of their vertues That he hath delighted to heare flattering tongues that doe nothing but glose with him and make him beléeue that hée was more vertuous and lesse vicious then his owne conscience could witnes and accuse him in secret 10 Lastly to shut vp his confession we must shew him that all his nature as also that of all other men that liue here on the earth is most vile vicious corrupt and that of himselfe he can bring forth but bad fruit as a bad trée doth that is to say all wicked thoughts all inordinate affectiens all filthie and dishonest talke and all things contrarie to the will of God leauing vndone all that is conformable to his will and expresly commanded by him Then when we haue shewed vnto him in this manner his faultes to make him haue a better féeling of them and to conceiue in himselfe a greater displeasure and sorow for them we must aggrauate them vnto him by the circumstances of place time and person where hee hath committed them And then by féeling them if we perceiue him to be humble and contrite wée must lift him vp againe and comfort him in denouncing vnto him the remission and pardon of his sinnes and to assure him of it in the mercie of God Then must we discourse vnto him the reasons contained in this treatise to take awaie the feare that he may haue conceiued of death the deuill the iudgement of God and lastly the sorrowe that hée may haue to forgoe and leaue this worlde and the things that are therein in lieu of the hope and desire that he ought to haue of those heauenly incorruptible blessings This done we must knéele downe our his knées and praie vnto God for him and all the assemblie in this manner A Praier O God the Father of all consolation who hast promised to heare all those that call vpon thée in sinceritie and truth and to reiect none that commeth to prostrate himselfe before thy Maiestie with a sighing soule and sorrowfull heart humble contrite and repentant with the remembrance and féeling of his most grieuous sinnes wée beséech thée altogether in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour and redéemer that it will please thée to extend thy mercie vppon vs all that are héere assembled together and specially vppon this our brother whome it hath pleased thée to afflict and visite by sicknes and by the same to couer forget and forgiue and cleane to blot out all his sinnes by the which he hath so grieuously offended in all his lyfe Beséeching thée that 〈◊〉 woulde please thée of thy great grace and fauour to seale confirme in his hart by the holy spirit the forgiuenes that thou doest grant vnto him by the promise of all his sinnes That he may féele in his conscience and that with ioy and full assurance hée may make himselfe readie to appeare before thée when it shall please thée to call him out of this world assuring him that there is no condemnation neither for him neyther for all those which by true faith are vnited and incorporate in thy sonne Iesus Christ. That not his sinnes death and the deuill nor anie other creature whatsoeuer shal be able to separate him from thy loue or cast him out of thy fauour and grace and that thy throne is not a throne of rigorous iustice but an hauen of health a throne of mercie a sanctuarie a place of libertie and fréedome for all the faythfull Good God strengthen and increase his faith héerein so that he may couer him selfe as with a shéeld be by this meanes made strong and inuincible against all temptations wherewith hée may bée assayled and that reiecting all other confidence hée relie vpon nothing but the sole righteousnes obedience and sacrifice of thine onely sonne to assure him agaynst the daie of thy iudgement And now wée heséech thée good God to giue him grace to pardon and forgiue from the bottom of his heart all his neighbours who haue by anie wise offended him to the end that hée béeing vnited by true charitie with all the members of the bodie of thy Church may also be knit and ioyned with thée who art the head thereof Lastly we beséech thée that it woulde please thée to giue vs also grace so well to looke into the person and disease of this our brother that séeing how short and vncertaine the course of our lyfe is wee may thinke betime of our owne selues and retiring our mindes from the vanities of this worlde wee may bestowe that litle time that we haue to liue here in learning the wisedome of God that is to beléeue firmely and to trust in his promises to shewe our obedience in all thinges that he doth command and to take diligent héede to flie and auoid all things that hee defendeth vs in his holy word FINIS A SHORT CONsolation for the sicke taken forth of the holy Scriptures WHosoeuer is of God heareth Gods word and doeth not onelie heare it but kéepeth and followeth it also for all things shall haue an end and wax olde as doth a garment but the worde of God abideth for euer Now séeing it is so that by a man sin is come into the world and by sinne death and therevpon by consequent all afflictions and aduersities doe depend verie well may the life of man bée termed a continual fight here vpon earth where the flesh doth fight against the spirite and the spirite against the world the flesh and the deuill who are the deadly enemies of our soules But following the counsel of the Apostle to get the victory in the spirituall battaile wee must resist and striue against them constantly by faith For the victorie which ouercommeth the world is our faith the which is an assured knowledge of the loue of God towardes vs by the which hée declareth in his Gospell to bée our Father and sauiour by the meanes of Iesus Christ his sonne Hauing then such a firme faith for our prinicpall foundation acknowledge and confesse your selfe before the maiestie of God to be a poore and miserable sinner conceiued and borne in sinne and corruption redie and apt to doe euill vnreadie and vnapt to doe anie good and that by your vice and sinne you haue transgressed without measure the holy commandementes of God so that you haue purchased by his iust iudgement vtter ruine and perdition vpon you Yet you haue great sorrowe in your selfe to haue offended him so grieuously condemning your selfe and your vices with true repentance desiring that the grace of God woulde succour you in this your great calamitie Praie you then with a firme faith if you cannot with your mouth yet from your heart That God our most mercifull Father woulde not enter into count or iudgement with you but that hée woulde take some pittie on you in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and that hée woulde blot out our sinnes and staines by
