the dead but of the liuing The houre shall come in the whiche all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and shall come forthe they that haue done good vnto y e resurectioÌ„ of life thei y e haue done euel vnto y e resurrectioÌ„ of damnatioÌ„ I know that my brother shall rise again at the latter day God hath raised vp y e Lord and shall raisâ—… vs vp by his power If there be no risinge again from death then is Christ not risen If Christ is not risen then is our preaching vaine your faith is also vaine Read and commend to memory the xv Chapiter of the first to the Corinth The Lord Iesus shall chaunge our vlle bodies that they may be fashioned like vn to his glorious body c. I would not brethern haue yon ignoraÌ„t concerning them which are fallen a slepe that ye sorow not as other do which haue no hope For if we beleue y â— Iesus Christe died rose againe euen so they also which slepe by Iesus wil god bring againe with him Read forth ☞ Examples out of the new Testament CHrist raised from death the daughter of y â— Rular the Son of a certaine widow and Lazarus with many other These are euident examples of our resurrection After Christ had geuen vp the ghoste the graues did open and the bodyes of ma ny Saintes whiche slept arose and came out of y â— graues after his resurrectioÌ„ caÌ„e into the holy citie appeared vnto many Christ rose againe from death the third day accordinge to the scriptures and was sene of Cephas then of the twelue After that he was sene of mo then fiue hundreth brethern at once c S. Peter raised Tabitha from death S. Paule restored vnto life a certaine yong man named Euticus Christe rebuked the Saduces because they beleued not the resurrection of y e ded The Epicures and Stoykes laughed S Paule to scorne when as he at Athens taught the resurrection of the dead But he defended the doctrine Against them that deny the immortalitie of the soule IF Sathan or any of his tempte thee to liue at thy pleasure labouring to perswade the â—…y sophi sticall reasons of carnal imaginations y â— the soul of man is but as the breath of other beastes that after the dissolutioÌ„ of the body it is nothing nether liueth afterward but hath an end with the bodye take hede that thou geuest no place to such wicked and most damnable doctrine but enarme thy selfe a gainst it w t these authorities of the holy Scripture ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament GOd created man in his owne image in y e image of god created he him male and female created he them The Lord god shope man euen dust froÌ„ the ground and breathed in his nostrels the breathe of life and Adam was made a liuing soule I should vtterly haue fainted but that I beleue verely to sâ—… the goodnes of y e lord in the land of the liuing Like as the harte desireth the water brookes so longeth my soule after thee O god My soule is a thirste for god yea euen for the liuing god when shal I come to ap peare before the presence of god The bodye shal be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came and the spirit that is the soule shall returne vnto God whiche gaue it God made man to be vndestroyed that is to say immortall yea after the image of his own likenes made be him The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and the pain of death shall not hurt them In the sight of the vnwisethey seme to dy and their end is taken for very destructioÌ„ but they are in rest The hope of the faithful is ful of immortalitie The righteous shall liue for euermore their reward also is w t the Lord and their remembrance with the highest Therfore shall they receiue a glorious kingdome a bewtiful crowne of the Lordes hand Read the third fourth and fift Chapiters of the boke of Wisedome We are the children of holy men and looke for the life whiche God shall geue vnto them that neuer turne their faythe from him Examples out of the olde Testament THe holy scriptur testifieth that Ehore and his complices went downe quicke vnto Hel and the earthe couered them so that they perished By this it is euident that the soules of the wicked are immortall and liue in the paines of hel fire If Saule had not beleued bothe the resurrection of the body and immortalitie of the soule he wold neuer haue gone about to haue had Samuel raised vp When Dauid saw that his childe was dead he wept no more but said I shall go vnto him he shal not come again vnto me Helias prayed for the rasing vp againe vnto life of his hostes Sonne sayinge O Lord my God I beseche thee let the soule of this Childe come into him againe And he reuiued When Tobias was laughed to scorne of his elders and kinssolkes which said vn to him here is thy hope for the which thou hast done almose and buried the dead He rebuked them and sayde say not so for we are the children of holy men and looke for the life which god shall geue vnto theÌ„ that neuer turne their faith from him Againe he prayed vnto god on this ma ner Now O Lorde deale with me according to thy wil and commaund my spirite to be receiued in peace For more expedieÌ„t were it for me to dye than to liue Sentences out of the new Testament FEare not them whiche kil the bodye but are not able to kil the soule But rather feare him whiche is able to destroy both soule and body in hel Ther is no man that hath forsakeÌ„ house eyther father or mother either brethren or wyfe or children for the kingdom of Gods sake which shall not receiue muche more in thys worlde and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting Thys is the wyll of hym that sent me that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleueth on him haue euerlasting life and I wyll raise him vp at the last day My shepe heare my voyce and I knowe them and they followe me and I geue vn to them euerlasting lyfe and they shal neuer peryshe neyther shall anye man pluck them oute of my hand I am the resurrection and the lyfe He that beleueth on me yea though he were dead yet shal he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleueth on me shal neuer dye Let not your hart be troubled Ye beleue in God beleue olso in me In my fathers house are many mansions If it were not so I would haue told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come agayne and receiue you euen vnto my selfe that where I am
