my dayes are more swift then a runner yea they passe away as the shippes that be good vnder sayle and as the Egle that flieth to the praye Seing it is Gods will pleasure and ordinaunce that wee should dye why do we which dayly pray on this manner Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen shew our selues vnwilling to haue y t thyng chauÌ„ce vnto vs for the which we haue so often times praied It is naturall to die why then labour we to degenerate and growe out of kind Our auÌ„cestours the most holy and moste perfect haue died why disdaine we then to followe their steps It is highly for our profit to die why are we than ennemies to our selues We can not cease to sinne except we die why do we than not hast to fle from so great an euil We shal neuer come vnto the true life where felicitie bothe ioyfull and eternall is except we die why than make we so litle spede to hast thither wher so many good thinges shalbe geuen vs We shal neuer haue y e fruition of Gods maiestie the blessed company of the heauenly spirits except we die why theÌ„ do we not pray daily vnto y t lord our god to deliuer vs from this stincking sinck of euils I mene this world that we may come and enioye his most glorious presence The very Heathen which knew not God a right but only dreamed of the immortalitie of the soule loked for a better lyfe after this they knew not why they should feare death but wyshed death and died bothe valeantly and ioyfully and shall we being christians which know God and his holy word and vnto whom so much comfort hope and euerlasting life is promised refuse gladly and willingly to die What a saying of an Ethnicke is this O immortall God howe is that pleasant and ioyfull iourney to be wished for which being once done and past there remaineth no sorow no care no pensiuenes Again O that goodly and pleasant day whan it shall be my chaunce â—o leaue this filthy troublesome world and come to their company that inhabit the heauens Iâ— God wold suffer me that I being of this age might become an infant and sucking child againe I woulde vtterly refuse it neyther would I by any meanes call the rase that I haue run back again that I might again be yong For what pleasure commoditie hath this life yea rather what displeasure incommoditie pain trauel trouble hath it not But let it be graunted that it hathe pleasure certes yet hath it ether satietie or mesure And nature in this world hath geuen vs a place to tary in for a while but not to dwell to continue in it The Heathen wryters in their monumeÌ„ts cal death a changing for a better life a quiet slepe a remouing from mortalitie vnto immortalitie from trouble vnto quietnes from y e shadow of a life vnto a very vncounterfet life from sorow vnto ioy from euill vnto good an haueÌ„ of rest a solace of the mind an end of all euill and wickednesse and a beginning of all true ioy felicitie pleasure Of these things may we easly learne what opinion the very Heathen conceiued of death and shal we that professe Christ know God beleue his word and cal our selues dead vnto y e world recouÌ„t death an euill thing and be lothe to go vnto it wheÌ„ God calleth vs as though there were no resurrection of the body no immortalitie of the soule no life after this no felowship with god and with the heauenly spirites The Iewes also beyng perswaded of the resurrection of the body and of thimmortalitie of the soule die ioyfully with a lusty courage whiche notwithstanding for their vnbelief in Christ are damned and shal we whiche are christians tremble and shake at y e name of death as though after our death we should be in worse case then we be nowe whan to say the truthe the faithfull christians do than chiefly begin to liue when thei depart from this world All good men haue euer desired to depart froÌ„ this vile and wretched life and to go vnto that ioyful and blessed state of immortalitie Dauid that Prince-like Prophet crieth out and saith Wo is me and sory am I for it y t I must yet longer abide in this world Again Like as the hart desireth the water brokes so loÌ„geth my soule after thee O God My soul is a thurst for God yea euen for the liuing God when shall I come to appeare before the presence of God Also in an other place he saith O howe amiable are thy dwellinges thou Lord of hostes My soule hath a desire longing to enter into the courtes of y e Lord my heart my fleshe reioyse in the liuing God Blessed are they that dwel in thy house they shalbe alway praising thee One day in thy courtes is better then a thousand I had rather be a dorekeper in y e house of my God then to dwell in the tentes of vngodlines In another Psalme he praieth on this maÌ„â—er Deliuer my soule out of pryâ—on that it may come and prayse â—hy name The holy man Tobias made his praier vnto God said O Lord deale with me according â—o thy will and commaunde my â—pirit to be receiued in peace For more expedient were it for me to â—ie then to liue How desirous the â—oly Apostle S. Paul was to go â—rom this vale of misery vnto the â—eauenly kingdom these his worâ—es declare manifestly Christe is to me life and death is to me aduauntage Againe I desire to bee losed and to be with Christ. What shall I speake of that auncient godly father Simeon whiche so sone as he had sene Christ knowing him to be the sauioure of the world was very desirous to die brast out into these wordes said â–ª Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy promes For mine eyes haue sene thy saluation whiche thou haste prepared before the face of al people A light to lighten the gentils and the glory of thy people Israel Of the like affection with these tofore rehearsed were without doubt all godly parsons from the beginning then being moste ioyfull whan they sawe the time of their departure from this wretched world to be come so likewise brother Epaphroditus ought both you and we to reioyse and be glad whan death approcheth and commeth vpoÌ„ vs. For then beginneth our felicitie welth quietnes safetie ioy pleasure comfort glory as the voyce from heauen sayde Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. For from henceforth the spirite saieth that they shall be at reast from their labours paines trauailes Precious and ryghte dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his sainctes saith y e Psalmograph The soules of the righteous saieth the wiseman are in the hand
of God and the paine of death shall not touch them In y e sight of the vnwyse they appeare to die but they are in peace Let vs not therfore fear death To the infidele and vnfaithful maÌ„ death is both fearefull and terrible but to a faithfull man it is bothe pleasaunte and amiable Therefore neighbour Epaphroditus as you haue hitherto in all your wordes shewed your selfe a faithful man and wel contented to obey the wil of God so likewise practise y e same now in your workes If the good pleasure of God be through this sicknes to cal you out of this valâ— of misery stryue not against the wil of God but submit your selfe to Gods holy working dout nothing but it shalbe to your great commoditie and singulare profit For all thinges worke for the best vnto them y t loue God God hath appoynted the boundes of your lyfe and beyond that ye can not go When the twelfth houre commeth then shall ye make an ende Labour therfore to make suche an end as God therwith may be pleaâ—sed seing you know and are fully perswaded y t not an here doth falâ— from your head without the good wil of god much les shal your life be taken away froÌ„ you til the very hour coÌ„meth which God hath appoynted in whose handes only are the keyes bothe of lyfe and death Epa. Death is terrible and fearfull Ph. The wyse man saith O death how bitter is the remembraunce of thee to a man that seketh rest and comfort in his substaunce and riches vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him y t hath prosperitie in all thinges yea vnto him that setteth all his mynde on belly cheare O death how acceptable and good is thy iudgement vnto the nedefull and vnto him whose strength faileth and that is nowe in his last age c. Be not thou afraide of death remember them that haue ben before thee that come after thee This is the iudgemeÌ„t of the Lord â—uer al flesh And why wouldest y t be against this pleasure of the hiest c. To the vnfaithful death in dede is terrible and fearfull For then begin their sorowes and miseries their plages and torments as we may se in the historie of the richman but to the faithfull and true beleuers death is pleasant amiable as it is written precious in the sight of the Lord is y e death of his sainctes For then cease all their miseries and trauayles and begin their ioyes and pleasures Whosoeuer is a true Christian fixeth y e eies of his minde through true faith on the death of Christe he shall not greatly be afrayde oâ— death but he shall rather triumph ouer death and with a lusty courage saye thus vnto death O death I wil be thy death For death is swalowed vp into victorye through Iesus Christ our Lordeâ— The sting of death can nowe no more hurt the faithfull as our sauiour Christ testifieth verely verely I saye vnto you he that heareth my worde beleueth on hym that sent me hathe euerlastinge life and shall not come into damnation but is scaped from death vnto life Again verely verely I say vnto you he that putteth his trust in me hath euerlasting lyfe I am that liuinge bread whiche came down from heauen If any man eat of this bread he shall liue for euer Item verely verely I say vnto you If a man kepe my saying he shal neuer tast death al so in an other place I am the resurrection life he that beleueth in me although he be dead yet shal he liue And euery one that liueth beleueth in me shall neuer die Epa. Death is painefull Phi. Who will not be content to suffer a little and shorte paine that he may for euer after enioy continuall quietnes and euerlasting rest Nothing is gotten without paine and trauaile No man is crowned except he striue lawfully The afflictions of this life are not worthy of y e glory which shalbe shewed vpon vs. Notwithstanding if we die with Christ we shall also lyue with hym If we suffer we shall reigne with him Therefore be on good comfort God is faithfull which wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able to beare The Lord our God is a father of mercies and God of all consolation whiche will without all doubt be present with you and comfort you in all your sicknesses and paines For as the afflictions of Christ are plenteous in vs eueÌ„ so is our consolation plenteous by Christ. As you are partaker of the afflictions so shall ye be partaker also of the consolation For this short and lyght trouble sicknes and pain prepareth an exceading an eternal waight of glory vnto you whyle you loke not on the thinges whiche are sene but on y e thinges whiche are not sene For y e thinges which are not sene are eternall If you consider the great intollerable paines that many good and godly men haue suffred on their bodies for Christes sake it shal the les greue you to beare this your sicknes yea death and the paines thereof The Prophet Esaye for the hope of euerlasting life suffred his body to be cut a sonder with the saw of wood Ieremy was stoned vnto death Amos after many greuous torments was thrust into the temples of the head with a great nail of yron and so shortly after died Iohn Baptist was cast into prisoÌ„ beheaded Iames the brother of Iohn was slaine with the sword Stephen was stoned vnto death Christ our Lord sauour suffred most bitter pains died the death of the crosse I passe ouer many other both of the old newe Testament whiche refused no kinde of pains so that they might obtain y e reward of euerlasting life some as y e blessed apostle saith wer tried w t mockings scourginges w t bonds prisonmeÌ„t some wer stoned some were hewen a sunder some were slaine w t swerd al wer trobled vexed How glad ioyfull ready the holy Apostle S. Paul was to suffer al kinde of paines tormeÌ„tes for y e glory of God these his words do aboundantly shew The holy ghost doth testifie in euery citie saying that bonds and troubles doe abide me but I care not for them nether is my life dere vnto me so that I may finish my course with ioy c. Againe I am ready not only to be bound but al so to die at HierusaleÌ„ for y e name of the Lorde Iesu. What shall I speake of the other blessed Martirs where of some were deuoured with wild beastes some burnt with fire vnto ashes some broyled vnto the death vpon whot coales some slaine with the sweard some hanged vpon Iebbets some pearsed to death with arrowes some beaten to death with stones some boyled some rent a peaces with
This is a coÌ„fortable hering Phi. No les true then coÌ„fortable Epa. I trust then within fewe houres to se al the faithfull whiche before me haue departed in the Lord my children also and all my other acquaintaunce Phi. You shall both se them know them reioyse and be meary with them Eu. I maruell y t any man shuld doubt of thys doctrine beynge so clearlye set forthe both by the authority of the holye scriptures and by the testimonyes of the godly wryters seynge that the very heathen which knew not God a right beynge parswaded 〈◊〉 the immortality of the soule neuer doubted of it but were thorowlye resolued that such as lyued in this world iustly and vprightly and deserued wel of the common wealth whan so euer they departed from this life should go vnto the blessed company of the immortal Gods there not only se know the gods but also all those noble good and vertuous parsons that euer liued in this world as wel suche as they neuer knew as also those whome in this world they dyd moste perfectly know And they beyng thus perswaded desyred deathe at the leaste when the tyme of theyr departure came they toke their deathe the more ioyfully and paciently I wil rehearse vnto you y e worâ—es of â—ne or two of them I haue 〈…〉 desire said Cato the elder â—o se your fathers whom I honouâ—â—d and loued But I wish not onâ—y to talke wyth them whome I haue knowen in thys worlde but with such also as of whom I haue â—eard and red yea and I my selfe â—aue wrytten If I were once goâ—ng thitherward I woulde neuer â—aue mynde to retourne hyther aâ—ain Againe he saith O that noâ—le and pleasant day when it shall â—e my chaunce to come vnto that â—eauenly company and blessed feâ—owship and depart froÌ„ this troublous stincking world For theâ— shall I go not only vnto those meÌ„â— of whom I spake vnto you beforâ— but also vnto my Cato whiche was as worthy a man as euer liued and as noble And it is written of Socrates y t when he wenâ— vnto his death amoÌ„g many other thiÌ„gs he said y t it is a most blessed goodly thing for theÌ„ to come together which haue liued iustly faithfully o saith he what a greaâ— pleasure thinke you it to be freÌ„dlâ— to talk w t Orpheus Musaeus Homeâ—rus Hesiodus such like verely I wold die ful oft if it were possiblâ— to get those things y t I speake of Thus se we y t many among y t very HeatheÌ„ which wer perswadeâ— of thinmortality of y e soul beleueâ— y t they whiche in this world liueâ— godly iustly vprightly honestly should al go vnto a ioyful place oâ— rest ther hauing y e blessed compâ—â—ny of y e immortal gods they shulâ— know one another talk reioyce one w t an other The. As touching y e Ethnickes which in this world led a iust vpright life in the sight of meÌ„ I pronouÌ„ce nothing but leue theÌ„ vnto gods iudgmeÌ„t but as concerning the faithful christians which beleue in God feare loue God are perswaded of their saluatioÌ„ in Christes blud frame their life vnto the vttermost of their power according to the coÌ„maundements of God as they shall al obtain one glorious kingdome be Citezins of one Citie so likewyse shal they se know one an other talke reioyse be mery one with another This is my belief Ph. I agre w t you in opinioÌ„ concerning this matter Therfore good neighbor Epaphrodit be of good â—here take a good hart vnto you faynt not nether feare you death For y e time is at hand that you leauing this wretched worlde and the inhabitantes therof shall come vnto that most glorious and heaueÌ„ly kingdom where you shall haue the sight and knowledge not only of God and of his holy angels but also of al Gods elect and chosen people Al your dear frendes which are gone afore you shal gloâ—riously come and mete you ioyfully receiue you gladly present you vnto the maiestie of God and so shall you altogether remain in al glory and ioy for euer and euer Epa. Amen God grauÌ„t Chr. Sir how do you Epa. As God wyll Chri. I truste you do remember what my neighbour Philemon hath sayd vnto you Epa. Yea right wel I thanke God Chr. Then sir I praye you be of good comforte Epa. I am well content to forsake the worlde and all that is in the world and to go vnto the lord my God Eu. I trust y t there is none other thinge that troubleth you Epa. Yes not outwardly but inwardly Eu. Inward trouble is y e greatest griefe in the worlde Declare I pray you what it is we will doe the best we can to quiet your mind Epaph. Let me alone a little and pray for me Euse. Well content Neighbours let vs commend this our sicke brother vnto God with our prayers For he desireth it Phi. God commaundeth vs by his holy Apostle saying If any be diseased amonge you let him call for the elders of the congregatioÌ„ let theÌ„ pray ouer him annoint him w t oyle in the name of the Lord. And y e praier of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lorde shall rayse him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shalbe forgeuen him Knowledge your fautes one to another and praye one for an other that ye may be healed The prayer of a righteous maÌ„ auaileth muche if it be feruent Let vs therfore knele downe and praye O Lorde heare our praier Eu. And let our cry come vnto theâ— Phi. O almighty and euerlasting God which lightnest al men that come into this world we besethe thee lighteÌ„ the heart of this sicke weake and diseased persone with the beames of thy deuine grace mercy y t al his thoughtes wordes workes may so be directed that he may be acceptable to thy godly maiestie in true faith and perfect loue thorow thi only sonne Iesus Christ our Lord sauiour Chr. Aâ—men Phi. O eternall and merciful God loke down from heaueÌ„ and visit this thy weake seruaunt as thou diddest visit Toby Sara Peters wiues mother the Captaines seruaunt Blesse hym as thou didst blesse Abraham Isaac and Iacob Behold him O Lord with the eies of thy mercy Replenish his hart with all ioye kepe from him al sinful thoughtes and wicked imaginations And sende downe thy angell of peace that he may kepe and defend him in euerlasting peace through Iesus christ thy deare sonne our Lorde sauiour Eu. Amen Phi. O Lord Iesu Christ thalone sauiour of y e world and the true phisitioÌ„ both of body and soule we most humbly besech thee mercifully to behold this our sicke brother which is a meÌ„ber of y e mistical body wherof thou art y e head and a braunche of the which y â— art the true vine Be thou vnto hym that moste
