commaundementes the Lord wil not suffer them to escape vnpunished but he visiteth them with his louing rod of fatherly correction that by this meanes he may call them to repentaunce saue them Secondly we learne that whan the Lorde correcteth vs casteth vs into trouble than as we see in Manasses we make haste vnto y e Lord seke him pray vnto him huÌ„ble our selues before his deuine maiestie become new men as y e psalmograph saith When he slue theÌ„ they sought him and turned them early enquired after God And they remembred that God was their strengthe and that the â—hie God was their redemer God him self also saith by the Prophet In their aduersitie they shall earâ—y seke me say come let vs turn again vnto the Lorde for he hath smitten vs and he shall heale vs he hath wounded vs and he shall bind vs vp againe Thirdly it setteth forth vnto vs the great and exceding mercies of God toward penitent sinners whome so sone as they coÌ„uert turn he receiueth into his fauor forgeueth them taketh away his plagues and restoreth them to their former or els muche better state accordinge to this saying of the Prophet If the vngodly will forsake his waies thunrighteous his imaginations turn again vnto y e lord the Lord will surely haue pity on him for he is very ready to forgeue Forthly we learne of this history what the duty of such is whom God to fore hath plagued and now restored to their former state Uerely to become newe men to walke for euer after in the feare of God to mortify their carnall affectes to fle from sinne as from a venomous Serpent to garnishe their conuersation with godly and christen manners and to serue the Lord God in holines and righteousnes all the daies of their lyfe So saith the Psalmograph It is greatly for my profit that thou O Lord hast corrected me that I may learn thine ordinances Here to perteineth the saying of y e Prophet Uexation geueth vnderstanding O Lord thou hast corrected me and thy chastning haue I receiued as an vntamed calf saith the prophet Ieremy Turne thou me and I shalbe turned for thou art my Lorde God yea as assone as thou turnest me I shall refourme my self when I vnderstand I shal smite vpoÌ„ my thigh Epaph. Many godly lessons haue you taught vs out of this history brother PhilemoÌ„ They that rede and consider the histories of the holy scriptures on this manner they are no vayne readers but they read with much profit Phile. This is the true vse of histories otherwyse to read them auaileth litle In the histories of the holy scriptures as in moste pleasaunt mirrors goodly glasses we behold our frail nature our wicked wyll our beastlyke manners and sinful life We se Gods iustice punishment vengeaunce vpon the disobedient and stifnecked transgressers of his holy commaundements Again we behold his tender mercy and louing kindnes toward penitent sinners and howe ready he is to forgeue whansoeuer we tourne vnto hym Moreouer in holy histories we consider what our dutie is toward God after we haue receiued benefites of him Uerely to labour vnto the vttermoste of our power to be thaÌ„kfull vnto him and to liue worthy his kindnes These and suche like thinges must the godly reader coÌ„sider when he readeth the histories of the holy scripture or els his reading auaileth little Theop. It is truly sayd Ep. I remember that I heard once y e praier which Manasses king of Iuda praied vnto God whan he was a prisoner in Babilon I would gladly hear it again Phi. Is there not a bible here Eusebius Here is one Ep. I pray you turn vnto y e praier and read it vnto me Eusebi The praier is this O Lord almighty God of our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and of the righteous sede of them whiche haste made heauen and earth withall thornament therof whiche hast ordeined the sea by the worde of thy commaundemeÌ„t which hast shut vp the depe and hast sealed it for thy fearfull and lawdable name which al men feare tremble before the face of thy vertue for the anger of thy threatning whiche is notable to be borne of sinners But y e mercy of thy promes is great vnserchable for y e art the Lord God most hie aboue al thearth long suffring exceading merciful and repentant for the malice of men Thou lord after thy goodnesse hast promised repentaÌ„ce of the remissioÌ„ of sins and thou that art the God of the rightous hast not put repeÌ„tance to the righteous Abraham Isaac and Iacob vnto theÌ„ that haue not sinned against thee but because I haue sinned aboue the number of the sandes of the sea and that mine iniquities are exceding many I am brought low with many bondes of Iron and there is in me no breathing I haue prouoked thine anger and done euil before thee in coÌ„mitting abhominatioÌ„s and multiplying offeÌ„ces And now I bow y e knees of my hart requiring goodnes of the O Lord I haue sinned lord I haue sinned and I knowledge mine iniquitie I desire thee by praier O Lorde forgeue me forgeue me and destroy me not with mine iniquities nether doe thou alwais remember mine euils to punishe them but saue me which am vnworthy after thy great mercy I wil praise the euerlastingly al the daies of my life for all the power of heauen prayseth the vnto thee belongeth glory world without end AmeÌ„ Epa. A fruteful godly prayer God geue me grace so to repent and to pray that I may haue the lord my God mercifull vnto me For I haue also greuously offended my Lord God and I most humbly beseche him for his names sake to haue mercy on me and to forgeue me Phile. Be on good coÌ„fort wepe not God seing your repentaunt and faithfull heart hath frely forgeuen you al your sinnes and cast them away behind his back so y t he wil neuer remember theÌ„ more The bloud of Iesus Christ Gods son hath made you clene from all sin By thoffring of Iesus Christs body done once for all you ar sanctified and made holy Ye are the blessed of God for your iniquities are forgeuen your sinnes are couered and no vnrightousnes shall be layde to your charge Epa. God graunt Phile. It is most certen Where repentaunce and faith is there is also Gods mercy fauor louing kindnes and remission of sinnes Thou O lord saith y e wise man makest thee as though thou â—awest not the sinnes of men for â—epentance sake And the Prophet â—aieth All that beleueth on him â—he speaketh of Christ shal nat be â—onfounded And Christ saith of â—im selfe I am the resurrection â—he life He that beleueth on me â—ea though he were dead yet shall â—e liue And whosoeuer liueth and â—eleueth on me he shall neuer die â—lso in another place he
far of and to them which were nie For through him we both haue an entraunce in one â—pirit vnto the father Nowe therâ—ore ye are not straungers and foâ—einers but citezins with y e sainâ—es and of the houshold of God â—re built vpon the foundation of 〈◊〉 Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ him self being the head corâ—er 〈◊〉 stone in whome what builâ—â—ng soeuer is coupled together 〈◊〉 groweth vnto an holy temple 〈◊〉 the Lord in whome ye also are builded together to be an habitation of God through y e holy ghost Epa. Blessed be the Lord our God whiche hath made vs gentils also partakers of his heauenly blessinges But brother Philemon hetherto haue ye rehearsed out of the newe Tastament but one history Your promise was to recite two at the least Fulfill your promis I pray you Phi. In the gospell of Iohn we read that there was a certaine man whiche had bene diseased .xxxviii. yeares plaâ—ged of God without doubt foâ— his sinnes So sone as our sauiâ—our Christ perceiued that he haâ— a mynde to be made whole he saiâ— vnto him Rise take vp thy bed 〈◊〉 walke And streightways the 〈◊〉 was made hole Afterward Chrâ—â—â— found him in the temple and 〈◊〉 vnto him Behold thou art 〈◊〉 whole loke thou sinne no 〈◊〉 after this least a worse thynge chaunce vnto thee These wordeÌ„s of our sauiour Christ doe playnly declare that this man was a greuous sinne that this his longe disease sicknes and trouble was cast vpon him for his sinne disobedieÌ„ce against the Lord his god And yet note so sone as he had a mind to be made hole euen before he made his mone vnto Christ or knew whot Christ was this most louing gentle sauior made hym hole bad him sin no more Euse. Here is y e fulfilled which God speketh by the Prophet It shall be that or euer they call I shall anâ—were them Whyle they are yet but thinking howe to speake I shal heare them Phi. The history of y e thefe which was put to death with Christ is not to be let passe What a malefactour and wicked persone he was the holy scripture doth declare NotwithstaÌ„ding so sone as he humbled him selfe repented him of his former life coÌ„fessed his sinne and called vpon Christ for mercy saying Lord remember me whaÌ„ thou comest into thy kyngdom he was straightwaies receiued into fauor hard these most comfortable wordes at the mouth of Christ Uerely I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in paradise Chri. Here is also the saying of God by the Prophet founde true at al times when a sinner turneth vnto me saith y e Lord I wil no more beare his iniquities in minde but frely forgeue them Epa. Here is than a good and comfortable lesson that whensoeuer we turn froÌ„ our wickednes the Lord our God wil forâ—geue vs our sinnes and geue vs fauor grace mercy life and euerlasting glory Phi. Truth it is brother Epaphroditus Beleue it all thinges shal go wel with you You shal find muche comfâ—rt and great ioy in your coÌ„science A quiet and mery heart shall you haue within you as s. Paul saith We being iustified by saith haue peace that is to say quietnes of conscieÌ„ce toward God through our Lord Iesus Christe by whome also it chaunced vnto vs to be brought in thorowe faith vnto this grace wherin we stande and reioyce in hope of the glory of God Howe greatly also do the histories of the wounded man of the lost shepe â–ª as I may let other passe set forth gods exceading mercy toward penitent sinners be they neuer so greuously wounded and diseased A certain man saieth our sauiour Christ descended from HierusaleÌ„â—o Hierico and fel among theues whiche robbed him of his raimeÌ„t and wounded him and departed leauing him halfe dead And it chaunced that there came down a certaine Priest that same waye when he sawe hym he passed by And likewyse a Leuite when he went nie to the place came and loked on hym passed by But a certain Samaritan as he iourneyed came vnto hym and when he saw him he had compassion on him and went to him and bound vp his woundes and poured in oyle and wyne and set him on his own beast and brought him to a common Inne made prouision for him-And on the morowe wheÌ„ he departed he toke two pence gaue them to the host said vnto him take cure of hym and what soeuer thou spendest more wheâ— I come again I wil recompencâ— thee Ep. Ther was small charitiâ— both in the Priest and in the Leâ—uite Phi. You say truth Epa. But who was that Samaritan For he was very gentle and louinge Phi. Christ Iesus the Lord which is the self gentlenes loue which also refuseth no labour no paine no cost in seking our saluation He it is alone which as the Prophet saieth hathe taken on hym our infirmities and borne our pains He him self as Peter saith bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being deliuered