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.

An excelent kyndely and comfortable perswasion of the faythfull to re∣ioyce in any calamitie. &c. The .xxiiii. Chapter.

TO vs (my bretheren and fellow membres) that haue played the

part (vppon this worldly stage) of y^e Prodigal childe, in wasting, spoyling, and consuming of our porcions of the ritches, goods, and goodnesse of God our father, the holy ghost dooth speak. Propoūding this example, the which we ought to follow after our fallinge, bicause we might féele by experience, the loue so ardent which he hath now towardes vs, I say now, when as we be wounded so full of shame and con∣fusion, that we doo abhorre sinne and conuert.

Therein he dooth confirme and assure vs, of our francke and frée pardon and remission for all our sinfull fallinge, how great so euer it be or haue béen, as a thinge due vnto all that are pe∣nitent. Bicause if our hartes he woū∣ded with true griefe, and repentance, and doo with a hart vnfayned earnest∣ly loath and abhorre the sinnes that we haue committed, he dooth present∣ly pardon vs for them with suche a dexteritie, that he is so redye to im∣brace, kisse, and otherwyse to com∣fort

vs, with his pure peace, that we cannot so soone open our lippes to con∣fesse our offences, as he is redy to per¦forme the effect of his grace, & to giue the guardon thereof vnto vs. By the which he dooth discouer himselfe to be no lesse our father then, then he was before our falling. His ioye is such for our saluacion then, that the accompt which he hath of our offences, is as if we had neuer offended. Haue we lost and spoiled our spirituall ritches and substaunce that he hath geuen vs for our patrimony? yea: it is euen so, we haue most retchlesly done it, yet what then, in his heauenly house or habita∣cion he hath much and many more ri∣ches, to help and inrich vs with. And therefore let vs remoue our eyes frō our owne misery and nakednesse, and leaue the regarde that we haue ther∣vnto, and let vs firmely fix our sight & looke wholly on him with hart, mynd, and strength, for that he is our onely lyfe, health, remedy, redéemer and sal∣uacion, & none but he. For in vs there is nothing that is any thing auailea∣ble

therevnto.

It is a bitter torment of mynde & christian conscience, to consider how many are made affraide, discouraged and driuen to doubte, by our denega∣cion or deniall of our Christ. (For al∣though they were tender younglings in the knowledge of him at the first) now condempninge (through vs) the trueth which before they did allowe. This will wounde our weake consci∣ences wōderfully which doo so reuolt. And therefore (I meane, to the ende we should doo so) doothe sathan make such continual warre against vs. But therin (to such lyke reuolters) it hap∣peneth as it did to the Apostles which dyd deny their maister, and made ma∣ny to faint, feare, and doubt (in and) of him. But although as weake & vn∣trained souldiers to such lyke warres we be often put to scilence and made to breake aray by our enimies. Yet it is very conuenient & fit that we ga∣ther a new force vnto vs, and once a∣gaine to confesse the trueth stoutely which we haue staggered, fallē from,

and denyed: and with a couragyous mynde and constant fayth, aduenture our lyues for the same, as the Apo∣stles did.

Although before they had denyed it, yet they conuerted and dyd returne agayne to réedifie by their dealinges that which they hadde distroyed (in séekynge mortall lyfe) by denegati∣on of theyr maister. If with weake∣nesse wée doe commit this as they dyd, we haue the like vertue, and as full power to repent, pray to God and conuert as they had.

And therefore the holy Ghost saithe, (and dooth commaunde vs by Sainct Paule,) wée haue not a highe priest that can not take compassion of our infirmyties, but we haue suche a one as was tempted in all thinges lyke vnto vs: and yet without sinne.

Let vs go therefore boldlye vntoo and béefore the throne of that good highe Priest, that wée may receyue mercy and fynde grace to helpe vs in tyme of néede.

And Christ him selfe sayeth that the

whole or healthful néede not the Phi∣sition, but they that are sicke.

And therefore he doeth call them vn∣to him saying, Come vnto me all you that labour and are loaden, and I will ease you, take my yoke vppon you and learne of mée, that am gentle & méeke in harte, and you shall finde rest (or refreshing) for your soules. So that when wée are sicke and oppressed in conscience, let vs runne vnto him, that the rather we may come to our reme∣die, bycause wée are those which are called of hym, that hée might vnloade and heale vs.

If they haue taken away our honour, or spoyled vs of our goods.

