The Sick Mans Salve, Text (3 of 5)

The Sick Mans Salve · Text (3 of 5)

p. 210BUt now heare thou my sonne the wordes of thy father,The sickmās exhortatiō vntounto his sonne. and imprint them well in thy memory. Of all the sonnes that God hath geuen me since I was married to this thy Mother, thou alone art left a liue. And I thanke God for thee. For in thee lieth the hope of my posteritie. Loke therfore y^t thou seruest God al the dais of thy life, y^t thou maiest be the father of many children through the blessing of God. If thou dost resē ble me as in countenaunce and lineamentes of body: so lykewise in manners and conditions of life & conuersation, it shall not repente me to hauehave begotten such a sonne: p. 211nether shall it forthynke thee to hauehave had such a father.Tob. iiii.Tob 4 Take hede therfore that thou doest not degenerate and growe out of kynde. Honour thy mother all the dayes of her life. Pray for her, and do for her whatsoeuer lieth in thy power. Remēber y^t God hath appoynted thee to be the staffe of her olde age, nether forget thou what and how great paines she hath suffred for thee.Prouerb. i. Beware of riotous cōpany, & hauehave alwais the fear of God before thine eies.Eccle. vi.Eccl 6 Kepe companye with such as hauehave vnderstāding, and leane vntounto their wisdom and counsell.ii. Tim. ii.2 Tim 2 Be sober mynded, and eschewe the lustes of youthe, but followe ryghteousnes, faith, louelove, and peace: with them that cal on the Lord with a pure faith. When thou shalt come to the possession of suche worldly substaunce, as I hauehave apoynted for thee, through y^e p. 212goodnes and liberalitie of God: loke that thou dost vse, and not abuse thy goodes. Spend in measure, and as present necessitie shal require. Beware of superfluous expenses. Auoide banketting and delicious fare.Prou. xxiProv 21 For whosoeuer loueth delicately to fare, shall come to pouertie. Thinck that wel spēt, that is honestly spent in thy owne house. Extraordinarie bankettinges loke that thou flee, remē bring that, that, whiche is gotten through long tyme, is consumed in a very little space.Tob. iiii.Tob 4 Geue almes of thy goodes, and turn neuer thy face from the pore, so shall it come to passe, that the face of the Lorde shall not be tourned away frō the. Be mercifull after thy power. If thou hast mutch, geue plēteously, if thou hast litle, doe thy diligence gladly to geue of that litle. For so gatherest thou thy selfe a good reward p. 213in the day of necessitie. For merci deliuereth from all sinne & from death, and suffreth not the soule to come in darknes. A great comfort is mercy before y^e hie God vntounto all them that shew it. In the time of thy youth take hede thou defilest not thy selfe with whoredom, but bring an honest & chaste body vntounto the blessed state of honorable wedlocke. And when the ripenes of thy age doth require y^e to marry: take hede whome thou chosest to be thy yokefellow. Follow not the corrupt manners of y^e wicked worldlings, which in chosing their wiues, hauehave their principall respect vntounto the worthines of the stocke: vntounto the welthines of the frendes, vntounto riches, beauty, and suche other worldly vanities. Consider thou rather y^e godlines than the worthines of the maides parentes, the honest and p. 214vertuous bringing vp of her, her chaste and sober behauoure, her Christen and godly manners, her modestie, grauitie, sobrietie, and womanlines, her faith, obediēce, humilitie, silence, quietnes, honestie, howsewiuelines, and such other fruites of Gods spirite. Let her be no Papist, nor Anabaptist. nor Epicure, but one of the houshold of faith, and such one as feareth the Lorde God vnfaynedly. With suche one couple thy selfe in the feare of God,Pro. ix.Prov 9 and knowe her to be the gift of God, as Salomō saieth: house and richesse may a man hauehave by the heritage of his elders, but a discrete wyfe is the gift of the Lorde. Therfor when thou art once ioyned with her in y^e holy order of Matrimonie: seeke after no strange fleshe, beware of whoredome,Pro. v.Prov 5 entangle thy selfe with no other womans louelove, but p. 215be glad with y^e wife of thy youth. Let her brestes alway satisfie thee & hold thee euer content with her louelove. And if God send thee childrē thanke him for them,Ephe. vi.Eph 6 and study to bring them vp in the feare, nourtour & doctrine of the Lorde, that they may learn to know God, euē from the very cradels.Colos. iiii.Col 4 Order thy houshold godly and honestly. Cherish thy seruauntes, & geue them their couenauntes, remembring y^t thou also hast a maister & Lorde in heauen. LoueLove thy neighbours, dwell quietly among them.Luke. vi.Luke 6 Lend vntounto thē gladly whatsoeuer they nede, if thou hast it. Oppresse not thy tenaunts. Raise not thy rents. Take no incomes nor synes. Be content with the olde and accustomed paimentes. Bringe vp no newe customes. Maintaine the lawfull liberties of y^e town wherin thou dwellest. Be no vnprofitable p. 216mēber of the common wealth. Diffame no man, but speake well of al men. Hurt no man, but to the vttermost of thy power be beneficiall to all men.…ob. iiii. Let neuer pride hauehave rule in thy mind, nor in thy word, for in pride begā al destruction. Who so euer worketh anye thyng for thee: immediatly geue him his hire, and loke that thy hired seruauntes wages remaine not by the ouernight.Math. vii. Luke. vi.Matt 7Luke 6 Loke that thou do neuer vntounto an other man the thing, that thou wouldest not another man should do vntounto thee.Tob. iiii. Esay. lviii.Tob 4Isa 58 Eat thy bread with the hongry & poore, and couer the naked with thy clothes. Aske euer counsell at the wyse.Col. iii. Tob. iiii.Col 3Tob 4 Be alwaye thanckefull vntounto God, and beseche hym, that he will order thy wayes, and that whatsoeuer thou deuisest or takest in hande, it may remayne in hym. My sonne do these thynges, p. 217and God shal blesse thee, and prosper all thy doinges.

WHat shall I say vntounto you my little Daughters?The sickmā … exhortatiō vntounto his daughters. I pray God blesse you▪ and make you ioyfull mothers of many Children. Serue God. Obey your mother. Be diligent to please her. Geue eare to her wholesome admonitions and folowe them. Do nothing without her counsell and aduisement. Whan your age shal require to be maried, followe the counsel of your mother, and other of your faithful frēds, which wish you to doe well, in choising your husbandes. Take hede ye be not corrupted with the giftes of noughty packes, nor deceiued w^t the flattring tongues of wicked & vnthrifty persones. For many in these our daies seeke not the woman, but the womans substance. p. 218Couple your selues with suche as feare God, louelove his worde, and be of honest report. And when ye be once maried,Ephe. v. Colos. iii. …. Pet. iii.Eph 5Col 3 reuerence your husbands, know thē to be your heads & gouernours appointed of God, obey them, & submitte your selues vntounto them.Hebr. xiii.Heb 13 Suffer not your louelove to depart frō your husbands, neither know any mā besides them, but kepe the bed vndefiled, y^t your Matrimony may be honorable & pure in the sight of God, & of his holy cōgregatiō. And if God blesseth you with children, loke y^t you bring them vp in the glory of God in his fear and doctrin. Engraffe in their yong brests, euen frō their tender age, vertue, godlines, and good māners, loke wel vntounto your houshold, and be an example vntounto your maides of godlines and honestie. Be no gadders abroad, nor haunters of Tauernes, but kepe p. 219your houses continually, except some earnest and lawfull busines prouoke you to go forth. Be no bablers nor vain talkers, but for the most part vse silence.1. Tim. ii.1 Tim 2 For silēce is an ornamēt and precious Iewell vntounto a godly womā. Aparell your selues in comely aray, with shame fastnes and discrete behauioure, not with broyded hear, ether gold or pearles, or costly garmēts, but as it becommeth women y^t profes godlines thorow good workes. Let the hid man,i. Pet. iii.1 Pet 3 whiche is in the heart be without all corruption, so that y^e spirit be at rest and quiet, which spirit before God, is a thing much set by. For after this maner in the olde tyme did the holye wemen, whiche trusted in God, tier them selues, and were obedient to their husbandes, euen as Sara obeyed Abrahā and called him Lord, whose daughters ye are, so p. 220long as ye do wel. If you obserue these fewe lessons, which I your sicke father hauehave now geuen vntounto you: doubt ye not, but ye shall right well prosper and liue a ioyfull & quiet life on earth. Yea God shalbe your father and defendor. Wel, stande a side a little whyle. Gods blessing be with you. Come hither ye my seruauntes.

The sickmās exhortatiō vntounto his seruantes. i. Par. xxix1 Chr 29SIrs, ye see in me what shal be the end of all fleshe, euen a departure from this world. For we are but strangers & pilgrimes on the earth, as our fathers were before vsus.Hebr. xiii. and .ix.Heb 13 We hauehave no continuing citie here, but we seke one to come. The ordinaunce of God is, that all men shall once die. There lyueth no man,Psal. xxxix.Ps 39 that shall not die. A man in his time is but grasse, and flourisheth as a floure of the field. Our life is euen a vapour that apeareth p. 221for a little time,Hebr. xi.ix. Psa. lxxxix. Psal. ciii. Esay. xi. Iames. iiii.Heb 11Ps 89Ps 3Isa 11Jas 4 and then …anisheth away. On this condi…ion came we into the world, that we shuld leaue it again. We hauehave …een sure of death, euer sence we were conceiued in our Mothers wombe. These thinges do ye now …e practised in me: y^e time of my departure out of y^e world is at hand. I thought it good therfore to send …lso for you, & to take my leaue of …ou, til we mete again in y^e king…om of God. I thanke you for the …ood seruice y^t ye hauehave done me. I …aue not forgotten your seruisea…le hearts and good wils toward …e. If the good pleasure of God …ad bene, that I shuld lōger hauehave …ontinued with you, I wold hauehave …onsidred your seruice better. But … hauehave geuen to eueryevery one of you …uche portion of mony, as shal de…are some part of my thanckefull … wel willing heart toward you? p. 222This nowe remaineth to be craued at your hands. As ye hauehave hetherto faithfully, truly & honestly serued me in my life time, euen so after my departure, so long as ye…tary here, shewe the like faithfulnes, truth & honestie toward your mistres. Consider, that as lōg as I liued, I was a stay vntounto her, & vntounto her thinges. But nowe her chief hope next vntounto God, consisteth in you. Therfore I pray yo… loke well vntounto the thinges, which appertaine vntounto her. Se that nothing go to wast. Prouide that through your diligēce, her things may rather encrease then decrease. Ye knowe rightwell the dutie of a good seruaunt, notwithstanding euen at this my departure from you, I wil put you in remem…braunce of it, that whē I am gon… ye may yet remēber my admonitions, & the more spedely aunswe… p. 223vntounto your vocatiō.The dutie of a good seruāt The duty of a good seruāt is to serue his maister and mistres willingly & with a fre courage euen for conscience sake,Ephe. vi Collos. iii. i. Tim. vi. Titus. ii. i. Pet. ii.Eph 61 Tim 6Titus 21 Pet 2 not with the eie, but with y^e heart, to obey them, to honor thē, gently to aunswere them, not to picke or steale away their goods, but to be faithfull vntounto them in all thingee. Se therfore y^t ye on this manner behaue your selues towarde your mistres: auoid al stubbernes, churlishnes, cursed speakinges, telling of tales, lying, picking, wast, idlenes, negligence and sluggishnes. Eschue all euill and riotous company. Fly dronkennes and whordome. Abstaine from vaine othes and folishe pastimes. So behaue your selues in all your life & conuersation: that the name of God & his doctrine be not euil spoken of. Yea, let the lyghte of your godlye behauioure so shine before men,i. Tim. vi.1 Tim 6 p. 224that ye may do worship to the glorious gospell of our sauior Christ in al thinges.Titus. iiTitus 2 And in thus seruing your mistres with a glad, ready & faithfull will, thincke your selues to serue the Lorde your God, and to do that thing, whiche is pleasaunt in his godly sight, and that he also will se your paines recompensed,Collo. iii. as the holy Apostle saith: ye seruauntes be obedient vntounto thē, that are your bodely maisters in al thinges, not with eie seruice, as men pleasers, but in singlenes of hart fearing God▪ And whatsoeuer ye do, do it hartely, as though you did it to the Lorde, and not vntounto men, knowyng, that of the Lorde ye shall receiue the inheritaunce, for ye serue y^e Lord Christ. But he that sinneth, shall receiue accordynge vntounto his synne. For there is no respect of persons with God. If ye serue your mistres truly p. 225and faithfully, hereafter when ye shall your selues be housholders. God shall likewyse send you true and faithful seruauntes. But if ye serue her falsly and vngodly: then shal ye of your seruauntes be likewise serued hereafter.Luke. vi.Luke 6 For with what measure that ye mete withall, shall other mete to you again, saith our Sauioure Christ. Liue therefore according to your vocation in the feare of God, & ye shall prosper right well. God shal blesse you, & neuer leaue you succourles, as the holy man Toby sayth.Tob. iiii.Tob 4 Be not afrayd, truthe it is, we leade here a pore life, but great good shal we hauehave if we fear God and depart from all sinne, and doe wel. Wel, the blessing of God be w^t you, I am very faint:

Ph.

