this do y e great ensaÌ„ples of mercy shewed to peter to mary magdalene to y e murtherer serue I wil leaue of dauid of paul many more Submitte your selues rendre you to god confessynge you to suffre worthely and iustly for your synnes that Christ died vniustly Beleue y t in y e despising of Christ is hidde y e godly glory in y e death is hidde y e kyngdoÌ„ of Christ which y e aforesayd murtherer did it shal be sayde vnto you To daye shall ye be w t me in paradise CoÌ„sidre your wyckednesse Christes goodnesse CoÌ„sidre y e damnacion that ye haue deserued and agayn the loue of Christ which hath recoÌ„cyled you by the father This doynge you shal heare w t Mary magdalene Many synnes are forgeueÌ„ you for ye loued many your faith made you safe Peter remeÌ„bred y e wordes of christ bi his lokyng vpoÌ„ hiÌ„ at y e coks croeÌ„g bewayled he his synnes The Lorde almyghty doth now beholde you with this presente syknes and by sendynge of death and perchaunce letteth the souÌ„de of the worde come in youre harte Knoledge your synnes knoledge the trew iudgment of God that he letteth passe vpon youre mysdedes in your sufferynge and he shall not forsake you in youre callynge and mournynge But shall appeare vnto you with a comfortable worde of hys resurreccion which shall make youre conscience lusty and to reioyce in hope of the lyfe to-come as he hath done with Peter Happy are they that wepe with Peter bearynge of very loue the yocke and power of synne in theyr bodyes with greueousnesse for they shal be conforted Thys is the promyse of God y t caÌ„ not lye vnto you nor yet wyll do Loke vpon thys trustynge to it you shall rightwell subdue youre enmy synne Lazarus O Lorde geue me thy godly grace that I maye beleue thy holsome worde by y e which my harte may be purifyed of all synfull desyres which are innumerable in me Tobyas Amen God graunte you thesame Lazarus Instructe me now farther good brother how I maye behaue myselfe in y e death tocome whan I begynne to mystrust wether death shall than wholy swalowe my vp Tobyas The nature of the mysbeleuynge is such that they can not beleue there be a rysynge agayne of the flesshe by reason thys bodely death semeth to consume a man wholy and all Wherfore they saye wyth mouth and harte as it is wrytten in the boke of wysedom The tyme of oure lyfe is but short and tedious and whan a maÌ„ is once gone he hath no more ioye nor pleasure nother know we ony man that turneth agayne from death for we are borne of naught and we shal be herafter as though we neuer had bene and so forth Ouer these men that be of such fayth commeth damnation worthely for as they lyue and their opinion is so doth it chaunce also vnto them The gospell is yet wholy hydde vnto them for the God of this worlde hath blynded theyr hartes so that the lyght of the gospell the glory of Christes rysynge can not shyne in theyr hartes Such men were they of AtheÌ„ that sayde of Paul that he was a declarer of new deuels Act. xvii whaÌ„ he declared them Iesu and shewed them of hys resurreccion Of lyke natural blyndnesse dyd it come that they of Athen axed at Paul sayenge Maye not we knowe what new doctryne this is that thou teachest For thou bryngest straunge tydynges in to oure eares We wolde knowe therfore what thys meaneth VpoÌ„ which questyon Paul made a goodly sermon coÌ„cernynge the fayth in Chryst and hys rysynge agayne The mystery of the resurreccioÌ„ of Chryst is the chefe and princypall poynt of our fayth For what shulde it haue had auayled vs that Chryst dyed and suffred for vs yf he hadde not bene rysen agayn This resurreccion of the flesshe that we also abyde in Chryst maye not be rekened a dreame because we se it not For yf we sawe it with oure eyen than were it no fayth for fayth is of thynges inuisible and not apparaunt Wherfore though all men seme to begynne the lyfe and fynishe it agayne in thys present worlde yet are we assured and beleue that we all shall ryse agayne from death in the daye of dome euen as Chryst is rysen first This assuraunce of trew fayth passeth all sureties that can be persuaded by ony sutelty of maÌ„s ymaginacion By this fayth Not by the outward opinion speake we of the resurreccion of flesshe euen as the prophet saieth Psal â–ª â—â—v I beleued and therfore haue I spoken Paul taketh vp this worde speake sayenge .ii. Corin iiii Seynge we haue the same sprite of faith accordinge as it is written I beleued and therfore haue I spoken we also beleue and therfore we speake for we knowe y t he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vs vp also by y e meanes of Iesus shall set vs with you it foloweth For y e thinges which are sene are temporall but the thynges which are not sene are eternall Wherfore al that we beleue of god all that we speake of the resurreccion the lyfe tocome semeth not to be so Euen as God hymself and hys honour worshyppe be also inuysyble and not appataunte to be trew vnto such carnall wysemen that haue not receaued the same spryte of the prophete and Paul By the afore sayed sprite of fayth speaketh Paul of the resurreccion saienge The body is sowen here in corrupcion and shall ryse in vncorrupcion Yt is sowen in dyshonoure and it shall ryse agayne in glory Yt is soweÌ„ in weaknesse and shal ryse in poure Yt is sowen a naturall body and shall ryse a spirituall body For flesshe bloude shall not possesse the kyngdom of God and that which is transytory can not possesse eternal heretage Thus must the grane of the flesshy body that is sowen here in eath fyrst dye in the grouÌ„d before it can brynge forth new frute into lyfe euerlastyng which lyfe we do abyde certaynly by fayth in the resurreccion of the flesshe though it appeare impossible vnto vs. For because Chryst is rysen therfore shall we ryse also and not abyde in death For God is no God of the dead but of the lyuenge Abraham Isaac and Iacob Lazarus I wyll graunte it ryght wel that we shal all ryse agayne at the daye of dome nor in that am not I tempted but I am more afrayed of the seconde and eternall death Instructe my agaynst that I pray you that I may perceaue that I feare and drede the seconde death by the reason of my great mysbelefe Tobias Wherto thynke ye the resurreccion of Chryst be stabylisshed with so many tokens and wonders but onely that we shulde stedfastly beleue therin To beleue in the resurreccion of Christ is to beleue that he raygneth and is a kynge and that in his rysynge death and synne be subdued vnto hym Death is the wages of synne Seinge than
