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A right comfortable treatise containing fourteen points of consolation for them that labour and…A right comfortable treatise containing fourteene pointes of consolation for them that labor and…
A right comfortable treatise containing fourteen points of consolation for them that labour and are laden: Written by D. Martin Luther to Prince Frederick Duke of Saxony, he being sore sick, thereby to comfort him in the time of his great distress. Englished by W. Gace.A right comfortable treatise containing fourteene pointes of consolation for them that labor and are laden: VVritten by D. Martin Luther to Prince Friderik Duke of Saxonie, he being sore sicke, thereby to comfort him in the time of his great distresse. Englished by W. Gace.
London: printed by Thomas Vautrollier, 1578
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
AS yet we have seen no other in all the evils which we suffer, but that the goodness of God is so great, and so present with us, that among innumerable evils, wherewith we are compassed in this life, & wherein we are even imprisoned, scarce a very few, and those not at all times are suffered to assail us, so that every present evil wherewith we are troubled, is but an advertisement of certain great advantage, which we have through the goodness of ⟨p. 17⟩God, whiles that he suffereth us not to be oppressed with the multitude of evils wherewith we are compassed. For it is a miracle, if one be assailed with infinite blows, & be touched but with one alone, yea it is a grace that he is not stricken with all, a miracle that he is not stricken with many.
AS yet we haue seene no other in all the euills which we suffer, but that ye goodnes of God is so great, and so present with vs, that among innumerable euills, wherewith we are compassed in this life, & wherin we are euen imprisoned, scarce a very few, and those not at all times are suffered to assaile vs, so that euery present euill wherewith we are troubled, is but an aduertizement of certaine great aduauntage, which we haue through the goodnes of ⟨p. 17⟩God, whiles that he suffereth vs not to be oppressed with ye multitude of euills wherwith we are compassed. For it is a miracle, if one be assailed with infinit blowes, & be touched but with one alone, yea it is a grace that he is not stricken with all, a miracle that he is not stricken with many.
Now the first of the evils that are beneath us, is death, the second, hell. 1If we consider the shameful and vile death of others, wherewith sinners are punished, we shall easily perceive with how great advantage we suffer less then we have deserved. For how many are hanged, drowned, or stricken with the sword, which perhaps have done far lesser sins then we, so that their death and misery is set before us of Christ as a glass, wherein we may see what we have deserved: as