where may we abide in safetie to the Lord Christe alone Thou hast shead thy bloud that hath satisfied for our sinns oh holy Lord God oh holy mightie God oh holy mercifull sauiour oh thou euerlasting God let vs not fall backe from the comfort of our faith Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Behold thus shall we reioyce in our greatest daunger and withall our heart Sing vnto our Lord God a song of thankesgiuing which is the right sacrifice of thankes Psal. 50. These be the right singers to God when the whole armie of heauen singe with vs and giue vnto God prayse and thankes Therefore nowe without all feare and trembling hope vppon the endlesse mercy of God that this your trouble and heauinesse and dangerous gronings and sighings commeth vp to Gods compassion and commeth neare inough to his heart But herein shall you stay your self and hope and so shall you be strengthened Esaie 30. And thus shal you conclude in your heart and earnestly hope and with S. Paule say thus Rom. 8. I knowe certeinly that neither death nor life neither Angel nor principalitie neither power present or to come neither aboue nor beneath nor none other creature may remoue vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. To be short Who will accuse the elected of God God is hee that doth iustifie who can condemne vs Christe is hee that died yea rather that is risen againe which sitteth on Gods right hand and forgiueth vs. Nowe if death sinne diuel hel all trouble aduersitie and plague fall vpon me in heapes yet will I before you all abide still in my God and still remaine a childe of euerlasting ioy and felicitie Amen The eleuenth though welbeloued that ye do persuade your selfe as though God himselfe were against you and were angrie with you by reason of forepassed sinnes yet ye shall not be afraid nor dismaye your selfe For God many times doth proue his appeareth vnto them outwardly as though he were verie angrie with them as thoughe he would lay hands on them punish them and vtterly condemne them Therefore séeing God first will make you to liue he wil before huÌ„ble you seeing he will bring you to heauen he will first caste you downe into hel For Our Lord sleyeth and reuiueth God doth cast vs into hel and leadeth vs out againe As holy Anna saith the first of Samuel the 2. Therefore in this temptation learne rightly and properly to knowe the nature and propertie of god He meaneth not euil towardes you but by this meanes he tryeth your faith and your hope that ye may be found to be perfect Surely it is a hard fight to wage battel with God him selfe as the good Patriarch Iaacob did a whole night long but at the length he had the victorie and lay aboue And therefore was he called Israel Likewise also must the spirituall Israel doe and in spiritual fight preuaile and haue the ouerhand And to be short at length it must come to passe with you thus that you must nowe onely beléeue vpon hope where no hope is Rom. 8. For True faith is a certeine assuraunce to obteine those things and not doubt on the whiche we can neither beholde nor see Heb. 11. This is your case for in outward appearance and féeling ye sée nothing but death him selfe but the eyes of your faith looke further for they sée life in the middest of death in the middest of sinne true ioy and perfection in the middest of hell heauen in the middest of Gods anger and punishment grace and euerlasting welfare This is surely a strang and wonderfull sight and this is also an excellent passing and fine knowledge a cunning aboue all cunnings whiche declareth vnto vs howe we shall find in death perfect life howe we in the déepest miserie shall be comforted how we in the greatest doubtes shall be instructed to be short when it appeareth vnto vs that we are vtterly vndone euery body hath forsaken vs euery body withdraweth their succour from vs and before our eyes there appeareth nothing but destruction and vtter vndoing we shall make much adoe and wonderfully busie our selues and in our reason and opinion knowe not whether to goe we seeme to liue and yet we dye we sée and féele and yet be in the middest of death But here we must lay aside all féeling seeing vnderstanding wisedome and reason and vtterly forsake them and with these comforts to be merrie in the middest of death and slide through it as through sléep to the blessed hope that God will through his mercy in the promise of Christe euerlastingly kéepe vs and make vs inioy his blessings What so euer Gods wil be let things appeare outwardly as they will let thinges goe and stand with vs as God will yet beleue we stedfastly that Gods grace and goodnesse will defende vs for euer contrarie to all mans reason and imagination for he will not ascribe our saluation nor giue the honour glory prayse thereof vnto vs or our workes eyther to our indeuour but vnto his endlesse mercy that at the last day we should must confesse that our saluation was not in our power in our doings in our will and might but onely in the mercy and onely grace of God which we haue obteined through Christ our onely Sauiour For which grace and good will we are bound to giue to God continual thankes and only laude and prayse his holy name and ascribe vnto him all honour power might and maiestie behold thus shal you fight and striue with God against god and push and enforce your selfe as it were through very thistles thornes to enter into heauen and there againe beginne in your heart to sing the comfortable song of the holy Dauid Psalme 73. where he thus singeth If I haue onely thee my Lord and my God I passe of nothing neither in heauen nor in earth though my body and my soul be in contempt yet art thou my God alway my heartes comfort and my health And then will GOD comfort you and say thus Esaie 41. Be not afraid I am with thee be not faint hearted for I am thy God I will strengthen thee I will helpe thee out I will holde thee vppe through the strength of my righteousnesse Twelfthly if welbeloued many assaultes and temptations fall vpon you as it were by heapes yet let them not â—ismay or discourage you for sathan â—oth willingly bestowe all his cunning when the matter commeth to the push â—r extremitie If he could not ouercome you in your life time whilest ye were â—n perfect health then wil he now more â—trongly withstande and assault you now in your weaknesse Therfore now â—earne and be expert in deede what the â—ubtiltie and craft of the wicked fiende â—s what sleightes and deuises he vseth and practiseth against you for his nature and condition is with great rage and fiercenesse to set vpon men he commeth to
sufficient penance for your sinnes appeased Gods wrath reconciled you to GOD his father and purchased for you euerlasting righteousnes blessednesse Therefore by this your suffering death you can not escape Gods iudgement nor make amendes to Gods iustice nor make satisfaction for euerlasting punishment but only thereby you do make satisfaction before the worlde For séeing that you haue done amisse offended the outwarde temporall and worldly iustice and transgressed and found guiltie thereof you must necessarily satisfie the same externall and outward iustice with such outward punishment as the worlde and the magistrate can doe for aboue that the world nor the magistrate can not reach nor giue correction But for as much as the offence whiche you haue committed against the Magistrate is also against God and his holy commaundementes specially this sinne whiche you at the first on the racke or pyning banke and after by your owne confession haue acknowledged besides other grieuous faultes wherewith in your life time from your youth hitherto you haue offended God your Lord in such manner that he might punish you for such offences euerlastingly and not for a time yet will he not do so as I haue told you before but he will mercifully forgiue you such offences altogether both small and great howe so euer you haue committed them through the deseruing miserie shame bitter death of his deare sonne our Lord Christ Iesus your Sauiour So that Gods iustice is satisfied for you by Christ our lord For GOD hath made his sonn for our sakes to be righteousnesse holinesse and our deliuerer 1. Cor. 1. Therfore you must beleue this not doubt confesse it with your mouth Do you beléeue this deare beloued Say yea Fiftly lest peraduenture you should imagine and say How commeth it then to passe that God hath only laide vpon me this shame reproch death Howe commeth it to passe that he hath spyed me out only Am I then alone the most wicked the most vnhappie man vppon the earth There be yet many worse then I. Why could he not visite and punish me after some other fashion Marke wel here and learne that it becommeth you not to murmur and be vnpatient by your leue against God nor his purposed worke for if God will thus visite you you ought not to weiue it nor refuse it for God can best skill according to his fatherly goodnesse how to intreate and handle his children and he will not deale alike with one childe as with an other He hath many crosses and rodds whereby he will chastice his He forbeareth some long and another he patiently abideth he leadeth him therby to repentance the thirde he taketh foorth to him selfe with this rod but he taketh vp an other with an other rod after them our Lorde God layeth vpon euery one his crosse Therfore by your leaue you shall not despaire nor doubt neither wishe nor desire that you were dead or that this or that carrie you away as some haue done of impatience feare and shame of the world What hurt is it to you that you must in déede be shamed before the worlde and that euery man beholdeth you as vppon a great offender séeing neuerthelesse that you be the child of God through your beléefe vpon Christ Which our Lord God and the whole armie and hoast of heauen doth nowe heholde looke vpon though it doth not apeare before the world All that you haue to doe shal passe away in the twinckling of an eye after that the worlde shall beholde you after an other fashion I mean at doomes day in great ioy and glory as one of Gods chosen children What shal it then hinder you though you for an hour or two must be kept to be shamed and openly executed or put to death Reioyce be frolike that at the general day thou shalt escape condemnation before the whole earth and all the hoast and armie of heauen It is much better that you should suffer reproch and shame a little while before a smal number then that at that day you shoulde be shamed and confounded before the Angels and the whole worlde for euer and euer Therfore yeald your self thervnto willingly and behold this shame death not with your bodily eye but with your spirituall eye Doe away your eyes remembraunce and reason let euery man laughe mocke looke say and doe what they will. Looke not vpon man but vpon God he is at hand with all Angels they behold you gratiously they haue pitifull hearts with you and our Lord Christ and our deliuerer will take you with him into euerlasting peace and blessednesse There be also among this companie heape and cluster of people many good men that feare God that be very sorrie and take griefe with you and doe truly pray to God for you Therefore do you not suffer alone but Christ our Lord and head suffereth with you Likewise al Christian members suffer with you likewise all creatures beholde with you and heartily long for your deliuerie as witnesseth Saint Paule Rom. 8. Therefore turne you to him that striketh you that is to God your true louing father and praye vnto him that he will mitigate shorten and ease your paines and smartes and lend vnto you a strong and merrie heart manfully and patiently to beare this crosse laide vpon you and to stande vpright And then you shall proue in the midst of your trouble that he is mercifully on your side doth helpe you suffer and beareth your crosse for he will be with you in your aduersitie therfore lay al your trouble only vpon our Lord God he wil first make your troubles in your heart and conscience easier and take them cleane away And after that your heart is once at peace with God and that you haue obteined a quiet conscience then will all bodily paines be very little and nothing in comparison of the conscience Then séeing that to euery man particularly or by him selfe death as a iust rewarde of sinne is appointed and that we all which shall remain after you must also get vs hence and no man remaine but that death must swallowe vppe the whole worlde what hurt is it to you that you go a litle before vs to the way of blessednesse and haue possessed and inioyed euerlasting life before vs Though you nowe by the way to blessednesse shall tread a hard bitter sharpe and rough way yet haue you this aduantage that you in a whole body and good memorie and perfect reson slide hence and in death you doe thrust into euerlasting life and all we must come after And who can tell how we poore néedie and forsaken men shal doe and what shall come of vs We be sure to be assaulted with many misfortunes and plagues and at the last some long time lye stretching and suffer many smarts and troubles vpon our sicke bed all which you haue escaped and in the meane season rest quietly and comfort your selfe and