he will deliuer you out of all your paynes take you vnto him and place you in his glorious kingdom Epa. O Lorde deliuer my soule from the sweard my dearling frō the power of the dogge Saue me from y e Lions mouth Bow downe thine eare to me make haste to deliuer me Be thou my Protectoure O God and house of defence that y e maiest saue me Be thou my strōg rocke and my castell Be thou my guide and leade me for thy names sake Drawe me oute of the net thot they haue layde preuely for me for thou art my strengthe Into thy handes I commend my spirite for thou hast redemed me O Lord thou God of truthe Phile. Fear not brother Epaphroditus God is your louing father and moste gentle sauiour He hath hearde your humble requestes and graunted your peticions He hathe and wyll defend you from all euill euen vnto the end He will not suffer you to be deuoured of that hellish Lion and cruel dog y e deuill He hath sent his holy Angels hether vnto you euen into this your chambre They are here presente for youre great cōfort They haue pitched their tents round about you that they may kepe you harmles and safe from the deuouring tethe of Sathan Thei wait vpon you diligently for your defence and wil neuer depart frō you till they receiue your soule and cary it vp louingly as a most precious relique into the kingdome of heauen and moste ioyfully present it vnto the glorious throne of gods maiestie Fixe y e eies of your faith on Christ and Christes merits on Christes passion and death on Christes blessed body breakyng and his moste precious bloud sheddinge on his triumph and victory ouer sathan his hellish army beleue Christe to be your alone sauioure and all his works to be your good works and so shall ye not perish but haue euerlasting lyfe Epaphro Hast the O Lord to deliuer me for it is hie time In thee O Lord Christ my most mercifull sauiour and only redemer in thee in the alone is al my trust let me neuer be confounded O Iesu. Mercy Iesu mercy ▪ O Christ. Mercy Christ mercy O God the Father O God the sōne O God the holy Ghost O moste blessed Trinitie thre persons and one God haue mercy on me Receiue my soule into thy handes Place it for thy mercies sake in thy heauēly kingdom among thy holy angels and blessed sainctes O my good God O father O my most merciful father Mercy mercy Phile. God the father whiche made you blesse you God y e sonne which redemed you preserue you God the holy ghost which sanctifieth you confirme and strengthē you The blessing ▪ defence and sauing health of the allmighty god the father the sonne and the holy ghost preserue you from al euyl and bringe you vnto euerlastinge lyfe Chr. Amen Eu. Me thinck he hath geuē vp the ghost The. No he is yet a liue God comfort him Lord shewe him the light of thy louing countenaunce Epa. When shall I come to appere before the presence of my God Phi. God be thancked he yet speaketh yea he godly speaketh Brother Epaphroditus take a good hert vnto you shrincke not Fight a good fight Be not discouraged nether with the terroures of sathan nor with y e pains of death God is on youre syde God is your graūd captain You fighte vnder the banner of that most mighty and victorious Emperour Iesus Christ. Only continue as you haue begon and the daye is yours Sathā with al his army like miserable cowardes shalbe put to flight and vanquished You shall haue a ioyful victory ouer thē The paine of the battell is short and lyght but the glory of your triūphe shal abide for euer euer Heare what your graunde captaine saithe he that continueth vnto the end shall be saued To him y t ouercommeth I will geue to eate of the tree of life which is in the middes of the Paradise of God Be faithful vnto the death and I shall geue the the crowne of life Him that ouercommeth will I make a pillar in the temple of my God and he shal go no more out Yea to him that ouercommeth will I graunte to sit with me in my seate Here see you what precious and mooste noble rewardes are set forth vnto you if you go forth valeauntly to fight against your ennemies which seke your destruction Only beleue only fixe y e eies of your faith on Christ crucified Only engraue in your heart depely a sure and vndoubted confidence in the mercifull promises of God the father whiche he hath made vnto you in the precious bloud of his dearly beloued sonne and our alone sauioure Iesus Christe and you shall moste certainly haue the victory and obtain the reward of ioyfull immortalitie Here what your graund captain Christ saith God hath so dearly loued y e world that he gaue his onelye begotten sonne that euery one that beleueth on hym should not pearyshe but haue euerlasting life For god sent not his sonne into the worlde to condempne the world but that the world shuld be saued by hym He y t beleueth on him is not damned Iohn Baptist saithe He that beleueth on y e sonne of God hath euerlasting life My shepe saith Christ heare my voyce I know them and they followe me and I geue them euerlasting life nether shall they perishe for euer nor yet shall any man plucke them out of my hand My father which gaue them to me is greater then all no man can pluck them out of my fathers hande I and my father am one Againe I am the resurrection and life He that beleueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue And euery one that liueth and beleueth in me shall neuer die I am the way y e truthe and the life Follow Christ you cā not erre nor go out of the way for he is the waye Beleue Christ and you can not be deceiued for he is the truthe Abide and remaine in Christ and you can not die the death euerlasting for he is the life Wherefore O most dere brother cleane with strong faithe to these most swete and comfortable promyses of Christe youre Sauiour Beleue to obtayne whatsoeuer is promysed So may you be sure to be Gods sonne and heyre of his euerlasting kingdome neuer to perishe but to haue eternall lyfe Epa. I beleue to haue remission of all my synnes thorowe faithe in Christes bloud Lorde Iesu take my spirite O heauenly father I cōmend my spirit into thy hādes Ph. This faith deare brother maketh you the Sonne of God and heyre of his glorious kingdome yea it maketh you Christes brother and fellow heyr with him of euerlasting glory It purchaseth for you fauor at the hand of God and forgeuenes of al your sinnes It bringeth vnto you peace and quietnes of conscience It maketh a perfect reconciliation
led a vertuous life He forsoke not y e way of truth nether defiled he him selfe with any kynd of Idolatry He worshipped the Lord God of Israel faithfully offring of all his first frutes and tithes Whatsoeuer he might get he departed it daily with his felow prisoners brethreÌ„ He was ful of good works he gaue largly vnto the pore he fed the hoÌ„gry he gaue drink to y e thirsty he clothed the naked he lodged the harborles he visited the sick he redemed the captiues prisoners he buried the dead Ther was no work of mercy that he had left vndone He was rich plenteous in all good works And whatsoeuer he did he did it with a ioyfull ready hart For God saith S. Paule loueth a cherefull geuer Epa. A blessed man and a faithfull seruaunt of God Phi. And yet mark what followeth It hapned vpon a day y t he had buried the dead and was weary came home and layd hym down by the wall and slept And whyle he was a slepe there fell downe vpon his eies warm dong out of the swalowes nest so that he became blind Epaphr A pitiful chauÌ„ce Phile. This tentacion did God suffer to happen vnto hym y t they whiche came after myght haue an example of his pacience like as of holy Iob. Epaphro But how did Toby take this teÌ„tacion Phile. Uery Godly quietly paciently and thankefully For in so muche as he euer feared God froÌ„ his yougth vp and kept his commaundementes he grudged not against God that the plague of blindnes chaunsed vnto him but remained stedfast in the feare of God and thanked God al y t daies of his life Epaphr But what was the end of the matter Continued he blind vnto his dying day Did not God deale mercifully with Toby as we heard afore of Iob Phile. Yes verely for God scourgeth and healeth God ledeth vnto hel and bringeth out again God killeth and maketh aliue God after a storme maketh the weather faire calm God after weping heauinesse geueth great ioye When God had throughlye tried Toby and found him constant in his faith he restored vnto him his sight againe For the which Toby moste humbly thanked hym and said O Lord God of Israell I geue the prayse and thanks for thou hast chastened me and made me whole again Christo. O praised be the Lord our God which is maruelous in his Sainctes and holy in all his workes Epa. Liued Toby long after his sight was restored vnto him Phi. Toby saith the scripture after he had gotten his sight againe liued .xlii. yeres in great ioy and wealth and saw his childrens children And when he was C. and .ii. yeares olde he departed in peace and was honorably buried Epaphro A blessed end Phi. Of a good life cometh a good end Thus haue you heard out of the holy scriptures brother Epaphroditus that the Crosse that is to saye corporall affliction is not a token of Gods anger but of his fauour and that he layeth temporall punishement more customably vpon his frendes than vpon his ennemies yea and that not to destroy them but to proue and try them euen as the fire trieth the gold For as thaungel Raphaell sayd vnto Toby Because thou wast accepted and beloued of God it was necessary that temtacion should try thee You haue heard also the louing kindnesse of God toward his faithfull constant seruauntes how after a iust triall made he restoreth them vnto a more blessed state than they were in a fore Therfore take a good heart vnto you faint not Be strong in the Lord. Be faithful vnto the end Be pacieÌ„t in this your sicknes Be thaÌ„keful for this louing visitation of God Abide the good pleasure of God Suffer him quietly to do with you what soeuer his good wil is If you wil thus do dout ye not but that god wil be merciful vnto you bring that thing to passe which is most for your comfort and profit For whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning that through pacience and the comfort of the scriptures we may haue hope Epaph. The Lordes will be done in me He knoweth what is moste mete for me a wretched synner let him therfore worke his good pleasure in me come lyfe come death For if we liue we liue to bee at the Lordes will and if we die we die at the Lordes will Whether we liue therfore or die we are the Lordes Only O heauenly father I beseche thee for Christes sake to geue me a pacient and thankefull hart that I neuer grudge against thy blessed will but be obedient vnto it in all thinges that whan the pains of my sicknes be most bitter I may lift vp my hart vnto thee cal on thy blessed name and say O Lorde rebuke me not in thy indignation nether chasten me in thy displeasure Haue mercy on me O Lorde for I am weake O lord heale me for my bones are vexed My soule also is sore troubled but Lord how loÌ„g wilt thou punish me Turne thee O Lord deliuer my soule oh saue me for thy mercies sake O my God saue thy seruant that putteth his trust in thee Be mercifull vnto me O Lord for I wil cal daily vpoÌ„ the. Comfort the soul of thy seruaunt â—or vnto thee O Lord do I lifte â—p my soule For thou Lorde art good gracious of great mercy â—nto all them that cal vpon thee Theo. Neighbour Epaphroditus his is vnto vs a singuler pleasur â—nd great comfort to hear so godâ—y wordes proceade out of youre â—outh Be diligent continually 〈◊〉 call on the Lorde and he in all our afflictions troubles shall 〈◊〉 vndoubtedly your stroÌ„g tower our mighty shield and inuincible fortres He will not leaue you nor forsake you but assist you and be present with you in your sicknesse according to this his promesse Because he hath trusted in me I wil deliuer him I will defend him because he hath known my name He shall cal vpon me I will gratiously hear him yea I am with him in trouble I wil deliuer him and glorifie him With long life wil I satisfie him shew him my saluation Ep. I must nedes coÌ„fesse most geÌ„tle neighbors that I haue receiued muche consolation and great coÌ„fort of youre company and specially that 〈◊〉 haue thus enarmed yea and fortressed my brest with the coÌ„fortaâ—ble sentenses and histories of thâ— holy scriptures against the bitteâ— stormes of aduersitie and I hartâ—ly thank you for your pains Notâ—withstanding this must I nedeâ— say vnto you that I finde not my self in my conscience to be of suche godlines and vertue that I dare compare my selfe with Ioseph Dauid Iob and Toby whome ye recited vnto me but muche inferior bothe vnto them and vnto their godlines of life so that although they being righteous of the very loue which God bare toward them wer assailed with aduersitie to this ende y