from sinne should liue vnto righteousnes By whose stripes ye wer heaâ—ed For as ye were as shepe going astray but are nowe tourned vnto the shepeheard and Bishop of your soules Epaphroditus You â—pake of the lost shepe also Phile. Truth Blessed Luke telleth the parable on this manner What man of you hauing an C. shepe if he lose one of them doeth not leue ninety and nine in the wildernes and goe after that whiche is lost vntill he fynde it And when he hath found it he laieth it on his shoulders with ioye And assone as he commeth home he calleth together his louers and neighbours saying vnto them reioyse with me for I haue founde my shepe whiche was lost Hereof our sauiour Christe concludeth I say vnto you that lykewyse ioye shalbe in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth more then ouer ninety nine iust persones which nede no repentance This parable with the other of the woman that lost a grote setteth forth maruelouslye the louinge kyndnesse of Christ toward penitent synners For of that he also coÌ„cludeth and saith Likewyse I say vnto you shall there be ioy in the presence of the aungels of God ouer one sinner that repenteth Epaph. Great comfort is there for penitent synners and weke coÌ„sciences in these histories and parables which you neighbour Philemon haue full gently declared vnto me Phile. I â—m glad brother Epaphroditus â—o heare you so say And be ye wel â—ssured they are no lesse true than â—omfortable Perswade your self â—hat Christ is a moste louing and â—aithfull Phisition to so many as â—ele them selues diseased yea he so â—uche tendreth our health that â—e calleth vs vnto hym and proâ—iseth that he wyl ease vs of our â—rief if we will come vnto hym â—eal all our diseases They that â—e strong nede no Phisition but â—â—ey y t are sicke And Christ came â—â—t
Though an host of men were laid against me yet shall not my heart be afraide And though ther rose vp war against me yet wil I put my trust in him If ether AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob or any other saintes of the olde testameÌ„t had doubted of the promises whiche God made vnto them so had they neuer found fauour at y e maiestie of god nor obteined those thinges which God had promised them For without faith it is impossible to please God He y t doubteth of the promises of God shall obtain no good thing at the hand of God To what end ar we so often in the holy scripture exhorted to beleue God and his promises if it were lawfull for vs to doubâ— of them If to beleue and to doubâ— be one thing why is euerlasting saluation promised to the one and eternall dampnation to thother Whosoeuer therfore wilbe saued let him cast away al vnbelief and doubtfulnes and with tothe and â—ayle as they vse to say clene to y e promises of God nothing doubting but according as God hath promised so shall it chaunce vnto him If we doo repent and beleue his worde God hath promised vs for christes sake to fauour vs to forgeue vs all our sinnes and to bring vs vnto euerlasting life let vs not therfore doubt of this his promise but with strong and vnshaken faith beleue it and looke for boldly that is promised so we may be sure to haue the grace and â—auour of God to haue remission and forgeuenesse of oure synnes â—nd finally to haue euerlasting â—ife Let vs therfore approch with â—oldnes and not with doubting â—nd wauering vnto the throne of Gods Maiestie as thapostle warneth that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in y e tyme of nede Chri. If a man after the Papistes shuld doubt of the grace and fauour of God toward him with what conscience could he be bold to say the Lordes praier to desire the forgeuenes of his trespasses Or how could he say with a true faith I beleue the forgeuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life To beleue is it to doubt of the promises of God or rather to be thorowly perswaded of the promises of God that as God hath promysed so shal it vndoubtedly chaunce vnto vs. Euse. When a man beleueth the gospel he is certaine of y e remission of his sinnes he is certen of the fauour and good will oâ— God and he is certaine also of euerlasting life And he that lettetâ— go this faith and falleth to doubâ—ting he shall neuer enioy thaforesaid benefites but be cast into euerlasting dampnatioÌ„ The. This considred the holy Apostle rightwel when he without any doubting being throughly perswaded and assured of Gods good will toward him set forth in his holye promises saide on this maner I know am sure that he in whom I haue put my trust is hable to kepe that which I haue committed to his keping against that dai Againe I haue fought a good fight I haue fulfilled my course I haue kept the fayth From heÌ„ceforthe there is layde vp for me a â—rowne of righteousnes which y e Lord that is a righteous iudge â—hall geue at that daye not to me only but vnto all them also y e loue â—is comming Phile. When that Dauid saide these wordes I beâ—eue verely to see the pleasures of the Lord in the land of the liuing â–ª doubted he of the enheritaunce of the heauenly kingdom or was he rather thorowlye perswaded by stronge faithe in the promises of god y e he shuld without all doubt raigne with God in glory If the godly Apostle S. Paule had not bene sure of the fauor of God and of a better life after this wouldâ— he haue wyshed to bee deliuered from this worlde and to be with Christ With what couÌ„tenauncâ— durst the blessed martir S. Stephen haue commended his spiritâ— vnto Christe if he had not benâ— perswaded of gods fauor towarâ— him and of the ioyful enheritancâ— of the euerlasting kingdom Anâ— so likewise of al the other saincts The spirit of God certifieth our spirit saith the Apostle that wâ— are the sonnes of God If we be sonnes then are we also heyres I meane of God fellowe heyres with Christ. Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Iohn Dearely beloued nowe are we the sonnes of God and yet it doth not appeare what we shalbe But we knowe that when it shall appeare we shall be like him For we shall see him as he is Againe We knowe that we are translated and caried from death vnto life Here you se that the holy scriptures teache vs to be certaine of our saluation throughe fayth in Christes bloud and not to be doutfull of it as the Papistes trifle Away therfore without al doutfulnes and lay hand by strong faith on the promises of God lokynge w t assured hope for all those heauenlye and blessed thynges that God hath promysed vs in his holy worde So maye we be sure to receiue according to our fayth Epa. Without wauering or doubting I faithfully beleue and am assuredly perswaded that God y e father is a mercifull father vnto me that he hath forgeuen me all my sinnes receiued me into his fauor and made me heir of his euerlasting glory And all this hath he done vnto me not for my merites deserts which are vtterly none but for Christes sake in whom I beleue whome also I confesse to be my alone sauiour redeamer Ph. Neighbor Epaphroditus you thus beleuing cannot pearishe Therfore be on good comfort quiet your conscience and sattle your minde For it is written He that beleueth on y e sonne of God hath euerlasting life Epa. Brother Philemon I thanke you and my other neighbours here for the great coÌ„fort whiche I haue receiued by this your godly communication I fele my selfe nowe in muche better case then I was when you came first vnto me I fele muche quietnes and ease in my conscience The Lord hath driuen away mine enemies and geuen me rest in my mynde If I had not had your company God knoweth to what poynt my ghostly enemy the deuil would haue brought me But I praise God for you For by your godly and christeÌ„ talke God hath wrought in me a good and glad wil to die I haue in my hart bidden the world and all worldly thinges adue My mind is all together fixed on the lord my God and on the ioyes whiche he hath prepared in his glorious kingdom for all them that loue him I fele such inward ioy in my heart and such a feruent desire to see y e Lord my God face to face y t the paines which I now suffer on my body although they be very greuous in dede seme litle or nothyng to disquiet me For I am fully perswaded that the afflictioÌ„s of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall bee shewed vppon vs Againe that though the
of man â— the thinges whiche God hath prepared for them that loue hym My heart is nowe so enflamed with y e desire of those heauenly and blessed treasures which you haue named to me out of the infallible true word of God y t I most entirely wysh to be losoned froÌ„ this life to enioy these ioyfull pleasures Oh who wold not be glad to chaÌ„ge lead for siluer copper for golde transitory mortall and corruptible thinges for certain immortall vncorruptible thinges earth for heauen sinne for godlines darkenes for light fear for securitie trauel for quietnes sicknes for helth death for life the coÌ„pany of men for y e coÌ„pany of the most hie God his heauenly Aungels and blessed spirites the vile pleasures of this worlde for the inestimable ioyes of the glorious kingdom of God Oh like as the heart desireth the waterbrokes so longeth my soule after the O God My soule is a thurst for God yea euen for the liuing God Oh when shal I come to appere before y e presence of my God O God thou art my god early wil I seke thee My soule thursteth for thee my flesh also longeth after thee in a barren and dry laÌ„d where no water is Thus haue I loked for thee in thy holy place y t I might beholde thy power and glory For thy louing kindnes is better then life it selfe my lippes shal praise thee As long as I â—â—ue wil I magnifie thee on this manner and lift vp my handes in thy name Euse. We reioyse good brother Epaphroditus and geue god most harty thankes that he hath by his holy Spirite wroughte so good and glad will in you to die and to leue this wretched worlde Epa. I moste hartely wyshe to bee losed from this life and to be with Christ. It greueth my soule loÌ„ger to liue in this mortall body And now O Lord dele with me according to thy will and commaunde my spirit to be receiued in peace For more expedient were it for me to die then to liue Chri. Sir how do you fele your selfe Epa. In my body weaker and weaker but I trust in my soule stronger stronger I pray you lay me vp hier in my bed For I begin to waxe very faint and my wynde decreaseth waxeth shorter I thanke you it is wel Neighbours I am troblesome vnto you but I trust I shal not be so long The. It is vnto vs great ioy and comfort to be with you being so godly mynded For in you as in a cleare mirrour we beholde our selues and see what shall become of vs hereafter Of you as of a liuely scholemaister do we learne howe we shall behaue our selues when God layeth the crosse on vs. And we most humbliÌ„ besech God to geue vs the like pacience and thankfulnes Epa. The spirite is willing but the fleshe is weake For in asmuch as I fele in my self present tokens of death am not certain how long y e â–ª Lorde will suffer me to liue or to enioy y e vse of speche I thinke it conuenient to pray again vnto the lorde my God and to commend my sinful soul into his merciful handes Phi. Godly forsoth Epâ— Lord vouchsafe I most humbly beseche the to hear me sinfull