perceaued welynough that temptacion was a sure token that he shulde be counted in the nombre of the ryghtwyse The which Raphael the angell declared openly sayenge And because thou wast accepte and beloued of God yt was necessary that temptation shulde trye the. Thus haue they that pleased God euer den proued for eure comforte that we also shulde not despayre whan ony troubell is sent to vs of oure welbeloued fathers hande The carnall wyt can not perceaue nor comprehende that trouble is profytable and a tryall of our fayth but as sone as they get ony troubell they be offended with the workes of god sayenge to all the ryghteous that suffre as Iobs wyfe dyd Do ye yet continue in your perfectnesse Curse god dye As though they wolde laye It is playn now that he is no god that thus scourgeth you and vtterly forsaketh why do ye trust hym yet Saye much good of hī that bryngeth death vpon you for he is as worthy of youre blessynge as a wylfull murthurer to be saued Shrenk frō hym denye hym and remembre ye be mortall and that with thys lyfe ye passe all yeopardyes trust ye yet to optayne good thynges of youre Lorde These and such lyke wordes enspyreth oure wyfe sensualite into oure myndes whan we be assaulted of troubel For as than doth not the flesshe knowe nor fele that god vnder correction and vnder the shyne of hys wrath hath hydde louely countenaunce and couereth y e trew lyfe in death The frendes of the afore sayde Iob also were offended through hys great mysery sayenge Whan dyd euer the innocent perysshe whan were the ryghtwyse destroyed Call loke wether ther be ony body now to geue you an answer of the hope that ye had in the Lorde Turne ye to ony of the sayntes and beholde wyther such lyke dyd happen vnto them Now se ye how the vngodly frendes which take parte with oure flesshe iudge oure acceptabelnes to God by these worldly prosperytes Beholde how carnall wyt estemeth that for a curse which fayth receaueth as a godly reioycynge The frendes that loued Toby after the flesshe dyd also mock the good man he beynge blynde euen as those that vnderstonde nor the worke of pacyence and the glory of the crosse sayenge Where is thy hope for the which thou hast done almes and buryed the dead this is the rewarde that ye haue for doenge good But herken how Tobyas rebuked them sayenge Saye not so for we are the chyldren of holy men and loke for the lyfe which God shall geue vnto them that neuer turne theyr beleue from hym Beholde thys stronge fayth of Tobyas wyth such an answer shall ye shoue and auoyde the wycked in speracion of Sathan that alwaye entyseth you sayenge Are ye wytlesse that ye loke for remissyon of synnes by the bloude of Chryste and loke for the lyfe by death Ye shal be deceaued for who is rysen from death Do not ye se how the fayth of youre Chryst is denyed Yf he loued you as ye thynke wolde not he do you good Yf he were a trewe sauyoure and trew god he wolde not suffre you to lye here thus he wolde not ordre you thus I counsell you to let thys Chryst go what haue ye to wyth hym seynge he doth you no good he doth onely fraye you wyth hell and lyfe tocome herewyth wolde he fayne lede you as wyth a lyne It is not as he maketh you beleue Eate drink and be mery satle youre harte vpon a swete grounde as yt was yesterdaye so shall it also be now Lette vs eate and drynke for what shall we haue more tomorowe must we dye Be not abashed with the folysshe fayth of Christ I can accōlyshe al youre desyre here on earth Do not ye se how my sorte is exalted in the worlde and lyue at ease they be welthy of ryches they haue many frendes theyr houses be wythout care and they be not scourged theyr cattell encrease theyr flocke multiplyeth theyr chyldren playe and be mery they play on instrumentes What do ye gayne vnder the banner of the poore wreched naked disfygured and crucyfyed Chryst saue onely pouerty anguysshe and cōtinuall crosse Lo How hys discyples go by the stretes wyth sore hyles the be fooles and nygardes they be not able to geue a mouse a meales meate and whan they haue lōge ynough serued theyr master obeyenge hys commaundementes at the last they be hewē chopped stykt burnt drowned or come to such lyke shamfull ende what victory hath he thē gotten Where do ye se him rise agayne where se you the swearde shrenke from hym The fyre consumeth hym and water ouerwhelmeth hym where abydeth hys God that shall not forsake him in y e poynt of death Lazarus Ah brother how shal be able to escape these snares of the suttel fynde Verely such temptations haue of tymes made me so doubtfull and perplexe of harte y t I wyste not wyther to shifte me self Yf God hadde not sustayned me I myght haue ben fallen into despayre and ben choked in myn vnbleue I haue bē oft displeased with God seynge all thynges prospered so well with them and I with them that be lyke me stroue agaynst the moone and seuē starres labourynge and toylinge cōmynge out of the one crosse into another My thought yf I were god I wolde haue ordered the game other wyse Timothe Verely brother the deuyll wyth his fleshly pleasures which he layeth before mē to entyce them hath a pleasaunt begynnynge as a bye charged with hony but in y e ende is there a stynge Yf ye behold y e lustes of the fleshe before with the heithē than be they very pleasaunt in the eye as a fayre woman trymly deckte but yf hyr bake be turned than is it all horrible what ye se Thys is the brode lusty waye wherof Christ speaketh sayenge that many walke it yt but she bringeth to eternal dānation The chyldrē of thys worlde y t lyue so welthy passe theyr tyme in yoie it is trew but what foloweth sodēly they go downe to hell sayeth Iob. xxi dauid psal lxxii sayeth y t he also was nye ouercome with beholdīge of y e worldly men and was nye ouercome of the tēptacion of welth as we all be somtyme sayenge My fete that be the thoughtes where with the hart moueth were almoost gone my steppes were neare sleded And why I was greued at the wyked to se the vngodly in such prospyte For they are in no parell of death but stonde fast as a palace They come in no mysfortune lyke other men nother are they plaged lyke other folke c. Wherfore brother I exhorte you not to be moued at such inspirynges of the deuell be not greued not offended with y e vngodly for ye shall se theyr ende how that they shall wyther lyke hey and decaye as flores in the felde Be renewed in the Lorde and he shal accomplishe the desyres of youre harte Say alwaye with
the Chrystenly bryde may say My loue is myn and I am hys Lazarus That same is very comfortable that Christ hath accepted vs and geuen hym self vnto vs. Wherby we haue receaued hys lyfe for oure death his strength for oure weaknesse hys ryghtwysnesse for oure synnes But whan beare we Christ in oure body Tobias Where we be contrary to Christ and folowe not hys learnynge ensample and spirite ther do not we beare Christ Ther be we ryd of Christ ▪ Paul sayeth .ii. Cor. xiii Knowe ye not your selues that Iesus Christ is in you Except ye be castawayes Those than that through the spirite of God be obeyenge in all pacience redy to obey Gods cōmaundements in redringe and delyuerynge thēself to the wyll of God compelled and made lusty harted They maye saye w t Paul I lyue now not I but christ liueth in me Paul had also crucified hys fleshe with his cōcupiscences so that the worlde became hym a crosse and he a crosse vnto the worlde agayne He was sayde to beare Christ in his body for his body was dayly destroyed through the crosse lyke as the body of Christ was slayne by the crosse and sufferynge To such lyke mortifyenge exhorteth vs Paul Rom. xii sayenge I beseke you brethren by the mercyfulnesse of God that ye geue ouer your bodyes for a sacrifyce that is quyck holy and acceptable vnto God which is youre resonable seruynge of God Thys is an acceptable sacrifyce which is consumed of the brande of sufferynge which we do beare wyllingly with Chryst lyke a trew burnt offeringe For in the daye of trybulation we offer vnto God a trew sacryfyce of prayse that is the frute of oure lyppes in knoledgynge hys name That we as the payne of oure body cōmeth plentuous vpon vs knoledge the name of Chryst that is a token that we be Chrystes disciples guyded by hys sprete by the which he hath bene obedient to hys fathers wyll vnto the death of the crosse Orels shulde we be lyke them that beleue so longe as all thynges prosper but in tyme of temptacion than do they shrynke The spyryte of fayth teacheth and assureth vs that Chryst in oure sufferynge is oure comforte and in oure dyenge oure lyfe