Chryst Therfore must we wyth draw our selues frō al creatures praying and desyryng all things at gods hande onely thorow the name of Iesu How oughte a man to call vpō god thorowe Chryste What is to call vpon god in Chryste Wyth belefe that we doubt not but oure prayer is heard already To such a fayth and confydence are we occasioned in that God hath commaunded vs to pray and promysed that he wyl graciouslye heare vs knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you ▪ c. For what thynge oughte we to make our prayer vnto god For the vnderstandīg of his word for remissiō of sinnes for increace of fayth for loue euen towardes our enemyes for helpe pacience comforte and all spiritual giftes To pray for health and long lyfe The moderacion of praier for temporal thynges is not vnryghte so farre as we cōmitte and referre it vnto the holy wyl of god For we can not make it better then the faithful father that knoweth best of all And to pray for a long lyfe is oft tymes nothyng els then to desyer to be kept long in miserye Esai 38. Good Ezechyas yet prayed wyth teares that he myght lyue for a season Chryst the most perfect ensāple of al did pray Father if it be possible take thys bitter draught fro me neuertheles not my wyll but thyne bee done Lyke as he nowe prayed thus the seconde and third time moste earnestlye So ought we also without ceassynge to cal vnto god Some appoynte god afore hande what death he must suffer them to dye But they doe best of all that prescrybe vnto the lord theyr god neyther fashyon of death nor tyme neyther other circumstaunce but referre al vnto him who knoweth what is profitable and good better then we ourselues Moreouer we must praye for wife and childe for frende and enemy and for the whole congregacion of the Chrystians that god may graciouslye take thē all into hys own proteccion Vnto praier belōgeth it also cherfulli to geue god thankes for all bodelye and gostly benefites ¶ The fourme of prayer The .32 Chapter Praier to god the father O Almightie euerlastynge god mercyful father of heauē thou hast created me after thyne owne image and endewed me wyth exceadyng plentiful giftes Confessyon Yet not wythstandyng all thy benefites I haue many and sondry wayes contemned and transgressed thy commaundementes All my dayes are passed foorth with greuous synnes I feare and flye from thee as from a righteous iudge Althys what soeuer it be I freelye knowledge and confes and am sory for it frō the ground of my heart Desyre of grace But O heauenly father I cry and call for thy large and great mercy O enter not with me into iudgemente remember not the synnes of my youth O thynke vpon me accordyng to thi mercye for thy names sake and for thy goodnes which hath ben from euerlastyng Vouchesafe to graunt me thy mercy which thou according to the contentes of the gospel hast promised and opened thorow thy beloued sōne in such sort that whoso beleueth on him shal haue euerlastyng lyfe Now is my belefe in Iesu Christ euen in the only redemer of the whole worlde I vtterly refuse all other comforte helpe and assistaunce and my hope is onely thorowe Chryste to haue pardon of my sinnes eternal life Thi wordes are trewe be it vnto me accordīg to thy wordes O let me enioye y◠passion and death of thyne onely begottē sonne Take for my sīnes the satysfaccion and paymente of our lord Iesus Chryste accordīg to the tenour of my belefe Of thys my fayth thou shalt thy selfe O Lord be wytnesse and al thine elect My last wil also shall it be vpon thy mercy to dy in this fayth Though I now by occasiō of pain lacke of reasō or thorowe tēptaciō should happen or would fall awaye suffer me not yet O lorde to sticke fast in vnbelefe blasphemy but helpe myne vnbelefe strength and increace my fayth that synne death the deuil and hel dooe me no harme Thou art strōger and mightier thē thei that is onely my trust and confydence O lord the flesh is feble vnpacient laye not thou my weakenes to mi charge but burne smit prycke and plage as thou wylte thy selfe Pacience and lowlynes is the signe of a Chrystyan only Ibesech the graūt me pacience and lowelynesse of mynde Be thou the strength of my soule in this farre iournei which I haue now to go in an vnknowē lande Now shewe thy selfe vnto my poore soule so as it may fele that thou art my refuge my help proteccyon defence comforte castel my sure stony rocke my safegarde my treasure prosperyte health and wellfare I yelde my selfe wholy vnto thee with soule and body let me neuer bee confounded Helpe also Prayer for the enemy o heauēly father that accordyng vnto thy cōmaundement I may loue myne enemyes and pray for them that haue hurte