Apostle Who wil not be astonied at these wurdê of the Apostle wherby he declareth openly that those whiche bee not corrected and chastised of God bee not the children of God But to be more strongly comforted in this text let vs consider that those whiche bee chastysed by the hand of God be his welbeloued and dear children and that they be garnished and armed with the coÌ„munion of all the faithful saintê and that it is not they alone that doo suffer And truly this meditation shall moderate our paines and torment in our correction But heere let vs not trouble our selues in that one dooth suffer thinges lesse greeuous the other more hard for temptation is geuen to euery man by measure and not aboue his strength as it is said in the .79 Psalme Thou hast fed vs with the bread of teares and hast geuen vs to drink of teares by measure Saint Paule saith also God is faithful whiche permitteth not that ye bee temptid and afflicted aboue your strength but shall deliuer you in your temptations that ye may suffer and beare it and in that y e one dooth feele or taste moste greef there hath hee moste frute and help of God in suche wise that it should see me rather to bee an inequality of passions then otherwise For Saint John Baptist whiche was miserably beheaded by Herod may it not make vs all astonied that suche a great excellent personage as hath not beene one emong those that are borne of women so great the singuler freend of y e spouse christ forerunner of the Sonne of God greter then all the Prophettes neuertheles was not put to death by publike sentence nor is not accused of malice or enuy as was Jesê° Christe nor yet because of the people but for the loue of a dauncer the daughter of an adulteresse and in prison this shamefull death of this holy person and his life taken away so vilainly â—ud of so wicked a maner beeing in â—he handes of suche a moste poisoned â— abhominable adulterer this ought at the least for to mitigate our euellê and all our afflictions But where was God then whiche might haue seen all these thingê Or where was the Lorde Jesus now whiche hearing these thinges and hath fained to dissemble or not to heare them This holy prophet and wurthy man is perished as though it had bene vnknoweÌ„ to God to man to all other creatures What suffer we wherin we may reioice or more aptly too speak wherein wee be not confounded if wee make comparison of our suffringes with his death Wel now where shall wee become if wee wâ—l nothing suffer seeing so great and excellellent personages haue suffered and dispised the death so valiantly the whiche they haue not deserued and their bodyes to be sette for the as a mocking stock to their enemies after their death as it is said by Jeremy Beholde these that are not condemned to drink of the cup doo drink thereof and shalt than continew Innocent Thou shalt not continew Innocent except y u drink therof Wee rede of a certain Hermite that complained whiche had bene sick almoste all his life felt him self wel one yeere to gether hee was greatly troublid and sorowful in his minde and complained that GOD had vtterly forgotten him and had refused to geue him his grace Somuche is necessary vnto helth the correction of the Lord to all Christians Now we may see that it whiche we suffer is lesse then nothing if we consider the Prisons Manacles Irons Fyer wilde beastes and other infinite number of tormentes that the Saintes haue sufferid Or elles if we wil way the temptations of those that suffer presently with vs in this life so many persecutions 〈…〉 greuous temptations of the deuel 〈…〉 their conscience for there be maâ—y of those y t suffer inwardly thingê â—ore greuous more sharp then doo â—e aswel in sprit as in body Some â—oo vse to say heere thus I may laâ—ent for my passions and afflictioÌ„s â—ay not be compared to those of the â—aintes because I am a sinner and â—ot wurthy to be compared to them They haue sufferid for innocency â— for my sinnes And therefore it is â—o meruail though they sufferid ioyfully all these thinges Verely this is a wurd of great folly For if thou suffer for thy sinnes thou oughtest to reioice for as muche as thy sinnes are purgid The saintes them selues were they not sinners But thou fea rest least thou be like Herode or the euel theefe on the crosse no thou art not if thou be patient For what difference was there between the two theeues or what did iudge the one to be good and the other euell but patience thorow faith But thou art a sâ—â—ner wel the theefe was a sinner but patience hath brought him this glory that he is righteous and holy also thou doo the like for thou maist not suffer but ether for