thou reioycest more at the finding of one lost sheepe which hath long gone astray then ouer ninety and nine iust persons which neede no repentance Thou art ready to meet and embrace with the armes of thy mercy the Prodigall Sonne when he turneth homewards towards thee repenting his former folly and humbly crauing thy mercy Therefore there is nothing better for man then continually to consider thy great loue and fidelitie towards him and contrariwise his owne infidelitie and ingratitude towards thee for the Diuel is so enuious towards thy seruants that hee omitteth no time in tempting them yea euen then when they are about to repent and bewaile their sins he causeth them to doubt of their saluation to wauer in faith and cloggeth their consciences with the curse of the Law and equitie of Gods iustice in punishing their sinne that thereby they might neuer be at quietnes or rest in themselues but straight fall into the dungeon of desperation It is thou onely O Lord that canst heale their diseases ease their burthen cure their wounds and refresh their hungry spirits Wherfore if at any time the Diuell mooue vs to doubt or despaire of Gods goodnes and grace yet let vs not faint in faith or be hollow-hearted but rather bee bold in the bowels of Iesus Christ and with a sure confidence approch vnto the Mercy-Seat of God the Father who accepteth the satisfaction of his Son and alloweth the same to be a full ransome for all our sinnes and by this meanes we may finde fauour at the hands of our heauenly Father Many examples wee haue to perswade vs herein The Woman of Canaan cryed and her Daughter was cured The Centurion beleeued and his Seruant was made whole The Father prayed and his Sonne was clenfed of the foule spirit The Apostles cryed out Helpe Lord for wee perish and straightway they were deliuered Christ perceiued but the Faith of the people and he said to the sicke of the Palsie Be of good cheere my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee The Mother and her companions doe but weepe and her sonne is raised from death to life Martha and Mary did but mourne and Lazarus was reuiued Mary the sinner sheadeth teares and hee said vnto her Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee A poore blinde man cryed out O Son of Dauid haue mercy on me and he receiued his sight The Thiefe hanging on the Crosse said but onely Lord remember me and Christ answered This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise O singular Faith of sinners what man hath at any time cried Iesu haue mercy on mee but forthwith hee hath found fauour obtained grace A sure faith procureth any thing at Gods hands but he that mistrusteth the Physician hindreth his owne health Our Sauiour Christ hath opened vnto vs the gate of his goodnes therefore let not vs runne headlong to the dungeon of desperation the dunghill of the Diuell Hee hath stretched out his hand to vs therefore let not vs turne away our face from him He hath opened vnto vs the Kingdome of Heauen therefore let not vs haste to destruction nor creepe to the lake of vnhappinesse but let vs by these examples of Gods graces to others acknowledge the mercies of God to bee many and maruellous towards man For whose cause doth the Sun shine by day the Moone and the Starres by night but for man For whose sake doth the Lord water the earth with deaw drops and showres of raine but for man Why blowe the Windes Why runne the Riuers Why spread the Springs Why budde the Trees Why growe the fruits of the earth And why increase the fishes of the seas but for the vse of man He is King and Lord of all creatures vnder the cope of heauen There is nothing that God hath not made subiect to man onely hee would that man should bee obedient vnto him Yet many times our mercifull God sendeth vs aduersitie eyther to cleere vs of our transgressions or to feare vs from sinne or to minister occasion of well-doing Thus was Abraham tryed So was Iob proued with many miseries Thus is euery one which liueth godly in Christ Iesus tryed in this world with sundry afflictions as the gold in the fire for whom the Lord loueth those he chasteneth Therefore wee beseech thee O Lord assist vs by thy might and mercy that we may patiently beare all trouble neede pouertie sicknes slander hatred imprisonment griefe and anguish of minde temptations of our deadly Enemy losse of lands and worldly wealth and all other calamities and discommodities Looke not on vs or our sins O Lord but behold thy Little one which was borne for vs He was wounded for our offences and by his stripes wee are healed Hee gaue his body to be beaten his cheekes to be striken for vs finners He turned not away his face from them that scorned him spit vpon him Looke O Lord vpon all the parts of his body from the crowne of his head to the sole of his foote and no paine shall bee found like vnto his paine Behold O blessed Lord the holy head of thy deare Sonne crowned