dead to synne by Christes deathe we haue also certaine and sure remission of our synnes by Christes dethe we be raised also to a newe and euerlastinge life For baptime is a couenand betwixt God and vs. And a signe of his grace and fauour towarde vs wherin we be reconciled and made at one with god againe so that we may nowe haue a ioyfull and quiet cōscience for somoche as our synnes be forgeuē vs through the resurrection of Iesus christ Yea christ also in the institucion of the most blessed sacramēt of his last supper speaketh also to vs saing that his blood is shed for the remission of synne Nowe although we haue not liued alwaie innocentlie nether led suche a lyfe as we ought to haue done Yet we maye not dispayre but wtout delaye resort vnto god by true repentaunce cal faithfullye vpon his name and we shal be saued Rom. x. Ye let euery one of vs with a meke harte burst out in to these or like wordes and say O moste mercifull God father of al mercy father of oure LORD Iesu Christe be mercyfull vnto me a wretched synner make spede to deliuer me for the most bitter but moost precious death and passion of Iesu Christe thy onlie begotten sonne oure redemer and only sauioure Amen Enter not o lord in to iudgement with thy feruaunte handle me not accordinge to my deseruinge nether do vnto me after my iniquities but accordinge to thy infinite and botomles goodnes mercy take me vnto the. I a miserable and wretched creature am ī thy hand I am in thy debt daunger thou mayst do with me what it please the. O mooste mercifull father forsake me not nether cast me of I am thine all that I am There can no man comfort no man help no mā deliuer me but thou alone Thou art the true comfort the most present helpe the surest bulwarke in all necessitie Thou god art my refuge my strength my helpe in al trouble Thou art my Lord in thy handes resteth al my chaunce and affaires Shewe thy louing and mercyfull face vpon thy seruaunt saue me in thy mercy O lord but in any ways in our extreme sicknes and affliction let vs beware we loke not to earnestly neither to longe vpon our synnes But rather let vs haue the image of Christes moste helthfull and precious deth before our eys Let vs fix that in our mynd and be fully persuaded that Christ is now bourdened with our synnes that he hathe nowe taken theim vpon his owne shoulders and so hathe satisfied for theim and washed them away that he wil neuer charge vs with thē but frelie forgeaue vs theim as we professe in our Crede whē we say Credimus remissionē peccatorū we beleue the remyssion of synnes Here it shal be mete that in our sicknes we call to remebraunce such places of holie scripture as testifieth of remission of synne purchased by Christe of the which some be here subscribed Io. i. BEhold the lambe of god which takith away the synne of the world We are bought with no golde i. Pet. i. nor siluer nether any corruptible price but with the precious blood of the vnspotted and vndefyled lambe Iesus Christe So god hath loued the world that he gaue his onlie begotten sonne to th ende that we so beleuinge in him should not perishe but haue lyfe euerlastinge Io. iii. I come not to call the righteous but the synners to repentaunce Mar. ix Come vnto me al ye that laboure and are laden and I shall refreish you Lo he calleth al he refuseth Math. xi he excludeth none we must includ also our selues within this worde All we must resorte to him and he will receaue and refresh vs. God setteth forth his loue toward vs. For Christ died for vs Rom. 5. when we were yet sinners muche more now therfore we being iustified by his blood shal be sauffe frō wrath by him i. cor i. Christ Iesus is becommed vnto vs wisdome rightousnes holines redempcion Here let vs cōfort our selues that though we haue be neuer so great sinners let vs cōfesse and knowledge our sinne let vs call for mercy and pardon let vs vnfainedly beleue Christ to be our only helth Iustice and redēption and straight waye he is so he will by and by couer and put away our synnes in such sort that we shal nede fere no peril nor daūger ii co v. Him that knew no sinne hath god made sinne .i. a paymente of sinne for vs that we shulde becōe the righteousnes of god by him Gala. i. Christ gaue him selfe for oure sinnes that he might deliuer vs frō this presēt wicked world according to the wil of god our father