the kingdome of God then it is in this world We beinge in this corruptible bodye know one another whan we see not God but with the eies of our faith shall we not know one another after that we haue put of this sinfull body and se God facâ— to face in the sight of whom is the knowledge of al things We shall be lyke the glorious Aungels of heaueÌ„ whiche know one another can it than come to passe that one of vs may not knowe an other Shal we be equal with y e angels in other thinges inferiour vnto them in knowing one an other We shal know and se Christ as he is whiche is the wysdome image and brightnes of the heauenly father and shall the knowledge of one another be hyd from vs We are members all of one body and shall we not knowe one another we know our head which is christ shall we not knowe our selues we shalbe citezins of one heauenly city wher continuall light shall be and shall we be ouerwhelmed with suche darkenes that we shal not see and know one another They that in this worlde be synging men continuing together in a place but for a season know one an other and shall we which for euer shall continue together synging praysing and magnifying y e Lord our God not know one another They that are in houshold serue one Lorde or maister know one another in this world shall not we know one another which in the kingdome of heauen shall continually serue the Lorde oure God together with one spirit and with one mind There is a certen knowledge one of an other here in the earth euen among the vnreasonable and brute beastes and â—hall our senses be so darkened in the life to come that we being immortall incorruptible and lyke â—nto the angels of God yea seing God face to face shall not knowe â—ne another We shall know God as he is shal we not knowe one another Adam before he synned beyng in the state of innocencie knew Eua so sone as god brought her vnto hym and called her by her name and shall not we being in heauen where we shalbe in aâ— muche more blessed and perfecte state then euer Adam was in Pâ—â—radise knowe one another Shal our knowledge be inferiour to Adams knowledge in Paradiseâ— WheÌ„ Christ was transfigured iâ— mount Thabor his disciples Peâ—ter Iames Iohn did not only know Christ but also Moses and Helias whiche talked there with Christ whome notwithstanding they had neuer seene nor known in y e flesh Wherof we may learneâ— that when we come to behold thâ— glorious maiestie of y e great God we shall not only know our sauâ—our Christ and such as with whâ—â— we wer acquainted in this world but also all the electe and chosen people of God whiche haue bene from the beginning of the world as the holy Apostle saith Ye are come to the mount Sion and to the citie of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to an innumerable sight of aungels and vnto the congregation of the first borne sonnes which are writteÌ„ in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirites of iust and perfect men and to Iesus the mediatour of the new testament c. When we are once come vnto that heauenly Hierusalem we shal w tout al doubt both se and know Adam Noe AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moses Samuel Dauid Iosias Ihon Baptist Mary the Mother of Christe Peter Iohn Iames Paule and all the moste blessed coÌ„pany of the Patriarkes prophets apostles martirs with al other the faithful As we are al members of one body wherof Iesus Christ is the head so shall we knowe one another reioyse together be glad one with another Moreouer the history whiche we read of the rich vnmercifull man and of Lazarus declareth euideÌ„tly y t in the lyfe to come we shall know one an other In that we se that the riche glotton beyng in hel did knowe bothe Abraham and Lazarus being in ioye and that Abraham also knew that vnmercifull riche man although the one was in glory the other in pain If that they whiche are in hell doth both se and know them that are in heaueÌ„ and they whiche are in heauen know theÌ„ also that are in hell the one place beyng so far distant from thother muche more do they knowe one another that be Citezins in one City fellowe heirs of one kingdome members of one body and fellowe seruants in one houshold seruing one lorde God If there be mutual knowledge after this life betwene good euil much more shall y e sainctes and the holy ones of God knowe one another in the kyngdome of our heauenly father Our sauiour Christ said to his disciples when the sonne of man shall sitte in the seat of his maiestie you also shall sit vpon the .xii. seates iudging the .xii. tribes of Israell If after the generall resurrection â–ª and at the iudgemente one shoulde not know another how shal theÌ„ the apostles iudge theÌ„ vnto whom thei preached They can not iudge nor be witnesses of the condemnation of them