all and what soeuer hee hath earned and obtained with his Obedience Death and Passion With this holy Sacrament should wee admonish and comfort our selues when sorrow and the combate of death is at the greatest that wee cannot rememâ—er any thing else and think and say thus much in our hearts I am baptized whereby God the holy Trinity hath made an euerlasting couenant with mée that he will bée and continue my GOD and hath not grounded the same vpon my goodnes but vpon his infinite mercy the merits of his onely Sonne and vpon the grace and power of the holy Ghost So am I absolued through Christ and haue oftentimes receiued the holy supper of the Lord according to his institution therefore I am certaine of the forgiuenes of all my sins Gods grace and saluation of my soule For if the euerlasting mercifull God and my Lord Iesus with the holy Ghost would not haue mee saued or taken me to mercie he would not haue suffered mee to be baptized or called mee to his Kingdome through his holy Gospell nor let mee so often receiue the holy Sacrament Therefore should we haue these worthy Sacraments in great estimation and often resort to the holy Communion of our Lord vsing the same in right worthinesse for confirming of our faith and comfort against sin and the wrath of God in our last end A Prayer O Thou euerlasting true mercifull God and Father I thanke thee through Iesus Christ thy deare Son in the power and vnspeakeable sighing of the holy Ghost that thou hast suffred mee to be baptized in the name and power of the holy Trinity and taken me vp for thy child and through power of the keies hast absolued me from all my sinnes and fed mee with the body and bloud of thy deare Sonne for the strengthening of my faith and forgiuenesse of all my sinnes And I pray thée dear Father that thou wilt vphould me through thy holy Spirit in true saith and confidence to my end that I may sléep in peace like to holy Simeon and rise againe with the righteous to euerlasting glory through Iesus Christ thy dear Sonne our onely Lord and Sauiour Amen A Praier to bee said when a man will receiue the blessed Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ O LORD IESVS CHRIST thou liuing Sonne of God which before thy Death and Passion didst institute and ordaine to all Christians a new Testament of the most worthy Sacrament of thy most holy Body and Bloud which I poore sinner am not worthy to vse or take thy holy Body and Bloud into my vncleane mouth or vpon my sinnefull tongue and that thou béeing so great a Lord shouldest come vnder the couer of my house or into my vnprofitable Bodie I am alas not worthy But I pray thée O dear GOD and Brother open thou my mouth touch thou my tongue and purge thou my heart from all sinnes and make mee thy poore seruant worthy of thy most holy Testament that I may receiue take and vse ' thy most worthy bodie and pure deare bloud of thy Sacrament to the health and saluation of my soule strengthning of my faith amendment of my life in burning loue towards thee true loue towards my neighbour and bring mee to euerlasting life Amen A Praier of Thanksgiuing O Almighty and euerlasting God I praise and thanke thy godly mercifulnesse that thou hast fed mee with the flesh and blood of thy onely Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour and doe pray thee most humbly thou wilt with the Holy Ghost so worke within mee that I which haue receiued this blessed Sacrament with the mouth may also with constant faith conceiue and alwaies keepe fast thy godly grace of remission of sinnes and iustification with Christ which is therein shewed and promised and euerlasting life through our Lord Iesus Christ thy deare Sonne who with thee in vnitie of the holy Ghost liueth and raiâ—neth one true God for euer and euer Amen A godly confession of the deare and worthy man M. Iohn Stoliz MY sins doe trouble mee Gods grace ioyeth me Two things know I A poore sumer am I God is mereifull The first acknowledge I The second beléeue I. O God bée mereifull to mée poore sinner God giueth Christ meriteth Faith conceiueth Workes do witnesse Come to helpe mee thou good God weake is mans helpe in tune of need Esay 42. The bruised Reede shall bee not breake and the glowing Tow shall â—ee nâ—t quench out O Lord strengthen increase our faith Amen Of Gods gracious and euer lasting Prouidence and Maintenance a most true comfort Psalme 37. WHen I haue but thee my Lord Iesus Christ I care not for heauen or earth When my body and soule fayle mee yet art thou alwaies God the comforter of my heart and portion Zachary 12. OVer the house of Dauid and ouer the Citizens of Ierusalem will I powre out the Spirit of Grace and of Prayer for they shall looke vpon mée whom they haue pearced HEere doth the Lord promise to send his Holy Ghost to vs poore sinners as Saint Iohn in the 15. and 16. Chapters often maketh mention of this promise for because wée are weake and of little faith when sinne and Gods wrath doe terrifie vs to the end our faith cease not then shall the Holy-ghost as a true Comforter strengthen and comfort vs and bee witnesse to our hearts that our sinnes bee forgiuen and that weere in grace and she children of GOD and shall help vs to sigh and pray with vnspeakeable sighing Therewithall also shall the How-ghost for the comfort strengthening of our faith admonish and shew vs the holy wounds whereby wee may acknowledge that he was wounded and pearced for our sins and his blood shed for the clensing and washing away of all our sinnes II. Esay 54. SO haue I sworne that I will not bée angrie with thee nor yet reprooue thee for the Mountaines shall remoone and the hills shall fall away but my Grace shall not â—oe away from thee and the Conenant of my Peace shall not fall away saith the Lord thy compassioner GOd the Almighty hath through Christ his hest beloued Sonne erected a Conenant of peace with vs and confirmed the same with an doth That if we do beleeue in Christ hee will not punish nor yet concernne vs for euermore but continue our deare and louing Father eternally Such promise is so certaine that the Mountaines shall fall down yea Heauen and Earth shall passe away before such words faile A very glorious and comfortable cause doth the Prophet set héereunto The Lord thy Compassioner hath said that is God is so mercifull that hee will not condemne you for your sinnes Whosoeuer beléeueth in Christ with a faithfull heart shall rest in grace and hee will for euer release and helpe him out of all misfortune III. Esay 54. Feare them not thou shalt not bée ashamed Bee not weake for thou shalt not bée mocked THESE are faire and comfortable words
of God of the Holy Ghost which thou hast promised to send vs from the Father 〈…〉 so said 〈◊〉 mâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—ek thâ—â— buâ— thâ—â—◠〈◊〉 theâ— Thou art the onely euer last 〈◊〉 â—â—vasâ—parable truth There 〈◊〉 do I sâ—edfastly beleeuâ— by knowledge of the Sâ—â—tyâ—uâ—eâ— that thou art to mâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—o all Ecleeuers a 〈◊〉 hâ—pnest a seat of Grace and Aâ—uacate so thy heauenly Father and I beleeue veâ—rily notwithstanding that reason is astonished thereat that through no other Oblation workes or meanes either in Heauen or on Earth our sinnes Death Hell and damnation is ouercome and taken away and we at agreement with God thy heauenly Father but onely through thee Iesus Christ whereon I will trust and also die thereon Thereto helpe thou me thou deare God Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Amen O LORD Iesus Christ which with the Father and the Holy Ghost aâ—â— one vnseparable Essence and a Fountaine of all Grace I thanke and praise thee alâ—waies that thou hast also reuealed vnto mee thy grace for my better comfort as thou hast endued thy deaâ—e Mother Mary and also other Saints with great grace and wrought wonderfull workes in them I pray thee therefore heartily to look vpon on mee with the eyes of thy mercy as thou diddest looke vpon the euill doer which was hanged vpon the Crosse by thee and diddest open his heart that hee confessed his sinnes and was mightily afraide of them but yet despaired not but confessed desired thy grace and mercy which thou gauest to him willingly and plentifully Also Saint Peter which denied thee and Mary Magdalen in her sinfull liuing And hast also respected Mathew the Customer in open estate Saint Paul a raging and earnest persecutour of Christians Also in the old Testament Dauid King Manasses the Tyrant and other sinners more which thou didst bring to repentance and confession of their sins and of pure loue grace and mercy which thou didst reueal vnto them by thy holy Word hast placed them with thee in thy Kingdome Therfore dear God and mercifull Father will I strengthen my self so much the more and doubt nothing thereof These and other godly people of worth which thou of thy grace hast taken out of this sinfull life to righteousnes are a comfort and example to mee and all beléeuing Christians that thou wast mercifull to them and so wilt be to me and to euery sinner which repents according to thy owne pure loue which the holy Ghost through faith in the Gospell worketh in vs both gracious and mercifull and grants vs a happy end in such acknowledging of thy Name Which help thou me with and all Christians dear God Father Sonne and holy Ghost which art in three inseparable persons one only and euerlasting GOD for euer Amen Heer follow certain Praiers to call vpon God for strengthening of our faith O LORD â—ESUS CHRIST strengthen mée also with thy holy Spirit in my feare and quaking And admonish me that I thinke vpon thy sacred Wounds in my last end And let not thy holy and bitter Passion bee lost on mee poore sinner thou which art therefore come that thou maist destroy the Diuels worke and pay and counterpoize my sinnes with thy hard and painfull labor and thou which hast sworne Thou wilt not the death of a sinner Strengthen my weak faith and kéep mee through thy Spirit of grace and of praier vnto a happy end Amen A Prayer O Lord Iesus Christ I confesse vnto thée my great and manifold sins and the righteous wrath of God and euerlasting punishment which I haue deserued But I comfort my self with the great loue and pure mercy of thy Father and pray thee séeing thy bloud is more than the sinnes of the whole world and thou art our Mediatour and Aduocate that thou wilt bee Intercessor for mee to thy Father that my faith doo not diminish and that I neuer despaire of thy mercy for my sinnes Amen A Praier O Lord Iesus Christ increase my faith and trust in thée that I despair not of thy gracious mercy nor in my greatest sin perish in vnbeleef O Lord preserue for mee thy promised grace in the holy Gospell let it not come out of my heart Thou art my onely comfort and hope stand to me in this my sorrow Let not my poor soule come into the hands of my horrible Aduersary and giue him no power ouer me But shew mee thy goodnes at this present for thou art my Sauiour and Redéemer Amen A Prayer O Lord Iesus Christ I pray thee through thy goodnes and mercy that thou wilt strengthen my soule vpon thy holy way which lyeth before me into thy heauenly and euerlasting Kingdome I beléeue that thou diedst for my sake hast of thy grace and mercy forgiuen mee my sins and that euerlasting life is promised to mee Of this my faith O Lord shall thou be witnes and all thy Elect and in this faith shall bee my last Will to die therein O Lord in thy pure mercy And although I through griefe want of sense or other troubles should fall off from the same yet O Lord let mâ—e not die in vnbelief and blasphemy but strengthen and increase my faith that neither sinne hell nor diuell hurt me Thou art stronger and of more power than all they whereunto I will trust Lord let me not be confounded Amen A comfort out of holy Scripture against the feare of sinne ESAY 12. Behold God is my saluation I am safe and feare not for God the Lord is my strength my Psalm and my saluation The first Comfort How a man should comfort himself against sin and the just anger of God out of the comfortable promises of the holy Scripture The first comfortable sentence GENESIS 3. The Seed of the Woman shall tread down the head of the Serpent THis is the first Euangelicall Doctrine of the euerlasting Sonne of God in Paradise reuealed vnto the fallen and damned mankinde whereby he might be released againe from death Gods wrath Sinne Hell and power of the Diuell and might obtaine through beliefe in these words Comfort Grace Remission on of sinnes and euerlasting life And with this Promise haue all the holy men comforted themselues vntill Abraham two thousand yéers long for héer doth GOD tell vs that he euen of pure loue and mercy will send vnto vs poore damned sinners his onely and deare Sount borne of a Uirgine to take vpon him mortall and humane flesh and bloud who should with his absolute Obedience and Passion pay the ransome of our sinnes pacifie GOD's wrath kindled by reason of our sinnes destroy Death through his death and with his victory and rising againe restore againe righteousnesse resurrection and euerlastinâ—g life This comfort should wée conceiue with faithfull harts and bee certaine thereof that the Diuels workes are destroyed for oâ—r sakes and all his power taken away that wee neuer néed to bée afraid of sinne death hell or God's anger but through Iesus Christ our Lord true God and
