I had giuen ouer all hope of life and said in my weakenes I am cut off I shall no more returne to see the sunne yet thou gauest life which art my light and comfort thou gauest strength and madest me againe to reioice with my friends and to visit my dwelling Though thou brakest me with breach vpon breach in the day of my distresse though thou powredst out my gall vpon the ground though thou tookest mee by the necke and shakedst me in peeces and settedst me vp as a marke for all thine Archers yet haddest thou mercy on me to spare one that thou wouldest not put out all the light of my children in one day take both their parents from of their heads at once I should haue desired as did old Simeon when thou hadst set me on the way Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace I should haue earnestly beg'd of God that in death we might not haue been diuided whom no affliction nor sorrow nor want nor euill-deuised counsell of euill men could diuide in our liues I should haue reioiced as if I had found a treasure when I had found the graue and reckoned it a great successe and benefit to haue bid good-night to this world and to haue gone to sleepe together in the dust but that my bowels were moued within me in compassion of my children Alasse quoth I in the weakenes of my body in the weakenesse of my minde and heauinesse of my soule shall all these yong ones now be orphans yet thou O God art the father of orphans and shall the eye of mine enemie see in mee and them O take mee not therefore away in the midst of mine age spare my life O Lord of thy goodnesse helpe and heale thy seruant in remembrance of thy mercies visit thy sicke and prisoner to giue me health set my feet at liberty so didst thou heare heale me and hast done this great thing for mee whereof I reioice And now Lord what is that which I aske at thine hands namely this comfort me for the time wherein thou hast afflicted me and for the yeeres wherein I haue suffered aduersity Put to rebuke the men of mine hatred recompence their good to their soules that haue done me good binde vp now the bones which thou hast broken in me O Lord send me now prosperity make me to walke worthy of my calling to walke worthy of thee expressing my thankefulnesse vnto thee not in my tongue onely but in my life and conuersation also Giue me thy feare to wound my flesh thy comforts to sustaine my heart thy mercies to preuent me accompany me and follow me while here I liue and after this life translate me to that place where all teares shall be wipt from mine eies where there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine there in the company of all Saints and congregation of the first borne that are written in heâ—â—â—â— â—â—â—â—â—y thy bright and blessed-makâ—ng â—igâ—t and to raigne with thee for all â—geâ— through thy sonne Iesus Christ FINIS Triunni Deo Gloria Errata Page 54. lâ—â—â— 7. dele of p. 58. l. 3. put in for p 60. l. 17. r. my sinnes p. 85. l. 1. for bring r. being p. 97 in margin l. 8. r his l. 10. r. pure p. 112 l. 15. r. inwards p. 123. l. 22. r. him that was p. 13â— l. 21 r. least approbation p. 133. l. 2 r. confederacies l. 6. r. errors p. 136. l. 9. for so truely r. seuerâ—ly p. 141. l. 12 r yet dowe say p. 153. l. 12. r. as through p. 155. l. 2. r for â—eaâ—d r. regard l. 15. r of all flesh p. 158. l. 20. for power r. praying p. 164. l 22. r. as a blasphemer p. 166. l. 25. r. your hand p. 172. l. 7. in some dele and haue power and l. 21. in some for shall r. should p. 177. l. 2 in some for vnchangeably r. vncharitably p. 178. l 11. dâ—le brother p. 182. l. 25. for immunity r. munition p. 184. l. 9. in some for know r. burne p. 198. l. 7. r. Iudas p. 199 l. 16. r. Is it not now p. 201 l. 23. for hoasts r. houses p. 217 l. 8. for concerne r. conceâ—â— p. 220. l. 17. r. here are we c. l. 8. r word of euill p. 245. l. 10. r. shall he p. 254. l. 3. r. the examined p 264. l. 25. for mistery r. misery p. 265. l. 3. r. application p. 268. l. 14. for show r. sâ—ow p. 271. l 25. r. not withdrawing
