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 persuasion to trust only in God, and to a∣voyd all vaine trust, had in any humain helpe. &c. The xx. Chapter.

SYth therefore, that we sée that our swéete God is so present with vs, when we think him to be farthest of: that he doeth loue vs dearely, when wée thynke our selues forsaken and

abhorred: and that hée doeth not for∣gette vs, when we thinke our selues farre out of fauour & remembrance. Let vs put our whole truste and con∣fidence onely in hym, for that he is altogither sufficient to (and wil) stād with vs for our defence in all our troubles and aduersities.

And also let vs saye with holy Iob,* 1.1 Although he giue me vnto death, I will not leaue to trust in him. As our fleshe is the greatest enimy that wée haue, so is it that,* 1.2 which doeth make the greatest warre with vs. Bicause it doeth not onely deny this fauoura∣ble presence of God, but also doth not let, to fyght agaynst it: that is to say, against the promises of God: and doe leane, and trust to things which are vaine, thinkyng to bée defended, and deliuered by the helpe thereof, from all the harme, calamitie, and griefe that it doeth féele.

And so doeth not onely fall out to the contrarye, but also is an occa∣sion why, that greater griefes doe fo∣low: And therfore it behoueth vs to be

vigilant and to take héede that we doo not tempte God, with puttyng anye vayne trust or hope in men, (whither they séeme or shewe to be good or bad, faithfull or vnfaithfull) for any thing touching saluatiō or dampnation. For so the wicked by their wickednesse, would deuise and be of strength and efficacy sufficient, to blinde and bring vs into doubtes, and like to dispayre by means of our doubtfull and weake beliefe. Bicause that all of vs are full of that monstrous masse of sinne, euer fallyng, and in déede fully subiecte to fall, into all kinde of miserie. But let vs giue héede to that which the holy ghost doth commaund by the Prophet Dauid,* 1.3 doe not trust in Princes nor in the sonnes of men, bicause there is no health nor helpe in them. Misera∣ble are the successes of suche as put their trust in men. For that (as the Prophet Ieremy sayeth) cursed is he that putteth his trust in man.* 1.4 There∣fore let vs put our trust onely in God, and depend and put our trust onely in his moste faythfull promises. And so

shall we be sure that he will fight for (help and defend) vs, against y^e world, the flesh, & all other the snares of the diuill. As the Prophet Esay sayth,* 1.5 if we beleue this word of the Gospel we haue obteyned victorie alreadie. By∣cause as S. Iohn sayeth, our faith is the victorie that ouercōmeth y^e world.* 1.6 Saint Steuē, being armed with this faith, which was communicated vnto him by the Gospell, did ouercome hys enimies furies so, that they could not resist the wisdome and spirit with the which he spake.* 1.7 Dauid a verie yoūg man, of small age: what maner of weapon had he to fight against Goli∣as that mightie capteine of the Phi∣listines: hée sought no helpe of Saul, nor could not abyde his Armour and weapons, nor yet did not fauour any kynde of humaine counseile, nor hys own force which was nothing in com¦parison, to the strength of that migh∣tie Gyaunt. But onely armed with a sure faith, affiance, and hope, in God, he fought couragiously, did ouerthrow him, cut of his head, and so set the cho∣sen,

(hys fellow members) at liber∣tie. In this is and shall bée for euer, verified to all the faythfull, that God wil fulfil and performe his promises. And so he sayeth by the Prophet Da∣uid:* 1.8 hée that trusteth in mée, I will kéepe and deliuer him for that he hath knowen my name.

* 1.9And therfore, sith he is greater that is in vs, then he that is in the world, let vs forsake all humayne counseill, strength, industrie, prudencie, and wis∣dome in the same, for that how much the lesse we estéeme and depende vp∣pon them, so much y^e more is the effi∣cacie, strength, & power of God in vs: and our sight y^e clearer & perfecter, to sée the great & admirable works, don in his elected by his most mightie po∣tencie, & might. Euen then doeth God discouer to our weaknesse, the great∣nesse of his most mightie power and strength, to our health and saluation. For when we think our selues most strong,* 1.10 & depend most vppō terene and earthly defence: euē thē are we most weakest, and our hope most frustrate.