thy blessed pleasure Lord encrese my faith Lorde helpe my vnbelief Lord remeÌ„ber not mine olde sinnes but haue mercy vpon me and that sone for I am come to great misery Healpe me O God my Sauiour for the glory of thy name O deliuer me be merciful vnto my sinnes for thy names sake Euse. God hath euer be meâ—â—full vnto you so will coÌ„tinue vnto thend doubt you not Ep. That is my only comfort And Lord I most humbly pray thee coÌ„firme y t whiche thou hast begon to worke in me and kepe me blamelesse against the comming of thy deare sonne But where is my louing neighbour Philemon I wold be glad to haue his counsell in a certaine matter Where is he Phile. Neighbour here at hand What is your pleasure Epa. I perceiue right well y t my sicknesse doth not discrease but encrease so y t I can not long continue in that state wherin I am now And I thinke â—erely y t the lord my God hath seÌ„t this sicknes vnto me as a messenger to afore warne me of my departure from this world y t whan he come he may not finde me vnprepared or vnready And I most hartely thanke him for it Therfore neighbor Philemon neighbors al I think it best euen out of hand to dispose my temporall possessions and to set an order in such worldly goodes as God hath lent me that after my departure there be no dissension nor strife for theÌ„ among suche as I most wishe to be linked together with perpetual amitie and continuall frendship It shall also I trust be a great quietnes vnto my mynd Phile. If you haue not already brother Epoporoditus disposed and set an order in your temporal things I wishe it to be done with all expedition For suche thinges ought to be considred when we be most perfect in health forasmuche as our life is vncertaine we know not howe sone death commeth Epa. I thought not that the tyme of my life had bene so short therâ—fore I deferred the matter But I se now that no man is certain of his life vntill to morowe therfore ought we all to watche to prouide that we be not found vnready wheÌ„ the Lord commeth The. Whan that godly king Ezechias was sicke God sent the Prophet Esaias vnto him and willed him to saye vnto hym on this wyse Thus saieth the Lord God Set thi house in an order for thou shalt die and not liue Here learne we y e good will of God whiche is that they whome the Lord hath enduâ—ed with the goodes of the worlde â—hould before their departure set a godly order and quiet stay in their â—emporal possessions Epaph. You â—ay truth neighbour Theophile â—herfore I pray you bring hether â—en inck paper withal expediâ—ion and let my will be written â—or I thank the Lord my God I 〈◊〉 aswell contented to leaue the goodes of y e world as euer I was to enioy them And in this behalf I haue to thank the lord my God that since I came to the vse of reason and had any worldly possessions at all I haue alwayes made them to serue me and I neuer serued them but at all times coulde be contented to depart from them whansoeuer the glory of god and the commoditie of my neighbour did require Christ. Than did you vse your goodes aright And you were not ritch in the world but in the Lorde of the noÌ„bre of those of whom it is written blessed are the poore in spirit for vnto theÌ„ belongeth the kingdome of heauen The Psalmograph saith If ritches do abound set not thy heart vpon them And the holy Apostlâ— commaundeth that they which vse the world should be as thougâ— they vsed it not For the fashioâ— of this world goeth away Saint Iohn also saieth Se that ye loue not the world nether the thinges that are in the worlde for all that is in the worlde as the lust of the fleshe and the luste of the eies and the pryde of life is not of the father but of the worlde And the worlde passeth away and the lust therof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer Epa. God graunt al men to follow this doctrine O Lord how sick am I Where is the pen Incke and paper Euse. Here syr Epaph Wright neighbor Philemon I pray you Phile. What is your pleasure that I should wright Epaphrodi On this manner IEpaphroditus the vnprofitable seruaunt of God weke in body notw tstanding strong in mynde do willingly and with a fre hart render and geue againe into the handes of the Lorde my God my spirit which he of his fatherly goodnesse gaue vnto me whan he fashioned this my body in my Mothers wombe by this meanes making me a liuing creature nothing doubting but that this my Lord God for his mercies sake set forth in y e precious bloud of his derely beloued sonne Christ Iesu our alone sauiour and redemer will receiue my soul into his glory and place it in the company of the heauenly aungels and blessed sainctes And as concerning my body euen with a good will fre hart I geue it ouer commending it vnto the earth wherof it came nothing doubting but that according to y e article of our faith at the great day of the generall resurrection whan we shall all appeare before the iudgemeÌ„t seat of Christ I shal receiue it again by the mighty power of God wherwith he is able to subdue al thiÌ„gs vnto him selfe not a corruptible mortail weake and vile body as it is nowe but an vncorruptible immortall strong perfect and in all poyntes like vnto the glorious body of my Lorde and Sauioure Christ Iesu. Haue ye writteÌ„ this neighbour Philemon Phi. Yea forsothe Sir But what is your mind now coÌ„cerning your world â—y possessions Epaph. First as touching my wyfe with whome I â—oupled my self in the fear of God and refusing all other women I â—inked my selfe vnto her liuing w t her in the blessed state of honouraâ—le wedlocke by whome also thoâ—owe the blessing of God I haue â—ad certen children wherof part â—re gone before me vnto the lord and part yet remain a liue albeit I dout not but y e god after my departure according vnto his promis will be vnto her an husband yea a father a patrone defeÌ„der will not suffer her to lack if she go â—orth to liue in his feare to serue hym and diligently to call on his holy name yet forasmuch as God hath blessed me with worldly substance and she is mine own flesh and whosoeuer prouideth not for his hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidell I bequeth geue vnto her for tearme of her life this house wherein I nowe dwell with y e appurtenances and all the housholde stuffe contayned therein And after her departure I wil that my eldest sonne whom now I
the two theues whiche died with Christ. The one repented beleued and called for mercy vnto Christ God and man saying Lord remember me whan thou commest into thy kyngdom and Christ aunswered him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Here se we that this theife both repented beleued for howe shall they cal on him sayth sainct Paule on whome they haue not beleued And therfore was receiued into glory The other whiche continued in his vnbelief and so died without repentaunce and faith obtained the reward of vnbelief that is to say the wrath of God and eternall damnation They therfore that die are either faithfull or vnfaithfull If they be faythfull so haue they out of haÌ„d the reward of fayth whiche is euerlasting glory if they be vnâ—faithfull than receiue they their reward of vnfaithfulnes and misbelief whiche is eternall damnation If the Papistes can fynde the third kind of men whiche are nether faithfull nor vnfaithfull then wyll we consent vnto theyr Purgatorie for such haue nether place in heauen nor in hell But suche sort of people the holie scripture knoweth not Therfore knoweth it not suche a place of purging after this life as the Papistes haue heretofore deuised Eus. The blessed Apostle S. Paule sayth God shall geue to euery one according to his owne dedes Againe to the Corinthians he also sayth Euery one shall receiue his â—owne labour In an other place he also sayeth We must all appear before the iudgemeÌ„t seat of Christ that euery man may receiue the workes of his body accordyng to that he hath done whether it bee good or bad Item Whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape For he that soweth in his flesh shal of the flesh reape corruption But he that soweth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape life euerlasting Let vs not bee weary of well doing For when the tyme is come we shall reape without wearines While we haue therefore tyme let vs doe good vnto all men and specially vnto them whiche are of the houshold of faith Hereto agreeth the saying of our sauiour Christ. The son of man shal come in the glory of his father with his aungels and then shall he rewarde euery man according to his dedes Againe I wyll geue euery one of you according to his dedes Out of these scriptures we learne â–ª that we shaâ— not be rewarded according to other mens dedes but accordinge vnto our owne deedes If we haue wrought nothing at all in oure lyfe what shall other mens dedes than do vs good after our death And I doubt whether any man Christ alone excepted haue good dedes sufficient for him self Chri. If we consider well the history of the tenne virgins it shall easly be perceiued that no maÌ„ haue scasely oyle inough for him selfe Yea wer not the great mercies of God set forth to all faithful peniteÌ„t sinners in y e precious blud of Christ we with al our oyl should perish For euerlasting life is the gifte of God through Iesus Christe oure Lord. If thou O Lord shouldest narowly loke vpoÌ„ our iniquities saith the Psalmograph O Lord who were hable to abide it But ther is mercy with the in store c. The. The holy scripture moueth vs to doe good whyle we are alyue and not to truste other mens workes to be done for vs when we be dead The wyseman saith doe good vnto thy frende before thou die and according to thy abilitie reache out thyne hand and geue vnto the poore Be not disapoynted of the good daye and let not the portion of the good day ouerpasse the. Shalt thou not leue thy trauails labours vnto other men In the deuiding of thy heritage geue and take and sanctify thy soule Worke thou ryghteousnes before thy death for after thy death there is no meat to fynd Again Abide thou not in the errour of the vngodly but geue God thaÌ„kes before death As for the dead thanckfulnes perisheth from him as nothing Geue thou thanckes in thy lyfe yea whyle thou art liuing and whole shalt thou geue thankes and prayse God and reioyce in his mercy O howe great â—s the louing kindnes of the lord and his mercifull goodnes vnto â—uch as turne vnto hym SalomoÌ„â—n his prouerbes saith withdrawe â—o good thing froÌ„ them that haue â—ede so long as thy hande is able â—o doe it Say not vnto thy neighbour go thy way come againe â—o morowe wil I geue thee wher â—s thou hast nowe to geue hym Hereto agreeth the saying of the â—reacher whatsoeuer thou art aâ—le to do do it out of hande for in â—he graue that thou goest vnto here is neither worke counsell knowledge nor wisdom The prophet also sayth Seke the Lorde â—â—hyle he may be founde and call â—pon him while he is nie Let the â—ngodly forsake his owne waies â—nd the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and turne againe vnto the Lord so shal God be merciful vnto him Our sauior Christ saith in the Gospell I must worke the worckes of him that sent me while it is daye The night commeth when no man can worke Walke while we haue light least y e darknes come on you c. While ye haue light walke in the light that ye may be y e children of light I say vnto you make you frendes of the vnrighteous MammoÌ„ that when ye shal haue nede they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations That seruaunt which receiued one talent of his Lord and gained nothing therew t but went his way and hid it in the ground was cast into vtter darknes wherâ— wepinge and gnashinge of teeth shalbe The .v. folishe virgins because they had no Oyle in theyr lampes were not suffred to enter into the mariage Moreouer the most worthy Apostle S. Paule saith While we haue tyme let vs do good vnto all men and specialâ—y vnto them which are of y e houshold of faith These and diuers other textes of the holye scripture moue vs to doe good our selues while we be aliue in this worlde and not to trust the workes of other to be done for vs wheÌ„ we be dead For by our own works and not by other meÌ„s shall we be iudged Euery maÌ„ shall bear his own burdeÌ„ Euery man shal receiue the works of his own body according to y t he hath done whether it bee good or bad euery maÌ„ shal receiue his reward according to his own dedes Beholde I come quickely saith our sauiour Christ and my reward is with me y t I may geue to euerye one accordinge as his worke shalbe And saint Iohn pronouncing them blessed which die in y e Lord saith on this maner Their workes folowe theÌ„ He saith not other mens workes shal folow theÌ„ wheÌ„ they be dead but their owne workes do follow and presently accoÌ„pany them â–ª as the shadow doth y e body euen vnto y
the Phisition being nothing afraid of him because they ar sick diseased but rather somuche the more doo they desire to come vnto him to shew him their woundes and to disclose their diseases that they may be made whole Now is Christ a phisitioÌ„ all we through sinne are diseased shal we therfore runne away from Christ and not rather make hast vnto him what Phisition is so ready to heale the body as Christe our Phisition is to heale the soule Who euer came vnto him with a faithfull and penitent heart and was refused Who euer sought remedy at his hand and was not holpen Who euer opened vnto hym his diseaâ—es and was not cured he calleth all without exception be they neuer so diseased and loden with thâ— burden of sinne vnto him and proâ—miseth that he will ease them of their burdens make theÌ„ whole is it to be thought that he wylâ— refuse sinners when they come vnâ—to him Come vnto me sayth he al ye that labour and are loden I wil refreshe you Take my yoke vpon you and ye shall find rest for your soules For I came not to caâ— y e righteous but sinners vnto repentance The sonne of man came to seke and to saue that was lost How frequented he the coÌ„pany of synners when he was in this world that to this end only thaâ— he might call them through his godly sermons vnto repentance vnto the fauour of God and vnto the felowship of the sainctes in so muche that he was called a frend of open sinners and whores How defended he alway the humble peniteÌ„t sinners against the proud and stifnecked Pharises and Iusticiaries When Zache being a sinner the Prince of the Publicans sought to see Christ how louingly did Christ speake vnto him and frendly came into his house eat dranck with him WheÌ„ Mary MagdaleÌ„ being a greuous sinner came vnto Christe he refused not her company but talked most gently with her coÌ„forted her receiued her into his fauour quieted her coÌ„scieÌ„ce healed her diseases gaue her euerlasting life Whan the poore Publicane whiche had both ofte and greuously offended the Lord his God came into the temple to pray and in his praiers huÌ„bled him self before the maiestie of God and coÌ„fessed him self a sinner was he not ioyfully receiued into the fauour of God and pronounced more righteous euen by the mouth of Christ then y e proude â–ª Pharesy for all his glistring workes How ioyfully was that vnthrifty prodigal wastfull sonne receiued home again What freÌ„dship founde that theif whiche was crucified with Christe at the hand of Christ when he saide Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome Did not Christ straightways aunswere him and say This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise And yet was he both a thief a seditious persone and a murtherer Christe refuseth none although neuer so greuous a synner if we come vnto hym Turn ye vnto me and I wil turn vnto you saith the Lord of hostes Thou disobedient Israel Turne again saith the Lord and I will not let my wrath fall vpon you I am mercifull saith the Lord and I wil not alway bear displeasur against thee but this I will y e thou know thy great blasphemy namely that thou hast vnfaithfully forsaken the Lord thy God and hast made thi self partaker of straunge Gods vnder all greene trees but hast had no wil to hear my voyce saieth the Lorde O ye disobedient chyldren turne againe saieth the Lord and I will be maried with you c. O ye disobedient childreÌ„ turne agayne saying Lo we are thyne for thou art the Lorde our God and so shal I heal your back turninges Who wyll not boldely come vnto so mercifull a Lord most louing father seing he so geÌ„tely calleth all men vnto hym be they neuer so greuous synners promiseth that he wyll not refuse them but louingly receiue them neuer lay their offences vnto their charge but to forget them and cast them behinde his backe that he wyll neuer ether remember thâ— or loke vpon them more Theo. The Lord is merciful gentle and louing pacient long suffring oâ— muche kindnes and ready at all tymes to forgeue yea euen whaâ— he is at the poynt to punyshe Thâ— Lord is louing vnto euery man his mercy is ouer all his workes â–ª The lord is good and gracious of great mercy vnto all them that call vpon him The Lord is ful of tender compassion and great merâ—cy long sufferyng and of muche goodnes He wil not alway be chiâ—ding neither kepeth he his anger for euer He dealeth not with vs after our synnes neither rewardeth he vs accordyng to our wickednesses For loke how hie y e heauen is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercy also toward them that feare him Loke howe wide also the East is from y e west so far hath he set our sinnes from vs. Yea lyke as a father pitieth his owne children euen so is the Lord mercifull vnto theÌ„ that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth y t we are but dust With the Lorde there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption And he shall redeme Israel froÌ„ al his sinnes Phi. The great kindnes dere hearty loue of God toward vs appeareth not only in this y t he both willingly and gladly admitteth and receiueth synners whensoeuer they repent and tourne vnto hym but â—n that he also most diligently seketh them vp fetcheth them home again and geueth them grace to repent and turne that they maye â—e saued This thinge is verye â—yuelye described and set forthe in â—he parables of the straid shepe of the lost groat and of the wounded man Herein is loue saith S â–ª Iohn not that we loued God buâ— that he loued vs sent his sonnâ— to be the agrement for our sinnes Saint Paule saieth God settetâ— out his loue toward vs seing thaâ— while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Much more theÌ„ nowâ— we that are iustified by his bludâ— shalbe saued from wrath througâ— him For if when we were enneâ—mies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne muchâ— more seing we are reconciled we shalbe preserued by his life Epa. I beleue y t God is a mercifull father for Christes sake to all them thaâ— do truly repente beleue and conâ—uert vnto him but is it not to beâ— feared that my repentaunce and conuersion is to late Phi. Be on good comfort neighbor Epaphroditus there is no repentauÌ„ce and conuersion to late in this worlde â–ª so that it be true proceadeth froÌ„ a contrite heart humble spirite For at whatsoeuer hour a sinner dooth mourne and lamente for his sinnes God promyseth that he will so forgeue him his iniquities that he will neuer remember theÌ„ more And
