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
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
from the curse of the Lawe This purchased treasure through the onelie perfect oblation the Holie-Ghost doth put into the Word of the Gospel into the holie Sacrament and causeth to bée preferred to the whole world All that beleeue that is which doe acknowledge this onely Sauiour and comfort themselues with heartie resuge to his demerits shall not be lost but haue eternall life Therefore let vs out of these words learne to know Gods gracious will and fatherly loue and comfort our selues against all tribulations against sinne and against the Lords anâ—er These sayings the deare and godly man Master Doctor Martin Luther and the mightie Prince Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxon of godly memorie haue had in their last houre for a happie comfort and so departed both of them happily and with merry and quiet consciences And euen so did the poore Publican comfort himselfe in the Temple Luke the eightéenth chapter when he did pray vnto the Lord God be mercifull vnto mee a poore sinner that is to say a wicked creature am I and the most part of the world but I doe recomfort my selfe with the fountaine of pure mercy and endlesse loue of my most déere God which he hath manifested vnto me in the passion and oblation of his onelie begotten Sonne our Redéemer Iesus Christ the Righteous who hath payed and satisfied the ransome of my sinnes and â—aâ—ous transgressions and hath pacified Gods wrath and hath giuen vnto me euerlasting life The sixt comfortable Sentence MAT. 11. Come vnto mee all you that labour and are â—eauie laden and I will refresh you WHat can wée heare more kindly yea or more louingly then that the euerlasting Sonne of God calleth vnto him all that be weary and oppressed in heart and troubled for their sinnes and biddeth them come to his holy word naming himselfe a gentle and humble Teacher Let euery one reioyce in his heart that God hath sent such holy comfort and refreshing vpon earth and promiseth in plaine words that all whether they be poore or rich yong or old shall surely find by him rest peace ioy refreshing ease help and assistance shall bee comforted in their soules and bee made aliue againe Therefore when any is tormented by reason of his sinnes that he féele his heart troubled with sorrow and almost ouerthrowne with discomfort Let him not creepe into a corner or run away from the people as Adam did Genesis 3. but let him run to the Lord Christ and to these and such other the like comfortable words which wee shall finde in the house of God before his face or where God hath appoynted in remembrance of his name that is in preaching in the holy Sacraments and in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles for so soone as we seeke Christ hée will méete vs as hée saith in the first chapter of Zacharie Tuâ—ne ye vnto me then will I turne vnto you So doth the Lord méete Mary Magdalen a poore troubled sinner from whom our Lord and Sauior had before cast out seuen diuels and maketh himselfe knowne vnto her soone after his resurrection and comforted her heartily when shee sought him Iohn 20. The seuenth comfortable Sentence ROM 5. But where Sinne is mighty there is Grace more mightie through Iesus Christ c. HEere doth S Paul méet with a great tribulation and heauy thoughts When wee do often thinke My sins are too great Oh if I had not such great sins vpon my heart then would I hope I should be saued There doth Saint Paul answere If Sinne be great yet Grace is greater and excéedeth farre all our sinnes that is one droppe of Iesus Christs blood is greater more glorious powerfull yea and stronger then all the greatest and fearefullest sinnes of the whole world yea as a little moat in the Sun is not to be compared towards Heauen and Earth so is the whole worlds sinne not to be compared to the precious blood of Iesus Christ And as the cleare Sunne darkens al the starres of heauen that they cannot be seene in day time although they do stand in the firmament euen so when the right Sun rising shineth from aboue all sinnes are quenched Whosoeuer with heartie faith catcheth hold on the bloud of Christ his sinnes are all couered before the face of GOD that GOD will neuer sée them and is reckoned so cleare and holy as if hee had troubled no water all his life time For the bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of Almightie God purgeth vs of all our sinnes So did the holy Prophet Esay comfort himselfe and his people in the first chapter where he saith Though your sins were like Purple they shal be white as Wooll Likewise Dauid the Prophet a man after Gods owne heart in his déepest hell tribulation comforteth himselfe thus with the Lord is merâ—ie and much redemption as in the hundred and 30. Psalme for the more sins that Christ forgiueth vs the more is his praise honor and glory as he himselfe teacheth in the seuenth chapter of Saint Lukes Gospel where he doth speake of the great and open sinner To her are many sinnes forgiuen because shee loued much But to whom little is forgiuen the same loueth little The eightth comfortable Sentence PSAL 16. I thanke the Lord that hath counselled me WHenas the first man through the craft of the old poisoned and fierie Serpent and through their disobedience fell into sinne Gods wroth and iustice which after succéeded vpon all Adams Children there was no comfort not counsell to sinde except the helpe and redemption of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ But through the wonderfull counsell of the high and godly Maiestie at the intercession of the onely and euerlasting Mediatour our Lord Christ it was concluded that the Sonne of almighty God borne of the Father euerlasting should take humane Nature vpon him pacifie Gods fierce and iust anger and bring vs out of the Diuels power and euer counsell and help vs from whence he carrieth the name so that Flay the Prophet in the ninth chapter amongst other glorious names calleth him a Counseller Now when wée are ouerwhelmed by reason of our manifold sinnes and transgressions then let vs cause such help as a harty and true counsell to be brought before vs by preaching of the holie Gospel And let it be preached vnto vs that through confidence of his gracious help and redemption wée shall be quit of our sinnes released from death and obtaine his grace righteousnesse and euerlasting life This is such a true counsell that in all tribulations we may stade and haue some comfort therein which Dauid did acknowledge and thereforre saith Had it not beene for thy Word I had perished in my miserie Psal 119. and heere hee giueth the Lord harty thanks for all such mereifull comfort and help I thank the Lord my GOD which hath counselled mee For this is also a counsell of such power that if a man should now depart out of this life and that
