forth these litle droppes in small measure although it sometime commeth to passe that it is more manifestly reuealed to mindes that are giuen to diuine contemplation so that being as it were in a traunce they can not tell where they are Such were Augustin and his mother as they confesse of them selues and many others The second chapter of the second consideration which is of the good to come or before a man. TO them that are not Christians litle comfort can be giuen in their euills by the good things to come for that al things be to them vncertaine Howbeit that notable affection which is called hope is here cause of great trouble By which affection men comfort them selues and bid one an other hope for better thinges whereby we vncertainely seeke after great thinges being for the most part deceiued as Christ teacheth of that man in the Gospell Luke 12 who sayd I wil pul downe my barnes and builde greater and therein will I gather all my frutes and my goods and I will say to my soule soule thou hast much goods layde vppe for many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and be merie But God said vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall those thinges be which thou hast prouided So is he that gathereth riches to him selfe and is not rich in God. Howbeit God leaueth not the children of men so but in this affection to put away euill and attayne that which is good he comforteth them albeit they be vncertaine of the thinges to come yet doe they hope well whereby in the meane while they are susteyned lest that falling into the euill of desperation they suffer not the present euill and so doe worse thinges Wherefore euen the affection of such hope is the gifte of God not that he will haue them trust vnto it but be moued to sounde and true hope which is in him alone For he is therefore slow to anger that he may bring them to repentance as it is sayde Rom. 2 neyther doth he suffer men to be deceyued by this deceitefull hope if so be that they beginne from the hart and truely to hope in him But to Christians beside these good things two sortes of especiall good things shal assuredly come howbeit by death and sufferinges Now they also reioyce in that common vncertain hope that the present euill shall ende the contrary good shall be encreased although they doe not so much regard that as they doe that their owne proper good is increased which is truth in Christ wherein they goe forwarde from day to day for which they both liue hope But beside these I haue sayd that two especiall good thinges shall come vnto them in deathe The first is that by deathe the whole tragedie of the euills of this life is ended as it is written Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saincts And againe I will lay me downe and also sleepe in peace Againe Though the righteous be preuēted with death yet shal he be in rest Whereas contrariwise to the wicked death is the beginning of euils as the Psalmist sayth The death of the wicked is very euill Againe Euils shal come vppon the wicked man in destruction so Lazarus shall be comforted who hath suffered his euills here whereas the riche glutton shall be tormented who hath here enioyed his pleasures So it commeth to passe that a Christian whether he dye or liue hath alwayes the better so blessed a thinge is it to be a Christian and to beleue in Christ whereupon Paule saith Christ is to me life death is to me aduauntage And Rom. 14. he sayth Whether we liue we liue vnto the Lord or whether we die we die vnto the Lord whether we liue therfore or die we are the Lordes This safety Christ hath obtained for vs inasmuch as he dyed and rose agayne that he might be Lord of the liuing and dead being able to make vs quiet and safe as well in life as in death as the 22. Psalme sayth Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou art with me If this commoditie of death doe litle moue vs it is a signe that the faith of Christ is weake in vs which doth not sufficiently esteeme the treasure and commoditie of a good death or doth not yet beleue that death is good the olde man which as yet liueth too much the wisedome of the fleshe hindering vs We must endeuour therefore that we may know and loue this benefit of death It is a great matter that death which to others is exceeding euill shoulde be made to vs exceeding good and cōmodious And if Christ had not brought this to passe for vs what thinge should he haue done worthy of so great a price as he payed It is a very diuine worke which he did and therefore it should be no maruel to any that he made the euill of death exceeding good Wherefore death is nowe deade to the faithful and hath nothing terrible but onely a certaine semblance and appearance No otherwise then a serpent that is slaine in outwarde forme and appearance he is cerrible as before but in very deede it is onely a seeming or appearance of euil the euill it selfe is nowe dead and harmelesse Yea as in the 21. chapter of Numb God commaunded a brasen serpent to be set vp by the sight wherof the liuing serpents did perish so also our death by faithfull and stedfast beholding of the death of Christ doth perish and onely appeareth terrible but can not hurt vs in very deede So doth the mercye of God aforehande exercise vs that are weake with these goodly figures