Christe saithe Blessed are they that mourn for they shal be comforted In the holy scriptures God doth very often call vs vnto repentaunce but he appoynteth not ether this or y e time day hour but he willeth vs to repent and promiseth that whensoeuer we returne vnto him we shall bee safe and escape from death vnto life Our sauiour Christ also biddeth al that are diseased come vnto him and promiseth that he wil ease theÌ„ but he assigneth no time but at all houres he promyseth grace mercy fauour help and coÌ„â—ort Christ is a sauior for al ages refuseth no coÌ„uersion although neuer so late If we come in childhode in yougth in middle age or in olde age whensoeuer we come we shall be receiued Only let vs come It is better late then neuer God is a like merciful in al ages Christ is a sauiour able inough to saue at all tymes He ceaseth not to be called Iesus that is to say a sauiour niether ceaseth he at any time to saue as y e Apostle saith Iesus Christ yesterday to daye and the same continueth for euer If Christ were appoynted of God the father a sauioure for certaine times not for all times so shuld he be no perfect sauiour If he could not as effectually saue at the hour of death as at the hour of the birth he were vnworthy y e name of a sauiour But he abideth a sauiour for all ages and for all kind of people so that they vnfainedly repent beleue and turn Set before your eyes the parable whiche we read in the gospel of them that were hired to worke in the vineyard Some came early in y e morning some about the third hour some about the .vi. and .ix. houre and some about the .xi. hour And when night once came that they shuld receiue their wages all had like reward WheÌ„ they that came first saw that they that came laste wrought but one houre were equal vnto theÌ„ whiche had borne y e burthen and heat of the day receiued like reward one of theÌ„ murmured grudged at y e matter but it was answered Frend I do the no wrong Take that is thine and go thy way I will geue vnto this last euen as vnto thee Is it not lawful for me to doo as me listeth with mine owne goodes Thus se you that they whiche came at the latter end of y e day wrought in the vinyard but an hour were not refused but receiued the lyke reward with theÌ„ that came first Only let vs be labourers and no loiterers only let vs come into the Lordes vineyarde and not runne away backward and at whatsoeuer hour we come we shalbe welcome receiue our reward with the first Againe the history of the thief that hanged on the right-hand of Christ whiche thief was full of wicked dedes neuer turned vnto God vntil the very hour of his death declareth manifestly that there is no conuersion in this life to late if it bee accompanied with true repentaunce and vnfained faith The thiefe hangyng on the crosse at the poynt of death only said vnto Christ Lord remeÌ„ber me when thou commest into thy kingdom And Christ wel accepting his conuersion saide vnto him Truly I saye vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Who will now dispaire of the good wil and fauourable mercy of God seing that this thief coÌ„uerting at the very last houre of his death was not of Christ reiected but receiued made a fellowe citizin with Christ of ioyfull Paradise Epa. But I haue many times greuously offended the Lord my God and broken his holy coÌ„maundementes Phile. This is no let vnto your saluation so that your conuersion be vnfained The righteous man sinneth .vii. times in the day Who liueth sinneth not All go astray There is none good but God alone All our righteousnesses ar as a cloth polluted with meÌ„strue If God shuld deale with the moste holy and most perâ—ect accordinge to their desertes they should find nothing in them selues but worthy dampnation â–ª Dauid with other very many of the old Testament oftentimes sinned and offended God with theyr wicked actes yet forasmuche as they repented and vnfainedly turned vnto God they were receiued into fauour and saued The Disciples of Christ Peter and his felowes were sinners also and many tymes did that whiche is not righteous in the sight of God yet they be wayling their miseries truly returning vnto God were admitted into the nuÌ„ber of gods elect God is that Lord which forgeueth not only one talent but the whole debt of .x. M. talentes if we come truly vnto hym knowledge our beggary yea our nothing If God would y t we should forgeue one an other so oft as we offend doubtles God wil also forgeue vs whansoeuer we offend if we vnfainedly turn vnto him be our sinnes neuer so many and greuous Mary MagdaleÌ„ sinned ful oft yet was she forgeuen as it is written of her Many sinnes are forgeuen her because she hath loued much The Publican was w t out doubt a very greuous sinner and had many times broken the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts of god yet so sone as he humbled him self before the throne of gods maiestie apealed vnto his mercy he was receiued â—nto fauor pronouÌ„ced of christes â—wn mouth more righteous then â—he Pharisy for all his glistring workes outward holines of life â—ing Manasses in his praier conâ—essed vnto God that he had synâ—ed aboue the nomber of y e sandes â—f the sea and that his iniquities â—ere innumerable yet after he returned vnto the Lord they were all forgeuen and he receiued into fauour If there be not dayly remission of daily synnes at the haÌ„d of God for Christes sake why are we commaunded daily to pray for the forgeuenes of our sinnes If the fauour of God be promised at all houres to suche as vnfainedly turne vnto their Lorde God and seke him in singlenes of heart theÌ„ followeth it that sin we neuer so oft and neuer so greuously yet if harty repentaunce come there is hope of remissioÌ„ of sinnes through the bloud of Christ. If Christ bee an euerlasting Bishop than is he able at all tymes to saue euen at the full those whiche come vnto God through hym If Christ go forth to be called Iesus that is to saye a sauiour then ceaseth he not to saue sinners If Christ be our intercessour mediatour and aduocate vnto God the father euen vnto the worldes ende then may we be sure thorow him to haue remission and forgeuenes of all oure sinnes eueÌ„ vnto thend of y e world yea that at all times sinne we neuer so oft greuously if we repent beleue and amend Therfore though you haue many times greuously offended y e Lord your God and broken his holy commaundementes yet despair
and I will be his God he shalbe my sonne IteÌ„ Let him that is a thirst com And let whosoeuer wyll take of the water of lyfe fre Here is the fauor of God remission of sinnes the gift of the holy ghost quietnes of conscience and euerlasting life promised frely without merits or deserts to so many as wil come vnto Christ w t a repentaÌ„t hart faithfull minde For Christe was sent of God the father to preach good tidings vnto the pore that he might bind vp the wouÌ„ded hartes that he might preache deliueraunce to the captiue and open the pryson to them that are bound declare the acceptable yeare of the Lord and comfort al them that are in heauines He came into this worlde to saue sinners Therefore let it not dismay you though you find in your self plenty of sinnes good workes very few Cast rather y e eies of your mind w t stroÌ„g faith on Christ on his righteousnes on his merites passioÌ„ death on his blessed body breking his precious blud shedding Beleue him to be ordained of God the father to be youre wisdom righteousnes your saÌ„ctification redemption that as it is written he y t reioyseth shuld reioyse in the Lorde Count all your merites good works righteousnesses vile and of no price for the excelleÌ„cy of y e knowledge of Christ Iesu our Lord. Labour to winne Christ and to be found in him not hauing your owne righteousnes which commeth of the law but y t that which is through y e faith of Christ euen y e rightousnes whiche commeth of God through faith y t you may knowe him and the vertue of his resurrection and fellowship of his passions He y t through true faith hath gotten Christ put him on his back withall his righteousnes and holines he is not altogether without merites neither walketh he naked in y e sight of God Unto this exhorteth S. Paule when he saieth Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christe that is to saye Clothe your selfe throughe saith with al the merits and workes of Christ. Take his righteousnesse holinesse perfection praying fasting watching law fulfilling miracles working preching passion death resurrection assention and al that euer he hath to be yours Beleue him to be geueÌ„ you of God withal that euer he hath Christ is yours all therfore that euer Christ merited in his flesh is yours also as the Apostle saieth God spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs al how can it be than that with him he shoulde not geue vs all thinges also If you on this manner put on Christ his merites and good works thorowe true faith you shall not appeare before God an vnfrutefull figge tree neither shall the cursse of God fall vpon you Hear what S. Austen saith All my hope is in the death of my Lord. His death is my merit my refuge my helth life and resurrection The tender mercy of the Lorde is my merit I am not without merits so long as that Lorde of mercies fayleth not And if the mercies of the Lord be plenteous then am I also pleÌ„teous in merites The mightier that he is to saue the better is my state and condition and the more fre am I from all daunger Here se you that this godly man Saint Austen knoweth none other merites that may doo him good but the merites of Christes death and passion He counteth Christes merites his merites and saieth that he is not without merites so long as that Lorde of mercies fayleth not In an other place he also sayeth all my hope and assuraunce of my whole trust is in the precious bloud of Christ whiche was shed for vs and for our saluation In that is all my comfort and reposing the whole affiance of my saluation In that I desyre to come vnto thee O heauenly father not hauing mine own righteousnes but that righteousnes which commeth by thy sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde Item Brethren that we may be healed from sinne let vs beholde Christe crucified For as they that did beholde the brasen Serpent in the wyldernsse did not die through the stinging of the serpentes so lykewyse they y t do loke vpon the death of Christ with faithe are healed from the bitinges of sinnes Here to agreeth the saying of saint Barnarde what is of so mighty force great strength to heale the woundes of the conscience as the diligent remeÌ„braunce of Christes woundes Again when I am troubled and put in feare of my sinnes than do I hide me in the bloudy woundes of Iesus Christ. Loke y t you therfore likewise flie vnto the merites of Christes death and passion and so shall neither sinne death hell desperation lawe or anye other thing hurt you Ep. I beleue that whatsoeuer Christ did in his humanitie he did it for me for my saluation And in thee O Lorde God is my whole trust let me neuer be confounded But neighbor Philemon Phile. What is youre mind sir. Epa. What if I be not of the nomber of those whome God hath predestinat to be saued Phi. Feare you not God withoute all doubt hath sealed you by his holy spirite vnto euerlasting life Your name is written in the boke of life You are a citizin of the new glorious and heauenly Hierusalem Yow shall remaine with God in glory after your departure for euer euer Epa. It sore repenteth me y t I haue at any time offended the lord my God Phi. This repentance is an euident testimonye of your saluation and that god hath predestinat and tofore appoynted you vnto euerlasting lyfe For it is written repent you of your former life for the kingdome of God is at hand Again If the vngodly shall repent him of al his sinnes y t he hath done c. Doubtles he shal liue and not die As for al his sins that he did before they shall not once be thought vpon Epa. I haue an earnest fayth in the bloud of Christ that God the father will forgeue me al my sinnes for Christes sake Phi. You thus beleuing can not perish but this your faith is an vndoubted assuraunce vnto your conscience that you are predestinate to be saued For it is written God hath so derely loued the worlde that he gaue his only begotten sonne that all that beleue on hym shoulde not pearishe but â—aue euerlasting lyfe For God â—ent not his sonne into the worlde â—o condempne the world but that â—he world should be saued by him He that beleueth on him is not â—ondempned He that beleueth on â—he sonne hath euerlasting lyfe Uerely verely I say vnto you he â—hat heareth my worde and beleâ—eth on him that sent me hath eâ—erlasting lyfe and shall not come â—nto dampnation but is scaped â—rom death vnto life This is the â—athers will that sent me that of â—l which he hath geuen me I shal â—ose
Though an host of men were laid against me yet shall not my heart be afraide And though ther rose vp war against me yet wil I put my trust in him If ether AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob or any other saintes of the olde testameÌ„t had doubted of the promises whiche God made vnto them so had they neuer found fauour at y e maiestie of god nor obteined those thinges which God had promised them For without faith it is impossible to please God He y t doubteth of the promises of God shall obtain no good thing at the hand of God To what end ar we so often in the holy scripture exhorted to beleue God and his promises if it were lawfull for vs to doubâ— of them If to beleue and to doubâ— be one thing why is euerlasting saluation promised to the one and eternall dampnation to thother Whosoeuer therfore wilbe saued let him cast away al vnbelief and doubtfulnes and with tothe and â—ayle as they vse to say clene to y e promises of God nothing doubting but according as God hath promised so shall it chaunce vnto him If we doo repent and beleue his worde God hath promised vs for christes sake to fauour vs to forgeue vs all our sinnes and to bring vs vnto euerlasting life let vs not therfore doubt of this his promise but with strong and vnshaken faith beleue it and looke for boldly that is promised so we may be sure to haue the grace and â—auour of God to haue remission and forgeuenesse of oure synnes â—nd finally to haue euerlasting â—ife Let vs therfore approch with â—oldnes and not with doubting â—nd wauering vnto the throne of Gods Maiestie as thapostle warneth that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in y e tyme of nede Chri. If a man after the Papistes shuld doubt of the grace and fauour of God toward him with what conscience could he be bold to say the Lordes praier to desire the forgeuenes of his trespasses Or how could he say with a true faith I beleue the forgeuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life To beleue is it to doubt of the promises of God or rather to be thorowly perswaded of the promises of God that as God hath promysed so shal it vndoubtedly chaunce vnto vs. Euse. When a man beleueth the gospel he is certaine of y e remission of his sinnes he is certen of the fauour and good will oâ— God and he is certaine also of euerlasting life And he that lettetâ— go this faith and falleth to doubâ—ting he shall neuer enioy thaforesaid benefites but be cast into euerlasting dampnatioÌ„ The. This considred the holy Apostle rightwel when he without any doubting being throughly perswaded and assured of Gods good will toward him set forth in his holye promises saide on this maner I know am sure that he in whom I haue put my trust is hable to kepe that which I haue committed to his keping against that dai Againe I haue fought a good fight I haue fulfilled my course I haue kept the fayth From heÌ„ceforthe there is layde vp for me a â—rowne of righteousnes which y e Lord that is a righteous iudge â—hall geue at that daye not to me only but vnto all them also y e loue â—is comming Phile. When that Dauid saide these wordes I beâ—eue verely to see the pleasures of the Lord in the land of the liuing â–ª doubted he of the enheritaunce of the heauenly kingdom or was he rather thorowlye perswaded by stronge faithe in the promises of god y e he shuld without all doubt raigne with God in glory If the godly Apostle S. Paule had not bene sure of the fauor of God and of a better life after this wouldâ— he haue wyshed to bee deliuered from this worlde and to be with Christ With what couÌ„tenauncâ— durst the blessed martir S. Stephen haue commended his spiritâ— vnto Christe if he had not benâ— perswaded of gods fauor towarâ— him and of the ioyful enheritancâ— of the euerlasting kingdom Anâ— so likewise of al the other saincts The spirit of God certifieth our spirit saith the Apostle that wâ— are the sonnes of God If we be sonnes then are we also heyres I meane of God fellowe heyres with Christ. Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Iohn Dearely beloued nowe are we the sonnes of God and yet it doth not appeare what we shalbe But we knowe that when it shall appeare we shall be like him For we shall see him as he is Againe We knowe that we are translated and caried from death vnto life Here you se that the holy scriptures teache vs to be certaine of our saluation throughe fayth in Christes bloud and not to be doutfull of it as the Papistes trifle Away therfore without al doutfulnes and lay hand by strong faith on the promises of God lokynge w t assured hope for all those heauenlye and blessed thynges that God hath promysed vs in his holy worde So maye we be sure to receiue according to our fayth Epa. Without wauering or doubting I faithfully beleue and am assuredly perswaded that God y e father is a mercifull father vnto me that he hath forgeuen me all my sinnes receiued me into his fauor and made me heir of his euerlasting glory And all this hath he done vnto me not for my merites deserts which are vtterly none but for Christes sake in whom I beleue whome also I confesse to be my alone sauiour redeamer Ph. Neighbor Epaphroditus you thus beleuing cannot pearishe Therfore be on good comfort quiet your conscience and sattle your minde For it is written He that beleueth on y e sonne of God hath euerlasting life Epa. Brother Philemon I thanke you and my other neighbours here for the great coÌ„fort whiche I haue receiued by this your godly communication I fele my selfe nowe in muche better case then I was when you came first vnto me I fele muche quietnes and ease in my conscience The Lord hath driuen away mine enemies and geuen me rest in my mynde If I had not had your company God knoweth to what poynt my ghostly enemy the deuil would haue brought me But I praise God for you For by your godly and christeÌ„ talke God hath wrought in me a good and glad wil to die I haue in my hart bidden the world and all worldly thinges adue My mind is all together fixed on the lord my God and on the ioyes whiche he hath prepared in his glorious kingdom for all them that loue him I fele such inward ioy in my heart and such a feruent desire to see y e Lord my God face to face y t the paines which I now suffer on my body although they be very greuous in dede seme litle or nothyng to disquiet me For I am fully perswaded that the afflictioÌ„s of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall bee shewed vppon vs Againe that though the
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
camest into this world to call sinners vnto repentaunce and to seeke vp y t was lost thou seest in what case this oure brother lieth here visited with thy mercifull hand al weake feble sicke and redy to yealde vp his soule into thy holy haÌ„ds O loke vpoÌ„ him moste gentle sauior with thy mercifull eie pitie him and be fauorable vnto him He is thy workemanship despise not therfore the worke of thine own hands Thou suffredst thy blessed body and thy precious bloud to be shed for his sinnes and to bringe hym vnto the glorye of thy heauenlye father let it not therefore come to passe that thou shouldest suffer so great paines for him in vaine He was baptised in thy name and gaue him self wholy to be thy seruaunt forsakynge the deuill the world and the flesh confesse him therefore before thy heauenly father and his blessed Aungels to be thy seruaunt His sinnes we confesse are great for who is hable to saye my heart is clene I am fre from sin but thy mercies O Lord are much greater And thou camest not to cal thâ— righteous but sinners vnto repeÌ„taunce To them that are diseased and ouerladen with the burden of sin doest thou promise ease Thou art that God which willest not y e death of a sinner but rather that he shuld turne and liue Thou art the sauiour whiche wishest all meÌ„ to bee saued and to come to the knowledge of thy truthe Withdraw not therfore thy mercy from him because of his sinnes but rather lay vpoÌ„ him thy sauiÌ„g health that thou maiest shewe thy selfe toward him to be a sauior What greater praise caÌ„ there be to a phisition then to heale the sicke Neither can there be a greater glory to thee being a sauior then to saue sinners saue him therfore O Lord for thy names sake Again let the law be no corsiue to his conscience but rather geue him grace eueÌ„in this extreme agony and conflicte of death to be fully perswaded y t thou by thy death hast takeÌ„ away all his sinnes fulfilled the lawe for hym and by this meanes deliuered him from the cursse of the law and paid his raunsome that he thus beinge fully perswaded may haue a quiet heart a fre conscience and a glad will to forsake this wretched world to go vnto his lord God Moreouer thou hast conquered hym that had rule of death euen sathan suffer him not therfore to exercise his tiraÌ„ny vpoÌ„ this our sicke brother nor to disquiet his conscience with the terrours of sinne and paines of hell Let not Sathan nor his infernall army tempte him further then he is hable to beare but euermore geue him grace euen vnto his last breath valeantly to fight against the deuil with strong faith in thy precious bloud that he may fight a good fight and finish his course with ioy vnto y e glory of thy name and the healthe of his soule O Lord so worke in him by thy holy spirite that he with all his hearte maye contempne and despise all worldly things and set his mind wholly vpon heauenly thynges hopyng for them with a stronge and vndoubted faithe Againe let it not greue him O swete sauiour to be losoned froÌ„ this vile wretched â—arcaâ—e which is now so full of sorow trouble anguishe fickenes and paine but rather let hym haue a bent and ready wyll thorowe thy goodnes to put it of yea and that with this faith that he at the last day shall receiue it again in a much better state then it is now or euer was froÌ„ the daye of his birthe euen a body vncorruptible immortall like to thy glorious body Let his hole heart and mynde be set only vpon thee Let the remembraunce of y e ioyes of heaueÌ„ be so ferueÌ„t in his brest that he may bothe patientlye and thanckfully take his death and euer wish to be with the in glory And when the tyme coÌ„meth that he shall geue ouer to nature depart from this miserable worlde vouchafe we most huÌ„bly beseeche the o Lord Iesu to take his soule into thy handes and to place it amonge the glorious company of thy holy angels blessed saintes and to kepe it vnto that most ioyful day of the generall resurrectioÌ„ that both his body soule thorow thyne almighty power being knit agayn together at y t day he maye for euer euer enioy thy glorious kingdom sing perpetuall praises to thy blessed name Chri. Amen Epa. O God be merciful vnto me and blesse me shewe me the lighte of thy countenaunce and deale fauourably with me Lighten mine eies that I slepe not in death least myne ennemy say I haue preuailed against him For if I be cast downe they that trouble me will reioyse at it But my trust is in thy mercy my heart is ioyfull in thy saluation Phile. Sir how do you Epa. My bodely sight is gone Phi. The Lord gaue it you and the Lorde hath taken it away againe As it hath pleased the Lord so is it come to passe blessed be the name of the Lorde Now that God hath taken away the sight of your corporal eies behold the Lord your God with the eies of your faith and doubte you not but that shortly you shall see the glorious maiestie of god with the eies of your soule euen as he is face to face whiche shalbe vnto you suche ioy and so great coÌ„fort that no tounge is able to expresse nor no heart able to thinke it Epa. I beleue and am assuredlye perswaded that I shall see the plesures of the Lorde in the lande of the liuing Phile. CoÌ„tinue in this faith vnto the end and you shall surely be saued Ep. As God hath taken away my syght so do al my other senses decaye Phi. Though by the appointment of God you lose your bodely speache yet shall your soule in the heauenly kyngdom sing prayse and magnify the Lord your God worldes without end And all be it the bodely hearing be taken away from you yet shall your soule in the kingdom of God hear such swete pleasaunt delectable thinges as neuer mortall man heard nor may hear the like Againe although your going and the vse of your whole body be taken away from you and your body returne vnto the earth from whence it came yet doubte you not but your soule being once deliuered out of the prison of your body shal serue the lord your god perfectly and ioyfully follow the Lambe Christ. whither so euer he goeth Epa. O Lorde deliuer my soul out of the prison of the body that I maye come vnto thee and glorify thy holy name CoÌ„maund my spirit to be receaued in peace for more expedient were it for me to die theÌ„ to liue Phi. Be on good comfort sir God in this your troble and bitter agony of death is present with you and when he seeth conuenient tyme
and an euerlastinge agremente betwene God and you It deliuereth you from death and bringeth you vnto eternall glory It maketh you a Citezin of the newe heauenlye Hierusalē where if you continue stedfast in this faith you shall remaine for euer and euer in a most blessed and ioyfull state hauinge the fruition of Gods glorious maiestie in perfecte glorie worldes without end vnto your exceading ioy and vnspeakeable comfort Euse. Sir Behold the life of this our brother beginneth to drawe vnto an end Phi. Yea rather he now begīneth to chaūge a mortal life for an immortal life The life that is led in this world is rather a shadow of a life then a very life indede Now brother be strong in the faithe of Christe Remember Christ crucified Remēber Christe to be your alone sauiour Remember God y e father to bee your merciful father Forget not y t all your sinnes are washed away in Christes precious blud that by y e vertue of his death passion you are made heire of euerlasting saluation Brother if you can speake aunswere If you can not speake shew some outward signe token that it may be a testimonye vnto vs of your faith godly departur Chr. Lo he holdeth vp his hand Eu. God be thāked Phi. He semeth yet to heare Perswade your selfe moste dere brother y t God euen now calleth you out of this vale of wretchednes vnto the ioyful enheritance of his euerlasting kingdom wher you shall not liue miserably w t sinfull men as you haue done in this world but you shall gloriously reigne with that moste mighty God with his holy aungels and blessed saincts Now begins your ioy your solace your cōfort Now begīneth your true life which shalbe euerlasting Now is the end of al your sorowes come now beginneth your vnfained ioy and true felicitie Now shal ye se y e glorious maiestie of God face to face Now shall you behold perfectly know al y e godly y t haue ben from the beginning of the world and be mery and reioyse with thē Now shall you se your sauior and elder brother Christ as he is Now shall you bee clothed w t the white garments of immortalitie Nowe shal you haue a crown of gold set vpon your head Now shall ye eat of the tree of life whiche is in the mids of the Paradise of God and drinke of the fountains of liuing water Now shall you be a pillare in the temple of your God and sit with him on his seat And these your ioyes shall be euerlasting neuer haue end Unto these ioyes shal you straight waies go for euermore enioy them Th. Our brother is euē now departed frō this world vnto the Lord our God as you spake these words vnto these ioyes shal you straightways go for euermore enioy them he gaue vp the ghost and now reasteth in the Lord. Phi. The Lord our God be praysed Our brother hath made a godly end He hath geuen vp a good spirit into the hands of the liuing God He is I doubt not of the nomber of them of whose death it is written Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his sainctes Blessed are they that die in the Lorde His life before men was vnrebukeable and blameles He liued iustly and vprightly with his neyghbours He was frendly to al godly men and ennemy to no man He was both a sincere fauourer and a diligent folower of Gods most holy word He abhorred all sectes Papistes Anabaptistes Libertins c. Not withstanding alway praying for their amēdment that they knowledging theyr errors might with vs confesse one God one truthe in the vnity of the spirit He was a deare frende to suche as were studious of good letters to widdowes to fatherles children to pore yonge maides mariages to yong mē that had not wherwith to set vp theyr occupations to the prisonners to those poore people which wer not hable to get theyr liuing to pore housholders to the reparing of hie wayes such like What a will he made ye knowe His end also ye know Chr. A christen and godly end made he God geue vs al grace to make the like Phile. Of a good life commeth a good death if the departure of the godly may be called a death not rather a passage vnto a better life Wel his body now slepeth in the Lorde and his soule raigneth in glory with God Euse. God graūt him vs al a ioyfull resurrection The. Amen Phi. Neighbours before we departe let vs all kneele down geue God the father thākes for y e godly departure of this our christen brother Chri. It is conuenient so to do Phi. Geue me hither the Flower of Godly prayers I will rehearse the thankes geuing vnto God for y e departure of the faithfull out of this worlde Eu. Lo here is the boke Phil. The name of the Lord our God be glorified Chr. Both nowe and euer Amen Phi. O how can we moste louing father rendre vnto the sufficient thanckes for thyne inestimable goodnes toward thy faithful seruants whome thou calling out of this wretched worlde vouchestsafe to place in thy heauenlye kingdom among the glorious cōpany of thy holy angels and blessed saincts O full precious is the death of thy faithfull in thy sight Blessed are y e dead that die in thee O Lord For they are at rest from their painfull trauails labours The soules of the righteous ar in thy hand O God and the pain of death shal not touche thē In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die but they are in peace They shine as the sparckes that runne thorow y e redde bush They glister as the shining of heauē They are as y e starres worlde without end They are as the aungels of God They are clad w t white garmēts haue goldē crownes vpon their heds They do seruice day night before the glorious throne of thy deuine maiesty They neither hōger nor thirst anye more neyther doth the sun or any heat fal vpon them for the lambe which is in y e mids of y e throne gouerneth thē and ledeth them vnto the liuinge foūtains of waters They folowe the lābe whithersoeuer he goeth They haue such ioyes as eie hath not sene nor eare hath heard nether is there any heart hable to thincke them Infinite and vnspeakeable are the treasures O Lord whiche thou haste laide vp for them that depart in thy faith For these thy fatherly benefites toward the souls of the faithfull and for that it hathe pleased the to call this our Christen brother from this vale of misery vnto thy heauenly kingdome we geue vnto the moste harty thankes humbly beseching thee that thou wilt take like care for vs so gouerne vs with thy holy spirite bothe in sickenes and in healthe that we may liue a good and godly life in this
