the Chrystenly bryde may say My loue is myn and I am hys Lazarus That same is very comfortable that Christ hath accepted vs and geuen hym self vnto vs. Wherby we haue receaued hys lyfe for oure death his strength for oure weaknesse hys ryghtwysnesse for oure synnes But whan beare we Christ in oure body Tobias Where we be contrary to Christ and folowe not hys learnynge ensample and spirite ther do not we beare Christ Ther be we ryd of Christ ▪ Paul sayeth .ii. Cor. xiii Knowe ye not your selues that Iesus Christ is in you Except ye be castawayes Those than that through the spirite of God be obeyenge in all pacience redy to obey Gods cōmaundements in redringe and delyuerynge thēself to the wyll of God compelled and made lusty harted They maye saye w t Paul I lyue now not I but christ liueth in me Paul had also crucified hys fleshe with his cōcupiscences so that the worlde became hym a crosse and he a crosse vnto the worlde agayne He was sayde to beare Christ in his body for his body was dayly destroyed through the crosse lyke as the body of Christ was slayne by the crosse and sufferynge To such lyke mortifyenge exhorteth vs Paul Rom. xii sayenge I beseke you brethren by the mercyfulnesse of God that ye geue ouer your bodyes for a sacrifyce that is quyck holy and acceptable vnto God which is youre resonable seruynge of God Thys is an acceptable sacrifyce which is consumed of the brande of sufferynge which we do beare wyllingly with Chryst lyke a trew burnt offeringe For in the daye of trybulation we offer vnto God a trew sacryfyce of prayse that is the frute of oure lyppes in knoledgynge hys name That we as the payne of oure body cōmeth plentuous vpon vs knoledge the name of Chryst that is a token that we be Chrystes disciples guyded by hys sprete by the which he hath bene obedient to hys fathers wyll vnto the death of the crosse Orels shulde we be lyke them that beleue so longe as all thynges prosper but in tyme of temptacion than do they shrynke The spyryte of fayth teacheth and assureth vs that Chryst in oure sufferynge is oure comforte and in oure dyenge oure lyfe The sacrifyce of prayse shall worshyppe me sayeth the Lorde and there is the waye wheryn I shall shewe my saluation A dead and mortifyed harte is a sacrifyce very acceptable before God He that hath mortifyed hys naturall body here in earth he that is dead in hys harte ▪ he that beareth Chryst in hys body because he wyll go wyth Chryst wythout the tentes of hys harte wythout the gate bearynge the rebukes of hys sauyour wyth hym on hys shulder he shall not fear death he shall not estymed death hys enmy nor flye yt For she taketh not it which he wolde rather kepe but she geueth hym that which he wolde kepe wyth all hys harte The lyfe temporall is swete vnto the flesshe but oure lyfe y t we shall lede with Chryst is sweter Lazarus Treuth it is and therfore is death vnto vs passage to lyfe Wherfore we ought to praye hartely that he let not vs fall in such temptacion that myght ouercom vs but that he wyll delyuer in vs that euell daye from all euell that myght drawe vs from the fayth For it is the myghty worke of God to beleue that we be hys yee euen in the poynte of death the which as yet I do not fele in me For I fele yet another lawe in me which is contrary to the inspyracion of the holy goost I loke aboute for the flesshe pottes of Egypte whervpon I was wont to sytte Whan the fygure of death offereth it self from afore than do I searche wether I can not escape behynde out of thys wreched lyfe Seynge I am so bounde with synne I ought to be obedient at Gods callynge and wythout lokynge aboute departe but I beseme the wyfe of Loth. I can not leaue the lokynge aboute though my neke laye theron My wyfe the flesshe wherwith I am laden is yet very feble to withstonde such temptacion Alas brother I can not awaye with thys wyfe Tobyas Feare not good brother feare not for such totynge and lokynge backwarde such battayll and febelnesse dyd also Paul fele whan he beholdynge hys wrechednesse sayde in the .vii. to the Roma O wreched man that I am who shall delyuer me from the body of thys death It is necessary such assaultes come vpō vs. Victory commeth by fyghtynge agaynst synne and of victory commeth tryumphe but noman shal be crouned saue he that fyghte deuly Yf ye wyll triumphe with Chryst ouer synne death wythout battayl that can not be for such waye hath not Chryst shewed you Fight lyke a trew souldyer of Chryst That we feare death and shrenck at it is naturall weaknesse the cause Which is not damnable for she is not imputed to vs for sinne Yee Chryst hyemself hath taken such weaknesse vpon hym for vs whan he beganne to shouer to tremble and to be heuy for the death tocome sayēge My soule is heuy vntyll death Mat. xxvi Why dyd he so seynge he knew death coulde not hurt hym He knewe well he shulde se no corrupcion Why was