The sacrifyce of prayse shall worshyppe me sayeth the Lorde and there is the waye wheryn I shall shewe my saluation A dead and mortifyed harte is a sacrifyce very acceptable before God He that hath mortifyed hys naturall body here in earth he that is dead in hys harte ▪ he that beareth Chryst in hys body because he wyll go wyth Chryst wythout the tentes of hys harte wythout the gate bearynge the rebukes of hys sauyour wyth hym on hys shulder he shall not fear death he shall not estymed death hys enmy nor flye yt For she taketh not it which he wolde rather kepe but she geueth hym that which he wolde kepe wyth all hys harte The lyfe temporall is swete vnto the flesshe but oure lyfe y t we shall lede with Chryst is sweter Lazarus Treuth it is and therfore is death vnto vs passage to lyfe Wherfore we ought to praye hartely that he let not vs fall in such temptacion that myght ouercom vs but that he wyll delyuer in vs that euell daye from all euell that myght drawe vs from the fayth For it is the myghty worke of God to beleue that we be hys yee euen in the poynte of death the which as yet I do not fele in me For I fele yet another lawe in me which is contrary to the inspyracion of the holy goost I loke aboute for the flesshe pottes of Egypte whervpon I was wont to sytte Whan the fygure of death offereth it self from afore than do I searche wether I can not escape behynde out of thys wreched lyfe Seynge I am so bounde with synne I ought to be obedient at Gods callynge and wythout lokynge aboute departe but I beseme the wyfe of Loth. I can not leaue the lokynge aboute though my neke laye theron My wyfe the flesshe wherwith I am laden is yet very feble to withstonde such temptacion Alas brother I can not awaye with thys wyfe Tobyas Feare not good brother feare not for such totynge and lokynge backwarde such battayll and febelnesse dyd also Paul fele whan he beholdynge hys wrechednesse sayde in the .vii. to the Roma O wreched man that I am who shall delyuer me from the body of thys death It is necessary such assaultes come vpō vs. Victory commeth by fyghtynge agaynst synne and of victory commeth tryumphe but noman shal be crouned saue he that fyghte deuly Yf ye wyll triumphe with Chryst ouer synne death wythout battayl that can not be for such waye hath not Chryst shewed you Fight lyke a trew souldyer of Chryst That we feare death and shrenck at it is naturall weaknesse the cause Which is not damnable for she is not imputed to vs for sinne Yee Chryst hyemself hath taken such weaknesse vpon hym for vs whan he beganne to shouer to tremble and to be heuy for the death tocome sayēge My soule is heuy vntyll death Mat. xxvi Why dyd he so seynge he knew death coulde not hurt hym He knewe well he shulde se no corrupcion Why was he afrayed He knewe hys death shulde brynge lyfe vnto vs all and ouercome death why dyd not he rather reioyce in that death wherof shulde come so much goodnesse what shulde it greue hym than to dye wold he rather haue had delaie of it dyd not he wysshe vs such mercy and welfare seyng he semed to couet to be loose of this sufferynge Alas no that be farre But seynge he toke vpon hym bare man heade yt pleased hym to assaye the weaknesse of manhode because we shulde not faynte yf lyke temptacion arose agaynst vs Wherof no man lyuynge be he neuer so holy is fre For how sore the inwarde man is lyghtened of the spyryte yet doth the olde Adam the wyfe of Loth not forsake hyr kynde in fyghtynge and desyrynge agaynst the spyryte Which battayll and desyres we ouercome and haue ouercome by fayth that assureth vs to haue a trew bysshoppe by God the father namely Iesu Chryst which hath bene tempted in all poyntes that he myght knowe how to helpe them that be proued The Lorde is trew for he can proue and delyuer the good Christians out of temptations agayn Christ which knewe no synne is become synne for vs that we shulde be the iustyfycacion or ryghtwysnesse of God in hym Chryst hath damned synfulnesse of synne in hys flesshe Synne is dāned and put awaye in Chryst she can not damne vs she must be auaylynge vnto ryghtwesnesse so farre is she come Chryst iustyfyeth vs and who can blame vs Chryst dischargeth vs of all synne what deuell or what flesshe is it than that can laye ony synne or fault to vs The syknesses and weaknesses that ye haue after ye be Chrystened haue ye commune with al sayntes them shall ye fele other more or
thē so longe as it shall be his Godly wil to suffre you to be a carer or prouyder for thē But now doth death discharge you of this office sorowfulnesse Rendre god y e charge ioyfully Go you forth now w t Abraham in straūge coūtryes leauynge youre kynne fathers house come in y e londe y e God shall shew you Obey gods callinge He y t loueth more father mother wyfe chyldrē lōdes or possessions than my is not worthy of my saieth Christ As longe as ye were able you haue shewed loue and good wyll vnto your housholde Of this maye be boaste right wel that because ye wolde passe y e bondes of your cōmission of loue But what mysbelefe is y t that ye do not trust god w t the kepenge of his owne chyldren What was youre helpe care and kepynge wythout hys ouersyght yf the Lorde do not buylde the cyte they laboure in vayne that buylde it Put ye your confydence in God that he shall helpe you and trust ye him not the kepynge of your children Though it seme that your children departe from you in dyenge and ye of them yet do they kepe theyr heauenly father which taketh more care for them than euer you coulde This will I tell you your fayth may be such that God wyll rayse ten fathers or weldoers in steade of you of whom w t partynge of death they be depryued Dauid sayeth I neuer sawe a ryghteous mā forsaken nor hys sede seke breade Auoyde now all sensualyte out of your mynde Commytte youre wyf thylderen and all that ye loue vnto God who onely shall kepe them best The mystrust murmurynge of parentes is of tymes correcte and punyshed in the chylderen as namely whā they myspēde y e goodes in ryot or suffre losses and domages in them the which theyr frendes busyed to leaue thē great plenty of and to prouide them substancialy of them Lazarus Let it be so God graunte that I maye yelde both me and mine willyngly in the hondes of God My thynketh my tyme doth aproche Oh I longe so sore to be embraced of my brydegrome Chryst Cantic ii His left hande is vnder my heade and hys ryght hande shall clespe my necke I desyre with Paul to be lowsed and to be with Chryst Heale my Lorde and I shal be healed Tobias That is well Chrystenly prayed God sende you hys stronge spryte which shal strength you in all sufferynge yee and also in death But now brother yf I perchaunce shall se you nomore in this lyfe Haue ye ony quarell with ony man or haue ye ony thynge that greueth your mynde shewe on Lazarus What occasioneth you to aske the same haue ye herd ought therof Tobyas The cause of my questyon is that yf ye haue ony variaunce or ony skyll wyth your brother before all other thinges ye ought to dispach thesame and to be recōcyled agayne w t hym In thre thinges sayeth Sydrac haue I pleasure which also be alowed before God and mē The vnite of brethren the loue of neghbours and man and wyfe agreynge well together And that ye maye forther and sett forth such loue and vnite ye ought to be ware lest ony variaunce come after your departyng by reason of the goodes amōge youre frendes and kynred Lazarus I haue dispached and prepared all this lōge before so neare as I might I trust there shall ryse no stryfe betwen my