A riche Storehouse or Treasurie for the Sicke full of Christian counsels holesome doctrines comfortable persuasions and godly meditations meete for all Christians both in sicknesse and in health ¶ Wherevnto is annexed a Comfort for poore Prisoners and also an Exhortation to repentance Written in Dutch by Gaspar Huberine and Englished by THOMAS GODFRIE Esquire late Remembrauncer of the first Fruits and Tenthes at the request of his daughter Marie wife vnto Iohn French Gentleman of the Inner Temple SIRACH 7. ¶ Take pleasure in visiting the sicke For that will make thee beloued ¶ Imprinted at London by Ralph Newberrie dwelling in Fleetestreat a litle aboue the Conduit ANNO. 1578. HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DESIRNA REPOS TO THE RIGHT noble and most vertuous Ladie the Ladie Catharine Howard all temporall prosperitie in this life and in the life to come euerlasting happinesse RIght worthie and honourable it is a maruel beyond all maruels that man amongest all the creatures of this worlde in his creation so singular namely and onely endued with a reasonable soul for his safetie attended with Angels and aboue al made vnto the image of God so insensibly reiecting and forsaking him self doth suffer to be snared inchaunted with the vaine transitorie and counterfet felicitie of this worlde griping so greedily thereat as if this carcase beeing subiect vnto so infinite and manifest calamities and in the ende to death and destruction had obteined euerlasting continuance wheras the scripture to represse oure presumption and securitie of life and to manifest our corruption of nature coÌ„tinually putteth vs in remembrance that all fleshe is nothing but grasse wormes meate dust and putrifaction yea and that the greatest and the goodliest of this whole world with all their shewe of commoditie brauerie and beautie which men so muche adore and imbrace is but vanitie and that if they were weighed in balance with nothing nothing would bee found heauier then they then what manifest want of iudgement and sound knowledge may be thought to be in man that so highly esteemeth things of so small value whereas if they would with their inwarde and immortall man iudge and examine the ende of all things thereby discouering the noblenesse of their owne creation then would they perceiue that the greatest bladder puffed vp with the wind of worldly vanitie is easily dissolued with the smalest needle of Gods iustice And so retire from sinne full wayes that lead to destruction and indeuour to tread the tracke of eternall felicitie Meaning in no wise hereby to persuade the contempt of the good gifts and blessings of God namely health wealth beautie and infinitely such others but warely to vse them as Abraham Iob Dauid Iudith Susan with innumerable others as gifts not of their own but of God giuen for the aduauncement of his glorie and profite of their brethren to which euery man what so euer especially is borne without which ende muche better had hee neuer beene created and wisely to examine the life end of Diues who in the eyes of meÌ„ was the happiest in this world but woful wretch that so abused the good gifts of God wold haue giuen all and much more if he might to haue made exchaunge with Lazarus estate whiche in this worlde was most abiect and miserable This matter being of more importaunce then the toung may expresse or mans heart may imagine the rather to moue the dulnesse of our disposition hath bene set downe by the wisest that euer was amongst men in speache and termes no lesse straunge then maruellous after this maner Put away displeasure out of thy heart and remoue euill from thy body for childhood youth is but vanitie Remember thy maker the soner in thy youth or euer the days of aduersitie come and or the yeares drawe nighe when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them before the Sunne the light the Moone stars be darkned and or the cloudes turne againe after the rayne when the keepers of the house shall tremble when the strong menne shall bow them selues and when the millers stande still bicause they be so few and when the light of the windowes shall waxe dim when the doores in the streates shall be shut when the voyce of the miller shall be laide downe when men shall rise vp at the voyce of the birde when the daughters of Musicke shal be brought low when men shall feare in high places be afraid in the streates when the Almond tree shall flourish and be laden with the Grashopper and when all lust shall passe by cause man goeth to his long home and the mourners go about the streates or euer the siluer lace be taken away and or the golden well bee broken or the pot bee broken at the well and the wheele vpon the cisterne then shall the dust bee turned againe vnto earth from whence it came c. For as much as these certeine and terrible dayes shall come vpon vs when no time may be reuoked no remorce accepted no remedie vsed or any succour obteined but by the onely meanes conteined in this small treatise left into my handes without any patrone I thought it no lesse conuenient vnto my bounden duetie then meete for the viewe of your reposed minde to make a present thereof vnto your honour not onely hoping but also most humbly beseching that it may please you of your great noblenesse to accept the patronage thereof Thus crauing pardon for my presumption I committe your good Ladishippe to him who is plentifull in all good graces and blessed giftes beseeching him in this life to be your chiefest riches and in the life to come your perfect honour c. Your humble seruaunt Ralph Newberrie To the Christian Reader AS all actions Christian Reader in generall depend vpon their speciall occasions so the publishing of this preset boke or manuell proceedeth from â—e seuerall reasons The first from the naâ—ll affection and louing kindnesse which â—â—ildren are bound in conscience to shew â—eir tender parents wherewith I among â—ther aboue the rest feele my selfe inâ—dly touched towards my good and louing â—er whome as in his life time obedientâ—â—euerenced so nowe also after his death â—unerall I am no lesse carefull to haue remembred and therefore vnder his â—e haue caused to be set foorth this godâ—d Christian exercise of his own translaâ— for the comfort of all faithfull people as â—onument of maintenance in his memoâ— The second from Christian loue and â—ritie the bond of all perfection whereâ— the souldiers of Christe are specially â—rged which then indeede most natuâ— appeareth when we perceiuing the bodies of our brethren and sisters so infeebled and consumed with sicknesse or otherwise by lawe through desert of death iudged and condemned that they are past all temporall recouerie succour neuerthelesse their appassionate soules with comfortable restorities of the spirite that they may the more willingly forsake the wildernesse of this worlde and constantly trauell the high
it by patience the 13. to the Romans Therfore doth belong hereunto that is there to the time of sufferinges these two vertues patience and hope for with these two winges specially faith and hope you must enforce your selfe to flée vp into heauen But patience muste fight the battell with the dragon which wil strengthen and hinder your way to heauen Ninthely nowe welbeloued séeing that your sicknesse somwhat lingereth and that God for a time doeth prolong his helpe and deliuerance and will not soudenly as we desire pray and think deliuer you but wil awhile try proue your faith for your faith must be tried by aduersitie and temptation as gold is tried and proued in the fire Therefore you must be patient For albeit our Lorde GOD for a time withdraweth his merciful helpe yet will he not long be absent It should not stande with his godly nature mercie that he shoulde for euer forsake you being his childe through faith in Christe Wherfore though you a little while for the time of your suffering must sing with Christe the lamentable song and say My GOD my GOD wherefore hast thou forsaken me yet will not God long tarrie nor be absent he suffereth you to swimme a while but not vtterly so be drowned he suffereth you peraduenture one day but he will by and by afterwards raise you vp againe and giue you euerlasting peace and happinesse Therefore albeit you doe not for a little time sée Christe in his throne of grace yet shall you shortly sée him againe Iohn the .16 For his anger that is to say his fatherly correction endureth but the twinkling of an eye and he hath pleasure and delight to saue And therefore doeth our Lorde God him selfe comfort you in the Prophet Esai the .54 Cap saying thus Beholde I haue hidden my face a little from thee in the short time of anger neuertheles I will haue