The Sick Mans Salve — Thomas Becon

The Sick Mans Salve · Thomas Becon

¶THE SICK MANS SALVE.

Philemō. Eusebius. Theophilus. Christopher. & Epaphroditus the sick man, talke together.

Philemon.

OH, ful truli is it said of the holy man Iob, that noble myrroure of perfecte pacience: Man that is borne of a woman,Iob. 14. hathe but a short tyme to liue, and yet in the time that he liueth, he is replenished with many miseries. He cometh vp, and withereth awaye agayne lyke a floure: He flieth as it were a shadow, and neuer continueth in one state▪ It is not yet two daies since I sawe my neighbour Epaphroditus, as me thoughte, well and …usty, yea and in perfecte healthe, and beholde he sent vntounto me euen now his seruant Onesimus, that I should come vntounto him, with all expedition all other businesses set a part, If I euer entend to se him a liue? oh good god, what a world is this? Ah moste louing Christe, what a sodeine chaunge is this? Oure life is not withoute a cause compared of the holy Apostle. S. Iames to a vapoure,Iames. iiii. whiche appereth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Who wyl trust a life so fraile, so transitory, so bond vntounto mortalitie? Who can iustlye perswade him selfe to liue manye yeres in this worlde, seing that in it so sodenly helthe is turned into sicknes, valeaunce into imbecillitie, strēgth into weakenes, ioy into sadnes, comforte into desperation, lyfe into deathe? The ryche man perswaded him selfe that he should liue long in this world,Luke. xii. as blessed Luke declareth in his holy Gospell, when he said, considering the greate aboundaunce of his reuenewes that came yerely in: what shall I doo? because I hauehave no rome wher to bestow my frutes? This will I do: I wil destroy my barnes, and build greater, & therin will I gather all my goods, that are growen vntounto me, and I wil say vntounto my soule: soule thou hast much goodes laid vp in store for many yeares, take thine ease, eate drink, be mery. But god saide vntounto him: thou foole, this nighte will they fetche away thy soule again from the. Thē whose shall those thinges be, which thou hast prouided? The continuance of our lyfe is not certeine so much as one houre, neither is any man …able to say, I shall liue til to mo…ow. For albeit nothinge is more …erten then death: yet is nothinge …ore vncertayne than the houre of death. It shall therfore become all christen men that tender theyr owne healthe, diligently to mark and cōtinually to remember this frendly admonition and louinge watchword of our Lord and Sauioure Christ Iesu,Mat. 24. watch, (saith he) for you know not what houre youre Lord will come. Of this be ye sure, that yf the good man of the house knew what houre he thief wolde come, he wolde surely watch and not suffer his house to be broken vp. Therfore be ye also ready, for in suche an houre as ye thinke not, will the sonne of man come.Mark. 13. Again he saieth. Watch, for ye knowe not when the master of the house will come, whether at euen: or at midnighte, whether a… the cocke crowing: or in the dawning, least yf he come sodenly, h… finde you sleping. And that I sa… vntounto you, I say vntounto all. Watche… Also in an other place he saythe:Apoc. 16. beholde. I come as a theif. Happy is he that watcheth, and kepeth his garments, least he walke naked and men see his filthines. Ah Lord God, not yet two daies past whole and strong, and now sycke and weake? O the vnstedfastnes of mans life. Whō wold not thys prouoke to watch and to considre his latter ende? as the godly man Moses admonisheth,Dout. 32. saying: Ah wold God men wold be wise and vnderstande and make prouision for their latter ende. So shuld nether sicknes nor death be soden vntounto them, so shuld all dissolucion of life be reiected, and godlines of cō uersacion embraced, as the wyse man saythe: In all thy workes remember the latter ende, and thou shalt neuer sinne.Eccl. 7. I desire muche to visit my neighboure Epaphroditus occording to his hartye request, and to comfort him in these his paines, & to instruct him how he ought both paciently & thankfully beare this crosse of sicknes, which God hath laid on him, but I wishe greatly to hauehave the company of mine olde familiars and approued frends, Eusebius, Theophile, and Christopher. I sente my sonne Theodore and Rachell my Doughter for them, I muche maruell of their long tariaunce. But beholde where they come. Neighbors and frendes welcom,

Euse

We reioyce to se you in helth thanking you most hartely for the louing kindnes, which heretofore many times you hauehave shewed vntounto vsus. But wherfore I pray you hauehave you sent for vsus.

Phile.

HaueHave ye not heard, howe our neighbour Epaphroditus is greuously vexed with sicknes?

Theophi…punc;

Is ou… neighbor Epaphroditus sicke?

Phi.

He is sick, and that very sore.

Christo▪

Sory am I to heare this

Philemon.

We are in the Lordes hande as the claye in the potters,Iere. xviii. to doo with vsus what so euer his good pleasure is. Therfore let vsus not beare heueli this work of God in our neighbor, least we seme to striue against his godly will, seeing we vse dayly to pray.Math. vi. Thy wil be don in earthe as it is in heauē, hauing also an example of our sauior Christ whiche praid vntounto his heauenly father on this manner. Not as I will, but as thou wilt, o father.Math. xxvi.

Euse.

How long hath oure neighboure Epaphroditus bene sick?

Phi.

Not yet two daies.

The.

I mucch maruel of this his soden sicknes.

Philemon.

It is no maruell at all, seing sicknes foloweth health, and deathe, life, as the shadow accompanieth the body Ye know neighbors how charitable a deede it is to visite the sicke, and to comforte the diseased. It is one of those works, whiche being don in the faithe of Christe shall be rewarded at the last day in the face of the whole worlde with then heritance of the heauenly kingdom as ye may see in the gospel of blessed Mathew, I was sicke, and ye visited me,Mat. 25. saithe oure Sauioure Christe. The wise man also saith: Let not them that wepe be withoute comforte,Eccle. 7. but mourne with suche as mourne. Let it not greue thee to viset the sicke, for that shall make the to be beloued.

Christop.

This saying differeth not muche from the saying of S. Paule. Reioyce with them that reioyce,Rom. 12 and wepe with them that wepe. Be of like affection one to another.

Phile

Let vsus therfore go and visit our sicke neighboure Epaphroditus, and comforte him with the heauenly consolacion of the holy scriptures, that he may beare this his sicknes bothe the more paciētly and thankfully. For to this end did I send for you, that we should go together vntounto him, and to confort him.

Theo.

We were to much vnkinde and vnworthy the name of a Christian, yea of a man, yf we shuld disdayne to accompany you goyng aboute so godly a matter,

Phile.

Well,Eccl. 7 then let vsus go. For as the preacher saith: It is better to go into an house of mourning thē into an house of banketinge for there all menne be admonished of their latter end, and the liuing cō sidereth what afterward shall becom of them, I pray the Lord our God, that we may find him at our comming, in his whole mind and perfect memory.

Eusebi.

I beseche the Lorde our God also, that his paines be not so outragious, that when we come, he hauehave no minde to heare what shalbe saide vntounto him, so shall our labour be loste.

Christop.

Gods will be don in all thinges.

Phile.

We will do oure duty, let God wurke his pleasure. Now are we at the house, I wyll be so bold neighboures as to leade you the way,

Theoph.

I pray you go sir, we will folow you.

Epa.

the sicke man.Iere. xx. Oh, cursed be the day, wherin I was borne, vnhappy be the day, wherin my mother brought me forthe. Cursed be the man that broughte my father the tydinges to make him glad, saying: Thou hast gotten a sonne. Let it happen vntounto that man, as to the Cities which the Lord turned vp side downe. Let him heare crying in the morning,Gene. xix. and at none daye lamentable howling. Why sluest thou not me as soone as I came oute of my mothers wombe? O that my mother had ben my graue her selfe, that the birth might not hauehave come out but remained styll in her, Wherfore came I forth out of my mothers wombe? to hauehave experience of laboure and sorow? Ah how sicke am I, my strengthe is gone, my sight faileth me, my tounge flottereth in my mouthe, my handes tremble and shake for paine, I can not hold vp my head for weakenes. If I attempte either to stand or to goo, my legges fall downe vnderunder me. No parte of my body doth her right office, my memory is paste. My sences fayle me. What so euer I tast, is vnplesant vntounto me. What other thynge am I, thē a dead corps, brething? For my skin vponupon me is tourned to blacke,Iob. xxx. and my bones are dried vp with heate. Yea miserably am I tormented, and altogether wery of my lyfe. What can be plesant vntounto me but present deathe? Ah wo worth the time that euer I was borne, O y^t som hill might fall downe and ouerwhelme me, that I might shortly be rid out of this pain.

Philemon.

O Lord God good neighbores, these be wordes proceding rather from a desperat harte, then from a pacient minde. But why do I cease to go in? The father of mercies and God of all consolacion be presente with vsus.