or semblances that forasmuch as death cānot be taken away he may at the least make the force thereof to be nothing but in outward shew and appearance only for which cause also death in the Scriptures is called sleepe rather then death The other good thing that commeth by death is that it doth not onely ende the troubles and afflictions of this life but which is more exccllent it maketh an end of vices and sinnes which maketh death farre more acceptable to the faithfull as we haue sayd before then the good which we haue nowe spoken of For the euills of the soule which are sinnes are without comparison worse then the euills of the bodye Which onely if we did knowe they would make death most amiable vnto vs Now if they do not so it is a signe that we doe not sufficiently feele nor hate the euils of our soule Whereas therfore this life is most perilous daungerous sinne seeking to deceiue vs on euery side and we can not liue without sinne moste commodious death setteth vs free from these perills and cutteth of sinne quite from vs whereupon in the booke of wisedom it is sayd in praise of the righteous He pleased God and was
euer Amen The seuenth chapter of the seuenth consideration which is of the good aboue vs. I Speake nothing of the eternall and heauenly good thinges which the blessed enioy in the manifest sight of God or at the least I speake of them in faith and as they may be comprehended of vs So this seuenth consideration is of Iesus Christ the King of glorye raysed from the deade as the seuenth consideration of euills was of him suffering dead and buried Here we may see the chiefe ioy of our hart and certaine and sure good thinges here is no euil at all because Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him This is the furnace of loue and the fire of God in Sion as Esai sayth For Christ is borne vnto vs and not onely that but also giuen vnto vs Wherefore his resurrection is mine and all thinges that he hath wrought therby And as the Apostle most notably glorieth Rom. 8 Howe shall he not with him giue vs all thinges But what hathe he wrought by rysing agayne He hath destroyed sinne set vp righteousnes swallowed vp death restored life ouercome hell and purchased eternall glorie These thinges are inestimable so that the minde of man dare scarce beleeue that they are giuen vnto him as Iacob Gen. 45 when he hearde that his sonne Ioseph was aliue and gouernour ouer the lande of Egypt as it were awaking out of a deepe sleepe he did not beleeue them that tolde him vntill they telling vnto him all the wordes of Ioseph which he had sayd vnto them shewed him also all the charretts which Ioseph had sent to carie him So surely it is harde to beleeue that so great good thinges are in Christ bestowed vpon bs that are vnworthye vnlesse in many wordes he declare the same vnto vs and as he made him selfe manifest to his Disciples by often appearing vnto them so he teach vs so to beleeue as it were by charrets that is by vse and experience It is a most goodly and pleasaunt charret that of God he is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption as the Apostle sayth 1. Cor. 1. For I am a sinner but I am caried in his righteousnes which is giuen vnto me I am vncleane but his holines is my sanctification wherein I am sweetely caried I am foolish but his wisedom carieth me I am damnable but his liberty is my redemption so that a Christian which beleueth may glory of the merits of Christ and of all his good thinges no otherwise then if he him self had done them so properly do they belong vnto him so that he dare now quietly looke for euen the iudgement of God which notwithstanding is intolerable So great a thing is faith so great good things doth it obtaine for vs so glorious sonnes of God doth it make vs For we can not be sonnes vnlesse we inherit the good thinges of our father A Christian therefore may boldly say Death where is thy victorie death where is thy stinge that is sinne for the stinge of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ that is the lawe maketh vs sinners sinne maketh vs guiltie of death Who hath ouercome these two Our owne righteousnes our owne life No surely but Iesus Christ raysed from death who hath condemned sinne death hath imparted his righteousnes vnto vs hath giuen vs his merites hath layed his hand vpon vs so that we are in good case and doe fulfill the law and ouercome sinne and death for which honour prayse and thankes be to God for euer Amen This therfore is the last consideration whereby we are now lifted vp not onely aboue our owne euills but also aboue our owne good thinges and doe now enioy the good thinges of an other gotten by an others labour who before were oppressed with the euills caused by the sinne of an other and increased by our owne We enioy I say the righteousnes of Christ wherby he him selfe is righteous because we cleaue vnto it by which he pleaseth God and maketh intercession for vs maketh him selfe wholy ours being our most gratious Priest and Patron As vnpossible therefore as it is that Christ in his righteousnes should not please so vnpossible is it that we should not please by our faith whereby we cleaue to his righteousnes Whereby it commeth to passe that a Christian is omnipotent Lorde of all possessing all thinges doing all thinges wholy