This is a coÌfortable hering Phi. No les true then coÌfortable Epa. I trust then within fewe houres to se al the faithfull whiche before me haue departed in the Lord my children also and all my other acquaintaunce Phi. You shall both se them know them reioyse and be meary with them Eu. I maruell y t any man shuld doubt of thys doctrine beynge so clearlye set forthe both by the authority of the holye scriptures and by the testimonyes of the godly wryters seynge that the very heathen which knew not God a right beynge parswaded ãâã the immortality of the soule neuer doubted of it but were thorowlye resolued that such as lyued in this world iustly and vprightly and deserued wel of the common wealth whan so euer they departed from this life should go vnto the blessed company of the immortal Gods there not only se know the gods but also all those noble good and vertuous parsons that euer liued in this world as wel suche as they neuer knew as also those whome in this world they dyd moste perfectly know And they beyng thus perswaded desyred deathe at the leaste when the tyme of theyr departure came they toke their deathe the more ioyfully and paciently I wil rehearse vnto you y e worâes of âne or two of them I haue ãâ¦ã desire said Cato the elder âo se your fathers whom I honouââd and loued But I wish not onây to talke wyth them whome I haue knowen in thys worlde but with such also as of whom I haue âeard and red yea and I my selfe âaue wrytten If I were once goâng thitherward I woulde neuer âaue mynde to retourne hyther aâain Againe he saith O that noâle and pleasant day when it shall âe my chaunce to come vnto that âeauenly company and blessed feâowship and depart froÌ this troublous stincking world For theâ shall I go not only vnto those meÌâ of whom I spake vnto you beforâ but also vnto my Cato whiche was as worthy a man as euer liued and as noble And it is written of Socrates y t when he wenâ vnto his death amoÌg many other thiÌgs he said y t it is a most blessed goodly thing for theÌ to come together which haue liued iustly faithfully o saith he what a greaâ pleasure thinke you it to be freÌdlâ to talk w t Orpheus Musaeus Homeârus Hesiodus such like verely I wold die ful oft if it were possiblâ to get those things y t I speake of Thus se we y t many among y t very HeatheÌ which wer perswadeâ of thinmortality of y e soul beleueâ y t they whiche in this world liueâ godly iustly vprightly honestly should al go vnto a ioyful place oâ rest ther hauing y e blessed compââny of y e immortal gods they shulâ know one another talk reioyce one w t an other The. As touching y e Ethnickes which in this world led a iust vpright life in the sight of meÌ I pronouÌce nothing but leue theÌ vnto gods iudgmeÌt but as concerning the faithful christians which beleue in God feare loue God are perswaded of their saluatioÌ in Christes blud frame their life vnto the vttermost of their power according to the coÌmaundements of God as they shall al obtain one glorious kingdome be Citezins of one Citie so likewyse shal they se know one an other talke reioyse be mery one with another This is my belief Ph. I agre w t you in opinioÌ concerning this matter Therfore good neighbor Epaphrodit be of good âhere take a good hart vnto you faynt not nether feare you death For y e time is at hand that you leauing this wretched worlde and the inhabitantes therof shall come vnto that most glorious and heaueÌly kingdom where you shall haue the sight and knowledge not only of God and of his holy angels but also of al Gods elect and chosen people Al your dear frendes which are gone afore you shal gloâriously come and mete you ioyfully receiue you gladly present you vnto the maiestie of God and so shall you altogether remain in al glory and ioy for euer and euer Epa. Amen God grauÌt Chr. Sir how do you Epa. As God wyll Chri. I truste you do remember what my neighbour Philemon hath sayd vnto you Epa. Yea right wel I thanke God Chr. Then sir I praye you be of good comforte Epa. I am well content to forsake the worlde and all that is in the world and to go vnto the lord my God Eu. I trust y t there is none other thinge that troubleth you Epa. Yes not outwardly but inwardly Eu. Inward trouble is y e greatest griefe in the worlde Declare I pray you what it is we will doe the best we can to quiet your mind Epaph. Let me alone a little and pray for me Euse. Well content Neighbours let vs commend this our sicke brother vnto God with our prayers For he desireth it Phi. God commaundeth vs by his holy Apostle saying If any be diseased amonge you let him call for the elders of the congregatioÌ let theÌ pray ouer him annoint him w t oyle in the name of the Lord. And y e praier of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lorde shall rayse him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shalbe forgeuen him Knowledge your fautes one to another and praye one for an other that ye may be healed The prayer of a righteous maÌ auaileth muche if it be feruent Let vs therfore knele downe and praye O Lorde heare our praier Eu. And let our cry come vnto theâ Phi. O almighty and euerlasting God which lightnest al men that come into this world we besethe thee lighteÌ the heart of this sicke weake and diseased persone with the beames of thy deuine grace mercy y t al his thoughtes wordes workes may so be directed that he may be acceptable to thy godly maiestie in true faith and perfect loue thorow thi only sonne Iesus Christ our Lord sauiour Chr. Aâmen Phi. O eternall and merciful God loke down from heaueÌ and visit this thy weake seruaunt as thou diddest visit Toby Sara Peters wiues mother the Captaines seruaunt Blesse hym as thou didst blesse Abraham Isaac and Iacob Behold him O Lord with the eies of thy mercy Replenish his hart with all ioye kepe from him al sinful thoughtes and wicked imaginations And sende downe thy angell of peace that he may kepe and defend him in euerlasting peace through Iesus christ thy deare sonne our Lorde sauiour Eu. Amen Phi. O Lord Iesu Christ thalone sauiour of y e world and the true phisitioÌ both of body and soule we most humbly besech thee mercifully to behold this our sicke brother which is a meÌber of y e mistical body wherof thou art y e head and a braunche of the which y â art the true vine Be thou vnto hym that moste
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 haÌds 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 repeÌtaunce 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 sauiÌg 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 eueÌin 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 tiraÌny 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 âarcaâe 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 ferueÌt 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 coÌmeth that he shall geue ouer to nature depart from this miserable worlde vouchafe we most huÌbly 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 coÌfort 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. CoÌtinue 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 CoÌmaund 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
as the wyse man saythe In all thy workes remember the latter ende and thou shalt neuer sinne I desire muche to visit my neighboure Epaphroditus occording to his hartye request and to comfort him in these his paines to instruct him how he ought both paciently thankfully beare this crosse of sicknes which God hath laid on him but I wishe greatly to haue the company of mine olde familiars and approued frends Eusebius Theophile and Christopher I sente my sonne Theodore and Rachell my Doughter for them I muche maruell of their long tariaunce But beholde where they come Neighbors and frendes welcom Euse We reioyce to se you in helth thanking you most hartely for the louing kindnes which heretofore many times you haue shewed vnto vs. But wherfore I pray you haue you sent for vs. Phile. Haue ye not heard howe our neighbour Epaphroditus is greuously vexed with sicknes Theophiâpunc Is ouâ neighbor Epaphroditus sicke Phi. He is sick and that very sore Christo ⪠Sory am I to heare this Philemon We are in the Lordes hande as the claye in the potters to doo with vs what so euer his good pleasure is Therfore let vs not beare heueli this work of God in our neighbor least we seme to striue against his godly will seeing we vse dayly to pray Thy wil be don in earthe as it is in heaueÌ hauing also an example of our sauior Christ whiche praid vnto his heauenly father on this manner Not as I will but as thou wilt o father Euse. How long hath oure neighboure Epaphroditus bene sick Phi. Not yet two daies The. I mucch maruel of this his soden sicknes Philemon It is no maruell at all seing sicknes foloweth health and deathe life as the shadow accompanieth the body Ye know neighbors how charitable a deede it is to visite the sicke and to comforte the diseased It is one of those works whiche being don in the faithe of Christe shall be rewarded at the last day in the face of the whole worlde with then heritance of the heauenly kingdom as ye may see in the gospel of blessed Mathew I was sicke and ye visited me saithe oure Sauioure Christe The wise man also saith Let not them that wepe be withoute comforte but mourne with suche as mourne Let it not greue thee to viset the sicke for that shall make the to be beloued Christop This saying differeth not muche from the saying of S. Paule Reioyce with them that reioyce and wepe with them that wepe Be of like affection one to another Phile Let vs therfore go and visit our sicke neighboure Epaphroditus and comforte him with the heauenly consolacion of the holy scriptures that he may beare this his sicknes bothe the more pacieÌtly and thankfully For to this end did I send for you that we should go together vnto him and to confort him Theo. We were to much vnkinde and vnworthy the name of a Christian yea of a man yf we shuld disdayne to accompany you goyng aboute so godly a matter Phile. Well then let vs go For as the preacher saith It is better to go into an house of mourning theÌ into an house of banketinge for there all menne be admonished of their latter end and the liuing coÌsidereth what afterward shall becom of them I pray the Lord our God that we may find him at our comming in his whole mind and perfect memory Eusebi I beseche the Lorde our God also that his paines be not so outragious that when we come he haue no minde to heare what shalbe saide vnto him so shall our labour be loste Christop Gods will be don in all thinges Phile. We will do oure duty let God wurke his pleasure Now are we at the house I wyll be so bold neighboures as to leade you the way Theoph. I pray you go sir we will folow you Epa. the sicke man Oh cursed be the day wherin I was borne vnhappy be the day wherin my mother brought me forthe Cursed be the man that broughte my father the tydinges to make him glad saying Thou hast gotten a sonne Let it happen vnto that man as to the Cities which the Lord turned vp side downe Let him heare crying in the morning and at none daye lamentable howling Why sluest thou not me as soone as I came oute of my mothers wombe O that my mother had ben my graue her selfe that the birth might not haue come out but remained styll in her Wherfore came I forth out of my mothers wombe to haue experience of laboure and sorow Ah how sicke am I my strengthe is gone my sight faileth me my tounge flottereth in my mouthe my handes tremble and shake for paine I can not hold vp my head for weakenes If I attempte either to stand or to goo my legges fall downe vnder me No parte of my body doth her right office my memory is paste My sences fayle me What so euer I tast is vnplesant vnto me What other thynge am I theÌ a dead corps brething For my skin vpon me is tourned to blacke and my bones are dried vp with heate Yea miserably am I tormented and altogether wery of my lyfe What can be plesant vnto me but present deathe Ah wo worth the time that euer I was borne O y t som hill might fall downe and ouerwhelme me that I might shortly be rid out of this pain Philemon O Lord God good neighbores these be wordes proceding rather from a desperat harte then from a pacient minde But why do I cease to go in The father of mercies and God of all consolacion be presente with vs. Theo. AmeÌ Phile. Peace be vnto this house and to so many as loue the Lord Iesus vnfainedly Epa. O mother alas that euer thou did dest beare me Alas why died I not in the birthe Why did I not perish assone as I came out of my mothers wombe Philem. Neighboure Epaphroditus God geue you a pacient hart a quyet contented minde According to youre request I am com vnto you with certaine of my neighbours being very desirous to see you and notwithstandinge not a little sory to beholde you in this case not that you are visited of God with sicknes but that you so impacientlye take thys louing visitatioÌ of god whiche chaunceth vnto you not for your hurt and destruction but for your commodity and saluatyon Epaphro Welcome welcome neighbors all Oh how sicke am I Oh that the end of my life wer at hande It greueth my soule to liue All ioy is gone with me This sicknes hathe vtterly marred me Phi. Say not so neighbor Epaphroditus yea rather think that this youre sicknes is the louing visitacion of God and bringeth although to the body wekenes and trouble yet to the soule valeaunce and consolation Epa. Gods louing visitation Philem. Yea neighbor Gods louing visitation For so ar we taught by the worde of God God himself
