Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	believe_v	everlasting_a	only_a	4,227	5	6.5529	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

receiue the sounde of that noyse that God maketh vnto them and take no héede at all vnto the noises of this world Blessed altogither are the eares which harcken not vnto the voyce that soundeth outwardelye but heareth the truth and speakeing inwardlye Blessed are the eyes which being shut vnto outward thinges are wholly bent vpon inward things Blessed are they that pierce vnto inward things and doe more and more endeuor to prepare thēselues by daily exercises to receiue heauenly secrets Blessed are they that take it ioyefully to giue themselues vnto god and to ridde themselues from all worldely let Marke these things O my soule and shutte foorth desires that thou mayest able to heare what thing the LORD God doth speake in thée Thy friende speaketh these things I am thy health and saluation I am thy peace I am thy lyfe cleaue first vnto me and thou shalt finde peace Let passe all worldly things and séeke for euerlastyng things For what are all temporall thinges but onely very deceites Or what doe all the Creatures profite thée if thou be forsaken of the Creator Wherfore reiecting al things make thy selfe accepted and faythfull to thy Creator that thou mayest be able to attayne vnto true blessednesse That the truth doth speake within vs without noyse of wordes The .ij. Chapter SPeake Lorde for thy seruant doth hearcken I am thy seruant giue me vnderstanding that I maye learne thy lawes and decrées Incline my soule to the wordes of thy mouth bicause thy talke floweth lyke vnto dewe The Israelites sayd to Moyses in olde time Speake thou vnto vs and wee will heare thee but let not the Lorde speake least we shoulde die Howbeit I pray not so O Lorde I pray not so but rather with the Prophet Samuell doe humbly and earnestly beséeche thée thus speake on Lorde For thy seruaunt doth hearken And let not Moyses or any other of the Prophets speake vnto mée but doe thou rather speake vnto me O God being the inspirer and gyuer of life vnto al the Prophets who art able alone without them to instruct me Whereas they on the other side wythout thée can preuayle nothing In déede they may vtter and sounde foorth the wordes but the spirite they doe not giue They speake in déede very trimlye but if thou holde thy peace they doe not kindle and stirre vp the soule They teache the letters but thou openest the meaning They speake foorth the secretes but thou vnlockest the vnderstanding of the thinges signified They vtter the commaundements but thou helpest to performe the same They shewe the waye but thou giuest strength to walke ouer the same they handle the matter outwardlye but thou instructest and gyuest lyght vnto the minds They water outwardly but thou giuest the fruitfulnesse They cry out in words but thou giuest vnderstanding to the hearer Wherfore let not Moises speak vnto me but thou O Lorde my God beyng the euerlasting truth least I die and be made vnfruitefull or least if I shall be admonished outwardly onely and not also kindled or inflamed within thy worde being hearde not practised knowne not loued beléeued and not kept make but vnto my punishment Therfore do thou speake O Lord for thy seruant doth giue eare For thou hast the words of euerlasting life Speake vnto me I saye that thing which may bring both comfort vnto my soule and amendement vnto my whole life and also may cause glory and immortall honour vnto thée That the wordes of God are to be heard humbly and that the same notwithstanding be not pondred and weyed of most men The thirde Chapter LORDE SOnne heare my words being wordes most swéete and pleasant and such as doe excell all the wysedome of the Philosophers and wise of this worlde My words are spirite and life and not to bée wayed with mans wit and policie nor yet to be drawn vnto vaine pleasure but to be hard with silence and to be receiued with all modestie and godlynesse SERVANT Blessed is he whome thou instructest and traynest vp in knowledge O Lorde and doest teache thy lawe that thou mayest helpe him in time of trouble that hée perish not LORDE I both haue taught the Prophets long since in olde time and euen yet also now doe not cease to speake vnto all men Howebeit many are deafe and hard hearted at my voyce Most men doe more willingly heare the worlde than God and doe sooner obey the appetite and desire of their owne fleshe than the wyll of god The worlde promyseth but temporall and small thyngs and yet is it serued with great gréedinesse I doe promise excéeding great and euerlasting things yet are the hearts of men heauy and dull What is he that serueth and obeieth me in al things wyth so great care as the worlde and the