will only trust vpon him Sixtly moreouer welbeloued though nowe death at the last will come and stare in your face and should with his greuous countenance make you afraid for he is such a capteine and giant that he will make one beléeue he will eate vp the whole world and therfore he gapeth so wide yet be not afraide of him for he aduaunceth him selfe maruellously and is ougly to behold howbeit he hath no power nor strength anye more to ouerthrowe you For Christe hath matched him throughly wounded him séeing that he hath layd hande vpon Christ the right Lion therefore is all his strength taken from him Therfore he shall be to the faithfull no more death but only a sléepe as Saint Paul in the second Epistle to Timothie the first Chapter doth witnesse and declare very plainly and comfortably where he saith Christe Iesus our sauiour hath taken the strength from death and brought vs the light life and a being by meanes of the Gospell that shall neuer corrupt nor perish Yea the faythfull shall neuer taste of death as Christe witnesseth him selfe being the very trueth Iohn the eight Chapter where he saith thus Verily verily I tell you if any man will keepe my word by faith he shall not taste of death euerlastingly Looke and marke well what a noble vertuous and right beléefe is for that ouercommeth and driueth away all aduersitie all plagues sinne death it selfe And a faithfull person goeth cleane through death to the right life as our Lord Christ againe witnesseth Iohn 5. where he saith thus Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my worde and beleeueth on him that hath sent me he hath euerlasting life and shall not enter into iudgement but he passeth through death to life There doe you sée what is necessarie for you yea you shall escape the iudgement of God ouercome death and inioy euerlasting life namely to heare Gods word as Christe saith and beléeue the same It requireth no great cunning wisedome strength might liueland and preparation to ouercome death but this ouercomming victorie or triumphe is in these two pointes to heare and to beléeue Surely my thinketh this is a maruellous victorie that a poore wretched weake and sicke man that by reason of weakenesse can scant moue hande nor foote can ouercome so great a giant as death onely with a Christianlike hearing and a beléeuing heart But thus can Christ auenge him selfe vpon suche a strong enimie death that would gladly haue eaten and swalowed vp Christ that he hath so wonderfully taken away the strength from death that a poore wretched man may ouercome death besides that may mocke and laugh him to scorne that is I thinke death rightly to despise and contemne But howe commeth that to passe that we ouerrun and wearied by death shall neuerthelesse abide still aliue That is as Christ him selfe saith Iohn 11. where he sayth thus I am the resurrection and the life who so euer beleeueth on me shall liue although he seeme to dye And whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth on me shall neuermore dye This is the right and onely cause that the faithfull yea in the middest of death imbrace the right life Christ our Lord that giueth againe vnto them life For as little nowe can death any more wearie or ouercome our Lord or holde him in death so little can he either punish or quarell with any faithfull men For seeing that Christ which is the life doth still liue and can neuermore be ouercome so may the faithfull neuer abide prisoner in death but he breaketh out valiantly with Christe and singeth the merrie song of thankes giuing and of triumph Death is swallowed vp in victorie for where is thy sting Thus shal a Christian souldier looke death betwéen the browes and manfully wage battell with him or else woulde death eate vp and swallow the whole world But if you will with a true faith encounter â—ith him then will he quietly let you â—lone Wherevnto Christe helpe you he valiaunt and puissaunt king ouer â—eath and life Amen Seuenthly also welbeloued if the diâ—ell the tempter would lay hand vpon â—ou assault or make you despaire as â—hough you did belong to his kingdome â—r were in his claws thus shal you enâ—ounter him stande against him beate â—im ouercome him first by earnest â—rayers and calling vpoÌ„ God for grace helpe and comfort as our Lord Christe admonished his Disciples Matth. 26. where he saith thus Pray you least ye fall â—nto temptation As also our louing Lord Christ him selfe hath taught vs to pray Luke 12. Oh Lord and father leade vs not into temptation specially when we â—re tempted by sathan and assaulted that we through thy grace and holy spirite may withstande him and that we may eschue his persuasions and enticementes to doubt Therefore thus withstand him by prayer for sathan is falne downe hither to vs swiftly and inuisibly as Christe our sauiour witnesseth Luke 10. where he saith thus I sawe Sathan fal from heauen like a lightening But wherefore Truely therefore as Christ further teacheth his Apostles Luke 22. where he saith thus Simon Simon beholde Sathan hath desired you that he might fift you as wheat is sifted But I haue prayed for thee that thy faith shall not faile Beholde nowe how sathan prouleth after euery man he spareth no man he durst assault the best and holiest men namely Adam and Eue in Paradise though they were made to the Image of god Also he hath not spared Gods own sonne but assaulted and tempted him in the wildernes so hath he also desired to doe the like with the deare Apostles as you heard euen nowe therefore it is to be feared he will also not spare you Séeing then that is to be feared and that we knowe his meaning as Saint Paule saith in his second Epistle to the Corinthians the second Chapter that we shuld looke about vs that we be not deceiued of sathan For saith he It is not vnknowne vnâ—o vs what he purposeth and goeth about Therefore haue a good eye vppon this â—armefull and perillous tempter and â—riue him away by godly prayers Againe thus shall you desend stand â—gainst sathan with a stedfast faith on Christ our Lord chiefly that Christe is â—ur high Priest and King which hath oâ—ercome sathan the same Lord can for our commoditie destroy sathan ouerâ—ome him therefore shall you stedfastly â—eléeue the Christ your mightie King can â—unt driue away sathan froÌ„ you with â—ll fantasies dreames toyes and deâ—eites For He goeth as saith Saint Peter 1. Pet. 5. about as a roaring Lion and seeketh whom hee may deuour whome saith the Apostle resist you being strong in faith therefore take the shield of faith As Saint Paule further warneth vs where he in the 6. to the Ephesians saith thus Before all things saith he take the shield of faith whereby ye may quenche â—all the fierie dartes of the
that doeth nothing else then looke to the sicke helpe them vp strengthen them and maketh them whole and as Esaie saith He will not breake a brused reede nor he will not quench the smoaking flaxe I beléeue also the rising of the body that my body whiche the wormes shall eate shall arise againe euen as it was before For Christe at the last day shall raise it vppe according to his promise where he saith Iohn 6. This is the will of him that sent me that whosoeuer seeth the sonne and beleeueth on him shall haue euerlasting life and I will raise him at the last day And Whosoeuer eateth of my flesh and drinketh of my bloud hath euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day I beléeue that after this life there shal be an euerlasting life so that I shal liue with Christ for euer according to his promise Iohn 5. where he saith Verily verily I say vnto you who so euer heareth my worde and beleeueth on him that sent me he hath euerlasting life and commeth not into iudgment but he passeth clean through death to life And Whosoeuer beleueth on the sonne he hath euerlasting life And Verily verily I say vnto you if any mā will keepe my word he shall not see euerlasting death Item I am the breade of life saith Christ Iohn 6. which is come from heauen whosoeuer shall eate of this breade shall liue for euer Nowe welbeloued séeing your time draweth on stand stedfast vpon the only rocke Christe our Lorde Then can no storme no whirlwinde yea hell gates them selues can not remoue nor ouerwhelme you For whosoeuer beléeueth vpon our Lord God shal neuer fall nor be ouerturned but shall abide for euer Therfore call vpon our Lord God with your whole heart for he is rich ouer all that call vpon him and he will be nigh to all them that pray to him to al them that call vpon him with their heartes and graunteth all thinges which they that feare God do require heareth their cry and helpeth them Therfore cal vpon God the most highest in the name of Iesus Christe that he will shewe vnto you his great plentifull mercy and powre out vpon you in the time of grace richly his mercy For séeing that our Lord is the spring it selfe of Gods mercy and Christ his onely begotten sonne is the pipe conduit wherby such plentie of grace and mercy floweth and is conueyed vnto vs take yet againe fast hold in this your extreame néede of the ouerflowing and floud of Gods grace specially Iesus Christe the scrine and casket wherein Gods mercy is locked vp for Christ is ful of grace and truth Ioh. 1. For the euerlasting sonne of God hath brought with him such great plentie of grace that he hath therewith fulfilled the whole worlde for heauen and earth is full thereof And also Christe is full of truth so that he is not alonly the truth it selfe but also meaneth heartily and truly with vs and will take to him selfe your soule with great veritie and earnestly Therfore be of good comfort that your name is written in the booke of life you are fully cleansed with the bloud of Christ and annoynted with the holy Ghost The same holy spirite assureth your heart that you also be one of the very children of god And albeit it doeth not as yet appeare what you be yet knowe you that when it shall appeare then ye shall be like vnto him Iohn Chap. 8. For ye shall be partaker of the godly nature Pet. 2. Chap. 1. specially when Christe our sauiour shall come hither from heauen and glorifie your miserable body and make it like vnto his glorified body after his mighty power and working Phil. 3. Christe Iesus is the onely refuge of all poore penisent sinners he onely is your strength your comfort hope and strong tower in all néede and aduersitie Therefore goe without feare into the danger of death Christ in the twinckling of an eye being your euerlasting king will plucke you out againe bring you to light and make you righteous and liuing Wherfore giue your self ouer valiantly from this life vnto death and be not afraide séeing that death hath lost all his might and strength on the