Those Psalmes hymnes prayses thankes-geuinges that be appointed to be â—ong or said at the burial of y e faithâ—ul let them be done in the name â—f God w tal cherefulnes of mind â—s for your deuout ringinge I â—raue no more but one â—el to be eâ—her tolled or rong for to gather â—he people together to heare the word of God and the thankes gâ—â—uing The ringing of the Belles can do my soule no good And aâ— for your holy sensing priestes pattering candels lighting torches brennyng away with them aâ— thinges superfluous and vnprofiâ—table Now as concerning Communions saying or singing theâ— serue not for the burials of them that are departed but for the exeâ—â—cises of them that be alyue thaâ— by that meanes they should call tâ— remembrauÌ„ce the death of Christ and the fruites therof as the Apostle sayth So oft as ye shal eat oâ— this bread and drinck of the Cupye shal remeÌ„ber the Lords death till he come These sumpteous â— costly burials are not to be commended nether do they profit either body or soule but onely seâ—â—forth a folish vain and boasting pompe Phile. The buriall of thâ— â—aithfull ought to be done honestâ—â— but not sumptuously Neither â—â—ught the dead bodies of the chriâ—â—ians to be vilely handled but â—onestly buried for the hope of the â—â—orious resurrection So did Aâ—â—aham bury his wife Sara Ioâ—â—ph his father Iacob and diuers â—â—her as the holy scripture menâ—â—neth The bodies of the dead â—â—ith S. Austen are not to be deâ—â—sed and to be cast awaye and â—â—ecially the bodies of the righteâ—â—s and of the faithful whom as â—â—strumentes and vessels vnto all â—â—od workes the holy ghost hath â—â—ed But as concerning sumptuâ—â—s burials thaforesaid authour 〈◊〉 they rather comfort the lyâ—â—g theÌ„ help the dead As sumpâ—â—us exequies profit nothing y e â—â—ul ritche men so in like maner 〈◊〉 or no exequies at all hynder â—â—hing the sepulture of the poore sainctes That galant company oâ— the ritchemans seruauntes oâ— whome we reade in the Gospel oâ— Luke buried their master gorgeously in the sight of meÌ„ notwithâ—staÌ„ding his soul was caried down into hel fire wher it lieth in mosâ— miserable tormentes What profited hym the gorgious galanâ— pompous and costly sepulture oâ— his body seing his soule lieth w t out redemption in those moste inâ—tollerable flames of that lake whiche burneth with fâ—re brimâ—stone We read not that Lazaruâ— was so sumptuouslye buried nâ— that he was buried at all notw t â—standing the angels of God caâ—â— caried hym not into a tombeâ— marble but into the bosome of Abraham And the golden mouthâ— Doctour saieth in a certaine Hâ—â—mily When thou hearest that tâ—â— Lord did ryse againe naked ceâ—â—â— I pray thee and leaue of the fond vain charges that thou bestowâ—est vpon funerals and burying of dead bodies What meaneth this superfluous vnprofitable cost seyng that it hindreth theÌ„ greatly that doe it auaileth nothyng at all the dead but rather hurteth them c. Epa. Simply not sumpâ—uously honestly not honorably â—et me be buried I require no more You haue wrytten all these thinges according to my desyre â—eighbor Philemon Phi. Altogeâ—her Ep. Then am I at a poynt w t â—he worldly possessions I truste â—n a good forewardnesse towarde God Chr. The custome in times â—ast was y t ther should be month â—â—ndes yere minds kept for the â—ead Ep. To what end Ch. That â—â—e dead might be remeÌ„bred and â—â—ayed for Epa. Wherfore shoulde â—â—ey be praid for Chr. That their sinnes say they might be forgeueÌ„ them Epa. Whiche they saye so Chri. The Papistes Epa. I haue nothing to do with papistes nor with their doctrine God blesse me from them For they are enemies of the crosse of Christe deprauers of the holy scriptures and corruptours of Christen soules I beleue that a man euen in this worlde hath perfect and full remission of al his sinnes or els he shall neuer haue it God in this worlde doth ether forgeue all the faultes thâ— paine due for the same or els hâ— forgeueth none at all I feare nothing at all the Popes boylyngâ— fornace I mean purgatory Chrâ—â—stes bloud is a sufficient purgatory for my sinnes The bloud â— Christ Gods son hath clensed vâ— from al sinne The bloud of Chriâ—â— hath purged our conscience from dead worckes to serue the liuinâ— God We be sanctified and made holy by the offring of the body of Iesus Christ done once for all With the one only oblation of his blessed body and precious bloud hath Christ made perfect for euer and euer them that are sancified I requyre none other purgatory to pourge clense my snnes but the bloud of Christ. For Christ hath offred him selfe aswete smelling sacrifice vnto God the father â—or my sinnes yea and that so perfecte absolute consummate and â—n all poyntes so omnisufficient â—hat there can be found no imperâ—ection in it Christ hath borne away all my synnes on his bodye By the stripes of Christes body â—m I healed Christ died for my â—â—nnes and rose againe for my iuâ—â—ification Christ is made of God â—nto me wysdome righteousnes â—â—anctification and redemption that as it is written he that reioyseth shuld reioyse in the Lord Christ is inough for me Let the Papistes seke their saluation at whose haÌ„ds they list Phile. Wher as the Papistes heretofore haue taught for the maintenaunce of their idle bellies that meÌ„s sinnes after their death be forgeuen theÌ„ through the sacrifice of that most wicked and abhominable Popish Masse by pilgrimages going by treÌ„tals by Diriges by y e good dedes of other c. It is a plainâ— errour agaiÌ„st the word of God For remission of sinnes the fauoâ— of God euerlasting life is eitheâ— gotten or lost in this worlde Hâ— whiche through his owne repenâ—tance faith in Christes bloudâ— obtaineth not forgeuenes of hiâ— sinnes in this worlde shall neueâ— haue it by y e meanes of other 〈◊〉 after this life It is written he beleueth on the soÌ„ne of God hath euerlasting life But he that beleueth not in him shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abideth on him So many as die are eyther faithfull or vnfaithfull If they be faithful so haue they in possession straightways euerlasting life If they be vnfaithfull then doth the wrath of God abide vpon them they receiue y e reward of infidelitie which is euerlasting daÌ„natioÌ„ And albeit this appereth manifestly of the words aboue rehersed yet the history of the vnmercifull â—ich man of y e pore Lazare painâ—eth it out very liuely In y e ye se y t â—he faithful man which was Laâ—arus so sone as he died was reâ—eiued into the bosom of AbrahaÌ„ Contrariwyse the vnfaithful maÌ„ which was the vnmerciful glotoÌ„ â—as caried down streightwais in 〈◊〉 hel fire The like thing is manifestly set forth in
nede no such daily sacrifices as the Papistes hearetofore for lucres sake haue deuised As Christe Iesus is an euerlasting Bishoppe so abideth his sacrifice whiche he once for all offred on the Crosse of ful vertue power might and strength euen vnto the ende of the world Iesus Christ yesterday and to daye and the same continueth for euer For asmuche therfore as Christ endureth for euer and hath an euerlasting Priesthode he is able also euer to saue them to the vttermost and vnto the full that come vnto God by hym seyng he euer liueth to make intercession for vs. For he is not entred into the holy places that ar made with handes which are similitudes of true thinges but is entred into very heauen for to appeare nowe in the sighte of God for vs not to offer hym selfe often as the hie priest entreth in to the holy place euery year with straunge bloud for then must he haue often suffred sence the world began But nowe in the ende of the world hath he appeared once to put sinne to flyght by the offering vp of him self And as it is apoynted vnto all men y t they shall once die and then commeth the iudgemeÌ„t eueÌ„ so Christ was once offred to take away the sinnes of manye and vnto them that loke for him shall he appeare again w t out sinne vnto saluation We are sanctified and made holye by the offeringe of Iesus Christes bodye done once for all With one only oblation hath Christ Iesus made perfecte for euermore them that are sanctified Adue therfore to all newe counterfaict and straunge sacrifices deuised for lucres sake by the crafty conueyance of man through the subtile suggestion of slie Satan let the faithfull people of God embrace that sacrifice that offringe of Christes blessed body which he him self offred vnto God the father on the altare of the crosse once for al for the sinnes of the worlde Let them cleue and sticke vnto that Let them repose their whole affiaunce and put all trust in that swete smelling sacrifice and saye with the holy Apostle God forbid that I should reioyse in any thing but in y e crosse passion and death of our Lord Iesu Christe So may they be sure neuer to perishe but to haue euerlasting life Againe This Iesus Christ the sonne of God and the sonne also of the glorious virgin after that he had suffred many bitter paines and greuous tormentes hauing vpon the crosse died the death of the body was buried I beleue that Christ by his death hath conquered vanquished subdued and ouercome him that had Lordship ouer death that is to saye the deuill that he myght deliuer them which thorow fear of death were all their lyfe tyme subdued vnto bondage Yea by his death Sathans power is so broken and the violeÌ„ce of death so weakened that we may be bold to saye Death is swalowed vp into victory Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is y e law But thankes be vnto God whiche hathe geuen vs wictorye through our Lord Iesus Christ. Christe after the death of