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
that lost that royall stamp of a pure nature to the vtter disgracing of all his progenie Man this loste sheepe thou soughtest O Iesus thou foundest sweet Iesus by death thou foundest her by bleeding paines thou foundest her by nailed hands and bored feete thou foundest her by a sharpe thornie crowne which pear ced thy glorious head by sheding of thine owne bloud by drinking of veneger in thine extreme thirst by suffering the most violent death of y e crosse thou foundest her and so fo undest thy lost sheepe man loste man sinfull man the childe of wrath O Iesus O louing Iesus tender harted Samaritan that of a sicke hast salued of a sore sinner hast saued him of a wicked Creature washed him cleane in the streame of thine inestimable mercie O Iesu O gratious Iesu thou hast sought loste man and founde lost man by condemning sinne by breaking the bands of the diuel by conquering hell sinne death and diuel in the flesh Sith therefore thouhaste O louing Iesu pitiful Iesu of thy mercy shed thy bloud not onlie for my firste father Adam but also for mee euen for the whole worlde that as sinne ouerran al men to condemnation by one man so in thee al the nations of the worlde might bee blessed And sith thou hast not onelie made a ful purgation for my sinnes beeing the slaughtered Lambe that haste taken awaie the sinnes of the worlde but also soong a conquest ouer sinne which hath lost his sting death which was dead hel which had lost the victorie and the dragon which thou ouercammest in heauen by preaching libertie to Captiues and leading captiuitie captiue there is no cause whie I should faint and feare death Arme mee therfore O Lord with this faith that thou hast dashed Death in peeces with the rod of thy merits drowned the diuell in the riuers of thy pretious blood that no torment or biting paine of the fleshe sunder mee from thee most louing Iesu but imprint in my heart thy grace that in greatest anguishe I may be so farre from the feare of it as rather to crie with thy Sayntes Come Lord Iesu Come and desire to bee dissolued with Paule and to be with thee my louing husband than by anie panges of death to refuse thee O Lord doo thy good will Amen Another OVr Father which arte in heauen thou art life how shal I come vnto thee there is no waie O Lord but thy selfe no man commeth vnto thee but by thee There is no remedy but this vessel of earth must bee broken before I shall see thee face to face euen as thou art in fulnes of glorie Dust to duste ashes to ashes claie to claie earth muste returne to earth to pay this borrowed tabernacle to earth where of it came Grasse must wither the flower must fade the vapour vanish I must be dissolued before I shall be ioyned fullie to thee my head and onelie vine wherein I liue Thy purseuant sicknes must visit this body of sinne and death muste rowe me ouer the seas of this world vnto thee in the barke of faith by the anchor of thy couenāts made to the house of Dauid O Lord therefore giue me grace to welcome death by which I must passe to life that dieng in thee I may be blessed and liue in the storehouse of thy ioyes for euer Amen Another O Louing husbande mine onely Iesus sleepe not slumber not but awake my ioye awake my comfort and lose the bandes of my miserie Death death O Lord thou hast nailed to the tree by the pretious passion and drowned Satan the prince of darkenesse in the streamie floud of thy blessed bloud Sweet Iesus louing Lord and husband mine lock vp the faith of this thy merit in my heart and clip mee in the sweete armes of thy woonted comfort Kisse me kisse mee pitious Iesu pittie mee and be not angrie with mee Diuorce me not O mercifull Iesus but marrie me in mercie and call me in thy fauor to the mariage of grace that beeing thine by the testimonie of thy spirite I may singe with a brasen face sinne where is thy sting hel where is thy victorie Mercie O Lorde mercie loue louing God loue is thy nam 〈…〉 mercie is my sute O bottomlesse pitie thy loue I labor and crie for Lord Lord Iesus thou sonn of Dauid haue mercie vpon mee and spread foorth the banners of thy comfort that I may knowe that I am thine and knowing it may neuer distrust thine inestimable mercie Amen Another in forme of a confession IN thy name O Lord Amen I acknowledge to the publishing of God his glorie and the comfort of my soule that I am God his owne childe that he hath created me of nothing redeemed me being lost preserued me from the wombe till this time In him haue I onely trusted neuer shal be confounded Beloued friendes in the Lord for your comfort and mine owne duetie heare my confession which euery christian is boūd to make I acknowledge ther fore in the face of GOD Almightie before you all that whether I liue or die I am his He hath suffered death to saue mee from death he was crowned with thornes to crowne me with glorie he was bored