Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	die_v	great_a	see_v	6,824	5	3.2450	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68815	The imitation or following of Christ, and the contemning of worldly vanities wherevnto, as springing out of the same roote, we haue adioyned another pretie treatise, entituled, The perpetuall reioyce of the godly, euen in this lyfe.; Imitatio Christi. English. 1568.	Thomas, à Kempis, 1380-1471.; Castellion, Sébastien, 1515-1563.; Hake, Edward, fl. 1560-1604.	1568 (1568)	STC 23971; ESTC S118357	145,208	331

heauenlye that euerye man doth couet himselfe to be so much doth this life become the more vnpleasant vnto him to wéete the more he both féeleth and clearly seeth the offences of mans corruption For to eate to drinke to watch to sléepe to rest to traueyle and to be subiect to all the other necessities of nature is vnfainedly great miserie and calamitie to the godlye person who coueteth to be set frée and at libertie frō all maner of sinne For grieuously is a man pressed downe with the necessities of the bodie in this lyfe and therefore doth the Prophet make humble prayer in these wordes to be deliuered from them O Lorde drawe me out of my necessities But wretched are they that knowe not their owne miseries and agayne more wretched which do loue this miserie and mortall lyfe which some doe so far embrace wheras neuerthelesse through their traueyle and carefulnesse they can scant yet get themselues but necessarie thinges that if they might liue here euermore they would passe nothing at all on the kingdome of god O mad braynes and faithlesse persons who lie drowned so déepely in the earth that lyke wretches they haue naught else in their mindes but carnall things and shall once at the length féele not without torment howe vile and nothing it is that they haue loued so much But those good men of God and all the vertuous sort as many as euer were christs friendes did not looke vpon those things that did please the fleshe or that did make a goodly shew for this present tyme but with all hope and gréedinesse did breath to euerlasting good things and with their whole heart were caried vnto the highest and the inuisible things least they should be drawen down to the lowest things through the leue of the visible O brother do not dispayre in comming forward in godly thinges As yet thou hast tyme and space why then dost thou put of thy purpose from day to day Arise and begin out of hand and reason thus with thy selfe nowe is the time to be dooing now is the time to be fighting now is the time to repent and amende thy life In roughnesse aduersity is the time to deserue Thou must passe through fire and water before thou come vnto refreshing and comfort Except thou minister violence vnto thy selfe thou shalt not maister sinne So long as we beare about this frayle bodie of ours we can not liue without irkesomnesse and sorow In déede we would faine haue rest frō all wretchednesse but bicause through sinne we haue lost our innocency we haue also forgone our true happinesse and felicitie Therfore we must hold vs still vnto pacience and awaite for the mercy of God til such time as vnrighteousnesse passe away and this mortalitie of ours be swallowed vp of lyfe Lorde God how great is mans frailty which euermore is prone vnto sinning This day thou confessest thy sinnes and hauing confessed the same to morow thou cōmittest them againe Nowe presently thou determinest to beware and take héede and within an houre after thy dooings be such as though thou hadst not determined at all Therefore great cause haue we to kéepe vnder our selues and neuer to haue anye great good lyking of our selues which are so fraile vnconstant It may also be sone lost with negligēce which with much traueile hath scantlye béene attayned by the help of god What shall become of vs at the last that do wax warm so soone Wo be to vs that thus traueile vnto rest as though there were peace securitie alredy when as no token of true godlinesse doth yet appeare in our condicions Surely we haue néede to be instructed vnto good maners afresh againe like yong beginners if happily there be any hope of amendment and greater profiting in heauenly things Of the meditacion of death The .xxiii. Chapter SEing thy life shall haue an end so quickly looke wel about thée Man flourisheth to day to morow he is no where and being taken out of the sight of the worlde is by by also forgotten of the same O blockishnesse and hardnesse of mans hart which thinking only vpō things present hath no regard to that that shall come after Thou oughtest in such wise to behaue thy selfe in al both déede and thought as though thou were ready to die by and by If thou haddest a good conscience thou wouldest not much feare death Better it is to beware of sinne than to flie death If thou bée