A brief Conference betwixt man's Frailty and Faith, Wherein is declared the true use, and comfort of those blessings pronounced by Christ in the fifth of Matthew, that every Christian man and woman ought to make and take hold of in their several temptations and conflicts: Laid down in this plain order of Dialogue, to help, if it please God, the conceit and feeling of the simplest, By Gervase Babington.  
PSALM 119. O how sweete-are thy words unto my throat, yea sweeter than honey unto my mouth.  
AT LONDON Printed by Henry Midleton for Thomas Charde, 1584.   

The Contents of this Book.  
Strength and comfort out of the word of God against 

Poverty and want. pag. 4  
Vncheerefulnesse. pag. 22  
Heat of affections. pag. 34  
Want of justice. pag. 52  
unmercifulness. pag. 60  
Dissimulation. pa. 79  
Doscoragement to make peace. pag. 97  
The cross & persecution. pag. 113     

To the Right Honourable, and virtuous Lady, the Lady Marie, Countess of Pembroke, his very singular good Lady and Mistress, G. B. wisheth all mercy and comfort in Christ jesus both here now, and for ever.  
IT is said of Solomon even in outward matters (Right Honourable, and my very singular good Lady that if a man have riches treasure, and honour, wanting nothing for his soul of all that it desireth, and yet have not an heart both to feel in comfort the goodness of his God therein towards him, and also to use the said blessings liberally to his own good and others help, it is but a vanity and an evil sickness, yea a price in the hand of a fool (as it is said in an other place) that hath no heart. That is, it is a mercy of God, which he hath no right and true use of. So necessary in very outward things is both feeling and faith: the one to conceive, the other to apply, and both of them to yield us the true profit, comfort, and good intended into us in the same by the Lord. Much more, Madame, in spiritual matters respecting the life of body and soul for ever. And by name much more in the word of God which we now so freely, and so plentifully, under the gracious government of our most gracious Prince enjoy. For if we read it over ten thousand times ourselves, hear it of others carefully & continually, and yet feel not the sweet spirit of the Lord by it secret power, as it were with a dropping dew, piercing and mollifying, shaking and comforting our souls by the same, assuredly we want what we seem to have, and for all our reading or hearing of it, nevertheless it remaineth a sealed book unto us. This proveth Cain that cursed caytise both here and ever, who though he knew the promise of certain safety by the seed of the woman, hearing it no doubt often in words told, and seeing it by sacrifices shadowed out unto him, yet wanting a heart to feel, and faith to apply unto himself the benefit of the same, wanted also to his woe, what he so enjoyed. So did Esau, Saul, Achitophel, and others all whatsoever they were, who together with the word received not a touch, a taste, & a very rent as it were, in their hearts to feel, as also piercing eyes, & a clasping faith, to see, and take hold of the hidden sweet comprised in the same. Which weighing often with myself (my very good Lady) together with the place where I spend my time, and the burning desire which both his honourable Lo. and yourself have, that I should do good amongst them, I bow the knee both of body and heart unto the Lord for them, and I often beg, that in that bottomless heap of his mercy, wherein he even swalloweth up himself, it might please him to see it good, to join unto the outward ministery of his word, which he now vouchsafeth them, that inward touch, power and might of his spirit, that maketh it both a mortifying sword, and a comforting grace unto his children. For so shall my labours be life unto them, and ever as I speak (delivering but the word) their consciences shall approve and confess within them, that it is a truth. Yea further I have often secretly in myself intended, to join unto prayer some further endeavour, and according to that measure of mercy, which the Lord should vouchsafe me, to make some plain applications of such portions of scripture, as I should judge in use & practise fittest for them. That seeing in them by example the true use of the word of God, and how to suck out strength in their several needs from it, they might from one place to many, and from many even to all, without any further guide, than the guide of guides, Gods merciful spirit, pass with feeling, comfort, and true concept of the good therein contained, & intended to us all. And falling by course of reading at last upon that notable Chapter the 5. of matthew, and seeing by some further meditation upon those blessings therein contained, such wisdom taught, such faults reproved, such comfort ministered, and such matter handled, as for them and all the world is most necessary, I resolved with myself even there to begin to put in practise my named purpose, and to make a trial, if by such endeavour I might profit any. Which Enough have done, presenting the same unto the Lord with humble prayer for his blessing, to mine own, and others, with hearty request of Christian acceptance, & to your honourable L. as to a means that shall make it more acceptable to all, and especially to them, that I chiefly intend it unto, so greatly honouring with all duty and liking the manifold mercies of God in you. I am not able (Madam) to do with content, what ten thousand times. I am bound to do with all care: namely, to show myself mindful and thankful, as I ought, for all your La. honourable dealings with me. But this I protest in the eyes of the Lord, that I would, if I could, and in witness thereof I deliver unto the world this affirmation, and to yourself these fewepapers, most humbly beseeching your Honour, that since my want is in ability, and not in will, this small testimony of the same may according to your accustomed clemency be accepted of, and find a supply therein of any want wherewith it may be charged. So cease I to add any further thing, leaving your La. to the Lord of heaven to strengthen you still in that happy course of the study of his word, and all other good learning, of the practice of duty to your God, of cheerful encouragement to your servants, and of honourable clemency to all men, which is at this day a crown upon your head above many others, and a glorious ornament about your neck in the eyes, ears, and tongues of all men, that either see you, hear of you, or speak of you, and myself remain to perform all duties, that ever I shall be enabled unto, even with all the power both of body and mind, as I am most bound. The Lord open the windows of heaven and power his mercies out upon your La. the Lord confirm you in all good works, give you a true sight of this vain world, make your heart shake at his judgements, melt with a fruitful feeling of grace assured to holy life, and the Lord to profit make you think you ever hear that voice, ARISE YOU DEAD AND COME UNTO JUDGEMENT, and yet in faith to say with cheerful heart, COME LORD JESUS COME QVICKLIE. So be it.  
London this first of December, 1583. Your honours most humble bounden to death, Gervase Babington.   

A Conference betwixt man's Frailty and Faith.  frailty. 
O Wicked world, and wretched state I stand in, O heavy heart & sorrowing soul, how should I comfort you? I have it not, I see it not, I feel it not, what any way might joy me, and how then can I give it you? The contrary I see in fullest weight and measure, and woe is me ten thousand times that ever I saw this light: yea let the day even perish wherein I was borne, 
job. 3.  and the night when it was said there is a manchild conceived. Let that day be darkness, let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. But let darkness and the shadow of death stain it, let the cloud remain upon it, and let them make it fearful as a bitter day, let darkness possess that night, let it not be joined unto the days of the year, nor let it come into the accounts of the months. Yea desolate be that night, and let no joy be in it. Let the stars of that twilight be dim through darkness of it: let it look for light, but have none: neither let it see the dawning of the day, because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from my eyes. Why died I not in the birth, or why died I not, when I came out of the womb? Why did the knees prevent me, and why did I suck the breasts? For so should I now have lain and been quiet, I should have slept then, and been at rest. Or why again was I not hid, as an untimely birth, either as infants, which have not seen the light? Woe is me I live, woe is me I do not die, and woe I fear much more, when ended is my course.  Faith. 
Why Frailty, what in the name of God meaneth this fearful impatiency, or what case can there be in the life of man and woman, so uncomfortable, as that in regard thereof, they should thus cris out? Open yourself, and conceal not your grief, for the very speaking of it shall give some measure of ease.  frailty. 
Alas I know not almost how to do it. For my conceits do so oppress me, and ever as I think of one misery, still the remembrance of an other thrusteth itself so into my mind, and at last the heap appears so huge, as all amazed I faint under the beholding of them, and my cogitations are so distracted, as it is not possible for me to make an orderly rehearsal of my woe. Yet since I have met with you, I will perform it, as I can, committing myself to that mercy, that hath no measure, and to yourself, as an instrument to apply his comforts to me, begging it even with tears ten thousand times at your hands. I consider then, that I am created here in this world a reasonable creature consisting of body and soul, both subject to dreadful and endless woe, if I find not mercy with the Lord, which I confess unto you I comfortably cannot assure myself of as yet, because the hand of God me think more heavily presseth me divers ways, than I imagine it would do if he loved me.  Faith. 
And wherein I pray you, do you think you are pressed over heavily?  

poverty the first temptation.  frailty. 
ALas in many things (and yet God lay not my pleading with him to my charge.) To begin with some thing, I must needs confess unto you, that my low estate in the world is a marvelous temptation to me many a time. For God knows, I am poor, and even very poor, notwithstanding all my pains, cark and care, which is not a little. My charge also is great for such an one as I am, and their want, as good reason bindeth, is my continual woe. Yet if this were all, me think I could wrestle with it, and by Gods help get the victory, but these companions of poverty are they that sting me so sore, to wit, disdain and contempt both of me and mine, of my doings, sayings, or any thing that proceedeth from me, and that rejection which is made of me out of all meetings and companies, those whisperings that I hear, reproaches that I carry, even at their hands that I little thought would have done it, and that scornful pitying of me, which often appeareth, with such like. For in deed if ever any found it, I find it true, that by wise Syrac was said so long ago. There is even as much peace 
sirach. 13. 16.  betwixt the rich and the poor, as betwixt Hyena and the dog. But look how the wild Ass is the Lions pray, so are the poor meat for the rich. And look how the proud hate humility, so do the rich abhor the poor. If a rich man fall, his friends set him up again: but when the poor falleth, his friends drive him away. If a rich man offend, he hath many helpers, he speaketh proud words, and yet men justify him: but if a poor man fail, they rebuke him, and though he speak wisely, yet can he have no place. When the rich man speaketh, every man holdeth his tongue, and look what he sayeth, they praise it to the clouds: but if the poor man speak, they say, What fellow is this? And if he do amiss, they will destroy him. These, these companions of my poverty are the things that even cut my heart a sunder, and will I, nill I, it breaketh even upon me by force as it were, to think that if the lord love a man, he should never suffer him for want of worldly trash, so despitefully to be entreated in this world, and so generally. This is but one thing that troubleth me, besides which I have many more, but help me if you can ere I go any further.  Faith. 
Nay go on, utter your grief fully, and then your mind willbe the fit to hear a great deal. For otherwise you will be musing of the rest, when I shall he speaking to you for your ease in this.  frailty 
An other very dangerous torment than I must needs confess is that continual uncomfortableness, which is still in me by reason of diverse things, as by a weighty and stinging sense of mine own sins, by sight of other men's lose course, and grievous dishonouring of God in every place, giving themselves to flattery, dissembling, and all manner of hollow dealing with God and man, by meditation of the fierce wrath of God, and most dreadful judgements, which assuredly hang over us for these things, etc.  
Again both publicly abroad, in such as I deal with all, and privately at home in such as I trust, I find such naughty unfaithfulness, & such unfaithful naughtiness, as that I am driven into greater choler and heat, than can any way stand with my profession of the Gospel, and with the liking of my heavenly father, whom I have ever found good unto me: and therefore justly I stand in fear that he will punish me for such intemperancy, and yet I cannot amend it. Now I pray you let me go no further without some comfort, if you know any for so wretched and woeful a case.  Faith. 
Indeed Frailty, your terms are too sharp, and sour. For me think, for any thing you have yet uttered, your estate is neither wretched, nor woeful in truth, but Christianlike if you will lay a while away your earthly eyes, and be judged by the word of God.  frailty. 
Ah fie fie, is your feeling of my case no more? then have I uttered enough, & too much. But see my heavy plight, I am every way wrapped in woe, and yet I am not pitied.  Faith. 
Nay but stay yourself for shame frailty, and be not so rash. And if I can not prove what I say, then be offended: but if I can, then as you fear God be reform, for this impatiency in you is dangerous. I say therefore again, me think your temptations be not strange, but such as usually happen to God's dear ones, and such, as (for any thing I see) Jesus Christ the Saviour of man did foretell, and deliver sure and sovereign comforts for, while he was here on earth in divers places, and by name in that notable Chapter of matthew the fifth. But before I can apply the same unto you, I must know of you one thing, concerning your first grief, namely how you feel your heart within humbled by these things. For indeed if you be poor and bare, and so forced to stoop in outward matters to the richer, and yet your heart remain proud within you, arrogant, haughty and conceited, your tongue bragging the best, and your vanity ever as it can breaking out, & giving testimony what you would do, if your hands were not tied, and your horns made short of purpose by the Lord, than indeed I must plainly tell you, that your poverty is a whip of an angry God as yet with you, and it will not certainly be removed from you in any favour: but even still God shall check you, and every neighbour either openly, or secretly mislike you. For a beggars hand, and a proud heart hath ever offended the eye both of God and man. But if God hath given you this blessed grace, that by this cross of want, disdain, contempt, scorn and such like in your calling, your soul is schooled, your heart is humbled, your spirit broken, & all your unruly and heady affections tamed within you very greatly in comparison of former times, so that even truly your conscience doth witness to you, it is not with you, as it hath been in many respects, and if now you find, that often you are driven to God and his providence by this means casting up your eyes to heaven for help, stay and succour, because you find but frozen hearts in men, and falsehood in the best fellowship less or more, truly then must I as plainly tell you again, and with as bold a spirit, as such a truth requires, your poverty is wealth, your contempt may be your comfort, & if ever man or woman had God their friend, you may assure your soul in truth he is no foe unto you.  frailty. 
O Faith, say not this, but prove it.   

