occasyon of myrakles men ruÌ„ne to the Idols â—r ymages as though they were myndlesse to the intent they myght be healed of such syknesses and dyseases and be sent them for theyr amendment Now where such fayth and confydence is geuen vnto ymages and theyr myracles there can it not well be beleued that thys bytter chalyce of sufferynge be geuen vs of the father as an acceptable thynge and worthy to be receaued wyth a good wyll Neuerthelesse that Chryste wyll haue yt so to be receaued is euydent by the wordes that he spake vnto Peter what tyme as he wolde defende Chrystes cause wyth the materiall swearde sayenge wylt not thou that I shal drinke the chalice which my father hath sent me as though he wolde saye Ye ought to seke no meanes nor counsell nor not once to saye agaynst y e drynkynge of this chalice or cuppe which my heauenly father hath sent me Hereby is geuen vs to wyte that all oure trouble is sent vs also of oure heauenly father to accepte it wyllyngly and with a good wyll to drynke it How much lesse than shall we runne a straye here or there to seke thys helpe or that this counsell or that to be redemed and made fre of oure burthen Moses warnynge vs not to be moued at ony myrakle sayeth Deut. xiii yf there ryse vp a prophet or dreamar amonge you and geue the a token or wonder and that token or wonder which he spake of come to passe and than saye Let vs go after other Goddes whom thou knowest not and let vs serue them Thou shalt not herken vnto the voyce of such a prophete or dreamer For youre Lorde youre God proueth you to wete wether ye loue hym with all youre hart and with all youre soule For ye shall walke after the Lorde youre God and feare hym and kepe his commaundementes and herken vnto his voyce and serue hym and cleue vnto hym These wordes do playnly despise the seruynge or worshippynge of straunge Goddes or ymages They cast awaye all myracles and tokens that chaunce by Gods sufferinge to proue vs wether oure trust aâ—â— confydence be onely in God They shewe vs to God of whom we must hope al goodnesse Wherfore regarde not these pelgrymage goers and myrakell gasers for yf ye folowe theyr councels ye testifie you not to be a trewe beleuer It is a trew prouerbe that is comunly vsed wo to that londe where many myracles do chaunce for that is a token that great vnbeleue is there And where as ye thynke sayntes to choppe and chaunge so with myracles that is not so For the deuell can also chaunge hymselfe into an angel of light as saieth Paul This is euydent in the fyrst boke of the kynges in the .xxviii. chapter where Samuel the good prophete beynge dead was conyured of the soythsayenge woman at Sauls instaunce at the whych charmynge the deuyll appeared in the lyknesse of Samuel Therfore also doth Paul warne vs sayenge to the Collossians the .ii. chapter Let noman make you to shute at a wronge marke whych after his owne chousynge walketh in humblynesse and spyritualyte of angels thynges which he neuer sawe Wherin we are warned of all holynesse of men for theryn maye we lyghtely be deceaued Morouer it happeneth somtyme that God taketh his worde out of hys trew preachers and prophets mouth and geueth it vnto lyenge spretes which lyes the people doth lyghtely accepte by reason of theyr erroure as we rede .iii. Reg. xxii God sayde vnto the lienge sprete that he shulde deceaue kynge Achab Go thy waye thou shalt deceaue them sayde he and be able Thys example teacheth vs not to rest nor trust in ony mans holynes wysdome or worthynesse These and such lyke deceates chaunge vnto vs by the ryght wysnesse of God because we turne so lyghtely to straunge Goddes to sayntes to false tokens and myracles whych be set vp by the occasyon of some lyenge dreame of a false prophete or as comunly they be by y e wylynesse of the dyuell Wherfore loke where Chryst and hys worde be shewed and the fayth accepted though Christ be but newe come in Egypte and yoÌ„ge there decaye incontinently such auauÌ„tages and yearly reÌ„tes of pilgrimage goinges and myracles which is dayly to be sene For gods worde is a fyre and therfore consumeth it all such workes as be nothynge but stouble strawe and hey and it selfe endureth for euer Yf such mokage of miracles pylgrimages were agryenge w t the worde of God than shulde they remayne doubtlesse but seinge they be not therfore must al plaÌ„tacions which y e heaueÌ„ly father hath not plaÌ„ted be roted out Lazarus Yt is treuth for ther is not so much resorte to the bloude of Hayles oure lady of Walsy mgaÌ„ to this or that sainte as ther hath bene By reason the myrakles haue not now so much fayth geuen vnto them But how happeneth it that the soules and