souldiers wherof they vant and bost to wit their skarres and maimes to shewe how they haue beene the first at the medley or fight Therefore let vs not be greeued if we doe receiue in this world some losse beatinges and skarres for Christes sake and let vs not thinke to be ouercome what euill so euer happeneth but to be ouercommers so long as by faith we doe surely hold ourselues in the Lorde An other goodlie example taken out of the 13. Chapter of Iob to bee vsed in the middest of the greatest Temptations Lo though he slay me yet wil I put my trust in him and will reprooue my wayes in his sight He shal be my saluation also for the Hypocrite shall not come before him c. CONSIDERATION BEcause of the doubtfulnesse of this worde Loe in the Hebrewe tongue some reade this Text thus See he will slaie me and I will not awaite or looke for any more as if he should say I haue nothing else to awaite after Neuerthelesse this is the meaning and intent of Iob to say Albeit that God kill me and that there is not herein anie apparaunce after my death to looke for any more good of the Lorde yet so it is that I will not leaue off from acknowledging my selfe a sinner reproouing my waies and to holde him for the God of my saluation who also quickeneth dead thinges as by the deawe of the spirite he causeth to spring foorth those things that seeme as dead euen as it is sayde in the 26. of Esaie 5.19 Therefore it is the propertie of Faith not to limite any thing to God but to suffer him yea if he would kill vs or bring vs to dust And in the 78. Psalme the Iewes are reproued in tempting God and to limite the holie one of Israell Contrariwise the faithfull say My soule keepeth silence vnto God Euen as it is sayde in the 62. Psalm ver 1. and patiently abideth in the Lorde and suffering him that knoweth to draw out of darkenesse light and out of death life and who also declareth his Power Strength and Vertue in our weakenesse 2. to the Cor. 12. Wherefore doe not we remember this infinite power of the euerlasting Lorde in the middest of our Anguishes Why doe not we beholde the Prince of life in the middest of the shadowe of death and also vnto him who through his death hath giuen vs life And whose goodnesse is better than life it selfe As it is sayd in the 63. Psalm O that we had truely the excellent greatnesse of his power before our eies done to vs which do beleeue through his force strength whereby hee hath wrought it in Christ when he raised him vp from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand according as S. Paule speaketh in the 5. Chap. of his Epistle to the Ephesians Howe much more of courage would we be when namely we should receiue it as the sentence of death in our selues if we do come againe to consider thereof Philip. 1.21 how Christ liueth in vs and that to die in him is life and aduauntage To bee short in place to murmure against God in our anguishes we should reproue blame our waies and our sinnes with Iob for our only sinnes are they that do destroy mankinde Certaine notable sentences touching Faith taken out of the Psalmes and an assurance of the true faithfull Out of the 27. Psalme Hope in the Lord and be strong he shal comfort thine heart and trust in the Lorde Though that my Father and my Mother should forsake me yet the Lord will gather me vp The 36. Psalme How excellent is thy mercie O God and therefore the children of men trust vnder the shadowe of thy winges They shal be satisfied with the fatnesse of thine house and thou shalt giue them drinke out of the ryuer of thy pleasures For with thee is the well of life and in thy light shall we see light The 40. Psalme Blessed is the man that maketh the Lorde his trust From a heartie Faith proceedeth the confession of the mouth and regardeth nor the proude nor such as turne aside to lies I haue not hid thy righteousnesse within mine heart but I haue declared thy trueth and thy saluation I haue not concealed thy mercie and thy trueth from the great congregation Withdrawe not thou thy tender mercie from me O lord let thy mercie and thy trueth alwaies preserue me The 50. Psalme Call vppon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me The 55. Psalme Cast thy burthen vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer The 62. Psalme In God onely is my trust in God only is my saluation he is my rocke my castle and my defence therefore I shall not be moued Yet my soule keepe thou silence vnto God for my hope is in him in God is my saluation and my glory Trust in him alway ye people powre out your heartes before him for God is our hope