neither goods fâ—iends riches mony or gold nor any other temporall matter or thing wherein he had peraduenture héere to fore put his trust can counsell or help yet hath he heere by Christs word a sure and certayne comfort and a powerfull counsell whereby hee shall bee râ—ght and well yea prosper and bee holpen for euermore This dee the poore Christians acknowledge in 〈◊〉 Therefore when they should depart out of this miscrable life and leaue all that is temporall they doe take hold of this happie comfort and counsell of the holy Gospel in their hearts and die therein happily Thus Saint Peter comforted himselfe Iohn 6. Thou hast the word of life And the Apostle Saint Paul in the first chapter of his Epistle to the Romans The Gospel of Christ Iesus is the power of of God to saluation to all that beleeue How a man should comfort him selfe against sinne and Gods iust indignation Other general comfortable sentences ESAY 1. IF your sinnes were redde like blood yet shall they bee white as Snow and if they were like purple they shall be like wooll Esay 2. The Lord will not iudge according to the sight of his eies nor punish according to the hearing of his eares But will with righteousnes iudge the poore Esay 6. Thou kéepest continuall peace according to sure promise for man relyeth vpon thée Therefore rely you vpon the Lord alwaies for God the Lord is an euerlasting Rocke Esay 27. God is not angry with me Esay 38. Thou hast heartily accepted my Soule that it perish not for thou hast cast all my sins backward behind thee Esay 40. Comfort my people saith your God speake faire to leru â—aleâ—r and preach to her that her warrefare is at air end her misdeâ—des are pardoned for shee hath receiued double from the hands of the Lord for all her sinnes Esay 44. Israel d ee not forget mee I driue away thy misdeeds like a cloud and thy sinnes like a mist Turne thee vnto me for I haue redâ—emed thee Reioyce yee Heauens for the Lord hath done it Esay 53. Hée was wounded for our misdeeds and beaten for our sins The punishment was laid vpon him that we might haue peace and through his wounds are wee healed Esay 53. Through his knowledge shall my righteous Seruant make many righteous for he beareth their sinne Esay 64. Thou Lord art our Father and Redeemer from the beginning hitherto that was thy name Esay 66. I haue respect to the wretched and him that is of a lowly spirit which is afraid of my Word â—zechiel 33. So sure as I liue I will not she death of a sinner but that hée turne from his wickednesse and liue Dan. 9. In the Lord our God is mercifulnesse and forgiuenesse Zachary 9. Thou redeemest also through the bloud of thy Couenant thy Prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water Micheas 7. Who is such a God as thou art which forgiuest sins and releasest misdeeds Ierem. Hée is mercifull hee will take pitty on vs againe put downe our wickednesse and cast all our sins into the bottome of the Sea Ionas 4. I know that thou art gracious mercifull long suffering and of great goodnesse and repentest thée of euill Psal 13. I hope vpon thée because thou art so merciful my heart reioyceth that thou so willingly helpest Psal 25. The Lord is good and gracious therefore directeth hée sinners vpon the right way Psal 22. I said I will confesse my trans ressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest mee the inquity of my sinne Psal 31. I rejoyced and was glad in thy goodnesse that thou didst consider my misery and know my soule in his need Iohn 3. God hath sent his Sonne into the world not to iudge the world but that the world through him might bee saued Whosoeuer beléeueth on him shall not bee iudged Iohn 3 Like as Moses sifted vp the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the Sonne of man bee lifted vp to the end that all which beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 1. This is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world Iohn 6. This is the will of him which sent mee that whosoeuer looketh on the Son and beléeueth in him hath euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Iohn 6. Verily verily I say vnto you whosoeuer beleeueth on mee hath euerlasting life Math. 1. The Angell saith of Christ Hée shall saue his people from their sinnes Mathew 9. I am come to call sinners to repentance and not the righteous Luke 24. Thus it is written and so must Christ suffer And in his name doe they preach Repentance and forgiuenesse of sins amongst all people Acts 4. There is no other saluation nor any other name giuen to mankinde whereby they should be saued Acts 10. Of Christ doo all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name all they which beléeue in him should receiue remission of sinnes 1. Tim. 1. This is a true and worthy Saying that Iesus Christ is comne into the world to saue poor sinners 1. Tim. 2. There is one GOD and one Mediatour betwirt God and man namely the Man Christ Iesus who gaue himself for vs to the redemption of all 1 Iohn 2. If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with GOD the Father Iesus Christ who maketh vs righteous and hee is the atonement for our sinnes 1 Iohn 4. GOD hath loued vs and sent his Son for a reconciliation of our sins 1 Peter 2. Christ hath offered vp our sinnes himselfe with his body vpon the Crosse to the end we might be frée from sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse through whose wounds you are healed 1 Cor. 1. Christ is made to vs from God for righteousnes glory and redemption 1 Thes 5. GOD hath not appointed vs to wrath but to attaine saluation through our Lord Iesus Christ which died for vs. 1 Pet. 1. Ye are not redéemed with transitorie siluer or gold but with the most precious bloud of Christ like a guiltlesse and vnspotted Lamb. 1. Iohn 1. The bloud of Iesus Christ maketh vs cleane from all sinne Mat. 9. Be comforted my sonne thy sins are forgiuen thée The second comfort against sin and the right wrath of God out of examples of holy Scripture BEsides these mercifull promises God hath caused many comfortable examples to bee written in the sacred Scriptures how hee hath taken the greatest sinners to mercy when they haue méekely acknowledged and confessed their sinnes belieued in Iesus Christ and amended their liues and all for the comfort of vs poore sinners For when sinne and Gods wrath is rightly felt in our harts some man is somtimes so troubled therewith that no comfortable Sayings will enter into the heart but hée thinks alwaies Ah! GOD speaks not of such great sinners as thou art But that the mercifull God not onely promiseth forgiuenes of all great and manifold sinnes but sheweth also indéed what sinners and wicked people hee
hath iustified he hath set downe diuers examples which in our feare and despaire wee may set before vs for a singular comfort First as these first Adam and â—â—e the greatest sinners blasphemers and murderers of all mankinde by whose sins and disobedience all sin shame death and euerlasting damnation came ouer all men and yet GOD made them pure and holy after his owne Image Then when they were fallen into sin and disobedience GOD shewed this mercy vnto them and receiued them again for the promised blessed Séeds sake as the first Euangelicall Promise was giuen to them for a comfort Genesis 3. which they beséeued though they had no example of the forgiuenesse of sins Secondly Abraham was an idolatrous man and serued the idols of Vr in Chaldea to him did GOD giue the Promise of the blessed Séed and made him a Father of all Beléeuers that is as Esay in his fortith Chapter reporteth Comfort my people saith the Lord for their offenses are forgiuen and they haue receiued double from the Lords hands for all their misdeeds But this is double that GOD first remitteth to vs the sinne and releaseth to vs the punishment of the sinne and after giueth vs withall euerlasting righteousnes and saluation that wee may liue and raigne with him in euerlasting righteousnes ioy and glory Thirdly Dauid though an abominable wedlock-breaker and murderer hath forgiuenes of sins for Christ's sake and is saued for euer Fourthly Manasses the cruell and raging tyrant who with a Saw caused the holy Prophet Esay to bee cut in sunder when he had preached eighty yeers in great pain and labour and spilled much innocent blood set vp all heathnish idolatry letting his owne son passe through the fire and lastly offred him vp aliue to Moloch then when he was in prison he turned and humbled himselfe vnto God and prayed him with teares the Lord God did heare him and brought him again to Ierusalem to the earthly and heauenly Kingdom 2 Kings 27. Fiftly what a great sinner was the thief on Christs right hand and other intolerable Vsurers Publican sinners Sirtly how grossely haue the deare Apostles oft-times gon astray How horribly fel Saint Peter when he denied his Master in taking-vpon him so much cursed himself What innocent bloud did Saint Paul help to spil when he was a persecuter of Christ his Congregation For all these Christ prayed forgaue them all their sinnes and saued them for euer Also through them hee did much good in Christendome Seuenthly Christ also had many sinners in his kinred and are so registred which were his Grandfathers and Grandmothers according to the flesh as Iuda the bloud-thirsty Rachab the common Harlot and Heathen at Iericho to shew thereby that he was comne into this world to saue sinners These examples hath Almighty GOD through the holy Ghost written vp for the learning and comfort of vs poor and wretched sinners that wée should beleeue God will forgiue vs all our sinnes for his Sonnes sake as often and as horribly as wée haue offended not that wée should thinke our selues safe and presumptuously sin on such mercy of the â—ord but that we might haue a sure comfort and consolation against sinne and damnation that wée despaire not by reason of our sinnes or flée away from Christ which is the onely sin whereby the world was damned Iohn the sixtéenth Chapter As the Apostle Saint Paul also sheweth vs this profit 1 Tim. 1. where hee writeth thus This is a true Saying that Iesus Christ is comne into the world to saue sinners among which I am the chief But mercy is shewed to me in this respect that Iesus Christ hath shewed patience on mee for example that all that beléeue in him should haue euerlasting life Therefore to God the eternal king the vntransitory inuisible and onely wise God bee all praise and glory for euer Amen A Praier O Lord Iesus Christ thou onely Fountaine of all grace and mercy thou neuer didst deny thine endless mercy neither to Mathew nor the Publican nor Mary Magdalen nor the lost sonne nor to Peter nor Zacheus the Tole-keeper nor to the Thief on the Crosse nor yet to any mankinde Thou hast spoken with fatherly comfortable spéeches Come vnto me all you that labour and are heauy laden and I will refresh you O take care of mee and look vpon mee with thine eyes of godly compassion euen as thou didst look vpon Peter I a poor and vnworthy sinner doo stand before thée laden with so many great sins and offenses that by reason thereof I cannot look vp being both abashed and asham'd before that godly Maiestie whom I haue grieuously offended and knowe not what to say O Lord be mercifull to me a wretched sinner turn away thy wrath and impart thy mercy with me Which I do desire with hearty tears through the merits of Christ Iesus our alone Lord and Redéemer The third comfort against sinne and Gods wrath out of the holy Sacrament Esay 4. THe Lord shal wash away the filthinesse from the daughter of Sion and shall purge the bloudy sinne from Ierusalem by the Spirit of iudgement and by the Spirit of burning Esay 12. With ioy and consolation shall you draw water from out of the Well of Saluation Zach. 13. At that time shall the house of Dauid and the Citizens of Ierusalem haue a free and open Well against sinne and vncleannesse Mark 16. Whosoeuer beléeueth and is baptized shall be saued Acts 2. Peter saith Repent and let euery one bée baptized in the Name of Iesus Châ—ist our Sauiour for the remission of sinnes Iohn 20. Christ saith to his Apostles Receiue the holy Ghost whose sins you forgiue they are forgiuen Mat. 26. Christ saith This is my bloud of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins BEcause oftentimes tribulation grief is so great and sorrow with the combate of death so ouertakes vs that we cannot hastily and in such great weaknesse remember our selues of any sentence or example and that a man begins often to despair whether God hath forgiuen him his sinnes and will be mercifull to him and if Christs bloud especially bee shed for him also so there hath the Lord of his great loue not onely giuen vs his holy promise and set downe comfortable examples especially the holy and worthy Sacraments that is to say Baptism and his holy Supper which hee hath instituted and ordained for remission of sinnes especially to all them that are baptized in his bloud and absolueth euery one of all their transgressions that hée may bée sure hée is also cleare thereof in heauâ—n before the face of God and féedeth euery one seuerally with his Body and precious Bloud to the end hée may bee assured Christs Bloud was shed for his sins and his Body offred vp also for his mis-déeds and giueth the same to euery one that receiueth the same in true Faith acknowledging his sinnes and in good pretense