with sharp Thornes the bloud running downe on his goodly visage Behold his tender body how it is scourged his naked brest is stricken beaten his bloudy side is thrust thorow with a speare his heart panteth his sinewes bee stretched forth his christall eyes dazell and lose their sight his princely face is wan and pale his pleasant tongue is enflamed with paine his inward parts waxe dry and starke his armes both blue and blacke his bones sore his comely legges be feeble and weake and the streames of bloud gush out of his side downe to the ground O Lord of mercy and God of comfort let all these sufferings of thine only and deare beloued Son pacifie thy wrath and be a sufficient recompence for all our misdemeanour towards thy Maiesty defend vs outwardly by thy might and cheere vs inwardly by thy holy Spirit that we may both in body soule glorifie thy Name feare thy might and loue thy mercy and hereafter walke in thy wayes so long as the breath is in our bodies And after that receiue vs body and soule into the heauenly Kingdome for the tender Death and Passion of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour power and praise world without end Amen An effectuall Prayer for those which be Lunatike or possessed with any euill Spirit O Most mighty mercifull God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Prince of power and the God of all comfort and consolation our strong Rocke our sure refuge and defence against the damnable and dangerous assaults of our enemies both bodily and ghostly which hast commanded vs in our greatest perils and necessities to flye vnto thee for safety and boldly to call vpon thee for our deliuery which also by thy diuine power and vnsearchable wisedome hast made heauen and earth
me O Lord a fit sacrifice for thy selfe by punishing my fleshly body and pardoning my sinfull soule Grant mee perfect remembrance of the houre of my death last gaspe that I may thankefully take this thy fatherly visitation and willingly beare my crosse after thy deare Son Iesus Christ my Sauiour O Lord prepare me for the good houre which thou hast appointed for the deliuerie of my soule out of this wretched world settle my thoughts and fixe my faith on the life to come that I neuer shrinke from thee and thy sauing health what paine or torment soeuer thou inflictest vpon mee here on earth yet deare Father let heauen be my reward in the end Finally so dispose of me good Lord as may be most meete for thy glory and mine own saluation in Christ Iesus my mercifull Redeemer and Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour power and praise world without end Amen A Prayer to be said in the pangs of Death O Infinite Deitie and vnmeasurable goodnes O blessed and glorious Trinitie O perfect loue and charitie haue mercy on mee and open the bowels of compassion vpon mee a wretched sinner wrapped in woe and ouerwhelmed with anguish of soule and vexation of spirit Into thy hands O Lord I wholly commit and resigne my selfe make haste O Lord to deliuer mee for it is high time My flesh trembleth my bones are brused mine eyes wax dimme my strength faileth my heart panteth and my sorrow and paine euery way increaseth O mercifull Creator shew mercy to thy creature In thee O Lord alone is all my trust In my misery and smart I haue no other to make my mone vnto but onely to thee O thou preseruer of men Therefore forsake me not vtterly but stand by me and with comfort relieue me in this my extremitie and last combate Stretch out thine arme O Lord and hold thy hands of pitie ouer me that lyeth here in woe and misery O Iesu O sweet Iesu mercie O Sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me O Father of Heauen help me O holy Spirit of God confirme comfort me O God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost three persons and one God haue mercie vpon me O Iesus my sweet Sauiour receiue my silly soule into thy holy hands Place it O LORD for thy mercie sake with thine owne selfe in thy heauenly Kingdome among thine holy Angels and Saints O my good God and my heauenly Father pitie my case ease my paine comfort my soule and be mercifull vnto me Lord shew the light of thy louing countenance vpon mee And in the houre of my death strengthen my faith So that my body returning to the earth from whence it came my soule may ascend to thee which gaue it and at the day of doome generall iudgement when they shall both meete againe they may rise to life euerlasting thorow our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen Short Petitions collected for the Sicke Partly out of other Authors BEhold O gracious Father the body of thy deare Sonne all to rent and torne and remember I most humbly beseech thee of how small base substance I am Behold O good God the grieuous paine Passion of Christ my Redeemer and forgiue the sinnes of me thine vnworthy and vnprofitable Seruant which am therby redeemed O Lord looke downe from