Theo.

Amē.

Phile.

Peace be vntounto this house, and to so many as louelove the Lord Iesus vnfainedly.

Epa.

O mother,Iere 15. alas that euer thou did dest beare me. Alas, why died I not in the birthe? Why did I not perish, assone as I came out of my mothers wombe?

Philem.

Neighboure Epaphroditus,Iob. 3. God geue you a pacient hart, a quyet & contented minde. According to youre request, I am com vntounto you with certaine of my neighbours, being very desirous to see you, and notwithstandinge not a little sory to beholde you in this case, not that you are visited of God with sicknes: but that you so impacientlye take thys louing visitatiō of god, whiche chaunceth vntounto you, not for your hurt and destruction: but for your commodity and saluatyon.

Epaphro.

Welcome, welcome, neighbors all. Oh how sicke am I? Oh that the end of my life wer at hande.Iob. 10. It greueth my soule to liue. All ioy is gone with me.

This sicknes hathe vtterly marred me.

Phi.

Say not so neighbor Epaphroditus, yea rather think, that this youre sicknes is the louing visitacion of God and bringeth (although to the body wekenes and trouble,) yet to the soule valeaunce and consolation.

Epa.

Gods louing visitation?

Philem.

Yea neighbor Gods louing visitation. For so ar we taught by the worde of God.Apoca. iii. God himself saith, as many as I louelove, I rebuke and chasten. The wise man also saith. My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lorde,Pro. iii. neither fainte when thou arte rebuked of him, For whom the Lorde loueth, hym he chasteneth, and yet delyteth in him as a father in his owne sōne. What sonne is he, saith. S. Paul. whom the father chastneth not?Heb. xii. If ye be not vnderunder correction (wherof all are partakers) than are ye bastardes and not sonnes.

Epa.

Ther is no father that so hādleth his sonne, as I am handled. Oh what a chaunge is this, yea and that within two daies? For from gladnes to sadnes, from pleasure to sorow from healthe to sicknes, from quietnes to trouble, from strength to feblenes, yea in a maner from life to death am I sodenly fallen. O miserable wretch that I am.

Phile

No maner chastising for the presente time semeth to be ioyous but greuous,Hebr. xii. as the Apostle sayth, neuertheles afterward it bringeth the quiet frute of rightuousnes vntounto them, whiche are exercised therby. Blessed is the mā saith saincte Iames,Iam. i. that suffreth temptation, for when he is tried, he shal receyue the crowne of life, whiche the Lorde hathe promised to them that louelove hym.

Epa.

Me thoughte I was in case good ynoughe, before I was oppressed with this sicknes. For thē I liued pleasauntlye, but now I lye here weping and mourning, and full of sorow and care.

Phile.

Thys is the iudgement of the flesh whiche …uer lusteth against the spirit.Gala. v. Against suche careles fleshli liuers, …eare what our Sauiour Christ saith.Luke. 6. Wo be vntounto you that are rich, for you hauehave your consolacyon. Wo be vntounto you that are full, for ye shal hōger. Wo be vntounto you that now laugh, for ye shall wayle and wepe. Heare what he saythe on the contrary part.Mat. 5. Blessed are they that mourne: for they shal receiue comfort. And also in a nother place he saithe.Iohn. 16. Uerely, Uerely I say vntounto you: ye shal wepe and lamēt, but contrariwise the worlde shall reioyce. Ye shall sorow: but your sorow shalbe turned to ioye. The blessed Apostle saith also.2. Titu. 2. If we be dead with Christe, we shall also liue with him. If we suffer with him, we shal also reigne with him.

Christo.

Brother Epaphroditus, the way to enter into glory is the Cros. For by that way did oure elder brother Chryste enter into the kingdome of his father.Luke. 24. And the blessed Apostle saythe: By many tribulacions muste we enter into the kingdome of God.Act. xiiii.

Epaphro.

What meane you by the crosse.What the Crosse is.

Chri.

Temporall affliction as penury, honger, euil report vndeserued, persecution, enprisonment, los of Goodes, sicknes, and whatsoeuer mortifieth the olde man.

Epaphro,

I can not easly be parswaded, that these things are sent of God to suche as he loueth: but rather to suche as he hateth.

Christoph.

Not so neighbor Epaphroditus. For the righteous and godly tast more of the cros in this worlde, then the wicked and vngodly. Abel, Iacob, Ioseph, Moses, Dauid, Helias, Zachari, Ieremie, Miche, Iob, Toby, Ihon Baptist, Stephē, Paule, Iames Peter, with many other whiche wer the…chosen people and frends of God, wer not fre from the cros, in so muche that many of them were moste cruelly put to deathe where as the wicked worldlings liued all in pleasure, and had all thinges according to their hartes lust.

Eusebius.

This is also proued true by the saying of oure sauiour Christ:Ihon. xvi i Ti mo iii ye shall wepe and lament, saith he, but contrariwise y^e world shall reioyce. And the Apostle, saieth, all that will lyue Godly in Christe Iesu: shall suffer persecution. Hither pertaineth the saying of.i. Pete, iiii. S. Peter. The time is come that iudgement must begin at the house of God. If it first begin at vsus: what shal the ende of them be, whiche beleue not the Gospell of God? And if the rightous scarsely be saued: where shall the vngodly and the sinner appere? Wherfore let them that are troubled according to the will of God, commit their soules to him with well doing, as vntounto a faithfull creatour.

Phi.

This thing cā by no meanes better be perceiued,Luke. xvi then by considering the history, whiche blessed Luke telleth in his Gospell of the vnmerciful riche man and of pore Lazarus. The riche gloton was Gods enemy and an aduersary to all good mē, vnkind, churlish, and vnmerciful, and yet how plesantly, and wealthely liued he all his life time? We do not rede, that he tasted any thing at all of the cros, but that he was riche, welthy, galantly apparelled, fared daintely eueryevery day, and liued in all kind of pleasures according to his hartes lust, and yet thende of him was euerlastyng damnation, that thys saying of our sauior Christ might be founde true.Luke. vi Wo be vntounto you that are riche: for you hauehave youre consolation. Wo be vntounto you that are ful: for ye shal hōger. Wo be vntounto you that now laugh: for ye shal waile and wepe. Contrariwise, Lazarus being Gods frende (and dearly beloued of God) was pla…ged with pouerty, honger, thirst, colde, nakednes, sores, sicknes, & diuers mortal diseases, which neuer departed from him so long as he liued: and notwithstandinge bothe paciently and thanckfullye did he beare this his Crosse,Eccle. xi. euen vntounto the deathe, being perswaded that prosperitie & aduersitie, life, and deathe, pouerty, & wealth, are of God, and therfore immediatly after his departure oute of thys world, he was receiued into euerlasting glorye. This history brother Epaphroditus declareth euidentely, that sicknes or trouble sent of God vntounto the godly, is not a token of Gods wrath and heauy displeasure, but rather a sure argumente and manifest signe of his good will, louelove and fauour towarde vsus. Blessed is he, saithe the Psalmograph,Psal. xciiii. whome thou (O Lord) nourterest. Again, he saith: it is highly for my wealth,Psal. cxix. that thou (O Lord) hast corrected me, that I may learne thine ordinances. Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paul. When we are iudged of the Lord we are chastened,i. Cor. xi. that we shuld not be damned with the worlde. In the history of Iob it is also written,Io…. v. blessed is the man whom God punisheth: therefore refuse not thou the chastening of the almighty. For though he maketh a woūd, he geueth a plaster, though he smite, his hand maketh hole again. God is faithfull, saith the Apostle,i. Cor. x. whiche wil not suffer you to bee tempted aboue youre strength, but shall in the mids of the temptacion make away, that …e may be able to beare it.ii. Cor. i. For he …s the father of mercies, and God of all consolacion, whiche comforteth vsus in all our trouble, whiche knoweth also howe to deliuer the godly out of temtation.ii. Peter. ii All these textes borowed out of the holy scriptures with many other, do euidently declare, that the crosse is laid vponupon the godly at Gods appoyntment, and that not for their hurt and destruction, but for their health and saluation. For though our outward man perish:i. Cor. iiii yet thinward man is renued day by day. For our trouble,Esay. …ii whiche is short & light prepareth an exceading and an eternall waight of glory vntounto vsus, 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 br…ther Christ, which neuer commi… sinne,i▪ Peter. ii & in whom no guile nor de…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.heb. ii. 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 vponupon vsus at gods appoyntment both paciently and thankefullie. For the disciple is not aboue the master,math. x 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.Lu. xiiii Whosoeuer beareth not his crosse and commeth after me (saith our sauiour Christe) he can not be my disciple,Apoca. vii

