all and what soeuer hee hath earned and obtained with his Obedience Death and Passion With this holy Sacrament should wee admonish and comfort our selues when sorrow and the combate of death is at the greatest that wee cannot rememâ—er any thing else and think and say thus much in our hearts I am baptized whereby God the holy Trinity hath made an euerlasting couenant with mée that he will bée and continue my GOD and hath not grounded the same vpon my goodnes but vpon his infinite mercy the merits of his onely Sonne and vpon the grace and power of the holy Ghost So am I absolued through Christ and haue oftentimes receiued the holy supper of the Lord according to his institution therefore I am certaine of the forgiuenes of all my sins Gods grace and saluation of my soule For if the euerlasting mercifull God and my Lord Iesus with the holy Ghost would not haue mee saued or taken me to mercie he would not haue suffered mee to be baptized or called mee to his Kingdome through his holy Gospell nor let mee so often receiue the holy Sacrament Therefore should we haue these worthy Sacraments in great estimation and often resort to the holy Communion of our Lord vsing the same in right worthinesse for confirming of our faith and comfort against sin and the wrath of God in our last end A Prayer O Thou euerlasting true mercifull God and Father I thanke thee through Iesus Christ thy deare Son in the power and vnspeakeable sighing of the holy Ghost that thou hast suffred mee to be baptized in the name and power of the holy Trinity and taken me vp for thy child and through power of the keies hast absolued me from all my sinnes and fed mee with the body and bloud of thy deare Sonne for the strengthening of my faith and forgiuenesse of all my sinnes And I pray thée dear Father that thou wilt vphould me through thy holy Spirit in true saith and confidence to my end that I may sléep in peace like to holy Simeon and rise againe with the righteous to euerlasting glory through Iesus Christ thy dear Sonne our onely Lord and Sauiour Amen A Praier to bee said when a man will receiue the blessed Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ O LORD IESVS CHRIST thou liuing Sonne of God which before thy Death and Passion didst institute and ordaine to all Christians a new Testament of the most worthy Sacrament of thy most holy Body and Bloud which I poore sinner am not worthy to vse or take thy holy Body and Bloud into my vncleane mouth or vpon my sinnefull tongue and that thou béeing so great a Lord shouldest come vnder the couer of my house or into my vnprofitable Bodie I am alas not worthy But I pray thée O dear GOD and Brother open thou my mouth touch thou my tongue and purge thou my heart from all sinnes and make mee thy poore seruant worthy of thy most holy Testament that I may receiue take and vse ' thy most worthy bodie and pure deare bloud of thy Sacrament to the health and saluation of my soule strengthning of my faith amendment of my life in burning loue towards thee true loue towards my neighbour and bring mee to euerlasting life Amen A Praier of Thanksgiuing O Almighty and euerlasting God I praise and thanke thy godly mercifulnesse that thou hast fed mee with the flesh and blood of thy onely Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour and doe pray thee most humbly thou wilt with the Holy Ghost so worke within mee that I which haue receiued this blessed Sacrament with the mouth may also with constant faith conceiue and alwaies keepe fast thy godly grace of remission of sinnes and iustification with Christ which is therein shewed and promised and euerlasting life through our Lord Iesus Christ thy deare Sonne who with thee in vnitie of the holy Ghost liueth and raiâ—neth one true God for euer and euer Amen A godly confession of the deare and worthy man M. Iohn Stoliz MY sins doe trouble mee Gods grace ioyeth me Two things know I A poore sumer am I God is mereifull The first acknowledge I The second beléeue I. O God bée mereifull to mée poore sinner God giueth Christ meriteth Faith conceiueth Workes do witnesse Come to helpe mee thou good God weake is mans helpe in tune of need Esay 42. The bruised Reede shall bee not breake and the glowing Tow shall â—ee nâ—t quench out O Lord strengthen increase our faith Amen Of Gods gracious and euer lasting Prouidence and Maintenance a most true comfort Psalme 37. WHen I haue but thee my Lord Iesus Christ I care not for heauen or earth When my body and soule fayle mee yet art thou alwaies God the comforter of my heart and portion Zachary 12. OVer the house of Dauid and ouer the Citizens of Ierusalem will I powre out the Spirit of Grace and of Prayer for they shall looke vpon mée whom they haue pearced HEere doth the Lord promise to send his Holy Ghost to vs poore sinners as Saint Iohn in the 15. and 16. Chapters often maketh mention of this promise for because wée are weake and of little faith when sinne and Gods wrath doe terrifie vs to the end our faith