faithfull Christ the victorious conquerer hath taken from death al his strength so that from hence foorth he can no more hurt wearie or deuour any Christian Wherefore will ye then be dismaide or afraide for suche a shadow or visar of death Death may for a litle while roare whet his téeth but he can do no more for Christe hath taken his sting from him and likewise is Gods euerlasting iudgment through the Sauiour of the worlde taken from you And Christ the only sonne of God hath appeased the iustice of God layde the same farr enough out of your way So that from hencefoorth you shall neuer be called to appeare before the iudgment seate of GOD nor you shall not néede to appeare neither aunswere for your sinne bicause Iesus your sauiour hath made you frée from it Therefore chearefully appeale from the iudgment seate vnto the throne of mercy which is Christ your deliuerer call earnestly vpon the stoole of grace whervpon gods mercy resteth and dwelleth in Christe Iesus the sonne of the highest therfore can no complaint come against you nether sinne death hell nor sathan him selfe Christ is the true Lion of the tribe of Iuda which for your sakes hath subdued vtterly all your enimies wiped blotted out all sinne and swallowed vp death so there remaineth now no more but that the body must suffer and abide only one litle shiuering and shrinking after that you shal be perfectly safe and sure Fight therefore manfully as a valiant Rutter or Capteine against the dragon and hell gates then will Christ with the hoast armie of heauen méete you and receiue your soule to carrie it with him into euerlasting ioy and felicitie Amen ¶ If any be disposed they may rehearse againe to the sicke the twelue Articles of our beleefe for they be the very ancor yea the very foundation of our beleefe which wee can neuer sufficiently meditate and thinke vpon It is therefore very meete and necessarie seeing in our youth wee bee baptised in them that wee continually be fed with them then shall wee ioyfully die in them It were very good that we should alwayes in time of our health remember them and learne perfectly to vnderstande them Then when we lye on our death bed we shall not so much neede to be put in remembraunce And if a man ready to die in time of neede specially if death come soudenly vpon him confesse no more but the onely articles of our true and auncient faith and Christian religion it were sufficient specialy if those articles were holden and professed by him that lyeth dying with a faithfull heart For we hope yea we earnestly beleeue that our beloued ancestors in the
the holy Euangelist in his first Epistle and the thirde Chapter The bloud of Iesus Christe Gods Sonne maketh vs cleane from all sinne Beléeue these wholsome comfortable and gratious wordes stande stedfastly in a true beléefe so shall you be a childe of euerlasting life Amen Sixtly nowe dearely beloued séeing you haue humbled your selfe before our Lorde God confessed your sinnes and haue cryed for grace and mercy ye shal nowe call vnto our Lord God from all your heart first and chiefly séeke for helpe and say thus OH thou mercifull good God father I come now to thée in my great necessitie and cry vnto thée and complain from the bottome of my heart as to my louing father my greuous passions and griefes and exhort thée that thou wilt remember thy comfortable promises for thou hast gratiously promised that I shal be heard where thou in the 50. Psal. saiest Cal vpon me in thy necessitie or trouble and I wil heare thee thou shalt praise me And Saint Marke in the 11. Chapter saith What so euer you aske in your prayers onely beleeue that you shall receiue it and so shall you haue it Vnto these thy promises come I forsaken miserable wretche and craue of thée helpe and comfort therefore my chiefly beloued Lord and father help me out of this my griefe and trouble and forsake me not in any of my tormentes for thine onely begotten deare Sonne Iesus Christes sake Therfore shall I alwayes highly laud praise thy name giue thée thanks frō the bottom of my hart for al thy benefits set foorth number the same always Seuenthly nowe deare friend séeing that your offences commited might make you afraide and weaken your faith that ye dare not with all confidence and sure trust require at Gods hand and hope for helpe and grace and trust surely vppon his mercie you shall in this manner call vppon God for forgiuenes of your sinnes and speake thus Oh thou most deare Lorde and very louing God séeing thou hast made vs so many and great promises whereby we might be richly comforted strengthened in all our troubles and aduersities I am bolde to put thée in remembraunce once againe very earnestly of thy true promises whiche thou hast made vnto me in the 6. of Saint Matthewe where thou hast promised me forgiuenesse of all my sinnes if I do forgiue my neighbours that wherein they haue offended against me For these be thy wordes If you forgiue other their faults so wil also your heauenly father forgiue you your offences Therefore come I vnto thée and stay me vpon thy worde specially that thou wilt forgiue me all my sinns according to thy mercifull promise fréely for nothing so that I also doe forgiue other For these nowe I praye vnto thée my Lord and God that thou wilt send into my heart thy holy spirite for thy bitter passion death sake that he may make cleane my sinfull hart lighten and kindle a feruent heate in me that I also may forget and forgiue For of myne own power I can do nothing so from the bottome of my heart shall I forgiue euery man both my friendes and enimies what so euer they haue done against me and put out of my heart all manner of malice hatred enimitie and displeasure And séeing that I now through thy grace perceiue such loue against myne enimie so am I nowe persuaded according to thy promises that thou nowe hast clearely forgiuen me all my sinnes of méere mercy without my desertes For there haue I a perfect signe good assuraunce séeing I haue according to thy promise forgiuen euery man that thou also hast forgiuen me all Do with me according to thy promise for thy word is true whatsoeuer thou sayest that kéepest thou assuredly Vpon this thy word do I stay without all doubt beléeue I thy promise that I haue now gotten forgiuenesse of all my sinnes wherefore I haue nowe a frée safe and ioyfull conscience that I know not now of any sin in me that I haue obteined from God peace ioy in the holy ghost that I certeinely persuade my selfe of Amen Eightly now welbeloued the holy scripture sheweth vs of two giuings of Christ our lords body vnto vs The first is the generall giuing where Christ gaue vs wretched sinners his body vpon the crosse for an offering for our sinnes this giuing is made vnto vs our owne through true faith specially when we surely beléeue Gods promises Ioh. 6. Of this giuing witnesseth Christ himself Ioh. 3. where he saith thus So hath God loued the world that he hath giuen his owne sonne to the intent that al that beleue on him shuld not be destroied but inioy euerlasting life And further the holy Apostle S. Paule Rom. 8. witnesseth likewise saith If God be on our side who can be against vs whiche hath not spared his owne sonne but hath giuen him for vs all And Rom. 4. Christ is for our sinne sake giuen and for our righteousnesse sake raised vp againe And to the Ephe. 5. saith S. Paul moreouer Christ hath loued vs and giuen him selfe for vs an oblation sacrifice These such like sayings you shal diligently marke stedfastly beléeue that Christ our only sauiour hath giuen and offred vp his body bloud vpon the crosse for you a sufficient sacrifice for euer ye shal not néed to séeke or to hunt after any other sacrifice satisfaction or redemption for your sin but lay fast holde vpon this innocent lambe which hath borne the sinnes of the whole worlde The other giuing of the body bloud of our lord Christ is an especial giuing which is deliuered vnto vs in the sacrament Whereof Christ speaketh Matthewe 26. And holy Saint Paule in the 10. 11. Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians This second deliuering of the body and bloud of Christe in the sacrament is an assuring and an a certeyning of the establishing of the first deliuering or giuing For it confirmeth the first giuing which we receiue by faith And the second doth not profite or comfort vs without the first but is rather hurtful and damnable Therefore warneth vs also the holy Apostle S. Paule in the 11. Chap. of his saide first Epistle to the Corinthians that we shoulde well try our selues before that we receiue the holy sacrament of Christes body and bloud that no man receiue them to his condemnation This proofe standeth vpon thrée points First ye shal acknowledge your selfe for a miserable sinner that of him selfe and by him selfe can doe nothing nor hath any power to do any thing whereby he might be deliuered from his sinne God him selfe doth forgiue reconcile and pardon giueth true comfort purchaseth blessednesse specially to them that doe thirst after the grace of god And so of méere grace and mercie in Christe onely doe long after the kingdome of heauen Secondly examine
