led a vertuous life He forsoke not y e way of truth nether defiled he him selfe with any kynd of Idolatry He worshipped the Lord God of Israel faithfully offring of all his first frutes and tithes Whatsoeuer he might get he departed it daily with his felow prisoners brethreÌ„ He was ful of good works he gaue largly vnto the pore he fed the hoÌ„gry he gaue drink to y e thirsty he clothed the naked he lodged the harborles he visited the sick he redemed the captiues prisoners he buried the dead Ther was no work of mercy that he had left vndone He was rich plenteous in all good works And whatsoeuer he did he did it with a ioyfull ready hart For God saith S. Paule loueth a cherefull geuer Epa. A blessed man and a faithfull seruaunt of God Phi. And yet mark what followeth It hapned vpon a day y t he had buried the dead and was weary came home and layd hym down by the wall and slept And whyle he was a slepe there fell downe vpon his eies warm dong out of the swalowes nest so that he became blind Epaphr A pitiful chauÌ„ce Phile. This tentacion did God suffer to happen vnto hym y t they whiche came after myght haue an example of his pacience like as of holy Iob. Epaphro But how did Toby take this teÌ„tacion Phile. Uery Godly quietly paciently and thankefully For in so muche as he euer feared God froÌ„ his yougth vp and kept his commaundementes he grudged not against God that the plague of blindnes chaunsed vnto him but remained stedfast in the feare of God and thanked God al y t daies of his life Epaphr But what was the end of the matter Continued he blind vnto his dying day Did not God deale mercifully with Toby as we heard afore of Iob Phile. Yes verely for God scourgeth and healeth God ledeth vnto hel and bringeth out again God killeth and maketh aliue God after a storme maketh the weather faire calm God after weping heauinesse geueth great ioye When God had throughlye tried Toby and found him constant in his faith he restored vnto him his sight againe For the which Toby moste humbly thanked hym and said O Lord God of Israell I geue the prayse and thanks for thou hast chastened me and made me whole again Christo. O praised be the Lord our God which is maruelous in his Sainctes and holy in all his workes Epa. Liued Toby long after his sight was restored vnto him Phi. Toby saith the scripture after he had gotten his sight againe liued .xlii. yeres in great ioy and wealth and saw his childrens children And when he was C. and .ii. yeares olde he departed in peace and was honorably buried Epaphro A blessed end Phi. Of a good life cometh a good end Thus haue you heard out of the holy scriptures brother Epaphroditus that the Crosse that is to saye corporall affliction is not a token of Gods anger but of his fauour and that he layeth temporall punishement more customably vpon his frendes than vpon his ennemies yea and that not to destroy them but to proue and try them euen as the fire trieth the gold For as thaungel Raphaell sayd vnto Toby Because thou wast accepted and beloued of God it was necessary that temtacion should try thee You haue heard also the louing kindnesse of God toward his faithfull constant seruauntes how after a iust triall made he restoreth them vnto a more blessed state than they were in a fore Therfore take a good heart vnto you faint not Be strong in the Lord. Be faithful vnto the end Be pacieÌ„t in this your sicknes Be thaÌ„keful for this louing visitation of God Abide the good pleasure of God Suffer him quietly to do with you what soeuer his good wil is If you wil thus do dout ye not but that god wil be merciful vnto you bring that thing to passe which is most for your comfort and profit For whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning that through pacience and the comfort of the scriptures we may haue hope Epaph. The Lordes will be done in me He knoweth what is moste mete for me a wretched synner let him therfore worke his good pleasure in me come lyfe come death For if we liue we liue to bee at the Lordes will and if we die we die at the Lordes will Whether we liue therfore or die we are the Lordes Only O heauenly father I beseche thee for Christes sake to geue me a pacient and thankefull hart that I neuer grudge against thy blessed will but be obedient vnto it in all thinges that whan the pains of my sicknes be most bitter I may lift vp my hart vnto thee cal on thy blessed name and say O Lorde rebuke me not in thy indignation nether chasten me in thy displeasure Haue mercy on me O Lorde for I am weake O lord heale me for my bones are vexed My soule also is sore troubled but Lord how loÌ„g wilt thou punish me Turne thee O Lord deliuer my soule oh saue me for thy mercies sake O my God saue thy seruant that putteth his trust in thee Be mercifull vnto me O Lord for I wil cal daily vpoÌ„ the. Comfort the soul of thy seruaunt â—or vnto thee O Lord do I lifte â—p my soule For thou Lorde art good gracious of great mercy â—nto all them that cal vpon thee Theo. Neighbour Epaphroditus his is vnto vs a singuler pleasur â—nd great comfort to hear so godâ—y wordes proceade out of youre â—outh Be diligent continually 〈◊〉 call on the Lorde and he in all our afflictions troubles shall 〈◊〉 vndoubtedly your stroÌ„g tower our mighty shield and inuincible fortres He will not leaue you nor forsake you but assist you and be present with you in your sicknesse according to this his promesse Because he hath trusted in me I wil deliuer him I will defend him because he hath known my name He shall cal vpon me I will gratiously hear him yea I am with him in trouble I wil deliuer him and glorifie him With long life wil I satisfie him shew him my saluation Ep. I must nedes coÌ„fesse most geÌ„tle neighbors that I haue receiued muche consolation and great coÌ„fort of youre company and specially that 〈◊〉 haue thus enarmed yea and fortressed my brest with the coÌ„fortaâ—ble sentenses and histories of thâ— holy scriptures against the bitteâ— stormes of aduersitie and I hartâ—ly thank you for your pains Notâ—withstanding this must I nedeâ— say vnto you that I finde not my self in my conscience to be of suche godlines and vertue that I dare compare my selfe with Ioseph Dauid Iob and Toby whome ye recited vnto me but muche inferior bothe vnto them and vnto their godlines of life so that although they being righteous of the very loue which God bare toward them wer assailed with aduersitie to this ende y