Comfort against poverty.  Faith. 
With a very good will. I pray you therefore mark me. When Christ, as I said before, was here upon earth to gather unto himself the souls of men by life and death, knowing in his infinite wisdom the rain that would fall, the floods that would come, and the winds that would blow and beat upon the houses of men, that is their faith and religion, on a time his disciples being come together, and much people beside out of many places, he sat him down and took as it seemeth to me this matter in hand, of very purpose, delivering out such comforts and helps, such defences and stays, as being of men and women rightly applied, and used, shall ever hold up their course, and keep their paths strait in the fear of the Lord and true religion. And see, amongst the manifold temptations, that he saw in wisdom would arise and be urged by Satan to shake men from the truth, this of yours which now we speak of is the first, namely poverty. Against which, his heavenly voice delivereth out this comfort, Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom 
Luke 6, 20.  of God. Which golden sentence laid out in fuller terms, carrieth and implieth unto us this sense and meaning. Although earthly minds can frame out no felicity, unless with worldly wealth their cup may overflow, yet I avouch unto you, contrary to the wit and wisdom of them all, that in my father's kingdom, blessed are the poor, the poor I say again, and such as want what others wallow in, not half so loved of the Lord as they. Now lest his meaning should be mistaken, he saying no more but so, and every spoiling unthrift, whose unreformed heart doth make an unrepaired purse, or idle drones that shun the 
Non magnum est sua, sed se relinquere.  course of men, and shut themselves up in cloisters as poor, that with more ease they may live of other men's labours, or any proud heart yet wanting wealth might think it spoken unto him, he more plainly hath interpreted his meaning, and showed what poor he thinketh of, namely the poor in spirit: That is, such as using godly means yet are of purpose by their God kept under, and being under, do not swell with pride, arrogancy, and conceit, but even as the beggar knowing his want, and no way having of his own to trust to, confesseth other men's help needful for him, humbleth himself before them, beggeth their aid, and giveth them (as instruments) the praise of his living: so they humbled, tamed, schooled and reform by their want towards all men carry a lowly heart, and only at the lords hands look for both comfort in this world, and salvation in the world to come. These poor men and women, that is, these that are thus affected under their Cross saith Christ, were their want more than ever any abode, & the companions of their wants snubbes, checks, taunts, and such like more, and more bitter than ever any man's were, yet even in the most of them all, I pronounce them blessed, and I assure them happy that ever they lived, for theirs is the kingdom of God. For this cause therefore I asked you how you were affected under your poverty. And now Frailty consider and weigh this sentence of the Lord. For enough it is of itself, if our incredulity be not monstrous, to comfort the heart of any man or woman in the world, even in the midst of all their worldly wants be they never so great. Yet hath it annexed for our further joy the consent of other places many, and experiences of the same in known examples not a few. As, If thou lend to my people, that 
Exo. 22. 25. Deu 15. 10. job 26 15.  is, to the poor, I will bless the, saith the Lord. The Lord delivereth the poor in all his afflictions. The Lord will 
Psal. 9 9  be a defence unto the poor, even a refuge in due time of trouble. He remembreth 
verse 12.  and forgetteth not the complaint of the poor when he maketh inquisition for blood. The poor shall not always 
verse 18.  be forgotten, neither the hope of the afflicted perish for ever. Lord thou hast 
Psal. 10. 17.  heard the desire of the poor, thou preparest their heart, and thine care hearkeneth thereunto. He hath not despised 
Psal. 21. 24.  the low estate of the poor, but they shall eat and be satisfied. I am poor and in 
Psal. 107. 22.  misery, but the Lord careth for me. Better is the poor that walketh in his 
Proverb. 28. 6. 22.  uprightness, than he that perverteth his ways though he be rich. That which is to be desired in a man, is his goodness, and better is such a poor man than a liar. God regardeth the poor, and is 
Esay 25. 4. 66. 2.  their strength. And unto whom again saith the Lord shall I look and have regard, but unto him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my words. The spirit of the Lord is 
Luke 4. 18.  upon me, and hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. And the 
Matth. 11.  poor do receive the glad tidings of the Gospel. Call the halt and lame & poor 
Luke 4.  to the Supper. And hath not God chosen 
james 2. 5.  the poor of this world saith james, etc. with a number such like testimonies. The comfort whereof if they be rightly considered, and the blessing of them unto our heart by humble prayer begged at the lords hands, no tongue of man is able to express. For the Lord our God is not a man, that he should repent, nor as the son of man, that he should change: but if he loved the poor when these things were spoken, he loveth them still, and to the end he will love them: and if he regarded them, he forgetteth not us, and even amongst ourselves, if he see you, he beholdeth also me, and if he comfort me, he will do no less for you, for there is no respect of persons in his eyes. Yet add unto these the experience of examples, and they will be more sweet. Naomi 
Ruth.  and her daughter Ruth, how did the Lord regard, bless, comfort, and provide for? The poor widow of Sareptha, 
1. Kings 17.  whose meal and oil were at an end, and yet the dearth foretold much to come, how regarded he and fed during all the time? The other poor widow 
2 Kings 4.  also helped by Elisha to pay her debts, and to live afterward with comfort of the rest, how showeth it the care of the Lord over the poor that are godly, and how mightily should it increase our faith? What an example is old Tobiah 
Tobias 4, 21.  and his family, and what a speech of faith was that to his son? Fear not my Son, because we are made poor: for thou hast many things, if thou fear GOD and fly from sin, and do that thing which is acceptable unto him. How loved the Lord the offering of the poor widow that cast in but two mites? How chose he Disciples, and followers of his truth ever of the poorer sort? How chose he his parents of the very meanest certainly of a multitude, and how himself hath he honoured the estate of godly poverty, for our eternal comfort, having not so much in this world as the Foxes and Birds: borne in a stable, wrapped in rags, laid in the manger, and yet the God and Lord of heaven and earth, and the disposer of all the glory in them both. O my heart and hand, how is the one too narrow to conceive this heavenly sweet, and the other unable to lay down but even that little that I do feel? Shall any worldly want make us think God loveth us less, when we see the most loved that ever was in the greatest want? shall any discountenance, disfavour, discredit causeless, shall any snubbes, checks, taunts, scorn, contempt, rumours, or the very power of the spite of hell drive us out of hope in our gracious father, when we see examples in his dearest of them all? O Frailty, frailty, open thine eyes, look upon thy God, weigh his nature, mark his dealings with his dearest, hear his promises, make him no liar, but gather strength, increase in hope, and the Lord in mercy grant it to us ever. Let the changes and chances of this world be what they will, or rather what it pleaseth God, let our orderly walking in our places with true pains, heart, and meaning, with due carefulness, with no unthriftiness, up early, down late, and whatsoever means that good are to live and lay up by, for ourselves and ours, yet want their end of such reasonable store as we desire, let us nevertheless trust in our God, and hang upon his hand, and never measure his favour towards us by these things, for they are no judges of it being as we see oft granted to the wicked, and restrained greatly from the most beloved. Only let our poverty make poor our spirits, and break the secret pride of our hearts, and then fear not, we have a warrant of truth, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, And a broken and contrite heart, O God thou shalt never despise.  
The contrary now might as greatly be amplified to our comfort, if I thought it needful. For as his merciful promises are many and sweet (as we have heard) to the poor, so are his fearful threatenings to the rich not a few: and as great is the good that is wrought in the child of God by this cross of want, so fearful are the faults that are given unto the souls of many by their store of wealth. Let it suffice to mark what this same our Saviour saith, by the mouth of Luke and opposeth over against the promise spoken of now already: Woe be to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation, saith he, and after him his apostle james again: Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries which shall come upon you: your riches are corrupt, and your garments motheaten: your gold and silver is cankered, & the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as if it were fire, etc. And Paul again, Gain 
1. Tim. 4. 6.  is not godliness, but godliness is great gain, if a man be content with that he hath: for we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. Therefore when we have food and raiment, let us be therewith content: for they that will be rich fall into temptation and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction. For the desire of money is the root of all evil, which while some lusted after they pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou O man of God fly these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness, fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life, etc. By all which we do as evidently see again that Honour, Fame, Port, Pomp, wealth and abundance in this world are no sure witnesses of God's favour, and therefore the want of them no sure argument of the contrary, but the end and very truth is this, if we fear God and be poor, poverty is great gain. And if further the Lord go with us and make riches also increase, yet may we never set our hearts upon them, for there is no sure comfort in them. And thus me think Frailty, for this first grief there should grow comfort, and you should now be contented. For certainly, certainly, as God is God, or truth truth, poverty is no token of God's displeasure to all, but a singular means of much goodness unto many: and thus much only of it at this time. The Lord give us profit by his promises.   

Comfort against uncheerfulness and sorrow, the second temptation.  
YOur second temptation you say is this, the heavy weight you feel of your sins, and the continual sorrow and grief, that is annexed and joined thereunto. For comfort and stay whereof I seek no further, than to the place of Matthew named before. For even there also in the very next verse is this assault bet back, and breach made up, being in wisdom foreseen of Christ, as a thing that greatly should go about to shake his children's faith. What therefore you think your misery, he maketh your happiness: and what you think your woe, he maketh your comfort sure and certain. Blessed (saith he) are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Which mourning can no ways be meant but of such as now yours is, if it arise (as you affirm) by sight of sin committed against your God, whom yet you love and hope in, though it be with much weakness. For worldly sorrow (saith the Apostle) causeth death, but godly sorrow causeth repentance unto salvation not to be repent of. Worldly sorrow ariseth upon outward griefs, or sight of outward punishment commonly, and godly sorrow upon sight of sin committed against a merciful God, and a good God, ten thousand times deserving better service of us; and who yet will be merciful, if we repent and amend. Therefore the end of the one is nothing but desperation and woe, if the Lord do not speedily help, and the end of the other as you hear even Christ himself say, is happiness and comfort: which that you may yet more firmly feel, & to greater joy with both hands apprehend, let it not be tedious in a few examples to behold the truth of both.  
Did not Cain sorrow and sadly cast down his countenance when he perceived a regard given to his brother & not to himself? pinched it not his heart within, when God gave sentence of him? We see it evidently, and yet nevertheless we know withal that the Lord abhorred him.  
Did not Esawe mourn, when he 
Gen. 4. 5. verse. 11. 12.  wept for woe, and doubling over his speech to his father so expressed the passion of a pained heart within him? yet found he no place to repentance sayeth the Apostle, though he sought it with tears, but was rejected as a profane person notwithstanding all his sorrow.  
What grief gripped the heart of Saul 
1. Sam. last.  think you, when he saw his army spoiled, his three sons slain, himself sore gauled and wounded with the archers shot, when he desired his armour bearer to thrust him through with his sword, and for want of his assent was glad to do it himself, and so become his own destroyer? Was this no sorrow & grief? Yet not blessed, but accursed such mourning and such mourner.  
What horrible hell of dispairefull grief battered the heart of Achitophel 
2. Sam. 17. 23  that famous Counsellor, when he saw the distress he stood in, and for ease and end of that heavy hap, was glad to conclude his own shameful confusion, to put his own head himself in the halter, and to hang himself? ●ell ever this out think we, before even seas of sorrows had wrecked and worn within him all kind of comfort away? No certainly, but such rueful ends have ever heaps of rueful conflicts and conceits before them, and therefore we see some sorrow far separated from this promise of Christ in this place.  
To conclude, what woe or worm 
Acts. 1.  think we, did guawe the heart of judas, when the guilt of cruel deed did press his soul so sad, that neither reward received, nor any kind of conceit either of God or man could stay his hands from finishing his own life? Yet a cursed woe, we know, and as far from the gain of this promise here, as sin is severed from a virtue.  
Now of the other part weigh the sorrow that you are in, if you tell me true, and mark the issue of it. Blessed first saith the Lord Jesus is it, and blessed are they that conceive and feel it, for they shall be comforted. And then in his word he afordeth examples to show the truth by trial of this promise. David mourned for the multitude of his iniquities, and remained mourning as 
Psal. 6. 6.  he sayeth all the day long. Every night he washed his bed with weeping, and watered his couch with tears. The sins of his youth stinged him, and the sins of his age grieved him: his known offences made him full woe, and yet his secret sins remained terrible. Now the end of all was comfort according to this promise, and blessed David that ever he felt with grief so much his grievous transgressions: The like did Manasses, and was comforted: the like did the Publican, and was comforted: the like did the Prodigal son, Marie, Rahab, Lot, Noah, and all the rest of saved sinners since the world stood, and were comforted. Now the promise is made and offered as heartily and freely to you, to me, and to all that ever will take hold of it, as ever it was to them. For Whatsoever things are 
Rom. 15. 4.  written afore time, are written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. And therefore Frailty awake, and wipe thy dazzled eyes, behold the end of sense of sin and sorrow joined thereunto: it is happiness, it is blessedness, and it is certain, sure, and lasting comfort, if God be true. The like may be said of that sorrow also that ariseth 
Luke 19 Rom. 9 Psalm. 74. 9 Mich. 7. 2.  not upon our own, but other men's miseries, as for the want of the word, for want of fruit when it is had, for heresies, divisions, and schisms 
Micheas. 7. 2.  in the Church, and such like: for this is a godly sorrow, and shall be comforted. A doctrine so sweet as no pen can lay down. Sweet I say to all, and yet even most sweet to the ministers, to whom it was chief spoken: for he lift up his eyes upon his disciples saith the text 
Luke. 6.  when he spoke these things, as knowing what store of storms should arise unto them by reason of their calling. And therefore let them take it in the name of God, as it is offered to them, and clasp it in their arms so hard to their heart as all the woes in the world may not lose their hold from it. For the truth hath said it, and experience trieth it, they shall love and not be loved, they shall labour and not be liked, they shall serve at the altar & but poorly live of the altar. Their piety shall be hypocrisy, their zeal, choler: their heat, youth: their prayers shall not profit, their watchings waste, & their fastings do no good, but sin shall still reign, iniquity abound, the greater part remain unreformed, and they for all their love, labour, and true faithfulness be rejected, and contemned in the end. Whereupon what woe doth grow to the soul that savoured any truth of meaning, love to God or goodwill to men, let them judge that have felt, or whose wisdoms can weigh what the Lord hath not given them trial of in themselves. Surely such it is, as is able to make the meekest Moses plead with the 
Numb. 11. 12.  Lord and ask why he so vexeth his servant with an unthankful charge, and commandeth to carry in his bosom, as a nurse the suckling child so perverse a people, as though he had conceived them or begotten them all himself. Such as is able to make jeremy cry in the twitching torment of his mind, Woe is me 
jerem. 15. 10.  my mother that ever thou bore me a contentious man, & a man that striveth with the whole earth. I have neither lent upon usury, nor men have lent me upon usury, and yet every one doth curse me. O Lord thou hast deceived me, and I 
jerem. 20. 7.  amdeceived, thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed, I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spoke and cried out of wrong, the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me: and therefore I will make mention no more of thee, nor speak any more in thy name. But here is a comfort to stay all impatiency, and to continue their course in serving of the Lord in their callings still. Blessed are they that mourn, for the want of the fear of God in men, for their sorrow shall have joy, and they shall be comforted at the last. And in the mean time Elie his speech is meet for every one: It is the 
1. Sam. 3.  Lord, let him do what seemeth good unto him. And, Behold here am I, be it 
Luke 1. 38.  unto me as my God will. Thus may the ministers apply this promise. And for you, Frailty, or any one in your case, I pray you also consider how it fitteth you. For what can you say now, groaning under this grief of yours, traveling & heavy loaden with your sins, what can you say, I say, if you say your worst, but even cry out upon the fullness and foulness of your iniquity, upon the ripeness and rottenness of your sin, saying your life is loss unto you, and there is no joy under the sun, that you can conceive of any thing by reason of your sin? For you have been an Idolater, a blasphemous swearer, a Sabaoth breaker, a disobedient child to parents and subject to Prince, a murderer malicious and spiteful, an adulterer wanton and light, a thief deceitful and unjust, a false witness, an evil thinker, and what not? And therefore though for many sins you could hope of mercy, yet for so many you cannot, but a heap together beateth you down, when many single ones could not do it. This is the worst you can say, and this is ill enough if God give not faith: Yet see how all this is nothing, where this promise is marked. For even this sorrow, this mourning, this discomfort and grief that you have conceived by ruing of your life, is a sure token, that you are the Lords, and that he hath mercy for you, if you will not stand in defiance of him, but be of good hope he seeth you. And my proof is no worse than the Lords own words, Blessed are they that mourn, (for their sins and transgressions, for their wants and weakness, and for their lose course in the ways of so good a God) for they shall be comforted. Shall he say blessed, and you say cursed? shall he promise comfort, and you say you are cast a way? God forbidden. Remember what the spirit saith in the 1. john 5. 10. He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar. And therefore conclude with yourself and be cheered with it, were there no more promises (which yet are many beside) of mercy unto sinners, yet were this sufficient to stay the weakness of any, if the Lord be in them to give them faith in it, that the God of truth hath pronounced happiness to this woe, and entailed surely a certain comfort in time to descend unto this sorrow. Many more I say are the promises of God, and many more are the places of comfort in this your case, but my leisure serveth not now to make a treatise of a conference: and when enough is said, why should you not be satisfied? God hath spoken it, the power of Hell cannot disprove it, you should believe it, and I do end with it, happy are you, or any man or woman in the world, if you feel your sin and sorrow for it, so that you will believe. For you are not cast away, but you shall be comforted: you weep now, but you shall laugh, and you shall feel the performance of the words of David Psalm 126. 5. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy: and they that go weeping and carry precious seed, shall return with joy, and bring their sheaves with them. Whereas that same god saith with a thundering sound, woe be to them that laugh now, for they shall weep. Woe be to them, that in this life stretch themselves upon beds of Juorie, sing to the sound of the Uiole, and drink their wine in bowls of gold, without sense and sorrow for their sins: for the day will come, when this sweet shall want, and what hath not erst been felt, shall smart and sting, and burn no less than the fire of hell, and strongest venom of destruction, that ever was or may be. God therefore give us faith, and what feeling of sin it pleaseth him. For this fleshly peace, and security within us, is no token of love, and the contrary wakening, grief and woe, is nothing ever to dismay us.  
Amen.   