whome they knowe not Hereof also it manifestlye appeareth that after this life one of vs shal know another After y e Christ was risen again had a glorified body thapostles knew him yea that so perfectly y t none of theÌ„ neded to saye vnto hym what art y â— For they knew well y t he was the Lord. Hereof also may it truely be gathered y t the faithfull shall as perfectly knowe one an other in y e life to come as the apostles knew Christ after his resurrectioÌ„ â–ª or as Peter IhoÌ„ Iames knew Moses Helias in the mouÌ„t Thaboâ— wheÌ„ Christ was traÌ„sfigured Many other thinges might be alledged out of the holy scripture to declare y t we shall know one another after this life but these for this present may seme to any indifferent person aboundantly to suffice If I shuld reherse to you all the sayings both of thancient late writers concerning this matter I shuld speÌ„d a great part of this day to much tâ—ouble you notw tstanding I will reherse one saying of s. Gregory in his Dialoges bid al the other farwel There is a certain thing saith he in gods elect chosen people which is to be marueled at for they being in heaueÌ„ do not only know theÌ„ whom they knew in this world but thei know also the good people whoÌ„ thei neuer sawe euen as perfectlye as though they had afore both sene known theÌ„ For wheÌ„ thei in y t euer lasting enheritance shall se thancient fathers they shal not be vnknowne to theÌ„ in sight whoÌ„ they always knew in work For when al there w t one clearnes do behold God what is it that they shoulde not ther know where they know him that knowe all thinges Epa.
dwelling wer destroyâ—ed he meaneth the body we haue a building of God an habitation not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen We shalbe with Christ. We shalbe with the Lorde for euer We shalbe vessels vnto honour We shall haue the crown of righteousnes We shall come to the citie of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to an innumerable sight of Aungels and to the Congregation of the firste borne sons whiche are written in heauen and to God the iudge of al and to the spirits of iust perfect men and to Iesus the mediatour of the newe testament We shal receiue the crown of life saith S. Iames which the Lord hath promised to theÌ„ y t loue him WheÌ„ Christ y e chief shepherd shall apere saith S. Peter ye shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory We are nowe the Sonnes of God saith saint Iohn and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be We knowe that if it once appeare we shalbe like vnto him for we shal se him as he is In the Reuelation of S. Iohn we finde these Sentences concerning the blessed state of the faithfull after this life To him that ouercommeth I wyll geue to eat of the tre of life whiche is in the mids of the Paradise of God Be faithfull vnto the death and I shall geue thee the crowne of life Him that ouercommeth will I make a piller in the temple of my God and he shal go no more out c. To him that ouercoÌ„meth will I graunt to sit with me in my seat The .xxiiii. Elders that sate vpon the seates were clothed in white raiment had on their heades crownes of gold They are in the presence of the seate of God serue him daye and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the seat will dwell among them They shal hoÌ„ger no mâ—re nether thirst nether shall y e sonne light on them neyther anye heat For the Lambe which is in the mids of the seat shall fede theÌ„ and shall lede theÌ„ vnto fountains of liuing water God shall wine away all teares from their eyes They follow the Lambe whither soeuer he goeth They are without spot before the throne of God I heard a voice from heauen saying vnto me Wryght Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Euen so saith the spirite that they reast from their labors but their workes folow them Blessed are they whiche are called vnto the supper of the Lambes mariage I saw a new heauen and a new earth For the first heauen and the first earth were banished awaye â–ª and there was no more sea And I IhoÌ„ saw the holy Citie newe Hierusalem come down from God out of heauen prepared as a bride garnished for her husbande And I heard a great voyce out of heauen saying Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwel with them And they shalbe his people and God him selfe shall bee with them and be their God And God shall wipe awaye all teares from theyr eyes And there shalbe no more death neither sorow â—â—ther â—â—ying neither shall there be any more paine for thold thinges are gone And he that sat vpon y e seat sayd â–ª Beholde I make all things now â–ª And he sayd vnto me wryte for these wordes are faith full and true And the Angell caried 〈◊〉 way in the spirite â—o a great 〈◊〉 hie mountaine and he â—â—e wedâ—â—e the great