A most excellent and comfortable treatise, for all such as are any maner of way either troubled in minde or afflicted in bodie, made by Andrew Kingesmyl Gentleman, sometime fellowe of Alsolne Colledge in Oxforde. Whereunto is adioyned a verie godly and learned exhortation to suffer patiently al afflictions for the gospel of Christ Iesus. And also a conference betwixt a godly learned Christian [and] an afflicted conscie[n]ce: wherein, by the holy Scriptures the sleights of Satan are made manifest, and ouerthrowen: with a godly prayer thereunto annexed

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.

HAVING diuers papers and writings committed vnto me by a deare friend of myne, whom it pleased God not long since, after manie yeeres trauaile very profitably bestowed in the ministerie and preaching of the Gospell, to call out of this mise∣rable, wretched and wicked world: And finding amongst the said writings this Treatise and the Exhortation annexed thereunto: I read both the one and the other all ouer, to mine owne great profite and comfort, I must needes confesse. And therefore perswaded by mine owne experience in the reading of both these treatises, that the publi∣shing of them in print might be no lesse profitable and comfortable to many others, then to my selfe I founde them: I thought good not to holde them longer in my priuate custodie as things dead and buried with the Authours, but to commit them to the Printer, so to haue them communicated to this Church of England, and as manie as vnderstand the Englishe, to the prayse and glorie of God for his gratious giftes in the writers, and for the com∣fort and instruction (I doubt not) of so many as shall reade them.

Of the Authour of the Exhortation, I can say nothing more then that (as I coniecture by that he writeth) he liued in the late raigne of Q. Marie, being then an exile in foraine partes for the Gos∣pel, which at that time also was banished from hence, as touching the open profession thereof in

any common and publike places. And as for the matter of his Exhortation, I shall not neede to say anie more in commendation thereof to stirre men vp to the reading of it, then the bare title giuen to the same importeth: which with the shortnesse of the Treatise it selfe may suffice to allure any godly and well disposed person to peruse the same.

As touching the Authour of the Treatise whose name I haue expressed, though I could of him saye verie much to his great commendation, and that of mine owne knowledge, for that liuing together in one house we were long time and familiarlye acquainted: Yet I will for some respectes forbeare to prayse him for his whole life and death, refer∣ring thee to that which is briefly said of him (and printed before) in a litle booke of his entituled, The view of mans estate, &c: of which booke, though by an other name, him selfe maketh men∣tion in this treatise: and had I knowen so much before the impression thereof, as I coulde not, this comming so lately and long after to my handes, it shoulde haue borne no other name, then nowe I well perceyue the Authour him selfe called it by: though the title it nowe hath, be not (I trust) im∣proper and impertinent to the matter he handleth therein. To whom he writte this Treatise of com∣fort, and vpon what occasion, thou mayest easely perceyue if thou reade the whole all ouer: And though shee, to whome he writte the same be yet liuing, and the occasion thereof such as peraduen∣ture some will mislike of the publishing thereof: Yet being certainly perswaded that neither the writer, if he were nowe liuing, or she, to whom he writte, woulde haue any thing concealed for pri∣uate

respectes, that may serue so well as this Trea∣tise will (I am assured) to the edifying and com∣fort of manie: I haue aduentured to be a meane that it might be imprinted, with the approbation of such as by good order in this behalfe are ap∣pointed to allowe of all such matters to be pub∣lished.

Wherefore, gentle Reader, accept in good part both this Treatise, and the Exhortation adioyned thereunto: which if they may serue for thy in∣struction and comfort, as no doubt they will, thou hast great cause to prayse God both for the writers, and things by them written. {inverted ⁂}

f. mylles.