THE SICKE-MANS Comfort against Death and the Deuill the Law and Sinne the Wrath and Iudgement of God Translated out of Frenche into Englishe by I. E. LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe 1590. The sicke-Mans Comfort against Death and the Deuill the Law and Sinne the Wrath and Iudgement of God THe life of man stuing in this vale of misery is enuironed and compassed in round with mountains of infinit calamities and tribulatioÌ„s wherof some are but incident to some particular men other more common generall to all as Death and diseases which hasten and procure men to die which amate vs so much the more when they come vpon vs by reason they are so dangerous and by reason that we cannot auoide them for albeit that Kings Emperors Princes and other Potentates may preserue themselues for a while from the danger of diseases and preuent hem by the helpe of God vsing such good and lawfull meanes as he hath giuen them for their comfort and preseruation yet without exception not one no not one is found amongst them that can saue or may exempt himself but he must die first or last either in battaile by the sword or in his bed by sicknes or els by such accident as the diuine prouidence of God hath set downe before hee was borne Dauid could tell vs this in many places in the 82. Psalme where he speaketh of Princes I haue said ye are Gods and ye are all children of the most high But yee shall die like men and fall like one of the Princes And in another place There be some that put their trust in their goods and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches But no man maie deliuer his brother nor make agreemeÌ„t with God for him for it cost more to redeem his soule so that hee must let that alone for euer Yea though he liue long and see not the graue For hee seeth that wise men also die and perish together as well as the ignorant foolish and leaue their riches for other whoÌ„ they haue not knowne And in another place he speaketh of the ende and condition of all men in generall What man is hee that liueth and shal not see death and shall deliuer his owne soule from the hand of Hell And againe in the next Psalme following Thou turnest man to destruction Again thou saist come again ye children of men We sée then that it is Gods decrée and ordinance inuiolable that all men that come into the worlde come but conditionally nâ—…t to make any long tarrying as the Trées which are fastned déepe within the earth by the rootes and haue a long time of abode graunted them but to passe away swiftly as dooth the Current of a running Riuer and to be gone assoone as it shall please the Lord to call them away againe And for all that as the Prophet saith we séeke to come to composition with Death or to haue some daies of truce and respite to delaie his comming yet we sée daily our date is out and the daie of our assignation is soone expired when we must appeare before the dreadfull Iudge at a certaine houre and at the same instant wee must heare from his own mouth the sentence definitiue either of life or Death for euer irreuocable What shall we then doo we must first and chiefly haue a care not as Aza had to séeke out skilfull Phisitions to take the potions and drugs that they shall minister to saue vs from sicknes which otherwise would be incident vnto vs nor as Mithridates had to kéepe in store many preseruatiues and medicines for feare of empoysoning by our familiar friends we must not prouide a braue and goodly Horse a swoord of the best and trustiest making an armour of proofe to put our trust therin as though these coulde saue vs from the hazarde of the battaile For all this cannot infringe the ordinance of God nor once saue vs from his anger nor any iote turne away from vs the effects and execution of his diuine will But the chiefest care and consideration that we must haue if we either meane to preuent the mischiefs which may be fall vs hereafter or remedie those which are happened vnto vs alreadie is humbly to desire and diligently to séeke for the grace and fauour of God which is the most soueraign and readiest remedy that men may finde for the spéedie redresse of all calamities and aduersities where with they shalbe afflicted Now for that I am earnestly entreated by some of my brethren and friends to select and set downe in writing certaine places of holy scripture for the comfort of such as be sicke to strengthen them against the horrours and apprehensions wherewith they are commonly saised as well of their sinnes and offences as of Death of the Diuell and of the displeasure iudgement of God which are more horrible a great deale then al the other Finding my self bound hereunto by Christian charitie by the band whereof all the members of Christes bodie are firmely linked together and knowing besides that it is a péece of the charge that God hath laide on the neckes not onely of the Ministers of the Gospell but also of the Superintendents which are ioyned with them for ayders and fellow-helpers I would in no wise make refusall to satisfie my brethren in this their request although I know well inough that many of my fellow-labourers on whom God hath bestowed greater talents might be better spared and were fitter to be employed in this busines then my selfe neuerthelesse seeing that the members in what ranke or degrée so euer they bee ought not to refuse any labour or seruice for the bodie if it lie in their power to doo I will attempt by the helpe of God to doo that I am able by his grace to content and satisfie them in their desire Omitting then many other kinds of afflictions by the which it pleaseth God to chastise and kéepe vnder his children let vs speake here onely of Sicknes and Death and set downe summarily consolations fit for the purpose to instruct and kéepe men in vre to abide patiently their sicknes and diseases the which are not casuall things and matters of méere chaunce now happening to one now to an other by rash and vnaduised rencountre but we must thinke that they are al sent vpon vs by the prouidence of God And although the endes and occasions of Sicknes be diuers yet the Author is alwaies one is the same who is the giuer of all health and welfare For from the mouth and ordinance of God as saith Ieremy procéedeth good and euill which is contrary to good And there is none euill as Amos saith be it within the Citie or in the field but it commeth from God So then as peace and warre pouertie and riches libertie and imprisonment are from God so in like maner are health sicknes Dauid in all his anguishes confesseth this For
