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
supper Who is he that dooth despise the least porcion of the bread the whiche likewise may not be saide that he hath despised the holy communion or supper Wherefore if wee be angred if we suffer yea if we dy cast our eyes vpon this and beleeue firmly be wee certaine that it is not wee that be sadde or heuy or that doo suffer or that doo dy no we be not alone but Jesus Christe and his Churche suffreth with vs. So is it that Jesus Christe hath willed that the way of death should bee to vs comfortable and that we should passe ouer all our miseries by the same the whiche all meÌ„ haue in horrour and be afraid of But now wee entring into the way of the passion and of the death hauing all the Churche to accompany vs and the Church dooth suffer more constantly then we can our selues so that we may truly appropriat take to our selues that whiche Elie sayde to his seruaunt Giezi whiche was taken with feare in the second of Kinges the sixt Chapiter Feare not for there are more on our sides then of our ennemies And after Elie had praied hee said Lorde y t it may please thee to open the eyes of this Lad that he may se and then the Lord opened the eyes of Giezi and he saw and beholde the mountaine was ful of souldiers and of Chariottes round about Elie. And now their lacketh no more to vs but that wee pray that God wil open our eyes that wee may see the Churche or congregation of GOD round about vs yea the eyes of our faith theÌ„ ther shalbe nothiÌ„g so horrible nor fearful that shall make vs a fraid as is said in the. 134. Psalme As the hye mountaines are round about him euen so standeth the Lorde about his people from this time forth for euermore Amen ¶ The seuenth Chapiter of the seuenth consideration of the good whiche is aboue vs. I Doo not speake of the eternall and celestiall goodê whiche the blessed doo enioy as in a clear light and vision of God but rather or at the least I speake of those according to faith and after the meanes by the whiche these thinges may bee comprehended of vs. Also this seuenth consideration is Jesê° Christ the king of glory rising from death For as we reade in the seuenth consideration of euelles he suffred died was buried so heerewe may beholde y e souerein iÌ„estimable ioy of our hartê and the strength of our felicitie and comfort The Sonne of God beeing raised froÌ„ death dieth no more death shall no more reigne nor haue domination ouer him This is the furnace of Charitie and the fire of GOD in Sion as saith Esay For Jesê° Christ is born to vs and not onely so but is also geuen to vs and therfore his resurrection is mine and all that he hath accomplished by his moste glorious resurrection And as Saint Paul in the. 8. to the Romaines dooth glory and reioyce saiyng How shall he not geue vs all thinges with him Now what hath hee doone in rising from death He hath destroyed sinne he hath raised the righteoê° and iust hee hath swalowed vp death he hath brought life hee hath obtained victory ouer hel and prepared for vs euer lasting glory Beholde the inestimable goodes so that the vnderstanding of man can very hardly perceiue oâ—beleeue that they be geuen to him As Jacob in the. 45. Chapiter of Genesis hearing that his Son Joseph reigned in Egipt he as rising from a deepe and profound dreame myght not beleeue those whiche tolde him those thinges vntil they shewed him the Chariottes with stuffe sent from Joseph Also as difficil and hard a thing it is to vs to beleeue y t so great goodes is prepared for vs by Jesus Christe to vs whiche be so vnwurthy except he him self doo make vs beleue it by his wurd in many sure textes places And as he did appeere and declare him self to his disciples by many apparitions Also he dooth now allure and draw vs to him as by Chariottes by long experience and vsage and this is a Chariot moste gratioê° louing that he is made of God to vs righteousnes wisedome sanctification and redemption As Saint Paul saith 1. Corinthians the. 1. Chapiter I am a sinner but I am borne and lifted vp in his righteousnesse which is made mine I aÌ„ filthy shameful and miserable but his holinesse is made to me my sanctification and my purgation in the whiche I am moste graciously and louingly trained and brought vp I am foolish but his wisedome dooth sustaine and bear me I am wurthy of damnation but his liberty is my sufficient rauÌ„some O Chariot moste sure so that y e Christian and faithful person whiche beleueth the same may asmuche glory and reioyce in all these goodes and merites of our Lorde Jesus Christe as him self had doone them They be his owne proper so that now he may boldely abide the iudgement of God the whiche without this is of all men importable This faith is a thing moste excellent for it bringeth to vs suche inestimable goodes so glorioê° that it dooth constitute vs the glorioê° Children of God for wee can not bee Children but wee must possesse and obtaine the goodes of our father and the enheritaunce Now the Christians may boldely say death where is thy victory O death where is thy sting that is to say sinne for the â—â—ing of death is sinne â–ª and the strength of sinne is the lawe Thankes bee to our Lorde God whiche hathe made vs to obtaine victory by Jesê° Christe our Lord y t is to say The law dooth constitute and declare vs sinners sin maketh vs culpable of death and daÌ„p nation Now who hath vanquished these thinges Is it our righteousnes Is it our good life No truly it is the Lord Jesus rising from death coÌ„demning death and sin making vs partakers of his righteousnesse resigning to vs his merites putting his hand vpon vs and taketh vs to him and fulfilleth the law and ouercommeth sinne and death Now for all these thinges honour geuing of thankes and praise bee to our good God for euer and euer Amen This is the moste souereigne consideration in the whiche we be all redy so by lifted vp not onely aboue our euelles but also aboue our goodnesse and be all ready in possession of the goodes of others gotten by the labor of other in place where we were couched before in the euells of other and conquered by the sinnê of other and augmented by our owne â–ª We be now couched and set in the place of the righteousnes of Jesus Christe y t whiche is to him righteousnes for as muche as we are ioyned to hi which is agreable to God and as a mediatour dooth intercede make request for vs and this moste holy sacrificator and aduocate is made whole altogether oures These thing doo make the Christian to be ful of all strength Lorde of all thinges hauing all â—â—â—nges
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
