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
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
carnall desyres nor to the seruyce of oure brother But shal I tell you what you ought to haue done Timothe I praye you what Tobias You shulde haue strenghted the deuocioÌ„ of oure vicar with a groat so might you haue optayned him best Timothe It is sure so And that appeared wel last daye by the aldermannes wedowe wheare as it was no nede to bid hym come whan she laye syke for wyth her was he dayly yee vnbydden waytinge for the soull as a carmeraunte doth for the carien and all was to optayne somwhat by testament Be these feders be these pastores Tobias No but rather wolues wherof Ezechiel speketh saynge They haue eateÌ„ the mylke of their floke and with the woll they be clothed but they kepe them not from the wolues My thynketh they be dissemblynge Hypocrites and paynted graues which wyth longe bablinge or seruyce saynge deuoure wedows housen wherfore they shall receaue the greater damnation I thynke also these be the falfe prophetes semynge outwardly shepe But inwardly they be rauenous wolues Timothe Yf these prestes and as they call theÌ„felf religiousmen knewe what a christen dedeyt is to comfort the sorowfull to visite the syke to helpe the poore They shuld preferre the helpynge of them before all other workes For God shall esteme yt which is done to y e least of his as tough it were done to hymselfe But prestes do not regarde yt for they saye they haue ben longe ynough wyth the syke whan they haue ministred the sacramentes Tobias Yf they yett ministred the supper of oure Lorde to the syke dewly teachynge the Christians what Christ hath optayned for vs than myght the pacient geue thankes to God of the victory wherin he hath ouercome death to the beleuynge For that is the saynge of Christ whaÌ„ he sayth As oft as ye do ytt ye shall do ytt in the remembraunce of me which is acordynge to Pauls saynge Whan the death of oure Lorde is shewed But alas they do nought now but onely rehearse y e xii artikles of the fayth sleghtly to the syke And so mynister the sacrament wythout farther instruccioÌ„ of yt thynkynge all thynges to be very well dispached I praye God they haue not of tymes more mynde on the yewel which lyeth perchaunce in the syght than on the necessite of the poore Or that they mynde not more a good testament Tobyas They must be very blynde seynge they make lesse conscience of leauynge the breade of the poore that is Gods worke onbroken than of leauynge theyr masse matins and other seruyce onsayâ—â—e seynge it is hongred so soore for The ChristeÌ„man which is the lyuinge tempel of God must stonde by and abyde tyll the prest hath dispached his matyns or vysited the dead mens graues hath he neuer so great nede Yf Christ had the yongeman which wolde be his disciple to luffre the dead bury the dead and y t he shulde not leaue Goddes worde ondeclared for burieng what shal he saye theÌ„ thinke yow to them which excuse them selfs with theyr rummelynge and mummelynge of matyns euensonge and such lyke popyshenesse that they visyte not the syke or shewe the kyngdome of God where troubell and anguyshe is Tobyas Yt hath not auayleth the yonge man surely that he wolde haue buried y t dead much lesse shal it auayle theÌ„ y t be marked with the beastes marke to leaue theyr neghboure onserued and onregarded Yee Chryst hymself and that with the dedes of charyte which must be preferred before all the works of the lawe and promes acordynge as Chryst sayth that he is Lorde of the Sabbath We also shal be iudged after the declarynge of the dedes of charyte towarde oure neghboure Tymotheus Yt is well sayde surely and accordynge to the gospel Christ also rebuked the scribes iustly for theyr opinion of ceremonies commaundynge them to go and learne what that saynge of God is I wyll mercy and not sacrifyce Tobyas How vnderstonde you that saynge will God haue no sacrifice then which he him self commaunded so earnestly to de obserued here semeth Christ to be contrary to the wyll of hys father Tymotheus I wyll tel yow All sacryfices and burnt offerynges of the lawe were ordeyned and institute vnto the Iewes for none other intent saue onely for theyr sygnifycacions They dyd sygnifie the trew offerynge of Christ to come which out of very pury heate of loue dyd offer hymself vnto death by sheddynge of hys owne bloude for vs poore synners and thus is he become oure trewe and euerlastinge prest Seynge then we