The Holy Ghost seeth how flesh and bloud doe forment vs Christians for although they haue exceeding promises and sure comfort yet is this weakenesse continually by it that their hearts bee fearefull and weake They are astonished at the diuels power and are afraide by reason of their vnablenesse for because examples doe stand before our eyes how God doth sometime let the godly fall therefore feare they the like will happen vnto them but God comforteth them they shall not bee ashamed nor mocked that is God will not let them die or perish in their sinnes but he will redéene them and help them for euer For to bee ashamed is nothing else in the Scripture but when hope faileth and is in vaine So the Rich man hoped in his money goods but he was ashamed therby for a thousand things may happen to them where neyther money nor goods will help at all So must therbe â—shamed who hope vpon I clatrie their owne goodnesse But they which set their hope on God that hee will for Christs sake bée mercifull and help and saue them this hope is sure â—letteth them not be ashamed So did Dauid comfort himselfe Psalme 31. Vpon thee doe I trust let me not be ashamed release me through thy righteousnesse III. Esay 54. Thou shalt bée prepared through righteousnes Thou shalt bee farre from force and wrong that thou needest not bée afraide thereof for it shall not come neere thee HEere must thou not apply these wordes force wrong and feare temporally for with Christians héere it shall not bée otherwise but that they shall bée oppressed and sundry wayes made afraid as Experience sheweth And Christ saith In the world you shall haue sorrow But the Holy Ghost speaketh of Force Wrong and Feare that is euer and eternally from which Christians are sledde away through remission of sinnes which they beléeue through Christ for they know that GOD is their Father although he let them suffer corporally they comfort themselues with his helpe and grace and know whilest they haue Christ they cannot misse V. Esay 49. Sion saith The Lord hath forsaken me The Lord hath forgotten me Can a woman forget her Childe that shée take not pitty of the sonne of her body and although shée should forget it yet will I not forget thee Behould I haue marked thee in the very hand When the Lord God a little suffereth vs to fall into apparent need crosse and sufferance and helpeth not quickly then faileth often-times our comfort and we thinke God hath forgotten vs. In such tribulation hee sheweth vs a comfortable Image to looke vpon and to learne therby to strengthen our faith Thou art saith he a father or mother hast louing children tell me if thy child should be for a while from thee couldest thou forget it Oh no it is impossible for any that are in their right wits or that haue any reason or vnderstanding for children come from the heart and goe to the heart againe But to me saith the Lord it is more impossible for my heart is not so sickle as mans neither is my grace so short or narrow I haue an eternall grace and mercy therefore can I as little forget my Christians as mine hand they are noted in my hand I thinke on them continually they are alwayes before my godly eies that I must see them and cannot forget them yea doe vphold them also through the right hand of my Righteousnes so that no man neither Sinne Hell Death nor Diuell can by any meanes pull them out of my hand VI. Psal 8. Thou hast put all things vnder his feete WEe poore Creatures are afraid of this vile naughty world the Turke Death and his beggerly sicknesse and of the very Diuell and are afraide of his tyranny and hellish power which is naturall but when wee acknowledge our Lord Iesus Christ and what power and might hée hath wherefore neede we be afraid As the Church singeth very comfortably out of the sixe and fortie Psalme If all the world fell diuels were and would vs all deuoure Yet need we not theÌ„ for to seare of vs they haue no power For this Champion which is alwaies our Sauiour and Emanuel is alwayes by vs and hath such power to defend vs and to vphold vs that hee will bee our stedfast rocke and bulwarke against all our Aduersaries Sinne Death and the Diuell and preserue vs euermore for God the Father hath put all things vnder his feete And this saying must not bee vnderstood of Sheepe Oren wilde beasts and Fishes of the Sea but by this word All vnderstand all Diuels all hellish rabblement Turks and Heathens In summâ— the very gates of Hell all sickenesse Plague Pestilence c. is all put vnder Christs seet that is to say vnder his power Therefore is it a sure comfort vnto vs that wee haue a strong couragious Lord to defend vs. For all the Diuels how horrible soeuer they seeme with all their armies and hellish power are noâ— able to make a Christian die without the will of the Lord Iesus Christ they must all acknowledge him to bee â—he â—â—â—rd and now the kâ—ee before him When dare not once sâ—â—re recâ—pt 〈◊〉 bee â—is will much lesse seeing hee hath with his owne blood bought vs to his euerlasting Kingdome and will not hinder vs of our saluation This comfort should euerie Christian bée sure of that hée may say I beléeue in Iesus Christ our Lord c. I am certaine that Iesus Christ is Lord of heauen and Earth yea of all in the water in the depth of Hell that hee hath all in his hands in his power and command in such sort that all the Diuels Hell and Death how raging soeuer they bee cannot crooke a â—â—ire of mée or of any member of Christ Also all diseases sicknesse or pestilence without his will cannot poyson one little veine in mee But if it doe happen with his will then must it not bee hurtfull vnto mee but a furtherance and seruiceable to my saluation A praier O My God my Lord and Father shew vnto my poore soule that it may perceiue thou art my rocke bulwark shield tower treasure defence trust helpe refuge protection and goodnesse that I in this my great néede and tribulation may through thy godly grace haue help and assistance against my aduersaries and bee preserued for euer Lord vpon thee do I trust let me neuer be ashamed Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit O Lord thou true God release thou me Amen Generall comfortable Sentences wherewith a man may comfort himselfe with Gods eternall preseruation Esay 41. THOU shalt bée my seruant for I haue chosen thee and cast thee not away Feare not I am with thée Goe not aside for I am thy God I strengthen thee I helpe thee also and I pâ—eserue thee through the right hand of my Righteousnes Esay 43. Feare thou not I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy Name thou art
and made him a great Prince ouer all the Land of Egypt So will God also doo with vs his deare children a certaine time will he leaue vs to bée troubled in misery but afterwards will he accept of vs and take pity with his euerlasting mercy will perfectly reioyce vs preserue and bring vs to euerlasting glory A Prayer O Lord God heauenly father which of thy fatherly well meaning wilt keep me thy deare Child héere on earth vnder thy rodde to the end I may bée like thine onely Sonne both in passion and afterwards in glorie I pray thee comfort mee in my tribulations and crosses with thy holy Spirit that I despaire not but according to the promises of thy Sonne doe take sure holde of this comfort that the crosses of me and all faithfull be but a little and that thou wilt with thy grace accept of vs againe in our troubles with euerlasting pitty that euerlasting ioy may follow That I through this hope may with patience ouercome all misfortunes Amen Lamen 3. It is a precious thing for a man that he carry the yoke in his youth MAny a one doth GOD lay his crosse and yoke vpon betimes in his young bloud and youth Although our flesh and bloud doe shrinke for it and would gladly forbeare it yet should wee know that it is a costly thing for a man that hée be exercised from his youth vnder the Lords yoake and bée rocked with the deare Crosse for thereby teacheth hée not onely to estéeme much of Gods help but also to thanke God from his heart for his gratious care hath kept him thereby from so many terrible sinnes which the Aduersarie in his youth did trouble him with And because hee is from his youth vsed to the Crosse therefore is hee patient for hée knoweth well that he shall find no better life heere Therefore hath hee is minde and longing to another world and occasioned to pray vnto GOD for the gracious coâ—â—â—ing of his kingdome For such and the like causes will GOD preserue vs alwaies vnder his yoke For when one crosse is scant past there cometh soone another And heere must 〈◊〉 tell an example of a Christian Pastor and Preacher which soone after the beginning of the Gospel did preach in the precinct of Weida This honest and godly man without doubt loued the Lord GOD and his holy Word entirely therefore was the Diuell his sore enemy And GOD the Lord through many afflictions did trie his faith For first not onely hée but his whole houshold wife and children were taken with a long lasting sickenesse of the French disease on which his wise and children died Not long after the horrible plague of Pestilence fell vpon him in the time of which sickneg the wilde-fire kindled in oâ—e of his armes that hee was forced to haue the same sawed off and was after wards bereaued of his senses that hée was kept in chaines Vpon whom the Lord shewed himselfe so gracious and merciful that he gat his senses againe But shortly after when hee sound himselfe very ill and weake hee called on his deare God with these and such like words O Deare God I thanke thee for thy gracious helpe and euerlasting Redemption which thou hast shewed to mee poore sinner through thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ and let so happen vnto me that thou mightest preserue mee in the same thy euerlasting grace and mercie Oh how many tribulations and sicknesses hast thou layd die vpon me from my youth hast visited me with the French disease Pestilence hast let my wife children die sent the wilde fire into my arme to bee bereaued of my wits and memorie and hast giuen mee the same againe O my deare GOD what wilt thou doe more with me and what is thy pretence Euen at that houre as he thanked his deare GOD for his euerlasting helpe that hee had so heartily accepted of his Soule and yeelded him further to GODS will and pleasure without doubt for dissoluing of this life praying with Saint Paul with his heart the falling sicknesse tooke him by the meanes whereof hee departed out of this life but was perfectly heard As God now dealt with this Christian in sending him one sorrow after an other First on his wife then shortly after vpon his children and his owne bodie c. So will hee often times do with his Christians in this life from their youth and it shall stand vs in good stead For nothing can bee dannable to them which bée in Christ Iesus This same is somewhat a horror for our senses to hear but a Christian should yéeld himselfe with patience vnto Gods will and pleasure as this Christian man did For like as the Lords yoake is a very costly thing so againe is it also a costly thing to beare the same with patience and tarry for his helpe Therefore whosoeuer is subiect vnder the Lords yoke and crosse let him here learne with the Prophet Dauid to comfort himselfe and to pray thus O deare God behold how I am heere in subiection vnder thy yoke with many miseries and troubles I know if it bée thy will that thy right hand can turne away all But if it bée not thy godly pleasure to helpe mee bodily as thou knowest what is best then giue mée the comfort of thy holie Spirit I reioyce and am glad of thy goodnesse that thou hast respect of my miserie and knowest my soule in aduersitie Psalme 31. I hope vpon thee for thou art mercifull My heart reioyceth that thou so willingly helpest Therefore O deare God although thou kill mee and let mée die vnder thy yoake and crosse yet will I not doubt nor despaire of thine euerlasting helpe A Prayer O Lord Iesus Christ the flesh is weake and vnpatient O deare Lord burne hew strike and plague mée how thou wilt I onely pray thee for patience and méekenesse Amen III. Wherefore God layeth the Crosse vpon vs. Esay 48. Behold I wil cleanse thee but not as siluer but I will make thee selected in the Furnace of Affliction for my sake will I doe it WE poore Creatures haue often gone away from God and forgotten him Therefore it is néedfull that he do cast vs into the melting Quen like vncleane and falsified siluer to bée clensed and purified to the end hée may againe haue a pleasure and delight in vs And so wée deliuered from sinne and comne againe into the feare of God may kéepe his word This is for all that no euill thing but the chiefest pretence and meanes that God spareth thy Soule taketh a while thy body thy goods wife and children c. Therewith hee thrusteth thée into the furnace of affliction that thou maiest thereby learn to acknowledge thy sinnes to be sorry for them to humble thy selfe before GOD and pray for Gods grace c. whereas otherwise if thou diddest not sticke in this furnace thou wouldest alwaies goe forward in sin and more and more fall into damnation But now whilst
and withall endlesse that it presse mée not downe but bée vnto mée a light burthen and a light yoke And lend mée likewise strength and ablenesse in putting-to thy holy arme and help to beare it till I through thy godly help shall with patience ouercome the same and that thou wouldest send to mee a happy end and hour of help with grace Amen Rom. 8. I am assured that the sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory of God which shall be shewed to vs. HEer Saint Paul the Apostle puts all the miseries of mankinde together what name soeuer they haue All diseases plagues sicknesses crosses and passions and how heauy and great such woes and miseries doo séem vnto vs and saith If all the troubles of this world were heaped together yet were all much too slight to bee compared to God's glory Why wilt thou then complain so much of troubles and mans miseries It is but a little times and then shall follow to euery Christian Beléeuer an vnmeasurable and euerlasting glory Héer in this life let no man think that it will bee better with him as Christ himselfe saith In the world you shall haue troubles c. For wée are héer in the diuels house if thou hold not with the host thou shalt haue small fauour in thy lodging Many a one thinks hee will go to another place and flée away from the mischief but wheresoeuer he commeth he findes the hoste at home Look what great dangers the Apostle Paul endured as in his first Epistle to the Corinthians and eleuenth Chapter but the hope of euerlasting life and glory to-come caried him thorow that with patience hee ouercame all As it is true that No eye hath séen nor ear hath heard nor euer came into the heart of man vhat ioyes habitation and glory is prepard for Christians and shall bee reuealed vnto them So is it most certain that they shall haue holy cleare immortall and powerfull bodies and therefore néed not feare any humane miseries death nor diuell And all these great gifts shall they haue through Christ for euermore All shall bee Gods and haue enough A poor scabbed boy or wench a poor scholar a despised begger c. which put their trust in Christ shall haue more and bée more rich thâ—n all the Emperors and Kinâ—s in this life for they shall possesse the euerlasting glory in which the Lord Iesus Christ shall crowne them with his vnwithered Garland of honour to euerlasting heauenly honour as wée vse to set Garlands on for an honour All worldly honour shall bée but childrens play to such honour