are greater than Christe the Kynge of glori He offered vs a sacrifice to God and go we aboute to offer hym Agayne he that sacrificeth oughte to be so pure as the sacrifice and whoe I praye you can be so pure as Christe our sacrifice Whoe is able to saye my herte is cleane and I am fre froÌ„ synne To presume to offer sacrifice for the synnes of the people is it anye other thynge than to make them selues Christes and sauiours and to saye wyth that moste proude Angel as it is writ ten by the prophet I wyll clyme vp aboue the cloudes and wil be like the highest of al Do not thei go aboute to shewe them selues equale to Christe yea Christ hym selfe which take vpon theÌ„ to offer sacrifice for the sinnes of the people What other thing did Christ but take awaye oure synne If our Massemongars do the same are they not Christs in dede And yet thys prerogatiue haue they a boue Christe that wher as Christ coulde not obtayne pardonne for our sinnes but by suffering great paines yea very death they do it wtout any paynes taking at al. Christ was mocked scorned thei be praised much made of Christ was accused of heresy and treasoÌ„ they be couÌ„ted good catholike meÌ„ and fulle deuote fathers Christe was pricked to the braynes with a crowne of thorne they haue a bald patch vpon their heades in stead of crownes some haue on their cappes miters for catching cold Christ was stript naked of all hys clothes they be clad in sylke saten damaske veluet and cloth of golde Christe bare hys owne crosse of woode vpon hys shulders whan he went to suffer they haue crosses of golde and syluer borne before them Christ was nayled vnto the crosse they stande at the altare wyth turne returne and halfe turne Christe hanging on the crosse prayde for his very enemies thei standinge at the altare praye for such as be their patrones Founders Bene factours and for suche as hyere them for monie Christe paciently suffered the blasphemyes and opprobrious wordes y t causeles were spoken agaynste hym they if any man offende them streight waies accuse condeme cursse and excommunicat them Christ with hys sacrifice soughte to do good to other they wyth their sacrifices seke to brynge men to superstition to wrap theÌ„ in Idolatry to graffe in them wycked opinions but aboue al thynges to enriche Corban Corban that they may haue plenteously wherwith to fede their idle and beastly bellies Christe at hys passion had vineger and gall geuen hym to drinke but thei haue bread of the fineste and wyne of the beaste to eate and drincke Christe offered hys owne blessed bodye a swete smellynge sacrifice to God the fa ther for the synnes of the people they offerre a wafer cake and 〈◊〉 sponefull of wyne makynge the people to beleue that it is a sacri fice whyche they offer pro salute uiuorum et requie omnium fidelium defunctorum For the health of them that be aliue and the rest of all the faythfull that are dead Christe after he had offered hys sacrifice sayd Consummatum est Euery thyng is done and pefectly finished that maketh vnto the saluacioÌ„ of man yea and that by this my one oblation They can not say so neither bring they any thyng vnto perfection For theyr sacrifices are so imperfecte that they are as redye to offer to morowe as to day and neuer the bet ter Christe after the oblacion of hys most blessed bodye commended hys spirite into the handes of hys heauenly father and died straight wayes they after they haue offered their newe founde oblation faull to bancketynge drinckynge gullynge and glossynge to huntynge whoring dis inge and cardynge and all the dayes of their life they liue dissolutely in moste vayne pleasures boethe of the fleshe and of the worlde What feloweshippe and agremente is there here I praye you betwene Christe and the Massemongers betwene the ob lacion of Christ the popish sacri fice betwene the Masse and the death of Christe Ye maie se into what absurdities and to muche inconueniences these pedlerlyke Papistes faulle whyle they stablish an Idole of their owne makynge How saye ye are they not goodly Christes and pretye sauioures Theo. Christes They are euen suche Christes as the true Christ hym selfe speaketh of in the Gospell of Sayncte Mathewe Ther shal aryse sayth he fals Christes and false prophetes Here they be called Christes but ther is added vnto it False so that they be false Christes fayned Christes liynge Christes deceyteful Christes Christo. Of suche Christes Christe gaue vs warnynge and bade vs take hede saying if any man shall saye vnto you Behold heare is Christ or there is Christ beleue hym not â—…f they shall say vnto you Beholde he is in the wyldernes go not out Beholde he is in the pixe beleue them not Lo I haue told you afore hand These popishe Masse mongers are the ministers of SataÌ„ which chauÌ„ge themselues into Angelles of lyght These are those men that haue corrupt mindes which are wythout all trueth whyche thyncke that lucâ—…e is godlines These are those false Prophetes and