well your selues whether ye beléeue as Saint Paul saith in the 13. Chapter of his seconde Epistle to the Corinthes Try your selues saith he whether ye be in belefe proue your selues c. Specially that ye earnestly stedfastly beléeue the godly promise that is promised in the Sacrament Item wherfore that godly meate is giuen vnto you Thirdly examine your selfe well whether ye canne and will forgiue your neighbor whether they be friends or foes that haue offended or hurt you whereby ye can shewe towards al men a Christian friendly louing and courteous heart and good will. For this pray vnto our Lord God nowe once againe And if for your sicknesse you can not speake it with your mouth yet in your heart inwardly say thus My Lorde Iesus Christe I come againe as a wretched sinner vnto thée that haue many times offended thée haue deserued nothing but thy euerlasting displeasure and punishment But seeing thou art so gentle and mercifull thou willest not the death of a sinner but that he repent and liue therefore hast thou established among vs a newe Testament whiche was long before promised by thy holy prophetes that thou wouldest take our sinnes from vs through thy death and the same neuer after remember And also before thy death hast made thy last will and therein hast made vs an assured promise that thou wouldest giue vs thy body for our redemption to be slaine and shed thy bloud for remission of our sinnes For thus soundeth thy gratious promise Take eate this is my body which shal be giuen for you This is the cupp◠of the newe testament in my bloud which shal be shed for you for the forgiuenesse of your sinnes This thy promise doe I beléeue stedfastly and for assurance thereof I haue before this time in my good health of body many times in the congregation of God receiued the holy Sacrament of thy very body and bloud wherof at this present I doe not doubt but am nowe certeinly and assuredly persuaded of al thy graces and mercies Be it vnto me according to thy word ¶ Here it is good to put the sicke body in remembraunce shortly what hath beene saide before after this manner Ninethly now deare friends I haue tolde you in the beginning how that all aduersities and troubles come from our Lord God and be laide vpon his of fatherly and true loue Therefore shall you be certeinely persuaded that this your sicknesse is by God therefore laide vpon you that the old man with Christ shoulde be nayled vpon the crosse that the sinfull body shoulde cease and a new and perfecte man appeare thereof whiche with Christe shall inioy euerlasting ioy and felicitie For Flesh and bloud can not enherit the kingdome of God As saint Paule witnesseth 1. Cor. 15. The olde man must full and whole be destroyed and as Christe in the 12. Chap. of Saint Iohn saith Except that the wheate corne fall into the earth and die so remaineth it but one corne But if it die it bringeth forth much fruite Thus must all both within and without vs be forsaken the olde Adam with all his wisedome reason and vnderstanding come to nought wherby a newe man may appeare at that day as Saint Paule saith 1. Cor. 15. Where he speaketh thus That whiche we see is not liuely except it first die It is sowen in corruption and shall rise againe in glorie It is sowen in dishonour and shall rise againe in honour It was sowen in weakenesse and shall rise againe in might It was sowen a naturall body and it shall rise againe a spirituall body When this corruptible body hath put on incorruption and this mortalitie hath put on immortalitie then shal be fulfilled the saying which is written Death is swalowed vp in victorie Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victorie God be praised that hath giuen vs the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christe Secondarily séeing the case standeth thus you shall nowe further resigne and forsake your owne wil and giue it ouer to Gods wil and pray as our Lord God hath taught vs to pray Matth. 6. and say Father thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen And as Christe Gods sonne him selfe at the houre of his death hath done and hath set forth vnto vs an example to be followed where he saide vpon mount Oliuet Matth 26. Father not my will but thy will be done So shall ye also doe vnto him conforme your selfe in all thinges to God him selfe our Lord and giue ouer all thinges to him our body our life our soule our estimation our goods friendes wife children and all c. and say thus NOw my Lord and God wil it none otherwise be but that I must at this time néedes drinke the cuppe of my passion that thou haste filled for me to drinke let thy will be done As thou willest so will I also I am willing and readie I am thy childe and thou arte my louing father thou wilt not destroy me that I knowe right well Oh onely giue thou me grace strength power mercie patience to suffer all thinges willingly that I may to thée kéepe a right holy day continually holde fast by thée and willingly to suffer thée to doe with me according to thy fatherly good will and pleasure Then shall I thrée dayes long rest lie with Christe in the graue hope for a ioyfull resurrection of all beléeuers at domes day according to the comfortable promise of Christe Iohn the 6. where Christe saith thus This is the will of him that sent me that he that seeth the sonne and beleeueth on him haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the latter day Thirdly ye shall also further vnderstande and beléeue certeinely that this your sicknesse howe great howe sore howe gréeuous to suffer howe long and painefull soeuer it bée yet is it not sufficient to appease pacifie Gods wrath to take away your sinnes and to purchase you euerlasting life For ye shall stedfastly beléeue this that deseruing of any Saint nor your owne worke how precious so euer it bée or may bée can gett you heauen or can deserue it For Saint Paule saith Rom. 8. That All the sufferinges in this worlde be not worthie of that glorie that shal be shewed vnto vs. Fourthly ye shall vndoubtedly beléeue that the onely passion and death of our Lorde Iesus Christe is a sufficient oblation for your sinnes For The Lorde Iesus is made for vs from God to be our wisedome our righteousnesse our sanctification and deliuerer as the Apostle saint Paul witnesseth in the first to the Corinthians the first Chapter For there is none other name giuē to men nor there is in none other helth wherin we shal be saued then only in the name of Iesus Christe c. As likewise witnesseth Saint Peter Acts the fourth For God hath made him that neuer knewe sinne for our sakes to
wicked Therfore beléeue stedfastly by this noble counsell of the holy Apostle Saint Paule where be speaketh in the first Chapter to the Ephesians and in the first to the Colossians in this maner God hath deliuered vs from the Prince of darkenesse and hath established vs in the kingdome of his louing sonne of whome we haue our deliueraunce through his bloud specially the forgiuenesse of sinns acording to the richnes of his grace There doe you heare and must with your whole heart beléeue that our Lord Christe hath deliuered you from the power of sathan so that the gates of hell can not preuaile against you Matth. 16. Thirdly if sathan moreouer will encounter with you then take you the sword of the holy ghost which is Gods worde after the counsell of the holy Apostle in the 6. to the Ephesians and set vpon him with Gods worde after the example of Christ Matth. 4. Therefore if he will say vnto you this or such like wordes The vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God. the sixt Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians IteÌ„ it is written Who so euer sinneth is of sathan the first Epistle of Saint Iohn the â—hird Chapter Then shall you answere â—im againe with Christ and say Away â—athan for it is also written c. And also 〈◊〉 desire not the death of a sinner saith our Lord God but that he amend him selfe â—â—ue And Christe in the 9. of Matthewe â—aith thus I am come to call sinners to reâ—entance And Matthewe 18. and Luke 9. The sonne of man saith Christ is come â—o seeke and to make blessed that that was â—â—st Nowe looke sathan though I be inâ—éed a wretched sinner yet is not Gods will that I should be for euer condemâ—ed but that I should liue Albeit then that I be a lost shéep yet will Christ the â—igh shepheard of my soule séek me out and saue me of this I doubt nothing at â—ll Therefore avaunt harmefull diuel thou hast nothing to do here séeing that Christ my Lorde hath clothed and coueâ—ed me with his innocencie vertues holinesse for I haue put on Christe my Lorde in my baptisme Galathians the â—hird Chapter I haue put on the wedâ—ing garment in which I shall appeare before God and dwell in his kingdome for euer and euer Amen Beholde thus shall you driue away the wicked flend and striue and fight against him as a Christian Capteine to the end that ye may atteine at the great day vnto the euerlasting crown Thus wil our Lord God which is the God of peace tread downe sathan after a litle time vnder your feete as Saint Paule writeth in the 16. to the Romanes Eightly if welbeloued the euerlasting iudgement hell and euerlasting damnation assault you as though you were one that should be damned or forsaken and lost and woulde make hell mouth gape and open wide vppon you thus comforte and refreshe your selfe euer and quickly with Gods word reléeue and coole your selfe with the freshe water that springeth and floweth out of the treasure of Gods mercy against sin and filthy liuing which water we haue in the Gospell where also the holy prophet Zacharias maketh mention in the 13. Chapter and the Prophete Esaie in 55. Cha. Thus imbrace now with true â—ith the noble coÌ„fortable pleasant sayâ—ngs promises of God of euerlasting â—â—fe whereof this is one Iohn 3. where â—ur Lorde Christe speaketh thus God â—â—th not sent his son into the world that he â—â—uld coÌ„demne the world but that the world â—hrough him should be saued Whosoeuer beâ—eeueth on him shall not be condemned â— Iâ—em Iohn 5. Verily verily I say vnto you saith Christ our Lord Whosoeuer heaâ—eth my word beleeueth in him that hath sent me shal neuer enter into condemnation â—â—â—t he hath a through passage from death to â—â—e Item the third of S. Iohn Whosoeuer â—eleueth on the Sonne hath euerlasting life And moreouer he saith Like as Moses set vp a serpent in the wildernesse likewise â—â—ust the sonne of man also be lifted vp to the intent that all they that beleeue in him â—hould not be lost and perish but inioy and inâ—erite euerlasting life And God hath so loâ—â—d the world saith the euerlasting sonne â—f God him selfe that he hath giuen his 〈◊〉 sonne to the intent that all that beâ—eeue in him shoulde not be destroyed but should inioy euerlasting life Item Iohn the sixte thus saith Christe Verily verily I say vnto you he that beleeueth on me hath euerlasting life Item our Lorde Christe saith further thus This is the will of him that sent me that whosoeuer beholdeth the sonne and beleeueth on him shal haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day By this may you ioyfully say conclude and through true faith acknowledge that hel through the resurrection of Christe our deliuerer is shut vp against you for you beléeue the highest article of Christian religion where we beléeue and acknowledge that Christe our Lorde is gone downe into hell not for his owne sinne and vnrighteousnes sake but for the cause of our wickednesses by whiche we haue deserued the euerlasting plagues hell and damnation There hath Christ himselfe taken away that euerlasting correction done penaunce for it and made satisfaction broken hell and shut and stopped it vp and to be short in stead of euerlasting imprisonment dungeon and destruction purchased and giuen vs euerlasting life and brought vnto vs and giuen vs a triumphant victorie that we with him may nowe merily sing Hell where is thy victorie Beholde it behoueth you in such sore dangerous and lingering sicknesse and battel to shew and instruct your selfe that you be a childe of God and suffer not your selfe to be deceiued albeit it doeth not as yet appeare in this world nor can easily be perceiued whether we be presently through faith fully Gods children or not Iohn the first saith It doeth not yet nowe appeare what we be but we knowe that when it shal appeare then shal we be like vnto him The first of Saint Iohn the third Cap. Then shall we see him as he is and then shal we be pertakers of his Godly nature The seconde Epistle of Saint Peter the first Chapter Albeit that yet our knowledge and appearance what we be is vnperfecte and that we as yet beholde the maiestie of God as it were through a glasse in darknesse or in a cloude Yet shall we hereafter beholde him face to face Thus doe we waite for neuerthelesse these thinges in the meane season in blessed hope For we beholde our selues likewise by our selues childishlye and looke for the deliueraunce of our bodies for we shal be throughly blessed albeit in hope This hoping neuerthelesse that we sée is no hope for how can a man hope for that he seeth But if we hope for that we sée not then doe we looke after
