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.

Of a great cause of comfort, by reason of the crosses of Christ. &c. Cap. ix.

BVt sith it hath pleased God, that our lotte hath bene so luckye & our happe so happie, as to make vs of the number of them that doe beléeue, and are builded in Iesus Christ: let vs not doubt the causes of our afflictiōs, for before y^t he did giue vs his lighte to beléeue in hym and to knowe him, the diuill did possesse vs in peace, so that we had a very perfect friendship with the worlde.* 1.1 But he who is most strong, being come as he is, hath got∣ten the victorie, and taken his spoyle from him, for which cause that enimy doth so bray, bluster and roare out his warres against vs: and to make a re∣couery of vs, he doeth arme all his ar∣mie with so great crueltie as we sée. So that the cause of our persecution is not as they professe which are the ministers therof,* 1.2 it is but only for the word of the Gospell, as testifyeth Ie∣sus Christ, in his owne preachyng to them that he hath called to him self. And for that we be most assured and certeine of his truth, we may wel su∣steine

and beare, the extremitie of the crosse that is layd vppō vs by y^e hands of God: and neuer bee dismayed nor fainte, for althoughe that wee of our selues be weake, we shall be streng∣thened by hys force and magnificall might: with his wisdome shall be o∣uercome our ignorance and foolishe∣nesse,* 1.3 with his rightuousnesse shall be blotted out our sinnes and wicked∣nesse, with his light shall be lightned our blynde darkenesse, with his bles∣sing shal be ouercome and vndone our cursse & malediction, with his mighte shall bée distroyed our infernall hell, with his holynesse we shall be made holy, and finally by his merits, & with his benifites, we shall be made rych in suche maner of wyse that it is im∣possible of our selues, to be suche lyke as he wil make vs. And therefore let vs not bée hindered by any kynde of crosse, but the rather made more per∣fect and clearer with constancy in be∣léefe of the trueth which hée hath taught vs.

To this ende doeth the Apostle set

out our estate in this maner & forme.* 1.4 You be (saith he) Pilgrims & straūgers (as we were in tyme of our ignoran∣cy) & you are now saints and citizens with y^e houshold seruants of god, buil∣ded vppon the foundation of the Pro∣phets & Apostles, y^t is Iesus Christ: in whom you are builded togither ioint∣ly to be the house & dwelling place of God in spirite. Whereby we may sée that all the vertue that is in vs, whi∣ther it be by good workes which are the fruites of faith, or by suffring the griefes & afflictions of this world, the which we are subiecte vnto: yet both the one and the other came from our foundation, whiche is Christe our head. Yea, & also they doe, both y^e one and y^e other, serue to clense vs frō all the contaminate filthie foulenes of the flesh,* 1.5 & perfectionate & make perfecte our myndes & spirit with the feare of God, and the sanctification of his holy name, whereby we might be cleane & cleare frō any kynd of thing, y^t may of∣fend y^e eyes of his diuine maiesty that dwelleth in vs. So y^t we haue y^e entrie

made plaine vnto vs,* 1.6 to enter & treate with God familiarly, and aske of him all those thinges,* 1.7 which be necessarie for vs to folow Iesu Christ with, & to be wholy holy as he hath commaūded vs by his spirit, saying: be ye holy bi∣cause y^t I y^e Lord your God am holy.

God did know saieth S. Paule and predestinate all his chosē, to make thē cōformable & like to the image of his sonne, bycause they should be,* 1.8 (Primo∣genitus) the first begotten among many brethren. So y^t in making vs cōforme & like vnto him, he did iustify vs, whē he pardoned vs of our sinnes, and did make vs pertakers of his redemptiō. Euen then he did begin to reforme in vs the image of his sonne, which re∣formatiō is yet but begun: But yet it goeth forwarde from day to day, in∣creasing by degrées vntil we be all to∣gither lyke vnto him, yea euen to be a very perfect pictor & liuely like him. For y^e as by Christ y^e father is known, so by vs shuld y^e son be known also: for we shuld be like vnto hī in al things as wel spiritually as tēporally, celestially

as terrestrially, and as we did beare the Image of the earthly Adam:* 1.9 euen so should we beare the image of the celestial Adam, which is Iesus Christ that came downe from heauen. All that God doeth vnto vs is to the same end and purpose: and therfore Christ doeth incite vs,* 1.10 saying: be ye perfect as your father in heauen is perfect. It is notorious to sée and wonderfull to consider, howe farre of wee bée from this sanctitude, and perfection, to the which wée haue béene called. Euerye man may sée him self a great contra∣diction, in comming to the same: wée may sée also what great resistance the worlde and all the ministers thereof, doth make against vs to kéepe vs from it: for which cause God hath taken vs in charge, to make his worke per∣fect in vs.

What thyng more amyable, may ther be, or what more may be desired, then to haue y^e image of y^e son of God, conformed and made perfecte in vs: there is nothynge that can bée more blessed and vnhappie for vs then this,

that God doeth loue vs so much, as to shewe and cast vppon vs such copious aboundancies of hys heauenly plea∣sures and good will: if we loue riches and honors those be the true ones: If we desire to be sure against all euilles and temptatiōs of the diuil, y^e world, and the flesh, in this doeth consist the suertie thereof. Howe much the more that we are lyke vnto God, so muche the more mightie wée are by him in our owne defence, against all maner of temptations, afflictions and perse∣cutions. If we will inioye the riches that God hath prepared for his faith∣full, thys is the way to come to the possession of them. And therefore wée ought not to be feareful off: nor to re∣fuse any thing that God doth chastise vs with. And sith hée hath giuen vs Christ his sonne to be our head, it is a thing conuenient that we which bée his members be lyke vnto him, and that we goe togither with him, trea∣ding in hys owne steppes: Bycause the self same end that he had him self, his members must haue also, and for

that cause, & to the self same ende, that we should passe both by one way, and haue one ende and inheritance, God did so vnite & knit vs in him.* 1.11 Wher∣fore we ought to vnderstand well the purpose of God, & to haue alwayes in remembraunce y^e effect therof, bicause we should not faint, waxe weake, nor feare y^e troubles & afflictions, that the striuing therwith, & mistaking therof, doeth bring vs vnto. The end wherof being wel & rightly cōsidered, with the knowledge of y^e same, we ought rather to imbrace, thē stifly to stād against it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luke. 11. &. 53.54.
• * 1.2

  Math. 13. & 37.38. &c.
• * 1.3

  Psa. 52. & 7.
• * 1.4

  Ephe. 2. & 19 20. &c.
• * 1.5

  2. Cor. 7. & 1.2.3. &c.
• * 1.6

  Hebr. 3. & 1.2.3. &c.
• * 1.7

  Leuit. 11. &. 44. Leuit. 19. &. 2. 1. Pet. 1. &. 15
• * 1.8

  Ro. 8. &. 29.
• * 1.9

  1. Cor. 15. & 49.
• * 1.10

  Math. 5. &. 48.
• * 1.11

  The pur∣pose of god