mercie vpon thee with my continuall fauour saith the Lorde God our deliuerer Therefore saith Saint Paule the seconde Epistle the .4 Chap. to the Cor. Although our trouble whiche is but transitorie and easie though we thinke it very heauie much and long yet doth it breede and bring foorth an euerlasting and a meruilous weightie and vnmeasurable dignitie and estimation vnto vs whiche we cannot beholde with these eyes but with inuisible eyes For no eye hath sene nor no eare heard nor no mans heart can expresse that GOD hath prepared for them that loue him Esai 64. And .1 Cor. 2. But in these things must Gods children a while be pacient suffering polished and pressed and fully bethinke and consider these comfortable sayings which be spoken vnto vs as to children the .12 to the Hebr. out of â—he Prouerbes of Solomon in the third Chapter as it is there written Take â—ot slightly but earnestly regard the Lordes â—hastening or correction and dispaire not â—hen he punisheth thee For whom the Lord â—oueth him doeth hee punish correcteth â—uery childe that he taketh to him selfe If â—ou abide his correction patiently then â—oeth God shewe him selfe as to his â—hildren for where is a sonne whome â—he father doeth not correct Howbeit â—uery chastening while it is a doing it â—oeth not reioyce vs but maketh vs sad â—nd pensiue but afterward it bringeth 〈◊〉 ioyful fruite of righteousnes to them â—hat be exercised in it And therefore â—aith Saint Iames in his first Chapter Esteme it for a perfect ioy when you chance â—o fall into many temptations and know that â—our faith if it be perfect worketh pacience â—ut patience shall perfectly abide vnto the â—â—nde To the end it may be perfect and haue â—t all no manner of imperfection .. For He that abideth to the ende he shal be blesâ—â—d Matth. the .10 Therfore a Christian may well boast him selfe of trouble séeing that we knowe that Trouble bringeth patience patience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope hope will neuer be confouÌ„ded Let vs not be ashamed for the loue of GOD is powred out into our heartes through the holy ghost which is giuen vnto vs the .6 to the Rom. Thus shall you in patience looke for the mercifull helpe and visitation of God and in your heart sing the pleasaunt song of thankesgiuing of the holy man Simeon Luke the second and say thus Lord nowe lettest thou thy seruaunt departe in peace as thou hast saide For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation whiche thou hast prepared for al people To be a light to lighten the heathen and to be the praise of all thy people of Israel For I haue nowe God be praised obteined the knowledge of thy saluation which is in the forgiueing of sinnes Through the tender mercie of our God whereby he hath visited vs that came from aboue That he might appeare to them that satte in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death and leade our feete into the way of peace as Zacharias did sing Luke the second The tenth welbeloued your sickenesse continueth and doth not leaue off and you thinke long for helpe yet must you giue ouer these things ye must not shrinke from God nor be faint harted but in patience haue a perfect and stedfast hope that God will not be long away though he séeme to tarrie but or it be long will come and help you yea the longer God withdraweth from you his gratious helpe the mightier and better hereafter will your helpe and comfort be for God standeth yet a while behind the wal as a louing and friendly bridegrome and looketh through the window priuily in vpon his spouse and marketh whether she doth so loue her bridgrome that she will wayt and tarrie for him and that she may perceiue that he at the length will reache out his hande to her plucke her foorth bring her home His loue is as strong as death but vnder it is hidden very life and felicitie Therfore despaire not euen in the very daunger of death and sing once againe with this congregation and with all the holy elected Saintes of GOD in your heart in this manner In the middest of our life we be compassed about with death whom shal we séeke to for help that we may get grace thou only oh Lord art high we be sorry for our misdéedes which haue offended thée oh holy Lord God oh mightie Lord God oh holy merciful Sauiour euerlasting God let vs not be drowned in the bitter danger of death Lord haue mercy vpon vs. In the middest of death the gaping of hell assaulteth vs who can deliuer vs from this great peril that canst thou Lorde alone doe thy great mercy hath compassion on our complaint and great miserie Holy Lorde GOD oh mightie Lord God oh holy mercifull Sauiour oh euerlasting God let vs not dispaire for the déepe pit of hell Lord haue mercy vpon vs. In the middest of the sorrowes of hell our sinnes lye hard vpon vs then whether shal we flée from hence
great darknes though they knew nothing of the brightnesse of Gods holy light and knowledge and yet confessed and dyed in this Christian beleefe and haue inioyed euerlasting life Therfore shall we bestowe our possible diligence to bring young children to be baptised those that be elder to be taught and those that bee at the point of death to be comforted euery man according to his measure and gift wherby as much as lyeth in vs no body shall bee taken tarde be vnprouided or dye in his errour and vnbeleefe But so to vse our selues that euery body may come vnto the knowledge of the truth be blessed and saued and so at the last commend in our prayer euery man one with an other vnto God which can mightily bring to passe al that we desire or require according to his power that worketh in vs To him be prayse in the congregation which is in Christe Iesus for euer and euer Amen Last of all now when the last pang commeth when the sick body beginneth to scrocle and shrincke vp his bodie as when one biteth vppon a sowre apple as the biting of Adams apple teacheth vs séeing the same bit and sinne is runne ouer vs all and therefore we all must raunsome it with our skinne and with death then may a man to conclude say to the sicke as followeth Lord into thy hand I commend my spirite Almightie God lead thy soule into euerlasting peace and blessednesse And our Lorde Iesus Christe raise vp againe at the last day this dead body to euerlasting honour and glorie Amen A short exhortation to them that be present and shall attend vppon the dead body WElbeloued in our Lord you haue nowe seene for a time the course of this departed bodie and howe like a good Christian and warriour it is departed out of this life Yea rather howe fatherly and gratiously our Lord God hath visited it how at the last he hath deliuered it from al aduersitie and trouble wherevnto the old Serpent of all mans progenie had brought vs Therefore séeing this dead person is so Christianly departed out of this life full of miserie let vs to the euerlasting praise thankes of God say ioyfully We praise thee ô God c. And to conclude inwardly with all our heartes call vppon him pray vnto him that he wil vouchsafe whâ—n we shal be in extremitie and perill of death gratiously defende vs and blesse vs and giue vnto vs a blessed houre thorough Christ his onely begotten sonne Therefore wéepe not as the heathen and infidels that beléeue not the resurrection and haue no hope thervppon For If we beleeue as witnesseth S. Paule 1. thess. 4. that Iesus died and is raised vp againe likewise also shall God with him lead all those that bee departed through Iesus Heare may we sée what it is to die well namely the death of Christ that of necessitie died for vs wretched sinners whereby through his death he hath purchased that we shal neuer die but sleepe only Out of which sléepe Christ a mightie Lorde and king shall at the last day raise vs vp if we beléeue vppon him and lead vs with himselfe into euerlasting blisse and peace Therefore suffer this sléeping bodie lie and rest and his soule in the meane season refresh it selfe and reioyce vntill that day when body and soule shall come againe together and enioy euerlasting felicitie Whervnto our Lord Iesus nowe helpe vs all together Amen Secondarily it is not possible that man may so much bridle nature that we should not be heauie and complaine after the death of our friendes And also Syrach saith the 38. chapiter My sonne powre foorth â—eares ouer the dead and beginne to mourne as if thou haddest suffered great harme thy selfe and then couer his body according as he hath appointed and neglect not his buriall Make a greeuous lamentation and be earnest in mourning and vse lamentation as he is worthie and that a day or two least thou be euil spoken on and then comfort thy selfe for thine heauinesse For of heauines commeth death the heauines