spretes of the dead desyre of tymes such going on pelgrimages in so much that bokes also be made of it Tymotheus Brynge ye forth now youre spretes and dreames Beleue not euery sprete but â—rye them wyther they be of God Such spretes as wyll drawe you awaye from Christ vnto your owne workes or holynesse flye them as venyme We must abyde in Christ that is his wordes and doctryne yf we shal be his disciples We muste discerne and herken to his voyce onely yf we shal be hys shepe All that which is not conteyned and founded in the scrypture shall not ye beleue All bodely exercyse which as ye saye is requyred of you profyteth lytell but Christen vertuousnes and godlynesses is profytable to all thynges The father poyntynge vs to hys sonne in whom he delyteth sayeth that we shall heare hym and not the spretes for the apparitions of spretes are wholy agaynst the scrypture wherfore they can be nothynge but illusyoÌ„s of the dyuels that be in the ayre We rede in the gospell of the ryche glutton that he desyred hys fyue brethren in earth to be warned of the daungers and payne that he was in but what answere was made hym agayne euen such as is made to euery man that is now lyuynge Let them heare Moses and the prophetes He sayde no â—et them heare the spretes Yt foloweth yf they wyll not heare them then wyll not they also beleue yf ony dead rose agayne and appeared we haue Moses and the prophetes these wyll God haue vs geue ear vnto and al curiouse searchynge of spretes with their answers vtterly to be despysed A pure fayth trusteth onely in Gods wordes couetynge none other visyons or apparition to the strenghtynge of hym saue only the othe which was made to Abraham and hys sede in hym what tyme as God was mynded to geue hymself vnto vs which through fayth in God are become chyldren of Abraham and heyres of God Thys inwarde or goostly syght of a pure harte passeth all other certifyenges eyther of spretes angels or deuels For so
knoleginge yt through the sprete of trueth we wayte for all ayde comforte and subsidie of oure heaueÌ„ly father in what so euer temtacion can assault vs. So that yt is sure token and specialte that we be in the fauoure of God yf we abyde stedfast in praysinge the name of God and reioyce inwardly whaÌ„ we be in troubel or anguishe though God seme to haue vtterly forsaken vs. Here lo must the Christen faith fyrst apeare The sauegarde quietnes of conscience which we haue inwardly in the myddes of troubell is a frute of the holy goost sustaynynge vs lest we fall into mysbeleue or blaspheminge of God y e which oure punishmeÌ„t myght cause ryghtwell Wherfore we nede not to shreÌ„ke or to drede our Lorde God whan he stryketh vs as a seruaunt doth feare auoyde his master For God nother caÌ„ be nor is a scourger or tyrant vnto his children It is oure dewty to reyoice in him and to prayse hym in al his godly workes knowenge that he is oure sauegarde in the daye of troubell Paul wrytinge to the Romanes in the .viii. chap. sayeth We haue not now receaued the sprete of bondage to feare ony more but we haue receaued the sprete of adoption wherby we call Abba deare father w t a lusty corage a sure faith For y e sprete of God which worketh such faith in vs geueth wytnesse vnto oure sprete that we be the children of God Seynge then we be the childreÌ„ of God oure mercyfull father hath such a delyte in vs as in his welbeloued children So y t where the moost feare and yeopardy is there is he moost nearest present It is surely the nature of a good father to be more ferueÌ„ter in loue towarde hys children where the moost nede is Now whan ye consydre this diligently with a hartyfull lust towarde God the father than maye you beleue and say truely that God is youre heaueÌ„ly father yf not you say your Pater noster faynedly as al other ypocrites do whose hart is farre from their mouth although ye sayde youre Pater noster a thousande tymes Lazarus Is this the sayenge of Pater noster thaÌ„ dyd I neuer saye yt dewly in all my lyfe I haue oft sayde the .xii. artikles of oure fayth after the prest in the pulpet But I coulde neuer heare so much concerninge the pyth of them as I haue done now Timothe Such hystoricall fayth as ye be taught in the pulpet haue y e deuels also for they beleue that God is almyghty that y e sonne of God is become man that he is crucified and rysen agayn but they beleue not that he is ordeyneth to their saluacion The deuell beleueth and trembleth but a Christen man beleueth and reioceth in it The fayth or knoleginge of the deuyls which they haue of God causeth them to feare and tremble but oure fayth causeth vs to reioyce and be gladde in God whom we knoledge