he afrayed He knewe hys death shulde brynge lyfe vnto vs all and ouercome death why dyd not he rather reioyce in that death wherof shulde come so much goodnesse what shulde it greue hym than to dye wold he rather haue had delaie of it dyd not he wysshe vs such mercy and welfare seyng he semed to couet to be loose of this sufferynge Alas no that be farre But seynge he toke vpon hym bare man heade yt pleased hym to assaye the weaknesse of manhode because we shulde not faynte yf lyke temptacion arose agaynst vs Wherof no man lyuynge be he neuer so holy is fre For how sore the inwarde man is lyghtened of the spyryte yet doth the olde Adam the wyfe of Loth not forsake hyr kynde in fyghtynge and desyrynge agaynst the spyryte Which battayll and desyres we ouercome and haue ouercome by fayth that assureth vs to haue a trew bysshoppe by God the father namely Iesu Chryst which hath bene tempted in all poyntes that he myght knowe how to helpe them that be proued The Lorde is trew for he can proue and delyuer the good Christians out of temptations agayn Christ which knewe no synne is become synne for vs that we shulde be the iustyfycacion or ryghtwysnesse of God in hym Chryst hath damned synfulnesse of synne in hys flesshe Synne is dāned and put awaye in Chryst she can not damne vs she must be auaylynge vnto ryghtwesnesse so farre is she come Chryst iustyfyeth vs and who can blame vs Chryst dischargeth vs of all synne what deuell or what flesshe is it than that can laye ony synne or fault to vs The syknesses and weaknesses that ye haue after ye be Chrystened haue ye commune with al sayntes them shall ye fele other more or
this do y e great ensaÌ„ples of mercy shewed to peter to mary magdalene to y e murtherer serue I wil leaue of dauid of paul many more Submitte your selues rendre you to god confessynge you to suffre worthely and iustly for your synnes that Christ died vniustly Beleue y t in y e despising of Christ is hidde y e godly glory in y e death is hidde y e kyngdoÌ„ of Christ which y e aforesayd murtherer did it shal be sayde vnto you To daye shall ye be w t me in paradise CoÌ„sidre your wyckednesse Christes goodnesse CoÌ„sidre y e damnacion that ye haue deserued and agayn the loue of Christ which hath recoÌ„cyled you by the father This doynge you shal heare w t Mary magdalene Many synnes are forgeueÌ„ you for ye loued many your faith made you safe Peter remeÌ„bred y e wordes of christ bi his lokyng vpoÌ„ hiÌ„ at y e coks croeÌ„g bewayled he his synnes The Lorde almyghty doth now beholde you with this presente syknes and by sendynge of death and perchaunce letteth the souÌ„de of the worde come in youre harte Knoledge your synnes knoledge the trew iudgment of God that he letteth passe vpon youre mysdedes in your sufferynge and he shall not forsake you in youre callynge and mournynge But shall appeare vnto you with a comfortable worde of hys resurreccion which shall make youre conscience lusty and to reioyce in hope of the lyfe to-come as he hath done with Peter Happy are they that wepe with Peter bearynge of very loue the yocke and power of synne in theyr bodyes with greueousnesse for they shal be conforted Thys is the promyse of God y t caÌ„ not lye vnto you nor yet wyll do Loke vpon thys trustynge to it you shall rightwell subdue youre enmy synne Lazarus O Lorde geue me thy godly grace that I maye beleue thy holsome worde by y e which my harte may be purifyed of all synfull desyres which are innumerable in me Tobyas Amen God graunte you thesame Lazarus Instructe me now farther good brother how I maye behaue myselfe in y e death tocome whan I begynne to mystrust wether death shall than wholy swalowe my vp Tobyas The nature of the mysbeleuynge is such that they can not beleue there be a rysynge agayne of the flesshe by reason thys bodely death semeth to consume a man wholy and all Wherfore they saye wyth mouth and harte as it is wrytten in the boke of wysedom The tyme of oure lyfe is but short and tedious and whan a maÌ„ is once gone he hath no more ioye nor pleasure nother know we ony man that turneth agayne from death for we are borne of naught and we shal be herafter as though we neuer had bene and so forth Ouer these men that be of such fayth commeth damnation worthely for as they lyue and their opinion is so doth it chaunce also vnto them The gospell is yet wholy hydde vnto them for the God of this worlde hath blynded theyr hartes so that the lyght of the gospell the glory of Christes rysynge can not shyne in theyr hartes Such men were they of AtheÌ„ that sayde of Paul that he was a declarer of new deuels Act. xvii whaÌ„ he declared them Iesu and shewed them of hys resurreccion Of lyke natural blyndnesse dyd it come that they of Athen axed at Paul sayenge Maye not we knowe what new doctryne this is that thou teachest For thou bryngest straunge tydynges in to oure eares We