of the heart breaketh the strength Of the afflictions of the heart commeth sorrow and the life of him that is afflicted is according to his heart Take no heauines in heart driue it away and remember the last end Forget it not for there is no turning againe thou shalt do him no good but hurt thy selfe Remember his iudgement thine also shal be likewise Vnto me yesterday and vnto thee to day Seeing the dead is at rest let his remembrance rest and comfort thy selfe againe for him seeing his spirite is departed from him Thus we sée that also the good Patriarches and holy people haue after this maner mourned as Abraham Ioseph Dauid c. But at the length they haue layd mourning aside and comforted themselues with the ioyefull resurrection Yea Christ himselfe mourned for dead Lazarus Iohn 11. Thirdly and last of all you shal worshipfully bring this dead body to the earth and shewe vppon it such manner of worke of loue as Syrach willeth vs in the vij Chapter saying Shewe thy good will vpon the dead specially worshipfully accompanie him conuey him and help him to his graue for the resurrection sake As Syrache also saith in the 38. Chapter When any dyeth burie him decently and bring his body worshipfully to the graue As did good Tobie Dauid and many moe to giue vs example how we ought to behaue our selues towardes the dead Our Lord God graunt vs his grace that euery of vs each one for other may be diligent in this behalfe whereby we all to the prayse of God and to the profit of our neighbours without let or offence may begin goe forward and happily end through Christe our Lorde in the holy Ghost Amen Thus you sée welbeloued in Christe our Lord vpon this dead body the earnest and high iudgement of GOD and what an extreme horror our Lorde God hath vpon sinne For who hath thus iudged this dead body taken from him his comely countenaunce giuen vnto him such an ougly looke face Onely death But wherfore Only bicause Death is the wages for sinne But if this dead man since his birth had not sinned then had sinne neuer had suche power ouer him But from whence hath death this power Only from Gods wrath and iudgment Therefore tremble looke vp to GOD auoyde sinne for this dead body maye be a warning vnto you that ye kéepe your selues from sinne Christ Iesus kéepe and defend vs altogether Amen ¶ To the Reader FRiendly and Christian Reader hitherto haue ye perceiued in plaine simple manner howe sicke persons are to be comforted I haue also shortly shewed you first of Repentaunce then of Faith and afterward of Good workes which I haue not done only for the sick and for such as be ready to dye but also for them that be in health to the intent that they that be whole in the
as Christe is your Iustice your Loadesman and your Guide Secondely well be loued if Gods wrath threatening and punishment shoulde feare you dismay you or trouble your mind as though our Lord God as an earnest and seuere Iudge should deale with you according to his extreme iustice for your sinnes past then shall you from henceforth call vpon our Lord Christe the vnspotted Lamb of GOD whiche hath taken your sinnes vppon him and thus flée from the place of Gods iustice commit your selfe to the mercie seate of Christe our Lorde For ye haue a speciall and faithfull promise of our Lord Iesus Christe for he hath bestowed and giuen him selfe for wretched sinners and so bound and pledged him selfe for all penitent sinners that he will stand to them and deliuer them from Gods wrath Also Saint Paule witnesseth 1. Thes 1. God hath our Lorde Iesus saith the holy Apostle raised vp from death that hath deliuered vs from the wrath to come And 1. Thes 5. saith Saint Paule further God hath not appointed vs to inherit his wrath but to inherit his blessednesse through our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche died for vs. Marke and consider this diligently Thirdly welbeloued if the worlde do trouble you and though some folkes specially your enimies and euil willers reioyce and be glad that you according to their desires be so gréeuously handled and that you be now by God so fore punished and that they therfore mocke scorne despise you and make greate cheare at your trouble yet let not that trouble nor tempt you for séeing that wicked people mocked Christe at the houre of his death and made great cheare at it likewise shall you of the worlde not escape such thinges Séeing you be a member of Christe you muste suffer in your body all such troubles as wanted in Christes passion as Saint Paule saith the first Chap. to the Colossians Therefore is the worlde a stubborne proud and wicked child of sathan whiche is full of all wickednesse dissimulatioÌ„ mockerie backbiting Christ for our comforte hath tolde vs before that we muste suffer and beare many thinges of the worlde and that the worlde shoulde laugh vs to scorne and shoulde reioyce at our trouble and we on the other side a little while shuld be pensiue and sorrowfull But Christ comforteth vs and saith Your sorrow shal be turned into ioy Iohn 6. And Iohn 17. In the world you shall haue sorrowe care but comfort your selfe I haue ouercome the worlde Thus shall you in faith beare all the wickednesse of the world suffer and ouercome For Our faith is the victorie that hath ouercome the worlde Iohn 15. Fourthly moreouer dearely beloued if Moses the lawegiuer set vppon you and will make you afraid with his debt booke and put you out of countenaunce for your great debtes notable sinnes whiche you are bounde to satisfie and pay the terrible iudgement of God as that ye are a breaker or transgressor of gods lawes and therfore will call you to accompt and giue euidence against you and condemne you with your own hand writing your own conscieÌ„ce knowing the same to be true complaine vpon you and accuseth you then shall you before Moses by and by bring forth your Christian libertie wherby Christ hath made you frée and deliuered you from the lawe and from the curse and malediction thereof For If Gods sonne haue made you free then be you free in deede Iohn 8. And as Saint Paul further doth shew and confirme such fréedome Galat. 3. where he saith thus Christe hath deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe when he was made a curse for vs. Thus can the curse neuer more ouerrunne nor trouble you séeing it hath once all together fallen vppon Christe the most innocent Lambe Therefore séeing Christe is the ende of the lawe whosoeuer beleeueth on him is made righteous Rom. 10. Therfore saith Saint Peter Be you lustie and strong Actes 15. that â—e are nowe taught that forgiuenesse of sinâ—es commeth by this man and of all them whereof ye could not be made righteous in the lawe of Moses Who so euer beleueth on Christ is righteous Here is nowe onely all sinnes taken away So that no man can or dare lay any thing to the charge of the faithfull neither Moses nor the lawe Therfore be of good comfort Fiftly furthermore dearely beloued I doe aduise you that you will not suffer the great weight and burden of your sinnes to presse and weigh you downe and trouble you For sinne I assure you is an heauie burden to a fearefull conscience Wherefore continually cast your sinnes from you and out of your consciences and caste them vppon Christ for he is the right carrier of our sinnes as holy Saint Iohn witnesseth Iohn 1. where he saith Behold this is the Lambe of God that beareth or carrieth away the sinns of the world Therefore let the Lorde and valiaunt Champion take vppe your sinnes and carrie them vppon him selfe For God hath appointed him thereunto as Saint Paule saith where he saith thus GOD hath appointed him namely Christ that neuer knewe sinne to be sinne it selfe for our sakes to the intent that we shoulde be by him that righteousnesse that is auayleable before god Behold this righteous and innocent Lord hath taken all your sinnes vppon him selfe borne them satisfied for them and ransomed them and hath clothed you decked and trimmed you with his innocent righteousnesse and iustice For Christ saith the Prophete Esaie 53. is for our sinns wounded and for our sinnes beaten and smitten Correction is laide vppon him to the intent that we should haue peace and by his wounds should be healed Behold for Gods sake thinke vpon this with all diligence ernestly Christ saith the Prophet is wounded for our sinnes whereby we might be made whole The wrath the correctioÌ„ is cleane gone ouer him to the intent that we should be without correction might inioy peace with god So haue you deliueraunce in Christe by his bloud namely forgiuenes of your sinnes according to the richnesse of his grace Ephe. 1. For Christe is therefore come into this worlde to make sinners holy blessed 1. Tim. 1. As Christ witnesseth of him selfe Matth. 18. And Luke 19. The sonne of man saith he is come to seeke and to make blessed that that is lost For God hath not sent his sonne into the worlde that he should condemne the world but that the world by him shold be made hapie whosoeuer beleeueth on him shall not be iudged Also Christe is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Beléeue this comfortable saying from the bottome of your heart and stay your selfe more vppon Gods mercifull promise then of the deceites of sathan and of the daungerous imaginations of your reason Giue God the honour bicause he is so merciful a God that of a wretched sinner he will make a child of God if a man
