cannot stande steadfast one minute of an houre strengthen vs by thy holy spirite and so arme vs with thy spiritull giftes and graces that wée may constantly perseuere in the faith without the which it is not possible to please thée Strengthen vs then day by daie in the same faith whereof we will make confefsion vnto thée with heart and mouth saying I beleeue in God the Father c. Then may they looke howe the sicke person doth vsing gracious and Christian spéeches vnto him but if no signe of amendement appeare soone after they may find out a fit timeâ—…to aske of him if he would willingly heere to speake of God and to heare his worde whilest hée is in perfect sense and memorie then may they beginne this little Catechisme which followeth A SHORT CAtechisme to refresh the memorie of the sick person in points of Christianitie and to make him chieflie vnderstand the mysterie of our Redemption The Minister N. BRother euerie man who knoweth himselfe well and séeth of what condition and qualitie hee is must surely confesse that albeit he be created after the image and likenesse of God yet that he is conceiued and borne in the sinâ—…e of olde Adam and so made a poore and miserable sinner ignorant vnconstant and full of all iniquitie and by consequent subiect to all miseries afflictions and aduersities and finally to death Of all which sinne is the cause the which God wil not suffer to bee vnpunished but afflicteth vs therfore daily and doth plague and punishe vs in this worlde least hée should condemne vs with the worlde Wherefore déere brother N. haue patience in your sicknesse and affliction and you shall possesse your soule in spirituall ioy Confesse your sinne and accuse your selfe before the maiestie of Godvnto whome you must cast vp your eyes to contemplate him by faith confessing your faith with heart and mouth before all this assistance of your faithfull Brethren For it is written With the heart man beléeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation Hearken then to these questions that I shall demand of you and answere to them faithfully according to the vnderstanding that God hath giuen you But if you cannot answere by reason of your féeblenesse I will answere for you and it shall suffice vs verie well to vnderstande your meaning and the constancie of your faith in the which you must liue and die Nowe I must first aske you wherefore and to what end were you created in this world The Sicke To know God The Minister Was it necessarie for you to know God S. Yea verily for séeing that he is my soueraigne God without the knowledge of him sure I had béene more miserable then the brute beastes M. Séeing that you know God you know well that he is power wisedom and infinite bountie one God in thrée persons the Father Sonne and the holy Ghost The onely God that A braham Isaac and Iacob haue worshipped in spirit and truth The onely eternall God who hath created heauen and earth and all thinges therein contained Is not the knowledge that you haue of God such S. Yes M. But so simple knowledge of God is it sufficient to bring you to life euerlasting S. Uery hardly For it is life euerlasting to confesse and to know one onely God and him whom hee hath sent his onely Sonne for euer our Lorde Iesus Christ. M. Wherefore is it necessarie for you to confesse and know the Lorde Iesus Christ S. Because I must recouer in Iesus Christ all that I lost in my selfe by the sinne of old Adam in the which I was borne and conceiued therefore it was méete for my saluation that Iesus Christ verie God and verie man inuesting our flesh should giue me of his grace and fauour againe that which I had lost in Adam M. Uerie well saide And therefore was Iesus Christ conceiued of the holy Ghost and borne of the virgin Mary to purge and sancttifie you but you for your part were conceiued and borne in sinne and of sinfull parents Wherefore you must confesse that without Iesus Christ you had remained a poore and miserable sinner iudged to eternall death S. So in déed I had But I firmely belieue and confesse that this good Iesus Christ hath reconciled mee to God his Father M. But how hath he reconciled you to God the Father S. By his death and passion in shedding of his most precious bloude for to deliuer mee from euerlasting paines This good GOD Iesus Christ hath suffered for mee vnder Pontius Pilate manie afflictions iniuries and tribulations This Iesus Christ was crucified for mee as one accursed vppon the trée of the Crosse to deliuer mee from the eternall cursse vnto the which Adam had made me subiect This my Sauiour Iesus Christ was verily buried to burie with him all my sinnes to the ende that they shoulde not bee imputed vnto mee before God This is my Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ who descended into hell suffering an extreame anguish and pangue for the time to deliuer mee from eternall paines of hell M. All this that you haue now confessed of Iesus Christ is it sufficient to saue you S. No for the holie scriptures must bee in all thinges fulfilled For what had this profited mee that Iesus Christ was borne crucified dead and buried and gone downe into hell onely for mée and if hée had not rose againe Wherefore I belieue and confesse that my Lord my heade and Sauiour Iesus Christ is risen from the dead to make me rise againe with him as one of his little members into euerlasting life M. Consequentle it is writen that he is ascended vp into heauen sitting now at the right hand of God his Father But what profit get you by his ascention S. My Lord my heade and Sauiour Iesus Christ is ascended vp into heauen to make me ascend after him for where the head is the members are also and I constantly belieue that sitting at the right hand of God his Father he is mine aduocate intercessor and mediator towards him assuring me that nothing may hurt me he being both mine aduocat and Iudge Wherefore I néede not to feare the day of his iudgement when he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead for I belieue and confesse with a stedfast beliefe that there is no iudgement or 〈◊〉 for them that are faithfull members in Iesus Christ. M. Who hath giuen you the grace to vnderstand and doe these things S. It is by the grace of the holy Ghost one onely God with the Father and the Sonne by whom wee receiue all these gifts and graces which are offered vnto vs in Iesus Christ. M. Séeing y â— you haue already coÌ„fessed y â— you are one of y e meÌ„bers of Iesus Chrst it followeth then that you are incorporate also into his church the which you
