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
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
of his meer mercy When thy conscience doth lay before thée thy manifould sins and sendeth thée to good works then remember that Christ hath paid for thy sins vpon the Crosse Let not vnprofitable thoughts trouble thee as If God would lengthen thy life thou wouldst think to become more holy and more apt to die for although thou mightst liue yet which is vnpossible an hundred yéers thou canst deserue nothing with thy holinesse before God Although all creatures were against thée yea although God himselfe should lay before thée his fearfull indignation and terrible indgement and shew himself none otherwise than as though he were thine enemy although thou shouldst see nothing but diuels about thee yet care not for it whatsoeuer thou feelest shut the eyes of thy minde take hold of faith and trust in the Gospell There is no Diuell so strong that is able to ouerthrowe it Trust to God and feare not Cast all thy care on the Lord and hee will prouide and preserue thee Hitherto thou hast béen as dead but now shalt thou first begin to liue for death is a doâ—â— of life a beginning of resurrection and a departing from sin and pain Forsake the world and receiue death which is seat vnto thee by the grace of God willingly for it is thy owne and must also serue thee for thy wealth This smart and paine is ordained for thee of God and hee doth not chasten thee because he hateth thée but that hee may preserue and receiue thée as his sonne Therefore faint not séeing thou art chastened of the Lord. No maner of chastising for the present time seems to bée ioyous but grieuous neuerthelesse afterward it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnes vnto them which are therein exercised The afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall bee shewed vpon vs. Tribulation anguish persecution hunger nakednesse perill sword death life Angels rule power things present nor things to come height lownesse neither any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God If thou didst truly remember and consider the vnfaithfulnesse falshood blasphemy and the Antichristian conuersation and life of this world truely thou wouldst not couet to liue any longer A thousand liues if it were possible oughtst thou to lose onely because thou hast heard and tasted the gospell namely that thou hast obtained redemption and forgiuenesse of sinnes through the bloud of Christ and not through thine owne merits Thou hast prayed daily that it would please GOD to take thee out of this euill world into his Kingdom and that his will might be done Wherefore séeing hée will now through his grace bring thee into his Kingdome thou oughtst as his son willingly and gladly to obey and to reioice with all thy heart that thou out of the diuels Kingdom out of this vallie of misery and out of this wretched life commest to thy Father and all his Elect in euerlasting Paradise The Heathen which notwithstanding were without hope did for the loue of the life to come destroy themselues and shouldst thou béeing a Christian to whom so much comfort hope and euerlasting life is promised despaire in death and desire not to die with all thy heart The Iewes die merrily which neuerthelesse haue crucified Christ and are damned for euer and shouldest not thou being a Christian man be more earnest and bolder to die to whom such ioy is promised as the eie hath not séen the eare hath not heard neither hath entred into the hart of man and wouldest thou now giue place to the miscreant and cursed Heathen and Iewes in bodily dying The seruant is not aboue his Lord nor yet the Disciple aboue his Master Christ thy Master and Lord suffered and died for thée thou must also suffer and die All they which are baptized to die are baptized thou art baptized therfore art thou also baptized to dy For Gods sake art thou killed and art counted as a shéep appointed to bee slame What were a slaughter shéep if it were not slaine or what were a Christian man if he should not be assaulted suffer and die Faint not in this affliction to which thou knowest thy self to be constituted Now will Christ thy Sauiour and Redéemer prooue whether thou wilt stand by him or no whether thou wilt for his sake valiantly abide death and bee like vnto the shape of his passion or not Therefore suffer now as a good warrior of Iesus Christ and think not to be crowned vnlesse thou fight valiantly for if thou die with Christ thou shalt also liue with him thou shalt also triumph with him Unfaithfull and without honour is hee counted before the world that giueth-ouer his holde in his dominions shouldst thou not bee without honour if in the necessity of death thou shouldest shrink from Christ thy Sauiour Take vp thy Crosse and death and follow him Knowest thou not with what great ioy and desire all the Apostles and seruants of Christ haue shed their bloud for Christs sake and haue gon euen to meet death For Christs sake hast thou not yet suffred any speciall thing Therefore giue thy self willingly and ioyfully vnto death as a shéep for Christs sake God is by thée in thy trouble he will pluck thée out of it and bring thée to honor and he is at thy right hand that he may help thée Put now thy trust in God and thou shalt be holpen Bee of good comfort and bestowe thy stinking carcase which is but wormes-meat vpon Christ thy Redeemer and Sauiour and trust onely to him and his holy Gospell which is the power of GOD to saluation to all that beleeue Abide the Lord and let thy heart take sure hold Commit thy cause vnto the Lord and trust in him hée shall order it well enough Be sober and watch for thine aduersary the diuell as a roaring lyon will go about thée séeking how he may denoure thée whom resist stedfast in the faith Ye wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against rule against power and against worldly Rulers of the darknesse of this world against the spirits of wickednes yea against sinne death hell and the diuell For this cause behaue your self as a Christian champion and take vnto you the armour of God that ye may bee able to resist in the euill day and to stand perfect in all things Stand therefore and your loynes girt about with verity hauing on them a brest-plate of righteousnes and shod with shooes prepared by the Gospell of peace Aboue all take vnto you the shield of faith wherewith yee may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked And take the helmet of saluation and the swoâ—d of the Spirit which is the word of GOD. And pray alwaies in all manner of necessities ¶ A short instruction of the confession of sinnes FIrst because all mankind by the lawes of GOD Secondly and also out of the sorrow of death the cruell martyrdome and bitter death of
