THE SICKE-MANS Comfort against Death and the Deuill the Law and Sinne the Wrath and Iudgement of God Translated out of Frenche into Englishe by I. E. LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe 1590. The sicke-Mans Comfort against Death and the Deuill the Law and Sinne the Wrath and Iudgement of God THe life of man stuing in this vale of misery is enuironed and compassed in round with mountains of infinit calamities and tribulatioÌ„s wherof some are but incident to some particular men other more common generall to all as Death and diseases which hasten and procure men to die which amate vs so much the more when they come vpon vs by reason they are so dangerous and by reason that we cannot auoide them for albeit that Kings Emperors Princes and other Potentates may preserue themselues for a while from the danger of diseases and preuent hem by the helpe of God vsing such good and lawfull meanes as he hath giuen them for their comfort and preseruation yet without exception not one no not one is found amongst them that can saue or may exempt himself but he must die first or last either in battaile by the sword or in his bed by sicknes or els by such accident as the diuine prouidence of God hath set downe before hee was borne Dauid could tell vs this in many places in the 82. Psalme where he speaketh of Princes I haue said ye are Gods and ye are all children of the most high But yee shall die like men and fall like one of the Princes And in another place There be some that put their trust in their goods and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches But no man maie deliuer his brother nor make agreemeÌ„t with God for him for it cost more to redeem his soule so that hee must let that alone for euer Yea though he liue long and see not the graue For hee seeth that wise men also die and perish together as well as the ignorant foolish and leaue their riches for other whoÌ„ they haue not knowne And in another place he speaketh of the ende and condition of all men in generall What man is hee that liueth and shal not see death and shall deliuer his owne soule from the hand of Hell And againe in the next Psalme following Thou turnest man to destruction Again thou saist come again ye children of men We sée then that it is Gods decrée and ordinance inuiolable that all men that come into the worlde come but conditionally nâ—…t to make any long tarrying as the Trées which are fastned déepe within the earth by the rootes and haue a long time of abode graunted them but to passe away swiftly as dooth the Current of a running Riuer and to be gone assoone as it shall please the Lord to call them away againe And for all that as the Prophet saith we séeke to come to composition with Death or to haue some daies of truce and respite to delaie his comming yet we sée daily our date is out and the daie of our assignation is soone expired when we must appeare before the dreadfull Iudge at a certaine houre and at the same instant wee must heare from his own mouth the sentence definitiue either of life or Death for euer irreuocable What shall we then doo we must first and chiefly haue a care not as Aza had to séeke out skilfull Phisitions to take the potions and drugs that they shall minister to saue vs from sicknes which otherwise would be incident vnto vs nor as Mithridates had to kéepe in store many preseruatiues and medicines for feare of empoysoning by our familiar friends we must not prouide a braue and goodly Horse a swoord of the best and trustiest making an armour of proofe to put our trust therin as though these coulde saue vs from the hazarde of the battaile For all this cannot infringe the ordinance of God nor once saue vs from his anger nor any iote turne away from vs the effects and execution of his diuine will But the chiefest care and consideration that we must haue if we either meane to preuent the mischiefs which may be fall vs hereafter or remedie those which are happened vnto vs alreadie is humbly to desire and diligently to séeke for the grace and fauour of God which is the most soueraign and readiest remedy that men may finde for the spéedie redresse of all calamities and aduersities where with they shalbe afflicted Now for that I am earnestly entreated by some of my brethren and friends to select and set downe in writing certaine places of holy scripture for the comfort of such as be sicke to strengthen them against the horrours and apprehensions wherewith they are commonly saised as well of their sinnes and offences as of Death of the Diuell and of the displeasure iudgement of God which are more horrible a great deale then al the other Finding my self bound hereunto by Christian charitie by the band whereof all the members of Christes bodie are firmely linked together and knowing besides that it is a péece of the charge that God hath laide on the neckes not onely of the Ministers of the Gospell but also of the Superintendents which are ioyned with them for ayders and fellow-helpers I would in no wise make refusall to satisfie my brethren in this their request although I know well inough that many of my fellow-labourers on whom God hath bestowed greater talents might be better spared and were fitter to be employed in this busines then my selfe neuerthelesse seeing that the members in what ranke or degrée so euer they bee ought not to refuse any labour or seruice for the bodie if it lie in their power to doo I will attempt by the helpe of God to doo that I am able by his grace to content and satisfie them in their desire Omitting then many other kinds of afflictions by the which it pleaseth God to chastise and kéepe vnder his children let vs speake here onely of Sicknes and Death and set downe summarily consolations fit for the purpose to instruct and kéepe men in vre to abide patiently their sicknes and diseases the which are not casuall things and matters of méere chaunce now happening to one now to an other by rash and vnaduised rencountre but we must thinke that they are al sent vpon vs by the prouidence of God And although the endes and occasions of Sicknes be diuers yet the Author is alwaies one is the same who is the giuer of all health and welfare For from the mouth and ordinance of God as saith Ieremy procéedeth good and euill which is contrary to good And there is none euill as Amos saith be it within the Citie or in the field but it commeth from God So then as peace and warre pouertie and riches libertie and imprisonment are from God so in like maner are health sicknes Dauid in all his anguishes confesseth this For
on euerie side for the venomous dartes and arrowes of Sathan that on what side soeuer he assaile him he may finde no place vnarmed where he may wound and hit him For no doubt the diuell will doe what he can by all the trecherie he can deuise to shake the foundations of our faith and so to ouerthrowe vs quite But to defend and saue our selues wee must alwayes keepe our selues within our fortresse and neuer depart from the promises of God whatsoeuer he alleage to the contrarie Let vs set before him that which Esaie sayeth Israell shal be saued in the Lorde with an euerlasting saluation and we shall not be ashamed or confounded world without ende And in another place The Heauens shall vanish awaie like smooke and the earth shall waxe olde like a garment and they that dwell therein shal perish likewise but my saluation shall be for euer and my righteousnes shall neuer faile And lest the great signes that he shewes vs often times of his anger and displeasure should breede in our hearts too great a feare and so we should fall to dispaire of his promises let vs heare what the Prophet sayth in his 54. Chapter speaking to the Church in the name of God For a little while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee For a moment in mine anger I hide my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer For this is vnto mee as the waters of Noah for as I haue sworne that the waters of Noah should no more ouerflowe the earth so haue I sworne that I woulde not be angrie with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountaines shal remoue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shall the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lorde that hath compassion on thee To the same purpose God speaketh by Oseas the Prophet vnto his Church that he will marrie her vnto himselfe in righteousnes and in iudgement and in mercie and compassion shewing thereby that the aliance and couenant that he will conclude with her shall be firme and inuiolable and that he wil establish and ground her in himselfe that is to saye in his mercie trueth and Iustice requiring onely that shee would walke vprightly before him that in all her wayes shee would followe him in all perfect integritie kéeping her selfe as much as shee can from all counterfaiting and hypocrisie This must be diligently marked For the diuell to make vs afraide and to make vs doubt of the effect of the promises of God when we are readie to appeare before his iudgement seate are cyted and our cause readie to be called If he see that wee stande fast resting vppon the worde of his Gospell wherein he doeth offer vnto vs his grace he wil graunt vs that al that God saith is truâ—… and likewise that he offereth vs fréely his grace and life euerlasting by his promis but forsooth that he cannot performe that which hee hath promised by reason of our indignity For that we hauing so oft offended him since we haue bene lightened and regenerate by the knowledge of his truth had so much fauour at his hands besides as to be receiued into his family and to bee adopted his childreÌ„ Bb our own ingratitude we haue made our selues vncapable of his benefits and vnworthy to haue the promises performed that he hath made vnto vs. Therevppon to repulse this temptation which is the greatest of all and more dangerous then any wherewith we may be assailed We must first note that as the good will and pleasure of God hath bin the first motyfe to stirre him vp to make this alliance and couenant with vs and to offer vs fréely the promise of saluation by the which he declareth himselfe to bee our God and receiueth vs to bee his people as also his grace is the onely means to induce him to performe it towards vs. And this was the cause why Sainct Paul said that the reward of sinne is death but the gifte of God which is his grace is eternall life Whereas if he should haue drawen an argument directly from the Countryes mee thinketh he should haue sayd that as life is the reward of our righteousnes so death is the guâ—…rdon of our sinnes But to giue vs to vnderstand that life which is the effecte of the promise is as well giuen to vs gratis as the promises which doth offer it to vs he hath attributed it wholly to y e grace of God making no mention of our works or vertues This is confirmed by the 4. to the Romanes and in 32. Psalme where Dauid declareth that the blessednes of maÌ„ consisteth in this that God alloweth his righteousnes without works saying Happy are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Happy is the man vnto whom the lord shall impute no sinne Séeing then that the life and blessednes that God doth offer vs by his promises are not graunted vnto vs in lieu and fauour of any merits or vertue that is in man But by the only grace of God it followeth then that as the price and dignity of our works cannot purchase vs life euerlasting so also our vnworthines cannot hinder vs from attayning to the same For it is the more gift of God which he bestoweth vppon whom it pleaseth him according to his mercy and not according to the merit of our righteousnes which are not only vnperfect but also polluted with much vncleannes because that our harts from whence they procéede cannot be so well cleansed in this world but still there doth remaine some staines and corruption whereby they are defiled Which is the cause that the prophet prayeth to God so feruently that he would not enter into iudgment with him Saing Enter not into iugement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And also wher he saith If thou O Lord straitly markest iniquities O Lord who shalbe able to stand And that Sainct Augustine in his confessions hath this excellent and memorable sentence Our righteousnes shalbe cursed if it be examined and iudged without his mercy But neuertheles that can not let vs why God should not giue life euerlasting as he hath promised vs. So that we acknowledg féele and confesse our own vnworthines For nothing can make vs more capable and if it may be said also more worthy of the fauours and blessings of God then the knowledge and féeling that we haue in our selues to be altogether vnworthy What worthines might the Thiefe haue that hung vppon the Crosse hard by our Sauiour Iesus Christe who had continued in his théeuing and wickednes till the last houre of his life neuer acknowledging his Sauiour Iesus Christ til the very houre that he should render vp the Gost. And yet he had no sooner opened his mouth to confesse
