brother to a man the second sister to a woman and the third that you must name the partie by their proper name For it ought not to be honoured with names of worldly honour and dignity but to oppose it selfe against Satan in the name of the Lord it ought to be named by the proper name which it receiued at the holy Sacrament of Baptisme Which doing thou shalt obey vnto God whom I beseech to be fauourable vnto thee at the day of his comming * ⎠* COMFORT FOR THOSE THAT ARE SICKE DRAWEN OVT OF THE HOLY SCRIPTVRES FOR to prepare them to die B.S.N. HE that is of God hearkeneth to the word of God Iohn 8. and doth not onely hearken vnto it but keepeth it and puts it in execution for all things shall haue an end Mat. 7. Hebr. 1. Isa 40. and waxe old as doth a garment but the word of God dureth for euer Now seeing it is so that by a man sinne came into the world Rom. 5. and by sinne death and consequently all afflictions and aduersities thereon depending with iust occasion the life of man is but a continuall warfare vpon earth Rom. 7. so that the flesh fighteth against the spirit and the spirit against the Diuell the World and the Flesh which are the enimies of our soules But following the counsell of the Apostle to obtayne victorie in this spirituall battaile wee must constantly resist by faith 1. Peter 5. For the victorie that surmounts the world is our faith 1. John 5. The which is a certaine and a firme knowledge of the loue of God towards vs Hebr. 11. according as by his Gospell hee declares himselfe to bee our Father and Sauiour by the meanes of IESVS CHRIST Hauing then such a firme faith for your principall foundation Acknowledge and confesse without feyning before the maiesty of God that you are a poore and miserable sinner Psal 51. conceiued and borne in iniquity and corruption inclined to doe euill vnprofitable to all good and that through your vice you haue without ceasing transgressed the holy Commandements of God Luke 17. which doing you haue purchased by his iust iudgement ruine and perdition vpon you Neuerthelesse you are displeased with your selfe that you haue offended him and doe condemne both you your vices with true repentance desiring that the grace of God may succour you in your calamity Pray then in such a firme faith Psal 51. if you cannot with your mouth say it with your heart That God our benigne father and full of mercy enter not in iudgement Psalm 142. nor in account with you but that it would please him to haue pitie on you in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and that he would blot out all your spottes and vices by the merite of the death and passion of the same Iesus Christ in whose name present vnto him his holy prayer the which hee hath taught vs saying with all your heart Our Father which art in heauen Matth. 6. hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs And leade vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Amen B. S. N. Acknowledge with all your heart your vnrighteousnesse haue a displeasure for your sinnes repent incessantly and the kingdome of God will draw neere vnto you Matth. 3. Acknowledge that there is no righteousnesse nor innocency nor any good workes from you nor in you Titus 3. but that like vnto a childe of wrath conceiued and borne in the sinne of old Adam you merite euerlasting death and damnation Neuerthelesse that neither that nor all the sinnes in the world Ephe. 2. Psal 51. Rom. 8. although you should haue committed them doe not make you affraid For IESVS CHRIST true Sonne of the euerlasting God is become man conceiued of the holy Ghost borne of the Virgine Mary to sanctifie and cleanse you Rom. 1. Luc. 1. Mat. 1. hee hath suffered vnder Pontius Pilate many afflictions iniuries and outrages yeelding himselfe to bondage Phil. 2. Act 3. Mat. 27. to set you at full liberty IESVS CHRIST was crucified as accursed vpon the Crosse to deliuer you from the euerlasting curse IESVS CHRIST died and shed his most precious bloud Isa 13. Reuel 1. Heb. 9. to wash you to redeeme you to deliuer you wholy from death from hell and from the power of Satan 1. Pet. 1. Rom. 6. Act. 2. 1. Pet. 2. Iesus Christ was buried in a Sepulcher to burie all your sinnes the which hee hath borne and blotted out Iesus Christ descended into hell suffering an extreme agonie for to deliuer you from all the paines dolours of death Marc. 16. Iesus Christ is risen againe from the dead to make you rise in your proper body 1. Cor. 15. and glorious immortality Act. 1. Iesus Christ ascended into heauen to make you ascend thither after him Col 3. Iesus Christ fitteth at the right hand of God his Father Almightie being your aduocate and intercessour towards him 1. Iohn 2. Heb. 7. Mat. 25. Psalm 61. Rom. 8. and the attonement of all your sinnes we waite for his comming to iudge the quicke and the dead to render vnto euery one according to his workes But to the faithfull that beleeue in him Mat. 25. he will not impute their sins but hauing iustified them through his grace wil make them to reigne with him for euer in his heauenly throne B. S. N. Such is the great mysterie of our redemption the which by the meanes of the holy Ghost you must firmely beleeue hath bene done for your saluation And doubt not but by the merits of Iesus Christ the head of his Church you are one member incorporated therein Eph. 1. giuing him thankes in all humilitie that he hath giuen you the grace to liue in the communion of his faithful ones hauing nourished you with his word with his body and with his bloud Mat. 4. 1 Cor. 11. acknowledging as well assured the great mercy of God in the remission of all your sinnes Rom. 5. 1. Cor. 15. the which is shewne you through Iesus Christ who shal cause you to rise againe at the latter day to reigne with him in euersting life Marc. 16. the which he hath promised to all those that beleeue in him being baptized in his name Then B. S. N. seeing you haue this faith doubt not but to receiue the promise of faith for God is true he is no lyar like vnto men Rom. 3. Mat. 24. Heauen and earth shall passe but the word of God shall endure for euer Isa 40. God is your Father and Creator you are his Creature and the workmanship of his hands
