soule is buried when it pleaseth God to fetch it from thence it is not as though he should make it come forth of the graue and raise it vp againe What is the occasion then that men may haue to flye from this corporall death and to haue it in such horrour Séeing that seperating the soule frō the body setteth the soul out of prison and sendeth it to enioy liberty in heauen there to be made much of in the bosome of Iesus christ and to inioy with him and with all the happy soules the eternall comforts promised and reserued for the elect people of God The body on the other side liethe in the earth as in a bed there to sléep and take his rest at his ease being neuer wake or troubled in his sléepe neither by fearefull dreames nor cares nor feares nor cries noyses or any thing els that maye disquiet the same sléeping there til the day of the resurrection when it shalbe waked by the sound of Gods Trumpet and knit againe to the Soule hauing left behind in the earth his mortality dishonour and weakenesse hauing put on his robes of glory power immortality and corruption Whereby we may sée that it is without curse that men feare so much this corporall death the which doth but seperate for a time the soule from the body for y ◠great profite of the one and of the other For the body is by this meanes out of all daunger not onely of sinne and of the miseries that waite thereuppon but also of all temptation remaining and resting in the earth in certaine hope of the resurrection and of the life euerlasting And although it séeme to be altogether depriued of life lyinge in the earth because that the soule being departed from it leaueth it without any mo uing or féeling and it putrifieth and goeth into earth yet being alwaies accompanied with the spirit and infinit power of God which quickeneth all thinges it is not altogether void of life as Saint Paul saith If the spirite of him which raised Iesus Christ vp from the dead dwell within you He also which hath raised him vp shal also quicken your mortal bodies because of his spirit which dwelleth in you This is the reason why in another place drawing out vnto vs the portrature of the resurrection of our bodies to come he brings in an example of the séede which is cast into the earth the which hath life in it although being in the Garner it semeeh to haue none and holding it in our hands wee cannot iudge but that it is a thinge dead and without life Yet when it is cast into the earth where a man would think the life if it had any would be smothered and taken away it showes it selfe and growes as it were from the rottennesse from whence wee sée the eare commeth which nourisheth and grows afterwards shewing plainely by euident tokens the life that was hidde in it before it was cast in the earth So God in the holy scripture caleth himself the God of Abraham long time after Abrahams death and saith that he is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Then it followeth that not only the soule of Abraham which he redeemed by the death of his Sonne is yet liuing since it hath béen seperated from the Body but that the bodye which is partaker of the same redemption which is knit and incorporate to Iesus Christ to be one of his members and hath bene consecrated and sanctified vnto God that he may dwel therin as in his holy Temple is not clean without life although it be putrified in the bowels of the earth For so much as it is alwaies accompanied with the grace of God and iointly with the soule comprised in the euerlasting couenant that hee hath made with his people which couenant is a fountaine and vaine of life not onely to the souls but also the bodies of al the faithfull And if as Saint Iohn saith they bee most happy and blessed which die in the Lord and that no blessednes can be without life we must needes conclude the one of these two things either that no blessednes can come to the body or els if it may come that the body is not depriued and void of all life lying in the earth For although it be putrified and haue no signe of life in it at all yet retayneth it in it selfe as it were a séede and stack which shal appeare at the day of the resurrection when the spirite of God pouring out his infinite vertue on our bodies shal raise them vppe againe and shall make them shine with the glory and brightnes that hee hath promised his elect And euen as in an egge there is a chicken and a certain life which is euidently perceiued when the hen hath heated and hatched it by her heate so immortality and life euerlasting whereof both our soules and bodies are called to bée partakers from the time that we haue receiued the Gospell of Christ which is a worde of life and a séede incorruptible shal shut vp till the last day by the power of our God which shall then make vs newe againe as hee shall doe the Heauens the earth and all other creatures which then shall fully be deliuered from the bondage of corruption Whereof we are