The fyrst Chapter .

That all trouble and affliccion cometh from God .

I Call all that , trouble and affliccyon , whatsoeuer is reputed to be contrary to the desyre and appetite of mans nature , as the vnquyete suggestions of the flesh , the temptacions of the deuyll , syckenes of body , a wycked and frowarde mate in matrimony , to haue disobedient children , vnkynd and vnthanful frendes , losse of goodes , to be depryuyd of any old liberty or priuiledge losse or blemish of name and fame , the malyce & displeasure of men , honger , dearth , pestylens , warre , imprisonement and death . And in this regyster do I put al kyndes of crosses and affliccions , whether they be bodyly or ghostlye , oure own or our frendes , priuate & singular or vniuersal & general , pryuy & secret or open & manifest , deserued or vndeserued . In al such thinges , I saye , euery Christen man ought first of al to consider the very roote , ground , & beginning , after this wise . That al thinges whatsoeuer God sendeth , we ought to take & receiue them paciently . For this is ones true that god is our creator & maker , & we his workeman shyp , he is our kyng , our Lord & father . And lyke as it is not semyng that the put should murmur Rom. ix agaynst the po●…maker , euen so is it much lesse conuenient that we should murmur & grudge against Gods wil and iudgement Ro. ix . And although trouble & affliccion ryseth and spryngeth often tymes by the wyckednes of enemies and thorowe the instigacyon of the deuell or els by some other meane , yet ought we neuer to ymagyne that it cometh by fortune or chaunce wythout the permyssyon , sufferance , demynacyon and wyll of God , but by and wyth the fore knowledge , prouydence , and appoyntement of god . And to speake properly , concernynge safegard , it is all one ( su that we tempte not God ) whether we lyue in pouertye , or in ryches , in the fyre or in the water , among our enemies , or among our frendes , seynge that God seyth , knowyth , dysposyth , and rulyth all thynges . As wytnessyth the fyrste booke i. re. ij . b. deu. xxxij Sa. xvi . c Tob. xiij and seconde chapter of the kynges . The Lord bryngeth death , and restoreth again vnto lyfe , bryngeth into the graue and rai seth vp agayn , puttyth downe and exalteth also . And Iob also testyfyeth in hys myserye , the Lorde dyd geuen it , and the Iob. iij Lord hath taken it agayne . And Christ in the tenth of Mathewe , There falleth not a sparrow vpon the earth wythoute your fathers wyll , yea the heares of your head are all u●…mbied .

Seyng then that al our troubles & affliccions come from God , we ought to humble & submit our hartes and mindes vnto the obedience of god , and to suffer him to worck with vs according vnto his most holy wil and pleasure . Wherfore whensoeuer vnseasonable whether shall hurte and peryshe the corne and fruite of the earth , or when a wycked man shall mysreporte vs or rayse vp anye slaunder of vs , why should we murmur & grudge against the elementes or go about to reuenge vs of our enemies ? For if we lift not vp oure mindes & consyder , that God laieth his hand vpon vs , & that it is he that stryketh vs , we are euen lyke vnto dogges and no better , which if a man do cast a stone at them , wyll byte the stone wythout any respecte who dyd cast the stone . And again no man mat . xxv ought to be vnwilling or discontent to render againe that talent or pledge , that was committed to him onely , to reserue & kepe . It is that God , that geueth vs lyfe , helth of body , strength , wyfe , children , frendes riches , honor , power , auctorite , peace , rest & quietnes , for a time , so longe as pleaseth him . Now if the same God wil take again some of these things , or al , he taketh nothing , but his owne , & euen that which we did owe vnto him . For that which cause to murmur against his wil , & to stryue against his iudgement , it can not be but an heynous and a greuous synne .

The second chapter .

¶ That trouble and affliccyon and aduersyte are sent vnto vs of God , euen for the punishment of our synnes .