sorowe wyl he turne to ioy as he sayth in the Gospell verely verely I saye vnto you ye shal wepe lament but contrariwise the worlde shall reioyse Ye shall sorowe but your sorow shall be turned into ioye A woman when she traueleth hath sorow because her houre is come but assone as she is deliuered of y e childe she remembreth no more y e anguishe for ioy that a maÌ„ is born into the world And ye now therefore haue sorow but I wil see you againe and your heartes shal reioyse and your ioye shall no man take away from you In this your heauy coÌ„flict God semeth to haue withdrawn the glorious beames of his fatherly grace froÌ„ you but he will straightways lighten his godly countenauÌ„ce vpon you and worke suche ioyes in your heart through his holy spirit as heretofore you felt neuer the lyke And this your ioy shall neuer be taken from you Therefore whatsoeuer sathan that old canckred ennemy of mankinde goeth about to perswade you beleue hym not but resiste him with strong faith euer remembring that he is both a lier and a murtherer You are a member of that congregation whiche is built vpon the rocke Christe againste whome the gates of hell shall not preuayle You are a lyuing stone of the blessed building and spiritual house wherof Christ is the head corner stone though y e windes blow the shours of raine descend and the cruell tempestes â—eate on the house yet it falleth not for it is grounded not vpon y e and but vpon the rocke Sathan â—n this temtation hath desired to sifte you as it were wheate but Christ hath praied for you y t your faith failed not You are one of the shepe whiche God the father hath geuen to his sonne Christe therfore can you not peryshe neyther shall any creature plucke you out of his hande but he shall geue you euerlasting life Epa. Now perâ—ceiue I most geÌ„tle neighbor Philemon that to be true whiche I haue many tymes heard the godly preachers rehearse in their most comfortable Sermons Phile. What is that I pray you Epaph. That one faythfull Preacher which is able with the swete promises of the holy scriptures to coÌ„fort the weake and desperate conscience is better then ten thousande mumbling Massemongers whiche promise with their Massinge mountaines of golde but perfourme molhilles of glasse I haue also many times heard it saide that though the companye of a learned man be good and profitable at all times yet chiefly in the tyme of syckenesse and whan the weake creature is ready to depart from this wicked worlde for asmuche as than Sathan is most busy and without ceasing laboureth to disquiet the conscience of â—he sickman that by this meanes he may driue him to desperation and finally to damnation Phile. What meane you by that Epa. I thanke God moste hartelye that suche a learned man as you are haue nowe vouchedsafe to visite me in this my sickenesse Phil. No learned man but a louer of learninge and suche one as hathe a good will well to doe and enuieth no man that can doe better Epa. In the tyme of this your godlye communication had with me the Lord my God be thancked for it I felt the heauines trouble and disquietnes of my conscience by little and little to goe away and certaine swete mocions of true inward ioye to arise in my heart â–ª so y t nowe Sathan with his wicked temtations semeth to haue taken his flight and the holy ghostâ— with his most godly and comfortable inspirations to haue entred into my breast Wheras before mâ— thought I was in hell nowe mâ— thinck I am in heauen so greatâ— quietnes rest ioy and confort do I finde in my conscience Saincâ— Paule wysheth not in vain to thâ— PhilippiaÌ„s this tranquilitie and quietnes of conscience saying thâ— peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding kepe your hearts and mindes in Christ Iesu. Again tâ— the Collossians The peace of god mought rule in your heartes tâ— the whiche peace ye are called in one body For no man knoweth what a precious Iewell and heauenly treasure this peace of conâ—cience is but suche as fele it Neâ—her can any man feele it a ryght except he hath felt afore the grief â—ain and disquietnesse of conscience I may now right wel say w t â—he Psalmograph O howe great and plentifull is thy goodnesse which thou hast laide vp for them â—hat feare thee and that thou hast â—repared for them that put theyr â—rust in thee O what great trouâ—les and aduersities haste thou â—hewed me And yet thou diddest â—urne refresh me yea broughâ—est me from the depe of the earth â—gaine Thou hast broughte me â—o great honour and coÌ„forted me â—n euery syde Therfore wyll I â—raise thee and thy faithfulnes O God Phi. Here see you that fulfilled in your selfe whiche you haâ—â— full oft red in the holy Scripturâ— The Lorde killeth and makeâ— aliue bryngeth downe to hell anâ— fetcheth vp againe Great are tâ—â— troubles of the righteous but tâ—â— Lord deliuereth them out of theâ— all Chr. The holy man Toby 〈◊〉 his praier vnto God saieth Whâ—â—soeuer loueth thee serueth thee â— right is sure of this that if his liâ— be tempted and proued it staÌ„deâ—â— in the trying if he endure in paâ—â—cience he shal haue a reward anâ— be highly crowned and if he be iâ— trouble that God no doubt shaâ— delyuer hym and if his lyfe be iâ— chastning that he shall haue leâ—â— to come vnto thy mercy For thoâ— hast no pleasure in our damnatâ—â—on And why After a storme thoâ— makest the weather fair and stilâ— after weping and heauines thoâ— geuest great ioy Thi name O goâ— of Israell be praysed for euer Ep. AmeÌ„ Chr. The Psalmograph also saith They that sowe in tears shall reape in ioye He that nowe goeth on his way weping and bereth forth good seede shall doubtles come againe with ioy bring his sheues with him Epa. If the Lord him selfe had not bene of my side when Satan rose vp against me he had swalowed me vp quik But praysed be the Lorde whiche hath not geuen me ouer for a pray vnto his teeth My soule is escaped euen as a byrde oute of the snare of the fouler the snare is broken and I am deliuered My helpe standeth in the name of the Lorde whiche hath made heauen and earth But neighboure Philemon it is good in the tyme of calme to prouide for tempest We are taughte of Iob that a mans â—ife in this worlde is a warfare or knighthode and that we therfore ought to watche praye thaâ— we fail not into temptation The scripture declareth that after Saâ—than had tempted Christ was confounded by the worde of Godâ— the deuil departed from Christ for a season Wherof we may learne â–ª that he returned afterward vnto Christ and tempted him I feare
