griefe is present Hope But the reward is yet to come Disc. But I often want mirth in this world Hope God doth humble vs a litle by want of worldly mirth but blessed are they who nowe weepe for they shall reioyce we thinke them happie that here laugh but Christ saith Blessed are they that mourne Discon Well Hope seeing the case is such and so full of comfort in times of distresse whatsoeuer befall me I will put my trust in God Hope Then assuredly thou shalt neuer faile eyther in life or death in this world or in the world to come A Dialogue between Presumption and Feare PResump I am more holy then others Feare So saide they who were most vnholy Presum But I am not so prophane as I see many men Feare What art thou that iudgest Pres. But may I not glorie in my vertues Fear Glorie in God Pres. But I haue more graces then others Fea. Dispise no man thou knowest what thou hast beene thou knowest not what thou shalt bee Pres. But I haue better gifts theÌ„ a number besides Feare Take heede thou knowest not howe long thou shalt enioy them Presu But I am sure all is saâ—e Fe. So saide they who counted themselues children of Abraham and are fallen Pres. But I am wise Fear So wert thou if thou didst not say so Presump But I am happie Fear S. Paul saith let him that standeth take heede least he fall Pr. But I haue many daies to liue Fear No thou hast no warrant for the least continuance Presump But I am strong and healthie Fear So haue many beene and yet taken away in a moment Pre. Me thinks I should not passe away so soone Feare Why not thou hast here no continuing Citie Pres. Wel I wil make lesse reckoning of the world then I haue done Fea. Then shalt thou doe well here hereafter Pre. Now I see my follie in being so confident Fe. Be carefull bee carefull too much selfe loue and boldnesse hath vndone many Presump Well I will not from henceforth glory in my selfe Feare Let him that glorieth onely glorie in God and know this that by how much the higher thou art by so much shouldst thou be the more humble Pre. Nowe I consider my owne frailtie Feare This consideration will make thee poore in spirite and blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen A short Discourse wherein is shewed the great commendations of a peaceable course of life vnto which course of life we are moued by a consideration of our departure hence TO passe ouer the daies of this our pilgrimage in peaceable maner is and ought to bee our Christian honest care The holy Ghost commanding vs to seeke peace and to ensue it It was Christs owne farewell from his disciples My peace I leaue vnto you And one of S. Paules last exhortations vnto the Corinthes Brethrâ—n be at peace and the God of peace shall be with you Amongst other great differences whereby Gods children are discerned from the children of the world this is not the least that they are the children of peace Saul that had an euill spirit had an vnquiet and troublesome spirit but Dauid that had a good spirit had a spirite of peace Amongst the punishmentes of Egypt that of the flies was not the least which would not suffer the Egiptians to rest In like manner amidst this worlds felicity these combersome thoughtes are wont much to molest yâ— worlds followers The graces yâ— flow from Gods spirit are resembled often vnto riuers and pleasant waters These riuers abide not on the higher mountaines but haue their course through the lowest vallies It is want of humilitie that makes men so far from a peaceable state and condition of life Our Sauior Christ exhorteth vs to learne of him to be humble and mâ—â—ke that so wee may find rest vnto our soules Was it not follie in the Israelites to desire rather to liue in the troubles of Aegypt then in the lande of promise where they might haue quiet and time to doe their sacrifices vnto God The same is the follie of many who choose rather to bee moâ—ling in the worlde about ambitious and contentious practises seeking reuenge and glorie rather then to retire a little to a peaceable state of life wherein they might applie themselues to deuotion Stories make mention of Arseniuâ— who of a glorious Senator becaâ—â—e a great louer of Christ and contemner of the worlde who was also said to haue by a diuine oracle this aduertisement Fuge tace quiâ—sce Arsenius flie bresilent giue thy selfe to quiet or peace The more we estrange ourselues from the loue of this world the neerer we draw to God if we draw neere vnto God saith S. Iames God will draw neere vnto vs. The most honourable state of life is to serue him all our inferior eyther pleasures or profits for a time like some small cloudes passe to and fro and are at last dissolued into nothing So we haue as much water as will carrie the ship or with Iacob food raiment for this iourney let God be our God and let his benefits bind vs vnto him An vnquiet or troublesome life is their life who haue not knowne the way of peace may also fear a time