that liue in exile with barbarous and inhumane people ought not we to bee glad when God calles vs to establish vs in our countrie or with our brethren that is to say the Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the happie spirits that we may together enioy in peace the glory honour rest and all that great and perfect felicity which he hath promised and prepared in his Kingdome for all his elect It is maruell that men and euen the faithfull that are instructed not onely by the word of God but also by so many experiences which they see euery day that all the brightnesse and glory of the world are but vanities and illusions and dreames that passe doe neuerthelesse suffer themselues to be so bewitched by flatteries and wantonnesse that at last they become altogether sencelesse beastes like the companions of Vlysses by the charmes and enchantments of Circes For must not their iudgement be much corrupted and altogether peruerted to grieue at their departure out of this world to go vp into heauen and to preferre changeable vncertaine transitorie and corruptible things which cause infinite paines to follow purchase them and as many cares to keepe them and yet more sorrow and griefe when they are lost before the goods which God promiseth in his Kingdome which are certaine vnchangeable incorruptible euerlasting and assured and which can bring nothing to those that enioy them but a true entire and perfect contentment Wherein as did our first parents for an Apple we forsake a Paradise not earthly but heauenly that is to say all the delightes and greatest pleasures that can be imagined for a messe of pottage wee sell our birth-right aod goods appertayning thereunto as did Esau we make more account of the garlike and onions of Egypt then the holy Land with all the plentie and blessings thereof Briefe wee had rather as did the prodigall child liue amongst hogs vpon chaffe and wash then bee nourished and sustayned in our fathers house with the breade of Angels and finally that after the example of Lots wife we mourne for the losse of the infamous pleasures of our Sodome with the which we had rather perish then by forsaking them to be saued the which bewayling we may say with the Prophet O folke vnwise and people rude Psal 94. Some knowledge now discerne Ye fooles among the multitude At length beginne to learne For what maketh you so much to esteeme the world and that which is therein but a damnable desire the which blindes vs in such sort that it maketh vs oft times to take the light for darknesse and to the contrary darknesse for light the bitter for the sweete and the sweete for the bitter To the end then that we be not deceiued in our iudgements wee must ground them not vpon the outward appearance nor vpon the common errour of men which being sensuall doe not approoue nor reiect the thinges that are present before them but according as they are pleasant or contrarie to their sence and appetite But wee must iudge all thinges as saith the Apostle by the word of God which is an infallible rule to discerne the true from the false And not in our iudgements to follow our reason or carnall prudence which is enemie to GOD and iustifieth ordinarily that which hee condemnes and to the contrarie condemnes that which hee iustifieth Now let vs then see what the word of God teacheth vs touching the world and the thinges that are of the world Loue not the world saith Saint Iohn nor the thinges that are of the world for if any man loue the world the charitie of the Father is not in him for that which is in the world to wit the desires of the flesh the desires of the eyes and the ouerweaning of life is not of God but of the world There is then that which the holy Apostle teacheth vs of the world that wee must not loue it if wee will that God loue vs. And Salomon when hee speakes of it sayeth that after hee had long and diligently considered all the state of this world the varietie and inconstancie of mens mindes the diuersitie of studies whereunto they apply themselues the mutabilitie and sodaine changing of their counsels the little iudgement that they haue to praise or reuile to extoll or disprayse to loue or hate to pursue or disdayne the things which are set before them hee hath obserued not onely by reason but also by experience that the desires of most men are but folly and vanitie the which they worship being induced thereunto by their appetites the which because they are blind and doe not suffer themselues to be led by any good reason are easily transported euery where where their pleasure and the diuell driues them whereof commeth that some pursue ambitiously the honors and greatnesse of the world that for to attayne thereunto they violate all rights and lawes forget all piety and humanity mingle and confound all things cherish and fauour the wicked with whom they league themselues hate and reiect the good and vertuous make warre against the countrey wherein they were borne nourished and brought vp take the liberty from it if they can by a cruell tyrannie which they vse