his body went downe in his soule to hell as clearely appeareth by the â—criptures not that he shuld there â—uffer mo paines whiche had all ready on the crosse suffred to the vttermoste and done whatsoeuer was nedefull for our redemption but to breake the pride of Sathan and to destroy the fury of the hellishe powers againste the chosen people of God that al the faithful thereby might be deliuered from death and hell and triumphantly say with the Prophet O death I wyll be thy death O hell I wil be thy destruction And lykewyse as Christe died for our synnes so I vnfaynedlye beleue with my hearte and frely confesse with my mouthe that he rose agayn the third day through the power of his father for oure iustification according to the scriptures And by this his resurrection and lyfe he hath not only shewed hym selfe a glorious and triumphante conquerour ouer Sathan death and hell but he hath also brought lyfe and immortalltie vnto light and assured vs of the resurrectioÌ„ of our bodies that as he is rysen from the dead so likewyse shall we with our bodies ryse agayne out of the earth at the last daye And therfore is he called the fyrst frutes of them that ar fallen aslepe Moreouer I vnfaynedlye beleue with my heart and frely confesse with my mouth that as Iesus Christ the sonne of God the sonne of the Uirgin Mary shewed him selfe oftentimes after his resurrection vnto his disciples so likewise he ascended vnto heauen in their presence perfect God and perfect man sitteth at the right-hand of God y e father almighty aboue all rule power might dominion aboue all y t may be named not only in this worlde but also in y e worlde to come For God the father hathe put all thynges vnder his feete and hathe made him aboue all thinges the head of the congregation whiche is his body and the fulnes of hym that filleth all in all Al power is geueÌ„ vnto him bothe in heauen and in earth He is a lord aboue al lords and a king aboue all kinges Yea he is an almighty God with his father of y e same Maiestie might power and glory and not withstaÌ„ding inasmuche as he is man he is also our intercessour mediator and aduocate For he is not gone vp into heauen to be an idle gaser nor to neglect his churche but to pray for the faythfull to make intercessioÌ„ for them vnto God the father to be our mediatour aduocate and to appease the wrath of God the father if at any tyme through sinne it waxeth whote against vs and to wynne vs again vnto his fauoure and to kepe vs in the same vnto thende We nede not seke helpe of other neither yet call on the sainctes departed that they may pray for vs and pleade our cause before God The man Christ Iesus alone whiche gaue him self a raunsom for all men is our sufficient mediatoure aduocate and intercessour as the holye scripture teacheth in diuers places Whosoeuer therefore refuseth to pray vnto this man Christ Iesus to be his mediatoure and aduocate vnto God the father and â—leeth vnto other w tout all doubt he is an ennemy vnto Christ and to the vttermoste of his power he â—aboureth to make Christ as they â—se to saye Iacke out of office For since the time of his ascention â—is chief and principall office is to â—e our intercessoure mediatoure â—nd aduocate He ascended also into heauen to leade captiuitie captiue and to geue giftes vnto men Satan that old enemy of mankind had taken vs captiue made vs his bond slaues through sine caried vs away with his craft subtiltie from the Lord
my dayes are more swift then a runner yea they passe away as the shippes that be good vnder sayle and as the Egle that flieth to the praye Seing it is Gods will pleasure and ordinaunce that wee should dye why do we which dayly pray on this manner Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen shew our selues vnwilling to haue y t thyng chauÌ„ce vnto vs for the which we haue so often times praied It is naturall to die why then labour we to degenerate and growe out of kind Our auÌ„cestours the most holy and moste perfect haue died why disdaine we then to followe their steps It is highly for our profit to die why are we than ennemies to our selues We can not cease to sinne except we die why do we than not hast to fle from so great an euil We shal neuer come vnto the true life where felicitie bothe ioyfull and eternall is except we die why than make we so litle spede to hast thither wher so many good thinges shalbe geuen vs We shal neuer haue y e fruition of Gods maiestie the blessed company of the heauenly spirits except we die why theÌ„ do we not pray daily vnto y t lord our god to deliuer vs from this stincking sinck of euils I mene this world that we may come and enioye his most glorious presence The very Heathen which knew not God a right but only dreamed of the immortalitie of the soule loked for a better lyfe after this they knew not why they should feare death but wyshed death and died bothe valeantly and ioyfully and shall we being christians which know God and his holy word and vnto whom so much comfort hope and euerlasting life is promised refuse gladly and willingly to die What a saying of an Ethnicke is this O immortall God howe is that pleasant and ioyfull iourney to be wished for which being once done and past there remaineth no sorow no care no pensiuenes Again O that goodly and pleasant day whan it shall be my chaunce â—o leaue this filthy troublesome world and come to their company that inhabit the heauens Iâ— God wold suffer me that I being of this age might become an infant and sucking child againe I woulde vtterly refuse it neyther would I by any meanes call the rase that I haue run back again that I might again be yong For what pleasure commoditie hath this life yea rather what displeasure incommoditie pain trauel trouble hath it not But let it be graunted that it hathe pleasure certes yet hath it ether satietie or mesure And nature in this world hath geuen vs a place to tary in for a while but not to dwell to continue in it The Heathen wryters in their monumeÌ„ts cal death a changing for a better life a quiet slepe a remouing from mortalitie vnto immortalitie from trouble vnto quietnes from y e shadow of a life vnto a very vncounterfet life from sorow vnto ioy from euill vnto good an haueÌ„ of rest a solace of the mind an end of all euill and wickednesse and a beginning of all true ioy felicitie pleasure Of these things may we easly learne what opinion the very Heathen conceiued of death and shal we that professe Christ know God beleue his word and cal our selues dead vnto y e world recouÌ„t death an euill thing and be lothe to go vnto it wheÌ„ God calleth vs as though there were no resurrection of the body no immortalitie of the soule no life after this no felowship with god and with the heauenly spirites The Iewes also beyng perswaded of the resurrection of the body and of thimmortalitie of the soule die ioyfully with a lusty courage whiche notwithstanding for their vnbelief in Christ are damned and shal we whiche are christians tremble and shake at y e name of death as though after our death we should be in worse case then we be nowe whan to say the truthe the faithfull christians do than chiefly begin to liue when thei depart from this world All good men haue euer desired to depart froÌ„ this vile and wretched life and to go vnto that ioyful and blessed state of immortalitie Dauid that Prince-like Prophet crieth out and saith Wo is me and sory am I for it y t I must yet longer abide in this world Again Like as the hart desireth the water brokes so loÌ„geth my soule after thee O God My soul is a thurst for God yea euen for the liuing God when shall I come to appeare before the presence of God Also in an other place he saith O howe amiable are thy dwellinges thou Lord of hostes My soule hath a desire longing to enter into the courtes of y e Lord my heart my fleshe reioyse in the liuing God Blessed are they that dwel in thy house they shalbe alway praising thee One day in thy courtes is better then a thousand I had rather be a dorekeper in y e house of my God then to dwell in the tentes of vngodlines In another Psalme he praieth on this maÌ„â—er Deliuer my soule out of pryâ—on that it may come and prayse â—hy name The holy man Tobias made his praier vnto God said O Lord deale with me according â—o thy will and commaunde my â—pirit to be receiued in peace For more expedient were it for me to â—ie then to liue How desirous the â—oly Apostle S. Paul was to go â—rom this vale of misery vnto the â—eauenly kingdom these his worâ—es declare manifestly Christe is to me life and death is to me aduauntage Againe I desire to bee losed and to be with Christ. What shall I speake of that auncient godly father Simeon whiche so sone as he had sene Christ knowing him to be the sauioure of the world was very desirous to die brast out into these wordes said â–ª Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy promes For mine eyes haue sene thy saluation whiche thou haste prepared before the face of al people A light to lighten the gentils and the glory of thy people Israel Of the like affection with these tofore rehearsed were without doubt all godly parsons from the beginning then being moste ioyfull whan they sawe the time of their departure from this wretched world to be come so likewise brother Epaphroditus ought both you and we to reioyse and be glad whan death approcheth and commeth vpoÌ„ vs. For then beginneth our felicitie welth quietnes safetie ioy pleasure comfort glory as the voyce from heauen sayde Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. For from henceforth the spirite saieth that they shall be at reast from their labours paines trauailes Precious and ryghte dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his sainctes saith y e Psalmograph The soules of the righteous saieth the wiseman are in the hand
