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
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
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
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
knoleginge yt through the sprete of trueth we wayte for all ayde comforte and subsidie of oure heaueÌ„ly father in what so euer temtacion can assault vs. So that yt is sure token and specialte that we be in the fauoure of God yf we abyde stedfast in praysinge the name of God and reioyce inwardly whaÌ„ we be in troubel or anguishe though God seme to haue vtterly forsaken vs. Here lo must the Christen faith fyrst apeare The sauegarde quietnes of conscience which we haue inwardly in the myddes of troubell is a frute of the holy goost sustaynynge vs lest we fall into mysbeleue or blaspheminge of God y e which oure punishmeÌ„t myght cause ryghtwell Wherfore we nede not to shreÌ„ke or to drede our Lorde God whan he stryketh vs as a seruaunt doth feare auoyde his master For God nother caÌ„ be nor is a scourger or tyrant vnto his children It is oure dewty to reyoice in him and to prayse hym in al his godly workes knowenge that he is oure sauegarde in the daye of troubell Paul wrytinge to the Romanes in the .viii. chap. sayeth We haue not now receaued the sprete of bondage to feare ony more but we haue receaued the sprete of adoption wherby we call Abba deare father w t a lusty corage a sure faith For y e sprete of God which worketh such faith in vs geueth wytnesse vnto oure sprete that we be the children of God Seynge then we be the childreÌ„ of God oure mercyfull father hath such a delyte in vs as in his welbeloued children So y t where the moost feare and yeopardy is there is he moost nearest present It is surely the nature of a good father to be more ferueÌ„ter in loue towarde hys children where the moost nede is Now whan ye consydre this diligently with a hartyfull lust towarde God the father than maye you beleue and say truely that God is youre heaueÌ„ly father yf not you say your Pater noster faynedly as al other ypocrites do whose hart is farre from their mouth although ye sayde youre Pater noster a thousande tymes Lazarus Is this the sayenge of Pater noster thaÌ„ dyd I neuer saye yt dewly in all my lyfe I haue oft sayde the .xii. artikles of oure fayth after the prest in the pulpet But I coulde neuer heare so much concerninge the pyth of them as I haue done now Timothe Such hystoricall fayth as ye be taught in the pulpet haue y e deuels also for they beleue that God is almyghty that y e sonne of God is become man that he is crucified and rysen agayn but they beleue not that he is ordeyneth to their saluacion The deuell beleueth and trembleth but a Christen man beleueth and reioceth in it The fayth or knoleginge of the deuyls which they haue of God causeth them to feare and tremble but oure fayth causeth vs to reioyce and be gladde in God whom we knoledge euer to be oure father Lazarus If he be our father why sendeth he such greueous paynes to vs then Timothe You re aforesayde fayth must be tryed trough sufferynge syknesse and aduersite as yt is written That we shall not maruayll nether be moued that we be tryed trough the fyre of sufferynge for yt is done to proue vs. The lorde proueth al the electes after this maner that their fayth may be founde â—ore precious than the golde that is tried through the fyre And the ende of oure fayth whiche is not anulled is the health of our soul Wherfore as ye beleue that God is youre mercifull father euen so must ye beleue also and by fayth be assured that all that be tydeth you is hys fatherly wil and pleasure Thynke not that hys eyen be wythdrawen from vs for so greatly are we accepted before him that he sayeth Whoso toucheth you toucheth the very appell of myn eye Yee we be so earnestly and tenderly cared for and kepte of God oure heauenly father that there is not the least heâ—r of our heade but yt ys tolde no a sparowe doth not fall on the grouÌ„de without the consent of oure heauenly father How much lesse can thys syknesse come vpon you without the consent of the heauenly father which hath sanctified all troubell and sufferinges By the crosse and humblinge dyd yt please God to exalte and glorify his owne sonne He y t dyd take care thought for you before ye were borne shall lykwyse prouyde for you beynge here seynge he wolde you to be here Wherfore all those that suffre accordinge the wyll of God ought to coÌ„mitte the charge of their soules vnto the good creator of all creatures in whose handes we are as the claye is in the potters hande Praye therfore vnto the father with youre whole hart that his name maye be halowed in you lyke as it is