¶ Dyseases why they are sent vnto vs from God.

EVen as death therfore is the rewarde of synne, so likewise also diseases ma­ny a tyme are sent vnto vs frō God by the occasion of our sinnes. which this by many testimonies of the scripture doth euidently appere. Ioan. 5. Psal. 88. Deute. 28.2. Reg. 24. we are afflicted also often tymes, that [Page] our faith myght be proued. For then at the last it is to be seene how we do loue god, how much confidence we put in him, when we are thrust doune & troubled with some paynfull aduersitie. wherfor here before al thinges take heede, that all thy whole hart, mynd, & all thy senses be­yng turned vnto-God, vnfaynedly thou doest repentance: & that before god thou dost bewaile & cōfesse thi sinnes, for the which we haue all deserued euen the moost iust angre and greuous scourge of God. But the moost plentyful consolacion, and that whiche they call absolucion, or the forgeuenes of sinnes, which Christ instituted in the churche thou shalt lerne out of the gos­pel of s. Ihon, the xx. chapiter. [Page] This myghty great treasure is dayly opened and offered vnto the: Receiue ye sayth Christ, the holy ghost, whose sinnes soeuer ye remytte, they ar remitted vn­to them, and whose synnes so­euer ye retain, thei are retained.

Now when we haue desired pardon for our misdedes & haue obtained it, without doubt the paine and infirmitie or affliction whiche resteth vpon vs, eith [...]r will cease and leaue vs, or els through the farre best will of God, shal turne to the saluation of th [...] diseased. For this thing safely persuade with thy selfe and of this doubt nothyng, but that the same punishement or crosse (how great soeuer a yoke and burden it seameth to the fleashe) is certainely a fatherly [Page] fatherly rodde, with the which God draweth backe & pulleth from synne the his sonne beyng called & allured vnto him. Vere­ly with a most ardent affection of loue God doth embrace vs, from his heart wylleth he well to vs, & doth all thinges to this end, that he myght amende vs, and that thei myght be profita­ble vnto vs. For whom loueth he, him doth he correct, and him here he chasteneth & scourgeth, that he might not after this life be turmented in the euerlasting paine of hel. Neither shalt thou doubt, but moost certainly con­ceiue with thy selfe, God to be a father that loueth the best & is moost desirous to do for thee, how angry soeuer he shal shew him selfe to be. This is not the [Page] anger of a tyrant & a mankyller but as a father entyrely louyng vs, whiche wyll not that we shuld be lost, but amēding shuld repent and attaine to saluacion. This thing is more true then euer was oracle of Apollo, if that we beyng endued with so slender a fayth, can yet so much as beleue it. Fyrst of al therfore aske remission & forgeuenes for all thyne offences, but by Christ and with a heart truely bent to do repentaunce: that thou and God may well agree, that thou mayest wynne & haue him mer­cyful vnto the. After that, thou mayest desyre also, that he wold deliuer the from thy vehement greife. So teacheth vs Ecclesi­asticus in the xxxviii. Chapiter. My sonne sayth he, in thyne in­firmitie [Page] dispise not thy selfe, but pray vnto the Lord & he shall make the whole, so prayeth Da­uid also in the lxxix. Psalme.

O remembre not our old synnes let thy mercyes preuent vs and that sone. helpe vs O God our saiuiour. Lord God of hostes turne vs againe, how long wilt thou be displeased? Shewe the light of thy countenaunce & we shalbe whole.

Fyrst he prayeth for remission of sinnes, that he might be iusti­fied through the grace of God. Then after he entreateth that the anger of God myght cease. And thou praying for the deli­uerance and easement from the payne oppressyng the, alwayes shalt put vnto this clause, thy wil be fulfylled farre most holy [Page] and precious. For we cānot prouide better for our selues, then he our father, beyng most trusty & of an infinite power, wisdome and goodnes that cannot be de­minished: who no where tur­neth his eyes from vs, who ta­keth care of vs with chiefest di­ligence, who quyckeneth all thynges, maketh to florishe, no­risheth, defendeth, bringeth vp, tendeth and kepeth frō harme: who foreseeth all thynges and prouideth for them muche more and better, yea then any crea­ture is able to wyshe.

¶ Thre thinges there be, which in the bytternes of death moost greuously & fearsly do turment vs, & with a vehement terror do moue our mindes, that is to say, synne, death, & hell or dānacion.

Synnes, wherin we haue vn­thriftely & wretchedly pas­sed ouer our lyfe, where­with both God & our neighbour we haue moost heynously offended, these when they come to our mynde lying sicke in our beddes, we ar striken with the greatest feare and griefe, as S. Paule sayth to the Romanes. 2. Indignacion and wrath, tribu­lacion and anguyshe vpon the soule of eueri mā that doth euil.

¶ Death.

Adam and this our fleshe most vnwillyngly dyeth. when deth therfore beginneth to approche with suche great sorowe and vexacions as no tonge is able to expresse, the heart of man is weakened and made faint. For the feareful nature & the fleshly [Page] mā of ours is in miserable dread least ones beyng dead & stopped into the earth, he should neuer returne and be releued againe, & euen nowe he doth thynke him self al together to be cast away.

¶ Hell and damnacion.

These when they appere in syght, there then man feareth least he should vtterly be reiec­ted from the presence of God, & no other thyng doth he see but eternal death. Here he had nede to quicken his spirites, here he bad nede of a stout corage, that no place might be geuē to faint hart and desperacion.

O moost mercyfull God, oh moost fauourable father grant I be [...]eche the and helpe that as yet we hauing our welfare and beyng in health myght learne [Page] the feare of thee, embrace & loue thy worde, set thee before our eyes as a marke of al our doyn­ges, & that we beyng myndeful euer of this moost bytter brunt, myght defend & arme our selues so that we myght be saued, that beyng holy and dreadyng thee, might direct al thing belonging vnto vs to thy glorie, & finally enioy the lyfe eternal. Sobeit.

¶ when our synnes do burden our conscience, what is to be done.

Thynke that the sonne of god came doune frō hea­uen to the lowest places, and being made mā, hath layde vpon him thy synnes and the synnes of the whole world, & for them of his owne accorde dyed vpon the crosse, for euery [Page] of them hath been a full satis­faction, sufferyng moost bytter paynes for our sake. This blud of Christ most precious was shed also for thy saluacion Of his death euen thou art partaker, if thou wylt beleue Christ in lyke case to haue dyed for the, as for Peter & Paul. Neither oughtest thou to dout any whyt, but that he suffered death as wel for the as he did for Paule. For thou art baptized to dye with Christ. This should comfort the, this should styrre vp and strengthen thy mynde. For seyng that thou art baptized to dye with Christ. The death of Christ shall heale and helpe the. By the death of Christ thou shalt dye vnto thy synnes. By the death of Christ thou shalt receyue a sure for­geuenes of all thyne offences, [Page] furthermore by the death of Christ thou shalt ryse againe to a new and euerlasting lyfe. For Baptysme is a promise, a coue­nant, and a token of the grace & fauour of God, in the whiche thou art adioyned to God, that by him thou mayest haue a mery and quiet cōscience, because thy synnes ar forgeuen thee by the resurrection of Christ. Of a suertie to the also Christ speaketh in the institucion of his supper, where he doth professe & testifie his bloud to be shed for the re­mission of synnes. Now therfor albeit for the moost part thou hast passed ouer thy lyfe, neither altogether innocent, neither on eueri side vnspotted, there is no cause why thou shuldest dispair But no delay made without ces­syng [Page] call vpon the name of the lord, & thou shalt be safe Ro. 10. And brast out into these wordes O most merciful god, o father of all pitie, the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, be fauourable vn­to me beyng a synner, ayde me a wretche with thy spedy helpe, extendyng thy mercye for that most sharpe & yet most glorious passion and death of thy onely begotten sōne Iesus Christ our onely redemer & sauiour, sobeit, sobeit. Enter not Lord into iudgement with thy seruaunt. Deale not with me according to my desertes, neither reward me accordyng to my vnrighte­ousnes, but for thine infinite & vnceassyng goodnes & mercyes sake receiue me. A wretched & a feble creature am I in thy hād [Page] In thy powet & in thy det I am. O moost meke, O moost myghty God, O father most redy to for­geue, leaue me not, cast me not away as a wretche forsaken.

Thyne I am altogether. None there is that can comfort, none there is that can deliuer, none there is that can helpe me, but thou onely. Thou art the true remedy to put awaye mischief, thou art the surest and presētest ayde helpe, stay, and bulworke in al necessitie, thou art a tower of chiefest defence. Thou O GOD art our refuge, thou art our strength, thou art he whiche deliuereth vs out of tri­bulacions. In the O Lord do I trust, let me not be confounded. Let me neuer be ashamed, beyng ledde with a vaine hoope, but [Page] through thy iustice saue me.