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 enheritāce, 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,Iacob. iiii. 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 cōpany hath light w^t darcknes. Or what cōcord hath Christ with Beliall?ii. Cor. vi. Either what part hath he y^t beleueth with an infidel? worldly ioy & eternall felicity can not agre together. Therfore whosoeuer is fre frō the crosse in this world, he hath no part in the kingdom of Christ & of God. So that you neighbor Epaphroditus hauehave a great occasion to thancke the Lorde our God, that it hath pleased him to remēber you with this his louinge visitation, and through this sickenesse to declare his good & fatherly wyll towarde you. For by laying this crosse vponupon you, he proueth you, whether you be constant in your faith and profession or not, and whether you will pacientlie and thanckefullie b…are this his worcking in you, whiche is vntounto your euerlasting saluation or not. And after this maner doth God handle all suche as he receiueth vntounto glory, as the wyseman saith:Eccle. ii. What soeuer hapneth vntounto thee, receiue it, suffer in heauiues, and be pacient in thy trouble.Eccle. iii. 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,Eccle. xxvii. so doth temptation of trouble, trie righteous men. Liste wyse said Raphael the Archaungell vntounto Toby:…ob. xii. Because thou wast accepted and beloued of God, it was necessary y^t temptacion shuld try thee. And as Moses saide vntounto the children of Israel:…e…t. xiii. the lord your God proueth you, to wete whether ye louelove the Lord your God withall your hart and with al your soule. S. Peter also saith:i. Pet. i. 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 vntounto 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 vntounto your great comfort.i. Cor. x. 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:Psal. xxx. 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,Psalm. lxvi. hast proued vsus, thou also hast tried vsus like as siluer is tried. Thou broughtest vsus into the snare, and laidst trouble vpō our loynes, thou suffredst mē to ride ouer our heads. We went thorowe fire and water, and thou broughtest vsus out into a welthy place,Psalm. lxxi. 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 eueryevery syde. Therfore will I praise thee & thy faithfulnes O God. Also in another place he saith: they that sowe in teares,Psal. cxxvi. 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 vntounto God saith:Tobi. iii. 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:Psal. xxxiiii. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them, and deliuereth them out of al their troubles. The Lord is nie vntounto thē that are of a contrite heart, and will saue suche as be of an humble spirite. Great are the troubles of y^• righteous, but the lord deliuereth thē out of al: he kepeth all their bones so that not one of them is broken.

Euseb.

These are cōfortable sentē ces neighbor Epaphrodotus.

Epa.

Confortable in dede.

Phi.

And no les true then cōfortable, 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 vpō Iosephes shoulders in Egipt? yea and that for no fault that he had committed but only to proue and try his faith, louelove, obedience, pacience, thankfulnes & perseuerance. He suffred Ioseph being a godlie and chast yong man to be falsly accused of his whorish mystres,Gen. xxx.xix. and to be cruelly throwne of his master into prison, where he continued certen yeares in captiuitie and thraldom. But behold y^e mercifull dealing of God with his faithfull seruāts. Afterward, whā God by prouing him, had foūd him faithful, cōstant & pacient: he deliuered Ioseph out of prison, restored him vntounto his libertie, won him into y^e kings fauor, in so much y^t the king toke of his ring from his hand, & put it vpō Ioseps hand, & araied him in cloth of rains, & put a golden chain about his necke, and set him vponupon the best charet y^t he had saue one. And they cried before him: bow the kne. And king Pharao made hym ruler ouer all the land of Egipt.

Ep.

O y^e great mercies of God.

Phi

Before God quietly satled king Dauid in his kingdom (of whom he reporteth in this maner,i. Reg. xvi. Act. xiiii. I hauehave found Dauid y^e son of Iesse a man after mine owne …art, which shal fulfil al my wyll) how hunted he him by king Saul euen as the ferret hunteth the cony? yea after the death of Saule what trouble & disquietnes had he thorow the wicked conspiracie of his children against him being so louing, gentle and naturall a father? Notwithstāding afterward God brought him vntounto great honour, glory, ritches, quietnes, and al kind of wealth, wherin he cōtinued vntounto his death, whiche was both glorious and full of yeares.

Epap.

iii. Reg. ii.A blessed end.

Phi▪

To whō is the history of pacient Iob vnknowne?Iob. i.ii. His Crosse was so greuous, that I knowe not whether the like trouble hath chaunsed to any mortall man since his tyme or afore Al his substance in one moment almost was lost, all his cattel were driuē away .vii.M. shepe iii M. Camels .v.C. yoke of Oxen and v.C. she asses. All these were taken away sodenly. His house fel downe, his childrē that wer within were slaine. Of all that euer he had, nothing remained vntouched, that might comfort him any thing at all, but only his wife, and she semeth to be left of the deuill, only to this purpose, euen to mock and scorne her husband, and to moue him to blaspheme the name of God. Whiche thing without al doubt greued the holy mās minde more, then all his calamities and wretchednesses. Furthermore his frendes whiche came out of farre countries to comfort hym, seyng his sorowe and paine to be moste …ehement, being also wōderfully astonied with the horrible greatnesse of the plage, by the space of …ii. daies spake not one comforta…le worde vntounto hym. For they …hought (although not truly) that God had cast this most greuous paines vponupon Iob worthely, euen for his sinful life & wicked conuersation. And did they not at the last fall to mocking and taunting of that good mā, and tolde hym that those plages happened vntounto hym for his sinnes, by the righteous iudgement of God? for they thought it a matter of hie iniquitie and vnworthy Gods righteousnes y^t so great calamities and miseries shuld causeles chaunce vntounto any holy and innocent man.Iob. ii. Moreouer after the losse of al his goodes, after the driuing away of his cattell, the casting down of his house the cruell death of his children & seruaunts (which, al the most pacient man very quietly suffered) what intollerable pains suffere… he on his body? Did not Satha… thorow Gods suffrance smite Io… with maruelous sore biles fro… the sole of his fote vntounto y^e crown… of his head, so that he sate vponupon the grounde in the ashes, and scraped of the filth of his sores with a potsherd? Oh who is hable to expresse what paines he suffred? And notwithstanding being on eueryevery side moste miserably plaged his mind continued still constant and perfect in abiding the good pleasure of the Lord his God, being thorowly perswaded that all those plagues and punishmentes were not tokens of Gods anger, but rather of his singuler good wyll and fatherlye fauoure toward hym. For as he moste paciently suffered the losse of all his goodes and the death of his children, so with lyke constancie and lusty courage, did he bear the most greuous woundes and bitter sorowes of his body, speakinge no blasphemous, impacient, or vnreuerent worde against God, in all his trouble, but mekely, paciently, and thankefully, brast oute into these and suche like wordes: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe,Iob. i. and naked shall I tourne thither againe. The Lord gaue, & the Lord hath taken away. Euen as it hath pleased the Lorde, so is it come to passe, blessed be y^e name of the Lord,Iob. ii. If we hauehave receiued prosperitie at the hand of the lord, why should we not abide aduersitie also?

Epa.

Oh God graunt me the like pacience.

Christo.

Doubt ye not of y^e goodnes of God neighbor. Be strong and stedfast in the Lord your God, abide pacientlie his good pleasure, & he shall work al things for the best,Psal. xxxvii. as the Psalmograph saieth: O tary thou the Lordes leisure, be strong, and he shall comfort thine heart, therfore put thou thy trust in the Lorde.Esay. xxx. In silence and hope shall youre strength be, saieth the Prophet. O how good is the lord vntounto thē,Iames. iii▪ that put their trust in him, and to the soule that seketh after hym? The good man with stilnes and pacience tarieth for the sauinge health of the Lorde. The righteous hauehave cried, and the Lord hath graciously heard them, and deliuered them out of all their troubles.

Phi.

But nowe neighbour marke the end of the history.Psal. xxxiiii.

Epa.

Saye on, in the name of God.

Phile.

After that God by dyuers kindes of punishmentes had thorowly tried this holy, perfect and pacient man Iob, and had found him in all pointes a constant and …aleaunt souldiour, not hable to …e ouercome with any kynde of …lague that Sathan could lay on …im, the Lorde greatly cōmended …is cōstant faith and faithfull con…ancie, and gaue vntounto him twyse twyse so muche as he had afore. For he had nowe .xiiii.M. shepe,Iob. xiii. vi.M. camels, a .M. yoke of Oxē and a .M. asses. He had .vii. sōnes also, and .iii. doughters. And after this he liued an .C. & .xl. yeres, in muche ioy and quietnes, so that he sawe his childrens children into the .iiii. generation, and died being old and of a perfect age.

Epa.

Oh, blessed be God. For he is euer good to his seruauntes and neuer forsaketh thē that put their trust in him.

