to say Into the bitter passions and were made sweet There is nothing but this passion that can make sweet y t is to say death as saith the espouse His lippê be as y e distilling lilly drawing out soueraigne mirrhe y e whiche proporcion of lillies and tippes signify the act of misticall thinges For as y e lilly is white the lippê red that is y e wurdê of the Lord Jesê° be moste white moste pure in y e whiche is no bitternes nor bloody slaughter but sweetnes plesauntnes from whom distilleth soueraine mirrhe these lippes moste pure moste sweete haue powre to put away the great bitternes of death and to conuert it into sweetnes puritie whitenes sweet sauour as the excellent mirrhe putteth away all stinckingnes of sinne that is to say When we heare that Jesus Christe the sonne of God hath clensed and sanctified by his moste holy suffringes all persecutions and passions yea the very death he hath blessed the curse hee hath glorified y e shame and ignomini and inriched the pouerty so that death is constrained to be the gate of life the curse is constrained to bee cause of blessing and the ignomini mother of glory Now how can wee be so ingrate and vnthankful that we doo not earnestly desire yea and loue all these passioÌ„s and afflictions dipped and sanctified by the moste pure flesh and moste holy blood of the Son of God the whiche be made to vs moste helthful blessinges For if by the touching of his moste pure flesh hee hath sanctifyed all the waters to be holy and needful to baptisme yea all creatures how muche more hath he sanctified by baptism of y e spirit or of blood all death all passions all iniuries all outragies all maledictions all ignomini that by the blessed touching of his flesh and blood whiche is moste precious as hee saith in the. 12. of Saint Luke of this baptisme namely the passion I shalbe baptised with a certaine baptisme and how am I pained vntil it be ended Heere we see with what ardent desire hee desired to sanctifie the passions also dooth and hath made them sweet and amiable to vs for he knew wel that wee would be astonied at the afflictions did wel foresee that we would be afraid of death and abhorre it also willing to make an end of this our euilles as a moste meek and prouideÌ„t pastor and as a moste faithful phisicion he hasted him self and prolonged not the death that hee might make y e afflictions passions yea the very death good to vs by his holy suffring so that wee may estéeme the death to a Christian as the brasen serpent of Moises whiche had the fygure of a serpent ouer all and in all pointes and yet was nothing lesse then liuing he was without venim without mouing without byting so likewise it seemeth to the eyes of the foolishe that the faithful dy but truly they be in peace we be like theÌ„ y t dy and the apparence of our death is none other but as others bee Neuerthelesse the trueth is otherwise for to vs death is dead also all our afflictions and passions bee like to their afflictioÌ„s but it is only by appareÌ„ce For verely our passions be the beginninges of impassibilitie as the death is the beginning of life And this is it that the Lorde Jesus saith in the. 8 of Saint John If any keepe my woord he shall neuer taste of death How shall he not see death Because that in dying hee beginneth to liue and so the life that he be holdeth causeth that he doothe not see death The night is heer made bright as the day for asmuche as the brightnesse of the life beginning is clearer then the death departing These thinges bee moste certaine to all those whiche beléeue in Jesus Christe but not to the vnfaithful Now if they doo kisse if they loue and embrase the apparrel the vesselles the cuppes and finally those thinges whiche Jesus Christe hath touched or that he vsed so they honour theÌ„ as great reliques with great deuocioÌ„ because they say that he hath saÌ„ctified theÌ„ by the touching therof But wherfore doo we not the embrace kisse and loue rather the the paines the shames rebukes the opprobries the euilles of the world and the very death the whiche were not onely sanctified by his holy touching but also be blessed dipped in his moste precioê° blood embrasing them with a moste ardent zeale and great charity eueÌ„ to the very death Beholde in these thingê wee haue much more reward helth goodnes then in reliques For truly by these thingê wee doo optain victory ouer death hel and all our sinnê not by reliques O good God if we might look into the hart of y e Sonne of God and se perfectly wheÌ„ he was strained on the crosse y t he might reÌ„der death dead ouercome and w t what ardent zeale affection he embrased y e death and the paines therof for those y t bee fearful for those y t abhorre death the paines therof and w t what redines wil hee hath first drunk of this moste bitteâ— cup after hath somonid y e weak diseased to drink therof to the end y t they should not feare to drink after him Beholde se that no euell is happened vnto him but rather a great inestymable benefyte hath followed in that he rose again It is moste certain that this pretious