corporall death Fleshe and blood beinge corruptible and mortall cannot inherit the kydgdoÌ„ of god wher nothing is but life Therfore this corruptible bodi must put on iÌ„corrupcioÌ„ Oze xiiii Esa xxv this mortal must put on immortality Than shal the saing that is writteÌ„ be fulfilled Death is swalowed vp in victory They that beleue in Chryste hath nowe ouercommed synne deathe and hel Therfore not fearinge deathe but stronge hold and well harted in Chryste they maye saye deathe where is thy sting death where is thy victorye The stinge of death is synne and the power of synne is the lawe But thankes be vnto God whiche hathe geauen vs the victorye through our lord Iesus Chryste Let vs heare also more senteÌ„ces full of godly and mightye consolacion He that hath raised vp Iesus shal rayse vs vp also with Iesus ii Cor iiii Our conuerâ—acion is in heueÌ„ froÌ„ whence we do loke for the sauiour our lord Iesus christ which shall chauÌ„ge our vile body that it may be like fashioned vnto hys glorious body accordyng to the workynge of his power Philli. iiii by the which also he is able to subdue al thinges vnto him selfe Ye are dead and your life is hid with christ in god Col. iii. but when christ your life shal appere then shall ye also appere in glory with him We wolde not brethern that ye shuld be ignorant concerninge them that slepe i. Tess iiii that ye sorow not also as other do whyche haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus chryst died and rose agayne euen theÌ„ also which are a slepe through Iesus shal god bringe with him Saynct Paule also doth coÌ„fort Timoth ii Tim. ii with the article of resurrection sayng Râ—membre the the lord Iesus Christe beyng â—he sede of Dauid rose again from the dead according to my gospell And if we be deade with hym we shal also lyue with him If we suffer pacieÌ„tly we shal also raign with him It was written also to the hebrus Heb. ii that Chryste tasted deathe for all men and that he was partaker of fleshe and bloude .i. became very man the he mighte destroye hym which had the rule of death that is the deuell and that he myghte delyuer them which were in bondage al thâ—ir lyfe time by the reason of the feare of death God hath delyuered vs ii Tim. i and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace whyche is geauen vs in Chryste Iesu before the time of the world but is now made manifest by the apperinge of oure sauioure Iesu Christ which truly hath destroyed deathe and hath broughte lyfe and immortalite to lyghte by the gospell i. Ioh. iii We know that we are translated from lyfe to deathe because we loue the bretherne Iohn 41 In this hathe the loue of god appered in vs because god sente his onely begotten sonne into the world that we mighte lyue through him Iob. xix I knowe that my redem er doth lyue and in the last daye I shall ryse agayne and agayne be wrapped in my owne skine And in my owne fleshe shall see God whome I my selfe shall se these my eyes shall beholde and none othere These places of holye scrypture and suche lyke yf we diligentlye remeÌ„bre faythfully imbrace we shall perceaue greaet consolacion and conforte And euen wyth sayncte Paule reioyse Phil. iii. that we knowe Chryste and the power of his resurrectyon wherby death is ouercomed Nether is there nowe to these that beleue in Christ any thynge in deathe terrible or to be feared sauinge onlye the Image and outwarde forme hurte it can not Lyke as a dede serpente keapeth stil his old fearefull shape forme but to stynge or do harme he hathe no power at al. And lyke as by the brasin serpente whyche Moyses by goddes commaundemente sette vp in deserte when it was loked vpon through the power of goddes woorde men were delyuered fromâ— daunger of the lyuelye and venyme serpentes so our deathe is made harmles and we deliuered frome the feare and daunger of it so ofte as wyth the eyes of our faythe we do beholde the helthefull and medycynable dethe of Chryst In conclusion deathe is nowe become but a Image and shadowe of deathe yea the entrauÌ„ce and gate to lyfe For Christ who is trueth it self sayth Yf anye man kepe my worde Iob. viii he shall neuer see death For a man trustynge to the mercye of God through faithe whiche he conceauith by herynge of Chrystes gospell is so vnite and knyt to christ his lord and mayster that he can not be plucked nor seperate frome hym The bodye in dede for a tyme is seperate from the soule but in certayne hope of risinge agayn to euerlastinge lyfe And so he that beleuethe in Chryst dothe not see nor fele the euerlastinge dethe of body and soule which is euerlasting dampnacion For the death of good men is nothynge els but a departure from thys transitory and mortal life to immortality to chryst to hys angelles and sainctes ¶ Hell and dampnacion DOth offer it self at the hour of death so that many tymes man doth greatli feare lest he be abiecte froÌ„ the fauour of god appoynted to euerlastynge payne The deuyll whyche seketh