not in a readinesse to day how wilt thou be ready to morrow The daye following is vncertaine How knowest thou whether thou shalt lyue till to morrowe or no What preuayleth it to liue a great while when wée be so little amended in oure liues Surely long lyfe doth not alwayes make a man better Nay oftentimes it increaseth sinne Woulde to God we had behaued our selues well in this life but one dayes space Many doe recken the yeares of their amendment repentaunce when oftentimes the fruite therof is but slender If it be a terrible thing to die perchaunce it is a more perillous thing to liue any longer Happie is he that hath euermore the houre of his death before his eies and frameth himselfe euerye day to die If thou hast euer séene a man dye thinke that thou must passe the same way to Be in doubte in the Morning whether thou shalt liue till the Euening And againe at night be afearde to promise thy selfe lyfe tyll Morning and alwayes bée in such a readynesse and liue in such sorte that death mays neuer fynde thée vnprouided Manye die so dainely and when they looke not for it for the sonne of man will come when we thinke not of his comming When as that last houre shall come thou shalt begin to thinke much otherwise of the whole life passed then thou didst before shalt be in déepe sorrow and heuinesse for that thou hast béene so necligent and so slacke O happie and wise man who endeuoureth now to be such a one in hys lyfe as he wisheth to be founde at the time of hys death For the perfite contempt of the world the earnest desire of commyng forwarde in vertue the loue of discipline or good forme of liuing the labour of repentaunce the readie mind to obey the deniall of himselfe and the suffering of euery calamitie for the loue of Christ are cause of great hope to die wel and happily Thou art able to doe many thynges well whilst thou art in health but being sick I knowe not what thou shalt be able to doe For fewe are made better through sicknesse they that driue of the amendement of theyr life vntill that time are seldome times made Gods seruants Better it is to repent and to liue so now whilst thou mayest as after thou mayst liue for euer Otherwise if thou forgo this occasion and oportunitie thou shalt afterwardes séeke for it to late and the tyme shall be when perhaps

that thou neyther art modest truely nor the world truely deade vnto thée or thou to the worlde But giue eare to my words and thou shalt not passe vppon the wordes euen often thousand men Loe if all thinges were spoken against thée that coulde be imagined most maliciously what hurt should they doe thée if thou wouldest let them be borne paciently wouldest not way them any more then a straw vnder thy féete Coulde they take so much as one heare from thee But he that is of a base courage hath not god before his eies that same is soone moued with a taunt or yl report But he that putteth his trust in me dependeth not vpon his owne iudgement the same is voyde of worldly feare I am the iudge and knower of al secrets I know after what sort the thing was done I know both him that hath done the iniury him that hath suffered the wrong done vnto him This matter hath risen of me by my sufferaunce it hapneth that the mindes of many men are disclosed opened I wil iudge both the giltie and giltlesse but first I was minded to search thē both with a secret iudgement Mans testimonie doth oftentimes deceiue my iudgement is full of truth and shal likewise continue neuer to be ouerthrowne And in déede the same is hid for the most part and altogither perceiued of few but it neuer either erreth or can erre though it séeme nothing indifferent or iust vnto fooles Therfore men must flie vnto me in all iudgement neyther aught euery man to vse his own fantasie As for the iust man hée is troubled with no aduersitie of Gods sending or either passeth greatly vpō false reports or gretly reioyceth for the reasonable excuses of other men in his owne behalfe For he that considereth that I am he that searcheth the harts the raynes that I iudge not according to the sight of worldly shew and outwarde apperance For many times in mine eies the thing is found culpable that in the iudgement of men is laudable SERVANT Lord God a iust iudge strong pacient which knowest the frailty corruption of men doe thou become my strength and whole affiance or trust Neither is my conscience sufficiēt for me thou knowest the things vnknowne vnto me and therfore I ought to submit my selfe in al reproofe and to take the same paciently and quietly which thing if I haue not at any time done forgiue me fauorably bestow this benefite vpon me againe that I may hence foorth shewe my selfe more pacient For thy singuler mercy is more profitable to the attaining of pardon then is the opinion of mine owne goodnesse to the defense of my secrete and hid