in Christ that is who haue beleeued in Christ being now dead they rest in their graues onely for a time in a most assured hope of a ioyfull and glorious resurrection whereby they shall rise againe in the last day vnto a new life and that eternall and euerlasting wherein shall be nether sinne nor death nor any miserie and wherein shall bee nothing else but righteousnesse and perfect holinesse life and saluation ioy and happines for euer and euer These things God himselfe hath promised who is of infinite power able to performe whatsoeuer he hath promised and who is also truth it selfe and therefore neither will nor can faile in performance thereof Trust stedfastly then in his promises and wauer not CHAP. IX Testimonies of Scripture concerning the Resurrection of the dead MOreouer it is good for thee to repeate often and in thy mind to ponder and diligently to meditate vpon those testimonies of holy Scripture which concerne the resurrection of the flesh Hereof it is that Saint Paul admonisheth vs in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians That we raise vp confirme comfort both our selues 1 Thes 4.18 and comfort one another with these and such like words concerning the resurrection Neither indeed can there be any consolations more fruitful and plentifull or more sure and certaine then those which we fetch from those testimonies of Scripture which concerne the resurrection of our bodies they being the words not of man but of God who both can and will assuredly performe whatsoeuer he hath spoken as hath bene said There is none that can alter or change his will and determination none that can let or hinder his purpose and counsell He is of power infinite in his word and promises most faithfull and true yea truth it selfe his goodnesse and his mercie vnspeakeable as a fountaine that neuer can be drawne drie And therefore let no man doubt thereof Math 13.43 Christ saith Mat. 13.43 The iust men shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father Iohn 5.24 Likewise Iohn 5.24 Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shal not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life Chap. 6.40 And Chapter 6.40 This is the will of my Father that hath sent me that euery one that seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Againe Chapter 8.51 Verily Chap. 8.51 verily I say vnto you if any man keepe my word he shall neuer see death And Chap. 11.11 Christ saith that Lazarus slept and 11.11 who notwithstanding was dead and his dead corps did then lie in the graue But Christ raiseth the dead to life againe and calleth those things which are not Rom. 4.17 as if they were as Saint Paule saith And therefore our Sauiour Christ addeth in the 25 verse Ioh. 11.25 I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue And by and by after the vttering of these words he raised vp Lazarus from death hauing lien rotting and stinking in the graue foure daies And because in these conflicts of sicknesse and death we are naturally very fearefull and faint hearted to the end that we might be furthered and helped on forward the more to beleeue that there shall be a resurrection many haue bene raised vp from death vnto life in the times of the Prophets and Apostles In the new Testament Christ raised from the dead the widowes sonne at Naim Luke 7. Luke 8. Luke 7. He raised vp Iairus his daughter Luke 8. He raised vp Lazarus Iohn 11 Act. 9. and 20. Iohn 11. Saint Peter raised Tabitha Act. 9. and Saint Paul Eutychus Act. 20. In the old Testament the Prophet Elias raised vp the widowes son at Sarephtha 1 Kings 17. 1. Kings 17. and the Prophet Elisha his hostesse sonne the Shunamite 2 Kings 4. Gen. 5. ◠Kings 2. 2. Kings 4. And God also himselfe rapt vp Henoch and Elias aliue both bodie and soule out of this miserable and transitorie life and conueighed and tooke them vp vnto himselfe Gen. 5. and 2. Kings 2. That by thē he might leaue vnto vs some resemblance of the true life that is to come lest according to the conceit and opinion of the Epicures and heathens we should imagine that after this life nothing else remained vnto vs. Furthermore consider thinke with thy selfe what that great and mighty Lord of life death Iesus Christ saith Luke 8.52 Weepe not Luke 8.52 the Damsell is not dead but sleepeth Reason not beleeuing this notvnderstanding the mysteries of God maketh a mock of these things Wherupon it is added that All laughed him to scorne when they heard it But Christ making good his owne words as soone as he had said it he raised vp the maid that was dead and restored her to life And so in like maner will the same Lord Iesus Christ not onely receiue thy soule and preserue the same in sure custodie but will also at the last day render and deliuer againe this body vnto thy soule and will couple and knit them together againe vnto life eternall Iohn 5.28 Our Sauiour Christ pronounceth plainly Ioh. 5.28 That the day and houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and shal come forth they that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life And Daniel prophecieth foretelleth also Dan. 12.2 That many of them which sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake vnto euerlasting life and that they that be wise shall shine euen as the brightnesse of the firmament and they which turne many vnto righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer euer Saint Paule in like manner prooueth and confirmeth the certainty of the resurrection of our bodies by many strong and infallible reasons arguments Rom. 8.11 Rom. 8.11 If saith he the Spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell 〈◊〉 you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicke◠your mortall bodies because that his Spirit dwelleth in you And 1. Cor. 6.14 1 Cor. 6.14 The same God that raised vp the Lord Iesus Christ he shall also raise vs vp by his power And as for the fifteenth Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.12 c. it is full of nothing else but sweete consolations and comforts of wonderfull force and efficacie In that Chapter Saint Paule linketh and ioyneth our resurrection so fast and close vnto the resurrection of our Sauiour Christ that they cannot be separated nor plucked asunder the one frō the other Christ saith he is risen frō the dead which is a thing most certaine and sure therefore out of all doubt we shall also rise againe For Christ is our head and we his
Hell and damnation These things being thuâ— offered vnto our sight the at length a man begins tâ— feare lest haply he be quiâ— cast out from the face fauor of God beholding nothing else but eternal dead and condemnation Heâ— therefore men haue need 〈◊〉 be couragious of a coâ—stant heart and mind thâ—â— they faint not nor giue aâ— place vnto despaire Praâ— we therfore in this manneâ— A prayer O most gracious God â— most mercifull Father graâ—â— we beseech thee that by thy grace and helpe while we are yet in health and prosperitie we may learne to feare thee to loue thy holy word to beleeue and embrace thy sweete and coÌ„fortable promises to set thee before vs as the scope end of all our actions and that remembring alwaies this sharpe conflict and encounter which we are to vndergoe we may fortifie and arme our selues against this day of triall and so be saued preserued and defended that seruing and fearing thee we may direct all our doings to thy glorie and at the length obtaine and enioy eternall life which thine owne Sonne hath purchased for vs Amen CHAP. IIII. A Remedie against the feare and remembrance of our sinnes VVHensoeuer thy sins shall torment and trouble thee or terrifie thy conscience consider how that the Son of God himselfe for thy sake and for the purging and taking away of thy sinnes came downe from heauen and humbled himselfe to the lowest estate that may be that he being made man took vpon him thy sins and the sinnes of the whole world and of his owne voluntarieâ— will dyed for them vpon the crosse and made full satisfaction for them all by suffering most grieuous punishments in thy name and for thy sake This most precious bloud of Christ was shed euen for thee and for thy saluation Of this his death art thou also made partaker if onely thou shalt beleeue that he dyed as wel for thee as for Peter and Paul and others Neither oughtest thou any whit to doubt but that he died as well for thee as for Paule for in that thou art a sinner euen in this respect thou mayest and oughtest to bee comforted Math. 9.13 For Christ came not to call the righteous but to call sinners to repentance Mat. 9.13 and 1 of Tim. 1.15 1 Tim. 1.15 It is a true saying saith Saint Paul and by all meanes worthie to be receiued That Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Yea admit thou were one of the greatest sinners in the world yet doubt nothing for such a one was Paule as he witnesseth of himselfe in the same place euen the greatest and chiefest among sinners an oppressor a persecutor and blasphemer Moreouer this may and ought to comfort thee and to confirme and settle thy mind Rom. 6.3 that thou art baptized into the death of Christ For seeing thou art baptized into the death of Christ Christ his death shall saue and helpe thee by Christ his death thou shalt die vnto thy sinnes by Christ hiâ— death thou shalt receiue vndoubted remission and forgiuenesse of all thy sins finally by Christ his death thou shalt rise againe vnâ—o a new life here and to a life eternall and euerlasting in the world to come Thâ— remission of our sins confirmed in Baptisme and in the Lords Supper For Baptisme is a sure token and pledge and a certaine couenant as it were of Gods mercie and fauour in which thou art reconciled vnto God So that by meanes of it thou mayest euermore haue a quiet and chearefull conscience by reason of the forgiuenesse and pardoning of all thy sins through the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ Verily it is vnto thee also that Christ speaketh in the institution of his holy Supper wherein he professeth and witnesseth that his bloud was shed for the remission of sinnes Now therefore howsoeuer the life which thou hast led hath not bene altogetheâ— faultlesse blamelesse noâ— in all respects pure and free from sinne yet despaire not but without delay flie for refuge succour vnto that bloud of his which was thus shed for thy sinnes and without ceassing call vpon his Name and thou shalt be saued according to his promise Rom. 10.13 Rom. 10.13 Criâ—â— out vnto him therefore and call vpon him in these oâ— the like words A Prayer O most mercifull God and father of alâ— mercies father of our Lord Iesus Christ be fauourable and mercifull vnto me a sinner Take pittie and compassion vpon me miserable wretch and speedily helpe me euen for that most bitter but yet most precious death and passion of Iesus Christ thy only Son our redeemer and onely Sauiour Amen Amen Enter not into iudgement O Lord with thy seruant Deale not with me after my deserts neither do vnto mee according to my sinnes and iniquities but for thy infinite and endlesse goodnesse and mercie receiue me vnto thy grace I miserable wretched weake and feeble creature am in thy hands in thy power and at thy disposing to do with me what it pleaseth thee â— most mightie and yet mosâ— meeke most gentle most gracious God and mercifull father leaue me not neither reiect and cast mee off as a wretch that is quite forlorne and forsaken I am thine whatsoeuer I am and there is none can comfort me none can helpe me none can deliuer me but thou onely Thou art the true preseruatiue and remedie against all euils and mischiefes and against all infirmities and sicknesses both of bodie and soule Thou art the surest and most present helpe refuge and succour a strong hold and a fortresse and castle in all necessities Psal 46. Thou ô Lord art our hope and strength in troubles Psalme 46. In thee O my God I put my trust Psal 71. 31. let me not be confounded nor ashamed as being frustrate and disappointed of my hope but deliuer me in thy righteousnesse Incline thine care vnto me and saue me and make haste to deliuer me be thou vnto me a strong rocke and house of defence that thou mayest saue me For thou art my rocke my fortresse thou art my Lord and my God Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me ô Lord God of truth Let the light of thy countenaÌ„ce shine vpoÌ„ thy seruant saue me for thy mercie O Lord my God Moreouer here thou must especially be admonished to take heed that the suffer not thy selfe to much to be possessed wiâ—â— the cogitation and remembrance of thy sinnes in paâ—ticular But rather if thâ— same shall at any time stanâ— vp against thee set beforâ— thine eyeâ— the remembrancâ— of that most inestimabâ— price of Christ his death suffering and fasten thâ— same into thy minde diligently according to the aduice and counsell of Sainâ— Augustine Inspice vulnerâ— pendentis sanguinem morieâ—tis precium redimentis Capaâ— habet inclinatum in cruce aâ— osculandum brachia extensâ— ad amplexandum totum
done Seâ—ondly if freely thou conâ—esse and acknowledge the same and be heartily sorâ—ie and grieued at the remeÌ„brance of it And thirdly if thou shalt freely and from thy very heart forgiue â—thers that haue any way either in thy body or goods or thy good name and estimation offered or done wrong and iniurie vn-thee If thus thou shalt from the bottome of thy heart vnfainedly pardon and forgiue others be of good comfort doubt not bâ— that God will also pardâ— and forgiue thee whatsoâ—uer wrongs iniuries doâ— either to himselfe or to â—thers For God cannot bâ— remit and forgiue that mâ—â— his offences who readiâ— and freely forgiueth hâ— neighbour For as much aâ— he himselfe hath taught 〈◊〉 this way of requitall Matâ— 6.14 If ye do forgiue mâ— their trespasses Mat. 6.14 your heauenâ—â— Father will also forgiue you CHAP. VII Of the lawfull vse of Physick in time of sicknesse A Question NOW here a question may be made whetheâ— the sicke man may with a good conscience craue the helpe of the Physition and also vse physickâ— oâ— ought onely to depend vpon God for the recouerie of his health Answer Hereunto I answer that the sicke man as he must not despise the counsaile and helpe of Physitions and of physicke so in any wise he must take heed that he do not adore and relie vpon the same too much His chiefe hope and confidence must be fixed and set vpon God who as he inspireth and giueth life and breath vnto these our bodies so he alone taketh the same away againe wheÌ„ it pleaseth him Howbeit notwithstanding sometimes it is not amisâ— to vse the helpe and couâ—sell of the Physition leâ— herein we should seeme 〈◊〉 tempt God in neglecting oâ— despising his ordinance anâ— meanes appointed for restoring of nature and recouery of health For howsoeuer medicines of theÌ„selues can do nothing neither haue any power and vertue to gâ—ue health without the blessing of God and his secret worke and operation yet notwithstanding wheâ— the same are ministred and applied by the learned and wel experienced Physition they are to be held esteemed not onely healthfull profitable but also needfull and necessarie and may also rightly be called Manus Dei the very hand of God himselfe Hereupon it is that Sirach Chap. 38. counselleth to honour the Physition with the honour that is due vnto him Eccles 38.1.4 that because of necessitie For the Lord saith he hath created ordained and appointed him For of the most High cometh healing And againe the Lord from out of the earth hath created medicines and the man that is wise will not abhorre theÌ„ As for witches and wisards inchanters and sorcerers and the like who will take vpon theÌ„ to heale and cure the sicke by certaine fained and deuised ceremonies or by a certaine number of words or prayers whereunto they ascribe the vertue and power of healing diseases these are by all meanes to be auoided and to be put away farre from vs. For they are the very hand and instruments of the diuels and euil spirits and not the hand of almightie God by whose word and power all things are and ought to be ruled and gouerned CHAP. VIII A Remedie against the feare and terrour of Death IF at any time thou be terrified with the feare of death bethinke with thy selfe and consider that by Christ death is vtterly vanquished and put to death as it were Indeed if that Christ in compassion toward vs had not died for vs the feare of death must needs haue vexed and troubled vs. But now death being vanquished cast downe and troden vnder foote by the death of Christ the soules of them that beleeue in Christ cannot die nor perish but after their departure out of these bodies they go straight vnto him Phil. 1.23 as it was said vnto the thiefe on the crosse being readie to giue vp the ghost This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23.43 And in the meane time the bodie resteth in assured hope that it shall at the last day rise againe vnto a most blessed and happie life which is immortall and neuer fadeth and that the same bodie shall rise with exceeding great glorie and maiestie and with such beauty and comlinesse as cannot be expressed that so being renewed againe and glorified together with the soule it may liue for euer with Christ and with all the elect Among whom many shall be found which here on earth were knit and ioyned vnto vs in the bond of amitie and friendship And therefore the sacred Scripture vsually calleth the death of the godly by the name of sleepe Death a sleepe For this same weake fraile mortall and transitorie body which now rotteth in the graue shall at the last day be raised vp euen as a man that is fast asleepe is rouzed and raised vp out of his sleepe And then forthwith death being quite extinguished and abolished it shall appeare glorious and beautifull strong in perfect health sound and entire pure and spirituall immortall and incorruptible 1 Cor. 15.53 When this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortall shall put on immortalitie Whereupon it is that the Prophet Dauid pronounceth the death of the Saints to be precious Psal 116.15 of excellent account Psal 116.15 and 16.9 and in another Psalme His heart within him leapeth for ioy and his tongue reioyceth his flesh also resteth in hope Why Because God will not leaue his soule in graue neither will suffer his holy one to see corruption These things deare brother ponder and consider well in thy mind that thou be not deceiued with the world which imagineth that when we die we die for altogether that our bodies perish together with our life and that nothing remaineth of vs after our departure hence But the world is herein altogether deceiued For our bodie is not so little set by nor so despised in the sight of God it hath his peculiar honour and welfare prepared and ordained of God For this same bodie which now we carry about vs which is now vexed and tormented with so many griefes paines this same body I say being changed glorified shall together with our soule liue for euermore Whereas indeed if wee should for altogether lose and forgo this bodie and neuer recouer the same againe at any time the death of the Saints and children of God should not be precious and honorable but rather vile and of no worth yea horrible and dreadfull Considering therfore these things diligently raise vp and comfort thy wauering mind and strengthen the same with sentences of holy Scripture Beleeue them faithfully doubt nothing For the same are most certaine vndoubted and true As Christ his body being buried and lying in the graue rose againe on the third day vnto a new life the same eternall and euerlasting neuer to die againe so the bodies of all such as are asleepe
