23. Luc. 19. thou shalt finde the theefe hanged on his right hande thou shalt finde the publicane Zachaeus and many others whom he receyued with marueilous kindnesse pronounced them free from all their sinnes were they neuer so gréeuous For Christ is verie grace it selfe mercie aide consolation life ioy and saluation to all them which desire those things of him and doe put their trust and confidence in him God which is veritie and cannot lye hath promised al these things for Christ his sake vnto vs. He therefore will neuer deceiue vs beguile vs nor forsake vs. Furthermore it will come into thy minde also when thou art in daunger of death if thou haue hurted or endammaged thy neighbour by any meanes as if thou eyther haue stollen or taken away any thing from him or if thou haue slaundered him Here thou shalt doe euen the same thing which Christ did hanging vpon the Crosse Luc. 23. thou shalt praye for all thine enimies and shalt forgiue them from the bottome of thine hart all the wrongs they haue done vnto thée If any thing of thine be stolen from thée thou shalt not violently requyre it agayne If thou haue taken awaye anye other mans good restore it againe if thou maye or prouide that it may be restored againe neyther shalt thou kéepe any thing priuie but shalt confesse it vnto God and aske forgiuenesse of the same and be sorie that thou hast so offended If so be that thou be not able for thy pouertie to repaie the thing thou hast wrongfully taken it shall bée sufficient if thou forgiue others which haue done eyther wrong or violence to thée in body or goods or haue takē away thy good name If I say thou forgiue them with all thine hart there is no cause why thou shouldest be carefull Be of good comfort and doubt not but God will forgiue thée the wrongs which thou hast done vnto others Truely hée can not but release his sinnes which forgiueth his neighbour For he himselfe hath taught vs this order and way of recompensing Math. 6. and loosing If yée shall forgiue other men there trespasses your heauenly father shall also forgiue you Whether the sick may lawfully seeke the phisitions help and vse phisick or no. THe sick body shall neyther despise the phisition his help nor haue it in admiration Let his chéefe hope be stedfastly fastined vppon God which as he alone did put the soule into the body So he onely taketh it awaye when it pleaseth him Sometime notwithstanding the phisition is to bée sent for least we shoulde séeme to tempt God For séeing medicines of themselues neither can restore health nor cause diseases yet notwithstanding when they are ministred of a naturall wise phisition well exercised in reasonable rules thei are wholesome and worthily called the handes of God as Herophilus witnesseth the which thing also holye scripture testifieth For it is written Honor the phisition Eccle. 38. For the most highest hath created him for necessities sake The most highest hath created medicine out of the earth and the prowdest man will not abhorre it Tellers of destinies inchauntours wicked coniurers and deceyuers which pretende to cure the sicke with false prayers and orisons are to bée driuen awaye and eschued as the pestilence For witches are the handes of the diuell and not of almightie God by whose worde and power all things ought to bée gouerned What is to be done when death bringeth terror and feare vpon vs. THou shalt thinke that death is conquered and vtterly destroyed by Christ And except Christ hauing compassion on vs had suffered death for vs the feare of death woulde haue troubled vs with great and horrible heauinesse and intolerable tormentes of minde But death béeing ouercome and destroyed by Christ the soules of them which trust in him can not dye and perishe but they go straight wayes vnto Christ after their departing out of this bodye As the théefe béeing in extremitie heard it sayed vnto him Luc. 23. This daye thou shalt be with me in paradise The body in the meane season resteth in sure hope to rise againe in the last daye vnto that most blessed immortall lyfe with great glorie magnificence and honour as renewed and clarified that it may liue togither with the soule for euer with Christ and all his elect amongst whom we shall finde many which were either our fréendes or kinsfolks here in this worlde The death of godly mē is called a sleepe Therefore holy Scripture calleth the death of godly men a sléepe For the verie same our brickle fraile weake mortall and corruptible body shall be raysed vp in the last day as a man stirred out of his sléepe and forthwith death extinct and abolished it shall appéere incorruptible glorious beautifull sounde helthfull immortall whole pure perfite spirituall as it is written vnto the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15. Psal 116. And hereof the psalmist sayeth Right déere in the sight of the lorde is the death of his saints Waighe those things diligently in thy minde déerely beloued that thou mayest not be seduced with the wicked world which supposeth vs vtterly to dye the body togither with the soule to decaye and perishe and that no part of vs shall remayne after the departing out of this lyfe But they are farre out of the waye and greatly deceyued therein Our body is not so vile and so little regarded in the sight of God but great honour glorie and saluation is prepared and appointed for it For the verie same body which we carie about with vs and the same which lyeth vpon the bedde afflicted and tormented the verie same body I say renewed and glorified shall liue togither with the soule for euer If so bée that wée shoulde léese our body and neuer recouer it againe the death of saintes were not precious and honorable but vile horrible and most cruell Wherfore these things considered diligently thou shalt support and holde vp thy wauering mind erected by sure hope in the sentences of holy scripture Beléeue them and doubt nothing at all For it is vndoutedly true that I tell thée As the body of Christ béeing buried euen vntill the thirde daye rose againe the thirde day vnto a new and eternal life neuer to die againe so the bodies of all them which haue slept in Christ that is to say which haue beléeued on Christ doe rest in there graues onely for a time to rise againe in the last daye in sure hope of the most ioyful and glorious resurrection into a new and perpetual life where shall bée neyther sinne nor anye death calamitie or any other thing Apoc. 21. than righteousnesse innocencie lyfe ioy blisfulnesse and saluation worlde without ende God which is of infinite power and veritie it selfe hath promised those things They shall therefore come to passe vndoubtedly Therefore trust thou stedfastly vnto hys promises Furthermore the testimonies of scripture for the resurrection of the fleshe are
diligently to be thought vpon and earnestly to be beaten into our mindes by often repeticion Thus doth saint Paule teache vs 1. Thes 4. that we strengthen one another with such communication of the resurrection that we mought thereby be comforted There can be none more certaine nor more plentifull consolations giuen vnto vs than those which we seeke out of the testimonies of holye scripture for the approbation of the resurrection Wée declare not the wordes of man but of God which surely and mightily will performe and bring to passe all that he hath spoken No man can alter the the will of God no man can let or hinder his purpose and counsell His power cannot be measured he is true and faithfull his goodnesse and mercie is endlesse Therfore let no man doubt thereof The testimonies of scripture for the resurrection of the deade Math. 23. THe iust men shall shine as bright as the Sunne in the kingdome of there Father Ioan. 5. Verily verily I saye vnto you hée that heereth my words and beléeueth on him that sent mée hath euerlasting lyfe and shall not come into damnation but is escaped from death vnto lyfe Ioan. 6. This is the will of him that sent me that euery man which seeth the sonne and beléeueth on him haue euerlasting lyfe and I will rayse him vp at the last day Ioan. 8. Verily verily I saye vnto you if a man kéepe my sayings he shall neuer sée death Ioan. 11. Christ sayde that Lazarus did sléepe which notwithstanding had yéelded vp the ghost whose deade body was committed vnto the graue But Christ restoreth the dead vnto lyfe againe and calleth those things which be not as though they were Therefore he addeth this saying I am the resurrection Rom. 4. Ioan. 11. and the lyfe He that beléeueth on mée yea though he were deade yet shall lyue and forthwith after those wordes hée raysed vp Lazarus which had layne foure daies in his graue being putryfied and smelling And bicause we are fearefull and faint-harted by nature in those agonies that we maye haue the better helpe to beléeue that there shall be a Resurrection many were restored from death to lyfe in the dayes of the prophets and the apostles Christ raysed vp from death to lyfe the wydowes Luc. 7. He raysed vp also the maister of the Sinagoge his daughter Iairus was hir father Luc. 8. He restored Lazarus vnto lyfe Ioan. 11. Act. 9. Act. 20. 4. Reg. 4. Peter likewyse made Tabytha aliue again Paule reuiued Eutychus Helyseus the prophet reuiued his Hostes dead sonne Helias the prophet reuoked the womans childe of Sareptha to lyfe againe 3. Reg. 17. God also assumed and tooke vnto him that two most holy Gene. 5. 4. Reg. 2. mighty men Enoch and Elia rapt alyue both body and soule togithers out of this frayle and wretched world that he might by them giue vs some taste and signification of the true lyfe to come least we also shoulde beleue that no parte of vs remayneth after this miserable lyfe according to the opinion of the heathen gentiles and Epicures Furthermore the faint harted sick body is to be admonished that he remember and thinke what that greatest and mightie lord both of lyfe and death Iesus Christ sayed in saint Luke his gospell Luc. 8. Iairus daughter Wéepe not for the damsell is not deade but sléepeth Mans reason harde of beléefe not vnderstanding the secrete mysteries of God did laugh these wordes to scorne But Christ making it true verifying his words restored the dead mayden vnto life againe as soone as he had spoken the wordes The very same lord Iesus Christ wil receiue thy soule and will preserue it and in the last day he wil restore thy body vnto thy soule againe will couple them vnto eternall lyfe Ioan. 5. The time shall come when al they which are in there graues shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that haue done good shall come forth vnto the resurrection of lyfe If so be that the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus from death dwell in you euen hée that raysed vp Christ from death Rom. 8. shall quicken your mortall bodies bicause that his spirite dwelleth in you God hath raysed vp the lorde Christ and shall rayse vs vp by his power The .xv. 1. Cor. 6. chapter of the first epistle to the corinthians is full of most sweete and effectual consolations hereof no golde is to be compared vnto them Saint Paule in the same chapter so knitteth and fasteneth our resurrection vnto the resurrection of Christ that it maye not be pulled or seperated from it as by this reason Christ is risen againe from the deade the which thing is most certeine Therefore without all doubt wée also shall ryse againe For Christ is our heade Ephe. 4.5 Ioan. 12. and we are hys members mystically This head is not wtout his members neyther doth he leaue and forsake his members Where Christ is Ephe. 5. there shall we be also For we are members of his bodye of his fleshe and of his bones Who can sufficiently declare according to the