wolde knowe therfore what thys meaneth VpoÌ„ which questyon Paul made a goodly sermon coÌ„cernynge the fayth in Chryst and hys rysynge agayne The mystery of the resurreccioÌ„ of Chryst is the chefe and princypall poynt of our fayth For what shulde it haue had auayled vs that Chryst dyed and suffred for vs yf he hadde not bene rysen agayn This resurreccion of the flesshe that we also abyde in Chryst maye not be rekened a dreame because we se it not For yf we sawe it with oure eyen than were it no fayth for fayth is of thynges inuisible and not apparaunt Wherfore though all men seme to begynne the lyfe and fynishe it agayne in thys present worlde yet are we assured and beleue that we all shall ryse agayne from death in the daye of dome euen as Chryst is rysen first This assuraunce of trew fayth passeth all sureties that can be persuaded by ony sutelty of maÌ„s ymaginacion By this fayth Not by the outward opinion speake we of the resurreccion of flesshe euen as the prophet saieth Psal â–ª â—â—v I beleued and therfore haue I spoken Paul taketh vp this worde speake sayenge .ii. Corin iiii Seynge we haue the same sprite of faith accordinge as it is written I beleued and therfore haue I spoken we also beleue and therfore we speake for we knowe y t he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vs vp also by y e meanes of Iesus shall set vs with you it foloweth For y e thinges which are sene are temporall but the thynges which are not sene are eternall Wherfore al that we beleue of god all that we speake of the resurreccion the lyfe tocome semeth not to be so Euen as God hymself and hys honour worshyppe be also inuysyble and not appataunte to be trew vnto such carnall wysemen that haue not receaued the same spryte of the prophete and Paul By the afore sayed sprite of fayth speaketh Paul of the resurreccion saienge The body is sowen here in corrupcion and shall ryse in vncorrupcion Yt is sowen in dyshonoure and it shall ryse agayne in glory Yt is soweÌ„ in weaknesse and shal ryse in poure Yt is sowen a naturall body and shall ryse a spirituall body For flesshe bloude shall not possesse the kyngdom of God and that which is transytory can not possesse eternal heretage Thus must the grane of the flesshy body that is sowen here in eath fyrst dye in the grouÌ„d before it can brynge forth new frute into lyfe euerlastyng which lyfe we do abyde certaynly by fayth in the resurreccion of the flesshe though it appeare impossible vnto vs. For because Chryst is rysen therfore shall we ryse also and not abyde in death For God is no God of the dead but of the lyuenge Abraham Isaac and Iacob Lazarus I wyll graunte it ryght wel that we shal all ryse agayne at the daye of dome nor in that am not I tempted but I am more afrayed of the seconde and eternall death Instructe my agaynst that I pray you that I may perceaue that I feare and drede the seconde death by the reason of my great mysbelefe Tobias Wherto thynke ye the resurreccion of Chryst be stabylisshed with so many tokens and wonders but onely that we shulde stedfastly beleue therin To beleue in the resurreccion of Christ is to beleue that he raygneth and is a kynge and that in his rysynge death and synne be subdued vnto hym Death is the wages of synne Seinge than
occasyon of myrakles men ruÌ„ne to the Idols â—r ymages as though they were myndlesse to the intent they myght be healed of such syknesses and dyseases and be sent them for theyr amendment Now where such fayth and confydence is geuen vnto ymages and theyr myracles there can it not well be beleued that thys bytter chalyce of sufferynge be geuen vs of the father as an acceptable thynge and worthy to be receaued wyth a good wyll Neuerthelesse that Chryste wyll haue yt so to be receaued is euydent by the wordes that he spake vnto Peter what tyme as he wolde defende Chrystes cause wyth the materiall swearde sayenge wylt not thou that I shal drinke the chalice which my father hath sent me as though he wolde saye Ye ought to seke no meanes nor counsell nor not once to saye agaynst y e drynkynge of this chalice or cuppe which my heauenly father hath sent me Hereby is geuen vs to wyte that all oure trouble is sent vs also of oure heauenly father to accepte it wyllyngly and with a good wyll to drynke it How much lesse than shall we runne a straye here or there to seke thys helpe or that this counsell or that to be redemed and made fre of oure burthen Moses warnynge vs not to be moued at ony myrakle sayeth Deut. xiii yf there ryse vp a prophet or dreamar amonge you and geue the a token or wonder and that token or wonder which he spake of come to passe and than saye Let vs go after other Goddes whom thou knowest not and let vs serue them Thou shalt not herken vnto the voyce of such a prophete or dreamer For youre Lorde youre God proueth you to wete wether ye loue hym with all youre hart and