Strength against heat of affections, the third temptation.  
YOur third assault ariseth of the divers injuries & sundry wrongs that you sustain abroad without redress or revenge, together with the undutifulness either known or imagined in your own household and family, whereby you are driven to greater impatiency often than may stand with the liking of your God whom you serve, and whereby indeed, as you say, if you leave it not, you know you do draw upon you the heavy and angry hand of him. For help whereof no further, but even to the very next verse following in the same Chapter of Matthew, and mark it well. For well knew the Lord that as they that fear God, and have not a gaping conscience to swallow for gain horrible things, are both more subject to poverty with the companions thereof, and also more occasioned to mourn in respect of their own causes and other men's, as also in respect of many checks, taunts, and unkindnesses, which they shall endure more than others upon whom this flattering world fléereth and laugheth, & in whom a lulled conscience offereth sight of little evil in them, and therefore needed to be armed against them, as I say this he knew, so likewise as well did he foresee that these causes public and private of impatiency and distemperature in affections should arise unto his children, and therefore provided for it also. For cast your eyes about the world a little, and view the course of things, and are not the godly, harmless, and quiet men often in this world rejected and wrong and pinched at for this thing and that, when more contentious natures are let alone as shrew's to deal withal? Hath not the true meaner often a shrewd turn done before others that are worse disposed? Hath not the voice of truth pronounced it of those that be his, that in the world they shall be wronged and hated and persecuted, and so forth? Therefore, if for this also he had not left us counsel, our hap had been harder, and our fall should have been greater, by these occasions. But like a wise teacher, and a good God he hath done it as I say in the next verse there, and commendeth unto us the rule of our nature & the victory over our affections be the provocations never so many to the contrary, setting a crown of happiness upon the head of that glorious virtue in these words, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Now the meek saith a learned man are they, which are not easily provoked with injuries, which are not short and tasty upon every offence, but are ready rather to suffer any thing than to do the things that the wicked do, men and women to conclude that resist not evil, but overcome evil with good. Or yet more fully such (as an other saith) as are not of nature fierce, and desirous ever of revenge, but mild, tractable, courteous, soft, and gentle, easily forgiving a wrong, if it be done unto them, hating chide, contentions and strife, ready to give place to every body, and choosing rather with a quiet mind to commit all to God, than with intemperate heat to pursue his own right. Blessed are these men and women saith the Lord, and happy shall they be, the earth is theirs, and the commodities in it, and they shall inherit them. And why so may you either say or think? Surely because this is not flesh and blood in them, but an heavenly alteration of crooked nature by Gods renewing spirit. For flesh and blood can not brook wrongs, but a man and woman wrought in an other mould by the working grace of God, can & daily do. Now the Lord worketh this in none but in such as shall never die (for this sanctifying spirit is the pledge of election) and therefore blessed are the meek. O Frailty then, what a place is this to help your infirmity withal, if you will in deed consider of it earnestly? You can not forgive, you can not forget, you can not be stricken, but you must strike again, you can not be wronged by word or deed either abroad of others, or privately of your own, but by and by you forget yourself, your place, your calling, your God you serve, and a number other needful things to be regarded, & you are as hot as fire for a time. But in deed you must do otherwise if you live for ever, as you see in this little sentence. For the Lord hath given it out and charged his ministers to the end of the world with a bold spirit to proclaim it to his people, that blessed are the meek. Now they that do, as you do, are not meek, and therefore you see the conclusion how sharp it is, they shall never be blessed. And if not blessed, then necessarily wretched, woeful, and cursed. Therefore I say again, I pray you let it be regarded, and thought upon very earnestly. For truly me think it moveth myself very much. And though I see in the scripture many other notable places sounding forth the same, and many reasons convincing by forcible conclusion the necessity of it, and many examples of the tried good that hath grown thereby, yet as to others God giveth a greater concept of one thing than an other, so this to me I find more piercing than the other I must needs confess. And yet because every man is not myself, and you especially Frailty are not Faith, though my daily companion in the world, lest I should miss of helping you by ministering nothing but mine own medicine to you, I pray you consider also of the course of other scripture touching this matter. And first you shall see no calling amongst men whereunto the Lord by name hath not enjoined this temperance of affections and sweetness of nature, which now I speak of. If they be ministers, then instruct saith he them that be contrary minded with 
2. Timot. 2. 25.  meekness. If they he Magistrates, it is likewise enjoined them. And meekness beawtifieth especially them that are in authority saith Chrysostom. If they be neither, whatsoever they be, walk worthy of the vocation whereunto God hath called you (saith the Apostle) with all humbleness of mind, and meekness, and long suffering, supporting one another through love. And David giveth a reason of it: For them that are meek 
Psal. 25. 9  shall he guide in judgement, and teach the humble his way. And is this a forceless reason? That which beautifieth every calling, and every person, shall it not beautify you think you? And that which is forbidden to every one in so express plainness, can you think the Lord will ever allow in yourself? Surely he will not, and therefore know it and think of it, if you please the Lord you must be meek.  
The reasons I spoke of be these and such others. First the Apostle in his epistle to the Galathians reckoning up the 
Galat. 5.  fruits of the spirit which never appear in any truly, but in such as shall be saved, reckoneth this as one amongst them, to be meek, and amongst the fruits of the flesh, that shall lead us unto death, he reckoneth the contrary, choler and heat, whereupon we ourselves (as clear as that sun) may see, that if the Lord vouchsafe us this change of nature from sour to sweet, and from anger to meekness, there is no more comfortable cry can happen in this earth unto our souls, that they are the Lords. And if he do not, then as mightily ministereth it an argument again of woe, alas, and endless woe unto us.  
secondly to be meek is a true imitation of Christ, for Learn of me saith he, I am meek and lowly in hoart. But 
Math. 11. 29.  he that treadeth the steps of this Lord and God, shall never die: and therefore blessed are the meek. Contrariwise to be hasty, furious, and intemperate, is to follow Cain, Esau, and all reprobates, which whoso followeth, shall never live, and therefore cursed is the contrary.  
thirdly, the Lord careth for us if we be meek, and watcheth over our wrongs, seeing all the words & deeds and very thoughts conceived against us, and the Lord will pay our debts if we leave it to him and justle him not out of his throne, sitting down ourselves therein as judges and revengers of our own causes. He knoweth our uprising, and down lying, he is about our bed, and about our paths, and spieth out all our goings, and seeth he not when we are wronged? He hath taken a reckoning of the very heirs of our heads, he putteth our tears into his bottle, and are not our wrongs think we noted in his book? O therefore how should we ourselves learn to be meek, to forgive, and to refer ourselves ever to him, since we have such a judge? The wife whilst her husband liveth, quieteth herself from foreign toils, and leaveth all encumbrances to him, for he careth for them: but if he by death departed from her, than she herself, because she hath lost her aid. Now we, if we be indeed as we think we are, the children of the Lord, we are the spouse of an husband that never dieth, but in life is permanent, in power sufficient, in care still vigilant, and therefore how should this consideration kill our affections, mortify our hasty hearts and hands, and altar us daily to an heavenly temperance, patience and meekness? The Lord is our advocate to put up our suit, the Lord is also judge to give sentence of our wrong, and Frailty then how can any escape that hurteth us, if we would be meek, and leave it unto him? Me think, me think I could even dwell continually in this consideration, it is so comfortable. What madness should move us to harbour our hurt, to hatch up our harm, and to keep matters boiling and festering within us unforgiven and unforgotten, when we have such a Judge? God strengthen us and give us victory of ourselves. But why Frailty, standest thou yet so mute? believest thou not all this? If thou dost yet hang in the briars of thy unreformed passions, add hereunto some further proof of passed practice, and experience, & let that as mighty to persuade, confirm and comfort thee to this virtue, if it be the Lords will.  
The Israelites in Egypt oppressed and harmed, could not with right counternaile might, but as patiently and meekly as God made them able, abide it, and cried unto the Lord, and what followed? The Lord heard them, Moses was sent, they were delivered, and Pharaoh with all his host drowned in the sea. See with your own eyes the reward of meekness.  
David oppressed by Saul his father in law, whom at home and abroad he truly served and honoured, sought no revenge, but even refused it when it lay before him, and with all meekness, mildness, and patience committed it to the Lord, and Saul had his punishment, David the kingdom.  
jacob being threatened destruction by his brother, conceived not by and by the like towards him again, but leaveth his country and father's house, putteth up the wrong, possesseth his spirit in patience and meekness: and what ensued? The Lord was with him both day and night, the Angels of heaven are his servants, the Lord giveth him wives and wealth, comfort & strength every where, and Esau liveth to die for ever, as the fatted ox is prepared for the slaughter.  
joseph horribly slandered for his faithful service bore his grievous cross meekly, and honour is his end, even great and rare honour. O hearts of ours then, where are they? What a God serve we, whose mercy upon meekness hath thus showed itself beside in numbers more? Shall it not move us? Shall it not pierce us? Nay shall it not change us? God forbidden we should be senseless, and therefore you see frailty what must be done, and what sovereign help the Lord layeth down for your infirmity, be your occasion public or private, at home, or abroad, with many or few, affections certainly must be bridled, and even fought withal till they yield and become more 
That we hurt ourselves also in earth by heat of affections.  quiet: otherwise we run upon our ruin both in heaven and earth. For the one thus as you see is proved, and truly the other is as true. For what government are they worthy, that will not govern, as they possibly can themselves well? What truth can they know, that can not abide to hear indifferently both parties? No, every man shall frame himself to their humours till his turn be served, and truth shall never dare to appear before them. What danger can be prevented, or what guileful guest can be discovered, when heat doth thunder out threats, ere the time serve to take knowledge of the matter? The enemy is armed, the friend is discouraged, and judge yourself then how strength is impaired. What servant, if God rule not in him mightily, will truly serve, where comfortable countenance either giveth not hope of convenient reward, or at least presently accepteth, what is done, in favour? What one that hath any gifts, friends, or ability, will ever abide with a loving and true heart, where reproaches and discomforts, are his daily death? No, no, it will never be, nor it cannot be. Well may a worldly mind in regard of passed time and charge make men rub out and carry coals, till they can do better, or may get a cheat, but the heart being alienated, and the true faithful kind affection that is above gold, worn away with often rebukes, which being not digested send up at times as tokens of their remaining a bitter taste, all is but hollow, all is but in regard of themselves, and if time should serve to need them. God knows how their snubbed hearts would call their snubbes to remembrance, whereas meekness, gentleness, comfort and countenance maketh a servant true in his dealings, painful, willing, constant in his place, and ready even to die in the service of them whose loving usage hath pierced his soul with a permanent affection if he be of any good nature, and if he be not, the same virtue of meekness watcheth, looketh, heareth and considereth all things wisely, not bewraying himself, till he have found indeed a hollow servant, and then wéedeth out justly so ill a member.  
Therefore I say again whatsoever your occasions be of disorder in your affections, be they at home or abroad, truly Frailty fight with yourself, and never suffer your infirmity to prevail. For God requires it, and even worldly wisdom requires it: and the very hardest things are made easy by some use. Now you have a God to help you beside use, who with his blessed mouth hath promised help, and with his mighty spirit shall assist you, if you pray.  frailty. 
Yea but the course of the world serveth not for this counsel. For I tell you now adays, who suffereth a little shall suffer more, and who putteth up one wrong, shall put up 20. Men can not live now, and either get, or keep, if they be so gentle as you would have them.  Faith. 
O Frailty how are you deceived? And how still savour all your speeches of your nature? I pray you tell me, if God would say to you be meek, and I would confirm thee in this world both with sufficient maintenance and continuance in the same, be the practices never so peevish against thee, would you not believe him?  frailty. 
Yes, for I know he is able to do it, if he say he will do it, and I am not yet so weak to doubt his power.  Faith. 
Very well, and I pray you what followeth in this verse of Christ which now we handle? Is it not a flat promise that the meek shall inherit the earth? If you will then stand to your speech, and believe the Lord upon his word, do it now then and ever hereafter, for here you see his promise. The whole world may rage's against us, and yet shall we inherit the earth in despite of them all if we will be meek. That is, we shall both get and keep that portion, which the Lord thinketh meet for us, will they, nill they, that do trouble us: neither ever shall the force of foe further prevail against us, than shall be good one way or other for us. Blessed father of heaven what a promise is this, and how contrary to man's reason and sense: yet repeated over and over in the scripture for further assurance as you may see, if you read but that one psalm the 37. confirmed to us by Paul, who saith he had nothing, and yet possessed all things, and by the experience of all the godly that ever was. Therefore even a thousand times mark it Frailty, and lay it up. The world pitieth these meek ones, and calleth them Gods fools: but the Lord blesseth them, and his blessing maketh wise. The world judgeth meekness the very high way to beggary, and yet you hear the Lord even flatly say, they shall inherit the land that have the same, were all the world against them. Therefore to go no further, conclude now with your heart Frailty, to use this remedy of the Lords laid down to bridle frail affections and trust his word. Certain now you see it is (for the Lord hath said it) Blessed are the meek. And even by that hold that I for my part have taken of this promise, I pronounce unto you again, that the very day and hour of your birth you may bless, if the Lord give you victory over your affections and make you meek: and so I leave you to his mercy.   

