thy blessed pleasure Lord encrese my faith Lorde helpe my vnbelief Lord remeÌ„ber not mine olde sinnes but haue mercy vpon me and that sone for I am come to great misery Healpe me O God my Sauiour for the glory of thy name O deliuer me be merciful vnto my sinnes for thy names sake Euse. God hath euer be meâ—â—full vnto you so will coÌ„tinue vnto thend doubt you not Ep. That is my only comfort And Lord I most humbly pray thee coÌ„firme y t whiche thou hast begon to worke in me and kepe me blamelesse against the comming of thy deare sonne But where is my louing neighbour Philemon I wold be glad to haue his counsell in a certaine matter Where is he Phile. Neighbour here at hand What is your pleasure Epa. I perceiue right well y t my sicknesse doth not discrease but encrease so y t I can not long continue in that state wherin I am now And I thinke â—erely y t the lord my God hath seÌ„t this sicknes vnto me as a messenger to afore warne me of my departure from this world y t whan he come he may not finde me vnprepared or vnready And I most hartely thanke him for it Therfore neighbor Philemon neighbors al I think it best euen out of hand to dispose my temporall possessions and to set an order in such worldly goodes as God hath lent me that after my departure there be no dissension nor strife for theÌ„ among suche as I most wishe to be linked together with perpetual amitie and continuall frendship It shall also I trust be a great quietnes vnto my mynd Phile. If you haue not already brother Epoporoditus disposed and set an order in your temporal things I wishe it to be done with all expedition For suche thinges ought to be considred when we be most perfect in health forasmuche as our life is vncertaine we know not howe sone death commeth Epa. I thought not that the tyme of my life had bene so short therâ—fore I deferred the matter But I se now that no man is certain of his life vntill to morowe therfore ought we all to watche to prouide that we be not found vnready wheÌ„ the Lord commeth The. Whan that godly king Ezechias was sicke God sent the Prophet Esaias vnto him and willed him to saye vnto hym on this wyse Thus saieth the Lord God Set thi house in an order for thou shalt die and not liue Here learne we y e good will of God whiche is that they whome the Lord hath enduâ—ed with the goodes of the worlde â—hould before their departure set a godly order and quiet stay in their â—emporal possessions Epaph. You â—ay truth neighbour Theophile â—herfore I pray you bring hether â—en inck paper withal expediâ—ion and let my will be written â—or I thank the Lord my God I 〈◊〉 aswell contented to leaue the goodes of y e world as euer I was to enioy them And in this behalf I haue to thank the lord my God that since I came to the vse of reason and had any worldly possessions at all I haue alwayes made them to serue me and I neuer serued them but at all times coulde be contented to depart from them whansoeuer the glory of god and the commoditie of my neighbour did require Christ. Than did you vse your goodes aright And you were not ritch in the world but in the Lorde of the noÌ„bre of those of whom it is written blessed are the poore in spirit for vnto theÌ„ belongeth the kingdome of heauen The Psalmograph saith If ritches do abound set not thy heart vpon them And the holy Apostlâ— commaundeth that they which vse the world should be as thougâ— they vsed it not For the fashioâ— of this world goeth away Saint Iohn also saieth Se that ye loue not the world nether the thinges that are in the worlde for all that is in the worlde as the lust of the fleshe and the luste of the eies and the pryde of life is not of the father but of the worlde And the worlde passeth away and the lust therof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer Epa. God graunt al men to follow this doctrine O Lord how sick am I Where is the pen Incke and paper Euse. Here syr Epaph Wright neighbor Philemon I pray you Phile. What is your pleasure that I should wright Epaphrodi On this manner IEpaphroditus the vnprofitable seruaunt of God weke in body notw tstanding strong in mynde do willingly and with a fre hart render and geue againe into the handes of the Lorde my God my spirit which he of his fatherly goodnesse gaue vnto me whan he fashioned this my body in my Mothers wombe by this meanes making me a liuing creature nothing doubting but that this my Lord God for his mercies sake set forth in y e precious bloud of his derely beloued sonne Christ Iesu our alone sauiour and redemer will receiue my soul into his glory and place it in the company of the heauenly aungels and blessed sainctes And as concerning my body euen with a good will fre hart I geue it ouer commending it vnto the earth wherof it came nothing doubting but that according to y e article of our faith at the great day of the generall resurrection whan we shall all appeare before the iudgemeÌ„t seat of Christ I shal receiue it again by the mighty power of God wherwith he is able to subdue al thiÌ„gs vnto him selfe not a corruptible mortail weake and vile body as it is nowe but an vncorruptible immortall strong perfect and in all poyntes like vnto the glorious body of my Lorde and Sauioure Christ Iesu. Haue ye writteÌ„ this neighbour Philemon Phi. Yea forsothe Sir But what is your mind now coÌ„cerning your world â—y possessions Epaph. First as touching my wyfe with whome I â—oupled my self in the fear of God and refusing all other women I â—inked my selfe vnto her liuing w t her in the blessed state of honouraâ—le wedlocke by whome also thoâ—owe the blessing of God I haue â—ad certen children wherof part â—re gone before me vnto the lord and part yet remain a liue albeit I dout not but y e god after my departure according vnto his promis will be vnto her an husband yea a father a patrone defeÌ„der will not suffer her to lack if she go â—orth to liue in his feare to serue hym and diligently to call on his holy name yet forasmuch as God hath blessed me with worldly substance and she is mine own flesh and whosoeuer prouideth not for his hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidell I bequeth geue vnto her for tearme of her life this house wherein I nowe dwell with y e appurtenances and all the housholde stuffe contayned therein And after her departure I wil that my eldest sonne whom now I
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 â–ª 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 commauÌ„d 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 possessioÌ„s 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 commauÌ„dement 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 NotwithstaÌ„ding wife forasmuch as from the first time oâ— our mariage vnto this preseÌ„t 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 aboundauÌ„tly 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 husbaÌ„des I wyll not For the holy Scripâ—ure saieth the wyfe is bound vnâ—o the mariage as long as her husband lyueth If her husband die â—he it at libertie to marie wyth whome she will only in the Lord. If thou therfore after my deparâ—ure 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 â–ª loueth his worde is well reported of his neighbours dealeth