and nailed to the tree to nayle and to crucifie the sinnes of the whole world He was content to be pearced and goared with a speare yea so pearsed that the blood gushed out and for nothing else but to washe me cleane from the sore of sin in the streames of his mercie For this with one consent lett vs crie Our soules doo magnifie the Lord and our spirits rcioise in God our Sauiour Sccondlie I confesse that though Christe in his pretious bloud hath clensed me from the filth of sinne that notwithstanding I doo nothing in this present life but heape sinne vppon sin and hourde vp trespasse vpon trespasse so that this daie is worse alwaies than yesterdaie by increasing as daies so sins and therefore the indignation of God against mee But yet those of hel shal not be able to preuaile against me For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus my Sauiour Thirdlie I confes that as my life is sinful so it is shorte like a smoke like a shaddowe like a warrefare like a flower that fadeth grasse that withereth a word that soon passeth it is like a bubble in the water a weauers shuttle it is a span long and no moe Againe it is not onelie short but also miserable For it is an exile a vale of miserie it is a wildernesse it is stuffed with sorrowes a cage of enimies a sea of myseries a dungeon of gronings greeuous sobbings it is a storme a tempest that wonderfullie trobleth the people of our heauenlie father beleeue me it is no better than a womans trauell and that is extremelie miserable and therefore as not onelie short but also wretched I am willing to forsake it Yea death welcome death sicknes sicknes of
satisfaction for my sinnes drown them in the streame of thy mercie cast them behinde thee good Lord I beseech thee O sweete Iesus lodge me in thy pretious wounds and look vpon me with thy piteous eie least that bee destroied which thou of thy great goodnes hast made and Christ thy sonne of inestimable loue and infinite charitie hath redeemed thorough his bitter passion This is the totall summe of my sute vnto thee Lord mercie mercie ô father of mercie mercie is the thing that I begge haue mercie vpon me haue mercie vpon me I beseech thee louing Lord haue pitie vpon me Bee thou my shepheard to defende mee my Castell of defense to saue me against the gaping diuel Thou hast store of mercie for them that aske it O Lorde therefore euen for the wounds of thy deere sonne haue mercie vpon me let not sinne sting me to death but lay to my sore soule the salue of thy mercie of thy mercie one drop of thy sonnes bloud a little dewe of thy blessing good Lorde I beseech thee Amen Another O Lorde my thoughtes my wordes mine actions haue taken weapons and waged battell againste mee and Satan that old rebellious traytour taketh part with them to ouerthrowe me thy poore and impotent souldiour He raiseth vp the snake of my conscience to sting me the poison of an euil life to infect mee with the desperat plague of Cains blasphemie and I am but fleshe vnable to withstande the furie of this dragon Oh what shall I doo I am a Sinner as Satan saieth and my conscience telleth mee and the rewarde is death as thy word dooth teach me What then shal I doo shal I die as Iudas O Lord is there no remedie surely my Lorde and my God I despaire in my selfe and confesse my selfe the child of wrath by naturs voice but yet O Lord it is thy voice it is the voice of grace that thy mercie is aboue al thy workes in token whereof thou camest into the world to saue sinners This is the piller that vpholdeth mee from falling this is the rod of iron that dasheth sa tan out of countenance and defeateth the argumentes of my sinnefull conscience Arme me with this buckler of faith in thy meritorious incarnation life and passion that I may not be giuen ouer as a prey to the dragon but crucifie the snakie persuasions of Satan and his companie Amen Another AVoid Satan thou shalte not tempt the Lords seruant thy works are destroied thy bandes are broken thou shalt not take or bind mee Auoid sinne for thou hast loste thy sting thou wast condemned in the fleshe nailed to the crosse and crucified with my Lord Christ vpon the tree Auoid death for thou art dead and hel for thou art swallowed vp in victorie Auoid thou dragon and all thine angelles for Michaell hath beaten thee and broken thy head he hath freed vs from sinne and ledde awaie captiuitye captiue euen hee Satan hath ouermastered thee that crieth out vnto me Feare not for I haue ouercome the world euen he that hath promised to bee with mee till the ende of my pilgrimage and crieth out that if hee bee with mee no man can bee agaynst me no not hell gates to preuaile against me Fight therefore Satanne as long as thou wilte thou shalt bee at length put to the foile for the mightie lion of the tribe of Iuda telleth mee that there is no condemnation to them that be in him that Iesus is the conquerour of the whole