or bubble in the water a verie wretch I am good Lord borne in sinne by nature wrapt in iniquitie and so thine vtter enimie worthie to perishe euerlastinglie But see thine owne goodnes sweete Lord thine hands formed mee beeing nothing thy mercie hath preserued mee till this day beeing nought And euen nowe sweete Iesu thou hast sent thy purseuant sicknes to bid me put off the old man put on the garment of faith that I being readie for the mariage may come and marrie thee in the couenant of thy father wherein al the nations of the world by promise are blessed Amen Another LOuing Iesu pittifull Iesu blessed Trinitie haue mercie vpon mee Beholde I am sicke Lorde iustlie buffeted for sinne the mother of euerie mortal infirmitie Yet Lorde louing Iesu pittie me pittie my case Louing father purge mee with Isop clense me from my secret sinnes drie vp the puddle of iniquity with the beams of thy mercy and clense me in the poole of thy pretious blood that this sicknes and infirmity the iust reward and penalty of sin and iniquity may cease and finish Beat me O God ô gratious God O father of heauen beate me in fauour and not in iudgement kisse me with the couenant of grace and be not angrie with mee O louing Iesu ful of pity and pitious compassion I would be clean and if thou wilt Lorde thou canst make me cleane Behold Lord I am sicke the palsie of sinne shaketh euerie part the leprosie of mine iniquitie hath ouer run al my soule and body but yet good Lorde and gratious Iesus if thou wilte thou canst make me cleane For thou art my father Almightie with whome nothing is impossible Lord I aske thy grace giue it mee I seeke it let me finde it I knocke for mercie open O Lord the chest of thy goodnes and enrich me with the iewels of grace that I may reign with thee in glory Amen A confession for the Sicke MY thoughtes my words my deedes al crie vnto mee Thou art a sinner And this doo I confesse vnto thee O Lord I cannot so much as think a good thought much lesse can I speake muche lesse can I doo wel I confesse that in me that is in my fleshe dwelleth no good thinge euen so vile a Creature so wretched a caitife that Satan might iustlie haue claimed my life in the swathecloth beeing borne the childe of wrath and heire of damnation I am a cankered branch of mother Eue that ancient stock of sinne whose heritage is nothing but iniquitie garded with an infinite sea of miserie For out of sinne as out of a filthie puddle or stayned fountaine issued the riuers of sicknes death and damnation with such a streame that they ouerranne and drowned the whole race of Adams curssed progenie So that as I confesse my selfe a sinner so doo I confesse that I am iustlie visited with this rod of sicknes wherwith thou art woont of thy iustice to beate wanton Adam that old man of sinne when he wil not be ruled Beat me therfore beate me O Lord to better me and sinite me enough so thou saue mee as I doo put my truste in thee Let Satan haue no power to harme mee nor the worlde with the baites of vanitie to snare me but defend me from al euil I beseech thee Amen Another O Bleeding Iesus O slaughtered Lambe O sweete babe of the virgin Marie and onlie beloued darling of God behold heere I lie sicke in bodie and sore in soule whome thou hast bought with thy pretious blood Helpe me saue me from sinne the fountaine of sicknes O fountain of mercie For I am a greeuous sinner by nature fettered with iniquitie wherein I was conceiued and borne O Iesu O Christ thou sonne of Dauid O gratious samaritan and piteous shepherd haue mercie vppon me haue mercie vpon me cal me clense me saue me salue me with the merit of thy passion againste the palsie of sinne and iniquitie O lambe of God thou hast taken awaie the sinnes of the worlde thou hast crucified the diuell confirme this faith in mee louing Lorde I beseech thee I beseech thee encrease my faythe and renew a righte spirit within mee Remember Lorde remember sweet Iesus thy crowne of thornes bruzed head thy boared handes nailed feete and crucified bodie Remember the pearsing speare thy wounded side and thy pretious blood that did spin and gush out Remember thy bloudie teares thy great thirst of my saluation and gall and vineger which thou didst drink to saue me and for thy mercie saue me and crie to thy father Father father forgiue him O Iesu be mine aduocate praie praie sweete Iesus praie for me and bestow some drop of thy bloud to wash me Amen A praier against desperation O Lorde I am a greeuous sinner I haue passed broken the banks of thy cōmandements from the wombe til this daie I haue with the pirat Satan sailed in the shippe of iniquity so that I maye saie with Paule I am cheefe of all sinners This must I needes confesse to thee O god of iustice this worm of conscience biteth me What then good Lord shal y e worme deuoure me shal this snake of conscience sting me to death what