well your selues whether ye beléeue as Saint Paul saith in the 13. Chapter of his seconde Epistle to the Corinthes Try your selues saith he whether ye be in belefe proue your selues c. Specially that ye earnestly stedfastly beléeue the godly promise that is promised in the Sacrament Item wherfore that godly meate is giuen vnto you Thirdly examine your selfe well whether ye canne and will forgiue your neighbor whether they be friends or foes that haue offended or hurt you whereby ye can shewe towards al men a Christian friendly louing and courteous heart and good will. For this pray vnto our Lord God nowe once againe And if for your sicknesse you can not speake it with your mouth yet in your heart inwardly say thus My Lorde Iesus Christe I come againe as a wretched sinner vnto thée that haue many times offended thée haue deserued nothing but thy euerlasting displeasure and punishment But seeing thou art so gentle and mercifull thou willest not the death of a sinner but that he repent and liue therefore hast thou established among vs a newe Testament whiche was long before promised by thy holy prophetes that thou wouldest take our sinnes from vs through thy death and the same neuer after remember And also before thy death hast made thy last will and therein hast made vs an assured promise that thou wouldest giue vs thy body for our redemption to be slaine and shed thy bloud for remission of our sinnes For thus soundeth thy gratious promise Take eate this is my body which shal be giuen for you This is the cupp◠of the newe testament in my bloud which shal be shed for you for the forgiuenesse of your sinnes This thy promise doe I beléeue stedfastly and for assurance thereof I haue before this time in my good health of body many times in the congregation of God receiued the holy Sacrament of thy very body and bloud wherof at this present I doe not doubt but am nowe certeinly and assuredly persuaded of al thy graces and mercies Be it vnto me according to thy word ¶ Here it is good to put the sicke body in remembraunce shortly what hath beene saide before after this manner Ninethly now deare friends I haue tolde you in the beginning how that all aduersities and troubles come from our Lord God and be laide vpon his of fatherly and true loue Therefore shall you be certeinely persuaded that this your sicknesse is by God therefore laide vpon you that the old man with Christ shoulde be nayled vpon the crosse that the sinfull body shoulde cease and a new and perfecte man appeare thereof whiche with Christe shall inioy euerlasting ioy and felicitie For Flesh and bloud can not enherit the kingdome of God As saint Paule witnesseth 1. Cor. 15. The olde man must full and whole be destroyed and as Christe in the 12. Chap. of Saint Iohn saith Except that the wheate corne fall into the earth and die so remaineth it but one corne But if it die it bringeth forth much fruite Thus must all both within and without vs be forsaken the olde Adam with all his wisedome reason and vnderstanding come to nought wherby a newe man may appeare at that day as Saint Paule saith 1. Cor. 15. Where he speaketh thus That whiche we see is not liuely except it first die It is sowen in corruption and shall rise againe in glorie It is sowen in dishonour and shall rise againe in honour It was sowen in weakenesse and shall rise againe in might It was sowen a naturall body and it shall rise againe a spirituall body When this corruptible body hath put on incorruption and this mortalitie hath put on immortalitie then shal be fulfilled the saying which is written Death is swalowed vp in victorie Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victorie God be praised that hath giuen vs the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christe Secondarily séeing the case standeth thus you shall nowe further resigne and forsake your owne wil and giue it ouer to Gods wil and pray as our Lord God hath taught vs to pray Matth. 6. and say Father thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen And as Christe Gods sonne him selfe at the houre of his death hath done and hath set forth vnto vs an example to be followed where he saide vpon mount Oliuet Matth 26. Father not my will but thy will be done So shall ye also doe vnto him conforme your selfe in all thinges to God him selfe our Lord and giue ouer all thinges to him our body our life our soule our estimation our goods friendes wife children and all c. and say thus NOw my Lord and God wil it none otherwise be but that I must at this time néedes drinke the cuppe of my passion that thou haste filled for me to drinke let thy will be done As thou willest so will I also I am willing and readie I am thy childe and thou arte my louing father thou wilt not destroy me that I knowe right well Oh onely giue thou me grace strength power mercie patience to suffer all thinges willingly that I may to thée kéepe a right holy day continually holde fast by thée and willingly to suffer thée to doe with me according to thy fatherly good will and pleasure Then shall I thrée dayes long rest lie with Christe in the graue hope for a ioyfull resurrection of all beléeuers at domes day according to the comfortable promise of Christe Iohn the 6. where Christe saith thus This is the will of him that sent me that he that seeth the sonne and beleeueth on him haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the latter day Thirdly ye shall also further vnderstande and beléeue certeinely that this your sicknesse howe great howe sore howe gréeuous to suffer howe long and painefull soeuer it bée yet is it not sufficient to appease pacifie Gods wrath to take away your sinnes and to purchase you euerlasting life For ye shall stedfastly beléeue this that deseruing of any Saint nor your owne worke how precious so euer it bée or may bée can gett you heauen or can deserue it For Saint Paule saith Rom. 8. That All the sufferinges in this worlde be not worthie of that glorie that shal be shewed vnto vs. Fourthly ye shall vndoubtedly beléeue that the onely passion and death of our Lorde Iesus Christe is a sufficient oblation for your sinnes For The Lorde Iesus is made for vs from God to be our wisedome our righteousnesse our sanctification and deliuerer as the Apostle saint Paul witnesseth in the first to the Corinthians the first Chapter For there is none other name giuē to men nor there is in none other helth wherin we shal be saued then only in the name of Iesus Christe c. As likewise witnesseth Saint Peter Acts the fourth For God hath made him that neuer knewe sinne for our sakes to
it by patience the 13. to the Romans Therfore doth belong hereunto that is there to the time of sufferinges these two vertues patience and hope for with these two winges specially faith and hope you must enforce your selfe to flée vp into heauen But patience muste fight the battell with the dragon which wil strengthen and hinder your way to heauen Ninthely nowe welbeloued séeing that your sicknesse somwhat lingereth and that God for a time doeth prolong his helpe and deliuerance and will not soudenly as we desire pray and think deliuer you but wil awhile try proue your faith for your faith must be tried by aduersitie and temptation as gold is tried and proued in the fire Therefore you must be patient For albeit our Lorde GOD for a time withdraweth his merciful helpe yet will he not long be absent It should not stande with his godly nature mercie that he shoulde for euer forsake you being his childe through faith in Christe Wherfore though you a little while for the time of your suffering must sing with Christe the lamentable song and say My GOD my GOD wherefore hast thou forsaken me yet will not God long tarrie nor be absent he suffereth you to swimme a while but not vtterly so be drowned he suffereth you peraduenture one day but he will by and by afterwards raise you vp againe and giue you euerlasting peace and happinesse Therefore albeit you doe not for a little time sée Christe in his throne of grace yet shall you shortly sée him againe Iohn the .16 For his anger that is to say his fatherly correction endureth but the twinkling of an eye and he hath pleasure and delight to saue And therefore doeth our Lorde God him selfe comfort you in the Prophet Esai the .54 Cap saying thus Beholde I haue hidden my face a little from thee in the short time of anger neuertheles I will haue mercie vpon thee with my continuall fauour saith the Lorde God our deliuerer Therefore saith Saint Paule the seconde Epistle the .4 Chap. to the Cor. Although our trouble whiche is but transitorie and easie though we thinke it very heauie much and long yet doth it breede and bring foorth an euerlasting and a meruilous weightie and vnmeasurable dignitie and estimation vnto vs whiche we cannot beholde with these eyes but with inuisible eyes For no eye hath sene nor no eare heard nor no mans heart can expresse that GOD hath prepared for them that loue him Esai 64. And .1 Cor. 2. But in these things must Gods children a while be pacient suffering polished and pressed and fully bethinke and consider these comfortable sayings which be spoken vnto vs as to children the .12 to the Hebr. out of â—he Prouerbes of Solomon in the third Chapter as it is there written Take â—ot slightly but earnestly regard the Lordes â—hastening or correction and dispaire not â—hen he punisheth thee For whom the Lord â—oueth him doeth hee punish correcteth â—uery childe that he taketh to him selfe If â—ou abide his correction patiently then â—oeth God shewe him selfe as to his â—hildren for where is a sonne whome â—he father doeth not correct Howbeit â—uery chastening while it is a doing it â—oeth not reioyce vs but maketh vs sad â—nd pensiue but afterward it bringeth 〈◊〉 ioyful fruite of righteousnes to them â—hat be exercised in it And therefore â—aith Saint Iames in his first Chapter Esteme it for a perfect ioy when you chance â—o fall into many temptations and know that â—our faith if it be perfect worketh pacience â—ut patience shall perfectly abide vnto the â—â—nde To the end it may be perfect and haue â—t all no manner of imperfection .. For He that abideth to the ende he shal be blesâ—â—d Matth. the .10 Therfore a Christian may well boast him selfe of trouble séeing that we knowe that Trouble bringeth patience patience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope hope will neuer be confouÌ„ded Let vs not be ashamed for the loue of GOD is powred out into our heartes through the holy ghost which is giuen vnto vs the .6 to the Rom. Thus shall you in patience looke for the mercifull helpe and visitation of God and in your heart sing the pleasaunt song of thankesgiuing of the holy man Simeon Luke the second and say thus Lord nowe lettest thou thy seruaunt departe in peace as thou hast saide For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation whiche thou hast prepared for al people To be a light to lighten the heathen and to be the praise of all thy people of Israel For I haue nowe God be praised obteined the knowledge of thy saluation which is in the forgiueing of sinnes Through the tender mercie of our God whereby he hath visited vs that came from aboue That he might appeare to them that satte in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death and leade our feete into the way of peace as Zacharias did sing Luke the second The tenth welbeloued your sickenesse continueth and doth not leaue off and you thinke long for helpe yet must you giue ouer these things ye must not shrinke from God nor be faint harted but in patience haue a perfect and stedfast hope that God will not be long away though he séeme to tarrie but or it be long will come and help you yea the longer God withdraweth from you his gratious helpe the mightier and better hereafter will your helpe and comfort be for God standeth yet a while behind the wal as a louing and friendly bridegrome and looketh through the window priuily in vpon his spouse and marketh whether she doth so loue her bridgrome that she will wayt and tarrie for him and that she may perceiue that he at the length will reache out his hande to her plucke her foorth bring her home His loue is as strong as death but vnder it is hidden very life and felicitie Therfore despaire not euen in the very daunger of death and sing once againe with this congregation and with all the holy elected Saintes of GOD in your heart in this manner In the middest of our life we be compassed about with death whom shal we séeke to for help that we may get grace thou only oh Lord art high we be sorry for our misdéedes which haue offended thée oh holy Lord God oh mightie Lord God oh holy merciful Sauiour euerlasting God let vs not be drowned in the bitter danger of death Lord haue mercy vpon vs. In the middest of death the gaping of hell assaulteth vs who can deliuer vs from this great peril that canst thou Lorde alone doe thy great mercy hath compassion on our complaint and great miserie Holy Lorde GOD oh mightie Lord God oh holy mercifull Sauiour oh euerlasting God let vs not dispaire for the déepe pit of hell Lord haue mercy vpon vs. In the middest of the sorrowes of hell our sinnes lye hard vpon vs then whether shal we flée from hence
