wyth Itemissa est Well thys maye ye easly perceyue howe greatly the Popysh masse differeth from the true institutiō of the Lords supper and that they agre togyther as Christe and Beliall lyghte and darcknesse trueth and falsehode ce Christo. It shall therfore be conuenient for all true christian hertes no more to repose the trust of theyr saluation in the Sacrifice of theyr Popeyshe masse nor in anye thynge apperteynynge to the same but onely in the blessed passion in the precyouse bloude gloryouse death of oure Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ which by the alone Sacrifice of hys mooste holye body hath euen vn to the vttermoste and at the full payed our raunsome broughte vs euerlastynge healthe Theo. Thys is a confortable hea rynge for all fayethfull penitent synners But I praye you neighboure Philemon remayne there no mo causes of reioysyng in the Lorde oure God Philemon Yesse verilye For thys oure Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe dyd not onelye boeth wyllyngely and frelye gyue him selfe vnto the deathe of the crosse for oure synnes and wyckednes and by thys meanes paye oure raunsome to God the father for oure offēses that Satan might haue no power ouer vs but he al so thorowe the might of his godhead rose agayne gloriously and triumphantlye on the thyrd day accordynge to the scriptures for oure iustification as the Apostle sayeth He was betraied vnto the death for our synnes and rose agayne for oure iustification For as by the death of Christe oure raunsome is payed the diuine wrath is pacified oure synnes are washed away in Christes bloude a reconciliacion perfect atonemēt is made betwene God the father and vs the obligation of oure dette is rased oute the law is fulfilled the curse of goddes wrath is takē away al thynges both in heauen and in earth are pacified so in lyke maner by the Resurrection of Christe wee are made ryghtuousse accepted into Goddes fauoure recounted for iuste holye and vertuousse sette at libertye from the tyrannye of Sathan admitted into the celestiall courte of the newe Hierusalem and become felowe cityzyns of the houshold of God wyth the Saynctes and blessed spirites Euse. O inestimable treasures broughte to vs by the gloryouse resurrection of our moste blessed sauiour Iesu Christ. Phile. Yea lette vs marke thys also by the waye that as oure moste valeaunt Lorde and Emperoure Iesus Christe by his resurrection gatte the vyctory ouer Sathan Synne Deathe Hell Desperation and all that is enemye to Mannes healthe so in lyke condicion haue we in hym and thorowe hym goten a glorious victorye ouer Sathan and all hys kyngdome that we maye wyth a ioyeful voyce saye death is swalowed vp into victo rye O death where is thy vyctorye O death where is thy styng The stynge of death is sinne the power of synne is the lawe But thanckes be to God whiche hath geuen vs the victorye thorowe oure Lorde Iesu Christe Christo. O what a ioye and comforte is this to a Christen mans herte to se hys enimies whiche before so greately soughte hys distruccion thus vanquished subdued and troden vnder his fote This haue we gotten as ye very truly haue sayde by Christes resurrection as Christe hym selfe testifieth sayeinge nowe is the iudgemente of the worlde nowe shall the prince of thys worlde be caste oute Agayne be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world By the Prophet Ose he also sayeth I wyl deliuer them from the power of death yea from deathe it selfe wyll I redeme them O death I wyll be thy death O hel I wyll be thy destruccion Phile. Moreouer by Christes resurrection haue we obtayned not only Iustification victory ouer our enemies but also resurrection of bodye and euerlastynge immortalitie For as oure Lorde and sa uioure Iesus Christe dyd put of the mortalitie of hys bodye and became immortall at hys resurrection so by the power of that hys moste glorious resurrection shall we also at the greate day of iudgemente in oure resurrection receyue immortall and incorruptible bodyes euen lyke vnto the glorious body of oure moste myghtye and valeaunt captayne Iesu Christe The. Oh who cā expres the worthines excellency of these heauenly gyftes whiche we obtaine by the mooste victorious and triumphante Resurrection of Iesus Christe oure Lorde and sauioure Philemon Lette these thynges therefore dearelye beloued brethren make you to reioyce in the Lorde Lette these thyngs prouoke you to wythdrawe your mynde from transitory thynges and stedfastly to fyxe it on thynges cōstaunt and euerlastinge Lette these thynges sequester youre Ioye and pleasure frome the swete entisynge moremaydes of thys worlde and allure to the alone delectation in celestiall treasures Christ. O blessed is that man to whōme it is geuen frome aboue truely to sauoure these thynges fayethfullye to beleue theim and earnestly to reioyce in that Lord whyche is the alone geuer of thē Sure m◅◅at man be that hys name is written in the booke of lyfe Philemon But lette vs go forthe to declare moe benifites of God towarde man that oure ioye in the Lorde maye be vnfayned cōsummate and perfecte After this mooste noble conqueste and victorious triumphe whyche oure moste mighty Emperour Christ Iesus hadde ouer Sathan and hys infernall ministers he taried here in thys worlde certayne dayes wyth hys Disciples eatynge drynkeynge and talkyng wyth thē of the kyngdome of his heauenly father and confirming them in the waye of trueth And thys dyd he not only to make thē stronge in the article of his resur rection but also by the instruction of them to corroborat fortifye and strength vs in the same seekynge no les oure health then the saluacion of them For as the Apostle sayeth if thou doste confesse wyth thy mouth the Lorde Iesus beleue wyth thyne herte that God raysed hym vp frome the dead thou shalt be saued Cer tayne dayes paste from his resur rection Christe our Lorde by the power of hys godhede in y e sight of his Apostles ascēded into heauen God and man Haue we no cause to reioyce in this behaulfe Hath this his marueylouse ascēsion brought no commoditie and profite to vs Haue we a iuste cause to reioyce in hys natiuitye preachynge miracles good workes crosse passion bloude death resurrection whych al are ours not in hys ascention also We reade that the Apostles were very sadde when Christe told theim that he shoulde ascende vnto his father But Christe sayed vnto them I tel you trueth it is expedient and profitable for you that I go ascende vnto my father Christe tolde the Apostles that it was expediente profitable for theim that he shoulde go vp into heauen If it were expedient for them it is euē so like wyse for vs. For we are saued by y e very same waye whereby they receyued saluation Let vs therfore consider what commodities and profites the Apostles had by Christes ascention and let vs w t
I praye you speake on Christ. The Masse saye they makein men holy yea it maketh them ryghtuous and deliuereth them from sinnes The Masse is a sacrifice and not the sygne of a sacrifice onelye In the Masse is the bodye and bloude of Christe truely offered for the quicke and deade The masse of a prieste be he neuer so naughti is profitable ex opere operato Christ w t his pa ssion satisfied for originall synne and instituted the masse to be an oblacion for the synnes committed dayely boeth mortall and ve niall To heare masse is the hono ringe of God whither the hearer vnderstandeth it or not Missa soundeth sacrifice ergo the masse is a sacrifice Missa is deriued of Mitto to sende for in the masse the lamb that is to say Christ is sente vnto the father to forgeue oure synnes The Masse deliuereth s◅ulles from purgatorye for asmuche as it is a satisfactory sacrifice for synnes Not onely the sacrifice of Christ wherin he offered hym selfe was a sacrifice for synne but we also offer for oure sinnes a continual sacrifice in the masse The sacrifice of Christ obtayneth mercy onely for original synne and for the synnes paste The sacrifice of the masse euerye daye is the true sacrifice for synnes Althoughe Christ was once offered on the crosse in the open likenesse of fleshe yet is the same Christe dayelye offered on the