cease not then shall the Holy-ghost as a true Comforter strengthen and comfort vs and bee witnesse to our hearts that our sinnes bee forgiuen and that weere in grace and she children of GOD and shall help vs to sigh and pray with vnspeakeable sighing Therewithall also shall the How-ghost for the comfort strengthening of our faith admonish and shew vs the holy wounds whereby wee may acknowledge that he was wounded and pearced for our sins and his blood shed for the clensing and washing away of all our sinnes II. Esay 54. SO haue I sworne that I will not bée angrie with thee nor yet reprooue thee for the Mountaines shall remoone and the hills shall fall away but my Grace shall not â—oe away from thee and the Conenant of my Peace shall not fall away saith the Lord thy compassioner GOd the Almighty hath through Christ his hest beloued Sonne erected a Conenant of peace with vs and confirmed the same with an doth That if we do beleeue in Christ hee will not punish nor yet concernne vs for euermore but continue our deare and louing Father eternally Such promise is so certaine that the Mountaines shall fall down yea Heauen and Earth shall passe away before such words faile A very glorious and comfortable cause doth the Prophet set héereunto The Lord thy Compassioner hath said that is God is so mercifull that hee will not condemne you for your sinnes Whosoeuer beléeueth in Christ with a faithfull heart shall rest in grace and hee will for euer release and helpe him out of all misfortune III. Esay 54. Feare them not thou shalt not bée ashamed Bee not weake for thou shalt not bée mocked THESE are faire and comfortable words
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
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
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
and withall endlesse that it presse mée not downe but bée vnto mée a light burthen and a light yoke And lend mée likewise strength and ablenesse in putting-to thy holy arme and help to beare it till I through thy godly help shall with patience ouercome the same and that thou wouldest send to mee a happy end and hour of help with grace Amen Rom. 8. I am assured that the sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory of God which shall be shewed to vs. HEer Saint Paul the Apostle puts all the miseries of mankinde together what name soeuer they haue All diseases plagues sicknesses crosses and passions and how heauy and great such woes and miseries doo séem vnto vs and saith If all the troubles of this world were heaped together yet were all much too slight to bee compared to God's glory Why wilt thou then complain so much of troubles and mans miseries It is but a little times and then shall follow to euery Christian Beléeuer an vnmeasurable and euerlasting glory Héer in this life let no man think that it will bee better with him as Christ himselfe saith In the world you shall haue troubles c. For wée are héer in the diuels house if thou hold not with the host thou shalt haue small fauour in thy lodging Many a one thinks hee will go to another place and flée away from the mischief but wheresoeuer he commeth he findes the hoste at home Look what great dangers the Apostle Paul endured as in his first Epistle to the Corinthians and eleuenth Chapter but the hope of euerlasting life and glory to-come caried him thorow that with patience hee ouercame all As it is true that No eye hath séen nor ear hath heard nor euer came into the heart of man vhat ioyes habitation and glory is prepard for Christians and shall bee reuealed vnto them So is it most certain that they shall haue holy cleare immortall and powerfull bodies and therefore néed not feare any humane miseries death nor diuell And all these great gifts shall they haue through Christ for euermore All shall bee Gods and haue enough A poor scabbed boy or wench a poor scholar a despised begger c. which put their trust in Christ shall haue more and bée more rich thâ—n all the Emperors and Kinâ—s in this life for they shall possesse the euerlasting glory in which the Lord Iesus Christ shall crowne them with his vnwithered Garland of honour to euerlasting heauenly honour as wée vse to set Garlands on for an honour All worldly honour shall bée but childrens play to such honour and glory for there shall the Christians in glory hee like the Son of GOD himself yea Lords ouer all tyrants and persecuters ouer the holy Angels who shall bée their seruants shall stand about them and wait on them and shall in such honour and glory haue a merry constant and quiet conscience where no mis-fortune more shall ouerthrowe their ioyes their euerlasting righteousnes innocency and saluation Of which glory wee all should comfort our selues in all our afflictions then may wee through such hope with patience ouercome the Crosse So doth Saint Peter comfort vs You shall reioyce in the saluation who were a small time in sorrow Likewise S. Paul saith 2 Cor. 4. Our small and slight troubles cause to vs a