e promyse of God came at the tyme appoynted ito this miserable world toke flesh of the moost glorious virginne Marye became lyke to vs in all thynges syn alone excepte preached vnto vs the wyll of his heauenly father wrought mi racles suffered dyed for oure synnes on the thyrd day rose agayne for our iustificacion Certayne day es after he ascended into Heauen where he nowe sytteth on y e ryghte hande of god the father almyghty beynge there not ydle for he incessauntly prayeth for vs beynge our mediatoure aduocate apeasynge dayly the fathers wrath purchasynge for vs all good thynges And at the latter daye he shall come ageÌ„ to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead both the faythfull vnfaythfull bothe the shepe the goates than shal he take vs both body and soule enunied togyther withe hym into eternall glory where we shall remayne wyth him for euermore If ony man desyrethe to knowe more of the benefites of god and of his vnmesurable kyndenes toward vs let hiÌ„ resorte vnto y e Pathwaye of prayer read where I entreate of thanckes gyuyng from the xlii Chap. vnto the xlix there shall he se this matter entreted of at large If we dyd consyder on this wise the inestimable benefites of god to ward vs vndoubtedly we woulde leaue our vnthanckefulnes saye wyth Dauid what shall I gyue agayne vnto the Lorde for all those thynges that he hathe gyuen me But let vs se what our Mynstrell entendeth to gyue agen vnto god that we maye followe hym and do so lykewyse ¶ The fourthe verse I wyll take the cuppe of healthe caull vpon the name of the Lorde ¶ The syxte strynge HEre Dauid expresseth two thiÌ„ ges y t he entendeth to do One is to take the cuppe of health The other to caull on the name of the LORDE These are two thynges wherin God very much delighteth Fyrst he sayth he wyll take y e cuppe of health wherby is vnderstand af fliccion trouble persecucion morti ficacion of olde Adam kyllynge of carnall affectes slayenge of fleshly lustes bearyng of the crosse and at the last death as it appeareth by y e wordes of Christ to the soÌ„nes of Ze bedeus Can ye drynke sayth he of the cuppe that I shall drynke Also to his father Let this cup departe from me wherby he vnderstandeth his passion death To recompense partely y e kyndenes of God Dauid sayth that he wyll mortifye the ra giÌ„g lustes of his owne flesh y t fyght agaynste the spirite neuer leaue vntyl he hath made y e body subiecte to the soule that in all poyntes it maye be obediente to the lawe and wyll of God For this is an hygh acceptable sacrifice to God as Dauid wytnesseth iÌ„ another place a sacrifice to God is a troubled spirite a contrite humble harte God wyl not despyse S. Paule also saythe I beseche you brothers by the tender mercyes of God that you gyue your bodies a sacrifice y t is quicke holy acceptable to God whiche is youre resonable seruynge of God And God himselfe sayth by y e Prophet vnto whome shal I looke but vnto the huÌ„ble broken in spirite vnto hym y t fearethe my wordes Agayne he confessethe here that he wyl not only mortify his carnal lustes that he maye be truely spirituall but he wyll also paciently suf fer what soeuer crosse that is trou ble persecucion and affliccion God layeth vpon hym yea thoughe it be very death His harte is nowe so en flamed w t the loue of God for the be nefites that he hathe shewed vnto hym that he recositeth not only all that he hath but also his very lyte to vile of to small a price to gyue agayn for the glory of God that he may at the least in some parte shew hymselfe thankefull vnto so bounteous geÌ„tle a Lord as S. Paule sayth The holy Ghost wytnessethe layth y â— bondes troubles abyde me in euery Citie But I care not for it neyther is my lyfe dere vnto me so that I may fynish my course with ioy the office that I haue re ceaued of the LORD Iesu to testify y â— gospel of y e grace of God For I am not only redy to be bound but also to dye for y e name of y e LORDE Iesu. It is not withoute a cause that he calleth affliccion trouble or per secucion the cuppe of helth or salua cion for it brigeth i dede helth sâ—…l uacioÌ„ to a true Christen man And though the crosse be bitter to y e flesh yet is it swete and healthfull to the spirite And y â— more y â— body be depres sed made low y â— more is y â— spirite ex alied made hygh as s. Paule saith though our outward maÌ„ be brokeÌ„ yet y â— iward is renewed day by day Agen we are not detters to y â— flesh y â— we should lyue after y â— flesh For yf ye lyue after the flesshe ye shal dye But yf ye mortifi y â— dedes of y e body in y â— spirite ye shall lyue For they that are lead with y â— spirite of god are the sonnes of GOD. Therfore sayth Christ If ony man wyl come after me let hym deny forsake hiÌ„ self take