Citie holyâ— Hierusaâ—â—â— descendinge out of heauen 〈◊〉 God hauing y â— brightnes of God And her shining waâ— lyke vnto 〈◊〉 stone most precious eueÌ„ like a Iasper clere as Christall had wals great hie had xii gates at the gates .xii. angels and names written whiche are the names of the .xii. Tribes of Israell On the â—ast side .iii. gates and on y e north side .iii. gates and towardes the south .iii. gates from the weast iii. gates and the wal of the Citie had .xii. foundations in theÌ„ the xii names of the LaÌ„bes .xii. Apostles he that talked with me had a goâ—den rede to measure the citie withal the gates therof and the wall therof And y e citie was built iiii â–ª square and the length was as large as the bredth he measured the citie with the golden rede .xii M. furlonges the length and y e bredth the height of it were equall And he measured the wall therof an C. xliiii the measure y t the angel had was after the measure that maÌ„ vseth And the building of the wall of it was of Iasper And the citie was pure gold like vnto cleare glasse the foundations of the wal of the city wer garnished with al maner of precious stones â–ª The first foundation was a Iasper the seconde a Saphir the third a Calcedony y e .iiii. an Emerald the .v. a Sardonix the .vi. a Sardius the .vii. a Chrisolite the .viii. a Berall the .ix. a Topas the .x. a Crusoprases the xi a Iacint the .xii. an Amathist The .xii. gates were .xii. pearles euery gate was of one pearle and the streate of the Citie was pure gold as through shining glasse And I sawe no temple therin For the Lord God almighty and the Lambe are the temple of it And the citie hath no nede of the sunne nether of the moone to lighten it For y e brightnes of God did light 〈◊〉 and the Lambe was the light of it And the people which are saâ—ed shall walke in the light of it And the kinges of the earth shall bringe their glory and honoure vnto it And y e gates of it are not shut by daye For there shalbe no night there And there shall enter into it none vncleane thing neyther whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or maketh lies but they only whiche are wrytten in the Lambes booke of life And he shewed me a pure riuer of water of life clere as Christall proceading out of the seat of God and of the Lambe In the mids of the streat of it and of ether syde of the riuer was there wood of life whiche bare .xii. maner of fruites and gaue fruit euery moneth and the leaues of the wood serued to heale the people withall And ther shalbe no more cursse but the seat of God and the Lambe shalbe iâ— it and his seruauntes shall seruâ— him And they shal se his face and his name shalbe in their foreheds â–ª And there shalbe no night therâ—â— and they nede no candle â— neytheâ— lyght of the Sunne for the Lordâ— God geueth them lyght and they shall raigne for euermore And he sayde vnto me these thinges are faithfull and true Epâ— God be praised for that true ioye and singuler comfort which the faithfull finde in his holy worde It is not without a cause sayd of the holy Apostle The eie hath not sens and the eare hath not heard neither haue entred into the heart
would not nether did he eat meat with them But when he hearde that the childe was dead he arose from the earth and washed and annoynted him selfe and chauÌ„ged his apparell and came into the house of the lord and worshipped â–ª and afterward came to his owne house and commauÌ„ded that they shuld set bread before him he did eate And whan his seruauntes maruelling at these thinges said vnto hym What thinge is this that thou hast done Thou didst fast and wepe for the childe while it was alyue and as sone as it was dead thou diddest aryse vp and eate He answered While the childe was yet aliue I fasted and wept For this I thought Who can tell whether God wil haue mercy on me that the childe may lyue But nowe seyng it is dead wherfore should I fast Can I bryng him any more I shall go to hym and he shal come no more again vnto me In this history y t godly wisdom of Dauid is greatly to be considred For hereof may we learne to pray vnto the Lorde our God for our sycke frendes so long as they be aliue and to seke all meanes possible at the Lordes hand to obtain health for the diseased But if the good wil of God be to take them out of this world then are we taught here no more to mourn to wepe to lament and to be sory for them but rather w t a ioyfull hart to worship the lord as Dauid did and to geue hym moste harty thankes that it hath pleased his goonesse to delyuer our brethren or sistern from this sinck of euils I mean this world and to receiue them into his blessed kyngdom Heathen like mourning therefore is to be banished from the burialles of the Christians Euse. The maner among the ThraciaÌ„s is that whan any child is borne