my dayes are more swift then a runner yea they passe away as the shippes that be good vnder sayle and as the Egle that flieth to the praye Seing it is Gods will pleasure and ordinaunce that wee should dye why do we which dayly pray on this manner Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen shew our selues vnwilling to haue y t thyng chauÌ„ce vnto vs for the which we haue so often times praied It is naturall to die why then labour we to degenerate and growe out of kind Our auÌ„cestours the most holy and moste perfect haue died why disdaine we then to followe their steps It is highly for our profit to die why are we than ennemies to our selues We can not cease to sinne except we die why do we than not hast to fle from so great an euil We shal neuer come vnto the true life where felicitie bothe ioyfull and eternall is except we die why than make we so litle spede to hast thither wher so many good thinges shalbe geuen vs We shal neuer haue y e fruition of Gods maiestie the blessed company of the heauenly spirits except we die why theÌ„ do we not pray daily vnto y t lord our god to deliuer vs from this stincking sinck of euils I mene this world that we may come and enioye his most glorious presence The very Heathen which knew not God a right but only dreamed of the immortalitie of the soule loked for a better lyfe after this they knew not why they should feare death but wyshed death and died bothe valeantly and ioyfully and shall we being christians which know God and his holy word and vnto whom so much comfort hope and euerlasting life is promised refuse gladly and willingly to die What a saying of an Ethnicke is this O immortall God howe is that pleasant and ioyfull iourney to be wished for which being once done and past there remaineth no sorow no care no pensiuenes Again O that goodly and pleasant day whan it shall be my chaunce â—o leaue this filthy troublesome world and come to their company that inhabit the heauens Iâ— God wold suffer me that I being of this age might become an infant and sucking child againe I woulde vtterly refuse it neyther would I by any meanes call the rase that I haue run back again that I might again be yong For what pleasure commoditie hath this life yea rather what displeasure incommoditie pain trauel trouble hath it not But let it be graunted that it hathe pleasure certes yet hath it ether satietie or mesure And nature in this world hath geuen vs a place to tary in for a while but not to dwell to continue in it The Heathen wryters in their monumeÌ„ts cal death a changing for a better life a quiet slepe a remouing from mortalitie vnto immortalitie from trouble vnto quietnes from y e shadow of a life vnto a very vncounterfet life from sorow vnto ioy from euill vnto good an haueÌ„ of rest a solace of the mind an end of all euill and wickednesse and a beginning of all true ioy felicitie pleasure Of these things may we easly learne what opinion the very Heathen conceiued of death and shal we that professe Christ know God beleue his word and cal our selues dead vnto y e world recouÌ„t death an euill thing and be lothe to go vnto it wheÌ„ God calleth vs as though there were no resurrection of the body no immortalitie of the soule no life after this no felowship with god and with the heauenly spirites The Iewes also beyng perswaded of the resurrection of the body and of thimmortalitie of the soule die ioyfully with a lusty courage whiche notwithstanding for their vnbelief in Christ are damned and shal we whiche are christians tremble and shake at y e name of death as though after our death we should be in worse case then we be nowe whan to say the truthe the faithfull christians do than chiefly begin to liue when thei depart from this world All good men haue euer desired to depart froÌ„ this vile and wretched life and to go vnto that ioyful and blessed state of immortalitie Dauid that Prince-like Prophet crieth out and saith Wo is me and sory am I for it y t I must yet longer abide in this world Again Like as the hart desireth the water brokes so loÌ„geth my soule after thee O God My soul is a thurst for God yea euen for the liuing God when shall I come to appeare before the presence of God Also in an other place he saith O howe amiable are thy dwellinges thou Lord of hostes My soule hath a desire longing to enter into the courtes of y e Lord my heart my fleshe reioyse in the liuing God Blessed are they that dwel in thy house they shalbe alway praising thee One day in thy courtes is better then a thousand I had rather be a dorekeper in y e house of my God then to dwell in the tentes of vngodlines In another Psalme he praieth on this maÌ„â—er Deliuer my soule out of pryâ—on that it may come and prayse â—hy name The holy man Tobias made his praier vnto God said O Lord deale with me according â—o thy will and commaunde my â—pirit to be receiued in peace For more expedient were it for me to â—ie then to liue How desirous the â—oly Apostle S. Paul was to go â—rom this vale of misery vnto the â—eauenly kingdom these his worâ—es declare manifestly Christe is to me life and death is to me aduauntage Againe I desire to bee losed and to be with Christ. What shall I speake of that auncient godly father Simeon whiche so sone as he had sene Christ knowing him to be the sauioure of the world was very desirous to die brast out into these wordes said â–ª Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy promes For mine eyes haue sene thy saluation whiche thou haste prepared before the face of al people A light to lighten the gentils and the glory of thy people Israel Of the like affection with these tofore rehearsed were without doubt all godly parsons from the beginning then being moste ioyfull whan they sawe the time of their departure from this wretched world to be come so likewise brother Epaphroditus ought both you and we to reioyse and be glad whan death approcheth and commeth vpoÌ„ vs. For then beginneth our felicitie welth quietnes safetie ioy pleasure comfort glory as the voyce from heauen sayde Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. For from henceforth the spirite saieth that they shall be at reast from their labours paines trauailes Precious and ryghte dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his sainctes saith y e Psalmograph The soules of the righteous saieth the wiseman are in the hand
of man â— the thinges whiche God hath prepared for them that loue hym My heart is nowe so enflamed with y e desire of those heauenly and blessed treasures which you haue named to me out of the infallible true word of God y t I most entirely wysh to be losoned froÌ„ this life to enioy these ioyfull pleasures Oh who wold not be glad to chaÌ„ge lead for siluer copper for golde transitory mortall and corruptible thinges for certain immortall vncorruptible thinges earth for heauen sinne for godlines darkenes for light fear for securitie trauel for quietnes sicknes for helth death for life the coÌ„pany of men for y e coÌ„pany of the most hie God his heauenly Aungels and blessed spirites the vile pleasures of this worlde for the inestimable ioyes of the glorious kingdom of God Oh like as the heart desireth the waterbrokes so longeth my soule after the O God My soule is a thurst for God yea euen for the liuing God Oh when shal I come to appere before y e presence of my God O God thou art my god early wil I seke thee My soule thursteth for thee my flesh also longeth after thee in a barren and dry laÌ„d where no water is Thus haue I loked for thee in thy holy place y t I might beholde thy power and glory For thy louing kindnes is better then life it selfe my lippes shal praise thee As long as I â—â—ue wil I magnifie thee on this manner and lift vp my handes in thy name Euse. We reioyse good brother Epaphroditus and geue god most harty thankes that he hath by his holy Spirite wroughte so good and glad will in you to die and to leue this wretched worlde Epa. I moste hartely wyshe to bee losed from this life and to be with Christ. It greueth my soule loÌ„ger to liue in this mortall body And now O Lord dele with me according to thy will and commaunde my spirit to be receiued in peace For more expedient were it for me to die then to liue Chri. Sir how do you fele your selfe Epa. In my body weaker and weaker but I trust in my soule stronger stronger I pray you lay me vp hier in my bed For I begin to waxe very faint and my wynde decreaseth waxeth shorter I thanke you it is wel Neighbours I am troblesome vnto you but I trust I shal not be so long The. It is vnto vs great ioy and comfort to be with you being so godly mynded For in you as in a cleare mirrour we beholde our selues and see what shall become of vs hereafter Of you as of a liuely scholemaister do we learne howe we shall behaue our selues when God layeth the crosse on vs. And we most humbliÌ„ besech God to geue vs the like pacience and thankfulnes Epa. The spirite is willing but the fleshe is weake For in asmuch as I fele in my self present tokens of death am not certain how long y e â–ª Lorde will suffer me to liue or to enioy y e vse of speche I thinke it conuenient to pray