worlde and vanquisher of thee fight and rage thou neuer so much Ther fore auoide I saie awaie from me for in Christ haue I passed the sea of my sinnes thy cursed armie if thou folow to pursue mee thou shalt bee drowned in the red sea of Christes bloud to whome be all glorie Amen A praier for the auoidance of Gods wrath QTender harted Ioseph haue mercie vpon me Great is the floud of myne iniquities so great O God of mercie that vnles the banks of thy grace represse it it will ouerrunne and so drowne my see lie soule Drowne my sâ—â—s in the poole of thy mercie cast them into the sea of thy bottomles pity least the smoke of my wickednesse doo smother me and the rod of thy iudgement breake and brooze mee like a potters vessell For the bagge of mine iniquities is so stuffed and the stinge of my sinnes so poisonous and the sent of them so vnsauourye in thy nostrilles O Lorde that if thou wilt obserue it who may abide it the surest piller of thy Church woulde shake the fairest rose would wither the best lamb should abide the slaughter if the beames of thy mercie shoulde not partch and burne vp the ripe and plentious haruest of our iniquities O Lord therfore haue mercie vpon vs and beate vs not with the rod of thy furie but vnder prop the shippe of our weake faith with the anchor of thy mercy that beleeuing in thee we may not perishe but haue euerlasting life Thou hast apesed ô sweet Iesus the wrath of thy father againste sinne conceiued by thy meritorious passion that I might with the holie ones bee holie as thou art But I haue prophaned thy passion by my dailie faults such is the frailtie of the flesh for the which I iust ly may be refused But yet Iesus one drop of fauor bestowe vppon mee and crie For my bloudie passion father forgiue him I beseech thee Amen A praier for remission of Sinnes O Lord what do I dailie but wander in the field of vanitie what is my hart but a filthy prisoÌ„ of corrupt thoughts what is my mouth but a stinking chanell of vaine wordes what are my feete but chariots to bloudshed what are my hands but battellers with charitie what is my heade but a castell of wicked deuises and what is my life but a fardell of iniquitie I am nothing better than a deade tree the roote is perished the bough withered I am fruitles and good for nothinge but for the furie of the flame What then good Lorde shall it bee so I am no better than a deade tree but what shall I burne sweete Iesu O saue me for thy name sake and quicken me create a new hart within me ingraffe me in the true Oliue purge mee that I may bring foorth much fruite and for euer flourishe lyke a tree planted by the riuers side O powre the oile of grace into my defiled heart and season it with the salt of thy mercy least the sume of mine iniquities ascend vppe to thy nostrils and prouoke thy furie against me Powre downe some drops of thy pretious bloud from the clouds of thy mercy to quench out the angrie flame of sinne which I my selfe am not able to put out by the vertuous water of any merite Purge mee therefore with Isop O Lorde and then I shal bee cleane O lambe of God let me eate thy flesh and drink thy bloud that I may liue by thee and cloath me in
all messengers welcome art thou Adue vile life farewell life sinneful life adue and welcome death the purseuant of my louing Sauiour for by thee my miserie shall end From war to peace from this stormie worlde into the calme countrie of heauen from gronings and sobbings from this vale of fighings to the pallace of ioy from earth to heauen from sinfull men wild beasts to beloued friendes by death I shall passe to life to haue the companie of holie Patriarkes and blessed Saints to haue the sight of the glorious Trinitie to haue and inherit such ioye as neither eie hath seene nor eare heard nor hart euer conceiued By death I shal haue libertie without imprisonment health without sicknesse ioye without sorrow plesure without paine in such securitie eternitie and perpetuitie as passeth all thoughtes The holie ones of GOD my father the blessed Aungels and Archangels they haue atteined it but neuer can they sufficientlie esteeme of it So that O death thou art welcome welcome sicknes for my Lord Iesus hath new sent thee to fetch me from this prison to his palace from a strange contrie to my home from this place of teares and mourning to the daie of marriage sweet Iesus to marry thee in thy mercies for euer Heare deerely beloued heare and reioyse with me Sicknes is com death is in comming as a purseuant from my louing Iesus to cite me to appeare before him that he may appoint me a man sion in his fathers house to sit with him at the table of ioy for euer O the great ioy and onlie ioy of a Christian Nowe I shall lie noe more in this prison nowe I shall haue Paules wish for I shall bee deliuered from this bodie of sinne now shal I depart in peace with Simeon to haue that peace that passeth all vnderstanding