must resist being grounded in the faith And Saint Iohn saith Ye are strong and the word oâ—… God remaineth among you and ye haue ouercome the wicked spirit And Iesus Christ speaking of faith did hee not promise that the gates of hell that is to saie all the counsell craft fetches meanes and power that the deuill is able to deuise and make are not able to encounter with her and cannot resist the worde of God That which we sée cléerely appeare in the example of Iesus Christ. For the deuill being come to assaile him and hauing assaied all meanes possible that he could to make him fall in distrust of God he could bring nothing to passe but lost his labour for he founde him so well armed on euerie side with the word that he was gladde to forsake the field and was glad to be gone with shame leauing him If wee then bee also well armed we néede not feare what he can hurt vs nor stand in doubt but wée shall bée couquerours both of him and of all our other enemies As Saint Paul sayth The weapons of our warre are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe holdes casting downe the imaginations euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God Whosoeuer then would stand in feare of the deuill béeing armed with saith and with the worde of GOD shoulde shewe thereby that hée knoweth not what is the force of the one or of the other nor what is the power and might of him who conducteth vs and knoweâ—…h not vnder what standarde wée fight For hath not our Captaine broken the serpents head Hath hée not dispossessed the strong man of his fortresse and taken all his armour from him Is it not hee that hath cast out the Prince of this worlde and destroyed all the workes of the deuill Is it not this grand Captaine Michael who already hath got the victorie against the Dragon and his Angelles and hath them in chase till hée haue defeated and vlterly ouerthrowen them for euer But to take better héede of him we must note two speciall pointes of pollicie in him whereby hée thinketh to ouer-catch vs if he sée vs vertuous to puffe vs vp with a vaine presumption of our selues of our owne workes and vertues But on the contrarie side if hee sée that wee are vicious and that in this life we haue béene licentious and dissolute then will hée laie before our eies as much as possiblie hee can the grieuousnes and enormitie of our sinnes that he may thrust vs heaâ—…long into a desperation of the grace of GOD. These are the two halters wherewith as Saint Augustine saith this hangman of mankinde doeth vse to strangle men But wee haue alreadie shewed how we may auoide these temptations And as for our good workes we knowe that they are al so filthy vnperfect y â— we can make no more account of them before the face of God then of olde and vncleane rags And againe y â— our sins cannot be so great but y e mercy of God doth surmouÌ„t them nor so vncleane but the righteousnes blood of Iesus Christ is able to wash theÌ„ cleane make theÌ„ as white as snow Nor finally so damnable but in confessing them with humilitie and contrition God will shew himselfe faithfull to pardon and forgiue them euery one It resteth nowe that we set down some assurance to comfort the sick man against the feare that he may haue of y e iudgemeÌ„t of God For wheÌ„ we sée our selues cited by sicknes to appeare quicklie personally before his tribunall seate if we haue in vs but the least sparke of grace we shall call to mind that which is sayd in the holy Scripture that is to say that it is an horrible thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God First that there is no partialitie or exception of persons that is to say no respect vnto greatnes dignitie noblenes riches beautie knowledge parentage allyance to no such matter which is of account and much regard among men causing them oftentimes to swarue a little go awry in their iudgementes from the true rule of iustice but it is not â—…o in the iudgements of God which beeing immumutable and impassible can nothing at all alter his will By reason whereof all his iudgements are measured by the rule and pronounced according to the rigour of the lawe Then that all our thoughtes affections wordes déedes and actions and generally all the course of our life from the beginning to the ending is vnfolded and sifted out throughly That the bookes and registers are brought forth wherein are noted all the faults that euer we haue coÌ„mitted by thought worde or déede with all their circumstances Likewise that iudgement shall be giuen without mercie and to be short that no vertue of ours is allowed of nor any righteousnes accepted that is not pure and perfect in all pointes I saie then when wee come to set these thinges before our eies concerning this fearefull iudgement the which we can by no meanes auoide or escape And on the other side wheÌ„ we come to set these things before our eyes the vice the corruption and imperfections which are in vs and y â— infinit number of sins that we haue committed against the first and second Table that is to say against God and man it must néeds be that we remaine greatlie astonished and forlorne considering that we haue so many aduersaries and accusers which will not cease to persecute vs extreamly that is to saie the deuill the lawe and our owne consciences which produce against vs a thousande a thousand informations séeking to condemne vs considering the qualitie of the crimes whereof we are conuinced And these things caÌ„not we withstand nor any wise escape the rigor of the iudgement of God but in confessing our debts first and then next to haue recourse to the death of our sauiour Iesus Christ to bée forgiuen For it is otherwise in the iudgement of God then in the iudgement of men by the which a person accused is condemned as soone as he hath by mouth confessed himselfe to be guiltie of the offence but contrariwise the confession of our offences is one of the meanes whereby wee obtayne remission and are absolued and iustified before God as saith Saint Iohn If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull iust to pardon them and to make vs cleane from all iniquitie And Dauid sayth I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquitie for I thought I will confesse against my selfe mine wickednes vnto the Lord thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne After the confessing and acknowledging of our sinnes wee must haue recourse vnto Iesus Christ the iust who isour aduocate to God the Father and the propitiation for our sinnes and repose our selues wholy vpon him referring our cause vnto him for hauing put it into his handes it cannot choose but