me Math 5. c roma 12 b. c. And bryng to pas thorowe thy holy sprete that all thei whō I haue done harme vnto may also forgeue me to the cōmoditie and health of their owne soules For it reweth me and sory I am that at any time I haue broken Christian loue and charytie and begiled desceaued or offēded any man wyth euill ensample or with to fewe benefites I besech the O lord thorow Iesus Christ forgeue thou all them that euer haue hurt me in thought worde or dede Praier for eueri man To thy faythfulnes and proteccion O dearest father I commit all that concerneth me speciallye wyfe children frendes all such as thou hast put vnder my gouernaunce Comfort and helpe thou all those that ly in bandes and ar persecuted for thy wordes sake Haue mercy vpon al such as are in prison pouertie sickenes and heuines O bring thou the whole world to the knowledge of thi holy word that they may liue accordyng to thy godly wyl and thorow out all troubles to endure continue styll in the Christiā faith O Lorde Iesu Chryste Praier to god the sonne I besech the thorowe thine owne merites haue mercye vpon me Seinge I my selfe can not make satisfaccion or sufficient amēdes towards the father for my synnes I laye thē vpō the in hope that thou haste already taken them awaye For thou hast payed that we ought oure woundes hast thou healed O increace thou in me and other men fayth pacyence and consolacion what aduersitie or trouble soeuer we be in Thou lord Iesu in thy passion diddest pray Father if it be possible let thys cup passe fro me neuertheles not my wyll but thine be done and that is my praier also Vpō the crosse that dydst pray Father forgeue thē Euē so lord forgeue I al those that euer haue done any thing agaīst me Thou didst cry my god my god why hast thou forsakē me O lorde forsake not thou me then in my deadlye trouble Vpon the crosse thou
saidst into thī handes I commende my sprete Euen so now lord commende I my poore soule into thy handes O thou holy sprete Praier to god the holy gost Great is the anguish and distresse of my hert haue mercye vpon me for Iesus Christes sake I am afflicted so are many moe O vouchsafe thou to illuminate comfort strēgthē me and them vnto al goodnes cōuey thou and bryng vs out of all trouble and fayle vs not neither forsake vs for euermore Amen ¶ A fourme of prayse and thankes geuyng The .33 Chapter Thankes geuyng to god the father O Almightie eternal merciful god and father I laude and prayse the that thou hast created me a reasonable man and as a father haste preserued me to thys houre keping me from great daūgers euer sithens I was borne doing me more good then euer I was or am worthy Specyally I geue thee thankes for thy endles grace whiche thou shewest vnto me and all faythfull thorowe thy moste deare beloued sonne In that he for my synnes would be tempted so many wayes and suffer so vyle a death to the intente that I from hence forth myght be assured of faythfull assistaunce Magnified and blessed be thy name that thou sufferest me not to dye wythout knoweledge of the holy gospell I thanke thee also dearest father that thou visiting me wyth thys syckenes and daunger doest not forgette me For in the meane season also thou comfortest fortest and helpest and full graciously shalt thou bryng the matter to an ende Thankesgeuing to the sonne Honour prayse and thankes be vnto thee my most deare lord Iesu Christ for thy holy incarnacion for thy martirdom and bytter passyon wherby I am perfectly assured that thou art my redemer and Sauiour Vpon that onely set I my building thither warde standeth my hope there wil I be founde Rom. 6. b. rom 8. b. 2. Timo. 2. b Cherefully and gladli with thy helpe wil I depart hēce trustyng that as I am partaker of thi troubles so shall I also haue my part in thy euerlastyng glorye Namely that at the last daye thou shalt raise vp this my poore mortall body takyng my soule vnto thee immediatly at my departing hence Thankesgeuing to the holi goost O the holy sprete I rēder vn to the prayse and thākes for the true vnderstandyng belefe comfort pacience al giftes whiche thou graciously doest minister geue by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ That the praier is harde The .34 Chapter HEre vnto serue al psalmes of prayer and thankesgeuing Howbeit whatsoeuer cōcerneth prayer it is all cōprehended with few wordes in the holy pater noster if it be diligētly earnestly considered Notwithstādyng no Christian prayer can be done in vayne that it should not be faythfully heard God sayth Psal 91. He hath a desier vnto me and I wyl deliuer him Whan he calleth vpō me I shal heare hym yea I am with him in his trouble whereoute