The Sick Mans Salve — Thomas Becon

The Sick Mans Salve · Thomas Becon

Epaph.

Great comfort is there, for penitent synners and weke cōsciences: in these histories and parables which you neighbour Philemon hauehave full gently declared vntounto me.

Phile.

I …m glad brother Epaphroditus …o heare you so say. And be ye wel …ssured, they are no lesse true than …omfortable.Mat. xix. Perswade your self …hat Christ is a moste louing and …aithfull Phisition to so many as …ele them selues diseased, yea he so …uche tendreth our health, that …e calleth vsus vntounto hym, and pro…iseth that he wyl ease vsus of our …rief, if we will come vntounto hym, & …eal all our diseases.Math. ix.xi. They that …e strong, nede no Phisition, but …ey y^t are sicke. And Christ came …t to call the righteous, but syn…rs vntounto repentance. If ye ther…e fele your selfe sick and greued …ith the burdē of sinne, come vntounto the Phisition Christ,Luk. x. shew him your woundes, and he will vndoubtedly heal them, as ye heard afore of the wounded man. Despaire not though your sinnes bee neuer so great and innumerable.Luke. xx. For the sonne of man came to seke vp and to saue that was lost. Christ is that lambe of God,Iohn. i. whiche taketh away the sinne of the world.i. Tim. ii. This is a true saying and worthy of all men to be receiued, that Christ Iesus came into this worlde to saue sinners.Esay. xxviii. Whosoeuer beleueth on him, shall not bee ashamed.Roma. x. Because he hath pu… his trust in me,Psalm. xci. sayth God by th… Psalmograph, I will deliuer, ye… I will defende hym, because h… hath knowne my name.

Epaphro…

Than I trust whether the Lord my God punisheth me for the tr…all of my faith, or for my sinnes that by this meanes he may ca…me vntounto repentaunce, it is no token of his wrath and heauy displeasure toward me.

Phile.

No, be …e well assured.Prouerb. iii. For whome the Lorde loueth, him he chastneth, & yet delighteth in him, as a father …n his owne sonne. What sonne …s he, whome the father chastneth not? If ye be not vnderunder correctiō, (saith S. Paul,) wherof all are …artakers,Hebr. xii. then are ye bastardes, and not sonnes. And God himself …aith:Apoc. iii. As many as I louelove, I re…uke and chasten. So that this …our sicknesse is the louing visi…ation of God, sent vntounto you, not …or your destruction, but for your …aluation.

Epaphro.

I may then …e bolde to call vponupon the Lord my God in this my sicknesse.

Phile.

Why not? God hath commaun…ed you so to do, and hath also pro…ised to heare you

Epaphroditus.

Where is that commaundement and promise of God?

Ph.

It is written in a certaine Psalme by that Princelike Prophet Dauid.

Epa.

Psalm. i.Let me heare it.

Phil.

Call on me, saith God, in the time of thy trouble, and I wil deliuer thee, & thou shalt honoure me. Here God doth not only commaund vsus to call o… him in the tyme of our trouble, but he also promiseth graciously to heare vsus, and to graunt vsus ou… request. And for this his benefit… he requireth nothinge of vsus,Math. i. bu… thankes geuing.

Chri.

Ful grati…ous is the Lord, & a strong hold i… the time of trouble, he knowet… them that put their trust in hym▪ The Lord is nie vntounto them tha… are of a troubled hart,Psal. 33. & will sau… suche as be of an humble spirit… The Lorde healeth those that a… broken in hart:Psal. 147. and geueth m…decine to heale theyr sickenesse. The Lord remembred vsus (saith Psalmograph,Psal. cxxxvii) when we were in trouble, for his mercy endureth for euer. Unto whom shal I hauehave …espect, or whome shall I fauour, …aith God by the prophet? Uerely …uen him,Esay. lxxvi. that is miserable, poore, …ow brought, troubled in spirite, & …andeth in awe of my woordes.

…hi.

Truth it is,zach. i. that the Lorde is …ood and gratious vntounto thē that …ut their trust in hym, and to the …ule that seaketh after hym. …herfore brother Epaphroditus, …re not in this your sicknes dili…ently and without ceasing to flee …nto God with harty and fayth…ll prayers, nothing doubtinge … that he will fauourably heare …, and graunt you, whatsoeuer … aske according to his will as s. …ohn saith:i. Iohn, v. this is the trust that …e hauehave in him, that if we aske …y thyng according to his wyll, … heareth vsus. And if we know y^t he heare vsus whatsoeuer we aske, we knowe that we hauehave the petitions that we desire of him. For the Lorde is nie vntounto all that call on hym, yea that call on hym in truth.Psal. cxlv. After this manner did all good men & women behaue them selues, whansoeuer they were assailed with any kynde of trouble or aduersitie.iii. Reg. xx. King Ezechias whā he was greuously sicke, and had receiued a commaundemēt from God, that he should set his hous… in an order, for he should die an… not liue, tourned his face to th… wall, and prayed vntounto the Lord, the Lorde hearde hym, made hi… whole and saued hym aliue .xv… yeares after. The thre chyldre… Sidrach,Dan. iii. Misach, & Abednag… when they were cast into the fy…rie fornace because they would not worship the golden Image … the commandement of kyng N…buchodonosor, praied vntounto y^e Lord and he both graciously heard thē and deliuered them. Daniell being in the den of Lions,Dan. vi. praid vntounto God,Dan. xiii. and was preserued. Susanne forsaken of all men, and at the poynt to be stoned vntounto death thorow the vniust and false accusations of twoo wicked Iudges, praid vntounto the Lord her God, and she was both heard and safely deliuered.Luke. xxiii. Our sauioure Christ in the time of his trouble and passiō, prayed so feruently vntounto his heauenly father, that his sweat was lyke droppes of bloud trickeling downe to the grounde.Act. vii. Blessed Stephen when the stones came batteryng about his body, prayed earnestly.Act. xii. When Peter was in prysone, there was Prayers made of the Congregation for hym. Manie other suche lyke examples hauehave wee in the holye Bible, whiche declare vntounto vsus, y^t all good men and women in their aduersitie, hauehave alway fled vntounto God by feruent prayer for remedy neither hauehave they bene deceiued of their purpose.i. Cor. x. For God is faithfull, which wil not suffer vsus to be tempted aboue our strengthe, but shall in the mids of the temptation, make away, that we may be able to beare it. For the Lorde hym selfe saith:Psalm. xci. forasmuche as he hath put his trust in me: I wyll delyuer hym, I wyll be good to hym because he hath knowē my name He hath cried vntounto me, and I … graciously heare him, I am wit… him in trouble, I wil deliuer hi… and bring him to honour. Wit… long life will I satisfie hym, an… shewe him my saluation. When I was in trouble,Psalm. cxx. sayeth Dauid, I called vpō y^e Lord, & he heard … Again he saith, I wil cal vponupon … Lord, whiche is worthy to be praised, so shall I be safe from mine enemies. The sorowes of death cō passed, and the ouerflowinges of vngodlines made me afrayd. The pains of hell came about me, the snares of death ouertoke me. But in my trouble I called vponupon the Lord, and made my complaint vntounto my God, and he full gratiously hard my voyce from his holy temple, and my complaint came before him, so that it entred euen into his eares. And as the Psalmograph in all his trouble cried vntounto the Lord and was holpē ▪ so did all his faithful ancestors, as these his words do declare, and they al so were hard.Psal. xxiii. Our fathers hoped in thee, they trusted in thee, & thou diddest deliuer them. They called vponupon thee, and were helped, they put their trust in thee, and were not confounded. And vntounto this day hauehave all y^t faithful in their aduersitie cried vntounto y^e Lord, & hauehave receiued help.Rom. x. For ther is one lord of all rich ynough for all that call on him,Ioel. ii. Act. ii. Esay. xxviii. so that whosoeuer calleth on the name of y^e Lord, he shall be safe. For none shalbe confounded, y^t putteth his trust in hym. This poore mā cried saith Dauid,Psa. xxxiiii. & the Lord hard him, & saued him from al his troubles. For the aungell of the Lord pitcheth his tent round about them that fear him, & deliuereth them. O tast therfore & se, how gētle, gratious & louing the Lorde is, blessed is the man y^t trusteth in hym.

Euse.