will only trust vpon him Sixtly moreouer welbeloued though nowe death at the last will come and stare in your face and should with his greuous countenance make you afraid for he is such a capteine and giant that he will make one beléeue he will eate vp the whole world and therfore he gapeth so wide yet be not afraide of him for he aduaunceth him selfe maruellously and is ougly to behold howbeit he hath no power nor strength anye more to ouerthrowe you For Christe hath matched him throughly wounded him séeing that he hath layd hande vpon Christ the right Lion therefore is all his strength taken from him Therfore he shall be to the faithfull no more death but only a sléepe as Saint Paul in the second Epistle to Timothie the first Chapter doth witnesse and declare very plainly and comfortably where he saith Christe Iesus our sauiour hath taken the strength from death and brought vs the light life and a being by meanes of the Gospell that shall neuer corrupt nor perish Yea the faythfull shall neuer taste of death as Christe witnesseth him selfe being the very trueth Iohn the eight Chapter where he saith thus Verily verily I tell you if any man will keepe my word by faith he shall not taste of death euerlastingly Looke and marke well what a noble vertuous and right beléefe is for that ouercommeth and driueth away all aduersitie all plagues sinne death it selfe And a faithfull person goeth cleane through death to the right life as our Lord Christ againe witnesseth Iohn 5. where he saith thus Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my worde and beleeueth on him that hath sent me he hath euerlasting life and shall not enter into iudgement but he passeth through death to life There doe you sée what is necessarie for you yea you shall escape the iudgement of God ouercome death and inioy euerlasting life namely to heare Gods word as Christe saith and beléeue the same It requireth no great cunning wisedome strength might liueland and preparation to ouercome death but this ouercomming victorie or triumphe is in these two pointes to heare and to beléeue Surely my thinketh this is a maruellous victorie that a poore wretched weake and sicke man that by reason of weakenesse can scant moue hande nor foote can ouercome so great a giant as death onely with a Christianlike hearing and a beléeuing heart But thus can Christ auenge him selfe vpon suche a strong enimie death that would gladly haue eaten and swalowed vp Christ that he hath so wonderfully taken away the strength from death that a poore wretched man may ouercome death besides that may mocke and laugh him to scorne that is I thinke death rightly to despise and contemne But howe commeth that to passe that we ouerrun and wearied by death shall neuerthelesse abide still aliue That is as Christ him selfe saith Iohn 11. where he sayth thus I am the resurrection and the life who so euer beleeueth on me shall liue although he seeme to dye And whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth on me shall neuermore dye This is the right and onely cause that the faithfull yea in the middest of death imbrace the right life Christ our Lord that giueth againe vnto them life For as little nowe can death any more wearie or ouercome our Lord or holde him in death so little can he either punish or quarell with any faithfull men For seeing that Christ which is the life doth still liue and can neuermore be ouercome so may the faithfull neuer abide prisoner in death but he breaketh out valiantly with Christe and singeth the merrie song of thankes giuing and of triumph Death is swallowed vp in victorie for where is thy sting Thus shal a Christian souldier looke death betwéen the browes and manfully wage battell with him or else woulde death eate vp and swallow the whole world But if you will with a true faith encounter â—ith him then will he quietly let you â—lone Wherevnto Christe helpe you he valiaunt and puissaunt king ouer â—eath and life Amen Seuenthly also welbeloued if the diâ—ell the tempter would lay hand vpon â—ou assault or make you despaire as â—hough you did belong to his kingdome â—r were in his claws thus shal you enâ—ounter him stande against him beate â—im ouercome him first by earnest â—rayers and calling vpoÌ„ God for grace helpe and comfort as our Lord Christe admonished his Disciples Matth. 26. where he saith thus Pray you least ye fall â—nto temptation As also our louing Lord Christ him selfe hath taught vs to pray Luke 12. Oh Lord and father leade vs not into temptation specially when we â—re tempted by sathan and assaulted that we through thy grace and holy spirite may withstande him and that we may eschue his persuasions and enticementes to doubt Therefore thus withstand him by prayer for sathan is falne downe hither to vs swiftly and inuisibly as Christe our sauiour witnesseth Luke 10. where he saith thus I sawe Sathan fal from heauen like a lightening But wherefore Truely therefore as Christ further teacheth his Apostles Luke 22. where he saith thus Simon Simon beholde Sathan hath desired you that he might fift you as wheat is sifted But I haue prayed for thee that thy faith shall not faile Beholde nowe how sathan prouleth after euery man he spareth no man he durst assault the best and holiest men namely Adam and Eue in Paradise though they were made to the Image of god Also he hath not spared Gods own sonne but assaulted and tempted him in the wildernes so hath he also desired to doe the like with the deare Apostles as you heard euen nowe therefore it is to be feared he will also not spare you Séeing then that is to be feared and that we knowe his meaning as Saint Paule saith in his second Epistle to the Corinthians the second Chapter that we shuld looke about vs that we be not deceiued of sathan For saith he It is not vnknowne vnâ—o vs what he purposeth and goeth about Therefore haue a good eye vppon this â—armefull and perillous tempter and â—riue him away by godly prayers Againe thus shall you desend stand â—gainst sathan with a stedfast faith on Christ our Lord chiefly that Christe is â—ur high Priest and King which hath oâ—ercome sathan the same Lord can for our commoditie destroy sathan ouerâ—ome him therefore shall you stedfastly â—eléeue the Christ your mightie King can â—unt driue away sathan froÌ„ you with â—ll fantasies dreames toyes and deâ—eites For He goeth as saith Saint Peter 1. Pet. 5. about as a roaring Lion and seeketh whom hee may deuour whome saith the Apostle resist you being strong in faith therefore take the shield of faith As Saint Paule further warneth vs where he in the 6. to the Ephesians saith thus Before all things saith he take the shield of faith whereby ye may quenche â—all the fierie dartes of the