halowed and glorified thorow y e death and depression of his sonne But as for oure name it is full of dishonesty shame daÌ„nacion Lazarus By the meaninge of youre wordes I perceaue yt not nedefull for me to desyre these paynes of myne to be auoyded and to be healed other in soule or body Timothe I coulde shewe you welinough that this praynge doth come nother of the sprete of God nor yet out of fayth but of proper loue which seketh rather hir owne ease and profite than the glory of God But I feare lest it wolde be to tedious for you also I reken ye can not wel suffre many more wordes Lazarus No hardly it shall not be tedious vnto me for euen now haue I a great desyre to it wherfore shewe me why I may not pray so Timothe A trew fayth wyll not cause you to praye so for it is certified alwaye of the good will of God what so euer doth chaunche All that is not of fayth is synne sayth Paule Searche the grounde of youre harte and ye shall perceaue that ye desyre to be healed for none other cause but only to be at ease Therfore seyng that through this wyked nature ye set more pryce by youre self than by God ye had leuer youre sensualyte and wyll were accomplysshed in optayning of health than that God in this syknesse shulde do in you and with you accordinge to hys pleasure Wherfore I praye you what els do ye but rebelle agaynst God correke him in his iudgmeÌ„t because he worketh not accordynge your ymaginacion Where is youre pater noster do not ye praye and saye Father thy wyll be fulfylled in earth as it is in heauen that is in the earthy bodye as it is in the soule which is an heauenly body How lytell doye rest hetherto in the workes of God Heare how fully the kyngly prophet Dauid was mortifyed entyerly and near in excesse of mynde vpon all y t which God wolde sende hym he beynge dryuen out of his kyngdome by his owne beloued sone Absalon dyd saye Yf I shal fynde grace before the Lorde he shall fetch me agayne and let my se it againe
meanynge the arke and the house of it But yf he saye thus I haue no pleasure in the beholde here am I let hym do with me as yt pleaseth hym Here was a mortifyed sprete which kept the trew Sabbath that is the euerlastynge restynge daye from this be ye farre wyde for all youre prayenge and flatterynge Lazarus What good can I optayne by this wrechednesse wherfore I shulde not desyre to be ryd of it Tymothâ—us It is styll the olde trade ye wyll not suffre but for auauntage ye wyll vse batterynge with God God wyll haue no marchauntes nor exchaungers in hys holy temple wherin he resteth as ye shall heare more herafter yf we reason larger As concerninge the good which we optayne by sufferinge we must vnderstonde that God hatheth synne in that he seÌ„deth mercy and loue to hys chyldren whych he doth chastyse Whan ye praye God than to take awaye thys chastenynge from you than be not ye content that he shall shewe thys hys ryghtwysnes in you and herein ye declare and vtter you to be a frende of synne and enemy to the ryghtuousnes of God Be not you very blynde and peruerse harted louynge theÌ„ that hate you and hatynge those that loue you To that inteÌ„t sendeth God payne anguysshe yee and death vnto vs that the body of synne and death shulde be roted out in sufferynge and slayenge of the olde Adam with all hys carnall concupiscences and desyres This worke wyll not ye to procede in you which notwithstondinge must be accomplysshed yf we wyll be acceptable before God Paule sayeth Knowe ye not that all we which are baptysed in to Christe Iesu are baptysed in to his death The chyldren of Israel myght not optayne the londe of promes excepte they fyrst hadde passed the reed see Euen so we also must come to the hyghe Ierusalem through passinge the reede see that is troubell and syknesse For this cause we must cleue to the faythfull wordes of God as the Israelytes dyd which beynge opprest before of the read see and behynde of Pharaos army so that death was at hande wither soeuer they turned theyr syght Wherfore Moses comforted them biddynge not to doubte in Gods behestes saynge Feare you not stond styll and beholde what a saluacion the Lorde shall shewe vpon you this daye Thus haue they wentured it vpoÌ„ Gods worde passed through the read see wythout blemysshe Be ye also a trew Israelyte goynge thorow thys sufferynge with a sure fayth and ye shal surely be delyuered of iâ— with a valiaunt power For he is faythfull that hath so promysed you Ceasse of your owne wyl and despyse not that which commeth of God Whan the waters of troubell sometyme be to greueous vpoÌ„ you so that thorow them ye begynne to waxe feble than praye the heauenly father to geue you your daylye breade strenghtynge you