Euse.

Of this holie man Iob saynt Iames also maketh mencion,Iames. v. saying: Ye hauehave heard of the pacience of Iob, and hauehave knowne what end the Lord made. For the Lorde is very pitifull and mercifull.

Phile.

Will it please you neighbor to hear the history of thauncient father Toby▪ whiche is also very comfortable▪

Epa.

Yea very gladly. For it doth me much good and easeth wel my pain to hear your godly talke.

Phi.

This Toby was a faithfull man and euen from his very childhod feared God, and led a vertuous life. He forsoke not y^e way of truth nether defiled he him selfe with any kynd of Idolatry.Tob. i. 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 & brethrē. He was ful of good works, he gaue largly vntounto the pore, he fed the hōgry, 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,ii. Cor. ix. saith S. Paule, loueth a cherefull geuer,

Epa.

A blessed man and a faithfull seruaunt of God.Tob. ii.

Phi.

And yet mark what followeth. It hapned vponupon 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 vponupon his eies warm dong out of the swalowes nest, so that he became blind.

Epaphr.

A pitiful chaūce.

Phile.

This tentacion did God suffer to happen vntounto hym, y^t they whiche came after, myght hauehave an example of his pacience like as of holy Iob.

Epaphro.

But how did Toby take this tētacion?

Phile.

Uery Godly, quietly, paciently, and thankefully. For in so muche as he euer feared God frō his yougth vp, and kept his commaundementes, he grudged not against God, that the plague of blindnes chaunsed vntounto 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 vntounto his dying day? Did not God deale mercifully with Toby, as we heard afore of Iob?

Phile.

Yes verely,i. Reg. ii, Deut. xxxii. Tob. xiii. Sap. xvi. for God scourgeth and healeth. God ledeth vntounto 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 vntounto him his sight againe. For the which Toby moste humbly thanked hym and said:Tob. xi. 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 vntounto 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.Tob. xiiii. 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 hauehave 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 vponupon his frendes, than vponupon 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 vntounto Toby:Tob. xii. Because thou wast accepted and beloued of God, it was necessary, that temtacion should try thee. You hauehave heard also the louing kindnesse of God toward his faithfull & constant seruauntes, how after a iust triall made, he restoreth them vntounto a more blessed state, than they were in a fore. Therfore take a good heart vntounto you & faint not. Be strong in the Lord. Be faithful vntounto the end. Be paciēt in this your sicknes. Be thākeful 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 vntounto you, & bring that thing to passe, which is most for your comfort and profit.Rom. xv. For whatsoeuer is written, is written for our learning, that through pacience and the comfort of the scriptures we may hauehave 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:Rom…. xiiii. 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.A praier. 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 vntounto it in all thinges, that whan the pains of my sicknes be most bitter: I may lift vp my hart vntounto thee,Psalm. vi. cal on thy blessed name, and say: O Lorde, rebuke me not in thy indignation, nether chasten me in thy displeasure. HaueHave 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 lōg wilt thou punish me? Turne thee (O Lord) & deliuer my soule, oh saue me for thy mercies sake.Psal. lxxxv… O my God saue thy seruant, that putteth his trust in thee. Be mercifull vntounto me (O Lord) for I wil cal daily vpō the. Comfort the soul of thy seruaunt, …or vntounto thee (O Lord) do I lifte …p my soule. For thou Lorde art good & gracious, & of great mercy …nto all them that cal vponupon thee.

Theo.

Neighbour Epaphroditus his is vntounto vsus a singuler pleasur …nd great comfort to hear so god…y wordes proceade out of youre …outh. Be diligent continually … call on the Lorde, and he in all our afflictions & troubles, shall … vndoubtedly your strōg 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:Psal. xci. Because he hath trusted in me, I wil deliuer him, I will defend him, because he hath known my name. He shall cal vponupon 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 cōfesse most gētle neighbors, that I hauehave receiued muche consolation and great cōfort of youre company, and specially that … hauehave thus enarmed, yea and fortressed my brest with the cōforta…ble sentenses and histories of th… holy scriptures against the bitte… stormes of aduersitie, and I hart…ly thank you for your pains. Not…withstanding this must I nede… say vntounto 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 vntounto me, but muche inferior bothe vntounto them and vntounto their godlines of life, so that although they being righteous of the very louelove, which God bare toward them, wer assailed with aduersitie, to this ende, y^t their faith and constancy might be proued & tried vntounto the example of other, yet I fynd in my selfe such imperfection, yea such aboundaunce of …in, that it may iustly be thought that this sicknesse, whiche is laid vponupon me, commeth from suche a God, as is angry with me for my …innefull life, and therefore is his heauy hand thus laide vponupon me. What thinke ye good neighbors.

Philemon.

Brother Epaphroditus this humbling of your self in the sight of the Lord our God, is a certain argument and sure token of your euerlasting saluatiō. For he that exalteth him self shall be made lowe,Mat. xxiii but he that humbleth hym selfe, shall be exalted. God is an enemy to y^e proude,i. Pet. v. but he is a frende to the humble and lowly.Prou. xx Truth it is, that in y^e sight of God no man is pure and cleare from sinne.Iaco. iii Who is hable to saie. My heart is cleane, and I am fre… from sinne? In many thinges we all offend.i. Iohn. i. Rom. iii If we saye, we hauehave no sinne, we deceiue our selues and the truthe is not in vsus.Luk. xvii All hau… sinned, and wāt the glory of God We all are vnprofitable seruaūts EueryEvery man is a lier.Psal. cxvi Psalm. li. We were be…gotten in sinne, conceiued in sinn… and borne in sinne. Our heart … leude and vnsearchable.Ier. xvii. All our righteousnes are as cloth pollu…ted with menstrue. Al hauehave swarued and gone out of the way,Esay. lxiii. Psal. xiiii they are altogether become vnprofitable, there is not one that doeth good, no not one. The moste perfect among vsus all, may well say w^t the sinnefull Publicane:Luke. xviii. O God be mercifull to me a synner.Math. vi. We may worthely pray, as our sauiour Christ taught vsus, forgeue vsus our trespasses as we forgeue thē that trespasse againste vsus, God found no truth in his seruaunts, and in his angels ther was folly.Iob. xiii. How much more in them y^t dwell in the houses of clay,Iob. xxx. and whose foundations are but dust? The stars are vncleane in the sight of God. How much more then man, that is but corruption, and the sonne of man, whiche is but a worme? And albeit Ioseph, Dauid, Iob and Toby, be set forth in …he holy scriptures with greate commendations, yet may we not thincke that they wanted theyr faultes.Iob. xxv. For no man that is borne of a woman is clene before God, although he be but one day olde. How oft doth Dauid cōfesse hym selfe a sinner? How oft doth he fle vntounto God and pray for the remission of his sinnes? Howe oft doth he cast away his own righteousnes, & with strong faith, lay hand on Gods mercy? Among many other, are not these his wordes? HaueHave mercy on me (O God) according to thy great mercy.Psalm. ii. And according to the multitude of thy mercies, do away myne offences. Wash me thorowly from my wickednes, and cleanse me from my sin. For I knowledge my faultes and my sinne is euer before me. Against thee only hauehave I synned, and done euyll in thy sight. &c. Also in another place.Psalm. xxv. Oh remem…ber not the sinnes and offenses of my youth, but according vntounto thy mercy thincke thou vponupon me (O Lord) for thy goodnesse. For thy names sake (O Lord) be merciful vntounto my synne. For it is great. Loke vponupon mine aduersitie, & misery, & forgeue me all my sinnes. Againe. Out of the depe hauehave I called vntounto the Lorde,Psalm. cxxx. Lord hear my voyce. Oh let thyne eare consyder well the voyce of my complaint. If thou Lorde wilt be extreme to marcke what is done amysse (oh Lorde) who may abyde it? But ther is mercy with thee. &c Item.Psal. cxiiii. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt (O Lorde) for no man liuing shall be iustified in thy syght. Thus see you howe holy Dauid, whome the scripture commendeth so greatlye, bosteth not his owne righteousnesse, but humbleth him selfe in the syghte of God, and wholy betaketh hym vntounto Gods mercy. Nowe hear what Iob, whom the scripture so greatly commendeth, saith of him self,Iob. ix. If I wil iustifie my self, mine own mouth shall condemne me. If I will put forth my selfe for a perfect man, he shall proue me a wicked doer. Again. If I washe my self with snow water, & make mine hands neuer so cleane at the well, yet shalt thou dip me in the mire, and mine owne clothes shal defile me. And as concerning the godly mā Toby, how litle he trusted in his owne innocency and righteousnes, these his words do manifestly declare: O Lord (saith he) be mindfull of me,Tob. iii. and take no vengeaūce of my sinnes, nether remember my misdedes, nor y^e misdedes of mine elders. for we hauehave not bene obedient to thy cōmaundements. &c. And as Dauid, Iob, and Toby, humbled them selues in the sight of God, so lykewyse doth the whole company of al the faithful, that the glory of our saluation may be Gods alone, as he saith by the Prophet: Thi destruction, O Israell,Ose. xiiii. commeth of thy self, but thy saluation commeth only of me. Therfore though ye fele synne to be in you, as who is without it? yet despair not, nether be dismaide, but with strong faith make haste vntounto the glorious throne of Gods great mercy, lament your sorowfull case, craue fauor and remission of sinnes in Christes name, of Gods most hie maiestie, and without doubt you shall hauehave your hartes desire.Psal. cxlv. For the Lorde is gracious and merci…ul▪ long suffring & of great good…es. The Lord is louing vntounto eueryevery man, and his mercy is ouer all his workes. O truste in the Lord, for with the Lorde there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.Psalm. cxxx. And he shall redeme Israell from all his sinnes.

