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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	know_v	lord_n	see_v	3,997	5	3.2299	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03788	A riche storehouse, or treasurie, for the sicke, full of Christian counsels holesome doctrines, comfortable persuasions, and godly meditations, meete for all Christians, both in sicknesse and in health. Wherevnto is annexed a comfort for poore prisoners, and also an exhortation to repentance. Written in Dutch, by Gaspar Huberine, and Englished by Thomas Godfrie, esquire, late ... fruits and ... at the request of his dangter Marie, wife ... Iohn French, gentleman of the Inner Temple	Huberinus, Caspar.; Godfrie, Thomas.	1578 (1578)	STC 13905; ESTC S113094	72,574	208

further earnest●● marke vnderstand and knowe that ●ot only al punishments and sufferings ●●me from God and be layde vppon vs ●●y God but ye shall also earnestly be●eue that GOD fendeth vnto his chil●●en as a very merciful father such pu●●shmentes and sufferings of méere fa●our and grace to his owne for their ●●ofite and commoditie For there be two causes why God ●●ndeth vnto vs aduersities troubles ●●d passions séeing that God hath two ●●tes of children vpon the earth Some many times lead a long time 〈◊〉 vnrepentaunt life they cannot not abide that a man of loue and good will say any thing vnto them but continually runne foreward in their mischiefous frowarde and naughtie wayes They haue GOD very little before their eyes Therfore must God lay hold on them restraine draw them backe and to true repentaunce and godly liuing driue and inforce them or els they will dye in their wicked froward conuersation Therfore doth God lay in the necke of backsliders from him some aduersitie that they may looke well about them and marke well who is at their backes and layeth such a yoke on their neckes at the last to knowe themselues and learne what they be whereabout they goe and howe they against GOD haue so grieuously offended Thus God correcteth them through punishmentes and learneth them as the Prophet Esaias saith in the 28. Chap. that doth the soule very much good and suche aduersitie is a precious medicine for trouble onely maketh a man take héede to the word Esaias 28. Then doeth ●e worde of God very well sauour vnto vs ●●en it is pouldred mingled or sawced with ●ubles and passions For when trouble is at ●de then we seeke to God and when God ●h visite vs then we call earnestly Esai 〈◊〉 Therefore doeth God many times ●mplaine against his foolish ignoraunt ●ople Esaias 9. where God saith The ●●ople do not turne backe to them that haue ●icken them nor inquireth after the Lord ●d of Sabbaoth Which is a great token ●an vnrepentant and stubberne heart ●esides that it is a great and heauie ●ne against the Lord God from whi●e God mercifully defend vs Amen The other cause wherfore our Lord ●d layeth troubles and aduersities vp●●●his children is this specially bicause ●e Lord God will leade his chosen chil●en from faith to faith and continual● maketh them expert and cunning in ●e knowledge of God and will thus ●oue them in faith and godly know●ge whereby his name by this mea●s may be the better knowne cōmen●d praysed as we sée in good Dauid Ionas and Iob c. Fiftly séeing that ye perceiue and knowe that ye are flesh fleshly weaknesse hath many times preuailed and you had the vpper hande vpon you and you haue oftentimes giuen ouer your selfe to your olde Adam and followed fleshe and bloud too muche and thereby many times displeased our Lord god Thus shall you therefore before the high maiestie of GOD humble your selfe acknowledge your offences aske mercy haue a seuere purpose to absteine from sinne and if God will againe restore you to liue in a good perfect Christian penitent life to embrace Gods mercy in Christ our deliuerer stay and holde your selfe with an holie hope vpon his comfortable promises Therefore thus say earnestly after me with heart and minde ALmightie euerlasting most mercifull God Father I acknowledge from the bottome of my heart and say with my mouth that I am a poore and damnable sinner For I am in sin conceiued borne Besides that from my youth hitherto all the imaginations thoughtes of my heart haue bene very wicked and inclined to al sinne and vnrighteousnesse There is also no true feare of God no faithful loue of God no perfect faith of God in my heart hitherto oh Lord founden Also I haue with my mouth oh God little called vppon God my lord in my trouble fled vnto him for succour I haue also bene very vnthankfull to God my Lord for all his wonderfull benefites both bodily and ghostly Likewise also haue I litle praysed or set foreward the thankes due to God and the same acknowledged confessed much lesse haue I rightly ben desirous to set forward maintein Gods true seruice To be short I haue not in my whole life time done and brought forth any good thing wherby before god I haue brought foorth any godly cōuersation to his glory honour and praise wherevnto he hath chiefly created and made me Al this I confesse and it grieueth me from the bottome of my heart that I haue so grieuously offended thée my very God Lord father especially with euill thoughts words and déedes Againe I acknowledge and confesse thée my Lord and God that I haue not rightly and truly obeied them to whom I ought obedience Also I haue oftentimes grieuously offended my neighbours and not sufficiently shewed vnto them Christian charitie and loue but haue bene many times disdainefull angrie fierce and very sowre Also I haue bene many times kindled in euil lustes and desires in forbidden loue Also I haue bene many times ouerséene with lewd thoughts I haue also many times ben too streight to my neighbours harmed them not holpen them defended them nor comforted them I haue likewise offended and hurt my neighbour by word