Heauen incline thine eares vnto my prayers confort my sobbing soule cheere my carefull conscience increase my faith forgiue me my sinnes and haue mercy vpon me through Iesus Christ my Sauiour Amen O Lord I beseech thee mercifully heare my prayers and spare mee which doe confesse my sinnes to thee that I whose conscience by sin is accused by thy mercifull pardon may be absolued through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen O GOD the Father which made mee blesse mee O God the Sonne which redeemed me preserue mee O God the holy Ghost which sanctifieth me confirme and strengthen me The blessing defence and sauing health of the Almighty God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost preserue mee from all euill and bring mee to euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Glory be to thee O Father my Maker Glory be to thee O Sonne my Redeemer and glory bee to thee O holy Ghost my Comforter from age to age from posteritie to posteritie both here and in the world to come and let all people say Amen The peace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the power of his Passion the prayers of his Elect the Communion of Saints the sword of the Spirit and the shield of Faith bee betwixt mee and all mine enemies bodily and ghostly publike and priuate visible and inuisible both now and in the very houre of my death Amen O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit Thou hast redeemed mee O Lord thou God of Truth Lord Iesu at thy pleasure and at the time which may be acceptable vnto thee receiue my spirit into thy heauenly Kingdome Amen The third Dutie of the Sicke THe third and last duty of the sicke person is to be patient in his sicknes or any other aduersitie willingly to beare the burthen of Christs Crosse so to follow him for the better performance wherof I haue thought good to annex to the premisses this short Treatise of Patience wherein I will obserue this order First I will perswade by Precepts to suffer aduersitie and all kinde of calamitie Secondly I wil produce out of the Scriptures some speciall and particular examples which may prouoke vs both to suffer affliction and to be patient therein Thirdly I will shew some Reasons to allure vs thereunto 1. Precepts perswading FIrst it is an old saying Patience in aduersitie is a goodly vertue and truely so it is and Patience is a rare vertue and so it may well bee because it is so seldome seene and neuer so seldome as in these our dayes wherein wee haue many motions to euill but few or none to that which is good We offer wrong we will take none Wee giue shrewde words to others wee can brooke none towards our selues Wee haue Eagles eyes to espy a mote in our Brothers eye but like blinde buzzards wee see none at all in our owne We complaine of euery griefe in our selues bee it neuer so little wee pitie none in others bee it neuer so great And therefore we had need both of Precepts to perswade and Examples to prouoke but I feare neither the one nor the other will preuaile or take place in vs. And why Mens hearts are steeped in bitter gall their hands are cruell their feete swift to shead bloud their braine busie to inuent mischiefe And to speake the truth without flattery Loue is lost Charitie is cold Faith is not to be found Pietie maketh mone being pinched by aduersitie and patience is gone beeing forced by extremity Wel what is to bee done in this wofull case Wee must comfort our selues with sentences and examples which are written for our
Law to doe them Quest 4. Good Lord if this bee true then what a miserable case are all wee in beeing wicked and cursed creatures Answ Truely our state indeede is wretched and damnable and but that God of his infinite goodnes hath prouided a salue for this sore we should vtterly perish and then were 1. Cor. 15. 19. we of all men most miserable Quest 5. Do you beleeue then that there is a salue for so grieuous a wound and a remedy for so great a mischiefe Answ Yea verily I firmely beleeue and know it or else I could not with so cheerefull and patient a minde beare this crosse which God hath now laid vpon me Quest 6. I pray you what remedy is there against the sting of sinne and the curse of the Law Is there any thing in the world that can pacifie Gods wrath and mooue him to such mercy as may cause him to take away this deadly curse and giue vs a blessing Answ Yea God bee thanked that there is I can tell you so much though I be not Booke-learned yet I haue heard it and I doe vndoubtedly beleeue it because Gods Word doth teach it That when there was no means to be found for man to be saued neither in heauen nor earth it pleased our heauenly Father of his meere mercy to send his only begotten Sonne Rom. 8. 3. into the world to the end that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting So that that which was impossible to the Law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh I doe therefore beleeue that this Sonne of God Iesus Christ hath quite taken away the curse of the Law Col. 2. 