mirrhe is made moste sweet and amiable distilling by the lippes and the woordes of Jesus Christe praising them as the sweet sauour and beauty of lillies Also Saint Peter saith in his 4. Chapiter in his 1. Epistle For asmuche as Christe hath suffred in the fleshe arme your selues with the same minde And to y e hebrewes 12. Chapiter Thapostle saith Consider diligently him that hath suffred suche gaine saying of sinners against him self to the end that you should not bee wery nor slack in youre mindes Wherfore if we haue learned to suffer paciently the euellê that be about vs and enclose vs beholde in this last considerations of our afflictions shadowed in Jesus Christe surmountith all euelles and maketh y t we not onely endeuouring our selues to suffer but also to loue to wish and serch for it And the farther that one is from this affection and zeale the lesse strength hath the passion of Jesus Christe in him And those that wil worship the Roodes Baners and Crosses of Christe for to put away death and afflictions that they may not suffer them and so not to dye beholde they vse meanes cleane contrary to the crosse of Christe and his death And for this cause it is necessary in this seuenth consideration y t all y e afflictions whiche we suffer should bee consumed that it may not greeue vs to suffer but rather to pleasure in sufferiÌ„g This ought euer to bee in our hartes and to be liuely rooted in our
w tstanding a desease of young boies yea litle Children so that ther is no man what so euer hee be that can be assured to be exempt from the euilles of others what soeuer they be But all that one suffreth an other may suffer y e same also To this apperteineth all the histories and tragedies of all worldes and all the complaintê of this worlde And to this appertaineth also that some doo obâ—…rue more then 3. C. names of mala â—…es by the whiche the humain body â—…ay be tormented Now if there be 〈…〉 many maladies how many thinke â—…e that there bee of other infortune â—…f goodes freendes and finally of the â—…pirit onely whiche is the principall â—…nd subiect to all euelles and the oneâ—…y retract of sorow and misery Now â—…he force and feeling of these euilles â—…roweth so muche the more as the â—…ate is honorable which engendreth â—…t all houres to feare pouerty sicknes ignomini and all other aduersities whiche may come sudainlye in an houre as all thingê hange as it were by a thred like as it were the knife of Denis the tiraunt whiche he hung ouer the hed of his hoste And what soeuer happeneth not of these thingê may be esteemed as cleerly gotten and a great comforte to the euill whiche is present So that wee ought to say with Jeremy This com meth by the great mercye of God that we be not vtterly coÌ„sumed For whiche soeuer of these is not come vpon vs is for that the hand of the Lorde hathe kept it from vs the whiche enuironeth vs on euery side and defeÌ„deth vs so strongly that Sathan and his euilles complaine that they be so letted and preuented as it is shewed in Job wherby we se how muche we are bound to loue y e Lorde as often as none of these come vpon vs and also for that the celestiall Father is so wel affectioned toward vs admonishing vs by this onely preseÌ„t euel to consider how many euels be neer adioyning to vs whiche might take vs if he did not let them as if he should say to vs. Sathan with his confusion of euelles dooth serche thee desiring to fanne thee but I haue blind folde the sea and haue said to it Thy roring waues shall not passe nor ouerflowe but hetherto and shall be broken and consumed as it is said in Job the. 38. Chap. But when none â—…f these thingê come to vs as when â—…od willeth so to be yet at y e least he 〈…〉 at is called the greatest of all terriâ—…e thingê that is death faileth not 〈…〉 come and no thing more incerâ—…aine then the houre of death And â—…ruly this euel is so great that we se â—…any men that had rather liue with â—…ll these aforesaid euilles and misery â—…s then ones to dy end all this misery And the scripture also bringeth â—…s to this onely y t is feare saying Be mindeful of the end thou shalt â—…ot sin Let vs wel remember our selues how many Meditations haue bene made how many meanes hath bene inuented how many bookê composed how many remedyes serched for to returne man from his sinne to rendre the worlde contemptible to moderate the passions and euelles to comfort the afflicted neuerthelesse of necessity death once must come Theris no man whiche desireth not rather to suffer if it might bee all these euils mo sorowes miseryes to auoid death The saintes feared death Jesus Christe him selfe had it in suche horror that his soule was heauy yea so heauy that droppes of bloud dropped from his moste holy body insomuche that our good and merciful God sheweth that there is no euill in the whiche is more neede to comfort the feble and weak then in this euil as is to be seen heereafter As now all these thingê be common too all men as be also the benifites of helth commen in the same euilles to them Moreouer the christians haue