where may we abide in safetie to the Lord Christe alone Thou hast shead thy bloud that hath satisfied for our sinns oh holy Lord God oh holy mightie God oh holy mercifull sauiour oh thou euerlasting God let vs not fall backe from the comfort of our faith Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Behold thus shall we reioyce in our greatest daunger and withall our heart Sing vnto our Lord God a song of thankesgiuing which is the right sacrifice of thankes Psal. 50. These be the right singers to God when the whole armie of heauen singe with vs and giue vnto God prayse and thankes Therefore nowe without all feare and trembling hope vppon the endlesse mercy of God that this your trouble and heauinesse and dangerous gronings and sighings commeth vp to Gods compassion and commeth neare inough to his heart But herein shall you stay your self and hope and so shall you be strengthened Esaie 30. And thus shal you conclude in your heart and earnestly hope and with S. Paule say thus Rom. 8. I knowe certeinly that neither death nor life neither Angel nor principalitie neither power present or to come neither aboue nor beneath nor none other creature may remoue vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. To be short Who will accuse the elected of God God is hee that doth iustifie who can condemne vs Christe is hee that died yea rather that is risen againe which sitteth on Gods right hand and forgiueth vs. Nowe if death sinne diuel hel all trouble aduersitie and plague fall vpon me in heapes yet will I before you all abide still in my God and still remaine a childe of euerlasting ioy and felicitie Amen The eleuenth though welbeloued that ye do persuade your selfe as though God himselfe were against you and were angrie with you by reason of forepassed sinnes yet ye shall not be afraid nor dismaye your selfe For God many times doth proue his appeareth vnto them outwardly as though he were verie angrie with them as thoughe he would lay hands on them punish them and vtterly condemne them Therefore séeing God first will make you to liue he wil before huÌ„ble you seeing he will bring you to heauen he will first caste you downe into hel For Our Lord sleyeth and reuiueth God doth cast vs into hel and leadeth vs out againe As holy Anna saith the first of Samuel the 2. Therefore in this temptation learne rightly and properly to knowe the nature and propertie of god He meaneth not euil towardes you but by this meanes he tryeth your faith and your hope that ye may be found to be perfect Surely it is a hard fight to wage battel with God him selfe as the good Patriarch Iaacob did a whole night long but at the length he had the victorie and lay aboue And therefore was he called Israel Likewise also must the spirituall Israel doe and in spiritual fight preuaile and haue the ouerhand And to be short at length it must come to passe with you thus that you must nowe onely beléeue vpon hope where no hope is Rom. 8. For True faith is a certeine assuraunce to obteine those things and not doubt on the whiche we can neither beholde nor see Heb. 11. This is your case for in outward appearance and féeling ye sée nothing but death him selfe but the eyes of your faith looke further for they sée life in the middest of death in the middest of sinne true ioy and perfection in the middest of hell heauen in the middest of Gods anger and punishment grace and euerlasting welfare This is surely a strang and wonderfull sight and this is also an excellent passing and fine knowledge a cunning aboue all cunnings whiche declareth vnto vs howe we shall find in death perfect life howe we in the déepest miserie shall be comforted how we in the greatest doubtes shall be instructed to be short when it appeareth vnto vs that we are vtterly vndone euery body hath forsaken vs euery body withdraweth their succour from vs and before our eyes there appeareth nothing but destruction and vtter vndoing we shall make much adoe and wonderfully busie our selues and in our reason and opinion knowe not whether to goe we seeme to liue and yet we dye we sée and féele and yet be in the middest of death But here we must lay aside all féeling seeing vnderstanding wisedome and reason and vtterly forsake them and with these comforts to be merrie in the middest of death and slide through it as through sléep to the blessed hope that God will through his mercy in the promise of Christe euerlastingly kéepe vs and make vs inioy his blessings What so euer Gods wil be let things appeare outwardly as they will let thinges goe and stand with vs as God will yet beleue we stedfastly that Gods grace and goodnesse will defende vs for euer contrarie to all mans reason and imagination for he will not ascribe our saluation nor giue the honour glory prayse thereof vnto vs or our workes eyther to our indeuour but vnto his endlesse mercy that at the last day we should must confesse that our saluation was not in our power in our doings in our will and might but onely in the mercy and onely grace of God which we haue obteined through Christ our onely Sauiour For which grace and good will we are bound to giue to God continual thankes and only laude and prayse his holy name and ascribe vnto him all honour power might and maiestie behold thus shal you fight and striue with God against god and push and enforce your selfe as it were through very thistles thornes to enter into heauen and there againe beginne in your heart to sing the comfortable song of the holy Dauid Psalme 73. where he thus singeth If I haue onely thee my Lord and my God I passe of nothing neither in heauen nor in earth though my body and my soul be in contempt yet art thou my God alway my heartes comfort and my health And then will GOD comfort you and say thus Esaie 41. Be not afraid I am with thee be not faint hearted for I am thy God I will strengthen thee I will helpe thee out I will holde thee vppe through the strength of my righteousnesse Twelfthly if welbeloued many assaultes and temptations fall vpon you as it were by heapes yet let them not â—ismay or discourage you for sathan â—oth willingly bestowe all his cunning when the matter commeth to the push â—r extremitie If he could not ouercome you in your life time whilest ye were â—n perfect health then wil he now more â—trongly withstande and assault you now in your weaknesse Therfore now â—earne and be expert in deede what the â—ubtiltie and craft of the wicked fiende â—s what sleightes and deuises he vseth and practiseth against you for his nature and condition is with great rage and fiercenesse to set vpon men he commeth to
time of their prosperitie and good health maye learne how to vse and behaue them selues and learne in time to dye For nothing is more certeine then death and nothing more vncerteine then to come vnto the right knowledge to dye Therfore ought euery man before to prepare himselfe and to make ready to take this iourney in hand and go forward wherby he may be carefull for that that will necessarily followe But specially ought we to remember these thinges before-hand and cōtinually exercise our selues in the crosse of warre specially nowe in the sore daungerous warre against the cruell enimie of Christendome the Turke which if he haue the victorie spareth no man but without all mercy heweth downe the miserable Christians striketh them and shooteth them through where many times the wounded bodies a long time lye in the gréene medowes before they be brought into the slaughter house in great daunger of desperation if he were not before well prepared and exercised in Gods worde So that this souldier must fight with his body against the Turke and with his soule against the Diuell him selfe Howbeit this shall be their comforte out of the Prophet Daniel the 7. Chapter That these murtherers of christians bloudhoundes doe onely by this meanes prepare Christian soules and doe further them to euerlasting life For he setteth him selfe with all his might in greate force against the Saintes of God and chiefly warreth against them Wherefore without all question when so euer a Christian man is slaine and ouercom by the Turke yet dyeth he with a safe cōscience in that that he is a Christian for he séeth that this warre is against the Saintes of GOD without cause For the Turke hath no lawfull occasion to fight against the Christians and so miserably to spill Christian bloud Thus therfore dye they so much the ioyfuller séeing they go foorth in the obedience of their superiours and do not only defend their owne countrie and people but also with their owne bloud help to preserue Christian religion Therefore good Christian learne in time to dye for thou knowest neither time nor houre neither place nor manner when howe either what maner of death thou shalt haue specially in this last and dangerous time Therefore deferre not till the last pushe least that you tarrie too long Learne learn this cunning while thou hast time memorie and oportunitie therevnto Then shall you go the surest way séeing the daye must néedes come yeald thy selfe in time with desire and will therevnto for it can not be avoyded Wherevnto our Lorde GOD giue vs grace that we may well and happily depart Amen Howbeit no man is to be tied and bound to vse euery matter as it is herein conteined but if any other can or haue better much good do it them for I haue here remembred certeine temptations wherein I my selfe like a poore simple plaine man haue bene tempted and assaulted with and haue experienced if I may boast my self of my weaknesse for I haue thrise béene at that point that euery man gaue me ouer and despaired of my life in this worlde yet at the last our Lorde GOD by his great power reuiued me wherefore I giue vnto him euerlasting prayse and thankes in Christ our Lorde I will not say that in my days I haue gone to many Christian people I haue comforted them and haue bene at their end whose names be written in the booke of life where I haue experienced diuers and many temptations GOD graunt both thée me his