LORDE of the worlde are serued Bée ashamed of it and if thou wouldest knowe why hearken and giue eare vnto me Many men doe run a great iourney for a little wages or hier and there be scarcely a fewe that will once step forward a fote to get euerlasting life A vile rewarde is painefully sought for men doe shamefullye go to lawe togither sometime for a small péece of money and men doubt not both day and night to be tryed for a vaine tryfle and small promise but it yrketh them to traueyle euen the least thing in the worlde for a good thing vnchaungeable for a rewarde vnestimable for honor excéeding and for glory immortall Therefore be thou ashamed thou slow complayning seruant bycause they are more ready and quicke vnto destruction than thou art vnto lyfe and doe more reioyce in vanitie than thou in truth And as for them they are disappoined of their hope sometime but my promise deceiueth no man nor sendeth any man away vnspedde of his erraunt putting his trust in mée That which I promise and prouounce in words the same doe I performe and fulfill in déede in case a man doe perseuere stil vnto the ende in the loue of me I am the rewarder of all good thinges I am also an earnest searcher and tryer of all the godly Wryte my wordes in thy heart and occupie thy selfe diligently about the same For they shall bée verye necessary in the time of thy trouble The things that thou vnderstandest not when thou readest them the same shalt thou knowe in the time of thy curyng and healyng And after two sortes am I woont to cure and heale my elect that is wyth temptacyon and wyth comforte and the same I dailye scoole twoo wayes Fyrst in fynding faulte wyth theyr sinnes then with exhorting and stirring them vp vnto the increase of vertues He that hath my words and despiseth the same he hath that of which he shall be cōdemned in the last day ¶ A prayer by which heauenly doctrine and religion is called for The .iiij. Chapter SERVANT O My God which art my whole goodnesse who am I that I dare bée so bolde as to speake vnto

that is pacient in deede 71 Of the confession of a mannes owne infirmitie and of the miseries of this life 80 That we must rest and repose our selues in God aboue all good things and gifts 82 Of the recouncing of so many benefites of God. 84 Of foure things which doe procure peace 85 ¶ A prayer against euill thoughts 86 ¶ Prayers to obtayne the lightning of the minde 86 Of the auoyding of curious enquiry how another man doth liue 87 In what things stedfast peace of minde and true profiting doth consist 88 Of the excellencie of a free minde and likewyse that humble prayer is better than reading 89 That men are most of all hindered from the comming to the hyghest felicitie through the loue of themselues 90 ¶ Prayers to attayne to cleannesse of mynde and the heauenly wysedome 90 Against yll speakers 91 How God must be called vpon and praysed in aduersities 91 Of crauing of Gods helpe and confidence to recouer grace 92 Of despising of all things in the worlde that the Creator may be founde 94 Of the denyall of a mans selfe and the putting of all desire from him 96 Of the instabilitie of mans minde and of setting God before himselfe aboue all things 97 That there is pleasure aboue all thinges and in all things to one that loueth God. 97 That this life is neuer in safetie from temptations 99 Against the vaine iudgements of men 100 Of the pure and entire yeelding vp of himselfe to the attayning of the libertie of mynde 101 Of conuenient dealing in outwarde things and flying vnto God in daungers 101 That man be not importunate in his businesse 102 That man hath no goodnesse of himselfe nor that he can boast of any thing 103 Of the contempt of mortall honour 104 That a man must not set his peace vpon men 104 Against vayne and worldly knowledge 105 Of not drawing outwarde things vnto a man. 106 That we must not beleeue all men and that we soone fall and offende in wordes 107 Of putting thy trust in God if thou be assayled wyth the dartes of euill tongues 108 That all grieuous things must be suffered paciently for the lyfe euerlasting 110 Of the daye of euerlastingnesse and the anguishe or troubles of this lyfe 111 Of the desire of lyfe euerlasting and how great good things are promised to them that fight 113 How a man being pressed downe with euilles ought to yeelde himselfe vp vnto God. 106 That we must rest vpon base or course works when we depart from the highest workes 118 That man ought to thinke himself worthy not of comfort but of stripes 119 That Gods fauour hath nothing to doe wyth those men whose mindes are earthly 120 Of the diuers motions of Nature and of Grace 121 Of the corruption of Nature and of the power and strength of Gods grace 124 We ought to deny our selues and to follow