There hath been no time sith the first fashioning of man which hath not had her manifold miseries and great troubles by which God chastened and punished all men for their evil life and unthankfulness to him, continually refusing his calling and warning, whereof the righteous and just had their parts, although it was for their commodity & profit, (but to the utter destruction of the wicked and ungodly) for judgement beginneth at the faithful, which are called the household of God in the Scripture,1 and the punishment whereby God chasteneth them cometh always to them for the best, either to the bringing of patience, or the acknowledging of their since, or for the avoiding ⟨image 2⟩of the eternal condemnation: And their fashion is, when they perceive the hand of the Lord to be upon them, or upon others, by any manner of trouble, as poverty, sickness, banishment, falling away of faithful friends, increasing of foes, or any other like trouble. Immediately they turn to God, are heartily sorry for their since and unthankfulness, confesseth them selves guilty, & calleth earnestly for mercy, which God for, and in Jesus Christ gram teth unto them, of his great goodness according to his promise. So as in the middest of their troubles he hath used all ways to comfort them, yea, help and deliver them, as it appeareth by Noah, Abraham, Loth, and the patriarchs, David and Ezechia kynhes: Eli, Jeremiah, and Daniel, prophets, Susanna, a woman. Peter, Paul, and the rest of the Apostles together with all good persons, in all times and ages, who in their great troubles, changes of estates and kingdoms, and destruction of their common wealths, after they had turned to God. from whence those plagues came, found relief, help, con forte ⟨image 3⟩and deliverance in these and the like miserable necessities. This was the only remedy and defence for all good men: thither hath been their chef refuge, there fastened they their hope, and rested not continually calling upon him, until they obtained their requests: or else that which made most for God's glory and their commodity and profit, but contrary wise it is with the perverse & ungodly.
THere hath bene no tyme syth the fyrst fashionynge of man whiche hath not had her manyfold myseries and great troubles by which God chaistened and punished all men for their euel lyfe and vnthanckfulnes to hym, continually refusyng his callyng and warnyng, wherof the ryghteous and iuste had their partes, althoughe it was for their cōmoditie & profit, (but to the vtter destruccion of the wycked and vngodly) for iudgement begynneth at the faythful, which are called the housholde of God in the Scripture,1 and the punyshment wherby God chasteneth them cōmeth alwayes to them for the best, either to the bringyng of pacience, or the acknowlegyng of their synnes, or for the auoidynge ⟨image 2⟩of the eternall condempnatiō: And their fashion is, when they perceaue the hāde of the Lorde to be vpon them, or vpon others, by any maner of trouble, as pouertie, sycknes, banishment, fallynge awaye of faithful frendes, encreasyng of foes, or any other lyke trouble. Immediatly they turne to God, are hertely sorye for their synnes and vnthankful nes, confesseth them selues giltie, & calleth earnestly for mercye, whiche God for, and in Iesus Christ graū teth vnto thē, of his great goodnes according to his promise. So as in ye myddest of their troubles he hath vsed al wayes to comforte them, yea, helpe and deliuer them, as it appeareth by Noe, Abrahā, Loth, and the patriarkes, Dauid and Ezechia kynhes: Helye, Hieremy, and Daniel, prophetes, Susanna, a woman. Peter, Paule, and the reste of the Apostles together with al good persones, in all tymes and ages, who in their great troubles, chaunges of estates and kyngdomes, and destruccion of their cōmō wealthes, after they had turned to God. from whence those plagues came, foūd reliefe, helpe, cō forte ⟨image 3⟩and deliueraunce in these and the lyke miserable necessities. Thys was the onely remedye and defence for all good men: thyther hath bene their chef refuge, there fastened they their hope, and rested not cōtinually callyng vpon hym, vntyl they obreyned their requestes: or els yt whiche made moste for Goddes glorie and their commoditie and profyt, but cō trarie wyse it is wyth the peruers & vngodly.
- 11. Petri. 4.