and put to death Now then vnto as many as beleeue in Christ death is vtterly vanquished and is dead as it were there is nothing now in death that is dreadfull or to be feared besides onely a certaine image and appearance As a serpent that is dead retaineth his wonted forme which is dreadfull and terrible but yet hath no strength or power in himselfe to hurt And euen as by that brasen Serpent which Moses set vp in the wildernesse so oft as it was beheld and looked on the fierie Serpents wherewith the Iewes were bitten and stung were by the mighty power of the Lord smitten that they died so as the people could not be infected with their poyson euen so our death dieth as it were and is made harmelesse and in no wise to be feared if onely with the eies of faith we shall behold and looke vp vnto Christ hanging on the crosse and dying for vs. Whereof the said brasen serpent was a liuely image and representation as our Sauiour Christ himselfe witnesseth Ioh. 3.14 Ioh. 3.14 As Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so also must the Sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life In a word death is but a certaine resemblance or image of death or rather it is the beginning and entrance into the true and endlesse life Christ who is truth it selfe telleth vs Ioh. 8.51 If any man keepe my word he shall neuer see death How I pray you commeth this to passe The case standeth thus Man trusting stedfastly in the mercie of God and merits of Christ Iesus by meanes of his faith is so incorporated as I may say and so knit and vnited vnto his head Christ Iesus his Lord Sauiour who is the true life that he cannot be separated nor plucked away froÌ„ him This bodie therefore by death is parted and seuered from the soule in an assured and vndoubted hope of a glorious resurrection vnto eternall life For as much as within a short compasse of time the bodie shall be restored againe vnto the soule to enioy eternall blisse and happinesse And so beleeuing in Christ he shal neuer see noe taste of eternall death of bodie and soule that is of eternall damnation which is the onely death indeed forasmuch as the death of the godly is nothing else but a passage or a departure out of this mortall life into life immortall and vnto the societie and companie of Christ himselfe and of all his holy Saints and Angels CHAP. X. A Remedie against the feare and horror of Hell and eternal Damnation THat malicious wicked spirit the diuel and Satan here doubtlesse will also cast into the mindes of men a care and feare also concerning their Predestination by suggesting vnto them these or the like horrible and dreadfull cogitatations What if for all this thou do not please God what if God haue reiected thee and cast thee out of his fauour or how knowest thou thy selfe to be of the number of those whom God hath elected and chosen vnto eternall life These and the like dangerous tentations will be readie to offer themselues which indeed are very hard and sharpe and will very grieuously tormeÌ„t and disquiet the minds of men especially in sicknesse And therefore a man hath need in this case to stand fast and manfully to defend himselfe Now if in this combat and conflict thou wilt obtaine the victorie it behooueth thee to withstand him by this policie Straightway as soone as these tentations are sent vnto thee of Satan take heed thou do not enter into the lists with him or condescend to make him answer or to dispute and reason the matter with him but repell him rather and driue him from thee with these or the like cogitations Auoid Satan depart get thee hence it is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Neither shalt thou therefore tempt any of his children that are neare and deare vnto him When as God of his fatherly loue and kindnesse toward me alwaies hath bestowed so exceeding great infinite blessings and benefits vpon me hauing endued me with life and so plentifully fed and nourished preserued maintained the same hitherto hauing filled me with all good things needfull and necessarie for this life yea ministred vnto me abundantly all things behoouefull and profitable both for my soule and bodie that so farre aboue my desert beyond my desire and expectation ô what madnesse were it once to doubt of his mercie When as by Baptisme he hath accepted me to be of his flocke and hath registred and enrolled me in the Catalogue and number of Christian beleeuers when as he hath called me to the knowledge of his grace by the Gospell of his Sonne wherein he hath promised that he will be a father vnto me how should I not expect and looke for all good from him how should I not promise vnto my selfe all the fauour that he can shew me and all the good that possibly he can doe vnto me how should not his good will and affection be most readily inclined toward me What needeth to say much in this case It is a thing both foolish and also dangerous to giue way vnto such thoghts concerning Predestination It behoueth thee rather to preuent to auert turne away and so to ouercome these cogitations with other considerations wherewith God will haue thy mind occupied as namely those that Christ himselfe hath prescribed in the Gospell where he saith That whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall in no wise perish Ioh. 3.15.16.36 but hath euerlasting life Hearest thou not that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ and that acknowledgeth Christ to be his righteousnesse sanctification and redemption can in no wise be damned but that he shall be made partaker of euerlasting life saluation As many then as trust stedfastly and vnfeinedly in the mercy of God and merits of Christ Iesus are of the number of them who are elect and chosen vnto eternall life being foreknowne and predestinate in Christ and registred and written long ago in the book of life But they who are predestinate vnto eternall life Rom. 8.29 are made like vnto the Image of Christ being iustified and made righteous before God by faith in his Sonne Therefore by this their faith they are vndoubtedlie saued These things are most certaine and true God neither can be deceiued neither can he deceiue any man Now this is the will and counsell of God our most louing Father who is truly and indeed Philanthropâ—s a louer of mankind These things he hath thus fore-purposed and decreed from euerlasting and therefore there is no cause of feare no cause why those thingâ— should hinder thee or make thee afraid which the enemie of thine the diuell enuying thy welfare and saluation seeking the destruction of thy soule shal seeme to suggest and to oppose against these things Onely see that thou pâ—â— thy
trust and confidence iâ— Christ comfort thy selfe in an assurance of his mercy and behold there neither is nor can be any danger For if thou fixe thy hope and confidence in Christ Christ now is thine and thou art his He hauing redeemed thee thou canst in no wise perish nor be damned For as much as they that beleeue in Christ are by the Father drawne vnto Christ Ioh. 6.44 and by him the Fathers will is that they shold be saued neither will he haue any of them to perish Iohn 10.28 Ioh. 10.28 Be of good comfort then beleeue faithfullie and haue stedfast hope in Christ For whosoeuer beleeue in Christ the same are predestinated vnto eternall life Vpon Christ then it behoueth thee wholie to fixe the eyes of thy mind to fly vnto him and to lay fast hold vpon him by faith if thou wilt be saued Remembring that earnest exhortation of the Apostle Heb. 12. Heb. 12.2 That with patience we run the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God CHAP. XI How Christ his temptations and sufferings were all for our sakes FVrthermore all the sufferings and temptations wherwith Christ was assailed and tempted being exceeding many and grieuous he suffered them all for vs and for our sake as the same Apostle witnesseth in the same Epistle saying Heb. 4.15.16 We haue not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but which was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne Therefore let vs go boldly vnto the Throne of grace that we may receiue grace and find mercie to help in time of need Imprint these things deare brother stedfastly in thy mind Christ giueÌ„ vnto vs for two ends Christ was giuen vnto vs for a two-fold end First that he might redeeme vs and reconcile vs vnto God his heauenly Father and so make vs partakers of eternall saluation And secondly that he might be an example vnto vs both of liuing godly and dying happily See then that thou set Christ his death before thine eyes and that thou end thy life after his example for as much as Christ is set downe vnto vs for as example to be followeâ— both in his life and in his sufferings and death For there is no man that shal be able to liue godly no maâ— able to suffer afflictions oâ— to vndergo death happily vnlesse he shall propose vnto himselfe both the life and death of Christ for his imitation By Christ his death it is that the death of all the godly is swallowed vp and quite abolished Iâ— wil be good for thee therefore diligently to meditate and consider in thy mind what manner of death hee died and how he behaued himselfe in that most sharpe and bitter conflict of all others when as hanging vpon the crosse he was ouerwhelmed as it were with most grieuous and horrible temptations Imitate and follow him and call vnto God for helpe that thou maist be enabled thereunto CHAP. XII Of Christ his threefold Temptations FIrst the Iewes sought to tempt Christ with the feare of death 1 Temptation of Christ as one in their opinion vtterly vnable to deliuer himselfe from the same when as it was obiected vnto him on the Crosse saying He saued others himselfe he cannot saâ—e as if they shold say Now his case is altogether desperate for he must die and so vtterly perish None shall by force or otherwise take him away nor deliuer him out of our hands After the like manner will that vnreconciled enemy of man the diuel be ready also to strike into thee a scare terror of death But proceed and go on forward boldly bee strong and of good courage comfort Christ hath vanquished this enemy and vtterly cast him down And thou also through the same Christ shalt likewise cast him downe and ouercome him Stretch out thy shield of faith in Christ Iesus Thy Lord and Sauiour Christ being Lord of life King of eternall glory was not so made subiect vnto death as to be ouercome or to bee holden still of death but he liueth and reigneth for euer In this case then thy Lord and Sauiour liuing and reigning for euer doubtlesse he wil not leaue thee nor forsake thee neither will he suffer death to exercise tyrannie and dominion ouer thee He cannot deceiue thee nor falsifie his word and promise made vnto thee sith he is truth it selfe Haue this confidence in him and assure thy selfe of his goodnesse and of his loue and care tender affection toward thee and behold thou shalt most assuredly liue with him for euer A twofold benefit we receiue by death And whereas he will haue thee through many afflictions and trials to vndergoe this bodily death it is for thine owne sake and for thy good For first there is no other way whereby to passe into the true and euerlasting life then by this bodily death We must then leaue and lay downe this life if we will enioy eternall life and so after this life begin to liue truly and indeed Besides this bodily death is good and profitable in this respect that hauing tasted the sharpnesse and bitternesse therof thou mightest by experience know and perceiue how feruent the loue of Christ was toward thee and how inestimable a benefit he bestowed vpon thee when as dying for thee in his owne bodie he discharged and made satisfaction for all thy sinnes death being altogether extinguished and abolished and the very gates of hell shaken in peeces cast downe and ouerthrowne For otherwise thou couldest not perceiue nor vnderstand the operation and power of life in Christ how great it is which hath swallowed vp our death neither shouldest thou acknowledge the greatnesse of the benefit nor giue due thankes as thou oughtest vnto Christ thy Lord and thy redeemer Wherefore in that Christ liueth thou also shalt liue this death shall be vnto thee a happie and pleasant sleepe and â— dore or entrance into that true and most blessed life 2 Temptation of Christ Againe secondly the Iewes sought to tempt Christ with the guilt of sin as being a wicked man and a man guilty of horrible sin wheÌ„ it was cast in his teeth If thou be the Sonne of God come downe from the crosse Thou sauedst others why theâ— doest thou not saue thy sâ—lfe These reprochfull wordes what else did they meane and intend but that by imposture guile and cosenage he deceiued and deluded men and that he was nothing lesse then the Sonne of God nay rather that he was a most vngracious and wicked man In like manner Satan tempting a man that is in extremitie of sicknesse and readie to die he layeth before him whatsoeuer at any time he hath coÌ„mitted against God or his neighbour and he