in iudgement 1. To accuse me before my God 2. To condemne me with my God 3. To hinder from me the loue and mercy of my God That my conscience may be quieted in this life within my brest 3. I will not henceforth feare the power of death nor the horror of the dust and graue seeing my Lord hath conquerd death and sanctified the graue to be to the bodies of his Saints a bed to rest in Es 57.2 where they repose them till the resurrection 1. Hauing laid aside a grieuous burden the burden of the flesh 2. Free from the troubles and miseries of this life August in Ioan. 3. Kept safe to immormortality That I may lay me downe quietly at the time of my dissolution also sleepe in peace Ps 4.8 He descended into hell 1. That he might deliuer vs from the streights and torments of hell 2. That he might destroy the diuels Kingdome 3. That hee might triumph ouer powers and principalities and make an open shew of them hauing disarmed them for 1. We were before in feare and danger of hell 2. He onely could ouercome the strong man binde him and spoile his house Luk. 11.21 Mat. 12.29 3. Thereby he led captiuity captiue and tooke into his hands the keies of death and hell Vse 1. Whereas therefore by this descending of Christ into hell I finde my selfe deliuered from the danger of hell I doe consider that it is my duety that as my Sauiour hath deliuered me from this death so I should endeauour also to saue others from this place of torment where there is 1. Want of all grace 2. Defect of all glorie 3. Excesse of all paine Sadnesse burning the minds of men Bern. de med geh suppli and flames the bodies 2. Whereas by this his conquest of the infernal powers my Lord hath strucken a perpetuall terror and feare into the diuell I see that I need not to stand in feare of satans tyranny seeing he shall neuer more be able to set vp his kingdome thus destroyed 1. Although he hath great wrath 2. Although he hath great subtlety 3. Although he hath great power Alwaies enuying the people of God fighting against the Saints 3. Whereas my Lord rides on in his glory with his and our enemies bound before him I will no longer looke on the mockgames of this worlds vanities and triumphs but turne mine eies from all earthly spectacles to behold this glorious show where 1. The conqueror is the Lord of heauen 2. The conquered are the powers of darknesse 3. The monument of victory is the crosse A triumph excelling all other shewes alone worth the beholding The fifth Article The third day he rose againe from the dead 1. Which is to vs a signe that hee hath ouercome death and fully satisfied for all our sinne 2. Which is to vs a token that wee must be raised here to newnesse of life 3. Which is to vs a pledge that we shall rise againe to the resurrection of life For 1. Els could he not haue freed himselfe out of deaths hold and prison of the graue 2. We must be made conformable as vnto the image of the death Phil. 3.3 so also to the resurrection of Iesus Christ 3. As he raised himselfe by his owne power so also will he quicken our mortall bodies to make them like vnto his glorious body Vse 1. What great comfort then is this vnto my soule that I haue an assurance that my Lord by dying hath not onely quite abolished and done away my sinne but also by rising againe hath brought vnto me righteousnesse and life applying vnto me by vertue of his resurrection the whole merit of his death and passion whereby I am 1. Separate from sinners 2. Reconciled vnto God 3. At peace and quietnesse in mine own conscience Ro. 5. Which is my chiefest ioy happinesse in this world 2. What great care and conscience should I vse seeing Christ is risâ—n againe from the dead that I no longer lie amongst the dead how should I pray vnto him that as by the power of his god-head hee raised himselfe from the graue so he would also raise me vnto newnesse of life from this death and graue of sinne where I ly rotting and stinking while I 1. Delight in sinne 2. Worke sinne 3. Accustome my selfe to sâ—nne Which is my greatest misery in this life Aug. de ver dom 3. What great hope and assured confidence should I haue that I shall be raised vp againe to life for if he being dead could raise himself Vrsin Max. in ser de pa. much more being aliue can he raise me If he my head my flesh my blood and my portion be risen then shall I his member flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone also rise and come to an inheritance in heauen 1. Immortall 2. Vndefiled 3. And that fadeth not away Which will be my blessednes in the world to come The sixth Article He ascended into heauen 1. That he might prepare the way thither and take possession thereof for vs. 2. That hee might giue gifts vnto men 3. That he might send the comforter vnto his Church For 1. He is entred before into the rest and makes vs to sit together with him in heauenly places 2. He did ascend that he might fulfill al things Eph. 4.10 3. He saith Ioh. 16.7 If I goe not away the comforter will not come vnto you Vse 1. I will therefore leaue all by pathes of this world to take me to this way which my Lord hath trod before me and trained it with his blood neither will I be slothfull in it nor turne out of it but in affection hast me into heauen Greg. following thither in my heart