again vnto the lorde my God and to commend my sinful soul into his merciful handes Phi. Godly forsoth Epâ— Lord vouchsafe I most humbly beseche the to hear me sinfull creature Chri. The Lorde is nye vnto all them that call on hym yea that call on him in truthe Epa. O Lorde Iesu Christ whiche art the only health of all men liuing and the euerlasting life of them which die in thy faith I wretched sinner geue and submit my self wholy to thy moste blessed wil. And I being sure that the thing can not perishe whiche is committed vnto thy mercye most humbly besech thee o Lord to geue me grace that I maye nowe willingly leaue this frayle and wicked flesh in hope of the resurrection whiche in better wyse shall restore it to me again I beseche thee O most mercifull Iesu Christe y t thou wilt by thy grace make stronge my soule against all temtations that thou wilt couer and defende me with the buckler of thy mercy against al thassaults of the deuill I see knowledge that there is in my selfe no helpe of lyfe and saluation but all my confidence hope and trust is in thy moste mercifull goodnes I haue no merites nor good workes whiche I may alledge before thee Of sinnes and euill workes alas I se a great heape but thorow thy mercy I trust to be in the nomber of them to whome thou wilt not impute their sinnes but take and accept me for righteous and iuste and to bee the enheritoure of euerlasting glory â–ª Thoâ— O moste mercifull Lorde wast borne for my sake Thou diddesâ— suffer both hunger and thirste for my sake Thou diddest preach and teach thou diddest pray faste foâ— my sake Thou diddest all good workes and deedes for my sake Thou suffredst most greuous paiâ—nes and tormentes for my sake And finally thou gauest thy most precious body to die and thy most blessed bloud to be shed on y e crosse for my sake Now most mercifull sauiour let all these thinges profit me whiche thou frely hast geuen me whiche hast geuen thy selfe for me Let thy bloud cleÌ„se and wash away the spottes and foulnes of my sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide couer my vnrighteousnes Let the merits of thy passion and bloud bee the satisfaction for my sinnes Geue me Lorde thy grace that my faith and perswasion in thy bloud wauer not in me but euer be firme and constant that the hope of thy mercy and life euerlasting neuer decay in me that charitie waxe not colde in me finally that the weakenes of my fleshe be not ouercome with the feare of death Graunt me also O moste merciful sauiour that wheÌ„ death hath shut vp the eies of my body yet that the eies of my soule may stil behold and loke vpoÌ„ thee and that when death hath takeÌ„ away the vse of my tongue speche yet that my heart may cry say vnto thee O Lorde into thy handes I geue and commit my soule Lord Iesu take my spirit The. Amen Eu. Sir how is it with you now Epa. Euen as with a ship whiche is tost with the waues of the sea I trust shortly to come vnto the heauen and then shall I be quiet and without all daunger I pray you pray for me Phi. Most gladly Let vs knele down neighbors and beseche the Lord our God for his tender mercies to preserue this our sicke brother from the assaultes of Sathan to kepe him constant and stedfast in his faithe vnto his liues ende that he maye geue vp a good a faithfull soule into the mercifull handes of God Geue me hither the flower of godly Prayers that I in the name of vs al may rede that prayer which is to be said for them that lie at y e point of death The. Here is it Philemon O Moste louing Sauiour gentle redemer whiche
camest into this world to call sinners vnto repentaunce and to seeke vp y t was lost thou seest in what case this oure brother lieth here visited with thy mercifull hand al weake feble sicke and redy to yealde vp his soule into thy holy haÌ„ds O loke vpoÌ„ him moste gentle sauior with thy mercifull eie pitie him and be fauorable vnto him He is thy workemanship despise not therfore the worke of thine own hands Thou suffredst thy blessed body and thy precious bloud to be shed for his sinnes and to bringe hym vnto the glorye of thy heauenlye father let it not therefore come to passe that thou shouldest suffer so great paines for him in vaine He was baptised in thy name and gaue him self wholy to be thy seruaunt forsakynge the deuill the world and the flesh confesse him therefore before thy heauenly father and his blessed Aungels to be thy seruaunt His sinnes we confesse are great for who is hable to saye my heart is clene I am fre from sin but thy mercies O Lord are much greater And thou camest not to cal thâ— righteous but sinners vnto repeÌ„taunce To them that are diseased and ouerladen with the burden of sin doest thou promise ease Thou art that God which willest not y e death of a sinner but rather that he shuld turne and liue Thou art the sauiour whiche wishest all meÌ„ to bee saued and to come to the knowledge of thy truthe Withdraw not therfore thy mercy from him because of his sinnes but rather lay vpoÌ„ him thy sauiÌ„g health that thou maiest shewe thy selfe toward him to be a sauior What greater praise caÌ„ there be to a phisition then to heale the sicke Neither can there be a greater glory to thee being a sauior then to saue sinners saue him therfore O Lord for thy names sake Again let the law be no corsiue to his conscience but rather geue him grace eueÌ„in this extreme agony and conflicte of death to be fully perswaded y t thou by thy death hast takeÌ„ away all his sinnes fulfilled the lawe for hym and by this meanes deliuered him from the cursse of the law and paid his raunsome that he thus beinge fully perswaded may haue a quiet heart a fre conscience and a glad will to forsake this wretched world to go vnto his lord God Moreouer thou hast conquered hym that had rule of death euen sathan suffer him not therfore to exercise his tiraÌ„ny vpoÌ„ this our sicke brother nor to disquiet his conscience with the terrours of sinne and paines of hell Let not Sathan nor his infernall army tempte him further then he is hable to beare but euermore geue him grace euen vnto his last breath valeantly to fight against the deuil with strong faith in thy precious bloud that he may fight a good fight and finish his course with ioy vnto y e glory of thy name and the healthe of his soule O Lord so worke in him by thy holy spirite that he with all his hearte maye contempne and despise all worldly things and set his mind wholly vpon heauenly thynges hopyng for them with a stronge and vndoubted faithe Againe let it not greue him O swete sauiour to be losoned froÌ„ this vile wretched â—arcaâ—e which is now so full of sorow trouble anguishe fickenes and paine but rather let hym haue a bent and ready wyll thorowe thy goodnes to put it of yea and that with this faith that he at the last day shall receiue it again in a much better state then it is now or euer was froÌ„ the daye of his birthe euen a body vncorruptible immortall like to thy glorious body Let his hole heart and mynde be set only vpon thee Let the remembraunce of y e ioyes of heaueÌ„ be so ferueÌ„t in his brest that he may bothe patientlye and thanckfully take his death and euer wish to be with the in glory And when the tyme coÌ„meth that he shall geue ouer to nature depart from this miserable worlde vouchafe we most huÌ„bly beseeche the o Lord Iesu to take his soule into thy handes and to place it amonge the glorious company of thy holy angels blessed saintes and to kepe it vnto that most ioyful day of the generall resurrectioÌ„ that both his body soule thorow thyne almighty power being knit agayn together at y t day he maye for euer euer enioy thy glorious kingdom sing perpetuall praises to thy blessed name Chri. Amen Epa. O God be merciful vnto me and blesse me shewe me the lighte of thy countenaunce and deale fauourably with me Lighten mine eies that I slepe not in death least myne ennemy say I haue preuailed against him For if I be cast downe they that trouble me will reioyse at it But my trust is in thy mercy my heart is ioyfull in thy saluation Phile. Sir how do you Epa. My bodely sight is gone Phi. The Lord gaue it you and the Lorde hath taken it away againe As it hath pleased the Lord