haue Christ al other offerynges ceasse and now we are come to the lyght all other shadowes vanishe For Christ is the ende and fulfillinge of the lawe wherfore we nede nomor the lawe with hyr ceremonies and ryghtwesnes as a teacher leadynge vs to Christ yee he onely commeth to the father which hath herd him and is taught of hym For so much then as the Pharises dyd regarde and had confydence more in sacrifyces and workes of y e lawe than they hadde respecte to hym y t was sygnyfyed therby whose dedes of charite also they counted lesse then the ryghtwysnes of the lawe therfore warneth Christ them to learne that God wyll haue mercy and no sacrifyce which he dyd lothe as Esay doth clearly expresse Tobyas You haue declared that very well But what saye ye to this worde of Christ These ought to haue bene done and not leaue the other vndone for oure prestes and lawers vnderstonde hereby that they may rather leaue the workes of mercy vndone than to leaue their mattens pattens masses diriges and such other muÌ„blinges vnsayde Tymotheus With this saynge rebuked Christ the Scribes and Pharises which at that tyme estymed theyr sacryfices feastes tythes and offeringes as hygly as oure Papistes counte masses saynge of seruice worshippinge of sayntes for the moost acceptable workes The tythes were lymited vnto the prestes of the olde lawe and graunted of God in the lawe but seynge they sought theyr deuty so narowly not wyllynge to transgresse the lawe in the same tythinge of mynt comin and anyse they declared theyr couetousnes and fayned loue of the lawe For in that parte of the lawe wherin theyr auauntage dyd consiste they wolde haue no breache but in other chefe pointes of the lawe namely where they were commanÌ„ded by the lawe to offer them selues to the seruyce of theyr neghboure they were as negligent as though it had not pertayned to them Therfore sayeth Chryst Wo vnto yow Scrybes and Pharises ye ypocrytes which tyth mynte anyse and comyn and leaue the wayghtyer matters of the law behynde namely iudgment mercy and fayth These ought to haue bene done and not to leaue the other behynde that is So longe as the lawe hath her course as yet she hath so longe ye maye receaue your dewty of y e tythes yee of anyse mynte and comyn but the dedes of fayth loue and mercy which y e lawe requyreth of you as chefest maye you not leaue vndone but
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
bitter recepte knowenge and stedfastly belyuynge to optayne health by none other meanes Lazarus As for me surely I wolde rather thanke him drynke hys recepte though it were as bitter as regale yf I knewe to optayne health therby Timothe Lo then nomore ye ought to despise the hyghest physicioÌ„ of your soule nor to refuse hys medycines though they be bytter and paynfull vnto your olde Adam But ye must haue an eye to his promyses ouercome that which is payneful to you wherby neuerthelesse ye be saued Thus haue martyrs ouercome in sufferynge and death for dyenge they sawe the trew lyfe in syknesse and disease of the flesshe they sawe the power of God which is fortyfied and stabylysshed hereby God of hys nature is merciful but that he maye worke hys worke in vs that is to heale to make safe and sounde he doth fyrst a thynge that is straunge to hys nature which semeth vnto vs a token of hatered that is he scourgeth and beateth vs with syknesses and grefe Thus doth God a straunge worke as sayeth Esaye in the .xxviii. chapter that he maye worke hys natural worke By this straunge worke of God that is the chastenynge or scourgynge of the father we lese oure corage goodes bloude health welth and lyuelode and come euen in the myddes of the crosse despysynge and death All thynges appeare here before our flesshly eyes as though we were enemies vnto God and wholy despysed of God and wote not to consyder how he shall delyuer vs. Yet do we perceaue the hande of God inwardly which doth so sustayn vs that we fall not in desâ—ayre mystrusting or mumurynge agaynst God wythout the hande of God it were impossible for vs to stonde the twinklinge of an eye In the ende of the worke do we fyrst perceaue the councell of God than se we that he wyll mayntayne and fede his shepe in his lappe whom he wyll not haue to dye for hunger and dysease He can tempte the ryghtuous and also delyuer them agayne By fayth may we be conquerers of all Fayth is of thynges that be not apparent now where fayth shal haue a place there must such thynges be beleued as be inuysyble