and surmounteth al thought Now now shall I see the amiable tabernacles of my Lorde nowe shall I enter the courtes of my God where one daye is better than a thousande else-where now shal I be a doorekeeper in the house of mine heauenlie father now shal I appeare before the presence of God now doth his kingdome come now Lord Iesus now thou cōmest to carrie my soule into ioy Into thy hands therefore I cōmit my spirite Beloued brethren this is my testamente which I leaue vnto you it offereth great ioye and no matter of Teares Shead therefore no teares for better is the daye of death than the daye of birth I entered my life with a crye it coste my mother payne and teares to beare mee but yet it cost my louing Iesus his bloud to saue mee you and all the world Enuy not therefore my luckines that now I shall passe from you out of this vale of teares vnto him who died that I with him mighte liue in ioye for euer If you will mourne mourne for your owne sinnes mourne for your selues that you shal not so soone sup with God my father as I shall doo mourne not for me for you shall shortly follow me and lose me but for a time when you shall see in heauen for euer For blessed are the dead that die in y e Lord whose name for euer bee glorified Amen A praier for the rich man THou art the Welspring of all good thinges O louinge Lorde thou art the riche store house and cheste of mercie for al naked Adamites O Loue inestimable Wee are born into this Vale of miserie not only wicked in soule but euen also naked in body a deserued entraunce for vs by father Adam through desire of souereigntie but an vndeserued thing it is O good GOD that notwithstanding our merited pouertie deserued nakednesse by rebellion against thy Maiestie thou shouldest thus cloath me with thy benefites with plentie against penurie with friendship against enimitie with health against sickenesse with store against needinesse This O Lord is an vnmerited benefite for the which after my bounden duty I giue thee harty thankes But what shall I say what sufficient thanks shall I render vnto thee for thou hast not onelye armed mee against pouertie 〈◊〉 but also chosen mee as a steward to vnlocke the chest of thy benefites to needye Lazarus that as thou hast loued mee so I should tender thee in him O Lord giue me thy grace that I may bee thy stewarde by clothing the naked by feeding the hungrie lodging the harbourles and defending the fatherles that I may bee able to render a faithfull accoumpt of my stewardshipp vnto thee i 〈…〉 the daie of reuelation Grau 〈…〉 this O Father for Christe his sake Amen Another O Father of Heauen and rich God of mercie Behold thy poore creature in sin riche in grace poore bestowe vppon mee some mite of thy mercie cloath mee with the merits of thy sonne Iesus and bathe my naked bodie in 〈◊〉 pretious bloud satisfie my hungrie soule with a crum of thy gratious blessings that being cloathed with the armour of his meritorious passion I neede not to feare the naked the desperate corruption or rather wages of nature Moisten my heart with the honyedew of thy great rich grace that as thou hast enriched me beyonde my desart beyng by sinne an enimie vnto thee so I maye continue riche in good workes to the profite of my neighbours to the comfort of mine owne soule and to the manifestation of thy glorious maiestie O Lorde thou art a zealous God Such a God as wishest my healthe and the safetie of thy Creatures haue therefore mercy vppon mee blesse me with faith towardes thee with loue towardes my neighbour and a godlie care towards my selfe that thou in thy selfe mayest be magnified my conscience reioise in the testimony of a good life whose reward in thy sonne Christe is life eternal Amen The Beggers praier O Mighty Lord and prouident GOD y e stewardes of thy plentious store-house are not moued to feede the hungrie to cloath the naked and lodge the poore Pylgrime at his piteous crie but notwithstanding all this their tyrannie Father forgiue them and pardon mee as I forgiue them that haue trespassed against me Rake the fire of charitie out of the dead ashes and quicken it O Lord that I may warme mee in thy familie in time of extremitie and they be ready in thy great audit to render a full account of theyr stewardshippe vnto thee But first of all doo I begge grace of thee that I may euer seek thy kingdome and so bee persuaded in hart by thy word that I shal want nothing but that all other things shal be added vnto me This doo I aske of thee O father of Heauen that euer criest Aske haue Giue mee faith to aske in certaintye that I may looke without doubt for this thy craued mercie ô Lord I beseech thee Amen Another LAue mercie vpon mee O Lorde and pardon myne offenses the rich men of this worlde will scarse looke vpon me or vouchsafe to relieue my necessitie with the crummes of