of trouble to come To liue religiously and peaceablie before God and man is their Christian conuersation whose praier is with the Prophete One thing haue we desired of yâ— Lord that we may dwell in the house of our God all the daies of our lines If Christ did call worldly men to labors and anguish of minde they might answer as those in the Gospell Lord haue vs excused but calling them to vndertake a sweet yoake and promiâ—ing rest vnto their souls peace internall in yâ— state of grace and peace eternall in the state of glorie how can they but fâ—nd in their hearts to come being so louingly called and to passe their time in that peaceable course which true deuotion is wont to afforde the well disposed for their euerlasting good The bird who for necessity is faine sometimes to staire vpon the earth is notwithstanding for the most part soaring in the aire where she tunes many a quiet and pleasant dittie In like manner for necessities sake onely our cogitations are sometimes on thinges here beneath but our chiefe delight should be higher where is quiet and peace of conscience where no distracting thoughts which are wont to disturbe the louers of this world do not come neere them they are risen with Christ and therefore seeke the things that are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God The deuout mans life therefore is angelicall whose bodie walketh on earth but his desire as hath beene before shewed are aboue in heauen It is a wondrous case to see how apt men are to debates and quarrels at the least offences sometimes rather taken then giuen their stomacks are
time doe we not see the vâ—ces themselues rewarde their followers with sundrie griefes and infirmities at the last and their fairest end often to bee extreame penurie For the world it selfe doth it not saith S. Iohn passe away concupiscentia eius and the lusts thereof doeth it not shew matta very Iudas part betray them vnto Sathan saying whom I kisse with a fained signe of loue take them torture them which is enough to make them out of loue with this world and with Lot to get them from Sodom or with the Saints to come out of Babilon or the affections of this sinfull world that they bee not partakers of the punishment to be inflicted vpon the same Now to come a little to the state of those in this world whose inheritance is aboue what els do they find it but a maine sea of calamities where they are tossed with the billowes of many stonnes and do feele this passage full of bitternesse Least they should take too much delight in wasting to and fro vpon worldly pleasures God doth ballast their ship with some affliction to see a little the state of Gods owne friendes There was neuer yet a Moyses but hee had a Iannes and a Iambres to resist him Neuer was there a good Ioseph but hee had in his owne fathers house vnkind brethren to enuie him Neuer an Elias but a Iâ—sabel to hunt him Neuer a Paule but an Alexander to doe him much euâ—ll Neuer a reuerent Athanasius or most learned and painfull Bishop of his time but bolde spirited schismatickes wrongfully to maligne him wherfore to haue enemies in this world we must be content it was his case that now sits at the right hand of God in heauen to suffer persecution t is no new accident Sic persâ—cuti sunt Prophetas qui fuerunt ante vos said our Sauior to his disciples the Prophets of old dranke of the same cuppe all suffered From this annoyance we may come vnto the domesticall or home troubles within our selues where olde Adam or nature like Hagar the bond woman is verie disdainfull towards her mistresse Sarah to witte infused grace where the rebellious appetites conspire against the regiment of reason where our will like another Eue is stil prouoking vs to reach after the forbidden fruit where sinne like Tarquinius the proud would tyrannise vsurpe a perpetual Dictatorship did not the regenerate like men of courage and constancie cast him out of his kingdome And thus labouring to bring all to that seemely Monarchy of Gods spirit no small labor and trauell is vndertaken In pleasing men wee often incurre a greater losse by displeasing God by pleasing God which is best of all we often times displease men So which way soeuer wee cast our eies wee see and find that of the wise man verified Great trauell is created for all men and a heauie yoake for the sonnes of Adam from the day that they come out of their mothers wombe to the day that they returne to the earth the mother of all thinges from him that sitteth in the glorious throne vnto him that is beneath in earth and ashes This being the estate of all in general sinners corrected sonnes chastened nay the euill themselues much tossed and turmoiled they that worship the beast saith S. Iohn haue no rest day nor night as they haue not who make an idoll of sensual pleasure Looke how many vices so many furies is wont to haunt the licentious liuers But the good who onely haue their