worthynesse thereof that vnmeasurable glorie of inestimable vnspeakable grace and mercy that God descending from heauen into the lowest partes did vouchsafe to become a mortall man that this frayle and bryckle nature of man vnited vnto his deuine nature mought be brought vnto euerlasting life being made partaker of the heauenly kingdome by the infinite and incomprehensible might and efficacie of his diuinitie and godhead If we beléeue that so great riches were bestowed vpon vs and that so blessed a lyfe remayneth for vs how I praye you can we be false harted or troubled in minde The nature of all faithfull people which haue béene both before and also since Christ and those which are yet to come without all question hath put on immortalitie in Christ being perfite God and perfite man The comfort therfore of Christ his resurrection is most plentiful and effectuall wherewith saint Paule doth strengthen the mindes of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15. where as he sayeth Christ is risen from the deade and is become the first fruites of them that sléepe For by a man came death and by a man came the resurrection of the dead For as by Adam all dye euen so by Christe shall all be made alyue and euery man in his own order The first is Christ than they that are Christs Here saint Paule maketh a similitude of naturall things whereby the resurrection maye be the more cléerely and manifestly perceyued And the similitude is taken of drie seede which the husbandman casteth into the earth It dieth rotteth after a fashion Yet notwithstanding that which is committed vnto the earth doth not vtterly perishe but it commeth forth of the earth againe freshe and new with a pleasant hansome ioyful forme and shape And euen so shall our
bodye rise againe not corruptible bryckle fraile feeble as now it is but faire cleane beautifull strong of perfite force and immortall vnto euerlasting lyfe This is the way by thys corporall death vnto true and eternall lyfe into oure true countrey 1. Cor. 15. Flesh and blood cannot inherite the kingdome of God wherein is nothing but lyfe and therefore this mortalitie must put on immortalitie Esac 25. Oseae 13. Then shall the saying come to passe which is written Death is swalowed vp into the victorie they nowe whiche beléeue in Christ haue ouercome sinne death and hell They therefore contemning death being strong and bolde in Christ will say Hell where is thy victorie Sinne is the sting of death the lawe is the strength of sinne But prayse be vnto God which hath giuen vs the victorie through our lorde Iesus Christ We wyll adde also other sentences of scripture conteyning plentifull comfort 1. Cor. 4. HE that raysed vp the lorde Iesus Christ from death shall rayse vs vp also Phill. 3. Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the lorde Iesus Christ which shall chaunge our vile bodies that they maye be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodye according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things vnto him Colos 3. Yée are dead and your lyfe is hidde with Christ in God When Christ which is our lyfe shall shewe himselfe then shall ye also appéere with him in glorie I woulde not brethren 1. Thes 4. haue you ignorant concerning them which are fallen a sléepe that ye sorrow not as other do which haue no hope For if we beléeue that Iesus Christ dyed and rose againe euen so they also which sléepe by Iesus will God bring againe with him And saint Paule doth comfort Tymothe his scholar in the articles of the resurrection by these wordes Remember sayeth he that Iesus Christ being of the séede of Dauid rose againe from death 2. Timo 3.2 according to my gospell If we are dead with Christ we shall also liue with him If we suffer with him we shall raigne with him Saint Paule sayeth that Christ Hebr. 2. by the grace of GOD should taste of death for all men And in the same place he sayeth also that Christ was made partaker of our flesh and blood that is to saye hée became perfite man that hée might put downe through death him that had lordship ouer death that is to wit the diuell and that he might delyuer them whosoeuer through feare of death were all there lyfe time in daunger of bondage God saued vs 2. Timo. 1. and called vs with an holy calling not according to our déedes but according to his owne purpose grace which grace was giuen vs through Christ before the world was but is now declared openly by the appéering of our sauior Iesu Christ which hath put away death hath brought lyfe and immortalitie to light 1. Ioan. 3. We know that we are translated from death vnto lyfe bicause we loue the brethren 1. Ioan. 4. In this appéered the loue of God to vs warde bicause that God sent his onely begotten sonne into the world that we might liue thorow him Iob. 19. I am sure that my redéemer lyueth and that I shall ryse out of the earth at the last day and that I shall be clothed againe with this skin and sée God in my fleshe yea I my selfe shall beholde him not with other but with the same eyes He that diligently doth meditate thinke vpon these testimonies of scripture cannot choose but take much comfort and great ioy therof Saint Paule may be a most euident example thereof vnto vs which hartily reioyseth in his owne behalfe that he knoweth Christ Phill. 3. and the power of his resurrectiō whereby our death is slaine Now therfore death is dead vnto all them which beléeue in Christ there is nothing now in death terrible which is to be dreaded and feared besides the onely ymage and shape thereof Euen as a serpent being kylled kéepeth notwithstanding that his olde and fearefull figure but hath no power in him to doe harme Num. 21. and euen as the lyue serpentes died when the brasen serpent was looked on which Moyses set vp in the wildernesse by the might of the power of God and the Iewes could not be infected with venome of the lyue serpentes Likewise also our death his dead and made harmlesse and nothing to be feared if we looke vpon and beholde the liuely death of Christ wyth the eyes of our fayth And to be short death is like the verie ymage and shadowe of death yea more rather she is the beginning and enteraunce into the true lyfe Christ which is the veritie it selfe sayeth Ioan. 24. Ioan. 8. If a man kéepe my wordes he shall neuer sée death How I pray you may this be I will showe you howe A man that trusteth in the mercie of Christ by the fayth which he hath taken out of the gospell is so incorporated as I may so terme it and so vnited and coupled vnto his lorde and mayster Christ which is the true lyfe Ioan. 14. that he may not be pulled or separated from him This body therefore is sundred and deuided from the soule in moste sure hope of the glorious resurrection vnto euerlasting lyfe For within short space the body shal be restored againe vnto the soule that they maye both enioy felicitie And he that thus beléeueth in Christ shall not sée eternall death of body and soule that is to witte perpetuall damnation which is the true death The death of godly men is a going forth into the company of the elect For the death of godlye men is a going forth and departing out of this mortall life into immortalitie vnto Christ vnto the angelles and vnto all the saints What is to bee done when hell or eternall damnation comming in our minds doth feare vs. THe malignant spirite maketh man verie solicitous pensiue about his predestination putting those cruell and horrible thoughts of predestination in hys mynde What if thou shouldest not please God What if he hath vtterly cast thée off How knowest thou that thou art one of the number of them whome God hath elected and chosen vnto euerlasting lyfe These and the lyke temptations are most bitter and doe most gréeuously torment and vexe the minde Wherefore thou must here stande fast on both féete as the prouerbe is and it is needefull that thou constantly defend thy selfe in this conflict But it thou wouldest obtaine the victory in this battell thou must set vpon him by this policie craft Forthwith as soone as these temptations come vnto thée from the Diuell beware thou enter not into disputation with him beware thou deale not with him neyther answere him againe But put him off from thée chased awaye with these wordes and cogitations Sathan get thée hence depart
gréeuously feare what thing can more cruelly vexe and torment his conscience ouerwhelmed with sinne then when he doubteth of the mercie of God when he dreadeth least God be his aduersarie and will reiect him when he is not able to conceyue this fayth of his mercie and doth imagine himselfe to be cast awaye as a drie member that is cut off Be present here O Iesus Christ with thine aide and helpe here we haue néede of thy comfort let not this black violent and horrible tempest of troubles ouerthrowe and drowne wretched man But there is no cause why we shoulde doubt Christ is true he will make his promises to appéere he will helpe vs and refreshe vs. Therfore where as thy fayth is not strong ynough where as thy hart is striken with feare and trembling where as thou féelest thy selfe to doubt of Gods mercie and hast well néere no faith at all straight wayes call vppon God bewayle thy miserie and lack of beléefe before him seeke for his ayde and succour by feruent prayer and hée will both helpe and refreshe thée and by this meanes thou shalt glorifie him He hath taken vpon him thus to do and he will bring it to passe But take héede especially thou cease not to call vpon God 1. Cor. 1. Beséech thou without all ceassing the father of all consolation and comfort with sighes comming from the bottome of thine hart that he turne not his face from thée Laye thy weakenesse vpon him and poure out into his bosome al other things which trouble and torment thée Crie out with his disciples Luc. 17. Math. 9. O lord increase my faith Lykewise say thou with the father of the lunatike childe Lorde I beleue help thou mine vnbeléefe Make hast O lorde to helpe me before that I oppressed with this weight be drowned Thy mercie is aboue all thy workes O most mercifull O most bounteous father O lorde God of my saluation Psal 143. my succour and refuge enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Christ is my righteousnesse redemption and innocencie which suffered most bitter and cruel death for my sake Let those things moue thée O father of all compassion Haue mercie on me for this thy sōnes sake Confirme and strengthē mine hart by faith in Christ Comfort mée with the consolations of the holy ghost that I may enioy the true ioyes in Christ for euer If thou after this maner laboring stryuing and fighting with thine imbecillitie and weakenesse accusing and bewayling thine incredulitie and faint courage doe take holde vpon Christ and sticke fast and sure vnto him once taken desiring and beséeching his ayde with continuall and earnest prayers that he will vouchsafe to fulfill all things lacking in thée substituting himself in thy roume if I say thou thus doe then all shall be in good case all things shall go well with thee and there shall be no perill For truely these two things to beléeue in Christ and to cal for faith by earnest praier doe not much differ one from the other Although thou be weake and endued with a féeble minde let this thing notwithstanding comfort and aduaunce thée againe that God hath commaunded and wylleth that we shoulde call vpon him and that he hath promised to héere beneuolently Psal 45. and to helpe vs when we call vpon him Furthermore as nothing is more iustly desired of God than true fayth euen so he héereth no prayer sooner more wyllingly than that wherein man finding no goodnesse in himselfe acknowledging his infirmitie