himself sincerely and to aske mercy and pardon of Iesus christ but he heard by and by this day shalt thou be with me in paradice What worthines might the poore Publican haue who for the great shame and horrour that he had of all his life before past durst not lift vppe his eies to heauen neuertheles as soone as he began to confesse the pitiful and miserable estate wherin he was and prayed God to haue compassion vppon him all his sins were pardoned him and he went iustified and righteous home to his owne house What worthines I pray you was found in Sainct Paul at Damascus when transported with a rage and fury to giue information according to his Commission that he had obtayned of the high Priest for all them that confessed the name of Iesus to bring them bound and manacleâ—… to Ierusalem there to endict them and to condemn them to death and yet for al that he was so horrible a blasphemer and persecutor of Iesus Christ and of his Church and therefore not onely vnworthy to be numbred amongst his Apostles as he himselfe confesseth but also amongst his shéepe God forgetting in a moment all the iniuries that he had done vnto him and vnto his Church made him a speciall instrument and a chosen trumpet amongst all his companions to publishe his Gospell throughout al the world Who would say that he had any respect vnto the merit and worthines of his gestes and actions when he did aduaunce him to so great honoure Louing him as much or more then hee did any of his fellowes Séeing that hee himselfe doth so highly commend the grace of God to the which he doth attribute what good thing soeuer he did either thinke or speake or doe in all his life It is then the onely grace of God which is the foundation and meane of life euerlasting that wee hope for as it is also of the righteousnes and holines of life by the which we attayn vnto it This Iesus christ did teach when speaking of his shéepe hee saith that they heare his voice and follow him and yâ—…t for all that hee giueth them eternall life Signifiyng thereby that it is fréely geuen them and of a pure gist and not in lieue or respect that they haue heard his voice and followed his traces This may also be gathered out of the words of Moises in the 20. of Exodus where God promiseth to shew mercy vppon thousandes towardes them that loue him and kéep his commandements Whereby we must note that he doth not promise his seruantes any other recompence for their good déedes but to shew mercy towards them and their posterity And as much may we obserue in the 24. Psalme Wher the Prophet speaking of those that went vp to the hill of the Lorde saith that it shalbe He that hath innocent hands and a pure heart which hath not lift vppe his mind vnto iniquity nor sworne deceitfully and a litle after he saith He shal receiue a blessing from the Lord and righteousnes from the God of his saluation This is the generation of them that séeke him of them that séeke the face of the God of Iacob to giue vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuer we haue done to obey God to washe our hearts from all wicked thoughtes and affections and our hands from all wicked workes to humble our selues vnder the hand of God and to presume nothing of our selues nor of our owne vertues notwithstanding al this wee cannot goe vppe into the hill of the Lord but onely by the gracious fauour that hee shall shewe vnto vs and by the merciful dealing that it shal please him to vse towards vs. And this is the best thing to comfort vs withal and to put our hope in full assurauncè that it bee grounded vppon his mercy truth which are firme and immutable and not vppon the merites and worthines of our workes and vertues which are very vnperfect Now if wee perceiue the sicke man to bee fully resolued of the remission of his sins and that in his mind there remain no feare or conceyte of them that may trouble his conscience then must we goe further with him to strengthen him against the horrour and apprehension that hee may haue of death shewing him by the word of God that it is vanquished and swallowed vp by the death of Iesus Christ who speaking by the mouth of his Prophet he saieth vnto death O death I wil be thy death and destruction For séeing that the stinge of death is sinne and the power of sinne is the lawe Iesus Christ fulfilling the lawe for vs hath by that meanes taken awaye the sting of death So that it cannot hurt vs any more and hath ouercome and vanquished the power of sinne so that it cannot condemne vs no more And althoughe it be a certain decrée and ordinance of god that all men shall die and that comminge from dust they shall returne to dust neuerthelesse to speake properly the seperation of the body and the soule in the faithfull ought not to be called death So Iesus Christ speaking to his disciples of Lazarus who was dead said that he slepte This phrase of spéeche is very vsuall in the old Testament