If they haue shut vs vp in prisons and strong Castles, or haue condempned vs for heresie (as they terme it) yet for all that, it is no let at all, but that we may come vnto hym: and receiue other goods, honours, and libertye, muche greater wythout compary∣son, then are those whych are vi∣sible.

For although that of men we are cō∣dempned as enimies, yet God dooth loue and allow vs as his children and frendes. And therefore dooth commaūd vs to come to be refreshed of his son. If he dyd not loue vs, he would not deale so diligently for our remedy, our sinnes cannot be so great, as is the health and helpe that he hath already prouided for them: he hath destroyed and ouercome sinne, and will that we enioy the benefit of his victory. If we thincke our selues vnworthy, yet our vnworthinesse shal not hinder vs, for that his worthynesse is sufficient. Let vs therfore shut our eares to the rea∣sons of the worlde and the fleshe, and let them be onely opened to this amo∣rous voyce which doothe call vs so lo∣uingly.

And sith that onely in God (who is the fountayne of all goodnesse) there is mercy, let vs not thincke to fynde it in any other but onely in him, in those that haue his spirit, and be membres of Christ his sonne. It is the propertie of true mercie to deliuer y^e miserable

from their myserie and euill, and in place thereof, to communicate vnto them aboundance of true ryches and goodnesse. And also it is most certayne, that how much the greater, the euils and miseries are, of the which he doth deliuer his faithfull of: So much the more brighter doth remaine the shew and setting foorth of his glory in them, who is most worthie of the same.

Then howe can we call that mercie, that doeth (all that may bée) depryue vs of so many benifites as is possible, and doeth put vs into a déepe dungeon amongest a mightie multitude of mas∣sie myseries and euilles.

In good sooth, this can be none other, but a most straunge and curssed cruel∣tie, cloathed but with a coate or cloke and name of mercy, the aucthor wher∣of for a certeintie, is the diuil and his members. The persecutors of the go∣spel doe accompt and call it mercifull dealyng to constraine the electe & cho∣sen to deny both God and his word, to spoyle them of the fruites of their re∣demption, and in place thereof to put

them into the handes of the diuill. Is this any thing els, may we think: thē to depryue them of an innumerable number of benifites, and to put them into an infinite and vnmeasurable many of mischiefes: for that in place and stéede of inioyning and hauing the lyues of their bodies, they doe nothing but reape the benifite and fruite of vanitie it selfe.

Which indureth not a moment, but vanysheth awaye with them selues lyke a scrow in the fire, or as a vapour in the ayre: and so they with it, is cō∣sumed and commeth to naught for euer. How can there rest, remaine, or be any mercy, in place where as the trueth and rightuousnesse of God is condempned: How can those be mer∣cifull that condempne the innocents, and doe accompt it as a most curssed cryme (worthie of the moste spyte∣full death of the crosse) to professe the name of Iesu Christ, and to acknow∣ledge and confesse that hée onely is the redéemer, heade, and quyckner of his church.

Amongest such audiences and iudge∣ment places of mischieuous mercy∣ful (nay rather mercilesse) men, there doeth aryse, spryng, procéede, and growe, nothyng but homicyde, and suckyng of bloud from the beginning. And therefore there can be nothyng in them but vnrightuousnesse & cru∣eltie, which shineth in them according to the doctryne which they teach. And how much the greater and more their tiranny is, & braueth against y^e faith∣full, & their doctrine which is a moste pure truth: So much y^e more pure, ce∣lestiall, diuine, & comfortable is it to the author therof, who is Iesu Christ. And therfore (my dearely beloued,) be no more deceyued by reposing any truste or confidence at all, in their mercy so mischieuous. For whereas they so mercifully (nay mercilesly) doe suffer you to inioy y^e liues of your bo∣dies, they doe therein dispoile you of the liues of your soules, which is the true fayth of the Euangelicall Gos∣pell.

Notes

• Ezech. 18 &. 28.
• Hebr. 5. & &. 1.2.3
• Hebr. 4. & 16.
• Math. 9. &. 12.
• Math. 11. &. 28.29.
• 2. Cor. 1. & 20.21.22
• The condi∣cion of the mercy of God.
• Prou. 11. & 17.
• The mercy of men.
• Colos. 1. & 14.15.16.
• Ephe. 1. & 4.16. &c.
• Ioh. 8. & 44 Colos. 2. &. 4.