The troubled mans medicine verye profitable to be redde of al men wherein they may learne pacyently to suffer all kyndes of aduersitie made [and] wrytten by wyllyam Hughe to a frende of his.

BVt thou wilt ••••••∣per chaunce, syr if ye were in my case, your mynde woldbe trouble no lesse thā mine I haue wife, and chyldren, a fa∣milie, which the lawe of nature and honestie byndeth me to nou∣tishe. I haue neyther money, nor other goodes to defende thē. Be∣sides that my body hath no such helth, as is necessary for a nedy & pore man. I am thaufed also a•• though these thinges before were nothyng, with sclaunders and in ruries. Whom I pray you wold•• not these thinges discorage, and in maner make as a man despe∣rate: It the case be as thou say••, beware well, and take diligently heede, least the deuyll vse the, a•• he doth his, & the children of dam∣nation

beynge in like anguyshe. Beware he bring the not to dam nable mystruste: Neyther let him leade the to any vnhonest craftes as thefte, periurse, adultery, mur¦der, deceit, or suche like, for the vn¦lawfull augmentynge of thy sub¦stance, so makynge that thynge which god hath offred the, as a meane, whereby thou mighteste the rather approche vnto him a meane to perdition, & helly fyer.

But if thou be in these miseri∣es, remembre y^e they come not rase shely, but euen of y^e Lord. There is no euyl, saith scripture, chaun seth to the or any other in the ci∣tie, whiche the lorde hathe not wrought. Am. 3. Of the Lorde I saie which as it is written in the thirde chapiter of the Apocalipse chastiseth al the chyldren, that he loueth: whereby he maye with a

fatherly affection correcte them. Whiles we be iudged of the lord, we be corrected, leste we be con∣demyned with theym of this worlde. 1 Corin. 2. Remembrynge these thinhes, let vs in all oure myseries comforte oute hartest, and saye vnto oure heauenly fa∣ther as dydde Crates to fortune after his shyppe wrake. Crates after he hadde loste by shyppe. wrake all that he had: saide this with a mery chere: Go to fortune I knowe what thou meanest. I am sure thou dost intende none ther, but call me to philosophyr go to I am well content to come thither as thou callest me. Euen so say we to our heauenly father when we be afflicted: Go to most bountiful father, I knowe what thou meanest, I know thou dost none other, but call me to repen∣tance,

Lo I come wyllyngly, thi∣ther as thou doest call me.

Permytte not the deuyll, I say thyne enemye to bringe the beinge nedye and poore, to des∣••eration. But flye frome hym ••yghtly to goddes worde, as to a moost stronge fortresse. For there by readynge or hearing the pro∣mises of god, thou shalt be suffi∣ciētly armed against him. Reade the syxte chapiter of Mathewe, where Christ hym selfe pronoun∣teth these wordes to them which be his faythful: I say vnto you, be not carefull for youre lyues what you shall eate, or what you shall drynke: nor yet for youre bodies, what you shall put on. Is not the lyfe more worth than neate? and the body more of va∣••ewe than rayment? beholde the ••oules of the ••yre, for they sowe

not, neither reape, nor yet cary in∣to their barnes, yet your heauen∣lye father fedith them. Which of you (though he toke thought therefore) coulde put one cubu•• to his stature? Why care ye than for rayment, consydre the ly••lye•• of the felde, howe they growe, they labour not, neyther spynne, & yet for al y^e I say vnto you, that euen Salamon in al his royalty was not arayed like vnto one of these. Wherfore if god so cloth grasse which is to daye in y^e felde, & to morowe shall be caste into fornace: shall he not muche 〈◊〉〈◊〉 do the same vnto you, D ye of lyttell faith? Therefore take 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thought sayenge: What shall we eate, or what shall we drinke, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wherewith shall we be clothed. After all these thynges seke the gentyles. For your heuenly fa∣ther

knoweth that ye haue nede of all these thynges. But rather seke fyrst the kyngdome of god & the ryghtuousnes therof, and all these shall be ministred vnto you. Thus by promyse made by the mouth of Christe, wherein was neuer founde disceyte, nor gyle, we shall lacke nothyng (yf we be faithful) that is necessary for vs. I haue bene yonge (sayth the pro¦het) and I haue waxed olde: yet I neuer sawe the ••uste lefte, nor ••s sede beggynge breade. Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Calte thy cogitations on the lord, and he shall nourishe the. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 4. be you carefull for no worlde∣ly thynge, but with prayer and obsecration, lette your petitions 〈◊〉〈◊〉 knowen of god. Philip. 4. He that geueth seede to the sower, shal giue vs both meat & drinke. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Cor. 9. Comforte we our selues

therefore beleuynge these promi∣ses, & neuer despairinge vttetly.