runne away from her crying but so soone as shee should haue plucked off her false vizard he would runne vnto her and kisse and embrace her So muste wee doe to bee deliuered from feare and frighting of death wherewith we are naturally faised wee must plucke off her maske and vizard and must beholde it with that forme and face that Christ oure Sauiour did when he ouercam death For eueÌ„ as by his Crosse he hath discharged vs of the curse vnder the which we were and hath turned the curse into a blessing So by his death hath he not onelie mortified but also quickened our death so that now it is become an hauen of health and a dore to enter into the kingdome of heauen and to take possession of that blessed life which God hath promised to his elect children That which doth cause vs to feare is that wee doe behold it in the mirrour of the lawe where it doth shew it selfe vnto vs vnder a most terrible shape to beholde and like a Sergeant armed with the anger of God and with all the threats and curses set downe in the law against those that do transgresse the same who commeth to execute his office and to cite vs to appeare presently before the iudgement seate and to heare the sentence of the last and soueraigne Iudge by whom we are sent vnto euerlasting fire without any hope of comfort or euer to haue any other company but with Diuels to torments vs. Which imagination if it come in our mind when we are ready to die it cannot bée but wée shall take such a conceite and apprehension that shalbe inough to ouerthrowe vs cleane and cast vs downe into the pit and gulfe of desperation if it should continue long with vs. But to get it away wee must do as they who haue their eies dazeled by looking too long of one couller that is twinkling and glimmering To gette their sight again they must cast their eies vppon some other couller that is more liuely for the recreation So when we féele our selues brought into so dangerous a case by reason of the feare and apprehension that the lawe causeth vs to haue of death we must behold her face in the mirrour of the Gospell where Iesus Christe setts it downe to be more swéete well fauored and most amiable where as Moyses in his lawe had made it most vgly and horrible to beholde It hath nowe neuer a sting to prick vs neither any cords chains or bands to kéep vs vnder her iurisdiction For Iesus Christ being risen from the dead hath broken them as Sampson by a marueilous strength did breake as man would breake a threade the great cordes and cables wherewith the Philistines thought they had bound him so sure and so manicled him that they thoughte hee would neuer haue escaped their handes Yet they were deceiued for when they came vpon him with great fury and violence then they perceiued hee broke them all a sunder as easely as a maÌ„ should break a litle string halfe burned a two So death thought when she had made Iesus Christ to die shee had ouercome all and subdued all things vnder her power and that shee had sette her Empire in so sure estate so that it could neuer decay yet shée founde her self vanquished and throne vnder féet that shee shall neuer bee able to rise againe For so writeth the Apostle to the Corinthians that death hath béene swallowed vp in victory that is meant of that which shée thought to haue gotten when shée made Iesus Christ to die Death then is not to be feared for these reasons that we haue already alleadged but rather to bée desired for some that I wil alleadge hearafter For first it setteth our soules at liberty and maketh them frée from torments anguishes feares desperations cares coueteousnes and other lustes whereby they are cruelly tortured meane while they are penned in this loathsome prison of our vicious mortall and corruptible bodies It deliuereth likewise ouâ—… bodies from innumerable dangers wherunto they are opposed as well on sea as land as in any other place wheresoeuer they conuerse From many kindes of sicknesses and sores which doe vndermine and bringe vs to our ende with intollerable paine and 〈◊〉 Likewise from necessity and paine of working and labouring vnto the which we are subiect by reason of sinne and lastly from a great care that we haue continually to get and séeke out all meanes to nourish cloth get vs abiding places and al other things that are néedefull to maintaine this miserable life But al this is nothing in respect of the good it doth vs putting vs out of al daunger of sinning any more and of being temted of the diuell of the world and of our owne proper lustes and concupiscences which neuer cease to stirre vs vp to doe euill and prouoke vs euery houre to offend God and so to procure vppon our selues al the curses that he threatneth in his law to all those that transgres and disobey them With what zeale and vehemency with what sighes and grones did the Apostle aske and beséech of God to deliuer him froÌ„ the body of sinne From this angel of Sathan which did buffet him And after this long and lamentable complainte that hee made of the law which he saw in his meÌ„bers contrary to the law of his vnderstanding which made him captiue to the law of sinne which was in his members at the conclusion of his discourse what a loud cry he made from the bottome of his hart Alas wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of sinne Sée then what piteous mone this holy personage made to sée in himselfe the tiranny of sinne and to sée himselfe so forced and constrained to doe that euil which he detested and to leaue vndone the good which he desired and coueted to doe with all his heart O most hapy death the which doth bring vs out of so cruell and irkesome slauery who will then consider what a misery it is to liue in the midst of the Church amongst the barbarous people and such as the Apostle did prophesie shoulde come in these latter daies that is to say men that should loue themselues auaricious persons vanters proud backebiter disobediente to father and mother ingratefull persons despisers of God without any natural affection false accuâ—…ers immodest cruell hating those y â— are good traiterous rash ambitious louers of wordly pleasures rather then of God hauing but an apparance of godlines but obseruing no forme thereof And on the other side to be inuironed and compassed in round with the professed and mortall enemies of the Gospel and of Iesus Christ and of his Church which made dogs and wolues which made men which care neither for God or his grace curious persons ouer hasty outragious prophane blasphemers hauing neither â—…aith law feare or conscience to represse there malice and malignity Who shall but regard what a trouble and vexation it
of their vertues That he hath delighted to heare flattering tongues that doe nothing but glose with him and make him beléeue that hée was more vertuous and lesse vicious then his owne conscience could witnes and accuse him in secret 10 Lastly to shut vp his confession we must shew him that all his nature as also that of all other men that liue here on the earth is most vile vicious corrupt and that of himselfe he can bring forth but bad fruit as a bad trée doth that is to say all wicked thoughts all inordinate affectiens all filthie and dishonest talke and all things contrarie to the will of God leauing vndone all that is conformable to his will and expresly commanded by him Then when we haue shewed vnto him in this manner his faultes to make him haue a better féeling of them and to conceiue in himselfe a greater displeasure and sorow for them we must aggrauate them vnto him by the circumstances of place time and person where hee hath committed them And then by féeling them if we perceiue him to be humble and contrite wée must lift him vp againe and comfort him in denouncing vnto him the remission and pardon of his sinnes and to assure him of it in the mercie of God Then must we discourse vnto him the reasons contained in this treatise to take awaie the feare that he may haue conceiued of death the deuill the iudgement of God and lastly the sorrowe that hée may haue to forgoe and leaue this worlde and the things that are therein in lieu of the hope and desire that he ought to haue of those heauenly incorruptible blessings This done we must knéele downe our his knées and praie vnto God for him and all the assemblie in this manner A Praier O God the Father of all consolation who hast promised to heare all those that call vpon thée in sinceritie and truth and to reiect none that commeth to prostrate himselfe before thy Maiestie with a sighing soule and sorrowfull heart humble contrite and repentant with the remembrance and féeling of his most grieuous sinnes wée beséech thée altogether in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour and redéemer that it will please thée to extend thy mercie vppon vs all that are héere assembled together and specially vppon this our brother whome it hath pleased thée to afflict and visite by sicknes and by the same to couer forget and forgiue and cleane to blot out all his sinnes by the which he hath so grieuously offended in all his lyfe Beséeching thée that 〈◊〉 woulde please thée of thy great grace and fauour to seale confirme in his hart by the holy spirit the forgiuenes that thou doest grant vnto him by the promise of all his sinnes That he may féele in his conscience and that with ioy and full assurance hée may make himselfe readie to appeare before thée when it shall please thée to call him out of this world assuring him that there is no condemnation neither for him neyther for all those which by true faith are vnited and incorporate in thy sonne Iesus Christ. That not his sinnes death and the deuill nor anie other creature whatsoeuer shal be able to separate him from thy loue or cast him out of thy fauour and grace and that thy throne is not a throne of rigorous iustice but an hauen of health a throne of mercie a sanctuarie a place of libertie and fréedome for all the faythfull Good God strengthen and increase his faith héerein so that he may couer him selfe as with a shéeld be by this meanes made strong and inuincible against all temptations wherewith hée may bée assayled and that reiecting all other confidence hée relie vpon nothing but the sole righteousnes obedience and sacrifice of thine onely sonne to assure him agaynst the daie of thy iudgement And now wée heséech thée good God to giue him grace to pardon and forgiue from the bottom of his heart all his neighbours who haue by anie wise offended him to the end that hée béeing vnited by true charitie with all the members of the bodie of thy Church may also be knit and ioyned with thée who art the head thereof Lastly we beséech thée that it woulde please thée to giue vs also grace so well to looke into the person and disease of this our brother that séeing how short and vncertaine the course of our lyfe is wee may thinke betime of our owne selues and retiring our mindes from the vanities of this worlde wee may bestowe that litle time that we haue to liue here in learning the wisedome of God that is to beléeue firmely and to trust in his promises to shewe our obedience in all thinges that he doth command and to take diligent héede to flie and auoid all things that hee defendeth vs in his holy word FINIS A SHORT CONsolation for the sicke taken forth of the holy Scriptures WHosoeuer is of God heareth Gods word and doeth not onelie heare it but kéepeth and followeth it also for all things shall haue an end and wax olde as doth a garment but the worde of God abideth for euer Now séeing it is so that by a man sin is come into the world and by sinne death and therevpon by consequent all afflictions and aduersities doe depend verie well may the life of man bée termed a continual fight here vpon earth where the flesh doth fight against the spirite and the spirite against the world the flesh and the deuill who are the deadly enemies of our soules But following the counsel of the Apostle to get the victory in the spirituall battaile wee must resist and striue against them constantly by faith For the victorie which ouercommeth the world is our faith the which is an assured knowledge of the loue of God towardes vs by the which hée declareth in his Gospell to bée our Father and sauiour by the meanes of Iesus Christ his sonne Hauing then such a firme faith for our prinicpall foundation acknowledge and confesse your selfe before the maiestie of God to be a poore and miserable sinner conceiued and borne in sinne and corruption redie and apt to doe euill vnreadie and vnapt to doe anie good and that by your vice and sinne you haue transgressed without measure the holy commandementes of God so that you haue purchased by his iust iudgement vtter ruine and perdition vpon you Yet you haue great sorrowe in your selfe to haue offended him so grieuously condemning your selfe and your vices with true repentance desiring that the grace of God woulde succour you in this your great calamitie Praie you then with a firme faith if you cannot with your mouth yet from your heart That God our most mercifull Father woulde not enter into count or iudgement with you but that hée woulde take some pittie on you in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and that hée woulde blot out our sinnes and staines by
