thys thynges that are to be hoped that is to saye promysed and a certenâ—e and euyden knowelege of those thynges thaâ— doo not appeare wyth that holy 〈◊〉 Patriarche Abraham thou must beleue vnder hope agaynste hope thy faythe and hope muste nedes resyste and set them selfes agaynste all those thynges whych euer blinde reason dothe Imagyne or that mooste sutle and craftye enemye doo brynge to remembauns and worke agaynste the wherfore thou muste thoroulye learne what cuâ—â—tme God dothe kepe in sauynge hys whome he wyll lyfte vp into heauen hym he bryngethe downe fyrste vnto Hell Whome he wyll â—uycken hym dothe he fyrste kyll vpon whome he wyll exercyse hys excedynge Mercye hym wyll he fyrst trye and make asthoughe he woulde dampne hym And thys is that vnfained purgatory and that true purgyng fyre into the which God castethe hys Seruauntes and prouethe them as Golde in the fyre wherefore when thou fealeste none other thynge then moste presente deathe when God â—emeth to be mooste angry wyth the to be gone awaye moost furdeste from the and to haue forsaken the vtterlye yea when he semethe that he hathe cast â— the awaye and wyll condemne the euen then thynke thou mooste certenly that he is mooste nyhhe vnto the that he wyl defende the and delyuer the yea that he then moste entyerly loueth the and carethe moost of all for the for when he doth layâ— afflyction and trouble vpoÌ„ the thâ— dothe he remember hys mercye asâ— the Prophete saythe He is not angry for euer as the father hath pytye of hys sonnes so hath the Lordâ— compassion of them that feare hiâ— for he knowethe our makynge and remembreth that we are but dusteâ— The mercy of the Lorde endureth euer and euer The Lorde is a tender fauorer and mercyfull he is longe sufferynge and full of compassyon Wherfore spare the eyes of thy senses caste away the iudgemente of reason and submyt yelde gyue ouer and commende thy selfe wholly to Chryste and take it to good worth howe so euer he handleth the esteme not deathe and the dredefnlnes and sorowes therof after the iudgemente of the eyes senles or reason but after the worde of God Dauid say the precyons is the deathe of Sayntes in the syghte of the Lorde Agayne Blessed are the ded whych dye in the LORDE Chryste also saythe he that beleueth in me shall not taste â—eathe Therfore yf any thynges come to remembraunce whyche go aboute to turne the from Chryste and to â—aste the into desperation cast them all out of thy minde cleue to the lyuely worde of God wyth tothe and nayle haue thy medytation in that and euer be whettynge of that in thy mynde For thou shalte neuer by the perspycacyte and quyckenis of thy reason perceyue howe it maye be possyble that by Deathe thou shouldeste goo vnto the true lyfe howe when thou gyueste vp the Ghoste thou shouldest departe vnto a better state howe thy soule shoulde be kepte in the Lorde and reaste vnto the laste daye agayne howe thy body beynge rotten consumed and eaten of wormes maye ryse agayne at the laste Iudgemente and come forthe in a newe godly forme shape or fashon Thys can not reason comprehende Fayth alone is able to do it Therfore call to thy remembraunce contynually the artycles of thy faythe and boulte oute euerye parcell of them dylygently and weyghe them earnestly in thy harte ¶ Howe he is to be spoken vnto whyche is redy to gyue vp the Ghoste O Brother in Chryst now loke that thou fyghteste a good fyghte loke that thou abydeste in the faythe valeauntly and stedfastly Infyxe and depely engraue in thy breste the Promyses of Chryste thy redemer I am the resurrection and lyfe sayth Christ. He that beleuethe in me shall lyue and neuer dye Chryste toke the nature of man vpon hym sufferynge many iniuryes and wronges and when he dyed he offred hym selfe a sacryfyce for our sinnes on y â— altare of the Crosse he wyth hys holye bloudthorowlye and in all poyntes clensed the synnes of al mankynde thys Chryste wyll