thy sinnes or for righteousnes Bothe these passioÌ„s 〈…〉 sanctifie and render a man blessed if a man doo embrase them wherfore now restith no excuse Moreouer so soone as thou hast confessed vnfainedly that thou sufferest iustly for thy sinnes and of good right thou art then iust and holy euen as the good theef was made iust and holy For the confession of sin proceading from faith iustifieth and sanctifieth and in this maner as soone as thou hast made this confession then thou sufferist no more for thy sinnes but for innocency for the righteous suffreth not but innocently Now thou art made righteous by the confession of thy suffringes and passion and thorow the confession of thy sinnes and therfore thy suffering is iustly â—f good right compared to the suffering of the saintes as thy faith may â—e iustly and of good right compared â—o the faith of the saintes for all had â—ne confession of sinnes all had one â—aith all had one passion or suffering â—f euelles all the saintes communicate together trewly in all and by all â—nd ouer all ¶ The seuenth Chapiter of the seuenth consideration which is the euel or misery aboue vs. FInally we must lift vp ouâ— hartes on hy and ascend vp to y e mountain of mirre to the spouse This mountaine is the Sonne of God Jesus Christe crucified hed of all the faithful saintes Prince of all those that suffer of whom many haue written notable thinges and altogether hath writteÌ„ all that ought to be written and the memory of the same is recommended to the churche where it is said Set me for a signe in thy hart as a butte or mark vpon thine arme The blood of the lamb sprinklid vpon the entre of the houses staied the aungel froÌ„ striking And likewise the spouse is praised because her heares bee as the purple of the king that is to say her meditation is redde by the remembraunce of Jesus Christ This is the wood that Moises cast by commaundement into the waters of marah that is
be engraued within our hartê and a singuler coÌ„fort of great powre in our temptations For certainly Job did not onely suffer but with the same hee was tempted with impatience of his owne wife the whiche said to him contemptuously Thou remainest stil in thy siÌ„plicity Blaspheme the Lorde and dye as if shee had said All meÌ„ may plainly see that there is no God that wil leaue thee so and forsake thee Wherefore then doost thou put thy trust in him and doost not rather deny him And in suche sort after shee had angred him said Wherfore doost thou not knowledge thy self to be mortall and that nothing is left vnto thee after this life There is none of vs the whiche his owne wife that is to say sensualitie shal not furnish inough of suche matters for the sensuall man vnderstandeth not the thinges that â—e of God Now all goodes that be corporall be common to all but the Christian and faithful hath other goodes muche more excellent whiche be inward goodê that is to weet the faith of Jesus Christ of whom it is said in the Psalme 44. The kinges daughter is all glorioê° within her clothiÌ„g is all of wrought golde For as yeâ— haue seene the euelles in the first coÌ„sideration that there is no euell so greate in man as the euell within him Also the faithful may not nor caÌ„not se the inestimable great goodnes or felicitie that is with in him for if he felt it be holde hee should bee incontinent in heauen for y e kingdome of heauen is within vs as saith Jesê° Christe For to haue faith is to haue the trueth the wurd of God Now to haue the wurd of God is to haue God the creator maker of all thiÌ„gê And if these thinges were reueled to the soule in suche perfection as they be in deede shee would spring out of the body incontinent for the great abundaunce of ioy and sweetnesse Wherfore of good right the louing corrections of whiche we haue spoke before be called aduertisementes of the goodes whiche wee haue within vs the whiche our good God declareth to vs by the same because this life can not bear nor suffer that they vereueled to it but thorow the great goodnes and mercy of God they bee hidde to vs vntil toey bee growen in their perfect measure This is it that the Fathers and Mothers doo geue to their Children sometimes little Horses Tabors Pipes and other trifels by the whiche they doo incite and stur vp the mindes of their children to greater and more excellente thinges Neuertheles they doo break foorthe and shew them selues sometimes as when the conscience reioiceth and triumpheth in the confideÌ„ce and sure trust of God and when shee speaketh willingly and frely of God when shee heareth his wurd with a gratioê° eare and an attentife heart when she is brought to be ready