death for the losse of a shadow shal wee by sighs and sobs storme againste the Lord for the losse of a vapour nay shall we not rather be glad to forgo the shadowe and by death desire to be knit more fullye to our bodie Iesus whereof wee are members in faith and hope O ye of lyttle faith crie vnto the God of hea uen Lord increase our faith Be content to leaue this vaporous life and welcome death and cry in a ful beleefe Come Lord lesu come shorten these latter daies for thine elect sake and saue vs. Saue vs O Lord saue vs haue mercie vpon vs and helpe vs helpe Lord and by a blessed death cite vs to appeare before thee For one daie in thy court is better than a thousand elsewhere Amen Secondly consider that thy life is vncerteine For death is like a theefe that commeth at vncertaine houres he is like a thundercracke that soundeth on a sudden yea this life is so vncerteine that death may ask his due in the swathcloth and none be able to resist him He is alwaies a prince hee ruleth not only in the haruest but also in the spring time and summer Yoong menne and babes olde men and maydes greene and ripe al are one death excepteth no persons hee neuer regardeth our yeares but with his sharpe syth on a sudden he cutteth al downe So y â— our life is like a ruinous house alwaies readie to fal like a thin thred alwaies readie to rotte like a running cloud wherof we are vncerteine where and when it falleth This cloud sometimes melteth in the cradle somtims in the chaire Death is like the sunne whensoeuer it shineth it melteth our cloudie life bee the cloud thereof neuer so thin or thicke in yeres Our life nowe being as vncerteine as the weathercocke which turneth at euery blast or like the waue which mounteth at euery storme or lyke the reede which boweth at euery whisteling winde whye shoulde we loue it and not rather loath it in comparison of the euerduring life of the heauenlie citizens wherevnto by death we passe in mercie Oh that al Christians woulde ingraue in their harts the wauering dayes of this vncerteine life and consider and looke for in a ful faith the certaintie of that ioyfull life wherevnto death dooth bring vs For then woulde wee that sayle as pilgrimes on the waters of this world and are tossed dangerouslie by diuers pyrates the flesh sinne and the diuell desire with hartie praier craue of the Lorde that in the barke of a liuely faith by his mariner death he woulde carrie vs to the certeine and blessed life of his saints If we were thus godly wise to consider the vncerteintie of this momentanie life or so happie as to ponder the eternall felicitie of Ierusalem and restful Cannaan we would rather ioy and be merrie when sicknes and death shal visit vs than mourne and sorrowe for it For they are the Lords ambassadours which are sent to bring vs tidinges that dynner and supper is readye and the banket of glorie to bee minystred and that we must come without tarrieng to marrie him and to enioy him face to face euen as he is and 〈…〉 fore with willing mind tâ—â—aie our debted bodies to mother earth whereof wee borrowed them and to him our soules that hee may marrie them in the couenant of his Eternall mercies We are borne into this world naked our heritage is sin and myserie our life is labour and sorrowe we our selues are but tenaunts vnder mother earth concerning our bodies and vnder GOD concerning our soules which God our God of ioy and father of comforte by his owne sonne hath bought vs an inheritance immortall and vndefiled for euer vnto the which by sicknes death as the messengers of his wil he calleth vs. Is all this so and shall wee feare death no for shame let vs bid adieu to this shorte and vncertaine lyfe and receyue death in ioy of spirite as an accomplishment of the obligation of his couenant wherewith he bound himselfe of his meere mercie beyond any merite of ours that wee shoulde neuer see death but haue euerlasting life Vnlesse therefore you will mourne against death bicause by it you passe from an vncerteine to a certeine life from these sorrowing and wauering daies to an euerlasting and incorruptible inheritance and so shew your selues rather willing to haue the fleshepots 〈◊〉 Aegypt for euer than to passe to heauen and to eate of comfortable manna not in the wildernes but in new Ierusalem see that ye feare not death but loue it and welcome it whensoeuer the Lorde will sende it vnto you Thirdlye consider thy life is miserable It is not only short but also miserable yea I may well tearme it a kingdome of miserie New borne babes do what they can to persuade vs of the truth of this matter For they beginne not this life with smiling countenance but with weeping eies By their crie what else dooth nature sing or signifie vnto vs but that thorough our sinnes our life is become a continual warfare and the world our enimie euen 〈◊〉 vale of miserie besette with thornes to pricke vs on euerie side Righteous Abell founde in his life time a thorn of his own blood to trouble