Christ by his crosse 126 That man be not ouermuch discouraged if at any time he haue fallen into any offence 127 Of learning the deper things and the hid iudgements of God vnsearched 128 That all hope and trust must be fixed in God alone 131 Finis Tabulae The glory of the Honorable is the the feare of God. HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE Of the contempt of vvordly vanities The first Chapter ¶ He that followeth mee doth not walke in darcknesse but hath the light of lyfe THese are Christe hys owne wordes by the which we are admonished to follow his lyfe maners if wée desire to be lyghtned truely deliuered from all blindnesse of hart Therfore we ought to meditate ponder the lyfe of Christ wyth excéeding great studie and desire For vndoubtedly the doctrine of Christ doth passe all the doctrine of all good men that euer were and in case a man be indued wyth the spirit of Christ the same doth finde in his Worde a secret or hidden Manna Howbeit it happeneth that many doe therfore conceyue small desire by the often hearing of the Gospel preached bicause the same are voyde of the spirite of christ For assuredly if a man will vnderstand Christ his wordes fully with delectacion he must of necessitie endeuor to fashiō out his whole lyfe according to his exāple What good doth difficult reasoning about the Trinitie in case thou be voyd of humblenesse of minde doth therefore offende the blessed Trinitie Surely they are not harde sayings that can make a holy iust man but it is a studious lyfe that doth make one beloued of god I had rather féele the repentance of my sinnes within my selfe than vnderstande after what sorte repentaunce is defined If thou haue al the scriptures by hart yea and all the witty sayings of the Philosophers to what good do all these without Charitie the grace of God Vanitie is vaine all things are but vanitie besides the loue of God and hys only seruice That whē all is done is highest wisdome to go on vnto the Kingdome of Heauen by contemning of the Worlde It is vanitie for a man to séeke transitorie riches and to put his hope in the same It is vanitie for a man to séeke for honour promotion to aduance himself Vanitie it is to folow the lusts of the flesh to couet those things which shall afterwardes cause one grieuously to be punished Vanitie it is to wishe for long life all that whyle to make small accompt of a good life Vanitie it is to looke vpon the life present onely neuer to cast what will come after Vanitie it is to loue those things which do passe away with in credible swiftnesse yet not to make haste to that place where ioy doth endure euerlastingly Be oftē mindful of the prouerb which saith Neither is the eie satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing Wherefore endeuour thou to withdraw thy minde frō the loue of transitorie things be take thy selfe to thinges that be Heauenly For they which be obedient to his owne lustes the same do both defile their minds with the cōscience of sinne doe therby also forgo the grace and fauor of God. Of Modestie The seconde Chapter ALl men are naturally desirous of learning But what good doth knowledge that is voide of Religion Euen the basest Husbandeman that is hauing the true feare of God with him is in all respects to be preferred before the loftie Philosopher who by Astronomicall speculation occupieth his head about the course of heauē without the regarde of himselfe Hee that knoweth himselfe aright the same setteth but small store by himselfe neyther is he tickled with worldly praises Though I haue knowledge of all things in the worlde and yet doe want the loue of GOD what good shall the same doe me before God who will iudge me according to my déedes Giue ouer gréedie desire to learne which diuersly distracteth the minde and deceiueth it For the learned sort haue desire to be

thy self the néerer thou shalt approche onto mée Lyke as to couet nothyng outwardly is the cause of inwarde peace euen so to forsake himself inwardelye doth ioyne a man vnto God I will haue thée to learne à perfite denial of thy self in my wil without any gaynesaying complaint Follow me I am the way the truth and the lyfe Without way there is no traueyling without truth the way is vnknowne without life we liue not I am the way by which thou must goe the truth which thou must beléeue the life which thou must hope for I am the ready way the truth neuer deceiuing the life without ende I am the most straight waye the highest truth the true life the blessed the increated or vnmade If thou wilt perseuere in my way thou shalt knowe the truth and the truth shall so deliuer thée that thou mayst attaine euerlasting life If thou wilt get life obay my commaundements If thou wilt follow the truth beléeue in me If thou wylt