with hys holsome worde wherby your soule must be sustayned Lazarus But brother this payne endureth to longe for my thynketh it wyll neuer haue an ende It hath so his recourse Tymotheus Be not moued at that for Christ hymself dyd suffre before he came in to hys glory Is than a disciple greater than hys mayster is a seruaunt aboue hys Lorde Yf ther hadde bene another way to come to the trew glory and lyfe Christ wolde haue rather chosen it but now hath he fyrst trodden and chosen thys waye of sufferynge hymself that we shulde folow hym in yt Lo thys is to take vp the crosse of Christ and to folowe hym dayly to be mocked despised depressed lyke as he hath boren his crosse with all despysyng payne and reuylinge We be crucifyed with Christ whan we mortifye oure pleasures and affections which ought to be durynge oure lyfe Now yf we be equall wyth Chryst in sufferynge and dyenge whe shall also be equall wyth hym in reioycynge and rysinge to y e new lyfe Certifyed that oure olde man is crucifyed with hym to the intent the body of synne shulde be destroyed Yf we then be dead with Christ we beleue that we shall also lyue with hym Paul sayeth Roman vi For a grane of corne cast in to the grounde can not brynge forth frute huÌ„dreth folde without it be mortifyed fyrst and auoyded his harde huske euen so we also beynge here in earth must first dye and refuse the corrupcion of oure flesshe yf we wyll lyue with Christ and brynge forth frutes of lyfe For this cause is the lyfe of a Christian here in earth counted to be nothynge els nor is none other saue a continual crosse death and deynge as Paul doth specifie .ii. Cor. ix saynge That we which lyue are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe also of Iesus myght appeare in oure mortall flesshe for as longe as we lyue we are delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe of Chryst be declared in oure mortall body Dauyd also sayeth For thy sake we are kylled all the daye longe and are counted as shepe appoynted to be slayne Yf ye wyll saye thys trewly wyth Dauyd then must you be content with your punysshement yee vntyll the death as the shepe is which openeth not his mouth in y e slaghting I praye you how can ye desire God to take from you this payne yf ye beleue surely y t although your outwarde maÌ„ be corrupte and perysshe yet your inwarde man is renewed daye by day Paule sayeth that this troubell and sufferynge which lasteth but y e tuynklyng of an eye in comparyson of the glory for to come prepareth maruaylously for vs the eternall glory yf we haue not oure syght fyxed vpon y t which is visible but vpon that which is inuysyble and euerlastynge yee all that we can suffre here in this transytory worlde is not to be coÌ„pared vnto the glory which shal be declared in vs. By thys ye perceaue that all those which suffre w t a sure fayth ought also to reioyce in theyr troubell euen as Paule and other electes haue done Lazarus Me thynketh ye preasse the meteyarde harde on How can I reioyce in troubell which is nought but waylynge and yaylynge It is harde to laugh and to wepe Tymotheus I shall enfourme you of it with a grosse ensample ye lye here now sycke and dysseased ye wolde be fayne cured of some goode phisician now maketh he a drinck for you which is very bitter and mispleasaunt to receaue neuerthelesse thorow his informacion and promesse of health therby ye ouercome the bytternesse of it drynkynge yt with shoueringe chauÌ„gging of couÌ„tenauÌ„ce though y e tears ruÌ„ne down w t drynkiÌ„ge of yâ— yet endeuoure ye yourself to retayne a corage Were it not a folyshe felowe y t wolde be displeased w t the phisician because he doth minister so bitter drinke vnto him which he geueth you not for ony hatered or euell wyll y t you shulde fele the bitternesse of yt but that ye myght recouer Who wolde be so madde to desyre the phisician to auoyde the
there is scarce a vyllage of .viii. or .ix houses but there is ether one Idoll or other Wherto is Christendom come what do ye make of the blessed company of electes which be planted and gathered in y e loue of God with all faythfull and beleuynge which were pacient here in theyr troubel and haue receaued a louely sprete of God despysynge all honour prayse goodes worldly preemynence be they I saye now so vnpacient wykedly dysposed and couetous of honour that they must be appeased and reconcyled againe with gaddynge a pelgrymage with offerynge of candels or egges Is the saluation of sayntes become now a house of plages wherout all mysery floweth All the diseases wherof ye make you sondery patrons are naturall and were in the worlde before youre saintes were borne Oure mysbeleue and great infydelite is