The fourth temptation, arising of want of justice in our causes, etc.  frailty. 
I Cannot deny, but your persuasions are upon true warrant, & they ought greatly to move: yet me think you do not fully mark my case. For if I sought any thing either at home in my house of my family, or abroad in the world of others, which were not both meet for a Christian to demand, and in truth mine own flat right, I could see mine anger to be faulty, & patiently learn to put up the matter I trust in time. But I tell you Faith, I do not so: I seek nothing, but, as I have said, mine own due, what I ought to have, and what I truly pay for: and therefore I tell you in this case my choler hath more warrant than you well mark. For it would touch any body to lose his right. And a man were better out of this world, than to be rob thus of justice and lawful favour as I am. It makes me weary of my life: and I tell you I feel it stir within me, even to strike hands with the wicked, and to do as men may like me, that I may be quiet.  Faith. 
Softly Frailty, softly, your tongue tumbleth too fast, and your nature I tell you plain breaketh out too much. Shall I lose my labour with you, and prevail nothing with either speech or good will? Are you not ashamed with this affirmation, that if you sought any thing unlawful, you could bear in meekness the denial? Why, no thanks to you. Thus could a Turk or Heathen do, and almost the Devil: common reason would make them. But I tell you, except your meekness exceed this, you shall never be saved. For the scripture is plain, there is no praise to be patiented when a man deserves of man his pain, but if when we do well, we suffer wrong, and yet be meek & patiented, this is acceptable to God saith the Apostle. And even in your very case of suits and demands, that are but right, if justice be not had, yet must this virtue of meekness remain in us, as may evidently appear in the very next verse of Matthew. For there the 
Chap. 5.  Lord knowing the nature of frail flesh, how it would startle and storm at this matter, and be tempted by it to forsake his truth, as it were of purpose hitteth your objection on the mouth with his hand, and biddeth it stand back, as not worthy to appear and be heard. For Blessed (saith he) are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. That is, blessed are they that notwithstanding they so moderate their desires, as never they seek or wish but what is just and right, and their own due debt; yet as hungry and thirsty live in patience & cannot be satisfied with receipt of justice for their own. Blessed I say are these, and they shallbe satisfied. Where you see even with both your eyes, except you will wink, the even in our own right we must want right sometimes in this world, & yet must be meek and godly and faithful still. And in the end we shallbe satisfied, either of man, or God, or both, as surely as we live. Therefore Frailty, if it be possible cease to be Frailty, and govern affections by these sweet promises of eternal truth.  
No want of justice, no wrongful oppression, no cross and unconscionable dealing of men, must make us fall out with our God or strike hands with the wicked. God forbidden. Shall we serve God no longer than he will rule his wisdom by our wisdom, and serve our desires fitly? But words be but words, and yet I tell you these words are true reason. Notwithstanding consider you for your confirmation what godly men in the scriptures have ever done: and if God will have mercy upon you, reform your nature to their allowed course. I pray you if a man serve at the altar, is it not reason that he live of the altar, that is, if a man spend himself, his body, his mind, his goods to instruct people in the way of salvation, & require of them again meat, drink, and clothing for his pains, doth he require a thing unreasonable, or doth he demand any more than is his due right? Yet did Paul the dear servant of the Lord hunger and thirst after this righteousness, and had it not. For unto this hour saith he of himself, we both 
1. Cor. 4. 11. 2. Cor. 11.  hunger and thirst, and are naked, & are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place, etc. Yet was he meek, patiented, & his affections orderly for all this, & yet he had not his right as you see. What did David again desire at saul's hand, but that since he had vouchsafed to make him his son in law, he would likewise use him so, or at least as a true subject and servant, with safety of life till he deserved worse? And was not this right and his very due? Yet pleased it God David should hunger, and thirst for this righteousness, and not have it. And yet you see I say again it was his right. What did joseph hunger and thirst for, but to be reputed honest, when he was honest, and not stained with that crime which his soul abhorred? Yet did he want it. What did all the Prophets and Martyrs desire, but God's glory to be increased, and their own lives saved when they deserved no death? Yet did they want it. Nay what did even Christ himself hunger and thirst for, whilst he here lived, but the rising up of God's kingdom in the hearts of men, and the salvation of their souls? Yet even this right and due to him, and this great and endless good to men themselves, could he not obtain, but hungering and thirsting after it, was despised and scorned, and in the end killed. Yet were all these meek, and gentle, and quiet in their affections, notwithstanding all this, and never fretted themselves at the crooked course of a cursed world, but stayed themselves, and at the lords hands they were all satisfied in the end, according to this promise, Ye have heard that it hath been 
Mat. 13 38.  said an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I say unto you resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on the right check, turn to him the other also. Yea even yet further, they thus wronged in the world spoke of meekness, and commended it both to themselves and others. For Learn of me, (saith our saviour Christ) that I am meek, and lowly in heart. And them that be meek (saith David) shall the Lord guide in judgement, and such as be gentle, them shall he teach his way. Wherefore I conclude if it pleased the Lord thus to deal ever with his children, and even with his own dear son yet satisfying them in the end, and hath in mercy made a faithful promise to deal no worse with us in the end, if we will be content: truly than no want of justice, ever in our most righteous suits and demands, should make us intemperate, but rather drive us to this promise, and in it we to be content with all meek mildness, both of heart, tongue, and countenance, till the Lord see his time to satisfy us. And I pray you Frailty consider of it. You see it with your eyes, your excuse is nought, be your right never so good, and your wrong never so great. But we can not do what we should do ever, and especiaily in these hard conflicts. Yet as near as we can, let us be ruled, and draw to this heavenly virtue daily more and more of meekness and patience. If we will not, surely as we live, when the Lord hath tried us a while with mercy seeking our good and cannot bow us, he will at last scourge us in anger, & fiercely break us. If the judge should say it, or any mortal man, be content and I will satisfy you, we would be quiet, and shall the God of heaven & earth so saying not be heard, trusted, and regarded? The Lord show his work upon us: for otherwise, if there be a hell, or he be a God, this intolerable contempt of so sweet a promise, and so sure a blessing will have a scorching reward at the last. I can say no more Frailty, but bid you look upon his own words, he saith you are blessed when you are oppressed for want of right, if you will be content, and you shall of his own self be truly and fully satisfied, if you will mildly tarry for it. Now if you will call him liar to his face, and say you are miserable because you are so dealt withal, or not happy, neither shall it be better with you unless you will leave his laws, and join fellowship with the wicked, you may work your own woe, and who can help it? But I hope better of you, and I wish better to you, which you shall never miss if you will be meek. And so let the Lord work with you, you see his word, and you know my mind.   