creature Chri. The Lorde is nye vnto all them that call on hym yea that call on him in truthe Epa. O Lorde Iesu Christ whiche art the only health of all men liuing and the euerlasting life of them which die in thy faith I wretched sinner geue and submit my self wholy to thy moste blessed wil. And I being sure that the thing can not perishe whiche is committed vnto thy mercye most humbly besech thee o Lord to geue me grace that I maye nowe willingly leaue this frayle and wicked flesh in hope of the resurrection whiche in better wyse shall restore it to me again I beseche thee O most mercifull Iesu Christe y t thou wilt by thy grace make stronge my soule against all temtations that thou wilt couer and defende me with the buckler of thy mercy against al thassaults of the deuill I see knowledge that there is in my selfe no helpe of lyfe and saluation but all my confidence hope and trust is in thy moste mercifull goodnes I haue no merites nor good workes whiche I may alledge before thee Of sinnes and euill workes alas I se a great heape but thorow thy mercy I trust to be in the nomber of them to whome thou wilt not impute their sinnes but take and accept me for righteous and iuste and to bee the enheritoure of euerlasting glory â–ª Thoâ— O moste mercifull Lorde wast borne for my sake Thou diddesâ— suffer both hunger and thirste for my sake Thou diddest preach and teach thou diddest pray faste foâ— my sake Thou diddest all good workes and deedes for my sake Thou suffredst most greuous paiâ—nes and tormentes for my sake And finally thou gauest thy most precious body to die and thy most blessed bloud to be shed on y e crosse for my sake Now most mercifull sauiour let all these thinges profit me whiche thou frely hast geuen me whiche hast geuen thy selfe for me Let thy bloud cleÌ„se and wash away the spottes and foulnes of my sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide couer my vnrighteousnes Let the merits of thy passion and bloud bee the satisfaction for my sinnes Geue me Lorde thy grace that my faith and perswasion in thy bloud wauer not in me but euer be firme and constant that the hope of thy mercy and life euerlasting neuer decay in me that charitie waxe not colde in me finally that the weakenes of my fleshe be not ouercome with the feare of death Graunt me also O moste merciful sauiour that wheÌ„ death hath shut vp the eies of my body yet that the eies of my soule may stil behold and loke vpoÌ„ thee and that when death hath takeÌ„ away the vse of my tongue speche yet that my heart may cry say vnto thee O Lorde into thy handes I geue and commit my soule Lord Iesu take my spirit The. Amen Eu. Sir how is it with you now Epa. Euen as with a ship whiche is tost with the waues of the sea I trust shortly to come vnto the heauen and then shall I be quiet and without all daunger I pray you pray for me Phi. Most gladly Let vs knele down neighbors and beseche the Lord our God for his tender mercies to preserue this our sicke brother from the assaultes of Sathan to kepe him constant and stedfast in his faithe vnto his liues ende that he maye geue vp a good a faithfull soule into the mercifull handes of God Geue me hither the flower of godly Prayers that I in the name of vs al may rede that prayer which is to be said for them that lie at y e point of death The. Here is it Philemon O Moste louing Sauiour gentle redemer whiche
t their faith and constancy might be proued tried vnto the example of other yet I fynd in my selfe such imperfection yea such aboundaunce of â—in that it may iustly be thought that this sicknesse whiche is laid vpon me commeth from suche a God as is angry with me for my â—innefull life and therefore is his heauy hand thus laide vpon me What thinke ye good neighbors Philemon Brother Epaphroditus this humbling of your self in the sight of the Lord our God is a certain argument and sure token of your euerlasting saluatioÌ„ For he that exalteth him self shall be made lowe but he that humbleth hym selfe shall be exalted God is an enemy to y e proude but he is a frende to the humble and lowly Truth it is that in y e sight of God no man is pure and cleare from sinne Who is hable to saie My heart is cleane and I am freâ— from sinne In many thinges we all offend If we saye we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truthe is not in vs. All hauâ— sinned and waÌ„t the glory of God We all are vnprofitable seruauÌ„ts Euery man is a lier We were beâ—gotten in sinne conceiued in sinnâ— and borne in sinne Our heart 〈◊〉 leude and vnsearchable All our righteousnes are as cloth polluâ—ted with menstrue Al haue swarued and gone out of the way they are altogether become vnprofitable there is not one that doeth good no not one The moste perfect among vs all may well say w t the sinnefull Publicane O God be mercifull to me a synner We may worthely pray as our sauiour Christ taught vs forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue theÌ„ that trespasse againste vs God found no truth in his seruaunts and in his angels ther was folly How much more in them y t dwell in the houses of clay and whose foundations are but dust The stars are vncleane in the sight of God How much more then man that is but corruption and the sonne of man whiche is but a worme And albeit Ioseph Dauid Iob and Toby be set forth in â—he holy scriptures with greate commendations yet may we not thincke that they wanted theyr faultes For no man that is borne of a woman is clene before God although he be but one day olde How oft doth Dauid coÌ„fesse hym selfe a sinner How oft doth he fle vnto God and pray for the remission of his sinnes Howe oft doth he cast away his own righteousnes with strong faith lay hand on Gods mercy Among many other are not these his wordes Haue mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy And according to the multitude of thy mercies do away myne offences Wash me thorowly from my wickednes and cleanse me from my sin For I knowledge my faultes and my sinne is euer before me Against thee only haue I synned and done euyll in thy sight c. Also in another place Oh rememâ—ber not the sinnes and offenses of my youth but according vnto thy mercy thincke thou vpon me O Lord for thy goodnesse For thy names sake O Lord be merciful vnto my synne For it is great Loke vpon mine aduersitie misery forgeue me all my sinnes Againe Out of the depe haue I called vnto the Lorde Lord hear my voyce Oh let thyne eare consyder well the voyce of my complaint If thou Lorde wilt be extreme to marcke what is done amysse oh Lorde who may abyde it But ther is mercy with thee c Item Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt O Lorde for no man liuing shall be iustified in thy syght Thus see you howe holy Dauid whome the scripture commendeth so greatlye bosteth not his owne righteousnesse but humbleth him selfe in the syghte of God and wholy betaketh hym vnto Gods mercy Nowe hear what Iob whom the scripture so greatly commendeth saith of him self If I wil iustifie my self mine own mouth shall condemne me If I will put forth my selfe for a perfect man he shall proue me a wicked doer Again If I washe my self with snow water make mine hands neuer so cleane at the well yet shalt thou dip me in the mire and mine owne clothes shal defile me And as concerning the godly maÌ„ Toby how litle he trusted in his owne innocency and righteousnes these his words do manifestly declare O Lord saith he be mindfull of me and take no vengeauÌ„ce of my sinnes nether remember my misdedes nor y e misdedes of mine elders for we haue not bene obedient to thy coÌ„maundements c. And as Dauid Iob and Toby humbled them selues in the sight of God so lykewyse doth the whole company of al the faithful that the glory of our saluation may be Gods alone as he saith by the Prophet Thi destruction O Israell commeth of thy self but thy saluation commeth only of me Therfore though ye fele synne to be in you as who is without it yet despair not nether be dismaide but with strong faith make haste vnto the glorious throne of Gods great mercy lament your sorowfull case craue fauor and remission of sinnes in Christes name of Gods most hie maiestie and without doubt you shall haue your hartes desire For the Lorde is gracious and merciâ—ul â–ª long suffring of great goodâ—es The Lord is louing vnto euery man and his mercy is ouer all his workes O truste in the Lord for with the Lorde there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption And he shall redeme Israell from all his sinnes Epap Oh my hart Ah what a greuous paine did I fele nowe euen at my very heart God be mercifull vnto me Euseb. Be on a good comfort neighbour I pray you God shal worke all thinges for the best Ye may se what frail vessels we are and how litle a pain doth greatly trouble vs. Epa. Ye say truth But to you neighbor PhilemoÌ„ once again Me thincke if God shuld punish me in this world for my sinne so shuld it be a token rather of his anger then of his fauour towarde me Phi. Nay not so neighbor Iâ— is rather an euident token of his singular loue hartie good wil toâ—ward you which louingly correcteth you in this world that ye maâ— repent knowledge your fault aâ—mend your life call for mercy and so liue worthy your profession again that through this temporall paine ye may be fre from euerlasting plagues neuer come into that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone This witnesseth s. Paul saying Whyle we are punished we ar corrected of the lord that we should not w t this world be condempned Whan God suffereth the wicked in this world to florish like a bay tree and licenciously to sinne without any punishement as he suffred the ritche glotton of whome ye reade in the Gospell of blessed Luke it is an euident argument that suche one is reserued vnto the paines