also the truth as hee witnesseth in the same place And therefore neither will nor can deceiue vs but the promises of God in him and through him are 〈◊〉 and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 2. Corinth 1.20 And to the end that thou maiest nothing doubt but that God will abide by his words promises he hath by an especiall and peculiar couenant and signe added vnto thy body bound and tyed himselfe as it were vnto thee For of an earnest loue and desire of thy saluation hauing sent his owne Sonne into the world to giue vp himselfe vnto death for thee he hath made a couenaÌ„t of grace with thee through Christ in whom he hath promised that if thou beleeue and be baptized he wil freely giue vnto thee eternall life he will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee but will be a Father vnto thee and will crowne thee with his goodnesse mercie Now the signe and seale of his couenant is thy Bapâ—isme Wherefore vnto the promises annexed vnto this signe it behoueth thee to cleaue fast to lay sure hold vpon the same For God hath giuen thee this signe in thy flesh that thou mightest nothing doubt of his fauour and mercie promised and of his faithfulnesse goodnesse towards thee Rom. 6.3 Thou art baptized as S. Paul saith into the death of Christ that his death may become thy death and that he might make a full and perfect satisfaction vnto God for thee Gal. 3.26 Yea thou hast put him on as it were in Baptisme for so saith the Apostle vnto the Galathians that so thou mightest be wholly in him and he in thee Baptisme therefore is such a couenant and such a figure and signe as comforteth reioyceth quieteth thy conscience before God as Saint Peter witnesseth assuring thee 1 Pet. 3.21 that God will neuer condemne thee for thy sinnes being throughly purged and washed away in the bloud of his Sonne For being iustified by faith Rom. 5.1 thou hast peace with God Ro. 5.1 A quiet peaceable chearefull conscience is this true peace Now thou hast receiued Baptisme as a most certaine signe and seale of this thy iustification and of the remission of all thy sins that thou mightest assuredly beleeue that God hauing mercie and compassion vpon thee for Christ his sake will saue and deliuer thee Now then forasmuch as God hath a fauor vnto thee and will be a Father vnto thee and consequently will neuer forsake thee and forasmuch as thou hast so infallible a signe and testimonie thereof thou oughtest to commit and giue ouer both all thy affaires and thy selfe also wholly vnto him to obey his will and to suffer patiently his hand vpon thee whether it be his will that thou liue or die praying and desiring that his good will may be done vnto his praise and glory And it is vnpossible if thou trust stedfastly in Gods mercie promised through Christ and thus dedicate thy selfe wholly vnto him it is vnpossible I say that thou shouldest perish or be condemned Forasmuch as God hath promised that he will be thy Father euen the same God who is most true of his word yea truth it selfe while thou doest beleeue acknowledge him so to be and thereupon hopest and lookest for all good things from him he cannot but as a tender Father take care of thee and so consequently in good time saue and deliuer thee how hardly soeuer for the present he may seeme to intreate thee yea forasmuch as he hath promised to be a Father not onely vnto thee but also vnto thy seede after thee thou stedfastly beleeuest these his promises he will without all doubt haue a diligent and prouident care both of thee and thine And therefore mayest thou well recommend vnto him not onely thy bodie and soule but also thy wife and thy children thy kinsfolke and thy friends and briefly all that thou hast belonging vnto thee Nothing doubting but that he will be a true Father vnto thy children a true husband vnto thy wife and a true friend vnto thy kinsfolke and friends For God hath hitherto vsed thee in these toward these onely as a Steward And now when he will haue thee to leaue the execution of this office and charge he will doubtlesse substitute in thy stead another Steward ouer them who shall faithfully and diligently take care of them If with full confidence of heart thou shalt hope and looke for this from him there is no doubt but that he will do it as I haue said Wherefore shake off from thee and cast out of thy mind al care for thy friends and for all thy worldly affaires and commit the same ouer vnto God Be rather careful for thy selfe and bethinke how to prouide for thy soule and to resigne the same ouer into the hands of thy Creator and Redeemer And now whereas God hath freely for Christ his sake pardoned and forgiuen thee all thy sinnes he requireth nothing else of thee for this infinite and inestimable benefite but that thou in like manner from thy very heart forgiue all those that haue done wrong and iniury vnto thee And he promiseth that he will forgiue vnto vs our trespasses so as we shall forgiue vnto men their trespasses Wherfore hauing from the bottome of thy heart pardoned all wrongs and offences so as thou intendest not euer after to renew nor call to minde againe the remembrance thereof pray earnestly and heartily for them that haue any way â—â—iured or hurt thee according to the doctrine and example of Christ himselfe And if thou shalt recouer of this thy sicknesse helpe them to the vttermost of thy power if they shall stand â—n need of thy helpe Now if thou hast thy mind thus voide and free from inward grudge malice and displeasure thou hast also an vndoubted signe that God hath pardoned thee all thy sinnes vtterly rased them out of his sight For faith whereby thy heart is purged shewing it self bringing forth her fruits in thee for the blessings and benefits of God towards thee being infinite in pardoning all thy sinnes which are in number infinite it cannot but stirre thee vp in like maner to forgiue thy neighbour and to do good vnto him Here the fruite of thy loue and charitie witnesseth vnto thee and putteth thee in assurance that thy faith is a true and liuely faith when it bringeth forth good fruite and such as is vnfained This is that which S. Peter meaneth when he willeth vs to giue all diligence to make our calling and election sure by our good workes 2 Pet. 1.10 giuing vs to vnderstand that those good works are witnesses and tokens that we are elect chosen of God and adopted to be his sons and consequently to be heires of eternall life and saluation Howbeit notwithstanding al this know that thou canst not neither must thou in any wise hope or looke that God will for the painfulnesse or grieuousnesse of thy sicknesse and
torment pardon and forgiue thee thy sinnes For there is no other satisfaction nor other recompence for thy sinnes but onely the death of Christ In this case God regardeth nothing else neither doth he accept of any thing else but of his beloued Sonne He is that Lambe of God which onely taketh away the sinnes of the word Ioh. 1.29 1 Ioh. 2.2 He is a sufficient perfect and absolute sacrifice and oblation for the sinnes of the whole world As for thy paines or sicknesse or whatsoeuer torments or afflictions be the same neuer so great or intollerable they are not able to make satisfaction recompence vnto God for the least of thy sinnes much lesse then can the same deserue saluation as Saint Paul witnesseth I account saith he that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs. Rom. 8.18 No creature either in heauen or in earth no man nor Angell was able to papacifie or to mitigate and asswage the wrath and indignation of God the Father much lesse then is this sicknesse of thine and this momentanie affliction able to do it Yea that more is hee that must pacifie the wrath and indignation of almightie God and so reconcile God vnto man it was necessarie that hee should be both God and man being to vndertake and deale yea and to make intercession and attonement betweene God offended and displeased and man standing guiltie and condemned Therefore it was necessarie that the Sonne of God should be made man that in his body and in his flesh hee might satisfie the wrath of God his Father by his sufferings for vs and so saue and deliuer vs from the same as the Prophet witnesseth saying Esa 53.4.6.8 Hee hath borne our iniquities and carried our sorrowes And againe The Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquities of vs all And againe For the transgressions of my people was he plagued And Saint Peter telleth vs 1. Pet. 2.24 that his own selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the Crosse and that by his stripes we are healed For thy Lord Christ his sake it is then that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and for no other thing in the whole world for no affliction nor suffering though neuer so hard and sharpe Christ only and alone is our righteousnesse our satisfaction redemption out health and saluation 2. Cor. 5.21 Him God made sinne for vs who knew no sinne that we might be made righteous yea the righteousnesse of God in him Wherefore if thou beleeue stedfastly Iohn 1.12 thou art now alreadie the childe of God and if thou be the child of God then art thou also the heire of God and coheire together with Christ Rom. 8.17 as Saint Paul witnesseth Rom. 8. Now if eternall life be the inheritance of Gods children the gift of God Rom. 6.23 as S. Paul calleth it surely thou canst not deserue it by any suffering of paine or sicknesse But God will therfore haue thee tormented and vexed with this sicknesse that so thy old man might be subdued and ouercome repressed and kept vnder yea mortified and put to death as it were that so at length it may ceasse to offend And that will be finally at the last by the death of the body And for this cause are we to vndergoe this death that our soule may depart out and enter into eternall blisse For this death of ours is the gate vnto eternal life Then and thereby at the length we are and shall be deliuered from all calamities miseries and troubles and from all errors deceits and suggestions of the Diuell Neither shall we any more be defiled with the most lothsome filthinesse of our sinnes neither shall we be seduced any more or misled into heresies and errors nor cast headlong into any despaire or doubting Then shall be an end of all miseries and aduersities and of all troubles and dangers Then resting in the Lord we shall enioy euerlasting life and ioyes without end And therefore death is in no wise to be abhorred nor feared Nay rather the same is earnestly to be wished for and desired forasmuch as thereby wee passe vnto euerlasting ioyes And it is most true which Saint Paul saith Rom. 8.28 That vnto the godly all things worke together for good Sith that death it selfe a thing in the sight of the world of all other most hatefull and most hideous and horrible is become vnto the faithfull most sweete and pleasant and most ioyfull and acceptable Although our old Adam that is this flesh of ours doth abhorre it and by all meanes flye from it yea and trembleth for feare of it yet notwithstanding the inward man is ready chearefull yea glad and willing to vndergo it forasmuch as thereby he seeth knoweth that he is freed and deliuered from the mire and filthinesse of al his sins and corruptions from all paines and griefes and all cares and troubles and also obtaineth a passage entrance into euerlasting blisse and glorie before the throne of God and of the Lamb Christ Iesus In whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore Psal 16.11 CHAP. II. How to comfort such as are in apparent danger of Death GOod brother be of good comfort lift vp thy heart and raise vp thy spirit for behold the day of thy redemption and dissolution draweth nigh Thy most gracious and louing Father in great mercy toward thee doth now call for thee out of this wretched and miserable life to translate and conuey thee vnto himselfe vnto the endlesse ioyes of the heauenly life And therefore now giue ouer and wholy commend vnto him both thy selfe and all thine And let thy will and his will be all one Say within thy heart Thy will be done ô God my heauenly Father and not mine Cry out vnto Christ thy Sauiour with the good theefe vpon the Crosse Remember me ô Lord when thou cōmest into thy kingdom Luk. 23.42 or rather now that thou sittest and reignest in thy glorious kingdome Cry with the Publican Lord be mercifull vnto me Luk. 18.13 a most miserable and wretched sinner Cry instantly and earnestly with the woman of Canaan Mat. 15.22 O Sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me And when thou thus criest doubt not but Christ will heare thee and will haue mercy vpon thee in pardoning and forgiuing thee all thy sinnes And whensoeuer thou shalt depart hence thou shalt assuredly be with him in his kingdome euen in Paradise Lay hold therfore vpon this thy Christ sticke fast vnto him and commit thy soule vnto him as vnto a faithfull Creator 1. Pet. 4.19 With this thy Christ crucified vpon the Crosse cry vnto God the common Father of you both in the words of the Prophet Dauid Psal 31.1 Psal 31. In thee ô Lord I put my trust let me neuer be confounded Deliuer me in thy
approue of thee yea and he vnderstanding and perceiuing thee to haue such strength and courage in readinesse to suffer will assuredly recompence and reward thee for it Had Cain when he offered vp his gift and oblation vnto God at that time killed his brother Noâ— yet notwithstanding the murther that he had conceiued in his mind God saw beforehand and thereupon reproued and condemned the same So as his wicked and mischieuous conceit and imagination was in Gods prouidence foreseene and knowne Euen so also is it in the true seruants of God which haue a purpose and will to confesse Christ and which conceiue martyrdome in their hearts and minds the very will and affection being giuen and inclined to goodnes is crowned of God in his iudgement It is one thing for the mind and will to want or to be withouâ— martyrdom and another thing for martyrdome to want or to bee without the mind and will Looke after what manner God doth finde thee when he calleth for thee As a man iâ— found so shall â—e be iudged after such manner likewise wil he iudge thee for as much as he himselfe witnesseth saying Apoc. 2.23 All Churches shall know that I am he who searcheth the reines and the heart Neither indeed doth God require or take pleasure in your blood but in your faith For neither Abraham nor Isaac nor Iacob were slaine and put to death and yet notwithstanding they being honored with the reward and benefit of faith and righteousnesse deserued to be reckoned the chiefe and principal among the Patriarchs vnto whose fellowship societie whosoeuer is found faithful and righteous laudable and praise worthy shall assuredly be gathered We must remember that wee are to do not our owne will but Gods wil according to that which God hath willed vs daily to pray Now how preposterous and how peruerse a thing is it and contrary to reason that wheras we desire and pray that God his will may be done we should not straightway when God calleth and sendeth for vs out of this world readily submit our selues vnto the power and gouernment of his will In words we rest relie hereupon but yet indeed doe struggle and striue against it and like stubborne seruants are vnwillingly and with griefe drawne into the presence of our Lord and Maister departing hence as being thereunto bound by necessity not through any readinesse of will and wee desire to be honored of him with rewards in heauen vnto whom we come by constraint and against our will To what purpose theÌ„ do we pray and desire that Gods heauenly kingdome may come if this earthly bondage doe so much please and delight vs Why do we with often redoubled prayers beg and craue that God will hasten his kingdome make speed to admit vs thereinto if our wishes and desires be greater and more earnest to serue the Diuell heere then to reigne with Christ there * A vision is heere reported by the Author which I thought good to omit How often also hath it beene reuealed vnto vs the least and meanest of others how many times hath God vouchsafed to giue open and manifest charge that I should make daily protestation and publikely declare that our brethren are in no wise to be lamented being at Gods call and appointment freed and set at liberty out of this world knowing that they are not lost and forgone but are sent before that departing hence they doe but tread the way before vs and that as trauellers and passengers they should be wished for and desired of vs but not lamented Neither should wee take vnto vs blacke mourning weeds here when as they haue already receiued white robes and garments there And withall that we should not giue occasion vnto the heathens and Pagans iustly to reproue and worthily to reprehend vs for that wee sorrow and mourne for those as vtterly lost and perished whom we affirme notwithstanding to liue with God and that by the testimony of our owne hart and conscience we reiect disalow the faith which in word and voyce we declare and professe We are betrayers of our hope confidence and of our faith holy profession All that we say seemeth to be but in dissimulation and to be but feined and counterfeit It auaileth nothing at all to talke of grace and vertue and in our deeds to destroy the truth and verity Lastly the Apostle Saint Paul misliketh those yea and he rebuketh and blameth them that are too much greeued for the death and departure of their friends 1. Thess 4. 1. Thess 4. I would not brethren haue you ignorant saith he concerning them that sleepe that ye sorrow not as others doe which haue no hope For if we beleeue that Iesus died and rose againe euen so also them that sleepe in Christ shall God bring with him Where mark how he saith that it is for such to be sorry for the death and departure of their friends who are voide of hope But as for vs which liue in hope and by hope we who haue hope in God and confidently beleeue that Christ hath suffered for vs and is risen againe so long as we abide and continue in Christ and rise in him and through him why either are we our selue so vnwilling to depart hence out of this present world or why doe we grieue and lament for our friends wheÌ„ they depart as if they were lost and perished especially when as Christ himselfe our Lord and God admonisheth vs Ioh. 11. saying I am the resurrection and the life Hee that beleeueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall not dye for euer If we belieue in Christ let vs haue trust and confidence in his words and promises and we shall not dye for euer and let vs with ioyfull securitie goe vnto Christ with whom we shal liue and reigne for euermore And whereas in the meane while we die as concerning our bodies we do but passe by death vnto immortality Neither indeed can euerlasting life succeed and come in place vnlesse it fall out vnto vs to depart hence It is then not a doath but a passage and after this temporal race and voyage ended a passing vnto things eternall Now what man would not make haste to haue enioy better things who would not wish to be changed and renewed and fashioned after the image and likenesse of Christ and to come as soone as he can to enioy the honour and dignitie of that heauenly reward and benefit Sith that the Apostle Saint Paul plainly pronounceth Phil. 3.20 saying Our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for the Lord Iesus Christ who shall transform and change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie And that we shall be such our Sauiour Christ also promiseth when as he prayeth vnto the Father for vs that we may be with him and