altare at masse The wordes of con secracion duly spokē of the priest there is made a transubstantiacion of wyne into the bloude of Christe and of the bread into hys bodye Euery man may lawfully worshippe the hoste consecrated Althoughe Paule calleth the sacramente of the Supper breade yet maye we not beleue therefore that the substaunce of breade remaineth in the sacrament Christ saide Hoc est corpus meum This is my bodye therefore muste we nedes holde that there is a transubstantiacion and that the substaunce of breade is chaunged in to the bodye of Christe The bodye of Christe is presente in the Masse so greate and large as it was whā it hanged on the crosse Forasmuch as Christe that most hyghe maiestie of God is present at the masse therefore is it verye godly to appointe many ceremonies that Christ may be entertay ned honorably Masse ought not to be sayed but in an holye place and vpon an altare of stone for Christe him selfe is called a stone The masse amonge al the suffrages for the deade doeth profitte moste of all for the deliueraunce of soulles out of purgatory By hearinge of masse we maye obtayne not onely spiritual goodes but all maner of corporall and temporall goodes also The cannon of the masse is godly and catholyke and it was ordeyned of the Apostles The masse ex opere operato iustifieth and taketh away the giltines of the faute and payne in thē for whom it is done With y e sacrifice of the Masse the satisfactiōs of the deade are rede med The masse ex opere operato geueth grace and beyng applied for other deserueth vnto them ex opere operato forgyuenes of the faute and payne and obtayneth what so euer we haue nede of in al oure lyfe In the olde testamēt ther was a byshop that offered sacrifices for the synnes of y e people therefore in the newe testamente muste ther be priestes and Byshoppes to offere sacrifices for sinnes The body of the Lord once offered on the crosse for originall synne is continually offered for dayly sinnes vpon the altare that by thys meanes the churche maye haue a gyfte wher wyth they may pacifie the wrath of god It is an heresy of the Arrians to holde that the masse is not a sacrifice for the quicke and the deade Howe saye ye Neigheboures to thys doctryne of the massekynge papistes Is it not good stuffe Theo. God haue mer cy on vs. I haue not heard more blasphemous doctrine in my life agaynst the trueth of Gods most blessed word nor more iniurious and dispiteful agaynst the glorious passion of our onely Lord sauioure Iesu Christ. O to much miserable is that realme where suche doctrine is taught Bonde slaues and wreched captiues are they to Satan and to hys Antichristian sinagog where such tea chers reigne and bare rule Oh whan wyl these papistes cease to speake blasphemies againste the sonne of the liuinge God The teachers of thys doctryne are ryghte chaplens to that beaste which had seuen heades and ten hornes and opened hir mouthe to speake blasphemies agaynste God and hys name and agaynst hys holye congregation wyth so many as inhabite the heauens These are those marked Marchauntes whiche haue committed abhominable whoredomme wyth that fylthey and vncleane stromppette Babylon and wepe nowe because no man wyll bye their marchaundise nor their ped lary any more their golde syluer and precious stones their pearle raynes purple and scarlet their ornamētes their franckensence wyne and oyle their fyne flower and wheate with the bodyes and soules of mē Phile. I haue spent the more tyme in declaringe vnto you the wycked opinion of t◅e papistes concerning the sacrifice of the masse and cōfutinge of the same because ye shoulde reioyce in none other thyng as touching your redempcion satisfactiō for your sinnes a perfecte atonmēt made betwene God and vs but onely in the death and passion of oure Lorde and sauioure Iesu Christ as S. Paule sayeth God forbid that I shoulde reioyse in anye thynge but in the death of oure Lorde Iesu Christe Nowe the sacrifice of the masse beynge reproued and proued of no force and vertue to put awaye the synnes of the quicke and deade as the papistes haue falsely taught and made the folishe simple people to beleue for lucr◅s sake of what price I praye you is the masse nowe to be estemed It agreeth nomore with christes supper thā Christ Belial light and darckenes trueth and falshode Christe made a sermon before he ministred the sacramente of hys bodye and bloude to hys Disciples the papistes say masses the deuill and all and yet no sermon at all Christ sate at the table and turned hys face to his Disciples whan he gaue them the misteries of hys bodye and bloude the papistes sequester them selfes from the people they stand at an altare and turne their backes to the multitude Christe reheresed the wordes of the institution of hys supper openly yea and that in suche a tonge as al hys Disciples vnderstode y e papistes whisper to them selues playenge silence glome and vtter althinges in a straung tong that no manne vnderstādeth what is spokē nor for the moste parte them selues neyther Christe gaue the sacramente of hys bodye and bloud to hys Dysciples for to eate the papistes gyue nothyng to any man but eate and drincke altogether them selues Christe ministered the misterye of hys bodye in com mon breade the papistes minister printed waferre cakes other wyse not cōmonly vsed Christ mi nistered wyne to
oure hope in oure owne worckes or in other mens merits against faise religion c. Neyther do I here reherse howe beneficiall he was accordynge to hys possibilitie to pore scholars and other nedye people so conformable was his lyfe to hys doctrine so watered he wyth good dedes what so euer tofore he planted with godly wordes so laboured he with al maine boeth in word and dede to wyne and allure other vnto the loue of christes doctrine and hys holy religion ther is a comō sayinge which remayneth vnto this daye When Maister Staforde read and Mayster Latimer prea ched than was Cambridge blessed Euse. What was that Stafford Chri. A man whom the vnthanful world was vnworthy any lenger to haue As I maye passe ouer the gyftes of nature and suche goodly qualities as winne vnto them that haue them the fauoure and commendacion of men wherwith he was plentu ously endued this I vnfaynedly saye vnto you he was a man of a verye perfecte lyfe and if I maye so speake of an Angellike conuersaciō approuedly learned in the Hebrue Greke and latine tonges and suche one as hadde thorowe hys payneful laboures obtained singulare knoweledge in the misteries of gods most blessed worde I doubte whether he was more bownde to blissed Paule for leauinge those Godly Epistles behynde hym to cusituet and teach the congregation of God wherof he was a dere member or that Paulle whyche before hadde so many yeres been foyled wyth the folyshe fantases and eluyshe exposicions of certayne dotynge doctours and as it were drowned in the dir◅ye dregges of the drowsye dunsers was rather bownde vnto hym seynge that by hys industrye laboure payne and diligence he semed of a dead man to make hym a liue agayne and puttynge a waye all vnsemlines to set hym forth in hys natiue coloures so that nowe he is boeth sene reade and hearde not wythout greate and singular pleasures of them that trauayle in the studies of hys moste godlye Epystles And as he beutified the letters of blessed Paul wyth hys godlye exposicions so lyke wyse dyd he learnedlye setforth in hys lectures the natiue sense and true vnderstandynge of the fore Euaungelistes viuely restoryng vnto vs the Apostls mynde the mynd of those holye wryters whyche so manye yeares before hadde lien vnknowen and obscured thorowe the dark nes and mistes of the Pharises and Papistes He was a faythful and prudent seruaunte geuinge meate to the Lordes howshoulde in due time He dyd caste awaye profane and olde wyues fables and as the good seruaunte of Iesu Christe he exersised him self vnto godlynes He was an ensample to the faythful in worde in conuersacion in loue in spirite in fayth in puritie He gaue hys mynde to readinge to exhortynge to doctryne He studied to shewe hym selfe vnto god a laudable worke man y t nedeth not to be ashāmed deuidyng the word of