molest him euen Caine his own brother to bache his blade in his bloud villanouslie to murther him Iohn Baptist the bright dayestar and forerunner of Christ the sunne of righteousnesse he found a thornie Herode to behead him and holie Stephan stonie Iewes to dispatche him Yea what is this life but a fardle of miserie wherein Christ our blessed sauior tasted of nothinge but of the sower grape of persecution For no sooner was this lambe of God come into the world but Herod by the decree of his hellishe conuocation was ready to deuo 〈…〉 him this was a miserie to mother Marie And maruelouslie doth it paint out the mysery of this life that the hony babe Iesus the very lambe of God and light of this world is so welcomen into the world which intended mischiefe And where hee by the prouidence of his heauenly father escaped the snare of the rauenous fowler yet for his sake doo the children and sucklings of Bethleem and the coastes thereof as many as were twoe yeeres old and vnder preache vnto vs the miserie of this our life The voice that was heard in Ramah moorning weping and great lamentation Rachell 〈…〉 eeping for hir children with out all comforte because they were not teacheth vs and crieth out vpon the miserable life of man If al careles Epicures would aske the iudgement of Father Iob in this case he would expounde the mysticall cries of tender sucklinges that man which is borne of a woman hath not onely a short time to liue but also a miserable life to lead that his life is a warfare continual labour and sorrow This iudgement of Iob without all doubte was rooted in him and his brother Ieremie And
thereof it came without question that they did cursse not onlie the daie of birth but also him that brought the message to their father that a child was borne They had fullie considered the degrees of their miserie Their birth place was but a foule and filthie dungeon they themselues were but a substance of bloud and instruments of their mothers their nourishment little better than venom their birth not without extreme pains of the deere mother and violent offense of their tender bodies They knewe throughlie that they were conceiued in filth and vncleannes born in sinne and care and nourished with paine and labour They dyd knowe themselues to haue bin like cralling wormes and that at their entrie into this worlde they were apparelled with bloud And therefore considering their miserable condition they curssed the daye of their wretched birth Yea this made father Ieremie to wishe that his mothers wombe hadde serued for his tumbe and father Esaie to bewaile his birth and to murmur againste the knees that helde him vppe and also the breasts that gaue him suck They had fully conceiued that man was made of the slime of the earth conceiued in sinne borne in paine and at the laste made a prey for wormes This miserie of mans life had they fullie digested and therefore wished to haue died before they were borne Come hither nowe beloued Christians wee are manie an ace short of Iob Ieremie or Esay in life and in iudgement One after a through sifting of this miserable life wished that his mothers wombe had been his tumbe another murmured at the paps that gaue him suck the third curssed the daie of his birth and not onelie that but him also that firste declared it Did they soe lyttle sette by this myserable life as to cursse it and so little loue the pappes that norished them as to murmur against them yea the verie knees that helde them vp and by reason of this wretched pilgrimage to be so wearie of this life as to wishe they had beene buried in their mothers wombe and shall wee feare death They wished they had neuer liued and shal we for feare of death wishe euer or a longe time to liue they curssed the daie of their birth whoe were holie men and shal we weepe for the daie of death the verie ende of their wishe did they murmur against the paps that gaue them sucke and shall not we welcome death when the Lord sendeth him naye they murmured euen againste the knees that did beare them vp and shal not we bee willing to surrender heade feete handes heart knees and al to mother earth and to salute death in ioy of spirit Fie for shame and out vpon vs if we doo not willinglie and merrilie wishe and crye Thy kingdome come ô father of heauen Come Lord Iesus come Let vs denie the olde man cherish our hope that wee haue in the full merites of Christ that when the Lorde shall call we may come vnto him without anye rebellion And as for death account of it but as a moste blessed ende or period of this wretched life an axe that cutteth off al miseries and therefore feare it not The thirde weapon Consider the commodities of death WE are tossed turmoyled vppon the seas of this world with manie a dangerous tempest euen till wee be we arie or at least should be with holie Paule of our short vncerteine miserable liues and then dooth the Lorde euen