The communion of Saintes The forgiuenes of sinnes The resurrection of the bodie and the life euerlasting Amen Oh highest comfort in all trouble helpe that we neither feare shame nor death that our senses be not dismayed when the enimie accuseth vs Lord haue pittie vppon vs. Fiftly if the partie lye long in a traunce For I haue many times seene that some haue lyen a long time as it were in a traunce and afterward haue begunne againe to speake and haue said that they very well heard and did vnderstand what hath then beene said vnto them Therefore they that will may rehearse to the sicke this short exposition of our beleefe I put all my trust hope and comfort onely in the méere grace and mercie of God that he onely himselfe can helpe me and none other creature howe holy soeuer he be in all my néede and trouble And séeing he is my father I beléeue stedfastly that he with all his hart will gladly helpe me neuer forsake me neither in this world nor in the world to come And because he is almightie God I beléeue that he can defend me and kéepe me from all that is against me For he onely is strong ynough for mine enimie by reason of his almightie power And séeing he is the creatour of heauen and earth I beléeue he can commaund all other creatures that none of them shall haue any power ouer me to my harme without his fatherly good will. Therefore do I looke for onely from this almightie God father creatour all good things and euerlasting life For all thinges come onely from him and are giuen vnto him for he will giue himselfe wholy and fully vnto me with all that he is and hath with heauen and earth with al creatures that they must serue me and profite me and further me toward euerlasting life I beléeue with all my heart that Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of the father from the beginning hath for my sake taken vpon him mans nature and that he was conceiued of the holy Ghost and borne of the holy virgin Marie as a right naturall mother and that that man is very truly God as an euerlasting and vndiuided person of God and man And that this sonne of God Marie our Lord Iesus Christ hath for me wretched sinner suffered was for me crucified and dead Wherby he hath deliuered me from sinne from death and from the euerlasting wrath of God by his innocent bloud whiche in his owne person suffered the pangues of death and hath tasted euerlasting hell and ouercome it to the intent that I should be reconciled with God and be made Lord ouer al mine enimies I beléeue that except the death of this sonne our Lord Iesus Christe I could neuer haue atteined vnto Gods fauour and my saluation neither by works nor by any manner of desert I beléeue that Iesus Christ my brother is risen from death for my righteousnesse and hath for my sake taken death and hell prisoner that they can neuer hurt me For I confesse that I shuld haue dyed for euer if Iesus Christ had not come to help me and taken vpon him as an innocent lamb my sinne faults curse and euerlasting death and hath satisfied for me by his passion and hath taken away the curse for me I beléeue that he doth daily like a faithfull mercifull Mediatour Sauiour and only Priest and Byshop of my soule appeare and intreate for me I beléeue that Christe with God equally ruleth and fulfilleth all thinges and that he is of equal power and might in heauen and in earth Lorde ouer all Lordes King ouer al Kings and aboue all cretures in heauen and in earth and vnder the earth aboue death and life aboue sinne and righteousnesse This King and Lorde shall goe before me in my passion and death shall hold battell and fight for me so that I with him shal be a Lorde ouer all mine enimies for euer and euer I beléeue that Christe crucified shall come againe at the last day and shall iudge and condemne those that will not beléeue on him but will defend me and all faithfull from the terrible iudgemēt of damnation perpetuall and say vnto vs Come ye hyther ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome whiche is prepared for you from the beeginning of the worlde coet I beléeue in the holy Ghost whiche with the father and the sonne is one very God and is procéeded from the father and the sonne euerlastingly and yet in one and the same godly being and nature an vndiuided person I beléeue that I by him shall be adorned with faith as with a liuing euerlasting godly gift and reward raised vp from death made frée from sinne and in my heart made merrie comforted and frée and safe in conscience For this is my reioycing that if I can finde in my hart such witnesse of Gods holy spirite that then God will be my father forgiue me my sinne and reward me with euerlasting life I beléeue that the holy Ghoste will help to beare mine infirmities and intreate for me with vnspeakable sighings strengthen me and light my hart that I may knowe the excéeding riches fatherly mercy that he hath giuen me rewarded me with of méere grace without all my deseruinges onely through Christ his beloued sonne by whome the father hath rewarded me with those his giftes But the holy Ghost teacheth me to knowe all these thinges he kindleth my heart and lighteneth me that these giftes come from aboue as Christe hath promised vs where he saith Iohn 7. He that beleueth in me as the scripture saith from his bodie shall flowe streames of liuing waters I beléeue that there is vpon earth one Christian church that is the congregation or number or assemblie méeting of all Christians in which there is one God one Lord one holy Ghost one faith one baptisme of which Churche Christ onely is the spouse and husband I beléeue that this Churche is the spirituall body and that Christ onely is her head I beléeue that Christ is the sauiour of this his body and Church and hath giuen him selfe for her that he might make her holy and hath cleansed her through the waterbath of his word that he may haue for him selfe a speciall congregation that neither hath spot nor wrinckle or any other infirmitie but that she may be holy and without fault a piller and foundation of trueth I beléeue that in this Christian congregation and where so euer it be that there also is forgiuing of sinnes There is the kingdome of grace and right pardon and that there is no saluation nor forgiuing of sins without Christendome I beléeue that no man can be saued except he be in this congregation and Church as a liuely member planted in his owne body I beléeue that in this kingdome there is not only once forgiuing of sinnes but as oft as we require and aske it For Christ is such a maister of the hospitall
muche offended against sinne not only with temporall punishment but also with euerlasting Therefore you shall vnderstande well knowe and learne that you by meanes of your doings and sinne haue wrought and deserued not only a temporall but also an euerlasting death For if God would deale with you acording to his earnest and vttermost iudgment then should your punishment be euerlasting and neuer haue end But séeing that God hath forséene you from the beginning and hath taken and receiued you through his fatherly correction in the time of grace but specially nowe at this time he will turne your euerlasting punishment into temporal punishment cut short his euerlasting anger and displeasure to a timely and tēporal anger And yet the same before him is no anger but a fatherly visitation whereby he will make you leape ouer the way to euerlasting damnation and lead you out of it and by this crosse he will bring you to the right way to heauen Therefore our Lord GOD of grace and fauour by meanes of the innocent death of his welbeloued sonne our Lord Christ will take from you the euerlasting punishment and take the same from your soule and lay it vppon your body so that both your body and your soule may at the length be made frée and deliuered wholy both from worldly and euerlasting punishment Therfore this worldly correction is laid vpon the body but as it were the space of the twinckling of an eye whereby you being warned of your vnpenitent life might leaue off to sin which otherwise will not be and you would still haue continued in sinne and thereby at the last haue fallen into the feareful anger of God and euerlasting torment plague Howbeit God of his great mercy hath taken mercy of your fall and will deliuer you from his great mightie strong and euerlasting iudgement The righteousnesse and iustice of God hath earnestly sought and required to haue her right vpon you that is to say euerlasting punishment and paine but the mercy of God hath on your behalfe stept in the middle and hath foughten against iudgement and mercy hath obteined the victorie and driuen iudgement backe so that she shal neuer hereafter lay any thing to your charge how be it so that righteousnesse is partly agréed with all and satisfied but onely temporally as farre as concerneth the body but not the soule This is a wonderfull battel and on your side maruellously brought aboute through grace For what is this temporal transitorie suffering enduring as it were but the twinckling of an eye in comparison of the euerlasting tormentes where you should haue abidden the euerlasting death and paine Therefore is this a tollerable yea rather an acceptable and pleasaunt exchaunge séeing we by our sinne haue deserued the euerlasting wrath of God punishment that this punishment now shall endure but for a time yea rather but the twinkling of an eye which else should haue béene euerlasting and fearefull if God in his anger would haue delt with vs Therefore nowe welbeloued you shall doe like one that hath his house a fire and burneth all in a flame so that it is vnpossible to be quenched Then wil he throwe out and fetche from thence all his treasure iewels And if he can saue them from burning he may with them build vp an other house Thus must you