there may ye be also Father I wyl that they which thou hast geuen me be with me where I am that they maye see my glory whiche thou hast geuen me We knowe that if our earthy mansâ—…on of this dwelling were destroyed we haue a building of God an habitation nâ—…t made with handes but euerlasting in heauen Reade forth the Chapter When soeuer Christe our lyfe shall appeare then shall you also appeare with him in glory The lorde hymselfe shall come downe from heauen wyth a shoote and the voyce of the Archaungel and tromp of God And the dead in Christ shall arise first then we whiche shall lyue euen we which shall remayne shal be caught vppe with them also in the clouds to mete y e Lord in the ayre so shal we euer be with the lorde Therefore comfort your selues one another with these wordes The spirite or soule is before God a precious thinge and much set by Christ was killed as pertaning to the flesh but was quickened in the spirit In which spirite he also went and preached vnto the spirites that were in prison c. Here it is manifest that the spirites or soules of men are immortal and liue either in glory or in payne after they be losoned from the body Examples out of the new Testament WHen the Sadâ—…ces denied the resurrec tion of the body and the immortaliti of the soule Christe aunswered theÌ„ saying haue ye not reade what is wrytten I am the God of AbrahaÌ„ the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob He is not the God of the dead but of the liuing By this testimony of the holy scripture Christ declareth that though Abraham Isaac Iacob and al other of the faithful be dead as concerning theyr bodyes yet their soules liue with God and are immortall The history of the pore maÌ„ Lazarus of the rich vnmercifull gloton proueth euidentlye that the soules dye not with the body nor yet slepe vntil the day of iudgement as the vngodly Anabaptists dream nether are they cast into purgatory as the papistes teach but that the soules of the faythfull goe immediatly after their departure from the body vnto eternal glory and the soules of the vnfaythfull vnto euerlasting damnation so that the soules of al men are immortall and liue for euer either in heauen or in hel in glory or in payne The parable of the vnrighteous steward setteth forthe also the immortality of the soule as these words of Christ do declare Make you frends sayth he of the wicked Mammon that when ye shal depart hence they may receiue you into euerlastig dwel ling places The soule came agayne to the widowes son to the rulers doughter to Lazarus to them that after Christes resurrection came out of their graues to Dorâ—…s to Eu tichus c. Which thing declareth maâ—…festlye that the soule dyeth not with the bo dy but stil liued and remayned immortall The thiefe that hanged one the crosse with Christ sayde vnto him Lord remember me when thou shalte come into thy kingdome Christe aunswered verelye I saye vnto thee this daye shalt thou be with me in paradise The body of the thiefe dyed shortly after and was committed to the earth The soule of the thiefe was in paradise with Christ. The soule therfore liueth and remaineth immortall or els muste Christ be a liar But let God be true and all heretikes liars Sainct Stephen being at the pointe of death prayed saying lorde Iesu take my spirite Sainct Paule wisshed to be losoned out of his bodye and to bee with Christ. I saw vnder the aulter saith Sainct Iohn the souls of them that wer killed for the word of God and for the testimony whiche they had and they cried with a loude voyce saiing howe long tariest thou O lord bolye and true to iudg and to auenge our bloud on them that dwel on the earth and longe white garmentes were geuen vnto euery one of them And it was sayde vnto them that they should rest for a little season vntyll the number of their felowes and brethren and of them that should be killed as they were were fulfilled ¶ Of the glory of heauen and of euerlasting lyfe IF Sathan go forth to tempt thee that thou mightest lose the inheritance of the kingdome of god and say vnto thee that thou art a sinner an abhominable liuer and therfore thy faith is frustrate and thy hope vain in loking for the glory of heauen for God is a righteous Iudge and rewardeth euery man according to his deedes and merites let all these his craftyâ—… assaultes nothinge moue or abashe thee but call to thy remembraunce and beleeue stedfastlye that the heauenlye kingdome is not geuen thee for thy merites and desartes for so shouldest thou receiue nothing but eternal dampnation but for the promises which god the father hath made thee in Christes bloud if thou repent beleue Therfore cast away that rightousnes which the hypocrites chalenge by their good works and lay handes on that which commeth by faith of Iesus Christe so canst thou not be deceiued so can sathan win nothyng at thy hande so can it not but come to pas that thou shalt enioy the glory of heauen thorowe Christe Iesu. And that thou mayest doubt nothinge in this behalfe imprint these sentences