Bicause those things in the worlde, we accompte and holde most sure for our reliefe, in our greatest necessitie falleth from vs: and so we left at the worste, and in displeasure with God. For that we so vaynely dyd forsake him, and slée to vanitie (which are the things of this world) for our help and defence: & so are we left & forsaken, both of God & man. Bicause we made a God of those things, the which wée trusted in, & therein did forsake y^e true God. Those which doe put their trust in worldly things, doe it bycause of the fayre shewe thereof to their car∣nall or fleshly eyes: but so they make a deuision of that hope, whiche they ought to haue in God, & put aparte or péece therof into those which are of the worlde: which is vanitie, and of no value at all. Our filthie flesh is fond∣ly ledde to trust, and hang all hope on creatures, in place and steade of that hope which is due vnto God the crea∣tor. Suerly it is such a subtle snare of the father of all subtelties & lyes, that it often deceyueth manye, and

continually it deceiueth it self. For it hath alwayes a custome to couer in∣fidelitie and hipocrisie, with some one craftie cloaked colour or other, that may not easily be knowen. So that when wée bee beguyled by the same, we doe thinke our selues in such secu∣ritie that we sléepe therein, as though fortified with suche humayne helpe, furniture, and fauour, as none might be the like: when as in very déede by the ende of experience, we may & shal, finde our owne weaknesse to be such, as is of no validitie at all. Whereby is manifested that these carnall fur∣nitures, weapons, & armour, in which we hope and trust to be succoured by, doe not onely serue vs nothing at all for our helpe and defence, but also is and are extréeme lets and hynderan∣ces, to kéepe vs from y^e doyng of that, which we ought and are bound to doo, by the commaundementes of God. And therfore in this lyfe, which is a tyme of trouble, tirannie, battail, and warfare:* 1.11 let vs be imitators and fo∣lowers of Dauid, who neuer did bear

other armes nor weapōs against his enimyes, then onely his sure trust in God, wherewith he alwayes got the victorie, and ouerthrew them all.

How we oughte to doe and behaue our selues, to our enimyes as wel vi∣sible as in visible, corporall as spiritu∣all: God doeth teache vs by hys Apo∣stles. All the wyse, holy, and mightie of the world: All the riches, aucthori∣tie, dignitie, exelencie, greatnesse, hu∣maine strength, and policie, that was in the same: was against them, in such sorte that it séemed inuinsible. There was very fewe (scarce none) neither Lordes, Earles, Dukes, Princes, Kings, and Emperours, kingdomes, nor countreis but were against them: with most cruell warres and persecu∣tions. But yet they (I mean the chil∣drē and disciples of God) armed with confidence and affiance in God, and pacience by the onely wordes of the Gospell, did convince and ouerthrow to the grounde, all the power and po∣tencie of them all:* 1.12 aswell the princi∣palles as the reste. And by beléeuyng

truely in the Gospell, they did fyght with (and ouerthrowe) all the subly∣mate and supreme highnesse, that dyd rise & repugne against them: & Christ their heade in them. They did ouer∣come captiuitie, & bring a great num∣ber to be ruled, by (preaching y^e pure Euangelie of truthe in the Gospell: and to the obedyence of fayth therin. By force wherof: they made y^e world to tremble, and did work marueilous works most worthy of memory. The world was not so strong, nor Sathan so mightie, nor yet his ministers so subtil, that they altogither with their strength, mighte, policie, and subtil∣tie, could let or hinder y^e small grayn of musterd séede,* 1.13 (the fayth in the Go∣spell) but that it did increase, florysh, and growe, into a great and mightie trée, the braunches wherof did extend into all partes of the worlde, so, that the byrdes of heauen might buylde their neastes therein at hys plea∣sure.

The diuill & all his vaseilles & bōd∣slaues are beaten down daily & ouer∣come,

with that Armour & weapon wherwith God hath armed the faith∣full, & elected. If those,* 1.14 which serue the prince of darkenes, & that are marked with the mark of the beast, which S. Iohn speaketh of, could make that the sonne did not aryse and shewe it selfe so, that dayly he did not or might not dryue awaye the darkesome nyghtie cloudes, & so spread his beames into all parts of the world, wherby y^e force may bée felte of the heate and light of the same: they might as well, let and hinder the shyning sonne of the Gos∣pell, that the splendant light thereof,* 1.15 should not shine and shewe his inesti∣mable brightnesse, to giue light vnto the blynd: that they might goe and be guyded thereby, in the righte way of truth.* 1.16 And also let that the potencie of God therein, shoulde not take the cap∣tyue out of captiuitie, open the pry∣sons to the prysoners, and that the contrite of hart should not receiue frée lybertie thereby.