frendes or chyldren I was mynded to haue geuen vnto the church or temple to the iiii orders of stronge valeaunt beggers and vnto our vicare and parisheprest of such as shulde haue ben ouerplus But that mynde is altered for God hath geuen me a better mynde I thanke hym hyghly therof Tobias All testamentes that be made to the fortheraunce of the loue of oure neghbure are good There be of tymes churches founded masses great doles to Gods great dishonoure For God is not honoured with such thynges but only with y t he hath cōmaunded himself Some thinke to do an hygh pleasure vnto God yf they disheret their chylderen frendes kynred amonge whom afterwarde ther aryseth a great strife They bequiet their goodes to founde holydayes trentals masses of requiem wherwyth they fede the spiritualty They thynke to please God with such foundations and make an atonement with such goodes as they haue skrapen and raked together by wronge falsede gyle vsury and such lyke wayes spared them Where as God hateth in hys offerynge al such robbery They founded also altares and monumentes and costly graues to haue theyr names in estymation amonge the people and to lyue longe in their mouthes be praysed for these dedes To thys entent be tabels and such memorials hanged vp in euery churche as a byrders net is spred O tabel of exchaungers cast out of y e tēpel by Christ O yeartyde O Corbam corbam how dewly arte thou practysed yet dayly of oure scribes pharises which lyke paynted graues deceaue the onwyse and symple For they saye it is offered vnto Gods honour seruice that which is withdrawē from the poore chyldren and heires Now brother is it not tyme for me to departe my thynketh I haue ben longe ynough here I must also go yet to the poore house or hospital for so haue I promysed Lazarus I thanke you hartely good brother for youre kynde vysitinge of me and louely teachyng me Come agayne to se how it is with me at your leasure Tobias I wyll do so And now I cōmitte you to God which I praye to be youre guyde vnto the lyfe euerlastynge Yf ye haue nede of me sende for me and I wil be glad to come vnto you Lazarus The Lorde be blessed and thanked ouer all foreuer Tobias Feare well good brother Lazarus Fare well good Toby God kepe vs all and be oure guyde and counceler vnto lyfe eternall Tobyas Amen The ende of thys treatyse ¶ The summe and intente of this treatyse NOw hast thou sene good reader the maruelous worke of God in hys two electes namly Tymothe Toby which to theyr power haue planted and watered the sede of Gods worde in theyr neghboure Lazarus beynge at scole wherin is the wyll of god taught that is adfliction syknesse and subieccion of the flesshe vnto the sprite They now beynge occasyoned by knoledgyng their deuty to theyr neghboure endeuour to make hym to dye in the Lorde and make hym apte vnto the ioye euerlastinge after his troubell Wherin I praye the to marke the ordre and waye Fyrst Tymothe commynge the one daye instructynge him to take his troubelous syknesse paciently in the which admonitiō he doth treuly and pythfully declare the seuen petitions of the Pater noster reprouynge by the waie his impaciency mysbeleue and superstitiousnesse wherin he was so drowned that it semed to haue bene impossible he shulde euer bene come out of But the Lorde which kylleth relyueth again ledeth to hel bringeth vp again hath also shewed his maruaylous power w t this sykmā whō he hath called to hym by repētaūce as he wyll also do the moost synner and mysdoer of vs yf he repente treuly Secondarly Tobias commynge the secōde daye as hys promyse was instructeth hym how to take his death paciētly And in the meane season expoundeth certayne of the artikles of oure fayth namely the power of God in creatynge al thynges y e frute of Christes sufferynge death resurrecciō ascensyon of the holy goost which be the treu churche of communiō of sayntes of remyssion of synne of rysynge agayne of the flesshe and of the lyfe eternall or euerlastynge And fynally he sheweth what be oure enemyes death synne and hell and how we maye best withstonde them This with other superstitions and abuses doth he so featly and scripturly declare and teacheth to eschue as in myne opynion no rabby magister noster or puffet vp doctor coulde do though he had spent the beste parte of hys lyfe ī searchyng Chryst at Paris Take therfore this treatyse oft in thyne handes loke diligently vpon it and vse it as it is offered vnto thy I wyl not busy my selfe greatly in praysynge of it for the commune prouerbe is veryfied in it that is good wyne nedeth no garlande for yf thou rede it diligently and folowe it so neare as God wil lēde y e grace thā shalt thou receaue the profyte that is sought both in dytynge and translatynge of it namly y e health of youre soul and herafter lyfe euerlastynge which graūte you god the father sonne holy goost Amen ¶ Prynted in Southwarke By My Iames Nicolson for Ian Gough Cum Priuilegio Regali
bitter recepte knowenge and stedfastly belyuynge to optayne health by none other meanes Lazarus As for me surely I wolde rather thanke him drynke hys recepte though it were as bitter as regale yf I knewe to optayne health therby Timothe Lo then nomore ye ought to despise the hyghest physicioÌ„ of your soule nor to refuse hys medycines though they be bytter and paynfull vnto your olde Adam But ye must haue an eye to his promyses ouercome that which is payneful to you wherby neuerthelesse ye be saued Thus haue martyrs ouercome in sufferynge and death for dyenge they sawe the trew lyfe in syknesse and disease of the flesshe they sawe the power of God which is fortyfied and stabylysshed hereby God of hys nature is merciful but that he maye worke hys worke in vs that is to heale to make safe and sounde he doth fyrst a thynge that is straunge to hys nature which semeth vnto vs a token of hatered that is he scourgeth and beateth vs with syknesses and grefe Thus doth God a straunge worke as sayeth Esaye in the .xxviii. chapter that he maye worke hys natural worke By this straunge worke of God that is the chastenynge or scourgynge of the father we lese oure corage goodes bloude health welth and lyuelode and come euen in the myddes of the crosse despysynge and death All thynges appeare here before our flesshly eyes as though we were enemies vnto God and wholy despysed of God and wote not to consyder how he shall delyuer vs. Yet do we perceaue the hande of God inwardly which doth so sustayn vs that we fall not in desâ—ayre mystrusting or mumurynge agaynst God wythout the hande of God it were impossible for vs to stonde the twinklinge of an eye In the ende of the worke do we fyrst perceaue the councell of God than se we that he wyll mayntayne and fede his shepe in his lappe whom he wyll not haue to dye for hunger and dysease He can tempte the ryghtuous and also delyuer them agayne By fayth may we be conquerers of all Fayth is of thynges that be not apparent now where fayth shal haue a place there must such thynges be beleued as be inuysyble Thus is fayth of the lyfe to come chefely contayned and declared in dyenge Thus we beleue that God relyueth vs in kyllynge that he saueth vs and iustyfyeth vs in synnynge that he brengeth vs to heaueÌ„ whaÌ„ he semeth to thrust vs down to hell in that he forsaketh vs and that he healeth vs in oure soule whan the body is vysyted with al maner of syknesses For he hedeth hys mercy vnder hys wrath How wolde haue beleued that God wolde haue dealte so peteousli with hys good frende Iob in takyng awaye all hys best beloued