to signifie the death of the Fathers Saint Paul vseth it likewise writing to the Corinthians and Thessalonians of those that should depart this life before the day of the resurrection whom hee calleth sléeping But hee giueth it a more honorable title in his epistle to the Philippians where he calleth it a dislodging or departing of the Soule from the Bodye Which agréeth well with the wordes of Iesus Christ who aduertising his Disciples of his death that was at hande tolde them that the houre drewe neare in the which he should passe out of this worlde to God his father calling the death of his body but a passage by the which we goe out of this vale of misery to enter into possession of Paradise that is to say of a place of assured tranquillity and rest and full of all delight pleasure The ancient Gréeks called death Thanaton which is as much to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in english thus From hence to God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth consecration as one should say a solemne Ceremony by the which the faithfull are wholly dedicated vnto God neuer afterward to do any thing but sing praise to him and sanctifie his holy name And also our Sauiour hath also called it baptisme for that by death we passe as it were through a gate and as it were ouer a water to goe to a place of rest and pleasure whether we purpose to goe And if the body which the Gréekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that it is as it were the graue and sepulchre of the soule which they call with a name very neare vnto the other called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein it séemeth in this life the
Citie of Hemor because his son Sichem had rauished Dina the onelie daughter of Iacob And in the house of Dauid for hauing entised to wickednesse the wife of his seâ—…uant Vrias And in that of Salomon his sonne who was so wise and had receiued such honour and fauour of glorie riches and puissance and at the end of all this so many excellent and goodly promises of God that by good right hée might be called a pearle farre excéeding all other Kings and princes of the earth And yet for all that the voluptuous pleasures of this world handled him so that they tooke cleane awaie his vnderstanding euen in olde age when he should haue had the staiedst wisedome and setledst iugement of all and made him not onely to forget God and his bounden dutie towards him but also to sacrifice to Idolls as a man cleane berefte of his wits onely to please his wicked concubines who were strangers with whom he acquainted himselfe against the expresse commaundement of God wherevppon a thousand plagues fell vppon his house and his posteritie The house of Ahab was it not vtterly subuerted because of the greate abhominatioÌ„s that did raigne in it What was the cause of those lamentable Tragedies written of the ruine and desolation happened to the house of Priamus a King renowned for his riches treasure greatnesse pomp and wealth amongst the greatest and most â—…mightie monarkes of all Asia was it not the foolish loue of Paris and Helen Did not the like fall out in the Court of greate Agamemnon after hée was returned conquerour of his enimies from Troy so famous and rich wyth the spoyles that he got thereby the impudence and vnchast behauiour of his wife Clytemnestra and her adulterer Aegysthus The spoiles that were done in the Prouince of Ionium in Cyrus time and al the miseries and distresses that ouerflowed all that Countrie which was the most pleasant and fruitfullest territorie in all Asia as Herodotus reciteth were occasioned in the same manner But what is hée that can reckon vp all the mischiefes and inconueniences that this cursed fleshly concupiscence hath alreadie bred and doeth bréede dayly Well did Plato tearme it a bait of al mischiefes and enormities And the Emperour Aerianus did portraite it out properly comparing it to a pill that his gilden on the out side to swallowe it downe with more ease but when we come to digest it then wee féele the bitternesse thereof and this is the difference betwéene them that the pils doe purge and voide the infections and grosse humours which are in the bodie to recouer health but the pleasures on the other side increase procure them and doe corrupt altogether the good disposition both of the bodie the soule When we are debarred from these pleasures and haue the vse of them no more by reason of death diseases penurie olde age or by anie other meanes we should reioyce as much as if we were escaped out of the handes of some cruell and outragious tyrant For there can be no tyrannie more cruell then that of these voluptuous pleasures as Cicero faith for that the one can but hurt our bodies and goods the other doth racke and torment our soules and consciences in a strange manner Whosoeuer then doth desire a fréedome and quiet of conscience to possesse his soule