much as God is faythfull in his promyse aboue all other creatures This illusion of spretes doth God also rebuke by Esay y e prophet in y e .viii. chapter sayenge And therfore yf they saye vnto you Aske couÌ„cel at y e soythsayers witches charmers and coÌ„iurers then make theÌ„ this answere Is there a people ony where that axeth not councel at his God wether it be concerninge the dead or the lyuinge Yf ony maÌ„ want lyght let him loke vpon y e law the testimony wether they speake not after thys meanynge Therfore let vs not regarde dreames fantasies nor yet care for no spretes nor seke ony certifyenge of trewth through their apparitions for it is forbidden in scripture Let vs turne rather to the law and his wytnesse for in it is no deceate But alas for pytie infidelite is roted so depe in mens hartes by the reason of ignoraunce of Gods worde that they beleue rather the visions of Tundall the tales of legenda aurea or such fantasies dreames in dede than that whiche God will haue learned of vs as namely right wysnes and iudgment in crucifyenge of oure synfull apetites mercy in declaringe seruyce to oure poore neghbure In which two poyntes be coÌ„tayned the law and prophetes Lazarus Seynge I haue begonne to aske I will laye to you all that I reken may be obiected vnto me in this matter Tell me thaÌ„ good Timothe how chaunceth it y t many religious and holy men be canonisate for their myrakles and approbate to be sayntes Timothe The canonisation of sayntes which Popes Cardinals do vse is a slecht vngodly thynge wherin is manteyned greate deceate and couetousnes Trust not in y e canosation of men not in y e worthynesse holynesse or wysdome of those y t be canonisate for you shal be deceaued therin For the popes kyngdome whiche is grouÌ„ded in al welthynesse glory ryches and pussaunce caÌ„ geue no trew iudgmeÌ„t in godly thynges or concerninge Gods kyngdom But seynge it is an outwarde kyngdome whiich doth coÌ„sist in myters crosyers coapes albes crosses banners shauynge anoyntynge syngynge readynge ryngynge yanglynge yee in horses and moyles and other baggage yt can not be iudge but in outwarde thynges after whiche iudgement spirituall thiÌ„ges ought not to be iudged The discretion or iudgment betwene holy vnholy belongeth only to the sonne of God which doth iudge not after the syght of the eyen nor after the hearynge of y e ears but accordynge to the treuth thys treuth can not the worlde comprehende because she is ful of lyes and as Iohn sayeth y e treuth is not in the lye Thys is y e cause why Christ warneth vs to beware of the leuen of the Pharises that is for the hypocrysy dissemblinge and doctrine of the Pharises for they deceaue the symple hartes and seduce them with their lyenge which they do craftly vtter They seke not youre saluation in the canonisynge of sayntes nor the honour and hygh reputation of them for their sayntes be not one heare the holyer for yt nor we the nearer saluatioÌ„ seynge it belongeth only to God to saue But they seke in thys dede ether theyr owne auauntage or theyr carnal glory for by canonisynge they get much mony Nor there is none canonisate without it be procured by a singularite or parcialte yee a folyshe gloriation wether it be of one towne cyte or ony other coÌ„munaltye Yt is to be doubted there be some whose bodyes be canonisate and worshipped here in earth and theyr soules buryed in hell Sence the Pope hath vsed to make sayntes the saynte of all sayntes is set bakwarde for as it is sayde that a new brome swepeth clene euen so be the newe sayntes the beste in the opinion of the comune people Therfore maye Ieremy complayne ryghtwell vpon this sayenge in the .vi. chapter For amonge my people are founde wyked personnes that preuely laye sâ—ares and wayte for meÌ„ to take them and destroye them And lyke as a net is full of byrdes so are theyr houses ful of that which they haue gotten with falsede and deceate Herof coÌ„meth their great substaunce ryches herof are they fat and welthy are runne awaye fro me with shamfull blasphemyes it foloweth continently The prophetes teach falsly and the prestes folowe them my people hath pleasure therin What wyll come therof at the last Wyll ye nedes knowe wether there by ony sayntes canonisate I wyl shewe you Of Dauid sayeth the Lorde I haue founde a man accordynge to my harte Of Paul sayeth that he was a chosen and elect wessel Of Peter that he was blessed Of Simeon the old prest wytnesseth the holy goost that it was a iust man full of the feare of god playne one that abode the delyuerauÌ„ce of Israel Of SteueÌ„ that he was ful of grace and that he sawe Iesu stondynge at the ryght hande of God Lo in the canonisation of these and such lyke sayntes are not ye deceaued to the profe of y e se canonisatioÌ„s ye haue no nede of Popishe bulles ye rede of their myrakles sufficiently in y e boke of trewth Of theyr trewth beareth god hymself