trials and are proued with Simon of Cyrene euery one with his crosse must bee content to accompany Christ vnto his kingdome Manifolde troubles are incident to all but in more special manner vnto those who are going from the dirt and mire of Egypt to doe sacrifice to God who will bring them into a good land the remembrance whereof may make them wish with Dauid that they had wings like a Doue and so flying they might come to rest Wherefore for these transitorie and fleeting delightes of this sinfull world happie are wee if wee see them more happie if we shun them but most happy of all when God shall take vs cleane from them when we shall be deliuered from this irkâ—some necessitie of sinning It is some comfort vnto the wayfaring man to commune of his iournies end Ioyfully doth the bond maÌ„ reckon of the yeare of Iubilee This wearisome pilgrimage of ours may iustly mooue vs this burdensome bondage may mooue vs indeede to enter into a sad remembrance of our ende and pause with that of the Apostle Haec meditaâ—e meditate of these thinges Elias fled but a dayes iourney before Iesabell and he said it is inough Lord take my soule The Angell would haue Toby reioyce Toby replied quale mihi erit gaudium qui in tenebris sedeo c. What ioy can I haue that doe here sit in darkenesse and doe not behold the light of the Sunne Those of Babilon would haue the Israelites sing them a song Alas what song could they sing being so sorrowfull captiues as they were Here we are flying before many Iezabels Heere wee sit in darkenesse and see not the true â—ight that doth shine aboue in glory Heere wee are poore captiues what reioycing should we haue in a vale of teares in so low and marshie a soile naturally subiect vnto moisture This farre country is full of penury and sorrow no plenty no musicke vntill we returne vnto our Fathers house While we are on this side Iordan wee are amidst many trials and to say trueth we may looke for no other Wee finde that of S. Austen true Quid est diu viuere nisi diu torqueri What is it to liue long but to be long troubled Wee reade that Noahs Dooue at her first flight from the Arke well shee might mount aloft fetcht many retires but shee could haue no resting place vntill Noah opened the window of the Arke to receiue her in againe so the poore soule may soare a time by lifting vp many a sigh and supplication vnto God who at last doth open the window of his heauenlye Arke and then but not before shee hath sure footing to rest for euer Those good men saith the Apostle S. Paul in the eleuenth to the Hebrewes of whome sometimes the bad worlde was vnworthy wandred vp and downe in sheepes skinnes in deserts as men forelorne shewing euidently that their glory was not of this worlde where they founde so sorry acceptance and therefore had their hope ful of immortality hoping for a reward to come Now therefore seeing in this state of life all is so troublesome enemies at home enemies abroade perils on euery side a Christian Meditation of our departure from this world may tell vs All will one day be better That wee shoulde not thinke of our continuance here we see this life to be onely a pilgrimage That we
weakenesse and we beginne to shrinke from it but hauing confidence in God who hath willed vs not to feare we finde it a meane to â—iuide the waters of many tribulations to make vs a passage from the wildernesse of this world vnto a better land of rest T is strange we should make so nice of our selues as to count it a death to meditate of Death Nay to esteeme the very remembrance thereof as Ahab did the presents of the Prophet Elias to be troublesome vnto vs. Whereas Death is so farre from hurting them who put their trust in God as they shall rather finde it a gentle guide to bring them home to their owne Cittie where they would be to remaine for euer That which wee call life is a kinde of death because it makes vs to die but that which we count death is in the sequcle a very life for that indeede it makes vs to liue There is a death which some call mortall sinne and this is the death of the Soule which death wee should all feare There is also a moderate feare of the other death which is profitable to withdraw vs from the allurements of euill But so to feare it as if it were the vtter ruine and ouerthrow of all our beeing we neede not wee ought not When the Apostle S. Paule spake of the vnconquâ—rarable faith which was his stay and the stay of all them whose hope was in Christ Wee saith the Apostle know that if this earthly house of our Tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building not made with handes but giuen of God eternall in the Heauens As if he would tell the persecutors of his time that miseries for a moment could not disâ—â—ay them the perishing of the outward man could not daunt them nor present death could discourage them for they knew their habitation was in â—eauen and themselues incorporated Cittizens