to be falsly accused of his whorish mystres and to be cruelly throwne of his master into prison where he continued certen yeares in captiuitie and thraldom But behold y e mercifull dealing of God with his faithfull seruaÌ„ts Afterward whaÌ„ God by prouing him had fouÌ„d him faithful coÌ„stant pacient he deliuered Ioseph out of prison restored him vnto his libertie won him into y e kings fauor in so much y t the king toke of his ring from his hand put it vpoÌ„ Ioseps hand araied him in cloth of rains put a golden chain about his necke and set him vpon the best charet y t he had saue one And they cried before him bow the kne And king Pharao made hym ruler ouer all the land of Egipt Ep. O y e great mercies of God Phi Before God quietly satled king Dauid in his kingdom of whom he reporteth in this maner I haue found Dauid y e son of Iesse a man after mine owne â—art which shal fulfil al my wyll how hunted he him by king Saul euen as the ferret hunteth the cony yea after the death of Saule what trouble disquietnes had he thorow the wicked conspiracie of his children against him being so louing gentle and naturall a father NotwithstaÌ„ding afterward God brought him vnto great honour glory ritches quietnes and al kind of wealth wherin he coÌ„tinued vnto his death whiche was both glorious and full of yeares Epap A blessed end Phi â–ª To whoÌ„ is the history of pacient Iob vnknowne His Crosse was so greuous that I knowe not whether the like trouble hath chaunsed to any mortall man since his tyme or afore Al his substance in one moment almost was lost all his cattel were driueÌ„ away .vii. M. shepe iii M. Camels .v. C. yoke of Oxen and v. C. she asses All these were taken away sodenly His house fel downe his childreÌ„ that wer within were slaine Of all that euer he had nothing remained vntouched that might comfort him any thing at all but only his wife and she semeth to be left of the deuill only to this purpose euen to mock and scorne her husband and to moue him to blaspheme the name of God Whiche thing without al doubt greued the holy maÌ„s minde more then all his calamities and wretchednesses Furthermore his frendes whiche came out of farre countries to comfort hym seyng his sorowe and paine to be moste â—ehement being also woÌ„derfully astonied with the horrible greatnesse of the plage by the space of â—ii daies spake not one comfortaâ—le worde vnto hym For they â—hought although not truly that God had cast this most greuous paines vpon Iob worthely euen for his sinful life wicked conuersation And did they not at the last fall to mocking and taunting of that good maÌ„ and tolde hym that those plages happened vnto hym for his sinnes by the righteous iudgement of God for they thought it a matter of hie iniquitie and vnworthy Gods righteousnes y t so great calamities and miseries shuld causeles chaunce vnto any holy and innocent man Moreouer after the losse of al his goodes after the driuing away of his cattell the casting down of his house the cruell death of his children seruaunts which al the most pacient man very quietly suffered what intollerable pains suffereâ— he on his body Did not Sathaâ— thorow Gods suffrance smite Ioâ— with maruelous sore biles froâ— the sole of his fote vnto y e crownâ— of his head so that he sate vpon the grounde in the ashes and scraped of the filth of his sores with a potsherd Oh who is hable to expresse what paines he suffred And notwithstanding being on euery side moste miserably plaged his mind continued still constant and perfect in abiding the good pleasure of the Lord his God being thorowly perswaded that all those plagues and punishmentes were not tokens of Gods anger but rather of his singuler good wyll and fatherlye fauoure toward hym For as he moste paciently suffered the losse of all his goodes and the death of his children so with lyke constancie and lusty courage did he bear the most greuous woundes and bitter sorowes of his body speakinge no blasphemous impacient or vnreuerent worde against God in all his trouble but mekely paciently and thankefully brast oute into these and suche like wordes Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I tourne thither againe The Lord gaue the Lord hath taken away Euen as it hath pleased the Lorde so is it come to passe blessed be y e name of the Lord If we haue receiued prosperitie at the hand of the lord why should we not abide aduersitie also Epa. Oh God graunt me the like pacience Christo. Doubt ye not of y e goodnes of God neighbor Be strong and stedfast in the Lord your God abide pacientlie his good pleasure he shall work al things for the best as the Psalmograph saieth O tary thou the Lordes leisure be strong and he shall comfort thine heart therfore put thou thy trust in the Lorde In silence and hope shall youre strength be saieth the Prophet O how good is the lord vnto theÌ„ that put their trust in him and to the soule that seketh after hym The good man with stilnes and pacience tarieth for the sauinge health of the Lorde The righteous haue cried and the Lord hath graciously heard them and deliuered them out of all their troubles Phi. But nowe neighbour marke the end of the history Epa. Saye on in the name of God Phile. After that God by dyuers kindes of punishmentes had thorowly tried this holy perfect and pacient man Iob and had found him in all pointes a constant and â—aleaunt souldiour not hable to â—e ouercome with any kynde of â—lague that Sathan could lay on â—im the Lorde greatly coÌ„mended â—is coÌ„stant faith and faithfull conâ—ancie and gaue vnto him twyse twyse so muche as he had afore For he had nowe .xiiii. M. shepe vi M. camels a M. yoke of OxeÌ„ and a M. asses He had .vii. soÌ„nes also and .iii. doughters And after this he liued an C. .xl. yeres in muche ioy and quietnes so that he sawe his childrens children into the .iiii. generation and died being old and of a perfect age Epa. Oh blessed be God For he is euer good to his seruauntes and neuer forsaketh theÌ„ that put their trust in him Euse. Of this holie man Iob saynt Iames also maketh mencion saying Ye haue heard of the pacience of Iob and haue knowne what end the Lord made For the Lorde is very pitifull and mercifull Phile. Will it please you neighbor to hear the history of thauncient father Toby â–ª whiche is also very comfortable â–ª Epa. Yea very gladly For it doth me much good and easeth wel my pain to hear your godly talke Phi. This Toby was a faithfull man and euen from his very childhod feared God and
ynough for all that call on him so that whosoeuer calleth on the name of y e Lord he shall be safe For none shalbe confounded y t putteth his trust in hym This poore maÌ„ cried saith Dauid the Lord hard him saued him from al his troubles For the aungell of the Lord pitcheth his tent round about them that fear him deliuereth them O tast therfore se how geÌ„tle gratious louing the Lorde is blessed is the man y t trusteth in hym Euse. Brother Epaphroditus all these sentences and histories which our neighbor Phiâ—lemon hath here recited vnto you out of the holy scriptures ought to encourage you to pray vnto the Lord God in this your sicknes w t a strong and vnshaken faith and to be fully perswaded that God will both gratiously heare you also worke that in you which shal turn moste vnto his glory and vnto the saluation of your soul For behold the Lordes hand is not so shortned that it can not helpe nether is his eare so stopped that it may not hear Our God is such a God as saueth With the lord our God there is health he laith his blessing vpon his people Whome did God euer despise that called faithfully vpon hym For God is gratious merciful he forgeueth sinnes in the tyme of trouble is a defender for al them that seke after him The. The wise man saith sonne in thy sickenesse despise not thy self but pray to the Lord he shall heale thee Here is a coÌ„maundement geuen to pray vnto God in the tyme of our sicknes also a promise added that he wil hear heale and help vs as he saieth by the Psalmograph Call on me in the day of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt honor me Chri. S. Iames in his Epistle also saieth If any be diseased among you let hym call for the elders of the congregation and let them praye ouer him and anoynt him with oyle in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith shall saue the sick and the Lorde shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shall be forgeuen him Phile. That God being faithfully called vpon wyll helpe in the time of sicknesse we haue many examples in the holy scriptures whiche may worthely comfort vs stir vp our faith toward God lokyng for helpe at his most mercifull hand But for this present let this one example of kyng Ezechias suffice whome being apoynted to die after he had called â—n the name of the Lord the lord our God graciously heard his request restored him to his health gaue him .xv. yeares mo to liue in this world after that his sicknes Notwithstanding brother Epaphroditus all be it we doubt not but that you praying vnto God in this your sicknes God wil mercifully heare you and worke that in you whiche shall be moste vnto his glory and the health of your soule yet forasmuch as you know not what is most expedieÌ„t for you be content in all your prayers to submit your will do the good will of God whiche without all doubt tendereth the health of your soule more than any mortall frend tendereth the healthe of your body In al temporal worldly things that you craue of God in your praiers prefer the wil of God vnto your owne will and be content to receiue at the hand of God as shall be his godly pleasure to appoynte For whether we lyue or die we are the Lordes An example hereof haue you of our sauiour Christe whiche a little before his passion being greatly dismaid w t the terrours and feares of death praied vnto his heauenly father that these bitter paynes and tormentes whiche were at hand for him to suffer myght be remoued from hym so that he myght not suffer them but be fre from them Notwithstanding knowing that the will of his heauenly father is euer best and moste perfecte and that all willes of men oughte tâ— geue place vnto his godly will hâ— wyshed rather the will of God tâ— be done then the wyll of hym beâ—yng man and so submitted hyâ—â— selfe to Gods holy wil being conâ—tented to suffer in his body whaâ—soeuer should be his godly pleasure to appoynt The wordes of Christes praier in this behalf are these O my father if it be possible let this cup depart from me notwithstanding not as I wyll but as thou wilt Again O my father if this cup can not goe from me but that I must drincke it thy wil be done That we ought in al our praiers for temporall things to submit our wil to the good wil and pleasure of God and no more to desire of him then may stande with his blessed wyll Christ our Lord and sauiour teacheth vs in that common prayer whiche we call the Pater noster where we praye on this manner Thy wyll be done in earth as it is in heauen This manner of praying practised the Leper which came vnto Christ to bee healed of hys Leprosy Lorde saith he if thou wilt thou art hable to make me whole Here this faithfull Leper confessed Christ thorow y e almighty power of his Godhead to be able for to clense him and to make him whole not withstanding he submitted his will to the will of Christ that if the Lorde Christe thought it not mete to make hym whole but y t it was better for his saluation to continue a leper still he refused not to suffer that plague of leprosy vpon his body euen vnto the very death Thus affected neighbor Epaphroditus must we all be whansoeuer we aske anye teÌ„porall or worldly thing of God And this trade folow you in this your sicknes wheÌ„ you pray vnto God Desire God to remoue this your disease froÌ„ you and to blesse you agayne with the benefite of health that you may liue long se good daies on earth yet in these your prayers be content to submit your will to his godly wyll yea though death should follow knowing that if death doe ensue of this your sicknesse it shalbe no losse but auauntage vnto you as saint Paul saieth Christe is to me life and death is to me auantage On this manner did Christ our elder brother submit his will vnto the wil of his heauenly father as you afore heard and so huÌ„bled himself that he became obedient vnto death euen y e death of y e cros Note now what foloweth wherfore God hath also exalted him on hie and geuen him a name which is aboue al names that is y e name of Iesus euery kne should bowe bothe of thinges in heauen and thinges in the earth and thinges vnder the earth that all tonges should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the praise of God the father He that humbleth him self shall be set hie For the Lord is a frend to them that be humble
only haue aliue of all my sonnes haue the house Let this suffice for my wiues portion whoÌ„ I doubt not God will take into his protection and so prouide for her in the tyme of her short pilgrimage that she shall want no good thing Only I craue this at her hand that she be diligent in training vp my children in the feare and doctrine of the Lorde so shall God be vnto her an husband and to her childreÌ„ a father Moreouer as concerning my children albeit I am fully perswaded that God according to his promise will be a father vnto them if they liue in his fear he wil not se theÌ„ lack yet both y e law of God of nature requireth y t I should also haue some care for them Therfore vnto my sonne I bequeath the house the land which I haue geueÌ„ my wife for tearme of her life frelye to be his owne after his Mothers departure And if God so appoynting he chaunceth to departe before his mother I will that the house the land goe to the vse of my .ii. daughters Haue you written these thinges Phile. Yea syr But what nowe for your daughters Ep. If thei be godly brought vp I doubt not but if they liue God will aboundauntly prouide for them NotwithstaÌ„ding I geue vnto eche of them .ii. C. pounds of good lawfull mony to be paid in the day of their mariage And if my sonne fortune to die I geue vnto them also my house and my land Euse. Sir we be all mortall both old and yong God knoweth how sone we shal depart heÌ„ce For as the common prouerbe is Assone to the market for to be soulde Cometh the yong shepe as the oulde What if al your childreÌ„ die before they come to mariage Epaphro My wil is that in such case all I haue geuen them shall go to the vse of the pore I will that they be mine heirs I pray you neighbour Philemon write so Phi. I haue done so Epaphro I thinke it conuenient to geue to my seruauntes somwhat that it be not said they haue serued an vnthankfull maister Chri. Sir that is very mete For the wyse man saith wheras thy seruaunt worketh truely entreat him not euill nor the hirelyng that is faithfull vnto thee Loue a discrete seruaunt as thine owne soule defraude him not of his libertie nether leue him apore man Epaphr I geue to euery one of my seruauntes .vi. pound .xiii. â—hillinges .iiii. pence to be paid in the daye of my buriall Write it Phile. It is done Epa. God blesse â—hem and encrease them for they haue serued me both honestly and faythfullie The Lorde our God â—eale w t them as they haue dealt with me Theo. They haue done but their dutie Phile. But neighbour Epaphroditus wherof shall these sommes of mony be raysed Epaph. God hath blessed me abouÌ„dantly Ye shal haue it in my couÌ„ting house with a more summe Christ. But now syr concerning your debts what order will you appoynt for them Epa. The Lorde my God be thanked I owe no maÌ„ any thing but loue good wyll My chief study hath euer bene to kepe my self out of debt And if at any tyme I ought any thing to labour vnto the vtter moste of my power to dispatche my self of that debt withall expedition I neueâ— counted other mens goodes minâ— own That I truly got with minâ— own labour y t did I alway counâ— mine owne my debtes being oncâ— paid I owe nothyng many owâ— me but forasmuch as they be porâ— men can not pay that they owâ— me except it should be vnto theyr great hindrance yea I think vnto their vtter vndoing I freely forgeue all my debters what so euer they owe me vnto the vttermoste farthing euen as I would God y e father should forgeue me all my debts for Christes sake Wryght this that I haue forgeuen all my debts so that none hereafter shall demauÌ„d any det of any maÌ„ in my behalf Phi. I haue done your appoyntmeÌ„t EU. Neighbor Epaphro â—itus seing y e god hath richly blessed you w t the goods of this world â—t wer very expedient to remeÌ„ber â—he pore scholers of y e vniuersities of CaÌ„bridge Oxford For if they â—e not mainteined all learning â—ertue wil decay and a very barâ—ary shall brast in among vs at â—he last bring this our realme into â—estructioÌ„ And verely the loue of many now a daies toward good letters is very colde in so muche y t we se daily many good wits compelled for lack of exhibition to forsake the vniuersitie and to becom seruing men whiche kinde of lyfe is most abhominable and vnworâ—thy a good nature Epa. I haue not in times past bene altogether vnmindfull of the vniuersities What benefits the students hauâ— heretofore receiued at my hands I wil not here rehearse God anâ— they know it And the knowledgâ— therof I would wish rather to bâ— learned of other then to be hearâ— of me Surely I thincke him 〈◊〉 good christian nor frend vnto hiâ— countrey whiche if he be able râ—â—fuseth to help forward the studie of good wittes I pray you neighâ—bor Philemon set in .ii. C. poundâ— of mony one C. to be geuen vnâ—â— the vniuersitie of Cambridge thâ— other vnto Oxford Phile. This Godly and charitable dede Epa. Haue ye done Ph. Yea forsoth sir. Epa. Let me se what now remaineth Chri. Sir will it please you to remember the poore Epa. I neuer forgot them since the Lorde my God gaue me any portion of worldly goodes I always considred to what vse thei were geuen me verely that I shuld distribute part of them to the necessitie of y e pore sainctes And I thanke the Lord my God so haue I don yea and that with a good wyll and free hart For God loueth a chereâ—ull geuer I haue not bene of the minde y e some are whiche so long as they liue gredely gather together and bestowe nothing at all vpon the poore But when they se nothing but present death then â—ash they out and liberally geue â—nto the pore scilicet because they â—an kepe it no longer I truste I haue laid vp for my selfe all ready treasures in heauen where neyther rust nor moth doth corrupte and where theues doe not breake through or steal For I haue euer thought it better to send my workes before me while I liue in this world than to haue them sent after me I know not by whoÌ„ whaÌ„ I am gone These purgatori rakers shall nether rake nor scrape for me with their masses and Diriges when I am departed For I trust no suche workes Neither do I any thyng regard y e prayers of suche as haue y e belly for theyr God But as touching the pore I geue vnto them .iiii. C. poundes whiche I wil haue bestowed noâ— vpon idle lubbers sturdy queaâ—nes but vpon the halt the lame the blind the sick