hys weakenesse and miserie accuseth his vnbeléefe bewayling and lamenting the same desiring to haue faith with plentie and wofull sighes earnest prayers These sighes these prayers this smale faith be it neuer so little is in déede a godly and a bright sparkle and the séede of God which neuer riseth without the efficacie and working of God in vs which speaketh of Christ by the prophet Esay Esay 42. A brused réede shall hée not breake and the smoking flaxe he shall not quench Wherefore see that thou beleue constantly on Christ or beséeche him at the least wise with hartie prayers that thou mayest beleeue bewayling thine vnbeléefe before God If thou doe those things thou shalt nothing doubt but thou art reckened righteous before God and to be his childe which not without consideration nor in vaine did laye our weakenesse Esay 53. and all our sinnes vppon Christ his onely begotten sonne Math. 5. Christ himselfe sayeth in saint Mathew Blessed are the pore in spirit For theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are they that mourne For they shal receiue comfort Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse For they shall be filled These wordes were spoken vnto thée also they doe well agrée accorde in thée Thou doest mourne and art sorie for thy wicked lyfe it gréeueth thée from the bottome of thine hart thou doest thirst and hunger after righteousnesse haue a good hope and be of good comfort and thou shalt obtaine the things which thou doest desire and nowe thou art reputed iust before God through Christ For that cause Rom. 4. thou shalt commit thy soule into the hande of God the father after the example of Christ and saint Stephan saying these wordes Acto 7. O most mercifull father I giue and commit into thine handes my spirite yea rather thy spirite seing that thou hast giuen it me ioyned vnto my body for a season seing that it is thine owne ymage lykenesse Gen. 1. 2. made after thine owne similitude seing that thine onely begotten sonne did shed his moste precious blood for the redemption thereof O most fauorable father O God of all mercie compassion I eftsoones commend this my spirit into thine handes I am thine whatsoeuer I am Receiue thine I beséech thée preserue him and giue him eternall life through our Lorde Iesus Christ thine onely begotten sonne Amen Of the making of a testament and confession of sinnes vnto God THe testament is to be made of all them that may lawfully make a will and giue legacies when there yet cōsisteth and remayneth perfite minde and memorie in the body Least if they prolong that businesse vnto the last moment of lyfe they bée preuented by death Therfore it shal be wisdome for him that hath lawfull heires to referre all the care of making his testament vnto them If so be that he haue borowed money and be indebted to any man he shall openly declare it and prouide for the payment of that he oweth This being done let him remoue and put from him all them which trouble hym wyth matters of this worlde Wherein many men doe offende which bring in doubtes vnto him which is now at the point of death of his testament and other externall things and sometimes doe compell him to subscribe that against his will being readie to dye refusing and detesting there importunitie which will not suffer him quietly to die then
Phisicke for the Soule verye necessarie to be vsed in the Agonie of death and in those extreme and moste perillous seasons aswell for those which are in good health as those which are endewed with bodily sicknesse Translated out of Latine into Englishe by H. Thorne Quid prodest homini si vniuersum mun 〈…〉 tur animae autem suae detrimentum pa 〈…〉 MATH 16. What shall it man auaile if all the worlde he gaine And after that of his owne soule he do the losse sustaine Pervsed and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions IMPRINTED AT LONDON by Henry Denham Phisick for the Soule very necessary to be vsed in the Agonie of death and in these extreme and moste perilous seasons as well for those that are in good health as those which are endued with bodily sicknesse Translated out of Latine into â—â—â—lishe by H. Thorne DIseases troubling our bodies and corporall death shakâ— our mindes with hoâ—rible feare 〈◊〉 much that of◠〈◊〉 wee trembâ—◠〈◊〉 the recyâ—â—â—cion of them Mans natur◠〈◊〉 had leauer not to bee at all 〈…〉 cannot but waxe pale 〈…〉 when these sicknesses doe ap◠〈◊〉 déede no calamitie can b◠〈◊〉 more cruell none more horrible none more houge then the sicknesse of the soule and the death and destruction therof Euery man abhorreth euery man detesteth and escheweth by Sea and lande punishments pitifull labors diseases and this bodily death But we ought much more to endeuor our selues to auoide and leaue off the occasions of those euilles that is to wit sinne and wickedâ—â—sse and that we ought to dread the heauie 〈◊〉 of God which wée prouoke against 〈◊〉 â—ers and manifold offences 〈◊〉 â—our bodily health is ympaired we straighâ— wayes poste vnto the PhisitioÌ„ here we spare for no charges we lesse estéeme all things then the safegarde of our life we procure medicines remedies at a great price 〈◊〉 the intent that this oure earthen vessell 〈◊〉 â—otsheard mought be againe repaired 〈◊〉 â—â—thin short space after notwithstan◠〈…〉 â—die to breake Why doe wée not 〈…〉 â—die and carefulnesse desire and 〈…〉 â—ies against the diseases and 〈…〉 Soule béeing farre more 〈…〉 â—ore perillous For what 〈…〉 â—an take if he did abounde 〈…〉 â—s of the whole worlde and did liue a thousand yeares togithers aâ—â— ioyed continual and most exquisite pleasuâ—â— of this lyfe and were not incumbred wiâ— any trouble of sicknesse or other calamitiâ— But yet in the meane while his soule 〈◊〉 infected with the deadlye gilt and poysâ— sinne and oppressed with the cruell tirâ— of Sathan God was displeased at him 〈◊〉 he most certainly knewe that after the 〈◊〉 of this life hée shoulde suffer eternall deâ— and damnation both of body soule Therfore Christ said Watch. For ye know neâ—ther the day nor yet the howre in the wiâ—â— the sonne of man shall come And le◠〈◊〉 shoulde followe light friuolous 〈◊〉 things the good most profitable no â—ded he showeth vs a most compendiâ—â—taine and sure way to aspire vnto trâ—◠〈◊〉 citie where as he sayeth Séeke ye 〈◊〉 kingdome of heauen and the righteou◠〈◊〉 thereof and all these things shall bée â—stred vnto you The cares of lyuing and 〈◊〉 establishing of oure wealth other 〈◊〉 yea many times foolishe bruckle 〈◊〉 â—ting which nothing preuaile vs b◠〈◊〉 â—ten the occasions of verie greeuou◠〈…〉 and most wicked offences 〈…〉 〈…〉 vs night and day But in the séeking getting of heauenly â—â—ches what thing is more flow theÌ„ we are â—â—hat more negligent what more vnaduiâ—â—â—â— what more foolish What blindnesse or â—â—â—â—nesse I pray you ought more to be fea◠〈◊〉 Whilst wee liue in good health scarce 〈◊〉 â—uch as one little thought at any time 〈◊〉 â—meth in our mindes of the lyfe to come 〈◊〉 of that our temporall death But when 〈◊〉 we lie downe and are sicke death nowe as 〈◊〉 were knocking at oure dores when wée â—â—ould stande vp in the front and fight then 〈◊〉 â—ast we begin to thinke of the taking 〈◊〉 â—r weapons against Sathan and of 〈◊〉 â—endment of oure life These things 〈◊〉 â—ufficient argument to prooue that we 〈◊〉 â—dued with a slender and weake fayth 〈◊〉 â—at we are little exercised in the christi◠〈◊〉 â—arfare God be mercifull vnto vs. â—ut truely euerie age is méete to amend â—â—d no repentance commeth to late so that it 〈◊〉 â—ne before the ende of this lyfe Yet I 〈…〉 â—ll and earnestly giue admonishment 〈◊〉 â—â—an do linger and deferre the doing 〈…〉 â—e vntill this last and most bitâ—◠〈…〉 â—or euen they which are strong and in good health all their life 〈◊〉 haue prepared and furnished theâ—â—e â—gainst this howre of departing they 〈◊〉 and with much adoe scarcely defende â—selues from the deceiptes guiles 〈◊〉 and inuasion of that most passing 〈◊〉 subtill enimie what shall bée dâ—â—â—â— those which beeing voide of al feare of 〈◊〉 knowing not howe to repent haue liâ—â—â—â— filthie and dissolute and naughtie life 〈◊〉 I besech you shall they fight how shall thâ— resist Now therfore seeing that there is a grâ—â—â— multitude and aboundance of people eueâ—â— where and séeing that the Ministers of 〈◊〉 Gospell are not néere at hand in all plaâ—â— neyther are able to performe their diligeâ—â— or office alwaies and vnto all men we of good and godly minde willing to profite a men haue written this waye and formeâ— comforting instructing and admonishinâ— the sick collected out of the worde of God 〈◊〉 their commoditie profite especially whichâ— are yet ignoraunt and not instructed suffiâ—â—ently in the Sentences of holy Scripture 〈◊〉 such occasioÌ„s that they hearing those thing read vnto them maye thereof conceiue truâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—solation or comfort least they 〈…〉 â—alse hearted should dispaire and peâ—â—â—in the bitter Agonie of death 〈◊〉 is chiefly necessarie for the Sick 〈◊〉 â—de the paines of the body and 〈◊〉 temptations wherwith he is pestered MAn therefore lying on bed by vehemencie of sickenesse and béeing in daunger of death is assayled and ouerwhelmed with dyuers and gréeuous teÌ„ptations against 〈◊〉 which he must contende and striue And 〈◊〉 of all this is a most bitter temptation 〈◊〉 â—hen the most horrible Image of death béeâ—â—g as it were before our eies wée thinke â—at we must forsake and leaue the most deâ—â—ctable and pleasaunt light of this lyfe and â—â—ll our deare kinsfolkes and friends Finally â—hat wée muste héere forgo all our pleasant 〈◊〉 welbeloued things And anon our sinnes â—â—mmitted against the will and commaunâ—â—ment of God doe present themselues vnâ—o 〈◊〉 vs rushing in with a great violence are cléerely renued and waxe raw againe and they séeme to be many moe in number and more gréeuous then euer they did before so that they maruellously torment vexe and trouble our conscience Here death Gods iudgement Hell damnation feare and trembling like an hoste gathered togither torment our olde man with moste violent and troublous stormes of verie great dolors and terrors and doth assault and shake our