I wyll delyuer hym and bring him to honour He knoweth my name therfore wil I defende hym Wyth longe lyfe wyll I satisfye hym and shewe hym my saluaciō Yea the whole psalter is ful of such cōfortable promyses Luke 23. d. Ensample if thou pray with the murtherer vpō the crosse that Chryst wil remember thee in his kyngdome thou shalte also in thy heart he are the gracyous comfort thys day shalt thou be wyth me in paradyse Neuertheles whosoeuer is in trouble heuines or aduersitie ought earnestly to desyer the intercessions prayers of faythfull beleuers ¶ That the word of God oughte to bee practysed and vsed The .35 Chapter FArthermore he ought alwaye to haue gods word before his eyes and feruētly to exercise him selfe therin For wheras he faythfully calleth vnto god he dooeth it vpon hys worde and in the word of god he is taughte howe to behaue himselfe towardes al what soeuer commeth in his waye If a man now can not geue hymselfe true informacion out of the holye scripture whether it be cōcernīg synnes committed or other tēptacyons then ought he to aske counsayll of hys learned soule shepeheard or of some other mē of godly vnderstandyng The lord saith not for naught My shepe heare my voice and I know them Iohn 10. and they folowe me and I geue thē eternall lyfe and they shal neuer peryshe ¶ Amendement of lyfe necessarye The .36 Chapter THe trewe faith bryngeth wyth it naturally a stedfast purpose to liue from hence forth accordyng vnto all the cōmaundemēts of god Chryst lykewise exhorteth euery man rightly to exercise and well to vse the giftes of god Hereof bryngeth he in a parable A certayn man taking a iourney into a straunge countrye Math. 25. called his seruauntes and deliuered vnto thē his goodes And vnto on he gaue fiue talētes to another two and to the third one c. Vpon the same doth the lorde appointe the faythful seruaunt his reward and punysheth the slougish and euil seruaunt The righteousnes of faith cōprehēdeth the feare of god loue of thy neyghbour pacience all vertue Of thys feare Prou. 14. it is wrytten The feare of god is a foūtain of lyfe to auoyde the snares of death Neyghbourly loue doeth first and principalli require that we frendlye and vnfeynedlye for gods sake forgeue all them that euer haue offended vs and again to vndertake as much as lieth in vs to reconcyle al our enemyes Then dooeth charitie require to geue almes to comforte the heuy hearted and to practyse al works of mercy and loke who hath done the good in thi sicknes it is requisite that thou geue them thankes Among benefites this is not the lest whan one moueth and exhorteth another to kepe himselfe frō al filthines As for bodeli thīgs the sycke shoulde dyspatche thē wyth fewe woordes but such as concerne nourtour honesty the fear of god safegard in hym and the homage which is due vnto hym that ought to be done with more deliberacyon For loke what one speaketh at the poynt of death the same goeth deper to the hearte of such as heare it partly because it cannot be thought that a mā on hys death bed beyng in greatest trouble wyl vse ipocrisye or dissemble partly for that whan the soule begynneth to be discharged of the bodi it oft times sheweth some token of the fredome ioy wyth the which it shall euē now forthwith be perfectly endewed Ensample the deare worthy patriarkes in the olde testament before theyr departyng out of thys lyfe sent and called for theyr children and other folkes instructīg and exhortyng them to submitte themselues vnto the law of god and diligently to walke therein How faythfully dyd Mathathias at hys death 1 Mach. ◠speake to his noble sonnes comfortyng them out of gods worde agaynst all theyr enemyes Exhortacyon vnto pacyence The .37 Chapter FInally we can not doe better than wyth gods helpe beeyng pacient in all aduersitie and stedfast
valeaunt worthi and victorious man that sayd bee of good comforte I haue ouercome the world That is to say sine deth deuyll hell and whatsoeuer cleaueth to the world And verely verely Iohn 6. he that beleueth and putteth hys trust in me hath eternal life Wyth the whyche wordes the same deare valeaunt worthy and victorious man doth applye also vnto me his victory and power With him will I continew and kepe me to hys worde and comforte whether I lyue longer or must dy Here ought we perfectly to be sure that the greater the battayll of death is the nerer is Iesus Christ to crown vs with mercy and louing kindnes Euident ensamples out of the new and olde testament Paul reioyseth and bosteth agaynste the terrour of death Death is swalowed vp in victory Death 1. Cor. 15. where is thy victory Hel where is thy styng As though he wold say To the faytâ—â—full death is a comforte O death thou mayest wel make one afrayed as a death image of wood maye doe but to deuoure thou hast no myghte For thy victorye stynge and power is swalowed vp in the victory of Chryste And thorow Iesus Christ our lord hath god geueÌ„ vs the victory agaynst thee so that all true faythfull Christians are become lordes ouer death hell Out of suche a fayth is Paul not afrayed to say Whether we liue or dye Roma 14. we are the lordes And agayne thus he speaketh exceadyng comfortably Chryste is to me lyfe Philip. 