Epap.

Oh my hart. Ah what a greuous paine did I fele nowe euen at my very heart. God be mercifull vntounto me.

Euseb.

Be on a good comfort neighbour (I pray you) God shal worke all thinges for the best. Ye may se what frail vessels we are, and how litle a pain doth greatly trouble vsus.

Epa.

Ye say truth. But to you neighbor Philemō once again. Me thincke if God shuld punish me in this world for my sinne so shuld it be a token rather of his anger then of his fauour towarde me.

Phi.

Nay, not so neighbor. I… is rather an euident token of his singular louelove & hartie good wil to…ward you, which louingly correcteth you in this world, that ye ma… repent, knowledge your fault, a…mend your life, call for mercy and so liue worthy your profession, again that through this temporall paine, ye may be fre from euerlasting plagues,Apoc. xxi. & neuer come into that lake, that burneth with fire and brimstone.i. Cor. xi. This witnesseth s. Paul, saying: Whyle we are punished, we ar corrected of the lord that we should not w^t this world be condempned.Psal. xxxvii. Whan God suffereth the wicked in this world to florish like a bay tree, and licenciously to sinne without any punishement, as he suffred the ritche glotton, of whome ye reade in the Gospell of blessed Luke,Luk. xvi, it is an euident argument, that suche one is reserued vntounto the paines of the world to come,Mat. x… whiche neuer shall hauehave end, wher weping and gnashynge of teethe shall be, as ye see it chaunced to the afore saide ritche glotton, vntounto whome God said: sonne, remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasure,Luke. xvi. and contrariwyse, Lazarus receiued pain. But nowe is he cō forted, and thou art punished: so doth our sauiour Christ threaten the vngodli,Luke. vi. saying: Wo be to you that are full, for ye shall hunger, Wo be vntounto you that now laugh, for ye shall wayle and wepe. The holie Apostle also saieth: What sonne is he,Hebr. xii. whom the father chasteneth not? If ye be not vnderunder correction (wherof all are partakers) then are ye bastardes & not sonnes. A terrible end therfore abideth them, which in this world licenciously and without punishment do sinne. For all such be bastardes and no sonnes, therfore hauehave they no part of the heauenly enheritaunce.

Epa.

Yet the world iudgeth otherwyse. For they thinke suche only to be beloued of God, as walowe in all kinde of worldly pleasures, as the filthy sow in the mire, so longe as they liue, & neuer tast of any aduersitie

Phile.

But the holie scripture iudgeth otherwise. For those voluptuous Epicures whiche in this world say:Sap. ii. Come & let vsus enioy the …leasures that are, and let vsus sone …se the creature, like as in youth. Let vsus fill our selues with good wine and oyntment, and let there no flower of the tyme goe by vsus. Let vsus crowne our selues with roses afore they be withered. Let …here be no fair medowe, but our …ust go thorowe it. Let eueryevery one of you be partaker of our volup…uousnes. Let vsus leue some token of our pleasure in eueryevery place, for …hat is our porcion, els get we no…hing. &c. Shall in time to come, …ry out on this maner & saye:Sap. vi. We …aue erred from the way of truth the light of righteousnesse hath not shined vntounto vsus, and the sunne of vnderstanding rose not vp vpō vsus. We hauehave weried our selues in the way of wickednes & destruction. Tedious wayes hauehave we gone, but as for the way of y^e lord, we hauehave not knowne it. What good hath our pryde done to vsus? Or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought vsus? All these thīgs are passed awaye like a shaddow &c. Suche wordes shall they that hauehave sinned, speake in hel. For the hope of thungodly is lyke a drye thistil flower that is blown away with the wynde. &c. Therfore we may well conclude, that suche as enioy continuall prosperitie, liue at their heartes ease, obey their sensuall appetites, are free from all aduersitie, and as the Psalmo…graphe saieth: come in no misfortune lyke other folke, neither ar… plagued lyke other men: shall not reigne with God in glory, nether hauehave they any portion in the lande of the liuing. For though they prosper for a litle while in this world be puffed vp with pryde, swell for fatnes, do what they list, rule as they will, hauehave plenty of ritches in possessiom, hauehave the world at commaundement. &c. Yet are they set in slippery places, and shal be cast downe and destroyed Yea sodenly shall they consume, perishe, and come to a fearful end. I hauehave sene saith that Princelike Prophet,Psal. 37. thungodly in great power, & florishing like a greue bay tree. And he vanished away, and lo he was gone, I sought him, but he coulde no wher be found. &c. For the wicked shall perishe together, and the end of the vngodly, is euerlasting damnation.

Christo.

If it please you, I will tell you a history, that I heard once.

Epa.

I pray you tell on good brother Christopher.

Chri.

An historie.Saint Ambrose that godly & couragious Bishop traueiling at a certain time toward Rome, chaunced by the way to goe vntounto a great richemans house to lodge. after other talke he demaunded of the man of the house, howe the world went with him, & in what case he stode. The ryche man answered: sir my state hath alway bene fortunate and glorious, I neuer tasted any kynd of aduersitie. I neuer had sicknes or losse of goods. All thinges hitherto hauehave chaunced vntounto me according to my hartes desire. Whan. S. Ambrose heard this, he said vntounto thē that accompanied him: Rise, and let vsus go hence with al expeditiō, for the Lorde is not in this place. And when they wer departed frō the richemans house, euē straight waies, thearth sodenly opened & swalowed vp the man with all that euer he had, so that nothing at all remained.

Phile.

A notable history, declaring that God is not there present, where the crosse is absent, and that thinges can not long continue in safe state, where God fauoureth not.Psalm. xxxvii.

Theo.

Here was that thing fulfilled that is spoken by the Psalmograph. The vngodly shall sone be cut downe like the grasse, and be withered, euen as the grene herbe. &c. Yea a litle while and the vngodly shall be clene gone: Thou shalt loke after his place, and he shalbe away. Thungodly shall perishe, and the enemies of the Lord shal consume as the fat of lambes, yea euen as …he smoke shall they consume away. Againe in an other place. Thou, O Lord, dost set the vngod…y in slippery places, and castest them downe, and destroiest them. O how sodenly do they consume, perish, and come to a feareful end? yea euen lyke as a dreame when one awaketh, so shalt thou make their Image to vanishe out of the citie.

Phile.

Where continual successe of thinges is: wher al things at all tymes serue and content the fleshly appetites of voluptuous worldlinges: where no affliction nor trouble is: there is not God, there is not his grace, fauoure, and blessing. He that is free from the crosse, hath no enheritaunce in the kyngdome of heauen. Yea, it is a moste certaine signe of euerlasting damnation, where a life is led without affliction. For whom the Lorde loueth,Hebr. vii. he chasteneth, they are bastardes and no sonnes that sometime fele not the Crosse.Act. xiiii. Who euer went vntounto heauen by ioy and pleasure? By many tribu…lations (saieth the Apostle) must we enter into y^e kingdom of God. Hereunto pertaineth the saying of the vertuous woman Iudith:Iudit. vi…. Our father Abraham being temted and tried thorowe many tribulations, was founde a louer & …rend of God. So was Isaac, so was Iacob, so was Moses, and al …hey that pleased God, being tried …horowe many troubles, were founde stedfast in fayth. Blessed …s the man, that suffereth temp…ation, saith saint Iames,Iames. i. for whē …e is once tried, he shall receiue y^e …rown of life, which the lord hath …romised to them that louelove hym.

Euse.

I red once of a certaine her…it,An history. which was wōt eueryevery yere to …e sicke, wherin he greatly delited & felt much quietnes of conscience …eing perswaded, y^t his sicknesse …as the louing visitation of God, …nd an vnfained token of Gods singular good will toward hym. It chaunced that by the space of an whole yeare he was fre from al maner of sicknesse. Whiche thing whan he considered, he was inwardly sory and wept beyond all measure, greuously complaining that God had forgotten him, and denied him his grace.