thynges but onely because he was mynded to restore hym all this agayne doubell Let therfore youre eye of fayth preasse vnto saluacion and reioyce though God shewe you not his foreparte that is a chearfull countenaunce as he dyd vnto Peter beynge on the mouÌ„t Thabor but hys hynder parte lyke as he appared vnto Moses For whan this worke of his is past thaÌ„ appeare his fotesteppes WhaÌ„ this chastesynge is past than shall he smyle at you and shew you his fatherly fauoure though in this anger he seme to gerne and loke grymly vpon you Perceaue you this Lazarus I can not perceaue perfectly so much at ones Neuerthelesse I perceaue that in youre wordes there is a Godly vnderstoÌ„dynge though I can not comprehend so much at once Therfore I desyre you to declare me more earnestly and sleghtly which waye oure synnes be mortyfyed in vs by the crosse and sufferynge Tymotheus I wyll do yt gladly Whatsoeuer a man loueth besyde God that is hys Idoll therfore is yt nedefull to declare what thynges we sett stoare by besyde God that we myght endeuoure vs the better to fulfyll the fyrst commaundement wherin we are commaunded to loue God with all oure harte power and vnderstondynge Some leane to much to temporall possessions which be withdrawen from them as a pelowe from vnder a mans heade by extorcion with the fyre by warre or by some other losse that hys hart beatt the more lyberte to be turned wholy to God Another hath hys carnal affeccion fyxed to sore vpon hys wyfe chyldren father and mother or frendes These false goddes be withdraweÌ„ from them whan they suffre ether in theyr name or fame goodes or bloude or whan they be taken from them by death to rydde a man of hys carnall affection and to open to a man hys infydelyte that God may possesse the harte wholy and alone lyke a gelous louer The thyrde is wanton and full of pleasure he setteth great stoare by hymself by reason of hys bewty strength honesty wysdome puyssaunce vnto such sendeth God troubell anguysshe sykenesse sores onwholsoÌ„nesse or folysshenesse to the intent y t he myght se how that all flesshe is nothynge but hey and all his glory as the grasse of the felde the grasse wythereth and the flore faydeth Lazarus I can not perceaue yet that God receaueth vs in scourginge al we flye strokes Tymotheus Your mysbeleue is the cause of flyenge which Paul rebuketh in the .xii. to the Hebrews saynge Bretheren haue ye forgotten the consolacion which speaketh vnto you as vnto chyldren saynge My sonne despyse not the chastenynge of the Lorde nother faynte whan thou arte rebuked of hym for whom the Lorde loueth hym he chasteneth Yee he scourgeth euery sonne that he receaueth Yf ye suffre hys chastesynge he offreth hym selfe vnto you as vnto hys beloued sonne What sonne is he whom hys father doth not chastyse Yf ye be farre from the chastenynge which is comune to all chyldren then be ye no chyldren but bastardes Also yf we haue hadde carnall fathers of whome we stode greatly iÌ„ awe which chastysed vs how much more shal we be obedyent vnto the father of spretes and shall lyue by hym Oure carnall fathers haue taught and enfourmed vs after theyr best mynde and that for a lytle season But thys father of oures teacheth and chastyseth vs for oure profyte that he maye make vs partakers of hys holynesse All thys present chastysynge semeth to be nothynge yoyfull but sorowfull but herafter she geueth a quyete frute reward vnto them which be proued therby Are not these sayenges comfortable vnto them that be in payne punyshment is dewe vnto synne and wythout synne is noman lyuynge wherfore good Lazarus receaue all that is sent vnto you and suffre though it be greueous Be pacyent in youre depressynge For as golde and syluer be tried in the fyre so is man tried in the fornace of temptacion Therfore scrypture exhorteth vs to estyme it aboue all other frutes And there is no frute so trewe as yf we be proued by many folde temptacions knowenge that temptacion in faith bryngeth forth the frutes of pacience Beholde all the martyrs and chyldren of God in theyr sufferynge and let theyr constant fayth be an
there is scarce a vyllage of .viii. or .ix houses but there is ether one Idoll or other Wherto is Christendom come what do ye make of the blessed company of electes which be planted and gathered in y e loue of God with all faythfull and beleuynge which were pacient here in theyr troubel and haue receaued a louely sprete of God despysynge all honour prayse goodes worldly preemynence be they I saye now so vnpacient wykedly dysposed and couetous of honour that they must be appeased and reconcyled againe with gaddynge a pelgrymage with offerynge of candels or egges Is the saluation of sayntes become now a house of plages wherout all mysery floweth All the diseases wherof ye make you sondery patrons are naturall and were in the worlde before youre saintes were borne Oure mysbeleue and great infydelite is the cause that we haue fayned vs so many Idols Because we haue not knowne the onely eternal and trewe god but be enclyned to blynde ceremonies though we shulde worshippe a calfe ther with as the chyldren of Israel dyd therfore is it come to pas that we haue oure purpose in that we haue done worshippe vnto the calfskynne the popyshe bulles stickynge candels to it O Lorde loke vpon the afflyction and punyshment of the doughter Syon and haue pytie vpō the destruccion of Iosephs heretage Lazarus Frō hensforth wyll I set vp not one lytel candell to ony ymage what so euer it be I haue hetherto lyghted thre candels to saynte Anne euery tewsdaye and on the thyrsdaye haue I worshypped the holy sacrament with half a pounde of waxe but I am now so enfourmed of you that hensforth I wyll do it nomore but rather geue it to the poore and lyghten so the lyuynge temple of god wherin he dwelleth no doubte with hys mercy Is not that beste brother Tymothe Tymotheus Yee it is a thousande tymes better for Christes saynge is Loke what ye haue done vnto the least of mine that haue ye done vnto me He sayeth not what ye haue done vnto my picture or ymage or vnto the picture of my sayntes which I haue forbidden to make or to honoure Wherfore whan these sayntes spechmē come to persuade you to your olde superstition than answer you them Is it not a great blyndnesse of you to seke the sayntes in woode and stone contrary to the fyrst commaundement Is it not a great foly to lyght the Sonne at brode day with a candell The sayntes wyll say to this Lorde in thy lyght shall we beholde the lyght The lyght of the Godly vysage lyghteth the electes alwaye how wyl ye then lyghten them with your lyght that is made for the solace of darknesse Thynke ye they be in darknesse that are lyghtened of the sonne of ryghtwysnesse Yf ye wyll nedes set candels before them than geue them eyes also that they maye se them than maye ye optayne thākes of them els do ye but lese your laboure and cost Baruch also y e prophete doth greatly rebuke this vngodly honoure worshippe of ymages Now whan ye haue thus rebuked them of this Idolatry thā shew them where they ought to bestowe theyr candels offeringes other almes that they be acceptable vnto God Also yf they wyl go on pelgrimage thē shewe them a nearer way which they maye go with lesse cost say Seynge you be mynded to visyte the sayntes it is no nede to runne to Rome or to Ierusalē or to saynte Iannes in Spayne for that were losse both of expences and tyme. Seke Chryst in the graue of scrypture seke hym in the chamber of youre harte there shall ye be moost surest of hym Seke