THe life of the iust, trulye, is excellent. But howe doeth it florishe, but by pacience? Loue it, my brother, as the mo­ther of strēgth. For the Psalme-writer doth admonyshe the say­ing.Psal. 37. Hope thou in the Lorde and kepe [Page] his VVaye. And Paul to the ende that thou mightest kepe this vertue sayth:Rom. v. Tribulacion bringeth pa­cience. The whiche if thou exer­cyse, thou shalt fynd y^e spryng of all goodnesse, whyche is hope, and hope maketh not ashamed. Psal. 37. Holde the styll in the Lorde, and abyde pacy­ently upon him. For euen therby shalt thou verely fynde a thynge that is not to be highly estemed. And he shal geue the thy hertes desire. What is more blessed then this man, which, as his owne, hathe the welwyllynge eares, of so greate a kynge? Who desyreth not to haue the Iudge to gyue eare, and to shewe him fauoure? My brother, thou arte the work mā of vertue. Christ hath hyred the into his vyneyard. Whyles y^u hast tyme worke goodnes. Giue care to Paule whyche sayeth.

[Page] VVatsoeuer a man sovveth, that shall he reape Sowe in the spirite,Galat. vi. that thou mayest reape euerlastynge lyfe. For he y^t soweth in y^e flesshe shall of the fleshe reape corrup­cion. And herken vnto an other admonisher which saith.Ose x. SoVVe unto the righteousnesse, and reape the fruites of VVeldoyng. Be not wery of thy labour: for there is hope of haruest, and time of gatherīg. For wher as appoynted games are, there are rewardes: where battailes, there are honours gottē: where fight, there is y^e crown of vyctorie. Haue an eye vn­to these thynges, and harnesse thy selfe vnto pacyence. Let hym alwayes sownde in thyne eares, whiche crieth with y^e saintes. Be strōg, Psal. xxvi. let thine hert be of good comfort, and VVayte thou styll for the Lorde. Prepare thy workes: hus­bonde [Page] thy feelde. Thy lyfe is the feelde. Take a good matthooke, I meane the olde and newe te­stament: make an hedge aboute thy grounde with thornes, that is, with doctryne, prayer, and fastynge. If y^u haue thys hedge, the beaste that is the Deuyl shal not breake into y^e. Till thy soule as a good vineyarde. And as the keapers of vyneyardes do clap their handes, and crye out wyth their voyce, and with suche noy­ses they dryue away such as do pryuily lurcke to spoyle them, e­uen so do y^u crye in prayer, make noyse with singyng of psalmes, and thou shalt dryue awaye the euyll best, the foxe, that is to say the deuyll. Of the whiche beste the scripture speaketh. Get you the foxes. &c. Cantic. 2. Take good heede al­wayes of the enemye. If he doth [Page] shote at thy herte with vnlawe­ful lust, if he with his darte doth cast his fylthye thoughtes in to thy mynde, caste forthe agaynste him the shelde of fayth,Ephes. vi. turne a­gaynst hym the helmet of hope, take to thee y^e sword of y^e spirite, whiche is the word of God. And when thou art so harnessed abid thine enemye. Be not faynte herted in the batell. But in all poin­tes be sober, and say,ii. Cor. ii. His though­tes are not VnknoVVen to us. Be ioyfull alwayes: as it is wrytten. Let your softnes be knoVVen unto all men. Philip. 4. Let the feare of God lygh­ten in thy hert. Be not a coward­lye souldiour, be not fearfull, & a slowe workmā, fle not from the crown of victorie. Life is short, but the iudgement is longe. Lo­kyng vnto this, speake vnto thin owne herte and say with y^e bles­sed [Page] prophet.Psal. xxvi. Be stronge, and let thy hert be of good cōfort, & VVaite thou styll for the Lorde. i. Reg. xvii. Folowe Dauid and with one cast of a stone ouerthrow thyne enemye. The Aun­gelles are aboute the, as the be­holders of thy lyfe:i. Cor. iiii. Vue are made (sayeth he) a gasynge stocke, to the VVorld, and to the Aungelles, and to men. If they shall se that thou o­uercommest, they shall reioyce in thy good worke, but if they shal se the to be ouercome, they shall departfull sad, nether shall they be able to loke vpon the, but the deuils shal mocke the. Therfore take for thy sworde the feare of of God. For the feare of God is a two edged sworde, cuttyng a­waye all euyll lustes. Take vnto the therefore alwayes the feare of God.Of the last daye And remembre continu­ally that same last daye, whē the [Page] heauens shalbe destroyed wyth fire, and y^e elementes shall melte away with heate,ii. Pete. iii. but the earthe and y^e workes that are in it shall be burnt vp. When the sterres shall fall downe as leaues. The Sunne & Moone shall be made darke,Luke. xxi. Mat. 24. and shall not gyue their lyght. When the Sonne of God shalbe openly shewed, and shall come down from the heauen vp on the earth, & the powers of the heauens shall be moued. When Aungelles shall passe hyther and thyther, y^e sowndes of the trom­pettes shall come, fire shal burne before him, and runnyng vp and downe shall burne vp the whole worlde. In the compasse aboute hym shall be a myghtye tempest. There shalbe earthquakes, and lyghtninges, such as neuer were before, nether yet are vnto thys [Page] daye. In so muche that the ve­rye powers of heauen shall be smytten wyth great feare. Therfore, my brother, what manner parsones oughte we to be then? What feare,Exod. xix. what deadly dread shall come vpon vs? Remembre howe that the Israelites coulde not in the wyldernesse abyde the clowde and darcknesse, and the voyce of GOD speakynge out of the myddest of the fire, but caused that he shulde not speake vnto theym, neyther were they able to abyde hym, when he yet hydde moche of his maiesty, yea though y^t he neither came down to them in anger, nor yet spake angrily vnto them. Gyue eare therfore my brother, yf they wer not able to abyde his commyng whiche comforted theym, when as neyther the heauens burning [Page] were destroyed, neither the erth nor y^e thynges that are in it were burned vp, whē there was none that blewe anye suche trompet, as that trompet shal soūde, whē it shal raise vp al them that haue sleapte sithens the begynnynge of the world, neither did the fire burne the world, neither yet happened there thē any of those fear full thinges whiche shall come.