godly grace that we may also blessedly sléepe at the last in Christe our Lorde and through Gods power at the last day may be raised vp to euerlasting life Amen How to aduise and comfort them that lye in prison and be by the Magistrate iudgged to dye FIrste welbeloued Almightie God giue you his grace and true patience whereby you may beare and patiently suffer this your deserued crosse layde vpon you séeing the matter is come thus far with you that Gods iudgment and the punishment of the magistrate is falne vpon you yeald your self willingly therevnto and thinke that this correction commeth from God him selfe Therefore refuse not the correction of the Almightie as it is written in Iob the 5. Séeing then that euery mans iudgement commeth from God our Lord as it is in Solomon the 29. of his Prouerbes receiue such iudgement and punishment vp from our Lord God as a fatherly correction as the Epistle to the Hebrues witnesseth Chapter 12. where the text saith thus My sonn make not light of the correction of the Lorde and despaire not when thou art punished by him For the Lord doth correct him whom he loueth and he beateth euery sonne which he taketh to him selfe And so it commeth to passe as Solomon saith in his highe song the 8. Chapter that the loue which the Lorde beareth vs is as strong as death It appeareth vnto the world as though the loue of God were very misfortune death and destruction Howbeit there is vnder such loue great mercy goodnesse life and blessednesse hidden For If we be iudged we be corrected by the Lorde to the intent that we should not be damned with the world as saith S. Paule in the first epist. to the Corinthians the 10. Chap. Therefore learne here with spirituall eyes to beholde that you vnder punishment may sée grace vnder correction peace and vnder death life Thus shal not this crosse layd vpon you be very sore and fearfull but you may beare it and you also shal patiently suffer it For God can soone end this crosse that you shall be able to carrie it For as much then as God our Lorde hath appointed to euery man a certeine end of his life which he shall not passe Iob. 14. thinke you nowe that your appointed time by God is nowe come and this day is by God appointed vnto you for a certeine end of your life Trouble not your selfe much therefore after what maner you haue taken your life from God and that you shall so soone deliuer it him againe But set your will to Gods will and say Father thy will be done and not mine if it be thy pleasure that I shall drinke this cuppe which thou hast filled for me giue me thy grace thervnto that I may continue in a true Christian belefe vnto mine end and that I may vnder this my crosse and suffering in perfect patience passe through it to euerlasting life Amen Secondarily For as muche as you haue now heard that this crosse and punishment commeth from God him selfe and is laide vpon you by God through an ordinarie magistrate you shall vnderstand nowe further well learne to knowe the great and earnest anger of God ouer sinne for it is no smal matter before God when a man behaueth him selfe contrarie to Gods lawe and continually without ceasing offendeth and prouoketh God with his vnpenitent liuing GOD is very angrie with suche déedes and is
shall set against death For death hath layde hand vpon this innocent Lord and wearied him without al right and equitie whereby death euen lost al his strength and might so that he can do no more when this Lord laieth hand vpon him and taketh to him selfe those that be his Therefore be not afraide for Death is swallowed vp in victorie 1. Cor. 15. You haue a great vordeale or aduauntage for as much as you haue of your side the most valiant and most mightie which shall neuer be able to be ouercome yea him that is Lord both of death of life If death come vnto you would deuour you wil eate you vp and swallowe you downe yet can our Lord God whiche is the right life it selfe by his almightie cōming and might make you aliue againe yea in the middest of death holde you by life and make you liue for euer For you shall not denie or refuse to make this exchaunge where you shall haue an euerlasting and blessed life in stead of a transitorie perishing and labourious life which is ful of miserie misfortunes and plagues Let death take from you such a life as will last but the twinckling of an eye which fléeth and passeth away like a shadowe and our Lorde giue you an euerlasting life Amen Thirtéene Well nowe dearly beloued if your sinne done and committed do tempt you again and your sore misdéedes which you haue done therefore would dismay you make you faint harted heauie pensiue as though Christe would disdaine you bicause of your sinnes and so not take you to him and to his fauour then shall you set before your eyes Christ your God and Lorde as the holy scripture setteth him foorth not follow your owne imagination your reason For in the holy Scripture you shal finde here and there how maruellous comfortable our Lorde Christe hath ben at all times to miserable sinners howe loath he is to contemne or despise the miserable troubled assaulted and sorrowful sinner howe he doth not withdraw him selfe from them or with drawe his helpe from them whiche vndoubtedly is a great comfort to al troubled sinfull hearts For behold and remember the whole life of our Lorde Christ then shall you not only perceiue that he hath not onely taken to his fauour one or two sinners hath taken pitie only vppon them but he hath flocked into the middest of sinners wherby he might helpe them foorth of their sinnes First sée his generation his great grandfather had he not many sinners in his petigrée as Iuda by name Dauid Manasses Thamar Rachab Barsaba and such like and very many moe Wherefore doth our faithfull and good Lorde not be ashamed flée from sorrowful and penitent sinners why doth he not Surely euen therfore that therby all sorrowfull sinners shuld the more boldly haue a hartie resort and recourse vnto him specially séeing that he vppon such sinners could take and shewe his truth loue and friendship wherby they might thereby winne and haue a liuelier passage and fréedome to beholde all goodnesse all trueth and helpe to be in this only bearer and carrier of our sinnes Beholde further and looke vpon the birth of our lord Christ in his birth So soone as he was borne into the world he suffered him selfe to be séene made open and to be knowne through the Angels from heauen to the poore people specially to the shepheards in the fielde there must to them be shewed this comfortable ioy Behold to you this day is borne a Sauiour This ioy shal all people haue There by his Angels is the innocent childe Iesus giuen and declared first to the poore shepheards and after that to the whole world But who be the shepheards who be al people surely al poore and miserable sinners for whose sake Christe came and was borne to helpe them out of their sinnes As also then such a name was giuē vnto him namely Iesus that is to say a Sauiour that shall loose his people from their sinnes Behold also and sée vprightly wherfore was Christe at the eight day circumcised so shed his innocent bloud Surely for the cause of poore and wretched sinners For Saint Paule saith Gala. 4 that Christ hath yealded him selfe therfore vnder the lawe and circumcision to the intent he might deliuer them that were vnder the lawe But who were more hardly snarled vnder the lawe then the wretched sinner Sée yet to whom did Christ preach and whome did he turne and conuert Any other then the poore sinner To whome hath he friendlier spokē helped or counselled made whole both in body and soule then euen the poore cumbred and sorrowfull sinner Mark also with whom did Christ wander goe about here through the Iewishe lande and commaunded that they should preach abroad his wholsome Gospell Surely with his welbeloued Apostles But what were they Wretched sinners as Matthewe and likewise Peter yea did they not shewe them selues many times before Christe to be weake worthy reproch and fraile How oft hath our good Lord friendly rebuked them taught them taken in good part their weaknesse helped them suffered and borne with their faults and wants and yet neither condemned them nor cast them away but continually handled them after the best manner whereby at the last he might deliuer them frō their sinnes There hath Christ not only receiued poore sinners in so much as he touched the hurt of their soul but also the harmes of their body Howe many thousand men hath he many times fedd when their hunger and néede went into his heart and he tooke pitie of their miserie Oh how many amongest them were miserable sinners yea infidels and not worthy to haue and receiue such goodnesse at Gods hand How many hath he healed in their bodies from agues dropsie and leprosie Item such as were lame crooked blind and haunted and possessed with euill spirits Yea some he did raise from death it selfe and alwayes shewed him selfe in all things as the very true Sauiour of the whole world by that meanes to bring the Infidels to faith and to be short done the best to euery man and shut out no man that had néede of his helpe and had called vpon him as the holy Euangelistes here and there do euidently and plainly declare With which louing comfortable and gratious examples of Christe they shew vnto vs his great vnspeakble loue and mercy and declare shew the same vnto vs with all diligence Whereby we may learne to knowe aright our Lorde Christe specially that he is therefore come to helpe miserable sinners both in body and soule both from temporall and euerlasting hurte whervnto sathan hath brought al mankinde For Christe is therefore come that he should destroy the worke of sathan 1. Ioh. 3. Whome so euer he helpeth in soule him helpeth he also in body And though he doe not alwayes hourely declare the same in this world yet at Doomes day it will appeare where he