be stained by his owne sonne And yet notwithstanding such executiōs of gods iustice were verie hard and a burthen for him almost insupportable yet did he endure all things patiently and submit himselfe wholly to the will of God assuring himselfe of his mercy of the which he remembreth himselfe alwaies in his iudgements that the burthen which he would laie vpon him should not bee to cast him downe vtterly Wée haue one notable example of his patience humble obedience that hee resolued to yéelde vnto God in all his aduersities when with so modest milde a spirit he suffered y e vile opprobrious iniuries wherewith Semei reproched him when hee was constrained to fly in all hast and to forsake the Citie of Ierusalem to saue himselfe from the conspiracie that his sonne and all his people had wrought against him For the principall cause that made Dauid so milde and patient was that he did referre all the presumptuous insolency and sawcines of this litle Puppy to the prouidence of God who had raised him vp to gréet him with these iniurious wordes to make him humble and to make triall of his patience vertue And what was the cause wise that Iob after so manifolde and great losses of his goods and children and finally of the health of his body did blesse and praise God so sincerely and hartily as euer he did before in time of his prosperitie and euen then when he had his harts desire but a speciall care that hée had of the prouidence of God the which he did contemplate and behold stedfastly in all his miseries that he might receiue them from his hand as his blessings and speciall fauours that he bestoweth vpon his dearest and best beloued children Thē it is not inough that we beleue that all sicknesses and diseases are sent from God but we must belieue that all their circumstances come from him also as if they be grieuous and tarry long with vs if they be loathfull and full of paine and languishing and sometimes if they be incurable so that by reason of their contagion they cause our friendes and kinstolke to refraine from visiting and comforting vs and insomuch that wee can haue no remedy no more then had the poore woman which had an issue of blood for the space of twelue yeares and the poore man that béeing saised and benummed with a palsie all ouer his bodie kept his bed 38. yeares and in al that space could neuer get any remedie We must then attribute all this vnto God and thinke that he is iust and frée to disperse the goods and euils which he taketh out of his treasury to bestow them where he thinketh best and in such portion and measure as pleaseth him so that no man may complaine iustly of him or demaund of him by any reason wherefore he dooth thus or thus After that wée be fully resolued in our mindes that not onely all sicknesses and diseases but also all other harmes and euils whatsoeuer doo procéede from God who pleaseth by his prouidence to send them for our chastisement hauing alreadie gathered some comfortable sayings to encourage vs withall now for our better comfort wee must consider who this God is that dooth send vs these afflictions how néere vs he is for it is not such a God as these Gods are whō the foolish Heathen people doo adore and are nothing at all indéede vnto whome they addresse themselues they cannot sée at all with their eyes nor heare with their eares nor smell with their noses nor tast with their tongues nor speake with their mouthes nor take or giue with their hands nor walke with their féete and to be short they can neither do good nor harme For they are not so much as mortal as are men and beasts but things altogether dead which haue in them no sense no vnderstanding no mouing no féeling or force at all But the God in whome we beleeue is the Creator of heauen and earth who maketh by the only powrable vertue of his word all things that are in this world to liue and die and to breath againe who with one of his fingers doth measure the earth and hold it vp with the tip therof as it were with a fishooke who knoweth the number and the names of all the starres who calleth the things that are not as if they were who carryeth the keyes of life and death who is infinite in himselfe and all his vertues are infinite for his bountie mercie wisedom iustice and veritie are so incapable and incomprehensible that their longitude can no more be fadomed then their largitude nor their largitude can no more be measured then their profunditie which are past all length and largenes all height and deapth all count and capacitie Now this good and great God is not farre from vs neither by his presence nor by his affection he is in vs as in his owne Temple to sanctifie vs he is about vs to garde and keepe vs with his fauour to hyde vs vnder the shadowe of his wings He is dwelling in vs as in his owne house to guyd and gouerne vs to enrich vs to garnish and deck vs vp our thoughtes and hearts are his galleries wherein he walketh and taketh his pleasure there talking with vs by holye thoughts inspirations that he doth put in our mindes And although that he fill both heauen earth that the loue that he beareth to all his creatures be the cause that he aid assist them prouiding al things necessarie to nourish preserue them Neuertheles herein is his tender loue most of all seene in that he hath so much honored vs born vs so great good will as to espouse vs to comoigne and vnite vs so vnseperatly with himselfe by the means of such an vnion to receiue vs into his fellowship to be partakers of all his graces gifts benefites for euer Euen so then as a woman which perceiueth her selfe entirely beloued of her owne husbande neede not feare that he wil at any time misvse her so ought we to assure our selues that God who doth loue vs aboue measure cannot do or suffer to be done to vs any thing that shall not be for our benefit For if then when wee were enimies as saith S. Paul wee were reconciled to him by the death of his sonne much more beeing alreadie reconciled wee shall bee saued by his life Is there anye thing to be imagined more absurde then to thinke that GOD who is the soueraigne good can be the Author of anye euill Or can wee haue from one Fountaine or spring both salte water and sweete water The heretikes as Marcion and the Manichees to shewe that they had such blasphemie in horror and detestation would establish two principles the one of life and light the other of death and darknesse perswading themselues by no meanes that from God who is the
thou art but a mortal man And sure he did very wisely foreseeing how slipperie a thing prosperitie is which doeth make men straight drunke and lulleth them fast a sleepe sooner then any sweete wine when they drinke it or the noyse of a soft winde that bloweth within their hearing when they are readie to fall a sléep The sicknesses then which do awake vs and make vs confesse what our estate is and that sinne is the chiefest cause that doeth engender them are verie wholesome and needefull for vs and we ought to take them for warnings that God doth send to make vs remember him to do our endeuour to seeke for him and such things as appertaine vnto him which thing we shall do if we confesse first before him our faultes from a contrite heart altogether huÌ„bled brought downe with the inwarde feeling of his anger and with a deepe displeasure that we haue offended him so grieuously after so manifold benefites graces and fauours receiued at his hands in so great aboundance that we cannot so much as number count them much lesse comprehend them Here is then liuely to be touched and pricked with the apprehension and feeling of our own ingratitude we must call to minde how that being created after the image and likenes of God and by this meanes honoured aboue all the other creatures of the earth without hauing any respect to the honour and dignitie wherein he had placed vs we haue not only blemished and changed his image but almost altogether defaced and quite blotted it out wholly swaruing from Iustice holines and veritie which are the vertues by the which we may resemble him for to followe the errours and vanities of this worlde the foolish desires and inordinate lustes and concupiscences of our flesh to followe our owne wayes and to be briefe to represent in all the course and state of our life the verie portraiture and image of the diuel After that he had taken vs out of the darkesome pit of ignorance wherein we were buried and made shine ouer vs the brightnes of his face by the liuely preaching of his Gospell and by the knowledge and vnderstanding that he had giuen vs of his sonne that wee might follow him who is the light of the worlde and haue no more to doe with the workes of darkenes But leauing our guyde and quite forsaking the waye that hee had traced for vs to followe we haue strayed and gone wrong a thousand and a thousand wayes and as poore blinde men hauing no bodie to conduct vs and set vs in the waye but our owne appetite and foolish phantasie two other blinde guides wee haue beene often at the pittes brinke in daunger to fall in and to be lost for euer had it not pleased this good GOD by his bountie to surmount our malice and to remember vs then when we had cleane forgotten him Moreouer hee had deliuered vs from the bondage of the diuel and sinne which was farre more intollerable and cruel than that slauerie of Egypt or Babylon could be and made vs free to the end that we should hold fast our libertie which he had purchased so deerely for vs by the death of his only and welbeloued sonne But how often haue wee looked behind vs as the wife of Lot did and not onely repented and beene sorie for comming out of our Egypt but also taken the way backe againe to yeld our necks into the same yoke of slauerie out of the which we were made free choosing rather to liue with shame ignomie most miserably vnder the tyrannie of the diuel of the world and of our sinfull flesh then to liue happily and in honour vnder the kingdome of the sonne of God Likewise how haue we acknowledged this great grace and vnspeakable fauour that he hath shewed vs when he is come to finde vs out at the verie brothelhouse of our sinne whether wee being transported and carried headlong by the spirit of fornication wee runne out of all square and order and giue our selues ouer wholly to the diuell who is our bawde in euery corner where we meete his portraiture and image committing villanie and abhomination with him publikely and cannot withdrawe our selues by no feare shame or reuerence of God who is beholder of all this our filthie and slinking dealing and yet for all