on euerie side for the venomous dartes and arrowes of Sathan that on what side soeuer he assaile him he may finde no place vnarmed where he may wound and hit him For no doubt the diuell will doe what he can by all the trecherie he can deuise to shake the foundations of our faith and so to ouerthrowe vs quite But to defend and saue our selues wee must alwayes keepe our selues within our fortresse and neuer depart from the promises of God whatsoeuer he alleage to the contrarie Let vs set before him that which Esaie sayeth Israell shal be saued in the Lorde with an euerlasting saluation and we shall not be ashamed or confounded world without ende And in another place The Heauens shall vanish awaie like smooke and the earth shall waxe olde like a garment and they that dwell therein shal perish likewise but my saluation shall be for euer and my righteousnes shall neuer faile And lest the great signes that he shewes vs often times of his anger and displeasure should breede in our hearts too great a feare and so we should fall to dispaire of his promises let vs heare what the Prophet sayth in his 54. Chapter speaking to the Church in the name of God For a little while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee For a moment in mine anger I hide my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer For this is vnto mee as the waters of Noah for as I haue sworne that the waters of Noah should no more ouerflowe the earth so haue I sworne that I woulde not be angrie with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountaines shal remoue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shall the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lorde that hath compassion on thee To the same purpose God speaketh by Oseas the Prophet vnto his Church that he will marrie her vnto himselfe in righteousnes and in iudgement and in mercie and compassion shewing thereby that the aliance and couenant that he will conclude with her shall be firme and inuiolable and that he wil establish and ground her in himselfe that is to saye in his mercie trueth and Iustice requiring onely that shee would walke vprightly before him that in all her wayes shee would followe him in all perfect integritie kéeping her selfe as much as shee can from all counterfaiting and hypocrisie This must be diligently marked For the diuell to make vs afraide and to make vs doubt of the effect of the promises of God when we are readie to appeare before his iudgement seate are cyted and our cause readie to be called If he see that wee stande fast resting vppon the worde of his Gospell wherein he doeth offer vnto vs his grace he wil graunt vs that al that God saith is truâ—… and likewise that he offereth vs fréely his grace and life euerlasting by his promis but forsooth that he cannot performe that which hee hath promised by reason of our indignity For that we hauing so oft offended him since we haue bene lightened and regenerate by the knowledge of his truth had so much fauour at his hands besides as to be receiued into his family and to bee adopted his childreÌ„ Bb our own ingratitude we haue made our selues vncapable of his benefits and vnworthy to haue the promises performed that he hath made vnto vs. Therevppon to repulse this temptation which is the greatest of all and more dangerous then any wherewith we may be assailed We must first note that as the good will and pleasure of God hath bin the first motyfe to stirre him vp to make this alliance and couenant with vs and to offer vs fréely the promise of saluation by the which he declareth himselfe to bee our God and receiueth vs to bee his people as also his grace is the onely means to induce him to performe it towards vs. And this was the cause why Sainct Paul said that the reward of sinne is death but the gifte of God which is his grace is eternall life Whereas if he should haue drawen an argument directly from the Countryes mee thinketh he should haue sayd that as life is the reward of our righteousnes so death is the guâ—…rdon of our sinnes But to giue vs to vnderstand that life which is the effecte of the promise is as well giuen to vs gratis as the promises which doth offer it to vs he hath attributed it wholly to y e grace of God making no mention of our works or vertues This is confirmed by the 4. to the Romanes and in 32. Psalme where Dauid declareth that the blessednes of maÌ„ consisteth in this that God alloweth his righteousnes without works saying Happy are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Happy is the man vnto whom the lord shall impute no sinne Séeing then that the life and blessednes that God doth offer vs by his promises are not graunted vnto vs in lieu and fauour of any merits or vertue that is in man But by the only grace of God it followeth then that as the price and dignity of our works cannot purchase vs life euerlasting so also our vnworthines cannot hinder vs from attayning to the same For it is the more gift of God which he bestoweth vppon whom it pleaseth him according to his mercy and not according to the merit of our righteousnes which are not only vnperfect but also polluted with much vncleannes because that our harts from whence they procéede cannot be so well