with all youre soule For ye shall walke after the Lorde youre God and feare hym and kepe his commaundementes and herken vnto his voyce and serue hym and cleue vnto hym These wordes do playnly despise the seruynge or worshippynge of straunge Goddes or ymages They cast awaye all myracles and tokens that chaunce by Gods sufferinge to proue vs wether oure trust aâ—â— confydence be onely in God They shewe vs to God of whom we must hope al goodnesse Wherfore regarde not these pelgrymage goers and myrakell gasers for yf ye folowe theyr councels ye testifie you not to be a trewe beleuer It is a trew prouerbe that is comunly vsed wo to that londe where many myracles do chaunce for that is a token that great vnbeleue is there And where as ye thynke sayntes to choppe and chaunge so with myracles that is not so For the deuell can also chaunge hymselfe into an angel of light as saieth Paul This is euydent in the fyrst boke of the kynges in the .xxviii. chapter where Samuel the good prophete beynge dead was conyured of the soythsayenge woman at Sauls instaunce at the whych charmynge the deuyll appeared in the lyknesse of Samuel Therfore also doth Paul warne vs sayenge to the Collossians the .ii. chapter Let noman make you to shute at a wronge marke whych after his owne chousynge walketh in humblynesse and spyritualyte of angels thynges which he neuer sawe Wherin we are warned of all holynesse of men for theryn maye we lyghtely be deceaued Morouer it happeneth somtyme that God taketh his worde out of hys trew preachers and prophets mouth and geueth it vnto lyenge spretes which lyes the people doth lyghtely accepte by reason of theyr erroure as we rede .iii. Reg. xxii God sayde vnto the lienge sprete that he shulde deceaue kynge Achab Go thy waye thou shalt deceaue them sayde he and be able Thys example teacheth vs not to rest nor trust in ony mans holynes wysdome or worthynesse These and such lyke deceates chaunge vnto vs by the ryght wysnesse of God because we turne so lyghtely to straunge Goddes to sayntes to false tokens and myracles whych be set vp by the occasyon of some lyenge dreame of a false prophete or as comunly they be by y e wylynesse of the dyuell Wherfore loke where Chryst and hys worde be shewed and the fayth accepted though Christ be but newe come in Egypte and yoÌ„ge there decaye incontinently such auauÌ„tages and yearly reÌ„tes of pilgrimage goinges and myracles which is dayly to be sene For gods worde is a fyre and therfore consumeth it all such workes as be nothynge but stouble strawe and hey and it selfe endureth for euer Yf such mokage of miracles pylgrimages were agryenge w t the worde of God than shulde they remayne doubtlesse but seinge they be not therfore must al plaÌ„tacions which y e heaueÌ„ly father hath not plaÌ„ted be roted out Lazarus Yt is treuth for ther is not so much resorte to the bloude of Hayles oure lady of Walsy mgaÌ„ to this or that sainte as ther hath bene By reason the myrakles haue not now so much fayth geuen vnto them But how happeneth it that the soules and spretes of the dead desyre of tymes such going on pelgrimages in so much that bokes also be made of it Tymotheus Brynge ye forth now youre spretes and dreames Beleue not euery sprete but â—rye them wyther they be of God Such spretes as wyll drawe you awaye from Christ vnto your owne workes or holynesse flye them as venyme We must abyde in Christ that is his wordes and doctryne yf we shal be his disciples We muste discerne and herken to his voyce onely yf we shal be hys shepe All that which is not conteyned and founded in the scrypture shall not ye beleue All bodely exercyse which as ye saye is requyred of you profyteth lytell but Christen vertuousnes and godlynesses is profytable to all thynges The father poyntynge vs to hys sonne in whom he delyteth sayeth that we shall heare hym and not the spretes for the apparitions of spretes are wholy agaynst the scrypture wherfore they can be nothynge but illusyoÌ„s of the dyuels that be in the ayre We rede in the gospell of the ryche glutton that he desyred hys fyue brethren in earth to be warned of the daungers and payne that he was in but what answere was made hym agayne euen such as is made to euery man that is now lyuynge Let them heare Moses and the prophetes He sayde no â—et them heare the spretes Yt foloweth yf they wyll not heare them then wyll not they also beleue yf ony dead rose agayne and appeared we haue Moses and the prophetes these wyll God haue vs geue ear vnto and al curiouse searchynge of spretes with their answers vtterly to be despysed A pure fayth trusteth onely in Gods wordes couetynge none other visyons or apparition to the strenghtynge of hym saue only the othe which was made to Abraham and hys sede in hym what tyme as God was mynded to geue hymself vnto vs which through fayth in God are become chyldren of Abraham and heyres of God Thys inwarde or goostly syght of a pure harte passeth all other certifyenges eyther of spretes angels or deuels For so