that he hath taken vs into his owne house to marrie vs and ioyne vs to him by a knott and bond of loue which cannot be vndone or broken asking none other dowrie with vs but chastitie pudicitie promising vs to forget all our life passed so that hereafter we will be true to him and keepe our faith and loyaltie that we haue vowed vnto him Now considering how often by how many meanes we haue defyled this mariage bed committing fornication with the world and the concupiscences of our flesh making our God some of their riches some of their bellies and pleasures and others of their estates and honours worshipping our owne passions pleasures which we haue placed in our hart as it were vpon an high altar and in the highest place of the Temple of God which therewith we haue prophaned polluted and by consequent haue deserued to dye the death that is to be cleane scraped out of his fauour and blotted out of the booke of life for euer And what a shame and confusion is this for vs to bee chosen elected out of the wicked race of this world of the children of wrath that we were naturally to be made the children of God to this ende that wee should liue and dye in his seruice vow for euer vnto him a loue a feare an honour and obedience from the bottome of our heart the vttermost of our power and yet in all our conuersation we haue alwayes shewed our selues rebellious licentious peruerse and stiffenecked reiecting all good discipline stopping our eares as the serpent doeth for feare lest we should heare the sweet enchantment of the Gospel taking againe our stoâ—…ie and vncircumcised hearts to this ende that wee might not engraue the promises and lawes of God therein How oft hath the shéepeheard assayed to gather vs vnder his wings as a Hen doeth her chickens and wee would not How oft hath he knocked at our doores and wee would neuer so much as once open to him How many times hath he stretched foorth his armes to embrace vs but we were stubborne and would not be touched When he sought vs wee hid our selues when he called vs we woulde not aunswer at all When he commanded vs to get vp and followe him wee were straight wearie When he hath smitten vs wee were hardened as the smithes Anuell with the strokes of the hammer When he made much of vs we flattered our selues Whether hee would allure vs by faire promises or make vs affraid by menacings we haue stil hardened our selues not to beleeue the one and
that he should please to commaund vs to praye and praise God vncessantly to depende whollie vpon his prouidence to referre our selues and all our affaires vnto him to resigne our will whollie vnto his and finally to loue him with all our heart with all our soule and all our thought and to loue our neighbour as our owne selues Then after wee haue proposed vnto the sicke person the faultes that he hath committed to make him affeard and by this meanes to prepare him to require and receiue the grace of God we must set before his eyes what he hath iustly deserued by his sinnes that is to be swallowed vp by the anger and displeasure of God which he hath heaped vp vnto himselfe perseuering in his sinnes abusing so long time the pacience and long sufferance of his mercie and likewise to be ouertaken by his iudgement which as the Apostle sayeth is readie for all them which disobey God and especially for those his seruaunts which know his wil and being throughly instructed of their duetie neglect and make none account thereof Likewise that all the curses contayned in the Lawe set downe for the transgressours thereof fall vpon his head for that he hath not onely once or twise by reason of ignorance and fraylenesse behaued himselfe lewdly but hath violated the holy ordinances of God as often as he hath beene prouoked thereunto by the instance of the diuell and of his owne concupiscence likewise that he is banished and shut out from the kingdome of heauen for that the flesh after the which he hath liued cannot inherite the kingdome of heauen For if our first parents were chased shamefully out of Paradice wherein they were placed after their creation for one onely disobedience What doeth he deserue now that doeth suppe vp and drinke dayly so manye rebellions and iniquities as it were water Likewise that hee is condemned to death eternall and appointed for euer to the â—…ire of Hell with diuels and the reprobate for that is the rewarde and hire of sinne And to bee short that hee hath deserued to goe straight downe to Hell and there to bee buryed and to suffer in the vnquenchable flames such â—…ormentes as the wicked riche man did for hauing disdayned the poore in their affliction and neglecting to succour them in their neede not vsinge such humanitie towardes them as he desired of others being driuen to the same necessitie himselfe When he haue layde all this to the sicke mans charge and in the Lawe as in a Mirrour wee haue set before his eyes to beholde his iudgement and sentence of condemnation When we perceiue him wounded and pearced to the heart with sorrowe we must then laye to his wounde some asswaging medicine do as the Masons do when they hewe their stone first they giue great blowes with their hammer make gret péeces fall off then they poolish it ouer so with a plaine that the strokes are no more séen so must we do after we haue handled the sickpatient roughly thrust him down to hel by the rigorous threats of the lawe we must comfort him and fetch him againe by the swéete and amiable promises of the Gospel to the ende the sowplenes of this oyle may asswage the nipping sharpnes of the law for the good tydings and newes that he shall heare of the grace of God shall make him cleane forget all the sorrowe and desperation into the which the lawe had before driuen him shewing him first that the handwriting that is against vs which was contained in the lawe is cleane torne in pieces abolished hung vpon the Crosse of Iesus Christ and that Iesus Christ hath redéemed vs from the cursse of the lawe when he became cursed for vs himselfe For it is written cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree and this he suffered that the blessing of Abraham might come vpon the Gentiles and that we might receiue the promise of the Holie Ghost by faith And that Christ is the ende of the law in righteousnes to al beléeuers who by the perfect obedience that he shewed God his Father in fulfilling all his commandements in euery point not missing one iote forsaking not the cursed death of the crosse for our sakes for such was the will of his father he hath purchased vs a pardon and generall abolishing of all our sinnes and a release of all our debtes and obligations the which he hath payde for vs not in gold siluer or precious stones but with his owne bloud which is a price and raunsome incomparable to be spoken of Hauing purchased vs besides a righteousnes the which he alloweth vnto vs by our faith the assurance that wee haue by his worde and sacraments whereof his holy spirite doth beare witnes within our heartes we ought to cast awaye all feare and conceit of our sinnes of death the diuell of the rigour and curse of the lawe and finally of the anger curse of God For to begin with our sinnes we being clothed with the righteousnes of Iesus Christ must assure our selues that all our sinnes are so hid and couered that they may not be perceiued or discouered before the eyes and face of our God but being altogether wyped out as with a sponge and scattered as a clowde with the winde and the Sunne and although they were as redd as Scarlet yet shall they be as white as snowe as Esaie sayeth and before him Dauid Purge me with Hysope and I shall be cleane Wash mee and I shall be whitter then snowe And it skilleth not what nor in what number they be so that they be not sinnes against the Holy Ghost neither skilleth it in what manner they haue been committed be it by ignorance infirmitie or deliberate malice for sinne cannot so abound but the grace of God which is our meanes and mediatour by the death and righteousnes of Iesus Christ must needes abound more And albeit the sinne which is committed against the Maiestie of God which is infinite be therefore reputed infinite yet that argueth not that the bloud of Iesus Christ which by the eternall spirit is offered vp to God himselfe without any spot doeth not purge and make cleane our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God as the Apostle writeth to the Hebrewes For the diuinitie being inseparably vnited with the humanitie in the person of Iesus Christ is cause by his omnipotencie that his death hath an infinite vertue to redeeme vs his righteousnes an infinite power to sanctifie vs and his life to quicken vs and to make vs happie immortall and blessed for that being God as he is stronger than the diuell so also are his workes more of force to saue vs than are those of his enimie to confounde and destroye vs. His righteousnes hath more force and efficacie to iustifie vs than sinne whereof the diuell is authour hath to condemne vs. His innocencie and purenesse
wicked reiecting and contemning the worde and promise of God by their contempt and obstinacie make it that doth not produce the effect in shewing the vertue that it would haue to saue them if they did beléeue it yet that cannot bring any preiudice vnto others that do receiue it and obey it and cannot hinder that they beleeuing and by faith apprehending it in their heartes be not quickened no more then a man that would shut his eyes in the daye and would see no light can hinder him that holdeth his eyes open and beholdeth the light For the light and couller are the obiects of the eye the which being open sound and of a quicke fight apprehendeth by and by things obiect vnto it So the promises of God be the obiectes of Faith which causeth a man to receiue them incontinent as they are announced vnto her so that the spirite of God haue touched and prepared his heart before For otherwise if it remaine in his stonie nature the spirituall seede which is sowen can take no roote at all nor fructifie no more then the seede that is sowen vppon stones or vppon ground that is not tilled The sicke man being resolued then of remission of all his sinnes may not doubt but that he is in the fauour of God and that thereby he must looke for life euerlasting vndoubtedly and all the blessednes that God hath promised to his children for there is nothing that may shutt or debarre vs from it except onely sinne the which being not imputed vnto vs but couered and blotted out cleane what may nowe hurte vs or bring vs out of Gods fauour And if by faith wee be vnited inseparably with him who is the fountaine of life and the fulnesse of all good what can wee desire but wee shall straight finde in him What mischiefe or miserie may wee feare being in his fauour Nowe being assured that he will continue towardes vs the good will that hee beareth vs for euer and that there is no creature in the whole worlde that can alter it from vs as Saint Paul sayeth to the Romanes I am assured that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shalbe able to seperate vs frō the loue of god which is in Christ Iesus And a little aboue this place saith he What shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or peril or sworde Euery man then that hath once beene graffed in by faith into the bodie of Christ Iesus by consequent is the adopted sonne of God receiued into his grace into his house as his childe departeth not from thence any more but euen as he is assured of his election by his calling and iustification which followed the one the other so is he also of his glorification which is the conclusion and as it were the crowning of his saluation for the giftes and calling of God are without repentance That which the Apostle writeth most euidently to the Romans Those whom he hath predestinate he hath also called and those whome he hath called he hath also iustified and those whom he hath iustified he hath also glorified And although we haue yet many vices and infirmities in vs and that it chaunce that wee fall grieuously sometimes as it happened to Dauid S. Peter S. Paul and almost to all the Saintes yea to the perfectest that euer were yet there is one point vpon the which we must rest be well grounded wherby we must comfort