in tranquillity without anie disturbance or trouble of minde which is the most soueraigne good that is in this world may be sought or found he must bid adieu to all worldly pleasures and be glad with all his heart when they take theyr leaue for altogether as they doe at the house of death These things must we set before the eyes of the sicke who shall féele themselues tyed fast by the legge to theyr ease and the vaine and deceitfull pleasures of this world And agayne we must shew them the pleasures that tarry for them prepared in the kingdom of heauen which are so great that the verie sent and tast that the Apostles and Martyrs felt haue made them straight forget this worlde with all her vaine delights before they euer departed from her out of this life How great a ioy shall it bee then to vs when wée shall drinke our fill of the riuer of these pleasures When we shall sée plainly the face of our God and sauiour Iesus Christ wheÌ„ we shall sit at his table with the Patriarches Abraham Isaac and Iacob When we shall heare the melodious musicke of Angelles singing continually To the holy holy holy great God of hosts be all praise glorie and honour for â—…euer God shall wipe the teares from the â—…ies of his children and then bring them into full fruition of his ioyes and rest when hee shall make them sitte néere vnto him vpon seates that long since he caused to be built and prepared for them to bée iudges altogether of the worlde and the deuills And lastly when in stead of the Sun and Moone he shall make a perpetual light shine ouer them comforting them for euer This pleasure shall bee as Iesus Christe sayd no momentarie thing but a pleasure and ioy that lasteth for euer and not as the pleasures of this worlde which fade awaie in time and loose quickly their sauour bée they neuer so great and daintie at their beginning This we sée in many men daily by experience who couet and desire many things eagerly verie vehemently which when they haue once obtayned and haue had their pleasure a little while then this great heate beginneth a little and little to quench and diminish and in the end is altogether extinguished And so it falls out oftentimes with vs when we haue had our pleasure oftentimes of that which we haue with so great affection desired we disdayne it afterward and repent with great displesure with our selues whereof we haue in the Scripture a notable example in AmnoÌ„ the sonne of Dauid his sister Thamar But the true pleasures that the blessed soules inioy in the kingdome of heauen are of another nature For in satisfieng vs they leaue vs alwayes in appetite and in filling vs they leaue vs alwayes hungrie they quench our thirst and yet we are alwaies thirstie so that in contenting and satisfying all our appetites they leaue vs still desirous to abide in the same estate alwaies so that we are neuer a wearie therof These are then the true plesures which we ought alwaies to desire and seke after and not the pleasures of the worlde which are alâ—… but scuruie things For as those which are full of the itch whilest they are scratched haue some pleasure and fele some ease which lasteth but a little whilest they are in scratching and by and by vppon it there followeth a pain which vexeth them grieuously so the voluptuous men haue neuer no pleasure but it is mixed with a thousand griefes and sorrowes And theyr pleasure is much like that which they féele who are tickled which hath a certayne vexation and feare which
the merite of the death and passion of the same Iesus Christ in whose name you present vnto him this holy prayer the which he taught vs saying from the bottome of your heart Our Father which art in heauen c. Then do acknowledge from the bottome of your heart your vnrighteousnes be sorrowfull for your sinnes repent your selfe vnfainedly and the kingdome of God will drawâ—… nigh vnto you Confesse that there is no righteousnes no innocencie no good workes neither of yours nor in you but that as the childe of wrath conceiued and borne in the sinne of olde Adam you merite eternall death and damnation And yet all the sinnes in the world when you shall haue committed them all are not able to make you afeard For Iesus Christ the very sonne of the eternal God became verie man conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie to sanctifie you and make you cleane from sinne He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate many afflictions and iniurious torments making him selfe a slaue and a captiue to set you out of captiuitie Iesus Christ was crucified as one accurst vpon the trée of the crosse to deliuer you from the eternall curse Iesus Christ was dead and shedde his precious bloud to wash you to redéeme you and to deliuer you from death hell and the power of Sathan Iesus Christ was buryed in the graue to burie all your sinnes with him the which he hath borne and blotted out Iesus Christ descended