likewise do Your house I meane your body is of a light flame it so burneth with sinne that there is no hope to quench it you must now let your old house burne and now looke about and bethinke you howe to saue and deliuer your treasure and iewels that is your soule through a true faith in Christ your deliuerer then shall you wel at Doomes day thorough that iewel come to a new house where you shal haue a new bodie in the blessed resurrection of the elected and chosen people of God which neuer dieth nor thorough fire can be consumed But you shal then haue such a bodie as shal neuer die nor at any time suffer any griefe punishment paine harts sorrow trouble or néed neuermore forsakē but enioye euerlasting peace and blessednes Therefore praye now that he wil rule and turne the harts of the magistrates that they will lay vpon you of fauour such correction as shal be most séemely in this case that you may quietly suffer and beare For God ruleth the heartes of the magistrates and sitteth amongst them in their counsel iudgements And séeing the great magistrate is of your side you haue altogether and can lacke nothing Thirdly marke also further welbeloued that Gods iudgement euer beginneth at his owne children For whensoeuer he purposeth to correcte the world with his displeasure and earnest punishment first of all he séeketh out his owne and visiteth them and correcteth them first of all with his fatherly rodde whereby he may saue and deliuer them from the endlesse and euerlasting damnation as S. Peter sheweth in his first Epistle and 4 Chap. out of the holy prophet Ieremie in the 25. Chapter The iudgement of God saith he beginneth at Gods house And as Dauid saith Psa. 75. The Lord hath a cuppe in his hand which is full of mightie wine he skinketh and filleth out of it But godlesse people must drincke all out and make a carrouse and suppe vppe the very dregges of Gods wrath It is hereby ment GOD giueth euery bodie their measure that they shal suffer but the grounds and dregges remaine for the vngodly especially for the stubborne froward and vnpenitent world which will néedes perishe in their stubbornes But the iudgement anger correction and visitation which God of his grace layeth vppon his children is after many sortes God correcteth some of his children with sicknes some with pouerty some with imprisonment some with contempt that they be not regarded nor any accompt made of them some other with temporal death by the magistrate as he hath now purposed to correct you therefore it appeareth outwardly that God sheweth himselfe as thoughe he were angrie with you But With him there is no anger for his anger lasteth but the twinkling of an eye after that he taketh vppe his againe with euerlasting grace and mercie As the prophet Esaias in his 54. Chapter saith And as Dauid remembreth in his 89. Psalme If the children of grace breake and forsake Gods commandementes and keepe not Gods lawes then will God with his rodde seuerely visite them But hee will not turne his grace from them The cause is the mercifull couenaunt which God hath by meanes of his onely begotten sonne made and established with his children Fourthly thus you shall earnestly beléeue that this your suffering care shame martyrdome and death is not sufficient thereby to purchase euerlasting life For if you by your death and paines might before God do penance and satisfie then dyed our Lord Christe in vaine but séeing he dyed he hath by that his suffering passion and death done
further earnestâ—â— marke vnderstand and knowe that â—ot only al punishments and sufferings â—â—me from God and be layde vppon vs â—â—y God but ye shall also earnestly beâ—eue that GOD fendeth vnto his chilâ—â—en as a very merciful father such puâ—â—shmentes and sufferings of méere faâ—our and grace to his owne for their â—â—ofite and commoditie For there be two causes why God â—â—ndeth vnto vs aduersities troubles â—â—d passions séeing that God hath two â—â—tes of children vpon the earth Some many times lead a long time 〈◊〉 vnrepentaunt life they cannot not abide that a man of loue and good will say any thing vnto them but continually runne foreward in their mischiefous frowarde and naughtie wayes They haue GOD very little before their eyes Therfore must God lay hold on them restraine draw them backe and to true repentaunce and godly liuing driue and inforce them or els they will dye in their wicked froward conuersation Therfore doth God lay in the necke of backsliders from him some aduersitie that they may looke well about them and marke well who is at their backes and layeth such a yoke on their neckes at the last to knowe themselues and learne what they be whereabout they goe and howe they against GOD haue so grieuously offended Thus God correcteth them through punishmentes and learneth them as the Prophet Esaias saith in the 28. Chap. that doth the soule very much good and suche aduersitie is a precious medicine for trouble onely maketh a man take héede to the word Esaias 28. Then doeth â—e worde of God very well sauour vnto vs â—â—en it is pouldred mingled or sawced with â—ubles and passions For when trouble is at â—de then we seeke to God and when God â—h visite vs then we call earnestly Esai 〈◊〉 Therefore doeth God many times â—mplaine against his foolish ignoraunt â—ople Esaias 9. where God saith The â—â—ople do not turne backe to them that haue â—icken them nor inquireth after the Lord â—d of Sabbaoth Which is a great token â—an vnrepentant and stubberne heart â—esides that it is a great and heauie â—ne against the Lord God from whiâ—e God mercifully defend vs Amen The other cause wherfore our Lord â—d layeth troubles and aduersities vpâ—â—â—his children is this specially bicause â—e Lord God will leade his chosen chilâ—en from faith to faith and continualâ— maketh them expert and cunning in â—e knowledge of God and will thus â—oue them in faith and godly knowâ—ge whereby his name by this meaâ—s may be the better knowne coÌ„menâ—d praysed as we sée in good Dauid Ionas and Iob c. Fiftly séeing that ye perceiue and knowe that ye are flesh fleshly weaknesse hath many times preuailed and you had the vpper hande vpon you and you haue oftentimes giuen ouer your selfe to your olde Adam and followed fleshe and bloud too muche and thereby many times displeased our Lord god Thus shall you therefore before the high maiestie of GOD humble your selfe acknowledge your offences aske mercy haue a seuere purpose to absteine from sinne and if God will againe restore you to liue in a good perfect Christian penitent life to embrace Gods mercy in Christ our deliuerer stay and holde your selfe with an holie hope vpon his comfortable promises Therefore thus say earnestly after me with heart and minde ALmightie euerlasting most mercifull God Father I acknowledge from the bottome of my heart and say with my mouth that I am a poore and damnable sinner For I am in sin conceiued borne Besides that from my youth hitherto all the imaginations thoughtes of my heart haue bene very wicked and inclined to al sinne and vnrighteousnesse There is also no true feare of God no faithful loue of God no perfect faith of God in my heart hitherto oh Lord founden Also I haue with my mouth oh God little called vppon God my lord in my trouble fled vnto him for succour I haue also bene very vnthankfull to God my Lord for all his wonderfull benefites both bodily and ghostly Likewise also haue I litle praysed or set foreward the thankes due to God and the same acknowledged confessed much lesse haue I rightly ben desirous to set forward maintein Gods true seruice To be short I haue not in my whole life time done and brought forth any good thing wherby before god I haue brought foorth any godly coÌ„uersation to his glory honour and praise wherevnto he hath chiefly created and made me Al this I confesse and it grieueth me from the bottome of my heart that I haue so grieuously offended thée my very God Lord father especially with euill thoughts words and déedes Againe I acknowledge and confesse thée my Lord and God that I haue not rightly and truly obeied them to whom I ought obedience Also I haue oftentimes grieuously offended my neighbours and not sufficiently shewed vnto them Christian charitie and loue but haue bene many times disdainefull angrie fierce and very sowre Also I haue bene many times kindled in euil lustes and desires in forbidden loue Also I haue bene many times ouerséene with lewd thoughts I haue also many times ben too streight to my neighbours harmed them not holpen them defended them nor comforted them I haue likewise offended and hurt my neighbour by word spoken euill behinde his back and condemned him To be short all wicked desires and lustes haue taken in me very mightie vpperhand Therefore I acknowledge this my sinfull life require mercy haue pitie vpon me Lorde heauenly father for the bitter passion death of thine onely sonne our Lorde ¶ Heare your comfort Thus saith Saint Paule in the first Epistle to Timothie the seconde Chap. There is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man specially the man Iesus Christe that hath giuen him selfe for all for our deliuerance Beléeue this comfortable saying holde fast on Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour so shall you in your consciences rest in peace and quietnes with God the lord God graunt his grace thervnto Amen ¶ But if the sicke bodie be so weake and cannot make such a long confession you may vse an other shorter in this maner An other confession to the Lord God. OH thou merciful gratious good God and father I wretched sinfull sicke miserable forsaken creature come nowe before thy high and mightie maiestie as a poore sinfull creature full of sinne and vnrighteousnesse and confesse vnto thée froÌ„ my heart that I haue grieuously sinned against thée from my youth hitherto with wicked thoughtes words and déedes These do I acknowlege and confesse altogether generally for I am not able to remember number theÌ„ all at length particularly therefore my God be gratious to me a poore sinner through the deserts of thy louing Son our Lord Iesus Christ which was therfore slaine for me wretched sinner to the intent that I should be and remaine thy childe for euermore Amen Hearken to this comfort Thus saith S. Iohn