our selues greatly and hold out against all the assaults and temptations of Sathan this is it that Saint Iohn saieth Who soeuer is borne of God sinneth no more that is to saye the sinne vnto death for the séede of God remaineth in him that cannot sinne because he is borne of God That which hee declareth better in another place All iniquitie saith he is sinne But there is a sinne which is not vnto death Wee knowe that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but he that is borne of God standeth vpon his garde that the tempter touch him not For by this he giueth vs ynough to vnderstande that faith and the worde of God which are the soule and the foundation be neuer whollie and altogether plucked vp and banished from the heart of the elect and therefore they cannot sinne in that sinne that Saint Iohn calleth to death For although that faith be sometime as it were buryed in them hauing no mouing or feeling no more then a dead thing Yet it is not altogether extinguished no more then fire couered with a fewe cenders albeit it shewe not the flame and heate nor no more dead than a tree in Winter when all the sappe is got into the roote and it bringeth foorth no blossomes nor leaues nor fruite as though it were not aliue the sappe neuerthelesse remaineth at the heart hidden within in the roote and this is the reason why Dauid speaking of the faithfull man sayeth Though he fall he shall not be cast off for the Lorde putteth vnder his hande And in another place I will keepe my promise that I haue sworne vnto him and shewe my fauour vnto him for euer And in the foure score and nynth Psalme I saide Mercie shoulde be set vp for euer Thy trueth shalt thou establish in the verie Heauens I haue made a couenant with my chosen c. And in another place more plainlye I will not faile Dauid his seede shall endure for euer and his throane shall bee as the Sunne before mee He shall bee established for euer more as the Moone and as a faithfull witnesse in Heauen But if his children forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgementes If they breake my statutes and keepe not my commaundements Then will I visite their transgressions with the rodde and their iniquitie with strokes yet my louing kindnesse will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my trueth My couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lippes And in the 23 Psalme Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercie shall followe thee all the dayes of thy life and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lorde And in the thirtieth Psalme Hee endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life Weeping may abide ar euening but ioye commeth in the morning Likewise in the 65 Psalm Blessed is he whom thou choosest and causest to come to thee Hee shall dwell in thy courtes and wee shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house euen of thine holie Temple And last of all in the 119 Psalme I pray thee that thy mercies may comfort mee according to thy promise These and other like places of holie Scriptures must wee alleage vnto the sicke pacient to strengthen his faith and to arme him
himself sincerely and to aske mercy and pardon of Iesus christ but he heard by and by this day shalt thou be with me in paradice What worthines might the poore Publican haue who for the great shame and horrour that he had of all his life before past durst not lift vppe his eies to heauen neuertheles as soone as he began to confesse the pitiful and miserable estate wherin he was and prayed God to haue compassion vppon him all his sins were pardoned him and he went iustified and righteous home to his owne house What worthines I pray you was found in Sainct Paul at Damascus when transported with a rage and fury to giue information according to his Commission that he had obtayned of the high Priest for all them that confessed the name of Iesus to bring them bound and manacleâ—… to Ierusalem there to endict them and to condemn them to death and yet for al that he was so horrible a blasphemer and persecutor of Iesus Christ and of his Church and therefore not onely vnworthy to be numbred amongst his Apostles as he himselfe confesseth but also amongst his shéepe God forgetting in a moment all the iniuries that he had done vnto him and vnto his Church made him a speciall instrument and a chosen trumpet amongst all his companions to publishe his Gospell throughout al the world Who would say that he had any respect vnto the merit and worthines of his gestes and actions when he did aduaunce him to so great honoure Louing him as much or more then hee did any of his fellowes Séeing that hee himselfe doth so highly commend the grace of God to the which he doth attribute what good thing soeuer he did either thinke or speake or doe in all his life It is then the onely grace of God which is the foundation and meane of life euerlasting that wee hope for as it is also of the righteousnes and holines of life by the which we attayn vnto it This Iesus christ did teach when speaking of his shéepe hee saith that they heare his voice and follow him and yâ—…t for all that hee giueth them eternall life Signifiyng thereby that it is fréely geuen them and of a pure gist and not in lieue or respect that they haue heard his voice and followed his traces This may also be gathered out of the words of Moises in the 20. of Exodus where God promiseth to shew mercy vppon thousandes towardes them that loue him and kéep his commandements Whereby we must note that he doth not promise his seruantes any other recompence for their good déedes but to shew mercy towards them and their posterity And as much may we obserue in the 24. Psalme Wher the Prophet speaking of those that went vp to the hill of the Lorde saith that it shalbe He that hath innocent hands and a pure heart which hath not lift vppe his mind vnto iniquity nor sworne deceitfully and a litle after he saith He shal receiue a blessing from the Lord and righteousnes from the God of his saluation This is the generation of them that séeke him of them that séeke the face of the God of Iacob to giue vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuer we haue done to obey God to washe our hearts from all wicked thoughtes and affections and our hands from all wicked workes to humble our selues vnder the hand of God and to presume nothing of our selues nor of our owne vertues notwithstanding al this wee cannot goe vppe into the hill of the Lord but onely by the gracious fauour that hee shall shewe vnto vs and by the merciful dealing that it shal please him to vse towards vs. And this is the best thing to comfort vs withal and to put our hope in full assurauncè that it bee grounded vppon his mercy truth which are firme and immutable and not vppon the merites and worthines of our workes and vertues which are very vnperfect Now if wee perceiue the sicke man to bee fully resolued of the remission of his sins and that in his mind there remain no feare or conceyte of them that may trouble his conscience then must we goe further with him to strengthen him against the horrour and apprehension that hee may haue of death shewing him by the word of God that it is vanquished and swallowed vp by the death of Iesus Christ who speaking by the mouth of his Prophet he saieth vnto death O death I wil be thy death and destruction For séeing that the stinge of death is sinne and the power of sinne is the lawe Iesus Christ fulfilling the lawe for vs hath by that meanes taken awaye the sting of death So that it cannot hurt vs any more and hath ouercome and vanquished the power of sinne so that it cannot condemne vs no more And althoughe it be a certain decrée and ordinance of god that all men shall die and that comminge from dust they shall returne to dust neuerthelesse to speake properly the seperation of the body and the soule in the faithfull ought not to be called death So Iesus Christ speaking to his disciples of Lazarus who was dead said that he slepte This phrase of spéeche is very vsuall in the old Testament to signifie the death of the Fathers Saint Paul vseth it likewise writing to the Corinthians and Thessalonians of those that should depart this life before the day of the resurrection whom hee calleth sléeping But hee giueth it a more honorable title in his epistle to the Philippians where he calleth it a dislodging or departing of the Soule from the Bodye Which agréeth well with the wordes of Iesus Christ who aduertising his Disciples of his death that was at hande tolde them that the houre drewe neare in the which he should passe out of this worlde to God his father calling the death of his body but a passage by the which we goe out of this vale of misery to enter into possession of Paradise that is to say of a place of assured tranquillity and rest and full of all delight pleasure The ancient Gréeks called death Thanaton which is as much to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in english thus From hence to God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth consecration as one should say a solemne Ceremony by the which the faithfull are wholly dedicated vnto God neuer afterward to do any thing but sing praise to him and sanctifie his holy name And also our Sauiour hath also called it baptisme for that by death we passe as it were through a gate and as it were ouer a water to goe to a place of rest and pleasure whether we purpose to goe And if the body which the Gréekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that it is as it were the graue and sepulchre of the soule which they call with a name very neare vnto the other called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein it séemeth in this life the
renewed betwéene the parties and the solemne promises and protestations first that GOD made respectiuelye to his people assuringe them of his fauour for euer and then that his people made vnto him promising him neuer to goe from him but to kéep his couenant for euer and neuer change his true seruice euer hereafter honoring him only and sanctifying his holy name And sure such assembles of y â— militant church wherof some steps we haue séen in this latter age if Antichrist and his adherents did not disturbe them would bee an excellent thing and most to be desired of all earthly treasure as the Prophet saith O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thyne house the place where thine honor dwelleth And also here he saith As the heart braieth for the riuers of waters so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuinge God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God And in the 92. Psalm It is a good thing to praise the Lord and to sing to thy name O most highest To declare thy louinge kindnesse in the morning thy truth in the night These places and infinit other doe shewe sufficiently what accounte we ought to haue of holy asseÌ„blies which he did prefer before all worldly pleasures And to say the truth euery man which knoweth and féeleth in himselfe what is the loue bounty swéetenes mercy goodnes wisedom faithfulnes patience truth power greatnes maiesty iustice liberality and other soueraigne and infinite vertues of God can neuer content himselfe sufficiently to thinke vpon them to declare them to others to admire and adore them and to inuite not onely the angels and all the holy company of Heauen but also all the elements al liuing creatures al plants yea all creatures without life to magnifie his holy name and to bee filled with ioye when he shall heare it exalted and glorified Albeit the praises and thankesgiuing that men yet liuing doe sing vnto the Maiesty of God cannot be so holy or wel directed but they want somewhat for being alwaies vnperfect as we are vnto what degree of faith and charity soeuer we haue attained and hauing besides this flesh with vs which doth fight continuallye against the spirite and kéepeth it in bridle and pulleth it backe when it would lifte it selfe vp vnto God it is impossible that we should heare the word of God with such zeale attentiuenes as we ought neither that we should make our confessions praiers and thankesgiuing with such humility and affection as is required of vs. Yet when we heare in the midst of the assembly the Psalmes and spirituall songs