THE SYCKE Mans Salue VVherin the faithfull christians may learne both how to be haue them selues paciently and thankefully in the tyme of sickenes and also vertuously to dispose their temporall goodes and finally to prepare them selues gladly and godly to die Made and newly recognised by Maister Tho. Becon 1561. Math. 11. ¶ Come vnto me all ye that are sicke and diseased and I will comfort you CVM PRIVILEGIO per Septennium THOMAS BECONVS SACROSĀCTAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR Ora expressa vides viuos imitantia vultus Quod potuit calamo pictor arte vides mentis quā nullus potuit tibi reddere pictor Effigiem scriptis praebuit ipse suis. ¶ The Names of all suche bookes as Thomas Becon hath hetherto made and set forth i. The Newes out of Heauen ii The Christmas Bancket iii. The Potation for Lent iiii The Pathway vnto Prayer v. The Cathechisme vi The Nosegaye vii The Pollecie of Warre viii The Boke of Matrimonie ix Dauids Harpe x. The New years gift xi The Inuectiue against swering xii The Gouernaunce of Uertue xiii The Dialogue of Christes birth xiiii The Inuectiue against whordō xv The Solace of the Soule xvi The Iewell of Ioye xvii The Castell of Comfort xviii The Fortresse of the faithfull xix The Flower of godly prayers xx The Principles of christen religion xxi The True vse of fasting xxii The Pomaunder of prayer xxiii The Christen knight xxiiii The Sickmans Salue xxv The Reliques of Rome ¶ TO THE RIGHT worshipful Maister Basil Felding Esquier Thomas Becon wysheth the fauour of God continual health and prosperous felicitie CHrist our Lorde and Sauiour cōsidering what and how great carnall securitie and fleshly quietnes reigneth in mortall men of all ages yea and that in them that professe godlynesse that is to saye Christians whiche by their professiō ar dead vnto the world and haue their lyfe hydden with Christ in God in somuche that they being occupied about worldlye and transitory thinges which sone perish and come to naught do vtterly neglecte the thinges that appertaine vnto the saluation of their soules in many places of his holy Gospell admonisheth vs to watche and to make prouision for our latter ende least we be found vnready whā we shall be called out of the worlde In the Gospell of blessed Mathewe he hath these words watch for you know not what hour the Lord will come Of this be ye sure that if the good man of the house knew what hour the thief would come he would surely watche and not suffer his house to be broken vp Therfore be ye also ready For in suche houre as ye thinke not wil the sonne of man come In S. Markes Gospell also he sayth Watch for ye know not whē the maister of the house wil come at euen or at midnight or at the cockcrowing or in the dauning least if he come sodenly he finde you sleping And that I say vnto you I say vnto all Watch ▪ Yea take hede watche and pray for ye know not when the time is Again in the Reuelation of blessed Iohn he sayth Behold I come as a thiefe Blessed is he that watcheth and kepeth his garmentes that he walke not naked and men see his fylthines Item Behold I come shortly and my rewarde is with me to geue euery man according as his dedes shall be The holy Apostle S. Paule lykewyse exhorteth vs that we sleepe not as other doo but that we watche be sober nether that we fall into fleshly quietnes promysing our selues long lyfe healthe and reste in this worlde least soden destruction fall vpon vs. For the day of the Lorde sayth he shall come euen as the thief in the night Certes our mortall estate declareth euidētly that we be so bound vnto death that we are not certen of our lyfe not one houre Out of hand may death oppres vs for any certentie that we haue of the contrary What thing is your lyfe sayth S. Iames It is a vapour that appeareth for lyttle tyme and then vanisheth away My dayes saith Iob are more swift then a runner yea they are passed awaye as the shyppes that bee good vnder sayle and as the Egle that flyeth vnto the pray Agayne he saith Man that is borne of woman hath but short tyme to lyue and is ful of mysery He commeth vp and is cut downe lyke a floure He flyeth as it were a shadow and neuer continueth in one state The Prophet also sayth All fleshe is grasse and all the glory thereof is as the floure of the field The grasse is withered the flower falleth away Euen so is the people as grasse when the breathe of the Lord bloweth vpon them Thus sewe the misery vanitie and shortnes of our mortall life painted out before our eies and that these thynges are true dayly experience proueth Notwithstandinge such is our blindnes fondnes and madnes that we vtterly forget the vncertentie of this our wretched and short lyfe and promyse our selues the florishyng yeares of Nestor or the long lyfe of Methuselah We may right well be lykened to that vngodly richman of whom we rede in the Gospel of Luke whiche made prouision for a great nomber of yeares promising him selfe long to liue vpon the face of the earth forgetting him selfe to be mortall and bound vnto death But when he thought least of death and was moste busily occupied in getting and gatheringe together the goodes of y e world God sayd vnto him thou foole this night wil they fetch away thy soul again frō thee Then whose shal those thinges be which thou hast prouided The Psalmograph saythe He heapeth tresure vpon treasure and yet knoweth he not for whome he gathereth it After this sort do we behaue our selues at this day We moyle and turmoyll our selues in studiyng deuising how we may come by the giftes of glassy fortune We refuse no paynes no laboures to become ritche and welthy in worldly goodes Yea so blynded are our heartes that the nerer we approche vnto the end of our life y e more studious carefull diligent are we to get the substaunce of this worlde We remember not this saying of the holy Apostle Godlines is great rytches if a man bee content with that he hath For we brought nothing into y e world neither may we cary any thinge out But when we haue fode and raiment let vs therwith be content The holy scripturs calleth vs straungers and Pilgrims in this worlde declareth that we haue here no continuyng city but we seke one to come Notwithstanding as though ther were none other life after this or els as though we should for euer here remaine and neuer departe we trauaile about y e getting of worldly substaunce Al as the Prophet saith euen from the lowest vnto the hiest set their myndes on filthy lucre They are shameles dogges that bee neuer satisfied
