Hell and damnation These things being thuâ— offered vnto our sight the at length a man begins tâ— feare lest haply he be quiâ— cast out from the face fauor of God beholding nothing else but eternal dead and condemnation Heâ— therefore men haue need 〈◊〉 be couragious of a coâ—stant heart and mind thâ—â— they faint not nor giue aâ— place vnto despaire Praâ— we therfore in this manneâ— A prayer O most gracious God â— most mercifull Father graâ—â— we beseech thee that by thy grace and helpe while we are yet in health and prosperitie we may learne to feare thee to loue thy holy word to beleeue and embrace thy sweete and coÌ„fortable promises to set thee before vs as the scope end of all our actions and that remembring alwaies this sharpe conflict and encounter which we are to vndergoe we may fortifie and arme our selues against this day of triall and so be saued preserued and defended that seruing and fearing thee we may direct all our doings to thy glorie and at the length obtaine and enioy eternall life which thine owne Sonne hath purchased for vs Amen CHAP. IIII. A Remedie against the feare and remembrance of our sinnes VVHensoeuer thy sins shall torment and trouble thee or terrifie thy conscience consider how that the Son of God himselfe for thy sake and for the purging and taking away of thy sinnes came downe from heauen and humbled himselfe to the lowest estate that may be that he being made man took vpon him thy sins and the sinnes of the whole world and of his owne voluntarieâ— will dyed for them vpon the crosse and made full satisfaction for them all by suffering most grieuous punishments in thy name and for thy sake This most precious bloud of Christ was shed euen for thee and for thy saluation Of this his death art thou also made partaker if onely thou shalt beleeue that he dyed as wel for thee as for Peter and Paul and others Neither oughtest thou any whit to doubt but that he died as well for thee as for Paule for in that thou art a sinner euen in this respect thou mayest and oughtest to bee comforted Math. 9.13 For Christ came not to call the righteous but to call sinners to repentance Mat. 9.13 and 1 of Tim. 1.15 1 Tim. 1.15 It is a true saying saith Saint Paul and by all meanes worthie to be receiued That Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Yea admit thou were one of the greatest sinners in the world yet doubt nothing for such a one was Paule as he witnesseth of himselfe in the same place euen the greatest and chiefest among sinners an oppressor a persecutor and blasphemer Moreouer this may and ought to comfort thee and to confirme and settle thy mind Rom. 6.3 that thou art baptized into the death of Christ For seeing thou art baptized into the death of Christ Christ his death shall saue and helpe thee by Christ his death thou shalt die vnto thy sinnes by Christ hiâ— death thou shalt receiue vndoubted remission and forgiuenesse of all thy sins finally by Christ his death thou shalt rise againe vnâ—o a new life here and to a life eternall and euerlasting in the world to come Thâ— remission of our sins confirmed in Baptisme and in the Lords Supper For Baptisme is a sure token and pledge and a certaine couenant as it were of Gods mercie and fauour in which thou art reconciled vnto God So that by meanes of it thou mayest euermore haue a quiet and chearefull conscience by reason of the forgiuenesse and pardoning of all thy sins through the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ Verily it is vnto thee also that Christ speaketh in the institution of his holy Supper wherein he professeth and witnesseth that his bloud was shed for the remission of sinnes Now therefore howsoeuer the life which thou hast led hath not bene altogetheâ— faultlesse blamelesse noâ— in all respects pure and free from sinne yet despaire not but without delay flie for refuge succour vnto that bloud of his which was thus shed for thy sinnes and without ceassing call vpon his Name and thou shalt be saued according to his promise Rom. 10.13 Rom. 10.13 Criâ—â— out vnto him therefore and call vpon him in these oâ— the like words A Prayer O most mercifull God and father of alâ— mercies father of our Lord Iesus Christ be fauourable and mercifull vnto me a sinner Take pittie and compassion vpon me miserable wretch and speedily helpe me euen for that most bitter but yet most precious death and passion of Iesus Christ thy only Son our redeemer and onely Sauiour Amen Amen Enter not into iudgement O Lord with thy seruant Deale not with me after my deserts neither do vnto mee according to my sinnes and iniquities but for thy infinite and endlesse goodnesse and mercie receiue me vnto thy grace I miserable wretched weake and feeble creature am in thy hands in thy power and at thy disposing to do with me what it pleaseth thee â— most mightie and yet mosâ— meeke most gentle most gracious God and mercifull father leaue me not neither reiect and cast mee off as a wretch that is quite forlorne and forsaken I am thine whatsoeuer I am and there is none can comfort me none can helpe me none can deliuer me but thou onely Thou art the true preseruatiue and remedie against all euils and mischiefes and against all infirmities and sicknesses both of bodie and soule Thou art the surest and most present helpe refuge and succour a strong hold and a fortresse and castle in all necessities Psal 46. Thou ô Lord art our hope and strength in troubles Psalme 46. In thee O my God I put my trust Psal 71. 