fountaine of life of all felicitie might proceede any miserie or affilction wherin they were not deceiued but in this onely that from a good Maxime they drewe a naughtie conclusion For in trueth the good in so high degree as God is that is to saye soueraigne and infinite cannot produce any euill no more than fire can any thing that is colde light darknen or life death And the reason is because God after that he had created the world and all that therein is contained considered throughly all the workemanship of his hands beare witnes that they were all perfect good And this is not simply to be vnderstood of all things that God created and made but it extendeth also to all things that God doth without any exception For séeing that God is alwayes like to himselfe and that in him as Saint Iames sayth there is no changing at all no not the least shadowe of alteration and as his bountie is eternall so at all times can it produce nothing but good workes and doe those things that are good And this is the reason which he gaue aunswering by his Prophet to the people who complained of the grieuous calamities that did ouerpresse them that he was by no meanes the causer thereof as for him he onely had procured their benefit and safegard but that they were cause of their owne ruine and of all the desolatioÌ„s that happened to them in their countrey For as the fire kindleth but fire and other things semblably do produce things of their own qualitie and nature alike so doeth God to from whom can proceede none euill because he is perfectly good But then wil some man saye why sicknes and diseases famin pouertie dearth warres are not these euils plagues that God doth sende vpon vs and is not he then the author and causer of them God sendeth them in deede as well vpon the good as the bad on the one to punish their sinnes which is a verie good déede and a deede of Iustice on the other to trye their patience or to bring them to repentance Thus if we would be good seruants and fitly applye these sicknesses that God doeth send amongst vs referring them to their right ende wee should reape thereby much profit many goodly instructions First then there is nothing so needefull as to knowe our owne sinnes the corruption and vice that is in vs to the ende wee may humble our selues before God and dispose our selues to beseech and seeke his grace and fauour the onely meane whereby they may be remitted couered and hid before him that so wee may auoide and escape his iudgement and the condemnation which otherwise shall be appointed for vs if our sinnes be not pardoned But wee are so naturally blinded in our owne iudgement by reason of the excessiue selfeloue that we haue in our selues which doth blindfolde our eyes that wee cannot perceiue nor discouer the malice hipocrisie false dealing pride vanitie defyance of one another iniustice impietie idolatrie inhumanitie and all this lumpe of wickednes which lurketh in our heart from our birth hatcheth euery day more and more as occasions shall serue to commit euil For although we séeke to keepe close for a while the malice which we haue conceiued in our hearts as women do which say they are not with chyld till their bellie begin to swell and til the daye of their deliuerie drawe neere and then they must needes confesse that which before they stoutly denyed So doe wee neuer confesie our sinnes vntil wee be by manifest proofes conuinced and yet then wee stand to debate and diminish still some thing from the enormitie of our faultes and offences whereof we haue a notable example in our first Parents who when they stood before the face of God from whom nothing maye be concealed or hidden their owne consciences accusing them yet they sought by all craftie means they could to counterfait and laye one from another the fault that they had committed coulde not be induced neyther by the feare and reuerence of God who being present spake vnto theÌ„ neither by the accusation and witnes of their own consciences which vrged them sore on euery side but to confesse clearely and without any doubling their disobedience their ingratitude and ambition by the which they were cast headlong from the happie blessed estate wherein they were a little before Whereby we may see how harde a matter it is for men to acknowledge and confesse their sinnes sincerely and without hipocrisie Wee may see also by the Patriarches who dissembled all their wickednes cruell and inhumaine-conspiracie that they had wrought against their poore brother which they neuer acknowledged til they were constrained by the anguish and distresse into the which God brought them to make them remember call to minde And how long time was Dauid a sleepe in his sinne and neuer once thought vpon it till he felt the hande of God touch him so sore that he found himself almost intrapped of his enimies as he confesseth himselfe Thy hand is heauie vpon mee day and night my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquitie for I thought I will confesse my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne And Saint Peter after that he had so often times denyed his maister swearing and cursing himselfe if he euer had knowen him before had he not perseuered still in his sinne and abandoned himselfe wholly from the Church of God as Iudas did and many other Apostataes which do so daily if Iesus Christ had not cast his eye vpon him by his looking vpon him pearced so déep within his conscience to make him feele and bewaile his sinne And likewise S. Paul who like a madde raging beast ranne about euery where seeking to kill and slaie all the poore Christians he could come by in what case had he beene if he had not repented him of his sinnes But contrariwise had he not persisted in his obstinacie and hardnes of heart to waste and scatter the flocke had not the strong and mighty arme of the shepheard wâ—…o watched carefully to saue his flock stopt him of his iourney and kept him short by force making him to acknowledge perceiue the great hurt and iniury he did to the poore sheepe By these few examples wee may easily perceiue that men although they beouer whelmed and filled with an infinite number of sinnes yet they cannot acknowledge them or haue feeling of them if God do not giue them the grace to set them before their eyes And this is the reason that in many places of holy Scripture Repentance which partly consisteth in the knowledge and displeasure that man conceaueth of his sinne is called the gift of God For as we cannot know God nor those good thinges which wee ought to
