He had no goods, nor lands, nor money to give by his testament. A rich man when he dieth, bestoweth the money which he hath gathered, and forgiveth many debts which are owing him, but Christ hath nothing to give, nor any thing to forgive. The Lord of all had least of all, & he might say like his servant Peter,1 gold and silver have I none, no not a grave to bury his body in,2 but the grave that Joseph made for himself, served to bury Christ.3 His father was a Carpenter, but never made any house for himself:4 his mother lay in a stable for want of a chamber: his disciple was fain to borrow xx. pence for him of a fish:5 therefore when one offered,6 master I will follow thee, thinking to gain by his service, like retainers ⟨p. 124⟩to noble men; he replied unto him […] Foxes have holes, and the fowls have […] the son of man hath not a house to hide his head: showing that the beasts and fowls were richer then he, therefore when he had nothing to give, he gave himself, and when he had no debtors to forgive,7 he forgave his enemies: what then this is a poor & weak Testament, which gave nothing? oh the goodliest testament that ever was made, for it bringeth to us the remission of sins, is it such a matter to forgive sins? Yea, the greatest benefit in all the world,8 nay, a greater benefit then all the world: for thus it stood, thou hadst committed high treason against the Queens person, thou art detected, apprehended, accused, convicted, and condemned upon it to be hanged, and drawn, and quartered, and thy quarters to be set up for a spectacle, like a carcass which thou hast seen hanging upon a gibber, and the crows pecking upon it. What a horror, and shaking to thy mind, to think of that day, when all these torments, and shame and fear shall surprise thee at once, which would make thee quake and tremble, if thou shouldest see but another so dismembered before thy face? Thou hast no comfort now but this, when I have suffered I shall be free, before to morrow at this time, all my ⟨p. 125⟩pain will be past, though my shame continue, and my children be beggars. What grace, what favour, what mercy, now to pardon thee all this, and save thy life, and set thee at liberty, as though thou hadst never offended?
He had no goods, nor lands, nor monie to giue by his testament. A rich man when he dieth, bestoweth the monie which hee hath gathered, and forgiueth many debtes which are owing him, but Christ hath nothing to giue, nor any thing to forgiue. The Lord of all had least of all, & he might say like his seruant Peter,1 gold and siluer haue I none, no not a graue to burie his bodie in,2 but the graue that Ioseph made for himselfe, serued to burie Christ.3 His father was a Carpenter, but neuer made any house for himself:4 his mother lay in a stable for want of a chāber: his disciple was fain to borow xx. pēse for him of a fish:5 therfore when one offered,6 master I wil follow thee, thinking to gain by his seruice, like retainers ⟨p. 124⟩to noble men; hee replyed vnto him 〈…〉 Foxes haue holes, and the fowles haue 〈…〉 the son of man hath not a house to hide his head: shewing that the beasts and fowles were richer then he, therfore when he had nothing to giue, he gaue himselfe, and when he had no debters to forgiue,7 he forgaue his enemies: what then this is a poore & weake Testamēt, which gaue nothing? oh the goodliest testamēt that euer was made, for it bringeth to vs the remission of sinnes, is it such a matter to forgiue sinnes? Yea, the greatest benefite in all the world,8 nay, a greater benefit then all the world: for thus it stood, thou hadst committed high treason against the Queens person, thou art detected, apprehended, accused, conuicted, and condemned vpon it to be hanged, and drawne, and quartered, and thy quarters to bee set vp for a spectacle, like a carkasse which thou hast seen hanging vpon a gibber, and the crowes pecking vpon it. What a horror, and shaking to thy minde, to thinke of that day, when all these torments, and shame and feare shall surprise thee at once, which would make thee quake and tremble, if thou shouldest see but another so dismembred before thy face? Thou hast no comforte now but this, when I haue suffered I shall be free, before to morrow at this time, all my
- 1Act. 3. 6.
- 2Mar. 15. 46
- 3Mat. 13. 55
- 4Luk. 2. 16.
- 5Mat. 17. 27
- 6Luk. 9. 57.
- 7Luk. 23. 34.
- 8A similitude of mans estateA similitude of mās estate