his crosse dayly follow me For by many tribulacioÌ„s must we enter into y â— kyngedome of god And all y â— wyll lyue godly in Christ Iesu muste suffer persecucion It was necessary sayth the scripture that Christ shoulde fyrst suffer and so ryse agayne enter into glorye But for asmuch as it is an hard thing for a maÌ„ of his owne streÌ„gth pacieÌ„tly to beare the Crosse and to suffer rebuke slaunder ignominy blasphemy euel reportes empresoÌ„meÌ„t losse of goodes yea percuauÌ„se very death for Gods truethe and y â— glory of his worde seyng y t though the spirite be redye yet the flesshe is weake therfore Dauid saythe He wyll call on the name of the Lorde Wherfore Uerely for streÌ„gth that he maye be able to beare the crosse y â— is layd vpon his backe y â— he swarue not whan persecucion coÌ„meth and so slaunder y â— trueth which so bolde ly he professed before For withoute the assistence of Goddes spirite no man is able to abyde in the tyme of persecucion semeth he neuer so valeaunt a souldiour at other tymes as we may se in y â— Apostles of Christ whiche before theyr master was in onye daunger promised that they woulde neuer forsake hi but sticke vnto hym euen vnto the very deth yet whan they came to the bronte wel was he that could ronne away fastest in so much that he which be fore craked moost shewed hiÌ„selfe boldest of al the other I meane Pe ter dyd not only fle away from his master but also shamefully
rytche man lyued all in plesure had al thinges according to his hartes desyre But beholde y â— ende He was cruell merciles vnpiteful to the poore Therfore wheÌ„ he dyed the Scripture sayth that he was caried downe ito hel where he was tormented wyth suche greuous flames of fyre intollerable burnynges that he desyred Abraham to send downe Lazarus vnto hym that he myght dyp the typpe of hys fynger in the water coole his tonge for he was greuously tor mented in that flame But AbrahaÌ„ sayd remember sonne that y u haste receaued thy pleasures in thy lyfe coÌ„trary wyse Lazarus receaued paynes and troubles Therfore is he nowe coÌ„forted and thou arte tor mented As for y â— poore man his lyfe was so wretched beggerly miserable y â— no man woulde scasely wonchesafe once to cast theyr eye to looke towarde hym he was such an abiecte so vile so reÌ„t so torne so Lazarlyke ful of greuous sores Only y e dog ges lycked his sores But beholde y e ende This poore man dyed was caried of the AuÌ„gels into AbrahaÌ„s bosome This Hystory declareth playnely howe precious the deathe of the Saynctes that is of the faythfull is in the syght of the Lord appeare theyr lyfe neuer so miserable before the deynty worldlynges Agayne howe vile detestable the death of the wicked is in Gods syght haue they speÌ„t theyr lyfe iÌ„ neuer so much ioye pleasure felicite were they recounted before the worlde neuer so blyssed happye fortunate and brought to the ground with neuer so great pompe and solemnite And here se we that to be true whiche is written Wo be to you rytche men which haue yourâ—… consolacion Wo be to you that are fylled for ye shall honger Wo be to you that laughe nowe for ye shall lament and wepe Wo be to you whan all menne shall prayse you for accordynge to these thynges dyd theyr fathers to the false Prophetes But blyssed are ye that honger now for ye shall be fylled Blyssed are ye y â— wepe now for ye shall laugh The deynte worldeliges receaue payne after this life but the faythful in y e Lorde which be oppressed w t miserye troubled for Gods trueth shall receaue ioye glory So that as Dauid sayth Precious in the syght of the Lorde is the death of his Sayntes Hereto agreeth the sayenge of S. IohnÌ„ in his reuelacion Blyssed are the dead whiche dye in the Lorde The death of Saynctes muste nedes be precious in the syght of the Lorde they which dye in the Lorde must nedes be blyssed seyng that bothe y â— glory of God is sette forth by theyr death the Saynctes them selues set in a perpetual ioye euerlastig quietnes without ony more care or trouble For after y t they haue offered vp this theyr lyfe vnto god the soules of the righteous are streight wayes in the hand of God and the payne of deth shall not towche theÌ„ In the syght of the vnwyse they ap peare to dye theyr ende is taken for very destruccion The waye of y â— righteous is iudged to be vtter destruccion but they are in reste And thogh they suffer payne before meÌ„ yet is theyr hope full of immortalite They are ponysshed but in fewe thynges neuertheles in many thin ges shall they be wel rewarded For God proueth them lyndeth them mete for himselfe yea as golde in y e fornace doth he trye them receaueth them as a burnte offerynge whan the tyme commeth they shall be looked vpon They ryghteous shall shyne as the sparkes that