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
auaunce to know and to loue this benefite of death It is a hard saying and difficul to say that the death which is to others the greatist of all euelles shalbee to vs the moste excellent gaine and profit And if Iesê° Christe had not wrought this good in vs what profit were it for vs to habandon and forsake our selues But this wurke that he hath wrought in vs is a singuler deuine wurk For this cause no man ought to dismay for he hath made the euel of death to bee turned to moste good and profit Wherefore death is now to the faithful dead and is not terrible but only the outward apparence euen as a slaine serpent hath yet remaining the terrible figure or apparence of a serpent that hee had and yet is it but the figure or image So there is but one euel dead and it may no more noy or hurt vs. And also as Moyses coÌ„maunded to make a serpent of brasse and to beholde and looke vpon it did put away the stinging of the quicke serpentê as it is said in the. 21. of Numery likewise if our death be looked vpon with a godly eye and stedfast in the faith of Christe it perisheth and nothing appereth but onely y e figure of death So louingly dooth the bountifulnes and mercy of God entreat vs which yet be weaklinges and infirme thorow these and suche like figures because of necessitie death must take vs away Neuerthelesse he hath so ouercome and brought to nought the strength and powre of death that to vs remaineth no more but the onely figure and for this cause the scriptures doo rather call it a sleepe then a death The second benefite of death is that not only it maketh an end of paines and euelles of this present life but also bringeth a more excellent thing that is an end of vice and sin the whiche cheefly maketh death moste desirable to the faithfull soulê yea more then dooth any worldly felicitie as wee haue treated heere before For truly the euellê of the soule whiche is vice and sinne be without comparison worse then the euelles of the body for if we were wise these onely euelles in deede should make to vs death more desirable and more louingly to embrace it whiche if it doo not it is a signe that we feel not that we ought to feel nor yet doo sufficiently hate the euelles of our soulles considering that this life is subiect to many daungers and the falliÌ„g and sliding of sinne dooth compasse vs about with snares on euery syde And finally wee cannot liue without synne Beeholde then that death is a moste singuler good remedy for it deliuereth vs from these daungers it cutteth vs away and deliuereth vs wholy from sinne and therefore the authour of the booke of Sapience concludeth in the praise of the righteouse in the. 4. Chapiter saying Being made at one and beloued of God liuing amongest sinners was taken away and traÌ„sported to the end that sinne and euell should not chaunge his vnderstanding or that deceitfulnesse should not begile his soule for the bewitching of lies and dremes maketh good thinges darke the vnstedfastnes of volupteous desire turneth away the vnderstanding of the siple O how true be these thingê how doo we se this to come pas daily And in an other text Though he was soone dead yet fulfilled hee muche time for his soule pleased God therfore he hasted to take him away froÌ„ among the wicked So it coÌ„meth to passe by the mercy of God that the death whiche was the paine of sinne to man is now made the ende of sin and the beginning of life and righteousnesse to the Christian Therfore of necessitie hee that loueth life and ryghteousnesse loueth also death whiche is the minister and the shop of life and is in no cace afraid of it For otherwise he shall neuer attaine to life nor righteousnes and he that cannot so doo let him be diligent to pray to God that he may haue suche aminde For the cause why God teacheth vs to say thy will be doone is that we can not desire this of our selues but we rather doo abhorre death so that wee doo rather loue sinne and death then life and righteousnesse Therfore did God ordeine death for the destruction of sinne For we may gather by this that incontinent after sin hee set ordeined death to Adam as a deliuerance from sin and that before hee cast him out of Paradice to the ende that hee would shew vs that death neither dooth nor wurketh any euell in vs but is the causer of all good for it was set forth in Paradice in maner of a satisfaction But trueth it is by the enuy of the deuel death is entred into the world but thorow the mercy and goodnesse of God hee dooth cause that death is not hurtful to vs but hath ordeined it from the beginning to bee the punishement and death of sinne for he signified the same when he spake before of death to Adam in the coÌ„maundement Neuertheles he stayed not in his wurds but pronounced death and qualifyed the rigour of the commaundement But GOD did not in plaine wurdê declare death but only said thou art dust and into dust thou shalt return Item thou shalt