good Lord is the stream of thy mercy stopped are the riuers of thy grace dried vppe is there no drop of thy bloud left to washe my seelie soule doest thou not cal me saiyng Come vnto mee Yes good Lord and therefore despaire I wil not It is not thy will that anie sinner should perish and thou hast not onely said it but sworneit that thou willest not the deth of a sinner but rather his conuersion and life Behold therefore deere Father I come vnto thee being a greeuous sinner in hope of pardon in the name of Christe thy sonne who by his own testimonie came into this world to saue sinners Hee was content to blot out that obligation which satan hadde against me by the flood of his pretious bloud which issued out of hys glorious side In this poole he hath washed away the leprosie of sinne were it neuer so desperate And in token that he is ready to receiue a sinner hee stretcheth foorth both his sweete armes as ready to embrace and boweth downe his glorious head as willing to kisse the prodigall childe that craueth pardon for his misse-spent daies O Lord and gratious God I haue wasted my daies in vanitie I haue from time to time troden vnder my feete the pearles of Christyan profession euen frō the womb haue I beene a rebellious traitour to thy maiestie a friend to this world to godlines an enimie but nowe O Lorde I crie vnto thee forgiue me forgiue me Now I come vnto thee as thou hast called me now there fore couer me with the winges of thy mercie and tender mee as the hen dooth her chickens least Satan clawe me and so I perish Good Lord accept the bloud of thy sonne the merits of his manhood for a
by death they are blessed and rest from their labors Why doo you mourne this life is a vapour by death for a vapour they possesse an heauenlie and euer during inheritance Why doo you mourne doo you not thinke that heauen is better than earth that the companie of angels archangels Patriarkes Prophete◠Apostles Martyrs Confessors Virgines and the holy ones of God is better than the felowship of men and the company of beastes Doo you not beleeue that ioye is better than sorrowe that life eternal is better than this short vaine and vile life that it is better to see God face to face to follow the lambe Iesus in heauen in fulnesse of ioy to possesse him at his Heauenlie table to banket with father Abraham Isaac Iacob than to dwel with you all our fare in this worlde is dung in respect of the heauenlie meat which Christ dooth set before them that are passed by death to life and why then doo you mourne Mourne not for them for they are happie happie and thrise happy are they But as I say mourn for your selues that be not so luckie as they to bee taken from this vale of myserie to the storehouse of felicitie as they are For by deathe they are not dead but by death they are passed to life to suche a life as passeth all vnderstanding the ioyes wherof doe surmount the conceipt thoght not onely of man but also angels and Archangels But miserable are you which doo yet carrye about you this earthie Tabernacle yea euen in this one thing you are miserable vnlesse you repent that you mourne for the deathe of your friends or children For in that you denie the will of God to be iuste for that hee hath made man of earth earthy and mortal Mourne for this your vnbeleefe mourne for this your sin weepe for the sinnes of your youth for your secret sinnes and desire God to wipe and to wash your soule from all infection of sinne that being prepared by death to follow your friends and children you may with willing hearts in a liuelie faith giue a farewell vnto this worlde and be readie to marrie Christ Iesus in glorie to whome bee all glorie Amen A battel betweene the Diuel and the Conscience Wherein all true Christians are taught how to oppose and set them selues against the assaults of their Archaduersary Satan made in forme of a dialog by the sayde E. H. Satan THou arte a Sinner and therefore the child of wrath Conscience I am a sinner Satan I confes it that in mee that is in my fleshe dwelleth no good thing which may mooue my Lorde to take pitie vpon me but yet I denie thy consequent For though I bee a sinner yet shall not my sinnes preuaile against me For behold saith Iohn The lambe of God hath taken awaye the sinnes of the worlde hee hath condemned sinne in the flesh so that now there is no condēnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Satan I grant that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ but suche are in Christ which walke not after the flesh as thou dooest continuallie boording vp trespasse vpon trespasse against the daie of iudgement Conscience Thou liest Satan I walke not after the fleshe but with Paule I wil the thing that is good though I bee not able to perfourme it by reason of that combat which is between the flesh and the spirit Indeed at the least I sinne seuen times a