of mercie call vs to reste and ioy with his Saints in heauen 〈◊〉 that resting from our labours wee may continuallie pray se him with the band of his holie Angels By death he deliuereth vs from danger and therefore to arme vs against the feare therof it pleased the holie spirit to cal death a sleepe by the which being dispatched of all aduersities wee are brought to our graues therein to lie as it were in a soft featherbed and in a sweet sleep abiding the comming of Christ our lord whe◠hee shall knocke at the bedd◠and cal vs vppe to liue for eue◠with him and his holye Aungels Death therfore doth not swalow vp our bodies thogh for a time they must lie in the bellie of mother earth For death is a sleepe and is vnpossible as it is that a whole man being in a sound sleepe should not wake vp againe euen so vnpossible is it that a Chrystian shoulde continue in Death for euer And as for this sleepe it is but a shorte sleepe for the daye is at hand and the time of iudgmente draweth neere when dead bodies shall arise and the earth shal render them vp that be in her that meeting and appearing together with our beloued friends and set vpon the right hand of his blessing wee may as liuely members be fully knit in our body Christ Iesus So that death is but a sleepe and a shorte sleepe out of the which we and al our brethren sisters and friends that are departed in the Lorde shall rise more fresh than euer we were to leaue this fraile and earthie bodie and to haue it made like to the glorious bodie of Iesus Christ. And who now would feare death or who should grudge at the Lorde for castinge vs asleepe Death is a sleepe the earth is the Christian mannes featherbed where he must lie◠till the trumpet shall sound to awake him and call him vnto iudgement Who wil murmur againste this necessitie or rather againste this mercie for mercie it is that we die but for a time or rather sleepe for a time where of merit we shuld die for euer And therefore vnles by your gronings and sighings you wil exclaime against the mercy of the Lord by the which you are saued doo not feare Death or murmur against him but bles him with father Iob and thank him hartily that he hath granted thee thy daielye petition wherein thou praiest sayeng Our Father which art in heauen thy wil bee doone deliuer vs from euil For as for the first his will is doone whensoeuer any man dieth The verie farthing sparrowe can not fall without his prouidence the heares of our head can not perishe without his will much lesse dieth anie man without his will whoe far surpasseth all farthinge Sparrowes So that to wishe them aliue that are departed in peac it is to wishe that God his wil were not doone and what is that but to wishe that GOD were no God For if God bee God his wil is iust and muste needs be doone But as for many they will acknowledge that the will of God is doone againe that hi◠wil was iust in calling for their children whome hee had but lent them for a time and yet will carrie a biting sorrowe in their hearts and so wil they go neere to bringe death vppon themselues But to such mourning mothers I saye Why doo you mourne this life is a warfare death is asleepe Why do you mourne this life is short by condition and ful of myseries
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
in the kingdome of glory Fourthly let all couetous persons looke vpon mee and amend their euill liues For as I came naked into this world so did they and as I carrye nothinge with mee but my winding sheete euen so shall they Their riches the pelfe of this world shall they leaue behind them which they haue gathered in paine and hourded vp with greedie minds Oh you hungrie lions you are alwaies gaping for y e prey you are euer hungrie and neuer satisfied get you neuer so much by hooke or by crook by violent iniurie or biting vsurie But looke you vpon me For an eln of earth now shall serue mee and so must it serue you whom nothing may suffice in this world Sorrowe therefore and amende in time For you were not borne to gather worldelye substance but to serue poore Iesus who of God made himselfe poore to enrich you You were not borne to continue in this world No you haue no continuing citie heere but you must looke for another euen Heauen whence you are nowe exiled and therefore you must seeke the things that be aboue Your conuersation must be in Heauen You must not tie your harts to the earth and hourd vp the pelfe of this world lest the verie moths and rust of your tresure cry for a plague vpon and against you in the daie of vengeance For die you muste one day and be as I am and so rest in the bellye of mother earth vntil the day of accoūts when God shal rewarde euerie man according to his deserts Fifthlie let all enuious persons and euil willers beholde my hart let all bloodshedders looke vpon my feete all backbiters slanderers and curssers marke my toong all robbers and Vsurers view my