Yet the children of men are vanitie the chiefe men are lies Trust not in oppression nor in roberie bee not vaine if riches increase set not your heartes thereon The 63. Psalme Because thou hast beene my helper therfore vnder the shadow of thy wings will I reioyce My soule cleaueth vnto thee for thy right hande vpholdeth me The 71. Psalme In thee O Lorde I trust let me neuer be ashamed For thou art mine hope O Lorde GOD euen my trust from my youth Vpon thee haue I beene stayed from the wombe thou art he that tooke mee out of my mothers bowelles my praise shal be alwaies of thee Cast me not off in the time of age forsake mee not when my strength faileth me The 73. Psalme Whome haue I in Heauen but thee And I haue desired none in the Earth with thee My flesh faileth and mine heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer For loe they that withdrawe themselues from thee shall perish As for me it is good for me to drawe neere vnto God therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy workes The 84. Psalme Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer praise thee Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse For the Lorde God is the sunne and the shielde vnto vs the Lorde will giue grace and glorie and no good thing wil he withholde from them that walke vprightlie O Lorde of Hostes blessed is the man that trusteth in thee The 91. Psalme Thou hast sayd the Lord is my hope thou hast set the most high for thy refuge there shall none euill come vnto thee For hee shall giue his Angelles charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies Because hee hath loued mee
therefore will I deliuer him I will exalt him because he hath knowen my name When he calleth vppon mee I will heare him I will bee with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him with long life will I satisfie him and shew him my saluation The 118. Psalme The Lorde is with mee therefore I will not feare what man can do vnto me The Lorde is with me among them that helpe me therefore I shall see my desire vpon mine enemies It is better to trust in the Lord than to haue any confidence in man I shall not die but liue and declare the workes of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not deliuered me to death Thou art my god and I wil praise thee euen my God therfore will I exalt thee The 125. Psalme They that trust in the Lord shal be as mount Sion which cannot bee remoued but remaineth for euer As the mountaines are about Ierusalem so is the Lord about his people from hence foorth for euer A MEDITATION PRAIER as concerning Faith and inuocation drawen out of certaine Psalmes SAint Paule in the 3. Chap. to the Rom. sayth That all haue sinned are depriued of the glorie of God But because that by faith wee doe put on vs Christ who dwelleth in our heartes wee bee so pleasing vnto him as his wisdome as it is saide in the 8. Chap. of the Prouerbs and tooke his delight in the childrē of men Therefore are young and olde great and litle bidden to praise the Lorde euen as we doe see in the 148. Psalme O what an honour is this vnto vs that God will be praised by vs Who is he sayth S. Chrysostom that to be honored and praised by the wormes doth much care for it We be such yet notwithstanding hee will haue vs praise and glorifie him From whence commeth this honor except it be by faith which yeeldeth vs pleasing and setteth vs in honor Yea so pleasing Psal 145. as the Lord offereth himselfe to worke the desires of those that call vppon him in trueth What is it to call vppon him in trueth vnlesse to pray in Faith and to confirme our requestes and desires vnto the word of GOD which is the onelie trueth Wherefore soundeth not out thē the whole world the praises of the Lord Why then goe so manie people roming after strange Gods that cannot saue them What iniquitie haue men found in the liuing God that they digge pittes where there is no water Ieremie 2. and forsake the fountaine of life Is not our helpe in the name of the Lord Psal 124. who hath made both heauen and earth Is this he who hath giuē vs occasion and assurance to trust in him euen from the time that we sucked our mothers pappes And though that he chastice vs holdeth he not dailie the affection of a Father when as in chasticing vs he correcteth vs and in correcting vs aduaunceth our saluation in such sort as Dauid himselfe confesseth that it was good for him to be chasticed Psal 11◠to learne the iudgementes of the Lorde Yea and albeit that death should be before our eyes Psal 68. is it not he that hath the issues of death in his hand O Lord