run thorowe the rede bushe They shall iudge the nacions and haue dominion ouer the people theyr Lord shall reygne for euer They y t putte theyr trust in him shal vnderstand the trueth suche as be faythefull wyll agre vnto hym in loue for his chosen shall haue gyftes and peace But the vngodly shall be punyshed accordyng to theyr owne imaginacions for they haue despised y e righ teous and forsaken the Lorde Moreouer the ryghteous shall stonde in great stedfastnes agaynst suche as haue dealte extremely w t them taken away theyr labours Whan they se it they shall be vexed with horrible feare shall wonder at the hastines of theyr soden helth gronyng for very distresse of mynd shall saye within them selues hauyng inward sorowe mournyng for very anguyshe of mynde These are they whome we sometyme had in derision iested vpon We fooles thought theyr lyues very madnes theyr end to be w tout honour But â—…o how they are couÌ„ted amoÌ„g the chyldren of God theyr porcioÌ„ is amonge the Sayntes Therfore haue we erred froÌ„ y â— way of trueth The lyghte of ryghteousnes hathe not shyned vnto vs the sonne of vnderstondynge rose not vpon vs. we haue weryed our selues iÌ„ y e way of wickednes destruccioÌ„ Tedious wayes haue we gone but as for the waye of y e Lorde we haue not knowen it What good hath our pryde done vnto vs or what profyt hath the pompe of rytches brought vs All these thynges are passed awaye as a shadowe c. These and suche other wordes shall they that haue synned speake in hell But y e ryghteoê° shall lyue for euermore Theyr reward also is w t y e Lord theyr re membraunce with the hyghest Therfore shall they receaue a glori ous kyngedome and a beautyfull crowne of the Lordes hand For w t his ryght hande shall he couer theÌ„ withe his owne arme shall he de fende them c. Thus se we how dere precious in the syght of the Lorde the death of his Saynctesis S. Paule hauyng experience of this thing wheÌ„ he was yet alyue sayd on this man ner I desyre to be dissolued losoned oute of this mortall bodye to be with Christ. Also kynge Dauid Wo is me that I tary iÌ„ this world so longe Therfore howe so euer the wycked worldlynges recount the death of the Sayntes whyther it chaun ceth to theÌ„ by famyn hoÌ„ger swerde water fyre halter or ony otherwise vndoubtedlye it is precious in the sight of the Lord appeare it before the world of neuer so great ignomi ny reproche infamy shame and re buke Happy therfore is he that dy eth this death how so euer it chauÌ„seth vnto hym Blyssed is y e Crosse which bryngeth this glory But let vs se how it commeth to passe that the deth of Sayntes is so precious in the syght of the Lorde It followeth ¶ The syxte verse O Lord I am thy seruaÌ„t yea thy seruaunt iÌ„ dede the son of thy handmayde thou hast broken my bon des ¶ The nynte strynge BEcause no man be he neuer so holy good and perfecte should thyncke that thorowe his owne holynes goodnes perfeccion he had deserued that his deathe shoulde be dere precious and of great valour in
saye god hath done moch for me he hath bro ken my bondes he hathe delyuered me oute of captiuite set me agen at liberte therfore wyll I be his ser uauÌ„t yea that not faynâ—…dly but his seruauut in dede doynge what so euer he commaundethe me yea though it shoulde coste me my lyfe So it becometh vs not only to pro fesse our selues to be the seruauÌ„tes of God and christen men by mouth but also to expresse it in verye dede seyng that not the hearers but the doers of the law shall be iustified be fore God O LORDE GOD be mercyfull to vs howe many be ther nowe a dayes that caull themselues y e ser uauntes of God gospellers yet are nothynge lesse in theyr dedes They crake moch of fayth but they brynge not forth y â— fruytes of fayth They talke moch of the gospel but they lyue no part of y e gospel They reade the holy scriptures but they fashon theyr lyues nothyng theraf ter They call Christ theyr sauiour yet walke they nothynge worthye his kyndenes They thynke theÌ„ selues the sonnes of lyghte but they exercise the workes of darknes Oh that they were Goddes seruauÌ„tes in dede feruent gospellers earneste practisers of fayth true followers of the holy Scriptures to coÌ„clude both louers and lyuers of Christes gospell than wel were it with Chri stes chyrch But alas theyr lyuing is so dissolute theyr manners so wycked and vngodly that we may well saye as S. Paule wrytethe They professe that they know god but they deny hi wyth theyr actes seynge they are abhominable disobedient and vnapte to al good wor kes Moreouer Dauid callethe hym selfe here not only the true fayth full seruaunte of God but also the sonne of Gods handmayd Who is this handmayd of God Uerely the vniuersall congregacion of Christ whiche from the begynnyng