where Christ is in his body where I conuerse already in hope and expectation and viewing him with the eie of my faith ascending Aug. Epist ad Dardan 1. Beleeue on him in his absence 2. Hope for his comming 3. By his hidden mercy feele his presence Nothing doubting but that where my Lord is I his seruant shal be also Ioh. 14.3.11.26 2. I will not swell on that which I haue receiued nor otherwaies abuse my gifts because from him I haue them receiued nor scorne my brothers graces to quench the spirit in him but rather stirre vp the gift of God in me acknowledging the giuer 1. Of whom 2. Through whom 3. For whom are all things Rom. 11.36 Nothing of good giuings perfect gifts but comming down from him the father of lights Iac. 1.17 3. I will not seeke for solace in the heauinesse of my soule and day of mine affliction from any worldly comfort but from that heauenly spirit which he sent downe ascending who in flesh departing from vs yet alwaies remaines with vs as concerning his Aug. tra 50. in Io. 1. Maiesty 2. Prouidence 3. Vnspeakeable goodnesse Nothing wanting to true consolation where he is present by his holy spirit And sitteth on the
the truth of his body A representation is a signe or remembrance of a thing it is not the thing it selfe Augustine what doest thou prepare thy tooth and thy belly beleeue and thou hast eaten Cyprian we sharpen not our teeth to bite but with sincere faith wee breake and diuide that holy bread Bernard Christus tange potest sed affectu Ser. 20. in Cant. non manu veto non oculo fide non sensibus tanges manu fidei desiderij digito devotionis amplexu tanges oculo mentis Christ may bee toucht but with affection not with the hand with the desire not with the eye with faith not with the senses Thou shalt touch him with the hand of faith with the finger of desire with the imbracing of deuotion thou shalt touch him with the eye of the minde Credere inuenisse est saith one to beleeue is to haue found Et credere edisse est say I to beleeue is to haue eaten Norunt fideles saith another Christum habitare per fidem in cordibus suis quid proprius est The faithfull know that Christ dwels by faith in their hearts what can be neerer All these speake of a spirituall eating and no other an eating that is of faith should I then teare him againe with my teeth that was once pittifully torne for mee with nailes thornes speare vpon the Crosse should I dreame that my stinking carkase should be a Sepulcher to bury my Sauiour descending into the cauernes of my belly I will bury thee oh my Sauiour in the new sepulcher of my soule where neuer yet any man lay Thus of examining our selues before we eate of the manner of examining of our selues of the things wherof we are to examine our selues against the doubtings of our vnfitnes vnworthines of eating of what we receiue the conclusion is that hauing receiued Christ into the chamber of our heart we be thankefull to him for his comming we desire him to stay and lodge with vs all night we so demeane our selues towards him that we grieue not his spirit make him to leaue his lodging which if we doe our soule that was his lodging will become a cage of vncleane birds and our latter end will be worse then our beginning A praier before the Communion VVHat shall I doe O Lord drawing neere to this thy table but confesse against my selfe mine owne vnworthines thou requirest that thy guests haue on the wedding garment and behold I am couered as yet with the rags of mine owne filthinesse and with the confusion of my sinne The corruption of my nature the iniquity of my life the vnprofitablenesse of my best workes the abhomination of my worst the despight that I doe to thee the euill example that I haue giuen to men the shame and horror that I haue brought vpon mine own face and conscience my want of faith knowledge loue and sorrow for sin mine indeuotion to thy seruice my seruing of mine owne intentions out of the causes of thee my GOD and the causes of religion the whole bande of mine other iniquities my secret and to my selfe vnknowne sinnes stand vp against me to accuse me and cast me in the teeth I am in a straight with Dauid neither know I what to doe or what to choose whether to draw neere to this thy Table or to with-draw and turne my selfe away If I with-draw my selfe I forsake thy comforts and refreshing if I draw neere I am in danger of my sin But I will draw neere vnto thee trusting in the multitude of thy mercies O my Lord Christ I come laden with an heauy burden thou wilt ease my shoulder I come in my defects thou wilt couer them with thy perfection I come in the confession vse my sinne with thee is forgiuenesse