far of and to them which were nie For through him we both haue an entraunce in one âpirit vnto the father Nowe therâore ye are not straungers and foâeiners but citezins with y e sainâes and of the houshold of God âre built vpon the foundation of ãâã Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ him self being the head corâer ãâã stone in whome what builââng soeuer is coupled together ãâã groweth vnto an holy temple ãâã the Lord in whome ye also are builded together to be an habitation of God through y e holy ghost Epa. Blessed be the Lord our God whiche hath made vs gentils also partakers of his heauenly blessinges But brother Philemon hetherto haue ye rehearsed out of the newe Tastament but one history Your promise was to recite two at the least Fulfill your promis I pray you Phi. In the gospell of Iohn we read that there was a certaine man whiche had bene diseased .xxxviii. yeares plaâged of God without doubt foâ his sinnes So sone as our sauiâour Christ perceiued that he haâ a mynde to be made whole he saiâ vnto him Rise take vp thy bed ãâã walke And streightways the ãâã was made hole Afterward Chrâââ found him in the temple and ãâã vnto him Behold thou art ãâã whole loke thou sinne no ãâã after this least a worse thynge chaunce vnto thee These wordeÌs of our sauiour Christ doe playnly declare that this man was a greuous sinne that this his longe disease sicknes and trouble was cast vpon him for his sinne disobedieÌce against the Lord his god And yet note so sone as he had a mind to be made hole euen before he made his mone vnto Christ or knew whot Christ was this most louing gentle sauior made hym hole bad him sin no more Euse. Here is y e fulfilled which God speketh by the Prophet It shall be that or euer they call I shall anâwere them Whyle they are yet but thinking howe to speake I shal heare them Phi. The history of y e thefe which was put to death with Christ is not to be let passe What a malefactour and wicked persone he was the holy scripture doth declare NotwithstaÌding so sone as he humbled him selfe repented him of his former life coÌfessed his sinne and called vpon Christ for mercy saying Lord remember me whaÌ thou comest into thy kyngdom he was straightwaies receiued into fauor hard these most comfortable wordes at the mouth of Christ Uerely I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in paradise Chri. Here is also the saying of God by the Prophet founde true at al times when a sinner turneth vnto me saith y e Lord I wil no more beare his iniquities in minde but frely forgeue them Epa. Here is than a good and comfortable lesson that whensoeuer we turn froÌ our wickednes the Lord our God wil forâgeue vs our sinnes and geue vs fauor grace mercy life and euerlasting glory Phi. Truth it is brother Epaphroditus Beleue it all thinges shal go wel with you You shal find muche comfârt and great ioy in your coÌscience A quiet and mery heart shall you haue within you as s. Paul saith We being iustified by saith haue peace that is to say quietnes of conscieÌce toward God through our Lord Iesus Christe by whome also it chaunced vnto vs to be brought in thorowe faith vnto this grace wherin we stande and reioyce in hope of the glory of God Howe greatly also do the histories of the wounded man of the lost shepe ⪠as I may let other passe set forth gods exceading mercy toward penitent sinners be they neuer so greuously wounded and diseased A certain man saieth our sauiour Christ descended from HierusaleÌâo Hierico and fel among theues whiche robbed him of his raimeÌt and wounded him and departed leauing him halfe dead And it chaunced that there came down a certaine Priest that same waye when he sawe hym he passed by And likewyse a Leuite when he went nie to the place came and loked on hym passed by But a certain Samaritan as he iourneyed came vnto hym and when he saw him he had compassion on him and went to him and bound vp his woundes and poured in oyle and wyne and set him on his own beast and brought him to a common Inne made prouision for him-And on the morowe wheÌ he departed he toke two pence gaue them to the host said vnto him take cure of hym and what soeuer thou spendest more wheâ I come again I wil recompencâ thee Ep. Ther was small charitiâ both in the Priest and in the Leâuite Phi. You say truth Epa. But who was that Samaritan For he was very gentle and louinge Phi. Christ Iesus the Lord which is the self gentlenes loue which also refuseth no labour no paine no cost in seking our saluation He it is alone which as the Prophet saieth hathe taken on hym our infirmities and borne our pains He him self as Peter saith bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being deliuered from sinne should liue vnto righteousnes By whose stripes ye wer heaâed For as ye were as shepe going astray but are nowe tourned vnto the shepeheard and Bishop of your soules Epaphroditus You âpake of the lost shepe also Phile. Truth Blessed Luke telleth the parable on this manner What man of you hauing an C. shepe if he lose one of them doeth not leue ninety and nine in the wildernes and goe after that whiche is lost vntill he fynde it And when he hath found it he laieth it on his shoulders with ioye And assone as he commeth home he calleth together his louers and neighbours saying vnto them reioyse with me for I haue founde my shepe whiche was lost Hereof our sauiour Christe concludeth I say vnto you that lykewyse ioye shalbe in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth more then ouer ninety nine iust persones which nede no repentance This parable with the other of the woman that lost a grote setteth forth maruelouslye the louinge kyndnesse of Christ toward penitent synners For of that he also coÌcludeth and saith Likewyse I say vnto you shall there be ioy in the presence of the aungels of God ouer one sinner that repenteth Epaph. Great comfort is there for penitent synners and weke coÌsciences in these histories and parables which you neighbour Philemon haue full gently declared vnto me Phile. I âm glad brother Epaphroditus âo heare you so say And be ye wel âssured they are no lesse true than âomfortable Perswade your self âhat Christ is a moste louing and âaithfull Phisition to so many as âele them selues diseased yea he so âuche tendreth our health that âe calleth vs vnto hym and proâiseth that he wyl ease vs of our ârief if we will come vnto hym âeal all our diseases They that âe strong nede no Phisition but ââey y t are sicke And Christ came âât
whole strong precious and in al poynts lyke to the glorious body of our Lorde sauiour Christ Iesus Hear whaâ the Apostle saith our conuersatiâon is in heauen from whence we loke for a sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Christ which shal chaungâ our vile body that he may makâ it like vnto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able also to subdue al things vnto him selfe Agayne We know that if our earthy mansion of this dwellinge were destroyed we haue a building of God an habitation not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen For therefore sighe we desiring to be clothed with our mansion whiche is from heauen so yet if that we be founde clothed and not naked For we that are in this tabernacle sighe and are greued because we woulde not be vnclothed but woulde be clothed vpon that immortalitie might bee swallowed vp of lyfe He that hath ordained vs for this thing is God whiche very same hath geuen vnto vs the earnest of the spirite Therfore we are alway of good cheare and knowe that as longe as we are at home in the body we are abâent from God For we walke in âayth not after outwarde apperaunce Neuerthelesse we are of âood comfort and had rather to be absent from the body and to be present with God Epa. This is coÌfortable doctrine I can be conteÌt with al my heart to make such a chauÌge whensoeuer the Lordes good pleasure shalbe But I pray you rehearse some wholsome sayinges oute of the holy scriptures concerning the resurrection of the body for