daie but notwithstanding auoid Satan for Iohn telleth mee that if anie manne sinne wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christe the righteous and he is the propitiation for the sinnes of the world Sat. But how knowest thou that he wil be thine aduocate For hee is a righteous mediatour and therefore he will not deal for thee 〈◊〉 most miserable sinner Con. I knowe it Satan that hee wil be mine aduocate For so his holie worde preacheth vnto me which is the word of Christe the euerlasting truth which I by his grace wil neuer misdoubt And heerein thou shewest what thou hast beene euen from the beginning a lier For Iohn telleth mee that If anie man sinne yet there is an aduocate and a righteous aduocate euen Iesus Christe the righteous Sat. Yea but how darest thou looke vp to heauen and fly to this aduocate thou beeing a vile sinner and hee a righteous God Con. In a ful faith of his mercie Satan I dare goe to him For hee crieth to all laden and labouring Christians Come vnto me And why then shuld I feare to goe vnto him especiallie since he hath promised to refresh mee If I come vnto him Sat. Thou maiest goe vnto him but thou shalt find him a iudge For he wil neuer refresh thee with mercie but punish thee with deserued iudgement and reward thee according to thy deserts Con. Auoid Satan for thou liest I will go to him in assurance of his mercie for hee is truth and cannot faile in his promise Hee will indeede reward me according to my deserts but what deserts Christ his deserts are my deserts hee by his deathe deserued life for mee and al the world not for himselfe but for vs according to the saying of Peter He bare our sinnes in his bodie And therefore sith Christ by his ful obedience hath deserued lyfe my desert in him is life And therefore will I dare to go vnto my Lord and my God for I am sure of mercie Sat. I am the prince of darknesse and al sinners belong to my kingdome For the reward of sinne is death and therefore assure not thy selfe of mercye for that is in vaine Con. Auoid Satan For what though thou bee the prince of darkenesse yet doo I set thee at naught I am a sinner but what of that Satan my sinnes haue lost their stinge and so mayest thou gape for a prey and goe without a reward For in the bloud of Iesus Christ am I purged from my sinnes yea from all my sinnes the sinnes of my childhood my youth my olde age commytted in thought worde or deede whatsoeuer they haue bene are or shal be they are drowned in the bottom of the sea and so couered in mercie that the Lorde will neuer remember them Sat. Thou liest conscience For the Lord is iust and therefore hee will remember them that he may punish them Con. The Lord is righteous thou fowle diuel iust and true are all his waies but yet thou lyest in thy consequent for it standeth not with his iustice to remember our sinnes that hee may punish vs whose sins he hath punished in his sonne Christ. Christe Iesus by his death hath deliuered vs out of debt to the wrath of his heauenlie Father and purchased vs remission of sins And therefore I am sure that as God is iust so he will not remember my sinnes to punishe them in me againe sith his sonne hath paid his debt for mee For it is againste iustice that any debt should be twise
paid or twyse required Sat. Though Christ once died to saue thee from sinne yet haue I thine euill life to laie against thee for the which thou art and shalt be mine Con. Christ indeede died to saue me and by his own death hath he fully bought mee from the wrath of his Father And I confes Satan to my Lord that I haue not liued after his lawe but manie waies transgressed his holye will but what then thou foule spirit am I thine no Satan no. For the Lorde hath mercy in store for euery Publican when he craueth it be he neuer so ill a liuer He is at this point with vs Aske and haue I will therefore aske mercie of God who gaue his owne son by his bloudie Death to saue mee and I am sure that I shall haue my sute For he hath spoken it and can not lie Thou liest therefore for I am not thine But thou sayest that I am and shal be thine Auoyd Satan auoid like a coward For he that is with mee hath broozed thy head euen the mightie Lion of the tribe of Iudah that hath promised to be with his church euen til the end of the worlde he is with me and if he be with mee whoe can be against me doo not therefore crake of this Satan that I am an euill liuer and therefore thine Giue ouer thy combat for if thou doo not I will call vppon my Capteine Michael by the power of his Angelike bande to dashe thee out of countenance whoe did beate thee in Heauen and all thy hellish armie The cal of Conscience in conflict for succour against present danger THe diuel O Lorde like a rauenous lion dooth seeke to teare the lambe of thy Pasture and vnlesse thou helpest there is none other waie but to the slaughterhouse It hath