The Holy Ghost seeth how flesh and bloud doe forment vs Christians for although they haue exceeding promises and sure comfort yet is this weakenesse continually by it that their hearts bee fearefull and weake They are astonished at the diuels power and are afraide by reason of their vnablenesse for because examples doe stand before our eyes how God doth sometime let the godly fall therefore feare they the like will happen vnto them but God comforteth them they shall not bee ashamed nor mocked that is God will not let them die or perish in their sinnes but he will redéene them and help them for euer For to bee ashamed is nothing else in the Scripture but when hope faileth and is in vaine So the Rich man hoped in his money goods but he was ashamed therby for a thousand things may happen to them where neyther money nor goods will help at all So must therbe â—shamed who hope vpon I clatrie their owne goodnesse But they which set their hope on God that hee will for Christs sake bée mercifull and help and saue them this hope is sure â—letteth them not be ashamed So did Dauid comfort himselfe Psalme 31. Vpon thee doe I trust let me not be ashamed release me through thy righteousnesse III. Esay 54. Thou shalt bée prepared through righteousnes Thou shalt bee farre from force and wrong that thou needest not bée afraide thereof for it shall not come neere thee HEere must thou not apply these wordes force wrong and feare temporally for with Christians héere it shall not bée otherwise but that they shall bée oppressed and sundry wayes made afraid as Experience sheweth And Christ saith In the world you shall haue sorrow But the Holy Ghost speaketh of Force Wrong and Feare that is euer and eternally from which Christians are sledde away through remission of sinnes which they beléeue through Christ for they know that GOD is their Father although he let them suffer corporally they comfort themselues with his helpe and grace and know whilest they haue Christ they cannot misse V. Esay 49. Sion saith The Lord hath forsaken me The Lord hath forgotten me Can a woman forget her Childe that shée take not pitty of the sonne of her body and although shée should forget it yet will I not forget thee Behould I haue marked thee in the very hand When the Lord God a little suffereth vs to fall into apparent need crosse and sufferance and helpeth not quickly then faileth often-times our comfort and we thinke God hath forgotten vs. In such tribulation hee sheweth vs a comfortable Image to looke vpon and to learne therby to strengthen our faith Thou art saith he a father or mother hast louing children tell me if thy child should be for a while from thee couldest thou forget it Oh no it is impossible for any that are in their right wits or that haue any reason or vnderstanding for children come from the heart and goe to the heart againe But to me saith the Lord it is more impossible for my heart is not so sickle as mans neither is my grace so short or narrow I haue an eternall grace and mercy therefore can I as little forget my Christians as mine hand they are noted in my hand I thinke on them continually they are alwayes before my godly eies that I must see them and cannot forget them yea doe vphold them also through the right hand of my Righteousnes so that no man neither Sinne Hell Death nor Diuell can by any meanes pull them out of my hand VI. Psal 8. Thou hast put all things vnder his feete WEe poore Creatures are afraid of this vile naughty world the Turke Death and his beggerly sicknesse and of the very Diuell and are afraide of his tyranny and hellish power which is naturall but when wee acknowledge our Lord Iesus Christ and what power and might hée hath wherefore neede we be afraid As the Church singeth very comfortably out of the sixe and fortie Psalme If all the world fell diuels were and would vs all deuoure Yet need we not theÌ„ for to seare of vs they haue no power For this Champion which is alwaies our Sauiour and Emanuel is alwayes by vs and hath such power to defend vs and to vphold vs that hee will bee our stedfast rocke and bulwarke against all our Aduersaries Sinne Death and the Diuell and preserue vs euermore for God the Father hath put all things vnder his feete And this saying must not bee vnderstood of Sheepe Oren wilde beasts and Fishes of the Sea but by this word All vnderstand all Diuels all hellish rabblement Turks and Heathens In summâ— the very gates of Hell all sickenesse Plague Pestilence c. is all put vnder Christs seet that is to say vnder his power Therefore is it a sure comfort vnto vs that wee haue a strong couragious Lord to defend vs. For all the Diuels how horrible soeuer they seeme with all their armies and hellish power are noâ— able to make a Christian die without the will of the Lord Iesus Christ they must all acknowledge him to bee â—he â—â—â—rd and now the kâ—ee before him When dare not once sâ—â—re recâ—pt 〈◊〉 bee â—is will much lesse seeing hee hath with his owne blood bought vs to his euerlasting Kingdome and will not hinder vs of our saluation This comfort should euerie Christian bée sure of that hée may say I beléeue in Iesus Christ our Lord c. I am certaine that Iesus Christ is Lord of heauen and Earth yea of all in the water in the depth of Hell that hee hath all in his hands in his power and command in such sort that all the Diuels Hell and Death how raging soeuer they bee cannot crooke a â—â—ire of mée or of any member of Christ Also all diseases sicknesse or pestilence without his will cannot poyson one little veine in mee But if it doe happen with his will then must it not bee hurtfull vnto mee but a furtherance and seruiceable to my saluation A praier O My God my Lord and Father shew vnto my poore soule that it may perceiue thou art my rocke bulwark shield tower treasure defence trust helpe refuge protection and goodnesse that I in this my great néede and tribulation may through thy godly grace haue help and assistance against my aduersaries and bee preserued for euer Lord vpon thee do I trust let me neuer be ashamed Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit O Lord thou true God release thou me Amen Generall comfortable Sentences wherewith a man may comfort himselfe with Gods eternall preseruation Esay 41. THOU shalt bée my seruant for I haue chosen thee and cast thee not away Feare not I am with thée Goe not aside for I am thy God I strengthen thee I helpe thee also and I pâ—eserue thee through the right hand of my Righteousnes Esay 43. Feare thou not I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy Name thou art
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