truth iustly He was gentle vnto euery mā and wyth mekenes enformed thē that resisted the trueth if God at any tyme would gyue thē repentaunce for to knowe the trueth to turne agayne from the snare of the deuyll He foughte a good fyght he fulfylled the course he kepte the fayeth therfore is ther layed vp for him a croune of righ tuousnes whyche the Lord that ryghtuous iudge shal geue hym in that daye not to hym onelye but to al them that loue hys com minge Phile. I am glad brother Christofer that ye haue spokē no lesse truly then frendely of these two mē of God of the which one reigneth w t the hyghe bishoppe in christes glory for the wise as the prophet Daniel saith which haue taught other shall glister as the shynynge of heauen and those y t haue instructed the multitude vnto godlines shal be as the starres world without ende the other is yet alyue worthy if Gods good pleasure so were to lyue the yeres of Mathusalath both for hys godly doctrine and christian conuersation With this true preacher of goddes word I chaunced in Warwyke shere to be somewhat acquainted whyche was to me no smal conforte not with hym only but wyth diuers other wherof some were men of worshyppe well bente toward the holy scrip tures some were men very godlye learned in the lawes of the most higheste professours of y e same So oft as I was in theyr cōpany me thought I was cleane deliuered frō Egipt quietly placed in y e new glorious Ierusalē whyche is described in y e reuelatiō of blessed Iohn so swete a thyng is it to be in the company of Godly learned men Euse. Traueyled you into none other contrey afterwarde Phile. Whyle I was traynynge vp of youthe and fashyonynge theyr myndes vnto true Godlynes in that contrey beholde vnloked for were letters sente vnto me frome my mooste deare mother in the whyche she required me to returne into my natiue contrey and to be a staffe of hyr old age for as muche as my father in lawe was departed from this vale of misery I considerynge my dutye and the honoure whyche I owe vnto hyr by the manifest commaūdement of God immediatly after not without the frendly consent of my well willers departed from Warwyke shere and with all haste repared home And for as much as I haue nowe quietly reposed my self thankes be to the hygh Lord I remembrynge our old frendship thought i◅ my bounden dutye to sende for you after myne accustomed maner to talke wyth you of some parte of the holye scripture Cristofer The rehearsall of thys youre trauaile by diuers contreis hath so delyghted vs that wee seme nowe to haue bene wyth you in all your iourneys Theo. We magnifye God moste hertely that he by hys holy Angell hath safe conduite you in al youre wayes preserued you in health gotten you deare frends and nowe at the laste broughte you home agayne into your natyue countrie Euse. But I pray you did you wright nothinge in thys your longe absence Phile. I wrote diuers treatises but as yet there are publishede onelye these thre the gouernaūce of ver tue an inuectiue against whordome a dialoge of Christes natiuitie betwene the Angell and the shepheardes The other shal be set forth if the Lord wil hereafter at a cōueniēt tyme. I tran̄slated out of latin into English◅ diuers little treatises the shyl◅ of Saluation the solace of the soule the cōmendation of death c. Thus haue I declared vnto you how I spēt my time whilse I haue bene from you It nowe remayneth that for as muche as hereafore I haue perceyued your gentilnes in accepting the pore and homelye gyftes that I haue geuen you I go forthe to vse styll myne accustomed liberalitie toward you to enryche you wyth mo giftes whych may no lesse garnish your soules thē the other haue done in tymes past howesoeuer the papistes Antichristes Souldiours haue iudged of them The gyft which I wyll nowe
whoreishe apparell fit to deceiue soules signifiyng that thys to muche costelye and proude apparayle is more mete for whores that lye awayt to allure men vnto theyr loue then for honest womenne whych professe Godlines Phi. As filthy beggerlike sluttishe apparel becometh not christē women if they haue or ryghtously and wyth honestie maye haue other so lykewyse is it not conuenient for them to weare to muche sumptuouse costely and galaunt araye It is inough for chast and pure maydes to weare cleane and simple apparell as a testimony of the vncorruption cleannes boeth of theyr mynd bodye wythout the flaringe out and coleryng of theyr heare wtout the payntyng of theyr faces without the puttyng on of wanton and light aray wherby they be entised rather to prid whordome thē to humilitie shamfast nes cleannes of life It is sufficiente also for honeste maried wiues that they be so appareled that they please their husbands they that decke theym selues to please the phanseis of other and to make theim selues gaseyngestockes to the world practise rather the maners of whores then the conditions of honest women There is nothing that doth better adourne garnishe and sette forth an honest woman then sobrietie shamfastnes cleannes of life honest cōuersatiō integritie of maners scilēce feare towarde God louyng obedience toward hyr husbande comely behauour in countenaunce in lokynge in goynge in speakynge in doyng and at the last to weare such apparell as serueth for hyr state degre She that is endued wyth these goodly and Godli vertues atoresayed is a verye fayre and beautifull woman thoughe hyr face maye tyghte well be resembled to the colour of an Ethiope and she maye saye as it is wrytten in Solomons Balades I am blacke yet am I fayre For thoughe she be blacke in colour of face yet is she beautifull in mynde And looke howe muche the mynde excelleth the bodye euen so muche doeth the beautye of the mynde excede the fayrnes of the face Christo. Hester was a very Godlye and vertuous woman yet did she weare glorious apparell Phile. I graunt but ye muste consider that she was no priuate personne nor one of the base sorte but she was the moste worthy womā in the realme euē the kynges wyfe notwythstandynge howe lyttle she delited in that gorgious apparell whyche she was compelled to weare for to serue hir state and degre these hyr wordes do euidently shewe Thou knowest O lord saith she my necessitie that I hate the token of preheminencie and glory or worshyppe whyche I bear vpon my heade what tyme as I must shewe my selfe and be sene and that I abhorre it as an vncleane cloth and that I weare it not when I am quiet and alone by my selfe Do we not also read that when she prayed to the Lord she laied away hyr glorious apparel and put on the garmentes that serued for sighynge mou◅ninge Agayne do we not also reade that when the Iewes at anye tyme dyd humble theym selues in the syght of God and woulde obtayne any at hys hand y t they laied asyde theyr galaunte appa rel put on sack cloth Laid thei not awaye their precious oynte◅ētes sca◅red ashes and dung vpon their heaues this meante somewhat Euse. Of thys am I sure that holy Iohn Baptist did weare verye homelye apparell Hys rayment saith the scripture was of Camels hear and he had a gyrdle of leather aboute hys loynes It is to be thought also that Christe and hys Apostles which were but pore mē had not very sūptuous apparel to weare And. S. Ihō writeth He y t saith that he dwelleth in Christ ought to walke euē as Christe walked How can gorgious and galaūt apparel then agre w t christē professiō Is the disciple aboue his maister or the seruaunte aboue his Lorde Doeth no◅ Sayncte Paule in hys Epistle to the Hebrues declare y t certaine faithful and godly persōs walked vp and downe in shepes skinnes gote skinnes were highly cōmended of God Doth not sainct Iames rebuke the riche men that haue suche plentie of garmentes that they be motheeaten Doeth he not also reproue suche as wyl accepte and make much of thē that be clothed in goodli apparel and neglecte the pore whiche are but homely apparelled Was it for nought that Christe sayed to the people of Saint Iohn Baptise what went ye out to se a man clo thed in softe rayment Beholde they that weare softe clothynge are in kynges houses Is it in vaine y t Sainct Luke in the discri◅tion of the rich gloton decla reth that