bée perfite sell all thinges If thou wilt be my Disciple denie thy selfe If thou wilt attaine to the blessed life despise the life present If thou wilt be exalted in Heauen thrust downe thy selfe vpon the earth If thou wilt raygne with me then be are my Crosse with me For the seruaunts of the Crosse onely doe find the way of blessednesse and true lyght SERVANT O Lorde Iesu Christ forasmuch as thy way is narrow and hatefull to the worlde make me with thée to despyse the worlde For the seruant is not greater then the Lorde nor the 〈◊〉 aboue his Mayster Let thy seruaunt be exercised in thy way séeing that my sauing health and true holinesse is there to be founde of me Beside that whatsoeuer I eyther reade or heare the same doth not fully refreshe or delight me LORDE Sonne séeing thou both hast read knowest al those things thou shalt be blessed if thou wilt practise and perfourme them Hée that both knoweth doth my commaundements the same loueth me and I will likewise loue him will open my selfe vnto him and will cause that he may sit wyth me in the kingdome of my father SERVANT Lorde bring to passe therefore that these thinges maye happen vnto mée which thou hast sayde and promysed I haue receyued a Crosse at thy handes I will paciently beare the same euen to the very death according as thou haste enioyned vnto mée Surely the lyfe of the Chrystian man is a Crosse but by this waye men go into Paradise We may not go backe againe or leaue off our enterprise To it nowe chéerefully Brethren let vs go on togither Iesus wyll bée present wyth vs For Iesus sake haue we taken vp this crosse For Iesus sake let vs perseuer and continue in the crosse The same Iesus shall be our helper which is both our guide and leader and goeth also before vs Beholde oure Kyng which shall fight for vs doth goe before vs Let vs follow like men Let no man be striken with feare let vs be readye manfullye to dye in battayle and let vs not staine our glorie by running away backe agayne from the Crosse. That man be not ouermuch discouraged if at any time he haue fallen into any offense The Lxij Chapter LORDE SOnne pacience and humblenesse of mind in aduersitie doth more please mée then much cōfort and godlinesse in prosperitie Why art thou vexed wyth so small a thing spoken against thée which though it were greater yet oughtest thou not to be mooued to impacience Passe not vpon this thing it is neyther first nor strang nor it shal not be last if thou liue longer Thou art man like inough so long as no aduersity doth come against thée yea thou canst giue good counsel to other and canst tel how to confirm chéere them vp with thy words but when sodaine calamitie is at thy doore then art thou destitute of counsel strength Consider how great thy frailtie is which thou makest profe of many times in smal and trifling matters Howbeit both these things al other like vnto these doe make for thy saluation Cast these things out of thy minde accordyng as thou knowest thou must do But if they nippe thée endeuor that they either cast thée not downe or do long time kéepe thée troubled and if thou canst not take them ioyfully at the least wise beare thē paciently But if thou heare such things vnwillingly and doest féele indignation in thy selfe represse and kéepe in thy selfe and suffer nothing once to come one of thy mouth wherby the litle ones should bée offended By thys meanes shall it be brought to passe that both this affection may be forthwith setled and the gréese of the minde waxe swéete the fauor of God returning to thée againe I am yet aliue saith the Lord ready to helpe thée to comfort thée more then I was woont if puttyng thy trust in me thou wilt cal vpon me deuoutly Be of a more pacient minde prepare thy selfe to greater sufferaunce Thou must not therefore be discouraged if thou sée thy self to be oftentimes afflicted and grieuously tempted Thou art a man and not a God Thou art flesh thou art no Angell Mayest thou be able alwayes to abyde still in one state of vertue when the same hath béene wanting both to the Aungel in heauen and to the first man in Paradise as the which did not long remayne in perfite case I am he that will both raise vp the mourners vnto health will lift vp vnto my dignitie those men that doe acknowledge their owne infirmity SERVANT Lord I giue thée thankes for thy sayings which to me are more swéete thā honie and the hony combe What could I doe in so great calamities and anguishes vnlesse thou didst strengthen me with this thy holy talk So that I may at the last come vnto the hauē of saluation what matter maketh it what and how great things I do suffer Giue me a good ende graunt me a happye departure out of this life be mindefull of me O my God and directe or setle me in the straight way of thy kingdome