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 âin 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 âinnefull 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 waÌt the glory of God We all are vnprofitable seruauÌts Euery man is a lier We were beâgotten in sinne conceiued in sinnâ and borne in sinne Our heart ãâã leude and vnsearchable All our righteousnes are as cloth polluâted 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 âhe 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 coÌfesse 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 rememâber 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 vengeauÌce of my sinnes nether remember my misdedes nor y e misdedes of mine elders for we haue not bene obedient to thy coÌmaundements 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 merciâul ⪠long suffring of great goodâes 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 toâward you which louingly correcteth you in this world that ye maâ repent knowledge your fault aâmend 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 coÌmitted against thy deuine maiestie froÌ the houre of my birth vnto this preseÌt 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 heaueÌly 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 âehind 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 thaÌke 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 peniteÌt 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 remeÌbrance 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 reaâcheth 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 huÌbling him self obtained the fauor of God remission of sinnes went home more righteous than the proud Pharisey So likewise the Centurion coÌfessing his vnworthines for the receiuing of Christ into his house obtained health for his sicke seruaÌt 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 âheir mournings y t he may deliuer âhem 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 obedieÌt to thy godly wyl frely consent to the working of
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 ãâã 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 meaânes 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 perâceiue Sathan to be still busy and to seke my daÌnation Phi. Striuââfully you shall haue the crowne of glory ⪠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 streÌgth thinck no scorn of me âeast 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 peâicions 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 ⪠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 coÌgregation 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 ⪠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 wouÌd 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
led a vertuous life He forsoke not y e way of truth nether defiled he him selfe with any kynd of Idolatry He worshipped the Lord God of Israel faithfully offring of all his first frutes and tithes Whatsoeuer he might get he departed it daily with his felow prisoners brethreÌ He was ful of good works he gaue largly vnto the pore he fed the hoÌgry he gaue drink to y e thirsty he clothed the naked he lodged the harborles he visited the sick he redemed the captiues prisoners he buried the dead Ther was no work of mercy that he had left vndone He was rich plenteous in all good works And whatsoeuer he did he did it with a ioyfull ready hart For God saith S. Paule loueth a cherefull geuer Epa. A blessed man and a faithfull seruaunt of God Phi. And yet mark what followeth It hapned vpon a day y t he had buried the dead and was weary came home and layd hym down by the wall and slept And whyle he was a slepe there fell downe vpon his eies warm dong out of the swalowes nest so that he became blind Epaphr A pitiful chauÌce Phile. This tentacion did God suffer to happen vnto hym y t they whiche came after myght haue an example of his pacience like as of holy Iob. Epaphro But how did Toby take this teÌtacion Phile. Uery Godly quietly paciently and thankefully For in so muche as he euer feared God froÌ his yougth vp and kept his commaundementes he grudged not against God that the plague of blindnes chaunsed vnto him but remained stedfast in the feare of God and thanked God al y t daies of his life Epaphr But what was the end of the matter Continued he blind vnto his dying day Did not God deale mercifully with Toby as we heard afore of Iob Phile. Yes verely for God scourgeth and healeth God ledeth vnto hel and bringeth out again God killeth and maketh aliue God after a storme maketh the weather faire calm God after weping heauinesse geueth great ioye When God had throughlye tried Toby and found him constant in his faith he restored vnto him his sight againe For the which Toby moste humbly thanked hym and said O Lord God of Israell I geue the prayse and thanks for thou hast chastened me and made me whole again Christo. O praised be the Lord our God which is maruelous in his Sainctes and holy in all his workes Epa. Liued Toby long after his sight was restored vnto him Phi. Toby saith the scripture after he had gotten his sight againe liued .xlii. yeres in great ioy and wealth and saw his childrens children And when he was C. and .ii. yeares olde he departed in peace and was honorably buried Epaphro A blessed end Phi. Of a good life cometh a good end Thus haue you heard out of the holy scriptures brother Epaphroditus that the Crosse that is to saye corporall affliction is not a token of Gods anger but of his fauour and that he layeth temporall punishement more customably vpon his frendes than vpon his ennemies yea and that not to destroy them but to proue and try them euen as the fire trieth the gold For as thaungel Raphaell sayd vnto Toby Because thou wast accepted and beloued of God it was necessary that temtacion should try thee You haue heard also the louing kindnesse of God toward his faithfull constant seruauntes how after a iust triall made he restoreth them vnto a more blessed state than they were in a fore Therfore take a good heart vnto you faint not Be strong in the Lord. Be faithful vnto the end Be pacieÌt in this your sicknes Be thaÌkeful for this louing visitation of God Abide the good pleasure of God Suffer him quietly to do with you what soeuer his good wil is If you wil thus do dout ye not but that god wil be merciful vnto you bring that thing to passe which is most for your comfort and profit For whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning that through pacience and the comfort of the scriptures we may haue hope Epaph. The Lordes will be done in me He knoweth what is moste mete for me a wretched synner let him therfore worke his good pleasure in me come lyfe come death For if we liue we liue to bee at the Lordes will and if we die we die at the Lordes will Whether we liue therfore or die we are the Lordes Only O heauenly father I beseche thee for Christes sake to geue me a pacient and thankefull hart that I neuer grudge against thy blessed will but be obedient vnto it in all thinges that whan the pains of my sicknes be most bitter I may lift vp my hart vnto thee cal on thy blessed name and say O Lorde rebuke me not in thy indignation nether chasten me in thy displeasure Haue mercy on me O Lorde for I am weake O lord heale me for my bones are vexed My soule also is sore troubled but Lord how loÌg wilt thou punish me Turne thee O Lord deliuer my soule oh saue me for thy mercies sake O my God saue thy seruant that putteth his trust in thee Be mercifull vnto me O Lord for I wil cal daily vpoÌ the. Comfort the soul of thy seruaunt âor vnto thee O Lord do I lifte âp my soule For thou Lorde art good gracious of great mercy ânto all them that cal vpon thee Theo. Neighbour Epaphroditus his is vnto vs a singuler pleasur ând great comfort to hear so godây wordes proceade out of youre âouth Be diligent continually ãâã call on the Lorde and he in all our afflictions troubles shall ãâã vndoubtedly your stroÌg tower our mighty shield and inuincible fortres He will not leaue you nor forsake you but assist you and be present with you in your sicknesse according to this his promesse Because he hath trusted in me I wil deliuer him I will defend him because he hath known my name He shall cal vpon me I will gratiously hear him yea I am with him in trouble I wil deliuer him and glorifie him With long life wil I satisfie him shew him my saluation Ep. I must nedes coÌfesse most geÌtle neighbors that I haue receiued muche consolation and great coÌfort of youre company and specially that ãâã haue thus enarmed yea and fortressed my brest with the coÌfortaâble sentenses and histories of thâ holy scriptures against the bitteâ stormes of aduersitie and I hartâly thank you for your pains Notâwithstanding this must I nedeâ say vnto you that I finde not my self in my conscience to be of suche godlines and vertue that I dare compare my selfe with Ioseph Dauid Iob and Toby whome ye recited vnto me but muche inferior bothe vnto them and vnto their godlines of life so that although they being righteous of the very loue which God bare toward them wer assailed with aduersitie to this ende y
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 huÌble 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 âhie God was their redemer God him self also saith by the Prophet In their aduersitie they shall earây 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 coÌuert 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 thaÌkfull vnto him and to liue worthy his kindnes These and suche like thinges must the godly reader coÌsider 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 commaundemeÌt 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 repentaÌce of the remissioÌ of sins and thou that art the God of the rightous hast not put repeÌtance 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 coÌmitting abhominatioÌs and multiplying offeÌces 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 coÌfort 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 âawest not the sinnes of men for âepentance sake And the Prophet âaieth All that beleueth on him âhe speaketh of Christ shal nat be âonfounded And Christ saith of âim selfe I am the resurrection âhe life He that beleueth on me âea though he were dead yet shall âe liue And whosoeuer liueth and âeleueth on me he shall neuer die âlso in another place he
sayeth âod so loued the worlde that he âaue his only begotteÌ sonne that âhosoeuer beleueth on him shuld âot perishe but haue euerlastinge ââfe For God sent not his sonne in ãâã the world to coÌdemne y e world âut that the worlde through hym âight be saued Epap Godly and âomfortable sentences God geue ãâã grace neuer to forget them âhristo Amen Epa. You brother âhilemon haue rehearsed two notable and comfortable histories out of the old testament which declare that God punishing sinners for their disobedience doeth notwithstaÌding afterward wheÌ they repent and turne forgeue theÌ and receiue them againe into his fauoure Rehearse vnto me also I pray you one or two histories out of the new testament concerning that matter Phi. I wil do it very gladly Ye remember the history of the prodigal sonne writteÌ in the Gospel of blessed Luke Ep. What is that I pray you Phil. Blessed Luke telleth that a certaine man had two sonnes and the yonger of them said vnto his father father geue me the porcion of the goods that to me belongeth And he deuided vnto them his substaunce Hitherto haue ye heard of the fathers liberalitie toward his soÌne It foloweth and not long after âhen the yoÌger son had gathered ãâã y t he had together he tooke his ââurney into a far couÌtrey ⪠there âe wasted his goods with riotous ââuing Here se we the wickednes âf the son Now behold y e plage of God And wheÌ he had speÌt al ther ârose a great dearth in al y t lande ând he began to lack and went âame to a citezen of the same counâry he sent him to his farme to âepe swine And he wold haue filââd his belly with the cods that ãâã swine did eat no man gaue ânto him Thus see ye into howe âreat misery he is fallen for the âifusing of his goods Beholde âow again his repentant sorowââll hart TheÌ he came to him self ãâã said how many hired seruantes ãâã my fathers haue bread inough ââd I perishe with honger I âill arise and go to my Father ând will say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants And he arose and cam to his father Now marke also the pitiful compassion and tender mercy of the father toward his sonne But wheÌ he was yet a great way of his father saw him and had compassion ran and fell on his neck kissed him ⪠And the sonne sayde vnto hymâ father I haue sinned against heuen thy in sight am no more worthy to be called thy son Buâ the father said to his seruauntes bring forth the best garment anâ put it on hym and put a ring oâ his hand and shoes on his feete And bring hither that fat calf â kill it and let vs eate be mery for this my sonne was dead iâ aliue againe he was lost and iâ found And thei begoÌ to be merâ ân this history do ye se y e exceding âreat mercy of God toward peniâânt sinners moste liuely painted ãâã set forth So sone as this wastââl sonne repented him of his rioâous liuing had a mynde to reâurne home vnto his father and ãâã humble him self before him and ãâã desire mercie and forgeuenesse âf his sinnes oh how gladly and âow ioyful did his father louingââ embrace him swetely kisse him âââendly salute him hartely enterâain him so derely receiue him ââto his fauour as though he had âeuer offended Epa. O the great ând infinite mercies of God Phi. âere see ye that to be true whiche âod him self saith by the prophet âhou disobedient Israel tourn aâain saith the Lorde I will not ât my wrath fall vpon you For I ân merciful saith the Lorde I âil not alway bear displeasure against thee c. O ye disobedient children turn again saying lo we are thine for thou art the lorde our God and so shal I heale your back turnings By an other Prophet he also saieth as truly as I liue saith the Lord God I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but much rather y t the wicked turn from his way and liue Turn you turn you from your vngodliâwaies O ye af the house of Israeâ oh wherfore will ye die The wickednes of y e wicked shal not hurt hym whensoeuer