But bicause we beleue those thinges the better, whereof we haue profe, I wyll bringe exam∣ples whereby ye shal se that go•• both wil & is able to perfourm so muche for his faythful, as he hath promised. Daniell cast into y^e lyons denne, many a mile from all such frendes as wolde mini∣stre meate or drinke to hym, ha•••• meat sodenly sent of god by th•• prophet Abacuck. Sampson al∣most lost for thirst, after the con∣flict that he had with the Phili••∣ans, praied to god & foūd drink in an asses Iawes. Agar on the wildernes, dispairing of hir o•••• life and hir childes for lacke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vittles, & with many a salte tea∣laieng the childe farre from her lest hir motherly eyes shuld sed

dye, was fedde of god, & cōforted beiond hir expectaciō. The poore woman of Sarepta, lokyuge to dye with hir chylde, the day after the prophet came to hir house, had hir oyle, & meale so augmen∣ted, y^e she lacked not tyl the time of plentye returned. Therefore whā so euer any lacke happeneth be it of corne, or such other neces∣saries, dispaire we not, calling to ••emēbraūce this example, let vs thinke w^t out selfes y^t god is able at al times to encrease out corue, ••yenge in the barne, growyng in the fylde, beynge breade in the ••uen, yea or in thy mouth, at his pleasure as well as he dyd y^e oyle or meale, of the woman of Sa∣••epta: or the oyle of the dettours wife by his prophet Helise. But 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it so chaunce that no hope be left of our temporall norysshmet,

yet haue 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no iuste cause to dis∣payre. Remembryng that scryp∣ture saith, mā doth not onely liue in bread, but in euery worde that procedeth frō the mouth of god. The omnipotent god dyd vse at mour and weapons (yet not ne∣cessarily) as instrumentes, by the which he dyd gyue to his people Israel many victories, yet his power was onely the chiefest an•• for of the same. So though he vse meates & drinkes as meanes wherby he nourissheth vs, yet the principall cause of our sustenta∣tion is his vertue and godly po∣wer: and as he dydde often gy•• victories to the Israelites, their handes and weapons not moued at all: So hath he also fedde and cā do agayn his faithful, though worldly meate, and drinke be not vtterly ministred. A better proft∣nedes

not, than the example of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 oyfes and Hely, whom he su∣steyned with his heuenly power, the spaee of fourtye daycs, with∣out the ministratiō of any world∣ly fedynge, Therfore as Dauyd sayed: my sworde shall not saue me, neither yet wyl I trust in my bowe, So saye we, our meates & drynkes shall not saue vs, ney∣ther wyl we trust in worldly thin ges: for the power of god sustey∣neth vs, and in hym wyl we trust by whome all thynges doo con∣siste. Col. 1. Which susteyneth all thinges w^t the word of his power Heb. 1. whiche openeth his hand, & filleth euery beast with his bles¦singe. Psa. 145. whose hand being open all thynges are fylled with goodnesse, whose face turned a∣waye, all thynges are troubled, whose spirit withdrawen, al thiu

ges shall sayle & be brought into dust. 103. Which saueth man and beast. 36. Which couereth the hea∣uens with clowdes, prepareth rayne for the grounde, and bryn∣geth forth grasse in the moun∣taynes, whiche geueth to beastes their meate, and to the chykēs of the rauens callynge vpon hym. 36. in hym, to whome all these thinges be iustlye asscribed, do we lyue, moue and be. Act. 17. In whom, of whom, and by whome all thinges are, to whom be glo∣rye for euer. Roma. 11.

Yf ye haue respect to the afore going examples, ye shal perceiue y^t the lorde after he hath brought vs euen to the extremytye, as the Psalmyste sayeth, can, and wyll (yf it be expediente) dely∣uer vs. Not onelye from hun∣ger, and thyrste, but frome all

other miseries, harmes, and ad∣uersities, frome persecution and drowenynge, frome fyre and oure enemyes, frome syckenesse, sclaunders and deathe. Who delyuered Dauid so ofte vniust∣lye persecuted from the bloudye handes of Saule? The three chyldren thruste into the whote fornace, from burnynge? Noe from drowenynge, Lot frome the vengeance that light on So dome and Gomor, Danyel from the hungry mouthes of the liōs, the Israelites from the Egipti∣ans, their ennemyes from serui∣tute and intollerable bondage, Ioseph from sclaunders, Su∣sanna from the cruell death the sclauderoūs Iudges wold haue put hyrto: Peter from his ban∣des and Imprisonment. Who re¦stored so many lepres to clennes