beene a continuall practyse of his euen from the beginning to rob thy childreÌ„ of the riches of their redemption wrought accomplished by the bloud shed of thy beloued sonne He someth like a bore of the desert and seeketh by violence to breake into the vineyard of my soule which thy handes O thou heauenlie husbandman haue planted Vp therefore and arise O gratious god and good shepheard of my soule And as thou hast promised so be thou with mee in time of this my skirmishe that I may giue Satan the foile and sleepe fafelie vnder the wings of thy mercy with whom is store of mercie To thee be al glorie both now and euer Amen The dead mans Schoole Wherein Death teacheth all Estates and degrees from the Prince to the begger many notable lessons most necessarie to be learned made by the sayd E. H. APproche ye sonnes of Adam you that are as I was and shall bee as I am Drawe neere and learne those thinges diligentlie wherein I shal instruct you First I would haue you to learne this lesson that as sinne came in by Adam so by sinne death as a due reward followed And therefore when you looke vppon mee remember whence you are falne in adam from grace into sinne from sin into death and therevpon sorowe for your sinnes and prepare your selues to death For it is the waie of all flesh There is a time to bee borne in sinne and a time to die for the same al flesh is grasse yee muste all wither and fade with the flower This natural death which foloweth the combat of the Elementes and sinne shal creep vpon your mortallims for as the sunne hath an east to rise in so he hath a West to fal in euen â—o you shall all dance with me one day and this day is vncertaine noe man knoweth when it shall come For it shall come at vnawares vpon you and therefore doe good and eschew euil sin not least a woorse thing than this naturall death doe happen vnto you For if you doo still wallowe in sin answer me What if death suddenlye strike you with his dart as hee dooth manie men howe woulde you bee able to stand in y e iudgement of God Therefore leaue off in time and liue lyke Christyans that GOD yet at the least seeing your liues are so wicked may find a good will and purpose in you towardes a godlie conuersation Do we not stil hold the same pace like old carthorses but repent and amend for the kingdome of God is at hand Secondly when you see mee remember the spirituall death of Adam wherein you are all wrapped by nature borne in sin children of wrath Dead you are in Adam starke dead in your sinnes vntill the Lord do regenerate you anew with his holie spirit and water your barren nature with the drops of his grace And herein see that you doo acknowledge your weakenes or rather your miserie that by sinne you are dead euen without life by nature and without anye power to attayne vnto life as I am and shall be vntill the Lorde doo knocke at my bed and raise mee from death to life to liue with him for euer Auoyde sinne therefore as your deadlie enimie whiche would rob you of life and fetter you in bandes of eternall death and crie vnto the Lord for helpe For withoute him against this enimie you can do nothing Crie with the prophet Dauid Create O Lord a new heart and renewe a right spirite within vs that beeing quickened againe by the dew of his blessing and strengthened with the armour of grace you may be able to withstand the furie of Sathan and constantly to endure the battell of a raging conscience Thirdlie when you looke vpon mee remember whereof you are euen of earth no better than duste and ashes to the which I nowe returne And therefore to the loftie minded manne I say Dust and ashes why art thou proud for earth thou art to earth thou shalt and become a prey for knawing wormes Decke thy bodye neuer so gloriouslie tie Iewels aboute thy neck lade thy fingers with ringes sit at thine ouerrunning tables and make merrie despise al men yet I tell thee thou art dust as I am so shalte thou be Thy bodie shal stinke which nowe thou embaulmest thy lofty looke shal bee humbled the wormes shall feede vppon thee Looke vpon me thinke vpon thy selfe be not as thou art but thinke vpon mee and what thou shalt be and folow him that is able of dust to raise thee to life crieth vnto thee Be humble and meeke as I am If thou refuse this exhortation remember that pride shall haue a fall that earth is heauy by nature and falleth that he that exalteth himselfe shall be humbled and hee that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted Acknowledge therefore that earth is thy mother which is the basest of al other elements and folowe Christ thy maister and onlie guide to his father in ioy that out of earth hee may raise thee to heauen and after thy resurrection for thine earthie and stinking bodie giue thee a glorious and immortall bodie that thou mayest shine with him like a starre