commaundementes the Lord wil not suffer them to escape vnpunished but he visiteth them with his louing rod of fatherly correction that by this meanes he may call them to repentaunce saue them Secondly we learne that whan the Lorde correcteth vs casteth vs into trouble than as we see in Manasses we make haste vnto y e Lord seke him pray vnto him huÌ„ble our selues before his deuine maiestie become new men as y e psalmograph saith When he slue theÌ„ they sought him and turned them early enquired after God And they remembred that God was their strengthe and that the â—hie God was their redemer God him self also saith by the Prophet In their aduersitie they shall earâ—y seke me say come let vs turn again vnto the Lorde for he hath smitten vs and he shall heale vs he hath wounded vs and he shall bind vs vp againe Thirdly it setteth forth vnto vs the great and exceding mercies of God toward penitent sinners whome so sone as they coÌ„uert turn he receiueth into his fauor forgeueth them taketh away his plagues and restoreth them to their former or els muche better state accordinge to this saying of the Prophet If the vngodly will forsake his waies thunrighteous his imaginations turn again vnto y e lord the Lord will surely haue pity on him for he is very ready to forgeue Forthly we learne of this history what the duty of such is whom God to fore hath plagued and now restored to their former state Uerely to become newe men to walke for euer after in the feare of God to mortify their carnall affectes to fle from sinne as from a venomous Serpent to garnishe their conuersation with godly and christen manners and to serue the Lord God in holines and righteousnes all the daies of their lyfe So saith the Psalmograph It is greatly for my profit that thou O Lord hast corrected me that I may learn thine ordinances Here to perteineth the saying of y e Prophet Uexation geueth vnderstanding O Lord thou hast corrected me and thy chastning haue I receiued as an vntamed calf saith the prophet Ieremy Turne thou me and I shalbe turned for thou art my Lorde God yea as assone as thou turnest me I shall refourme my self when I vnderstand I shal smite vpoÌ„ my thigh Epaph. Many godly lessons haue you taught vs out of this history brother PhilemoÌ„ They that rede and consider the histories of the holy scriptures on this manner they are no vayne readers but they read with much profit Phile. This is the true vse of histories otherwyse to read them auaileth litle In the histories of the holy scriptures as in moste pleasaunt mirrors goodly glasses we behold our frail nature our wicked wyll our beastlyke manners and sinful life We se Gods iustice punishment vengeaunce vpon the disobedient and stifnecked transgressers of his holy commaundements Again we behold his tender mercy and louing kindnes toward penitent sinners and howe ready he is to forgeue whansoeuer we tourne vnto hym Moreouer in holy histories we consider what our dutie is toward God after we haue receiued benefites of him Uerely to labour vnto the vttermoste of our power to be thaÌ„kfull vnto him and to liue worthy his kindnes These and suche like thinges must the godly reader coÌ„sider when he readeth the histories of the holy scripture or els his reading auaileth little Theop. It is truly sayd Ep. I remember that I heard once y e praier which Manasses king of Iuda praied vnto God whan he was a prisoner in Babilon I would gladly hear it again Phi. Is there not a bible here Eusebius Here is one Ep. I pray you turn vnto y e praier and read it vnto me Eusebi The praier is this O Lord almighty God of our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and of the righteous sede of them whiche haste made heauen and earth withall thornament therof whiche hast ordeined the sea by the worde of thy commaundemeÌ„t which hast shut vp the depe and hast sealed it for thy fearfull and lawdable name which al men feare tremble before the face of thy vertue for the anger of thy threatning whiche is notable to be borne of sinners But y e mercy of thy promes is great vnserchable for y e art the Lord God most hie aboue al thearth long suffring exceading merciful and repentant for the malice of men Thou lord after thy goodnesse hast promised repentaÌ„ce of the remissioÌ„ of sins and thou that art the God of the rightous hast not put repeÌ„tance to the righteous Abraham Isaac and Iacob vnto theÌ„ that haue not sinned against thee but because I haue sinned aboue the number of the sandes of the sea and that mine iniquities are exceding many I am brought low with many bondes of Iron and there is in me no breathing I haue prouoked thine anger and done euil before thee in coÌ„mitting abhominatioÌ„s and multiplying offeÌ„ces And now I bow y e knees of my hart requiring goodnes of the O Lord I haue sinned lord I haue sinned and I knowledge mine iniquitie I desire thee by praier O Lorde forgeue me forgeue me and destroy me not with mine iniquities nether doe thou alwais remember mine euils to punishe them but saue me which am vnworthy after thy great mercy I wil praise the euerlastingly al the daies of my life for all the power of heauen prayseth the vnto thee belongeth glory world without end AmeÌ„ Epa. A fruteful godly prayer God geue me grace so to repent and to pray that I may haue the lord my God mercifull vnto me For I haue also greuously offended my Lord God and I most humbly beseche him for his names sake to haue mercy on me and to forgeue me Phile. Be on good coÌ„fort wepe not God seing your repentaunt and faithfull heart hath frely forgeuen you al your sinnes and cast them away behind his back so y t he wil neuer remember theÌ„ more The bloud of Iesus Christ Gods son hath made you clene from all sin By thoffring of Iesus Christs body done once for all you ar sanctified and made holy Ye are the blessed of God for your iniquities are forgeuen your sinnes are couered and no vnrightousnes shall be layde to your charge Epa. God graunt Phile. It is most certen Where repentaunce and faith is there is also Gods mercy fauor louing kindnes and remission of sinnes Thou O lord saith y e wise man makest thee as though thou â—awest not the sinnes of men for â—epentance sake And the Prophet â—aieth All that beleueth on him â—he speaketh of Christ shal nat be â—onfounded And Christ saith of â—im selfe I am the resurrection â—he life He that beleueth on me â—ea though he were dead yet shall â—e liue And whosoeuer liueth and â—eleueth on me he shall neuer die â—lso in another place he