resound from the mouths of the faithfull although they be but weak fraile poore and miserable sinners we reioice and are rauished with the ioy that we fele inwardly in our hearts What may we then thinke of the pleasure and ioy that we hope to receaue in Heauen when our soules being departed out of our bodies and asceÌ„ded thither shall heare the swéete musicke and harmony of Angels and other blessed spirites singing together the praises of God with so melodious a tune that â—…he contentment and pleasure that they shal take thereby shal make them in an instant forget not onely all other displeasure but also all other pleasure that euer they felt As a pale of water being cast into the sea is by and by no more perceiued and as the brightnes of the starres appeares no more as soone as the Sunne beginneth to shine and to cast his glorious beames ouer the face of the earth Moreouer when we die in the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ at that very instant we are blessed and moste happy that is to say wee haue no more thoughts and desires but such as are pure and holy and at the very houre of death haue their full periode Which is no small felicity for we haue the flesh no more contrary to our spirite our appetites no more rebelling against reason nor the lawe of our members no more repugning the law of God but all tumultes and troubles being asswaged in our hearts wee haue a soule spirituall calme peaceable liuing to God altogether which doth alwaies cleau so fast vnto him that it can no more by any temptation or any otherwayes bee withdrawen from his loue or his seruice nor from beholding of his face Is there any thing more pleasant to behold then a City gouerned with good pollicy where al the Citizens and inhabitants are so louing one to another firmely ioyned together with an vnfaigned bond of amity which committeth no wranglinges strifes debates quarrels partiallities diuisions tumults or seditions to arise amongst theÌ„ they doe hold so together and liue all in amiable loue and concord Is there likewise any thing more to be desired then to sée a family well ordered where the father and mother the children seruants do liue together in the feare and obedience of God and doe containe themselues within their dutie and doe not let slip or go beyonde in anie thing the rule measure that God hath set downe in his lawe Saint Paul in many places doth tel vs of the wonderfull harmonie which is betwéene the meÌ„bers of mans bodie of their mutuall communication faculties powers not one enuying the dignitie of another or despising his companion for his basenes by this comparison teaching the Church what fraternitie iust proportion ought to be betwéene the members thereof for the health preseruation of euery member in particular and of the whole bodie in generall What goodlier sight is there then this to be séene amongst men And what better melodie can there be then a Lute well tuned and well touched But what heauenly harmonie is there in the soule when it agréeth so well in all her powers that our vnderstanding thinketh on nothing more then on God our will loueth desireth and aspireth to nothing but to him our memorie hath nothing to remember but him for so is it with her when hauing lefte this bodie she is receiued into Paradice For then shée is filled with GOD who is in her From thence forwarde all things as the Apostle saith that is to saie all her thoughtes all her loue and desire all her cogitation to bée bréefe all her good all that euer shee hath all her wishing and contentation is fixed in God Séeing then that by death wée doe atchieue so greate a benefite that in all this life in what estate so euer wée bée wée cannot finde the like for there is liuing in this miserable worlde neither King nor Caesar noble man of marke or marchant lawyer or labourer who complaineth not of his estate often and hath iust occasion so to doe when his affayres fall out contrarie to his desire hope and expectation are not wee then greatly beholding to death that in the twinkling of an eie doth giue vs the fruition of the soueraigne felicitie which doth consiste
in the perfect tranquilitie of our soules and in the full satisfaction of all our desires The which vaine men séeke in vaine to haue in this life in the transitorie trashe and treasure of this present world There is yet one thing more which should make vs embrace death willingly when our houre is come which is that it doth set vs in possession of all the goods that Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs. For while we liue in this worlde wee are not saued as the Apostle sayth but by hope onely But when by death wée departe from hence then wee inioy lyfe euerlasting and that pleasure which is so greate that neyther eie eare vnderstanding or heart of man may conceiue or apprehende the greatnesse thereof It was a ioyfull thing I thinke for the people of Israel after theyr long and irkesome slauerie wherein they were detayned in Aegypt after so long wandering and many vnhappie reencounters that they had in the deserts of Arabia for fortie yeeres together when at the last they sawe themselues arryued at the bankes of Iordaine and had but to passe ouer the riuer to enter into the possession of the lande that GOD had promised to their Fathers which they had so long waited for before A young man that hath béene many yeeres warde vnder a rigorous and seuere Tutor who hath misused him and dealt verie hardly with him kéeping him short of those things which were necessary for him hath he not great cause to reioyce séeing the date of his wardship to draw out when he shall haue all his goods at his owne pleasure and hee at no mans controlment anie more The children that descende of anie noble family that are brought vp vnder the king or in the house of anie greate Prince or Signiour to waite vpon them being brought vp vnder the hand and correction of a sharpe and curst squire who doth kéep them in with a seuere and rigorous discipline are not they ful glad when they are out of their waiting office frée from the feare and seruilitie wherein they were so long rigorously detained The young maidens that haue all their youth bin straitly kept within their fathers and mothers doore they reioyce greatly when they heare they shall be maried a great deale more when they are betrothed but their greatest pleasuxe and ioy is when they are maried and giuen into the hands of an husband whome they loue and lyke well of For so they haue their hearts desire Wee also that here on earth by the preaching of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and by faith which wee haue fixed in his promises haue as it were betrothed our selues vnto him what cause shall we haue to reioyce when our soules departing frō our bodies shall mount vp into the heauens to espouse him and there to solemnize the feastifal daie of our mariage with such ioy and gladnes as shall neuer haue end and neuer be interrupted or troubled neither by death disease or anie other accident that euer may bechance Then wil our spouse comming before vs saie vnto vs that which is written in the Canticles Come he ther my sweete one enter into the closet of thy loue The winter is passed so are also the raine the snow the haile the cold and frost and all the sharpe and bitter season which thou hast bene faine to endure hetherto with great paine and sorow And nowe the spring into the which thou art entered shal endure for euer and the pleasures that shee bringeth with her shall neuer haue anie ende Enter then my sweet one into the ioy and rest of the Lorde Then shall bée fulfilled the saying of the Prophet They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy They went weeping and caried precious seede but they shall returne with ioy and bring their sheues with them So béeing out of our wardshippe and taken from vnder the hande and discipline of our Tutor wee shall bée set at full lybertie and in possession of that inheritance that GOD our good Father hath promised vs and appointed vs when hee adopted vs for his children and heyres of the inheritance of eternall life and of the kingdome of heauen which wée may well hope for whilest wée are héere but to saie or thinke what it is it is impossible for anie tongue or eloquence bée it neuer so singular for the greatnesse thereof farre passeth all humane capacitie Man hauing built this fortresse agaynst the feare that the sicke man may haue of death wee must also set downe some thing agaynst the feare of the deuill who is Emperour of the kingdome of death For he is the enemie that giues the last assault that plants all his artillerie and employes all his engins agaynst vs to make vs yéelde But we being vnder the defence and safegarde of our shepheard who is carefull and vigilant to kéep vs and stronger to defend vs than this rauening woulfe or furious lyon can bée to assaile vs we ought not to feare at all For who can take vs out of his handes seeing that hee and his Father who is greater then all are but one essence power glorie and maiestie We are then assured that as there is no subtiltie or fetche that can surprise or goe beyonde his wisedome so is there no force sufficient to encounter with his puissance Let vs kéep our selues then vnder the shadowe of his wings and assure our selues that hee will keepe vs safe that neither the deuills nor anie other creature shall bee able to hurt vs as the Prophet saith Who so dwelleth in the secrete of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the almightie I will saie vnto the Lorde O mine hope and my fortresse He is my God in him will I trust And after that he had named some dangers by the which he assured the faithful they could neuer bée hurt in the end he commeth to the deuils the ancient and mortall enemies of mankinde and speaketh on this wise Thou shalt walke vpon the Lion Aspe the yong Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder feete Because thou hast loued me therefore wil I deliuer thee I will exalte thee because thou hast knowen my name c. Where we may beholde the victory which he doth promise vs of the deuilles And the example of the Apostles vnto whome Christ gaue power ouer deuils so that they were constrained to acknowledge the power that hee had giuen the Apostles ouer them obeying vnto those things that they did command in his name may put vs in good securitie that fighting against them so that we be furnished with the same weapons that they were that is to saie with faith and the word of God we shall bee sure to haue the victory of them and by the buckler of our faith to breake off their firie dartes Your aduer sarie the deuil saith Saint Peter walketh as a Lion roring round about you seeking whom hee may deuoure to whom you