into hell in suffering an extreame anguish to delyuer you from all the paines and dolours of death Iesus Christ is risen vp again from the dead to make you rise againe in your own bodies resplendent with glorious immortalitie Iesus Christ is ascended vp into the heauens that after him you should ascend also Iesus Christ sitteth at y â— right hand of God the father almightie béeing your aduocate and mediator to him the propitiation for all your sinnes We looke that he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead to reward euerie man according to his workes But to the faithfull that beléeue in him he shall not impute their sins for hauing iustified them by his grace hée shal make them raigne with him for euer in his heauenly throne N. Such is the great mysterie of our redemption the which by the grace of the holy Ghost you ought firmely beléeue to haue bene wrought for your saluation Doubt not then at al but by the merite of Iesus Christ the head of his Church you are incorporate and engrafted a member into the same thanking him in all humilitie that it hath pleased him of his greate grace that you haue liued in the communion and fellowship of his faithfull people nourishing you with his word and with his bodie and bloud confessing assuredly the great mercie of God by the forgiuenesse of all your sinnes the which hée hath vouchsafed you thorough Iesus Christe who shall rayse you vp againe at the last daie to make you raigne with him in life euerlasting the which he hath promised to all those that beléeue in him being baptised in his name Nowe N. séeing that you haue this faith doubt not but to receiue the promise of faith for God is true of his promise he is no liar as men are First heauen and earth shall passe but the word of God abideth for euer God he is your father and creator you are his creature the workmanship of his handes He hath not made you to destroy you For he is the sauiour of all men and will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turn from his wickednes and liue Wherefore I announce vnto you in the name of God that by his great bountie and mercie hee doeth fréely giue vnto you full pardon and remission of all your sinnes by the onely merite of his sonne Iesus Christe our sauiour in the shedding of his most precious bloud for it is the propitiation not onely for our sins but also for the sinnes of the whole world N. Iesus Christ sayeth by his owne mouth that all things are possible to him that beléeueth Beléeue then without all doubt that Iesus Christ inuesting our flesh is become verie man and died for vs hauing borne all our sinnes in his owne bodie to wipe them out and deface them Present vnto God the precious death of his sonne Iesus Christ and by the merit of the same death and passion aske him mercie and forgiuenes saying with great humilitie and repentance from the bottome of your heart Lord God Father almightie haue mercie vpon me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ my Lorde and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion please to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands N. You must haue a firme beléefe and trust in God For if hee bée on your side who can be agaynst you for Iesus Christ who is the immaculate lambe hath ouercome all for you He hath offered himselfe once for all and by that one oblation hath defaced all our sinnes He hath raced out our folly and vnrighteousnes abhomination and the obligation that the deuill had against you and with this good Lord and master Iesus Christ God the father hath giuen you all things N. Fortifie your selfe then in Iesus Christ who calleth and inuiteth you by his Proohets Apostles and Euangelists to come fréely vnto him saylng All you that thirst come to mee and drinke your fill Come io me all ye that trauaile and bee heauie laden and I will refreshe you N. Beléeue assuredly that Iesus Christ hath acquited and discharged you from all your sinnes and hath reconciled you to God his Father vnto whom with great humility and repentance say from the bottome of your heart Lord God Father almightie haue mercie vpon me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christe my Lorde and Sauiour and by the meriâ—…e of his death and passion please to receiue my soule the whiche I commende into thy hands N. Haue then a good hope for certainly hée will receiue your soule as his owne for the loue of his sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde who is the Sauiour and redéemer of all those that beleeue in him Moses and all the prophets haue witnesses that all Nations shall receiue saluation and blessing from Iesus Christe The Apostles and Euangelistes witnesse that Iesus Christ is not come to call the iust but sinners to repentance and to giue his lyfe for the redemption of many for hee hath shed his bloud for the remission of sinnes Beléeue then and doubte not in anie case For Iesus Christ hath purged and washed you cleane from all your sinnes hauing promised that all those that beléeue in him and his Father who sent him shoulde haue life euerlasting and shoulde not come into iudgement but