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
ynough before God Al that ye geue wythout such a redynesse of harte is not counted for an almes before the Lorde Of this redynesse of harte which loue doth cause commeth outward geuynge of almes Whom I loue not vpon hym haue I no compassion nor I do no more succoure hym than though hys pouerte and grefe were not pertayninge to me Wherfore Paul sayeth though I gaue all my goodes to fede the poore and yet haue no loue it profyteth me nothynge Thus be they not externall almesses that make a man Christian But by geuynge almes he declareth hym to haue the loue of his neghboure and that he is a Christian Be content to be thus presoned in body acordinge the wyll of God â–ª praye to God in spirite geue almes visyte y e poore w t your hart seynge ye can not do it with the body and God shall so accepte it as though ye had done it w t y e dede For he regardeth the harte Lazarus Wold God I myght do it so well as I wolde fayne This flesshe is so slothfull I can not bringe it to the crosse dyenge which greueth me Oh where tarieth he that shal redeme me Oh whan I thynke thys how narowe is the gate how strayght is the passage vnto death Tymotheus Be not discoraged in this assault and battayll but rather coÌ„forte you w t the example of Christ sayenge I must be baptysed w t another baptyme but Oh how tedious am I before I can fulfyl it This tedious baptyme beginneth now to wor worke in you that you beynge clensed of your olde sinfulnes might become a new creature in god As y e bodely byrth of our mother in this worlde is paynful eueÌ„ so y e goynge of it out agayne vnto the lyfe euerlastyng is on easy But it is a coÌ„forte agayne y t like as a womaÌ„ by brynging a new creature in to this worlde is delyuered of hir burtheÌ„ payn eueÌ„ so are we deliuered of this body by death which is knitte w t sinne causeth vs alwaie to go astraie froÌ„ goe Morouer thiÌ„ke as it is in dede y t ye do not suffre this grefe alone but that the Lorde doth assist those that haue a contryte harte and theÌ„ that be of a lowly spyrite shall he release The inwarde man that is your sprete doth succure your sufferynge Heare what is contayned in the Psal xc Because he hath set hys loue vpon me I shall delyuer hym I shall defende hym for he hath knowen my name Whan he calleth vpoÌ„ me I shall heare hym Yee I am wyth hym in hys troubell wherout I wyll delyuer hym and brynge hym to honour Satle youre mynde God is faythful of hys promyses He shall not suffre you to be tempted aboue that ye maye beare God sendeth euery man temptacioÌ„ with measure and not aboue hys power Therfore sayeth the prophet Dauid you shall fede vs with the bread of teares and geue vs teares to drynke with measure Considre the sayenge of the prophet Esaye in hys â—iiii chapter A lytell wyle haue I forsaken the but wyth great mercyfulnes shall I take the vp vnto me Thys knowleged very well the prophet whan he sayde Accordynge to the multitude of my woundes haue the multitude of thy consolations bene yoyfull vnto my soule Whan ye be prayenge to the father fayth at your nede how can y e father geue hys sonne a stone and yf you desyred a fysshe how can he geue you a serpent Seynge he hath promysed to geue a good sprete vnto theÌ„ that requyre hym Luc. xi As the eyen of a handmayden be continualy fyxed vpon hyr maystres haÌ„de so let oures also be vpon the Lorde oure God vntyll he haue mercy vpoÌ„ vs Yt is sufficient that youre inwarde man coÌ„senteth vnto the lawe of God that it is good which correcketh you in your synnes and causeth you thus to syght Paul also myght not do y e good which he wolde but the euyll which he wolde not Lazarus Where sayeth Paul the same I praye you for I fele it in me Timotheus In the .vii. chapter to the Romanes Lazarus I wyll cause the same chapter be red to me at leasure I praye you shew my byen samples how some are become stronger in fayth by temptacion sufferynge syknesse and death and agayne some offended weaker for examples teache best Tymotheus I wyll do it gladly at your instaunce It was promysed vnto Abraham by God that in hys sede all kinreds of the worlde shulde be blessed y t he wolde multiplie hys sede as the starres of heauen Abraham lyke a father of the faythful hath accepted these promyses w t a sure faith trustynge it shulde so come to pas as God sayde though it was straunge because he was olde and his wyfe baren â–ª Now because Abraham beleued thys contrary to the hope of nature for who wyll loke for frute of a womaÌ„ of .xc. yeares in that hope of the trew promyses of God was he counted ryghtuous But wherfore is this wrytten of hym Not onely for Abraham but also for vs as sayeth Paul in the .iiii. to the Romanes For it shal be