not though I be a very wretched sinner altogether for these causes séeing that thou by thy worde hast commaunded and promised that I shal be heard in what daunger and trouble so euer I be when I call vpon thée and that then I shall honour thée and euer acknowledge thée to be the true and very God séeing I perceiue that what so euer thou promisest that thou dost perfourme effectually Therefore beléeue I certeinly thy worde that thou wilt not denie it but vndoubtedly perfourme whatsoeuer thou hast once spoken therfore I beséech thée from the bottome of my heart that thou wilt help me out of my trouble and sicknesse and neuer forsake me but gratiously send me thy fatherly helpe and deliuer me from my distresse For there is no body vpon whō I can perceiue any helpe or goodnesse but only vpon thée therefore helpe thou me my lord and God but not according to my deserts worthinesse or goodnes but through the deserts of thy sonne Iesus Christe which hath purchased vnto me from thée all grace and fatherly fauour him dost thou loue and hast great pleasure in him and therfore thou wilt not forsake me for his sake but rather shewest vnto me all goodnesse therfore I commit my self wholy vnto thy mercy and fatherly goodnesse and put my whole cause vnto thée as to my louing father that thou wilt deliuer me out of all this trouble griefe weaknes paines when it shal please thy godly will therfore I will not appoint vnto thée neyther time nor space but earnestly hope vpon thée that thou wilt heare me and defend me though my case appeare very straunge and as impossible as it may be for thou art almightie hast might and power ouer all things and besides this thou art my father and art willing to doe it if it were nowe necessarie Therfore at thy hand I looke for al goodnesse be it vnto me according vnto thy true promise Amen Thirdly moreouer welbeloued let vs once againe lift vp our heartes and mindes vnto him from whome all help and goodnesse commeth chiefly vnto the father of all light which giueth euery good gift gratiously heareth vs Therfore séeing that your paines necessitie miserie and griefes stil continue therefore pray vnto our Lord God with holy Dauid and say thus Oh Lord punish me not in thine anger correct me not in thine me Lord be gratious vnto me for I am feeble heale me Lorde for my bones be afraide Turne thee Lord and deliuer my soule help me according to thy pleasure be not far from me for trouble is at hand for here is none that can helpe Remember Lorde thy mercy and thy goodnesse which hath ben since the world beganne Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor mine offences but thinke vpon me after thy mercy and according to thy goodnesse Lorde haue mercy vppon my misdeedes which be very great turne thee to me be gratious vnto me for I am forsaken and in miserie the heauinesse of my heart is great lead me out of my necessitie and need Behold my miserie and distresse and forgiue me all mine offences Lorde be gratious vnto me according to thy goodnesse and blot out all my sinnes after thy great mercy wash me cleane from mine offences make me pure from my sinnes for I acknowledge myne offences and my misdeedes be euer before me On thee alone haue I sinned and haue done euill in thy sight Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine offences Make a cleane heart within me and giue me a newe right spirit Cast me not out of thy sight and take not thine holy Ghost from me Comfort me againe with thy helpe and giue in me the spirite of peace Be vnto me a strong tower whether I may for euer flee for succour for thou hast promised to helpe me for thou art my rocke and my hill Oh Lorde I cry vnto thee bicause thou art gratious Lord for thy great goodnesse heare me with thy true help heare me Lorde for thy goodnesse is comfortable turne thee vnto me according to thy great mercy Lord be not farre from me My God make hast to helpe me Vpon thee Lord do I trust God helpe me out of all my needs and set me at libertie Looke vppon me and heare me Lord my god Lighten myne eyes that I may sleepe soundly in the middest of death I loue thee with all my heart Lorde God my strength Lorde my rocke my hill my deliuerer my God my castell vpon whome I trust my buckler and horne of my saluation my defence Lord in thee doe I trust let me neuer be confounded Deliuer me for thy iustice sake Bowe downe thine eares to me make speede to help me Be vnto me a strong rocke and an hill where thou maiest helpe me For thou art my rocke and my hill and for thy name sake leade me and bring mee foorth come to my soule and deliuer it keepe my soule and deliuer me Let me not be confounded for I trust in thee Lorde quicken me for thy name sake leade my soule out of this daunger for thy righteousnesse sake for my soule fainteth in my bodie and the feare of death is falen vpon me Feare and trembling compasseth me and loathsomenesse is falen vpon me I lie with my soule among the Lions therefore oh Lorde heare my prayers and let my crie come vnto thee Hide not thy face from me in my neede Bowe downe thine eare vnto me when I call vpon thee then heare me betime Nowe Lord wherein shall I comfort me I hope vpon thee leaue off from troubling me that I may refreshe my selfe before I goe hence and come no more againe If it please any man to say all the whole Psalms to be said to the sicke I will not complaine vppon him Therfore they that list may when he list sometime take these Psalmes hereafter following and read the same to the sicke and sometime make some shorte rehearsall of them and with them comfort the sicke body specially the 25. 51. 70. 71. 77. 87. 88. 103. 130. c. And if neede require a man may often repeate them or take some comfortable part of them and also like comfortable sayinges out of my litle booke called The spiritual conflict all which for shortnesse I leaue heere vntouched Fourthly if the sick bodie draw on and is neare his ende then say our beléefe that is the xij Articles of our holy faith thus J Beleeue in God the father Almightie maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord whiche was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell he rose againe the third day from the dead he ascended into heauen he sitteth on the right hand of God the father Almightie from thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beleeue in the holy ghost The holy catholique Church
nowe be in néede and must suffer for your misdéedes let goe and let passe altogether all such thoughts and earthly temptations and thinke thus Well now albeit that I hitherto haue béene by God appointed and set to be a purueyor to take care to mainteine my wife children c. and I haue not honestly behaued my selfe in that calling I hartily therfore desire my Lord God in Christe Iesus my deliuerer that he will not lay to my charge that sinne but through grace pardon me for I am very sorie Therefore almightie God séeing thou wilt take that my care and office from me and put me besides it I commend them vnto thée as to the chiefest magistrate their Lorde defender father that thou wilt vouchsafe that I maye commende vnto thée my wife children and friendes and not to suffer that they shal be charged with mine offences but to take care for them defend them féede them and mainteine them as the true onely father in heauen and earth And that thou wilt vouchsafe in my stéed to send them some other that may leade them and bring them vp in godly feare and Christianlike conuersation And althoughe that they before the world must be charged with my faultes that thou wilt richly requite those things vnto them and lay against that thy gentle gratious and fatherly blessing so that they may enioye their innocencie All these thinges I cōmend vnto thée together Oh most mightie Lord and God into thy gratious hand Wherevnto also I commit my life and soule Therefore doe I yéeld vnto thy mercie altogether and in perfect trust blessed hope that thou wilt gratiously accept this my poore prayer heare me in Iesu Christ thine only louing sonne Amen Now welbeloued in this ouergiuing and prayer wherein you haue giuen ouer al things vnto God in your prayer and offered them vp you shall wholy throughly persuade your selfe of Gods mercie For God is rich toward them that call vppon him Beléeue this thing onely and so it will in déede come to passe according vnto the comfortable promise of Christ our Lord in the 11. of Marke where he comforteth such as doe pray and promiseth to giue them all Oure Lord Christ saith Whatsoeuer you pray for in your prayer onely beleeue that ye shall receiue it and you shall haue it And in Marke the 9. Christ saith thus If you can beleeue all thinges are possible to them that beleeue Therefore giue vnto our Lord God the glorie and estéeme him to be a true god Then will he for his trueth sake heare your prayer and kéepe you For He is gratious and mercifull of great goodnes trueth God surely is the highest but he looketh vppon the lowest very gladly and of them that be of gentle and courteous minde and heart Onely for his loue sake that he beareth towardes them that be of troubled and heauie hearts For they be so commended vnto him that he hath special regard vpon them As our Lord God himselfe acknowledgeth Esaie 66. where God saith thus I behold such as be in miserie and haue a contrite heart and on such as feare my word This is the right offering that pleaseth God specially a troubled spirit For A sorrowful troubled heart will not God despise Psalm 51. If you then can commend all your causes to God your very creatour giue ouer all to him then will he doe like a louing and gentle father can well tell how to prouide for all yours For he is the Iudge of the widowes and the father of orphanes and the fatherlesse As vpon him it is written in the Psalme 68. Then séeing that God by this means and crosse layd vppon you wil take you away from yours you shall not therefore sorrowe nor be dismayde specially séeing that within a short time you shal finde againe all your friends in euerlasting life euen as you beléeue the ioyful resurrection of all Christians to enioy euerlasting liuing There shall you find for your earthly friendes heauenly friendes To die you must necessarily and prepare your selfe therevnto as all mankinde must and no man be left behinde God doth this thing vnto you for the best bycause this way he doth shorten your griefes and pains helpeth you this way through all paine shame slander and death very easily and fatherly Therfore be lustie and of good courage he that layeth this crosse vpon you he will also helpe you to beare it giue you patience make a blessed end of it Ninethly Séeing then that God hath laid this crosse vpon you that you shuld heare it a very litle while therefore you shall not excuse your selfe nor make your fault light to the world nor smooth it as though you were guiltlesse or as though you had not deserued this your punishment laide vpon you Take not the figge leafe before thée thereby to couer thine offence as the nature of olde Adam is to doe and as Adam after his sinne would thereby haue couered him selfe But giue God the glorie as Iosua warned the offender Achan when he tooke him with the things that were cursed Iosua 7. Then said Iosua there vnto him My sonne giue to the Lord God of Israel the glory and giue him the prayse and tell me and confesse what hast thou done lye not Then also said Achan therevpon Surely I haue sinned against the Lorde the God of Israel thus thus haue I done c. There did Achan before all folke acknowledge his offence and albeit he were by the Magistrate condemned to dye by Gods appointment yet is he no doubt thereof taken vp through Gods mercy and much commended for his confession he gaue God the glory and so departed in Gods mercy Likewise welbeloued shall you also doe searche your heart giue God the glorie which alonly is good wise righteous and holy but all men be euill and false Take nothing hence with you carrie nothing awaye with you but searche your heart and conscience and what you haue don denie it not do not make it lesse but séeing it is manifest and knowne and séeing GOD hath brought your offence to light and by the magistrate ordeined will punish you therefore giue God prayse and thanks that he will of grace not punishe you for euer Thinke it is much better here before fewe folke to be a little while shamed then hereafter before al the world and the whole companie of heauen for all must come to light and be openly knowne therefore it is much better here then there Then séeing that God by the Magistrate hath made it knowne therefore suffer it patiently willingly and blame no man as though any man had opened it of malice or condemned you as your enimie The Magistrates iudgement is Gods iudgement and the sentence hath also pleased him He is the highest Iudge therefore blame no man and charge no man that is vnguiltie in this case If you haue
