The su[m] of diuinitie drawn out of the holy scripture very necessary, not only for curates [et] yong studentes in diuinitie: but also for al christen men and women what soeuer age they be of. Drawn out of Latine into Englyshe by Robert Hutten.

¶ Of the crosse and aduersities.

☞What is the crosses

IT is anye aduersitye gyuen or layed vpon vs by God, not to the entente he woulde that we should perishe, but that he maye cal vs to repentaūce, and exercise our fayth, or it is anye aduersitye or trouble which chaunseth vnto vs, by the certaine counsel & good wyll of God that therby the faith of holye men maye be proued, the loue that they haue toward god maye be knowen, and that the godly maye be adorned wyth an excellēt and notable deliuerance before them whiche do persecute them. The crosse is the felowe or companion of the moste fayethful worde. But aduersities as it is sayed, be sacrifices of prayse, yet to be applied for other accordyng vnto thys of Paule: Euerie one shall take reward according vnto his laboure. Also Abacuc .ii. The rightuous shal liue by his fayth.

☞ Howe shall we conforte oure selues in the crosse and aduersitie?

☞ In al kyndes of tribulations must we haue in a redynes, foure speciall comfortes.

❧ The fyrst, that we be not pu∣nyshed by chaunce but by y^e coun¦sel & sufferance of God. Hereunto belōgeth y^e knowledge of y^e proui∣sion of god. Math. x. One of these littel sparowes shal not fall vpon the earth w^tout y^e wil of mi father but euen al y^e heares of your head be nūbred. And y^e .i. of the kinges ii. the lord doth mortifie & reuiue ¶Secōdarely, y^e god suffreth vs not to be punished to y^e intent we should perish but that he may cal vs to repētaūce and exercyse out fayth So Paule .i. Cor. xi. when we be iudged of y^e lord we be correc¦ted lest we should be cōdēpned w^t thys world. Also pro. iii. The lord doth chastice him whō he loueth.

Hebr. xiii. He doth scourge eue∣ry sonne which he receiueth. Apo. iii. I chastice them whom I loue

And Dauid: It is good for me y^e thou cast me downe. And Christ. Blessed be thei which morne. Wo be vnto you whych laught nowe &c.

Thirdly, when we se the vn∣godly liue in al wealth riches and delite, we our selfe neuer the lesse beinge caste awayes of all men, oppressed wyth great misery, that therfore we be not angrye or take indignacion, but that we obeye God wyth an equall mynde, kno∣wynge that these troubles be not tokens of wraugth or reprouing but that we maye be made mem∣bers like vnto the image of christ. So Paule. Rom. viii. If we suf∣fer wyth Christe, we shall reygne wyth hym, wee muste be made lyke in forme vnto the Image of the sonne of God. And Peter say∣eth Iudgement beginneth at the house of Dauid. And Christ say∣eth. He whiche wyl folowe me let

hym take hys crosse. And Paule. all that wyll lyue godly, shal suf∣fre persecutiō. And Dauid. They which do sowe in sorowe shall re∣ape in ioye. &c.

Fourthely that in all these we do receyue and kepe stedefastelye fayeth, that is to saye, that God will be present with vs, and helpe vs, and for his wisdome and good¦nes, wyll once deliuer vs. And in thys fayth is god to be called vp∣pon, for wee be ofte punished of God, that we maye haue occasion of exercisynge our fayth & inuo∣cation. And by thys occasion the knowledge of God is more excel∣lente, and it encreasethe in vs, as the example of kynge Manasses doethe teache. That the lorde is god, Which knowledge of god in idlenes, and pleasure and prospe∣ritye is forgotten Lyke as y^e ex∣ample of the children of Israell doeth teach. The people dyd syte

to eate and to dryncke, and dyd ryse vp to playe.

Wherfore doth the scripture so diligent∣ly setfurth and intreat these cōfortes?

☞ That we may accustome oure myndes vnto true repentaunce and that we maye learne to suffer aduersities, and erercise our obe∣dience and fayeth, & specially that wee maye represse the affections of the mynde, when we be prouo∣ked with wronge, we fall into de∣sire of reuenging. So Esaias. In silence and hope shal thy strength be. And Christ sayth. In your pa∣cience shal ye possesse your hertes Luke .xxi.

¶What is true patience

☞ Not onely to obeye God in ad∣uersities, but also to ouer come the indignation of nature whych is feble, or eles certaynelye to re∣siste it. And thys vertue is neces∣sary in the churche and the com∣mon wealth, that is to saye, to for∣gyue priuate wronges for the trā∣quility

of y^e common wealth, leste contencions bee stirred vp in the churche. Lette vs esteme rather that we oughte to suffer aduersi∣ties, then trouble the quietnes of the common wealth for priuat in∣iury done vnto vs.

But what euyl worketh impatience?

☞ It is angry wyth God, and it doeth expel, firste obedience, and then after fayth out of the hertes Therfore in great aduersities ma¦nye bee altogether blasphemers, and they seke for coūceles agaynst the commaundement of God, lyke as Saul did axe coūsel of a witch Also the sorowe of iniurye ingen∣dereth hatred, and doeth prouoke vnto reuengynge. Of the whiche thynge ariseth, not onely priuate discordes, but also sedysions and stryfe in the common wealth. Also herysies, and many other euyles. These muste be farre from a chri∣sten man.