AN AMVLET OR PRESERVATIVE AGAINST SICKNES AND DEATH IN TWO PARTS The first containing Spirituall Direction for the Sicke at all times needfull but especially in the conflict of sicknes and agonie of death The second a Method or order of comforting the Sicke Whereunto is annexed a most pithie and comfortable Sermon of Mortalitie written by the blessed Martyr S. CYPRIAN Bishop of Carthage translated into English by A.M. Together with sundry Prayers needfull in time of sicknesse Collected and set forth for the comfort of distressed soules most especially in time of sicknes mortality By A. M. Minister of the word of God in Henley vpon Thames LONDON Printed by R. F. for THOMAS MAN and Ionas Man dwelling in Pater-noster Row at the signe of the Talbot 1617. ⧠To the right Worshipfull and vertuous Ladie the Ladie Elizabeth Periam of Greenlands A. M. Wisheth a long happy life with health and prosperitie here on earth and euerlasting glorie in the highest heauens GOOD MADAM I Do vnfainedly acknowledg and confesse that in my priuate iudgment I haue alwaies distasted the too much forwardnes of this age in publishing vnnecessary bookes and pamphlets So farre haue I bene from once intending my selfe to offend in that kind First in consideration of mine owne weaknesse and insufficiencie best knowne vnto my selfe Next in regard of that great light of learning knowledge which shineth most brightly euery where at this day And lastly in respect of the great peruersnesse curiositie that reigneth in the minds of sundrie men whom nothing pleaseth and contenteth but that which they them selues do or at the least wise affect Howbeit notwithstanding after that I had for mine owne priuate vse collected and gathered these spirituall directions and consolations and also perceiued how that the same might be of some good vse to others not onely in time of sicknesse but also in all other afflictions and distresses whether of mind or bodie I esteemed it a part of that great dutie which I owe vnto the Church of God to communicate impart these my poore endeuours vnto such and for the benefite comfort of all such as shall stand in neede thereof in times of sicknesse and mortalitie in the conflict of death and other sharpe and bitter daies of triall and temptation whensoeuer their sins shall stand vp against them to vrge and accuse them or the vgly appearance of death shall affright them or the feare and horror of hell and damnation shall seeme to dismay them Against all which fearefull dangerous assaults of death of sinne of Satan here in this small Treatise are prouided selected out of the rich Armorie of the sacred Scriptures seuerall and peculiar weapons and armour of proofe both defensiue offensiue both for the withstanding and resisting and also for the repelling and quenching of all the fierie darts of the wicked Now I haue bene bold to dedicate and offer the same vnto your Ladiship being moued thereunto partly by the sundry fauours receiued from your Ladiship by my selfe in particular and partly by those gracious works of pietie and charitie wrought and the great and manifold benefits from time to time conferred by your Ladiship in and vpon the whole Towne or Parish in generall ouer which God hath placed me though his most vnworthy seruant minister accept I beseech you this small present being as the poore widdowes mite which here I presume to offer vnto your Ladiship as a pledge and testimonie of my vnfeined thankfulnesse Almightie God who is rich in mercie grant that as you haue extended the bowels of compassion and mercie alwaies for the relieuing and comforting of many his poore children so also you may find abundant mercie in the last day may be filled with ioy and comfort at the glorious appearing of his Son Christ Iesus Amen Your Ladiships in all humble manner to be commanded A. M. A preface to the Christian Reader THe sicknesses and diseases which vexe and annoy these our mortall bodies together with the remembrance of death ensuing therupon how greatly do they cause both our bodies and minds to quake and tremble Insomuch that many times we shake and are afraid at the onely mention thereof Verily the nature of man being such as had rather not be at all then to be ill appaied or to be in miserie cannot whensoeuer these things befall but be much vexed and perplexed yea and sometimes readie to faint And yet behold the sicknesse and death of the soule farre more dreadfull and more horrible then which can befall vnto a man no greater miserie and torment There is no man but he doth feare and abhorre yea and by all meanes flie from corporal punishments and afflictions and from corporall sicknesses and deaths how much more then should we labour to eschue and auoid the causes of all these euils which are our sinnes and how ought we to feare the wrath and displeasure of almightie God which we daily prouoke against our selues by so manifold sinnes and offences If the bodie be neuer so little crazed we runne straightway to the Physition we spare no cost nor charge preferring our life and health before all things else yea we are content to disburse we care not what that we may procure remedies and preseruatiues for the same and all to patch vp this tattered garment of our flesh this rotten carcasse and clod of clay which notwithstāding must needs very shortly decay and perish and be brought to corruption Why then do we not with like earnestnesse and carefulnesse seeke for remedies against the sicknesses of the soule being farre more deadly and dāgerous For what should it profite a man to liue a whole thousand yeares and during that time to possesse all the riches in the world and to enioy the most exquisite pleasures of this life without being troubled with any sicknes or griefe or other calamitie and in the meane time to haue his soule tainted and infected with the leprosie of sinne and in bondage to the tyrannie of Satan and therupon to haue God alwaies his vtter enemie and his wrath and indignation raging against him and lying heauily vpon him so as he knew and were assured after this life to suffer and vndergoe the iudgement of eternall death and condemnation both of body and soule Hereof our Sauiour Christ admonisheth vs Math. 16.26 saying What shall it profite a man to winne the whole world and to lose his owne soule And therefore in another place he warneth vs to watch to wit ouer our soules watch for ye know neither the day nor the howre when the Sonne of man will come And lest we should without regard passe ouer farre better things and things farre more profitable and should pursue after toyes and trifles things base and contemptible therefore he sheweth vs the shortest and surest way whereby to come vnto true happinesse which willeth vs Math. 6.33 First to seeke the kingdome of God and the
righteousnesse thereof and then all other things shall be added vnto vs. We are tormented and wearied night and day with care how to liue here and how to settle and make sure our worldly estate our riches worldly possessions and other vaine and transitorie things which little auaile vs yea rather which are sometimes causes of great miserie vnto vs and of foule and horrible sinnes which drowne men in perdition and destruction But in seeking and prouiding our selues of the heauenly riches how secure and negligent how sluggish and slothfull how foolish and how lumpish and blockish are we and what more strange or more horrible blindnesse and madnesse then this can there reigne amongst men So long as we are in health wee haue scarce the least thought in our hearts at any time of the life to come or of our death and departure hence But as soone as we are cast downe with any sicknesse death now knocking as it were at our dores when as wee should stand in the battaile to fight then at length wee bethinke our selues of taking vp armes and of prouiding vs weapons to fight withal against the diuell and his suggestions then we begin to think of repentance and amendment of our liues and not before which is a plaine proofe that our faith is very weake and slender and that we are litle exercised in the Christian warfare The Lord herein be mercifull vnto vs Amen Howbeit there is no age vnfit nor any season vnseasonable or ouerlate to repent Repentance is neuer too late so that it be true and vnfeigned and that it be done and performed truly and vnfeinedly But I aduise and counsell yea and earnestly exhort and admonish all men to take heede that they put not off their repentance to that last and most sharpe and dangerous conflict of sicknesse and death For if euē they who being strong in health haue all their life time fortified and armed themselues against this howre of their departure yet haue much adoe then to defend themselues from the assaults temptations which will offer themselues at that time what then will become of such as being voide of all feare of God and hauing hearts that cannot repent haue led and still leade a dissolute and wicked life how shall they be able to encounter and to resist Now then forasmuch as the haruest being great the laborers be but few that infinite multitudes of simple and ignorant people abounding in all places there are not Ministers of Gods word euery where at hand to instruct and comfort such as stand in need and those that are cannot apply themselues to all nor minister their helpe and comfort at all times I haue thought good Christian Reader for the comfort and instruction of such as want the present helpe and assistance of godly Pastors and Ministers especially in time of sicknesse to offer vnto thy gentle acceptance this order and manner of comforting the sicke gathered out of the sacred word of God most especially for their sakes which are ignorant which are not armed nor prouided against such occasions neither furnished with sentences of holy Scripture that in reading or hearing these things read vnto thē they may receiue true and stedfast hope and comfort that in the sharpe and bitter conflict of sicknesse and agony of death they neither faint nor perish The Contents of the first part A Preface to the Christian Reader CHAP. I. VVHy sicknesses are sent of God pag. 1 CHAP. II. The necessitie of faith in time of sicknesse the meanes whereby to strengthen the same 12 CHAP. III. Of three things which in time of sicknesse and in the agonie of death do much hinder and trouble men to wit the remembrance of their sinnes the feare of death and the horror of hell and eternall damnation 24 CHAP. IIII. A remedie against the feare and remembrance of our sinnes 28 CHAP. V. Testimonies of Scripture concerning the forgiuenesse of all our sinnes 39 CHAP. VI. Reconciliation restitution in time of sicknesse if not performed before 65 CHAP. VII The lawfull vse of Physicke in time of sicknesse 70 CHAP. VIII A remedie against the feare of death 74 CHAP. IX Testimonies of Scripture concerning the Resurrection of the dead 82 CHAP. X. A Remedie against the feare horror of hell and damnation 105 CHAP. XI How Christ his temptations sufferings were al for our sakes 114 CHAP. XII Of Christ his threefold temptations 117 CHAP. XIII A short Admonition concerning the ordaining of Wils and Testaments 144 CHAP. XIIII How to mitigate griefe cōceited for the losse of friends 149 CHAP. XV An Exhortation vnto all professors of the name of Christ 157 The cōtents of the second part CHAP. I HOw to comfort all such as lie vpon the bed of sicknesse 167 CHAP. II. How to comfort such as are in apparent danger at death 199 A Sermon or Mortalitie 224 CHAP. III. How to comfort and call vpon the sicke party being ready to giue vp the Ghost 311 The first part Spirituall Direction for the Sicke very needful at all times but especially in the conflict of sicknesse and agonie of death CHAP. I. Why Sicknesses are sent of God AS death is the wages and punishment of sin 1 For sinne so are sicknesses also sent oftentimes vnto vs of God for our sinnes as it is cleare and manifest in holy Scripture Ioh. 5. Christ saith vnto the man that had bene sicke eight thirty yeares Behold thou art made whole Ioh. 5.14 sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee Implying plainly that sinne was the cause of his sicknesse Likewise Psalme 38. Dauid professeth of himselfe Psal 38. There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sin for mine iniquities are gone ouer my head and are like a sore burthen too heauie for me to beare The same he confesseth and acknowledgeth 2 Sam. 24.17 2. Sam. 24. when he saw the Angel that smote the people with the pestilence Behold I haue sinned and done wickedly let thy hand be against me c. And Deuteronomie 28. God threatneth by Moses that if his people will not obey his voice among other plagues he will consume them destroy them by strange sicknesse and diseases Deut. 28.21.22.27 he will make the pestilence cleaue vnto them he will smite them with a consumption verse 22 and with the feauer and with a burning ague and with a feruent heate and at the 27 verse verse 27 he will smite them with the botch of Egypt and with the emeroids and with the scabs and with such an itch as cannot bee healed And as sicknesses and other crosses and afflictions are sent vnto vs of God for the most part for our sinnes So many times the same are sent vnto vs for the proofe and triall of our faith 2 For triall of our faith as we behold in Iob for
able to rest and relie vpon the word of God and therein to apprehend and lay hold vpon that infinite inestimable treasure and riches belonging to Gods deare children to wit the forgiuenesse of all their sinnes through Christ the resurrection of their bodies at the last day that most wished for and most sweet and ioyfull communion with the Saints in glorie comfortable societie and fellowship of the elect of God Meanes of strengthning our faith and life euerlasting and all these freely giuen and bestowed vpon them in Christ and through Christ Wherefore in these and other articles of our Christian faith Continuall meditation on the articles of our faith in time of sicknesse very needfull it behooueth vs daily and continually to exercise our selues and diligently to meditate thereupon But especially in time of sicknesse and agonie of death we are seriously and earnestly to meditate in our minds and to inculcate repeate often those foure last articles of our Creed Namely concerning the communion of Saints in which number we beleeue and trust stedfastly that we our selues are and shall be reckoned concerning the Remission of all our sinnes through the bloud of Christ Iesus concerning the resurrection of our bodies at the last day and life euerlasting Now vnto the serious meditation of these articles of our faith there must be adioyned 3 other things First of all feruent and continuall prayer for the increase Prayer and strengthning of our faith praying with the Apostles of our Sauiour Luk. 17.5 Luk. 17.5 O Lord increase our faith and with the father of the child that had the dumbe spirit Mar. 9.24 Marke 9.24 Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Vnto prayer ioyne carefull studie and diligence in reading and hearing of the word of God Reading hearing the word of God Rom 10.17 Esa 57.19 For faith is both wrought and also increased by hearing of the word Rom. 10. whereupon it is called the fruite of the lips that is of the words of God Esa 57.19 And Acts the 10.44 it is said that while Peter spake those words Act. 10.44 the holy Ghost fell vpon all them that heard the word Yea hereupon it is called the arme of the Lord Esa 53.1 Esa 53.1 and the power of God vnto saluation Rom. 1.16 Rom. 1.16 See therfore that the word of God dwell plenteously in thee Col. 3.16 which alone is able to make thee wise vnto saluatiō through faith in Christ Iesus 2 Tim. 3.15 2. Tim. 3.15 And let thy heart and mind be euermore possessed with the meditation and consideration of those three maine pillars and grounds of thy faith whereof thou hast assurance in the same word namely First the infinitenesse of Christ his merites which thou shalt oppose vnto the infinitenesse and greatnesse of thy sinnes Next the omnipotencie of Gods power and his natural inclinatiō vnto mercy and to pardon and forgiue sins and sinners Eze. 18.32 And lastly the vniuersalitie and generality of his gracious promises made vnto all in which number thou art to reckon thy selfe Vnto the carefull and diligent studie and meditation in the word of God and prayer Oft receiuing the Sacrament adde this also to frequent and to haue often accesse vnto the holy Sacramen◠of the bodie and bloud o◠Christ while yet thou ar◠in sound perfect health But beware that thou come vnto it rightly instructed prepared and that thou presume not to handle the same with defiled hands nor to receiue it with an vnpure and vnsanctified heart And indeed it is an horrible and feareful thing and much to be lamented that for so many yeares this holy Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ hath bene so vnworthily receiued The vnreuerēt handling of the Sacrament dangerous and so vnreuerently handled and of many contemned and lightly regarded Wherein how greeuously dangerously men offend euen the iudgements and punishments which the Lord sendeth euery day among vs do more then sufficiently witnesse testifie as S. Paul hath foretold should come to passe 1 Cor. 11.30 1 Cor. 11.30 For euen for this cause many are weake and sicke and many sleepe and are dead It is verily an exceeding great and a sure signe and token of singular and incomprehensible loue toward vs The benefit offered in the Sacrament that in this Sacrament of his Supper Christ will haue it plainly confirmed vnto vs that he hath giuen and bestowed himselfe wholly vpon vs knitting and ioyning vs vnto himselfe as members to the head to the end we may know and bee assured that we are regarded and loued defended and saued by him Thus ought all godly minds to esteeme and make account that Christ is effectuall and powerfull in them And it were to bee wished that we would at length consider deepely of the greatnesse and worthinesse of so excellent a gift that so we might be thankfull and might stirre vp our wauering and languishing faith remembring how heynous and horrible a sin vnthankfulnesse is in this kinde and how fearefull punishments must needs follow the prophanation of so holy a mystery Neither indeed are we to imagine that the grieuous threatnings vsed by S. Paul are in vaine for God is true yea truth it selfe and certainly we are to thinke that the greatest part of those plagues iudgments both publike and priuate which befall in these last times is to be imputed vnto the prophanatiō of this most holy mysterie It behooueth vs then with godly care and zeale to haue often accesse vnto that holy Sacrament wherin our soules being refreshed and comforted with that heauenly food our faith and our repentance our hope and our confidence may be more more strengthned and increased CHAP. III. Of three things which in the agonie of death do most greeuously torment terrifie and trouble our minds The remembrance of our sinnes the feare of death and the horror of hell together with the seuerall remedies thereof FIrst the sinnes which in our whole life time we haue wickedly and wretchedly committed Sinne. and wherby we haue most greeuously offended both against God and against our neighbours these when on the bed of sicknesse they come vnto our remembrance must needs greatly terrifie vs and much vexe torment vs remembring that saying of S. Paul Rom. 2.9 Rom. 2.9 That indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill Againe inasmuch as this old Adam and flesh of ours is most vnwiliing to die Death therof it is that when death approcheth mens hearts begin to quake and tremble and are readie to faile them through exceeding great sorrow and griefe For this our fearefull nature or naturall man is miserably afraid lest being once dead buried in the earth it shall neuer returne no◠come againe to the forme state but thinketh now tha◠it is past all helpe and hop◠of recouerie