mightily helpeth the body out of dust and mire and all maner of destruction for euermore For he doth helpe in déede yea the longer he séemeth to withdraw his help he sheweth it afterward more mightily therefore he is the only comfort and refuge or helpe to miserable sinners Furthermore Christe hath walked among sinners in the middest of them gone to sinners and hath runne after them and deliuered them from their destruction blindnesse and sin Shal not all this make worthily a mans heart merrie and to haue a good conscience yea a perfect assurance to all troubled and sorrowful sinners that they may in all their néedes sinne griefe sorrow and death with al their heartes run and come vnto suche a friendly Lorde that wisheth euery man good prayeth for it and doth it that neuer hath driueÌ„ from him any wretched sinner Yea they at the last in his death were partakers with him on the crosse that he by the â—peciall foresight of God shoulde hang betwéene two grieuous offenders in tâ—ken that he would willingly dye for miserable sinners and for their cause willingly giue him selfe to death yea they had their part with him after his glorious resurrection to signifie thereby that he hath not forgotten miserable sinners albeit that he hath conquered sinne death hell and sathan him selfe and yet might he well haue let alone this his conquest and triumph and haue neglected vs miserable sinners But he hath now sought out miserable sinners that he might helpe them and comfort them as namely vnbeleuing Thomas the penitent Magdalene and many mo as he was going towards heauen and nowe sitteth at the right hande of God in great glory and maiestie yet doth he not at all forget the poore sinners but opened Sauls eyes put away all his sinnes and made of him a chosen witnes yea euen in these dayes from time to time doth our good faithfull Lord without ceassing take vp sinners vnto him For what doth he else at the right hand of God then intreat speake for and defend the miserable sinners as a faithful Attorney Mediatour peacemaker anâ— highe priest reconciler and continuall king as he hath taken vp al vs you and me and all sorrowfull repentant faithful sinners In mercy he giueth vs now daily his holy Ghost which doth lighten and purifie our heartes strengtheneth them giueth them power and defendeth vs in all our néedes Therefore be of good comfort séeing Christe nowe liueth there can no miserie come vnto you séeing that Christe sitteth on the right hand of God Who can doe vs any harme Who can condemne vs If Christ him selfe doe absolue vs and accounteth vs to be quit frée loose and vnbound and so pronounceth vs To this Lord do I nowe commend you let him not depart from your hart For albeit I must depart hence froÌ„ you must suffer you to go to death neither I nor the whole world any more help you yet wil not this Lorde depart from you he is with you and by you in your execution And he is also faithful vnto you and so gratious that he wil go with you to death and will plucke you out againe from him by his almightie power Holde you vpon this Lorde by a stedfast faith for I nowe commend you vnto him with all my heart The fourtéenth Dearely beloued séeing you shal eueÌ„ now be caried hence to the place of execution shal be séene of many folkes take a merrie hearte vnto you and speake vnto the people like a man and louingly and giue them warning before your death of these thrée pointes following First that they will well thinke vppon and remember the earnest strong righteousnes of God and take you before their eyes for an example of Gods Iustice albeit his iudgement vppon you in comparison of Gods righteous iustice and euerlasting punishment which ought worthily to stirre and moue all men to the feare of God but as it were a flap with a foxe taile Secondarily that they fréely for Gods sake and of his mercie euery of them all will forgiue you forget your fault and forgiue it wherewith you at any time haue offended any man whether it be in this place or in any other for Iesus sake with all their heartes wil forgiue you where and how soeuer you haue offended any of them whether it be by word or déede And that you also doe forgiue from the bottome of your hart willingly both friend foe wherein soeuer you haue béene offended Thirdly that they will praye to our Lord God truely for you whereby our Lord God for his deare sonns sake may giue vnto you a Christian and blessed passage out of this miserie by the ioynt working of the holy ghost Amen If the poore prisoner by reason of weakenes or for faint heart cannot speake himselfe and in the place of execution cannot warne the people and speake vnto them himselfe then may his appointed minister Or as it is in some place the hangman himself speake vnto him without danger in this maner and warne the people thus WElbeloued as you are now here present and minde to behold this miserable sight First remember wherfore this poore prisoner standeth here surely not therefore that in Gods sight he is the greatest sinner amongst vs But to the intent that Almightie God through this condemned man will set before your eyes an example of his godly iustice whereby by him you might be moued to a godly feare to amend your life and come before Gods anger correction and displeasure repent in time abstaine from your wicked life and go in a godly liuing Is it not thus welbeloued say Yea. Againe the tyed prisoner desireth you all here heartily and humbly that al you here together specially and generally that you wil forgiue him whatsoeuer he hath spoken done or committed whether it hath béene priuily or openly he is hartily sorie for them all he desireth you all humbly and Christianly Therefore he requireth that you wil bestow also vppon him this mercie that his Lord and God thorough Christ hath shewed vnto him in that that he of méere grace and loue hath forgiuen and forgotten all his sinnes that you haue a heartie compassion with him not to be offended at him but beare with his weakenes helpe it suffer it and carrie it as the Christian rule willeth where S. Paule the 6. to the Galathians saith thus Euery one beare an others burthen and so shall you fulfill the lawes of Christ Is it not so my welbeloued say Yea. Thirdly and lastly this bounden prisoner also requireth and prayeth you for Gods mercie sake that you now at the houre of his departure out of this miserie for Christian duetie and loue sake that you will inwardly from the bottome of your heart call vppon God and pray that he will increase in this poore man the faith of Christ strengthen him and kéepe him therein for euer and euer wherby he may of grace enioy a
vs in Christ Iesus Therefore let no man driue off too long to better his life but let euery man remember and thincke vppon the wrathe of God and vppon his punishment in time preuent or come before them driue not the time off till your death bed for you are not sure howe it will frame and fall out with you whether you shall haue then your reason your wittes or whether you shall be able to heare or speake your selfe or whether you shall dye soudenly and dye in the twinckling of an eye wherefore albeit we be all subiect to death and that therefore we must all dye yet doth our Lord God many times shorten many a mans life before his time chiefly bicause such a man doth not remember his sinfull and vnpenitent liuing that he may let him smart whereby he may win vnto him a good purpose to amend and better his life I am afraide there be very fewe that God taketh away before their time bicause they be vertuous whereby he may saue and deliuer them from great mischaunces and from the plagues at hand and therefore God can take but small pleasure of such people as then only call vpon God and sue vnto him in the time of their mishappes and punishmentes and by and by as soone as God our Lorde hath taken his correction from them againe they also by and by forget it and afterwarde become worse then euer they were before Experience daily teacheth this therefore when so euer God helpeth vp such a man he helpeth a great offender only vp againe vpon his sound limmes so that afterwarde he is worse then he was before Therfore is this the cause that God many times hath little pleasure lust or will to helpe suche people turne their punishment from them or to take it from them It is better they ly there sick or else buried in their graue then that they shoulde more grieuously offend God or any longer hurt good mē Howbeit if it so come to passe that God lay hand vpon his owne that is to say weaklings and straglers and take them vnder his fatherly correction looke well whether you be one of those or not and that ye doe not suffer such correction in vaine but rather imagine learne what our Lord GOD meaneth thereby and what profite and good our Lord God purposeth to set foorth by you First you shall knowe that by this meanes God will lead you to true repentance after that giue you cause that you earnestly séeke vnto him and with your heart call vpon him and from him onely looke for helpe and comfort which be the very good and precious woorkes of the second commaundement where you are commaunded that you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vaine which is then done when you inwardly call vppon God in your necessitie haue all your refuge for succour to him looke for all goodnes at his hands Those be most precious good woorkes that doe passingly please god After that as soone as God hath helpen you that you thancke him for his gratious helpe thanke and praise his holy name which is the right offering vp of thanks of the newe testament As holy Dauid witnesseth Psal. 50. That is then the right true Gods seruice to which Gods seruice our Lord God sometime without our minde and will must force or driue vs with great crosses and smarts or else we would neuer walke in any such good woorkes Also we must lastly with holy Dauid in the 119. Psalme acknowledge and say O Lord it is very profitable for me that thou hast humbled and brought me lowe that I might know thy lawes And hereof it commeth to passe that our Lord God suffereth Sathan to trouble to vexe his that he doth tempt them somtime with some special sinne and plagueth them therewith whereby they be moued or driuen first to knowe themselues their weake nature frailtie then to sigh vnto God to call vppon him and flie vnto him they be our spurs and prickes whereby wée be driuen to god And againe that is our comfort that God is so good and that he can shew himselfe so almightie that he can turne the wickednes of his to the best For he is such a God that he wil suffer no euil to be done whereof he doeth not worke some good But our Lord God is so cunning and many times doth shew it vnto his to shame the diuell whereby he doeth very often breake and hinder Sathans purpose and vtterly destroy it To this onely God and Lord he euerlasting thankes and praise in Christ our lord Amen Exhalt mich durch dein wort Keepe me according to thy promise Psalm 119. An instruction to teache children howe they ought to goe to the Lordes Table I haue herein something varied from mine Authour both because hee is not named in the booke and also for that it did in the woordes varied something sound contrary to our English Churche I thought it meete to be added because it was bound with the former Dutch bookes and necessary to be read to them that be in extremitie if time will serue for it FIrst you must beléeue if you will receiue the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ to your commoditie After that must you trye or proue your selues whether you doe worthily eate it or take commoditie by it ¶ Faith. First of all you must well embrace the wordes of our louing Lord God Iesus Christ wherein he hath appointed vnto you his body and bloud to be a testament whereby you may be assured and certeined of his grace and blessed inheritaunce for euer and with Christ and al good Christians to enioy their felowship in all thinges and that you doe belong to the fellowship of Christ For Christian faith hath in it these 2. partes First that by Gods grace we are made frée from all our sinnes and miseries Againe that we be partakers and felow woorkers of all the goodnes of God in Christ Iesus These two partes be promised vnto vs in the Gospel belong to as many as beléeue the Gospel Howbeit to the intent euery man should be the more sure of his faith and better certified that it belongeth vnto him whatsoeuer is conteyned and promised in the Gospel Christ our Lord hath ordeined two Sacraments or outward signes So that euery man that should receiue them in a fast and perfect faith thereby should be assured that the two before remembred parts do belong vnto him which he hath bound and tyed to no time place or person so that wheresoeuer it be receiued it is sure that the faithfull receiue those partes Therefore beléeue stedfastly that through Baptisme almightie God worketh forgiuing of all sinnes as we pray in our beliefe I beléeue one Baptisme for the forgiuenes of sinnes That is to say I beléeue that through Gods mercy by Iesus Christ in the holy Ghost only my sinnes altogether be forgiuen me whereby I am