rekened vnto vs also for a iustyfycatyon yf we beleue in hym which raysed oure Lorde God Iesu Chryst which was betrayed for oure mysdedes and is raysed from the dead for oure iustyfycation Thys fayth was perfectly good before god but it must be proued and assayed for oure instruccion by the temptacion folowenge It is wrytten Genes xxii God hath tempted or proued Abraham sayenge Take thyne onely sonne Isaak whom thou louest and thou shalt 〈◊〉 hym vpon an hyll that I shall shewe thy Whan thys commaundement or temptacion was declared to hym he myght haue repyned and reasoned sayenge that God were not trew in hys promyse seynge he commaunded hym now to slaye that sede wherin he promysed hym that all the sedes of the worlde shuld be blessed But he dyd not so hys fayth remayned trew and sure in God wente on streght wyth a sure confydence vpon Gods worde to offre vp hys sonne and to fulfyll Gods commaundement theryn For he was sure that God wolde rather rayse hym vp a sonne agayne of the very sacrifice asshes than that he shuld be founde a lyar After thys maner also was Iobs fayth tried which had a wytnesse of God that he was a iust and symple man fearynge God Now whan thys goodman was stryken of Sathan in hys chyldren goodes and body he fell to the grounde and worshipped god sayenge Blessed be the name of god We haue receaued good of the hande of god why shulde not we than also receaue the euyll As it hath pleased god so is it happened hys name be blessed Lo folowe the pacience of thys man Iob in your sufferynge and ye shall not synne wyth youre mouth Morouer good Tobias was not moued at hys blyndnesse but abode stedfast in the feare of God all dayes of hys lyfe sayenge God be thaÌ„ked For he
the prophet It is good for me to continue by God and to set my hope confidēce vpon my Lorde my god The chyldren of god though they seme here in y e sight of the ignoraunte to dye yet is theyr porcion and herytage endurynge foreuer Thys shall the wyked fynde trew herafter and complayne whan yt shal be to late and wan they shalke counted amōge sayntes whom they somtyme haue taken here for mad men as the boke of Sap. y e .v. chapter doth playnly expresse O Lazare yf it shulde be after your mynde yt shulde not be well If ye shulde rule the wagen one daye yet one oure heauē earth shulde runne on an heape lyke as poetes do fayn that Phaeton dyd Entre not to depe in gods iudgmentes Let hym rule he shall ordre it better than we can deuise Lazarus Ye saye trewth We wyll haue a sayenge in the matter and wolde fayne by Goddes also But yf we perceaued what yt meaneth we shulde let god alone hardly Neuerthelesse I cā skant trust him to be my lorde my god my father for he semeth somtyme so vtterly to haue forsaken me as though I were none of hys Timothe It is no straūge thynge y t God semeth somtyme to haue forsakē you Christ him self hath felt it in hym and suffred temptation wyllyngly to oure ensample and comforte whā he hangynge on the crosse for very great strayghtnesse of payne sufferynge sayde My Lorde my God wherfore hast thou forsaken my Not y t he was euer forsaken or destitute of the godheade but thys dysease hath he takē vpon hym wyllyngly that we as he geueth vs here a sample shulde call to the father in oure anguishe which doubtlesse shall hear vs yee hath herde vs already in Christ before we call vpō him For it is written in the prophetes that he shal heare vs before we call vpon hym and before oure prayer be finished shal he haue herde vs. It is not possible a father cā leaue his chyldren in their moost necessite Though a mother maye forgette the chylde that is borne of hyr body yet shal not I forget you sayeth the Lorde God That wytnesseth the prophete sayenge The Lorde hath not wythdrawen hys visage fro me and whan I called vpon hym he herde me Marke in the psalter how pyteously Christ cōplayneth to hys father hys nede whan he was come in y e depeste of the see of tribulation Beholde how Dauid complayneth hys necessite before God I haue sayde in the excesse of my mynde I am cast awaye Lorde Therfore hast thou herde the voyce of my prayer whan I called vpon the. Seynge youre temptacion and payne is comune with Christ and all other sayntes Therfore render thē to god for he is more that is in vs than he that is in y e worlde Therfore maye he also comforte helpe and ayde more than health ryches or frendes Whā ye fele youre fayth wax feble and slacke than drawe to christ w t the apostles hauynge a harty desyre and saye Lorde augment my fayth and all youre syknesse shall not be imputed you for synne Lazarus I thanke you now brother Timothe of youre vertuous and louely exhortation which ye haue shewed my very brotherly Praye God instantly for me wreched synner that he wyll helpe myne vnbeleue geue my pacience in all my sufferynge that I may set my harte at reste in hym only whiche is parte of myne