false teachers whiche sayeth Sayncte Peter shall priuelye brynge in damnable sectes euen deniynge the Lorde that hath bought them and brynge vpon them selues swifte damnacion and many shal folowe theyr dam nable wayes by whome the way of trueth shall be euyl spoken of and thorowe couetousnes shall they wyth fayned wordes make Marchaundise of you whose iudgemente is nowe not farre of and theyr dampâ—…acion sleapeth not Philemo We haue textes almost innumerable conteyned in the holye scriptures whyche declare that Christ alone by hys bloude hath perfectely wrought oure re demptioÌ„ satisfied for our sinnes pacified the wrath of God and brought vs agayn into fauoure But if ther were no mo places of the scripture to condeÌ„ne the sacri fice of the Masse but thys one whyche Christe hangynge vpon the crosse sayed Euery thynge is made perfecte it were sufficiete For if Christe by his death haue made all thynges perfecte than lefte he nothynge imperfect So doeth it truely folow that the papistical sacrificeynge for the synnes of the quicke and deade is damnable iniurious and despitful to the blessed passioÌ„ of christe seinge Christe made all thynges coÌ„suÌ„mate and perfecte by his pre cious death and by that alone ob tayned perpetuall remission for al the synnes of the faythful For his glorious death and bytter pa ssion is eueÌ„ now of as ful streÌ„gth and of as much vertue as it was what time he suffered and so shal coÌ„tinewe vnto the worldes ende as blessed Paulle sayeth Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same continueth for euer Therefore is he called an euerlastynge priest because he doth al thinges perfectly requireth none other to healpe hym as he him selfe sayeth by y e prohet I am he that tea cheth rightuousnes am of power
touched w t no pitie toward the pore It is foūd true in thē y t S. Paul wrighteth Al seke ther own adauntage not those thinges which belonge vnto Iesu Christ. They whiche in times past were wonte to be fathers of the contrie are now pollers and pillers of the cōtrie They which in times paste were wōt to be the defēders of the pore are now becom y e destroiers of y e same Thei by whom the comon weale sometime was preserued are now become the Caterpillers of y e comō weale such as seme by their ma ners to haue made a solē vowe vt terli to subuert the comō weale to procure y e final destructiō of y e same Thei a◅◅satiable woulues Thei know no measure So they maye reygne they care not who rule So they maye abound they care no whoe faulle to the grounde So they maye be enriched thei care not who ◅e enpoue rished They are right brothers of Caine whiche had rather sl◅ his brother Abell thā he shoulde haue any part with him of world ly possessions The wyse mā sayeth the breade of the nedye is the lyfe of y e pore he that defraudeth him of it is a mansl ear◅ Do not these riche worldlinges defraud the pore man of hys bread wher by is vnderstande al thynges ne cessary for a mans life which tho row their insatiable couetousnes sel all thynges at so highe pryce suffer townes so to decaye that the pore hath not what to eat nor yet wher to dwel What other ar they than but verye manslears They abhore the names of Mōkes Friers Chanons Nonnes c but their goodes they gredely gripe And yet where the cloysters kept hospitaliti let out their fermes at a resonable price norished scholes brought vp youth in good letters they do none of all these thynges They lightly esteme and in a maner contemne Priestes parsons vicares Prebendaries c yet their possessiōs thei gladlye enbrase niggardly retayne So ' that nowe they are become in effecte althoughe not in name very Monckes Friers Chanons Priestes Persons Ui cares Prebendaryes and at the last what not and yet how vainly those goodes be spente whoe seeth not The state of England was neuer so miserable as it is at thys presente Good Lorde haue mercy vpon vs and put in the hertes of the kinge and of his coūsel to redres these intolerable pestilences of the common wealth or els make haste to dissolue thys wreched world by thy glorious commyng vnto the iudgement where thou shalt render to euery man accordinge to hys dedes lest if we lōg remayne in thys to muche wretchednes we be compelled thorowe pouertye to attempe vnrightuous thinges and forswere the name of the our Lorde God Wel of these thynges afore sayed I trust ye perceiue that no mā oughte to reioyse in the rytches of this world seing they are none of oures but Godes and we as the treasures and stuardes of God must at the dreadful day of iudgement render acomptes to the hyghe Iudge Christe of all that we haue receiued be it much or litel seinge also they are verye transitorye f◅itting from one to a nother in so much that he whych is thys daye a Lorde highely in fauoure and a manne of greate possessions is to morowe a traytoure and not worthe a gallye halfe penye A gayne if they be abused they are verye entisementes vnto all myschefe and naughti◅es they