made of iron nor of steele but of a weake and variable substance And yet neuerthelesse they dispose not themselues vnto their end neither make anie prouision for those thinges which concerne the time to come The beastes herein doe passe vs as Ieremie sheweth in the 8. of his prophesie For by the skie the Storke knoweth the season of the yeare and the Turtle and the Crane doe marke what time is fittest for their comming and all these byrdes doe well knowe howe that it is not alwayes Summer and that Winter will come But men marke not the iudgementes of God but sleepe in the world as if they should neuer remoue It is a thing verie certaine that wee must all die seeing that wee be all sinners and that death is the reward of sinne as S. Paul writeth in the 6. to the Romans True it is that the scripture setteth downe vnto vs three kindes of death The one is the sundering of the soul from the bodie with making nothing of the bodie vntill the resurrection An other is the death of sinne as it is often said that men which are nourished in their sinnes are dead And Iesus Christ speaking of those which knew not God said Let the dead burie the dead The third is called in the Apocalyps the second death sometimes the eternall death whereunto the wicked shall bee condemned in the last iudgement Now albeit that the Painimes sometimes seeme to haue spoken pretilie of death Yet so it is that two thinges haue made them vncertaine in this matter and vnprouided of sound consolation The first is that they neuer well vnderstoode the cause of death neither the remedie thereof The one whereof was by the fall of Adam the other giuen by Iesus Christ Moreouer they neuer vnderstoode the spring of true life that lyeth in God and in the beholding of his face where of the children of God shall after the resurrectioÌ„ be the beholders both in soule and bodie Although then that Adam before his sinne was created according to the bodie of the dust of the earth yet in deed so it is that if hee had not sinned the diuine vertue and Image of God had swallowed vp in him all corruption and defended him against death in such sort as without griefe when it had pleased God he should passe into heauenlie life But his wilfull transgressing made him with his posteritie seruile vnto death so as hee had receaued for him and for his a most blessed condition if hee had not sinned And as concerning that the death of Adam did not follow for his sinne all at one time it was not but through the mercie of our good God whose will is to preserue mankinde in the meane time punishing sinne in that that Adam and all his rase haue bin and are of one mortall condition full of labor and miserie Wee doe also see the pitifull entrie that wee doe make into the world casting forth a thowsand gronings and sighes from our first ariuall into the world Furthermore euerie one will easilie coÌ„fesse that death is a thing most fearefull that can happen vnto man because that it doeth represent vnto vs at one time the wrath of God and a miserable vndoing of our life whereof naturallie wee are so desirous Behold wherefore wise men are manie times giuen to search out coÌ„forts wherewith to sweeten for vs the sourenesse of death But those that haue not tasted of the word of GOD haue nothing to stay vppon not finding anie resolution but that wee must beare that which is ordained for vs by an irreuocable arrest Manie of the Heathens being indued with a knowledge somewhat higher than the rest and affirming the immortalitie of the soule hold this for a resolution that in the other life the state of good men shall bee happie seeing that here belowe they be ordinarilie subiect to manie miseries And in deede wee must come to this point that by the temporall and present estate one caÌ„not iudge of mens happinesse as also contrariwise they that most doe prosper in this world in earthlie things die oftentimes as brute beastes hauing a soule buried in earthlie things albeit that there is a difference betwixt man and beast because euerlasting death is reserued for the wicked and because the end crowneth the worke Though that in this world a man receaued great giftes of God yet the continuance and all the vertues doe declare and shew themselues chieflie in the Agonies of death Therefore euen as one wretched nature hath brought vs vnto one lyke condition of death so doeth the grace of God make the difference that the one to wit the vngodlie die to their destruction And the other which bee the children of God guided by his spirit and by his word Psal 116. doe die for to liue more happilie so that their death is pretious before GOD. Then let vs say that which is said in the 23. of Numbers I pray God I may die the iust mens death which are assured as Iob saith in the 19. Chapter that one day they shall see GOD in their flesh This was the cause that men were customed to burie the dead with a certaine speciall care For as men locke vp their apparell in a chest meaning to weare them againe euen so are the dead bodies buried in full hope of a certaine rising againe Truelie wee ought well to wish this time where as Christ saith in the 22. of S. Matthew when wee shall bee like vnto Angels in happinesse and in pure conuersation and thoughtes Then shall this be the true fulfilling of our redemption wheÌ„ as we shal be gathered together on high where there is neither cold nor heate Apoca. 7. hunger nor thirst but a lasting blessednesse But to whome is death pleasant but to those that doe labour The poore day-laborer is glad that he hath done his dayes labour So is death sweete vnto the afflicted and the remembrance thereof is bitter to those that rest themselues in worldlie thinges The chiefe point is let vs labor whilest it is day and let vs learne to know God so long as we be in this world seeing that in the knowledge of him lyeth our saluation Oh what a comfort dooth a faithfull soule â—inde in that that Iesus hath spoken in the 17. Chap. of S. Iohn My Father I will that where I am those may be there also which thou hast giuen me So then when as wee doe meditate of these thinges in good time death will be sweete vnto vs. And thereuppon it commeth to passe euen as to those whose discourses and thoughtes haue bin sweete vnto them all day long that likewise their dreames bee all the night verie pleasant and quiet But the troublesome men and busie trotters vp and downe haue their dreames commonlie full of vnquietnesse Such like shall the death of those bee that doe incomber themselues with worldlie thinges And as S. Augustine saith What is this but death This is the leauing of the