great darknes though they knew nothing of the brightnesse of Gods holy light and knowledge and yet confessed and dyed in this Christian beleefe and haue inioyed euerlasting life Therfore shall we bestowe our possible diligence to bring young children to be baptised those that be elder to be taught and those that bee at the point of death to be comforted euery man according to his measure and gift wherby as much as lyeth in vs no body shall bee taken tarde be vnprouided or dye in his errour and vnbeleefe But so to vse our selues that euery body may come vnto the knowledge of the truth be blessed and saued and so at the last commend in our prayer euery man one with an other vnto God which can mightily bring to passe al that we desire or require according to his power that worketh in vs To him be prayse in the congregation which is in Christe Iesus for euer and euer Amen Last of all now when the last pang commeth when the sick body beginneth to scrocle and shrincke vp his bodie as when one biteth vppon a sowre apple as the biting of Adams apple teacheth vs séeing the same bit and sinne is runne ouer vs all and therefore we all must raunsome it with our skinne and with death then may a man to conclude say to the sicke as followeth Lord into thy hand I commend my spirite Almightie God lead thy soule into euerlasting peace and blessednesse And our Lorde Iesus Christe raise vp againe at the last day this dead body to euerlasting honour and glorie Amen A short exhortation to them that be present and shall attend vppon the dead body WElbeloued in our Lord you haue nowe seene for a time the course of this departed bodie and howe like a good Christian and warriour it is departed out of this life Yea rather howe fatherly and gratiously our Lord God hath visited it how at the last he hath deliuered it from al aduersitie and trouble wherevnto the old Serpent of all mans progenie had brought vs Therefore séeing this dead person is so Christianly departed out of this life full of miserie let vs to the euerlasting praise thankes of God say ioyfully We praise thee ô God c. And to conclude inwardly with all our heartes call vppon him pray vnto him that he wil vouchsafe whâ—n we shal be in extremitie and perill of death gratiously defende vs and blesse vs and giue vnto vs a blessed houre thorough Christ his onely begotten sonne Therefore wéepe not as the heathen and infidels that beléeue not the resurrection and haue no hope thervppon For If we beleeue as witnesseth S. Paule 1. thess. 4. that Iesus died and is raised vp againe likewise also shall God with him lead all those that bee departed through Iesus Heare may we sée what it is to die well namely the death of Christ that of necessitie died for vs wretched sinners whereby through his death he hath purchased that we shal neuer die but sleepe only Out of which sléepe Christ a mightie Lorde and king shall at the last day raise vs vp if we beléeue vppon him and lead vs with himselfe into euerlasting blisse and peace Therefore suffer this sléeping bodie lie and rest and his soule in the meane season refresh it selfe and reioyce vntill that day when body and soule shall come againe together and enioy euerlasting felicitie Whervnto our Lord Iesus nowe helpe vs all together Amen Secondarily it is not possible that man may so much bridle nature that we should not be heauie and complaine after the death of our friendes And also Syrach saith the 38. chapiter My sonne powre foorth â—eares ouer the dead and beginne to mourne as if thou haddest suffered great harme thy selfe and then couer his body according as he hath appointed and neglect not his buriall Make a greeuous lamentation and be earnest in mourning and vse lamentation as he is worthie and that a day or two least thou be euil spoken on and then comfort thy selfe for thine heauinesse For of heauines commeth death the heauines of the heart breaketh the strength Of the afflictions of the heart commeth sorrow and the life of him that is afflicted is according to his heart Take no heauines in heart driue it away and remember the last end Forget it not for there is no turning againe thou shalt do him no good but hurt thy selfe Remember his iudgement thine also shal be likewise Vnto me yesterday and vnto thee to day Seeing the dead is at rest let his remembrance rest and comfort thy selfe againe for him seeing his spirite is departed from him Thus we sée that also the good Patriarches and holy people haue after this maner mourned as Abraham Ioseph Dauid c. But at the length they haue layd mourning aside and comforted themselues with the ioyefull resurrection Yea Christ himselfe mourned for dead Lazarus Iohn 11. Thirdly and last of all you shal worshipfully bring this dead body to the earth and shewe vppon it such manner of worke of loue as Syrach willeth vs in the vij Chapter saying Shewe thy good will vpon the dead specially worshipfully accompanie him conuey him and help him to his graue for the resurrection sake As Syrache also saith in the 38. Chapter When any dyeth burie him decently and bring his body worshipfully to the graue As did good Tobie Dauid and many moe to giue vs example how we ought to behaue our selues towardes the dead Our Lord God graunt vs his grace that euery of vs each one for other may be diligent in this behalfe whereby we all to the prayse of God and to the profit of our neighbours without let or offence may begin goe forward and happily end through Christe our Lorde in the holy Ghost Amen Thus you sée welbeloued in Christe our Lord vpon this dead body the earnest and high iudgement of GOD and what an extreme horror our Lorde God hath vpon sinne For who hath thus iudged this dead body taken from him his comely countenaunce giuen vnto him such an ougly looke face Onely death But wherfore Only bicause Death is the wages for sinne But if this dead man since his birth had not sinned then had sinne neuer had suche power ouer him But from whence hath death this power Only from Gods wrath and iudgment Therefore tremble looke vp to GOD auoyde sinne for this dead body maye be a warning vnto you that ye kéepe your selues from sinne Christ Iesus kéepe and defend vs altogether Amen ¶ To the Reader FRiendly and Christian Reader hitherto haue ye perceiued in plaine simple manner howe sicke persons are to be comforted I haue also shortly shewed you first of Repentaunce then of Faith and afterward of Good workes which I haue not done only for the sick and for such as be ready to dye but also for them that be in health to the intent that they that be whole in the
inioy euerlasting peace and happinesse Sixtely Nowe welbeloued while you be in the way to the kingdome of heauen and that you will euen now go thither it is good for you to knowe the way and diligently to learne it and to inquire after it least you wander or be lead or driuen from it Therfore learne well to lay hande and holdfast vpon the ladder to heauen which ladder the good Patriarch Iaacob did sée Gen. 8. That is the ladder whereby the Angels clime vp and downe vppon whiche from the earth with his top reacheth vp to heauen wherevpon at the vppermost part our Lord God standeth Christ him selfe is this ladder Iohn 1. Therefore holde fast by true faith vpon this ladder for No man can go to heauen but he that came from thence that is the sonne of man which is in heauen This Lord is the very ladder to heauen For by his manhoode he standeth vppon the earth and with his godhead he reacheth to heauen where God him selfe doth appeare If you will goe to heauen you must begin at Christes humanitie to clime vp specially through his passion and death and to séeke after his very godhead aboue vpon the top of the ladder where God him selfe is and say thus My Lorde and my God for as much as I must goe to heauen as I am very willing and euen now haue begunne be thou my ladder leader and guide for thou art the very way to heauen Iohn 14. And no man commeth to the father but through thée and by thée as thou thy selfe doest witnesse Iohn 10. where thou sayest thus I am the doore if any man enter in by me hee shall bee safe Thus shall you vnto the right way to heauen prepare and dresse your selfe for Christ is the onely gate into heauen Heauen it selfe is very wide and large but it hath but only one gate through the which a man may come but as soone as you haue gotten this gate and gotten through it then haue you left behinde you as it were in a heape al misfortune at once and then are you assured and defended by this gate that no aduersitie hereafter for euer can hurt you There do you lay at once at your backe death sinne diuell hell and all that can be against you There be you then sure and safe as in a strong castel that no man can any more stirre vp hurt against you Therefore let no man withdrawe you from this way goe vnto it boldly you shall come safe from thence to the kingdom of heauen thither shal the good angels be your guides that harme can not once touche you Be therefore of good courage our Lord Christe is your king which hath dyed before you hath made the pathe plaine and sufficiently strengthened and made safe this iourney therefore go streight foorth hold right on in this way turne of no side for You shall neyther goe on the right hande nor of the left as our Lord God doth cōmaund Deut. 12. You take the left hande out of the right way when you despaire of Gods mercy where God is before you And on the right hand you go out of the way too wide when you trust in your worke death passion and shame therfore abide in the middle way toward heauen and then shall you not goe out of the way Vpon this way shall you vndoubtedly finde the true life for our Lord Christe is not onely the way but also the life so that you shall receiue in Christ the true life as he saith and witnesseth of him selfe Iohn 11. I am saith Christe the resurrection and the life but not only the life for him selfe but suche a life as giueth the right life and diuideth it among all them that put their trust vpon Christe For Christ saith further also Whosoeuer beleeueth on me he shall liue though he be dead Suche a valiaunt and almightie thing is it about faith and about all the faithfull of Christe that they lay hande vpon life in the middest of death that they sing merrily In the middest of death we be in life Welbeloued you must vnfeignedly beléeue al this that it is no sport nor deceite that Christ saith and promiseth for he is the trueth it selfe his wordes be true and certeine therevpon shall you haue no manner of doubt for the truth it selfe doeth say I am the way and the trueth and the life and also the resurrection Whosoeuer beléeueth truely vpon him he receiueth in the midst of death the resurrection so that nowe you shall lye the twinckling of an eye in death slide thence to life But by this death through Christ you shall inioy euerlasting resurrection where you shal neuermore dy These be vnspeakable words and aboue measure comfortable gratious wordes that a wretched sinner only through beléefe in Christe shall finde life in death in dying resurrection and in the middest of the dongeon of darkenesse shall find the right way to