plucke our her tes from God to the deuyll they make vs Idolaters by seruinge that wycked Mammon they pro uoke the vengaunce of God agaynste vs thei make is to be ab horred of God and of all good men they plucke from oure bodyes reast from our mindes quietnes from our eyesslepe frō our face natural colour and adde to al the partes of mā distēperaūce makinge man a slaue vnto that whiche oughte to be obedient vn to him Theo. We perceyue these thynges ryghte well For the wyse man sayeth their is nothynge worse than a couetous man neyther is ther a more wicked thyng then to loue money For such one hath his soule to sel and yet is he but filthye dunge while he liueth And the Preacher sayeth he that loueth money wyl neuer be satisfied wyth monye and whoso delyghteth in ryches shall haue no profite thereof Where as muche rychesse is there are many also that spēd them awaye And what pleasure more hath he that possesseth thē sauinge that he maye loke vpon them with his eyes A labouring man slepethe swetelye whether it be litle or much that he eateth but thaboūdaūce of the rich wyl not suffer hym to slepe yea many times riches are kept to the hurt of hym that hath them in possession For ofte times they perishe wyth his great misery and trouble and if he haue a childe it getteth nothynge Lyke as he came naked out of hys mothers wōbe so goeth he thither agayne and caryeth nothynge awaye wyth hym of all hys laboure c. Euse. It were wysdome for the ryche menne if they tender their owne saluation and be ledde wyth any hope of the lyfe to come to heare what blessed Paulle wryghtethe vnto Byshoppe Timothe and earnestlye to folowe that ◅ys wordes are these Charge them whyche are ryche in thys worlde that they be not hye mynded nor truste in vncertayne ryches but in the lyuynge God whiche geueth vs aboundantly al thinges to enioy them that they do good workes that they be redy to giue and glad to distribute leying vp in ◅ore for thē selues a good foū dacion agaynst the time to come that thei may obtaine eternal lif Phile. O that they woulde be aduertised by thys Aopstle Then shoulde God be their defender in al their affayres cause both thē their posteritie longe to enioye then possessiōs w t the fauoure blessinge of al good men But let vs go forth and search whither a ny thynge can be founde in thys transitorye worlde wherein we may worthyly reioyse What say ye vnto nobilitie Christo. Not afewe do greately reioyse in that magnifieynge them selues because they descende of noble parentage and in comparison of them selues they greately dispise other Phile. O folish ignoraūte people Why rather do they not consider y t boeth riche pore noble vnoble hie or base do cōsiste are made of the same elemētes subiect vnto like diseases bond to y e same affectes Earth we are al dust vnto earth dust shal we returne As we were made to liue so likewise are we al appointed to die Bodies haue we al cor ruptible bōd to mortaliti Ther is no exception amonge vs. Neither hath ani of vs obtained such priuiledge of God y t we maye escape y e bondage of fraile nature Seing thā y t as touching our cor poral creacion ther is no differēce no prerogatiue what nobilitie or
of y e true onli sacrifice Iesu Christ thei set vp magnifie an Idol of their own makīg whiche is y e masse presume in y t to offer sacrifice dayly for y e synnes of the quicke and deade crake that it is of no les price valoure strength and vertue than the passion and death of Christ◅is Againe that what so euer christ did for the saluacion of man vpon the altare of y e crosse they do the very same at the masse Chri. O extreme blasphemy Whoe euer denied y e Lord that bought them if these popishe massemon gers do it not Who iustly may be called the enemies of the cros of Christe if the mumblynge Massehunters be not the verye same Whoe at anye tyme hath troden vnderfote the sonne of God and counted the bloude of the testamente wherewyth the fayethfull are sanctified as an vnholy thynge and done dishonour to y e spirite of grace if these shamelesse sacrificers haue not done it And yet it is a worlde to se what a numbre there are not onely of the ignoraunt and vnlearned but of them also whych bragge boeth of wysedome and learnyng that cleaue to this Idolatrous masse wyth to the and naile that defend it to the vttermoste wyth swerd fyre and halter that maintayn it wyth their tyches possessions that striue for it wyth as stronge reasons and arguments as they canne partely bicause they are afrayed I speake of the Popeishe priestes lea◅t thys commune whore theyr masse should be driuen out of the game place and by thys meanes theyr kitchen shoulde ware colde and theyr idle bea◅ies be no more fedde with the labours of other mennes handes p◅rtelye bicause they thynke if thys abhominable strompet the masse were banyshed oute of the temples I speake of the rude ignoraunte people all true religion were gonne al christen deuotiō were perished in so muche that they coulde