without any sinne And although it so be that he haue sinnes yet can it not be that they should hurt him but they are remitted because of the inuincible righteousnes of Christ which swalloweth vp all sinnes whereunto our faith trusteth firmely beleuing that Christ is such a one vnto vs as we saye For he that doth not beleue that heareth in vaine acknowledgeth not Christ neither knoweth whereunto he profiteth or serueth Wherefore euen this one consideration if there were no other may minister vnto vs so much comfort if it be well and duely had that we may not onely not be grieued at our euils but also reioyce in tribulations scarce feeling them by reason of the ioy which we haue in Christ Of which ioy our Christ our Lorde and God blessed for euer make vs partakers Amen By these my cogitations most famous Prince witnessing after a sort the duety of my small abilitie I commende me to your most noble grace being ready to performe greater thinges if the power of my spirit were according to my desire For I will alwayes be a dettour both to euery of my neighbours but especially to your most noble Grace whom our Lord Iesus Christ by his gracious goodnes long preserue among vs at the last bring to him selfe by a blessed and happy ende Amen Your Graces most humble and obedient subiect MARTIN LVTHER * That is fourteen or that which consisteth of that number Man hath hell in him selfe which is the greatest euill in him VVhy God scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth Godsuffereth not maÌ„ to feele his greatest euill and why The comfort of the first consideration Frutes of the greatest euill which is in man. Feare what it is The euil to come It ought greatly to comfort vs moue vs to loue and praise God that we being in dauÌ„ger of so many euils few or none come vnto vs. Death the most terrible most certaine euil to come yet the time of the comming therof most vncertaine VVhat euil to come Christians ought to feare True Christians conâ—ene death all euils that they may be deliuered froÌ„ the euill of sinne VVe shall then chiefly perceiue the goodnes of God toward vs the care which he hath ouer vs when we coÌ„sider our life past VVe ought greatly to be comforted in the present euil when we coÌ„sider from how many euills God hath preserued vs in our life
whatsoeuer of these do not come it is to be counted for aduasitage for no smal cōfort against that euill that chaunceth so that thou art here compelled to say with Ieremie it is through the mercies of the Lorde that we are not destroyed For whatsoeuer of them doth not chaunce it chaunceth not the right hand of the Highest letting or prohibiting it which mightely preserueth vs on euery side as it is declared in Iob so that Satan and euils doe euen grudge and beare it vnpatiently that they are letted and prohibited Wherfore we see how sweetely the Lord is to be loued as often as any thing chaunceth vnto vs forasmuch as by this one euil our most louing father admonisheth vs to consider howe many euils are ready to assaile vs if he did not stay and let them as if he sayd Satan and a huge heape of euills desire to sifte thee but I haue set boundes to the sea and haue sayd vnto it hitherto shall thy swelling waues come and here shall they stay as he sayth in Iob chap. 28. But none of them shall come perhaps the will of God being so howbeit that which of all terrible things is sayd to be the greatest namely death shall most certainely come and nothing is more vncertaine then the hower thereof Which euil is so great that we see that many men had rather liue euen with all the foresayd euils then they being ended to dye once And to this one the Scripture also wheras it contemneth the rest referreth feare saying Remember the end and thou shalt neuer do amisse Consider how many meditations howe many bookes how many meanes and remedies are ordained hereunto so that with the remembrance of this onely euill it is vsual to fray men from sinnes and make the world contemptible to lighten sufferings and euills and to comfort the afflicted by comparing their euills with so horrible great an euill which shall at one time or other of necessitie come There is no man who would not wish to suffer all euills if thereby he might auoide the euill of death This the Sainctes also haue feared this Christ suffered with feare and sweat like dropps of blood So that the diuine mercy hath bene careful to strengthen comfort the weake faint harted in nothing more then in this euill as we shall see hereafter As for Christians they haue a speciall and proper cause to feare the euill to come which exceedeth all the other euils this is that which the Apostle setteth forth I. Cor. 10. saying Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede lest he fal So slipperie is the way so mighty is the enemy being armed with our owne proper strength that is with the aydes of the flesh of all euill affections accompanied with infinite hands companies of the world with delights pleasures on the right hand with troubles the euil wils of men on the left beside that art a thousand wayes to hurt seduce destroy whereof he is most kilfull We liue so that we are not sure of our good purpose so much as a moment Cyprian speaking of many such things in his epistle of mortalitie teacheth that death is to be