also least that SathaÌ„ will shortly returne vnto me and assaile mâ— with newe temptations Phi. Inâ—dede the propertie of Sathan isâ— whan he can not get his purpose one waye to attempt some other meanes But whereof are ye afraid Epa. Christ saith in the Gospel If thou wilte enter into lyfeâ— kepe the commaundementes Again do this and thou shalt lyue He speaketh of fulfilling the lawe And s. Paule saieth Not the hearers but the doers of the law shaâ— be iustified before God Moses also pronounceth theÌ„ cursed whiche abideth not in all thynges that ar written in the lawe What if Sathan should lay the lawe againste me and proue euidently that I haue not fulfilled the law of God and therfore I can not enter into eternall life but must neades be dampned Phi. The holy scriptur of God consisteth of two partes of the lawe and of the Gospell If sathan obiect y e lawe against you laye you againste him straighte-waies the Gospell For the lawe was geuen by Moses but y e Gospell that is grace fauour remission of sinnes truthe faithfulnes and euerlasting life came by Iesus Christe The lawe maketh afrayd but the Gospel comforteth The law troubleth but the Gospel quieteth The law vttreth sin but the Gospell pardoneth and forgeueth sinne The lawe declareth the fearse wrathe of God againste synners but the Gospelâ— preacheth the great and exceding mercies of God toward penitenâ— synners The law woundeth buâ— the gospel healeth The lawe maketh sicke but the gospell maketh whole and stronge The law driueth to desperation but the gospel ministreth consolation comfort The lawe killeth but the gospel quikneth The lawe throweth downe to hel but y e gospel lifteth vp to heauen Therfore if SathaÌ„ be busy and lay the lawe againsâ— you and that vnto you deathâ— and dampnation aunswere him with the Gospell which bringeth lyfe and euerlasting saluation For the law was not geuen vs oâ— God to iustifie and saue vs but to be a doctrine vnto vs what wâ— should either do or leaue vndone and to be a scholemaister to leade vs vnto Christe that of hym we might obtaine that whiche by no meanes may be gotten of y e lawe I meane the grace fauoure and mercy of God remission and forgeuenes of sinnes the quietnes of conscience a newe life the gift of the holy ghost and euerlasting life Flie you therefore from the heauy burden of the lawe whiche depresseth and wayeth downe the conscience and take on you the swete and comfortable yoke of the gospel and so shall you finde reast vnto your soul. For the yoke therof is easy and the burden light After this manner euen from the beginning haue all the godly in the conflicte of conscience fledde from the doctrine of the lawe vnto the mercifull promises of the Gospel as blessed Peter testifieth saying Now why tempt ye God to put on the disciples neckes the yoke whiche neither our fathers nor we were able to bear But we beleue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesu Christ we shal be saued as they were Our sauioure Christ said vnto the Iewes hath not Moses geuen you a law and yet none of you kepeth the lawe The doctrine of the law is such a burden that the holiest that euer liued Christ alone except was neuer hable to bear it No maruell for the lawe is spirituall but we are carnall Who among vs all is able to say my heart is cleane and I am free from sinne The holy scripture pronounceth vs all sinners and oure owne consciences beare witnes of y e same And how commeth it to passe but only that we do not obserue the lawe of the Lord our God but rather ar traÌ„sgressours breakers of that same in so much y t if our sauiour Christ had not come in the fleshe fulfilled the law for vs â–ª euen to the vttermoste so pacified the fathers wrath we had bene dampned for euer and euer But Christ is come and hath fulfilled the lawe with suche perfection as the law requireth euen at the full and his fulfilling is our fulfilling Whosoeuer beleueth this taketh Christ to be his wisdome rightuousnes sanctifying and redemption he cannot pearyshe but haue euerlasting life Epa. I pray you declare vnto me some comfortable sentenses out of the holy scripture that my conscience may be ascertained of Christes fulfillyng of the lawe for me Phile. Christ saieth in the Gospell Thinke not that I am come to destroy the law or y e Prophetes no. I am not come to destroy but to fulfill All we are destroyers and breakers of the law but Christ is a perfect fulfiller of the same not for him selfe but for vs and his fulfilling is our fulfilling The holy Apostle in his epistle to the Romaines sayeth There is no damnation to them whiche are in Christ Iesu which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For the lawe of the spirit of life through Iesus Christ hath made me fre from the law of sinne and death For what the law could not do inasmuch as it was weake because of the fleshe that parformed God and sent his sonne in the similitude of synnefull fleshe and by synne damned synne in the fleshe that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite Here see you that where as none of vs was able to fulfyll the lawe Christ the sonne of God hath fulfilled it for vs and by this meanes deliuered vs froÌ„ the lawe of sinne and deathe Againe in the same Epistle Christe is the perfect fulfilling of y e lawe to iustifie all that beleue So many therefore as beleue are iustified and for them Christe hath fulfilled the lawe to the vttermoste To the Galathians he also saieth Christ hath deliuered vs from the cursse of the lawe in as much as he was made accursed for our sake For it is writen Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree c. It Christ by his death and passion hath deliuered vs from the cursse of the law how than can the lawe condemne vs Item in the same Epistle when the time was full come God sent his sonne made of a woman and made bonde vnto the lawe to redeme them which were bond vnto the law that we through election might receiue thinheritaunce that belongeth vnto the naturall sonnes If Christ became maÌ„ and was made bond vnto the lawe to redeme and deliuer vs from the lawe what power than hath the lawe ouer vs that it may condeÌ„pn vs If we be through y e fre choyse of God admitted to be the sonnes of God theÌ„ are we no more slaues vnto the law nor any more bound to the subiection thereof that it may cast vs away as wicked traÌ„sgressours and heirs of eternal daÌ„nation For it is fulfilled for vs in
as the wyse man saythe In all thy workes remember the latter ende and thou shalt neuer sinne I desire muche to visit my neighboure Epaphroditus occording to his hartye request and to comfort him in these his paines to instruct him how he ought both paciently thankfully beare this crosse of sicknes which God hath laid on him but I wishe greatly to haue the company of mine olde familiars and approued frends Eusebius Theophile and Christopher I sente my sonne Theodore and Rachell my Doughter for them I muche maruell of their long tariaunce But beholde where they come Neighbors and frendes welcom Euse We reioyce to se you in helth thanking you most hartely for the louing kindnes which heretofore many times you haue shewed vnto vs. But wherfore I pray you haue you sent for vs. Phile. Haue ye not heard howe our neighbour Epaphroditus is greuously vexed with sicknes Theophiâ—punc Is ouâ— neighbor Epaphroditus sicke Phi. He is sick and that very sore Christo â–ª Sory am I to heare this Philemon We are in the Lordes hande as the claye in the potters to doo with vs what so euer his good pleasure is Therfore let vs not beare heueli this work of God in our neighbor least we seme to striue against his godly will seeing we vse dayly to pray Thy wil be don in earthe as it is in heaueÌ„ hauing also an example of our sauior Christ whiche praid vnto his heauenly father on this manner Not as I will but as thou wilt o father Euse. How long hath oure neighboure Epaphroditus bene sick Phi. Not yet two daies The. I mucch maruel of this his soden sicknes Philemon It is no maruell at all seing sicknes foloweth health and deathe life as the shadow accompanieth the body Ye know neighbors how charitable a deede it is to visite the sicke and to comforte the diseased It is one of those works whiche being don in the faithe of Christe shall be rewarded at the last day in the face of the whole worlde with then heritance of the heauenly kingdom as ye may see in the gospel of blessed Mathew I was sicke and ye visited me saithe oure Sauioure Christe The wise man also saith Let not them that wepe be withoute comforte but mourne with suche as mourne Let it not greue thee to viset the sicke for that shall make the to be beloued Christop This saying differeth not muche from the saying of S. Paule Reioyce with them that reioyce and wepe with them that wepe Be of like affection one to another Phile Let vs therfore go and visit our sicke neighboure Epaphroditus and comforte him with the heauenly consolacion of the holy scriptures that he may beare this his sicknes bothe the more pacieÌ„tly and thankfully For to this end did I send for you that we should go together vnto him and to confort him Theo. We were to much vnkinde and vnworthy the name of a Christian yea of a man yf we shuld disdayne to accompany you goyng aboute so godly a matter Phile. Well then let vs go For as the preacher saith It is better to go into an house of mourning theÌ„ into an house of banketinge for there all menne be admonished