herytage and passion which shal also geue me mene heretage agayne though by synne it is once taken awaye Timothe I wyll do it gladly and with all my hart good brother Pardon me for I haue bē ouer longe with you Lazarus No verely ye haue not Come agayne soone or to morowe to enforme me more larglyer of the masse Timothe I wyll do yt Oure neghbure Tobias wylbe with you to morowe to teache you somwhat of dyenge Lazaarus Let be yt so I praye you let that honest man come Timothe He cometh euen nowe God be wyth you Lazarus Feare well good brother Timothe ¶ A dyaloge betwene Tobias Lazarus wherin Tobias teacheth the syke Lazarus that death is to be desyred wyth a sure fayth of the lyfe for to-come Tobias cōmynge before Lazarus bedde sayeth Peace be in thys house How is it wyth you Lazare Lazarus Ye be welcome brother for I dyd longe for you Take a stoole and syt by my yf ye please Tobias I wyll How is it wyth you Is it all after one Lazarus No no brother It is well amended God be thanked of yt Tobias I am gladde of yt surely I trust it wyll amende once For the lorde is mercyfull he forgeueth synne in tyme of trybulation and is a defence to all them that call vpon hym wyth trewe desyre Whan y e father hath occupied y e rod ynough than casteth he her in to the fyre Whan God hath stryken than healen he agayne Do ye perceaue ony ease your face pleaseth not me best Lazarus I beleue ryght well that y e carcase doth rather fayde yee I yelde it for death is dew vnto it but y e spirite fayth be sure thanked be God and augment dayly so that the longer I am syke the lesse grefe I fele My thynke I begynne euen to saye with the prophet Thy rodde thy wande haue comforted me Tobias Good Lorde how fayne do I heare such wytnesse of fayth Now speake ye as a Christen man I wolde not haue beleued that I shulde haue founde you so vertuously disposed I se well the hande of the lorde is not shortened He can dayly cause men to speake with newe tunges as he dyd hys disciples on the wytsondaye As I was last with you I departed sorowfull because I herde nothynge of you but blasphemyes murmurynges agaynst God ye were so vnpacient But God hath now so endued you with hys mercy y t ye maye synge a Christenly prayse vnto his name Lazarus Treuly brother that as than I was so wyde from God caused myne vnbeleue and the disquiete conscience of myne for so much as I was presoned and captyue with mans constitutions and workes of myne owne chosynge But now is the snare destroyed and I am rydde of them God hath geuen encrease vnto the worde that oure brother Timothe hath ministred vnto me Tobias God graunte you hys full knoledge y t he maye be glorious in you foreuer God hath geuen oure brother Timothe a singular grace in expoundynge scripture I am sure he hath geuē you many good exhortations of Christen pacience and of mortifyenge of the olde Adam Lazarus That hath he done earnestly and hath rebuked my conscience of hyr hypocrisy and loosed her by the workinge of God I se now the blyndnesse and errore that I haue ben seduced wythall hetherto I defye them in myn harte Wyll ye know what I dyd yet yesterdaye at euen Tobias What I praye you brother Lazarus I shall tell As soone as Timothe was gone out of my house I
man which resteth in God and is at once with God what that euer betydeth him wether it be in body in goodes in lyfe or death in frendes in name or fame Yee though hys body were grounde all to poulder yet wolde not he gaynsaye it nor departe from God therfore which causeth hym to assaye inwardly thorowe the spyrite of fayth howe swete and good the Lorde is To thys dyenge exhorteth vs scrypture To thys rest and Sabath draweth vs the spyrite of God So much as ye be crucyfyed in the aforesayed sensuall appetyte so much goostly increase gett you in the inwarde man which doth not shrenke for all that nor suffre the crosse to ouercome hym but aprocheth rather nearer pearsynge vnto death wherhy his trust is to gayne lyfe which fayth and hope shall not be gayn sayd as sayeth Paul in the .ii. to the Râ— â–ª Thys vnderstondynge or diuynyte that ye haue herde here is declared vnto you in the scryptures folowenge â–ª Namiy Go forth with Chryst Iesu youre brydegrmoe wythout the tentes of your sensualyte and beare the lowlynes of youre brydegrome with you in youre body vnto death For yf we dye with Chryst we shall also lyue wyth hym yf we suffre w t hym we shal raygne w t hym Ye thanke the father y t he by thys sufferynge hath made you apte to enyoie one parte wyth all sayntes that he hath redemed you from all power of darknesse and set you in the kyngdome of hys beloued sonne thorowe whose bloude we haue obtayned forgeuynge and redemption of synnes Seynge then ye â—e become a party membre of Chryst fulfyll therfore in you that which is wantynge of the passyons of Chryst that the power of God maye abyde in you Lazarus â–ª How