a new and needful cause to haue in horrour and too feare the euel to come the whiche neuerthelesse dooth surmount all the euelles afore said whiche is that saint Paul deseribeth in the. 10. Chapiter of the. 1. to the Corinthians saying He that standeth let him take heed that hee fall not The way is helding and the path slippery our enemy is so puissaunt yea armed with our owne proper force and strength that is to say with our own fleshe and with all oure wicked affections garnished with a numbre of worldly armures hauing the voluptnous delites and plesures on the righthand and many wicked willes and desires on the left hand beside wicked carnall concupiscence with the whiche he is garnished and he hauing suche boldnes to noy to deceiue and destroy vs in a thousand sacions and waies We liue so that we be not assured of our good purposes nor ententes not the minute of an houre Saint Ciprian reciteth many like thinges in his booke of mortality and she with that we must think vpon death as that that commeth sudenly to dispatche these euelles Now this commeth customably to those that consider diligently in their mindes these infinit daungers of hell hauing their hartes firm constant We se that often times they desire to be losed out of this prison of the body despising life and death that is to say all these aforesaid euilles to the ende to bee deliuered from this burden of sinne in the whiche they be in as wee haue said in the first speculation and into whiche they may fall into where of wee wil heerafter speake And so these two reasons be moste true not onely to desire the death but also to dispise all the euils and more stroÌ„gly to beare easely one only euel If the Lord doth so graciously moue any man as it is verely a gift of God to be moued with these thinges for he that is a right Christian dooth not onely desire to be sick but also to dy seeing him self and feeling to be in sinne when he is in helth and also seeing him self at euery houre ready too fall into greater and a greater number of euilles and sinnes and to do without ceassing thingê contrary to the wil of his celestiall Father â—…hiche is so louing Saint Paul bee â–ª â—…g moued with suche a burning deâ—…re after he had complained that he â—…ould not finishe the good that hee â—…ould doo but to doo the euil he would â—…ot maketh an exclamation saying 〈…〉 miserable that I am who shall deâ—…iuer me from this body of death Thankes and praise to God by Jesus Christe he that preferreth this euel of sinne and miserable life before the euell of death loueth not greatly God his father seeing that God hath ordeined the death to this end to make vs an end of this euill and misery of sinne and that death should be a minister of life and rightâ—eousnesse as shall be seen heerafter ¶ The third Chapiter or third consideration whiche is the euel passed â–ª or behinde vs. IN
this euell shineth moÌ„ste excellently and aboue the others the great bountifulnes mercy of God our father mighty to comfort vs in all our anguithes and sorowes For there is not one of vs all that shall feele the hand of God more presently vpon him then when he calleth to memory the yeeres of his life past Saint Augustine saith if the choice were geuen to a man to dy or to returne againe to his first life he would rather choose the death seeing so many euilles and so great daungers that he hath passed and with how great difficulty and pain The whiche sentence is true if it be well considered For as we may se heere how often times that man without his own endeuour without any care yea with out and against his own desire hath doone and suffred many thinges of whiche if he had taken councell before they were done or that he did take councel that after the wurk being finished he was constrained and abasshed in him selfe and to say Too what purpose are these thinges happened to me or how are they come to passe contrary to my entent and thought or that I haue purposed far other wise So that this prouerbe is true Man purposeth and God disposeth That is to say he dooth it otherwise and clean contrary to that maÌ„ hath purposed So that if we had but onely this to beholde we can not deny but our operations oure life and our actes to be gouerned by the counsaile and bountifull puissaunce of God not by our owne prudence Heer wee may see how often times God hath bene w t vs when we saw him not nor felt him and how veritable it is that SaiÌ„t Peter hath said That the mercifull God hath care for vs all Wherefore if wee had nother bookes nor preaching yet our owne liues caried and led thorow so many euelles and daungers would shew vs sufficiently the deuine bountifulnes of God is very neer vs as though he had borne and kept vs in his bosome without our deliberation and without any feeling of vs in any thingê as saith Moises in DeuteronominuÌ„ 32 Chap. The Lord hath maiÌ„teined and defended him as the apple of an eye Hee hath led him ouer all and borne him vpon his shoulders And froÌ„ thence commeth these exhortations whiche be conteined in the Psalmes I haue remembred