and redemption for vs Pet. 32. Rom. 4. so that he will neuer impute them vnto vs but will fréely forgiue them all euen as we saye in the articles of our faith I beleue the remission of sinnes The testimonies of scripture for the remission of sinnes throughe Christ must be diligently repeated vnto the sick wherof I haue here vnder recited some that they may be in a readynesse BEholde the Lambe of God Ioan. 1. which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Wée are not redéemed with bryckle thinges 1. Petr. 1. as with corruptible siluer and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot Let these things enter into the bottome of thine heart let these things lift thée vp and giue thee comforte There is no cause why thou shouldest doubt of the forgiuenesse of sinnes if thou constantly professe the name of Christ and trustest in his mercie he will also take away thy sinnes If so be that thou nothing stick nor stacker but vndoubtedly beléeuest this nowe thou art become the sonne of God there is no cause why thou shouldest wauer there is nothing that thou shouldest feare Hearken vnto the testimonies of scripture but so hearken vnto them that thou mayest surely print them in thy minde Ioan. 3. So God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that none that beléeue in him should perishe but should haue euerlasting lyfe He that beléeueth on him shall not be condemned Math. 9. I came not to call the righteous but sinners vnto repentance Math. 11. Come vnto mée all yee that labour and are laden and I will refresh you He calleth all men vnto him he refuseth no man he casteth no man in the téeth Thou art also comprehended in this worde All. Call vpon his mercie and he will comfort thée Rom. 5. God setteth out his loue that he hath to vs séeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Much more then nowe séeing that we are iustified in his blood shall we be saued from wrath thorowe him God the father which earnestly loueth thée would that this gospell full of comfort shoulde bée also declared vnto thée For Christ was sent vnto thée and he also died for thee beléeue onely and commende thy selfe vnto Christ thy preseruer and defender If when we were enimies Rom. 5. we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne muche more séeing we are reconciled wee shall be preserued by his lyfe Christ is made to vs wisedome 1. Cor. 1. and also righteousnesse and sanctifying and redemption Here déerely beloued brother take a good hart although thou bée neuer so great an offender yet there is no matter why thou shouldest despeire but confesse and acknowledge thy selfe before Christ to be a sinner Call vpon his mercie and desire pardon of him aske forgiuenesse of thy sinnes and beléeue that Christ is thy onely sauiour thy health and iustification and euer will be Rom. 4. he will both couer and also abolishe all thy sinnes that thou shall neither feare perill nor dammage for them God hath made him to bée sinne for vs 2. Cor. 5. which knew no sinne that we by his meanes should be that righteousnesse which before God is allowed Gala. 1. Christ gaue himselfe for our sinnes to delyuer vs from this presente euill worlde through the will of God our father Ephe. 1. By Christ we haue redemption thorowe his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace 1. Timo. 1. Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners Haue thou a confidence in these wordes and giue good credite vnto them and thou shalt be iustified and saued as wel as saint Paule 1. Timo. 2. Christ Iesus gaue himselfe a ransome for all men Constantly beléeue this and without all question to the contrarie thou art one of that number which shall be saued Hebr. 10. We are sanctified by the offering vp of the body of Iesus Christ once for all Thou hearest Christ also speaking vnto thée in his laste supper féeding thée with his body and giuing himselfe vnto thée spiritually that thou mightest drink his blood vnto euerlasting lyfe Luc. 22. Where as he sayeth Take eate this is my body Math. 26. Mark 14. 1. Cor. 11. which is gyuen for you This do in the remembrance of mée And likewise when he had supped he tooke the cup saying This cup is the new testament in my blood which is shedde for you for the forgiuenesse of sinnes Doe this as often as yée shall drinke it in the remembrance of mée Thinke thou déerely beloued that those wordes were spoken vnto thée fasten them in the bottome of thine heart For when he speaketh generally vnto al men Mark 13. he speaketh to thee also All things which Christ suffered shall doe thée good they shall redownde vnto thine aduantage and saluation they shall profite thée as much as they shall the déere saintes of God Christ himselfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the trée 1. Petr. 2. Christ hath once suffered for sinnes 1. Petr. 3. the iust for the vniust for to bring vs to God The blood of Iesus Christe clenseth vs from all sinne 1. Ioan. 1. If anye man sinne 1. Ioan. 2. we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ which is righteous He it is that abteyned grace for our sinnes Thou mayest take moe fewer or lesse sentences of scripture for this purpose euen as thou shalt perceyue the sick to be affected The words which thou hast now heard are not the wordes of man but of the holy Ghost which plainly testifie that God the father whiche woulde not the death of a sinner Ezech. 18. but that he might be conuerted and liue for that his feruent loue which he beareth towardes thee hath eased and released thée from the burthen of thy sinnes hath layed them on the shoulders of his deerely beloued sonne Esay 53. which hath so borne and suffered them all in his body that they shal neuer be thy condemnation For if so bée that thou beléeue in Christ God reputeth and accepteth the death of his sonne in the stead of a full and sufficient repentance satisfaction and absolution for all thy sinnes Séeing therefore thy sinnes layed vpon Christ coulde not deteyne or kéepe him in death and condemne him ransome is truely payd for them and they are all fréely forgiuen thée Beléeue this and thou shalt liue eternally Christ himselfe suffered for thy sinnes Rom. 4. 1. Ioan. 2. died for them But he rose againe and the sinnes of all faithfull beléeuers are by his death acquited purged and clensed so that the straight iustice seuere iudgement of God is aboundantly satisfied through Christ Nowe therefore Christ is become thine and all others which beleeue with al his benefites with his death with his resurrection with his
assension into heauen with his lyfe with his merites and with his glorie Wherfore sathan hath no power ouer thee at all he can not hurte thée Rom. 8. séeing that thou art iustified through Christ séeing that thou art deliuered from all thy sinnes séeing that thou art become the child of GOD. God is thy father earnestly louing thée for Chiist his sake which hath reconciled and made a tonement for thée Wherefore be thou of good courage and reioyce thou in the lorde For séeing that thou art in the hands of almightie God thy good and most faithfull father thou art in safetie and out of al daunger For thou art enclosed and compassed about with the custodie of God and garde of angelles Christ is altogither become thine he couereth and taketh awaye all thy sinnes Ioan. 10. by his innocencie and righteousnesse No man can by violence pluck thée out of the handes of thy heauenly father Thou hast now the victorie when thou hast suffered and passed ouer this corporall crosse affliction the which being truely compared with eternall lyfe shal appere very easie 2. Cor. 4. Heb. 6. Ephe. 1. momentanie but of a short time Christ was in the like agony yea in a farre more bitter more horrible He is gon before thée he is thine head to whom thou must néedes become lyke and die vnto sinne and must lay aside this lyfe spotted and embrued with wickednesse that thou mayest after lyue the true life for euer with thy mayster Christ Let not thy sinnes trouble thée There is no cause why thy cōscience should be tormēted séeing that thy sinnes are now done away and abolished Thou hast ouercome and hast cast vnder foote that malignant spirite which goeth about to worke the destruction of our soules God now hath compassion on thée he careth for thée he doth defende and kéepe thée all the felowship of saintes and aungels doe regarde thée And euen as Christ can not be damned so lykewise thou canst not be damned if so be that thou beleue on him with the full confidence of thine whole hart If sinne death and hell can nothing hurt thy lorde and mayster Christ neyther can they hurt thée for thou art mistically graffed into Christ by fayth and Christ is effectuall in thée therefore thou canst neuer be damned If so be that thou thy selfe shouldst beare thy sinnes and make a tonement for them thou wouldst by no meanes be able to susteine and beare so great and heauie a burthen they woulde bee farre to weightie for thée they woulde deuour thée as one drowned into the bottome of hell But Christ being perfite God and perfite man did offer himself vp of his owne accord for thée he did put himself in thy roume discharging paying all things for thee as it is written in the Psalme Psal 69. I payde them the things I neuer tooke Truely thou diddest commit sinne against thy selfe but Christ purged them and made satisfaction for thée and planted thée in libertie if so be that thou beléeue this Gospell Although al the sinnes of the whole world were layde vpon thée onely yet God hath grace and mercie sufficient for them more then sufficient God hath promised thée his grace and blessing in Christ and the same is ratified certeine full absolute and perfite in Christ thy lorde and mayster Thou must néedes be saued if so be that thou fastē thine eyes vpon Christ Hypostasis For Christ is the naturall sonne of God in diuine substance veritie it selfe and touching his humanitie he is our fleshe and blood Who will be more sure and certeine then this Christ to giue and perfourme the promise of grace which is himselfe the veritie of his promise and loueth vs vnfaynedly in somuch that he had léefer dye then to disappoint vs in any parte of his promise Wherefore if thou beleue in Christ thou art now made partaker of his heauenly blessing thou art now eased of the burthen of thy sinnes nowe thou art the eire of God and the fellowe eire with Christ for euer Math. 24. For heauen and earth shall passe but the worde of the lorde endureth for euer Therefore beléeue and strengthen thy minde with good hope and doubt not but GOD is chéefest and almightie yea euen for thée hee became man for thy saluation he was also borne for thy sake hée dyed on the crosse he rose from the deade for thy sake and ascended into heauen he offered vp and performed all things which were promised vnto vs. For all the promises of God 2. Cor. 1. by Christ are yea and are by him Amen Wherfore desire of God to haue his mercy and then looke for none other thing at his hand but méere grace and mercy and the same for Christ and through Christ For without him truely there is no consolatiō no health no hope no helpe or succour In this only Christ is all comfort all ayde and staye and to be bréefe all the meanes of our saluation In him is all grace and mercie much more infinite and greater more highe plentifull and abundant then anye man can either comprehend or wyshe for God vouchsafe to graunt vs a sure and constant fayth After this maner thou shalt comfort the sick body either with longer or shorter communication as the matter shall require And I admonish thée déere brother in the lorde that thou withdrawe thy minde with as great endeuor and studie as thou mayest from the horrible contemplation of sinne and death and bend all thy thoughts vpon Christ onely fasten the eyes of thy minde vpon him cleane vnto him with all thine hart and as it were drinke him into thée call vpon him with full trust of minde and commit thy selfe wholy vnto him For thou shalt finde none other thing in this Christ than excellent innocencie righteousnesse lyfe and saluation all the which being deryued from Christ into thée are now become thine if so be that thou wilt acknowledge him to be thy redéemer and authour of thy saluation Wherefore I warne thée doe oftentimes beate it into thée by repetition and that for good cause that thou renue not or call to minde the remembraunce of thy sinnes nor torment thy self by waying the multitude and greatnesse of them Whē thy sinnes are banished farre off from thée set Christ crucified onely before thine eies fasten him in thine hart let thy whole minde senses be surely set on him cleane fast vnto him with all thine heart neuer to be pulled away By this meanes thou shalt withstande and preuaile against the gates of hell be they neuer so cruell be they neuer so horrible and terrible Call to minde with how great humanitie and clemencie with what gentlenesse benignitie Christ in the Euangelicall historie Math. 9. hath receyued and vsed all sinners which truely repenting haue asked forgiuenesse and besought his ayde and mercy And thou shalt finde Marie of Magdalene Luc. 8. Luc.