streÌgthning of my faith and for the comfort and quietnes of my conscience Phi. In the prophet Esay we read on this manner Thy dead men shall liue euen w t my body shall they rise againe Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust For thy dewe is euen as the dew of herbes and the earth shall cast out them that be vnder her Againe your bones shall floryshe like an herbe The Prophet Ezechiell hath these words The haÌd of the lord came vnto me and caried me out in the spirit of y e Lord let me downe in a playne field that lay full of bones and he led me round about by them and beholde the bones that lay vpon the fielde were very many and maruelous dry also Then sayd he vnto me Thou sonne of maÌ thinkest thou these bones may liue again I aunswered O Lord God thou knowest And he sayd vnto me prophecy thou vpon these bones and speake vnto them Ye drye bones heare the worde of the Lord. Thus saith the Lorde God vnto these bones Beholde I will put breth vnto you that ye may lyue I will geue you sinowes make fleshe grow vpon you couer you ouer with skinne and so geue you breath that ye may liue knowe that I am the Lord. So I Prophecied as he had coÌmauÌded me And as I was prophecying ther came a noyse and a great motion so that the bones ran euery one to an other Nowe when I had loked behold they had sinnowes flesh grewe vpon them and aboue they were couered with skin but there was no breath in theÌ Then said he vnto me Thou sonne of man prophecy thou towarde the wind prophecie speake vnto the wind Thus saith the Lord God Come O thou ayr from the foure windes blowe vpon these slaine that they may be restored to life So I prophecied as he had commauÌded me then came the breath into them and they receiued life and stode vp vpoÌ their fete a maruelous great nomber Againe Thus saith the Lord god behold I wyll open your graues O my people and take you out of youre sepulchres The wordes of the Prophet Daniel are these Many of them that slepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life some to perpetual shame and reprofe God saieth by Esdras those that be dead will I rayse vp againe from their places and bryng them out of theyr graues Moreouer Christ saide to the Saduces which denied the resurrection of the body As touching the resurrectioÌ of the dead haue ye not red what is said vnto you of God which saith I am Abrahams God Isaacks God Iacobs God God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Also in an other place The houre shall come in the whiche all that are in the graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and shall come forthe they that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life and they that haue done euil vnto the resurrection of dampnation Martha said vnto Christe of her brother Lazarus when he was dead I know y t my brother shall rise againe at the latter day The holy Apostit s. Paul is plenteous in the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead I wyll reherse one or two of his sentences byd the other farewell The trompe saith he shall blowe and the dead shall ryse incorruptible and we shalbe chaunged For this corruptible must put on incorruption this mortall must put on immortalitie Again the Lord Iesus shal chauÌge our vile bodies that they maye bee fashioned like vnto his glorious body Also in an other place I would not brethren haue you ignoraunt concerning them which are fallen aslepe that ye sorow not as other do whiche haue no hope For if we beleue y t Iesus Christ died rose againe euen so they also whiche slepe by Iesus will God bring againe with him Diuers examples of the resurrection of our bodies haue we bothe in the old and new testament Helias the Prophet raised vp from death vnto lyfe the sonne of y e widow of Sarepta The like thinge read we of Heliseus the Prophet Christ raised froÌ death the daughter of a certain ruler the sonne of a certayne widowe and Lazarus w t many other Christ rose again and the bodies of many sainctes whiche slept arose also and came out of their graues after their resurrection and came into Hierusalem and appeared vnto many Peter raysed vp Tabitha from death S. Paul restored vnto life a certaine yong man named Eutichus Al these are euident examples of our resurrection Therefore good brother Epaphroditus feare not to geue ouer this your body and frely to commend it vnto the earth At the great daye of the generall resurrection you shal receiue it in a far better case then euer you had it in this world Ep. I leue this my vile body willingly yea and that with this hope that at the last day I shall take it againe immortall and vncorruptible I beleue the resurrection of the fleshe I wish to be losoned froÌ this body and to be with Christe Eu. You doubt nothing of the blessed state of y e godly departed and of the immortalitie of the soule Epa. I beleue euerlasting lyfe The. You are not
Hereto agreeth the saying of the Apostle all seke their owne auauntage and not that whiche shuld set forth the glory of Iesus Christ. And as in couetousnes so lykewyse in all other abhominable sinnes do we moste wickedlye walke And all thinges come to passe because we remember not the shortnesse of this lyfe and forget our latter end This considered the wiseman right well when he saith Whatsoeuer thou takest in hand remember thy end and thou shalt neuer do amisse Moses also saith O that men would ones be wyse and vnderstande and make prouision for their latter end There is not a stroÌger bit to brydle our carnall affectes nor a better scholemaister to keepe vs in an order then the remembraunce of our latter end then to remember that we shall not alway here remaine y t we ar but straungers and pylgrims in this world that we shall leaue behynde vs whatsoeuer worldly substauÌce we haue here ether painfully gotten or carefully kept that we shal die the death that we shal appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ and receaue accordinge to the workes whiche we haue doone in this lyfe either euerlasting glory or perpetuall payne But these thinges seeke we not to remember but rather to forget and therfore fall we into all kynde of vngodlynes and dissolution of lyfe And when the tyme coÌmeth that God visiteth vs with sickenes or otherwyse plageth vs for our euill behauour then doo we not prepare our selues vnto the crosse as we ought submitting our selues to the good pleasure of God and beyng contented paciently and thanckfully to receaue what so euer is layde vpon vs at the appoyntment of God but we rather murmur and grudge against God and with vnwillyng hartes suffer that louing visitation of God almoste wishinge that there were no God to plage and punishe vs but that we myght here liue continually and go forth to sinne frely without punishement And when death approcheth no remedy can be found against y e violence therof then doo the vngodly wicked liuers beholding the miserable face of their conscience which presenteth vnto them nothing but sin y e wrath of God hel fyre euerlasting damnation begin to despaire strayght yeld them selues to the pleasure of Sathan to bee for euer and euer tormeÌted in that lake that burneth with fire brimston theÌ selues their soules and consciences consenting and assentinge thereunto For what other end can be loked for of a wicked vngodly lyfe Is it to be thought that he whiche thorow sinne hath serued the deuill all the tyme of his lyfe can at his latter end loke for the enheritaunce of euerlasting glory wherewith God rewardeth theÌ y e painfully labour to serue him in holynes and righteousnes al the dayes of their lyfe S. Paul saith So run that ye may obtayn that is to say so trayne your lyfe in all Godlynes and vertue to the vttermost of your power whyle ye lyue in this worlde y t after ye haue finished your course here ye may enioy y e glorious reward of eternal life A corruptible crowne is not obtained without great pains taking shall we loke for an euerlasting crown by leding an vngodly and wanton lyfe No man is crowned sayth the apostle