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
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
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
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
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
sufficient penance for your sinnes appeased Gods wrath reconciled you to GOD his father and purchased for you euerlasting righteousnes blessednesse Therefore by this your suffering death you can not escape Gods iudgement nor make amendes to Gods iustice nor make satisfaction for euerlasting punishment but only thereby you do make satisfaction before the worlde For séeing that you haue done amisse offended the outwarde temporall and worldly iustice and transgressed and found guiltie thereof you must necessarily satisfie the same externall and outward iustice with such outward punishment as the worlde and the magistrate can doe for aboue that the world nor the magistrate can not reach nor giue correction But for as much as the offence whiche you haue committed against the Magistrate is also against God and his holy commaundementes specially this sinne whiche you at the first on the racke or pyning banke and after by your owne confession haue acknowledged besides other grieuous faultes wherewith in your life time from your youth hitherto you haue offended God your Lord in such manner that he might punish you for such offences euerlastingly and not for a time yet will he not do so as I haue told you before but he will mercifully forgiue you such offences altogether both small and great howe so euer you haue committed them through the deseruing miserie shame bitter death of his deare sonne our Lord Christ Iesus your Sauiour So that Gods iustice is satisfied for you by Christ our lord For GOD hath made his sonn for our sakes to be righteousnesse holinesse and our deliuerer 1. Cor. 1. Therfore you must beleue this not doubt confesse it with your mouth Do you beléeue this deare beloued Say yea Fiftly lest peraduenture you should imagine and say How commeth it then to passe that God hath only laide vpon me this shame reproch death Howe commeth it to passe that he hath spyed me out only Am I then alone the most wicked the most vnhappie man vppon the earth There be yet many worse then I. Why could he not visite and punish me after some other fashion Marke wel here and learne that it becommeth you not to murmur and be vnpatient by your leue against God nor his purposed worke for if God will thus visite you you ought not to weiue it nor refuse it for God can best skill according to his fatherly goodnesse how to intreate and handle his children and he will not deale alike with one childe as with an other He hath many crosses and rodds whereby he will chastice his He forbeareth some long and another he patiently abideth he leadeth him therby to repentance the thirde he taketh foorth to him selfe with this rod but he taketh vp an other with an other rod after them our Lorde God layeth vpon euery one his crosse Therfore by your leaue you shall not despaire nor doubt neither wishe nor desire that you were dead or that this or that carrie you away as some haue done of impatience feare and shame of the world What hurt is it to you that you must in déede be shamed before the worlde and that euery man beholdeth you as vppon a great offender séeing neuerthelesse that you be the child of God through your beléefe vpon Christ Which our Lord God and the whole armie and hoast of heauen doth nowe heholde looke vpon though it doth not apeare before the world All that you haue to doe shal passe away in the twinckling of an eye after that the worlde shall beholde you after an other fashion I mean at doomes day in great ioy and glory as one of Gods chosen children What shal it then hinder you though you for an hour or two must be kept to be shamed and openly executed or put to death Reioyce be frolike that at the general day thou shalt escape condemnation before the whole earth and all the hoast and armie of heauen It is much better that you should suffer reproch and shame a little while before a smal number then that at that day you shoulde be shamed and confounded before the Angels and the whole worlde for euer and euer Therfore yeald your self thervnto willingly and behold this shame death not with your bodily eye but with your spirituall eye Doe away your eyes remembraunce and reason let euery man laughe mocke looke say and doe what they will. Looke not vpon man but vpon God he is at hand with all Angels they behold you gratiously they haue pitifull hearts with you and our Lord Christ and our deliuerer will take you with him into euerlasting peace and blessednesse There be also among this companie heape and cluster of people many good men that feare God that be very sorrie and take griefe with you and doe truly pray to God for you Therefore do you not suffer alone but Christ our Lord and head suffereth with you Likewise al Christian members suffer with you likewise all creatures beholde with you and heartily long for your deliuerie as witnesseth Saint Paule Rom. 8. Therefore turne you to him that striketh you that is to God your true louing father and praye vnto him that he will mitigate shorten and ease your paines and smartes and lend vnto you a strong and merrie heart manfully and patiently to beare this crosse laide vpon you and to stande vpright And then you shall proue in the midst of your trouble that he is mercifully on your side doth helpe you suffer and beareth your crosse for he will be with you in your aduersitie therfore lay al your trouble only vpon our Lord God he wil first make your troubles in your heart and conscience easier and take them cleane away And after that your heart is once at peace with God and that you haue obteined a quiet conscience then will all bodily paines be very little and nothing in comparison of the conscience Then séeing that to euery man particularly or by him selfe death as a iust rewarde of sinne is appointed and that we all which shall remain after you must also get vs hence and no man remaine but that death must swallowe vppe the whole worlde what hurt is it to you that you go a litle before vs to the way of blessednesse and haue possessed and inioyed euerlasting life before vs Though you nowe by the way to blessednesse shall tread a hard bitter sharpe and rough way yet haue you this aduantage that you in a whole body and good memorie and perfect reson slide hence and in death you doe thrust into euerlasting life and all we must come after And who can tell how we poore néedie and forsaken men shal doe and what shall come of vs We be sure to be assaulted with many misfortunes and plagues and at the last some long time lye stretching and suffer many smarts and troubles vpon our sicke bed all which you haue escaped and in the meane season rest quietly and comfort your selfe and
