be taught to trust in God to be redy to serue youre neghbure to suffre your aduersite pacieÌ„tly to despise y e false Gods seruice for that also haue all y e prophetes al euaÌ„gelistes al apostles taught more thaÌ„ thousande yeres agone They be new doctrines which the Popets disciples sworne seruauÌ„tes haue brought vp within these thre or foure hundreth yeares That which Paul preached to y e Athenians was also counted for newe learnige for they sayde Lo here coÌ„meth he the preacher of new deuels There is nother old nor new God but there is an euerâ—stige God which is which was shal be There is no newe nor olde learnynge of God Gods worde endureth for euer Iesu Christ is yesterdaye to daye he endureth for euer Stycke fast to hys worde and ye shall not be deceaued for hys worde is trewth He hath the wordes of lyfe suffre no doctour no apostle no angell of heauen to drawe you from hym Buylde your house sure vpoÌ„ y e rock Christ that ye maye with stonde all tempestes and assaultes Be not lyghtely turned from the good learnynge whiche ye be taught in the fayth accordynge to the scripture what so euer ye be taught besyde it let that be accursed What can we tell what oure forefathers haue beleued or not What caÌ„ we tell whiche workes he hath imputed theÌ„ for synne or not are we sworne to their fayth are we christened in y e name of our fathers why wil we then abyde by their fayth so earnestly which is vncertayne to vs Is not faith a gyfte of God Perchaunce god hath poured yt also in them we not knowenge whan or who forsomuch as yt is a gyft of God He that beleueth in my sayeth Christ though he dye he shall lyue Her is not promysed yf he abyde by the fayth of hys forefathers Who is so preuy of Gods iudgmeÌ„tes that he knoweth why God suffred the worlde thus longe to coÌ„tinue in this great darknesse It hath chaunced of tymes in the olde testament amonge the Iewes that the trewe Gods seruice and the knoledge of y e lawe was forgotten for a great season so that no man knewe of the lawe nor cremonyes As for the causes hereof or iudgement we wyll referre them to God thankynge hym for hys benefete in restorynge vnto as agayne the pure gospell shall we not brother Lazarus Yee verely brother with all oure hartes I am now thaÌ„ked be God so wel eased in consciencie that I fele no heuynesse nor troubell more at my harte Before was I neuer quiete now wolde I do thys than that nowe wolde I haue thys pylgrymage gone for me than that candell offred which I haue not made you preuy of hethertho I haue also caused oftymes golden masses be sayde for me to optayne health I feare me I haue offended also therin I must make a playne confession to you Timothe What be these golden masses Lazarus They be seperate masses that profyte greatly sayde agaynst pestilence derth and such lyke plages dyseases and vrgeÌ„t grefes They be sayde or songe for y e coÌ„munalty and thereby they optayne golde of them that they be sayde for They haue cost my large sixe pounde seÌ„ce my disase begaÌ„ne though they haue profyted my lytell Timothe I perceaue well ynough ye haue ben a vessell full of superstition ye haue so beÌ„ laden with these pylergnawers sayntes minions as saynt Iames with hys moskelshelles I praye you tell me were ye neuer in the brotherheade of oure ladyes psalter Were ye neuer written in the brotherheade of Caims kynne that is y e foure orders of the popes souldyers Lazarus I haue not named theÌ„ al yet yet I was mynded to haue ben buryed in a graye freres cote to haue ben releast of y e thirde parte of my synnes But now I byd this brablynge fare wel I loth the hearynge of them Shewe me youre mynde of the masles wether a man may cause them to be sayde for hym whan he is in yeopardy seynge Christ hymself hath institute them Timothe I am not aduised that euer I dyd once reade the name of masâ—e in the whole scripture of God I reade of the supper oâ— the lorde which Christ w t his apostles and the apostles with other beleuynge haue kepte and vsed Whan I entende to coÌ„pare the masse and y e supper of our Lorde together I can not perceaue it to be one thynge But seynge yt will be to longe to shewe the difference betwene theÌ„ I wyll deferre that vntyll oure nexte metynge As for to answere vnto your question I shall leaue the worde masse vntouched and answere you scripturely w t wordes of the scripture You haue ared of the masse and I shall answere you w t the supper of our lorde The vse of y e supper hath Christ institute for none other intent saue only that the breade of oure Lord shulde be distributed and the chalice of Christes bloude shulde be ministred to euery man in a remembraunce of hym which hath offred hys body vnto death and shed hys bloude for vs for a forgeuenesse of synnes As he sayeth himself As oft as ye shall do thys namely that whyche I do here to youre ensample do yt in the remembraunce of me that is that we shall shewe the death of oure Lorde as Paul sayeth Than do we declare the death of oure Lorde whaÌ„ we preache and shewe vnto the comunalty or coÌ„gregation how christ hath offred hys body vnto death for vs and that because we shulde not remayne in the euerlastynge death and so is he become a death vnto death that we shulde be taken from death vnto lyfe Yf ye now cause the supper of oure Lorde to be vsed for you to such intent as Christ hath ordeyned yt than are you admonished to despyse thys bodely death whiche ye must abyde after youre syknesse and to thyrst the lyfe tocome Now yf ye vse yt to optayne health therby and to abyde longer in thys synfull lyfe than do ye turne the vse of yt and compell Christ to daunse after youre mynstrelsy ye make a game of Christes passion and glorious death whose frute operation ye spurne from you sekynge therin to fulfyll youre sensualite Thynke ye it be not a greate foly and dyshonorynge of God that you wyll haue the passyon of Christ called vpon and remembred for you to optayne bodely health therby or prosperite Is it not a grosse blyndnesse and folyshnesse to requyre y e health of your synfull body of y e death of christ ye ought rather to consyder the slayenge of youre carnall appetite in thys present sufferynge through the crosse that now ye beare wyth Christ because y t through thys sufferynge and deynge wyllyngly ye maye lyue eternaly with christ Ye seke ease and longe lyfe in Christes crosse ye ought rather to seke pacient sufferynge and victory of death What dede is this that ye hyer prestes for golde or syluer to saye preuy masses for you
coulde not kepe y e ioye of y e worde loÌ„ger close in my hart But I caused al my housholde be called together and rehearsed before them all that I herde of Timothe insomuch thâ—â— they were stered therwyth thankynge God for hys workynge it in vs. After that caused I be burnt all my pardon letters my folyshe treatyses of deuotion my beedes with all y e reliques and goostly gyftes that freers and noÌ„nes sent me now one than another These caused I be burnt in the presence of al my housholde because that they whyche were offende by me in them shulde se the wytnesse of my fayth to theyr strenghtynge Ought I not to haue done so Tobias In that haue ye done accordynge to the gospell This was a trew shryft a trewe satisfaction for youre synnes I doubte not but ye haue receaued a trewe absolution of hym that only can forgeue synnes that is God Lazarus Now is my desyre of you good Toby that ye also wyll teache me some good thynge out of the holy scripture to despyse death and to receaue it wyllyngly by fayth For I haue receaued the sentence of death Fulfyll that which ye promysed my by Timothe and I wyll praye God entterly to geue me eares to heare which hytherto haue ben stopped w t the flesshe the whiche I feare not but he wyl do yt Tobias Seynge ye hunger so y e worde of God I wyll breake it vnto you in the name of God so farre forth as he shall sende me sprete vtterauÌ„ce Syt ye eassy ynough or shall I rayse you som what hygher â–ª y e ye maye syt aâ— more ease Lazarus No I praye you for I was shyrted euen now Begynne in the name of God must ye wyll Tobias The philosophers