14. and nayled it vpō the Crosse Quest 7. These are good words indeed and generally spoken to all sinners but how can you apply this to your selfe Answ Because I know assuredly that I am Christs and haue the testimonie of the Holy Ghost in mee comforting mee and bearing witnes to my Spirit that I am the child of God and therefore may boldly cry Abba Father Gal 4. 6. c. Quest 8. Then I perceiue if you bee thus faithfully minded as you do professe that you are not afraid to dy neither is death so dread full vnto you as it is to many in these sinfull dayes Answ Although indeed death seemeth detestable to the most part of men especially to impenitent sinners and such as haue the wealth of the world at will Yet notwithstanding I see no reason why any wise man should feare that which cannot be auoided but rather all things considered aright they haue cause to couet it with the holy Apostle Saint Paul who desireth to be loosed and Phil. 1. 23. to be with Christ which is best of all because death is the doore to eternall life for we connot liue for euer but first we must dye And therefore the godly man after he is mortified heere by crosses and griefe of sicknes may cheerefully sing and say with the same Apostle Christ is to mee Phil. 1. 21. both in life and death aduantage And most comfortable to a good conscience is that sentence of Ecclesiastes A good name is better then a Eccl. 7. 3. good oyntment and the day of death then the day that one is borne The Preacher spake not this without booke nor without reason for then we change sicknes for health woe for wealth transitorie vanities for perpetuall ioyes and earthly trash for heauenly treasure c. Quest 9. You are in the right of it and haue hit the naile on the head in this point keepe you there and my life for yours But because I finde you in answering both wise and willing it incourageth mee to bee bold in questioning Doe you beleeue all the Articles of the Christian Faith which the true and Catholike Church doth hold at this day and all other Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the very and liuely Word of God the foode of your soule and the perfect way to eternall life and that there is sufficient matter contained in them to establish your minde and conscience to saluation according to the consent of Christs Apostles in the Primitiue Church Answ I constantly and vnfainedly beleeue all this you haue said to bee true and grounded vpon the Word of God as vpon a sure foundation which shal neuer faile nor fall And therefore it is called the Word of Life the Word of Rom. 3. 16. Grace the Word of Truth and the power of God to Saluation to euery one that beleeueth Quest. 10. Doe you detest and abhor all Idolatry Heresies errors schismes innouations and opinions which in any point do dissent or disagree from this liuely Word of GOD and the ancient Catholike and Primitiue Church Answ As these enormities of themselues are detestable and damnable euen so I do from my very heart detest and abhorre them all and most ardently I imbrace the Truth of Gods Word with all due reuerence to the same as to the heauenly will of GOD therein specified and reuealed to vs by his Seruants the Patriarks and Apostles of God and his Sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiour the Head of the Church And I am desirous to die a member of the same Church beeing the bodie and Spouse of Christ Quest 11. And do you euen in heart reioyce to liue and die in this Christian Faith and in the vnitie of this true ancient Catholique and Apostolique Church militant heere on earth which is and shall be the Communion of Saints the triumphant Church of God in Heauen Ans I reioyce in nothing so much for I know that out of the Church there is no saluation or safetie Those in old time that were found out of Noahs Arke being a Type of the Church perished by water but they which are not of the Catholike Church of Christ shall be tormented in Hell fire which shall neuer bee quenched Quest 12. Good Lord mee thinke it is a fearefull thing that the wicked should enter into euerlasting paine and vnquenchable fire And the words which are vsuall in the Scriptures are able to make any man tremble euen at the heart as Hell Mat. 8. 12. fire the bottomelesse pit vtter darknes vnquenchable fire perpetuall paine c. where shall bee weeping and Mar. 9. 44. gnashing of teeth where their worme dyeth not and the fire neuer goeth out Mee thinks this word neuer is a long one for if there were any hope that euer the wicked might feele any release or easement of their paine or that the damned might haue any end of their torment yea if it were but after a thousand or a thousand thousands of yeeres there were some comfort to be expected in time to come though it were long first yet time would once make an end and weare