he was clothed in purple and fyne whyte Do we not reade also that Kynge Herode was arayed in royall apparrell whē the Angel of the Lord smote hym so that he dyed a very miserable death To reherse what the doctoures of Christes churche wryte of the vanitie of gorgious apparell agayne to declare out of prophane histories how greatly the noble princes and mightie Emperours euē amōg the Ethnyckes abhorred sūptuous rayment both time and tong should fayle me Phi. It is very syttynge and prayse worthy ynough for al degrees of personnnes to weare apparell accordyng to their state and callynge so that vanitie excesse and reioysyng therin be banished But confusedly euery mā or woman to weare as them lyketh is boeth wythout ordre and greatly discōmendable oughte by the higher powers to be redressed To be shorte in this behalfe it shall be conuenient for so many as professe Christ alwayes to set before y e eyes of their mynd thys saiynge of the Apostle hauyng fode wherewyth we may be couered let vs be content For we broughte nothynge into the worlde neither shall we cary any thynge out of it And he appareleth hym selfe wel whiche forgetteth not to cloth the pore according to this cōmaūdemēt of god Whē y u seest the naked cloth him as we reade of the noble vertuous womā Tabitha which made cotes garmētes for y e pore The. If these thynges were deeplye weyghed and considered they that so greatly delighte in sumptuous apparayle woulde sone cease from that vanitie and no more repose their delectatiō in it For these garmentes whiche we nowe set by verye muche within fewe yeres we put thē to vile offices and threwe them away vpon the doūghili so that we haue litel occasion to reioyse in them Phile. Trueth it is as these thynges aforesaide be proued to bringe no perfecte felicitie nor true ioye to menne so lykewyse these that remaine whatsoeuer they be make a man nomore truely ioyful than the other To pamper the beally and to fare deliciously is reputed amonge the voluptuous Epicures an highe singular pleasure yet these meates drynkes which are so deraely bought and wherin many so greatly delight become afterwarde so vyle and lothsome that we can neither abyde the syghte nor the smell of them What doeth yesterday fasting
in mind so did he chose pore hum ble men to be his disciples y t they might go b◅are abrod like faith ful ministers y e heauēly riches of his exceding mercy toward man Christ. Not wyth out a cause For the riche galaūte and pompous worldlynges are no fit vessels t◅ c◅rye the treasures of the kyngdome of heauen so vnequally matched are Christe and Mammon heauen earth Golde and gods worde light and darcknes They maye pretend and beare an outwarde fac◅ to the worlde as thoughe they were the Apostles and ministers of Christe as Iudas Simon Magus and suche other dyd but inwardelye and afore God th◅y are the Apostls and ministers of Satan and whan they seme moste of all to talke of Christe of Christes doctrine of hys glory than are thei most of all ennemies of the crosse of Christe seke the condemnacion both of his doctrine and glory and laboure to stablishe their owne drousy dreames lowe◅ye lawes croked cōstitutions diuel lishe decres Antichristian actes and al for their God y e belly So swete a thynge is it to these false ministers and craftie apostles of Satan to tomble and walow in all kyndes of carnall pleasures and worldly riches Christe therfore knowynge all suche Bellye goddes to be vnapte for the prea chynge of the Gospell as he was pore and humble him selfe so did he chose to be hys ministers and Apostles por◅ homble menne ◅i shars day labourers tolgatherers such other vyle personnes abiectes of y e worlde These appointed he vnto the office of prea chyng his heauenly fathers wil. These made he dispensatoures and Stuwardes of the misteries of god These commaunded he to goforth and preach the Gospell the ioyful and glad ◅idings the fauoure of God towarde manne Repentaunce fayeth fre remission of sinnes in his bloud peace tranquillite of conscience euerlastinge lyfe c. The. These your wordes doeth blessed Paul affirme sayeing the folishenes of God is wiser then mē y e weakenes of god is stronger then men Brethrē ye se your calling how y t not mani wise mē after the flesh not many mightie not manye of hie degre are called but god hath chosen the folishe thynges of the world to confound the wyse And god hath chosē the weake things of the world to cō◅oūd the things which are mightie And vile thin ges of the world thinges which are dispised hath god chosē yea thinges of no reputacion for to bring to noughte things of repu tatiō y t no flesh should reioyce in his presēce Phi. Againe to shewe his humilite lolines how was he cōtent at euery mans desire to ◅o whither thei wold haue him gladly to do what so euer they re quested him Did he not heale y e deseased Restore y e blind to their sight The deaffe to their hearig The dūbe to their speaking The dead to their life Yea y e very Lepers did he not disdaine to purge cl◅se of their leprosie to touch w t his own handes whō the fine Pharises y e lusty lawers y e solēne saduces y e sawsy scribes the brag ing byshopes y e pattering priests w t y e whole rable of y e hypocritish sort disdained once to loke vpon so far is it of y t these holy fathers sought any remedy at al to helpe y e pore disseased After many tra gedies had betwen Christe the spiritual sorcerers w t y e other pōpouse worldlings for his doctrin miracles whā the time came ap poynted of hys heauenly father frome euerlastinge that he for mans reconciliation and pacifiyng of the diuine wrath shoulde offer hymselfe ▪ a swete and euerlastynge Sacrifice to God hys father wherby he myght redeme man from the tiran◅y of Satan paye hys raūsome by the price of his dere herte bloude fatisfie for hys offēses set a perpetual peace betwene God the father and mā and by hys death and passion bringe an whole sea of heauenlie treasures to the faythful penitēt sinners wyth what alacritie and cherefulnes of mynd wyth what desire and redines went he to his glorious passion No kinde of payne Did he disdayne For to sustayne To do man pleasure Hys owne herte bloude To shed on the rode It dyd hym good To make man al pure Euse. O the vnoutspeak◅able fa uoure of God towarde man If he had sent downe faythful Abra ◅ā or any other of the old Patri arches or aunciente holye Prophetēs to haue suffered for mans saluatiō it had wythout al doubt bene a token of singulare great fauoure toward man but to send downe hys onely begotten and derely beloued sonne from hys glorious throne yea and that for his enemies for their health and saluacion it is loue passynge all loue it is charite farre exceading all charite it is fauoure rather to be depely maruelled at than a ble worthily to be expressed The sonne of god to be come man and suffer dath for our sake Oh how cā we otherwise thē ernestly and frō y e very hert reioyce in y e Lord oure God Christ. Truly to much iron herted are all thei which reioyce not in y e blessed incarnaciō glorious death of this most ble ssed sede Iesu christ our Lord by whom so many so excellēt treasures of heauēli goodes haue fre ly chaūced vnto vs. Al things euē vnto the very death did he for our health saluation yea y t so cōsūmat perfecte y t ther was no thing left behind vnaccōplished y t might turne vnto our wealth cō modite profit cōcerning our redēpciō Let the turckes bost their Mahumet and reioyce in hym so much as thei list let Papistes auaunce their pope triumphe in him so much as is possible let the rich worldlinges magnifie their wicked mamon reioyse in it ful their hertes let y e glistering hypo crites delight in their god the bel ly euē vnto the vttermost yet let vs let vs I say y t professe Christ aright only reioyse in Christe in Christes natiuite passiō bloud death as s. Paul saith god forbid y t I should reioyse in any thinge but in the death of our lord Iesu Christ. For so louinge gentle a Sauioure can no wher be found so fauourable liberal a Lord cā no where be sought out In this sauioure lord therfore let vs re ioyse in none other Theo. The papistes can not broke this doctrine y t Christ alone y e most highe euerlastinge priest hath by hys death passiō in offeryng vp his own blessed body a swet smelling sacrifice to God the father so plē tuously so omnisufficiently so at the ful made satisfacion for oure sinnes y t we nede none other sacrifice satisfactory to put awaye our wickednesses Phile. No mar uel for in defacing the glory honour