and examples of the holy â—… scripture diligeÌ„tly and earnestly in thy minde ☞ Examples out of the olde Testament THe Lord hath saued me because it was his pleasure Prayse the Lorde O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites which forgeueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities which saueth thy life from destructioÌ„ and crowneth the with mercy and louing kindnesse They that put their trust in me shall inherite the land and possesse my holy hil Thy damnation O Israel came of thy selfe but thy saluation commeth of me Examples out of the olde Testament That princelye Prophet Dauid being thorowly perswaded that the inheritance of the glory of heauen and the possession of euerlasting life is the free gift of god thorow Iesus Christe and is denied to none although neuer so sinful and wretched if they repent being nothing appalled with his former sinful liuig as though y â— shuld pluck him from the inheritaunce of the heuenly kingdome knew what blessed felicitie and ioyful quietnes the soules of the faithful do enioy after their departure froÌ„ the bodyes lamented he caried so longe in this vale of misery and no lesse feruently desired to come and appeare before the face of god than the thirstye harte desireth to come to the water brookes The godly auncient Tobye knowinge gods exceeding great liberalitie in the gift of euerlastinge quietnes after the humble submission of him self vnto the Lorde hys god wyshed rather to dy than to lyue and beseched god that hys spyryte might be receiued in
from heauen or I know not from whence â–ª as the wicked Anabaptistes teache at this present but that he vnfaynedly tooke it of Mary hys mother â–ª and is her true and naturall sonne formed made of the nature and substaunce of her body Let God therfore be true and all Heretikes lyers ☞ Christe calleth hym selfe many tymes in the gospell the sonne of man to declare that as concernyng the fleshe he is the sonne of Abraham â–ª of Dauid forasmuch as he tooke his maÌ„hode of Mary whiche was of the stocke kynred of AbrahaÌ„ Dauid â–ª to whoÌ„ God promised that of their sede of the fruite of their woÌ„be one shuld be borne in whom all nacions of the earth shall be blessed So is it euident that Christ is the naturall sonne of Marye the virgine Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers ☞ Christ in many places of the holy scripture is called the sonne of Dauid â–ª not onely because hee was promysed vnto Dauid but bycause he came of his kynred and tooke flesh any bloud of his stocke and family euen of the most vndefiâ—…ed virgine Mary hys mother Christ therfore is true and perfect man of the blessed virgine â–ª had no fantasticall nor heauenly body Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers ☞ Christ was borne wrapped in cloutes layd in a maunger sede circumcised embrased in armes grewe was made stronge in spirite profited in wisedome and age hungred thyrsted eate dranke wept was wery slept reioyced was moued with wrath and indignation sorowed was heauy sad was in such an agony that his sweat was lyke drops of bloud trickelyng downe to the grounde feared death and at the last suffered the most spytefull death of the crosse and was buryed All these are manifest tokens and euident signes of Christes true man hoode Neyther could he haue done or suffered these thynges â–ª if he had a fantasticall body or a body brought from heauen Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers CHrist after his resurrectioÌ„ appeared vnto his disciples sayd vnto them peace be vnto you The disciples beyng abashed afraide supposing that they had sene a spirite he sayd vnto them why are ye troubled and why doo thoughtes arise in your hartes Behold my handes and my fete that it is eueÌ„ I my self haÌ„dle me see For a spirit hath not flesh bones as ye see me haue ☞ Here Christ after hys resurrection proueth and shewed hym selfe not to bee a fantasticall but a very man not to haue an heauenly body but a body of fleshe and bones And to declare him selfe true and perfect maÌ„ he dyd eate before them â—… peece of a broyled fishe and of an honye tombe Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers PEter in a certayne sermon declared vnto the Iewes that Christ as concernyng the fleshe came of the fruite of Dauids loynes ☞ In the whiche wordes he manifestly declareth his fayth concernyng Christes humanitie which is that Christ is very â—…an commyng of the sede of Dauid takyng his manhode of the blessed virgine which came of the stocke of Da uid Hereof may we also learne that the true and Christen faith is to beleue that Iesu Christ tooke his flesh of Mary his mother brought not his body with him from heauen as the wicked Anabaptistes hold PAul in his Epistle to the Romaines playnly teacheth that Christ as concernyng the flesh came of the fathers of the old Testament that is to say Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid c. In this Epistle to the Galathians he sayth that wheÌ„ the time was full come God sent his sonne made of a woman ☞ He sayth not that he was made afore of the elementes in the ayre or that he brought hys bâ—…â—…y with hym from heauen but that he was made of a woman that is to say tooke hys begynnyng and naturall substaunce of Mary hys mother concernyng hys humanitie AGaine in his first epistle vnto Timothe he nameth the man Iesus Christ a mediator betwene god man ☞ This name Mediatour proueth Christ both God and man For he that should be a mediator betwene God and man set them at one y â— were at debate make peace among them that before dyd disagree and conioyne them to perpetual amitie which before