also assured by the baptisme that is giuen vs in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost For the water which hath bene poured vpon our bodies whiche the Scripture calleth the lauer of Regeneration is not onely to assure vs that our soules are washt and purged cleane by the bloud of Iesus Christ for the remission of our sinnes but also our bodies And that being both together couered and clad with the righteousnes and innocency of the son of God and besides sanctified by his holye Spirite they are by and by put in possession of life euerlasting and altogether made frée and deliuered frō the slauery of death which hath no power as we said but onely where sinne raigneth which is the onely cause of death The holy Supper of our Lord in the which taking by faith breade and wine which are giuen vnto vs by the handes of the minister we are receiued to the partaking of the flesh and bloud of Iesus Christ and so vnited and incorporate with him that for euer as Saint Iohn saith he dweleth in vs and we in him doth it not assure vs also that being inseperably ioyned with the life and with him that is cause of life wee can neither die either in soule or body by reason of this vniō which is common both to soule and body The death of the body ought not to séeme so hor rible and hideous as it doth vnto others who are frighted as little children with a maske or false vizard For if the mother should come to her childe with a monstruous and vgly face to be séene he would be afraid and
himself sincerely and to aske mercy and pardon of Iesus christ but he heard by and by this day shalt thou be with me in paradice What worthines might the poore Publican haue who for the great shame and horrour that he had of all his life before past durst not lift vppe his eies to heauen neuertheles as soone as he began to confesse the pitiful and miserable estate wherin he was and prayed God to haue compassion vppon him all his sins were pardoned him and he went iustified and righteous home to his owne house What worthines I pray you was found in Sainct Paul at Damascus when transported with a rage and fury to giue information according to his Commission that he had obtayned of the high Priest for all them that confessed the name of Iesus to bring them bound and manacleâ—… to Ierusalem there to endict them and to condemn them to death and yet for al that he was so horrible a blasphemer and persecutor of Iesus Christ and of his Church and therefore not onely vnworthy to be numbred amongst his Apostles as he himselfe confesseth but also amongst his shéepe God forgetting in a moment all the iniuries that he had done vnto him and vnto his Church made him a speciall instrument and a chosen trumpet amongst all his companions to publishe his Gospell throughout al the world Who would say that he had any respect vnto the merit and worthines of his gestes and actions when he did aduaunce him to so great honoure Louing him as much or more then hee did any of his fellowes Séeing that hee himselfe doth so highly commend the grace of God to the which he doth attribute what good thing soeuer he did either thinke or speake or doe in all his life It is then the onely grace of God which is the foundation and meane of life euerlasting that wee hope for as it is also of the righteousnes and holines of life by the which we attayn vnto it This Iesus christ did teach when speaking of his shéepe hee saith that they heare his voice and follow him and yâ—…t for all that hee giueth them eternall life Signifiyng thereby that it is fréely geuen them and of a pure gist and not in lieue or respect that they haue heard his voice and followed his traces This may also be gathered out of the words of Moises in the 20. of Exodus where God promiseth to shew mercy vppon thousandes towardes them that loue him and kéep his commandements Whereby we must note that he doth not promise his seruantes any other recompence for their good déedes but to shew mercy towards them and their posterity And as much may we obserue in the 24. Psalme Wher the Prophet speaking of those that went vp to the hill of the Lorde saith that it shalbe He that hath innocent hands and a pure heart which hath not lift vppe his mind vnto iniquity nor sworne deceitfully and a litle after he saith He shal receiue a blessing from the Lord and righteousnes from the God of his saluation This is the generation of them that séeke him of them that séeke the face of the God of Iacob to giue vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuer we haue done to obey God to washe our hearts from all wicked thoughtes and affections and our hands from all wicked workes to humble our selues vnder the hand of God and to presume nothing of our selues nor of our owne vertues notwithstanding al this wee cannot goe vppe into the hill of the Lord but onely by the gracious fauour that hee shall shewe vnto vs and by the merciful dealing that it shal please