far more excellent and an eternall waight of glory for wee look not vpon the visible but on the inuisible things A Praier O Dear and heauenly father I acknowledge that I for my sins sake haue well deserued all woes and miseries wherein I doo stick besides euerlasting punishment But I thank thée with all my heart that thou hast through Christ redéem'd me from such euerlasting woes and doo beléeue that these my sorrows and troubles are but smal and that vpon the same shall follow to me and all the faithfull an euerlasting and aboue all measure an excéeding glory I pray thée that thou wilt preserue me in this poor troublesome life which is so full of woes and miseries throgh comfort of thy holy Spirit in sure hope and patience to thy euerlasting honour and glory for thy dear Son Christ Iesus sake his redemption death power resurrection life and glory Amen Set thou thy cause on God indeed Hee will thee help in time of need For he that God doth trust Speed well alwaies he must Help thou Lord God euery where The body heere and the soule there A COMFORT against the fear and terror of Death and the Graue BEING An Exposition of Doctor MARTIN LVTHER written a little before his end LONDON Printed by H. L. for Iohn Parker 1624. An Exposition of D. MARTIN LVTHER written a little before his end IOHN 8. Verily verily I say vnto you If any keep my word he shall neuer see death HOW incredibly is this spoken and against manifest and daily experience in that we sée one carried away and buried Yet it is true when a man séeks after Gods Word with his hart beléeues on him and vpon the same sléeps or dies he sinks and goes hence before he might sée death or beware thereof and is for certain saued by the Word in that hee beleeueth and determineth to depart from hence Therefore should we Christians not be afraid of death Iohn 5. Verily verily I say vnto you He that hears my word and beléeues on him that sent me shal haue euerlasting life and not come into iudgement but shall passe through death into life THis may be called an excellent comfort and ratified with a solemne Oath That wee Christians when wee onely beleeue in Iesus Christ and that the Father sent him for our righteousnesse then néed we take no care for dying nor bée afraid of damnation but doo passe through this temporall death to euerlasting life that is so soone as we are dead before all mens eyes wée are in the twinkling of an eye with God in euerlasting life Who would then feare to die O vnbeliefe O originall sinne that thou shouldest so hardly beléeue so many Promises so many Miracles and such solemne Oaths of the true Son of God made vnto the Saints and children of Christ Iohn 11. I am the Resurrection and life He that beléeueth on me shall liue although hee die and who liueth and beléeueth on me shall not die for euer IN this Saying the Lord teacheth vs for what cause death is no death to vs but a beginning of eternall life for our Lord Iesus Christ liueth and is the Resurrection and the life because we are members of Christs Body incorporated to him in holy Baptism Therefore shall wee liue with him for euer as sure as he our head liueth onely because our life is hidden with Christ in GOD. But when Christ our life shall appeare then shall wee also appeare with him in glory Colos 3. O Lord strengthen my faith 1 Thes 4. For if we belieue that Iesus Christ is dead and risen so shall they which do sléep
ioy Genes 25. Abraham was gathered to his people SO doth the Holy-Ghost speak of Abrahams death For heer on earth wee are among a sort of euill degenerated people with whom wée shall bée plagued and martyred as the Children of Ifrael were of the Aegyptians and of their Taske-maisters This Sentence of holie Scripture should wee conceiue and keepe wherewith wee may in dangerous times learne to prepare vs and to comfort our selues and pray with our hearts for an happy houre And when we sée death before our eyes or thinke therof not to be afraid Vpon these sentences out of holy Scripture haue the honest Christians alwaies had goodly wordes wherewith they haue comforted themselues against Death Of which wee will rehearse some Cicely a godly Christian woman of Rome when her kindred would perswade her she should deny our Lord Iesus Christ and what shee did meane to make such light account of her body and life the highest treasure and best pawn we haue Shee answered If it had concerned onely our life wee should not willingly lose it But I beléeue another better life which lasteth for euer of which IESUS CHRIST hath preached vnto vs. This true Martyr and Confessor of the true Christian faith did take holde on the right comfort Shee was not afraid of the horrible Death for shee knew that this temporall Death was a beginning of euerlasting life Item whereas wee Christians doo say and confesse Miseria hominis moritur non homo that is Of a Christian dieth nothing but his warres and miseries hee dieth not And it is true No ioyfuller houre can happen vnto vs Christians