iustly be reproched for seeling trimming their owne houses and yet let Gods house lye wast For in déed fewe there are that haue such a care and zeale as appertaineth by right to the pure and sincere seruice of God to restablish it when it is corrupted and prophaned and to maintaine it when it is in perfect estate And for all that we be so colde carelesse to labour to reduce the state order of the Church vnto her former dignitie and splendour that God might be preached knowen and adored in spirite and trueth as he requreth in his worde yet is there not he amongest vs who thinketh not himselfe to be as faithfull and as good a Christian as the best although he seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof but when he hath leasure and when he hath dispatched all his other busines Yet to be short the surest iudgement that one may giue of a good tree is by the goodnes of the fruite Wee may also iudge of our faith that it is good when it setteth our consciences at rest and when we neither feele feare mistrust scruple remorse doubt payne or torment which may vexe vs before God but we are altogether resolute and assured to be acquited in his iudgement cleared from al crimes and accusations that the diuel can laye against vs by meanes of the raunsome that Iesus Christ payed by his death and bloud for our sinnes and by this payment satisfied fully for vs to hâ—…s owne iustice Likewise when it doth incite vs to praye continually be it in prosperitie to thanke and blesse him or be it in aduersitie to prostrate our selues before him humbly beseeching him that he will deliuer vs or if it please him to set downe otherwise to mitigate and asswage our aduersitie and on the other side so to strengthen vs that wee may conforme our selues wholly to his will to abyde and beare all patiently so long as it shall please him If to conclude it enflame and kindle the loue of God and of our neighbors in our hearts so that we burne with a feruent desire to serue and honour God to inuite and bring euery one to knowe and glorifie him and that nothing displease vs more then to see his holye name dishonoured and blasphemed and for our neighbours that we loue them as our owne flesh and bloud as members of the same bodie with vs as our owne brethren and as children of one the very same father that wee and they haue together in heauen and that wee make demonstration of the loue that wee beare vnto them by all meanes possible desiring their welfare ease honour quietnes preferment and profit as our owne proper good helping them in their necessities with money counsell fauour frindes labour good worde and without anye exception with all that shall lye in our power to doe But I praye you who is he amongest those that haue best profited and procéeded furthest in the knowledge and feare of God that dare vaunt himselfe to haue such a faith the which shall bee able to fight againste the diuell and against all the gates of Hell and make vs inuincible against al temptations wherewith we may be assailed and shal fetch all our cogitations from earthly matters and rauish vs carrie vs vp aloft aboue the heauens by a certaine hope of immortalitie and of the happie life that God hath promised and prepared for vs and this hope shall straight make vs forget the worlde and all the glorie thereof all her pompes pleasures riches and magnificence and to make no more account of these transitorie and corruptible things then of dung by reason of the pleasant taste that it shall giue vs of the sweetenes of the ioyes in heauen by the which shee shall blott out and extinguish by and by all feeling and remembrance of all other pleasures as it happened to the three Disciples in whose presence our Sauiour Christ was transfigured in the Mount For scant had they had but the least taste of the blessed and happye estate but euen then at that instant they lost cleane the remembrance of all thinges in this worlde desiring nothing else but the onely continuance of that happye estate wherein then they were Seing then that faith hope charitie which are the three principall vertues whichought to shine in al our liues in al the actions of a Christian man are in vs verie vnperfect God wot but weake and that in the perfectest and purest men that liue in the world there are found so many doubtes such vnbeleeue vaine feares cares presumption hatred malice choller and other infinite like passions and desires the which as staynes doe blot out all the lustre and beautie of the vertues that are within vs Wee must when wee come to present our selues before the face and Maiestie of our God with the sicke persons whome we will comfort and giue some good instruction beginne to make an humble confession of our sinnes first acknowledging oure ingratitude and great negligence to heare reade and meditate in his worde to put it in practise to take some profite by the singular giftes and graces that hee hath bestowed vpon vs to consider and haue still before our eyes the ende and scope of our vocation to referre and direct the whole estate of our life to walke in his feare not to stayne his Image which is renewed and grauen againe in vs by the fountayne of our regeneration to keepe the faith and loyaltie that wee promised him in the holye couenaunt that hee made with vs to liue and dye to his glorie to offer vp our bodies to him in sacrifice liuing holie and agreeable to his will and not to fashion our selues like vnto this world to liue and walke in the spirite not to accomplish the desires of the flesh to walke as becommeth children of light to keepe sure footing in the libertie into the which he hath freely set vs to take heede wee be not brought againe vnder the yoke and seruitude of sinne to fight valiantly against the lustes of our flesh to resist the diuell to haue a care that sinne rule not ouer vs to rule the whole course of our life so well that we may be free not onely from sinne but also from suspition of any cryme to take diligent heede that our libertie be not an occasion that our flesh growe too inordinate and that we commit none act that may scandalize our neighbours or may in any wise induce our aduersaries to blaspheme the name of God and of Iesus Christ and to defame the religion that we professe to seeke nothing but those things which are from aboue and to haue our heart our vnderstanding and all our affections fixed in heauen to keepe alwayes our lampes burning and our raynes gyrded vp to watch for the comming of our Sauiour and to be readie to followe him and to doe by his grace al