into that Ierusalem which is aboue A heathen man could say Degeneres animos timor arguit this â—biect feare is farre dissident from a generous ofspring Salomon saith The iust is as a Lion of whome the Naturalist writeth that hee is of such courage as beeing fiercely pursued he will neuer once alter his gate though he die for it With what constancy aunswered the second of those seauen brethren who all yeelded vp manfully themselues to torment for the mainetenance of the Law of God Thou O King takest these our liues from vs but the King of Heauen shall raise vs vp in the resurrection of euerlasting life The Philosopher might say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of thinges terrible none more then Death But it is otherwise with Christians Tertullian told the persecutors of his time that their cruelty did but open a doore to Gods distressed people whereby they might enter the sooner into a state of glory and therefore death was very acceptable to them Why should I feare saith the Prophet in the euil day As if Dauid saw no cause of dreading death howsoeuer nature may begin to tremble at the mention thereof Hilaâ—ion could not but wonder his soule should be so loath to depart after hee had serued God and God him so many yeares Consider death as in it selfe and so naturally we seare it Consider death as a meane to bring vs vnto Christ willingly we may embrace it When Iacob saw the chariots of Egipt and thereby perceiued his sonne Ioseph was aliue his fainting spirites reuiued saying I will goe see him before I die When faith dooth bring vs many testimonies our Ioseph liueth the Christian soule may recomfort her selfe in her panges and say Moriâ—r vt vidoâ—â— In the name of God to see him let me die Now for these corruptible bodies they take no dammage at all by death T is no harme to the seede though it hath for the time a little earth raked ouer it it shall spring againe and flourish and bring foorth fruite in due season No hurt is it to these our bodies to be cast into the grounde beeing sowen in wealienesse they shall rise againe in power being sowen naturall bodies they rise againe bodies spirituall being sowne in dishonor they rise againe in glory The keeping greene of Noahs Oliue troo vnder the floud The budding againe of Aarons rod The deliuerance of Ionas from the depth of the Sea The voice that calleth come againe ye children of men The hope of Iob that he should see God with no other but with the selfe same eyes The Prophesie of Ezechiell vnto the dry bones that should come os ad os bone to bone may stirre in vs a ioyfull hope and cheere vs vp against all the feare and terror of death But the resurrection of our Sauiour Christ that is the comfort of all coinforts Vox Christi vox Christianorum The voice of Christ is by Christ the doyce of Christians saith S. Austen Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory As he was the cause efficient so was he also a figure of the Resurrection Hee risinge wee all arise Of a more powerfull cause there is a more powerfull effect If the sinne of Adam who was a liuing soule was the cause that death raigned ouer all much more the resurrection of Christ who was a quickening spirite shal be of power to raise vp all that beleeue to the hope of euerlasting life What greater ioy then to be able to know him as the Apostle speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the power of this resurrection Christ as in dying shewed what we should suffer so in risinge from death what we should hope To wit that all the bones in Golgatha shall rise and those that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall heare the voice of Lazarus come foorth Wherefore though Death doe swallow vs vp as the Whale did Ionas bind vs as the Philistines did Sampson yet wee shall come foorth and breake the bendes as the birde out of the snare The snare is broken and we are deliuered They may well feare death saith S. Cyprian that haue no saith in Christ but for those who are members of that head who vanquished the power of Hell and Death Death is to them aduantage and a gentle guide that bringes them home to euerlasting rest Hence is it that dying they are said since Christes resurrection to fall asleepe They that sleepe in Iesus saith the Apostle they lay them downe and take their rest and God it is that makes them dwell in euerlasting safety We should not then feare to fall a sleepe for sleepe is a refreshinge after wearysome labours The painefull labouring man after his dayes worke ended sleepes often more quietly then Diueâ— in his marble pallace on his bed of Iuory where hee tosseth and tumbleth hee sleepes not quietly either in life or death and of such is that verified O mors quam amara O death how bitter is thy remembrance Hauing wearied