haue had diuerse opinions of death But in this the moost parte agreeth that death is a partynge of the body and soule In thys naturall departynge shall not we Christen men sixe oure philosophical eyen nor iudge w t a hethenishe iudgmeÌ„t in this behalf For as longe as we â—esouieâ— our selues with such consyderation of 〈…〉 sight of death trayeth vs so that we begâ—nne to hate death therby because 〈◊〉 taketh awaye the body which we loue and so causeth vs to hate death naturally Of which euell wil to y e natural death 〈…〉 lefe the cause which wyl 〈◊〉 that naturaly death semeth to take awaye as shal be more euident herafter 〈…〉 consydre the death in sucâ—â—igâ—â—◠〈…〉 it were a passage froÌ„ death to 〈…〉 consyderation or beholdyng 〈…〉 in vs and that we shaâ— not 〈◊〉 in death but shalbâ— rather 〈…〉 Euen as Christ sayeth 〈…〉 and trusteth in the 〈…〉 shall lyue For 〈…〉 is counted lyfe to the beleuynge but vnto the vngodly is it death euerlastynge By this is appeareth vnto euery ChristeÌ„ maÌ„ to be a lyenge word y t the Phylosophers do saye namely That death is y e moost horrible thynge of all horriblenesses The cause why they sayde so was that in their opinion by death man is depreued of the moost pleasaunt thinge for euermore which is not trewe For a Christen man hath no greater charge heuyer burthen nor more enmy than the body of synne as ye shall heare more herafter As suê‘stition hath houghly fashioned y e deuell to refrayn synninge eueÌ„ so hath yt figured death also fearful as y e rewarde of synne AccordiÌ„ge to y e desyre of y e lyfe to come iÌ„ vs is death acceptable vnto vs pleasauÌ„t Put awaye y e opinion of death froÌ„ your hart you shal not feare death The siknesses the febelnesses which be tedious for our fleshe to beare make y e fleshe euer weaker agaynst the assault of death they be not death But the figure of death that pearseth in to vs before death by reasons of vnbelefe that is the moost greueous and haynous death So that we cause death vnto oure selues as we cause other grefes also in our hartes The very sufferynge and departynge of the soule from the body is not in the poynte of death but that we by consyderynge of death we are drawen compelled to leaue the body that we set se great stoare by and thys causeth death to be so bytter Whâ—rby ye maye perceaue y t the death of synners is the worst moost bytter seynge they muâ—â— forgo the best beloued thinge that is the sels Now is the Chrysten fayth which we as chyldren of sayntes haue confessed in baptyme of such nature that it promyseth and sheweth a sure fayth of the lyfe euerlastynge through Chrystâ—â— death Which faith and hope 〈…〉 in vs all that we saâ— great pryce by 〈◊〉 kepte dylygently afore tyme leâ—t it myght be taken from vs by death This goodly ye well oure body that we made so great of are we wyllynge 〈…〉 to forgo by reason of yeâ—oue that we haue gotteÌ„ to y e heaueÌ„ly 〈…〉 hath swalowed vp all worldy thynges So that we do estyme it a great vauntage to be delyuered from this wreched body that caused vs to wander and be absent from God The sure waytinge for the glory tocome in vs despiseth ouercometh and refuseth all paynfull grefes wherof y e vnfaythful which feare death be astonyed and al the wayes possible they withstonde death Wherfore it is a trew sayenge he dyeth well that dyethyer he dye As much fayth as a Christen man hath of the lyfe tocome so much despiseth he this teÌ„poral death And agayn As much vnbeleue as a Christian hath towarde God and loue to hymselfe so much doth he feare flye bodely death Lo thys is the summe brefely touched of all that can be shewed you of dyenge By this shall ye also perceaue welynough that death is not to be feared in so much as she is rydde of hyr stynge and venym y t is swalowed vp in the victory of Christ which hath ouercome hym that had power of death that is the deuyll to y e health of all faythfull which shall optayne heauen accordynge to the abylite of theyr fayth Lazarus Alas brother ye haue geuen me so much atonce to eate that I can not swalowe it all ye must geue it me by peces as Tymothe hath done that I maye come to the playne vnderstondynge Tobyas That I may do it comely I must begynne where Timothe hath left I tolde you that he dyeth well which dyeth before he dye Thys fyrst dyenge is in the mortifyenge or slayenge of the olde Adam that is oure sensuall appetytes The sen sual appetytes that liue in you and must be slayen in you are loue of thy self lust to ydelnesse pryde and boastynge appetyte to vengeaunce prouokynge to anger inordinate loue to your wyfe chyldren and frendes desyre of bodely health wysshynge of temporall fortune loue of thyself and bodely or goostly worke In these thynges doth oure olde man couet to lyue longer and longer These desyres are mortyfyed and slayeÌ„ in vs by the spryte of God in the new byrth of the inwarde
man which resteth in God and is at once with God what that euer betydeth him wether it be in body in goodes in lyfe or death in frendes in name or fame Yee though hys body were grounde all to poulder yet wolde not he gaynsaye it nor departe from God therfore which causeth hym to assaye inwardly thorowe the spyrite of fayth howe swete and good the Lorde is To thys dyenge exhorteth vs scrypture To thys rest and Sabath draweth vs the spyrite of God So much as ye be crucyfyed in the aforesayed sensuall appetyte so much goostly increase gett you in the inwarde man which doth not shrenke for all that nor suffre the crosse to ouercome hym but aprocheth rather nearer pearsynge vnto death wherhy his trust is to gayne lyfe which fayth and hope shall not be gayn sayd as sayeth Paul in the .ii. to the Râ— â–ª Thys vnderstondynge or diuynyte that ye haue herde here is declared vnto you in the scryptures folowenge â–ª Namiy Go forth with Chryst Iesu youre brydegrmoe wythout the tentes of your sensualyte and beare the lowlynes of youre brydegrome with you in youre body vnto death For yf we dye with Chryst we shall also lyue wyth hym yf we suffre w t hym we shal raygne w t hym Ye thanke the father y t he by thys sufferynge hath made you apte to enyoie one parte wyth all sayntes that he hath redemed you from all power of darknesse and set you in the kyngdome of hys beloued sonne thorowe whose bloude we haue obtayned forgeuynge and redemption of synnes Seynge then ye â—e become a party membre of Chryst fulfyll therfore in you that which is wantynge of the passyons of Chryst that the power of God maye abyde in you Lazarus â–ª How shall I vnderstonde that hath not Chryste suffred ynough what 〈◊〉 I fulfyll that is lackynge in his passions seynge there is no parte of 〈…〉 â—ounde from the toppe of the 〈…〉 â—o the â—oâ—e of the 〈…〉 Yt is Paul that sayeth so namely that he dyd fulfyll in hys body that which was lackynge of Chrystes afflyction yee he durst saye also that he dyd beare the markes of Chryst in hys body Which be not the .v. woundes that Francis dreamed to haue receaued in hys handes and fete But they were the markes that he hadde receaued of the scourgynge weerynesse laboure and the crosse that he was fayne to beare paciently for the gospell In which pacience he was sayde to beare Chrystes passion and to receaue hys woundes for Chryst had fyrst boren such payne persecutioÌ„ markes and crosse In so much y t he was drawen out and emptyed w t sufferynge As sayeth Esaye liii Whan we loke vpon hym there shal be no fayrnesse we shall haue no lust vnto hym He shal be the moost symple and despysed of all which yet hath good experience of sorowes and infirmites We shall reken hym so symple and so vyle that we shall hyde oure faces from hym How be it of a treuth he onely taketh awaye oure infyrmyte beareth awaye oure payne So that he myght wel aske wether there were ony payne lyke vnto hys payn For he semed a worme and no man Seynge Chryst the head of y e whole congregation of Chrysten men toke vpon hym to suffre yt was nedefull than that he shulde ascende the hyghest degre to the which greate loue hath dryueÌ„ him that he shulde sanctifye hys congregation beynge pure and wasshed with the