Fourteen Points of Consolation, Chapter 6
… terward it bringeth the quiet frute of righteouſnes vntounto them which are thereby exerciſed. Thus much ſayth Paule.
Who would not be terrified with theſe wordes of Paule, where he expreſly affirmeth, that they are not the ſonnes of God, which are without the correction of God? And who can be more ſtrongly confirmed, & more effectually comforted, then he that heareth that they are loued of the Lorde which are chaſtened of him, that they are ſonnes, that they hauehave communion with all the Sainctes, and that not they alone doe ſuffer? This vehement exhortation is able to make chaſtening and correction euen amiable and to be loued. There ought not therefore to be impatiencie in ſuffering, becauſe all ſeeme not to ſuffer alike.Neither is here any place for excuſe, for that ſome doe ſuffer lighter euills, ſome thoſe that be more grieuous, for eueryevery one is tried according to meaſure, not aboue his ſtrength, as it is ſayd Pſal. 80: Thou ſhalt feede them with the bread of teares, and giuegive them teares to drinke with meaſure. The ſame Paule alſo ſayth: God is faithfull, which will not ſuffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able, but will euen giuegive the iſſue with the tentation, that ye may be able to beare it. Where therefore there is a greater euill, there are more meanes to eſcape out of tentation, and more helpe, ſo that the inequalitie of ſuffering is rather in appearance then in very deede.
Doth not the example of Iohn Baptiſt, A notable example of the euill on the right hand, moſt diligently to be conſidered.whoſe feaſt we celebrate at this day that he was beheaded of Herode, greatly amaze vsus all, that ſo great a man, then whome a greater hath not riſen amonge them that are begotten of women, the ſpeciall friend of the bridegrome, ye forerunner of Chriſt, greater then all the Prophets, that ſuch a one I ſay, was not put to death at the leaſt by publike iudgement, was not at the leaſt accuſed of ſome fayned crime, as Chriſt was, nor for the peoples ſake, but at the requeſt of the daughter of an harlot which had daunced before Herode, was beheaded in the priſon? The ignominious death of this one Sainet; and his life ſo vilely and after ſo vnworthy a ſort yeelded vp into the handes of a moſte malitious and cruell adultereſſe, ought to lighten and aſſwage all our euill. Where was God here, who might ſee ſuch things? where was Chriſt, who hearing this, did quite hold his peace? He dieth as though he were vnknowne vntounto God, men, and all creatures. What doe we ſuffer, wherein, I will not ſay we may boaſt, but not at al be troubled, if it be compared to the death of this man? Or where ſhall we appeare, if we wil ſuffer nothing, when as ſo great men do vndeſeruedly ſuffer ſo ſhamefull and ignominious death, and their bodies are mocked and ſcorned of their enemies after their death? Behold, ſayth the Lord in Ieremie, they that men thought were vmneete to drinke of the cup hauehave drunke with the firſt, & thinkeſt thou then to be free? No no, thou ſhalt neither be quit nor free, but thou muſt drinke alſo.
Rightly therfore did that Eremite, A ſingular example of an Eremitewho when he had bene ſicke eueryevery yeare, being at the laſt one whole yeare in health, was very ſorrowfull, and wept bitterly, ſaying that God had forgotten him, & denied vntounto him his grace. So neceſſary and wholſom is the chaſtiſing of the Lorde to all Chriſtians.The ſufferings of the Saincts very comfortable being wel conſidered.
Wherefore we ſhal ſee that it is litle or nothing which we ſuffer, if we cōſider how the Sainctes were thruſt vnderunder the nayles with ſharpe pricks, how they were impriſoned, ſlaine with the ſword, burned, torne in peeces wt wild beaſts, & ſuffered infinite tormēts: yea if we doe but wey ye tentations of them which are preſent wt vsus in this life, and ſuffer moſt grieuous perſecutions of the deuill. For there are which ſuffer more ſharpely and grieuouſly then we doe, as well in ſpirit as in body.
Some ſay here: This I lament, that my ſuffering is not comparable to the ſufferings of the Saincts, becauſe I am a ſinner, & not worthy to be compared wt them. They ſuffered for their innocencie, I ſuffer for my ſinnes, wherfore it is no maruell if they ſuffered all things cheerefully. Our ſinnes ought not to hinder vsus from taking comfort by cō ſidering the ſufferings of the Sainctes.This is a very vnwiſe ſaying. For if thou ſuffer for thy ſinnes, thou muſt reioyce, that thy ſinnes are ſcoured: were not ye Saincts alſo ſinners? But feareſt thou that thou art like Herode & the theefe on the left hande? Thou art not, if thou be patient: for what made difference betweene the theefe on the left hand and him on the right, but patience in faythe? If thou be a ſinner, well, the theefe was a ſinner alſo, but by patience he attained to the glory of righteouſnes and ſanctitie: which that thou maiſt doe, doe likewiſe as he did. For thou canſt not ſuffer but thou ſhalt ſuffer either for ſinnes, or for righteouſnes: either ſuffering doth ſanctifie and make bleſſed, if thou louelove it, and ſuffer in faith: wherefore there is no excuſe remaining. Finally as ſoone as thou haſt faithfully confeſſed that thou doeſt ſuffer iuſtely for thy ſinnes, thou art righteous and holy, as the theefe on the right hande. For the confeſſion of ſinne, inaſmuch as it is of faith, doth iuſtifie and make holy, and ſo in a moment after ſuche confeſſion thou dooſt not ſuffer for ſinnes, but for innocencie: for he that is righteous doth not ſuffer but innocently: but thou art become righteous after faithfull confeſſion of thy worthy ſuffering, and of thy ſinnes. Wherefore thy ſuffering may truely and worthely be compared to the ſufferinges of the Sainctes, euen as thy confeſſion of thy ſinnes may truely and worthely be compared to the confeſſion of them: for there is one faith of all, one confeſſion of ſinnes, one ſuffering of euils, and one true communion of Saincts in all and through all.