An excelent comfort to all Christians, against all kinde of calamities no lesse comfortable, then pleasant, pithy, and profitable: Compendiously compiled by Iohn Perez, a faithfull seruant of God, a Spaniard (in Spanish) and now translated into English by Iohn Daniel, of Clements Inne, with diuers addicions by him collected and therevnto annexed.

A pure proofe vnto vs, that vve are belo∣ued of God in our greatest griefs &c. The xx. Chapter.

ANd yet al these mischieuous thīgs are but mystic cloudes of darke∣nes, cast out by the diuyll hym selfe, by meanes of the miscreaunts his mi∣nisters:

and can not be encountred to any aduaūtage, but onely by the light and presence of the promyse of God. If we happen to fall into any of these clapses, or to com into such a streight: the first thing that wée oughte to doe is, not to stoppe, impope our selues with poperie, nor to dasell our eyes with any thing y^t we sée, but to passe with expedition as much as may bée, to those things which with corporall sight may not be séene. (Which is to a sure hope and trust in God,) and thē no doubt of necessitie we shall be suc∣cored in the middest and extremitie of all our sorowes and troubles, suche lyke or whatsoeuer. God sayth by the Prophet Dauid, I am with the af∣flicted in all their troubles. I wil de∣liuer them and bring them to honor, and they shal glorifie me. So that, thē it is not God that séemeth to make this warre against vs, but assuredly he is with vs and doth aide and assist vs therin, giuing vs a secret power, ver∣tue, and strength, which in the ende doeth deliuer vs. Christ sayde to hys

disciples, and in them to vs: feare yée not my little flocke, for it is your fa∣thers pleasure to giue you a kingdom. So that all the mischiefes and euils, as many as we sée or féele, whither it be interiorly or exteriorly: and all that Sathan & his mischieuous ministers doe or can doe, cannot let vs, from en∣tring thereinto. We shall neuer féele our selues forsaken: but if we do leane to him and to his diuine promises with a sure fayth and hope we shall fynde and féele that God is alwayes within vs, and will neuer fayle vs. As it is written, I will not leaue nor forsake thée sayth the Lord. Let vs heare that which he doeth commaund vs by the Prophet Esay: in tymes of tribulati∣ons goe my people, enter into thy chā∣ber and shut thy dore after thée, hyde thée a little for a moment, vntil myne indignation be past. To withdraw our selues into our chamber, is to flée vn∣to the promises of God, in the which he hath promised vs, that he will loue and fauour vs perpetually. To shut the doore is to renounce and forsake

our corporall féeling & sences in tyme of affliction. And not to be ouercom by any thing y^t thē we féele interiorly or exteriorly, inwardely or outwardely. Nor doubt of gods truth, but suerly be leue y^t he wil fulfil & accōplish all hys promises: for y^t we liue eternally with Iesus Christ by whom they were pro∣mised, whē & in such tymes as we can sée nothing but darkenesse, heauines, sorow, & the wrath of God, & we doe iudge y^t al of it is for & against vs. But then, yea euen then: he doth acknow∣ledge vs for his people, & doth cōmaūd vs y^t we shut y^e doore a while that his anger may passe ouer. Wherefore doth our good God thus much for vs: For our deseruings, no truly: but e∣uen of mere loue. So y^t it foloweth, though he be angry yet he loueth vs, and is not wrath with vs, but with our aduersaries & condempnors, of whom he wil take vēgeance for their vnbeliefe sake, although for a tyme hée suffer them to vse their worst cru∣elties. By the Prophete Esay thys is confirmed vnto vs, that the Lorde

hath no wrathe nor indygnation a∣gainst vs.

But to the thornes and thistles hée hath a furious dyspleasure, for that they are enimyes both to hym and vs. Sainct Paule was greatly afflic∣ted and buffeted with many counter buffettes of Sathan. But euen then was hée fauoured & beloued in God. As he heard him selfe with his owne eares, when the Lorde sayde vnto hym, my grace is sufficient for thée. Dauid féelyng him selfe in the like fa∣uor of God sayde, the Lord doeth loue all hys saynctes, and doeth kéepe all the faythfull. And also doeth recom∣pence the proud aboundantly for their pryde. By our hope in hys promyses we doe fynde this light and comforte in the middest of the darknesse of our tribulations. But when in the vnder∣standyng & folowing of his preceptes, we do vse and take our own reason, of necessitie we muste giue a wronge iudgement, for that if we féele not fa∣uour diuyne, we think presently y^t god is fallen a sléepe, farre distāt from vs,

and hath forgotten vs. And bycause we sée not openly the libertie that we desire, we iudge euen thē that he doth not sée vs. As Dauid did which being gréeuously troubled. He then present∣ly according to the iudgement of the flesh, sayd: that God had forsakē him. But presently by the word of God, he was shewed the error and falsitude of his iudgement. When I was in hast I sayd I am out of thy sight, but thou neuerthelesse hast harde the voyce of my prayer: when I called vppō thée. Dauid held him selfe cast out and for∣saken: but God did heare and deliuer him, when hée was in greatest trou∣ble, and thought least of helpe. So in our iudgementes (which are fleshely) we thinke that all our tribulations are long without measure, and that they will neuer haue ende. But the Lord hath sayde vnto vs, they shal en∣dure but a whyle: for that in com∣maunding vs to shut the doore a mo∣ment, he doeth giue vs to vnderstand that they are but momentarie & shall ende verie quickly. As Dauid sayth al∣so:

his ire shall passe away in a mo∣mēt or the twinckling of an eye. Our tribulation (sayeth S. Paule) indu∣reth but a little, and is lightly passed ouer. And therefore we ought to suf∣fer it constantly, not considering the things visible to be séene, and that pe∣rishe: but the things inuisible, and eternall. For that if we be the sonnes of Abraham, bicause we beleued as he did, let vs then appeare in déedes as he did, or lyke vnto him, for hée was extréemely tempted, but yet hée: put his trust wholy in God, and dyd not doubte of his promyse. And therefore was strengthened in his faith, & dyd giue thanks to God. And was persua∣ded that although he saw nothing (that shewed apparant cause) wherein to trust: yet he did consider y^e God which had promised, was of power almigh∣tie: and therefore of power suffitient to performe any thing promised. Euē so wée, when our tribulations séeme most gréeuous, and that we doe think there is least possibilitie to get out of them: let vs then thinke it but mo∣mentary,

