A pastime for parents

Father. Is not the knowledge, and feeling of this a great corsey, and heart smart to the most dear children of God?

Father. Is not the knowledge, and feeling of this a great corsey, and heart smart to the most deare children of God?

Child. Yes verily: For there is nothing that doth so sorely pinch them at the heart as the consideration of this, which indeed maketh them weary of their life, weary of the world, and weary of all: and often wish with the Apostle to be dissolved and to be with Christ; for they do continually groan under this corruption, as under a most heavy burden, and fetch many a sorrowful sigh to think of it, and are ever complaining of it, as of a most deadly enemy of theirs. And all this we many clearly see, as it were, in a glass, in the example of the Apostle Paul himself that most rare, and excellent Servant of God. Who taketh up most pitiful, and lamentable complaints of this poisoned ⟨image 21⟩and infected nature. I know (saith he) That in me, that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. I allow not that which I do,¹ for what I would, that I do not: but what I hate, that I do: I do not the good thing which I would: but the evil which I would not that do I. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but the sin that dwelleth in me. I find then that when I would do good, I am thus yoked that evil is present with me. For I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man, but I see an other Law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captive unto the Law of sin, which is in my members. And in the end he breaketh out into an outcry, saying: O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Child. Yes verely: For there is nothing that doth so sorely pinch them at the heart as the consideration of this, which indéede maketh them wearie of their life, weary of the world, and weary of all: and often wish with the Apostle to bée dissolued and to bée with Christ; for they doe continually groane vnder this corruption, as vnder a most heauie burthen, and fetch many a sorrowfull sigh to thinke of it, and are euer complaining of it, as of a most deadly enemie of theirs. And all this wée many clearely sée, as it were, in a glasse, in the example of the Apostle Paule himselfe that most rare, and excellent Seruant of God. Who taketh vp most pittifull, and lamentable complaintes of this poysoned