return into earth froÌ„ the which thou art come As euen then hating death would not name it as it is said Wrath is in his indignation and life in his wil. Now it may be said that if death had not bene necessary to put away sin God would not haue pronounced it But God taketh no other wepons against sinne whiche hath engendred death but death it self Heere is fulfilled that one said properly that the inuentor of death is dead by his owne inuencion also the sinne is destroyed by his owne frute and slaine by the death that he hath engeÌ„dred As a viper is slain by her owne yung serpentê Beeholde a thing moste pleasaunt to heere and vnderstand that sinne is destroyed by no other meanes but by her own proper wurk and her throte cut by her owne knife and her hed cut of by her owne swoord as was Goliath Goliath was the figure of sin This Giaunt was fearfull to all men except to little Dauid that is to say the Sonne of GOD Jesus Christe the whiche hath ouerthrowen this terrible Giant and hath cut of his hed with his owne swoord Now it may be said that there is no swoord meter theÌ„ Goliath owne swoord 1. Samuel 21. Chapiter If now wee doo meditate these ioyes of the vertue of the SoÌ„ne of GOD and the giftê of his grace how should any little euell torment vs seing so great euellê whiche may happen is turned to so great good ¶ The third Chapiter of the third consideration whiche is the good passed or after vs. THis good is easy to consider by his opposit or contrary euel passed onely it is a help to him y t would consider heere Saint Augustine in his confessions
saith Thou 〈…〉 taken mee out of the depth 〈…〉 earth Consider these words â—…e emport on the one side exâ—… dispaire and fearful trouble â—…n the other side singuler merâ—…d consolation And what shall â—…eak of King Czechias whiche â—…er hee was ouerwhelmed with â—…nesse and death looking for deâ—… vengeaunce crying out vntoo 〈…〉 and said Alas Lorde answer â—…me And sudeÌ„ly cried what shal â—…y to him or what answere shal 〈…〉 made for me It is he that hath â—…ought this euel vpon me Thê° be â—…g opressed with sorow and greef â—…nfessed that no man coulde deliâ—…r him and said I will yet haue â—…y recourse vnto God and in thus â—…ying he declareth a certain firm â—…d sure trust and hope yet sudenâ—… he saith Alas Lord answere for â—…e and againe as one being cast of discomfiited coplaineth moorningly I know wel y t none other but he caÌ„ deliuer me but what theÌ„ it is he him self y t pursueth me he hath pronouÌ„ced my death what shall I say vnto him to cause him too reuoke the sentence what shall he say vnto me He is my counterparty and my iudge Heere we may se these two passions directly contrary in one soule Now considering these two contrary operations within a man and the tormoiling between hope and dispaire whiche beÌ„ so out ragious sudaine and vnmesarable so that there is no man but it maketh him amased when he cometh to consider it as it is Saint Paule to the Romains after that he had inclosed all vnder sin and dampnation as one being rauyshed beside or aboue him self cried out saying O proÌ„found greatnes of the wisdome riches knowledge of God â—ow incoÌ„prehensible are his iudgements and his waies past finding â—ut And so concludeth that all â—hinges be of God by God and in God It appereth that S. Paul felt â—underful thinges in himself For â—udenly from the depth of Hel and â—he knowledge of sin he erecteth â—im self vp aboue the heauens and â—andreth in his spirit contemplaâ—ing the high and meruelous diuiâ—itye of God after an vnspeakable maner Now heere may we learne â—ot too be careful for our selues or to haue respect to our owne misery â—or infermitye but aske of God our good father and he wil not faile vs but with speede wil exalt vs into y e moste blessed and happye fruition of his deuinity But we cannot rightlye desire the mercy and goodnes of God except we hate oure own sinful wicked life and we can not hate our sinne and wickednes except we haue y e true knowledge feeling thereof And wee cannot know it nor feel it with out his contrary whiche is the great mercy and infinite goodnes of God But so long as our soule doth dwel and abide captiue deteined w e in this miserable body of finne as a wanderer in the desert or as a pilgrim or wayfaring man there shalbe alwaise relikes of sin remayning w tin vs. The spirituall Philistines amalechites doo warre continually against vs vntil we come to y e land of promission during whiche tyme it wil be needefull for vs to knowe our owne misery and euils alwayes aspiring too the mercy and goodnesse of God And by this meanes this contradiction aforesaid shalbe to vs both more tollerable easy to be borne whiche as we haue said ceasseth not too striue in a christian 〈…〉 And that man whiche feeâ—…t this within him self is but 〈…〉 souldioure and rather a â—…n in name then in conuerâ—… and good life O Lord God â—…uely is this contradiction aâ—…id proued and founde heare â—…g vs in