The fifth temptation against mercifulness by reason of unthankfulness.  frailty. 
SInce than you are so plain and comfortable, I will yet further bewray my secret assaults unto you, if I shall not be troublesome, and crave your strength as in these, hoping when the remedy appointed of God is used, it will prevail with me. I do then over and beside all these, find many other infirmities and even in any thing that God hath commanded, something or other fast creepeth upon me to slack me from that duty, which I know to be enjoined me. As first in dealing with such as have need of my help as a good Christian should, truly you will not believe how the ingratitude of the world quencheth my heart, and stayeth my hand. For I see the course of men and the naughtiness of natures in these evil days. Let a man lend his poor neighbour something to help him withal, as God commandeth, or let him even give clearly for ever to him, yet shall he never a whit be better loved of a number for it: but if he lend, be driven to sue for his own: and if he give, have rather unkindness, and a taunting scornful speech, than any other commendable and thankful consideration for his goodwill. Whereby I am often (I confess my corruption) driven even to the point of this worldly and wicked conclusion with myself, Let them sink or swim for me, I will seek to live myself out of all men's dangers, and I will neither borrow nor lend, give nor take, make nor meddle. Let other men's wants be other men's woes, and God help them, there are many ways to make a man poor, though his hand be hard enough. Now this I know is ungodly, and I was not borne to do thus, yet Frailty I am, and by reason of the monstrous ingratitude that the world aboundeth with, perforce I confess it, I am often driven towards this rock. Again I see every man even from the head to the foot, so given to halting, cogging, glozing, lying, soothing, smoothing, flattering, and dissembling, and so thereby to win favour, to win wealth, to win friends & countenance in their dealings, that me think I cannot stand any longer in the innocency of a good conscience, but I must do as they do, that I may get what they get. Yet know I this to be devilish, but I am Frailty by name, and I fear me by nature I shall be no less. Thirdly, when any unquietness grows in town and country, or any jarring unkindness, I see such hazard in dealing betwixt them, such subtleties and fetches to make a man a party in that which his soul hated, and so to trouble him, and let the best be supposed, I see usually so small thank gotten of either party, but even the contrary, that I assure you, I sit still and let them bate the fire that made the fire, and themselves waste one an other, and a thousand more too for me, if they wil Notwithstanding my conscience accuseth me secretly, that this is not well done of me. And thus endangered without, and accused within, me think my case is hard and grievous. But I will not weary you with any more of my infirmities. For I even shame to show you these, but that you are Faith, a friend where you take strong and comfortable, and gave me liberty to be thus bold with you before.  Faith. 
In deed frailty you are, when these things thus flow upon you, yet Frailty may you cease to be, by the grace of God, if you will diligently weigh what strength in the scripture is ministered against them. For to begin with you first, & letting store of other scriptures pass to keep me still in this fift of Matthew, evidently it may there appear, that the Lord knew it would assault his children, and therefore uttered this sentence, no doubt of purpose to confirm them still, that Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 
Verse 5.  Wherein if it were well marked, there is comfort hidden even sufficient against this vile suggestion. For shall the Lord of heaven set a blessing upon the head of a thing, and we not be moved with it? Nay shall it not more move us, than all the speeches or conceits in the world to the contrary tending? What though a dull heart say, let all men perish, so I may be safe, or what though a thousand policies prick to a private regard above measure of private well-being, do we not hear with our ears, and see with our eyes, the speech of truth which shall stand when heaven and earth shall fall, Blessed is the merciful? Either then make God false, or this blessing assured to the virtue ever. And if it be assured, than never regard the conceits of a witless world, but consider the virtue in itself, and what it shall pull upon you. Then to the imagination of want that may grow by this grace, and to the sting that ariseth upon their ingratitude, whom we have been merciful unto, oppose the promise that followeth in the place, For they shall obtain mercy. Doth a man obtain mercy when he is in this world made worse, and in the world to come no better? No; you know he doth not, and therefore it must needs follow, that this promised mercy implieth a greater good than ever can come harm by a liberal and merciful hand in order, either in this world, or in the other, or in both And it hath confirmation also of scriptures beside. For I have been young (saith the Prophet David) and now am old, yet saw I 
37. 25.  never the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread. But the righteous is ever merciful and dareth, and his seed is blessed. And again in another Psalm, A good man is merciful, 
112. 5.  and dareth, and he shall never be moved, but had in everlasting remembrance. Whereby it is plain & plain enough, that let the world and her chickens be as churlish as they may be, yet mercy is gainful by the promise of the Lord unto the merciful. And more should we regard, what our God liketh, loveth, & blesseth, than what with worldly wretches getteth reward. Yet even 
31. 20. Prou. 11. 26.  here also it hath his praise, as you may see by proof in job and others many, though not peradventure ever in all that are most bound unto it. Wherefore, even a thousand times we should contemn this rude nature of unreformed worldlings, and let them be as unkind, as ungrateful, and as perverse as their corruption can make them, if the Lord soften our hearts, and give us this virtue of mercy, our reward is certain, the bill of our blessedness is signed, and we, as we could ever desire, assured to be gainers, Sink it then Frailty in your heart, if I may obtain any thing of you, and hear not these things without any profit. Ponder the good promised in your mind, and ponder the truth of him that promiseth it, God of heaven & earth. If the good countervail your hurt, as a thousand times it doth, your temptation is strengthened, and if he never deceived, that hath given his word for payment of you, it is more strengthened, but both of these are true, and therefore God give you use of them, the blessing of mercifulness to all that truly need your help, is assured. This were enough then if you be not utterly fallen out with me, and will credit nothing that Faith telleth you, to stay your steps in this godly duty of mercy, yet regarding your nature rather than the need of the thing, add unto all this but some little view in your mind of the virtue itself in itself, and it may be you shall find strength increased by it. Is it not in his nature think you an assured virtue, that God maketh ever any promise of reward unto? Or can it make miserable that 
Mich. 6. 6. Colos. 3. 12.  the Lord saith, maketh blessed? Or is it not cause enough to continue you ever in the practice of it, that the Lord so often, so earnestly, and so generally to all estates commandeth it? Surely it is, and therefore mercy in it nature is a most notable virtue. Is it not to be honoured that maketh men in whom it is so renowned, as that all ages speak and write of their names and natures for it? But this virtue of mercy hath been such to many, and therefore in all truth, a notable virtue. For proof of my assertion, I let pass the multitude of the faithful, whom either scriptures or stories, or present practice, as yet amongst us honourably speak and think of. And I remember you only of his name, whose nature in this action (being an heathen) hath often well liked me Alexander the great. Whom when 
Note.  one Petillus humbly besought to help him with some money towards the bestowing of his daughter in marriage, by and by he commanded 50. talents to be given unto him: and when the man refused so great a gift, saying, that ten talentes would suffice, being told of it he also answered, that it behoved a good nature, not only to consider what an honest friend doth ask, but what his ability is well to spare and give. Thinking belike (which in truth is often so indeed) that either modesty, or fear, or some one regard or other, may make an honest nature, not ask so much as in deed he standeth in need of many a time, & therefore good reason a faithful friend should have respect to such an one above his ask ever.  
Was not this a sweet nature then, and a notable virtue in this man? Or can any man read this of him, and not love and like him for it. Great therefore is the praise of mercy and tender kindness ever. By mercy we resemble God, and prove ourselves his children: For our heavenly father is merciful. 
Luke 6.  By mercy we become instruments and as it were amners to the Lord to deliver his gracious benefits to our brethren, and even very equity requireth it at our hands, that if we find mercy ourselves in all our needs with God, we should not deny it in their wants unto our brethren. For so saith 
Math. 18.  the Lord to that evil servant in the Gospel, that he should have forgiven, because he was forgiven himself, and showed kindness to his fellow, since he had found it with the Lord himself. Last of all that fearful threat of mercy ever to be denied to us, if we deny it ourselves to others should strengthen and stay us in this virtue for evermore. Therefore look not I say again upon men's acceptance of our doings, but look upon the virtue itself, how it adorneth a man, how it commendeth a man, and how it maketh his fame to fly both far and near in every place. And look upon the sure reward, that is promised to it by the Lord. If you be merciful you shall be blessed, if you be merciful you shall have mercy, if you be merciful you shallbe renowned, you shall assure your soul that you are the Lords, because you resemble his nature, and if you be not, both God and man shall curse you: Therefore be merciful. This may encourage us, and this will encourage us certainly Frailty, if the Lord be not quite departed from us. But as it is needful that this virtue should be in us, so is it as needful that it be rightly in us, for otherwise we deceive ourselves, and we shall miss the reward in the end. And therefore as I have endeavoured to stir you up unto it, so it shall not be unprofitable per adventure altogether if I also direct you a little in it. Some than have thought this virtue to have been delivered in the verse before which we have heard of under the name of meekness, but in deed they differ much. For meekness than is showed, when we ourselves are wronged, and yet revenge not, but put it up and leave it to the Lord. And mercy when we ourselves being no way hurt, yet are touched and moved with other men's wants, and even suffering with them because they suffer, endeavour ourselves to our ability to relieve and help them. So that this virtue of mercy as you see, standeth of two parts, to wit, of a tender feeling, and compassion within us, and of an outward loving help with our ability whatsoever it is without us. The misery of man is of two sorts, and therefore also this merciful pity and help of as many. For either a man wanteth what is needful for his soul, or what is convenient for his body. And both of these doth a merciful christian tender and pity, and help, as he can. Of the former we have a proof in the example of our saviour Christ, whose 
Mark 6.  bowels even yearned and heart ached to see the spiritual misery and want of that great multitude that then he saw being destitute of knowledge and altogether as wandering sheep without a shepherd. Of the second we have a proof also in the Samaritan, whose merciful nature showeth itself toward 
Luke 10.  bodily wants, and outward griefs of him that thieves had so ill handled And in both these you see the parts I spoke of, namely inward compassion and outward help. Without which never can this virtue stand, nor we be liked either of God or man. For if we pity and yet help not, that fearful speech of john lighteth on us, How dwelleth the love of God in us, and we shall assuredly hear it in the day of judgement, When I was naked ye clothed me not, when I was hungry ye fed me not, and so forth. And if we help a man in his need, and yet do it not upon any tender compassion toward him, but upon a jollity and pride in ourselves, and upon an imagination of merit for the work sake, or such like, it is loothsome: again, all that ever we do to the Lord, and we lose our reward. If you doubt of this, you may see it proved in the pharisees, 
Matth. 6. Matth. 3.  whose alms abounded, & made a glorious show. But because they let the weightier matters pass, as judgement and Mercy and fidelity, their outward deeds had never reward Therefore even a thousand times mark it, how want of right disposition in the heart, maketh outward dealing of gifts, be it never so magnifical, but pharisaical and wicked: against that blockish assertion of some, that the deed done must needs be rewarded. This tender feeling doth the Apostle both profess in himself, and require in others. In himself, when he asketh who is 
1. Cor. 11. 29.  weak and he is not weak, who is offended and he burneth not? In others, when be saith, weep with them that 
Rom. 12.  weep, and rebuketh the Corinthians for that they seeing so great a fall of their brother, were puffed up and did not rather sorrow. So well thus you see 
Cor. 15.  what manner of mercy must be in you, if it be allowed of the Lord. Now how this good virtue is begotten in 
How mercifulness is wrought in men.  us, let us also consider, and beside divers others that might be named, you shall see the workers of it especially and above other means to be experience and sight. For the first we see it in the wisdom of the Lord our God most plainly, who therefore gave his 
Experience.  own son a sense of our woes, that experience might make him a more merciful, ready and careful regarder of our suits. It behoveth him (saith the 
Heb. 2. 17.  Apostle) in all things to be made like to his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest. And again, We have not an high Priest that cannot 
4. 15.  be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but we have one that was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sin, concluding thereupon presently, Let us therefore go boldly to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and grace to help in time of need. Why so? Assuredly because we can never feel that want which he knoweth not, and knowing, experience worketh effectually a ready regard and help. Whereupon by the way, we may ground a great comfort against any cross if we mark it. For thus may we think, if mercifulness make us blessed, and experience make us merciful, then whensoever the Lord giveth us any taste of woe, he doth but school us unto happiness. But I pass it over, and now let us consider, what a very monster and ugly beast in nature he is, who having himself drunk of the beggars dish, and tasted the smart of needy want, yet never the more is moved in tender kindness to others, when God hath made him able to help them, but as brass or iron turneth both hand and heart away, when pitiful suits are made unto him for some comfort. And 
Sight a worker of mercifulness.  then view we in like manner the force of sight in such examples as we have commended to us in the scriptures. When Pharaohs daughter saw little Moses in the basket, she pitied it: when 
Exod 2. Matth. 14.  jesus saw the multitude, he had compassion on them, and healed all their sick: when he saw their want of teachers, 
Mark 6. Luke 7. Luke 10. Luke 18.  he pitied them: when he saw the woman weep whose son was dead, he pitied her: when the Samaritan saw the wounded man, he pitied him: when the Lord saw his debtor fall down, he forgave him all: and he that seeth his brother want, and turneth his face away, O how is the love of God in him? with a number such. So that sight I say above either hearing or many other means, is a vehement worker of this virtue in us, if we be the Lords: and of this virtue not in part, but in whole, for if you mark the examples again, you shall neither see pity without help, nor help without entire compassion in them, but both together, the one following ever after and upon the other: which if it be so; then should we take a view of ourselves, occasioned by this doctrine, and diligently weigh what either sight of other men's woes, or hearing, or any other means worketh in us, and if we find a fiintie heart within us, whatsoever we see or hear, judge then betimes what will be our case at one time or other, when blessed shall be the merciful. Surely we shall find what the Lord hath spoken, that judgement without mercy shall be unto us, because 
james 2. 13.  we have showed no mercy. And if we find the contrary, as greatly may it joy us again on the other side. But I forget myself in following this discourse too far, and therefore here will I cut it off: once again desiring you neither in this virtue, nor others ever so much to regard what the world doth think, as what the God of heaven that made the world, doth judge. For if you do, you shall never whilst you live keep a strait course in any good. The Lord saith the merciful man shall be blessed, therefore shame unto the face that once avoucheth it, that mercy maketh miserable. The Lord accepteth it, let the world neglect it: the Lord rewardeth it, let a senseless worldling be never so ungrateful, and what the Lord rewardeth, it can never make a man worse if he use it, therefore be merciful. What should I say? Certainly Frailty, till God become false, till his blessings become cursings, his promises unprofitable, and his rewards not worth having, the feeling heart and the helping hand, head, tongue, or any member gift or ability in us can never impoverish us beyond our good, as you plainly see: and therefore your temptation is answered, and your weakness strengthened, if the Lord grant you feeling and use of his word: which I trust he will, and beseech him that he may.   

Strength against Dissimulation, the sixth temptation.  
YOur next temptation ariseth by dissimulation, and a mighty motion you find to do as the world doth. But Frailty, would you leave to think gain to be godliness, and begin to think only godliness to be gain, as the Apostle teacheth, and a little to weigh with yourself, what in every age every honest man and woman hath thought of this beastly vice, were it never so general, surely you would find strength against it in yourself, and a marvelous hatred kindled in your heart of it I believe verily. For there is nothing that pulleth any body into this Metamorphosis of nature, but a careless contempt of all opinions of us, so we may flourish and get our desire of this cursed world. Which I must say again is a beastly vice in man or woman, because it so maketh them that use it, this being ever the property of a man, to prefer honesty before all utility. Now if 
Scripture against it.  you ask what hath been thought, I am able to show you even under one sight, both God and man against it, and man not only Christian, but heathen, such as beside the light of nature had no direction by the Lord. For, Woe unto 
Esay 2●.  them (saith the Lord) that seek deep to hide their counsels from me. That is, that carry more show than truth, as they do which are outwardly religious, and inwardly most profane contemners of the same. Help Lord saith 
Psalm 12.  the Prophet David, for it is high time, there is not one godly man left, but the faithful are minished from the children of men: they talk of vanity every man with his neighbour, they do but flatter with their lips, and dissemble with their double heart. And then in the detestation of so vile a thing the spirit of the Prophet breaketh out into a curse, and the Lord root out saith he, such deceitful lips. Which certainly is a speech that should pierce us deep, when we consider and think of it. The Apostle Peter also crieth unto all that fear God Lay aside all maliciousness, and all guile, 
1. Pet. 2. 1.  and all dissimulation, envy, and all evil speaking, opposing these to the sincers milk of the word of GOD, which all men ought to desire, that they may grow thereby, as things that cannot agree and dwell together in any man. And if we mark examples, was it not, I pray you, a horrible thing for Simeon and Levy to pretend such friendship to the Sichemites, and to harbour secretly so bloody conceits? Did not the soul of their godly father jacob detest both such men, and such dealings? Was it not vile and unseeming either for a king, or an honest man to dissemble such liking of David, as that he would give him his 
●. Sam. 18. 21.  daughter to wife, and yet mean nothing thereby in truth but to snare him, and to work his certain overthrow by it? Such love come to them that long for it, and such fathers in law God keep us ever from may we think and say, if we mark it. Was it not a detestable nature in Cain under a brother's face to dissemble a murdering heart and mind? Can you abide but even to think of that cursed Courtier joabs speech: Art thou in health my brother 
●. Sam. 20. 16.  Amasa, and leaning forward to kiss him, secretly to stab him with his dagger that he died presently? These are the effects of this cruel vice, & these are the fruits of such unnatural men as have carried faces under an hood more than they would show, which assuredly the Lord hath caused to be written to confirm our hearts in an unfeigned loathing of it, seem it never such wisdom in a wicked world, and bring it never such gain to the users of it. Now on the contrary side consider again what a lasting praise is given to the contrary, namely, to sincere & faithful, true and plain honest dealing with all men. So shall it still appear unto you cléerer, that detestable in the eyes of god is a glozing tongue, with an hollow halting and dissembling heart. What man is he, saith the prophet David, that listeth to 
Psalm 34.  live and would feign see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. As if he should say, halters will be halted withal, one way or other, let them do what they can, and so evil a nature shall find either with God or man, or with both at last a deserved recompense, and therefore be simple. Again, in an other place, Blessed is the man in whose spirit 
Psalm 32.  there is no guile. And again, Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle, or who shall rest upon thy holy hill? Even the man saith the Lord that amongst other virtues hath this by name to speak the truth, when he speaketh, from his heart. And what a speech is that of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, Our rejoicing is this, the testimony 
Psalm 15.  of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly pureness, and not in fleshly wisdom, we have had our conversation in the world. His conscience bore him witness of plain dealing ever, & it joyed him. Ours cry within us, our dissembling is monstrous, & shall it never think we bring sorrow to us? Read at your leisure the first of sirach from the 33. verse to the end. Never forget also the commendation that Christ giveth to Nathaniel. But what should I heap up any more testimonies? May I not still refer you to the fifth of Matthew, and you there see even this temptation also as one that should assault the godly provided for in these words, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Consider then of it well, Frailty, and be assured where there is a blessing set upon the head of the virtue, there is also a curse set upon the head of the vice ever. If they be blessed of the Lord, that reserve in themselves, notwithstanding all temptations to the contrary, an honest, faithful, simple, true dealing, and meaning heart toward all men, and in whose spirits there is no guile, then as you live, you may assure your soul the contrary are cursed before the face of him that is truth itself and never any thing but truth. And whatsoever they gain and get in the world, they gain and get the Devil and all with it, unless the Lord turn their hearts. But let this suffice a while touching God and his word, how they do allow this vice whereunto you feel yourself so greatly tempted. And a little also weigh his children's judgement of it, the ancient grave and godly fathers of his 
Fathers against it.  Church. S. Chrysostom writing upon the 7. of Matthew and considering this sly nature of men and women, so faithful in show, and so faithless in proof, breaketh out into this detestation of it, Fie, fie, saith he, what a course is this? If it be a shame to seem to be false and nought, is it not more shame to be so in deed? Therefore either be as thou seemest, or seem as thou art ever. Where you plainly see, the true loathing, that this godly father lodged of this vice in his heart. S. Austin speaking upon the words of Christ to Nathaniel, concludeth this glorious gloss that many make, and this deep dissembling that many use, to be a special of the general head fraud and deceit, the very naming whereof we all abhor. And upon these words again of the Psalm: Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile. Then saith he, is it treacherous Fraud, Cum aliud in pectore clausum habetur, aliud promittitur aut verbo aut actione. When one thing is hidden in heart, and an other thing promised either by word or action. Now of the contrary virtue openly and expressly he affirmeth, that the simple God hearty loveth, and an other showeth who they be, even they whose dealings are without 
Simplices qua si sine plicatione. Anselm. in Rom. 9  pleites and folds & wrinkles every way. Again that simplicity and plain open honesty, that is contrary to fraud and subtlety ever is commended saith Lactantius. And simplicity 
Lib. 1.  is ever joined with true wisdom saith Tertullian. No virtue so necessary betwixt man and man, as humble simplicity and modest gravity, saith an other. And to conclude, if we regard the sentences and judgements of any, but ourselves, certainly me think it should never be forgotten, what S. Jerome so hearty speaketh: Have ever such a regard of truth in all thy doings, as if once thou hast spoken 
Ad Caelant.  it, all one thou takest thyself pressed with it, as if thou hadst sworn it a thousand times. Thus see you secondly than the judgement of true Christian teachers touching the vice you are so strongly tempted to stain yourself withal. thirdly now view the opinion of the heathen concerning the same, and if nature taught them very heartily even to abhor it, what will be the end frailty, can you suppose, either of yourself, or any other, in whom neither nature, nor the renewed light, & strength thereof the blessed word of God can keep upright in the Christian course of plain, true, faithful, honest meaning, speaking, thinking, and dealing with all men. What is horrible deceit and fraud saith one of them a famous councillor, but when one thing is 
Heathen against it. Cic.  done, and an other presented in outward show? Therefore like of the one and like of the other, hate the former and abhor the latter, thought this man see you plainly in this place: And in an other place, he hath this reason against it. Suspicion (saith he) of others, was never good, but the more any 
Offic. 2.  man or woman use dissembling and halting themselves, the more ever they will stand in a suspicious fear of others that they likewise use it, therefore never was it, nor ever shallbe any commendable course in any. Again how soundeth it still unto all posterities, the discredit and shame of those cavilling, glozing Thracians, who having taken truce for 30. days, spoiled their enemies in the night with this shameful shift, that they named no truce to be kept on the night but only on the day? And how liveth still and will do long on the contrary side the praise of M. Regulus amongst these heathens, because he rather chose to die a cruel death, than once to break the faith he had truly plighted, and any way by fraud, subtlety, and dissembling treachery to take the course that others did? But I stay myself and assure you of this, that in all crations and speeches, in all pleas, and actions, for and against any man amongst them, honest plainness was ever an argument of favour and succour, and hollow smoothing glaverie a note of reprooch and an argument to persuade the contrary. Now therefore let us gather up all these again together, and if heathens hate it, Christians loathe it, and the God of life and death abhor it, what strength should any cause in the earth have to tempt you unto it? Nay Frailty, how dare you for any favour or gain under the sun oppose your practice to his allowance, whose disliking killeth and casteth into hell for evermore? Therefore I pray you, be warned, and wipe off that mist of earthly covetousness, and ambition, that bleareth your eyes, look with an other sight upon these things, and be assured if the truth of God be assured, that since honest hearts, and plain dealing hath a blessing promised, the gain of flattery, glozing and halting, is not the best wealth, nor the best wisdom. But his little is more, whose heart is pure, than mountains of gold and all honoured state, that is crept unto by deep dissembling, and so will the end prove in them or theirs, if God be God. For they are accursed, if the pure in heart be blessed, as I have often now repeated. And judge if the curse of God will want his effect at one time or other, at first or at last. But now if all this should not yet fully strengthen you (which God forbidden) then proceed with the sentence in Matthew, and ponder well the other part also of it. For they shall see God, (saith it.) What is this? But the Lord shall reveal unto them daily more and more as a reward of their sincerity and honest walking, his will, his mercy, his favour, his comforts, his joys prepared, and all his goodness in jesus Christ toward them. Which in deed is to see God as man is able to see him in this life, and therefore is called blessedness, because the end of such knowledge and sight is blessedness, as woe and misery is of the contrary. Where by the way we are notably taught what is necessary in either man or woman that shall ever profit by reading or hearing the word of God, namely a pure heart, that is even a sincere mind and upright purpose to learn of the Lord and not to do what they do, either for one cause or other whatsoever beside, that a subtle mind can lay down. Which words of Christ include a strong comfort to honest simplicity, and as touching a terror against smoothing hypocrisy. For the one shall see God, the other shall never behold him to their comfort, but all their reading, all their hearing, all their knowledge, if the Lord bestow any, shallbe to death, and not to life: to woe, and not to well: a savour sending them body and soul to everlasting misery, as by necessary consequence followeth of the place. Yet do I not mean in all this, that a man should all be open to every one, and in every matter: for that were as great an extremity the other way, and full of inconveniences. And I remember well what good counsel wise experienced sirach giveth in this point: Namely, 
Syrac. 8. 19  that we should not open our hearts to every one, lest they be unthankful to us and put us to reproof. And in an other place, Be not too humble in thy 
13. 9 De Sacerdotio lib. 1.  wisdom. And I remember Chrysostom confesseth of himself without fear of blame for it, that he used a little subtlety to make S. Basil accept his Bishopric and charge, which otherwise he would not. Therefore I say again under the praise of honest simplicity and purity of heart, I do not shroud or bolster any plain foolishness, and undiscreet séelinesse, but my speech tendeth to the pressing of that, even to hell, if I can, which you Frailty are tempted to: namely, to lie, flatter, cog, halt, gloze, sooth, smooth, crouch, creep, sigh, sorrow, sawn, and fall down at ones feet, swear and protest liking, love, faithful service and friendship, and what not, that may allure for credit and favour, lucre, and gain: when there is no more truth of good meaning in you, than is in the devil, but only for your turn. This is that that I inveigh against, and this is that God and all good men have ever hated as I have proved. To carry two faces under an hood for commodity, and mine own safety. To serve God with lips and outward show, because the law so presseth me, if I will live in account, and inwardly to be a deep dissembling hypocrite and a secret scoffer at his truth. To salute with a kiss the ministers of the word, as judas did his Master, and yet in hidden soul to abhor them and their counsel as I do a toad, and every way to remain a beastly man, unreformed in word, deed, and thought utterly, and to care more in the very truth of my heart for one secret hour amongst my mates, where my thrice damnable desire and unregenerated humour may be satisfied, than I do for a thousand days in any minister or man's company in the world, whose tongue rebuketh, countenance frowneth, or heart misliketh my sin. To say as joab said with a fleering face, How dost thou my brother Amasa, And to stab him presently with his dagger, or as we say commonly many an one of us, God give you good morrow sir, and so forth, when bitter gall in a festered heart biddeth the Devil fetch you sir, and worse too, if I could tell how. To prate and speak as a faithful subject, and yet to be a longing foe to work a ruin, to my will. And what should I say? to ride and run, to watch and wait, and perform all duties, as if I were the truest servant that draweth breath, and yet is my heart only bend upon my masters preferments, and not one jot at all of faithful duty and affection in me to his person. This this abominable and even more than devilish nature if more may be, is that I mean, and that the world too much liketh of, that you are tempted to Frailty, and that jesus Christ in this verse now named armeth his children and chosen against. Wherefore my companion Frailty, weigh my drift, and mark my proofs, consider what you desire, and by what means you incline to get your desire. You desire but the world (to speak in a word) and for the world to lose your soul what again is it? But if you take this course, you shall as certainly lose both body and soul, as you now live and hear me, for it is cursed of the Lord, and they that use it shall never see God. His nature is all truth, and simplicity, and therefore what fellowship can ever he have with a false glosser? But if you set the Lord before your eyes, hang upon his mercy, and trust to his providence, dealing with all the world sincerely, honestly, plainly, and uprightly, bestowing not face, and form, but even all the love, and duty of your heart where it is due, be it to God or man, you hear the Lord, you hear the Lord I say that never lied, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God: you hear his servant David again, Blessed is that man in whose spirit there is no guile, no guile I say again, and the Lord give us strength.   