Amen Of leauing the deeper things the hid iudgements of God vnsearched The Lxiij Chapter LORDE SOnne beware thou doe not dispute about highe matters and the hidde or secret iudgements of God why this man is thus forsaken left to himselfe that other man is increased with so great fauour this man so much tormēted that man so highly aduanced These things do surmout mans capacity neither is any reason of disputacion full ynough to search out the bottome of gods meaning purpose Therefore if at any time the enimy do minister these things vnto thée or else some curious persons aske thée the question make answere with that saying of the Prophet Thou art iust O Lorde and thy iudgement is right And likewise that saying The iudgementes of the Lorde are true and agreeable to equitie My iudgementes must be

refuseth not to beare pacientlye suffer whatsoeuer it pleaseth God he shall and he taketh in very good part what so euer hath happened He knoweth that all thynges doe turne vnto good to such as be Godly and feare the lord He knoweth that those are reprooued corrected and chastised whome the Lorde loueth He knoweth that euery sonne is scourged of the Lord whome he receyueth He knoweth that he is touched with such vexations to the ende he shoulde repent amend that he shoulde make his inuocation prayer vnto God the more feruentlie that he should despise wordly things vtterly and trauaile to the heauenly things with the greater desires and sighes He knoweth that the Godly are tried with aduersitie as gold is with the fire and that the same is giuen of God as it were for a matter to kéepe his obedience in exercise He knoweth that the affliction that endureth but a moment and is but light doth worke in vs a glory that is euerlasting and more heauy than al poise or weight as the Apostle saith that the troubles of this present worlde are not worthy to be compared with that glory that shall be reuealed towarde vs Therefore he reioyceth euen in the middest of his calamities and afflictions he acknowledgeth the goodnesse of God being mery and chearefull he giueth the Lorde thanks for all things Euen thus forsooth Paule the blessed Apostle of God reioiceth alwaies in the Lord in so many vexations trauailes aduersities so many miseries so huge euilles as he paciently beareth for the Gospels sake Euen vnto this time sayth he we are both a hungry a thirst and are naked and are beaten or buffeted with fistes and doe go vp and down without any certaine dwelling place doe labour working with our owne hands being reuiled yet we blesse being euill spoken of yet wee praye wee are become as one woulde saye the excrements of the worlde being the refuse of all things euen vnto this daye The same Paule saith Now I reioyce ouer my afflictions for you and I supply that which was wanting of Christes afflictions in mine owne fleshe The Apostle also in another place doth declare this same ioy of his Blessed saith he be God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the father of mercies and God of al cōfort cōforting vs in al our affliction to the intent that we may cōfort them that are in any kind of affliction through the comfort wherwith God doth comfort vs c. To this purpose maketh that place As it were sorrowing yet alwayes reioycing as it were poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all thinges And againe I was filled with comfort I am full and abound excedingly with ioy in al our afflictiō The same Paule writing to the Thessalonians sayth You also haue become followers of vs and of the Lorde receyuing the worde with much affliction with ioy of the holy ghost in so much as ye haue beene an example to all the beleeuers in Macedonia Achaia Séest thou here how with the affliction of the Thessalonians he knitteth the spirituall gladnesse of the same And to this belongeth that which is in the Epistle to the Hebrues whereas it doth testifie that the beléeuers at Hierusalem did heare tell of the spoyle of their goods with ioy or gladnes And now how great cherefulnesse how great gladnesse how great boasting in the Lord do we take at Paules wordes whilest he reckeneth vp his trauailes stripes prisonments stonings shipwrackes watchinges hunger thirst colde nakednesse finallye infinite perilles often deathes And whiles at the ende he addeth Wherefore I please my selfe sayth he in infirmities in reprochful words in necessities in persecutions in anxieties for christ For when I am weake then am I strong Likewise our Sauiour Christ himselfe also biddeth them to reioyce and excéedingly to be gladde whosoeuer for the Gospels sake and for the confessing of his name are afflicted And why so I praye you Bicause sayth hee your rewarde is plenteous in heauen Herevpon also Apostles being beaten the as it is in