Brother Epaphroditus, all these sentences and histories which our neighbor Phi…lemon hath here recited vntounto you out of the holy scriptures, ought to encourage you to pray vntounto the Lord God in this your sicknes w^t a strong and vnshaken faith, and to be fully perswaded that God will both gratiously heare you, & also worke that in you, which shal turn moste vntounto his glory, and vntounto the saluation of your soul?Esay. l… ▪ For behold, the Lordes hand is not so shortned, that it can not helpe, nether is his eare so stopped, that it may not hear.Psal. lxviii▪ Our God is such a God as saueth. With the lord our God there is health, & he laith his blessing vponupon his people.Psal. iii. Whome did God euer despise, that called faithfully vponupon hym?Eccl, ii. For God is gratious & merciful, he forgeueth sinnes in the tyme of trouble, & is a defender for al them that seke after him.Eccl. xxxvi…

The.

The wise man saith: sonne in thy sickenesse, despise not thy self, but pray to the Lord, & he shall heale thee. Here is a cōmaundement geuen to pray vntounto God in the tyme of our sicknes, & also a promise added, that he wil hear, heale, and help vsus, as he saieth by the Psalmograph:Psalm. i. Call on me in the day of thy trouble, and I will deliuer thee, and thou shalt honor me

Chri.

Iames. v.S. Iames in his Epistle also saieth: If any be diseased among you, let hym call for the elders of the congregation, and let them praye ouer him, and anoynt him with oyle in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith shall saue the sick, and the Lorde shall raise him vp, and if he hauehave committed sinnes, they shall be forgeuen him.

Phile.

That God being faithfully called vponupon, wyll helpe in the time of sicknesse: we hauehave many examples in the holy scriptures, whiche may worthely comfort vsus & stir vp our faith toward God, lokyng for helpe at his most mercifull hand. But for this present, let this one example of kyng Ezechias suffice,iiii. Reg. xx. whome being apoynted to die, after he had called …n the name of the Lord, the lord our God graciously heard his request, restored him to his health, & gaue him .xv. yeares mo to liue in this world after that his sicknes. Notwithstanding, brother Epaphroditus, all be it we doubt not but that you praying vntounto God in this your sicknes, God wil mercifully heare you, and worke that in you whiche shall be moste vntounto his glory: and the health of your soule, yet forasmuch as you know not what is most expediēt for you, be content in all your prayers to submit your will do the good will of God, whiche without all doubt tendereth the health of your soule more than any mortall frend tendereth the healthe of your body. In al temporal & worldly things, that you craue of God in your praiers, prefer the wil of God vntounto your owne will, and be content to receiue at the hand of God, as shall be his godly pleasure to appoynte. For whether we lyue or die,Rom. xiiii. we are the Lordes. An example hereof hauehave you of our sauiour Christe,Math. xxvi. Mark. xiiii. Luk. xxii. whiche a little before his passion, being greatly dismaid w^t the terrours and feares of death, praied vntounto his heauenly father, that these bitter paynes and tormentes, whiche were at hand for him to suffer, myght be remoued from hym, so that he myght not suffer them, but be fre from them. Notwithstanding knowing that the will of his heauenly father is euer best and moste perfecte, and that all willes of men oughte t… geue place vntounto his godly will, h… wyshed rather the will of God t… be done, then the wyll of hym be…yng man, and so submitted hy… selfe to Gods holy wil, being con…tented to suffer in his body, wha…soeuer should be his godly pleasure to appoynt. The wordes of Christes praier in this behalf, are these:Math. xxvi. O my father, if it be possible, let this cup depart from me, notwithstanding not as I wyll, but as thou wilt. Again, O my father, if this cup can not goe from me, but that I must drincke it, thy wil be done. That we ought in al our praiers for temporall things, to submit our wil to the good wil and pleasure of God, and no more to desire of him, then may stande with his blessed wyll. Christ our Lord and sauiour teacheth vsus in that common prayer, whiche we call the Pater noster, where we praye on this manner.Math. vi. Thy wyll be done in earth, as it is in heauen. This manner of praying,Mat. xxvi…. practised the Leper, which came vntounto Christ to bee healed of hys Leprosy. Lorde (saith he) if thou wilt, thou art hable to make me whole. Here this faithfull Leper confessed Christ thorow y^e almighty power of his Godhead to be able for to clense him, and to make him whole, not withstanding he submitted his will to the will of Christ, that if the Lorde Christe, thought it not mete to make hym whole, but y^t it was better for his saluation to continue a leper still, he refused not to suffer that plague of leprosy vponupon his body euen vntounto the very death. Thus affected, neighbor Epaphroditus, must we all be whansoeuer we aske anye tēporall or worldly thing of God. And this trade folow you in this your sicknes, whē you pray vntounto God. Desire God to remoue this your disease frō you, and to blesse you agayne with the benefite of health, that you may liue long & se good daies on earth, yet in these your prayers be content to submit your will to his godly wyll, yea though death should follow, knowing that if death doe ensue of this your sicknesse, it shalbe no losse, but auauntage vntounto you, as saint Paul saieth:Phil. i. Christe is to me life, and death is to me auantage. On this manner did Christ our elder brother submit his will vntounto the wil of his heauenly father, as you afore heard, and so hūbled himself, that he became obedient vntounto death, euen y^e death of y^e cros. Note now what foloweth:Phil. ii. wherfore God hath also exalted him on hie and geuen him a name, which is aboue al names, that is y^e name of Iesus eueryevery kne should bowe, bothe of thinges in heauen and thinges in the earth, and thinges vnderunder the earth, & that all tonges should confesse, that Iesus Christ is the Lord vntounto the praise of God the father. He that humbleth him self,Luk. xviii. …. Pet. v. shall be set hie. For the Lord is a frend to them that be humble, & submit their willes to his godlye wyll and pleasure.

Epa.

O Lorde thy will be done and not mine.

A praier.I confesse (O heauenly father) that my manifold wickednesses and vnnumerable sinnes, hauehave 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 hauehave sinned, I hauehave synned, O lord God, against thy holy lawes and I hauehave 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 vntounto the throne of thy fauorable mercy, most humbly besechinge thee for Iesus Christes sake to forgeue me all my synnes which I hauehave cōmitted against thy deuine maiestie, frō the houre of my birth vntounto this presēt 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 heauēly 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 burdē thou laiest on my shoulders, with this perswasiō and assured faith, that whatsoeuer I suffer, is vntounto the glory of thy name, and vntounto 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,Rom. xiiii. 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 vntounto euerlasting lyfe. Your name,Luk. x. Ephe. ii. 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 vntounto this houre. He hath cast away all your iniquities …ehind his backe, so that he wyl neuer remember them any more. Ye are counted among thē,Psal. 3…. whose vnrighteousnesses are forgeuen, and whose sinnes are couered, & vntounto 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 vntounto your charge?Rom. …. 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 thē that are in Christ Iesu,Rom. 8. 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 frō 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 vsus, whiche walke not after the flesh, but after the spirite.

Epa.

I thāke 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 vntounto all faithfull penitēt sinners in Christes bloud, hath so frely and wholy forgeuen me all my sinnes, that he will neuer remember them more, nor lay them vntounto my charge, but so louelove 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 hauehave vntounto his godly wil, to do with me in al things,Rom. xiiii. whatsoeuer his good plesure shallbe.A praier. For liue we, die we, we ar the Lords. And lord I most humbly besech thee, call to remē brance thy tender mercies, & thy louing kindnesses, whiche hauehave bene euer of olde.Psal. xxv. Oh remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth, but accordyng vntounto thy mercy thinke y^• vponupon me, O lord for thy goodnes. Turne the vntounto me & hauehave mercy vponupon me, for I am desolate & in misery. The sorowes of my hart ar enlarged, O bring thou me out of my troubles. Loke vponupon mine aduersitie and misery and forgeue me al my sinne. O kepe my soule and deliliuer me, let me not be confounded, for I hauehave 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 vntounto your conscience, that God loueth, fauoureth and tendereth you, yea and that muche more thē any natural father maketh of his sonne.Eccle. xxxv. Who so serueth God (saith the wise man) after his pleasure, shalbe accepted, and his praier rea…cheth vntounto 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 hauehave respect vntounto her. The Lord is nie vntounto them y^t are of a contrite heart (saith the Psalmograph)Psal. xxxiiii… & will saue suche as be of an humble spirite.Luk. xviii. The sinfull Publican, thus hūbling him self, obtained the fauor of God, remission of sinnes, & went home more righteous than the proud Pharisey.Math. viii. So likewise the Centurion cō fessing his vnworthines for the receiuing of Christ into his house, obtained health for his sicke seruāt. Likewise the Leper with diuers other, humbling them selues before Christe, obtained their hartes desire.Psalm. ci. For God, saith Dauid, hath respect vntounto the prayer of the humble, & suche as be destitute, & despiseth not their desire, but heareth …heir mournings, y^t he may deliuer …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. A praier.But Lord, I beseche thee, strengthē thou me, & endue me w^t power from aboue, that as y^e spirit is ready:Math. xxvi. so likewyse the flesh, which is euer weake & vnready, may be obediēt to thy godly wyl, & frely consent to the working of thy blessed pleasure.Luk. xvii. Mark. ix. Lord encrese my faith. Lorde, helpe my vnbelief. Lord, remēber not mine olde sinnes, but hauehave mercy vponupon me, and that sone, for I am come to great misery.Psal. lxxix. Healpe me, O God my Sauiour, for the glory of thy name. O deliuer me, & be merciful vntounto my sinnes for thy names sake.