In Christ we haue redempciō thorough his bloude Ephesi i. euen the remission of sinnes according to the riches of his grace Christ Iesus is come into this worlde to saue synners i. Ti. i. Christ Iesus hath geuin him self a redemption for al men i. Ti. ii This let vs constātly beleue vndoubted we be of the number of those that shal be saued For whē he is come a redemption for all these thinges that he hath suffered pertaineth no lesse to the me euery one of vs so we beleue than to Peter or Paule i. Pe. ii Christ hath borne our sinnes in his body vpō the crosse Christ died once for our sinnes the righteous for the vnrighteous i. petr iii The bloud of Iesus christ clēseth vs from al sinne i. Io. i. Yf any mā doth sinne we haue a aduocate with the father euē Iesus i. Ioan. ii Christ the righteouse and he is the attonemente for our synnes Not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole worlde By these places and suche like we maye se howe god the father which wil not the death of a sinner but that we shulde turne and liue for that most feruent burning loue that he beareth toward vs hath eased vs of the burden of our sin hath laide it vpō the back of his most dere beloued sonne which his sōne hath so takē borne and suffered for them that they can neuer condemne vs. For god taketh and reputeth the death of his sonne for a full satisfaction paiment for al our sinnes so that we truly beleue in him For seing that our sinnes thus laide vpon Christe could not ouercome him detain him in deth nor dāne him for why he rose againe vndoubtedly a full satisfaccion is alredy made for them the iustice of god is fully answered and they be vtterly hid and forgeuen Let vs beleue this and we shall not perishe euerlastignly For Christ is now become ours with al that he hath with his death with his resurrection with his assencion into heauen with his life Qui proprio filio suo non pepercit his merits his glorie As saint Paule witnesse Rom. viii wherfore Satan hath nowe no title
saide to the thefe at his houre of death This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise The bodye thoughe it reste and pause for a while yet we be in certaine hope that at the laste daye it shal be raised againe to immortall and euerlasting lyfe And therfore scripture calleth the deathe of the body but a slepe for that this same fraile weke vyle mortal and corruptible bodye which we carie about which lieth sicke sore diseased which shortly shal be put into the earth burnt to asshes deuoured with bestes or foules drowned in water the same self body I say shal be raised again incorruptible glorious bewtifull stronge i. cor xv pure immortall to possesse a newe and euerlastinge lyfe where there shal neither be huÌ„ger thirst heat cold synne deth nor any kynde of calamitie but iustice innocencye lyfe ioye blesse world withoute ende For as the body of Christe laid in the graue rose againe the thirde day neuer more to die EueÌ„ so shal the bodies of al that beleue in christ at the later day be resuscitate to a lyfe after whiche shall folowe no death God who is of infinite power and infallible truth hath promised these thynges they muste therfore nedes be so And here it shal be profitable to call to remembraunce suche places of scripture as treatith of the resurrection of the flesh which be the wordes not of man but of god who is able will certainly fulfill what soeuer he hathe spoken No man can chaunge his wil no man can alter his purpose No creature can frustrate let or tarie his sentence He is omnipoteÌ„t he is true he is faithfull his goodnes and mercie is inexplicable Let no man therfore doubt of the treuthe of his wordes let no man doubt of the performaunce of his promise Herafter folowithe certayne places of scripture witnessinge the resurrection of the dead according to this article of our faith wherin we saie we beleue that this flesh shall rise againe Iohn vi THis is the will of my Father which sente me that whosoeuer seith the sonne beleuithe in him shall haue life euerlastinge and I will raist him vp againe in the last daye The houre comithe wherin all they that be iÌ„ the grauys shal here the voice of the sonne of God and shall go forthe thei that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life Iohan. v For if so be that the spirit of him which raysed vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you Rom. viii euin he that raised vp Iesus Christe from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodyes because of his sprite that dwelleth in you God hathe bothe raised vp oure Lorde Iesus Christ and shal also raise vs vp by his power i. Cor. vi Christe saithe Lazarus was but a slepe where in verie dede he was dead and buried Iohan. xi But Christ is the resurrectioÌ„ and life as it is in the same place so that he that beleuethe on him thoughe he were dead he shall lyue In verefienge whereof he raised straighte waye Lazarus being foure dayes dead and stynkynge And because we be naturallye in the agonye of deathe verye fearefull weake and faintherted to th ende that we might be the easelier perswaded in the article of resurrectioÌ„ Scripture maketh mencion of manye whiche in the time of the prophetes Christe and thappostles were called from deathe to lyfe Luc. 7. Christ raysed the widowes soÌ„ne Luc. 8. He raised the ruler of the sinagoge his daughter Ioa. xi He raised Lazarus Act. ix Peter restored to life Tabitha Act. xx Paule raised again Eutichus iiii Re. 4. Elizeus the prophet called againe to lyfe his hostes sonne iii. re xvii Helias raised the babe of the woman of Sareptanie God toke also vnto him out of this frail and transitory lyfe Gen. 5. 4. Reg. ii these two excellent and holy meÌ„ Enoch and Helias quicke bothe bodye soule to giue vs as it were a tast and representacion of the true lyfe to come lest after the opinion of the ethnickes and epicures we shulde thinke there were no worlde nor beinge after this wretched miserable life Let vs not forget what christ Iesê° lord of life deth saith in the .viii. of Luke wepe not the maid is not dead but a slepe Reason not coÌ„preheÌ„ding the misteries of god nether perceiuing his power doth laugh this saiÌ„g to scorne but christ prouethe his saing true he raiseth by by the dead maid to life The .xv. chapter of the first epistle to the Corin. is replenished with moste godly pleasaunt and pithie consolacions Trulye it is more precious than anye golde For in that Chapit saincte Paule dothe so annexe and couple our resurrection to the resurcection of christ as though thei coulde in no wise be seperate or diuided after this forme Christ is risen from death which thing is certain ergowe al so shal vndoutedly rise For christ is our head and we his membres This head is neither without nether will forsake his membres TheÌ„ it foloweth that where christ is there shall we be For why we are the membres of his bodie and euin of his flesshe and bone Ephesi 5. what tonge what penne what witte is able to set forthe as it is worthy this ineffable inestimable glory of the mercy and grace of god that God hathe vouchsafe so lowe to humble him self as to become mortall man that this feble and fraile nature of man vnited and knit to the diuine nature by the power efficacie of the godhead might be inhaunced promoted to immortalitie For trulie the nature of all faithfull men which ether were before christ hathe be sens ar now or shal be to the worldes ende vndoubtedlie in christ verie god and man hathe optained imortality The consolacion therfore that riseth of christes resurrection is of great efficacitie As when sainct Paule saithe to the Corinthians Christ i. Cor. xv is risen againe from deade and is the first fruictes of theim that slepe for by one man truli came death by one man cometh the resurrectioÌ„ of the dead And as al die iÌ„ Adame euin so shall all be made aliue in christ but euerie one in his order The first is christ TheÌ„ they which are christes which hathe beleued in his commiÌ„g And saincte Paul dothe adde a similitude taken of naturall thinges wher by he doth set forthe and declare the resurrection of bodies The similitude is taken of sede which cast into the earthe by the husbandman dieth as it were and rotteth Neuer the lesse it is not vtterlie lost but at lenght springeth cometh forthe of the earth goodlie beautifull pleasaunte So our bodyes shall rise againe not feble vyle corruptible mortall but stronge glorious incorruptible immortal neuer to die again but euer to liue The way in to true and euerlastinge lyfe to our longe home as they call it and contrey is by corporall
