belongeth vengeance; I will recompence the "fame." Now here I must give over mine own will and pleasure, and obey his will; this I must do, if I will feed upon him, if I will come to heaven: but this is a bitter thing, a four fauce, a sharp fauce, this fauce maketh a ftomach: for when I am injured or wronged, or am in other tribulation, then I have a great defire for him, to feed upon him, to be delivered from trouble, and to attain to quietness and joy.

There is a learned man which hath a faying that is most true, he faith, " Plus crux quam tranquillitas invitat ad Chriftum: The cross and perfe"cution bringeth us fooner to Chrift, than profperity and wealth." Therefore St Peter faith, "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of "God." Look what God layeth upon you, bear it willingly and humbly.

But you will fay, I pray you tell me what is my crofs. Anfwer, This that God layeth upon you, that fame is your crofs: not that which you of your own wilfulness lay upon yourselves. As there was a certain fect which were called Flagellarii*, which scourged themselves with whips till the blood ran from their bodies; this is a crofs, but it was not a crofs of God. No, no; he laid not that upon them, they did it of their own head.

Therefore look what God layeth upon me, that fame is my crofs, which I ought to take in good part; as when I fall into poverty, or into miferies,

Otherwife called Flagellantes. This feet first appeared at Peroufa in 1260, having for its author a Hermit named Rainerus. They carried a crofs in their hands, wore a cowl on their heads, and went naked to the waift. Twice a day, and once in the night, they lafhed themselves with knotted cords fuck with points or pins, which gave occafion to their name. They affirmed, that their blood united in fuch a manner with Chrift's, that it had the fame virtue. They perfuaded the people, that the gofpel had ceafed, and fuffered all fort of perjuries.

I ought to be content with all; when my neighbour doth me wrong, taketh away my goods, rob, beth me of my good name and fame; I fhould bear it willingly, confidering that it is God's crofs, and that nothing can be done againft me without his permiffion. There falleth never a fparrow to the ground, without his permiffion: yea not a hair falleth from our head without his will. Seeing then that there is nothing done without his will, ought to bear this crofs which he layeth upon me, without murmuring or grudging.

But I pray you confider thefe words of St Peter well; "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand " of God." Here St Peter fignifieth unto us, that God is a mighty God, which can take away the crofs from us when it feemeth him good, yea, he can send patience in the midst of all trouble and miferies. St Paul, that elect inftrument of God, fhewed a reafon wherefore God layeth afflictions upon us, faying; "We are chaftened of the Lord, left we fhould be condemned with the world." For you fee by daily experience that the most part of wicked men are lucky in this world; they bear the fway, all things go after their minds; for God lets them have their pleasure here. And therefore this is a common faying; "The more wicked, the

more lucky" but they that appertain to God, they fhall inherit everlafting life: they must go to pot, they muft fuffer here, according to the Scripture; "The judgment of God beginneth at the houfe of God" Therefore it comes of the goodnefs of God, when we be put to tafte the fauce of tribulation: for he doth it to a good end, namely, that we should not be condemned with this wicked world for thefe fauces are very good for us, they make us more hungry and lufty to come to Chrift and feed upon him. And truly when it goes well

with us, we forget Chrift, our hearts and minds are not upon him: therefore it is better to have affliction than to be in profperity. For there is a common faying, "Vexation giveth understanding." David, that excellent King and Prophet, faith; "It is good "for me, Lord, that thou haft pulled down my "ftomach; that thou haft humbled me." But I pray you, what fauce had David, how was he humbled? Truly thus, his own Son* defiled his Daugh, ter. After that, Abfalom, another of his Sons killed his own Brother +. And this was not enough, but his own Son rofe up against him, and traiterously caft him out of his kingdom, and defiled his Wives in the fight of the people. Was not he vexed? had he not faules? Yes, yes; yet for all that he crieth not out against God; he murmured not, but faith, "Lord, it is good for me that thou haft humbled