and diligent to serue him obey him to doo good wurkes and to suffer aduersities the whiche thinges be certain tokens of an inestimable good which is therein hidden the whiche springeth out thorow a certain conduit by small droppê although it happeneth sometimes that this is reueled more fully at large vnto those spirites whiche be geuen to contemplation so they finde them selues as it were swallowed vp y t they wot not where they be as Saint Augustine confesseth him self to be and many others ¶ The second Chapiter of the second consideration the which is the good to come or before vs. THose that be no Christians can finde no great comefort in hope of the good to come in the middes of their troubles because all thinges be to them vncertaine For this affection and vaine hope dooth bring to them a certaine tumult but thorow faith wee doo comfort one an other freendly And wee doo hope for better thinges but the weaker doo at tempt clime vp to great thingê and ofteÌ„ in vncertitude yet they be ofteÌ„ deceiued voyd of their hope as Jesus Christe sheweth in y e. 12. of S. Luke of him y t said to his soule I wil pul down my barns make theÌ„ greater say to my soule Take thy rest driÌ„k eat make good cheer for y u hast goodê inough for many yeers but God said Fool this night shal thy soule be taken froÌ„ thee the goodê that y u hast heapid together whose shall they be theÌ„ Euen so is it w t him y t gathereth treasure is not riche in God But y e Christians haue a more excelleÌ„t felycitie whiche commeth certainly but it is thorow afflictions death Also they reioice in a certaine sure hope so that the present euel endeth and contrary y e good augmenteth whiche is the verity in Jesus Christe where in they prospet and profit from day to day and for the loue thereof they liue in hope and ouer aboue these thinges they haue two moste great commodities in the death to come First the death is an end of all the tragedy of euelles of this present life as it is written The death of the faithfull is pretious before the face of God againe I shall sleepe in peace and rest me If the righteous be preuented by death hee findeth quickening and comfort And contrary the death to the wicked and Infidels is the beginning of euelles as it is said The death of the wicked is moste vnhappy also the euel dooth ouertake and katche y e wicked in his death In this maner was Lazarê° coÌ„forted y t which hath receiued heere his euel and the riche glotton vnhappy was tormented because hee receiued his goodes heere in this life By this meanes also it commeth that the Christian findeth him self alwayes better and encreasing in goodnesse whether he liue or whether he dye so blessed a thing it is to be a Christian and to beleue in Jesus Christe and therefore Saint Paule saith Christ is to me aduauntage whether I liue or whether I dy And to the Romaines 15. Hee that liueth liueth to the Lorde and he that dieth dieth to the Lorde be it whether we liue or whether we dy we be the Lordes Jesus Christe hath begotten vs this assurance For he is dead and risen againe to thend that he might be Lorde of the quicke and the dead hauing powre to make vs sure and to certify vs aswel in the death as in the life as is said in the. 23. Psalme Though I should walke in the middest of the shadow of death yet wil I feare no euel for thou art with mee But if we be not certified of this aduauntage of death it is a sign that the faith of Jesê° Christ is in firm and weak in vs the whiche doo not wurthely esteeme the gaine and price of his moste precioê° death They cannot beleue yet the death to be good because that is letted by the olde man and the wisedome of the fleshe whiche hath yet to muche vigour and strength and therfore wee ought to assay and
auaunce to know and to loue this benefite of death It is a hard saying and difficul to say that the death which is to others the greatist of all euelles shalbee to vs the moste excellent gaine and profit And if Iesê° Christe had not wrought this good in vs what profit were it for vs to habandon and forsake our selues But this wurke that he hath wrought in vs is a singuler deuine wurk For this cause no man ought to dismay for he hath made the euel of death to bee turned to moste good and profit Wherefore death is now to the faithful dead and is not terrible but only the outward apparence euen as a slaine serpent hath yet remaining the terrible figure or apparence of a serpent that hee had and yet is it but the figure or image So there is but one euel dead and it may no more noy or hurt vs. And also as Moyses coÌ„maunded to make a serpent of brasse and to beholde and looke vpon it