and commeth into the world thei wepe lameÌ„t mourn but when it goeth out of y e world they reioyce and are mery Epaphr What moueth them so to do Euse. Whan a childe commeth into the worlde they consider into what great miseries he is lyke to fall if he liue contrariwise when he departeth hence they know that an end of all sorow care of all pain and trauail is come Therfore the one thing moueth them vnto sadnes the other vnto gladnes Phi. Ther is great plentie of histories whiche declare that the very heaâ—hen haue taken y e death of their deare frendes paciently so far is it of that after y e manner of some whiche professe Christ they immoderatly toke the death of theyr frendes wept wayled mourned wrong their haÌ„ds tare their hear rent their clothes and in manner killed them selues with sorowe and thought taking Whan our Sauioure Christ went vnto hys death certayne women followed hym wepyng and mournyng to whome he sayd Ye daughters of Ierusalem wepe not for me but wepe for your selues and for your children Theo. Is he to be lameÌ„ted and mourned for whiche is remoued from thraldom vnto libertie from mysery vnto welth from darknes vnto lyght from ieopardy vnto safetie from sicknesse vnto health froÌ„ mortalitie vnto immortalitie from corruption vnto vncorruption from paine vnto ioy from transitory thinges vnto euerlasting thinges from the coÌ„pany of men vnto the felowshyp of the blessed aungels and heaueÌ„ly spirites c Let the Heathen whiche haue no hope of the ioyful immortalitie of the soule nor of the glorious resurrection of the body mourne wepe and lament for their diseased let the faythfull Christians be ioyfull in the Lord and thank God for his great mercy and infinite goodnes whiche he hath shewed vpon the brethreÌ„ by calling them from this vale of wretchednes vnto his heauenlye kingdome For the voyce of God euen from heauen pronounceth them blessed happy fortunate which die in the Lord. Phi. What is your mynde therefore neyghbour Epaphroditus concerninge mourning gownes Epaphr If it were not for offending other and that it should also be some hynderaunce vnto the poore I woulde wysh rather to haue none than otherwyse For I would haue no man mourne for me My trust is that so sone as my soule shalbe deliuered out of the pryson of this my body it shall strayght wayes possesse the blessed enheritance of the heauenly kyngdome raigne in glory with God for euer What nede shall I haue then of mourners Or wherfore should any maÌ„ mourn for me Notwithstanding I wil not striue with theÌ„ for their garmentes Let my wyfe and my children weare what garmentes they wyl at my buriall so they be such as become the professours of true godlinesse Only this I require that .xxx. pore men and wemen do accompany my body vnto the buriall and that eche of theÌ„ haue a gowne of some conuenient colour I wyll also that .xxx. poore children be there also and that euery one of them haue a semelye gown And after my burial I wil that both those pore men women and children come home vnto my house and haue some repast for y e refection of their bodies And so â—et them depart in the name of the â—ord Haue you writteÌ„ this neighbour Philemon Phile. Yea syr it is done Epa. I am glad of it To se that these thinges may be done according to my wyl I make my wife sole executresse you neighbour Philemon with my neighbours Christopher Theophile Eusebius here present I make you fower myne ouerseers charâ—ing you in the name of God and as ye wyl answere before the high â—udge Christ at the dreadeful day â—f dome y t ye se these my bequestes â—ruely diligently and faithfully fulfilled Chr. we were twyse vngodly if we shuld not satisfy your desire and will being so Christen and righteous Epa. I bequeath to euery one of you foure for youre paynes taking fiue poundes sterling not to the ende to make you hearlinges but that it may be a token of my hartie good wyll towards you Chr. Sir wil it plese you to be buried in the churche or in the churchyard Epa. All is one to me The earth is the Lordes all that is conteined in it I am not curious of the place Whersoâ—euer I lie I doubt not but y e lord our God at the last day shall raise me vp again and geue me a body like vnto y e glorious body of our Lorde and sauiour Christ Iesus â–ª Let the body therfore returne vnto the earth from wheÌ„ce it came and the spirite vnto God which gaue it Euseb. Your children arâ— buried in the churchyard Ep. Buâ—y me there also God geue vs all a ioyfull resurrection Theo. Sir what solempnitie will you haue at your buriall Epa. What meane you The. Solempne singing deâ—out ringing holy sensing prieâ—es pattering candels lightning â—orches brenning Communions â—aying and such like Ep. No kind of superstitious custome do I alâ—ow That is godly I only commend As touching your solempn â—inging it is all one to me whiâ—her you sing or say