vpon earth than the happy houre of death for euen in the twinkling of an eye all our woes and miseries doo 〈…〉 incessantly deaths sting and sicknesse but when wee are dead in the sight of the world then doo wée first liue and doo neuer feél any more either danger or death For our temporall death is an end of death and a beginning of life Item whereas the Christian saith Without the knowledge of Christ death 〈…〉 sinne 〈…〉 ledgeth Christ to him is temporall death the best remedy for sinne whereby finally sin is scoured quite out of our flesh and bloud body and soule that we neuer sinne more Therefore wée should by good reason be glad of death that wée may bée once rid of that shamefull sinne wherewith wee are plagued and tormented day and night as Saint Paul cryeth out ouer this prosecuting sinne Romans 7. Now as honest Christians haue out of Gods Word for their comfort spoken friendly and familiarly of death so haue they also giuen comfortable names to the Graues and to Burials Prudentius dooth call the Graue Our Lord God's Iewell-house wherein hée hath his deare Gold and Reliques and halloweth the Ashes and Bones of his Christians and will at the last Day demand them again by waight The holy Scripture nameth the Buriall-place A House of the Liuing who dwell there aliue indeed All other dwellings vpon earth although they bee built of pure Cypresse and Marble are but Pest-houses where men doo sicken and die Onely the Graues of Christians are the Houses of the Liuing The Latine Church calls the Church-yard A sléeping house The Dutchmen call it God's Field wherein God soweth vs as hath béen said before Besides all these Christ our Lord was buried hee hath hallowed and warmed the graue for vs and left his linnen clothes therein And the holy Angels dwell in the graue doo watch and kéep vs in our resting bed Now he that is so instructed in Gods Word and beléeueth desireth from his hart to bee out of his groning bed of sorrow and to bee in his resting bed Whereupon the Lord Iesus Christ help vs through grace of thy holy Spirit Amen Rom. 14. Whether I liue or die I am the Lords A Prayer O Lord Iesus Christ all they which are baptized in thee are baptized in thy death I am baptized in thée therefore am I also baptized in thy death I will with thy help die merrily and willingly hoping that as I haue bin partaker of thy troubles I shall be also partaker of thy glory O Lord Iesus Christ thou hast prayed vpon the Crosse Father forgiue them So Lord doo I forgiue all that haue done against mee that thou maist pardon mee of all my sinnes O Lord Iesus Christ thou hast called vpon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Lord leaue mee not at the point of death O Lord thou hast said vpon the cross Eather into thy hands I commend my spirit euen so Lord do I commend my poor soule into thy hands Amen Psalm 31. Into thy hands I commit my Spirit thou hast redéemed me O Lord GOD of truth An Epitaph of Gasper Huberin Oh a sinner Born aliue and dead am I. Christ my Lord Renew forgiue and wake me vp I am faithfull Preserue make cleare and saue me Psalme 4. I laid me downe and slept quietly for thou onely O Lord helpest me that I dwel in safetie How wee in the euerlasting life to come shall see and knowe one another I beléeue a resurrection of the flesh and an euerlasting life WHen one preacheth of the resurrection of the dead and hath heard how the dead doo rise there ariseth a question amongst many If wee also in the euerlasting life to-come shall knowe one another as we doo héer Of the Resurrection is no doubt thereof are wee certaine enough and withall we know that if any haue a defect or want on his body that he halted were lame or a Cripple and had not all his limbs the same shall be all taken away in the resurrection of the dead and shall bee altogether whole and haue all his members wholly But shall wee in another life knowe one another Héerto doo the learned men giue this answer Yes wee shall knowe one another there Séeing that God will make the whole man aliue againe with flesh and bones shall knowledge and memory be gone Nothing at all Therefore shall you héer learne that wee shall knowe all not onely those which we now knowe but those which wée knew not nor in our life time had euer séen the same shall we see and knowe how to call them and they vs again The Learned also doo say that the Christians shall not onely knowe one another but the vngodly also and the wicked shall knowe them whom they haue héer oppressed and persecuted Sapience chap. 5. There shall the wicked say with repentance Are not these they whom wee haue mocked Oh how are they now reckoned among the children of God! I. Testimony of Scripture THe first proof they take from Adam You know that God made Heauen and Earth with all the Creatures and Adam was made last of all Then GOD let all that Beasts passe by him and when he saw them he knew euery Beast and his property and gaue to euery Beast his name according to his property As Adam now