Euse.

God hath euer be me…full vntounto you, & so will cōtinue vntounto thend, doubt you not.

Ep.

That is my only comfort. A praier. Psal. lxviii.And Lord, I most humbly pray thee, cōfirme 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 hauehave 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 …erely, y^t the lord my God hath sēt this sicknes vntounto 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 thē, 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 vntounto my mynd.

Phile.

If you hauehave 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, & ther…fore I deferred the matter. But I se now,Mar. xxiiii. Mark. xiii. Apoc. xvi. 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, whē the Lord commeth.

The.

Whan that godly king Ezechias was sicke,iiii. Reg. xx. God sent the Prophet Esaias vntounto him, and willed him to saye vntounto 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 endu…ed with the goodes of the worlde, …hould before their departure set a godly order and quiet stay in their …emporal possessions.

Epaph.

You …ay truth neighbour Theophile, & …herfore I pray you bring hether …en, inck, & paper, withal expedi…ion, and let my will be written. …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 hauehave to thank the lord my God, that since I came to the vse of reason,The true vse of ritches. and had any worldly possessions at all, I hauehave 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 nōbre of those, of whom it is written: blessed are the poore in spirit,Math. v. for vntounto thē belongeth the kingdome of heauen The Psalmograph saith:Psa. lxii. If ritches do abound, set not thy heart vponupon them.i. Cor. vii. And the holy Apostl… commaundeth, that they which vse the world should be as thoug… they vsed it not. For the fashio… of this world goeth away Saint Iohn also saieth:i. Iohn. ii. Se that ye louelove 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,The sickemans will. 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,Soule. my spirit, which he of his fatherly goodnesse gaue vntounto 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,Body. euen with a good will & fre hart, I geue it ouer, commending it vntounto 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 iudgemēt seat of Christ, I shal receiue it again by the mighty power of God, wherwith he is able to subdue al thīgs vntounto him selfe,Phil. ii. not a corruptible, mortail, weake, and vile body as it is nowe, but an vncorruptible, immortall, strong, perfect, and in all poyntes like vntounto the glorious body of my Lorde and Sauioure Christ Iesu. HaueHave ye writtē this, neighbour Philemon?

Phi.

Yea forsothe Sir. But what is your mind now, cōcerning your world …y possessions.

Epaph.

First as touching my wyfe:Wife. with whome I …oupled my self in the fear of God, and refusing all other women, I …inked my selfe vntounto her, liuing w^t her in the blessed state of honoura…le wedlocke, by whome also tho…owe the blessing of God, I hauehave …ad certen children, wherof part …re gone before me vntounto the lord, and part yet remain a liue, albeit I dout not, but y^e god, after my departure according vntounto his promis, will be vntounto her an husband, yea a father, a patrone & defēder, & will not suffer her to lack, if she go …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,i. Tim. v. hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidell, I bequeth & geue vntounto 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 only hauehave aliue of all my sonnes) hauehave the house. Let this suffice for my wiues portion, whō I doubt not, God will take into his protection, and so prouide for her in the tyme of her short pilgrimage, that she shall want no good thing. Only I craue this at her hand, that she be diligent in training vp my children in the feare and doctrine of the Lorde: so shall God be vntounto her an husband, and to her childrē a father. Moreouer as concerning my children, albeit I am fully perswaded that God according to his promise will be a father vntounto them, & if they liue in his fear, he wil not se thē lack, yet both y^e law of God, & of nature requireth, y^t I should also hauehave some care for them.Sonne. Therfore vntounto my sonne I bequeath the house & the land, which I hauehave geuē my wife for tearme of her life, frelye to be his owne after his Mothers departure. And if God so appoynting, he chaunceth to departe before his mother, I will that the house & the land,Daughters. goe to the vse of my .ii. daughters. HaueHave you written these thinges.

Phile.

Yea syr. But what nowe for your daughters.

Ep.

If thei be godly brought vp, I doubt not, but if they liue, God will aboundauntly prouide for them. Notwithstāding I geue vntounto eche of them .ii. C. pounds, of good & lawfull mony to be paid in the day of their mariage. And if my sonne fortune to die: I geue vntounto them also my house and my land.

Euse.

Sir we be all mortall, both old and yong, & God knoweth how sone we shal depart hēce. For as the common prouerbe is:

Assone to the market for to be soulde,

Cometh the yong shepe as the oulde.

What if al your childrē die before they come to mariage?

Epaphro.

My wil is, that in such case, all I hauehave geuen them, shall go to the vse of the pore. I will that they be mine heirs. I pray you neighbour Philemon, write so.

Phi.

I hauehave done so.Seruantes

Epaphro.

I thinke it conuenient to geue to my seruauntes somwhat, that it be not said, they hauehave serued an vnthankfull maister.

Chri.

Sir that is very mete. For the wyse man saith:Eccle. vii. wheras thy seruaunt worketh truely, entreat him not euill, nor the hirelyng that is faithfull vntounto thee. LoueLove a discrete seruaunt as thine owne soule, defraude him not of his libertie, nether leue him apore man.

Epaphr.

I geue to eueryevery one of my seruauntes .vi. pound .xiii. …hillinges .iiii. pence, to be paid in the daye of my buriall. Write it.

Phile.

It is done.

Epa.

God blesse …hem, and encrease them, for they hauehave serued me both honestly and faythfullie. The Lorde our God …eale w^t them, as they hauehave dealt with me.

Theo.

They hauehave done but their dutie.

Phile.

But neighbour Epaphroditus, wherof shall these sommes of mony be raysed?

Epaph.

God hath blessed me aboū dantly. Ye shal hauehave it in my coū ting house with a more summe.

Christ.

Debters.But now syr, concerning your debts: what order will you appoynt for them?

Epa.

The Lorde my God be thanked, I owe no mā any thing, but louelove & good wyll. My chief study hath euer bene, to kepe my self out of debt. And if at any tyme I ought any thing, to labour vntounto the vtter moste of my power, to dispatche my self of that debt withall expedition. I neue… counted other mens goodes min… own. That I truly got with min… own labour, y^t did I alway coun… mine owne, my debtes being onc… paid. I owe nothyng, many ow… me, but forasmuch as they be por… men, & can not pay that they ow… me, except it should be vntounto theyr great hindrance, yea I think vntounto their vtter vndoing. I freely forgeue all my debters what so euer they owe me, vntounto the vttermoste farthing, euen as I would God y^e father should forgeue me all my debts for Christes sake. Wryght this, that I hauehave forgeuen all my debts, so that none hereafter shall demaūd any det of any mā, in my behalf.

Phi.

I hauehave done your appoyntmēt.

EU.

Neighbor Epaphro …itus seing y^e god hath richly blessed you w^t the goods of this world …t wer very expedient to remēber …he pore scholers of y^e vniuersities of Cābridge & Oxford.Scholers of Cambridge and Oxford. For if they …e not mainteined, all learning & …ertue wil decay, and a very bar…ary shall brast in among vsus, & at …he last bring this our realme into …estructiō. And verely the louelove of many now a daies toward good letters is very colde, in so muche y^t we se daily many good wits compelled for lack of exhibition to forsake the vniuersitie, and to becom seruing men, whiche kinde of lyfe is most abhominable, and vnwor…thy a good nature.

Epa.

I hauehave not in times past bene altogether vnmindfull of the vniuersities. What benefits the students hau… heretofore receiued at my hands I wil not here rehearse: God an… they know it. And the knowledg… therof, I would wish rather to b… learned of other, then to be hear… of me. Surely I thincke him … good christian, nor frend vntounto hi… countrey (whiche if he be able) r…fuseth to help forward the studie of good wittes. I pray you neigh…bor Philemon set in .ii. C. pound… of mony, one. C. to be geuen vn… the vniuersitie of Cambridge, th… other vntounto Oxford.

Phile.

This Godly and charitable dede.

Epa.

HaueHave ye done?

Ph.

Yea forsoth sir.

Epa.

Let me se, what now remaineth.

Chri.

Sir, will it please you to remember the poore?Poore p…ple.

Epa.