No maruell. For ye hauehave talked a greate while.

Epa.

I trust, my talke hath not bene euil.

Phil.

Forsoth it hath p. 226bene both good and godly. I pray God geue bothe them and all vsus grace to followe these your moste wholesome and christen admonitions. But sir, will it please you to take your leaue of your wyfe, chyldren and seruauntes, & geue your self to reast for a litle whyle? Peraduentur it shal do you much good.

Epaphro.

Slepe I can not. And I am lothe to let them goe from me. For the sight of them is comfortable vntounto me, and as me thincketh easeth my payne.

Chri.

God cōfort you & ease your payn.

Epa.

Before they depart from me, I wysh greatly euen in their presence to confesse my faithe, y^t both you and they may be witnesses before God & the worlde, that I die a Christen man.

Phile.

Although we nothing doubt therof, yet we greatly desyre to heare the confession of your faith, that we may be p. 227able to testifie hereafter, that you departed in y^t faith of Christ.

Epa.

Heare then.

I Unfainedly beleue w^t my hart,The sick… faith. and frely cōfesse with my mouth that there is one only true,Esa. xiiii. i. Cor. viii. Math. xx… i. Iohn. …Isa 141 Cor 8Matt 20 lyuing, immortall and euerlasting God, God the father, God y^e sonne and God the holy gost .iii. distinct persons in the godhead, and notwithstāding one very God in substāce, of like maiestie, glory, might power, iudgement and will.

As touching the first parson in the deitie,Of God the father. I vnfainedly beleue w^t my heart, and frely confesse with my mouth, y^t he is the God, which alone is the father not only of our Lorde and sauiour Christ Iesu,ii. Cor. i. Psalm. ii. Ephe. iiii. …2 Cor 1Ps 2Eph 4 whom of him self frō euerlasting, he begot his natural sonne, & therfore likewyse true and immortall God, but also of all y^e faithfull, not p. 228by nature but by adoption, whom he hath chosen to be his children in Christ Iesu before the foundations of the worlde were laide, to louelove, fauour cherish, comfort, norish, gouern, defend and blesse thē both corporally and spiritually. This God the father I beleue & confesse to be almighty and hable to do,Gene. xvii Psal. cxv. Mat. xix. …ach. viii. Apoc. xvi.Gen 17Ps 15Matt 19Rev 16 whatsoeuer his godly wil & pleasure is▪ With him all thinges are possible. There is nothing to hard for him to doe, neither is any thynge vnpossible in his syght. This God the father almighty I beleue and confesse,Gene. i. Psal. lxxxix.Gen 1Ps 89 that he is the creator and maker of heauen and earth, and of all thynges contained in thē. Of nothing by his wō derful and almighty power made he the heauens with the blessed aungels and heauenly spirites, that are in them. Thone he chose to be his glorious seate, the other p. 229he made to be his Ministers, to do his blessed will and holy commaundement.

This God the father almighty made also the earth of nothinge with her encrease,Esay. xliii.Isa 43 & gaue breath to the people that are in it, and spirit to thē that dwel therein. The heauens, the earth and the sea, w^t all that euer is cōteined in them, are the creatures of this God the father almyghtye, created vntounto this ende, euen that they shuld set forth, magnifie, prayse, and commend the maiestie, power, might and glory of this moste myghty & glorious god.Prou. viii.Prov 8 And whatsoeuer he made, he made it thorow his only begotten sonne, by whō al things were made and without whome was made nothing y^t was made.Iohn. i.John 1 For when he made the heauens, this his only begotten sonne was present, whan he hāged y^e cloudes p. 230aboue, when he fastned the springes of the depe, when he shut the sea within certaine boundes, that the water should not go ouer the marckes that he commaunded. When he laide the foundations of the earth, he was with hym, ordring all thynges, deliting daily, and reioysing alway before hym. For the sonne of God caused the iyght that fayleth not to aryse in the heauen,Eccl. xxiiii.Sir 24 and couered all the earth as a cloud.Psalm. xxxiiiPs 33 And that prince like Prophet sayeth: By the word of the Lord (which word is Christ the natural sonne of God)Iohn. i.John 1 are the heauens made, and all the hostes of them by y^e breath of his mouth. This God the father almightye maker of heauen and earth, I beleue & am fully perswaded, that he for Christes sake (by fayth) is my moste mercifull father,i. Pet. i.1 Pet 1 & that I am borne againe of him not by p. 231mortall but immortall seede thorowe the worde of God, which, liueth and abideth for euer, and so am become his sonne, and that he therfore loueth and fauoreth me, gouerneth and defendeth me, …eadeth and nourysheth me, and finally, hath made me his heire and fellow heir of eternall glory with his only begotten and moste derely beloued sonne Christ Iesu our Lorde and sauiour.Roma. viii. Now hauehave ye heard my fayth concerning God the father.

Phil.

It is a faith both true and christen, and from the beginning receiued of all godly parsons. Will it please you likewyse to reherse your faith concerning Iesus Christ y^e sonne of God, yea God and man.

Epaph.

This it is.

I vnfainedly beleue,Of God the sonne. with my heart and frely confesse wyth my mouth y^e, Iesus Christ the seconde persone in the godhead is the onlyMath. viii and .xvii.Matt 8 p. 232begotten sonne of God,Iohn .i. yea and true, immortall and euerlasting God,Rom. i.Rom 1 begotten of God the father before any beginning,Hebr. i.Heb 1 of lyke maiestie, myght, power, & glory with God the father,Collos. i. of the same nature, essence, being and substance.Iesus. I beleue that this Iesus Christe whiche is the very brightnesse of his fathers glory, and the very image of his substance, first begotten before all creatures, is oure Lord, euen the Lord of all y^e faithfull.Math. i.Matt 1 And I beleue that as he is called Iesus, that is to saye, a sauiour: so likewyse he is both able and will saue me frō al my sinnes. A God that is righteous,Esay. xlv.Isa 45 & suche one as saueth, there is none but he.Act. iiii.Acts 4 There is saluation in none other.Iere. xvii.Jer 17 Neither is there any other name vnderunder heauen geuen vntounto men, wherein we may be saued, but only the name of Iesus. Of p. 233hym therfore alone as of an almighty sauiour doe I loke for my saluation.Psal. ixx.Ps 19 For vain is the sauing health that is loked for of any other. And as he is called Christ,Christ. y^e is to saye, annoynted, because he is the Kyng and Priest of all the people of God, and is annoynted with the true oyntment,Iohn. iii.John 3 euē with the fulnes of the holy ghoste (for God geueth not the spirite by me…ure vntounto him,Psa. xlv.Ps 45 but he hathe annoynted him with the oyl of gladnes aboue his fellowes) euē so do I beleue, that out of hym euen as out of a liuely spring and flowing fountaine, this oyle of gladnes, I meane the holy ghoste, come forth vponupon all the members of Christ, and they also in him, & tho…om him are made Christes, that …s to say, the annointed of the lord. For of his fulnes hauehave all we receiued, euen grace for grace.Iohn. i.John 1 And p. 234whosoeuer beleueth on hym (as sayeth the scripture)Iohn. vii.John 7 flouds of lyuing water shall flowe out of his belly. As I am of this Christ called a christian: so do I beleue, that this Christ hath annoynted me w^t his holy spirite, and therwith also sealed me vp vntounto euerlasting life▪ For they that are led with the spirit of God, are the sonnes of God. For the same spirit certifieth our spirite,Math. viii.Matt 8 that we are the sonnes of God. If we be sonnes, then ar we also heires, the heires I meane o… God, & fellow heires with Christ of eternall glory.

Furthermore I beleue, tha… Iesus Christe the onlye begotten sonne of God, is called our Lord not only because he is Lorde of al… thinges, in asmuche as he is Go… and hath all thinges in subiection vntounto hym by the ryght of his di…uine nature, but also because h… p. 235is the Lord, ruler & gouernour of all the elect and chosen people of God, & myghtely deliuereth them from the power, violence and tiranny of Satan, sinne and death by this meanes making them his owne and peculier people, & continually defendeth and preserueth them against all euils and perils, wherunto they should dayly fall thorow the deceitfull suttelties of Satan, the vaine perswasions of the world, & the poysonfull entisements of the flesh, if by the mighty power of him they wer not preserued.i. Cor. viii.1 Cor 8 For althogh there be many lords yet hauehave we but one lord, euē Iesus Christ, by whō ar althings & we by him. And this Iesꝰ Christ y^e only begottē son of god, I faithfully beleue to be my lord, my protector, my mighty shield, bukler & defender, and y^t he hath deliuered me frō the tirany of Satā from y^e p. 236law of sin and death,Rom. viii. Rom. v.Rom 8Rom 5 and brough… me in thorowe faithe vntounto this grace, wherin I stād and reioys… in hope of the glory of God.