anger O Lord neither rebuke me in thine indignation heale me for my bones are vexed be not farre from me for trouble is hard at hand there is none to deliuer me remember thy louing mercies which haue beene euer of old cast me not away when my strength faileth mee I acknowledge my faultes and my sinne is euer against mee wash me and I shall be cleane Lord heare me hide not thy face from me for trouble is harde at hand O let my crie enter into thy presence To this or the like penitent complaint that ioyfull reply is not farre off Quoniam sperauit in me liberabo â—um Because he hath put his trust in mee I will deliuer him I will set him vp because he hath known my name Cum ipso sum in tribulatione I am with him in his tribulation The select prayers to bee vsed in the visitation of the sicke should bee obserued with many of the Psalmes of Dauid which when the afflicted reade them instruct the conscience and in times of sicknesse are wont more then ordinarie to moue the minde For these diuine hymnes saith Saint Basill they are a parte of holy Scripture High in misterie profounde in sence comfortable in doctrine and haue in times of affliction a special and peculiar grace to instruct the soule Amongst these the thirtie eight Psalm Domine ne arguas me Put me not to rebuke O Lord. The fiftie one Miserere mei Deus Haue mercie vpon me O Lord. The seuentie Psalme Deus in adiutorium Haste thee to deliuer me O God The seuentie one In te Domine spâ—raui In thee O Lord haue I trusted The seuentie seuen Voce mea ad Dominum I will crie vnto the Lord with my voice The hundred and thirtie Psalme De profundis clamaui ad te domine Domine exaudi vocem meam Out of the deepes haue I called vnto thee O Lord Lord heare my voice with many other like Psalmes proper and peculiar for the sicke Herevnto may bee added a silent meditation wherein the soule doth enter a solitarie talke with God which is verie conuenient in this ease When the ioyes of heauen haue leasure to present themselues to our religious thoughts the pleasures of our sinfull life and this worldes vanities are then seene to be of small valew as they are indeede then may we call to minde the vnspeakable loue of God towardes man in generall and our selues in particular How this 〈◊〉 sâ—ept foorth in thine of need before execution of iustice to 〈◊〉 man That it was a worke 〈◊〉 comfort when God said Fiâ— Lux let there bee light made But that it was a worke of counsell and all comfort when hee said in the great worke of mans redemption Fiat Chriâ—tus Let ther be a Christ borne which shall saue my people from their sinnes And now haue wee fit opportunitie to meditate vpon the sufferinges of the Sonne of God his passion his descention into hel his resurrection the third day his ascention and glorious sitting at the right hand of God so that at the name of Iesus the sorrowfull sinner may say with Thomas Dominus meus Deus meus My Lord and my God We cannot in the world better imploy our thoughts then in calling to mind how God hath kept vs from our youth vp from how many daungers we haue beene deliuered into which we haue seene not a few fall before our eyes and our selues by his onely mercie vnto this day freed from the same Can we but with all thankfulnesse call to minde the goodnesse of God towards vs for the time past and put our whole trust and confidence in him euen in these greatest extremities yea both in life and death for the time to come seeing the Lorde is nigh to them that call vpon him yea to all such as call vpon him faithfully The fourteenth Chapter How the sicke when sicknes more more increaseth may be moued to coÌ„stancie perseuerance WHen sickenesse more and more encreaseth wee are more and more put in minde of our mortalitie and gently mooued to renounce by little and little all the repose wee haue or can haue in this tranâ—â—torie life to arme our selues to stand with constanâ—y vnto the end remembring euermore as we had a time to be borne so haue wee a time to die And our way to enter into life is first to passe the pinching griefs of a momentarie death To raise vp our spirits in times of greatest triall we may recouÌ„t with our selues that Christ himselfe went not vp to glorie but first hee suffered paine When Vriah was willed by Dauid himselfe to take his peace at home Shall I see quoth hee my Lord Ioab and the Arke of God lie abroad in the field and shall I goe take my rest and â—ase No I will not Shall we see the Sonne of GOD himselfe all in gore bloud suffering for the sinnes of the whole world and shall we refuse all suffering taking our case in Sion and our rest vppon the mountaines of Samaria as loath to endure any crosse or calamitie at all Is that Souldiour worthie to triumph with his Captaine that woulde neuer strike stroke to fight the battaile Againe whatsoeueâ— wee suffer Christ suffered more for vs. But that which principally is to bee remembred this our striuing is not beating the ayre for after wee haue fought a good fight there is laid vp for vs a crown of glorie God is saith Tertullian Agonothetes both