Be mercifull after thy power If thou hast mutch geue pleÌ„teously if thou hast litle doe thy diligence gladly to geue of that litle For so gatherest thou thy selfe a good reward in the day of necessitie For merci deliuereth from all sinne from death and suffreth not the soule to come in darknes A great comfort is mercy before y e hie God vnto all them that shew it In the time of thy youth take hede thou defilest not thy selfe with whoredom but bring an honest chaste body vnto the blessed state of honorable wedlocke And when the ripenes of thy age doth require y e to marry take hede whome thou chosest to be thy yokefellow Follow not the corrupt manners of y e wicked worldlings which in chosing their wiues haue their principall respect vnto the worthines of the stocke vnto the welthines of the frendes vnto riches beauty and suche other worldly vanities Consider thou rather y e godlines than the worthines of the maides parentes the honest and vertuous bringing vp of her her chaste and sober behauoure her Christen and godly manners her modestie grauitie sobrietie and womanlines her faith obedieÌ„ce humilitie silence quietnes honestie howsewiuelines and such other fruites of Gods spirite Let her be no Papist nor Anabaptist nor Epicure but one of the houshold of faith and such one as feareth the Lorde God vnfaynedly With suche one couple thy selfe in the feare of God and knowe her to be the gift of God as SalomoÌ„ saieth house and richesse may a man haue by the heritage of his elders but a discrete wyfe is the gift of the Lorde Therfor when thou art once ioyned with her in y e holy order of Matrimonie seeke after no strange fleshe beware of whoredome entangle thy selfe with no other womans loue but be glad with y e wife of thy youth Let her brestes alway satisfie thee hold thee euer content with her loue And if God send thee childreÌ„ thanke him for them and study to bring them vp in the feare nourtour doctrine of the Lorde that they may learn to know God eueÌ„ from the very cradels Order thy houshold godly and honestly Cherish thy seruauntes geue them their couenauntes remembring y t thou also hast a maister Lorde in heauen Loue thy neighbours dwell quietly among them Lend vnto theÌ„ gladly whatsoeuer they nede if thou hast it Oppresse not thy tenaunts Raise not thy rents Take no incomes nor synes Be content with the olde and accustomed paimentes Bringe vp no newe customes Maintaine the lawfull liberties of y e town wherin thou dwellest Be no vnprofitable meÌ„ber of the common wealth Diffame no man but speake well of al men Hurt no man but to the vttermost of thy power be beneficiall to all men Let neuer pride haue rule in thy mind nor in thy word for in pride begaÌ„ al destruction Who so euer worketh anye thyng for thee immediatly geue him his hire and loke that thy hired seruauntes wages remaine not by the ouernight Loke that thou do neuer vnto an other man the thing that thou wouldest not another man should do vnto thee Eat thy bread with the hongry poore and couer the naked with thy clothes Aske euer counsell at the wyse Be alwaye thanckefull vnto God and beseche hym that he will order thy wayes and that whatsoeuer thou deuisest or takest in hande it may remayne in hym My sonne do these thynges and God shal blesse thee and prosper all thy doinges WHat shall I say vnto you my little Daughters I pray God blesse you â–ª and make you ioyfull mothers of many Children Serue God Obey your mother Be diligent to please her Geue eare to her wholesome admonitions and folowe them Do nothing without her counsell and aduisement Whan your age shal require to be maried followe the counsel of your mother and other of your faithful freÌ„ds which wish you to doe well in choising your husbandes Take hede ye be not corrupted with the giftes of noughty packes nor deceiued w t the flattring tongues of wicked vnthrifty persones For many in these our daies seeke not the woman but the womans substance Couple your selues with suche as feare God loue his worde and be of honest report And when ye be once maried reuerence your husbands know theÌ„ to be your heads gouernours appointed of God obey them submitte your selues vnto them Suffer not your loue to depart froÌ„ your husbands neither know any maÌ„ besides them but kepe the bed vndefiled y t your Matrimony may be honorable pure in the sight of God of his holy coÌ„gregatioÌ„ And if God blesseth you with children loke y t you bring them vp in the glory of God in his fear and doctrin Engraffe in their yong brests euen froÌ„ their tender age vertue godlines and good maÌ„ners loke wel vnto your houshold and be an example vnto your maides of godlines and honestie Be no gadders abroad nor haunters of Tauernes but kepe your houses continually except some earnest and lawfull busines prouoke you to go forth Be no bablers nor vain talkers but for the most part vse silence For sileÌ„ce is an ornameÌ„t and precious Iewell vnto a godly womaÌ„ Aparell your selues in comely aray with shame fastnes and discrete behauioure not with broyded hear ether gold or pearles or costly garmeÌ„ts but as it becommeth women y t profes godlines thorow good workes Let the hid man whiche is in the heart be without all corruption so that y e spirit be at rest and quiet which spirit before God is a thing much set by For after this maner in the olde tyme did the holye wemen whiche trusted in God tier them selues and were obedient to their husbandes euen as Sara obeyed AbrahaÌ„ and called him Lord whose daughters ye are so long as ye do wel If you obserue these fewe lessons which I your sicke father haue now geuen vnto you doubt ye not but ye shall right well prosper and liue a ioyfull quiet life on earth Yea God shalbe your father and defendor Wel stande a side a little whyle Gods blessing be with you Come hither ye my seruauntes SIrs ye see in me what shal be the end of all fleshe euen a departure from this world For we are but strangers pilgrimes on the earth as our fathers were before vs. We haue no continuing citie here but we seke one to come The ordinaunce of God is that all men shall once die There lyueth no man that shall not die A man in his time is but grasse and flourisheth as a floure of the field Our life is euen a vapour that apeareth for a little time and then â—anisheth away On this condiâ—ion came we into the world that we shuld leaue it again We haue â—een sure of death euer sence we were conceiued in our Mothers wombe These thinges do
but that both his conceptioÌ„â—nd natiuitie should be so pure â—ithout blemish that by the pureâ—es therof the filthines corrupâ—ion of our conception and natiâ—itie might be put awaye For of â—e vncleane who can be clensed â—ll we be vncleane in Adam both â—â—ncerning our conception and â—rth for after y t God had made man like vnto his own similitudâ— and Image he placed hym in paradise and gaue him lybertie tâ— eat of all the fruites in the garden of pleasure except y e tree of knowledge of good and euill But maâ— disobeyed the Lorde his God and transgressed his holy commaundâ—ment Thorow the whiche disobedience and transgression of Godâ— holy coÌ„maundement sinne curse and death came ouer al mankind so that nowe in Adam so many aâ— are borne after the commoÌ„ coursâ— of nature are begotten coÌ„ceiued and borne in sinne They are thâ— children of wrath defiled witâ— all vnclennes both bodely ghoâ—ly Now whan there was no heâ— nor comfort for man whereby â— might be redemed out of Satan power and deliuered from his iâ—â—tollerable miseries wherewith â— was to muche wretchedly wraâ—â—ped and brought into slauery for now man w tal his thoughts imaginations deuices words dedes enterprises c. is become thorowe the sin of Adam wicked vnpure â—ilthy and synfull then God that mercifull father had pity vpoÌ„ maÌ„kind and promised them a sede euen Iesus Christ his only begotten soÌ„ne which shuld tread down the head of the serpent ouercome â—he deuill with al his power reâ—tore vs to life againe And lykewise as god is righteous in al his wayes holy in all his workes â—rue faithfull in all his wordes â—uen so hath he kept al his promiâ—es truely For wheÌ„ the time was 〈◊〉 he sent his only begotten 〈◊〉 dearely beloued sonne into the â—ombe of the virgin Mary wher of whome thorowe the working â—f the holy ghost he became fleshe â—â—at is to saye true and naturall man as the scripture witnesseth saying The word became fleshe dwelt among vs and we saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten sonne of the father full oâ— grace and veritie He brought noâ— his body with him from heauen as certain heretikes affirme buâ— as he receiued all his deuine nature and substance of God the faâ—ther alone euen so likewyse did hâ— take all his humaine nature and substance of the pure virgin Mary alone through the wonderful operation of the spirite of God aâ— S. Paule saithe he was borne oâ— the sede of Dauid after the fleshe Againe he sayth he that sanctifâ—â—eth and they whiche are sanctifâ—â—ed are all of one For which caâ—â—ses he is not ashamed to call theâ— brethreÌ„ saying I wil declare thâ— name to my brethren and in thâ— mids of the congregation wyll praise thee And againe I wil put my trust in hym And again Behold here am I and the children which God hath geuen me Forasmuch therfore as the childreÌ„ were partakers of flesh and bloud he also him selfe lykewyse toke part with them for to put downe thorow death him y e had lordship ouer death that is to say the deuyll and that he myght deliuer them which through fear of death were all their life time in daunger of bondage For he in no condition taketh on him the aungels but the sede of Abraham taketh he on hym wherefore in all thinges it became him to be made lyke vnto his brethren that he myght be mercifull and a faithfull hie Priest in thinges concerning God for to pourge the peoples sinnes c. This only begotten sonne of God by takyng fleshe of the Uirgin Mary became lyke vnto vs in all things sinne alone except I beleue that by his pure conception and vndefiled natiuitie my conception and my byrth whiche coÌ„ming from Adam was altogether vnpure and defiled is clensed and that no parte of that sinfull birth is imputed vnto me but y e thorowe faith in this moste blessed sede of the Uirgine I am born a new begotten of God so that he is my father I am his sonne and therfore enheritor also of his heauenly kingdome Furthermore I vnfainedly beleue with my hart and frely confesse with my mouth y t this seede of the woman Iesus Christ at the commaundement and wyll of his heauenly father whiche from euerlasting by his godly prouideÌ„ce ordained his only begotten sonne to be a sacrifice for the sinnes of his people that through his only oblation they myght for euer and euer bee saued suffred many greuous paynes on his bodye vnder the Heathen ruler Pontius Pilat and that he was crucified died and was buried All those bitter paines and greuous torments he suffred not for him selfe but for vs for our iniquities sinnes and wickednesses that he might recoÌ„cile vs vnto God the father His paines satisfied for the paines due vnto vs for our faultes as y e prophet saieth he only hath taken on him oure infirmities and borne our paines He was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesses For the chastisement of oure peace was layde vpon him and with his strypes are we healed As for vs we haue goone all astray lyke shepe euery one hath turned his own way But y e Lord hath heaped together vpon hym the iniquitie of vs all He was cut of from the ground of the liuinge whiche punishment did come vpoÌ„ hym for the transgression of my people saieth God which in dede had deserued that punishement He was crucified and nailed to the crosse that by the suffraunce of his fleshe he might put away the cause of hatred euen the lawe of commaundementes contained in the lawe written and so wyn vs againe vnto the fauoure of God For it pleased the father y t in him shuld all fulnes dwell and by him to reconcile all thynge vnto hym selfe to set at peace by hym thorowe the bloud of his crosse bothe thinges in heauen and thinges in earth His blessed body crucified and nayled to the crosse buffeted beaten and scourged was a swete smellyng sacrifice a right deare offring vnto God the father sufficient inough and hable to the vttermoste to put away all the synnes of the faythfull and all the paynes due for the same It satisfied at the full the iustice of God and apeased his wrath sturred vp through sinne agaynst the posteritie of Adam and made God of an angry Lord righteous iudge a most merciful father and gentle sauiour Nether nede the faithfull go for saluation vnto massemongers vnto iusticiares vnto monkish hipocrites nor yet vnto sainctes The sacrifice of Christes body which he him self that euerlasting priest offred on the altare of the crosse to God the father is a plenteous full perfect and sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole worlde if they repent beleue amend We