so is it come to passe blessed be the name of the Lorde Now that God hath taken away the sight of your corporal eies behold the Lord your God with the eies of your faith and doubte you not but that shortly you shall see the glorious maiestie of god with the eies of your soule euen as he is face to face whiche shalbe vnto you suche ioy and so great coÌ„fort that no tounge is able to expresse nor no heart able to thinke it Epa. I beleue and am assuredlye perswaded that I shall see the plesures of the Lorde in the lande of the liuing Phile. CoÌ„tinue in this faith vnto the end and you shall surely be saued Ep. As God hath taken away my syght so do al my other senses decaye Phi. Though by the appointment of God you lose your bodely speache yet shall your soule in the heauenly kyngdom sing prayse and magnify the Lord your God worldes without end And all be it the bodely hearing be taken away from you yet shall your soule in the kingdom of God hear such swete pleasaunt delectable thinges as neuer mortall man heard nor may hear the like Againe although your going and the vse of your whole body be taken away from you and your body returne vnto the earth from whence it came yet doubte you not but your soule being once deliuered out of the prison of your body shal serue the lord your god perfectly and ioyfully follow the Lambe Christ. whither so euer he goeth Epa. O Lorde deliuer my soul out of the prison of the body that I maye come vnto thee and glorify thy holy name CoÌ„maund my spirit to be receaued in peace for more expedient were it for me to die theÌ„ to liue Phi. Be on good comfort sir God in this your troble and bitter agony of death is present with you and when he seeth conuenient tyme
an exceading and an eternall waight of glory vnto vs while we loke not on y e things which are sene but on the things whiche are not sene For y e things whiche are seene are temporall but thinges whiche are not seene are eternall Theo. Our elder brâ—â—ther Christ which neuer commiâ— sinne in whom no guile nor deâ—ceat was found entred not into glory but by the crosse as thapostle saith We se that Iesus for the suffring of his death was crowned with glory and honor Therfore may not we loke to possesse the enheritance of the heauenly kingdom by liuing all in pleasure health ioy and worldly felicitie but rather by suffring the crosse y t is laid vpon vs at gods appoyntment both paciently and thankefullie For the disciple is not aboue the master nor the seruant aboue his Lord. It is inough for the disciple y t he be as his master is and that the seruaunt be as his Lord. Whosoeuer beareth not his crosse and commeth after me saith our sauiour Christe he can not be my disciple Chri. In the reuelacion of blessed Iohn we rede that they whiche were araied with longe white garmentes and are continually in the presence of the seat of God and serue him day night in his temple came out of greate tribulation Philem. It is truthe For suche are moste mete for the kingdom of God nether can the voluptuous worldlinges be partakers of the heauenly enheritaÌ„ce whiche in this worlde taste of no crosse but liue in all pleasure after the desires of the fleshe It is not possible that a man may liue here pleasauntly with the worlde and afterward reigne gloriously with Christe for the frendshippe of the world is enmitie with God Whosoeuer wil be a frend of the world is made the enemy of God For what felowship hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes Or what coÌ„pany hath light w t darcknes Or what coÌ„cord hath Christ with Beliall Either what part hath he y t beleueth with an infidel worldly ioy eternall felicity can not agre together Therfore whosoeuer is fre froÌ„ the crosse in this world he hath no part in the kingdom of Christ of God So that you neighbor Epaphroditus haue a great occasion to thancke the Lorde our God that it hath pleased him to remeÌ„ber you with this his louinge visitation and through this sickenesse to declare his good fatherly wyll towarde you For by laying this crosse vpon you he proueth you whether you be constant in your faith and profession or not and whether you will pacientlie and thanckefullie bâ—are this his worcking in you whiche is vnto your euerlasting saluation or not And after this maner doth God handle all suche as he receiueth vnto glory as the wyseman saith What soeuer hapneth vnto thee receiue it suffer in heauiues and be pacient in thy trouble For like as gold siluer are tried in the fire euen so are acceptable men in the fornace of aduersitie Again he saith the ouen proueth the potters vessel so doth temptation of trouble trie righteous men Liste wyse said Raphael the Archaungell vnto Toby Because thou wast accepted and beloued of God it was necessary y t temptacion shuld try thee And as Moses saide vnto the children of Israel the lord your God proueth you to wete whether ye loue the Lord your God withall your hart and with al your soule S. Peter also saith ye are nowe for a season in heauines thorow manifold temtacions that y e triall of your fath being muche more precious than gold that perisheth yet is tried by fire might be founde vnto the prayse glory and honoure at the appearing of Iesus Christ. Epah This comforteth well my weake mind to here of you out of y e word of God neighbor Philemon that this sicknesse which I now suffer is the louing visitation of God and a token of Gods good wyll toward me again that the faithfull and frends of God are in this world subiect to the Crosse more than the vnfaithfull and enemies of God Phile. I am hartely glad to hear you so say And doubt you not but that this your gentle God and louyng father wyll turne this your sorowe vnto your great comfort For he is a faithful God whiche will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue your strength but shall in the mids of the temtation make a way that ye may be hable to beare it as the Psalmographe sayth His wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eie and in his pleasure is life Heauines may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Thou O Lord hast tourned my heauines in to ioy thou hast put of my sackcloth and girded me with gladnes Againe he saieth Thou O God hast proued vs thou also hast tried vs like as siluer is tried Thou broughtest vs into the snare and laidst trouble vpoÌ„ our loynes thou suffredst meÌ„ to ride ouer our heads We went thorowe fire and water and thou broughtest vs out into a welthy place Item O what great troubles aduersities hast thou shewed me and yet didst thou turne refresh me yea and broghtest me from the depe of the earth Thou hast brought me to great honour and comforted me on euery syde Therfore will I praise thee thy faithfulnes O God Also in another place he saith they that sowe in teares shal repe in ioy He that now goeth on his way weping bereth foorth good sede shal doutles come againe with ioy bryng his sheues with him Thauncient father Toby in his prayer vnto God saith after a storme O Lord thou makest the weather faire still after weping and heauinesse thou geuest great ioy Thy name O God of Israel be praised for euer Epa. Amen Amen good Lord I trust thou wilt doe so with me Phile. Doubt ye not neighboure but if ye call on the name of the Lord ye shall finde great comfort For as that princelike Prophet sayth The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and deliuereth them out of al their troubles The Lord is nie vnto theÌ„ that are of a contrite heart and will saue suche as be of an humble spirite Great are the troubles of y â— righteous but the lord deliuereth theÌ„ out of al he kepeth all their bones so that not one of them is broken Euseb. These are coÌ„fortable senteÌ„ces neighbor Epaphrodotus Epa. Confortable in dede Phi. And no les true then coÌ„fortable as diuers histories of the holie scriptures do euidently declare Epa. I pray you reherse some of them for my comfort Phi. I will do it gladly As I may let passe the auncient Patriarkes What a crosse laid God vpoÌ„ Iosephes shoulders in Egipt yea and that for no fault that he had committed but only to proue and try his faith loue obedience pacience thankfulnes perseuerance He suffred Ioseph being a godlie and chast yong man