submit their willes to his godlye wyll and pleasure Epa. O Lorde thy will be done and not mine I confesse O heauenly father that my manifold wickednesses and vnnumerable sinnes haue not only deserued this sickenesse which is thy most gentle fatherly and louing correction but also very hell and the bitter paines thereof if thou shouldest handle me according to my desertes I haue sinned I haue synned O lord God against thy holy lawes and I haue broken thy blessed commaundementes moste greuously offending thy glorious maiestie Whatsoeuer I suffer I worthely suffer ah wretch that I am My sinne I confesse and with an humble heart and broken spirit I fle vnto the throne of thy fauorable mercy most humbly besechinge thee for Iesus Christes sake to forgeue me all my synnes which I haue coÌ„mitted against thy deuine maiestie froÌ„ the houre of my birth vnto this preseÌ„t time and to receiue me into the holy felowship of those thy blessed and chosen people whome before the beginning of y e worlde thou diddest appoint heires of thi heaueÌ„ly kingdom in Christ Iesu our lord that they might for euer and euer raigne with thee in glory Ah lord geue me grace to bear this crosse both paciently thankfully Suffer me not once to murmur grudge or spurne against thy holye wil but with a pacient thankefull heart to waite on thy blessed pleasure being alway content to beare whatsoeuer burdeÌ„ thou laiest on my shoulders with this perswasioÌ„ and assured faith that whatsoeuer I suffer is vnto the glory of thy name and vnto the health of my soule O Lord thy will be done and not mine Amen Amen Neighbours I am very sicke and my paine encreaseth more more Phi. The Lords wil be done in you neighbour Epaphroditus Feare not no although present death were at hand For whether you liue or die ye are the Lordes God hath sealed you vp in Christes bloud vnto euerlasting lyfe Your name doubt ye not is written in the booke of life Ye are of y e nombre of those whome God before the foundations of the world were layd hath chosen in Christe to be his sonnes and heires ye are the dearly beloued sonne of God Ye are enheritours of Gods glorious kingdom God for your earnest faithes sake in the bloude of Christ hath forgeuen you al your sinnes that euer ye committed against him from the daye of your birthe vnto this houre He hath cast away all your iniquities â—ehind his backe so that he wyl neuer remember them any more Ye are counted among theÌ„ whose vnrighteousnesses are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered vnto whome the Lorde imputeth no sinne God loueth you God careth for you God is on your syde who then can endomage or hurte you Who can lay any thyng vnto your charge It is God that iustifieth you who then can condemne you ye nede not fear ether sathan or sinne or any other thinge that should trouble your conscience For there is no damnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesu whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For the lawe of the spirite of life thorow Iesus Christ hath made you fre froÌ„ the lawe of sinne and death For what y e lawe could not do inasmuch as it was weke because of the flesh that performed God and sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfull fleshe by sinne damned synne in the fleshe that the ryghtedusnes of the lawe myght be fulfilled in vs whiche walke not after the flesh but after the spirite Epa. I thaÌ„ke you neighbor Philemon for your gostly and comfortable instructions For I am wel comforted with these your wordes and I faithfully beleue that God the father for his promise sake made vnto all faithfull peniteÌ„t sinners in Christes bloud hath so frely and wholy forgeuen me all my sinnes that he will neuer remember them more nor lay them vnto my charge but so loue me and tender my saluation as though I had neuer offended his fatherly goodnesse And in this faith I submit my self my body and soule all that I haue vnto his godly wil to do with me in al things whatsoeuer his good plesure shallbe For liue we die we we ar the Lords And lord I most humbly besech thee call to remeÌ„brance thy tender mercies thy louing kindnesses whiche haue bene euer of olde Oh remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but accordyng vnto thy mercy thinke y â— vpon me O lord for thy goodnes Turne the vnto me haue mercy vpon me for I am desolate in misery The sorowes of my hart ar enlarged O bring thou me out of my troubles Loke vpon mine aduersitie and misery and forgeue me al my sinne O kepe my soule and deliliuer me let me not be confounded for I haue put my truste in the. Phi. I much reioyce to see in you these workes of faithfull repentance This humbling of your self before y e maiestie of God this lamenting of your sinnes this faithfull and hartie calling on the Lordes name for remission of sins in Christes bloud for the tranquilitie peace quietnes and reast of conscience for the fauour grace of God for gods wil to be done in you is without doubt a sure seale vnto your conscience that God loueth fauoureth and tendereth you yea and that muche more theÌ„ any natural father maketh of his sonne Who so serueth God saith the wise man after his pleasure shalbe accepted and his praier reaâ—cheth vnto the cloudes The praier of him that humbleth him self goeth thorowe the cloudes till she come nie She wil not be comforted nor go her way vntill the hyghest God haue respect vnto her The Lord is nie vnto them y t are of a contrite heart saith the Psalmograph will saue suche as be of an humble spirite The sinfull Publican thus huÌ„bling him self obtained the fauor of God remission of sinnes went home more righteous than the proud Pharisey So likewise the Centurion coÌ„fessing his vnworthines for the receiuing of Christ into his house obtained health for his sicke seruaÌ„t Likewise the Leper with diuers other humbling them selues before Christe obtained their hartes desire For God saith Dauid hath respect vnto the prayer of the humble suche as be destitute despiseth not their desire but heareth â—heir mournings y t he may deliuer â—hem and saue them Euseb. Now neighbour how do you I pray you bee strong in God reioyce in his sauing health Epa. O neighboure Eusebius my body is weake my heare is faint my wits are feble my memory almost faileth me no part of me is fre from sicknes and paine But Lord I beseche thee strengtheÌ„ thou me endue me w t power from aboue that as y e spirit is ready so likewyse the flesh which is euer weake vnready may be obedieÌ„t to thy godly wyl frely consent to the working of
thy blessed pleasure Lord encrese my faith Lorde helpe my vnbelief Lord remeÌ„ber not mine olde sinnes but haue mercy vpon me and that sone for I am come to great misery Healpe me O God my Sauiour for the glory of thy name O deliuer me be merciful vnto my sinnes for thy names sake Euse. God hath euer be meâ—â—full vnto you so will coÌ„tinue vnto thend doubt you not Ep. That is my only comfort And Lord I most humbly pray thee coÌ„firme y t whiche thou hast begon to worke in me and kepe me blamelesse against the comming of thy deare sonne But where is my louing neighbour Philemon I wold be glad to haue his counsell in a certaine matter Where is he Phile. Neighbour here at hand What is your pleasure Epa. I perceiue right well y t my sicknesse doth not discrease but encrease so y t I can not long continue in that state wherin I am now And I thinke â—erely y t the lord my God hath seÌ„t this sicknes vnto me as a messenger to afore warne me of my departure from this world y t whan he come he may not finde me vnprepared or vnready And I most hartely thanke him for it Therfore neighbor Philemon neighbors al I think it best euen out of hand to dispose my temporall possessions and to set an order in such worldly goodes as God hath lent me that after my departure there be no dissension nor strife for theÌ„ among suche as I most wishe to be linked together with perpetual amitie and continuall frendship It shall also I trust be a great quietnes vnto my mynd Phile. If you haue not already brother Epoporoditus disposed and set an order in your temporal things I wishe it to be done with all expedition For suche thinges ought to be considred when we be most perfect in health forasmuche as our life is vncertaine we know not howe sone death commeth Epa. I thought not that the tyme of my life had bene so short therâ—fore I deferred the matter But I se now that no man is certain of his life vntill to morowe therfore ought we all to watche to prouide that we be not found vnready wheÌ„ the Lord commeth The. Whan that godly king Ezechias was sicke God sent the Prophet Esaias vnto him and willed him to saye vnto hym on this wyse Thus saieth the Lord God Set thi house in an order for thou shalt die and not liue Here learne we y e good will of God whiche is that they whome the Lord hath enduâ—ed with the goodes of the worlde â—hould before their departure set a godly order and quiet stay in their â—emporal possessions Epaph. You â—ay truth neighbour Theophile â—herfore I pray you bring hether â—en inck paper withal expediâ—ion and let my will be written â—or I thank the Lord my God I 〈◊〉 aswell contented to leaue the goodes of y e world as euer I was to enioy them And in this behalf I haue to thank the lord my God that since I came to the vse of reason and had any worldly possessions at all I haue alwayes made them to serue me and I neuer serued them but at all times coulde be contented to depart from them whansoeuer the glory of god and the commoditie of my neighbour did require Christ. Than did you vse your goodes aright And you were not ritch in the world but in the Lorde of the noÌ„bre of those of whom it is written blessed are the poore in spirit for vnto theÌ„ belongeth the kingdome of heauen The Psalmograph saith If ritches do abound set not thy heart vpon them And the holy Apostlâ— commaundeth that they which vse the world should be as thougâ— they vsed it not For the fashioâ— of this world goeth away Saint Iohn also saieth Se that ye loue not the world nether the thinges that are in the worlde for all that is in the worlde as the lust of the fleshe and the luste of the eies and the pryde of life is not of the father but of the worlde And the worlde passeth away and the lust therof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer Epa. God graunt al men to follow this doctrine O Lord how sick am I Where is the pen Incke and paper Euse. Here syr Epaph Wright neighbor Philemon I pray you Phile. What is your pleasure that I should wright Epaphrodi On this manner IEpaphroditus the vnprofitable seruaunt of God weke in body notw tstanding strong in mynde do willingly and with a fre hart render and geue againe into the handes of the Lorde my God my spirit which he of his fatherly goodnesse gaue vnto me whan he fashioned this my body in my Mothers wombe by this meanes making me a liuing creature nothing doubting but that this my Lord God for his mercies sake set forth in y e precious bloud of his derely beloued sonne Christ Iesu our alone sauiour and redemer will receiue my soul into his glory and place it in the company of the heauenly aungels and blessed sainctes And as concerning my body euen with a good will fre hart I geue it ouer commending it vnto the earth wherof it came nothing doubting but that according to y e article of our faith at the great day of the generall resurrection whan we shall all appeare before the iudgemeÌ„t seat of Christ I shal receiue it again by the mighty power of God wherwith he is able to subdue al thiÌ„gs vnto him selfe not a corruptible mortail weake and vile body as it is nowe but an vncorruptible immortall strong perfect and in all poyntes like vnto the glorious body of my Lorde and Sauioure Christ Iesu. Haue ye writteÌ„ this neighbour Philemon Phi. Yea forsothe Sir But what is your mind now coÌ„cerning your world â—y possessions Epaph. First as touching my wyfe with whome I â—oupled my self in the fear of God and refusing all other women I â—inked my selfe vnto her liuing w t her in the blessed state of honouraâ—le wedlocke by whome also thoâ—owe the blessing of God I haue â—ad certen children wherof part â—re gone before me vnto the lord and part yet remain a liue albeit I dout not but y e god after my departure according vnto his promis will be vnto her an husband yea a father a patrone defeÌ„der will not suffer her to lack if she go â—orth to liue in his feare to serue hym and diligently to call on his holy name yet forasmuch as God hath blessed me with worldly substance and she is mine own flesh and whosoeuer prouideth not for his hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidell I bequeth geue vnto her for tearme of her life this house wherein I nowe dwell with y e appurtenances and all the housholde stuffe contayned therein And after her departure I wil that my eldest sonne whom now I