recorde In these saintes shal ye prayse the Lorde as sayeth y e prophet Prayse and thanke God in hys sayntes Lazarus If y e Popes matter be not better stayed by the scripture thaÌ„ I haue herde of you I maruayll that it coulde endure so longe Neuerthelesse yf some had herde you they wolde haue called youre reasons new learnynge that they folowe theyr fathers Timothe No vse or custome can derogate the worde of God els myght it be sayde Mahometes lawe hath ben so many hundreth yeares and approbate by so many learned men and of so many nacions I wyll rather abyde by that lawe than by thys newe learnynge Yf ye wyll continue by an erroure because it hath continued so longe than abyde by the originall synne which remaneth yet sence oure fyrst pareÌ„tes in euery one that coÌ„meth in to thys world If you wil nedes abyde w t the olde saye y e olde is best thaÌ„ shyft not your worne garmentes eat nought but stale and rotten egges what blynde answers do these blynde bytels brynge forth Beholde sayeth the Lorde Esaye lxv I shal make a new heauen and a newe earth And the prophet prayeth sayenge Make a clene hart o God and renew a right spirite within me Paul also sayeth Be ye renewed in y e sprete of youre mynde Wherfore wyll you be bounde thus to y t olde Do not ye knowe that ye must be borne agayne before ye shall come in the kyngdom of God The sonne must redeme you from the olde deuyll from his deceates from his olde death before ye be redemed in dede Euen as Christ sayde vnto the Pharises which gloried and reyoiced in their olde father Abraham after the fleshe Yf y e sonne delyuer you froÌ„ the thraldome of synne than be ye delyuered in dede Yt is no new learnynge whan ye
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
A myrrour or glasse for them that be syke in payne ¶ Translated out of Dutche in English Mathei xi ¶ Come vnto me all ye that laboure are ladeÌ„ and I wyll ease you 1 5.36 The translatour vnto the Christian reader CHrist oure sauioure in the .xxv. chapter of Mathew whan he had warned vs to watche contyneÌ„tly after setteth forth a parable of a ryche maÌ„which beyenge purposed to go from home for a season delyuered his goodes vnto his seruauntes sayenge Occupe tyll I come agayne â–ª Now as I dyd conferre this parable with the .iiii. chap. of the epistle to the Ephesians I perceaued that Christ ment this by himself For after that he hadde fulfylled his course or tyme that he shulde be here in earth he is mounted or asceÌ„ded vp in to heauen as it is written in the .lxv Psalme ledde captyue captiuite and hath geuen gyftes vnto meÌ„ These giftes doth Paui in ê“cesse declare what they be And agayne in the .xiiii chapter of the fyrst epistle to the Corinthians speakynge of the gyfte of tunges sayeth Whan ye come together eueryone hath a psalme hath doctrine hath a tunge hath an interpretation Let al be done to the edyfyenge Now whan I consydered these aforesayde places of scripture knowenge hys ryghtuous requyringe agayne of his proper gyftes beynge but lent vnto me for a space I haue endeuoured me self to delyuere yt to the exchaungers to the intent that whan my Lorde shall come he may receaue yt with vauntage And that he may so do yt shal be in thy good Christian reader And let yt not moue thy that they be laye men that be the speakers in thys treatyse for so doynge ye myght be coÌ„pared vnto Christes contremen Marc. vi whiche hearynge his heauenly wysedome and seynge his excellent myrakles sayde skornfullye Where hath he this wysdome and what wysdome is thys that is geuen hym is not thys the carpenter the sonne of Ioseph c. Do not thou I saye lykwyse in estemynge the matter of lesse value but wysshe rather that such a worlde myght be wherin the prophecy of Ieremy in the .xxxi chap be fulfylled where as he sayeth I wyll be theyr God and they shal be my people And from thence forth shall noman teache his neghbure or his brother saye Knowe the Lorde But they shall al knowe me from the lowest vnte the hyghest sayeth the Lorde Wolde God thys worlde were come for than shall the lambe go fedynge wyth the wolfe that is the cruell with the innocent than shall all the goodnesse of the holy cyte of Hyerusalem come vpon vs than shall it be a golden worlde than shal it be a tyme of peace in what tyme Christ wolde be borne Seynge then that so much goodnesse doth folowe the word of God let vs with one accorde praye the father of heauen sayenge Bowe downe thy heade Lorde and beholde the case that we are in marke how great nede we haue of thy mercy se how farre we are gone astraye leauynge the y e wel of lyfe and drynkynge the modde of our pouddels Geue such mynde vnto our princes whose hartes be in thy hande that the superstitiousnes of Baal be roted out by them and thy fotesteppes made easyer to be folowed Paul sayeth What coÌ„pany haue Christ and Belial Morouer where Christ wyll raygne there wyl he be alone