fountayne of water in the worde that he shulde gloryfye it hauynge no spot nor wrenkle nor ony such blemysshe but that it shuld be holy and wythout blame The head Chryst suffreth yet dayly in hys membres Thys passion shall he be fayne to suffre till the tyme that he shall haue cast all his enemies vnder his fete That is whan he shall delyuer vp hys kyngdome vnto his father .ii. Corin. xv Who soeuer therfore is crucified with Chryst that is who soeuer slayeth and kylleth his carnall appetites and persueth them hatefully as oure synnes be hatefully persued in Chryst vntill death he doth supple in his body that which is lackynge of Chrystes passyon For Chryst is sayde to suffre that which hys membres do suffre or shall suffre Euen as Chryst sayde to the commune persecutor of the ChrystiaÌ„s Saul Saul I am that Iesus whom thou persecutest How coulde he persecute Iesu which sat at the ryght hande of hys father saue onely in hys membres Lazarus I haue vnderstonde that very well now that it is a passyon which fyrst Christ as head and so all other trewe Chrysten men as membres haue suffered or shall suffer For whan the head is syke than mourne all the membres and whan the membres be dyseased the heade is not well nother Tobyas You haue vnderstonde me well wherfore let it be for you consolation that you be not forsaken alone but that Chryst hymself as head and all Chrystians as members are sufferynge with you In Chrystes communalty is no stryfe nor parcialyte but a communion or felowshyppe of al that is good or badde swete or sowre the one membre careth for another Whan the one suffreth al do suffre whan the one is glorifyed than be they all glorifyed So great a thynge is the communion of sayntes that we maye glory and reioyce the one in the goodnesse of the other as though they were oure owne By the glory of Chryst shall oure dishonesty be glorifyed And by his fulnes shal we be losed of our pouert his merytes shal put awaye oure mysdedes Who is he now y t is in paine y t wold not be mery seynge man beareth not his synnes or yf he beareth theÌ„ he bearetheÌ„ not alone for he hath Chryst hiÌ„self to helpe hiÌ„ so many chyldren of God Paul sayeth .i. Corinth x. One breade and one body are we many Thys all commeth vpon vs out of the spyrytuall maryage which God oure father hath made wyth hys onely beloued sonne and vs. For thereby are we made one wyth God as man and wyfe are twain in body and all other thynges are commune A chylde is borne vnto vs and a sonne is geueÌ„ vs Esaye .ix. Wherfore he is oure owne Christes victory is oure victory Christes rysynge is oure rysynge Morouer y t which we are we are not of our selues for we haue yeldeth to Christ oure fayth already Paul sayeth .i. Corin. vi Knowe ye not that your body is the temple of y e holy goost Whome you haue of God are not your owne For ye are dearly bought Prayse ye God therfore in your body and in your sprete which are Gods We be deliuered ouer in writinge vnto the lawe of God and hys promises and he is agayne delyuered in wrytinge vnto vs to saluation and welfare The bonde of matrymony must be knowen on both partyes orels is it of none effecte Thus is it resonable y t we beare Chryst in oure body euen as he beareth vs and maketh vs partakers of all hys goodes So that
meanynge the arke and the house of it But yf he saye thus I haue no pleasure in the beholde here am I let hym do with me as yt pleaseth hym Here was a mortifyed sprete which kept the trew Sabbath that is the euerlastynge restynge daye from this be ye farre wyde for all youre prayenge and flatterynge Lazarus What good can I optayne by this wrechednesse wherfore I shulde not desyre to be ryd of it Tymothâ—us It is styll the olde trade ye wyll not suffre but for auauntage ye wyll vse batterynge with God God wyll haue no marchauntes nor exchaungers in hys holy temple wherin he resteth as ye shall heare more herafter yf we reason larger As concerninge the good which we optayne by sufferinge we must vnderstonde that God hatheth synne in that he seÌ„deth mercy and loue to hys chyldren whych he doth chastyse Whan ye praye God than to take awaye thys chastenynge from you than be not ye content that he shall shewe thys hys ryghtwysnes in you and herein ye declare and vtter you to be a frende of synne and enemy to the ryghtuousnes of God Be not you very blynde and peruerse harted louynge theÌ„ that hate you and hatynge those that loue you To that inteÌ„t sendeth God payne anguysshe yee and death vnto vs that the body of synne and death shulde be roted out in sufferynge and slayenge of the olde Adam with all hys carnall concupiscences and desyres This worke wyll not ye to procede in you which notwithstondinge must be accomplysshed yf we wyll be acceptable before God Paule sayeth Knowe ye not that all we which are baptysed in to Christe Iesu are baptysed in to his death The chyldren of Israel myght not optayne the londe of promes excepte they fyrst hadde passed the reed see Euen so we also must come to the hyghe Ierusalem through passinge the reede see that is troubell and syknesse For this cause we must cleue to the faythfull wordes of God as the Israelytes dyd which beynge opprest before of the read see and behynde of Pharaos army so that death was at hande wither soeuer they turned theyr syght Wherfore Moses comforted them biddynge not to doubte in Gods behestes saynge Feare you not stond styll and beholde what a saluacion the Lorde shall shewe vpon you this daye Thus haue they wentured it vpoÌ„ Gods worde passed through the read see wythout blemysshe Be ye also a trew Israelyte goynge thorow thys sufferynge with a sure fayth and ye shal surely be delyuered of iâ— with a valiaunt power For he is faythfull that hath so promysed you Ceasse of your owne wyl and despyse not that which commeth of God Whan the waters of troubell sometyme be to greueous vpoÌ„ you so that thorow them ye begynne to waxe feble than praye the heauenly father to geue you your daylye breade strenghtynge you with hys holsome worde wherby your soule must be sustayned Lazarus But brother this payne endureth to longe for my thynketh it wyll neuer haue an ende It hath so his recourse Tymotheus Be not moued at that for Christ hymself dyd suffre before he came in to hys glory Is than a disciple greater than hys mayster is a seruaunt aboue hys Lorde Yf ther hadde bene another way to come to the trew glory and lyfe Christ wolde haue rather chosen it but now hath he fyrst trodden and chosen thys waye of sufferynge hymself that we shulde folow hym in yt Lo thys is to take vp the crosse of Christ and to folowe hym dayly to be mocked despised depressed lyke as he hath boren his crosse with all despysyng payne and reuylinge We be crucifyed with Christ whan we mortifye oure pleasures and affections which ought to be durynge oure lyfe Now yf we be equall wyth Chryst in sufferynge and dyenge whe shall also be equall wyth hym in reioycynge and rysinge to y e new lyfe Certifyed that oure olde man is crucifyed with hym to the intent the body of synne shulde be destroyed Yf we then be dead with Christ we beleue that we shall also lyue with hym Paul sayeth Roman vi For a grane of corne cast in to the grounde can not brynge forth frute huÌ„dreth folde without it be mortifyed fyrst and auoyded his harde huske euen so we also beynge here in earth must first dye and refuse the corrupcion of oure flesshe yf we wyll lyue with Christ and brynge forth frutes of lyfe For this cause is the lyfe of a Christian here in earth counted to be nothynge els nor is none other saue a continual crosse death and deynge as Paul doth specifie .ii. Cor. ix saynge That we which lyue are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe also of Iesus myght appeare in oure mortall flesshe for as longe as we lyue we are delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe of Chryst be declared in oure mortall body Dauyd also sayeth For thy sake we are kylled all the daye longe and are counted as shepe appoynted to be slayne Yf ye wyll saye thys trewly wyth Dauyd then must you be content with your punysshement