our God and brought vs in to his kingdoÌ„ of darcknes whiche is the dreadful kyngdom of sinne death and hell Thus were we in great misery and should for euer haue bene damned if we had not bene holpen by some other meanes then we withall oure wittes could deuise Therfore euen of very pity tender compassion came one which is much stronger theâ— Satan euen Christ that mighty Lion of the tribe of Iuda a ryght conquerour a strong Sampson a valeant subduer of death sinne hell a puissaunt vanquisher of Satan c. He as a king of glory mightely brast into SataÌ„s kyngdome brake open the gates of hel toke the Prince of darknes bouÌ„d hym toke him prisoner made him his bound slaue destroied his Empire ledde away his prysonners bringing them againe into moste ioyfull and blessed libertie so that al they which beleue in this most mighty Emperour and valeaunt conquerour Christ Iesus are deliuered from the tyranny of Satan and from the power of sinne death and hell There is no damnation nowe vnto them whiche are engrafted in Christ Iesu. Satan sinne death and hell withall the infernall army cannot hurt y e elect and chosen people of God Who shall lay any thynge to the charge of Gods chosen It is God â—hat iustifieth â–ª who is he that can â—ondemne It is Christ whiche died yea rather whiche is rysen againe whiche is also on the righthaÌ„d of God and maketh intercession for vs. Who shal then seperat vs from the loue of God c. And as Christ by his most glorious and triumphant Ascension hath led captiuite captiue so likewyse hath he geuen giftes vnto men euen that holy ghost that spirite of truthe that comfortoure whiche worketh in the heartes of the faithfull newe mocions and spiritual affectes faith hope loue feare humilitie modestie mekenes pacience long suffring ioye peace quietnes of conscience temâ—peraunce goodnes mercy c. It mortifieth the old man and quieneth the newe man whiche is renued vnto the knowledge and Image of him y t made him â–ª whiche after God is shapen in righteousnes and true holines Againe Christ ascending vp inâ—to heauen by y e power of his godhead hath prepared in the kingdoÌ„ of his father euerlasting and ioyfull dwelling places for so manye as beleue in hym as he him selfe witnesseth saying I goe to prepare a place for you and I wyll come agayn vnto you take you vnto my self that where I am ye also maybe He hathe also ascertained vs of our ascension and going vp into heauen not onlye in soul but also in body He corporally is rysen agayne and gone before into the glorious kingdom of his father to declare that we also after the generall resurrection shall both body and soule be caried into heaueÌ„ The members must nedes be lyke the head Christ our head is risen againe therfore shall we his members ryse agayne Christ our head is ascended and gone vp into heauen both body and soule therfore shal we his members ascend and go vp into heauen bothe body and soule also Christ our hed was taken vp into Heauen in a cloud bothe body and soule therefore shall we his members also be taken vp in a cloude to meete the lord and so shal we both body and soule dwel with the Lord Christe our head for euer and euer as the holy Apostle testifieth saying If we beleue that Iesus died rose againe euen so them whiche slepe by Iesus God will brynge again with hym For this say we vnto you in the worde of the Lord that we whiche shall liue and shall remaine in the comming of the lord shall not come yer they whiche slepe For the Lorde him selfe shal descend from HeaueÌ„ with a shout and the voyce of the Archaungell and trompe of God And the dead in Christe shall aryse fyrste then we which shal liue eueÌ„ we which shall remaine shalbe caughte vp with them in the cloudes to mete the Lorde in the ayre And so shall we euer be with the Lorde Finally I vnfainedly beleue with my hearte and frely confesse with my mouth that as the Lord Christ is ascended into heauen so shall he come agayne from heauen with power and muche glory nobly accompanied with thousands of blessed â–ª Aungels and heauenly sainctes for to iudge the quicke and the dead the faithfull and vnfaithfull and to geue â–ª euery man his rewarde according to that he hathe donne whether it be good or badde And when he thus gloriously shall come vnto the iudgemente all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shall come forthe they that haue done good vnto the resurrection â—f life and they that haue done euil vnto the resurrection of damnation The faithfull shal go into eternall life the vnfaithfull into euerlasting damnation Euery man shall be reward according to his dedes that is to say prayse honor immortalitie to them which continue in good doyng and seke immortalitie But vnto theÌ„ that are rebels and that doe not obeye the truthe but followe vnrighteousnes shall come indignation wrath tribulation and anguishe vpon the soule of euery man that doth euell Now haue ye heard of my faith coÌ„cerning Iesus Christ God and man And I beleue al things that I haue spoken to be vndoubtedly true And I am fully perswaded that Iesus Christ my lord and sauiour wrought all the thinges y t euer he did in his humanitie for me and for my saluation To saue me to reconcile me vnto God the father to make me enheritour of euerlasting glory he came downe from heauen was incarnate by the holy ghoste and borne of the virgin Mary Yea he â—uffred was crucified died went down to hel rose agayn the third day from the dead ascended vnto heauen and shall come again vnto iudgement for me for my sake for my glory saluatioÌ„ Thus haue ye heard my fayth concerning God the father and God the sonne whiche also is man receuing his humain nature of the glorious virgin Mary Eus. Whosoeuer this beleueth and confesseth of God the father and of his sonne Christ the same can neuer perishe For as our sauioure Christ saide vnto God the father in his praier This is euerlasting life euen to know thee y e alone tru God and whom thou hast sente Iesus Christ. Chr. The wise man also saieth To know the O god as perfect righteousnes God sayth by the Prophet yea to know thy rightousnes and power is the roote of immortalitie Theo. By the knowledge of him whiche is my righteous seruaunt he shal iustify the multitude Phi. God graunte vs the true knowledge of his sonne Christe so may we be sure to be iustified saued gloryfyed Epa. Amen But now heare also my faythe concerning the third parson in the deity which is the holy gost Chr. We
louing Samaritane Poure wyne and oyle into his woundes binde them vp laâ—e him vpon thy beast neuer leaue him vntill thou hast brought hym into that Inne whiche is the gloâ—rious kingdome of thy heauenly father Remoue from him all vnfaithfulnes and mistrust graue in his hart true earnest faith in the in thy moste precious bloud Suffer him not to dispaire nor to doubt of thy godly grace Let y e remeÌ„brance of thy most mercifull promises setforth in thy holy gospel neuer be out of his hart Suffer not SataÌ„ to preuaile against him Let not his conscience be coÌ„bred with the terrours either of sinne or death Be thou his strong castell and mighty fortresse Assist him now in this his greuous affliction let not his soule be a pray vnto his ennemies neither geue thou him ouer into the cruel handes of hys terrible aduersaries â–ª but shewe vpon him presently thy bountifull goodnes that he thorowe thy helpe hauinge the ouerhand of Sathan may finishe his course with ioy and so after his departure from this troublous world come vnto the blessed hauen of quietnes where thou with the father and the holy gost liuest and raignest one true and euerlasting God worldes without end The. Amen Epa. O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation nether chasten me in thy heauy displeasure Haue mercy on me O Lorde for I am weake heale me O Lord for all my bones are sore troubled yea my soule is greuously vexed but Lord how longe O how long wilt y â— defer thy helpe Turne the O Lord deliuer my soule oh saue me for thy mercies sake Phi. O neighbour how is it with you Epa. Nowe that I had thorow your godly exhortations well digested my departure from this world was well content to go hence wheÌ„soeuer the Lord my god calleth me now am I so troubled in my conscience that I begin almoste to dispayre of Gods mercy toward me yea and wish y t there were no God nor no life after this Phi. Gentle brother faint not in your faith neither dispaire you of the great mercies of God but cal on the lord your God with strong faith and he full gratiously will send present remedy for you froÌ„ his holy temple Epa. O my coÌ„science is greuously vexed troubled disquieted while I behold the fearce wrath of God againste sinne and consider how wicked a life I haue led how oft I haue broken Gods holy commaundemeÌ„ts Phi. Fear not dear brother for though you be neuer so sinfull God is mercifull Though youre synnes be great yet are the mercies of God muche greater God saueth not vs because we are righteous and withoute synne but for his mercie and promyse sake when he seeth vs repente beleue and seeke for remedy at his hande for Christes precious bloud sake Epaphrod Sathan nowe in this my sicknesse doeth so moleste and trouble me that me thinke I fele a very hel within my brest Phile. The manner of Satan which is the common aduersary of all men is wheÌ„ any maÌ„ is greuously sicke like to die straightways to com vpon him at the beginning very fearcely to shew him selfe terrible vnto him to cast before his eies suche a mist that except he taketh hede he shall see nothing but the fearce wrath terrible iudgement of God against sinners again synne desperatioÌ„ death and â—el and whatsoeuer maketh vnto vtter confusion of the sickmans conscieÌ„ce Epa. So is it now with me Phi. Feare not It is his olde propertie If you had led as holy as perfect a lyfe as euer did man in this world yet would he deale on this manner w t you He knoweth right well y t the tyme of your departure is at hande that God will shortly call you from this sorowful mortal lyfe vnto a blessed and immortal lyfe therfore laboureth he vnto the vttermoste oâ— his power to plucke you from so ioyfull a state and to make you his pray But be you not afrayde For whome of Gods elect hath he let pas vnassailed vntempted or vnproued He feared not to assay the sonne of God after he had put on our nature and thincke you to escape fre His nature disposition and desire is to destroy maruelâ— you therefore if he goe aboute to seke your destruction His properâ—tie is to disquiet wonder you therfore if he trouble you He is a lier what truthe therfore can come out of his mouth If he saye vnto you that God is angry with you and wil destroy you know him to be a lier and whatsoeuer he sayth against your saluation beleue it not but knowe it to be a lye He is a murtherer what lyfe then can come from hym He is an accuser of the brethren how than can he speake anye good or comfortable thyng vnto you He is your vtter enemy how theÌ„ is it possible that he may be your frende and seeke your quietnesse