amōges the Iewes, Peters mo∣ther in lawe frome hir ague to helth, so many lame to their lym∣mes, so many blind to their sight, was it not the myghty hande of god which is not yet abbrcuiate, neyther weakened, but as strōge as euer it was. And thoughe it please hym to deferre oure dely∣ueraunce, as it chaunced te Io∣seph & to Israell oppressed with the Egiptians, whereby his glo∣ry may be more illustrate: yet let vs thinke no other, but he hathe bothe power and wyll, to helpe & saue vs from all miseries, what so euer they be, if it stande with our soules health, and his glory. If it do not, he wyll not: yf he loue vs, if he will not, let vs take in goodworth, and conforme our willes to his. Playenge the part of a wyse pacient, whiche wolde

be glad to haue his disease, and the cause thereof expelled by ke∣pynge a harde diete, and recey∣uynge of bitter medycynes one moneth and no legar if it might be. But in case his syckenes can not be healed, except he vse those bytter medicines, and hard dyet an hole yere. He wyl rather so do in hope of healthe afterwarde, than by refusyng them, be sycke all the dayes of his lyfe. Euen so if that oure soules can not be cleare of suche dyseases and bot∣ches, as shall displease the eyes of God, excepte we vse aduer∣sities so longe as we lyue, asspi¦tituall medycynes ministred to vs by god. Let vs be well con∣tented in hoope that we shall af∣ter this lyfe, whyche is but a peare, no rather a mynute of an houre in comparyson of the

tyme that is to comme, haue healthe euerlastynge no more 〈◊〉〈◊〉 daunger of any maladies.

Therfore in such prayers as we make in our afflyctiōs, let vs folow the exaple of Dauid which in his mooste trouble sayde: Yf it please the lorde, he wyll delyue•• me: but if he say: Thou doest not please me, I am redye and wyl∣lynge. Folowe we the example of oure maister Christ, whiche sayd in his prayer that he made a lit∣tle before his death: Father, yf it be possyble that I maye escape this passyon, howebeit not as I wyll, but as thou wylte.

Let vs behaue oure selues in our afflictiōs, as dyd y^e thre chyl dren threatned of Nabugodono∣sor. The lorde (say they) y^t we wor∣shyp can delyuer vs frō the fier, if it please him. But yf it please

hym not, be it known to the (D Kynge) that we wyll not wor∣shyppe thy goddes, neyther thy Image made of golde. Learue we also the lesson taughte vs in the lordes prayer: D father, thy wyll be fulfylled. And yf oure carnall affections, at any ryme wyll rise against vs, steered vp of the flesshe, and the deuyll, our enemies, vpbraydinge vs, and endeuourynge to shame vs, with our afflictions, to make vs blas∣pheme god, as though he hadde forgot vs, make we aunswer to them, as did Aristides to his coū trymen, when they dyd vpbraide hym with pouertie: Cease to ob∣secte my pouerty and afflictions agaynst me, which be vncomlye and vnpleasaunt onely for them, vnto whom they chauce against theyr wylles. I counting my self

no better than my maister christ, am wel content and pleased with them. Dr if the same prickes and goydes of the deuyll (affections I meane) wyll at any tyme moue vs to that thynge whiche is not godly, nor honest, for vauntage or moneys sake, for preferrement health of the body, or any other commoditie, or comforte, wherof we seme to haue nede: Lette vs make aunswere to them, as dyd Matreus Curius to the Samni∣tes, offerynge hym money. Mar∣cus, Curius was ones a man of much nobility, riches & renowme among y^e Romaynes: howbeit, at y^e legth as it fortuned, he became a very pore man, in so much that his meate for the most parte was onely rotes, cold herbes & wortes At chauced y^e the embassad ours of y^e Samnites, than beynge at

Rome, & hearing of his pouerty, whom they had knowen ones to be famouse & welthy, came to his house to visite hym, where they foud him in a pore chābre, porely arayed, & sethynge coles for his dynner. They after muche com∣munication about to depart, gen¦tilly offred to gyue hym money, y^e which he refused disdainefully with these wordes: Kepe youre money to your selfes you Sam∣nites, for he that can be contente with suche apparell, and suche fare, hath no nede of it. Euen so say we to our affections, embassa dours of the deuil, and the world Let the worlde kepe his goodes and his prosperous thinges him selfe, for he that can be contente to lyue as dyd his maister christ, hath no nede of them. But what nede these prophane examples, se ynge that we haue better in holy

scripture. Let vs aunswer them as Iob dydde his frendes: Al∣though the lorde kyll me, yet I wyll hope in him styll. Dr as the elder Tobie dyd aunswere them which dydde vpbrayde him with his pouertie and miserable blind∣nes. We be the childrē of saintes, and loke for an other lyfe, which god shall giue to all them that chaunge not theyr faythe from hym.