this common welth of â—…and For in what quietnes â—…quillity haue we liued sence th◠〈…〉 of our moste noble Queene 〈…〉 what security haue we lulled â—…elues a sleep and looking as it 〈…〉 for Mountaines of golde for â—…ing God and his woorde or at 〈…〉 making no great account of â—…n and all sudenlye in the midâ—… of our secure life wee are striâ—… with Hunger Pestilence and â—…oord The like plagues for sin 〈…〉 often to bee seen in the scriptuâ—… For in the time of king Dauid â—…ong the Jewes common welth â—…n they had ouercome their enemies brought home y e arke of God and were become welthy riâ—che then they grew into securitye and all sudenly the Plague of God fell vpon them and there dyed in Israel seuenty thousand men and God would haue destroied all JerusaleÌ„ likewise had he not in the middest of his fury remembred mercy I pray you what hathe welth and securitye brought vs vnto heere in Englond Hath it not brought coÌ„tempt of the Ministers and woorde of God Nay hath it not brought contempt and disobedience both of the Magistrate and the lawes Where euer was there so much â–ª crying out against sinne so many exhortacions so many good bookes set forth and all for the suppression of wickednes sinne but neuer the better but rather the worse Altogether afew exceptid from the hiest to the lowest haue as it were â—ent them selues and determined â—o bring to pouertye and in to conâ—empt the Ministers of the woord of God What meanes is daily inueÌ„â—ed to catch rake from theÌ„ by im â—ropriations leasses first frutes and tenthes with many other simoâ—icall meanes to impoueryshe them and discourage other whiche would enter therintto But those that laboure and bee so diligent too dispute and reason their cace preteÌ„â—ing to bring the ministery too the same rule and estate that Christe his Apostles were wil in the ende say as the Jewes said of Christe his Apostles away with these felowes they are not wurthy to liue among vs shal these beggerly raskalles teache vs our duetye this wilbe the end of your pretence O Lorde in what reuerence had the Jewes their Ministers How were they prouided for Likewise in the primitiue Christian churche how were they adourned with reuereÌ„ce and liuinges as is yet too be seene yea the very Heathen and Infidelles had their ministers in estimation and prouided for theÌ„ and shal we now that proffes so much christianity seek by all meanes to ouer throwe and bring to nothing our ministers the Minister being contemned his preaching shalbe little estemed This is the way to ouerthrow the wurd of God and bring vs too brutalitie for where preaching ceasseth the people perishe as saith SalomoÌ„ But some wil obiect and say that riches corrupteth the Ministers and hindreth their vocation and that they become couetous and more careful then any other and that a poore estate is best for them I answere that my meaning is not to enriche any greedy or couetous Minister but wishe â—hat when any suche springeth vp â—n welthe whereby his vocation is neglected that some good ordinaunâ—is were prouided in that behalfe for to suppresse and keep backe the greedy desire of suche And my desire is that those Parishes where reasonable liuinges and stipendê were appointed by good men in time past for a Minister might be reduced and brought againe
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
thee For as thou oughtest to reioyce in the iustice of God perse cuting thy sinne euen so reioice in the execution against sinners enemies to God and to man We heare now what excelleÌ„t benefites is fouÌ„d in great and horrible euelê and how we ought to reioyce in our great miseries not because of y e euelê it self but because of the inestimable goodnesse and iustice of God the which taketh vengeaunce of oure sinnes and wickednes ¶ The fift Chapiter of the fyfth consideration of the good on the left hand HEre is to be spoken of the aduersaries that be yet liuing in the world for in the Chapiter going before we haue treated of the aduersaries that be all damned made like to the deuelles but we must consider these heere with an other affection and consider them two maner of waies First they abound and prosper in temporall thingê in suche sort that the Prophetê them selues were almoste moued to enuy theÌ„ because of their felicitie as it is said in the. 73. Psalme My foot had all moste slipped my steps were almoste gone seeyng the wicked in suche prosperitie and felicitie I had euen all moste borne them enuy And in the same Psalme Beholde the wicked habunding in iniquitie haue obtayned great riches And in the. 12. of Jeremy Thou art verely righteous Lord when I doo argue against thee neuerthelesse I shall consider of the thinges that be righteous with thee Wherfore doo I see the wicked prosper the affaires of all those whiche wurk wickednesse and goe forward But y e questions is Wherefore dooth he poure vpon them so great benefites and so vndeserued but to the end to comefort vs and to shew