at any time cōfessed any thing to charge the innocent whereby you might cleare your selfe or thereby to escape and be at libertie then burthen not your selfe therewith nor let your soule carrie any such thing away but excuse the innocent and pray to God for mercy that he will pardon you and not suffer your heart to be bent to any vngodly way to excuse your offence and to defend it But before God confesse it aske grace and séeing it is come to light confesse it before the whole worlde or else you striue against Gods iudgement his will his worke which surely is horrible from which our Lord defend you of his grace through Christ Iesus his welbeloued sonne in the holy Ghost Amen Tenthly I further also charge you my deare friend that from the bottome of your hart you wil reconcile forgiue and forget all men that haue done any thing against you either by worde or déede whether it be for this matter or for any other before If you haue by any mā bene hurted or harmed though they be guiltie of this your iudgmēt suffring and death either if they haue espyed or laid hand vpon you al this together shal you cast out of your heart and lay aside all maner of swelling snarling malice hatred enimitie and euill will and contrarie shewe a gentle heart friendly loue and gentle speach without all hatred bitternesse and euill will as a patient lamb as Christ our Lord which was altogether innocent yet vpon the crosse prayed for his enimies and said Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe Thus shall you likewise do and thinke Well now welbeloued Lord and father though I be not guiltlesse and innocent as thy welbeloued sonne but haue worthily deserued all punishment wrath and vengeaunce Likewise séeing thou of frée grace and mercy through Iesus Christe hast for euer pardoned me after my departure wilt neuermore remēber my sin therefore I require thée that thou wilt giue vnto me such a gentle friendly Christian hart through thy holy spirit wherby I may forgiue and forget and also reconcile my selfe vnto euery man as well friendes as foes for thou wilt also forgiue me yea thou hast already clearly forgiuen all my sins misdéeds And for better assurance hereof giue me grace might and suche a burning charitie toward my neighbours that I may forgiue euery man and that from the bottome of my heart So shall I be sure that thou hast forgotten and forgiuen me and at the last day this shall be the signe that is the Christian and brotherly loue that we also be thy disciples séeing that we doe shewe Christian loue one toward an other Kéepe in me also the gratious promise of Christe my louing Lorde that saith thus Matth. 6. When you forgiue men their faultes then will also my heauenlie father forgiue you your faults With these Christian comforts I comfort my selfe and stay my selfe altogether vpon thy mercifull promise Doe with me after thy godly saying and promise for thou doest require of me that I be merciful as thou also art merciful towards vs Therfore I do knowe that in this my departure to death there is no better nor more acceptable offering then that I should shewe charitie and of mercy with well vnto all men pray for all men intreat and do well vnto al men as much as is possible for me For God hath pleasure in mercy and not in offering Osée 6. Twelfthly You haue also welbeloued for a comfortable example the théefe which also had done very wickedly for whiche he also receiued punishment of the magistrate but this punishment was vnto him onely the cause and furtheraunce that he did not onely knowe GOD and was faithfull but was also hanged beside Christe his saluation whereby he conceiued speciall comfort that Christ the innocent Lorde woulde pitie his miserie and would forgiue him all his sinnes and wickednesse wherevnto otherwise he shoulde neuer haue forsaken his naughtie life but woulde haue continued in his wickednes stubbornesse and vsed his stiffnesse and arrogancie his whole life long without al repentance turning from his naughtie liuing And so peraduenture had it ben with you you would haue gone forwarde in your vnrighteousnesse therein abiden withered and starued for euer without al penance or repentance godly knowledge vnder the feareful anger of God being bound with Gods iudgement condemnation Therefore séeing that God hath deliuered you from this miserable blindnesse and error he shall from hencefoorth leade you by this occasion means and purpose first bring you to know your selfe bring you to true repentance penance suffer godly knowledge to light in your hart kéepe you in the true faith of Christe Iesu and will suffer you to depart in the same at the last without all doubt Behold now dearely beloued howe our Lorde God is a valiant almightie father that of al naughtinesse can make all goodnesse and will to his turne all worst thinges to the best Sathan had thought that through this your fall and misdéede he would for euer haue kept you in his kingdome and to haue made you a member of himselfe But our lord God commeth and bringeth to passe by this means and crosse that he hath broken and hindered all sathans purpose Sathan thought he had made all cocke sure with you and had brought you to euerlasting sinne and shame and intended to haue kept you continually therein But God commeth and turneth the leafe vp and maketh of you that were the childe of darkenesse the childe of light and of euerlasting blisse Amen Twelftly Nowe deare friende I warne you nowe at the last that you will depart hence to death without all feare nor be not dismaide of death by reason of your sinne But herein take héede that thou do not alonly looke vpon death vnder the eyes and doest wrestle with him but take thine almightie god with thée which hath before laide hand vppon death and hath ouercome him that is Iesus Christ thy Lord and king which in the garden so mightily wrestled with sinne and death that bloudie sweat dropped from him Matth. 26. therefore weigh it not And againe be not afraide of death séeing you meete with him with this king and Lord but you shall do thus to him set all your only comfort hope and assurance vppon your Christe that hath made your way for you broken the hedge and kéepeth the field and hath for you ouerthrowne the mightie Goliah and hath brought the blessed victorie home to your doore as I haue before this time shewed you and yet againe must sette before your face For nowe is the time seeing you are come to the very push and this your daungerous enimie that is very terrible vnto the whole worlde will stande chiefly with you to bring and driue you from this point and so lay hande vpon you Therfore take to yourselfe the true shielde which is Christe your defence whome you