it out But these words euerlasting perpetuall and neuer these and such like pierce the heart dismay the mind and cut the throat of a sinner they crucifie the guiltie Conscience and at one blow they kill downe right where they hit How thinke you are not you of the same minde Answ Indeede I must needs confesse they bee words of great weight intolerable and heauie to beare especially to a Conscience clogged with sin and words not once but often to bee deepely considered of euen of the best of vs all for the best are too bad and of our selues wee are all sinners and deserue such reward for our hyre as these words doe threaten but they take effect onely in the Reprobate desperate and impenitent sinners such as neither feare Gods Iustice nor feele his Mercie neither any operation of his Holy Spirit But are for their contempt obstinacie and impenitent hearts giuen ouer of God into a Reprobate sense whose eyes are blinded whose eares are stopped and whose hearts are hardened that they disdaine and reiect the Word of God and all motions of his Spirit wherby they should attaine to a full measure of faith in Christ Iesus who came into 1. Tim. 1. 15. the world to saue sinners For we are sure That whosoeuer Ioh 3. 15. beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue life euer lasting For the soules of the righteous Wisd 3. 1. are in the hand of GOD and no torment shall touch them but they Ioh. 5. 24. shall passe from death to life and their spirits shall returne to the Lord which gaue them Whose hands of mercie are wide open to receiue them For although it bee said It is a Heb. 10. 31 fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Yet that is to bee vnderstood before repentance not after for God reiecteth not penitent sinners but if we repent and turne to God he will turne to vs As hee hath promised Turne vnto Esa 45. 22. me and ye shall be saued So that there is now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus but wee may boldly triumph and say Death is swallowed vp 1. Cor. 15. 54 55 into victory O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victory Quest 13. You haue well answered and like a Diuine you said euen now you were not Booke-learned but you may be God be thanked for your direct answering by the Word I cannot but maruell how you can recite so many places of Scripture and to so good purpose being not learned Surely it seemeth you carry not your Bible vnder your arme for fashion sake or to please men as many doe in these dayes but to please God and pleasure both your selfe others Therefore you haue taken a good course in this life for the life to come And you haue chosen the better part with Mary and that which shall neuer be taken away Luk. 10. 42 from you the most part in these dayes take part with Martha and are too carefull for the things of this world but seldome or neuer looke for the life to come and therefore it is to bee doubted they will come short of the reward and crowne of glorie But I will leaue them to themselues and to the equity of Gods Iustice and with your good liking proceed forward with you in a question or two Quest 14 Do you beleeue and acknowledge Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing God to haue dyed and suffered his Passion for your sinnes and that he did rise againe for your iustification and ascended into heauen to prepare the way for you and all true beleeuers Answ I doe assuredly beleeue all that to be true or else I must thinke my selfe accursed and in most miserable case calling to minde my rude race and my sinfull life led euen from my Cradle Quest 15. Doe you also beleeue that you can be saued by no other meanes but by the merit of Christ his Passion by the sheading of his innocent bloud who suffered once for all and that the oblation of himselfe vpon the Crosse is a sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world Answ I doe beleeue that Christ his Passion is a full satisfaction for my transgression and his precious bloud a perfect purgation for my sinnes Neither is Act. 4. 12. there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued But onely the sweet name of Iesus my Sauiour Quest 16. And doe you for this his inestimable benefit and all other his manifold graces giue him hearty thankes And will you daily most dutifully endeuour your selfe so to doe so long as the breath shal remaine in your body Answ I doe and by Gods grace I will frō time to time so long as life lasteth doe my best to shew my selfe thankefull as I am indeed most bounden For I am fully perswaded his Fatherly goodnes towards me is so great being a sinfull wretch and vnworthy to gather vp the crummes vnder his table that I can neuer giue him condigne thankes for the multitude of his mercies and diuine graces bestowed vpon me both touching my bodie and soule but God of his infinite goodnes pardon that which is lacking in my selfe and fulfill it in his deare Sonne Iesus Christ my