the daies past I haue meditatid all thy woorkes and I haue thought vpon the woorkes of thy handes I doo remembre all the meruailes whiche haue beene from the beginning I haue bene mindefull of thy iudgementê and haue bene comforted Now these thingê and all other like tend to this end that we may know this that God hathe bene euen then present with vs when we thought not of him and specially when it semed he was absent from vs for hee that hathe receiued vs into his protection without vs yea in so many necessities yea in small thingê and yet while it seemed that he had forsaken and left vs neuertheles he hath not throwen vs of as it is said in Esay I haue forsaken thee for a litle time but I will gather thee againe in my great mercy And let vs ioyn this to it Who is it that hath had care for vs in so many nightes while wee haue slept Who hath cared for vs so ofteÌ„ and so many times as we haue felt our selues greeued when wee wandred about in our owne folies and haue doone numbers of thinges in the whiche wee haue not had respect to our selues or since what time haue we had care or taking charge of our selues When the auaritius man is in care and study to gather great heapes of mony hee dooth diligently and earnestly study and care to seek and heap vp together Also seeing how all our care wil wee or nil we retorneth to God onely and that we be scarsly at any time left to our owne councelles And yet God dooth this onely to instruct vs and to learne vs to reknowledge his great bountifulnes and that sometime we may vnderstand how great difference there is betweene his care and oures By this meanes it happeneth that sumtime he permitteth that we be assailed with some light euil making as though he cared not for vs but truely there is neither day night nor houre but he careth for vs not withstanding yet he letteth and stoppeth that all the euelles whiche bee neere vs come not all at once to tempt vs and proue vs as his deere and welbeloued Children to learne vs to commit all our care to him and to call to remembraunce our life past and considre how muche our care and study is vnprofitable and impuissaunt What doo we profit or what may we profit our selues in all â—ur life Beholde we can not heale a â—ittle hurt on our legge or finger no â—ot in a good space Wherefore doo wee torment our selâ—es then in such great anxiety and â—orow at the pricke of one euell or â—aunger And wherefore doo wee not â—ommit to our good God the care of â—s seeing hee hath chastesed vs by â—o many miseryes and euilles and â—ath preserued vs without our dilygence yea and also our life We can wel witnes the same to knowe these thinges is to knowe the woorkes of God to meditate therin is to be coÌ„â—orted but those that bee ignoraunt â—n those thinges fall into this inconâ—enieÌ„ce of whom it spoken in the. 27. Psalme saying Because they haue â—ot vnderstand nor knowen the wurkes of God nor the wurkes of his handes thou shalt destroy them and not build them vp For those whiche doo not commit vnto God their care â—ea in smal pointes be very vnkinde for all the care that God hath had for them in all their life ¶ The fourth Chapiter of the fourth consideration whiche is the euel or misery vnder vs. HEtherto we haue seene no other thing in all the euilles and miseries whiche we suffer but the goodnes of God is so fauourable and so great that among so many euelles with the whiche we be enuironed in this worlde and be wholy emprisoned in the same yea they bee scarcely permitted to assail vs very seldome so that what soeuer euel or misery it be whiche dooth presently assail vs yet neuertheles it is an aduertisement of a certaine great gain or great goodnes y t God wil honour vs with all when hee dooth not suffer that we be oppressed with the multitude of euels in the whiche we be in For what a benefite is it of God that when one is tempted with a number of miseries and troubles and yet is scant touched with one Yea it is meruail that he is not hurt of all yea and a grace that he is not stricken and ouercome vtterly The first euel that is vnder vs is death the secoÌ„d is hel For if we consider the horrible death of others by the whiche the wicked bee punished we shall see easely what a gaine and benefite it is not to suffer that
Apostle Who wil not be astonied at these wurdê of the Apostle wherby he declareth openly that those whiche bee not corrected and chastised of God bee not the children of God But to be more strongly comforted in this text let vs consider that those whiche bee chastysed by the hand of God be his welbeloued and dear children and that they be garnished and armed with the coÌ„munion of all the faithful saintê and that it is not they alone that doo suffer And truly this meditation shall moderate our paines and torment in our correction But heere let vs not trouble our selues in that one dooth suffer thinges lesse greeuous the other more hard for temptation is geuen to euery man by measure and not aboue his strength as it is said in the .79 Psalme Thou hast fed vs with the bread of teares