Bowe doune thyne eare vnto me, make hast to deliuer me, be vnto me a God of defence, and a house of succour that thou may make me safe. Thou art my fortitude and my refuge. Thou art my Lord. My lottes are in thy handes, Shew the lyght of thy coūtenance vpō thy seruāt, saue me through thy mercy O Lord. Furthermore chiefly this thou art to be admonished of, whiche art payned with sickenes, that thou thynkest not of the synnes that thou hast doen, but rather behold the ymage of the holsom & most precious death of Christ beyng sette before thyne eyes, prynt that throughly in thy minde, & {per}suade thy self stedfast­ly, with thy offences that thou [Page] hast committed now not the but Christ to be bourdened, al those to be layd vpō the shoulders of Christe: whiche hath pourged them beyng turned vpon him, & hath paied the price of them for our sakes: so that he wyl neuer impute them vnto vs, but for­geue them all freely, as in our Crede we say, I beleue the for­geuenes of synnes.

¶ Here testimonies of the scrip­ture ought diligently to be de­clared vnto the sicke person, of the remission of sinnes by Christ wherof we haue hereafter re­hersed some, that thei myght be in redynes.

Ioan. 1. Behold the lambe of God, whiche taketh away the synnes of the world.

1. Peter. 1. Not with corrup­tible [Page] thinges, as with gold and syluer we ar redemed, but with the precious bloud of Christ, as of a lambe vndefiled & without spot.

These sayinges, brother, most depely let synke into thy mynd; let this styrre vp & comfort the. There is no cause why thou shouldest doubt of the forgeue­nes of synnes. For certainely if thou hast professed the name of Christ, and puttest thy confidēce in his mercy, he wyl take away thine offences also. And if thou wilt shrynke nothyng, but con­stantly beleue this thyng, euen now thou art deliuered from al thy misdedes, euē now thou art made the sonne of God. There is no cause why thou shouldest wauer, there is no cause why [Page] thou shouldest be afrayde. But heare the testimonies, and heare them so, that thou mayest prynt thē in the botome of thine hart. Ioan. 3. So god loued the world that he hath geuen his only be­gotten sonne, that none that be­leue in him should perishe, but should haue euerlastyng life. He that beleueth on him, shall not be condempned.

Math. 9. I came not to call the iust, but the sinners to repētēce. Math. 11. Come vnto me all ye whiche labour and are heuy la­den, and I wyll refreshe you. He calleth al vnto him, dere brother, he forsaketh none, he ab­iected none. In this worde (all) thou shalt include thy selfe also & thou shalt call vpō his mercy, & he wyl refreshe & receiue the. [Page] Ro. 5. God setteth out his loue that he hath to vs, forasmuche as whyle we were yet synners, Christ died for vs. Muche more then now (beyng iustified in his bloud) shall we be saued from wrath through him.

This gospel ful of the chiefest consolacion, to thee also good brother, would God the father haue denounced, whiche loueth the moost entyrely, For euen to the Christ was sent, to the also dyed he. Beleue onely, & betake the to Christ thy sauiour and thy reuenger.

Roma. 5. If when we were e­nemyes, we were reconcyled to God by the death of his sonne: muche more seyng we are reconcyled, we shalbe preserued by his lyfe.

1. Corin. 1. Christ is made vnto vs of God, wysedome, and also ryghteousnes, and sanctifiyng, and redempcion.

Here derely beloued brother take a good courage, how great a sinner soeuer thou art, there is no cause therfore why thou shouldest be faint harted, but cōfesse and acknowlege thy selfe before Christ to be an offender. Call vpon the mercy of Christ, aske pardon & beleue Christ to be thy onely sauiour, Christ to be thy saluacion and iustice, and he wyll be incontinent thyne, & wyll couer & wype away al thy sinnes, that thou nedest fear nei­ther daūger nor harme therby.

1. Cor. 5. he hath made him to be synne for vs, whiche knewe [...]o sinne, that we bi that meanes [Page] should be that ryhgteousnes whiche before God is allowed. Gala. 1. Christ gaue him self for our synnes, to deliuer vs from this presēt euil world, through the wyll of God our father.

Ephe. 1. By Christ we haue re­dempcion, through his blud the forgeuenes of sinnes, according to the ryches of his grace.

1. Timo. 1. Christ Iesus came into the world to saue synners. This thyng brother, trust thou for also, put thy fayth in these wordes as S. Paule did, then thou shalt be saued & iustifyed.

1. Timo. 2. Christ Iesus gaue him selfe a raunsome for al men. This beleue stedfastly, and now thou art one of thē whiche shal be redemed without all contro­uersie.

Hebre 10. we are sanctifyed by the offeryng of the body of Ie­sus Christ ones for all.

Math. 26. Thou hearest Christ in his supper talkyng with the, fedyng the with his body, offe­ryng vnto the that thou mayest drinke his bloud to eternal life, where as he sayth: take, eate, this is my body which is geuen for you. Do this in my remem­braunce After the same maner he toke the cuppe when supper was done, saying: this cuppe is the new testament in my bloud, whiche is shed for you in remis­sion of synnes: this do as oft as ye drinke it in the remembrance of me. These wordes thou shalt thinke to be spoken to the and moost inwardly shalt fasten them in thy mynde. For where [Page] as he speaketh vnto al he spea­keth also vnto thee: all thynges shal profyte thee, & turne to thy health and commoditie, whiche Christ hath suffered, no lesse thē they haue helped sanct Peter & sanct Paule.

1. Peter. 2. Christ his owne selfe hath borne our sinnes in his bo­dy on the tree.

1. Peter. 3. Christ hath ones suf­fered for synnes, the iust for the vniust, for to bryng vs to God.

1. Ioan. 1. The bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth vs frō all synne. 1. Ioan. 2. If any man haue syn­ned, we haue an aduocate with the father, Iesus Christ which is ryghteous, and he is a mercy stocke for our synnes. Thou mayest gather more sentences or fewer, euen as thou shalt se the f [...]ble person to be disposed.

Thou hast hard here welbelo­ued brother, the wordes not of a man, but of the holy ghost, whiche do testifye plainly, that God the father, which will not the death of a synner, but that he be conuerted & lyue, for that moost fragrant affection of loue that he beareth towarde thee, hath eased the from the burden of thy synnes, & hath layd them vpon the shoulders of his most entyrely beloued sonne. He hath borne and suffered them in his body, that they cannot cōdemne the at any tyme, For God doth repute and take the death of his sonne in the place of a full and sufficient repentaunce, satisfac­tion and redempcion for all thy mysdedes, so that thou wilt be­leue in Christ. Seyng therfore [Page] that thy synnes beyng cast vpon Christ, could not kepe him in death, ouercome and condemne him, in very dede now it is satis­fied for them, and they all euen now are forgeuen thee. Beleue this & thou shalt lyue for euer. Christ him selfe hath borne thy synnes, and hath dyed for them but he is rysen againe, and the synnes of them that beleue, by Christes death abundantly are raunsomed and purged. And so the straight and seuere iustice of God for synne is pacifyed, & al that more then ynough by Iesus Christ. Christ now is thyne and beleuers, with all his ryches, with his death, with his resur­rection, with his ascencion into heauen, with his lyfe, with his merites, & with his glory. Ro. 8. [Page] wherfore Satan hath no power ouer the, he can do the none in­iurye, seyng that thou art iusti­fyed by Christ, seyng that thou art deliuered from all thy tres­passes, seyng that thou art the sonne of God, God is thy father louyng the moost intyrely, for Christes sake, whiche hath recōcyled the. Therfore be of good chere, & reioyse in the lorde, for seyng that thou art in the han­des of almyghty God, & saylest in the hauen of thy moost trusty and best father, thou art with­out all ieopardye, no incommo­ditie, no aduersitie can happen vnto the: for thou art hedged aboute with Gods custody and with a garison of angelles.

Christ is thyne al together, he couereth and wypeth away all [Page] thy synnes by his innocencye. None can drawe the out of the handes of thy heauenly father. As sone as this crosse and cor­poral punishement (whiche for­seth beyng cōpared to the eter­nal lyfe, is a most lyght & short thyng) thou hast suffered and swallowed vp, the victorye is thyne. Christ was in the lyke, yea in farre more sharpe & hor­rible paine. He went before the, he is thy heade, to whom it is necessarye that thou be made like, & dye to thi sinnes, & put of this lyfe drenched and defyled with vices, that thou mayst liue with Christ thy lord in the true euerlasting life. Let not thy sin­nes greue the, there is no cause why thy conscience should be [Page] afflicted for them, seyng that thei are now taken away & abo­lished. That euil spirite whiche imagyneth distruction to our soules, is vanquished, is vtterly destroyed vnto thee. God now hath a respect vnto the, taketh charge of the, defēdeth and ke­peth the, all the multitude of angelles & felowship of sanctes regardeth the also. And as Christ cannot be dampned, so neither thou canst be dampned, if that thou cleuyng vnto Christ wylt beleue with all that confidence of thy heart. If that synne, death, hel, cā do thy lord Christ no harme, neither cā thei harme thee, if that thou art in Christ & Christ in thee. Therfore thou canst neuer be dampned. But if thy self shouldest beare & clense [Page] thine owne offēces, then in dede thou couldest by no meanes be fyt to cary so heuy a burden, thi synnes would farre ouerway thee & swalow the doune, drowned to the depe pyt of hell. But Christ beyng very God, and the same also very mā, hath offered of his owne accord him self for thee, and hath placed him selfe in thy rome, paying the price of al for the, as in the lxix. Psalme he sayth: I am fayne to pay the thynges I neuer toke.