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
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
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
be engraued within our hartê and a singuler coÌ„fort of great powre in our temptations For certainly Job did not onely suffer but with the same hee was tempted with impatience of his owne wife the whiche said to him contemptuously Thou remainest stil in thy siÌ„plicity Blaspheme the Lorde and dye as if shee had said All meÌ„ may plainly see that there is no God that wil leaue thee so and forsake thee Wherefore then doost thou put thy trust in him and doost not rather deny him And in suche sort after shee had angred him said Wherfore doost thou not knowledge thy self to be mortall and that nothing is left vnto thee after this life There is none of vs the whiche his owne wife that is to say sensualitie shal not furnish inough of suche matters for the sensuall man vnderstandeth not the thinges that â—e of God Now all goodes that be corporall be common to all but the Christian and faithful hath other goodes muche more excellent whiche be inward goodê that is to weet the faith of Jesus Christ of whom it is said in the Psalme 44. The kinges daughter is all glorioê° within her clothiÌ„g is all of wrought golde For as yeâ— haue seene the euelles in the first coÌ„sideration that there is no euell so greate in man as the euell within him Also the faithful may not nor caÌ„not se the inestimable great goodnes or felicitie that is with in him for if he felt it be holde hee should bee incontinent in heauen for y e kingdome of heauen is within vs as saith Jesê° Christe For to haue faith is to haue the trueth the wurd of God Now to haue the wurd of God is to haue God the creator maker of all thiÌ„gê And if these thinges were reueled to the soule in suche perfection as they be in deede shee would spring out of the body incontinent for the great abundaunce of ioy and sweetnesse Wherfore of good right the louing corrections of whiche we haue spoke before be called aduertisementes of the goodes whiche wee haue within vs the whiche our good God declareth to vs by the same because this life can not bear nor suffer that they vereueled to it but thorow the great goodnes and mercy of God they bee hidde to vs vntil toey bee growen in their perfect measure This is it that the Fathers and Mothers doo geue to their Children sometimes little Horses Tabors Pipes and other trifels by the whiche they doo incite and stur vp the mindes of their children to greater and more excellente thinges Neuertheles they doo break foorthe and shew them selues sometimes as when the conscience reioiceth and triumpheth in the confideÌ„ce and sure trust of God and when shee speaketh willingly and frely of God when shee heareth his wurd with a gratioê° eare and an attentife heart when she is brought to be ready and diligent to serue him obey him to doo good wurkes and to suffer aduersities the whiche thinges be certain tokens of an inestimable good which is therein hidden the whiche springeth out thorow a certain conduit by small droppê although it happeneth sometimes that this is reueled more fully at large vnto those spirites whiche be geuen to contemplation so they finde them selues as it were swallowed vp y t they wot not where they be as Saint Augustine confesseth him self to be and many others ¶ The second Chapiter of the second consideration the which is the good to come or before vs. THose that be no Christians can finde no great comefort in hope of the good to come in the middes of their troubles because all thinges be to them vncertaine For this affection and vaine hope dooth bring to them a certaine tumult but thorow faith wee doo comfort one an other freendly And wee doo hope for better thinges but the weaker doo at tempt clime vp to great thingê and ofteÌ„ in vncertitude yet they be ofteÌ„ deceiued voyd of their hope as Jesus Christe sheweth in y e. 12. of S. Luke of him y t said to his soule I wil pul down my barns make theÌ„ greater say to my soule Take thy rest driÌ„k eat make good cheer for y u hast goodê inough for many yeers but God said Fool this night shal thy soule be taken froÌ„ thee the goodê that y u hast heapid together whose shall they be theÌ„ Euen so is it w t him y t gathereth treasure is not riche in God But y e Christians haue a more excelleÌ„t felycitie whiche commeth certainly but it is thorow afflictions death Also they reioice in a certaine sure hope so that the present euel endeth and contrary y e good augmenteth whiche is the verity in Jesus Christe where in they prospet and profit from day to day and for the loue thereof they liue in hope and ouer aboue these thinges they haue two moste great commodities in the death to come First the death is an end of all the tragedy of euelles of this present life as it is written The death of the faithfull is pretious before the face of God againe I shall sleepe in peace and rest me If the righteous be preuented by death hee findeth quickening and comfort And contrary the death to the wicked and Infidels is the beginning of euelles as it is said The death of the wicked is moste vnhappy also the euel dooth ouertake and katche y e wicked in his death In this maner was Lazarê° coÌ„forted y t which hath receiued heere his euel and the riche glotton vnhappy was tormented because hee receiued his goodes heere in this life By this meanes also it commeth that the Christian findeth him self alwayes better and encreasing in goodnesse whether he liue or whether he dye so blessed a thing it is to be a Christian and to beleue in Jesus Christe and therefore Saint Paule saith Christ is to me aduauntage whether I liue or whether I dy And to the Romaines 15. Hee that liueth liueth to the Lorde and he that dieth dieth to the Lorde be it whether we liue or whether we dy we be the Lordes Jesus Christe hath begotten vs this assurance For he is dead and risen againe to thend that he might be Lorde of the quicke and the dead hauing powre to make vs sure and to certify vs aswel in the death as in the life as is said in the. 23. Psalme Though I should walke in the middest of the shadow of death yet wil I feare no euel for thou art with mee But if we be not certified of this aduauntage of death it is a sign that the faith of Jesê° Christ is in firm and weak in vs the whiche doo not wurthely esteeme the gaine and price of his moste precioê° death They cannot beleue yet the death to be good because that is letted by the olde man and the wisedome of the fleshe whiche hath yet to muche vigour and strength and therfore wee ought to assay and