and glory for there shall the Christians in glory hee like the Son of GOD himself yea Lords ouer all tyrants and persecuters ouer the holy Angels who shall bée their seruants shall stand about them and wait on them and shall in such honour and glory haue a merry constant and quiet conscience where no mis-fortune more shall ouerthrowe their ioyes their euerlasting righteousnes innocency and saluation Of which glory wee all should comfort our selues in all our afflictions then may wee through such hope with patience ouercome the Crosse So doth Saint Peter comfort vs You shall reioyce in the saluation who were a small time in sorrow Likewise S. Paul saith 2 Cor. 4. Our small and slight troubles cause to vs a far more excellent and an eternall waight of glory for wee look not vpon the visible but on the inuisible things A Praier O Dear and heauenly father I acknowledge that I for my sins sake haue well deserued all woes and miseries wherein I doo stick besides euerlasting punishment But I thank thée with all my heart that thou hast through Christ redéem'd me from such euerlasting woes and doo beléeue that these my sorrows and troubles are but smal and that vpon the same shall follow to me and all the faithfull an euerlasting and aboue all measure an excéeding glory I pray thée that thou wilt preserue me in this poor troublesome life which is so full of woes and miseries throgh comfort of thy holy Spirit in sure hope and patience to thy euerlasting honour and glory for thy dear Son Christ Iesus sake his redemption death power resurrection life and glory Amen Set thou thy cause on God indeed Hee will thee help in time of need For he that God doth trust Speed well alwaies he must Help thou Lord God euery where The body heere and the soule there A COMFORT against the fear and terror of Death and the Graue BEING An Exposition of Doctor MARTIN LVTHER written a little before his end LONDON Printed by H. L. for Iohn Parker 1624. An Exposition of D. MARTIN LVTHER written a little before his end IOHN 8. Verily verily I say vnto you If any keep my word he shall neuer see death HOW incredibly is this spoken and against manifest and daily experience in that we sée one carried away and buried Yet it is true when a man séeks after Gods Word with his hart beléeues on him and vpon the same sléeps or dies he sinks and goes hence before he might sée death or beware thereof and is for certain saued by the Word in that hee beleeueth and determineth to depart from hence Therefore should we Christians not be afraid of death Iohn 5. Verily verily I say vnto you He that hears my word and beléeues on him that sent me shal haue euerlasting life and not come into iudgement but shall passe through death into life THis may be called an excellent comfort and ratified with a solemne Oath That wee Christians when wee onely beleeue in Iesus Christ and that the Father sent him for our righteousnesse then néed we take no care for dying nor bée afraid of damnation but doo passe through this temporall death to euerlasting life that is so soone as we are dead before all mens eyes wée are in the twinkling of an eye with God in euerlasting life Who would then feare to die O vnbeliefe O originall sinne that thou shouldest so hardly beléeue so many Promises so many Miracles and such solemne Oaths of the true Son of God made vnto the Saints and children of Christ Iohn 11. I am the Resurrection and life He that beléeueth on me shall liue although hee die and who liueth and beléeueth on me shall not die for euer IN this Saying the Lord teacheth vs for what cause death is no death to vs but a beginning of eternall life for our Lord Iesus Christ liueth and is the Resurrection and the life because we are members of Christs Body incorporated to him in holy Baptism Therefore shall wee liue with him for euer as sure as he our head liueth onely because our life is hidden with Christ in GOD. But when Christ our life shall appeare then shall wee also appeare with him in glory Colos 3. O Lord strengthen my faith 1 Thes 4. For if we belieue that Iesus Christ is dead and risen so shall they which do sléep
ioy Genes 25. Abraham was gathered to his people SO doth the Holy-Ghost speak of Abrahams death For heer on earth wee are among a sort of euill degenerated people with whom wée shall bée plagued and martyred as the Children of Ifrael were of the Aegyptians and of their Taske-maisters This Sentence of holie Scripture should wee conceiue and keepe wherewith wee may in dangerous times learne to prepare vs and to comfort our selues and pray with our hearts for an happy houre And when we sée death before our eyes or thinke therof not to be afraid Vpon these sentences out of holy Scripture haue the honest Christians alwaies had goodly wordes wherewith they haue comforted themselues against Death Of which wee will rehearse some Cicely a godly Christian woman of Rome when her kindred would perswade her she should deny our Lord Iesus Christ and what shee did meane to make such light account of her body and life the highest treasure and best pawn we haue Shee answered If it had concerned onely our life wee should not willingly lose it But I beléeue another better life which lasteth for euer of which IESUS CHRIST hath preached vnto vs. This true Martyr and Confessor of the true Christian faith did take holde on the right comfort Shee was not afraid of the horrible Death for shee knew that this temporall Death was a beginning of euerlasting life Item whereas wee Christians doo say and confesse Miseria hominis moritur non homo that is Of a Christian dieth nothing but his warres and miseries hee dieth not And it is true No ioyfuller houre can happen vnto vs Christians vpon earth than the happy houre of death for euen in the twinkling of an eye all our woes and miseries doo 〈…〉 incessantly deaths sting and sicknesse but when wee are dead in the sight of the world then doo wée first liue and doo neuer feél any more either danger or death For our temporall death is an end of death and a beginning of life Item whereas the Christian saith Without the knowledge of Christ death 〈…〉 sinne 〈…〉 ledgeth Christ to him is temporall death the best remedy for sinne whereby finally sin is scoured quite out of our flesh and bloud body and soule that we neuer sinne more Therefore wée should by good reason be glad of death that wée may bée once rid of that shamefull sinne wherewith wee are plagued and tormented day and night as Saint Paul cryeth out ouer this prosecuting sinne Romans 7. Now as honest Christians haue out of Gods Word for their comfort spoken friendly and familiarly of death so haue they also giuen comfortable names to the Graues and to Burials Prudentius dooth call the Graue Our Lord God's Iewell-house wherein hée hath his deare Gold and Reliques and halloweth the Ashes and Bones of his Christians and will at the last Day demand them again by waight The holy Scripture nameth the Buriall-place A House of the Liuing who dwell there aliue indeed All other dwellings vpon earth although they bee built of pure Cypresse and Marble are but Pest-houses where men doo sicken and die Onely the Graues of Christians are the Houses of the Liuing The Latine Church calls the Church-yard A sléeping house The Dutchmen call it God's Field wherein God soweth vs as hath béen said before Besides all these Christ our Lord was buried hee hath hallowed and warmed the graue for vs and left his linnen clothes therein And the holy Angels dwell in the graue doo watch and kéep vs in our resting bed Now he that is so instructed in Gods Word and beléeueth desireth from his hart to bee out of his groning bed of sorrow and to bee in his resting bed Whereupon the Lord Iesus Christ help vs through grace of thy holy Spirit Amen Rom. 14. Whether I liue or die I am the Lords A Prayer O Lord Iesus Christ all they which are baptized in thee are baptized in thy death I am baptized in thée therefore am I also baptized in thy death I will with thy help die merrily and willingly hoping that as I haue bin partaker of thy troubles I shall be also partaker of thy glory O Lord Iesus Christ thou hast prayed vpon the Crosse Father forgiue them So Lord doo I forgiue all that haue done against mee that thou maist pardon mee of all my sinnes O Lord Iesus Christ thou hast called vpon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Lord leaue mee not at the point of death O Lord thou hast said vpon the cross Eather into thy hands I commend my spirit euen so Lord do I commend my poor soule into thy hands Amen Psalm 31. Into thy hands I commit my Spirit thou hast redéemed me O Lord GOD of truth An Epitaph of Gasper Huberin Oh a sinner Born aliue and dead am I. Christ my Lord Renew forgiue and wake me vp I am faithfull Preserue make cleare and saue me Psalme 4. I laid me downe and slept quietly for thou onely O Lord helpest me that I dwel in safetie How wee in the euerlasting life to come shall see and knowe one another I beléeue a resurrection of the flesh and an euerlasting life WHen one preacheth of the resurrection of the dead and hath heard how the dead doo rise there ariseth a question amongst many If wee also in the euerlasting life to-come shall knowe one another as we doo héer Of the Resurrection is no doubt thereof are wee certaine enough and withall we know that if any haue a defect or want on his body that he halted were lame or a Cripple and had not all his limbs the same shall be all taken away in the resurrection of the dead and shall bee altogether whole and haue all his members wholly But shall wee in another life knowe one another Héerto doo the learned men giue this answer Yes wee shall knowe one another there Séeing that God will make the whole man aliue againe with flesh and bones shall knowledge and memory be gone Nothing at all Therefore shall you héer learne that wee shall knowe all not onely those which we now knowe but those which wée knew not nor in our life time had euer séen the same shall we see and knowe how to call them and they vs again The Learned also doo say that the Christians shall not onely knowe one another but the vngodly also and the wicked shall knowe them whom they haue héer oppressed and persecuted Sapience chap. 5. There shall the wicked say with repentance Are not these they whom wee haue mocked Oh how are they now reckoned among the children of God! I. Testimony of Scripture THe first proof they take from Adam You know that God made Heauen and Earth with all the Creatures and Adam was made last of all Then GOD let all that Beasts passe by him and when he saw them he knew euery Beast and his property and gaue to euery Beast his name according to his property As Adam now
our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by reason of our sinnes which hee took vpon him Thirdly and also out of the fearefull examples of holy Scripture how God alwaies punisheth the vnrepentant which continue in their sinnes and are bound to confesse the same if they will bee quit thereof and die happily Therefore should we poor creatures with the great fearefull miseries and woes wherein we alas through sinne are grieuously fallen repaire vnto our deare God with hearty sighing and wéeping earnestly call for mercy as the holy Prophet Dauid did also Enter not into judgement with thy seruant O Lord. And let vs take héed that we blaunch not our sins as the Hypocrites and the Pharises did Luke chapter 18. For the Cherubins and Angelles of GOD which are wholly holy doo couer their faces and feet that is to say all their glory works and dooings and will not bée praysed but doo sing with their voice their Gloria laâ—â— and Gloria in excelsis Dee to the end that GOD the Lord onely may bée acknowledged for holy honoured and praysed But in such confession of sur let vs not créep into corners as Adam did Genesis the third chapter but call vpon God from the bottome of our hearts for grace and forgiuenesse through the worthy deseruing of Christ Iesus as ieremy the fourtéenth chapter Lord we acknowledge our wickednesse and the misdeeds of our fathers For we haue sinned against thee and the offenses wherwith wee haue angred thee are great But for thy names sake let vs not bee brought to confusion Let not the throne of thy glory be mocked Remember yet and let not thy Couenant with vs cease Thou art yet the Lord our God on whom wee hope for thou canst do all this So did Dauid pray in the 25 Psalme Remember not O Lord the sinnes of my youth nor my transgressions but thinke vpon me according to thy mercy for thy goodnes sake And in the two and thirtith Psalm hee speaketh very comfortably I said I will confess my transgressions and thou forgauest mee the wickednes of my sinnes Likewise Daniel in his ninth chapter prayed Lord our God c. we haue sinned haue alas bin wicked O Lord for thy righte ousnes sake turne away thy wrath and anger for our sins sake wee are blamed of all them that are rouÌ„d about vs and now our Lord God heare the prayers of thy seruant his complaints and behold with fauor thy holie place which is destroyed for the Lords sake So likewise should euery Christian comfort himselfe beléeue with his heart that hée for Christs sake through such faithfull prayer shall surely obtaine Gods grace and forgiuenesse of his sinnes as it is said and promised to all the faithfull Iohn 16. Verily Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer you desire of the Father in my name he wil giue it you â—id Ieremy 14 saith Thou art the Lord our God and canst and wist doe all this same Amen Heere follow certain Prayers how a man should call to God for grace and forgiuenesse O Almighty and Euerlasting God most gracieus and mercifull Father I poore sinner acknowledge from my heart and confesse it also before thee with my mouth that I am alas a great sinner conceuied borne and growne vp in sinne and so haue many times transgressed thy holy commandements with evill sinfull vncleane and vnseemely thoughts woâ—â—â— and wicked deeds All which I do repent from my very heart and pray and desire thee of thy Grace O heauenly Father indue mee with the Grace and forgiue me all my sinnes in the name