spoken euill behinde his back and condemned him To be short all wicked desires and lustes haue taken in me very mightie vpperhand Therefore I acknowledge this my sinfull life require mercy haue pitie vpon me Lorde heauenly father for the bitter passion death of thine onely sonne our Lorde ¶ Heare your comfort Thus saith Saint Paule in the first Epistle to Timothie the seconde Chap. There is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man specially the man Iesus Christe that hath giuen him selfe for all for our deliuerance Beléeue this comfortable saying holde fast on Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour so shall you in your consciences rest in peace and quietnes with God the lord God graunt his grace thervnto Amen ¶ But if the sicke bodie be so weake and cannot make such a long confession you may vse an other shorter in this maner An other confession to the Lord God. OH thou merciful gratious good God and father I wretched sinfull sicke miserable forsaken creature come nowe before thy high and mightie maiestie as a poore sinfull creature full of sinne and vnrighteousnesse and confesse vnto thée frō my heart that I haue grieuously sinned against thée from my youth hitherto with wicked thoughtes words and déedes These do I acknowlege and confesse altogether generally for I am not able to remember number thē all at length particularly therefore my God be gratious to me a poore sinner through the deserts of thy louing Son our Lord Iesus Christ which was therfore slaine for me wretched sinner to the intent that I should be and remaine thy childe for euermore Amen Hearken to this comfort Thus saith S. Iohn

vs in Christ Iesus Therefore let no man driue off too long to better his life but let euery man remember and thincke vppon the wrathe of God and vppon his punishment in time preuent or come before them driue not the time off till your death bed for you are not sure howe it will frame and fall out with you whether you shall haue then your reason your wittes or whether you shall be able to heare or speake your selfe or whether you shall dye soudenly and dye in the twinckling of an eye wherefore albeit we be all subiect to death and that therefore we must all dye yet doth our Lord God many times shorten many a mans life before his time chiefly bicause such a man doth not remember his sinfull and vnpenitent liuing that he may let him smart whereby he may win vnto him a good purpose to amend and better his life I am afraide there be very fewe that God taketh away before their time bicause they be vertuous whereby he may saue and deliuer them from great mischaunces and from the plagues at hand and therefore God can take but small pleasure of such people as then only call vpon God and sue vnto him in the time of their mishappes and punishmentes and by and by as soone as God our Lorde hath taken his correction from them againe they also by and by forget it and afterwarde become worse then euer they were before Experience daily teacheth this therefore when so euer God helpeth vp such a man he helpeth a great offender only vp againe vpon his sound limmes so that afterwarde he is worse then he was before Therfore is this the cause that God many times hath little pleasure lust or will to helpe suche people turne their punishment from them or to take it from them It is better they ly there sick or else buried in their graue then that they shoulde more grieuously offend God or any longer hurt good mē Howbeit if it so come to passe that God lay hand vpon his owne that is to say weaklings and straglers and take them vnder his fatherly correction looke well whether you be one of those or not and that ye doe not suffer such correction in vaine but rather imagine learne what our Lord GOD meaneth thereby and what profite and good our Lord God purposeth to set foorth by you First you shall knowe that by this meanes God will lead you to true repentance after that giue you cause that you earnestly séeke vnto him and with your heart call vpon him and from him onely looke for helpe and comfort which be the very good and precious woorkes of the second commaundement where you are commaunded that you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vaine which is then done when you inwardly call vppon God in your necessitie haue all your refuge for succour to him looke for all goodnes at his hands Those be most precious good woorkes that doe passingly please god After that as soone as God hath helpen you that you thancke him for his gratious helpe thanke and praise his holy name which is the right offering vp of thanks of the newe testament As holy Dauid witnesseth Psal. 50. That is then the right true Gods seruice to which Gods seruice our Lord God sometime without our minde and will must force or driue vs with great crosses and smarts or else we would neuer walke in any such good woorkes Also we must lastly with holy Dauid in the 119. Psalme acknowledge and say O Lord it is very profitable for me that thou hast humbled and brought me lowe that I might know thy lawes And hereof it commeth to passe that our Lord God suffereth Sathan to trouble to vexe his that he doth tempt them somtime with some special sinne and plagueth them therewith whereby they be moued or driuen first to knowe themselues their weake nature frailtie then to sigh vnto God to call vppon him and flie vnto him they be our spurs and prickes whereby wée be driuen to god And againe that is our comfort that God is so good and that he can shew himselfe so almightie that he can turne the wickednes of his to the best For he is such a God that he wil suffer no euil to be done whereof he doeth not worke some good But our Lord God is so cunning and many times doth shew it vnto his to shame the diuell whereby he doeth very often breake and hinder Sathans purpose and vtterly destroy it