suffer vs not to be led away by them that goe farre from thee A prayer Neither yet let vs at anie time communicate with the bloudie Sacrifices of Idolaters Psal 125. Psal 16. Rather graunt mercie vnto the poore bringing them with vs vnto thy sheepefold Make strong the weake and keepe vs from being too presumptuous Rom. 11. seeing that it is by faith and by grace that we stand fast Keepe vs O good Father standing that wee doe not fall 1. Cor. 10. Let vs prooue our selues if we be in faith and let this faith increase that it may shine as gold in the middest of afflictions that it be also stirred vp in vs without ceasing and strengthened by a dailie hearing of thy word meditating of thy bounties and by supplications and prayers that in this fraile and olde ruinous age of the world Psal 62. ◠since that the infidels are as an old tottering wall we may be strong sure constant dailie leaning vpon this strong tower and rocke thy sonne Iesus Christ So be it A consideration vppon this which is spoken of the vse of Gods word taken out of the 30. Chap. of the Prouerbes EVerie word of the Lorde is purged and is as a bucklar vnto those that haue proofe in the same Dauid speaketh almost the same in the 12. Psalme Now for a trueth the wordes of the Lord are pure wordes as the siluer be it that we behold his subiect for it interpreteth not of worldlie vanitie as dooth other doctrine but of holie and heauenlie thinges be it that a man consider his effectes And they which doe receaue it by faith feele by it their heartes purged of earthlie thoughtes be it that a man respect the Author of this word which is pure and faithfull in his holy promises more purer than anie fined siluer But as concerning mankinde there is in them no assurance nor no faith as it is said in the first of Esai Thy siluer is become drosse in short there is nothing in men but corruption and deceite And if a man would behold the manifold fires persecutions wherethrough the word of the Lord hath passed it should be seene how much shee hath made triall in that it can consume nothing nor hinder the course of Gods word Great a doe haue they that striue or storme against the word of GOD when they shal persecute it it will shine so much the more and will be alwayes a bucklar vnto the children of God against all manner of temptations euen as Iesus Christ hath shewed vs a godlie example in the 4. Chap. of S. Matthew when he was tempted of the Diuill how we must be holpen with this bucklar Certaine godlie textes taken out of the Prophetes concerning Faith and the assurance that we ought to haue in God The 7. of Esai ver 9. IF you beleeue not Iames. 1. sure you shall not be established For he that wauereth is like a waue of the Sea tost and caried away of the winde The 12. of Esai The faithfull feeling their deliuerāce by Christ shall say Lord I giue vnto thee thankes and albeit thou hast bin angrie with me thy wrath is turned away and thou hast comforted me Behold God is my saluation I wil trust and will not feare for the Lord God is my strength and song he also is become my Saluation Therefore with ioy shall you drawe waters out of the welles of saluation The 25. of Esai The manner of the faithfuls thankesgiuing O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee I will praise thy name for thou hast doone woonderfull thinges according to the counsels of olde with a stable trueth For thou hast beene a strength
that is our louing heartes knit together For God loueth the offering of him who hath a louing heart But if the heart be froward then doeth nothing of his actions or doinges please the Lord. A thing that is plainelie seene in the histore of Abel and Cain In short for so much as hee which hateth his brother is a murtherer 1. Iohn 3. God will haue no acquaintance with murtherers let vs make no account to obtaine his diuine fauour if wee be not louing and at peace with our neighbors Afterwards the Lord warneth vs howe wee should pray Lead vs not into Temptation ANd in this behalfe hee dooth warne vs howe the aduersarie can doe nothing against vs but in so much as the Lorde dooth suffer him to the end that all our feare and reuerence bee alwayes made readie to the Lorde Wee reade in the 24. Chapt. of the second booke of the Kinges how God did deliuer the citie of Ierusalem into the handes of the king of Babylon For it was by the occasion of our sinnes that the wicked were let loose against vs as it is said in the 42. of Esai Who is it that giueth Iacob for a spoile Is it God against whome they haue sinned And in the first booke of the Kinges and 