maketh them forget it and hate it by and by There is yet one griefe more which may much torment the sicke person whereof he may bée eased that is hee feareth to be separated by death from the companie of his wife and children The consolation that must bee giuen him and the remedie that must be vsed for this is to alledge vnto him the promises that God maketh to widowes that he taketh them into his owne protection promiseth theÌ„ to haue especiall care ouer them to defend vphold them against those that would oppresse them to take a fearefull vengeance vpon those y â— should offer anie outragious iniuries towardes them Likewise we must alledge vnto theÌ„ although that their wiues bee forsaken of their mortal husband whom they haue espoused in this world yet they haue another husband in another world who is immortall who is Iesus Christ that shal neuer abandon them no more then al the rest of the faithful that remit theÌ„selues to him relie wholy vpon him who being so good a Tutor as he is they being lefte vnto his protection can want nothing Then must we shew him that going out of this world it is as if he and his wife should vndertake a voiage together wherein the one should go before and the other follow soone after And lastly as in y â— beginning of their marriage he was not sorrowfull to leaue Father and mother to ioyne himselfe to his wife so now hee should not be more sorrowfull to leaue his wife to goe to God who should be more deare vnto vs then either fathers mothers wiues children or anie other thing And as for his children hée must thinke vppon the promise that God made vnto him and them that hée hath sealed and confirmed the same in the Baptisme of the one and the other that is to saie that hée wyll bee their God and the God of their posteritie And that must assure him that the graces and fauours that God hath bestowed vppon him shall be continued vnto his posteritie as he doeth promise expresly in Exodus that he will shew mercie and compassion vnto thousand generations to them that loue and feare him and shall be carefull to keepe his commandements What then can be wanting vnto those children who being imitators of the faith and pietie of their parents are assured by the promise of God to be alwaies enuironed and garded by his grace and bountie which grace is the fountaine from which all prosperitie and blessings doe flowe vnto vs Moses sayth that man doth not liue by bread onely but by euerie worde that procéedeth out of Gods mouth Which is not to bee vnderstoode of foode onely but of all rhinges necessarie to mans life The fathers that leaue this word to their children shoulde not be careful of their finding and clothing or maintenance for them For they are certaine by the worde of God that in seeking his kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof they shall haue all things that are necessarie for this present life For beeing their shepheard as he was of their fathers how can he forget them or let slip the care that he hath of his shéepe Dauid speaking of the prouidence of God and exhorting euerie man to relie and trust vpon it as he did sayth The Lorde is my shepheard I shall not want anie thing And in another place where hee compareth the state of the wicked with the godly he speaketh thus of the godly The vpright men shall not be confounded in the perilous time and in the daies of famine they shal haue enough But the wicked shall perish and the enimies of the Lord shalbe coÌ„sumed as the fat of laÌ„bs euen as the smoake shall they consume awaie Hee goeth further The wicked borroweth and paieth not againe but the righteous is mercifull and lendeth For such as be blessed of God shall inherite the land and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off And a little after I haue bene young and am olde yet I sawe neuer the righteous forsaken or his seede begging bread but he is euer mercifull and lendeth and his seede inioyeth the blessing for eueâ—… Let then the sickman leaue his children to the safegard and protection of God For he cannot procure them a better or more faithful gardian Hee néede not stande in feare of them so they contayn themselues within his obedience and walke in his feare vprightly in all singlenes and simplicitie of heart Hetherto haue we spoken of those things which we must set downe vnto the sicke patient as well to instruct him as to comfort and exhort him to doe his endeauour and also of the meanes that he must vse to fortifie himselfe agaynst the temptations by the which he may bee assayled in time of sicknesse It resteth now that we make a recapitulation of all this discourse that the Reader may comprehende and note briefly the summe of all that wée haue spoken in this Treatise and so vse it to the comfort of the sick as he shal find it most expedient Salomon sayth It is better to go in to the house of mourning then into the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the liuing shall lay it to his heart Teaching vs therby y â— the chifest studie exercise y â— a man should vse in this life is to meditate of the srailenes miserie shortnes inconstancie vncertaintie of the same alwaies setting our end before our eies that is death which is redy at euerie stride that we take to tread on our héeles and neuer makes vs priuie neither houre nor day when he coÌ„meth to cal vs like a doore kéeper before our iudge to giue accouÌ„t vnto him of y â— whole courâ—…e of our life It is very good then for vs to haue it alwaies in memorie that we may gird vp our loines kéepe our lampes alwaies burning in our hands least we bée surprised by the quicke comming of our spouse vnlooked for But let vs be readie to receiue him when he commeth go with him into his rest But forasmuch as the loue of this life the swéetnes and pleasures of this worlde doe cast vs in a sléepe oftentimes and distract our mindes from remembrance of these things to awake our selues wee cannot doe better then to frequent the houses of those that are visited by the hand of God and the hospitalls and houses of God not onely to sée and beholde on euerie side the examples and images of the corruption and mortalitie of our poore nature to this end that we may huÌ„ble our selues and containe our selues within the bounds of modestie but also to put our charitie in vre in comforting and making strong the poore languishing and afflicted members of Iesus Christ. First then we must shew them that all our diseases come from God who sendeth them somtimes to correct vs bring vs backe from our wickednes sometime to proue and make triall of
the merite of the death and passion of the same Iesus Christ in whose name you present vnto him this holy prayer the which he taught vs saying from the bottome of your heart Our Father which art in heauen c. Then do acknowledge from the bottome of your heart your vnrighteousnes be sorrowfull for your sinnes repent your selfe vnfainedly and the kingdome of God will drawâ—… nigh vnto you Confesse that there is no righteousnes no innocencie no good workes neither of yours nor in you but that as the childe of wrath conceiued and borne in the sinne of olde Adam you merite eternall death and damnation And yet all the sinnes in the world when you shall haue committed them all are not able to make you afeard For Iesus Christ the very sonne of the eternal God became verie man conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie to sanctifie you and make you cleane from sinne He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate many afflictions and iniurious torments making him selfe a slaue and a captiue to set you out of captiuitie Iesus Christ was crucified as one accurst vpon the trée of the crosse to deliuer you from the eternall curse Iesus Christ was dead and shedde his precious bloud to wash you to redéeme you and to deliuer you from death hell and the power of Sathan Iesus Christ was buryed in the graue to burie all your sinnes with him the which he hath borne and blotted out Iesus Christ descended into hell in suffering an extreame anguish to delyuer you from all the paines and dolours of death Iesus Christ is risen vp again from the dead to make you rise againe in your own bodies resplendent with glorious immortalitie Iesus Christ is ascended vp into the heauens that after him you should ascend also Iesus Christ sitteth at y â— right hand of God the father almightie béeing your aduocate and mediator to him the propitiation for all your sinnes We looke that he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead to reward euerie man according to his workes But to the faithfull that beléeue in him he shall not impute their sins for hauing iustified them by his grace hée shal make them raigne with him for euer in his heauenly throne N. Such is the great mysterie of our redemption the which by the grace of the holy Ghost you ought firmely beléeue to haue bene wrought for your saluation Doubt not then at al but by the merite of Iesus Christ the head of his Church you are incorporate and engrafted a member into the same thanking him in all humilitie that it hath pleased him of his greate grace that you haue liued in the communion and fellowship of his faithfull people nourishing you with his word and with his bodie and bloud confessing assuredly the great mercie of God by the forgiuenesse of all your sinnes the which hée hath vouchsafed you thorough Iesus Christe who shall rayse you vp againe at the last daie to make you raigne with him in life euerlasting the which he hath promised to all those that beléeue in him being baptised in his name Nowe N. séeing that you haue this faith doubt not but to receiue the promise of faith for God is true of his promise he is no liar as men are First heauen and earth shall passe but the word of God abideth for euer God he is your father and creator you are his creature the workmanship of his handes He hath not made you to destroy you For he is the sauiour of all men and will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turn from his wickednes and liue Wherefore I announce vnto you in the name of God that by his great bountie and mercie hee doeth fréely giue vnto you full pardon and remission of all your sinnes by the onely merite of his sonne Iesus Christe our sauiour in the shedding of his most precious bloud for it is the propitiation not onely for our sins but also for the sinnes of the whole world N. Iesus Christ sayeth by his owne mouth that all things are possible to him that beléeueth Beléeue then without all doubt that Iesus Christ inuesting our flesh is become verie man and died for vs hauing borne all our sinnes in his owne bodie to wipe them out and deface them Present vnto God the precious death of his sonne Iesus Christ and by the merit of the same death and passion aske him mercie and forgiuenes saying with great humilitie and repentance from the bottome of your heart Lord God Father almightie haue mercie vpon me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ my Lorde and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion please to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands N. You must haue a firme beléefe and trust in God For if hee bée on your side who can be agaynst you for Iesus Christ who is the immaculate lambe hath ouercome all for you He hath offered himselfe once for all and by that one oblation hath defaced all our sinnes He hath raced out our folly and vnrighteousnes abhomination and the obligation that the deuill had against you and with this good Lord and master Iesus Christ God the father hath giuen you all things N. Fortifie your selfe then in Iesus Christ who calleth and inuiteth you by his Proohets Apostles and Euangelists to come fréely vnto him saylng All you that thirst come to mee and drinke your fill Come io me all ye that trauaile and bee heauie laden and I will refreshe you N. Beléeue assuredly that Iesus Christ hath acquited and discharged you from all your sinnes and hath reconciled you to God his Father vnto whom with great humility and repentance say from the bottome of your heart Lord God Father almightie haue mercie vpon me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christe my Lorde and Sauiour and by the meriâ—…e of his death and passion please to receiue my soule the whiche I commende into thy hands N. Haue then a good hope for certainly hée will receiue your soule as his owne for the loue of his sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde who is the Sauiour and redéemer of all those that beleeue in him Moses and all the prophets haue witnesses that all Nations shall receiue saluation and blessing from Iesus Christe The Apostles and Euangelistes witnesse that Iesus Christ is not come to call the iust but sinners to repentance and to giue his lyfe for the redemption of many for hee hath shed his bloud for the remission of sinnes Beléeue then and doubte not in anie case For Iesus Christ hath purged and washed you cleane from all your sinnes hauing promised that all those that beléeue in him and his Father who sent him shoulde haue life euerlasting and shoulde not come into iudgement but