Thoughe it please god so ex∣tremelye to punyssbe vs, euen to the ende of our lyfe, as he dyd Lazarus, with hunger, cold, and lacke of lodging, byles, botches, and greuous sickenes, yet be we not discoraged callyng to reme∣braūce this his promisse: He that wil perseuer euen to the end, shal be saued. I am sure yf Lazarus were here agayne, knowynge so

muche as he knoweth, though a hundreth tymes so many euyls shuld vexe his body, as did ones, yet he wolde not be greued ther∣with. Let oure stregth be as Esai saith in hope and silence. What so euer chaunce, be we quiet and kepe silence, euen as our maister dyd, being as a shepe before the shearer, or ledde toward y^e slaugh terhouse, whā the Iewes dyd buf fit him & spytte in his face. He y^t cōmitteth hym selfe to god, saieth scripture, kepeth silēce, him that kepeth silence both god so beate, that he may amende him, so east him downe y^e he may raise him, so slayeth him, that he may make hym alyue.

Let vs therefore be chereful so king for the lord, which cōmyng boutles shall come and will not tary. But what shulde I say wil

commee which hath promised to be with vs still, euen to the ende of the world: whiche as scripture witnesseth, when al our frendes, father and mother forsake vs, he receyueth vs, neyther wyll euen leaue vs (for luche is his pro∣misse) fatherlesse and motherles, but be with vs continually in all our troubles, and at the laste (as he dydde Lazarus, with other of his sorte,) clearelye delyuer vs. In the meane space do we fede oure selues merilye with hope. The prouerbe saith (meanyng of worldly thinges) hope nortsheth outlawes: much more shulde the hope of christs pmises norish vs For the hope of worldly thinges is fallible. But the hope of gods promises cā not be deceyued, nei∣ther shal it euer shame vs. I haue hoped in y^e (o lord) saith Dauid, &

I shal neuer be cōfoūded. More ouer let vs cōfort our selues, con∣sideringe that the man it selfe is the soule immortall. The body is but a cace after the minde of So trates, a house or a prison rather as Paule nameth it, and that the man it selfe, is no beter for corporall commodities, neyther the worse for corporall incommd bities. But by the iudgement of holy Chrisostome, like as a horse is nothyng the better for his gol ••en bridle, siluer sadle, precious trappinges, or other ornametes, but for his swyftnes, payse, and strongnes: No more is our inte∣tior man for riches welth, health of the body, libertie, or other like, but for the vertue of the mynde, and grace of god. Wherefore if we be neuer the better for ryches let vs not feare pouertie, nor for

health, let vs not feare syckenes, nor for good name, lette vs not feare sclaunders, nor for libertie, let vs not feare bondage, nor for this commune lyfe, lette vs not feare death. We be better sayeth Chrisostome, for the vertue of the mynde, whiche is to thynke vprightly of god and to liue iu∣stly amonge men. At the other ex∣terior thynges may be plukte a∣way from vs, this can not, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not by the deuell, excepte we our selues willingly consent.

The deuyll although he toke from Iob all his goodes, wher∣by he myghte prouoke hym to blaspheme God: His healthe, to slake the constancie of his mind; his chyldren, to make him speake euell of the godheade, yet coulde he neuer take this frō hym. But in withdrawynge all worldelye

thynges, he heaped vp y^e greate tyches of vertue, of the loue and fauour of god, through pactece. Iob was hurte of the deuyl, and of his afflictions, as one Porme∣theus was of his enemye. Pro∣metheus was a man whiche had a great swellynge in his backe, peforming his person very much It chaunsed that his enemyfal∣lyng out with him, thrust a dag∣ger into y^e same deformed place: That done he departed thinking none other, but that he had slayn hym. Nowbeit Prometheus had so litle harme by his wound, that where as his backe coulde be cu∣ted before with no phisike, or sur¦gery, than was made whole. So he receiued commoditie, & health of him y^e intended his distruction & death. Likewise truly it chaun 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to Iob, if y^e thing be aduisedly

pondered.