ye now â—e practised in me y e time of my departure out of y e world is at hand I thought it good therfore to send â—lso for you to take my leaue of â—ou til we mete again in y e kingâ—om of God I thanke you for the â—ood seruice y t ye haue done me I â—aue not forgotten your seruiseaâ—le hearts and good wils toward â—e If the good pleasure of God â—ad bene that I shuld loÌ„ger haue â—ontinued with you I wold haue â—onsidred your seruice better But â— haue geuen to euery one of you â—uche portion of mony as shal deâ—are some part of my thanckefull â— wel willing heart toward you This nowe remaineth to be craued at your hands As ye haue hetherto faithfully truly honestly serued me in my life time euen so after my departure so long as yeâ—tary here shewe the like faithfulnes truth honestie toward your mistres Consider that as loÌ„g as I liued I was a stay vnto her vnto her thinges But nowe her chief hope next vnto God consisteth in you Therfore I pray yoâ— loke well vnto the thinges which appertaine vnto her Se that nothing go to wast Prouide that through your diligeÌ„ce her things may rather encrease then decrease Ye knowe rightwell the dutie of a good seruaunt notwithstanding euen at this my departure from you I wil put you in rememâ—braunce of it that wheÌ„ I am gonâ— ye may yet remeÌ„ber my admonitions the more spedely aunsweâ— vnto your vocatioÌ„ The duty of a good seruaÌ„t is to serue his maister and mistres willingly with a fre courage euen for conscience sake not with the eie but with y e heart to obey them to honor theÌ„ gently to aunswere them not to picke or steale away their goods but to be faithfull vnto them in all thingee Se therfore y t ye on this manner behaue your selues towarde your mistres auoid al stubbernes churlishnes cursed speakinges telling of tales lying picking wast idlenes negligence and sluggishnes Eschue all euill and riotous company Fly dronkennes and whordome Abstaine from vaine othes and folishe pastimes So behaue your selues in all your life conuersation that the name of God his doctrine be not euil spoken of Yea let the lyghte of your godlye behauioure so shine before men that ye may do worship to the glorious gospell of our sauior Christ in al thinges And in thus seruing your mistres with a glad ready faithfull will thincke your selues to serue the Lorde your God and to do that thing whiche is pleasaunt in his godly sight and that he also will se your paines recompensed as the holy Apostle saith ye seruauntes be obedient vnto theÌ„ that are your bodely maisters in al thinges not with eie seruice as men pleasers but in singlenes of hart fearing God â–ª And whatsoeuer ye do do it hartely as though you did it to the Lorde and not vnto men knowyng that of the Lorde ye shall receiue the inheritaunce for ye serue y e Lord Christ. But he that sinneth shall receiue accordynge vnto his synne For there is no respect of persons with God If ye serue your mistres truly and faithfully hereafter when ye shall your selues be housholders God shall likewyse send you true and faithful seruauntes But if ye serue her falsly and vngodly then shal ye of your seruauntes be likewise serued hereafter For with what measure that ye mete withall shall other mete to you again saith our Sauioure Christ. Liue therefore according to your vocation in the feare of God ye shall prosper right well God shal blesse you neuer leaue you succourles as the holy man Toby sayth Be not afrayd truthe it is we leade here a pore life but great good shal we haue if we fear God and depart from all sinne and doe wel Wel the blessing of God be w t you I am very faint Ph. No maruell For ye haue talked a greate while Epa. I trust my talke hath not bene euil Phil. Forsoth it hath bene both good and godly I pray God geue bothe them and all vs grace to followe these your moste wholesome and christen admonitions But sir will it please you to take your leaue of your wyfe chyldren and seruauntes geue your self to reast for a litle whyle Peraduentur it shal do you much good Epaphro Slepe I can not And I am lothe to let them goe from me For the sight of them is comfortable vnto me and as me thincketh easeth my payne Chri. God coÌ„fort you ease your payn Epa. Before they depart from me I wysh greatly euen in their presence to confesse my faithe y t both you and they may be witnesses before God the worlde that I die a Christen man Phile. Although we nothing doubt therof yet we greatly desyre to heare the confession of your faith that we may be able to testifie hereafter that you departed in y t faith of Christ. Epa. Heare then I Unfainedly beleue w t my hart and frely coÌ„fesse with my mouth that there is one only true lyuing immortall and euerlasting God