God I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor •yghenes, nor deepness, nor any other creature can separate us from that law of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore seeing that Christ is given, to the with all that ever he hath, so followeth it that his righteousness, innocency, health and everlasting life is given to thee, as Paul witness the,1 saying. Christ is made of God our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Therefore put all thy hope,2 trust and confidence in this Christ, which is the head cornerstone. This stone is a valiant, strong,3 steadfast and sure foundation, whereunto thou mayest safely trust and commit thy self. No tempest although never so black and horrible, no showers,4 no storms can shake and topple ever this foundation: In this ⟨image 18⟩Christ, I say, let all thy hope and confidence be set. Caste thy self wholly on him, yield thy self altogether to him, cleave to him with strong faith, let no trouble or temptation pluck the from him, although all things seem never so much to the go to havoc, although flesh and blood yell the never so much the contrary, and reason thinketh far otherwise, yea although th•• Devil sometime whisper in thy mind that thou art utterly undone, that God is an extreme enemy unto thee, and that thou haste deserved the punishment of hell fire, and therefore thou must needs be damned▪ For faith is a sure confidence and • looking for of this things that5 are to be hoped, that is to say, promised, and a certain and evident knowledge of those things tha• do not appear with that holy ⟨image 18⟩[…] Patriarch Abraham thou must believe under hope against hope: thy faith and hope must needs resist and set them selves against all those things, which ever blind reason doth Imagine, or that most subtle, and crafty enemy do bring to remembrance and work against thee: wherefore thou must thoroughly learn what cu••tme,6 God doth keep in saving his:7 whom he will lift up into heaven,8 him he bringeth down first unto Hell:9 Whom he will quicken, him doth he first kill,10 upon whom he will exercise his exceeding Mercy, him will he first try, and make as though he would damn him. And this is that unfeigned purgatory and that true purging fire,11 into the which God casteth his Servants ⟨image 19⟩and proveth them as Gold in the fire:12
God I am sure that neyther death, nor lyfe, nor •yghenes, nor depenes, nor any other creature can seperate vs from tha law of God, whych is in Christ Iesu oure Lorde. Therfore seynge that Christ is gyuen, to the wyth all that euer he hathe, so folowethe it that hys ryghteousnes, innocency, health and euerlastynge lyfe is gyuen to the, as Paule wytnesse the,1 sayinge. Christe is made of God oure wysdome, ryghteousnes, sanctification and redemptiō. Therfore putte all thy hope,2 truste and confidence in thys Christe, whyche is the heade cornerstone. Thys stone is a valeaunte, stronge,3 stedfaste and sure foūdation, wherunto thou mayste safely truste and commytte thy selfe. No tempest although neuer so blacke and horryble, no showers,4 no stormes cā shake and topple euer thys foundation: In thys ⟨image 18⟩Christe, I saye, let all thy hope and confydence be sette. Caste thy selfe wholly on hym, yelde thy selfe altogyther to hym, cleue to hym wyth stronge fayth, let no trouble or tēptation plucke the frō him, although all thynges seme neuer somuche to the go to hauocke, althoughe slesh• and bloude yell the neuer so muche the contrary, and reason thynkethe farre otherwyse, yea althoughe th•• Deuyll sometyme whysper in thy mynde that thou arte vtterlye vndone, that God is an extreme enemy vnto the, and that thou haste deserued the punishment of hel fyre, and therfore thou must nedes be dāpned▪ For faith is a sure confidence and • lokynge for of thys thynges that5 are to be hoped, that is to saye, promysed, and a certen•e and euyden knowelege of those thynges tha• doo not appeare wyth that holy ⟨image 18⟩〈…〉 Patriarche Abraham thou must beleue vnder hope agaynste hope: thy faythe and hope muste nedes resyste and set them selfes agaynste all those thynges, whych euer blinde reason dothe Imagyne, or that mooste sutle, and craftye enemye doo brynge to remembauns and worke agaynste the: wherfore thou muste thoroulye learne what cutme,
- 1i. Cor. i.
- 2psal. cxv•
- 3i. Pet. ii
- 4Math. vi••
- 5ebre. xi
- 6deu. xxx
- 7i Reg. ii.
- 8Tobi. xii
- 9Sap•e. xv
- 10Psal. c. xi•
- 11The true Purgator
- 12•pien, iii