Philemon. O Most loving Saviour, & gentle redeemer, which camest into this world to call sinners unto repentance, and to seek up that was lost,1 thou seest in what case this our brother lieth here: visited with thy merciful ⟨p. 519⟩hand all weak, feeble, sick, and ready to yield up his soul into thy holy hands. O look upon him (most gentle saviour) with thy merciful eye, pity him and be favourable unto him. He is thy workmanship, despise not therefore the work of thine own hands. Thou sufferedst thy blessed body, and thy precious blood to be shed for his sins, and to bring him unto the glory of thy heavenly father, let it not therefore come to pass, that thou shouldest suffer so great pains for him in vain. He was baptised in thy name, and gave him self wholly to be thy servant, forsaking the devil, the world, and the flesh, confess him therefore before thy heavenly father and his blessed Angels to be thy servant.2 His sins, we confess are great (for who is able to say, my heart is clean & I am free from sin) but thy ⟨p. 520⟩mercies,3 O Lord, are much greater. And thou camest not to call th• righteous, but sinners unto repentance. To them that are diseased and overladen with the burden of sin, doest thou promise ease. Thou art that God,4 which willest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn and live. Thou art the saviour, which wishest all men to be saved,5 and to come to the knowledge of thy truth. Withdraw not therefore thy mercy from him because of his sins, but rather lay upon him thy saving health that thou mayest show thy self toward him to be a saviour. What greater praise can there be to a physician then to heal the sick? Neither can there be a greater glory, to thee being a saviour, then to save sinners, save him therefore, O Lord for thy names sake. Again, let the law be no corrosive to his conscience ⟨p. 521⟩but rather give him grace, even in this extreme agony and conflict of death,6 to be fully persuaded that thou by thy death hast taken away all his sins, fulfilled the law for him, and by this means, delivered him from the curse of the law,7 and paid his ransom, that he thus being fully persuaded may have a quiet heart, a free conscience, and a glad will to forsake this wretched world: & to go unto his lord God.
Philemon. O Moste louing Sauiour, & gentle redemer, whiche camest into this world to call sinners vnto repentaunce, and to seeke vp yt was lost,1 thou seest in what case this oure brother lieth here: visited with thy mercifull ⟨p. 519⟩hand al weake, feble, sicke, and redy to yealde vp his soule into thy holy hāds. O loke vpō him (moste gentle sauior) with thy mercifull eie, pitie him and be fauorable vnto him. He is thy workemanship, despise not therfore the worke of thine own hands. Thou suffredst thy blessed body, and thy precious bloud to be shed for his sinnes, and to bringe hym vnto the glorye of thy heauenlye father, let it not therefore come to passe, that thou shouldest suffer so great paines for him in vaine. He was baptised in thy name, and gaue him self wholy to be thy seruaunt, forsakynge the deuill, the world, and the flesh, confesse him therefore before thy heauenly father and his blessed Aungels to be thy seruaunt.2 His sinnes, we confesse are great (for who is hable to saye, my heart is clene & I am fre from sin) but thy ⟨p. 520⟩mercies,3 O Lord, are much greater. And thou camest not to cal th• righteous, but sinners vnto repē taunce. To them that are diseased and ouerladen with the burden of sin, doest thou promise ease. Thou art that God,4 which willest not ye death of a sinner, but rather that he shuld turne and liue. Thou art the sauiour, whiche wishest all mē to bee saued,5 and to come to the knowledge of thy truthe. Withdraw not therfore thy mercy from him because of his sinnes, but rather lay vpō him thy sauīg health that thou maiest shewe thy selfe toward him to be a sauior. What greater praise cā there be to a phisition then to heale the sicke? Neither can there be a greater glory, to thee being a sauior, then to saue sinners, saue him therfore, O Lord for thy names sake. Again, let the law be no corsiue to his conscience ⟨p. 521⟩but rather geue him grace, euēin this extreme agony and conflicte of death,
- 1Math. ix. Luke. ix.
- 2Prou. xvi.
- 3Math. ix.
- 4Math. x
- 5i. Thess. ii.
- 6Roma. x.
- 7Gala. iii.