of thy deare and onely Senne my Lord and Samour Iesus Christ in whom thou hast promised me comfort and remission of all my sinnes I comfort my selfe with this gracious promise Iohn 6. where thy deare Sonne saith Who eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Bloud That is Who beleeueth on mee hath euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Such godly and gracious promises of thy Son doe I trust vnto and beleeue and am certaine that I through such saith haue forgiuenes of my sinnes and shall bee a child of thy Kingdome and remaine so for euermore Amen Amen Another Prayer O Thou Almighty and Euerlasting God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ maker of Heauen and Earth and of all Creatures I poore miserable and sinfull creature come héere before thy diuine Maiesty full of sin and vnrighteousnesse and fall downe at thy féet before thy glorious Maiesty for I haue mightily offended thee my Lord and God and sinned against thy commandements and done against thy godly will But because I cannot other wise bee quit and free from this my heauy burthen but onely through thée my Lord and God Therefore doe I now from my very heart complaine vnto thee my woe and misery and especially what I haue at this present franed in and haue accomplished the same against thy godly will besides all other alas which I daily commit with deceit in shew and false heart with negligence euill lusts and otherwise whether it bee with euill thoughts words or workes wittingly or vnwittingly secretly or openly whether it bee against thee or the loue of my neighbour All which I acknowledge vnto thee and confesse it also from the bottome of my heart and pray thee that through thy grace thou wilt graciously and fatherly forgiue mee all my sinnes Haue respect onely to the bitter death Martyrdome and bloud-shedding of thy onely deare Sonne in whom thou art pleased who innocently died for mee poore sinner O my Lord and God looke vpon thy deare Sonne and especially on the great loue which hee shewed vnto vs poore sinners when hee went so patiently and willingly to death O looke vpon the great obedience which thy deare Sonne hath â—usâ—â—red for our sakes and hâ—â—â—bled himselfe vpon the erâ—â—â—â— deâ—th graue and hell O looke also vâ—on the great glâ—â—â— to wherewith thou hast adorned thy Sonne in thâ—â— thou hast made him Lord ouer all For which â—our 〈◊〉 bâ— on â—ee and â—â—oâ—y â—â—ou wouldst graciously â—eâ—â—â—â—ue me this daies offence whereinto I by temptation 〈◊〉 sâ—llen with all my formâ—r sames which I haue done from my youth For in sinne was I conceiued borne and brought vp and yet doe liue therein without ceasing So that sinne hath gone through my whole bodie marrow and bones Therefore I beseech thee most gratiously to remit and forgiue me all such sinnes to cast the same behind thée and neuer thinke more on them nor punish my body or soule either in this world or the world to come for thou art rich vnto all that call vpon thée And because thou wilt not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his wickednes and liue therefore do I pray thee to giue me a good meaning to amend my life especially in that thou hast promised mee also through thy deare Sonne to giue mee whatsoeuer I aske in his name Therefore do I pray thee
through Christ thou wouldst forgiue mee all these my sins and poure thy holy Ghost into my heart that I may constantly abide in a godly life All which grant vnto mee for thy deare Sonnes sake Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauior Amen Another prayer to our Lord Iesus Christ the euerlasting Son of God for grace and forgiuenesse O My deare Lord Iesus Christ I confesse vnto thee from the bottome of my heart with great sighing that I am alas a pooâ—e sinner conceiued and home in sinne and iniquity to haue liued wickedly against thee and thy holy Word with vngodly and vnthankefull heart for which I am heartily sorry But I am comfored in my heart that thou wilt not the death of a sinner which thou hast sworne and confirmed with an oath That thou wilt not be angry with me for euer nor yet for euer punish mee Thou dost call and entice all them that are weary oppressed comfortlesse sorrowfull bearts and consciences to thee and thy holy Word and namest thy selfe A heauenly Physicion which takest vpon thee our woes and miseries wherein wee through sinne are fallen and bringest to vs thy euerlasting helpe and refreshing by Preaching of thy holy Gospell wherewith wee may be holpen for euermore vpon such thy gracious promises come I to thee and pray thee from the bottome of my heart O my Lord God and Sauiour to be mercifull to me poore sinner like as thou hast promised such mercy for the loue of thy owne grace merits Amen Lord Iesus Christ Amen The Lords Prayer contained in a short forme ABba deare Father wée thy vnworthy children call vpon thee in the name of thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ through thy holy Ghost vphold vs by thy holy Word giue vs honest and true Teachers and Preachers to distribute the same amongst vs Release vs quickly out of the Diuels kingdome bring vs to thy Kingdoom of Grace and to euerlasting life And giue vs thy holy Spirit that wee as the Angels of God may liue holily according to thy will and pleasure Nourish blesse and preserue our households Wiues Children and Seruants in this life couer our trespasses and of fences and giue vs a louing heart to forgiue all those that haue offended vs. Let vs not consent vnto sinne nor fall from thy onely Word of saluation but keepe vs from the euill Fiend and from all his deceites Thou art a most mightie King powerfull to rule thou canst and wilt grant vs all these things For which wee will giue thee thankes and praise thee for euer Amen A Prayer wherein the confession of our Christian Faith is simply contained wherewith a man may cal vpon God for stâ—engthening of his faith O Almightie and euerlasting God which art a Father of all grace and mercy and a God of all comfort for vs poore sinners which I and all Christians through reuealing of thy Word doe acknowledge and beleeue for certain Therefore doe I land honour and praise thee deare Father of heauen for such thy vnspeakable loue wherewith thou hast graciously had respect to vs thy enemies transgressors of thy commandements and damned creatures Namely in that thou hast not spared thy onely Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ who is equall with the God head and with the holy Ghost Especially that thou hast let him bee incarnate for our sinfull nature and doings with our actuall misdeeds and howsoeuer we haue thereby deserued and into manifold horrible reproches and finally to yeeld himselfe to the shamefull death of the Crosse And so of pure fatherly loue hast ordained him a Lambe to carry my sinnes and the sins of the whole world vpon the Crosse and to be a perfect Oblation therefore and dost proffer proclaime and promise the same throughout the whole world commandest also the same to be beléeued vpon paine of losing euerlasting saluation for thereby and by no other meanes must it onely bee applyed and impropriated to me and to all the faithfull and to bée our owne Therefore deare Father do I constantly beleeue according to the same reuealing of the holy Gospell all this same and doubt not thereof any thing at all as I thy Childe am bound and will doe not respecting my vnworthinesse In Christ thy onely Sonne are all my sins and all which beleeue and boldly trust vnto it sufficiently punished corrected spent and through his perfect obedient death of the Crosse all killed and taken away And that I am and also all ChristiaÌ„s through such faith planted in the Kingdome of thy deare Sonne as the holy Scripture saith by whom we haue redemption through his bloud namely remission of sinnes I beleeue also verily that in the death of Christ thy deare Sonne my death is ouercome that it shall neuer hurt mee nor consume mee into damnation as the Scripture saith Christ hath â—aâ—ed of death for all hath taken into his power and brought to lighten vntransitory life and being through his Gospell I beleeue also that the destroying of â—â—ell which was done by thy deare Sonne is destroyed and torne asunder for mee and all faithfull that the same cannot consume or deuoure mee nor any of the right beleeuers as the Scripture saith â—â—ll where is thy victory And in another place The gates of Hell shall not preuaile against the right Beleeuers And The Prince of this world is iudged I beleeue also that thy Commandements with all the power thereof which they haue haue no more right ouer mee although I cannot absolutely keepe them For the Lord Christ thy deare Sonne hath through his obedience perfectly kept the same for mee and taken from them the right and interest which they had in mee wherewith thou almighty Euerlasting and Mercâ—full God and Father art satisfied I beleeue also that the resurrection of Christ thy deare Sonne is a new life vnto mee and to all faithfull vnto euerlasting life Finally I beléeue also as the Scripture saith that hee is ascended into Heauen and hath taken rule on the right hand of his Father and answereth for me and al the faithfull that hencefoorth the Diuell and all his power is taken must bee subiect and lie at the feete of mee and all the Faithfull Therefore I pray thée O Lord GOD thou infinite Fountaine of all grace that through the power working of the Holy Ghost thou wilt giue mée such faith and acknowledging this day and lawaies to the end of my life And I pray thee also my Lord Iesus Christ which art true and perfect GOD with the Father and the Holy Ghost forasmuch as thou hast put thy selfe vnder the tyranny of the Law which by reason of sinne it had towardes mee and all mankind and hast taken on thée my sinne Death Hell and damnation which I by all reason right and rigour thereof should haue borne that thou wilt help to still and pacifie these great misdeedes betwéene GOD our heauenly Father and mee especially in my conscience which continually disquieteth mee through the power
Man haue gotten againe righteousnesse and euerlasting life Do did an honest Christian at â—reiberge in Misnia in the yéere of our Lord 1547 comfort himself with this sentence and got victory ouer the diuell who did trouble him by reason of his sinnes and GOD's wrath For as hee was troubled in his sicknes the diuell came to him in visible forme with Ink and Paper and sate him downe besides the sick man and said Hee should rehearse his sinnes hee was therfore there to write them vp and to giue sentence vpon them The sicke man was affraid but yet hee remembred himself of this sentence answered the diuel and said he should write The seed of the Woman should tread downe the head of the Serpent Straight-waies the diuell vanished away and left such a stinke behinde him in all the house as if hée would baue choaked them all The second comfortable Sentence GENESIS 22. Through thy Seed shall all the Nations of the earth bee blessed THis is the second Promise and Preaching of the Lord Iesus Christ All other mankinde from the first Adam vntill the last were by nature full of wickednesse God was angry with them and became their enemy for there was no blessing with them but cursing because they were sinners But through this Man Iesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary the onely Son of the Father full of Grace and Truth is the onely right Séed of Abraham wherein all the Nations of the earth must bee blessed if they will attaine vnto euerlasting saluation In this Sentence behold what Saint Paul writeth to the Gâ—lat 3. where hee saith Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law for it is written â—ursed is that man which hangeth on a tree that the blessing of Abraham might come among the Gentiles in sesus Christ And we doo receiue the promised Spirit through faith In this place Saint Paul placeth these two words one against another First the curse and then the blessing All men are of themselues poore cursed and damâ—ed sinners For as the fouretéenth Psalme saith They are all gone astray there is none that dooth good no not one Against the which this blessed Séed bringeth the blessing vnto vs and redéemeth vs from the curse of the Lawe in that hée was a curse for vs for hee as the onely immaculate Lamb of God hath taken our sinnes vpon him and as S. Peter saith Offred our sinnes himselfe with his body on the Crosse Wee should henceforth bee quit from sinne and liue vnto righteousnes or as Saint Paul saith To come to the blessing by him and to receiue the Holy Ghost and be the children of God In this bespoken blessed séed did Abraham trust and was happy Abraham beleeued alwaies on God and it was counted to him for righteousnes The third comfortable Sentence ESAY 43. Thou hast made me labor with thy sinnes and hast made mee weary with thy misdeeds I will wipe out thy transgressions for my names sake and wil not think vpon thy sinnes IN this comfortable saying the Lord Iesus Christ teacheth vs that hee onely hath paid the ransome and satisfaction for our sinnes with his bloudy sweat bitter passion death and that hée through his owne merits hath forgiuen vs all our sinnes in such sort that they shall be wholly put out and cleane wiped away before the face of God and cast into the bottome of the sea as though they had neuer béen and shall neuer be thought vpon Therefore let vs not be afraid of the greatâ—es or multitude of our sinnes that wee despair not of Gods mercy as â—ain Lucas did but câ—mfort our selues with the â—â—ssion sâ—tâ—sfaction of our Loâ—d Iâ—sus Christ and some vpon thâ—sâ— words So did king Ezecâ—â—â—s comfort himselfe Eâ—ay 3â— in his great tribulation by reason of his sinnes and the wrath of God where hee saith Behold I was much grieued for want of comfort but thou hast heartily accepted of my soule that it doo not perish for thou castest all my sinnes behinde thee that is thou wilt no more know nor think vpon my sinnes Likewise did King Dauid also pray in Psal 51. Wash me from mine iniquiry O Lord and clense me from my sins then shall I be whiter than