by al meanes howe to deuoure vs sterynge vp in youre myndes manye daungerous troubellous thoughtes concernyng our electyon predestinacion ¶ A medicine against the feare of hell and dampnacion WHen the deuil goeth about to cause vs to dyspaire or to doubt of our electioÌ„ whether we be of the numbre of them that are appointed to euerlastyng lyfe or no In any wayes let vs not be to boulde in copynge wyth hym let vs not enter dysputacyon agaynste hym for he is to subtyle and expert for vs but say shortly vnto him Away Satan with sorrowe it is written thou shalte not tempt the lord thy God For seing that god as a most louyng father hathe not onlye geauen vs lyfe fedde and preseruyd vs to thys houre but also hathe indued and euen loden vs from tyme to tyme with hys singuler benefites what madnes were it contrary to oure former experyence nowe to doubt of his mercy He hathe receauyd vs into hys flocke by baptime He hathe sente vs the Gospell of hys grace wherein he hathe promysed to become oure father We haue he fedde wyth the fleshe and bloude of hys sonne oure sauiour CHRISTE in remembraunce that oure debtes be payd and we acquyted whye shoulde we nowe then doubte of the good wyl of GOD towarde vs lette vs not therfore admytte the doutfull and daungerous Imagynacyons of oure predestinacion which the deuell like a crafty and malicious marchaunt doth labor to iustiâ—l But let vs thinke vpon suche sentences as God woulde haue our mindes occupied wyth all whych Christe hym selfe hath prescribed as Iohn iii where he sayethe GOD hathe so
it is a greuous and vehemente tentacyon when he seeth the moste terrible image of deathe afore hys eyes when he seeth he must leaue thys light leue this life leue frendes leaue landes goodes kynfolkes father mother wyfe childern all thinges wherin he had here ether pleasure or comforte Then such synnes as be against the wil and pleasure of god hathe committed shall shewe and present them selues and shall appere more in nuÌ„bre and more greuous then euer they semed afore and so shal wonderously vexe and torment the coÌ„science Then death iudgemente hell dampnacyon as it were in a plumpe shal assault and lay sege with diuers daungerous engens agaynst the old man of ours In these Agonies except a maÌ„ be armed with a sure and constaÌ„t faith it is to be feared leste he be weried tired and at last ouercommed For these tentacious whych chaunce vnto men lyeng in extremes appeare most houge fearful and daungerouse and that for bicause our fayth is verye slender and waueringe nyether yet able to see perceaue or apprehend the incompreheÌ„syble and inestimable riches of the children of god whyche be remissioÌ„ of synnes through Christ resurreccion of the fleshe communion of saynctes euerlasting life and all these geuen vnto vs in Christ and for Chryst In these articles of our fayth we must dayly exercyse our selues These we must diligentli reuolue and earnestly expend in our mindes For thoughe all the artycles of our fayth are diligentlye to be remembred and without al waueringe beleued yet in the Agonye and poynte of deathe these foure that is the communion of saynctes remission of sinne by the bloud of Christe the resurrection of the fleshe and euerlastinge lyfe are chiefely to be mynded expended and inculcated For like as deth is the paine stipend of sinne Rom. 6. euen so for sinne God dothe commenly punish vs with diuers diseases and plages As it is to be sene iÌ„ diuers places of scryptur Io. v. Psa 88. Deut xxviii ii Reg. xxiiii Neuertheles afflictions be many tymes layd vpon vs that our fayth may be tried For than is it easy to be perceaued howe much we loue GOD what faythe we haue in him howe we trust hym when we be pressed greuyd with aduersytie In this case therfore we must bewayle acknowledge our sinnes for the which we haue iustlye incured Goddes displeasure and deserued most greuous paine We must turne to god with true repentaunce in all our harte mynde withoute all faynynge and conterfating we muste haue recourse vnto the Gospell where we shall fynd most bountiful coÌ„solacioÌ„ i absolucioÌ„ or remissio of our sinnes which christ hath instituted iÌ„ the churche Io. xx Receaue sayth Christe the holye ghooste whose siÌ„nes ye forgiue thei ar for geuen This inestimable treasur is dayly opened offred vnto vs WheÌ„ remission of sinnes is thus desire optayned vndoutedly theÌ„ the paine of sinne which is the disease or affliccion shall sone ceasse and leaue vs or elles accordinge to the most beneficiall will of our heuenly father shall turne to the profit and soule helth of him that is diseased or afflicted For this maye we be sure of that the paine and affliccion in the body in this worlde seme it nâ—uer so greuous a bourden or heauye yoke to the flesh as comenlye nothinge elles but a fatherly rod wherwyth god doth drawe vs his children from synne Psal 88. and call vs home to hym Truly our heuynly father dothe loue vs moste feruentlye he