God the father God y e sonne and God the holy gost .iii. distinct persons in the godhead and notwithstaÌ„ding one very God in substaÌ„ce of like maiestie glory might power iudgement and will As touching the first parson in the deitie I vnfainedly beleue w t my heart and frely confesse with my mouth y t he is the God which alone is the father not only of our Lorde and sauiour Christ Iesu whom of him self froÌ„ euerlasting he begot his natural sonne therfore likewyse true and immortall God but also of all y e faithfull not by nature but by adoption whom he hath chosen to be his children in Christ Iesu before the foundations of the worlde were laide to loue fauour cherish comfort norish gouern defend and blesse theÌ„ both corporally and spiritually This God the father I beleue confesse to be almighty and hable to do whatsoeuer his godly wil pleasure is â–ª With him all thinges are possible There is nothing to hard for him to doe neither is any thynge vnpossible in his syght This God the father almighty I beleue and confesse that he is the creator and maker of heauen and earth and of all thynges contained in theÌ„ Of nothing by his woÌ„derful and almighty power made he the heauens with the blessed aungels and heauenly spirites that are in them Thone he chose to be his glorious seate the other he made to be his Ministers to do his blessed will and holy commaundement This God the father almighty made also the earth of nothinge with her encrease gaue breath to the people that are in it and spirit to theÌ„ that dwel therein The heauens the earth and the sea w t all that euer is coÌ„teined in them are the creatures of this God the father almyghtye created vnto this ende
whot burning yron cromes some racked some drowned some cruelly murthered in prysons c. Who is hable to declare the moste bitter paines greuous torments which they gladly suffred on their bodies for the glory of God and the fruition of his Maiestie If ye consider these thinges wel you shall easly finde y t the paines which you now suffer are nothing to be compared vnto the most bitter and intollerable tormentes whiche the men of God suffred And not withstanding if you abide these light paines ioyfully paciently thankefully you shall moste certainly enioy and possesse that heauenly kyngdome whiche they haue already obtained Faynte not therfore good neyghbor Epaphroditus but abide the good pleasure of God his blessed workyng so shall he without fail bring all thing to suche passe as shalbe most vnto his glory and vnto your comfort Epa. Death taketh me away from my gorgious and pleasaunt houses and from al the teÌ„poral things that I haue Phi. In this world we all are but straungers Pilgrims we haue here no dwelling City but loke for an other that is to come The houses that you leue behinde you here be they neuer so gorgious pleasaunt are but earthy made of clay and wether beaten stones shall in proces of time decay returne vnto dust become thinges of nought But after your departure froÌ„ this vale of wretchednes you shall haue a building of God an habitatioÌ„ not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen You shall dwell in a city that is of pure gold like vnto clear glas and the foundations of the wals of this city are garnished withall manner of precious stones the gates are of fine pearle Yea the streates of this heauenly city are pure gold It hath no nede of the sunne nether of the Mone to lighten it for y e brightnes of God doth lighteÌ„ and the lambe is the light of it And as touching your other teÌ„porall things froÌ„ the whiche as you saye death taketh you away you haue no cause to be sory for y t. For as concerning your galant aparel whiche if they be not worne wil sone be motheaten if they be worn they wil shortly fal to rags in y e steade of them you being once placed in the heauenly city shalbe clothed of God with white garments which shal neuer wax old but alwaies abide glorious incorruptible You shall also haue a golden crown vpon your head you shall sit with Christ vpon his seat And in the stead of your deinty fare which how vile it is after the digestion you knowe ye shall eat in the kingdom of God Manna y t is hid yea ye shall eat of the tre of life which is in the mids of the Paradise of God And this meat shal abide for euer most pleasaunt and vncorruptible As touching your gold siluer suche other worldly treasures wherwith God blessed you in this worlde for a season neuer remember theÌ„ any more but bid them farewell For what other thyng are they seme they neuer so precious pleasaunt goodly then red white earth hereafter shall returne vnto vile dust In the stead of them God in his kingdoÌ„ shal geue you such treasures as neuer man with mortall eies saw y e like You also shal haue such ioyes plesurs as nether eie hath