Of Christes humanitie.Moreouer I vnfainedly beleue with my heart, & frely confesse w^t my mouth that this Iesus Christ the only begotten sonne of God,Hebr. iiii.Heb 4 is also very true and naturall man, of the same flesh & bloud with vsus, and like vntounto vsus in all poyntes, sinne alone except.Esay. vii.Isa 7 And he became man not after the maner of other men, but by the wonderful operation, and aboue natural working of Gods naturall spirite.Math. i.Matt 1 For he was conceiued of the holy ghost, & borne of the Uirgin Mary. That which was conceiued in her, was not of man, but it came of the holy ghost.Luk. i.Luke 1 For y^e holy ghost came vpō that godly maid, and the power of the hiest ouershadowed her, & so conceiued she and brought forth p. 237Christ her true & natural sonne, a pure and vndefiled Uirgin before the birth, in the birth, & after the birth.Psalm. ii.Ps 2 It was necessary, that Iesus Christ shuld be so both conceiued and borne,Rom. v.Rom 5 that by this his pure and cleane birth,Ephe. ii.Eph 2 he myght washe and put away the corruption and filthinesse of our nature, which was distained in the fall & …inne of Adam. For it was not cō …enient,Iob. xiiii.Job 14 that he which was come …o purge the world from all sinne, …huld in any point be spotted with …iune,Eccl. xxxiiii.Sir 34 but that both his conceptiō …nd natiuitie should be so pure & …ithout blemish,Psal. ii.Ps 2 that by the pure…es therof, the filthines & corrup…ion of our conception and nati…itie might be put awaye.Ephe. ii.Eph 2 For of …e vncleane, who can be clensed? …ll we be vncleane in Adam both …ncerning our conception and …rth, for after y^t God had made p. 238man like vntounto his own similitud… and Image,Gene. iGen 1 he placed hym in paradise,Gene. ii.Gen 2 and gaue him lybertie t… eat of all the fruites in the garden of pleasure, except y^e tree of knowledge of good and euill.Gene. iiiGen 3 But ma… disobeyed the Lorde his God, and transgressed his holy commaund…ment.Roma. v Thorow the whiche disobedience and transgression of God… holy cōmaundement, Ephe. lisinne, curse and death came ouer al mankind so that nowe in Adam so many a… are borne after the commō cours… of nature, are begotten, cōceiued and borne in sinne.Iohn. iiiJohn 3 They are th… children of wrath, & defiled wit… all vnclennes both bodely & gho…ly.Psal. iiPs 2 Now whan there was no he… nor comfort for man, whereby … might be redemed out of Satan power, and deliuered from his i…tollerable miseries,Gene. vi.Gen 6 wherewith … was to muche wretchedly wra…ped p. 239and brought into slauery (for now man w^tal his thoughts, imaginations, deuices, words, dedes, enterprises. &c. is become thorowe the sin of Adam: wicked, vnpure, …ilthy and synfull) then God that mercifull father had pity vpō mā kind, and promised them a sede, euen Iesus Christ his only begotten sōne,Gene. iiiGen 3 which shuld tread down the head of the serpent, ouercome …he deuill with al his power, & re…tore vsus to life againe.Psalm. ii. Psalm. cxiv Titus, …Ps 2Ps 14 And lykewise as god is righteous in al his wayes, & holy in all his workes, & …rue & faithfull in all his wordes: …uen so hath he kept al his promi…es truely.Gala. iiiiGal 4 For whē the time was … he sent his only begotten … dearely beloued sonne into the …ombe of the virgin Mary,Math. i. Luk. i.Matt 1Luke 1 wher of whome thorowe the working …f the holy ghost, he became fleshe, …at is to saye, true and naturall p. 240man, as the scripture witnesseth saying:Iohn. i.John 1 The word became fleshe, & dwelt among vsus, and we saw his glory, as the glory of the only begotten sonne of the father full o… grace and veritie. He brought no… his body with him from heauen (as certain heretikes affirme) bu… as he receiued all his deuine nature and substance of God the fa…ther alone: euen so likewyse did h… take all his humaine nature and substance of the pure virgin Mary alone, through the wonderful operation of the spirite of God,Rom. i.Rom 1 a… S. Paule saithe, he was borne o… the sede of Dauid after the fleshe Againe he sayth,Hebr. ii.Heb 2 he that sanctif…eth, and they whiche are sanctif…ed, are all of one. For which ca…ses he is not ashamed to call the… brethrē,Psalm. xxii.Ps 22 saying: I wil declare th… name to my brethren, and in th… mids of the congregation wyll p. 241praise thee. And againe I wil put my trust in hym.

And again.Esay. viii.Isa 8 Behold here am I, and the children which God hath geuen me. Forasmuch therfore as the childrē were partakers of flesh and bloud, he also him selfe lykewyse toke part with them, for to put downe (thorow death) him, y^e had lordship ouer death, that is to say, the deuyll, and that he myght deliuer them, which through fear of death were all their life time in daunger of bondage. For he in no condition taketh on him the aungels, but the sede of Abraham taketh he on hym, wherefore in all thinges it became him to be made lyke vntounto his brethren, that he myght be mercifull, and a faithfull hie Priest in thinges concerning God for to pourge the peoples sinnes.Hebr. iiii.Heb 4 &c. This only begotten sonne of God by takyng fleshe p. 242of the Uirgin Mary, became lyke vntounto vsus in all things, sinne alone except.Psa. ii.Ps 2 I beleue that by his pure conception and vndefiled natiuitie, my conception, and my byrth, whiche cōming from Adam,Ephe. ii.Eph 2 was altogether vnpure and defiled,Iohn. iii.John 3 is clensed, and that no parte of that sinfull birth is imputed vntounto me,Iohn. i.John 1 but y^e thorowe faith in this moste blessed sede of the Uirgine,Rom. viii.Rom 8 I am born a new & begotten of God, so that he is my father, & I am his sonne, and therfore enheritor also of his heauenly kingdome.

Furthermore I vnfainedly beleue with my hart, and frely confesse with my mouth, y^t this seede of the woman Iesus Christ, at the commaundement and wyll of his heauenly father (whiche from euerlasting by his godly prouidēce ordained his only begotten sonne, to be a sacrifice for the sinnes of p. 243his people, that through his only oblation they myght for euer and euer bee saued) suffred many greuous paynes on his bodye vnderunder the Heathen ruler Pontius Pilat, and that he was crucified, died and was buried. All those bitter paines and greuous torments he suffred, not for him selfe, but for vsus, for our iniquities, sinnes and wickednesses, that he might recō cile vsus vntounto God the father. His paines satisfied for the paines due vntounto vsus for our faultes,Esay. iii…Isa 3 as y^e prophet saieth, he only hath taken on him oure infirmities, and borne our paines.Mat. xxviii.Matt 28 He was wounded for our offences, and smitten for our wickednesses.

For the chastisement of oure peace was layde vponupon him, and with his strypes are we healed.i. Pet. ii.1 Pet 2 As for vsus, we hauehave goone all astray (lyke shepe) eueryevery one hath p. 244turned his own way. But y^e Lord hath heaped together vponupon hym the iniquitie of vsus all. He was cut of from the ground of the liuinge, whiche punishment did come vpō hym for the transgression of my people, saieth God, which in dede had deserued that punishement.

Ephe. ii.Eph 2He was crucified and nailed to the crosse, that by the suffraunce of his fleshe, he might put away the cause of hatred, euen the lawe of commaundementes contained in the lawe written, and so wyn vsus againe vntounto the fauoure of God. For it pleased the father,Collos. i. y^t in him shuld all fulnes dwell, and by him to reconcile all thynge vntounto hym selfe, & to set at peace by hym thorowe the bloud of his crosse, bothe thinges in heauen and thinges in earth.Collo. i. His blessed body crucified, and nayled to the crosse, buffeted, beaten and scourged was a swete p. 245smellyng sacrifice & a right deare offring vntounto God the father,Ephe. v.Eph 5 sufficient inough and hable to the vttermoste to put away all the synnes of the faythfull and all the paynes due for the same. It satisfied at the full the iustice of God, and apeased his wrath, sturred vp through sinne agaynst the posteritie of Adam, and made God of an angry Lord & righteous iudge a most merciful father and gentle sauiour. Nether nede the faithfull go for saluation vntounto massemongers, vntounto iusticiares vntounto monkish hipocrites, nor yet vntounto sainctes. The sacrifice of Christes body, which he him self that euerlasting priest offred on the altare of the crosse to God the father, is a plenteous, full, perfect, and sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole worlde, if they repent, beleue & amend. We nede no such p. 246daily sacrifices, as the Papistes hearetofore for lucres sake hauehave deuised. As Christe Iesus is an euerlasting Bishoppe,Hebr. ix.Heb 9 so abideth his sacrifice, whiche he once for all offred on the Crosse, of ful vertue, power, might and strength, euen vntounto the ende of the world. Iesus Christ yesterday,Hebr. xii.Heb 12 and to daye, and the same continueth for euer. For asmuche therfore as Christ endureth for euer and hath an euerlasting Priesthode:Hebre. vii he is able also euer to saue them to the vttermost and vntounto the full, that come vntounto God by hym, seyng he euer liueth to make intercession for vsus. For he is not entred into the holy places that ar made with handes (which are similitudes of true thinges) but is entred into very heauen for to appeare nowe in the sighte of God for vsus, not to offer hym selfe often, as the hie priest entreth in p. 247to the holy place eueryevery year with straunge bloud, for then must he hauehave often suffred sence the world began. But nowe in the ende of the world hath he appeared once to put sinne to flyght by the offering vp of him self. And as it is apoynted vntounto all men, y^t they shall once die, and then commeth the iudgemēt:ii. Pet. iii2 Pet 3 euē so Christ was once offred to take away the sinnes of manye, and vntounto them that loke for him shall he appeare again w^t out sinne vntounto saluation. We are sanctified and made holye by the offeringe of Iesus Christes bodye done once for all.Hebr. … With one only oblation hath Christ Iesus made perfecte for euermore them that are sanctified. Adue therfore to all newe counterfaict and straunge sacrifices deuised for lucres sake, by the crafty conueyance of man through the subtile suggestion of p. 248slie Satan, let the faithfull people of God embrace that sacrifice, that offringe of Christes blessed body, which he him self offred vntounto God the father on the altare of the crosse once for al, for the sinnes of the worlde. Let them cleue and sticke vntounto that. Let them repose their whole affiaunce, and put all trust in that swete smelling sacrifice, and saye with the holy Apostle, God forbid,Gala. vi.Gal 6 that I should reioyse in any thing, but in y^e crosse, passion, and death of our Lord Iesu Christe. So may they be sure neuer to perishe, but to hauehave euerlasting life.

Againe. This Iesus Christ the sonne of God, and the sonne also of the glorious virgin, after that he had suffred many bitter paines and greuous tormentes hauing vponupon the crosse, died the death of the body & was buried. I beleue p. 249that Christ by his death hath conquered,Hebr. ii.Heb 2 vanquished, subdued and ouercome him that had Lordship ouer death, that is to saye, the deuill, that he myght deliuer them, which thorow fear of death were all their lyfe tyme subdued vntounto bondage. Yea by his death Sathans power is so broken, and the violēce of death so weakened, that we may be bold to saye. Death is swalowed vp into victory. Death where is thy sting?i. Cor. xv.1 Cor 15 Hell, where is thy victory. The sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is y^e law. But thankes be vntounto God whiche hathe geuen vsus wictorye through our Lord Iesus Christ.

Christe after the death of his body went downe in his soule to hell,Of Christes going downe to hell. Psal. xv. Act. ii. zach. ix.Ps 15Acts 2 as clearely appeareth by the …criptures, not that he shuld there …uffer mo paines (whiche had all ready on the crosse suffred to the p. 250vttermoste and done whatsoeuer was nedefull for our redemption)Osee. xiii i. Pet. iiiHos 131 Pet 3 but to breake the pride of Sathan and to destroy the fury of the hellishe powers againste the chosen people of God, that al the faithful thereby might be deliuered from death and hell,Ose. xiii.Hos 13 and triumphantly say with the Prophet, O death I wyll be thy death, O hell, I wil be thy destruction.

Of Christes resurrection. Rom. iiii Psalm. iii. Ose. vi. Act. iii. Rom. i.Rom 4Ps 3Hos 6Acts 3Rom 1And lykewyse as Christe died for our synnes, so I vnfaynedlye beleue with my hearte, and frely confesse with my mouthe, that he rose agayn the third day through the power of his father, for oure iustification according to the scriptures. And by this his resurrection and lyfe, he hath not only shewed hym selfe a glorious and triumphante conquerour ouer Sathan,ii. Tim. … death and hell, but he hath also brought lyfe and immortalltie p. 251vntounto light, and assured vsus of the resurrectiō of our bodies, that as he is rysen from the dead, so likewyse shall we with our bodies ryse agayne out of the earth at the last daye.i. Cor. x…1 Cor 10 And therfore is he called the fyrst frutes of them that ar fallen aslepe.