not tell what to do for to please god nor yet how to worship him partly I speake of the worldly wise bicause they wyll geue no place to the trueth leste if they should consēte to the puttynge awaye of thys mooste stynkinge and filthye whore the masse that old baude and grādmother of whoredome and abhominations of the earth they shoulde be compelled to graūte as they thynke to theyr greate shame and ignominie that both they haue bene blynde and also led other blind these many yeres and so they sholde lose theyr estimation renoume and fame amonge the people which things they mooste chiefelye hunte and haucke after For they loue the praise of men more then the glory of God Euse. Certes so longe as that Popeyshe Masse shall be continued in the churche and beleued to be a sacrifice for the sinnes of the quicke deade Idolatrye shal beare rule among vs infidelitie shall lye couched in y e hertes of mē Supersticion shal neuer be exiled frome the bondes of Christianitie Hypocrisye shall styll fytte in the consciences of menne the vsurped power of the Byshoppe of Rome shall not loose hyr strengthe the fruites of Christes deathe shall neuer be truly knowne neyther our heauenlye father worthylye thancked for them the purgyng fornace of the Italiā bishop shal neuer be quēched the idle shauē nation of the popeish masse mōgers shall styl be mainteyned in theyr disolute and beastlye maner or lyuynge the papisticall sa crificers shall not cease to blaspheme that most swete smelling sacrifice Iesu Christe that most hygh and euerlasting bishoppe the holye blessed supper of the Lorde shall neuer be truely frequented and vsed in the churche of Christe to be shorte an whole sea of euyls shall raygne florysh and triumphe in the christen cōgregatiō Phile. Truly I thinke there is no christen herte whych considerynge these thynges tofore rehearsed lamenteth not to se so greate an euil and pestilēce as the masse is to reygne amōg theim that professe Christ yea to be had in so hygh price that it is beleued to be of no lesse strēgth and vertue thē the glorious passion of oure Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christ. But let vs se howe thys wycked opinion of the sacrifice of the masse agreeth wyth Gods moste holy worde The Papistes affirme that the synnes of the quicke and deade are put awaye by the sacrifice of theyr masses whiche they mumble daily Against thys deuillish doctrine must we set as an inuisible bulwarke thys texte of blessed S. Paule It became vs to haue suche an hye prieste as is holye innocente vndefiled seperate frō sinners and made higher then heauen whyche neadeth not dayly as the other priestes to offer Sacrifice fyrste for hys owne synnes and then for the syns of the people For this did he that is to saye Christe once for all when he offered vp hym selfe Lette these sacrificers here note that no prieste can offer any sacrifice for oure synnes but suche a one as is holy innocent vndefiled c. whyche is Iesus Christe alone Seyng then that they wante thys holynes innocency puritie c. It is euidente by S. Pauls wordes that they can not sacrifice neyther for the quicke nor for the dead Agayne blessed Paule sayeth that thys euerlastynge priest Ie sus Christe neadeth not daylye as the other priests to offer sacrifice whyche by one oblation of him selfe hath deliuered for euermore so manye as beleue in hym from al theyr sinnes Uerili these missars are altogither amise What wyll they say now If Christe neade no more to offer sacrifice muche lesse neede the priestes If one oblation of Christe be altogyther suffitiente thē are the dayly oblatiōs of the popish massemōgers vaine and vnprofitable If Christe offered hym selfe once for al then canne not the papists offer hym so oftē as it pleaseth them Whereof it maye be concluded that they do no thynge in theyr satisfactorye masses but blaspheme the Lord and hys annoynted seynge they so arrogantly arrogate vnto thē selfes power to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people when this one oblation of oure Sauioure and Lorde Christe Iesus is all whollye suffitiente and thorowlye able in euerye poynte euen vnto the vttermooste to saue all the electe chosē people of God yea and y t so abūdaūtlye at the ful y t henseforth there nedeth no reiteraciō nor no renewing therof If ther were no mo scripturs to cōdemne this wicked opinion of the Sacrifice of the masse but thys one tofore recited it myght seme to any christen iudgement sufficient to subuert ouerthrowe tople downe what so euer the Papists haue builded vpon the sande of theyr owne inuentions these certayne hundred yeres What is chaffe in comparison to wheate sayeth the Lorde Is not my word lyke fyre sayth the Lord and lyke a twibytte cleauynge the rocke of stonne But lette vs rehearse mo scriptures The blessed Apostle saith Christ beyng a bishop of good thinges to come came by a