denque corpus expositum ad redimendum Haec quanta sint cogitato haec in statêra cordis appendito vt totus tibi figatur in corde qui totus pro te fixus est in cruce Behold and looke stedfastly vpon the wounds of him that hanged on the crosse for thee vpon the bloud of him that dyed for thee vpon the price of him that redeemed thee He hath his head bowed downe on the crosse to kisse thee his armes stretched out wide to embrace thee and finally his whole bodie exposed and offered to redeeme thee CoÌ„sider of how great price and of how great weight and moment these things are and weigh well and ponder the same in the ballance of thine owne heart that the same Christ may be wholy fixed and fastened in thy heart who was wholy fixed and fastened vpon the crosse for thee And assuredly perswade thy selfe that not thou but Christ is charged with the sinnes which haue bene committed by thee and that they are all laid vpon his shoulders who hauing taken them vpon himselfe hath discharged vs and made ful satisfaction and payment for vs so as he will neuer impute them vnto vs not lay them to our charge but will freely forgiue them all as in our Creed we professe and say I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes CHAP. V. Here it will be very necessarie and profitable for the comfort of the patient or sicke partie to vrge and repeate often some testimonies of the word of God concerning the forgiuenesse of sinnes by and through Christ as these and the like IOhn the 1.29 Ioh. 1.29 Iohn the Baptist crieth out maketh this proclamation Ecce Agnus Dei Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Saint Peter likewise 1 Epist Chap. 1.18 Know this 1 Pet. 1.18 that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from your vaine conuersation but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and withouâ— spot Let these things deare brother sinke deepe into thy minde to confirme and comfort thee Thou hast no cause to doubt of the remission and forgiuenesse of thy sinnes for in as much as thou hast professed the Name of Christ and puttest confidence in his mercie he will also take away thy sinnes And if thou nothing doubt but stedfastly beleeue this thou art alreadie freed and discharged from all thy sins and art alreadie become the child of God there is no cause for thee to wauer or to feare But yet heare and hearken vnto further testimonies and so heare them that thou imprint them throughly in thy mind Iohn 3.16 Ioh. 3.16.18 God so loued the world saith our Sauiour that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And againe Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be condemned c. And againe Mat. 9.13 I am not come saith he to call the righteous Mat. 9.13 but sinners to repentance and Math. 11.28 and 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will ease you Marke how that he calleth al vnto him he refuseth none he reiecteth and casteth off none In this word All he concludeth thee And therefore call thou and crie vnto him for mercie and he will assuredly accept thee and will refresh thee Rom. 5.8 Rom. 5.8 God setteth onâ— herein his loue toward vs tâ— that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs much more then being now iustified by his bloud we shall be saued from wrath through him This ioyfull tydings full of singular comfort deare brother almightie God thy most tender and louing father will haue to be preached and proclaimed vnto thee for thy comfort For eueÌ„ for thee it is that Christ was sent for thee it was that he died Only beleeue and commit thy selfe vnto Christ thy redeemer and sauiour Likewise in the same Chap. to the Romans verse 10. If when we were enemies Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saued by his life And 1. Cor. 1.30 Christ Iesus is made vnto vs of God 1 Cor. 1.30 wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Now then deare brother lift vp thine heart and comfort thy selfe Albeit thou art neuer so great and grieuous a sinner no cause there is wherefore thou shouldst therefore be discouraged but acknowledge and confesse thy selfe before God to be such a one beg and craue for mercie in and through Christ aske paâ—don and forgiuenesse anâ— beleeue Christ to bee thâ— onely Sauiour thy righteousnesse and saluation And he will euermore 〈◊〉 thine and will hide and couer all thy sinnes and vtteâ—ly abolish them so as thaâ— shalt not need to feare theâ— by any hurt or danger Againe 2 Cor. 5.21 2 Cor. 5.21 God hatâ— made him who knew no sinnâ— to be sinne for vs that 〈◊〉 might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Like wise Gal. 1.4 Galat. 1.4 Christ hatâ— giuen himselfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world according to the will of God euen our father And Ephes 1.7 Ephe. 1.7 By Christ we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes according to his rich grace And 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners saith Saint Paule of whom I am chiefe Now then brother haue thou also good hope and beleeue these words as Saint Paule did and then shalt thou assuredly be in the number of them that are iustified and saued 1 Tim. 2.6 S. Paul saith That Christ Iesus gaue himselfe a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2.6 Beleeue this then stedfastly and without controuersie thou art now one of them alreadie that are ransomed and redeemed Furthermore Math. 26.26 Thou hearest Christ in 〈◊〉 last Supper talking wâ— thee and thou seest hâ—â— nourishing feeding thâ— with his body and also oâ—fering and giuing vnto thâ— his bloud to drinke vnto â—uerlasting life Math. 26.26 wheÌ„ he saitâ— Take eate this is my bodâ— which is giuen for you do tâ— in remembrance of me Likâ— wise also after he had suppeâ— he tooke the cup and said 1 Cor. 11.25 Thâ— cup is the bloud of the 〈◊〉 Testament which is shed â— you and for many for the râ—mission of sinnes Do this often as ye shall drinke it remembrance of me These words deare brâ—ther it behooueth thee 〈◊〉 fixe fast in thy memorie 〈◊〉 to thinke theÌ„ spoken to thâ— selfe For when as he speaketh vnto all he speaketh vnto thee also And all the things which Christ did or suffered shall be auaileable vnto thee and shall turne to thy saluation and to thy benefit no lesse then they did to Peter or Paul 1 Pet. 2.24 it is said That Christ his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree 1 Pet. 2.24
and 3.18 And Chap. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs vnto God And Saint Iohn 1 Epistle 1.7 saith 1 Ioh. 1.7 That the bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God clenseth vs from all sinne and Chap 2.1 If any man sinne and 2.1 we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the reconciliation fâ—â— our sinnes and not for ouâ— onely but also for the sinnes 〈◊〉 the whole world Thou hast heard heâ— deare brother the word not of man but of the holy Ghost which witnessâ— onely that God the fatheâ— who willeth not the death of a sinner EZech. 18. but that heâ— should conuert and liue euen he of his infinite louâ— toward thee hath easeâ— thee of the heauie burtheâ— of thy sinnes and hath laiâ— them on the shoulders oâ— his best and onely beloueâ— Sonne He hath borne them and suffered for them in hiâ— body that they cannot aâ— any time condemne thee For as much as God accepteth and reputeth the death of his Sonne in stead of plenarie and perfect repentance and of full payment and satisfaction for all thy sinnes so that thou beleeue in his Sonne Christ Iesus Forasmuch then as thy sins being laid vpoÌ„ Christ could not hold him in death neither condemne him verily satisfaction is now already made for them and to thee they are all now remitted pardoned Beleeue these things and thou shalt liue eternally for euer Christ himself hath borne thy sins and also died for them But he is risen againe and the sinnes of all true beleeuers are by the death of Christ more then sufficiently purged and discharged and the strict and seuere iustice and iudgement of God abundantly satisfied for thy sins by Christ Iesus Christ now then is thine togetheâ— with all his benefits with his death Rom. 8.32 resurrection and ascension into heauen with his merits righteousnesse obedience and finally witâ— his life and endlesse glorie Satan therefore hath no right nor interest in thee nor power ouer thee neither can he do vnto thee any hurt or iniurie sith thou art iustified by Christ seeing thou art freed and deliuereâ— from all thy sinnes and seeing thou art the child oâ— God For behold God is thy father and such a father aâ— entirely loueth thee for Christ his sake who hath reconciled thee vnto himselfe Be of good comfort then Phil. 4.4 and reioyce againe againe in the Lord. For as much as thou art in the hands of almighty God thy most tender and louing father who is also most true and faithfull in his word promises thou art safe and out of all danger so as no euill can befall thee being vnder his custodie and enuironed about and garded with a troope of Angels as he hath promised Psal 91.11 That he will giue his angels charge ouer thee Psal 91.11 to keepe thee in all thy waies Christ also is thine how mightie soeuer he be in power how rich soeuer in goodnesse and how great and high soeuer in maiestie and glorie He it is that hath couered all thy sinnes with the cloke of his innocencie and obedience and taken them all quite away Rom. 8.32 so that none shall be able to wrest or plucke thee out of the hands of thy heauenly Father As soone as thou shalt haue suffered and passed ouer this bodily affliction and temporall crosse which being compared vnto euerlasting life is light and momentany thou hast then got the victorie Christ Iesus hath gone before thee in suffering the like yea and a farre more sharpe and bitter Luke 22.44 and a farre more terrible conflict Now he is thy head vnto whom thou must of necessitie be conformed made like vnto him by dying vnto thy sinnes and by leauing and laying downe this life so embrued and defiled with sinne that so with thy Lord Christ thou maist liue the blessed life and that for euer Let not thy sinnes then vexe and trouble thee there is no cause why for them thy conscience should be disquieted seeing that they are alreadie taken away and abolished the euil spirit that seeketh the destruction of our soules is for thee vanquished and ouercome cast downe and trodden vnder foote God now in fauor looketh vpon thee he taketh care of thee to defend and keepe thee yea the societie and fellowship of all the blessed Angels attend vpon thee they watch ouer thee and pitch their tents about thee readie to minister vnto thee to carrie thy soule into the bosome of Abraham so that thou canst in no wise be condemned no more then could thy head Christ Iesus so that with thy whole heart thou fixe and repose thy confidence in him If sinne death and hell be not able to do any harme or displeasure vnto thy Lord Christ no more theâ— can they do vnto thee for as much as thou art iâ— Christ and Christ in thee thou canst neuer be condemned whereas indeed if thou were to sustaine and beare thine owne sins and to make satisfaction for them thou shouldest neuer be able to sustaine and vndergoe so great a burthen but thy sinnes would weigh and presse thee downe into hell vtterly ouerwhelme and swallow thee vp But now Christ being the selfe same true God and true man he hath willingly offered himselfe for thee and hath substituted himselfe in thy stead making full payment of all for thee as he saith Psal 69.4 Psal 69.4 That he made payment of the things which he neuer tooke Thou hast indeed in thy selfe coÌ„mitted many sinnes but Christ hath in thy stead discharged and made satisfaction for them all He it is that hath set thee at liberty that hath made thee partaker with himselfe of eternall life if onely thou shalâ— beleeue and giue credencâ— vnto this word and Gospel Yea assuredly deare brother though the sinnes of the whole world did liâ— vpon thy necke alone yeâ— notwithstanding behold there is infinite mercy with God abundantly sufficient or rather more then sufficient for them all Now God hath promised in Christ his blessing of grace and mercie vnto thee And the same his promise is in thy Lord Christ ratified and assured and fully accomplished and performed vnto thee so as thou canst not but be saued if onely thou do but cast thine eyes vpon Christ There is then nothing more sure and certaine then thy saluation For Christ being the naturall Sonne of God and in his diuine essence truth it selfe he is in respect of humane nature our flesh and bloud Who then shall be or can be more trustie and more faithfull to giue and performe this promise of grace and mercie then this Christ who is himselfe the truth of the promise who loueth vs so feruently and earnestly that he chose rather to suffer death voluntarily and willingly theâ— that we shold be frustrated of any promise Wherefore if thou shalt beleeue in