To this onely God and Lord he euerlasting thankes and praise in Christ our lord Amen Exhalt mich durch dein wort Keepe me according to thy promise Psalm 119. An instruction to teache children howe they ought to goe to the Lordes Table I haue herein something varied from mine Authour both because hee is not named in the booke and also for that it did in the woordes varied something sound contrary to our English Churche I thought it meete to be added because it was bound with the former Dutch bookes and necessary to be read to them that be in extremitie if time will serue for it FIrst you must beléeue if you will receiue the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ to your commoditie After that must you trye or proue your selues whether you doe worthily eate it or take commoditie by it ¶ Faith. First of all you must well embrace the wordes of our louing Lord God Iesus Christ wherein he hath appointed vnto you his body and bloud to be a testament whereby you may be assured and certeined of his grace and blessed inheritaunce for euer and with Christ and al good Christians to enioy their felowship in all thinges and that you doe belong to the fellowship of Christ For Christian faith hath in it these 2. partes First that by Gods grace we are made frée from all our sinnes and miseries Againe that we be partakers and felow woorkers of all the goodnes of God in Christ Iesus These two partes be promised vnto vs in the Gospel belong to as many as beléeue the Gospel Howbeit to the intent euery man should be the more sure of his faith and better certified that it belongeth vnto him whatsoeuer is conteyned and promised in the Gospel Christ our Lord hath ordeined two Sacraments or outward signes So that euery man that should receiue them in a fast and perfect faith thereby should be assured that the two before remembred parts do belong vnto him which he hath bound and tyed to no time place or person so that wheresoeuer it be receiued it is sure that the faithfull receiue those partes Therefore beléeue stedfastly that through Baptisme almightie God worketh forgiuing of all sinnes as we pray in our beliefe I beléeue one Baptisme for the forgiuenes of sinnes That is to say I beléeue that through Gods mercy by Iesus Christ in the holy Ghost only my sinnes altogether be forgiuen me whereby I am

not though I be a very wretched sinner altogether for these causes séeing that thou by thy worde hast commaunded and promised that I shal be heard in what daunger and trouble so euer I be when I call vpon thée and that then I shall honour thée and euer acknowledge thée to be the true and very God séeing I perceiue that what so euer thou promisest that thou dost perfourme effectually Therefore beléeue I certeinly thy worde that thou wilt not denie it but vndoubtedly perfourme whatsoeuer thou hast once spoken therfore I beséech thée from the bottome of my heart that thou wilt help me out of my trouble and sicknesse and neuer forsake me but gratiously send me thy fatherly helpe and deliuer me from my distresse For there is no body vpon whō I can perceiue any helpe or goodnesse but only vpon thée therefore helpe thou me my lord and God but not according to my deserts worthinesse or goodnes but through the deserts of thy sonne Iesus Christe which hath purchased vnto me from thée all grace and fatherly fauour him dost thou loue and hast great pleasure in him and therfore thou wilt not forsake me for his sake but rather shewest vnto me all goodnesse therfore I commit my self wholy vnto thy mercy and fatherly goodnesse and put my whole cause vnto thée as to my louing father that thou wilt deliuer me out of all this trouble griefe weaknes paines when it shal please thy godly will therfore I will not appoint vnto thée neyther time nor space but earnestly hope vpon thée that thou wilt heare me and defend me though my case appeare very straunge and as impossible as it may be for thou art almightie hast might and power ouer all things and besides this thou art my father and art willing to doe it if it were nowe necessarie Therfore at thy hand I looke for al goodnesse be it vnto me according vnto thy true promise Amen Thirdly moreouer welbeloued let vs once againe lift vp our heartes and mindes vnto him from whome all help and goodnesse commeth chiefly vnto the father of all light which giueth euery good gift gratiously heareth vs Therfore séeing that your paines necessitie miserie and griefes stil continue therefore pray vnto our Lord God with holy Dauid and say thus Oh Lord punish me not in thine anger correct me not in thine me Lord be gratious vnto me for I am feeble heale me Lorde for my bones be afraide Turne thee Lord and deliuer my soule help me according to thy pleasure be not far from me for trouble is at hand for here is none that can helpe Remember Lorde thy mercy and thy goodnesse which hath ben since the world beganne Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor mine offences but thinke vpon me after thy mercy and according to thy goodnesse Lorde haue mercy vppon my misdeedes which be very great turne thee to me be gratious vnto me for I am forsaken and in miserie the heauinesse of my heart is great lead me out of my necessitie and need Behold my miserie and distresse and forgiue me all mine offences Lorde be gratious vnto me according to thy goodnesse and blot out all my sinnes after thy great mercy wash me cleane from mine offences make me pure from my sinnes for I acknowledge myne offences and my misdeedes be euer before me On thee alone haue I sinned and haue done euill in thy sight Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine offences Make a cleane heart within me and giue me a newe right spirit Cast me not out of thy sight and take not thine holy Ghost from me Comfort me againe with thy helpe and giue in me the spirite of peace Be