cleansed in this world but still there doth remaine some staines and corruption whereby they are defiled Which is the cause that the prophet prayeth to God so feruently that he would not enter into iudgment with him Saing Enter not into iugement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And also wher he saith If thou O Lord straitly markest iniquities O Lord who shalbe able to stand And that Sainct Augustine in his confessions hath this excellent and memorable sentence Our righteousnes shalbe cursed if it be examined and iudged without his mercy But neuertheles that can not let vs why God should not giue life euerlasting as he hath promised vs. So that we acknowledg féele and confesse our own vnworthines For nothing can make vs more capable and if it may be said also more worthy of the fauours and blessings of God then the knowledge and féeling that we haue in our selues to be altogether vnworthy What worthines might the Thiefe haue that hung vppon the Crosse hard by our Sauiour Iesus Christe who had continued in his théeuing and wickednes till the last houre of his life neuer acknowledging his Sauiour Iesus Christ til the very houre that he should render vp the Gost. And yet he had no sooner opened his mouth to confesse
our vertue Giuing vs by this means matter and argument to make demonstration of the faith and trust that we haue in him to craue his mercies by our earnest prayers and sorrowfull sighings to acknowledge and confesse our faultes and offences by our griefe and displeasure And to bring the sicke person so farre to cause him to make an humble true confession of his sinnes wee must first set before his eyes what is the spring and principall cause of all diseases as well corporall as spirituall and how that to heale them vp hée must take awaie the causes that engeÌ„der them that is to saie our sinnes from the which we cannot otherwise be deliuered but by the remission and pardon that God doeth giue vs through his grace so that as S. Iohn sayth wee doe confesse them vnto him and be assured that Iesus Christ is our aduocate and propitiation to God-ward by meanes of his iustice by the which hée doth hide and deface them so that they shall not be laide to our charge at the day of iudgement And for that the loue which by nature we beare vnto our selues doeth so blinde vs that we cannot sée or think our selues to be so vicious and corrupt as we are we must pul awaie this vaile from before the sicke mans eyes setting before him the lawe of God wherein as in a glasse hée may view and behold all the course of his life to make him know that by the same not onely all our actions but also all our nature is condemned to be abhominable naught and vicious For proofe and confirmation hereof we must alleadge vnto him in generall that we are conceiued in sin that we are all borne the children of wrath that wée are but flesh and vanitie that we are sold vnder sinne that in vs there dwelleth no good thing that our righteousnes is lyke olde rags and filthie clothes And to conclude that we are altogether nothing but dust and rottennesse Then must wee discourse vnto him all the commandements of God and shew him particularly that when he would examine himselfe throughly he should finde none of them but hée hath oftentinms transgressed and beginning with those of the first table to call to his minde 1 That he hath not done his best indeuour to inquire after God and to séeke to know him That he hath not loued him with all his hart with al his strength and with all his soule That hee hath not alwaies put his trust in him That he hath oftentimes doubted of his promises and mistrusted his aide and succour That he hath trusted to the strength of the flesh and such meanes that men might prouide rather then to the succour and aide of God That hee hath not looked for all his prosperitie and increase from the onely fauour and blessing of God That he hath not alwaies called vppon him in all his actions with full assurance and hope to be heard and helped of him That he hath not alwaies dreaded and reuerenced him as appertaineth to his high and soueraigne maiestie That he hath not thanked him and blessed his holy name for all things at all times and as well for his aduersities as prosperities 2 Then next that thinking vppon GOD hée hath imagined him to bée vnder some humane and bodilie shape That hée hath not conceiued him to bée a spirite incomprehensible infinite inuisible immortall impassible immutable soueraigne in power in bountie mercie iustice and veritie as an example and myrrour of all vertue and perfection the spring of all lyfe and light the fountaine and fulnes of all goodnes the heape of all happines and blessednes the beginning and end of all things who is all in al and by his onely word doth cause all creatures to bréed and subsist That he hath not serued and worshipped him in spirite and truth as hée requireth of vs and commandeth vs in his lawe That he hath béene more curious of ceremonies and exterior shewes of piety then of pitie it selfe and rather to séeme a good Christian then to be one in déede And lastly that he hath not alwaies thought in his minde that the true lawfull seruice of God doth consist in the only obedience of his