supreme stuard of Gods Church, Christs Vicar in earth, for satisfaction of others which haue neede, and are in the communion of Saints, and performe the conditions appointed. Pardons doe applie the suffering of some for the satisfaction of others.And so this high stuard may in due manner by his authoritie, giue limited, or plenarie pardons to penitents, of the paines which otherwise they should suffer in this life, or in purgatorie, for their sinnes first remitted. Other Bishops can also giue or dispence so much as the Supreme Bishop allotteth to their power: al to edification and necessitie of Gods seruants, as dispencers, not dissipatours of so holie a treasure.
CHAP. VII.
THE life of man vpon earth is a [1] warfare, and his daies, as the daies of an hyred man. 2As a seruant desireth the shadow, and as the hired man taryeth for the end of his worke: 3so I also haue had vayne months, & haue numbred to my self laborious nights. 4If I sleep, I shal say: When shal I arise? & agayne I shal expect the euening, & shal be replenished with sorowes euen vntil darkenes. 5My flesh is clothed with rottenesse & filth of dust, my skinne is withered, & drawen together. 6My daies haue passed more swiftly, then the web is cut of the weauer, and are consumed without anie hope. 7Remember that my life is a winde, and myne eie shal not returne to see good things. 8Neither shal the sight of man behold me: thine eies vpon me, and I shal not stand. 9As a clowde is consumed, and passeth away: so he that shal descend to hel shal not ascend. 10Neither shal he returne anie more into his house, neither shal his place know him anie more. 11Wherfore I also wil not spare my mouth, I wil speake in the tribulation of my spirit: I wil talke with the bitternesse of my soule. 12Why, am I a sea, or a whale, that thou hast compassed me with a prison? 13If I say: My litle bed shal comfort me, and I shal be relieued speaking with myself in my couch: 14Thou wilt terrifie me by dreames, and by visions shake me with horrour. 15For the which thing my soule hath chosen hanging, and my bones death. 16I haue despayred. I shal now liue yo longer: [2] Spare me, for my daies are nothing. 17What is man that thou magnifiest him? or why settest thou thy hart toward him? 18Thou doest visite him early, and sodainly thou prouest him: 19How long doest thou not spare me, nor suffer me that I swallow my spitle? 20I haue sinned, what shal I doe to thee, o keeper of men? why hast thou sette me contrarie to thee, and I am become burdenous to my self? 21Why doest thou not take away my
- ↑ A souldier must be alwayes readie to indure trauel, to be promptly obedient, content to be beaten by his superiour with out al resistance, vpon paine of his life: he is alwayes subiect to cares, and to danger of death, & therfore must euer be readie to dye.
- ↑ Iust Iob supposing he was at the point of death, prayed God to spare or cease to punish him more, & to accept of that affliction which he had already suffered. So the Church in behalf of soules departed in state of grace prayeth God to spare and cease from further punishing them, & to giue them eternal rest.