woonderfull thing that the coniunction of humane nature is made with the diuine without changing of natures also without anie confusion of persons therein For Christ hath so knit the natures together as hee both God and man is in diuine substance but one person with the father and the holie ghost O strange thing wee were not woorthie to be seruauntes and now wee be children and coheires with Christ And now I pray thee good God graunt mee grace in good ernest to acknowledge thy vertue that I may with a burning desire loue thee all the daies and time of my life and that my faith be stayed on my redeemer who was seene in the world and was lifted vp into glorie It Followeth Suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell CONSIDERATION YEe neede not to maruaile that in this Article of our faith wee doe passe from his natiuitie vnto his death For first all his life was a preparatiue vnto death a perpetuall passion Secondlie the death and passion of Iesus was the true witnesse of his obedience and then was ended this true Sacrifice that hath abolished sinne and death Euen as the auncient high Priestes did take of the people that which they had to sacrifice so hath hee also taken of vs our nature and this bodie which hee hath sacrificed on the crosse being the sacrifice and the sacrificer Therefore hee had will to suffer truelie in our flesh and to die that in him we might haue life And that wee may liue and die in him dailie dying to the world to vice to liue vnto all righteousnesse and to his glorie who hath redeemed vs. Death the graue hell are verie terrible thinges yea more than terrible But Iesus Christ hath triumphed ouer death and arising againe hee hath sanctified our graues and hath by his vertue ouercome the sorrowes of hell and hath broken all the boltes and chaines to make free and to set in safetie all his elect so as there is no condemnation vnto those that doe beleeue in him Rom. 8. Away with these sacrifices of these popish Priestes seeing that this true sacrifice made with the shedding of the bloud of the Lambe without spot Iohn 1. taketh away all the sinnes of the world Places of the holie scripture testifying the death and passion of Iesus Christ Out of the Prophecie of Dauid 22. Psalme For Dogges haue compassed me the assemblie of the wicked haue inclosed me they pearced my handes and my feete I may tell all my bones yet they behold and looke vppon me According to the exposition of some as if the should haue said he shal not be ouerwhelmed with troubles and sorrowes For he is the euerliuing sonne of of God of an euerlasting generation But this is for our sinnes and by the counsel of God that it should happen vnto him They part my garments among them and cast lottes vppon my vesture Out of the 69. Psalme I was constrained to restore that which I tooke not They gaue me gall in my meate and in my thirst they gaue me vineger to drinke A prophesie of the death and passion of Iesus Christ Out of the 53. Chap. of Esaiah Surelie hee hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes yet did wee iudge him as plagued and smitten of God But hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chasticement of our peace was vppon him and with his stripes are wee healed All wee lyke Sheepe haue gone astray wee haue turned euerie one to his owne way and the Lorde hath laid vppon him the iniquitie of vs all He was oppressed and hee was afflicted yet did hee not open his mouth he is brought as a sheepe vnto the slaughter as a sheep before her shearer is dumme so hee openeth not his mouth He was taken out from prison and from iudgement And who shall declare his age For hee was cut out of the land of the liuing and for the transgression of my people was he plagued And hee made his graue with the wicked and with the riche in his death though hee had doone no wickednes Vnto the rich neither was anie deceite in his mouth Yet the Lord would breake him and make him subiect to manie infirmities This was Ioseph of Arimathe when hee shall make his soule an offering for sinne hee shall see his seede and shall prolong his dayes and the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand Of the abasing of Iesus Christ in this world Daniel also hath prophesied in the 9. Chap. and 26. verse ANd after threescore and two weekes shall Christ bee slaine and shall haue nothing and some doe translate there shall none remaine to helpe him or hee shall bee altogether made of none effect This death of Christ was figured by the offering of weathers and Lambes and likewise by the offering that Abraham made of his sonne Isaac in the 22. of Genesis The brasen serpent and by the brasen serpent set vp in the wildernesse whome those that did behold were deliuered from the venemous bitings of serpentes as it is written in the 21. Chapter of Nombers This brasen serpent did signifie that Christ should take the forme of a sinner and should bee notwithstanding without sinne That which was set vp on a tree did signifie that Iesus Christ should bee lifted vp vppon a crosse as wee doe reade it in the 3. of Saint Iohn As Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vp That whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue eternall life And to shew in deede that it was not in the brasen serpent that had anie vertue annexed to it but that wee ought to looke more high King Ezechias seeing how the people did goe a whoring after this Serpent â— King 1â— hee brake it in peeces and named it Nehustan that is to say a vile thing and woorth nothing The historie of the passion and death of Iesus Christ wee haue drawen out by the foure Euangelistes especiallie in the 22. 23. of S. Luke THe causes of the passion and death of Iesus Christ The causes of Christes death were first the vnchangeable counsell and prouidence of GOD as it is said in the second of the Actes and the 23. verse Hee was deliuered by the determinate counsel of God And againe the loue of God towardes mankind God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onelie begotten sonne as saith S. Iohn in the 3. Chapter And wee doe reade in the 5. Chap. to the Ephesians and the 25. verse how hee also loued vs and gaue himselfe willinglie for vs. If wee must come vnto other outward causes of this death and which bee inferiour there is the hatred of the diuell and the enmitie whereof it is spoken in the 3. Chap. of Genesis betweene the serpent and the seede of the woman There is