What shall we do, when he shal come downe with suche anger & wrath as is intollerable, & shall syt vpon the seate of his glorye, and shal call before him y^e whole earth frō the risyng of the sunne to the goyng downe therof: and from all the endes of the earth, that he may iudge his people, & gyue vnto euery one of them ac­cordynge to his workes. Alas what maner parsons ought we [Page] to be, whē we shal stād vpnaked, & vnclothed, to be broughte be­fore his iudgemēt seate. Ah, wo is me. Where is then our colou­red hipocrisie, & where is then y^t might of the fleshe? where is the beawtye which is bothe disceit­full and vnprofitable? where is then the swetnes of mans voice? where becommeth then shame­les and vnshamefased pratyng? where is the araye of garmen­tes? where is thē the pleasure of synne, which is in dede vncleane and filthie? where are they then whiche drynke theyr wyne with theyr tabours and instrumentes of musyke and do not loke vpon the workes of GOD? where is then the contempt of those men, whiche do nowe lyue wythoute feare? where are then y^e fine pleasures and nyce tendernesse? [...] [Page] al thinges are passed away, and are dissolued euen as the enfec­ted aire. Where is thē the gredy desyre of monye and ryches, and the vnmercyfulnesse whiche al­wayes folowethe it? where is then that cruel pride which doth horribly hate all mē, and semeth vnto it selfe to be somewhat?

Where is then the vnprofytable and vayne glorye of men? where is then myghte, and tyrannye? where then is Kynge? where is Prynce? where is Duke? where then are these proude Rulers, whiche by reason of theyr riches do contempne God? Then when they shal perceiue that this was spoken of them. They meruayled, they were astonyed, Psal. xlvii. and .xlviii. and sodenlye caste downe, feare came vpon them, they are troubled, feare toke thē. There shal­be sorowes as are the sorowes [Page] of a womā that trauaileth, they shalbe torne in peeces w^t a migh­tie spirite. But where is the wis­dome of y^e wise? where be their new inuenciōs? Wo, wo to thē? They are moued oute of their place, they are caste downe euen as a droncken man, and all their wisedome is swalowed vp.

i. Cor. i. Where is the wise? Where is y^e scrybe? where is the raker of treasure together of thys vayne worlde? My brother, wey with thy selfe what maner of parsons we shal­be when we must giue an accōpt of those thinges whych we haue done, aswell greate thynges as small. For vntyll suche tyme as we haue iustly satisfyced y^t iuste iudgemente, in what condicion shall we be? And howe carefull shall we be,The euer lastyng ioyes of the righ­teous. that we maye fynde fauour before him? But what [Page] maner of ioye shal come vpō vs, whiche are set a parte vpon the righthād of God? In what case shall we be then, when all y^e sain­tes of God shall salute vs? Abraham shall salute the, Isaac, and Iacob, Moses, Noe, Iob, Da­uid, and all the holy Prophetes, Apostles, and Martirs: and all those righteous men which pleased God in the life of their fleshe: and how many shalt thou heare there, & shalte maruayle at their lyfe, whom a litle before thou desirest but to see? They shal there come vnto the, beyng very glad for thy saluacion. Howe shal we then be inwardly moued? What vnspekable ioye shall y^t be, when the kinge in his gracyous good moode shall saye vnto them that be on his ryght hande.Mat. [...] Come ye children of my father, & possesse the kingdome, [Page] whiche is prepared for you frome the begynnyng of the worlde. Then shalte thou my brother receyue that most gloryous kyngdome, and the princely crowne of glo­rye of the hande of the Lorde, & from thence forthe shalte thou raigne with Christ. Then shalte y^u receiue for thine enherytaunce those euerlastyng goodes which God hath prepared for thē that loue him. Then euer afterward shalte thou be without careful­nes, & without al feare. Cōsider, my brother, what it is to raigne in heuen, for as we said before, y^u shalt receyue y^e crowne of glorye at the hand of y^e Lord, and shalt frō thenceforth raigne w^t Christ. [...]y with thy selfe my brother, what a thynge it is alwayes to beholde the face of God? What a lyght is in it: [...] The Sunne shall ne­uer [Page] be thy day lyght, (as Esai said) & the lyght of the Moone shall neuer shine vnto the: but the Lord God shalbe thine euerlastyng lyght, and thy God shall be thy glorye. Beholde my brother, what maner of ioyes are layed vp for them which feare y^e Lord, and whiche do kepe hys cōmaū ­dementes.

Furthermore cast in thy mind my brother also the destruction of synners.The de­structyon and the payne of the euyll men. When they shall be brought before the dredful iud­gement seate, with howe great bashfulnesse shal they be amased before the iust iudge, when they shall not haue one worde to an­swere. Howe shall they be asha­med, whē the Lord shall speake vnto them in his wrathe, and in his anger shal trouble thē, sayīg,

Departe from me ye cursed into euer­lastynge fire, Mat. xxv. whiche is prepared for the Deuil and his aungels. Alas, alas, in [Page] what affliction, and perplexitye shall their spirites be, when all shall maynely crye out? sayinge. Let the synners be turned into hell, Psal. ix. and all nacyons whiche do forget GOD.

Alas, alas, what a sorowful sōg shall they synge wryngyng their handes and sorowyng, whē they shalbe at the poynte to be ledde awaye, that they maye be cruel­ly punisshed for euer and euer? Alas, alas, what a place is that, where there is wepyng & gnas­shynge of teeth, whiche is called Hell, the whiche place the Deuil him selfe doeth horriblye feare? Alas what a fyre is that fire of Hell whiche shalbe neuer quen­ched oute? Alas, what a poyson worme is that that neuer ceas­seth gnawynge?Esay. 66. Ezech. xx. Mark. ix, Alas how gre­uous are those vtter darknesses whiche contynue for euer? Alas [Page] what manner of mynysters are they whiche are appoynted to haue the ordrynge of the tormē ­tes, whiche lackynge bothe mer­cye, and tender hert, do styl spit­fully vpbrayde and beete? Then they whiche are punysshed shall crye strongly vnto the Lord, and he shal not heare them. Thē shal they knowe that al thynges that were in this lyfe were but vaine thinges, and transitorie, and the thynges whiche they thoughte here to be swete, they fynde that they are more bitter thē any gal or poyson. Where is then y^e ple­sure of the fleshe, which is falsly so called? For there is no other pleasure, but to feare the Lord.To feare the lorde is true pleasure. For it is y^e true pleasure, for this doth in dede fyll the soule as w^t luste and fatnes. Then shal they despaire of them selues, and of y^e [Page] workes which they haue wrou­ght. Then shal they confesse say­inge. Iust is the iudgement of God.

Haue we herde these thynges, & wolde we not turne from our e­uill workes? And then it shal no thynge auayle them. Alas wo is me, whiche beyng taken w^t such synnes, as no man hath done the lyke, haue synned aboue the nū ­ber of the sande, and am holden backe of them as if it were with many yron cheynes. I haue no hope that I shal loke vp into he­uen. To whom then shall I flee, but vnto the thou mercifull? but vnto the whiche doest not remē ­ber wronges?