the cause that we haue fayned vs so many Idols Because we haue not knowne the onely eternal and trewe god but be enclyned to blynde ceremonies though we shulde worshippe a calfe ther with as the chyldren of Israel dyd therfore is it come to pas that we haue oure purpose in that we haue done worshippe vnto the calfskynne the popyshe bulles stickynge candels to it O Lorde loke vpon the afflyction and punyshment of the doughter Syon and haue pytie vpō the destruccion of Iosephs heretage Lazarus Frō hensforth wyll I set vp not one lytel candell to ony ymage what so euer it be I haue hetherto lyghted thre candels to saynte Anne euery tewsdaye and on the thyrsdaye haue I worshypped the holy sacrament with half a pounde of waxe but I am now so enfourmed of you that hensforth I wyll do it nomore but rather geue it to the poore and lyghten so the lyuynge temple of god wherin he dwelleth no doubte with hys mercy Is not that beste brother Tymothe Tymotheus Yee it is a thousande tymes better for Christes saynge is Loke what ye haue done vnto the least of mine that haue ye done vnto me He sayeth not what ye haue done vnto my picture or ymage or vnto the picture of my sayntes which I haue forbidden to make or to honoure Wherfore whan these sayntes spechmē come to persuade you to your olde superstition than answer you them Is it not a great blyndnesse of you to seke the sayntes in woode and stone contrary to the fyrst commaundement Is it not a great foly to lyght the Sonne at brode day with a candell The sayntes wyll say to this Lorde in thy lyght shall we beholde the lyght The lyght of the Godly vysage lyghteth the electes alwaye how wyl ye then lyghten them with your lyght that is made for the solace of darknesse Thynke ye they be in darknesse that are lyghtened of the sonne of ryghtwysnesse Yf ye wyll nedes set candels before them than geue them eyes also that they maye se them than maye ye optayne thākes of them els do ye but lese your laboure and cost Baruch also y e prophete doth greatly rebuke this vngodly honoure worshippe of ymages Now whan ye haue thus rebuked them of this Idolatry thā shew them where they ought to bestowe theyr candels offeringes other almes that they be acceptable vnto God Also yf they wyl go on pelgrimage thē shewe them a nearer way which they maye go with lesse cost say Seynge you be mynded to visyte the sayntes it is no nede to runne to Rome or to Ierusalē or to saynte Iannes in Spayne for that were losse both of expences and tyme. Seke Chryst in the graue of scrypture seke hym in the chamber of youre harte there shall ye be moost surest of hym Seke the sprete of Peter and Paul in theyr wrytynges and Epystles Seke Iames in his stronge fayth that he continued in vntyll hys death Morouer God is no bodely thynge and therfore wyll not he be worshipped with bodely thynges he is a sprete and regardeth no persone place candell or such good workes But his desyre is onely that we put awaye the wycked thoughtes from oure harte as namely mysbeleue despayre vnclennesse hate enuye couetousnesse and pryde For they that haue a clene harte from these and a lowely sprete shal se God and be called the children of God where as all these holynesse sekers shall remayne wythout For God which is a sprete wyll not be worshypped but in the sprete and treuth where as these hypocrytes seke hym in outchosen places in seuerall dayes with certayne oyntment boxes to declare theyr good intent towarde hym in bodely workes but they shall not touche hym for he is rysen and lyfted aboue all that is outwarde and in mans syght Lazarus I shall kepe well youre declarynge and as I can But I knowe what shall be theyr answere here vnto Timotheus What I praye you Lazarus Why than do they myracles more in one place than in another but onely that they wylbe worshypped and sought there Tymotheus To that shall ye answere where a sure fayth is there nede no tokens but onely the token of Ionas the prophet In the which token the lyfe and death of Christ and also the death and resurrecciō of euery Christen man is featly fygured For with Ionas and Christ must we descende in to the whal fyshe see of tribulacion and death before we can ryse agayne in to the lyfe euerlastynge Lyke as Ionas dyd not remayn in the see nor Christ in the graue but were relyued agayne euen so shall not God suffre vs to be ouercome with no grefe nor death but shall rayse vs out of this mysery vnto the resurreccion of lyfe Therfore ought we to voyde oure mynde of all myracles all patrons and beholde this token of Ionas onely settynge oure confydence vpō yt onely sayenge with the prophet Psal lxi My soule wayteth onely vpon God for of hym commeth my help He