11. Chap. The Lord threatened Salomon to raise vp an aduersarie against him because that he had forgotten himselfe in cōmitting so manie vilanous thinges Wherefore wee be tempted And as concerning these powers and temptations which hee prepareth against vs they are for two diuers causes Either it is to punish vs when wee doe offend or else to make vs victorious when as by them wee be onelie proued tried which may be seene in the historie of Iob. The Lorde in the 19. of S. Iohn speaking of himselfe said vnto Pilate Thou shouldest haue no power ouer me if it were not giuen thee from aboue Now this prayer whereby wee doe pray that the Lord lead vs not into temptation doeth represent before our eyes mans weakenesse that is subiect vnto so many knockes in such sort as it is not for him to doe any brauerie but rather dailie to watch to the ende that hee enter not into temptation following so many warninges as are made vnto vs. The spirite is readie but the flesh is weake what then shall we doe Let vs praie the Lorde and that that we shall aske with humblenesse he will grant vs for his fidelitie There is in the end of the praier But deliuer vs from euill Vnder this is cōprehended all that our enemies can deuise and platte against vs and wherewith we be defended if the Lord doth heare our praiers lend vnto vs his helpe Well then when we doe pray to be preserued from euill it is to be deliuered from all daunger and from all enterprises whether it be from sathan or the world in such sort as hauing the protection of God against euil we may wel hold vs most assured For how shall he feare any ill in this world that is kept of God in this world compassed about with his safegard To be short this is the life euerlasting the fulnesse of all good hap Iohn 17. to know one onelie true God and him whom he had sent into this world Iesus Christ our Sauiour Now our Lord Iesus hath not onelie commaunded vs to pray Luke 6. but he himselfe hath giuen vs an example withdrawing himselfe oftē vp into the mountaine to make his prayer And if he did pray which was exempt frō sinne how is it then that we poore wretches doe not pray to God The prayer of Iesus Christ And if he haue passed some times whole nightes therein wherefore doe we leaue off a thing so necessarie His prayer was not so much for himselfe as for vs. And wee see that which is spoken how that Sathan had desire to sift the Apostles but that he had prayed that their faith should not faile them In the 17. Chap. of S. Iohn he saith I pray not onelie for thē but for all those that shall beleeue in me O what bountie affectioned loue was that of our sauiour that was not contented to redeeme vs by his bloud but had moreouer great desire to pray for vs. And he hath prayed that we might bee all one well knowing that in the kingdome of God no discord doeth enter Nowe when wee pray my brethren let all fleshlie thinges bee farre from vs that the spirit may thinke vppon none other thing but vppon onelie praier And thereof commeth the manner that wee haue when as one in the beginning of our prayers pronounceth these wordes Lift vp your heartes And the people aunswere Wee lift them vp vnto the Lord. So that it is requisite that our heartes be shut vp from Sathan and open vnto our God The Diuell is craftie and hee seeketh some clift creuie or chinke by the which hee may slide into our vnderstandinges and to turne them away from God So that by this meane hee maketh vs to haue one thing in our heartes and an other thing in our tongues and yet in the meane space it is the heart that God demaundeth not the sound of the mouth For what lack of consideration is this for a man to be wretched in manie thoughtes in praying to God seeing that it is a thing wherein wee ought so much to take heed how wee pray vnto this great God How wouldest thou that GOD should heare thee when that thou doest not heare thy selfe Wouldest thou that God should haue remembrance of thee thou doest nowhit at all remember thy selfe This is to giue our selues for a pray vnto our enemie and to offend the maiestie of GOD This is also to watch with the eyes and to sleepe with the heart Furthermore it is needefull that the praier haue his effect and not be barren and this is the cause wherefore the scripture hath often times ioyned with it almes and fasting as the examples are thereof in Toby and in the good captaine Cornelius whereof it is spoken in the 10. of the Actes And in the 58. of Esay amongest other thinges that the Lorde requireth of those which call vpon him it is that they breake their breade vnto those which haue