were ennemies one to another yea and by hys owne dignitie worthinesse and iustice make a loue day for euer and euer betwene God and man must haue in hym both the nature of God and the nature of man Christ is that one and alone mediatour which hath by his death ad passion set God and man together in an euerlasting peace and quietnes which before thorowe sinne we are at strife and debate As Christ therfore is true God so is he true man God I say of God the father and man of vs of our flesh and of our bloud or els should blessed Paule erre which calleth hym a mediatour â–ª But let God be true all heretikes liers ☞ Finally in his epistle vnto the Hebrewes after that he had spoken much of the deuine nature of Christ prouing Christ to be very god he also setteth forth Christes humanity and pro ueth hym to be true and naturall man made of our flesh and of our bloud this alone excepted y â— we receyued our nature with sinne and in sinne and by natural coniunction Christ receiued his humanity of hys mother without sinne wythout the company of any man by the operation of the holy ghost But let vs heare the wordes of the Apostle For as muche as the children were pertakers of flesh and bloud he also him selfe likewise toke part with them ☞ Here as S. Paule declareth euidently that as the children that is to say men be pertakers of flesh and bloud so lykewise Christ because he might destroy him that had lordship ouer death that is to say the deuill by the death in his owne body was made pertaker of the same that is of flesh bloud No man doubteth that our flesh is of the nature and substance of a womaÌ„ no more is it to be doubted that Christ toke his fleshe of the nature and substance of Mary his mother seyng the epistle saith that Christ was made per taker of flesh and bloud wyth vs. This coulde he not haue ben if he had brought his body with hym from heauen or had taken it of anye other then of a naturall woman although a pure and vndefiled Uirgine Therfore lyke as a man taketh hys nature of his parentes so lykewise toke Christ by humain nature of the blessed Uirgine his mother He sai eth moreouer He meanyng Christ in no place taketh on him the aungels but the sede of Abraham taketh he on hym Here the Apostle manifestlye confuteth the wicked opinioÌ„ of them which teach that Christ had a celestiall body or a body made of the ayre and plainly affirmeth that he toke the sede
with her at the wine lest thy hart consent vnto her and thou wyth thy bloud fall into destruction A man that breaketh wedlocke and re gardeth not his soule but sayth tush who seeth me I am coÌ„passed about with darke nes the walles couer me no body seeth me Whome nede I to feare the highest wyll not remember my sinnes He vnderstandeth not that his eyes see all thynges for all such feare of meÌ„ driueth away the fear of God from him For he feareth onelye the eyes of men and considereth not that the eyes of the Lorde are clearer then the Sunne beholdinge all the wayes of men and the ground of the deepe and loking euen to mens hartes in secrete places c. Reade forth the Chapiter to the ende Examples out of the olde Testament God drowned once all the whole world eight persons only excepted for the sinne of vncleannes God poured downe from heauen water fyre and brymstone vpon the Sodomites Gomorrians and such other and destroyed them al for their abhominable vncleanes When Sychem the sonne of Hemor had violently defloured Dina the doughter of Iacob her brothers hearing of the matter slew not only Sichem and Hemor but also al the men and men children that were in the city and afterward spoiled the city And when Iacob their father talked with them of the matter they answered should they deal with our sister as w t an whore When it was told Iuda that Thamar his doughter in law had played the whore and with playing the whore was become great with child Iuda her father in lawe answered and said bring her forth that she may be brent Ioseph feared god and woulde not consente vnto his Lordes wyfe in any pointe of vnclenes but chosed rather to be cast into prison then he would commit so great wickednes and defile his Lordes wyfe Therfore did God bless him and brought him to hyghe degree There were slayne in one day of y â— Iewes 24. thousand for the whoredom that they committed For the defloring of a certayne Leuites wife there were destroyed mo theÌ„ an hun dred thousand people Dauid committed adultery with Bethsabe Urias wife but he escaped not vnplaged Salomon before he doted in loue of womeÌ„ was wholy geuen to the setting forth of Gods honor but beyng once nousâ—…ed with theyr loue he dyd not onely neglecte the glory of the alone true and lyuynge God but he also thoroughe the entisment of these women fel vnto the worshippyng of straunge godes and so he prouoked the highe displeasure of God agaynst him and his realme Susan feared God and desired rather to be stoned vnto death then she should de file her husbandes bed or once consent to the two filthy Iudges and so become an whore god therfore preserued her Sentences out of the new Testament Ye haue heard that it was sayde to theÌ„ of olde tyme thou shalt not commyte adultry But I say vnto you that whosoeuer loketh on another mans wyfe to luste after her hath committed adultry already with her in his harte It semeth good to the holy ghost and to vs to charge you that ye abstayne from whordome Kepe no company with whoremongers If any that is called a brother that is to say a christen man be an whorehunter with such one se that ye eate not Neither whoremongers nor adulterers nor weakelynges neyther abusers of them selues with mankinde shall inherite