Matt. xxiv. 13. 194 A SPIRITUAL AND MOST PRECIOUS PEARL. [CH. XXXI.] the doing whereof turned to the singular commodity of the whole commonwealth: and contrariwise, a bitter, cruel, and unpatient mind bringeth, worketh, and occasioneth infinite harm and destruction1. 2 Also through our unpatientness in adversity we give occasion to them that be weak in the faith to doubt, whether our faith be the true faith or no, when we confess of God, that he is our comfort both in this world and in the world to come, and yet shew ourselves so desperate in adversity, as though God had utterly forsaken us3. Wherefore we ought to prepare ourselves for all adversity in time of prosperity, and not to hang upon transitory things, that when need shall require, we may be content to forego them, and continue stedfast in the true faith, wherein "whosoever shall continue unto the end, shall be saved"." [ To these words is added in the Peterborough copy: "in commonwealths, and heresies in the church of God"; and this sentence is succeeded by the following paragraph. "For Marius, as he came again to Rome, and could not refrain himself through his unpatientness, wrought great tyranny, and shewed much cruelness, causing divers principal people of the contrary part that held against him most cruelly to be murdered and put to death, whereupon did follow and ensue much inconvenience. Also Arius, because he could not obtain his purpose, nor bring his device to effect, for very frowardness and impatiency he vexed and disquieted the church of Christ with horrible heresies. In like manner through our unpatientness," &c.] [2"Unpatientness in the cross and adversity," Peterborough copy.] [3 To these words is added in the Peterborough copy: "and as though there were no better life after this."] [4 This concluding paragraph stands rather differently in the Peterborough copy: "Wherefore we ought to arm and prepare ourselves to all manner of adversity in time, while we are here in good wealth and prosperity, and not to depend and hang overmuch upon transitory goods and prosperity, that whensoever need shall require, we may be content with patience to forego and forbear them, and continue stedfast in the true faith, wherein whosoever shall continue unto the end shall be saved." Matt. xxiv. 13. Amen. To God only be all honour and praise.] FRUITFUL LESSONS UPON THE PASSION, BURIAL, RESURRECTION, ASCENSION, AND OF THE SENDING OF THE HOLY GHOST. Fruitfull Lessons VPON THE PASSION, BV RIALL, RESVRRECTION, Ascension, and of the sending of the holy Ghost. GATHERED OVT OF THE FOVRE Euangelists: with a plaine exposition of the same. By MILES COVERDALL. JOHN 14. 6. I am the waie, the truth, and the life, no man commeth vnto the Father but by me. LONDON Printed by Thomas Scarlet. 1593. [The idea and plan of this Treatise are borrowed from one by Huldric Zuingle, entitled, "Brevis commemoratio mortis Christi ex quatuor Evangelistis per H. Zuinglium in unam seriem concinnata; sequitur historia resurrectionis et ascensionis Christi:" but the learned writer has so far improved upon his model, that it is justly entitled to the character of an original work. There is no table of contents in the original work, nor are the different passages of the Evangelists mentioned, from which the extracts are taken. It has been thought right, for the sake of clearness and the convenience of the reader, to supply both these omissions in the present edition. In all other respects it is exactly conformable to the original copy. An edition of this work is said by Tanner to have been published at Marpurg, 1540-47, in 8vo. The present edition is taken from a copy of the original in the Rectorial Library at Milden in Suffolk, printed by Thomas Scarlet in 1593; the use of that copy having been kindly permitted for the purpose by the authorities to whom the present charge of the Library belongs.] |