Suffer me I pray ••o to speake this by the way, seynge that Iob for all these cruell tormentes of y^e deuyl, for al these mysfortunes, and punishmentes was ueuer 〈◊〉〈◊〉, deale the worse, whrche hadde not yet receyued the lawe, neyther, the redemption of Christ, nor the grace of his resurrection, moch•• lesse we weapened with all these thyuges, shuld with like euils be harmed. What were the apostles worse for their hunger, thyrste, and nakednes? Lazarus for his botches, pouertie, and sickenes. Ioseph for his sclaūders, Abel for y^e cruel death he suffred? Were they not more noble and crcelle•• for these amōn men & prepared they not for thē selues throught these crownes of glorye with god? Therefore let vs euer b••

mery in christ, and passe for no worlydly miseries, for lacke nor ••usse of goodes, for sclaunders nor imprisonment, for syckenesse, ••danyshement, nor death. But if it chaunce that all our goodes be ••aken from vs, let vs saye with ••••ob and without soro we: Na∣ked we came out of our mothers wombes, and naked we shall go hence. We be sclaundered, put we ••he sayeng of the lord before our eyes: Cursed be you whan men speake well by you: be you glad and reioyse, when they reiecte your name. We be banyshed re∣mēbre that we haue no dwellyng place here, but loke for one that is to come. We fall into greate syckenes, vse the sayenge of the apostle, though this our exterior man be corrupted, yet thinterior?

is dayly renued. Thou art shi••t•• in prison, and cruell deathe ha••∣geth ouer thy head, set before the Iohū beheaded, and so greate•• prophets heade giuen in rewa•••••• of pleasure, to a daūsing wenshe. Thou hast notably offended and therefore in thy conscience thou art troubled with the dispaire 〈◊〉〈◊〉 goddes mercy for the auoyding of this spirituall trouble, thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with thy selfe, that thy heau•••••••• fathrt doth swetely expostulate with the after this sorte:

What nowe my decre thy•••••• why ceaseth not thy spirit at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 last to be afflicted 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whye do•••• thou vnwis••y derogate from th•••• multiude of my inercyes & wh•••• doest thou thinke y^e Iam & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 la••is the tyraunt. Danli us, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or some cruel Srpth? D••∣elles

of mercies the father and of all consolation the god, longe sufferynge, and of much mercye. Art thou not taught by my ••ōne Iesu to call my thy father? Daue not I pormysed that I wolde be thy father by my prophete Die•• ••emye, and that thou shuldest be my sonue? Why doest thou not therfore aske me forgeuenes wel ••hopynge for pardon? Who is it of you although ye be euyll wh••-which myl not for giue his sonne, for thynkynge his faultes being suppliant desirynge pardon and promysinge amendement (not∣withstādyng that he hath prou••∣••ed him to we an hūdieth times) •• thinkest thou that I which air•• the father of inetries, of who we all fatherlyn••sse m••heauen and earthe is named? Whiche possesse the ryches of goodnes, patience,

and longanimite, not to be re•••••• to for••eue my chyldien truth•• repentynge? Be of good comfort (my chylde) be so good comfort•••• mistrusting not my mercy, whie•• surpasseth not only mans m••rcp•••• ••owe great so euer it be, but all myne owne wo••kes: Also indge∣ment without mercye shall them fele, whose hartes be oboutate, hardened & wil not repent, wh•• the delyte styll in theyr synnes, and wyl neuer leaue theyr wy•••• bednes, which contemne my me••∣des and trust me not, from them in deede health muste neades be farre awaye. But as for the, ••••••∣pente, and the kyngedome of be••∣nen shall d••a me nyghe, trust, and thy faith shall saue ••he. I mo•••••• haue all men to besaued, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 man to peryshse, my fashy•••• is euer to recreate, think pug•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉

eperyshe vtterly whiche is ab∣ect. It is not my wyl (beleue me) ••••at one of these my lyttell ones ••e cast awaye, whome I euer lo∣••ed so well, that I wholde vouch∣safe to gyue my onely sonne for ••hem. But thy trespassc she great whrefore thou arte not lyghtlye ••erswaded to truste in my mer∣••y?Chryste Iesu came into the worlde to saue synners. ••e came to call synners, and not the fuste, and too saue that whiche was soste. I knowe that thou an of∣fendour shuldest offende, and as a transgressour, I called the frō thy mothers wombe, yet for my names sake wyll I make my fu∣••ry farre of. Thy good workes can be of no such perfection, that they may be able to saue the, nor, thy euyll workes (so that thou re¦pent with a ful purpose to renew,

thy lyfe) came hutle the into the heily fyre for I am, I am which put away thy iniquities for mine o wne sake, and thy synnes wyll not I remēber I am (dere sonne) I am whiche put awaye thy syn∣nes for my selfe, for my selfe, and wyll gyue my glorye to none o∣ther. Suppose thy synnes be as redde as s••arlette, they shall be made as whyte as snowe, which I haue scattered as cloudes, and as myst haue dispersed the, turn•• to me (I say) for I haue redeme•• the, I haue redemed the, which•• haue pitie of all men, and for re∣pentaunce wynke at mens syn∣nes.I wold thou shuldest know that I thy Lorde am meke and gentle. Neyther can I turne my face from the, so that thou wyll returne to me. It is communlye sayde, that if a man dimisse his