right way What beleeue you of this sacrament J Beléeue that there is according to the word of Christe giuen vnto me the body and bloud of Christe though in such sorte as reason can not perceiue So that God almightie worketh in me and towards me in the receiuing therof all that which my Lorde Iesus hath there promised as specially that his body maketh me cleane and maketh my body to be in fellowshippe with Christ and with all Christians and that his bloud doth washe away all my sinnes Therefore I doubt nothing at all but that I doe receiue there the body bloud of Christe albeit that by reason I can not perceiue how or by what manner and way neyther is it necessarie for me to knowe It was sufficient to Christes Apostles that they knewe that Christe was risen from death albeit they could not tell nor perceiue how he came vnto them the doores being shut in What is Christes Supper or Gods boord IT is nothing else but the Testament of Iesus Christe our Lorde which he made and ordeined before his passion and death for all them that beléeue vpon him and for them that in their baptisme through the deseruing of his death and resurrection be made frée from the power and kingdome of the diuell and chosen to be Gods children or inheritours of the kingdome of heauen To them hath he promised and giueth in this sacrament truely his body and his bloud for their comfort wherby they be fully assured made certeine by faith in their consciences that he will giue vnto them all the goodnesse of God and make them coheires with him with the whole Christian congregation in a perfect fellowship of all Saints For in as much as Christe hath promised and giuen vnto them his body and his bloud why can he not giue vnto them al other good things that he hath either in heaueÌ„ or in earth Herevpon shal his body and his bloud certenly be receiued to assure vs that our louing Lord Christ wil not betray vs but make vs with him to be Lordes and inheritours of all the goodnesse of God. Whosoeuer will receiue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ ought to know how to answere to the fiue questions folowing The first Question 1 WHerefore receiue you this Sacrament Aunswere Therefore bicause I may be a coheire with Christe and haue fellowship with him with all holy Saintes and with all good Christians with them to suffer and to dye Question 2 What doe you beléeue or what doe you confesse is in this sacrament Answere When I receiue the Sacrament I beleeue that vnder breade and wine I receiue the body and bloud of Christe but it is not sufficient that I know but also I must beléeue that my lord Christ hath giuen me them for a perfect signe and token seale and testament Question 3 What be the wordes of this Testament which our Lord Iesus did vse Answere Thus said the Lord to his Apostles when he gaue vnto them this breade Take ye and eate ye This is my body which shall be giuen for you And when he gaue them the cup he saide Drinke you all of this This is my bloude of the newe Testament whiche shall be shead for you and for many for the forgiuenesse of sinnes Do this in the remembrance of me Question 4 Wherefore do you take that token or signe séeing that faith is sufficient Answere I receiue the signes and tokens therfore bicause I may strengthen my faith not bicause I doubt in my beléefe but bicause God hath giuen me the signe with the word of his tender grace and mercy Therefore I will not despise to vse and acquaint my selfe with them Question 5 How will you vse the Sacrament Answere I will eate and drinke and beléeue this word which he spake vnto his Apostles when he gaue them this sacrameÌ„t We ought to take these comfortable promises with a faithfull heart A breefe declaration of the Lordes Prayer called Our Father FIrste we must consider wherfore we pray what is meant by wherefore the time occasion doeth always bring them But bicause we should not be carefull nor trouble our selues wherfore we should pray séeing we be now in such extremities that many troubles daily fall amongest vs and that from day to day the longer the worse although we shuld very much pray For The diuell is a liar and a murtherer And neither is the Pope nor the Turke nor many other tyrants which be against Gods worde idle Besides this we haue experience that euery aduersarie is sufficient of it selfe though this generall trouble were not therefore we haue euery where occasion sufficient which may driue vs to prayer Whosoeuer therefore cannot remember all our necessities let him take in hand and haue before his eyes the holy prayer of our Lord called Our Father in it be seuen petitions In which be conteined all troubles things necessarie 1. In the first prayer Hallowed be thy name we pray for the holy Gospel for all true preachers against all heresie misbeléeuers against the Iewes heathen Turke Pope For all these blaspheme and slander Gods name and vnhallow him that God will cut them short send good preachers kéepe his word cleane and pure against all heresie make vs apt hearers This is to intend or before to meane somewhat 2. In the second Thy kingdome come we praye that the kingdome of the diuel of death may be destroyed That is a great and a large petition for in it is conteyned the whole kingdome of the diuel that it would please God to make an end of it and set vp in vs and al men his owne kingdome through his word and the holy Ghost 3. In the third petition Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen we desire that all their willes be disappointed which striue against Gods gratious wil. That is a great vnsufferable prayer against the diuel and all wicked people meruellously putteth back many perils and misfortunes whiche the diuel and wicked people imagine and sett abroche if they were not thorough this petition disappointed 4. In the fourth petition Giue vs this day our daily bread wée do praye for the Quéenes maiestie for our magistrates for our elders for our wiues and children for our meate and drinke for the fruite in the field for peace and for such thinges as we lacke toward the mainteyning of this present life euery one in their vocation that God will blesse them therein giue them good fortune and kéepe them from all misfortune mercifully 5. In the fifte petition Forgiue vs our sinnes as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs we desire that God will be gratious to vs to turne from vs his anger whiche we haue deserued not punish vs for our wickednes and that he will deale gratiously with vs to the intent we from day to day maye waxe better and that we maye liue after his holy will and liue friendly one with another and that euery of vs maye forgiue an other their offences 6. In the sixte petition Lead vs not into temptation we pray that GOD will come and helpe all troubled heartes not suffer them to sticke in temptation but help them out therof gratiously through his word and holy spirite and that he wil vouchsafe to destroy the diuels purpose and might 7. In the seuenth petition But deliuer vs from the euill wée praye for a good houre that our Lord God will take vs out of this miserie with grace and make vs blessed for euer Thus in the Lords prayer are plentifully al thinges conteyned whatsoeuer by any meanes shal vexe or trouble vs or els whatsoeuer is méetest and most necessarie for vs Therefore the first iâ— that we purpose or intende something wherefore we will pray that will Almightie God surely giue For the commaundement is plainly there that Wee must pray the promise is also there that We shal be certeinely and surely heard And our mercifull Lord Christe himselfe hath sett foorth vnto vs both the words and the manner how we shal pray in the which all things necessarie for vs be conteined FINIS Rom. 8. Rom. 12. Eccle. 7. â—â—le 11. 1. Cor. 11. Rom. 12. â—â—tie 28. Esai 26. Esaie 9. 1. Tim. 2. â— Iohn 3 Psal. 50 Mark. 11 Matt. 6. Iohn 6. â—ohn 3. Rom. 8. Rom. 4. Ephe. 5. Iohn 6. Math. 26 1. Cor. 10.11 1. Cor. 11 2. Cor. 13 1. Cor. 15. â—ohn 12. â— Cor. 15. Matt. 6. Mat. 26. Iohn 6 Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 1. Act. 4. 2. Cor. 5. â—ctes 10. â— Pet. 2. â—ala 6. â— Pet. 1. 1. Thes 1. 1. Thes 5. Col. 1. Iohn 6 Iohn 17 Iohn 15 Iohn 8 Galat. 3 â—om 10. â—ctes 15. Iohn 1. Esaie 53. â—â—he 1 â—im 1 â—tt 18. â—â—k 19 â—â—m 3 â—ohn 4 2. Tim. 1. â—â—hn 8 â—â—hn 5 â—ohn 11. Mat. 26. Luke 12. Luk. 10. Luke 22. 2. Cor. 2. 1. Pet. 5. Ephes 6. Ephes 1. Coloss 1. Matth. 16. Ephes 6. Matth. 4. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Iohn 3. Ezech. 18. 33 Matt. 9. Matt. 18. Luk. 19 Galat. 3 Rom. 16. Zach. 13. Esaie 55. Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Iohn 3. Iohn 6 Iohn 1. Iohn 1.3 2. Pet. 1. â—om 13. Iohn 16. â—saie 54. Cor. 4. Esaie 64. â— Cor. 2. Hebr. 12. Prouerb 3. Iam. 1. Matth. 10. Rom. 6. Luk. 2. Luke 2. Psalme 50. Esaie 30. Rom. 8. 1. Sam. 2. Rom. 8. â—ebr 11. â—sal 73. â—aie 41. Col. 2. Iohn 14. Iohn 20. Matth. 15 1. Tim. 2. Iohn 2 Iohn 2 Rom. 8. â—eb 5. Rom. 8. â—ebr 9. â—phes 5. Mark. 16. â—atth 11. â—ohn 7. â—ohn 6. Iohn 5. Iohn 6. â—â—hn 1. Iohn 8. 2. Pet. 1. Phil. 3. 1. Thes 4. â—cle 38. Iohn 11. Eccle 7. Eccle. 38. â—aniel 7. Iob. 5. Prou. 29. Hebr. 12. Cant. 8. â— Cor. 10. Iob. 14. 1. Pet. 4. Iere. 25. Psal. 75. â—saie 54. Psal. 89. â— Cor. 1. â—om 8. Gen. 8. â—ohn 1. Iohn 14. Iohn 10. Deut. 12. Iohn 11. Marke 11. Marke 9. Esaie 66. Psalme 51. Psal. 68. Ios 7. Matth. 6. â—see 6. Matth 26. â— Corinth 15 Gal. 4. â—â—hn 3. Gal. 6. Eccle. 18. â— Cor. 6. â—â—al 32. Psal. 50. â—salme 119. â— Cor. 11.
further earnestâ—â— marke vnderstand and knowe that â—ot only al punishments and sufferings â—â—me from God and be layde vppon vs â—â—y God but ye shall also earnestly beâ—eue that GOD fendeth vnto his chilâ—â—en as a very merciful father such puâ—â—shmentes and sufferings of méere faâ—our and grace to his owne for their â—â—ofite and commoditie For there be two causes why God â—â—ndeth vnto vs aduersities troubles â—â—d passions séeing that God hath two â—â—tes of children vpon the earth Some many times lead a long time 〈◊〉 vnrepentaunt life they cannot not abide that a man of loue and good will say any thing vnto them but continually runne foreward in their mischiefous frowarde and naughtie wayes They haue GOD very little before their eyes Therfore must God lay hold on them restraine draw them backe and to true repentaunce and godly liuing driue and inforce them or els they will dye in their wicked froward conuersation Therfore doth God lay in the necke of backsliders from him some aduersitie that they may looke well about them and marke well who is at their backes and layeth such a yoke on their neckes at the last to knowe themselues and learne what they be whereabout they goe and howe they against GOD haue so grieuously offended Thus God correcteth them through punishmentes and learneth them as the Prophet Esaias saith in the 28. Chap. that doth the soule very much good and suche aduersitie is a precious medicine for trouble onely maketh a man take héede to the word Esaias 28. Then doeth â—e worde of God very well sauour vnto vs â—â—en it is pouldred mingled or sawced with â—ubles and passions For when trouble is at â—de then we seeke to God and when God â—h visite vs then we call earnestly Esai 〈◊〉 Therefore doeth God many times â—mplaine against his foolish ignoraunt â—ople Esaias 9. where God saith The â—â—ople do not turne backe to them that haue â—icken them nor inquireth after the Lord â—d of Sabbaoth Which is a great token â—an vnrepentant and stubberne heart â—esides that it is a great and heauie â—ne against the Lord God from whiâ—e God mercifully defend vs Amen The other cause wherfore our Lord â—d layeth troubles and aduersities vpâ—â—â—his children is this specially bicause â—e Lord God will leade his chosen chilâ—en from faith to faith and continualâ— maketh them expert and cunning in â—e knowledge of God and will thus â—oue them in faith and godly knowâ—ge whereby his name by this meaâ—s may be the better knowne coÌ„menâ—d praysed as we sée in good Dauid Ionas and Iob c. Fiftly séeing that ye perceiue and knowe that ye are flesh fleshly weaknesse hath many times preuailed and you had the vpper hande vpon you and you haue oftentimes giuen ouer your selfe to your olde Adam and followed fleshe and bloud too muche and thereby many times displeased our Lord god Thus shall you therefore before the high maiestie of GOD humble your selfe acknowledge your offences aske mercy haue a seuere purpose to absteine from sinne and if God will againe restore you to liue in a good perfect Christian penitent life to embrace Gods mercy in Christ our deliuerer stay and holde your selfe with an holie hope vpon his comfortable promises Therefore thus say earnestly after me with heart and minde ALmightie euerlasting most mercifull God Father I acknowledge from the bottome of my heart and say with my mouth that I am a poore and damnable sinner For I am in sin conceiued borne Besides that from my youth hitherto all the imaginations thoughtes of my heart haue bene very wicked and inclined to al sinne and vnrighteousnesse There is also no true feare of God no faithful loue of God no perfect faith of God in my heart hitherto oh Lord founden Also I haue with my mouth oh God little called vppon God my lord in my trouble fled vnto him for succour I haue also bene very vnthankfull to God my Lord for all his wonderfull benefites both bodily and ghostly Likewise also haue I litle praysed or set foreward the thankes due to God and the same acknowledged confessed much lesse haue I rightly ben desirous to set forward maintein Gods true seruice To be short I haue not in my whole life time done and brought forth any good thing wherby before god I haue brought foorth any godly coÌ„uersation to his glory honour and praise wherevnto he hath chiefly created and made me Al this I confesse and it grieueth me from the bottome of my heart that I haue so grieuously offended thée my very God Lord father especially with euill thoughts words and déedes Againe I acknowledge and confesse thée my Lord and God that I haue not rightly and truly obeied them to whom I ought obedience Also I haue oftentimes grieuously offended my neighbours and not sufficiently shewed vnto them Christian charitie and loue but haue bene many times disdainefull angrie fierce and very sowre Also I haue bene many times kindled in euil lustes and desires in forbidden loue Also I haue bene many times ouerséene with lewd thoughts I haue also many times ben too streight to my neighbours harmed them not holpen them defended them nor comforted them I haue likewise offended and hurt my neighbour by word spoken euill behinde his back and condemned him To be short all wicked desires and lustes haue taken in me very mightie vpperhand Therefore I acknowledge this my sinfull life require mercy haue pitie vpon me Lorde heauenly father for the bitter passion death of thine onely sonne our Lorde ¶ Heare your comfort Thus saith Saint Paule in the first Epistle to Timothie the seconde Chap. There is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man specially the man Iesus Christe that hath giuen him selfe for all for our deliuerance Beléeue this comfortable saying holde fast on Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour so shall you in your consciences rest in peace and quietnes with God the lord God graunt his grace thervnto Amen ¶ But if the sicke bodie be so weake and cannot make such a long confession you may vse an other shorter in this maner An other confession to the Lord God. OH thou merciful gratious good God and father I wretched sinfull sicke miserable forsaken creature come nowe before thy high and mightie maiestie as a poore sinfull creature full of sinne and vnrighteousnesse and confesse vnto thée froÌ„ my heart that I haue grieuously sinned against thée from my youth hitherto with wicked thoughtes words and déedes These do I acknowlege and confesse altogether generally for I am not able to remember number theÌ„ all at length particularly therefore my God be gratious to me a poore sinner through the deserts of thy louing Son our Lord Iesus Christ which was therfore slaine for me wretched sinner to the intent that I should be and remaine thy childe for euermore Amen Hearken to this comfort Thus saith S. Iohn