e throne of Gods maiestie to be testimonies witnesses of their true and vnfained sayth They therfore are to much fond and negligent of their owne saluation which trust other more then them selues in matters pertayning vnto the health of their soules Chri. There is an old saying in Latin and as I thinck noâ—â—les true thaÌ„ old It is this Da tua dum tua sunt post morteÌ„ tunc tuae non sunt Geue thy goodes while they be thine for after thy death they be none of thine Euse. I remember whan I was a child I learned .ii verses of my scholemaister which I haue not yet forgotten I wyll rehearse them vnto you Quod sibi quisque serit praesentis teÌ„pore vitae Hoc sibi messis erit cum dicitur Ite Venitae That a maÌ„ soweth for him self in y e time of this present life that shalbe his haruest or reape when it is saide Go Come Epap What meane you by that Go Come Eu. You know that to the vnfaithfull it shalbe sayd go ye cursed in to euerlasting fire whiche is prepared for y e deuill and his angels But to the faithfull it shalbe said on this maner Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome whiche was prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning of the world The. S. Paule hath a sentence muche lyke vnto your verses whatsoe â—er a man soweth saith he y t shall he also reape For he that soweth in his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption But he that soweth in the spirit shall of y e spirite reape life euerlasting Phil. It is not w tout cause that the holy scripture doth so diligently call vs vnto repentaunce faith and good works in this present worlde For euerlasting life euen in this worlde is ether gotten or loste As God findeth vs so iudgeth he vs. Euerye tree is knowen and iudged by her owne fruite and not by the fruite of other trees Euery man lykewyse is iudged by his owne workes not by the workes of other as Christ saith to the vnprofitable seruaunt Of thine owne mouthe wil I iudge thee thou euil seruaÌ„t Teophilact saith The vertue of my neighbour shall scacely be inough to defend him selfe so farre is it of that it can profit me also For all men shall be declared to be righteous by their owne workes and not by the workes of theyr neighboures Euse. The Preacher saieth When the tre falleth whether it be toward the Southe or north in what place so euer it fall there it lieth Epap What is ment by that Euse. The tre signifieth euery one of vs y t are the children of Adam We fal that is to say we die ether toward the south or toward the north that is either in the state of saluation or damnatioÌ„ In what state soeuer we die in the same remaine we There is no chaunge after this life Ether with poore Lazarus we goe into the bosome of Abraham or els with that vnmercifull ryche man into the fier of hell There are but two places after this life hel and heauen If we depart in the faith of Christe we goe straighawayes vnto the glory of heauen But if we die in vnbelief than go we to the Deuill as the scripture sayth He that beleueth on y e sonne hath euerlasting life But he that beleueth not on the sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abideth vpon him Christo. S. Iohn Chrisostome saith he that washeth not awaye his synnes in this present life shall finde no comfort afterward c. Theph The same doctor also hath this saying Let vs not thinke saith he that wheÌ„ we come thither he meaneth vnto the iudging place of God mercy shal be geuen vnto vs seing we do not so behaue our selues in this world that we may deserue to haue forgeuenes though Abraham shuld pray for vs though Noe though Iob though Daniell shuld make intercessioÌ„ for vs. Therfore while we haue tyme let vs prepare for our selues that whiche may stand vs in steade a fore God an other day Eus. Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Ciprian Then that is to say after death shall repentaÌ„ce be without fruite and the sorowe of paine weping also shall be in vayn and praier shalbe to no purpose Therefore make prouision while ye may for your safegard life Again he saith When we be once departed out of this worlde there is no more place for repentaunce there is no effect of â—atisfaction In this worlde life is either lost or gotten Here through the worshipping of God and the fruit of fayth prouision is made for euerlasting saluation Epa. I se than both by the aucthoritie of y e holy scriptures and of the auncieÌ„t doctours that the workes whiche are done for them that are departed out of this worlde by other are but vayne and vnprofitable whether they departe in fayth or otherwyse For y e faithfull departe straightwaies vnto glory and the vnfaithful vnto euerlasting pain The one sort haue no nede of praier for they be already in most blessed state and ioyful reast And the other are in so damnable case that praier can do no good for them no though Abraham Noe Iob Daniel and all the best that euer lyued shuld pray for theÌ„ For in hell there is no redemption And Abraham said to the rich maÌ„ There is betwene vs and you a great space set so y t they whiche wold go from heÌ„ce vnto you caÌ„not neither may they y t are there come hither vnto vs. Phi. The truth is neighbor Epaphroditus y e papistes haue long bewitched the eies of y e simple by making theÌ„ beleue that the soules of the faythfull goe not straightwaies after their departure vnto eternal glory but rather vnto purgatory a place of their own deuising for the maintenance of their idle bellies there to lie miserablie puling til they be redemed by treÌ„talles by pilgrimages going by pardons c. Our sauiour Christe in the gospell teacheth maketh meÌ„cion of two waies But y e third is not found in the holy scripture One is a straight way which leadeth vnto life fewe ther be that finde it The other is a brode way which leadeth vnto destruction many ther be y t go in therat Ep. I beleue am throwly perswaded y t by y t merits of his precious bloud which said vnto y e penitent thefe this day shalt thou be with me in paradise my soule immediatly after the departure froÌ„ this vile body shall be receiued vnto glory â—se y e glorious maiestie of God face to face as y e Psalmograph sayth I beleue to see the pleasures and good thinges of the Lorde in the land of the liuing I fear the Popish purgatory the paynes therof nothing at all My pain endeth in this life And the ende of this life is the beginning of my ioye This hope lieth vp buried in