hunger Beholde heere the chiefe pointes that are requisite in true prayer that S. Cyprian describeth Blessed are those whome the Lorde shall finde waking and praying be it that he take vs by death or else that wee be chaunged in the twincking of an eie to appeare in his iudgement Now O Lord giue vs grace to praise thee vnto whom be all honour and glorie for euer So be it 2. Thessalonians Chap. 2. Brethren stande fast and holde the ordinaunces which ye haue beene taught whether it be by our preaching or by our Epistle Our Lorde Iesus Christ and God and our Father which hath loued vs and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope in grace comfort your hearts and stablish you in all good saying and dooing FINIS
For so is there none other meane to finde saluation life Or whither shall we goe elswhere He hath the wordes of euerlasting life as S. Peter saith in the 6. Chap. of S. Iohn But it is not with the feete of the bodie that we goe to him it is the soule that ought to march forwardes and to drawe neere to him by faith who dooth approch so neere vnto him that it ioyneth and buindeth vs with him yea it dooth graft vs in him euen as the branches are grafted in a vine stock Iohn 15.2 that in him wee might haue good consciences bring forth fruites agreeable or pleasing vnto God So might we then well say O Lord thou which doost call vs Peter drawe vs if it please thee vnto thee drawe turne our spirites willes vnto thee Be thou thy selfe the Adamāt Rom. 9. which drawest our heartes more harder than iron Rom. 9. For alas it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in thee O God that shewest mercie And because thou pitiest not the proud high-minded that feele not the charge of their sinnes Zacha. 3. which are more heauie than a great lumpe of lead but shewest mercie to the broken contrite and sorowfull soule and beholdest all those that doe grone vnder the burthen of their sorowfull sinnes giue vs grace to humble our selues that we may be exalted and to feele our death that thou maist quicken and make vs a liue that O Lord wee doe not despise or refuse thy yoke seeing that it is an easie yoke when as by thy spirit thou wilt guide vs and by thy word gouern vs giuing vs a daughterly spirit which is the spirit of adoption seeing also that to serue thee is to raigne to obay thee is to rule and so to triumph ouer the diuell sinne This is not the fearefull yoke of the law that threatened condemnation to all those which did not fulfill it This is not the damnable yoke wherewithall the sinners are wrapped in whereof is spoken in the 1. Chap. of Ieremies Lament The yoke of my transgressions is bound vppon my hand they are wrapped and come vp vppon my necke But Lord who would refuse thy yoke which is so easie seeing it giueth rest vnto the soule seeing it vnbindeth and riddeth vs out of the diuels yoke and from the oppression as it is said in thy Prophet Esai 9. Chap. Therefore receaue againe vnto thee thy poore creatures and bring vs O Lord and gather vs together as the poore straying sheepe vnto that great shepheard Iesus Christ Of the continuaunce which is required in the Christians taken out of the 24. of S. Matthewe IEsus aunswered and sayde vnto them Take heede that no man deceiue you for many shal come in my name saying I am Christ shall deceiue manie And ye shal heare of wars rumors of wars see that you be not troubled for all these thinges must come to passe but the end is not yet For Nation shal rise against Nation Realme against Realme there shal be pestilēce famin earthquakes in diuers places and all these are but the beginninges of sorrowes Then shall they deliuer you vp to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shal be hated of all nations for my name sake And then shal many be offended and shall betraie one another Furthermore manie false prophetes shal arise and shall deceiue many and because iniquitie shall be increased the loue of many shall wax colde but he that endureth to the ende hee shall be saued A MEDITATION vpon the same Text or place The verie same we doe see in worldly affaires that it is nothing to beginne except a man guide his enterprise vnto the full And when a man freeth himselfe of one leape he looketh not vnto the difficulties but he resolueth to passe further So sayth S. Cyprian in the 5. Epistle of his first booke Faith saueth vs not Ad Furiam to be receiued only once but to be kept For as S. Ierome writeth Men seeke not the beginning of Christians but the ende S. Paule had ill begunne but he ended well Contrariwise Iudas had a good beginning but his ende was verie euill Therefore it is a speciall gift of God to be able to holde out and in such sort to runne in this race 1. Cor. 9. as wee may be able to get the wager For heere wee must beware of presumption and in all humblenesse to aske of God that he will make vs strong Men doe see how S. Peter did make himselfe resolute yet did the voyce of a chamber mayde astonie him Beholde what our weakenesse is Besides that it offereth vnto vs fightings without and feares within as S. Paul declareth in the 7. Chap. of the 2. to the Corinthians in such sort as there is no occasion to thinke well of ourselues Philip. 