THE Exercise of the faithfull soule That is to say Prayers Meditations for one to comfort himselfe in all maner of afflictions and specially to strengthen himselfe in faith Set in order according to the Articles of our faith By Daniell Toussain Minister of the worde of God With a comfortable Preface of the Author vnto the poore remnant of the Church of Orlians containing a short recitall of extreme and great afflictions which the said Church hath suffered PSAL. 90. Turne thee againe O Lord at the last How long be gracious vnto thy seruants Comfort vs againe after the time that thou hast plagued vs and for the yeeres wherein we haue suffered aduersitie Englished out of the French almost word for word by Ferdenando Filding Imprinted at London by Henrie Middleton for Henrie Denham 1583. To the right worshipfull and his especiall good master Walter Raleigh esquier RIght woorshipfull the great and good affection which I haue borne to you euer since J was first acquainted with you hath alwaies bin a stirring mee forward to bewray the force of my inward good will by some outward shew and now at length it hath compassed that which it coueted of long and offereth vnto you in value more than great first written in French by a woorthie man whose name and profession it beareth now denized in English almost word for word by a well willer of yours though scant able to reach to the originall depth of the natiue writer Yet J thought it good rather to hazard my owne credite with some note of infirmitie than to haue this argument vnharboured in English with the infinite losse of so great a commodity For what is more profitable to a Christian man than to haue his soule continually exercised in the traine and practise of a liuely faith the performance whereof this treatise vndertaketh whose recommendation I will not meddle with least by saying either too too little or too too base J impaire that which will commend it selfe beyond comparison To the English Christian I discharge my selfe by vttering that in zeale which J conceiue to be most profitable for eche his soule To your worship I recommende my labour as the true signe of a trustie mynde wherein if it shall please you to bestowe some though the least time I dare assure you of great profite for the comfort of your conscience and beautifying of your soule Almightie God prosper you in all your good and vertuous attempts and send you that good which both J wish you and this booke pretendeth London the 14. of Iune 1583. Your obedient seruant Ferdenando Filding PRINCIPALL matters conteined in this booke 1 A Preface brieflie reciting the calamities of the Church of Orlians and the comfortes that wee ought to oppose against the same euill 2 The principall Creedes and confession of the vniuersall Church 3 Manie notable places of the olde newe testament fitly applied to euerie article of our faith inriched with considerations meditations and praiers 4 A comfortable discourse of death 5 Praiers for diuers necessities 6 A Treatise of S. Cyprian concerning praier FINIS ⧠VNTO THE poore remnaunt of the Church of Orlians which are scattered here and there groning with true faith after the Lord grace health comfort and peace from and through our Lorde Iesus Christ ABout tenne yeares past when the Church of Orlians was in her flowers and I then hauing this honour to be one of the Ministers thereof then I set forth certaine Prayers and Meditations vppon certaine notable places of the scripture which I had gathered out and laid aside for mine owne priuate vse yet notwithstanding being requested of sundrie good and godlie men I was content that manie others should inioy the same And that they might be pricked forwardes to ardent prayer and to all holie and Christianlike Meditations who were accustomed to waxe cold or at least but leukewarme in time of prosperitie foreseeing likewise that all the rest wherewith the Church doeth glad her selfe in this world was but a truse and small respit and that it behooued them 2. Timo. 3. ver 12. The late M. Caluin in his preface vpon Daniel 61. truelie aduertised the Churches that they should haue as yet great fightes Psal 66.27 Psal 42. The said Churche was of number a seuen thowsand persons in time past Iames 5. which were determined to serue God purelie to make their account that they must suffer great persecutiōs during which prayer is the verie stay and comfort to the faithfull soule As alas long since wee haue well prooued when that all the billowes and stormes of the Lord sith these x. yeares haue passed not alonelie generallie through out all Fraunce but particularlie vppon this poore Church of Orlians which in times past wee haue seene a garden of great pleasure a retraite to manie good men and of all sortes and conditions to bee short it was as the repaire and fould of the Lordes sheep in the middest of all Fraūce Now wee doe see it turned into dust and ashes and to become the dwelling place of Dragons and Scorpions we I say vnto whome God hath giuen this grace to escape so manie blouddie Alaroms yea so manie fearefull deathes that we haue perceiued of what force earnest praiers be and what satisfying contentation the faithfull soule hath with God when as all other thinges doe seeme to faile him in such sort as we haue matter to say with the Prophet Dauid in the 119. Psal verse 92. Had it not bin that thy lawe was my delight I had euen then perished in my afflictions Now as the true seruantes of God haue a zeale vnto the ashes and ruines of Sion when it is turned into dust Psal 10◠9. and forsaken of all the world So cannot I so long as the soule panteth within me cease euer with a burning desire to pray vnto God or to haue care of this so desolate a Church of Orlians willing truelie to say with the prophet Esaiah in the 62. Chap. For the loue of Sion I will not keepe silence and as cōcerning Ierusalem I will not cease vntill her righteousnesse shine out as the light that her saluation be kindled as a Lampe in such sort as setting before my eies that at no time praiers were euer more necessarie than in these dayes being on euerie side full of calamitie neither yet the vse thereof better vnderstood of the true faithful than whē as men are in their true schoole that is to say vnder the Crosse And being likewise since the decease of this second Iosias so Christiā a prince as the late my Lord Elector Palatine Federick vnder whom I haue had this honor to preach the word of God more thā 4. yeares being as it were into mine owne wildernesse a part drawen to meditate lamēt the miseries of our time I tooke againe into my handes these prayers that heretofore I had set forth brought to light dedicated to the Church