vnto me a strong tower whether I may for euer flee for succour for thou hast promised to helpe me for thou art my rocke and my hill Oh Lorde I cry vnto thee bicause thou art gratious Lord for thy great goodnesse heare me with thy true help heare me Lorde for thy goodnesse is comfortable turne thee vnto me according to thy great mercy Lord be not farre from me My God make hast to helpe me Vpon thee Lord do I trust God helpe me out of all my needs and set me at libertie Looke vppon me and heare me Lord my god Lighten myne eyes that I may sleepe soundly in the middest of death I loue thee with all my heart Lorde God my strength Lorde my rocke my hill my deliuerer my God my castell vpon whome I trust my buckler and horne of my saluation my defence Lord in thee doe I trust let me neuer be confounded Deliuer me for thy iustice sake Bowe downe thine eares to me make speede to help me Be vnto me a strong rocke and an hill where thou maiest helpe me For thou art my rocke and my hill and for thy name sake leade me and bring mee foorth come to my soule and deliuer it keepe my soule and deliuer me Let me not be confounded for I trust in thee Lorde quicken me for thy name sake leade my soule out of this daunger for thy righteousnesse sake for my soule fainteth in my bodie and the feare of death is falen vpon me Feare and trembling compasseth me and loathsomenesse is falen vpon me I lie with my soule among the Lions therefore oh Lorde heare my prayers and let my crie come vnto thee Hide not thy face from me in my neede Bowe downe thine eare vnto me when I call vpon thee then heare me betime Nowe Lord wherein shall I comfort me I hope vpon thee leaue off from troubling me that I may refreshe my selfe before I goe hence and come no more againe If it please any man to say all the whole Psalms to be said to the sicke I will not complaine vppon him Therfore they that list may when he list sometime take these Psalmes hereafter following and read the same to the sicke and sometime make some shorte rehearsall of them and with them comfort the sicke body specially the 25. 51. 70. 71. 77. 87. 88. 103. 130. c. And if neede require a man may often repeate them or take some comfortable part of them and also like comfortable sayinges out of my litle booke called The spiritual conflict all which for shortnesse I leaue heere vntouched Fourthly if the sick bodie draw on and is neare his ende then say our beléefe that is the xij Articles of our holy faith thus J Beleeue in God the father Almightie maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord whiche was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell he rose againe the third day from the dead he ascended into heauen he sitteth on the right hand of God the father Almightie from thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beleeue in the holy ghost The holy catholique Church

time of their prosperitie and good health maye learne how to vse and behaue them selues and learne in time to dye For nothing is more certeine then death and nothing more vncerteine then to come vnto the right knowledge to dye Therfore ought euery man before to prepare himselfe and to make ready to take this iourney in hand and go forward wherby he may be carefull for that that will necessarily followe But specially ought we to remember these thinges before-hand and cōtinually exercise our selues in the crosse of warre specially nowe in the sore daungerous warre against the cruell enimie of Christendome the Turke which if he haue the victorie spareth no man but without all mercy heweth downe the miserable Christians striketh them and shooteth them through where many times the wounded bodies a long time lye in the gréene medowes before they be brought into the slaughter house in great daunger of desperation if he were not before well prepared and exercised in Gods worde So that this souldier must fight with his body against the Turke and with his soule against the Diuell him selfe Howbeit this shall be their comforte out of the Prophet Daniel the 7. Chapter That these murtherers of christians bloudhoundes doe onely by this meanes prepare Christian soules and doe further them to euerlasting life For he setteth him selfe with all his might in greate force against the Saintes of God and chiefly warreth against them Wherefore without all question when so euer a Christian man is slaine and ouercom by the Turke yet dyeth he with a safe cōscience in that that he is a Christian for he séeth that this warre is against the Saintes of GOD without cause For the Turke hath no lawfull occasion to fight against the Christians and so miserably to spill Christian bloud Thus therfore dye they so much the ioyfuller séeing they go foorth in the obedience of their superiours and do not only defend their owne countrie and people but also with their owne bloud help to preserue Christian religion Therefore good Christian learne in time to dye for thou knowest neither time nor houre neither place nor manner when howe either what maner of death thou shalt haue specially in this last and dangerous time Therefore deferre not till the last pushe least that you tarrie too long Learne learn this cunning while thou hast time memorie and oportunitie therevnto Then shall you go the surest way séeing the daye must néedes come yeald thy selfe in time with desire and will therevnto for it can not be avoyded Wherevnto our Lorde GOD giue vs grace that we may well and happily depart Amen Howbeit no man is to be tied and bound to vse euery matter as it is herein conteined but if any other can or haue better much good do it them for I haue here remembred certeine temptations wherein I my selfe like a poore simple plaine man haue bene tempted and assaulted with and haue experienced if I may boast my self of my weaknesse for I haue thrise béene at that point that euery