the merite of the death and passion of the same Iesus Christ in whose name you present vnto him this holy prayer the which he taught vs saying from the bottome of your heart Our Father which art in heauen c. Then do acknowledge from the bottome of your heart your vnrighteousnes be sorrowfull for your sinnes repent your selfe vnfainedly and the kingdome of God will drawâ—… nigh vnto you Confesse that there is no righteousnes no innocencie no good workes neither of yours nor in you but that as the childe of wrath conceiued and borne in the sinne of olde Adam you merite eternall death and damnation And yet all the sinnes in the world when you shall haue committed them all are not able to make you afeard For Iesus Christ the very sonne of the eternal God became verie man conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie to sanctifie you and make you cleane from sinne He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate many afflictions and iniurious torments making him selfe a slaue and a captiue to set you out of captiuitie Iesus Christ was crucified as one accurst vpon the trée of the crosse to deliuer you from the eternall curse Iesus Christ was dead and shedde his precious bloud to wash you to redéeme you and to deliuer you from death hell and the power of Sathan Iesus Christ was buryed in the graue to burie all your sinnes with him the which he hath borne and blotted out Iesus Christ descended into hell in suffering an extreame anguish to delyuer you from all the paines and dolours of death Iesus Christ is risen vp again from the dead to make you rise againe in your own bodies resplendent with glorious immortalitie Iesus Christ is ascended vp into the heauens that after him you should ascend also Iesus Christ sitteth at y â— right hand of God the father almightie béeing your aduocate and mediator to him the propitiation for all your sinnes We looke that he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead to reward euerie man according to his workes But to the faithfull that beléeue in him he shall not impute their sins for hauing iustified them by his grace hée shal make them raigne with him for euer in his heauenly throne N. Such is the great mysterie of our redemption the which by the grace of the holy Ghost you ought firmely beléeue to haue bene wrought for your saluation Doubt not then at al but by the merite of Iesus Christ the head of his Church you are incorporate and engrafted a member into the same thanking him in all humilitie that it hath pleased him of his greate grace that you haue liued in the communion and fellowship of his faithfull people nourishing you with his word and with his bodie and bloud confessing assuredly the great mercie of God by the forgiuenesse of all your sinnes the which hée hath vouchsafed you thorough Iesus Christe who shall rayse you vp againe at the last daie to make you raigne with him in life euerlasting the which he hath promised to all those that beléeue in him being baptised in his name Nowe N. séeing that you haue this faith doubt not but to receiue the promise of faith for God is true of his promise he is no liar as men are First heauen and earth shall passe but the word of God abideth for euer God he is your father and creator you are his creature the workmanship of his handes He hath not made you to destroy you For he is the sauiour of all men and will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turn from his wickednes and liue Wherefore I announce vnto you in the name of God that by his great bountie and mercie hee doeth fréely giue vnto you full pardon and remission of all your sinnes by the onely merite of his sonne Iesus Christe our sauiour in the shedding of his most precious bloud for it is the propitiation not onely for our sins but also for the sinnes of the whole world N. Iesus Christ sayeth by his owne mouth that all things are possible to him that beléeueth Beléeue then without all doubt that Iesus Christ inuesting our flesh is become verie man and died for vs hauing borne all our sinnes in his owne bodie to wipe them out and deface them Present vnto God the precious death of his sonne Iesus Christ and by the merit of the same death and passion aske him mercie and forgiuenes saying with great humilitie and repentance from the bottome of your heart Lord God Father almightie haue mercie vpon me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ my Lorde and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion please to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands N. You must haue a firme beléefe and trust in God For if hee bée on your side who can be agaynst you for Iesus Christ who is the immaculate lambe hath ouercome all for you He hath offered himselfe once for all and by that one oblation hath defaced all our sinnes He hath raced out our folly and vnrighteousnes abhomination and the obligation that the deuill had against you and with this good Lord and master Iesus Christ God the father hath giuen you all things N. Fortifie your selfe then in Iesus Christ who calleth and inuiteth you by his Proohets Apostles and Euangelists to come fréely vnto him saylng All you that thirst come to mee and drinke your fill Come io me all ye that trauaile and bee heauie laden and I will refreshe you N. Beléeue assuredly that Iesus Christ hath acquited and discharged you from all your sinnes and hath reconciled you to God his Father vnto whom with great humility and repentance say from the bottome of your heart Lord God Father almightie haue mercie vpon me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christe my Lorde and Sauiour and by the meriâ—…e of his death and passion please to receiue my soule the whiche I commende into thy hands N. Haue then a good hope for certainly hée will receiue your soule as his owne for the loue of his sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde who is the Sauiour and redéemer of all those that beleeue in him Moses and all the prophets haue witnesses that all Nations shall receiue saluation and blessing from Iesus Christe The Apostles and Euangelistes witnesse that Iesus Christ is not come to call the iust but sinners to repentance and to giue his lyfe for the redemption of many for hee hath shed his bloud for the remission of sinnes Beléeue then and doubte not in anie case For Iesus Christ hath purged and washed you cleane from all your sinnes hauing promised that all those that beléeue in him and his Father who sent him shoulde haue life euerlasting and shoulde not come into iudgement but