euer to be oure father Lazarus If he be our father why sendeth he such greueous paynes to vs then Timothe You re aforesayde fayth must be tryed trough sufferynge syknesse and aduersite as yt is written That we shall not maruayll nether be moued that we be tryed trough the fyre of sufferynge for yt is done to proue vs. The lorde proueth al the electes after this maner that their fayth may be founde â—ore precious than the golde that is tried through the fyre And the ende of oure fayth whiche is not anulled is the health of our soul Wherfore as ye beleue that God is youre mercifull father euen so must ye beleue also and by fayth be assured that all that be tydeth you is hys fatherly wil and pleasure Thynke not that hys eyen be wythdrawen from vs for so greatly are we accepted before him that he sayeth Whoso toucheth you toucheth the very appell of myn eye Yee we be so earnestly and tenderly cared for and kepte of God oure heauenly father that there is not the least heâ—r of our heade but yt ys tolde no a sparowe doth not fall on the grouÌ„de without the consent of oure heauenly father How much lesse can thys syknesse come vpon you without the consent of the heauenly father which hath sanctified all troubell and sufferinges By the crosse and humblinge dyd yt please God to exalte and glorify his owne sonne He y t dyd take care thought for you before ye were borne shall lykwyse prouyde for you beynge here seynge he wolde you to be here Wherfore all those that suffre accordinge the wyll of God ought to coÌ„mitte the charge of their soules vnto the good creator of all creatures in whose handes we are as the claye is in the potters hande Praye therfore vnto the father with youre whole hart that his name maye be halowed in you lyke as it is halowed and glorified thorow y e death and depression of his sonne But as for oure name it is full of dishonesty shame daÌ„nacion Lazarus By the meaninge of youre wordes I perceaue yt not nedefull for me to desyre these paynes of myne to be auoyded and to be healed other in soule or body Timothe I coulde shewe you welinough that this praynge doth come nother of the sprete of God nor yet out of fayth but of proper loue which seketh rather hir owne ease and profite than the glory of God But I feare lest it wolde be to tedious for you also I reken ye can not wel suffre many more wordes Lazarus No hardly it shall not be tedious vnto me for euen now haue I a great desyre to it wherfore shewe me why I may not pray so Timothe A trew fayth wyll not cause you to praye so for it is certified alwaye of the good will of God what so euer doth chaunche All that is not of fayth is synne sayth Paule Searche the grounde of youre harte and ye shall perceaue that ye desyre to be healed for none other cause but only to be at ease Therfore seyng that through this wyked nature ye set more pryce by youre self than by God ye had leuer youre sensualyte and wyll were accomplysshed in optayning of health than that God in this syknesse shulde do in you and with you accordinge to hys pleasure Wherfore I praye you what els do ye but rebelle agaynst God correke him in his iudgmeÌ„t because he worketh not accordynge your ymaginacion Where is youre pater noster do not ye praye and saye Father thy wyll be fulfylled in earth as it is in heauen that is in the earthy bodye as it is in the soule which is an heauenly body How lytell doye rest hetherto in the workes of God Heare how fully the kyngly prophet Dauid was mortifyed entyerly and near in excesse of mynde vpon all y t which God wolde sende hym he beynge dryuen out of his kyngdome by his owne beloued sone Absalon dyd saye Yf I shal fynde grace before the Lorde he shall fetch me agayne and let my se it againe
meanynge the arke and the house of it But yf he saye thus I haue no pleasure in the beholde here am I let hym do with me as yt pleaseth hym Here was a mortifyed sprete which kept the trew Sabbath that is the euerlastynge restynge daye from this be ye farre wyde for all youre prayenge and flatterynge Lazarus What good can I optayne by this wrechednesse wherfore I shulde not desyre to be ryd of it Tymothâ—us It is styll the olde trade ye wyll not suffre but for auauntage ye wyll vse batterynge with God God wyll haue no marchauntes nor exchaungers in hys holy temple wherin he resteth as ye shall heare more herafter yf we reason larger As concerninge the good which we optayne by sufferinge we must vnderstonde that God hatheth synne in that he seÌ„deth mercy and loue to hys chyldren whych he doth chastyse Whan ye praye God than to take awaye thys chastenynge from you than be not ye content that he shall shewe thys hys