the sprete of Peter and Paul in theyr wrytynges and Epystles Seke Iames in his stronge fayth that he continued in vntyll hys death Morouer God is no bodely thynge and therfore wyll not he be worshipped with bodely thynges he is a sprete and regardeth no persone place candell or such good workes But his desyre is onely that we put awaye the wycked thoughtes from oure harte as namely mysbeleue despayre vnclennesse hate enuye couetousnesse and pryde For they that haue a clene harte from these and a lowely sprete shal se God and be called the children of God where as all these holynesse sekers shall remayne wythout For God which is a sprete wyll not be worshypped but in the sprete and treuth where as these hypocrytes seke hym in outchosen places in seuerall dayes with certayne oyntment boxes to declare theyr good intent towarde hym in bodely workes but they shall not touche hym for he is rysen and lyfted aboue all that is outwarde and in mans syght Lazarus I shall kepe well youre declarynge and as I can But I knowe what shall be theyr answere here vnto Timotheus What I praye you Lazarus Why than do they myracles more in one place than in another but onely that they wylbe worshypped and sought there Tymotheus To that shall ye answere where a sure fayth is there nede no tokens but onely the token of Ionas the prophet In the which token the lyfe and death of Christ and also the death and resurrecciō of euery Christen man is featly fygured For with Ionas and Christ must we descende in to the whal fyshe see of tribulacion and death before we can ryse agayne in to the lyfe euerlastynge Lyke as Ionas dyd not remayn in the see nor Christ in the graue but were relyued agayne euen so shall not God suffre vs to be ouercome with no grefe nor death but shall rayse vs out of this mysery vnto the resurreccion of lyfe Therfore ought we to voyde oure mynde of all myracles all patrons and beholde this token of Ionas onely settynge oure confydence vpō yt onely sayenge with the prophet Psal lxi My soule wayteth onely vpon God for of hym commeth my help He onely is my strength my saluation my defence so that I shall not greatly fall Lo to thys Ionas shall ye sende all these myrakel gasers as Christ hath sent thē awaye which of curiosyte desyred to se tokens from heauen As for the myracles which sayntes be sayde to shewe by theyr ymages they be but a mockage and gabbynge of the dyuell There can no myrakles be done of God agaynst hys holy worde Treuth it is that Moses hath comfyrmed the then commaundementes and lawe and hath made them autenticall with wonders and tokens It is treuth also that the Apostles after the passion and ascendynge of Chryst to heauen haue comfyrmed theyr wordes and preachynges with some myrakles in the name of Iesu for that name beynge despysed as a malefactor and condemned had great nede of these But these myracles of sayntes or ymages can not confyrme the worde of God nor they happen not to that intent but rather to a false Gods seruyce They cause nothynge els saue a decyuerynge of Gods worde Idolatry which beynge vsed and had in pryce amonge the Christians hath presoned theyr blyndnesse and mysbelefe For by the
lesse vntyl the body of death be whole and clene put awaye Be not moued at the small Babylonyans that is the worldly thoughtes or hys pleasures but knocke them agaynst the trew corner stone Chryst wherby ye shal be saued What do we loke for after thys lyfe What pleasaunt thynge perceaue ye in it that myght cause you to desyre a longe lyfe What is thys lyfe saue a contynuall battayll and crosse a deadly enemyte and continuall hatred What is it but a preson of synne For the euell that we hate that we do and the good that loue that we do not The grace and mercy through Iesu Chryst must delyuer vs orels shall we styck fast by the fete We haue here no abydynge cyte but seke and longe for another that is commynge For we know yf at the least we be beleuynge that yf the earthy dwellynge place of oure body be corrupte and destroyed we haue a buyldynge ordeyned of God an house not made with handes but euerlastynge in heauen ii Corinth v. That we now therfore sygh and grone lokynge about before we can be ryd of this body that is because we wolde faynese and couet to be clothed with the heauenly duellynge place wythout puttynge of and auoydynge of thys earthy cloth and dwellynge place We wolde fayne retayne thys fylthy sack because of the company that we haue had wyth it so that it which is mortall myght be swaloued vp of the lyfe immortall wythout assayeÌ„ge of death But that can not be Seynge it is ordened for man once for to dye And that we shulde leaue herein earth by partynge of the soule that which we haue receaued of the earth And well is vs that God seynge oure mysery hath pytyeth vs makynge our death safe through his death For he is become a death vnto death so that death hath no fearfulnesse in her saue onely hyr vysure to fray them that be chyldysshe in fayth and vnderstondynge But vnto the faythful and them that haue vnderstondynge is she depryued of hyr stynge and venyme Yf ye auoyde youre mynde of the grymnesse and vtter appearaunce of her than shall ye fynde no death more in her Go boldli to death breake open hys yawes loke what is in hym Yow shall fynde no lyfe no power or strength in hym to byte you Prouoke hym boldely to mete you in the fyghtynge place and he shall flye from you Defye death with all them that can holde wyth hym for they can not harme you they can not mynysshe one heer of you Saye hardely wyth the prophet Ose O death where is thy stynge O hell where is thy gloriation or reioycenge The death is swalowed vp in Christes victory And therfore is death called in scripture a slepynge more thaÌ„ death Of this haue you a goodly fygure The brasen serpent that Moses made Numeri xxi semed afarre of to haue ben a serpeÌ„t in dede but yf ye dyd aproche vnto yt than might ye perceaue welynough that it was a dead serpent and that it had no venym that it coulde nother byte nor stynge Euen so is it w t death outwarde it hath a fearfull visage but the power of it is take awaye by Christ For he hath ouercome him y t had power of death y e deuyll as ye shall heare more herafter Lazaarus Youre declaration that ye haue shewed here is very spirituall I beleue it be all as ye saye yee I am well pleased there with Yet do I perceaue that goodmen which haue such felynge and knoledge in themselues that is to wete that the death of Christ is death vnto y e natural death as well as the euell and bad do shrenke wrenche at y e poynt of death as though death had yet power vpoÌ„ them Tobias Treuth it is that the waye which bryngeth vs to lyfe is strayght the porte of death narowe Wherfore we caÌ„ not passe vnto death by sufferinge wtout strayghtnesse pearsynge but what is y t vnto the lyfe health The body must fulfyll hys naturall course it ought not nor can do otherwyse it caÌ„ but wrenche pinche shouer kyke Let y e asse beare y e trushe hardely it maketh no matter yet for all this wyl not we feare death Yf death can do nought more what awayleth much repinynge wrenchynge it is light to be ouercome thys wreÌ„chinge may be permitted him welinough al is for one euell houre Let y e fleshe ê‘ceaue in it self y e testameÌ„t of AdaÌ„ vnto y e last houre We haue nought now to walke in saue hope this hope abydiÌ„g of y e life tocome shal cause vs rightwel to ouercome y e sorow wo of death haystely to forget it It is but y t bytiÌ„ge of a fle y t hurteth not y e soul The death is better for