wicked reiecting and contemning the worde and promise of God by their contempt and obstinacie make it that doth not produce the effect in shewing the vertue that it would haue to saue them if they did beléeue it yet that cannot bring any preiudice vnto others that do receiue it and obey it and cannot hinder that they beleeuing and by faith apprehending it in their heartes be not quickened no more then a man that would shut his eyes in the daye and would see no light can hinder him that holdeth his eyes open and beholdeth the light For the light and couller are the obiects of the eye the which being open sound and of a quicke fight apprehendeth by and by things obiect vnto it So the promises of God be the obiectes of Faith which causeth a man to receiue them incontinent as they are announced vnto her so that the spirite of God haue touched and prepared his heart before For otherwise if it remaine in his stonie nature the spirituall seede which is sowen can take no roote at all nor fructifie no more then the seede that is sowen vppon stones or vppon ground that is not tilled The sicke man being resolued then of remission of all his sinnes may not doubt but that he is in the fauour of God and that thereby he must looke for life euerlasting vndoubtedly and all the blessednes that God hath promised to his children for there is nothing that may shutt or debarre vs from it except onely sinne the which being not imputed vnto vs but couered and blotted out cleane what may nowe hurte vs or bring vs out of Gods fauour And if by faith wee be vnited inseparably with him who is the fountaine of life and the fulnesse of all good what can wee desire but wee shall straight finde in him What mischiefe or miserie may wee feare being in his fauour Nowe being assured that he will continue towardes vs the good will that hee beareth vs for euer and that there is no creature in the whole worlde that can alter it from vs as Saint Paul sayeth to the Romanes I am assured that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shalbe able to seperate vs frō the loue of god which is in Christ Iesus And a little aboue this place saith he What shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or peril or sworde Euery man then that hath once beene graffed in by faith into the bodie of Christ Iesus by consequent is the adopted sonne of God receiued into his grace into his house as his childe departeth not from thence any more but euen as he is assured of his election by his calling and iustification which followed the one the other so is he also of his glorification which is the conclusion and as it were the crowning of his saluation for the giftes and calling of God are without repentance That which the Apostle writeth most euidently to the Romans Those whom he hath predestinate he hath also called and those whome he hath called he hath also iustified and those whom he hath iustified he hath also glorified And although we haue yet many vices and infirmities in vs and that it chaunce that wee fall grieuously sometimes as it happened to Dauid S. Peter S. Paul and almost to all the Saintes yea to the perfectest that euer were yet there is one point vpon the which we must rest be well grounded wherby we must comfort our selues greatly and hold out against all the assaults and temptations of Sathan this is it that Saint Iohn saieth Who soeuer is borne of God sinneth no more that is to saye the sinne vnto death for the séede of God remaineth in him that cannot sinne because he is borne of God That which hee declareth better in another place All iniquitie saith he is sinne But there is a sinne which is not vnto death Wee knowe that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but he that is borne of God standeth vpon his garde that the tempter touch him not For by this he giueth vs ynough to vnderstande that faith and the worde of God which are the soule and the foundation be neuer whollie and altogether plucked vp and banished from the heart of the elect and therefore they cannot sinne in that sinne that Saint Iohn calleth to death For although that faith be sometime as it were buryed in them hauing no mouing or feeling no more then a dead thing Yet it is not altogether extinguished no more then fire couered with a fewe cenders albeit it shewe not the flame and heate nor no more dead than a tree in Winter when all the sappe is got into the roote and it bringeth foorth no blossomes nor leaues nor fruite as though it were not aliue the sappe neuerthelesse remaineth at the heart hidden within in the roote and this is the reason why Dauid speaking of the faithfull man sayeth Though he fall he shall not be cast off for the Lorde putteth vnder his hande And in another place I will keepe my promise that I haue sworne vnto him and shewe my fauour vnto him for euer And in the foure score and nynth Psalme I saide Mercie shoulde be set vp for euer Thy trueth shalt thou establish in the verie Heauens I haue made a couenant with my chosen c. And in another place more plainlye I will not faile Dauid his seede shall endure for euer and his throane shall bee as the Sunne before mee He shall bee established for euer more as the Moone and as a faithfull witnesse in Heauen But if his children forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgementes If they breake my statutes and keepe not my commaundements Then will I visite their transgressions with the rodde and their iniquitie with strokes yet my louing kindnesse will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my trueth My couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lippes And in the 23 Psalme Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercie shall followe thee all the dayes of thy life and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lorde And in the thirtieth Psalme Hee endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life Weeping may abide ar euening but ioye commeth in the morning Likewise in the 65 Psalm Blessed is he whom thou choosest and causest to come to thee Hee shall dwell in thy courtes and wee shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house euen of thine holie Temple And last of all in the 119 Psalme I pray thee that thy mercies may comfort mee according to thy promise These and other like places of holie Scriptures must wee alleage vnto the sicke pacient to strengthen his faith and to arme him