and hast geuen vs to drink of teares by measure Saint Paule saith also God is faithful whiche permitteth not that ye bee temptid and afflicted aboue your strength but shall deliuer you in your temptations that ye may suffer and beare it and in that y e one dooth feele or taste moste greef there hath hee moste frute and help of God in suche wise that it should see me rather to bee an inequality of passions then otherwise For Saint John Baptist whiche was miserably beheaded by Herod may it not make vs all astonied that suche a great excellent personage as hath not beene one emong those that are borne of women so great the singuler freend of y e spouse christ forerunner of the Sonne of God greter then all the Prophettes neuertheles was not put to death by publike sentence nor is not accused of malice or enuy as was Jesê° Christe nor yet because of the people but for the loue of a dauncer the daughter of an adulteresse and in prison this shamefull death of this holy person and his life taken away so vilainly â—ud of so wicked a maner beeing in â—he handes of suche a moste poisoned â— abhominable adulterer this ought at the least for to mitigate our euellê and all our afflictions But where was God then whiche might haue seen all these thingê Or where was the Lorde Jesus now whiche hearing these thinges and hath fained to dissemble or not to heare them This holy prophet and wurthy man is perished as though it had bene vnknoweÌ„ to God to man to all other creatures What suffer we wherin we may reioice or more aptly too speak wherein wee be not confounded if wee make comparison of our suffringes with his death Wel now where shall wee become if wee wâ—l nothing suffer seeing so great and excellellent personages haue suffered and dispised the death so valiantly the whiche they haue not deserued and their bodyes to be sette for the as a mocking stock to their enemies after their death as it is said by Jeremy Beholde these that are not condemned to drink of the cup doo drink thereof and shalt than continew Innocent Thou shalt not continew Innocent except y u drink therof Wee rede of a certain Hermite that complained whiche had bene sick almoste all his life felt him self wel one yeere to gether hee was greatly troublid and sorowful in his minde and complained that GOD had vtterly forgotten him and had refused to geue him his grace Somuche is necessary vnto helth the correction of the Lord to all Christians Now we may see that it whiche we suffer is lesse then nothing if we consider the Prisons Manacles Irons Fyer wilde beastes and other infinite number of tormentes that the Saintes haue sufferid Or elles if we wil way the temptations of those that suffer presently with vs in this life so many persecutions 〈…〉 greuous temptations of the deuel 〈…〉 their conscience for there be maâ—y of those y t suffer inwardly thingê â—ore greuous more sharp then doo â—e aswel in sprit as in body Some â—oo vse to say heere thus I may laâ—ent for my passions and afflictioÌ„s â—ay not be compared to those of the â—aintes because I am a sinner and â—ot wurthy to be compared to them They haue sufferid for innocency â— for my sinnes And therefore it is â—o meruail though they sufferid ioyfully all these thinges Verely this is a wurd of great folly For if thou suffer for thy sinnes thou oughtest to reioice for as muche as thy sinnes are purgid The saintes them selues were they not sinners But thou fea rest least thou be like Herode or the euel theefe on the crosse no thou art not if thou be patient For what difference was there between the two theeues or what did iudge the one to be good and the other euell but patience thorow faith But thou art a sâ—â—ner wel the theefe was a sinner but patience hath brought him this glory that he is righteous and holy also thou doo the like for thou maist not suffer but ether for thy sinnes or for righteousnes Bothe these passioÌ„s 〈…〉 sanctifie and render a man blessed if a man doo embrase them wherfore now restith no excuse Moreouer so soone as thou hast confessed vnfainedly that thou sufferest iustly for thy sinnes and of good right thou art then iust and holy euen as the good theef was made iust and holy For the confession of sin proceading from faith iustifieth and sanctifieth and in this maner as soone as thou hast made this confession then thou sufferist no more for thy sinnes but for innocency for the righteous suffreth not but innocently Now thou art made righteous by the confession of thy suffringes and passion and thorow the confession of thy sinnes and therfore thy suffering is iustly â—f good right compared to the suffering of the saintes as thy faith may â—e iustly and of good right compared â—o the faith of the saintes for all had â—ne confession of sinnes all had one â—aith all had one passion or suffering â—f euelles all the saintes communicate together trewly in all and by all â—nd ouer all ¶ The seuenth Chapiter of the seuenth consideration which is the euel or misery aboue vs. FInally we must lift vp ouâ— hartes on hy and ascend vp to y e mountain of mirre to the spouse This mountaine is the Sonne of God Jesus Christe crucified hed of all the faithful saintes Prince of all those that suffer of whom many haue written notable thinges and altogether hath writteÌ„ all that ought to be written and the memory of the same is recommended to the churche where it is said Set me for a signe in thy hart as a butte or mark vpon thine arme The blood of the lamb sprinklid vpon the entre of the houses staied the aungel froÌ„ striking And likewise the spouse is praised because her heares bee as the purple of the king that is to say her meditation is redde by the remembraunce of Jesus Christ This is the wood that Moises cast by commaundement into the waters of marah that is