I neuer forgot them, since the Lorde my God, gaue me any portion of worldly goodes, I always considred to what vse, thei were geuen me: verely, that I shuld distribute part of them to the necessitie of y^e pore sainctes. And I thanke the Lord my God, so hauehave I don: yea, and that with a good wyll and free hart.ii. Cor. …. For God loueth a chere…ull geuer, I hauehave not bene of the minde y^e some are, whiche, so long as they liue, gredely gather together, and bestowe nothing at all vponupon the poore. But when they se nothing but present death, then …ash they out, and liberally geue …nto the pore scilicet, because they …an kepe it no longer, I truste, I hauehave laid vp for my selfe all ready treasures in heauen,Math. vi. where neyther rust nor moth doth corrupte, and where theues doe not breake through or steal. For I hauehave euer thought it better to send my workes before me, while I liue in this world, than to hauehave them sent after me I know not by whō, whā I am gone.Purgatorie rakers. These purgatori rakers shall nether rake nor scrape for me with their masses and Diriges, when I am departed.Phil. iii. For I trust no suche workes. Neither do I any thyng regard y^e prayers of suche as hauehave y^e belly for theyr God. But as touching the pore. I geue vntounto them .iiii. C. poundes, whiche I wil hauehave bestowed, no… vponupon idle lubbers & sturdy quea…nes, but vponupon the halt, the lame, the blind, the sick, and suche other as be comfortles. And in this nō …ber also of the pore, I comprehend prisoners, pore maides, yong mē, which hauehave not wherewith to set vp their occupation, & my neadie neighbours. These .iiii. C. pounds are in four seuerall bagges, lying in my countyng house by them selues, with this wryghting vponupon eueryevery one of them. Mony for the poore. This mony I wil hauehave distributed with all haste, if it be possible, euen before I departe. HaueHave you wrytten in this monye for the pore?

Phile.

I hauehave done it.Hie waies.

Epa.

The hie wayes may not bee forgotten, whiche in many places are very foul & ieopardous. Unto the repayring of them, I geue. xl. poundes. Write it. For I thincke this also to be a dede of charitie, & a commendable worck befor God to repair hie wayes, that the people may safely and without danger trauaill by the way

Chr.

The …et is very godly w^tout all doubt.

Ep.

Neighbour Philemon, I pray you, put in that. xl. pound for the hie wayes.

Phi.

It is done already.

Epa.

That which I shuld chiefly hauehave remembred, I had almost forgotten

Euse.

What is that?

Epi.

Sermons.

Phile.

What is your minde in that behalfe?Sermons.

Epa.

This. At the tyme of my buriall, when the people be gathered together, I wold gladly hauehave some learned man to make a Sermon, wherin the people may be admonished of their mortalitie, and be taught, howe they ought to dispose them selues in this life, that whan the tyme come, they may yelde vp a good soule into the handes of the liuing God. For his paines I appoynt. x.s. to be geuen him. Also I geue for the preaching of foure score sermons at other times, whē it shalbe thought most conuenient xx. poundes. And as I with these Sermōs to be preached by godly & discrete learned men: so I wishe them to be preached in suche places, as the people hauehave most nede of doctrine and teaching. For the Lorde knoweth, the people perish for want of godly knowledge.Esa. lvi. The greatest parte of our beneficed men (God helpe vsus) are blinde guides, and dom dogges, not once able to barke. The people are desirous to knowe God, and omong the great multitude of so many beneficed men, none almoste ether is able, or els endeuoreth him selfe to bring them vntounto Christ. It is in these our daies found true, that is written in the gospel.Math. ix. The haruest truely is plenteous, but the labourers are fewe. It behoueth therefore eueryevery Christen heart to pray the Lord of the haruest, that he will send labourers (not loyterers) into his harnest, and to procure so much as lieth in his power, that the worde of God may be vniuersally preached, that the people may repent, turn vntounto y^e Lord our God, and serue hym in holynes and righteousnes al the days of their life, whiche can not bee brought to passe, where the word of God is not preached.Luke. i. Rom. x. How shal they beleue on him, of whom they hauehave not hard? How shal thei hear without a preacher? To declare therfore my good will toward the word of God, & the saluatiō of the Christians, I geue .xx. poundes for the preaching of .lxxx. sermōs. I pray you note it in my wil,

Phi.

It shall be done.

Epa.

To beare all these charges, ye shall hauehave y^e mony in my coūting house

Chr.

Sir concerning the costes of your burial, what order wil it please you to make in that behalf?

Epa.

Ministers.Let y^e ministers with the other officers of the church hauehave their duties according to the custome.Mourning gownes.

Eu.

Howe many mourning gownes sir, wil ye geue?

Epa.

Of what mourning gownes speake you?

The manner is (as ye know) y^t whan a man of honest reputation departeth, & is brought to be buried, ther shuld follow him certaine in fine blacke gownes, & certain pore men & women in courser cloth.

Epaph.

Unequally hādled, that the pore shuld hauehave the worst, & the rich or wealthy the best. And cal ye these mourners?

Eu.

So are they called.

Epa.

For whō shuld they mourn.

Euse.

For you.

Ep.

Why for me? Because good thinges hauehave chaunced vntounto me? Because I hauehave passed ouer y^e daungerous sea, and am come vntounto the hauen of quietnes? Or because I am deliuered from al euil and set in a blessed and ioyfull state? I thinke that at the burials of the faithfull, there shuld rather be ioy & gladnes, then mourning and sadnes, rather pleasant songes of thankesgeuing: then lamentable and dolefull diriges. Let the infideles mourn for their dead: the Christians ought to reioyse, whan any of the faithfull be called from this vale of misery vntounto the glorious kyngdome of God.

Phi.

i. Thes. iiii.In dede that most worthy Apostle S. Paule would not hauehave vsus mourn for them that are fallen aslepe, as the Heathen doe, which know not God.Apoc. xiiii. And s. Ihō saith in his reuelation. I heard a voyce from heauen, saying vntounto me: wrighte. Blessed are the dad, which die in the Lord. For from henceforth the spirit saith, y^e they are at rest frō their labours, pains and trauailes. &c. The Psalmograph also saith:Psal. cxvi. O full precious in the sight of the Lord is y^e death of his sainctes. Hereto belongeth the saying of the wyse man.Sap. iii. The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God, & the paine of death shall not touche them▪ in the sight of the vnwyse they appeare to die, but they are in peace. Againe in another place.Sap. v. The righteous shall liue foreuer more: their reward is also with the Lorde, and their remembraunce with the highest. Therfore shall they receiue a glorious kingdome, and a beutifull crown of the Lordes hand. For w^t his righthād shall he couer them, and with his own holy arme shall he defend thē.Luke. xvi.

Chri.

Blessed Luke declareth in his Gospell, y^e so sone as Lazarus was dead, (which in his life time, was diuersly afflicted, and miserable punished with many sores and diseases,) he was receiued into the bosome of Abrahā, where he enioyed all pleasure, felicitie and comfort. Such as die in y^e Lord, are not to be mourned, but God is rather to be thancked for their Christen departure. For they are now in reast. They ar w^t him,Esay. xxv. in whom alone, al glory, ioy, comfort and felicitie is. God hath wiped away al teares from their eies,Apo. vii.xxi. so that they are past al sorow al mourning, all paine, why than should other mourn for them, y^e ar in so ioyful state? The eie hath not sene,Esay. lxiiii. i. Cor. ii. nor y^e eare hath hard, neither hath it entred into y^e hart of man, what ioyes god hath prepared for them that louelove him.Ser. de mortalitate.

Theo.