be sinne to the intent that we shoulde be made in him righteousnesse auayleable before him 2. Cor. 5. Therefore we nowe beleeue saith Saint Paule further Rom. 3. that man is made righteousnesse without the workes of the lawe onely through faith As Saint Peter also saith in the tenth Chapter of the Actes Of Christe saith he witnesse all the Prophets that through his name al that beleeue in him shall haue forgiuenesse of their sinns For Christ saith S. Peter further 1. Pet. 2. hath offered vp our sinnes on his body vpon the crosse that we being dead to sinne might liue to righteousnes by whose wounds ye are made whole Such and like sayings is the holy Scripture very ful that altogether witnesseth that we be made iust righteous and sanctified through faith in Iesus Christ without any our owne doinges For Christe is the only ransome for our sinnes for we be bought through the precious bloud of Christe Fiftly ye shall nowe forgiue euery man willingly from the bottome of your heart forget and forgiue what so euer hath béene done against vs whether ye knowe it or knowe it not whether it be with worde or déede by any meanes done against you for séeing that our Lorde God of méere grace hath cast behinde him and forgiuen you so many sinnes which you haue so many times committed against him from your childhoode till this time small and great sinnes which many oftentimes ye haue committed all the dayes of your life so that if God should reckon all your olde sinnes and deale with you after his strong iudgement aske satisfaction punish those offences he might gréeuously visite you as a righteous God and yet doth he not so nor neuer hereafter will doe but as a mercifull father of speciall grace forgetteth and forgiueth all and the same will neuer more thinke vpon nor reckon but couer them and scrape them out Likewise doeth he also require for thankes laude and prayse none other thing but ye forgiue and forget your neighbours what so euer they haue at any time offēded against you And you shal not only your offenders gladly and heartily forgiue but also againe shewe your selfe against them thankfull And for the poore widowes and fatherlesse children according to your abilitie prouide something whereby they may be fed clothed and mainteined so shal they at the last day be your witnesses that your faith was a perfect faith séeing it is liuely by workes Gala. 6. Make your election sure through such works of loue as Saint Peter saith 2. Pet. 1. ¶ If the sicke body be any thing rich then a body may bee the more earnest and diligent to exhort them to almes giuing but so that the sicke person be not persuaded to put trust in his owne workes and bring him into a vaine hope that he shal purchase heauen by his almes Therefore consideration must be had to the soule that it be not lead out of the right way into the way that is full of briers and thornes Howe they that stand by are to be exhorted to pray for the sicke Tenthly beloued in Christ our Lorde séeing we be at this present here gathered together I put you in remēberance that ye will be mindfull of our true Christian duetie that we are bound one to an other as members of Christe that ye will diligently and earnestly remember the griefes and sicknesses of this our friend and not onely haue an earnest compassion vppon him but also earnestly and truely pray to our Lorde God for him that our Lord God will behold his owne sonne in whom he doth much delight that he will mitigate and shorten the great sicknesse paines and passions of this our sicke friende and graunt vnto him a true Christian patience that with all confidence he may wholy put his affiaunce and comfort in Gods mercy and continually vnto the end stedfastly abide in true faith vppon Christe our deliuerer and in those thinges that apperteine to our blessed hope to remaine and abide willingly and patiently take and beare suche his crosse layde vpon him vntill our Lord God of his mercy do visit him and deliuer him and bring him at his appointed time out of this trouble and miserie to euerlasting ioy and felicitie Séeing then that our Lord Christ hath promised vs then we be gathered together in his name he will gratiously heare vs and graunt those thinges that we desire Now let vs call vpon almightie God in true faith and pray in the name of Christ our Lord so will he certeinly at the last heare vs according to his fatherly will good pleasure therefore make your prayer to GOD our heauenly father and say Our father c. Almightie GOD vouchsafe mercifully to graunt our prayer through Christe our Lorde Amen ¶ If the sicknesse do linger and driue off so that the patient be assaulted with grieuous sicknesse then may a body sometime shewe him of these comforts following and alwayes declare one comfort or two For like as a body must nowe and then releeue the sicke body with comfortable medicines and brothes likewise shal now and then releeue and quicken the soule whereby the soule may haue her sustenaunce And yet we shall not be tedious to the sicke and make him haue no delight or be offended in his head and euer to haue regard whether he be troubled with any temptation and whether he haue a desire and lust to heare Gods word for the sicke must haue his ease and quietnesse So that with too much reading and crying vpon him ye bring him into raging or passions and make his head ydle feeble and weake Herein ought euery body to vse discretion and put difference FFirst welbeloued in Christe let not any tentatiō make you faint harted for Christe is a valiant mightie king ouer death sinne and all aduersitie Therefore abide vpon this stone which is Iesus Christ stande fast and so cannot the gates of hell preuaile against you Then this Lord and King is gone before you vnto death he hath trodē the pathe and made the way and also hath ouerthrown death taken his strength from him so that death cannot hurt you hinder you nor kéepe you backe Therefore be not dismayed euen in the middest of death and thinke thus In the name of God Gods will be don All this geare will be gone within a twinkling of an eye Then shall I passe thorough the snares of death Then haue I throwen at my backe all misfortune feare and desperation For this present death is vnto the faithful a safe port through which I shall goe into heauen Then muste sinne death hell paines passions hunger thirst frost trouble and all aduersitie together ceasse and leaue-off Therefore be not dismaied for if GOD be with you who shal be against you Say avaunt and fare well nowe the whole worlde and also the Prince of this worlde whiche woulde hinder you the way to euerlasting life for as much
wicked Therfore beléeue stedfastly by this noble counsell of the holy Apostle Saint Paule where be speaketh in the first Chapter to the Ephesians and in the first to the Colossians in this maner God hath deliuered vs from the Prince of darkenesse and hath established vs in the kingdome of his louing sonne of whome we haue our deliueraunce through his bloud specially the forgiuenesse of sinns acording to the richnes of his grace There doe you heare and must with your whole heart beléeue that our Lord Christe hath deliuered you from the power of sathan so that the gates of hell can not preuaile against you Matth. 16. Thirdly if sathan moreouer will encounter with you then take you the sword of the holy ghost which is Gods worde after the counsell of the holy Apostle in the 6. to the Ephesians and set vpon him with Gods worde after the example of Christ Matth. 4. Therefore if he will say vnto you this or such like wordes The vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God. the sixt Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians IteÌ„ it is written Who so euer sinneth is of sathan the first Epistle of Saint Iohn the â—hird Chapter Then shall you answere â—im againe with Christ and say Away â—athan for it is also written c. And also 〈◊〉 desire not the death of a sinner saith our Lord God but that he amend him selfe â—â—ue And Christe in the 9. of Matthewe â—aith thus I am come to call sinners to reâ—entance And Matthewe 18. and Luke 9. The sonne of man saith Christ is come â—o seeke and to make blessed that that was â—â—st Nowe looke sathan though I be inâ—éed a wretched sinner yet is not Gods will that I should be for euer condemâ—ed but that I should liue Albeit then that I be a lost shéep yet will Christ the â—igh shepheard of my soule séek me out and saue me of this I doubt nothing at â—ll Therefore avaunt harmefull diuel thou hast nothing to do here séeing that Christ my Lorde hath clothed and coueâ—ed me with his innocencie vertues holinesse for I haue put on Christe my Lorde in my baptisme Galathians the â—hird Chapter I haue put on the wedâ—ing garment in which I shall appeare before God and dwell in his kingdome for euer and euer Amen Beholde thus shall you driue away the wicked flend and striue and fight against him as a Christian Capteine to the end that ye may atteine at the great day vnto the euerlasting crown Thus wil our Lord God which is the God of peace tread downe sathan after a litle time vnder your feete as Saint Paule writeth in the 16. to the Romanes Eightly if welbeloued the euerlasting iudgement hell and euerlasting damnation assault you as though you were one that should be damned or forsaken and lost and woulde make hell mouth gape and open wide vppon you thus comforte and refreshe your selfe euer and quickly with Gods word reléeue and coole your selfe with the freshe water that springeth and floweth out of the treasure of Gods mercy against sin and filthy liuing which water we haue in the Gospell where also the holy prophet Zacharias maketh mention in the 13. Chapter and the Prophete Esaie in 55. Cha. Thus imbrace now with true â—ith the noble coÌ„fortable pleasant sayâ—ngs promises of God of euerlasting â—â—fe whereof this is one Iohn 3. where â—ur Lorde Christe speaketh thus God â—â—th not sent his son into the world that he â—â—uld coÌ„demne the world but that the world â—hrough him should be saued Whosoeuer beâ—eeueth on him shall not be condemned â— Iâ—em Iohn 5. Verily verily I say vnto you saith Christ our Lord Whosoeuer heaâ—eth my word beleeueth in him that hath sent me shal neuer enter into condemnation â—â—â—t he hath a through passage from death to â—â—e Item the third of S. Iohn Whosoeuer â—eleueth on the Sonne hath euerlasting life And moreouer he saith Like as Moses set vp a serpent in the wildernesse likewise â—â—ust the sonne of man also be lifted vp to the intent that all they that beleeue in him â—hould not be lost and perish but inioy and inâ—erite euerlasting life And God hath so loâ—â—d the world saith the euerlasting sonne â—f God him selfe that he hath giuen his 〈◊〉 sonne to the intent that all that beâ—eeue in him shoulde not be destroyed but should inioy euerlasting life Item Iohn the sixte thus saith Christe Verily verily I say vnto you he that beleeueth on me hath euerlasting life Item our Lorde Christe saith further thus This is the will of him that sent me that whosoeuer beholdeth the sonne and beleeueth on him shal haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day By this may you ioyfully say conclude and through true faith acknowledge that hel through the resurrection of Christe our deliuerer is shut vp against you for you beléeue the highest article of Christian religion where we beléeue and acknowledge that Christe our Lorde is gone downe into hell not for his owne sinne and vnrighteousnes sake but for the cause of our wickednesses by whiche we haue deserued the euerlasting plagues hell and damnation There hath Christ himselfe taken away that euerlasting correction done penaunce for it and made satisfaction broken hell and shut and stopped it vp and to be short in stead of euerlasting imprisonment dungeon and destruction purchased and giuen vs euerlasting life and brought vnto vs and giuen vs a triumphant victorie that we with him may nowe merily sing Hell where is thy victorie Beholde it behoueth you in such sore dangerous and lingering sicknesse and battel to shew and instruct your selfe that you be a childe of God and suffer not your selfe to be deceiued albeit it doeth not as yet appeare in this world nor can easily be perceiued whether we be presently through faith fully Gods children or not Iohn the first saith It doeth not yet nowe appeare what we be but we knowe that when it shal appeare then shal we be like vnto him The first of Saint Iohn the third Cap. Then shall we see him as he is and then shal we be pertakers of his Godly nature The seconde Epistle of Saint Peter the first Chapter Albeit that yet our knowledge and appearance what we be is vnperfecte and that we as yet beholde the maiestie of God as it were through a glasse in darknesse or in a cloude Yet shall we hereafter beholde him face to face Thus doe we waite for neuerthelesse these thinges in the meane season in blessed hope For we beholde our selues likewise by our selues childishlye and looke for the deliueraunce of our bodies for we shal be throughly blessed albeit in hope This hoping neuerthelesse that we sée is no hope for how can a man hope for that he seeth But if we hope for that we sée not then doe we looke after