except he fighteth lawfully In this world therfore wherein our life is nothing but a knighthod or warfar must we lawfully valeantly mightely fight striue against our ennemies y e deuill the world the flesh and by feruent and diligent prayer vnto God so triumphe ouer theÌ thorow the help of our graund captain Christ y t we may haue a glorious spoill of our ennemies garnishe our selues with al kind of victorious roial robes I meane all good workes godly vertues Wher such a life is led there must a good end be and euerlasting life may with a fre conscience and assured hope be loked for And to bring this to passe Who laboureth not to the vttermoste of his power namely if he be of God loketh for a better and more blessed lyfe after this How we shuld fight against our aduersaries and leade a good life in this world I haue declared aboundantly heretofore in many of my bokes In this treatise whiche I haue nowe in hand entitled The Sickemans Salue my mynd is to shew vnto the faithfull christians how they ought to make prouision for their latter end that they may depart in the faythe of Christ and be of the nuÌber of those of whome it is written Blessed are the dead whiche die in the Lord. Again Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his sainctes For what shuld it profit a man to wyn all the worlde if at the last he loseth his soule Therefore in this my worke I haue declared first of all how the faithfull christians ought to behaue them selues paciently and thankefully in the tyme of syckenesse Secondly howe they should vertuously dispose their temporall goodes Thirdly after what manner they ought to prepare them selues gladly Godly to die Finally I haue enterlased many coÌfortable exhortations vnto the sycke and diuers godly necessary prayers some to be sayd of them that are sicke some of other for suche as are diseased This treatise after that I had finished it calling to remembraunce howe greatly I am bound to your right worshipfull Maistership considering also your most harty zeale and feruent affection toward the true and Christen religion all superstition and papistry layd asyde I thought it my bounden dutie to sende vnto you as a testimonie of my good wyll and thankefull hart toward you moste entirely desiryng you to accept and take in good part this my lyttle gift although much more base then it may seme in any part worthy to recompence the least poynt of your vnfayned frendship dyuers wayes heretofore declared vnto me God preserue your right worshypfull Maistershyp with the moste vertuous Gentlewoman your wyfe and all your godly chyldren in continuall health and prosperous felicitie Amen A PLENTIFVL table conteyning all the principal matters of this worke for the spedier finding of the same A ADaÌ cause why we all perished 300 Amos y e Prophet killed 317 Admonishions profiteth 226 Against the fear of death remedies 313 Against the stinges of death 316 B Bankettinge chyldren ought to beware 212 Baptisme 418 Belefe what it is 444 Belefe in hart 418 Body committed vnto the earth 136 Bodies shal rise immortall 137 Bodies of the faithfull ought not to be vylye handled 173 Brasen Serpent 76 Burialles 173 C Call continually on the Lorde 45 Cayin repented but lacked faith 378 Chaunge lead for syl uer 323 Cherefull geuer 40 Children fearing God he will not leaue them comfortles 270 Children ought to beware of il coÌpany 208 ChildreÌ must beware of swearing 209 Children must loue and help their mothers 211 Christ author of our saluation 154 Christ prayed for an habitation for
my breast Therfore wyll I haue neither month mindes nor yere mindes kept for me nor no idle Papistes and superstitious Massemongers sing or say for me For I doubt not but that the Lorde my God hath prepared me a vessel vnto honoure and hath written my name in the boke of life and hath also made me his sonne and heire of eternall glory this is inough for me Chr. The righteous saith the wyseman shall liue for euermore their reward also is with y e Lord and their remembrance w t the hiest Therfore shal they receiue a glorious kingdom a beautifull crowne of the Lordes hand Epa. Neighbours now am I at a poynt with the goods of y e world yea and with the world it selfe so that I may saye with the holy Apostle The world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world The. He is an happy man and greatly blessed which forsaketh geueth ouer the worlde before the world forsaketh him For such obey this commaundement of S. Iohn Loue not the worlde nor those thinges that are in the worlde albeit I doubt not neighbour Epaphroditus but that you shal right well recouer your health and liue yet many yeares among vs. Epa. No neyghbour Theophile The ende of my life is at hand And I moste hartely thank the Lord my God for it For I wishe to be losoned out of this life and to be with Christ. Like as the hart desireth the water brokes so longeth my soule after thee O God My soule is a thurst for God yea euen for y e liuing God When shal I come to appere before the presence of God ⪠O howe amiable are thy dwellinges thou Lorde of hostes My soul hath a desire and longyng to enter into the courtes of the Lord my hart and my fleshe reioyce in y e liuing god I had rather be a dore keper in the house of my God theÌ to dwell in the tentes of the vngodly O blessed are they y t dwell in thy house O Lord for they wil be alway praysing thee O lord deliuer my soul out of the prison of my body that I may come geue thanckes vnto thy blessed name Deale with me O lord according to thy will and commauÌd my spirit to be receiued in peace For it is more expedient for me to die theÌ to liue Phile. I greatly reioyce in the Lord my God good neighbor Epaphroditê° to se you in so good a mind and to hear so godly wordes procede out of your mouthe These thinges are euident testimonies of your good conscience toward God Feare you not the Lord hath sealed you with his holâ spirit made you through his mercy a vessell vnto honor Epa. Now that an order is taken concerning my worldly possessioÌs I wish to haue my wyfe my chyldren with my seruaunts brought hither vnto me that I may take my leaue of them and commende them vnto y e lord my God I pray you neighbour Eusebius cal them hither Euse. It shall be done Epa. Oh howe sicke am I My wekenes encreaseth more and more Lorde be mercifull vnto me and geue me grace paciently thank fully to beare this Crosse and in the middes of this my sicknesse alwaies to say Thy wil O heauenly father be done not mine Phi. Be strong in the Lorde good neighbour and faint not and you shall see the wondrous workes of God For God will either shortly restore vnto you your health or els make an end of this your pain by taking you froÌ this wretched world and place you in his glorious kingdom Epa. God graunt But is my neighbour Eusebius come againe Chri. Yea sir. Epa. Where is he Euse. Here sir am I. Epa. Where is my wife my chyldren and my seruauntes Phile. They are all here present Epaphr COme hither wife You see in what case I lie here sicke weake and the prisoner of God loking euery hour for my departure out of this worlde And this visitation of God is vnto me welcome and I thanke the Lord w tal my heart for it I doubt not but that whan I am once gone out of this wretched lyfe I shal be in a far better case then euer I was in this worlde Therfore I pray thee good wife be not heauy neither take thought for me but rather pray that y e good wyll of God may be done in me And be aswell contented that I should nowe at the calling of God go from thee as euer thou wast to haue me in thy company I haue run my rase I haue passed those yeres which the Lord appoynted that I should lyue in this world And now is the time of my departure come And I geue ouer this my life willingly and with a free hart Therefore take no thought for me And doubt thou not swete wife but if y e goest forthe to liue in the feare of God and to please him God in the time of thy wyddowhod will be an husband vnto thee He wilbe thy patron and defender