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.

The maner of parte of the persecution in Spaine, vvith a comfort against the lyke. &c. The xxv. Chapter.

THe signes tokens and fruites that commeth, groweth, and are shewen of them, is verie like vnto the mercie which is in them. They giue for a liuery Saint Bennets coate, which is in signe of pennance, about a yarde and a halfe of yellow cloth with a hole cut in the middest thereof, where through y^e re∣cantantes doe put their heads, so that the one halfe thereof is worne before on the brest, the other halfe behynde on the shoulders, the which hath twoo red crosses, called by them S. Bēnets crosses, the one before, the other be∣hynd, this they do appoint to be worne for certaine yeares, within a certaine precinct, vppon payne of death. To sig∣nifie that by them and the wearers thereof, the fayth of Christ is denyed, that they bée wholy guided, by the di∣uilish

doctrine of Antichrist, and the di∣uell his fellow, to whome they are faythful with a fayth vnfayned, most vnfaythfull to God, that they haue chaunged the ioyes eternal, for vaine ioyes and vanitie it selfe, which peri∣sheth, and haue (according to the pro∣uerbe) like a dogge, torned againe to theyr vomit: or like a sowe well wa∣shed, torned againe and wallowed in the myre. So that this signe or liuery is a perfect shew, signe and token, of y^e mischeuous minde that is in them, and of theyr mercilesse mercy so vne∣quall to the true mercy which GOD dooth shew vnto his elected, persecu∣ted by them, (beinge his enimies) wherefore we ought not to séeke, nor trust to any other for mercie, but one∣ly to god, nor to change his mercy for any feare, flattery, or crueltie, whatso∣euer of men, nor the diuell: although they doo thonder it out with theyr dis∣sembled sounde or voice neuer so fiersly.

Let vs vnderstande that the mercie which god dooth shew vnto his people

is very great: when that for his name sake our liues are taken from vs, by such or those which ought to doe their best to kéepe lyfe in vs, we may bée bold to take it to be a substancial and most certayne and sure signe that wée are partakers of, (and doe perteyne to) the kingdome of God: when that for his loue, or for the confession of his name, we be euill entreated, and condempned of men and the worlde, let vs not feare nor flée away so fast from death, y^t for to liue eight dayes longer in this lyfe, we will loose the lyfe euerlasting, which is y^e true life, a lyfe perdurable which neuer will haue end. What other thing is y^e lyfe which they graunt vs by their mer∣cy, (as they say) but a cruell continu∣all death, full of sorowes & troubles, & of no cōtinuance to true life, but ma∣ny times taken away & dispatched by light occasiōs. Wherfore, for y^t for so short a thing, a thing of so momētary a béeing, we aduenture our humayne liues, for eternall blessednes, & a lyfe y^t neuer shall haue end, our lot or hap

is y^e better, & more blessed in y^t we dye with such dishonors, thē is y^e lotte of our persecutors, though they lyue with neuer so muche péeuish popishe pompe. Our death here, is a true testi∣mony of y^e life which we haue in christ with eternall resurrectiō by him: and wher as they cruelly kil, & craftily cō∣dempne vs, it is an infallible signe, & testimony most true, y^t they be clean from Christ, & haue no parte w^t them. Blessed are they (saith S. Iohn) y^e dye in y^e lord. And y^e prophet Dauid saith, the death of y^e Sainctes, are precious in the presence and sight of God. And therefore (our death) béeyng a thyng which y^e Lord doth loue, & a testimo∣ny y^t we are blessed, we ought not to feare it in no maner of wyse, béeyng his children: but rather to glorifie hym in the same, to the imitation of the Apostles.

Let vs giue attentyue eare to the wordes of our sauiour Christ Iesus, directed to them y^t will folow him. He that loueth father or mother more thē me, is not worthy of me: & he y^t will

not take vp his crosse and folow mée, is not worthy of me: For whosoeuer will saue his lyfe shall loose it, but he that wil loose his life for my sake, the same shall saue it. For what auay∣leth or profiteth it a man to win the whole world, & then to loose his owne soule, or what may a man giue to re∣déeme his soule from death. And also he that shall be ashamed of mée or of my worde, before the men of this ad∣ulterous and sinfull generation, the sonne of man shall bee also ashamed of hym, when hée shall come before mée in hys glorie, accompanyed with holy Angelles. So that the forme and order of keping & sauing our liues according to y^e doctrine of Iesus christ, is to loose them by affliction for hys sake, & for the profession of his name. And thereby it is manifest, y^t we kée•••• and saue our liues most sure, whē as, and at such time as they doe take thē from vs: for that by the meanes ther∣of we are put in the hands of God. Let vs not be ashamed of Iesus Christ nor of his word, although they dishonour

vs neuer so muche therefore, but let vs rather account theyr most dishono∣red spite vsed towardes vs, for our most triumphant honour and victory: yea lette vs accompt euen the verye sweardes, axes, fleshookes, strangge∣ling stringes, paynted myters, liue∣ries of mockery, faggots, fire, rackes, boiling leade, pitche, rosen, and tarre, tortures, and all other their instru∣mentes of torment, to be enseignes of honour vnto vs, & badges of the eter∣nall kingedome, to the which we be brought by bearing and sufferinge of them. Iesus Christ was the sonne of God and kinge of all creatures, such a one as was promised by the Pro∣phets. But yet his crucifiers in moste dispiteous or spightfull maner & signe of mockery dyd make him naked, dis∣poiling him of his apparreile, & cloath him at theyr pleasures with purple, and put a réede in his hande and a crowne of sharpe thornes vppon his bare tender head, they dyd wounde & boffet his tender body with most cru∣ell blowes and strypes of fistes and