blessed spirit that he may put his whole trust in the. Ph SeÌ„d him present help froÌ„ thy holy place Th. And euermore mighteâ—y defeÌ„d him against sathan sinne desperation death hell ph Let his enemy the deuill haue none aâ—uantage of him Eu. Nor y e wicked aproche to hurt him Phi. Be vnto him o lord a stroÌ„g toure a mighty castell sure fortres Chr. To defeÌ„d him froÌ„ the face of his enemy Phi. O Lord hear our prayers Eu And let our cry come vnto thee Phi. O Lord loke down from heaâ—uen behold visit relieue thiâ— thy seruaunt Loke vpoÌ„ him with thy eyes of thy mercy geue hym comfort and sure coÌ„fidence in theâ— defend him from the daunger oâ— the ennemy and kepe him in perâ—petuall peace and safetie through Iesus Christ our Lord. The. AmeÌ„ â–ª Phi. Heare vs almighty and mosâ— merciful God and sauiour exteÌ„d thy accustomed goodnes to this thy seruaunt whiche is greued with sicknes visit him O lorde as thou diddest visit Peters wiues mother and the Capitaines seruaunt Restore vnto this sick parson his former health if it bâ— thy wil or els geue him grace so to take thy visitation that after this painfull life ended he maye dwel with the in life euerlasting Chr. Amen Phi. Arise and let vs go againe vnto our sicke brother Now neighbour Epaphroditus how do you Reioyce I pray you in the Lord and beare this crosse which God hath now laied vpon you both paciently and thanckefully Epap If I haue heretofore bene glad to receiue health at the Lordes hand why shuld not I also nowe take in good worth this his moste gentle and louing visitation The Lord gaue me health and the Lord hath taken it away againe It hath chaunced vnto me as the Lords pleasure is blessed be the name of the Lord. The. This coÌ„forteth vs greatly to hear so good and godly wordes procede out of your mouth For of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh saith our sauiour Christ. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forthe good things Ep. No man is good but God alone We are al vnclene vnprofitable seruaunts If any goodnes we haue it is of God as blessed Iames saith Euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue commeth downe from y t father of lyghtes that he whiche reioyseth shoulde reioyse in the Lord. Chr. Now good neighbour how fele you your self Epa. O brother Christopher I perceiue ther is none other waye with me but one euen to depart from this lyfe Phi. Let it neuer greue you moost genle neighbour to geue ouer vnto nature and to depart from this worlde at the callynge of God There is a time to be borne and a time to die We must be as wel coÌ„tent to die as we were to liue and as wel pleased to leaue the world as we were to come into it We ar mortal we therfore must nedes die Let vs not bear heauely that necessitie importeth God creaâ—â—d vs that we shuld once die let vs not therefore repugne and striue against the good pleasure of God There shal none other thing chaunce vnto vs by death than that hathe heretofore chaunced vnto our predecessours and shall likewyse chaunce vnto our posteritie Who hath lyued that hath not died Who doth now or shall liue that shall not also tast death One the same way must nedes be troden of all Adams posteritie There is no meane to escape Adam sinned and became mortall All we haue sinned also in Adam therefore all we are made in him mortall and subiect vnto death As by one man saith S. Paule sinne entred into the worlde and death by the meanes of sinne EueÌ„ so death also went ouer al men in so muche as all we haue synned The reward of sinne is death God in dede created maÌ„ at the beginning to be immortall and not to be destroyed by death yea after the Image of his owne likenesse made he him Neuerthelesse thorow enuy of the deuil came death into the world The history of Adams fal is known in whoÌ„ we also fel. Sence that time he all his posteritie haue bene mortall haue died shal die We al ar now flesh earth dust ashes So sone as we be borne so sone begin we to die This our life is nothing els then a very passage vnto death Noble and base pore and riche faire and foule wel fauoured and il fauoured mighty and weake wise folish fortunate and wretched ruler and subiect faithfull and vnfaithfull Christian and Painim old and yong man woman and childe euery bodely creature that liueth on the face of the earth shall die Whether the life be short or long the end of it is death All the holy Patriarkes Iudges kings Priestes Prophets and all other whiche liued before the comminge of Christ died IhoÌ„ Baptist Christes mother all the disciples of Christ died Yea Christ him selfe although moste innocent without all sinne after he was once clad with our flesh and had taken on him our nature became mortall and to pay our raunsome vnto God the father and to set vs againe at libertie he suffred death euen the death of the crosse Is y e seruaunt greater then his Lorde Or the disciple aboue his maister Our Lord hath troden the way a fore vs and shall we his seruants refuse to follow him Our maister hath geuen vs an example to die and shall we his disciples disdain to practise the lyke â–ª If death had bene cast only vppon our backes which liue in this age so might y e burthen haue bene thought vnrighteous and intollerable but forasmuch as our ancestors haue already tasted of death and are gone why shuld we that now liue beare so impaciently this commoÌ„ chaunce On this condition came we al into the world y t we should leaue it agayne For we be heare but strangers and soiourners as were al our fathers Our days on thearth also are but as a shadow and there is none abiding Oure daies passe away swiftly and we are gone The dayes of man are y e daies of an hirelyng yea wynde and nothyng Man is lyke vnto vanitâ—e and his dayes passe away like a shadow Where is ther any man that liueth and shall not seâ— death man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue and yet the tyme that he lyueth he is full of mysery He cometh vp and is cut down like a flower He flieth as it were a shadow and neuer continueth in one state Here haue we no continuing city but we seke one to come It is apoynted of God that all men shal once die For what is our life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little tyme and then vanisheth away as Iob saith
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
nothing but raise them vp againe at the last day And this is y e wil of him that sent me that euery one whiche seeth the sonne and beleueth on him haue euerlasting life And I will rayse him vp at y e last day I am the resurrection life he y t beleueth in me though he be dead yet shall he lyue euery one that liueth and beleueth iâ— me shal neuer die To him christâ— geue all the Prophetes witnes saith S. Peter that through his name whosoeuer beleueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes If thou knowledge w t thy mouth that Iesus is the Lorde and beleue in thine heart that God raysed hym vp from death thou shalâ— be saued For to beleue with thâ— hert iustifieth and to knowledge with the mouthe maketh a man safe For the scripture saith Whosoeuer beleueth on him shall not be confounded Thus se you that faith dooth assure your conscience of y e fauor of God of euerlasting life Doubt you not therfore but that you are counted in the number of Gods elect and chosen people and shall enherit the glorious kingdom of God Epa. I was baptised in the name of God y e father â—nd of god the sonne of god the â—oly ghost Phi. This is also a sure â—â—keÌ„ of the fauour of God toward â—ou and that you are predestinate â—nto euerlasting life seyng that according to your profession you do beleue and vnto the vttermost of your power frame your life For it is wrytten he that beleueth is baptised shalbe saued And s. Peter said vnto the Iewes Repent you of your sinnes be baptised euery one of you in y e name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy ghost â–ª And Saint Paule saieth All ye that are baptized haue put on Christ. And you know there is no dampnation to them that are in Christ Iesu. For as when you wer baptised ye forsoke the deuill the world and the flesh withal their workes poÌ„pes and vanitie and gaue your selfe only vnto the seruice of God taking him for your Lord maister euen so hath God likewise taken you to be his seruaunt loueth and fauoureth you and wil defend you against al your ennemies and neuer forsake you vntyll he hathe brought you vnto euerlasting life By baptisme is he your lord God therefore wyll not he suffer you to pearishe By baptisme is he your father and you are born of him so become his sonne therfore can he none otherwyse then loue tender and fauour you and geue you the enheritaunce of his heauenly kingdome By baptisme are you made the brother of Christ heyre of God and fellow heire w t Christ of euerlasting glory theÌ„ may you be certen to be of that noÌ„ber that shall enherit eternall life By baptisme is the holy ghost geuen you then are you the sonne of God and â—an not pearysh For it is written They that are led with the spirite â—f God are the sonnes of God Baptisme is a continuall signe of â—he fauour of God towarde vs of â—he fre remission of sinnes of our â—econciliatioÌ„ vnto God for Chriâ—tes sake and that we be by adopâ—ion the sonnes of God heires of â—uerlasting glory Epa. In tymes â—ast I haue also many tymes reâ—eiued the misteries of the Lordes â—ody and bloud in the temples of â—he Christians with the congreâ—ation of God wherin I confesse I haue founde great comfort and â—erye muche quietnesse vnto my â—eake and synnefull conscience Phi. The often comming with a â—eruent de syre vnto the Lords taâ—le by true faythe to fede vpon the â—isteries of the Lordes body and â—loud is a manifest argument y t God hath chosen you to be his hath written your name in y e bokâ— of life and predestinate you vntâ— euerlasting glory For in so doinâ— you haue not only called vnto reâ—membraunce the moste healthfuâ— death of our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ and so bene thankeâ—ful for it but you haue also shewâ—ed your selfe a lyuely member 〈◊〉 that holy body whereof Christ iâ— the head You haue professed opeÌ„â—ly in the face of the Christen conâ—gregation that God the father iâ— your father y t Christ is your Lorâ— and sauiour that by the one onlâ— oblation of his blessed body on thâ— altare of the Crosse all your synâ—nes are put away and forgeueâ— and you made the enheritour 〈◊〉 euerlasting glory WheÌ„ you thuâ— came vnto the Lordes Table aâ— the fruites benefites and meritâ— of Christes passioÌ„ were geuen yoâ— namely the fauour of God remiâ—â—sion of sinnes the holy ghost quietnes of conscience new affectes victory ouer Sathan death and hell and finally euerlasting lyfe so that nowe ye are incorporated in Christ become a true liuely member of that misticall bodye wherof he is the head yea you ar fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones as the Apostle saith Is not the cup of blessing whiche we bles partaking of the bloud of Christ Is not the bread whiche we breake partaking of y e body of Christ c. Epa. As I haue had many times an earnest and feruent minde to come reuerentlye vnto the Lordes table and to be partaker of the holy misteries of Chriâ—tes body and bloud with the congregation so likewise haue I at all times bene glad to repare vnâ—o those places wher the word of God hath bene preached and the doctrine y t hath there bene taughâ— I marked diligeÌ„tly kept it in meâ—mory and to the vttermost of mâ— power I laboured to frame mâ— life according vnto the same thaâ— I might bee no forgetfull heareâ— but a diligent doer of those worâ—kes whiche I learned of the holâ— scriptures to bee acceptable vntâ— the Lord my Lord that I mighâ— serue him in holines and righteâ—ousnes all the dayes of my lyfe Phi. As there is not a more euideÌ„â— testimony and a surer argumentâ— that that man is in the state of eâ—uerlasting dampnation whichâ— hath no mynd to hear the word oâ— God nor to traine his lyfe according vnto the doctrine therof sâ— likewise is there not a more cerâ—taine signe that any man is preâ—destinate to be saued then wheÌ„ hâ— hath a mynd to heare the word oâ— God as our sauiour Christ testiâ—fieth saying He that is of god heareth gods words ye therfore hear theÌ„ not because ye are not of God Here se you how Christ putteth a difference betwene them that are of God and them that are of the deuill They that are the children of y e deuil haue no minde to heare the worde of God But they that are the sonnes of God haue a feruent delite and singulare great pleasure to hear gods word yea as the Prophet saieth to exercise them selues in it daye and night In an other place our Sauioure Christ saith also My shepe heare
outwarde man perish yet thinward man is renued day by day and that this our tribulation whiche is short light prepareth an exceding and an euerlasting waight of glorye vnto vs while we loke not on the thinges whiche are sene but on y e thinges whiche are not seene For the thinges whiche are seene are temporall but things whiche are not sene are eternall Chr. God kepe you in this mind euen vnto thend Eu. AmeÌ„ Epa. Confirme make that perfect o lord which y â— hast begon to worke in me vnto the glory of thy blessed name and vnto the saluation of my soule The. AmeÌ„ Epa. Neighbors I pray you tourne me that I may lye on my right side Chr. The Lord our God graunt that ye may syt in his kingdome on the right hande of his glory Ep. Yea that shortly Euse. So be it Phile. Sir howe do you nowe Epaphro Well God be thanked but I trust to doo better euen anone Phile. Lacke you any thing sir Epa. My paine approcheth nearer vnto my heart wherby I perceiue the end of my life not to be far of I beseche you pray for me that I may continue faithfull constaunt and stedfast in the faith of the Lorde my God euen vnto the very end of my life Phi. We wil do it gladly Neighbors let vs knele down and pray Lord we moste humbly besech thee heare our prayer Chri. And let our crye come vnto thee Ph. O lord Iesu Christ thou only sonne of the heauenly father our alone redemer and omnisufficicieÌ„t sauiour we moste humbly beseche thee deliuer this sicke and weake parson now being in great pains and at the point to departe out of this worlde from all vgsome and terrible assaultes and temptations of the deuill synne and hell Deliuer him O Lord as thou deliueredst Noe froÌ„ the raging waues of the sea Lot from the destruction of Sodome Abraham from the feare of the Chaldees The children of Israell from the tiranny of Pharao Dauid from the hand of Goliah The thre men from the violence of the firy fornace in Babilon Daniel from the mouth of the Lions Ionas from the belly of the whalefishe Peter from the prison of Herod euen so O gratious Lord God deliuer the soul of this person both nowe and whensoeuer he shall departe hence from all pearill daunger OpeÌ„ vnto him at y e hour of death the dore of Paradise the gates of heauen the entry of euerlasting life O Lord Iesu Christe forgeue him all his synnes and lead him with ioye into the kingdom of thy heauenly father eueÌ„ vnto the bosom of AbrahaÌ„ and appoynt him vnto euerlasting rest that he may reioyse with thee and with all the elect childreÌ„ of God in euerlasting life Eu. Amen Epa. Neighboures I thanke you Nowe will I also pray vnto the Lord my god while I may speake and I trust he wil for Christes sake gratiously heare me Th. Doubt you not neighbor God hath so promised Epa. Lorde harken vnto my prayer and geue ear to my most humble requestes O moste mercifull God O father of all mercies the father of oure Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ be mercifull to me a sinner Haue pitie on me and quickely healpe me poore wretche for the moste bitter passion and moste precious death of Iesus Christ thy only begotten sonne and oure alone redemer and Sauioure Enter not into iudgemeÌ„t with thy seruaunt O Lord. Handle me not according to my desertes and merites neither rewarde me after mine iniquities but for thine infinite and vnmeasurable bountie and exceading gret merci receiue me and take me into thy fauour I miserable weake creature am in thy hand I am thy bonde seruaunt and thy depter O most gentle God o most fauorable father forsake me not cast me not away pore wretch that I am For I am thine withal that euer I caÌ„ make No man is able to strengtheÌ„ me no man is able to deliuer me no man is able to help me but thou alone Thou art the true helper in aduersite Thou art y e most sure present comfort in all necessitie Thou alone art our helper oure bulwarke our fortres our most mighty strongly defenced tour Thou o god art our refuge Thou art our strengthe Thou art our helper in all our tribulations In the O Lord do I trust let me not be coÌ„fouÌ„ded Let me neuer be put to shame let me not be deceiued of my hope but preserue me for thy rightousnes sake Bow doun thine ear vnto me make haste to deliuer me Be my defeÌ„der O god my stroÌ„g hold y t thou maist saue me For y u art my strength and my refuge Yea thou art my God and my destinies are in thy handes Lighten thy countenaunce vpon thy seruaunt and saue me for thy mercies sake O Lord. And forasâ—much O swete father as it is thy godly pleasure to call me now froÌ„ this miserable life and wretched worlde I most entirely besech theâ— so to defend me in this agony oâ— death that neither sathan nor his ministers preuaill against me but that I continue faithful and constant vnto thend in the confessioÌ„ of thy holy name loking for full remission of all my sinnes in the precious bloud of thy welbeloued sonne and my only sauiour Iesus Christ and that I departing in this faith and perfect trust maye be placed among thy blessed saintes and heauenly spirites and so for euer and euer remaine with y e in glory Graunt this O moste mercifull father for thy dear sons sake Iesus Christ our alone mediatour and aduocate Chr. AmeÌ„ Epa. Me thinke good neighbours I begin to waxe very coulde and numme in my limmes Euse. Syr discomfort not your selfe Be content with the good workynge of God This cold is a present tokeÌ„ that the death of your body is not far of Epa. My fleshe is consumed and wasted away Eu. That is y e end of all fleshe Earth thou art saith God and vnto earth shalt y u retourne Epa. My feling is gone and my tasting decaieth All my senses grow out of course Eu. To that end wer they geuen you that you shuld lose them againe With the body al bodely thinges decay Phi. Brother Epaphroditus let y e care of the body of bodely thiÌ„gs passe You doo beleue the resurrection of the body Epa. I beleue that my redemer liueth and that I shall ryse out of the earth in the latter day and that I shalbe cloâ—hed again with this skin and see God my sauiour in my flesh Yea I my sef shall beholde him not w t other eyes but with these same eies This hope is stedfastly set in my hart Ph. Beleue this earnestly and it shal not greue you to depart froÌ„ your body For wher as it is now mortal incorruptible sick weake vile lothsome it shal at y e generall resurrection be immortal vncorruptible