vs thaÌ„ we can thynke she loseth vs of al misery she ioyneth vs to god sendeth vs forth to euerlastynge lyfe Let HeytheÌ„ and Turkes feare death which haue no fayth of the lyfe tocome But oure conuersacion and thoughtes are in heauen for from thence do we abyde our Lorde Iesu Christ which shall restore oure castawaye body agayne makynge it coÌ„formable vnto his glorifyed body Yf we hadde not this hope of the partynge of the body trustinge no lenger in Christ than durynge thys lyfe than ware we as sayeth Paul i. Corint xv the moost abiecte and refuse of al meÌ„ But now is Christ dead rysen agayne y t we shuld also ryse again in hiÌ„ in a new life Death is oure last enmy y t holdeth vs froÌ„ the lyfe thys must once be ouercome me in vs also Christ dyed for nought yf he hath not anulled the power lawe of death Christ is not rysen from death yf we must abyde in death Yf Christ be not rysen than is oure fayth vayne than abyde we damned in oure synnes than is scripture a lye than be the apostles also and y e prophetes false wytnesses of God That be farre For Christ dyed and is rysen agayne that he shulde haue dominion ouer quycke and dead Wherfore as we all dye in Adam so shal we be relyued agayne in Christ of which relyuyng agayne Christ hath made a profe in him selfe Therfore sayeth Paul If the sprete that hath raysed vp Chryst from the dead dwell in you thaÌ„ shal y e same sprete relyue youre mortall body by the spirite that dwelleth therin Lazarus Than wyll not I be moued though the fleshe do somtyme sygh and mone because of death and the fayntnesse of payne but wyll abyde alwaye the redemption tocome with a lyfted vp heade that is w t a mery spirite For yf I shulde consydre all thynges what els is in this valley of teares saue payne and anguishe synne and wyckednesse Tobias The poetes and Phylosophers estymed death to be a good thynge because yt is the ende of all wrechednesse and a rest of all euell Many Heythen haue beÌ„ lesse abassed for the death
than we are Socrates dyd drinke his death laughynge He tought y t death is not to be feared y t which he dyd fortify with the dede Yf the fleshly affection and hye mynde of Socrates to fortyfy and to strength hys doctrine myght not ouercome the naturall feare of death What shall than do y e certaynte of oure fayth that be Christen men that is they that knowe they can not dye Ought not than the hope of the lyfe tocome take from vs the beholdinge of death Though the iust and faythfull seme to dye in the syght of y e ignorauÌ„te whaÌ„ they be burned drouned beheaded yet do not they once se death I wyll not saye assaye y e death for they dye in peace· They were dead afore in God by geuiÌ„ge themselues ouer to God and he y t dyeth in God lyueth eternally Happy are they that dye in the Lorde for their dyenge is chaunged in to lyuynge That is it that Christ sayeth He that kepeth my worde shall not dye foreuer Lazarus They haue alwaye made hell so whote â—nto vs and the deuell so blake that we â—â—â—ste not whether to turne oure selues They made vs so afrayde of death and chefely in that they sayde that the deuell appeareth vnto vs very horrible commynge to tempte vs of thys or that euell wherby euery maÌ„ feared death But where was the worde of God thaÌ„ which promyseth That we that beleue in Christ shal neuer assaye nor se death Haue these false teachers and blynde leaders neuer sene such euangelicall scripture nor red nor herde theÌ„ Tobias Though they haue sene herde and red it yet haue not they beleued it For the prince of this worlde hath blynded their mysbeleuyng hartes Where is no faith there is a perpetuall disquietnes of conscience there is a hell a fearfulnesse yee a see full of all fearfulnesse remorse and mysbelefe There is hell whote and the deuell blake there is a perpetual rackinge place of a synfull conscience In the waye of the synners is greate trauayll laboure as wytnesse they theÌ„selues sayeÌ„ge We be weryed in y e waye of wyckednesse we haue trauayled many wayes and the waye of trueth hath not ouershadoweth vs. That is it that the wyse man sayeth The harte of the wyked maÌ„ is lyke a see tossed with the waues And because these hypocrytes and workholyons seke peace where as they fynde no peace but greate disquietnesse and troubell for the vngodly haue no peace sayeth the lorde God therfore thynke they it be so with euery man as it is with theÌ„ They thynke euery man be so doubtfull and vnstedfast harted as they be yee because they estyme them selues more holyer and better than other therfore thinke they other must fele whoter fyre than they themselues and that other must fele the gnawenge worme more in theyr consciences than they Wherfore they augment and make the lawe the deuell and death more haynous before mens eyen They that be the moost fearfullest as these be vnto them wyll they be more horrible and dredefull with wordes and other thynges wherby they be become nothynge but rackers of the simple I beleue their worme neuer rest their fyre be neuer quenched I beleue right well they go astraye fyndyng no reste wyth y e manslayer Cayn I beleue they runne faythlesse with Iudas to the prestes and freers to be shryuen for coÌ„fort and reste but they abyde styll desperate I beleue right well they be ready to do satisfactioÌ„ for theyr synnes with Antiochus and of mistrust geue mony to praye for theÌ„ But al theyr fastynge prayenge goynge wolwarde and barefote all their mulynge and bablynge shall not helpe theÌ„ Whether soeuer they turne them selues they fynde alwaye synne present they mete al waye the deuyll and death in the tethe Howe can these teache otherwyse than they finde How shuld they preache y e gospell of peace y t neuer taysted peace How shulde they instructe another in Gods behalfe of his atonement of his rest and victory of death and his assuraunce froÌ„ hell whiche haue no fayth therof Let none of these deuel martyrs make you thus folyshe or wytlesse If ye haue the worde of God y t sheweth you peace forgeuenesse you haue God Where rest is there is God there is an euerlastynge coÌ„uenaunt There is roted out the feare of death y e deuell hell For feare is not in loue but she excludeth feare Paul sayeth We that be iustifyed by fayth haue peace by God He that is iustified thyswyse by the trew fayth of Christ though he sawe the deuell death hel with hys eyen yet wolde not he be abashed yee he wolde rather fyght agaynst them ouer come them than he wolde flye one fote And why for the gates of hell that is y e power of thesame can not optayne the victory of Peters fayth Sayntes haue ouercome kyngdomes by faith wrought ryghtwesnesse and optayned the Godly promyses The prophet sayeth Though a battayll a rose agaynste me in that wyl I hope Though I must go through the myddest of death yet shall not I feare for thou art with me lorde Thou hast prepared a tabel before me against myne enmyes Be of good cymforte sayeth Christ for I haue ouercome the worlde That is y e victory y t ouercoÌ„meth y e world eueÌ„ your faith sayeth Iohn ¶ Lazarus you haue declared me that so clearly that I euen reioyce therin and feare death lesse than afore Let here come whan it shal please God I knowe by experieÌ„ce welynough what fearfull coÌ„science I haue had in myn vnbelefe iÌ„ my moost vertuous workes ye nede not to make farther declaration in this behalf Neuerthelesse this I require yet of you y t ye wil shew me how I shall behaue my self beste henceforth whaÌ„ the teÌ„ptacioÌ„ of syn death or hell shal assault me Tobyas In y e .iiii. of mat is it eyudeÌ„t how ye ought to behaue yourselfe agaynst teÌ„ptacioÌ„ of the deuell or of synful desyres which also be one kiÌ„de of deuels Lo how christ suffered himself to be teÌ„pted of glutony of presumptioÌ„ of couetuosnesse to proue y t we be dayly teÌ„pted of the same deuel or rather worse to an exaÌ„ple coÌ„fort y t such teÌ„ptacioÌ„ can not harme vs no more thaÌ„ they haue ouercome Christ Marke how Christ hath ouercome chased the same deuell w t al hys teÌ„ptacions to an exaÌ„ple that we must kepe thesame sure grounde yf we entende also to ouercome the deuell and to chace hym from vs wythshame Christ hath ouercome w t none other weapons saue only Gods worde all those that dyd withstande him other hell death or the deuell for all these haue ben enmyes to God as you maye rede in the .xvii. psalme The sorowes of death haue compassed me and the brokes of vngodlynesse made me afrayed The paynes of hell came about me y e snares of death toke holde vpon me But what foloweth Yet in my troubell I called vpon