geueth meate to the hungrye Beholde the eys of the Lorde are vpon them that feare hym and vpon them that truste in his mercye that he maye deliuer their liues from death and nourishe thē in the tyme of honger They that feare the Lorde shall haue no scarsenes They which seeke the Lord shall want no good thynge Feare not my sonne sayeth Tobias we leade a pore lyfe notwythstandynge we shal haue plentye of al good thin ges if we feare the Lorde depart from all synne and do well God gyueth vs aboūdantly in al thin ges to enioye them sayeth sainct Paule God him selfe sayeth I wyll not fayle the nor yet forsake the. Christo. Who beynge a fayethfull manne althoughe neuer so muche oppressed wyth pouertye wyl not reioyse in the lord which hath promised and wil no les per fourme that he wyll not forsake so manye as truste in hym Philemon And that ye may be thorow ly perswaded of hys faythfulnes concernyng thaccomplishement of his promes consider I praye you howe frendly and fayethfully he dealt in tymes paste wyth his seruauntes and wyll no les fauorably handle vs if we haue lyke fayeth in hym Dyd he not fede the people of Israell wyth meate from heauē and gaue thē drincke out of the rocke Dyd he not sende meate twise a daye by the rauens to the Prophet Helias and so miraculously fed him whā the vnfaythful perished for hōger Did not Christ turne wa ter into wyne at the mariage in Cana Galile Dyd not Christe wyth fyue barlye loues and two fyshes fede fyue thousande men besydes womenne and children and yet there of remained xii baskettes full of the fragmentes Do not all these histories teache vs to haue fayeth in God and to beleue that God hath a father lye care for hys seruauntes What so euer thynges are wryten are writtē sayth blessed Paul for oure learnynge that thorowe pacience and cōforte of the scriptures we shoulde haue hope It is not to be passed ouer at thys presente that Christe hath in the gospel of Mathewe Be not care full for youre lyfe what ye shall eate or what ye shall drincke nor yet for youre bodye what ye shal put on Is not y e life more worth than meate And the bodie more of valure than rayment Behold the foules of the ayer for they sowe not neyther reape nor carye into the barnes and youre heauenly father fedeth them Are ye not much better thā they Which of you by takyngr thoughte can put one cubite to hys stature And why care ye thē for raiment Consider the lylies of the felde howe they growe They laboure not neyther spinne and yet I tel you y t Salomon in al his rialtie was not arayed lyke vnto one of these Wherfore if god so cloth y e grasse whyche is to daye in the felde and to morowe shall be cast into y e fornace shal he not muche more do the same to you O ye of litle fayeth Take therefore no thoughte sayinge what shall we eate or what shall we drincke or wherewyth shall we be clothed After al these thynges seake the heathen For youre heauenly father knoweth that ye haue nede of all these thynges But seke ye firste the kyngdome of heauen and the ryghtuousnes thereof and all these thynges shal be cast vnto you The. O swet comfortable scriptures Lette the heathen take thought for their liuinge which knowe not God as for the fayth full Christians thei haue a lorde whiche wyl prouyde for them aboūdauntly Let adulteres forni cators theues Dronkardes swe rers and suche other wycked par sonnes take care wherewith they shall be fedde and cladde as for the seruauntes of God they haue an almyghtye Lorde in heauen whiche wyll sende them plentye of all good thynges If ye be louynge and obediente sayeth the Prophet Esay ye shal enioye the beste thynge that groweth in the lande But if ye be obstinate and rebelious ye shall be deuoured with the swerd For thus the lord hath promised wyth hys owne mouth The wicked therfore and not the faythfull shall want and be oppressed wyth famyne Euse. If God taketh such fatherly care for hys seruauntes howe than commeth it to passe manye tymes that those whyche seeke most of al hys glory lede in this worlde the most base miserable lyfe and often are found socourles and destitute of all mannes healp Whan they whych be vnfayethfull regarde neyther God nor any thynge that is godly dis pise hys most blessed worde persecute the true preachers thereof oppresse theyr pore neyghboures deale vniustly wyth all men c haue ouer flowyng aboūdaunce of al thinges lyue lyke voluptuous Epicures in al kind of pleasure possesse whatsoeuer theyr hertes can wishe or desire Thys thing se we presentely before our eyes and as it may be gathered of the holye Scriptures manye good menne in tymes paste haue complayned of this thynge vnto god and almooste as it were accused God of vnryghtuousnes Are not these the wordes of the holye and paciente man Iobe◅ When I consider my selfe I am a trayde and my fleshe is smitten wyth feare Wherefore do wycked men lyue in health and prosperite come to ther olde age and increase in ritches Their childrē lyue in their syghte and their generacion before their eyes Their houses are safe from all feare and the rodde of God doth not smyte them Their bullocke gendereth and that not oute of tyme their cowe calueth and is not vnfruiteful They send forth their chyldren by flockes and their sonnes leade the daunce They beare wyth them tabrettes and harpes and haue instrumen tes of musicke at their pleasurs Thei spend their daies in wealth thynes c. The holy Prophet Ie remye maruelynge greatelye at the prosperitie of y e wycked speaketh to God on thys maner O Lorde thou art more ryghtuous then I should dispute wyth the. Neuertheles lette me talke wyth the in thynges reasonable How happeneth it that the way of the vngodli is so prosperous that it goeth so wel wyth them which wythout any shame offende and lyue in wyckednes Thou plantist them and they take rote they growe and brynge forth fruite Are not these the wordes also of the blessed Psalmographe truely God is louynge vnto Israell and vnto suche as are of acleane herte Neuertheles my fete were almost gone my treadinges had welnigh flypt And why I was greued at the wicked I do se also the vngodly in such prosperitie For they are in no parell of death but are lusty and stronge they come in no misfortune lyke other folke neyther are they plaged lyke other men And thys is the cause why they be so holden wyth pryde and ouerwhelmed wyth crueltye theyr eyes swel for fatnes and they do euen what they luste They corrupte other and speake of wycked blasphemy theyr talking is against the most higheste For they stretche
poore abiectes and vyllaynes of this worlde by the authoritie of Goddes worde It can not be it can not be For euery one that doeth euyll sayth Christ hateth the lyght neyther cometh he to the lyght least hys works should be reproued Now as cōcerninge the wicked worldlings thei cā fauour no more the truth of Gods word thē the bealied hipocrites For it condēneth their couetousnes theyr ambitio their vain glory their pride their whordome their pollynge their pillinge their falshode theyr oppression their vnmercifulnes theyr cruelty theyr tyrannye and what so euer ahomination they vse beside Howe can it otherwise come to passe but they whych rebuke these vices muste neades be hated persecuted enprisoned and slayne of the wycked worldlynges for tellynge thē the truth for rebukynge these theyr most abhominable and outragiousse synnes as the prophete sayeth They hate hym that reproueth them openlye and who so telleth them the playne trueth they abhorre hym Can lighte and darcknes agre Can Christ and Beliall be at vnitie No more canne the worckers of wyckednes and the rebukers of the same be ledde wyth one consente There muste nedes be dissētion betwen thē as was betwene Abell and Cayne Iacob and Esau Christ and the byshoppes the Apostles and the worldelye tyrantes And for as