soule is buried when it pleaseth God to fetch it from thence it is not as though he should make it come forth of the graue and raise it vp againe What is the occasion then that men may haue to flye from this corporall death and to haue it in such horrour Séeing that seperating the soule frō the body setteth the soul out of prison and sendeth it to enioy liberty in heauen there to be made much of in the bosome of Iesus christ and to inioy with him and with all the happy soules the eternall comforts promised and reserued for the elect people of God The body on the other side liethe in the earth as in a bed there to sléep and take his rest at his ease being neuer wake or troubled in his sléepe neither by fearefull dreames nor cares nor feares nor cries noyses or any thing els that maye disquiet the same sléeping there til the day of the resurrection when it shalbe waked by the sound of Gods Trumpet and knit againe to the Soule hauing left behind in the earth his mortality dishonour and weakenesse hauing put on his robes of glory power immortality and corruption Whereby we may sée that it is without curse that men feare so much this corporall death the which doth but seperate for a time the soule from the body for y ◠great profite of the one and of the other For the body is by this meanes out of all daunger not onely of sinne and of the miseries that waite thereuppon but also of all temptation remaining and resting in the earth in certaine hope of the resurrection and of the life euerlasting And although it séeme to be altogether depriued of life lyinge in the earth because that the soule being departed from it leaueth it without any mo uing or féeling and it putrifieth and goeth into earth yet being alwaies accompanied with the spirit and infinit power of God which quickeneth all thinges it is not altogether void of life as Saint Paul saith If the spirite of him which raised Iesus Christ vp from the dead dwell within you He also which hath raised him vp shal also quicken your mortal bodies because of his spirit which dwelleth in you This is the reason why in another place drawing out vnto vs the portrature of the resurrection of our bodies to come he brings in an example of the séede which is cast into the earth the which hath life in it although being in the Garner it semeeh to haue none and holding it in our hands wee cannot iudge but that it is a thinge dead and without life Yet when it is cast into the earth where a man would think the life if it had any would be smothered and taken away it showes it selfe and growes as it were from the rottennesse from whence wee sée the eare commeth which nourisheth and grows afterwards shewing plainely by euident tokens the life that was hidde in it before it was cast in the earth So God in the holy scripture caleth himself the God of Abraham long time after Abrahams death and saith that he is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Then it followeth that not only the soule of Abraham which he redeemed by the death of his Sonne is yet liuing since it hath béen seperated from the Body but that the bodye which is partaker of the same redemption which is knit and incorporate to Iesus Christ to be one of his members and hath bene consecrated and sanctified vnto God that he may dwel therin as in his holy Temple is not clean without life although it be putrified in the bowels of the earth For so much as it is alwaies accompanied with the grace of God and iointly with the soule comprised in the euerlasting couenant that hee hath made with his people which couenant is a fountaine and vaine of life not onely to the souls but also the bodies of al the faithfull And if as Saint Iohn saith they bee most happy and blessed which die in the Lord and that no blessednes can be without life we must needes conclude the one of these two things either that no blessednes can come to the body or els if it may come that the body is not depriued and void of all life lying in the earth For although it be putrified and haue no signe of life in it at all yet retayneth it in it selfe as it were a séede and stack which shal appeare at the day of the resurrection when the spirite of God pouring out his infinite vertue on our bodies shal raise them vppe againe and shall make them shine with the glory and brightnes that hee hath promised his elect And euen as in an egge there is a chicken and a certain life which is euidently perceiued when the hen hath heated and hatched it by her heate so immortality and life euerlasting whereof both our soules and bodies are called to bée partakers from the time that we haue receiued the Gospell of Christ which is a worde of life and a séede incorruptible shal shut vp till the last day by the power of our God which shall then make vs newe againe as hee shall doe the Heauens the earth and all other creatures which then shall fully be deliuered from the bondage of corruption Whereof we are also assured by the baptisme that is giuen vs in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost For the water which hath bene poured vpon our bodies whiche the Scripture calleth the lauer of Regeneration is not onely to assure vs that our soules are washt and purged cleane by the bloud of Iesus Christ for the remission of our sinnes but also our bodies And that being both together couered and clad with the righteousnes and innocency of the son of God and besides sanctified by his holye Spirite they are by and by put in possession of life euerlasting and altogether made frée and deliuered frō the slauery of death which hath no power as we said but onely where sinne raigneth which is the onely cause of death The holy Supper of our Lord in the which taking by faith breade and wine which are giuen vnto vs by the handes of the minister we are receiued to the partaking of the flesh and bloud of Iesus Christ and so vnited and incorporate with him that for euer as Saint Iohn saith he dweleth in vs and we in him doth it not assure vs also that being inseperably ioyned with the life and with him that is cause of life wee can neither die either in soule or body by reason of this vniō which is common both to soule and body The death of the body ought not to séeme so hor rible and hideous as it doth vnto others who are frighted as little children with a maske or false vizard For if the mother should come to her childe with a monstruous and vgly face to be séene he would be afraid and
