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…

Secondly their own evils are to be ⟨p. 21⟩considered of us also, ¹not that we should rejoice at them, but that we should have compassion on them. Now they also are subject to all the same evils, whereunto we are subject, as it may be easily perceived by the former considerations. Howbeit herein they are more miserable then we, that they are out of our society, as well corporal as spiritual. For this evil which we suffer is nothing in comparison of that, that they live in sins, in infidelity, under the wrath of God, under the dominion of the devil, most miserable slaves of ungodliness and sin, so that if the whole world should curse them, it could wish them no worse. All which if we do throughly perceive, we shall also perceive, with how great favour and blessing of God we, living in faith, in the kingdom of Christ, in the service of God, do suffer some little evil of the body, which in so great plenty of most excellent things, should not be so much as felt: yea their misery ought to be so grievous to him that hath a Christian and godly hart, that he should think his own griefs delights. For so Paul willeth Philip. 2: Look not every man on his own things, ⟨p. 22⟩but every man on the things of other men. Let the same mind be in you, that was even in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, took on him the form of a servant, &c. That is, with most loving affection he took on him our form, behaving him self no otherwise in our evils, then if they had been his own, so, as it were forgetting his own good things, and making him self of no reputation, that he might be found altogether made like unto men, refusing to be subject to no humane thing, being occupied only in our evils.

Secondly their owne euills are to be ⟨p. 21⟩considered of vs also, ¹not that we should reioice at them, but that we should haue compassion on them. Nowe they also are subiect to all the same euils, whereunto we are subiect, as it may be easily perceiued by the former cōsiderations. Howbeit herein they are more miserable then we, that they are out of our societie, as well corporall as spiritual. For this euil which we suffer is nothing in comparison of that, that they liue in sinnes, in infidelitie, vnder the wrath of God, vnder the dominion of the deuil, most miserable slaues of vngodlines and sinne, so that if the whole worlde shoulde curse them, it coulde wishe them no worse. All which if we doe throughly perceiue, we shall also perceiue, with how great fauour and blessing of God we, liuing in faith, in the kingdome of Christ, in the seruice of God, do suffer some litle euill of the body, which in so great plentie of most excellent thinges, should not be so much as felt: yea their miserie ought to be so grieuous to him that hath a Christian and godly hart, that he should thinke his owne griefes delightes. For so Paule willeth