he conuerteth from his vngodlines Again by y e aforsaid Prophet he saith repenâ and turn you from al your iniquities your iniquities shall workâ you no displeasure Cast away frâ you all your wickednesses wherâ in ye haue offended and make yoâ a new hart and a new spirit Anâ wherfore will ye die O ye housâ âf Israel For I wil not y t any maÌâhuld die sayth the Lord. Return âherfore liue Ep. Are these worâes spokeÌ as wel to vs as to y e peoâle of Israel Phi. Yee to vs. Of a âruth saith blessed Peter I perâeiue y t ther is no respect of persoÌs ãâã God but in al people he y t feaâeth him worketh righteousnes âs accepted w t him Is he y e God of âhe Iewes only Is he not also y e God of the geÌtils yea euen of the âentiles also saith blessed Paule For it is God only which iustifiâth the circumcision y t is of faith âncircumcision thorowe faith âor he is not a Iewe whiche is a âew outward nether is it circuÌââsioÌ which is outward in y e flesh âut he is a Iew which is hid w t ââ and the circuÌcision of the heart ãâã true circumcision which consiâeth in the spirite and not in the ââter whose prayse is not of meÌ but of God There is no differeÌce betwene the Iew and the gentill For one is Lorde of all whiche is riche vnto all that call vpon him For who so euer doth call on the name of the Lorde shall be safe Therefore what so euer thinges were written aforetime they werâ written for our learning that we thorow pacience and the comforâ of y e scriptures might haue hope The. Ye gentils saith s. Paul weâ in times past without Christ beâing aliauntes from the Commonââwealth of Israel and straungerâ froÌ the testaments of the promes hauing no hope and being withâout God in this world But now by the meanes of Christ Iesu ãâã which somtime were a far of ãâã made nie by the bloud of Christâ For he is our peace whiche hatâ made of both one and hath brokâ downe the wall that was a staâ betwene vs and hath also put away through his fleshe the cause of hatred euen the lawe of commaundementes conteined in the law written for to make of twain one newe man in him selfe so making peace to reconcile both vnto God in one body through the crosse and slue hatred therby and came and preached peace to you which were a
far of and to them which were nie For through him we both haue an entraunce in one âpirit vnto the father Nowe therâore ye are not straungers and foâeiners but citezins with y e sainâes and of the houshold of God âre built vpon the foundation of ãâã Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ him self being the head corâer ãâã stone in whome what builââng soeuer is coupled together ãâã groweth vnto an holy temple ãâã 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 plaâged of God without doubt foâ his sinnes So sone as our sauiâour Christ perceiued that he haâ a mynde to be made whole he saiâ vnto him Rise take vp thy bed ãâã walke And streightways the ãâã was made hole Afterward Chrâââ found him in the temple and ãâã vnto him Behold thou art ãâã whole loke thou sinne no ãâã after this least a worse thynge chaunce vnto thee These wordeÌs 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 disobedieÌce 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 anâwere 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 NotwithstaÌding so sone as he humbled him selfe repented him of his former life coÌfessed 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 forâgeue 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 comfârt and great ioy in your coÌscience 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 conscieÌce 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 ⪠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 HierusaleÌâo Hierico and fel among theues whiche robbed him of his raimeÌt 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 Leâuite 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 heaâed For as ye were as shepe going astray but are nowe tourned vnto the shepeheard and Bishop of your soules Epaphroditus You âpake 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 coÌcludeth 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 coÌsciences in these histories and parables which you neighbour Philemon haue full gently declared vnto me Phile. I âm glad brother Epaphroditus âo heare you so say And be ye wel âssured they are no lesse true than âomfortable Perswade your self âhat Christ is a moste louing and âaithfull Phisition to so many as âele them selues diseased yea he so âuche tendreth our health that âe calleth vs vnto hym and proâiseth that he wyl ease vs of our ârief if we will come vnto hym âeal all our diseases They that âe strong nede no Phisition but ââey y t are sicke And Christ came âât
to call the righteous but synâârs vnto repentance If ye therââe fele your selfe sick and greued âith the burdeÌ of sinne come vnto the Phisition Christ shew him your woundes and he will vndoubtedly heal them as ye heard afore of the wounded man Despaire not though your sinnes bee neuer so great and innumerable For the sonne of man came to seke vp and to saue that was lost Christ is that lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinne of the world This is a true saying and worthy of all men to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into this worlde to saue sinners Whosoeuer beleueth on him shall not bee ashamed Because he hath puâ his trust in me sayth God by thâ Psalmograph I will deliuer yeâ I will defende hym because hâ hath knowne my name Epaphroâ Than I trust whether the Lord my God punisheth me for the trââall of my faith or for my sinnes that by this meanes he may caâme vnto repentaunce it is no token of his wrath and heauy displeasure toward me Phile. No be âe well assured For whome the Lorde loueth him he chastneth yet delighteth in him as a father ân his owne sonne What sonne âs he whome the father chastneth not If ye be not vnder correctioÌ saith S. Paul wherof all are âartakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes And God himself âaith As many as I loue I reâuke and chasten So that this âour sicknesse is the louing visiâation of God sent vnto you not âor your destruction but for your âaluation Epaphro I may then âe bolde to call vpon the Lord my God in this my sicknesse Phile. Why not God hath commaunâed you so to do and hath also proâised to heare you Epaphroditus Where is that commaundement and promise of God Ph. It is written in a certaine Psalme by that Princelike Prophet Dauid Epa. Let me heare it Phil. Call on me saith God in the time of thy trouble and I wil deliuer thee thou shalt honoure me Here God doth not only commaund vs to call oâ him in the tyme of our trouble but he also promiseth graciously to heare vs and to graunt vs ouâ request And for this his benefitâ he requireth nothinge of vs buâ thankes geuing Chri. Ful gratiâous is the Lord a strong hold iâ the time of trouble he knowetâ them that put their trust in hym ⪠The Lord is nie vnto them thaâ are of a troubled hart will sauâ suche as be of an humble spiritââ The Lorde healeth those that aââ broken in hart and geueth mââdecine to heale theyr sickenesse The Lord remembred vs saith Psalmograph when we were in trouble for his mercy endureth for euer Unto whom shal I haue âespect or whome shall I fauour âaith God by the prophet Uerely âuen him that is miserable poore âow brought troubled in spirite ââandeth in awe of my woordes âhi Truth it is that the Lorde is âood and gratious vnto theÌ that âut their trust in hym and to the âule that seaketh after hym âherfore brother Epaphroditus âre not in this your sicknes diliâently and without ceasing to flee ânto God with harty and faythââll prayers nothing doubtinge ãâã that he will fauourably heare ãâã and graunt you whatsoeuer ãâã aske according to his will as s. âohn saith this is the trust that âe haue in him that if we aske ây thyng according to his wyll ãâã heareth vs. And if we know y t he heare vs whatsoeuer we aske we knowe that we haue the petitions that we desire of him For the Lorde is nie vnto all that call on hym yea that call on hym in truth After this manner did all good men women behaue them selues whansoeuer they were assailed with any kynde of trouble or aduersitie King Ezechias whaÌ he was greuously sicke and had receiued a commaundemeÌt from God that he should set his housâ in an order for he should die anâ not liue tourned his face to thâ wall and prayed vnto the Lord the Lorde hearde hym made hiâ whole and saued hym aliue xvââ yeares after The thre chyldreâ Sidrach Misach Abednagâ when they were cast into the fyârie fornace because they would not worship the golden Image ãâã the commandement of kyng Nââbuchodonosor praied vnto y e Lord and he both graciously heard theÌ and deliuered them Daniell being in the den of Lions praid vnto God and was preserued Susanne forsaken of all men and at the poynt to be stoned vnto death thorow the vniust and false accusations of twoo wicked Iudges praid vnto the Lord her God and she was both heard and safely deliuered Our sauioure Christ in the time of his trouble and passioÌ prayed so feruently vnto his heauenly father that his sweat was lyke droppes of bloud trickeling downe to the grounde Blessed Stephen when the stones came batteryng about his body prayed earnestly When Peter was in prysone there was Prayers made of the Congregation for hym Manie other suche lyke examples haue wee in the holye Bible whiche declare vnto vs y t all good men and women in their aduersitie haue alway fled vnto God by feruent prayer for remedy neither haue they bene deceiued of their purpose For God is faithfull which wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strengthe but shall in the mids of the temptation make away that we may be able to beare it For the Lorde hym selfe saith forasmuche as he hath put his trust in me I wyll delyuer hym I wyll be good to hym because he hath knoweÌ my name He hath cried vnto me and I ãâã graciously heare him I am witâ him in trouble I wil deliuer hiâ and bring him to honour Witâ long life will I satisfie hym anâ shewe him my saluation When I was in trouble sayeth Dauid I called vpoÌ y e Lord he heard ãâã Again he saith I wil cal vpon ãâã Lord whiche is worthy to be praised so shall I be safe from mine enemies The sorowes of death coÌpassed and the ouerflowinges of vngodlines made me afrayd The pains of hell came about me the snares of death ouertoke me But in my trouble I called vpon the Lord and made my complaint vnto my God and he full gratiously hard my voyce from his holy temple and my complaint came before him so that it entred euen into his eares And as the Psalmograph in all his trouble cried vnto the Lord and was holpeÌ âª so did all his faithful ancestors as these his words do declare and they al so were hard Our fathers hoped in thee they trusted in thee thou diddest deliuer them They called vpon thee and were helped they put their trust in thee and were not confounded And vnto this day haue all y t faithful in their aduersitie cried vnto y e Lord haue receiued help For ther is one lord of all rich
would not nether did he eat meat with them But when he hearde that the childe was dead he arose from the earth and washed and annoynted him selfe and chauÌged his apparell and came into the house of the lord and worshipped ⪠and afterward came to his owne house and commauÌded that they shuld set bread before him he did eate And whan his seruauntes maruelling at these thinges said vnto hym What thinge is this that thou hast done Thou didst fast and wepe for the childe while it was alyue and as sone as it was dead thou diddest aryse vp and eate He answered While the childe was yet aliue I fasted and wept For this I thought Who can tell whether God wil haue mercy on me that the childe may lyue But nowe seyng it is dead wherfore should I fast Can I bryng him any more I shall go to hym and he shal come no more again vnto me In this history y t godly wisdom of Dauid is greatly to be considred For hereof may we learne to pray vnto the Lorde our God for our sycke frendes so long as they be aliue and to seke all meanes possible at the Lordes hand to obtain health for the diseased But if the good wil of God be to take them out of this world then are we taught here no more to mourn to wepe to lament and to be sory for them but rather w t a ioyfull hart to worship the lord as Dauid did and to geue hym moste harty thankes that it hath pleased his goonesse to delyuer our brethren or sistern from this sinck of euils I mean this world and to receiue them into his blessed kyngdom Heathen like mourning therefore is to be banished from the burialles of the Christians Euse. The maner among the ThraciaÌs is that whan any child is borne and commeth into the world thei wepe lameÌt mourn but when it goeth out of y e world they reioyce and are mery Epaphr What moueth them so to do Euse. Whan a childe commeth into the worlde they consider into what great miseries he is lyke to fall if he liue contrariwise when he departeth hence they know that an end of all sorow care of all pain and trauail is come Therfore the one thing moueth them vnto sadnes the other vnto gladnes Phi. Ther is great plentie of histories whiche declare that the very heaâhen haue taken y e death of their deare frendes paciently so far is it of that after y e manner of some whiche professe Christ they immoderatly toke the death of theyr frendes wept wayled mourned wrong their haÌds tare their hear rent their clothes and in manner killed them selues with sorowe and thought taking Whan our Sauioure Christ went vnto hys death certayne women followed hym wepyng and mournyng to whome he sayd Ye daughters of Ierusalem wepe not for me but wepe for your selues and for your children Theo. Is he to be lameÌted and mourned for whiche is remoued from thraldom vnto libertie from mysery vnto welth from darknes vnto lyght from ieopardy vnto safetie