onely is my strength my saluation my defence so that I shall not greatly fall Lo to thys Ionas shall ye sende all these myrakel gasers as Christ hath sent thē awaye which of curiosyte desyred to se tokens from heauen As for the myracles which sayntes be sayde to shewe by theyr ymages they be but a mockage and gabbynge of the dyuell There can no myrakles be done of God agaynst hys holy worde Treuth it is that Moses hath comfyrmed the then commaundementes and lawe and hath made them autenticall with wonders and tokens It is treuth also that the Apostles after the passion and ascendynge of Chryst to heauen haue comfyrmed theyr wordes and preachynges with some myrakles in the name of Iesu for that name beynge despysed as a malefactor and condemned had great nede of these But these myracles of sayntes or ymages can not confyrme the worde of God nor they happen not to that intent but rather to a false Gods seruyce They cause nothynge els saue a decyuerynge of Gods worde Idolatry which beynge vsed and had in pryce amonge the Christians hath presoned theyr blyndnesse and mysbelefe For by the
ynough before God Al that ye geue wythout such a redynesse of harte is not counted for an almes before the Lorde Of this redynesse of harte which loue doth cause commeth outward geuynge of almes Whom I loue not vpon hym haue I no compassion nor I do no more succoure hym than though hys pouerte and grefe were not pertayninge to me Wherfore Paul sayeth though I gaue all my goodes to fede the poore and yet haue no loue it profyteth me nothynge Thus be they not externall almesses that make a man Christian But by geuynge almes he declareth hym to haue the loue of his neghboure and that he is a Christian Be content to be thus presoned in body acordinge the wyll of God â–ª praye to God in spirite geue almes visyte y e poore w t your hart seynge ye can not do it with the body and God shall so accepte it as though ye had done it w t y e dede For he regardeth the harte Lazarus Wold God I myght do it so well as I wolde fayne This flesshe is so slothfull I can not bringe it to the crosse dyenge which greueth me Oh where tarieth he that shal redeme me Oh whan I thynke thys how narowe is the gate how strayght is the passage vnto death Tymotheus Be not discoraged in this assault and battayll but rather coÌ„forte you w t the example of Christ sayenge I must be baptysed w t another baptyme but Oh how tedious am I before I can fulfyl it This tedious baptyme beginneth now to wor worke in you that you beynge clensed of your olde sinfulnes might become a new creature in god As y e bodely byrth of our mother in this worlde is paynful eueÌ„ so y e goynge of it out agayne vnto the lyfe euerlastyng is on easy But it is a coÌ„forte agayne y t like as a womaÌ„ by brynging a new creature in to this worlde is delyuered of hir burtheÌ„ payn eueÌ„ so are we deliuered of this body by death which is knitte w t sinne causeth vs alwaie to go astraie froÌ„ goe Morouer thiÌ„ke as it is in dede y t ye do not suffre this grefe alone but that the Lorde doth assist those that haue a contryte harte and theÌ„ that be of a lowly spyrite shall he release The inwarde man that is your sprete doth succure your sufferynge Heare what is contayned in the Psal xc Because he hath set hys loue vpon me I shall delyuer hym I shall defende hym for he hath knowen my name Whan he calleth vpoÌ„ me I shall heare hym Yee I am wyth hym in hys troubell wherout I wyll delyuer hym and brynge hym to honour Satle youre mynde God is faythful of hys promyses He shall not suffre you to be tempted aboue that ye maye beare God sendeth euery man temptacioÌ„ with measure and not aboue hys power Therfore sayeth the prophet Dauid you shall fede vs with the bread of teares and geue vs teares to drynke with measure Considre the sayenge of the prophet Esaye in hys â—iiii chapter A lytell wyle haue I forsaken the but wyth great mercyfulnes shall I take the vp vnto me Thys knowleged very well the prophet whan he sayde Accordynge to the multitude of my woundes haue the multitude of thy consolations bene yoyfull vnto my soule Whan ye be prayenge to the father fayth at your nede how can y e father geue hys sonne a stone and yf you desyred a fysshe how can he geue you a serpent Seynge he hath promysed to geue a good sprete vnto theÌ„ that requyre hym Luc. xi As the eyen of a handmayden be continualy fyxed vpon hyr maystres haÌ„de so let oures also be vpon the Lorde oure God vntyll he haue mercy vpoÌ„ vs Yt is sufficient that youre inwarde man coÌ„senteth vnto the lawe of God that it is good which correcketh you in your synnes and causeth you thus to syght Paul also myght not do y e good which he