not forsake the thys Christ wil not leaue y â— socourles this Christ careth for the Christ saueth the defeÌ„deth the so that no yll or misery shall chauns vnto the the foundatioÌ„ of God standeth sure hauing this seale THE LORDE KNOVVETH VVHYCHE ARE HYS Christe saythe my shepe heare my voyce I know theÌ„ and thei folow me I giue theÌ„ euer lastynge lyfe neyther shall they peryshe for euer nor yet shall any man plucke theÌ„ out of my hande my father whych gaue theÌ„ to me is greater then al noman can plucke theÌ„ out of my fathers hande I and my father am one Wherfore o brother in Christ coÌ„mende thy soule to God the father which loueth y â— so derely crye with Christ thy brother when he honge on the crosse o father into thy handes I commende my spirit God the Father of all mercye moughte lede the into euerlastynge lyfe and saue the vnto that most ioyefull resurrection of the last iudgement AMEN Virescit vulnera virtus A prayer to be sayde of the syckman beynge in perell of deathe O Most mercyfâ—ll God o father of al mercy the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ be mercyful to me a synuer haue pytie on me and quyckely helpe me poore wretche for thy mooste bytter and moost precious passion and deathe of Iesus Chryste thy onely begoten sonne and oure onely redemer and sauyoure Amen Entre not into Iudgemente wyth thy seruaunte o Lorde handle me not accordynge to my deserues and merites neyther rewarde me after myne iniquytie but for thyne infynite and vnmesurable bounte and excedyng great mercy receyue me I miserable and weake creature am in thy hande I am thy bonde seruaunte and thy debter O most gentle God o moste fauorable Father forsake me not cast me not away pore wretche that I am I am thyn wyth al that euer I can make Noman is able to confirme me noman is able to delyuer me nomaÌ„ is able to helpe me but y â— alone Thou art the true helper in aduersite yâ—are the moste sure present coÌ„fort iu al necessite y â— alone art our helpe our buluarke our fortresse our most mighty stronly defence fence towre y â— o god art our refuge thou art our strenght thou art our helper in al our tribulatioÌ„s In the o Lord do I trust let me not be coÌ„fouÌ„ded let me neuer be put to shame let me not be deceyued of my hope but preserue me for thyn righteousnes Bow down thin eare vnto me make hast to deliuer me Be my defeÌ„der o god my strong holde that thou maist saue me for thou art my strength my refuge yea y â— arte my god my destenies ar in thy haÌ„des LighteÌ„ thy couÌ„tenauÌ„s vpoÌ„ thy seruauÌ„t saue me for thy mercyes sake o Lorde And forasmuche o swete Father
as it is thy godly pleasure to call me from thys myserable lyfe and wretched worlde I moost entierly beseche the so to defende me in thys agonye of deathe that Satan nor his ministers preuayle against me but that I contynue faythfull and constante vnto the ende in the confession of thy holy name lokyng for full remyssyon of all my synnes in the precyons bloude of thy welbeloued sonne and my sauyour Iesus Christe and that I departynge in this fayth and perfecte trust may be placed emong thy blessed saintes and heaueÌ„ly spirites so for euer to remayne wyâ—h the in glory Graunt this o most mercyfull father for thy son Iesus Christes sake Lorde recyue my spirite Father into thy haÌ„des I commend my spyrit for thou that arte the God of truth haste redemed me To the be all glory and honoure Amen ¶ The articles of the Christen fayth FYRST I beleue in one god Deut. vi And father of oure Lorde Iesu Christe ii Cor. i. The whych is the Lorde of heauen and earth Luke xit And creator of all creatures Hebre. i. Yea he is father of vs all and Epe iiii The which hath elected vs to be his children through Iesu Christ. Ephe. i. And therfore shall we all hym worshâ—ppe onely and besyde hym haue none other goddes Deut. vi Also we shal feare hym as one almighty God Psal. xxxiiii And as mercy full