A prayer.HAue mercy vpon me o God after thy great mercye, and accordynge to the multitude of thy mercyes do away my iniquitie. [Page] Wasshe me more from my synnes,Psal. 51. and purge me from my wyckednes: for I knowe myne iniquitie, and my synne is euer agaynste me. Agaynste the onely haue I synned, and I haue done euill in thy syght. Vnto the do I flee, for thy great mercy and thy goodnes. I haue prouoked thee, and I do flee vnto thee, euen for thy very gentlenes to be entrea­ted. I haue call the awaye, and I flee vnto thee, for thy greate goodnesse and thy gentlenesse.

And I pray vnto thee, beseching thee, that thou wylte turne thy face from my synnes, and put a­waye all my mysededes. Make in me a cleane herte O God, and renue a ryght spirite within me, for thy only names sake. For I haue nothynge that I shulde of­fer vnto the, not one good work, [Page] no cleane herte, but trustynge in thy mercies I caste my selfe vp­pon thē:Chriso­stom had no good workes to be sa­ued by. That thou wylt worke, in me repentaunce, so that I fal not easyly agayne into sinne, but frō this tyme forth I may serue the in holines and ryghteousnes all the dayes of my lyfe, forthine is the Kyngdome and Empire for euer and euer. So be it.

I Beseche thee my brother which lokest for these thin­ges, that thou studye to be found cleane, and without spot, in peace. Yf anye euyll thoughte come vnto the, laye hold on this sworde: that is to say, thinke vp on the feare of GOD, and thou shalte cut downe all the power of the enemye. Take vnto the al­so in steade of a trompet y^e holye scriptures: for as the trompette [Page] gathereth together the souldy­ours euen so the holy scriptures when they crye vnto vs, they gather together our thoughtes in the feare of the Lorde. For oure thoughtes are as souldyours which do fyght the fielde agaīst the enemyes of the kynge. And agayne. As the trompet that soū deth in the tyme of battayle stir­reth vp the corrage of the yonge men and them that fyght agaīst the enemyes, euen so the holye scriptures do styrre vp thy redy­nes, vnto that whiche is good, & make the manly agaynst euil af­fections. Therfore my brother, asmuche as thou canste, compell thy selfe to be often occupied in them, that they maye gather to­gether thy thoughtes, which the enemye doeth scater abrode by his wycked inuencions, sugge­stinge [Page] vnto the euyll lustes: ey­ther els some tymes sendyng vpon thee some troubles: either els nowe and then ministryng vnto thee wealth and securitie. These thynges he worketh by his ma­lyce and guyle, to thende that he myght turne man frō God. For oftē tymes it chaūceth y^t whē he can not wynne & ouercome a mā through lustes, then afterwarde he wyll brynge vnto him temptacions, to darcken the mynd, that he may afterward fynde y^e same more apte for his purpose, to the ende that he may then sowe in to it suche thinges as he listeth: and he beginneth somtimes to moue man to thynke on this wise, and, as it were, to sweare. That sy­thens the tyme that I begon to do good, I haue had verye euyll lucke. Let vs therfore do euyll y^t [Page] good may come theron. Then yf a man be not foūd sober,Roma. iii. he swaloweth him vp, euen as hel doth a lyuyng man. But if he can not so ouercome him, then bryngeth he vnto him welthe and prospe­rytie, & promoteth him, dryuing him therby into a deceite that is more greuous and haynouse thē any other affection is. That is, that he maketh a man proude, & without feare. This draweth y^e mynde into the deepe of fleshlye pleasures. This maketh the mouth to blaspheme heuen. For it is written. They stretche forthe their mouthe agaynst heauen. Psal. 73. Thys causeth that a man knoweth not God, that he knoweth not hys own infirmitie, that he thinketh not of death and the daie of iud­gement. This is the waye of all euils. He y^e delighteth to walke [Page] this waye, that is in the way of wealth and ease he shall come at length into the gates of deathe. This is the waye which y^e lorde speaketh of.Mat. 7. Brode and wide is y^e way that leadeth to destruction. Lo, my brother, nowe hast thou herd for what cause the enemye doth stu­dye to brynge vnto vs somtyme prosperitie, somtymes aduersi­tye. For as he fyndeth the mans mynde affected whiche stryueth agaynst him, euen so doeth he w^t his euils appoynte his armye a­gaynste him. Therfore my bro­ther be sober and take hede and gyue thy selfe alwayes to rea­dyng, that it may teach the, how thou oughtest to auoide the sna­res of the enemie, and to obtaine euerlastynge lyfe. For the Rea­dynge of holy Scriptures doth make the wandrynge wytte to [Page] stande stedfaste, and doeth gyue vnto it the knowledge of God.

Hearest thou nowe (my brother) that he getteth the knowledge of God, whiche with an earnest mynde gyueth diligence to y^e ho­lye Scriptures? Therefore, my brother, do not lyghtlye esteme thy soule, but be diligent in rea­dynge, and in prayers: that light may be gyuen vnto thy mynde, & thou maiest be made a perfecte and whole man, wantynge no­thyng in any poynte. Let other men glory in kepyng the companye of great men, of Prynces & Kynges. But do thou glorye be­fore the Aungels of God, spea­kyng vnto God, and vnto the holye Goste, by the holy Scriptu­res. For he that speaketh vnto the by them, is the holy Goste.

Gyue dylygence therfore y^t thou [Page] contynually watche to the rea­dyng of the holy scriptures, and to prayer. For as often as thou there through kepest companye with God, so often are thy soule, body and sprite sanctified & ha­lowed. Be sure therfore of thys, brother, that when thou happe­nest vpō them thou art halowed. Gyue diligence therfore y^t thou often gyue heede vnto them. And though thy handes haue no ley­sure, yet praye in thy mynde. For blessed Anne the mother of y^e prophete Samuel,i. Meg i. dyd praye & her lyppes onely dyd moue: and her prayer entered into the eares of the Lorde of Sobaoth, and the thynge that she asked was graū ted vnto her. Therfore my bro­ther, although thy handes be not at leisure, yet praye w^t thy mind, for God heareth also, euen them [Page] that holde theyr peace. And yf thou canst not reade, be then of­ten in y^e place where thou maiest heare, and take profite.Ecclesi. vi. For it is wryten. And if thou seest a man of vn­derstandyng, get thee soone vnto hym, and let thy foote tread vpon the steppes of his dores. But this is meete not onely for thē that can not reade, but that can also. For there are many whiche do reade, and they knowe not what they reade.