did put away the stinging of the quicke serpentê as it is said in the. 21. of Numery likewise if our death be looked vpon with a godly eye and stedfast in the faith of Christe it perisheth and nothing appereth but onely y e figure of death So louingly dooth the bountifulnes and mercy of God entreat vs which yet be weaklinges and infirme thorow these and suche like figures because of necessitie death must take vs away Neuerthelesse he hath so ouercome and brought to nought the strength and powre of death that to vs remaineth no more but the onely figure and for this cause the scriptures doo rather call it a sleepe then a death The second benefite of death is that not only it maketh an end of paines and euelles of this present life but also bringeth a more excellent thing that is an end of vice and sin the whiche cheefly maketh death moste desirable to the faithfull soulê yea more then dooth any worldly felicitie as wee haue treated heere before For truly the euellê of the soule whiche is vice and sinne be without comparison worse then the euelles of the body for if we were wise these onely euelles in deede should make to vs death more desirable and more louingly to embrace it whiche if it doo not it is a signe that we feel not that we ought to feel nor yet doo sufficiently hate the euelles of our soulles considering that this life is subiect to many daungers and the falliÌ„g and sliding of sinne dooth compasse vs about with snares on euery syde And finally wee cannot liue without synne Beeholde then that death is a moste singuler good remedy for it deliuereth vs from these daungers it cutteth vs away and deliuereth vs wholy from sinne and therefore the authour of the booke of Sapience concludeth in the praise of the righteouse in the. 4. Chapiter saying Being made at one and beloued of God liuing amongest sinners was taken away and traÌ„sported to the end that sinne and euell should not chaunge his vnderstanding or that deceitfulnesse should not begile his soule for the bewitching of lies and dremes maketh good thinges darke the vnstedfastnes of volupteous desire turneth away the vnderstanding of the siple O how true be these thingê how doo we se this to come pas daily And in an other text Though he was soone dead yet fulfilled hee muche time for his soule pleased God therfore he hasted to take him away froÌ„ among the wicked So it coÌ„meth to passe by the mercy of God that the death whiche was the paine of sinne to man is now made the ende of sin and the beginning of life and righteousnesse to the Christian Therfore of necessitie hee that loueth life and ryghteousnesse loueth also death whiche is the minister and the shop of life and is in no cace afraid of it For otherwise he shall neuer attaine to life nor righteousnes and he that cannot so doo let him be diligent to pray to God that he may haue suche aminde For the cause why God teacheth vs to say thy will be doone is that we can not desire this of our selues but we rather doo abhorre death so that wee doo rather loue sinne and death then life and righteousnesse Therfore did God ordeine death for the destruction of sinne For we may gather by this that incontinent after sin hee set ordeined death to Adam as a deliuerance from sin and that before hee cast him out of Paradice to the ende that hee would shew vs that death neither dooth nor wurketh any euell in vs but is the causer of all good for it was set forth in Paradice in maner of a satisfaction But trueth it is by the enuy of the deuel death is entred into the world but thorow the mercy and goodnesse of God hee dooth cause that death is not hurtful to vs but hath ordeined it from the beginning to bee the punishement and death of sinne for he signified the same when he spake before of death to Adam in the coÌ„maundement Neuertheles he stayed not in his wurds but pronounced death and qualifyed the rigour of the commaundement But GOD did not in plaine wurdê declare death but only said thou art dust and into dust thou shalt return Item thou shalt return into earth froÌ„ the which thou art come As euen then hating death would not name it as it is said Wrath is in his indignation and life in his wil. Now it may be said that if death had not bene necessary to put away sin God would not haue pronounced it But God taketh no other wepons against sinne whiche hath engendred death but death it self Heere is fulfilled that one said properly that the inuentor of death is dead by his owne inuencion also the sinne is destroyed by his owne frute and slaine by the death that he hath engeÌ„dred As a viper is slain by her owne yung serpentê Beeholde a thing moste pleasaunt