Phi. This thing can by no means better be perceived,1 then by considering the history, which blessed Luke telleth in his Gospel of the unmerciful rich man and of pore Lazarus. The rich glutton was Gods enemy and an adversary to all good men, unkind, churlish, and unmerciful, and yet how pleasantly, and wealthily lived he all his life time? We do not read, that he tasted any thing at all of the cross, but that he was rich, wealthy, gallantly apparelled, fared daintily every day, and lived in all kind of pleasures according to his hearts lust, and yet the end of him was everlasting damnation, that this saying of our saviour Christ might be found true.2 Woe be unto you that are rich: for you have your consolation. Woe be unto you that are full: for ye shall hunger. Woe be unto you that now laugh: for ye shall ⟨p. 20⟩wail and weep. Contrariwise, Lazarus being Gods friend (and dearly beloved of God) was plagued with poverty, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, sores, sickness, & divers mortal diseases, which never departed from him so long as he lived: and notwithstanding both patiently and thankfully did he bear this his Cross,3 even unto the death, being persuaded that prosperity & adversity, life, and death, poverty, & wealth, are of God, and therefore immediately after his departure out of this world, he was received into everlasting glory. This history brother Epaphroditus declareth evidently, that sickness or trouble sent of God unto the godly, is not a token of Gods wrath and heavy displeasure, but rather a sure argument and manifest sign of his good will, love and favour toward ⟨p. 21⟩us. Blessed is he, saith the Psalmograph,4 whom thou (O Lord) nurturest. Again, he saith: it is highly for my wealth,5 that thou (O Lord) hast corrected me, that I may learn thine ordinances. Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paul. When we are judged of the Lord we are chastened,6 that we should not be damned with the world. In the history of Job it is also written,7 blessed is the man whom God punisheth: therefore refuse not thou the chastening of the almighty. For though he maketh a wound, he giveth a plaster, though he smite, his hand maketh hole again. God is faithful, saith the Apostle,8 which will not suffer you to be tempted above your strength, but shall in the mids of the temptation make away, that •e may be able to bear it.9
Phi. This thing cā by no meanes better be perceiued,1 then by considering the history, whiche blessed Luke telleth in his Gospell of the vnmerciful riche man and of pore Lazarus. The riche gloton was Gods enemy and an aduersary to all good mē, vnkind, churlish, and vnmerciful, and yet how plesantly, and wealthely liued he all his life time? We do not rede, that he tasted any thing at all of the cros, but that he was riche, welthy, galantly apparelled, fared daintely euery day, and liued in all kind of pleasures according to his hartes lust, and yet thende of him was euerlastyng damnation, that thys saying of our sauior Christ might be founde true.2 Wo be vnto you that are riche: for you haue youre consolation. Wo be vnto you that are ful: for ye shal hōger. Wo be vnto you that now laugh: for ye shal ⟨p. 20⟩waile and wepe. Contrariwise, Lazarus being Gods frende (and dearly beloued of God) was pla•ged with pouerty, honger, thirst, colde, nakednes, sores, sicknes, & diuers mortal diseases, which neuer departed from him so long as he liued: and notwithstandinge bothe paciently and thanckfullye did he beare this his Crosse,3 euen vnto the deathe, being perswaded that prosperitie & aduersitie, life, and deathe, pouerty, & wealth, are of God, and therfore immediatly after his departure oute of thys world, he was receiued into euerlasting glorye. This history brother Epaphroditus declareth euidentely, that sicknes or trouble sent of God vnto the godly, is not a token of Gods wrath and heauy displeasure, but rather a sure argumente and manifest signe of his good will, loue and fauour towarde ⟨p. 21⟩vs. Blessed is he, saithe the Psalmograph,4 whome thou (O Lord) nourterest. Again, he saith: it is highly for my wealth,5 that thou (O Lord) hast corrected me, that I may learne thine ordinances. Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paul. When we are iudged of the Lord we are chastened,6 that we shuld not be damned with the worlde. In the history of Iob it is also written,
- 1Luke. xvi
- 2Luke. vi
- 3Eccle. xi.
- 4Psal. xciiii.
- 5Psal. cxix.
- 6i. Cor. xi.
- 7Jo•. v.Io•. v.
- 8i. Cor. x.
- 9ii. Cor. i.