He wilbe thy mighty shield strong buckler He will prouide and afore see that thou and thine shall want no good thing For he hath promised in his holy worde that he wil take charge of the widowes and defend their cause He hath also geuen a strait commauÌdement to the magistrates head rulers to loke vnto wydowes to deliuer them from oppression And his holy Apostle saith that y e pure and vndefiled Religion before God y e father is to visit help comfort widowes Therfore I doubt not but the Lord our God will aboundantly prouide for thee and thine NotwithstaÌding wife forasmuch as from the first time oâ our mariage vnto this preseÌt day thou hast alway bene vnto me a true faithfull honest diligent seruiceable wife I haue made the mine Executresse and geuen vnto thee in my wyll suche a portion as shal aboundauÌtly satisfie thee both vnto the bringing vp of thy children and also vnto the maintenance of hospitalitie God hath sent me inough therfore I leaue vnto thee thine inough I praye God send you alwayes his feare before your face so shall you neuer uant To forbid the mariage after my departure according vnto the propertie of some husbaÌdes I wyll not For the holy Scripâure saieth the wyfe is bound vnâo the mariage as long as her husband lyueth If her husband die âhe it at libertie to marie wyth whome she will only in the Lord. If thou therfore after my deparâure O wife hast a minde to marye agayne marry in the name of the lord our God For I know as the wyse man saith that no man can liue chast except God geueth the gift Only haue this care that he with whome thou doest determine to couple thy self in the blessed state of honorable wedlock be such a man as feareth God ⪠loueth his worde is well reported of his neighbours dealeth
ye now âe practised in me y e time of my departure out of y e world is at hand I thought it good therfore to send âlso for you to take my leaue of âou til we mete again in y e kingâom of God I thanke you for the âood seruice y t ye haue done me I âaue not forgotten your seruiseaâle hearts and good wils toward âe If the good pleasure of God âad bene that I shuld loÌger haue âontinued with you I wold haue âonsidred your seruice better But â haue geuen to euery one of you âuche portion of mony as shal deâare some part of my thanckefull â wel willing heart toward you This nowe remaineth to be craued at your hands As ye haue hetherto faithfully truly honestly serued me in my life time euen so after my departure so long as yeâtary here shewe the like faithfulnes truth honestie toward your mistres Consider that as loÌg as I liued I was a stay vnto her vnto her thinges But nowe her chief hope next vnto God consisteth in you Therfore I pray yoâ loke well vnto the thinges which appertaine vnto her Se that nothing go to wast Prouide that through your diligeÌce her things may rather encrease then decrease Ye knowe rightwell the dutie of a good seruaunt notwithstanding euen at this my departure from you I wil put you in rememâbraunce of it that wheÌ I am gonâ ye may yet remeÌber my admonitions the more spedely aunsweâ vnto your vocatioÌ The duty of a good seruaÌt is to serue his maister and mistres willingly with a fre courage euen for conscience sake not with the eie but with y e heart to obey them to honor theÌ gently to aunswere them not to picke or steale away their goods but to be faithfull vnto them in all thingee Se therfore y t ye on this manner behaue your selues towarde your mistres auoid al stubbernes churlishnes cursed speakinges telling of tales lying picking wast idlenes negligence and sluggishnes Eschue all euill and riotous company Fly dronkennes and whordome Abstaine from vaine othes and folishe pastimes So behaue your selues in all your life conuersation that the name of God his doctrine be not euil spoken of Yea let the lyghte of your godlye behauioure so shine before men that ye may do worship to the glorious gospell of our sauior Christ in al thinges And in thus seruing your mistres with a glad ready faithfull will thincke your selues to serue the Lorde your God and to do that thing whiche is pleasaunt in his godly sight and that he also will se your paines recompensed as the holy Apostle saith ye seruauntes be obedient vnto theÌ that are your bodely maisters in al thinges not with eie seruice as men pleasers but in singlenes of hart fearing God ⪠And whatsoeuer ye do do it hartely as though you did it to the Lorde and not vnto men knowyng that of the Lorde ye shall receiue the inheritaunce for ye serue y e Lord Christ. But he that sinneth shall receiue accordynge vnto his synne For there is no respect of persons with God If ye serue your mistres truly and faithfully hereafter when ye shall your selues be housholders God shall likewyse send you true and faithful seruauntes But if ye serue her falsly and vngodly then shal ye of your seruauntes be likewise serued hereafter For with what measure that ye mete withall shall other mete to you again saith our Sauioure Christ. Liue therefore according to your vocation in the feare of God ye shall prosper right well God shal blesse you neuer leaue you succourles as the holy man Toby sayth Be not afrayd truthe it is we leade here a pore life but great good shal we haue if we fear God and depart from all sinne and doe wel Wel the blessing of God be w t you I am very faint Ph. No maruell For ye haue talked a greate while Epa. I trust my talke hath not bene euil Phil. Forsoth it hath bene both good and godly I pray God geue bothe them and all vs grace to followe these your moste wholesome and christen admonitions But sir will it please you to take your leaue of your wyfe chyldren and seruauntes geue your self to reast for a litle whyle Peraduentur it shal do you much good Epaphro Slepe I can not And I am lothe to let them goe from me For the sight of them is comfortable vnto me and as me thincketh easeth my payne Chri. God coÌfort you ease your payn Epa. Before they depart from me I wysh greatly euen in their presence to confesse my faithe y t both you and they may be witnesses before God the worlde that I die a Christen man Phile. Although we nothing doubt therof yet we greatly desyre to heare the confession of your faith that we may be able to testifie hereafter that you departed in y t faith of Christ. Epa. Heare then I Unfainedly beleue w t my hart and frely coÌfesse with my mouth that there is one only true lyuing immortall and euerlasting God God the father God y e sonne and God the holy gost .iii. distinct persons in the godhead and notwithstaÌding one very God in substaÌce of like maiestie glory might power iudgement and will As touching the first parson in the deitie I vnfainedly beleue w t my heart and frely confesse with my mouth y t he is the God which alone is the father not only of our Lorde and sauiour Christ Iesu whom of him self froÌ euerlasting he begot his natural sonne therfore likewyse true and immortall God but also of all y e faithfull not by nature but by adoption whom he hath chosen to be his children in Christ Iesu before the foundations of the worlde were laide to loue fauour cherish comfort norish gouern defend and blesse theÌ both corporally and spiritually This God the father I beleue confesse to be almighty and hable to do whatsoeuer his godly wil pleasure is ⪠With him all thinges are possible There is nothing to hard for him to doe neither is any thynge vnpossible in his syght This God the father almighty I beleue and confesse that he is the creator and maker of heauen and earth and of all thynges contained in theÌ Of nothing by his woÌderful and almighty power made he the heauens with the blessed aungels and heauenly spirites that are in them Thone he chose to be his glorious seate the other he made to be his Ministers to do his blessed will and holy commaundement This God the father almighty made also the earth of nothinge with her encrease gaue breath to the people that are in it and spirit to theÌ that dwel therein The heauens the earth and the sea w t all that euer is coÌteined in them are the creatures of this God the father almyghtye created vnto this ende