heauen Therefore be of good comforte before death séeing that God is such a mightie Lorde that bringeth vnto you out of death life and bringeth you through the snares of death to euerlasting peace 〈◊〉 quietnes God graunt you this Amen Seuenthly Welbeloued for as muc◠as you be nowe through faith a member of Christ the olde serpent will now set vppon you and as he hath bitten Christe our head in the héele so will he a little whip your héele for that you are kept here and must dy that is his stroke and byte yea the poyson wherby the old serpent hath stinged and poysoned you Howbeit it is nothing else but a byting by the héele that can do you no hurt toward the right life She biteth the children of God after many ways but they againe treade vpon the olde serpentes head through our Lord Christe in that that they through beléefe as through the right Triacle and medicin driue away heale and quenche the stripe the biting and the poyson of the serpent Therfore valiantly tread down the serpents head in thy Lord Christ through a true Christian beléefe on the gratious promise of God that Christe is the onely head of Christendome which first of al with his passion death and ioyfull resurrection ouercame sathan and brake the serpents head The dragons head is diuers specially sinne death and hell There hath the old serpent opened his iawes would swalow vs vp in sinne death hel But our louing lord Christ hath broken the serpents scull so that she is not able anymore to gape against the faithfull that she may swalow them vppe as she hath purposed Therefore learne nowe howe you shall trouble charme coniure and ban or curse this serpent so that she shall not hurte you which you shall do if you ouercome her through beléefe in Christ and so shal you treade vpon her head Eighthly Although my welbeloued your wife children brother sister and your friends may tempt you that they shall
nowe be in néede and must suffer for your misdéedes let goe and let passe altogether all such thoughts and earthly temptations and thinke thus Well now albeit that I hitherto haue béene by God appointed and set to be a purueyor to take care to mainteine my wife children c. and I haue not honestly behaued my selfe in that calling I hartily therfore desire my Lord God in Christe Iesus my deliuerer that he will not lay to my charge that sinne but through grace pardon me for I am very sorie Therefore almightie God séeing thou wilt take that my care and office from me and put me besides it I commend them vnto thée as to the chiefest magistrate their Lorde defender father that thou wilt vouchsafe that I maye commende vnto thée my wife children and friendes and not to suffer that they shal be charged with mine offences but to take care for them defend them féede them and mainteine them as the true onely father in heauen and earth And that thou wilt vouchsafe in my stéed to send them some other that may leade them and bring them vp in godly feare and Christianlike conuersation And althoughe that they before the world must be charged with my faultes that thou wilt richly requite those things vnto them and lay against that thy gentle gratious and fatherly blessing so that they may enioye their innocencie All these thinges I cōmend vnto thée together Oh most mightie Lord and God into thy gratious hand Wherevnto also I commit my life and soule Therefore doe I yéeld vnto thy mercie altogether and in perfect trust blessed hope that thou wilt gratiously accept this my poore prayer heare me in Iesu Christ thine only louing sonne Amen Now welbeloued in this ouergiuing and prayer wherein you haue giuen ouer al things vnto God in your prayer and offered them vp you shall wholy throughly persuade your selfe of Gods mercie For God is rich toward them that call vppon him Beléeue this thing onely and so it will in déede come to passe according vnto the comfortable promise of Christ our Lord in the 11. of Marke where he comforteth such as doe pray and promiseth to giue them all Oure Lord Christ saith Whatsoeuer you pray for in your prayer onely beleeue that ye shall receiue it and you shall haue it And in Marke the 9. Christ saith thus If you can beleeue all thinges are possible to them that beleeue Therefore giue vnto our Lord God the glorie and estéeme him to be a true god Then will he for his trueth sake heare your prayer and kéepe you For He is gratious and mercifull of great goodnes trueth God surely is the highest but he looketh vppon the lowest very gladly and of them that be of gentle and courteous minde and heart Onely for his loue sake that he beareth towardes them that be of troubled and heauie hearts For they be so commended vnto him that he hath special regard vpon them As our Lord God himselfe acknowledgeth Esaie 66. where God saith thus I behold such as be in miserie and haue a contrite heart and on such as feare my word This is the right offering that pleaseth God specially a troubled spirit For A sorrowful troubled heart will not God despise Psalm 51. If you then can commend all your causes to God your very creatour giue ouer all to him then will he doe like a louing and gentle father can well tell how to prouide for all yours For he is the Iudge of the widowes and the father of orphanes and the fatherlesse As vpon him it is written in the Psalme 68. Then séeing that God by this means and crosse layd vppon you wil take you away from yours you shall not therefore sorrowe nor be dismayde specially séeing that within a short time you shal finde againe all your friends in euerlasting life euen as you beléeue the ioyful resurrection of all Christians to enioy euerlasting liuing There shall you find for your earthly friendes heauenly friendes To die you must necessarily and prepare your selfe therevnto as all mankinde must and no man be left behinde God doth this thing vnto you for the best bycause this way he doth shorten your griefes and pains helpeth you this way through all paine shame slander and death very easily and fatherly Therfore be lustie and of good courage he that layeth this crosse vpon you he will also helpe you to beare it giue you patience make a blessed end of it Ninethly Séeing then that God hath laid this crosse vpon you that you shuld heare it a very litle while therefore you shall not excuse your selfe nor make your fault light to the world nor smooth it as though you were guiltlesse or as though you had not deserued this your punishment laide vpon you Take not the figge leafe before thée thereby to couer thine offence as the nature of olde Adam is to doe and as Adam after his sinne would thereby haue couered him selfe But giue God the glorie as Iosua warned the offender Achan when he tooke him with the things that were cursed Iosua 7. Then said Iosua there vnto him My sonne giue to the Lord God of Israel the glory and giue him the prayse and tell me and confesse what hast thou done lye not Then also said Achan therevpon Surely I haue sinned against the Lorde the God of Israel thus thus haue I done c. There did Achan before all folke acknowledge his offence and albeit he were by the Magistrate condemned to dye by Gods appointment yet is he no doubt thereof taken vp through Gods mercy and much commended for his confession he gaue God the glory and so departed in Gods mercy Likewise welbeloued shall you also doe searche your heart giue God the glorie which alonly is good wise righteous and holy but all men be euill and false Take nothing hence with you carrie nothing awaye with you but searche your heart and conscience and what you haue don denie it not do not make it lesse but séeing it is manifest and knowne and séeing GOD hath brought your offence to light and by the magistrate ordeined will punish you therefore giue God prayse and thanks that he will of grace not punishe you for euer Thinke it is much better here before fewe folke to be a little while shamed then hereafter before al the world and the whole companie of heauen for all must come to light and be openly knowne therefore it is much better here then there Then séeing that God by the Magistrate hath made it knowne therefore suffer it patiently willingly and blame no man as though any man had opened it of malice or condemned you as your enimie The Magistrates iudgement is Gods iudgement and the sentence hath also pleased him He is the highest Iudge therefore blame no man and charge no man that is vnguiltie in this case If you haue
not though I be a very wretched sinner altogether for these causes séeing that thou by thy worde hast commaunded and promised that I shal be heard in what daunger and trouble so euer I be when I call vpon thée and that then I shall honour thée and euer acknowledge thée to be the true and very God séeing I perceiue that what so euer thou promisest that thou dost perfourme effectually Therefore beléeue I certeinly thy worde that thou wilt not denie it but vndoubtedly perfourme whatsoeuer thou hast once spoken therfore I beséech thée from the bottome of my heart that thou wilt help me out of my trouble and sicknesse and neuer forsake me but gratiously send me thy fatherly helpe and deliuer me from my distresse For there is no body vpon whō I can perceiue any helpe or goodnesse but only vpon thée therefore helpe thou me my lord and God but not according to my deserts worthinesse or goodnes but through the deserts of thy sonne Iesus Christe which hath purchased vnto me from thée all grace and fatherly fauour him dost thou loue and hast great pleasure in him and therfore thou wilt not forsake me for his sake but rather shewest vnto me all goodnesse therfore I commit my self wholy vnto thy mercy and fatherly goodnesse and put my whole cause vnto thée as to my louing father that thou wilt deliuer me out of all this trouble griefe weaknes paines when it shal please thy godly will therfore I will not appoint vnto thée neyther time nor space but earnestly hope vpon thée that thou wilt heare me and defend me though my case appeare very straunge and as impossible as it may be for thou art almightie hast might and power ouer all things and besides this thou art my father and art willing to doe it if it were nowe necessarie Therfore at thy hand I looke for al goodnesse be it vnto me according vnto thy true promise Amen Thirdly moreouer welbeloued let vs once againe lift vp our heartes and mindes vnto him from whome all help and goodnesse commeth chiefly vnto the father of all light which giueth euery good gift gratiously heareth vs Therfore séeing that your paines necessitie miserie and griefes stil continue therefore pray vnto our Lord God with holy Dauid and say thus Oh Lord punish me not in thine anger correct me not in thine me Lord be gratious vnto me for I am feeble