from sicknesse vnto health froÌ mortalitie vnto immortalitie from corruption vnto vncorruption from paine vnto ioy from transitory thinges vnto euerlasting thinges from the coÌpany of men vnto the felowshyp of the blessed aungels and heaueÌly spirites c Let the Heathen whiche haue no hope of the ioyful immortalitie of the soule nor of the glorious resurrection of the body mourne wepe and lament for their diseased let the faythfull Christians be ioyfull in the Lord and thank God for his great mercy and infinite goodnes whiche he hath shewed vpon the brethreÌ by calling them from this vale of wretchednes vnto his heauenlye kingdome For the voyce of God euen from heauen pronounceth them blessed happy fortunate which die in the Lord. Phi. What is your mynde therefore neyghbour Epaphroditus concerninge mourning gownes Epaphr If it were not for offending other and that it should also be some hynderaunce vnto the poore I woulde wysh rather to haue none than otherwyse For I would haue no man mourne for me My trust is that so sone as my soule shalbe deliuered out of the pryson of this my body it shall strayght wayes possesse the blessed enheritance of the heauenly kyngdome raigne in glory with God for euer What nede shall I haue then of mourners Or wherfore should any maÌ mourn for me Notwithstanding I wil not striue with theÌ for their garmentes Let my wyfe and my children weare what garmentes they wyl at my buriall so they be such as become the professours of true godlinesse Only this I require that .xxx. pore men and wemen do accompany my body vnto the buriall and that eche of theÌ haue a gowne of some conuenient colour I wyll also that .xxx. poore children be there also and that euery one of them haue a semelye gown And after my burial I wil that both those pore men women and children come home vnto my house and haue some repast for y e refection of their bodies And so âet them depart in the name of the âord Haue you writteÌ this neighbour Philemon Phile. Yea syr it is done Epa. I am glad of it To se that these thinges may be done according to my wyl I make my wife sole executresse you neighbour Philemon with my neighbours Christopher Theophile Eusebius here present I make you fower myne ouerseers charâing you in the name of God and as ye wyl answere before the high âudge Christ at the dreadeful day âf dome y t ye se these my bequestes âruely diligently and faithfully fulfilled Chr. we were twyse vngodly if we shuld not satisfy your desire and will being so Christen and righteous Epa. I bequeath to euery one of you foure for youre paynes taking fiue poundes sterling not to the ende to make you hearlinges but that it may be a token of my hartie good wyll towards you Chr. Sir wil it plese you to be buried in the churche or in the churchyard Epa. All is one to me The earth is the Lordes all that is conteined in it I am not curious of the place Whersoâeuer I lie I doubt not but y e lord our God at the last day shall raise me vp again and geue me a body like vnto y e glorious body of our Lorde and sauiour Christ Iesus ⪠Let the body therfore returne vnto the earth from wheÌce it came and the spirite vnto God which gaue it Euseb. Your children arâ buried in the churchyard Ep. Buây me there also God geue vs all a ioyfull resurrection Theo. Sir what solempnitie will you haue at your buriall Epa. What meane you The. Solempne singing deâout ringing holy sensing prieâes pattering candels lightning âorches brenning Communions âaying and such like Ep. No kind of superstitious custome do I alâow That is godly I only commend As touching your solempn âinging it is all one to me whiâher you sing or say
the two theues whiche died with Christ. The one repented beleued and called for mercy vnto Christ God and man saying Lord remember me whan thou commest into thy kyngdom and Christ aunswered him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Here se we that this theife both repented beleued for howe shall they cal on him sayth sainct Paule on whome they haue not beleued And therfore was receiued into glory The other whiche continued in his vnbelief and so died without repentaunce and faith obtained the reward of vnbelief that is to say the wrath of God and eternall damnation They therfore that die are either faithfull or vnfaithfull If they be faythfull so haue they out of haÌd the reward of fayth whiche is euerlasting glory if they be vnâfaithfull than receiue they their reward of vnfaithfulnes and misbelief whiche is eternall damnation If the Papistes can fynde the third kind of men whiche are nether faithfull nor vnfaithfull then wyll we consent vnto theyr Purgatorie for such haue nether place in heauen nor in hell But suche sort of people the holie scripture knoweth not Therfore knoweth it not suche a place of purging after this life as the Papistes haue heretofore deuised Eus. The blessed Apostle S. Paule sayth God shall geue to euery one according to his owne dedes Againe to the Corinthians he also sayth Euery one shall receiue his âowne labour In an other place he also sayeth We must all appear before the iudgemeÌt seat of Christ that euery man may receiue the workes of his body accordyng to that he hath done whether it bee good or bad Item Whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape For he that soweth in his flesh shal of the flesh reape corruption But he that soweth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape life euerlasting Let vs not bee weary of well doing For when the tyme is come we shall reape without wearines While we haue therefore tyme let vs doe good vnto all men and specially vnto them whiche are of the houshold of faith Hereto agreeth the saying of our sauiour Christ. The son of man shal come in the glory of his father with his aungels and then shall he rewarde euery man according to his dedes Againe I wyll geue euery one of you according to his dedes Out of these scriptures we learne ⪠that we shaâ not be rewarded according to other mens dedes but accordinge vnto our owne deedes If we haue wrought nothing at all in oure lyfe what shall other mens dedes than do vs good after our death And I doubt whether any man Christ alone excepted haue good dedes sufficient for him self Chri. If we consider well the history of the tenne virgins it shall easly be perceiued that no maÌ haue scasely oyle inough for him selfe Yea wer not the great mercies of God set forth to all faithful peniteÌt sinners in y e precious blud of Christ we with al our oyl should perish For euerlasting life is the gifte of God through Iesus Christe oure Lord. If thou O Lord shouldest narowly loke vpoÌ our iniquities saith the Psalmograph O Lord who were hable to abide it But ther is mercy with the in store c. The. The holy scripture moueth vs to doe good whyle we are alyue and not to truste other mens workes to be done for vs when we be dead The wyseman saith doe good vnto thy frende before thou die and according to thy abilitie reache out thyne hand and geue vnto the poore Be not disapoynted of the good daye and let not the portion of the good day ouerpasse the. Shalt thou not leue thy trauails labours vnto other men In the deuiding of thy heritage geue and take and sanctify thy soule Worke thou ryghteousnes before thy death for after thy death there is no meat to fynd Again Abide thou not in the errour of the vngodly but geue God thaÌkes before death As for the dead thanckfulnes perisheth from him as nothing Geue thou thanckes in thy lyfe yea whyle thou art liuing and whole shalt thou geue thankes and prayse God and reioyce in his mercy O howe great âs the louing kindnes of the lord and his mercifull goodnes vnto âuch as turne vnto hym SalomoÌân his prouerbes saith withdrawe âo good thing froÌ them that haue âede so long as thy hande is able âo doe it Say not vnto thy neighbour go thy way come againe âo morowe wil I geue thee wher âs thou hast nowe to geue hym Hereto agreeth the saying of the âreacher whatsoeuer thou art aâle to do do it out of hande for in âhe graue that thou goest vnto here is neither worke counsell knowledge nor wisdom The prophet also sayth Seke the Lorde ââhyle he may be founde and call âpon him while he is nie Let the ângodly forsake his owne waies ând the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and turne againe vnto the Lord so shal God be merciful vnto him Our sauior Christ saith in the Gospell I must worke the worckes of him that sent me while it is daye The night commeth when no man can worke Walke while we haue light least y e darknes come on you c. While ye haue light walke in the light that ye may be y e children of light I say vnto you make you frendes of the vnrighteous MammoÌ that when ye shal haue nede they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations That seruaunt which receiued one talent of his Lord and gained nothing therew t but went his way and hid it in the ground was cast into vtter darknes wherâ wepinge and gnashinge of teeth shalbe The .v. folishe virgins because they had no Oyle in theyr lampes were not suffred to enter into the mariage Moreouer the most worthy Apostle S. Paule saith While we haue tyme let vs do good vnto all men and specialây vnto them which are of y e houshold of faith These and diuers other textes of the holye scripture moue vs to doe good our selues while we be aliue in this worlde and not to trust the workes of other to be done for vs wheÌ we be dead For by our own works and not by other meÌs shall we be iudged Euery maÌ shall bear his own burdeÌ Euery man shal receiue the works of his own body according to y t he hath done whether it bee good or bad euery maÌ shal receiue his reward according to his own dedes Beholde I come quickely saith our sauiour Christ and my reward is with me y t I may geue to euerye one accordinge as his worke shalbe And saint Iohn pronouncing them blessed which die in y e Lord saith on this maner Their workes folowe theÌ He saith not other mens workes shal folow theÌ wheÌ they be dead but their owne workes do follow and presently accoÌpany them ⪠as the shadow doth y e body euen vnto y
my breast Therfore wyll I haue neither month mindes nor yere mindes kept for me nor no idle Papistes and superstitious Massemongers sing or say for me For I doubt not but that the Lorde my God hath prepared me a vessel vnto honoure and hath written my name in the boke of life and hath also made me his sonne and heire of eternall glory this is inough for me Chr. The righteous saith the wyseman shall liue for euermore their reward also is with y e Lord and their remembrance w t the hiest Therfore shal they receiue a glorious kingdom a beautifull crowne of the Lordes hand Epa. Neighbours now am I at a poynt with the goods of y e world yea and with the world it selfe so that I may saye with the holy Apostle The world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world The. He is an happy man and greatly blessed which forsaketh geueth ouer the worlde before the world forsaketh him For such obey this commaundement of S. Iohn Loue not the worlde nor those thinges that are in the worlde albeit I doubt not neighbour Epaphroditus but that you shal right well recouer your health and liue yet many yeares among vs. Epa. No neyghbour Theophile The ende of my life is at hand And I moste hartely thank the Lord my God for it For I wishe to be losoned out of this life and to be with Christ. Like as the hart desireth the water brokes so longeth my soule after thee O God My soule is a thurst for God yea euen for y e liuing God When shal I come to appere before the presence of God ⪠O howe amiable are thy dwellinges thou Lorde of hostes My soul hath a desire and longyng to enter into the courtes of the Lord my hart and my fleshe reioyce in y e liuing god I had rather be a dore keper in the house of my God theÌ to dwell in the tentes of the vngodly O blessed are they y t dwell in thy house O Lord for they wil be alway praysing thee O lord deliuer my soul out of the prison of my body that I may come geue thanckes vnto thy blessed name Deale with me O lord according to thy will and commauÌd my spirit to be receiued in peace For it is more expedient for me to die theÌ to liue Phile. I greatly reioyce in the Lord my God good neighbor Epaphroditê° to se you in so good a mind and to hear so godly wordes procede out of your mouthe These thinges are euident testimonies of your good conscience toward God Feare you not the Lord hath sealed you with his holâ spirit made you through his mercy a vessell vnto honor Epa. Now that an order is taken concerning my worldly possessioÌs I wish to haue my wyfe my chyldren with my seruaunts brought hither vnto me that I may take my leaue of them and commende them vnto y e lord my God I pray you neighbour Eusebius cal them hither Euse. It shall be done Epa. Oh howe sicke am I My wekenes encreaseth more and more Lorde be mercifull vnto me and geue me grace paciently thank fully to beare this Crosse and in the middes of this my sicknesse alwaies to say Thy wil O heauenly father be done not mine Phi. Be strong in the Lorde good neighbour and faint not and you shall see the wondrous workes of God For God will either shortly restore vnto you your health or els make an end of this your pain by taking you froÌ this wretched world and place you in his glorious kingdom Epa. God graunt But is my neighbour Eusebius come againe Chri. Yea sir. Epa. Where is he Euse. Here sir am I. Epa. Where is my wife my chyldren and my seruauntes Phile. They are all here present Epaphr COme hither wife You see in what case I lie here sicke weake and the prisoner of God loking euery hour for my departure out of this worlde And this visitation of God is vnto me welcome and I thanke the Lord w tal my heart for it I doubt not but that whan I am once gone out of this wretched lyfe I shal be in a far better case then euer I was in this worlde Therfore I pray thee good wife be not heauy