wyth Itemissa est Well thys maye ye easly perceyue howe greatly the Popysh masse differeth from the true institutiō of the Lords supper and that they agre togyther as Christe and Beliall lyghte and darcknesse trueth and falsehode ce Christo. It shall therfore be conuenient for all true christian hertes no more to repose the trust of theyr saluation in the Sacrifice of theyr Popeyshe masse nor in anye thynge apperteynynge to the same but onely in the blessed passion in the precyouse bloude gloryouse death of oure Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ which by the alone Sacrifice of hys mooste holye body hath euen vn to the vttermoste and at the full payed our raunsome broughte vs euerlastynge healthe Theo. Thys is a confortable hea rynge for all fayethfull penitent synners But I praye you neighboure Philemon remayne there no mo causes of reioysyng in the Lorde oure God Philemon Yesse verilye For thys oure Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe dyd not onelye boeth wyllyngely and frelye gyue him selfe vnto the deathe of the crosse for oure synnes and wyckednes and by thys meanes paye oure raunsome to God the father for oure offēses that Satan might haue no power ouer vs but he al so thorowe the might of his godhead rose agayne gloriously and triumphantlye on the thyrd day accordynge to the scriptures for oure iustification as the Apostle sayeth He was betraied vnto the death for our synnes and rose agayne for oure iustification For as by the death of Christe oure raunsome is payed the diuine wrath is pacified oure synnes are washed away in Christes bloude a reconciliacion perfect atonemēt is made betwene God the father and vs the obligation of oure dette is rased oute the law is fulfilled the curse of goddes wrath is takē away al thynges both in heauen and in earth are pacified so in lyke maner by the Resurrection of Christe wee are made ryghtuousse accepted into Goddes fauoure recounted for iuste holye and vertuousse sette at libertye from the tyrannye of Sathan admitted into the celestiall courte of the newe Hierusalem and become felowe cityzyns of the houshold of God wyth the Saynctes and blessed spirites Euse. O inestimable treasures broughte to vs by the gloryouse resurrection of our moste blessed sauiour Iesu Christ. Phile. Yea lette vs marke thys also by the waye that as oure moste valeaunt Lorde and Emperoure Iesus Christe by his resurrection gatte the vyctory ouer Sathan Synne Deathe Hell Desperation and all that is enemye to Mannes healthe so in lyke condicion haue we in hym and thorowe hym goten a glorious victorye ouer Sathan and all hys kyngdome that we maye wyth a ioyeful voyce saye death is swalowed vp into victo rye O death where is thy vyctorye O death where is thy styng The stynge of death is sinne the power of synne is the lawe But thanckes be to God whiche hath geuen vs the victorye thorowe oure Lorde Iesu Christe Christo. O what a ioye and comforte is this to a Christen mans herte to se hys enimies whiche before so greately soughte hys distruccion thus vanquished subdued and troden vnder his fote This haue we gotten as ye very truly haue sayde by Christes resurrection as Christe hym selfe testifieth sayeinge nowe is the iudgemente of the worlde nowe shall the prince of thys worlde be caste oute Agayne be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world By the Prophet Ose he also sayeth I wyl deliuer them from the power of death yea from deathe it selfe wyll I redeme them O death I wyll be thy death O hel I wyll be thy destruccion Phile. Moreouer by Christes resurrection haue we obtayned not only Iustification victory ouer our enemies but also resurrection of bodye and euerlastynge immortalitie For as oure Lorde and sa uioure Iesus Christe dyd put of the mortalitie of hys bodye and became immortall at hys resurrection so by the power of that hys moste glorious resurrection shall we also at the greate day of iudgemente in oure resurrection receyue immortall and incorruptible bodyes euen lyke vnto the glorious body of oure moste myghtye and valeaunt captayne Iesu Christe The. Oh who cā expres the worthines excellency of these heauenly gyftes whiche we obtaine by the mooste victorious and triumphante Resurrection of Iesus Christe oure Lorde and sauioure Philemon Lette these thynges therefore dearelye beloued brethren make you to reioyce in the Lorde Lette these thyngs prouoke you to wythdrawe your mynde from transitory thynges and stedfastly to fyxe it on thynges cōstaunt and euerlastinge Lette these thynges sequester youre Ioye and pleasure frome the swete entisynge moremaydes of thys worlde and allure to the alone delectation in celestiall treasures Christ. O blessed is that man to whōme it is geuen frome aboue truely to sauoure these thynges fayethfullye to beleue theim and earnestly to reioyce in that Lord whyche is the alone geuer of thē Sure m◅◅at man be that hys name is written in the booke of lyfe Philemon But lette vs go forthe to declare moe benifites of God towarde man that oure