He sayeth he wyl not geue his glory vnto another he wyl haue no partyfelous Wherfore good Christen reader that thou mayest fulfyll Gods wyll the better in geuynge hym the glory prayse worshippe I haue takeÌ„ in haÌ„de to traÌ„slate out of dutch in englishe thys lytell boke whose worthynesse can not be estymed For in yt shalt thou learne to fixe thy mynde vnto God only geuynge hym his dewe honour worshippe and prayse all other superstitions auoyded and vnto thy neghbure loue and charite declared with outward dedes of the same Doynge this ye shal haue here quietnes of coÌ„scieÌ„ce in God here after fruition of glory with hym the which graunte vs he that is kynge euerlastynge AmeÌ„ ¶ Timothe commynge from hys vicare which refused to come to the poore sikman Lazarus sayeth on this wyse Timothe O CHRIST IESV very trewe heardmaÌ„ and bishope of our soull how few heardmen be ther founde whiche bestowe their soules for their hearde as thou hast done earnestly eueÌ„ to y e ende Oure heardmen do not now watche thy shepe They couet not to entre in to the shepfolde by the dore but rather runne awaye as very hyrelinges whaÌ„ they se the wolfe come Yee they themselfs helpe to inuade them Ah they be not lyke vnto thyne wych thou sandest as shepe amoÌ„ge the wolues seynge they be become as wolues amoÌ„ge shepe Is not this greatly to be lamented Tobias What is the cause neghbure of youre sorow of youre syghtes and of youre coÌ„playntes by the strete Timothe It pityeth me that we pooremen se so few ensamples of loue and that of them which be our heardmen and gwydes Tobias Why so good brother what is the matter Timotheus Yee knowe that oure neyghbure Lazarus is very syke whose grefe hath endured longe Insomuche that his impacience greueth me Tobias It is trewe I tolde his wife I wolde come and visite him to morowe and teache him some good thynge of dyenge for he myght dye ear longe But what wyll ye tell me of hym Thimotheus I desyred euen now oure new vicare for Christes passion to come and visite oure poore Lazarus once and to teache hym some good thynge of pacience wich he ought to haue in his paynes But alas yt was songe to a defe man Tobias Is yt so what dyd he laye for hymself Timotheus Yow maye thynke it welynough what were they wonte to laye for them as they were moued to such a good dede He saide I must saye fyrst my matins then saye masse Veryly I am not now at leasure but as soone as I am I wyll come Tobias What is yt that I do heare I hadde went he hadde ben a man accordinge to the gospell for he behaueth hymself so in the pulpet that it is maruayl to me But I se wellynough he is but a dissemblinge hypocrite For he was wont to saye in the pulpit that noman shulde spare him yee he wolde ryse yf yt were at mydnight Timothe I reken the same but it shal be for to mynistre the sacrament or anoylynge and to gayne therby soÌ„me mony Els wyll he remeue not one fote Tobias Yt is a maruelous case surly for the maÌ„ doth reason somtyme of the gospell as yf he were an angell Timotheus He doth as many one doth besydes he beareth the gospell in his sleue and vtereth it with his mouth but nother in his hart nor his handes Tobias It is to be lamented verely that we be so redy to vse the lybertyes of meates clothinges places tymes whiche the gospel enyoieth But we endeuer not thys liberty to the mortifyenge of our
knoleginge yt through the sprete of trueth we wayte for all ayde comforte and subsidie of oure heaueÌ„ly father in what so euer temtacion can assault vs. So that yt is sure token and specialte that we be in the fauoure of God yf we abyde stedfast in praysinge the name of God and reioyce inwardly whaÌ„ we be in troubel or anguishe though God seme to haue vtterly forsaken vs. Here lo must the Christen faith fyrst apeare The sauegarde quietnes of conscience which we haue inwardly in the myddes of troubell is a frute of the holy goost sustaynynge vs lest we fall into mysbeleue or blaspheminge of God y e which oure punishmeÌ„t myght cause ryghtwell Wherfore we nede not to shreÌ„ke or to drede our Lorde God whan he stryketh vs as a seruaunt doth feare auoyde his master For God nother caÌ„ be nor is a scourger or tyrant vnto his children It is oure dewty to reyoice in him and to prayse hym in al his godly workes knowenge that he is oure sauegarde in the daye of troubell Paul wrytinge to the Romanes in the .viii. chap. sayeth We haue not now receaued the sprete of bondage to feare ony more but we haue receaued the sprete of adoption wherby we call Abba deare father w t a lusty corage a sure faith For y e sprete of God which worketh such faith in vs geueth wytnesse vnto oure sprete that we be the children of God Seynge then we be the childreÌ„ of God oure mercyfull father hath such a delyte in vs as in his welbeloued children So y t where the moost feare and yeopardy is there is he moost nearest present It is surely the