passe straighte from death vnto lyfe Now N. bée of good chéere in Iesus Christe for hee hath loued you dearely and washed you from all your sinnes by his bloud Haue then a strong faith and valyant resolution to encounter couragiouslie with your aduersarie You néede none other buckler to defend you but the precious bloud of Iesus Christ the which by the vertue of his death and passion hath reconciled you to God the father vnto whom with great humilitie and true repentance you must saie Lord God Father almightie haue mercie on me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion vouchsafe to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands N. Haue a good hope and firme faith that this good God full of mercie and compassion wil receiue your soule as his own into his handes for the loue of his son Iesus Christ. For there is none other mean vnder heauen giuen vnto men by the which we must be saued no other saluatioÌ„ but in Iesus Christ. Arme your selues then with this Iesus Christ for hee hath done all for you He hath accomplished the law for you He hath vanquished all your enemies that fight to ouercome you Now N. reioyce your selues in God stand firme in this liuely faith Followe and imitate the holy Patriarches Prophets and Apostles who are all saued in this faith who assured you that your aduersarie cannot anie waie hurt you For your processe is gotten by Iesus Christ who is both your iudge and your aduocate Wherefore you may boldly say with a stedfast beléefe When I shoulde walke in the shadowe of death I shall feare none euill for thou Lord art with me Then good N. be neuer a wearie saying from the bottome of your heart in all true humilitie and repentance Lord God Father almightie haue mercie on me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion vouchsafe to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands A verie godly Praier for one that is grieuously afflicted by sicknes and readie to die ECCLESIASTICVS 18. Vse Phisick before thou be sicke examine thy selfe before thou be iudged and in the daie of visitation thou shalt finde mercie God doth admonish vs to praie continually but especially when wée are touched with his rods of correction Wherefore all the kindred faithfull friends who visite the sick person ought not onely to visite and haue a care of his bodie but also séeke some spiritual medicine for his soule And this must bee done by good praiers confession of sinnes and Christian exhortation according to the worde of God without the which no man can liue And that all things may be done orderly and zealously the assistance must prostrate themselues before the maiestie of GOD saying Our aide is in the name of God And then saie the generall confession of sinnes and after that this praier as followeth LOrd God almightie and Father of mercie we that are assembled together in the name of thy welbeloued sonne our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ trusting vpon his grace and fauour we haue bin so bolde as to come before thée to call vpon thy holy name making our onely refuge in thy soueraigne bountie y e which we desire not onely to féele and tast in our selues but also in y â— extremitie of thy poore creature who is grieuously afflicted with sicknes of bodie affliction and calamitie of minde We knowe Lord that thou doest iustly visite chastise him with thy rods to make him vnderstand and féele thy fatherly affection towards him But thy great mercies which thou wast wont to vse towards our Fathers are not yet at an end and clean forgotten For thou art that great God eternell full of pittie and compassion which neuer changest Thy holy word doth teach vs plaine that the earth is full of thy mercies the which doe farre surpasse thy iustice Wherefore O Lord appease thy wrath towards this thy creature Haue pittie and compassion on him for the loue of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Looke not vpon his sinnes but looke vppon the face of thy Christ who hath fully satisffed for him in offering to thée the greate sacrifice of his body vppon the crosse We beséech thée then most gracious and mercifull â—…ather make him â—…éele thy grace the which thou hast neuer â—…efused to giue vnto anie of thy châ—…ldren And because thou art our Father for euer who alwaies knowest what is necessarie and expedient for our saluation we do not pray and beséech thée to prolong or abridge his life for we rest our selues wholy vpon thy holy will the which we desire onely to please Thou art wise enough without anie other counsell to dispose of thy creature according to thy good pleasure But if it please thée to call him awaie who is hée that is able to resiste Or if thou wilt restore him his health again who is he that can or dare reprehend thée For all things are in thy handes nothing is done without thy holy will prouidence Although Lord if of thy fauourable grace thou prolong his daies thy rod shal serue for a chastisement to amend him and turne him to thée we with him shal yéeld thée thanks and praise But if it bee thy determinate will to let him passe into a better life wée beséech thée for thy sonne Iesus Christ his sake to forget all his sins and offences the which thou hast 〈◊〉 out and washed away by the 〈◊〉 of his most precious bloud Let it please thée by the merit of the death 〈◊〉 passion of thy sonne to receiue his soule into thy hands when thou shalt call him out of this world Lord God despise not the work of thy hands for sée here thy poore creature almost at the last gaspe which calleth vnto thée from the depth of all his languishes and miseries presenting thée with his sorrowful penitent soule with an humble contrite hart the which we beséech thée to accept of for the loue of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord in whose name thou hast promised to heare our praiers Wherefore Lord we beséech thée to take vs into thy tuition and to illuminate our hearts and vnderstandings that we may stil come to thée and cal vpon thy holy name as thy sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour hath taught vs to call vpon thée in all time of our néede saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Lastly most mercifull and gracious God and father may it please thée we beséech thée to vpholde vs alwayes by thy grace and power that by the infirmitie of our fleshe wée doe not stumble and fall and for that wée of our selues are so weake that wée
fountaine of life of all felicitie might proceede any miserie or affilction wherin they were not deceiued but in this onely that from a good Maxime they drewe a naughtie conclusion For in trueth the good in so high degree as God is that is to saye soueraigne and infinite cannot produce any euill no more than fire can any thing that is colde light darknen or life death And the reason is because God after that he had created the world and all that therein is contained considered throughly all the workemanship of his hands beare witnes that they were all perfect good And this is not simply to be vnderstood of all things that God created and made but it extendeth also to all things that God doth without any exception For séeing that God is alwayes like to himselfe and that in him as Saint Iames sayth there is no changing at all no not the least shadowe of alteration and as his bountie is eternall so at all times can it produce nothing but good workes and doe those things that are good And this is the reason which he gaue aunswering by his Prophet to the people who complained of the grieuous calamities that did ouerpresse them that he was by no meanes the causer thereof as for him he onely had procured their benefit and safegard but that they were cause of their owne ruine and of all the desolatioÌ„s that happened to them in their countrey For as the fire kindleth but fire and other things semblably do produce things of their own qualitie and nature alike so doeth God to from whom can proceede none euill because he is perfectly good But then wil some man saye why sicknes and diseases famin pouertie dearth warres are not these euils plagues that God doth sende vpon vs and is not he then the author and causer of them God sendeth them in deede as well vpon the good as the bad on the one to punish their sinnes which is a verie good déede and a deede of Iustice on the other to trye their patience or to bring them to repentance Thus if we would be good seruants and fitly applye these sicknesses that God doeth send amongst vs referring them to their right ende wee should reape thereby much profit many goodly instructions First then there is nothing so needefull as to knowe our owne sinnes the corruption and vice that is in vs to the ende wee may humble our selues before God and dispose our selues to beseech and seeke his grace and fauour the onely meane whereby they may be remitted couered and hid before him that so wee may auoide and escape his iudgement and the condemnation which otherwise shall be appointed for vs if our sinnes be not pardoned But wee are so naturally blinded in our owne iudgement by reason of the excessiue selfeloue that we haue in our selues which doth blindfolde our eyes that wee cannot perceiue nor discouer the malice hipocrisie false dealing pride vanitie defyance of one another iniustice impietie idolatrie inhumanitie and all this lumpe of wickednes which lurketh in our heart from our birth hatcheth euery day more and more as occasions shall serue to commit euil For although we séeke to keepe close for a while the malice which we haue conceiued in our hearts as women do which say they are not with chyld till their bellie begin to swell and til the daye of their deliuerie drawe neere and then they must needes confesse that which before they stoutly denyed So doe wee neuer confesie our sinnes vntil wee be by manifest proofes conuinced and yet then wee stand to debate and diminish still some thing from the enormitie of our faultes and offences whereof we haue a notable example in our first Parents who when they stood before the face of God from whom nothing maye be concealed or hidden their owne consciences accusing them yet they sought by all craftie means they could to counterfait and laye one from another the fault that they had committed coulde not be induced neyther by the feare and reuerence of God who being present spake vnto theÌ„ neither by the accusation and witnes of their own consciences which vrged them sore on euery side but to confesse clearely and without any doubling their disobedience their ingratitude and ambition by the which they were cast headlong from the happie blessed estate wherein they were a little before Whereby we may see how harde a matter it is for men to acknowledge and confesse their sinnes sincerely and without hipocrisie Wee may see also by the Patriarches who dissembled all their wickednes cruell and inhumaine-conspiracie that they had wrought against their poore brother which they neuer acknowledged til they were constrained by the anguish and distresse into the which God brought them to make them remember call to minde And how long time was Dauid a sleepe in his sinne and neuer once thought vpon it till he felt the hande of God touch him so sore that he found himself almost intrapped of his enimies as he confesseth himselfe Thy hand is heauie vpon mee day and night my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquitie for I thought I will confesse my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne And Saint Peter after that he had so often times denyed his maister swearing and cursing himselfe if he euer had knowen him before had he not perseuered still in his sinne and abandoned himselfe wholly from the Church of God as Iudas did and many other Apostataes which do so daily if Iesus Christ had not cast his eye vpon him by his looking vpon him pearced so déep within his conscience to make him feele and bewaile his sinne And likewise S. Paul who like a madde raging beast ranne about euery where seeking to kill and slaie all the poore Christians he could come by in what case had he beene if he had not repented him of his sinnes But contrariwise had he not persisted in his obstinacie and hardnes of heart to waste and scatter the flocke had not the strong and mighty arme of the shepheard wâ—…o watched carefully to saue his flock stopt him of his iourney and kept him short by force making him to acknowledge perceiue the great hurt and iniury he did to the poore sheepe By these few examples wee may easily perceiue that men although they beouer whelmed and filled with an infinite number of sinnes yet they cannot acknowledge them or haue feeling of them if God do not giue them the grace to set them before their eyes And this is the reason that in many places of holy Scripture Repentance which partly consisteth in the knowledge and displeasure that man conceaueth of his sinne is called the gift of God For as we cannot know God nor those good thinges which wee ought to