of their latter end and the liuing coÌ„sidereth what afterward shall becom of them I pray the Lord our God that we may find him at our comming in his whole mind and perfect memory Eusebi I beseche the Lorde our God also that his paines be not so outragious that when we come he haue no minde to heare what shalbe saide vnto him so shall our labour be loste Christop Gods will be don in all thinges Phile. We will do oure duty let God wurke his pleasure Now are we at the house I wyll be so bold neighboures as to leade you the way Theoph. I pray you go sir we will folow you Epa. the sicke man Oh cursed be the day wherin I was borne vnhappy be the day wherin my mother brought me forthe Cursed be the man that broughte my father the tydinges to make him glad saying Thou hast gotten a sonne Let it happen vnto that man as to the Cities which the Lord turned vp side downe Let him heare crying in the morning and at none daye lamentable howling Why sluest thou not me as soone as I came oute of my mothers wombe O that my mother had ben my graue her selfe that the birth might not haue come out but remained styll in her Wherfore came I forth out of my mothers wombe to haue experience of laboure and sorow Ah how sicke am I my strengthe is gone my sight faileth me my tounge flottereth in my mouthe my handes tremble and shake for paine I can not hold vp my head for weakenes If I attempte either to stand or to goo my legges fall downe vnder me No parte of my body doth her right office my memory is paste My sences fayle me What so euer I tast is vnplesant vnto me What other thynge am I theÌ„ a dead corps brething For my skin vpon me is tourned to blacke and my bones are dried vp with heate Yea miserably am I tormented and altogether wery of my lyfe What can be plesant vnto me but present deathe Ah wo worth the time that euer I was borne O y t som hill might fall downe and ouerwhelme me that I might shortly be rid out of this pain Philemon O Lord God good neighbores these be wordes proceding rather from a desperat harte then from a pacient minde But why do I cease to go in The father of mercies and God of all consolacion be presente with vs. Theo. AmeÌ„ Phile. Peace be vnto this house and to so many as loue the Lord Iesus vnfainedly Epa. O mother alas that euer thou did dest beare me Alas why died I not in the birthe Why did I not perish assone as I came out of my mothers wombe Philem. Neighboure Epaphroditus God geue you a pacient hart a quyet contented minde According to youre request I am com vnto you with certaine of my neighbours being very desirous to see you and notwithstandinge not a little sory to beholde you in this case not that you are visited of God with sicknes but that you so impacientlye take thys louing visitatioÌ„ of god whiche chaunceth vnto you not for your hurt and destruction but for your commodity and saluatyon Epaphro Welcome welcome neighbors all Oh how sicke am I Oh that the end of my life wer at hande It greueth my soule to liue All ioy is gone with me This sicknes hathe vtterly marred me Phi. Say not so neighbor Epaphroditus yea rather think that this youre sicknes is the louing visitacion of God and bringeth although to the body wekenes and trouble yet to the soule valeaunce and consolation Epa. Gods louing visitation Philem. Yea neighbor Gods louing visitation For so ar we taught by the worde of God God himself
to be falsly accused of his whorish mystres and to be cruelly throwne of his master into prison where he continued certen yeares in captiuitie and thraldom But behold y e mercifull dealing of God with his faithfull seruaÌ„ts Afterward whaÌ„ God by prouing him had fouÌ„d him faithful coÌ„stant pacient he deliuered Ioseph out of prison restored him vnto his libertie won him into y e kings fauor in so much y t the king toke of his ring from his hand put it vpoÌ„ Ioseps hand araied him in cloth of rains put a golden chain about his necke and set him vpon the best charet y t he had saue one And they cried before him bow the kne And king Pharao made hym ruler ouer all the land of Egipt Ep. O y e great mercies of God Phi Before God quietly satled king Dauid in his kingdom of whom he reporteth in this maner I haue found Dauid y e son of Iesse a man after mine owne â—art which shal fulfil al my wyll how hunted he him by king Saul euen as the ferret hunteth the cony yea after the death of Saule what trouble disquietnes had he thorow the wicked conspiracie of his children against him being so louing gentle and naturall a father NotwithstaÌ„ding afterward God brought him vnto great honour glory ritches quietnes and al kind of wealth wherin he coÌ„tinued vnto his death whiche was both glorious and full of yeares Epap A blessed end Phi â–ª To whoÌ„ is the history of pacient Iob vnknowne His Crosse was so greuous that I knowe not whether the like trouble hath chaunsed to any mortall man since his tyme or afore Al his substance in one moment almost was lost all his cattel were driueÌ„ away .vii. M. shepe iii M. Camels .v. C. yoke of Oxen and v. C. she asses All these were taken away sodenly His house fel downe his childreÌ„ that wer within were slaine Of all that euer he had nothing remained vntouched that might comfort him any thing at all but only his wife and she semeth to be left of the deuill only to this purpose euen to mock and scorne her husband and to moue him to blaspheme the name of God Whiche thing without al doubt greued the holy maÌ„s minde more then all his calamities and wretchednesses Furthermore his frendes whiche came out of farre countries to comfort hym seyng his sorowe and paine to be moste â—ehement being also woÌ„derfully astonied with the horrible greatnesse of the plage by the space of â—ii daies spake not one comfortaâ—le worde vnto hym For they â—hought although not truly that God had cast this most greuous paines vpon Iob worthely euen for his sinful life wicked conuersation And did they not at the last fall to mocking and taunting of that good maÌ„ and tolde hym that those plages happened vnto hym for his sinnes by the righteous iudgement of God for they thought it a matter of hie iniquitie and vnworthy Gods righteousnes y t so great calamities and miseries shuld causeles chaunce vnto any holy and innocent man Moreouer after the losse of al his goodes after the driuing away of his cattell the casting down of his house the cruell death of his children seruaunts which al the most pacient man very quietly suffered what intollerable pains suffereâ— he on his body Did not Sathaâ— thorow Gods suffrance smite Ioâ— with maruelous sore biles froâ— the sole of his fote vnto y e crownâ— of his head so that he sate vpon the grounde in the ashes and scraped of the filth of his sores with a potsherd Oh who is hable to expresse what paines he suffred And notwithstanding being on euery side moste miserably plaged his mind continued still constant and perfect in abiding the good pleasure of the Lord his God being thorowly perswaded that all those plagues and punishmentes were not tokens of Gods anger but rather of his singuler good wyll and fatherlye fauoure toward hym For as he moste paciently suffered the losse of all his goodes and the death of his children so with lyke constancie and lusty courage did he bear the most greuous woundes and bitter sorowes of his body speakinge no blasphemous impacient or vnreuerent worde against God in all his trouble but mekely paciently and thankefully brast oute into these and suche like wordes Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I tourne thither againe The Lord gaue the Lord hath taken away Euen as it hath pleased the Lorde so is it come to passe blessed be y e name of the Lord If we haue receiued prosperitie at the hand of the lord why should we not abide aduersitie also Epa. Oh God graunt me the like pacience Christo. Doubt ye not of y e goodnes of God neighbor Be strong and stedfast in the Lord your God abide pacientlie his good pleasure he shall work al things for the best as the Psalmograph saieth O tary thou the Lordes leisure be strong and he shall comfort thine heart therfore put thou thy trust in the Lorde In silence and hope shall youre strength be saieth the Prophet O how good is the lord vnto theÌ„ that put their trust in him and to the soule that seketh after hym The good man with stilnes and pacience tarieth for the sauinge health of the Lorde The righteous haue cried and the Lord hath graciously heard them and deliuered them out of all their troubles Phi. But nowe neighbour marke the end of the history Epa. Saye on in the name of God Phile. After that God by dyuers kindes of punishmentes had thorowly tried this holy perfect and pacient man Iob and had found him in all pointes a constant and â—aleaunt souldiour not hable to â—e ouercome with any kynde of â—lague that Sathan could lay on â—im the Lorde greatly coÌ„mended â—is coÌ„stant faith and faithfull conâ—ancie and gaue vnto him twyse twyse so muche as he had afore For he had nowe .xiiii. M. shepe vi M. camels a M. yoke of OxeÌ„ and a M. asses He had .vii. soÌ„nes also and .iii. doughters And after this he liued an C. .xl. yeres in muche ioy and quietnes so that he sawe his childrens children into the .iiii. generation and died being old and of a perfect age Epa. Oh blessed be God For he is euer good to his seruauntes and neuer forsaketh theÌ„ that put their trust in him Euse. Of this holie man Iob saynt Iames also maketh mencion saying Ye haue heard of the pacience of Iob and haue knowne what end the Lord made For the Lorde is very pitifull and mercifull Phile. Will it please you neighbor to hear the history of thauncient father Toby â–ª whiche is also very comfortable â–ª Epa. Yea very gladly For it doth me much good and easeth wel my pain to hear your godly talke Phi. This Toby was a faithfull man and euen from his very childhod feared God and