commoditie Thou must therefore leaue and forsake this lyfe if thou wilt enioy euerlasting lyfe So after this lyfe thou shalt in the ende begin to lyue in deede Furthermore this corporall death profiteth thée to this purpose that when thou hast tasted the bitternesse and sharpnesse therof thou mayest trie know how feruent the affection of Christ his loue was towardes thée what an vnestimable benefite hée bestowed vpon thée that he dying for thée did paye and make satisfaction with his bodye for all thine offences death throughly extinguished and abolished and the gates of hell throwne downe destroyed and also broken For thou couldest neuer any other wayes know and vnderstand the strength and power of life in Christ which hath swalowed vp our death thou shouldst not know the largenesse of his benifits neither shouldest thou be able to giue so harty thankes to Christ thy lorde and redéemer Wherfore seing that Christ doth liue thou also shall lyue by him and this same death shal be vnto thée a certeine happy wholesome sléepe It shall be also an entrance and gate into that true and most blessed lyfe Secondly Christ was also tempted with sinne when they did reuile and vpbraide him as a verie wicked man and giltie of most gréeuous crime Math. 27. If thou be the sonne of God come downe from the crosse Thou sauest others why doest thou not saue thy selfe also What other thing meane these contumelious wordes then that they supposed and thought that he deceiued the people by fraude dole slight wiles noughtie craftinesse and that he was not in déede the sonne of God yea they iudged him rather to be most wicked most abhominable and most worthy of reproch Euen likewise sathan will tempt man being in daunger of death he will present vnto him whatsoeuer he hath done and committed against the commaundement of God and will put into his minde whole waynlodes as it were of sinnes the same heaped vp into a great abundance that by the outragiousnesse and greatnesse of sinnes he maye bring man into desperation which staggereth and doubteth of Gods mercie and pardon And here thou must stand fast and strongly and shalt enterteine thine enimy assaulting thée with these wordes I confesse that I am a most manifold and gréeuous sinner But Christ frée from all sinne he that innocent lambe in whose mouth was founde no guile 1. Petr. 2. hath suffered cruell death for my sinnes he hath clensed them all be they neuer so great nor neuer so many and hath made sufficient satisfaction for them all Christ his death is the propitiation for al my sinnes 1. Ioan. 2. Christ verily hath suffered all my féeblenesse He in déede hath caried all my sorowes He was wounded for mine iniquities Esay 53. He was smitten for my sinnes By his woundes am I healed He hath takē vpō him al my sinnes I now acknowledge none I thank Christ which hath payed ransome for them all Thirdly he was also tempted with hell or eternall damnation when they obiected against him saying He hath trusted in the Lorde Math. 27. let him take him let him saue him bicause he will haue him as thoughe they should say All his hope in God shal deceyue him God is his aduersarie and abhorreth him and will cast him awaye for euer as one thrust downe into hell When the same tempter prouoketh thée with such lyke temptations take héede thou stand fast There is no cause why thou shouldest feare there is no cause why thou shouldest tremble Let the thing which he offereth and presenteth vnto thée nothing moue thée at all bée it neuer so gréeuous Put out of thy minde and banish awaye farre from thee as well sinne as death and hell They haue no power ouer thée if thou fasten thine eies vpon Christ Take holde on him and commend thy selfe wholy vnto him Christ is thine and he bestoweth himselfe wholy vpon thée He hath redéemed thée from the tirannie of the diuell and euerlasting damnation by an inestimable price This Christ is thine innocencie thy lyfe and thy righteousnesse Take héede onely that thine hart be neuer withdrawne from Christ crucified by any temptations If thou cleaue fast vnto thys Christ thou shalt be safe against all the gates of hell as one that is placed vpon an high most sure and inuincible rocke that thou mayest crie out with Christ Psal 16. I haue set God alwaies before me He is on my right hand Therfore I shal not fal Wherfore my hart was glad and my glorie reioysed my fleshe also shall rest in hope Thou hast shewed me the pathes of lyfe In thy presence is the fulnesse of ioye and at thy right hande is pleasure for euermore Thou art become through such a faith in Christ the childe of God the brother and felow eire with Christ Rom. 4. Gal. 4. Rom. 3. Gal. 3. Ephe. 2. and partaker of eternall lyfe This fayth iustifieth the righteous that is to saye those which beleue in Christ For this faith thou shalt be reputed the blessed child of God thy heauenly father and when thou departest hence thou shalt enter into the kingdome of heauen Math. 25. prepared for the elect children of GOD from the beginning of the worlde But if so be that thy fayth wauer and be doubtfull in temptations and when thou doest not suffer moderately and paciently ynough the wil of thy heauenly father when thy loue towardes God is somewhat colde when thy hope is weake and slender and for this cause fearest lest thou shouldest not well accorde with God or lest he will be offended with thée Truely this is a most greeuous most painefull and hard temptation But thou shalt thinke in thy minde and perswade with thy selfe that Christ suffered for thée moste intolerable Inuincible touching mere māhood and inuincible temptations wherein there appéered no helpe comfort ayde or defence any where wherein God and the whole world séemed to be his most cruell malycious enimies when that he cryed aloude My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh horrible and most cruell temptation oh good God how sharpe how greeuous how cruel how bitter was the death which he suffered for vs that he might make the way of the crosse easie for vs. Therefore seing that Christ willingly put himselfe in subiection and dipped himselfe in those so horrible and intolerable sorrowes and calamities our most louing heauenly father wylling the same out of doubt he also vnderstandeth and knoweth our infirmity out of doubt he taking compassion on vs will not extréemely deale with vs but will rather beare with our imbecilitie weakenesse Doth not he himselfe calling all men vnto him say Come vnto me Math. 11. al ye that labor and are heauie laden and I wil refresh you what more plentifull what greater comfort I pray you can be giuen vs Truly many very gréeuous things do molest trouble mā For what thing can more
the which fréends what thing cā be more vnfreendly After this if the maner and kinde of his disease will suffer him let him endeuor rather to cure his soule than his bodye by a shorte confession vnto God but simple and without dissimulation and let the elders standing by put him in remembrance of repentaunce grounded vpon a sure faith and deuotion and let him call for Gods mercie from the bottome of his hart and purpose and entende the amendement of lyfe if hée happen to escape But if so be that happily no elder or coūsell giuer may be had let not the sick straight waies fal into desperation as some presumptuous people are woont to doe for the lacke of a priest but let him declare his vnrighteousnesse and open his conscience vnfainedly vnto God himselfe which according to his clemēcie wil vouchsafe to accept the desire of the minde in the steade of the fact and will of his peculiar grace fulfill of himselfe that which lacketh in the outwarde signes of the sacraments of the Lordes supper which he desireth to receyue For through him the sacramentes are made effectuall which after a fashion are seales of his diuine beneuolēce towards vs. The sacraments are seales of Gods mercye towardes vs. But he saueth man when néede doth require without these signes onely so that there be no neglecting or contempt of the sacrament but faith and a readie good will is therevnto Of the sacrament of the lords supper LEt the sicke body earnestlye desire to haue the most royal sacrament of thanks giuing to bée brought Eucharistia and ministred vnto him after the his minde is purged by a true and a perfite confessiō made vnto almighty God as is aforesaide and let him especially beware that he come not to that banquet or heauenly table with iniurous handes and spotted conscience For we may not thinke that those gréeuous threatnings are vaine and of none effect 1. Cor. 11. which saint Paule maketh mention off Therefore after that hee hath examined and prepared himselfe for that purpose according to his power and capacity let him deuoutly record and speake these wordes O lorde thou art the wayfaring cottage of our pilgramage A prayer wherewith we are refreshed and nourished as long as we host in the deserte of this worlde and runne in this course Bring mée therefore O lorde Psal 27. into the lande of the lyuing into the region of the quick by the receyuing of this thy body whereas I may beholde thée face to face in the glory of the father When we haue thus prayed let him with a sure fayth receyue the sacrament of Christ his body in the remembrance of his death and passion And when the communion is ended if it be perceiued that no skil of phisick may cure his disease then let the elders pray ouer the sick body Ioan. 5. not vsing any magicall prayers as the heathen were woont to doe but earnestly calling vpon the name of Iesus Christ wherevnto there is no kinde of inchauntment comparable or lyke effectuall and sée that he haue a confidence and affiance in your prayers then will God héere you and preserue him that is sicke and he shall not onely haue the health of his body restored vnto him againe if it so be good expedient for him Bodily sicknesse do spring out of the wickednesse of the minde but if he haue happily committed sinne as commonly the sickenesse of the body doe spring out of the enormyties and naughtinesse of the minde they shall be forgiuen him at the prayers of the elders if that both they which praye and he for whom they do pray bée of a stedfast and constant fayth The sorow which many take more then is requisite for the death of there parentes and friends ought to be tempered by the right rule of reason IT is the parte of an heathen gentile rather than of a christian man to giue himselfe onely vnto teares refusing all temperance and moderation of reason in sorowing the which thing is conuinced and manifestlye reproued by thys reason especially bicause that they which are sorowed for cannot be reuoked and called backe againe vnto lyfe by wéeping be it neuer so much or neuer so long continued and vsed Therfore those teares are vaine and of none effect bringing no fruite or commoditie with them 2. Reg. 12. The which thing king Dauid hath declared vnto vs by an example worthie of memory which fasted and wept abundantly As long as the childe borne vnto him of Bersabe was sicke and languished he gat himselfe alone and lay flat on the grounde praying vnto the lorde for the health of the childe But as soone as he vnderstoode by his seruauntes which whispered togithers that the childe was deade he casteth off his sadde and mourning garmentes and apparelled himselfe in freshe aray hée washed his face and when the table was layed he did eate chéerefully Whereat his seruants marueyled and thought that when hée had vnderstoode of his childes death that he would the more afflict himselfe which whilest the childe was yet lyuing did pine