yee vntyll the death as the shepe is which openeth not his mouth in y e slaghting I praye you how can ye desire God to take from you this payne yf ye beleue surely y t although your outwarde maÌ„ be corrupte and perysshe yet your inwarde man is renewed daye by day Paule sayeth that this troubell and sufferynge which lasteth but y e tuynklyng of an eye in comparyson of the glory for to come prepareth maruaylously for vs the eternall glory yf we haue not oure syght fyxed vpon y t which is visible but vpon that which is inuysyble and euerlastynge yee all that we can suffre here in this transytory worlde is not to be coÌ„pared vnto the glory which shal be declared in vs. By thys ye perceaue that all those which suffre w t a sure fayth ought also to reioyce in theyr troubell euen as Paule and other electes haue done Lazarus Me thynketh ye preasse the meteyarde harde on How can I reioyce in troubell which is nought but waylynge and yaylynge It is harde to laugh and to wepe Tymotheus I shall enfourme you of it with a grosse ensample ye lye here now sycke and dysseased ye wolde be fayne cured of some goode phisician now maketh he a drinck for you which is very bitter and mispleasaunt to receaue neuerthelesse thorow his informacion and promesse of health therby ye ouercome the bytternesse of it drynkynge yt with shoueringe chauÌ„gging of couÌ„tenauÌ„ce though y e tears ruÌ„ne down w t drynkiÌ„ge of yâ— yet endeuoure ye yourself to retayne a corage Were it not a folyshe felowe y t wolde be displeased w t the phisician because he doth minister so bitter drinke vnto him which he geueth you not for ony hatered or euell wyll y t you shulde fele the bitternesse of yt but that ye myght recouer Who wolde be so madde to desyre the phisician to auoyde the
the Chrystenly bryde may say My loue is myn and I am hys Lazarus That same is very comfortable that Christ hath accepted vs and geuen hym self vnto vs. Wherby we haue receaued hys lyfe for oure death his strength for oure weaknesse hys ryghtwysnesse for oure synnes But whan beare we Christ in oure body Tobias Where we be contrary to Christ and folowe not hys learnynge ensample and spirite ther do not we beare Christ Ther be we ryd of Christ ▪ Paul sayeth .ii. Cor. xiii Knowe ye not your selues that Iesus Christ is in you Except ye be castawayes Those than that through the spirite of God be obeyenge in all pacience redy to obey Gods cōmaundements in redringe and delyuerynge thēself to the wyll of God compelled and made lusty harted They maye saye w t Paul I lyue now not I but christ liueth in me Paul had also crucified hys fleshe with his cōcupiscences so that the worlde became hym a crosse and he a crosse vnto the worlde agayne He was sayde to beare Christ in his body for his body was dayly destroyed through the crosse lyke as the body of Christ was slayne by the crosse and sufferynge To such lyke mortifyenge exhorteth vs Paul Rom. xii sayenge I beseke you brethren by the mercyfulnesse of God that ye geue ouer your bodyes for a sacrifyce that is quyck holy and acceptable vnto God which is youre resonable seruynge of God Thys is an acceptable sacrifyce which is consumed of the brande of sufferynge which we do beare wyllingly with Chryst lyke a trew burnt offeringe For in the daye of trybulation we offer vnto God a trew sacryfyce of prayse that is the frute of oure lyppes in knoledgynge hys name That we as the payne of oure body cōmeth plentuous vpon vs knoledge the name of Chryst that is a token that we be Chrystes disciples guyded by hys sprete by the which he hath bene obedient to hys fathers wyll vnto the death of the crosse Orels shulde we be lyke them that beleue so longe as all thynges prosper but in tyme of temptacion than do they shrynke The spyryte of fayth teacheth and assureth vs that Chryst in oure sufferynge is oure comforte and in oure dyenge oure lyfe The sacrifyce of prayse shall worshyppe me sayeth the Lorde and there is the waye wheryn I shall shewe my saluation A dead and mortifyed harte is a sacrifyce very acceptable before God He that hath mortifyed hys naturall body here in earth he that is dead in hys harte ▪ he that beareth Chryst in hys body because he wyll go wyth Chryst wythout the tentes of hys harte wythout the gate bearynge the rebukes of hys sauyour wyth hym on hys shulder he shall not fear death he shall not estymed death hys enmy nor flye yt For she taketh not it which he wolde rather kepe but she geueth hym that which he wolde kepe wyth all hys harte The lyfe temporall is swete vnto the flesshe but oure lyfe y t we shall lede with Chryst is sweter Lazarus Treuth it is and therfore is death vnto vs passage to lyfe Wherfore we ought to praye hartely that he let not vs fall in such temptacion that myght ouercom vs but that he wyll delyuer in vs that euell daye from all euell that myght drawe vs from the fayth For it is the myghty worke of God to beleue that we be hys yee euen in the poynte of death the which as yet I do not fele in me For I fele yet another lawe in me which is contrary to the inspyracion of the holy goost I loke aboute for the flesshe pottes of Egypte whervpon I was wont to sytte Whan the fygure of death offereth it self from afore than do I searche wether I can not escape behynde out of thys wreched lyfe Seynge I am so bounde with synne I ought to be obedient at Gods callynge and wythout lokynge aboute departe but I beseme the wyfe of Loth. I can not leaue the lokynge aboute though my neke laye theron My wyfe the flesshe wherwith I am laden is yet very feble to withstonde such temptacion Alas brother I can not awaye with thys wyfe Tobyas Feare not good brother feare not for such totynge and lokynge backwarde such battayll and febelnesse dyd also Paul fele whan he beholdynge hys wrechednesse sayde in the .vii. to the Roma O wreched man that I am who shall delyuer me from the body of thys death It is necessary such assaultes come vpō vs. Victory commeth by fyghtynge agaynst synne and of victory commeth tryumphe but noman shal be crouned saue he that fyghte deuly Yf ye wyll triumphe with Chryst ouer synne death wythout battayl that can not be for such waye hath not Chryst shewed you Fight lyke a trew souldyer of Chryst That we feare death and shrenck at it is naturall weaknesse the cause Which is not damnable for she is not imputed to vs for sinne Yee Chryst hyemself hath taken such weaknesse vpon hym for vs whan he beganne to shouer to tremble and to be heuy for the death tocome sayēge My soule is heuy vntyll death Mat. xxvi Why dyd he so seynge he knew death coulde not hurt hym He knewe well he shulde se no corrupcion Why was he afrayed He knewe hys death shulde brynge lyfe vnto vs all and ouercome death why dyd not he rather reioyce in that death wherof shulde come so much goodnesse what shulde it greue hym than to dye wold he rather haue had delaie of it dyd not he wysshe vs such mercy and welfare seyng he semed to couet to be loose of this sufferynge Alas no that be farre But seynge he toke vpon hym bare man heade yt pleased hym to assaye the weaknesse of manhode because we shulde not faynte yf lyke temptacion arose agaynst vs Wherof no man lyuynge be he neuer so holy is fre For how sore the inwarde man is lyghtened of the spyryte yet doth the olde Adam the wyfe of Loth not forsake hyr kynde in fyghtynge and desyrynge agaynst the spyryte Which battayll and desyres we ouercome and haue ouercome by fayth that assureth vs to haue a trew bysshoppe by God the father namely Iesu Chryst which hath bene tempted in all poyntes that he myght knowe how to helpe them that be proued The Lorde is trew for he can proue and delyuer the good Christians out of temptations agayn Christ which knewe no synne is become synne for vs that we shulde be the iustyfycacion or ryghtwysnesse of God in hym Chryst hath damned synfulnesse of synne in hys flesshe Synne is dāned and put awaye in Chryst she can not damne vs she must be auaylynge vnto ryghtwesnesse so farre is she come Chryst iustyfyeth vs and who can blame vs Chryst dischargeth vs of all synne what deuell or what flesshe is it than that can laye ony synne or fault to vs The syknesses and weaknesses that ye haue after ye be Chrystened haue ye commune with al sayntes them shall ye fele other more or