Thou vndoubted hast commytted trespasses against thy selfe, but those Christ hath wy­ped out and purged for the, and hath set the at libertie, & made the partaker of the lyfe that e­uer shall endure, if that thou wilt beleue this glad tydinges. [Page] although beloued brother, that the wyckednes of the whole world shuld lye vpon the only, yet there were grace and mercy inough to be had at Gods hand yea & more then were sufficient. God hath {pro}mysed the in Christ blissing and grace, and the same in Christ thy lord is confirmed, and stablished, full and perfite. Thou canst not but be saued, if that thou wylt cast thyne eyes vpon Christ. Nothyng is more certaine then thi saluacion. For Christ is the natural sonne of God, concernyng his substaunce the diuine truth it selfe: concer­nyng his humanitie our bloud and our fleshe. Of whom shall we be more sure of the geuyng and performyng the promyse of [Page] grace, thē of this Christ? whose owne selfe is the truth of the same promyse, who loueth vs most feruently and vehemently so that he him selfe had rather suffre death, then to deceiue vs of any promyse. Wherfore if thou wylt beleue in Christ, euen nowe thou art made a coparte­ner of the heauenly blyssyng, euen nowe thou art losed from the burden of thy synnes, euen now thou art the heire of God, and the coheire with Christ for euer. For heauen & earth shall passe, but the worde of the Lord abydeth euermore. Beleue ther fore brother, and with a good hope styrre vp thy spirite, and doubt not but that most mygh­ty & best God, for the also, that is to [Page] say, for thi saluacion was made man, yea was borne for the, died vpon the crosse for the, rose a­gaine from the dead for the, and ascended into heauen. And all those thynges which were pro­mised vnto vs, he hath perfour­med and geuen willyngly. All the promises of God in Christ are, yea, and are in him. Amen.

2. Cor. 1. wherfore require and loke for none other thyng of God then mere grace and mercy & the same for & by Christ. For surely without Christ there is no delyght, no health, no hope, no helpe. In this Christ alon [...] is all comfort, all refreshing, a [...] ayde and defence: and to be brie [...] all the way to our saluacion, all grace and mercy is in him, much & without measure more great, [Page] more plētyful, & more high, then any mā is able either to compre­hend or desyre. God vouchesafe to graunt vnto vs a stedfast and a constant fayth: After this sort, or with a longer or shorter ex­hortacion, euen as the opportu­nitie shal require, thou shalt cō­fort the weake person. And I monishe the brother in the lord, that with as great endeuoure & studye as thou canst, thou with drawe thy mynd. frō that dread­ful and terrible beholding of thi sinnes & of death, and that thou directe all thy thoughtes vpon Christ alone, loke stedfastly with the eyes of thy mynde vpon him cleue vnto him with al thy hart receiue him into the, with a ful confidence of thi mynde cal vpō him, and betake thy selfe vnto [Page] him wholy. For in this Christ thou shalte fynde none other thyng, then chief innocency, iu­stice, lyfe, & soule health: which all beyng bestowed vpon the by Christ, are nowe thyne, if that thou wylt onely acknowledge Christ, as the authour of thy saluacion & thy redemer. Wher­fore very often I exhort thee, & no lesse often I beate it into the (neither that vnaduisedly) that thou renewe not in thy mynde the remembraunce of thyne of­fences, and waying the multi­tude and greatnes of them, thou afflict thy selfe. Thy synnes be­yng farre banished frō the, only Christ crucified set before thine eyes, print him in thy heart, vpō that be all thy study & thought, [Page] with a perfecte trust flee vnto him with al thi myght stycke to him gredely. & as one not possi­ble to be dissolued from him. By this meanes thou shalt preuaile & stand stoutly against the yates of hel, although they be neuer so vēgible, fearce, and horrible, Cal to thy remembraunce with how great kindnes, with what wonderful clemēcy, with what vnspeakeable mekenes and be­nygnitie Christ in the storye of the Gospel hath accepted and handeled al those synners whi­che beyng stryken with repen­taunce haue asked forgeuenes, and lamentably besought him of his helpe. Thou shalte fynde Mary Magdalene, thou shalte fynde the robber whiche [Page] which was hāged on the ryght side of the crosse, thou shalt find the Publicane, thou shalt fynde zacheus and diuers other, who beyng receiued by a syngular fauour, he hath pronounced free from all their synnes how loth­some soeuer they s [...]med to be.

For Christ is the verye grace it selfe, mercy, helpe, consolacion, lyfe, gladnes and health to all those whiche do loke for these thynges at his handes, and put their trust in him. God hath promysed all those thynges for Christes sake, whiche is the truth and cannot lye. Therfore he neuer deceiueth vs, he neuer disapointeth vs, he neuer forsa­keth vs.

Furthermore when thou art in that case that thi life lieth in [Page] hasard, it shalbe ryfe in thy me­morye, if thou at any tyme hast harmed or done iniury vnto thy neighbour, as for example, if thou at any tyme hast by theft or force taken any thyng away, or defamed the good name of a­ny person. Here thou shalt do the same that Christ did vpon the crosse, thou shalt pray for al thy euil wyllers, and forgeue them euen from thy heart all their offences. If any thyng of thyne be stolne from the, thou shalt not aske it againe with vi­olence. If thou thy selfe hast cōueyed any thyng away wrong­fully, restore it againe if thou canst, or at the least se that it be restored: neither must thou kepe close any thyng but confesse and be sorye that thou hast synned, [Page] and desyre forgeuenes. But if by reason of pouertie thou art not able to make restitucion of that whiche thou hast taken vniustly, it shalbe sufficient if thou forgeue other, whiche either vnto thi goodes or person haue commytted harme & damage, & by detraction haue stained thine honest report. I say if thou wilt from the botome of thyne heart forgeue, there is no cause why thou shouldest be carefull, com­fort thi self, & doubt not but god also wyll pardon the thyne in­iury which thou hast done vnto other. Neither can he of a suer­ty do any other but release him of his faultes, which forgeueth his neighbour. For he him selfe hath taught vs this meanes of requityng & releasyng.

Math. 6. If ye forgeue other men their trespasses, your hea­uenly father shall forgeue you.

¶ Whether the diseased may lawfully desyre the helpe of the Physicions and vse the remedy of medicines or no.

LEt the pacient neither set at naught the ayde of the Phisicians, neither reue­rence it to much. His chief cōfidence let it be fyxed in god, who lyke as alone planteth the soule in the bodye, so alone he plucketh it out euen when his will is. Sometyme yet notwithstandyng the Phisician is to be sent for, least we should seme to tempt God. For where as me­dicines by them self can neither bryng helth nor brede diseases, [Page] yet when thei are ministred of a Phisician knowyng the nature of thynges, and well practysed in the preceptes of reason, they may lawfully be called the handes and remedies of God, hero­philus beyng wytnes. whiche thyng also the holye scriptures do testifye, for it is written: ho­nour the Phisician: because of necessitie god hath created him. The lord hath created medicine of the yearth, & he that is wyse wyl not abhorre it. Sothsayers Charmers & Coniurours, with false prayers and charmes wyl heale the infirmed, as plages ar to be auoided and driuen away: for they are the venemous hā­des of the euil spirites, not of al myghty God, by whose worde and power all thynges ought [Page] to be ruled and gouerned.

¶ When death putteth vs in feare what is to be done.

