for he did both hate and blaspheme the very true God of Israel. But shortly after did God send an angel, which slew in one night an hundred fourscore and five thousand of his men. And here would he not confess that it was God that did it; but peradventure he thought that it was fortune, mischance, or some other thing that was the occasion. For if he had knowledged this punishment to have come and been of God, he would not afterward have worshipped and done his devotion in the idolaters' temple of 2 Kings xix. the false god and idol Nisroch, as he did. In like manner, when any misfortune happeneth to the ungodly, they put all the fault only in the next middle or mean, that they fantasy themselves; or else very wickedly they ascribe it unto all those that are not of their faith and sect.

35.

17.

As for example: when as it rained not for the space of three years and six months in the time of Achab the king of Israel, the king imputed the cause unto the godly

1 Kings xviii. prophet Helias. (1 Kings xviii.) Likewise in our time, when any tempest hurteth the corn, wine, and other fruits of the earth, many there are that cry, This may we thank this new learning for, and this new-fangled faith, &c. as though they themselves were so holy, that God durst not or ought not to punish them. It can be none but the poor sheep that disturbeth the water, that the wolf cannot drink : whereas, indeed, the poor sheep cometh but only to the brink, and at the very brink of the river drinketh.

Yea, even they also which have some taste of the gospel, cannot well bear adversity patiently, nor confess themselves guilty; but would fain shift the fault from themselves, and would lay it either upon the rulers or the preachers, or else upon some other thing.

And although their sins be an exceeding heap, and that God would fain drive them to repentance by punishing and chastising of them; yet cannot they consider the heavy burden of their sin, nor spy the clear day of the righteousness of God, which can suffer no sin unpunished.

And, therefore, forasmuch as they will not take this small and light punishment thankfully, but would go free, and have no manner of plague at all, if they might choose; for that cause doth God send unto them afterward plagues and painful punishments by heaps; so that it happeneth

unto them as it did unto the ass, whose skin being put over a drum or a tabor, as he wished and desired, was beaten and stricken more than ever it was before, as Esop saith in his fables.

is the mother

phemies and

And forasmuch as through incredulity and lack of faith, Lack of faith which is the mother of all blasphemies and abomination, they of all blaswill not consider nor call to remembrance, who it is that abomination. hath laid his hand upon them; or else, knowing that it is the hand of God, yet will not take it in good worth, nor amend no otherwise but as sour ale in summer; by this means they become like unto desperate children, which will neither turn and amend with threatening, nor yet with beating.

And therefore the scripture testifieth very well, that one sharp word of reproach doth more good to him that hath understanding, than an hundred stripes to a fool. (Prov. xvii.)

As for example: the longer and the sharper that God punished Pharao, the more obstinately did he swerve and decline from him. The wicked and ungodly do not only take no manner of occasion to reform and amend their lives by their cross and sorrow, but also they pour out all manner of impatientness, bitterness, and spiteful poison against the righteousness of God, saying their cross is greater than their transgression, and that they have wrong and are punished too sore.

Prov.xvii. 10.

3).

As for an example of this, we have one of the thieves hanging upon the cross with Christ, which blasphemed Christ very spitefully, saying, "If thou beest Christ, help both thyself and us." (Luke xxiii.) By the which words he declareth, Luke xxiii. that he judgeth himself even as worthy of help, as Christ the Son of God; even as though God must forget all his righteousness, and help by and by every blasphemous wretch, and look through the fingers upon the wicked world: which is one of the greatest blasphemies unto God that can be.

When they have tumbled and weltered in their misery, (for God will not help them, because they have no trust nor confidence in him,) and have sought help by creatures both in heaven and earth, and found none; then beginneth their cross and adversity to open their eyes so wide, that they must needs spy and acknowledge the wrath and hand

of God over them. And then doth this outward cross and sorrow even kindle in them an inward trembling and doubtfulness, out of the which springeth the highest desperation ; insomuch that they cry out to the devil to help them, if 1 Sam. xxviii. God will not. (1 Sam. xxviii.)

8.

For although they be brought to the knowledge of their sin, and also to sorrow and repentance for the same through the cross, as Cain and Judas also were, yet have they no trust nor confidence that the same sin shall be taken from them and forgiven them, but rave and rage and give themselves over to the devil, and so depart wretchedly out of Gen. iv. 14. this world. (Gen. iv. Matt. xxvii.)

Matt. xxvii.

5.

Of whose destruction yet and confusion these commodities do ensue: first, that they must of force cease any longer to make any disturbance by the wicked example of their life in the church and regiment of God; secondarily, that they which remain alive after them may learn by their terrible example to repent and amend by times.

So that by this that we have hitherto declared, every christian man may know in his trouble and adversity, whether he be a martyr of God or of the devil, and what great profit and singular commodity all those that are God's martyrs do receive by the means of their cross, trouble, and martyrdom.