him to vse towards vs. And this is the best thing to comfort vs withal and to put our hope in full assurauncè that it bee grounded vppon his mercy truth which are firme and immutable and not vppon the merites and worthines of our workes and vertues which are very vnperfect Now if wee perceiue the sicke man to bee fully resolued of the remission of his sins and that in his mind there remain no feare or conceyte of them that may trouble his conscience then must we goe further with him to strengthen him against the horrour and apprehension that hee may haue of death shewing him by the word of God that it is vanquished and swallowed vp by the death of Iesus Christ who speaking by the mouth of his Prophet he saieth vnto death O death I wil be thy death and destruction For séeing that the stinge of death is sinne and the power of sinne is the lawe Iesus Christ fulfilling the lawe for vs hath by that meanes taken awaye the sting of death So that it cannot hurt vs any more and hath ouercome and vanquished the power of sinne so that it cannot condemne vs no more And althoughe it be a certain decrée and ordinance of god that all men shall die and that comminge from dust they shall returne to dust neuerthelesse to speake properly the seperation of the body and the soule in the faithfull ought not to be called death So Iesus Christ speaking to his disciples of Lazarus who was dead said that he slepte This phrase of spéeche is very vsuall in the old Testament to signifie the death of the Fathers Saint Paul vseth it likewise writing to the Corinthians and Thessalonians of those that should depart this life before the day of the resurrection whom hee calleth sléeping But hee giueth it a more honorable title in his epistle to the Philippians where he calleth it a dislodging or departing of the Soule from the Bodye Which agréeth well with the wordes of Iesus Christ who aduertising his Disciples of his death that was at hande tolde them that the houre drewe neare in the which he should passe out of this worlde to God his father calling the death of his body but a passage by the which we goe out of this vale of misery to enter into possession of Paradise that is to say of a place of assured tranquillity and rest and full of all delight pleasure The ancient Gréeks called death Thanaton which is as much to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in english thus From hence to God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth consecration as one should say a solemne Ceremony by the which the faithfull are wholly dedicated vnto God neuer afterward to do any thing but sing praise to him and sanctifie his holy name And also our Sauiour hath also called it baptisme for that by death we passe as it were through a gate and as it were ouer a water to goe to a place of rest and pleasure whether we purpose to goe And if the body which the Gréekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that it is as it were the graue and sepulchre of the soule which they call with a name very neare vnto the other called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein it séemeth in this life the
in the perfect tranquilitie of our soules and in the full satisfaction of all our desires The which vaine men séeke in vaine to haue in this life in the transitorie trashe and treasure of this present world There is yet one thing more which should make vs embrace death willingly when our houre is come which is that it doth set vs in possession of all the goods that Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs. For while we liue in this worlde wee are not saued as the Apostle sayth but by hope onely But when by death wée departe from hence then wee inioy lyfe euerlasting and that pleasure which is so greate that neyther eie eare vnderstanding or heart of man may conceiue or apprehende the greatnesse thereof It was a ioyfull thing I thinke for the people of Israel after theyr long and irkesome slauerie wherein they were detayned in Aegypt after so long wandering and many vnhappie reencounters that they had in the deserts of Arabia for fortie yeeres together when at the last they sawe themselues arryued at the bankes of Iordaine and had but to passe ouer the riuer to enter into the possession of the lande that GOD had promised to their Fathers which they had so long waited for before A young man that hath béene many yeeres warde vnder a rigorous and seuere Tutor who hath misused him and dealt verie hardly with him kéeping him short of those things which were necessary for him hath he not great cause to reioyce séeing the date of his wardship to draw out when he shall haue all his goods at his owne pleasure and hee at no mans controlment anie more The children that descende of anie noble family that are brought vp vnder the king or in the house of anie greate Prince or Signiour to waite vpon them being brought vp vnder the hand and correction of a sharpe and