in the sixt Psalme hee saith O Lorde rebuke mee not in thine anger neither chastise me in thy sore displeasure Acknowledging that the anguish and sicknes wherewith hee felt himselfe so grieuously afflicted was the very pricking and working of Gods displeasure whom he knew he had sore offended Hée saith as much in another Psalme Thine arrowes haue light vpon mee and thine hand lieth vpon mee And in the two and thirtie Psalme Thy hand is heauy vpon me daie and night And againe in the 39. Psalme I was dumbe and spake nothing I kept silēce euen from good and my sorrow was more stirred My hart was hot within mee and while I was musing the fire kindled c. Ezechias Iob likewise doo attribute their sicknes to none other but to God And Iob saide that in the very stinch that came from his flesh halfe-rotten and in the multitude of lothsome wormes that issued from his bodie he still beheld but one hand of his Sauiour to touch him to the ende hee might heale him againe with the other The very Heathenish Infidels haue somtimes acknowledged that their Sicknes and diseases procéeded from none other cause but from God who then punished them because of their offences As Pharao and his family in the daies of Abraham the Egyptians in the time of Moyses the Philistians in the time of Samuell when they kept the Arke of Couenant captiue and prisoner in their owne country after they had takē it in the war wherein they vanquished the children of Israell We must then conclude that diseases and generally all afflictions and aduersities doo come from God who dooth nothing but with great iustice and by his heauenly wisedome For all his actions are so well directed that nothing may be found in them but is done with waight number and measure and for great reason although the cause thereof be sometimes vnknowne to vs. As then the Goodnes the Power the Wisdome the Iustice the Equitie Constancy and veritie which appeare in all the works of God are the motiues and causes why we allow of them and praise them So confessing all these vertues in our sicknes and other aduersities which are the handyworke of God and of none other ought we not to take them in good part and to arme our selues with this faith and holy cogitation against the impatience and murmuring of our hart which doth pricke and prouoke vs to stomake and be angry with God yea and sometimes to blaspheme his holy name horribly when he will not doo as we would haue him and fulfill the wicked and disordinate desires of our sinful flesh which if he should do he should become like vnto vs who are but flatterers and dissemblers of our owne vices and abhominations Contrariwise to become holy good and vertuous we must labour to be like vnto him and to submit all our desires and will vnto his wil. For otherwise we are indéed but hipocrites and although that in our praiers wée craue and desire that his will bee done our hart dooth secretly make our mouth bée found a liar and doth by and by tell vs in our eare ha hipocrite that thou art if thou mightest choose thou hadst rather haue thy own wil to be done then Gods will When a man speaketh to vs of Gods prouidence and asketh vs if euery thing that God dooth be good and well done we can tell him by and by it is and so we say to our neighbors friends when we sée them in any anguish or affliction to giue them the best comfort and counsel that we can and for the best and spéediest remedie we tell them then it procéedeth from the prouidence will of God But when it commeth to the point to apply it to our selues we doo as Phisitions who can minister good medicines and giue skilful counsel to others but will follow none themselues Neuertheles there is nothing so néedefull and wholesome for vs as to occupy our selues daily in meditating of the prouidence of God and to acknowledge that it guideth gouerneth and disposeth all thinges to the ende that beholding alwaies the workeman in his workemanship we may by and by like of it and allow it knowing that he letteth nothing go out of his shop before it be throughly polished well trimmed perfect and accomplished as it should be in all points And if we giue such credite to cunning Artificers to accept of their workemanship so soone as we sée their marke shall we doo so great iniury to God as not to allow and estéeme of his workes wherin we sée the markes and prints of his bountie and iustice so euident and apparent to the eies of all men Uery true it is that that which doth come directly from his bountie pleaseth vs better then that which procéedeth from his rigour iustice as is séene in the workes of Nature some séeme more pleasant and delectable then other some the day is more comfortable to vs