of the worlde hathe serued God beleued in hym whose sonne euery one is y t beleueth in God For he is begotteÌ„ of God the sonne of god by fayth to that congregacion whose member he is made that congregacion by preachynge begetteth hym to God that beleueth the word of god So that as the congregacion is a mother by begettynge and wynnyng other to the fayth so is he that beleueth is begotteÌ„ vnto the fayth the sonne of the congregacion as s. Paule wryteth to the Galathians My lytle chyldren of whome I tra uayle in byrth agayne or w t whom I am agayne wythe chylde vntyll Christe be fasshyoned in you Also to the Corinthians althoghe ye haue many masters iÌ„ Christ yet haue ye not many fathers For I begat you in Christ Iesu by the gos pell He also writyng to Timothe calleth hym his natural sonne in 〈◊〉 fayth Agayne Syon signifyeng y â— Church of Christ sayth by the Pro phet who hath begotteÌ„ me these Al so iÌ„ another place the desolate hath mo chyldren than y â— maryed wyfe Thus se we that we must both be the true seruauntes of God and also the sonnes of the handmayd of god Christes chyrche yf we wyl en ioye the benefites that ly bent out in Christ. And verely it is not with out a cause required of vs not only that we shoulde be the faythful seruauntes of god but also the sonnes of his handemayd For many in tymes past nether want ther at this daye haue bosted valeauntly that they were the seruauntes of God yea woulde seme of a feruent zele to dye for the glory of god yet in as muche as they were not the sonnes also of gods handmayde they were not the seruauntes of god in dede but dissemblers Hypocrites Of this sorte were all the olde Heretikes Scismatikes false ChristiaÌ„s in tymes past which sowed dissensi on in Christes chyrche and deuided them selues from the holy catholike chyrche whiche is the fellowshyp of sayntes by teachyng straunge doctrine mayntenynge erroneous opinions coÌ„trary to the doctrine of the holy scripture the teachynge of the true godly fathers Of this sorte also at this tyme are the Anâ—… baptistes SacrameÌ„taries other Phanaticall frentyke Spirites which haue vayne visions inueÌ„ted of theyr owne braynes sowe cockel among the good wheat in the Lordes felde brynge in straunge sectes inuente newe opinions make disseÌ„cion in Christes churche allure meÌ„ from the olde true christen fayth corrupte the scriptures teache doctrine contrary to the vayne of god des word trouble the coÌ„mon weale of Christendome c. All these in as much as they haue deuided cutte of them selues from the chyrche of Christ which is the hand mayde of god pertayne not vnto god nether haue they any parte of gods mercy though they boste crake neuer so much that they be the seruauntes of god yea though they gyue theyr bodies to be plucked asunder wyth wild horses for y e glory of god For w t out the chyrche of Christ ther is no health nor saluacioÌ„ but altogyther death damnacion But I woulde haue men wyse in knowynge thys chyrche of Christe vnlesse they erre mayntayne an whore in steade of a spouse an vnchast harlotte for a true wyfe a fylthy strompette for a faythfull yokefellow a disobedient Synagoge for a christen congregacion We haue in tymes past taken the Bysshop of Rome hys paynted carnall Idolles I would haue sayd his sayncted Cardinalles Pa triarches Legates Archbysshops Bysshops Prestes Monckes Fryars Chanons Heremites Anacho rites other of the spiritualte as they call theÌ„ only to be the chyrche haue thought that by no meanes we myght departe from them and theyr doctrine excepte they would be daÌ„ned in what so euer case they stode were they on Goddes syde or contrary taught they accordynge to gods worde or otherwyse For once to hyske agenst them was coâ—… ted to cut the cote of Christe y â— had neuer a seme to subuert and tople downe the chayre of Peter Paul the chefe Apostles to defyle to tear to tread vnder fote the authorite of the chyrche Christes spouse yea to make shorte tale to caull oute of hel the heresies that were buried and layd to slepe By this meanes haue they theise many hundred yeares not only seduced the simple and vnlerned peo ple butte also falselye vsurpedde the name of the Chyrche callynge them selues the mother holye chur che beynge so rather in name thaÌ„ in very dede If they were faith full dyd continewe in y e doctrine of the holy Scripture so were they members of this chyrche of Christ yf contrarywyse than pertayned they not vnto this holy catholyke chyrche but were corrupt rotten members hâ—…ynge nothyng lesse theÌ„ pertakers of this helth and saluacion that is in this moost pure vndefyled chyrche This chyrche of Christ whome Dauid calleth here the handmayd of the LORDE is the vniuersall congregacion of the faythfull whiche w t a