the kingdom of god Knowe ye not that youre bodyes are the members of Christe shall I now take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Do ye not know that he whyche coupleth him selfe with an harlot is become one body For two saith he shal be one fleshe But he that is ioyned to the Lorde is one â–ª spirite whoredome Euery sinne that a man doth is without the body But he that is a whoremonger sinneth against his own bo dy Knowe ye not how that youre bodyes are the temple of the holy ghoste whiche dwell in you whome ye haue of god and how ye are not your own For ye are dearly bought Therfore glorify god in your bo dyes and in your spirits which are gods To auoyd whoredome let euery man haue his wife and let euery woman haue her husband It is better to marry then to burne Adultery fornication vnclennes wanton nes c. are workes of the flesh and whosoeuer doth them shall not inherite y â— kingdome of god Let not whoredome or vnclennes be once named amoÌ„g you For this ye know that no whoremonger or vncleane person hath inheritance in the kingdome of christ and of god This is the wil of god that ye abstain from whoredome For god hath not called vs vnto vnclennes but vnto holynes Kepe thy self pure and honest Auoyd the lustes of youth but follow righteousnes faithe loue and peace wyth them that call on the Lorde with a pure hart Wedlock is honorable among all meÌ„ and the bed vndefiled but whoremongers and adulterers god wil condemne Whoremongers shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brim stone which is the second death ¶ Sentences out of the new Testament WHoredome was the occasion that Herodias Herods whore sought so dilygently the death of godly Iohn Baptiste which reproued them of their abhominable liuing Thorow whoredome and kepinge of riotouse company the prodigall sonne was ted away his goodes and fel vnto such necessitie beggerye and misery that he was glad to kepe swine and would faine haue filled his bellye with the coddes that the swine did eat but he could not be suffered Learne of this history what the ende of whoredome is Saint Paule did excommunicate that man of Corinth which vngodlye kept his fathers wife and woulde not suffer that any of the faithful should kepe him company nor yet eat or drink with him The ende of the whore of Babilon is described of Saint Iohn to be wonderfull wretched miserable and dampnable Against Couetousnes If the deuil and the worlde moue thee not to bee content with that is sufficient and enough but inordinatly add vnmeasurably to scrat together the goods of the world to oppresse the pore â–ª to ioine house to house land to land lordship to lordship c. to take great incommes to raise the rentes and to get that maye be gotten by right or by wrong defend thy selfe against them with these holye scriptures that folow euer remembring that thou arte but a straunger and a pilgrime in this worlde and that thou must go hence eyther vnto glory or vnto paine yea and that â–ª how sone thou knowest not Sentences out of the olde Testament TThou shalt not couet thy neyghbours goods Ye shall not trouble hurt nor anoy no widow nor fatherles childe If ye shall hurt them and they cry vnto me I wil surely heare tâ—…eir cry
in Paradise Against sinne death and hell IF Sathan in the time of sicknes or els whaÌ„ goe about to fray thee to quenche thy spirit either with the greatnes of thy sinnes or els with the error and fearcenes of death and hell be not dismayd but with a lustye courage resiste his temptations with these most swete and comfortable scriptures Sentences out of the olde Testament I am he indede sayth god he which puteth away thy sinnes yea that for myne own sake will remeÌ„ber them no more As for thine offeÌ„ces I haue driuen theÌ„ away like the cloudes and thy sinnes as the miste Turne thee againe vnto me for I haue redemed thee Where is ther such a god as thou artâ—… that pardonest wickednes and forgeuest the offences of the remnaunt of thine heritage He keepeth not his wrathe for euer And why for his delighte is to haue compassion He shall turne againe and be mercifull to vs hee shall putte downe our wickednes and caste al our sinnes into the bottome of the sea Out of the power of death sayth the lord wil I deliuer them yea from the death it self wil I redeme them O death I will be thy death O hel I wil swallow thee vp Examples out of the olde Testament That holy king and prophet Dauid being fully perswaded that by Christ which was to come Sathans head was broken a sunder sinne was vanquished death was ouercome hell was swalowed vp that they could nothinge hurt that faythful man lamented sorowed that he continued so long in this vale of misery and moste hartelye wished to be deliuered out of thys prison and to goe vnto the Lord his God That godly and aunciente father Toby knowing that neither sinne death nor hell can do any thing against gods choseÌ„ people which in Christe haue gotten the victory ouer them al so that they nede not to feare death nor anye thing to come after this life praied to god on this maner Nowe O lord drale with me according to thy wyl and commauÌ„d my spirite to be receiued in peace for more expedient were it for me to dye than to liue Sentences out of the new Testament CHriste shall saue hys people from their sinnes Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world There is no damnation to theÌ„ that are graft in Christ Iesu. Christe came into the worlde to saue sinners The bloud of Iesu Christe maketh vs cleane from all synne Thorow the name of Christ al Prophets beare witnes that so many as beleue in him shal receiue remissioÌ„ of their sinnes Death is