wished as a speedy helper to auoyde these euils And for the most part where men haue a good hart duely reuolue in their minde these infinite perils we see them despising life and death that is all the aforesaide euills wish to be losed that they may be also losed from this euill of sinnes wherein they are as we haue sayd in the first chapter and into which they may fall whereof we speake nowe And surely these are two most weighty reasons to moue vs not onely to wish for death but also to contemne all euills not to beare one euil onely lightly if the Lorde shall giue to any to be moued with them for it is the gift of God to be moued with them For what true Christian will not wish euen to dye and not only to be sicke who seeth and feeleth that he while he liueth in healthe is not onely in sinnes and continually may and daily doth fall into moe and so without intermission doth contrary to the moste louing will of his most louing Father With this vehemencie of indignation Paule beinge moued as it is declared Rom. 7. when he had complayned that he did not the good which he woulde but the euill which he would not cryed out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodye of this death The grace of God sayth he by Iesus Christ c. He litle loueth God his Father who doth not choose rather the euill of death then this euill of sinning seing that he hath ordayned death hereunto that this euil may at the last haue an ende and death may be the minister of life and righteousnes whereof shal be spoken hereafter The third chapter of the third consideration which is of the euill past or behind vs. HErein more then in the rest notably shineth the sweete mercye of God the father which is able to comfort vs in all our distresse For euery man neuer feeleth the hand of God more present vpon him then when he calleth to minde the yeares of his life past Sainct Augustine saith If a man should choose either to dye or to leade againe his life past he would choose rather to die considering so great perills euils which he hath scarce and hardely auoided Which saying is most true if it be well duely weyed For here a man may see how often he hath without his owne studye without his owne care yea without and contrary to his desire done and suffered many thinges whereof he did not so much as thinke before they were done or in doing that the worke being ended he is then first compelled to say Howe hath it come to passe that I haue done these thinges which I did not thinke on or thought of other thinges so that the prouerbe is true Man purposeth but God disposeth that is altereth and bringeth to passe an other thinge then man purposeth that euen in this one thinge we can not denie that our life and actions are gouerned directed not by our owne wisedom but by the maruelous power counsel goodnes of god Hereby we perceiue howe often God hath bene with vs when we neither saw nor felt it and how truely Peter sayd Cast all your care on him for he careth for you Wherfore if there were no bookes nor sermons yet our life it selfe led through so many euills and perills if it be well considered doth abundātly commend the goodnes of God to be present with vs most sweete vnto vs who hath farre otherwise then we either thought or felt borne vs as it were in his bosome and as Moses sayth Deut. 32 The Lord hath kept him as the apple of his eye he hath led him about and caried him on his shoulders And hereunon came those
sayinges in the Psalter I remember the time past I meditate in all thy works yea I do meditate in the works of thy handes I will remember the wonders of olde And againe I remembred thy iudgements of old and haue bene comforted All these and such like tende to this ende that we should knowe that if we see that God was then present with vs when we did not thinke thereof neither he did seeme to be present we shoulde not doubt that he is nowe also present when he seemeth vnto vs to be absent For he that protected and preserued vs in many necessities without our owne care or thinkinge thereof he I saye will not forsake vs in a small matter although he seeme to forsake vs according as he sayth in Esai A litle while haue I forsaken thee but with great mercifulnes shall I take thee vnto me Hereunto thou mayst adde Who hath had care of vs so many nightes when we flept who was carefull for vs as often as we labored plaied and did infinite other things wherein we were nothing carefull for our selues So we see how al our care whether we will or no must be referred to God alone we being very seldom left to our owne coūsell or care which notwithstanding the Lord sometime doth that he may teach vs to acknowledge his goodnes that we may perceiue howe muche difference there is betweene his care and ours Wherefore he sometime suffereth some light sicknes or other euil to come vnto vs making semblance that he hath no care of vs for in deede there is no time whē he careth not for vs notwithstanding he doth in the meane season prohibit let that so many euils as are ready to assaile vs do not together on euery side come violētly vpon vs that he may try vs as most deare children whether we will commit our selues to his care being knowne of vs through all the rest of our life marke how vnprofitable impotent our owne care is For what doe we profit our