beareth vs good mynde Heb. xii and dothe all thinges for our amendmente and profit for whome GOD louethe him he chastisethe and correctythe vs temporally here â— Cor. 11. that we shuld not be punished in hell euerlastingly Thoughe he semith angrie he louith singulerlye Nether is his Ire the Ire of a tiraunt or tormeÌ„tour desirynge our perdycion but of a father â—eking our ameÌ„dement and sauftly First therfore we muste crye God mercy desire pardoÌ„ forgeuenes of our sinnes but by Chryst but with a hart truely penetente that we may be at one wyth God and haue him merciful vnto vs This done we may then desyre GOD to deliuer vs from the Imminente and present affliction and disease For so teacheth ecclesiast Ecclesi â— Sonne in thy infermitye neglecte not thy selfe but pray to the lorde and he shall delyuer the. Also in the Ps Psal 70 remembre not o lord god our old iniquites but let thy mercye spedely preuent vs for we be verye miserable helpe vs God oure sauiour Lord God of power turne vs howe longe wilte thou be angrie shewe thy face and we shall be saued Here we be taught fyrst to desire remyssion of synne that we may so be at one with God and after that to haue his wrathe and the tokens of the same taken awai But when so euer we desire to be deliuered or to be eased of the crosse that presseth vs we must alwaye annexe this addicion Mar. vi Thy wyll o heuenlye father be fulfylled Neither knowe we so well what is profytable vnto vs. Nether caÌ„ we so well prouide for our selues as our most louing heueÌ„ly father Which is both of infinite powre and also of incomprihensible wisdome whyche neuer turneth hys eys from vs whiche carieth continually for vs whâ—ch knoweth the numbre of our yeres whych doth quicken norish fede kepe defend prouide for al his creatures much beter then thei can wish or desire But to drawe to the more perticuler temptacions to shewe what thinges do most fierlly â— daungerously at the time of deth assault vs. And how we shal wtstaÌ„d theÌ„ ¶ There be thre thinges whych at the houre of death doth wonderously vexe trouble feare our mindes that is to saye synne death hell or dampnacion Syne WHerten we haue vngodlye myspent our life wherby we haue greuosly offeÌ„ded God and our neighbour This coÌ„myng to oure remembraunce when we lye vpon our death bed doth dryue vs to a wonderous feare Rom. ii pensiuenes and anxiety As sainct paule sayth wrath indignacion to trouble and anguishe agaynst euerye loule of man that doth euell ¶ A medicine agaynst synne vexinge and troublynge our conscience LEt vs call earnestly to remeÌ„brauÌ„ce that the sonne of god came downe from heuen became man toke vp on his backe the synnes of the worlde died for them vpoÌ„ the crosse there makynge satisfaction for vs and paing our dettes This most precyous blod of christe was shed also for vs of this death we be also partakers so we ryght lye beleue in Chryste Nether nede we to doubt but Chryste died aswell for vs as for Peter and Paule Rom. 6. For we be baptised also as saynct Paule sayth in the deth of chryst Thys ought to comfort vs this ought to erect and stay our myndes For seinge we be baptised in the deathe of chryste Chistes deathe bryngethe also vnto vs helth and saluacioÌ„ By Chrysts deth we be also
loued the woorlde that he hathe geuen his onelye begotten Sonne that who so euer beleueth in him shall nor perishe but haue lyfe euerlastynge Loo here we see that he which beleueth in Chryst which faythfully acknowlegeth chryste to be his sanctificacyon iustyce redempcyon and satisfaccion can not be dampned but is assured of euerlasting lyfe So many as conceaue faythe by bearynge of Goddes â—ord and so truste stedfastly vpon the mercy of chryste Vndoutedlye they be of the number of those whych be chosen to everlastyng blysse knowen before in CHRISTE predestinate and written long syth in the boke of lyfe These thynges be mooste certayne and most true God can neyther deceyue nor be deceaued Rom. viii Such is hys good wyll so hathe he purposed and decreed afore the worlde beganne what thynges so euer therefore oure ennemy the deuell spytinge oure saluacion and sekynge our destructyon shall put in our minde contrary to this doctrine Lette them not moue vs lett them not make vs afrayde but lette vs trust truly in christe and so shall he be come oures and we become hys who beynge our good LORD we can mot perishe nor be dampned Io. x For he wyl lose none of those that hys father hathe geuen hym we muste fyxe oure eyes vppon Chryste we muste flee to hym we muste cleaue to hym He is oure onelye and true sauyoure who muste be apprehended and imbraced by faythe yf we loke to be saued For they that beleue ryghtelye in Chryste they are predestinate to euerlastynge lyfe Here we muste diligently remembre and earnestelye expende the godly exhortacion of saynt Paul whych he writeth in the .xii. to the Hebrewes whose wordes be these Lette vs runne by pacyence vnto the battell that is sette afore