submit their willes to his godlye wyll and pleasure Epa. O Lorde thy will be done and not mine I confesse O heauenly father that my manifold wickednesses and vnnumerable sinnes haue not only deserued this sickenesse which is thy most gentle fatherly and louing correction but also very hell and the bitter paines thereof if thou shouldest handle me according to my desertes I haue sinned I haue synned O lord God against thy holy lawes and I haue broken thy blessed commaundementes moste greuously offending thy glorious maiestie Whatsoeuer I suffer I worthely suffer ah wretch that I am My sinne I confesse and with an humble heart and broken spirit I fle vnto the throne of thy fauorable mercy most humbly besechinge thee for Iesus Christes sake to forgeue me all my synnes which I haue coÌ„mitted against thy deuine maiestie froÌ„ the houre of my birth vnto this preseÌ„t time and to receiue me into the holy felowship of those thy blessed and chosen people whome before the beginning of y e worlde thou diddest appoint heires of thi heaueÌ„ly kingdom in Christ Iesu our lord that they might for euer and euer raigne with thee in glory Ah lord geue me grace to bear this crosse both paciently thankfully Suffer me not once to murmur grudge or spurne against thy holye wil but with a pacient thankefull heart to waite on thy blessed pleasure being alway content to beare whatsoeuer burdeÌ„ thou laiest on my shoulders with this perswasioÌ„ and assured faith that whatsoeuer I suffer is vnto the glory of thy name and vnto the health of my soule O Lord thy will be done and not mine Amen Amen Neighbours I am very sicke and my paine encreaseth more more Phi. The Lords wil be done in you neighbour Epaphroditus Feare not no although present death were at hand For whether you liue or die ye are the Lordes God hath sealed you vp in Christes bloud vnto euerlasting lyfe Your name doubt ye not is written in the booke of life Ye are of y e nombre of those whome God before the foundations of the world were layd hath chosen in Christe to be his sonnes and heires ye are the dearly beloued sonne of God Ye are enheritours of Gods glorious kingdom God for your earnest faithes sake in the bloude of Christ hath forgeuen you al your sinnes that euer ye committed against him from the daye of your birthe vnto this houre He hath cast away all your iniquities â—ehind his backe so that he wyl neuer remember them any more Ye are counted among theÌ„ whose vnrighteousnesses are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered vnto whome the Lorde imputeth no sinne God loueth you God careth for you God is on your syde who then can endomage or hurte you Who can lay any thyng vnto your charge It is God that iustifieth you who then can condemne you ye nede not fear ether sathan or sinne or any other thinge that should trouble your conscience For there is no damnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Iesu whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For the lawe of the spirite of life thorow Iesus Christ hath made you fre froÌ„ the lawe of sinne and death For what y e lawe could not do inasmuch as it was weke because of the flesh that performed God and sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfull fleshe by sinne damned synne in the fleshe that the ryghtedusnes of the lawe myght be fulfilled in vs whiche walke not after the flesh but after the spirite Epa. I thaÌ„ke you neighbor Philemon for your gostly and comfortable instructions For I am wel comforted with these your wordes and I faithfully beleue that God the father for his promise sake made vnto all faithfull peniteÌ„t sinners in Christes bloud hath so frely and wholy forgeuen me all my sinnes that he will neuer remember them more nor lay them vnto my charge but so loue me and tender my saluation as though I had neuer offended his fatherly goodnesse And in this faith I submit my self my body and soule all that I haue vnto his godly wil to do with me in al things whatsoeuer his good plesure shallbe For liue we die we we ar the Lords And lord I most humbly besech thee call to remeÌ„brance thy tender mercies thy louing kindnesses whiche haue bene euer of olde Oh remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but accordyng vnto thy mercy thinke y â— vpon me O lord for thy goodnes Turne the vnto me haue mercy vpon me for I am desolate in misery The sorowes of my hart ar enlarged O bring thou me out of my troubles Loke vpon mine aduersitie and misery and forgeue me al my sinne O kepe my soule and deliliuer me let me not be confounded for I haue put my truste in the. Phi. I much reioyce to see in you these workes of faithfull repentance This humbling of your self before y e maiestie of God this lamenting of your sinnes this faithfull and hartie calling on the Lordes name for remission of sins in Christes bloud for the tranquilitie peace quietnes and reast of conscience for the fauour grace of God for gods wil to be done in you is without doubt a sure seale vnto your conscience that God loueth fauoureth and tendereth you yea and that muche more theÌ„ any natural father maketh of his sonne Who so serueth God saith the wise man after his pleasure shalbe accepted and his praier reaâ—cheth vnto the cloudes The praier of him that humbleth him self goeth thorowe the cloudes till she come nie She wil not be comforted nor go her way vntill the hyghest God haue respect vnto her The Lord is nie vnto them y t are of a contrite heart saith the Psalmograph will saue suche as be of an humble spirite The sinfull Publican thus huÌ„bling him self obtained the fauor of God remission of sinnes went home more righteous than the proud Pharisey So likewise the Centurion coÌ„fessing his vnworthines for the receiuing of Christ into his house obtained health for his sicke seruaÌ„t Likewise the Leper with diuers other humbling them selues before Christe obtained their hartes desire For God saith Dauid hath respect vnto the prayer of the humble suche as be destitute despiseth not their desire but heareth â—heir mournings y t he may deliuer â—hem and saue them Euseb. Now neighbour how do you I pray you bee strong in God reioyce in his sauing health Epa. O neighboure Eusebius my body is weake my heare is faint my wits are feble my memory almost faileth me no part of me is fre from sicknes and paine But Lord I beseche thee strengtheÌ„ thou me endue me w t power from aboue that as y e spirit is ready so likewyse the flesh which is euer weake vnready may be obedieÌ„t to thy godly wyl frely consent to the working of
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 chauÌ„ged his apparell and came into the house of the lord and worshipped â–ª and afterward came to his owne house and commauÌ„ded 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 ThraciaÌ„s is that whan any child is borne and commeth into the world thei wepe lameÌ„t 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 heaâ—hen 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 haÌ„ds 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 lameÌ„ted 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 coÌ„pany of men vnto the felowshyp of the blessed aungels and heaueÌ„ly 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 â—et them depart in the name of the â—ord 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 charâ—ing you in the name of God and as ye wyl answere before the high â—udge Christ at the dreadeful day â—f dome y t ye se these my bequestes â—ruely 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 Whersoâ—euer 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 â–ª Let the body therfore returne vnto the earth from wheÌ„ce it came and the spirite vnto God which gaue it Euseb. Your children arâ— buried in the churchyard Ep. Buâ—y 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 deâ—out ringing holy sensing prieâ—es pattering candels lightning â—orches brenning Communions â—aying and such like Ep. No kind of superstitious custome do I alâ—ow That is godly I only commend As touching your solempn â—inging it is all one to me whiâ—her 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 