Moreouer I vnfaynedlye beleue with my heart,Of Christes Ascention. and frely confesse with my mouth that as Iesus Christ the sonne of God, & the sonne of the Uirgin Mary, shewed him selfe oftentimes after his resurrection vntounto his disciples:Mark. xvi Luke. xxiiii Act. i. Rom. viii▪Mark 16Luke 24Acts 1Rom 8 so likewise he ascended vntounto heauen in their presence perfect God and perfect man, & sitteth at the righthand of God y^e father almighty, aboue all rule, power, might & dominion,Ephe. i.Eph 1 & aboue all y^t may be named, not only in this worlde,Collos. ii. but also in y^e worlde to come. For God the father hathe put all thynges p. 252vnderunder his feete, and hathe made him aboue all thinges the head of the congregation,Math. xxviiiMatt 28 whiche is his body, and the fulnes of hym, that filleth all in all. Al power is geuē vntounto him bothe in heauen and in earth.Apo. xix. He is a lord aboue al lords, and a king aboue all kinges.i. Timo. vi. Yea he is an almighty God with his father, of y^e same Maiestie, might, power and glory, and not withstā ding inasmuche as he is man, he is also our intercessour,Rom. viii. i. Tim. vi. i. Iohn. ii.Rom 81 Tim 61 John 2 mediator, and aduocate. For he is not gone vp into heauen to be an idle gaser, nor to neglect his churche, but to pray for the faythfull to make intercessiō for them vntounto God the father, to be our mediatour & aduocate, and to appease the wrath of God the father, if at any tyme through sinne it waxeth whote against vsus, and to wynne vsus again vntounto his fauoure, and to kepe vsus p. 253in the same vntounto thende.Christ is a sufficient mediatour, aduocate, & inter…cessour. We nede not seke helpe of other, neither yet call on the sainctes departed that they may pray for vsus, and pleade our cause before God. The man Christ Iesus alone,i. Tim. ii. i. Iohn. ii. Rom. viii. Hebr. vii.1 Tim 21 John 2Rom 8Heb 7 whiche gaue him self a raunsom for all men, is our sufficient mediatoure, aduocate and intercessour as the holye scripture teacheth in diuers places. Whosoeuer therefore refuseth to pray vntounto this man Christ Iesus to be his mediatoure and aduocate vntounto God the father, and …leeth vntounto other: w^tout all doubt, he is an ennemy vntounto Christ, and to the vttermoste of his power, he …aboureth to make Christ (as they …se to saye) Iacke out of office. For since the time of his ascention …is chief and principall office is to …e our intercessoure, mediatoure, …nd aduocate.

He ascended also into heauenPsal. lxvi.Ps 66 p. 254to leade captiuitie captiue, and to geue giftes vntounto men.Ephe. iiiiEph 4 Satan that old enemy of mankind had taken vsus captiue, made vsus his bond slaues through sine, caried vsus away with his craft & subtiltie from the Lord our God, and brought vsus in to his kingdō of darcknes, whiche is the dreadful kyngdom of sinne, death and hell. Thus were we in great misery, and should for euer hauehave bene damned, if we had not bene holpen by some other meanes, then we withall oure wittes could deuise.Luke. xi.Luke 11 Therfore euen of very pity & tender compassion came one, which is much stronger the… Satan,Apoc. v.Rev 5 euen Christ that mighty Lion of the tribe of Iuda, a ryght conquerour,Osec. xiii. a strong Sampson, a valeant subduer of death, sinne, & hell, a puissaunt vanquisher of Satan.i. Cor. xv.1 Cor 15 &c. He as a king of glory mightely brast into Satās kyngdome, p. 255brake open the gates of hel toke the Prince of darknes,Hebr. ii.Heb 2 boūd hym, toke him prisoner, made him his bound slaue, destroied his Empire, ledde away his prysonners, bringing them againe into moste ioyfull and blessed libertie, so that al they, which beleue in this most mighty Emperour and valeaunt conquerour Christ Iesus:Iohn. iii.x…John 3 are deliuered from the tyranny of Satan, and from the power of sinne death and hell.Roma. … ▪ There is no damnation nowe vntounto them, whiche are engrafted in Christ Iesu. Satan, sinne, death and hell withall the infernall army cannot hurt y^e elect and chosen people of God. Who shall lay any thynge to the charge of Gods chosen?Roma. … It is God …hat iustifieth▪ who is he that can …ondemne? It is Christ, whiche died, yea rather whiche is rysen againe, whiche is also on the righthād p. 256of God and maketh intercession for vsus. Who shal then seperat vsus from the louelove of God? &c.

Psal. lxviii.Ps 68And as Christ by his most glorious and triumphant Ascension hath led captiuite captiue: so likewyse hath he geuen giftes vntounto men,Ephe. iiii.Eph 4 euen that holy ghost, that spirite of truthe, that comfortoure, whiche worketh in the heartes of the faithfull newe mocions and spiritual affectes,Ioh. xiiii.xv.John 14 faith, hope, louelove, feare, humilitie, modestie, mekenes, pacience,Gala. v. Roma. viii.Gal 5 long suffring, ioye, peace, quietnes of conscience, tem…peraunce, goodnes, mercy. &c. It mortifieth the old man, and quieneth the newe man, whiche is renued vntounto the knowledge and Image of him,Collos. iii. Ephe. iiii.Eph 4 y^t made him▪ whiche after God is shapen in righteousnes and true holines.

Againe Christ ascending vp in…to heauen by y^e power of his godhead, p. 257hath prepared in the kingdō of his father euerlasting and ioyfull dwelling places, for so manye as beleue in hym, as he him selfe witnesseth,Ioh. xiiii.John 14 saying: I goe to prepare a place for you, and I wyll come agayn vntounto you, & take you vntounto my self, that where I am, ye also maybe. He hathe also ascertained vsus of our ascension, and going vp into heauen, not onlye in soul but also in body. He corporally is rysen agayne and gone before into the glorious kingdom of his father, to declare that we also after the generall resurrection shall both body and soule be caried into heauē. The members must nedes be lyke the head. Christ our head is risen againe, therfore shall we his members ryse agayne. Christ our head is ascended and gone vp into heauen both body and soule: therfore shal we his members ascend p. 258and go vp into heauen bothe body and soule also, Christ our hed was taken vp into Heauen in a cloud bothe body and soule, therefore shall we his members also be taken vp in a cloude to meete the lord, and so shal we both body and soule dwel with the Lord Christe our head for euer and euer,i. T…. iiii. as the holy Apostle testifieth, saying: If we beleue that Iesus died, & rose againe, euen so them whiche slepe by Iesus, God will brynge again with hym.i. Cor. xv.1 Cor 15 For this say we vntounto you in the worde of the Lord, that we whiche shall liue, and shall remaine in the comming of the lord, shall not come yer they whiche slepe.Math. xxiiii.Matt 24 For the Lorde him selfe shal descend from Heauē with a shout, and the voyce of the Archaungell and trompe of God.Dan. xii.Dan 12 And the dead in Christe shall aryse fyrste: then we, which shal liue (euē we which p. 269shall remaine (shalbe caughte vp with them in the cloudes to mete the Lorde in the ayre. And so shall we euer be with the Lorde.

Finally I vnfainedly beleue with my hearte,Of Christes comming vntounto the iudgement. and frely confesse with my mouth, that as the Lord Christ is ascended into heauen: so shall he come agayne from heauen with power and muche glory, nobly accompanied with thousands of blessed▪ Aungels and heauenly sainctes, for to iudge the quicke and the dead, the faithfull and vnfaithfull, and to geue▪ eueryevery man his rewarde according to that he hathe donne,Actes. i.Acts 1 whether it be good or badde.Ephe. Ind. And when he thus gloriously shall come vntounto the iudgemente,Apo. i. Acte…. x. ii. Corin. v2 Cor 5 all that are in the graues, shall heare his voyce, and shall come forthe: they that hauehave done good,Ihon. v. vntounto the resurrection …f life, and they that hauehave done euil, p. 260vntounto the resurrection of damnation.Math. xxvMatt 25 The faithfull shal go into eternall life,Dan. xii.Dan 12 the vnfaithfull into euerlasting damnation.Roma. iii EueryEvery man shall be reward according to his dedes, that is to say: prayse, honor & immortalitie to them which continue in good doyng, and seke immortalitie. But vntounto thē, that are rebels, and that doe not obeye the truthe, but followe vnrighteousnes, shall come indignation & wrath, tribulation and anguishe, vponupon the soule of eueryevery man that doth euell.

Now hauehave ye heard of my faith cōcerning Iesus Christ God and man. And I beleue al things that I hauehave spoken to be vndoubtedly true.Note. And I am fully perswaded, that Iesus Christ my lord and sauiour wrought all the thinges y^t euer he did in his humanitie for me and for my saluation. To saue p. 261me to reconcile me vntounto God the father, to make me enheritour of euerlasting glory, he came downe from heauen, was incarnate by the holy ghoste, and borne of the virgin Mary. Yea he …uffred, was crucified, died, went down to hel, rose agayn the third day from the dead, ascended vntounto heauen, and shall come again vntounto iudgement for me, for my sake, for my glory, & saluatiō. Thus hauehave ye heard my fayth concerning God the father, and God the sonne, whiche also is man, receuing his humain nature of the glorious virgin Mary.Rom. …

Eus.

Whosoeuer this beleueth and confesseth of God the father, and of his sonne Christ:Iohn. xviiJohn 17 the same can neuer perishe. For as our sauioure Christ saide vntounto God the father in his praier: This is euerlasting life, euen to know thee y^e alone tru God, and whom thou hast sente p. 262Iesus Christ.

Chr.

The wise man also saieth:Sap. xv. To know the (O god) as perfect righteousnes.

God sayth by the Prophet, yea to know thy rightousnes and power, is the roote of immortalitie.

Theo.

By the knowledge of him,Esdr. iiiii whiche is my righteous seruaunt, he shal iustify the multitude.

Phi.

God graunte vsus the true knowledge of his sonne Christe, so may we be sure to be iustified, saued & gloryfyed.

Epa.

Amen.

But now heare also my faythe concerning the third parson in the deity, which is the holy gost,

Chr.

We heare you gladly.

Epa.