Feare hym not therfore He is but a cowarde and a very slaue They be but brags whatsoeuer he threatneth He may well hisse at you but he can not styng you He may loke vpon you with a terrible fearful countenaÌ„ce but he caÌ„ do you no harme He may go about to teÌ„pt you but to ouercome you it lieth not in his power Hear what s. Iames saith Resiste the deuill and he shall fliâ— from you Drawe nie vnto God he shal draw nie to you Epa. Yea but how shal I resist y e deuel Phi â–ª Not as the supersticious papistes were wont to do with casting oâ— holy water about your chamberâ— w t laying holy bread in your window with pinning a Crosse madâ— of halowed Palmes at your beds head nor with ringing of the hallowed bel or such other beggarly superstitious Popishe deuelish ceremonies Epa. How then Philâ— With faith with prayer and with the word of God Epa. Howe with faith Phile. Cast the eies of yourâ— mind with strong faith on the sedâ— of the woman which hath trodeâ— downe the serpents head and destroyed his power as he saieth by the Prophet O hel I wyll be thy destruction which by death hath put him to flight that had Lordeshippe ouer death euen the Deuill that he might deliuer them whiche throughe feare of death were all their lyfe tyme subdued vnto bondage whiche also as the Apostle saith hath spoyled rule power hath made a shew of theÌ„ openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his own persone So shal you be sure to escape his greuous assaultes For the sonne of God apeared for this purpose euen to destroy the workes of the Deuill Christ was figured by that brasen serpent which God commauÌ„ded Moses to set vp in the wildernes adding this promise vnto it that whosoeuer beyng stricken of the firy Serpentes did loke on that he shoulde be healed After this maner is it betwene
cleane sayde Christe for thâ— word whiche I spake vnto you Hereto parteineth the sayinge oâ— the wyseman Nether hearbe no emplasture hath healed them O lord but thy worde which healetâ— all thinges Like vnto this is 〈◊〉 sentence in a certaine Psalme hâ— sent his word and deliuered theâ— from destructioÌ„ Epa. God deliueâ— me from destruction phi Enarâ— your self w t faith praier and witâ— the word of God doubt ye not For these kyndes of armoures oâ— weapons sathan can by no meaâ—nes abide Ep. The Lord preseruâ— and defend me Neighboures I wil pray once againe vnto y e Lord my God while I haue time Chr. It is a godly exercise Epa. I perâ—ceiue Sathan to be still busy and to seke my daÌ„nation Phi. Striuâ—â—fully you shall haue the crowne of glory â–ª Epa. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for euer How long wilt thou hide thy face from me O how long shal I seke councell in my soule and be so vexed in my heart How long shall mine enemy triumph ouer me Consider here me O Lord my God lighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death least myne ennemy saye I haue preuailed against him If I be cast downe they that trouble me will reioyse at it But my trust is in thy mercy my hart is ioyful in thy saluation I againe for this thy louynge kyndnesse wyll prayse thy holy name Euse. So be it Ep. Unto the wil I cry O Lord my streÌ„gth thinck no scorn of me â—east if thou make thee as though thou heardest not I become like them that go downe into the pit Here the voyce of my humble peâ—icions when I cry vnto the wheÌ„ I cry vnto the wheÌ„ I hold vp my handes toward the mercy seat of thy holy temple O hyde not thou thy face from me nor cast thy seruaunt awaye in thy displeasure The sorowes of death haue compassed me round about and the ouerflowings of vngodlines made me afraid The pains of hel came about me y t snares of death haue ouertaken me Be not thou farre from me â–ª O Lord thou art my succour hast thee to helpe me Delyuer my soul from the swearde my dearling froÌ„ the power of y e dog Saue me from the Lions mouth So shal I declare thy name vnto my brethren and in the middest of the coÌ„gregation wil I praise theeâ— Euse. I doubte not brother Epaphroditus but y t God hath heard these your moste humble prayers lamentable supplications and will when he seeth conuenientâ— time send you remedy and geue you a ioyfull and mery hearte so that you shall leape vpoÌ„ Sathan and saye The Lord is my light my saluation whom then shall I feare The Lorde is the strength of my lyfe of whome then shall I be afrayde Though an hoaste of men were layde against me yet shall not my heart be afrayd And though there rose vp war against me yet wyll I put my truste in hym Again death is swalowed vp into victory Death where is thy stynge Hell where is thy victory The sting of death is synne and the strengthe of synne is the lawe But thankes be vnto God which hath geuen vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Epa. O whan will the Lord haue mercy on me and deliuer me from the greuous assaultes of mine ennemyes O Lorde why hast thou forgotteÌ„ me Why go I thus heauely whyle the enemy oppresseth me Up Lord why sleapest thou Awake and be not absent froÌ„ me for euer Wherfore hidest thou thy face and forgettest my miserie trouble My soule is brought low euen vnto the dust my belly cleaueth vnto the grounde Arise and help me O Lorde and deliuer me for thy mercies sake Chri. Fainte not nether despaire you of Gods mercy but take a good heart vnto you abide the Lordes pleasure Be of like mynd with him which praid on this manner vnto God saying Unto thee lift I vp myne eies thou that dwellest in the heauens Beholde as the eies of seruaunts loke vnto y e hande of their maisters and as the eies of a maiden vnto the hand of her mistres euen so our eies wayte vpon the Lord our god vntil he haue mercy vpon vs. It is good to be quiet saith the Prophet and pacientlye to abide the sauing healthe of the Lord â–ª For y e Lord wyl not forsake for euer but though he punyshe you now and suffre satan to trouble you a little while for the triall of your faith yet according to the multitude of his mercies will he receiue you to grace again not cast you out of his heart for euer He is a father of mercies and God of all consolation He wyll not be alwayes chiding neither wyll he for euer be angry with vs. For like as a father pitieth his owne children euen so is the Lord mercifull vnto theÌ„ y t feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but duste Epa. Lorde be thou mercifull vnto me Hide not thy selfe in a cloude but shew me thy louing and gentle countenaunce that I may be saued Send me present helpe froÌ„ aboue or els I perysh For I wrastle not against bloud and fleshe but against rule against power against worldly rulers euen gouernours of the darcknes of this worlde against spirituall craftines in heauenly thynges This greuous conflict O Lord is with such an ennemy as feared not to assail thee whom thou thy self callest the Prince of this world and the holy Apostle tearmeth hym the God of this worlde Arise therfore O Lorde and take my part Be thou O God my defender my house of defence and my Castell Deliuer me out of y e snare whiche myne ennemy hath layde for me that I being set at libertie maye syng prayses to thy blessed name and magnifie thee my Lord God for euer and euer Theo. Amen Phi. Neighbour take a good hart vnto you and you shall shortly see the wonderfull working of God For behold he that kepeth Israell doth nether slomber nor slepe The Lord him self is your keper the Lord is your defence the lord shall preserue you from all euill yea the Lord shal kepe your soule For as he casteth down so lifteth he vp againe As he killeth so he quickeneth As he nowe for a little tyme suffreth Sathan to disquiet you for the exercise probation and triall of your faythe so likewyse will he deliuer you oute of this agonie geue you againe a ioyfull mery and quiet conscience For the nature and property of God is to wouÌ„d before he healeth to throwe downe before he lifteth vp to kyll before he quickneth to condemne before he saueth Therfore feare not For the lord dealeth none otherwise with you than he doeth with his other saincts This your trouble he wil turn to ease and this your
more worthy to be called thy sonne â–ª Cry with the Publicane and say O God be merciful to me a sinner Cry with the Leper and saye O Lord if thou wilt thou art hable to make me cleane Cry with the blinde man and saye O Iesu the sonne of Dauid haue mercye on me Cry with the woman of Canane and sayâ— haue mercy on me O Lord thouâ—â—ne of Dauid My doughter is greuously vexed of y e deuil Cry with the Centurion say I am not worthy that thou shouldest entre vnder my rofe but speke the word only and my soÌ„ne shalbe heled But vnto this your harty repentaunce humble confessioÌ„ of your sinnes you must put mighty strong faith beleuing y t God y e father for his promise sake made vnto all penitent sinners in Christes bloud wil frely merciâ—ully forgeue you all your sins be â—hey neuer so manye or greuous for without this faith all y t euer you do is nothing worth as thapostle saith Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Cain repented and confessed his fault saying my sin is greater then I may deserue to be forgeuen But because he wanted faith he fell into desperation was dampned Iudas repented confessed his sinne saying I haue synned betraying the innocent bloud yea he also made satisfaction suche as it was but not withâ—standinge because he added noâ— faith vnto his repentaunce conâ—fession and satisfaction all was in vaine Peter his fellowe discipleâ— sinned also greuously but becausâ— he earnestlye repented and alsâ— faithfully beleued to haue remisâ—sion of his sinnes by the precious bloud of his maister whome he â— fore had both denied forsworne he was forgeuen and receiued iâ— to fauour againe For by faith arâ— we made of the children of wrath the sonnes of God By faith are we maried vnto Christ. By faith are our hartes purified By faith sathan is ouercome By faith the world is vanquished By faith we are preserued from dampnation By faith we are iustified made righteous By faith the wrath of God is asswaged By faith we worke the will of God By faith our praiers are heard and our requestes graunted By faithe we please God By faith we be made the children of light By faith we are borne a new of God By faith we are made the temples of the holy ghost By faith we vnderstand the misteries of God By faith we preuaile againste the gates of hell By faith we are made the heyres of God and fellow heyres with our Lord and sauiour Christ Iesu of euerlasting glory Faith as S. Austen saith â–ª is the beginning of mans saluation Without faithe no man can reache or come vnto the nomber of the sonnes of God Withoute faith al the labour of man is frustrate and voyde Faith saieth S â–ª Ambrose is y e rote of all vertues â–ª and whatsoeuer thou buyldest oâ— this foundation that alone profiteth vnto the reward of thy workâ— frute and vertue Fayth saith he â–ª is ritcher then all treasures stroÌ„ger then all corporall power and more healthfull then all Phisitions Therfore loke that you hauâ— this true faythe in you and thaâ— you cleue both toth and nayle as they vse to say to the merciful and comfortable promises of god So may you be sure to haue remission and forgeuenes of your synnes Epa. I beleue