therein bring it to a miserable bondage as did Iulius Caesar and before and after him many others doth not that euidently shew that there is nothing truer then that which Iesus Christ said of such ambitious men to wit that that which is great and much esteemed of men Luk. 16. is for the most part abhominable before God And how should they be agreeable seeing the most part beleeue neither in him not in Iesus Christ as it is written in St. Iohn Iohn 5. How can you beleeue seeing you receiue glory the one of the other and seek not after the glory which cōmeth from God alone And elsewhere the Pharisees chiefe men of Ierusalem condemning themselues said Iohn 9. Is there any one of al the Princes that haue beleeued in him to wit Iesus Christ Mat. 11. And in St. Mathew O Father Lord of heauen and earth I giue thee thanks that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and vnderstanding hast reuealed them to the little ones We ought not then to grieue to forsake the honors and greatnesse of this world which ordinarily maketh vs to forget God and our selues and which turne vs from the study and exercise of vertue which induce vs to seeke our owne glory rather then Gods which maketh vs to disdaine our neighbours and to forget that wee are but dust and ashes and which finally brings vs to worship the Diuell and make vs insensible as saith the Prophet Thus man to honor God hath cald Psal 49. Yet doth he not consider But like brute beast so doth he liue Which turne to dust and powder And a little before where hee yet speakes more expresly of the foolish purposes and imaginations of the
The Apostle saith that they shal feele a feruentnesse of fire which shall deuoure them S. Iohn declareth that they shall bee cast into the lake of fire brimstone which is the second death For although they shal liue yet by reason of these incredible torments they ought rather to be called dead then aliue Now although that by all these similitudes it is demonstrated vnto vs that the damned shall be grieuously and euerlastingly tormented yet neuerthelesse man cannot thinke nor comprehend how great the euerlasting sufferings shall be no more then he can comprehend the ioy of the children of God Marc. 9. 1. Cor. 2 Hebr. 10. Wherefore with good cause the Author to the Hebrewes saith that it is a terrible and fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God For although that we should see one continually knawed with wormes and burnt with fire that torment should notwithstanding be as nothing in regard of that which is prepared for the wicked For besides that their bodies shall be horribly afflicted their soules shall be in incredible distresses and sorrowes This ought wel to stirre vs vp to watch and pray and to refraine from doing euill Reu. 3. Mat. 24. 1 Thes 1. Psal 25. 51. Iere. 31. Lamen 5. Cant. 1. Luc. 17. Ioh. 3. Wisd 4. 5. and to moue vs to serue God and to desire him with the Prophets and Apostles to change reuiue and increase our faith that so being made new creatures we may escape this place of torment and be numbred amongst the sonnes of God Which the Lord grant for the loue of his welbeloued Sonne our Sauiour to whom be all honor and glory for euer and euer AMEN A conclusion of this booke conteyning an exhortation to all estates to prepare themselues to die well for feare least the vncertaine howre of death should surprise them MOreouer my brethren friends it remaines that this booke be not onely in our hands but also in our hearts and if we haue any desire to amend ous liues let it not be deferred till to morrow for when to morrow shall come wee will yet referre all to the next day and so consequently the whole yeare shall passe yea our whole life If then at this present howre there bee some little good affection in vs let vs not suffer it to be quenched let vs not kill that grace which God hath giuen vs but to the contrary by all meanes which shall be possible to vs let vs endeuour our selues in such sort that from howre to howre it may not onely be confirmed but also augmented God is mercifull enough and liberall to grant vs our requests but he will be importunated not in his owne regard but ours for he knoweth how backward we are to pray and call vpon him and how soone we are weary of it although we should desire nothing more in this world for it is no small thing to speake vnto God And which ought yet more to moue vs is that he doth willingly hearken vnto vs and neuer puts backe those which come vnto him I speake this because I see not that by any other better meanes we can preuent confusion than by prayer Surely if euer men had need of this aide we are in great necessity of it in these last daies and olde age of the world for we must not doubt but that Satan now doth set himselfe in armes perceiuing well that the howre drawes neere that he shall not be able to doe that which hee hath done heretofore and that the Sonne of God must be manifested to all creatures and that then the perfection ought to come of the blessed and the finishing of their happinesse of the which hee knoweth well hee hath no part If then for his part he sets himselfe forth in his strength it remaines that we should do the like for vs that wee may be furnished with all celestiall armour and that we bee not daunted with all his plots and treacheries for surely the victorie is in our handes so that we fight against him and not with him as doth almost all the world at this day although that the most part thinke the contrary for so they haue the name of a Christian and be without reproch before men who are no better then thēselues they then thinke