prooued many thinges in him self Neuerthelesse could finde in all these thinges but labour vanity and affliction of spirit so that hee concludeth that it is a gift of God for any man to eat drink and reioice with his wife that is to say if he liue without care committyng to GOD all the care of him self and his Wherfore to conclude we ought not to be careful for oure selues nor to pluck from God the care ouer vs thus you may easely vnderstand the rest as I haue said before by the calling to minde your life passed ¶ The fourth Chapiter of the fourth consideration of the good vnder vs. HEtherto wee haue seene the goodê whiche be oures and whiche bee in our selues now let vs see those that bee in others and w tout vs. The first of these is in those that be vnder vs that is to say in the reprobate damned soules but this is wundrefull For what good may one finde in the dead and 〈…〉 But y e mercy and goodnesse of God is so great vniuersally that he teacheth vs to se our good in y e middest of great euelles Let vs in the first place compare them and vs together and then we shall see our â—…able gaines as one may gather easely by the opposit consideratioÌ„s or contrary euelles For so many euelê of death hell and dampnation as wee doo see in them so many gaines doo wee see in our selues and so muche the greater as theses be greâ—o and great This consideration ought not lightly to be passed ouer because these thinges doo propose and set before our eyes the great merey of God whiche is moste excellent and meruailous and it is daungerous not to way these things so great and excellent that wee be not found ingrate and on thankfull and to be dampned with the or more greuoussy tormented â–ª And the more that weese them howle and lament the more wee ought to reioice in the bounty and mercy of God towardes vs according as is said in y e. 65. Chapiter of Esay Beholde my seruauntes eat and drink and you dy in hunger and sorow languor for thirst Beeholde my seruauntes reioice in great gladnesse of hart you houle and lament for the very dolours and sorow of your hartes and cry for the great oppression of spirit your name shall not be sworne by among my elect c. Finally as I haue said these horrible examples of euel liuers and reprobate doo help and further to our aduertisement geueth vs good instructions as Saint Gregory reciteth in his dialogues that hee is happy whiche can beware by the daungers of others And although this benefit touche not our hartes but faintly because it is common and happeneth often yet neuertheles it is wurthy to bee estemed and numbred among y e greatest benefitê and greatly approoued of wise men and of those that haue godly vnderstanding Beholde a great part of the holy scriptures teache to this ende And when we be taught and shewed the wrath the iudgementes and horrible threatninges of GOD what helthful doctrines doo these examples bring to vs of these accursed miserable people for to confirme vs more more It dooth then begin to make vs the more to feele the effect and strength thereof when wee doo put vpon vs the affection of those that doo suffer after a maner to say when wee be in their place and person for then they doo moue vs and aduertise vs greatly to praise and magnify the goodnes of him whiche hath preserued vs froÌ„ these horrible euelles Now let vs be holde the iustice of Godê diuinitie in them Forasmuche as God is a iust iudge therefore must wee loue greatly praise his righteousnes and iustice and by this meanes reioice in God euen when he destroyeth the wicked body soule For his admirable and great iustice shineth in a a merueilous maner in all these thinges For the very hell is filled w t the magesty and goodnesse of God as also is the heauens For the iustice of God is God him self And God is the high soueraigne goodnesse And therefore as wee ought to loue the bounty and mercy of God so ought wee also to loue his iustice and iudgement to praise it and shew it forth In this sence Dauid saith The righteous shall reioice when he shall se the vengeaunce hee shall washe his handes in the bloud of the wicked Also the Lorde for bad Samuel any lenger to lament Saul as it is written in the .16 Chapiter of the first booke of Samuell saying How long wilt thou la ment Saull Beholde I haue cast him of that hee reigne no more â—uer Israell as if hee