1. Oh that these wordes were printed in our hartes and death is to me aduauntage For hereby goe we froÌ„ labour to rest from shame to honoure from heuynes to ioye froÌ„ death to lyfe 1. Iohn 5. We knowe that we are translated froÌ„ death vnto life Though I walke in the valey of the shadowe of death Psal 23. yet feare I no euyll for thou lord god arte with me Vnbelefe Therfore let them feare death that know not Christ neither beleue in hym euen suche as from temporal death passe vnto death euerlastynge For God geuethe charge and coÌ„maundement that we shoulde receaue coumforte in the lord Iesu as the words souÌ„d be of good comforte How god 〈◊〉 blasphemed by our fear of death I haue ouercome the world Whoso now wil not be comforted wyth the lorde Iesu doth vnto god the father the sonne the greatest dishonour as though it were false that he byddeth vs be of a good comforte as though it wer not true that he hath ouercome the worlde The fearer oâ— death armeâ—â— the deuyll agaynst hymselfe And by this whereas the deuil sinne and death is ouercome alreadye we strengthen them to bee oure own tirannes againste the faythfull true sauiour Trust in ouâ— own streÌ„gtâ— is the way to desperacyon Hereof procede such wordes as these I wote not how to endure and abyde it alas what shal be come of me What is that els but to haue respect vnto our owne strengthe as thoughe Chryst were not at hande to take our part and to fynish the matter Item thorowe vnbelefe a man desyreth to remayne here longer whether god be content with all or no. In the sight of the worlde he is taken to bee no honeste man that vily forsaketh hys bodelye master doth not be then procure vnto hymselfe euerlastyng shame that in trouble of death pyketh hymselfe away from Chryst the heaueÌ„ly master Witnes he that beleueth not Mark 16. Iohn 3. shal be damned He that beleueth not on the sonne of god shal not see lyfe but the wrath of god abydeth on hym ¶ Of hope The .29 Chapter The worke streÌ„gth of the lyuely fayth FAyth though it be no greater then a litle sparke gendreth hope which loketh and wayteth for the deliueraunce to come and shall vndoubtedlye not come to confusion Committe thy cause vnto the lord hope vpoÌ„ hym Psal 37. and he full wel shal bryng it to passe Ipse faciet he hymselfe wyll be the doer The good Patriarck Abraham is set forth vnto vs for an ensample of fayth and hope Like as he hoped against hope that is to say there as nothyng was to hope euen so must our hope stande fast and sure agaynst al that our own naturall reason or the wycked enemye can obiect or cast in oure waye ¶ Of the Sacramentes The .30 Chapter TO the confirmacioÌ„ of faith and hope serue the holye sacramentes of baptisme and of the supper of the Lord. The vse or frute of Baptime Baptime is an vndoubted true token and euideÌ„ce of the grace of god fastened eueÌ„ vpon the bodi wyth the which god promyseth byndeth himselfe that he wil be thy god father for hys sonnes sake and wyl also preserue the with hys owne sprete in thy greateste parels for euermore The sacramente of the body bloud of Chryst muste be exercysed and practised The place of the supper and persons onely in the commyng together of the whole congregacion and church according to the ensample of the Apostles Therfore let the sycke satisfy him selfe with the generall breakinge of bread whereof he was partaker wyth the whole congregacioÌ„ But let hym diligently consyder the frute therof after this maner The frute of the supper god hath promysed me his grace in Christ and geueÌ„ me an assured token from heauen in thys sacrament that Chrystes lyfe hath in hys death ouercome my death that hys obedyence in hys passioÌ„ hath destroyed my synnes Thys godly promes token and euideÌ„ce of my saluacyoÌ„ shal not disceaue me I wyll not suffer thys to bee taken fro me to dy for it I wil rather deny al the world my selfe also then to doubt in gods token and promes Here the deuyl teÌ„pteth a man to say yea but thorow my vnworthynes I may spil the giftes of god that are offered me by the worde token and so bee spoyled of thesame for euer Our