me; thou haft brought me low:" Therefore when we be in trouble, let us be of good comfort, knowing that God doth it for the beft. But for all that, the devil, that old ferpent, the enemy of mankind, doth what he can day and night to bring us this fauce, to caft us into perfecution, or other miferies; as it appeareth in the Gospel of Matthew, where our Saviour cafteth him out of a man; feeing that he could do no more harm, he defired Chrift to give him leave to go into the fwine: and fo he caft them all into the fea. Where it appeareth, that the devil ftudieth and feeketh all manner of ways to hurt us, either in foul, or elfe in body: But for all that let us not defpair, but rather lift up our hearts unto God, defiring his help and comfort; and no doubt when we do fo, he will help; he will either take

* His name is Amnon. The ftory of his Amour with Tamar is related at large in the thirteenth chapter of the fecond book of Samuel, to which we fhall refer the Reader.

+ That is, he killed Amnon because he had forcibly lain with his own fifter. See 2 Sam xiji. 23, &c.

take away the calamities, or else mitigate them, or at leaftwife send patience in our hearts, that we may bear it willingly.

Now you know, at a great feaft, when there is made a delicate dinner, and the guests fare well; at the end of the dinner they have certain tarts, cuftards, fweet and delicate things; fo when we come to this dinner, to this wedding, and feed upon Chrift, and take his fauces which he hath prepared for us; at the end comes the fweet meat; what is that? The remiffion of fins, and everlasting life; fuch joy, that no tongue can exprefs, nor heart can think: which God hath prepared for all them that come to this dinner, and feed on his Son, and taste of his fauces. -And this is the end of this banquet.

This banquet, or marriage dinner, was made at the very beginning of the world: when God made this marriage in Paradife, and called the whole world unto it, faying, "The feed of the woman

fhall vanquish the head of the ferpent." Then was the first calling. And this calling ftood unto the faithful in as good ftead as it doth unto us, which have a moft manifeft calling.

Afterwards, almighty God called again with these words, fpeaking to Abraham; "I will be thy God, "and thy feed's after thee." Now what is it to be our God? Forfooth, to be our defender, our comforter, our deliverer, and helper. Who was Abraham's feed? Even Chrift the Son of God, he was Abraham's feed in him, and through him, all the world fhall be bleffed; all that believe in him, and all that come to this dinner, and feed upon him.

After that, all the Prophets their only intent was to call the people to this wedding. Now after the time was expired which God had appointed, he faid; "Come, all things are ready."

But who are thefe callers? The firft, was John Baptift, which not only called with his mouth,

but

but also fhewed with his finger, that meat which God had prepared for the whole world; he faith, "Lo, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the fins "of the world." Alfo Chrift himfelf called, faying, "Come unto me, all ye that travail and la"bour, and I will refresh you.". Likewife the Apoftle cried, and called all the whole world, as it is written, "Their found is gone throughout "all the world." But, I pray you, what thanks had they for their calling, and for their labour? Verily this, John Baptift was beheaded: Chrift was crucified the Apostles were killed; this was their reward for their labours. So all the Preachers shall look for none other reward: for no doubt they must be sufferers, they muft tafte of thefe fauces: their office is, "To rebuke the world of fin;" which no doubt is a thankless occupation. "That "the high hills, that is, great Princes and Lords,

may hear the judgment of the Lord:" They must spare no body; they must rebuke high and low; when they do amifs, they must strike them with the sword of God's word: which no doubt is a thankless occupation, yet it must be done, for God will have it fo.

There be many men, which be not fo cruel as to perfecute or kill the Preachers of God's word: but when they be called to feed upon Chrift, to come to this banquet, to have their wicked living rebuked, then they begin to make their excufes; as it appeared here in the Gospel: Where "the first said, I have

bought a farm, and I muft needs go and fee it, "I pray thee have me excufed. Another faid, I

cr

have bought me five yoke of oxen, and I go to ર prove them; I pray thee have me excufed. "The third faid, I have married a wife, and "therefore I cannot come :" And these were their fauces. You must take heed that you mistake not

this