NOw what thing moueth or causeth god , to send home vnto vs & visite vs with affliccion , trouble & vexacion ? concerning this point marke this wel . Whatsoeuer anye man hath merited & deserued that ought he to beare & to suffer willingly & gladly . Let euery man ap pose & examine him selfe whether he hath not deserued to be correcte & chastened of god , ( if it be not for any special thing at that present instant , ) yet for other sins committed at other times . Now wil our lord god in al maner of punishmentes & visitacions , declare that order of his rightuousnes & his he up wrath & indignacion against sinne & wickednes : for he saith in the .ij . commaundement : I that lord which am thy god , am a gelous & an ernest god , & I wil visyte the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children , euen vntill the third & fourth generacion , if they hate Exo. xx & contemne me . And in the. xxviij . chap. of the. v. boke of Moises , are all the plages rehersed one after another , whych shal be poured out vpon the wicked & vngodly , & in the. xiij . of Luke it is said thus . If ye do not amend ye shal al perish : & that we may perceiue euen before our eyes euidently how that punishment & plages are the dewe rewarde vnto synne , God temperyth & framyth the punishment , euen like vnto the syn God punysheth syn with like syn . 〈◊〉 . Re. xi so that they do both agree together as wel in forme & lykenes , as in proporcion & qualyte . As for an example like as Dauid defyled Wrias wife , euen so were his wines defiled vnto him again also . He caused Wrias to be slaine & destroied , & therfore did his sonne destroy his own brother again , & stirred a sedicion & vproure , & hunted & droue his father out of hys kingdome , so that no man can sufficiently expresse the great misery & punishment , that Dauid & his people suffered , For the shameful wichednes & abhominacion that he had committed . Now consider & wey , as it were in a true balance the righteousnes , which god requireth of vs on the one syde , & again the whole trade of our life , on the other syde . If the generacion of mankind had bene conformable ●…n to the law of god , & had not swarued from the same it had bene altogether thorowlye happy & blessed euermore , & shulde neuer haue rottyd & dried away like the fruit and floures of the feld . But it ●…waruyd & fel away , at the ●…irst euen from the beginning . Our first parentes & progenitors , did neglect & Gene. iij despise gods commaundementes , & so we tho row their fall are corrupt & infected , our reason , senses , & understanding blinded , & our will 〈◊〉 . We fele & find in vs wicked lustes & affeccions , we seke in the world lust & pleasure , euen against the holye word of god . And like as if an asse were trimmyd & decked in a lionsskyn & wold nedes be a lyon , yet his long eares being al wayes vpward , shuld easely descrie & bewray him . Euen so if we adourn garnishe & set furth our selues with certen glorious bew tiful workes neuer so much , so that no man can say but that we are vtterly innocent & vnc●…lpable in diuers & many poyntes , yet not with standing we haue filthy , vnclene & wicked hartes , ful of securite & neglect of god altogether geuen to the loue of our selues , & to al maner of dissolutenes . Now therfore if we be assaulted & visited with sicknes , pouer ty , warre , sedicion , we ought not to ascribe these thinges , one to the magistrat , another to the preacher & minister of gods word or to the faith & religion it self , and the third to the elementes and starres , or to God in heauen hym self , as though any of these were the occasyon of suche plages : Lyke as no man oughte to accuse and blame the physycyon as thoughe he were the occasyon of the corrupt humors within the body , not withstanding that he hath brought & dryuen them out , that a man may euidently se and perceiue them , but the misbehauor & vntemperate dyeth of the man him self is the very ryght occasion & the only roote thereof : Euen so we ought not to ascrybe any blame or faut vnto god , if he send vnto vs heuines , paine & troble , but to think that it is a medicine and remedy mete for our sinnes , & euery man to ascribe the very cause & occasion therof vnto him self & his own sinnes , & to refer the blame to nothing .

And this example dyd the holye men oure godly forefathers in old tyme shew declare & leaue vnto vs , ascrybynge allwayes the cause & occasyon of the crosse , & of suche heuy affliccyons , as dyd happen in theyr tyme , euen vnto their owne synnes . As Daniel in the. ix . chap : sayth : By reason of our synnes & of the wyckednes of our fathers , is Ierusalem and thy people destroyed euen of those that dwel Dan. ix . about vs . For the which cause we ought rather to lament and bewayle , yea and tocrye oute alas , alas , out , out , vpon oure synnes and wickednes , then eyther vpon any infirmite sycknes or vpon any other affliccion or tribulacyon , whych we suffer by reason of our synnes .