conscience And though I be giltie to my selfe of no sinne yet am I not therefore to be quitte bicause if thy mercy were set a side no man liuing shoulde bée iudged for righteous in thy sight That all greeuous things must be suffered paciently for the lyfe euerlasting The Lij Chapter LORDE SOnne be not eyther brought low with trauailes which thou hast taken in hand for my sake or so greatly discouraged with aduersities but that my pormise may strengthen and comfort thée in all chaunces which am apt yneugh to restore large rewards Thou shalt not labor long in this life nor shalt alwaies be vexed with sorrowes Tarie my leysure a whyle and thou shalt sée a spéedie ende of euils the time shall come when al labor and turmoile shal ceasse It is but trifling and short what soeuer hath an end in time Wherfore go forward as thou hast begon labor faithfully in my vineyard I will be thy reward Write reade sing sigh hold thy peace pray beare out aduersitie like a mā The life euerlasting is worthy al these yea and greater fights Peace shall come vppon thée one daye which is knowne vnto the Lord and it shal not then be the day or night of this time that we liue in but euerlasting light infinit brightnesse firme peace safe rest ease Then shalt thou not thus say Would God I were delyuered from the body of this death Nor yet shalt thou cry thus Alack poore soule that must dwell in thys lyfe so long For both death shal be throwne downe headlong there and there shall be health that shall neuer die no anguishe but blessed ioy swéete and honest company O that thou hadst seene the perpetual crownes of the saints in heauē and with how great glory they now also triumph and reioyce which being once despised of this world were thought then euen vnworthy of their liues Surely thou wouldest forthwith cast thy selfe downe to the grounde and haddest liesser euen to obay all men then to beare rule ouer but one man neither wouldest thou couet the merie daies of this life but rather wouldest reioyce to be pressed with aduersitie for Gods sake and wouldest count it for very great gaine to be had in no maner of regard at al among men Now if these things did like thée and were suffered to sincke soin what déepely into thy minde thou shouldest not dare so much as once to complaine Nay all painefull thinges must be borne for euerlasting life I tel you For either to attaine or to léese the kingdom of heauen is a matter of great importance Lift vp thine eies into heauen beholde where all my faints be present with me who suffred sharpe battaile in thys life Now they reioyce now they take cōfort now they are safe now they take their rest to abide with me in the kingdome of my father for euer Of the day of euerlastingnesse and the anguishes or troubles of this life The Liij Chapter SERVANT O Most blessed Mansion of the supernall Citie O most cleare day of euerlastingnesse which no night doth darcken but the hyghest truth doth alwayes spread hir beames vpon O day alwaies ioyful alwaies safe of state neuer to be changed to the cōtrary O would to God that that day had once shined ouer vs and all these mortall thinges were come to an ende No doubt the same doth shine bright vnto the saintes wyth continuall cléerenesse but yet a farre off as it were in a glasse bicause they are yet but traueilers vpon the earth The Citizens of heauen doe knowe how ioyfull those thinges bée The banished children of Eue doe sighe for that this day of this time both short wicked and full of sorrowes and anguishes is so bytter and so replenished with troubles in which man is defiled with so many sins is entrapped or entangled with so many euils is vexed with so many feares is occupied with so many carkes cares is diuersly drawen with so many curiosities is inwrapped with so many vanities is compassed about with so many errors is worne out with so many labors is thrust downe with so many temptacions is weakened with so many delicates dainties is tormented with so great pouerty

thou shalt in vaine desire to haue no more but one daye one houre to amende thy lyfe Therefore bestirre thy selfe and wey déepely from how great daunger thou shalt be rid how great a mischiefe thou mayst auoyde if thou alwayes warily foresée death Endeuor so nowe presentlye to liue that at the houre of thy death thou mayst rather reioyce than bée afearde Learne now to die to the worlde that then thou mayst liue with Christ Learne nowe to contemne all things that then thou mayst fréely passe forwarde vnto Christ Subdue thy body nowe with repentance and amendment of life that thou mayst haue assured confidence and trust in Christ. Ah foole wherfore doest thou think that thou shalt liue long séeing thou hast no warrant for one day here How many haue béene deceyued and taken out of the worlde sodainly How many times hast thou heard it spoken