goe on our sides For when wee appeare before the iudgement seate of God we cannot be coÌ„demned what accusation or crime so euer be brought and alleged against vs by our aduersaries He which beleeueth in me saith he commeth not into iudgement at al. And in another place to comfort his disciples he exhorteth them to haue an eie to the last iudgement day séeing it draw nigh to lift vp their hands and to reioyce for that the full and perfect redemption is reserued vnto that daie And S. Paul confirmeth the same in his Epistle to y e Romans with a meruailous grace magnificency of spéech Who shal coÌ„mence any accusation against the elect of God god is he which iustifieth who shal theÌ„ be able to condeÌ„ne Christ is he which is dead who is moreouer riseÌ„ again who is also at the right hand and doth make intercession to God for vs. We must theÌ„ conclude that which he saith in y e beginning of the Chapter That there is no condemnation to those that are now in Iesus Christ that is to say which walke not according to the flesh but after the spirit And that as Iesus Christ their head cannot be saued but with those that are his members so they cannot bée condemned but he should also be condemned with them by reason of the inseparable vnion which is betwéene the head and the members Moreouer that Iesus Christ beeing dead for vs hath suffered the punishment and curse which was due vnto vs because of our sinnes and by consequent hath fully satisfied the iustice of God we néed not feare that he wil exact of vs anie more the paiment of debts the which hee hath forgiuen and acquited vs for that were to go against the iustice not onely of God but also of man to demand to be pardoned debt twice hauing then yéelded our selues wholly and referred all our matters into the handes of our Souiour Iesus Christ let vs not feare to bee ouertaken by the iugdement of God where the Sonne is continually before the face of the Father making intercession for vs carrying vs vpon his shoulders and in his brest as the high Priest did in old time carry y e names of the twelue Tribes of Israell to present them before the Lord although hée entered into the Sanctuary with a plate of gold vpon his forehead wherein were engrauen these words The holie one of the Lord. To the ende hée might make them acceptable to the Lord which was a type of that which Iesus Christ our high and euerlasting Priest after the order of Melchisedech did exhibite and represent in verie déede vpon the Crosse when offering himselfe in sacrifice for vs to God his Father he did sanctifie and make vs acceptable vnto God for euer We must not then feare that being in state of grace as we are hauing an Aduocate towardes God in whom he is well pleased hée can or will condemne vs when we shall appeare before him in iudgement and shall be clothed in these goodly long garments whereof is spoken in the Apocalippes the which are dyed and washed in the bloud of the Lambe and shall bring tustification with them When we shall thus haue exhorted the sicke man to take a good heart and not to bée afraide neither of his sinnes nor of death nor of the Diuell nor of the iudgement of God if wée sée that hée bée loath to leaue the worlde and that his honours riches pleasures case and that hée beareth yet to these earthly and corruptible thinges dooth make him loth to forgo them and troubleth his minde wonderfully that it cannot resolue to mâ—…rch merily whether God dooth call it Then first must wée make relation vnto him that this world is altogither set vpoÌ„ wickednes drencht in sin that it shall passe away quickely be faded away with all her concupiscences that it doth not know God at all that wée are no more children of this worlde that God hath taken vs cleane out of this world to the ende we should not be condemned with it that we cannot loue this world but we must néeds be enemies vnto God That the Diuell is the Prince of this world and that by consequence wée cannot loue this world or the things that be in this worlde but we must néedes be vassals slaues of the prince of darknes That wee cannot bee faithfull nor true members of Iesus Christ but the worlde must be crucified to vs and we to it That by the example of the Apostle we make no more account of the world with all his glorie pompe and superfluitie then of the dung of the earth or of a floure that is faded and withered that wée are here but as passengers and straungers and cannot make any long time of abode as in a Citie and habitation that shall last for euer but wée lodge héere as in an Inne and must bée readie to gird vp our loynes and dislodge betimes in the morning to bée trudging still outwarde till we come to the place where wée meane to take vp our lodging and rest for euer that is to wit in heauen wherein wée ought to haue our hearts our thoughts our desires and all our affections altogether fixed alreadie and there as the Apostle saith shoulde wee haue all our conuersation For béeing raised vp from the dead with Iesus Christ and vnited vnto him vnseperably although our bodies be far seperate and distant from his yet ought we alwaies to be present with him in our spirites and soules and to forget cleane the worlde and the earth séeking after and thinking on nothing more then of those thinges which are from ahoue Our heart should it not bée where our treasures are and where are our treasures but in heauen where Iesus Christ is in his glorie who hath our lise hidden in himselfe and not onely all the treasures of the knowledge and wisedome of God but also of all the gifts graces honours riches and blessings that God the father hath giuen him to bestow vpon his Church whilest shée is here militant in hope and when shée is alone triumphant shée shall enioy the full fruition thereof when our soules leauing these filthie stinking and obseure prisons of our bodies shall be carried as was that of poore Lazarus into the bosome of Abraham by the Angels there to rest and reioyce for euer as it is written The children of thy seruants shal continue and their seede shall stande fast for euer in thy sight If then wée doo but languish in this worlde where wée liue as poore strangers in exile amongst a number of barbarous and rude people ought wée not to bée full glad when God calleth vs away to reclaime vs into our own country where with our brethren the Patriarches the Prophets Apostles and Martirs of all other blessed spirits we shal peaceably enioy togither the glory honour trust rest and all that perfect felicitie that