Saint Cipriane in his sermon of mortalitie hath these words: how much it profiteth to go out of the world Christ him selfe the author of our saluatiō & prophet sheweth, which whan his disciples were sad, because he said,Iohn. xiiii. that he shuld depar… from them, spake vntounto them say…ing: If ye had loued me, ye wold hauehave reioysed, because I goe vntounto the Father: teaching and shewing by these his wordes, that whan our frendes, whome we derely louelove, depart out of the worlde, we ought rather to reioyse, than to be sad. Thereof the blessed Apostle Paule, being myndfull, saieth in his Epistle:Phil. i. Christ is to me lyfe, and death is to me a vauntage. He thinketh it great auauntage to be rid out of the snares of this lyfe, when he shalbe no more subiect to any offence, or synne of the flesh, but be exempted from the afflictions that do trouble vsus and deliuered frō y^t in venimed chawes of the deuil, by going vntounto the ioy of eternal saluation, through the calling of Christ. Also in the same sermon he saith: I my selfe, being the most simple of all other, hauehave through the goodnes of God diuers times, aswell by Reuelation as otherwyse, receiued instructiō manifestly to affirme and preach, that our brethren, whiche be deliuered from the worlde, by the calling of God, ought not to be mourned for, seing they be not lost, but sent before to make the waye for vsus that do come after. We should not therfore couet them againe which be dead, nor mourne for thē any otherwyse, then we vse to do for such as hauehave taken their iourny into a straunge lande. And for them we ought not to wear black, sence they in heauen be clothed in white.…po. vi. Herein we should not geue occasion vntounto the gentils, y^t they might iustly reproue vsus, when we mourn for them as dead and lost, whom we do affirme to be liuing with God. &c. And a litle after he saith: The Apostle Paule doth reproue & blame such as do mourne at the departure of the persones y^• they louelove.i. Tes. …. I would not brethren (quod he) that you should be ignoraunt concerning them, which be fallē on slepe, that you sorowe not as other do, whiche hauehave no hope. If we beleue that Iesus died and rose againe, euen so then, also thē whiche slepe by Iesus, wyll God bryng again with him. He declareth, that suche as be sorowfull at their frendes departure, hauehave no hope. Why should we that liue by hope, that beleue in God, & truste that Christ suffred for vsus, & is risen again, that remain in Christe, and be rysen by hym, and in hym, …e so vnwylling to departe out of this worlde, or els mourn & lamēt suche as be departed, as though they were lost, sence Christ our …ord & our God doth admonish vsus, …aying:Iohn. …. I am the resurrection and …he life, he that beleueth on me, yea though he were dead, yet shal he liue, and whosoeuer liueth and beleueth in me, shall neuer die. If we beleue in Christ, and trust his wordes and his promises, we shal neuer die, but shal com with glad suerty vntounto Christ, with whome we shal euer liue & raigne. And y^t in the meane season we do die, we do but therby passe to immortalitie. For except we departe from hence, the lyfe euerlasting can not come. Death is no departure, but a passage, to y^e entent y^t this worldlye iourney once ouer runne, we may come vntounto eternitie. Wh… will not make haste to a better estate? Who will not desyre to bee chaunged and transfourmed into the likenes of Christ, and to come out of hand to the dignitie of the heauēly grace? which thing Paul the Apostle doth declare. Our cō uersacion, saith he:Phi. ii. is in heauen from whence we loke for a Sauiour, euen the Lord Iesus Christ, whiche shall transforme our vile body, that he may make it like vntounto his glorious body. And Christe the Lorde, doth promise, that we shalbe such, when that we may be with him, liue with him in his eternall seat, and reioyce with hym in his heauenly kingdom, he praieth vntounto the father for vsus on this manner: father I will that they, whiche thou haste geuen me, be w^t me wher I am, that they may see my glory whiche thou hast geuen me, for y^e didst louelove me before y^e making of the worlde. Therfore we …ught nether to mourne nor to la…ent for cōming vntounto the seate of Christ, to y^e glory of y^e heauēly king …ō, but ought rather according to …he promise of God, according to …he faith of the veritie to reioyce … our departure and transformation. Hitherto hauehave I rehearsed the words of. S. Cipriane, which do manifestly declare that they whiche die in the Lorde: are in a blessed state,Apoc. xiiii. and therfore not to be mourned nor lamented. I fear least I hauehave bene tedius vntounto you in rehersing so much of .s. Cipriās mynde concerning this matter.

Epaphro.

You hauehave rather neighbour Theophile cōforted me, then molested me: yea, you hauehave ryght well confirmed my faith, & mightely encouraged me to goe vntounto this battel, and willingly to geue ouer this my life, forasmuch as I am thorowly perswaded, that after my departure from this vale of mysery, I shal come vntounto a glorious kingdome, and shal se God, face to face. And one thing I noted in the wordes of. S. Ciprian, whiche you hauehave reheased, & tha… is this: y^t we ought not to wear… black clothes & mourning gowns for them, whiche are deliuered frō the world, and are gone to God, seing thei be clothed in whight, and wear ioyfull apparell, and are in heauen with God, reigning in glory and eternall felicitie.

Euse.

In dede it is a poynt of fondnesse to mourn for thē that are in ioye, and to bee sory for them that are mery. The Apostle saith: Reioyce with them that reioyce,Rom. viii. & mourne with them that mourne. Seynge that the faythfull, which are deliuered out of this worlde, are in …oy: it is more semely y^t we should …oy in God with them, thā mourn …nd be sory for them, as though …hey were in worse case now, then …hey were afore. Let the Heathen …ourne, whiche hauehave no hope, for …he departure of their frends, the …rue christians, which ar perswa…ed, that such as die in the Lord, are in muche better case then they euer were in this worlde, we ought rather to reioyce, & to singe psalmes, praises, & thākesgeuings vntounto God, for the christē and godly departure of their brethren, and for their blessed estate, wherein God hath placed them.Apoc. xiiii. For the holy scripture pronounceth them blessed and happy, which die in y^e Lord.Psal. cxviii. And y^e Psalmograph saith: precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of his Saintes.Sap. iii. The wise man also sayth, that y^e soules of the righteous are in peace.

Chr.

They therfore which are in so blessed estate, ar not to be mourned nor lamented, but God is rather to be thancked for them.

Th.

The holy scripture declareth, that king Dauid praied vntounto the Lord for the child,ii. Reg. xii. whiche he ha… by Bethsabe, Urias wife, when i… was sicke, and that he fasted, an… lay all the night vponupon the earth, in so much that the Elders of his house arose and went vntounto him, to take hym vp frō the earth, but he 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 chaūged his apparell, and came into the house of the lord and worshipped▪ and afterward came to his owne house, and commaūded that they shuld set bread before him, & he did eate. And whan his seruauntes maruelling at these thinges, said vntounto 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 hauehave 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 vntounto me. In this history y^t godly wisdom of Dauid, is greatly to be considred. For hereof may we learne to pray vntounto 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 Thraciās is,The maner of the Thracians. that whan any child is borne, and commeth into the world, thei wepe, lamēt & 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 vntounto sadnes, the other vntounto gladnes.

Phi.

Ther is great plentie of histories, whiche declare, that the very hea…hen hauehave 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 hāds, tare their hear rent their clothes, and in manner killed them selues with sorowe and thought taking. Whan our Sauioure,Luk. xxiii. Christ went vntounto 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 lamē ted and mourned for whiche is remoued from thraldom vntounto libertie, from mysery vntounto welth: from darknes vntounto lyght: from ieopardy vntounto safetie: from sicknesse vntounto health: frō mortalitie vntounto immortalitie: from corruption vntounto vncorruption: from paine vntounto ioy: from transitory thinges vntounto euerlasting thinges: from the cō pany of men, vntounto the felowshyp of the blessed aungels and heauē ly spirites. &c? Let the Heathen whiche hauehave 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 vponupon the brethrē, by calling them from this vale of wretchednes vntounto his heauenlye kingdome.Apo. xiiii. 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 vntounto the poore, I woulde wysh rather to hauehave none, than otherwyse. For I would hauehave 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 hauehave then of mourners? Or wherfore should any mā mourn for me? Notwithstanding: I wil not striue with thē 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 vntounto the buriall, and that eche of thē hauehave a gowne of some conuenient colour. I wyll also that .xxx. poore children be there also, and that eueryevery one of them hauehave a semelye gown. And after my burial, I wil that both those pore men, women, and children, come home vntounto my house, and hauehave some repast, for y^e refection of their bodies. And so …et them depart in the name of the …ord. HaueHave you writtē 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, char…ing you in the name of God, and as ye wyl answere before the high …udge Christ, at the dreadeful day …f dome: y^t ye se these my bequestes …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 eueryevery 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.Psal. xxiii. The earth is the Lordes, & all that is conteined in it, I am not curious of the place. Wherso…euer I lie,Phil. iii. I doubt not, but y^e lord our God at the last day shall raise me vp again, and geue me a body like vntounto y^e glorious body of our Lorde and sauiour Christ Iesus▪ Let the body therfore returne vntounto the earth from whēce it came and the spirite vntounto God,Eccle. xi. which gaue it.

Euseb.

Your children ar… buried in the churchyard.

Ep.

Bu…y me there also. God geue vsus all a ioyfull resurrection.Burials.

Theo.

Sir, what solempnitie will you hauehave at your buriall?

Epa.

What meane you

The.

Solempne singing, de…out ringing, holy sensing, prie…es pattering, candels lightning, …orches brenning, Communions …aying, and such like.

Ep.