Thou shalte thynke that death is vāquished & vt­terly destroyed by Christ And excepte Christ ha­uyng pytie on vs, had suffered death for vs, the feare of death should haue vexed vs with a myghty and vehement greif and with turmentes vnpossyble to haue been susteined. But death beyng now ouercommed & put to the worse by Christ, the sou­les of thē that beleue in Christ cannot dye and perish, But after the departyng out of this body, they go the ryght waye vnto Christ, euen as the thefe heard beyng at the point of death: to day thou shalt be with me in paradise. [Page] In the meane season the body lyth a quiet in a sure hope that it shal ryse again at the last day to that most blyssed euerla­styng lyfe, with noble glory, re­nowne and honour: that beyng renewed and purifyed together with the soule may liue for euer with Christ and all his electe: among whom also there shalbe found many, which were ioyned vnto vs in this worlde, either by the bonde of amytie or kyn­red. And therfore the holy scrip­tures cal the death of the rygh­teous a slepe. For this same ve­ry trāsitory, brikle, weake, mor­tal & corruptible bodye of ours in the last day shalbe raysed euē as a man is styrred vp from his sound slepe, & immediatly death beyng extynguished & abolished, it shal [Page] shew it selfe incorruptible, glo­rious, bewtyfull, strong, freshe, immortal, whole, pure, sounde, and spiritual. 1. Cor. 15. Ther­fore the 16. Psalme sayth: How precious is the death of the sā­ctes. These thynges, brother, way in thy mynde, be not sedu­ced with the worlde, whiche doth fantasy vs to dye wholy, that the body & the soule toge­ther doth decay and peryshe, & that nothyng of vs doth remain after the disseasyng out of this lyfe. But it erreth farre frō the truth. At no time our body is so vyle & so muche dispysed before the face of god: his honor, glory and health is prepared and ap­pointed for him. For this selfe same body wh [...]che we carrye a­bout, which lying in bed is scourged & disquieted with sickenes, [Page] I say this self same body beyng made new againe and glorified, together with the soule shall lyue for euer. But if we should lese our bodyes, and neuer reco­uer them againe, nothing preci­ous and goodly, but base, horri­ble, and moost fylthy were the death of the sanctes. Wherfore ponderyng these thynges with diligence, thou shalt vnder prop with sentences of the scripture thy wauering mynde, strength­ned with a sure hoope, Beleue them and doubt nothyng. They are certaine and moost true that Isay. Euen as the bodye of Christ lying buryed vnto the iii. day, the third day reuiued vnto a newe and euerlastyng lyfe, ne­uer to dye againe, So also th [...] bodyes of all them which hath [Page] slepte in Christe, that is to say, whiche hath beleued in Christ, do rest in their graues to the tyme onely of the moost ioyful & pleasaunt resurrection with a most stedfast hope to ryse againe in that last day to a newe & per­petual lyfe, where there shalbe neither sinne, nor death, nor any calamitie at all, nor any other thyng then iustice, innocencye, life, gladnes, blissednes & health for euer and euer. God hath promised these thynges, whiche is of an infinite power, whiche is the truth it selfe. They shall come to passe therfore without cōtrouersie. Geue credite to his promises, welbeloued brother.

Furthermore the testimonyes of scripture as touching the re­surrection of the fleshe, ought [Page] depely to be pōdered & throughly poured into thy mynd. Sanct Paule teacheth vs this thyng, that we establishyng one an o­ther mutually with suche lyke talkynges of the resurrection, may put our myndes in a good comfort. Neither can there any more certaine or more plentyful consolacions be geuen, then those that we learne out of the scriptures concernyng the re­surrection. We do not pronoūce the wordes of man but of God, who without faile & that myghtely wil performe those thinges that he hath spoken. No man can chaunge the wyll of God, no mā can let or hinder his pur­pose & intent. His power is infi­nite: He is true & trusty, his goodnes and mercy is vnspeakeable [Page] and neuer ceassyng. Let no man therfore hault at this thyng.

¶ Testimonyes of the resur­rection of the dead.

Math. 13. The iust shal shyne as the sonne in the kyngdome of their father.

Ioan. 5. Verely, verely I say vnto you: he that heareth my woorde, & beleueth on him that sent me, hath euerlastyng lyfe, and shal not come into dampna­cion, but is scaped frō death vn­to lyfe. Ioan. 6. This is the wyll of my father that sent me, that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleueth on him hath euerlasting lyfe, and I wyl raise him vp at the last day.

Ioan. 8. Verely, verely, I say vnto you, if a man kepe my say­inges, he shall neuer see death.

Ioan. 11. Christ sayth that Lazarus doth slepe, who notwith­stāding had yelded vp the ghost, whose corse also already was layde in the graue. But Christ doth restore the dead to lyfe, & calleth those thinges whiche ar not, that they may be. Roma. 4. Therfore he sayeth after, I am the resurrection & lyfe, he that beleue in me although he be dead shal lyue. Furthwith after these wordes he raiseth vp La­zarus which had lyen there iiii. daies now beyng putrifyed and eu [...]l sauouryng.

And forbecause in these cōfli­ctes by nature we are weake spryted and faint hearted, that we myght haue the more fur­theraunce to beleue that there shalbe a resurrection. Many are [Page] called from death to lyfe in the tyme of the Prophetes & of the Apostles. Chryst styrreth vp frō the dead the sōne of the wydow (Luc. vii.) he rayseth frō death the Rulers sonne of the synago­ge. (Luc. viii.) And he renyueth Lazarus (Ioan. xi.) Peter also bringeth againe Tabitha to life (Act. ix). and Paule restoreth Enrycus. (Act. xx.) Eliseus the Prophet calleth to lyfe his ho­stesses sōne (4. Reg. 4) and Ely­as the Prophet, the deade chyld of the woman of Sarepta. 3. Reg. 17. Also God toke vp to him those two most notable and holy men Enoch. (Genesis. v.) and Elyas. 4. Reg. 2. alyue both body and soule, drawen by force out of this frayle and wretched lyfe: that by thē he myght shew [Page] some token of the true lyfe that is to come: lest that we also (ac­cording to the iudgement of the Ethenykes and Epicures) shuld beleue nothyng of vs to remain after this sorowful lyfe.

Beside al this thou shalt put the impotent sicke person in mynde that he may remembre, what that most great and mighty lord of lyfe and death Iesus Christ doth say Luc. 8. weepe not, the wenche is not dead, but she sle­peth. Vnbeleuyng reason nor perceiuing the mysteries of god doth skot at these thinges. But Christ adioyning fidelitie to his wordes, together with this say [...]ng restoreth to lyfe the dead damosel. This same Lorde Iesus Christ wyll receiue thy soule & kepe it, and in the last day wyll [Page] deliuer agayne the body to thy soule, and cople them together to the life that euer shal endure

Ioan. 5. The houre shal come, in the whiche al that are in the graues shall heare his voyce, & shall come furth, thei that haue done good, vnto the resurrectiō of lyfe.

Roma. 8. But if the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus from death, dwel in you: euen he that raysed vp Christ frō death, shal quicken your mortal bodies, be­cause of his spirit that dwel­leth in you.

1. Cor. 6. God hath raysed vp Christ the lorde, and shall rayse vs vp by his power.

The 15. Chapiter of the first to the Corinthians is stuffed with moost delectable and holesome [Page] comforth, therfore no golde to be iuged worthy wherewith it myght be estemed. In the same Chapiter. S. paule doth so knyt & fasten our resurrection to the resurrection of Christ, that it cā not be seperated and seuered frō it: by thys sentence Chryste is rysen from the deade (whyche is most certayne) therfore wyth out controuersye we also shall ryse agayne: For Chryst is our heade, and we be the membres. Thys heade is not wythout his members, neither hath he lefte and forsaken his mēbers. Where Chryst is, there also shal we be: for we ar the members of the same body, of his fleshe and of his bones. Who can suf­ficiently to the dignitie of it pu­blyshe that vnmeasurable glory [Page] of inestimable and vnspeakeable grace and mercy, that god hum­blyng him selfe from heauen to the Lowest places, vouchesafed to become a mortall man, that this transitory and frayl natur [...] of men vnyted to the nature of god, shuld be exalted to euerlas­tynge lyfe, beyng made parta­ker of the celestiall kyngdome, throughe the infynite and incō­prehēsyble power and myghty­nesse of the deite

If that we beleued so great ry­ches to be geuen vnto vs, and so blessed a kynde of lyfe to be prepared readye for vs, after what sorte, I pray yow, could we be ouerthrowen & vexed in minde? The nature of all the faythfull whiche both were before and after Christ and shalbe, without [Page] doubt in Christ very man & very God hath put on immortalitie. It is therfore a moost full and effectual comfort of the resur­rection of Christ, wherwith S. Paule doeth stablyshe the hear­tes of the Corinthians, where as he sayth: Christ is rysen from the dead, and become the fyrst frutes of them that sleape. For by a man came death, and by a mā came the resurrection of the deade. For as by Adam all dye: so by Christ, shall all bee made alyue, but euery man in his order. The fyrst is Christ, then they that are Christes.

