Certain prayers and godly meditations very needful for every ChristenCerteine prayers and godly meditacyons very nedefull for euery Christen

¶The second chapter of the second image / which is the evil to come or before a man.

¶The secunde chaptre of the secūde image / whiche is the euyll to come or bifore a man.

IT shall not a little easy thy present evil what soever it be if thou turn thy mind to consider things to come / which are so many & of such efficacy / that unto them is only ascribed the great & grievous passion of mind called fear. For thus some define it. Fear is a passion of the mind about evil to come in so much that cappostel sayeth / go not about to sa favour high things but fear. And the more uncertain this evil is / the greater it is / in so much that it is a common proverb there is none age paste the stable although this disease belong to children and babes.

IT shall not a lytell easy thy present euyll what soeuer it be if thou turne thy mynde to consyder thynges to come / whiche are so manye & of suche efficacyte / that vnto them is onlye ascribed the greate & greuous passyō of mynde called feare. For thus some diffine it. Feare is a passyō of the mynde about euyll to come ī so moche that cappostel sayeth / go not about to sa fauoure hyge thynges but feare. And the more vncerteyn this euil is / the greater it is / in so moche that it is a comon prouerbe there is none age paste the stable altough this disease belonge to chylder and babes.

Do that by this ye may gather / that there is no man sure & free / from any other mans infirmity. But what soever one man suffereth the same may an other suffer also. To this pertain all stories & tragedies of all worlds / & all the complaints of this world. To this also may be applied that certain men have observed more then iij. hundred diseases with the which mans body may be vexed If then there be so many diseases / how many accidents thinkest thou are there that may chance upon our goods & upon our friends? Howe many encumbrances & torments of the soul which is the principal ground wherein consist all these evils / & the only receiver of sorrow & sadness. And the greater a man is & in the more dignity / the more the strength & feeling of this evil increaseth And were raineth poverty / slander & such other (sith they may soon chance) it is needful that they be feared every hour / even as though they did hang over us / by a little third. Like as the sword which dionysius the tyrant did hang over his guests heads Of all these things whatsoever doth not chance unto the count it for a vanurage