maketh them forget it and hate it by and by There is yet one griefe more which may much torment the sicke person whereof he may bée eased that is hee feareth to be separated by death from the companie of his wife and children The consolation that must bee giuen him and the remedie that must be vsed for this is to alledge vnto him the promises that God maketh to widowes that he taketh them into his owne protection promiseth theÌ„ to haue especiall care ouer them to defend vphold them against those that would oppresse them to take a fearefull vengeance vpon those y â— should offer anie outragious iniuries towardes them Likewise we must alledge vnto theÌ„ although that their wiues bee forsaken of their mortal husband whom they haue espoused in this world yet they haue another husband in another world who is immortall who is Iesus Christ that shal neuer abandon them no more then al the rest of the faithful that remit theÌ„selues to him relie wholy vpon him who being so good a Tutor as he is they being lefte vnto his protection can want nothing Then must we shew him that going out of this world it is as if he and his wife should vndertake a voiage together wherein the one should go before and the other follow soone after And lastly as in y â— beginning of their marriage he was not sorrowfull to leaue Father and mother to ioyne himselfe to his wife so now hee should not be more sorrowfull to leaue his wife to goe to God who should be more deare vnto vs then either fathers mothers wiues children or anie other thing And as for his children hée must thinke vppon the promise that God made vnto him and them that hée hath sealed and confirmed the same in the Baptisme of the one and the other that is to saie that hée wyll bee their God and the God of their posteritie And that must assure him that the graces and fauours that God hath bestowed vppon him shall be continued vnto his posteritie as he doeth promise expresly in Exodus that he will shew mercie and compassion vnto thousand generations to them that loue and feare him and shall be carefull to keepe his commandements What then can be wanting vnto those children who being imitators of the faith and pietie of their parents are assured by the promise of God to be alwaies enuironed and garded by his grace and bountie which grace is the fountaine from which all prosperitie and blessings doe flowe vnto vs Moses sayth that man doth not liue by bread onely but by euerie worde that procéedeth out of Gods mouth Which is not to bee vnderstoode of foode onely but of all rhinges necessarie to mans life The fathers that leaue this word to their children shoulde not be careful of their finding and clothing or maintenance for them For they are certaine by the worde of God that in seeking his kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof they shall haue all things that are necessarie for this present life For beeing their shepheard as he was of their fathers how can he forget them or let slip the care that he hath of his shéepe Dauid speaking of the prouidence of God and exhorting euerie man to relie and trust vpon it as he did sayth The Lorde is my shepheard I shall not want anie thing And in another place where hee compareth the state of the wicked with the godly he speaketh thus of the godly The vpright men shall not be confounded in the perilous time and in the daies of famine they shal haue enough But the wicked shall perish and the enimies of the Lord shalbe coÌ„sumed as the fat of laÌ„bs euen as the smoake shall they consume awaie Hee goeth further The wicked borroweth and paieth not againe but the righteous is mercifull and lendeth For such as be blessed of God shall inherite the land and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off And a little after I haue bene young and am olde yet I sawe neuer the righteous forsaken or his seede begging bread but he is euer mercifull and lendeth and his seede inioyeth the blessing for eueâ—… Let then the sickman leaue his children to the safegard and protection of God For he cannot procure them a better or more faithful gardian Hee néede not stande in feare of them so they contayn themselues within his obedience and walke in his feare vprightly in all singlenes and simplicitie of heart Hetherto haue we spoken of those things which we must set downe vnto the sicke patient as well to instruct him as to comfort and exhort him to doe his endeauour and also of the meanes that he must vse to fortifie himselfe agaynst the temptations by the which he may bee assayled in time of sicknesse It resteth now that we make a recapitulation of all this discourse that the Reader may comprehende and note briefly the summe of all that wée haue spoken in this Treatise and so vse it to the comfort of the sick as he shal find it most expedient Salomon sayth It is better to go in to the house of mourning then into the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the liuing shall lay it to his heart Teaching vs therby y â— the chifest studie exercise y â— a man should vse in this life is to meditate of the srailenes miserie shortnes inconstancie vncertaintie of the same alwaies setting our end before our eies that is death which is redy at euerie stride that we take to tread on our héeles and neuer makes vs priuie neither houre nor day when he coÌ„meth to cal vs like a doore kéeper before our iudge to giue accouÌ„t vnto him of y â— whole courâ—…e of our life It is very good then for vs to haue it alwaies in memorie that we may gird vp our loines kéepe our lampes alwaies burning in our hands least we bée surprised by the quicke comming of our spouse vnlooked for But let vs be readie to receiue him when he commeth go with him into his rest But forasmuch as the loue of this life the swéetnes and pleasures of this worlde doe cast vs in a sléepe oftentimes and distract our mindes from remembrance of these things to awake our selues wee cannot doe better then to frequent the houses of those that are visited by the hand of God and the hospitalls and houses of God not onely to sée and beholde on euerie side the examples and images of the corruption and mortalitie of our poore nature to this end that we may huÌ„ble our selues and containe our selues within the bounds of modestie but also to put our charitie in vre in comforting and making strong the poore languishing and afflicted members of Iesus Christ. First then we must shew them that all our diseases come from God who sendeth them somtimes to correct vs bring vs backe from our wickednes sometime to proue and make triall of