neither take thought for me but rather pray that y e good wyll of God may be done in me And be aswell contented that I should nowe at the calling of God go from thee as euer thou wast to haue me in thy company I haue run my rase I haue passed those yeres which the Lord appoynted that I should lyue in this world And now is the time of my departure come And I geue ouer this my life willingly and with a free hart Therefore take no thought for me And doubt thou not swete wife but if y e goest forthe to liue in the feare of God and to please him God in the time of thy wyddowhod will be an husband vnto thee He wilbe thy patron and defender He wilbe thy mighty shield strong buckler He will prouide and afore see that thou and thine shall want no good thing For he hath promised in his holy worde that he wil take charge of the widowes and defend their cause He hath also geuen a strait commauÌdement to the magistrates head rulers to loke vnto wydowes to deliuer them from oppression And his holy Apostle saith that y e pure and vndefiled Religion before God y e father is to visit help comfort widowes Therfore I doubt not but the Lord our God will aboundantly prouide for thee and thine NotwithstaÌding wife forasmuch as from the first time oâ our mariage vnto this preseÌt day thou hast alway bene vnto me a true faithfull honest diligent seruiceable wife I haue made the mine Executresse and geuen vnto thee in my wyll suche a portion as shal aboundauÌtly satisfie thee both vnto the bringing vp of thy children and also vnto the maintenance of hospitalitie God hath sent me inough therfore I leaue vnto thee thine inough I praye God send you alwayes his feare before your face so shall you neuer uant To forbid the mariage after my departure according vnto the propertie of some husbaÌdes I wyll not For the holy Scripâure saieth the wyfe is bound vnâo the mariage as long as her husband lyueth If her husband die âhe it at libertie to marie wyth whome she will only in the Lord. If thou therfore after my deparâure O wife hast a minde to marye agayne marry in the name of the lord our God For I know as the wyse man saith that no man can liue chast except God geueth the gift Only haue this care that he with whome thou doest determine to couple thy self in the blessed state of honorable wedlock be such a man as feareth God ⪠loueth his worde is well reported of his neighbours dealeth
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 SataÌs kyngdome brake open the gates of hel toke the Prince of darknes bouÌd 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 âhat iustifieth ⪠who is he that can âondemne It is Christ whiche died yea rather whiche is rysen againe whiche is also on the righthaÌd 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 temâperaunce 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 ⪠whiche after God is shapen in righteousnes and true holines Againe Christ ascending vp inâto 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 ⪠Aungels and heauenly sainctes for to iudge the quicke and the dead the faithfull and vnfaithfull and to geue ⪠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 âf 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 coÌcerning 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 âuffred 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
blessed spirit that he may put his whole trust in the. Ph SeÌd him present help froÌ thy holy place Th. And euermore mighteây defeÌd him against sathan sinne desperation death hell ph Let his enemy the deuill haue none aâuantage of him Eu. Nor y e wicked aproche to hurt him Phi. Be vnto him o lord a stroÌg toure a mighty castell sure fortres Chr. To defeÌd him froÌ the face of his enemy Phi. O Lord hear our prayers Eu And let our cry come vnto thee Phi. O Lord loke down from heaâuen behold visit relieue thiâ thy seruaunt Loke vpoÌ him with thy eyes of thy mercy geue hym comfort and sure coÌfidence in theâ defend him from the daunger oâ the ennemy and kepe him in perâpetuall peace and safetie through Iesus Christ our Lord. The. AmeÌ âª Phi. Heare vs almighty and mosâ merciful God and sauiour exteÌd thy accustomed goodnes to this thy seruaunt whiche is greued with sicknes visit him O lorde as thou diddest visit Peters wiues mother and the Capitaines seruaunt Restore vnto this sick parson his former health if it bâ thy wil or els geue him grace so to take thy visitation that after this painfull life ended he maye dwel with the in life euerlasting Chr. Amen Phi. Arise and let vs go againe vnto our sicke brother Now neighbour Epaphroditus how do you Reioyce I pray you in the Lord and beare this crosse which God hath now laied vpon you both paciently and thanckefully Epap If I haue heretofore bene glad to receiue health at the Lordes hand why shuld not I also nowe take in good worth this his moste gentle and louing visitation The Lord gaue me health and the Lord hath taken it away againe It hath chaunced vnto me as the Lords pleasure is blessed be the name of the Lord. The. This coÌforteth vs greatly to hear so good and godly wordes procede out of your mouth For of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh saith our sauiour Christ. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forthe good things Ep. No man is good but God alone We are al vnclene vnprofitable seruaunts If any goodnes we haue it is of God as blessed Iames saith Euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue commeth downe from y t father of lyghtes that he whiche reioyseth shoulde reioyse in the Lord. Chr. Now good neighbour how fele you your self Epa. O brother Christopher I perceiue ther is none other waye with me but one euen to depart from this lyfe Phi. Let it neuer greue you moost genle neighbour to geue ouer vnto nature and to depart from this worlde at the callynge of God There is a time to be borne and a time to die We must be as wel coÌtent to die as we were to liue and as wel pleased to leaue the world as we were to come into it We ar mortal we therfore must nedes die Let vs not bear heauely that necessitie importeth God creaââd vs that we shuld once die let vs not therefore repugne and striue against the good pleasure of God There shal none other thing chaunce vnto vs by death than that hathe heretofore chaunced vnto our predecessours and shall likewyse chaunce vnto our posteritie Who hath lyued that hath not died Who doth now or shall liue that shall not also tast death One the same way must nedes be troden of all Adams posteritie There is no meane to escape Adam sinned and became mortall All we haue sinned also in Adam therefore all we are made in him mortall and subiect vnto death As by one man saith S. Paule sinne entred into the worlde and death by the meanes of sinne EueÌ so death also went ouer al men in so muche as all we haue synned The reward of sinne is death God in dede created maÌ at the beginning to be immortall and not to be destroyed by death yea after the Image of his owne likenesse made he him Neuerthelesse thorow enuy of the deuil came death into the world The history of Adams fal is known in whoÌ we also fel. Sence that time he all his posteritie haue bene mortall haue died shal die We al ar now flesh earth dust ashes So sone as we be borne so sone begin we to die This our life is nothing els then a very passage vnto death Noble and base pore and riche faire and foule wel fauoured and il fauoured mighty and weake wise folish fortunate and wretched ruler and subiect faithfull and vnfaithfull Christian and Painim old and yong man woman and childe euery bodely creature that liueth on the face of the earth shall die Whether the life be short or long the end of it is death All the holy Patriarkes Iudges kings Priestes Prophets and all other whiche liued before the comminge of Christ died IhoÌ Baptist Christes mother all the disciples of Christ died Yea Christ him selfe although moste innocent without all sinne after he was once clad with our flesh and had taken on him our nature became mortall and to pay our raunsome vnto God the father and to set vs againe at libertie he suffred death euen the death of the crosse Is y e seruaunt greater then his Lorde Or the disciple aboue his maister Our Lord hath troden the way a fore vs and shall we his seruants refuse to follow him Our maister hath geuen vs an example to die and shall we his disciples disdain to practise the lyke ⪠If death had bene cast only vppon our backes which liue in this age so might y e burthen haue bene thought vnrighteous and intollerable but forasmuch as our ancestors haue already tasted of death and are gone why shuld we that now liue beare so impaciently this commoÌ chaunce On this condition came we al into the world y t we should leaue it agayne For we be heare but strangers and soiourners as were al our fathers Our days on thearth also are but as a shadow and there is none abiding Oure daies passe away swiftly and we are gone The dayes of man are y e daies of an hirelyng yea wynde and nothyng Man is lyke vnto vanitâe and his dayes passe away like a shadow Where is ther any man that liueth and shall not seâ death man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue and yet the tyme that he lyueth he is full of mysery He cometh vp and is cut down like a flower He flieth as it were a shadow and neuer continueth in one state Here haue we no continuing city but we seke one to come It is apoynted of God that all men shal once die For what is our life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little tyme and then vanisheth away as Iob saith
louing Samaritane Poure wyne and oyle into his woundes binde them vp laâe him vpon thy beast neuer leaue him vntill thou hast brought hym into that Inne whiche is the gloârious 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 remeÌbrance 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 coÌbred 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 ⪠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 wheÌsoeuer 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 coÌscience 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 commaundemeÌts 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 âel and whatsoeuer maketh vnto vtter confusion of the sickmans conscieÌce 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 properâtie 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 countenaÌce but he caÌ do you no harme He may go about to teÌpt 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 ⪠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 commauÌded 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
Christ. To the Ephesians he writeth on this manner Christe is oure peace whiche hath made of both one he speaketh of y e Iewes and Gentiles and hath broken downe the wal that was a stoppe betwene vs and hath also put away through his flesh the cause of hatred euen the law of commauÌdementes contained in the lawe writteÌ c. Here haue we the cause why god was angry with vs. Uerely because we fulfilled not the law Now is Christ come hath put away the cause of this anger and hatred that is to saye he hath fulfilled the law for vs and recoÌciled vs vnto God so that nowe the father for his sake hateth vs no more but loueth vs is no more angry but wel pleased with vs accepteth his fulfilling of the law as our own fulfulling Also to the Collossians Christ saith he hathe put out the hand wryting y t was against vs contained in the lawe written and that hath he taken out of the waye and hath fastned it to his crosse and hathe spoyled rule and power and hath made a shew of them opeÌly and hath triumphed ouer them in his owne person If Christ hanging on the Crosse hath by the vertue of his passion death put out the hande wryghting that was against vs contained in the lawe than is our bond made frustrate and voyde we set at libertie forasmuche as Christe by his bloude hathe bothe paid our debt vnto God y e father and also subdued and brought vnder fote al our ennemies The authour of the Epistle to y e Hebrues hath these wordes The coÌmaundement that went afore is disanulled because of weakenes and vnprofitablenesse For the lawe brought nothynge to perfection but was an introduction to a better hope by the whiche we drawenie vnto God Here ar we taught also that forasmuche as by y e lawe no man can be made perfect for who amoÌg vs fulfilleth the law we haue our perfection in Christâ ây whome for our sake the law is fulfilled and remission of synnes and euerlasting lyfe is frely geueÌ vnto vs. This is the hope profit and libertie whiche so many as beleue receiue in Christ. Let therfore the terrours and cursse of the lawe neuer trouble you though Sathan do neuer so muche lay it vnto your charge but remember what the Apostle saieth ye are no more vnder the lawe but vnder grace Againe Now are we deliuered from the law and dead vnto it whereunto we were in bondage that we shoulde serue in a newe conuersation of the spirit and not in old conuersation of the letter For if righteousnesse commeth by the law then died Christ in vaine But we know saieth the Apostle that a man is not iustified by the dedes of the lawe but by the fayth of Iesus Christ. And we haue beleued on Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christe and not by the deedes of the lawe because by the deedes of the law no flesh shaâ be iustified Againe as manye oâ you as are iustified by the lawe aâ falleÌ from grace We loke for and hope in the spirite to bee iustifed thorow faith For in Christ Iesuâ neither is circumcision any thing worth nether yet vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue ⪠Comfort your selfe neighbour Eââpaphroditus against the assaults of Sathan with these swete sayinges of the holy scripture and sâ shal nether the feare nor the curssâ of the lawe hurt you Epa. God bâ thanked I trust I am nowe weâ enarmed against Sathan for this matter But