members This head neither is nor can be without the members neither doth he leaue or forsake his members Where Christ therefore is there also must we needs be Ephe. 5.30 For we are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 Now who can sufficiently praise and magnifie according to the worthinesse thereof the infinitenesse of that inestimable vnspeakeable grace meâ—cie of God who vouchsafed so to debase himselfe aâ— to come downe from heâ—uen and to be made a mortall man in all things likâ— vnto vs sinne onely excepted that this corruptible 〈◊〉 fraile nature of man being vnited and ioyned vnto hâ— diuine nature might by the infinite and incomprehensible vertue and power oâ— his diuinitie bee aduanced vnto immortall life and made partaker with it of the heauenly kingdome 〈◊〉 we did beleeue so great riches to be giuen vnto vs to be laid vp in store for vs and that so blessed and happie a kind of life shall hereafter befall vs how I pray you could we be daunted or troubled The humane nature of all the faithfull which haue bene before since Christ and which shall be hereafter in Christ who is both true man and also true God hath and doth put on immortalitie glorie Abundant then and of great force and effect is that comfort concerning the resurrection of Christ wherewith Saint Paule doth fortifie and establish the minds of the Corinthians when he saith 1 Cor. 15.20 c. That Christ is risen from the dead being the first fruites of them that are fallen asleepe for since by man came death by man also cometh the resurrection of the dead For as by Adam all die euen so also by Christ shall all be maâ— aliue But euery man in 〈◊〉 owne order the first fruites 〈◊〉 Christ afterward they thaâ— are of Christ at his coming c. And after all this Sainâ— Paule addeth a similitude concerning naturall things wherby the resurrection of our bodies is most clearely perceiued verse 36. and plainely demonstrated The similitude or comparison is taken from seede which being drie when it is cast into the ground by the seedsman or husbandman it dieth as it were and rotteth in the ground But yet doth it not perish altogether but it sprouteth and cometh forth out of the earth fresh and new in an elegant and a delightfull shape and forme Euen so also shall our bodies arise not corruptible or subiect to corruption not fraile and transitorie not weake and feeble not withered and decayed and readie to die as now it is but comely and beautifull strong and lustie immortall and incorruptible and full of brightnesse and glorie This is the way by which we are to passe into our true countrie which is aboue euen by death vnto euerlasting life Flesh and bloud cannot inherite the kingdome of God wherein is nothing else but life and immortalitie For which cause 1 Cor. 15.33 This corruptible bodie must put on incorruption and this mortall bodie must put on immortalitie thâ—â— shall come to passe the saying that is written Death is swalowed vp into victorie They that beleeue in Christ haue now vanquished sin death and hell And therefore coÌ„temning despising death and through Christ being now become bold and couragious they shall triumph and say Hos 13.14 1 Cor. 15.55 â— death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie The sting of death iâ— sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ Hereunto also may be added other sentences of holy Scripture full of comfort as that 2. Cor. 4.14 He that hath raised vp the Lord Iesus from the dead shall also raise vs vp by the same Iesus And that to the Philippians Chap. 3.20 Phil 3.20 Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the mightie working whereby he is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe Againe Colos 3.3 Ye are dead Colos 3.3 and your life is hid with Christ in God but when Christ which is your life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glorie And 1. Thes 4.13 1. Thes 4.14 I would not saith Saint Paul haue you ignorant concerning them which are a sleepe that ye sorrow not as others which haue no hope For if we beleeue thaâ— Iesus is dead and is risen againe Euen so them thaâ— sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him In like manner doth S. Paul comfort his disciple Timothie 2. Tim. 2.8 Remember 2 Tim. 2.8 that Iesus Christ made of the seed of Dauid wâ— raised againe from the deaâ— according to my Gospell And verse 11. verse 11 If we be dead wâ— Christ we shall also liue wiâ— him If we suffer with him 〈◊〉 shall also reigne with him Anâ— againe 2 Tim. 1.9 2. Tim. 1.9 God haâ— saued vs saith he and calleâ— vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purposâ— and grace which was giuen through Christ Iesus before the world was but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie And in his Epi. to the Heb. Chap. 2.14 he saith That Christ was made partaker of flesh and bloud that is Hebr. 2.14 was made true man that throgh death he might destroy him that had power of death that is the diuel and that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage S. Iohn likewise in his 1. Epistle Chap. 4.9 telleth vs that 1 Ioh. 4.9 In this appeared the loue of God toward vs that God sent his onely begotten Sonne into the world that we might liue through him to wit eternally and for euer and Chap. 3.14 and 3.14 We know that we are translated from death vnto life because we loue the brethren And to conclude in the same manner Iob comforteth himselfe in the middest of all his afflictions Chap. 19.25 Iob. 19.25 I am sure saith he that my Redeemer liueth and that he shall stand the last on the earth And though after my skinne wormes destroy this bodie yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for me though my reines be consumed within me These testimonies of holy Scripture whosoeuer he be that pondereth well and meditateth on the same diligently he cannot but be filled with exceeding great ioy and comfort A most euident example whereof we haue in Saint Paul Phil. 3.10 Phil. 3.10 Where he professeth himselfe to reioyce glorie in nothing more then this that he knoweth Christ and the power of his Resurrection whereby our death was slaine as it were
sicknesse from performance of the same Howbeit if either through negligence or vpon some vrgent and necessary causes thou hast put off and deferred this businesse vntill sicknesse suddenly and vnawares seize vpon thee be carefull then without further delay or protracting of time to salue thy former error and negligence by speedie diligence and readinesse in disposing of thy worldly estate be it more or lesse first vnto them who are according to the flesh nearest and dearest vnto thee as wife children and parents whom God and nature hath commended to thy care and prouidence next vnto thy poore kinsfolks being in want and necessitie and after them according to thy substance and abilitie vnto the poore in generall as for the releefe of poore widowes and fatherlesse children of the aged and impotent the lame and the blinde and vnto other holy and charitable vses And if the sicke partie haue got into his hands any monie or goods of another mans or is indebted vnto any man let him in any case make it knowne and prouide carefully for the payment and discharge thereof Which being done let him repell and put away from him all such as shall goe about to interrupt and trouble him with worldly matters Wherein a great many both men and women do aboue all measure offend who seeing and beholding their friend or neighbour now readie to giue vp the ghost and to breath out his soule into the hands of his Creator are readie to cast into his mind diuers and sundry scruples and doubts concerning his will and other externall and worldly matters Yea and sometimes they enforce him to subscribe and set his hand vnto Deeds and other writings against his will when as indeed his mind is not to doe any such thing yea rather in his heart he abhorreth and detesteth the importunity of such friends as enforce him thereunto by whose meanes it commeth to passe that he cannot die quietly nor depart in peace These men howsoeuer they pretend loue friendship vnto the partie dying and to his issue and posteritie yet indeed can there be nothing more vnfriendly or more hurtfull vnto their friend in such a case And therefore ought the same by all meanes to be auoyded CHAP. XIII How to mitigate and asswage the greefe which we conceiue many times more thē is meet for the death of friends FOr men to cast off all measure and moderation in sorrowing for the death and departure of friends though neuer so neare or deare vnto them as it is affirmed by S. Paul to be the part not of Christians but of Ethnicks and Heathen men that haue no hope 1. Thes 4.13 1. Thess 4.13 so is it conuicted by this only reason to be a thing bootlesse and vaine In that no weeping nor wailing nor shedding of teares though shed in neuer so plentifull measure or continued for neuer so many yeares together can yet call againe from death vnto life one man greater or lesse And therefore are all such teares fruitlesse and vnprofitable vaine and of no effect Whereof we haue a memorable example in King Dauid 2. Sam. 12.16 who so long as the child was sicke that was borne of Bathseba he fasted and shed plentie of teares he went into his priuy chamber and lay all night on the earth intreating the Lord for the life and recouery of the child But as soone as he perceiued and vnderstood by the whispering of his seruants that the child was dead then he cast away his mourning attire and changed his raiment and washed his face and annointed himselfe did eate his meat chearefully Which when his Servants admired supposing that he would haue sorrowed more as soone as he should vnderstand of the death of the childe seeing hee had so punished himselfe with fasting and weeping while the child was aliue and thereupon asked him the cause and reason why he did so he made them this answer While the childe was yet aliue I fasted and wept Verse 22. for I said who can tell whether God will haue mercie on me that the child may liue But now he being dead why should I now fast can I bring him againe any more I shall goe to him but he shall not returne vnto me In which words Dauid wisely declareth and sheweth that we ought not to greeue and lament for that which cannot be recouered nor called againe And this is that which the holy Father Saint Cyprian protesteth in his Sermon of Mortalitie that he had bene of ten admonished by diuine reuelation yea and charged also and commanded of God that he should publikely aduertise all men in his preaching teach and instruct them not to sorow or lament ouermuch for the brethren which depart out of this world when God calleth them for that such sorrowing is hatefull and displeasing vnto God Notwithstanding that we may not seem hard harted or that we loued our friend that is dead very slenderly or no better then other common men it is meete and requisite that we bestow vpon him some teares and those proceeding from the sincere affection of commiseration and of hartie and vnfained loue toward him but yet alwaies measured and guided by the right rule of reason and of true pietie and godlinesse For Christ our Lord Sauiour himselfe being the most perfect absolute patterne of all vertues did of a louing and tender affection weepe for Lazarus being dead Ioh. 11.35 And his holy and godly sisters Marie and Martha are greatly commended for lamenting the death of their brother Likewise of those seruiceable women which stood by the Crosse Luke 23.27 and beheld while our blessed Sauiour suffered such extreme torments it is not with out Iohn 20.11 cause registred in the Gospell to their especiall praise and commendation that they shed teares ouer him at his death and buriall And concerning the first Martyr S. Stephen we reade in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 8.2 that certaine men fearing God carried him to be buried made great lamentation for him Whereupon it is that the Sonne of Sirach giueth aduice and counsel to bestow some teares vpon the dead but yet in any wise he willeth that the same be immoderate nor continued ouer long Eccl. 22.11 Weep saith he for the dead because he hath lost the light but make small lamentation for him because he is at rest And hereunto doe tend all those consolatorie Epistles of that holy Father Saint Ierome wherein he comforteth the liuing for the death of their friends hence departed auouching and prouing both by authority of holy Scripture and by strong reasons and arguments that they ought not to sorrow or weepe immoderately for them that are departed hence and haue changed this life as that Epistle written to Heliodor cōcerning the death of Nepotian the Epistle written to Paula concerning the death or sleepe of her daughter Blesilla the Epistle to Tyrasius concerning the death of his daughter and the rest
entirely louing thee in his wise counsell tender affection which he beareth vnto thee doth by this sicknesse mortifie and bridle represse and keepe vnder thy old man fast bound as it were in ferters and chaines that so thou maist more willingly and chearfully offer vp thy body as a sacrifice to God and fasten it with Christ vpon his Crosse This sicknes of thine is therefore a fatherly chastisement not sent for thy hurt or for thy destruction but for thy great good to the end that thereby thou mayst be reformed yea quickned and restored as it were to life againe God thy heauenly Father seeth perhaps thy old Adam that is thy corrupt nature too lustie and vnruly and too froward and stubborne to wax wanton and proud and vnable to bridle and ouersway his lusts and that while he satisfieth too too much his own desires and affections he cannot restraine himself nor moderate and keepe himselfe in any good measure and therefore he doth shut him vp as it were in this prison and he bindeth him as it were with these fetters and chaines of weaknesse and sicknesse thereby to bridle represse and restraine him lest he should bring the most noble and precious soule in danger to be seduced Flesh blood doth reigne still and beare the sway in thee more then the Spirit Here therefore behold God is present with thy Spirit ayding and strengthening the same while it wrastleth against the rebellious and vnruly flesh that hauing vanquished the same it may subdue it and keepe it vnder It may be that if now at this time thou were in health and prosperitie perhaps thy flesh as it is alwaies inclined to nothing but euill hauing deceiued thee it would driue thee and cast thee headlong into many dangerous sinnes against thy God whereby the wrath of God shold be prouoked and a way prepared for thy soule vnto hell fire and damnation Now behold thy heauenly Father preuenting this losse and danger and prouiding better for thee and for thy welfare and safetie he restraineth and holdeth backe as it were with a bridle this flesh of thine which with tooth naile and with al her strength rebelleth against the Spirit and hauing taken it captiue as it were he restraineth the same that it tumble not into a sinke of sins but rather may be subdued and brought in obedience vnto the Spirit Now sith this is the good will and pleasure of thy heauenly father who doth all this in tender loue vnto thee and fith that all this tendeth to thy profite and welfare take heed in any wise that thou striue not nor oppose thy selfe against the same But rather suffer patiently and pray that thy heauenly Fathers wil may be accomplished and fulfilled that he will intreate thee and deale with thee according to his good pleasure that thou will and desire nothing but that which shall seeme good vnto him that all things may tend to the glorie and praise of God and that his grace may still be present with thee to enable thee to beare meekely and patiently the Crosse affliction that lyeth vpon thee For patience bringeth forth experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.4 Rom. 5.4 Here hast thou matter and occasion of learning and of exercising patience in all afflictions First thou learnest that God afflicteth and punisheth thee with a fatherly affection And this thou learnest by experiēce For vnlesse thou haue experience hereof indeed how behooueful profitable it is for a man wholy to yeeld giue himselfe vnto God to obey his will according to that saying of Dauid Psal 119. It is good for me that thou hast humbled me thou canst not conceiue sure and stedfast hope and confidence in him hauing not had proofe and experience before of so fatherly and louing affection of Almightie God towards thee to lie hid vnder his rod and chastisement But when thou hast learned the same before by experience and hast now already some taste therof thy mind is not daunted nor ouercome with any crosses or afflictions but thy hope confidence is still more and more increased when as once and againe thou hast had experience of the helpe of God still present with thee And if God through a certaine conniuency suffer thee sometimes to bee plunged and to sticke fast in the mire as it were for a time yet notwithstanding at the length he will reach out his helping hand to saue and deliuer thee Hee suffereth thee peraduenture to swim a while yea to be plunged in the water or in the mire but he will not suffer thee in any wise to be drowned Hereby thē thou mayest make sure account that he will neuer forsake thee nor cast thee off when as being in danger he hath so often preserued thee In afflictions therefore thou learnest to conceiue and cherish within thy selfe a certaine and vndoubted hope confidence in God So as in farre greater troubles and distresses when as no help appeareth from elswhere thou mayst boldlie put trust and confidence in him being already taught and assured of his vsual and ordinarie manner in sauing deliuering his children Thou hast learned that sicknesses and other crosses and afflictions are sent not in anger but in fatherly loue and kindnesse which when thou art perswaded of being taught it by experience thou dost patiently wait for help Neither art thou discouraged but stedfastly hopest that at the length hee will send thee help and deliuerance howsoeuer he deferreth long hideth his face making as if hee heard not And so at length thou vnderstandest well and acknowledgest that thy greefe and sicknes is not sent vnto thee for thy hurt or perdition but for the glorie of God and for thine own eternall welfare and saluation He that can thus commit and yeeld vp himselfe vnto God resting and relying vpon his promises he shall no wise dye for euer Which thing Christ himselfe affirmeth with an oath that we might not doubt of it saying Verily verily I say vnto you Ioh. 8.51 If any man shall keepe my word he shall neuer see death And in another place hee saith I am the resurrection and the life Ioh. 11.25 He that beleeueth in me shall liue though he be dead and he that liueth and beleeueth in me shall not dye for euer These words of thy sweet Sauiour Christ deare brother be carefull to keep diligently and to haue deeply rooted in thy mind and therewithall raise vp and comfort this wauering mind of thine He that beleeueth in me saith Christ shall not taste of death Ioh. 5.24 He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life Ioh. 17.3 And This is euerlasting life that they know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ This life euerlasting is begun in this world For whosoeuer hath Christ he hath the true life for Christ is the true life Ioh. 14.6 Ioh. 14.6 and he is