man gaue me ouer and despaired of my life in this worlde yet at the last our Lorde GOD by his great power reuiued me wherefore I giue vnto him euerlasting prayse and thankes in Christ our Lorde I will not say that in my days I haue gone to many Christian people I haue comforted them and haue bene at their end whose names be written in the booke of life where I haue experienced diuers and many temptations GOD graunt both thée me his godly grace that we may also blessedly sléepe at the last in Christe our Lorde and through Gods power at the last day may be raised vp to euerlasting life Amen How to aduise and comfort them that lye in prison and be by the Magistrate iudgged to dye FIrste welbeloued Almightie God giue you his grace and true patience whereby you may beare and patiently suffer this your deserued crosse layde vpon you séeing the matter is come thus far with you that Gods iudgment and the punishment of the magistrate is falne vpon you yeald your self willingly therevnto and thinke that this correction commeth from God him selfe Therefore refuse not the correction of the Almightie as it is written in Iob the 5. Séeing then that euery mans iudgement commeth from God our Lord as it is in Solomon the 29. of his Prouerbes receiue such iudgement and punishment vp from our Lord God as a fatherly correction as the Epistle to the Hebrues witnesseth Chapter 12. where the text saith thus My sonn make not light of the correction of the Lorde and despaire not when thou art punished by him For the Lord doth correct him whom he loueth and he beateth euery sonne which he taketh to him selfe And so it commeth to passe as Solomon saith in his highe song the 8. Chapter that the loue which the Lorde beareth vs is as strong as death It appeareth vnto the world as though the loue of God were very misfortune death and destruction Howbeit there is vnder such loue great mercy goodnesse life and blessednesse hidden For If we be iudged we be corrected by the Lorde to the intent that we should not be damned with the world as saith S. Paule in the first epist. to the Corinthians the 10. Chap. Therefore learne here with spirituall eyes to beholde that you vnder punishment may sée grace vnder correction peace and vnder death life Thus shal not this crosse layd vpon you be very sore and fearfull but you may beare it and you also shal patiently suffer it For God can soone end this crosse that you shall be able to carrie it For as much then as God our Lorde hath appointed to euery man a certeine end of his life which he shall not passe Iob. 14. thinke you nowe that your appointed time by God is nowe come and this day is by God appointed vnto you for a certeine end of your life Trouble not your selfe much therefore after what maner you haue taken your life from God and that you shall so soone deliuer it him againe But set your will to Gods will and say Father thy will be done and not mine if it be thy pleasure that I shall drinke this cuppe which thou hast filled for me giue me thy grace thervnto that I may continue in a true Christian belefe vnto mine end and that I may vnder this my crosse and suffering in perfect patience passe through it to euerlasting life Amen Secondarily For as muche as you haue now heard that this crosse and punishment commeth from God him selfe and is laide vpon you by God through an ordinarie magistrate you shall vnderstand nowe further well learne to knowe the great and earnest anger of God ouer sinne for it is no smal matter before God when a man behaueth him selfe contrarie to Gods lawe and continually without ceasing offendeth and prouoketh God with his vnpenitent liuing GOD is very angrie with suche déedes and is

shall set against death For death hath layde hand vpon this innocent Lord and wearied him without al right and equitie whereby death euen lost al his strength and might so that he can do no more when this Lord laieth hand vpon him and taketh to him selfe those that be his Therefore be not afraide for Death is swallowed vp in victorie 1. Cor. 15. You haue a great vordeale or aduauntage for as much as you haue of your side the most valiant and most mightie which shall neuer be able to be ouercome yea him that is Lord both of death of life If death come vnto you would deuour you wil eate you vp and swallowe you downe yet can our Lord God whiche is the right life it selfe by his almightie cōming and might make you aliue againe yea in the middest of death holde you by life and make you liue for euer For you shall not denie or refuse to make this exchaunge where you shall haue an euerlasting and blessed life in stead of a transitorie perishing and labourious life which is ful of miserie misfortunes and plagues Let death take from you such a life as will last but the twinckling of an eye which fléeth and passeth away like a shadowe and our Lorde giue you an euerlasting life Amen Thirtéene Well nowe dearly beloued if your sinne done and committed do tempt you again and your sore misdéedes which you haue done therefore would dismay you make you faint harted heauie pensiue as though Christe would disdaine you bicause of your sinnes and so not take you to him and to his fauour then shall you set before your eyes Christ your God and Lorde as the holy scripture setteth him foorth not follow your owne imagination your reason For in the holy Scripture you shal finde here and there how maruellous comfortable our Lorde Christe hath ben at all times to miserable sinners howe loath he is to contemne or despise the miserable troubled assaulted and sorrowful sinner howe he doth not withdraw him selfe from them or with drawe his helpe from them whiche vndoubtedly is a great comfort to al troubled sinfull hearts For behold and remember the whole life of our Lorde Christ then shall you not only perceiue that he hath not onely taken to his fauour one