Against discouragement from peacemaking, the seventh temptation.  
YOur next complaint is of slackness that creepeth upon you daily more and more in labouring to pacify disagreeing neighbours, against which your conscience crieth, and indeed with cause: for it is a great offence, hateful to God, and hurtful to the common wealth in general, and to many a man in several. But in the name of God, frailty, strengthen yourself by an earnest consideration of the great excellency of that Christian virtue of peace and unity, and fix not your eye so much upon the acceptance of men, that have ever had their corruptions and ever wil The virtue you shall find in very high degree commended unto men by the holy scriptures of God 
Scriptures teach unity.  in many places, and by many arguments: but I will refer the noting and naming of them to your own diligence, and content myself in a short speech with a very few: Beginning first with that notable Psalm of the Prophet David wholly spent in this 
Psalm 133.  matter. Where the first argument is this: That which is good aught ever 
1.  greatly to be regarded and maintained amongst men, but much more if it both be good & pleasant too, for these both do not ever concur together. But such a thing is peace and love amongst men. For behold how good and pleasant a thing it is brethren to dwell together in unity, behold I say and even mark it earnestly. Therefore it ought to be regarded and maintained ever to the uttermost of our powers amongst us. His second argument is this, that which 
2.  casteth a comfort from it like the precious ointment that was appointed for the priests of the Lord Aaron and his successors, and even such a comfort as that ointment hath when it is not sparingly dropped, but even plentifully powered, and so plentifully as that it runneth down even from the top of the head to the skirts of his clothing, that is a notable thing amongst men, and by all means to be retained and sought: but this is peace and unity, love and agreement amongst them. Therefore to be regarded and maintained greatly. His third argument is this: That which 
3.  being had is to men as the dew descending from the mountains to the ground, and being wanting, is as the want of moisture to the earth, that is thrice needful, gainful, and good to men: but such is unity, peace, and love, even like the dew of Hermon that fell upon the hill of Zion. Therefore to be regarded and maintained greatly. His last, and not his least argument wherewith he endeth both this matter and 
4.  that Psalm withal, is this: That which pulleth upon men even all the temporal blessings of God, and life for evermore, that is a thousand times profitable both to them and theirs: but such (saith the prophet) is peace and unity, love and agreement amongst men, therefore to be regarded and maintained greatly. Thus you see one man's judgement, and that such a man's as had abundance of Gods most blessed spirit to direct his heart to think, and pen to write, and as in truth was every way then renowned, and now remaineth by the Lord himself in high degree above others commended to us. Unto whom if you add some other Scriptures, you shall more peradventure be confirmed with diversity, though this indeed were sufficient. Consider therefore also those often repetitions of Christ in the gospel, My peace I give 
john 34.  to you, my peace I leave with you, love one an other, for this is my commandment, that you love one an other as I have loved you: and hereby shall men know, that you are my disciples, if you love one an other, yea a new commandment I give you, that you love one an other. Would ever the Lord Jesus have thus gone over and over it again, and iterated charge upon charge in this order, if it had not been a most excellent virtue in every country, town, and house, love and agreement? Mark again that most earnest exhortation of the Apostle Paul unto the same in his epistle to the Ephesians, desiring them 
Ephes. 4. 1.  in his bonds for the lords cause that they would support one an other thorough love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. And why? For there is one body and one spirit, one hope of calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all, etc. A most vehement and urging reason if I should follow it and lay it plainer open. And mark a multitude of other places to the same conclusion, which assuredly the Lord would never have uttered, but that the price of peace, unity and love is very precious in his eyes, and to all estates a most sovereign good in the world. See also how sensibly 
Things in nature teach unity.  things in nature carry us to this consideration. For by experience we find it, that if the heavens agree to moisten 
Hose. 2. 22.  the earth, and the earth being moistened to give her increase, we are all the 
Deuter. 28. 32.  better for their unity, and if they should but even a little while either of them deny his office, quickly and greatly should we feel the smart of it also. Therefore judge by this the fruit of good agreement. Again if the humours in men's bodies be at an agreement, not one above an other, but very equally as is best proportioned and mixed, all the whole body is comfortable, prospereth, and doth well: but if once any one aboundeth or wanteth, and their sweet harmony is broken, then by and by the whole body feeleth it, and if a reconciliation be not made with convenient speed, it perisheth. Therefore judge by this the fruit of good agreement. Again if the members of the body well agree to do their several duties, all is well: but if either eye deny to guide, foot to go, hand to reach, stomach to digest, or so forth, straight the whole body falleth to hurt. And therefore see by this the fruit of good agreement. Last of all even in musical instruments mark how well we like the noise so long as every string doth keep his just proportion, & how presently we stop our ears from hearing, if any one be out of tune, twitched up too high, or let down too low, and all the music is marred. All which and many more in nature sound unto us, and as they can deliver it out that great is the fruit, comfort, and good of peace and love amongst men, and as great the evil, as odious the sight, if any one member in his own vain conceit be twitched over high or negligently slacked over much, whereby that fit proportion is not kept, that ever soundeth & sémeth sweet. For than will follow assuredly ere the time be long the proof of Christ his speech, A kingdom divided in itself can never stand. And that other also of the Poet.  
By concord small to much is brought,  
And discord great things brings to nought.  
Upon all which then gather this conclusion, that if this great virtue of peace and love be to the Lord himself so acceptable, and to all estates in the world so profitable, must it not needs be in itself, howsoever the world accepteth it, a most singular thing, and a most deserved praise to a man to be a peacemaker amongst men? Certainly it must. But we need not to gather it by conclusion. For the Lord Christ himself hath said it in the same 5. of Matthew, as preparing strength before hand for this very same temptation, that now you feel, That blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. And never, as I have now often said, doth he set a blessing upon the head of any thing, but the same in it nature, and before his majesty is a worthy thing. Wherefore this place should be to you even a thousand arguments to confirm your obedience in so Christian a duty, as peacemaking is, and a thousand spurs to prick you daily to it when opportunity is offered, and occasion given to the same. For Frailty, what can you resolve this speech of Christ into, if you mark it well, but into this sense? As if he should have said to his disciples in this order: I know the manifold discomfortes that shall be given to all men, and especially to you ministers in that duty of peacemaking, which yet both belongeth to all men, and especially to your calling, notwithstanding ever to endeavour so far as power shall serve. And therefore lest hereafter, when it shall so fall out, either you or any other should be tempted through men's unthankfulness, to the giving over of that so thrice needful a thing, I forewarn you here before hand, and even give you in charge as I am your Lord and master, that you never regard, cleave, and stick in the acceptance or thankfulness of men for your pains, and travel, in this matter. For if you do, you shall be discouraged. But ever look you up to heaven, what is there thought of it, and to the better sort of the world also, whom the Lord hath given eyes to discern good things with al. And whatsoever you find at men's hands for so godly a labour, you shall well know it, find it, and feel it, that with the Lord in heaven blessed for ever shall be the peacemakers, and both of him and his true children here in earth, that know what is what, they shall be counted, taken, and acknowledged for the sons of almighty God, that shall live with their Father for evermore. Which is enough Frailty, if there be either touch or taste, or any feeling in the world in us, to stay us for ever in this duty, be the perverseness of men never so much. For what can we desire more than to have our doings accepted of the Lord, and ourselves assured of everlasting reward at his hands for men? Let men be mad and mad again, let their crooked affections work and writhe them whither they can, and even all unthankful speeches burst from them against us for our goodwill, that may be imagined, my God is pleased, should a Christian heart think, with my endeavour, and his acceptance is my satisfaction, his content is my rest, and a sufficient requital of all my pains. Otherwise Frailty, I pray you even earnestly consider it: What love of God is that in us, that the love of man driveth out of us, what care to please him is that, that men's displeasure quencheth? Fie, fie, it is too gross, and ten thousand wonders may it be, that ever any of us can sleep with this imagination, that we love God above all, and yet in such things as by name are commanded and by promises commended to us, wholly guide our obedience according to men's acceptance or not acceptance, liking, or misliking. Wherefore on still Frailty, with this duty and endeavour to reconcile disagreeing minds in the name of God, and were the bitter gall, the spiteful peevishness and all the unthankfulness of the Devil and his whole host in every man and woman you deal withal, yet have you comfort enough if either the Lords acceptance can content you, or your own promised reward and blessing please you, or good account to be one that God hath chosen for his child, with the better sort of the world comfort you. Now by the way of a little digression, in hope I do not weary you, I would also wish you a little to consider that if this peace and agreement amongst neighbours in town or country be such, and so sweet in the sense of the Lord, as that even the preservers of it, and restorers, when it is broken are so hearty blessed, and accounted for it the sons of God, must it not needs follow that those things likewise are in high account before his majesty, which being in men and women do most mightily maintain this blessed virtue in all and every societis under heaven? Surely it must needs follow. And what are they? Many and diverse are they if one should make a curious recital, but for my part when I mark the course of things, and the causes of good agreement in any place, I think but even especially of these three. First a patiented and meek nature in ourselves able to bear and tolerate something, without mounting into the house top immediately, and flashing out all on fire by and by upon the sight or hearing of it. Secondly, a well judging heart of others, till we be certain of the contrary. And lastly, a good tongue. Must not I say (if peace be so pleasing to the Lord) these things also be precious in his eyes, which all the world knoweth to be nourishing nurses of the same wheresoever they are? If peacemaking pull a blessing upon us, as the Lord liveth these so great preservers of peace shall have a happy reward. And if this be true, then on the other side again the contrary vices for their contrary effect must needs be as loathsome, hateful and accursed: Namely, an impatient, hasty, fierce, froward, furious nature, the is as short as moss, that hath never fought withal, and foiled any affection, but cleaving still in pure naturals, is unregenerated and ever casteth out the savour of old Adam upon every occasion be it but a trifle. Secondly, a suspicious misdeeming mind of every body, that they say thus of us, work this against us, or at least think thus of us, when in truth it is nothing so. O poison of peace in any kingdom, country, town, house, or person living in the world, this misdeeming mind. And to a man's self there is no more twitching torment under the son. For it is even a worm that is ever gnawing and ever biting, and can never be contented. Lastly, an evil tongue, a peaceles tongue, that can never be quiet from prittle prattle, from scanning this neighbour's wealth, that neighbour's wit, this man's doings, and that man's sayings, and from coursing even the whole country over, till all men have been within the speech of our tongues, drawn out of us by the power peradventure of a pot too much, or such a like influence. Must not these things I say, and the owners of them be accursed, as sure as they live, if peace and love and good agreement amongst men be of the Lord blessed? They must, they must Frailty. For all the world knoweth the venom of these things in any town, and their mighty working against unity, and therefore I pray you, and I pray you hearty consider of it, and cast even a long look upon them, such an one as we do when we would mark a thing indeed, and bear it away. And I doubt not but God shall give you strength against your temptation. There is no one thing so great a nurse of two of them, namely, of a misdeeming mind, & a prattling tongue, as idleness is, when a man hath nothing to do, and to apply himself unto, but to sit on a bulk in the street, or bench in a tavern, or an ale house, and to wet his tongue with drink, and dry it with talking, or when a woman hath no settled government of herself in house, but is in the number of those that the Apostle Paul speaketh of, which 
1. Tim. 5. 23.  being idle learn to go about from house to house. Yea, they are not only idle, but also prattlers and busy bodies, speaking things which are not comely. Therefore whosoever will be a preserver of peace, he must be an enemy to these curses assuredly, and hear more with two ears, than he speaketh with one tongue. But I weary you with this digression, which is longer than I meant, and therefore I cut it off, again and again requiring of you, that you never hang upon the account of men in any thing, that ever you go about being commanded by the express word of God, but fully suffice yourself with the acceptance of God. and that which you have here an assurance of, if you be a peacemaker. Blessed shall you be, and ever accounted both with God and his true children the son of God. And if this will not content you, quicken you, strengthen and stay you in this virtue, but that worldly ingratitude shall quench you, and draw you to such extremity as you spoke of, certainly Frailty you deceive yourself, there is no true godliness in you, but even your name is too gentle for your nature, you are become plain infidelity. But I hope the best, and perform you no less, if you regard your own comfort. Sufficient is this yet once again, if you be the Lords, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.   

