Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

What lost the these, that hanged on the cross with Christ by his bodily death? Yea, how much did he gain by it?¹ Did not our saviour say unto him, this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise? And Lazarus, that pitiful person,² that lay before the rich man's gate, pained with sores, and pined with hunger, did not death highly profit and promote him? Which by the ministry of Angels, sent him unto Abraham's bosom, a place of rest, joy and heavenly consolation? Let us think none other, (good christen people) but Christ hath prepared the same joy, and felicity for us, that he prepared for Lazarus & the these. Wherefore, let us stick unto his salvation, and gracious redemption: and believe his word, serve him from our hearts, love & obey him, and whatsoever we have done heretofore contrary to his most holy will, now let us repent in time, and hereafter study to correct our life, & doubt not, but we shall find him as merciful unto us, as he was either to Lazarus, or to the these: whose examples are written in holy scripture, for the comfort of them, that be sinners, and subject to sorrows, miseries, & calamities in this world, that they should not despair in Gods mercy, but ever trust, thereby to have forgiveness of their since, & life everlasting, as Lazarus and the these had. Thus I trust every christen man, perceiveth by the infallible word of God, that bodily death cannot harm nor hinder them, that truly believe in Christ, but contrary shall profit & promote the christen souls, which being ⟨image 59⟩truly penitent for their offences, depart hence in perfect charity, and in sure trust, that God is merciful to them, forgiving their since, for the merits of Jesus Christ, his only natural son.

What lost the thefe, that hanged on the crosse with Christ by hys bodiely death? Yea, how much dyd he gayne by it?¹ Did not our sauiour say vnto hym, thys daye thou shalt be with me in Paradyse? And Lazarus, that pitifull person,² that lay before ye richemans gate, payned with sores, and pined with hungre, did not death highlye profite and promote hym? Which by the ministery of Aungels, sent hym vnto Abrahās bosome, a place of rest, ioye and heauenly consolacion? Let vs thinke none other, (good christen people) but Christ hath prepared thesame ioye, and felicitie for vs, that he prepared for Lazarus & the thefe. Wherfore, let vs sticke vnto his saluacion, and gracious redempcion: and beleue hys worde, serue hym frō our hartes, loue & obeye hym, and whatsoeuer we haue done heretofore contrarye to hys moste holy wyll, now let vs repent in tyme, and hereafter study to correct our lyfe, & doubt not, but we shall finde hym as mercifull vnto vs, as he was either to Lazarus, or to ye thefe: whose exāples are written in holy scripture, for the comfort of thē, that be sinners, and subiecte to sorowes, miseries, & calamities in this worlde, that thei shoulde not despayre in Gods mercy, but euer truste, therby to haue forgiuenesse of their synnes, & lyfe euerlastinge, as Lazarus and the thefe had. Thus I trust euery christen man, perceyueth by the infallible woorde of God, that bodiely death cannot harme nor hinder theim, that truly beleue in Christ, but contrary shal profit & promote the christen soules, whiche beynge