what if he laye my sinfull life vnto my charge and so burden my conscience with that that I know not what to do but am like to fall vnto desperation What shal I aunwere How shal I escape For I confesse vnto you that I haue bene all my lyfe time a very greuous sinner and haue greatly offeÌded the Lord my God Phi. Discomfort not your selfe but take a good heart vnto you You are in this behalfe in none other case then all the sainctes and faithfull people of God haue bene before you are at this daye For all haue sinned and want the glory of God All haue gone astraye lyke lost shepe We are vnprofitable seruauntes All our righteousnesses are as a clothe defiled with menstrue If we saye we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truthe is not in vs. But if we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and righteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from al vnrighteousnes Epa. What ãâã I do than that synne may be ãâã clog vnto my conscience Phile. Let it repeÌt you that euer you ofâfended so louing a father and sâ gentle a Lord. Be hartely sory foâ your misdoings Lament and inâwardly bewail your wretchednesâses which so wickedly haue transâgressed brokeÌ the holy coÌmaunâdements of the Lord. For this haâty and vnfained repentaunce is a goodly preparatiue to saluation ⪠and without it none can be âaued Therfore Iohn Baptist Christ his Apostles begaÌ their preaching of repentaunce For whosoeuer is not brought into the knowledge of hym selfe he shall neuer haue delyghte to come vnto Christe ⪠For suche as thynke them selues whole haue no pleasure in a phisition but they that are sycke Epaphr And will God accept this my repentaunce Phi. Hear what God saith by the Prophet Whom shall I regard Euen hym that is pore and of a lowly troubled spirit standeth in awe of my wordes The Psalmograph also saith A sacrifice vnto god is a troubled spirite a broken and a contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise Again the Lord is nie vnto them that are of a troubled heart and he will saue them that are of a broken spirite Epa. O Lord take away from me that stony heart whiche can not repent and geue me that fleshly heart which gladlye and willingly lamenteth her synnes and miseries and vnfainedly delyghteth in a newe lyfe But what is repeÌtance ynough Phi. As you ernestly and from the very heart do repent you of your former sinnefull lyfe so likewyse huÌble your self in y e sight of God and confesse your selfe vnto him a moste wicked miserable sinner Crie in your heart with Dauid say haue mercy vpon me O God after thy great goodnes Accorâdinge vnto the multitude of thy mercies do away myne offences Wash me thorowly from my wicâkednes clense me from my syn For I knowledge my fautes and my sin is euer before me Against thee only haue I sinned and donâ euill in thy sight O turn thy facâ from my sinnes and put oute alâ my mysdedes Make me a cleanâ heart O God and renue a righâ spirite within me Cast me not aâway from thy presence and takâ not thy holy spirite from me Cryâ with that lost sonne and say O faâther I haue sinned against heaueÌ and before thee and am no
more worthy to be called thy sonne ⪠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 thouââne 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 soÌne 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 merciâully forgeue you all your sins be âhey 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 withâstandinge because he added noâ faith vnto his repentaunce conâfession and satisfaction all was in vaine Peter his fellowe discipleâ sinned also greuously but becausâ he earnestlye repented and alsâ faithfully beleued to haue remisâsion 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 ⪠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 ⪠Ambrose is y e rote of all vertues ⪠and whatsoeuer thou buyldest oâ this foundation that alone profiteth vnto the reward of thy workâ frute and vertue Fayth saith he ⪠is ritcher then all treasures stroÌger 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 âe bothe many and great Oh remember not the sinnes and offenâes of my yougth but accordynge vnto thy mercy thynke vpon me O Lorde for thy goodnes Oh remember not mine old sinnes but âaue mercy on me yea and that ââghtsone for I am come to great âiserie Helpe me O God of my ââluation 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 ⪠Phi. Doubt not neighbour Epaphroditus but that god hath graciouslye heard this your humble sute also graunted your request ⪠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 nââuer remember them more as hâ saith by y e Prophet I will forgeue their misdedes and wil neuer remember their synnes any more ⪠Againe If the vngodly wil turâ away from all his sinnes that hâ hath done and kepe all my comâmaundementes and do the thinâ that is equall and right doubtleâ he shall lyue and not die As for ãâã 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 coÌtinue faithfull repentant vnto thend ye shall surely be saued Epa. Sinne is an heauy burden very displeasaÌt vnto the lord our God and maketh sinners to âle 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
the Phisition being nothing afraid of him because they ar sick diseased but rather somuche the more doo they desire to come vnto him to shew him their woundes and to disclose their diseases that they may be made whole Now is Christ a phisitioÌ all we through sinne are diseased shal we therfore runne away from Christ and not rather make hast vnto him what Phisition is so ready to heale the body as Christe our Phisition is to heale the soule Who euer came vnto him with a faithfull and penitent heart and was refused Who euer sought remedy at his hand and was not holpen Who euer opened vnto hym his diseaâes and was not cured he calleth all without exception be they neuer so diseased and loden with thâ burden of sinne vnto him and proâmiseth that he will ease them of their burdens make theÌ whole is it to be thought that he wylâ refuse sinners when they come vnâto him Come vnto me sayth he al ye that labour and are loden I wil refreshe you Take my yoke vpon you and ye shall find rest for your soules For I came not to caâ y e righteous but sinners vnto repentance The sonne of man came to seke and to saue that was lost How frequented he the coÌpany of synners when he was in this world that to this end only thaâ he might call them through his godly sermons vnto repentance vnto the fauour of God and vnto the felowship of the sainctes in so muche that he was called a frend of open sinners and whores How defended he alway the humble peniteÌt sinners against the proud and stifnecked Pharises and Iusticiaries When Zache being a sinner the Prince of the Publicans sought to see Christ how louingly did Christ speake vnto him and frendly came into his house eat dranck with him WheÌ Mary MagdaleÌ being a greuous sinner came vnto Christe he refused not her company but talked most gently with her coÌforted her receiued her into his fauour quieted her coÌscieÌce healed her diseases gaue her euerlasting life Whan the poore Publicane whiche had both ofte and greuously offended the Lord his God came into the temple to pray and in his praiers huÌbled him self before the maiestie of God and coÌfessed him self a sinner was he not ioyfully receiued into the fauour of God and pronounced more righteous euen by the mouth of Christ then y e proude ⪠Pharesy for all his glistring workes How ioyfully was that vnthrifty prodigal wastfull sonne receiued home again What freÌdship founde that theif whiche was crucified with Christe at the hand of Christ when he saide Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome Did not Christ straightways aunswere him and say This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise And yet was he both a thief a seditious persone and a murtherer Christe refuseth none although neuer so greuous a synner if we come vnto hym Turn ye vnto me and I wil turn vnto you saith the Lord of hostes Thou disobedient Israel Turne again saith the Lord and I will not let my wrath fall vpon you I am mercifull saith the Lord and I wil not alway bear displeasur against thee but this I will y e thou know thy great blasphemy namely that thou hast vnfaithfully forsaken the Lord thy God and hast made thi self partaker of straunge Gods vnder all greene trees but hast had no wil to hear my voyce saieth the Lorde O ye disobedient chyldren turne againe saieth the Lord and I will be maried with you c. O ye disobedient childreÌ turne agayne saying Lo we are thyne for thou art the Lorde our God and so shal I heal your back turninges Who wyll not boldely come vnto so mercifull a Lord most louing father seing he so geÌtely calleth all men vnto hym be they neuer so greuous synners promiseth that he wyll not refuse them but louingly receiue them neuer lay their offences vnto their charge but to forget them and cast them behinde his backe that he wyll neuer ether remember thâ or loke vpon them more Theo. The Lord is merciful gentle and louing pacient long suffring oâ muche kindnes and ready at all tymes to forgeue yea euen whaâ he is at the poynt to punyshe Thâ Lord is louing vnto euery man his mercy is ouer all his workes ⪠The lord is good and gracious of great mercy vnto all them that call vpon him The Lord is ful of tender compassion and great merâcy long sufferyng and of muche goodnes He wil not alway be chiâding neither kepeth he his anger for euer He dealeth not with vs after our synnes neither rewardeth he vs accordyng to our wickednesses For loke how hie y e heauen is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercy also toward them that feare him Loke howe wide also the East is from y e west so far hath he set our sinnes from vs. Yea lyke as a father pitieth his owne children euen so is the Lord mercifull vnto theÌ that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth y t we are but dust With the Lorde there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption And he shall redeme Israel froÌ al his sinnes Phi. The great kindnes dere hearty loue of God toward vs appeareth not only in this y t he both willingly and gladly admitteth and receiueth synners whensoeuer they repent and tourne vnto hym but ân that he also most diligently seketh them vp fetcheth them home again and geueth them grace to repent and turne that they maye âe saued This thinge is verye âyuelye described and set forthe in âhe parables of the straid shepe of the lost groat and of the wounded man Herein is loue saith S ⪠Iohn not that we loued God buâ that he loued vs sent his sonnâ to be the agrement for our sinnes Saint Paule saieth God settetâ out his loue toward vs seing thaâ while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Much more theÌ nowâ we that are iustified by his bludâ shalbe saued from wrath througâ him For if when we were enneâmies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne muchâ more seing we are reconciled we shalbe preserued by his life Epa. I beleue y t God is a mercifull father for Christes sake to all them thaâ do truly repente beleue and conâuert vnto him but is it not to beâ feared that my repentaunce and conuersion is to late Phi. Be on good comfort neighbor Epaphroditus there is no repentauÌce and conuersion to late in this worlde ⪠so that it be true proceadeth froÌ a contrite heart humble spirite For at whatsoeuer hour a sinner dooth mourne and lamente for his sinnes God promyseth that he will so forgeue him his iniquities that he will neuer remember theÌ more And
Christe saithe Blessed are they that mourn for they shal be comforted In the holy scriptures God doth very often call vs vnto repentaunce but he appoynteth not ether this or y e time day hour but he willeth vs to repent and promiseth that whensoeuer we returne vnto him we shall bee safe and escape from death vnto life Our sauiour Christ also biddeth al that are diseased come vnto him and promiseth that he wil ease theÌ but he assigneth no time but at all houres he promyseth grace mercy fauour help and coÌâort Christ is a sauior for al ages refuseth no coÌuersion although neuer so late If we come in childhode in yougth in middle age or in olde age whensoeuer we come we shall be receiued Only let vs come It is better late then neuer God is a like merciful in al ages Christ is a sauiour able inough to saue at all tymes He ceaseth not to be called Iesus that is to say a sauiour niether ceaseth he at any time to saue as y e Apostle saith Iesus Christ yesterday to daye and the same continueth for euer If Christ were appoynted of God the father a sauioure for certaine times not for all times so shuld he be no perfect sauiour If he could not as effectually saue at the hour of death as at the hour of the birth he were vnworthy y e name of a sauiour But he abideth a sauiour for all ages and for all kind of people so that they vnfainedly repent beleue and turn Set before your eyes the parable whiche we read in the gospel of them that were hired to worke in the vineyard Some came early in y e morning some about the third hour some about the .vi. and .ix. houre and some about the .xi. hour And when night once came that they shuld receiue their wages all had like reward WheÌ they that came first saw that they that came laste wrought but one houre were equal vnto theÌ whiche had borne y e burthen and heat of the day receiued like reward one of theÌ murmured grudged at y e matter but it was answered Frend I do the no wrong Take that is thine and go thy way I will geue vnto this last euen as vnto thee Is it not lawful for me to doo as me listeth with mine owne goodes Thus se you that they whiche came at the latter end of y e day wrought in the vinyard but an hour were not refused but receiued the lyke reward with theÌ that came first Only let vs be labourers and no loiterers only let vs come into the Lordes vineyarde and not