This mourning is that cross without which was never any Disciple of 1Christ or ever shall be. For of what soever state or degree thou be in this world, if thou profess y• Gospel, there followeth the a cross (as warmness 2accompanieth the sun shining) under which thy spirit shall groan and mourn secretly, not only because the world and thine own flesh carry thee away clean contrary to the purpose of thine hart. But also to see and behold the wretchedness & misfortunes of thy brethren: for which) because thou lovest them as well as thy self) thou shalt ⟨p. 190⟩mourn and sorrow no less than for thy self. Though thou be King or Emperor, yet if thou knowest Christ and God through Christ, and intendest to walk in the fight of God, and to minister thine office truly, thou shalt (to keep justice with all) be compelled to do daily that, which thou art no less loth to do, then if thou shouldest cut of arm, hand or any other member of thine own body: yea and if thou wilt follow the right way, and neither turn on the right hand nor on the left, thou shalt have immediately thine own subjects, thine own servants, thine own Lords, thine own counsellors and thine own Prophets thereto against thee. Unto whose froward malice and stubbornness, thou shalt be compelled to permit a thousand things against thy conscience, not able to resist them, at which thine hart shall bleed inwardly, and shalt sauce thy sweet sops which the world weneth thou hast, with sorrows mough and still mourning, studying either alone or else with a few friends secretly night and day, and sighing to God for help, to mitigate the furious frowardness of them whom thou art not able to with stand, that all go not after the will of the ungodly. What was David compelled to suffer all the days of his life, of his own servants the sons of Seruia. Beside the mischances of his own children? And how was our king John 3forsaken of his own Lords, when he would have put a good and godly reformation in his own land? How was Henry the second compassed in like manner 4of his own Prelates whom he had promoted of nought, with the secrete conspiracy of some of his own temporal Lords with them? I spare to speak of the mourning of the true preachers, & the poor common people which have none other help, but the secret hand of God, and the word of his promise.
This mourning is that crosse without which was neuer any Disciple of 1Christ or euer shalbe. For of what soeuer state or degree thou be in this world, if thou professe y• Gospell, there foloweth the a crosse (as warmenesse 2accompanieth the sonne shynyng) vnder which thy spirite shall grone and mourne secretly, not onely because the world and thyne owne flesh carie thee away cleane cōtrary to the purpose of thyne hart. But also to see and behold the wretchednesse & misfortunes of thy brethrē: for which) because thou louest them as well as thy selfe) thou shalt ⟨p. 190⟩mourne and sorow no lesse thē for thy selfe. Though thou be King or Emperour, yet if thou knowest Christ and God through Christ, and entendest to walke in the fight of God, and to minister thyne office truly, thou shalt (to kepe iustice with all) be compelled to do dayly that, which thou art no lesse loth to do, then if thou shouldest cut of arme, hand or any other member of thyne owne body: yea and if thou wilt folow the right way, and neither turne on the right hand nor on the left, thou shalt haue immediatly thine own subiectes, thyne owne seruauntes, thyne owne Lordes, thyne own coūsellours and thyne owne Prophetes thereto agaynst thee. Ʋnto whose froward malice and stubburnesse, thou shalt be cō pelled to permitte a thousand thynges agaynst thy conscience, not able to resiste them, at whiche thyne hart shall blede inwardly, and shalt sawse thy swete soppes which the world weneth thou hast, with sorowes mough and still mournyng, studyeng either alone or els with a few frēdes secretly night and day, and sighing to God for helpe, to mitigate the furious frowardnesse of them whō thou art not able to with stand, that all go not after the will of the vngodly. What was Dauid cōpelled to suffer all the dayes of his lyfe, of his own seruauntes the sonnes of Seruia. Beside the mischaūces of his own children? And how was our king Iohn 3forsaken of his owne Lordes, when he would haue put a good and godly reformatiō in his owne land? How was Henry the secōd compassed in lyke maner 4of his own Prelates whom he had promoted of nought, with the secrete conspiracie of some of his own temporal Lordes with thē? I spare to speake of ye mournyng of the true preachers, & the poore cōmon people which haue none other helpe, but the secret hand of God, and the word of his promise.
- 1Godly mourning.Godlye mournyng.
- 2As warmeth accompanieth the s•nne so followeth the cross a true Christian man.As warmeth accō panieth the s•nne so foloweth the crosse a true Christian man.
- 3K. John.K. Iohn.
- 4Henry the second.