Let them goe to heauen if they can,* 1.17 and throwe the sonne downe oute

hir place vsuall, vnto the earth: or let them let & hinder the shining of the Gospell of glorie,* 1.18 which doeth many∣fest that God is the Lord, and that by his worde he ought to be serued and worshipped of all mankinde: I say, let them doe it if they can: but in de∣spight of them I say againe they can∣not. For all that euer they doe, is no more: but as if by spetling, they shuld prooue or goe about to pearse the hea∣uens, and so spitte vpward according∣ly, and then the same fall backe again into their owne faces: whereby they are filthily fouled to their owne re∣proche. Wherefore let vs not feare them in none of their bragges, but let vs put on the armour of the Apostles, and throw away all humain affiance: Let vs assure our selues that by our afflictions and death, are distroyed and ouerthrowen the enimies, contrady∣tors, and geinsayors of vs & the Gos∣pell. For God doeth deale with our e∣nimies nowe in the same order, ma∣ner, and forme, as he did with them in tymes past, which persecuted & spake

against the Prophets and Apostles: bycause that they taught the same go∣spell of lyfe, which we now haue and teach: by Christ we liue, and for him we suffer persecutiō, euen so did they: yet he hath alwayes gotten the victo∣rie, as well for them, as for vs. And therefore let vs not tempt God, but let vs trust wholy in him, his mercy, power, and strength: And also haue in hatred all humaine helpes and fa∣uours whatsoeuer.

What is the cause that so many do fainte, fall, & become amased in their mindes so, that they can not perseuer in that trueth which God hath com∣maunded: And also that some other being wonderfully lighted with the cleare and pure light of the Gospell, and séeing the workes and wonders so admirable, that God doth shew vn∣to them by the same, are so sluggyshe and colde that they stande at a staye, and care not whither they goe fore∣wardes yea or no: Surely and with∣out doubt there is none other cause, but that onely by the instigatiō of the

diuill, they are so deceiued, that they robbe. God of his honour, & put their trustes wholy one in an other, taking men for their staffe to staye vppon, to the end they might stande in all their troubles: regardyng humayne fauor so muche, that they leaue God, and flye therevnto for refuge, in all theyr aduersities and calamities. Some doe trust in their ryches, others in theyr honours: some in the friendshippe of great men, other some in that they be Gentlemen and of the noble bloude: and so foorth in other the lyke prero∣gatiues. What other thing is thys, but as if one should trust in a shadow, or a smoake which vanysheth, almost so soone as it is seene. When that we consider the causes, for which we are afflicted,* 1.19 (whereof God is the author from whom we flée) and doe put our trust in men, or in any thing that they can doe for vs: is as muche in our ayde as to truste vnto Egipt or to the strength of the Egyptians, or as in a broken Réede whiche one holdeth to staye him selfe by, and it doeth not

onely suffer him to fall, but also with the slyuers thereof, doeth so prick and hurte hys handes, as maketh him re∣pent, that he had no more vnderstan∣dyng in tyme, then to trust thervnto. It belongeth to one that is a Christi∣an and faythfull, to bée buylded and firmely founded, vppon that fyrme Rocke or stone which is Christ, and not to flee from the same, to any hu∣maine helpe or succour that perisheth:* 1.20 for that against this true foundation, the wyndes of tribulations, tempests of torments, nor stormes of mischiefs and wickednesse, cannot preuayle a∣gaynst it, or make it to remoue or al∣ter.

And therfore hauing so sure a founda∣tiō as Christ, let vs assure our selues, that there is nothyng in the worlde, that can remoue vs from it. As the holy Ghost doeth testifye, saying,* 1.21 hée that trusteth in the Lord, shal ne∣uer bée confounded, but shalbe alwayes firme & sure as the holy hyll of Syon.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iob. 13. & 15.
• * 1.2

  Rom. 8. & 1 3.5. &c.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 146. &. 2.
• * 1.4

  Iere. 17.••5.
• * 1.5

  Esay. 32. & 13.17. Iosuah. 1. & 5.6.7. &c. Iohn. 5. & 4.
• * 1.6

  Act. 6. & 11 13. &c. Act. 8. & 51.58.
• * 1.7

  1. Sam. 17 & 32.33. &c
• * 1.8

  Psal. 91. & 1.2.3. &c.
• * 1.9

  Iohn. 4. & 2.3.
• * 1.10

  2. Cor. 12. & 7.20.
• * 1.11

  1. Sam. 17. & 32.3••. &c.
• * 1.12

  Iohn. 14. &. 1. Ephe. •• & 13.16.
• * 1.13

  Mat. 13. & 32.
• * 1.14

  Apoc. 13. & 17.
• * 1.15

  Luke. 1. & 31.33.79.
• * 1.16

  Esay 9. & 2.3. &c. Esay. 60. & 1.2. &c.
• * 1.17

  Psal. 52. &. 2. &c.
• * 1.18

  2. Cor. 4. & 3.4.5. &c.
• * 1.19

  Esay. 36. & 5.6.7.
• * 1.20

  Math. 7. & 24.26.
• * 1.21

  Psal. 125. & ••. &c.