wolde but the euyll which he wolde not Lazarus Where sayeth Paul the same I praye you for I fele it in me Timotheus In the .vii. chapter to the Romanes Lazarus I wyll cause the same chapter be red to me at leasure I praye you shew my byen samples how some are become stronger in fayth by temptacion sufferynge syknesse and death and agayne some offended weaker for examples teache best Tymotheus I wyll do it gladly at your instaunce It was promysed vnto Abraham by God that in hys sede all kinreds of the worlde shulde be blessed y t he wolde multiplie hys sede as the starres of heauen Abraham lyke a father of the faythful hath accepted these promyses w t a sure faith trustynge it shulde so come to pas as God sayde though it was straunge because he was olde and his wyfe baren â–ª Now because Abraham beleued thys contrary to the hope of nature for who wyll loke for frute of a womaÌ„ of .xc. yeares in that hope of the trew promyses of God was he counted ryghtuous But wherfore is this wrytten of hym Not onely for Abraham but also for vs as sayeth Paul in the .iiii. to the Romanes For it shal be rekened vnto vs also for a iustyfycatyon yf we beleue in hym which raysed oure Lorde God Iesu Chryst which was betrayed for oure mysdedes and is raysed from the dead for oure iustyfycation Thys fayth was perfectly good before god but it must be proued and assayed for oure instruccion by the temptacion folowenge It is wrytten Genes xxii God hath tempted or proued Abraham sayenge Take thyne onely sonne Isaak whom thou louest and thou shalt 〈◊〉 hym vpon an hyll that I shall shewe thy Whan thys commaundement or temptacion was declared to hym he myght haue repyned and reasoned sayenge that God were not trew in hys promyse seynge he commaunded hym now to slaye that sede wherin he promysed hym that all the sedes of the worlde shuld be blessed But he dyd not so hys fayth remayned trew and sure in God wente on streght wyth a sure confydence vpon Gods worde to offre vp hys sonne and to fulfyll Gods commaundement theryn For he was sure that God wolde rather rayse hym vp a sonne agayne of the very sacrifice asshes than that he shuld be founde a lyar After thys maner also was Iobs fayth tried which had a wytnesse of God that he was a iust and symple man fearynge God Now whan thys goodman was stryken of Sathan in hys chyldren goodes and body he fell to the grounde and worshipped god sayenge Blessed be the name of god We haue receaued good of the hande of god why shulde not we than also receaue the euyll As it hath pleased god so is it happened hys name be blessed Lo folowe the pacience of thys man Iob in your sufferynge and ye shall not synne wyth youre mouth Morouer good Tobias was not moued at hys blyndnesse but abode stedfast in the feare of God all dayes of hys lyfe sayenge God be thaÌ„ked For he
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
we be clensed by the sheddynge of the bloude of christ we are also assured of death which els shulde haue folowed death Therfore all those that be yet mysbeleuynge sad and heuy harted and walke before God in bytternesse they be yet in synne And because they beleue not the resurreccion of Chryst therfore can not they reioyce in Chryst nor come to ony hope of the lyfe tocome Herken how royally the resurreccion of Chryst is set forth vnto vs in scripture Paul sayeth in the .x. chap. to the Romanes Yf thou knowlegest Iesu with thy mouth that he is the Lorde and beleuest in thyne harte that God hath raysed hym vp from the dead thou shalt be saued Yf ye dye in Chryst ye shall also ryse in him and lyue foreuer lyke as he now lyueth eternally For God hath begotten vs agayne vnto a lyuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Chryst from the dead .i. Petri. i. Whā that which is mortall in you shall haue put on all immortalyte by the departynge of death than shal death be swalowed vp in the victory For Chryst hath ouercome hym by his death which had the lordshyppe in this worlde by the disobedience of Adam as Chryst sayeth hymselfe The prynce of this worlde is come but in me hath he nought For so much than as Christ beynge y e trew sede of Eua hath destroyed and brused the serpentes heade that is death wherby the serpent raygned myghtely vpon all mankynde then maie ye now hardely triūphe inwardely sayeng Death where is the stynge o hel where is thy glory praysed be god which hath geuen vs victory by Iesu Christe Lyke as it was impossible that Christ not shulde please god in his ryghtwesnes euē so is it impossible we shulde not please God by fayth in Christ Thys confirmeth Christ sayenge The father loueth you for you loued me Of this misery of the resurreccion hyd lyfe coulde