A comfortable epistle, too God's faithful people in EnglandA comfortable epistle, too Goddes faythfull people in Englande

¶ The. viij. Chapter.

And albeit that ye do not perceive ¹remedy straight ways / yet cease not to pray / but as the eyes of servants look to the hands of their masters / & as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress / even so let your eyes wait upon the Lord your God / until he have mercy on you. He will undoubtedly come & ²not tarry / when his godly wisdom seeth the time / yea / & that on such sort / as shall make most for his glory and your comfort. For the poor shall not alway be forgotten / the patient abiding of the meek shall not perish ³for ever. The Lord will be a defence for the oppressed / even a refuge in due time of trouble / as he him self witnesseth / saying: For the comfortless troubles sake of the needy / and because of the deep sighing of ⁴the poor / now will I up saith the Lord / & will help every one from him / that swelleth ⟨image 17⟩against him / and will set him at rest. Remember this saying of the prophet Isaiah: ⁵In silence and hope shall your strength be. And this sentence also of Jeremy: It is ⁶good with silence to tarry for the saving health of God. Murmur not against God / nor appoint him not his time / but patiently abide his working / referring all ⁷things to his godly pleasure / and submitting your will to his blessed will / which always both willeth and doeth that thing that is best for his glory and for our salvation. In your patience / sayeth our saviour Christ / shall ye possess your souls. We