experience and amongest manie temptations learned the deceites of the Diuell oftentimes said that one day he would put hand to penne to write a great volume against Satan to discouer his wiles and craftes and all the kindes of temptations wherewith hee was accustomed to fight against vs. Besides this hee did dailie aduertise the people both priuatelie and openlie that it was not a thing so light as men thought it to haue dailie Satan at our heeles and an enemie so craftie that spied out but the occasion to sift vs and to destroy vs. Now on a time Luther being requested by a good man who suffered manie tēptations and other vnquietnesse for some comfort Hee wrote this vnto him that followeth in a booke brieflie expounding this sentence of S. Iohn set downe before Satan from the beginning of the world was a lyar and through lyes hath a desire to tempt mankinde Behold how Adam and Eue our first parentes were ouertaken and caught which were created vnto the Image of God For hauing beguiled them through lies hee was therein also a murtherer in that that of the immortall they became mortall Not long after hee set Caine against his Brother Abel and did thrust forward the brother to imbrue his handes with the bloud of his brother And this is the manner and guise of all Satans kingdome Hee began through lying to seduce men afterward hee ceaseth not to stirre vp persecutions against the true faithfull which would not cleaue vnto his lies In the meane while hee bringeth his maintainers to dispaire as it is to be seene of Caine Iudas and others Therefore it is for vs to beware of so cruell and craftie an enemie Let vs also beware and take good heede of his false and dreaming doctrines which commeth forth out of his shoppe the end whereof is vtter destruction To be short let vs take heede of lying and crueltie seeing both the one and the other commeth of the Diuell Moreouer let vs marke that our comfort is that Iesus Christ was giuen vnto vs who appeared to ouerthrow and destroy the workes of the diuell And in deede hee was found the stronger that did buind his enemie Satan and draue away the Prince of the world Against his leinges he hath armed vs with the trueth of his Gospell Against death hee gaue vs life giuing himselfe to bee our Emanuel that is to say God with vs. What greater comfort should wee know to desire For if a man would say yea but Christ is in heauen Behold that which Iesus saith If anie man keepe my word hee shall not perish The doctrine of the lawe accuseth vs and setteth downe before vs our condemnation But the Gospell is the word of life and power of GOD to saluation O miserable and wretched world that forsaketh this pretious word The auncient Fathers haue woondred at a hearbe called Panacea which as some say healed all maner of diseases And seeing manie times we doe see that men esteeme more of some little experience of Phisicke that they shall haue against anie sicknes Why then doe they not commend and praise aboue all the doctrine of the Gospell which healeth vs against death Is it because that the world is so earthlie and lustfull which is not otherwise guided but by fleshlie considerations and neither trusteth in God nor in his promises But wee must feare the iudgementes of God For as they which doe keepe this word shall not feare death So contrariwise they that keepe it not shall see the first and the second death And howsoeuer it seeme vnto men that they passe away with eies closed vp vnto death yet neuerthelesse they doe see death whē the bitternesse thereof and the wrath of God present themselues before their eyes Now concerning the children of GOD they see them dailie dying and themselues also doe die But because their soules learne the word of GOD they see not death For hee teacheth them euen as those that doe goe into darke places by the light who see not the darknesse which is ouercome by the light So a faithfull man which possesseth Gods grace doeth not behold death in his nature and as Gods iudgement but as a sweete sleepe whereby wee doe passe into heauenlie rest and how much the more wee beleeue so much the more are wee assured and certaine against death But the more wee be negligent to heare the word of God so much the more wee lie open to terrours and feares O how strong is therefore the faithfull man who is a member of the Church which staieth himselfe vppon the word of God The great warriers Alexander Iulius Caesar and others hauing braued in the world haue beene famous for their onlie prowes they are dead and those commonlie are the most astonied when death commeth as it is read of Adrian the Emperour The Sorrowes of Adrian the Emperour who at the point of death made such like mournings O poore soule naked and a vacabond into what place goest thou now to yeelde thy selfe Alas what shall become of thee thou companion and ghest of my bodie Thou from hence forewardes shalt haue no more pastime Loe this is the vnquietnesse and vnsetlednesse of the people of this world Let vs pray therefore as in the 90 Psalme that God will giue vs grace to consider the shortnesse of our dayes to the ende we may applie our heartes vnto wisedome A prayer vpon this place Out of the 14. of S. Iohn If any man loue me he will keepe my worde and my father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with him O Lord who is he which will not loue thee syth that thou hast so loued vs to haue giuen thy sonne for vs Nowe because that thou discernest those which do loue thee in deede from hypocrites when as they loue and keepe thy worde giue me grace yea vnto mee that naturally loue but vice and vanitie to loue thy word vnto me that can doe nothing but in thee and by thee to keepe thy worde and to yeelde obedience vnto thee For what a benefite is it to haue thy companie yea this sweete companie of thee and of thy sonne Iesus and of thy holie spirite which thou hast promised to them that wil yeeld themselues affectionated vnto thy worde What greater mischiefe could happen than to be thrust backe and depriued of such a companie For whosoeuer is not with thee it behoueth that hee be with Sathan that is to say with all euill Because that in as much as thou giuest peace felicitie and life vnto them with whome thou dwellest euen so also is sathan the authour of all euill and of all mischiefe Therefore O Lorde giue me grace to abide in thee as the braunch in the vine to bring foorth the fruites of thy glorie to liue in thee and vnto thee to feele thee daily with all the comfortes that thou giuest vnto thine Let thy good spirite succour mee in my weakenesse Rom. 8.