Of God the holy Ghost. Genesis. i Psalm. ii. Math. iii.Gen 1Ps 2Matt 3I vnfainedly beleue with my harte, and frely confesse with my mouthe, that the holy ghost is one and equal God in glory, maiestie, power and might with the father and the sonne, proceading from the father and the son after an vnknowne p. 263and vnexpresseable maner.Iohn. i.John 1 This spirite of God and God him selfe is he,Mat. xxviiiMatt 28 by whom God the father through his sonne Christe and in Christ worketh and quickneth all thinges.Iohn. xv and. xvi.John 15 All the benefites and graces which God the father bestoweth vppon vsus for Christes sake,i. Ihon. v. Iohn. iiiJohn 3 this holy ghost bringeth thē vntounto vsus, and maketh vsus new vessels to receyue them, which otherwise euen of nature are so fleshly minded,i. Cor ii.1 Cor 2 that we perceiue nothing at all of those thinges,ii. Cor. iii2 Cor 3 which pertayne vntounto the spirite of God,Gala. vGal 5 neyther are we able to thinke a good thoughte of our selues.Phill. ii For this godly spirite worketh in vsus newe motions and new affectes,Iohn. xiiii xv. and. xv…John 14 and geueth vsus grace both to will and to doo good. He is a teacher of al the faithfull, and leadeth them into al truth. He is a confortour of weake and sorowfull mindes.

p. 264He kepeth the true christians vnmoneable in one faith,i. Cor. xii1 Cor 12 and openeth their senses to vnderstand y^e misteries of God aright.Act. x.Acts 10 He doth clothe them with his giftes, and geueth to eueryevery one a seueral gift euen as he wyll. He is the ruler of the Christen congregation. He is the anoyntment,i. Iohn. ii Psal. ciiii. Ephe. i.1 John 2Ps 4Eph 1 wherwith all the faithful are anoynted, and thereof are called the annoynted of the Lord. He is geuen vntounto the faithfull to be the earnest of their enheritaunce for the recouering of the purchased possession vntounto y^e praise of his glory. He with his godlie breath quickeneth, maketh aliue, and conserueth all thinges. He of carnall maketh vsus spirituall, of worldly godly, of wicked blessed, of the bond slaues of Sathan, the dearly beloued sonnes of God, of sinnefull sinckes, his owne moste pleasaunt and holy temple, of cruell p. 265meke, of proud: humble, of malicious: charitable, of contentious: quiet, of couetous, liberal, of hard harted: meke spirited, of froward: gentle, of stubburne: obedient, of dissolute: temperat and sober, of false: true, of folish: wyse, of idle: godly occupied, of vnchast: pure and cleane, of the haters of God: the frendes of God, of the louers of pleasures: the louers of godlines, to ende, he maketh vsus of earthy: heauenlye. Whatsoeuer goodnes we hauehave, he is the alone author, worker and geuer of the same. Therfore I beleue and confesse that this holy spirite is one and equal God with God the father and God the sonne, proceading from them bothe with lyke maiesty, glorie, might and power. I beleue that this holy gost is my comforter, and that he prayeth for me, renueth me, dwelleth in p. 266me, and hathe sealed me vp vntounto euerlastyng glorye. Now hauehave ye hard my faith and my beilefe in the father, and in the sonne, and in the holy ghost, which .iii. I beleue and confesse to be one God, whose seat the heauen is, and whose fotestole is the earth.Esay. …xvi Actes. vii. Psal. cxlv. Deuter. vi. Iohn. iiii. Esa. xliiii.Isa 16Acts 7Ps 45Deut 6John 4Isa 44 He is an euerlastyng and almighty God, whiche alone is to be honoured & serued in spirit and truthe. For he alone can helpe vsus forasmuche as he is almighty, & will helpe vsus because he his mercifull true and faithful, yea and that not for our rightousnes, but for his names sake.i. Timo. i. To this one, true, liuing, euerlastyng immortal, inuisible, & alone wise God, king of kinges and Lorde of Lordes, be all honoure and glory, worlds without end.Apoca. iiii

Thi.

Amen.

Epa.

Thou art worthy (O Lord) to receyue glory and honour, and power, for thou haste created all p. 267things, and for thy wils sake they are and were created. Blessing & glory and wisdome,Apoca. vii. and thankes and honor and might, be vntounto our God for euermore.

Chr.

So be it.

Epa.

Simply and plainely hauehave I here before you all rehearsed my faithe and belief in God and in the thre parsons of the Godhead, as I hauehave here tofore learned it of gods moste holy worde.

I confesse that many thinges mo mighte be spoken of the wonderfull misteries of this most blessed and holy Trinitie, but they farre exceade my vnderstanding, and therefore I dare not meddle with them.Pro. xxv.Prov 25 For it is written, he that is a searcher of the Maiestie, (of God) shall be oppressed of the glorye (thereof.Eccle. i…Eccl 1) Againe: Seke not oute the thinges that are aboue thy capacitie, and serche not the ground of suche thinges as ar p. 268to mighty for thee, but loke what God hath cōmaunded thee: think vponupon that alway, and be not curious in many of his workes. For it is not neadeful for thee, to se w^t thine eies the thinges that are secreat.

The.

The holy Apostle also counselleth vsus to be modest,Rom. xii.Rom 12 & sober, and that we be not curious to searche after the knowledge of things, which passe our capacitie.

Eu.

The holy psalmograph semeth to hauehave followed this coūcel wel, whiche saieth on this manner of him selfe:Psal. cxxxi.Ps 31 Lord I am not hie minded, I hauehave no proud lokes, I doe not exercise my self in great matters, which are to hie for me. But I refrain my soule, & kepe it lowe, like as a child that is weaned frō his mother, yea, my soule is euen as a wened childe, O Israel trust in the Lorde from this time forth for euermore.

Phil.

Neighbour Epaphroditus, p. 269there remain yet behind mo articles of the Christen faith, HaueHave you forgotten them?

Epap.

No good brother Philemō, God forbid I should forget them. For in them (next vntounto God) lieth now my chief consolation & comfort. Should I being in this case forget the holye congregation of God, whiche is the company and felowship of the sainctes & chosen people of God, of whome Christ y^e Lord is the head, ruler and gouernour? Should I in this my sickenes forget the hie and singulare benefites of God, whiche of his own fre mercy and mere goodnes he liberally geueth to al faithfull penitent sinners, namely remission of sinnes, the Resurrection of the body, and lyfe euerlasting? God forbid. God forbid. For the remembraunce of these thynges comforteth me greatlye. I wyll p. 267therfore (although my winde beginneth to waxe shorte, and it is painefull vntounto me muche for to speake) declare my faithe concerning these Articles.

Eusebi.

God strengthen you.

Chri.

Amen.

Epa.

As I vnfainedly beleue with my heart,Of Christes Church or congregatiō. and freely confesse with my mouth, that there is but one God, in whome alone I put al my confidence, truste and hope of saluation, and at whose hand only I loke for all good thinges, pertayning either vntounto the bodye or vntounto the soule:Canti. vi. so lykewyse I bothe beleue and confesse, that there is but one holy vniuersal churche or congregation of the faithefull, all be it they be despersed and scattered abrode thorow out the world in diuers and sondry places,i. Corin. i1 Cor 1 which are gathered & knit together through the operation of the holy ghost in the vnitie of the spirite,Roma. xii. and ioyned p. 271together in one faith, as members of one bodye,Collos. …. whereof Iesus Christe is the heade. This holy Churche or congregation lynked together in the felowship of the holy Ghoste is a spirituall house,i. Peter. ii.1 Pet 2 builded of liuing stones, a chosen generation, a royall Priesthod to offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christe, an holy nation, a people whiche are won that they should shewe forth the vertues of hym, whyche called them oute of darkenesse into his maruelous lighte, this Churche is the congregatiō of the liuing god, the pillar and ground of truthe.i. Tim. iii.1 Tim 3 This holy company are Citizens with the Saincts and of the housholde of God,Ephes…. ii. and are builte vponupon …he foundation of the Apostles …nd Prophets, Iesus Chryst him selfe being the hed corner stone.

Thys Churche is the spouse p. 272of Christ, and knoweth none other husband & head but Christ alone.Iohn. x.John 10 This blessed company are these shepe whiche gladly heare y^e voyce of their shepehard Christ, but they flie from the voyces of straūgers.

Ephe. iiii.Eph 4And as they are one body and one spirite, so confesse they on… Lord, one faithe, one Baptisme… one God and father of all.

i. Cor. i.1 Cor 1There is among them no dissen…tion, but thei maintain one truth preache one doctrine, speake on… thing, are of one minde and of on… meaning. This holy Catholik… churche or vniuersall congregatiō is that holy city,Apoc. xii.Rev 12 that newe Hieru…salem, whiche came downe fro… God out of heauen, prepared as … bride garnished for her husband And because no man shall doub… of what Churche I speake,What the churche is. I con…fesse that to be the holy Catholik… and Apostolike Churche, which… p. 273is the company and felowship of the sainctes, that is to saye of the faithfull, whiche are sanctified & made holy by the spirite of God, and by the bloud of Christ our sauiour,i. Cor. vi.1 Cor 6 whiche hauehave the pure word of God truely and sincerely preached,Math. xviii.Matt 18 and the Sacramentes duely and faithfully ministred amōg them,i. Cor. v.1 Cor 5 whiche excommunicate all disobedient notable sinners,ii. Cor. … and receiue into their felowship suche as vnfainedly repente and tourne from their wickednes,i. Tim. i…1 Tim 1 which study in all things to please the Lord God, and to liue in all godlinesse and honestie. This church and cō pany Christ loued so dearly,Ephe. v.Eph 5 that he gaue him self for it to sanctifie it, and clensed it in the fountaine of water thorow y^e word to make it vntounto him selfe a glorious congregation without spot or wrincle,Cant. iiii.Song 4 or any suche thinge, but that it p. 274shoulde be holy & without blame. Whosoeuer is in this church and congregation: he may be sure to besaued. But whosoeuer is not in it, he is without all dout damned.Gene. vii.Gen 7 For like as in y^e time of Nohe no man escaped with his life,ii. Peter. ii,2 Pet 2 but was drowned in the floud, excepte he entred into the Arcke of Nohe:Iohn. xvJohn 15 Euen so whosoeuer is not founde in this felowship or Catholicke Churche, agreing with it in one faith, doctrine, hope, louelove, and sacramentes, he shall pearish and be lost. For without the Churche of Christe there is no saluation, no forgeuenes of sinnes, no fauoure of God, no quyetnes of conscience no true Gospell, or glad tidinges of eternall healthe.

Therfore in this holy Churche & blessed felowship of the sainctes and faithfull, I vnfainedly beleue with my harte and frely confesse p. 275with my mouthe that there is remission and forgeuenes of sinnes,Of the forgeuenes of sinnes. and that withoute it, no sinne is forgeuen, nether is there any hope of saluation. For as it is vnpossible that a member can liue which is not in the body, so it is vnpossible that any man may lyue in hys soule, and be released out of death by remission of synne, whyche is not a mēber of the body of Christ.Ephesi. … For Christe hathe reconciled vsus al vntounto God his father in one body.Ephesi. i. And therfore must all they stande at variance with God,Ep…. … that ar no mēbers of this body of the which Christe is the head, to the whiche also he geueth saluation. This therfore is a great conforte to the faithfull congregation, that allthough thorowe infirmitie of nature or otherwise they doo fall, of…end God & break the Lords commaundements: yet in this cōpany p. 276there is remission and forgeuenes of sinnes, so sone as euer they repent, be sory for their synne, and beleue to hauehave remissiō of all their sins for Christes precious bloudes sake. Synne we neuer so oft and neuer so greuously, yet being mē bers of this holy company, we ar straight waies forgeuen and deliuered a paena & culpa, frō the pain and the fault,Math. ix Mark▪ ii Luke. v.Matt 9Mark 2Luke 5 so sone as we turne vntounto the Lord our God. And these our sinnes be not forgeuē of men, but of God alone, neither forgeueth he part and reserueth part, but he forgeueth all or els none at all. Again he forgeueth not the fault, and reserueth the paine, but with the faulte he also forgeueth the pain due for the fault, that he may be an whole and perfect sauiour, as s. Iohn saith: If we say we hauehave no sinne,…. Iohn. i.John 1 we deceiue our selues, and the truthe is not in vsus. p. 277But if we cōfesse our sinnes. God is faithfull and righteous to forgeue vsus our sinnes, and to make vsus cleane from all iniquitie. And God himself saith by the Prophet:Iere. xx…Jer 20 I wil forgeue their misdedes, and wil neuer remember their sinnes any more.Esay. xliii.Isa 43 Againe, I am he, yea I am he alone, which put away thy iniquities, yea, and that for myne own sake, and I wil remēber thy sinnes no more. And king Ezechias in his praier vntounto God said: it is thou (O Lord) that cast all my sinnes behind thy back.Esay. xxxviiiIsa 38 The Prophet Miche also saith:Miche, vii Where is there such a God as thou art? that pardonest wickednes, and forgeuest the offences of the remnaunt of thine heritage? He kepeth not his wrath for euer. And why? his delite is to hauehave compassion. He shal turne agayne and be merciful to vsus. He shall put down our wickednes, p. 278and caste all oure sinnes into the bottom of the sea.