father we shall loue hym wyth all oure hartes wyth all our soule and wyth all our power and mynde Math. xxiiâ— And vpon hym muste staÌ„de all our hope Hiere vii For he is the father of lyghte Iacob i. Of the whych all mankynde leueth Aetu xiii And receyueth both bodelye goodes Prouerb x. And enerlastynke saluation Psal. xxxvii Togyther wyth all perfite gyftes whych come and descence from him alone Iacobi .i. Furthermore I beleue in Iesu Christe the sonne of the lyuing God our lord i. Cor. vii The whych is the very bryghtnesse of hys fathers glorye and the very ymage of his substaunce Hebre. i. Yea he is the onely begotten sonne of the father Iohn i. Come forth of the mouthe of the moste hyeghest God Eccles. xxiii Fyrst boren before all creatures Collos. i. Thorow the whych all thynges are created Hebre. i. In whom we haue redemption namely remyssyon of synnes thorow hys bloude Col. i. With the which he hath washed vs Apo. i. And hath also recoÌ„ciled vs again to his most holy gloriouse father Ephe. ii That were afore enemyes to God Roma viii For after the tyme that God had made man after hys ymage and symilytude he seate hym in Paradise that he shoulde eate of all the fruytes in the gardyn of pleasure exceptynge him the tree of knowledge of good and euyll Gene. ii But man dysobeyed the Lord his God and traÌ„sgressed hys commaundemente Gene. iii. Thorow the whyche disobedyence and transgressyon of the godly commaundement death and curse is come ouer all mankynde Roma .v. And when ther was no helpe nor comforte for man whereby he myghte haue bene redeymed or delyuered oute of Sathans power then hathe God the mercyfull Father pytye vpon mankynde and Promysed them a seade namelye Iesus Chryste hys onelye begotten sonne the whych shoulde treade vpon the heade of the Serpente and ouercome the Dyuyll and restore vs to lyfe agayne Genesis iii. And lykewyse as God is ryghtuouse in all hys wayes and holy in all hys workes Psalmes clv. And true in al hys wordes Psal. li. So hath he kepet all hys promises treâ—ly And as the time was fulfilled Gala. iiii God leat hys word descend in to the wombe of the virgyn Mary and by the workyng of the holye ghoste became fleshe As Iohn witnesseth saiyng The word became fleshe and dwelt emong vs and we saw hys glory as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of the father full of grace and veritie Iohn i. Also thys onely begotten of God became lyke vnto vs in all thynges excepte syn Hebre. ii He hath suffereth death for oure sake Esay liii And hath taken awaye Sathans power and restored lyfe in againe i. Timothe vi Yea he is made vnto vs wysdoÌ„ and rightwysnes saÌ„tifyeng and redemption i. Cor. i. And lykewyse as he dyed for oure synnes Hebre. ii So is he rysen agayne through the power of hys father Roma vii For our ryghtuousnes Roma iiii And as he oftentymes shewed him selfe after hys resurrection vnto hys dysciples Actu i. So is he ascended vnto heauen in ther presens Luke xxiiii And sytteth at the ryghte hande of the almyghty father Rom viii Aboue all rule and myghte and dominion and aboue all that maye be named not onelye in thys world but also in the world to come Ephe. i And hath subdued al thinges vnder hys fete Hebre. ii To be brefe he is a Lord aboue all lordes and a kynge aboue all kynges Apoc. xix Yea he is an almyghtye God wyth hys father Apoc. xxii Iohn x. And neuerthelesse he is our aduocat mediator i. Iohn ii â—â— Timot. ii Our only hye preiste Hebr. v. The saceifice that he hath done for our synnes abydeth for eueermore of valure Hebre. x. Furthermore lykewyse as Christe is ascended vp in to heauâ—n so shall he come agayne from heanen Actu i Wyth the dominion of hys father and wyth the angels Mach. xxv For to gyue euery man rewarde after his workes yea for to iudge the quycke and dead Act. x. i. Tim. iii. I beleue also in the holy Ghost equall god wyth the father the son which holy ghost is a