s. Luke in the Actes what doe they They went quoth he reioycing frō the sight of the counsayle for that they were accounted worthy to suffer Contumelie for the name of Iesu. Hence commeth that excéeding great triumph of the Martyrs in their extréeme passions and torments which was not a token of any desperate fiercenesse in the minde or lacke of féele in the bodye but of the vertue and power of Christ dwelling wythin them as Paule speaketh it Howbeit some man will saye it is a swéete thing and full of comfort to suffer for Christ his sake so that a man may well haue cause to reioice at such a tyme But what Is it possible for any man to reioyce in these calamities and miseries which doe happen to vs for some other cause To answere the matter briefly and in few words The very true christiā man in the common vsual troubles of this life in sorowe sickenesse weakenesse of the bodye in banishment néede pouerty mourning losse of children losse of dignity in the perils trauailes of all sortes mens wronges infortunate successe in counsales losses and detriments of thyngs if wée wyll iudge thereof aright doth alwaye reioyce in the Lorde and that sincerely without doubt and euen from the very bottome of his heart For when he knoweth for certayntie by thé doctrine of the Gospell that God is fauourable well pleased with him for Christes sake when he knoweth that his sinnes be forgiuen him through Christ when he knoweth that he is reconciled vnto God adopted or chosen to be the sonne of God and that the inheritance of life euerlasting is promised him with this same onely thing he is in such wise delighted and hereof taketh so much most true pleasantnesse so much ioy and gladnesse that whatsoeuer calamitie doth happē in this life it is quickly ouerwhelmed with the excéeding greatnesse of this same ioy and doth scarslye séeme to be any thing at all in so much that if the worlde being dissolued might fall vpon him as a certayne Poet writeth yet shoulde the weight of it slaye him being no whit afearde therof For so far it is from the Christen or godly man to feare to quake or tremble and abhorre euen death it selfe or not to reioyce thereat as oft as it comes to remembraunce that rather he wisheth for it with all his hart which onely he is perswaded not to bée the end of lyfe but the beginning of euerlasting blisse not continuall destruction but a short passage out of this worlde vnto the father Therefore he desireth both to be dissolued with the Apostle and with Simeon to bée dimissed in peace So excéeding great is the ioy in the heart of the godly man through the knowledge of God and of hys sonne Iesu christ Hath he by some mishap lost his goods or children He cryeth with Iob The Lorde hath giuen

swéetely solace themselues with most pleasant thoughts and thinke themselues present among the companies of angels farre otherwyse than the world thinketh of them Their cogitacions are alwayes busied in the misterie of mans redemption in that Lambe which was slayne from the beginning of the world in the forgiuenesse of sins reuealed and promised by almightie God for the deliuerer to come in that séede of the woman dreading downe the head of the serpent in the séed of Abraham which is Christ as the apostle saith in that Prophet of whom Moses maketh mention in Deuteron briefly in our Lord Sauiour Iesu Christ promised vnto the fathers alreadie giuen vnto vs that is in him onely to whome all the Prophetes doe beare witnes that who so euer doth put trust of his saluatiō in him shal obtain forgiuenesse of sins by his name who came into the world to saue sinners to séeke out saue that which was lost to giue his life for the redemption of many who was sent to bring the glad wished message or Gospel vnto the poore afflicted to heale the contrite of hart to preach deliueraunce to the captiue to comfort them that mourne to deliuer the oppressed who in fine is our aduocate with the father our enterpretour and pacifier betwéene God and men the throne of grace the high bishop the greatest priest to make intercession cōtinually for vs the propitiacion for the sinnes of the world our hope lyfe righteousnesse sanctification and redemption The cōsideration of these things abandoneth heauynesse out of the mindes of the Godly and maketh them to reioyce at all tymes more than one woulde beléeue And now howe great gladnesse doe they at large enioy whiles they set before theyr eyes the holy Catholyke apostolyke right beléeuing true Christian Church or cōgreation whiles they remember that communion or felowship of saints which being euen from the very beginning of the worlde after the promise giuen touching the Messias or Sauiour to come doth continue on still euen to this daye spreade first abroade in the fathers and Prophetes