haÌ„d the reward of fayth whiche is euerlasting glory if they be vnâ—faithfull 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 â—owne labour In an other place he also sayeth We must all appear before the iudgemeÌ„t 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 â–ª 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 peniteÌ„t 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 thaÌ„kes 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 â—s the louing kindnes of the lord and his mercifull goodnes vnto â—uch as turne vnto hym SalomoÌ„â—n his prouerbes saith withdrawe â—o good thing froÌ„ them that haue â—ede so long as thy hande is able â—o doe it Say not vnto thy neighbour go thy way come againe â—o morowe wil I geue thee wher â—s thou hast nowe to geue hym Hereto agreeth the saying of the â—reacher whatsoeuer thou art aâ—le to do do it out of hande for in â—he graue that thou goest vnto here is neither worke counsell knowledge nor wisdom The prophet also sayth Seke the Lorde â—â—hyle he may be founde and call â—pon him while he is nie Let the â—ngodly forsake his owne waies â—nd 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 specialâ—y 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 meÌ„s 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 accoÌ„pany them â–ª as the shadow doth y e body euen vnto y
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
heare you gladly Epa. I vnfainedly beleue with my harte and frely confesse with my mouthe that the holy ghost is one and equal God in glory maiestie power and might with the father and the sonne proceading from the father and the son after an vnknowne and vnexpresseable maner This spirite of God and God him selfe is he by whom God the father through his sonne Christe and in Christ worketh and quickneth all thinges All the benefites and graces which God the father bestoweth vppon vs for Christes sake this holy ghost bringeth thē vnto vs and maketh vs new vessels to receyue them which otherwise euen of nature are so fleshly minded that we perceiue nothing at all of those thinges which pertayne vnto the spirite of God neyther are we able to thinke a good thoughte of our selues For this godly spirite worketh in vs newe motions and new affectes and geueth vs grace both to will and to doo good He is a teacher of al the faithfull and leadeth them into al truth He is a confortour of weake and sorowfull mindes He kepeth the true christians vnmoneable in one faith and openeth their senses to vnderstand y e misteries of God aright He doth clothe them with his giftes and geueth to euery one a seueral gift euen as he wyll He is the ruler of the Christen congregation He is the anoyntment wherwith all the faithful are anoynted and thereof are called the annoynted of the Lord. He is geuen vnto the faithfull to be the earnest of their enheritaunce for the recouering of the purchased possession vnto y e praise of his glory He with his godlie breath quickeneth maketh aliue and conserueth all thinges He of carnall maketh vs spirituall of worldly godly of wicked blessed of the bond slaues of Sathan the dearly beloued sonnes of God of sinnefull sinckes his owne moste pleasaunt and holy temple of cruell meke of proud humble of malicious charitable of contentious quiet of couetous liberal of hard harted meke spirited of froward gentle of stubburne obedient of dissolute temperat and sober of false true of folish wyse of idle godly occupied of vnchast pure and cleane of the haters of God the frendes of God of the louers of pleasures the louers of godlines to ende he maketh vs of earthy heauenlye Whatsoeuer goodnes we haue he is the alone author worker and geuer of the same Therfore I beleue and confesse that this holy spirite is one and equal God with God the father and God the sonne proceading from them bothe with lyke maiesty glorie might and power I beleue that this holy gost is my comforter and that he prayeth for me renueth me dwelleth in me and hathe sealed me vp vnto euerlastyng glorye Now haue ye hard my faith and my beilefe in the father and in the sonne and in the holy ghost which .iii. I beleue and confesse to be one God whose seat the heauen is and whose fotestole is the earth He is an euerlastyng and almighty God whiche alone is to be honoured serued in spirit and truthe For he alone can helpe vs forasmuche as he is almighty will helpe vs because he his mercifull true and faithful yea and that not for our rightousnes but for his names sake To this one true liuing euerlastyng immortal inuisible alone wise God king of kinges and Lorde of Lordes be all honoure and glory worlds without end Thi. Amen Epa. Thou art worthy O Lord to receyue glory and honour and power for thou haste created all things and for thy wils sake they are and were created Blessing glory and wisdome and thankes and honor and might be vnto our God for euermore Chr. So be it Epa. Simply and plainely haue I here before you all rehearsed my faithe and belief in God and in the thre parsons of the Godhead as I haue here tofore learned it of gods moste holy worde I confesse that many thinges mo mighte be spoken of the wonderfull misteries of this most blessed and holy Trinitie but they farre exceade my vnderstanding and therefore I dare not meddle with them For it is written he that is a searcher of the Maiestie of God shall be oppressed of the glorye thereof Againe Seke not oute the thinges that are aboue thy capacitie and serche not the ground of suche thinges as ar to mighty for thee but loke what God hath cōmaunded thee think vpon that alway and be not curious in many of his workes For it is not neadeful for thee to se w t thine eies the thinges that are secreat The. The holy Apostle also counselleth vs to be modest sober and that we be not curious to searche after the knowledge of things which passe our capacitie Eu. The holy psalmograph semeth to haue followed this coūcel wel whiche saieth on this manner of him selfe Lord I am not hie minded I haue no proud lokes I doe not exercise my self in great matters which are to hie for me But I refrain my soule kepe it lowe like as a child that is weaned frō his mother yea my soule is euen as a wened childe O Israel trust in the Lorde from this time forth for euermore Phil. Neighbour Epaphroditus there remain yet behind mo articles of the Christen faith Haue you forgotten them Epap No good brother Philemō God forbid I should forget them For in them next vnto God lieth now my chief consolation comfort Should I being in this case forget the holye congregation of God whiche is the company and felowship of the sainctes chosen people of God of whome Christ y e Lord is the head ruler and gouernour Should I in this my sickenes forget the hie and singulare benefites of God whiche of his own fre mercy and mere goodnes he liberally geueth to al faithfull penitent sinners namely remission of sinnes the Resurrection of the body and lyfe euerlasting God forbid God forbid For the remembraunce of these thynges comforteth me greatlye I wyll therfore although my winde beginneth to waxe shorte and it is painefull vnto me muche for to speake declare my faithe concerning these Articles Eusebi God strengthen you Chri. Amen Epa. As I vnfainedly beleue with my heart and freely confesse with my mouth that there is but one God in whome alone I put al my confidence truste and hope of saluation and at whose hand only I loke for all good thinges pertayning either vnto the bodye or vnto the soule so lykewyse I bothe beleue and confesse that there is but one holy vniuersal churche or congregation of the faithefull all be it they be despersed and scattered abrode thorow out the world in diuers and sondry places which are gathered knit together through the operation of the holy ghost in the vnitie of the spirite and ioyned together in one faith as members of one bodye whereof Iesus Christe is the