blessed houre and that the holy Ghost wil lead him carrie him and guide him in the right way to saluation and that he may obteine at the length euerlasting peace and felicitie We now require that this may be done Therefore say Our father which art in heauen c. Doe you require this say Yea. Well now welbeloued say you also Our father c. And yeld your selfe willingly to die and say Father thy will be done c. Almightie God kéepe you going out of this miserie from hencefoorth euermore Amen Say Lord into thy hands I commit my soule Amen ¶ In some place while the Executioner doth lead foorth the poore man and is about the execution some sing in the meane season Nowe pray we the holy Ghost as in Michshen and Sachsin c. And in some place the minister in ths meane time saith the belefe Whatsoeuer any man thinketh good and profitable that may he set foorth and doe and let the poore condemned man sleepe in the Lorde in holy hope that whatsoeuer is now sowen in shame and dishonour shall be at the last day in greater honour and glory raysed vp againe Our Lord vouchsafe to preserue vs all one with an other gratiously from sinne and keepe vs from sinne and shame for euermore through Christ Iesus his only begotten sonne in the holy Ghost Amen A faithful and Christian exhortation to repentaunce and to leade a life in the feare of GOD. SYrach amongst his sayings in the 18. Chapter warneth vs that we should in time refraine our selues from sinne and repent our selues whilest we can sinne where he also saith Doe not delay your repentance vntill you be sicke but amend your selues whilest you may sin driue not off the time to be good nor tarrie not to better thy life til the time of thy deth In this matter he mindeth to set before our face the feare of God whereby we should not onely absteine or forbeare to sinne but also for the residue of our life kéepe our selues from sinne with greate diligence Specially if we groundly déepely consider the earnestnesse and righteousnesse of God howe our Lorde God is an earnest enimie to sinne but specially to such sins as man estéemeth to be no sinne or will not acknowledge for sinne but will holde and take them as vertues and rightly done and defend them as things well done and so wholy goe forwarde and continue in an vnrepentant and stubborne life whereby he falleth from thence without all sorrowe and repentance without ceassing grieuously to sinne against God his maker in great contempt despite pride and carelesnesse whereof then God taketh a great misliking and abhomination so that he must néedes méete with suche offences with all punishment reuengeance plagues especially with dearth war pestilence c. And God our Lorde bendeth him selfe also against all suche sinnes with all manner of power with all his elements as the aire the fire the water and the earth that we may behold with our eyes such apparent anger and punishment of God and must néeds taste of them in all places For from whence commeth suche warre bloudshead Who is guiltie thereof what is the very cause Is not sinne and our vnpenitent froward and proude liuing when man without all shame without all feare of God gréedily wantonly ragingly and stubbornly doth sin against our Lord God and maker Whereby it commeth to passe that many proude wanton filthy liuers be taken by God and punished very straungly Here lye in an houres space many thousandes slaine there be many times many hundreds drowned there many executed with the sworde fire water the whéele and gallowes There suffereth GOD many times within one halfe yere many thousands dy on the pestilence there many to be hungerstarued here many thousandes swallowed vp with earthquakes there many perishe in vprores and rebellions And to be short no man is able to reckon or remember howe many God must take and punishe and likewise cause to be made an example in the world whereby such foolish stubborne and godlesse wayes might be auoyded and shunned But who doeth earnestly once think vpon these things who doth turne him selfe or studie to auoyde these fearefull plagues of God who setteth before his eyes such examples of Gods anger thereby to amend his life Surely very fewe come before such execution and punishment of God and in time turne them selues before such fearefull iudgement of God auoyd sinne and thinke to begin a godly and vertuous life But in these dayes the proude froward and wicked world neuer thinketh of any of these things And thereby it commeth to passe that so many lewde so many false so many stubborne so much falshood so much sinne filthinesse beareth such a great swinge that at the length almightie God wil be so angrie that within a while there wil be no way to escape no forbearing no forgiuenesse more take place but God must in the end without more pitie or mercy hurle the pitcher to the ground with great violence and without all grace and forbearing dash them together with thunder and lightening with haile and shewers and with grieuous feare and tempestuous stormes Therfore on the behalfe of weaklings and of suche as be fraile in their liuing and conuersation I thinke good to aduise and warne them that they doe not make of their weaknesse and frailtie a wicked custome least at the length they fal into an vnpenitent and blockish life and conuersation whereby God will be grieuously offended Therefore it behoueth them in time beforehande to acknowledge their weake and sinfull liuing be sorrie for them and haue full purpose to amende their life after that sighe to obteine a heartie longing towardes a godly life and at the last to fight against sin to withstand it with all our power that there do not followe of our weakenesse an vnpenitent and blinde conuersation and least they miserably dye in that blindnesse and after that perishe euerlastingly from whiche our Lorde gratiously vouchsafe to kéepe vs Amen Againe that such weakelings in their conuersation receiue the time of grace in season not loyteringly seeking for it contemning it nor be slouthfull therein For Here is the acceptable time now is the day of grace as holy Saint Paule writeth in the second to the Corinthians the sixt Chap. Therefore let vs to our profite and for our blessednes sake imbrace it in time conuenient and not suffer it to passe away from vs or suffer suche an acceptable time of grace from God the very Iubilie yeare yea the golden yeare for euer to flée in the winde but rather pray for grace in the right and in the time méete conuenient Whereof Dauid saith in the 32. Psal. In which time al holy and suche as be weake in faith doe séeke for our Lorde God and pray for our Lorde God and call for grace and forgiuing of their sinnes and hope vppon his mercy which is promised vnto
