First / as death is the pain of sine, so likewise are diseases many times sent us of God for our since,1 as it is manifest in divers places of the scripture. we are punished also oftentimes to prove and try our faith / for then is it perceived, how dearly we love god how greatly we trust unto him, when we be oppressed & troubled with any heavy cross. Therefore look that here before all things, thou tur•est all thine heart all thy mind / and all thy senses unto God, and that thou doest truly repent and that thou doest lament and confess thy since before God, for the which all we have deserved, even the most righteous wrath of God and most grievous p•yne. Notwithsta• ding, the most plenteous comfort or absolution, as they call it, or remission of since, which christ ordained in the church, thou shall require of the ⟨image 8⟩Gospel of John.2 This exceeding great treasure is daily opened and offered to thee. Take ye, saith Christ• the holy ghost. Whose sins ye fo• give, are forgiven them, and whose since ye retain, are retained. Note, after that we have prayed and obtained the forgiveness of since, without doubt the pain & disease & the trouble that is laid upon us, shall cease and leave us, or else according to the singular good will of God, it shall turn unto the salvation of the diseased. For believe this for an undoubted trueth, that their pain or cross• (seem it never so grievous a yoke and burden to the flesh) is a very fatherly rod or chastisement, wherewith god calleth thee, being his son unto him, and withdraweth and allureth thee away from sinning. Certes, God loveth us most tenderly. He favoureth us, ⟨image 9⟩even from the very har•e, & he doth all things for this purpose even that he may amend us and do us good. For whom he loveth, he correcteth and chasteneth and scourgeth him in this vale, that he may not be tormented after this life with the everlasting punishment of hell fire. Neither shalt thou doubt, but most certainly persuade thy self, that G•d is thy most loving father, and m••t entirely desireth thee / although he pretendeth never so greatly to be an gry with thee▪ This is not the anger of a Tyrant, nor of a butcher, but of a father that most de•elye loveth us, which would not that we should be destroyed, but that we should correct our manners, amend and obtain health and Salvation.
Fyrst / as death is the payne of sine, so lykewyse are diseases many tymes sent vs of God for oure synnes,1 as it is manyfest in dyuers places of the scrypture. we ar punyshed also oftentymes to proue and try oure fayth / for then is it p•rc•aued, how derely we loue god how greatly we trust vnto hym, whē we be oppressed & troubled wyth any heauy crosse. Therfor loke yt here before al thynges, thou tur•est al thyne hert al thy mynd / and al thy sences vnto God, ād that thou doest truly repēt and that thou doest lament and confesse thy synnes before God, for the whych al we haue deserued, eue•n ye most rightuous wrath of God and most greuous p•yne. Notwithsta• dyng, the most plēteous comfort or absolucion, as they cal it, or remyssion of synnes, whych chryst ordeined in the church, thou shal require of ye ⟨image 8⟩Gospel of Iohn.2 Thys exceadynge greate treasure is dayly opened ād offred to thee. Take ye, saith Christ• the holy goost. Whose sinnes ye fo• geue, ar forgeuen them, and whose synnes ye retayne, are retayned. Note, after that we haue prayed ād obteyned the forgeuenes of synnes, wythout doubte the payne & disease & the trouble that is layd vpon vs, shall ceasse and leaue vs, or els accordyng to the syngular good wyll of God, it shall turne vnto the saluacyon of the diseased. For beleue this for an vndoubted trueth, that theyr payne or cross• (seme it neuer so greuous a yoke ād bur•hē to the flesh) is a very fa•herly rodde or chastisement, wherwith god calleth thee, being hys sonne vnto hym, and withdrawethe and allureth thee awaye from synninge. Certes, God loueth vs most tenderly. He fauoureth vs, ⟨image 9⟩euen from the very har•e, & he doth all thynges for thys purpose euen that he maye amende vs and do vs good. For whome he loueth, he cor•ecteth ād chasteneth and seourgeth hym in thys vale, that he maye not be tormented after thys lyfe wyth ye euerlasting punishement of hel fire. Neyther shalt thou doubt, but most certenly persuade thy self, that Gd is thy most louyng father, and mt entierly desyreth thee / althoughe he pretendeth neuer so greatly to be ā gry wyth thee Thys is not ye anger of a Tiraunt, nor of a butcher, but of a father that most deelye louethe vs, which would not that we should be destroyed, but that we should correcte our maners, amēd and obtine health and Saluacion.
- 1Joan. v. P•a uxx• v iii Deu. xx viii•ii. Re. xxiiii.Ioan. v. P•a vxx• v iii Deu. xx viii•ii. Re. xxiiii.
- 2Jon. xx.Ion. xx.