but that both his conceptioÌ„â—nd natiuitie should be so pure â—ithout blemish that by the pureâ—es therof the filthines corrupâ—ion of our conception and natiâ—itie might be put awaye For of â—e vncleane who can be clensed â—ll we be vncleane in Adam both â—â—ncerning our conception and â—rth for after y t God had made man like vnto his own similitudâ— and Image he placed hym in paradise and gaue him lybertie tâ— eat of all the fruites in the garden of pleasure except y e tree of knowledge of good and euill But maâ— disobeyed the Lorde his God and transgressed his holy commaundâ—ment Thorow the whiche disobedience and transgression of Godâ— holy coÌ„maundement sinne curse and death came ouer al mankind so that nowe in Adam so many aâ— are borne after the commoÌ„ coursâ— of nature are begotten coÌ„ceiued and borne in sinne They are thâ— children of wrath defiled witâ— all vnclennes both bodely ghoâ—ly Now whan there was no heâ— nor comfort for man whereby â— might be redemed out of Satan power and deliuered from his iâ—â—tollerable miseries wherewith â— was to muche wretchedly wraâ—â—ped and brought into slauery for now man w tal his thoughts imaginations deuices words dedes enterprises c. is become thorowe the sin of Adam wicked vnpure â—ilthy and synfull then God that mercifull father had pity vpoÌ„ maÌ„kind and promised them a sede euen Iesus Christ his only begotten soÌ„ne which shuld tread down the head of the serpent ouercome â—he deuill with al his power reâ—tore vs to life againe And lykewise as god is righteous in al his wayes holy in all his workes â—rue faithfull in all his wordes â—uen so hath he kept al his promiâ—es truely For wheÌ„ the time was 〈◊〉 he sent his only begotten 〈◊〉 dearely beloued sonne into the â—ombe of the virgin Mary wher of whome thorowe the working â—f the holy ghost he became fleshe â—â—at is to saye true and naturall man as the scripture witnesseth saying The word became fleshe dwelt among vs and we saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten sonne of the father full oâ— grace and veritie He brought noâ— his body with him from heauen as certain heretikes affirme buâ— as he receiued all his deuine nature and substance of God the faâ—ther alone euen so likewyse did hâ— take all his humaine nature and substance of the pure virgin Mary alone through the wonderful operation of the spirite of God aâ— S. Paule saithe he was borne oâ— the sede of Dauid after the fleshe Againe he sayth he that sanctifâ—â—eth and they whiche are sanctifâ—â—ed are all of one For which caâ—â—ses he is not ashamed to call theâ— brethreÌ„ saying I wil declare thâ— name to my brethren and in thâ— mids of the congregation wyll praise thee And againe I wil put my trust in hym And again Behold here am I and the children which God hath geuen me Forasmuch therfore as the childreÌ„ were partakers of flesh and bloud he also him selfe lykewyse toke part with them for to put downe thorow death him y e had lordship ouer death that is to say the deuyll and that he myght deliuer them which through fear of death were all their life time in daunger of bondage For he in no condition taketh on him the aungels but the sede of Abraham taketh he on hym wherefore in all thinges it became him to be made lyke vnto his brethren that he myght be mercifull and a faithfull hie Priest in thinges concerning God for to pourge the peoples sinnes c. This only begotten sonne of God by takyng fleshe of the Uirgin Mary became lyke vnto vs in all things sinne alone except I beleue that by his pure conception and vndefiled natiuitie my conception and my byrth whiche coÌ„ming from Adam was altogether vnpure and defiled is clensed and that no parte of that sinfull birth is imputed vnto me but y e thorowe faith in this moste blessed sede of the Uirgine I am born a new begotten of God so that he is my father I am his sonne and therfore enheritor also of his heauenly kingdome Furthermore I vnfainedly beleue with my hart and frely confesse with my mouth y t this seede of the woman Iesus Christ at the commaundement and wyll of his heauenly father whiche from euerlasting by his godly prouideÌ„ce ordained his only begotten sonne to be a sacrifice for the sinnes of his people that through his only oblation they myght for euer and euer bee saued suffred many greuous paynes on his bodye vnder the Heathen ruler Pontius Pilat and that he was crucified died and was buried All those bitter paines and greuous torments he suffred not for him selfe but for vs for our iniquities sinnes and wickednesses that he might recoÌ„cile vs vnto God the father His paines satisfied for the paines due vnto vs for our faultes as y e prophet saieth he only hath taken on him oure infirmities and borne our paines He was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesses For the chastisement of oure peace was layde vpon him and with his strypes are we healed As for vs we haue goone all astray lyke shepe euery one hath turned his own way But y e Lord hath heaped together vpon hym the iniquitie of vs all He was cut of from the ground of the liuinge whiche punishment did come vpoÌ„ hym for the transgression of my people saieth God which in dede had deserued that punishement He was crucified and nailed to the crosse that by the suffraunce of his fleshe he might put away the cause of hatred euen the lawe of commaundementes contained in the lawe written and so wyn vs againe vnto the fauoure of God For it pleased the father y t in him shuld all fulnes dwell and by him to reconcile all thynge vnto hym selfe to set at peace by hym thorowe the bloud of his crosse bothe thinges in heauen and thinges in earth His blessed body crucified and nayled to the crosse buffeted beaten and scourged was a swete smellyng sacrifice a right deare offring vnto God the father sufficient inough and hable to the vttermoste to put away all the synnes of the faythfull and all the paynes due for the same It satisfied at the full the iustice of God and apeased his wrath sturred vp through sinne agaynst the posteritie of Adam and made God of an angry Lord righteous iudge a most merciful father and gentle sauiour Nether nede the faithfull go for saluation vnto massemongers vnto iusticiares vnto monkish hipocrites nor yet vnto sainctes The sacrifice of Christes body which he him self that euerlasting priest offred on the altare of the crosse to God the father is a plenteous full perfect and sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole worlde if they repent beleue amend We
