A myrrour or glasse for them that be syke [and] in payne. Translated out of Dutche in English

¶Timothe commynge from hys vicare which refused to come to the poore sikman Lazarus sayeth on this wyse.

Timothe.

O CHRIST IESV very trewe heardmā and bishope of our soull, how few heardmen be ther founde whiche bestowe their soules for their hearde, as thou hast done earnestly: euē to y^e en∣de. Oure heardmen do not now watche thy shepe: They couet not to entre in to the shepfolde by the dore: but rather run∣ne awaye, as very hyrelinges whā they se the wolfe come. Yee they themselfs hel∣pe to inuade them. Ah they be not lyke vnto thyne wych thou sandest as shepe amōge the wolues: seynge they be beco∣me as wolues amōge shepe. Is not this greatly to be lamented.

Tobias.

What is the cause neghbure of youre sorow, of youre syghtes, and of youre cō¦playntes by the strete?

Timothe.

It pityeth me that we pooremen se so

few ensamples of loue, and that of them which be our heardmen, and gwydes.

Tobias.

Why so good brother, what is the mat∣ter?

Timotheus

Yee knowe that oure neyghbure Laza∣rus is very syke, whose grefe hath endu∣red longe. Insomuche that his impaci∣ence greueth me.

Tobias.

It is trewe, I tolde his wife, I wolde co¦me and visite him to morowe, and teache him some good thynge of dyenge, for he myght dye ear longe. But what wyll ye tell me of hym?

Thimotheus.

I desyred euen now oure new vicare for Christes passion to come and visite oure poore Lazarus once, and to teache hym some good thynge of pacience, wich he ought to haue in his paynes, But alas yt was songe to a defe man.

Tobias.

Is yt so? what dyd he laye for hymself?

Timotheus.

Yow maye thynke it welynough: what were they wonte to laye for them as they

were moued to such a good dede? He sai∣de, I must saye fyrst my matins, & then saye masse: Veryly I am not now at lea∣sure, but as soone as I am, I wyll come.

Tobias.

What is yt that I do heare? I hadde went he hadde ben a man accordinge to the gospell: for he behaueth hymself so in the pulpet, that it is maruayl to me. But I se wellynough he is but a dissemblin∣ge hypocrite: For he was wont to saye in the pulpit, that noman shulde spare him yee he wolde ryse yf yt were at myd∣night.

Timothe.

I reken the same, but it shalbe for to my∣nistre the sacrament, or anoylynge, and to gayne therby sōme mony. Els wyll he remeue not one fote.

Tobias

Yt is a maruelous case surly, for the mā doth reason somtyme of the gospell as yf he were an angell.

Timotheus.

He doth as many one doth besydes, he beareth the gospell in his sleue, and vte∣reth it with his mouth, but nother in his

hart, nor his handes.

Tobias.

It is to be lamented verely that we be so redy to vse the lybertyes of meates, clo∣thinges, places, & tymes, whiche the gos∣pel enyoieth. But we endeuer not thys liberty to the mortifyenge of our carnall desyres, nor to the seruyce of oure bro∣ther. But shal I tell you what you ought to haue done?

Timothe.

I praye you what?

Tobias.

You shulde haue strenghted the deuociō of oure vicar with a groat, so might you haue optayned him best.

Timothe.

It is sure so. And that appeared wel last daye by the aldermannes wedowe whe∣are as it was no nede to bid hym come whan she laye syke, for wyth her was he dayly, yee vnbydden, waytinge for the soull as a carmeraunte doth for the cari∣en: and all was to optayne somwhat by testament, Be these feders? be these pas∣tores.

Tobias.

No but rather wolues, wherof Ezechiel speketh saynge: They haue eatē the myl¦ke of their floke, and with the woll they be clothed, but they kepe them not from the wolues. My thynketh they be dissem¦blynge Hypocrites, and paynted gra∣ues, which wyth longe bablinge, or ser∣uyce saynge deuoure wedows housen: wherfore they shall receaue the greater damnation. I thynke also these be the falfe prophetes semynge outwardly she∣pe. But inwardly they be rauenous wol¦ues.

Timothe.

Yf these prestes (and as they call thēfelf) religiousmen knewe what a christen de∣deyt is to comfort the sorowfull to visite the syke, to helpe the poore. They shuld preferre the helpynge of them before all other workes. For God shall esteme yt which is done to y^e least of his as tough it were done to hymselfe. But prestes do not regarde yt: for they saye they haue ben longe ynough wyth the syke, whan they haue ministred the sacramentes.