handes all couetous persons note my winding sheete all selfelouers and proud men gaze vpon my face and hollowe eies let all men looke vpon me amende their liues for as I am euen so shall they be Sixtly let al Christians look vpon me courtiers and countrey men highe and lowe rich and poore yoong and old noble and vnnoble all let them looke vpon mee and remember their end Die they shal al this 〈…〉 l remember that they may neuer sinne Let all swearing belly gods al selfelouers men or women that monstrously disguise chast nature and paint their bodies which are stinking toombes of their seelie soules with intollerable vanities let al that care for beawties hewe looke vpon mee and iudge of theyr owne vanitie and condemne themselues least they be iudged of the Lord. For their broydered hayre their faced and defaced apparell theyr superfluous lasings their sumptuous Veluetes and silks their golden caules their wrought clothes their ringed fingers and their costlie fare in this worlde which Lazarus wanteth they are all vanitie neither shal they redeem them but to earth they shall and vanish with the vapour They shal al sleepe with me and they shall be one daye no better than I am worms meat stinking carcases duste and ashes they shall be whatsoeuer they doo appeare to the foolish world Kinges and princes magistrates and subiects schollers and maisters rich and poore al may looke vpon me For I am able to teache them a lesson which they forget dailie That earth they are and vnto earth they must with mee one daie and noe man knoweth howe soone Disdaine not to learne this at me for I teach you the truth which one day you your selues shal approue to be very true Seuenthly let all mourning mothers sorrowing friends lette them giue ouer weeping and vnchrystian wailinge For that cannot helpe them because it grudgeth and complai neth againste the will of God but rather let them bee merrie and reioise For behold this life is a warfare euen a continual warfare as Iob calleth it and death is a sleepe a sweete sleepe so that by it I rest from my labours I am deliuered from daunger to safetye from labour to ioye from trauel to rest from paine to pleasure and lie in the earth as it were in a bed till I must rise to iudgement This is the lucky estate of them that are dead in the lord And therfore did father Simeon desire to departe in peace and Paule counted hymselfe a wretch because hee was not deliuered from this bodye of sinne So that you haue no cause to mourne for your friends whoe by deathe are passed beyonde death euen to life to liue with GOD and to see him face to face euen as hee is But rather you haue cause to reioyse because by death they are taken into ioye to be where Christe Iesus is The dead man is but a sleepe hee is not dead but for a time and at length he shall awake euen by the sounde of a trumpet and crie of an Archangell to see his redeemer in heauen where he with thee and thou with him and the Heauenlye armie of Angels saints mailiue for euer Looke vpon me and remember this al you that mourne for the death of your friendes For blessed am I and thrise blessed This worlde is an exile Heauen my naturall countrey and so by death I am deliuered frō exile and heerein I am verie happie This present worlde is euill in heauen are ioyes that passe sense and conceit And so by death in the Lorde I am freed from euil and placed in ioye and heerin I am happie This world is no continuing citie but another that is heauen which when I liued in faith I looked for so that by death I am set in a permanent place and heerein am I happy This life is a pilgrimage hea uen my home and so by death of a pilgrim I am made a citizen and heerein I am happy To conclude by death from earth to heauen from men to Angels from warre to peace from paine to pleasure from griefe to euerlasting gladnes from vanitie miserie to perpetuall felicitie I haue passed in peace herin I am happie So that death is not to bee feared nor yet to bee lamented but rather welcome in ioye of spirit whensoeuer it commeth And for this are al Christians bound to render hartie thanks vnto the Lorde that hath turned the cursse into a blessinge and by his pretious death vpon the crosse made death no deth but an entrie to life a passage to ioy a deliuery from miserie For this blessing blessed be the name of the Lorde and let al people say Amen Imprint these few lessons in your memoryes and engraue them in the tables of your harts And thus farwel A Lodge for Lazarus Wherein the poore and friendlesse are exceedinglie comforted in spirit against all kinde of calamities incident to this temporall and miserable life made by the sayd E. H. THere are two sorts of pilgrimes in the worlde some are rich and some are pore Though the earth be the Lordes and the riches thereof his owne possessions though al men be his subiects haue deserued the like condition of life yet to blase his