No kind of superstitious custome do I al…ow. That is godly, I only commend. As touching your solempn …inging,Singing. it is all one to me, whi…her you sing or say. Those Psalmes, hymnes, prayses & thankesgeuinges that be appointed to be …ong or said at the burial of y^e faith…ul, let them be done in the name …f God w^tal cherefulnes of mind. …s for your deuout ringinge,Ringing. I …raue no more but one …el to be e…her tolled or rong, for to gather …he people together, to heare the word of God, and the thankes g…uing. The ringing of the Belles can do my soule no good. And a… for your holy sensing, priestes pattering, candels lighting, torches brennyng: away with them, a… thinges superfluous and vnprofi…table. Now as concerning Communions,Communion. saying or singing: the… serue not for the burials of them that are departed, but for the exe…cises of them that be alyue, tha… by that meanes they should call t… remembraūce the death of Christ and the fruites therof, as the Apostle sayth:… Cor. xi. So oft as ye shal eat o… this bread, and drinck of the Cupye shal remēber the Lords death till he come.Note. These sumpteous … costly burials, are not to be commended, nether do they profit either body or soule, but onelyonly se…forth a folish, vain, and boasting pompe.

Phile.

The buriall of th… …aithfull, ought to be done honest…, but not sumptuously. Neither …ught the dead bodies of the chri…ians, to be vilely handled, but …onestly buried, for the hope of the …orious resurrection. So did A…aham bury his wife Sara.Gen. xxiii. and .l. Io…ph his father Iacob, and diuers …her, as the holy scripture men…neth. The bodies of the dead, …ith S. Austen,Lib. 1. de C… uitate dei. Cap. xiii. are not to be de…sed, and to be cast awaye, and …ecially the bodies of the righte…s, and of the faithful, whom as …strumentes and vessels vntounto all …od workes, the holy ghost hath …ed. But as concerning sumptu…s burials, thaforesaid authour …,… they rather comfort the ly…g, thē help the dead. As sump…us exequies profit nothing y^e …ul ritche men: so in like maner … or no exequies at all, hynder …hing the sepulture of the poore sainctes. That galant company o… the ritchemans seruauntes (o… whome we reade in the Gospel o… Luke)Luke. xvi. buried their master gorgeously in the sight of mē, notwith…stāding his soul was caried down into hel fire, wher it lieth in mos… miserable tormentes. What profited hym the gorgious, galan… pompous. and costly sepulture o… his body: seing his soule lieth w^t out redemption in those moste in…tollerable flames of that lake whiche burneth with f…re & brim…stone?Apo. xxi. We read not, that Lazaru… was so sumptuouslye buried, n… that he was buried at all, notw^t …standing the angels of God ca… & caried hym (not into a tombe… marble) but into the bosome of Abraham. And the golden mouth… Doctour, saieth in a certaine H…mily.…m. 84. in …. C…. 20. When thou hearest that t… Lord did ryse againe naked, ce… I pray thee, and leaue of the fond & vain charges that thou bestow…est vponupon funerals, and burying of dead bodies. What meaneth this superfluous & vnprofitable cost, seyng that it hindreth thē greatly that doe it, & auaileth nothyng at all the dead, but rather hurteth them. &c.

Epa.

Simply, not sump…uously, honestly, not honorably …et me be buried. I require no more. You hauehave wrytten all these thinges according to my desyre, …eighbor Philemon?

Phi.

Altoge…her.

Ep.

Then am I at a poynt w^t …he worldly possessions, & I truste …n a good forewardnesse towarde God

Chr.

The custome in times …ast was,Monethes mindes and yeare minds y^t ther should be month …ndes & yere minds kept for the …ead.

Ep.

To what end?

Ch.

That …e dead might be remēbred and …ayed for.

Epa.

Wherfore shoulde …ey be praid for?

Chr.

That their sinnes (say they) might be forgeuē them.

Epa.

Whiche they, saye so?

Chri.

The Papistes.

Epa.

I hauehave nothing to do with papistes, nor with their doctrine. God blesse me from them.Phi. iii. For they are enemies of the crosse of Christe, deprauers of the holy scriptures, and corruptours of Christen soules. I beleue that a man, euen in this worlde, hath perfect and full remission of al his sinnes, or els he shall neuer hauehave it. God in this worlde, doth ether forgeue all the faultes, & th… paine due for the same: or els h… forgeueth none at all. I feare nothing at all, the Popes boylyng… fornace (I mean purgatory) Chr…stes bloud, is a sufficient purgatory for my sinnes. The bloud … Christ, Gods son, hath clensed v… from al sinne.i. Iohn. i. Hebr. ix. The bloud of Chri… hath purged our conscience from dead worckes, to serue the liuin… God. We be sanctified, and made holy by the offring of the body of Iesus Christ done once for all.Heb. x. With the one only oblation of his blessed body, and precious bloud, hath Christ made perfect for euer and euer: them that are sancified. I requyre none other purgatory to pourge & clense my snnes, but the bloud of Christ.Ephe. v. For Christ hath offred him selfe aswete smelling sacrifice vntounto God the father …or my sinnes, yea and that so perfecte, absolute, consummate, and …n all poyntes, so omnisufficient: …hat there can be found no imper…ection in it. Christ hath borne away all my synnes on his bodye. By the stripes of Christes body, …m I healed. Christ died for my …nnes,Esay. liii. 1. Pet. 11. Rom. iiii. and rose againe for my iu…ification. Christ is made of God …nto me, wysdome, righteousnes, …anctification, and redemption, that as it is written, he that reioyseth, shuld reioyse in the Lord,i. Cor. i. Hier. ix. Christ is inough for me. Let the Papistes seke their saluation at whose hāds they list.

Phile.

Wher as the Papistes heretofore hauehave taught for the maintenaunce of their idle bellies, that mēs sinnes after their death be forgeuen thē, through the sacrifice of that most wicked and abhominable Popish Masse, & by pilgrimages going, by trētals, by Diriges, by y^e good dedes of other. &c. It is a plain… errour, & agaīst the word of God. For remission of sinnes, the fauo… of God, & euerlasting life, is eithe… gotten or lost in this worlde. H… whiche through his owne repen…tance & faith in Christes bloud… obtaineth not forgeuenes of hi… sinnes in this worlde: shall neue… hauehave it by y^e meanes of other … after this life.Iohn. iii. It is written, he beleueth on the sōne of God, hath euerlasting life. But he that beleueth not in him, shall not see lyfe, but the wrath of God abideth on him. So many as die, are eyther faithfull or vnfaithfull. If they be faithful, so hauehave they in possession straightways euerlasting life. If they be vnfaithfull, then doth the wrath of God abide vponupon them, & they receiue y^e reward of infidelitie, which is euerlasting dānatiō. And albeit this appereth manifestly of the words aboue rehersed: yet the history of the vnmercifull …ich man, & of y^e pore Lazare, pain…eth it out very liuely.Luk. xvi. In y^e ye se, y^t …he faithful man, which was La…arus, so sone as he died, was re…eiued into the bosom of Abrahā. Contrariwyse, the vnfaithful mā which was the vnmerciful glotō, …as caried down streightwais in … hel fire. The like thing is manifestly set forth in the two theues whiche died with Christ.Luk. xxiii. The one repented, beleued, and called for mercy vntounto 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 hauehave not beleued?Roma. x. 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 hauehave they out of hād the reward of fayth, whiche is euerlasting glory, if they be vn…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 vntounto theyr Purgatorie, for such hauehave 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 hauehave heretofore deuised.

Eus.

The blessed Apostle.Rom. ii. S. Paule sayth: God shall geue to eueryevery one according to his owne dedes.ii. Cor. x. i. Cor. ii. Againe, to the Corinthians, he also sayth: EueryEvery one shall receiue his …owne labour.ii. Cor. v. In an other place he also sayeth. We must all appear before the iudgemēt seat of Christ that eueryevery man may receiue the workes of his body accordyng to that he hath done, whether it bee good or bad.Gala. vi. 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 vsus not bee weary of well doing. For when the tyme is come: we shall reape without wearines. While we hauehave therefore tyme let vsus doe good vntounto all men, and specially vntounto them, whiche are of the houshold of faith. Hereto agreeth the saying of our sauiour Christ.Math. xvi. The son of man shal come in the glory of his father with his aungels, and then shall he rewarde eueryevery man according to his dedes. Againe, I wyll geue eueryevery one of you according to his dedes.Apoc. ii. Out of these scriptures we learne▪ that we sha… not be rewarded according to other mens dedes, but accordinge vntounto our owne deedes. If we hauehave wrought nothing at all in oure lyfe: what shall other mens dedes than do vsus good, after our death? And I doubt whether any man (Christ alone excepted) hauehave good dedes sufficient for him self.

Chri.

If we consider well the history of the tenne virgins,Mat. xxv. it shall easly be perceiued, that no mā hauehave scasely oyle inough for him selfe. Yea, wer not the great mercies of God set forth to all faithful penitēt sinners in y^e precious blud of Christ: we with al our oyl, should perish. For euerlasting life is the gifte of God,Rom. vi. through Iesus Christe oure Lord. If thou (O Lord) shouldest narowly loke vpō our iniquities, (saith the Psalmograph) O Lord who were hable to abide it?Psal. ciii▪ But ther is mercy with the in store. &c.