because I goe vnto the Father teaching and shewing by these his wordes that whan our frendes whome we derely loue depart out of the worlde we ought rather to reioyse than to be sad Thereof the blessed Apostle Paule being myndfull saieth in his Epistle Christ is to me lyfe and death is to me a vauntage He thinketh it great auauntage to be rid out of the snares of this lyfe when he shalbe no more subiect to any offence or synne of the flesh but be exempted from the afflictions that do trouble vs and deliuered froÌ„ y t in venimed chawes of the deuil by going vnto the ioy of eternal saluation through the calling of Christ. Also in the same sermon he saith I my selfe being the most simple of all other haue through the goodnes of God diuers times aswell by Reuelation as otherwyse receiued instructioÌ„ manifestly to affirme and preach that our brethren whiche be deliuered from the worlde by the calling of God ought not to be mourned for seing they be not lost but sent before to make the waye for vs that do come after We should not therfore couet them againe which be dead nor mourne for theÌ„ any otherwyse then we vse to do for such as haue taken their iourny into a straunge lande And for them we ought not to wear black sence they in heauen be clothed in white Herein we should not geue occasion vnto the gentils y t they might iustly reproue vs when we mourn for them as dead and lost whom we do affirme to be liuing with God c. And a litle after he saith The Apostle Paule doth reproue blame such as do mourne at the departure of the persones y â— they loue I would not brethren quod he that you should be ignoraunt concerning them which be falleÌ„ on slepe that you sorowe not as other do whiche haue no hope If we beleue that Iesus died and rose againe euen so then also theÌ„ whiche slepe by Iesus wyll God bryng again with him He declareth that suche as be sorowfull at their frendes departure haue no hope Why should we that liue by hope that beleue in God truste that Christ suffred for vs is risen again that remain in Christe and be rysen by hym and in hym â—e so vnwylling to departe out of this worlde or els mourn lameÌ„t suche as be departed as though they were lost sence Christ our â—ord our God doth admonish vs â—aying I am the resurrection and â—he life he that beleueth on me yea though he were dead yet shal he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleueth in me shall neuer die If we beleue in Christ and trust his wordes and his promises we shal neuer die but shal com with glad suerty vnto Christ with whome we shal euer liue raigne And y t in the meane season we do die we do but therby passe to immortalitie For except we departe from hence the lyfe euerlasting can not come Death is no departure but a passage to y e entent y t this worldlye iourney once ouer runne we may come vnto eternitie Whâ— will not make haste to a better estate Who will not desyre to bee chaunged and transfourmed into the likenes of Christ and to come out of hand to the dignitie of the heaueÌ„ly grace which thing Paul the Apostle doth declare Our coÌ„uersacion saith he is in heauen from whence we loke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ whiche shall transforme our vile body that he may make it like vnto his glorious body And Christe the Lorde doth promise that we shalbe such when that we may be with him liue with him in his eternall seat and reioyce with hym in his heauenly kingdom he praieth vnto the father for vs on this manner father I will that they whiche thou haste geuen me be w t me wher I am that they may see my glory whiche thou hast geuen me for y e didst loue me before y e making of the worlde Therfore we â—ught nether to mourne nor to laâ—ent for coÌ„ming vnto the seate of Christ to y e glory of y e heaueÌ„ly king â—oÌ„ but ought rather according to â—he promise of God according to â—he faith of the veritie to reioyce 〈◊〉 our departure and transformation Hitherto haue I rehearsed the words of S. Cipriane which do manifestly declare that they whiche die in the Lorde are in a blessed state and therfore not to be mourned nor lamented I fear least I haue bene tedius vnto you in rehersing so much of s CipriaÌ„s mynde concerning this matter Epaphro You haue rather neighbour Theophile coÌ„forted me then molested me yea you haue ryght well confirmed my faith mightely encouraged me to goe vnto this battel and willingly to geue ouer this my life forasmuch as I am thorowly perswaded that after my departure from this vale of mysery I shal come vnto a glorious kingdome and shal se God face to face And one thing I noted in the wordes of S. Ciprian whiche you haue reheased thaâ— is this y t we ought not to wearâ— black clothes mourning gowns for them whiche are deliuered froÌ„ the world and are gone to God seing thei be clothed in whight and wear ioyfull apparell and are in heauen with God reigning in glory and eternall felicitie Euse. In dede it is a poynt of fondnesse to mourn for theÌ„ that are in ioye and to bee sory for them that are mery The Apostle saith Reioyce with them that reioyce mourne with them that mourne Seynge that the faythfull which are deliuered out of this worlde are in â—oy it is more semely y t we should â—oy in God with them thaÌ„ mourn â—nd be sory for them as though â—hey were in worse case now then â—hey were afore Let the Heathen â—ourne whiche haue no hope for â—he departure of their frends the â—rue christians which ar perswaâ—ed that such as die in the Lord are in muche better case then they euer were in this worlde we ought rather to reioyce to singe psalmes praises thaÌ„kesgeuings vnto God for the christeÌ„ and godly departure of their brethren and for their blessed estate wherein God hath placed them For the holy scripture pronounceth them blessed and happy which die in y e Lord. And y e Psalmograph saith precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saintes The wise man also sayth that y e soules of the righteous are in peace Chr. They therfore which are in so blessed estate ar not to be mourned nor lamented but God is rather to be thancked for them Th. The holy scripture declareth that king Dauid praied vnto the Lord for the child whiche he haâ— by Bethsabe Urias wife when iâ— was sicke and that he fasted anâ— lay all the night vpon the earth in so much that the Elders of his house arose and went vnto him to take hym vp froÌ„ the earth but he
heade This holy Churche or congregation lynked together in the felowship of the holy Ghoste is a spirituall house builded of liuing stones a chosen generation a royall Priesthod to offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christe an holy nation a people whiche are won that they should shewe forth the vertues of hym whyche called them oute of darkenesse into his maruelous lighte this Churche is the congregatioÌ„ of the liuing god the pillar and ground of truthe This holy company are Citizens with the Saincts and of the housholde of God and are builte vpon â—he foundation of the Apostles â—nd Prophets Iesus Chryst him selfe being the hed corner stone Thys Churche is the spouse of Christ and knoweth none other husband head but Christ alone This blessed company are these shepe whiche gladly heare y e voyce of their shepehard Christ but they flie from the voyces of strauÌ„gers And as they are one body and one spirite so confesse they onâ— Lord one faithe one Baptismeâ— one God and father of all There is among them no dissenâ—tion but thei maintain one truth preache one doctrine speake onâ— thing are of one minde and of onâ— meaning This holy Catholikâ— churche or vniuersall congregatioÌ„ is that holy city that newe Hieruâ—salem whiche came downe froâ— God out of heauen prepared as â— bride garnished for her husband And because no man shall doubâ— of what Churche I speake I conâ—fesse that to be the holy Catholikâ— and Apostolike Churche whichâ— is the company and felowship of the sainctes that is to saye of the faithfull whiche are sanctified made holy by the spirite of God and by the bloud of Christ our sauiour whiche haue the pure word of God truely and sincerely preached and the Sacramentes duely and faithfully ministred amoÌ„g them whiche excommunicate all disobedient notable sinners and receiue into their felowship suche as vnfainedly repente and tourne from their wickednes which study in all things to please the Lord God and to liue in all godlinesse and honestie This church and coÌ„pany Christ loued so dearly that he gaue him self for it to sanctifie it and clensed it in the fountaine of water thorow y e word to make it vnto him selfe a glorious congregation without spot or wrincle or any suche thinge but that it shoulde be holy without blame Whosoeuer is in this church and congregation he may be sure to besaued But whosoeuer is not in it he is without all dout damned For like as in y e time of Nohe no man escaped with his life but was drowned in the floud excepte he entred into the Arcke of Nohe Euen so whosoeuer is not founde in this felowship or Catholicke Churche agreing with it in one faith doctrine hope loue and sacramentes he shall pearish and be lost For without the Churche of Christe there is no saluation no forgeuenes of sinnes no fauoure of God no quyetnes of conscience no true Gospell or glad tidinges of eternall healthe Therfore in this holy Churche blessed felowship of the sainctes and faithfull I