Thus is fayth of the lyfe to come chefely contayned and declared in dyenge Thus we beleue that God relyueth vs in kyllynge that he saueth vs and iustyfyeth vs in synnynge that he brengeth vs to heaueÌ„ whaÌ„ he semeth to thrust vs down to hell in that he forsaketh vs and that he healeth vs in oure soule whan the body is vysyted with al maner of syknesses For he hedeth hys mercy vnder hys wrath How wolde haue beleued that God wolde haue dealte so peteousli with hys good frende Iob in takyng awaye all hys best beloued thynges but onely because he was mynded to restore hym all this agayne doubell Let therfore youre eye of fayth preasse vnto saluacion and reioyce though God shewe you not his foreparte that is a chearfull countenaunce as he dyd vnto Peter beynge on the mouÌ„t Thabor but hys hynder parte lyke as he appared vnto Moses For whan this worke of his is past thaÌ„ appeare his fotesteppes WhaÌ„ this chastesynge is past than shall he smyle at you and shew you his fatherly fauoure though in this anger he seme to gerne and loke grymly vpon you Perceaue you this Lazarus I can not perceaue perfectly so much at ones Neuerthelesse I perceaue that in youre wordes there is a Godly vnderstoÌ„dynge though I can not comprehend so much at once Therfore I desyre you to declare me more earnestly and sleghtly which waye oure synnes be mortyfyed in vs by the crosse and sufferynge Tymotheus I wyll do yt gladly Whatsoeuer a man loueth besyde God that is hys Idoll therfore is yt nedefull to declare what thynges we sett stoare by besyde God that we myght endeuoure vs the better to fulfyll the fyrst commaundement wherin we are commaunded to loue God with all oure harte power and vnderstondynge Some leane to much to temporall possessions which be withdrawen from them as a pelowe from vnder a mans heade by extorcion with the fyre by warre or by some other losse that hys hart beatt the more lyberte to be turned wholy to God Another hath hys carnal affeccion fyxed to sore vpon hys wyfe chyldren father and mother or frendes These false goddes be withdraweÌ„ from them whan they suffre ether in theyr name or fame goodes or bloude or whan they be taken from them by death to rydde a man of hys carnall affection and to open to a man hys infydelyte that God may possesse the harte wholy and alone lyke a gelous louer The thyrde is wanton and full of pleasure he setteth great stoare by hymself by reason of hys bewty strength honesty wysdome puyssaunce vnto such sendeth God troubell anguysshe sykenesse sores onwholsoÌ„nesse or folysshenesse to the intent y t he myght se how that all flesshe is nothynge but hey and all his glory as the grasse of the felde the grasse wythereth and the flore faydeth Lazarus I can not perceaue yet that God receaueth vs in scourginge al we flye strokes Tymotheus Your mysbeleue is the cause of flyenge which Paul rebuketh in the .xii. to the Hebrews saynge Bretheren haue ye forgotten the consolacion which speaketh vnto you as vnto chyldren saynge My sonne despyse not the chastenynge of the Lorde nother faynte whan thou arte rebuked of hym for whom the Lorde loueth hym he chasteneth Yee he scourgeth euery sonne that he receaueth Yf ye suffre hys chastesynge he offreth hym selfe vnto you as vnto hys beloued sonne What sonne is he whom hys father doth not chastyse Yf ye be farre from the chastenynge which is comune to all chyldren then be ye no chyldren but bastardes Also yf we haue hadde carnall fathers of whome we stode greatly iÌ„ awe which chastysed vs how much more shal we be obedyent vnto the father of spretes and shall lyue by hym Oure carnall fathers haue taught and enfourmed vs after theyr best mynde and that for a lytle season But thys father of oures teacheth and chastyseth vs for oure profyte that he maye make vs partakers of hys holynesse All thys present chastysynge semeth to be nothynge yoyfull but sorowfull but herafter she geueth a quyete frute reward vnto them which be proued therby Are not these sayenges comfortable vnto them that be in payne punyshment is dewe vnto synne and wythout synne is noman lyuynge wherfore good Lazarus receaue all that is sent vnto you and suffre though it be greueous Be pacyent in youre depressynge For as golde and syluer be tried in the fyre so is man tried in the fornace of temptacion Therfore scrypture exhorteth vs to estyme it aboue all other frutes And there is no frute so trewe as yf we be proued by many folde temptacions knowenge that temptacion in faith bryngeth forth the frutes of pacience Beholde all the martyrs and chyldren of God in theyr sufferynge and let theyr constant fayth be an