death Fleshe and blood beinge corruptible and mortal can not inherit the kyngdō of god wher nothing is but life Therfore this corruptible body must put on īcorrupciō thys mortal must put on immortality Ore xiiii Esa xxv Than shal the saing that is writtē be fulfilled Death is swalowed vp in victory They that beleue in Christ hath nowe ouercomed synne deathe and hel Therfore not fearinge deathe but stronge bold and wel harted in Christe they may saye deathe where is thy sting death where is thy victorie The stinge of deathe is synne and the power of synne is the lawe But thankes be vnto god which hathe geauen vs the victorie through our lorde Iesus Christe Let vs heare also more sentēces full of godly and mightie consolacion He that hathe raised vp Iesus shall raise vs vp also with Iesus ii Cor. iiii Phili. iii. Our conuersaciō is in heuin frō whence we do loke for the sauiour our lorde Iesus christ which shal chaūge our vile body that it may be like fashioned vnto his glorious bodie according to the workinge of his power by the which also he is able to subdue all thinges vnto him self Col. iii. Ye are dead and your life is hid with christ in god but when christ your life shall appere then shal ye also appere in glorie with him i. Tesso 4. We woulde not brethern that ye shuld be ignorant concerninge them that sleepe that ye sorowe not also as other do whiche haue no hope For yf we beleue that Iesus christ died and rose againe euin thē also which are a slepe through Iesus shal God bringe with him ii Tim. ii Sainct Paule also doth comforte Timothe with the article of resurrection saing Remembre the the lord Iesus Christ beinge the seed of Dauid rose again from the dead accordinge to my gospell And if we be dead with him we shall also liue with him Yf we suffer paciētly we shal also raign with him It is writen also to the Hebreus that Christe tasted deathe for all men Hebre. ii and that he was partaker of flesche and bloode .i. became verie mā that he might destroy him which had the rule of death that is the deuil and that he might deliuer theim which were in bondage all their life tyme by the reason of the feare of death God hathe deliueryd vs ii Tim. i. and called vs with an holie calling not accordinge to our workes but accordinge to his purpose grace whiche is geauen vs in Christe Iesu before the tyme of the world but is nowe made manifest by the apperinge of oure sauioure Iesu Christ which trulie hath destroied death and hathe brought life and immortalitie to lighte by the gospell i. Io. iii. We knowe that we are translated frome life to death because we loue the brethern i. Io. 4. In this hathe the loue of god apperid in vs because God sent his onlie begotten sonne into the world that we might liue through him Iob. xix I knowe that my redemer dothe liue and in the last daie I shall rise againe and againe be wrapped in my owne skine And in my owne flesshe shall see God whome I my self shall see these my eyes shall beholde and none other These places of hollie scripture and suche like if we diligentlie remēbre faithfullie imbrace we shall perceaue great consolacion and conforte Phi. iii. And euin with saincte Paule reioyse that we knowe christe and the power of his resurrection wherby deth is ouercomed Nether is there nowe to these that beleue in Christ any thinge in deathe terrible or to be feared sauinge onlye the Image and outwarde forme hurt it can not Like as a dede serpent keapith stil his old fearful shape and forme but to stinge or do harme he hathe no power at al. And like as by the brasin serpente whiche Moses by goddes commaundemente sette vp in deserte when it was loked vpō through the power of goddes woord men were deliuerid frome daunger of the liuelie and venyme serpentes so our deathe is made harmles and we deliuered frome the fear and daunger of it so oft as with the eys of our faithe we do beholde the helthefull and medicinable dethe of Christe In conclusion deathe is nowe become but a Image and shadowe of deathe yea the entraunce and gate to life For Christ who is trueth it self saithe Yf any man kepe my worde Io. viii he shall neuer see deathe For a man trustinge to the mercy of God through faithe which he conceauith by heringe of Christes gospell is so vnite and knitt to christ his lorde and maister that he can not be plucked nor seperate from him The body in dede for a tyme is seperate from the soule but in certaine hope of risinge againe to