worthynes to communicate Answere God geueth thee nothynge for thyne own worthynes sake yea he buyldeth thee vnworthy vpon the worthynes of his owne sonne If thou beleue on the soÌ„ne of god thou art and continueste worthy before the face of god Item forasmuche as thou hast gone heretofore vnto the supper of the lord thou art thorowe the same sacrameÌ„t incorporated and conioyned wyth al them that are sanctified in god and art already come in to the feloweshyp of the sainctes so that they with thee in Chryst dye and ouercome Of prayer The .31 Chapter NO man shoulde presume to exercyse fayth hope or other spiritual giftes out of his owne power but humbly to prai vnto god for all suche thynges Oure sufficiency is from god as are nedeful And seing we haue nede of one mediatour and aduocate god hath geuen vs hys sonne Iesus Christ Neither is ani of our prayers acceptable vnto god Hebru 1â— but such as we offer thorowe Iesus
neglected whan the body fayleth After thys meanynge dooeth holy Augustine earnestly threatē sayinge with this penaltye is a synner punished that whan he dieth he forgetteth hymselfe who in hys lyfe tyme thought not vpō God Therefore whyle a man is in his floures of health he ought in such sort to learne the comfortable sayinges of the gospel that in his trouble they may of themselues fall into hys mynde or if other men aduertise hym of thē he maye be the better aquaynted wyth them and haue them on his fyngers endes as them that he hath knowne exercised and vsed before Moreouer fayth wherby we ouercome death and hel hath her begynning increace and strēgth and is direct not only aboue but also agaynst al the naturall reasō of man that the infinite eternall god should frely of a very gracious fauour thorow his dear sōne take our part that are most greuous synners Therfore by tymes and in due season thorow the preachīg of the worde thorowe the prayer and sacrament should faith in vs be planted increaced practysed and made perfecte In the meane tyme as long as we lyue ought we to praye and beseche god of a gracious houre and blessed ende And whan the end draweth nye to put God in remembrance of the same prayer as wel as of his commaundemēt and promes in that he hath not only charged vs to pray but promised also that he wil graciouslie heare vs. Oh moste gracious god geue vs grace to doe thys wyth vnfayned heartes to put it in practise Dailie ought we to haue remorce of conscience where as we haue failed to repent and be sorye to craue of God forgeuenes and to take vpon vs immediatlye to amende al such thynges as are amisse For in the sight of god it is a thousande tymes more acceptable to ceasse from euil by tyme in due seasō afore trouble come thē that presente daunger and feare should force vs to amendmente He that is fallen into a depe foggy wel and sticketh fast in it wil he not strayght way call vnto euery mā to helpe hym out one way or other Wyll he not make a soremone howsoeuer men hast to delyuer hym Out of doubt he that goeth aboue with synne and vice hangeth by a bare weake threade so to saye aboue the pit of hell yea he is now in hel alreadi forasmuch as he turneth not from sīne to the grace of god Then muste it nedes bee an horrible deuelysh and obstinate blindnesse whan one sticketh faste in suche a state of lyfe as is altogether cursed and yet wyl appoint a day a greate whyle hence for to come and therein thynke to begynne to geue the deuyll hys leaue whē he knoweth not himselfe whether he shall lyue tyll that daye and whether he shall then haue a mynde to conuerte For to haue a wyll vnto true repentaunce is a free gyfte of god whyche oughte of hym daylye to bee desyred that the commen prouerbe bee not verified in vs vicious lyfe vnhappye death he that wil lye wel and softe muste make hys bed thereafter Yet for al thys it is not my mynd to shut vp the grace of god into a narow strayte or to byd any manne dispaire Whā an euil disposed mā that feareth not god lyeth vpon hys death bed beyng afrayed of hel and damnacyon he may happen to desyer of god longer lyfe for thys intente that he mai afterwarde amende beecome a better man and more directed to dye But let not such vayn thoughtes trouble thee For though thou shouldest lyue yet an hundreth yeares longer thou mighteste thorowe thyne own perfectnesse deserue nothyng towardes god But bee thou of thys assured wythout all doubt that there can no true repentaunt come to late Turne thee yet euen thys present daye vnto god be hartely and vnfaynedlye sory for thy synnes be of a good mynd and whole purpose that if god help thee vp agayne thou wyle amende al thyngs Neuertheles comforte thy selfe by