For if wee shoulde wayle , and be heauy withoute reason or measure , when God doth nothyng , but 〈◊〉 iustyce and ryghtuousnes vpon hys enemyes , what were it els but to myslyke the rightuousnes of God , and euen to loue that thinge whiche God hateth ? And what is thys els , but onely the very rightuousnes and goodnes of God , whan he punysheth marterith & vtterlye subdueth and destroyeth in vs here in thys worlde hys & our greatest enemyes , that is to saye , our synnes . Therfore to sorowe and mourne without measure in the myddest of affliction and trouble , is nothynge els but to shew thy selfe a frinde vnto synne , which is thyne & Gods hyghest enemye . Wherfore we shulde rather laude God , and hyghlye reioyse ( not specyallye , because of the myserye and affliccyon ) but in the ryghteous & gracious wil of God . Righteous , I saye , because he punysheth synne . And agayne gracyous & mercyfull , for as muche as he doth punyshed it muche more easelye then we haue iust●…ye deserued .

¶ The thyrde Chapter .

¶ All maner of troubles and affliccyons , whatsoeuer they be , are alwayes muche lesse and lyghter then are our synnes .

UUhansoeuer a man doth geue a small and a lyght ponyshemente vnto hym that hath deserued much greater , it is reason that he receyue & take it pacientlye . As one that hath slayne and murthered a man , yf he be but beaten and whyped out of a citye or towne , he taketh it in good part , because he knoweth well ynoughe , that he hath deserued to be hanged . The holy woman Iudyth thynketh in the ▪ viij . Chapter that all these transyto ty ponyshmentes are muche lesse & farre inferyor vnto our synnes and wickednes ses . Wherfor yf thou suffer pouertye , syckenesse or any other aduersyte , consider and thincke with thy selfe after this maner . Well , thy manyfold synnes haue deserued a thousand , thousand tymes more gre nous ponyshment , more heauye sycknes , more horrible warre , and more intollerable imprisonment . And yf al the miseries of the world shuld come together vpon on●… heape vnto the , yet thou hast deserued much worse : For that haste well deserued the full power & tiranny of the deuil , & eternal damnacion nacion , which notwithstanding God hath kept & taken from the of his mere mercy , only for Iesus christes sake . Item he that hath receiued alwaies good & prosperous thinges ought not to meruel nor to wonder , yf somtyme he receyue also some mysfortune & aduersyte . Euen the chyldren of the world can say , that there is neuer a good houre , but hath also deserued an euyll . Now so mercyful is God that he suffereth no man vpon earth vnrewarded with one benefyte or other . As wel before trouble as after yea , & also in the very tyme there of , he geueth hym many hygh & excellent gystes and benefytes , as well bodyly as ghostly , corporall as spyrytuall .

As for his benefytes before trouble and affliccyon , we haue a notable example set be fore oure eyes in Iob , which sayth , seyng Iob. iij. we haue receyued moch goodnes of God why shuld we not be content also to receyue the euyl lykewyse ? Plyny the seconde beynge an Heathen man , as he wold confort a fryude of his , whose deare spouse & wyfe was departed out of the world , among other thinges , he wrote after thys maner . This ought to be a singular conforte vnto the , that thou hast had and inioyed suche a precyous Iewell so longe a tyme . For. ●…iiij . yeares dyd she lyue with the , and there was neuer anystryfe , brawling or contention betwene you nor neuer , one of you ones displeased the other . Yea but now thou wylt s●…y , so much the more loth and vnwillynge am I to forbeare & to be without her , seynge I lyued so long a tyme so quyetely with her . For we forget sone suche pleasures & commodyties , as we haue proued & tasted , but a lytle ty me only . But to answer to this , take thou hede that thou be not founde vnthanckefull , yf thou wylt onely wey and consyder what thou hast lost , and not remember , how longe thou dedest enioye her .