euerlastinge life And so he that beleuithe in Christe dothe not see nor fele the euerlastinge dethe of body and soule which is euerlastinge dampnacion For the deathe of good men is nothinge els but a departure from this transitory and mortal life to immortality to christ to his angelles and sainctes Hell and dampnacion DOth offer it self at the hour of death so that manye tymes man doth greatly feare lest he be abiect frō the fauour of god and appoynted to euerlastyng payne The deuyll which seketh by all meanes howe to deuoure vs steringe vp in oure myndes manye daungerous and troubellous thoughtes concerninge our eleccion and predestinacion A medicine against the feare of hel and dampnacion WHen the deuil goeth about to cause vs to dyspaire or to doubt of our election whether we be of the numbre of theim that are appointed to euerlastinge life or no In any wais let vs not be to boulde in copinge with him let vs not enter disputacion against him for he is to subtile and expert for vs but say shortly vnto him Away Satan with sorrowe it is writen thou shalt not tempt the lord thy God For seing that god as a most louinge father hathe not only geauen vs life fedde and preseruid vs to this houre but also hathe indued and euen loden vs from tyme to time with his singuler benefites what madnes were it contrary to our former experience nowe to dout of his mercy He hathe receauyd vs in to his flocke by baptime He hathe sente vs the gospell of his grace wherein he hathe promised to become oure father we haue be fedde with the flesshe and bloode of his sonne oure sauioure CHRISTE in remembraunce that oure debtes be paide and we acquited whye shoulde we nowe then doubte of the good will of GOD towarde vs lette vs not therefore admitte the doutfull and daungerous Imaginacions of oure predestinacion which the deuill like a craftie and malicyous marchaunt doth labor to iustill But let vs thinke vpon suche sentences as God would haue our myndes occupied withall whiche Chryst him selfe hath prescribed as Iohn .iii. where he sayethe GOD hathe so loued the
tentacions First it is a greuous and vehemente tentacion when he seeth the most terrible image of deathe afore his eyes when he seeth he muste leue thys light leue this life leaue frendes leaue landes goodes kinsfolke father mother wife childern all thinges wherin he had here ether pleasure or comforte Then suche synnes as he against the will and pleasure of god hathe committed shall shewe and present them selues and shal appeare more in nūbre and more greuous then euer they semed afore and so shall wonderousely vex and torment the cōscience Then dethe iudgemente hell dampnacion as it were in a plumpe shall assaut and lay sege with diuers daungerous engins against the olde man of ours In these Agonies except a mā be armed with a sure and constāt faith it is to be feared leste he be weried tired and at last ouercommed For these tentacions which chaunce vnto men lyeng in extremes appere most houge feareful and daungerouse and that for by cause our faith is verye sclender and waueringe neither yet able to see perceaue or apprehend the incomprehēsible and inestimable riches of the childern of god whiche be remissiō of synnes through christe resurrection of the flesh communion of saintes euerlastinge life and all these geuen vnto vs in Christ and for Christ In these articles of our faithe we must dailye exercise oure selues These we must diligently reuolue and earnestly expende in our mindes For thoughe all the articles of our faith are diligentlye to be remembred and without al waueringe beleued yet in the Agonye and pointe of deathe these foure that is the communion of sainctes remission of sinne by the blood of Christe the resurrection of the fleshe and euerlasting lyfe are chiefely to be mynded expended and inculcated For like as deth is the paine stipend of sinne Roma 6. euen so for synne God dothe commenly punysh vs with diuers diseases and plages As it is to be sene ī diuers places of scriptur Io. 5. Ps 88. Deute 28. 