ouer the Psalme ¶ The LORDE is my shepherde I shall lacke nothynge FYrst of all the prophet and euery faythfull hart calleth God hys shepherde Nowe though the scripture geueth God many louynge names Yet thys whiche the Prophete geueth here vnto God is a much more swete and gracyous name where he calleth hym a shepherde and sayeth A swetâ— name The LORD is my shepherde It is very comfortable whan the scripture calleth God our hope oure strength oure stonye rocke our castell our shelde our coÌ„forte our deliuerer our kynge c. For verely he declareth the thynge so styll in dede vnto his owne that he is euen so as the scripture describeth hym But excedynge coÌ„fortable is it that he is called here and many tymes els in the scripture a shepeherde For in this only word Shepe herde is almost all compreheÌ„ded together what good and comfortable thynge so euer is spoken of God The cause the moâ—ed the prophet to cal God his shey herds Therfore doth the prophete speake thys worde wyth a ioyfull and sorowlesse hart whych is full of fayth and for very great gladnesse coÌ„forte exceadeth And sayeth not The LORDE is my streÌ„gth castel c. Whiche were a maruaylous comfortable sayenge But the LORD is my shepherde As yf he wolde say Yf the LORDE be my shepherde and I his shepe then am I wonde rous well prouided for both in body soule he shall get me a competent lyuynge he shall defende me kepe me fro mysfortune he shal care for me he shall helpe me out of all trou ble he shall confort me he shall strength me c. Summa he shall do for me what so euer a good shepherde ought to do All these benefites and mo doth he coÌ„preheÌ„de in this onely worde Shepherde as he expoundeth it hymselfe immediatly where he sayeth I shall lacke nothynge Besydes this some of the other names which the scripture ascribe vnto God sounde partly to glorious and to hye brynge in a maner a feare with them whaÌ„ men heare theÌ„ to be named As whaÌ„ the scripture calleth God our LORDE Kynge Maker c. Of such a nature is not this worde Shepherde but soundeth very frendly and vnto theÌ„ the be godly it bryngeth in a maner a confidence coÌ„forte and trust with it whaÌ„ they reade or hear it lyke as this worde Father and other mo whaÌ„ they be appropriated vnto God A vâ—â—â—y coÌ„fortaâ— le similitâ—de Therfore is this one of the most louyng and coÌ„fortable similitudes yet very coÌ„meÌ„ in the scripture that it lykeneth the maiesty of god to avertuous faythful or as Christ sayeth a good shepherde and vs poore weake and wretched synners to a shepe Now can not thys coÌ„fortable louynge similitude be better vnderstande thaÌ„ to go into the creatures themselues wherout the prophetes toke thys such other lyke similitudes and to learne diligently thereby what the condicioÌ„ and property of a naturall shepe is and the office labour and diligence of a good shepherde Who so taketh good hede therunto maye not onely wyth ease vnderstande this and other similitudes in the scripture concernynge the shepherde and the shepe but also they shal be vnto him exceadynge swete and comfortable A shepe must lyue only by the helpe de fence and diligeÌ„ce of hys shepherde The condicion of a shepe as soone as it leseth hym it is compassed about with all maner of parell and must nedes perysh for it can not helpe it selfe For why it is a poore weake and innocent beast that can nother fede nor gyde it selfe nor fynde the ryght waye nor kepe it selfe agaynst ony vnhappynesse or misfortune Sauynge this that of nature it is fearfull flyeth goeth astraye And yf it go but a lytle out of the waye and come from hys shepherde it is not possible for it selfe to fynde hym agayne but runneth euer farther and farther from him And though it come to other shepherdes and shepe yet is it nothynge helped therwith For it knoweth not the voyce of strauÌ„ge shepherdes therfore flyeth it from them and runneth so longe astraye tyll the wolfe rauysh it or tyll it perysh some other wayes Neuerthelesse as weake a beaste as it is yet hath it thys condicion The propertie of a shepe that wyth all diligeÌ„ce it bydeth with his owne shepherde and seketh comforte at hys helpe and defeÌ„ce And how or whether so euer he leadeth it it followeth And yf it can but be with hym it careth for nomore nother feareth it ony maÌ„ but is carelesse and mery for it lacketh nothynge It hath also thys