I brynge you forth manye scripturely reasons and ensamples but I fear lest it wyl be to tedious for you beynge syke Lazarus No brother fear not I loue so well to hear y e ensamples of scrypture whych teache vs how lyfe is hyd in death Tobias We haue many figures ensāples in y e scripture which teach and declare vnto vs that lyfe is fyrst declared in dyenge Whan the lorde God had fyrst created Adam our father he caused hym to slepe that out of the slepers syde he might make a lyuynge creature namly Heua to be a helpe vnto man Gene. ii the whiche also he dyd Lo how straunge seme the workes of God to be in oure ymagination Adam slepeth and is in the figure of death for slepe is very well compared vnto death and of him cōmeth the lyfe vnto Eua lykwyse also in oure dyenge appeareth oure lyfe fyrst wyth Christ Death of y e Christians is called in scripture a slepe or a peaceable rest Lazarus rested in the bosome of Abraham Steuen the fyrst martyr dyd slepe in the Lorde whan he was stoned Is it not cōfortable that the holy goost doth call oure dyenge here but a slepe or a rest Steuen dyd slepe in the Lorde that is he is departed hence with a suete rest and ease at the harte wherin he felt no paynfulnesse at the harte as a mā y t slepeth a naturall slepe slepeth without ony passion or felynge of y e same That death is not paynfull to the beleuenge cōmeth of Christes death The soul of a Christian beynge full of the lyuynge worde of God feleth not death nor regardeth it more than though she were paynted on the wall which appeared by the apostles y t wente meryly from the iudgmēt seates because they were founde worthy to suffre for the name of Iesu Act. v. Another ensample is this What tyme as God had cōmaūded Abraham to offre hys only sōne Isaac he wente thre dayes iourney vpō the word of God leauenge his owne vnderstondynge and wyt yeldynge himself wholy in the handes of God so that in y e meane season was Isaac dead and forgotten For Abraham was fully determyned to offre hys sonne vpon the hyll which he sawe afar of on the thyrde daye But finally whan Isaac was nearest vnto death and Abrahā drew the swearde to smyte hym thā was the sonne wholy in y e harte of hys father and fully delyuered vnto death Where Abraham now sawe the death of his sonne in lyftynge vp y e swearde there appeared vnto him the life of his sonne for the swearde was stayed by the angel of the which he was not ware dat it shulde happē After this ensāple also was Christ rekened dead of the whole worlde what tyme as he laye in the graue But on the thyrde daye he rose agayne shewenge hymselfe alyue This wyse shall it be wyth vs. Death semeth to take vs wholy and put vs out of mans remembraunce but thā shall fyrst oure lyfe appeare accordinge as Paul sayeth Youre lyfe is hyd wyth Christ in God Farthermore you rede that Moses was cōmaunded Nume xxi whan a greate multitude of the people was slayne with the venymous serpentes because of their murmuringe agaynste God to set vp a brasen serpent in a token that whose behelde it shulbe recouer and lyue whiche also chaunched What is the meanynge of thys Christ Iesu is signifyed by this brasen serpent which beynge lyfted from the earth and hāged vpō y e crosse as a treue tokē of forgeuenesse that whose beholdynge hym with the eyen of fayth and sure confidēce and hope to optayne health maye be healed and relyue agayne in the soule be he neuer so sore wounded and bytten with the venyme of synne Thys is yt that Christ also sayde Iohn iii. And lyke as Moses lyft vp the serpent in the wyldernesse euen so must the sonne of man be lyft vp that whosoeuer beleueth in him shulde not perishe but haue euerlastynge lyfe Take this figure to youre doctrine good brother You lye here bitten of the serpentes your synnes whiche haue kylled with bytynge oure forefathers with all their progeny For by the enuy and venym of the deuyll is death come in the whole worlde Wherfore beholde now your saueoure on y e crosse Beholde the lyō of the kynred of Iuda that hath ouercome all Beholde this serpent as a sure tokē of the good wil of God to you warde ye nede not to feare death for it geueth you lyfe Ionas the prophet was rekened for dead what tyme as he laye thre dayes in the whals belly dead drouned But afterwarde was he alyue againe shewed y e Niniuytes for he was sustaineth from death by god which relyued hym agayne By this Ionas is Chryst also fygured wytnessynge it hys owne selfe in the gospel to assure vs that we shall also ryse with him agayne yf we abyde stedfastly beleuynge vnto the ende What more assuraunce can ye haue of God than that he hath not spared hys owne sonne but hath geuen hym ouer vnto death for vs