teacher of all christeÌ„ Iohn xiiii and he doth cloth theÌ„ wyth his gyftes geueth euery one the measure of faythe after hys awne wyl i. Corin. xiâ— And kepeth theÌ„ vnmouable in one fayth for he is a ruler of the christian coÌ„gregation Aet xx He is also the anoinmente .i. Iohn ii Wherewyth all Christen are anoynted and of that behalfe are called the anoynted of the Lord. Psal. c. iiii So is this holy ghost giuen vnto the Christen as an ernest of ther inheritaunce to ther redemption and they agayne be hys awn to the pryse of his glory Ephe. i. To be shor â—it is impossible wythout thys holy ghost to knowe God truely .i. Cor. ii Or wythall the hope of the hart to beleue vpon him .i. Cor. xii Or to call vpon him as a father Romanorum viii And therefore dothe God powr thys hys holye Ghoste vppon hys chyldren wherby they maye treuly know hym and treuly beleue hym and as a trew father call upon him Gala. iiii This is my beleue in the father in the sonne and in the holye ghost which tree I knowlege to be one god Deut. vi whous seate is the heaueÌ„ and the earth is a benche of his fete Esay xlvi Yea y â— which is an euerlasting .ii. Mach. i. and almyghtye God Psal. c. xlv The whyche alone wyll be worshypped and serued Dent. vi For he can alone helpe vs. Esay xliiii
hande whether he wyll that thou lyue or dye that his wyll whyche is euer best maye be done vnto the glory prayse of hym althoughe it be impossible that thoâ— shuldest be dampned yf thou doste faithfully trust on the mercy which he hath promysed for Christes sake and consecrate thy selfe wholly to him obeynge his moste godly wyll in al partes For he hath promysed that he wyll be thy father and forasmuche as he is true when thou knoweledgest hym to be thy father and dost hope and loke for all good thinges of hym he can none otherwhyse but be thy father and saue the although he haÌ„dle the for a certen tyme neuer so hardly Seynge thaÌ„ that he hath promysed to be thy father and thou dost truste on hys ê“mises wythout doubt he wyl care both for the and thyne at all tymes wherfore thou shalt coÌ„mend to him not only thy body but also thy wife and chyldren thy kynnesmen and frendes to be shorte all that euer thou haste and doubte not but that â—e wyll be a true Father a true husbande a true kynnesman and freÌ„de for he hath hytherto vsed the in these thynges only as a stuward and dyspensatoure But now seyng he is mynded that thou shouldeste leaue of the functioÌ„ and vse of thys offyce he wyll appoynte another in thy roome whyche lyke a good stuwarde shall both faythfully and dilygently loke vpon them Yf thou hopest thys thynge of hym and lokest for it wyth a ful trust of harte it is no doubte but he wyll do that I haue spoken wherfore put out of thy mynde all sorowfull care of worldly thynges and commende it to God Rather take thoughte for thy selfe how thou mayste prouide for thy soule and sende that vnto God And seynge that God hathe forgyuen the all thy synnes frely for Christes sake he requireth nothing at all of the for thys exceding great and in estimable benefyte but that thou shuldest agayne forgyue euen from the very harte them that haue done the wronge for he promysethe that he wyll forgyne vs our offeÌ„ces yf we forgiue men ther offeÌ„ces therfore when thou haste forgyuen all offences euen from the very harte yea and that so that thou neuer remembreste them afterwarde praye also for them that haue hurte the accordyng to the doctrine and exaâ—ple of Christe yea and yf euer thou recouerest helpe so muche as lygheth in thy powre them that haue nede of thy helpe Yf that thou hast a mind voyd of dissimulation preuy dyspleasure enuy malice yll wyll and wrathe thou haste also a sygne and earnest token that God hath forgyuen the thy synnes for fayth wherwyth thy harte is puryfyed stretchynge out her selfe and bryngynge â—orth her fruites for the infynite benefites of God can none otherwyse then