fatherlie prouidence Blesse O Lord the curssed earth so fructifie the barren earth with the deawe of heauen that we may haue great cause to glorifie thy name and sufficient for nature againste extremitie to releeue vs with thy store in time of necessity Amen A praier for peace AP pease O gratious God the surging waues of this present euill worlde cut downe the angrie make-bates and graunt vnto vs the peace of thy spirit that liuing in one minde and bearing about vs one wil grounded vpon thy gratious pleasure wee maye bee gathered into one sheepefolde and liue in brotherlie loue and vnfained vnitie O louing maker and God of peace it is a pitious thing to see the malice of the world it is a myserie to behold how thy members disioint themselues in ceremonies and beggerlie elements it is a hell to consider how mightie Saule rageth against little Dauid to see the beastlie crueltie and tiger like tyrannie of the Pharaos of this world who not tendring their owne case not regarding the end of thy passion or full and sole redemption do racke and rent the babes of thy Church thy beloued wife Redresse all this gratious God eyther cut off our enimies or else conuert them that wee may together wage battell against the diuell our archaduersarie Season the harts of our brethren that wil for a trifling ceremonie renounce thy veritie and breake the bandes of Christian vnity Continue the weake nouices of thy schoole in the libertie of thy Gospel that all offense being taken away we may serue thee the God of peace euen charitie it selfe in Charitie Amen A praier in time of Warre O Lorde and onelye peacemaker linke vs in vnitie that are deuided ioyne vs in loue that haue sundered our selues and so transgressed thy holie will If our cause bee euill good Lord amend vs and reconcile vs with the peace of thy spirit if it be good defende vs O Lorde and turne vnto vs or else confound our enimies Gratious Iesus thou knotte of peace which hast ioyned God thy father and man not onelie in fauour as friendes but also coupled vs in one brotherhood with thee as his children we beseech thee to sow the seede of concord in vs that we maie liue in thee as fruitful branches now and for euer O Lord giue vs thy grace that wee purchase no enuie nor be the fathers of sedition of warr or any insurrection but imprinte in our hearts thus much that thou art loue who shalt come to iudge the quicke and the dead Charitie shall iudge the world and confound al bruers of tumults Ingraue this lesson O Lord in the tables of our harts and for giue vs al that is past guide vs in that which is to come that we fall not but stande fast in the way of thy will Amen A praier for the Captaine DEfend the righteous cause of thy seruant assist mee with strength against mine enimies with the wisedome of thy spirit against the policie of man that beeing wholie guided by thee I may fight manfullie in thy quarrel to the building of thy Church and vtter rebuke of her aduersaries Without thee ô fountaine of goodnesse and God of mine estate I can doo nothing Arme mee therefore with thy grace with the buckler of thy word that I may bee able not onely to war with but also to ouermatch Satan my deadlye foe and al his hellish band setting themselues against thee and thine annointed Enriche me with thy mercie that I may bee able to put vpon mee the white raiment offaith and being clothed with it may stande sure against the foming minysters of the diuel that no storm may ouerturne or dismay me O Lord kepe me from al wrest ling affections from inordinate motions defende mee O Lord. Let al discord be remooued whereby thy pellican children may be disseuered But nourishe O God of loue thy babes with the spirite of patience that I and they beeing of one minde may doo our endeuoures and bende our whole strength to the reedifieng of mother Sion which traueleth with sorrowes and sinketh in the mist of heresies vnles thou pul hir out by the hande of thy mercie which doo O gratious God I beseech thee Amen A praier for the souldiour THis worlde is nothing else but a sea of trouble heere the diuel stormeth there the worlde frowneth on euerie side the flesh assaulteth vs so that our life may well be tearmed a warrefare and our daies a treasure of dangers O Lorde with the anchor of thy mercie vphold vs that we sink not in the sea of this troublous time but guide vs with thy holie spirit that our liues may please thee and wee in our death praise thee through Iesus Christ our Lord. Plant the tree of peace among vs lette it flourishe to the gladdening of our harts that al dissention cut off wee may be linked in one knot of Christian vnitie gathered into one sheepfold and guided by thee our onelie and one sheepheard Let nothing sunder the members of thy bodie but cherish and nourish them with a full persuasion of brotherhood in the vnitie of our Sauiour and thee our one and onlie father Amen A praier in time of