nature of a good father to be more ferueÌ„ter in loue towarde hys children where the moost nede is Now whan ye consydre this diligently with a hartyfull lust towarde God the father than maye you beleue and say truely that God is youre heaueÌ„ly father yf not you say your Pater noster faynedly as al other ypocrites do whose hart is farre from their mouth although ye sayde youre Pater noster a thousande tymes Lazarus Is this the sayenge of Pater noster thaÌ„ dyd I neuer saye yt dewly in all my lyfe I haue oft sayde the .xii. artikles of oure fayth after the prest in the pulpet But I coulde neuer heare so much concerninge the pyth of them as I haue done now Timothe Such hystoricall fayth as ye be taught in the pulpet haue y e deuels also for they beleue that God is almyghty that y e sonne of God is become man that he is crucified and rysen agayn but they beleue not that he is ordeyneth to their saluacion The deuell beleueth and trembleth but a Christen man beleueth and reioceth in it The fayth or knoleginge of the deuyls which they haue of God causeth them to feare and tremble but oure fayth causeth vs to reioyce and be gladde in God whom we knoledge euer to be oure father Lazarus If he be our father why sendeth he such greueous paynes to vs then Timothe You re aforesayde fayth must be tryed trough sufferynge syknesse and aduersite as yt is written That we shall not maruayll nether be moued that we be tryed trough the fyre of sufferynge for yt is done to proue vs. The lorde proueth al the electes after this maner that their fayth may be founde â—ore precious than the golde that is tried through the fyre And the ende of oure fayth whiche is not anulled is the health of our soul Wherfore as ye beleue that God is youre mercifull father euen so must ye beleue also and by fayth be assured that all that be tydeth you is hys fatherly wil and pleasure Thynke not that hys eyen be wythdrawen from vs for so greatly are we accepted before him that he sayeth Whoso toucheth you toucheth the very appell of myn eye Yee we be so earnestly and tenderly cared for and kepte of God oure heauenly father that there is not the least heâ—r of our heade but yt ys tolde no a sparowe doth not fall on the grouÌ„de without the consent of oure heauenly father How much lesse can thys syknesse come vpon you without the consent of the heauenly father which hath sanctified all troubell and sufferinges By the crosse and humblinge dyd yt please God to exalte and glorify his owne sonne He y t dyd take care thought for you before ye were borne shall lykwyse prouyde for you beynge here seynge he wolde you to be here Wherfore all those that suffre accordinge the wyll of God ought to coÌ„mitte the charge of their soules vnto the good creator of all creatures in whose handes we are as the claye is in the potters hande Praye therfore vnto the father with youre whole hart that his name maye be halowed in you lyke as it is halowed and glorified thorow y e death and depression of his sonne But as for oure name it is full of dishonesty shame daÌ„nacion Lazarus By the meaninge of youre wordes I perceaue yt not nedefull for me to desyre these paynes of myne to be auoyded and to be healed other in soule or body Timothe I coulde shewe you welinough that this praynge doth come nother of the sprete of God nor yet out of fayth but of proper loue which seketh rather hir owne ease and profite than the glory of God But I feare lest it wolde be to tedious for you also I reken ye can not wel suffre many more wordes Lazarus No hardly it shall not be tedious vnto me for euen now haue I a great desyre to it wherfore shewe me why I may not pray so Timothe A trew fayth wyll not cause you to praye so for it is certified alwaye of the good will of God what so euer doth chaunche All that is not of fayth is synne sayth Paule Searche the grounde of youre harte and ye shall perceaue that ye desyre to be healed for none other cause but only to be at ease Therfore seyng that through this wyked nature ye set more pryce by youre self than by God ye had leuer youre sensualyte and wyll were accomplysshed in optayning of health than that God in this syknesse shulde do in you and with you accordinge to hys pleasure Wherfore I praye you what els do ye but rebelle agaynst God correke him in his iudgmeÌ„t because he worketh not accordynge your ymaginacion Where is youre pater noster do not ye praye and saye Father thy wyll be fulfylled in earth as it is in heauen that is in the earthy bodye as it is in the soule which is an heauenly body How lytell doye rest hetherto in the workes of God Heare how fully the kyngly prophet Dauid was mortifyed entyerly and near in excesse of mynde vpon all y t which God wolde sende hym he beynge dryuen out of his kyngdome by his owne beloued sone Absalon dyd saye Yf I shal fynde grace before the Lorde he shall fetch me agayne and let my se it againe