we be clensed by the sheddynge of the bloude of christ we are also assured of death which els shulde haue folowed death Therfore all those that be yet mysbeleuynge sad and heuy harted and walke before God in bytternesse they be yet in synne And because they beleue not the resurreccion of Chryst therfore can not they reioyce in Chryst nor come to ony hope of the lyfe tocome Herken how royally the resurreccion of Chryst is set forth vnto vs in scripture Paul sayeth in the .x. chap. to the Romanes Yf thou knowlegest Iesu with thy mouth that he is the Lorde and beleuest in thyne harte that God hath raysed hym vp from the dead thou shalt be saued Yf ye dye in Chryst ye shall also ryse in him and lyue foreuer lyke as he now lyueth eternally For God hath begotten vs agayne vnto a lyuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Chryst from the dead .i. Petri. i. Whā that which is mortall in you shall haue put on all immortalyte by the departynge of death than shal death be swalowed vp in the victory For Chryst hath ouercome hym by his death which had the lordshyppe in this worlde by the disobedience of Adam as Chryst sayeth hymselfe The prynce of this worlde is come but in me hath he nought For so much than as Christ beynge y e trew sede of Eua hath destroyed and brused the serpentes heade that is death wherby the serpent raygned myghtely vpon all mankynde then maie ye now hardely triūphe inwardely sayeng Death where is the stynge o hel where is thy glory praysed be god which hath geuen vs victory by Iesu Christe Lyke as it was impossible that Christ not shulde please god in his ryghtwesnes euē so is it impossible we shulde not please God by fayth in Christ Thys confirmeth Christ sayenge The father loueth you for you loued me Of this misery of the resurreccion hyd lyfe coulde I brynge you forth manye scripturely reasons and ensamples but I fear lest it wyl be to tedious for you beynge syke Lazarus No brother fear not I loue so well to hear y e ensamples of scrypture whych teache vs how lyfe is hyd in death Tobias We haue many figures ensāples in y e scripture which teach and declare vnto vs that lyfe is fyrst declared in dyenge Whan the lorde God had fyrst created Adam our father he caused hym to slepe that out of the slepers syde he might make a lyuynge creature namly Heua to be a helpe vnto man Gene. ii the whiche also he dyd Lo how straunge seme the workes of God to be in oure ymagination Adam slepeth and is in the figure of death for slepe is very well compared vnto death and of him cōmeth the lyfe vnto Eua lykwyse also in oure dyenge appeareth oure lyfe fyrst wyth Christ Death of y e Christians is called in scripture a slepe or a peaceable rest Lazarus rested in the bosome of Abraham Steuen the fyrst martyr dyd slepe in the Lorde whan he was stoned Is it not cōfortable that the holy goost doth call oure dyenge here but a slepe or a rest Steuen dyd slepe in the Lorde that is he is departed hence with a suete rest and ease at the harte wherin he felt no paynfulnesse at the harte as a mā y t slepeth a naturall slepe slepeth without ony passion or felynge of y e same That death is not paynfull to the beleuenge cōmeth of Christes death The soul of a Christian beynge full of the lyuynge worde of God feleth not death nor regardeth it more than though she were paynted on the wall which appeared by the apostles y t wente meryly from the iudgmēt seates because they were founde worthy to suffre for the name of Iesu Act. v. Another ensample is this What tyme as God had cōmaūded Abraham to offre hys only sōne Isaac he wente thre dayes iourney vpō the word of God leauenge his owne vnderstondynge and wyt yeldynge himself wholy in the handes of God so that in y e meane season was Isaac dead and forgotten For Abraham was fully determyned to offre hys sonne vpon the hyll which he sawe afar of on the thyrde daye But finally whan Isaac was nearest vnto death and Abrahā drew the swearde to smyte hym thā was the sonne wholy in y e harte of hys father and fully delyuered vnto death Where Abraham now sawe the death of his sonne in lyftynge vp y e swearde there appeared vnto him the life of his sonne for the swearde was stayed by the angel of the which he was not ware dat it shulde happē After this ensāple also was Christ rekened dead of the whole worlde what tyme as he laye in the graue But on the thyrde daye he rose agayne shewenge hymselfe alyue This wyse shall it be wyth vs. Death semeth to take vs wholy and put vs out of mans remembraunce but thā shall fyrst oure lyfe appeare accordinge as Paul sayeth Youre lyfe is hyd wyth Christ in God Farthermore you rede that Moses was cōmaunded Nume xxi whan a greate multitude of the people was slayne with the venymous serpentes because of their murmuringe agaynste God to set vp a brasen serpent in a token that whose behelde it shulbe recouer and lyue whiche also chaunched What is the meanynge of thys Christ Iesu is signifyed by this brasen serpent which beynge lyfted from the earth and hāged vpō y e crosse as a treue tokē of forgeuenesse that whose beholdynge hym with the eyen of fayth and sure confidēce and hope to optayne health maye be healed and relyue agayne in the soule be he neuer so sore wounded and bytten with the venyme of synne Thys is yt that Christ also sayde Iohn iii. And lyke as Moses lyft vp the serpent in the wyldernesse euen so must the sonne of man be lyft vp that whosoeuer beleueth in him shulde not perishe but haue euerlastynge lyfe Take this figure to youre doctrine good brother You lye here bitten of the serpentes your synnes whiche haue kylled with bytynge oure forefathers with all their progeny For by the enuy and venym of the deuyll is death come in the whole worlde Wherfore beholde now your saueoure on y e crosse Beholde the lyō of the kynred of Iuda that hath ouercome all Beholde this serpent as a sure tokē of the good wil of God to you warde ye nede not to feare death for it geueth you lyfe Ionas the prophet was rekened for dead what tyme as he laye thre dayes in the whals belly dead drouned But afterwarde was he alyue againe shewed y e Niniuytes for he was sustaineth from death by god which relyued hym agayne By this Ionas is Chryst also fygured wytnessynge it hys owne selfe in the gospel to assure vs that we shall also ryse with him agayne yf we abyde stedfastly beleuynge vnto the ende What more assuraunce can ye haue of God than that he hath not spared hys owne sonne but hath geuen hym ouer vnto death for vs