righteousnesse Bow downe thine eare vnto me make haste to deliuer me Be thou my strong rocke and house of defence that thou maist saue me For thou art my rocke and mâ— fortresse and strength Into thy hand I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me ô Lord God of truth Cry also with Dauid Psal 18.1 Psal 18. Thou euen thou ô Lord art my strength and my fortresse my refuge and my deliuerer my God and my helper In thee will I trust for thou art my shield the â—orn also of my saluation and my refuge vnto thee ô Lord lift I vp my soule ô God in thee doe I trust Psal 25.1 Let me not be ashamed nor confounded Leade me and direct me in thy truth for thou art the God of my saluation Remember ô Lord thy tender mercies and thy louing kindnesse for they haue beene for euer Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my manifold rebellions ô Lord But according to the multitude of thy mercies Look vpon me for thy goodnesse ô Lord. For thy name sake bee mercifull vnto mine iniquitie ô Lord for it is great Turne thy face vnto me and haue mercy vpon me Deliuer me and draw me out of my troubles Pardon and forgiue mee all mine offences Keepe my soule and deliuer me Let me not be confounded for I put my trust in thee If in this maner thou shalt with thy whole heart call vpon God for help God will assuredly relieue thee in due time and will say vnto thee as he did concerning Dauid his seruant Psal 91.14 Because he hath trusted in mee therefore will I deliuer him I will therfore saue and defend him because he hath knowne my name He hath called vpon me and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him and after glorifie him Wherefore deare brother fight now a good fight fight valiantly and couragiously and also constantly and stedfastly as becometh a true Christian and a valiant souldier of Iesus Christ Take heede in any wise that thou lose not nor giue ouer thy standing Turne not backe for behold here is no danger at all Thou dost not fight here alone but Iesus Christ thy Lord and King he is thy guide and Captaine in this fight Him follow who in this sharpe combate hath gone before thee He as he is thy guide and captaine so he will be thy defender and deliuerer to defend and deliuer thee in this fight and conflict from all the enemies of thy soule and from all troubles and dangers whatsoeuer For he is not as a mortall earthly king who sometimes for want of power is frustrate of his wil and purpose But he is of endlesse and infinite power able to performe whatsoeuer he hath purposed or promised Yea and he it is that hath alreadie for thy sake vanquished and foiled Satan death 1 Cor. 15. and hell Death is swallowed vp into victory through Christ who hath died for thee And therefore euerlasting death hath no interest nor power ouer thee Christ for thy sake hath descended into hell that he might free and deliuer thee from that horrible and endlesse darknesse Be strong therefore and of good courage and with an vndaunted heart mind now fight that good fight of faith 1 Tim. 6.12 laying hold of eternall life whereunto thou art called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses shake off all feare for here is no danger There is no cause for thee to feare the strictnesse and seueritie of Gods iudgement For behold Christ Iesus is thy mediator in the sight and presence of God he also is thy aduocate intercessor to pleade thy cause and thine high priest to make attonement vnto God for thee He it is that hath reconciled thee vnto God and that hath recouered vnto thee and for thee the loue and the good will and fauour of his heauenly Father which by meanes of thy sins was vtterly lost alienated from thee God almightie in and through Christ and for his sake is now become thy Father and he entirely loueth thee and hath care of thee as of his child that is most tender and deare vnto him Now then forasmuch as he who is so great and mightie a king is with thee who can go about to do thee hurt who shall impugne or oppose and set himselfe against thee Heare what S. Paul saith Rom. 8.31 If God be with vs who can be against vs who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him vnto death for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ who â—ath died yea rather who is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Seeing then that Christ with all his goodnes and benefits is giuen vnto thee righteousnesse also holinesse iustification and redemption yea euerlasting life and saluation these are all freely giuen and bestowed vpon thee as S. Paul witnesseth 1. Cor. 1. That Christ is made vnto vs of God his Father 1 Cor. 1.30 both wisedome and righteousnesse sanctification and redemption See then that thou haue thy hope and confidence wholly setled and firmely and stedfastly fixed vpon this corner stone Christ Iesus He is a most sound and a most strong and sure foundation whereunto thou mayest safely commit thy selfe and whereupon thou mayest boldly relie No tempest though neuer so blacke and cloudy or neuer so hideous and terrible no showers or stormes whatsoeuer are or shall be able to cast cast downe or ouerthrow this foundation vppon this thy sweete Sauiour Christ I say let all thy hope and happinesse be founded and built Cast thy selfe vppon him and giue thy selfe ouer wholly vnto him put thy confidence in him and cleaue fast vnto him And let no affliction nor temptation plucke thee away froÌ„ him howsoeuer things seeme to come to passe neuer so aukwardly or contrary to reason and sence howsoeuer thine owne reason shall deeme and iudge otherwise or flesh and bloud shall neuer so much perswade and counsell otherwise yea howsoeuer the diuel now and then may suggest vnto thee whisper into thine eares or put into thy mind that thou art quite vndone and art past all hope that God cannot but still be highly displeased with thee and that thou shalt be condemned to be punished in hell fire as thou hast deserued Yet notwithstanding all these and the like suggestions do thou by a stedfast and true faith relie vpon thy sweete Sauiour Christ Iesus and sticke fast vnto him Heb. 11.1 For
faith is the ground or expectation of things that are hoped for to wit being promised not of things that are sensible or conceiued by sense and it is the euidence of things not seene that is a sure and certaine knowledge and proofe of the things that appeare not Hebrews 11.1 It standeth thee vpon therefore with the holy and faithfull Patriarch Abraham euen beside hope and aboue hope 〈◊〉 beleeue vnder hope Rom. 4.18 Thy faith thy hope must set it self to resist all those things which either blinde reaâ—on shall suggest vnto thee 〈◊〉 that cunning and craftie â—nemie the diuel who lieth â—n waite to destroy shall seeke to infuse and put into thee Here therefore thou â—â—t to learne and obserue 1 Pet. 5.8 for thy coÌ„fort Gods manner and custome in sauing those that are his whom he will lift vp into heauen him â—e doth commonly first of all bring downe to hell Whom he will quicken and make aliue him he doth first bring downe to the gates of death Vpon whom he will shew his greatest mercie kindnesse in sauing and deliuering him him he suffereth before to be tempted and maketh as if he would condemne him Wherefore euen then when thou feelest nothing else but present death when God seemeth most of all to be angry with thee wheÌ„ he seemeth to be furthest from thee yea and to haue wholly and altogether forsaken thee cast thee off as one reproued and condemned euen then is he nearest vnto thee to protect defend and deliuer thee then he most of all loueth thee and then he â—ath greatest care ouer thee For in the middest of trouble and affliction God remembreth mercie as the Prophet in many places beareth witnesse Psal 30.5 His wrath endureth but the twinckling of â—n eye but in his fauour is life Weeping may abide at night but ioy cometh in the morning Lam. 3.31 And againe He will not forsake or be angry for euer yea rather As a father piâ—ieth his owne children so is the Lord mercifull to them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust Now Psal 103.13 the mercie of the Lord is for euer and euer vpon them that feare him The Lord is gracious and full of compassion Psal 145.8 slow to anger and of great mercy yea our God is good vnto all how much more to his children to them that loue and feare him and his mercy is ouer all his workes as the same Prophet witnesseth Psalme 145.8 And therefore closing vp the eies both of thy mind and also of thy senses and vtterly casting off the iudgment of reason submit and giue ouer thy selfe wholy vnto Christ and take it in good part howsoeuer he shall deale with thee Thou must not esteem and iudge of death or of the horror and paines of death according to the iudgement of outward sight or of sense and reason but according to the word of God and the censure and iudgement thereof Dauid saith That Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116.15 And the voyce of God himselfe from heauen cryeth in the Reuelation of S. Iohn Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord. Apoc. 14.13 And Christ himselfe saith Iohn 8.51 He that beleeueth in me shall not taste of death Wherefore if any thing be presented vnto thee which may seeme to turne thee away from Christ cast the same wholly out of thy mind Sticke fast vnto the word of God which abideth for euer Meditate still vpon it and by often repeating the same imprint it stedfastly in thy mind For thou canst not indeed euer conceiue by the quicknesse sharpnesse of thine own reason how al this may be that thou shouldest passe thorough death vnto the true life how thou shouldst die and depart this world by breathing out thy soule how thy soule should bee kept safe in the Lord and should abide and rest with him vnto the last day and how also thy body being putrified and eaten vp of wormes and consumed to dust and ashes could rise again in the last day of iudgment and come forth in so fresh and glorious a forme maner This reason in no wise is able to conceiue onely faith can comprehend it And therefore still meditate vpon the Articles of thy faith and diligently weigh and consider in thy mind all the seuerall parts of the same with a particular application thereof vnto thy selfe CHAP. III. How the sicke partie is to be called on and comforted being ready to giue vp the Ghost NOw deare brother is the time that thou must fight that good fight and lay hold on eternal life Now therefore fight manfully and couragiously keep thy standing diligently lay hold fast on Christ Iesus that none take away thy Crowne Fixe stedfastly in thy mind the promises of Christ thy Redeemer I am saith he the resurrection and the life Ioh. 11.25 He that beleeueth in me shall liue and shall not dye for euer Christ hauing taken our nature vpon him with all those defects and infirmities whereto we are subiect and dying vpon the altar of his Crosse hath offered vp himselfe a full and perfect sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for all our sinnes He it is that by his most precious blood hath purged away the sinnes of all that truly and vnfainedly beleeue in him And this thy Sauiour Iesus Christ wil in no wise forsake thee He it is that vndoubtedly careth for thee to saue protect and deliuer thee Nothing therefore shall touch thee nor preuaile against thee to hurt thee The foundation of God remaineth sure hauing this seale 2. Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth who are his Christ saith My sheepe Iohn 10.27 heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any be able to take them out of my hand My Father that gaue them vnto me a greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand I and my father are one Wherefore deare brother beloued in Christ commend thy soule into the hands of God thy heauenly Father who for his Son his sake doubtles doth entirely loue thee hauing ransomed and redeemed thee with so great a price as the death and bloodshedding of his only sonne Cry out therefore confidently with thy elder brother Christ O heauenly Father into thy hands I commend my spirit which thou hast redeemed with so great a price Lord Iesus receiue my soule Now the Father of all mercies and the God of all comfort and consolation confirme and strengthen thee conduct and leade thee and by the ministery of his holy Angels transport and carrie thee as they did Lazarus into the bosome of Abraham euen into euerlasting life and finally preserue and keepe thee vnto that most ioyfull resurrection at the last day Amen A SERMON OF MORTALITIE
a man exasperateth him pride and vaine glorie make him to swell drunkennesse prouoketh and allureth enuie breaketh concord and vnitie zeale and emulation cut off friendship and amitie Thou art moued and enforced to speake euill or to backbite slander which God in his law forbiddeth or thou art constrained to sweare sometimes falsly sometimes vainly which is a thing not lawful A mans mind suffereth euery day so many pursuits and his heart is vexed and molested with so many dangers And can it take pleasure to stay any long time here amidst so many swords When as rather we should wish desire by the helpe of death to hasten more speedily vnto Christ especially when he hath beforehand so instructed and forewarned vs saying Ioh. 16.20 Verily verily I say vnto you ye shall weepe and lament and the world shall reioyce ye shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy Now what man will not make haste to come vnto ioy What man would not wish to be free from sorrow And when is the time that our sorrow shal be turned into ioy This the Lord himselfe declareth afterwards saying verse 22. I will see you againe and your heart shall reioyce and your ioy shall no man take from you For as much then as in beholding of Christ there is true and perfect ioy and that we can haue no true perfect ioy but in beholding him what blindnesse and sottishnes of mind or rather what madnesse is it to loue the teares and paines and sorrowes of this world that are readie to torment and oppresse vs and not rather to make haste vnto the ioy that can neuer be taken away Now surely this cometh to passe well beloued brethren for want of faith because there are so few or none that beleeue how that those things shal assuredly come to passe which God promiseth who is faithfull and true and whose word vnto the true beleeuers is constant and firme eternall and euerlasting If some graue discreet man and one that all men did commend for his honesty and fidelitie should promise thee any thing thou wouldest surely giue him credit and wouldest perswade thy selfe of him that he will in no wise beguile thee nor deceiue thee knowing him to be a man constant and steadfast both in his words deeds Now behold God it is that reasoneth the case with thee and that maketh such gracious promises vnto thee and doest thou with an vnbeleeuing heart like a faithlesse wretch still wauer and stand in doubt God promiseth vnto thee as soone as thou departest out of this world immortalitie and eternall life and doest thou doubt of it Surely this is as much as not to know God at all this is as much as to displease and offend the master of al them that beleeue Christ Iesus by the sinne of vnbeleefe this is as much as for one that is placed in the Church of God in the house of faith to haue no faith at all How greatly behoouefull and profitable also is it for vs to depart out of this world Christ himselfe the master and teacher of our saluation and the author of our welfare sheweth plainly who when his disciples were sorrowfull and grieued because he said that he must ere long depart and go away from thē he spake vnto them in this wise If ye had loued me Ioh. 14.28 ye would verily reioyce because I go vnto the Father Hereby declaring teaching that whensoeuer our deare friends whō we loue depart hence out of the world we should rather reioyce then be grieued Of which thing the blessed Apostle Saint Paule being mindfull Philip. 1. he layeth this downe for a ground and saith Phil 1.21 Christ is vnto me life and Death is vnto me aduantage accounting it the greatest gain and aduantage vnto himselfe that might be to be now no longer bound and held in the snares of the world to be subiect now no longer vnto any sinne or corruption of the flesh But being now exempted freed from all troubles and vexations and set at libertie out of the venemous lawes of the Diuell at the call and summons of his Lord and Maister Christ to passe vnto the ioyes of eternall saluation But yet for al this An obiection it is a matter that still troubleth some men That such weaknesses and sicknesses doe seize vpon vs Christians euen alike as they doe vpon other Heathens Answer As if for this end a Christian did beleeue in Christ that hee might be free from the touch and feeling of miseries troubles and might enioy this world and the time that he hath to abide therein at his own pleasure not rather that he might be reserued for the ioy to come after that he hath suffered heere all manner of crosses and afflictions patiently It greatly mooueth and troubleth some that this death and mortalitie is common vnto vs with other men And what is there indeed in this world that is not common vnto vs with others as long as according to the law and condition of our first birth this flesh still remaineth common In flesh we are all one like another but are seuered in spirit So long as we are heere in this world we are knit and ioyned together with all other men alike and are all one in flesh but are seuered in spirit And therefore vntill this corruptible doe put on incorruption and this mortall body doe put on immortalitie and that the Spirit bring vs vnto God our heauenly Father whatsoeuer inconueniences and discommodities there be of the flesh the same are common vnto vs with all mankind So that when as through some vnkind blasts and vnseasonable weather the ground becommeth barren and vnfruitfull the famine and dearth ensuing thereupon maketh no difference nor distinction of any And when by inuasion of enemies any Citie is taken all are spoiled alike and caried away into captiuitie Also when faire bright clouds put off and driue away the raine some long time the drought is alike vnto all And when the hard rockes breake in sunder the ship the shipwracke is without exception common alike vnto all that saile therein And so in like maner the paines sorenesse of the eyes the vehement heate of Feuers and the crazinesse and feeblenesse that is in all the members of our bodies the same are common vnto vs as well as others so long as in this world we carry this common flesh about vs. Nay rather in asmuch as vpon couenant and condition a Christian doth beleeue in Christ he must know and vnderstand yea and hold for suretie that he is to suffer more and to take more paines in this world then others hauing to wrastle and to encounter with the assaults of the Diuell more then others are Of this the Scripture doth forewarne and teach vs. My Sonne Eccle. 21.2 if thou wilt come into the seruice of God stand fast in righteousnesse and feare and prepare