that that which is an offence vnto the worlde 1. Cor. 1. to wit the Gospell of the crosse may bee my comfort and my treasure that I may feele the vertue power and strength of this thy woorde euen in all the partes of my soule from this time foorth and for euer more So be it Of the vse of the holie Scripture Out of the 3. Chap. of the 2. Epistle of S. Paul vnto Timothee The whole scripture is geuen by the inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes The first vse of the scripture is to teach vs for where is it that a man shall finde in other bookes the secretes that the scripture teacheth vs It learneth vs on the earth a science which shall remaine in heauen as S. Ierome sayth it teacheth vs to knowe Christ and in him the life euerlasting The Angelles doe woonder at this same doctrine as it is sayde in the 1. Chap. of the 1. Epistle of S. Peter We ought therefore to bring our children vnto this schoole and the eldest also haue to learne in this science all the daies of their liues The scripture is also giuen to confute the gaine sayers to ouercome heretiks to correct vices and to hew them downe as it is sayde in Hosea Hoseah 6. for in teaching that which is good it turneth vs from euill It is also fitte to instruct vs and to giue manie aduertisementes for the gouernement of our liues towardes magistrates fathers of houshouldes and vnto other particular persons A meditation vpon the holy supper whereby we do grow in the Church and doe strengthen our faith drawen for the most part out of S. Cyprian WHen as this good sauiour went to take the cuppe and drinke so bitter of his death and passion his pleasure was to ordaine and offer vnto vs the sweete wholesome lyquor of his bloud with the partaking of his body He raised vp Lazarus going to death and appointed the supper to make our soules to liue Hee then that gaue life vnto others could he not well defende himselfe against death could it haue beene any other than a willing obedience whereby hee would so fulfill our redemption O howe great was the prouidence of this good sauiour which hath giuen vnto vs the partaking of his body before his death to shewe vnto vs that by death hee should not be destroyed and that he would neuer leaue his Church But how What banquet is this heere to eate the flesh of the Lorde and to drinke his bloud Truely it is a woonderfull thing as we doe see in the 6. Chap. of S. Iohn that the Capernaits coulde not comprehende But beholde the secret Iesus Christ spake of his flesh notwithstanding he did not speake fleshlie he spake to eate but it was not for our teeth neither for our bellies concerning the substance of this sacrament his wordes are spirite and life So as these sacred meates be of none other tast nor of any other sauour vnto a carnall and sensuall man But whereas humane sense cannot pearce through there can faith enter and the maner of speaking which seemeth harde vnto vs at the first sight we shall finde them fitly applyed if wee doe vnderstande the language of the scripture Therefore the worde of God sometimees calleth this sacrament bread and sometimes bodie and flesh that by the helpe of these knowen thinges and visible we may comprehende the thinges that are inuisible and spirituall For as the bread nourisheth the bodie euen so doth Christ nourish the soule As the flesh is a substance so is it not by imagination that our soules are nourished but the sonne of GOD incarnate is the cause of this so substantiall a foode of our soules because that he was crucified for vs. As the life is in the bloud so Christ also by his bloud hath giuen vnto vs life and is our life our fleshe our bloud and our life was of a wretched condition but by Christ all the partes of our life are restored But from whence commeth this newe commaundement to partake with the bloud of Christ Was it not forbidden in the lawe to eate the bloud of any beast because that the life was in the bloud Beholde also the vndefiled Lambe The bloud of beastes did shewe vnto vs that our life ought not to be brutish or that we should be giuen to crueltie And the bloud of Christ which wee are commaunded to drinke teacheth vs howe our liues ought to be Christian like and pure that wee might say with S. Paul in the 2. Chap. to the Galathians It is not I that liue but Christ liueth in me Therefore this communion is not a consubstantiation with the Trinitie for there is but the father the sonne and the holy Ghost which are consubstantiall It is not a confusion of persons in Christ but it is an vnion of the heade with the members it is an vnion of affections and of willes a partaking together of the euerlasting riches and in the life of Christ This is a warning to be short that we must not liue vnto our selues but vnto God And as they that haue eaten some excellent meate that hath in it some good sauour doe feele there in a good nourishment and sweetenesse of breath euen so must it be that they which are sedde with this sacred meate and wherein Christ dwelleth that in all their wordes and deedes a man may feele a good smell and that may increase to edification and that all that which they doe may bee vnto the glorie of this great GOD. And so we doe see that it is not the teeth which wee doe sharpen comming vnto this holy banquet but that we do bring hither faith to distinguish the sacramēt from the thing of the sacrament the earthly element from that which is diuine and heauenly and so to consider in one onely Christ the vnion of two natures diuine and humane For altogether like as in the person of Christ Note this comparison of S. Cyprian the humane nature was seene here belowe and the diuinitie was not seene yet did it not leaue to worke great thinges without the chaunging of one nature into another so in the supper we doe see bread and wine but the bodie of Christ we doe not see yet doth it not leaue to worke in vs nowe that he is ascended into heauen And as the bodie of the light which is on high is intire in himselfe howe so euer it be spreade abroade heare beneath So is Christ intire there on high and yet leaueth hee not to partake himselfe fully to euery one of vs without lessening himselfe when as hee giueth himselfe vnto vs which be weake without being inclosed in the bread whē as he is notwithstanding receiued by vs without darkening his maiestie when hee entereth into our small tabernacle and when he will that