swalowed vp into victory Wher is thy sting O death Wher is thy victory O hell The sting of deathe is sinne and the power of sin is the lawe But thankes bee to God which hath geuen vs the victory thorow our Lord Iesus Christ. By death hath Christ put him to flight that had lordshippe ouer deathe that is to saye the Deuill that he myght delyuer them which thorow the fear of death were all theyr lyfe tyme in daunger of bondage Examples out of the new Testament SO sone as the auncient father Simeon had seene and receiued Christe into his armes he fering neither sin death nor hel shewed himselfe redy to depart out of this world and spake with a ioyful voice O Lord now lettest thou thy seruaunte depart in peace c. Blessed Paule knowing that thorowe Christ the power of synne death and hel is so altogether weekened that they can do the faithful no harme wished to be losoned out of this world and to be with Christ. ¶ Against them that deny the resurrection of the body IF that olde enemy Sathan labour to perswade thee that there is no resurrection of the dead but as the bodye returneth to death so shall it for euer continue in the earth neuer receiue lyfe again nor line either in glory or in peace after this present life that therfore thou maiest liue as thou iust defende thy selfe against his cruel assaults 〈◊〉 these senteÌ„ces exaÌ„ples of the holy scripture Sentences out of the olde Testament The Lorde killeth and maketh alyue againe bringeth downe to the graue and stretchetâ—… vp againe I am sure that my redemer liueth and that I shall rise out of the earth in the latter day and that I shall be clothed againe with this skinne and see god in my flesh yea I my self shall beholde him not wyth other but with these same eyes These that be deade will I raise vp againe from their places and bringe them out of the graues Thy dead shall liue euen with my body shall they rise againe Awake and singe ye that dwel in the dust For thy dew is euen as the dew of hearbes and the earthe shall cast out of her them that be vnder her the earth shall disclose her own bloud and shal no more hide â—…em that are slaine in her Your bones shall florish like an herbe Beholde saith god I wil put breath in to you that ye may liue I wil geue you sinowes and make fleshe growe vpon you and couer you ouer with skin and so geue you breath that ye may liue knowe that I am the Lord. Thus saith the Lord god behold I wil open your graues O my peo ple and take you out of your Sepulchres Many of them that slepe in the duste of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life some to perpetuall shame and reproofe Examples out of the olde Mestament THe Prophet Helias raised vp froÌ„ death vnto life the Sonne of the widdow of Sarepta which is in Sidon Helizeus obtained of God a Childe for his Hostesse which dyed and as afterward by the prayer of Helizeus raysed vnto life Read and mark diligently the 37. Chapiter of Ezechiel A certaine woman with her 7. Children were cruellye put to death because they would not eate swines flesh contrary to gods worde at the commaundement of the kinge The seconde of the brethren saide vnto the kinge thou moste vngracious person puttest vs now to deathe but the kinge of the worlde shall raise vs vp which dy for his lawes into resurrection of euerlasting life The mother of the 7. Children sayde thus vnto them I cannot tel how ye â—…am in my woÌ„be for I neither gaue you breath nor soule no nor life It is not I that ioyned the members of youre bodyes together but the maker of the worlde whiche fashioned the birth of man and began all thinges Euen he also of his owne mercye shall geue you breath and life againe like as ye now regard not your own selues for his lawes sake ☞ Sentences out of the newe Testament AS touching the resurrection of y â— dead haue ye not reade what is said vnto you of god which saieth I am Abrahams god and Isaackes god and god is not the god of
his frendes and kinsfolkes were al destroyd so that ther was not one left aliue Zimry conspired against Ela king of Israell slew him and raigned in his steade But shortly after he was driuen to suche misery and straytes that he fledde into the kings pallace at Thirza and settng it on a fyre brent himselfe and so wretchedlye ended hys lyfe Sentences out of the new Testament Let euery soule submit himselfe vnto y â— aucthority of the higher power For there is no power but of God Thepowers that be are ordeined of God Who soeuer therfore resysteth the power resisteth the ordi nance of God but they that resyste shall get to themselues dampnacion For rulers are not fearefull to them that doo good but to them that do euil Wilt thou be without feare of the power Doo well then so shalt thou be praised of the same For hee is the minister of God for thy wealth But if thou donst that which is euill then feare For hee beareth not the sword for noughte For he is the minister of god to take vengance on him that doth euill Wherfore ye must nedes obey not onelye for feare of vengeaunce but also because of conscience And euen for thys cause paye ye tribute For they are Gods ministers seruinge for the same purpose Geue to euery man therefore his duty tribute â—…o whoÌ„ tribute belongeth custome to whom custome is due feare to whom fear belongeth honoure to whom honour pertaineth I exhort that aboue all things prayers supplications intercessions and geuinge of thankes be had for all men for kinges for all that are in authoritye that we may liue a quiet and a peaceable life withall godlines and honestye For that is good accepted in the sight of god our Sauyour whiche will haue all men to be saued and to come vnto