I faithfully beleue that I am a member of Christes church, and I am also fully perswaded, that al my sinnes be forgeuen me of God the Father,Iohn. iJohn 1 not for my merites, whiche are none, but for Iesus Christes sake,Iere. xxxi Esay. xliiiJer 31Isa 43 for Christes merits passion, death, and bludshedding. For grace and truthe came by Iesus Christe sayth the holy Euangelist.Mich. viiMic 7 And I beleue,Psal. xxxii.Ps 32 that God fo… his sonnes sake hathe so frely and wholy forgeuen me all my sinnes, that he wil neuer remembre them more, neuer impute thē vntounto me, nor lay them to my charge, but so receyue me into his fauoure, as though I had neuer offended him and make me his sonne, and heyer of euerlasting glory.Roma. vi. For euerlasting life is the gift of god through Iesus Christe oure Lorde sayeth p. 279the Apostle. Thys is the stay and quientes of my conscience at thys presente. This maketh me not to feare deathe,Philem. iPhlm 1 but ioyfully to loke for it,Psal. xlii.Ps 42 and louingly to embrace it, when soeuer it commeth. For I wish to be losoned from this mortall body, and to be with Chryste.Psal. cxix.Ps 19 My soule hath a feruent desire to God euen vntounto the Lord my god. Deliuer my soule, O Lord, out of prison, that I may come vntounto the, and glorify thy holy name.

For albeit this my weak, feble, sicke and mortall body shall geue ouer to nature, and die, yet I vnfamedly beleue with my hart, and frely confes with my mouth, that at the last day it shall rise agayn, as the bodies of all other,Of the resurrection of the body. both mē and women, that hauehave died, shall likewise do. There shalbe a generall resurrectiō of the flesh.Esdr. xxvi. Al that are dead, shall rise agayne, some p. 280to euerlasting life,Eze. …xxvii Dan. xiiEzek 27Dan 12 and some to euerlasting paine and damnation, as our sauiour Christ saith:Iohn. vJohn 5 The hour shall come, in the which all y^t are in the graues, shall heare the voice of the sonne of God, and shal come forthe, they that hauehave done good vntounto the resurrection of life, and they that hauehave done euill vntounto the resurrection of damnation.ii. Cor. xv Yea they that shall lyue and remaine vntill the comming of oure Lord & sauiour Christ Iesu, shall all be chaunged, yea and that in a moment, in the twinckling of an eie by the last trompe. For the trompe shall blowe, and the dead shall rise vncorruptible, and we shalbe chaunged, for this corruptible body must put on vncorruptibilitie, and this mortall bodye must put on immortalitie. Therfore I fear nothing at all the putting of of this body: for although p. 281it slepeth in the earth for a time & according to the ordinance of god be turned into dust, yet shall it awake and ryse againe out of the earth: so that I shall receiue it in a far better state, then euer I had in it this world, euen like vntounto the glorious body of our Lord and sauiour Christ Iesu.Phil. iii.Phil 3 Wherfor I say with the holy man Iob,Iob. ix.Job 9 I beleue that my redemer liueth, and that I shall rise out of the earth in the …atter day, and that I shall be clo…hed again with this skin, and se God my sauiour in my flesh. Yea, I my selfe shall beholde him, not with other eies, but with these …ame eies. This hope is stedfastly …et in my heart.

To ende,Of euerlasting life. I vnfainedly beleue with my heart, & frely cōfesse with my mouth, that after my body & soul be vnited and knit together, I with all the faithful that hauehave p. 282liued from the beginning vntounto the very end of y^e world shall through the benefit of Christ Iesu, enioy euerlastyng lyfe.

Sapien. iiiSo many as hauehave truely beleued on Christe Iesu,Dani. xii Mat. xxiiMatt 22 shall enioy continuall and blessed peace, glister as the shining of heauē, …e as the stars world without end,…poca. iiii yea they shall be clad with white garments, and hauehave golden crownes vponupon their heades.Psal. lxxxiiiiPs 84 They shal glorify God and doo seruice day and nighte before the glorious throne of his maiesty. They shall se God face to face,Apo. iiii.v. and for euer and euer enioy the presence of Gods moste excellent Maiesty,…. Cor. xiii. and the compa…ny of all the heauenly Angels and blessed sainctes.

Of the ioyes of euerlasting life, whiche God hathe in store for all faithfull beleuers, can no man eyther write, speake, or thincke at p. 283…he full,Esai. lxiiii.Isa 64 as it is written: the eye hathe not sene, and the eare hathe not heard, nether hauehave entred into the hearte of man,i. Cor. ii1 Cor 2 the thinges whiche God hath prepared for thē that louelove him.Roma. v… And this euerlasting life is the gift of god thorow Iesus Christ our Lord, to whom be all honoure and glory for euer and euer.

Theo.

Amen.

Epa.

Thus hauehave I declared before you my faith concerning God and his holy misteries, grounded, I trust, on the true and vndeceyueable worde of God. And I faithfully beleue, that God my heauenly Father will be mercifull vntounto me, and forgeue me all my sinnes for Christes sake, and receyue me into his heauenly kingdome, and geue me euerlasting life, whiche I now most entirely desire, wish and longe for, counting my selfe then most happy, whiche through p. 284death I shall take my passage toward that most glorious and heauenly kingdom.ii. Cor. v2 Cor 5 For I know and am fully perswaded, that if my earthy mansion of this dwellinge were once destroied, I shuld hauehave a building of God, an habitation not made with handes, but euerlasting in heauen.

Chri.

God geue vsus all that heauenly mansion.

Euse.

Amen.

Epa.

Well, come thou hither myne owne deare wife,Wife. let me kisse thee, and bid thee farwel. God kepe thee & defend the.Children. Come ye hither also my most swete children, that I may kisse you also before I die. God blesse you, & sende you prosperous daies on thearth. God geue you his spirite, that ye may liue in his faith, feare, and louelove,Luk. i.Luke 1 and serue him in holines & righteousnes al the daies of your life.Seruauntes Ye my seruaunts, draw nere, geue me your hands. Far ye wel. p. 285God make you his seruauntes, & send you obedient harts vntounto his holy and blessed lawe. Wepe not for me, but praye for me, that the wil of God may be done in me, & that I may bothe paciently and thankefully abide the good pleasure of God. I trust we shal hauehave a ioyfull meting againe together in the kingdome of our heauenlye father, where we shall reigne one with an other in ioye and glorye worldes without ende,i. Cor. xii…1 Cor 12 and se the glorious maiestie of God face to face,i. Iohn. iii.1 John 3 vntounto our exceding consolation and comfort. Wel, depart in the name of God: The grace of oure Lord Iesu Christ, the louelove of god and the felowship of the holy gost be with you all.i. Cor. xi…1 Cor 11

Phile.

Amen. Nowe good brother Epaphrodi…us how do you.Math. xxv Mark. xiiiiMatt 25Mark 14

Epaph.

The spirit is willing and ready, but the flesh is weake.

Chr.

I pray you sir be p. 286on good confort.

Epa.

The Lord is my confort. He ful gratiously dealeth with me.

Eu.

Do you lack any…thing sir?

Epa.

Nothing but strenth frō aboue that I may paciently abide and suffer the good plesure of God. Thy wil be don, o heauen…ly father in erth,Math. vi.Matt 6 as it is in heauē Let me lie somwhat hier with my head. It is well: a litle thing, god knoweth, disquieteth this my sick & weake body. I trust, that within fewe houres it shalbe paste al… sicknes and misery, and shal bothe… quietly & swetely slepe in the harte… of the earth, vntill the great daye of the generall resurrection. In y^e meane season shall my soule be in glory with Christ,Luke. xxiii. Iohn. xvii. Philip. i i. Cor. xiii. i. Iohn. iiiLuke 23John 17Phil 11 Cor 131 John 3 and ioyfully be…hold the glorious maiesty of God. I will cease talking for a little whyle with you, and fall to cōmunication with my lord God in my hart. I pray you pray for me, that p. 287I may continue faithfull vntounto the end. For it is written: Be faithfull vntounto the death, & I will geue thee the crown of life.Apoca. …

Phi.

Neighbors …om aside a little while, and let vsus fall to prayer.

Chri.

Most gladly

Phi.

Lord heare our praiers.

Euse.

And let our cry com vntounto thee.

Ph.

Saue this thy seruaunt O Lord,Prayers for the sick. thou father of mercies & God of all consolatiō.ii. Cor. i.2 Cor 1

Chr.

And so worke in him by thy blessed spirit that he may put his whole trust in the.Psal, xi…

Ph

Sēd him present help frō thy holy place.

Th.

And euermore mighte…y defēd him against sathan, sinne, desperation, death & hell.

ph.

Let his enemy the deuill hauehave none a…uantage of him.Psal, lxxxi.

Eu.

Nor y^e wicked aproche to hurt him.

Phi.

Be vntounto him o lord,Psal. lxiPs 61 a strōg toure, a mighty castell & sure fortres.

Chr.

To defēd him frō the face of his enemy.

Phi.

O Lord hear our prayers.

Eu

p. 288And let our cry come vntounto thee.

Phi.

O Lord loke down from hea…uen,A praier. behold, visit, & relieue thi… thy seruaunt. Loke vpō him with thy eyes of thy mercy, geue hym comfort and sure cōfidence in the… defend him from the daunger o… the ennemy, and kepe him in per…petuall peace and safetie through Iesus Christ our Lord.

The.

Amē ▪

Phi.

Heare vsus almighty and mos… merciful God and sauiour,A praier. extēd thy accustomed goodnes to this thy seruaunt, whiche is greued with sicknes, visit him (O lorde,) as thou diddest visit Peters wiues mother,Math. viiiMatt 8 and the Capitaines seruaunt. Restore vntounto this sick parson his former health (if it b… thy wil) or els geue him grace so to take thy visitation, that after this painfull life ended, he maye dwel with the in life euerlasting.

Chr.

Amen.

Phi.

Arise and let vsus p. 299go againe, vntounto our sicke brother. Now neighbour Epaphroditus, how do you? Reioyce I pray you in the Lord, and beare this crosse which God hath now laied vponupon you,Phi. iii. both paciently and thanckefully.

Epap.

If I hauehave heretofore bene glad to receiue health at the Lordes hand,Iob. ii.Job 2 why shuld not I also nowe take in good worth this his moste gentle and louing visitation? The Lord gaue me health,Iob. i.Job 1 and the Lord hath taken it away againe. It hath chaunced vntounto me as the Lords pleasure is, blessed be the name of the Lord.

The.

This cōforteth vsus greatly to hear so good and godly wordes procede out of your mouth.Mat. xii.Matt 12 For of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh, saith our sauiour Christ. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forthe good things.Math. xixMatt 19

Ep.

No man is good p. 300but God alone. We are al vnclene & vnprofitable seruaunts.Esay. lxiiiiIsa 64 If any goodnes we hauehave, it is of God, as blessed Iames saith: EueryEvery good gift and eueryevery perfect gift is from aboue, & commeth downe from y^t father of lyghtes, that he whiche reioyseth,Luke. xvii. i. Cor. iiii. Iames. i Iere. ix. i. Corin. iLuke 171 Cor 4Jas 1Jer 91 Cor 1 shoulde reioyse in the Lord.

Chr.

Now good neighbour how fele you your self?

Epa.

O brother Christopher. I perceiue ther is none other waye with me but one, euen to depart from this lyfe.

Phi.

Let it neuer greue you moost genle neighbour to geue ouer vntounto nature,An exhortatiō to the sick to die willingly. and to depart from this worlde, at the callynge of God. There is a time to be borne,Eccle. iii.Eccl 3 and a time to die. We must be as wel cō tent to die, as we were to liue, and as wel pleased to leaue the world, as we were to come into it.