And agayne in the very tyme & myddest of affliccyon and trybulacyon , God geueth vs grace to consyder other good & prosperous thynges whiche we haue and enioy styll , that thorowe the rememberans & consyderacyon of them , oure smarte & payne maye be eased , mollyfyed & mytygated . As for an example , thou art a weake , impotent , and a dyseased man in thy body , but yet hath God geuen the reasonable & conuenient goodes & possessions to susteyne the with , or els yf thou hast scarsenes & lack of goodes & ryches , yet thou hast no lacke of bodyly health . Nowe yf we wyl not set & wey the one agaynst the other , then are we lyke vnto lytle chyldren , which yf any man happen a lytle to dysturbe or hynder theyr playe & game , or to take any maner of thynge from them , they wyll by and by cast away al the rest also , and wyl fall on wepynge . Euen so were it possyble ynough for ▪ vs to do lykewyse , when so euer anye misfortune shuld happen vnto vs , to waxe angrye & displeased , and to haue no maner of luste nor desyre to vse nor to enioye it vnto that good that styll remayneth & is lefte behynde . Be it in case that thou werte depryued of all maner of bodely comforte , but yet in thy brest & hart thou haste the knoweledge of Iesus Christ which hath redemed the oute of hell and damnacyon that was dewe vnto the , in respecte of the whiche damnacyon all plages vpon earth are to be estemed as one lytle drop of water , agaynst the whole sea . Besydes thys also thorow fayth , thou felest a confydens and assurans of euerlastynge & eternall ioye , As S. Paul doth wryte of the same in the. viij . to the Roma . saying . I suppose that the affliccyons of thys worlde are not worthy of the glorye that shall be reueled vnto vs . An example haue Luc. xv . we set before our eyes in the prodigall & desperate sonne , whiche dyd so humble and submyt hym selfe , that he desyred no more to be taken for a sonne , but to be put to labor as a daye laborer , and an hyered seruaunt , so that he myght but onelye remayne Ihon . viij in hys fathers house , Euen so whatsoeuer God sendeth , ought we to take pacyentlye , so that we maye but onely dwell in the house of God , in heauen with God euerlastingly .

Now yf any man shulde thinke thus , God doth not ponysh other whiche haue committed muche more h●…ynos synnes , with so great & greuous plages & dyseases , as he doth vs , that were vnreuerently & vnchristenly ymagyned of God . For what yf thou thy self beyst more wicked then any other . But be it so that other do lyue more wickedlye & 〈◊〉 then thou , what wotest thou , howe God doth ponysh them ? The greatest & most greuous paynes and ponyshementes are the inwarde sorowes & secrete ponyshmentes of the mynde which are not sene with the outwarde eye . And althoughe they haue no specyall sorowe nor singular griefe , that appereth vnto the , and thou knowest not what God meaneth thereby , yet oughtest thou ( as a chylde vnto the father to geue vnto hym ) honor , laude , and prayse , that he dysposeth all thynges wyth such wysdome and in suche order . And when he seyth tyme , he wyll rewarde & consyder all such thynges as haue bene wroughte & committed heretofore agaynst hys most ryght & iust lawes , accordynge as they haue deserued .

The iiij . Chapter .

All maner of affliccions are sent and come from God of a louynge & fatherlye mynde towarde vs .

IT is not suffycient for vs to know that all maner of affliccyon commeth by the permyssyon and sufferaunce of God , of hys iuste iudgemente by reason of our synnes . For in extreme temptacyons and in greate necessyties , these are the fyrste thoughtes and ymagynacyons that come into oure myndes . ( For as muche as I haue greuouslye offended God wyth my synnes , therfore is he displeased wyth me , and nowe become myne enemye , and hath caste hys fauor from me ) . And yf we preuent not , & shyft awaye such fantasyes & ymaginacyons in tyme , they wyll make vs to flee from God , to forsake hym , and to abhorre & grudge agaynst hym , As Saul dyd , which ymagyned & fully persuaded with hym self that God punyshed hym of hatered & displeasure agaynst hym . And therfore Sauls hart turned from God , and forsoke him , and so he began to hate and abhorre hym as a cruell tyranne . Wherfore vnto suche poyntes and articles as are taught heretofore , thys admonicyon doth also appertain teyne . We ought to receyue wyth hyghe thankefulnes , what soeuer God of a fatherly & louynge mynde & not of any indygnacyon towarde vs , sendeth vnto vs , whether it be to the fleshe pleasant or greuous . The Forde God vy●…iteth vs with temporal & transitorye myserye , euen for the very carefull and fatherlye harte that he beareth towarde vs , and not of any hatred or indignacyon agaynst vs . For God is reconcyled , and at one wyth all Christen men , thorow hys sonne , and loueth them euen from the verye ground of hys harte . For the whiche cause , howe so euer , or by what maner of meane it be that God pouysheth & correcteth vs , he doth it because he hateth , as thoughe he wolde vtterlye refuse and cast vs away : but of very pyty & compassyon , onelye to receyue vs as hys chyldren , to kepe and preserue vs , to exercyse and practyse vs , to humble and to brynge vs downe , and to styrre and prycke vs forwarde , that prayer , fayth , the ●…eare of God , obedience & other vertuys maye ware and increase in vs to hys honor and our saluacyon .