snowe For no other washing of anointing on earth can help The fourth comfortable Sentence EZECHIEL 33. So sure as I liue saith the Lord I haue no pleasure in the death of the vngodly but rather that hee turne from his wickednes and liue HEER the euerlasting Sonne of GOD our onely Lord and Rock sweareth an oath by himselfe because hée hath no greater as true as he is a liuing eternal and almighty GOD hée will not that a sinner die and bée damned for euer but that hée in acknowledging of his sinnes and sure confidence of Christs bloud and merites in true inuocation and good pretence turne vnto GOD so shall hee surely obtayne remission of sinnes euerlasting righteousnes and the Holy Ghost with eternall life Vpon this deare constant and true oth should wee haue respect when wee are troubled by reason of our sinnes and Gods wrath and also in our last end and say or thinke I care not now how often and how greatly I haue sinned and angred my Lord God but I look vpon the oath and comfort my selfe that the true GOD hath sworn and hée cannot repent it he will not the death of a sinner so will hee not also that I bee damned but for his Sonnes sake will forgiue mee all my sins and take mee with him into euerlasting life So did the holy Apostle S. Paul comfort himselfe and others as in the first epistle to Timothy and in the first chapter It is certain and true saith he that Iesus Christ is comne into the world to saue poor sinners The fift comfortable Sentence IOHN 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his onely-begotten Son that whosoeuer beleeued on him should not perish but haue euerlasting life THis is one of the chiefest Sayings in all the new Testament which IESUS CHRIST whom God the Father from heauen commaÌ„ds vs to hear did himselfe bring out of the bosome of his Father and preached the same to his louing Câ—t câ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—holar Nichodemus Wherein he teacheth vs his Father will what the eternall GOD is determined towards the world that is towards all great sinners as euer were in the world or yet may bee that hée loueth them and will not haue them lost And this great loue did hée shewe and set foorth vnto vs when-as there was no other meanes whereby the sinnes of the world might bée taken away Gods wrath pacified death and hell vanquished then spared hee not his onely Sonne but did let him take humane flesh and bloud vpon him and to fulfill all which was vnpossible for vs to obserue and suffer all payne and punishment which all the world with their sinnes had deserued Whereby Gods righteousnesse might bee fully accomplished and wee released
from the curse of the Lawe This purchased treasure through the onelie perfect oblation the Holie-Ghost doth put into the Word of the Gospel into the holie Sacrament and causeth to bée preferred to the whole world All that beleeue that is which doe acknowledge this onely Sauiour and comfort themselues with heartie resuge to his demerits shall not be lost but haue eternall life Therefore let vs out of these words learne to know Gods gracious will and fatherly loue and comfort our selues against all tribulations against sinne and against the Lords anâ—er These sayings the deare and godly man Master Doctor Martin Luther and the mightie Prince Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxon of godly memorie haue had in their last houre for a happie comfort and so departed both of them happily and with merry and quiet consciences And euen so did the poore Publican comfort himselfe in the Temple Luke the eightéenth chapter when he did pray vnto the Lord God be mercifull vnto mee a poore sinner that is to say a wicked creature am I and the most part of the world but I doe recomfort my selfe with the fountaine of pure mercy and endlesse loue of my most déere God which he hath manifested vnto me in the passion and oblation of his onelie begotten Sonne our Redéemer Iesus Christ the Righteous who hath payed and satisfied the ransome of my sinnes and â—aâ—ous transgressions and hath pacified Gods wrath and hath giuen vnto me euerlasting life The sixt comfortable Sentence MAT. 11. Come vnto mee all you that labour and are â—eauie laden and I will refresh you WHat can wée heare more kindly yea or more louingly then that the euerlasting Sonne of God calleth vnto him all that be weary and oppressed in heart and troubled for their sinnes and biddeth them come to his holy word naming himselfe a gentle and humble Teacher Let euery one reioyce in his heart that God hath sent such holy comfort and refreshing vpon earth and promiseth in plaine words that all whether they be poore or rich yong or old shall surely find by him rest peace ioy refreshing ease help and assistance shall bee comforted in their soules and bee made aliue againe Therefore when any is tormented by reason of his sinnes that he féele his heart troubled with sorrow and almost ouerthrowne with discomfort Let him not creepe into a corner or run away from the people as Adam did Genesis 3. but let him run to the Lord Christ and to these and such other the like comfortable words which wee shall finde in the house of God before his face or where God hath appoynted in remembrance of his name that is in preaching in the holy Sacraments and in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles for so soone as we seeke Christ hée will méete vs as hée saith in the first chapter of Zacharie Tuâ—ne ye vnto me then will I turne vnto you So doth the Lord méete Mary Magdalen a poore troubled sinner from whom our Lord and Sauior had before cast out seuen diuels and maketh himselfe knowne vnto her soone after his resurrection and comforted her heartily when shee sought him Iohn 20. The seuenth comfortable Sentence ROM 5. But where Sinne is mighty there is Grace more mightie through Iesus Christ c. HEere doth S Paul méet with a great tribulation and heauy thoughts When wee do often thinke My sins are too great Oh if I had not such great sins vpon my heart then would I hope I should be saued There doth Saint Paul answere If Sinne be great yet Grace is greater and excéedeth farre all our sinnes that is one droppe of Iesus Christs blood is greater more glorious powerfull yea and stronger then all the greatest and fearefullest sinnes of the whole world yea as a little moat in the Sun is not to be compared towards Heauen and Earth so is the whole worlds sinne not to be compared to the precious blood of Iesus Christ And as the cleare Sunne darkens al the starres of heauen that they cannot be seene in day time although they do stand in the firmament euen so when the right Sun rising shineth from aboue all sinnes are quenched Whosoeuer with heartie faith catcheth hold on the bloud of Christ his sinnes are all couered before the face of GOD that GOD will neuer sée them and is reckoned so cleare and holy as if hee had troubled no water all his life time For the bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of Almightie God purgeth vs of all our sinnes So did the holy Prophet Esay comfort himselfe and his people in the first chapter where he saith Though your sins were like Purple they shal be white as Wooll Likewise Dauid the Prophet a man after Gods owne heart in his déepest hell tribulation comforteth himselfe thus with the Lord is merâ—ie and much redemption as in the hundred and 30. Psalme for the more sins that Christ forgiueth vs the more is his praise honor and glory as he himselfe teacheth in the seuenth chapter of Saint Lukes Gospel where he doth speake of the great and open sinner To her are many sinnes forgiuen because shee loued much But to whom little is forgiuen the same loueth little The eightth comfortable Sentence PSAL 16. I thanke the Lord that hath counselled me WHenas the first man through the craft of the old poisoned and fierie Serpent and through their disobedience fell into sinne Gods wroth and iustice which after succéeded vpon all Adams Children there was no comfort not counsell to sinde except the helpe and redemption of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ But through the wonderfull counsell of the high and godly Maiestie at the intercession of the onely and euerlasting Mediatour our Lord Christ it was concluded that the Sonne of almighty God borne of the Father euerlasting should take humane Nature vpon him pacifie Gods fierce and iust anger and bring vs out of the Diuels power and euer counsell and help vs from whence he carrieth the name so that Flay the Prophet in the ninth chapter amongst other glorious names calleth him a Counseller Now when wée are ouerwhelmed by reason of our manifold sinnes and transgressions then let vs cause such help as a harty and true counsell to be brought before vs by preaching of the holie Gospel And let it be preached vnto vs that through confidence of his gracious help and redemption wée shall be quit of our sinnes released from death and obtaine his grace righteousnesse and euerlasting life This is such a true counsell that in all tribulations we may stade and haue some comfort therein which Dauid did acknowledge and thereforre saith Had it not beene for thy Word I had perished in my miserie Psal 119. and heere hee giueth the Lord harty thanks for all such mereifull comfort and help I thank the Lord my GOD which hath counselled mee For this is also a counsell of such power that if a man should now depart out of this life and that
mine Psalme 31. Lord on thee doe I trust let mee neuer bée confounded deliuer mee through thy righteousnesse Item Be comforted and not dismayed all you that tarry for the Lord. Psal 32. The vngodly hath many sorrowes but hee that trusteth in the Lord shall be compassed with goodnesse Psal 91. Though a thousand fall at thy side and tenne thousand on thy right hand yet shall it not touch thee Psal 91. Vpon the Lion and Adder shalt thou goe and tread vpon the young Lion and Dragon Psal 23. Goodnesse and mercifulnesse shall follow mee all my life time and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for euermore Iohn 14. In my Fathers house are many dwellings if it were not so I would haue told you I goe hence to prepare the places for you Iohn 14. I will not leaue you fatherlesse I liue and you shall also liue Iohn 14. I will come againe and take you vnto mee that you may be where I am Iohn 12. Where I am there shall also my seruant be Item When I shall be lifted vp from the earth then will I draw them all vnto me Iohn 10. I knowe my shéep and am knowne of mine and no man shall pull them out of mine hands Rom. 8. If God bée with vs who shall bée against vs who also hath not spared his onely son but hath giuen him for vs how can hes not but giue vs all with him Rom. 8. I am sure that neither death nor life neither Angell nor principality nor power neither things present nor to come neither height nor depth nor any other creature can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Amen A Prayer LAud praise and thankes bee vnto thée my Lord Iesus Christ for thy holy incarnation for thy martyrdom and litter passion out of which I acknowledge that thou art my Redéemer and Sauiour and do beléeue that thou hast ouercome sin death hell and the diuell that they cannot hurt me With this onely doo I comfort me héervpon build I there standeth my hope there will I bée found Onely bee gracious and mercifull vnto mee as I doubt not of thy sure promise O Lord let mee not sink or despaire in this my great tribulation and necessity but preserue mee happily by such sure comfort Amen Esay 49. Thou shalt vnderstand that I am the Lord of whom they shall not bee ashamed which tarry for me c. A comfort for poore sicke people which are troubled by reason of their grieuous sicknes Psal 118. THe Lord thastiseth mée but giueth me not ouer to death Psal 119. It is good for mée that thou hast chastised me that I may learn thy Lawes WHen any outward mis-fortune crosse or sicknesse falleth vpon vs then are wée sundry waies assaulted wée behaue our selues impatiently and doo comolain and wéep for it Such impatience is a great torment to a Christian for when the diuell can doo nothing else on him then commeth he with impatience that many in their miseries doo snarle and powt But if we could remember this onely word as Dauid saith It is good Lord that thou hast chastised mee we should rather wéepe and cry when we are without crosses sickenesse or other aduersity But what prosit or goodnesse this Crosse is of should euery Christian earnestly thinke on in all his temptations The chiefest profit of the Crosse is this First that thereby fleshly lust and desire may bée hindred that it be not lasciuious and throwe vs not into damnation as our noerest enemie which wée daily carry in our bosomes for as a man must spurre a Horse and hold him with the bridle and bring him forward Psalm 32. so must the Lord God also spur and bridle our olde Adam through the Crosse without which correction wée shall neuer come there whereunto woe through the Crosse haue cause 2 Then shall wee thereby be driuen to the Word and to Prayer and brought also to be penitent as the Prophet Esay saith Onely mischance and tribulation teach vs to mark the Word or as Dauid chastised mee that I might learn thy Lawes 3 If it should alwaies bée with vs according to our own carnall wils then should wée be proud and insolent c. But when God catcheth hould on vs with sicknes or any other crosse then wee acknowledge our disability 4 Wee shall bee thereby occasioned to esteeme and acknowledge Gods gracious and almighty help that hee is to vs a Rock a Bulwark Defense Protection Help and Strength in all our néed and necessity without which gracious help wée despaire of all things and must bee without comfort Now when the diuell with his poison pestilence and beggerly sicknesse is worst-minded towards vs and scattereth his plagues and sickenesse among vs yet then haue wee Christians GOD for a sure comfort wee are vnder his godly protection defense and do trust alwaies on Gods help therfore shall we neuer be ashamed 5 Then when wée haue obtained and gotten GOD's helpe others shall in like maner be therewith strengthned and comforted that they in all their tribulation and néed may set their comfort hope on the Lords gracious help 6 Although the Crosse doo bring such profit that many more causes might bee rehearsed yet the greatest comfort vnder the Crosse is that wee bee thereby assured that wee are the children of God for euer and so shall remain seeing that euery father correcteth his deare childe if hée take it vp to the end it may bée kept in kindly obedience Hebrews 12 Prouerbs 20. And héer it goeth after the common Prouerb as often as the honest Parents do say before their Children O dear Rod Thou makest me good Thou makest me gētle to be That the Hangman Be not troubled with me Such causes how fatherly soeuer our Lord God means that hée layeth so many kinde of crosses vpon His and withall the great bountifull goodnesse and profit that the same tribulations bring vnto vs let vs earnestly thinke vpon when we are in misery sicknesse or other calamities and not murmure against GOD for he knowes his creatures best and can tell what is good and profitable both for soule and body So did the Lord Iesus well see before the tribulation that his Disciples should haue after his death and passion but he comforted them Iohn 16. It is good for you that I goe hence for if I goe not the Comforter wil not come to you but if I go hence I will send him to you Therefore should wée set our will to GOD's will as Syrach in the 2 Chap. admonisheth My Childe if thou wilt bee Gods Seruant then prepare thee to tribulation leane thou vnto God and shrink not that thou maist bee alwaies stronger Suffer whatsoeuer happeneth vnto thee and bee patient in all thy troubles for like as gold is tried in the fire so shall they whom God pleaseth bee tried through the fire of aduersity I. Against the first assaulting vnder the