He was slayne with the Sworde that man was drowned in the water That man fell downe and broke his neck He dyed with meate in his mouth Hée ended his lyfe in playing another with fire another wyth sworde another wyth plague or pestilence another was slayne of théeues Thus death is the ende of all and the life of men passeth away like a certaine shadow Who shall help thée when thou art deade if thou forgo the occasion when thou are alyue Now nowe I say it is time to be dooing whilst both thou art ignoraunt of the houre of death and mayst also safely looke to thy selfe against the time to tome Whilest thou hast time heape vp vnto thy selfe immortall ryches thinke vppon nothing else but vppon thy saluation and passe onely vpon heauenly things Procure thée friendes now that may receiue thee when thou art dead into euerlasting tabernacles Become a Pilgrime and stranger on the earth as vnto whome worldely businesse doth nothing belong Haue a soule frée and lyfted vpward vnto god séeing thou hast no long dwelling or aboade in this life Dyrect thy Prayers and dayly sighyngs wyth teares vnto that place that thy spirite after death may blessedly flit vnto God. Of the last iudgement of God and punishment of sinners The .xxiiij. Chapter IN all things haue an eye to the ende and after what sort thou shalt stande before that seuere Iudge from whom nothing is hid who neither is pacified with bribes nor alloweth vnreasonable excuses but doth iudge according to vprightnesse and truth O wretched foolish art thou O thou sinfull man what aunswere wilt thou make vnto almightie God which knoweth all thy sinnes who sometimes fearest the countenaunce of an angrie man why doest thou not looke vnto thy self against the day of that iudgement wherin no body can be excused or defended by his Attorney For euery man shall haue ynough to aunswere for himselfe Nowe is thy labor profitable if thou list now is thy mourning accepted now may thy sighing be harde and thy repentance pacifie God and purge thy selfe And wholy is the pacient man purged after a healthful sort who receiuing iniury is more sory for the wickednesse of an other man than for the wrong that is done vnto himselfe and gladly craueth pardō for his enimies and forgyueth them with his hart and doth not slacke or foreslow the time himselfe to aske forgiuenesse of them and sooner pittieth than is angrie and oftentymes doth vse violence and compulsion to his owne selfe and endeuoreth to make his fleshe wholye subiect vnto the spirite Now these things are not to bée dryuen off from time to time but must be practised in this life and that also quickely Howbeit we surely doe deceyue our selues through the inordynate loue of our flesh I pray you what else shall that fire burne than sinnes The more thou shalte now fauourably yéelde vnto thy selfe shalt obey thy fleshe so much the more gryeuous punishement shalt thou suffer afterwarde and so much the more plentifull matter shalt thou heape vp to thy selfe to be burned For looke in what things euery man hath sinned in the same shal he be punished againe according to the greatnesse of the sinne There shall the slouthfull be pricked wyth hote burning prickes There shall the Gluttons be tormented wyth bytter hunger and thyrst There shall the lecherous and louers of pleasures be bathed in burning Pitch and stincking Brymstone There shall the enuious howle out like mad Dogges and euery vice shall bée punished wyth hys owne torment There shall the prowd be ouerwhelmed with all reproche and rebuke the couetous persons shall be vexed with most my serable néedinesse To be shorte there one houre of punishment shall be more tedyous and paynefull than was a long time here in the betteryng of our manners There the wretches haue no rest no comfort but here yet is somewhat a pawse of sorrowe and the comforting of our friendes doth quiet our hearts Wherefore be carefull now and be sorie for thy sinnes that in the day of that iudgement thou mayest safely reioyce wyth the blessed For then shall the iust stand with great constancie agaynst those of whome they haue béene vexed and oppressed Then shall he sit as Iudge which nowe humblye submytteth hymselfe to the iudgement of menne Then shall the poore and modest person bée of great fayth and trust whilest the prowde bée in feare altogyther Then shall he séeme to haue béene wise in this lyfe which learned to be a foole and an abiect for Christ his sake Then shall the remembraunce of miserie paciently suffered be pleasant when as all the vnrighteous in the meane time shal be mute and silent Then shall all the godly reioyce all the vngodly shall mourne and sorrowe Then shall the man that before was vexed more triumph reioyce then if he had béene brought vp in continuall dainties then shall course apparell glister and fine garments be dimmed