dearth O Mightie God and maker of al things thou art iuste and in iustice hast thou scourged vs we confesse it O Lord. Our liues haue deserued thy whip the excessiue riot of sinne hath merited the famine and want of thy gratious benefites but not withstanding louing Lord burie our iniquities in the multitude of thy wonted goodnes and blesse vs with the store of thy mercie that as wee may nowe declare thy iustice reuealed agaynste sinne so likewise wee maye preach and blase abroad to the worlde the bottomlesse pit of thine infinit pittie O gratious Lord thou gauest thine onely sonne our Iesus to the death euen to the death of the crosse by his bitter passion to purchase our redemption As thou hast giuen him so good Lord giue vs all thy benefites with him that as thou hast by him redeemed vs so wee in him may bee sustained during this transitorie life with fulnesse of thy grace tyll the daie of his great visitation when meting him in the clouds we shall be set on his right hande to liue with him in sulnesse of ioye for euer Desend vs O Lord from extreme needines and correct vs not in thine anger but store vs with sufficient in thy mercie Foode and raiment good Lord wee aske no more Giue vs and grant vs this our petition and giue vs grace therwith to be content Amen A praier against the feare of death THy handes haue ramed me O lord And whereas to the ble 〈…〉 she of all his posteritie father Adam made himselfe thorough follie worse than nothing a curssed caitife euen thine vtter enimie it pleased thee of vnmerited goodnes to leaue the colledge of thy Saints the ninetie nine iust sheepe the bande of thy blessed angels to seeke the straieng sheepe the groate
mercy and to open his iudgementes and iustice vnto the world it hath pleased him to blesse som with store of his goodnes and to punish others with the wante of his temporall blessings Thus with pouertie he beateth the poore to declare his iudgement against sinne and the ritch man hee storeth with aboundance to the manifestation of his vndeserued mercie By these his benefits vpon the ritche and these his scourges laid vpon the poore hee crieth out to them Sinne no more alluring the one partie by faire and gentle the other by sharp and bitter meanes vnto safe repentance The rich man he maketh his deputies on earth or rather the stewards of his familie or rather the paterns of his mercie to take pitie vpon the begger when he craueth reliefe euen as he hath taken cōpassion vpon them who neuer deserued it And that they may vse them selues as shewers of his mercy hee hath promised that they shal alwaies haue y e poore with them this we see at this daye What a band of beggers be in euery place the poore doo swarme in euerye corner the fatherles and widowes yoong and old of all ages infinite doo grone and crie for very neede Som want cloth to couer their naked bodies some haue not meate to mittigate their hunger some noe drinke to ease their thirst some lie vnder hed ges in steed of lodginges some are lame and cannot go some are blind and cannot see some are deafe and cannot heare some are dumbe and cannot speake some are sicke some are sore of all people to the iudgement of the worlde most miserable and therefore doo they seeme to make this complaint to God our Heauenlye father O Lorde thou hast created vs thou hast framed vs we are thy handiworke and thou the potter that madest our grandfather Adam of the moulde of the earth Was thy goodnesse such to make vs when we wer not gentle Lord and wilt thou beate vs nowe thou hast made vs O Lord where is thy mercie is the eie of thy pitty dim med are the eares of thy woon ted goodnesse sealed what Lord is the hand of thy fauor shortened is the riuer of thy goodnesse dried vp Shal we hunger nay shall wee hungerstarue for want of thy blessinges what now good Lord thy sonne taught vs to praie Our Father Are we thy children and thou our Father Oh! where is thy fatherlie prouidence for beholde O piteous Lord we are borne to nothing besides skin flesh and bones we haue nothing in this world We post from place to place run from towne to towne wee goe from house to house we cry for releefe in thy name we aske it for thy sake but alas good Lorde wee can get nothing If we be strong though wee haue charge of children we are whipped we are stocked wee are imprisoned and howe not abused if wee bee lame dum deafe sicke or sore we may cry but alas charity is frozen where one heareth hundreds doo stop their eares and are deafe at our sutes O Lord charitie is drowned the best friend which we shuld haue hard hearts doo reigne the stoutest enimy that we can haue with this enimie we are assaulted almost in euery place alas for pitty pitty sweet lord is our request haue mercy vpon vs. Looke vppon Lazarus our king and capteine behold Lord he commeth to the rich mans gate there he lieth there he crieth Crums