Phile.

This history also sheweth howe necessary and wholsome, sicknes is to a Christen man, and that corporall affliction is a certaine perswasion to a faythfull cōscience of Gods singulare good wyll and fatherly fauour towarde vsus, as he hym self testifieth, saying: as many as I louelove I chastē and rebuke.Apoc. iii. Th… wyse man also sayeth:Prouerb. iii. My sonn… despise not the chastening of th… Lord, nether faint whan thou ar… rebuked of him. For whome th… Lord loueth, him he chastneth, … yet deliteth in him, as a father i… ther in his owne sonne.

Epaphro.

So followeth it, that they, whom God visiteth with sicknes in this worlde, and laieth the crosse vponupon their shoulders, are more dear vntounto him than those, whiche all their life tyme, liue in all wealth, ioy, & pleasure.

Phile.

Yea verely, so thei beare their crosse willingly, paciently, and thankfully. For by the crosse are christen men knowē, as noble mens seruauntes by theyr Lordes cognisances. He that beareth not the crosse, is not Christes: For suche as will be his disciples, he cōmaundeth them not to seeke how to flee y^e crosse, that they may liue al in pleasure, but he biddeth them take the Crosse vponupon their shoulders,Math. xvi. and folow him. If any man will folow me, (saith our sauiour Christ,) let him forsake him …elf, and take vp his crosse, and fo…ow me. The head bare the crosse, the members also must do y^e same, or els pertaine they not vntounto the head. For there is none other way to enter into glory, but the same way that our head Christ entred by,Luke. xiiii. which is the crosse. Whosoeuer beareth not his crosse and cometh after me, (saith the Lorde Christ) he can not be my disciple. The seruant is not greater then his Lord nor the disciple aboue his master.

Chri.

That such as bear the crosse and be tried with diuers tribulations are more dear vntounto god, thā they which liue all in pleasure, the history of the ritch and vnmerciful glotton,Luke. xvi. and of poore and pacient Lazarus proueth euidētly. For as ye hard before, the welthie epicure whiche liued galantlie and pleasauntly all the daies of his life, euen vntounto his dying daye, so son… as he was dead, was caried of th… Deuell and his Aungels into th… flames of hell fire: where he was miserablie tormented: contrarywyse, pore and sick Lazarus, whō the wicked worlde estemed moste vile, moste abhominable, yea, and vtterly despised and cast away of God,Esay. lxiiii. whome also fortune neuer fauoured, but aduersitie cōtinuallie assailed, immediatly after his departure was moste tenderly & ioyfully borne of the blessed Aungels of God into the bosome of Abraham,i. Cor. ii. wher he hath such ioyes as eie hath not sene, nor eare hath heard, nether is any mans hart able to thinke them.

Euse.

Here is that fulfilled & found true, whiche the Psalmograph speaketh,Psal. cxv. both of the death of the faithfull, and of the vnfaythfull. Concernyng the faythfull (he sayeth) preci…us in the sight of the Lorde, is …he death of his sainctes. Of the …nfaithfull he also sayeth: The death of sinners is worst of all. As y^e ioyes of Gods people begin not till after their death:Psal. xxxiiii. so lykewise the sorowes and paines of y^e wicked doe chiefly begin at their death, and so for euer and euer cō tinue.

Epaph.

Happy is that man therfore, whiche hath and endeth his sorowe in this worlde, that after this life he may hauehave the perfect and true ioy, whiche knoweth no end

Phi.

He is thrise happy, as they vse to say, and greatly blessed of God. Therfore .s. Austen praied on this manner and said, O Lord burn me here, cut me here in this world, that thou maiest spare me for euer after. Only geue me pacience pleasing vntounto thee, and necessary vntounto me.

Christo.

Like vn…to this are the wordes of a certain auncient father, whiche saieth, I know that diseases chaunce vntounto men for their sinnes. And it is be…ter here paciently to beare afflictions and paines, then after death to suffer euerlasting punishmēts.

Theo.

S. Gregory saith, that God sparith some in this world, to torment them afterward, and som he tormenteth here, which he wil afterward spare. This is a christen mans comforte, y^t by present tribulation, he shall escape euerlasting damnation. For according to the common prouerbe, God punisheth not one thing twyse.

Epa.

Of these your wordes I conceiue a good hope, that although God punisheth me iustly for my sinnes yet he wil not take away his mercy from me.

Phil.

No, be you sure. For these are his wordes by the Psalmograph.Psal. lxxxi… If they forsake my …aw, and walke not in my iudgements. If they breke my statutes, …nd kepe not my cōmanndemēts, I will visite their offences with the rod, & their sinnes with scourges. Neuertheles, my louing kindnes will I not vtterly take from him, nor suffer my truth to fayle. My couenaunt wil I not breake nor alter the thinge that is gone out of my lips. Here God our mercifull father, promiseth, y^t though he punisheth vsus for our sinne and wickednes, that by this meanes he may call vsus vntounto repentance & amendement of life, yet wil not he take away from vsus his mercy and louing kindnes, but when so euer we turne vntounto hym, repent vsus of our former life, call on his blessed name, beleue and hope to hauehave remissiō of sinnes for Christes sake, and labor to frame our life according to the rule of his holy testa…mēt, he will surely receiue vsus ioy…fully, pardon all our iniquities and as derely louelove vsus, as though we had neuer offended his deuin… maiestie. God saith also by y^e Prophet Ieremy:Iere. xviii. when I take in hād to rote out, to destroy, or to wast away any people or kingdome, if y^e people (against whō, I hauehave thus deuised) conuert frō their wickednes: I repēt of the plague, that I deuised to bring vponupon them.Esay. lv. The prophet Esay also saith. If thungodly forsaketh his way, and the vnrighteous man his owne Imaginations, and turne againe vntounto the Lorde, he will surely be mercifull vntounto him. For he is very ready to forgeue. He will not alway be chyding, (sayth the Psalmograph,Psalm. ciii.) neither kepeth he his anger for euer. Yea lyke as a father pitieth his owne children, euen so is the Lorde mercifull vntounto them that feare hym.

For he knoweth whereof we bee made, he remembreth that we are but duste. My thoughtes (saith God) are to geue you peace and not trouble.Ier. xxix. Why God punisheth vsus Though the lord punisheth vsus for our sinnes, yet doth he not punishe vsus, to cast vsus away and to condemne vsus, but to call vsus vntounto repentance, to mortifie our fleshly lustes, & afterward to make vsus the more circumspect in obseruing the rules of our profession, y^t is, the christen profession as that princelike Prophet saith:Psal. cxix. It is greatly for my wealth, that thou hast punished me & brought me low, euen that I may learne thy righteous ordinances.Esay. xxviii. Uexatiō or trouble (saith the Prophet) geueth vnderstanding. And whā soeuer we repent & cease to sinne, the Lord straightwais remoueth and taketh away the crosse that he hath laid vponupon our backes, and poureth his blessing againe plentiously vponupon vsus. For though he maketh a woūd,Iob. v. he geueth a plaster, though he smite, he maketh whole again.i. Reg. iii▪ The Lord killeth & maketh a liue, bringeth down to the graue, and fetcheth vp again. The lord maketh poore, & maketh …ich, bringeth lowe and lifteth vp again.Tob. iii. After a storm (O lord) saith holy Toby, thou makest the weather faire & calme: after wepyng and heauines, thou geuest great …oy. Thy name (O God of Israel) …e praised for euer.

Euseb.

If God …oueth a man and entendeth to make him partaker of euerlasting glory: he wil not cease to punishe him, vntill he knowledgeth his …ault, repenteth, & become a newe …an.

Phi

Ye say truth. For vntounto …his end doth God correcte suche …s he loueth, and entendeth to …aue. The Lord saith by the Pro…het, that he will punishe his peo…le, which sinne against him, and …un on whoring after straunge Gods, vntill they cōfesse their falt and say: I wil turne again to my first husband,Ose. ii. for at that time was I better at ease, then now.

Chri.

This is a great comfort for a christen man in his affliction to hear, that God punisheth hym in this world to this end, y^t he may cease to sinne, that he may repent, turn againe vntounto the Lord his God, & so for euer be saued.

Epaph.

But I pray you rehearse vntounto me out o… the holy scripture, for the quiet…nes of my conscience, some histories which may declare vntounto me that God punishing synners fo… their disobediēce, doth afterwar… whan they repent and turne, for…geue them, and receiue thē agai… into his fauour.

Philemon.