ryghtwysnes in you and herein ye declare and vtter you to be a frende of synne and enemy to the ryghtuousnes of God Be not you very blynde and peruerse harted louynge theÌ„ that hate you and hatynge those that loue you To that inteÌ„t sendeth God payne anguysshe yee and death vnto vs that the body of synne and death shulde be roted out in sufferynge and slayenge of the olde Adam with all hys carnall concupiscences and desyres This worke wyll not ye to procede in you which notwithstondinge must be accomplysshed yf we wyll be acceptable before God Paule sayeth Knowe ye not that all we which are baptysed in to Christe Iesu are baptysed in to his death The chyldren of Israel myght not optayne the londe of promes excepte they fyrst hadde passed the reed see Euen so we also must come to the hyghe Ierusalem through passinge the reede see that is troubell and syknesse For this cause we must cleue to the faythfull wordes of God as the Israelytes dyd which beynge opprest before of the read see and behynde of Pharaos army so that death was at hande wither soeuer they turned theyr syght Wherfore Moses comforted them biddynge not to doubte in Gods behestes saynge Feare you not stond styll and beholde what a saluacion the Lorde shall shewe vpon you this daye Thus haue they wentured it vpoÌ„ Gods worde passed through the read see wythout blemysshe Be ye also a trew Israelyte goynge thorow thys sufferynge with a sure fayth and ye shal surely be delyuered of iâ— with a valiaunt power For he is faythfull that hath so promysed you Ceasse of your owne wyl and despyse not that which commeth of God Whan the waters of troubell sometyme be to greueous vpoÌ„ you so that thorow them ye begynne to waxe feble than praye the heauenly father to geue you your daylye breade strenghtynge you with hys holsome worde wherby your soule must be sustayned Lazarus But brother this payne endureth to longe for my thynketh it wyll neuer haue an ende It hath so his recourse Tymotheus Be not moued at that for Christ hymself dyd suffre before he came in to hys glory Is than a disciple greater than hys mayster is a seruaunt aboue hys Lorde Yf ther hadde bene another way to come to the trew glory and lyfe Christ wolde haue rather chosen it but now hath he fyrst trodden and chosen thys waye of sufferynge hymself that we shulde folow hym in yt Lo thys is to take vp the crosse of Christ and to folowe hym dayly to be mocked despised depressed lyke as he hath boren his crosse with all despysyng payne and reuylinge We be crucifyed with Christ whan we mortifye oure pleasures and affections which ought to be durynge oure lyfe Now yf we be equall wyth Chryst in sufferynge and dyenge whe shall also be equall wyth hym in reioycynge and rysinge to y e new lyfe Certifyed that oure olde man is crucifyed with hym to the intent the body of synne shulde be destroyed Yf we then be dead with Christ we beleue that we shall also lyue with hym Paul sayeth Roman vi For a grane of corne cast in to the grounde can not brynge forth frute huÌ„dreth folde without it be mortifyed fyrst and auoyded his harde huske euen so we also beynge here in earth must first dye and refuse the corrupcion of oure flesshe yf we wyll lyue with Christ and brynge forth frutes of lyfe For this cause is the lyfe of a Christian here in earth counted to be nothynge els nor is none other saue a continual crosse death and deynge as Paul doth specifie .ii. Cor. ix saynge That we which lyue are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe also of Iesus myght appeare in oure mortall flesshe for as longe as we lyue we are delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe of Chryst be declared in oure mortall body Dauyd also sayeth For thy sake we are kylled all the daye longe and are counted as shepe appoynted to be slayne Yf ye wyll saye thys trewly wyth Dauyd then must you be content with your punysshement yee vntyll the death as the shepe is which openeth not his mouth in y e slaghting I praye you how can ye desire God to take from you this payne yf ye beleue surely y t although your outwarde maÌ„ be corrupte and perysshe yet your inwarde man is renewed daye by day Paule sayeth that this troubell and sufferynge which lasteth but y e tuynklyng of an eye in comparyson of the glory for to come prepareth maruaylously for vs the eternall glory yf we haue not oure syght fyxed vpon y t which is visible but vpon that which is inuysyble and euerlastynge yee all that we can suffre here in this transytory worlde is not to be coÌ„pared vnto the glory which shal be declared in vs. By thys ye perceaue that all those which suffre w t a sure fayth ought also to