he that purposeth the prize and rewardeth the champion Consider the olde generations of men and marke them well Was there euer any confounded that put his trust in the Lord who hath continued in his feare and was forsaken Or whome did hee euer despise that called vpon him Wherefore let the languishing person take vnto him comfort in Gods mercie Was euer the righteous forsaken God told Iosias that hee should bee gathered vnto his Fathers in peace and yet Iosias died in warre God gaue him a constant mind whereby hee died peaceably The Lord told Ieremie he should not bee vanquished Ieremie was stoned but not vanquished God gaue him an inuincible faith The Angell to the Church of Smyrna saith Esto fidelis vsque dabo tibi coronam vitae Bee thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a crowne of life To raise vp himself in this liuelie faith the sicke may make a heartie confession of his christian beliefe saying O holie Trinitie I commend my selfe vnto thee the father the sonne and the holie ghost which in vnitie of nature art one and the selâ—e same God I commend me vnto thee O omnipotent father which hast created me yea heauen earth with all things visible and inuisible I commend me vnto thee O Lorde Iesus Christ who for mee and the saluation of mankind wert sent into the world conceiued by the power of the holy Ghost borne man of the
must to yâ— place froÌ„ whence we came this world being our banishmeÌ„t for a time from which these blessed soules now freed would tell vs were they to return into these earthly regions which without controuersie they do not that they with Mary haue chosen the better part We here with Martha are carefull about many things They haue yâ— one thing which is necessarie that shall neuer be taken froÌ„ them How to accept of and take in good part as we may the losse as we count it or rather misse for a time of friends departed The behauior of Dâ—uid in this case may be considered who when the childe was sicke fasteth prayeth prosâ—rateth himself vpon the earth but hearing that Gods will was accomplished in the death of the childe Dauid rose vp eate bread receiued comfort as it seemed after all his sorrow being demaunded the cause of this diuersitie of behauiour answered While the child was yet aliue I fasted and wept for I said who can tell whether God will haue mercie on mee that the childe may liue but being dead wherefore should I now fast can I bring him againe any more I shall go vnto him but hee shall not returne vnto me In the like case Saint Barnard being not a little mooued for the death of one I turned mee saith hee to praier and weeping at last I considered that God had done what seemed best in his diuine prouidence what should more sorrowing auaile Lord thou hast taken thine none of mine teares forbad mee to speake further And so the good father resolued to rest content with the will of God The three and twentieth Chapter Howe those that vndertake any daungerous attempts either by sea or land wherein they are in perill of death should specially before hand make themselues readie for God IF those men who liue in times and places of moste safetie should respecting the vncertaintie of humane condition thinke euery day of their last day which by little and little will come vpon them then howe much more ought those who enter into place of apparant perill vndertake attempts of greatest daunger stand vpon their guard and be well prouided for to bee readie for God Heathen men coulde tell Ionas that in this case there was no other refuge but to flie vnto the assistaunce of some superiour power Pharaoh himselfe coulde intreate Moyses to pray for him how much more then shoulde those whose hope reacheth further then the sauing or preseruation of a life mortall entring into any attempt wherein they are in hazard with Iudith who first worshipped God with all deuotion and their went forth for yâ— deliueraÌ„ce of Bethulia Faith and trust in God doeth not make men towards but rather addeth spirite and comfort in greatest assaults of enemies By faith saieth the Apostle Gedâ—on Barac Samson Iephte and also Dauid of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battell turned to slight the armies of aliants who came against Gods people with great force and multitudes While they were arming themselues with sword and shield the maner of God his people was to arme them with deuotion and a religious commending themselues either in life or death to Gods protection When Balaac saw the people of Israel to prosper more by their praying theÌ„ he could by his strogest forces he would needs haue Balaam to curse them Moses saith S. Ierome fought as well as Iosua against Amelech for while Moses held vp his handes Israel preuailed Rufinus and Socrates write that Theodosius the Christian Emperour in a great battell agaynst Eugenius when hee sawe the huge multitude that was comming agaynst him and so in the sight