4. and to resolue vs against such difficulties distrusting of ourselues Rom. 16.20 vnlesse wee take courage and boldenesse in him by whom wee may doe all and that will also treade downe Sathan vnder our feete Nowe to the ende that all may bee prepared to fight the good fight and that to a holy perseueraunce Iesus Christ hath foretolde vnto vs the Allarmes that wee shall haue namely in the later daies wherin the backeslidinges reuoltinges and most daungerous temptations shall be seene Hee foretelleth of the one side that there shall be seducers that shall haue faire outwarde shewe but will shewe themselues in the end robbers of the Church pretending reformation as is seene howe the Anabaptistes and Schwencfeldiens lamented the corruptions Anabaptistes maners and offences which were in the Church and of the misusing of those which did abuse the Gospell and therewith did not onely hatch vp in them an intollerable pride presumption but also strong errours ouerthrowing the foundations of faith and all policie All this ought to make vs practise that which is sayde in the 4. Chap. of the 1. Epistle of S. Iohn Deerely beloued beleeue not euerie spirit but trie the spirites whether they are of God for many false prophets are gone out into the worlde Moreouer good heede must bee taken therein because that besides the manifest ydolaters as the Papistes are besides open heretikes and blasphemers as the Arrians be denying the true diuinitie of the sonne of God and other like that are founde in the middest of the Church which daily shall make diuisions and will preferre their discourses as Oracles willing that men should beleeue them as Gods word and will defend frowardly obstinately their goodlie interpretations that rather than they will yeelde they would set before the olde heresies euen as it is to be seene in many who stubbornely willing to defende the opinion of Luther in the point of the supper which is altogether builded vpon the doctrine of Pope Nicolas as Luther confesseth it in his great confession haue inuented
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.
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
hath taught vs to pray When you pray sayth he say thus Our Father vvhich art in heauen halowed bee thy name thy kingdome come thy vvill be done in earth as it is in heauen giue vs this day our daily bread and forgiue vs our trespasses as vve forgiue them that trespasse against vs leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euil For thine is the kingdome the povver and the glorie for euer and euer Amen THe first thing which wee learne in the entrie of this prayer An exposition of the Lords prayer is that the Doctor of peace and the Maister of all true vnion and concord would not that our prayer should be particular for one alone See wherefore we doe not say My father which art in heauen giue me my dailie bread c. Thus it appeareth how this prayer is publike and common and wee pray not for one alone but for all because in deede all Gods people is but one bodie God would that one onelie making his prayer should pay for all the other euen as one onelie man hath saued manie and through one onelie spirit he gouerneth all his childrens heartes And to this doeth agree that which wee doe read of the Apostles Actes 1. who continued together in holie prayers so as there was but one heart amongest them all and of their holie companie Now my brethren it is an incredible thing how manie great secretes there bee here in this prayer of the Lorde that is so well trussed vp and short in wordes but of most great strength and right well furnished of all demaundes that are needefull and necessarie for vs. Yee shall say then Our Father Our Father which art c. Oh the happie and louing beginning of our prayer For marke yee howe the new regenerate man that is reconciled vnto God such a one calleth vppon God his father because that hee hath alreadie begunne to bee the childe of God To