good vertue in it whiche is well to be marked for Christ doth specially prayse the same in hys shepe thys vertue I saye it hath that it wyll be earnest and sure to heare and knowe the voyce of hys shepherde and ordreth it selfe therafter and wyl for nothynge go from it but followeth strayght the same Agayne it regardeth no straunge shepherdes voyce And though they call and whistle vppon it neuer so frendly yet careth not it therfore much lesse doth it followe them Agayne The office of a shepherde this is yâ— office of a good shepherde that he doth not only prouyde for his shepe pasture and other mo thynges that belonge therto but defendeth them also that no harme chaunce vnto them Besydes this he taketh diligent hede that he lefe none Yf ony go astraye he runneth after it seketh it and fetcheth it agayne As for such as be yonge feble and sicke he dealeth gently with them kepeth them holdeth them vp and caryeth theÌ„ tyll they be olde stroÌ„ge whole c. Euen thus goeth it also in the spirituall shepfolde that is to saye How it goeth in the shep folde of Christ in the flocke of Christ Loke how lytle a naturall shepe can kepe gyde rule saue or defeÌ„de it selfe against daunger and mysfortune for it is a feble and wapenlesse beast So lytle caÌ„ we poore weak and miserable people kepe rule our selues spiritually walke and endure in the ryght waye or of our owne streÌ„gth to defeÌ„de vs agaynst all euel and to get vs helpe and comforte in trouble and distresse For how shulde he haue skyll to gyde hym selfe after a godly fashion The misery of oure nature that knoweth nothynge of God that is conceaued and borne in synne as we all are and of nature the chylde of wrath and the enemye of God How shuld we fynd the ryght waye and coÌ„tinue therin seynge that as the prophet Esay sayeth we can do nothynge but go astray Howe is it possible that we shulde defende our selues from the dyuell which is a prince and lorde of this worlde whose presoners also we be euery one seynge that with all oure power and myghte we can not do so muche as to hynder a smale leafe to hurte vs or a poore flee from greuynge vs Why wyll we poore wretched people boaste so muche of
he promyseth you that shal be yee and not naye He wyl abyde faste by his promyse euen as he sayeth hymselfe I will not take away my kyndnesse from hym Psal lxxxviii nor suffre my truth to fayle I wyl not breake my conuenaunte not disanulle the thynge that is gone out of my lyppes ⧠Howe wyfe chyldren and other frendes shal be comforted the husbonde beynge dead SEynge nowe that God hath called your husbonde father or other good frende out of thys mysery into euerlastynge ioye therfore shall ye receaue it wyllyngly for it is hys worke Repyne not therfore at hys worke nother wepe agaynst his wyl cōmitte the cause vnto him take it of his hande as a fatherly prouynge saye with Iobe God hath geuen vs hym hath taken hym agayn the name of LORDE be blessed as it was the LORDES wyll so is it happened God almyghty wyll proue you as be dyd Iob how ye wyll behaue youre selfe as he taketh out of youre syght the thynge that ye loue He wyll admytte well ynough that ye be sorye For it is seldome sene but a man be he neuer so vyle Ther is no membre of the body but it hath hys proper gyfte or of so lytle reputacion hath euer a sondery gyfte wherew t he serued profyted other And the same gyftes were not greatly regarded in a man whyle he lyued for cōmunely we regarde lytle suche thynges as are present but as soone as the man is gone so soone as that vessel is spilte thā begynne we to want the gyftes that were cōteyned therin Therfore is it no maruayle that we be sory for suche a gyfte of God yf it be takē out of our syghte God is displeased wyth mysvsynge of hys gyftes As longe as we use men the gyftes accordyng as they be ordeyned of God for our necessite than do we well and that can God suffre well ynough But that we misvse thē and make an ydost of them that can not God suffre For whan we put oure trust cōforte in man or ony other creature than do we wrōgge misvse the same and the curse cōmeth vpō vs wherof it is wryttē Ierem. xvii Cursed is the mā that putteth hys trust in man For all mans helpe is to be suffred only whā they be presente and that we haue nede of them but as soone as they are gone than must we loke for other helpe namely God lettynge go it