will That speaking of the name of God it hath not béene with such respect and reuerence of his maiestie as is méete That he hath neuer studied and giuen his minde to sanctifie and glorifie his holy name as he ought That by wicked life and conuersation he hath béene cause that the ignorant and infidels haue blasphemed his name That he hath not heard read and meditated tâ—…e word of God with such attentiuenesse desire feare and zeale as is requisite to honour the Lorde which speaketh by it and the name of him of whom it is announced That hee hath not alwaies spoken of the workes of God nor acknowledged in them the greatnes of his power wisedome and bountie with such praise and admiration as they deserue for their abundance and magnificence That being at the table of the Lord euerie time that the holy Supper hath béene celebrated he hath not vsed such humilitie deuotion and contemplation of the holy mysterie nor hath not lifted vp his heart on high tâ—… heauen where Iesus Christ sitteth on the right hande of God the father as he should do That in the dayes ordayned to abstaine and rest from prophane and bodiliâ—… workes to apply our selues wholy to the sanctifieng of his holy name hee hath not giuen himselfe at al to the meditation and exercise of spirituall things thinking vpon and séeking nothing else but onely those things which are from aboue That he hath bene oftentimes more carefull for his worldly affaires then to séeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof preferring by this meanes this transitorie and corruptible life before the eternall and blessed life the care of this bodie before that which hee ought to haue of his soule the seruice of the world and his flesh before that wherewith hee ought to honour God aboue all things That vpon small and light occasions he hath absented himselfe from the place of Conuocations and publike assemblies ther to make publike confession and protestation of his faith to shewe his deuotion and the feare of God that is in him to edifie the congregation by his good ensample and to make knowne to euerie man without any shame feare dissimulation and hypocrisie the religion that hee will followe and kéepe resoluing to liue and die in the same That hée hath not laboured to instruct and catechise his wife his children his seruantes and all his familie as a good Christian ought to doe calling them morning and euening to Prayers exhorting them to reade and meditate the worde of God to sing Psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs in his praise and to conferre among themselues of holy and godlie things and neuer to minde anie thing more then that which may aduance and increase daylie the knowledge and feare
soule is buried when it pleaseth God to fetch it from thence it is not as though he should make it come forth of the graue and raise it vp againe What is the occasion then that men may haue to flye from this corporall death and to haue it in such horrour Séeing that seperating the soule frō the body setteth the soul out of prison and sendeth it to enioy liberty in heauen there to be made much of in the bosome of Iesus christ and to inioy with him and with all the happy soules the eternall comforts promised and reserued for the elect people of God The body on the other side liethe in the earth as in a bed there to sléep and take his rest at his ease being neuer wake or troubled in his sléepe neither by fearefull dreames nor cares nor feares nor cries noyses or any thing els that maye disquiet the same sléeping there til the day of the resurrection when it shalbe waked by the sound of Gods Trumpet and knit againe to the Soule hauing left behind in the earth his mortality dishonour and weakenesse hauing put on his robes of glory power immortality and corruption Whereby we may sée that it is without curse that men feare so much this corporall death the which doth but seperate for a time the soule from the body for y ◠great profite of the one and of the other For the body is by this meanes out of all daunger not onely of sinne and of the miseries that waite thereuppon but also of all temptation remaining and resting in the earth in certaine hope of the resurrection and of the life euerlasting And although it séeme to be altogether depriued of life lyinge in the earth because that the soule being departed from it leaueth it without any mo uing or féeling and it putrifieth and goeth into earth yet being alwaies accompanied with the spirit and infinit power of God which quickeneth all thinges it is not altogether void of life as Saint Paul saith If the spirite of him which raised Iesus Christ vp from the dead dwell within you He also which hath raised him vp shal also quicken your mortal bodies because of his spirit which dwelleth in you This is the reason why in another place drawing out vnto vs the portrature of the resurrection of our bodies to come he brings in an example of the séede which is cast into the earth the which hath life in it although being in the Garner it semeeh to haue none and holding it in our hands wee cannot iudge but that it is a thinge dead and without life Yet when it is cast into the earth where a man would think the life if it had any would be smothered