sorowe wyl he turne to ioy as he sayth in the Gospell verely verely I saye vnto you ye shal wepe lament but contrariwise the worlde shall reioyse Ye shall sorowe but your sorow shall be turned into ioye A woman when she traueleth hath sorow because her houre is come but assone as she is deliuered of y e childe she remembreth no more y e anguishe for ioy that a maÌ is born into the world And ye now therefore haue sorow but I wil see you againe and your heartes shal reioyse and your ioye shall no man take away from you In this your heauy coÌflict God semeth to haue withdrawn the glorious beames of his fatherly grace froÌ you but he will straightways lighten his godly countenauÌce vpon you and worke suche ioyes in your heart through his holy spirit as heretofore you felt neuer the lyke And this your ioy shall neuer be taken from you Therefore whatsoeuer sathan that old canckred ennemy of mankinde goeth about to perswade you beleue hym not but resiste him with strong faith euer remembring that he is both a lier and a murtherer You are a member of that congregation whiche is built vpon the rocke Christe againste whome the gates of hell shall not preuayle You are a lyuing stone of the blessed building and spiritual house wherof Christ is the head corner stone though y e windes blow the shours of raine descend and the cruell tempestes âeate on the house yet it falleth not for it is grounded not vpon y e and but vpon the rocke Sathan ân this temtation hath desired to sifte you as it were wheate but Christ hath praied for you y t your faith failed not You are one of the shepe whiche God the father hath geuen to his sonne Christe therfore can you not peryshe neyther shall any creature plucke you out of his hande but he shall geue you euerlasting life Epa. Now perâceiue I most geÌtle neighbor Philemon that to be true whiche I haue many tymes heard the godly preachers rehearse in their most comfortable Sermons Phile. What is that I pray you Epaph. That one faythfull Preacher which is able with the swete promises of the holy scriptures to coÌfort the weake and desperate conscience is better then ten thousande mumbling Massemongers whiche promise with their Massinge mountaines of golde but perfourme molhilles of glasse I haue also many times heard it saide that though the companye of a learned man be good and profitable at all times yet chiefly in the tyme of syckenesse and whan the weake creature is ready to depart from this wicked worlde for asmuche as than Sathan is most busy and without ceasing laboureth to disquiet the conscience of âhe sickman that by this meanes he may driue him to desperation and finally to damnation Phile. What meane you by that Epa. I thanke God moste hartelye that suche a learned man as you are haue nowe vouchedsafe to visite me in this my sickenesse Phil. No learned man but a louer of learninge and suche one as hathe a good will well to doe and enuieth no man that can doe better Epa. In the tyme of this your godlye communication had with me the Lord my God be thancked for it I felt the heauines trouble and disquietnes of my conscience by little and little to goe away and certaine swete mocions of true inward ioye to arise in my heart ⪠so y t nowe Sathan with his wicked temtations semeth to haue taken his flight and the holy ghostâ with his most godly and comfortable inspirations to haue entred into my breast Wheras before mâ thought I was in hell nowe mâ thinck I am in heauen so greatâ quietnes rest ioy and confort do I finde in my conscience Saincâ Paule wysheth not in vain to thâ PhilippiaÌs this tranquilitie and quietnes of conscience saying thâ peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding kepe your hearts and mindes in Christ Iesu. Again tâ the Collossians The peace of god mought rule in your heartes tâ the whiche peace ye are called in one body For no man knoweth what a precious Iewell and heauenly treasure this peace of conâcience is but suche as fele it Neâher can any man feele it a ryght except he hath felt afore the grief âain and disquietnesse of conscience I may now right wel say w t âhe Psalmograph O howe great and plentifull is thy goodnesse which thou hast laide vp for them âhat feare thee and that thou hast ârepared for them that put theyr ârust in thee O what great trouâles and aduersities haste thou âhewed me And yet thou diddest âurne refresh me yea broughâest me from the depe of the earth âgaine Thou hast broughte me âo great honour and coÌforted me ân euery syde Therfore wyll I âraise thee and thy faithfulnes O God Phi. Here see you that fulfilled in your selfe whiche you haââ full oft red in the holy Scripturâ The Lorde killeth and makeâ aliue bryngeth downe to hell anâ fetcheth vp againe Great are tââ troubles of the righteous but tââ Lord deliuereth them out of theâ all Chr. The holy man Toby ãâã his praier vnto God saieth Whââsoeuer loueth thee serueth thee â right is sure of this that if his liâ be tempted and proued it staÌdeââ in the trying if he endure in paââcience he shal haue a reward anâ be highly crowned and if he be iâ trouble that God no doubt shaâ delyuer hym and if his lyfe be iâ chastning that he shall haue leââ to come vnto thy mercy For thoâ hast no pleasure in our damnatââon And why After a storme thoâ makest the weather fair and stilâ after weping and heauines thoâ geuest great ioy Thi name O goâ of Israell be praysed for euer Ep. AmeÌ Chr. The Psalmograph also saith They that sowe in tears shall reape in ioye He that nowe goeth on his way weping and bereth forth good seede shall doubtles come againe with ioy bring his sheues with him Epa. If the Lord him selfe had not bene of my side when Satan rose vp against me he had swalowed me vp quik But praysed be the Lorde whiche hath not geuen me ouer for a pray vnto his teeth My soule is escaped euen as a byrde oute of the snare of the fouler the snare is broken and I am deliuered My helpe standeth in the name of the Lorde whiche hath made heauen and earth But neighboure Philemon it is good in the tyme of calme to prouide for tempest We are taughte of Iob that a mans âife in this worlde is a warfare or knighthode and that we therfore ought to watche praye thaâ we fail not into temptation The scripture declareth that after Saâthan had tempted Christ was confounded by the worde of Godâ the deuil departed from Christ for a season Wherof we may learne ⪠that he returned afterward vnto Christ and tempted him I feare
not but turne again vnto the Lord your God he will turn vnto you ⪠deliuer you saue you For he is the father of mercies God of all consolation He is riche inough for all theÌ that call vpon hym If you doo thus though your sinnes be as read as scarlet yet shall they be as whyte as snowe And though they were lyke purple yet shall they bee as whyte as woll Heare what God saith by the Prophet Commonly whan a man putteth away his wife and she goeth from him and marieth with an other then the question is should he resorte any more vnto her after that Is not this field then defiled vncleane But as for thee thou hast plaide y e harlot with many louers yet turn again to me saith y e Lord. c. and I will not let my wrath fall vpon you I am mercifull sayeth the Lord and I will not alway beare displeasure against thee O tourn again and I will be maried with you WhoÌ wold not these words encourage to come againe vnto the Lord his God and throughly to be perswaded of gods louing fauour toward him and of the forgeuenes of his sinnes be they neuer so many and greuous if he repent beleue amend Epa. These thinges comfort well my weake conscience But one thinge dothe âreatly discourage me Phi. What âs that Epa. I haue no merites nor plenty of good workes wherwith I may make God fauorable âo me but I am a barren fig tree âoyd of all good fruit Phile. The waÌt of merits ought not to pluck you from comming vnto god For God saueth not vs for the righteous works which