selues or what cā we profit our selues in al our life who in a litle while can not cure remedie one onely payne of the legge Why then are we so careful in the point of one perill or euill and doe not leaue the care to him when as our life it selfe being witnes we are kept and preserued in so many euills without our owne labour or trauel To know duely to consider these things is to know the works of God to meditate in his workes by the remembrance of them to be comforted in aduersitie and troubles But they that are ignorant hereof shall fall into that which is mentioned Psal. 29. Because they haue not vnderstood the workes of the Lord nor the operation of his handes thou shalt breake them downe and not build them vp For they are vnthankful for all the care which God hath taken for them in all their life who do not commit the care of them selues to him for a litle while The fourth chapter of the fourth consideration which is of the euill beneath vs. AS yet we haue seene no other in all the euills which we suffer but that the goodnes of God is so great and so present with vs that among innumerable euills wherewith we are compassed in this life wherin we are euen imprisoned scarce a very few and those not at all times are suffered to assaile vs so that euery present euill wherewith we are troubled is but an aduertizement of certaine great aduauntage which we haue through the goodnes of God whiles that he suffereth vs not to be oppressed with the multitude of euills wherwith we are compassed For it is a miracle if one be assailed with infinit blowes be touched but with one alone yea it is a grace that he is not stricken with all a miracle that he is not stricken with many Nowe the first of the euills that are beneath vs is death the second hell If we consider the shamefull and vile death of others wherewith sinners are punished we shall easily perceiue with howe great aduauntage we suffer lesse then we haue deserued For how many are hanged drowned or stricken with the sword which perhappes haue done farre lesser sinnes then we so that their death and miserie is sette before vs of Christ as a glasse wherein we maye see what we haue deserued as Luke 13. when certaine shewed him of the Galileans whose bloode Pilace had mingled with their sacrifices he aunswered suppose ye that these Galileans were greater sinners then the other Galileans because they haue suffered suche thinges I tell you nay but except ye amend your liues ye shal all likewise perish Or thinke you that those eighteene vpon whom the tower in Siloam fell and slue them were sinners aboue all men that dwell in Ierusalem I tel you nay but except ye amend your liues ye shal all likewise perish For we may not thinke that lesser euils are due vnto vs who haue committed greater or like sinnes Neither will the iustice and truth of God be vniust false for vs who hath determined to giue to euery man according to his deedes Moreouer in hell eternal damnation howe many thousand are there who haue not committed the thousandth part of our sinnes how many virgins are there children they whom we call innocents how many religious men Priestes c. who in their whole life semed to serue God perhapps through some one fall are punished for euer Here must be no dissembling the iustice of God is the same in euery sinne he hateth condemneth sinne alike in whomsoeuer it be found Doe we not here see the inestimable mercy of God which hath not condemned them who haue so often deserued it Howe muche I praye you is it which we can suffer euen in all our life in respect of the eternall punishment which they suffer hauing deserued it perhaps by one offence we in the meane time being free and saued from many sinnes which God passeth ouer and remitteth Whereas we do not regard these benefits of God or make light accoūt of them it is through vnthankfulnes a certaine senseles hardnes of incredulitie Hereunto moreouer are to be referred so many Infidels Gentiles Iewes vnto whom if those things had ben giuen which are giuen to vs they had bene not in hell but in heauen and had farre lesse sinned Examples hereof Christ setteth before our eyes Matth. II. saying Wo be to thee Corazin Wo be to thee Bethsaida for if the greate workes which were done in you had bene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackcloth ashes but I say to you it shal be easier for Tyrus Sidon at the day of iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp vnto heauen shalt be brought downe to hell for if the greate workes which haue bene done in thee had bene done among them of Sodom they had remained to