you very stoutly and that continually with many and diuers temptations and thinketh thus with so many and sundrie assaults and forces to dismay amaze enféeble match make desperate a féeble and vnexperienced Christian wherby he may driue an vnexperienced Christian at the last to put him selfe at all aduentures to giue ouer and yeld him selfe to euery temptation and to be ouercome to the intent that at the last he may fall into doubt yeald him selfe wholy prisoner to the wicked enimie and to submit him selfe vnto him from which our Lord defend you of his good grace with his holy spirite Amen Therfore if now at the last any such come vnto you and that sathan will lay vnto you that God after his maiestie is a great deale too high mightie to haue any regarde or to make any reckoning of you be gratious to you shewe you mercy then let such high imaginations and thoughts passe which touch the vnsearchable maiestie of God and come from thence to Christes humanitie and howe he tooke vppon him our nature and beginne at his cradell to take holde vpon God that is most high and too farr aboue our reach For In Christ dwelleth the whole fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Colos 2. And as Christe him selfe saith Io. 14. He that seeth me saith Christe to Philip hee seeth the father Doest thou not beleue that I am in the father and that the father is in me Therefore thus begin with Saint Thomas Iohn 20. and call thus vpon Christ say My God my Lorde Thus shall you séeke out the maiestie of God finde him and take holde on him that is only in Christe there is the euerlasting godhead and high maiestie onely to be sought and found and without our Lorde Christ shall you neuer finde God nor lay hand vpon him therefore thus cry with the woman of Chanaan Oh thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me Matth. 15. The thirtéenth And if beloued temptation after this sort would preuaile against you as though god were not nigh you neither in heauen nor in earth to succour and helpe you but that he doth vtterly despise and forsake you that sathan woulde lay and cast before you mocking and blasphemie and say Beholde where is thy God vppon whome thou hast so long trusted beholde howe well he heareth thée beholde what haste he maketh to help thée how wisely hast thou committed thy selfe to him either what great care hath he of thée he suffereth thee to sticke fast and starue in thy greatest danger perils Oh surely this is not the right God that thou takest for the right God and whom thou honourest callest vpon else would he neuer suffer thée now so miserably to be destroyed perish c. WheÌ„ any such or the like blasphemie of sathan is laid before you then holde your peace be quiet at such blasphemie neuer dispute with sathaÌ„ but by by turne you to Christe crucified to Gods sonne him selfe and cal vpon him with your whole hart that he will come and ayde you with his holy spirite and strike sathan that he may be driuen away from you and call vppon Christe your mediatour onely that he wil stand betwéene the high maiestie of God and you miserable sinner and do like a good mediatour will withdrawe his great and mightie righteousnesse and iustice take your sinnes vpon him and so goe before you intreate and reconcile you Otherwise will the maiestie of God be too much too highe and terrible so that you shall before God be afraid amazed and out of countenance Therefore take this Lord and mediatour by the hand if ye will drawe nigh to God and haue any thing to do with him For this mediatour hath ben a long time ordeined by God himselfe for vs that we through him might be reconciled to God as witnesseth Saint Paul. 1. Tim. 2. where he saith thus There is one God and one meediatour betweene God and man namely the man Iesus Christe that hath giuen him selfe for all for deliueraunce The fourtéenth If welbeloued your sinne doth nowe accuse you for that you not onely in your youthe when your body was sound and lustie did sinne offend God but also euen now in your sicknesse ye haue displeased God by impatience murmuring misbeléefe c. as we al be borne in sinne be sinners and so remaine and abide till we come to our graue therefore let not your sinne in any case make you despaire but acknowlege and confesse and accuse your selfe before your Lord God and be sorrie for them with all your heart aske mercy therefore before God in Christe our Lorde For it is impossible in this life that in the sight of God we shoulde be found so cleare pure and without fault or sinne as holy Saint Iohn witnesseth .1 Iohn .1 where he saith thus If we say we haue no sinne then shall we deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. Therefore in the middest of sinne we haue this onely comfort when we acknowledge our sinne the vnquietnesse of our conscience and the trouble of our hearts cumbereth vs that we call then vpon our atturney Christ the Lord to the intent that he for euer be gratious vnto vs intreat speak for vs towards his deare father as then Saint Iohn when we sticke in sinne comforteth vs. 1. Ioh. 2. where he saith thus If any man sinne yet haue we an aduocate to the father Iesus Christe that maketh vs righteous and he is the attonement for our sinnes From hence shall you séeke youre refuge and succour and in euery assaulte of your sinnes comfort your selfe that you haue such a peacemaker before God the father whome the father doth accept and allowe that can speake well and is eloâ—â—ent and can handle your cause and plead for you best Surely this is a gret and a perfect comfort that we haue our fleshe and bloud sitting aboue at Gods right hand the father which doeth take vppon him the whole progenie of man intreateth for vs pleadeth our cause turneth the wrath of GOD from vs as holy S. Paule also witnesseth Rom. 8. where he saith thus Christ is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. This is his holy office that he deliuereth wretched sinners from Gods anger defendeth and kéepeth them therefore flée only to this Lord Christe when your sinne grieueth or troubleth you The fiftéenth If now in these long lingering assaults and conflicts welbeloued your heart waxe cold be vnlustie drowsie as you thinke that there is no more faith in your heart and that for vnlust you can neither pray nor beléeue yet shall you not therefore giue ouer or be afraid for the Lord God bringeth his many times so déepe vnder the crosse that they can neither beléeue nor hope and thinke with them selues that their heartes be vtterly cold and frosen yea very stiffe that neither
faith loue prayer nor no good thought can any more appeare in their heartes If this great sore temptation shall happen also to trouble you yet despaire not therefore but be of good cheare thinke thus with your selfe I perceiue that I must altogether be naked and vnclothed and put off all that I haue spoile my selfe of euery thing that I haue or may doe all that euer I haue falleth cleane from me and forsaketh me My louing bridegrome our lord Christ wil cloath me anew adorne and dresse me and trimme me with all his iewels Therefore call now againe vpon him as vppon your highe priest that he will haue mercie vpon you intreat and pray for you and wil haue heartie compassion of your weakenesse For We haue not an high priest that can not take cōpassion of our feeblenesse but such an high priest that hath beene thoroughly tempted and is like vnto vs in all things except in sinne Therfore let vs goe vnto him with ioy to his mercie seate that wee may obteine mercie and finde grace at that time when helpe shal be necessarie for vs Heb. 5. Here haue you a very great comfort that Christ is your high priest Call vppon him earnestly that he wil send into your colde heart his holy spirite which shall call within you father father louing father Euen then shall the holy Ghost helpe vp your weakenes and intreateth for you also mightily with sighings not able to be expressed Rom. viij Then also doeth Christ himselfe pray for you like the high priest before the father suffereth not your weakenesse to be laid to your charge despiseth you not because of your vntowardnes your ignorance or faint heart for this high priest hath great compassion with our weakenes he doth not only intreat for vs but also he sheweth foorth before the father his innocent bodie which he hath offered vppon the Crosse for you a perfect sacrifice for euer Heb. 9. As also S. Paule witnesseth Ephes 5. where he saith thus Christ hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs for a gift and offering vnto God for a sweete sauour This is the noble gift and this is the auaileable offering for you which is richly accepted before God. Thus haue you now your high priest Christe oure Lord himselfe the altar wherevppon he was offered his crosse the offering his cleane vnspotted and pure bodie Nowe marke how and in what manner or fashion Christe your high priest did hang vpon the crosse for such maner of hanging is very comfortable if one would behold it with beléeuing eyes For first Christ hangeth vppon the Crosse with his armes and hands stretched out to signifie that he is readie to giue grace accept and imbrace with his armes all poore and wretched sinners for he hangeth there for the comforte of poore sinners reacheth out his armes to troubled consciences Secondarily his féete also be heaued vp and fast nailed in token that he tarrieth there for all wretched sinners for he wil not start aside nor flie from you but will continually be found and tarrieth for you Thirdly he turneth his face and not his backe to you he boweth downe his face like vnto a gentle and milde Lord to the prayers of all poore and troubled persons will gladly with all his heart heare them he is willing and readie he openeth his eares wide wherby he will certeinly heare you Fourthly his heart is wide open towardes you for it is pearced with a speare whereby he may haue heartie compassion with your aduersitie and will set your trouble very neare vnto his owne heart Fiftly he weareth a crowne of thorne vpon his head to signifie that he will be your king and defend and kéepe you from all misfortune from sinne from death from the diuell and from hell This is a maruellous gratious and louing beholding to all troubled sinners for he hangeth in the middle of sinners as a sinner bycause he will receiue all miserable forsaken sinners giue them grace and preserue and kéepe them for euer ¶ Hereafter followe certeine prayers whiche may be said before the sicke body if the sicknesse haue any continuance whereby sometime the sicke bodies heart may be touched moued and kindled that the sicknesse may not preuaile and haue the ouerhand vpon the sicke First welbeloued let vs lift vp our heartes to almightie God and put him in remembraunce of his gratious promise which he hath made vs at our holy baptisme therfore say after me though not with your mouth yet with your heart chiefly thus MY Lorde and God remember the holy couenant whiche thou hast made with me in my holy baptisme wherin thou hast receiued me to grace and to be thy childe and promised me that I beléeuing and béeing baptised should be saued Marke 16. Séeing then thou Lorde hast so assuredly bound thy selfe vnto me to be my gratious mercifull true and louing father my comforte and hope is alonely in thée therefore I stedfastly beléeue that as surely as I am baptised in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost that thou wilt be my defender deliuerer and comforter and helpe me out of all daunger leade me and defend me from all perill that neither sinne death nor hell can hurt me Therefore I will not despaire in all aduersitie and euen in the extremitie of death turn my heart vnto thée and stedfastly beléeue that thou wilt neuer forsake me but giue vnto me euerlasting blessednesse through the deseruing of Christe my Lord and Sauiour Secondarily welbeloued let vs now againe turne our selues vnto almightie God from whome commeth al help and call vpon him from the bottome of our hearts inwardly as our onely God and father and say thus OH almightie euerlasting God and father I being full of all vnrighteousnesse and sinne come vnto thée and yet am I thy welbeloued childe Therefore séeing thou art the euerlasting true God I comfort my selfe with thy promise that thou wilt faithfully performe all that thou hast promised me Nowe thou hast saide Matth. 11. When I am troubled in my conscience with sinne care néede heauinesse and am heauie laden many wayes and I repaire vnto thée that then thou wilt help me and receiue me in my heauinesse For as much as thou art my welbeloued father and I am thy childe therefore doe I looke for from thée wholy all good things help comfort in al trouble for thou art not an earthly father whiche somtime can neither help him selfe nor his children but thou Lorde art the almightie heauenly father that wilt willingly with all thy heart helpe me likewise art able so to doe by reason of thy almightie power For thou art the maker of heauen and of earth thou hast all thinges in thy hande and power all cretures of heauen and of earth be subiect vnto thée and must serue and obey thée euen as thou listest Therfore Lord despise me