our vertue Giuing vs by this means matter and argument to make demonstration of the faith and trust that we haue in him to craue his mercies by our earnest prayers and sorrowfull sighings to acknowledge and confesse our faultes and offences by our griefe and displeasure And to bring the sicke person so farre to cause him to make an humble true confession of his sinnes wee must first set before his eyes what is the spring and principall cause of all diseases as well corporall as spirituall and how that to heale them vp hée must take awaie the causes that engeÌ„der them that is to saie our sinnes from the which we cannot otherwise be deliuered but by the remission and pardon that God doeth giue vs through his grace so that as S. Iohn sayth wee doe confesse them vnto him and be assured that Iesus Christ is our aduocate and propitiation to God-ward by meanes of his iustice by the which hée doth hide and deface them so that they shall not be laide to our charge at the day of iudgement And for that the loue which by nature we beare vnto our selues doeth so blinde vs that we cannot sée or think our selues to be so vicious and corrupt as we are we must pul awaie this vaile from before the sicke mans eyes setting before him the lawe of God wherein as in a glasse hée may view and behold all the course of his life to make him know that by the same not onely all our actions but also all our nature is condemned to be abhominable naught and vicious For proofe and confirmation hereof we must alleadge vnto him in generall that we are conceiued in sin that we are all borne the children of wrath that wée are but flesh and vanitie that we are sold vnder sinne that in vs there dwelleth no good thing that our righteousnes is lyke olde rags and filthie clothes And to conclude that we are altogether nothing but dust and rottennesse Then must wee discourse vnto him all the commandements of God and shew him particularly that when he would examine himselfe throughly he should finde none of them but hée hath oftentinms transgressed and beginning with those of the first table to call to his minde 1 That he hath not done his best indeuour to inquire after God and to séeke to know him That he hath not loued him with all his hart with al his strength and with all his soule That hee hath not alwaies put his trust in him That he hath oftentimes doubted of his promises and mistrusted his aide and succour That he hath trusted to the strength of the flesh and such meanes that men might prouide rather then to the succour and aide of God That hee hath not looked for all his prosperitie and increase from the onely fauour and blessing of God That he hath not alwaies called vppon him in all his actions with full assurance and hope to be heard and helped of him That he hath not alwaies dreaded and reuerenced him as appertaineth to his high and soueraigne maiestie That he hath not thanked him and blessed his holy name for all things at all times and as well for his aduersities as prosperities 2 Then next that thinking vppon GOD hée hath imagined him to bée vnder some humane and bodilie shape That hée hath not conceiued him to bée a spirite incomprehensible infinite inuisible immortall impassible immutable soueraigne in power in bountie mercie iustice and veritie as an example and myrrour of all vertue and perfection the spring of all lyfe and light the fountaine and fulnes of all goodnes the heape of all happines and blessednes the beginning and end of all things who is all in al and by his onely word doth cause all creatures to bréed and subsist That he hath not serued and worshipped him in spirite and truth as hée requireth of vs and commandeth vs in his lawe That he hath béene more curious of ceremonies and exterior shewes of piety then of pitie it selfe and rather to séeme a good Christian then to be one in déede And lastly that he hath not alwaies thought in his minde that the true lawfull seruice of God doth consist in the only obedience of his will That speaking of the name of God it hath not béene with such respect and reuerence of his maiestie as is méete That he hath neuer studied and giuen his minde to sanctifie and glorifie his holy name as he ought That by wicked life and conuersation he hath béene cause that the ignorant and infidels haue blasphemed his name That he hath not heard read and meditated tâ—…e word of God with such attentiuenesse desire feare and zeale as is requisite to honour the Lorde which speaketh by it and the name of him of whom it is announced That hee hath not alwaies spoken of the workes of God nor acknowledged in them the greatnes of his power wisedome and bountie with such praise and admiration as they deserue for their abundance and magnificence That being at the table of the Lord euerie time that the holy Supper hath béene celebrated he hath not vsed such humilitie deuotion and contemplation of the holy mysterie nor hath not lifted vp his heart on high tâ—… heauen where Iesus Christ sitteth on the right hande of God the father as he should do That in the dayes ordayned to abstaine and rest from prophane and bodiliâ—… workes to apply our selues wholy to the sanctifieng of his holy name hee hath not giuen himselfe at al to the meditation and exercise of spirituall things thinking vpon and séeking nothing else but onely those things which are from aboue That he hath bene oftentimes more carefull for his worldly affaires then to séeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof preferring by this meanes this transitorie and corruptible life before the eternall and blessed life the care of this bodie before that which hee ought to haue of his soule the seruice of the world and his flesh before that wherewith hee ought to honour God aboue all things That vpon small and light occasions he hath absented himselfe from the place of Conuocations and publike assemblies ther to make publike confession and protestation of his faith to shewe his deuotion and the feare of God that is in him to edifie the congregation by his good ensample and to make knowne to euerie man without any shame feare dissimulation and hypocrisie the religion that hee will followe and kéepe resoluing to liue and die in the same That hée hath not laboured to instruct and catechise his wife his children his seruantes and all his familie as a good Christian ought to doe calling them morning and euening to Prayers exhorting them to reade and meditate the worde of God to sing Psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs in his praise and to conferre among themselues of holy and godlie things and neuer to minde anie thing more then that which may aduance and increase daylie the knowledge and feare