that onelye meane whyche God hath prescrybed namely the Lorde Iesus So shalte thou bee sure with the murthurer vpon the crosse to haue gracyous fauoure for euer ¶ The seconde booke of death ¶ Howe the sicke oughte to be spoken vnto yf nede shall require The .1 Chapter HEtherto haue we declared how one oughte to vse hymselfe in the daungers of body and lyfe Now foloweth how we shuld behaue our selfes towards them that be in lyke case Hereof hath dauid sung these wordes in the .40 Psalme blessed is he that considereth or thynketh vpon the poore for in the tyme of trouble the Lorde shal delyuer him The Lord shall preserue him and saue hys lyfe he shall make hym prosper vpon earth and shal not delyuer hym into the wyll of hys enemyes Whan he hymselfe lyeth sycke vpon hys bedde the Lord shall refreshe hym Yea thou lord makest hys bed in al his sicknes Item he that is iudge of vs all shall at the latter daye pronounce thys sentence come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdom that hath been prepared for you from the beginning of the world For I was sick ye visited me O what a wicked vnbelef is thys that we ar more afraid at a litle aduersite vncertaine daūger then encouraged by suche a Godly sure and faythfull promes Therfore among the greateste workes of mercy thys is rekened to visite the sicke to haue compassion on them to geue them good counsayll and to comforte them Which thyng must be done with reason and discrecyon to the intente that neyther to litle nor to muche be medled withall To litle were it to cause the sicke styll to beleue that he shall shortlye come vp agayne and recouer For such fonde hope haue men already of theyr owne nature and thereby sometime they ouer see thēselues Agayne it were to muche to deale roughly wyth one that is weake of fayth and sodenlye to feare hym wyth death that were euen as much as to breake the brused rede Esay 42. Math. 12. and vtterlye to quenche the smokyng flax contrary to the ensample of Chryst our Lorde A whole instruccyon oughte to be geuē vnto such sicke persōs as haue nede therof to make thē strong and wiling vnto the crosse and death And so should they also be put in mynde what deathe is whence it came and wherfore what it doeth thorowe the grace of god for Christs sake bi whose sprete and power the most horrible death of all is ouercome Her of is spoken sufficīentlye in the Chapters goyng before Out of the whych foundaciō it maye thus be spoken vnto the sycke thou hast the almighty god thy deare father Iesus Christe thyne intercessour and sauioure who hath taken all thy cause in hande let hym alone wythall he wyll not suffer the to perysh but geue thee hys holy sprete which shall conducte thee into eternall ioye and saluacion Onely direct thou thy selfe euen nowe at thys presente and prepare thee to
that they came of one father beyng borne vnder one motherly hearte broughte vp in one house eating and drinking at one table If it were els a mans companion he thynketh he was my faythfull deare frende he dyd no man hurt nor harme but desired to doe euery mā seruice and that so honestlye that a man myghte haue trusted hym with his owne soule If he were a good ruler we thynke he was to hys owne natyue country trew and faithfull and excellently well enclyned to the welfare therof who hath not then good cause to be sory for his departyng Thys is the cause that the bloud naturally gathereth together so that we are sorier for the death of suche one then of another priuate man Suche heuynesse pitie and compassion dooeth GOD alowe For he hath not created vs to bee stones and blockes but hath geuen vs fyue senses and made vs an hearte of fleshe that we myghte haue feling and loue oure frendes beeyng sorye whā they suffer trouble and dye Yea GOD hateth vnfrendlye and vnmercyfull people and whose heartes are not moued whan theyr frendes are vexed or taken awaye from them Therefore the holy Patryarck Abraham Gene. 23. lamented and mourned for Sara his wife whan she was dead Good Ioseph made great lamentacyon for Iacob hys father Gene. 50. Paull lykewyse Philip. ◠wryteth thus My helper and felow souldyar Epaphroditus was deadly sycke but GOD had mercye vpon hym and not onelye vpon hym but also vpon me that I shoulde not haue one heuynes vpon another But as in all thynges so in thys there oughte a measure to be kepte that we continue not in fleshly vnordynate heuynes but styll resyste the sorowe and cōforte oure selues with thys accoūpt folowyng what dooe we meane thus to mourn and lamēt What wyll we dooe The Lorde is great and doeth no man wrōg And thesame is an honeste good wyll that conformeth it selfe to the wyll