muche as the same impietie and vngodlynes the same wyckednes and abhomination reigneth nowe in the worlde that hathe bene vsed in tymes paste and it ought of veri duti to be rebuked at thys presente wyth no lesse libertye of speache then it hathe bene in tymes paste excepte wee wyll wyncke at so greate abhomination and wyth the wycked worldelynges and bealied hypo crites syncke downe to the deuyl for oure laboure it is not to be doubted but they that shall take vpon them that office shal proue fynd euen that same gentilnes at theyr handes that Moyses the Prophetes Christe and hys Apostles the holye martyrs and blessed sayntes receyued of their bluddy predecessours Therfore if the waues and surges of cruell persecution shal at any tyme rise againste vs the good wyl of our heauenlye father so prouidynge without whole sufferaunce al the hypocrites in the worlde can do nothynge agaynst vs let vs not despayre nor cast away our hope but styl go forth to reioyce in the Lorde oure God and manfullye abyde by the veritie of his word remēbring y t it is called the word of the crosse trouble persecutiō remembringe that no kynde of aduersitie chaunceth to vs but the same happened in times past to the Prophetes and Apostles yea to Christ hym selfe that pure Lambe of God remembrynge y t all whyche wyll lyue Godlye in Christe Iesus shall suffer persecution remembrynge that by the crosse awaye is prepared for vs vnto eternall lyfe And that we maye wyth the more free spirite and francke courage reioyce in the Lord when so euer the crosse or persecution is layed on oure backes for Goddes sake and for hys Gospell let vs enarme oure selues wyth the cōfortable textes of the holye scripture and call to remembraunce the hystories of the blessed menne of God whych also suffred like or greater pains for the glorye of the Lorde not forgettynge that euen frome the beginyng of the worlde the wicked begā to persecute the godly as we may see in Abel and suche other Euse. Unto this pacience and the folowing of the prophetes doeth blessed Iames exhorte vs saying Bepatient brethren to the cōming of the Lorde Behold the husband man waiteth for the precious fruite of the earth and hath long patiēce therupō vntyll he receiue y e yarelye later raine Be ye also patiente therfore and settle youre hertes for the commynge of the Lord draweth nye Grudge not one agaynste an other brethren leste ye be dampned Beholde the Iudge standeth before the dore Take my brethren the prophets for an exemple of sufferynge aduersitie of patience whyche spake in the name of the Lorde Beholde we counte them happye whyche endure Chri. Oure sauiour Christ sayeth also Blessed are ye when men reuile you persecute you and shall falselye saye all maner of euyll saying agaynste you for my sake Reioyce and be glade for great is your reward in heauen For so persecuted they the Prophetes whyche were before you Phile. What pleasures the holy prophetes of God found at the worldes hande it is not hard to expresse Esaie that moste excellente Prophet of God for hys libertie of speache in rebukynge the syn of the princes and of the people and for prophesyeng of the vengeaunce of god to fal vppō the cōtreie and people for not receiuing the word of god was cut in two partes a sūder wyth a sawe of wode Theo. O intollerable payne Phi. The prophet Ieremy was stoned vnto death of his people at Taphnes in Egipte because he rebuked them of their wicked liuynge and exhorted thē vnto repentaunce and amendemente of lyfe The Prophete Amos at the commaundemente of kynge Amasias for hys preachinge was cruelly beaten and greuously tormented and at the laste the Kynges sonne Ochosias caused hym to be thurste into the temples of the heade wyth a great naile oftrone so shortli af ter died The Prophet Micheas was cruelly beatē emprisoned fed w t breade water because he spake the trueth told the king what should chaunce vnto hym The Prophete Helias was greuously persecuted of quene Iesa ble kinge Achabes wife for speakinge agaynste Baall and hys chaplens The Prophet zacharie son of Barachias was stoned to death for telling the king truth The Prophete Daniell was cast into the denne of lions because that contrarye to kynge Darius commaundemente he prated vnto his Lord the God Israell Which of the prophetes escaped wythout persecution And as the wicked worldlynges and bellie◅ Hypocrites handled the prophetes of God for telling the trueth so handled they al other y t obeied not their wickedlawes and filthy requestes Were not Sidrach Misac Abednago caste into a firie fornace because they would not worship the golden Image that kinge Nabugodonoser had made but only y e God of Israel Was not Achimelech wyth certaine other holy mē of god slaine at kynge Saules commaundemente because he she wed kyndenes to Dauid the hertye beloued seruaunte of God Was not Io sephe caste into prisonne because he woulde not leane to the filthy requeste of hys Lordes wyfe Was not Susan that vertuous woman at the poynt to be stoned vnto death because she woulde not consente to the vnlaufull and fylthy requestes of the two Iudges Was not Eleazarus miserablye put to death because ◅e at the kinges comaundement would not eat swines fleshe contrarie to the lawe of God was not a certayne woman wyth her seuen sonnes most cruelly put to death because they would not obaye the wycked precepte of
the most wicked kinge I passe ouer many other of the olde testamēt which were vnmercifully persecuted and slayne for gods trueth Some as the blessed Apostle say eth were tried wyth mockynges scourginges wyth bondes prisonment some were stoned some were hewen a sunder some were slayne with swerde al were troubled and vexed Theo. These are they of whom the wise man spea keth god proued thē and founde thē meete for him selfe yea as the golde in the fornace dyd he trye thē and receyued thē as a brunte offeringe c. Phi. As I may at y e last come to the newe testament to whō is it vnknowne that Iesus Christ our Lorde sauioure after mani blasphemies rebukes slaunders and bitter tormentes suffred the most spiteful death of y e crosse so entered in to glorye Holye Iohn Baptist that blessed priestes sonne for trueth tellynge to king herod for reprouing hym of his abhominable liuing was cast into prisonne and beheaded Iames the brother of Iohn had his head striken of for preaching Christ to be son of y e liuinge god The holy martirs Stephē was stoned vnto deth because he prea ched Christ affirmed that God dwelleth not in temples made w t mans hād What kindnes Peter and Paule w t the other apostles foūd at y e hādes of thē whose saluaciō they most diligētly sought the histories make menciō Neyther do I heare speake of those blissed martirs which syns their dayes haue died for the confessiō of gods trueth so that the Gospel of Christe is not without a cause called of sainct Paulle the word of the crosse For al that wyl lyue godlye in Christ Iesu sayeth he shal suffer persecution To consider these histories afore rehersed shall stablishe our fayeth greately and very much comforte vs in the tyme of oure tribulacion so that we shall not lyghtely slyde frome God and frome hys holye worde but reioyse in hym recoūtynge oure selues moste blessed fortunate and wealthy that god hath vouched safe not only that we shoulde beleue in him but also suffer for hym It shall be expediente for vs also to remember that Christe calleth them blessed which suffer persecution for righ tuousnes sake and sayeth that theirs is the kingdome of heauē Agayne that the seruaunt is not greater thā hys Lord but if they persecuted Christ our Lorde and maister thei wil also persecute vs his seruauntes Disciples If they haue called the father of the houshold Belzebub much more they wyl cal them so that are of hys housholde If we were of the worlde the worlde woulde loue vs but for asmuche as we are not of the worlde but Christ hath chosen vs out of the world therfore doth the world hate vs. And did not Christe tel vs afore that we should lament and wepe that is to saye be oppressed of tirauntes but the worlde shoulde reioyse and that in the world we should haue affliction and trouble Agayne are