The eight Temptation.  frailty. 
ONce more would I trouble you Faith, if I might before we end, & it is in this, I fear my nature if persecution should arise for religion. And what should I do to obtain strength?  Faith. 
There are many treatises of this point, godly, and comfortable whereunto for larger discourse I refer you and wish you to peruse them. For mine own part whensoever I think of this matter, these and such other considerations seem most sweet unto me as yet: Further trial shall give further assault, but God will be ever good to Israel. First it is ratified, decreed, and established by the Lord our God that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of heaven. And therefore 
Acts 14.  since it must be so, so be it in the name of God, & be it unto us, as it pleaseth him: necessary things are to be borne necessarily and with cheer. For in vain do we grudge to do what we must needs do, or grieve to bear what we must needs bear. Heathens and Pagans have made a comfort of necessity, and should Christians in better cause bewray more weakness? No, God forbidden. But let it ever be our speech rather than theirs in such matters as our God sendeth and layeth upon us, Ferenda quaecunque sunt. They are welcome what soever they be. Secondly, this decree & course that the Lord hath laid down for his children, thus to keep, proceedeth not of anger and displeasure, or of a mind delighting in our woe, and seeking to punish us, but of great love and most fatherly affection toward us, and in deed wonderfully worketh our better being, and therefore tenns thousand times welcome should this good will of his be to us, and very far from shaking us from the true profession of his name, and truth. For his affection, we hear his own mouth speak it, that whom he loveth, he rebuketh and chasteneth, many a time repeating the same that we might remember it. And 
Apoc. 4.  for the other we see it, and know it by the proof of every days experience. For what maketh us see the gall of Satan's heart toward us, and even our everlasting overthrow sworn of him by his divelhood, if by any means he can work it, to the end we may perfectly hate so perfect a foe, and yet so ●●●ring a friend? The cross. What rouseth us out of dull security, and cold conceit of our own wants or the necessity of God's protection and succour, and maketh not only our tongues to speak, but the fire to kindle and burn within us, and so our prayers to have spirit and power before the Lord? The Cross. What killeth this intemperancy of our affections, and this blustering impatiency of our natures, and maketh us meek, mild, humble, gentle, and like lambs, not lions, appointed to the slaughter? The cross. What worketh the decay even of the whole old Adam in us with all his lusts, concupiscence, and venom, and daily raiseth up, as a means, the new man with all his sweet motions, heavenly and reformed actions? The Cross. What maketh us spit in the face of this flattering world, whose love causeth loss both of body and soul in the world to come, and to be content to part with her paps, and to bid all her pleasures adieu? The cross. Lastly, what maketh us tear our bellies from the earth whereto they cleave so fast, and lift up our heads to heaven, long for the life that lasteth, and desire hearty to be clothed with our house which is from above? The cross. Wherefore then since it is decreed, and that in love to our so great good, that all which will live godly in Jesus Christ must suffer persecution, what cause have we, would the Lord vouchsafe us eyes, with the cross to be discouraged and driven from the Lord? Thirdly it never happeneth to us by fortune and chance, or by ignorance in our God, or inability to let it, if it pleased him, but by his knowledge, by his will, and by his hand, and he is our father, bound unto us in league and covenant of love, that of his part shall never be broken while we hang of him. The mother may forget the child that is her flesh before he can forget us, and aswell can a man suffer the apple of his eye to be pricked, as he us to be hurt, if we cleave to him: then judge if his cross should ever dismay us. Fourthly it is no strange thing or unheard of, or unseen before, that befalleth to us when we are persecuted, but such as all our brethren have tasted, found, and felt before us, and why then should we faint when we drink but of the same cup that the dearest saints and souls now blessed with the Lord, have begun to us in? Cast your eyes about, & see the course of times although I know you know it well enough. Began not able unto us in this cup and course, assoon as ever the Lord bewrayed his love unto him, before his brother? Followed not the patriarchs, and Prophets, men and women, eld and young, in their times, and measures even till Christ came? Then was it not the cup that his own self began to his children in, and the baptism wherewith he was baptised? Followed not his disciples sent out into the world as sheep amongst wolves, whipped and beaten, checked and snubbed, imprisoned and chained, etc. Followed not again after them those thousands of his children under the primitive persecution, some scalded, some burned, some broiled, some hanged, some headed some thrown down from the rocks upon stakes, some stabbed in with forks, some racked and torn in pieces, their tongues cut out, their eyes bored out, their flesh twitched off with pinsons, women's breasts seared off with hot irons, pricked under the nails with needles, and a thousand ways tormented? Yea was it not ever true with the godly, In hoc vocati estis: For this end were ye called? And good Lord then why should not a common case be a common comfort? Why should any man or woman that loveth God seek or wish a privilege above all the children of God, that ever were and even above the son of God himself Christ Jesus? Is it not honour enough, mercy enough, and favour enough to be dealt withal, as they were? Therefore the community of it to us with all our brethren and sisters, and even with our eldest brother Christ Jesus, should stay our hearts whensoever it pleaseth the Lord to send it. Fiftly the cause being not ours, but the Lord our Gods, and good, should also confirm us. The short time that it can endure, were it (suppose) as long as we live should comfort us. For our life is but a flower, as grass, as smoke, as a bubble of the water, and as the vainest fickle fading thing that you can imagine. Again that passed promise from the Lord of life and truth, sealed with the blood of his own son unto us, the sweetness whereof all the tongues of men and Angels can never express, That he will never lay more upon us than he will make us able to bear, should be like a thousand stays round about us to hold us up. The promises of peace, comfort, and quiet, for evermore above measure and concept of man in heaven, if we continue faithful to the end, should hold us up. That sentence passed in the Lords court of bastardy and consequently of deprivation of all inheritance, if we be without correction, should hold us up. And what should I go any further? The examples of our brethren of all rallings, of all ages, men and women, that have constantly carried their cross, and never delivered it up, till they delivered soul and all to their God, should hold us up. Wherefore Frailty, even as judas the Machabee could encourage his men not to fear the multitude of their enemies, neither to be afraid of their assault but to remember how their fathers were delivered in the red sea when Pharaoh pursued after them, so say I to you and to myself, let us never fear affliction nor the evil day, for our momentany cross causeth an everlasting weight of glory. But let us remember the firm faith of our fathers, of our mothers, of our brethren, and friends, let us look upon their patience, upon their constancy, their hope, & beseech the living God we may follow their good steps, and stay in strength upon his mercy, whatsoever he sendeth us, knowing it, as we know we live, that though our brains cleave to the wales, though our bones be strewed in the streets, and our blood run down every channel, yet shall we rise again, restored by the power of our God, be gathered into his barn as his pure wheat, our blood revenged, we crowned, and our tongues sound the praise of him that sitteth upon the throne with majesty and honour above all concept of any earthly heart.  frailty. 
O but Faith, the world will give such a spiteful censure of a man or woman's life, religion, honesty, wisdom, and such like, as that it is even a hell to hear them, when the Lord doth exercise us. For it was ever, and I think ever will be the concept of flesh and blood, that a good man and woman truly religious, truly honest, and sufficiently wise, cannot be so plagued, as they term it, of God at any time, and therefore the cross must needs testify to the world a want in all these.  Faith. 
It is most certain and daily found what you say, yet is there nothing under heaven more absurd than that opinion. For loved not God Abel, Abraham, Isaak, and jacob, loved he not his Prophets, loved he not his own son and all that followed his steps to this day? Were none of them of a true religion, of an honest life, and wise enough to take that course in the world that God allowed? Yet all of them plagued he as they call it. And never any further humbled in this world than Christ himself, and therefore prosperity or adversity may not be taken for signs ever of favour or displeasure. But the worst man most quiet often in this world, and most honoured, loved, promoted, and renowned, his deserved torment being deferred to an other day, and the truest christian most troubled, tossed, rejected, and humbled, his comfort and reward remaining for him in an other world. But beside all this plain demonstration of a tried truth, use with yourself Frailty to oppose against that concept of the world, the sentence of the Lord our God next following, in the fifth of Matthew, after those that now have been considered of, Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And think with yourself as I have now often said, that if our God set a blessing upon it, what skilleth it what the whole world, and ten thousand worlds more if they were extant, doth judge? Shall the voice of man be the guide of our course, and the line of our life? Shall man's judgement or God's judgement stand in the later day? O Frailty, we may not hang upon so broken a reed as flesh and fleshly wit is. We may not be lifted up with man's liking, unless it have further warrant: nor cast down with his disliking, unless we know he so deemeth justly.  
And therefore again I say consider of this comfort. Consider of this world, and consider of the world to come, the one is transitory, the other permanent: the one full of woe and secret sorrow in the very midst of pomp, the other full of joy, comfort and solace, and that without all ending. Then, whether is here good to be happy, and there unhappy, here judged miserable, and there found most blessed, judge yourself even with very reason. Certainly therefore it is a comfort sufficient, so known to be by Christ that gave it, and ever hath and shall comfort the children of god against worldly conceit, blessed are they that for a good cause suffer persecution, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. That is, all comfort possible to be thought of, and ten thousand times more. This was Paul's comfort in the midst of all his misery, and therefore he boldly and cheerfully saith, he never counted the afflictions of the world worthy the joy that should be revealed. This comforted David also, that he perished not in his affliction, as himself witnesseth, and 
Psalm 119.  as that speech by comparison may show, I should utterly have fainted, but that I 
Psalm 27.  believe verily to see the Lord in the land of the living. And (what should I name them) this ever hath comforted first, or last, less, or more, yet ever sufficiently any that were the Lords. But see further how not only thus in generality against persecution it pleased Christ to strengthen our weakness, but even in speciality also against those kinds which most bitterly taste unto us, and shake us sore, if we be not strong, to wit, reproach, and report. For, Blessed are you (saith he) when men revile you, and shall falsely say all manner of evil saying by you, for my name sake, rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, a saying never to be forgotten of us whilst the life is in us. For, the gall of these Crosses is not little, and the power of this assault hath appeared not as feeble in great Prophets and members of the Church. The very words also of Christ his comfort insinuate a secret force above many others of this temptation. For he biddeth them rejoice, and promiseth great reward in heaven, as foreseing a great downfall both of heart and countenance in man, when he is once touched either with reviling speeches, to his face, or false reports behind his back. Wherefore to conclude and leave you now to your other readings of this matter, I pray you Frailty open your eyes, or rather desire the Lord to open them, that you may both now in the day of peace, and whensoever also it shall please the Lord further to try you, see with your eye, hear with your ear, and believe with your heart your offered comfort in the word, both against all other, and against this temptation by name of persecution. The word teacheth, and we know it is decreed by the Lord to be the lot of his dear ones ever in this world, and therefore welcome be it. The word teacheth it, and we know it, much good is wrought in us by it, & therefore welcome be it. The word teacheth it, and we know it, no chance nor fortune, but the will of our heavenly father layeth it upon us, and therefore welcome be it. We know it is no new thing, or unseen before, but the old portion of the godly that have ever been before us, & therefore welcome be it. The cause is not ours when it is a truth, but his, that made us, and therefore welcome be it. We have a promise we shall not be oppressed with more than we may bear, and therefore welcome be it. We know we are children, if as children we be corrected, and therefore welcome be it. We are told we are bastards, if we be without it and therefore welcome be it. And all our forefathers have patiently carried it, and now are rewarded, therefore welcome be it. Welcome I say the cross in general, and persecution for truth all or part, as it pleaseth God, and welcome in particular this kind of cross, if so our God will, revilings, reproachings, reporting false and unjust. For we know our case, the plea is ended, and sentence is given never to be revoked, blessed are we, good cause we have to rejoice and be glad, for great is our reward in heaven. O the God of heaven and father of mercy strengthen us, that these sweet promises may prevail with us, and that our eyes may see the comforts of his word. What should fear us Frailty, that have such a God, and that stand in such a state? I pray you look up, and clasp your God in your arms, embrace his mercy, believe his truth, and as you live, though you be afflicted on every side, yet shall you not be in distress: though you be in doubt, yet shall you not despair: though you be persecuted, yet shall you not be forsaken: though you be cast down, yet shall you not perish: and though every where you bear about in your body, the dying of the Lord Jesus, yet shall the life of Jesus appear in your body, and there is neither life nor death, Angels, Principalities, nor powers, things present, or to come, height or depth, or any other creature, that ever shall be able to separate you from the love of God which is in Christ jesus.  frailty. 
The Lord change me and I shall be changed, and greatly both ought I, and do I thank you Faith for this conference, beseeching you still to pray for me, as for one whose name and nature you know but too well. I can promise nothing, but seeing what I would do I leave myself to his mercy that is able to make me do both what I ought, and would do. And so the Lord keep us both.  Faith. 
Amen Frailty, Amen. And the Lord give us eyes to see what it is to have a true heart to God, and to embrace true religion. Is it not to stand in possession of all these heavenly promises & whatsoever befalleth to us in this world, to be happy and blessed in it, and by it? Be it poverty, be it sorrow, be it oppression or whatsoever? And contrariwise, what it also is to be of a profane heart, & of an uncircumcised life. Surely even to stand as deprived of all these comforts, and if we be poor to be also accursed in our poverty, in our sorrow, and whatsoever befalleth unto us grievous in this world. The Lord I say give us eyes to see it, and hearts to think of it. For, full well we know that were every one of us a Monarch of a whole world by himself, they being as this world is, the glory both of them and us must pass away like a ship in the water, whose tract cannot be seen again, like an arrow through the air, or a weavers shuttle through his work, like a fading flower, suddenly plucked up and withered, like grass, like smoke, and like the bubble of the water. We shall be forgotten with all our pomp, as the travailer is that tarrieth but a night, our honour shall come to an end as the player's part upon the stage, our doings, sayings, looks, gestures, states, and majesties shall be rolled up as a screule, and cast into the office of forgetfulness, where nothing can be found again. And than what remaineth? I say what remaineth? any thing but woe and worms, if we have contemned religion and lived disobediently against the Lord? any thing but vexation and torment both of the body and soul in hell fire? Will then swearing be liked, or drunkenness, or whoring, or tippling, & taverning, sporting in vanity, lascivious talking, writing, or looking, carding, and dising, roisting and roving, pride, and excess, or any kind of sin detested of the Lord? Will then a dissembling time-server not be uncased? Will then an unjust servant not be found out? Will then an unfaithful wife not be discovered? or a beastly furious, frantic husband, not be rewarded? Will then any thing abide the face that cometh in the clouds with thousands of Angels, but only a religious heart, and soul, that hath laboured to know, and endeavoured to live, trusting only to the mercy of God in Christ for all wants to be pardoned? Alas we know it, even as we know we live, it will not: but destruction and death shall then be to the man or woman for ever that lewdly hath lived in this world, and comfort endless to the contrary. Therefore once again I say, the Lord give us eyes to descry betimes the reward and end of true religion, and of a reformed mind and life in that day, even for his Christ's sake our blessed Lord and Saviour.  
Amen.   
FINIS.   