nothing but raise them vp againe at the last day And this is y e wil of him that sent me that euery one whiche seeth the sonne and beleueth on him haue euerlasting life And I will rayse him vp at y e last day I am the resurrection life he y t beleueth in me though he be dead yet shall he lyue euery one that liueth and beleueth iâ— me shal neuer die To him christâ— geue all the Prophetes witnes saith S. Peter that through his name whosoeuer beleueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes If thou knowledge w t thy mouth that Iesus is the Lorde and beleue in thine heart that God raysed hym vp from death thou shalâ— be saued For to beleue with thâ— hert iustifieth and to knowledge with the mouthe maketh a man safe For the scripture saith Whosoeuer beleueth on him shall not be confounded Thus se you that faith dooth assure your conscience of y e fauor of God of euerlasting life Doubt you not therfore but that you are counted in the number of Gods elect and chosen people and shall enherit the glorious kingdom of God Epa. I was baptised in the name of God y e father â—nd of god the sonne of god the â—oly ghost Phi. This is also a sure â—â—keÌ„ of the fauour of God toward â—ou and that you are predestinate â—nto euerlasting life seyng that according to your profession you do beleue and vnto the vttermost of your power frame your life For it is wrytten he that beleueth is baptised shalbe saued And s. Peter said vnto the Iewes Repent you of your sinnes be baptised euery one of you in y e name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy ghost â–ª And Saint Paule saieth All ye that are baptized haue put on Christ. And you know there is no dampnation to them that are in Christ Iesu. For as when you wer baptised ye forsoke the deuill the world and the flesh withal their workes poÌ„pes and vanitie and gaue your selfe only vnto the seruice of God taking him for your Lord maister euen so hath God likewise taken you to be his seruaunt loueth and fauoureth you and wil defend you against al your ennemies and neuer forsake you vntyll he hathe brought you vnto euerlasting life By baptisme is he your lord God therefore wyll not he suffer you to pearishe By baptisme is he your father and you are born of him so become his sonne therfore can he none otherwyse then loue tender and fauour you and geue you the enheritaunce of his heauenly kingdome By baptisme are you made the brother of Christ heyre of God and fellow heire w t Christ of euerlasting glory theÌ„ may you be certen to be of that noÌ„ber that shall enherit eternall life By baptisme is the holy ghost geuen you then are you the sonne of God and â—an not pearysh For it is written They that are led with the spirite â—f God are the sonnes of God Baptisme is a continuall signe of â—he fauour of God towarde vs of â—he fre remission of sinnes of our â—econciliatioÌ„ vnto God for Chriâ—tes sake and that we be by adopâ—ion the sonnes of God heires of â—uerlasting glory Epa. In tymes â—ast I haue also many tymes reâ—eiued the misteries of the Lordes â—ody and bloud in the temples of â—he Christians with the congreâ—ation of God wherin I confesse I haue founde great comfort and â—erye muche quietnesse vnto my â—eake and synnefull conscience Phi. The often comming with a â—eruent de syre vnto the Lords taâ—le by true faythe to fede vpon the â—isteries of the Lordes body and â—loud is a manifest argument y t God hath chosen you to be his hath written your name in y e bokâ— of life and predestinate you vntâ— euerlasting glory For in so doinâ— you haue not only called vnto reâ—membraunce the moste healthfuâ— death of our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ and so bene thankeâ—ful for it but you haue also shewâ—ed your selfe a lyuely member 〈◊〉 that holy body whereof Christ iâ— the head You haue professed opeÌ„â—ly in the face of the Christen conâ—gregation that God the father iâ— your father y t Christ is your Lorâ— and sauiour that by the one onlâ— oblation of his blessed body on thâ— altare of the Crosse all your synâ—nes are put away and forgeueâ— and you made the enheritour 〈◊〉 euerlasting glory WheÌ„ you thuâ— came vnto the Lordes Table aâ— the fruites benefites and meritâ— of Christes passioÌ„ were geuen yoâ— namely the fauour of God remiâ—â—sion of sinnes the holy ghost quietnes of conscience new affectes victory ouer Sathan death and hell and finally euerlasting lyfe so that nowe ye are incorporated in Christ become a true liuely member of that misticall bodye wherof he is the head yea you ar fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones as the Apostle saith Is not the cup of blessing whiche we bles partaking of the bloud of Christ Is not the bread whiche we breake partaking of y e body of Christ c. Epa. As I haue had many times an earnest and feruent minde to come reuerentlye vnto the Lordes table and to be partaker of the holy misteries of Chriâ—tes body and bloud with the congregation so likewise haue I at all times bene glad to repare vnâ—o those places wher the word of God hath bene preached and the doctrine y t hath there bene taughâ— I marked diligeÌ„tly kept it in meâ—mory and to the vttermost of mâ— power I laboured to frame mâ— life according vnto the same thaâ— I might bee no forgetfull heareâ— but a diligent doer of those worâ—kes whiche I learned of the holâ— scriptures to bee acceptable vntâ— the Lord my Lord that I mighâ— serue him in holines and righteâ—ousnes all the dayes of my lyfe Phi. As there is not a more euideÌ„â— testimony and a surer argumentâ— that that man is in the state of eâ—uerlasting dampnation whichâ— hath no mynd to hear the word oâ— God nor to traine his lyfe according vnto the doctrine therof sâ— likewise is there not a more cerâ—taine signe that any man is preâ—destinate to be saued then wheÌ„ hâ— hath a mynd to heare the word oâ— God as our sauiour Christ testiâ—fieth saying He that is of god heareth gods words ye therfore hear theÌ„ not because ye are not of God Here se you how Christ putteth a difference betwene them that are of God and them that are of the deuill They that are the children of y e deuil haue no minde to heare the worde of God But they that are the sonnes of God haue a feruent delite and singulare great pleasure to hear gods word yea as the Prophet saieth to exercise them selues in it daye and night In an other place our Sauioure Christ saith also My shepe heare