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
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
perceaued welynough that temptacion was a sure token that he shulde be counted in the nombre of the ryghtwyse The which Raphael the angell declared openly sayenge And because thou wast accepte and beloued of God yt was necessary that temptation shulde trye the. Thus haue they that pleased God euer den proued for eure comforte that we also shulde not despayre whan ony troubell is sent to vs of oure welbeloued fathers hande The carnall wyt can not perceaue nor comprehende that trouble is profytable and a tryall of our fayth but as sone as they get ony troubell they be offended with the workes of god sayenge to all the ryghteous that suffre as Iobs wyfe dyd Do ye yet continue in your perfectnesse Curse god dye As though they wolde laye It is playn now that he is no god that thus scourgeth you and vtterly forsaketh why do ye trust hym yet Saye much good of hī that bryngeth death vpon you for he is as worthy of youre blessynge as a wylfull murthurer to be saued Shrenk frō hym denye hym and remembre ye be mortall and that with thys lyfe ye passe all yeopardyes trust ye yet to optayne good thynges of youre Lorde These and such lyke wordes enspyreth oure wyfe sensualite into oure myndes whan we be assaulted of troubel For as than doth not the flesshe knowe nor fele that god vnder correction and vnder the shyne of hys wrath hath hydde louely countenaunce and couereth y e trew lyfe in death The frendes of the afore sayde Iob also were offended through hys great mysery sayenge Whan dyd euer the innocent perysshe whan were the ryghtwyse destroyed Call loke wether ther be ony body now to geue you an answer of the hope that ye had in the Lorde Turne ye to ony of the sayntes and beholde wyther such lyke dyd happen vnto them Now se ye how the vngodly frendes which take parte with oure flesshe iudge oure acceptabelnes to God by these worldly prosperytes Beholde how carnall wyt estemeth that for a curse which fayth receaueth as a godly reioycynge The frendes that loued Toby after the flesshe dyd also mock the good man he beynge blynde euen as those that vnderstonde nor the worke of pacyence and the glory of the crosse sayenge Where is thy hope for the which thou hast done almes and buryed the dead this is the rewarde that ye haue for doenge good But herken how Tobyas rebuked them sayenge Saye not so for we are the chyldren of holy men and loke for the lyfe which God shall geue vnto them that neuer turne theyr beleue from hym Beholde thys stronge fayth of Tobyas wyth such an answer shall ye shoue and auoyde the wycked in speracion of Sathan that alwaye entyseth you sayenge Are ye wytlesse that ye loke for remissyon of synnes by the bloude of Chryste and loke for the lyfe by death Ye shal be deceaued for who is rysen from death Do not ye se how the fayth of youre Chryst is denyed Yf he loued you as ye thynke wolde not he do you good Yf he were a trewe sauyoure and trew god he wolde not suffre you to lye here thus he wolde not ordre you thus I counsell you to let thys Chryst go what haue ye to wyth hym seynge he doth you no good he doth onely fraye you wyth hell and lyfe tocome herewyth wolde he fayne lede you as wyth a lyne It is not as he maketh you beleue Eate drink and be mery satle youre harte vpon a swete grounde as yt was yesterdaye so shall it also be now Lette vs eate and drynke for what shall we haue more tomorowe must we dye Be not abashed with the folysshe fayth of Christ I can accōlyshe al youre desyre here on earth Do not ye se how my sorte is exalted in the worlde and lyue at ease they be welthy of ryches they haue many frendes theyr houses be wythout care and they be not scourged theyr cattell encrease theyr flocke multiplyeth theyr chyldren playe and be mery they play on instrumentes What do ye gayne vnder the banner of the poore wreched naked disfygured and crucyfyed Chryst saue onely pouerty anguysshe and cōtinuall crosse Lo How hys discyples go by the stretes wyth sore hyles the be fooles and nygardes they be not able to geue a mouse a meales meate and whan they haue lōge ynough serued theyr master obeyenge hys commaundementes at the last they be hewē chopped stykt burnt drowned or come to such lyke shamfull ende what victory hath he thē gotten