himselfe with fasting and weeping He said vnto his seruantes demaunding why he did so I haue fasted and wept for the infant whyle he yet lyued For I said Who can tell if the lorde peraduenture will giue me the infant that he may liue But now seing that he is dead wherefore should I fast What can I call him againe I shal rather go vnto him then he shall reuerte and come againe vnto mée By the which wordes truely Dauid wisely declared that we ought not to lamēt and sorrow for him which cannot be reuoked and called back againe vnto lyfe ¶ This sermon of saint Cyprian is alreadie translated into english by the famous learned and worshipfull knight sir Thomas Eliote Wherefore I did ommit the same least happily the prouerbe shoulde be verified on mee Cornicum oculos configere to endeuor to prick out the crowes eyes And saint Cyprian in his sermond entituled of mortalitie testifieth that he was often admonished by diuine reuelation wherin God commaunded him that he shoulde openly warne all men and should teache them by preaching that the breathren which depart out of this worlde by Gods calling ought not to be lamented and that such wayling is lothsome and hated of God Yet notwithstanding it is méete that we should sometime participate our teares cōming of a naturall zeale of the minde and the syncere affect of compassion but moderated by the right rule of reason least we should séeme to haue an hart as hard as an adamant stone to haue looued our fréend little or nothing at al. For Christ our lord the absolute perfite figure of all vertues louingly lamented dead Lazarus And Marie and Martha were highly commended for that they lamented their brothers buriall And those fréendly women Ioan. 11. which diligently stoode by Christ Luc. 23. Math. 27. when he suffered
heauenlye father which loueth thée earnestly according to his good purpose and zeale towards thée doth withholde brydell and mortifie thine olde man by this sicknesse like as it were tyed with chaynes that thou mayest the more gladly and with the better good will as it were fasten thy body vppon the crosse as a sacrifyce offered vp with Christ Therefore this thy disease wherewith thou art troubled is a fatherlye correction sent vnto thée not for that purpose that thou shouldest be lost or cast away but that thou shouldest be made the better and be quickned God thy father peraduenture doth sée that thine olde Adam waxeth vntractable immoderate and vnruly and ouermuch giuen to affections not able to gouerne neyther to inhabite or withhold himself Therfore he layeth this band or collar vpon him he bindeth him fast with these fetters and chaynes he shutteth him into this pryson and dungeon he tyeth him with this clog that he may bridel that he may kepe down and restreiue him that he do not seduce and cast thy most déere and precious soule into perill The flesh and blood doe resist are more strong in thée than the spirite here God is present with thy spirite doth ayde him against the fierce and vnbrideled will and rebelling fleshe that he maye subdue vanquishe and bring it in subiection If so be that thou shouldest haue good and perfite helth of body perchaunce the fleshe as it is prone and ready vnto nothing but euil had brought and seduced thée into many gréeuous sinnes against GOD whereby his wrath stirred vp prouoked against thée should make a waye for thy soule vnto hell and malediction Thy heauenly father preuenting this dammage and peril carefull and prouident for thée and thy saluation doth kéepe downe and restraine as it were with putting on a bridell vpon thy fleshe leadeth it away captiue raging rebelling against the spirite by all meanes possible that it be not tumbled into the sinck puddle of sinne but that it be brought vnder and become obedient vnto the spirite Seing that this is the will of thy moste louing father and seing that all things shall redownde vnto thy profite and saluatiō take very good héede that thou striue not against the good will of God and that thou be not contrarie to him but suffer thou paciently and pray that his fatherly will bée done that hée vse thée at his pleasure and that thou wilt nothing but that shall séeme best vnto him that al things may bée done vnto the lande and glorie of God that thou mayest haue his grace quietly and moderately to suffer his crosse layed vpon thée Rom. 5. For pacience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed Here thou hast matter and occasion to learne and exercise pacience in all afflictions and troubles First thou doest learne that God afflicteth and punisheth thée with a fatherly correction and that thou learnest by experience For except thou shouldest knowe by proofe experience how wholesome a thing it is for man wholy to commit himselfe vnto GOD and to be obedient vnto his good will and pleasure Euen as Dauid sayeth Psal 119. it is good for mée that I haue béene in trouble thou were not able to conceiue certaine and sure hope of him thou shouldest not know his fatherly loue good will towards thee which is hidden in secret if thou diddest not proue it before by this crosse and rodde But when thou hast learned it before by experience and hast now some tast of that matter alreadie thou doest not faint and fall into desperation by any afflictions but thine hope moreouer encreaseth when thou hast oftentymes tyred Gods present ayde and helpe And although he sometime for a season as it were winking at the matter doe suffer thée to sticke fast and sinke into daungerous places yet at the length not withstanding he reacheth thée his helping hande he taketh thée vp and doth preserue thée He suffereth thée sometimes to swim and to be ouerwhelmed with waues of this lyfe but he will not suffer thée to be vtterly drowned Hereby thou mayst ascerteine thy selfe that he will not forsake thée or cast thée awaye seing that he hath so often preserued thée when thou wast in daunger Therefore by afflictions thou doest learne to conceiue and nourishe sure and vndoubted hope of God that thou mayest trust vnto him in most gréeuous diseases punishments where there appéereth no succour at all being now instructed after what meanes he delyuereth preserueth his seruants Thou hast learned that God sendeth afflictions vpon thée not in his wrath but in his fatherly loue The which thing when thou art thorowlye perswaded and art taught by experience thou mayest paciently looke for Gods ayde and succour and not dispaire but constantlye trust that in the ende he will help thee although he hide himselfe prolonging and deferring thine ayde and deliuerance neuer so long And by this meanes thou shalt perceyue and vnderstande at the last that disease or affliction is not sent vnto thée for that purpose that thou therby shouldst be destroyed but that the glorie of God mought be manifestly shewed and that all things mought turne vnto thy saluation He that can after this maner commit and giue himself wholy vnto God beleuing trusting in his promises shall neuer die The which thing euen Christ himselfe affirming with an othe least happily we should somwhat doubt doth say Verily verily if a man kéepe my worde Ioan. 8. he shal neuer sée death And in an other place he saith I am the way the verity and the life Ioan. 14. Ioan. 21. He that beleueth on me shall lyue although he were dead And whosoeuer lyueth and beléeueth on mée shall neuer dye Sée that thou diligently kéepe these words of Christ fastened in the bottome of thine hart and herewith thou shalt lift vp and strengthen thy wauering minde He that beleeueth on Christ shal not taste of death He that beleueth on me sayth Christ hath eternall life and this is eternall lyfe Iohn 17. that they acknowledge thée to be true God and him whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ Eternall lyfe beginneth in this worlde Eternall lyfe first beginneth in this worlde †Ioan. 14. For he that hath Christ hath the true life For Christ is lyfe and is the victoritie it self Therfore he will not deceyued vs †2. Corin. 1. but all the promises of God in him are yea and are in him Amen And to the ende that thou shouldest nothing doubt but that God wil performe his word and make his promise good he hath assured and bounde himselfe vnto thée by a certeine peculiar league and signe put and added vnto thy body For he coueted and desired thy saluation Iohn 3. when he sent his sonne into the world to the intent he should offer himselfe vnto death for thée He did foremake and assure a league of
2. Cor. 5. God hath made him to be sinne for vs that knew no sinne that we by his meanes should be righteous Wherfore if thou beléeue Ioan. 1. Rom. 8. Gala. 3. Rom. 6. thou art nowe becomme the sonne of God If thou be the sonne of God thou art also the heire of God and the fellow heyre with Christ If so be that eternall lyfe be the inheritaunce and gift of God as saint Paule doth call it thou canst not deserue it by the paynes and gréefe of thy sicknesse But God woulde haue thée punished wyth this disease vnto this ende purpose that thou shouldst therby keepe downe breake and mortifie this thine olde man that at the length he maye cease from committing of sinne 1. Cor. 15. the ende whereof commeth onely by this corporall death And for this cause wée muste dye that our soules may depart vnto euerlasting saluation For death is the gate Death is the enterance vnto eternall lyfe and entraunce vnto eternall lyfe where in the ende we are deliuered from all calamities †Apoc. 21. myseries and wretchednesse from all errours and deceytes of the diuell that we shall no more be defiled with the moste filthy spottes of sinne neyther shall we be seduced into heresies or errours neither be cast headlong into desperation 1. Cor. 15. Then there shall be an ende of all euills of all aduersities and discommodities Then shall we rest in the lorde and shall obtaine lyfe and euerlasting ioyes Death therfore is not to be detested and abhorred yea rather it is earnestly to be desired and imbraced seing that we passe thorow it into eternall ioyes And that is a most true saying which saint Paule speaketh Rom. 8. That all things vnto the godly shall turne vnto good Truely death vnto the worlde séemeth to be a thing most odious most horrible and cruell but vnto the beleeuers it is moste swéete pleasant and acceptable Although our olde Adam doth tremble at hir comming abhorreth escheweth hir Our inward man notwithstanding is readie chéerefull quick and willing to die seing that he vnderstandeth and knoweth that he shall be deliuered from al filthinesse of sinne wickednesse vice and wredchednesse by hir and shall go forth vnto eternall ioyes How those are to be comforted which lye in the daunger of death GOD thy good and moste louing father hauing compassion on thée déerely beloued doth call thée out of this most miserable and wretched lyfe wylling to translate bring thée vnto himselfe into the perpetuall ioyes of the celestiall life Therfore giue and commende thy selfe and all thine wholy vnto him and whatsoeuer he will haue done will thou the same also Math. 26. Mark 14. Luc. 22. Io. 6. Lu. 23 And say thy wil be done O God my father and not mine Cry vnto Christ as the théefe did which hanged on the crosse Remember mée O lord when thou commest into thy kingdome Crie with the publican Luc. 18. O lord be mercifull vnto me a wretched sinner Crie instantly with the woman of Cana that heathen gentile Oh sonne of Dauid haue mercie on mée Math. 15. And doubt not but Christ will heare thée calling vnto him and haue compassion on thée He will forgiue thee thy sinnes and thou shalt be with him in paradise