to the beholding and embracing of these what great ioy and reioycing must it needs be in generall both vnto them and to vs What maner of pleasure and comfort is there in the kingdome of heauen without feare of dying any more with eternitie of liuing euerlastingly time without end How endlesse and exceeding great shall be the felicitie and happinesse There is the glorious company of the Apostles There is all the whole assembly of the Prophets triumphing and reioycing together There is an innumerable multitude of Martyrs crowned for the conquest of their conflicts sufferings There are the virgines triumphing who by the force and strength of continency subdued the lust and concupiscence of the flesh and of the body There are mercifull men recompensed rewarded such as haue wrought the workes of righteousnesse by feeding and sustaining the needie and by giuing liberally vnto the poore and finally all they who keeping the Lords Commaundements haue translated and changed their earthly riches and patrimonies into heauenly treasures Vnto these beloued brethren let vs hasten to go with greedie and earnest desire that we may be with them as soone as possible And let vs wish and desire speedily to come vnto Christ Now I pray and beseech God that he will behold and consider this our meditation and the Lord Iesus Christ look vpon this purpose of our hart and of our faith beleefe to giue vnto them greater reward of his glory whose affection and loue hath bin greater and more aboundant toward him Amen A Prayer for the Sicke O Almightie and eternall Lord God and our most gracious and mercifull Father in Iesus Christ Whereas among thy manifold corrections and chastisements whereby thou dost inuite and call vs yea and prouoke and stirre vs vp to come vnto thee thine vsuall and wonted manner is by sundry and manifold sicknesses diseases to bridle keepe vnder this flesh of ours to remoue farre away from vs our naturall securitie and to put vs in mind both of our wicked life past together with the end thereof and of our death and mortality wherof we are forewarned by the griefes and pains which we suffer as forerunners of the same and finally of the last day of iudgement and of life euerlasting which shall follow thereupon and shall be continued euerlastingly vnto the glory and happinesse of the good and godly and contrariwise vnto the iust condemnation and vtter confusion of the wicked and vngodly the remembrance whereof flesh and blood being left vnto it selfe will in no wise admit And for as much as we find this our neighbour and brother cast downe vpon the bed of his sicknesse and grieuously chastised with the rod of thy correction hauing a true liuely feeling of his sins a representatiō of death before his eyes hereupon ô Lord we miserable and wretched sinners in respect of our naturall condition waiting and looking for daily the like houre of aduersity and sicknesse we presume to come vnto thee in the name and mediation of Christ Iesus praying beseeching thee together with this our brother and in his behalfe that thou wilt in no wise enter into iudgement with him neither deale extremely with him according to his deserts and that for Iesus Christ his sake our Lord and Sauior who hath purged and cleansed both his and all our sinnes and made full satisfaction for them vpon his Crosse But rather O Lord sith thou hast ransomed him with so great a price giue him grace and also strength and courage whereby he may quietly receiue and patiently suffer this thy fatherly visitation and chastisement and with all obedience willingly and readily submit himselfe vnto thy good pleasure Send him help in all his troubles and be thou vnto him a defence and fortresse against this present danger Especially O Lord at what time his conscience shall accuse him and his inward vnknown and secret sinnes shall stand vp against him oppose then and set thou for his defence the most bitter torments and voluntary sacrifice of Christ thy deare Sonne who hath borne all our iniquities and infirmities and suffered the punishment due vnto vs Being made sinne for vs while he dyed for our sins purging and washing them cleane away in and by his most precious blood and who also rising againe from death is becom our righteousnes perfect redemption Grant we beseech thee gracious Father that by faith he may feele the force and the power and vertue of these good blessings Being in this great anguish distresse trouble let him haue certaine proofe and experience of thy present aide succour and at this present let him haue a sure and certain taste of the fruit of all thy gifts and graces and of all thy mercies and benefits in Christ Iesus Make him with earnest desire with stedfast assurance and faith vnfained to receiue so great a treasure of happinesse to wit the remission of all his sinnes thorough Christ Iesus and for his sake which by the ministery of the word and by the participation of the Sacraments hath heretofore beene exhibited and offered vnto him that so it may be a comfort a fortresse sure refuge against the feare and trouble of his accusing conscience and against all the subtile sleights and assaults of the Diuel Yea let the same his faith be vnto him an armour of proofe wherby he may repell and beate backe all the fierie darts of the wicked so may safely passe euen through death vnto life which hauing once attained he may enioy the perfect fruition thereof for euermore We therefore wholly commend him vnto thee O heauenly Father and inasmuch as he is so grieuously sicke and diseased be thou his Physition to cure and heale him Forasmuch as he is weake and feeble confirme thou and strengthen him Inasmuch as he is destitute and void of worldly help send aide we beseech thee and in due time releeue and succour him Forasmuch as he lieth thus deiected and cast downe raise thou him vp againe Forasmuch as he is thus wounded binde thou vp his wounds Forasmuch as he is so fearefull and timorous giue him O Lord boldnesse and courage Forasmuch as he acknowledgeth his manifold sins and corruptions wash him and cleanse him from them all in the blood of thy Sonne Christ Iesus that immaculate Lamb. Yea for as much as thou knowest all things whereof he standeth in need and according to thy good pleasure canst bestow the same satisfie we beseech thee O gracious Father his lawful and godly desires satisfie his inward hunger and thirst yea satisfie him him abundantly with thy truth and with thy saluation Receiue and embrace him for he flyeth only vnto thee for succour Accept him therefore and make him constant stedfast in all things to obey and to doe thy will Finally we pray thee of thine infinite goodnesse and mercie to pardon and forgiue all those sinnes whereby he hath prouoked against himselfe thy fierce
wrath and displeasure In stead of death and after death grant vnto him life euen life euerlasting that he may for euer liue with thee in glory And if thou thinke it better more expedient for him that he abide yet longer in this mortalitie either for the benefit of others and for the vse and seruice of the Church or else for his owne behalfe and benefite that he may more nearely be conformed and made like vnto the example and image of thy Sonne Christ Iesus restore vnto him mercifull and gracious Lord his former health strength and with health and strength increase in him euery day more and more the gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit Howbeit thy will be done alwaies in all things which cannot but euermore be for the best All these things grant vnto vs we beseech thee most gracious and merciful Father and to this our feeble and distressed neighbour and brother for thy Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ his sake who is our onely helper and redeemer for his sake who for the comfort of sinners translated by the ministerie of his blessed Angels the theefe on the crosse into Paradise and the soule of Lazarus into Abrahams bosome euen for his sake who sitteth at thy right hand of power and glorie to be our Aduocate and to make intercession for vs who also liueth and reigneth together with thine owne maiestie in the vnitie of the holy Ghost euer one God world without end Amen A Prayer to be said by the Sicke partie LOrd Iesus thou that art the health of al men liuing and the life euerlasting of all that in thy true faith depart out of this wretched transitorie world I submit and wholly giue ouer my selfe vnto thy most blessed will whether it plâ—aâ—e thee that this silly soule of mine shall abide in this house and tabernacle of my bodie yet for some longer time to do thee seruice or whether thy will be that I shall shortly depart hence being certainly assured that the same can in no wise perish which is committed and deliuered ouer into thy mercifull hands O Lord I am most readie and willing to lay downe this fraile and corruptible flesh in certaine hope of the resurrection thereof at the last day when it shall be restored vnto me againe much more glorious and happie In the meane time confirme and strengthen my soule I beseech thee with thy grace holy Spirit against all temptations and against all assaults of Satan Gird compasse me about with the shield of thy mercie as thou diddest in times past thy holy Saints and Martyrs making them thereby strong inuincible against all torments and deaths though neuer so cruell or so fearefull and horrible I see that there is no helpe in my selfe ô Lord but all my helpe and hope my trust confidence is in thine vnspeakeable goodnesse and mercie I haue no deserts nor good works ô Lord that I can bring or alledge before thee But of misdeeds alas I see many and infinite as the sands of the Sea which hauing passed and gone ouer my head are as a grieuous burthen too too heauie for me to beare But yet through thy precious death and bloudshedding I beleeue that they are all quite purged and washed cleane away And through thy most perfect righteousnesse and obedience imputed vnto me I trust and am assured that I shall be yea and am already registred and receiued into the number of thy righteous Saints and seruants It was for me and for my sake that thou wast borne into the world and wast subiect vnto all the miseries and infirmities of this life Thou didst hunger and thirst for my sake thou didst teach and preach and worke many strange wonders and miracles for my sake thou didst fast and pray for me and for my sake For my sake it was that thou didst so many good deeds while thou liuedst and didst conuerse amongst men for my sake didst thou suffer so many bitter paines and torments yea and gauest thy precious bodie and soule vnto death vpon the crosse for my sake Now let all these things sweete sauiour Iesus Christ be auaileable and profitable vnto me thy poore seruant who hast willingly performed all these things for me and hast giuen and bestowed thy selfe wholly vpon me and for me Let thy bloud cleanse and wash away the filthinesse of my sinnes let thy righteousnesse hide and couer my vnrighteousnesse and let thy merits stand for me before thy tribunall seate of iudgement And as my sicknesse and paine increaseth so increase ò Lord in me thy good gifts and graces both of faith and of patience and of constancie and perseuerance that my faith confidence may neither wauer nor stagger nor my loue toward thee be abated nor my humane weakenesse be deiected and cast downe by feare of death But after that death hath seized vpon closed vp the eyes of my body the eyes of my mind may not sweâ—ue nor turne aside from thee And when it hath taken away the vse of my tongue yet let my heart without ceassing crie vnto thee Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit or rather thy spirit for thou hast dearely bought it and redeemed it euen with thy most precious bloud Sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ receiue my soule Saue and keepe me protect and defend me vnder the shadow of thy wings that I sleepe not in death Saue and deliuer me euen in death from the power of death In thee ô Lord my God do I put my trust let me not be confounded Thou art my onely Lord Sauiour leaue me not neither forsake me ô God of my saluation But be thou still present with me to sustaine and vphold me to refresh and comfort me and finally at the time which thou hast appointed to conuey my soule into thy heauenly kingdome which thou hast purchased prepared for me before the beginning of the world Euen so come Lord Iesus Amen Amen A prayer for the Sicke being readie to giue vp the Ghost LOrd Iesus Christ thou which art the resurrection and the life in whom whosoeuer beleeueth shall not die for euer looke downe from heauen euen from thy Sanctuarie and holy habitation Behold visite and relieue this thy seruant Correct him not in thine anger neither chasten him in thy displeasure but according to the multitude of thy mercies looke vpon him we beseech thee with a fatherly affection Restore him if it be thy gracious will and pleasure vnto his former health and strength that so he may liue to glorifie thy name Or if it stand with thy will otherwise to deale with him euen by this present sicknesse to call him home vnto thine owne selfe out of this vale of wretchednes and miserie giue vnto him constancie to endure faithfull vnto the end and patience to suffer quietly and meekely thy rod and fatherly correction His flesh ô Lord is weake and fraile assist him with thy grace strengthen his weaknesse by the mightie power of thy holy Spirit His spirituall enemies are many and the craft and malice of Satan neuer wanting especially in the houre of death when the bodie is most weake to daunt affright if it be possible the soules of thy seruants that so he might destroy the soule together with the bodie Couer him therefore deare Father vnder the shadow of thy wings against all the assaults of the flesh the world and the diuell that neither through the infirmitie and weakenesse of the flesh nor through the grieuousnesse and painefulnesse of his sicknes nor the loue desire of this world nor the multitude of his sinnes nor the malice of Satan nor by any other meanes he be drawne away from his loue towards thee and his assured trust and confidence in thee We coÌ„fesse ô Lord that there is in himselfe as in our selues no power nor strength to helpe at all being borne in sinne and conceiued in iniquity whereunto also haue bene added many actuall sinnes and transgressions both in thought word and deede whereby he hath prouoked thy iust wrath indignation In whom then shall he trust and from whom shall he looke for helpe but onely in thee from thee which art the Sauiour of all that put their trust in thee Thou didst vouchsafe for his sake to be borne into the world and to humble thy selfe to the state of a seruant to suffer all the miseries and infirmities of this life for his sake to sustaine beare all manner of reproches iniuries for his sake finally thou gauest thy most precious bodie to die and thy bloud to be shed vpon the crosse for his sake Now let all these things profit him we beseech thee most mercifull Sauiour Let thy most precious bloud wash away the multitude of his sinnes let that pure and vnspotted garmeÌ„t of thine obedience and righteousnesse hide couer his vnrighteousnesse let thy grace and power euermore defend succour him and let the sweet comfort of thy Spirit neuer depart from him vntill thou hast called him out of this vale of miserie into the blessed inheritance purchased for him where he may rest for euer with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Saints of God Heare vs we beseech thee most gracious and mercifull Sauiour saue thy seruant that putteth his whole trust in thee Let thy mightie hand and outstretched arme be still his defence Let thy holy Spirit coÌ„firme strengthen him let thy louing kindnesse and mercte still abide and continue with him and be his stay and comfort alwaies vnto the end and in the end and for euermore Amen FINIS