CHAPTER XXI.

FELLOW-COMPANIONS IN TROUBLE AND ADVERSITY.

WHY should any man shew and behave him impatiently in suffering the thing, which he can by no policy, counsel, nor lawful mean avoid, alter, turn, remedy, or amend? He that is wise maketh of such a necessity, as can by no remedy be avoided, a very virtue.

Now trouble and adversity doth so happen unto man, that he cannot help nor avoid it, though he would never so fain. Man must needs suffer trouble and adversity upon earth; there is no remedy.

xc. 5, 6;

And again, why should any man without measure becumber himself about that thing which is common unto all men, or to the most part, and not to him alone? By natural reason, that burden is lighter which many do bear together. Now is the life of man a very miserable and lamentable Psal. cii. 15; thing. When another man prospereth, so that all things xxviii. 40. go well with him, yet it fareth with him even as with a bloom or a flower in the field, which flourisheth for a while, Jamesi. 10. and is pleasant and delectable to look upon; within a little while after it drieth up and fadeth away.

As long as we are upon earth, we are, as it were, in a camp or a siege, where we must ever be skirmishing and fighting, and know neither who shall break out and give the onset against us, nor where, nor how, nor when. Sometime a man is attacked and assaulted in his body, in his goods, in his name and fame. Sometime happen unto him common mischances, as dearth, pestilence, war, which sometime continue very long, so that he may well say, no misfortune cometh alone, but bringeth one or other companion with it.

If not at that present, yet hereafter it may; and there is no misfortune so great, but may happen and light upon any of us all. At least ways we must all look for death, as it was said long ago unto our first parents. (Gen. iii.)

To rehearse examples it were but folly and superfluous, forasmuch as there is no man but may lawfully complain of one thing or other; and although some things happen after our minds, yet it is not without some sour sauce.

And specially at this present, how are all christian realms compassed with sorrows, troubles, and miseries on every side! Look but upon our own country: there is neither good nor bad, godly nor ungodly, but hath one cross or

other.

And although some there be that can shift for a while, and can make provision for themselves for a time by craft, subtilty, and dissimulation, or by some falsehood in fellowship, as they call it; yet they bring themselves at length into the highest danger, confusion, and shame, both in this world and in the world to come.

And seeing that all the troubles and adversities in this world are a thousand times lighter and easier, yea, nothing in the respect of the eternal unquenchable fire, which is

Isai. xl. 6, 7.
Ecclus. xvii.
17, 18.
1 Pet. i. 24.

prepared and already kindled for the unfaithful and wicked enemies of God; all faithful and godly persons ought to bear and suffer their transitory afflictions and adversities the more patiently, willingly, and thankfully, considering and remembering all the dear beloved friends of God, which Rom. viii. 18. were wonderfully vexed and plagued of their enemies. (Rom. viii. 2 Cor. iv. v. Matt. xxv. Isai. xxx.)

2 Cor iv. 17; v. 4.

Matt. xxv. 46.

Isai. xxx. 33.

Abraham of the Chaldees, Lot of the Sodomites, Isaac of Ismael, Jacob of Esau, Moyses of his people, David of Saul, and of his own son. As for Job, he had not one drop of blood in his body unconsumed. (Gen. xii. xix.

xxxii. xxxiii. Num. xx. 1 Sam. xv. Job ii.)

John Baptist, the holiest that ever was naturally born of a woman, was without any manner of form or order of law, right, or reason, beheaded in the prison, as though God had known nothing at all of him. (Matt. xiv. Mark vi.)

We have many thousand fellow-martyrs and companions of our misery and adversity, in respect of whose imprisonment, racking, chains, fire, wild beasts, and other means wherewith they are tormented, all that we suffer is but a wind or a pastime.

But specially this is to be considered above all other in our trouble and adversity, that we have Jesus Christ for a fellow and companion with us therein, which suffered upon earth in his body all manner of smart and pain. (Isai. liii. Matt. xxvii. Mark xv.)

Now is not the servant above the master. What reason were it that the natural Son of God, being utterly innocent, should be so cruelly entreated and mishandled; and we which are his children, not by nature, but by adoption and election, and in all points guilty, should escape quit and Matt. x. 24. free? (Matt. x. John i. Rom. viii. 1 Cor. v.)

John i. 12. Rom. vii. 17. 1 Cor. v. 5.

Therefore now, whosoever is ashamed of the cross, and aggrieved therewith, the same is ashamed and aggrieved to have Christ for his fellow and companion, and therefore shall the Lord Jesus Christ be ashamed of him again at the latter Ephes. i 5, day. (Gal. iv. Eph. i.)

Gal. iv. 6.

&c.