Sanct Paule addeth here vnto a similitude of natural thynges wherby the resurrection of the bodyes clerely and manyfestly [Page] may bee perceiued and opened. The simylytude is taken of the seede, whiche beyng cast drye in to the grounde of the husband­man, dothe as it were dye and rotte: yet bestowed in the earth doth not perishe vtterly: but it spryngeth out of the grounde new and freshe with a pleasant goodly & delectable forme and shape: so also our body shal ryse againe, not corruptible, transi­torye, frayle, feble, and mortall as it is nowe, but fayre, comly, deautyfull, myghty, of perfecte strength, and immortal, into the euerlastyng lyfe. This is the waye by this bodyly death into the true and eternal lyfe, into the natiue coūtrey. Fleshe and bloud cannot attaine vnto the inheritaunce of the kyngdome [Page] of God, in the whiche there is nothyng but lyfe. And therfore this corruptible body must put on incorrupcion, & this mortall body be indued with immorta­litie. Then that saying shalbe fulfylled whiche is wrytten: Death is swallowed vp in vic­tory. Thei that beleue in Christ euen nowe haue ouercommed syn, death & hel: Therfore thou dispising death and beyng now stout and couragious in Christ, shalt say: Death, where is thy stynge? hel where is thy victo­ry? the stynge of death is synne? the power of synne is the lawe, but prayse be vnto God whiche hath geuen vs victory, through our lord Iesus Christ. We wyll reherse also other sentences ful of most plentyful consolacion.

1. Cor. 4. He that raysed the lord Iesus Christ frō the dead, wyll rayse vs vp also.

Phil. 3. Our conuersacion is in heauen from whence we loke for the sauiour, euen the Lorde Ies{us} Christ, which shal chaūge our vyle body, that he may mak it lyke to his glorious body ac­cordyng to the workyng wher­by he is able also to subdue all thynges vnto him selfe.

Colos. 1. ye are dead, & your lyfe is hyd with Christ in God. whensoeuer Christ (whiche is our lyfe) shall shewe him selfe, then shall ye also appeare with him in glory.

1. Tessa. 4. I would not bre­thren that ye should be ignorant concernyng them whiche are, f [...]llen a s [...]eape, that ye sorowe [Page] not as other do whiche haue no hope. For if we beleue that Ie­sus dyed and rose againe, euen so them also whiche slepe by Iesus, wyll God bryng agayne with him. Sanct Paule also comforteth Tymothe his disci­ple with the artikle of the re­surrection, by these woordes: Remembre that Iesus Christ of the seede of Dauid, rose againe frō death, according to my gos­pel. If we be deade with him, we shall also liue with him: If we bee pacient, we shall also reigne with him. 2. Timo. 2.

To the Hebrues 2. he sayth: Christ by the grace of God for vs to haue tasted of death. And in the same place he affirmeth that Christ was made partaker of fleshe & bloud, that is to say, [Page] was verye man, that throughe death he myght expell him that had lordship ouerdeath, whiche is, the deuil, & that he myght deliuer them, whiche thorowe feare of death were al their lyfe tyme subdued vnto bondage.

2. Timo. 1. God hath saued vs, and called vs with an holy cal­ling: not according to our dedes but according to his owne pur­pose and grace: whiche was ge­uen vs through Christ Iesu be­fore the worlde beganne, but is now declared openly by the ap­pearyng of our sauiour Iesu Chryst, whiche hath put away death, and hath brought lyfe & immortalitie vnto lyght.

1. Ioan. 3. we knowe that we are translated frō death to lyfe, because we loue our brethren.

1. Ioan. 4. In this appeareth the loue of God to vs warde, because that god sent his only be­gotten sōne into the world that we myght lyue through him.

Iob. 19. I am sure, that my redemer lyueth, and that I shal ryse out of the earth in the lat­ter day: that I shall be clothed againe with this skynne, and se God in my fleshe. yea I my selfe shal behold him, not with other but with these same eyes.

These testimonyes of scripture he which attētyuely doth pon­der, cannot but be moued with the greatest comfort & excedyng muche gladnes. Of that thyng sanct Paule may be a most eui­dent example vnto vs, who be­yng mery from his heart, doth reioyce to him self, that he hath [Page] knowen Christ and the power of his resurrection, wherby our death is vāquished. Now ther­fore death vnto them whiche beleue in Christ, is dead, ther is now no terrible thyng in death that ought to be dreaded and feared besyde the ymage and forme, euen as a serpēt destroied doth kepe that his olde & dread full shape, but as to hurt, he hath no power in him. And in lyke case as by that brasen ser­pent erected in the wyldernes by Moyses, through the diuine power of the woorde when it was loked vpon, lyuely serpen­tes dyed, neither could the Ie­wes be poysoned with the ve­nome of the liuing serpentes: so also our death dyeth, & is made harmeles & nothyng to be fea­red, [Page] if we wyll behold with the eyes of our layth the wholsome death of Chryste. To be breife, death is like the image and sha­dow of death, yea rather the be­ginnning and entre into the true lyfe. Chryst which is the truth it selfe, doth say: If any mā wyl obserue my wordes, he shall ne­uer see death. Howe I pray you commeth this to passe? I wyll shewe you. A man trustyng in the mercye of Christ, thorowe fayth learned out of the gospel, is so incorporated (if I may so say) with Christ his lord, which is the true lyfe, soo knytte and copled, that he cannot be deui­ded and sundred frō him. This bodye therfore is parted from the soule, in a perfyte hope of a [Page] glorious resurrection vnto lyfe euerlastyng. For within a lytle space of tyme, the body is resto­red vnto the soule againe, that it may enioye the endlesse blysse. And so beleuing in Chryst, the eternal death of the body and soule, that is, euerlastyng dam­nacion & very death in deede, he doth not see. For vndoubtedlye the death of the ryghteous is a passage and a goyng out of this mortal, into an immortal lyfe, to Christ, to the Angels, and to al the sanctes.

¶ When hel and dampnacion euerlastyng commyng to mynde do feare vs.

THat malicious spirit doth cast in to a mā a meruai­lous carefulnes of his predestinaciō, prompting [Page] him with theis cruel & horrible thoughtes: what if thou diddest not please god? what if he hath reiected the? how knowest thou that thou art in the numbre of them whom god hath chosen to eternal lyfe. These & lyke long temptacions are most bytter, & most fearcely do freat and tur­ment the mynde. Wherfore it is nedefull heare that thou stande (as they say) on both feete, and stedfastly in this brūt that thou defend thy partes. Also if thou wylt wynne the victory in this conflycte, thou must sette vpon him with this policie & this art. Immediatly when these temp­tacions are throwen into the of Satan, see that thou fall not in disputacion with him, see that [Page] thou medle not with him, and answerest him of the contrarye part: but with these wordes or thoughtes him deferred dryue from the: Get the hence Satan auoyde with euil spede. It is written, Thou shalt not tempte thy Lord God. Where as God alwaies of his fatherly affectiō toward me hath replenished me with the greatest & most infinite benefites, where as he hath en­dued me with this lyfe, & hath nourished & preserued the same hetherto, wher as he hath hea­ped me with all kynde of good thynges, what madnes were it to doubt any thyng of his mer­cy? where as he hath imputed me in the numbre of the christi­ans beyng receiued by baptisme [Page] into his flocke, where as he hath called me to the gospel of his grace, in the which he hath promysed me that he would be my father how shuld I not loke for the b [...]st thynges from him, & promyse to my selfe the cheifest good thynges of him? howe should not his wyll be most rea­dy and at hand, & most inclyned towardes me? what nede many wordes? It is a most folishe and daungerous thyng, to folowe these fantasyes of desteny. Fur­thermore thou shalt ouerthrow and preuent these thoughtes with other, wherwith God wil that thy mynde bee occupyed: Vndoubted with these whiche Christ him selfe hath appointed where as he sayth: he that be­leueth in Christ doth not perysh [Page] but hath euerlastyng lyfe.

Doest thou not heare that he whiche beleueth in Christ, whi­che doth acknowledge Chryst to be his sanctifycacion, health, and iustice, cannot be dampned? and that he shalbe a partaker of saluacion and lyfe eternal? As many therfore as do trust in the mercy of Christ without controuersie ar of the numbre of them which are elected to euerlasting lyfe: in Chryst fore knowen and predestinate, beyng longe syns written in the boke of lyfe. But they that ar predestinate to eternal lyfe, are made lyke to the i­mage of Christ. Fayth wherby they are accompted iust before God, they receyue not but out of the woorde of God. By this faythe therefore, that is, by [Page] a sure confidēce of mercy, gran­ted frely for Christes sake, they are saued. These sayinges are most certaine and farre most true. God can neither be decei­ued nor deceiue any man. This is the counsel of God the father beyng moost meeke, and a louer vnfaynedly of mankynd. These he hath so from the begynnyng purposed, so fore knowen, so determined. Ther is no cause ther fore, that those thynges should hynder or make the agayshed, which that enemy enuying our welfare, and deuisyng ruyne to our soule, do [...]h instruct thewith and obiecte against these thyn­ges. Take hede onely that thou beleuyng in Christ, doest com­fort thy selfe with the hope of his mercy, and there shalbe no [Page] peril at al. For if thou doest put thy hope & confidence in Christ, Christ is thine & thou art Chri­stes. he redemyng the, thou cāst not perishe and be dampned by no meanes. For in very deede they that beleue in Christ, are drawen by the fath [...]r vnto Christ. By the same Christ he wyll them to b [...] saued, neither any of them to be cast away.

