THE

FORTRESS OF THE FAITHFUL

AGAINST THE CRUEL ASSAULTS OF POVERTY AND HUNGER; NEWLY MADE, FOR THE COMFORT of poor NEEDY

CHRISTIANS,

BY THOMAS BECON.

A. D. 1550.

PROVERBS XViii.-A MIGHTY STRONG FORTRESS IS THE NAME OF THE LORD: UNTO THAT FLEETH THE RIGHTEOUS, AND IS IN SAFEGUARD.

DAVID. Psalm xxxvii.-I have been young and am old, and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging their bread. The righteous is ever merciful and lendeth, and yet shall his children have God's plenty and enough.

SOLOMON (or Agur). Proverbs xxx.—' -Two things have I required of thee, O Lord, that thou wilt not deny me before I die. Remove from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches, only grant me a necessary living; lest if I be too full, I deny thee and say, Who is the Lord? and lest I, being constrained through poverty, fall unto stealing, and forswear the name of my God.

CHRIST. Matthew vi.-Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewith shall we be clothed? After all these things the heathen seek. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But scek ye first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, and all these shall be cast unto you.

EXTRACT

FROM THE

DEDICATION TO SIR JOHN ROBSART, KNT.

So oft as I behold the wretched and very miserable face of this needy and beggarly world, yea, so oft as I consider the lamentable and pitiful state of the poor people, now grown to such a number that they are almost innumerable, and so assailed with the cruel darts of poverty and hunger, that they in a manner despair of necessary food and convenient apparel for the sustenance of their poor wretched bodies; and by this means, for a redress of their too manifold miseries, part of them whose brains are not perfectly settled, whose judgments are not thoroughly stayed in the way of perfect reason, not patiently bearing the cross of poverty, contrary to Christian order and their bounden duty, unto the great sorrow of all good men, attempt ungodly and unlawful enterprises; as wicked counsels, unjust assemblies, abominable seditions, devilish insurrections, detestable commotions, unrighteous spoilings of other men's goods, uncharitable railings against their superiors, &c. utterly defacing, so much as in them is, the face of the common weal, not considering that this plague of famine and hunger is sent into the world for sin, according to the threatenings of God expressed in the Holy Scriptures-I cannot but lament and heartily wish better and more prosperous things to the needy and poor creatures of God universally.

So many as are of God, and led by any natural or humane affection, cannot, even in the midst of their wealth, but grieve for the misery of the miserable, the poverty of the poor, the famine of the famished, and to the uttermost of their power study to relieve the distress of the needy, both with their goods and their counsel. As a true Christian man joyeth with those that are glad, even so sorroweth he with those that are sad. Charity seeketh not her own, but both wisheth and doeth well unto all men, even to her enemies. Charity putteth on the property* of Christ who became poor to make others rich. Charity joyeth not at her own joy, if others sorrow. Charity delighteth *Nature, disposition.

not in her own fulness, if others want. Charity abhorreth her own rest if others be disquieted. I am cumbered daily, said St. Paul, and do care for all congregations. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I am not grieved? Yea, Charity almost refuses to be saved, if others enjoy not the like benefit.

As touching the relief of the poor and needy, oppressed with the want of worldly things, what good and godly man hath not at all times sought it, as occasion and ability have served? Who, being godly-minded, seeing his Christian brother or sister in necessity, seeks not all possible means to help them? Can a Christian abound in worldly wealth, and suffer his neighbour to famish or die for cold? He hath not put on the tender compassion of Christ, who is not moved with pity towards his needy neighbour. Oh what goodly and notable examples do the Holy Scriptures minister unto us, of succouring the succourless.*

* Becon then refers to the histories of Abraham, Job, and other holy men as recorded in Scripture, enforcing upon all who have ability, the duty of caring for "the poor members of Christ." He wrote this tract in consequence of the distress and trouble among the lower classes in the early part of the reign of king Edward VI., which arose from various causes. A scarcity at that time prevailed throughout Europe, and in England the prices of the necessaries of life were unusually dear. Many ignorant and bigoted persons also desired the restoration of popish ceremonies and superstitions, and their discontents were increased by the Romish ecclesiastics, who circulated many false reports among them. Nor were there wanting many idle and dissolute characters who eagerly promoted these disturbances. Two considerable rebellions broke out in Devonshire and Norfolk in the year 1549, which were suppressed with difficulty. Among the most active leaders were several Romish priests, who suffered by course of law. The rebels in Devonshire demanded the restoration of popery; those of Norfolk complained most of the inclosures, which had been gradually increasing during the last fifty years, but were now become a general subject of complaint, especi ally amongst those who sought to promote the disturbances. (See Strype's Memorials, vol. ii. ch. xxi. A minute history of these insurrections is given by Hollinshed.)