beholde rather thy creature in thy louing kindenesse Thou hast bidden vs come vnto thee then whē as we sought thee not and thou hast saued vs when we were thine enemies Cast not therfore now away them which seeke thee and with all humblenesse call vpon thee For that that I make my selfe strong with thy clemencie is not through presumption but because of thy promises that doe assure vs of thee thou wilt not the death of sinners but their conuersion and life And to make them liue which were dead thou hast caused thy only begotten sonne to die and wouldest also that he should beare the name of a sauiour Wherefore shall I distrust then of grace Wherefore should my soule liue in sorrow syth that it findeth in thee so great a sweetenes O Lorde my God I remēber the poore Publican who humbling his eies to the ground groning vnder the burthen of his sins and requiring thy mercie went down into his house iustified I remember the poore thiefe who confessing his fault and acknowledging thy sonne Iesus vpon the crosse whereon he was hanged went to paradise I consider also the example of thine Apostle who hauing forsakē his maister three times was not put out of his fauour nor out of his Apostleship because the weeping bitterly he was cōuerted to thee But God grant me the Publicans hūblenes the confession of him that was hanged with Christ the repentance of thy Apostle the holding on the way which they haue held I may with them inioy thy fauour and enter into thy glorie A prayer vpon the same matter O Lorde what man is he that dare speake vnto God Howe dare we aske thee life seeing we haue deserued death Frō whēce commeth this boldnesse to haue our recourse vnto thee whom wee haue offended Is it not thy great mercie that is so noted throughout the worlde Was it not because that thou art slowe to anger and of great clemencie But if thou wouldest enter into iudgement with vs no man liuing could be iustified before thy face I pray and beseech thee therefore O Lorde that thou wouldest vnderstande my gronings and hearken vnto my praiers I was Alas conceiued and borne in sinne and my iniquities are so great in number that I can not knowe them by the one halfe so as O Lorde this burthen would ouerwhelme me if thy mercie did not comfort me But I pray thee chastise me not in thy wrath neither assay thy might against me otherwise I were vtterly vndoone and in the twinckling of an eie thou couldest destroy me in thine anger Chaunge rather my heart that I may be an organe of thy glorie and a vessel of honour in thy house Imprint in my soule all righteousnesse and godlinesse that I may serue and honour thy maiestie I haue wandered like a poore sheepe but bring me againe into thy fold and be thou my sheepheard for euer For Lorde when thou hast brought me to nothing and confounded me Alas I shal not any more blesse and praise thee But if thou be mercifull vnto me I shall render vnto thee thankes giuing I shall vowe my selfe to thy seruice and I will remaine in thy holy temple to worship thee A prayer to aske of God true repentance Almightie God seeing that our sinnes continually crie vnto heauen and when one of them is ouercome an other forthwith springeth vp so that ambition being ouercome couetousnesse doeth tempt vs and couetousnesse being vanquished presumption doth solicite vs or some other greedie desire graunt vs grace carefully to walke and to fight this good fight against our selues truely to examine and to sound our selues and so we cōdemning our selues may preuent thy iudgement stirring vp one another to true repentance and amendment of life to the ende that it bee not in vaine that thy healthfull grace may appeare vnto vs and that wee make not sad thy holy spirite and that so O God walking in thy feare we may be made true partakers of the forgiuenesse of sinnes that thy son hath purchased for vs by his bloud shedding that we might growe vp according to the new man and make the olde man to die vntill that we being vnclothed of this mortall bodie we might come vnto that perfection then O Lorde when as thou shalt be all in all and that beeing gathered together in thee wee shall beholde thy glorie in thy kingdome So be it I beleeue the rising againe of the bodie TErtullian an ancient Doctor verie well saith in the booke which he hath written of the resurrection that this article is proper to Christians and is their speciall comfort to beleeue that this flesh shal rise againe at the last day wherof the philosophers Sadduces did but make a mocke But hee who hath giuen vs these bodies can verie well bring to passe that they shal liue againe out of the dust as we do protest that we beleeue not heere giuing place to any thing but vnto faith no not to the speculations of reason Christ is also risen againe being made as it were the first fruites and the honorable head of all those which are risen or heereafter shall bee raised againe For this was through his only vertue This also is the reason that that body which did suffer so much should be likewise partaker of life glorie For Christ hath wholie redeemed mankinde and without this trust we should be miserable we which do suffer so many tormentes in our bodies for the name of Iesus Nowe to comfort and resolue vs more more in this article we must consider of these witnesses folowing Out of the 19. Chap. of Iob. I am sure that my redeemer liueth and he shall stande vp the last of the earth And though after my skinne wormes destroy this bodie yet shall I see God in my flesh whome I my selfe shall see and mine eies shall beholde Out of the 26. of Esaiah The dead shall liue euen with my bodie shall they rise Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust for thy deaw is as the deawe of hearbes and the earth shall cast out the dead Out of the 13. Chap. of the prophet Hosea I will redeeme them from the power of the graue I will deliuer them from death O death I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destruction A meditation of OEcolampadius The Lorde sheweth by this place that if the people had repented they should haue beene deliuered though they hadde bin as it were in the graue alreadie The Hebrewe word signifieth Hel or the graue and is often times taken in the scripture for some great and extreeme daunger as also by the worde of the plague is vnderstood a great destruction S. Paul in the 1.5 Chap. of the 1. Epistle to the Corinthians when he intreateth of the resurrection he alledgeth this place according to the greeke translation of the 70. interpreters rather than after the Hebrewe text and thus taketh it Where is thy sting As preparing himselfe against