and disgraced Then shall the poore cottage be more praysed then is now the gilded Pallace Then shall constant pacience helpe more then all the power of the world Then shall simple obedience be more extolled then all the subteltie of men Then shal a cleane and good conscience more reioyce a man then learned philosophie Then shal the contempt of riches be of greater price then the whole treasure of all the worlde Then shall godly prayer cause greater comfort vnto thée then the eating of dayntie meates Then shalt thou more reioyce for kéeping of silence than for long bablyng Then thy Godly déedes shall be of more power than aboundant eloquence Then shall straight lyfe and austeritie in correctyng of maners be more pleasaunt than all earthly delectacion Wherefore learne nowe to suffer small trifles that then thou mayst be able to be deliuered from the heauier burthens Examine before in this lyfe what afterwardes thou canst well abyde And in case thou canst not nowe beare so small things howe shalt thou bée able then to suffer euerlasting torments And if nowe so little a payne doe make thée impacient what will

Hell fyre then make thee For surely thou mayest not bée twyse happye or blessed both to enioye pleasures in thys lyfe and afterwarde to reygne also wyth Christ in Heauen And nowe put case thou hast hytherto lyued in continuall honour and pleasures what good shoulde all these things haue done thée if it had chaunced thée to dye out of hande Doest thou not sée that all thinges are but vaine beside the loue and the seruice of God onely For he that loueth God wyth all hys heart the same feareth neither death nor punishment nor iudgement nor Hell bicause perfite loue doth make safe accesse to almightie god But it is no woonder if he feare death and iudgement which yet taketh delyte in sinne Notwythstanding it is expedient if loue doe not yet reclayme thée from euill that the feare of Hell fyre doe at least wyse brydle thée But he that refuseth the feare of GOD the same person can not long continue in goodnesse but runneth quickly into the trappes and snares of the Deuill Of the zealous amendment of our whole lyfe The .xxv. Chapter BE watchful and diligent in the seruice of God and consider whervnto thou wast ordeyned and for what cause thou hast giuen ouer the world namely that thou mightest liue vnto God become an heauenly person Therfore be feruent to come forward For thou shalt shortly receiue the rewarde of thy traueyles neyther shall there be any feare or sorrow afterward within thy boundes or limits A little whiles shalt thou now labour and so shalt finde great rest nay rather continuall ioy If thou wilt shew thy selfe faithful or nimble still in doing God vndoubtedly will declare himselfe faithfull bountifull in rewarding Nourishe inwardly a good hope to obtaine the victorie but retchlessenesse must be auoided least thou be blunt and dull or else doe waxe prowd There was sometime a certaine man which carefullye tossed betwéene feare and hope dyd humbly say thus whilst he was in praying O that I knew certainely that I should perseuere And forthwith he hard this aunswere from GOD within himselfe in his owne soule And what then if thou diddest know it Wouldest thou willingly doe it Go to then doe nowe but as thou wouldest thē haue done haue thou no doubt of perseuerance He being forthwith cōfirmed with this comfort did cōmit himselfe to the wil of God so ceassed his careful doubtfulnesse neither woulde he curiously search what should become of him but rather endeuored to séeke out what thing was conuenient vnto the will of God and acceptable and perfite vnto the same to begin and finish wel dooing Put thy trust in the Lord and do well saith the Prophet and thou shalt inhabite the earth and shalt be fed with the plentie therof One thing there is that withdraweth manye men from comming forwarde and from feruent correction of themselues The horriblenesse of the difficultie of it and the traueyle of the fight and combat Surely they doe most of all other come forward in vertues which endeuour with their powers to conquere most grieuous things and such as are most of all contrarye vnto themselues For euery man doth come forwarde so much the better and obtaine the more ample grace of god as that the more he ouercommeth and subdueth himselfe by Gods helpe But a like power is not in all men to ouercome and mortifie themselues howbeit the same that shal the more diligently ytch forward this worke it is euen he that shall be sturdyer or stronger to mooue foorth effectuallye though he must beare the mo things paciently thā an other otherwise well ynough fashioned of nature yet somewhat sluggish to vertue Nowe two thinges there are chiefly that make much for men to the amendement of themselues that is to withdrawe themselues violently from those thinges