themselues very well assured Others thinke that they shall need but a good sigh as they say at the last howre for to blot out all the rest of their life passed and presently to transport them into the kingdom of heauen but who hath assured them that God will giue them the grace to make that sigh and to haue a true repentance of their sins at the howre of their death Where haue they had pattents and good assurance that they shall not die a sudden death Is not that to mocke God openly If that may serue verily St. Peter and St. Paul and the other Apostles should haue bene much deceiued to labour and to toyle so much and to beare so grieuous a Crosse if it were so easie a matter to enter into the kingdome of heauen I meane by the meanes which those Libertines doe pretend Let vs assure our selues that the way is straite which leadeth to saluation and that there are few that go therein These words are no lies but I pray God that we may not experiment the truth of them to our great paine and griefe I know well that the mercie of our God is incomprehensible and infinite but it is towards his seruants it is towards those that feare and reuerence him Besides I know that among the children and seruants of God there are many infirmities euen a great imperfection in all vertue and iustice and which endures till death but there is a great difference between your life O worldlings and the life of the elect of God The iust man sinneth seuen times a day but he shall be raised seuen times Now you continue in your euill and goe to bed with your sinne as with your friend and companion Men will say an Aue Marie beat themselues on the breast or perhaps will haue some distaste of their sinne and wickednesse But if we neerely looke into all we shall finde that it is nothing but meere hypocrisie If our friend or kinsmen dies if we loose our goods if wrong or iniury be offered vnto vs if our good name be taken away if we be stricken or hurt behold we are presently in choller or very extremely sad our hearts euen closed vp with melancholy but if our spirit dies and if we loose the euerlasting riches by our transgression we make no account of it we are not moued with it we grieue more for the losse of this world which is nothing then we doe for the losse of God which is all In seeing all which cannot such men yet feele their griefe can they not yet know how much the opinion which they haue of their vertue and prudence is vaine and friuolous Can they not see how farre they are from their reckoning Certainly the world is full of such people that haue no feeling of their sinne but the prophesies must needs be accomplished to the end when the Sonne of man shall come he may finde no faith vpon the earth Verily this howre commeth on a pace the signes thereof are very manifest But because we should not bee dismaid seeing such a danger round about vs let vs be sure that the Lord will bee with vs till the end of the world prouided that our Lampes be burning and in steed that the wicked euery day shall be worse and worse for our parts let vs endeuour to goe forward in all holinesse and iustice I know well that they will mocke at vs and at our simplicity that we shall be cast out of their companies But we shall be exalted of God and receiued of the most blessed assembly VVherefore let vs with all patience waite for the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and let vs labour that so we may be found of him without spot and without reprehension Surely that day ought to be very fearefull to the wicked but as for vs we ought so much the rather desire it knowing for a certaine that there is no cōdemnation for those that are in Iesus Christ knowing well the great goodnesse and kindnesse of him which is to come with whom God grant wee may liue for euer and euer Amen A Prayer vnto God on the same subiect ALas when shall wee come before the face of God our Father and when shall we haue a dwelling in his house and vntill when shall we be in this exile wherunto by sinne we haue bin regenerate But how shall the sinner cōsist before this great God How shall this poore flesh be able to go vp into this heauenly euerlasting Paradise O how vncertaine should our hope be if we had not the true promises of our God how miserable should we be if we did relie vpon our selues But O great God thou wilt that all things be possible to beleeuers for the beleeuers do trust only thy promise in thy mercy Do not then O Lord regard so many sins which are in vs. Remember rather that we are thy creatures the worke of thy hands VVe are vnworthy to be called thy children but it pleaseth thee to be our Father It was thy will that thy Sonne Iesus should come downe to vs here beneath to make that we should go vp to thee We feare not death O Lord for thou hast promised to bee with vs death lost her strength when thy deere Sonne died so that when our bodies shall be knawne with wormes in the sepulcher our soules shall reioyce in heauen with the holy Angels We desire then to die to see thy amiable and glorious face to liue with Iesus Christ out head O our God open vs then the gates of thy Kingdome Cause vs to heare that sweet speech which was spoken to the poore theefe vpon the crosse which is This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Alas Lord we are vnworthy of it but thy mercy and thy promises do giue vs assurance Giue vs also O heauenly Father the strength to perseuer and desire the immortall and glorious life to come which thou hast purchased for vs through thy Sonne Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour praise and glory for euermore So be it FINIS