reioyce in theyr troubell euen as Paule and other electes haue done Lazarus Me thynketh ye preasse the meteyarde harde on How can I reioyce in troubell which is nought but waylynge and yaylynge It is harde to laugh and to wepe Tymotheus I shall enfourme you of it with a grosse ensample ye lye here now sycke and dysseased ye wolde be fayne cured of some goode phisician now maketh he a drinck for you which is very bitter and mispleasaunt to receaue neuerthelesse thorow his informacion and promesse of health therby ye ouercome the bytternesse of it drynkynge yt with shoueringe chauÌ„gging of couÌ„tenauÌ„ce though y e tears ruÌ„ne down w t drynkiÌ„ge of yâ— yet endeuoure ye yourself to retayne a corage Were it not a folyshe felowe y t wolde be displeased w t the phisician because he doth minister so bitter drinke vnto him which he geueth you not for ony hatered or euell wyll y t you shulde fele the bitternesse of yt but that ye myght recouer Who wolde be so madde to desyre the phisician to auoyde the
example vnto you for as God hath delyuered them euen so shall he delyuer you also Lazarus I maye not cōpare my sufferynge wyth theyr passyons They dyd suffre for their innocency but I suffre for my synnes Timotheus Thynke you the sayntes were no synners also before God is no fleshe founde ryghtuous Saye not that ye suffre with the wyked murtherer whan ye suffre paciently and whan faythfully ye knowledge to haue well deserued such castygacion which the good murtherer dyd also The knowledgynge of youre synne doth iustifye you yf it be done faythfully and trewly Ther can no trew knowlegynge be wythout the sprete of treuth and youre punyshment is cause of iustifycacion yf ye confesse to haue deserued yt well for youre synnes The martyrdome of martyrs was not meritorious vnto them to to optayne the lyfe euerlastynge thereby for Paul sayth that the paynes of thys worlde be not sufficient for y e glory which shal be shewed vpon vs. For the transytory and faydinge thynges can not optayne durabell rewarde But Christ hath suffred onely for his innocency by the which innocent sufferinge he hath rydde vs from all oure wykednesse Christes death hath deserued lyfe eternall for vs this haue the marters beleued cōstantly testyfyenge it vntyl y e death conqueryng by fayth so that their fayth wherby they were iustified before God appeared lyuely in knoleginge the name of Iesus from the which they dyd not shrynke euē at y e poynte of death For this cause dyd all sayntes euer praye with the prophet Not oure Lorde not oure but vnto thy name be glory Lazarus You ouercome me which so many stronge and euident scriptures that I wote not what to answere Neuerthelesse I wolde desyre God once to ceasse scourgynge lyke as many sayntes haue done And I remēbre I haue herde preached that there was a kynge whose lyfe was prolonged fyftene yeares thorowe hys prayer Timothe We shall not folowe saintes so curiously in al their wordes dedes for we be not sure how wel they haue ben accepted alway of god In y t they also haue ben mē we may be deceaued in their fotesteppes Therfore in sayntes we ought only to be hold their strōge faith y e giftes y t God had geuē thē But christ is set to be our sāple copie after whose lyf wordes doctrīe we maye lyue speake for he could not erre nor cause other to erre whiche sayntes haue done ryghtwell Paul sayeth Be ye y e folowers of my as I am a folower of Iesu Christ Now shall ye heare how Christ is oure sampel in thys prayenge or wysshinge that ye speake of Whan he prayed in his agony he sayde Father yf this cuppe cā not be taken frome but y e I drynke of yt not my will but thyne be fulfylled Praye ye lykwyse w t Christ and ye shal be strenghted also no doubte from heauen in youre battayll And now to answere you vnto youre example of Ezechias which beynge dead syke optayned by his prayer of God to be delyuered of his syknesse you must vnderstande y t God doth punisshe vs diuersly with the rodde of correctiō in oure body Somtyme he doth it to punisshe our synnes wykednesses y t our faith be strenghted therby as Christ sayde to the sykemā y t had lyē .xxxviii. yeares syke at Ierusalē by y e slaughterhouse pole Behold thou art made whole sinne nomore lest a worse thīge happē vnto ye. By these wordes he dyd geue him knoledge that for his synnes he suffered this longe and greuous syknesse for the wich he shulde suffreyt more greueously yf he left not synninge Sōtyme sendeth God syknesse and troubel to hys electe whiche not withstondynge be in his fauours that y e glory and honoure of God maye be declared therby as Christ sayeth Ioh. xi that Lazarus syknesse was not vnto death but