curst squire who doth kéep them in with a seuere and rigorous discipline are not they ful glad when they are out of their waiting office frée from the feare and seruilitie wherein they were so long rigorously detained The young maidens that haue all their youth bin straitly kept within their fathers and mothers doore they reioyce greatly when they heare they shall be maried a great deale more when they are betrothed but their greatest pleasuxe and ioy is when they are maried and giuen into the hands of an husband whome they loue and lyke well of For so they haue their hearts desire Wee also that here on earth by the preaching of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and by faith which wee haue fixed in his promises haue as it were betrothed our selues vnto him what cause shall we haue to reioyce when our soules departing frō our bodies shall mount vp into the heauens to espouse him and there to solemnize the feastifal daie of our mariage with such ioy and gladnes as shall neuer haue end and neuer be interrupted or troubled neither by death disease or anie other accident that euer may bechance Then wil our spouse comming before vs saie vnto vs that which is written in the Canticles Come he ther my sweete one enter into the closet of thy loue The winter is passed so are also the raine the snow the haile the cold and frost and all the sharpe and bitter season which thou hast bene faine to endure hetherto with great paine and sorow And nowe the spring into the which thou art entered shal endure for euer and the pleasures that shee bringeth with her shall neuer haue anie ende Enter then my sweet one into the ioy and rest of the Lorde Then shall bée fulfilled the saying of the Prophet They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy They went weeping and caried precious seede but they shall returne with ioy and bring their sheues with them So béeing out of our wardshippe and taken from vnder the hande and discipline of our Tutor wee shall bée set at full lybertie and in possession of that inheritance that GOD our good Father hath promised vs and appointed vs when hee adopted vs for his children and heyres of the inheritance of eternall life and of the kingdome of heauen which wée may well hope for whilest wée are héere but to saie or thinke what it is it is impossible for anie tongue or eloquence bée it neuer so singular for the greatnesse thereof farre passeth all humane capacitie Man hauing built this fortresse agaynst the feare that the sicke man may haue of death wee must also set downe some thing agaynst the feare of the deuill who is Emperour of the kingdome of death For he is the enemie that giues the last assault that plants all his artillerie and employes all his engins agaynst vs to make vs yéelde But we being vnder the defence and safegarde of our shepheard who is carefull and vigilant to kéep vs and stronger to defend vs than this rauening woulfe or furious lyon can bée to assaile vs we ought not to feare at all For who can take vs out of his handes seeing that hee and his Father who is greater then all are but one essence power glorie and maiestie We are then assured that as there is no subtiltie or fetche that can surprise or goe beyonde his wisedome so is there no force sufficient to encounter with his puissance Let vs kéep our selues then vnder the shadowe of his wings and assure our selues that hee will keepe vs safe that neither the deuills nor anie other creature shall bee able to hurt vs as the Prophet saith Who so dwelleth in the secrete of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the almightie I will saie vnto the Lorde O mine hope and my fortresse He is my God in him will I trust And after that he had named some dangers by the which he assured the faithful they could neuer bée hurt in the end he commeth to the deuils the ancient and mortall enemies of mankinde and speaketh on this wise Thou shalt walke vpon the Lion Aspe the yong Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder feete Because thou hast loued me therefore wil I deliuer thee I will exalte thee because thou hast knowen my name c. Where we may beholde the victory which he doth promise vs of the deuilles And the example of the Apostles vnto whome Christ gaue power ouer deuils so that they were constrained to acknowledge the power that hee had giuen the Apostles ouer them obeying vnto those things that they did command in his name may put vs in good securitie that fighting against them so that we be furnished with the same weapons that they were that is to saie with faith and the word of God we shall bee sure to haue the victory of them and by the buckler of our faith to breake off their firie dartes Your aduer sarie the deuil saith Saint Peter walketh as a Lion roring round about you seeking whom hee may deuoure to whom you