all those that haue receiued him Iohn 1. hee hath giuen vnto thē this priuiledge to bee made the children of God vnto those I say that doe beleeue in him In such sort as the beleeuing man to make an acknowledgement vnto the Lord of such a fauour Deut. 33.9 Not that he ought to despise his father but God ought to goe before and those places are not simply to this purpose both to strengthen his faith also to make witnesse to whome hee doeth belong ought to call vpon God as his father before all things to recken him for such In the 33. of Deut. he saith of his Father Mother I haue not knowen nor seene him such a one is praysed because he stayeth himselfe to keepe the statutes couenants of the Lord. To this hath our Lord respect in the 23. of S. Matthew saying Let vs not name the Father on the earth Mat. 23.9 because that we haue a father that is on high in heauen Matth. 8.22 And in S. Matthew he said vnto a yong man Leaue off from burying thy father which is dead which was to the ende that hee might studie to doe rather his duetie towardes the liuing and heauenlie Father Go to then behold God which is in heauen but see the consolation of Christians how he is ours and we are his in as much as he hath chosen and sanctified vs. The Iewes The wretched Iewes that haue mistooke Iesus Christ and cruelly haue put him to death cannot call God their father For as the sauiour reprooueth them to their great confusion Iohn 8. the deuill is your father seeing that you fulfill his desires God did then this honor to communicate himselfe with them But he saith by Esai Esay 1.2 I haue nourished and chosen children and they haue mistaken and disdained me that which the Oxe and the Asse haue not done who know the stable and crib of those which owe them Therefore my brethren let vs consider how God by the meane of our faith beginneth to be our father and for the Iewes vnbeliefe ceaseth to bee theirs are wee then giuen ouer to sinnne Wee bee no more children but seruauntes according vnto that our Lorde saith Whosoeuer sinneth is a seruant to sinne The sonne remaineth alwayes in his fathers house that which the seruant doeth not Let vs therefore my louing brethren acknowledge acknowledge againe what fauor it is for vs to dare be able to presēt our selues before God in the qualitie of Gods childrē Who durst haue beene so bold as to haue giuen himselfe such a title to haue vndertaken it if the true onelie euerlasting sonne of God had not giuen vs leaue and commaundement It is for vs to haue remembraunce that hauing God for our Father wee must behaue our selues according as it is becomming for the children of such a Lorde And if wee be well contented of such a father let vs also doe in like manner that hee may of his owne part in like case haue iust occasion not to bee mislyking of vs. Let vs not become bastardes but let vs become spirituall and giuen to all holie and praise woorthie thinges after the example of our father and that it may appeare how wee bee the children and temple of this great God Now what is the first demaund that we doe aske of our Father How the name of God is made holie Hallowed bee thy name Not that our prayers doe make the name of God holie but wee pray that his name may be made holie in vs. What is hee will some say that shall sanctifie the name of God Is it not hee which sanctifieth all thinges Wee are admonished in the 20. of Leuiticus Be ye holie as I am holie Therefore let vs pray him that hee will graunt vs grace to enter into the holinesse whereof we are aduertised in our baptisme to continue therein And so be we who aske to bee sanctified yea alwayes for so much as our sinnes doe dailie defile vs in such sort as the name of God his word are not made holie honored by vs vnlesse wee our selues be also sanctified Afterwardes hee saith Thy kingdome come Gods kingdome is euerlasting and was before that euer wee were But it is in the respect of vs that wee doe aske Let thy kingdome come That wee which haue serued in the world and to Sathan may haue from henceforward Christ raigning in vs. This kingdome is gotten vnto vs by the bloud of our Sauiour and shall bee truelie fulfilled when wee shall heare this sweete saying Come yee blessed of my father into the kingdome which is prepared for you c. Now wee doe well to require the kingdome of heauen For there is also an earthlie kingdome But hee that hath tasted the least thing in the world what the heauenlie things are doth despise the earthlie And it is a thing vnto the which wee ought diligentlie to watch with Prayers and supplications least that we be