31. let me not be confounded nor ashamed as being frustrate and disappointed of my hope but deliuer me in thy righteousnesse Incline thine care vnto me and saue me and make haste to deliuer me be thou vnto me a strong rocke and house of defence that thou mayest saue me For thou art my rocke my fortresse thou art my Lord and my God Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me ô Lord God of truth Let the light of thy countenaÌ„ce shine vpoÌ„ thy seruant saue me for thy mercie O Lord my God Moreouer here thou must especially be admonished to take heed that the suffer not thy selfe to much to be possessed wiâ—â— the cogitation and remembrance of thy sinnes in paâ—ticular But rather if thâ— same shall at any time stanâ— vp against thee set beforâ— thine eyeâ— the remembrancâ— of that most inestimabâ— price of Christ his death suffering and fasten thâ— same into thy minde diligently according to the aduice and counsell of Sainâ— Augustine Inspice vulnerâ— pendentis sanguinem morieâ—tis precium redimentis Capaâ— habet inclinatum in cruce aâ— osculandum brachia extensâ— ad amplexandum totum
denque corpus expositum ad redimendum Haec quanta sint cogitato haec in statêra cordis appendito vt totus tibi figatur in corde qui totus pro te fixus est in cruce Behold and looke stedfastly vpon the wounds of him that hanged on the crosse for thee vpon the bloud of him that dyed for thee vpon the price of him that redeemed thee He hath his head bowed downe on the crosse to kisse thee his armes stretched out wide to embrace thee and finally his whole bodie exposed and offered to redeeme thee CoÌ„sider of how great price and of how great weight and moment these things are and weigh well and ponder the same in the ballance of thine owne heart that the same Christ may be wholy fixed and fastened in thy heart who was wholy fixed and fastened vpon the crosse for thee And assuredly perswade thy selfe that not thou but Christ is charged with the sinnes which haue bene committed by thee and that they are all laid vpon his shoulders who hauing taken them vpon himselfe hath discharged vs and made ful satisfaction and payment for vs so as he will neuer impute them vnto vs not lay them to our charge but will freely forgiue them all as in our Creed we professe and say I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes CHAP. V. Here it will be very necessarie and profitable for the comfort of the patient or sicke partie to vrge and repeate often some testimonies of the word of God concerning the forgiuenesse of sinnes by and through Christ as these and the like IOhn the 1.29 Ioh. 1.29 Iohn the Baptist crieth out maketh this proclamation Ecce Agnus Dei Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Saint Peter likewise 1 Epist Chap. 1.18 Know this 1 Pet. 1.18 that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from your vaine conuersation but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and withouâ— spot Let these things deare brother sinke deepe into thy minde to confirme and comfort thee Thou hast no cause to doubt of the remission and forgiuenesse of thy sinnes for in as much as thou hast professed the Name of Christ and puttest confidence in his mercie he will also take away thy sinnes And if thou nothing doubt but stedfastly beleeue this thou art alreadie freed and discharged from all thy sins and art alreadie become the child of God there is no cause for thee to wauer or to feare But yet heare and hearken vnto further testimonies and so heare them that thou imprint them throughly in thy mind Iohn 3.16 Ioh. 3.16.18 God so loued the world saith our Sauiour that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And againe Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be condemned c. And againe Mat. 9.13 I am not come saith he to call the righteous Mat. 9.13 but sinners to repentance and Math. 11.28 and 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will ease you Marke how that he calleth al vnto him he refuseth none he reiecteth and casteth off none In this word All he concludeth thee And therefore call thou and crie vnto him for mercie and he will assuredly accept thee and will refresh thee Rom. 5.8 Rom. 5.8 God setteth onâ— herein his loue toward vs tâ— that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs much more then being now iustified by his bloud we shall be saued from wrath through him This ioyfull tydings full of singular comfort deare brother almightie God thy most tender and louing father will haue to be preached and proclaimed vnto thee for thy comfort For eueÌ„ for thee it is that Christ was sent for thee it was that he died Only beleeue and commit thy selfe vnto Christ thy redeemer and sauiour Likewise in the same Chap. to the Romans verse 10. If when we were enemies Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saued by his life And 1. Cor. 