Citie of Hemor because his son Sichem had rauished Dina the onelie daughter of Iacob And in the house of Dauid for hauing entised to wickednesse the wife of his seâ—…uant Vrias And in that of Salomon his sonne who was so wise and had receiued such honour and fauour of glorie riches and puissance and at the end of all this so many excellent and goodly promises of God that by good right hée might be called a pearle farre excéeding all other Kings and princes of the earth And yet for all that the voluptuous pleasures of this world handled him so that they tooke cleane awaie his vnderstanding euen in olde age when he should haue had the staiedst wisedome and setledst iugement of all and made him not onely to forget God and his bounden dutie towards him but also to sacrifice to Idolls as a man cleane berefte of his wits onely to please his wicked concubines who were strangers with whom he acquainted himselfe against the expresse commaundement of God wherevppon a thousand plagues fell vppon his house and his posteritie The house of Ahab was it not vtterly subuerted because of the greate abhominatioÌ„s that did raigne in it What was the cause of those lamentable Tragedies written of the ruine and desolation happened to the house of Priamus a King renowned for his riches treasure greatnesse pomp and wealth amongst the greatest and most â—…mightie monarkes of all Asia was it not the foolish loue of Paris and Helen Did not the like fall out in the Court of greate Agamemnon after hée was returned conquerour of his enimies from Troy so famous and rich wyth the spoyles that he got thereby the impudence and vnchast behauiour of his wife Clytemnestra and her adulterer Aegysthus The spoiles that were done in the Prouince of Ionium in Cyrus time and al the miseries and distresses that ouerflowed all that Countrie which was the most pleasant and fruitfullest territorie in all Asia as Herodotus reciteth were occasioned in the same manner But what is hée that can reckon vp all the mischiefes and inconueniences that this cursed fleshly concupiscence hath alreadie bred and doeth bréede dayly Well did Plato tearme it a bait of al mischiefes and enormities And the Emperour Aerianus did portraite it out properly comparing it to a pill that his gilden on the out side to swallowe it downe with more ease but when we come to digest it then wee féele the bitternesse thereof and this is the difference betwéene them that the pils doe purge and voide the infections and grosse humours which are in the bodie to recouer health but the pleasures on the other side increase procure them and doe corrupt altogether the good disposition both of the bodie the soule When we are debarred from these pleasures and haue the vse of them no more by reason of death diseases penurie olde age or by anie other meanes we should reioyce as much as if we were escaped out of the handes of some cruell and outragious tyrant For there can be no tyrannie more cruell then that of these voluptuous pleasures as Cicero faith for that the one can but hurt our bodies and goods the other doth racke and torment our soules and consciences in a strange manner Whosoeuer then doth desire a fréedome and quiet of conscience to possesse his soule in tranquillity without anie disturbance or trouble of minde which is the most soueraigne good that is in this world may be sought or found he must bid adieu to all worldly pleasures and be glad with all his heart when they take theyr leaue for altogether as they doe at the house of death These things must we set before the eyes of the sicke who shall féele themselues tyed fast by the legge to theyr ease and the vaine and deceitfull pleasures of this world And agayne we must shew them the pleasures that tarry for them prepared in the kingdom of heauen which are so great that the verie sent and tast that the Apostles and Martyrs felt haue made them straight forget this worlde with all her vaine delights before they euer departed from her out of this life How great a ioy shall it bee then to vs when wée shall drinke our fill of the riuer of these pleasures When we shall sée plainly the face of our God and sauiour Iesus Christ wheÌ„ we shall sit at his table with the Patriarches Abraham Isaac and Iacob When we shall heare the melodious musicke of Angelles singing continually To the holy holy holy great God of hosts be all praise glorie and honour for â—…euer God shall wipe the teares from the â—…ies of his children and then bring them into full fruition of his ioyes and rest when hee shall make them sitte néere vnto him vpon seates that long since he caused to be built and prepared for them to bée iudges altogether of the worlde and the deuills And lastly when in stead of the Sun and Moone he shall make a perpetual light shine ouer them comforting them for euer This pleasure shall bee as Iesus Christe sayd no momentarie thing but a pleasure and ioy that lasteth for euer and not as the pleasures of this worlde which fade awaie in time and loose quickly their sauour bée they neuer