crummes he craueth to ease his hunger but he cannot get them dogs haue them but Lazarus cānot haue them The dogs come to Lazarus and licke his sores but Diues hath no feete to carrie him no tongue to laie the playster of comfort to his earnest sute no hand to helpe him not a crum to feede him Beholde Lorde doggs are better vnto vs than Diues nay they are in better case than we are for they haue the crums that falles from their maisters table but alas Lazarus cannot come by them O Lorde now where is thy wonted mercie shall Lazarus want shal he want the crums of breade to ease his hunger what shal he crie for them shal hee not haue them shall he shout but shall hee not bee heard what good Lorde shal hee die for hunger and Diues walowe in pleasure What Lord hast thou loste thy name god which soundeth as much as good thou art called Deus quasi Dans and yet shall Lazarus wante bread to refresh him This complaint of the poore man dooth gnawe him nay sometimes it quyte deuoureth him But to lay a salue of comfort to this sore of Lazarus O Lazarus why doest thou weepe why doest thou crie out whie doest thou seeme to blame the Lorde he hath appointed Diues as a father to regard thee But what dooest thou come to his gate dooest thou craue charitie art thou denied it the Lord commanded it therefore is the Lord instified when he is iudged But Diues hath abused his benefits and therefore shal he answer for it Let this be thy cōmfort let this be thy lodge to reste in from all complaints that one daie God who is charitie shal iudge the worlde the greatest scourge that Diues shall haue Then shall hee say as accounting that not doone vnto him which was not doon vnto you when I was hungrye thou gauest me no meate noe not the crums that fell from thy table when I was thirstie thou gauest me no drink when I was naked thou didst not cloath me when I was in prison thou didst not comfort me when I was harbourles thou didst not lodge mee giue an accoumpt of thy stewardship Then shal he crie out that hee neuer saw him hungrie or thirstie or else he would haue refreshed him not imprisoned or else hee would haue visited him not lodgles or else he would haue harboured him But this is all lies and therefore will he say vnto him Nescio I know thee not Departe as cursed into euerlasting fire where shall bee weeping and gnashing ofteeth Come hither crieng Lazarus thou that criest and showtest out vppon the Lorde and vpon the tyrannie of worldelings art thou sicke art thou sore art thou deafe art thou dumbe art thou naked what hast thou no place to laie thy head in come hither for here are pallaces of pleasure to pastime in excellente turrets of ioy to banket in and lodgelesse of infinit comfort to harbor in For what haue you not hadd meate when you haue craued it or drinke when you haue asked it haue you beene in prison and not visited sicke not comforted sore not eased naked and not cloathed wanderers and not succored Behold in your behalf Christ will iudge the rich and mercilesse gluttons of this worlde and in the daye of reuelation you to your ioyous conquest and to their vtter shame shall testifie beare witnes against them This is the first lodge of comfort But yet there is another besides this enter into that Behold when you asked reliefe it was Christ that asked and
is better to be crossed than not crow ned it is better to bee beaten than neuer to be chastised For God receiueth no childe but whom he scourgeth But yet thou criest Oh my life is miserable is it myserable then lodge in comforte For miserie is the high waie to felicity Thou muste bee buffeted if thou wilt be saued for he that will liue godlie in Christ Iesus must suffer persecutions I am the waie sayth hee But what was his waie to Heauen A crosse was his waie vnto the crowne and thus woulde hee lead thee to immortal glorie What saiest thou nowe Lazarus hast thou anie thing to complaine of I hope these lodges of comforte doo please thee But if they doo not yet harken a little Is thy life a castle of misery because thou art wrapt in pouertie art thou a wretch of this world because thou art cloathed in sores dooest thou sing of nothing but calamitye because health faileth thee or store of temporall blessinges why then reason with me What if thou hadst the riches of Diues his health his wealth his garners his treasure hys lands his cattell yet vanitie of vanites crieth the Preacher and al is vanitie Vanitie what Vanitie of vanities nay what is all vanitie ritches health treasure pleasure wealth is all woe nay is al vanitie vanitie what worth a nit naye worth nothing and yet art thou troubled The rich men of this world doe fall into manie temptations in so much that wher they shoulde bee gods on earth to helpe and to aide the needye when neede requireth they prooue themselues cages of vn cleane diuels Some lords of landes do begger their poore