lesse vntyl the body of death be whole and clene put awaye Be not moued at the small Babylonyans that is the worldly thoughtes or hys pleasures but knocke them agaynst the trew corner stone Chryst wherby ye shal be saued What do we loke for after thys lyfe What pleasaunt thynge perceaue ye in it that myght cause you to desyre a longe lyfe What is thys lyfe saue a contynuall battayll and crosse a deadly enemyte and continuall hatred What is it but a preson of synne For the euell that we hate that we do and the good that loue that we do not The grace and mercy through Iesu Chryst must delyuer vs orels shall we styck fast by the fete We haue here no abydynge cyte but seke and longe for another that is commynge For we know yf at the least we be beleuynge that yf the earthy dwellynge place of oure body be corrupte and destroyed we haue a buyldynge ordeyned of God an house not made with handes but euerlastynge in heauen ii Corinth v. That we now therfore sygh and grone lokynge about before we can be ryd of this body that is because we wolde faynese and couet to be clothed with the heauenly duellynge place wythout puttynge of and auoydynge of thys earthy cloth and dwellynge place We wolde fayne retayne thys fylthy sack because of the company that we haue had wyth it so that it which is mortall myght be swaloued vp of the lyfe immortall wythout assayeÌ„ge of death But that can not be Seynge it is ordened for man once for to dye And that we shulde leaue herein earth by partynge of the soule that which we haue receaued of the earth And well is vs that God seynge oure mysery hath pytyeth vs makynge our death safe through his death For he is become a death vnto death so that death hath no fearfulnesse in her saue onely hyr vysure to fray them that be chyldysshe in fayth and vnderstondynge But vnto the faythful and them that haue vnderstondynge is she depryued of hyr stynge and venyme Yf ye auoyde youre mynde of the grymnesse and vtter appearaunce of her than shall ye fynde no death more in her Go boldli to death breake open hys yawes loke what is in hym Yow shall fynde no lyfe no power or strength in hym to byte you Prouoke hym boldely to mete you in the fyghtynge place and he shall flye from you Defye death with all them that can holde wyth hym for they can not harme you they can not mynysshe one heer of you Saye hardely wyth the prophet Ose O death where is thy stynge O hell where is thy gloriation or reioycenge The death is swalowed vp in Christes victory And therfore is death called in scripture a slepynge more thaÌ„ death Of this haue you a goodly fygure The brasen serpent that Moses made Numeri xxi semed afarre of to haue ben a serpeÌ„t in dede but yf ye dyd aproche vnto yt than might ye perceaue welynough that it was a dead serpent and that it had no venym that it coulde nother byte nor stynge Euen so is it w t death outwarde it hath a fearfull visage but the power of it is take awaye by Christ For he hath ouercome him y t had power of death y e deuyll as ye shall heare more herafter Lazaarus Youre declaration that ye haue shewed here is very spirituall I beleue it be all as ye saye yee I am well pleased there with Yet do I perceaue that goodmen which haue such felynge and knoledge in themselues that is to wete that the death of Christ is death vnto y e natural death as well as the euell and bad do shrenke wrenche at y e poynt of death as though death had yet power vpoÌ„ them Tobias Treuth it is that the waye which bryngeth vs to lyfe is strayght the porte of death narowe Wherfore we caÌ„ not passe vnto death by sufferinge wtout strayghtnesse pearsynge but what is y t vnto the lyfe health The body must fulfyll hys naturall course it ought not nor can do otherwyse it caÌ„ but wrenche pinche shouer kyke Let y e asse beare y e trushe hardely it maketh no matter yet for all this wyl not we feare death Yf death can do nought more what awayleth much repinynge wrenchynge it is light to be ouercome thys wreÌ„chinge may be permitted him welinough al is for one euell houre Let y e fleshe ê‘ceaue in it self y e testameÌ„t of AdaÌ„ vnto y e last houre We haue nought now to walke in saue hope this hope abydiÌ„g of y e life tocome shal cause vs rightwel to ouercome y e sorow wo of death haystely to forget it It is but y t bytiÌ„ge of a fle y t hurteth not y e soul The death is better for vs thaÌ„ we can thynke she loseth vs of al misery she ioyneth vs to god sendeth vs forth to euerlastynge lyfe Let HeytheÌ„ and Turkes feare death which haue no fayth of the lyfe tocome But oure conuersacion and thoughtes are in heauen for from thence do we abyde our Lorde Iesu Christ which shall restore oure castawaye body agayne makynge it coÌ„formable vnto his glorifyed body Yf we hadde not this hope of the partynge of the body trustinge no lenger in Christ than durynge thys lyfe than ware we as sayeth Paul i. Corint xv the moost abiecte and refuse of al meÌ„ But now is Christ dead rysen agayne y t we shuld also ryse again in hiÌ„ in a new life Death is oure last enmy y t holdeth vs froÌ„ the lyfe thys must once be ouercome me in vs also Christ dyed for nought yf he hath not anulled the power lawe of death Christ is not rysen from death yf we must abyde in death Yf Christ be not rysen than is oure fayth vayne than abyde we damned in oure synnes than is scripture a lye than be the apostles also and y e prophetes false wytnesses of God That be farre For Christ dyed and is rysen agayne that he shulde haue dominion ouer quycke and dead Wherfore as we all dye in Adam so shal we be relyued agayne in Christ of which relyuyng agayne Christ hath made a profe in him selfe Therfore sayeth Paul If the sprete that hath raysed vp Chryst from the dead dwell in you thaÌ„ shal y e same sprete relyue youre mortall body by the spirite that dwelleth therin Lazarus Than wyll not I be moued though the fleshe do somtyme sygh and mone because of death and the fayntnesse of payne but wyll abyde alwaye the redemption tocome with a lyfted vp heade that is w t a mery spirite For yf I shulde consydre all thynges what els is in this valley of teares saue payne and anguishe synne and wyckednesse Tobias The poetes and Phylosophers estymed death to be a good thynge because yt is the ende of all wrechednesse and a rest of all euell Many Heythen haue beÌ„ lesse abassed for the death
to ouercome death to opē agayne the gates of lyfe Fynalbeholde how Chryst declareth hys lyfe in dyenge to stabylishe oure fayth that we shulde not doubte in the lyfe tocome no not in the myddes of death For Chryst hangynge on the crosse geuenge vp hys spryte vnto hys father testyfyenge with the bowenge downe of hys heade that he was euen dead he shewed yet some tokens of lyfe that were hyd in hym whan hys blessed syde was opened wherout cā runnynge water and bloude Wherfore doubt not in y e lyfe tocome for ye haue receaued a pledge of this lyfe by the loue of Chryst which is poured in you by the knoledge of God Chryst dyed and is crucifyed for oure weaknesse but he lyueth by the power of God We are also weake with hym and dye by reason of weaknesse but we shal lyue afterwarde with Chryst by y e same power of God Searche and proue yourselfe whether ye haue also thys hope fayth in the Lorde and in hys promises which shall geue you hys ryghtwesnesse for youre synnes and lyfe for death Lazarus Now as concernynge hell what shall I saye of it Yt is a commune saienge it we good dyenge yf man knewe where to become Thus must also come of a mysbeleuynge harte that we be thus abasshed for hell Tobyas Yt is sure so greate mysbeleue causeth vs to fear hell But knowe ye what is hell Hell is nothynge els saue feare and drede of death and a tremblinge against the iudgment and ryghtwysnesse of God The vngodly and damned can neuer escape thys death and hell for they haue no lust nor loue to God whom they beholde as a fearfull iudge and feare hys ryghtwysnesse He is