A poore mannes beneuolence to the afflicted Church

¶To the afflicted Church, in Scotland, Fraunce, Spayne, or any other land.

BE of good chere my brethren all, doe not now faint nor quayle: But to the Lord doe ye now call, lest that in truth ye fayle. For Sathans yre passe not a pin, though that he rule and rage: His power it is to smal and thin, the truth for to asswage.

¶Though Kyngs be strong, and wyne likewise & womē thought to be: Yet Truth (in any maner wyse) * 1.1 more stronger shall ye sée. Kynges haue fayled, and also wyne, and women haue not stood: Truth hath remaind from time to time as proofe we haue full good.

Truth was good, & kept styl his place, when Woman had a fall: Truth was styl Truth & had his grace, when Woman was in thrall. * 1.2 What Truth hath said, {per}formd it was as in all states we sée, Let Woman speake whats cum to pas let her tel tale for mée.

As touching wyne, what shal I say? his force I thinke not great: Although the hart he mery make, yet is he best with meat. * 1.3 The empty body doeth not grée, with wyne, though it be good: Salomon to the sory (saith he) geue wyne to chere their mood.

¶ Geue good wyne (Salomon doth say) then is there that doth fayle: In Truth there is no maner way, that can make it to quayle. For Truth shal stand both firme & fast, and kéepth his tast full swete, * 1.4 When wyne and women shal be past, and kynges layd vnder fete.

¶ With Truth is no comparison, * 1.5 no match with him may be: For God and Truth, they be both one, vncompared to be. Who dwelth ī truth, doth dwel in God and God in him lykewyse: * 1.6 So, dwel in Truth, & then haue God to make thée perfect wyse.

For who against the truth doth kicke, against God kicketh to:

Then is he lyke to fall on pricke, which wyll make him crie wo. When Truth did speake in Noes daies, * 1.7 wyllyng them to repent: Lest that they perisht in their waīes, they wold not, but felt dent.

¶ Truth to the Zodomites preached * 1.8 by Lot, this is certayne: Their licensiousnes he counsayled, that they should not maintayne. The Zodomits wold not Truth heare but kept their whole desyre: Therfore they paid for that ful deare, for burnt they were with fyre.

¶ What got kyng Pharao for h{is} paine when truth he did pursue? * 1.9 He and his host were dround certayne, as Exodus doth shewe. Sisara, and Abimelech to, of women were both slayne: * 1.10 The booke of Judges declareth so, which is both true and playne.

¶ Hieroboam, because he wrought against the well knowne Truth: Baasa to death his stocke hath brought, and thereon had no ruth. What became of quéene Jezabell, * 1.11

the Truthes great enemie? Dogs did eat her in Jezraell, Truth sayd it should so be.

¶ Ahabs house, by Iehu was slayne, * 1.12 for that he did conspyre: Gods prophets for to put to payne, and geue them death for hyre. So read we of Zedechias, * 1.13 which troubled Jeremie: That both his eyes destroyed was, and he felt miserie.

¶ What is sayd of Herode the kyng, * 1.14 that sought the Truth to kyll? Who was ful of most deadly styng, to wurke his cruell wyll. His kyngly power could not p̄uayle, nor helpe him in his néede: Whē stinking wormes did him assayl•• which on his corps did féede.

How strong kynges be when God doth stryke, the scripture doth wel sho: In other bookes we haue the lyke, we néed not far to go. Yf that the kyng wyl néeds reioyce, let him reioyce in this: That he hath God to heare his voyce, to kéepe him from all mis.

Therfore let kyngs now serue y^e Lorde * 1.15 and not put Truth to flight: But in the same for to accorde, lest that they léese their might. Let them that doe the Truth embrace, embrace and kéepe it styll: For kynges shal not the Truth deface, though that it be their wyll.

What kings haue doen w^t Satans ayd * 1.16 it is not now vnshowne, What women haue thereto assayd, it is not much vnknowne. What wine ī bākets hath forth sought, many the tale can tell: How by y^t way Truth hath ben bought as time can show full well.

¶ What Jewes ther be y^e Truth to by, I néed not much to say: And Judasses that traiterously, séeke Truth, him to betray. Euen here at hand hard by the dore, of both those sorts there bée: Which persecute Truth euermore, that he can not go frée.

¶ Truth to exile hath oft ben brought, and driuen from place to place: His confusion hath ben wrought,

by them of little grace. But yet how Truth preuayled hath, and worne the garland gréene: This day doth teach that rule and path which thought not to be séene.

¶ Thus God the Truth p̄serued hath, and set him in thé seate: For to appoint the perfect path, which is both right and feate. Walke therfore in Truth ye godly, let yll men walke their way: To God and Truth do ye now hy, and take your ioyfull day.

Stand fast to Truth sticke to your hold feare not the cruell kyng: He shall not hurt you (be you bold) in any maner thyng. For God is yours, and you are Gods, in God dwell you now styll: Although ye haue these greuous rods, it is not for none yll.

For whom the Lorde doth loue be sure, him doth he chastice, why? Because he wyll haue vs full pure, his name to magnifie. For tribulation is our parte, yf Christ we wyll confesse:

Confesse him styll, feare not the smart, you shall haue lyfe enelesse.

Farewel brethren, be of good chere, in Truth haue you your stay: For God is Truth (your father dere) which wyll kéepe you alway. Feare not the crosse, nor yet the payne that you a whyle doe suffer: You shall haue heauen for your gayne, which lyfe doth last for euer.

¶ FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  3. Esdr. ••
• * 1.2

  Gene. ••
• * 1.3

  Prou. 31.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 117
• * 1.5

  John. 14
• * 1.6

  ••. Joh. 4
• * 1.7

  Gene. 7.
• * 1.8

  Gene. 9.
• * 1.9

  Exod. 14.
• * 1.10

  Judi. 4. and. 9.
• * 1.11

  4. Re. 9.
• * 1.12

  4. Ke. 10
• * 1.13

  4. Ke. 25
• * 1.14

  Actes. 12
• * 1.15

  Psalm. 2
• * 1.16

  Exod{us}. 1 Math. 2 Mar. 6. Eath. 14