that passeth awaye thynkyng it to be tēporal faydynge at the twynklynge of an eye and vanyte that is in thys world We haue here no abydynge thyng but must loke aboute for the thynge to come that endureth for euer God can not abyde that we make much of creatures For thys cause doth God draw pull vs so from the creatures And seynge he is oure true father bridegrome husbōde he can not for he is strōge gelous abyde that we set oure hope loue or trust vpon ony creatur Thys is the cause then that he doth take vs from thē and caryeth vs vpon hym selfe For loke on what creature we haue mooste hope loue and affection that wyll he soonest take out of syght yf he doth loue vs. And whan he hath suche gelousy vpon vs than doth he mooste chefely declare hys loue towarde vs. We ought to call noman father vy◠earth By thys also it commeth that Christe Mathe .xviii. forbyddeth vs to call ony man father vpon earth for we haue onely one father in heauen namely God which wyl nor can suffre vs to call or to haue ony mā vpon earth father that because we shulde depend and hange only vpō hym lokyng for al good of hym For he wyll be the same that we maye hardely truste vnto seynge he can not nor wyll fayle vs that because he is no earthly but an heauenly father For thys cause than is that man blessed and happy that putteth hys trust hope and confidence in the LORDE as the prophete sayeth Psal xxxiii Fynally yf whan nature fulfylleth hyr course Iob. xiii man hath but cōtinual trauayl mysery after that thys course of nature is ended at rest mā is eased of so great trauayl we seme to hate rather thā to loue them that be departed yf we wold wish thē to be in this wretched worlde agayne Moreouer in makyng so muche of oure frendes departed and settyng so greate affection vpon them wysh ynge Gods worke not to be fulfylled vpon them we blame God in hys wyll and workynge as though he knew not better what were best both for them and vs than we Let vs therfore set oure wyll in Gods wyll and suffer hym to worke at hys pleasur For he knoweth best what is both oure frendes and oure soules health FINIS ¶ Printed in Southwarke by me Iames Nicolson
of the LORDE for euer As yf he wolde saye Thou haste begonne the matter thou hast geuen me thy holy worde and accepted me amonge them that are thy people whyche do knowlege prayse and geue thankes vnto the graunt me therfore such grace from hēce forth that I maye continue styll by the same worde neuer to be separated more from thy holy Christen flocke Thus doth he praye also in the .xxvi. Psalme One thinge sayeth he haue I desyred of the LORDE whyche I wolde fayne haue namely that I maye dwell in the house of the LORDE al the dayes of my lyfe to beholde the fayre bewty of the LORDE that is to saye the true seruyce of God and to vysite his temple A notable ensample The prophete then here by his ensample teacheth and exhorteth all suche as put theyr trust in God that they be not carelesse proude or presūptuous in them selues but to feare and geue them selues vnto prayer that they lese not this treasure And doutlesse this earnest exhortacion shulde steare vs vp and make vs feruent vnto diligent prayer For seynge that holy Dauid whiche was a prophete so hyghly endued with all maner of godly wysedome and knowlege and with diuerse greate excellent gyftes of God Seynge he I saye dyd praye so ofte and with such great earnest that he myghte abyde by thys treasure Much more shall it be mete for vs whiche are vtterly nothynge to be compared vnto hym We haue most nede to watch praye and lyue also nowe at the ende of the worlde whan as Christe and the Apostles saye it shal be an horryble and peryllous tyme it shal be muche more conuenient I saye to watch and praye wyth all earnest and diligence that we maye contynue in the house of the LORDE all the dayes of oure lyfe namely that we maye heare the worde of God and receaue the manyfolde commodityes and frutes that come of it as it reharsed afore and continue in the same vnto the ende Which graunte vs Christ our onely shepherde and Saueoure AMEN ¶ How and whether a Christē mā ought to flye the horryble plage of the Pestilence ¶ A sermon out of the .xci. Psalme Qui habitat in adiuto By Andrewe Oslander ¶ Translated out of hygh Almayne into Englyshe ¶ A Sermon out of the Psalme Qui habitat c. how and vnto what place a Christen man ought