thou wilt doe away my sinne I come in the feeling of my wants thou art God all sufficient thou wilt supply all my wants I come in the acknowledgement of mine vnworthinesse thou wilt accept me make me worthy and refresh me heere with the comforts in thy word with thy body and thy blood at thy Table elsewhere thou wilt make mee drinke of the riuer of thy pleasures in the kingdome of thy father where thou raignest euerlastingly one God with him and the Holy Ghost To thee be ascribed all praise and glory world without end Amen A Praier at the receiuing of the bread and wine O Lord Christ and blessed Sauiour which hast giuen mee thy body to bee my meate thy blood to be my drinke thy soule to be my redemption enter now the chamber of my heart with all thy vertues graces spirituall benedictions adorne it make it beautifull and dwell in it for euer and graunt that the memory of thy most bitter passion of all other thy wonders and benefits may neuer slip out of my minde but that I may alwaies thinke on thy loue meditate on thy mercies and thanke thee for thy goodnesse which hast done so great things for thy Church thy chosen and for my soule Amen A Praier after the receiuing of the Communion AWay from me all ye workes and workers of iniquity out of mine heart all euill thoughts out of my mouth all euill wordes from mine hands all euill deeds for I haue made a couenant with my God to serue him with all my strength with all my soule and with all my members and hee is come to dwell in mine heart Oh my GOD and oh my mercy how can I giue thee worthy thankes which being King of Kings and Lord of Lords hast not scorned to visit my soule and to come vnder the roofe of my poore dwelling Teach me O LORD to loue thy loue and for thy loue to denie all vngodlinesse and wordly lusts teach mee to leaue this world for thee which for my sake leftest Heauen to come downe to mee and gauest thy selfe vnto mee being made my brother in thy birth mine example in thy life the price of my redemption in thy death my food and nourishment at thy Table my reward in the Kingdome mine wholly and whatsoeuer thou art I cannot vtter the ioy of mine heart I cannot conceiue words to expresse my thankfulnesse If I had the tongues of men and Angels I cannot speake sufficiently to thy praise Grant O Lord that I which haue receiued so much from thee of thine thee thy selfe may in all things indeauour to bee to thine honour and praise Amen My Thankesgiuing after GOD had raised me vp from the bed of my sickenesse I Haue a song of praise to sing to the Lord O LORD thou hast holpen me and comforted me when I had receiued the sentence of death in my selfe thou saidst vnto me Liue when my life drew neere vnto the pit and to the buriers thou saidst vnto me Returne I had now almost imbâ—â—ced the dust and claimed my kindred in the graue saying to corruption thou art my father and to the wormes yee are my mother and my sister
Article And in Iesus which saueth vs 1. From the guilt of sinne 2. From the punishment of sinne 3. From the power of sin and Satan For 1. He was made sin for vs. Gal. 3.13 2. He was made a curse for vs. Ga. 4.4 3. Hee appeared to loose the workes of the diuell Ioh. 16.54 Vse 1. Whereas therefore the law of God accusing me in my selfe I am but a lost creature and can find nothing in me but 1. A froward heart 2. A wicked life and 3. A defiled conscience I betake me to this saluation 2. Whereas wrath is here gone forth against me and hell else-where prouided that I may yet haue hope and safety 1. In life 2. In death 3. In iudgement I cleaue vnto this Iesus 3. Whereas solde vnder sinne a captiue to the Diuell I haue liued long in bondage that now I may be freed from such 1. Bad Masters 2. Heauy chains 3. Seruile labours I flie vnto this Sauiour Christ annointed vnto vs 1. A Prophet 2. A Priest 3. A King For he 1. Teacheth his people the will of his Father 2. Maketh atonement twixt them and their God 3. Doth mightily gouerne and defend his Church Vse 1. I therefore leaue all other teachers which speake not as the word of God to harken to this Prophet with whose 1. Threatnings I am terrified 2. Promises I am allured 3. To whose precepts I doe obey Because hee hath the words of truth and peace 2 I come vnto the father through him offering spirituall sacrifice trusting to be accepted and lay hold vpon his sacrifice which was 1. Priest 2. Altar 3. Sacrifice Because hee is the high and only sacrificer 3 I count me happy liuing in his gouernment and will shew me faithfull to him that so 1. Mightily ouer-rules and punisheth his enemies 2. Gratiously rules protects his subiects 3. Bountifully rewardeth