sene the like nor ear hard the like nether is any man able to coÌ„ceiue them in his heart so great are the treasures so infinite are the pleasures which God hath prepared for theÌ„ that loue him Who wil not be glad to change lead for siluer copper for gold corruptible earthly things for immortall heauenly treasures Here se you that you lose nothing by death but get very muche so y t you may now saye with the holy Apostle Christ is to me life and death is to me auauntage Epa. Death taketh me away from my deare freÌ„des in whose company I greatly delight Phi. In worldly freÌ„dship ther is no certaintie nor assuraÌ„ce He which this day is a frend is tomorow an enemy This is proued true among men almost by dayly experieÌ„ce Ther are diuers kinds of frendes as the wyse man teacheth Some be frendes but for a time such will not abide in y t daye of trouble Some be frendes for the table sake and when a man falleth into pouertie they continue not Some be frendes only in countenaunce and in heart hate most extremely Some be earnest and harty frendes whiche will abide by man wheÌ„ fortune is moste froward But of these there are very few And they which now such be may sodenly thorowe some occasion be made a mans vtter enemy Therfore saith Dauid put not your confidence in Princes nor in the children of men in whom ther is no health Also the Prophet Cursed be he that trusteth in maÌ„ and maketh flesh his strength Ye â—e in the Gospel that they whiche â—o dearly loued Christ that they would haue made hym a kynge shortly after for no occasion fell away from him followed him no more Again those people whiche very ioyfully receiued Christ wheÌ„ he came ryding into Hierusalem cut down bowes strowed them in the wayes yea and spread theyr garmentes in the waies and cried with a loud voyce sayinge Good lucke vnto the sonne of Dauid Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde within fewâ— dais after cried with a stout voicâ— and said To the crosse with him to the crosse with him If y e lettesâ— him go thou art not Cesars frend if he were not a noughty pack wâ— would neuer haue deliuered hym vnto thee Behold the frendship oâ— this worlde Nether let any man promise him self better thinges oâ— his now most dear frend Men aâ— vain liers fliting and vnstable But when you come into the kingdom of God you shall haue suche frendes as shall for euer continue faithfull louing and coÌ„stant God the father God the sonne God the holy ghost shalbe your frends which do neuer chaÌ„ge but always abide one All the glorious angels blessed spirits of heauen shall be your frendes also Who will not gladly change vncertaine frendes for such as are moste certain most faithfull Haue you now lost any thyng by departing from worldly vnto heauenly frendes Ep. But I shal neuer more se theÌ„ nor haue y e coÌ„pany of theÌ„ y t we may reioyce be glad againe together Phi. If your frendes liue in the feare of God depart in the christeÌ„ faith they may be sure to come thither wher you shalbe eueÌ„ vnto y e glorious kingdoÌ„ of God wher you shal both see them know them talcke with them and be much more mery with theÌ„ than euer you were in this world Chr. Many doubt of that ph Why so Shall y e knowledge of Gods electe and chosen people be lesse in
of man â— the thinges whiche God hath prepared for them that loue hym My heart is nowe so enflamed with y e desire of those heauenly and blessed treasures which you haue named to me out of the infallible true word of God y t I most entirely wysh to be losoned froÌ„ this life to enioy these ioyfull pleasures Oh who wold not be glad to chaÌ„ge lead for siluer copper for golde transitory mortall and corruptible thinges for certain immortall vncorruptible thinges earth for heauen sinne for godlines darkenes for light fear for securitie trauel for quietnes sicknes for helth death for life the coÌ„pany of men for y e coÌ„pany of the most hie God his heauenly Aungels and blessed spirites the vile pleasures of this worlde for the inestimable ioyes of the glorious kingdom of God Oh like as the heart desireth the waterbrokes so longeth my soule after the O God My soule is a thurst for God yea euen for the liuing God Oh when shal I come to appere before y e presence of my God O God thou art my god early wil I seke thee My soule thursteth for thee my flesh also longeth after thee in a barren and dry laÌ„d where no water is Thus haue I loked for thee in thy holy place y t I might beholde thy power and glory For thy louing kindnes is better then life it selfe my lippes shal praise thee As long as I â—â—ue wil I magnifie thee on this manner and lift vp my handes in thy name Euse. We reioyse good brother Epaphroditus and geue god most harty thankes that he hath by his holy Spirite wroughte so good and glad will in you to