ioye in the Lorde maye be vnfayned cōsummate and perfecte After this mooste noble conqueste and victorious triumphe whyche oure moste mighty Emperour Christ Iesus hadde ouer Sathan and hys infernall ministers he taried here in thys worlde certayne dayes wyth hys Disciples eatynge drynkeynge and talkyng wyth thē of the kyngdome of his heauenly father and confirming them in the waye of trueth And thys dyd he not only to make thē stronge in the article of his resur rection but also by the instruction of them to corroborat fortifye and strength vs in the same seekynge no les oure health then the saluacion of them For as the Apostle sayeth if thou doste confesse wyth thy mouth the Lorde Iesus beleue wyth thyne herte that God raysed hym vp frome the dead thou shalt be saued Cer tayne dayes paste from his resur rection Christe our Lorde by the power of hys godhede in y e sight of his Apostles ascēded into heauen God and man Haue we no cause to reioyce in this behaulfe Hath this his marueylouse ascēsion brought no commoditie and profite to vs Haue we a iuste cause to reioyce in hys natiuitye preachynge miracles good workes crosse passion bloude death resurrection whych al are ours not in hys ascention also We reade that the Apostles were very sadde when Christe told theim that he shoulde ascende vnto his father But Christe sayed vnto them I tel you trueth it is expedient and profitable for you that I go ascende vnto my father Christe tolde the Apostles that it was expediente profitable for theim that he shoulde go vp into heauen If it were expedient for them it is euē so like wyse for vs. For we are saued by y e very same waye whereby they receyued saluation Let vs therfore consider what commodities and profites the Apostles had by Christes ascention and let vs w t
ascen cion a preparer of a heauenli and glorious mansion for vs againe a purchaser of the holye goste to comforte vs and to lede vs into al trueth but also an intercessour mediatoure and aduocate where by he obtayneth for vs all good thynges and putteth a backe frō◅s what so euer shoulde hinder ◅e obtaynynge of gods fauoure and the heauenly enheritaunce Christe purchaseth for vs of hys father thoroughe his intercessiō so aboūdantly and so altogether sufficiently al thinges necessarye for the conseruacion boeth of our bodie and soule that we nede not to praie vnto any sainct in heauē as the papistes haue taughte vs neither vnto mary Iohn Peter Iames nor any other to be oure intercessoure mediatour or aduo cate It is Christes office alone to be a mediatonree betwene god and vs as blessed Paulle teacheth vs in his Epistle vnto Timo the. I doubte not neygheboures but so many as are fayethful are replete wyth exceadynge ioye to consider howe manifolde and diuers benefites gyftes and graces chaunce to vs by the wonderfull ascencion of Christ our Lord and sauioure Theo. Who so euer considereth depely in hys minde those thynges that ye haue taughte vs hitherto shall be occasioned vnfainedly to obeye thys commaundemente of the blessed Apostle he that reioyceth let hym reioyse in the Lorde so swete and full of all heauenly pleasure are these commodities whyche wee receyue of God thorowe Christ oure Lord. Philemon But let vs make haste vnto an ende concernynge thys matter that we maye learne in fewe wordes what so euer remai neth of gods goodnes towarde vs in Christe I meane so muche as oure wyte can comprehende and we be taughte in the holye scripture that we maye earnestely reioyse in the Lorde oure God We haue hearde heretofore manye vrgente and wayghtie causes why we shoulde of very right and boūden dutie reioyse and be mery in the Lorde Nowe it remayneth orderlye to declare the finall and laste cause whye wee ought to be glade and reioyse in God Christ. I praye you lette vs heare Phile. As Christ was borne for vs wrought al good thinges in hys manhode for vs suffered for vs died for vs rose againe for vs ascended into heauen for vs purchaised the holy goste for vs prayeth for vs obtayneth al best thynges for vs so likewise at the laste daye shall he beynge oure heade come agayne frō the right hande of his father to fet◅ vs hys membres and to enunite vs w t him in the same glori ther euer to remayne And althoughe to the wycked he shall come as a ter rible and ryghteous iudge to revenge and not to pardonne to punishe and not to forgiue to cōdeme and not to saue yet to the fayethfull shall he come in hys glorious maiestye and all the blessed Angeles wyth hym lyke a mooste louynge and Gentle sauioure sayeynge to them on thys manner come ye blessed of my father possesse ye the kyngdome prepared for you from the begynnynge of the worlde O whooe is able to expresse what ioye and comforte thys afore sayed sentence shal bringe to the hertes of the fayethfull But to the vnfayethfull it shall be sayede gette ye hence ye cursed into euerlastinge fire which is prepared for the deuil and hys Angeles Euse. O that daye shall be to the