had said dooth my wil displease thee that thou preferrist the wil of maÌ„ before mine Breefly this is the voice of praise and reioysing the whiche is so often spokeÌ„ of in the Psalmes that the Lorde is the iudge of widowes and father of orphelins hee wil reuenge the poore and the oppressed his enemies shalbe confounded the wicked shalbee destroyed many other like thingê But if any of a foolishe pitie will lament or bewaile this cruel generation the whiche hath not onely put to death the righteous and innocent but also the Sonne of GOD and all by the conspiracy of these wicked impes shall he not be found as one that reioyceth in their eniquitie with theÌ„ and approuing that which they haue doone yea and is woorthy to perishe with theÌ„ which would not haue their sinnes punished Now heare that is said in the .19 Chapiter of the second booke of Samuel Thou louest those which hate thee hatest those y t loue thee This Joab said to Dauid when hee lamented ouermuche for his murderer Absalom Wherefore in this consideration we ought to reioyce together with all the faithfull of GOD for his righteousnesse the which punisheth moste iustly the persecutors of the true religion to the end that the elect of God may be deliuered from the hand of them In this part we se shining in the reprobate and dampned suche benefites tresures as bee not small but great and excellent that is to say the vengeaunce of the outrage doone to the faithful yea the iniury doon to thee if thou be righteoê° with them wherefore then bee not dismaied if God by thy present euil hee taketh vengeaunce of thine enemy that is to say the sin of thy body but rather thou oughtest to reioyce to praise God for the execution hereof whiche is moste iust and right whiche yet before thou caÌ„st open thy mouth to pray dooth sley and distroy in thy self the moste wicked enemy that thou hast that is the sinnes that is within thee but if thou hast compassion of this enemy thou shalt be found a freend of sinne and enemy of iustice and righteousnesse whiche woorketh in thee Wherfore wee ought to take heed that it bee not sayd to vs thou louest those that hate thee and hatest those that loue
and all without sinne and whâ— he shal be yet in any sinne the sinne shall not greene him but bee perdâ—ned because of y e insuperable righteousnes of the Lord Jesus the whiche dooth as it were swalow vp all our sinnes â–ª vpon whome our faith is stayed hoping sted fastly that Jesus Christe is euen suche a one as we beleue that he is And he that beleeueth not this it is to him as one y e tolde him a fable or as to a dum man or one that knoweth not Christe nor what he dooth profite him nor what vtilitie is in Jesus Christe Where fore if we had no other meditations or considerations but this onely it were sufficient to fulfil vs with vnspeakable consolation if it bee diligently considered w t an attentife hart we shall not onely be sorowful for our euelles but also we shall glory and reioyce in out tribulations thorow the great ioy that we haue in our Lord Jesus and shall scantly feele our miseries and euelles That good Lord Jesus our God blessed for euer make vs to feel and perceiue this Glory So be it ¶ A breefe Table of the principall matters coÌ„tained in this book and heere you shall vnderstand that this letter a be tokeneth the first side of the leafe the letter b betokeneth the last syde and l be tokeneth the numbre of the lines on the same side A Abundaunce of riches bringeth not so great coÌ„solation as dooth a good conscience fo 28. b. line 9 AfflictioÌ„s are to be loued fo 24. a. l. 23 Afflictions good to vs fo 25. a. l. 4 Afflictions of a Christian be not as y e afflictioÌ„s of y e wicked fo 25. a. l. 19 Agathe went into prisoÌ„ fo 49. b. l. 13 B Benignitie of God is great fo 15. a. li. 21. Bodily graces can not be estemed Fo 27 b. li20 C Care of God for vs fo 9. a li. 19. fo 10. b li. 14. Fo 42. b. li. Christian ought to bee greeued with the misery of others fo 15. b. li. 3. Christian is alwaies better and increceth in goodnes whether he liue or dy fo 34. a. li. 20. Comfort to man is that hee feeleth not all his finnes Fo. 3. a. li. 3. Communion of Saintes what it is so 51. b. li. 2. it is in good and euel fo 53. a. li. 13. Confession of sinnes proceeding froÌ„ faith iustifieth and sanctifieth fo 22. b. li. 16. Corporall tribulation is aduertisement of the inward euel fo 1. b. l. 11 Curse is the cause of blessing fo 24. a. li. 18. D Dauid the figure of Christe fo 38. a. li. 16. Dampnation of some for lesse euellê then we doo fo 13. a. li. 14. Death greatest of all terrible thingê fo 6 â–ª a. li. 4 Death feared of Saintê fo 6. b. li. 3. Death feared of Christe fo 6. b. li. 4. Death is to be desired rather theÌ„ this life if we loue God fo 8. a. li. 11. Death is rather to be chosen then to returne to the whole kinde of life passed Fo. 8. b. li. 11. Death of the wicked is often times deserued of other which God dooth keep fo 12. a. li. 11. Death good to vs. fo 25. a. li. 5. Death of a Christian likened to the brasen serpent fo 25. a. li. 