Redeemer Quest 17. You must therfore desire at the hands of God of whom we receiue the bread wee eate the ground we tread vpon and the light we behold that he would with the eyes of his mercie and compassion looke vpon you increase your faith lighten your vnderstanding strengthen your bodie grant you patience in this your sicknes and mooue your minde to all thankfulnes and dutifull obedience towards his Maiestie so that come life come death you may bee perswaded in your minde and beleeue stedfastly in your heart that you are the Lords Answ My earnest request vnto my heauenly Father is to grant all such good gifts as you haue named And I pray God euen with all my heart giue me grace so to beleeue and so to do all the daies and houres of my life And that I may the better doe according to your friendly counsell and performe some part of my dutie towards God and the world I pray you good Sir both priuately when you are absent pray to God for me and ioyne with mee in prayer now before your departing that it may please God my heauenly Father whose rod of castigation I willingly suffer to dispose of mee in this his visitation as may make most for his glorie and mine owne saluation in Christ Iesus my Sauiour These and such like questions may the carefull Pastor propound to the Sicke person according as occasion shall bee offered alwayes helping his infirmitie if hee faile in answering but he must beware that he doe not reason further then the capacitie of the sicke will admit that so hee may rather winne by fauour then
whose then shal thy goods bee that thou hast prouided It is wisedome therefore for man to prouide for God then God will prouide for him Therefore good brother I beseech you in the bowels of Iesus Christ repent and correct your selfe betime reforme your manners and behauiour by the rule of Gods Law that you may auoid the curse thereof and bee preserued and saued that when Iesus Christ shall come to his Iudgement from the highest heauens in power and Maiesty accompanied with his holy Angels and Saints you may meete him with a ioyfull heart and obtaine the crowne of glory and victory which is the reward of Gods children and so reigne with that righteous Iudge in perpetuall peace continuall comfort and endlesse ioy which God grant to you and mee and all that loue his comming Amen And that wee may the better performe the Premises let vs in all our actions set these foure things before our eyes that is the Day of Death the Day of Doome that Condemnation of the wicked and the Saluation of the godly To the wicked and damned sort death is miserable Gods Iudgements terrible and their paine intolerable To the godly and such as shal be saued death is pleasant iudgement comfortable and their ioy perpetuall therefore it is better betime to repent reforme our selues with the godly then to driue off from day to day with the wicked which neither by Gods mercy nor iudgement will bee drawne to amendment but neglect all meanes and occasions and there is no better time nor fitter occasion to prepare our selues to our end then when we feele Gods heauy hand laid vpon vs by any kinde of crosse sicknesse or other visitation for therby God giueth vs friendly warning to make our selues in a readinesse and to giue ouer the world and happy man is hee whosoeuer hee bee which forsaketh sinne before sinne forsake him and that giueth ouer the world before the world giue him ouer for when wee haue discharged our selues of this world and this world shall be discharged of vs then we haue the greatest account of all to reckon for Therefore my deare brother that fearest God and beleeuest in him while thou art now chastised with sicknes and paine and perceiuest death to approach bestur your selfe betime follow Christ at foote prostrate your selfe before him fall downe flat on the earth deny your selfe acknowledge your sin trust in him neuer giue ouer cry and call aloud Miserere mei Domine miserere mei i. Haue mercy on me O Lord haue mercy on mee Cry with the Cananite O sonne of Dauid haue Mat. 15. 22 mercy on me and at length he will looke back take pitty vpon you forgiue you your sinnes and receiue you to his mercy Let the innocent Lamb of God be an example vnto you herein for Christ himselfe in his extreme agony when his sweat was like drops of bloud trick ling downe to the ground yet hee prayed earnestly to haue his Fathers Will fulfilled So must you do that is now weake and feeble in body bee feruent in spirit renounce the wicked world with all the vanities therein tread them vnder your feete Sursum cor Lift vp Col. 3. 1 2 your heart to God meditate vpon heauenly things for it is high time Behold the Sonne of GOD your mercifull Redeemer that sweat water and bloud for your sinnes behold him sitting on the right hand of his Father making intercession for you ioyne your selfe to him pray vnto God feruently in his name and say as he himselfe did in the anguish of his Spirit heere on earth Father into thy Luk. 23. 