we not taughte y t by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God Chri. The fleshe abhorreth trouble persecution namely whan death is like to folow phile The spirite as Christ sayeth is redye and of a good courage to suffer al thinges for the glorie of God but the fleshe is weake The outward man is loeth to dye but the inward man wisheth to be losoned out of this corruptible body and to be wyth Christ. But if the good wil of our heauēly father so be y t we muste nedes suffer death for Christes sake let vs set thys saying of S. Paule before oure eies and stedfastli beleue it if we die with christ we shal liue with him If we suffer w t him we shall also reigne with him And our sa uioure Christ sayeth whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake and for y e Gospel he shal kepe it Here to agreeth the saying of s. Peter detelye beloued maruaile not that ye are proued bi fire whiche thyng is to trie you as thoughe some straūg thing happened vnto you but reioyse in asmuch as ye are partakers of christes passion y t when his glory appereth ye may be mery glad If ye be railed vpō happie are ye For y e glory the spirite of god resteth vpō you Againe if any mā suffer as a Christen man let hym not be a shamed but let him glorifie God on this behaulfe And let thē y t are troubeled accordinge to y e will of God cōmit ther soules to him w t wel doing as vnto a faythful cre ature They y t suffer trouble for y e lordes sake for the gospell shal stande before the glorious seate of God and before the lambe Christe and they shall be clothed wyth longe whyte garmentes and palmes in their handes They shal euer be in the presence of the seat of God and serue him daye and nyghte in hys temple and he that sitteth in the seate shall dwell amonge them They shall honger no more neyther thyrste neyther shall the sunne lyghte on thē neyther any heate For the lambe whyche is in the middes of the seate shal fede thē and lede them vnto fountaynes of liuynge water and God shall wype awaye al teares from their eyes Furthermore it shall be greate comforte for vs also to remember wyth what wyllynge hertes Christ and al the blissed martires suffered death for the glorye of God Christe oure Lorde and sauioure whan the tyme of hys bytter passion beganne to drawe nyghe and perceyued that Iudas wente aboute to betraye hym to the Byshopes and priestes sayde that thou entendeste to do do it quickelye and out of hand And whan the Byshoppes seruauntes came to laye hande on hym where as he myght haue escaped their cruell handes he wyllyngely offered hym selfe vnto them whereby we maye se that he wente vnto hys death wyth a merye and ioyefull herte Christofor These hys wordes which long before his passion he spake to y e Iewes do also testify and wytnes his redy bente good wyll to suffer for the saluacion of mankynd Therfore doeth my father loue me because I gyue ouer my lyfe that I maye take it agayne No manne taketh it away frō me but I gyue it ouer euē of myne own good wil I haue power to gyue it ouer I haue power to take it againe Theo. Of the willinge oblacion of him selfe it was prophecied by the holy Prophetes The prophet Esai sayeth he was offered because it was his good pleasure Dauid also saith in the parson of Christ I wil offer sacrifice vnto the willingly He speketh of the sacrifice of his body Againe Christe hym selfe sayeth by the forsayde Prophet vnto his heauēlye father as for sacrifice and offerynge thou wouldest none therfore madeste thou me a bodie As for burnte offeringes for synne thou hast not alowed them Than sayed I
behold I am at hand In the begin ing of the boke is it writtē of me that I should do thy wyl O God Phile. As the lord Christ willingly suffered for the health of man so likewise did the apostles suffer al kindes of tormentes ioyefully for the glorye of God for the settinge forth of his blessed worde for the name of Iesu Christe the lord as we rede in the actes of y e apostles They were whipped of the byshopes seruauntes as S. Luke testifieth because they prea ched Christ so sent awaye But whan thei came frō the councell they reioysed y t thei were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesu. How glad ioyeful and redie the blessed Apostle S. Paule was to suffer any kinde of torment for Christes sake these his wordes do aboūdātly shewe Beholde I beinge bound in the spirite go forth vnto Hierusalem not knowyng what thinges shall chaunce vnto me ther but y t the holy goste in euery citie doth testifie sayinge y t bondes troubles do abide me But I care not for thē neither is my life dere vn to me so that I maye finishe my course w t ioye y e office which I haue receyued of y e lord to testifithe gospell of the grace of God Againe whē Agabus y e prophet toke Paules girdel bound hys hādes fete ther w t saying thus sayeth the holye goste the man whose girdel this is shal the Iewes thus bind at Hierusalē and they shall deliuer hym into the handes of the heathen and whē they that were wyth Paule hearynge these thynges moste instātly desired him that he should not go vp vnto Hierusalem the blissed apostle answered saying what do ye wepyng and troubelynge my herte I am redye not only to be bounde but also to die at Hierusalem for the name of y e Lord Iesu. O faythful Apostle The lord Iesu christ was so dere vnto him y t for his sake for the anauncement of his glorye for y e setting forth of his most glorious gospel he feared neither chea nes nor death He alwayes had before hys eyes y e short paines of this world y e euerlastinge ioyes of y e world to come He euer remēbred this saying of y e lord Christ whosoeuer shall lose hys lyfe for my sake for the gospel he shall kepe it He neuer forgat these his maisters wordes whosoeuer shal be ashamed of me of my sayīgs in this whorishe sinful generacion the son of man shal also be a shamed of him whā he shal come in y e glory of his father w t y e holy angelles But whosoeuer shal cō fesse me before mē I shall cōfesse him also before my father which is in heuē We rede also y t the blissed martire Ignatius after many greuous tormētes was thratened if he wold not forsake christ hys word y t he shuld be cast vnto wilde beastes so be deuoured But he being nothinge abashed w t those threates but perceyuing his death to be differted whiche he so greatly desired to suffer for christes name wrot an Epistle to the Romaines desired thē that thei woulde kepe hym no lenger frō his martirdome but w t al expediciō bringe to passe y t thei had so long threatened In the which epistle amōg many other wordes which declare hys valiāt fayth mighti courage in god he wrigh teth on this maner O wholsome beastes y t are prepared for me Whā shall they come whan shal they be sente out whan shal they eate my fleshe I would wishe w t al my herte y t they might be more gredy I wil bid thē vnto y e deuourīg of me praie thē lest par aduēture as they haue done in many thei feare to touch my bodie Yea if they shal make any de lay I my selfe wil brast into thē offer my selfe to thē Gyue me liberty I besech you for I know what is expedient for me Nowe that I beginne to be the disciple of Christ let fyres galowes wild beastes breakyng of my bones rackynge of my membres payne thorowout all my bodye and all the punyshmentes of the world that can be inuented by the craft and subtilty of the deuyll be ministered vnto me I wyll refuse none of theim all so that I maye deserue to obtaine Iesus Christ. Theo. O blessed glorious martyre O valeant and noble souldi our of our most mighty capitain Christ Iesu. O what a myrrour glasse and spectacle is here offered vnto vs wherein we maye se and learne not onelye hygh patience but also an exceadynge desyre to suffer al kynde of tormentes for the glory of Christe Phile. Not onely the blessed martyre Ignatius shewed him selfe wylling and ioyfull to suffer all kynde of aduersitie yea verye death for the cōfession of Christ and of hys blessed trueth but other holye men innumerable as we reade in histories Whē Decius the Emperoure that mooste cruel tyraunte hadde spoyled the blessed martyre Hypolitus of his vestures bycause he woulde not do sacrifice