death which as pure myrre taketh away at once all the stincke of sinne sweete mild gentle acceptable How shal this come to passe Euen while thou hearest that Iesus Christ the Sonne of God hath by his most holy suffering consecrated made holy all passions euen death it self hath blessed malediction hath glorified ignominie hath enriched pouerty So that death is compelled to be the gate of life malediction the beginning of blessednes ignominie the way to glory Now how canst thou be so hard harted vnthākful that thou wouldest not euen wish for loue all the passions which by the most pure and holy flesh and blood of Christ are sanctified made harmeles wholsom blessed and happy vnto thee For if by the touching of his most pure flesh he hath sanctified all waters to baptisme how much more by the touching of the same his most pure flesh and blood hath he sanctified all death all sufferings all iniuries all sclaunders all ignominie to the baptisme of the spirit or blood as he sayth of the same baptisme of suffering Luke 12 I must be baptised with a baptisme howe am I grieued till it be ended Thou seest how he is disquieted how he is grieued how he thirsteth to sanctifie make amiable passions death For he saw that we were terrified with passions he saw that we did greatly feare dread death Therfore as a most louing shepeheard and faithfull phisition minding to moderate this euil he maketh hast with griefe desireth to die by suffering to commēd the same vnto vs. So that the death of a Christian is to be counted like the brasen serpent that Moses set vp which in euery respect resembled the forme of a serpent but was wholy without life without motion without venim without stinging so the righteous seeme in the eyes of the vnwise to die but they are in peace We are like to them that die neither doth our death appeare any otherwise then the death of others notwithstanding it is an other thinge for death is deade vnto vs So also all our other sufferinges are like the sufferings of others howbeit in appearance onely but in very deede our sufferings are the beginnings of rest as death is the beginning of life And this is that which Christ sayth Iohn 8 If a man keepe my worde he shall neuer see death Howe commeth it to passe that he shall neuer see it because he dying beginneth to liue so by reason of the life which he seeth he can not see death For here the night shineth as the day for that the light of the life beginning is more cleare then of the death ending These thinges are certaine to all them that beleeue in Christ but to them that doe not beleeue they are otherwise Wherefore if thou wouldest kisse loue and embrace the coate of Christ the vessells waterpots and whatsoeuer thinges Christ hath touched and which he hath vsed for most sweete relicks as consecrated by his touching vsing them why doost thou not much more loue embrace kisse paynes troubles of the world ignominie and death not only consecrated by his touching but also embrued and blessed with his most precious blood moreouer embraced with harty wil and exceeding loue which vehemently moued him thereunto especially seeing that in these thou hast farre greater benefits rewards good things then in those relicks For by these thou obtaynest victory of death and hell and of all thy sinnes and not by them O if a man might haue beheld the hart of Christ when hanging on the crosse he was distressed that he might make death dead contēptible how earnestly sweetely he embraced death paines for the fearfull and them that dread death paynes how willingly he droonke of this cup to the sicke that we also might not be afraide to drinke thereof while we see that no euill but onely good came vnto him by risinge againe without doubt it would be pure myrre distilling from his lippes moste pleasaunt and sweete as the sauour and goodlines of the lillies Hereof speaketh Peter in his first Epistle and 4. chapter Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for vs in the fleshe arme your selues likewise with the same mynde And Paule sayth Hebr. 12 Consider him that endured suche speaking against of sinners least ye should be wearied faint in your mindes Wherefore if in the former considerations which are of things set as yet beneath vs or by vs we haue learned to suffer euill patiently surely by this last which is of that that is now aboue not by vs we lifting vp our harts vnto Christ and being made victors ouer all euills are taught not onely to suffer them but to loue wishe seeke thē And the farther a man is of from this affection of so much lesse force is the crosse of Christ in him as it is in them that vse the signe of the crosse and Christes passion against euills and death that they may not suffer nor die endeuoring to attaine vnto that which is quite contrary to the crosse and death of Christ Wherefore in this seuenth consideration it must needes be swallowed vp and consumed whatsoeuer euill we suffer so that now it doe not onely not grieue but also delight howbeit if this cōsideration perse the hart be fixed in the inward affection of the mind Thus much concerning the former table the latter followeth VVE will deuide the second table into seuen considerations also contrary to the former whereof the first shall be of the inward good The second of that which is to come The thirde of that which is paste The fourth of that which is beneath vs The sift of that which is on the left hande The sixt of that which is on the right hande The seuenth of that which is aboue vs. THE FIRST CHAPTER of the first consideration which is of the inward good WHo is able to number euen those good thinges onely which euery one possesseth in his one person First how many are the giftes of the bodye as beautie strength health quicknes of sense whereunto in the male kinde may be added the moste noble sex whereby he is fit to doe many things both priuate and publike and to atchieue many notable exploytes whereunto a woman is vnapt Nowe what a great matter is it if by the blessing of God thou enioyest these excellent gifts ten twenty thirty yeares with pleasure at the last art troubled in some one of them for the space of ten daies It is a common saying among notorious offenders It is but one ill howres matter and agayne A good howre is worth an ill howre What shal be sayd of vs who enioy many good howres and wil not suffer euil so much as one howre We see therefore in how great plenty we enioy the benefits of God and with how fewe euills we are scarce touched at the least the most of vs Our most gratious God not content