vs He. xii lokynge vnto Iesus the auctore and finisher of fayth whyche when the ioye was set afore hym suffered the crosse and dyspysed the shame and sitteth at the ryght hand of the seate of God Furthermore all the greuous temtacyons and afflictyons that Châ—yste suffered he sufferyd them for our sakes Heb. iiii As saincte Paule sayth also in the .iiii. to the hebrus we haue not a highe priest that is not able to haue compassyon on oure weakenes but such one was prouyd in all pointes wythout synne let vs therfore wyth bouldnes go vnto the seat of hys grace that we may oâ—tayne mercye and fynde grace to helpe in tyme of nede Let vs in any ways consider and deplye imprinte iÌ„ our harts christ to be geuin vnto vs not onlye to th end that we might be redemid recoÌ„ciled made partakers of euerlastyng saluacioÌ„ but also that iÌ„ him we myght haue an example bothe howe to liue and also how to end oure lyfe Nether can anye man liue suffeâ—r or dye well vnles he loke vpon and folowe the lyfe suffâ—rynge and death of Chryst if therfore we desire to end thys lyfe well and godlye let vs consider and remembre howe Chryste behaued him selfe in that bitter and smarte agonye when hangyng vpon the crosse he was assaulted with diuers fyersse and most greuous temtacyons and praye that we may haue grace to folowe hys example FIrst he was temptyd with syn whan being haÌ„ged betwixte two theues as a notable and haynous synner it was sayd vnto hiÌ„ yf thou beist the sonne of God â—at xxvii come downe from the crosse By this coÌ„tumelious voyce what do they signifye elles but that they iudged hym a noughtie and vngodly person such one as by craft subtiltye falsheade sosserye and other vnlawfull meanes had deceaued the people hadde blynded the worlde and to be nothynge lesse then the sonne of GOD. Euen in lyke maner at the houre of deathe doth the deuyll tempte man what soeuer man hath committed againste god al the sinnes that euer he dyd he sheweth vnto hym he doth exaggerate them to the vttermoste to th ende that the multitude and hainousnes of theÌ„ considered and perceaued manne shulde doubte of the mercye and fauoure of god and so fall into desperacion Here we had nede to stande sure And euery one of vs had nede to aunswer our enemye thus temptinge vs after thys maner I knowledge mi selfe to haue synnes aboue all numbre and measure but Chryste who neuer sinned in whose mouth was fouÌ„d no guile who is that verye innocent lambe hathe suffered deathe for my synnes he hathe wasshed them awaye he hathe satysfied aboundantlye for them Esay iiii howe manye and howe greate so euer they were Christes deathe partayneth also to me he was wounded also for my iniquities he was brused for my vngracyousenes by hys strypes I am also healed All my synnes hath Chryste taken to him selfe so that nowe I haue none thankes be to CHRIST who hathe satysfyed for theym in hys owne body CHRIST was tempted also with death when it was said vnto hym Math. â—7 he hathe saued other but he canne not saue hymselfe As thought it shoulde be sayd he is nowe at appoynte he must dye there is no remedye he canne not escape Thus dothe oure olde and erreconcyble ennemy labour to feare vs wyth deth but let vs holde out the buckeler of faythe in Chryst agaynst hym Lette vs remembre that Chryste our Lord kynge of glorye and prynce of lyfe coulde not be ouer commed nor holden of death but thoughe he once tasted of deathe he nowe liueth and raygneth for euer Thys lorde of oures will not leaue vs nor suffer deathe to execute any tyranny agaynst vs that after he hath suffered vs to be tempted a whyle he wyll also that we dye corporally al that is wholy for our welth Neyther coulde we other wayes come to euerlastynge lyfe but by temporall death We must therefore leaue this present lyfe ere we can inherite the eternall life Also thys corporall deathe bringethe thys comoditie that by tastynge the bitternes and sowernes of it we haue experyence and knowe the excedynge loue that Chryste bare towarde vs and the inestymaâ—le benefite that he did for vs in clensyng our synnes in abolysshynge of death in breakinge vp of hel gates and al by his death Other wayes we could neuer haue knowen the power of chryst in abolishing of deathe we could neuer haue iustly estemed the excellency of thes benefit we could neuer haue sene howe iuste cause we haue to geue thanks to christ our Lord and redeamer Chryste lyuing trulye we shall also lyue and this corporal deth to vs shall be nothynge els but a swete and holsome slepe an intraunce and gate into the true blessed lyfe For after thys transitory lyfe theÌ„ begynne we fyrst truly to lyue THirdli christ was tempted with hel or euerlastynge daÌ„nation whaÌ„ it was said vnto him he hath trusted in GOD let him now delyuer hym yf he wyll As thoughe they should saye Nowe it appearethe that he hathe hoped in God in vayne For god wyl none of hym he hathe forsaken hym he likethe hym not he dothe abhorre hym