or two sinners hath taken pitie only vppon them but he hath flocked into the middest of sinners wherby he might helpe them foorth of their sinnes First sée his generation his great grandfather had he not many sinners in his petigrée as Iuda by name Dauid Manasses Thamar Rachab Barsaba and such like and very many moe Wherefore doth our faithfull and good Lorde not be ashamed flée from sorrowful and penitent sinners why doth he not Surely euen therfore that therby all sorrowfull sinners shuld the more boldly haue a hartie resort and recourse vnto him specially séeing that he vppon such sinners could take and shewe his truth loue and friendship wherby they might thereby winne and haue a liuelier passage and fréedome to beholde all goodnesse all trueth and helpe to be in this only bearer and carrier of our sinnes Beholde further and looke vpon the birth of our lord Christ in his birth So soone as he was borne into the world he suffered him selfe to be séene made open and to be knowne through the Angels from heauen to the poore people specially to the shepheards in the fielde there must to them be shewed this comfortable ioy Behold to you this day is borne a Sauiour This ioy shal all people haue There by his Angels is the innocent childe Iesus giuen and declared first to the poore shepheards and after that to the whole world But who be the shepheards who be al people surely al poore and miserable sinners for whose sake Christe came and was borne to helpe them out of their sinnes As also then such a name was giuē vnto him namely Iesus that is to say a Sauiour that shall loose his people from their sinnes Behold also and sée vprightly wherfore was Christe at the eight day circumcised so shed his innocent bloud Surely for the cause of poore and wretched sinners For Saint Paule saith Gala. 4 that Christ hath yealded him selfe therfore vnder the lawe and circumcision to the intent he might deliuer them that were vnder the lawe But who were more hardly snarled vnder the lawe then the wretched sinner Sée yet to whom did Christ preach and whome did he turne and conuert Any other then the poore sinner To whome hath he friendlier spokē helped or counselled made whole both in body and soule then euen the poore cumbred and sorrowfull sinner Mark also with whom did Christ wander goe about here through the Iewishe lande and commaunded that they should preach abroad his wholsome Gospell Surely with his welbeloued Apostles But what were they Wretched sinners as Matthewe and likewise Peter yea did they not shewe them selues many times before Christe to be weake worthy reproch and fraile How oft hath our good Lord friendly rebuked them taught them taken in good part their weaknesse helped them suffered and borne with their faults and wants and yet neither condemned them nor cast them away but continually handled them after the best manner whereby at the last he might deliuer them frō their sinnes There hath Christ not only receiued poore sinners in so much as he touched the hurt of their soul but also the harmes of their body Howe many thousand men hath he many times fedd when their hunger and néede went into his heart and he tooke pitie of their miserie Oh how many amongest them were miserable sinners yea infidels and not worthy to haue and receiue such goodnesse at Gods hand How many hath he healed in their bodies from agues dropsie and leprosie Item such as were lame crooked blind and haunted and possessed with euill spirits Yea some he did raise from death it selfe and alwayes shewed him selfe in all things as the very true Sauiour of the whole world by that meanes to bring the Infidels to faith and to be short done the best to euery man and shut out no man that had néede of his helpe and had called vpon him as the holy Euangelistes here and there do euidently and plainly declare With which louing comfortable and gratious examples of Christe they shew vnto vs his great vnspeakble loue and mercy and declare shew the same vnto vs with all diligence Whereby we may learne to knowe aright our Lorde Christe specially that he is therefore come to helpe miserable sinners both in body and soule both from temporall and euerlasting hurte whervnto sathan hath brought al mankinde For Christe is therefore come that he should destroy the worke of sathan 1. Ioh. 3. Whome so euer he helpeth in soule him helpeth he also in body And though he doe not alwayes hourely declare the same in this world yet at Doomes day it will appeare where he

assured and made safe in and by that onely Baptisme For albeit that the outward Baptisme is but onely once done and ministred yet doeth Gods worke that he then doeth by it abide for euer and euer This comforteth me at all times I beléeue also that God by the deseruing of the passion and death of Christ by the holy Ghost hath made me all one with Christ and all good Christians and hath made me a member of the holy vniuersall congregation or Church So that I haue felowship in all things with all Gods holy children that whatsoeuer toucheth me the same also toucheth them and what so euer they haue that is mine also And that ye shall not doubt hereof he hath likewise giuen vnto you the sacrament of his body and of his bloud When you receiue them doubt not but truely beleeue that God in the power of his worde vnder such true signes worketh in you the aboue remembred fellowship according to the contentes of his worde where he saith Take eate this is my body which shall be giuen for you Againe Take and drinke all for this is the cup of the newe Testament which shall be shead for you and for many for forgiuenesse of sinnes Take holde of this worde and comfort your selues therewith for here doth Christ promise you that you through his passion or offering of his body which was done vpon the crosse shal be one body with him and with all his so that he in