shall I vnderstonde that hath not Chryste suffred ynough what 〈◊〉 I fulfyll that is lackynge in his passions seynge there is no parte of 〈…〉 â—ounde from the toppe of the 〈…〉 â—o the â—oâ—e of the 〈…〉 Yt is Paul that sayeth so namely that he dyd fulfyll in hys body that which was lackynge of Chrystes afflyction yee he durst saye also that he dyd beare the markes of Chryst in hys body Which be not the .v. woundes that Francis dreamed to haue receaued in hys handes and fete But they were the markes that he hadde receaued of the scourgynge weerynesse laboure and the crosse that he was fayne to beare paciently for the gospell In which pacience he was sayde to beare Chrystes passion and to receaue hys woundes for Chryst had fyrst boren such payne persecutioÌ„ markes and crosse In so much y t he was drawen out and emptyed w t sufferynge As sayeth Esaye liii Whan we loke vpon hym there shal be no fayrnesse we shall haue no lust vnto hym He shal be the moost symple and despysed of all which yet hath good experience of sorowes and infirmites We shall reken hym so symple and so vyle that we shall hyde oure faces from hym How be it of a treuth he onely taketh awaye oure infyrmyte beareth awaye oure payne So that he myght wel aske wether there were ony payne lyke vnto hys payn For he semed a worme and no man Seynge Chryst the head of y e whole congregation of Chrysten men toke vpon hym to suffre yt was nedefull than that he shulde ascende the hyghest degre to the which greate loue hath dryueÌ„ him that he shulde sanctifye hys congregation beynge pure and wasshed with the fountayne of water in the worde that he shulde gloryfye it hauynge no spot nor wrenkle nor ony such blemysshe but that it shuld be holy and wythout blame The head Chryst suffreth yet dayly in hys membres Thys passion shall he be fayne to suffre till the tyme that he shall haue cast all his enemies vnder his fete That is whan he shall delyuer vp hys kyngdome vnto his father .ii. Corin. xv Who soeuer therfore is crucified with Chryst that is who soeuer slayeth and kylleth his carnall appetites and persueth them hatefully as oure synnes be hatefully persued in Chryst vntill death he doth supple in his body that which is lackynge of Chrystes passyon For Chryst is sayde to suffre that which hys membres do suffre or shall suffre Euen as Chryst sayde to the commune persecutor of the ChrystiaÌ„s Saul Saul I am that Iesus whom thou persecutest How coulde he persecute Iesu which sat at the ryght hande of hys father saue onely in hys membres Lazarus I haue vnderstonde that very well now that it is a passyon which fyrst Christ as head and so all other trewe Chrysten men as membres haue suffered or shall suffer For whan the head is syke than mourne all the membres and whan the membres be dyseased the heade is not well nother Tobyas You haue vnderstonde me well wherfore let it be for you consolation that you be not forsaken alone but that Chryst hymself as head and all Chrystians as members are sufferynge with you In Chrystes communalty is no stryfe nor parcialyte but a communion or felowshyppe of al that is good or badde swete or sowre the one membre careth for another Whan the one suffreth al do suffre whan the one is glorifyed than be they all glorifyed So great a thynge is the communion of sayntes that we maye glory and reioyce the one in the goodnesse of the other as though they were oure owne By the glory of Chryst shall oure dishonesty be glorifyed And by his fulnes shal we be losed of our pouert his merytes shal put awaye oure mysdedes Who is he now y t is in paine y t wold not be mery seynge man beareth not his synnes or yf he beareth theÌ„ he bearetheÌ„ not alone for he hath Chryst hiÌ„self to helpe hiÌ„ so many chyldren of God Paul sayeth .i. Corinth x. One breade and one body are we many Thys all commeth vpon vs out of the spyrytuall maryage which God oure father hath made wyth hys onely beloued sonne and vs. For thereby are we made one wyth God as man and wyfe are twain in body and all other thynges are commune A chylde is borne vnto vs and a sonne is geueÌ„ vs Esaye .ix. Wherfore he is oure owne Christes victory is oure victory Christes rysynge is oure rysynge Morouer y t which we are we are not of our selues for we haue yeldeth to Christ oure fayth already Paul sayeth .i. Corin. vi Knowe ye not that your body is the temple of y e holy goost Whome you haue of God are not your owne For ye are dearly bought Prayse ye God therfore in your body and in your sprete which are Gods We be deliuered ouer in writinge vnto the lawe of God and hys promises and he is agayne delyuered in wrytinge vnto vs to saluation and welfare The bonde of matrymony must be knowen on both partyes orels is it of none effecte Thus is it resonable y t we beare Chryst in oure body euen as he beareth vs and maketh vs partakers of all hys goodes So that