vnfainedly beleue with my harte and frely confesse with my mouthe that there is remission and forgeuenes of sinnes and that withoute it no sinne is forgeuen nether is there any hope of saluation For as it is vnpossible that a member can liue which is not in the body so it is vnpossible that any man may lyue in hys soule and be released out of death by remission of synne whyche is not a meÌ„ber of the body of Christ. For Christe hathe reconciled vs al vnto God his father in one body And therfore must all they stande at variance with God that ar no meÌ„bers of this body of the which Christe is the head to the whiche also he geueth saluation This therfore is a great conforte to the faithfull congregation that allthough thorowe infirmitie of nature or otherwise they doo fall ofâ—end God break the Lords commaundements yet in this coÌ„pany there is remission and forgeuenes of sinnes so sone as euer they repent be sory for their synne and beleue to haue remissioÌ„ of all their sins for Christes precious bloudes sake Synne we neuer so oft and neuer so greuously yet being meÌ„bers of this holy company we ar straight waies forgeuen and deliuered a paena culpa froÌ„ the pain and the fault so sone as we turne vnto the Lord our God And these our sinnes be not forgeueÌ„ of men but of God alone neither forgeueth he part and reserueth part but he forgeueth all or els none at all Again he forgeueth not the fault and reserueth the paine but with the faulte he also forgeueth the pain due for the fault that he may be an whole and perfect sauiour as s. Iohn saith If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truthe is not in vs. But if we coÌ„fesse our sinnes God is faithfull and righteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to make vs cleane from all iniquitie And God himself saith by the Prophet I wil forgeue their misdedes and wil neuer remember their sinnes any more Againe I am he yea I am he alone which put away thy iniquities yea and that for myne own sake and I wil remeÌ„ber thy sinnes no more And king Ezechias in his praier vnto God said it is thou O Lord that cast all my sinnes behind thy back The Prophet Miche also saith Where is there such a God as thou art that pardonest wickednes and forgeuest the offences of the remnaunt of thine heritage He kepeth not his wrath for euer And why his delite is to haue compassion He shal turne agayne and be merciful to vs. He shall put down our wickednes and caste all oure sinnes into the bottom of the sea I faithfully beleue that I am a member of Christes church and I am also fully perswaded that al my sinnes be forgeuen me of God the Father not for my merites whiche are none but for Iesus Christes sake for Christes merits passion death and bludshedding For grace and truthe came by Iesus Christe sayth the holy Euangelist And I beleue that God foâ— his sonnes sake hathe so frely and wholy forgeuen me all my sinnes that he wil neuer remembre them more neuer impute theÌ„ vnto me nor lay them to my charge but so receyue me into his fauoure as though I had neuer offended him and make me his sonne and heyer of euerlasting glory For euerlasting life is the gift of god through Iesus Christe oure Lorde sayeth the Apostle Thys is the stay and quientes of my conscience at thys presente This maketh me not to feare deathe but ioyfully to loke for it and louingly to embrace it when soeuer it commeth For I wish to be losoned from this mortall body and to be with Chryste My soule hath a feruent desire to
of God and the paine of death shall not touch them In y e sight of the vnwyse they appeare to die but they are in peace Let vs not therfore fear death To the infidele and vnfaithful maÌ„ death is both fearefull and terrible but to a faithfull man it is bothe pleasaunte and amiable Therefore neighbour Epaphroditus as you haue hitherto in all your wordes shewed your selfe a faithful man and wel contented to obey the wil of God so likewise practise y e same now in your workes If the good pleasure of God be through this sicknes to cal you out of this valâ— of misery stryue not against the wil of God but submit your selfe to Gods holy working dout nothing but it shalbe to your great commoditie and singulare profit For all thinges worke for the best vnto them y t loue God God hath appoynted the boundes of your lyfe and beyond that ye can not go When the twelfth houre commeth then shall ye make an ende Labour therfore to make suche an end as God therwith may be pleaâ—sed seing you know and are fully perswaded y t not an here doth falâ— from your head without the good wil of god much les shal your life be taken away froÌ„ you til the very hour coÌ„meth which God hath appoynted in whose handes only are the keyes bothe of lyfe and death Epa. Death is terrible and fearfull Ph. The wyse man saith O death how bitter is the remembraunce of thee to a man that seketh rest and comfort in his substaunce and riches vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him y t hath prosperitie in all thinges yea vnto him that setteth all his mynde on belly cheare O death how acceptable and good is thy iudgement vnto the nedefull and vnto him whose strength faileth and that is nowe in his last age c. Be not thou afraide of death remember them that haue ben before thee that come after thee This is the iudgemeÌ„t of the Lord â—uer al flesh And why wouldest y t be against this pleasure of the hiest c. To the vnfaithful death in dede is terrible and fearfull For then begin their sorowes and miseries their plages and torments as we may se in the historie of the richman but to the faithfull and true beleuers death is pleasant amiable as it is written precious in the sight of the Lord is y e death of his sainctes For then cease all their miseries and trauayles and begin their ioyes and pleasures Whosoeuer is a true Christian fixeth y e eies of his minde through true faith on the death of Christe he shall not greatly be afrayde oâ— death but he shall rather triumph ouer death and with a lusty courage saye thus vnto death O death I wil be thy death For death is swalowed vp into victorye through Iesus Christ our Lordeâ— The sting of death can nowe no more hurt the faithfull as our sauiour Christ testifieth verely verely I saye vnto you he that heareth my worde beleueth on hym that sent me hathe euerlastinge life and shall not come into damnation but is scaped from death vnto life Again verely verely I say vnto you he that putteth his trust in me hath euerlasting lyfe I am that liuinge bread whiche came down from heauen If any man eat of this bread he shall liue for euer Item verely verely I say vnto you If a man kepe my saying he shal neuer tast death al so in an other place I am the resurrection life he that beleueth in me although he be dead yet shal he liue And euery one that liueth beleueth in me shall neuer die Epa. Death is painefull Phi. Who will not be content to suffer a little and shorte paine that he may for euer after enioy continuall quietnes and euerlasting rest Nothing is gotten without paine and trauaile No man is crowned except he striue lawfully The afflictions of this life are not worthy of y e glory which shalbe shewed vpon vs. Notwithstanding if we die with Christ we shall also lyue with hym If we suffer we shall reigne with him Therefore be on good comfort God is faithfull which wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able to beare The Lord our God is a father of mercies and God of all consolation whiche will without all doubt be present with you and comfort you in all your sicknesses and paines For as the afflictions of Christ are plenteous in vs eueÌ„ so is our consolation plenteous by Christ. As you are partaker of the afflictions so shall ye be partaker also of the consolation For this short and lyght trouble sicknes and pain prepareth an exceading an eternal waight of glory vnto you whyle you loke not on the thinges whiche are sene but on y e thinges whiche are not sene For y e thinges which are not sene are eternall If you consider the great intollerable paines that many good and godly men haue suffred on their bodies for Christes sake it shal the les greue you to beare this your sicknes yea death and the paines thereof The Prophet Esaye for the hope of euerlasting life suffred his body to be cut a sonder with the saw of wood Ieremy was stoned vnto death Amos after many greuous torments was thrust into the temples of the head with a great nail of yron and so shortly after died Iohn Baptist was cast into prisoÌ„ beheaded Iames the brother of Iohn was slaine with the sword Stephen was stoned vnto death Christ our Lord sauour suffred most bitter pains died the death of the crosse I passe ouer many other both of the old newe Testament whiche refused no kinde of pains so that they might obtain y e reward of euerlasting life some as y e blessed apostle saith wer tried w t mockings scourginges w t bonds prisonmeÌ„t some wer stoned some were hewen a sunder some were slaine w t swerd al wer trobled vexed How glad ioyfull ready the holy Apostle S. Paul was to suffer al kinde of paines tormeÌ„tes for y e glory of God these his words do aboundantly shew The holy ghost doth testifie in euery citie saying that bonds and troubles doe abide me but I care not for them nether is my life dere vnto me so that I may finish my course with ioy c. Againe I am ready not only to be bound but al so to die at HierusaleÌ„ for y e name of the Lorde Iesu. What shall I speake of the other blessed Martirs where of some were deuoured with wild beastes some burnt with fire vnto ashes some broyled vnto the death vpon whot coales some slaine with the sweard some hanged vpon Iebbets some pearsed to death with arrowes some beaten to death with stones some boyled some rent a peaces with