you and you in him and all Saintes shall be in one fellowshippe Therefore saith he his body is offered or giuen for you But that you shoulde not doubt that it is giuen vnto you he saith thus This is my body When you receiue it then doubt not at all that God by this sacrament worketh assuredly that you shal be partaker of the abouesaid fellowship and that you are put in remembraunce and assured thereof as oft as you receiue the sacrament Likewise when our Lord Iesus saith This is my bloud c. beléeue stedfastly without all manner of doubting that Christes bloud is shed for you and your sinnes thereby forgiuen But that you should be throughly persuaded and safe that it is don for you you haue a pledge or a sacrament As oft as you take it remember your selfe and thinke on our Lord Iesus Christe that euen God by this sacrament worketh those things in you namely that Christes bloud maketh you cleane from all your sinnes O what great comforte is in this sacrament therefore ought we very earnestly to receiue it Further deare childe when you wil receiue this sacrament thinke well vppon the abouesaid wordes of Christ and stedfastly beléeue that God worketh in you that which the words do promise say Therefore doe I come vnto the sacrament bicause I beléeue that his body was giuen for me and bicause his bloud was shedde for me whereby I am losed from all my sinnes and am one body with him in a full and perfect fellowship of all his goods as a brother And bicause it is very hard to beleue such high things specially that it shall auaile and profite me being a poore sinner and wretched caytife therfore do I take with Christes word the outwarde pledge for the assuring and strengthening of my beléefe that I may be sure that it is done in déede for me ¶ Prouing But howe a man shall prepare or make him selfe ready to this Sacrament Sainte Paule doth teache vs in his first Epistle to the Corinthians the 11. Chapter where he saith Let a man try him selfe and then eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe c. that is You shall not account nor reckon your selfe to be holy not condemne other men not despise other men not be quarelling but diligently looke about howe néedie and miserable you your selfe be howe déepe you sticke in sinne howe muche faith and other ghostly giftes you lacke howe much you are bound and indebted vnto God for many things whereof you are not able to pay the least Thinke vpon and remember these and suche like pointes howe you may haue remedy and be holpen And séeing that Christ in this sacrament hath promised you all these thinges it behoueth you with earnest desire to séeke there Here is the best proofe preparatiō vnto this sacrament that a man with all earnestnes behold his own miserie griefe sinne temptation trouble and beggerie c. whereby he might lay downe his Peacockes taile and humble him selfe and be as hungrie and gréedie after the helpe and grace of God as a man is desirous to eate after sower lettice This is the right hunger to this meate Oh that we knewe in what daunger we stand what lacke we haue howe déepe we sticke then would we be desirous to this sacrament and make as much haste therevnto as the thirstie Hart maketh to the waters For what cause a man ought to goe to the Sacrament NOt for custome sake because at Easter euery man goeth vnto it not at the commaundement of the Pope or any other man Not for our owne worthines or because we haue prepared our selues Not because we shall make a good woorke of it or make Gods seruice thereof but onely because that therby in the power of Gods word and pledge of Christ I may receiue the inheritance which my Lord Christ Iesus by his deth hath purchased for me bequethed me in his testament specially that I should be frée from all my sinnes that I might be a brother and inheritour with Christ and with Christe and all Christians be a church and communaltie wherein I shall haue felowshippe with all Sainctes so that whatsoeuer Christ with al Christians haue is mine And againe to be short that Christe is mine and I am his and that I shal not depart from him but still abide where he is and that I haue him with me and by me whether that I be in wealth or in woe whether I be in prosperitie or in aduersitie And besides this he neuer forsaketh me whether I be in néede or in any other temptation and that I shal beside enioy what other fruite soeuer belongeth to this Sacrament When or howe often a man ought to goe to the Sacrament AS often as you be troubled tempted through your sinns in your conscience cumbred thorough the feare of death or of hell troubled by weakenes either of body or of soule or that you be faint harted in faith or that you be burthened with any weakenes or féeblenes whatsoeuer it be wherewith the diuel the world or the flesh wil hinder you in your inheritance or blessednesse séeke here comfort in the word and signe giuen in this sacrament by Christ which he hath at his last supper left vnto you where vppon he died and haue no doubt at all but that God in temptation worketh whatsoeuer the word and token or signe do promise or bring Herein let no mans fantasie or imaginatiō make you forsake the