Wherfore my brother take heed that thou dyspise not the grace that is in the, which is gyuē vn­to the by the gyfte of Christ, but take heede, and seke howe thou maiest please the Lorde, y^t thou maiest get vnto thy self y^e blessednes of his saītes: as it is writen. Blessed are they whiche searche for hys testimonies, Psal. 119. & do seke hī w^t their whole herte. Take heede that the enemy [Page] hyndre the not, that when thou shuldest read he make the slouthfull, and cast the into suche busi­nesses as shall withdrawe the, sayinge: Dyspatche thys thynge fyrst, it is but a lytle thynge, and then shalte thou reade withoute anye care. For howe often putteth he these thinges into thy mynde, that he maye make thee chereful vnto the workes of thy handes? But he doth cast al such thynges into thy mind to y^e ende that he may withdrawe the frō readynge, and from thy greater profyte. For the Deuyll when he seeth a man dysposed vnto rea­ding, he setteth him selfe against him with these or other such like occasions, seakyng if he by anye meanes may let him. But do not thou obey vnto him, but be as y^e herte whiche thristeth & desirethPsal. xli. [Page] to come to the springes of wa­ters, that is to saye, to the holye scriptures, y^t thou mayest drinke of them, and that they maye re­freshe thy thirst, which art burnt with so many affeccyons. But drinke of them which are meete, and are profytable for thee. As for example, when God gyueth the this gyfte that thou vnder­standest some sayinge, let it not slyppe: but thynke vpon it in thy mynde, and write it in thy herte, and so shalt thou alwayes remē ber the same. For it is written.

I shall meditate in thy iustyfiynges. Psal. 119 And agayne. I haue hydden vp thy wordes in my herte, that I should not synne agaynst thee.

And agayne. Wherewithall shall a yong man cleuse his waye? euen in kea­pynge thy word. Wel beloued thou seest that by the remembrynge [Page] the worde of God, a man doth a­mende his lyfe. For who is it whiche is myndefull of the say­inges of God, and doeth not a­mende hys waye? Is he not al­togither a castaway & a wretch, whiche remembreth nothyng at all, but forgetteth euē those thī ­ges also which he knoweth? To him y^t is such a one God speketh. Wherfore doest thou preache my lawes, Psal. 50. & takest my couenaunt in thy mouthe.

Wherefore he cōmaundeth that that shalbe taken frō him which he semeth to haue.Mat. xiii. Mark. iiii. Luke. viii But what is that thynge whyche is com­maunded to be taken from hym whiche he semeth to haue? euen faythe: for he calleth him selfe a Christiane,Titus i. but he denyeth it in deedes, and is worse then an in­fydell. Therfore he cōmaundeth the holy gooste to be taken from [Page] him whiche he receyued in y^e day of his redempcyō, whiche he se­meth to haue: so that suche a mā is lyke a wyne vessell, which rū ­neth oute by reason of a leake, wherthrough the wyne is loste: whiche thynge they that knowe not, where they see the vessell, thyncke that it is full: but when any wyne shoulde be drawē out of it, then appeareth it vnto all men that it is emptie. In lyke maner also such a man when an accompte shalbe asked of him at the daye of iudgement, he shalbe found emptie, and then his wor­kes shalbe open vnto all men. Of this sort are they also which shal saye vnto the kynge at that day. Lord haue we not prophecied, Mat. vii. & in thi name haue we not done many good dedes? And when the kynge answereth he shall saye vnto theym.

[Page]Verely I say vnto you, I know you not Thou seest brother that suche a one hath nothyng at al. Be thou therfore myndfull of the worde, and directe thy way. Take hede that thou doest not suffer the birdes to lyght downe & to eate vp the seede of the sonne of God.Luke. viii.

For he sayd, that the seede is y^e word whiche ye do heare. Hyde therefore the seede in the furrowes of thy hert, that is to say, hyde y^e word in the myddest of thy herte, that thou mayest brynge forthe vnto God some frute in feare. But when thou readest, reade diligētly and earnestly, and handle the sentence weying it aduisedly: la­bour not to reade ouer many leaues: but if thou chaunce vpon a­ny harde thynge, let it not greue the to read ouer that verse twis or thrise, tyll thou vnderstande [Page] the meanynge and pyth of it.

But when thou preparest thy selfe to sytte downe to reade, or elles to heare an other, pray vn­to God fyrst, saying:

Lord Iesu Christ open mine eyes and the eares of my hearte that they may heare thy wordes and vnderstande them:A prayer and that they maye do thy wyll O Lord.Psal. 119. For I am a straunger in y^e earth, hyde not thy commaūdementes from me. But open myne eyes, & I shall beholde the maruayles of thy law. For in thee o my God haue I trusted, that thou maiest gyue lyght vnto my herte.

Yea my brother I besech the praye so alwayes vnto god that he wyl gyue lyght vnto thy mīd, and y^t he wyl make opē vnto the the strength of his wordes: For manye haue erred trustynge to [Page] their owne wytte, and sayinge y^t they were wyse,Roma. i. they became fooles, and dyd not vnderstande the thynges that were written, and so fallyng into blasphemies did perishe. If thou therfore in thy readyng, fynde anye thynge that is hard to be vnderstanded, take heed that y^e wicked enemie do not teache the to saye within thyne owne selfe: it is not so as that worde speaketh. For howe shoulde it be so? and on such like sorte. But if thou beleue god, beleue his wordes also: & say vnto the Deuyll. Go behynde me ad­uersarie:Mat. xvi. for I knowe thee not. The wordes of the Lorde are pure wor­des: Psal. xii. as the siluer whiche from the erthe is tried, & purified seuen times in y^e fire. There is no euel thynge in them nor doubtful, but all thynges in them cōtayned are good in their [Page] sight that are wyse, and al thin­ges in them are perfecte to them that find knowledge. But I am a fole, & am ignorāt, yet I know that they are writtē spiritually. For the Apostle sayeth that the lawe is spirituall. And so loke thou vp in to Heauen and saye. Lorde I haue beleued thy wor­des, and saye not agaynst them,A prayer but I trust vnto y^e wordes of thy holy ghost. Therfore saue me thou O Lorde, that I may fynd fauour before thee. For I seake no other thynge but onelye that I maye be saued O mercyfull: that I maye obtayne thy grace, for thyne is the kyngdome & mer­cye for euer So be it.