of man there was apparant ouerthrow at hand he gets him vp into a place eminent or in the sight of all the armie falles downe prostrate vpon the earth beseecheth God if euer hee would looke vpon a sinfull creature to helpe him at this time of greatest neede suddenly there rose a mightie winde which blew the darts of the enemies backe vpon themselues in such wonderfull maner as Eugenius with all his host was cleane discomfited who saw that the power of Christ fought for his people and therefore cried in effect as the Egyptians did O God is in the cloude or God fighteth for them Thus with faith and constancie haue the seruants of God gone foorth against their enemies with all deuotion and a through preparing of themselues either for life or death as it should best stande with the good pleasure of God For those therefore that vndertake any attempt either by sea or land wherein life more then ordinarie is endaungered let them in the name of God goe forth with soules prepared for in so doing they remember themselues to haue a further expectation then either the gaining or loosing of a life temporal Paratos inueniat saith Eusebius Emisenus extrema necessitas quae saepe opprimit imparatos Let extreame necessitie find them readie which is wont to oppresse men vnprepared In worldly affaires wee oftentimes forget heauenly therefore good reasâ—â— that in heauenly we should also go aside from al earthly cogitations and presenting our selues before God commende in solemne manner our soules into his handes which done with Hester wee may say If we perish we perish now the will of God bee fulfilled So therefore of preparing themselues before anie attempt of daunger it may bee said as S. Iohn saith Hic est sapientia here is wisdome The foure and twentieth Chapter A briefe direction for such as are suddenly called to depart this world COncerning praies for the deliuerance frâ—â— sodain death some what hath beene before mentioned and their hard censure who are euer hastie in this cause to iudge others in part answered Nowe for him who vpon short warning is willing to die this briefe direction may suffice First let not the suddainnesse dismay him for that vnto a well disposed man it is no suddainnesse at all howe soone soeuer hee departe Secondarilie that God hath his pennie for those that come at the eleuenth hower and an acceptance for the seruauntes that are found stirring at the second or third watch He hath Paradise for him that will call in his dying fittes Lord remember mee in thy heauenly Kingdome With Marie Magdalene to giue God at once the sacriâ—ice of a sorrowfull spirit shall with Abell his offering goe vpwarde and be acceptable vnto God Wee must let this little threede of life twine out vntill our clewe bee all ended When the Shippe is couered with waues Then helpe Maister When a good remembraunce of Iesus Christ shall not returne voyd Abraham had but an intention in his minde concerning Isaac to offer him and yet the Apostle to the Hebrues saith By faith Abraham of fred vp Isaac as if yâ— deed had bin done when his intention was good to doe it Whereby we see that God doth accept a good meaning heart which is all we
can offer at these times The mercie of man extends it selfe vnto his neighbour saith the Wise man but the mercie of God reacheth to all flesh and both can and will saue in a moment wherefore this suddennesse may not either giue occasion to others to iudge vncharitably or vnto the patients theÌ„selues to bee discoÌ„forted for want of time Non nocet bonis saith one si subito moriantur It dooth not hurt good men how suddenly soeuer they are called away so they depart when God calleth them which time all must tarrie For as the pleasures of this world should not cause vs to bee altogither addicted to the same so also the miseries of life shoulde not cause any how deepely distressed soeuer distrustfully to flie away or desperately with Saul to iucurre his owne daunger which foule attemptes nature herself doth abhorre but christianitie vtterly condemne To be any way accessarie vnto our owne decay or much lesse principall O God forbid Fie vpon that discontent or faithlesse cowardlinesse to run away or to flie where no feare is God is a sure refuge and wil neuer fail God is a present helpe in trouble He that brought vs into the worlde should haue the calling vs from the worlde At whose calling we may meekelie depart as becommeth vs Abridge the time we may not we ought not for all the afflictions that may betide the sonnes of men The lawes of nations haue forbid in this case the benefite of decent buriall to terrifie men from this shamefull fact of casting away themselues desperatelie At the verie motions wherof the true Christian is woont to say as Christ sayde vnto the tempter in the wildernesse Vade Satana auoyde Sathan Thus therfore an humble submitting our selues to Gods pleasure and also a faithfull commending our soules into