Wherfore see that thou be of a bolde courage, se that thou be­leue firmely, and cōceiue a good hope of Christ. whosoeuer thei be that beleue in Christ, the same ar predestinate vnto life euerla­styng. Our eyes therfore ought to be bent towarde Christ, we ought to flee vnto him, this our onely and true sauiour must be apprehended with fayth, if we [Page] intend to bee saued. Here lette euery mā diligently ponder that wayghty exhortacion of s. Paul whose wordes are these: Let vs runne with pacience vnto the battail that is set before vs, lo­kyng vnto Iesus the capitayne & finisher of al our fayth, which (for the ioy that was set before him) abode the crosse, and dispy­sed the shame, and is set doune on the ryght hand of the throne of God. Furthermore euery temptacion where with (beyng moost intollerable) Christ was vexed, for our sake and for vs he suffered, the same sanct Paul to the hebrues the .iiii. beyng wytnes: we haue not an hygh preist whiche cannot haue com­passion on our infirmities, but was in al pointes tempted, lyke [Page] as we are, but yet without syn. Let vs therfore go boldly vnto the seate if grace, that we may obtayne mercy, and fynde grace to helpe in tyme of nede. These thynges brother, prynt in thy heart. Chryst was geuen vnto vs, fyrst for this cause, that he should redeme vs, reconcyle vs and make vs parteners of euer­lasting saluacion: next, that he should be an example vnto vs, to leade and passe our lyfe holyly. Therfore if thou doest couete to depart out of this world de­uoutly and blyssedly, see that (Christes death beyng put be­fore thine eyes) after his exāple thou ende thy lyfe. For Christ is set furth before vs, an exam­ple to folow, in lyfe, in all affli­ction, in death.

No mā shal lyue vertuously, no man shall endure tribulacions, no man shal dye happely, except he wyll endeuour him selfe to folowe the lyfe and death of Christ beyng put before him. By Christes death, the death of all the godly people is swalowed vp & clerely extincte. wherfore thou shalt consider and way at­tentiuely what kynde of death he suffered, howe he behaued him selfe in that farre most sore contencion, when hangyng on the cros he was oppressed with most haynous temptacions. Be a folower of this Christ, calling for the helpe of God.

Fyrst he was tempted with death when it was obiected vnto him: he hath saued other, him selfe he cannot saue. As though [Page] they had sayd: now is he lost, he must nedes dye & perishe vtterly No man shal deliuer him out of our handes. After the same sort that enemy also of ours vnpossi­ble to be reconcyled vnto vs, wyll stryke the feare of death in to vs. But be thou the more stout on the other syde. Lyft vp thi stomake, and cōfirme it with a good hope. Christ hath di­stroyed that conquered enemye. Thou shalt ouercome him also by Christ. Direct the buckler of faith in Christ. Thy lord Christ kyng of glory, and the same lord of lyfe, is not made subiecte to death. but he lyueth & reigneth. This lord and thy champion li­uyng & reignyng, wyll not leue thee destitute, nor suffre that death may execute vpō the such [Page] a tyranny. He cannot disapoint the, neither dethe he lye, seyng that he is the truth. Conceiue this trust in him, promyse to thy selfe the best thynges of him, & thou shalt lyue with him for euer. Truely wheras he would haue the tossed with temptaci­ons, and fele the death of the bodye, that altogether is done for thy loue. Neither forsoth is there any other waye to go into that true and endeles lyfe, then by the death of the body. Ther­fore this lyfe is to be forsaken and layd asyde, if thou wylt at­taine to the euerlastyng life. So after this lyfe thou shalt begyn at the last to lyue in dede. Fur­thermore this corporal death a­uayleth to this thyng, that the sharpnes and sowernes of it be­yng tasted, thou mayest haue the [Page] porfe and knowlege, how bur­nyng the zele of Christes loue toward the hath been, what an inestimable benefite he hath be­stowed vpon the, when geuyng him selfe to death for thee, he payed with his body and wyped awaye all thy transgressions, death beyng wholy blotted out and anulled, the yates of hell cast doune, ouerthrowen, & sha­ken in peces. For thou couldest neuer otherwise haue tryed and vnderstode howe mighty the o­peracion and power of lyfe in Christ had been, who hath de­uoured our death, neither shoul­dest thou haue knowē the gret­nes of the benefite, neither haue yelded thankes so feruently to Chryst thy Lord and redemer. wherfore Chryst lyuyng, thou shalt liue also: & this deth shalbe [Page] vnto the a certaine happye and wholsome slepe, an accesse and a wycket into that perfyte and most blissed lyfe.

Secundarily, Christ was temp­ted with synne, as an euil doer, and one gilty of a most haynous offence, when it was cast vnto him as a reproche: If thou art the sonne of God, come doune frō the crosse: Thou hast saued other, why doest thou not saue thy self? These spytful wordes what other thyng do they im­port, then that they iudged him to haue begyled men by fraude, deceiptes, subtyltie, guyles, and naughty craftes: And to be no­thyng lesse then the sonne of God, yea rather a most wycked vngracious, & vengeble ma [...]. In lyke case Satan temptyng man [Page] beyng now in hasard of his life, what soeuer at any tyme hath been commytted of him against god, he layeth afore him, & inua­deth his mynde with whoale cart lodes of synnes, & heapeth them vp into an huge greatnes, wherby he may bring him to de­speracion, wauering in the mer­cy & forgeuenes of god, through the bytternes & heuy bourdeine of his synnes. And here thou resysting myghtely with a stedye foote, shalt put backe thy soo assautyng the, with [...]hese wor­des: I graunt that I am a most great and greuous synner: but Christ gylty of no synne, that in­nocent lambe in whose mouthe there was founde no guyle for my synnes hath t [...]sted cruel death, by him all are appeased, [Page] how heuye & how many soeuer they be, for them al plenteously satisfaction is made. The death of Christe also is a pacifying sa­crifice for my synnes. Christ truly hath borne my weakenes, Christ him selfe in verye deede hath susteyned my sorowes, he was wounded for myne iniqui­ties, he was torne for my wyc­kednes: by his passion I am sa­ued. He hath turned all myne offences vnto him selfe. I nowe knowe none I thanke Christ, whiche hath acquited them all with his body.

Thyrdly, he was tēpted with hel or eternal damnacion, when they layde to his charge he tru­sted in God, let him deliuer him, let him saue him now, if he wyl haue him. As though they had [Page] sayd: all the confidence that he hath in God shall deceiue him: God turneth him selfe frō him and abhorreth him, and beyng thrust doune into hel, wyll con­demne him for euer. when that t [...]mpter shall prouoke the also with lyke temptacions, see that thou ones moue not thy foote.

There is no cause why thou should [...]st tremble: bee nothyng dredful. Let them not styrre the at al, how sore soeuer they seme to be that he sheweth thee. Put out of thy minde & anoyde farre from thee, as well synne, as death & hel. They haue no rule ouer thee, if thou wylt beholde Chryste with thine eyes. Laye hand vpon him, betake thi selfe wholly to him. Christ is thyne, Chryst bequeueth him-selfe all [Page] together vnto thee. He from the tyrannye of the deuyl and euerlastyng dampnacion, with an inestamable pryce hath raun­somed thee. This Christ is thy innocency, thy lyfe, & thy iustice. Beware onely that thi heart be not withdrawen from Chryste crucified by any kynd of temp­tacion. If thou wylt cleue to this Christ, euē as though thou were placed vpon an hygh, most sure, and inuyncible rocke, thou art safe frō all the yates of hel: that thou mayst with Christ cry aloude: I haue set God alwaies before me, for he is on my ryght hand, therefore I shall not fall. wherfore my heart was gladde and my tonge reioysed, my flesh also shal rest in hope. Thou shalt shewe me the path of life: in thy [Page] presence is the fulnes of ioy and at thy ryght hande is pleasure for euermore. By suche a fayth in Chryste thou art the sonne of God, brother & coheire of Christ and a partaker of lyfe euerla­styng. This fayth iustifyeth the iust, that is to saye, beleuers in Chryst. For this faythes sake thou art the blissed sonne of the celestyal father, & passyng from hens, thou shalt take the waye into the kyngdome of heauen, prepared for the electe chyl­dren from the foundacion of the world. But if thy fayth in temp­tacions doeth staggar and wa­uer, And when thou takest not the wyll of God the father pa­ciently & soberly ynough, when thy loue towarde God is some what colde, when thy hope is [Page] feble and slender, and therfore art in feare lest God and thou shouldest mysagree, or lest thou shouldest haue his wrathe kyn­deled against thee: This doubt­les is a moost weyghty, a moost laborous, and a moost difficute temptacion. But thy thought & persuasion to thy selfe shalbe, deare brother, that Chryst hath abode for thy sake an intollera­ble and an inuincible tēptacion, wherin there appeared no help, comfort, ayde, or defence at all, wherin both God & the whoale worlde semed to be most fearce and moost vtter enemyes, when he cryed out: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Oh this most dreadfull & sore temp­tacion? Good God, how sharpe, how painfull, how harde, how [Page] soure was that death, whiche he became subiecte vnto for our sakes, that he myght make the way of the crosse easy vnto vs? Therfore seyng that Chryst of his owne accorde hath submyt­ted & humbled him selfe to these so horrible & intolerable griefes and calamities (our most louing heauenly father willyng the same) without all paraduenture he knoweth and wyteth our weakenes also, no doubt he ha­uyng pytie vpon vs, wyll not handle vs accordyng to the ry­gour of the lawe, but wyl beare muche with our infirmitie.