for the glory of God y t the sonne of God might be praysed therby Christ say be also Ioh. ix that the blynde was so borne that the worke of God might be shewed vpon hym Euen so daylye doth yet the glory honoure of God appeare in many places by sufferinge paciently and dyenge gladly of many vertuous honest men whiche occasion other men to prayse and to thāke God that sendeth such grace and mercy vnto men so that they haue cause to reoiyce yee euen in y e myddes of death Somtymes God visiteth y e trespasses of the rulers parētes vnto the thirde or fourth generatiō vpō their subiectes and kynreddes For whā Dauid had nombred the people formere vanite and misbeleue there were fayne to dye .lxx. thousande of his people w t in thre dayes .ii. Regū xxiiii Hely also because he castised not his childrē knowynge them to do euell God sware vnto the house of Hely that hys wykednes shulde not be put awaye foreuer by no maner of offerynge and afterwarde was he punished by the death of his sonnes .i. Reg. ii All this is done accordynge iustice and dewly for the ryghtwose God cā do no wronge Vvhan God suffreth such as is sayde afore to chaunce vnto vs than semeth he and is sayde to be angry with vs where as he neuerthelesse is immutable Now whan we rede of some holy mē which in their sufferinge haue prayed to be ridde of their crosse anguishe it is not to be thought that they haue done it of ony hatered that they hadde to yt because yt is oneasy and paynfull but y t they by this prayenge myght once come to y e perfecte punisshynge of synne which they hated and persewed And so prayed kynge Ezechias whan he was admonisshed by the prophet Esaye the .xxxviii. chap. that he shulde dye sayenge What shall I speake or saye that he maye do thys that I maye lyue out al my yeares yee in the bitternesse of my lyfe Lo the bitternesse that came of y e hatered of his synnes Verely Lorde men must lyue in bitternesse and all my lyfe must I passe ouer therin for thou raysest me vp wakest me But lo I wylbe cōtent with this bitternesse marke that God by punisshinge of synne relyueth a mā Marke y e fayth causeth Ezechie to haue peace and to be at rest in the middes of his bitter sufferynge Neuerthelesse my cōuersacion hath so pleased the that thou woldest not make an ende of my lyfe but y t thou hast cast al my synnes behynde thy bake Beholde how royaly the good kynge setteth forth the mercy of God in his sufferaunce that is that Esaye sayeth in his xxx chapter With styll syttinge and rest shall ye be healed In quietnesse and hope shall youre strength be That is in the silence rest of youre owne wyl in Gods wil and the hope of mercy of God which is promised you yee in all sufferinge shal youre strenght be so that ye shal be able to suffre all grefe Euen so is that peticion of our prayer to be vnderstōde where we desyre not to
ye seke the kyngdome of God with marchaundyse which is spirituall inwarde and it coÌ„meth in vs without ony coÌ„uention or coÌ„tracte precediÌ„g yt Knowe ye not that y e byers and sellers are chased of God Or wyll ye haue christ to come vpon earth agayne to bringe lyfe to you by a newe waye and maner and not thorowe death the crosse We lyue dye in God what maketh it matter than wether ye lyue or dye in body The father hath geuen christ all power both in heauen earth than hath he also power ouer death hel and all deuels If ye seke ease another waye other thys or that more than of Christ which is a trew phisicion of oure soull than shall ye be lykened vnto the woman that hadde ben syke so longe and spent al hir substaunce in phisyke to optayne health and yet hadde no ease whiche she optayned moost surest in Christ It is a great plage and an horrible worke of Gods iudgmentes that he suffreth vs to walke thus blyndfylde in oure owne inuented wayes wherin we haue more coÌ„braunce of conscience than reste or yoie The cause no doubte is that we wyll not herken to Gods worde but stoppe oure eares whan we be admonisheth therof estimiÌ„g it as lyes Wherfore god sayeth psal lxxx My people wolde not heare my voyce and Israel wolde not obey my So I gaue them vp vnto their owne hartes lustes let theÌ„ folowe their ymaginatioÌ„s Lest we come to this let vs praye earnestly w t the prophet sayenge Ordene me wayes in thy presence my lord my god WhaÌ„ ye seke delyuerauÌ„ce release w t massâ—s pilgrimag than be not youre wayes redrest in Gods preseÌ„ce For these wayes hath not he shewed nor gone them hymselfe We repyne at hys wayes of the crosse of dyenge of huÌ„blynge we shoue them from vs wyth hande and fote Oure wayes be easy to go they please vs beste all were well yf we coulde optayne release