the merite of the death and passion of the same Iesus Christ in whose name you present vnto him this holy prayer the which he taught vs saying from the bottome of your heart Our Father which art in heauen c. Then do acknowledge from the bottome of your heart your vnrighteousnes be sorrowfull for your sinnes repent your selfe vnfainedly and the kingdome of God will drawâ—… nigh vnto you Confesse that there is no righteousnes no innocencie no good workes neither of yours nor in you but that as the childe of wrath conceiued and borne in the sinne of olde Adam you merite eternall death and damnation And yet all the sinnes in the world when you shall haue committed them all are not able to make you afeard For Iesus Christ the very sonne of the eternal God became verie man conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie to sanctifie you and make you cleane from sinne He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate many afflictions and iniurious torments making him selfe a slaue and a captiue to set you out of captiuitie Iesus Christ was crucified as one accurst vpon the trée of the crosse to deliuer you from the eternall curse Iesus Christ was dead and shedde his precious bloud to wash you to redéeme you and to deliuer you from death hell and the power of Sathan Iesus Christ was buryed in the graue to burie all your sinnes with him the which he hath borne and blotted out Iesus Christ descended into hell in suffering an extreame anguish to delyuer you from all the paines and dolours of death Iesus Christ is risen vp again from the dead to make you rise againe in your own bodies resplendent with glorious immortalitie Iesus Christ is ascended vp into the heauens that after him you should ascend also Iesus Christ sitteth at y â— right hand of God the father almightie béeing your aduocate and mediator to him the propitiation for all your sinnes We looke that he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead to reward euerie man according to his workes But to the faithfull that beléeue in him he shall not impute their sins for hauing iustified them by his grace hée shal make them raigne with him for euer in his heauenly throne N. Such is the great mysterie of our redemption the which by the grace of the holy Ghost you ought firmely beléeue to haue bene wrought for your saluation Doubt not then at al but by the merite of Iesus Christ the head of his Church you are incorporate and engrafted a member into the same thanking him in all humilitie that it hath pleased him of his greate grace that you haue liued in the communion and fellowship of his faithfull people nourishing you with his word and with his bodie and bloud confessing assuredly the great mercie of God by the forgiuenesse of all your sinnes the which hée hath vouchsafed you thorough Iesus Christe who shall rayse you vp againe at the last daie to make you raigne with him in life euerlasting the which he hath promised to all those that beléeue in him being baptised in his name Nowe N. séeing that you haue this faith doubt not but to receiue the promise of faith for God is true of his promise he is no liar as men are First heauen and earth shall passe but the word of God abideth for euer God he is your father and creator you are his creature the workmanship of his handes He hath not made you to destroy you For he is the sauiour of all men and will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turn from his wickednes and liue Wherefore I announce vnto you in the name of God that by his great bountie and mercie hee doeth fréely giue vnto you full pardon and remission of all your sinnes by the onely merite of his sonne Iesus Christe our sauiour in the shedding of his most precious bloud for it is the propitiation not onely for our sins but also for the sinnes of the whole world N. Iesus Christ sayeth by his owne mouth that all things are possible to him that beléeueth Beléeue then without all doubt that Iesus Christ inuesting our flesh is become verie man and died for vs hauing borne all our sinnes in his owne bodie to wipe them out and deface them Present vnto God the precious death of his sonne Iesus Christ and by the merit of the same death and passion aske him mercie and forgiuenes saying with great humilitie and repentance from the bottome of your heart Lord God Father almightie haue mercie vpon me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ my Lorde and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion please to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands N. You must haue a firme beléefe and trust in God For if hee bée on your side who can be agaynst you for Iesus Christ who is the immaculate lambe hath ouercome all for you He hath offered himselfe once for all and by that one oblation hath defaced all our sinnes He hath raced out our folly and vnrighteousnes abhomination and the obligation that the deuill had against you and with this good Lord and master Iesus Christ God the father hath giuen you all things N. Fortifie your selfe then in Iesus Christ who calleth and inuiteth you by his Proohets Apostles and Euangelists to come fréely vnto him saylng All you that thirst come to mee and drinke your fill Come io me all ye that trauaile and bee heauie laden and I will refreshe you N. Beléeue assuredly that Iesus Christ hath acquited and discharged you from all your sinnes and hath reconciled you to God his Father vnto whom with great humility and repentance say from the bottome of your heart Lord God Father almightie haue mercie vpon me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christe my Lorde and Sauiour and by the meriâ—…e of his death and passion please to receiue my soule the whiche I commende into thy hands N. Haue then a good hope for certainly hée will receiue your soule as his owne for the loue of his sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde who is the Sauiour and redéemer of all those that beleeue in him Moses and all the prophets haue witnesses that all Nations shall receiue saluation and blessing from Iesus Christe The Apostles and Euangelistes witnesse that Iesus Christ is not come to call the iust but sinners to repentance and to giue his lyfe for the redemption of many for hee hath shed his bloud for the remission of sinnes Beléeue then and doubte not in anie case For Iesus Christ hath purged and washed you cleane from all your sinnes hauing promised that all those that beléeue in him and his Father who sent him shoulde haue life euerlasting and shoulde not come into iudgement but