wycked a bitter daye a daye of wrath a daye of tribulacion and anguishe a day of calamitie mise ry wrechednes a daye of darcknes and miste a day of cloudines boistuousnes a day of feareful trompettes and shawmes blowynge Philemon I graunte notwythstandeynge to the fayethefull it shall be a swete daye a daye of fauoure a daye of quietnes and peace a daye of wealth and felicitye a daye of clearenes and lyghte a daye of comforte and solace a daye of heauenly myrth ioye and pleasure For as blessed Paulle fayeth the eye hathe not seene nor the eare hathe not hearde neyther canne the herte of manne thynke what thynges God hathe prepared for them that loue hym They shall be as Angelles of God in heauen They shall shyne as the clearenes of the firmament and as starres for euer and euer They shall be counted amonge the sonnes of god and their lot shal be among the saynctes They shall receyue of the Lordes hande an honorable kyngedome and a beautifull diademe They shall be clad with longe whighte garmentes Thei shal be be fore the throne of God and serue hym day and nyght in his temple They shal hōgar and thyrste no more neither shall the sonne or any heate faul vpon thē for the lambe Christe whyche is in the middes of the throne shall gouerne them and lead thē vnto the fountayues of the water of lyfe and God shal wype a waye euery teare from their eies Thei shall dwell in a citye that nedeth neyther sonne nor mone to shyne in it For the clerenes of God shal illumine it They shall beholde the glorious face of god presently and hys name shall be written in their foreheades They shall eate of the tre of lyfe whych is in the paradise of God To conclud they shal haue a crowne of glory and syt wyth Christe their elder brother in hys throne euen as he sitteth wyth hys father in hys throne and shall lyue wyth God and hys holy angelles in al kind of honoure and glorye ioye and pleasure worlde wythout ende O what can a Christen man desire more of the Lorde hys God then these thinges which I haue heretofore rehersed Come of tell me nowe I praye you if we haue not many yea and innumerable boeth vrgent and wayghtie causes why we shoulde reioyse in the Lorde our God I doubte not I doubte not moste dere brethren but by the hearynge of these thin ges ye are nowe so rapte into the loue of God for the moste hyghe and singulare pleasures whyche thorowe Christe Iesus ye haue allredye receyued and here after shall receyue a thousand tymes more abound a untlye that from hēceforth al worldly thinges shal waxe vile vnto you and ye shall euen from the verye herte endeuoure youre selues at all tymes to repose all youre ioye comforts pleasure and felicitie in the Lord oure God alone alone so that ye shall reioyse in none neyther in heauen nor in earth but in hym alone alone Chri. Neyghboure Philemō we all are kindled with so feruente and so hertye loue towarde God for these hys moste singulare and inestimable benefites that we do not onely defye the world and all the vayne plea sures of it but we also are redye for our stedfast loue in God and for the perfecte reioysinge in him gladly to saye wyth the blessed A postle who shall seperat vs from the loue of Christe Shall tribulacion or anguishe Or famine Or nakednes Or parel Or persecution Or swerde I am sure that neyther death nor lyfe nor angels nor soueraignties nor powers nor thinges present nor thynges to come nor strenghte
the Romains and wold serue none but Christe alone the sonne of almighty God y e blessed martyre with a lusty courage and me ry hert braste out into these wordes sayinge I thanke almyghty God whyche voucheth safe to losen me from the baÌ„des of this body And so died When Maximianus that moste cruell Empe roure commaunded hys souldiours to worshyppe false Goddes and to slea so manye as professed Christ hys blessed word Mauricius w t his felowes answered that eyther in worshypping false Goddes or in sleaynge the true Christians they by no meanes would obeye the Emperour We are sayd they thy souldidurâ—… O Emperour but yet we frely confesse that wee are the seruauntes of God which gaue vs thys our life We can not folowe the Emperour so that we shoulde denye God our maker yea and thy ma ker also whether thou wylte or wylte not We are christian men therefore maye wee not persecute such as professe Christe We are readye rather to dye then to kyll suche And wee are more desierousse to dye innocentes then to lyue wycked and synfull Know thou that the mindes of thys army by no meanes can be ouercome These wordly weapons we caste awaye Oure breaste is enarmed wyth the fayeth of Christ which is oure shylde bucler and defeÌ„ce agaynste the fyrye dartes of the deuil of al his souldiours Therfore slee thou kil thou mur ther thou minister what kynd of payne thou wylte we w t a bolde courage offer our selues to suffer for the glory of God And shortly after y e holy man of God wyth a greate nuÌ„bre of blessed martyrs mo were slaine w t the swerd