4 When our friends will not speak to us, the Lord calleth to us, he will enter some long speech with us, and denieth us not all the comforts, which the promises of the Gospel may afford. When our familiar acquaintance will scarcely lend us a potsherd to scrape off our scabs, the Lord by his Sacraments reacheth out the surest pledges of his eternal good will towards us. But yet behold another work of affliction, it bringeth us to the1 contempt of this world, and breedeth in us the love of the world to come, whereunto in prosperity we are very hardly brought. For besides that we see few noble, rich, healthy, strong and honourable men desire death, or to be weary of this life, be it never so long, if we consider how loath such men are to depart, how gladly they would indent, that their life and term of their lease might after an hundred years expired, be renewed for an hundred years longer, we shall see prosperity will persuade all and overcomes many to die in the nest. Nay which more is, affliction can hardly call us away or knock us off, we grow so deaf, and take hold so fast of the world: For who is so sick, but even in pain he would rather wish to live the longer, than to die the sooner? who so clogged with poverty.2 that to be freed from his clog would desire to die? If the Israelites panting and breathing under the yoke of most servile impositions and travels were hardly drawn towards the promised land of liberty, and easily would have retired to the former labours of their servitude, what think you should have allured them out of Egypt, if they had lived there in some preferment and ease, as did Joseph in the court? what could Moses and Aaron have done to have driven them out of the place? And I pray you, if we being never so sick, never so poor, can still be content to have our abiding in this life, what will we do, if the Lord still grant us friends, leave our conscience untouched, our bodies unharmed, our goods unconsumed? Surely we would not have leisure to think of death, much less to die, as our common speeches of our wise, strong, and wealthy men do show, who, when death dealeth ⟨p. 688⟩with them, cry out, what must I needs away, alas I never thought of any other heaven, I am not fit to depart, I am very loth to die?
4 When our friends will not speake to vs, the Lord calleth to vs, hee will enter some long speech with vs, and denieth vs not all the comforts, which the promises of the Gospell may affoord. When our familiar acquaintance will scarcely lend vs a potsherd to scrape off our scabs, the Lord by his Sacramēts reacheth out the surest pledges of his eternall good will towards vs. But yet behold another worke of affliction, it bringeth vs to the1 contempt of this world, and breedeth in vs the loue of the world to come, whereunto in prosperitie we are very hardly brought. For besides that wee see few noble, rich, healthie, strong and honourable men desire death, or to be wearie of this life, be it neuer so long, if wee consider how loath such men are to depart, how gladly they would indent, that their life and tearme of their lease might after an hundred yeeres expired, bee renewed for an hundred yeeres longer, wee shall see prosperitie will perswade all and ouercomes many to die in the nest. Nay which more is, affliction can hardly call vs away or knock vs off, wee grow so deafe, and take hold so fast of the world: For who is so sick, but euen in paine hee would rather wish to liue the longer, than to die the sooner? who so clogd with pouertie.2 that to be freed from his clog would desire to die? If the Israelites panting and breathing vnder the yoke of most seruile impositions and trauels were hardly drawne towards the promised land of libertie, and easily would haue retired to the former labours of their seruitude, what thinke you should haue allured them out of Egypt, if they had liued there in some preferment and ease, as did Ioseph in the court? what could Moses and Aaron haue done to haue driuen them out of the place? And I pray you, if we being neuer so sick, neuer so poore, can still be content to haue our abiding in this life, what will we doe, if the Lord still graunt vs friends, leaue our conscience vntouched, our bodies vnharmed, our goods vnconsumed? Surely we would not haue leasure to think of death, much lesse to die, as our common speeches of our wise, strong, and wealthie men doe shew, who, when death dealeth ⟨p. 688⟩with them, crieout, what must I needes away, alas I neuer thought of anie other heauen, I am not fit to depart, I am very loth to die?
- 1Sacraments.
- 2The afflictions of the Church in Egypt were Gods rod to drive them forth to the promised land.The afflictions of the Church in Egypt were Gods rod to driue them forth to the promised land.
