Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

And although the godly be slain among transgressors, yet is •ee no ¹more defiled by suffering with them, than Christ ou• Lord was, being hanged among thieves. For though the godly and ungodly be wrapped and coupled together in one kind of punishment: yet are they severed by their unlike ending, while the wicked after this bodily death, is carried to hell there to burn without intermission, and the godly taken immediately into heaven, to live with Christ his Lord, to whom he committed and commended himself. Touching this matter, and the causes of the afflictions of the holy men of God, I will not be aggrieved to recite unto you, dearly beloved, a notable place of S. Augustine out of his first book de civitate Dei. Wheresoever (sayth he) good men do suffer the same and like punishment that the evil sort do, it is to be marked that there is not therefore no difference betwixt them, because there is no diversity in the thing that they suffer. For as in one and yt same fire gold doth shine, and chaff doeth smoke, and under one flail the husk is broken and the corn purged, and as the scummy froth is not mixed with the oil, although one weight of the same press doth crush both out at once: even so one and the self same misery falling upon the good and the bad, doth try, fine, and melt the good: and on yt other side condemn, wast, & consume the evil sort. Whereupon it cometh to pass, that in one and the same affliction, the evil do detest and blaspheme the Lord, when contrarily the good, do pray unto, and praise his name for all that he layeth upon them. So much matter maketh it in afflictions to mark not what, but with what mind every man doeth suffer. For stir up dirt and sweet ointments alike, you shall have the one stink filthily, and the other cast forth a sweet smelling savour. Therefore in that hurly burly and irruption made by the barbarous people, what did the Christians suffer which was not rather to their profit, while they did faithfully consider those troubles?

And although the godly be slame amonge transgressours, yet is •ée no ¹more defiled by suffe•ing with them, than Christ ou• Lord was, being hanged amonge theeues. For though the godly and vngodly be wrapped and coupled together in one kinde of punishment: yet are they seuered by their vnlike ending, while the wicked after this bodily death, is carried to hell there to burne without intermission, and the godly taken immediately into heauen, to liue with Christe his Lord, to whom he committed and commended himselfe. Touching this matter, and the causes of the afflictions of the holy men of God, I wil not be agreeued to recite vnto you, dearely beloued, a notable place of S. Augustine out of his first booke de ciuitate Dei. Wheresoeuer (sayth hée) good men doe suffer the same and like punishment that the euil sort do, it is to be marked yt there is not therefore no difference betwixt them, because there is no diuersitie in ye thing that they suffer. For as in one and yt same fire gold doth shine, and chaffe doeth smoke, and vnder one flayle the huske is broken and the corne purged, and as the scummy froath is not mixed with the oyle, althoughe one weight of the same presse doth crush both out at once: euen so one and the selfe same miserie falling vppon the good and the badd, doth trie, fine, and melt the good: and on yt otherside condemne, wast, & consume the euill sort. Whereupon it commeth to passe, that in one and the same affliction, the euill doe detest and blaspheme the Lord, when contrarily the good, doe praye vnto, and praise his name for all that he layeth vpon them. So much matter maketh it in afflictions to mark not what, but with what minde euery man doeth suffer. For stirre vp durt and sweete oyntments alike, you shall haue the one stincke filthily, and the other cast forth a swéete smelling sauour. Therfore in that hurlie burlie and irruption made by the barbarous people, what did the Christians suffer which was not rather to their profite, while they did faithfully cōsider those troubles?