runne away backward and at whatsoeuer hour we come we shalbe welcome receiue our reward with the first Againe the history of the thief that hanged on the right-hand of Christ whiche thief was full of wicked dedes neuer turned vnto God vntil the very hour of his death declareth manifestly that there is no conuersion in this life to late if it bee accompanied with true repentaunce and vnfained faith The thiefe hangyng on the crosse at the poynt of death only said vnto Christ Lord remeÌber me when thou commest into thy kingdom And Christ wel accepting his conuersion saide vnto him Truly I saye vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Who will now dispaire of the good wil and fauourable mercy of God seing that this thief coÌuerting at the very last houre of his death was not of Christ reiected but receiued made a fellowe citizin with Christ of ioyfull Paradise Epa. But I haue many times greuously offended the Lord my God and broken his holy coÌmaundementes Phile. This is no let vnto your saluation so that your conuersion be vnfained The righteous man sinneth .vii. times in the day Who liueth sinneth not All go astray There is none good but God alone All our righteousnesses ar as a cloth polluted with meÌstrue If God shuld deale with the moste holy and most perâect accordinge to their desertes they should find nothing in them selues but worthy dampnation ⪠Dauid with other very many of the old Testament oftentimes sinned and offended God with theyr wicked actes yet forasmuche as they repented and vnfainedly turned vnto God they were receiued into fauour and saued The Disciples of Christ Peter and his felowes were sinners also and many tymes did that whiche is not righteous in the sight of God yet they be wayling their miseries truly returning vnto God were admitted into the nuÌber of gods elect God is that Lord which forgeueth not only one talent but the whole debt of .x. M. talentes if we come truly vnto hym knowledge our beggary yea our nothing If God would y t we should forgeue one an other so oft as we offend doubtles God wil also forgeue vs whansoeuer we offend if we vnfainedly turn vnto him be our sinnes neuer so many and greuous Mary MagdaleÌ sinned ful oft yet was she forgeuen as it is written of her Many sinnes are forgeuen her because she hath loued much The Publican was w t out doubt a very greuous sinner and had many times broken the coÌmaundemeÌts of god yet so sone as he humbled him self before the throne of gods maiestie apealed vnto his mercy he was receiued ânto fauor pronouÌced of christes âwn mouth more righteous then âhe Pharisy for all his glistring workes outward holines of life âing Manasses in his praier conâessed vnto God that he had synâed aboue the nomber of y e sandes âf the sea and that his iniquities âere innumerable yet after he returned vnto the Lord they were all forgeuen and he receiued into fauour If there be not dayly remission of daily synnes at the haÌd of God for Christes sake why are we commaunded daily to pray for the forgeuenes of our sinnes If the fauour of God be promised at all houres to suche as vnfainedly turne vnto their Lorde God and seke him in singlenes of heart theÌ followeth it that sin we neuer so oft and neuer so greuously yet if harty repentaunce come there is hope of remissioÌ of sinnes through the bloud of Christ. If Christ bee an euerlasting Bishop than is he able at all tymes to saue euen at the full those whiche come vnto God through hym If Christ go forth to be called Iesus that is to saye a sauiour then ceaseth he not to saue sinners If Christ be our intercessour mediatour and aduocate vnto God the father euen vnto the worldes ende then may we be sure thorow him to haue remission and forgeuenes of all oure sinnes eueÌ vnto thend of y e world yea that at all times sinne we neuer so oft greuously if we repent beleue and amend Therfore though you haue many times greuously offended y e Lord your God and broken his holy commaundementes yet despair
not but turne again vnto the Lord your God he will turn vnto you ⪠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 âreatly discourage me Phi. What âs that Epa. I haue no merites nor plenty of good workes wherwith I may make God fauorable âo me but I am a barren fig tree âoyd of all good fruit Phile. The waÌt 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 ãâã heauen ouer one sinner that repââteth more then ouer ninety anâ nine iust persones which nede ãâã repentaunce What had the wouââded 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 ââto these wordes ⪠and saith Beâolde what loue the father hathe âhewed on vs y t we shuld be called âhe sonnes of God Againe herein âs loue not that we loued God âut that he loued vs and sent his âonne to be the agrement for our âânnes And S Paul saith God y e âather hath chosen vs in Christ âefore the foundatioÌs of the world âere laid God therfore did chuse âs by his grace and not we hym ây our workes and merits I wil âaue mercy sayd God to Moses ân whome it pleaseth me to haue mercy and I wil haue compassioÌ ân whoÌ it is my pleasure to haue compassion It lieth not therfore ân a mans will or running but in âhe mercy of God And the Psalâograph saith speaking of God ãâã of him self he hath saued me beâause it was his pleasure to haue âe Againe he saith Thou shalt saue them for nothynge what ãâã to say saith S. Austen thou shââ saue them for nothing but y e thââ findest nothing in them wherfââ they shuld be saued and yet sauââ thou them Frely doest thou geââ frely dost thou saue And s. Ieroââ alledging y e same sentence agaiââ the Pelagians saith that y e rigââteous are not saued by their owââ merites but by the tender mercââ of God If we shall consider ouââ merites saith Chrisostom we aââ not only worthy no reward bââ we are also worthy punishemenâ Let all mens merits which perââshed by Adam be still and kepe sââlence saith Saint Austen and lââ the grace of God reigne which raigneth through our Lorde Iââsus Christe The redemption ãâã Christes bloud should waxe viââ 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 ⪠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 loâing 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 worâes 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 âhe Lorde For the contentation and quietnes of your conscience ân this behalf remember y t Christ âame not to cal y e iusticiaries but sinners vnto repentaunce RemeÌâber that the sonne of man came tâ seke and to saue that that waâ lost Remember that Christ is ãâã 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 buââden of sinne He requireth no mâârites only come remember thaâ Christ is called a sauiour to y e end that he should saue them which otherwise should perish Heare alâso 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 eaââ Come bie wine and milk withouâ any mony or mony worth Wherââfore 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
and I will be his God he shalbe my sonne IteÌ Let him that is a thirst com And let whosoeuer wyll take of the water of lyfe fre Here is the fauor of God remission of sinnes the gift of the holy ghost quietnes of conscience and euerlasting life promised frely without merits or deserts to so many as wil come vnto Christ w t a repentaÌt hart faithfull minde For Christe was sent of God the father to preach good tidings vnto the pore that he might bind vp the wouÌded hartes that he might preache deliueraunce to the captiue and open the pryson to them that are bound declare the acceptable yeare of the Lord and comfort al them that are in heauines He came into this worlde to saue sinners Therefore let it not dismay you though you find in your self plenty of sinnes good workes very few Cast rather y e eies of your mind w t stroÌg faith on Christ on his righteousnes on his merites passioÌ death on his blessed body breking his precious blud shedding Beleue him to be ordained of God the father to be youre wisdom righteousnes your saÌctification redemption that as it is written he y t reioyseth shuld reioyse in the Lorde Count all your merites good works righteousnesses vile and of no price for the excelleÌcy of y e knowledge of Christ Iesu our Lord. Labour to winne Christ and to be found in him not hauing your owne righteousnes which commeth of the law but y t that which is through y e faith of Christ euen y e rightousnes whiche commeth of God through faith y t you may knowe him and the vertue of his resurrection and fellowship of his passions He y t through true faith hath gotten Christ put him on his back withall his righteousnes and holines he is not altogether without merites neither walketh he naked in y e sight of God Unto this exhorteth S. Paule when he saieth Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christe that is to saye Clothe your selfe throughe saith with al the merits and workes of Christ. Take his righteousnesse holinesse perfection praying fasting watching law fulfilling miracles working preching passion death resurrection assention and al that euer he hath to be yours Beleue him to be geueÌ you of God withal that euer he hath Christ is yours all therfore that euer Christ merited in his flesh is yours also as the Apostle saieth God spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs al how can it be than that with him he shoulde not geue vs all thinges also If you on this manner put on Christ his merites and good works thorowe true faith you shall not appeare before God an vnfrutefull figge tree neither shall the cursse of God fall vpon you Hear what S. Austen saith All my hope is in the death of my Lord. His death is my merit my refuge my helth life and resurrection The tender mercy of the Lorde is my merit I am not without merits so long as that Lorde of mercies fayleth not And if the mercies of the Lord be plenteous then am I also pleÌteous in merites The mightier that he is to saue the better is my state and condition and the more fre am I from all daunger Here se you that this godly man Saint Austen knoweth none other merites that may doo him good but the merites of Christes death and passion He counteth Christes merites his merites and saieth that he is not without merites so long as that Lorde of mercies fayleth not In an other place he also sayeth all my hope and assuraunce of my whole trust is in the precious bloud of Christ whiche was shed for vs and for our saluation In that is all my comfort and reposing the whole affiance of my saluation In that I desyre to come vnto thee O heauenly father not hauing mine own righteousnes but that righteousnes which commeth by thy sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde Item Brethren that we may be healed from sinne let vs beholde Christe crucified For as they that did beholde the brasen Serpent in the wyldernsse did not die through the stinging of the serpentes so lykewyse they y t do loke vpon the death of Christ with faithe are healed from the bitinges of sinnes Here to agreeth the saying of saint Barnarde what is of so mighty force great strength to heale the woundes of the conscience as the diligent remeÌbraunce of Christes woundes Again when I am troubled and put in feare of my sinnes than do I hide me in the bloudy woundes of Iesus Christ. Loke y t you therfore likewise flie vnto the merites of Christes death and passion and so shall neither sinne death hell desperation lawe or anye other thing hurt you Ep. I beleue that whatsoeuer Christ did in his humanitie he did it for me for my saluation And in thee O Lorde God is my whole trust let me neuer be confounded But neighbor Philemon Phile. What is youre mind sir. Epa. What if I be not of the nomber of those whome God hath predestinat to be saued Phi. Feare you not God withoute all doubt hath sealed you by his holy spirite vnto euerlasting life Your name is written in the boke of life You are a citizin of the new glorious and heauenly Hierusalem Yow shall remaine with God in glory after your departure for euer euer Epa. It sore repenteth me y t I haue at any time offended the lord my God Phi. This repentance is an euident testimonye of your saluation and that god hath predestinat and tofore appoynted you vnto euerlasting lyfe For it is written repent you of your former life for the kingdome of God is at hand Again If the vngodly shall repent him of al his sinnes y t he hath done c. Doubtles he shal liue and not die As for al his sins that he did before they shall not once be thought vpon Epa. I haue an earnest fayth in the bloud of Christ that God the father will forgeue me al my sinnes for Christes sake Phi. You thus beleuing can not perish but this your faith is an vndoubted assuraunce vnto your conscience that you are predestinate to be saued For it is written God hath so derely loued the worlde that he gaue his only begotten sonne that all that beleue on hym shoulde not pearishe but âaue euerlasting lyfe For God âent not his sonne into the worlde âo condempne the world but that âhe world should be saued by him He that beleueth on him is not âondempned He that beleueth on âhe sonne hath euerlasting lyfe Uerely verely I say vnto you he âhat heareth my worde and beleâeth on him that sent me hath eâerlasting lyfe and shall not come ânto dampnation but is scaped ârom death vnto life This is the âathers will that sent me that of âl which he hath geuen me I shal âose
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 testameÌt 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 âayle 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 âauour of God to haue remission and forgeuenesse of oure synnes ând finally to haue euerlasting âife Let vs therfore approch with âoldnes and not with doubting ând 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 doubâting 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 heÌceforthe there is layde vp for me a ârowne of righteousnes which y e Lord that is a righteous iudge âhall geue at that daye not to me only but vnto all them also y e loue âis comming Phile. When that Dauid saide these wordes I beâeue verely to see the pleasures of the Lord in the land of the liuing ⪠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 couÌtenauncâ 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 coÌfort 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 afflictioÌs of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall bee shewed vppon vs Againe that though the