7. Death is the beginning of life fo 25. a. li. 23. Death is neuer tasted of him that kepeth the wurd of Christe fo 25. b. li. 1 Death of the faithful is precious Fo 34. a. li. 4. Death of the wicked is moste vnhappy Fo. 34. a. li. 12. Death maketh an ende of euellê and paines vice and sinnes Fo. 35. b. li â–ª 21. Fo. 36. a. li. 20. Death whiche was the paine of sin is now the end of sinne and beginning of righteousnes fo 36. b. li. 21. Death the cause of al good Fo. 37. a. li. 21. E Euelles within a man moste miserable fo 1. a. l. 11. Euelles ful knowne would make a man perishe Fo. 1. b. li. 5. Euelles long continued we make no count of them Fo. 4. a. li. 7. Euelles be not measured according to the fact but after thoppinion Fo. 4. a. l 13 Euelles what soeuer one suffereth none can be surely exempted from them Fo. 5. b. li. 19. Euelles common to all men Fo. 6. b. li. 13. Euelles to come are moste to be feared Fo. 6. b. li. 18. Euellê of aduersaries letted by God Fo 14. b. li. 7 Euellê of other shall make our owne seeme light Fo 17. b. li. 25 Euelles and sorowes be molified â—â— 18. b. li. 4 Euelles of the soule bee worse then the euelles of the body fo 36. a li. 5. Eâ—ample of euel liuers doo help to our aduertise mentes fo 43. b. li. 14 F Feeble and weake haue moste neede of comfort in death Fo 6. b. li. 11 Felicitie of Christians through afflictions and death Fo. 33. b. li. 15. G God dooth chasten vs benignly discouering vnto vs the least euelles fo 1. b. l. 1 Goliath was the figure of sin Fo. 38. a. li. 14. Goodnes that GOD dooth to the wicked moueth vs to consider his goodnes to the good fo 47. a. li. 14. Goodê of y e wicked be spurrê to moue vs to trust in the inuisible goodê set light by the euelles whiche wee doo suffer Fo. 47. b. li. 8. Goodes that a man hath in his owne person cannot be nombred Fo. 27. b. li. 15. Goodes of the spirit more excellent then the goodes of honour fame c. Fo. 28. b. li. 9. H Hermit complained because he was one yeere without trouble Fo. 21. b. li. 7. Hye degree is subsect to many temptations Fo. 14. b. li. 15. Honorable estate engendreth feare Fo. 5. a. li. 13. Horror of diseased personnes Fo. 16. b. li. 12. Hurtful thingê y t seem to hurt y e beleuers doo theÌ„ moste good Fo. 59. a. li. 3. I Ignomini mother of glory Fo. 24. a. li. 20. Ingratitude not to esteeme wurthely the benefites of God Fo. 13. b. line 11. Iniuries sanctified by Christ Fo 24 b. li. â— Justice of God is but one Fo. 13. a. l. 16 L Lot was â—exed by the wurkes of the wicked Fo 16. a li 15 Lot increased in righteousnesse thorow suffering wicked examples of the Sodomites Fo 48. b. li. 13 Loue of righteousnesse is the loue of death Fo 36. b. li. 25 M Maladies hurtig the body be named CCC Fo 5. a. li. 2 Mankinde is noble and can doo many thinges that no oother creature caÌ„ doo Fo 28. a. li. 2 Meat among volupteous men is not found good with out sauce Fo 29. a li 16 Members of one body help one an other Fo 52. a. line 10 Mountain of mirre what it is Fo 23. a. line 18 Parentes louing their Children Fo 1. b. line 23 Passion of Christe called a baptisme Fo 24. b. li. 14 Passion of Christe is â—â— somuche the lesse strength in a man as he is far ther from the loue of suffring troubles of this worlde fo 27. a. l. 3 Percecutions sanctified by Christes suffringes Fo 24. a. li. 11 Pleasure and volupte ousnes engelldre werines Fo 29. a li. 2 Pouertie inriched by Christe fo 24. a. li. 16 Presence of God among vs Fo 9. b. li. 21 Prouidence of God is alway present toward vs Fo 39. b. li. 21 Purpose of manne Fo 9. a. line 4 R Rebukes of the worlde are rather to be imbraced and kissed then the Apparel Cups or other be sselles that Christe touched Fo 25. b. li. 23 Reliques doo not so muche good as troubles in this world fo 26. a line 8 Resurrection of Christe what good it dooth to vs Fo 55. a. lin 18 S Saint John Baptâ—â—â— beheaded Fo 19. b. li. 9 Saintes praied for the euelles of other fo 15 b. li. 25 fo 18. a. li. 7 Soule of the Sinner more horribls then the sore diseased body fo 17. a. line 3 Saintes haue suffered tormentes to haue a Crown of life Fo 18. b. l. 16 Sensuall man vnderstandeth not the thinges that be of God Fo 21. a. l. 15 Shame is glorified by christe Fo 24. a. line 15 Shames of the world be to be imbraced Fo 25. a. line 23 Sin is destroyed by his owne frute Fo 38 a li. 4 Sufferinges of other domoue vs to praise God Fo 44. a. li. 14 Suffring of our troubles is nothing if it be compared to the sâ—â—â—â—ing of the Saintes Fo 21. â— li. 18 Supper of the Lord Fo 53. a. li. 16 W Wicked be as a raging Sea Fo 17. b. line 4. World likened to the Sea Fo 4. a line ◠¶ Faults escaped in y e printig Leaf â—de line fault correction 11 1 11. it spoken it is spoken 14 1 21. same of the. sea saÌ„d of the sea 1â— 2 25. the the euelles the euelles 28 1 24. riches abuÌ„daÌ„ce riches â— abundance 31 1 â— yea yet 50 2 〈◊〉 albeit also 51 2 〈◊〉 reâ—oice reioice ⧠Imprinted at London at the Long Sâ—… adioining vnto Sainct Mildreds Churche in the Pultrieê by John Alde Ro. 15. Ro. 11 â–ª