Tobias.

Yf they yett ministred the supper of oure Lorde to the syke dewly, teachynge the Christians what Christ hath optay∣ned for vs: than myght the pacient geue thankes to God of the victory, wherin he hath ouercome death to the beleuyn∣ge. For that is the saynge of Christ, whā he sayth: As oft as ye do ytt, ye shall do ytt in the remembraunce of me, which is acordynge to Pauls saynge. Whan the death of oure Lorde is shewed. But alas they do nought now but onely rehearse y^e xii. artikles of the fayth sleghtly to the syke. And so mynister the sacrament wy∣thout farther instrucciō of yt, thynkynge all thynges to be very well dispached. I praye God they haue not of tymes more mynde on the yewel which lyeth percha∣unce in the syght, than on the necessite of the poore. Or that they mynde not more a good testament.

Tobyas.

They must be very blynde seynge, they make lesse conscience of leauynge the breade of the poore (that is Gods worke) onbroken: than of leauynge theyr masse matins, and other seruyce onsay••••e, seyn∣ge

it is hongred so soore for. The Chri∣stēman which is the lyuinge tempel of God must stonde by, and abyde tyll the prest hath dispached his matyns, or vysi¦ted the dead mens graues, hath he neuer so great nede. Yf Christ had the yonge∣man which wolde be his disciple to luf∣fre the dead bury the dead, and y^t he shul∣de not leaue Goddes worde ondeclared for burieng: what shal he saye thē thinke yow to them which excuse them selfs with theyr rummelynge, and mumme∣lynge of matyns, euensonge, and such lyke popyshenesse that they visyte not the syke, or shewe the kyngdome of God where troubell and anguyshe is?

Tobyas.

Yt hath not auayleth the yonge man su∣rely that he wolde haue buried y^t dead: & much lesse shal it auayle thē y^t be marked with the beastes marke to leaue theyr neghboure onserued, and onregarded, Yee Chryst hymself, and that with the dedes of charyte, which must be prefer¦red before all the works of the lawe, and promes, acordynge as Chryst sayth that

he is Lorde of the Sabbath. We also shalbe iudged after the declarynge of the dedes of charyte towarde oure negh∣boure.

Tymotheus.

Yt is well sayde surely, and accordynge to the gospel. Christ also rebuked the scri¦bes iustly for theyr opinion of ceremoni∣es, commaundynge them to go, and lear¦ne what that saynge of God is: I wyll mercy and not sacrifyce.

Tobyas.

How vnderstonde you that saynge? will God haue no sacrifice then which he him self commaunded so earnestly to de ob∣serued? here semeth Christ to be contra∣ry to the wyll of hys father.

Tymotheus.

I wyll tel yow. All sacryfices and burnt offerynges of the lawe were ordeyned, and institute vnto the Iewes for none o∣ther intent, saue onely for theyr sygnify∣cacions. They dyd sygnifie the trew offe¦rynge of Christ to come: which out of ve¦ry pury heate of loue, dyd offer hymself vnto death, by sheddynge of hys owne

bloude, for vs poore synners, and thus is he become oure trewe and euerlastin∣ge prest. Seynge then we haue Christ, al other offerynges ceasse: and now we are come to the lyght all other shadowes va¦nishe. For Christ is the ende and fulfillin¦ge of the lawe, wherfore we nede nomor the lawe with hyr ceremonies, and rygh¦twesnes as a teacher leadynge vs to Christ: yee he onely commeth to the fa∣ther which hath herd him, and is taught of hym. For so much then as the Phari∣ses dyd regarde, and had confydence more in sacrifyces, and workes of y^e lawe than they hadde respecte to hym y^t was sygnyfyed therby, whose dedes of chari∣te also they counted lesse then the rygh∣twysnes of the lawe: therfore warneth Christ them to learne, that God wyll ha∣ue mercy and no sacrifyce, which he dyd lothe as Esay doth clearly expresse.

Tobyas.

You haue declared that very well. But what saye ye to this worde of Christ. The¦se ought to haue bene done, and not lea∣ue the other vndone? for oure prestes and

lawers vnderstonde hereby, that they may rather leaue the workes of mercy vndone, than to leaue their mattens, pat¦tens, masses, diriges, and such other mū∣blinges vnsayde.

Tymotheus.