Doth not he, callyng euery eche one vnto him, saye: Come vnto me all ye that labour and are la­den, and I wyll refreshe you?

what fuller, what larger com­forte, I praye you, maye be ge­uen at al? Many and excedinge weyghty thynges of truth, do afflycte and [...]reate mankynde.

What more greuouse thynge canne there bee to fraye, what more cruell thynge canne there bee to discruciate & turment the conscience of man sowsed in synnes, then when he doubteth in the mercye of God, when he dreadeth lest god be against him & casteth him vp, when he hath no power to receiue this fayth or confidence of mercye, & doth fantasy him selfe as a wethered member to be cut of & reiected? Here O Iesu christ be redy with thy present ayde and help: Here there is nede of refreshinge, lest this, black, outragious, & rough [Page] tēpest of waues do drowne thee miserable vanquished man. But there is no cause why we shuld be incōstant: Chryst is not vain: he maketh his promises to take effecte, he wyl recreate and for­tifye vs. At what tyme therfore that thy fayth is not stable y­nough, at what tyme that thy hart is stryken with fearefulnes and dreade, at what tyme that thou felest thy selfe to faynt in the mercy of God, and to be as it were endued with no fayth, strayght way cal vpon God, be­seche him of mercye, & bewayle thine incredulitie, craue his suc­cour with ernest requestes, and he wyl strengthen & helpe thee, and from thensfurth thou shalt glorify and prayse him. He hath taken vpon him to performe the [Page] same, and he wil accomplishe it: Thou onely beware that thou ceassest not to cal vpō him. With out intermission crye vnto that father of all consolacion with syghes, slowing frō the botome of thy stomake, that he may not withdrawe his countenance frō thee. Poure into his bosome thyne imbecilitie, yea and euery eche thyng that grudgeth and paineth thee: Crye aloude with the disciples, Lord increase my fayth: Also with the father of the lunatyke: I beleue Lorde, fulfyll that that wanteth in my beleife. Lord make hast to helpe me, before that I synke beyng made to stoupe with this so huge a burden. Thy mercy is a­boue all thy workes. O moost merciful, O most benigne father [Page] Lord God of my saluacion, my defence, and my refuge, enter not into iudgement with thi ser­uaunt. Christ is my iustice, and my redempcion, and myne inno­cēcy, who for my loue hath been content to abyde the moost dis­pleasaunt and moost rygorous death. Let these thynges moue thee O father of all mercy. For this thi sōne Christes sake haue compassion vpon me: Confirme and fortifie my harte with faith in Christ, styrre me vp with the cōfortes of the holy spirit, that I may euerlastyngly possesse the perfyte ioyes in Christ. Sobeit. In this maner thou labouryng, wrastlyng and striuing with thy weakenes, blaming and beway­lyng before God thyne vnbeleif and faynt courage, if thou shalt lay hold vpon Christ, and beyng [Page] caught adioyne thy selfe fastely and gredely vnto him, askyng and praying for succoure with flagrant and contynr al desires, that he supplyinge thy roume may make that perfyte that wāteth in thee: If thou shalte do these thynges, then all thyng frameth to the best: then is it well and very excellently with thee, there is no daunger at all, the matter is safe. For these .ii. thynges, to beleue in Christ, and to desyre fayth with feruent re­questes, differ not muche in sun­der. Although thou art feble & adourned with a weake spirite, let this neuertheles comforte & encourage thee, that God com­maundeth and willeth him selfe to be called vpon, & that he hath made a couenaunt beyng called [Page] vpon, to enclyne his eare vnto vs, and assist vs with his helpe. Furthermore as nothyng is re­quired of God more iustly, then a true fayth, so he heareth no prayer soner or more gladly, thē that whiche a man fyndyng no goodnes in him selfe, knowled­gyng his infirmitie, his pouerty and mysery, bewayling and cur­sing his incredulitie, doth poure out before him, couetyng fayth with careful & often accustomed syghes, and moost vehement re­questes. These requestes, these syghes, these prayers, this faith how smal and lytle soeuer it be, surely is a goodly and a deuout sparke, the seede of God, which spryngeth not furth except that God woorketh and be effectual in vs: who by the prophet Esay [Page] sayth of Chryst. Chap. 42. The smoking flaxe shal he not quēch & a brosed rede shal he not brek. Wherfore se that thou constant­ly beleue in Christ, or at the lest pray with ardent desires that thou may beleue, lamentyng be­fore God thy want of fayth. If thou wylt do thus, thou nedest to doubt no whyt that thou art reputed of God to be iust, to bee his sonne: who not vnaduisedly nor in vayne hath layde vpon Christ his onely begotten sonne our frayeltie and our offences. In the v. chapiter of s. Mathew Christ him selfe sayth: Blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the kyngdome of heauen.

Blessed are they that morne, for they shal receiue comfort. Bles­sed are they whiche hunger and [Page] thyrst after ryghteousnes, for they shalbe satisfyed. These wordes are pronounced to thee also, most louyng brother, these agree properly vnto thee. Thou sorrowest and art pensise for thi lyfe euil passed ouer, from thy heart thou lamentest, thou thir­stest and hungerest after ryghte­ousnes: beleue, be of good chere, the thynges that thou couetest thou shalt receiue, & nowe thou art ryghteous before God by Christ. After this, by the exam­ple of Christ and sanct Stephan thou shalt commytte thy spirite into the handes of God the fa­ther, by these wordes: Into thy handes (O most merciful father) I cōmend my spirit, yea thi spirit rather, seyng that thou hast be­queued it me for a tyme graffed [Page] into this bodye, seyng that it is thi proper image and similitude made vnto thy lykenes, seyng that to redeme the same thi only begotten sonne hath shedde his most precious bloud. This thy spirit (I say) often tymes I commend into thy handes, O moost fauourable father, O God of all compassion. Thyne I am all wholly, receiue I beseche thee, preserue and endue with eternal lyfe me thyne owne, for Iesus Christes sake thy onely begottē sonne our Lord. So beit, sobeit.

¶ Of the makyng of the last wyll, and of the con­fession of synnes.

VVhen as yet a perfecte minde existeth in the bo­dy, their testament ought to be ordayned, whiche [Page] haue of their owne to bequeue and may lawfully make their wyll: lest that if they prolonge that busynes vnto the last mo­ment of lyfe, they be preuented with death. Therfore lette him whiche hath lawfull heyres be counseled, that he betake to thē all the charge of his testament. And if he hath gotten any goo­des wrongfully, or be in det to any person, let him declare that openly and see that his dettes be discharged. These beyng fy­nished, let him put apart frō him all suche as are bent to trouble him with any worldly matters, wherein verye many do offende without measure, which to him that no we lyeth at the point of death, do cast doubtes of his te­stament & of outwarde matters, [Page] and sometyme do compell him to subscribe, yea and that with­drawyng him selfe, vnwyllyng, & abhorryng their importunitie by whō he cā not be suffered quietly to depart. Thē the whiche frendes, what can therebe more vnfrēdly? Afterward if the kinde of the disease doth suffre, let him endeuoure him selfe, before that he goeth in hād with his bodye, to heale his soule by a short cōfessiō, but sincere & without falshode, and receyne of a priest the remedy of penaunce with a­ful fayth and greatest reuerēce, from the botome of hys stomake let hym call vpon the mercy of god and purpose wyth him selfe to amende his lyfe if it fortune hym to be recouered of hys in­fyrmitie. But if it chaunce that [Page] a priest be not at hande, let him not forthwyth (as certayne su­persticions folke are wont) trē­ble and cast downe hys mynde, but to god hym selfe from hys harte let hym dysclose hys vn­righteousenesse, who of his cle­mencye wyll vouchsafe too ac­cepte the intente of the mynde for the acte it selfe, and fulfyll of hys singuler grace, that that wanteth in the outward signes of the sacramētes, for bi him all the sacramētes take their effect, which after a sort are tokens of his godly beneficence towardes vs: but the same god wythoute sygnes when nede shall require hath a respecte to mannes safe­guarde, onely that neglegence and contempte of the sacramēts be absent, and fayth with a prō­pte good wil be presently redy

¶ Of the communion, and of extreme Vnction.

