burned with the sun, were she never so troubled with the vanities of the world, she cried out and said boldly unto Christ, "Draw me; we will run after thee." (Sol. Song, i.) And although the poor wretched soul be environed and compassed about with sin, troubles, and adversities, as the fair lily is hedged about with thorus; yet she trusteth in her husband, that he will help her. And indeed most comfortably her spouse Christ comforteth her with these marvellous words: "Arise, haste thee, my spouse, my fair one, and come. Now winter is

passed, the rain is gone and ceased."

That book of Solomon is to be read, to see how mercifully God comforteth a troubled and deformed soul by sin and yet God layeth it not to the soul's charge, that hath Christ to her husband. Also there is to be seen that the soul is bold to seek and call for help of God her husband, and goeth to no strange god for aid or succour, although she be burned with the sun, and a miserable sinner.

The like is to be seen in the prodigal son: although he was never so beggarly, miserable, sinful, wretched, and unkind to his father; yet he said, Even as I am with my miseries, I will go to my father, and tell him, that I have offended against him and against Heaven. The father, when he saw him, spat not at him, reviled him not, asked no accounts of the goods he had viciously spent, laid not to his charge his filthy conversation with whores and harlots; neither did he cast into his teeth how he had dishonoured him and his family: but when he saw him afar off, he was moved with compassion towards him, ran to meet him, took him about the neck, and kissed him. The son confessed his fault: and the father minding more the comfort of his lowsy and beggarly son, than the repetition of his transgressions, commanded his servants speedily to fetch

him robes and to clothe him, gave him a ring upon his finger, and shoes to his feet, killed his fat calf, and made merry and rejoiced with his lost son, that he was found again. (Luke, xv.) Here is the state and condition of a soul that waiteth (as Asaph saith) for a time upon the Lord in trouble and heaviness, marvellously set forth.

See this wretched man, spoiled of all his goods, destitute of all friends, shut out of all honest company, of a gentleman become a swineherd, of one that had once men to wait upon him, become now a waiter upon pigs: once he gave others meat, and now all men refuse to feed him: erst a man that scarce delicate dishes could content his appetite, now his stomach irketh till it be filled with swine's food: yet moreover than that, he saw nothing behind him, nor before him, but misery and wretchedness. Behind him he left all his goods spent riotously, his estimation, parentage, such friends as he had when money was plenty, lost; and also (as far as reason could see) his father's utter displeasure, and the reproach and ignominy of his alliance and kinsfolk, purchased for ever. Before him he saw hunger and scarcity, a sort of filthy swine, and the best meat, draff and chaff for the sustenance and maintenance of his piggish life, in case he might have been so maintained: yet in the midst of these sorrows, attending in his spirit upon the mercy of his father, marvellously in the filth of a pig's sty, and in the pains and anguish of misery, hark what a wonderful doctrine he bloweth out: "Oh! what abundance of bread is there in my father's house, and I starve here for hunger! I will arise, and get me to him, and confess my fault," &c. He saith not, Oh! what abundance of bread have my brother and my kinsfolk: but, "What abundance of bread is there in my father's house!" He said not, I will

make my complaint to my brother; but said, "To my father."

Whereof is learned, that all penitent Christian sinners do know, that the heavenly Father hath the bread of mercy, to satisfy their hungry desire; and that he is to be resorted unto in such sinful and troublesome state, and not any other in heaven, but he alone through Jesus Christ, who was killed to redeem and save the penitent faithful sinners of the world..

See now how this prodigal and outrageous son knew why he should seek help of his father, in the time of his vile misery and wretchedness.

First, he knew his father's power, and therefore said: "Oh! how great plenty of bread is there in my father's house!" believing that his father was able to give him meat sufficient. Next he was assured that his father was merciful, and would give him such things as he lacked; and being thus persuaded, boldly he returned unto his father, and to him he uttered all his grief; who was a great deal more prest and ready to help, than his son was ready to ask help,

Of the same mind was the woman of Canaan : for although she found little comfort at the first, yet she argued so from the nature of man to the nature of Christ, that Christ cried out upon her, and said, "O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee as thou desirest." For when she said, the dogs did eat of the crumbs that fell from their mas ter's table, she knew that she herself, and all men in respect of God, were no more, nor yet so much as dogs in the respect of man. And when she perceived that man could be contented to spare crumbs to the dogs, she knew right well, that man was not so merciful and liberal unto dogs as God unto sinners. Wherefore she stood still with Christ

his

constantly, and left not calling, until Christ gave her to wit that she was indeed a very well persuaded woman, both of his power able to help and of his good will ready to help. For indeed, although she was a Canaanite, she knew, that if a man shut not out dogs from his table, Christ would not shut from his mercy a sinful Canaanite.

The same persuasion made Mary Magdalen creep under the board to his feet with tears; there to receive and eat of his mercy, to quench the hunger. and smart of her sins.

These examples do declare, why the troubled may put their trust in God: because he is omnipotent, and can do all things; and he is merciful, and will help all penitent and faithful sinners. And so said this Prophet Asaph, "Of him cometh my salvation." And he sheweth the cause why: "For he is my rock, my salvation, and my defence."

These three words declare marvellously, the nature of God, that alone helpeth; and also the faith of him that calleth for help.

As for God, whom the Prophet calleth first his "Rock" by this word, he openeth marvellously, how strong, firm, and sure, and how invincible he is against all troubles, adversities, and tempests, as well of the body as of the soul. In St. Matthew (chap. vii.), the man that buildeth his house upon the rock or stone, is called wise; and the cause is, that what winds soever blow, and what tempests soever arise, they cannot cast down the house, nor overthrow the building; for it is grounded upon the stone. The stone is God and his word, the builder is the Christian man, and the building is the religion that he hath learned of God by his word. And although we see God, our rock and sure stone, is not assaulted with stormy and tempestuous showers and rain; yet the builder and the building, that is to

say, the Christian man and his religion, be blown at, and such showers of trouble fall upon them, that, were not the rock firm and sure, all the building and the builder also (for man's part) would surely fall and come to utter ruin.

The experience of the same winds and floods, we may see in the Acts of the Apostles. For when Peter and the rest builded the house of God, that is to say, taught men their salvation by the merits and passion of Christ, there arose such winds and floods, that the builders were put into prison, and the building in great danger. (Acts, v.) When St. Stephen builded the congregation with God's word in Christ, while he was building, such winds and floods of malice assaulted him, that his brains were knocked out. (Acts, vii.) When Ananias and the rest planted and builded the house of God, that is to say, converted the infidels unto the faith of Christ at Damascus, there arose such winds and tempests at Jerusalem, -that Saul came from thence towards Damascus, with commission from the high priests, to kill the builders, and to overthrow all they had builded. (Acts, ix.) Let us leave off the examples of holy men, and see what happened to the head and chief Captain of all saints and good builders, our Saviour Jesus Christ. When he called the world from ignorance to knowledge, from death to life, and from damnation to salvation, there arose such winds and storms, that, had he not been the rock itself of strength and invincible power, he had been overthrown clean, and his buildings turned upside down. For before he was of age to be born, the devil went about to slander him as a bastard; and would have persuaded the same to the godly man Joseph, spoused in marriage to the blessed Virgin Mary. (Matt. iii.) He was no sooner born into the world, but straightway Herod's sword was whet and bent to kill him. Within a little while after the devil stirred up