outwarde man perish yet thinward man is renued day by day and that this our tribulation whiche is short light prepareth an exceding and an euerlasting waight of glorye vnto vs while we loke not on the thinges whiche are sene but on y e thinges whiche are not seene For the thinges whiche are seene are temporall but things whiche are not sene are eternall Chr. God kepe you in this mind euen vnto thend Eu. AmeÌ Epa. Confirme make that perfect o lord which y â hast begon to worke in me vnto the glory of thy blessed name and vnto the saluation of my soule The. AmeÌ Epa. Neighbors I pray you tourne me that I may lye on my right side Chr. The Lord our God graunt that ye may syt in his kingdome on the right hande of his glory Ep. Yea that shortly Euse. So be it Phile. Sir howe do you nowe Epaphro Well God be thanked but I trust to doo better euen anone Phile. Lacke you any thing sir Epa. My paine approcheth nearer vnto my heart wherby I perceiue the end of my life not to be far of I beseche you pray for me that I may continue faithfull constaunt and stedfast in the faith of the Lorde my God euen vnto the very end of my life Phi. We wil do it gladly Neighbors let vs knele down and pray Lord we moste humbly besech thee heare our prayer Chri. And let our crye come vnto thee Ph. O lord Iesu Christ thou only sonne of the heauenly father our alone redemer and omnisufficicieÌt sauiour we moste humbly beseche thee deliuer this sicke and weake parson now being in great pains and at the point to departe out of this worlde from all vgsome and terrible assaultes and temptations of the deuill synne and hell Deliuer him O Lord as thou deliueredst Noe froÌ the raging waues of the sea Lot from the destruction of Sodome Abraham from the feare of the Chaldees The children of Israell from the tiranny of Pharao Dauid from the hand of Goliah The thre men from the violence of the firy fornace in Babilon Daniel from the mouth of the Lions Ionas from the belly of the whalefishe Peter from the prison of Herod euen so O gratious Lord God deliuer the soul of this person both nowe and whensoeuer he shall departe hence from all pearill daunger OpeÌ vnto him at y e hour of death the dore of Paradise the gates of heauen the entry of euerlasting life O Lord Iesu Christe forgeue him all his synnes and lead him with ioye into the kingdom of thy heauenly father eueÌ vnto the bosom of AbrahaÌ and appoynt him vnto euerlasting rest that he may reioyse with thee and with all the elect childreÌ of God in euerlasting life Eu. Amen Epa. Neighboures I thanke you Nowe will I also pray vnto the Lord my god while I may speake and I trust he wil for Christes sake gratiously heare me Th. Doubt you not neighbor God hath so promised Epa. Lorde harken vnto my prayer and geue ear to my most humble requestes O moste mercifull God O father of all mercies the father of oure Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ be mercifull to me a sinner Haue pitie on me and quickely healpe me poore wretche for the moste bitter passion and moste precious death of Iesus Christ thy only begotten sonne and oure alone redemer and Sauioure Enter not into iudgemeÌt with thy seruaunt O Lord. Handle me not according to my desertes and merites neither rewarde me after mine iniquities but for thine infinite and vnmeasurable bountie and exceading gret merci receiue me and take me into thy fauour I miserable weake creature am in thy hand I am thy bonde seruaunt and thy depter O most gentle God o most fauorable father forsake me not cast me not away pore wretch that I am For I am thine withal that euer I caÌ make No man is able to strengtheÌ me no man is able to deliuer me no man is able to help me but thou alone Thou art the true helper in aduersite Thou art y e most sure present comfort in all necessitie Thou alone art our helper oure bulwarke our fortres our most mighty strongly defenced tour Thou o god art our refuge Thou art our strengthe Thou art our helper in all our tribulations In the O Lord do I trust let me not be coÌfouÌded Let me neuer be put to shame let me not be deceiued of my hope but preserue me for thy rightousnes sake Bow doun thine ear vnto me make haste to deliuer me Be my defeÌder O god my stroÌg hold y t thou maist saue me For y u art my strength and my refuge Yea thou art my God and my destinies are in thy handes Lighten thy countenaunce vpon thy seruaunt and saue me for thy mercies sake O Lord. And forasâmuch O swete father as it is thy godly pleasure to call me now froÌ this miserable life and wretched worlde I most entirely besech theâ so to defend me in this agony oâ death that neither sathan nor his ministers preuaill against me but that I continue faithful and constant vnto thend in the confessioÌ of thy holy name loking for full remission of all my sinnes in the precious bloud of thy welbeloued sonne and my only sauiour Iesus Christ and that I departing in this faith and perfect trust maye be placed among thy blessed saintes and heauenly spirites and so for euer and euer remaine with y e in glory Graunt this O moste mercifull father for thy dear sons sake Iesus Christ our alone mediatour and aduocate Chr. AmeÌ Epa. Me thinke good neighbours I begin to waxe very coulde and numme in my limmes Euse. Syr discomfort not your selfe Be content with the good workynge of God This cold is a present tokeÌ that the death of your body is not far of Epa. My fleshe is consumed and wasted away Eu. That is y e end of all fleshe Earth thou art saith God and vnto earth shalt y u retourne Epa. My feling is gone and my tasting decaieth All my senses grow out of course Eu. To that end wer they geuen you that you shuld lose them againe With the body al bodely thinges decay Phi. Brother Epaphroditus let y e care of the body of bodely thiÌgs passe You doo beleue the resurrection of the body Epa. I beleue that my redemer liueth and that I shall ryse out of the earth in the latter day and that I shalbe cloâhed again with this skin and see God my sauiour in my flesh Yea I my sef shall beholde him not w t other eyes but with these same eies This hope is stedfastly set in my hart Ph. Beleue this earnestly and it shal not greue you to depart froÌ your body For wher as it is now mortal incorruptible sick weake vile lothsome it shal at y e generall resurrection be immortal vncorruptible
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 chaÌge 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 coÌpany of men for y e coÌpany 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 laÌd 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 ââue 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 loÌger 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 ⪠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 ⪠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 paiânes 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 cleÌse 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
euen that I may learne thy righteous ordinances UexatioÌ or trouble saith the Prophet geueth vnderstanding And whaÌsoeuer we repent cease to sinne the Lord straightwais remoueth and taketh away the crosse that he hath laid vpon our backes and poureth his blessing againe plentiously vpon vs. For though he maketh a wouÌd he geueth a plaster though he smite he maketh whole again The Lord killeth maketh a liue bringeth down to the graue and fetcheth vp again The lord maketh poore maketh âich bringeth lowe and lifteth vp again After a storm O lord saith holy Toby thou makest the weather faire calme after wepyng and heauines thou geuest great âoy Thy name O God of Israel âe praised for euer Euseb. If God âoueth a man and entendeth to make him partaker of euerlasting glory he wil not cease to punishe him vntill he knowledgeth his âault repenteth become a newe âan Phi Ye say truth For vnto âhis end doth God correcte suche âs he loueth and entendeth to âaue The Lord saith by the Proâhet that he will punishe his peoâle which sinne against him and âun on whoring after straunge Gods vntill they coÌfesse their falt and say I wil turne again to my first husband for at that time was I better at ease then now Chri. This is a great comfort for a christen man in his affliction to hear that God punisheth hym in this world to this end y t he may cease to sinne that he may repent turn againe vnto the Lord his God so for euer be saued Epaph. But I pray you rehearse vnto me out oâ the holy scripture for the quietânes of my conscience some histories which may declare vnto me that God punishing synners foâ their disobedieÌce doth afterwarâ whan they repent and turne forâgeue them and receiue theÌ agaiâ into his fauour Philemon In thâ fourth boke of Moses called Nââmery we reade that the pepole ãâã Israel murmured and grudged ââgainst God and against Moseâ saying vnto Moses wherfore hast thou brought vs out of Egipt for to die in the wildernesse For here is neither bread nor water our soule lotheth this lyght bread Now se ye the sinne of the Israelites They murmur thei grudge they are vnfaithfull vnpacient disobedient against God and against his lawful magistrat now heare again the reward of sinne Wherfore the Lord sent firy Serpentes among the people whiche âtong them muche people of Israel died Here haue ye the punishment of the sin Now hear also y e âemedy against this punishment ând the salue against this plage Therefore the people came vnto Moses sayd we haue sinned for âe haue spoken against the Lord â against thee Make intercession âo the Lord that he take away the âârpentes from vs. Here the people of Israll repenteth confesseth their sinne turneth againe vnto the Lorde and besecheth Moses to pray for them vnto the Lorde Repentance coÌfession of the sinne conuersion vnto the Lorde and faithfull prayer are the meanes wherby Gods wrath is turned away from vs his plagues cease For when Moses had made intercessioÌ for the people the Lord said vnto him Make a brasen serpeÌt and set it vp for a signe that as many as are bitten may loke vpoÌ it and liue And Moses made a seruent of brasse and set it vp for a signe And when the Serpents had bitten any man he beheld thâ serpent of brasse and was healed ⪠Here se you the mercy of God eâuen in the middes of the crosse toâward penitent sinners The Isâraelites sinne God plagueth thâ people repenteth God turneth aâway his plague and healeth theÌ Epa. A coÌfortable history Be ther no mo such in the holy scriptures Phi. Uery many Ep. Rehearse theÌ I pray you For I delight to hear such comfortable histories Phile. I am very glad Manasses king of Iuda was an abhominable Idolatoure He went to and built âhe hill altares whiche good king Ezechias his father had broken âowne And he reared vp altares âor Baal and made groues and worshipped all the hostes of heauen and serued them and he built âltares in the house of the Lorde wheras the Lord yet had said In Hierusalem shall my name be for euer And he builded aultares for âl the host of heauen in the courts âf the house of the Lorde And he âurnt his children in the fire in âhe vally of the sonne of Hinon âe was a sorcerer he regarded y e crying of birdes vsed enchauntments ⪠and mainteined workers with spirites seers of fortunes wrought much euill in the sight of the Lord to anger him withall And as he him self was an Idolatar forsoke the Lord God of his fathers so likewise made he Iuda and the enhabiters of Ierusalem to erre and to do worse then the Heathen c. Nowe haue ye heard how greuously king Manasses sinned against y e Lord his God Chri. His sinnes were greaâ worthy of much punishmeÌt Euâ Yea of euerlasting damnation iâ he were handled according to his desertes Epa. I pray you what bââcame of him Phi. Albeit y e sinnes of this Manasses were great yeâ behold the louing kindnes of Goâ toward him his people Beforâ he sent any punishement amonââ them he raised vp his Prophets which exhorted both him and his subiectes to turne from their euil to repent and to walke in the ordinaunces and lawes of God but both he and his people would not heare the gentle admonitions of God by his Prophetes nether regard them Epa. O stony hartes But how than Ph. Whan y e Lord âaw y t by no meanes they woulde âurne from their abhominations â went forth stil to effeÌd he brouâht vpoÌ them the captaines of the âost of the king of the Assirians âhiche toke Manasses in hold âound him with chaines and caââed him to Babilon Theo. O the ââghteous iudgemeÌts of God Epa. âere we heare y t Manasses was âunished for his sinnes yea and ââat worthely but did God caste ãâã away for euer Phi. Ye shall âear WhaÌ Manasses was in triââlation he besought the lord his God and humbled him self exceadingly before the God of his Fathers and made intercession to him and God was entreated of hym and heard his prayer and brought him againe to HierusaleÌ into his kingdom And than Manasses knew y t the lord was God After this he became a new man and toke away straunge Gods Images out of the house of God and all thalters that he had builâ in the mount of the house of God and Ierusalem and cast them ouâ of the citie And he prepared thaââtare of the Lord sacrificed therâ on peace offringes and thanck ofâfringes charged Iuda to seruâ the Lord God of Israell Chri. ãâã happy change Epaphâ Yea O thâ great mercies of God Phile. Iâ this history many notable thinâges are to be learned First if aââ such as God entendeth to saue ãâã offend and breake his holy