sayde to be in hell that perceaueth wythin hymself how wycked and wreched he is wherby he is enfourmed and persuaded the fear of death and damnation So that the moost damnation and payne of hell is the despysynge and blasphemynge of God For so longe as we haue no lyuely wytnesse inwardly of the spryte of God that we be the chyldren of God so longe do we hate him and can not beholde his ryghtwysnes so doth oure haynous conscience of synne dryue vs. By these afore sayde wordes is it playne vnto you that the hell of the vnryghtwyse begynneth here in earth seynge the worme of theyr wicked consciencie dyeth not and the fyre of theyr wrath is not quenched Wherfore as the kyngdom of God is iustification peace rest and godly corage euen so is hel synne troubell and raygne In this hell was Caym whan he fled here earth no man persuynge hym In this hel also was Iudas y e traytour abode therin to his damnation Pether sayeth Act. ii that God hath raysed vp Chryst loosed the sorowes of death for so much as it was impossible that he shulde beholden of her that is Christ hath redemed vs and made vs sawe from all oure enmyes The deuell is a pussaunte Lorde and well weapened with all hys traynes erroures and fearfulnesses Math. xii But the sonne of God was a myghtyer Lorde which hath torne the powers of hell for all thynges were geuen hym in hys hande as Chryst sayeth Math. xxviii Vnto me is geuen all power in heauē in earth Yf al thinge be geuē vnto hym thā is also y e ouercōmynge of hell geuē him Christ descēded down to hel before hath troubled the kīgdō of y e deuel he hath also brought glad tydīges vnto thē y t were p̄soned ī hel The gates of hell cā not withstōd y e faith of Peter this was Paul sure of which caused hī to saye to y e Ro. viii I am sure the nother death nor lyfe nor angell nor rule nor power nor thynges present nor thynges tocome nor heyght nor depth nor ony other creature shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our lord Christ sayeth in y e boke of psalmes Lorde out of hell hast thou drawen my soule This redemynge delyuerynge of Christ is happened to oure profete For as Christ was a conquerer of al euē so shal we also be ouercomers winners through him for so much as we be in corporate in hym Before we were sundered but now are come neare by the bloude of Christ For he is become our peace he hath made vs cytesens with the sayntes of the housholde of God Seynge we are gathered in y e house of God we haue here altogether a kyngdō an heretage a victory and all saluation To this serueth the prayer of Christ which he made to the heauēly father Iohn xvii I praye not only for thē meanyng his apostles but also for them whiche shall beleue by theyr preachynge y t they all maye be one lyke vs thou father art in my and I in the that they also maye be one in vs. Thynke ye thys prayer is spoken for nought Thynke ye God the father hath not herde his beloued sonne in the houre of hys sufferynge A good father despyseth not the peticions of his chyldren Be of good cheare sayeth Christ I haue ouercome the worlde In Christ shal we conquere suenge that which is promysed vs in the prophet psal xc Thou shalt go vpon the lyon and adder the yonge lyon and draggō shalt thou treade vnder thy fete that is all power of the deuels and also hell Lazarus I trust I shall mynde and remēbre your exhortacions very well so farre as God doth not depriue me of my fyue wyttes Tobias Yf it come so farre that you be depryued of youre fyue wyttes by reason of the feruentnesse of youre siknesse be not moued therat Let God worke hys worke vntyl the ende Suffre God to accomplishe hys wil for he dyeth not euell that dyeth in God Yt is no force vnto the beleuynge wether he dye onwares or wares for they abyde the Lordes cōmynge alwaye which shal come sodenly vpon the mysbeleuynge as a thefe in the night How bitter is the remembraunce of death vnto him that hath ease and rest in hys substaunce and goodes Lazarus How happeneth it that it is comunely sayde lyfe is happy for so farre as I perceaue death is more happy Tobias The cōmune by worde is not to be vnderstonde of the bodely lyfe which we neuer can lede without synne but you must vnderstonde it of such a lyfe as we lede in God wherin we shall lyue for euer though we wandered in death Wherfore yf ye require a longe temporall lyfe of God than desyre you to synne longer to moue god to more wrath But that life which we lede in God by fayth wherby the ryghtwous lyueth that is happy Lazarus Now do I knowe nothyng in myne opynion that can kepe my back frō dyenge willīgly saue only my wyfe children which yet haue nede both of my helpe counsell Tobias Cōmitte your wyfe chyldren vnto the Lorde almyghty which hath geuē or lēt you vnto thē to care for
much as God is faythfull in his promyse aboue all other creatures This illusion of spretes doth God also rebuke by Esay y e prophet in y e .viii. chapter sayenge And therfore yf they saye vnto you Aske couÌ„cel at y e soythsayers witches charmers and coÌ„iurers then make theÌ„ this answere Is there a people ony where that axeth not councel at his God wether it be concerninge the dead or the lyuinge Yf ony maÌ„ want lyght let him loke vpon y e law the testimony wether they speake not after thys meanynge Therfore let vs not regarde dreames fantasies nor yet care for no spretes nor seke ony certifyenge of trewth through their apparitions for it is forbidden in scripture Let vs turne rather to the law and his wytnesse for in it is no deceate But alas for pytie infidelite is roted so depe in mens hartes by the reason of ignoraunce of Gods worde that they beleue rather the visions of Tundall the tales of legenda aurea or such fantasies dreames in dede than that whiche God will haue learned of vs as namely right wysnes and iudgment in crucifyenge of oure synfull apetites mercy in declaringe seruyce to oure poore neghbure In which two poyntes be coÌ„tayned the law and prophetes Lazarus Seynge I haue begonne to aske I will laye to you all that I reken may be obiected vnto me in this matter Tell me thaÌ„ good Timothe how chaunceth it y t many religious and holy men be canonisate for their myrakles and approbate to be sayntes Timothe The canonisation of sayntes which Popes Cardinals do vse is a slecht vngodly thynge wherin is manteyned greate deceate and couetousnes Trust not in y e canosation of men not in y e worthynesse holynesse or wysdome of those y t be canonisate for you shal be deceaued therin For the popes kyngdome whiche is grouÌ„ded in al welthynesse glory ryches and pussaunce caÌ„ geue no trew iudgmeÌ„t in godly thynges or concerninge Gods kyngdom But seynge it is an outwarde kyngdome whiich doth coÌ„sist in myters crosyers coapes albes crosses banners shauynge anoyntynge syngynge readynge ryngynge yanglynge yee in horses and moyles and other baggage yt can not be iudge but in outwarde thynges after whiche iudgement spirituall thiÌ„ges ought not to be iudged The discretion or iudgment betwene holy vnholy belongeth only to the sonne of God which doth iudge not after the syght of the eyen nor after the hearynge of y e ears but accordynge to the treuth thys treuth can not the worlde comprehende because she is ful of lyes and as Iohn sayeth y e treuth is not in the lye Thys is y e cause why Christ warneth vs to beware of the leuen of the Pharises that is for the hypocrysy dissemblinge and doctrine of the Pharises for they deceaue the symple hartes and seduce them with their lyenge which they do craftly vtter They seke not youre saluation in the canonisynge of sayntes nor the honour and hygh reputation of them for their sayntes be not one heare the holyer for yt nor we the nearer saluatioÌ„ seynge it belongeth only to God to saue But they seke in thys dede ether theyr owne auauntage or theyr carnal glory for by canonisynge they get much mony Nor there is none canonisate without it be procured by a singularite or parcialte yee a folyshe gloriation wether it be of one towne cyte or ony other coÌ„munaltye Yt is to be doubted there be some whose bodyes be canonisate and worshipped here in