we haue done but for his mercies sake If oure saluatioÌ came of works merits then were grace no more grace If euerlasting life were gotten by deseruinges than were it not the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. But the Apostle saieth By grace are ye saued thorowe faith and that not of our selues It is the gifte of God and commeth not of workes least any maÌ should boast him self If rightousnesse come of the lawe then Christ is dead in vaine Christ came not to call the righteous but sinneâ to repentance And we are taugâ in the Gospell that ioye shall be ãâã heauen ouer one sinner that repââteth more then ouer ninety anâ nine iust persones which nede ãâã repentaunce What had the wouââded man deserued that he shoulâ be healed What had y e strayshepâ merited that the shephard shoulâ so louingly fetch her home againâ What good works brought Marâ Magdalen when Christ receiueâ her vnto grace forgaue her heâ sinnes And so likewyse of diuers other If God shoulde saue vs because of our merites good workes so should we chuse god by our works and merites and not God vs by his fauor grace and mercy But Christ saith ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you And S. Iohn wondring at this great mercy of God brasteth out ââto these wordes ⪠and saith Beâolde what loue the father hathe âhewed on vs y t we shuld be called âhe sonnes of God Againe herein âs loue not that we loued God âut that he loued vs and sent his âonne to be the agrement for our âânnes And S Paul saith God y e âather hath chosen vs in Christ âefore the foundatioÌs of the world âere laid God therfore did chuse âs by his grace and not we hym ây our workes and merits I wil âaue mercy sayd God to Moses ân whome it pleaseth me to haue mercy and I wil haue compassioÌ ân whoÌ it is my pleasure to haue compassion It lieth not therfore ân a mans will or running but in âhe mercy of God And the Psalâograph saith speaking of God ãâã of him self he hath saued me beâause it was his pleasure to haue âe Againe he saith Thou shalt saue them for nothynge what ãâã to say saith S. Austen thou shââ saue them for nothing but y e thââ findest nothing in them wherfââ they shuld be saued and yet sauââ thou them Frely doest thou geââ frely dost thou saue And s. Ieroââ alledging y e same sentence agaiââ the Pelagians saith that y e rigââteous are not saued by their owââ merites but by the tender mercââ of God If we shall consider ouââ merites saith Chrisostom we aââ not only worthy no reward bââ we are also worthy punishemenâ Let all mens merits which perââshed by Adam be still and kepe sââlence saith Saint Austen and lââ the grace of God reigne which raigneth through our Lorde Iââsus Christe The redemption ãâã Christes bloud should waxe viââ and become of no price sayth Sâ Ambrose if y e iustification which commeth by grace were due vnto merites going afore Dauid sath in a certayne Psalme prayse ⪠the Lord. O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name Prayse the Lord O my soule and forget not his benefites Whiche forgeueth all thy sinnes and healeth al thine iniquities Which saueth thy life from destruction and crowneth the with mercy and loâing kindnes All good men from the beginning haue attributed geuen the whole glory of their iustification and saluation not to their own merits and good worâes but to the free grace and vndeserued mercy of God that God maye bee all in all and that he whiche reioyseth should reioyse in âhe Lorde For the contentation and quietnes of your conscience ân this behalf remember y t Christ âame not to cal y e iusticiaries but sinners vnto repentaunce RemeÌâber that the sonne of man came tâ seke and to saue that that waâ lost Remember that Christ is ãâã Phisition and that the whoâ hath no nede of a Phisition buâ suche as are sick Remember thaâ Christ calleth vnto him al such aâ are diseased loden with the buââden of sinne He requireth no mâârites only come remember thaâ Christ is called a sauiour to y e end that he should saue them which otherwise should perish Heare alâso what God saith by y e Propheâ Come to the waters al ye that bâ thirsty and ye that haue no mony Come bie y t ye may haue to eaââ Come bie wine and milk withouâ any mony or mony worth Wherââfore doo ye lay out your mony foâ the thyng that fedeth not spenâ your labour about the thing thaâ satisfieth you not But harkeâ harken rather vnto me ye shall eat of the best and your soul shall haue her pleasure in plenteousnesses Encline your eares and come vnto me take hede I say your soul shall liue Our sauiour Christ also saieth If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Againe in an other place I wyll geue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of lyfe He that ouercommeth shall enherite all thinges
my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I geue vnto them euerlasting life they shall neuer perishe neither shal any maÌ plucke them out of my hande In this senteÌce ye se that they whiche hear the voyce of theyr shepheard Christ are the shepe of Christ and that they shall neuer pearishe but haue euerlasting life Christ also said vnto Pilate Euery one that is of the truth heareth my voyce You hauing a minde to heare the word of God to heare the voyce of Christ that hie shepheard haue shewed your self to be of y e truthe So beyng you cannot perish but obtain euerlasting life For Christ him self pronounceth them blessed which hear the word of God and kepeth it that is to saye beleue it and study to frame their life according vnto y e same Epa. Moreouer I haue euer had a desire I thaÌke y e Lord my God for it to pray vnto the Lord my God and to call on his holy name although I coÌfesse not so feruently as I ought Phil. This thing also doth fully certifie your conscience y t you are of the nuÌber of Gods elect and to fore appoynted vnto euerlasting saluation For it is written Whosoeuer doth cal on the name of the Lord shalbe safe Againe he hath cried vnto me I will gratiously heare him yea I am with him in trouble and I will deliuer him glorifie him With long life wil I satisfy him and shew him my saluation Ep. God be thanked I am now wel quieted in my coÌscience and fear Sathan nothing at all I thinke my self at this present so strong and so thorowly enarmed against the deuill and all his wicked army that I am nothing afraid to enter battaill with hym but am fully perswaded that by the help and power of my graund captaine Iesu Christ I shal ouer throw him One doubt remaineth that once dispatched I trust I shalbe in some redines for y e Lorde my God wheÌsoeuer he sendeth for âe calleth me out of this wretched worlde Phi. What is that Epa. I haue heard many times at the mouth of diuers men whiche haue a good opinion of theÌ selues of their owne wit doctrine learning that no man in this worlde is certain of his saluation niether can any man say with a safe conscience and vndouted faith I am of the nuÌber of Gods elect I am a vessell of mercy I shal be saued My name is registred in the boke of life c. but all men euen y e most godly and faithful must doubt of their saluation of the remission of their sinnes of the fauour of God toward them and of euerlastinge life Phi. This is the doctrine of y e Papistes both wicked and dampnable The Papistes in teaching this doctrine doth not only trouble disquiet make afraid wound ⪠kill and slea the consciences of the simple people and of suche as credit their deuelish doctrine but as muche as in them lieth they make God a lier his holy worde false and our faith frustrate void and vain Take away the certentie of saluation from any man and to what poynt serueth the mercyful promise of God and the faithe whiche apprehendeth and layeth haÌd on the most louing promises of God This doctrine openeth a very path vnto hell and bringeth vnto desperation Chr. Yet y e Papistes alledge the Scripture for them Phile. I thinke that for so is their accustomed propertie They alledge many times y e scriptures of God to defend and to stablish their errours and