therby ye though the deuyll shulde helpe to it Wherto is oure Christendome become Lazarus I haue hadde now a ful answer of al I am sory I am gone so farre wyde from God My pardon letters my reliquyes my folysshe treatises of meditation my beedes and all such superstitions wherein I haue hadde a false confydence wyll I cause to be brent wythout delaye in wytnesse that I counte it abominacion which hetherto I haue done wyth theÌ„ I yelde my self to my Lorde God In him wyll I lyue in hym wyll I dye he is the tower of my strength noman shal drawe me out of hys handes hensforth Oh Lorde remembre not the mysdedes of my youth and ignoraunce O Tymothe yf I were now whole yf I coulde go and stonde what lust shulde I haue to serue God how shulde I runne to them that lye bedryd there to dystrybute myn almes which now I can not do seynge I am Gods presoner Tymotheus Lo ye come forth agayne with youre sensualyte you begynne to dispute agayne with God you wyll checke hym in hys iudgment knoweth he not how you maye serue him best in siknes or health And yf he knewe it not shall ye teache it hym It is hys wyll at this tyme that ye serue hym wyth sufferynge mekely and that ye receaue both thys and other aduersyte that he shall sende you wythout grudgynge These be the purest and moost acceptable workes of all that can be done without oure addinge therunto For all that is added to this of men that is vncleane and synne Where we onely do suffre god workynge wythout hynderaunce there is the moost principall vertue and the beste worke For as it is written The obedience of the lawe and the wyll of God is better than al offerynges and to be at hys commaundement is better than to offer all fat sacryfyce Be therfore ydle stonde styll assaye and se how good the Lorde is Yf ye dyd consydre the botome of youre harte a lytel whyle you shuld perceaue what a false and wylye felowe were hydde there cloked you shulde fynde that in that ye saye yf I were whole I wolde serue God and my neghboure ye entende not the same but your owne loue which causeth you to wysh so for youre owne ease of this payne and that ye myght lyue somwhat longer It is now tyme to praye and not onely in y e tyme of health He y t nedeth is occasioned to praye The hypocrytes do praye wythout nede for they be full and satisfyed they be holy in theyr sight Ye praye dewly whan ye offre youre wyllynge sprete vnto God and are redy to beare all that he pleaseth to lade you wythall Thys doth also the worde deuotion sounde for Deuotion is a yeldynge or geuynge ouer of hymself to an other thynge Happy is he that hath a trew deuotion or yeldynge of hymself to God Such a man hath hys wyll alwaye for hys wyll is fulfylled in all that can retyde hym by the reason hys wyll is wholy yeldeth to God For y t cause is he euer so wel coÌ„tent he wolde not starte though he sawe the deuyll no though he must descende the hell He that hath such deuotion prayeth wythout ceassynge wether he wake slepe go stonde reste laboure although hys lyppes moue not though he knocke not his breste though he â—alye not w t God wyth hys fysry stykes which all is but an hypocrytisshe game It is great skyll to praye and to saye much To geue ouer the harte vnto God and to make much rummelynge wyth the mouth dyffer much Paul hadde leuer fyue wordes spokeÌ„ in y e vnderstoÌ„dinge thaÌ„ fyue thousande wordes spoken wyth the breth of the mouth God is a sprete and in sprete and treuth wyll he be worshypped The almes dedes that you wolde geue yf ye where whole doth not God esteme for theyr multitude but he regardeth the lust and wyll that ye haue to them A cuppe of colde water shall not God forgette not for cause of the water but for the good wyll of the geuer which perchaunce is of no greater abylite He that geueth one drawght of water vnto a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receaue the rewarde of a prophete And why For God regardeth the harte and mynde but man regardeth the outwarde worke Thys testyfyeth the wedowe in the gospell that caste onely cone farthynge in the Gods cheste which neuerthelesse hadde geuen more than they that gaue great summes Paul also sayeth Yf there be a wilâ—inge mynde it is accepted accordynge to that a man hath not accordynge to that he hath not The poorest creature liuinge male geue as much almes as the rychest Almes is a greke worde and signifyeth a mercyfulnesse or declaringe of a pytyful harte Can not thynke ye the poore haue a mercifull and compassionable harte towarde the that be in pouerte anguysshe though theyr power can not extende to declare it Yf theyr harte be thus moued to a lyuely compassion than haue they done almes