so great and daintie at their beginning This we sée in many men daily by experience who couet and desire many things eagerly verie vehemently which when they haue once obtayned and haue had their pleasure a little while then this great heate beginneth a little and little to quench and diminish and in the end is altogether extinguished And so it falls out oftentimes with vs when we haue had our pleasure oftentimes of that which we haue with so great affection desired we disdayne it afterward and repent with great displesure with our selues whereof we haue in the Scripture a notable example in AmnoÌ„ the sonne of Dauid his sister Thamar But the true pleasures that the blessed soules inioy in the kingdome of heauen are of another nature For in satisfieng vs they leaue vs alwayes in appetite and in filling vs they leaue vs alwayes hungrie they quench our thirst and yet we are alwaies thirstie so that in contenting and satisfying all our appetites they leaue vs still desirous to abide in the same estate alwaies so that we are neuer a wearie therof These are then the true plesures which we ought alwaies to desire and seke after and not the pleasures of the worlde which are alâ—… but scuruie things For as those which are full of the itch whilest they are scratched haue some pleasure and fele some ease which lasteth but a little whilest they are in scratching and by and by vppon it there followeth a pain which vexeth them grieuously so the voluptuous men haue neuer no pleasure but it is mixed with a thousand griefes and sorrowes And theyr pleasure is much like that which they féele who are tickled which hath a certayne vexation and feare which
being such good God what good faith or beleefe can wee haue in thee Faith as saith Saint Peter purifieth our hearts What faith then can they pretende to haue who haue their hearts yet full of filth and corruption Who haue them puffed vp and swollen with ambition pride auarice pleasures impatience reuenge hatred enuie and other like passions and affections of the flesh altogether disordinate and without all measure Faith doeth regenerate vs and make vs newe creatures of earthly it maketh vs heauenlye of carnall men it maketh vs become spirituall of the children of wrath and darkenes it maketh vs children of light and grace and to be short of verye diuels it maketh vs Angels of heauen Who so euer then hath his heart tyed to earthly things and thinketh nothing or little at all on the thinges which are from aboue who ioyneth not himselfe with the spirite in the battaile to fight against the flesh but being assailed and set vpon by his owne concupiscences geueth them place straighte and maketh him selfe his owne slaue and prisoner hee abuseth the grace of God and in steede of retaining it and keeping it still with him liuing in his feare and in the obedience of his holye will turneth it cleane away and driueth it farre from him by licenciousnes of life whereunto he doeth giue ouer himself vnder a vaine confidence that he hath to find it alwayes at his pleasure readie to excuse and couer all his sinnes So he deceiueth himself much weening to be faithfull and yet hath no better faith than the verie diuels neither can his faith assure him at the daye of iudgement more than theirs can Likewise doeth not faith exempt vs from the iudgement and condemnation of God as Iesus Christ sayeth He that beleeueth shall not come into iudgement at all And Saint Paul saith That there is no condemnation to them which by faith are graffed into the bodie of Iesus Christ but they which liue after the flesh and stand in no awe to do those things which God hath forbidden and contrariwise to omit and neglect those things which he hath commanded to be done howe can they escape the iudgement of death and of the curse pro nounced in the lawe against all them that transgresse it seeing that they doe it weetingly willigly and of deliberate purpose If their conscience condemne them God who is greater than their conscience who knoweth and soundeth the depth of their hearts howe shall he forgiue them Likewise faith when it is a true faith doeth inuest vs with Iustice and the spirite of Iesus Christ which are so linked together and doe so follow one another that the one cannot be found without the other Seing then that the spirit of God cannot be resident in vs but must needes worke his effect that is to saye must illuminate sanctifie quicken guyde and gouerne vs in all our counsels thoughtes affections wordes and actions What faith I pray you do we thinke we haue if we do not shewe it foorth by an holye and laudable conuersation mortifying and crucifying our flesh with all the lustes thereof putting off our old man with all his affections flying and detesting all kind of sinne and embracing all kind of vertue abstaining not onely from euill but also from all that which hath any shewe or apparance of euill And to conclude continuing this holy exercise