thou dost conuert God hath a liking to thee and taketh thée agayne to his mercie for his Names sake that is onely therefore that he will through Christ bee mercifull vnto vs to the end wee acknowledge his Name and Mercie and praise the same 1 Cor. 11. When we are iudged then shall wee bee chastised of the Lord that we be not damned with the world HEere doth Saint Paul shew the cause why God doth lay the crosse vpon his people Hée doth the same that wée may attaine vnto his holines For it is certaine if GOD should giue to vs all that wee would willingly haue wee should bée safe and haue no regard of our sinnes neither thinke on the Word or Prayer But when all goeth ouer and ouer and now one affliction and then another hapneth then hath a man cause to hasten not onely to prayer but also to thinke how wee with our sinnes haue well deserued such correction And therefore hencefoorth to prepare our selues more earnestly for amendement of our liues As it is saide in the Epistle to the Hebrews Our Father in Heauen doth chastise vs for our good that we may attayne vnto his holinesse A Prayer O Deare and heauenlie Father who of thy well meaning and loue to keepe mée vnder thy childely obeysance for obtayning of thy holinesse and to make mée selected hast laide so manifold corrections vpon mee Take pitty on my Soule and come to help me in these mine afflictions occurrences and temptations of the raging Diuell Deliuer my soule in this great néede from the hellish dogges Amen Lament of Ieremy 3. It is a costly thing to bée patient and to tarry for the Lords helpe MAny men do often fall vnder the crosse into Impatience and Despaire for they know not yet what the good God meaneth towards vs with the Crosse and this impatience is a great affliction of the Diuell by which the vnfaithfull are brought either to seeke meanes that bee forbidden or through despaire when a had conscience meeteth with it doe run their owne heart out doe poyson drowne hang or kill themselues c. for they haue no comfort in their hearts It fareth with them as the Prophet Micheas in the 7. Chap. saith When the day of thy Preacher commeth they shall not know what to do Against such afflictions doth Ieremy héere strengthen vs O saith hée what a terrible woful thing it is when a man will not acknowledge what a louing heart God hath towards him He begins to bee impatient murmureth against God and despaireth against which if any doe thinke thus in his heart I know I haue a mercifull God in heauen who esteemeth of mee as of other his deare children and will through these my afflictions sicknesse woes and miseries c. put mee in minde of my sinnes and admonish mee to repentance that I may bee more godly and shall keepe mee from sinne These are precious and happy thoughts for they are the comfort of the Holy Ghost and worthy to bée praised For whosoeuer hath such thoughts in his heart is patient vnder the Crosse seeketh helpe by GOD with prayer and hopeth for the Lords gracious houre of helpe and is of sure hope that it will come if not corporally yet the Lord will perfectly heare him Therefore tarrieth hée for his helpe with patience So did the Prophet Abacuk comfort in the 2. Chap. The promise shall bee yet fulfilled in due season and lastly come to light and not tarry away Though it linger tarry you it will surely come and not stay A Prayer O Heauenly Father giue mee thy holy Spirit to strengthen mee that I may beare thy will with patience that both in good and euill I may alwaies breake my will offer and mortifie my selfe and not murmure against thee although I thinke it goeth otherwise with mee then I gladly would I would rather that it went alwaies after my will that I might bee without Crosses but O Lord doe thou thy will vpon mée and giue mee obedience and patience in all Crosses and Afflictions Amen IIII. God will also deliuer from the Crosse 1 Cor. 10. GOd is trusty who will not let you bee tempted aboue your abilitie but maketh the temptation to get an end that you may beare it HEere doth Saint Paul encounter with two great afflictions which greatly hinder our faith especially when wee grone lie bedred The first that wee thinke the Crosse to bée heauy and too great and feare wee must vnder it goe to the ground The second that wee sée no way nor meanes whereby wee may bee holpen then wée make account we are vndon and begin to doubt and to despaire Therefore doth Saint Paul heere comfort vs Why should you so despaire vnder the crosse you haue yet a true mercifull God which laieth vpon no man more then his ability yea hee himselfe giueth strength and power to them which bee not able and maketh the affliction a gracious meanes and end that how heauie soeuer the same seemeth yet those which are his doe goe through with it and beare it for the crosse is to a Christian but a slight burthen and a light yoake Math. 11. vnder which the Lord himselfe did put his godly arme necke and shoulders and will comfort them as hee promiseth Esay 51. I euen I am your Comforter c. And how long or endless the crosse séemeth to our vnderstanding yet shall there be a happy end and but a small thing as the Lord himselfe reckoned his suffering that it was but little Iohn 16. So also the Lord GOD comforted his Christians Yet a little while then shall my anger for thy sinnes and my displeasure haue an end Esay 10. Heere doth the Lord giue a fine comparison Iohn 16. of a Woman in Child-bed with whom it séemeth also as if the Crosse were importable both Mother and Childe must goe together The poore woman can doe no more but yeeldeth her selfe in such smart and deadly paine vnto Gods will and pleasure and saith Whether I liue or die I am the Lords Now when the paine is at the greatest and no power more to beare behold it goeth then after the common prouerbe Where mans helpe endeth there Gods helpe beginneth It is but for a little time and then in stead of death two liues are brought into the world and the woman thinketh no more on the paine for great ioy that shée hath brought a merry birth into the world Likewise should wée also comfort our selues that it is but a while then shall Gods helpe bee vnto vs and in stead of sorrow ioy and comfort shall bee found A Prayer O Thou most true and good Lord GOD and Father giue mée for thy Son Iesus Christs sake through thy holy Spirit a strong trust in thee that I may assure my self and goe thorow with all the afflictions of the Crosse and stedfastly beléeue although the Crosse to my thinking and to all mens reason séemeth too heauie and importable
in Iesus Christ be carried away with him c. 1 Cor. 11. Behold I tell you a mystery we shall not all sléep THE Holy Ghost hath a strange spéech who calleth that a Sléep which the world nameth Dying and the dead sléeping With these words doth the holy Ghost declare vnto vs in a familiar comparison that the death of Christians is no death but a life and describeth to vs the temporal death of the faithfull Christians after the friendliest manner For euen as there is nothing tearer or pleasanter to a sicke body vpon the earth than a swéet sléep when hee stretches himself in his body and tumbles himself certaine times to and fro vpon his bed and feeleth grief as if a mans head did ake But before he bée aware a soft sléep falleth vpon him there sléepeth hée and knowes not how or when Hee heareth nothing nor knoweth hee any thing hée sleepeth away both thundring and lightning neither can he tell how long hee hath slept When he awaketh his wearinesse and sicknes is gone and hee is as if hee were new borne which euery one hath tried oftentimes in his sléep So saith the Lord God is it also with the death of euery Christian When wee haue wrought our selues weary vpon earth and haue suffered and liued and often-times tossed our selues to and fro vpon our groning bedde by reason of our bodily sicknes for Christians must also for their sinnefull flesh sake haue their bodily sickenesse and griefe then when in the last combate the sinfull flesh and blood is killed and the heart hath yéelded it selfe prisoner that wee may bee spunne new and holy which is not done without griefe a swéet sléep commeth vpon vs where all griefes and afflictions doo cease There a Christian doth not knowe how he fell asléep he is not aware of any death nor knoweth hée of any but liueth in the Lord GOD. And in this sléepe shall wée sléep out all sinne defects miseries sicknesse woes and necessities and shall awake at the last Day and rise againe in a new holy spirituall immortall effectuall and clarified body and shall behold GOD and his glory face to face and whole Christendome in euerlasting ioy And although one haue slept fiue thousand yéeres vnder the ground it shall bée as if he had slept but one houre as the Christians in olde time were wont to describe vnto children and to the simple with example of the 7 Sléepers With these words should we comfort our selues against the feare and bitternesse of death whereas wée also beléeue and with Simeon do sing with peace ioy I hence depart in Gods wil my heart is comforted béeing quiet and still as God hath said Death is my sleep I am not afraid O Mercifull God and Father I pray thée throgh the death and resurrection of thy Son when I haue liued and groned mee weary and that mine houre is comne grant mee O Lord a sweet sleep and take my soule into thy hands Amen Dan. 12. Many which haue slept vnder the ground shal awake some to euerlasting life some to euerlasting reproofe and shame THe Prophet Daniel vseth heer to speake after an Euangelicall manner and calleth death also a sléepe As Christ speaketh of the illuminate Schoole maisters daughter The Mayden is not dead but sleepeth And nameth Death a sléepe And without doubt the Holy Ghost had respect heere to the death and Resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom all power is taken away from death Esay 25. Therefore should wée Christians remember such friendly kind and comfortable speeches That wee speak not iestingly of the death of them that sleepe as the wicked and rude people do He is gone into the old World Hee is gone into the old Market Hee is at Trores His spoone is fallen downe No it is called fallen asléep S. Paul nameth it a departure to bée dissolued Saint Peter to put off his Tabernacle c. But in what manner such sléepe is can wee not perceiue or vnderstand more then of temporall sléepe know wee perfectly As for example In the mothers body the mother knoweth nothing till it stirre So we in bodily sléepe can do nothing what can wee know of the sleepe of the Holy Ghost But Christ instrueteth vs that beléeue of such sleepe Luke 20. They liue in God saith hee And heere it is to bée noted that not onely Christians haue their sleepe but the wicked also but it is an vnlike sleepe a soft and swéete sleepe against an vnquiet and heauy sleepe As when one is sicke hee hardly sléepeth but he which is in health sléepeth soundly But the vngodly do dreame alwaies of the diuell as the Rich-man Esay 66. Vermis eorum non morietur But the Christians do rest in Christ quietly and peaceable like a little innocent Chilue which often sléepeth so soundly as a man saith Like a vong Hare The same did Dâ—uid acknowledge therefore saith hée Psal 4. I will lay mee downe and sleepe quietly for thou onely O Lord makest mee to dwell in safety From such sleep shall be also a waking to all them which beleeue on Christ and haue holden with his holy Word and Sacraments and they shall bée comforted They shall rise againe to euerlasting glory and receiue the euerlasting garland of honour the Heauenly euerlasting and immortall Crowne and escape euerlasting iudgement and shame But the vngodly which haue done euill forgotten the couenant of their Baptisme and not beleeued on Christ they shall awake to euerlasting reproofe and shame A faire similitude of hoth resurrections haue wée Gen. 40 on loseph the Butler and Baker They were all thrée laid in prison and came to liberty againe which signifieth the Resurrection One of them was set free came to honour and to his Office againe The other was also quit of his troubles but commeth to the Gallowes Ioseph signifieth our Lord Iesus Christ who was also put into this prison but guiltlesse The Butler signifieth all honest Christians which acknowledge their sins and with hearty repentance and sorrow haue beléeued on Christ they shall at the latter day bee placed with him in euerlasting glory The Baker signifieth all the vngodly they shall bee also quit of their prison that is their Graues but to euerlasting damnation Surely surely the graue is a very soft resting bed for Christians which the Lord Iesus hath before warmed for them that they neede not bee afraide thereof Therein haue they a good soft and quiet sleepe There shall they alwaies dreame of the Vine For the Vine signifieth Christ and the Grapes the sweete doctrine of the holy Gospell as iâ—t Mathew 7. appeareth Doe men gather Grapes on Thornes Iohn 15. Ego sum vitis vera c. There dreame the Christians in death and Graue alwaies on the Lord Iesus Christ and of his swéeâ—e Doctrine And in such soft dreames rest they so soft that they thinke many thousand yeares bee as though they had scantly slept an houre