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
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
Crosse God esteems vs not Esay 27. I The Lord do kéep my vineyard that is my Christians and water it quickly that his leaues doo not wither I will preserue it day and night Héer doth God the Lord comfort vs that his Christians should not bee grieued with the Crosse for he compareth his Christendome to a pleasant Vineyard that standeth open on all sides that euery one may come in and no man keeps it but lets it ly yea that it wants rain and all will wither and bee dry So doo wee also think vnder the Crosse that God careth not for vs else should wee hée better But it is certain that God himself wil be Guardian ouer his Christians and will send them the rain of grace comfort in all their temptations as hee héer saith â—â—â—e Lord doo keep it and will quickly water it I will keep it both day and night that no man hurt it that is My Christians shal not méet with any euill so graciously will I watch and ward them But hoâ—â— is such watching and warding and yet a man doth not see it Although it séemeth God hâ—th no great respect with his guarâ—ing of temporal things and whatsoeuer is corporall whilâ—st they belong not to his Kingdom yet must the world and the diuell let it alone and not doo all things as pleaseth them seeing the hairs of our head are numbred As wee haue an example thereof in Mat. 8. that the diuell without Christs leaue could not goe into a filthy Swine And such doo the Histories sufficiently shew But the right guard and protection of vs Christians goeth inwardly to the heart which God with his holy Spirit and Word puts into vs and day and night keeps vs that sin growe not quite ouer vs and that Satan be not too mighty for vs. Of such guard speaketh he shortly after The sin of Iacob shall thereby cease that is through the Crosse God defends vs against sinne and mortifieth the old Adam Many a one doth lie in his bedde who if hee were well would doo all mischief Many a one hath another assaulting which driueth him to Sermons and Praiers and to amendment of his life who if that were not would care nothing at all for God or his Word Against such assaulting should we earnestly think vpon this defense of our Lord God for the world doth not sée it and the Christians also somtimes do forget it in their néed and think God doth not regard them he hath forgotten them So did Dauid comfort himself Psalm 32. Thou art my dâ—fense thou wilt keep me from sorrow A Praier O Lord thou kéeper of Israel which doost neither slumber nor sléep and hast promised to thy faithfull that lift vp their eies toward heauen to thee and tarry for thy godly grace comfort help that thou wilt kéep them day and night in their tribulations and with the comfort of thy holy Spirit wilt moisten their hearts and graciously accept of them which is easie for thee to doo I pray thée let mee not forget thy watching and warding in my aduersity nor bee weak in mine owne cause that thou wouldst kéep me from trouble O kéep me from all tribulation O kéep me from all euill O kéep my soule and deliuer me let me not be ashamed O kéep thou my going out and comming in both now for euermore Amen II. Against the other aâ—saulting God is our enemy Esay 27. With me is no anger Lamen 3. The Lord troubleth but he hath compassion again according to his great goodnes for hee vereth not nor troubleth man from his heart O God whosoeuer could beléeue this should yet bee merry although hee were ill But all sorrows and complaints come of this that we think God is angry with vs. Therefore he giueth vs in Esay a pleasant similitude I cannot bee so angry with my Vmeyard that is with my Christians because I attend the same so diligently It is a deare Iewell vnto me Therefore doe I dresse it I hack it I cut it not that I hate it but because I loue it and will further it that it bring forth fruit which otherwise would not come foorth if I should not in such sort hack it and cut it for although it seem not friendly that the hedger standeth ouer the Vine with his knife and cutteth it hath the Mattocke in his hand and heaweth it with all his might yet is it but for the good of the Vineyard that it beare the more fruit So shall you my deare Christians saith the Lord vnderstand it sol kewise and hold it for a certaine that I loue you Prouerbs 3. when I come ouer you with the Crosse with the Wine-hook and Mattocke cut and hack you Another fine similitude giueth he afterward of plowing in chapter 28. Hearken with your eares and heare my voice When a Husbandman breaketh and ploweth his field it séemeth that hée doth much harme especially when hee oftentimes in the yéere yea thrée or foure times turneth it ouer and ploweth through the same Wherefore doth hee it It goeth heere after the common Prouerb The fourth kinde bringeth the fourth Sheaf Therefore dooth hee not let it rest after plowing but when hee hath plowed thorow his field hee soweth it then followeth faire and goodly fruit So saith the Lord GOD doo I also I plow you with the Crosse and send one thing after another now pouerty then sickenesse c. which dooth grieue you but it procéedeth not of anger as if I were your enemy it is done for your good that the stones and rocks may be rooted out and the ground made readie for fruit Therefore doe I chastise you thorow right and doctrine Likewise doth leremy in this place also comfort The Lord troubleth me c For that is his work as Psalm 4 saith Hee dealeth strangely with his Saints he thrusteth them first unto hell and lets them come into need before he do help them out hée lets one bee first sick before hee make him whole But in such Crosses and Tribulations doth hée leaue them helplesse No but hath such a heart as is full of loue and compassion Therefore is hee mercifull againe according vnto his great goodnesse and sheweth himselfe like a helpfull GOD and beareth a fatherly heart toward vs. For like as a father dooth carry an heart towards his deare childe in that hee restraineth him to the end he come to goodnes and may see both ioy and honesty in him So in GOD's heart towards vs also that he vexeth not nor troubleth vs men from his heart but that he may preserue vs his deare children to his glory kingdom and euerlasting life Heer of hast thou a fine example of Ioseph which praied a long time hee was guiltlesse and cast into Prison God heard him not so soone else had he come home to his parents and béen a poor shepherd all his life time but afterward God took pity of his misery released him of his imprisonment
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
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