to false Gods the mā of God spake boldely vnto him sayinge thou haste not spoyled me of my garmentes but thou haste rather begun to clothe me And when the aforsayde tyraunt cōmaunded that he should be clo thed agayne w t his own accustomed kynd of apparaile and said vnto hym Use thyne olde seruice whych thou hast euer had in our syght be our frende the blessed martyre w t a stoute courage answered my seruyse is thys faithfully to serue Christe and by seruyng him spedly to come vnto a frutefull victory Shortlye after the tirant seyng his stedfast and vnshakē cōstācy cōmaūded him to be depryued of all hys goodes and to be headed w t diuers other about y e nūbre of nintene whiche al wyth ioyfull courage suffered death for Christes sake The blessed martyre Tiburtius was apprehēded of y e cruel iudge Fabiā and cōmaūded either to offer sacrifice to y e Idols or els to go w t naked fete vpō the hote burning coles He boldly wēt on thē barefoted hauinge no harme saied to y e tyrante Lay away thine vnfaithfulnes learne that he is the God alone whō we cōfesse to haue power ouer all creatures For thorowe the myghte of my Lorde Iesus Christe me thynke that goyng vpon burnyng coles I walke as it were vpō red roses wtout fealynge of anye paine or hurt of my fete For the creature obeyeth the commaundement of the creatoure When the tyraunt sawe that the fyre dyd hym no harme he commaunded that he should be slayne w t the swerd The blessed martyre wente vnto hys deathe wyth a toyfull herte praysynge God that he woulde vouchsafe to gyue hym strength for to confesse his mooste blessed name holy word before worldly tyrantes When Galerius the Proconsull cōmaunded that S. Cipriā should be headed bicause he was an enemy to the Goddes of
broughte me vnder to learne thy ordinaunces Hereto agreeth the sayinge of the Apostle my sonne despise not the chastenyng of the Lorde neyther faynte thou wh◅ thou arte rebuked of hym For whom the Lorde loueth hym he chasteneth yea and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receyueth If ye endure chastening God offereth him selfe vnto you as vnto sonnes What sonne is that whom the father chasteneth not It ye be not vnder correccion whereof al are partakers than are ye bastardes and not sonnes Wherefore seeynge we had fathers of oure fleshe whyche corrected vs and we haue them in reuerence shoulde we not muche rather be in subiectiō vnto the fa ther of spiritual giftes And they verelye for a fewe dayes nourtered vs after theyr own pleasure but he learneth vs vnto y t which is profitable y t we might receiue of his holynes Nomaner of cha stesynge for the presente time semeth to be ioyous but greuous not wythstandynge after warde it bryngeth quiet fruite of rightuousnes vnto them whiche are exercised in the same Beare not therefore derely beloued impaciently the crosse of sickenes whan so euer God layeth it on youre backe neyther striue ye agaynste the good pleasure of your heauē ly father whiche onelye seaketh your comoditye eternal saluaci on but paciētely suffer and praie y t his godli wil which is alwaies best may be done in you whether he sendeth sickenes or health euer glorifie hys name reioyse in him being thorowly persuadid that he wil hādle you none other wise than shall make boeth vnto his glori your saluacion which to resiste were extreme impietie to much vngodlines Chr. For as much o lord as we are thy workmāship are in thy hādes euē as y e claye is in the potters do w t vs according to thy most godly plea sure onli giue vs a pacient thāk ful hert y t whither y u sēdest prospe ritie or aduersitie siknes or helth quietnes or trouble we may at al times praise magnify thy most blessed and glorious name The. Let it so come to passe O Lorde Phile. Nowe Neyghbours euen as I would wishe you to reioyse in the Lorde our God whansoeuer he visite you with his louing correction and scourge of sickenes so would I gladly also haue you to ioye and reioyse in hym if he at any tyme sendeth pouertye or losse of gooddes to any of you all If therefore it so chaunceth that ye be acombred wyth anye misfortune grudge not agaynst God but shewe your selfe cōformable to hys godlye wyll in all poyntes nothynge doubtynge but that losse of youre temporall possessions shal turne vnto your hyghe commoditye and furtheraunce in obtaynynge goodes whiche are a thousande tymes more precious I meane gods fa uour quietnes of conscience and eternall glorye Let the brother sayeth Sayncte Iames that is poore and of lowe degree reioyse in that he is exalted and the rich in that is made lowe For euē as the flour of the grasse shall he vanishe awaye The sonne riseth wyth heate and the grasse widereth and his floure falleth away and the beautie of the fashiō of it perisheth euen so shall the ryche mā perishe wyth hys abundaūce The goodes of thys world wher wyth ye be ryghtuouslye endued are gods if therefore it shall be hys good pleasure at anye tyme to take them from you grudge not agaynste hym for takeynge his owne but rather with a thāfull and reioysynge herte saye wyth the paciente manne Iobe the Lord gaue it the Lorde hath taken it awaye agayne As it pleased the Lorde so is it come to passe Blessed be the name of the Lorde Paraduenture God perceyueth that thy mynde is so muche set on tēporall possessiōs y t y u cleane forgettest y e spiritual riches heauenly treasures of the soule therfore he mīdīg to make the his son heire of eternal glo ry of much better more excellente goodes than this beggerly vale of misery can cōprehend taketh away frō the mucke of this world that y u maiest y e more frely aspire breath forward vnto the gettīg of heauēly riches wher w t the soule beīg gorgeously decked may after this transitory life sit gloriously in the glorious palace of heauē For what doth it profit a mā sayth christ thoughe he win neth al y e world loseth his sole Againe hord not vp tresures vnto you on y e earth wher rust mothes corrupte and where theues breake thorow steale But hord ye vp treasures in heauen where neither rust nor mothes corrupt wher theues breake not vp nor yet steale For wher your tresure is ther wil your hert be also And y t ye may bere y e crosse of pouertie w t the more paciēt mind remēber y t though christ was lord ouer al yet was he so pore frō hys infancie vnto his depature out of this world y t he had not a place wher once to rest his hed His mother al y e apostles w t mani blessed marters faythfull ministers of gods word other innumerable y t were good mē derely beloued of god escaped not y e harde dart of pouer ty Now seīg ye haue christ y e lord of lordes king of kīges his blessed mother w t y e holy Apostles marters c exēplars of pouerti to folow and practise if God at any time do lay y e crosse of necessiti on youre backes suffer it boeth paciētly thākefully Disdaine not you beynge seruauntes to beare y e burden which your lord maister refused not to take vpō hym Ye knowe the liberalitie of oure Lorde Iesu Christe sayeth S. Paule that for youre sake he became poore whan he was ryche y t ye thorowe his pouertie should waxe ryche Euse. Neyghboure Philemon althoughe thankes be to God we haue oure brestes so well furnyshed and fortressed wyth the weapons and armours of holy scriptures against the violēce of all misfortunes yet some perchaunce not beynge thorowly instructed of Gods liberalitie towarde his creatures wyll obiect and saye as the comon prouerbe is necessitye is an hearde darte And honger is a sharpe thorne howe than can we take pouertye so pacientlye that we maye reioyse in the Lord our God namely in so greate penurie and scasenes of thynges Philemon I answere wyth the Psalmographe I haue bene yonge and nowe I am olde yet neuer sawe I right tuous man forsaken nor his sede beggynge their breade on the earth If thou therefore be ryght tuouse that is fayethfull to God and iuste to thy neyghboure laboringe diligently for thy lyuing accordynge to the vocacion and callynge as God hath commaun ded the thou mayste be sure not to wante that shal suffice nature Who euer trusted in God and wente awaye succoureles Caste thy care on the Lord and he shall nourishe the sayeth Dauid The Lorde