NOwe y^t I shal speake of the Resurrection of our Lord Iesu Christ, I desyre you that you all wyl herken with suche eares and myndes, not as vayne men are wont to gyue to ydle, & now and then also to hurtefull, tales, whiche do onely seake this, that they maye be delyghted & waste the tyme, but with suche eares and myndes as very godly men [Page] do gyue to hym that entreateth of the most highe and chiefe ma­tier of holy relygion, and of oure perpetual saluaciō. For if Christ had not rysen agayne, our prea­chynge hadde been in vayne, as Paule sayeth, oure faythe were in vayne, the testimonye of the Apostles of the resurrection of Christe were in vayne, the dead shulde not ryse agayne, we shuld yet remayne in our synnes: all they which are fallen a sleape in Christ were loste: finally yf that in this lyfe only we had faith in Christ we were thē y^e most mise­rable of all men. Wherfore, most dere frendes, if euer we dyd care (as there ought to be none other so greate a care) to knowe the thynges that Christ dyd, y^e cause of our saluacion dost most aboue all thynges enforce vs, that we [Page] well do vnderstande the rysyng agayne of Christ from the dead. We shall first therfore shew that Christe verely is risen from the dead, then what profyte, what glorye, what maiestye, the resur­rection did bringe to Christ him selfe. Lastly what profyte, what health, yea and what happines hath happened vs, euen vnto vs I saye, by the resurrection of Christe.i. Tim. ii. Remember (Paule wri­teth to Timothe) y^t Iesus Christ rose agayne from deathe. By which admoniciō he doth meane, that there oughte nothynge a­monges godly men to be more e­steamed then the resurrection of Christe. And y^t I may here take my begynnynge, not only those argumentes by which Christ shewed him self alyue vnto his dis­ciples after his resurrection, do [Page] wytnesse the rysynge agayne of Christe from the deade, but also the prophecies of the prophetes which were before the resurrec­tion of Christ. In the .xv. psalme he saith. Therfore dyd my herte reioyce, and my tong was glad, moreouer my fleshe also shal rest in hope: Because thou wylte not leaue my soule in hell, neyther wylte suffre thyne holye one, to se corrupcion. And in an other Psalme. The Lorde sayd to my lorde, syt on my ryght hande, vn­tyll I make thyn enemyes a fotestole vnder thy feete. And that these be prophecies of the resur­rection of Christe, Peter wytnesseth in his first sermon which he made vpon witsondaye, as it is written in the second chapter of the Actes of y^e Apostles. To this agreeth Esaie. Hys sepulchre [Page] (sayth he) shall be glorious: For it appeareth by the begynnynge of that chapter (which is the .xi.) that Esaye in that place doeth preache of Christ, and Paule ap­proueth the same in the .xv. chapter to the Romayns. And againe Esay sayeth in the .liii. chapter.

After that he hathe offered hys lyfe for synne he shall se long la­stynge seede, and the wyll of the Lorde shalbe ruled in his hande. For because that his soule hath labored, he shall see, and be satisficed. And that the Prophete in thys place doeth preache of Christe thou shalte playnely per­ceyue, by the .viii. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles. But what neade any more? Whersoeuer y^e prophetes do preach of the euer lastynge kyngdome of Christe, there also do they preache of the [Page] resurrectio of Christ. For Christ coulde not haue obtayned an e­uerlastyng kyngdom, excepte he had rysen from death into y^e glo glory of his father. Now, Christ also himselfe did oftē, and much before his deathe, prophecye of his resurrection from death.

Destroye (sayth he) this temple, and in three dayes wyll I rayse it vp agayne. And againe: as Ionas was in y^e belly of the Whale three dayes, and thre nightes, so shal the sonne of manne be in the herte of the earth, three dayes, & three nightes. And agayne. The Sonne of man must suffre many thinges, & be reproued of the el­ders, & chiefe priestes, & scribes, and be slayne, and the thyrde day ryse agayne. Agayne: It is written, I shall smyte the shepeherd, and the shepe of the Rocke shal­be [Page] that I am rysen, I wyll go into Galile before you. But what do I? The thinges whiche Christe before his death preached of his resurrection, be muche more knowen by the histories of the gos­pels then that the same nede in this place with many wordes to be repeted. But these are prophecyes of the resurrection, before that it was done. But after that it was done, there was no mat­ter or occasion let passe, in which Christ did not playnly witnesse, that he was in deede rysen from the deade. These we shall nowe passe ouer, for bicause y^t in our entreating of y^e Historie of the gos­pell, they are handeled at large, sauing that we wyll adde thys herunto, that the Apostles were chiefelye ordeyned for this pur­pose, [Page] that they shoulde wytnesse the resurrection of Christ. Wherfore (saieth Peter) of these men whiche haue companyed wyth vs all the tyme that the Lorde Iesu hadde his conuersation a­monge vs,Actes. [...]. begynning at the baptisme of Iohn, vnto that same daye that he was taken vp from vs, must one be ordeyned to bee a wytnes wyth vs of hys resur­rection. And agayne.Actum. x. Hym God raysed vp the thirde day and shewed him openly, not vnto all the people, but vnto vs wytnesses, chosen before of God for y^e same entent, whiche dyd eate & drinke with hym, after that he rose frō death. Briefly as the prophecies of the prophetes concernyng the resurrection of Christe, are the moste true sothe sayinges of the holy ghoste, so is there nothynge [Page] more certayne, then that Christe veryly is risen from the dead, e­uen in dede. Wherof we shall speake more herafter. Nowe let vs see what he hathe gotten by his Resurrection. Christ truly is not risen from death in such sort as that dead man whiche by the touchynge of the carkais of the prophet Eliseus reuyued,4. Reg xiii to dye agayn,Luke. vii Iohn. xi. nether yet as y^e son of the wydowe, neither as Lazarus y^e had lien .iiii.Actes. ix. dayes in his graue, neither as Dorcas in Ioppa, were called agayne to lyfe. For these verelye were raysed from deth, but īto this corporal life to die agayne. But Christ rysen frō death (as Paule sayeth) dieth no more,Actes. xiii death hath no more power ouer him. And agayne: He raised hym vp from deth now no more to returne to corruption. And [Page] that I maye comprehende all in one worde, Christe by his resur­rection entered into his glorye.

For he sayth in Luke.Luk. xxiiii. Oughte not Christ to haue suffered these thīges and to enter into his glo­rye. Here therfore we must trye out what the glory of Christ is.The glo­rie of Christe. First truely the glory of Christe is, that he is the Sonne of God. In to this glory therfore he en­tered by his resurrectiō, that is, he proued by his resurrection y^t he was in deede the Sonne of god.Roma. i. He is declared (saith Paul) to be the sonne of god w^t power, after the spirit, that sanctifieth, sence the time that Iesus Christ our Lorde rose agayne frome death. And this glory is greater then that it can worthyly be ex­pressed with wordes. Wherfore we shall touche the other partes [Page] of his glory, and maiestye. Se­condlye the glorye of Christe is that he is, of y^e same blessednes, maiesty, and almightie power w^t God his father. Wherfore into this glorye also he entred in by his resurrection. Sit (saieth the father) on my right hande, vntill I make thyne enemyes thy fore­stole. Furthermore, the glorye of Christe is that all thynges are subiecte vnto him, y^t he is Lorde of heauen and earth, and Iudge of the lyuynge and of the deade. This maiestye Christe receyued by his resurrection.Philip, ii, God hath exalted him (sayth Paule) on hye, and gyuen him a name which is aboue all names, that in y^e name of Iesus euery one shuld bowe, bothe of thinges in heauen, and thynges in earthe, and thynges vnder the earthe. And agayne.