right way What beleeue you of this sacrament J Beléeue that there is according to the word of Christe giuen vnto me the body and bloud of Christe though in such sorte as reason can not perceiue So that God almightie worketh in me and towards me in the receiuing therof all that which my Lorde Iesus hath there promised as specially that his body maketh me cleane and maketh my body to be in fellowshippe with Christ and with all Christians and that his bloud doth washe away all my sinnes Therefore I doubt nothing at all but that I doe receiue there the body bloud of Christe albeit that by reason I can not perceiue how or by what manner and way neyther is it necessarie for me to knowe It was sufficient to Christes Apostles that they knewe that Christe was risen from death albeit they could not tell nor perceiue how he came vnto them the doores being shut in What is Christes Supper or Gods boord IT is nothing else but the Testament of Iesus Christe our Lorde which he made and ordeined before his passion and death for all them that beléeue vpon him and for them that in their baptisme through the deseruing of his death and resurrection be made frée from the power and kingdome of the diuell and chosen to be Gods children or inheritours of the kingdome of heauen To them hath he promised and giueth in this sacrament truely his body and his bloud for their comfort wherby they be fully assured made certeine by faith in their consciences that he will giue vnto them all the goodnesse of God and make them coheires with him with the whole Christian congregation in a perfect fellowship of all Saints For in as much as Christe hath promised and giuen vnto them his body and his bloud why can he not giue vnto them al other good things that he hath either in heaueÌ„ or in earth Herevpon shal his body and his bloud certenly be receiued to assure vs that our louing Lord Christ wil not betray vs but make vs with him to be Lordes and inheritours of all the goodnesse of God. Whosoeuer will receiue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ ought to know how to answere to the fiue questions folowing The first Question 1 WHerefore receiue you this Sacrament Aunswere Therefore bicause I may be a coheire with Christe and haue fellowship with him with all holy Saintes and with all good Christians with them to suffer and to dye Question 2 What doe you beléeue or what doe you confesse is in this sacrament Answere When I receiue the Sacrament I beleeue that vnder breade and wine I receiue the body and bloud of Christe but it is not sufficient that I know but also I must beléeue that my lord Christ hath giuen me them for a perfect signe and token seale and testament Question 3 What be the wordes of this Testament which our Lord Iesus did vse Answere Thus said the Lord to his Apostles when he gaue vnto them this breade Take ye and eate ye This is my body which shall be giuen for you And when he gaue them the cup he saide Drinke you all of this This is my bloude of the newe Testament whiche shall be shead for you and for many for the forgiuenesse of sinnes Do this in the remembrance of me Question 4 Wherefore do you take that token or signe séeing that faith is sufficient Answere I receiue the signes and tokens therfore bicause I may strengthen my faith not bicause I doubt in my beléefe but bicause God hath giuen me the signe with the word of his tender grace and mercy Therefore I will not despise to vse and acquaint my selfe with them Question 5 How will you vse the Sacrament Answere I will eate and drinke and beléeue this word which he spake vnto his Apostles when he gaue them this sacrameÌ„t We ought to take these comfortable promises with a faithfull heart A breefe declaration of the Lordes Prayer called Our Father FIrste we must consider wherfore we pray what is meant by wherefore the time occasion doeth always bring them But bicause we should not be carefull nor trouble our selues wherfore we should pray séeing we be now in such extremities that many troubles daily fall amongest vs and that from day to day the longer the worse although we shuld very much pray For The diuell is a liar and a murtherer And neither is the Pope nor the Turke nor many other tyrants which be against Gods worde idle Besides this we haue experience that euery aduersarie is sufficient of it selfe though this generall trouble were not therefore we haue euery where occasion sufficient which may driue vs to prayer Whosoeuer therefore cannot remember all our necessities let him take in hand and haue before his eyes the holy prayer of our Lord called Our Father in it be seuen petitions In which be conteined all troubles things necessarie 1. In the first prayer Hallowed be thy name we pray for the holy Gospel for all true preachers against all heresie misbeléeuers against the Iewes heathen Turke Pope For all these blaspheme and slander Gods name and vnhallow him that God will cut them short send good preachers kéepe his word cleane and pure against all heresie make vs apt hearers This is to intend or before to meane somewhat 2. In the second Thy kingdome come we praye that the kingdome of the diuel of death may be destroyed That is a great and a large petition for in it is conteyned the whole kingdome of the diuel that it would please God to make an end of it and set vp in vs and al men his owne kingdome through his word and the holy Ghost 3. In the third petition Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen we desire that all their willes be disappointed which striue against Gods gratious wil. That is a great vnsufferable prayer against the diuel and all wicked people meruellously putteth back many perils and misfortunes whiche the diuel and wicked people imagine and sett abroche if they were not thorough this petition disappointed 4. In the fourth petition Giue vs this day our daily bread wée do praye for the Quéenes maiestie for our magistrates for our elders for our wiues and children for our meate and drinke for the fruite in the field for peace and for such thinges as we lacke toward the mainteyning of this present life euery one in their vocation that God will blesse them therein giue them good fortune and kéepe them from all misfortune mercifully 5. In the fifte petition Forgiue vs our sinnes as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs we desire that God will be gratious to vs to turne from vs his anger whiche we haue deserued not punish vs for our wickednes and that he will deale gratiously with vs to the intent we from day to day maye waxe better and that we maye liue after his holy will and liue friendly one with another and that euery of vs maye forgiue an other their offences 6. In the sixte petition Lead vs not into temptation we pray that GOD will come and helpe all troubled heartes not suffer them to sticke in temptation but help them out therof gratiously through his word and holy spirite and that he wil vouchsafe to destroy the diuels purpose and might 7. In the seuenth petition But deliuer vs from the euill wée praye for a good houre that our Lord God will take vs out of this miserie with grace and make vs blessed for euer Thus in the Lords prayer are plentifully al thinges conteyned whatsoeuer by any meanes shal vexe or trouble vs or els whatsoeuer is méetest and most necessarie for vs Therefore the first iâ— that we purpose or intende something wherefore we will pray that will Almightie God surely giue For the commaundement is plainly there that Wee must pray the promise is also there that We shal be certeinely and surely heard And our mercifull Lord Christe himselfe hath sett foorth vnto vs both the words and the manner how we shal pray in the which all things necessarie for vs be conteined FINIS Rom. 8. Rom. 12. Eccle. 7. â—â—le 11. 1. Cor. 11. Rom. 12. â—â—tie 28. Esai 26. Esaie 9. 1. Tim. 2. â— Iohn 3 Psal. 50 Mark. 11 Matt. 6. Iohn 6. â—ohn 3. Rom. 8. Rom. 4. Ephe. 5. Iohn 6. Math. 26 1. Cor. 10.11 1. Cor. 11 2. Cor. 13 1. Cor. 15. â—ohn 12. â— Cor. 15. Matt. 6. Mat. 26. Iohn 6 Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 1. Act. 4. 2. Cor. 5. â—ctes 10. â— Pet. 2. â—ala 6. â— Pet. 1. 1. Thes 1. 1. Thes 5. Col. 1. Iohn 6 Iohn 17 Iohn 15 Iohn 8 Galat. 3 â—om 10. â—ctes 15. Iohn 1. Esaie 53. â—â—he 1 â—im 1 â—tt 18. â—â—k 19 â—â—m 3 â—ohn 4 2. Tim. 1. â—â—hn 8 â—â—hn 5 â—ohn 11. Mat. 26. Luke 12. Luk. 10. Luke 22. 2. Cor. 2. 1. Pet. 5. Ephes 6. Ephes 1. Coloss 1. Matth. 16. Ephes 6. Matth. 4. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Iohn 3. Ezech. 18. 33 Matt. 9. Matt. 18. Luk. 19 Galat. 3 Rom. 16. Zach. 13. Esaie 55. Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Iohn 3. Iohn 6 Iohn 1. Iohn 1.3 2. Pet. 1. â—om 13. Iohn 16. â—saie 54. Cor. 4. Esaie 64. â— Cor. 2. Hebr. 12. Prouerb 3. Iam. 1. Matth. 10. Rom. 6. Luk. 2. Luke 2. Psalme 50. Esaie 30. Rom. 8. 1. Sam. 2. Rom. 8. â—ebr 11. â—sal 73. â—aie 41. Col. 2. Iohn 14. Iohn 20. Matth. 15 1. Tim. 2. Iohn 2 Iohn 2 Rom. 8. â—eb 5. Rom. 8. â—ebr 9. â—phes 5. Mark. 16. â—atth 11. â—ohn 7. â—ohn 6. Iohn 5. Iohn 6. â—â—hn 1. Iohn 8. 2. Pet. 1. Phil. 3. 1. Thes 4. â—cle 38. Iohn 11. Eccle 7. Eccle. 38. â—aniel 7. Iob. 5. Prou. 29. Hebr. 12. Cant. 8. â— Cor. 10. Iob. 14. 1. Pet. 4. Iere. 25. Psal. 75. â—saie 54. Psal. 89. â— Cor. 1. â—om 8. Gen. 8. â—ohn 1. Iohn 14. Iohn 10. Deut. 12. Iohn 11. Marke 11. Marke 9. Esaie 66. Psalme 51. Psal. 68. Ios 7. Matth. 6. â—see 6. Matth 26. â— Corinth 15 Gal. 4. â—â—hn 3. Gal. 6. Eccle. 18. â— Cor. 6. â—â—al 32. Psal. 50. â—salme 119. â— Cor. 11.