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A fort for the afflicted Wherein are ministered many notable & excellent remedies against…A fort for the afflicted VVherin are ministred many notable & excellent remedies against…
A fort for the afflicted Wherein are ministered many notable & excellent remedies against the storms of tribulation. Written chiefly for the comfort of Christs little flock, which is the final number of the faithful, by John Knox.A fort for the afflicted VVherin are ministred many notable & excellent remedies against the stormes of tribulation. Written chiefly for the comforte of Christes little flocke, which is the final number of the faithfull, by Iohn Knoxe.
Imprinted at London : At the three Cranes in the Vintry, by Thomas Dawson, 1580Imprinted at London : At the three Cranes in the Vintree, by Thomas Dawson, 1580
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Howe horrible the pain is to suffer that cross, can none express, except such as have proved it: fearful it is for the very pain it self: but most fearful it is, for that the godly so tormented, judge God to be angry, in furor and in rage against them, as is before expressed. Seeing we have found this cross to appertain to God his children, profitable it shall be, and necessary to search out the causes of the same. Plain it is that not only God worketh all to the profit of his elect, but also that he worketh it of such love towards ⟨image 9⟩them and with such wisdom, that otherwise things could not be: and this to understand, is very profitable, partly to satisfy the grudging complaints of the flesh, which in trouble commonly doeth question, Why doth God this or that? And albeit the flesh in this earth can never be fully satisfied: but even as hunger and thirst from time to time assaulteth it, so do others more gross imperfections, yet the inward man which sobbeth unto God (knowing the causes why the very just are so troubled and tormented in body and spirit in this life) receiveth some comfort and getteth some stay of God his mercy, by knowing the causes of the trouble. Al causes may I not here recite: but two or three of the principal will I touch.
Howe horrible the paine is to suffer that crosse, can none expresse, except such as haue prooued it: feareful it is for the very payne it selfe: but most feareful it is, for that the godlie so tormented, iudge God to bee angrie, in furor and in rage against them, as is before expressed. Seeing wee haue founde this crosse to appertaine to God his children, profitable it shalbe, and necessarie to searche out the causes of the same. Plaine it is that not only God worketh al to the profite of his elect, but also that hee woorketh it of such loue towardes ⟨image 9⟩them and with such wisedome, that otherwise thinges coulde not bee: and this to vnderstande, is very profitable, partly to satisfie the grudging complaintes of the fleshe, which in trouble commonly doeth question, Why doth God this or that? And albeeit the fleshe in this earth can neuer bee fully satisfied: but euen as hunger and thirst from time to time assaulteth it, so doe others more grosse imperfections, yet the inwarde man which sobbeth vnto God (knowing the causes why the very iust are so troubled and torm•nted in bodie and spirite in this life) receiueth some comforte and getteth some stay of God his mercie, by knowing the causes of the trouble. Al causes may I not heere recite: but twoo or three of the principal wil I touche.