to flye the horrible plage of the pestilence FOr as much as Almyghty God doth vyset handle and punysshe the contry and region wyth the horrible and fearfull plage of the pestilence and many folkes after an vnmanerly fashion are so afrayed therof that ther be herde and sene of them all maner of vncostumable wordes and workes whiche become not well a Christen man And seynge that all the dedes of charite whyche one Christen man is bounde to shewe vnto another no lesse thē vnto Christ him selfe are perlously omytted wherby then ryseth all maner of sklaunder to the weake and mysreporte vnto the holy Gospell I thought it profitable and necessary to bestowe vpon youre charite in this case a shorte instruccion and comforte out of the holy scripture to the intent that the ignoraunt maye be taughte the weake strengthed and euery one counselled after hys callynge to serue his neghbour And I wyll take for me the .xci. Psalme which soundeth after this maner Who so sytteth vnder the defence of the hyghest and abydeth vnder the shadowe of the Almyghtye He sayeth vnto the LORDE My hope and my stronge holde my God on whom I trust For he delyuereth me from the snare of the hunter and from the noy some pestilence He shall couer the wyth hys fethers and thy truste shal be vnder hys wynges hys truth is speare and shylde So that thou nedest not to fear for the horryblenesse of the nyghte for the aro wes that flye by daye tyme. For the pestilence that commenth preuely in the darke for the syckenesse that destroyeth in the noone daye Though a thousāde fall at thy syde and ten thousande at thy ryght hande yet shall it not come nye the. Yee wyth thyne eyesshalte thou se thy desyre and beholde howethe vngodly shal be rewarded BVt afore we come to the vnderstādynge of these comfortable wordes your charite shal fyrst knowe that it is not my meanyng to for byd or inhibite ony man to flye or to vse phisycke or to auoyde daungerous and sycke places in these fearfull ayres What cases retayn a man in daungerous places so farre as a man doth not therin agaynst the belefe nor Gods cōmaundement nor agaynst his callynge nor agaynst the loue of his neghboure For though some wyl saye Such plage toucheth no man but those that be ordeyned of God therevnto lyke as ther be certayne ensamples therof foūde in the holy scripture Namely how the Ezech. 9. and Apoca .vii. ther was sent an angel which aforehāde marked the vertuous electe or euer it was charged cōmaūded the seconde angell to smyte with pestilence or other plages those that were not marked Neuertheles agaynst that it myght be sayde Good syr thoughe it wente so at suche a tyme in suche places who maketh vs sure yet nowe that it shall therfore chaunce so in all other deathes of the contry Therfore wyll I now at this tyme let all suche thynges continue in theyr worthy nesse and fre lyke as other natural thynges whiche be subiecte and committed vnto oure reason to rule But as for the Christen whiche by reason of offyce or for pouerte sake or for other reasonable causes can not or be not mynded to flye I wyll here withall shewe them theyr best and hyghest comforte that they haue In lyke maner I wyll not entre agaynst them that speake naturally therof and saye The cause of pestilēce and lyke diseases Suche plage commeth out of the influence of the starres out of the workynge of the Cometes out of the vnseaasonable wether and alterynge of the ayre out of the Southe wyndes out of stynkynge waters or out of foule mystes of the grounde For such wysedome of theyrs wyll we leaue vnto them vndespysed and not fyght there agaynst But as Christen men we wyll holde vs vnto the worde of God the same wyll we suffre to be oure moost hye wysedome and geue credēce vnto it and follow it and so shall we fynde muche better and surer instruccion Namley The chefe causes of pestilence is Gods wrath that this horrible plage of the pestilence commeth out of Gods wrath because of the despysyge and transgressynge of his godly cōmaundementes For thus sayeth the holy prophete Moses in the fyft boke the .xxviii. Chapter Yf thou wylt not herken vnto the voyce of the LORDE thy God to obserue and kepe all hys commaundementes and ordinaunces whiche I commaunde the then shal all these curses come vpon the c. And it followeth The LORDE shall cause the pestilence to endure longe wyth the the LORDE