Eus. These be notable exeÌ„ples worthy to be practised of al faythfull christiaÌ„s if God at any time calleth theÌ„ vnto this conflicte w t the worldely tyrauÌ„tes fained holy hypocrites for the coÌ„fessioÌ„ of hys blessed trueth Philem I could rehearse many mo godly hystories to declare w t what a readye wyll wyth howe reioysing an hert the blessed martyrs of Christ suffred all maner of bitter tormentes for the Lords sake but these at this presente shall suffice For hereof maye ye learne to practise thys word of the Apostle Alway I mean to reioyce in the Lorde our God not onely in prosperitie but also in aduersitie be it in sycknes losse of goodes pouertie persecution or anye other crosse y t god our father laieth vpoÌ„ vs. For this the duty of a true christen maÌ„ to coÌ„ceyue that same fayeth hope and ioye in God when he is assayled in tribulation that he had before when all thynges were moste prosperouse to him So meaneth the Apostle when he sayeth Reioyce in the Lorde alwaye And bycause he woulde haue vs earnestlye to reioyce in the Lorde at al tymes be it in prosperitie or aduersitie he doubleth this word Reioyce saiyng Reioyce in the Lord alway yea once agayne I saye reioyce Piththye and full of efficacye is thys sentence of the Apostle and comprehendeth in it many Godly misteries as ye haue hytherto partely hearde S. Paule desiereth nothyng more then that we shoulde reioyce in the Lord. His ioye is altogyther in God therefore would he that yours should be so lykewyse And vnto thys doeth that princelyke prophet ex hort you also saying Be ye glad reioyce in the Lord O ye rightuous and al ye that are true her ted be mery in the Lord. Agayne Let so mani as trust in y e O lord be meri yea thei shal be ioyful for euer and thou shalt dwel among them And al that loue thy name shall reioyce in the. Therefore if we loue the name of God if wee truste to be saued by hys mercye if we loke for good thynges at y e hand of our heauenly father thorowe Iesus Christ let vs sequester our ioye frome all worldelye thynges whyche are but vanitie as ye haue hearde before and repose it only in the Lord our God Chr. That Lorde whyche is the father of mercies and the God of all consolation mought grauÌ„t vnto vs hys most holy spirite to worcke in vs suche a swetenes delectation in spiritual thynges that what so euer is of the world may waxe vile vnpleasaunt and bitter vnto vs and that wee by thys meanes maye vnfaynedlye and euen from the very bottome of the herte reioyce in the Lorde our god alone alone Theo. The Lorde myght brynge thys thinge to passe in vs. Philemon Well neyghbours Nowe accordynge to my promisse haue I geuen you this Iewell of Ioye not so conningelye and worckemanlyke I confesse handeled as some other of better knowledge and more rype iudgmeÌ„t in y e misteries of God coulde haue done it notwythstandynge truely and fayethfully wroughte accordynge to the pure vayne of the holye scriptures But what so euer thys youre gyfte is I praye you take it to good worthe and accepte my louynge herte towarde you Thoughe possibilitte fayleth yet good wyll shall neuer wante in me but what so euer the Lord shall geue at all tymes I wyll bestowe it vpon you and vpon hys holye congregation and by no meanes suffer the talente geuen vnto me of my Lorde God to lye Idle by me but for my power I wyll so employe 〈◊〉 that it maye turne to the glorye of God and to the profite of hys blessed churche For the hystorye of the vnprofitable seruaunte whyche hydde vp the money of hys Lord in the ground therefore was coÌ„deÌ„ned caste into vtter darckenes where wepyng gnashyng of teth shal be ought to make al meÌ„ afrayed that haue receyued any gyfte at al of God and to prouoke theim not to be sluggyshe and idle but to vse theyr talentes accordynge to the commauÌ„demente of God whyche sayeth Occupye youre selues tyl I come Euse. Blessed is that man whych so occupieth hys talent that God therwith is glorified and hys neyghbouredifted Sure maye he be at that great and dreadful day of iudge mente to heare of hys Lord God thys most swete and ioyfull senteÌ„ce O myne own good seruauÌ„te and fayethfull Thou haste bene faythful in little I wyl make the ruler ouer muche Enter in into thy Lordes ioy Philem. Neyghbours I wyll disease you no lenger but as I haue geuen you a spirituall Iewell ioyful and coÌ„fortable for the soule so wyll I in like maner at this my coÌ„ming home and returne into mi natiue contrye bestowe somewhat vpon you that shall not be vnprofitable for y e body For I wysh good boeth to your soule body And woulde God it laye in my power to gratifie you in both alyke But that whych shall wante in worldely thinges shall if I lyue be recompensed in spiritual thin ges But as I maye at the laste make an ende remember brethreÌ„ remembre what ye haue hearde of me at thys present Remembre that all thynges in thys worlde be subiect vnto vanitie yea they them selues are mere vanitie as the preacher sayeth Al