With this saynge rebuked Christ the Scribes, and Pharises which at that tyme estymed theyr sacryfices, feastes, tythes, and offeringes, as hygly: as oure Papistes counte masses, saynge of serui∣ce, worshippinge of sayntes for the moost acceptable workes. The tythes were ly∣mited vnto the prestes of the olde lawe and graunted of God in the lawe: but seynge they sought theyr deuty so narow¦ly not wyllynge to transgresse the lawe in the same tythinge of mynt, comin, and anyse, they declared theyr couetousnes, and fayned loue of the lawe. For in that parte of the lawe (wherin theyr auaun∣tage dyd consiste) they wolde haue no breache, but in other chefe pointes of the lawe, namely where they were comman̄∣ded by the lawe to offer them selues to the seruyce of theyr neghboure, they we∣re

as negligent as though it had not per¦tayned to them. Therfore sayeth Chryst: Wo vnto yow Scrybes, and Pharises, ye ypocrytes, which tyth mynte, anyse and comyn, and leaue the wayghtyer matters of the law behynde: namely iud¦gment, mercy, and fayth. These ought to haue bene done, and not to leaue the other behynde, that is, So longe as the lawe hath her course (as yet she hath) so longe ye maye receaue your dewty of y^e tythes, yee of anyse, mynte, and comyn: but the dedes of fayth, loue, and mercy which y^e lawe requyreth of you as chefest maye you not leaue vndone, but rather do them afore all other. Beholde now we ther thys rebuke (which oure spyritualty applyeth to theyr excusation) doth aptly serue to warne and to rebuke them: Se∣ynge they be cursed with the aforesade ypocrytes curse. For they curse and yau¦le more vpon them in theyr pulpet, that withdraw them theyr offerynge dayes, or prouent dewtyes (which notwithston¦dynge God hath not graunted them in y^e new testament, as he dyd in y^e olde wyth

the tythes:) than they curse those that transgresse Gods commaundement in aduoutry, in dronknesse, and onmercy∣fulnesse. So that they maye well be ly∣kened vnto the oxe in the prophet which go in the pastures of Samaria, and ea∣te vp the poore. These be the prophetes which deceaue the people▪ shewynge pea¦ce, and bytynge with theyr teth, in who∣se mouth yf ye cast not a pece of meate they rayse an holy warre agaynst yow, that is. They saye ye be a cursed herety∣ke, and that ye ought to be persecuted, and to be condemned. As though such warre and controuersye were acceptable vnto God. Therfore (sayeth the prophet Micheas) your vision shalbe turned to nyght▪ & your prophecienge to darknesse the sonne that go vnder ouer these prophe¦tes. But thy people of God •• saue you forgeue you your synnes, & saye ye pros∣per ryght well, they deceaue you: for the∣re is no saluacion in man. These ye 〈…〉〈…〉 deuoure medowes houses which in their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mawes ••••••••rgest al that cometh to them, golde, many▪ house•• gardens

londe, sonde, rentes, grauntes, pardons These be they that iustify the vngodly for gyftes denuncynge peace, and all is for theyr belys pleasure.

Tobyas.

Soft brother Tymothe, conceaue not such rācour agaynst the wicked, seynge theyr iudgment doth not tary: let them go. They be blinde and leaders of y^e blin¦de. We maye endeuoure vs to exhorte thē to come to the knowledge of God, & to the loue of theyr neghboure, yf perad¦uenture they wolde geue eare to vs, and knowledge theyr synnes.

Tymotheus.

I praye the how wilt thou exhorte them? seynge they saye to the seinge, se not: & to the vnderstōdinge, perceaue not: yf they knoledged theyr blyndnesse, they shulde haue no synne (as Christ saieth). But now they saye, we se: wherfore theyr syn∣ne remayneth with them. As namely whan we laymen begynne to exhorte the¦se anoynted: laynge scripture afore them then will they heare by no meanes, ta∣kynge great scourne to be admonished

of vs.

Tobyas.

Surely I beleue yt be euell ynough, whearfore me semeth it best for vs to walke hensforth in the waye of the Lor∣de discretely.

Tymotheus.

Yow saye south, Yf we can do better than oure curates do, seynge they be slak in theyr dewty shall we not do the same? For a seruaunt that knoweth hys may∣sters wyll, and doth yt not, shal be bea∣ten much. What is then your aduyse, that we shall do?

Tobyas.