heade This holy Churche or congregation lynked together in the felowship of the holy Ghoste is a spirituall house builded of liuing stones a chosen generation a royall Priesthod to offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christe an holy nation a people whiche are won that they should shewe forth the vertues of hym whyche called them oute of darkenesse into his maruelous lighte this Churche is the congregatioÌ„ of the liuing god the pillar and ground of truthe This holy company are Citizens with the Saincts and of the housholde of God and are builte vpon â—he foundation of the Apostles â—nd Prophets Iesus Chryst him selfe being the hed corner stone Thys Churche is the spouse of Christ and knoweth none other husband head but Christ alone This blessed company are these shepe whiche gladly heare y e voyce of their shepehard Christ but they flie from the voyces of strauÌ„gers And as they are one body and one spirite so confesse they onâ— Lord one faithe one Baptismeâ— one God and father of all There is among them no dissenâ—tion but thei maintain one truth preache one doctrine speake onâ— thing are of one minde and of onâ— meaning This holy Catholikâ— churche or vniuersall congregatioÌ„ is that holy city that newe Hieruâ—salem whiche came downe froâ— God out of heauen prepared as â— bride garnished for her husband And because no man shall doubâ— of what Churche I speake I conâ—fesse that to be the holy Catholikâ— and Apostolike Churche whichâ— is the company and felowship of the sainctes that is to saye of the faithfull whiche are sanctified made holy by the spirite of God and by the bloud of Christ our sauiour whiche haue the pure word of God truely and sincerely preached and the Sacramentes duely and faithfully ministred amoÌ„g them whiche excommunicate all disobedient notable sinners and receiue into their felowship suche as vnfainedly repente and tourne from their wickednes which study in all things to please the Lord God and to liue in all godlinesse and honestie This church and coÌ„pany Christ loued so dearly that he gaue him self for it to sanctifie it and clensed it in the fountaine of water thorow y e word to make it vnto him selfe a glorious congregation without spot or wrincle or any suche thinge but that it shoulde be holy without blame Whosoeuer is in this church and congregation he may be sure to besaued But whosoeuer is not in it he is without all dout damned For like as in y e time of Nohe no man escaped with his life but was drowned in the floud excepte he entred into the Arcke of Nohe Euen so whosoeuer is not founde in this felowship or Catholicke Churche agreing with it in one faith doctrine hope loue and sacramentes he shall pearish and be lost For without the Churche of Christe there is no saluation no forgeuenes of sinnes no fauoure of God no quyetnes of conscience no true Gospell or glad tidinges of eternall healthe Therfore in this holy Churche blessed felowship of the sainctes and faithfull I vnfainedly beleue with my harte and frely confesse with my mouthe that there is remission and forgeuenes of sinnes and that withoute it no sinne is forgeuen nether is there any hope of saluation For as it is vnpossible that a member can liue which is not in the body so it is vnpossible that any man may lyue in hys soule and be released out of death by remission of synne whyche is not a meÌ„ber of the body of Christ. For Christe hathe reconciled vs al vnto God his father in one body And therfore must all they stande at variance with God that ar no meÌ„bers of this body of the which Christe is the head to the whiche also he geueth saluation This therfore is a great conforte to the faithfull congregation that allthough thorowe infirmitie of nature or otherwise they doo fall ofâ—end God break the Lords commaundements yet in this coÌ„pany there is remission and forgeuenes of sinnes so sone as euer they repent be sory for their synne and beleue to haue remissioÌ„ of all their sins for Christes precious bloudes sake Synne we neuer so oft and neuer so greuously yet being meÌ„bers of this holy company we ar straight waies forgeuen and deliuered a paena culpa froÌ„ the pain and the fault so sone as we turne vnto the Lord our God And these our sinnes be not forgeueÌ„ of men but of God alone neither forgeueth he part and reserueth part but he forgeueth all or els none at all Again he forgeueth not the fault and reserueth the paine but with the faulte he also forgeueth the pain due for the fault that he may be an whole and perfect sauiour as s. Iohn saith If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truthe is not in vs. But if we coÌ„fesse our sinnes God is faithfull and righteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to make vs cleane from all iniquitie And God himself saith by the Prophet I wil forgeue their misdedes and wil neuer remember their sinnes any more Againe I am he yea I am he alone which put away thy iniquities yea and that for myne own sake and I wil remeÌ„ber thy sinnes no more And king Ezechias in his praier vnto God said it is thou O Lord that cast all my sinnes behind thy back The Prophet Miche also saith Where is there such a God as thou art that pardonest wickednes and forgeuest the offences of the remnaunt of thine heritage He kepeth not his wrath for euer And why his delite is to haue compassion He shal turne agayne and be merciful to vs. He shall put down our wickednes and caste all oure sinnes into the bottom of the sea I faithfully beleue that I am a member of Christes church and I am also fully perswaded that al my sinnes be forgeuen me of God the Father not for my merites whiche are none but for Iesus Christes sake for Christes merits passion death and bludshedding For grace and truthe came by Iesus Christe sayth the holy Euangelist And I beleue that God foâ— his sonnes sake hathe so frely and wholy forgeuen me all my sinnes that he wil neuer remembre them more neuer impute theÌ„ vnto me nor lay them to my charge but so receyue me into his fauoure as though I had neuer offended him and make me his sonne and heyer of euerlasting glory For euerlasting life is the gift of god through Iesus Christe oure Lorde sayeth the Apostle Thys is the stay and quientes of my conscience at thys presente This maketh me not to feare deathe but ioyfully to loke for it and louingly to embrace it when soeuer it commeth For I wish to be losoned from this mortall body and to be with Chryste My soule hath a feruent desire to
sayeth â—od so loued the worlde that he â—aue his only begotteÌ„ sonne that â—hosoeuer beleueth on him shuld â—ot perishe but haue euerlastinge â—â—fe For God sent not his sonne in 〈◊〉 the world to coÌ„demne y e world â—ut that the worlde through hym â—ight be saued Epap Godly and â—omfortable sentences God geue 〈◊〉 grace neuer to forget them â—hristo Amen Epa. You brother â—hilemon haue rehearsed two notable and comfortable histories out of the old testament which declare that God punishing sinners for their disobedience doeth notwithstaÌ„ding 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 soÌ„ne It foloweth and not long after â—hen the yoÌ„ger son had gathered 〈◊〉 y t he had together he tooke his â—â—urney into a far couÌ„trey â–ª there â—e wasted his goods with riotous â—â—uing Here se we the wickednes â—f the son Now behold y e plage of God And wheÌ„ he had speÌ„t al ther â—rose a great dearth in al y t lande â—nd he began to lack and went â—ame to a citezen of the same counâ—ry he sent him to his farme to â—epe swine And he wold haue filâ—â—d his belly with the cods that 〈◊〉 swine did eat no man gaue â—nto him Thus see ye into howe â—reat misery he is fallen for the â—ifusing of his goods Beholde â—ow again his repentant sorowâ—â—ll hart TheÌ„ he came to him self 〈◊〉 said how many hired seruantes 〈◊〉 my fathers haue bread inough â—â—d I perishe with honger I â—ill arise and go to my Father â—nd 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 â–ª 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— â—n this history do ye se y e exceding â—reat mercy of God toward peniâ—â—nt sinners moste liuely painted 〈◊〉 set forth So sone as this wastâ—â—l sonne repented him of his rioâ—ous liuing had a mynde to reâ—urne home vnto his father and 〈◊〉 humble him self before him and 〈◊〉 desire mercie and forgeuenesse â—f his sinnes oh how gladly and â—ow ioyful did his father louingâ—â— embrace him swetely kisse him â—â—â—endly