Therefore take thou holde by this Christ sticke fast vnto him and sée that thou commit thy soule vnto him Crie thou with this Christ crucified vnto GOD which is father vnto you both In thée O lorde I put my trust Psal 31. let mée neuer bée put to confusion delyuer me in thy righteousnesse Bowe downe thine eare to mée make hast to delyuer me Be thou my strong rock and house of defence that thou mayest saue mée Thou art my strong rock and my castle be thou my guide also Into thy handes I commend my spirite Crie thou with Dauid also O lorde thou art my strength the lorde is my stony rock and my defence God is my sauiour and my buckler the horne also of my saluation Vnto thée O lorde Psal 18. Psal 25. haue I lifted vp my soule my God I haue put my trust in thée O let me not be confounded Leade me forth in thy truth For thou art the God of my saluation Call to remembraunce O lorde thy tender mercies and thy louing kindnesse which hath bene euer of olde Oh remember not the offences of my youth but according to thy mercie thinke thou vpon me O lord for thy goodnesse For thy names sake O lorde bée mercifull vnto my sinne for it is great Turne thée vnto mée haue mercy vpon me O bring thou me out of my troubles Forgiue mée all my sinnes O keepe my soule and deliuer mée Let me not bée confounded For I haue put my trust in thée If thou call for Gods ayde and succour after this maner God will helpe thée in a conuenient time and will say as it is written in the psalme Psal 91. Bicause he hath set his loue vpon me I will therfore delyuer him I will set him vp bicause he hath knowne my name He shall call vpon me and I will heare him yea I am with him in trouble I will deliuer him and bring him to honor Wherefore O thou christian here fight a good fight fight thou valiantly stoutely constantly as it becommeth a true christian to doe Beware thou giue no ground nor go backwards there is no perill Thou fightest not here alone But the king Iesus Christ is thy captaine in this agony Follow him going before thée in this conflict This thy capitaine shal be thy reuenger he shall saue and defende thée in this battell from all thē enimiys of thy soule from all perill from al calamitie He is not a king as others are but he is of infinit and vnspeakable power He hath vanquished and subdued for thy sake death sathan and hell Esa 25. Oscae 13. 1. Cor. 15. Death is swalowed vp into the victorie Christ died for thée Therefore eternall death hath no power on thée Christ descended into hell that he might deliuer thée frō this eternall darknesse Be thou therfore of a valiant stout courage runne into the front of the battell with a bold hart put away all feare here is no daunger There is no cause why thou shouldest feare the seuere streight iudgement of God 1. Ioan. 2. 1. Timo. 2. 1. Petr. 2. Rom. 5. Iesus Christ is thy mediatour before God He is thine aduocate patrone He is both thy bishop priest He hath recōciled thée vnto God and hath restored vnto you his fatherly loue which was alienated from thée for thy sinnes sake God now is now thy father for Christ his sake Esay 63. Iohn 14. He taketh care of thée He entéerly loueth thée as his most tender childe Now séeing that this so mighty a king standeth on thy side who shall be able to trouble thée Who shall be
able to assault inuade thée Who I pray thée shall be able to doe thée wrong What daunger can there be Harcken what saint Paule sayth Rom. 8. If God sayeth he be on our side who can be against vs Which hath not spared his owne sonne but hath yéelded him vp for vs all howe can it be that he also will not giue vs all things with him Who shall go about to laye anye crime against Gods elect It is God that iustifieth Who is he then that can condemne It is Christ that died yea rather which is raysed vp againe and is at the right hand of God and there maketh intercession for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God I am thorowlye perswaded that neyther death neither life neither heigth neither depth neither any other creature can be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in our lord Iesus Christ Séeing that therfore Christ is giuen thee with al his riches with all his righteousnesse innocency and saluation Eternall life is giuen thée also Sainct Paule testifying the same vnto the Corinthians sayth 1. Corin. 1 That Christ is made of God to vs wisdome and also righteousnesse and sanctifying and redemption Therefore sée that thou haue all thy hope and confidence placed and fixed vpon this Christ and vpon this corner stone This stone is a sure soūd This stone is Christ 1. Petr. 2. Esay 28. and firme foundation wherevnto thou mayst leane and safely commit thy selfe No tempest be it neuer so black and boysterous no shower no stormes are able to throwe downe and ouerturne this foundation Let all thy hope and aide I say be placed and set on this Christ cast thy selfe vpon him sticke fast vnto him let no temptation or calamity be able to withdrawe and pull thée from him although all things seeme to happen vnto thée very absurdly and ouerthwartly Although fleshe and blood doe interprete it farre otherwise and reason thinke it contrary although the deuill doth nowe and then whisper in thy minde saying That thou art vndone that God is highly offended with thee that thou hast deserued the paine of hell fire and that thou muste be damned For faith is a substaunce that is to wit Hebr. 11. an expectation of things hoped for Hypostasis that is of promises and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as much to say as a sure argument and knowledge of things that are not séene Rom. 4. Gen. 15.17 Thou muste beleue with that holy Patriarch Abraham in hope ouer and aboue hope Thy faith and hope muste resist and set it selfe against all those things which eyther blinde reason suggesteth either that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our most subtile and by all meanes most crafty enimy going about to worke vs deceyt and our destruction doth instill and poure into vs. Wherfore thou must learne well the maner and custome of God which he vseth in preseruing those that are his Looke whome he will lift vp into heauen him will he first seeme to bring downe vnto hell 1. Reg. 2. Looke whom he entendeth to quicken him will he first mortifie and kill Vppon whom he mindeth to shew his notable mercy and fauor he first maketh semblance triing him as though he would cōdemne him Wherfore whē thou perceyuest none other thing but present death when God séemeth to be gréeuouslye offended with thée when that thou thynkest that he is gone most fardest from thée and that he hath vtterly forsaken thée as one refused and condemned then is he most néerest vnto thée ready to defend and deliuer thée he then loueth thee most especially then thou art chiefly regarded of him For when trouble and affliction commeth vpon vs then doth he remember his mercye according to the prophets saying Psal 30. For his wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eye he will not be angry for euer For like as a father pitieth his owne children Psal 103. euen so is the lord merciful vnto them that feare him For he knoweth wherof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust But the mercifull goodnesse of the lorde endureth for euer and euer The lord is full of compassion and mercye long suffering and of great goodnesse Wherfore submit put vnder giue and commend thy selfe wholy vnto Christ closing thine eyes reiecting the iudgement of thy senses reason take it in good parte howsoeuer he intreateth thée Thou must not estéeme and consider death and horrour or the dolours of death according to the iudgemēt of thine eyes sense and reason but according to the worde of God Dauid sayeth Psal 116. Right déere in the sight of the lorde is the death of his saints Lykewise he sayeth Blessed are the dead Apoc. 14 Ioan. 8. which die in the lorde Christ also sayeth He that beléeueth on mée shall not tast of death If any thing therefore come into thy memorie which attempteth to turne thée away from Christ and to cast thée into desperation put all that out of thy minde and stick thou fast vnto the liuely worde of God meditate and ponder thereon print it in thy minde repeating it now and then among For thou canst neuer vnderstand by the consideration and sharpnesse of reason how it may be done that by death thou shalt passe vnto the true lyfe how thou yéelding vp thy ghost mayest depart here hence how thy soule maye be preserued and rest in the lorde euen vntill the last day and how also thy body being rotten consumed and deuoured with wormes maye come forth at the last iudgemēt with a new and a beawtifull shape Reason cannot comprehende this faith onely can Therefore oftentimes thinke thou vpon the articles of thy beléefe diligently consider and attentiuely examine euery particular thereof After what sort he is to bee called vpon which lyeth at the point of death NOw sée déerely beloued in Christ that thou fight a good fight Sée that thou cōstantly and valiantly defende thy self throughly fastē in thine hart the promises of Christ thy redeemer I am the resurrection Ioan. 11. and the lyfe sayeth Christ He that beléeueth on me shall lyue and shall neuer sée death Christ taking vpon him the nature of man subiect to the infirmities of our estate did offer vp himselfe to be a sacrifice for our sinnes dying vpon the aultar of the crosse He by his blessed blood did purge and clense the sinnes of all mankynde This Christe will not forsake thée he taketh a regarde of thée Thou canst suffer no iniurie or calamitie seing that Christ doth preserue and defende thée 2. Timo. 2. Ioan. 10. The sure foundation of God standeth fast hauing this seale the lorde knoweth which are his my shéepe héere my voice and I know them and they folow mée and I giue vnto them eternall lyfe and they shall neuer perishe neyther shall any man pluck them out of my hand My father which gaue them me is