2. Reg. 24. Neuertheles afflictions be many tymes laid vpon vs that our faith may be tried For than is it easy to be perceauyd howe much we loue GOD what faithe we haue in him howe we trust him when we be pressed greuyd with aduersitie In this case therfore we must bewaile acknowlege our synnes for the which we haue iustlie incurred goddes displeasure and deseruid most greuous paine We must turne to God with true repentaunce in all our hart mynde without all faynynge and conterfaitinge we must haue recourse vnto the Gospel where we shall fynd most bountifull cōsolaciō .i. absoluciō or remissiō of our synnes which christ hath instituted ī the churche Io. 20. Receaue saithe Christe the hollie ghoste whose siftes ye forgeue thei are for geauē This inestimable treasure is daily openyd offred vnto vs. When remissiō of sinne is thus desired optained vndoutedly thē the paine of sinne which is the disease or afflyccion shal sone ceasse and leaue vs or elles accordinge to the most beneficiall will of our heuenly father shall tourne to the profit and soule helth of him that is diseased or afflicted For this maye we be sure of that the paine and affliction of the body in this worlde seme it neuer so greuous a bourden or heuie yoke to the flesshe is comenly nothinge elles but a fatherlie rod Psal 88. wherwith god dothe drawe vs his childern frō synne and call vs home to him Truly our heuinly father dothe loue vs moste feruentlie he bearithe vs good mynde and dothe all thinges for our amendemente and profitte Heb. xii for whome God louithe him he chastisethe and correctith vs temporally here that we should not be punished in hell euerlastinglie 1. Cor. xi Thoughe he semith angrie he louithe singulerlye Nether is his Ire the Ire of a tyraunt or tormētour desyringe our perdycion but of a father sekinge our amendmēt and sauftie First therfore we must crye God mercy desire pardō forgeuenes of our synnes but by christ but with a hart trulie penitent that we may be at one with God and haue him mercyful vnto vs. This done we maye then desire GOD to deliuer vs from the Imminent and present affliction and disease For so teacheth ecclesiast Ecclesi 3 Sonne in thy infirmity neglect not thy self but pray to the Lord and he shall deliuer the. Also in the Ps Psal 70. remember not o lord god our old iniquities but let thy mercie spedely preuent vs for we be verie miserable helpe vs God our sauiour Lord God of power turne vs howe longe wilt thou be angrie shewe thy face and we shal be saued Here we be taught firste to desire remission of sinne that we may so be at one with god and after that to haue his wrathe and the tokens of the same takē away But when soeuer we desire to be deliueryd or to be eased of the crosse that presseth vs we must alwaye annexe this addicion Mar. vi Thy wil o heuenly father be fulfilled Neither knowe we so well what is profitable vnto vs. Nether cā we so well prouide for our selues as our most louing heuēly father Which is both of infinite powre and also of incomprehensible wisdom which neuer tournethe his eys from vs which caryth continually for vs which knowith the number of our heres which doth quicken norish fede kepe defend prouide for al his creatures much better than thei can wish or desire But to drawe to the more perticuler temptacions to shewe what thinges do most fiersly daungerously at the time of death assault vs. And how we shall wtstād thē ¶ There be thre thinges which at the houre of death doth wonderously vex trouble feare our myndes that is to saye synne death hel or dampnacion Synne WHerein we haue vngodlye mispent our life wherby we haue greuously offēded god and our neighbour This cōming to our remembraunce when we lie vpon our death bed doth driue vs to a wonderous feare Roma ii pensiuenes and anxiety As sainct Paule saithe wrathe indignacion trouble and anguishe against euerye soule of man that doth euill A medicine against synne vexinge and troubelinge our conscience LEt vs cal earnestly to remembrance that the sonne of God came downe from heuen became man toke vp on his backe the synnes of the worlde died for them vpō the crosse there makinge satisfaction for vs and paing our dettes This most precious blod of christ was shed also for vs and of this deth we be also partakers so we rightlie beleue in Christe Nether nede we to doubt but Christ died aswell for vs as for Peter and Paule Rom. 6. For we be baptized also as sainct Paule saith in the deth of Christ This ought to comfort vs this ought to erect and stay our myndes For seinge we be baptized in the dethe of Christe Christes dethe bringeth also vnto vs helth and saluacion By Christes deth we be also