shall smyte the wyth swellynge feuer heate burnynge blastynge drouth c. and shall persecute the tyll he vtterly destroye the and brynge the to naught And certaynly this is the playne truth and the very originall of these plages No man ought to doute theron For thoughe the forsayd natural causes do somwhat also thereto yet is it sure and vndouted that the same causes be sent and steared vp oute of Gods wrath for our synne and vnthank fulnesse And truely that it is euen so the holy scripture declareth not wych bare wordes onely but sheweth it also wyth notable ensamples For in the fourth boke of Moses the fourtenth Chapter whan all the spyes excepte Iosua and Caleb spake euell of the lāde of promyse and made the people vnpaciente and vprourysshe so that they chose them a captayne and thought to go agayne into Egypte and to stone Moses and Aaron which commaunded them the contrarye we reade thus Then appeared the glorye of the LORDE and spake vnto Moses Howe longe doth thys people blaspheme me And howe longe wyll they not beleue me for all the tokens that I haue done vpon them therfore wyll I smytte and destroye them with pestilence and make of the a grater nacion then thys Lykewyse also whan Dauid caused the people to be nombred agaynste Gods commaundemēt he displeased the LORDE God horibly therwith Therfore layed he the punyshment vpon hym so that he was fayne to chose hym selfe whether he had rather haue seuen yeares derth or thre monethes myschaunce in battayl or thre dayes pestilence in the lande And whan he chose the pestilence ther dyed in thre dayes seuentye thousande men as it is wrytten in the laste Chapter of the .ii. boke of Samuel Seynge then that out of the word of God we knowe the very cause of thys horryble plage Namely that it is the defaute of our synnes as vnbelefe disobedience vnthankfulnesse therfore before all thynges it shall be necessary that we refrayne from the same repent and aniende our lyues Yf we wyll els be preserued and delyuered from thys horrible plage For yf God punysh vs because of synne it is good to consydre that we must fyrst knowlege and eschue our synnes in case that he shall withdrawe and take awaychys wrath punyshment from vs. Yf we amēde not God continueth ī puny shynge For yf we cōtinue in our euell synfull and culpable lyfe certaynly he shal not ceasse with the punyshment but go forth more more tyll he geue and recompence accordynge to our workes But yf we knowlege our synne refrayne frō it repent and axe grace thē shall he also take awaye hys wrath And thys horrible wrath with other heuy burthens as warre derth that lye vpon oure neck shall he mercyfully take away from vs agayne As holy Paule sayeth .i. Cor. xi Yf we iudged our selues we shulde not be iudged But whan we are iudged we be chastened of the LORDE that we shulde not be damned with the worlde And out of all thys maye youre charyte well perceaue howe vnwysely and vnchristenly they do that out of inordinate feare of thys plage leaue theyr callynge and offyce maliciously wythdrawyng the loue helpe faythfulnesse which they out of gods commaundement are bounde to shewe vnto theyr neghbours and so do synne greuously agaynst the commaundement of God For certaynly they do but steare vp the wrath of God more earnestly agaynste themselues that he may the sooner take hold vpon them and pluck them awaye with thys plage For men maye heare on euery syde A pyteous case that some do shone and flye not only the syck but also the whole Yee that yet more foolyshe is euen the platters and candelstyches whiche come out of straūge houses as though death dyd surely styck therin And out of suche fonde chyldyshe feare it commeth that not onely some syck folkes be suffred to dye away with out all kepynge helpe and comforte but the wemen also greate wyth chylde be forsaken in theyr nede or els commeth there vtterly no man vnto them Yee a man maye heare also that the chyldren forsake theyr fathers and mothers and one houshold body kepeth hymselfe awaye from another and sheweth no soue vnto hym Whyche neuertheles he wolde be glad to se shewed vnto hymselfe yf he laye in lyke necessite Howbeyt I suppose ther come not manye such chaunces to passe neuerthelesse I must speake therof that it be done nomore from henceforth For certaynly it is vnwysely vnchristenly handled we nede not thynke that the same