greater then all and no man is able to take them out of my fathers hand And I and my father are one Wherefore O déerely beloued in Christ commend thy soule vnto God thy father which loueth thée singularlye Crie out with thy brother Christ Math. 27. Luc. 27. hanging on the crosse Into thy handes O father I giue and commend my spirite God the father of all mercie bring thée vnto euerlasting lyfe and preserue thée vnto the most ioyfull resurrection of his last iudgement Amen The ende of the fourme and methode or right order to comfort the sick ¶ A prayer to be sayde vnto God for the sick ALmightie euerlasting and most mercicifull God which art woont amoÌ„gst thy sundry disciplines and manyfolde chastisements wherewith thou doest prouoke and allure vs vnto thée to bridle our fleshe with diuers diseases the securitie thereof taken awaye by perillous sicknesse and doest both admonishe vs of the ende of oure naughtie lyfe past and also of ymminent death through paines which are hir fore messengers and likewise of thy iudgement in the last daye and of the eternall lyfe to come which shall be reserued for the good and godly vnto glorie and felicitie but for the euil vnto shame and condemnatioÌ„ of hell fyre Of the which things fleshe being let runne at hir owne will hath no remembrance But now we perceyue this seelye man is layed on his bedde by his impayred health vnto whome is stirred vp the féeling of his sinnes and the ymage of death often flyeth as it were before his eyes We wretches therefore which looke for the lyke houre of aduersitie acording to the condition of our nature doe beseeche desire thée togither with him that thou practise not righteous iudgement with him for his deserts for our lord Iesus Christ his sake which hath made satisfaction on the crosse for the offences of this sicke body and vs all But rather graunt hym as to one redéemed grace and strength of mind that he maye quietly take this thy fatherly discipline and visitation paciently beare it and that he may suffer wyllingly with perfite obedience himselfe to be subiect and obeysant vnto the good will and pleasure of thée his punisher Succour him in all his aduersities and be thou vnto him a refuge and a defence against this instant daunger wherewith he is now in perill especially of his reueled conscience the secret sinnes of his hart doe accuse him vnto thée Therefore set thou against it for his preseruation the moste bitter torments and voluntarie sacrifice of thy sonne Christ which did beare our infirmities 1. Pet. 2. and accomplished the paine due vnto vs beeing made sinne for vs 2. Cor. 5. Apoc. 1. Rom. 4. whilst that he died for our sinnes which he washed away with his precious blood and rising from the deade for our iustification was made our perfite redéemer Let him perceiue through faith the force of these fruits and benifites Let him being oppressed in this misery féele thine aide and let him tast in this moment of time some fruite of suche benifits and gifts in Christ Bring to passe euen nowe by true fayth that there maye be offered vnto him so great a treasure of felicitie that is I meane the forgiuenesse of his sinnes for Christ his sake which by the misterie of the preaching of his worde as is before saide and the vse of his sacramentes frequented in the church is offered vnto him that he maye effectually and of a suertie receiue it to his comfort ayde and defence against the troubles of his conscience gréeuously accusing him and the subtiltie of the deuill And also that the same faith maye be vnto him an armour wherewith he being defenced may enter through death into lyfe â—â—â—â—n he taking hold may enioy the same for euer Therefore O heauenly father we doe wholy commit him vnto thée for thou shalt heale him bicause he is sicke Hée is weake thou shalt strengthen him he lyeth a long thou shalt set him vp he acknowledgeth his spottes and vncleanesse thou shall washe him he is wounded thou shalt cure him he is feareful thou shalt giue him courage And for bicause thou knowest all things and canst bestowe according to thy wil thou shalt satisfie him For he is greatly gréeued with huÌ„ger and thirst after thée Imbrace him For he straight waye flyeth vnto thée and make hym constant to fulfill thy commaundements And to be briefe forgiue him all things wherwith he hath prouoked thy heauie displeasure against him Graunt him in the steade of death life with thée in glorye But if we shall néede him in thy vineyarde in this mortall life and that he maye be imbettred vnto the example of Christ then preserue him vntill that he be increased with more ample benifites Thy will notwithstanding which alwayes is best be euer fulfilled GrauÌ„t all those things vnto vs and this sicke body through Iesus Christ only thy sonne our lord which is our only redeemer helper and which brought the théefe on the crosse with him into Paradyse for the example and great comfort of al sinners which liueth and reigneth with thée in the vnitie of the holy ghost one God world without end Amen ¶ A prayer to be sayd vnto Christ O Lorde Iesu which art the onlye health of all men liuing the euerlasting life of them which die in faith I giue and submit my selfe wholy vnto thy moste blessed will whether it pleaseth thée that this my séelie soule shall tary any longer in the mansion of this my wretched bodye to serue thée or whether thou wilt haue it to depart out of this world being assured that the thing cannot perish which is coÌ„mited vnto thy mercy Willingly now I leaue this fraile and sinfull flesh in hope of the resurrection which shall restore it vnto me againe far better than now it is I besech thée that thou wilt streÌ„gthen my soule with thy grace against all temptations and that thou wilt compasse me about and defende me with the shielde of thy mercy against al the assaultes of sathan wherewith in time past thou madest thy martyrs inuincible against horrible torments and moste cruell deathes I sée and confesse that in my selfe there is no help of saluatioÌ„ but all my hope and confidence is in thine vnspeakable goodnesse I haue no merites or good workes which I maye alleage before thée of sinnes alas I sée a great heape but through thy mercy and righteousnesse I shall be reckened in the number of the iuste Thou wast borne for my sake Thou didst suffer both hunger and thirst for my sake Thou didst preach and teache fast and praye for my sake Thou didst all good works in this life for my sake Thou gauest thy most precious bodie vnto death vpoÌ„ the crosse for my sake Let all these things profite me which thou hast fréely giuen mée which hast giuen thy selfe for me Let thy blood washe awaye the spots of mine offences Let thy
vnto thy destruction For it is writtē Math. 4. Thou shalt not tempt the Lorde thy God Séeing that God hath endued mée alwayes with most large and infinite benefites according to his fatherly loue towardes me seing that he hath giuen me this lyfe and hath nourished and preserued the same euen hitherto seing that he hath heaped me vp with all kind of goodnesse what madnesse were it for mée to doubt of his mercie Seing that through baptisme he hath appointed me into the number to bée one of the receyued flocke of the christians seing that he hath called me vnto the gospell of his grace wherein he hath promised to be my father why shoulde I not then looke for all goodnesse at his hands Why should I not assure my selfe of him in all things Wherfore should not his great good will and kindnesse towardes mée alwayes be remembred of mée for my stay and comfort What néede many words It is a most foolishe perillous thing to yeelde our minds studie to such cogitations concerning predestination but forthwith confound preuent thou such cogitations with others wherwith god would haue thy mind to be occupied preuented that is to wit with those which Christ himselfe hath appointed Ioan. 3. where as he sayeth He that beleeueth in Christ shall not perishe but shall haue euerlasting life 1. Cor. 1. Hearest thou that he which beléeueth in Christ which acknowledgeth Christ to bee his sanctification saluation and iustification cannot be damned and that he shall bée partaker of eternall lyfe How many soeuer therof doe trust vnto the mercie of Christ without all doubt they be of the number of them which are chosen vnto lyfe euerlasting being foreknowne and fore ordayned in Christ Ephe. 1. now already written in the booke of lyfe And those which are predestinate vnto eternall lyfe are made and become like vnto the ymage of Christ For they conceyue there fayth for the which they are counted to bée iust before God of none other thing but of the worde of God They are saued therfore by this faith The iust man lyueth by faith Gala. 3. Abac. 2. Rom. 1. Ephe. 1. that is to saye by the trust and hope of mercie fréely giuen vs for Christ his sake Those things are most certeine and true God can neyther be deceyued nor deceyue any man This is the purpose and intent of God our most bountifull father and the true louer of mankinde He from the beginning hath so purposed so foreknowne so before determined those things There is no cause therefore that thou shouldest be letted or feared with those things which that enimie enuying our saluation and pretending the destruction of our soules putteth in thy minde and layeth against thée Sée onely that thou beléeuing in Christ doe comfort thy selfe in the confidence of his mercie and there shall be no perill at all For if thou fasten thy hope Ioan. 6. Rom. 4. trust on Christ Christ is made thine and thou art Christes If he haue redéemed thée thou canst by no meanes bée damned and perishe For he that beléeueth on Christ is drawen vnto him by the father Ioan. 10. and he will haue them to be saued by him none of them to perish Wherfore sée that thou haue a good hart sée that thou beléeue constantly on Christ and conceyue sure hope of him How many soeuer beleue on Christ the same are predestinate vnto euerlasting lyfe We must therefore fasten our eyes vpon Christ we must flye vnto him This our onely and true sauiour is to be taken holde on by faith if we intende to be saued Here let euery mā diligently way that earnest exhortation of saint Paule whose words are these Let vs runne with pacience vnto the battell that is set before vs Hebr. 12. looking vnto Iesus the author and the finisher of our fayth which for the ioy that was set before him abode the crosse and despised the shame and is set downe on the right hande of the throne of God Furthermore Christ for vs and for our sakes suffered all temptations with the which being most gréeuous he was vexed and troubled the same saint Paule bearing witnesse thereof saying Hebr. 5. We haue not an high priest which can not haue compassion of our infirmities but was in all pointes tempted lyke as we are but yet withoute sinne Let vs therefore go boldly vnto the seate of grace that we may receyue mercie and finde grace to helpe in tyme of néede Print those things déerely beloued in thy minde First Christ was giuen vnto vs for this purpose that he might redéeme vs reconcile vs and make vs partakers of euerlasting saluation Secondly that he might be an example vnto vs to leade and passe ouer a godly life Therfore if so be that thou desire to finish thy life wel and vertuously sée that the death of Christ being set before thine eyes thou ende thy lyfe after his example For Christ is set before vs as a patterne to be folowed of vs in our lyfe and conuersation in all afflictions and in our death No man lyueth godly no man suffereth aduersitie no man dyeth well except he set before him the lyfe and death of Christ and doe folow the same The death of all godly men is abolished swalowed vp in the death of Christ Wherfore thou shalt consider diligently meditate what kinde of death he suffered how he behaued himselfe in that agonies of all other moste bitter when he hanging on the crosse was troubled and pestered with most gréeuous temptations Folow this Christ as neere as thou mayest calling for helpe at Gods handes Howe christ was tempted on the crosse Mark 15. Math. 27. Luc. 23. First he was tempted with death when as it was sayd vnto him He saueth others but himselfe he cannot saue As though they should saye Now he is vndone he must die and perishe for euer no man shall delyuer him and pluck him out of our hands After this manner that our olde and mortall enimie will bring the terrour of death on thée But so muche the bolder go thou against him pluck vp thine hart and strengthen thee in him with a sure hope Christ will subdue and tread vnder foote that enimie and thou also shalt ouercome him by Christ Hold vp the shield of faith in Christ Christ is the lorde Ephe. 6. 1. Petr. 5. he is the king of glorie and he is the lorde of lyfe he is not subiect to death but liueth and reigneth This thy lorde and reuenger will not suffer death to exercise hir tirannie vpon thée He cannot deceyue thée neyther can he lye seing that he is the veritie it selfe Conceyue thou this trust and confidence of him Assure thy selfe to receyue all goodnesse at his hands and thou shalt lyue with him for euer And for that he woulde haue the greeued with temptations and to suffer death of bodye it is done onely for thy