the knowledg of the truthe Warne them that they submit them selues to rule and power that they obey the Magistrates that they be ready to doo euery good work that they speake euill of no man that they be no fighters but gentle shewing all meekenes vnto all men Submit your elues vnto all maner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the chiefe head either vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill dooers but for the praise of them that doo wel For so is the will of god that with well doing ye may stop the mouthes of folish and ignoraunt men as free and not as hauing the liherty for a cloke of malyciousnesse but euen as the sernauntes of God Honour all men loue brotherly felow ship feare god honour the king Wicked are they and damned shal they be that despise authority and â—…eare not to speak euil of them that excel in honour Examples out of the new Testament MAry Christes mother and Ioseph her husbande obeyed the Emperours commaundement and went into their citie Bethelem to be taxed Christe payed tribute to Cesar both for him self and for his disciples and willed o ther so to do Christe euen vnto the death obeyed the temporall rulers The Apostles of Christ were obedient to the higher â–ª powers and taught other so to be Saint Paule willinglye obeyed the publique Magistrates Felix Festus c Theudas and Iudas of Galile were two sedicious persons The one boasted to doo greate thinges and so allured muche people to follow him the other councelled the Iewes by no meanes to pay tribute to Cesar but to mayntayne theyr olde liber ties and by this meanes moued greate sedicion among the people What became of them were they not put to death and so many as folowed thâ—… eyther slayne or els scattered abroad and so brought to nought We read not in all the holy scriptures that anye traytour or notable sedicious person hath at any time â—…scaped without notable and famous punishmente God can not suffer his magistrates to be disobeyed his coÌ„mon weales to be disturbed hys polytyqne or cyuylâ—… lawes to be conteÌ„ned his godly and honest orders to be broken Whosoeuer attempteth any such wickednes God wil be a uenged of him as it is euidente not onely in the holye Scriptures but also in prophane histories Against maliçe grudge enuy hatred and anger IF thou be tempted of Sathan to breake the order of charitie to malice thy christen brother â–ª set these scriptures before the eyes of thy mynd Sentences out of the olde Testament Thou shalt not hate thy brother inthine hart but shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour that thou beare not sin ne for hys sake Thou shalt not auenge thy selfe nor be myndefull of wrong agaynst the children of my people but shalt loue thy neighbours euen as thy selfe If thine enemy honger fede him if he thirst geue him drinke for so shalt thou heape coles of fyre vppon his head and the Lord shal reward thee He that seketh vengeance shal find vengeaunce of the lord which shal suerly kepe him in his sinnes Forgeue thy neighbour the hurt that he hath don the and so shal thy sines be forge uen to thee also when thou prayest A man that bereth hatred agaiÌ„st aÌ„other how dare â—…e destre forgeuenes of god He that shew â—…th no mercy to a man whiche is like hym selfe howe dare he aske forgeuenesse of his sinnes If he that is but fleshe beareth hatred and kepe it who will entreat for hys sinnes Remember thy end and let enmitie passe Examples out of the olde Testament Samuell prayed for kinge Saul although a wicked man an enemy to gods seruaunts aâ—…d altogether disobedient to the will of God Moyses prayed for the stubborne and vn faythfull Iewes which not withstandinge rebelled agaynste him and woulde haue slayne him ☞ Sentences out of the new Testament Louâ—… your enemies Blesse them that curse you Do good to them that hate you Pray for them whiche do you wronge and pursue you that ye may be the children of your father that is in heauen Whatsoeuer ye will that men shoulde do to you euen so do you to them That is the law and the prophetes Thou shalte loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Be mercifull as your father is merciful Iudge not and you shal not be iudged CoÌ„ demn not and you shal not be condemned Forgeue and ye shal be forgeuen Geue it shal be geuen to you good measure pressed downe shaken together and running ouer shall men geue into your bâ—…somes â–ª For wyth the same measure ye meete wyth the same shall other meete to you agayne A newe commaundemente geue I vnto you that ye loue together as I loued you that euen so you loue one an other By this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples if ye shall haue loue one to another Though I bestow all my goods to feede the poore and though I geue my bodye to be brent
yet if I haue no loue it profiteth me nothing at all Brethren if any mā be fallen by chance into any fault ye which are spiritual helpe to amende him in the spirite of mekenes consideringe thy selfe least thou also be attempted Beare ye one an others burden and so fulfill ye the law of Christ. Let not the sunne go downe vpon your wrath Be gentle one to another mercifull forgeuing one another euen as GOD for Christes sake hath forgeuen you Let euery man be slow vnto anger For the wrath of man worketh not that which is righteous before God Aboue all thinges haue feruent loue among you For loue shall couer the multitude of sinnes If anye man saye I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyer For he that lo ueth not his brother whom he hath seene god whome he hathe not seene how can he loue And this commaundement haue we of him that he that