Where do ye se him rise agayne where se you the swearde shrenke from hym The fyre consumeth hym and water ouerwhelmeth hym where abydeth hys God that shall not forsake him in y e poynt of death Lazarus Ah brother how shal be able to escape these snares of the suttel fynde Verely such temptations haue of tymes made me so doubtfull and perplexe of harte y t I wyste not wyther to shifte me self Yf God hadde not sustayned me I myght haue ben fallen into despayre and ben choked in myn vnbleue I haue bē oft displeased with God seynge all thynges prospered so well with them and I with them that be lyke me stroue agaynst the moone and seuē starres labourynge and toylinge cōmynge out of the one crosse into another My thought yf I were god I wolde haue ordered the game other wyse Timothe Verely brother the deuyll wyth his fleshly pleasures which he layeth before mē to entyce them hath a pleasaunt begynnynge as a bye charged with hony but in y e ende is there a stynge Yf ye behold y e lustes of the fleshe before with the heithē than be they very pleasaunt in the eye as a fayre woman trymly deckte but yf hyr bake be turned than is it all horrible what ye se Thys is the brode lusty waye wherof Christ speaketh sayenge that many walke it yt but she bringeth to eternal dānation The chyldrē of thys worlde y t lyue so welthy passe theyr tyme in yoie it is trew but what foloweth sodēly they go downe to hell sayeth Iob. xxi dauid psal lxxii sayeth y t he also was nye ouercome with beholdīge of y e worldly men and was nye ouercome of the tēptacion of welth as we all be somtyme sayenge My fete that be the thoughtes where with the hart moueth were almoost gone my steppes were neare sleded And why I was greued at the wyked to se the vngodly in such prospyte For they are in no parell of death but stonde fast as a palace They come in no mysfortune lyke other men nother are they plaged lyke other folke c. Wherfore brother I exhorte you not to be moued at such inspirynges of the deuell be not greued not offended with y e vngodly for ye shall se theyr ende how that they shall wyther lyke hey and decaye as flores in the felde Be renewed in the Lorde and he shal accomplishe the desyres of youre harte Say alwaye with
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
than we are Socrates dyd drinke his death laughynge He tought y t death is not to be feared y t which he dyd fortify with the dede Yf the fleshly affection and hye mynde of Socrates to fortyfy and to strength hys doctrine myght not ouercome the naturall feare of death What shall than do y e certaynte of oure fayth that be Christen men that is they that knowe they can not dye Ought not than the hope of the lyfe tocome take from vs the beholdinge of death Though the iust and faythfull seme to dye in the syght of y e ignorauÌ„te whaÌ„ they be burned drouned beheaded yet do not they once se death I wyll not saye assaye y e death for they dye in peace· They were dead afore in God by geuiÌ„ge themselues ouer to God and he y t dyeth in God lyueth eternally Happy are they that dye in the Lorde for their dyenge is chaunged in to lyuynge That is it that Christ sayeth He that kepeth my worde shall not dye foreuer Lazarus They haue alwaye made hell so whote â—nto vs and the deuell so blake that we â—â—â—ste not whether to turne oure selues They made vs so afrayde of death and chefely in that they sayde that the deuell appeareth vnto vs very horrible commynge to tempte vs of thys or that euell wherby euery maÌ„ feared death But where was the worde of God thaÌ„ which promyseth That we that beleue in Christ shal neuer assaye nor se death Haue these false teachers and blynde leaders neuer sene such euangelicall scripture nor red nor herde theÌ„ Tobias Though they haue sene herde and red it yet haue not they beleued it For the prince of this worlde hath blynded their mysbeleuyng hartes Where is no faith there is a perpetuall disquietnes of conscience there is a hell a fearfulnesse yee a see full of all fearfulnesse remorse and mysbelefe There is hell whote and the deuell blake there is a perpetual rackinge place of a synfull conscience In the waye of the synners is greate trauayll laboure as wytnesse they theÌ„selues sayeÌ„ge We be weryed in y e waye of wyckednesse we haue trauayled many wayes and the waye of trueth hath not ouershadoweth vs. That is it that the wyse man sayeth The harte of the wyked maÌ„ is lyke a see tossed with the waues And because these hypocrytes and