without any interruption vnto the ende of our life For if any one shall as the Prophet sayeth doe the best he can to liue well for a while and after shal come to wander and goe aside from the right way before he be arriued at the ende of his iourney God shal haue no remembrance of any good deedes that he had done before and shall not allowe him so much as one of them when he shal come to heare his count For he promiseth not saluation life euerlasting to those that shall begin to doe well but to those onely who shall couragiously and with an inuincible heart perseuere to the end And he giueth not the price and crowne of immortalitie but to those that runne out to the ende of the lease and haue truely combated all the time of their life For what auayleth it a merchant which sayleth into India to rigg his shippe with some rich merchandize if after he hath escaped manye perils at Sea and sayled fortunately 14. or 15. Monethes together he then come to strike against some rocke suffer shipwracke before he euer come to his iurneyes ende All those which departed out of Egypt vnder the cōduct of Moses entered not into the land of Canaan for the greatest part were left behinde and dyed by the way and were shut out of the rest that God had promised to their fathers because of their infidelitie other vices which the Apostle nameth in the first Epistle to the Corinthians So we must neuer hope to enioy that life euerlasting and most blessed happie estate that he hath promised and reserued for his elect if we do not perseuere vnto the end in the faith of his worde and in the obedience of his holy will which thing to do is granted to verie fewe persons Moreouer faith when it is true liuely is it not accompanied with a certaine zeale dehemencie of the spirite which bringeth it foorth to confesse the name of God publikely to sing Psalmes to him to set foorth and tell of all his wondrous workes and to make also publike profession of Iesus Christ and of his gospell and without all feare shame and dissimulation to maintaine and defende the trueth constantly against all those which resist and withstand the same But if we will examine throughly and without all flatterie truely iudging of all our actions we must needes confesse and acknowledge that in the most of vs there hath been a maruelous great slacknes of duetie herein for that wee haue beene wonderfull colde fearfull when we should oppose our selues against the wicked and haue endured to see heare them blaspheme the holy name of God of Iesus Christ to speake yll of religion of the Gospell and of the truth holding our peace and suffering in our presence the honour of God not only to be dishonored spoken yll of but also to be trodē vnder foote without euer opening our lips in speaking one word in defence thereof What zeale haue we shewed also to restore the Tabernacle of Iacob which was thrown down to the ground What pitie cōpassion haue we had seeing the ruynes and horrible desolations happened so long time together to the poore citie of Syon Is there any one amongest you that can truely saye he hath laboured as much as in him lyeth by all meanes possible to builde againe the Temple of God and to make vp againe the breaches that the enimies had made in euery side of his church Howe many may be found amongest vs that may not
the merite of the death and passion of the same Iesus Christ in whose name you present vnto him this holy prayer the which he taught vs saying from the bottome of your heart Our Father which art in heauen c. Then do acknowledge from the bottome of your heart your vnrighteousnes be sorrowfull for your sinnes repent your selfe vnfainedly and the kingdome of God will drawâ—… nigh vnto you Confesse that there is no righteousnes no innocencie no good workes neither of yours nor in you but that as the childe of wrath conceiued and borne in the sinne of olde Adam you merite eternall death and damnation And yet all the sinnes in the world when you shall haue committed them all are not able to make you afeard For Iesus Christ the very sonne of the eternal God became verie man conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie to sanctifie you and make you cleane from sinne He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate many afflictions and iniurious torments making him selfe a slaue and a captiue to set you out of captiuitie Iesus Christ was crucified as one accurst vpon the trée of the crosse to deliuer you from the eternall curse Iesus Christ was dead and shedde his precious bloud to wash you to redéeme you and to deliuer you from death hell and the power of Sathan Iesus Christ was buryed in the graue to burie all your sinnes with him the which he hath borne and blotted out Iesus Christ descended into hell in suffering an extreame anguish to delyuer you from all the paines and dolours of death Iesus Christ is risen vp again from the dead to make you rise againe in your own bodies