heaven. The fourth is, exercise or practising what is for spiritual good, as when a man, leaving all other things, hath goodwill and devotion to prayer, and findeth sweetness therein. The fifth is, when things which are hard in themselves through love seem light to be done. The sixth is, hardiness of soul to suffer all anguishes and troubles that befall. All the other tokens suffice not without this; for he that is righteous hateth nothing but sin; he loveth God alone, and for God; he hath no joy but in God; he feareth not but to offend God. And all his hope is to come to God. The seventh is, joyfulness of soul when he is in tribulation, and that he love God, and thank Him in all diseases that he suffers. It is the greatest token that he hath the love of God when no woe, tribulation, or persecution can bring him down from this love. Many love God, as it seemeth to them, while they are in ease, but in adversity, or in sickness, they grudge against God; thinking that they do not deserve so to be punished for any trespass they have done. And ofttimes some say that God doeth them wrong. All such are feigned lovers, and have not the true love of God. For the Holy Ghost saith, "He that is a true friend loveth at all times."

Three principal goods come from meek suffering of sickness. It cleanseth the soul from sin before done; it keepeth from those into which it was likely to fall; it increaseth reward in bliss, and over gildeth the crown; and the longer it endureth the brighter waxeth the crown and the soul cleaner. And in trust hereof St. Paul said that he would joy gladly in his sicknesses that the virtue of Christ dwell in him.

Christian Mourners.

BISHOP COVERDALE.

To the intent that God may assist us with His might and grace we must earnestly pray unto Him, that with His Holy Spirit through His godly Word He will comfort us, that we may render thanks unto Him when He hath delivered our friends from the daily battle of the soul against the flesh, the devil, and the world, and from all discommodities of this vale of misery.

For like as one that hath fared well at a dinner doth thank his host, though the host let him depart again, yea, the guest rejoiceth afterwards to remember it; even so, forasmuch as God for a season hath lent us wife, child, and friends, (which is more than He owed us,) though He suffer them to depart, we ought nevertheless to give Him most high thanks.

Especially there is required a willing and stout mind; whereof holy St. Paul hath written this very comfortably, "I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant concerning them which are fallen asleep, that ye sorrow not as other do which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep by Jesus will God bring again with Him."

By these words may we perceive that there be two manner of mourners for the dead. The heathen and unbelievers mourn without hope of the resurrection; their opinion is, that seeing their near friends are dead, there is no more of

them, but that they have utterly lost them for ever. This heathenish sorrow will not St. Paul have of Christians.

The Christians mourn also, but with a living hope of the joyful resurrection. For like as God the Father left not Christ the Lord in death, but raised Him up again, and placed Him in eternal life; even so us that believe shall not He leave in death, but bring us out into everlasting life. For this cause doth the apostle speak of the dead as of those that sleep, which rest from all travail and labour, that they may rise again in better case.

Like as the flowers with all their virtue, smell, and beauty, lieth all the winter in the root, sleeping and resting till they be awaked with the pleasant time of May, when they come forth with all their beauty, smell, and virtue; even so ought not we to think that our friends which be departed are in any cumbrance or sorrow, but their strength and virtue being drawn in, liveth in God and with God. They lie and rest till the last day, when they shall awake again, fair, beautiful, and glorious, in soul and body. Who will not now rejoice at this comfort of Paul, and set aside all unprofitable sorrow for this exceeding joy's sake }

Mercy.

ARCHBISHOP SANDYS.

THE second duty to our neighbour is "Mercy." "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee: surely, to do judgment and to love mercy." "Be merciful," saith our Saviour, "As your Father is also merciful." This mercy, as Christ there teacheth, will show forth itself in three properties. First, it will bridle that

uncharitable rashness of judging and condemning others. Nolite judicare, "Judge not." Mercy will not be hasty to judge. There be judgments civil and judgments ecclesiastical; judgments public, and private judgments. Christ neither forbiddeth the magistrate, neither the public minister, to judge according to the law; neither the parent or master to judge and correct their offending children or servants. It is uncharitable private judgment which God forbiddeth, when men unadvisedly take upon them to give sentence of others, as if God had resigned His own right into their hands they condemn whom they list and say what they list; even as they fancy, so they judge. This man is a saint, and that man a sinner; he the servant of God, and he the child of death. Who art thou that so judgest another's servant? Is it not to his own master only to whom he stands or falls? Who art thou that takest such severity upon thee? that dealest so unmercifully with thy brother? He is a sinner; so thou either art, or hast been, or mayest be: judge, therefore, thyself, try and examine thine own works. Judge, I say, thyself, and judge not him, lest thou be condemned of the Lord for both not judging and judging. "If a brother be overtaken with a fault, ye that are spiritual show mercy; restore him with the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Verily, this merciless judging of others is the cause why we fall into many perils and secret temptations. Love mercy, therefore; and judge not. He that judgeth with the pharisee with the pharisee shall be judged.

Another fruit of "Mercy" is forgiveness. They who are hasty to judge are for the most part in forgiving slow. But "Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven." Howbeit, such as sit in judgment ought to correct and not to remit, because they deal not with injuries done to themselves, but to the laws and commonwealth or church; but in private injuries we must all remember the words and follow the example of our Saviour," Be merciful, and forgive." Christ forgave them that put Him to death; Stephen, them that stoned him; Joseph, them that sold him; the king, his

unthrifty servant one thousand talents. If we forgive not others it is in vain to pray that which we daily pray, "Forgive us." For so doth Ecclesiasticus well teach us, "He that seeketh vengeance shall find vengeance of the Lord; and He will surely keep his sins. Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done to thee; so shall thy sins be forgiven thee also, when thou prayest. Should a man bear hatred against man, and desire forgiveness of the Lord? He will show no mercy to a man that is like himself; and will he ask forgiveness of his own sins? If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, and ask pardon of God, who will entreat for his sins?" And our Saviour's commandment is, "If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thine offering before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Whereunto St. Chrysostom alluding saith, "That God had rather want thy sacrifice due to Him, than reconciliation should not be made between thee and thy brother."

The next and third fruit of "Mercy" mentioned by our Saviour is, "Give, and it shall be given unto you." He that loveth mercy giveth alms; but the covetous man is cruel. God is so careful to have the poor relieved that He hath bound Himself by promise to make alms most gainful to the giver, so that it is not in this as in other common expenses, but "Whatsoever we lay out, that we lay up." "He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord," a sure discharger of His debts to the uttermost; for He leaveth not a cup of cold water given in His name unrewarded. The occasions which we have to show forth this fruit of mercy are very many and great; we have the poor with us, and we have them with us in great numbers. Are we not worse than Jews, if we suffer our Christ, at whose hands we have received all our riches, in His naked and hungry members to beg His bread at our doors, and pitifully to die even in the midst of our streets for distress, for cold and hunger? If our Gospel bring forth instead of mercy this cruelty, instead of kindness this hardness of heart, doubtless God will take His precious Gospel from us, and