patience in the afflicted Christian person. And when our Saviour Christ hath willed men in trouble to be content and patient, because God in the end of trouble in Christ hath ordained eternal consolation, he useth also to take from us all shame and rebuke, "as though it were not an honour to suffer for Christ, because the wicked world doth abhor and curse such poor troubled Christians. Wherefore Christ placeth all his honourably, and saith," Even so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you.'

We may also see with whom the afflicted for Christ's sake be esteemed by St. Paul to the Hebrews: whereas the number of the blessed and glorious company of saints appear how to our faith in heaven in joy; yet in the letter, for the time of this life, in such pains and contempt as were never more. Let us therefore consider both them and all other things of the world, since the fall of man, and we shall perceive nothing to come to perfection, but with such confusion and disorder to the eye of the world, as, though things were rather lost for ever, than like to come to any perfection at all. For of godly men, who came to heaven (no not Christ himself) until such time as the world had thought verily that both he and all his had been clean destroyed and cast away? as the wise men say of the wicked people, "We thought them to be fools, but they be in peace."

We may learn by things that nourish and maintain us, both meat and drink, what loathsomeness and (in manner) abhorring they come unto, before they work their perfection in us. From life they be brought to the fire, and clean altered from that they were, when they were alive; from the fire to the trencher and knife, there to be hacked; from the trencher to the mouth, and as small ground, as the teeth can grind them; and from the mouth into the stomach, and there so boiled and digested before

they nourish, that whosoever saw the same, would loath and abhor his own nourishment, before it come to its perfection.

Is it then any marvel, if such Christians as God delighteth in, be so mangled and defaced in this world, which is the kitchen and mill to boil and grind the flesh of God's people in, till they achieve their perfection in the world to come? And as a man looketh for the nutriment of his meat, when it is full digested, and not before: so must be look for his salvation, when he hath passed this troublesome world, and not before. Raw flesh is not meat wholesome for man: and unmortified men and women be not creatures meet for God. Therefore Christ saith, that his people must be broken, and throughly torn in the mill of this world, and so shall they be fine meal unto the heavenly Father. And it shall be a Christian man's part, and the duty of a mind replenished, with the Spirit of God, to mark the order of God in all his things, how he dealeth with them, and how they suffer, and be content to let God do his will apon them; as St. Paul saith: "They wait until. the number of the elect be fulfilled, and never be at rest, but look for the time when God's people shall appear in glory."

We must therefore patiently suffer, and willingly attend upon God's doings, although they seem clean contrary, after our judgment, to our wealth and salvation as Abraham did when he was bid to offer his son Isaac, in whom God promised the blessing and multiplying of his seed. Joseph at the last came to that, which God promised him, although in the mean time, after the judgment of the world, he was never like to be (as God said he should be) lord over his brethren.

When Christ would make the blind man to see, he put clay upon his eyes, which, after the judgment of

man, was a means rather to make him double blind, than to give him his sight: but he obeyed, and knew that God could work his desire, what means soever he used contrary to man's reason; and as touching this world, he useth all his after the same sort. If any smart, his people be the first; if any suffer shame, they begin; if any be subject to slander, it is those that he loveth; so that he sheweth no face nor favour, nor love almost in this world outwardly to them, but layeth clay upon their sore eyes that be sorrowful: yet the patient man seeth (as St. Paul saith) life hid under these miseries and adversities, and sight under foul clay, and in the mean time he hath the testimony of a good conscience, and believeth God's promises to be his consolation in the world to come, which is more worthy unto him, than all the world is worth besides: and blessed is that man in whom God's Spirit beareth record, that he is the son of God, whatsoever troubles he suffer in this troublesome world.

And to judge things indifferently (my good wife), the troubles be not yet generally, as they were in our good fathers' time, soon after the death and resurs, rection of our Saviour Christ Jesus, whereof he spake in St. Matthew. Of the which place you and I have taken many times great consolation, and especially of the latter part of the chapter, wherein is contained the last day and end of all our troubles (I doubt not), both for you and me, and for such as love the coming of our Saviour Christ in judgment. Remember, therefore, that place, and mark it again, and ye shall in this time see this great consolation, and also learn much patience.

Were there ever such troubles, as Christ threatened upon Jerusalem? Was there since the beginning of the world such affliction? Who were then best at ease? The Apostles, that suffered in body persecu®

tion, and gathered of it ease and quietness in the promises of God. And no marvel; for Christ saith,

Lift up your heads; for your redemption is at hand;" that is to say, your eternal rest approacheth and draweth near. The world is stark blind, and more foolish than foolishness itself, and so be the people of the world. For when God saith, "Trouble shall come," they will have ease. And when God

saith, "Be merry, and rejoice in trouble," we lament and mourn, as though we were cast away. But this our flesh (which is never merry with virtue, nor sorry with vice, never laugheth with grace, nor ever weepeth with sin) holdeth fast with the world, and letteth God slip.

- But (my dearly beloved wife) you know to perceive and to beware of the vanity and crafts of the devil: well enough in Christ. And that ye may the better have patience in the Spirit of God, read again the 24th chapter of St. Matthew, and mark what dif ference is between the destruction of Jerusalem, and the destruction of the whole world, and you shall see, that then here were left alive many offenders to repent: but at the latter day there shall be absolute judgment and sentence (never to be revoked) of eternal life and eternal death upon all men; and yet towards the end of the world we have nothing so much extremity as they had then, but even as we be able to bear. So doth the merciful Father lay upon us now imprisonment (and I suppose for my part shortly death), now spoil of goods, loss of friends, and the greatest loss of all, the knowledge of God's word. God's will be done. I wish in Christ Jesus, our only Mediator and Saviour, your constancy and consolation, that you may live for ever and ever, whereof in Christ I doubt not; to whom for his blessed and most painful passion I commit you. Amen. JOHN HOOPER..!

October 13, Anno 1553.

To a certain godly Woman, instructing her how she should behave herself in the Time of her Widowhood.

The grace of God, and the comfort of his holy: Spirit, be with you, and all them that unfeignedly. love his holy Gospel. Amen.

I thank you, dear sister, for your most loving remembrance: and although I cannot recompense the same, yet do I wish with all my heart, that God would do it, requiring you not to forget your duty towards God in those perilous days, in the which the Lord will try us. I trust you do increase by reading of the Scriptures, the knowledge you have of God, and that you diligently apply yourself to follow the same: for the knowledge helpeth not, except the life be according thereto. Further, I do heartily pray you, to consider the state of your widowhood;" and if God shall put in your mind to change it, remember the saying of St. Paul, 1 Cor. vii. "It is lawful for the widow or maiden to marry to whom they list, so it be in the Lord," that is to say, to such a one as is of Christ's religion.

Dearly beloved in Christ, remember these words, for you shall find thereby great joy and comfort, if you change your state. Whereof I will, when I have better leisure (as now I have none at all), fur ther advertise you. In the mean time I commend you, to God, and the guiding of his good Spirit, who stablish and confirm you in all well doing, and keep you blameless to the day of the Lord. Watch and pray, for his day is at hand.

Yours assured in Christ,

JOHN HOOPER.