[Page]Christ therfore dyed and rose a­gayne, & reuiued,Rom xiiii, that he myght be Lorde ouer dead and quicke.Actes. xvii. And agayne. He hath appoynted a daye in the which he wil iudge the worlde by that man by whō he hath appoynted, and hath of­fered faith vnto all men, after y^t he had raysed hym from death. But who canne eyther by thyn­kyng conceiue, ether els by wor­des, I saye not expresse, but no more but somwhat touche al the partes of that glorye & maiestie, whiche Christ by his resurrectiō did receyue? Wherfore lettynge passe this parte of the sermon, & cōmendyng it rather vnto faith, then shewyng it vnto mans rea­son, we shall come to thys y^t we put forthe in the thred place, and whiche is most of all to be consi­dered of vs and with greate stu­dye [Page] to be searched for, that is to saye, what profyte, what healthe or happynes the resurrection of Christ hath brought vnto vs mē.Our pro­ [...]ite by Christes [...]eath. And for bycause that nowe we are come to speake of the chiefe poynte of relygion, yea and of y^e matier of our whole saluacyon, we wyll not brynge forth mans dreames, but wyl gather places of the holy scripture, by whyche we shal shewe that the resurrec­tion of Christ is our very and e­uerlastyng saluacyon. And fyrste of the profyt of the resurrection of Christ there is nothyng in the scriptures more shorte, & cleare, then that Paule writethe to the Romaynes,Rom iiii, saying: He was de­lyuered for our sinnes, and was raysed agayne for oure iustifica­cion. For as the death of Christe hathe pourged oure synnes, and [Page] hath brought to passe, that oure synnes are forgyuen vs of God for Christes sake, so the Resur­rection of Christe, hath brought vnto vs ryghteousnes, and hath brought to passe that as manye as beleue in Christ, may be este­med before God euen righteous for Christes sake. They truly are called blessed, whose iniquitie is forgyuen, and whose synnes are couered, but oure synnes are not couered but with true and per­fecte righteousnes. And we for­asmuche as partaineth vnto our nature, are so far from perfecte rightwisnes, as the heuen is frō the earth. For albeit that manye haue a cyuile honesty and righteousnes, yet do they want in thē ­selues the true & perfect righte­ousnes. Therfore Christe rose agayne from death to this ende, [Page] that as by his death he hath ob­tayned, that God the father for­gyueth vs our synnes, and is become fauourable vnto vs, so by his resurrectiō he shuld obtaine, that God shuld impute vnto vs all the righteousnes of Christ, & that he shoulde not otherwyse iudge of vs, then as if we by our workes had perfectly fulfylled all righteousnesse. Whiche spa­red not (sayth he) his own sonne,Rom. viii. but gaue him for vs all, howe can it be, that with him he shuld not giue vs al thinges also? For vnto Christe belongeth true and perfecte ryghtwisnes. Seynge therfore that Christ is gyuen vnto death for vs, and is gyuen vn­to vs by hys Resurrection, it is playne also that by his resurrec­tion his rightwisnes is so gyuē vnto vs that we may glory of it [Page] as of our owne, and we may set it not so muche against the accu­synges of our synnes, as against the gates of hell. Peter sayeth, that baptisme saueth vs,i. Peter. iii not the puttynge away of the fylthe of the fleshe, but the promyse or co­uenaunte of a good conscyence towardes God, by the resurrec­tion of Iesus Christ. For as for vs, whether we consider our synnes or the ryghtwysnes of oure fleshe, we haue an euil cōscyence, and we do knowe that we are gyltye of euerlastyng damnacy­on: For oure synnes verelye, be­cause they do dyrectlye fyghte a­gaynst the wyl and law of God: For our ryghtwysnesse also, by­cause our rightwisnes is bothe imperfect & vnpure. But a good conscyence (sayethe Peter) is wroughte in vs, by the resurrec­tion [Page] of Christe. Howe? bycause God knytteth himselfe vnto vs by a couenaunt, and stricketh vp a bargayne in maner wyth hys hand with vs, by the resurrectiō of hys Sonne, that he wyll for Christe his sonnes sake, knowe and iudge vs perfectlye righte­ous, and make vs saued. If the conscyence do know these thyn­ges by faith, what can be better then it? what more quiet, & euen in the myddes of death, yea in y^e horryble iudgmēt of God, what more secure? Herto belongeth it that Peter also in an other place sayth. [...]. Peter. i Blessed be God, which ac­cordyng to his abundant mercy, begat vs agayne vnto a lyuelye hope. By what? it foloweth: by y^t, that Iesus Christe rose agayne from deathe. But what is that lyuely hope, into the whiche the [Page] resurrectiō of Christ hath begot­ten vs agayne? Forsothe this it is: that God hath giuen vnto vs by the resurrection of Christe, y^e true, whole, and perfecte ryght­wisnes, whiche Christ the sonne of God, hath, that by it we shuld obtayne an immortall, vndefy­led, and an enheritaunce that pe­risheth not, euen in heuen. What could therfore happen vnto vs more profitable, yea or els more necessarye then y^e resurrection of Christ?i. Cor. xv. And true it is that Paul saith. If Christ be not rysen, you are yet in your sinnes. But now he is rysen agayne: We are not onely therfore delyuered frō our synnes as many of vs as byleue in him, but also the same ryght­wysnes whiche he hathe is im­puted also vnto vs, perfecte and on euery side sufficiently perfor­med. [Page] Furthermore the resurrec­tion of Christe hath brought vn­to vs not only oure victory ouer afflyctions, and death, but also oure owne resurrection frō deth into lyfe, and euerlastynge bles­sednesse. Christ (sayth Paule) is risen from the dead and become the fyrst fruites of theim y^t slepe. For by a mā came death, and by a man came the resurrection of y^e deade. For as by Adam al do die, euen so by Christe shall all be made alyue. For, to the ende that we maye rightly vnderstand the benefite of Christe, we must not consyder and beholde Christ by his outwarde body only, that is to say, by one parte of hys or one member only, but by his whole and perfecte spiritual body. For so doth Paule teache y^e Christe is to be considered of vs, whē he [Page] [...] to the Ephesias, sayīge: He hath made hī aboue all thin­ges the heade of the congregacyon, whiche is his body.Ephes. [...]. Ther­fore as the whole bodye of man is made of the heade and manye members, so whole Christe is made (forasmuche as nowe ser­ueth for our purpose) of his own person as the heade, and of all them that beleue in him as of diuerse membres. But nowe, whē as it is playne, that Christe the heade is risen frō the dead, how coulde it be, that he shoulde not drawe also with him selfe al his membres from death, vnto lyfe, and resurrection? Shuld y^e head ryse, and leaue behynde hym, the hande or the fote, yea or so much as the lytle fynger? Christ (thou wylt say) dyd ryse alone, bicause no man ascended into heauen, [Page] but he whiche descended. Verye wel, he rose alone: but this must be added, that he also dyd ryse whole. Whole Christ is, y^e head, with his members. Whither so euer therfore the heade is come, euen thither also are the mēbres comen. And who are the true mēbers of Christe, but they that beleue ī him? Do you not know, sayth Paule, that youre bodyes are the membres of Christ? And agayne: We are members of the same body, of hys flesshe, and of his bones. It is therfore many­fest, that as manye as beleue in Christe, are risen togither wyth Christe.Ephes. li. Whereof Paule saieth: When we were dead by synnes, he quickned vs togyther wyth Christe (by grace are ye saued) & raised vs vp together with him, and made vs to syt together w^t [Page] him amonge them of heauen, in Christe Iesu. And agayn:Colos. ii. Ye are buried with him throughe bap­tisme, in whome ye are rysen a­gayne throughe faythe, that is wroughte by the operacyon of God, whiche raysed hym frome deathe. And ye when ye were dead through sinne, and through the vncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened with him, and hath forgiuen vs all our trespa­ces. For as Christe hath drawne al them that beleue in him togi­ther with him selfe into his deth and burial: We are buried (saith Paule) together wyth hym by baptisme for to dye:Rom. v [...] euē so vere­ly hath he drawen with himselfe them into his resurrectiō, so that as many as are deade & buryed together with Christ, they haue also rysen agayne with Christe: Whether we lyue (sayeth he) orRom. xiiij [Page] we dye, we are the Lordes. For Christe therfore died and rose a­gayne, that he myght be Lorde ouer the deade and quicke. But thou wylte saye howe haue we rysen againe with Christ, which do yet notwithstandynge lyue in this mortal body, and nedes we must dye? We sayde afore, that nowe we are occupied in y^e most highe matier of our saluacion.