workholyons seke peace where as they fynde no peace but greate disquietnesse and troubell for the vngodly haue no peace sayeth the lorde God therfore thynke they it be so with euery man as it is with theÌ„ They thynke euery man be so doubtfull and vnstedfast harted as they be yee because they estyme them selues more holyer and better than other therfore thinke they other must fele whoter fyre than they themselues and that other must fele the gnawenge worme more in theyr consciences than they Wherfore they augment and make the lawe the deuell and death more haynous before mens eyen They that be the moost fearfullest as these be vnto them wyll they be more horrible and dredefull with wordes and other thynges wherby they be become nothynge but rackers of the simple I beleue their worme neuer rest their fyre be neuer quenched I beleue right well they go astraye fyndyng no reste wyth y e manslayer Cayn I beleue they runne faythlesse with Iudas to the prestes and freers to be shryuen for coÌ„fort and reste but they abyde styll desperate I beleue right well they be ready to do satisfactioÌ„ for theyr synnes with Antiochus and of mistrust geue mony to praye for theÌ„ But al theyr fastynge prayenge goynge wolwarde and barefote all their mulynge and bablynge shall not helpe theÌ„ Whether soeuer they turne them selues they fynde alwaye synne present they mete al waye the deuyll and death in the tethe Howe can these teache otherwyse than they finde How shuld they preache y e gospell of peace y t neuer taysted peace How shulde they instructe another in Gods behalfe of his atonement of his rest and victory of death and his assuraunce froÌ„ hell whiche haue no fayth therof Let none of these deuel martyrs make you thus folyshe or wytlesse If ye haue the worde of God y t sheweth you peace forgeuenesse you haue God Where rest is there is God there is an euerlastynge coÌ„uenaunt There is roted out the feare of death y e deuell hell For feare is not in loue but she excludeth feare Paul sayeth We that be iustifyed by fayth haue peace by God He that is iustified thyswyse by the trew fayth of Christ though he sawe the deuell death hel with hys eyen yet wolde not he be abashed yee he wolde rather fyght agaynst them ouer come them than he wolde flye one fote And why for the gates of hell that is y e power of thesame can not optayne the victory of Peters fayth Sayntes haue ouercome kyngdomes by faith wrought ryghtwesnesse and optayned the Godly promyses The prophet sayeth Though a battayll a rose agaynste me in that wyl I hope Though I must go through the myddest of death yet shall not I feare for thou art with me lorde Thou hast prepared a tabel before me against myne enmyes Be of good cymforte sayeth Christ for I haue ouercome the worlde That is y e victory y t ouercoÌ„meth y e world eueÌ„ your faith sayeth Iohn ¶ Lazarus you haue declared me that so clearly that I euen reioyce therin and feare death lesse than afore Let here come whan it shal please God I knowe by experieÌ„ce welynough what fearfull coÌ„science I haue had in myn vnbelefe iÌ„ my moost vertuous workes ye nede not to make farther declaration in this behalf Neuerthelesse this I require yet of you y t ye wil shew me how I shall behaue my self beste henceforth whaÌ„ the teÌ„ptacioÌ„ of syn death or hell shal assault me Tobyas In y e .iiii. of mat is it eyudeÌ„t how ye ought to behaue yourselfe agaynst teÌ„ptacioÌ„ of the deuell or of synful desyres which also be one kiÌ„de of deuels Lo how christ suffered himself to be teÌ„pted of glutony of presumptioÌ„ of couetuosnesse to proue y t we be dayly teÌ„pted of the same deuel or rather worse to an exaÌ„ple coÌ„fort y t such teÌ„ptacioÌ„ can not harme vs no more thaÌ„ they haue ouercome Christ Marke how Christ hath ouercome chased the same deuell w t al hys teÌ„ptacions to an exaÌ„ple that we must kepe thesame sure grounde yf we entende also to ouercome the deuell and to chace hym from vs wythshame Christ hath ouercome w t none other weapons saue only Gods worde all those that dyd withstande him other hell death or the deuell for all these haue ben enmyes to God as you maye rede in the .xvii. psalme The sorowes of death haue compassed me and the brokes of vngodlynesse made me afrayed The paynes of hell came about me y e snares of death toke holde vpon me But what foloweth Yet in my troubell I called vpon
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
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