salute him hartely enterâ—ain him so derely receiue him â—â—to his fauour as though he had â—euer offended Epa. O the great â—nd infinite mercies of God Phi. â—ere see ye that to be true whiche â—od him self saith by the prophet â—hou disobedient Israel tourn aâ—ain saith the Lorde I will not â—t my wrath fall vpon you For I â—n merciful saith the Lorde I â—il 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 vngodliâ—waies 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— â—f Israel For I wil not y t any maÌ„â—huld die sayth the Lord. Return â—herfore liue Ep. Are these worâ—es spokeÌ„ as wel to vs as to y e peoâ—le of Israel Phi. Yee to vs. Of a â—ruth saith blessed Peter I perâ—eiue y t ther is no respect of persoÌ„s 〈◊〉 God but in al people he y t feaâ—eth him worketh righteousnes â—s accepted w t him Is he y e God of â—he Iewes only Is he not also y e God of the geÌ„tils yea euen of the â—entiles also saith blessed Paule For it is God only which iustifiâ—th the circumcision y t is of faith â—ncircumcision thorowe faith â—or he is not a Iewe whiche is a â—ew outward nether is it circuÌ„â—â—sioÌ„ which is outward in y e flesh â—ut he is a Iew which is hid w t â—â— and the circuÌ„cision of the heart 〈◊〉 true circumcision which consiâ—eth in the spirite and not in the â—â—ter whose prayse is not of meÌ„ but of God There is no differeÌ„ce 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 beâ—ing aliauntes from the Commonâ—â—wealth of Israel and straungerâ— froÌ„ the testaments of the promes hauing no hope and being withâ—out God in this world But now by the meanes of Christ Iesu 〈◊〉 which somtime were a far of 〈◊〉 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 â—pirit vnto the father Nowe therâ—ore ye are not straungers and foâ—einers but citezins with y e sainâ—es and of the houshold of God â—re built vpon the foundation of 〈◊〉 Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ him self being the head corâ—er 〈◊〉 stone in whome what builâ—â—ng soeuer is coupled together 〈◊〉 groweth vnto an holy temple 〈◊〉 the Lord in whome ye also are builded together to be an habitation of God through y e holy ghost Epa. Blessed be the Lord our God whiche hath made vs gentils also partakers of his heauenly blessinges But brother Philemon hetherto haue ye rehearsed out of the newe Tastament but one history Your promise was to recite two at the least Fulfill your promis I pray you Phi. In the gospell of Iohn we read that there was a certaine man whiche had bene diseased .xxxviii. yeares plaâ—ged of God without doubt foâ— his sinnes So sone as our sauiâ—our Christ perceiued that he haâ— a mynde to be made whole he saiâ— vnto him Rise take vp thy bed 〈◊〉 walke And streightways the 〈◊〉 was made hole Afterward Chrâ—â—â— found him in the temple and 〈◊〉 vnto him Behold thou art 〈◊〉 whole loke thou sinne no 〈◊〉 after this least a worse thynge chaunce vnto thee These wordeÌ„s of our sauiour Christ doe playnly declare that this man was a greuous sinne that this his longe disease sicknes and trouble was cast vpon him for his sinne disobedieÌ„ce against the Lord his god And yet note so sone as he had a mind to be made hole euen before he made his mone vnto Christ or knew whot Christ was this most louing gentle sauior made hym hole bad him sin no more Euse. Here is y e fulfilled which God speketh by the Prophet It shall be that or euer they call I shall anâ—were them Whyle they are yet but thinking howe to speake I shal heare them Phi. The history of y e thefe which was put to death with Christ is not to be let passe What a malefactour and wicked persone he was the holy scripture doth declare NotwithstaÌ„ding so sone as he humbled him selfe repented him of his former life coÌ„fessed his sinne and called vpon Christ for mercy saying Lord remember me whaÌ„ thou comest into thy kyngdom he was straightwaies receiued into fauor hard these most comfortable wordes at the mouth of Christ Uerely I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in paradise Chri. Here is also the saying of God by the Prophet founde true at al times when a sinner turneth vnto me saith y e Lord I wil no more beare his iniquities in minde but frely forgeue them Epa. Here is than a good and comfortable lesson that whensoeuer we turn froÌ„ our wickednes the Lord our God wil forâ—geue vs our sinnes and geue vs fauor grace mercy life and euerlasting glory Phi. Truth it is brother Epaphroditus Beleue it all thinges shal go wel with you You shal find muche comfâ—rt and great ioy in your coÌ„science A quiet and mery heart shall you haue within you as s. Paul saith We being iustified by saith haue peace that is to say quietnes of conscieÌ„ce toward God through our Lord Iesus Christe by whome also it chaunced vnto vs to be brought in thorowe faith vnto this grace wherin we stande and reioyce in hope of the glory of God Howe greatly also do the histories of the wounded man of the lost shepe â–ª as I may let other passe set forth gods exceading mercy toward penitent sinners be they neuer so greuously wounded and diseased A certain man saieth our sauiour Christ descended from HierusaleÌ„â—o Hierico and fel among theues whiche robbed him of his raimeÌ„t and wounded him and departed leauing him halfe dead And it chaunced that there came down a certaine Priest that same waye when he sawe hym he passed by And likewyse a Leuite when he went nie to the place came and loked on hym passed by But a certain Samaritan as he iourneyed came vnto hym and when he saw him he had compassion on him and went to him and bound vp his woundes and poured in oyle and wyne and set him on his own beast and brought him to a common Inne made prouision for him-And on the morowe wheÌ„ he departed he toke two pence gaue them to the host said vnto him take cure of hym and what soeuer thou spendest more wheâ— I come again I wil recompencâ— thee Ep. Ther was small charitiâ— both in the Priest and in the Leâ—uite Phi. You say truth Epa. But who was that Samaritan For he was very gentle and louinge Phi. Christ Iesus the Lord which is the self gentlenes loue which also refuseth no labour no paine no cost in seking our saluation He it is alone which as the Prophet saieth hathe taken on hym our infirmities and borne our pains He him self as Peter saith bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being deliuered from sinne should liue vnto righteousnes By whose stripes ye wer heaâ—ed For as ye were as shepe going astray but are nowe tourned vnto the shepeheard and Bishop of your soules Epaphroditus You â—pake of the lost shepe also Phile. Truth Blessed Luke telleth the parable on this manner What man of you hauing an C. shepe if he lose one of them doeth not leue ninety and nine in the wildernes and goe after that whiche is lost vntill he fynde it And when he hath found it he laieth it on his shoulders with ioye And assone as he commeth home he calleth together his louers and neighbours saying vnto them reioyse with me for I haue founde my shepe whiche was lost Hereof our sauiour Christe concludeth I say vnto you that lykewyse ioye shalbe in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth more then ouer ninety nine iust persones which nede no repentance This parable with the other of the woman that lost a grote setteth forth maruelouslye the louinge kyndnesse of Christ toward penitent synners For of that he also coÌ„cludeth and saith Likewyse I say vnto you shall there be ioy in the presence of the aungels of God ouer one sinner that repenteth Epaph. Great comfort is there for penitent synners and weke coÌ„sciences in these histories and parables which you neighbour Philemon haue full gently declared vnto me Phile. I â—m glad brother Epaphroditus â—o heare you so say And be ye wel â—ssured they are no lesse true than â—omfortable Perswade your self â—hat Christ is a moste louing and â—aithfull Phisition to so many as â—ele them selues diseased yea he so â—uche tendreth our health that â—e calleth vs vnto hym and proâ—iseth that he wyl ease vs of our â—rief if we will come vnto hym â—eal all our diseases They that â—e strong nede no Phisition but â—â—ey y t are sicke And Christ came â—â—t