then the night the sommer more pleasant then the winter the sunshine and cleare weather maketh vs a great deale gladder then the blacke pitchy darke rainy and stormy season dooth So when God smileth vpon vs and sheweth vs the light of his countenance and by his milde and gratious dealing towards vs dooth cherish and make much of vs embracing vs with his mercy on euery side multiplying without cease his graces vpon vs and euery day endewing vs with some new benefit as the Prophet saith that without doubt is farre more acceptable vnto vs then when he sheweth vs his sterne and frowning lookes makes vs feele the rigor of his wrath and the sting of his Iustice. Did not Dauid take greater pleasure in hearing the goodly large promises that God made vnto him to establish him in his kingdome and to giue it to him and to his children for euer to giue him victory ouer all his enemies the which were as thicke in euery corner as the dust in the market place to make his fame and renowne to flie and resownde in all quarters amongst strange Nations to heare God with his owne mouth say that hée had found him a man after his own hart to consider how God tooke and chose him euen from his shéepe to exalt him aboue all the houses of Israel and how God did as it were degrade altogether the house of Saul to enrich and adorne him with their spoiles hauing none other reason to doo all this for him but of his méere grace and good will I aske you then whether these so great and euident tokens of the bountie and mercy of God towards him were not farre easier to be disgested then the grieuous reproches that he made him of his ingratitude after his fall And the fearefull threatnings that he vsed to discouer and publish openly all his offence to make murthers and bloodshed abound in his house and that the honour of his wiues should
soule is buried when it pleaseth God to fetch it from thence it is not as though he should make it come forth of the graue and raise it vp againe What is the occasion then that men may haue to flye from this corporall death and to haue it in such horrour Séeing that seperating the soule frō the body setteth the soul out of prison and sendeth it to enioy liberty in heauen there to be made much of in the bosome of Iesus christ and to inioy with him and with all the happy soules the eternall comforts promised and reserued for the elect people of God The body on the other side liethe in the earth as in a bed there to sléep and take his rest at his ease being neuer wake or troubled in his sléepe neither by fearefull dreames nor cares nor feares nor cries noyses or any thing els that maye disquiet the same sléeping there til the day of the resurrection when it shalbe waked by the sound of Gods Trumpet and knit againe to the Soule hauing left behind in the earth his mortality dishonour and weakenesse hauing put on his robes of glory power immortality and corruption Whereby we may sée that it is without curse that men feare so much this corporall death the which doth but seperate for a time the soule from the body for y ◠great profite of the one and of the other For the body is by this meanes out of all daunger not onely of sinne and of the miseries that waite thereuppon but also of all temptation remaining and resting in the earth in certaine hope of the resurrection and of the life euerlasting And although it séeme to be altogether depriued of life lyinge in the earth because that the soule being departed from it leaueth it without any mo uing or féeling and it putrifieth and goeth into earth yet being alwaies accompanied with the spirit and infinit power of God which quickeneth all thinges it is not altogether void of life as Saint Paul saith If the spirite of him which raised Iesus Christ vp from the dead dwell within you He also which hath raised him vp shal also quicken your mortal bodies because of his spirit which dwelleth in you This is the reason why in another place drawing out vnto vs the portrature of the resurrection of our bodies to come he brings in an example of the séede which is cast into the earth the which hath life in it although being in the Garner it semeeh to haue none and holding it in our hands wee cannot iudge but that it is a thinge dead and without life Yet when it is cast into the earth where a man would think the life if it had any would be smothered and taken away it showes it selfe and growes as it were from the rottennesse from whence wee sée the eare commeth which nourisheth and grows afterwards shewing plainely by euident tokens the life that was hidde in it before it was cast in the earth So God in the holy scripture caleth himself the God of Abraham long time after Abrahams death and saith that he is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Then it followeth that not only the soule of Abraham which he redeemed by the death of his Sonne is yet liuing since it hath béen