In the feeling of this sorrow, three things are to be observed. The first: all men must look that it be seriously & soundly wrought in their hearts: for look as men use to break hard stones into many small pieces and into dust: so must this feeling of Gods anger for sin bruise the heart of a poor sinner and bring it to nothing. And that this may so be, sorrow is not to be felt for a brunt, but very often before the end of a mans life. The Godly man dfrom his youth suffereth the terrors of God. Jacob wrestling with the Angel gets the victory of him, ebut yet he is fain to go halting to his grave, and trail one of his loins after him continually. *The paschal Lamb was never eaten without sour herbs, to signify that they which will be free from the wrath of God by Jesus Christ, must feel continually the smart of their own sins. The second: all ⟨p. 40⟩men must take heed, least when they are touched for their sins, they besnare their own consciences, for if the sorrow be somewhat over sharp, they shall see themselves even brought to the gates of hell, and to feel the pangs of death. And when a man is in this perplexity, he shall find it a most hard matter to be freed from it, without the marvellous power and strength of Christ Jesus, who only is able to help him and comfort him: yea many when they are once plunged in this distress, and anguish of soul shall never escape it, as may appear in Cain, Saul, Ahithophel, Judas, and now of late in John Hoffmeister a monk, & Latomus, who for the space of certain days never left crying that he was damned, because that he had wilfully persecuted the Gospel of Christ, and so he ended his life. Therefore most worthy is Pauls counsel for the moderating of this sorrow: fIt is sufficient (saith he) unto the incestuous man that he was rebuked of many, so that now contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him, lest he should be swallowed up of overmuch heaviness. And further he giveth another reason, which followeth, lest Satan should circumvent us: for we are not ignorant of his enterprises. And ⟨p. 41⟩indeed common experience showeth the same, that when any man is most weak, then Satan most of all bestirreth himself to work his confusion. The third is, that all men which are5 humbled have not like measure of sorrow, but some more, some less.
In the feeling of this sorrow, three things are to be obserued. The first: all men must look that it be seriously & soundly wrought in their hearts: for looke as men vse to break hard stones into many small pieces and into dust: so must this feeling of Gods anger for sinne bruse the heart of a poore sinner and bring it to nothing. And that this may so be, sorrow is not to be felt for a brunt, but very often before the ende of a mans life. The Godly man dfrom his youth suffereth the terrors of God. Iacob wrestling with the Angel gets the victory of him, ebut yet hee is faine to goe halting to his graue, and trale one of his loines after him continually. *The paschal Lamb was neuer eaten without sowre hearbes, to signifie that they which will bee free from the wrath of God by Iesus Christ, must feele continually the smart of their owne sinnes. The second: all ⟨p. 40⟩men must take heede, least when they are touched for their sinnes, they besnare their own consciences, for if the sorrow be somewhat ouer sharpe, they shall see themselues euen brought to the gates of hell, and to feele the pangues of death. And when a man is in this perplexitie, he shall finde it a most hard matter to be freed from it, without the maruelous power and strength of Christ Iesus, who onely is able to helpe him and comfort him: yea many when they are once plunged in this distresse, and anguish of soule shall neuer escape it, as may appear in Caine, Saul, Achitophel, Iudas, and now of late in Iohn Hoffmeister a monke, & Latomus, who for the space of certaine daies neuer left crying that hee was damned, because that hee had wilfully persecuted the Gospell of Christ, and so he ended his life. Therefore most worthie is Paules counsell for the moderating of this sorrow: fIt is sufficient (saith he) vnto the incestuous man that hee was rebuked of manie, so that now contrariwise ye ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him, lest he shoulde be swallowed vp of ouermuch heauines. And further hee giueth another reason, which followeth, lest Sathan should circumuent vs: for we are not ignorant of his enterprises. And ⟨p. 41⟩indeed cōmō experiēce sheweth the same, that whē any man is most weak, then Sathā most of all bestirreth himselfe to worke his cōfusion. The third is, that all mē which are
- dPsal. 88 verse 15.
- eGen. 32 verse 25.
- *Exo. 12. 8 Zach. 12. 10
- f2 Cor. 2. verse 6. 7.
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