Wherfore we muste bring forth not mans dreames, but the wyt­nessynges of God. Let vs heare therfore Christes owne sermon of this matter.Iohn. iii. As Moses (saith he) lyfted vp the serpente in the wyldernes, euen so must y^e sonne of man be lyfte vp, that who so­euer beleueth in him, perishe not, but haue euerlastynge lyfe. And Paul:Roma. x, Yf thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is y^e lord, and dost beleue in thy herte, that [Page] God raysed hym vp frō death, [...] shalte be saued. For notwithstā ­dinge that after the resurrectiō of Christ, we are yet mortall mē in earthe, and subiecte to all ad­uersyties, yet by faythe, I saye, by faith in Christ we ar so made partakers of his resurrection,We shall rise agaī y^t first vnto vs truely doth belong the ryght of rysynge from death vnto euerlastyng blessednes in the last daye. For fayth doeth fa­sten vs, and as I myght so saye doth incorporate vs to Christe. Sens therfore y^t Christe in whō we are incorporate is risen, it cā not be, that we shoulde not ryse with him. For as touchynge it y^t as yet we do die, and our bodies do rotte in the earthe, yea or be brent with fire, shoulde thys be any let to our resurrection? For­sothe, God, whiche when as yet there was nothyng, could make [Page] thys so greate a woorke of thys worlde, coulde he not also fynde againe y^e body which was made before, yea though it wer turned into dust, in y^e earth, or the sea, & cal it agayne vnto life? God doth cal those thynges which are not, y^t they maye bee,Iohn. xii. & can he not thē call againe those thynges which seme to haue perysshed? Hathe he not set furth vnto vs in euery lytle grayne the ymage of our resurrectiō. Except y^e wheat corne (saieth Christ) fal into y^e ground and dye, it bringeth forthe no fruit. And Paule sayeth. Thou foole, [...]. Cor. xv. y^e whiche y^u sowest, is not quickened, excepte it dye. And what sowest y^u? Thou sowest not y^e body that shalbe, but bare corne, as of wheate, or some o­ther: but god gyueth it a body at his pleasure, to euery seade his own body. Which of vs can see ī [Page] a cornell of a Peare so greate a boughe of a tre, as groweth out of it, beyng layed in the ground? Who cā see in a grain of corne so great a stalke & an eare as y^e rea­pers do reape? Man doth not se, but God seith, which also wor­keth these. And shuld he rayse vp a dead grayne or seade, & not a man? For not onlye that he can, but y^t he wil also raise vs from y^e deade, he hath not only testified by y^e resurrection of Christe his Sonne, but also by manye other argumentes, promyses, & mira­cles, which wer long now to re­pete. The resurrectiō of y^e dead truly is by scriptures so certaine & sure, y^t is also cōmēly rehersed in the common confession of our fayth. Wherfore there is nothīg more surely to be holden, then y^t throughe Christe the righte and glorye of the Resurrection from [Page] the deade vnto euerlastynge blessednesse belongeth euen vnto vs. Furthermore when we beleue y^t we through Christe shall ryse a­gayne, this faith canne not be y­dle in vs, but euen nowe, whiles yet we are in this mortal body it doth thinke vpō the resurrectiō. For as in the yong plantes it doeth furthwith appere what the fruites wylbe, and in the wittes of chyldren it is anone shewed furth what thinge is to be loked for of them, euen so in the godly the resurrection that is to cōme doeth begynne to bringe forthe his frute whiles that we do yet lyue in the earth. Moses was appoynted of god to be y^e deliue­rer and law gyuer to Israel. But he dyd not onelye then execute this offyce, when he brought the people oute of Egypte, but the appoyntment of this office that [Page] he shulde take in hande beganne euen then also to worke in Mo­ses, when as yet he being a child (if we wyl beleue Iosephus) he threwe downe the crowne roiall of the kyng of Egipt, trode it vnder his feete: When as he slewe the Egipcian that dyd wrong to the Israelite, when he laboured to agree the Israelites whiche stroue together, and when he did deliuer the daughters of y^e priest of Madian from the wrong of y^e shepeherdes. These trulye were the begīninges of his office y^t he shoulde haue. Dauid was chosē kinge of Israell. But this electi­on was not idle in Dauid vntill that time that after the death of Saule he was openly called to be kinge of the people. But Da­uid euen then began to take vpō him lyke a kynge, when as in the kepynge of his shepe he slewe a [Page] Beare and a Lyon, and when w^t a bolde stomacke he set vpō Go­liathe and slewe him. So y^e faith of the resurrection shal not onely practise his power in raysynge oure bodyes vnto euerlastynge lyfe in the last day: but yf y^e true fayth be in vs, euen in this lyfe also doth it shew forth y^e strēgth that it hath: And first it holdeth vs vp in al y^e aduersities of this lyfe, yea euen in the myddes of death. For if we shal ryse agayn into euerlastynge lyfe, the which thing we know by faith that we shall do, what disaduauntage (I praye you) what euill happe can aduersities yea or deathe it self, bringe vnto vs? I praye the, if a man shoulde put of frome the a fylthy garmente, to put on vpon the and clothe the with a King­ly aparel, woldest y^u cal y^e takinge of the fylthy apparel from y^e dis­aduantage, [Page] or euel lucke, or ra­ther shouldest not y^u call it great profit. To suffer aduersity ī this world & at length to dye, surlye they be nothing els, then a put­ting away of anold & filthy gar­ment, y^t thou maiest take vnto y^e a most gorgius garment. We do know (saith Paul) y^t if our earth­ly manciō of thys dwelling wer destroyed,ii. Cor. v. we haue a building of god, an habitacion not made w^t handes, but eternall in heauen. For therfore sigh we, desiringe to be clothed with our mansyon which is frō heauē. Wherefore, whē by fayth we do thinke vpō our resurrectiō frō deth thorow Christ, it can not be but that we shal get y^e vyctory, not only ouer al y^e afflictiōs of this world, but also of death & hel. Moreouer y^e same faith of y^e resurrectiō doth begin or exercise in vs the newe [Page] lyfe,A newe lyfe. worthye the Resurrection, that forsakinge all vngodlynes and vnrightuousnes we may fo­lowe all kyndes of heauenlye vertues. For verylye excepte the newnes of lyfe dothe folow the faythe of the resurreccion, it is a playne argument that the fayth is deade. And what is there that should be a lyue in a manne when as hys faythe lyueth not, whiche is the lyfe of the Iuste manne. For the Iuste (saieth he) lyueth by faythe. Wherefore in this aboue all thinges muste we most chiefly labour, that we do shew forth our true faith of the resurrection by good woorkes, and beinge yet in the earthe we maye lyue an heuenly lyfe. For true rightuousnes is broughte and gyuen vnto vs by the re­surrection of Christ in such sort, that god doth iudge vs for Christes [Page] sake Iust and holy in dede. Howe then could this stand to­gether, that we despysinge and defilynge that rightuousnes of Christe, shoulde lyue in vnrigh­tuousnes? The resurrection of Christe hathe called vs backe from deathe, to lyfe, and euerla­stynge blessednes. What nowe is more vile, yea what is more pernicious, then forsaking life, to make himselfe bonde againe to deathe, and euerlastyng mis­chyefe. He whosoeuer it bee that foloweth synne dothe gyue himselfe to deathe, and euerla­stinge destruction. For the re­warde (saythe he) of synne is deathe.Rom. vi. In the policy of Moses it was moste straitly commaun­ded that no manne contynuinge the daies of the feast of the passe ouer should eat leauened bread. He that eateth (saythe he) leaue­nedExod x. ii. [Page] breade, his lyfe shall peryshe out of the congregacion of Isra­ell, aswell of straungers as of dwellers in the lande. This law precheth vnto vs, that after that Christ who is oure passe ouer is risen from deathe, it is lawfull for no man to haue felowshippe either with vncleane and vngodly menne, eyther elles to leade an vncleane lyfe, or a lyfe leaue­ned with sinnes.i. Cor. v. Purge ye saith Paule the olde leauen, that ye maye be new doughe, as ye are vnleauened for Christe our pas­cale lambe is offered vp for vs. Therfore let vs kepe holye daye not with old leauē, neither with the leuē of maliousnes & wickednes, but with the swete breade of purenes and trueth. For they that do stil go forwarde in their wickednes and Iniquitie those men (horrible it is to say) do for [Page] asmuch as in them lyeth, crucify Christ againe, and do deny that he is rysen from deathe. For the resurreccion of Christe is denied not only with mouthe of the ad­uersaries of oure relygion, but also of the vngodlye by their de­des and workes whiche do lyue amongest vs are called christi­ans. For wher as Christ by his deathe toke awaye synne and by his resurrection brought againe rightuousnes, nowe from hence forthe to synne and to despyse ryghteousnes what els is it, thē to cal Christ againe vnto death, and euen to fyght againste hys resurrection? And beholde here the cursed wickednes of those menne whyche do yet folow the lustes of synne. Christe truely by his resurrectiō brought to passe that we shoulde be chosen to be y^e children of God, & the enheri­tours [Page] of all the heauenly goods. But oure synnes do cause that we become the chyldren of the deuell and the enherytours of euerlasting fyre. What is ther­fore more horrible, what more cursed, then to rage in such a ly­bertie of synne, that thou doest not only vtterlye cast awaye the chosing wherwith God choseth the, but also thou gyuest ouer thy selfe into the houshold of the deuill, that thou mayst with hys Angels peryshe euerlastinglye? For after that Christe is risen frō deathe and we be engrafted into his death, we are no longer oure owne men, but his, whiche by hys deathe and resurrection hath delyuered vs from deathe into lyfe. Therfore we muste o­bey Christe, and not synne. We are buryed (saythe paule) with him by baptysme for to die,Roma. vi. that [Page] lykewyse as Chryst was raised from deathe by the glory of the father, euen so we also shoulde walke in a new lyf: And againe.