¶ A prayer for a family in the Morning.  
O Most gracious God & loving Father, the very comfort that any sinful soul can have, when we miserable sinners here met together, do consider of the great mercy & goodness, that we have ever since we were borne, and before found, and daily do find at thy majesties hands, together with our great unkindness showed every way to thee again for the same, we must needs confess, and even do from the bottom of our hearts acknowledge, that marvelous is thy mercy in sparing us still to live, and in not consuming us away from the earth, & from before thee. For hast not thou, O dear God, of thy free mercy before the foundations of the world were laid, chosen and elected us for thy children, when others as good as we by nature shall burn in hell eternally, being rejected of thee in that hidden counsel of thine? Hast not thou to our endless comfort certified and made known unto our spirits the same? Hast thou not created us neither beasts, toads, worms, or any such like ugly creatures, but in thine own image, according to thy likeness, to rule over the fishes in the sea, over the fowls of heaven, and over every thing that moveth upon the earth? And when being thus created innocent, yet we persisted not in the same, but fell into the curse that bringeth eternal death, didst thou not so pity us, as that for our redemption and safety, thou grudgest not unto us, and for us to be powered out the heart blood of Jesus Christ thy only son our saviour, no other means being, whereby we could be saved? Hast thou not by thy holy spirit wrought faith in our hearts to believe by him, and for him to be justified before thee? Hast thou not in some measure begun the death of sin in us, and wrought our sanctification? Enjoy we not the benefits of thy word, the freedom of conscience, great peace and plenty in outward things, with many and infinite benefits more, waking and sleeping at home and abroad, in ourselves and our friends? For all which, O good Lord, what do we? Are we thankful unto thee for them? Do we often think of them, and labour to know thee and to serve thee with a perfect heart, and a willing mind for them? No, no, dear God, we do not, we do not as we ought to do. But with pleasure or profit, with vanity or self love, we are carried away, spend our days in iniquity, careless and unféeling of our sin, and there is no goodness in us: yet is there mercy with thee, O Lord, and pardon to repentance. Wherefore we all here met together at this time before thy majesty, humbly confessing our wants, most entirely beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake to have mercy upon us: have mercy upon us, most merciful Father, and forgive us all that is past, strengthen us hereafter, that daily both in body and soul, we may glorify thee more than we have done, yielding thanks daily for daily benefits, and striving in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. But because we cannot but offend and fall divers ways, good Lord, for thy mercy sake pierce our hearts with a feeling of the same, and never suffer us to go on with dull and dead souls, not seeing or sighing for our offences. As a special means to keep us in obedience before thee, O dear Father, work in us a continual, & an effectual remembrance, that we shall not always live here in the show of this wretched world, that doth so please us now, but that a day will come, when the trump shall sound, the dead shall arise, and all we shall appear before thy tribunal seat of judgement, there to receive according to our deeds without respect of persons. O good Lord give us a remembrance, and a feeling of the unspeakable comfort, and eternal weight of glory, which in that day shall be given unto us, if in this life we serve and please thee. And contrariwise even terrify our consciences and let us as it were see before our faces, the dreadful judgements, and the fearful torments, that both in body and soul they shall be sure to have for ever more in the pit of hell, which in this life do not serve and please thee, but follow their own fancies and wicked delights. Give us an hatred of sin, and a true love of righteousness. Bless thy word ever more with fruit unto our souls when we do hear it, give us a desire to hear it often. Remove, O Lord in thy good time, such hindrances of the fruit thereof, as are amongst us, give it full course, and send forth labourers into thy harvest, which not for filthy lucre and gain, but of love and zeal to thee and thy people may preach thy word sincerely. Bless us O Lord from all hypocrisy, glozing and halting before thee. And because we little know how soon thou shalt send this pampered flesh of ours to the worms, stop our breath and call away for our souls to come unto thee, whether this day or no before the evening, blessed Father, for Jesus Christ his sake, prepare & make us ready for thee, that when the hour cometh, we may neither fear, nor faint in faith, but joyfully, without any skrikes and cries of desperation, and of a troubled and vexed conscience, pass away in full hope and assurance, that all our sins are wiped away in the blood of Jesus Christ, and we to thee in him so reconciled, that life for evermore is certain unto us. Last of all good father with most humble and hearty thanks for thy goodness to us this night let thy merciful eye look upon us this day, and so keep us body and soul, that being occupied in our several callings we may be safe by thee from all our enemies & live to thee, or die to thee, as it best shall please thy gracious goodness. These things O Lord, and whatsoever else we have need of, grant us, for Christ his sake, in whose name we ask them, saying, as he hath taught us:  
OUr Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen.  
Let thy mighty hand & out stretched arm O Lord be still our defence, thy mercy & loving kindness in Jesus Christ our salvation, thy true and holy word our instruction, thy grace and holy spirit our comfort and consolation unto the end, and in the end. Amen.  
The Lord bless us and save us, the Lord make his face to shine upon us and be merciful unto us, the Lord turn his favourable countenance toward us, and this day and evermore vouchsafe to send us his peace, Amen.  
The blessing of God alminghtie, the father, the son, and the holy Ghost, be amongst us and remain with us both now and for ever,  
Amen.   

¶ An other for the same at night.  
O Immortal God creator of heaven and earth, before whom all creatures fear and tremble, were it not that thou hast commanded us, never durst we appear before thee, so corrupt is our nature, and so many are our sins. But good Lord thou dost bid, and therefore we obey: thou dost call, and therefore we come, give us spirits to pray aright. First then here met together dear father, we yield thy majesty most humble and hearty thanks, for all the mercies that ever thou hast bestowed upon us, in body or mind, in ourselves or in ours, private or common, temporal or eternal. Many and marvelous have they been, and still are upon us, yea even good Lord past finding out. This day what thou hast done for us, which of us knoweth or is able to express? Father of heaven forgive us that we cannot acknowledge them or praise thee for them as we ought, and quicken us in this duty more and more. Pardon and forgive us whatsoever we have offended thee withal this day, or ever before, either in thought, word, or deed, yea even our secret sins, such as we have committed and know not of, remit them unto us for Christ's sake. Change us O Lord, and we shall be changed. Create in us clean hearts, and renew a right spirit within us. Break the strength of sin, that would subdue us, more and more. And O merciful father, so frame these hearts of ours within us, that we may more delight to live according to thy will, than to enjoy all the world, and all the pleasures therein. Lay it often good Lord before our eyes by thy remembering spirit, that thou hast not breathed the breath of life into us, that we should live as we list, but that in holiness and righteousness we should walk before thee all our days. Lay it before us O Lord, that the time will come when the trump shall sound, the dead shall rise, and we, even we here met together at this time, all and every one of us shall most assuredly stand before thy judgement seat with naked hearts, with open and unfolded consciences, there to give an account how we have so done. In which day, O the joy, O the endless joy that they shall have, who waning themselves from the glistering show of this wretched world, in heart & truth, have sought & served thee. Come, come, ye blessed of my father, to their comfort shall they bear, & possess the kingdom prepared for you. But woe, woe to all careless livers in that fiery day, they shall drink the wine of the wrath of God, be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels, and before the lamb, they shall have no rest day nor night, and the smoke of their torment shall ascend for evermore. Father of haven have mercy upon us, knit these hearts of ours fast unto thee, and now, whil we have time, give us grace rightly to think of these things. O continue thy word of truth amongst us ever to our comfort. Let the seed thereof now sown in our hearts, take such deep root, that neither the burning heat of persecution cause it to whither, nor the thorny cares of this world, riches, or voluptuous living choke it, but as seed sown in good ground, it may bring forth fruit according to thy pleasure. O father give grace that when we hear, or find by thy word any sin that is in us touched, we may strive and study without delay willingly to reform it. Keep us good God that we never serve for the fear of man from our own true knowledge, becoming servers of time, and deniers of thee. Keep us from all hardness of heart, contempt of thy word, and from all dissembling of sincerity, increase true love amongst us more and more, stay our heady wrathful and wicked affections more and more. And every way good Lord renew us to thy liking. Bless thy whole Church O God with graces necessary, this parcel of it our native land and country, dear father bless it still with continuance of thy truth. Lessen in it daily the number of blind and wilful Papists, profane Atheists, & increase the number of thy true children. O press us not dear God with the weight of our ingratitude, whose lives and knowledge answer not the days that we have had: work with us hence forward for thy mercy's sake. Preserve unto us long alive good Lord our gracious prince & governor, multiply thy spirit upon her, that still more and more she may seek and set out, keep and maintain that which pleaseth thee. Give to her honourable counsel graces necessary for so high a calling. Bless all other Nobles, Magistrates, and the whole body of this realm, with true hearts to thee, and this country. Increase in Israel the number of true watchmen, whose hearts may seek thee and thy people, and not their own glory or commodity. Bring to thy told by them such wandering remnants as are thine, and O Lord be gracious to our kindred and friends in the flesh, lighten their hearts with the sun of understanding, that they and we acknowledging one truth, may glorify thee in the true and constant profession of the same all the days of our life. Comfort O Christ thy afflicted members wheresoever or howsoever troubled, and grant us peace, if it be thy pleasure, in our days. Finally, because the night is now upon us, and we ready to take our rest, let the bed O Lord strike into our hearts that the grave is almost ready for us. Which of us can tell, whether these eyes of ours once closed up shall ever open any more again, or no? Lord therefore receive us into thy hands: we all here now commend ourselves, body and soul we bequeath unto thee, keep us this night and evermore ready for thee, when thou shalt call for us. Hear us O Lord, O God and father merciful in these our petitions, for thy son Christ Jesus sake our Saviour, in whose name we all together beg these mercies, saying:  
O Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil Amen.  
Let thy mighty hand and outstretched arm be still our defence, thy mercy and loving kindness in Jesus Christ our salvation, thy true and holy word our instruction, thy grace and holy spirit our comfort and consolation, unto the end, and in the end.  
The Lord bless us and save us, the Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be merciful unto us. The Lord turn his favourable countenance toward us, and send us ever his peace. Amen.  
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the most comfortable fellowship of the holy Ghost, be with us all, bless us, and keep us this night and for evermore.  
AMEN.