passe straighte from death vnto lyfe Now N. bée of good chéere in Iesus Christe for hee hath loued you dearely and washed you from all your sinnes by his bloud Haue then a strong faith and valyant resolution to encounter couragiouslie with your aduersarie You néede none other buckler to defend you but the precious bloud of Iesus Christ the which by the vertue of his death and passion hath reconciled you to God the father vnto whom with great humilitie and true repentance you must saie Lord God Father almightie haue mercie on me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion vouchsafe to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands N. Haue a good hope and firme faith that this good God full of mercie and compassion wil receiue your soule as his own into his handes for the loue of his son Iesus Christ. For there is none other mean vnder heauen giuen vnto men by the which we must be saued no other saluatioÌ„ but in Iesus Christ. Arme your selues then with this Iesus Christ for hee hath done all for you He hath accomplished the law for you He hath vanquished all your enemies that fight to ouercome you Now N. reioyce your selues in God stand firme in this liuely faith Followe and imitate the holy Patriarches Prophets and Apostles who are all saued in this faith who assured you that your aduersarie cannot anie waie hurt you For your processe is gotten by Iesus Christ who is both your iudge and your aduocate Wherefore you may boldly say with a stedfast beléefe When I shoulde walke in the shadowe of death I shall feare none euill for thou Lord art with me Then good N. be neuer a wearie saying from the bottome of your heart in all true humilitie and repentance Lord God Father almightie haue mercie on me a pore miserable sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour and by the merite of his death and passion vouchsafe to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands A verie godly Praier for one that is grieuously afflicted by sicknes and readie to die ECCLESIASTICVS 18. Vse Phisick before thou be sicke examine thy selfe before thou be iudged and in the daie of visitation thou shalt finde mercie God doth admonish vs to praie continually but especially when wée are touched with his rods of correction Wherefore all the kindred faithfull friends who visite the sick person ought not onely to visite and haue a care of his bodie but also séeke some spiritual medicine for his soule And this must bee done by good praiers confession of sinnes and Christian exhortation according to the worde of God without the which no man can liue And that all things may be done orderly and zealously the assistance must prostrate themselues before the maiestie of GOD saying Our aide is in the name of God And then saie the generall confession of sinnes and after that this praier as followeth LOrd God almightie and Father of mercie we that are assembled together in the name of thy welbeloued sonne our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ trusting vpon his grace and fauour we haue bin so bolde as to come before thée to call vpon thy holy name making our onely refuge in thy soueraigne bountie y e which we desire not onely to féele and tast in our selues but also in y â— extremitie of thy poore creature who is grieuously afflicted with sicknes of bodie affliction and calamitie of minde We knowe Lord that thou doest iustly visite chastise him with thy rods to make him vnderstand and féele thy fatherly affection towards him But thy great mercies which thou wast wont to vse towards our Fathers are not yet at an end and clean forgotten For thou art that great God eternell full of pittie and compassion which neuer changest Thy holy word doth teach vs plaine that the earth is full of thy mercies the which doe farre surpasse thy iustice Wherefore O Lord appease thy wrath towards this thy creature Haue pittie and compassion on him for the loue of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Looke not vpon his sinnes but looke vppon the face of thy Christ who hath fully satisffed for him in offering to thée the greate sacrifice of his body vppon the crosse We beséech thée then most gracious and mercifull â—…ather make him â—…éele thy grace the which thou hast neuer â—…efused to giue vnto anie of thy châ—…ldren And because thou art our Father for euer who alwaies knowest what is necessarie and expedient for our saluation we do not pray and beséech thée to prolong or abridge his life for we rest our selues wholy vpon thy holy will the which we desire onely to please Thou art wise enough without anie other counsell to dispose of thy creature according to thy good pleasure But if it please thée to call him awaie who is hée that is able to resiste Or if thou wilt restore him his health again who is he that can or dare reprehend thée For all things are in thy handes nothing is done without thy holy will prouidence Although Lord if of thy fauourable grace thou prolong his daies thy rod shal serue for a chastisement to amend him and turne him to thée we with him shal yéeld thée thanks and praise But if it bee thy determinate will to let him passe into a better life wée beséech thée for thy sonne Iesus Christ his sake to forget all his sins and offences the which thou hast 〈◊〉 out and washed away by the 〈◊〉 of his most precious bloud Let it please thée by the merit of the death 〈◊〉 passion of thy sonne to receiue his soule into thy hands when thou shalt call him out of this world Lord God despise not the work of thy hands for sée here thy poore creature almost at the last gaspe which calleth vnto thée from the depth of all his languishes and miseries presenting thée with his sorrowful penitent soule with an humble contrite hart the which we beséech thée to accept of for the loue of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord in whose name thou hast promised to heare our praiers Wherefore Lord we beséech thée to take vs into thy tuition and to illuminate our hearts and vnderstandings that we may stil come to thée and cal vpon thy holy name as thy sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour hath taught vs to call vpon thée in all time of our néede saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Lastly most mercifull and gracious God and father may it please thée we beséech thée to vpholde vs alwayes by thy grace and power that by the infirmitie of our fleshe wée doe not stumble and fall and for that wée of our selues are so weake that wée