The.

The holy scripture moueth vsus to doe good whyle we are alyue, and not to truste other mens workes, to be done for vsus, when we be dead.Eccl. xiiii. The wyseman saith: doe good vntounto thy frende, before thou die, and according to thy abilitie, reache out thyne hand, and geue vntounto 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 vntounto 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,Eccl. xviii there is no meat to fynd. Again: Abide thou not in the errour of the vngodly, but geue God thā 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 …s the louing kindnes of the lord, and his mercifull goodnes vntounto …uch as turne vntounto hym?Pro. iii. Salomō …n his prouerbes saith: withdrawe …o good thing frō them that hauehave …ede, so long as thy hande is able …o doe it. Say not vntounto thy neighbour, go thy way & come againe: …o morowe wil I geue thee, wher …s thou hast nowe to geue hym. Hereto agreeth the saying of the …reacher:Eccle. ix. whatsoeuer thou art a…le to do, do it out of hande, for in …he graue that thou goest vntounto: here is neither worke, counsell, knowledge nor wisdom. The prophet also sayth.Esa. lv. Seke the Lorde, …hyle he may be founde, and call …pon him, while he is nie. Let the …ngodly forsake his owne waies, …nd the vnrighteous his owne imaginations, and turne againe vntounto the Lord, so shal God be merciful vntounto him. Our sauior Christ saith in the Gospell. I must worke the worckes of him that sent me,Iohn. ix. while it is daye. The night commeth, when no man can worke. Walke while we hauehave light, least y^e darknes come on you.Iohn, xii. &c. While ye hauehave light, walke in the light, that ye may be y^e children of light. I say vntounto you, make you frendes of the vnrighteous Mammō, that when ye shal hauehave nede,Luke. xvi. they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations. That seruaunt,Mat. xxv. 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, wher… 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.Gal. vi. While we hauehave tyme, let vsus do good vntounto all men, and special…y vntounto them, which are of y^e houshold of faith. These and diuers other textes of the holye scripture moue vsus to doe good our selues, while we be aliue in this worlde, and not to trust the workes of other to be done for vsus, whē we be dead. For by our own works, and not by other mēs, shall we be iudged. EueryEvery mā shall bear his own burdē. EueryEvery man shal receiue the works of his own body according to y^t he hath done, whether it bee good or bad:Gala. vi. ii. Cor. v. eueryevery mā shal receiue his reward according to his own dedes. Beholde I come quickely (saith our sauiour Christ) and my reward is with me,ii. Cor. iii. Rom. ii. Apoc. xxii. y^t I may geue to euerye one accordinge as his worke shalbe.

And saint Iohn pronouncing them blessed,Apoc. xiii. which die in y^e Lord, saith on this maner. Their workes folowe thē. He saith not, other mens workes shal folow thē, whē they be dead, but their owne workes do follow, and presently accō pany them▪ as the shadow doth y^e body, euen vntounto y^e throne of Gods maiestie, to be testimonies & witnesses of their true and vnfained sayth. They therfore are to much fond and negligent of their owne saluation, which trust other more then them selues in matters pertayning vntounto the health of their soules.

Chri.

There is an old saying in Latin, and as I thinck, no…les true thā old. It is this. Da tua, dum tua sunt, post mortē, tunc tuae non sunt.

Geue thy goodes while they be thine, for after thy death, they be none of thine.

Euse.

I remember whan I was a child, I learned .ii verses of my scholemaister, which I hauehave not yet forgotten, I wyll rehearse them vntounto you.

Quod sibi quis que serit, praesentis tēpore vitae

Hoc sibi messis erit, cum dicitur Ite, Venitae.

That a mā soweth for him self in y^e time of this present life, that shalbe his haruest or reape, when it is saide: Go, Come.

Epap.

What meane you by that, Go: Come.

Eu.

You know that to the vnfaithfull it shalbe sayd,Mat. xxv. go ye cursed in to euerlasting fire, whiche is prepared for y^e deuill and his angels. But to the faithfull, it shalbe said on this maner: Come ye blessed of my father, possesse the kingdome, whiche was prepared for you, frō the beginning of the world.

The.

S. Paule hath a sentence muche lyke vntounto your verses:Gala. vi. whatsoe, …er a man soweth, saith he: y^t shall he also reape. For he that soweth in his flesh, shall of the flesh, reape corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit, shall of y^e spirite reape life euerlasting.

Phil.

It is not w^t out cause, that the holy scripture doth so diligently call vsus vntounto repentaunce, faith, and good works in this present worlde. For euerlasting life euen in this worlde is ether gotten or loste. As God findeth vsus, so iudgeth he vsus. Euerye tree is knowen and iudged by her owne fruite, and not by the fruite of other trees. EueryEvery man lykewyse is iudged by his owne workes, & not by the workes of other, as Christ saith to the vnprofitable seruaunt:Luke. xix. Of thine owne mouthe wil I iudge thee, thou euil seruāt. Teophilact saith.Mat. xxv. The vertue of my neighbour shall scacely be inough to defend him selfe, so farre is it of,☞ that it can profit me also. For all men shall be declared to be righteous by their owne workes, and not by the workes of theyr neighboures.Eccle. xi.

Euse.

The Preacher saieth. When the tre falleth (whether it be toward the Southe or north) in what place so euer it fall there it lieth.

Epap.

What is ment by that.

Euse.

The tre signifieth eueryevery one of vsus, y^t are the children of Adam. We fal, that is to say we die, ether toward the south, or toward the north, that is, either in the state of saluation or damnatiō. In what state soeuer we die, in the same remaine we. There is no chaunge after this life. Ether with poore Lazarus we goe into the bosome of Abraham,Luke. xvi. or els with that vnmercifull ryche man into the fier of hell. There are but two places after this life, hel and heauen. If we depart in the faith of Christe, we goe straighawayes vntounto the glory of heauen. But if we die in vnbelief, than go we to the Deuill, as the scripture sayth. He that beleueth on y^e sonne, hath euerlasting life.Iohn. iii But he that beleueth not on the sonne, shall not see lyfe, but the wrath of God abideth vponupon him.

Christo.

S. Iohn Chrisostome saith, he that washeth not awaye his synnes in this present life, shall finde no comfort afterward. &c.

Theph.

The same doctor also hath this saying. Let vsus not thinke (saith he) that whē we come thither (he meaneth vntounto the iudging place of God) mercy shal be geuen vntounto vsus, seing we do not so behaue our selues in this world that we may deserue to hauehave forgeuenes, though Abraham shuld pray for vsus, though Noe, though Iob, though Daniell shuld make intercessiō for vsus. Therfore while we hauehave tyme, let vsus prepare for our selues, that whiche may stand vsus in steade a fore God an other day.

Eus.

Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Ciprian: Then (that is to say,Tract. … demet after death) shall repentāce be without fruite, and the sorowe of paine, weping also shall be in vayn, and praier shalbe to no purpose. Therefore make prouision, while ye may, for your safegard & life. Again he saith. When we be once departed out of this worlde, there is no more place for repentaunce, there is no effect of …atisfaction. In this worlde life is either lost or gotten. Here through the worshipping of God, and the fruit of fayth, prouision is made for euerlasting saluation.

Epa.

I se than both by the aucthoritie of y^e holy scriptures, and of the aunciēt doctours, that the workes whiche are done for them that are departed out of this worlde by other, are but vayne and vnprofitable, whether they departe in fayth, or otherwyse. For y^e faithfull departe straightwaies vntounto glory, and the vnfaithful vntounto euerlasting pain. The one sort hauehave no nede of praier, for they be already in most blessed state and ioyful reast. And the other are in so damnable case, that praier can do no good for them, no though Abraham, Noe, Iob, Daniel, and all the best that euer lyued shuld pray for thē. For in hell there is no redemption. And Abraham said to the rich mā.Luke. xvi. There is betwene vsus and you a great space set, so y^t they, whiche wold go from hēce vntounto you, cānot, neither may they y^t are there come hither vntounto vsus.

Phi.

The truth is neighbor Epaphroditus, y^e papistes hauehave long bewitched the eies of y^e simple,Purgatory a place of the Papistes deuising. by making thē beleue, that the soules of the faythfull goe not straightwaies after their departure, vntounto eternal glory, but rather vntounto purgatory, a place of their own deuising for the maintenance of their idle bellies, there to lie miserablie puling, til they be redemed by trē talles, by pilgrimages going, by pardons. &c. Our sauiour Christe in the gospell teacheth & maketh mēcion of two waies. But y^e third is not found in the holy scripture. One is a straight way,Math. vii. which leadeth vntounto life, & fewe ther be that finde it. The other is a brode way which leadeth vntounto destruction, & many ther be y^t go in therat.