of the opinion of the Papistes whiche say that y e souls of the faithfull go not strait vnto heauen but vnto purgatory there to be boyled in the fyry fornace of the B. of Rome til they haue made satisfaction for theyr sinnes either by them selues in suffringe saye they the most bitter paines of purgatory or els by their frendes in this worlde thorowe Masses Pardons Pilgrimages c. Ep. I beleue that there is none other purgatory for my soule helth but only the precious bloud of my Lorde and Sauiour Christ Iesu. And I beleue y t Christ through his innocency of life and the most greuous paines that he suffred on the crosse hath aboundauntly satisfied for all my synnes hath vnto the vttermost paid al the det that I ought vnto god the father so that nowe through faith in the bloud of Christ I walke with a clear conscience before God forasmuche as there is no dampnacion to them that are in Christ Iesu and that they also are blessed whose sinnes are remitted whose iniquities are couered and vnto whose charge God laieth no wickednes Chr. Ye agre not w t such in opinion as affirme y t the soules of both the faithfull and vnfaithfull slepe vntill the day of iudgement and then shall awake out of slepe so that then the faithfull shall go vnto euerlasting glory the vnfaithfull vnto eternall dāpnation Epa. I beleue that the soul slepeth no more then this my bed sted waketh and talketh with vs. I am fully perswaded y t so sone as the souls of the faithfull are departed from the bodies wherein they were as in a prison enclosed they are straightwaies placed in the glorious kingdome of God And contrariwyse the soules of y e vnfaithfull goe straight vnto the deuil euen vnto hel fire vnto that lake that burneth with fier and brimstone where weping gnashing of teeth is where the worme that gnaweth their consciēce neuer dieth and the moste greuous fier wherwith they are without ceasing intollerably tormented is neuer quenched Is it not thus neighbor Philemon Phi. Yes verely sir. For so ar we taught in the holy scriptures as the history of the ritche glotton and of pore Lazarus with diuers other doo manifestly declare Epa. I faithfully beleue that immediatly after my departure out of this worlde I shall haue a place in the kingdom of God and se the glorious maiestie of god face to face And I pray you good neighbor Philemon rehearse vnto me some comfortable places out of the holy scripture cōcerning y e ioyfull and blessed state of the faithfull soules after this life that I may be confirmed in my faith and be the more willing to depart Phi. I wil do it gladly Balaam said I pray god that my soul may die the death of the righteous and that my last end may be like vnto theirs The Psalmograph saith O howe amiable are thy dwellings thou lord of hosts My soul hath a desire and lōging to enter into the courts of y e lord my heart my fleshe reioyce in the liuing God Blessed are they that dwel in thy house they will be alwaies praysing thee One day in thy courtes is better then a thousand I had rather be a dorekeper in the house of my God then to dwel in the tents of the vngodly The Prophet Esay saith The redemed of the lord shall turn again and come with ioye vnto Sion ther to endure for euer that mirth gladnes might be with thē that sorow wo might flie from them My people saith God shall dwel in pleasant peace in safe holdes and shal haue continual rest with out disturbaunce They shall nether hunger nor thurst heat nor Sunne shall not hurte them For he that fauoureth them shall lead them and geue them drinke of the spring wels They shal eat drink be mery and reioyse for very quietnes of heart Yea their gladnes and their ioy shall continue for euer and euer Daniell saith The wise suche as haue taught other shall glister as the shining of heauen and those that haue instructe the multitude vnto godlines shal be as the starres world without end Esdras saith Be redy to the reward of the kingdome for the euerlasting light shall shine vpon you for euermore Fle the shadow of this worlde receiue the ioyfulnes of your glory O receiue the gift that is geuen you be glad geuyng thankes vnto hym that hath called you to the heauenlye kingdom The author of the boke of wisdom saith The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God the pain of death shall not touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die and their end is taken for very destruction the way of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruction but they are in reast And though they suffer pain before men yet is their hope full of immortalitie They are punished but in few thinges neuertheles in many thinges shall they be wel rewarded For god proueth them and findeth them mete for him self yea as the gold in the fornace doth he try them and receiueth them as a brent offring and whē the time commeth they shall be loked vpon The rightous shall shine as the sparckes that runne through the rede bush They shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people their Lord shall raigne for euer Again The faithfull are counted among the children of God and their portion is among the sainctes The righteous shall liue for euermore their reward also is w t the lord their remembraunce with the hiest Therfore shall they receiue a glorious kingdome and a beautifull crowne of the Lordes hand The holy father Toby prayed on this maner to God O Lord dele with me according to thy wyll and cōmaund my spirit to be receiued in peace For more expedient were it for me to die thē to liue The preacher sayeth The daye of death is better then the day of byrth For precious and right deare in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his sainctes Our sauiour Christ saith The righteous shall shyne as the sunne in the kingdome of theyr father They shall haue the enheritaunce of euerlasting lyfe Thei shal haue a kingdom which was prepared for them from the beginning of the world Thei shal be as the aungels of God They shall be in the bosome of Abrahā Thei shal haue such ioy as no mā shalbe able to plucke it from thē They shall eate and drinke in the kingdom of God the father They shalbe where Christ is and see his glory The holy Apostle S. Paul saith The eie hath not seene and the eare hath not heard neyther haue entred into the heart of mā the thinges which God hath prepared for them that loue him He◠saith also that if our earthy mansion of this