seperated from the Body but that the bodye which is partaker of the same redemption which is knit and incorporate to Iesus Christ to be one of his members and hath bene consecrated and sanctified vnto God that he may dwel therin as in his holy Temple is not clean without life although it be putrified in the bowels of the earth For so much as it is alwaies accompanied with the grace of God and iointly with the soule comprised in the euerlasting couenant that hee hath made with his people which couenant is a fountaine and vaine of life not onely to the souls but also the bodies of al the faithfull And if as Saint Iohn saith they bee most happy and blessed which die in the Lord and that no blessednes can be without life we must needes conclude the one of these two things either that no blessednes can come to the body or els if it may come that the body is not depriued and void of all life lying in the earth For although it be putrified and haue no signe of life in it at all yet retayneth it in it selfe as it were a séede and stack which shal appeare at the day of the resurrection when the spirite of God pouring out his infinite vertue on our bodies shal raise them vppe againe and shall make them shine with the glory and brightnes that hee hath promised his elect And euen as in an egge there is a chicken and a certain life which is euidently perceiued when the hen hath heated and hatched it by her heate so immortality and life euerlasting whereof both our soules and bodies are called to bée partakers from the time that we haue receiued the Gospell of Christ which is a worde of life and a séede incorruptible shal shut vp till the last day by the power of our God which shall then make vs newe againe as hee shall doe the Heauens the earth and all other creatures which then shall fully be deliuered from the bondage of corruption Whereof we are also assured by the baptisme that is giuen vs in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost For the water which hath bene poured vpon our bodies whiche the Scripture calleth the lauer of Regeneration is not onely to assure vs that our soules are washt and purged cleane by the bloud of Iesus Christ for the remission of our sinnes but also our bodies And that being both together couered and clad with the righteousnes and innocency of the son of God and besides sanctified by his holye Spirite they are by and by put in possession of life euerlasting and altogether made frée and deliuered frō the slauery of death which hath no power as we said but onely where sinne raigneth which is the onely cause of death The holy Supper of our Lord in the which taking by faith breade and wine which are giuen vnto vs by the handes of the minister we are receiued to the partaking of the flesh and bloud of Iesus Christ and so vnited and incorporate with him that for euer as Saint Iohn saith he dweleth in vs and we in him doth it not assure vs also that being inseperably ioyned with the life and with him that is cause of life wee can neither die either in soule or body by reason of this vniō which is common both to soule and body The death of the body ought not to séeme so hor rible and hideous as it doth vnto others who are frighted as little children with a maske or false vizard For if the mother should come to her childe with a monstruous and vgly face to be séene he would be afraid and
passe straighte from death vnto lyfe Now N. bée of good chéere in Iesus Christe for hee hath loued you dearely and washed you from all your sinnes by his bloud Haue then a strong faith and valyant resolution to encounter couragiouslie with your aduersarie You néede none other buckler to defend you but the precious bloud of Iesus Christ the which by the vertue of his death and passion hath reconciled you to God the father vnto whom with great humilitie and true repentance you must saie Lord God Father almightie haue mercie on me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion vouchsafe to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands N. Haue a good hope and firme faith that this good God full of mercie and compassion wil receiue your soule as his own into his handes for the loue of his son Iesus Christ. For there is none other mean vnder heauen giuen vnto men by the which we must be saued no other saluatioÌ„ but in Iesus Christ. Arme your selues then with this Iesus Christ for hee hath done all for you He hath accomplished the law for you He hath vanquished all your enemies that fight to ouercome you Now N. reioyce your selues in God stand firme in this liuely faith Followe and imitate the holy Patriarches Prophets and Apostles who are all saued in this faith who assured you that your aduersarie cannot anie waie hurt you For your processe is gotten by Iesus Christ who is both your iudge and your aduocate Wherefore you may boldly say with a stedfast beléefe When I shoulde walke in the shadowe