Ep.

I beleue & am throwly perswaded, y^t by y^t merits of his precious bloud, which said vntounto y^e penitent thefe,Luk. xxiii. this day shalt thou be with me in paradise, my soule immediatly after the departure frō this vile body, shall be receiued vntounto glory, & …se y^e glorious maiestie of God,Psal. xxvii. face to face, as y^e Psalmograph sayth, I beleue to see the pleasures and good thinges of the Lorde in the land of the liuing. I fear the Popish purgatory & the paynes therof nothing at all. My pain endeth in this life. And the ende of this life is the beginning of my ioye. This hope lieth vp buried in my breast. Therfore wyll I hauehave 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 vntounto honoure, and hath written my name in the boke of life, and hath also made me his sonne and heire of eternall glory,Sap. v. 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 vntounto me, and I vntounto the world.

The.

He is an happy man and greatly blessed,Gala. vi. which forsaketh & geueth ouer the worlde, before the world forsaketh him. For such obey this commaundement of S. Iohn. LoueLove not the worlde,i. Iohn. ii. 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 vsus.

Epa.

No neyghbour Theophile. The ende of my life is at hand. And I moste hartely thank the Lord my God for it.Phi. i. For I wishe to be losoned out of this life, and to be with Christ.Psalm. xliiii. Like as the hart desireth the water brokes, so longeth my soule after thee, O God. My soule is a thurst for God, yea euen for y^e liuing God. When shal I come to appere before the presence of God▪ O howe amiable are thy dwellinges,Psal. lxxxiiii. 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, thē to dwell in the tentes of the vngodly. O blessed are they,Psal. cxlii. 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 vntounto thy blessed name. Deale with me (O lord) according to thy will,Tob. iii. and commaūd my spirit to be receiued in peace. For it is more expedient for me to die thē to liue.

Phile.

I greatly reioyce in the Lord my God, good neighbor Epaphroditꝰ, 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 hol… spirit, & made you through his mercy, a vessell vntounto honor.

Epa.

Now that an order is taken concerning my worldly possessiōs, I wish to hauehave my wyfe, & my chyldren with my seruaunts brought hither vntounto me, that I may take my leaue of them, and commende them vntounto 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 vntounto me,A praier. 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,Math. xxvi. and faint not, and you shall see the wondrous workes of God. For God will either shortly restore vntounto you your health: or els make an end of this your pain by taking you frō 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.

The sickmās exhortation vntounto his wifeCOme hither wife. You see in what case I lie here, sicke, weake, and the prisoner of God, loking eueryevery hour for my departure out of this worlde. And this visitation of God is vntounto 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 hauehave me in thy company, I hauehave run my rase. I hauehave 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 vntounto 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.Psalm. cxlv. For he hath promised in his holy worde, that he wil take charge of the widowes and defend their cause.Exo. xx. Esa. i.x. Iere. v.xii. Zach. vii Iames. i. He hath also geuen a strait commaū dement to the magistrates & head rulers, to loke vntounto 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. Notwithstāding wife, forasmuch as from the first time o… our mariage vntounto this presēt day thou hast alway bene vntounto me a true, faithfull, honest, diligent, & seruiceable wife. I hauehave made the mine Executresse, and geuen vntounto thee in my wyll, suche a portion as shal aboundaūtly satisfie thee, both vntounto the bringing vp of thy children, and also vntounto the maintenance of hospitalitie: God hath sent me inough,Psal. xxxiii. & therfore I leaue vntounto 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 vntounto the propertie of some husbādes, I wyll not.ii. Cor. vii. For the holy Scrip…ure saieth: the wyfe is bound vn…o the mariage, as long as her husband lyueth. If her husband die, …he it at libertie to marie wyth whome she will, only in the Lord. If thou therfore after my depar…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,Sa…. viii. that no man can liue chast, except God geueth the gift. Only hauehave this care, that he, with whome thou doest determine to couple thy self in the blessed state of honorable wedlock, be such a man as feareth God▪ loueth his worde, is well reported of his neighbours, dealeth ryghteoussly with all men, embraceth vertue, despiseth vice. &c. Follow not the manners of certaine olde dotinge wydowes, which for bodely luste in their old croked age, couple thē …selues to yonkers, whiche myght right wel hauehave bene their childrē, and vntounto whome they might also hauehave geuē suck. But to what end such mariages come for the moste part, dayly experience teacheth. The one marieth for bodely pleasure, the other for couetousnesse. Such mariages ar not blessed of God. Chuse thee therfore suche an husband as loueth thee, and not thy goods only, as is equall to the in condition, state, and age, as also will tender my children, and be a father vntounto them, and see them brought vp in y^e feare of God, & in y^e knowledge of his blessed word. Pray vntounto God, and he shal geue the good successe in all thy trauayles, loke diligently to the ver…uous education and brynging vp of my chyldren. Graffe in theyr partes so much fruit of Gods spi…it, as is possible, and wede out of …heir myndes all kyndes of vice & wickednes, that their brestes may …e made the Temples of the holy …host. Loke wel vntounto thi seruāts. Geue them their couenauntes, & …uffer them not to be idle. So go…erne thy houshold, y^t there may …e founde in it no vice but vertue, no wickednes but godlines, no sinne but honestie and christen be hauour. And be thou thy selfe, an example of godly lyfe to thy chyldren & seruaunts: so maist thou be sure to hauehave obedient childrē and faithful seruants. Yea so shalt y^• be wel reported of thy neighbours, & be loued both of god & al good mē.

The sickmās exhortatiō vntounto his childrēNOwe my chyldren, come ye hither vntounto me, God blesse you, and sende you manye, yea and those ioyfull and quiet daies vponupon the earth. Ye see in what case I am, sore, sycke, and very weake, abiding the good plesure of God. The ende of this my life is come, and I am glad of it, and most hartely thanke the lord my God. Let it not dismaye you, (my moste deare children) that I shall nowe be taken away from you. For albeit, that I being your naturall Father, shall no more serue you nor prouide for you, as hitherto I hauehave done, yet doubt ye not, but if ye goe forthe, as ye hauehave begonne, to feare God, and to serue hym, he wil not leaue you comfortlesse, but in my steade he will be a father vntounto you, receiue you into his tuition, and prouide better for you than euer I was able to doe. Therfore if ye wil hauehave God a mercifull and gentle father vntounto you: feare him, louelove him, honoure him, serue him, praye vntounto him, call on his blessed name, be thanckfull vntounto him for his benefites, and in all thinges seeke to please his godly Maiestie. Geue your mindes to the reading of the holy scriptures, and what so euer ye rede therein, practise it in your …ife and cōuersation. Be not only fauourers, but folowers also of y^e worde, not only louers but also …iuers of the gospel, not only professers, but also practisers of gods holy law, so shal God blesse you, & al good men louelove you. Auoid idlenes & to much childish pastimes. Let no time of your life passe away without fruit. Escheue all euill company, and hauehave nothynge to doe with them, that be vngodly. Desire alway the felowship of them that be good and vertuous. HaueHave all your whole confidence and trust in the Lorde your God. Take nothing in hande, before ye hauehave craued his helpe by feruent prayer. And after the thing done, geue God moste harty thanckes, knowledging him to bee the geuer of all good thinges. The Saboth day, and suche other feastiful dayes, spend them holily and godly. Geue your selues to prayer, to hearing of Sermons, and reding the word of god. Se that ye defile not the name of y^e Lord your God with vaine and vnlawfull othes. Reuerence your elders, Honour your mother, be obedient vntounto her pray for her, do for her, whatsoeuer lieth in your power, that God may blesse you and geue you long and ioyfull lyfe vponupon the earth. Be no euill speakers. Be courteous and gentle vntounto all men. Let no lightnes appere in you, nether in gesture nor countenaunce. Be true and faithfull. Cast away all pride, and embrace humilitie. Auoid superfluous eating & drinking. Use temperance in al your doinges. Be not moued vntounto anger, but be pacient and ready to forgeue. Be merciful to the poore. Helpe all men to the vttermost of your power. Study to do good vntounto all, and to hurt none. LoueLove all mē, yea euen your very enemies. Be not ouercome of euill,Rom. xii. but ouercom euyl with goodnes. If ye obserue these few lessons, ye shall continue in the fauor of God, and God as a moste mercifull father shall blesse you and cause you to prosper on the face of the earth.

The Sick Mans Salve, Text (2 of 5)