wyfe, and the ••epartynge mary∣••th an other husbande, shal he re∣turne to hyr any more? shall not she be as a polluted and a defiled woman? thou hast committed for ••••ication with many louers, yet for all that am I redy to returne to the, so that thou wylte returne to me. Suche is my facilite, so gē¦tle I am, such is my benignite, so greate is my mercye, whiche thy most louynge brother and aduo∣tate Christ, that washed the from thy synnes in his bloude, hathe purchased, continually prayenge for the. Hast thou not herde how mercyfull I shewed my selfe to Dauid, to the Niniuites and A∣thab, Do ••agoalen, to the these the publican and other innume∣table? why doest thou not open the eramples of them, as a table or glasse wherin thou mayst well

l••athe how exorable I am, ho••∣redy I willyng to forgyue. sword•• der with thy selfe how heynow fautes I haue pardoned them, theft, adultery, mirrder, ••olatry, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 what not? B•• to therfore, be o•• good there, lyfte vp thyne ••yrs, mistrust me no lēger, turne to me a thou shalt be saued, cōmend thy syyr•••• into my hādes, & the prin•••• of this world shal haue nothyng to do w^e the, for by me the god of truth thou art truely rebemed.

Whan so euer deadly dispayre shall trouble thy conscience, set this oration before thyne eyes! Which is nothing els in dede, but gods owne word, written by his most holy prophetes, & apostles, finally y^e art so tost & troubled that it shuld seme y^t god had clene forg••t the. ••eade the. 49. of Esal, where thou shalt fynde these wor¦des

••iō said (he meaneth gods elect) the lord hath lefte me, & the lord hath also forgot me. Can the nother forgete her infante, & not pitye the chyld she hath hrought forth. But whether she can or no. I can not a Sion forget the. A•• ••as howe shuld he forgette them that beleue in hym? with whome as it semeth by his owne wordes he suffereth. What soreuer is do∣ne to one of these litle ones, wh••∣the belene in me, y^e same is done unto me. Math. 25. Be that tou∣theth you, toucheth the very ball of myne eye. Zacha. 2. And this shuld be no litle cōsolatiō for the faithfull, seinge y^e they haue god him self as cōpanion, & partakes of their sorowes. for all our af∣flittiōs & grefes of y^e mind let vs require remedies of gods word, which without fayle cā mitigate

al••ynsnes, that orcupie the har•••• of them whiche beleue in hym.

Wherfore it is not bayne tha•• Christ saith in the gospell, com•••• vnto me all ye that laboure, an•• be looden, and I shall refres•••• you. Neyther withoute a caust, that Dauyd whiche hadde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 experyence of the comfort tecey∣ued of goddes wor••e, sayd th•••• Do we swete be thy mordes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lorde to my Iawes? mort del••∣tynge my tayste, than the hon∣combe. What so euer is written, it is written for out learnyng, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by patience and comforte of scr••••∣tures, we may haue hope. Rom. •• By this you maye gather y^e ou•••• cōforte is to be requyred of scrip¦ture beleue me, though the mo•••• heynous waues and tempeste•• of this see the world, be raised by thretening drownyng to Peter

••••ippe, Yet if it be fastened with ••anchor of gods word, well they may moue it, but ouerwhelme it they cā not. And among all other ••et us haue in mynde those scrip∣tures wherin we be ascerteyned that our bodies after this com∣mune death shal rise agayn, won ••erfully glorifed by the same po¦wer that formed thē fyrst. Chose also wherein the eternall felicitie that shal be gyuen to all thē, wh••¦the after the erample of Christst, suffer aduersities, and ouercome the deuyl, the worlde with theirs ••s promised, for they shal aboun∣••auntly comforte the beleuynge people. Lo sayth the lord (menti∣onyng the resurrection and reun¦ynge of oure bodies) I wyll put breth into you, and you shall be quyckened, I will gyue you syn∣nowes, and couer you•• with flessh

and skynne, I will put into you a spirite, and you shall lyue and know that I am y^e lord. Eze. 37.