We ar mortal, we therfore must nedes die. Let vsus not bear heauely, p. 301that necessitie importeth. God crea…d vsus, that we shuld once die let vsus not therefore repugne and striue against the good pleasure of God. There shal none other thing chaunce vntounto vsus by death, than that hathe heretofore chaunced vntounto our predecessours,Psal. lxxxix.Ps 89 and shall likewyse chaunce vntounto our posteritie. Who hath lyued, that hath not died? Who doth now or shall liue, that shall not also tast death? One & the same way must nedes be troden of all Adams posteritie. There is no meane to escape. Adam sinned and became mortall.Roma. v All we hauehave sinned also in Adam, therefore all we are made in him mortall and subiect vntounto death. As by one man (saith S. Paule) sinne entred into the worlde, and death by the meanes of sinne? Euē so death also went ouer al men, in so muche as all we hauehave synned.Roma. vi. p. 302The reward of sinne is death.…. ii God in dede created mā at the beginning to be immortall and not to be destroyed by death, yea after the Image of his owne likenesse made he him. Neuerthelesse thorow enuy of the deuil came death into the world. The history of Adams fal is known,Gene. iiiGen 3 in whō we also fel. Sence that time he & all his posteritie hauehave bene mortall,Iohn. iiiJohn 3 hauehave died & shal die. We al ar now flesh earth,Eccle. xEccl 10 dust & ashes. So sone as we be borne, so sone begin we to die. This our life is nothing els then a very passage vntounto death. Noble and base, pore and riche, faire and foule, wel fauoured and il fauoured, mighty and weake, wise & folish, fortunate and wretched, ruler and subiect, faithfull and vnfaithfull, Christian and Painim, old and yong, man, woman and childe, eueryevery bodely creature that p. 303liueth on the face of the earth shall die. Whether the life be short or long, the end of it is death. All the holy Patriarkes, Iudges, kings, Priestes, Prophets, and all other whiche liued before the comminge of Christ, died. Ihō Baptist, Christes mother, & all the disciples of Christ died. Yea, Christ him selfe although moste innocent & without all sinne, after he was once clad with our flesh, and had taken on him our nature, became mortall, and to pay our raunsome vntounto God the father,Phil. ii.Phil 2 and to set vsus againe at libertie, he suffred death, euen the death of the crosse.Math. …. Is y^e seruaunt greater then his Lorde? Or the disciple aboue his maister? Our Lord hath troden the way a fore vsus, and shall we his seruants refuse to follow him? Our maister hath geuen vsus an example to die, and shall we his disciples disdain p. 304to practise the lyke▪ If death had bene cast only vppon our backes, which liue in this age, so might y^e burthen hauehave bene thought vnrighteous and intollerable, but forasmuch as our ancestors hauehave already tasted of death and are gone, why shuld we that now liue beare so impaciently this commō chaunce? On this condition came we al into the world, y^t we should leaue it agayne.i. Par. xxix.1 Chr 29 For we be heare but strangers and soiourners, as were al our fathers.Psalm. xc.Ps 90 Our days on thearth also are but as a shadow, and there is none abiding. Oure daies passe away swiftly, and we are gone.Ioh. vii.John 7 The dayes of man are y^e daies of an hirelyng, yea wynde and nothyng.Psal. cxliiiiPs 44 Man is lyke vntounto vanit…e, and his dayes passe away like a shadow.Psal. lxxxixPs 89 Where is ther any man that liueth, and shall not se… death?Ioh. xiiii.John 14 man that is borne of a woman, p. 305hath but a short time to liue, and yet the tyme that he lyueth, he is full of mysery. He cometh vp and is cut down like a flower. He flieth as it were a shadow, and neuer continueth in one state.Hebr. xiii.Heb 13 Here hauehave we no continuing city, but we seke one to come. It is apoynted of God, that all men shal once die. For what is our life? It is euen a vapour,Hebr. ix.Heb 9 that appeareth for a little tyme, and then vanisheth away,Iacob. iiii. Iob. ix.Job 9 as Iob saith, my dayes are more swift then a runner, yea they passe away as the shippes that be good vnderunder sayle, and as the Egle that flieth to the praye. Seing it is Gods will, pleasure and ordinaunce that wee should dye: why do we, which dayly pray on this manner. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen, shew our selues vnwilling to hauehave y^t thyng chaūce vntounto vsus,Math. vi.Matt 6 for the which we p. 306hauehave so often times praied? It is naturall to die, why then labour we to degenerate and growe out of kind? Our aūcestours the most holy and moste perfect hauehave died, why disdaine we then to followe their steps? It is highly for our profit to die, why are we than ennemies to our selues? We can not cease to sinne, except we die, why do we than not hast to fle from so great an euil? We shal neuer come vntounto the true life where felicitie bothe ioyfull and eternall is, except we die, why than make we so litle spede to hast thither, wher so many good thinges shalbe geuen vsus? We shal neuer hauehave y^e fruition of Gods maiestie, & the blessed company of the heauenly spirits, except we die: why thē do we not pray daily vntounto y^t lord our god to deliuer vsus from this stincking sinck of euils (I mene this world) p. 307that we may come and enioye his most glorious presence? The very Heathen, which knew not God a right, but only dreamed of the immortalitie of the soule, & loked for a better lyfe after this, they knew not why they should feare death, but wyshed death and died bothe valeantly and ioyfully, and shall we being christians which know God and his holy word, and vntounto whom so much comfort, hope, and euerlasting life is promised, refuse gladly and willingly to die? What a saying of an Ethnicke is this?Lib. …. … tuseul. O immortall God, howe is that pleasant and ioyfull iourney to be wished for, which being once done and past,Lib. de sence there remaineth no sorow, no care, no pensiuenes. Again, O that goodly and pleasant day, whan it shall be my chaunce …o leaue this filthy & troublesome world, and come to their company p. 308that inhabit the heauens. I… God wold suffer me, that I being of this age, might become an infant and sucking child againe, I woulde vtterly refuse it, neyther would I by any meanes call the rase that I hauehave run back again, that I might again be yong. For what pleasure & commoditie hath this life? yea rather what displeasure, incommoditie, pain, trauel & trouble hath it not? But let it be graunted that it hathe pleasure, certes: yet hath it ether satietie or mesure. And nature in this world hath geuen vsus a place to tary in for a while, but not to dwell & to continue in it. The Heathen wryters in their monumēts cal death a changing for a better life, a quiet slepe: a remouing from mortalitie vntounto immortalitie, from trouble: vntounto quietnes, from y^e shadow of a life: vntounto a very & vncounterfet p. 309life, from sorow: vntounto ioy, from euill: vntounto good, an hauē of rest, a solace of the mind, an end of all euill and wickednesse, and a beginning of all true ioy, felicitie & pleasure. Of these things may we easly learne, what opinion the very Heathen conceiued of death, and shal we that professe Christ, know God,Rom. …. beleue his word and cal our selues dead vntounto y^e world, recoūt death an euill thing,Collos. ii… and be lothe to go vntounto it, whē God calleth vsus, as though there were no resurrection of the body, no immortalitie of the soule, no life after this, no felowship with god, and with the heauenly spirites? The Iewes also beyng perswaded of the resurrection of the body, and of thimmortalitie of the soule, die ioyfully & with a lusty courage, whiche notwithstanding for their vnbelief in Christ are damned: and shal p. 310we whiche are christians tremble and shake at y^e name of death, as though after our death we should be in worse case then we be nowe, whan to say the truthe, the faithfull christians do than chiefly begin to liue, when thei depart from this world. All good men hauehave euer desired to depart frō this vile and wretched life, and to go vntounto that ioyful and blessed state of immortalitie.…. Dauid that Prince-like Prophet crieth out and saith. Wo is me, and sory am I for it, y^t I must yet longer abide in this world. Again. Like as the hart desireth the water brokes,…salm. lxii so lōgeth my soule after thee, O God. My soul is a thurst for God, yea euen for the liuing God: when shall I come to appeare before the presence of God?…sal. lxxxiiii. Also in an other place he saith. O howe amiable are thy dwellinges thou Lord of hostes? p. 311My soule hath a desire & longing to enter into the courtes of y^e Lord my heart & my fleshe reioyse in the liuing God. Blessed are they that dwel in thy house, they shalbe alway praising thee. One day in thy courtes is better then a thousand. I had rather be a dorekeper in y^e house of my God, then to dwell in the tentes of vngodlines. In another Psalme he praieth on this mā …er.Psal. …x…Ps 10 Deliuer my soule out of pry…on, that it may come and prayse …hy name.Tobi. i…. The holy man Tobias made his praier vntounto God & said: O Lord deale with me according …o thy will, and commaunde my …pirit to be receiued in peace. For more expedient were it for me to …ie, then to liue. How desirous the …oly Apostle S. Paul was to go …rom this vale of misery, vntounto the …eauenly kingdom, these his wor…es declare manifestly:Phillip. Christe is p. 312to me life, and death is to me aduauntage. Againe,Philip. iPhil 1 I desire to bee losed and to be with Christ. What shall I speake of that auncient & godly father Simeon, whiche so sone as he had sene Christ, knowing him to be the sauioure of the world: was very desirous to die, & brast out into these wordes & said▪ Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace,Luke. ii.Luke 2 according to thy promes. For mine eyes hauehave sene thy saluation, whiche thou haste prepared before the face of al people. A light to lighten the gentils,Esry. xlix. and the glory of thy people Israel.Actes. xiii.Acts 13 Of the like affection with these tofore rehearsed, were without doubt all godly parsons from the beginning, then being moste ioyfull, whan they sawe the time of their departure from this wretched world to be come: so likewise brother Epaphroditus ought both p. 313you and we to reioyse and be glad whan death approcheth and commeth vpō vsus. For then beginneth our felicitie, welth, quietnes, safetie, ioy, pleasure, comfort & glory, as the voyce from heauen sayde: Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord.Apoca. xiiii. For from henceforth the spirite saieth, that they shall be at reast from their labours, paines & trauailes. Precious and ryghte dear in the sight of the Lord, is the death of his sainctes,Psal. cxix.Ps 19 saith y^e Psalmograph. The soules of the righteous, saieth the wiseman,Sapi. iii. are in the hand of God, and the paine of death shall not touch them. In y^e sight of the vnwyse they appeare to die, but they are in peace. Let vsus not therfore fear death. To the infidele and vnfaithful mā, death is both fearefull and terrible, but to a faithfull man, it is bothe pleasaunte and amiable. Therefore p. 314neighbour Epaphroditus, as you hauehave hitherto in all your wordes shewed your selfe a faithful man, and wel contented to obey the wil of God: so likewise practise y^e same now in your workes. If the good pleasure of God be through this sicknes to cal you out of this val… of misery, stryue not against the wil of God, but submit your selfe to Gods holy working, & dout nothing, but it shalbe to your great commoditie and singulare profit. For all thinges worke for the best vntounto them y^t louelove God.Rom. viii.Rom 8 God hath appoynted the boundes of your lyfe,Iob. xiiii.Job 14 and beyond that ye can not go.Iohn. xi.John 11 When the twelfth houre commeth, then shall ye make an ende. Labour therfore to make suche an end, as God therwith may be plea…sed, seing you know and are fully perswaded,Math. …. y^t not an here doth fal… from your head without the good p. 315wil of god,Luke. xii.Luke 12 much les shal your life be taken away frō you, til the very hour cōmeth, which God hath appoynted,Apoc. i. Psal. xxxi.Rev 1Ps 31 in whose handes only are the keyes bothe of lyfe and death.Eccle. x…Eccl 10

Epa.

Death is terrible and fearfull.

Ph.