vnto which our corrupt nature is prone and againe to apply our selues with tooth nayle vnto that good thing whereof we haue néede Againe thou must especially take héede of those thinges maister them which doe most of all and most often mislyke thée in other men Fynde the meanes that thou mayest take commoditye and aduantage of all things that in case thou sée before thyne eyes or heare of any examples of wel dooing that be kindled and prouoked to doe the lyke But if thou perceyue any thing worthye dysprayse take héede that thy selfe doe not the lyke or if at anye tyme thou hast so done quickely endeuor to amende thy selfe Lyke as thou hast thine eies bent vpon other men euen so haue other men likewise their eyes bent vppon thée Howe pleasaunt and swéete a thing is it to beholde zealous and Godlye Christians well nurtured and obedyent to the dyscipline of Christ And agayne howe sorrowfull and grieuous a thyng is it to sée men lyuing inordinately and not exercising those things where vnto they are called how greatly hurtefull is it to forsake the purpose of thy calling and to bende thy selfe to those things which are no poynt of thy charge Be myndfull of thy purpose or profession and set the remembraunce of Christ crucified before thine eies when thou beholdest his lyfe be ashamed of thy selfe the hast not all thys while shewed thy selfe more diligent in following of Christ his steppes whereas neuerthelesse thou hast a long time professed a Christian lyfe Surely if the Godly person doe practise himselfe attentiuelye and wyth bent studye vppon that most holy lyfe of Iesus and the torments of his passion the same shall there plentifully finde all thyngs profitable and necessary for him Neyther is it néedefull for him to séeke for anye better thyng beside Iesus Christ. If Iesus crucified might enter into our hart how soone and sufficiently should wée become learned A feruent and zealous Christian man doth and beareth wyth facy litie that which hée is commaunded but if the same partly be negligent and but warm he then is pressed downe with calamities vppon calamities and is vexed rounde aboute wyth anguishe and sorrowes bycause hée is both voyde of inwarde comfort and also forbidden to séeke after the outwarde comfort And whosoeuer at all doth go out of the boundes of the discipline of Christ the same is subiect to a gryeuous fall and hée that séeketh for a more loose and siacke lyfe the same is alwayes vexed and tormented bycause there is euermore somewhat that maye myslyke him Set before thée rather that streight life and full of Godlinesse of those holy Apostles and Disciples of Christ and make thy reckening to follow their steps and as touching the good will of God towarde thee put no doubts but he wll readily graunt strength vnto thee for those thinges By thys meanes thou shalt become full of strength and hope By this meanes thou shalt with an heauenly gate so traueyle thyther that thou mayest despise all worldely things And would to God we had nothyng else at all to doe and to trouble vs but to prayse God

there is falling into the huge and vnmeasurable sea as it were of ioyes wyth which the Godly doe flow and are alway replenished all that is by and by quenched and vanisheth to naught For there is neuer any place left open for heauinesse there where Christ the fountaine of true gladnesse is To make short howsoeuer the worlde goeth with them the godly doe alway either simply and without stop reioyce in the Lorde or else doe take things to hart but for a tyme for other mens sakes or in fine if they conceyue anye sorrowe in their mind for God and his glory which it gréeueth them to see defaced yet they forth with féele al that same to be exchaunged for incredible gladnesse and to be taken away cleane with spiritual comfort And herevnto maketh that saying of Paule to the Corinthians I wrote to you quoth he this same thing least if I had come vnto you I shoulde take sorow by those things of which it behoued mee to take pleasure hauing this trust toward you all that my ioy is all your ioyes For I haue written vnto you out of much afflictiō and anguish of hart by many teares not that you should be cast into heauinesse but that ye might know the loue which I haue somewhat abundantly towarde you And agayne Whē we were come into Macedonia our fleshe had no reliefe but we were afflicted in all thinges Outwardly we had fights or contentions inwardly terrours Howbeit the God that comforteth the humble hath comforted vs by the comming of Titus c. The same Paule writeth also to the Philippians touching his sorow And surely he was weake sayth he so that he was at deaths doore But God tooke pittie vpon him and not on him onelye but also on mee least I shoulde haue one sorowe vpon an other Therefore haue I sent him the more deligently that when ye sawe him