whot burning yron cromes some racked some drowned some cruelly murthered in prysons c. Who is hable to declare the moste bitter paines greuous torments which they gladly suffred on their bodies for the glory of God and the fruition of his Maiestie If ye consider these thinges wel you shall easly finde y t the paines which you now suffer are nothing to be compared vnto the most bitter and intollerable tormentes whiche the men of God suffred And not withstanding if you abide these light paines ioyfully paciently thankefully you shall moste certainly enioy and possesse that heauenly kyngdome whiche they haue already obtained Faynte not therfore good neyghbor Epaphroditus but abide the good pleasure of God his blessed workyng so shall he without fail bring all thing to suche passe as shalbe most vnto his glory and vnto your comfort Epa. Death taketh me away from my gorgious and pleasaunt houses and from al the teÌ„poral things that I haue Phi. In this world we all are but straungers Pilgrims we haue here no dwelling City but loke for an other that is to come The houses that you leue behinde you here be they neuer so gorgious pleasaunt are but earthy made of clay and wether beaten stones shall in proces of time decay returne vnto dust become thinges of nought But after your departure froÌ„ this vale of wretchednes you shall haue a building of God an habitatioÌ„ not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen You shall dwell in a city that is of pure gold like vnto clear glas and the foundations of the wals of this city are garnished withall manner of precious stones the gates are of fine pearle Yea the streates of this heauenly city are pure gold It hath no nede of the sunne nether of the Mone to lighten it for y e brightnes of God doth lighteÌ„ and the lambe is the light of it And as touching your other teÌ„porall things froÌ„ the whiche as you saye death taketh you away you haue no cause to be sory for y t. For as concerning your galant aparel whiche if they be not worne wil sone be motheaten if they be worn they wil shortly fal to rags in y e steade of them you being once placed in the heauenly city shalbe clothed of God with white garments which shal neuer wax old but alwaies abide glorious incorruptible You shall also haue a golden crown vpon your head you shall sit with Christ vpon his seat And in the stead of your deinty fare which how vile it is after the digestion you knowe ye shall eat in the kingdom of God Manna y t is hid yea ye shall eat of the tre of life which is in the mids of the Paradise of God And this meat shal abide for euer most pleasaunt and vncorruptible As touching your gold siluer suche other worldly treasures wherwith God blessed you in this worlde for a season neuer remember theÌ„ any more but bid them farewell For what other thyng are they seme they neuer so precious pleasaunt goodly then red white earth hereafter shall returne vnto vile dust In the stead of them God in his kingdoÌ„ shal geue you such treasures as neuer man with mortall eies saw y e like You also shal haue such ioyes plesurs as nether eie hath sene the like nor ear hard the like nether is any man able to coÌ„ceiue them in his heart so great are the treasures so infinite are the pleasures which God hath prepared for theÌ„ that loue him Who wil not be glad to change lead for siluer copper for gold corruptible earthly things for immortall heauenly treasures Here se you that you lose nothing by death but get very muche so y t you may now saye with the holy Apostle Christ is to me life and death is to me auauntage Epa. Death taketh me away from my deare freÌ„des in whose company I greatly delight Phi. In worldly freÌ„dship ther is no certaintie nor assuraÌ„ce He which this day is a frend is tomorow an enemy This is proued true among men almost by dayly experieÌ„ce Ther are diuers kinds of frendes as the wyse man teacheth Some be frendes but for a time such will not abide in y t daye of trouble Some be frendes for the table sake and when a man falleth into pouertie they continue not Some be frendes only in countenaunce and in heart hate most extremely Some be earnest and harty frendes whiche will abide by man wheÌ„ fortune is moste froward But of these there are very few And they which now such be may sodenly thorowe some occasion be made a mans vtter enemy Therfore saith Dauid put not your confidence in Princes nor in the children of men in whom ther is no health Also the Prophet Cursed be he that trusteth in maÌ„ and maketh flesh his strength Ye â—e in the Gospel that they whiche â—o dearly loued Christ that they would haue made hym a kynge shortly after for no occasion fell away from him followed him no more Again those people whiche very ioyfully receiued Christ wheÌ„ he came ryding into Hierusalem cut down bowes strowed them in the wayes yea and spread theyr garmentes in the waies and cried with a loud voyce sayinge Good lucke vnto the sonne of Dauid Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde within fewâ— dais after cried with a stout voicâ— and said To the crosse with him to the crosse with him If y e lettesâ— him go thou art not Cesars frend if he were not a noughty pack wâ— would neuer haue deliuered hym vnto thee Behold the frendship oâ— this worlde Nether let any man promise him self better thinges oâ— his now most dear frend Men aâ— vain liers fliting and vnstable But when you come into the kingdom of God you shall haue suche frendes as shall for euer continue faithfull louing and coÌ„stant God the father God the sonne God the holy ghost shalbe your frends which do neuer chaÌ„ge but always abide one All the glorious angels blessed spirits of heauen shall be your frendes also Who will not gladly change vncertaine frendes for such as are moste certain most faithfull Haue you now lost any thyng by departing from worldly vnto heauenly frendes Ep. But I shal neuer more se theÌ„ nor haue y e coÌ„pany of theÌ„ y t we may reioyce be glad againe together Phi. If your frendes liue in the feare of God depart in the christeÌ„ faith they may be sure to come thither wher you shalbe eueÌ„ vnto y e glorious kingdoÌ„ of God wher you shal both see them know them talcke with them and be much more mery with theÌ„ than euer you were in this world Chr. Many doubt of that ph Why so Shall y e knowledge of Gods electe and chosen people be lesse in
Christe saithe Blessed are they that mourn for they shal be comforted In the holy scriptures God doth very often call vs vnto repentaunce but he appoynteth not ether this or y e time day hour but he willeth vs to repent and promiseth that whensoeuer we returne vnto him we shall bee safe and escape from death vnto life Our sauiour Christ also biddeth al that are diseased come vnto him and promiseth that he wil ease theÌ„ but he assigneth no time but at all houres he promyseth grace mercy fauour help and coÌ„â—ort Christ is a sauior for al ages refuseth no coÌ„uersion although neuer so late If we come in childhode in yougth in middle age or in olde age whensoeuer we come we shall be receiued Only let vs come It is better late then neuer God is a like merciful in al ages Christ is a sauiour able inough to saue at all tymes He ceaseth not to be called Iesus that is to say a sauiour niether ceaseth he at any time to saue as y e Apostle saith Iesus Christ yesterday to daye and the same continueth for euer If Christ were appoynted of God the father a sauioure for certaine times not for all times so shuld he be no perfect sauiour If he could not as effectually saue at the hour of death as at the hour of the birth he were vnworthy y e name of a sauiour But he abideth a sauiour for all ages and for all kind of people so that they vnfainedly repent beleue and turn Set before your eyes the parable whiche we read in the gospel of them that were hired to worke in the vineyard Some came early in y e morning some about the third hour some about the .vi. and .ix. houre and some about the .xi. hour And when night once came that they shuld receiue their wages all had like reward WheÌ„ they that came first saw that they that came laste wrought but one houre were equal vnto theÌ„ whiche had borne y e burthen and heat of the day receiued like reward one of theÌ„ murmured grudged at y e matter but it was answered Frend I do the no wrong Take that is thine and go thy way I will geue vnto this last euen as vnto thee Is it not lawful for me to doo as me listeth with mine owne goodes Thus se you that they whiche came at the latter end of y e day wrought in the vinyard but an hour were not refused but receiued the lyke reward with theÌ„ that came first Only let vs be labourers and no loiterers only let vs come into the Lordes vineyarde and not runne away backward and at whatsoeuer hour we come we shalbe welcome receiue our reward with the first Againe the history of the thief that hanged on the right-hand of Christ whiche thief was full of wicked dedes neuer turned vnto God vntil the very hour of his death declareth manifestly that there is no conuersion in this life to late if it bee accompanied with true repentaunce and vnfained faith The thiefe hangyng on the crosse at the poynt of death only said vnto Christ Lord remeÌ„ber me when thou commest into thy kingdom And Christ wel accepting his conuersion saide vnto him Truly I saye vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Who will now dispaire of the good wil and fauourable mercy of God seing that this thief coÌ„uerting at