tenantes they racke and impouerish them to better their owne estate some hourde vppe corne for deere times to the vtter beggering of the poor some haue catching hands who though they haue enough yet are alwaies catching and snatching at the widowes mite Vsurers or rather robbers who haue inough but the rich who want it but the poor whie want they it but because charitie is deade and the rich are snared in deadly temptations But yet they will be riche they scrape and trauel for goods But what crie the proud and the rich men in the fift of wisedome Oh say they what hath pride profited vs or what hath the pompe of riches broughte vs Come hither Lazarus art thou poore desire not to bee rich for this is the vsuall song of such as are rich in this world Oh! what hath the pompe of riches brought vs doo not riches better a man nay dooth not the pompe of riches bring any commodity with it What can it not deliuer vs from dansing with death from the gnawing worme from the bed of earth no though wee were as beautifull as Absolon as long liued as Methuselah as eloquent as Cicero as subtile as Aristotle to end as riche as Cresus yet we must needs become wormes meate turne to dust and ashes How now Lazarus what if thou hadst courtlye palaces to lodge in excessiue plentie of al thinges euen the pompe of riches what should they auail thee nothing yea nothing and yet is pouertie a burthen vnto thee It is the will of God Lazar that thou shouldest be a Lazarus and it is thy dailie praier that his wil be doone and it is his will to saue all men But what is it his will that thou shouldest bee poore and art thou not merrie It is his wil to saue thee nay is it he that can only saue thee nay is he woont to saue vs by crossinge vs that wee shoulde enter into heauen by manie tribulations and wilte thou not yet lodge in comfort Nay what doest thou praie that the wil of God be doone if thou praie for it as it standeth thee vpon so thou dooest wish it Now his will is to beat thee with pouertie thou praiest for it thou wishest it What now dooest thou wish it and yet art thou sad and pensiue Men are woont to ioye yea and to reioyse when they haue their wishe but thou hast it and wilte thou bee sorie The Lord saith nay the Lord sweateth it that He wil not the deth of a sinner and death is the due wages of thy sinnes the which of iustice he might paie vnto thee but hee will not of mercie Wil he not thy death which is due vnto thee and yet doost thou complaine of pouertye which is his will to laie vppon thee let this bee thy lodge of comfort that his mercie is our safetie and that his will is nothinge else but his mercie yea though hee doo beat and buffet vs neuer so much And to perswade vs in this point who are so incredulous of nature from time to time it hathe pleased him to scourge his children or rather to scour the vessels of their heartes the lodge place of his holy spirite from the dregs of iniquity Caine was an heire he possessed al hee was the childe of this world but Abel the child of God hee had his name of vanitie his end was to be mur thered he receiued his deaths wound euen by hi 〈…〉 〈…〉 wne brother Looke vpon the whole colledge of Saints and wee shall see some imprisoned with Ieremie some be headded with Baptist some stoned with Steuen som crucified with Christ Iesus lapped in lothsom sores wrapt in bands of vtter extremitie with poore Lazarus notwithstanding Diues the world ling wallowe in all health and wealth How nowe Lazarus looke vpon thy brethren be thou comforted yea if thou haste been rich euen as riche as Iob if thou hast sat on the pinnacle of pleasure and mounted vpp with the highest trees if thou haste flourished like the glorious lillie and yet vppon a sudden wither awaie if thou hast fallen from the top to the foore of a hil that is from prosperitie to aduersitie and become a bare Iob yet beholde the pallace of comfort I am sure that my redeemer liueth and that with these eies I shall see him saith Iob. Whoe was this Iob a riche man he was he had plentie of al thinges GOD had blessed him with children and vpon a sudden all is gone Oxen Camels children and al. His own friendes doo forsake him hee wadeth in wo and sicknes and yet these clubs can not batter him downe but stil he climeth to the lodge of comforte saying I am sure that my redeemer liueth and that with these eies I shall see him What though this earthye masse our body this dustie tabernacle bestormed and tossed with the winter blastes of this world what thoughe our bellies feel the gnawing worm of a plaining stomach our backes want cloth to couer it yet is heere a lodge of comfort which by faith wee must take possession of euerye one sayeng with father Iob I am sure that my redeemer liueth and that with these eies I shall see him Though God scourge mee yet as a father to correct mee not as a iudge to condemne me for I