way to heauen The third from a godly desire to haue other semblably occupied in bestowing I meane such their talents as GOD the riche and gratious giuer of all good thinges hath committed and put vnder their credite that in so labouring they in their Christian calling may feele their consciences discharged the members of Christ his mystical body benefited and finally almightie GOD our Creatour glorified To whom with the Sonne and the holie Ghost be all honor power maiestie and dominion for euermore Amen Thine in Christ Marie Frenche To his worshipfull and ●ell learned brother in lawe Adolph Baunweyler grace and peace through Christ. SIrach in his writing the seuenth Chapter warneth vs that we should willingly visite the sick And our sauiour Christ Matth. 25. will at the last 〈◊〉 accept and take this woorke of cha●●●● that is to say to visite the sicke euen ●hough it were done to him selfe For ●r Lord Christ him self saith What so 〈◊〉 you haue done to any amongst these my ●●llest brethrē that haue you don vnto me 〈◊〉 as much then welbeloued brother 〈◊〉 this worke to visite the sick is such ●ighe and speciall worke of charitie 〈◊〉 such a one as Christ at Doomes day 〈◊〉 allowe and thereby acknowledge vs ●e his disciples therefore it will be●● vs not alonly with our whole ●rtes delight to shewe it but also to ●e diligent care howe and after what ●t we may properly and rightly visite the sicke And that is specially done in two manner of wayes For euery sicke body hath specially neede of two maner of remedies First that his soul be holpē for if the soule be once holpen then will the body be easily holpen afterward Therfore first to remedie the soule is to exhort the sicke body to repentance make him to vnderstand his sinne teach him to call to God for helpe and after that againe to comfort and lift vp his fearefull conscience and set foorth and paint vnto the sicke body liuely Christ which is the throne of grace whereof we haue a fine example of king Ezekia there did the Prophete Esaias vse this maner order with the sick king warned him first to repentance layd before him Gods iudgement 2. Paral. 32. And as soone as he had humbled the king called to God for grace the Prophete then comforted him and after that remedied his bodily sicknesse 4 Reg. 20. and Esaias 38. Sirach also putteth vs in minde of like order in his 38. Chapter specially that we in our sicknesse shuld confesse our sinnes and amend then to call to GOD for grace and helpe after ●●e to take physicke Seeing then that visitation of the sicke is to bee prac●●●● after two manners as is abouesaid ●efore haue I taken vppon mee to 〈◊〉 the first way after the order of the ●●ptures but not for the learned for 〈◊〉 neede it not but for the wel dispo●●● that they might haue some smal en●●● and one Christian to visite and cō●● an other as much as is necessarie to ●●tion The other way to visite the 〈◊〉 as touching the body is done in ●●y wayes specially with attending ●n them giuing them meat drink ●ng them vp laying them downe ●nselling them wherein they neede ●n other like helpings exercises and ●ngs these wayes can euery man after 〈◊〉 sort doe if he be disposed after the 〈◊〉 of charitie to deale with his bro●● and therefore here not necessarie ●y much more although that I before 〈◊〉 time in my booke of Gods wrath 〈◊〉 sufficiently shewed how one shuld 〈◊〉 fort the sicke Yet I haue thought it ●●d at this time to set foorth a little forme very short also declare briefly certeine warnings comforts after diuers sorts out of which euery man may take one two or moe comfortes to be made vnto the sicke as a man thinketh good or as his spirit shal moue him and as he for the time shall thinke necessarie for the sicke person For one sicke body is farre vnlike an other some haue more tēptation thē an other one hath ben beforehand beter instructed in gods word then an other therefore no man shal be bound to bring out al that is herein writen And welbeloued brother in lawe I haue thought good to cōmend this litle comfortable booke vnto you to the intent that you other good folk as time and oportunitie shall serue may vse it as necessitie shall require and you shall see it good chiefly therfore bicause you hitherto with great diligence and earnestnesse haue taken vpon you to studie the scriptures Our Lorde God graunt you his grace that ye may vse the holy scripture to his prayse and to the profite and commoditie of your neighbors Amen Gaspar Huberine Howe sicke folke are to be visited persuaded admonished and comforted FIrst welbeloued Almightie God hath sent you this sicknesse al for the best as without dout will soone appeare for To thē that loue God things must serue to the best As Saint ●aule witnesseth in his 8. Chapter to 〈◊〉 Romanes Therefore be not afraid 〈◊〉 the Lord God is so good that he can ●●d will turne all troubles and aduer●ies which happen or come to his elec●●● to the best purpose What is to be saide to them that be about sicke folke Secondly welbeloued in the Lorde ●he holy Apostle Saint Paul in the 12. ●hapter to the Romanes warneth vs ●at we shoulde wéepe with them that ●lepe And Syrach also remembreth ●his 7. Chapter where he saith Be sorrie with them that be sorrowfull For as much then as we in the Lord Christ be all members amongst our selues each one to other it is méet that euery member according to his proprietie nature skill and abilitie with comfort make hast and repaire vnto the sicke féeble sicke and diseased member Therefore shall we as it were suffer take and pitie and be troubled with this sicke body and each of vs with all diligence and carefulnesse and earnestnesse of heartie loue looke vnto and attend vppon it be carefull for it pray to GOD for it and to be short helpe and comfort it the best we can euen as euery of vs woulde if we were sicke require of other Thirdly welbeloued ye shal marke and consider that all things come from God whether they be sicknesse pouertie aduersitie as witnesseth Syrache in his 11. Chapter where he saith thus All things come from GOD aduersitie and prosperitie life and death pouertie and riches And further holy Saint Paule in the ●●rst Epistle to the Corinthians and 11. Chapter saith When we are iudged then 〈◊〉 we corrected by the Lord. He saith By the Lord not by an euill man or by the ●●uel but by the Lord him selfe are we ●●rrected Therefore If we liue we liue to ●●e Lorde If we dye we dye to the Lorde Therefore whether we liue or dye we be the ●ordes As Saint Paule saith in the 12 ●o the Romanes Fourthly you shall