Verely, that oure eye be not so sore fyxed vpon another mans faulte, but ende∣uoured to folowe the Lorde, wherunto he calleth vs by a lyuely sterynge of our hart w^t hys sprete. Now yf oure guydes of the churche do not rule wel the flocke (as ye do saye), yet wyll not we leaue them, and forsake them as though they were not pertaynynge vnto vs. For God hath charged euery man with hys negh¦boure as scrypture testyfyeth. Therfore let vs ayde oure neghboure comforte hym, counsell hym, as we se hys moost

nede. Thynke ye not thys to be the best brother. Tymothe?

Tymotheus.

Ye verely. And to this doth the parable of the gospell featly agre, where the Sa¦maritan (which is an abiecte in the sight of the Iewes) is praysed of Chryst aboue the Leuyte or Prest, because he shewed mercy vpon the poore mamed: which also was therfore the Samaritans negh¦boure, because he chesfly had nede of him Although we laymen be reputed amon∣ge the anoynted, and Leuytes as vyle as the Samarytans: yet ought we ne∣uerthelesse take cure of the poore, and shew all the seruyce necessary, whan all Leuytes, Prestes, Monkes, Freres, do forsake, and despyse them. The dedes of charyte ought we to charge none other mā withal accordynge to youre sayenge.

Tobyas.

Now is the tyme that we ought to dys∣perse the grace which god hath geuen, vs, and poure yt out vpon oure negh∣boure in helpinge, comfortynge, and unselynge hym. As Christ hath geuen

hymself for vs, he beynge in fourme of God, and equall with God. Yt is now tyme to bestowe oure talent which God hath geuē vs to the intent that we shuld brynge it agayne with increace, and not to hyde yt in the grounde. He that is ry∣che ought to make the poore ryche also, for to that intent hath he receaued his chesse. He that is wyse ought to teache the folysshe, and to brynge hym to vnder¦stondynge, for to such intente hath he re∣ceaued hys wysdome. He that is great of abylite ought to ayde hym▪ that is vn¦abell, as the wedowe, fatherlesse and mo¦therlesse, boninfances, for to that intent hath God geuen hym superiote. Lo in such lyke cases ought we the one to be an helper, comforter, sauioure, to y^e other as oure fayth is that Christ is oure sa∣uioure, comforte, and health. Therfore also doth Christ commaunde that we shall so shewe the lyght of oure fayth be∣fore men, that they seinge oure good wor¦kes, maye prayse and glorifye the fa∣ther which hath geuen such mynde▪ and godli purpose in our hartes, through his

holy goost: that is that we be gladde to serue oure neyghboure not for thankes, nor for prayse, but of very loue. For who so euer seyth hys brother in necessite, and withdraweth hys hart from hym, how can the loue of God remayne in hym.

Tymotheus.

He that loueth not his brother beynge present in hys syght: how can he loue God whom he seyth not. We Christen men haue none other declaracion or boa¦stinge that we be trew Christians, but onely loue. Christ sayeth: In that shall men knowe that ye be my disciples yf ye loue one another. Wherfore the lyfe of a Christian is not a lyfe of pleasure, of∣fleshe, of wylthynesse, or of sensuall ap, petyte. Nor it is no lyfe of ceremonies: church goynges, or lyke supersticions but it is a lyfe of the sprete, of treuth, of loue and mercy, yt is a lyfe of mortifyed lustes, and peace of the sprete in God onely.

Tobyas.

That is the eternall Sabbath, and ho∣ly daye, which is left to goddes people,

which also they must kepe perpetually by the layenge down of theyr owne lu∣stes, and sensualyte, but all the trouble, labour, carefulnesse, and bodely seruyce, outwardly done with wordes, or dede ought to be redressed to nothinge els but to y^e glory of God and to the profyte of oure neghboure: for els is not God oure kynge, and we do not seke the welth of oure neghboure then, but oure owne, which is agaynst the nature of the trewe & onfayned loue which Paul teacheth.

Tymotheus.

Ye saye treuth, for though we haue the name of Christ, and though we be bap∣tysed ī the same, though we go to church and receaue the sacramētes, yet are not all thynges dyspached wythout fayth, by workinge in vs with charite: For they all that say Lorde, Lorde, shall not pos∣sesse the kyngdome of heauen, but onely they that fulfill the wyll of the father shall go in to the kyngdome of heauen.

Tobyas.