earthlie bodie and a heauie burden prouided alway that an other burden more daungerous which is sinne doe not ouercharge vs or as saith S. Paul in the third Chap. to the Thessalontans wee must then let our conuersation from henceforth be in heauen whence we doe await after our Sauiour Iesus Christ who shal transforme our bodies and make them conformable vnto his glorious bodie Oh wonderfull mercie of this great God that presenteth life vnto vs not deserued putteth death farre from vs that wee haue merited Oh what light is this word of God that giueth vs light in the graue and in the middest of death maketh vs to see Therefore now the children of God doe no whit feare death But as S. Cyprian writeth in a letter which he sent vnto the Confessors Martyrs of Iesus Christ Hee that hath once ouercome death in his person dailie beateth it downe in his mēbers So as we haue Iesus Christ not onlie a beholder of our combates but an assistant wrestler with vs. And as this good Doctor writeth in a treatise which he made of the mortalitie the onlie way for a man that wil not come to Iesus Christ is to feare death And not to be willing to come to him is as much to say as not to bee willing to raigne with him What trauailer is he which drawing neere vnto his home reioyceth not hauing passed through manie dangerous waies And who is he that wil not willinglie runne out of a house that is readie to fall downe about his eares What pleasure haue we in this world which approcheth dailie to his end and wherein wee buy the pleasures so derely which we receiue in this life What other thing is it but a continuall battaile and a sharp medley wherein we be wounded sometime with enuie sometime with one thing sometime with an other besides the alaromes which doe giue vs in our bodies a nūber of diseases Why shal we not say then with S. Paul in the first Chapter to the Philippians I desire to be loosed to be with Christ Wherfore we praie dailie Let thy kingdome come but only for the desire that we haue to see the accomplishmēt thereof in an other life For as S. Ierom doth largelie declare in the funeral Sermon of Nepotian vnto Heliodor if the Panims haue oftētimes cōquered their mourninges loosing their friends by the simple knowledge that they had that they were mortal Wherefore do we sorow grone with so many sighs teares the death of Gods childrē whom we know to be blessed Iesus Christ wept vpō Lazarus And S. Paul to the Thes doeth not altogether forbid mourning yet is it for vs to behaue our selues more vertuouslie than the Painims not to shewe so great a mourning for men as it were a disparing in vs of Gods mercies And as Saint Cyprian saith VVherfore do we put on our black mourning weedes when as our brethren goe to doe on their white garments to rest with the Lorde Let vs sorow for them rather as absent than dead not as people that we haue lost but that we a wait for to see againe Alas that which is to be wailed for it is that which men doe see in this worlde VVe reade of Xerxes the great Lord and generall howe that hee had a desire one day to viewe his whole armie which was of a maruelous number of people from the top of a mountaine and seeing so manie people began to weepe cōsidering that within one hundreth yeare after there should not be one of thē left aliue But if anie one could not get vp vppon such a mountaine whence he might discouer so manie sinnes as be in the world so manie murthers as be committed so manie cities and realmes as be ruined so manie deceites cousinages as be practised so much pouertie and infirmitie as is euerie where Alas hee should haue great occasion to fetch manie a sad sigh and to shead manie a whotte teare Wee see not in our selues the changes that happen vnto our persons first in our infancie then in our youth then in our full age last of all in our old age and so manie crosses the rest of our daies whereby wee must passe Then that which wee ought to doe is so to mislyke of this life which is but a vapour and a shadow of a true life a traueling and a fraile life that we suffer Christ to raigne and liue in vs to the end that by him wee may haue euerlasting life the which onelie deserueth to bee esteemed and called a life A Prayer O Lord my God if thou hast aduertised the king Ezechias by the Prophet Esai Esay 38. to dispose of his affaires when hee should die much more thy will is that wee going to death should haue regard to the disposition of our soules to present our selues before thee For alas death is certaine but his houre is vncertaine and there is nothing more dangerous than to leaue the soule in this fight doubtfull and vncertaine The sentence of S. Barnard O Lord what a Porter hast thou giuen vs at our passage from this world which will not suffer vs to carie away anie thing with vs But as wee came naked into this world euen so death causeth vs to passe out of the same state Wherefore should wee then tormēt our selues so much in worldlie things O Lord what is it that I should dispose of my selfe It is in thee to dispose of vs it is in thee to commaund and in vs to obay Beare vp our weakenesse through thy mercie For how is it that wee should not bee afraid of death sith the horror thereof hath made thy sonne Iesus to sweate water and bloud Mar. 14. Esai 53. But seeing that it is euen hee who hath also borne our sorrowes and that was wounded for our iniquities what gaine or aduauntage should death haue ouer vs syth that thy sonne Iesus hath saued vs And if thou be for vs who is he that can be against vs Yea man borne of a woman is thraled to many miseries and vanisheth away as a shadowe or flower of the fielde But yet O good God we doe knowe how thou desirest not the death of vs sinners Ezech. 18. thou rather wouldest that we should turne and liue We doe shed heere many teares but thou wilt euen at once make drie all my teares by calling me vnto thee Nowe O Lorde strike heere belowe so long as thou wilt hurt wounde seeing that thou art mercifull and fauourable vnto vs in the euerlasting life to come A sentence out of S. Augustine Rom. 8. What sorrowe or affliction should we feare synce that all thinges turne to thy children for their good Alas who would take much pleasure in this life sith that man liuing in it can not see thee and that all that is in it is but transitorie and miserable Graunt me therefore grace patientlie to awaite thy will that I may