all their seruices Because he is the King of pâ—ace righteousnesse His onely Sonne 1. Not by creation 2. Not by adoption 3. But by eternall generation For 1. So are othâ—r men and Angels sonnes of God 2. So are sonnes all the chosen people of God 3. So is Iesus Christ himselfe alone Vse 1. These otâ—er therefore men and Angels though they are called sonnes of God as being from him in the institution of their nature in whome 1. They liue 2. They moue 3. They haue their being Yet do they not partake of Gods own nature 2. These other Saints of God and chosen people â—hough they haue the honour to bee called the Sonnes of God because they are 1. Elect of him before all worlds 2. Begotten of his immortall seede the word 3. Borne againe of water and of the spirit Yet do they not communicate of Gods owne essence 3 But this his Sonne alone his vndefiled of-spring begotten of him before all worlds and deare to him that did beget him is rightly called his onely Sonne being 1. The bright image of his Father 2. Light of his light 3. Coaeternall to him and consubstantial Because hee alone communicates of the diuine nature and essence Our Lord 1. Potestas arrepta Accepta Not by a power vsurped and vniust 2. Not by a power borrowed and limitted Iâ—genita de Soto 3. But by a power ingenit and lawfull purchase For 1. So are Lords also the tirants of the earth 2. So are Lords also those that raigne by him 3. So is he our Lord alone that is heire of all things Vse 1. Hence therfore am I quickened in my seruice to performe all due obediencâ— and doe willingly resigne to him my body soule substance whom I serue Greg. li. 2. Morall 1. Out of the affection of charity 2. Out of the loue of iustice 3. Free from all seruile feare and terror Because his gouernment is so iust and equall 2. Hence draw I no small comfort both for the hope of the reward of my seruice and helpe in need and trouble as also from the dignity of this my calling that I serue a power 1. Whose ability is not poore to reward 2. Whose arme is not short to helpe 3. Whose will cannot bee crossed by a greater power Because he is chiefe Lord subordinate to none 3. Hence thinke I of the account that I am to make of my goods and tallent and withall referre all that I haue to his goodnesse and all that I speak think or do to his praise from whom I haue so much receiued and whose I am by right of 1. Creation 2. Redemption 3. Preseruation Because he is my true and naturall Lord. Vrfin in loco The third Article Which was conceiued by the Holy Ghost 1. After the will of God alone 2. After a manner vnspeakeable 3. After the prophecies that went before For 1. He decreed it thus to come to passe 2. Wee cannot conceiue nor vtter how 3. They spake thus of it long agoe A Virgin shall conceiue All which was done Vse 1. That he might be without all spot or blemish in his conception 1. The sourse of corruption being stopped in his mother 2. Purenesse infused into the masse wherof he was made 3. The humane nature vnited vnto the god-head That so his integrity might couer our defects 2. That we might know that by the same spirit Christ may be formed in our hearts â—ulgent li. de incarnatio August in Ps 17 by which he was conceiued in the wombe if we haue the virginity of the minde which is 1. Sound faith 2. Solid hope 3. Sincere charity That so a fit receptacle bee prouided for him in our soules 3. That we might be assured that nothing shal fall to the ground which the Lord hath spoken though it seeme as impossible to vs as a Virgin to conceiue a thing 1. Which is beyond the course of nature 2. Which hath not entred into the heart of man 3. Which hath not otherwise been hard of in the world That so our faith may bee confirmed in the promises Borne of the Virgin Mary A thing 1. In reason wonderfull 2. In example singular 3. In effect desirable For 1. Who can tell out of his generation 2. Who can euer instance in the like 3. Blessed and happy is the wombe that beares him Vse 1. I acknowledge herein therefore the great worke of God maruellous in our eies so strangely ioyning these three things together Bern. ser in vigil natiu 1. God and man 2. A mother and a maide 3. Faith of these things and the hart of man And magnifie his glorious name therefore 2. I regard herein the humility and loue of my Sauiour which being borne from euerlasting of the father God rich ouer all dwelling in the heauenly palaces came downe into this earth to be 1. Borne of his hand-maide 2. Wrapt in clouts 3. Laide in a manger And follow him in and loue him for these vertues 3. August I long to beare him blessedly in my heart as the mother of God did beare him