earth and theyr soules buryed in hell Sence the Pope hath vsed to make sayntes the saynte of all sayntes is set bakwarde for as it is sayde that a new brome swepeth clene euen so be the newe sayntes the beste in the opinion of the comune people Therfore maye Ieremy complayne ryghtwell vpon this sayenge in the .vi. chapter For amonge my people are founde wyked personnes that preuely laye sâ—ares and wayte for meÌ„ to take them and destroye them And lyke as a net is full of byrdes so are theyr houses ful of that which they haue gotten with falsede and deceate Herof coÌ„meth their great substaunce ryches herof are they fat and welthy are runne awaye fro me with shamfull blasphemyes it foloweth continently The prophetes teach falsly and the prestes folowe them my people hath pleasure therin What wyll come therof at the last Wyll ye nedes knowe wether there by ony sayntes canonisate I wyl shewe you Of Dauid sayeth the Lorde I haue founde a man accordynge to my harte Of Paul sayeth that he was a chosen and elect wessel Of Peter that he was blessed Of Simeon the old prest wytnesseth the holy goost that it was a iust man full of the feare of god playne one that abode the delyuerauÌ„ce of Israel Of SteueÌ„ that he was ful of grace and that he sawe Iesu stondynge at the ryght hande of God Lo in the canonisation of these and such lyke sayntes are not ye deceaued to the profe of y e se canonisatioÌ„s ye haue no nede of Popishe bulles ye rede of their myrakles sufficiently in y e boke of trewth Of theyr trewth beareth god hymself recorde In these saintes shal ye prayse the Lorde as sayeth y e prophet Prayse and thanke God in hys sayntes Lazarus If y e Popes matter be not better stayed by the scripture thaÌ„ I haue herde of you I maruayll that it coulde endure so longe Neuerthelesse yf some had herde you they wolde haue called youre reasons new learnynge that they folowe theyr fathers Timothe No vse or custome can derogate the worde of God els myght it be sayde Mahometes lawe hath ben so many hundreth yeares and approbate by so many learned men and of so many nacions I wyll rather abyde by that lawe than by thys newe learnynge Yf ye wyll continue by an erroure because it hath continued so longe than abyde by the originall synne which remaneth yet sence oure fyrst pareÌ„tes in euery one that coÌ„meth in to thys world If you wil nedes abyde w t the olde saye y e olde is best thaÌ„ shyft not your worne garmentes eat nought but stale and rotten egges what blynde answers do these blynde bytels brynge forth Beholde sayeth the Lorde Esaye lxv I shal make a new heauen and a newe earth And the prophet prayeth sayenge Make a clene hart o God and renew a right spirite within me Paul also sayeth Be ye renewed in y e sprete of youre mynde Wherfore wyll you be bounde thus to y t olde Do not ye knowe that ye must be borne agayne before ye shall come in the kyngdom of God The sonne must redeme you from the olde deuyll from his deceates from his olde death before ye be redemed in dede Euen as Christ sayde vnto the Pharises which gloried and reyoiced in their olde father Abraham after the fleshe Yf y e sonne delyuer you froÌ„ the thraldome of synne than be ye delyuered in dede Yt is no new learnynge whan ye
ye seke the kyngdome of God with marchaundyse which is spirituall inwarde and it coÌ„meth in vs without ony coÌ„uention or coÌ„tracte precediÌ„g yt Knowe ye not that y e byers and sellers are chased of God Or wyll ye haue christ to come vpon earth agayne to bringe lyfe to you by a newe waye and maner and not thorowe death the crosse We lyue dye in God what maketh it matter than wether ye lyue or dye in body The father hath geuen christ all power both in heauen earth than hath he also power ouer death hel and all deuels If ye seke ease another waye other thys or that more than of Christ which is a trew phisicion of oure soull than shall ye be lykened vnto the woman that hadde ben syke so longe and spent al hir substaunce in phisyke to optayne health and yet hadde no ease whiche she optayned moost surest in Christ It is a great plage and an horrible worke of Gods iudgmentes that he suffreth vs to walke thus blyndfylde in oure owne inuented wayes wherin we haue more coÌ„braunce of conscience than reste or yoie The cause no doubte is that we wyll not herken to Gods worde but stoppe oure eares whan we be admonisheth therof estimiÌ„g it as lyes Wherfore god sayeth psal lxxx My people wolde not heare my voyce and Israel wolde not obey my So I gaue them vp vnto their owne hartes lustes let theÌ„ folowe their ymaginatioÌ„s Lest we come to this let vs praye earnestly w t the prophet sayenge Ordene me wayes in thy presence my lord my god WhaÌ„ ye seke delyuerauÌ„ce release w t massâ—s pilgrimag than be not youre wayes redrest in Gods preseÌ„ce For these wayes hath not he shewed nor gone them hymselfe We repyne at hys wayes of the crosse of dyenge of huÌ„blynge we shoue them from vs wyth hande and fote Oure wayes be easy to go they please vs beste all were well yf we coulde optayne release therby ye though the deuyll shulde helpe to it Wherto is oure Christendome become Lazarus I haue hadde now a ful answer of al I am sory I am gone so farre wyde from God My pardon letters my reliquyes my folysshe treatises of meditation my beedes and all such superstitions wherein I haue hadde a false confydence wyll I cause to be brent wythout delaye in wytnesse that I counte it abominacion which hetherto I haue done wyth theÌ„ I yelde my self to my Lorde God In him wyll I lyue in hym wyll I dye he is the tower of my strength noman shal drawe me out of hys handes hensforth Oh Lorde remembre not the mysdedes of my youth and ignoraunce O Tymothe yf I were now whole yf I coulde go and stonde what lust shulde I haue to serue God how shulde I runne to them that lye bedryd there to dystrybute myn almes which now I can not do seynge I am Gods presoner Tymotheus Lo ye come forth agayne with youre sensualyte you begynne to dispute agayne with God you wyll checke hym in hys iudgment knoweth he not how you maye serue him best in siknes or health And yf he knewe it not shall ye teache it hym It is hys wyll at this tyme that ye serue hym wyth sufferynge mekely and that ye receaue both thys and other aduersyte that he shall sende you wythout grudgynge These be the purest and moost acceptable workes of all that can be done without oure addinge therunto For all that is added to this of men that is vncleane and synne Where we onely do suffre god workynge wythout hynderaunce there is the moost principall vertue and the beste worke For as it is written The obedience of the lawe and the wyll of God is better than al offerynges and to be at hys commaundement is better than to offer all fat sacryfyce Be therfore ydle stonde styll assaye and se how good the Lorde is Yf ye dyd consydre the botome of youre harte a lytel whyle you shuld perceaue what a false and wylye felowe were hydde there cloked you shulde fynde that in that ye saye yf I were whole I wolde serue God and my neghboure ye entende not the same but your owne loue which causeth you to wysh so for youre owne ease of this payne and that ye myght lyue somwhat longer It is now tyme to praye and not onely in y e tyme of health He y t nedeth is occasioned to praye The hypocrytes do praye wythout nede for they be full and satisfyed they be holy in theyr sight Ye praye dewly whan ye offre youre wyllynge sprete vnto God and are redy to beare all that he pleaseth to lade you wythall Thys doth also the worde deuotion sounde for Deuotion is a yeldynge or geuynge ouer of hymself to an other thynge Happy is he that hath a trew deuotion or yeldynge of hymself to God Such a man hath hys wyll alwaye for hys wyll is fulfylled in all that can retyde hym by the reason hys wyll is wholy yeldeth to God For y t cause is he euer so wel coÌ„tent he wolde not starte though he sawe the deuyll no though he must descende the hell He that hath such deuotion prayeth wythout ceassynge wether he wake slepe go stonde reste laboure although hys lyppes moue not though he knocke not his