afterwards in the Apostles and Martyrs then by and dyuers degrées orders of Christians professing all one faith displayed throughout the whole worlde Whyles they waye and consider that Christ the sonne of God our Lorde and Redéemer doth rule this same spouse or congregation of his with his worde and Gospell doth helpe it with the holy Ghost defende and maintaine it continually against the Deuill whiles they plesantly and swéetely remember that they are adioyned vnto this fellowship of the Godly true Christian congregation by fayth wyll meaning inuocation prayer and by confession which hath the sonne of God for heade principall Aungels for defenders the holye Ghost for a sanctifier the godly and chosen of all ages for companions I say whiles they remember that they are the members of the people of God and mysticall bodye whose chiefe captaine is Christ Whiles they occupie their heades about thinking vppon that most blessed familiarity in time to come with all the Saintes in the kingdome of Heauen vnto the which they trauaile and labour tooth and nayle with excéeding great desire Therfore howe great ioye thinkest thou that they haue large fruition of whiles they are fixed vpon these and such other cogitacions And surely it behooued Christians alwayes to occupie their mindes about such things and being as it were astonied with the consider atiō of them to brast out into the prayses of God into Psalmes and Hymmes into spirituall songs singing and making melodie in theyr harts vnto the Lord giuing thanks alwayes for all things vnto God the father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle teacheth And bycause the Godly doe this contynually what woonder is it if they alwaye reioyce in the Lorde And what then is there that can euer make heauy and sad can trouble or faare one that in such wise reioyceth Is it the breache of the lawe But the Apostle doth comfort vs Christ sayth he hath he redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe becomming himselfe a curse for vs. Is it sinne But S. Iohn doth comfort vs If anye man haue sinned we haue an Aduocate wyth the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiacion for our sinnes Is it death The Godly wote full well that it is the gate of life euerlasting a certaine passage out to thys worlde vnto the Father Is it the wrath and the iudgement of God But we are reconcyled vnto God through Christ as Paule sayth Is it Satan Christ hath conquered him already and hath triumphed ouer him being conquered as sayth the same Paule Is it hell fire and the tormentos of hell Nay Christ when he had ouercome hell dyd open a waye vnto Heauen to the Godly And in the Prophet Osea the Lorde sayth I wil be thy death O death I wil be thy destruction O hell Likewise Dauid also in his Psalmes doth testifie that Christ did leade Captiuitie captiue when he ascended into heauen that is as much to say did as a man woulde saye leade the enymies of mankinde prisoners in hys shewe of Triumph the deuill I meane sinne death hell Briefly in all terrours and temptacions of Sathan in all heauinesse in the most sorrowfull cogitacions many tymes of death of the last iudgement of the iudgement seate of the Lorde among the other comfortes of the holy Ghost the godly doe chiefely stay themselues with the wordes of the Apostles Créede I beleeue say they the Communion or fellowship of Saints the remission of sinnes the resurrection of this fleshe and the life euerlasting They leaning vpon this fayth chasing all feare and heauinesse from them if that the deuill doe minister any doe reioyce alwayes in the Lorde Howbeit some man will here obiect that considering they are men it can not be otherwyse chosen but that they should be troubled with passions mourne and be sorowfull oftentimes For they can not lay the nature of mankinde from them renounce as it were the féele of flesh and bloude which all men haue in them I graunt that the godly are distressed with heauinesse many a time and oft and that their minds are sometimes troubled and mazed and that it can not bée otherwise in these tumults of worldly affaires Howbeit the same doe foorthwith come to themselues againe and disquietnesse of mind being setled or appeased they so facion themselues in Gods regard and prouident care toward them that with ioy they take all things very quietly and reioyce in their afflictions reposing themselues in thapprooued loue of God towarde them doe conceyue such gladnesse and pleasure in their minds therof that the same sorrow of theirs is soone ouerwhelmed withall if happily these outwarde things as commonly it comes to passe haue caused any in them For like as a very little sparkle falling into a great riuer is forthwith quenched and come to nothing euen so whatsoeuer euill