will take her flight she may not there abide Where by our soules in wofull plight continually remaine Yet haue not we the grace or might from such lusts to refraine In which estate mest willingly though tending right to hell We compt our chiefe felicitie and loue therein to dwell Therefore the Lord which is aboue regarding vs below With mercie pitie grace and loue that alwases from him flow Doth mix with griefe these earthly things wherein we doo delight Which to our soules all sorow brings or else remoou'th them quite Then dooth the holie word of God most comfortable seeme Which we before we felt the rod mere follie did esteeme The world which earst most pleasant was now loathsome seem'th to be It doth appeare as in a glasse all fraught with miserie Then feare we hell then flie we sinne then seeke we heauen the more To vse good meanes we then begin which we despisde before Then can we pray then can we call to God for strength and grace Which things before might not at all with vs haue anie place Then heare we with attentiuenes then read we with all care Then pray we with great feruentnes no trauaile then we spare Then shall we see feele and confesse the state wherein we dwelt To be nothing but wretchednes though worldly ioyes we felt Because the soule by godlinesse more comfort doth receaue In one day than by worldlinesse for euer it can haue Then we with Dauid shall confesse that God from heauen aboue By humbling vs doth well expresse his mercie and his loue For ere we felt the scourging rod we er'de and went astray But now we keepe the law of God and waite thereon alway Then forreligion loue the crosse though it doo bring some paine The ioy is great small is the losse but infinite the gaine FINIS