In th… fourth boke of Moses, called N…mery, we reade that the pepole … Israel murmured and grudged …gainst God and against Mose… saying vntounto Moses: wherfore hast thou brought vsus out of Egipt,Num. xxi. for to die in the wildernesse? For here is neither bread nor water, & our soule lotheth this lyght bread.

Now se ye the sinne of the Israelites. They murmur, thei grudge they are vnfaithfull, vnpacient, & disobedient against God and against his lawful magistrat: now heare again the reward of sinne. Wherfore the Lord sent firy Serpentes among the people, whiche …tong them, & muche people of Israel died. Here hauehave ye the punishment of the sin. Now hear also y^e …emedy against this punishment, …nd the salue against this plage. Therefore the people came vntounto Moses & sayd: we hauehave sinned, for …e hauehave spoken against the Lord … against thee. Make intercession …o the Lord that he take away the …rpentes from vsus. Here the people of Israll repenteth, confesseth their sinne, turneth againe vntounto the Lorde, and besecheth Moses to pray for them vntounto the Lorde. Repentance cōfession of the sinne, conuersion vntounto the Lorde, and faithfull prayer are the meanes, wherby Gods wrath is turned away from vsus, & his plagues cease. For when Moses had made intercessiō for the people, the Lord said vntounto him. Make a brasen serpēt, and set it vp for a signe, that as many as are bitten, may loke vpō it and liue. And Moses made a seruent of brasse, and set it vp for a signe. And when the Serpents had bitten any man, he beheld th… serpent of brasse, and was healed▪ Here se you the mercy of God, e…uen in the middes of the crosse to…ward penitent sinners. The Is…raelites sinne: God plagueth: th… people repenteth: God turneth a…way his plague: and healeth thē.

Epa.

A cōfortable history. Be ther no mo such in the holy scriptures?

Phi.

Uery many.

Ep.

Rehearse thē I pray you. For I delight to hear such comfortable histories.

Phile.

I am very glad.ii. Pet. xxx… Manasses. king of Iuda was an abhominable Idolatoure. He went to and built …he hill altares whiche good king Ezechias his father had broken …owne. And he reared vp altares …or Baal, and made groues, and worshipped all the hostes of heauen, and serued them, and he built …ltares in the house of the Lorde, wheras the Lord yet had said: In Hierusalem shall my name be for euer. And he builded aultares for …l the host of heauen in the courts …f the house of the Lorde. And he …urnt his children in the fire, in …he vally of the sonne of Hinon. …e was a sorcerer: he regarded y^e crying of birdes, vsed enchauntments▪ and mainteined workers with spirites, & seers of fortunes, & wrought much euill in the sight of the Lord to anger him withall. And as he him self was an Idolatar & forsoke the Lord God of his fathers: so likewise made he Iuda and the enhabiters of Ierusalem to erre, and to do worse then the Heathen. &c. Nowe hauehave ye heard how greuously king Manasses sinned against y^e Lord his God.

Chri.

His sinnes were grea… & worthy of much punishmēt.

Eu…

Yea of euerlasting damnation, i… he were handled according to his desertes.

Epa.

I pray you, what b…came of him?

Phi.

Albeit y^e sinnes of this Manasses were great, ye… behold the louing kindnes of Go… toward him & his people. Befor… he sent any punishement amon… them, he raised vp his Prophets which exhorted both him and his subiectes to turne from their euil, to repent, and to walke in the ordinaunces and lawes of God, but both he and his people would not heare the gentle admonitions of God by his Prophetes, nether regard them.

Epa.

O stony hartes. But how than?

Ph.

Whan y^e Lord …aw, y^t by no meanes they woulde …urne from their abhominations. … went forth stil to effēd, he brou…ht vpō them the captaines of the …ost of the king of the Assirians, …hiche toke Manasses in hold, & …ound him with chaines, and ca…ed him to Babilon,

Theo.

O the …ghteous iudgemēts of God.

Epa.

…ere we heare y^t Manasses was …unished for his sinnes: yea, and …at worthely, but did God caste … away for euer?

Phi.

Ye shall …ear. Whā Manasses was in tri…lation, he besought the lord his God and humbled him self exceadingly before the God of his Fathers, and made intercession to him, and God was entreated of hym, and heard his prayer, and brought him againe to Hierusalē into his kingdom. And than Manasses knew y^t the lord was God. After this he became a new man, and toke away straunge Gods, & Images out of the house of God and all thalters that he had buil… in the mount of the house of God and Ierusalem, and cast them ou… of the citie. And he prepared tha…tare of the Lord, & sacrificed ther… on peace offringes and thanck of…fringes, & charged Iuda to seru… the Lord God of Israell.

Chri.

… happy change.

Epaph….

Yea O th… great mercies of God.

Phile.

I… this history many notable thin…ges are to be learned. First, if a… such as God entendeth to saue, … offend, and breake his holy 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 vsus, & casteth vsus into trouble, than as we see in Manasses, we make haste vntounto y^e Lord, seke him, pray vntounto him, hū ble our selues before his deuine maiestie, & become new men, as y^e psalmograph saith: When he slue thē,Psal. lxxviii. they sought him, and turned them early, & enquired after God. And they remembred, that God was their strengthe, and that the …hie God was their redemer. God him self also saith by the Prophet: In their aduersitie they shall ear…y seke me,Ose. vii. & say: come, let vsus turn again vntounto the Lorde, for he hath smitten vsus, and he shall heale vsus: he hath wounded vsus, and he shall bind vsus vp againe. Thirdly it setteth forth vntounto vsus the great and exceding mercies of God toward penitent sinners, whome so sone as they cōuert & 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.Esay. lv. If the vngodly will forsake his waies, & thunrighteous his imaginations & turn again vntounto y^e lord, the Lord will surely hauehave 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,Luke. i. and to serue the Lord God in holines and righteousnes all the daies of their lyfe. So saith the Psalmograph:Psal. cxix. 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.Esa. xxviii. Uexation geueth vnderstanding (O Lord) thou hast corrected me, and thy chastning hauehave I receiued, as an vntamed calf, saith the prophet Ieremy.Ier. xxxi. 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 vpō my thigh.

Epaph.

Many godly lessons hauehave you taught vsus out of this history brother Philemō. They that rede and consider the histories of the holy scriptures on this manner,The true vse of reading the holy scriptures. 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 vponupon 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 vntounto hym. Moreouer in holy histories, we consider what our dutie is toward God, after we hauehave receiued benefites of him. Uerely to labour vntounto the vttermoste of our power, to be thākfull vntounto him, and to liue worthy his kindnes. These and suche like thinges must the godly reader cō 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 vntounto 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 vntounto y^e praier and read it vntounto me.

Eusebi.

The praier is this.The prayer of Manasses 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 commaundemēt, 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 repentāce of the remissiō of sins: and thou that art the God of the rightous, hast not put repētance to the righteous Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, vntounto thē that hauehave not sinned against thee: but because I hauehave 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 hauehave prouoked thine anger, and done euil before thee in cōmitting abhominatiōs, and multiplying offēces. And now I bow y^e knees of my hart, requiring goodnes of the (O Lord) I hauehave sinned, lord I hauehave 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, & vntounto thee belongeth glory world without end. Amē.

Epa.

A fruteful & godly prayer. God geue me grace so to repent and to pray that I may hauehave the lord my God mercifull vntounto me. For I hauehave also greuously offended my Lord God, and I most humbly beseche him for his names sake to hauehave mercy on me, and to forgeue me.

Phile.

Be on good cōfort & wepe not.Esay. lxiii. 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 thē more. The bloud of Iesus Christ,i. Iohn. i. Gods son hath made you clene from all sin.Hebr. x. By thoffring of Iesus Christs body done once for all you ar sanctified and made holy.Psal. xxxiii. 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.Sap. xi. Thou (O lord) saith y^e wise man, makest thee as though thou …awest not the sinnes of men for …epentance sake. And the Prophet …aieth.Esay. xxviii. All that beleueth on him …he speaketh of Christ) shal nat be …onfounded.Rom. x. And Christ saith of …im selfe I am the resurrection & …he life.Iohn. xi He that beleueth on me, …ea though he were dead, yet shall …e liue. And whosoeuer liueth and …eleueth on me, he shall neuer die. …lso in another place he sayeth, …od so loued the worlde,Iohn, iii. that he …aue his only begottē sonne, that …hosoeuer beleueth on him, shuld …ot perishe, but hauehave euerlastinge …fe. For God sent not his sonne in … the world to cōdemne y^e world, …ut that the worlde through hym …ight be saued.

Epap.

Godly and …omfortable sentences. God geue … grace neuer to forget them.

…hristo.

Amen.

Epa.