of death I shall feare none euill for thou Lord art with me Then good N. be neuer a wearie saying from the bottome of your heart in all true humilitie and repentance Lord God Father almightie haue mercie on me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion vouchsafe to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands A verie godly Praier for one that is grieuously afflicted by sicknes and readie to die ECCLESIASTICVS 18. Vse Phisick before thou be sicke examine thy selfe before thou be iudged and in the daie of visitation thou shalt finde mercie God doth admonish vs to praie continually but especially when wée are touched with his rods of correction Wherefore all the kindred faithfull friends who visite the sick person ought not onely to visite and haue a care of his bodie but also séeke some spiritual medicine for his soule And this must bee done by good praiers confession of sinnes and Christian exhortation according to the worde of God without the which no man can liue And that all things may be done orderly and zealously the assistance must prostrate themselues before the maiestie of GOD saying Our aide is in the name of God And then saie the generall confession of sinnes and after that this praier as followeth LOrd God almightie and Father of mercie we that are assembled together in the name of thy welbeloued sonne our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ trusting vpon his grace and fauour we haue bin so bolde as to come before thée to call vpon thy holy name making our onely refuge in thy soueraigne bountie y e which we desire not onely to féele and tast in our selues but also in y â— extremitie of thy poore creature who is grieuously afflicted with sicknes of bodie affliction and calamitie of minde We knowe Lord that thou doest iustly visite chastise him with thy rods to make him vnderstand and féele thy fatherly affection towards him But thy great mercies which thou wast wont to vse towards our Fathers are not yet at an end and clean forgotten For thou art that great God eternell full of pittie and compassion which neuer changest Thy holy word doth teach vs plaine that the earth is full of thy mercies the which doe farre surpasse thy iustice Wherefore O Lord appease thy wrath towards this thy creature Haue pittie and compassion on him for the loue of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Looke not vpon his sinnes but looke vppon the face of thy Christ who hath fully satisffed for him in offering to thée the greate sacrifice of his body vppon the crosse We beséech thée then most gracious and mercifull â—…ather make him â—…éele thy grace the which thou hast neuer â—…efused to giue vnto anie of thy châ—…ldren And because thou art our Father for euer who alwaies knowest what is necessarie and expedient for our saluation we do not pray and beséech thée to prolong or abridge his life for we rest our selues wholy vpon thy holy will the which we desire onely to please Thou art wise enough without anie other counsell to dispose of thy creature according to thy good pleasure But if it please thée to call him awaie who is hée that is able to resiste Or if thou wilt restore him his health again who is he that can or dare reprehend thée For all things are in thy handes nothing is done without thy holy will prouidence Although Lord if of thy fauourable grace thou prolong his daies thy rod shal serue for a chastisement to amend him and turne him to thée we with him shal yéeld thée thanks and praise But if it bee thy determinate will to let him passe into a better life wée beséech thée for thy sonne Iesus Christ his sake to forget all his sins and offences the which thou hast 〈◊〉 out and washed away by the 〈◊〉 of his most precious bloud Let it please thée by the merit of the death 〈◊〉 passion of thy sonne to receiue his soule into thy hands when thou shalt call him out of this world Lord God despise not the work of thy hands for sée here thy poore creature almost at the last gaspe which calleth vnto thée from the depth of all his languishes and miseries presenting thée with his sorrowful penitent soule with an humble contrite hart the which we beséech thée to accept of for the loue of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord in whose name thou hast promised to heare our praiers Wherefore Lord we beséech thée to take vs into thy tuition and to illuminate our hearts and vnderstandings that we may stil come to thée and cal vpon thy holy name as thy sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour hath taught vs to call vpon thée in all time of our néede saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Lastly most mercifull and gracious God and father may it please thée we beséech thée to vpholde vs alwayes by thy grace and power that by the infirmitie of our fleshe wée doe not stumble and fall and for that wée of our selues are so weake that wée