The one membre ought thus to helpe the other, orels are not we one body ga∣thered,

wherof Christ is the heade. Let vs therfor beare echother in declarynge brotherly loue that we be incorporate one body in Christ, aydinge the vylest, & least before all other. For that which we do to the least, of oure brethren y^t haue we done to Christ. Christ is euen now suffe∣ringe honger, thyrst, he is naked, in pre∣sone, he is harbourlesse, he is like and dy¦seased, let vs go to hym to serue hym, to comforte hym, to receaue hym, that we maye heare herafter: Come ye blessed of my father to possesse the kingdom which is prepared for you sence the begynnyn∣ge of the worlde. And treuly ryght wel∣beloued Tymothe seynge we be called gospellyshe or Euangelycall, therfore ought we to be the more diligent in do∣ynge Euangelicall workes, lest Gods worde be blamed trough oure vnruly be haue our of thē y^t be vngodly. ¶Tymo. Ye saye treuth: wherfore I wolde that in euery towne, cyte, village, yee in euery cō¦gregaciō or church there were a comune huche or cheste wherin shulde be sepera∣te such goods as be geuē to the nedy acor¦dynge

as saynte Paul teacheth in the i. Corinth. xvi. which now (alas for py∣te) is rather myspent in foundacions of chappels, churches, & religyous houses as they call them, in syngers, in coapes, belles, and ymages. I wyll not speake now of the greate prouentes, and rētes, of vycaries, and such other foundacions which mount to an innumerable sum∣me yearly. With these goodes, and such lyke that oure forefathers haue founded to the sustayninge of the poore maye eue¦ry towne, cyte, vyllage, or paryshe ease∣ly sustayne theyr owne poore people: so that ther shulde not one begger or va∣gabounde nede to go by the stretes. And thus shulde gods commaundemēt Deu¦teronomy .xv. chapter be accomplysshed Morouer to this excellent dede shulde be chosen certayn honest men, fearynge God, which lyke trew deacons shulde dispense, and dystribute these goodes accordyng the nede and conscience. Out of this aforesayed cheste also shuld scou¦les be founded, wherin youth might be taught both Christ & other good learnīg

For such we comūly do sauoure as was putt in oure fresshe vessels. Out of this cheste also shulde all bonynfans, or fa∣therlesse and motherlesse chyldren be brought vp, vntyll they be abell to learn an occupatiō or craft. Out of this cheste shulde honeste youthe be maryed, lest through pouerty they com to some mys∣use. For to brynge all this to effecte the afore sayde goodes be sufficient yf they were iustly and treuly gathered toge∣ther. The bagge and staffe, is an occasy∣on that there is so much ydelnesse, whor¦dome, dronknesse, thefte, yee of all mys∣chefe, and euell maners it is the mother, whiche the aforesayde congregations myght easely auoyde yf the loue of ho∣nesty, and mercy were fyred in theyr hartes.

Tobyas.

Youre mynde welbeloued brother is good, yf it were so accepted, and fulfyl∣led, than wolde I also prayse yt wyth yow: But these strōge, & valiaunt wallet knyghtes wyl neuer admitte yt, for theyr religion is founded vpon thesame, & the

sorowlesse breade sauoureth to well in their mouthes. They loue much better to reape the haruest that they haue not sowē, that to get theyr owne foode, with the sweate of their browes.

Timotheus.

We haue now cōplayned ynough, wher¦fore I wyll straghtly go to oure poore Lazarus, & teache hym some good thyn∣ge of sufferynge paciently for he hath greate nede of it. And from thence wyll I go to the hospitall, to bringe thether y^t which I haue superfluous of my yester∣dayes laboure: For I am sure they shall nede it there.

Tobias.

I praye you brother let yt be so, and let•• yt not greue you to viset y^e syke, for the∣reby shall ye be strenghted in the fayth accordinge to the scripture. But differ youre goinge to Lazarus a lytell whyle, yf perchaunce oure vicar come there, he shall not leaue it for very shame.

Timothe.

No no I knowe him to well, he wolde ra¦ther neuer come at hym, than to lese one peny of his other auauntage, which of

thys poore mā he can not haue. He spea¦keth much of the cure of soules, but it se¦meth that hys mynde is of the purses soules: he besemeth all the reste. Wher∣fore I wyll thether warde, wyl ye cōmaū¦de me ought?

Tobias.

Yee tell Lazarus that I wyll come to vyset hym tomorowe afore noone, and teache hym somwhat of dyenge, as I ha¦ue promysed hys wyfe.

Timothe.

I wyll do yt wyth a good wyll, & God graunte vs hys mercy.