3t2 0fFriend's. tailed of, whileft inour profperitiehe let vstobe fettledmediatly bymcn. How cuident this is,the Martyrs ofGodcan tellvs bytheir writings, whowhen allmen forfookethe; whé no man durft fpeak to them,when theirfriends flood aloofe offfrotn them,hadgrea- teeetioycr der terfeelings , moreglorious ioies,& fweetermeditationsfrom the Lordhimfelfe, then euer feelings under they had intheirlife &liberty before. What loffe tbéis it tobe anexile in earth amongmé. tbeCroffe. and tobe a Citizen inheaucn amongAngels? Whathazardis it when in}teedof father , mother,&brother we are in league with the Father,the Son,& the holyGhoft ?who think- eth it not a fuf icient fuppliein y eyeof faith to haue the momentany nnprifonment ofthe body recompensed with themolt glorious liberty-ache SaintsandAngels ? Let theLord therefore fend vs by there meanes out of ourffrong holde in the meaner, feeingwithout fome loch workingvpon vs wee would hardlicgmeover our !wide, for that wee are as protide beggers , whofo longas they canhaue releefe and maintenanceathome, will ne. net feeke abroad. But how duth the Lord by this vifitation further pur mortification in vs?Sureliein withdrawingthe fewelland matter,wherewith before our naturall corrup- tionwas more enflanoed andmade more foggie. How manieinprofperitie Mall weefee complaining of luft burningthem, of concupifcenceintoxicating them , of anger fret- ting them, of gluttoniedeuouring them, ofcouetouscares confuming them , and that fo ftronglie, as if therewere nohope to berecovered? Howbeit when the Lorde bath foked and foftned them alittle in thebrine of affliction theyare lefle ffarke, and begin toyeeld, there is agreat changeand wonderfull alteration in them , their lutte is cooled , their wrath is pacified, their concupibccnce is abated theirgluttonie well tempered, theirco. uetoufnefle follie fatisfied, their affeaions are fo tamed , and their corruption fofubdu- ed,that theythinke then-Mileshighlic indebted and much beholdento the combing skill of afflirton, which fowonderfulliebringeth themdowne. 3 Now let vs confider, bow vnderthe Croffc weare made more zealous in the meant, of our faluatton.How cuftomably!tare we,how coldliepray we,how careleily receiuewe thefacraments,what feare,what indignatió, what beát,whatwrath,what repentance deal the difciplineof the Church workein vs,whatmaicftie appeareth in ourpublikeexercifes, what authoritie and fruitein ourprivatemeditations? Butif the Lord route vs upfroni this apoplexie and dead numbnelte of 1pirite by.lomeFatherliecorreífion, !oweprofite we by the word, how beautiful(are thefuete of them,that bring theglad tydingesof lal- nation , how fweetare the promifes , howToone doe the threatnings worke on vs , how zealouhlie will wee pray, Isosuglorious are our fechsssges, what ioyes vnfpeakeable in the Sacraments,what feare of finne, what trembling at God his judgements, what indignati- on with our felues, doth the Church cenfiue- tvorke in vs ?.and whereof commeth this? Surelie besaufe becing driuen out ofeuerie crannie and creuis, where wee were wont o be barb-mired°, wee can findeno relt , vntill wee come vnder the routeof the Lorde his houfe, who inall our daungers, and after all our rebellions , will notpufh vs out of his bodyfauoor Bore, bee will take vppe loch Lazarus, and not into a fpittlehoufe, but intohis Arkeof and owe- comfort and Tabernacle of conlolation.OhdeepefeaofGods metric, which neuer can n.nee in afjli- be founded, that when mengrow to fuch a Lordlineflè, as they Will not heare vs, nor fee lOiJ vs, norVouchfafe toIpeake to vs, heefhouldnot refide togine.vs free audience, and by his readic lsearsngmoueus ep beeloquent and long in ourprarets to him, whoas Inane ashee dot', but Tookeon vs,dothpromtfe a releäfefrom out miferie, When our friendeswill not fpeake to vs, theLord calleth tovs, he will enter fome long fpeech withvs, and denieth vs not all thecomforts, which the promifesof the Gof- pei may affoord. When our familiaratgnaintance toil fcarcely lend vsa potfnerd to (crape offOur /cabs, the Lord by his Sacramentes reachesnout the fureft pledgesof his eternal! good will towardsvs.Butyet behold another worke of of ié}ion,it bringeth vs to thecon temptofthis world,and breedethin vsthe loutof theworld to come, whereunto inpro- fperitywe are veryhardly brought.For befides that we.feefewnoble,rich,healthy,ftronge and honorablemen delire death,orto be wearyofthis life,beit neuer fo long, ifwe corfi- der hose loathfuchmen are to depart, howgladly theywould indent, that their life and teanne of theirleafcinight after an hundred yeares expired, berenewed for anhundred yeares Sacraments.
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