46 hands I commend my Spirit Thou hast redeemed mee O Lord God of truth Lord haue mercy vpon me and forgiue me my sins Sweet Iesu receiue my soule into thy Kingdome c. I beseech you gentle Brother thinke vpon my words in my absence and continue in this minde hauing a firme faith in Christ Iesus euen to your end And withall take in good part this my friendly admonition Let it worke in your heart true repentance to saluation and if you doubt any thing touching your beliefe life or Religion or any other priuate causes that may in some sort trouble your conscience I pray you let mee resolue you and I will doe my endeuour to satisfie you therein so far forth as may tend to your saluation and comfort which I heartily wish in Christ Iesus And so for this time I leaue you committing you to the tuition of him that is able to saue you The fourth duety of the Pastor THe fourth duety of the Pastour is to comfort the sick in all their distresse danger and feare with sentences examples and perswasions out of the Word of God especially toward their end We feare chiefely two things 1 Death in this life 2. Damnation after death I purpose not to speake much of eyther for if I did I should but make the volume of this book to large and so cause the Printer to waste paper to his further charges and my greater paines and yet say nothing but that which is set downe already by those that are better learned then my self and haue troden the way before mee Therefore hauing partly touched the same in my Questions I wil only adde these few lines following touching both for example sake It is an old rule in Physick Take away the cause and the effect is taken away with it Vnderstand therefore good Brother that the causes why men so much feare death be many according to the multitude of men and their manners The first cause is for that by death they lose many commodities and pleasures which in their life time they did long enioy and haue great delight therein as wife children parents friends lands liuings possessions sumptuous houses buildings worldly honours offices dignities All these and such like be call-backs and dayly coueted while life lasteth and yet dreadfull death dispatcheth vs of all these delights euen at a blow this is the feare of worldlings Secondly we feare death because of weakenesse diseases and bitter torments which are the forerunners warners and messengers of death This is the feare of the flesh The third cause why men feare death is incredulity or lack of faith in Christ This is the feare of conscience and proceedeth of ignorance or lack of knowledge in the Scriptures whereof our faith is grounded The fourth cause why we feare death is the danger of eternall damnation both of body and soule in hell fire This is the inward feare of the spirit But to bee short one comfortable blast of Gods spirit will extinguish and driue all these terrours quite away from vs euen as the winde doth driue away the thick clowds or mists which do separate vs from the light and sight of the Sunne First therefore for the losse of the world and all the drosse therein it is indeede no losse but gaine to those that by death enioy the company of
hee reuile his enemies Doth hee vvithstand his persecutors or doth hee blaspheme his Maker No no He patiently taketh his Martyrdome He doth not curse or desire vengeance from heauen to light vpon his Aduersaries but most humbly falleth downe vpon his knees praying for his persecutors and saying Lord lay not this sinne Act. 7. 60. to their charge Behold heere an example of a witnesse and true Professor of Christ Iesus a Martyr of such modestie and meekenesse as seldome or neuer hath bin seene This Disciple had both learned and recorded his Masters lesson Resist not Mat. 5. euill but loue your enemies Blesse them that curse you Doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that persecute you See how neere this man followeth his Masters manners Christ cryeth in the middest of his enemies Father forgiue them they wot not what they doe Stephen cryeth in the middest of his Stoners Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Christ said in his Passion Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Stephen Act 7. 59. said in his stoning Lord Iesu receiue my Spirit Christ beeing crucified meekely gaue vp the Ghost Stephen being stoned sweetly fell on sleepe Here the man followed the Master at heeles yea euen to death Well in the extremitie of their sufferings they both haue patience they both pray they both forgiue they both resigne themselues and their soules to him that smiteth and healeth I say no more but God grant wee may tread in Stephens steps and doe as he did and then wee shall haue that hee had that is in the end of our suffering heere on earth wee shall haue heauen opened vnto vs see the glory of God and Act. 7. 