heale me Lorde for my bones be afraide Turne thee Lord and deliuer my soule help me according to thy pleasure be not far from me for trouble is at hand for here is none that can helpe Remember Lorde thy mercy and thy goodnesse which hath ben since the world beganne Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor mine offences but thinke vpon me after thy mercy and according to thy goodnesse Lorde haue mercy vppon my misdeedes which be very great turne thee to me be gratious vnto me for I am forsaken and in miserie the heauinesse of my heart is great lead me out of my necessitie and need Behold my miserie and distresse and forgiue me all mine offences Lorde be gratious vnto me according to thy goodnesse and blot out all my sinnes after thy great mercy wash me cleane from mine offences make me pure from my sinnes for I acknowledge myne offences and my misdeedes be euer before me On thee alone haue I sinned and haue done euill in thy sight Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine offences Make a cleane heart within me and giue me a newe right spirit Cast me not out of thy sight and take not thine holy Ghost from me Comfort me againe with thy helpe and giue in me the spirite of peace Be vnto me a strong tower whether I may for euer flee for succour for thou hast promised to helpe me for thou art my rocke and my hill Oh Lorde I cry vnto thee bicause thou art gratious Lord for thy great goodnesse heare me with thy true help heare me Lorde for thy goodnesse is comfortable turne thee vnto me according to thy great mercy Lord be not farre from me My God make hast to helpe me Vpon thee Lord do I trust God helpe me out of all my needs and set me at libertie Looke vppon me and heare me Lord my god Lighten myne eyes that I may sleepe soundly in the middest of death I loue thee with all my heart Lorde God my strength Lorde my rocke my hill my deliuerer my God my castell vpon whome I trust my buckler and horne of my saluation my defence Lord in thee doe I trust let me neuer be confounded Deliuer me for thy iustice sake Bowe downe thine eares to me make speede to help me Be vnto me a strong rocke and an hill where thou maiest helpe me For thou art my rocke and my hill and for thy name sake leade me and bring mee foorth come to my soule and deliuer it keepe my soule and deliuer me Let me not be confounded for I trust in thee Lorde quicken me for thy name sake leade my soule out of this daunger for thy righteousnesse sake for my soule fainteth in my bodie and the feare of death is falen vpon me Feare and trembling compasseth me and loathsomenesse is falen vpon me I lie with my soule among the Lions therefore oh Lorde heare my prayers and let my crie come vnto thee Hide not thy face from me in my neede Bowe downe thine eare vnto me when I call vpon thee then heare me betime Nowe Lord wherein shall I comfort me I hope vpon thee leaue off from troubling me that I may refreshe my selfe before I goe hence and come no more againe If it please any man to say all the whole Psalms to be said to the sicke I will not complaine vppon him Therfore they that list may when he list sometime take these Psalmes hereafter following and read the same to the sicke and sometime make some shorte rehearsall of them and with them comfort the sicke body specially the 25. 51. 70. 71. 77. 87. 88. 103. 130. c. And if neede require a man may often repeate them or take some comfortable part of them and also like comfortable sayinges out of my litle booke called The spiritual conflict all which for shortnesse I leaue heere vntouched Fourthly if the sick bodie draw on and is neare his ende then say our beléefe that is the xij Articles of our holy faith thus J Beleeue in God the father Almightie maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord whiche was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell he rose againe the third day from the dead he ascended into heauen he sitteth on the right hand of God the father Almightie from thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beleeue in the holy ghost The holy catholique Church
sufficient penance for your sinnes appeased Gods wrath reconciled you to GOD his father and purchased for you euerlasting righteousnes blessednesse Therefore by this your suffering death you can not escape Gods iudgement nor make amendes to Gods iustice nor make satisfaction for euerlasting punishment but only thereby you do make satisfaction before the worlde For séeing that you haue done amisse offended the outwarde temporall and worldly iustice and transgressed and found guiltie thereof you must necessarily satisfie the same externall and outward iustice with such outward punishment as the worlde and the magistrate can doe for aboue that the world nor the magistrate can not reach nor giue correction But for as much as the offence whiche you haue committed against the Magistrate is also against God and his holy commaundementes specially this sinne whiche you at the first on the racke or pyning banke and after by your owne confession haue acknowledged besides other grieuous faultes wherewith in your life time from your youth hitherto you haue offended God your Lord in such manner that he might punish you for such offences euerlastingly and not for a time yet will he not do so as I haue told you before but he will mercifully forgiue you such offences altogether both small and great howe so euer you haue committed them through the deseruing miserie shame bitter death of his deare sonne our Lord Christ Iesus your Sauiour So that Gods iustice is satisfied for you by Christ our lord For GOD hath made his sonn for our sakes to be righteousnesse holinesse and our deliuerer 1. Cor. 1. Therfore you must beleue this not doubt confesse it with your mouth Do you beléeue this deare beloued Say yea Fiftly lest peraduenture you should imagine and say How commeth it then to passe that God hath only laide vpon me this shame reproch death Howe commeth it to passe that he hath spyed me out only Am I then alone the most wicked the most vnhappie man vppon the earth There be yet many worse then I. Why could he not visite and punish me after some other fashion Marke wel here and learne that it becommeth you not to murmur and be vnpatient by your leue against God nor his purposed worke for if God will thus visite you you ought not to weiue it nor refuse it for God can best skill according to his fatherly goodnesse how to intreate and handle his children and he will not deale alike with one childe as with an other He hath many crosses and rodds whereby he will chastice his He forbeareth some long and another he patiently abideth he leadeth him therby to repentance the thirde he taketh foorth to him selfe with this rod but he taketh vp an other with an other rod after them our Lorde God layeth vpon euery one his crosse Therfore by your leaue you shall not despaire nor doubt neither wishe nor desire that you were dead or that this or that carrie you away as some haue done of impatience feare and shame of the world What hurt is it to you that you must in déede be shamed before the worlde and that euery man beholdeth you as vppon a great offender séeing neuerthelesse that you be the child of God through your beléefe vpon Christ Which our Lord God and the whole armie and hoast of heauen doth nowe heholde looke vpon though it doth not apeare before the world All that you haue to doe shal passe away in the twinckling of an eye after that the worlde shall beholde you after an other fashion I mean at doomes day in great ioy and glory as one of Gods chosen children What shal it then hinder you though you for an hour or two must be kept to be shamed and openly executed or put to death Reioyce be frolike that at the general day thou shalt escape condemnation before the whole earth and all the hoast and armie of heauen It is much better that you should suffer reproch and shame a little while before a smal number then that at that day you shoulde be shamed and confounded before the Angels and the whole worlde for euer and euer Therfore yeald your self thervnto willingly and behold this shame death not with your bodily eye but with your spirituall eye Doe away your eyes remembraunce and reason let euery man laughe mocke looke say and doe what they will. Looke not vpon man but vpon God he is at hand with all Angels they behold you gratiously they haue pitifull hearts with you and our Lord Christ and our deliuerer will take you with him into euerlasting peace and blessednesse There be also among this companie heape and cluster of people many good men that feare God that be very sorrie and take griefe with you and doe truly pray to God for you Therefore do you not suffer alone but Christ our Lord and head suffereth with you Likewise al Christian members suffer with you likewise all creatures beholde with you and heartily long for your deliuerie as witnesseth Saint Paule Rom. 8. Therefore turne you to him that striketh you that is to God your true louing father and praye vnto him that he will mitigate shorten and ease your paines and smartes and lend vnto you a strong and merrie heart manfully and patiently to beare this crosse laide vpon you and to stande vpright And then you shall proue in the midst of your trouble that he is mercifully on your side doth helpe you suffer and beareth your crosse for he will be with you in your aduersitie therfore lay al your trouble only vpon our Lord God he wil first make your troubles in your heart and conscience easier and take them cleane away And after that your heart is once at peace with God and that you haue obteined a quiet conscience then will all bodily paines be very little and nothing in comparison of the conscience Then séeing that to euery man particularly or by him selfe death as a iust rewarde of sinne is appointed and that we all which shall remain after you must also get vs hence and no man remaine but that death must swallowe vppe the whole worlde what hurt is it to you that you go a litle before vs to the way of blessednesse and haue possessed and inioyed euerlasting life before vs Though you nowe by the way to blessednesse shall tread a hard bitter sharpe and rough way yet haue you this aduantage that you in a whole body and good memorie and perfect reson slide hence and in death you doe thrust into euerlasting life and all we must come after And who can tell how we poore néedie and forsaken men shal doe and what shall come of vs We be sure to be assaulted with many misfortunes and plagues and at the last some long time lye stretching and suffer many smarts and troubles vpon our sicke bed all which you haue escaped and in the meane season rest quietly and comfort your selfe and