is the waye to escape thys plage but rather an occasion that it raygne the more myghtely ouer vs. The more we flye the punishment the farther daunger we rūne in For seynge it is sure as ye haue herde afore that such plage is sent for punyshment of oure synnes and Christe hath geuen vs a new cōmaundemēt that we shulde loue one another as he hath loued vs it followeth that the farther we departe from the loue of our neghboure the more we lade synne vpō vs and deserue thys plage but the more Agayne the more diligētlye that we take hede vnto the loue of oure neghboure the surer shall we be from thys plage No man nedeth to doute therof Noman ought to preasse in the daūger wythout necessite But here wythall wyll I also counsell or compell no man to ony vnuedeful daunger that he is not bounde vnto by his callynge nor by loue but onely warne those whyche for feare leaue that whiche they are bounde to do before God To the intent that for suche naked feares sake they do not transgresse nor omytte the commaundemēt of God hope by synne to escape this plage which neuerthelesse cōmeth because of synne For that were a foolysh vnaduysed counsel yf one wolde go aboute to escape the wrath of God by transgression and by synne to auoyde the punyshment of synne Besydes thys doth experience shewe also that they which be so sore afrayed do cōmunly miscary Agayne they that wayte vpon theyr offyces and serue theyr neghbours be delyuered As it is well sene in the minysters of the churche and other mo that shone not the syck but muste vyset and comforte them wyth Gods worde and prouyde for them wyth the holy sacrament For we se no where that they therfore must also be soone syck and must dye Yee how must the hygher powers of the worlde do which by reason of theyr callynge and for the cōmune profyt regimentes sake abyde also in the ioperdy and must mynystre because of loue Specyally the chefest on one wherof ther lyeth more thē on a thousād of other And yet doth God cōmunly preserue thē also that they be delyuered left styl on lyue and dye in a good quyet age Vnbelefe and mist rust in God is cause of flyenge Therfore certaynly such inordinate feare and flyenge agaynst Gods commaundemēt is nothynge els but a declaryng of a greate and sore
the vngodly God punysheth men by the death of other Yf vertuous fathers mothers dye from wycked dysobedient chyldren then be the chyldren plaged for they are afterwarde euell nurtoured hanged or slayn Yf yonge chyldren dye from wycked fathers and mothers then be the chyldren delyuered the fathers and mothers punyshed in that they haue gathered theyr goodes for those that they wyshe them not vnto Yf tyraūtes dye then bethey punyshed and the persecuted Christen delyuered Yf good rulers dye which wyth theyr wysdome haue maynteyned peace and good gouernaunce then be they in peace And so the vngodly whyche are left alyue rayse vp warre and sedicion and be alwaye punyshed worse and worse Shortly who so hath eyes of fayth seyth that true beleuers dye in a ryght season Good mē dye or lyue for theyr welth but the wycked for theyr punyshment but the vngodly before the tyme. Wherfore whether good mē dye or lyue it is done for theyr welthe But whether the wycked dye or lyue it is done for theyr punyshment and by all wayes shall they be plaged and theyr wyckednesse shall be rewarded them Wherfore my moost derely beloued take ye such doctrine comforte to harte and follow the same Flye in good earnest by true repentaunce amendement from synne wher wyth the world hath deserued thys horryble plage And flye by a true vpryght fayth vnto Gods word wherin is the fountayne of lyfe and the lyght of men Then shall ye be whole and safe from thys and other plages so lyue to the honoure of God and welth of your neghbour tyll the appoynted tyme come wherin God the father in the death of Christ that we be baptised in shal sende for vs out of thys myserable lyfe to hys owne euerlastynge kyngdome Which God graūt vnto vs all Amen ⧠Howe they ought to be comforted that are in bodyly sycknesse or trouble DEarly beloued brother I truste ye beleue that all thynges whether it be sycknesse anguyshe or what misfortune so euer it be it commeth all from almyghtye God For yf he be your faythfull father Rom. viii All thynges serue for the beste vnto thē that loue God thā doth he it to your furtheraunce that he