the very last houre of his death was not of Christ reiected but receiued made a fellowe citizin with Christ of ioyfull Paradise Epa. But I haue many times greuously offended the Lord my God and broken his holy coÌ„maundementes Phile. This is no let vnto your saluation so that your conuersion be vnfained The righteous man sinneth .vii. times in the day Who liueth sinneth not All go astray There is none good but God alone All our righteousnesses ar as a cloth polluted with meÌ„strue If God shuld deale with the moste holy and most perâ—ect accordinge to their desertes they should find nothing in them selues but worthy dampnation â–ª Dauid with other very many of the old Testament oftentimes sinned and offended God with theyr wicked actes yet forasmuche as they repented and vnfainedly turned vnto God they were receiued into fauour and saued The Disciples of Christ Peter and his felowes were sinners also and many tymes did that whiche is not righteous in the sight of God yet they be wayling their miseries truly returning vnto God were admitted into the nuÌ„ber of gods elect God is that Lord which forgeueth not only one talent but the whole debt of .x. M. talentes if we come truly vnto hym knowledge our beggary yea our nothing If God would y t we should forgeue one an other so oft as we offend doubtles God wil also forgeue vs whansoeuer we offend if we vnfainedly turn vnto him be our sinnes neuer so many and greuous Mary MagdaleÌ„ sinned ful oft yet was she forgeuen as it is written of her Many sinnes are forgeuen her because she hath loued much The Publican was w t out doubt a very greuous sinner and had many times broken the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts of god yet so sone as he humbled him self before the throne of gods maiestie apealed vnto his mercy he was receiued â—nto fauor pronouÌ„ced of christes â—wn mouth more righteous then â—he Pharisy for all his glistring workes outward holines of life â—ing Manasses in his praier conâ—essed vnto God that he had synâ—ed aboue the nomber of y e sandes â—f the sea and that his iniquities â—ere innumerable yet after he returned vnto the Lord they were all forgeuen and he receiued into fauour If there be not dayly remission of daily synnes at the haÌ„d of God for Christes sake why are we commaunded daily to pray for the forgeuenes of our sinnes If the fauour of God be promised at all houres to suche as vnfainedly turne vnto their Lorde God and seke him in singlenes of heart theÌ„ followeth it that sin we neuer so oft and neuer so greuously yet if harty repentaunce come there is hope of remissioÌ„ of sinnes through the bloud of Christ. If Christ bee an euerlasting Bishop than is he able at all tymes to saue euen at the full those whiche come vnto God through hym If Christ go forth to be called Iesus that is to saye a sauiour then ceaseth he not to saue sinners If Christ be our intercessour mediatour and aduocate vnto God the father euen vnto the worldes ende then may we be sure thorow him to haue remission and forgeuenes of all oure sinnes eueÌ„ vnto thend of y e world yea that at all times sinne we neuer so oft greuously if we repent beleue and amend Therfore though you haue many times greuously offended y e Lord your God and broken his holy commaundementes yet despair
dwelling wer destroyâ—ed he meaneth the body we haue a building of God an habitation not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen We shalbe with Christ. We shalbe with the Lorde for euer We shalbe vessels vnto honour We shall haue the crown of righteousnes We shall come to the citie of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to an innumerable sight of Aungels and to the Congregation of the firste borne sons whiche are written in heauen and to God the iudge of al and to the spirits of iust perfect men and to Iesus the mediatour of the newe testament We shal receiue the crown of life saith S. Iames which the Lord hath promised to theÌ„ y t loue him WheÌ„ Christ y e chief shepherd shall apere saith S. Peter ye shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory We are nowe the Sonnes of God saith saint Iohn and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be We knowe that if it once appeare we shalbe like vnto him for we shal se him as he is In the Reuelation of S. Iohn we finde these Sentences concerning the blessed state of the faithfull after this life To him that ouercommeth I wyll geue to eat of the tre of life whiche is in the mids of the Paradise of God Be faithfull vnto the death and I shall geue thee the crowne of life Him that ouercommeth will I make a piller in the temple of my God and he shal go no more out c. To him that ouercoÌ„meth will I graunt to sit with me in my seat The .xxiiii. Elders that sate vpon the seates were clothed in white raiment had on their heades crownes of gold They are in the presence of the seate of God serue him daye and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the seat will dwell among them They shal hoÌ„ger no mâ—re nether thirst nether shall y e sonne light on them neyther anye heat For the Lambe which is in the mids of the seat shall fede theÌ„ and shall lede theÌ„ vnto fountains of liuing water God shall wine away all teares from their eyes They follow the Lambe whither soeuer he goeth They are without spot before the throne of God I heard a voice from heauen saying vnto me Wryght Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Euen so saith the spirite that they reast from their labors but their workes folow them Blessed are they whiche are called vnto the supper of the Lambes mariage I saw a new heauen and a new earth For the first heauen and the first earth were banished awaye â–ª and there was no more sea And I IhoÌ„ saw the holy Citie newe Hierusalem come down from God out of heauen prepared as a bride garnished for her husbande And I heard a great voyce out of heauen saying Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwel with them And they shalbe his people and God him selfe shall bee with them and be their God And God shall wipe awaye all teares from theyr eyes And there shalbe no more death neither sorow â—â—ther â—â—ying neither shall there be any more paine for thold thinges are gone And he that sat vpon y e seat sayd â–ª Beholde I make all things now â–ª And he sayd vnto me wryte for these wordes are faith full and true And the Angell caried 〈◊〉 way in the spirite â—o a great 〈◊〉 hie mountaine and he â—â—e wedâ—â—e the great Citie holyâ— Hierusaâ—â—â— descendinge out of heauen 〈◊〉 God hauing y â— brightnes of God And her shining waâ— lyke vnto 〈◊〉 stone most precious eueÌ„ like a Iasper clere as Christall had wals great hie had xii gates at the gates .xii. angels and names written whiche are the names of the .xii. Tribes of Israell On the â—ast side .iii. gates and on y e north side .iii. gates and towardes the south .iii. gates from the weast iii. gates and the wal of the Citie had .xii. foundations in theÌ„ the xii names of the LaÌ„bes .xii. Apostles he that talked with me had a goâ—den rede to measure the citie withal the gates therof and the wall therof And y e citie was built iiii â–ª square and the length was as large as the bredth he measured the citie with the golden rede .xii M. furlonges the length and y e bredth the height of it were equall And he measured the wall therof an C. xliiii the measure y t the angel had was after the measure that maÌ„ vseth And the building of the wall of it was of Iasper And the citie was pure gold like vnto cleare glasse the foundations of the wal of the city wer garnished with al maner of precious stones â–ª The first foundation was a Iasper the seconde a Saphir the third a Calcedony y e .iiii. an Emerald the .v. a Sardonix the .vi. a Sardius the .vii. a Chrisolite the .viii. a Berall the .ix. a Topas the .x. a Crusoprases the xi a Iacint the .xii. an Amathist The .xii. gates were .xii. pearles euery gate was of one pearle and the streate of the Citie was pure gold as through shining glasse And I sawe no temple therin For the Lord God almighty and the Lambe are the temple of it And the citie hath no nede of the sunne nether of the moone to lighten it For y e brightnes of God did light 〈◊〉 and the Lambe was the light of it And the people which are saâ—ed shall walke in the light of it And the kinges of the earth shall bringe their glory and honoure vnto it And y e gates of it are not shut by daye For there shalbe no night there And there shall enter into it none vncleane thing neyther whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or maketh lies but they only whiche are wrytten in the Lambes booke of life And he shewed me a pure riuer of water of life clere as Christall proceading out of the seat of God and of the Lambe In the mids of the streat of it and of ether syde of the riuer was there wood of life whiche bare .xii. maner of fruites and gaue fruit euery moneth and the leaues of the wood serued to heale the people withall And ther shalbe no more cursse but the seat of God and the Lambe shalbe iâ— it and his seruauntes shall seruâ— him And they shal se his face and his name shalbe in their foreheds â–ª And there shalbe no night therâ—â— and they nede no candle â— neytheâ— lyght of the Sunne for the Lordâ— God geueth them lyght and they shall raigne for euermore And he sayde vnto me these thinges are faithfull and true Epâ— God be praised for that true ioye and singuler comfort which the faithfull finde in his holy worde It is not without a cause sayd of the holy Apostle The eie hath not sens and the eare hath not heard neither haue entred into the heart