If therefore I bear any sickness, or other misery in my flesh, let it be borne with patience, as knowing very well, that the reward of sin is death, and the sorrows and distemperatures of the body are the heralds, and necessary fore-runners, even acceptable to all true faithful people, because they call and dispose them to depart from labour to rest, from ⟨image 111⟩a mortal estate, to immortality of life. If I have but few of these goods and vain honours of the world, that do so vex worldly men, I do live in the greater content, not subject to their envy, but taking comfort in the true and only goods of the soul, whereof, O Lord, thou art the liberal giver, as also of grace, to those that are thine, because thou art their Father. O Lord our Redeemer, if I loose some of my friends, even ⟨image 112⟩of those that are very near me; yet can I take it peaceably, because their felicity is hastened, in that they depart in Christ, and that I can loose, neither thee, nor the consolation of thy spirit, for that I shall soon after follow them into heaven, whereby I shall therefore be the rather moved to give thee thanks for the time that thy goodness hath given me to enjoy their presence to the comfort of my life, and not as it ⟨image 112⟩were by a certain kind of ingratitude towards, both thee and them, mourn for their joy and felicity. In all other furrows and griefs that should less trouble us, give me grace, my Lord, that I be not moved to bitterness or anger, but that with a quiet mind, I may bear all, and tread under feet the thorns of my life, as being assured in the end, to find both the costs, and reward. To the same end also touch my heart earnestly ⟨image 113⟩with the feeling of thy benefits; namely, of those which thou hast liberally granted us, for the necessities of this life, lest, as an ingrateful wretch I should forget them, after the manner of carnal men that are never content with thy benefits, but do enjoy them without any acknowledgement, and which is more, are ready to complain if they have not all their vanities at a wish: yea which is worst of all, when they have ⟨image 113⟩often eaten at the table of thy Son, do lift up their heel against him, wherein they are worse then beasts, that do acknowledge those that feed and dress them, and do humble themselves in their presence.
If therfore I beare any sicknesse, or other miserie in my flesh, let it bee borne with patience, as knowing very wel, that the reward of sinne is death, and the sorrows and distemperatures of the bodie are the heraults, and necessary fore-runners, euen acceptable to all true faithfull people, because they call and dispose them to departe from labour to rest, from ⟨image 111⟩a mortall estate, to immortalitie of life. If I haue but fewe of these goods and vaine honors of the world, that doe so vex worldly men, I doe liue in the greater content, not subiect to their enuie, but taking comfort in the true and only goods of the soule, wherof, O Lord, thou art the liberall giuer, as also of grace, to those that are thine, because thou art their Father. O Lorde our Redeemer, if I loose some of my friends, euen ⟨image 112⟩of those that are very neere me; yet can I take it peaceably, because their felicitie is hastened, in that they departe in Christ, and that I can loose, neither thee, nor the consolation of thy spirit, for that I shal soon after follow them into heauen, whereby I shall therefore bee the rather mooued to giue thee thankes for the time that thy goodnesse hath giuen mee to enioy their presence to the comfort of my life, and not as it ⟨image 112⟩were by a certaine kinde of ingratitude towards, both thee and them, mourne for their ioy and felicitie. In all other forrowes and griefes that should lesse trouble vs, giue me grace, my Lord, that I be not mooued to bitternesse or anger, but that with a quiet minde, I may beare al, and tread vnder feete the thornes of my life, as being assured in the end, to finde both the costs, and reward. To the same end also touch my heart earnestly ⟨image 113⟩with the feeling of thy benefits; namely, of those which thou hast liberally granted vs, for the necessities of this life, lest, as an ingrateful wretch I should forget them, after the maner of carnall men that are neuer content with thy benefites, but doe enioy them without any acknowledgement, and which is more, are ready to complain if they haue not all their vanities at a wish: yea which is worst of all, when they haue ⟨image 113⟩often eaten at the table of thy Sonne, doe lift vp their heele against him, wherein they are worse then beasts, that doe acknowledge those that feede and dresse them, and doe humble themselues in their presence.