loueth god shoulde al so loue his neighbour He that loueth not his brother a◅ideth in death Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer And ye know that no murthe rer hathe euerlasting life abidinge in him ▪ My babes let vs not loue in worde nor in tongue but in worke and truthe Examples out of the new◅ Testament Christ so dearly loued vs yea and that when we◅ were yet his enemies that hee gaue him self euen vnto the death for our sake Yea he hanginge on the cros prayed for his very◅ enemies vnto his heauenly◅ Father Blessed Stephen in the middest of his tormentes prayed for his enemies S. Paule wished him self to be cursed from Christ◅ so that his kinsmen might◅ be saued Against the bitter stormes of persecution of Gods worde IF at a◅y time thorow the frailti of nature thou be troubled in thy minde when the cros ◅f persecution is laid vpon thee for the word of God looke that thou shrinke not backe from the truthe nor discourage thy selfe but think thy selfe blessed of G◅d call these scriptures that follow vnto rei membrance for thy comfort Sentences out of the old Testament THe Lorde killeth and geeueth life again◅ hee bringeth euen to Hell and back agayne The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and deliuereth them out of all their troubles The Lord is nigh vnto them that ar of a troubled heart and wil saue such as be of an humble spirite Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of thē all He kepeth all his bones so that not one of them is broken But misfortune shall flea the vngodly and they that hate the righteous shal be desolate The Lorde deliuereth the soules of his seruauntes and all they that put theyr trust in him shall not be comfortles For thy sake O Lord are we killed all the day long and are counted as shepe ap pointed to be slaine Up Lord why sleepest thou awake and be not absent from vs for euer Wherfore hidest thou thy face and for gettest our misery and trouble For oure soule is brought low euen vnto the duste our belly cleaueth vnto the ground Arise and helpe vs and deliuer vs for thy mercies sake Thou O god hast proued vs thou also hast tryed vs like as siluer is tryed Thou broughtest vs into the snare and laydest trouble vpon our loynes Thou suffredest men to ride ouer our heades we went thorow fire and water and thou broughtest vs out into a comfortable place I beleued and therefore haue I spoken but I was sore troubled Righte deare in the sighte of the Lorde is the death of his saintes The way of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruction but they are in rest Althoughe they suffer paine before men yet is their hope ful of immortality They are punished but in few things neuertheles in many thinges shall they be well rewarded For God proueth them and findeth thē mete for hym selfe yea as the golde in the furnace dooth ◅e try them and receyueth them as a burnt offring and when y e time commeth they shal be loked vpon My sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of god stand fast in righteousnes and feare and arme thy soule to temptation Setle thine heart be patient ◅ow down thine eare receiue the wordes of vnderstāding and shrink not away when thou art entised Holde thee faste vpon god ioyne thy selfe vnto him and suffer that thy life may encrease at the last Whatsoeuer happeneth vnto thee receyue it suffer in heauines and be paciēt in thy trouble For like as gold and siluer are tried in fire euen so are acceptable mē in the fornace of aduersity Beleue in God and he shal helpe thee For righteousnesse take payne with all thy soule and for the truth striue thou vnto death and God shall fyghte for thee against thy enemies Examples out of the olde Testament Abell was cruelly slaine of his brother Cayne whome he neuer offended Ioseph was cast into prison because he woulde not leane to the fy◅thy requeste of his lordes wyfe Moses Aaron and the Israelites were greuously entreated persecuted of King Pharao Saule with great diligence soughte to destroy Dauid Quene Iezabel pursued the Prophete Helias Zachary the sonne of Barachias was stoned to death for telling the king truth Achymeleche with certayne other holy men of god was slaine at king Saules commaundement because he shewed kind nes to Dauid the harty beloued seruant of God Sydrac Misac and Abdenago were cast into a firye fornace because they wouldnot worship the golden Image that king Nabuchodonosor had made but only the God of Israell Daniel was cast into the den of Lions because that contrary to king Darius commaundement he had prayed vnto his Lord God the God of Israel At an other time also he was caste into the den of Lions because he sayde that Bell and the Dragon were no Gods The vertuous and chast woman Susan was at the point to be stoned vnto death because she woulde not breake the commaundement of god and consent to the vn lawfull and filthy requests of the two Elders Eleazarus was miserably put to death because at the kinges commaundemente he woulde not eate swines flesh contrary to the lawe of god A certaine woman also with her vii sonnes were with moste extreme cruelty put to death because they would not obey the wicked precepte of the moste wicked kyng The prophets were vnmercifullye slain because they rebuked synne and taught◅ the wyll of God The most excellent Prophet Esay for his libertye of speach in re◅uking the sins of the princes and of the people and prophe◅iyng of Gods vengeaunce to fall vpō the countrye and people was cut in two partes asunder with a saw and buried vn der an Oke Ieremy after much enprisonment was stoned onto death of his people at Taphu as in Egipc◅ because he warned them of