Testymonyes for thys haue we fyrst in the xxxiij . of Ezechiel . As trulye as I lyue , I haue no pleasure in the deathe of the synner , but that he turne & liue . Here ●…owe doth God sweare that he doth ponyshe , not to destroye but to allure , reduce & bryng vs vnto penans . Item . Prou. iij. Whome the Lorde loueth , hym doth he chasten , and yet not withstandinge he hath pleasure in hym , as a father in hys chylde . Thys is an euydent testimony , that affliccyon , trouble , and vexacyon are no tokens of the wrath and dyspleasure of God , but rather holye tokens of hys grace mercy and fauor , whereby god assueryth vs of hys mercyfull will and fatherlye harte towarde vs . Item in the. viij . to the Romaynes . We know that vn Ro. viij . to suche as loue God , al thynges serue to the best . And in the. xi . of the. i ▪ to the Chorinth . we are corrected & ponyshed of the lorde , that we shulde not be condemned with the world . All thys mayest thou also marke in the whole story of Iob thorow oute . Lykewyse Ioseph was solde of hys brethren , and delyuered vnto the Heathen , of very malyce and enuye by the prouocacyon and suggestion of the deuyll . But the most faythfull God turned it to the profyte and welth both of the house of Israel , and also of the whole kyngdome of Egypt . For so dyd Ioseph hym selfe interprete it , in the. x●…v . of Genesis .

Agayne the churche of Christe , that is to saye the Christen congregacyon which is Christes spowse , muste suffer vexacyon and affliccyon here vpon earthe . But for as muche as God loueth thys hys spowse of hys sonne , namely the congregacyon of the faythfull , and mynded to comforte her , and to be most benefycially vnto her , therfore lyke as he hath raysed vp Christe her brydegrome , heade , and Kynge , from deathe , euen so wyll he also delyuer her from all affliccyon , and geue her a ioyfull victorye of all suche thynges as do oppresse her . But it is the infyrmyte and faulte of oure weake eyes , that we can not espye the mercyfull & louing goodnes of God in and vnder the rodde and scourge . Whansoeuer we are vysyted wyth affliccyon and miserye , it is our du●…ye in dede fyrste to acknowledge and remember oure synnes , and agayne to con syder the ●…ock & bandes of the deuill for synne , but we ought not to iudge & ymagyne of suche affliccyon according to the purpose and wyll of the deuill ( as he of a malyce & a myscheuous mynde that he beareth vs , myndeth towarde vs ▪ which seketh contynually nothynge els , but the vtter destruccyon and confusyon of all mankynd ) but rather we ought to esteme & consyder of al such troubles & affliccions , according as God meaneth & receyueth them , which of his mere goodnes turneth them to our welth & profyte , workynge & fynyshing therby our perfyght saluacyon ,

And wheresoeuer the harte can not conceyue thys comforte that God correcteth & pouysheth for very mercyfull fauor & loue towarde vs , there of necessyte must the temptacyon and grefe be moche the greater and the party at lengthe fall to vtter desperacyon .

¶ The. v. Chapter .

That onely God , for Christes sake , and that of very mery , loue , and fauor doth correcte and pouyshe vs .

THe very ryght and onelye cause of the mercyfull and fatherly wyl of God towarde vs , haue we in the onelye merytes of Iesus Christe , vnto whome we ought to lyfte vp oure hartes towarde heauen , and to behold and consyder hym wyth our myndes contynuallye after thys maner . Oure synnes and mysdedes deserue honger , dearth , warre , pestilence , and al maner of plages . Now hath Christ ransomed and made full satisfaccyon for all the synnes that we haue committed . He hath redemed , payde , discharged , and made harmeles vnto vs al our mysdedes wyth hys bytter deathe & victoryous resurreccyon , & hath satisfyed hys fathers ryghteousnes , As S. Paule doth testifye verye comfortably . i. Corin. i. sayinge : Iesus is becomme and made vnto vs , our wysdome , our ryghteousnes our satisfaccyon and oure redempcyon . So that nowe yf affliccyons hurt vs only by reason of our synnes and oure synnes satysfyed & dyscharged thorowe the death and passyon of Iesus , then must it nedes folowe that all oure affliccyons al so , are lykewyse harmeles vnto vs , and can not hurte vs .