his hands how soone soeuer we are called to depart is that direction which we should put in practise by the assisting help of Gods blessed grace A praier to be vsed of any who findes himselfe troubled in conscience or disquieted by euill motions STrengthen me O Lord against al mine enemies both bodily and ghostlye that they neuer bee able to say wee haue preuailed agaynst him By spirite is sorrowfull my heart is sadde and heauie within mee if thou be not my comfort I shal surely perish in my trouble For thy names sake O Lord haue mercie vpon mee rise vp to helpe me that hauing helpe in thee I may withstand my mortall aduersarie and say depart from mee thou wicked spirit that bringest euill thoughts and this deiection of mind goe from me thou deceyuer of man thou shalt haue no part in me for my sauior Iesus standeth by me as a strong chaÌ„pion and thou shalt flie away to thy confussion I had rather endure al affliction al punishmeÌ„ts and infamie of the world then consent to thy malicious motions Be stil therefore thou wicked spirit cease thy prouokements to euill I shall neuer assent vnto thee though greater trobles theÌ„ these come vpoÌ„ me our lord is my light my helth whoÌ„ shal I dread he is yâ— defender of my life of whoÌ„ then shal I be afraid Though an host of men set themselues against me though inâ—inite calamities ouercome mee I shall not bee discomforted for why God is my helper and redeemer in whom I trust he is my portion To whom be praise and honor now and for euermore Amen A prayer for a good departure out of this world ETernall God and most mercifull father seeing that the daies of man are as the flower of the field that soone fadeth and his time like a shodow that vanisheth away considering we are all straungers as were our forefathers and haue here no continuing citie make vs euermore Lord we beseech thee mindfull of our mortalitie that like wise virgins we may prouide oyle in our lamps to bee readie against the bridegrooms comming and that tarying thy good pleasure like watchful seruants we may bee so doing whensoeuer the maister shal returne And when sicknes summoneth vs to bee gone graunt we beseech thee thut neither the infirmitie of the flesh nor the sharpnesse of affliction nor any other meanes whatsoeuer remoue vs from a true and steadfast hope in the blessed passion of thy deare sonne Christ Iesus And when the houre of our rest is come graunt O Lord we may commend our selues into thy handes and die thy seruants to the glorie of thy name comfort of our soules through Iesus Christ Amen The fiue and twentieth Chapter A consolatory admonitioÌ„ for those who are often ouermuch grieued at the crosses of this world IF the world hate you saith Christ our sauiour vnto his Discipleâ— you know it haâ—ed me before it hâ—red youâ— that heauinesse might not dismay or cast them downe without hope of deliuerance where he proposeth the one he promiseth the other Blessed are they that mourne for they shall receyue comfort are not those happie teares well distilled froÌ„ the limbeck of a sorowful heart yâ— shall haue the hands of the sonne of God himself to wipe theÌ„ cleane away when al flesh saith Moses had corrupted his wayes it repented yâ— lord he had made man that is God was sory that man created to so excellent an ende should himself destroy himselfe Now God sends a deluge vpon yâ— face of our earthly pleasured these floods of teares extinguish the heate of vnlawfull desires clense the corruption of our sâ—nfull liues when all is ouerpast there ensueth a calme The church wel celebrateth solemne and sanctified feasts as publike memorials of Christes blessed birth his resurrection his ascention many others before which feasts she appointeth the eeuens to be fasted in this worlde we fast the â—â—uen we shall keep holiday when we come to heauen our lord master Christ Iesus as he did seldom laugh in the worlde so did the worlde as seldom laugh vpon him He tels his followers they must become as little children litle children we know haue no other weapons to auenge themselues but their tears and what other haue wee agaynst our crosses of this worlde but our sighes and supplications sent vp to God Iob saieth Before I eate I sigh whose suffering was such that all which wee doe or can suffer sayth Saint Ierome is in effect nothing We may not looke to find God in the Gardens of Egypt whom Mâ—ses â—ound in the thornie 〈◊〉 of manifold tribulation◠〈◊〉 â—e without crosses we may rather wish then hope The golden worlde is gone wheein men did ioy in nothing more then in sinceritie and loue now this yron age of ours yeeldeth store of crosses and vnconscionable wrongs such is the calamitie of our time wel heauines may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Wee may not repine at these trials if we desire to solace our selues in the vanities of this worlde our desires are vnlawfull Lots wife her minde was vpon her substance