heresies âo blear the simple peoples eyes whiche are not able to discerne A. froÌ B. nor to iudge betwene truth and falshode but are easly led that waye wherunto the subtile and wily papist perswadeth If I had leasure to declare vnto you what IugliÌg y e vngodly Papistes haue vsed and yet doo vse in wryting wrestting incorrupting and abusing that holy worde of God ye would not a little maruell at the matter But I wold gladly hear what the papistes can alledge ouâ of the word of God for the confirmation of their wicked opinion in this behalfe Chr. The sentence whereunto they stick and cleue as vnto an inuincible bulwarke is this A maÌ knoweth not whether he bee worthy loue or hatred buâ althinges are kept vncerten vnto the time to come Phi. The kyngdome of the Papistes is not without a cause called the kingdom oâ lies and the Papists them selues may rightwel be resembled to the beast which rose out of the sea vnto whom was geuen a mouthe to speake great things and blasphemies yea to speake blasphemy agaiÌst god to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and theÌ that dwel in heauen c. But as concerning the text which they alledge although the learned in the Hebrue tounge know right wel how greatly this text after the coÌmon Latin translation differeth from the truth of the Hebrue it is abused of them and wrasted contrary to the minde both of the authoure and of the translatour as the wordes that immediatly followe doo manifestly declare When Salomon saieth a man knoweth not whether he be worthy loue or hatred he speaketh not of the knowledge and iudgement of the coÌscience toward God for who knoweth not that he is worthy hatred which sinneth against the Lorde his god contrariwise that he pleareth god god loueth him which dooth that thing that is pleasaunt in his godly sight but he speaketh of the outward and carnall iudgement and knowlede which men haue of them selues of their owne strengthes wisdome or free wyll concerning thinges which chauÌce to them outwardly As though he should saye If a man should only beholde and consider the outward face of thynges and iudge the fauour or the disfauour of God toward any man of the things that outwardly chaunce vnto any maÌ he were not able to affirme and to parswade his conscience whether God loueth him or not For God indifferently without anye respect had to ether of the parties geueth as aboundantly to the vngodly as to the godly to the vnfaithfull as to the faithfull to the sainctes as vnto the wycked his temporall and outward giftes as beauty strength rytches healthe of body reason wisdom eloqueÌce honor nobilitie wealth glory c. yea many times the ennemies of God haue more plenteously geuen vnto them of God the ritches and pleasures of this lyfe then the frendes of God Therfore if a naturall man not being regenerat nor borne a newe of the spirite of God considreth the outward face of thinges and iudgeth of them y e fauour or disfauour of God verely so knoweth he not who is worthy Gods loue or hatred so is he not certain whom God loueth or whom he hateth This is thaforsaid text of Salomon as it is traÌslated to be vnderstand And that this is the meaning of the author y e words that folow do manifestly declare It happeneth saith he vnto one
as vnto an other it goeth with the righteous as with vngodly with the good cleane as with the vncleane with him that offreth as with hym that offreth not like as it goeth with thâ vertuous so goeth it also with thâ sinner As it hapneth vnto the peâiured so hapneth it also vnto hym that is afraide to be forsworne Among all thynges that come to passe vnder the Sunne this is a misery that it hapneth vnto all alike Of these wordes it euidently appeareth that Salomon speaketh of the knowledge which a naturall man hath by the outwarde gifts of god wherof because they be indifferently geuen aswell to y e good as to the bad he is not able to iudge whoÌ God loueth whoÌ he hateth Now wher as the Papists wrest this text vnto y e knowledge or iudgement of the conscience which commeth of the spirite of God and of his holy word and would that Christen men in theyr coÌscience shuld dout whether God loue theÌ or not whether they be in the fauour of God or not whether their sinnes be forgeuen theÌ or not whether they shalbe saued or notthei teache a deuelishe errour and leade y e receiuers of their doctrin the right way to hell fire For he y t douteth of the mercifull good wil fauorable grace of God toward him beleueth not that God for christes sake is louing vnto him forgeueth him al his syns verely he is no true christian but dying in this his doubtfulnes and vnbelief he shall surely be dampned acording to this saying he that doth not beleue on the sonne shall not se life but the wrath of God a bideth on hym This erroneous doctrine of the Papistes maketh God false of his promyse quencheth fayth blotteth out hope destroieth loue disquieteth the conscience filleth y e hart with whole seas of vnreastfull and wycked imaginations and so driueth the doubtful parson vnto desperation and finally vnto dampnation O murtherers O soule sâears If no man can be certaine in his conscience whether he be in the fauour of god or no whether god for christes sake wil forgeue him his sins or not and geue him euerlasting lyfe to what poynt serue all the promises of Gods tender mercies made to all faithfull penitent sinners in Christes bloud vnto what end doth faith serue If faith certifieth not our conscience of Gods good wyl toward vs and so bringeth peace and quietnes vnto it what is then the office of fayth If a man whose credit is approued promiseth vs any thinge we surely loke for it nothing doubte of the performance therof shall we doubt of the accomplishment of the promises of God whiche is faithful in all his wordes whiche can not lie which is not only true but also the self truth Let al men be liers and let God abide true God hath promised that at whatsoeuer hour we tourne vnto him he will forgeue vs al our sinnes neuer remember them more but so frely fauour vs and so tenderly loue vs as though we had neuer offended him This is the promise of him which can nether deceiue nor be deceiued and shal we doubt of the performance therof Shall we doubt whether y e Lord oure God wyll be as good as his word whether our sinnes be forgeuen and we receiued againe into fauor or not God hath promised that in Christ all nations of y e earth shalbe blessed And shal we which loke for our whole saluation in the bloud of Christe doubt whether we shall bee blessed in Christ y t is to say fauoured of god the father for Christs sake or not Christ our Lord sauiour calleth all that labour and be loden vnto him and promiseth y t he will ease remedy comfort and helpe them And shal we doubt of this his promise What other thynge is it to doubt of the promises of god ⪠then to doubt whether God be true or no iust faithfull or no y e same in his dede that he is in his word or no O the to much vnfaithfulnes of the wicked Papistes The scripture saith he that beleueth on the soÌne of god hath euerlasting life The faithful christians beleue on Christ the sonne of God embrase him with strong faith as their alone sauiour redemer atonement maker intercessour mediatour aduocate and shal they doubt of y e ânheritaunce of euerlasting lyfe Ether they that do beleue so coÌtinue vnto theÌd haue euerlasting life at their departure out of this life or els God is not true of his promise But God is faithful in al his wordes therfore doo the faithful christians receiue according to gods promises their faith If all thinges be possible to him y â beleueth if al things chance to a faithfull man according to his faith w t what whorish shameles forheds dare the proud and vngodly Papistes teache vs to doubt of the grace and fauoure of God of the âemission of sinnes and of the enheritaunce of euerlasting lyfe Where doutfulnes is there is no ârue faith but rather misbeliefe â to such a doubting faith yea raâher no faith nothinge is promised but the fearce