to heere and vnderstand that sinne is destroyed by no other meanes but by her own proper wurk and her throte cut by her owne knife and her hed cut of by her owne swoord as was Goliath Goliath was the figure of sin This Giaunt was fearfull to all men except to little Dauid that is to say the Sonne of GOD Jesus Christe the whiche hath ouerthrowen this terrible Giant and hath cut of his hed with his owne swoord Now it may be said that there is no swoord meter theÌ„ Goliath owne swoord 1. Samuel 21. Chapiter If now wee doo meditate these ioyes of the vertue of the SoÌ„ne of GOD and the giftê of his grace how should any little euell torment vs seing so great euellê whiche may happen is turned to so great good ¶ The third Chapiter of the third consideration whiche is the good passed or after vs. THis good is easy to consider by his opposit or contrary euel passed onely it is a help to him y t would consider heere Saint Augustine in his confessions
Hee is a good teacher in this where hee reciteth the good graces and benefites that hee hath receiued from his mothers wombe So is likewise the Psalmist in the. 138. Psalme Saying Lorde thou hast prooued me or among other thinges meruailing of the prouidence of God vpon him self saith â–ª Thou hast knowen my thoughtes afar of thou hast tried my hart and my raines as if he had said I see now how far of it is from mee all that euer I thought or did or all that I might obtain or posses or how little is put in execution by my proper meanes or industry but that all this hath bene disposed and ordained long time before by thy ordinaunce and prouidence O Lorde breefly thou hast foreseene all my waies or rather in thy might and powre wee doo learn these thinges by our owne experience for if wee call to remembraunce our life passed is it notenough to astunny vs that wee haue thought willed doone and said suche thinges whiche we haue little or nothing foreseene How often had wee doone things cleane contrary if we had bene left in our owne free wil So that we now beginning to vnderstand and to beholde the prouidence and care of God to bee present and fauourable toward vs by his vigilaÌ„t help and succoure that wee haue nether thought willed nor said but that he hath before ordeined As it is said in the. 7. Chapiter of Sapience We and our wurdes be all in the hand of God as Saint Paule saith the which dooth all thinges in vs. Wherefore then bee wee so without vnderstanding and haue our hartes so hardened Wherefore be we not ashamed miserable that wee bee that beeing shewed by our owne proper experience wee seeing plainly and openly how often the Lorde hath bene careful for vs and watcheful euen vnto this houre and how he hath endowed vs w t all maner of good and great benefites and yet cannot wee resign and acknowledge to him the onely care and watche ouer vs in a very little present euel But wee behaue our selues as though hee had forsaken vs or as though that wee could put it of or quit our selues of it Is it not said in the. 139. Psalme I am poore and miserable but the Lorde careth for me Vpon this S. Augustine saith He that made thee careth for thee Permit and rendre to him that made thee before thou were any thing to haue cure and charge of thee How should hee not now haue cure ouer thee forasmuche as thou art now that same that hee would haue thee But we wil be partakers of his kingdome with him wee doo attribute to him this that hee made vs and yet wil we scarcely doo that or at the least doo it very coldely and yet notwithstanding we vsurpe the custody that he hath ouer vs as if he after he had made vs would retire him self farre from vs to forsake vs and leaue vs in our owne hands But if our wisedome councelles and deliberations doo let vs or blinde our eyes that wee can not see this care of GOD ouer vs when paraduenture many thinges happen to vs according to our deliberations and purposes let vs returne to the Psalmist in y e. 138. Psalm and consider our owne selues whiche saith My bones are not hidden from thee O Lorde saith hee though I was made in a secret place that is to say Thou sawest my bones in my mothers womb when as yet I was not and when my mother knew not what was made in her and my substaunce was in the lowest partes of the earth that is to say the figure or forme of my body was not hidden to thee beeing in the profound entrailles of my mother for thou formedst them and made them What dooth he declare by these wurdes but onely proposeth this great example how our good God hath alwaies had care of vs without vs What is he that glory that he hath made any thing of that is made Who hath geuen vnderstaÌ„ding