die and to leue this wretched worlde Epa. I moste hartely wyshe to bee losed from this life and to be with Christ. It greueth my soule loÌ„ger to liue in this mortall body And now O Lord dele with me according to thy will and commaunde my spirit to be receiued in peace For more expedient were it for me to die then to liue Chri. Sir how do you fele your selfe Epa. In my body weaker and weaker but I trust in my soule stronger stronger I pray you lay me vp hier in my bed For I begin to waxe very faint and my wynde decreaseth waxeth shorter I thanke you it is wel Neighbours I am troblesome vnto you but I trust I shal not be so long The. It is vnto vs great ioy and comfort to be with you being so godly mynded For in you as in a cleare mirrour we beholde our selues and see what shall become of vs hereafter Of you as of a liuely scholemaister do we learne howe we shall behaue our selues when God layeth the crosse on vs. And we most humbliÌ„ besech God to geue vs the like pacience and thankfulnes Epa. The spirite is willing but the fleshe is weake For in asmuch as I fele in my self present tokens of death am not certain how long y e â–ª Lorde will suffer me to liue or to enioy y e vse of speche I thinke it conuenient to pray again vnto the lorde my God and to commend my sinful soul into his merciful handes Phi. Godly forsoth Epâ— Lord vouchsafe I most humbly beseche the to hear me sinfull creature Chri. The Lorde is nye vnto all them that call on hym yea that call on him in truthe Epa. O Lorde Iesu Christ whiche art the only health of all men liuing and the euerlasting life of them which die in thy faith I wretched sinner geue and submit my self wholy to thy moste blessed wil. And I being sure that the thing can not perishe whiche is committed vnto thy mercye most humbly besech thee o Lord to geue me grace that I maye nowe willingly leaue this frayle and wicked flesh in hope of the resurrection whiche in better wyse shall restore it to me again I beseche thee O most mercifull Iesu Christe y t thou wilt by thy grace make stronge my soule against all temtations that thou wilt couer and defende me with the buckler of thy mercy against al thassaults of the deuill I see knowledge that there is in my selfe no helpe of lyfe and saluation but all my confidence hope and trust is in thy moste mercifull goodnes I haue no merites nor good workes whiche I may alledge before thee Of sinnes and euill workes alas I se a great heape but thorow thy mercy I trust to be in the nomber of them to whome thou wilt not impute their sinnes but take and accept me for righteous and iuste and to bee the enheritoure of euerlasting glory â–ª Thoâ— O moste mercifull Lorde wast borne for my sake Thou diddesâ— suffer both hunger and thirste for my sake Thou diddest preach and teach thou diddest pray faste foâ— my sake Thou diddest all good workes and deedes for my sake Thou suffredst most greuous paiâ—nes and tormentes for my sake And finally thou gauest thy most precious body to die and thy most blessed bloud to be shed on y e crosse for my sake Now most mercifull sauiour let all these thinges profit me whiche thou frely hast geuen me whiche hast geuen thy selfe for me Let thy bloud cleÌ„se and wash away the spottes and foulnes of my sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide couer my vnrighteousnes Let the merits of thy passion and bloud bee the satisfaction for my sinnes Geue me Lorde thy grace that my faith and perswasion in thy bloud wauer not in me but euer be firme and constant that the hope of thy mercy and life euerlasting neuer decay in me that charitie waxe not colde in me finally that the weakenes of my fleshe be not ouercome with the feare of death Graunt me also O moste merciful sauiour that wheÌ„ death hath shut vp the eies of my body yet that the eies of my soule may stil behold and loke vpoÌ„ thee and that when death hath takeÌ„ away the vse of my tongue speche yet that my heart may cry say vnto thee O Lorde into thy handes I geue and commit my soule Lord Iesu take my spirit The. Amen Eu. Sir how is it with you now Epa. Euen as with a ship whiche is tost with the waues of the sea I trust shortly to come vnto the heauen and then shall I be quiet and without all daunger I pray you pray for me Phi. Most gladly Let vs knele down neighbors and beseche the Lord our God for his tender mercies to preserue this our sicke brother from the assaultes of Sathan to kepe him constant and stedfast in his faithe vnto his liues ende that he maye geue vp a good a faithfull soule into the mercifull handes of God Geue me hither the flower of godly Prayers that I in the name of vs al may rede that prayer which is to be said for them that lie at y e point of death The. Here is it Philemon O Moste louing Sauiour gentle redemer whiche