& the rather haue hope with the greater firmenesse, and be assured that the potency of God is alwayes ready to performe his promise, & let vs not giue any héed at all to our own reason, vnderstanding, and iudgemēt. And although we sée not our libertie, yet let vs be assured and make full accompt y^t we are frée. Let it be that it séeme that God do hate vs, and that his creatures make warre agaynst vs. Yet for our owne partes, let vs beleue with faith (although our trou∣bles be of neuer so great a shew) that it is not against vs: nor yet that hée is angrie with vs: bycause he can∣not let be, nor leaue beare, the father∣ly affection that he hath towards vs. Let vs enter into the withdrawyng place or chamber that hée doeth com∣maunde vs, and then although hée séeme neuer so disformed outwardly, yet we shal finde him inwardly, such as he hath shewed hym selfe to bée in Christ, that is to say, a father full of mercy, whose bowels doe burn with loue (for and) towardes vs. So that

then we need not to dispaire, nor yet be dismayed in our selues. Although the warres and contradictions of the wicked worldlinges and the worlde béee neuer so great agaynst vs, or the misformed and the ilfauored face of death be neuer so gréeuous to our bo∣dies which are mortall: yet our most louyng father God almightie: will not leaue, but be w^t vs in the middest (and greatest) of all our temptations, troubles, vexations, calamities, and outragious griefes: yea euen to their vtter confusion.

To all the faithfull that are vexed, troubled, & surcharged, or ouerloadē with the crosse: the holy ghost doeth giue aduice by Esay the Prophet in this maner. Say vnto the weak and faint of hart, comfort your selues and doe not feare, behold the Lorde your God that wil take vengeauce on your enimyes, and gyue vnto them pay∣ment accordyng to their deserte: the same God shal come in proper person and saue you.

This is as much as if he had sayd, I

pray you heare me my dearly beloued friendes, the troubles which you doe suffer is bycause you are myne, and gouerned by my worde: and for that you haue cast away the yoke of impi∣etie and false religion: and haue re∣ceyued myne: looke not in exterior things which are troubles vnto your fleshe onely, but know for a certeyn∣tie that as there is nothyng that the worlde doeth more abhorre, (or that doeth more suffer the rage and furye thereof) then you: So for the contra∣rie, there is nothing in the world that I loue better then you. And therefore my children, haue you a sure trust in me, for I haue alreadie ouercome, all those thinges that doe torment you, and sith your enimyes doe not feare to molest & make warre against you: doe not you cease to receiue comforte in the ryches of my promyses whiche are yours, and are for you. If they doe accompt you for cursed and abhomy∣nable, doe you praye for them, I saye pray and bée not wéery, let not your hands be loosed, but holde fast y^e sword

of your defence, which is my worde: be of good cheare, feare not, bée stoute and of a good courage, for why your e∣nimyes doe fable and lye in all that they tell you, I am not absente from you as they say: but am alwaies with you present, apte and ready to defend yon as I haue promysed. I doe not abhorre you, nor yet I haue not forsa∣ken you, but doe loue you, and am so nigh: that those which touch you, doe touche euen the very balles of my•••• eyes. I euen I saieth the Lord: will take vengeance of them that trouble you. I my selfe in myne owne person will deliuer you: perseuer and goe forwarde constantly in a sure fayth and affiaunce in my loue, for your ad∣uersaries haue done what they can, and yet know not what they haue don against you in me, let the eyes of your harte be setled in me. Although your sences be shut vp with smoke, ashes, and flames of fyre: yet doe not think that I am fled or from you one ynch, or any thing at all. For I will not leaue you, but bée alwayes present

with you, although you sée me not, I my selfe am hée that doeth fight for you: although you féele it not, feare you not that your enimies shall ouer∣come you, according to their determi∣nations assure your selues that I wil giue you the victorie in the ende, I haue promised it: and I my selfe will fulfill it. These and such lyke are the louing words of our good God and sa∣uiour, vnto vs that be his chosē, such louing & swéet amorous spéeches doth he vse vnto vs, notwithstanding that we bée persecuted and afflicted with fyre and other kinde of crosses before we can come to him.

Notes

• Psal. 91. & ••4. &c.
• Luke. 12. & 32.
• Iosu. 1. & 5.9. Hebr. 13. &. 5.
• Esay. 26. &. 20.
• Mat. 6. & 6.7.
• Esay. 27. & 3.4.
• 2. Cor. 12. &. 7.
• Psal. 31. & 26. Esay. 27. & 3.4.
• Psal. 53. & 1.2.
• Psal. 31. & 1.••.14. &c.
• Psal. 30.••5.
• 2. Cor. 4. & 17.18.
• Gen. 15. & 6. Rom. 4. & 2.3.4. &c.
• God is not angry with vs that are his.
• Iohn. 3. & 15 16.17. &c.
• Esay. 37. & 4.
• Iohn. 17. & 4.9.20.
• Zach. 2. & 5.9.