taketh holde on your olde Adam and leadeth hym presoner wyth thys bonde of your sycknesse and helpeth you to tame and to mortyfy hym that so ye maye yelde youre selfe the better vnto your LORDE God and hange on the crosse wyth Christe For thys cause is suche sycknesse of yours a fatherly chastenynge For whome God loueth Heb. xii hym doth he chasten And of hys fatherly mercy taketh he thus holde vpon you wyth very truthe and loue Happely he seyth that your olde Adam wyll be to wanton and rash for you and waxeth to stronge fearce for you And for thys cause putteth the LORDE a brydle into hys mouth whereby he be not hurtfull vnts your noble soule and myscary her Flesh and bloude is stronger in you thā the sprete therfore helpeth he your sprete to fyghte Perchaunce yf ye were whole it myghte entyce you to synne agaynste God whereby hys holy name myghte be blasphemed and so were youre soule the more cursed for the fylthynesse of manyfolde synnes But nowe doth he auoyde all that from you thorow fatherly mercy and turneth awaye youre flesh and bloude that alwaye rageth agaynste the sprete Rom. vii and leadeth it captiue so that it hath no more rowme nor occasion to couet all maner of synnes Seynge than that hys fatherly wyll is suche and that suche thynges do happen vnto you to good therfore do I earnestly admonysh you that by no meanes ye do wythstande hys fatherly wyll but praye hartely that hys wyll be done and fulfylled in you vnto hys prayse And hūbly beseke to graunte you his mercy tha tye may beare thys crosse of hys paciently Rom. v. For pacience bryngeth experience experience bryngeth hope but hope letteth vs not come to confusion Thus haue ye nowe occasion to be paciente and wyllyngly to suffre al maner of thynge that God sendeth vnto you for so muche as ye perceaue in your harte that he meaneth the thynge in very dede and thys commeth by tryenge For wythout ye assaye it wyth the dede how good it is so to retayne the LORDE as Dauid sayeth Psal c. xviii i. It is good to my that I haue ben in trouble that I maye learne thy ryghteousnesses ye can not hope and truste in hym In so muche as ye haue not assayed that such fatherly loue is hyd vnder thys rodde But whan ye haue perceaued suche a thynge than are ye bolde in all sufferynge and take hope vnto you the lōger the more seynge God doth so truely assiste you And though he do let you syncke a lytle whyle styck faste yet doth he drawe you forth agayne though it be longe He suffreth you a lytle to swymme and to douke but not to drowne Wherby ye maye perceaue that he wyll neuer forsake you whyche hath so ofte and many tymes ayded you Yf he doth brynge you sometyme in greate anguyshe Dan. xiiii so that ye myght thynke it all to be done wyth you yet forsake hym not but let your trust and hope remayne faste and sure in hym for ye haue heretofore learned well ynough the propertye and nature home he goeth aboute wyth hys ye knowe also that it is not done of anger or hate but of pure and entier loue Abyde therfore for the LORDE in all your sufferynge and truste wholy and inceassaūtly in his mercy and helpe how longe so euer he wythdraweth hymselfe and taryeth And be fully persuaded that thys your sycknesse or suche other grefe is not vnto death Ioh. ix xi but for the honoure of God and your profyte saluacion For who so darre truste so in God and beleue his promyses stedfastly the same shall neuer dye as Christe hymselfe sayeth Yee and byndeth it also wyth an oth that it be so in dede Ioh. viii sayenge Verely verely I saye vnto you Yf ony man kepe my word he shall neuer se death And in another place sayeth Christe Ioh. xi I am the resurrection and the lyfe He that beleueth on me shall lyue though he were deade already and who so euer lyueth beleueth on me shall neuer dye Kepe and holde sure thys comforte and be bolde there vpon For who so beleueth in Christe shall not tayste of death but is already passed from death to lyfe Euen as he wytnesseth of hymselfe where he sayeth Who so beleueth on me Ioh. v hath euerlastynge lyfe But thys is the lyfe euerlastynge Ioh. xvi◠that they knowe the that thou only arte the true God whom thou hast sente Iesus Christ The lyfe euerlastyng begynneth here in this lyfe ēdureth euer For who so hath Christ thesame truely hath very lyfe for he hym selfe is the lyfe Ioh. xv He is also the truth What so euer