Yea Christe , wyth , and thorowe hys passyon , and affliccyon , hath blessed and sanctyfyed all maner of affliccyons , that they all shulde serue and redounde vnto all faythfull Christians for their greatest welthe , vp the ordynaunce and prouysyon of God their heauenlye father .

He is the trew physycyon whiche after he perceyued , that affliccion dyd feare vs , toke vpon hym selfe to suffer all maner of trouble , yea the moost greuous sorowes and extremytyes , because he wold set and appoynt a certayne measure and ende vnto oure sorowes , and also blesse & sanctifye , yea & also make pleasaunt and delectable very death it selfe vnto vs .

Oh yf we coulde fele , beholde and con syder the harte & mynde of Christ , whan he dyd wyllyngly hange vpon the crosse , and suffered hym self so cruelly & paynefully to be tormented & ponyshed , for no nother cause , but that he myghte vtterlye take away the whole strength of all oure synnes , sorowe , and deathe , and destroye hell , that none of them shoulde hurt vs .

And agayne that he tasted & dranke of the cup before vs , that we beyng sycke & weake myght the rather drinck & tast of it after hym , for as muche as no euyl mis happened vnto hym therof , but immedyatly rose vp agayne from death . Oh , yf the knoweledge and remembraunce of thys myght remayne in our hartes vprighte , & shyne contynually before vs , then shulde we neuer syncke or faint , nor yet despaire of the mercy and goodnes of God , al●… thoughe we should labor in neuer so dangerous & greuous a battell , & thoughe we oure selues shulde tast & fele the dewe ponyshmente that oure synnes haue deserued , then shulde we be able to stande sty●… felye agayuste the gates of hell . And all maner of sorowe heuynes , temptacyon , feare , and mysfortune shulde thereby be vtterly consumed and swalowed vp . And ●…uen thys is the hyghest & moste specyall comforte that euer was harde or red of , from the begynnynge of the worlde . He is onelye alone suffycyent ( yf we consyder hym and take holde of hym as we shulde do ) to plante and grafte suche a mynde in vs , that we shall not onelye not sorowe nor be heauye , but also tryumphe and reioyse in and of oure myserye and affliccyon , as Paule triumpheth excellentlye and hyghlye . Roman . viij . where he sayth : yf God hath not spared hys onelye sonne , but hath geuen hym vp for vs all , howe shulde he not geue vs all thynges wyth hym ? What make we then wyth oure vayne fearfulnes , care , sorowe , and heauynes ?

Wherfore ( yf we wil be right Christians ) we muste wyth al thankefulnes set furth , extoll , and magnifye thys excellent , infynyte , and heauenly grace and benefyte of God , and the hyghe and singular comforte , whyche we haue by Christe .

For all they that lacke the knoweledge of the benefyte that we haue by Christe , and refuse thys excellent & hygh treasure whether they be Iewes or Heathen of Mahometis or of the Popyshes●…cte they can not be able to geue anye trew , perfyght , or halsome conforte , eyther to them selues or to any other in any maner of feare or doubt of the conscience or in any other affliccyon and necessyte .

So longe as they are quyete and safe , and neyther fele nor consyder the payne of deathe nor any other grefe or necessite , they may well lyue securely and boldely wythoute any maner of feare , but when the euyll houre ones cometh , that the wether changeth a lytle , that eyther thorow the reuelacyon and openyng of the lawe they fele and perceyue the wrath of God ouer them , or els thorowe the manyfeste and euydent tokens and preachynge of the iuste ponyshmente and vengeaunce of God , and thorowe the present taste of some plage they are sodenly taken & stryken wyth feare , as than doth all theyr wysdome , counsell , and polycye , wherewith to withstand any such euyll , vtterly fayle them , & sodenly deceyue them . Then fle they from God , and can not tell , whether to runne , nor where to hyde them selues . And how small soeuer their temptacion , or plage is , theyr hart is dashyd and as sore afrayd ( as Moyses sayth ) of the noyse of a leafe as of a thonderclap . And wyth suche maner persous the whole trade of their former lyfe , wyth al their labor , trauail , and a●…ians in their supersticious , seruing of God , and in their hard , & strayte lyfe is vtterly lost and spent in vayne .

Yea what comforte soeuer they haue sought , besyde Christ , it is al nothing els but an augmentacion of their sorowfull feare and a traynyng of them , towardes desperacion . So that wythoute and besydes the Lord Iesus , there is no maner of comforte , ayde nor succor at all to be loked for .