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For what cause are they blessed that are poor in spirit? For what cause are they blessed that mourn? Why are they happy that hunger? What reward shall they have that ⟨image 53⟩suffer persecution? because (saith Christ) theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, they shall be comforted, they shall be filled, they shall obtain a crown of glory. When two or three are gathered together in my name ¹(saith Christ) I will be in the middest of them. Whatsoever ye shall ask my father in my name, ²it shall be given unto you. These manifold and great promises it pleased almighty God to make unto his chosen & elect people: these comfortable promises Christ himself vouchsafed to pronounce to all such as shall cleave unto him: thus mercifully it pleased God by fair promises to allure and win us unto him. But oftentimes, alas, we set little or nothing by these sweet & comfortable promises, we little esteem or regard them: and therefore god then useth his threatening, his rigour and Justice among us: when no sweet words can win us, then he striketh his terror into us. For when god in old time perceived that no gentleness, no kindness, no mercy of his could win his people unto him, he caused Isaiah his prophet to cry out & said; Impius in beneficijs me non aguovit, in angustijs autē ⟨image 54⟩clamavit ad me: The wicked and sinful man (saith he) in my great goodness & benefits bestowed upon him, would not acknowledge nor confess me; but in his misery and trouble, in his anguish and woe, then he ran unto me, and called on my name. And so likewise by the Prophet Jeremiah God him self sayeth;³ Conuerterunt ad me terga, non faci•s suas: in die autem tribulationis inclamant me: They have turned their backs, and not their faces unto me: but in the day of their trouble, in the time of necessity they call and cry upon me. And so in like the same Prophet Jeremiah, or rather God by this Prophet⁴ saith: Impinguatus & incrassatus est populus meus, My people are waxen fat and lusty: they have forsaken me the well of life, and digged themselves pits, yea vile and broken pits that can hold no water. Such a thing is the felicity and pleasure of this world, that it maketh us soon to forget God, and the felicity of the world to come.