and taken away it showes it selfe and growes as it were from the rottennesse from whence wee sée the eare commeth which nourisheth and grows afterwards shewing plainely by euident tokens the life that was hidde in it before it was cast in the earth So God in the holy scripture caleth himself the God of Abraham long time after Abrahams death and saith that he is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Then it followeth that not only the soule of Abraham which he redeemed by the death of his Sonne is yet liuing since it hath béen seperated from the Body but that the bodye which is partaker of the same redemption which is knit and incorporate to Iesus Christ to be one of his members and hath bene consecrated and sanctified vnto God that he may dwel therin as in his holy Temple is not clean without life although it be putrified in the bowels of the earth For so much as it is alwaies accompanied with the grace of God and iointly with the soule comprised in the euerlasting couenant that hee hath made with his people which couenant is a fountaine and vaine of life not onely to the souls but also the bodies of al the faithfull And if as Saint Iohn saith they bee most happy and blessed which die in the Lord and that no blessednes can be without life we must needes conclude the one of these two things either that no blessednes can come to the body or els if it may come that the body is not depriued and void of all life lying in the earth For although it be putrified and haue no signe of life in it at all yet retayneth it in it selfe as it were a séede and stack which shal appeare at the day of the resurrection when the spirite of God pouring out his infinite vertue on our bodies shal raise them vppe againe and shall make them shine with the glory and brightnes that hee hath promised his elect And euen as in an egge there is a chicken and a certain life which is euidently perceiued when the hen hath heated and hatched it by her heate so immortality and life euerlasting whereof both our soules and bodies are called to bée partakers from the time that we haue receiued the Gospell of Christ which is a worde of life and a séede incorruptible shal shut vp till the last day by the power of our God which shall then make vs newe againe as hee shall doe the Heauens the earth and all other creatures which then shall fully be deliuered from the bondage of corruption Whereof we are also assured by the baptisme that is giuen vs in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost For the water which hath bene poured vpon our bodies whiche the Scripture calleth the lauer of Regeneration is not onely to assure vs that our soules are washt and purged cleane by the bloud of Iesus Christ for the remission of our sinnes but also our bodies And that being both together couered and clad with the righteousnes and innocency of the son of God and besides sanctified by his holye Spirite they are by and by put in possession of life euerlasting and altogether made frée and deliuered frō the slauery of death which hath no power as we said but onely where sinne raigneth which is the onely cause of death The holy Supper of our Lord in the which taking by faith breade and wine which are giuen vnto vs by the handes of the minister we are receiued to the partaking of the flesh and bloud of Iesus Christ and so vnited and incorporate with him that for euer as Saint Iohn saith he dweleth in vs and we in him doth it not assure vs also that being inseperably ioyned with the life and with him that is cause of life wee can neither die either in soule or body by reason of this vniō which is common both to soule and body The death of the body ought not to séeme so hor rible and hideous as it doth vnto others who are frighted as little children with a maske or false vizard For if the mother should come to her childe with a monstruous and vgly face to be séene he would be afraid and
cannot stande steadfast one minute of an houre strengthen vs by thy holy spirite and so arme vs with thy spiritull giftes and graces that wée may constantly perseuere in the faith without the which it is not possible to please thée Strengthen vs then day by daie in the same faith whereof we will make confefsion vnto thée with heart and mouth saying I beleeue in God the Father c. Then may they looke howe the sicke person doth vsing gracious and Christian spéeches vnto him but if no signe of amendement appeare soone after they may find out a fit timeâ—…to aske of him if he would willingly heere to speake of God and to heare his worde whilest hée is in perfect sense and memorie then may they beginne this little Catechisme which followeth A SHORT CAtechisme to refresh the memorie of the sick person in points of Christianitie and to make him chieflie vnderstand the mysterie of our Redemption The Minister N. BRother euerie man who knoweth himselfe well and séeth of what condition and qualitie hee is must surely confesse that albeit he be created after the image and likenesse of God yet that he is conceiued and borne in the sinâ—…e of olde Adam and so made a poore and miserable sinner ignorant vnconstant and full of all iniquitie and by consequent subiect to all miseries afflictions and aduersities