or knowledge to the mothers to geue sucke to entertaine nourishe loue and doo all dutyes offices of a mother euen then when we did not feele our life brefly wee know not these thinges and beleeue not that they were doone to vs if wee had not seene the like thinges doone to others whiche were doone to vs euen as though wee had slept or as though we had beene dead or more aptly to say as if we had not yet bene borne as touching our owne knowledge Also seeing how true this is y t without our help wee haue beene brought and directed vnto deuine coÌ„fort and great mercifulnesse and yet we dout or that worce is we dispaire that our good God hath care of vs. If parauenture there be any whiche is not instructed or moued by this experience I know no way how hee may be taught or instructed for there is not one Infant that wee doo see with our eyes but may instruct vs in this caâ—e euidently Now seeing so many examples setle before our eyes we ought to be ashamed of our foly and ignorance But if we dout that any maner of good or euell may happen to vs how little so euer it bee without the singuler prouidence of God read Saint Peter in his first Epistle the fift Chapiter Cast all oure care vpon him for he careth for vs and in theÌ„ 54. Psalme Cast thy care vpon the Lord and hee shall nurishe thee And. S. Augustine speaketh in his confessions to his soule Wherefore doost thou stay thee vpon thy self and continuest not firme and stable cast thy self vpon thy God for hee wil not withdraw his hand from thee nor suffer thee to fall And moreouer Saint Peter saith in the. 4. Chapiter of his first Epistle Those that suffer by the wil of God let them commit their soules in well dooing to the creator whiche is moste faithful O the bountifulnesse of our GOD. If any may know God in this maner in what suerty rest and ioy shall he liue Suche a one hathe GOD verely within him He is well assured and moste certaine that all that he hath or may haue be it great or small thinges or what so euer shall happen or conâ—e to him at any time that it commeth by the good wil and disposition of God The sentence of Saint Peter standeth allwaies moste true and vndouted He hath care for you May one heare wurdes more sweet and comfortable then these and therefore he saith Cast all your care vpon him but now if wee doo not what other thing doo wee but assay and prooue to stop and let the care that GOD hath of vs and to bring oure life ful of sorow heuines and care with thought turmoiling within our selues And what caÌ„ we get by thus dooing Our saluation is nothing aduaunced nor preferred but as saith Ecclesiastes It is a vanitie of vanities and affliction of spirit for that booke speaketh against suche doutfulnesse in suche wise as hee that had
thee For as thou oughtest to reioyce in the iustice of God perse cuting thy sinne euen so reioice in the execution against sinners enemies to God and to man We heare now what excelleÌ„t benefites is fouÌ„d in great and horrible euelê and how we ought to reioyce in our great miseries not because of y e euelê it self but because of the inestimable goodnesse and iustice of God the which taketh vengeaunce of oure sinnes and wickednes ¶ The fift Chapiter of the fyfth consideration of the good on the left hand HEre is to be spoken of the aduersaries that be yet liuing in the world for in the Chapiter going before we haue treated of the aduersaries that be all damned made like to the deuelles but we must consider these heere with an other affection and consider them two maner of waies First they abound and prosper in temporall thingê in suche sort that the Prophetê them selues were almoste moued to enuy theÌ„ because of their felicitie as it is said in the. 73. Psalme My foot had all moste slipped my steps were almoste gone seeyng the wicked in suche prosperitie and felicitie I had euen all moste borne them enuy And in the same Psalme Beholde the wicked habunding in iniquitie haue obtayned great riches And in the. 12. of Jeremy Thou art verely righteous Lord when I doo argue against thee neuerthelesse I shall consider of the thinges that be righteous with thee Wherfore doo I see the wicked prosper the affaires of all those whiche wurk wickednesse and goe forward But y e questions is Wherefore dooth he poure vpon them so great benefites and so vndeserued but to the end to comefort vs and to shew how good he wil be to them that are of an vpright hart as it is saide in y e same Psalme He that is so good to the wicked how muche more wil he be good to the faithful and in that he dooth not tormeÌ„t the wicked with any maner euelles but the good he prooueth them by many