But the Baker that is the vngodly dreameth alwaies of the Diuell and how the birds doe eate his Bread out of the Basket The Birds are the Diuels which eate away Gods word from him Such eating and gnawing must they féele for euer whereof wee haue a similitude which our Elders fained of Prometheus that the Eagle did eate out his heart and the heart did grow within him againe and the eating neuer had end The same doe the wicked féele truely as the wofull tragedy of the Rich man sheweth That there are two resurrections whereby all men may direct themselues God causeth to bee preached vnto vs in the time of Grace Therefore whosoeuer will escape such euerlasting gnawing eating consciences hellish paine and torment let him take hold of the sweete doctrine of the Holy Gospell and in the Sacraments put therewith comfort into his heart trust and beléeue as Gods word doth plentifully shew him for so it must bée as Christ very comfortably promiseth Mark 16. Whosoeuer beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Amen A Prayer O Euerlasting God and Father which art not a God of the dead but of the liuing For in thée doe all they liue which rest vnder the Earth in their Chambers Wee pray thy fatherly goodnesse that thou wilt not let the thinking of death or of his sting bee a feare vnto vs but wilt through grace of thy holy Spirit keepe vs in she right faith of thy déere Sonne who is the truth and life and giue vs a good conscience that wee may liue Christianly and depart happily out of this vale of miserie sleepe in peace and ioy ' and rest quietly vntill thou open our Graues And thorough the sound of the trumpet bée waked againe to life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen 1. Cor. 15. It is sowed a naturall body c. HEere the Holy Ghost vseth another word and calleth Dying To be sowed which is a friendly similitude wee are the Wheatcornes as Christ himselfe saith Ioh. 12 Now is the séed which the Husbandman soweth glory and bring foorth much fruit whereon God the holie Trinitie shall haue euerlasting ioy and pleasure Therefore should wee not bée afraide of death A Prayer O Lord Iesus Christ come and sowe vs and our Children in thy Churchyard that wee neuer neede to bee afraide for any trouble néede warres or hearts sorrow Amen Luke 2. The old man Simeon singeth Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace THis olde Christian Simeon calleth Death a Departing in Peace which is also the saying of the Holie Ghost for there is nothing in our whole body vpon earth but vnrestfulnesse and disquietnesse one after another But when we our Lord and GOD shall goe out of this vale of miserie and come into our euerlasting Countrey then come wee vnto Peace What man would not then once haue also such peace and rest Philip 1. I desire to depart or to bée dissolued and to bee with Christ which is also much better HEere Saint Paul calleth Death A Dissoluing or a departure for héere we are bound to sinnefull flesh to paines and labour and cannot sooner bee quit thereof then through the happie houre 2. Pet. 1. I know that I shall quickly put off my Tabernacle SAint Peter nameth Death héere the Going out of a poore ruinated sinfull and wofull Habitation and to be remooued into a glorious paradise or to put off an olde worne gowne and to put on an immortall and heauenly apparell whereof we ought by good reason to reioyce Esay 26. Go hence my people into a chamber and shut the doore after thée hide thée awhile till the indignation bee ouerpast Esay 57. The righteous are plueked away from their misfortune and they which haue wandred righteously do come into peace and rest in their chambers HOW friendly and ioyfully speaketh the Holie Ghost of the death of Christians and giueth the same fiue beautifull names First Dying hee calleth Going into a Chamber to goe into a pleasant Parlour as often-times a man buildeth a pleasant roome for himselfe where hee would willingly héee alone and bee quiet from his children and houshold Secondly he nameth death Hiding one a while till Gods wrath and punishment bee ouerpast as when one stands vnderneath for soule weather or hideth his daughter when an army passes thorow so doth the Lord God lay vs vp that no misfortune hurt vs. Thirdly Death is called Plucking away from misfortune for when GOD will punish the World for their sinnes hee taketh first his Christians away gathereth them together remooueth them into a place of safetie that they be not hurt Fourthly it is called Departing in peace as Simeon did Fiftly Resting in their chambers for else vpon earth will be small rest or peace But the Graue of the Christians hee calleth our Chambers and resting beds wherein no man shall disquiet vs or awake vs nor any man can driue vs out There would many a one also haue gladly a resting Chamber vpon Earth and buildeth often with great charges in quiet places euen where hee heareth no knocking or running especially when hee is sick but all is to no effect for on Earth is no such fléeping Chamber to bée had wee are awaked with care sorrow need world and Diuell So are our Chambers vpon earth but hired Chambers although wee haue bought them wee know not when wee shall goe foorth of them But the Chambers in the Church-yard are quiet and our owne There shall no care sickenesse nor Diuell make vs vnquiet neyther shall anie man driue vs out till the Lord Iesus awake vs to euerlasting life This is comfortably and ioyfully spoken of the death of Christians and of the Graue Hee that beléeueth it will béeglad from his heart for the houre Philip. 1. Christ is my life and Death is my gaines SAint Paul giueth Death heere a fayre name his greatest and best gaines for there hee layeth in exchange a mortall needefull defectiue sinnefull weake sicke and vnperfect body and taketh for the same againe for vsurie and gaines an euerlasting immortall holy strong and spirituall body which may be called a Gaines who would be afraid to die Psal 116. The death of his Saints is precious in the sight of the Lord. BEfore the world and our fiue Senses nothing is more horrible nor terrible yea nor more dishonourable then death and a dead body But before the face of Almightie God the Death of Christians is the fairest Relique Gen. 15. God saith to Abraham Thou shalt goe to thy Fathers with peace HEere God himselfe nameth Death a Going home into his Country and to come to his Parents and Friends And withall vpon the iourney to be conducted with peace As a childe that hath beene long amongst strangers reioyceth in his heart that hee may once goe home so should wee also reioyce when our deaths houre approacheth that wee may goe home into our euerlasting Country and with all Christendome haue an euerlasting Nuptiall day and
named them so must they bée called at this present day If Adam then in the naturall body and before the Fall had such sharp eyes that he could see the Beasts in his heart as for example what the nature and property of the Stork is which hath a naturall born loue to the old ones that haue brought her vp shall not we much more in the new spirituall body which shall beare the Image of Christ bee a thousand times wiser and knowe all This is a right good argument The II. Argument THis is like the first that Adam knew Eue so soon as God brought her to him when hée had made her of his ribs before GOD said one word vnto him There it is rightly said Ille est felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas Therefore said Adam according vnto the Hebrew speech This is mercifulnes she shall haue a true hart and shall bee called Woman c. Whil'st Adam in his naturall life had such sharp eies shall wee not much more in the spirituall and euerlasting life haue much sharper eies that wee knowe one another and also those which in this life we haue not knowne I cannot finde any thought in me to withdraw it from mee that it should not be The III. Argument THe third proof they take from Christ when Mary Magdalen mette him in the garden who being yet in her sinnefull body did quickly knowe him by his spéech and likewise the Apostles also much more shall wee knowe one another when wee shall haue pure clarified eies The IIII. Argument CHrist laieth before vs the Rich-man and poor Lazarus which is no similitude but a true History acted although it bée wonderfull and strange vnto vs that in another life they shall both know one another In brief There shall be a right perfect knowledge that wée shall also knowe the high Maiesty of God and sée him face to face as Iob comforted himself chapter 19. I shall see God in my flesh Such knowledge shal happen vnto vs as the custome was in old time amongst our Elders when they kept the hallowing of their Church when all the friends and kinred came together once in a yéer which had in a long time before not séen one another as they vse often at Easter and Christmasse to visit their good friends There are they knowne amongst the kinred Is not that my Vncle Is not this my Aunt Are not these also my cousins and friends So that they knowe one another with great ioy Then knowe that at the later Day shall be the right renewed day that right Church Holy-day shall begin where all Christendome shall come together make themselues knowne one to another and shall haue an euerlasting Church-Feast a perpetuall Easter-Feast and a day of eternall ioy These things should a Christian remember for they serue to this end that many a one may bée comforted therewith when hée must depart from a good Friend Father or Mother Brother or Sister goeth far off and knoweth not at his returne if hée shall finde them in health Or else in the time of mortality when we should depart one from another then may one comfort himself in thinking thus I shall not yet lose him altogether I know that our Lord God hath appointed a Church-holy-day where my dearest children brethren sisters and good friends come to mee again there will wee consult together for euer The same is a notable comfort when his father mother and kinred bee dead that hée be not discourâ—ged but know that they bee but gone before him And therefore it is called thus Coming again makes me sure That I esteem not departure A Praier O LORD Iesus Christ which art the conductor of life thou through thy death hast ouercome euerlasting death in victory made sin and death to be nothing and confirmest with a double oath that we which kéep thy word stedfastly in our hearts shall not see death eternally doost comfort and promise to vs thy faithfull that we shall be for euer in the height of ioy and saluation where thou art Therefore wee pray thee from our hearts O Lord Iesus Christ that thou wilt through the grace of thy holy Spirit preserue vs constantly in such faith that thy Kingdome may quickly come that wee may bee deliuered out of this vale of misery that wée and our faithfull Children Parents Brethren and Sisters all our kinsfolks and all godly people through thy spirituall grace may bee brought one to another as thou didst bring to the widow of Naim her dear son in bodily maner That thou wouldest also as thy Word comforteth graciously grant that as Adam in the state of innocency knew Eue of whom he before did knowe nothing and as thou after thy holy resurrection didst make thy self knowne we likewise may sée and knowe one another in the highest ioy of thy saluation and to thy laud praise may consult together euerlastingly Amen Lord Iesus Christ Amen Heer after follow godly Sayings and Prayers taken out of the Psalms of Dauid to be vsed in the extreme necessity of death O Lord rebuke me not in thy Indignation neither chasten thou mee in thy heauy displeasure Haue mercy vpon mée O Lord for I am weake my soule also is sore troubled but Lord how long Turne thee O Lord and deliuer my soule O saue me for thy mercies sake O Lord my God in thée haue I put my trust saue me from all them that persecute me and deliuer me Haue mercy vpon mee O Lord consider the trouble which I suffer of them that hate mee thou that liftest me vppe from the very gates of death O Lord thou art hee that tooke mee out of my mothers womb thou wast my hope when I hanged yet vpon my mothers brests Go not from me then for trouble is hard at hand and there is none to help me I am powred out like water all my bones are out of ioynt my heart in the midst of my body is euen like melting waxe My strength is dried vp like a potshard my tongue cleaueth to my gummes but be not thou farre from me O Lord thou art my succour haste thee to helpe me Tarry not long O Lord for I am very faint Quicken my soule O Lord and bring me foorth in the way of righteousnesse for thy names sake Vnto thee O Lord I lift my soule my God I trust in thee O let me not be confounded lest mine enemies triumph ouer mee For all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed Thou art the God of my saluation Call to remembrance thy tender mercies and thy louing kindnesses which haue euer béene of olde Remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according vnto thy mercie thinke vpon mee O Lord for thy goodnes For thy Names sake O Lord be mercifull vnto my sinne for it is great Turne thee vnto me and haue mercie vpon me for I am desolate and oppressed The sorrowes of my heart are great O bring