wrath and vengeaunce of God and euerlastingâ dampnation Se to what poynâ the wicked Papistes bryng theyâ whelpes with their deuelysh docâtrin Saint Iames saith If any man lack wisdom let him aske iâ of him that geueth it eueÌ God But let him aske in faith and waâuer not For he that doubteth iâ like a waue of y e sea which is to â of the wyndes and caried witâ violence Nether let y e man thinkâ that he shall receiue any thyng oâ the Lorde A wauering mindeâ man is vnstable in all his wayes Are not they that professe Christ much bouÌd to the papistes whicâ teach their scholers to doubt of thâ mercy of God not to be throughâly perswaded in their conscienceâ that God loueth them pardonetâ them for Christes sake maketâ them enheritours of euerlasting glory Is this anye other thynge then to say despair die be dampned O deuils incarnat God lighten the eies of the simple that thei may once see the iugling castes of these wily wicked Papistes and come vnto the vnfained truthe of gods word whiche is able to saue their soules whiche also is the mighty power of God to saue euery one that beleueth The. Amen Phi. Al the godly eueÌ from the beginning haue beleued the promises of God and nothing doubted of them whether they concerned temporall or spirituall things and according to their fayth so receyâed they Yea when God seamed most to be angry with them vtâerly to cast them from his fauor âuen then did they nothing doubt âf his mercifull goodnesse but w t ârong faith cleaueth to the promiâes of God as a certain maÌ saith Though he kil me yet will I put my truste in hym The Psalmograph also saith
Though an host of men were laid against me yet shall not my heart be afraide And though ther rose vp war against me yet wil I put my trust in him If ether AbrahaÌ Isaac Iacob or any other saintes of the olde testameÌt had doubted of the promises whiche God made vnto them so had they neuer found fauour at y e maiestie of god nor obteined those thinges which God had promised them For without faith it is impossible to please God He y t doubteth of the promises of God shall obtain no good thing at the hand of God To what end ar we so often in the holy scripture exhorted to beleue God and his promises if it were lawfull for vs to doubâ of them If to beleue and to doubâ be one thing why is euerlasting saluation promised to the one and eternall dampnation to thother Whosoeuer therfore wilbe saued let him cast away al vnbelief and doubtfulnes and with tothe and âayle as they vse to say clene to y e promises of God nothing doubting but according as God hath promised so shall it chaunce vnto him If we doo repent and beleue his worde God hath promised vs for christes sake to fauour vs to forgeue vs all our sinnes and to bring vs vnto euerlasting life let vs not therfore doubt of this his promise but with strong and vnshaken faith beleue it and looke for boldly that is promised so we may be sure to haue the grace and âauour of God to haue remission and forgeuenesse of oure synnes ând finally to haue euerlasting âife Let vs therfore approch with âoldnes and not with doubting ând wauering vnto the throne of Gods Maiestie as thapostle warneth that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in y e tyme of nede Chri. If a man after the Papistes shuld doubt of the grace and fauour of God toward him with what conscience could he be bold to say the Lordes praier to desire the forgeuenes of his trespasses Or how could he say with a true faith I beleue the forgeuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life To beleue is it to doubt of the promises of God or rather to be thorowly perswaded of the promises of God that as God hath promysed so shal it vndoubtedly chaunce vnto vs. Euse. When a man beleueth the gospel he is certaine of y e remission of his sinnes he is certen of the fauour and good will oâ God and he is certaine also of euerlasting life And he that lettetâ go this faith and falleth to doubâting he shall neuer enioy thaforesaid benefites but be cast into euerlasting dampnatioÌ The. This considred the holy Apostle rightwel when he without any doubting being throughly perswaded and assured of Gods good will toward him set forth in his holye promises saide on this maner I know am sure that he in whom I haue put my trust is hable to kepe that which I haue committed to his keping against that dai Againe I haue fought a good fight I haue fulfilled my course I haue kept the fayth From heÌceforthe there is layde vp for me a ârowne of righteousnes which y e Lord that is a righteous iudge âhall geue at that daye not to me only but vnto all them also y e loue âis comming Phile. When that Dauid saide these wordes I beâeue verely to see the pleasures of the Lord in the land of the liuing ⪠doubted he of the enheritaunce of the heauenly kingdom or was he rather thorowlye perswaded by stronge faithe in the promises of god y e he shuld without all doubt raigne with God in glory If the godly Apostle S. Paule had not bene sure of the fauor of God and of a better life after this wouldâ he haue wyshed to bee deliuered from this worlde and to be with Christ With what couÌtenauncâ durst the blessed martir S. Stephen haue commended his spiritâ vnto Christe if he had not benâ perswaded of gods fauor towarâ him and of the ioyful enheritancâ of the euerlasting kingdom Anâ so likewise of al the other saincts The spirit of God certifieth our spirit saith the Apostle that wâ are the sonnes of God If we be sonnes then are we also heyres I meane of God fellowe heyres with Christ. Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Iohn Dearely beloued nowe are we the sonnes of God and yet it doth not appeare what we shalbe But we knowe that when it shall appeare we shall be like him For we shall see him as he is Againe We knowe that we are translated and caried from death vnto life Here you se that the holy scriptures teache vs to be certaine of our saluation throughe fayth in Christes bloud and not to be doutfull of it as the Papistes trifle Away therfore without al doutfulnes and lay hand by strong faith on the promises of God lokynge w t assured hope for all those heauenlye and blessed thynges that God hath promysed vs in his holy worde So maye we be sure to receiue according to our fayth Epa. Without wauering or doubting I faithfully beleue and am assuredly perswaded that God y e father is a mercifull father vnto me that he hath forgeuen me all my sinnes receiued me into his fauor and made me heir of his euerlasting glory And all this hath he done vnto me not for my merites deserts which are vtterly none but for Christes sake in whom I beleue whome also I confesse to be my alone sauiour redeamer Ph. Neighbor Epaphroditus you thus beleuing cannot pearishe Therfore be on good comfort quiet your conscience and sattle your minde For it is written He that beleueth on y e sonne of God hath euerlasting life Epa. Brother Philemon I thanke you and my other neighbours here for the great coÌfort whiche I haue receiued by this your godly communication I fele my selfe nowe in muche better case then I was when you came first vnto me I fele muche quietnes and ease in my conscience The Lord hath driuen away mine enemies and geuen me rest in my mynde If I had not had your company God knoweth to what poynt my ghostly enemy the deuil would haue brought me But I praise God for you For by your godly and christeÌ talke God hath wrought in me a good and glad wil to die I haue in my hart bidden the world and all worldly thinges adue My mind is all together fixed on the lord my God and on the ioyes whiche he hath prepared in his glorious kingdom for all them that loue him I fele such inward ioy in my heart and such a feruent desire to see y e Lord my God face to face y t the paines which I now suffer on my body although they be very greuous in dede seme litle or nothyng to disquiet me For I am fully perswaded that the afflictioÌs of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall bee shewed vppon vs Againe that though the