The minde beyng purified by a true and perfyte cō­fession iustly made vnto God and the priest, lette the paciente with al his myghte desyre the most reuerent sacra­ment of the bodye and bloud of Christ to be brought vnto him. And let him in especialli beware that he come not vnto the com­munion or that sacred holy ta­ble with defyled handes. For it is not to be supposed those most greuous thretes which are mē­cioned of s. Paul to be frustrate. Therfore after that he hath prepared him selfe according to his capacitie and maners, let him deuoutly ponder and pronounce these wordes: Lord thou art the [Page] viande of oure pylgrymage, wherwith we are recreated and nourished as longe as we tra­uayle in this wylde worlde and runne in this race. Leade me therfore O Lorde by this recei­uyng of the body into the lande of the liuyng, into that countre of the lyuyng, where I shall be­hold thee face to face in the glory of the father. When he hath made an ende of these sayinges, let him receiue the sacrament of [...]he body of Christ with a plen­tyful sayth in the remembrance of his death and passion. The Lordes supper beyng fynyshed, if the sycknes be iudged curable by no art of Phisycke, lette the priest praye ouer the diseased, a­ [...]oyntyng him with oyle, not by [...]ttyng to any charmes as the [Page] Ethenikes are accustomed) but by calling vpon the name of our lord Iesus Christ, thē the which there is no kind of enchaūtment more effectuall. Let a sure confi­dence also be anexed to the prai­ers, thē god wil heare thē, & saue the sick persō. Ia. 5. Neither on­ly the health of the body shalbe restored vnto him (if that shalbe profitable for the sycke) but also if he hath committed synnes (as for the most parte the infirmities of the body spring of the il dispo­sitions of the minde) they shalbe forgeuē him at the praiers of the elders, if that faith commendeth both those that do pray and him for whom they praye.

¶ That sorow should be measu­red by the ryght rule of rea­sone, which for the deathe of their parentes & frendes [Page] of very many is taken more then ought to be.

AL measure and reason set a side, to geue hym selfe wholy to weping, belon­geth not to a christiā mā but rather to an Ethinike: which neadeth no further confirmaciō then this onely reason, that with no lamentacion (though it be ne­uer so great, and frequented ne­uer so manye yeres) they that be mourned for, can be restored a­gayne to lyfe. Therefore these teares are in vayne & of no force and suche as bring forth neither fruit nor profite: whereof kynge Dauid hath left vs a notable ex­ample: who as longe as the in­fant borne of Bethsabee sycke­ned sore, fasted and wepte py­tiouslye, and goynge in, laye [Page] vpon the yearth, praying vnto the Lord for the health of the chylde. But assone as he vnder­stode by his seruauntes whysperyng together that the chylde was deade, he cast of the mour­nyng and fylthy garmentes, and clothed him selfe with more clenly apparel, washed his face and the table beyng spred dyd eate with a cherefull counte­naunce. His seruauntes merua [...] ­lyng at that thyng (thinkyng that he would haue vexed him selfe sorer, hearyng of his chyl­des death, who whylst that it yet lyued, after such a sort wa­sted him selfe with fastyng and teres) and asking him the cause thereof, he answered: for the childe whyle it was yet alyue, I fasted & wept: For this I sayd: [Page] who can tell whether the Lord wyll geue me him, and the child may lyue? But now seyng he is dead, wherfore shuld I fast? can I bryng him againe any more? I shall go to him rather, he shal not come againe to me. By the whiche wordes Dauid sheweth wysely, that we should not be­wayle or be sorowfull for him, which cannot be recouered and called againe. And S. Cyprian also in his sermon of the morta­litie of mankynd, protesteth him selfe often to haue ben admoni­shed by a holy reuelacion, yea & cōmanded of God, that he shuld openly teache and preache vnto al mē, that those brethren ought not to bee lamented for, whiche by a diuyne callyng do vanyshe out of this world: and that this [Page] wailyng is abhorred of God, & nothinge acceptable vnto him. yet lest we shold seme to be har­de & stony harted, or els to haue loued our frende departed, but slenderly and after the cōmune sort, it is mete that we shold pardō him, which wepeth of a god­ly zeale and a sincere affectiō of pitye, so that he passeth not the bōdes of reason. For Christ our Lorde, the most absolute image of all vertues, louingly beway­led Lazarus beyng deade: & h [...]s deuout sisters Mary and Mar­tha highly are cōmended in that they lamēted their brothers fu­neral. Also those seruisable wo­men, whiche stode diligently by Christe, sufferyng the greateste extremityes vpon the crosse, are not vnworthily praysed, in that [Page] they mourned for him being de­ad & buried with much weping. Furthermore we read in the ac­tes of the Apostles of. s. Stephā the first martire, that deuout mē (as touching the funerals whi­ch were done in the burial) dres­sed him, & made great lamentati­on ouer him. Beside these, Ec­clesiasticus also aduertiseth vs to wepe for the dead, but not immoderatlye, neither for a longe season, saiynge: when one dieth make lamētatiō for him, becau­se the light faileth him. Make but little wepyng for the dead, for he is come to rest. Also very many epistles of the holy father S. Ierome cōforting those that are aliue vpon the death of the discessed, do wōderfulli make to the cōfirmatiō of the same mat­ter which we nowe entreate of. [Page] For they enforce both by authorities of scripture and also by pythy argumentes, that they ought not to bee lamented for without measure, whiche haue chaunged their lyfe for death: As that epistle, whiche is writ­ten to heliodorus of the death of Nepotian: and that whiche he sent to Paula of the slepe of Blesylla hir daughter: and that whiche is written to Tyrasius cōcernyng the departyng of his daughter: And dyuers other E­pistles of the same moost blyssed father touching the like matter.

¶ An exhortacion to all that professe the name of Ch [...]ist.

NOw I desire and beseche [...]ou for the mercy of god as manye as are named christians, that somtyme [Page] at the last forsakyng this olde hatefull darkenes & errour, you would returne to a more thrifty kynde of lyfe, & heare the whol­som word of god receiued with most ernest endeuour & holynes of mind, and knocking without ceasse, you would pray vnto the father in heauen through Christ that he would instructe vs, and open vnto vs the true know­lege of Christ: that vngodlynes and worldly lustes beyng layde aside, we may lyue soberly, ryghteously, and deuoutly in this present world, loking for that bles­sed hope and appearance of the glory of the great God and our sauiour Iesus Christ: who hath geuen him selfe for vs, that he might redeme vs frō al iniquitie and make cleane vnto him selfe [Page] a peculier people, a folower of good workes.

The worde of grace, lighte, and all comforte hathe shyned vnto vs by the mighty benefite of god, we haue excellent and verye manye examples in holy scrypture witnessing the incon­sumable goodnesse, long suffer­ringe, and mekenesse of god to­wardes vs: whexeby it maye be sene, howe God wyll not that we be loste, but that we turne and lyue: howe sone also hys mooste iuste wrath is appeased: howe lightly he pardoneth oure deserued punishment, at what tyme we ernestlye repentyng do thinke to amend oure lyfe. We being moued wyth these things brethren, let vs also fle vnto god in al aduersitie, lette vs craue of [Page] him with continual praiers, that all oure sinnes, being mercifully forgeuē, he wold vouchsafe for his derely beloued sonnes sake Iesus Christe, to kepe, nourishe, defend, & comfort vs, & to be spe­dely at hande wyth his presente helpe in al necessitie. Dauid be­ing cast into extreme peril, when that for his offēce by the violēce of the plage. 70. thousād mē died wythin a fewe dayes incōtinētly assone as he had resorted vnto God for succoure, openinge hys fault, askyng pardon, beseching god of his mercy, & rearinge vp an aultare in the threshinge flo­er of Areunah the Iebusite had offered burnte sacrifices & peace offerynges, GOD was appeased with the lande (sayeth the Scip­ture) and the plage ceassed from Israel. ii. Regum. xxiiii.

By the example of him, you lyke wyse deare brethren confessyng your synnes, call for the grace and mercy of God, rendring vn­to him an acceptable sacrifice of a penitent and contrite heart, & he wyl be ready with his helpe vnto you, neither wyll geue you ouer at any tyme. In lyke case God sēdyng Ionas doth threttē to distroy Niniuie a cytie moost full of people and most famous: But incontinently after the Ni­niuites had done repentance at the preachyng of Ionas, God extendyng his pitie vpon them, the trespasse beyng forgeuen he withdrewe the punishement.

The example of these men put before you, brethren, to fo­lowe. Mystrust not the mercy of God, for not as yet truely the