resplendent with glorious immortalitie Iesus Christ is ascended vp into the heauens that after him you should ascend also Iesus Christ sitteth at y â— right hand of God the father almightie béeing your aduocate and mediator to him the propitiation for all your sinnes We looke that he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead to reward euerie man according to his workes But to the faithfull that beléeue in him he shall not impute their sins for hauing iustified them by his grace hée shal make them raigne with him for euer in his heauenly throne N. Such is the great mysterie of our redemption the which by the grace of the holy Ghost you ought firmely beléeue to haue bene wrought for your saluation Doubt not then at al but by the merite of Iesus Christ the head of his Church you are incorporate and engrafted a member into the same thanking him in all humilitie that it hath pleased him of his greate grace that you haue liued in the communion and fellowship of his faithfull people nourishing you with his word and with his bodie and bloud confessing assuredly the great mercie of God by the forgiuenesse of all your sinnes the which hée hath vouchsafed you thorough Iesus Christe who shall rayse you vp againe at the last daie to make you raigne with him in life euerlasting the which he hath promised to all those that beléeue in him being baptised in his name Nowe N. séeing that you haue this faith doubt not but to receiue the promise of faith for God is true of his promise he is no liar as men are First heauen and earth shall passe but the word of God abideth for euer God he is your father and creator you are his creature the workmanship of his handes He hath not made you to destroy you For he is the sauiour of all men and will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turn from his wickednes and liue Wherefore I announce vnto you in the name of God that by his great bountie and mercie hee doeth fréely giue vnto you full pardon and remission of all your sinnes by the onely merite of his sonne Iesus Christe our sauiour in the shedding of his most precious bloud for it is the propitiation not onely for our sins but also for the sinnes of the whole world N. Iesus Christ sayeth by his owne mouth that all things are possible to him that beléeueth Beléeue then without all doubt that Iesus Christ inuesting our flesh is become verie man and died for vs hauing borne all our sinnes in his owne bodie to wipe them out and deface them Present vnto God the precious death of his sonne Iesus Christ and by the merit of the same death and passion aske him mercie and forgiuenes saying with great humilitie and repentance from the bottome of your heart Lord God Father almightie haue mercie vpon me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ my Lorde and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion please to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands N. You must haue a firme beléefe and trust in God For if hee bée on your side who can be agaynst you for Iesus Christ who is the immaculate lambe hath ouercome all for you He hath offered himselfe once for all and by that one oblation hath defaced all our sinnes He hath raced out our folly and vnrighteousnes abhomination and the obligation that the deuill had against you and with this good Lord and master Iesus Christ God the father hath giuen you all things N. Fortifie your selfe then in Iesus Christ who calleth and inuiteth you by his Proohets Apostles and Euangelists to come fréely vnto him saylng All you that thirst come to mee and drinke your fill Come io me all ye that trauaile and bee heauie laden and I will refreshe you N. Beléeue assuredly that Iesus Christ hath acquited and discharged you from all your sinnes and hath reconciled you to God his Father vnto whom with great humility and repentance say from the bottome of your heart Lord God Father almightie haue mercie vpon me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christe my Lorde and Sauiour and by the meriâ—…e of his death and passion please to receiue my soule the whiche I commende into thy hands N. Haue then a good hope for certainly hée will receiue your soule as his owne for the loue of his sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde who is the Sauiour and redéemer of all those that beleeue in him Moses and all the prophets haue witnesses that all Nations shall receiue saluation and blessing from Iesus Christe The Apostles and Euangelistes witnesse that Iesus Christ is not come to call the iust but sinners to repentance and to giue his lyfe for the redemption of many for hee hath shed his bloud for the remission of sinnes Beléeue then and doubte not in anie case For Iesus Christ hath purged and washed you cleane from all your sinnes hauing promised that all those that beléeue in him and his Father who sent him shoulde haue life euerlasting and shoulde not come into iudgement but