This tract is reprinted in an abridged form, omitting some passages which would not now be useful or interesting to the reader. Some of the historical narratives from Scripture also are compressed -the Bible was then "a sealed book" to the greater part of the people, and it was needful to give the histories at length. But the tract contains much that is suitable for all times. Human nature is still the same, the warnings and promises of the word of God are applicable to every age-hence the following pages contain much that may edify and instruct now, as well as when first written.

THE

FORTRESS OF THE FAITHFUL.

Philemon, Christopher, Theophile, and Eusebius, talk together.

Philemon. Most dear brethren; whosoever with a single eye beholds the corrupt manners of this most corrupt world, shall easily perceive that Satan our old enemy sleeps not; but as St. Peter saith, "He walketh about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." For if a tree may be known to be fruitful by green leaves, flourishing blossoms, and pleasant fruit; if a workman may be proved by his labours and pains not to be idle; if the sun may be perceived to shine, because of his fiery and glistering beams; surely Satan, by the works that he brings forth in the children of this world, may justly be judged not to be idle, not to sleep, not to be slack in his office, but to behave himself in all points like Satan himself.

Let our time be compared with any age that has been from the beginning, I speak even of the age which was most ungodly, and most wicked, and that shall seem to be the most godly, and most virtuous. For although the pride, the covetousness, the whoredom, the unmercifulness, the malice, the banqueting, the building, the buying and selling, &c. exercised in the days of Noah, or at any other time, without doubt were great and abominable, (Gen. vi. Matt. xxiii. Luke xvii.) and justly deserved the vengeance of God as it came to pass; yet compared with the outrageousness of vices used in this our time, yea, and that so universally and unmeasurably, they may be judged but trifles, seeing that the number of them compared with the infinite multitude that now live most wickedly, is almost nothing. The pride of these our days is Lucifer-like, the covetousness is insatiable, the licentiousness is monstrous, the unmercifulness is butcher-like, the malice is enduring, the banqueting is too much epicure-like, the building is infinite, the buying and selling is full of falsehood, craft, and dissimulation, and so forth of other vices, which are already grown unto such an exceeding height, that they

can stretch out their branches no further. So it is truly said by St. John, The world is altogether set on wickedness. (1 John v.) David saith, They are corrupt and become abominable in their doings; there is not one that doeth good, no not one. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that would understand and seek after God. But they are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become abominable, there is none that doeth good, no not one. (Ps. xiv.) And although every Christian heart beholding this most ungodly state of the world, cannot but lament and bewail the abominations used in these our days; and right heartily be sorry that the tares have so overgrown the good wheat; that vice so abounds, that virtue can take no place; that sin hath so overflowed the whole world, that true godliness is not only neglected and contemned, but also hissed at and utterly abhorred;—yet for these traitorous conspiracies, and hell-like commotions, which we of late have seen; wherewith also the commonweal of England has been disturbed, defaced, and greatly impoverished, who, except an enemy to good order, sorrowfully sorroweth not? `The inferior members envy the principal parts of the body! Oh unnatural disposition! The servant to rule the master; the inferior to rise against his sovereign; the subject to disobey his governor. Oh cumbrous confusion! The brainsick, yea, rather the brainless, head, to attempt redress of matters in a commonweal, unsent, uncalled! Oh prepos terous order!

Christopher. It cannot be denied, but that divers of the commons have gone far beyond their limits, and taken in hand that which hath not become them.

Theophile. Their rash and disobedient behaviour can by no means please God.

Ph. Please! Yea, it rather most highly displeases God, who is the author of peace and not of confusion; who willeth all things to be done seemly and in comely order; who commands the subject to obey his superior in all things, not only for fear of punishment, but also for consciencesake. (Rom. xiii.; 1 Pet. ii.) How greatly God is, and ever hath been, offended with disobedience and rebellion, with order-breaking, and disturbance of a commonweal, Holy Scriptures sufficiently do show.

Was not Adam thrown out of Paradise for his disobedience toward his Lord God, the most high and most