at any time cōfessed any thing to charge the innocent whereby you might cleare your selfe or thereby to escape and be at libertie then burthen not your selfe therewith nor let your soule carrie any such thing away but excuse the innocent and pray to God for mercy that he will pardon you and not suffer your heart to be bent to any vngodly way to excuse your offence and to defend it But before God confesse it aske grace and séeing it is come to light confesse it before the whole worlde or else you striue against Gods iudgement his will his worke which surely is horrible from which our Lord defend you of his grace through Christ Iesus his welbeloued sonne in the holy Ghost Amen Tenthly I further also charge you my deare friend that from the bottome of your hart you wil reconcile forgiue and forget all men that haue done any thing against you either by worde or déede whether it be for this matter or for any other before If you haue by any mā bene hurted or harmed though they be guiltie of this your iudgmēt suffring and death either if they haue espyed or laid hand vpon you al this together shal you cast out of your heart and lay aside all maner of swelling snarling malice hatred enimitie and euill will and contrarie shewe a gentle heart friendly loue and gentle speach without all hatred bitternesse and euill will as a patient lamb as Christ our Lord which was altogether innocent yet vpon the crosse prayed for his enimies and said Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe Thus shall you likewise do and thinke Well now welbeloued Lord and father though I be not guiltlesse and innocent as thy welbeloued sonne but haue worthily deserued all punishment wrath and vengeaunce Likewise séeing thou of frée grace and mercy through Iesus Christe hast for euer pardoned me after my departure wilt neuermore remēber my sin therefore I require thée that thou wilt giue vnto me such a gentle friendly Christian hart through thy holy spirit wherby I may forgiue and forget and also reconcile my selfe vnto euery man as well friendes as foes for thou wilt also forgiue me yea thou hast already clearly forgiuen all my sins misdéeds And for better assurance hereof giue me grace might and suche a burning charitie toward my neighbours that I may forgiue euery man and that from the bottome of my heart So shall I be sure that thou hast forgotten and forgiuen me and at the last day this shall be the signe that is the Christian and brotherly loue that we also be thy disciples séeing that we doe shewe Christian loue one toward an other Kéepe in me also the gratious promise of Christe my louing Lorde that saith thus Matth. 6. When you forgiue men their faultes then will also my heauenlie father forgiue you your faults With these Christian comforts I comfort my selfe and stay my selfe altogether vpon thy mercifull promise Doe with me after thy godly saying and promise for thou doest require of me that I be merciful as thou also art merciful towards vs Therfore I do knowe that in this my departure to death there is no better nor more acceptable offering then that I should shewe charitie and of mercy with well vnto all men pray for all men intreat and do well vnto al men as much as is possible for me For God hath pleasure in mercy and not in offering Osée 6. Twelfthly You haue also welbeloued for a comfortable example the théefe which also had done very wickedly for whiche he also receiued punishment of the magistrate but this punishment was vnto him onely the cause and furtheraunce that he did not onely knowe GOD and was faithfull but was also hanged beside Christe his saluation whereby he conceiued speciall comfort that Christ the innocent Lorde woulde pitie his miserie and would forgiue him all his sinnes and wickednesse wherevnto otherwise he shoulde neuer haue forsaken his naughtie life but woulde haue continued in his wickednes stubbornesse and vsed his stiffnesse and arrogancie his whole life long without al repentance turning from his naughtie liuing And so peraduenture had it ben with you you would haue gone forwarde in your vnrighteousnesse therein abiden withered and starued for euer without al penance or repentance godly knowledge vnder the feareful anger of God being bound with Gods iudgement condemnation Therefore séeing that God hath deliuered you from this miserable blindnesse and error he shall from hencefoorth leade you by this occasion means and purpose first bring you to know your selfe bring you to true repentance penance suffer godly knowledge to light in your hart kéepe you in the true faith of Christe Iesu and will suffer you to depart in the same at the last without all doubt Behold now dearely beloued howe our Lorde God is a valiant almightie father that of al naughtinesse can make all goodnesse and will to his turne all worst thinges to the best Sathan had thought that through this your fall and misdéede he would for euer haue kept you in his kingdome and to haue made you a member of himselfe But our lord God commeth and bringeth to passe by this means and crosse that he hath broken and hindered all sathans purpose Sathan thought he had made all cocke sure with you and had brought you to euerlasting sinne and shame and intended to haue kept you continually therein But God commeth and turneth the leafe vp and maketh of you that were the childe of darkenesse the childe of light and of euerlasting blisse Amen Twelftly Nowe deare friende I warne you nowe at the last that you will depart hence to death without all feare nor be not dismaide of death by reason of your sinne But herein take héede that thou do not alonly looke vpon death vnder the eyes and doest wrestle with him but take thine almightie god with thée which hath before laide hand vppon death and hath ouercome him that is Iesus Christ thy Lord and king which in the garden so mightily wrestled with sinne and death that bloudie sweat dropped from him Matth. 26. therefore weigh it not And againe be not afraide of death séeing you meete with him with this king and Lord but you shall do thus to him set all your only comfort hope and assurance vppon your Christe that hath made your way for you broken the hedge and kéepeth the field and hath for you ouerthrowne the mightie Goliah and hath brought the blessed victorie home to your doore as I haue before this time shewed you and yet againe must sette before your face For nowe is the time seeing you are come to the very push and this your daungerous enimie that is very terrible vnto the whole worlde will stande chiefly with you to bring and driue you from this point and so lay hande vpon you Therfore take to yourselfe the true shielde which is Christe your defence whome you
shall set against death For death hath layde hand vpon this innocent Lord and wearied him without al right and equitie whereby death euen lost al his strength and might so that he can do no more when this Lord laieth hand vpon him and taketh to him selfe those that be his Therefore be not afraide for Death is swallowed vp in victorie 1. Cor. 15. You haue a great vordeale or aduauntage for as much as you haue of your side the most valiant and most mightie which shall neuer be able to be ouercome yea him that is Lord both of death of life If death come vnto you would deuour you wil eate you vp and swallowe you downe yet can our Lord God whiche is the right life it selfe by his almightie cōming and might make you aliue againe yea in the middest of death holde you by life and make you liue for euer For you shall not denie or refuse to make this exchaunge where you shall haue an euerlasting and blessed life in stead of a transitorie perishing and labourious life which is ful of miserie misfortunes and plagues Let death take from you such a life as will last but the twinckling of an eye which fléeth and passeth away like a shadowe and our Lorde giue you an euerlasting life Amen Thirtéene Well nowe dearly beloued if your sinne done and committed do tempt you again and your sore misdéedes which you haue done therefore would dismay you make you faint harted heauie pensiue as though Christe would disdaine you bicause of your sinnes and so not take you to him and to his fauour then shall you set before your eyes Christ your God and Lorde as the holy scripture setteth him foorth not follow your owne imagination your reason For in the holy Scripture you shal finde here and there how maruellous comfortable our Lorde Christe hath ben at all times to miserable sinners howe loath he is to contemne or despise the miserable troubled assaulted and sorrowful sinner howe he doth not withdraw him selfe from them or with drawe his helpe from them whiche vndoubtedly is a great comfort to al troubled sinfull hearts For behold and remember the whole life of our Lorde Christ then shall you not only perceiue that he hath not onely taken to his fauour one or two sinners hath taken pitie only vppon them but he hath flocked into the middest of sinners wherby he might helpe them foorth of their sinnes First sée his generation his great grandfather had he not many sinners in his petigrée as Iuda by name Dauid Manasses Thamar Rachab Barsaba and such like and very many moe Wherefore doth our faithfull and good Lorde not be ashamed flée from sorrowful and penitent sinners why doth he not Surely euen therfore that therby all sorrowfull sinners shuld the more boldly haue a hartie resort and recourse vnto him specially séeing that he vppon such sinners could take and shewe his truth loue and friendship wherby they might thereby winne and haue a liuelier passage and fréedome to beholde all goodnesse all trueth and helpe to be in this only bearer and carrier of our sinnes Beholde further and looke vpon the birth of our lord Christ in his birth So soone as he was borne into the world he suffered him selfe to be séene made open and to be knowne through the Angels from heauen to the poore people specially to the shepheards in the fielde there must to them be shewed this comfortable ioy Behold to you this day is borne a Sauiour This ioy shal all people haue There by his Angels is the innocent childe Iesus giuen and declared first to the poore shepheards and after that to the whole world But who be the shepheards who be al people surely al poore and miserable sinners for whose sake Christe came and was borne to helpe them out of their sinnes As also then such a name was giuē vnto him namely Iesus that is to say a Sauiour that shall loose his people from their sinnes Behold also and sée vprightly wherfore was Christe at the eight day circumcised so shed his innocent bloud Surely for the cause of poore and wretched sinners For Saint Paule saith Gala. 4 that Christ hath yealded him selfe therfore vnder the lawe and circumcision to the intent he might deliuer them that were vnder the lawe But who were more hardly snarled vnder the lawe then the wretched sinner Sée yet to whom did Christ preach and whome did he turne and conuert Any other then the poore sinner To whome hath he friendlier spokē helped or counselled made whole both in body and soule then euen the poore cumbred and sorrowfull sinner Mark also with whom did Christ wander goe about here through the Iewishe lande and commaunded that they should preach abroad his wholsome Gospell Surely with his welbeloued Apostles But what were they Wretched sinners as Matthewe and likewise Peter yea did they not shewe them selues many times before Christe to be weake worthy reproch and fraile How oft hath our good Lord friendly rebuked them taught them taken in good part their weaknesse helped them suffered and borne with their faults and wants and yet neither condemned them nor cast them away but continually handled them after the best manner whereby at the last he might deliuer them frō their sinnes There hath Christ not only receiued poore sinners in so much as he touched the hurt of their soul but also the harmes of their body Howe many thousand men hath he many times fedd when their hunger and néede went into his heart and he tooke pitie of their miserie Oh how many amongest them were miserable sinners yea infidels and not worthy to haue and receiue such goodnesse at Gods hand How many hath he healed in their bodies from agues dropsie and leprosie Item such as were lame crooked blind and haunted and possessed with euill spirits Yea some he did raise from death it selfe and alwayes shewed him selfe in all things as the very true Sauiour of the whole world by that meanes to bring the Infidels to faith and to be short done the best to euery man and shut out no man that had néede of his helpe and had called vpon him as the holy Euangelistes here and there do euidently and plainly declare With which louing comfortable and gratious examples of Christe they shew vnto vs his great vnspeakble loue and mercy and declare shew the same vnto vs with all diligence Whereby we may learne to knowe aright our Lorde Christe specially that he is therefore come to helpe miserable sinners both in body and soule both from temporall and euerlasting hurte whervnto sathan hath brought al mankinde For Christe is therefore come that he should destroy the worke of sathan 1. Ioh. 3. Whome so euer he helpeth in soule him helpeth he also in body And though he doe not alwayes hourely declare the same in this world yet at Doomes day it will appeare where he