beloued of him so that whereas he liued amonge sinners he translated him He was taken away least wickednes shoulde alter his vnderstanding or deceit beguile his minde For wickednes by bewitching obscuteth the thinges that are good and the vnstedfastnes of concupiscence peruerteth the simple minde O howe true are these things and confirmed by daily experience Though he was soone deade yet fulfilled he much time for his soule pleased God therefore hasted he to take him away from wickednes So by the mercie of God death which to man was the punishment of sinne is made to Christians the ende of sinne and the beginning of life and righteousnes Wherefore he that loueth life and righteousnes must needes not feare but loue deathe which is the Minister of them and meane to come vnto them otherwise he shall neuer attayne neyther to lyfe nor righteousnes Nowe he that can not doe this let him praye vnto God that he may For therefore are we taught to saye Thy will be done because we of our selues are not able to doe it whoe fearinge deathe doe loue death and sinne rather then life and righteousnes For that God ordayned deathe for the abolishinge of sinne it maye hereof be gathered for that he enioyned deathe to Adam by and by after he had sinned as it were amendes of sinnes and that before he caste him out of Paradise that he might shewe vnto vs that deathe worketh no euill but all good in vs seeing that it was enioyned in paradise as it were repentance and satisfaction It is true in deede that death entred into the worlde by the malice of the Deuill but it is to be attributed to the singular goodnes of God that death being so entred he not onely suffered it not to hurt but ordayned it euen from the beginning thereof for the punishment and death of sinne For this he signified whereas when he had first denoūced death vnto Adam in his commaundement that he should not eate of the tree of knowledge he afterward notwithstanding did not holde his peace but did againe enioyne death tempered the rigour of his first denouncing yea did not so much as make mention of death in any sillable but onely sayde In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate bread till thou be turned againe into the ground for out of it wast thou taken Dust thou art and into dust shalt thou be turned again As though he then hated death which he would not so much as name according to that saying He endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life He seemed in thus speaking that vnlesse death had bene necessary for the abolishing of sinne he woulde not so much as mention or name it much lesse enioyne it So against sinne which had wrought death the emulation of God armeth no other thing but death it selfe so that here thou mayst see that saying of the Poet verified that the worker of death doth perishe by his owne worke and that sinne is destroyed by it owne proper frute and is slayne by death which it brought forth as the viper of her ofspring This is a most goodly sight to see how sinne is not by an others but by it owne proper worke destroyed slayne with it owne weapon as of Goliath so the head thereof cut of with it owne sworde For Goliath was a figure of sinne a terrible Champion to all except litle Dauid that is Christ who alone ouercame him and cut of his heade with his owne sworde If therefore we meditate vpon the ioyes of this power of Christ and vpon the giftes of his grace why should a litle euil trouble vs when as in so great an euill to come we see so great good thinges The third chapter of the third consideration which is of the good past or behind a man. THe consideration of this good is easie by the contrary consideration of the euil past we thinke it sufficient only to help him that shal cōsider hereof Herein B. Augustin doth excellently well in his confessions where in a most goodly sort he rehearseth the benefits of God bestowed vpon him from his mothers wombe The same doth Dauid in that notable 138. Psalme the beginning wherof is O Lord thou hast tried me where among other things wondering at the prouidence of God ouer him he sayth Thou vnderstandest my thoughts long before thou compassest my paths my lying downe As if he sayd Whatsoeuer I haue euer thought whatsoeuer I haue wrought and whatsoeuer I was to obtayne or possesse I see now how it was not done by mine owne industry but ordained by thy care long before Finally thou hast foreseene all my wayes and there is not a word in my tongue where then euen in thy power These thinges we learne by our owne experience For if we call to minde our life past is it not a wonderful thinge that we haue thought willed done and sayd such thinges as we neuer coulde foresee but would haue done farre other thinges if we had bene left to