yee might agayne reioyce I might be the more voyd of sorow And to the Thessalonians likewyse Therefore haue we receyued comfort bretherne by you in each of our afflictions necessities thorow your fayth by cause we do now liue if you stande in the lord For what thankesgiuing can we repayre vnto God for you in all our ioy which we reioyce for you in the sight of our God praying both day and night incessantly that we may see your face may supply those things which are lacking vnto your faith Here hast thou nowe howe the godly are woont both to be sory oftētimes and yet for all that to reioyce in the Lorde Such is that saying of Paule also vnto the Romaynes I say the truth in Christ I lye not mine owne conscience bearing mee witnesse withall by the holy ghost that I haue exceeding great sorow and continuall torment in mine heart For I my selfe woulde wish to become an excommunicated or cursed thing frō Christ for my brethren my kinsfolke as pertayning to the flesh This in déede is the sorrow of loue towarde our neyghbour or brother and may stand very well togither with the reioyce of fayth towarde God so that he which thus mourneth doth neuerthelesse alwayes reioyce in the Lord euen touching the ciuill or outwarde forme and conuersation of lyfe also For the godly by the Apostles saying doe liue alway without carke and care rest still content with their state or calling take in good woorth thinges present doe not greatly torment themselues with the lacke of thinges to come doe reioyce and cheare vp their owne soule in their owne trauaile as sayeth the Preacher doe take their meate with thankesgiuing doe vse or occupye such commodities as they haue at hande for their necessitie and that reuerently as the gifts of God being ioyfull doe leade an honest and quiet life neuer carefull for the morrow with thought and pensiuenesse bycause Christ teacheth that euery dayes affliction is sufficient for it selfe doe not wilfully worke their owne sorow or harme or procure themselues vexations and troubles doe not reiect and refuse such goods as God hath giuen them doe not créepe into some solitarie corner to liue the more at their ease and quiet Neuerthelesse the same doe take the troubles that God hath sent them paciently and are nothing agréeued with the losse of their goods and doe alwayes giue thankes vnto God for all weale and wo whatsoeuer shall hap To be short they depende wholy vpon God they haue all their dainties and all that they count good setled in God onely they euery where looke vpon the minde or will of God alone they frame apply themselues altogither to gods pleasure and commaundement doe ioyfully rest in the loue and good will of God towarde them with all their heart enioye things present gape not gréedily after things to come Thus doe they alwaye reioyce in the Lorde To this belong those sayings out of Salomons booke entituled the Preacher I knowe quoth he that there is nothing better for euery man than to be glad and to delight hys owne lyfe and to eate and to drinke and to be made mery or frolicke with his owne labour This is Gods gift Salomon doth not here like some Epicure exhort and encourage to excesse gluttonie surfeite nor to a voluptuous and Sybariticall life as they call it but to vse and enioy Gods present benefits and good gifts with chearfulnesse and thankesgiuing who abundauntly giueth all things to enioy as the Apostle sayth and filleth euery liuing thing with his blessing as the Psalmist Dauid sayth The same Salomō thus teacheth When God hath giuen wealth and riches vnto a man sayth he this is the gift to God that he may eate and drincke of them for his portion and may haue delight in his owne labor For such a man is not carefullye mindefull of the dayes of his life bycause God doth fill his heart with gladnesse Yea many tymes elsewhere also the same Salomon biddeth vs to let vnprofitable cares and vayne thought of mynde go to be of good cheare to be quiet and pacient in what case so euer we stande Her vnto maketh that saying of the same Salomon wherein he exhorteth lyke as he dyd before the faythfull and the louers of God Go sayth he and eate thy breade in gladnes and drincke thy wine with a chearefull hart bycause thy workes doe now please God Let thy garments be whyte at all tymes and annoynt thy head with oyle c. In so manye troubles and infinite cares and miseries of this lyfe Salomon will yet haue the godly to be of good chéere and courage and not to bée carefull and take thought to reioyce alway in the Lord not to fret and vexe themselues That thing can come to no man but through the blessing of God like as he also doth many tymes testifie as when he sayth God giueth wisedome and knowledge and gladnesse to the man that pleaseth him But to the sinner he giueth carefulnesse that he may encrease gather togither and so it