This History declareth plainly, how precious the death of the ⟨image 66⟩Saints, that is, of the faithful is in the sight of the Lord, appear their life never so miserable before the dainty worldlings. Again, how vile & detestable the death of the wicked is in Gods sight, have they spent their life in never so much joy, pleasure & felicity, & were they recounted before the world never so blessed, happy & fortunate, and brought to the ground with never 1so great pomp and solemnity. And here see we that to be true, which is written, Woe be to you rich men, which have your• consolation. Woe be to you that are filled, for ye shall hunger. Woe be to you that laugh now, for ye shall lament and weep Woe be to you, when all men shall praise you, for according to these things did their fathers to the false Prophets. But blessed are ye that hunger now, for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye y• weep now, for ⟨image 67⟩ye shall laugh. The dainty worldlings 2receive pain after this life, but the faithful in the Lord, which be oppressed with misery & troubled for Gods trueth, shall receive joy & glory. So that as David saith, Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. Hereto agreeth the saying of S. John in his revelation. Blessed are the 3dead, which dye in the Lord. The death of Saints must needs be precious in the sight of the Lord, & they which dye in the Lord must needs be blessed, seeing that both y• glory of God is set forth by their death, & the Saints them selves set in a perpetual joy & everlasting 4quietness without any more care or trouble. For after that they have offered up this their life unto god, the souls of the righteous are straight ways in the hand of God, and the pain of death shall not touch them. ⟨image 67⟩In the sight of the unwise they ap 5pear to dye, & their end is taken for very destruction. The way of y• righteous is judged to be utter destruction, but they are in rest. And though they suffer pain before men, yet is their hope full of immortality. They are punished but in few things, nevertheless in many thin ges shall they be well rewarded. For God proveth them, & lyndeth them mete for himself, yea as gold in the furnace doth he try them, & receiveth them as a burnt offering, & when the time cometh, they shall be looked upon. They righteous shall shine as the sparks, that run 6through the read bush.
This Hystory declareth playnely, howe precious the deathe of the ⟨image 66⟩Saynctes, that is, of the faythfull is in the syght of the Lord, appeare theyr lyfe neuer so miserable before the deynty worldlynges. Agayne, howe vile & detestable the death of the wicked is in Gods syght, haue they spēt theyr lyfe ī neuer so much ioye, pleasure & felicite, & were they recounted before the worlde neuer so blyssed, happye & fortunate, and brought to the ground with neuer 1so great pompe and solemnite. And here se we that to be true, whiche is written, Wo be to you rytche men, which haue your• consolacion. Wo be to you that are fylled, for ye shall honger. Wo be to you that laughe nowe, for ye shall lament and wepe Wo be to you, whan all menne shall prayse you, for accordynge to these thynges dyd theyr fathers to the false Prophetes. But blyssed are ye that honger now, for ye shall be fylled. Blyssed are ye y• wepe now, for ⟨image 67⟩ye shall laugh. The deynte worldeliges 2receaue payne after this life, but the faythful in ye Lorde, which be oppressed wt miserye & troubled for Gods trueth, shall receaue ioye & glory. So that as Dauid sayth, Precious in the syght of the Lorde is the death of his Sayntes. Hereto agreeth the sayenge of S. Iohn̄ in his reuelacion. Blyssed are the 3dead, whiche dye in the Lorde. The death of Saynctes muste nedes be precious in the syght of the Lorde, & they which dye in the Lorde must nedes be blyssed, seyng that bothe y• glory of God is sette forth by theyr death, & the Saynctes them selues set in a perpetual ioye & euerlastig 4quietnes without ony more care or trouble. For after yt they haue offered vp this theyr lyfe vnto god, the soules of the righteous are streight wayes in the hand of God, and the payne of deth shall not towche thē. ⟨image 67⟩In the syght of the vnwyse they ap 5peare to dye, & theyr ende is taken for very destruccion. The waye of y righteous is iudged to be vtter destruccion, but they are in reste. And thogh they suffer payne before mē, yet is theyr hope full of immortalite. They are ponysshed but in fewe thynges, neuertheles in many thin ges shall they be wel rewarded. For God proueth them, & lyndeth them mete for himselfe, yea as golde in ye fornace doth he trye them, & receaueth them as a burnte offerynge, & whan the tyme commeth, they shall be looked vpon. They ryghteous shall shyne as the sparkes, that run
- 1Amos. vi. Luke. vi. Math. v. Eccl. xxxi
- 2Mark well.
- 3Apoc. xiiii.
- 4Sap. iii. Deu. xxxiii
- 5Sap. v. Heb. •i. Rom. viii. ii. Cor. v. i. Pet. i.
- 6Math. xiii. i. Cor. xv. Math. xix i. Cor. vi.