of god A notable saying For the good heathen mā Seneca wrote vnto his scholar Lucillus after thys maner a mā ought to bee contente with euery thing that god is pleased wythall only because it pleased god Nowe is euery thyng ordred by the prouidence of god as holi Augustyne de ciuitate dei saieth Lib. 5. cap. 11 without an orderly diuision and conueniente ioyning together of the partes hath not God lefte so much as the bowels of any best how vile or smal so euer the same be nor the fethers of a birde nor the floure of the herbe neyther the leafe of the tree so that there can nothynge bee founde that is not subiect to the prouidence of god neyther can there any litle birde dye wythoute his deuice charge and commaundemente Yf god now haue so diligent respect to such small things how then could thy frende whō thou mournest for departe awaye by death wythout the prouidence of god Therefore if we speake against the lordes works and cry agaynst hys wyll what is that els but euen as though we therefore lyued vpon earth that we as lordes rulers should prescrybe lawes for the almightie Which thyng to thynke I wil not say to speak were yet horrible Whan thou geuest foorth thy chyld to a nource she hath kept it long inough thou takest it home agayne the nourse hauīg no reasonable cause to complayne vpon the for takyng agayn thine own Yet muche les cause haue we to grudge against god our creditor whā he by death taketh his own agayn For as for father and mother brother and sister wife and childe frende and louer yea and all other thynges that we haue what are they els but lent goods and free gyftes of god whych he hath cōmitted vnto vs whiche we as long as he lendeth vs thē ought to esteme as aduaūtage Whan a Lorde hath lente vs a fayer costelye table whether should we gladly wyth thankes restore it hym agayne whan he requireth it or braull wyth hym after thys maner O thou terryble lord how happeneth it that thou hast robbed vs of so costly a table How cōmeth it that thou hast taken it from vs agayn so sodenly Vpon such a complaynte might not he with good ryghte answer Is that now mi reward for lending you so costly a table whyche I did of loue vndeserued on youre parte that ye mighte haue commoditie pleasure ther of a while Yea the more worthi the gift was that I lent you to vse the more thākful should ye be vnto me Yea with rougher wordes myght god iustly rebuke vs that bee so vnpaciente When the house fell vpon Iobs x. lyuing childrē vii sonnes .iii. daughters and whan his .vii. M. shepe wer brēt wyth fyer from heauen and his enemyes caryed awaye hys fyue hundreth yoke of oxen and fyue hundreth asses as the other enemyes droue away three hūdreth Camels slew also his seruātes in al this misery hurt Iob comforteth h̄imself thanketh God who had lent him such thynges and taken them away again The lord saith he hath geuen thē the lord hath takē thē euē as it hath pleased the lord so is it com to pas blessed be the name of the lorde Let vs therefore also saye wyth Iob the Lorde gaue vs this father that chylde such a frende the Lord hath taken hym agayn blessed be hys name But whā thou shouldst laude and prayse god it hyndereth the exceadyngly if thou feare that god of a wrath and enemitie agaynst thee hath taken away frō thee thy sonne or thy wyfe c. Such an opinion cōmeth not of god but is euen a practyse of the deuyll And herewyth agreeth our feble nature what soeuer is song or sayed we thynke in trouble that god is angrye and that our wyll is good and profytable and not gods wyll Contrary hereunto are we instructed by holy scripture that thoughe we knowe not perfectly for what cause God sendeth vs thys or that punishmente yet ought we to bee satisfied in this that god is gracious and fauourable vnto vs for hys beloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake Neuertheles to the intente that we maye both the better vnderstande and be the more glad to receaue the good wyl of God I wyll declare what profite such a death bryngeth to hym that departeth and to those that remain ¶ That vnto such as dye it is profitable to departe oute of thys lyfe The .2 Chapter IF thei that be dead from hēce hadde not suffered trouble in thys world whan thei were alyue it were no maruaill to se vs mourne out of measure for theyr departyng As for all their ioye and pastyme vpō earth thei are scace to be accōpted dreāes in comparyson of the true ioyes and treasures aboue Agayne who wyll vndertake to nomber the aduersities that al menne of what estate so euer they be must be possessours of We may well say wyth Iob man that is borne of a woman lyueth but a shorte time and is replenished with