You brother …hilemon hauehave rehearsed two notable and comfortable histories out of the old testament, which declare that God punishing sinners for their disobedience, doeth notwithstāding afterward whē they repent and turne, forgeue thē and receiue them againe into his fauoure. Rehearse vntounto 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 writtē in the Gospel of blessed Luke?

Ep.

What is that, I pray you.

Phil.

Blessed Luke telleth,Luk. xv. that a certaine man had two sonnes, and the yonger of them said vntounto his father: father geue me the porcion of the goods that to me belongeth. And he deuided vntounto them his substaunce Hitherto hauehave ye heard of the fathers liberalitie toward his sōne It foloweth: and not long after …hen the yōger son had gathered … y^t he had together, he tooke his …urney into a far coūtrey▪ & there …e wasted his goods with riotous …uing. Here se we the wickednes …f the son. Now behold y^e plage of God. And whē he had spēt al: ther …rose a great dearth in al y^t lande, …nd he began to lack, and went & …ame to a citezen of the same coun…ry, & he sent him to his farme to …epe swine. And he wold hauehave fil…d his belly with the cods that … swine did eat, & no man gaue …nto him. Thus see ye into howe …reat misery he is fallen for the …ifusing of his goods. Beholde …ow again his repentant & sorow…ll hart: Thē he came to him self, … said: how many hired seruantes … my fathers hauehave bread inough? …d I perishe with honger. I …ill arise, and go to my Father, …nd will say vntounto him: Father, I hauehave 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 whē he was yet a great way of, his father saw him, and had compassion, & ran, and fell on his neck, & kissed him▪ And the sonne sayde vntounto hym… father I hauehave sinned against heuen & thy in sight, & am no more worthy to be called thy son. Bu… the father said to his seruauntes bring forth the best garment, an… put it on hym, and put a ring o… his hand, and shoes on his feete And bring hither that fat calf, … kill it, and let vsus eate & be mery for this my sonne was dead, & i… aliue againe, he was lost, and i… found. And thei begō to be mer… …n this history do ye se y^e exceding …reat mercy of God toward peni…nt sinners moste liuely painted … set forth. So sone as this wast…l sonne repented him of his rio…ous liuing, & had a mynde to re…urne home vntounto his father, and … humble him self before him, and … desire merciemercy and forgeuenesse …f his sinnes, oh how gladly and …ow ioyful did his father louing… embrace him, swetely kisse him, …endly salute him, hartely enter…ain him, & so derely receiue him …to his fauour, as though he had …euer offended?

Epa.

O the great …nd infinite mercies of God.

Phi.

…ere see ye that to be true, whiche …od him self saith by the prophet: …hou disobedient Israel tourn a…ain saith the Lorde,Iere. iii. & I will not …t my wrath fall vponupon you. For I …n merciful, saith the Lorde, & I …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.Esech. 33 By an other Prophet he also saieth: as truly as I liue, saith the Lord God, I hauehave 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 vngodli…waies, O ye af the house of Israe… oh, wherfore will ye die? The wickednes of y^e wicked shal not hurt hym, whensoeuer he conuerteth from his vngodlines.Esech. 18 Again by y^e aforsaid Prophet, he saith: repen… and turn you from al your iniquities, & your iniquities shall work… you no displeasure. Cast away fr… you, all your wickednesses, wher… in ye hauehave offended, and make yo… a new hart and a new spirit. An… wherfore will ye die? O ye hous… …f Israel? For I wil not y^t any mā …huld die, sayth the Lord. Return …herfore & liue.

Ep.

Are these wor…es spokē as wel to vsus as to y^e peo…le of Israel?

Phi.

Yee to vsus. Of a …ruth,Act. x. saith blessed Peter, I per…eiue y^t ther is no respect of persōs … God, but in al people, he y^t fea…eth him, & worketh righteousnes …s accepted w^t him. Is he y^e God of …he Iewes only?Rom. iii. Is he not also y^e God of the gētils? yea euen of the …entiles also, saith blessed Paule. For it is God only,Rom. ii. which iustifi…th the circumcision y^t is of faith, & …ncircumcision thorowe faith. …or he is not a Iewe whiche is a …ew outward, nether is it circū …siō, which is outward in y^e flesh. …ut he is a Iew, which is hid w^t …, and the circūcision of the heart … true circumcision, which consi…eth in the spirite, and not in the …ter, whose prayse is not of mē, but of God. There is no differēce betwene the Iew and the gentill.Roma. x. For one is Lorde of all, whiche is riche vntounto all that call vponupon him.Iohn. ii. For who so euer doth call on the name of the Lorde,Rom. xv. shall be safe. Therefore what so euer thinges were written aforetime, they wer… written for our learning, that we thorow pacience and the comfor… of y^e scriptures, might hauehave hope.

The.

Ephe. ii.Ye gentils, saith s. Paul, we… in times past without Christ, be…ing aliauntes from the Common…wealth of Israel, and straunger… frō the testaments of the promes hauing no hope, and being with…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 Christ… For he is our peace, whiche hat… made of both one, and hath brok… downe the wall, that was a sta… betwene vsus, 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 vntounto 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 hauehave an entraunce in one …pirit vntounto the father. Nowe ther…ore, ye are not straungers and fo…einers, but citezins with y^e sain…es, and of the houshold of God, & …re built vponupon the foundation of … Apostles and Prophets, Iesus Christ him self being the head cor…er … stone, in whome what buil…ng soeuer is coupled together, … groweth vntounto 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 vsus gentils also partakers of his heauenly blessinges. But brother Philemon, hetherto hauehave 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,Iohn. v. we read, that there was a certaine man, whiche had bene diseased .xxxviii. yeares, pla…ged of God (without doubt) fo… his sinnes. So sone as our saui…our Christ perceiued, that he ha… a mynde to be made whole he sai… vntounto him: Rise, take vp thy bed … walke. And streightways the … was made hole. Afterward Chr… found him in the temple, and … vntounto him: Behold thou art … whole, loke thou sinne no … after this, least a worse thynge chaunce vntounto thee. These wordēs of our sauiour Christ doe playnly declare that this man was a greuous sinne, & that this his longe disease, sicknes and trouble, was cast vponupon him for his sinne & disobediēce 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 vntounto 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.Esa. lxv. It shall be that or euer they call, I shall an…were them. Whyle they are yet but thinking howe to speake, I shal heare them.

Phi.

The history of y^e thefe,Luke. xxiii. 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. Notwithstāding so sone as he humbled him selfe, repented him of his former life: cō fessed his sinne, and called vponupon Christ for mercy, saying: Lord remember me, whā thou comest into thy kyngdom, he was straightwaies receiued into fauor, & hard these most comfortable wordes at the mouth of Christ: Uerely I say vntounto 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 vntounto 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 frō our wickednes, the Lord our God wil for…geue vsus our sinnes, and geue vsus 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 comf…rt and great ioy in your cōscience. A quiet and mery heart shall you hauehave within you,Rom. x. as s. Paul saith: We being iustified by saith hauehave peace that is to say: quietnes of consciē ce toward God, through our Lord Iesus Christe, by whome also it chaunced vntounto vsus to be brought in thorowe faith vntounto this grace, wherin we stande, and reioyce in hope of the glory of God.Luk. x.xv. Howe greatly also do the histories of the wounded man & of the lost shepe▪ (as I may let other passe) set forth gods exceading mercy toward penitent sinners, be they neuer so greuously wounded and diseased? A certain man saieth, our sauiour Christ, descended from Hierusalē …o Hierico, and fel among theues, whiche robbed him of his raimēt, 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 vntounto 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, whē he departed, he toke two pence, & gaue them to the host, & said vntounto him: take cure of hym, and what soeuer thou spendest more, whe… I come again, I wil recompenc… thee.

Ep.

Ther was small chariti… both in the Priest and in the Le…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 & louelove, which also refuseth no labour, no paine, no cost,, in seking our saluation. He it is alone,Esay. liii. which, as the Prophet saieth: hathe taken on hym our infirmities, and borne our pains.i. Pet. ii. He him self as Peter saith, bare our sinnes in his body on the tree, that we being deliuered from sinne, should liue vntounto righteousnes, By whose stripes ye wer hea…ed. For as ye were as shepe going astray, but are nowe tourned vntounto the shepeheard, and Bishop of your soules.

Epaphroditus.

You …pake of the lost shepe also.

Phile.

Truth.Luke. xv. 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 vntounto them: reioyse with me, for I hauehave founde my shepe whiche was lost. Hereof our sauiour Christe concludeth: I say vntounto 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 cōcludeth and saith: Likewyse I say vntounto you, shall there be ioy in the presence of the aungels of God ouer one sinner that repenteth.

The Sick Mans Salve, Text (1 of 5)

p. 1¶THE SICK MANS SALVE.

¶THE SICK MANS SALVE.