forgyue agayne and to do well to her neyghboure Thys fruyte of charite beareth the witnes and maketh the sure that thy fayth is true and lyuishe seyng it bryngeth forth true and good fruytes Thys meaneth Peter wher he commaundethe that we shulde make our vocation and election fyrme sure with good workes for he signifieth and plainly meaneth y â— thys workes ar testimonies and sygnes that thou arte electe of God and purchased to be hys sonne vnto the ioyes of euerlasting lyfe Nether is ther any cause o brother that god shulde forgyue the thy sinnes for the greuousnes of thy dysease crosse for ther is none other satisfaction none other recoÌ„pense for thy synnes than the onely deth of Christ. God beholdeth none other thynge in this cause he accepteth none other thing here than his only begotteÌ„ son he is y â— laÌ„be of god whyche taketh awaye the synnes of the world He is the sacrifice oblation sufficient absolute and perfect for the synnts of the whole worlde thy disease paynes caÌ„ not satisfye before God for the lest syn that thou hast coÌ„mytted muche les are they able to deserue health euerlasting saluatioÌ„ as Paule testifieth saying I do not thynke that the affliâ—tions of this lyfe are worthy of the glory which shal be shewed vpon vs. No creature nether in heuen nor erth no aÌ„gel was able to apease mytigate swage the wrath of the father much les shal this thy disease short trouble pacyfye it For he that shulde aswage that wrath and recoÌ„cile God to man he muste nedes be both god and man seynge he muste be an intercessor and aduocate betwen god being angry and man condemned Therefore was it conuentente for the sonne of god to become maÌ„ that he shâ—lde apease the wrathe of God the father by sufferynge paynes in hys awne body and so preserue vs from it as the Prophet testyfiethe sayinge He hath taken vpon hym our dyseases and borne awaye our sorowes God hath layde y â— vnrighteousnes of vs all on hym For the wickednes of my people haue I striken hym Aud Peter saythe By hys strypes were we made whole therfore for thys Christ thy Lord are thy synnes forgyuen the and for none other thynge neyther in heauen nor in earthe not for thy good workes nor for any afflyction although neuer so harde and bytter Christe is our only ryhhteousnes healthe redemption satisfaction God made hym syn for vs whych knew no syn that we myght be made righteous wherfore yf thou beleuest thou arte the sonne of God al redy yf thou be the sonne of God than art thou also the heyre of God and fellowe enheritoure wyth Christ yf euerlasting lyfe be enheritaunce and the gyfte of God as Paule calleth it certes then shalte thou not deserue it wyth the sorowes of thy dysease but God wolde haue the punyshed with this sicknes that thou myghtest represse breake restrayne and mortyfye thy olde man that it maye ones cease to synne that shall come to passe at the laste by the deathe of the body And for this cause must we dye that our soule may departe hence vnto euerlastyng saluation for thys death is a gate and entrauns vnto eternall lyfe ther at the laste are we delyuered from al wretchednesses miseris carefulnes dysquietnes from al erroures and iuglynge castes of the dyuill neyther shall we any more be defyled wyth the moost stynkynge fylthynes of synne neyther shal we be seduced and led awaye into heresys or erroures nor yet be throwne hedlonge into desperation For an ende of all euylles aduersities and incoÌ„modities is then come yea theÌ„ shal we rest in the Lord and enioye eternall lyfe and pleasure wythout ende Death therfore is not to be abhorred nor feared yea it is rather most feruently to be desyred seynge by that we passe hence vnto eternal ioyes Uery true is y â— whych Paule sayth to the godly all thynges worke for the beste Death in the syghte of the worlde is a thyng of all thinges moost odyous mooste hatefull most lothsome and moste horryble yet to the faythfull it