bee founde a watching faithfull seruaunt And as the prince of this worlde comming towardes thy sonne Iesus Iohn 14. founde nothing what to bite vpon him so also the same enemie may not haue any thing against me seeing that I doe belong to thy sonne Iesus By faith O Lorde haue our fathers ouercome kingdomes and closed the mouthes of the Lyons Therefore O Lorde graunt me grace that I may also ouercome by faith all tentations vntill that this faith being ended I may enter into thy euerlasting â—est A prayer against the sorrowes of Death O Lorde GOD my father who weart willing that thy sonne Iesus should yeelde vppe his spirite to saue me graunt mee grace that I may beare in my heart the remembrance of his bitter sorrowes and passion and that I may forthwith remember the sweete tender affection that thou bearest vnto vs poore sinners sauing them with so pretious a price that of one part I may with a true sorrowe die vnto sinne and forsake all mine iniquities and of the other part the remembrance of thy grace may make my soule liue let thy mercie O good God be vnto me a lampe and light to lighten me in the darkenesse of death vntill that I come vnto thee O Lorde if thou weart vnto me so good a father in life be also the same vnto me in death Leaue me not then when as my strengthes shall faile me And euen then namely when my mouth shal be no more able to speake leaue not off Lord to heare my desires vnto the last breath of my life Comfort againe thy weake creature and receiue my soule into thy glorie who yeeldeth vp to thee Thou O Lorde hast saued mee into thy handes I recommende my spirit Grant me the last words of thy sonne Iesus in his voice vppon his crosse that they may be my last wordes in this life Behold the earthly abode of this bodie which dissolueth it to yeelde my selfe ioiful of this tabernacle most blessed which is not made with mans hands This great prophet Elias when hee was taken vp into heauen let fall his cloke so willingly would I also leaue this garment both earthly and corruptible to bee clothed with immortalitie Heeretofore I was a wayfarer nowe am I come into my true countrey Euen vntill this time was I in fight now go I to triumph with our head Iesus Christ I begin to see alreadie this hauen which I haue so long desired hulling amongst the tempests of the world To be short I ioyfullie passe out of darknesse into light from daungers of this world to a place of assurance out of a lamentable case into a blessed state from battaile to victorie from an earthlie to an euerlasting life Here am I blind and there shall I receiue light In this place was I hacked with manie woundes and there shall I receaue healing O wretched life O fraile and life vncertaine in this world howe deceitfull and yrksome art thou The more thou thinkest or beleeuest the more thou distrustest and misbeleeuest The more one goeth in this world the more is hee charged with faintnesse and miseries Blessed is hee which knoweth the vanitie of this world yet more blessed that dooth not set his affection therein and most blessed which is withdrawen from thence to bee with thee Oh my God and my sauiour A prayer vppon the same Argument Alas when shall I come before the face of my God and when shall I haue my abiding in his house How long shall I bee in this exile whereunto for sinne we were banished But how shall a sinner stand before this great God How shall this poore flesh get vp into euerlasting paradise But praised bee my God who hath giuen vnto vs so good an assurance in his holie word Blessed bee GOD which hath ordained for vs this good ladder by the which wee ascend vp into heauen to wit Iesus Christ so that which was vnto vs impossible is possible to the beleeuer Therefore looke not O Lord into the manifold sinnes that are within me But rather remember that I am thy creature and the worke of thy handes I am vnworthie to bee called thy childe but it hath pleased thee to bee my father Thy will was that thy sonne Iesus should come downe here below to vs to make vs ascend vp to thee I feare not then death seeing I haue life with me Thy son hath destroyed death for all those which doe beleeue in him And albeit that this bodie be gnawen with wormes yet the soul goeth forthwith into rest the body awaiteth the resurrection I do desire therfore to die to beholde thy face and willinglie leaue this life to be with Christ Oh my God if the simple sound of thy worde which I heare on earth doth cause my soule to liue alreadie what life what countenance shall I haue there on high wheÌ„ as I shall receiue it in my heart seeing thy glorie being in so blessed a companie Open vnto me then O Lorde the gate of thy kingdome Make mee to heare this sweete voice which was prepared for the poore thiefe on the crosse To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Alas Lorde I am vnworthy thereof yet thy mercie giueth me assurance Grant me also O father streÌ„gth to perseuere giue me daily this desire of the life to come for if we be so much affectioned to this earthly life that is but for a day ful of miseries with what wish ought I to desire that glorious life which thy sonne Iesus hath purchased for vs Other short praiers for certaine necessities of the Churches To demand perseuerance Almightie God seeing we be knit together by the guide and counsell of thy sonne to this bodie of the Church which was so often scatered and dispersed graunt that we may abide in this vnitie of faith and that wee may constantly fight against all temptation of this worlde and that wee may not turne away from a true and right intent though it come to passe that troubles vppon troubles doe happen offences vpon offences seeing our faith is not builded vpon the holinesse of man or vpon their persons but vppon thee O true and almightie God And whatsoeuer euilles or deathes that shal be offered vnto vs we may not be possessed with such feare as may plucke away our hope out of our heartes but that we may rather learne to lift vp our eies yea our vnderstanding all our wittes vnto this thy power by the which thou quicknest the dead raisest vp that which was of nothing that our spirites may alwaies aspire vnto euerlasting rest albeit it behooued vs daily to die vntill at the last thou shalt shewe how thou art the true fountaine of life granting vnto vs the immortalitie through thy sonne Iesus Christ A prayer to haue stedfastnesse and constancie EVerlasting and almightie God al good and mercifull seeing we be heere subiect to so great aduersities and of so many sortes