and finally to death Of all which sinne is the cause the which God wil not suffer to bee vnpunished but afflicteth vs therfore daily and doth plague and punishe vs in this worlde least hée should condemne vs with the worlde Wherefore déere brother N. haue patience in your sicknesse and affliction and you shall possesse your soule in spirituall ioy Confesse your sinne and accuse your selfe before the maiestie of Godvnto whome you must cast vp your eyes to contemplate him by faith confessing your faith with heart and mouth before all this assistance of your faithfull Brethren For it is written With the heart man beléeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation Hearken then to these questions that I shall demand of you and answere to them faithfully according to the vnderstanding that God hath giuen you But if you cannot answere by reason of your féeblenesse I will answere for you and it shall suffice vs verie well to vnderstande your meaning and the constancie of your faith in the which you must liue and die Nowe I must first aske you wherefore and to what end were you created in this world The Sicke To know God The Minister Was it necessarie for you to know God S. Yea verily for séeing that he is my soueraigne God without the knowledge of him sure I had béene more miserable then the brute beastes M. Séeing that you know God you know well that he is power wisedom and infinite bountie one God in thrée persons the Father Sonne and the holy Ghost The onely God that A braham Isaac and Iacob haue worshipped in spirit and truth The onely eternall God who hath created heauen and earth and all thinges therein contained Is not the knowledge that you haue of God such S. Yes M. But so simple knowledge of God is it sufficient to bring you to life euerlasting S. Uery hardly For it is life euerlasting to confesse and to know one onely God and him whom hee hath sent his onely Sonne for euer our Lorde Iesus Christ. M. Wherefore is it necessarie for you to confesse and know the Lorde Iesus Christ S. Because I must recouer in Iesus Christ all that I lost in my selfe by the sinne of old Adam in the which I was borne and conceiued therefore it was méete for my saluation that Iesus Christ verie God and verie man inuesting our flesh should giue me of his grace and fauour againe that which I had lost in Adam M. Uerie well saide And therefore was Iesus Christ conceiued of the holy Ghost and borne of the virgin Mary to purge and sancttifie you but you for your part were conceiued and borne in sinne and of sinfull parents Wherefore you must confesse that without Iesus Christ you had remained a poore and miserable sinner iudged to eternall death S. So in déed I had But I firmely belieue and confesse that this good Iesus Christ hath reconciled mee to God his Father M. But how hath he reconciled you to God the Father S. By his death and passion in shedding of his most precious bloude for to deliuer mee from euerlasting paines This good GOD Iesus Christ hath suffered for mee vnder Pontius Pilate manie afflictions iniuries and tribulations This Iesus Christ was crucified for mee as one accursed vppon the trée of the Crosse to deliuer mee from the eternall cursse vnto the which Adam had made me subiect This my Sauiour Iesus Christ was verily buried to burie with him all my sinnes to the ende that they shoulde not bee imputed vnto mee before God This is my Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ who descended into hell suffering an extreame anguish and pangue for the time to deliuer mee from eternall paines of hell M. All this that you haue now confessed of Iesus Christ is it sufficient to saue you S. No for the holie scriptures must bee in all thinges fulfilled For what had this profited mee that Iesus Christ was borne crucified dead and buried and gone downe into hell onely for mée and if hée had not rose againe Wherefore I belieue and confesse that my Lord my heade and Sauiour Iesus Christ is risen from the dead to make me rise againe with him as one of his little members into euerlasting life M. Consequentle it is writen that he is ascended vp into heauen sitting now at the right hand of God his Father But what profit get you by his ascention S. My Lord my heade and Sauiour Iesus Christ is ascended vp into heauen to make me ascend after him for where the head is the members are also and I constantly belieue that sitting at the right hand of God his Father he is mine aduocate intercessor and mediator towards him assuring me that nothing may hurt me he being both mine aduocat and Iudge Wherefore I néede not to feare the day of his iudgement when he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead for I belieue and confesse with a stedfast beliefe that there is no iudgement or 〈◊〉 for them that are faithfull members in Iesus Christ. M. Who hath giuen you the grace to vnderstand and doe these things S. It is by the grace of the holy Ghost one onely God with the Father and the Sonne by whom wee receiue all these gifts and graces which are offered vnto vs in Iesus Christ. M. Séeing y â— you haue already coÌ„fessed y â— you are one of y e meÌ„bers of Iesus Chrst it followeth then that you are incorporate also into his church the which you