We loke for Iesu christ our sau•••• our, whiche shall trans••igurate oure vile bodies, & cō forme them to his glorious body, by y^e same vertue, wherwith he is hable to subdue al thynges. Phi••. Dout∣les like as a grane of wheat so men in y^e gronud, is fyrst putri∣fied & brought as into a thing of noughtryet after y^e springeth bp∣fresshly with a goodlier fourme, than he had before, So mās bo∣dy sowen in the groūd after this temporal life, is first corrupted 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in maner brought to nothing, yet at y^e last, by his power, which did create al thinges of nothinge, i•• shal rise againe with a fourme of much more excellencye, then euer was y^e first. Though this things

be wonderful, yet intredible it is not for he y^e was able to make all the world with his creaturs of nothing, must nedes be able to make our bodies againe of fresh of some thynge. for y^e matter of ••ur bodyes shal euer temayne in grasse, wormes, duste, stones or some other forme, euen to the last ••ay. And than surely euen as La ••arus & christ (wherof we be mem¦••res & therfore must nedes at the ••ast rise w^t him being our heaue) ••as resuscitate from their slept, (so I may cal this corporal deth) ••n lyke case shall the bodyes of all men, some into the resurrecti•• of tudgement, some of lyfe.

But this word slept (fr••nd ••r∣••ane) bringeth me in remēbraūce of a quest tō which you moued to ••e at our last beinge together, & or as much as I coulde not thā

for lacke of opportunite connuen••¦ently gyue you an aunswer, by these letters you shall know my mynd, howbeit very brefly, for I purpose to deferre the reasoning of the matter to our ne••t metting. Youre question was, whether that the soule of man after this temorall death, slepeth, as doth the body, voyd both of paine an•• pleasure vnto the day of iudge¦ment or no? I aunswere that it is as muche agaynst the nature of the soule to slepe, as it is agaynst the nature of the sonne to be a darke body or of y^e fyre to be with out heate. The soule of man be∣ynge an heauenly spirite, is s••¦lyuelyke and constant, so strong•• and vigilant a substaunce, that naturaly it can not but perpetu¦ally perseuer in operatiō for of his owne nature it is a very op••¦ration

and motion it selfe, which neuer ceaseth, but lyke as the sonne, whiche maye so euer he is moued, shyneth and inflammeth (wherof Phaeton as we reade in the poetes, hadde a sufficiente proffe) so the soule of man whe∣ther so euer it is brought lyueth and moueth continually. Yea & though the body (whiche of na∣ture is grosse and drousy) be op∣pressed with stepe, yet the soule is styll occupied in the memorye, in the intellection, or in other of the more excellent powers, as by drcames euery man mayese.

Muche lesse can it slept, whan it is cleane deliuered from the stug gys••he bodye. Therfore as the body slepeth, so the soule can not for as much as it is a substaunce accommodate to continuall mo∣uyng, and can not be wery.

Truely y^e error of them is great which perswade them selfes, tha•• the soule seperate from hte body, shall slepe vnto the last day, and this errour is olde and was con¦futed by Drigen, & other of his tyme. Neyther was it euer synce receaued into the churche, vnto suche tyme as the Anabaptistes a pestilent kynde of men, whose madnesse is execrable, broughte it of late dayes into the world•• againe. But as all other of their opinions be peruerse, abhorring from the trueth, and deuelysshe, so is this. Declarynge his pa∣troues not to be taught in Chri∣stes scoole, but in Galens rather, whiche affyrmeth the deathe of the soule, necessarylye to followe the death of the bodye.

But leuyng the vayne fanta∣syes of the boting Anabaptistes,

let vs gyue eare to gods worde. It is wrytten Ecclesia. 12. The puste shall returue to his earthe, frome whense it came, and the spirite to God, whiche gaue it.

Where I hope he shal be so farre frome deathe and slepe, that he shall lyue, delyted with Ioyes vnspeakeable. He that heareth any words (sayeth Christe) and beleueth in hym whiche sent me, hathe lyfe euerlastynge, and he shall not comme into condemna∣tion, but he shal passe from death to lyfe. Iohn. 5. Marke that he sayeth not, frome death to slepe, but from death to lyfe. The pa∣rable in the. 16. of Luke doth well improue theyr false opinion.

Where it is written, that Laza∣tus after his deathe, vsed Ioye and gladnesse: On the other parte, that the ryche gluttou

was greued and tormented.

If the soules of men should slepe as the Anabaptystes say••, neyther shoulde any Ioye haue ben attributed to Lazarus, nor to the glutton punysshement.