how good he wil be to them that are of an vpright hart as it is saide in y e same Psalme He that is so good to the wicked how muche more wil he be good to the faithful and in that he dooth not tormeÌ„t the wicked with any maner euelles but the good he prooueth them by many euellê that they may know that he is good to them not onely in goodes that be present but also in riches whiche bee hidden and inuinsible that they may say with the Psalmist It is good for me to ioyne my self to the Lorde and to set my hope and trust in my God as if he had said Although I suffer seeing them deliuered and free without trouble yet I haue this confidence that God wil let me feele his clemency and goodnesse muche more then shall they And therefore the disible goodes of the wicked bee spurres to moue vs to trust in the inuisible goodê and to dispise set light by the euellê whiche we suffer It is it that y e Lord Jesus commaundeth vs in the sixt Chapiter of Saint Mathew to beholde the birdes of the ayre and the Lillyes of the feeld saying If God so clothe the grasse whiche is to day in his flowre and to morow cast into the furnace how muche rather wil he clothe you O ye of little faith Wherefore by the comparison of the goodê whiche the wicked abuse and the euelles and miseries whiche wee suffer our faith is exercised and wee obtaine consolation in God whiche is the moste holy consolatioÌ„ and comfort So necessary it is that all thingê happen to the best to y e faithful The other goodes whiche is muche more to be meruailed at is that their euelles be turned to our good and profite as GOD hath ordeined it For all though their sinnes be offensiue to y e weakest and infirm and feeble sâ—â—lê neuertheles they be exercises of vertue and of spirituall battaile and of greater helth to the strong and faithful For blessed is the man that suffreth in temptation for when he shal be tried he shall receiue a crowne of life Now is there a greater temptation then these multitude of moste euell examples And y e cheefe reason why the world is called an enemy to the faithful and electe of God is that by their enticementes and wicked wurkes they may draw vs allure prouoke and turne vs from the way of God to their wayes As is saide in y e. 6. of Genesis The Sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire and ioyned them selues to them Also in Numeri 25. Chapiter The Children of Israel are falleÌ„ with the daughters of the Moabites insomuche that it is a thing helthful to vs to be continually pressed holden down by some misfortune so that we striuing with the euell occasions of the world fall not into sinne and wickednesse we I say that be so weake Also Saint Peter in the. 2. Chapiter of his second Epistle commendeth Lot for that he suffred many wicked examples of the Sodomites so that he profited and encreaced in righteousnes thorow these thiÌ„gê Therfore it is necessary y e offences happen whiche engender warre and victory Yet notwithstanding wo bee to y e world because of offences Now if God procure vs so great goodnesse in the sinnes and wickednesse of others how muche more ought we to beleeue with all our hartes that hee shall procure and turne into good our euelles and misfortunes although the sence and feeling of the fleshe iudgeth otherwise The world bringeth vs no lesse goodnesse on the other side with his euelles whiche is called aduersitie misery For those whiche he can not swallow by enticementes and incorporate to him self by offences hee assayeth to repulse and put fro him by adueruÌ„tyes and driueth them of by paines and tormentes procuring alwaies against them snares by examples of sin foining out his furies by horrible tormentes and paines This is the monster that the Poets doo call Chimery whiche hath the hedde of a damosell and gratious countenaunce the wombe of a Lion and the taile of a venemus serpent For the ende to whiche the world pretendeth what with his volupteousnes and what w t his tiranny is poisoned death and dampnation eternally So now wee see that God hath made vs to finde our cheef goodê in y e midst of the sinnâ— of y e world to thend that y e persecutious and afflictions whiche he sendeth be not to vs idle nor vaiÌ„ They be or deyned vs for the encreasing of oure benefites in suche wise that the same wherewith the world dooth noy and molest vs be constrained to profit vs. As Saint Augustine saith of the litle Children that Herod put to death That hee neuer profyted so muche by loue and good wil as hee did by hate And Saint Agathe went into the Prison very ioyously as to a banket saying thus If thou doost not tame my bodye by thy tormentors my soule shall not come into heauen for to receiue y e moste blessed crown And as the graine of wheat is not laid vp into the barnes but first is driuen out of the eare and sore beateÌ„ in the ayer barne But wherefore doe wee tary vpon thinges so small seeyng the holy scriptures and all
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