For as towchinge that he died, he died concernynge sinne ons, and as touching that he lyueth, he lyueth vnto God.

Lykewyse Imagin ye also, that ye are deade concernynge synne: but are alyue vnto god thorow Christ Iesu our Lord. ii. Cor. v. And againe. If one be deade for al, then all were deade, and he died for vs all, that they whiche lyue, should not hense­forthe lyue vnto them selues, but vnto hym whiche died for them, and rose a­gayne. And in an other place.Colos. iii. Yf ye be then risen agayne with Christe, seke those thynges whiche are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of god. Set youre affection on thynges that are aboue, and not on thinges whiche are on the earthe. And what are those thinges on earthe whiche are to be auoyded, and thynges that are aboue to be sought for. Mor­tify (saith he) your earthly mēbres, for­nication, vncleanes, vnnatural lust, euel cōcupiscence, & couetousnes, wrath, fersenes, [Page] [...], cursed speaking [...] thy speakīg, & put on tēder mercy, kind­nes, humblenes of minde, meknes, soft­nes, & what so euer other godlye vertue ther is. For if we do these thinges we shal not only cōfesse in wordes & comon sayinges y^t Christ in his owne parsō is risen againe, but also we shal testify y^t he also is risen againe in vs, & y^e he liueth in vs, yea & that al the righte of Christes resurrection doth belong vnto vs, so that we may not onli ouer cum afflictiōs & death in this worlde, but that we may also get euerlasting blessednes in the worlde to comme, by y^e resurrection of Iesu Christ oure Lord, which is together w^t y^e father & the holy gost god to be praised for euer & euer So be it.