euellê that they may know that he is good to them not onely in goodes that be present but also in riches whiche bee hidden and inuinsible that they may say with the Psalmist It is good for me to ioyne my self to the Lorde and to set my hope and trust in my God as if he had said Although I suffer seeing them deliuered and free without trouble yet I haue this confidence that God wil let me feele his clemency and goodnesse muche more then shall they And therefore the disible goodes of the wicked bee spurres to moue vs to trust in the inuisible goodê and to dispise set light by the euellê whiche we suffer It is it that y e Lord Jesus commaundeth vs in the sixt Chapiter of Saint Mathew to beholde the birdes of the ayre and the Lillyes of the feeld saying If God so clothe the grasse whiche is to day in his flowre and to morow cast into the furnace how muche rather wil he clothe you O ye of little faith Wherefore by the comparison of the goodê whiche the wicked abuse and the euelles and miseries whiche wee suffer our faith is exercised and wee obtaine consolation in God whiche is the moste holy consolatioÌ„ and comfort So necessary it is that all thingê happen to the best to y e faithful The other goodes whiche is muche more to be meruailed at is that their euelles be turned to our good and profite as GOD hath ordeined it For all though their sinnes be offensiue to y e weakest and infirm and feeble sâ—â—lê neuertheles they be exercises of vertue and of spirituall battaile and of greater helth to the strong and faithful For blessed is the man that suffreth in temptation for when he shal be tried he shall receiue a crowne of life Now is there a greater temptation then these multitude of moste euell examples And y e cheefe reason why the world is called an enemy to the faithful and electe of God is that by their enticementes and wicked wurkes they may draw vs allure prouoke and turne vs from the way of God to their wayes As is saide in y e. 6. of Genesis The Sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire and ioyned them selues to them Also in Numeri 25. Chapiter The Children of Israel are falleÌ„ with the daughters of the Moabites insomuche that it is a thing helthful to vs to be continually pressed holden down by some misfortune so that we striuing with the euell occasions of the world fall not into sinne and wickednesse we I say that be so weake Also Saint Peter in the. 2. Chapiter of his second Epistle commendeth Lot for that he suffred many wicked examples of the Sodomites so that he profited and encreaced in righteousnes thorow these thiÌ„gê Therfore it is necessary y e offences happen whiche engender warre and victory Yet notwithstanding wo bee to y e world because of offences Now if God procure vs so great goodnesse in the sinnes and wickednesse of others how muche more ought we to beleeue with all our hartes that hee shall procure and turne into good our euelles and misfortunes although the sence and feeling of the fleshe iudgeth otherwise The world bringeth vs no lesse goodnesse on the other side with his euelles whiche is called aduersitie misery For those whiche he can not swallow by enticementes and incorporate to him self by offences hee assayeth to repulse and put fro him by adueruÌ„tyes and driueth them of by paines and tormentes procuring alwaies against them snares by examples of sin foining out his furies by horrible tormentes and paines This is the monster that the Poets doo call Chimery whiche hath the hedde of a damosell and gratious countenaunce the wombe of a Lion and the taile of a venemus serpent For the ende to whiche the world pretendeth what with his volupteousnes and what w t his tiranny is poisoned death and dampnation eternally So now wee see that God hath made vs to finde our cheef goodê in y e midst of the sinnâ— of y e world to thend that y e persecutious and afflictions whiche he sendeth be not to vs idle nor vaiÌ„ They be or deyned vs for the encreasing of oure benefites in suche wise that the same wherewith the world dooth noy and molest vs be constrained to profit vs. As Saint Augustine saith of the litle Children that Herod put to death That hee neuer profyted so muche by loue and good wil as hee did by hate And Saint Agathe went into the Prison very ioyously as to a banket saying thus If thou doost not tame my bodye by thy tormentors my soule shall not come into heauen for to receiue y e moste blessed crown And as the graine of wheat is not laid vp into the barnes but first is driuen out of the eare and sore beateÌ„ in the ayer barne But wherefore doe wee tary vpon thinges so small seeyng the holy scriptures and all