whips, they made as it were a may, game of him, a king in mockery, mis∣construing the accompt which ought to haue bene had of him, and accomp∣ted hym a man deceyued in his opy∣nion, a deceyuer of the people, and not the sonne of God. Of the same sorte and in the lyke maner doe they deale at this day with and to the faithful, the members of his blessed bodie our bretheren: onely bycause they call them selues the children of God, (as in truth they are) they doe spoile & per∣secute thē euen vnto y^e death. But they shame not to shew themselues (if they be faithful in déed,) & therfore they be not apparelled, nor doo not were (nor yet delight in) y^e ornaments of honor, which are vsed in the world: bicause they be not thereof. They doe onely apparell thēselues w^t the spitefull dis∣honors vsed vnto Christ in thē & no∣thing ashamed therof, they are hidden therby, couered & shadowed from the spite of wicked worldlīgs, as he hym self was: they are cloathed by their foes y^e enimies of God, w^t S. Bennets

liuery coate in significatiō y^t they are only allowed & known of god, though the world doe y^e contrary, y^t he doeth loue them as childrē though y^e world doe abhorre them as fooles full of fol∣ly, deceyued in their opinions of the truth, & great deceyuors. Then are they tryed with a certaine kynde of thing on their heads lyke vnto a my∣ter, & that is painted full of diuilles, which doth signify the kingdom that Christ Iesus gayned for the elected, when as hée did were the crowne of thorne, & did suffer his passion & pre∣cious death so spitefull vppō y^e crosse: by the diuilles painted theron we may vnderstād, y^e sin, hell, death, & the diuil are already ouercome & killed: they haue no more force against them, nor can doe no more harme vnto them, then those vaine painted pictures. Bi∣cause euen as Iesus Christ dyd lyue héere vppō earth, & dyd wear those (or such like) cognisāces or badges of dis∣honor himself. So now he doeth liue & reigne vnder those ornamēts & appa∣rels in thē his own: so scorned, spited, &

crucified for his loue and professyng of his name. Sith he then is thus ly∣uing in them, then by him in them, is distroyed all the workes of the diuill: Bycause (as S. Iohn sayeth) Christ came into the world to the same end. Whereby it is manifest, that those things by the which our persecutors doe thinke to dryue vs from y^e know∣ledge of God, (for that they know him not them selues,) are sure signes and perfect tokens of our probation & try∣all, and of the certeine inheritance of his blessed kingdome. Wherein after the ende of a fewe houres (a moment or twinckling of an eye in effect) wée are to enter, and shall reigne most tri∣vmphantly in great glorie for euer world without ende.

It is gréeuous vnto vs (the faithful) when in béeyng persecuted with the peruerse and crooked crueltie of men, if any of vs doe happen to faint, and for feare renounce to trust vnto the mercy and ayde of God, yet by the gift of his holy spirit we doe not onely re∣pent presently, and are greatly grée∣ved

in déede, to thinke that so fondly we followed the foolish fleashly folly of our enemies, and forsooke the bles∣sed banner of Iesus Christ our care∣full captaine. But also we are then fresh of force in faith and are litle or nothing discomforted thereby, nor do not thinke that much is lost, (though we did stumble, stagger and fall by the crosse as aforesaide, and so did doubt in the truth of Christe) no nor yet we do not looke for our redirecti∣on from men nor momishe mamotes the piuish puppetly pelting patchery priests of Baall. It is altogether by the good will and loue of God, that we do remēber our selues, how that we were not onely without sinne, but also subiect greatly vnto y^e same: and not onely to the euils of vs, had in experience, but also to all kinde of wickednesse by vs vnexperimented. And also by his like loue wee do re∣member, that God did make promise vnto vs, that his mercy should be e∣uerlasting to the humble and peni∣tent, with a speciall pardon and for∣giuenes

of sinnes, without any more remembrance of them. For as the fa∣ther hath pittie and compassion vppō his children: Euen so hath the Lord almightie pittie and compassion, vp∣pon all them that feare him.

Bycause he doeth knowe right well of what a myschyeuous massye moulde or mettall we are made off, and doeth consider that wée are but dust.

And therefore sith that our Iehouah, our most almightie God, as a most lo∣uing father hath alwayes had mercy vpon vs, let vs be most certainly assu∣red that euen so he wil haue now: and alwayes for euer. Wherefore let vs forsake and cast of that curssed and ex∣ecrable mercy offered of our aduersa∣ries the condempnors of the Gospell, otherwyse we are to forgo our partes and porcions of the true mercye of God, which is at as greate enmytye and contrarie (with and) to their mer∣cie as can bée.

Notes

• Prou. 11. &. 19.
• Prou. 26. &. 11. 2. Pet. 2. & 22.
• Mat. 5. & 11.12. Luke. 6. & 22.23.
• Mat. 5. & 6 ••0. Luke. 6. & 21.22.
• Iohn. 11. & 16.25. &c. 2. Thes. 5. &. 5.
• Apoc. 14. & 13. Psal. 116. & 13.
• Iohn. 21. & 7.8.9. &c.
• Mat. 10. & 37.38.••9.
• Mar. 8. & 34.35. &c. Luke. 9. & 23.24.25.
• VVhat it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be a∣sh••••ed of Christ. Rom. 1. & 16.
• Esay. 61. & 1.2.3. &c. Psal. 72. & 6.7.8. &c.
• Psal. 45. & 2.3. &c. Esay. 35. & 9.10. Mat. 27. & 28.29. Marc. 15. & 16.17. &c.
• Sap. 2. & 1.2.3. &c.
• 1. Iohn. 3. & ••.1.5.
• The mercy of God to the penitēt is alwayes readie.
• Of the loue of God.
• Psal. 105. & 21.22. &c.