our owne free will which we nowe first perceiue namely we see that the hande of God hath bene so present with vs that his care hath bene so constant ouer vs that we could neither haue spoken neither willed nor thought those thinges which we haue vnles he had giuē abilitie as it is sayd in the booke of wisedom chap. 7 In his hande are both we and our wordes And Paule saythe who worketh all thinges in vs Why then are we not ashamed being senslesse and hard harted who being taught by our owne experience doe see howe careful the Lorde hathe bene for vs vntill this howre and hath giuen vs all good things and yet we can not committe the same care of vs to him in a small present euill but we so behaue our selues as thoughe he had forsaken vs or coulde by any meanes forsake vs Dauid did not so in the 39. Psalme where he sayeth As for me him For we see this most manifestly appeare vnto vs commonly in all infantes so that so many examples let forth to our folly hardues ought worthely to make vs greatly ashamed if we dout that euen the least good or euill commeth vnto vs without the singular care of God. Blessed Peter sayth Cast all your care on him for he careth for you And Dauid sayth Psal. 36 Cast thy care vpon the Lorde and he shall feede thee Moreouer B. Augustine sayth vnto his soule in his confessions Why stādest thou vpon thy selfe and standest not in deede cast thy selfe vpon him for he will not withdrew his hand that thou maist fal And againe Peter sayth 1. Pet. 4 Wherfore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soules to him in wel doing as vnto a faithfull Creator O if a man knew his God after this sort how secure how quiet how pleasāt should he be Such a one should haue God truely knowing assuredly that all his thinges
past VVhy God leaueth vs sometime to our owne care he him selfe seeming not to care for vs. The euills beneath vs what they are how we may take comfort by the consideration of the first of them How we may take comfort by consideration of the second euill beneath vs. The first comfort which the consideration of the euill on the left hand ministreth vnto vs. The second comfort which we may take by considering the euill on the left hand VVhy the euills of our aduersaries and euill men do litle moue vs. Euill men euen in respect of out ward cuills are in worse case then the godly There ought not therefore to be impatiencie in suffering because all seeme not to suffer alike A notable example of the euill on the right hand most diligently to be considered A singular example of an Eremite The sufferings of the Saincts very comfortable being wel considered Our sinnes ought not to hinder vs from taking comfort by cōsidering the sufferings of the Sainctes The euil aboue vs the comfort which the consideration thereof ministreth Cantic 5.14 The death of a Christian VVhat affection the consideration of the euill aboue vs ought to breede in vs. The giftes of the body How we may take comfort by consideration of the giftes of the body How we may be cōforted by consideration of the giftes of the mind Iob may be a most excellent example to moue vs patiently to suffer euills if the Lord send them seeing we receiue so many good thinges at his hande The inward good things of a Christian Frutes of the most excellēt good thinge in man. Vncertaine hope God doth not alwayes suffer our vncertaine hope to be frustrate why Christians receiue cōfort by consideration of two especiall good thinges to come wher of one is that by death their afflictions of this life being ended they shall be in rest and peace Death can not hurte the faithful The other special good thinge to come the consideration wherof is comfortable to Christians The worker destroyed by his owne work sinne abolished by death which is it owne proper frute VVe are moued to the consideration of the good past that is of Gods goodnes bestowed vpon vs heretofore and to take cōfort thereby by the examples of Augustin Dauid and by our own experience VVe must cast our care on God for that he careth for vs. VVhat will ensue if we cast not our care on God. By comparing the state of the dāned with our owne we shall perceiue the exceeding mercy of God toward vs the inestimable cōmodities which we enioy through his goodnes The consideration of the state of the damned ought to moue vs to reioyce in God and to praise extoll his iustice The wicked most commonly abound with temporall good things God bestoweth abundance of temporall good things vpon the wicked that he may thereby cōfort vs. The euills of the wicked turne vnto good to the godly The troubles and afflictions which the godly suffer of the world turne to their commoditie profit The good on the right hand VVhat great ioy comfort we haue by the communion of Sainctes which is the good on the right hande As in the Lordes supper the bread is one though it consist of many graines the wine one though pressed out of many grapes so the Saincts being partakers of this Supper though they be many yet are they me body and therefore communicate both in good and euill The good aboue vs the most sweete ioy comfort which the due consideration thereof bringeth A Christian is said to be without sinne not in respect of the action of sinne but inasmuch as sinne is not imputed to him for Christes sake The conchision