O Lord helpe thoâ— my vnbelief O Lord encrease my saith O heauenly father my God and my Lorde I with an assured perswasion of thy goodnesse toward me most humbly besech the for Iesus Christes sake mercifully to behold me a moste miserable sinner and clearly to forgeue all those sinnes wickdnesses which I wretched creature haue committed against thee my Lord God from the houre of my byrth vnto this present tyme. Forgeue me all my sins for thy names sake they â—e bothe many and great Oh remember not the sinnes and offenâ—es of my yougth but accordynge vnto thy mercy thynke vpon me O Lorde for thy goodnes Oh remember not mine old sinnes but â—aue mercy on me yea and that â—â—ghtsone for I am come to great â—iserie Helpe me O God of my â—â—luation for y e glory of thy name O deliuer me and be merciful vnto my sinnes for thy names sake So shall I geue thee thankes for euer magnifie thy blessed name worldes without end EU. Amen â–ª Phi. Doubt not neighbour Epaphroditus but that god hath graciouslye heard this your humble sute also graunted your request â–ª He hath forgeueÌ„ you al your sins He will neuer laye them to yourâ— charge He hath cast them awayâ— behynd his back so that he wil nâ—â—uer remember them more as hâ— saith by y e Prophet I will forgeue their misdedes and wil neuer remember their synnes any more â–ª Againe If the vngodly wil turâ— away from all his sinnes that hâ— hath done and kepe all my comâ—maundementes and do the thinâ— that is equall and right doubtleâ— he shall lyue and not die As for 〈◊〉 his sinnes that he did before thâ— shall not be thought vpon but in his righteousnes y t he hath doone he shal liue For haue I any pleasure in the death of a sinner saith y e Lord God and not rather that he conuert and liue Item Repent turne you from al your wickednesses so shal ther no sinne do you harme Cast away froÌ„ you al your vngodlines that ye haue doone Make you new harts and a new spirit Wherfore will ye die O ye house of Israel seing I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dieth sayeth the Lorde God Turn you then and ye shal liue Therfore feare not good brother but coÌ„tinue faithfull repentant vnto thend ye shall surely be saued Epa. Sinne is an heauy burden very displeasaÌ„t vnto the lord our God and maketh sinners to â—le froÌ„ the face of God forasmuche as they know that God hateth sin and al theÌ„ that do commit it Phi. I confesse synne to bee an heauy burden and displeasant vnto God yet as heauy as it is Christ hath taken it on hym and born it away as the Prophet saieth he hath taken on him oure infirmities and borne oure sycknesses This witnesseth S. Peter sayinge Christ hym selfe bare oure synnes in his body on the tree that we beyng delyuered from synne should liue vnto righteousnes And where as ye say that synne maketh sinners to flie from the face of God I answere It driueth in dede the obstinat and desperate sinners from God but not the penitent whiche repent in faith and turne vnfaynedly vnto the Lorde theyr God being perswaded that he is a father of mercies and God of al consolation and that he for Christes sake wyll forgeue them Doe they whiche fele them selfe sick and diseased flie and run away from the phisition They rather make hast vnto
not but turne again vnto the Lord your God he will turn vnto you â–ª deliuer you saue you For he is the father of mercies God of all consolation He is riche inough for all theÌ„ that call vpon hym If you doo thus though your sinnes be as read as scarlet yet shall they be as whyte as snowe And though they were lyke purple yet shall they bee as whyte as woll Heare what God saith by the Prophet Commonly whan a man putteth away his wife and she goeth from him and marieth with an other then the question is should he resorte any more vnto her after that Is not this field then defiled vncleane But as for thee thou hast plaide y e harlot with many louers yet turn again to me saith y e Lord. c. and I will not let my wrath fall vpon you I am mercifull sayeth the Lord and I will not alway beare displeasure against thee O tourn again and I will be maried with you WhoÌ„ wold not these words encourage to come againe vnto the Lord his God and throughly to be perswaded of gods louing fauour toward him and of the forgeuenes of his sinnes be they neuer so many and greuous if he repent beleue amend Epa. These thinges comfort well my weake conscience But one thinge dothe â—reatly discourage me Phi. What â—s that Epa. I haue no merites nor plenty of good workes wherwith I may make God fauorable â—o me but I am a barren fig tree â—oyd of all good fruit Phile. The waÌ„t of merits ought not to pluck you from comming vnto god For God saueth not vs for the righteous works which we haue done but for his mercies sake If oure saluatioÌ„ came of works merits then were grace no more grace If euerlasting life were gotten by deseruinges than were it not the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. But the Apostle saieth By grace are ye saued thorowe faith and that not of our selues It is the gifte of God and commeth not of workes least any maÌ„ should boast him self If rightousnesse come of the lawe then Christ is dead in vaine Christ came not to call the righteous but sinneâ— to repentance And we are taugâ— in the Gospell that ioye shall be 〈◊〉 heauen ouer one sinner that repâ—â—teth more then ouer ninety anâ— nine iust persones which nede 〈◊〉 repentaunce What had the wouâ—â—ded man deserued that he shoulâ— be healed What had y e strayshepâ— merited that the shephard shoulâ— so louingly fetch her home againâ— What good works brought Marâ— Magdalen when Christ receiueâ— her vnto grace forgaue her heâ— sinnes And so likewyse of diuers other If God shoulde saue vs because of our merites good workes so should we chuse god by our works and merites and not God vs by his fauor grace and mercy But Christ saith ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you And S. Iohn wondring at this great mercy of God brasteth out â—â—to these wordes â–ª and saith Beâ—olde what loue the father hathe â—hewed on vs y t we shuld be called â—he sonnes of God Againe herein â—s loue not that we loued God â—ut that he loued vs and sent his â—onne to be the agrement for our â—â—nnes And S Paul saith God y e â—ather hath chosen vs in Christ â—efore the foundatioÌ„s of the world â—ere laid God therfore did chuse â—s by his grace and not we hym â—y our workes and merits I wil â—aue mercy sayd God to Moses â—n whome it pleaseth me to haue mercy and I wil haue compassioÌ„ â—n whoÌ„ it is my pleasure to haue compassion It lieth not therfore â—n a mans will or running but in â—he mercy of God And the Psalâ—ograph saith speaking of God 〈◊〉 of him self he hath saued me beâ—ause it was his pleasure to haue â—e Againe he saith Thou shalt saue them for nothynge what 〈◊〉 to say saith S. Austen thou shâ—â— saue them for nothing but y e thâ—â— findest nothing in them wherfâ—â— they shuld be saued and yet sauâ—â— thou them Frely doest thou geâ—â— frely dost thou saue And s. Ieroâ—â— alledging y e same sentence agaiâ—â— the Pelagians saith that y e rigâ—â—teous are not saued by their owâ—â— merites but by the tender mercâ—â— of God If we shall consider ouâ—â— merites saith Chrisostom we aâ—â— not only worthy no reward bâ—â— we are also worthy punishemenâ— Let all mens merits which perâ—â—shed by Adam be still and kepe sâ—â—lence saith Saint Austen and lâ—â— the grace of God reigne which raigneth through our Lorde Iâ—â—sus Christe The redemption 〈◊〉 Christes bloud should waxe viâ—â— and become of no price sayth Sâ— Ambrose if y e iustification which commeth by grace were due vnto merites going afore Dauid sath in a certayne Psalme prayse â–ª the Lord. O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name Prayse the Lord O my soule and forget not his benefites Whiche forgeueth all thy sinnes and healeth al thine iniquities Which saueth thy life from destruction and crowneth the with mercy and loâ—ing kindnes All good men from the beginning haue attributed geuen the whole glory of their iustification and saluation not to their own merits and good worâ—es but to the free grace and vndeserued mercy of God that God maye bee all in all and that he whiche reioyseth should reioyse in â—he Lorde For the contentation and quietnes of your conscience â—n this behalf remember y t Christ â—ame not to cal y e iusticiaries but sinners vnto repentaunce RemeÌ„â—ber that the sonne of man came tâ— seke and to saue that that waâ— lost Remember that Christ is 〈◊〉 Phisition and that the whoâ— hath no nede of a Phisition buâ— suche as are sick Remember thaâ— Christ calleth vnto him al such aâ— are diseased loden with the buâ—â—den of sinne He requireth no mâ—â—rites only come remember thaâ— Christ is called a sauiour to y e end that he should saue them which otherwise should perish Heare alâ—so what God saith by y e Propheâ— Come to the waters al ye that bâ— thirsty and ye that haue no mony Come bie y t ye may haue to eaâ—â— Come bie wine and milk withouâ— any mony or mony worth Wherâ—â—fore doo ye lay out your mony foâ— the thyng that fedeth not spenâ— your labour about the thing thaâ— satisfieth you not But harkeâ— harken rather vnto me ye shall eat of the best and your soul shall haue her pleasure in plenteousnesses Encline your eares and come vnto me take hede I say your soul shall liue Our sauiour Christ also saieth If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Againe in an other place I wyll geue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of lyfe He that ouercommeth shall enherite all thinges