breste though he â—alye not w t God wyth hys fysry stykes which all is but an hypocrytisshe game It is great skyll to praye and to saye much To geue ouer the harte vnto God and to make much rummelynge wyth the mouth dyffer much Paul hadde leuer fyue wordes spokeÌ„ in y e vnderstoÌ„dinge thaÌ„ fyue thousande wordes spoken wyth the breth of the mouth God is a sprete and in sprete and treuth wyll he be worshypped The almes dedes that you wolde geue yf ye where whole doth not God esteme for theyr multitude but he regardeth the lust and wyll that ye haue to them A cuppe of colde water shall not God forgette not for cause of the water but for the good wyll of the geuer which perchaunce is of no greater abylite He that geueth one drawght of water vnto a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receaue the rewarde of a prophete And why For God regardeth the harte and mynde but man regardeth the outwarde worke Thys testyfyeth the wedowe in the gospell that caste onely cone farthynge in the Gods cheste which neuerthelesse hadde geuen more than they that gaue great summes Paul also sayeth Yf there be a wilâ—inge mynde it is accepted accordynge to that a man hath not accordynge to that he hath not The poorest creature liuinge male geue as much almes as the rychest Almes is a greke worde and signifyeth a mercyfulnesse or declaringe of a pytyful harte Can not thynke ye the poore haue a mercifull and compassionable harte towarde the that be in pouerte anguysshe though theyr power can not extende to declare it Yf theyr harte be thus moued to a lyuely compassion than haue they done almes
this do y e great ensaÌ„ples of mercy shewed to peter to mary magdalene to y e murtherer serue I wil leaue of dauid of paul many more Submitte your selues rendre you to god confessynge you to suffre worthely and iustly for your synnes that Christ died vniustly Beleue y t in y e despising of Christ is hidde y e godly glory in y e death is hidde y e kyngdoÌ„ of Christ which y e aforesayd murtherer did it shal be sayde vnto you To daye shall ye be w t me in paradise CoÌ„sidre your wyckednesse Christes goodnesse CoÌ„sidre y e damnacion that ye haue deserued and agayn the loue of Christ which hath recoÌ„cyled you by the father This doynge you shal heare w t Mary magdalene Many synnes are forgeueÌ„ you for ye loued many your faith made you safe Peter remeÌ„bred y e wordes of christ bi his lokyng vpoÌ„ hiÌ„ at y e coks croeÌ„g bewayled he his synnes The Lorde almyghty doth now beholde you with this presente syknes and by sendynge of death and perchaunce letteth the souÌ„de of the worde come in youre harte Knoledge your synnes knoledge the trew iudgment of God that he letteth passe vpon youre mysdedes in your sufferynge and he shall not forsake you in youre callynge and mournynge But shall appeare vnto you with a comfortable worde of hys resurreccion which shall make youre conscience lusty and to reioyce in hope of the lyfe to-come as he hath done with Peter Happy are they that wepe with Peter bearynge of very loue the yocke and power of synne in theyr bodyes with greueousnesse for they shal be conforted Thys is the promyse of God y t caÌ„ not lye vnto you nor yet wyll do Loke vpon thys trustynge to it you shall rightwell subdue youre enmy synne Lazarus O Lorde geue me thy godly grace that I maye beleue thy holsome worde by y e which my harte may be purifyed of all synfull desyres which are innumerable in me Tobyas Amen God graunte you thesame Lazarus Instructe me now farther good brother how I maye behaue myselfe in y e death tocome whan I begynne to mystrust wether death shall than wholy swalowe my vp Tobyas The nature of the mysbeleuynge is such that they can not beleue there be a rysynge agayne of the flesshe by reason thys bodely death semeth to consume a man wholy and all Wherfore they saye wyth mouth and harte as it is wrytten in the boke of wysedom The tyme of oure lyfe is but short and tedious and whan a maÌ„ is once gone he hath no more ioye nor pleasure nother know we ony man that turneth agayne from death for we are borne of naught and we shal be herafter as though we neuer had bene and so forth Ouer these men that be of such fayth commeth damnation worthely for as they lyue and their opinion is so doth it chaunce also vnto them The gospell is yet wholy hydde vnto them for the God of this worlde hath blynded theyr hartes so that the lyght of the gospell the glory of Christes rysynge can not shyne in theyr hartes Such men were they of AtheÌ„ that sayde of Paul that he was a declarer of new deuels Act. xvii whaÌ„ he declared them Iesu and shewed them of hys resurreccion Of lyke natural blyndnesse dyd it come that they of Athen axed at Paul sayenge Maye not we knowe what new doctryne this is that thou teachest For thou bryngest straunge tydynges in to oure eares We wolde knowe therfore what thys meaneth VpoÌ„ which questyon Paul made a goodly sermon coÌ„cernynge the fayth in Chryst and hys rysynge agayne The mystery of the resurreccioÌ„ of Chryst is the chefe and princypall poynt of our fayth For what shulde it haue had auayled vs that Chryst dyed and suffred for vs yf he hadde not bene rysen agayn This resurreccion of the flesshe that we also abyde in Chryst maye not be rekened a dreame because we se it not For yf we sawe it with oure eyen than were it no fayth for fayth is of thynges inuisible and not apparaunt Wherfore though all men seme to begynne the lyfe and fynishe it agayne in thys present worlde yet are we assured and beleue that we all shall ryse agayne from death in the daye of dome euen as Chryst is rysen first This assuraunce of trew fayth passeth all sureties that can be persuaded by ony sutelty of maÌ„s ymaginacion By this fayth Not by the outward opinion speake we of the resurreccion of flesshe euen as the prophet saieth Psal â–ª â—â—v I beleued and therfore haue I spoken Paul taketh vp this worde speake sayenge .ii. Corin iiii Seynge we haue the same sprite of faith accordinge as it is written I beleued and therfore haue I spoken we also beleue and therfore we speake for we knowe y t he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vs vp also by y e meanes of Iesus shall set vs with you it foloweth For y e thinges which are sene are temporall but the thynges which are not sene are eternall Wherfore al that we beleue of god all that we speake of the resurreccion the lyfe tocome semeth not to be so Euen as God hymself and hys honour worshyppe be also inuysyble and not appataunte to be trew vnto such carnall wysemen that haue not receaued the same spryte of the prophete and Paul By the afore sayed sprite of fayth speaketh Paul of the resurreccion saienge The body is sowen here in corrupcion and shall ryse in vncorrupcion Yt is sowen in dyshonoure and it shall ryse agayne in glory Yt is soweÌ„ in weaknesse and shal ryse in poure Yt is sowen a naturall body and shall ryse a spirituall body For flesshe bloude shall not possesse the kyngdom of God and that which is transytory can not possesse eternal heretage Thus must the grane of the flesshy body that is sowen here in eath fyrst dye in the grouÌ„d before it can brynge forth new frute into lyfe euerlastyng which lyfe we do abyde certaynly by fayth in the resurreccion of the flesshe though it appeare impossible vnto vs. For because Chryst is rysen therfore shall we ryse also and not abyde in death For God is no God of the dead but of the lyuenge Abraham Isaac and Iacob Lazarus I wyll graunte it ryght wel that we shal all ryse agayne at the daye of dome nor in that am not I tempted but I am more afrayed of the seconde and eternall death Instructe my agaynst that I pray you that I may perceaue that I feare and drede the seconde death by the reason of my great mysbelefe Tobias Wherto thynke ye the resurreccion of Chryst be stabylisshed with so many tokens and wonders but onely that we shulde stedfastly beleue therin To beleue in the resurreccion of Christ is to beleue that he raygneth and is a kynge and that in his rysynge death and synne be subdued vnto hym Death is the wages of synne Seinge than