55. Iesus standing at the right hand of God But what should I stand longer to repeat the examples of men who are mortall if I should proceede I should be weary in writing and you in reading the examples of those which were neuer weary of suffering There remaineth one Prophet VVhat did I say a Prophet Yea and more then a Prophet of whom all the Prophets haue prophesied The Prince of Prophets the Prince of Peace and the Prince of Patience VVho as he is most commendable euen so he is incomparable I neede not to name him he was named of the Angell in his mothers womb before he was borne into this sinfull world You know whom I meane the King of Glory the Head of the Church the Sauiour of the VVorld Christ Iesus the innocent Lambe of God who patiently suffered death for our sins Of whom S. Peter reporteth saying Christ suffered 1. Pet. 2. 21 for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps VVho being his Fathers best Beloued in whom Mat. 3. 17. his soule was well pleased yet suffered hee continuall crosses He that did many good deeds suffered many euill He suffered the Diuell to tempt him his owne Disciple to betray him the Iewes to deride him the malicious to blaspheme him and his enemies to slander him Againe beeing spitted vpon beaten backe and side buffeted on his face with fists whipped on his bare body cloathed in purple crowned vvith thorne c. hee behaued himselfe as meekely as the Innocent Lamb or shiftles sheepe vnder the hand of the shearer His aduersaries cry alowd Cruoifie him Crucifie him Christ crieth as fast Forgiue them forgiue them They cry against him Hee prayeth for them Hee that might haue commanded all the Angels and Saints in heauen and haue had them at a beck to reuenge his quarrell and defend his innocencie was so farre from requiting wrong that hee sharpely rebuked the rash enterprise of Peter that drew his sword and gaue but one blowe and hee healeth the partie whom he neuer wounded Hee cured the vnthankefull he gaue place to those that laid in wait for him and refused not to kisse the venemous lips of Iudas that betrayed him Hee despised no mans person were hee neuer so poore he refused no mans house were it neuer so homely and yet for all this his doctrine was contemned and his person persecuted He that giueth victorie to those that ouercome was beaten on the face vvith rods He that gaue heauenly and wholesome meate to others had bitter gall offred to himselfe He that gaue the water of life had vineger giuen to drinke He that was Innocencie it selfe was counted among the wicked Hee that healed others was wounded himselfe Hee that was the Truth was condemned by false witnes And he that must iudge all men was iudged of man And when his blamelesse and innocent life drew neere to an end and he ready to suffer a most shameful and bitter death the death of the Crosse How meekely he tooke it how modestly hee answereth how patiently hee suffereth how feruently he prayeth and how freely he forgiueth it is a matter worthy to be noted and printed in the perpetuall memory of man and to be an example to all posterities Art thou a Christian or follower of Christ in his crosse Art thou slandered and handled as hee was Then follow him looke vpon him and take him for an ensample of suffering aduersitie and of long patience Hee was not crowned before hee was crucified and thou must not be crowned before the victory If the world be iniurious to thee Christ is a rewarder cleaue to him forsake thy sinne and take vp his crosse and follow him Forsake the world and feare neither the Diuell nor affliction set Christ naked whipped crowned and crucified continually before thine eyes See how hee was bought and sold hated slandered and reiected of his owne The Iewes cry Away with him let him bee crucified that is let him bee tormented and hanged What euill hath hee done saith the Iudge I finde no fault in the man He hath committed nothing worthy of death I take him to bee an innocent or simple man Let vs therefore whip him and send him packing O no say they if thou let him goe thou art not Caesars friend The Iudge seeming still to fauour his innocencie maketh another offer You haue saith he a custome to let one prisoner loose vnto you We haue one Barabbas who is in for a Bird and fast in hold a Thiefe a Murtherer and a seditious fellow yee shall hang him and save Christ aliue Ah no say they Barabbas is a good fellow Deliuer him and Crucifie Christ Well if there bee no remedy saith Pilate I will Mat. 27. 24 wash my hands here before you all in witnes that I am innocent from the shedding of the bloud of this Iust Man This protestation of the Iudge and cleering of Christ might haue bridled them and their affected crueltie But alas they were as the world is now and euer will be peruerse and wilfull No reason could rule them no counsell could moue them no words could perswade them They runne headlong on their owne destruction saying His bloud Mat. 27. 25 be vpon vs and