my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I geue vnto them euerlasting life they shall neuer perishe neither shal any maÌ„ plucke them out of my hande In this senteÌ„ce ye se that they whiche hear the voyce of theyr shepheard Christ are the shepe of Christ and that they shall neuer pearishe but haue euerlasting life Christ also said vnto Pilate Euery one that is of the truth heareth my voyce You hauing a minde to heare the word of God to heare the voyce of Christ that hie shepheard haue shewed your self to be of y e truthe So beyng you cannot perish but obtain euerlasting life For Christ him self pronounceth them blessed which hear the word of God and kepeth it that is to saye beleue it and study to frame their life according vnto y e same Epa. Moreouer I haue euer had a desire I thaÌ„ke y e Lord my God for it to pray vnto the Lord my God and to call on his holy name although I coÌ„fesse not so feruently as I ought Phil. This thing also doth fully certifie your conscience y t you are of the nuÌ„ber of Gods elect and to fore appoynted vnto euerlasting saluation For it is written Whosoeuer doth cal on the name of the Lord shalbe safe Againe he hath cried vnto me I will gratiously heare him yea I am with him in trouble and I will deliuer him glorifie him With long life wil I satisfy him and shew him my saluation Ep. God be thanked I am now wel quieted in my coÌ„science and fear Sathan nothing at all I thinke my self at this present so strong and so thorowly enarmed against the deuill and all his wicked army that I am nothing afraid to enter battaill with hym but am fully perswaded that by the help and power of my graund captaine Iesu Christ I shal ouer throw him One doubt remaineth that once dispatched I trust I shalbe in some redines for y e Lorde my God wheÌ„soeuer he sendeth for â—e calleth me out of this wretched worlde Phi. What is that Epa. I haue heard many times at the mouth of diuers men whiche haue a good opinion of theÌ„ selues of their owne wit doctrine learning that no man in this worlde is certain of his saluation niether can any man say with a safe conscience and vndouted faith I am of the nuÌ„ber of Gods elect I am a vessell of mercy I shal be saued My name is registred in the boke of life c. but all men euen y e most godly and faithful must doubt of their saluation of the remission of their sinnes of the fauour of God toward them and of euerlastinge life Phi. This is the doctrine of y e Papistes both wicked and dampnable The Papistes in teaching this doctrine doth not only trouble disquiet make afraid wound â–ª kill and slea the consciences of the simple people and of suche as credit their deuelish doctrine but as muche as in them lieth they make God a lier his holy worde false and our faith frustrate void and vain Take away the certentie of saluation from any man and to what poynt serueth the mercyful promise of God and the faithe whiche apprehendeth and layeth haÌ„d on the most louing promises of God This doctrine openeth a very path vnto hell and bringeth vnto desperation Chr. Yet y e Papistes alledge the Scripture for them Phile. I thinke that for so is their accustomed propertie They alledge many times y e scriptures of God to defend and to stablish their errours and heresies â—o blear the simple peoples eyes whiche are not able to discerne A. froÌ„ B. nor to iudge betwene truth and falshode but are easly led that waye wherunto the subtile and wily papist perswadeth If I had leasure to declare vnto you what IugliÌ„g y e vngodly Papistes haue vsed and yet doo vse in wryting wrestting incorrupting and abusing that holy worde of God ye would not a little maruell at the matter But I wold gladly hear what the papistes can alledge ouâ— of the word of God for the confirmation of their wicked opinion in this behalfe Chr. The sentence whereunto they stick and cleue as vnto an inuincible bulwarke is this A maÌ„ knoweth not whether he bee worthy loue or hatred buâ— althinges are kept vncerten vnto the time to come Phi. The kyngdome of the Papistes is not without a cause called the kingdom oâ— lies and the Papists them selues may rightwel be resembled to the beast which rose out of the sea vnto whom was geuen a mouthe to speake great things and blasphemies yea to speake blasphemy agaiÌ„st god to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and theÌ„ that dwel in heauen c. But as concerning the text which they alledge although the learned in the Hebrue tounge know right wel how greatly this text after the coÌ„mon Latin translation differeth from the truth of the Hebrue it is abused of them and wrasted contrary to the minde both of the authoure and of the translatour as the wordes that immediatly followe doo manifestly declare When Salomon saieth a man knoweth not whether he be worthy loue or hatred he speaketh not of the knowledge and iudgement of the coÌ„science toward God for who knoweth not that he is worthy hatred which sinneth against the Lorde his god contrariwise that he pleareth god god loueth him which dooth that thing that is pleasaunt in his godly sight but he speaketh of the outward and carnall iudgement and knowlede which men haue of them selues of their owne strengthes wisdome or free wyll concerning thinges which chauÌ„ce to them outwardly As though he should saye If a man should only beholde and consider the outward face of thynges and iudge the fauour or the disfauour of God toward any man of the things that outwardly chaunce vnto any maÌ„ he were not able to affirme and to parswade his conscience whether God loueth him or not For God indifferently without anye respect had to ether of the parties geueth as aboundantly to the vngodly as to the godly to the vnfaithfull as to the faithfull to the sainctes as vnto the wycked his temporall and outward giftes as beauty strength rytches healthe of body reason wisdom eloqueÌ„ce honor nobilitie wealth glory c. yea many times the ennemies of God haue more plenteously geuen vnto them of God the ritches and pleasures of this lyfe then the frendes of God Therfore if a naturall man not being regenerat nor borne a newe of the spirite of God considreth the outward face of thinges and iudgeth of them y e fauour or disfauour of God verely so knoweth he not who is worthy Gods loue or hatred so is he not certain whom God loueth or whom he hateth This is thaforsaid text of Salomon as it is traÌ„slated to be vnderstand And that this is the meaning of the author y e words that folow do manifestly declare It happeneth saith he vnto one
camest into this world to call sinners vnto repentaunce and to seeke vp y t was lost thou seest in what case this oure brother lieth here visited with thy mercifull hand al weake feble sicke and redy to yealde vp his soule into thy holy haÌ„ds O loke vpoÌ„ him moste gentle sauior with thy mercifull eie pitie him and be fauorable vnto him He is thy workemanship despise not therfore the worke of thine own hands Thou suffredst thy blessed body and thy precious bloud to be shed for his sinnes and to bringe hym vnto the glorye of thy heauenlye father let it not therefore come to passe that thou shouldest suffer so great paines for him in vaine He was baptised in thy name and gaue him self wholy to be thy seruaunt forsakynge the deuill the world and the flesh confesse him therefore before thy heauenly father and his blessed Aungels to be thy seruaunt His sinnes we confesse are great for who is hable to saye my heart is clene I am fre from sin but thy mercies O Lord are much greater And thou camest not to cal thâ— righteous but sinners vnto repeÌ„taunce To them that are diseased and ouerladen with the burden of sin doest thou promise ease Thou art that God which willest not y e death of a sinner but rather that he shuld turne and liue Thou art the sauiour whiche wishest all meÌ„ to bee saued and to come to the knowledge of thy truthe Withdraw not therfore thy mercy from him because of his sinnes but rather lay vpoÌ„ him thy sauiÌ„g health that thou maiest shewe thy selfe toward him to be a sauior What greater praise caÌ„ there be to a phisition then to heale the sicke Neither can there be a greater glory to thee being a sauior then to saue sinners saue him therfore O Lord for thy names sake Again let the law be no corsiue to his conscience but rather geue him grace eueÌ„in this extreme agony and conflicte of death to be fully perswaded y t thou by thy death hast takeÌ„ away all his sinnes fulfilled the lawe for hym and by this meanes deliuered him from the cursse of the law and paid his raunsome that he thus beinge fully perswaded may haue a quiet heart a fre conscience and a glad will to forsake this wretched world to go vnto his lord God Moreouer thou hast conquered hym that had rule of death euen sathan suffer him not therfore to exercise his tiraÌ„ny vpoÌ„ this our sicke brother nor to disquiet his conscience with the terrours of sinne and paines of hell Let not Sathan nor his infernall army tempte him further then he is hable to beare but euermore geue him grace euen vnto his last breath valeantly to fight against the deuil with strong faith in thy precious bloud that he may fight a good fight and finish his course with ioy vnto y e glory of thy name and the healthe of his soule O Lord so worke in him by thy holy spirite that he with all his hearte maye contempne and despise all worldly things and set his mind wholly vpon heauenly thynges hopyng for them with a stronge and vndoubted faithe Againe let it not greue him O swete sauiour to be losoned froÌ„ this vile wretched â—arcaâ—e which is now so full of sorow trouble anguishe fickenes and paine but rather let hym haue a bent and ready wyll thorowe thy goodnes to put it of yea and that with this faith that he at the last day shall receiue it again in a much better state then it is now or euer was froÌ„ the daye of his birthe euen a body vncorruptible immortall like to thy glorious body Let his hole heart and mynde be set only vpon thee Let the remembraunce of y e ioyes of heaueÌ„ be so ferueÌ„t in his brest that he may bothe patientlye and thanckfully take his death and euer wish to be with the in glory And when the tyme coÌ„meth that he shall geue ouer to nature depart from this miserable worlde vouchafe we most huÌ„bly beseeche the o Lord Iesu to take his soule into thy handes and to place it amonge the glorious company of thy holy angels blessed saintes and to kepe it vnto that most ioyful day of the generall resurrectioÌ„ that both his body soule thorow thyne almighty power being knit agayn together at y t day he maye for euer euer enioy thy glorious kingdom sing perpetuall praises to thy blessed name Chri. Amen Epa. O God be merciful vnto me and blesse me shewe me the lighte of thy countenaunce and deale fauourably with me Lighten mine eies that I slepe not in death least myne ennemy say I haue preuailed against him For if I be cast downe they that trouble me will reioyse at it But my trust is in thy mercy my heart is ioyfull in thy saluation Phile. Sir how do you Epa. My bodely sight is gone Phi. The Lord gaue it you and the Lorde hath taken it away againe As it hath pleased the Lord so is it come to passe blessed be the name of the Lorde Now that God hath taken away the sight of your corporal eies behold the Lord your God with the eies of your faith and doubte you not but that shortly you shall see the glorious maiestie of god with the eies of your soule euen as he is face to face whiche shalbe vnto you suche ioy and so great coÌ„fort that no tounge is able to expresse nor no heart able to thinke it Epa. I beleue and am assuredlye perswaded that I shall see the plesures of the Lorde in the lande of the liuing Phile. CoÌ„tinue in this faith vnto the end and you shall surely be saued Ep. As God hath taken away my syght so do al my other senses decaye Phi. Though by the appointment of God you lose your bodely speache yet shall your soule in the heauenly kyngdom sing prayse and magnify the Lord your God worldes without end And all be it the bodely hearing be taken away from you yet shall your soule in the kingdom of God hear such swete pleasaunt delectable thinges as neuer mortall man heard nor may hear the like Againe although your going and the vse of your whole body be taken away from you and your body returne vnto the earth from whence it came yet doubte you not but your soule being once deliuered out of the prison of your body shal serue the lord your god perfectly and ioyfully follow the Lambe Christ. whither so euer he goeth Epa. O Lorde deliuer my soul out of the prison of the body that I maye come vnto thee and glorify thy holy name CoÌ„maund my spirit to be receaued in peace for more expedient were it for me to die theÌ„ to liue Phi. Be on good comfort sir God in this your troble and bitter agony of death is present with you and when he seeth conuenient tyme