must beliue to be holy catholike vniuersall S. I belieue verily the holy Church vniuersall to be washed and made cleane in the precious bloud of Iesus Christ and I giue him most humble thankes that he hath giuen me grace to bee a little member of his church And being baptised in his name hath made me liue in the communion vnitie and charitie of the same hauing taught and instructed mee by his holy word nourished me with his verie bodie and giuen mee his most pretious bloud to drinke in hope of eternall life M. Séeing you are so surely grounded vpon the corner stone which is Iesus Christ in knowing your selfe pefectly you must also acknowledge the principall good that you haue receiued of this good God Iesus Christ. S. Not without good reason For I will not bee ingratefull to acknowledge the gifts and graces which I haue receiued at Gods handes Therefore I confesse that I am a poore and miserable sinner who haue grieuously offended the bountie and iustice of God hauing transgressed his most holy commandements wherein I haue deserued eternall death and damnation Neuerthelesse appealing to the mercie of God I aske him forgiuenesse and belieue and confesse without all doubt that he hath giuen mée full absolute forgiuenesse of all my sins by the onely merit of the death and passâ—…on of my Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ in the shedding of whose most precious bloud I assure my selfe sufficiently and throughly to be washed and made cleane which is the greatest benefit and contentment that I could euer receiue This is my faith in the which I wil liue and dye by the grace of his holy spirite M. Séeing that you haue receiued so greate a benefite at Gods hand by the meanes of his sonne Iesus Christe it is meet also that you shoulde doe that which he commandeth you For euen as he hath pardoned and remitted all your sinnes so likewise must you pardon from the bottome of your heart all those that haue at any time offended you for otherwise you walke not in Gods commaundements S. Herein I acknowledge the law of Iesus Christ to bée moste holy and perfecte commanding vs to loue our neighbours our friends and enemies as our selues Wherefore I beséeche all those whom by word or déede I haue offended to forgéeue me with as good a will as I forgéeue all those that by any means haue euer offended mée wishing with al my heart that I might do them as good seruice pleasures as vnto my best friends dearest brethreÌ„ M. Séeing that it is the ordinaunce of God that all men shall die wée cannot resist his ordinaunce But we must alwaies conforme our selues to his most holly wil. Wherefore deare brother you must not think il if I speak vnto you y â— which y â— holy prophet Esay told vnto king Ezechias hauing his message from God Set thine house in order for thou shalt dye and not liue This good counsell should moue you to haue a great care for the spirituall disposing of your conscience that is first to turne your selfe vnto the Lord and bewaile your sinnes as this good king did crauinâ—… pardon and pittie at his handes and crying him mercy for your sinnes say from the bottom of your hart Lord God haue pitty and mercy on me a poore wretched sinner for the loue of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour Secondly you must not forget your familie which by your last will and testament you must set in so good order that after your decease it may be in peace and quiet without strife contention or going to law Then must you sâ—… order your familie that euerie one haue their owne without defrauding any person Leaue your wife your heire your children and kinsmen in good loue and charitie one with an other that there arise afterwardes no diuision amongst them This done you must so forget all cares and sorrowes of this wicked world which shall passe and 〈◊〉 awaie with all the 〈◊〉 therof But he which doth the will of God shall abide for euer As for your children you are but onely their naturall Father for a time but God is their spirituall Father for euer who hath then in his timely and holy protection to kéepe nourish and preserue them from all euill so that they will walke in his waies Moreouer being that you are a Christian borne a newe in the holy Sacrament of Baptisme you know long since that we haue héere no abiding Citie but wee looke for a better dwelling place that shal continue for euer Therfore I besech you in y â— name of God not to be sorrie to â—…orgo any thing in this world For here we are all but strangers as our fathers were If it please the Lord God then that you shal dislodge and come before him are not you readie to obey his will and commandement Or if he sée it more expedient for your saluation to prolong your life as he did to this good King Ezechias will not you bee content with that which it shall please him to doe with you Yes surely For he is your Lord and maâ—…ter you are but his seruants hee is your creator you are but his creature and the workmanship of his hands So then you must dispose of your selfe at his will vnto the which onely you must conforme and submit your selfe saying from your verie heart Lord God thou knowest my necessitie before I aske if it be thy will to prolong my life thy will be done if it please thée to cal me to thée ward thy will be done also for thy creature Lorde hath none other will but thine Now déere brother comfort your self in the Lord who if hee haue ordayned to call you your calling shall be most happie for you must beléeue hope with a strong faith that hee will raise you vp againe in your owne bodie in a glorious immortalitie the which is alreadie purchased and giuen vnto you gratis by the vertue and efficacie of the precious bloud of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ. In the name of which Lord and Sauiour God blesse you and kéepe you and make the light of his countenance to shine vppon you and be mercifull vnto you Therefore God turne his chéerefull face towards you and kéepe you in good prosperity for euer So be it This done if the sicke person doe not amend but drawe towards his end in the agonie of his death they should reade vnto him aloude the Christian Consolation which is before and beginneth Whosoeuer is of God c. And God no doubt shall giue him his grace to die his true and faithfull seruant like a good Christan and member of Christ Iesus So be it FINIS Psal. 82. Psal. 49. Psal. 89. Psal. 90. 2. Sam. 14. Psal. 62. 2 Chro. 16. Psal. 38. Rom. 13. 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 12. Ephes. 4. Lament 3. 38. Amos. 3. Psal. 6. Psal. 38.