What wyll they saye to these wordes whiche Christe spoke to the these: This day thou shalt be with me in paradyse. Wyll they make vs beleue that Paradyse is a dormitorte or a place to slept in? In cast it be, a manne wolde thinke that christ is or was ones a stepe therin. for he sayth, thou shalt be with me in paradise. S•• Paule was tapt. 2. cor. 12. into pa¦radyse, & there dyd heare wordes which a man may not lawefully speake. These wordes he hearde not with the eares of his bodye, for it laye prostrate on the groūd Actu. 9. But of the soule, whiche

part of Paule was rauysshed in ••o paradise, where he dyd heare and se misteries. Therfore I can not beleue that paradyse is a sle∣••inge place, seynge that Paule was so occupied there, in heryng of secretes. Moreouer where as saynt Paule defired to dye, and to be with Christe, me thinke he shoulde rather haue wisshed for the prorogatiō of his lyfe, it that the soule shuld continually slept to the last daye, for in this morld after a sorte we haue the fruition of god, as thoughe it were by a glasse, as saint Paule him selfe teacheth. But after this lyfe (yf the opinions of the Anabapti∣stes be true) we shal haue no frui∣tion of god at all (ercepte it be through dreames) vuto the daye of iudgement. Therefore faynt Paules wysshe (if we cre••••t these

antechristes) must nedes seme to be soolyshe. The lorde sayth that he is the god of Abrahā, the god of Isaac, the god of Iacob, not the god of the deade, but of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 uynge. Betwyrte the deade and the Anabaptistes slepers, I s•• no difference. If saule hadde ben taughte by anys of the old•• prophetes, that the soules of men shoulde slepe, he wolde not haue gone about so busely to haue ca•• sedvp Samuel. We rede. 1. Pet. 1 that Chryste wente in spyrite, and preached vnto the spyrites whiche were in pryson, and were disobebyente ones, whan the le∣nytis of God was loked for, in the dayes of Noe. Agayne in the fourthe of the same epystle, that the gospell was preached vnto the deade. By the whiche testymonye what is mente but

thatthe soules of the dead, didde scle the vertue of chrystes death. whiche they coulde not haue bone in case they hadde slepte, accordynge to the Anabaptistes dreame.

Therfore I saye beleue not these false deceyuours, whiche endeuour not oncly to pcrswade the slepc of soules, but also to e∣uacuate the resurrcction of the deade, and so to abolysshe an ar∣ticle of our fayth, & to make oure religion vayne. And hereafter whan you shall readde or heare any such scriptures, as is a parte of the fourthe chapyter of the fyrste epistle to the Thessoloniās where is mencyned the slepe of the deade, asscribe it to the bo∣dies, which in dede shall slepe to the daye of iugement, and than shal arise agayne (the soules toy

ned to them) and awake frō they•• slepe vndoutedly. Therfore saith Iob: I knowe that my redeme•• doth lyue, and in the last daye I shall ryse frome the earth, and in my flesshe shall se my sauyoure. Iob. 19.

O that happy and mery laste daye, at the lest to the faythfull, whan christe by his coucnaunte, shall graunt vnto theim whiche shall ouercome and kepe his wor¦kes euen to the ende, that they may ascende and syt in seat with hym, as he hathe ascended and sytteth in throne with his father. Apo. 2. &. 3. where so ro we shall be turned into gladnes, that no m••̄ shall take frtome them. Then as writeth Esai, They whiche be re∣demed shall returne, and comme into Syon praysyng the Lords, and eternall merynes shall be

ouer theyr heades, they shall ob∣seyne myrthe and solace, sorowe and waylynge shall be vtterlye vanquished. 51. Than the Sonne shall no more gyue them lyghte, nor the moone discusse the darke nes for them: but the Lorde our god shall be theyr lyghte, anb comforte continuall. 60. Than dout ye not (be we only constant here in the loue and faith of god) we shall haue for earthly power∣tye, heauenly ryches: for hunger and thurste, saturitie of the plea∣saunt presene of god: for bon∣dage, liberte: for sickenes, health for death, lye euerlastynge.

For this tyme frende Urbane I shall desyre you to take this poore letter (how so euer it be) in good worthe, and hereafter if it shall please god to call me to a more quiet lyuyng (as ye knowe

I am yet compelled necessarily•• to besto we in maner all my tyme and studye in teachynge of yon•••• scollets) I wyll write to you more largely of this argument, and peraduenture) God the auctor of all good thinges gyuynge me grace) more learnedly. Thus fare you wel, at Orforde the rd. daye of Marche.

FINIS.

Notes

• 2. Cor. 1.
• Math. 6
• Diere. 1••.
• Epht. 3.
• 20, 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• Ptal.
• Mat. 9.
• 1. Eimo 2
• Mat. 18.
• Ioh. 3.
• 1. ••ime. 1
• Math. 9.
• Esa. 48.
• 〈…〉〈…〉.
• Esa. 43.
• Esa. 1.
• Daps. 12
• •• ••a. 20
• Diere. 3..
• Esa.
• 20. 8.
• 〈…〉〈…〉.
• Esa. ••••