passe straighte from death vnto lyfe Now N. bée of good chéere in Iesus Christe for hee hath loued you dearely and washed you from all your sinnes by his bloud Haue then a strong faith and valyant resolution to encounter couragiouslie with your aduersarie You néede none other buckler to defend you but the precious bloud of Iesus Christ the which by the vertue of his death and passion hath reconciled you to God the father vnto whom with great humilitie and true repentance you must saie Lord God Father almightie haue mercie on me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion vouchsafe to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands N. Haue a good hope and firme faith that this good God full of mercie and compassion wil receiue your soule as his own into his handes for the loue of his son Iesus Christ. For there is none other mean vnder heauen giuen vnto men by the which we must be saued no other saluatioÌ„ but in Iesus Christ. Arme your selues then with this Iesus Christ for hee hath done all for you He hath accomplished the law for you He hath vanquished all your enemies that fight to ouercome you Now N. reioyce your selues in God stand firme in this liuely faith Followe and imitate the holy Patriarches Prophets and Apostles who are all saued in this faith who assured you that your aduersarie cannot anie waie hurt you For your processe is gotten by Iesus Christ who is both your iudge and your aduocate Wherefore you may boldly say with a stedfast beléefe When I shoulde walke in the shadowe of death I shall feare none euill for thou Lord art with me Then good N. be neuer a wearie saying from the bottome of your heart in all true humilitie and repentance Lord God Father almightie haue mercie on me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion vouchsafe to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands A verie godly Praier for one that is grieuously afflicted by sicknes and readie to die ECCLESIASTICVS 18. Vse Phisick before thou be sicke examine thy selfe before thou be iudged and in the daie of visitation thou shalt finde mercie God doth admonish vs to praie continually but especially when wée are touched with his rods of correction Wherefore all the kindred faithfull friends who visite the sick person ought not onely to visite and haue a care of his bodie but also séeke some spiritual medicine for his soule And this must bee done by good praiers confession of sinnes and Christian exhortation according to the worde of God without the which no man can liue And that all things may be done orderly and zealously the assistance must prostrate themselues before the maiestie of GOD saying Our aide is in the name of God And then saie the generall confession of sinnes and after that this praier as followeth LOrd God almightie and Father of mercie we that are assembled together in the name of thy welbeloued sonne our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ trusting vpon his grace and fauour we haue bin so bolde as to come before thée to call vpon thy holy name making our onely refuge in thy soueraigne bountie y e which we desire not onely to féele and tast in our selues but also in y â— extremitie of thy poore creature who is grieuously afflicted with sicknes of bodie affliction and calamitie of minde We knowe Lord that thou doest iustly visite chastise him with thy rods to make him vnderstand and féele thy fatherly affection towards him But thy great mercies which thou wast wont to vse towards our Fathers are not yet at an end and clean forgotten For thou art that great God eternell full of pittie and compassion which neuer changest Thy holy word doth teach vs plaine that the earth is full of thy mercies the which doe farre surpasse thy iustice Wherefore O Lord appease thy wrath towards this thy creature Haue pittie and compassion on him for the loue of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Looke not vpon his sinnes but looke vppon the face of thy Christ who hath fully satisffed for him in offering to thée the greate sacrifice of his body vppon the crosse We beséech thée then most gracious and mercifull â—…ather make him â—…éele thy grace the which thou hast neuer â—…efused to giue vnto anie of thy châ—…ldren And because thou art our Father for euer who alwaies knowest what is necessarie and expedient for our saluation we do not pray and beséech thée to prolong or abridge his life for we rest our selues wholy vpon thy holy will the which we desire onely to please Thou art wise enough without anie other counsell to dispose of thy creature according to thy good pleasure But if it please thée to call him awaie who is hée that is able to resiste Or if thou wilt restore him his health again who is he that can or dare reprehend thée For all things are in thy handes nothing is done without thy holy will prouidence Although Lord if of thy fauourable grace thou prolong his daies thy rod shal serue for a chastisement to amend him and turne him to thée we with him shal yéeld thée thanks and praise But if it bee thy determinate will to let him passe into a better life wée beséech thée for thy sonne Iesus Christ his sake to forget all his sins and offences the which thou hast 〈◊〉 out and washed away by the 〈◊〉 of his most precious bloud Let it please thée by the merit of the death 〈◊〉 passion of thy sonne to receiue his soule into thy hands when thou shalt call him out of this world Lord God despise not the work of thy hands for sée here thy poore creature almost at the last gaspe which calleth vnto thée from the depth of all his languishes and miseries presenting thée with his sorrowful penitent soule with an humble contrite hart the which we beséech thée to accept of for the loue of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord in whose name thou hast promised to heare our praiers Wherefore Lord we beséech thée to take vs into thy tuition and to illuminate our hearts and vnderstandings that we may stil come to thée and cal vpon thy holy name as thy sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour hath taught vs to call vpon thée in all time of our néede saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Lastly most mercifull and gracious God and father may it please thée we beséech thée to vpholde vs alwayes by thy grace and power that by the infirmitie of our fleshe wée doe not stumble and fall and for that wée of our selues are so weake that wée