The wyse man saith,Remedies against y^e feare of death. O death how bitter is the remembraunce of thee to a man that seketh rest and comfort in his substaunce and riches, vntounto the man that hath nothing to vexe him, & y^t hath prosperitie in all thinges, yea vntounto him, that setteth all his mynde on belly cheare? O death, how acceptable and good is thy iudgement vntounto the nedefull, and vntounto him whose strength faileth, and that is nowe in his last age? &c. Be not thou afraide of death, remember them that hauehave ben before thee, & that come after thee. This is the iudgemēt of the Lord …uer al flesh. And why wouldest y^t p. 316be against this pleasure of the hiest. &c. To the vnfaithful death in dede is terrible and fearfull. For then begin their sorowes and miseries, their plages and torments, as we may se in the historie of the richman,Luke. xvi.Luke 16 but to the faithfull and true beleuers death is pleasant & amiable, as it is written,Psal. cxvi.Ps 16 precious in the sight of the Lord is y^e death of his sainctes.Apoca. xiiii For then cease all their miseries and trauayles, and begin their ioyes and pleasures. Whosoeuer is a true Christian & fixeth y^e eies of his minde through true faith on the death of Christe,Sap. iii. he shall not greatly be afrayde o… death, but he shall rather triumph ouer death and with a lusty courage saye thus vntounto death:Ose. xii.Hos 12 O death I wil be thy death. For death is swalowed vp into victorye through Iesus Christ our Lorde… i. Cor. xv1 Cor 15The sting of death can nowe no p. 317more hurt the faithfull, as our sauiour Christ testifieth, verely, verely I saye vntounto you: he that heareth my worde & beleueth on hym that sent me,Iohn. v.John 5 hathe euerlastinge life, and shall not come into damnation, but is scaped from death vntounto life. Again, verely, verely I say vntounto you:Iohn. vi.John 6 he that putteth his trust in me, hath euerlasting lyfe. I am that liuinge bread whiche came down from heauen. If any man eat of this bread, he shall liue for euer.Iohn. viii.John 8 Item, verely, verely I say vntounto you: If a man kepe my saying he shal neuer tast death: al so in an other place, I am the resurrection & life, he that beleueth in me, although he be dead, yet shal he liue.Iohn. xi.John 11 And eueryevery one that liueth & beleueth in me, shall neuer die.

Epa.

Death is painefull.

Phi.

Who will not be content to suffer a little and shorte paine, that he p. 318may for euer after enioy continuall quietnes and euerlasting rest?Remedies against the paines of death. ii. Tim. ii Roma. viii2 Tim 2 Nothing is gotten without paine and trauaile. No man is crowned except he striue lawfully The afflictions of this life are not worthy of y^e glory, which shalbe shewed vponupon vsus.ii. Tim. ii.2 Tim 2 Notwithstanding if we die with Christ: we shall also lyue with hym. If we suffer, we shall reigne with him. Therefore be on good comfort, God is faithfull, which wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able to beare.ii. Cor. i.2 Cor 1 The Lord our God is a father of mercies, and God of all consolation, whiche will without all doubt be present with you and comfort you in all your sicknesses and paines. For as the afflictions of Christ are plenteous in vsus: euē so is our consolation plenteous by Christ. As you are partaker of the afflictions: so shall ye be partaker p. 319also of the consolation.ii. Cor. iiii.2 Cor 4 For this short and lyght trouble, sicknes and pain prepareth an exceading & an eternal waight of glory vntounto you, whyle you loke not on the thinges whiche are sene, but on y^e thinges whiche are not sene. For y^e thinges which are not sene, are eternall. If you consider the great & intollerable paines, that many good and godly men hauehave suffred on their bodies for Christes sake, it shal the les greue you to beare this your sicknes, yea death and the paines thereof. The Prophet Esaye for the hope of euerlasting life, suffred his body to be cut a sonder with the saw of wood. Ieremy was stoned vntounto death. Amos after many greuous torments was thrust into the temples of the head with a great nail of yron, and so shortly after died. Iohn Baptist was cast into prisō p. 320Math. xiiii.Matt 14& beheaded. Iames the brother of Iohn was slaine with the sword.Act. xii. Act. vii. Math. xxvii.Acts 12Acts 7Matt 27 Stephen was stoned vntounto death Christ our Lord & sauour suffred most bitter pains & died the death of the crosse. I passe ouer many other both of the old & newe Testament, whiche refused no kinde of pains, so that they might obtain y^e reward of euerlasting life, some (as y^e blessed apostle saith) wer tried w^t mockings & scourginges,Hebr. xl w^t bonds & prisonmēt,ii. Par. xxiiii.2 Chr 24 some wer stoned, some were hewen a sunder, some were slaine w^t swerd,iii. Reg. i.1 Kgs 1 al wer trobled & vexed. How glad ioyfull & ready the holy Apostle S. Paul was to suffer al kinde of paines, & tormētes for y^e glory of God, these his words do aboundantly shew.Act. xx.Acts 20 The holy ghost doth testifie in eueryevery citie, saying, that bonds and troubles doe abide me but I care not for them, nether is my life dere p. 321vntounto me, so that I may finish my course with ioy.Act. xxi.Acts 21 &c. Againe, I am ready not only to be bound but al so to die at Hierusalē for y^e name of the Lorde Iesu. What shall I speake of the other blessed Martirs, where of some were deuoured with wild beastes, some burnt with fire vntounto ashes, some broyled vntounto the death vponupon whot coales some slaine with the sweard, some hanged vponupon Iebbets, some pearsed to death with arrowes, some beaten to death with stones, some boyled, some rent a peaces with whot burning yron cromes, some racked, some drowned, some cruelly murthered in prysons. &c. Who is hable to declare the moste bitter paines & greuous torments which they gladly suffred on their bodies for the glory of God, and the fruition of his Maiestie? If ye consider these thinges wel, p. 322you shall easly finde, y^t the paines which you now suffer, are nothing to be compared vntounto the most bitter and intollerable tormentes, whiche the men of God suffred. And not withstanding if you abide these light paines ioyfully, paciently & thankefully, you shall moste certainly enioy and possesse that heauenly kyngdome, whiche they hauehave already obtained. Faynte not therfore good neyghbor Epaphroditus, but abide the good pleasure of God, & his blessed workyng, so shall he without fail bring all thing to suche passe, as shalbe most vntounto his glory and vntounto your comfort.

Epa.

Death taketh me away from my gorgious and pleasaunt houses,Remedies against thought taking, for departing from worldly goodes. Gen. xlvii. Psalm. xxxix.Gen 47Ps 39 and from al the tēporal things that I hauehave.

Phi.

In this world we all are but straungers & Pilgrims, we hauehave here no dwelling City, but loke p. 323for an other that is to come.i. Pet. ii.1 Pet 2 The houses that you leue behinde you here,Hebr. xiii.Heb 13 be they neuer so gorgious & pleasaunt, are but earthy made of clay, and wether beaten stones, & shall in proces of time decay & returne vntounto dust & become thinges of nought. But after your departure frō this vale of wretchednes you shall hauehave a building of God,ii. Cor. v2 Cor 5 an habitatiō not made with handes, but euerlasting in heauen. You shall dwell in a city, that is of pure gold, like vntounto clear glas, and the foundations of the wals of this city are garnished withall manner of precious stones,Apoc. xxi.Rev 21 the gates are of fine pearle. Yea the streates of this heauenly city are pure gold. It hath no nede of the sunne, nether of the Mone to lighten it, for y^e brightnes of God doth lightē, and the lambe is the light of it. And as touching your other p. 324tēporall things, frō the whiche, as you saye, death taketh you away, you hauehave no cause to be sory for y^t. For as concerning your galant aparel, whiche if they be not worne wil sone be motheaten, if they be worn,Apoc. iii.Rev 3 they wil shortly fal to rags in y^e steade of them you being once placed in the heauenly city, shalbe clothed of God with white garments, which shal neuer wax old, but alwaies abide glorious & incorruptible. You shall also hauehave a golden crown vponupon your head, & you shall sit with Christ vponupon his seat. And in the stead of your deinty fare, which how vile it is after the digestion you knowe, ye shall eat in the kingdom of God Manna y^t is hid,Apoc. iii.Rev 3 yea ye shall eat of the tre of life, which is in the mids of the Paradise of God. And this meat shal abide for euer most pleasaunt and vncorruptible. As touching p. 325your gold & siluer & suche other worldly treasures, wherwith God blessed you in this worlde for a season, neuer remember thē any more, but bid them farewell. For what other thyng are they (seme they neuer so precious, pleasaunt & goodly) then red & white earth, & hereafter shall returne vntounto vile dust. In the stead of them God in his kingdō shal geue you such treasures, as neuer man with mortall eies saw y^e like. You also shal hauehave such ioyes & plesurs,Esay. lxiiii. i. Cor. ii.Isa 641 Cor 2 as nether eie hath sene the like, nor ear hard the like, nether is any man able to cō ceiue them in his heart, so great are the treasures, so infinite are the pleasures, which God hath prepared for thē that louelove him. Who wil not be glad to change lead for siluer, & copper for gold, corruptible & earthly things for immortall & heauenly treasures. Here se you p. 326that you lose nothing by death, but get very muche, so y^t you may now saye with the holy Apostle, Christ is to me life,Phil. i.Phil 1 and death is to me auauntage.Remedies against thought taking for departing frō frende….

Epa.

Death taketh me away from my deare frē des, in whose company I greatly delight.

Phi.

In worldly frēdship ther is no certaintie nor assurāce. He which this day is a frend, is tomorow an enemy. This is proued true among men almost by dayly experiēce.Eccle. vi.Eccl 6 Ther are diuers kinds of frendes, as the wyse man teacheth. Some be frendes but for a time, such will not abide in y^t daye of trouble.Of worldly frendship, Some be frendes for the table sake, and when a man falleth into pouertie, they continue not. Some be frendes only in countenaunce, and in heart hate most extremely. Some be earnest and harty frendes, whiche will abide by man, whē fortune is moste p. 327froward. But of these there are very few. And they which now such be, may sodenly thorowe some occasion be made a mans vtter enemy. Therfore saith Dauid:Psal. cxl….Ps 40 put not your confidence in Princes nor in the children of men, in whom ther is no health. Also the Prophet: Cursed be he that trusteth in mā,Iere. xviiJer 17 and maketh flesh his strength. Ye …e in the Gospel, that they whiche …o dearly loued Christ,Iohn. v…John 5 that they would hauehave made hym a kynge, shortly after for no occasion fell away from him, & followed him no more. Again those people whiche very ioyfully receiued Christ whē he came ryding into Hierusalem,Math. …xi.Matt 11 cut down bowes, strowed them in the wayes, yea and spread theyr garmentes in the waies and cried with a loud voyce, sayinge: Good lucke vntounto the sonne of Dauid.Luke. ix. Iohn. xii.Luke 9John 12 Blessed is he that commeth in the p. 328name of the Lorde, within few… dais after cried with a stout voic… and said: To the crosse with him to the crosse with him.Mat. xxvii. Iohn. xix. Iohn. xviiiMatt 27John 19John 18 If y^e lettes… him go thou art not Cesars frend if he were not a noughty pack, w… would neuer hauehave deliuered hym vntounto thee. Behold the frendship o… this worlde. Nether let any man promise him self better thinges o… his now most dear frend. Men a… vain & liers, fliting and vnstable. But when you come into the kingdom of God,Psalm. lxii Psalm. cxvi.Ps 62Ps 16 you shall hauehave suche frendes as shall for euer continue faithfull, louing and cōstant. God the father,Psal. cii. Malac. i.Ps 2Mal 1 God the sonne, & God the holy ghost shalbe your frends, which do neuer chāge but always abide one. All the glorious angels & blessed spirits of heauen shall be your frendes also. Who will not gladly change vncertaine frendes for such as are moste certain, most p. 329faithfull? HaueHave you now lost any thyng by departing from worldly vntounto heauenly frendes.