1.30 Christ Iesus is made vnto vs of God 1 Cor. 1.30 wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Now then deare brother lift vp thine heart and comfort thy selfe Albeit thou art neuer so great and grieuous a sinner no cause there is wherefore thou shouldst therefore be discouraged but acknowledge and confesse thy selfe before God to be such a one beg and craue for mercie in and through Christ aske paâ—don and forgiuenesse anâ— beleeue Christ to bee thâ— onely Sauiour thy righteousnesse and saluation And he will euermore 〈◊〉 thine and will hide and couer all thy sinnes and vtteâ—ly abolish them so as thaâ— shalt not need to feare theâ— by any hurt or danger Againe 2 Cor. 5.21 2 Cor. 5.21 God hatâ— made him who knew no sinnâ— to be sinne for vs that 〈◊〉 might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Like wise Gal. 1.4 Galat. 1.4 Christ hatâ— giuen himselfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world according to the will of God euen our father And Ephes 1.7 Ephe. 1.7 By Christ we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes according to his rich grace And 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners saith Saint Paule of whom I am chiefe Now then brother haue thou also good hope and beleeue these words as Saint Paule did and then shalt thou assuredly be in the number of them that are iustified and saued 1 Tim. 2.6 S. Paul saith That Christ Iesus gaue himselfe a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2.6 Beleeue this then stedfastly and without controuersie thou art now one of them alreadie that are ransomed and redeemed Furthermore Math. 26.26 Thou hearest Christ in 〈◊〉 last Supper talking wâ— thee and thou seest hâ—â— nourishing feeding thâ— with his body and also oâ—fering and giuing vnto thâ— his bloud to drinke vnto â—uerlasting life Math. 26.26 wheÌ„ he saitâ— Take eate this is my bodâ— which is giuen for you do tâ— in remembrance of me Likâ— wise also after he had suppeâ— he tooke the cup and said 1 Cor. 11.25 Thâ— cup is the bloud of the 〈◊〉 Testament which is shed â— you and for many for the râ—mission of sinnes Do this often as ye shall drinke it remembrance of me These words deare brâ—ther it behooueth thee 〈◊〉 fixe fast in thy memorie 〈◊〉 to thinke theÌ„ spoken to thâ— selfe For when as he speaketh vnto all he speaketh vnto thee also And all the things which Christ did or suffered shall be auaileable vnto thee and shall turne to thy saluation and to thy benefit no lesse then they did to Peter or Paul 1 Pet. 2.24 it is said That Christ his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree 1 Pet. 2.24
of the Epistles of that holy Father which intreate of the like matter CHAP. XV. An Exhortation to all professors of the name of Christ NOw I beseech and intreate all euen as many as are stiled and called by the name of Christians and I charge and require you euen by the mercies of God that once at the length forsaking your former sins and errors and the horrible darknesse and blindnesse in which ye haue liued ye will returne vnto a better course of life with all care and diligence and with sincere heartie deuotion hearing and receiuing the word of God which is able to saue your soules and continually without intermission knocking at the gates of heauen and intreating the heauenly Father through his Sonne Christ Iesus that he will inwardly teach and instruct you and enlighten your hearts and minds with the true knowledge of Christ and of his heauenly will That denying and renouncing all vngodly lusts Tit. 2.12 ye may liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the mighty God of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good works That same light of grace and of all comfort and consolation as the day starre frō on high hath visited vs and by the infinite goodnes of God hath in these last times in exceeding great brightnesse shined forth vnto vs. We haue manifold examples both in the holy Scriptures and euery day among our selues which testifie the infinite bountie and mercie long suffering patience and gentlenesse of our God toward vs whereby we may see how God would not that we should be lost but that we should conuert liue how soone his iust wrath waxeth hote against vs and how easily againe he is mooued to succeasse from punishing vs as we deserued so soone as we vnfainedly repent of our sinnes and stedfastly intend purpose an amendmēt of our liues Let these things moue you deare brethren and stirre you vp to seeke the Lord Esay 55.6 while yet he may be found to call vpon him while he is yet neare vnto you that the wicked forsake his owne waies and the vnrighteous his own imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercie on him and vnto our God for he is very readie to forgiue Yea let the consideration hereof encourage you in all your troubles and distresses to flie vnto God and vncessantly to pray vnto him that he will mercifully pardon and forgiue you all your sinnes for his deare Sonnes sake Iesus Christ and that he will vouchsafe to preserue and keepe you to sustaine and vphold you to cherish and comfort you and finally to hide and couer you vnder the shadow of his wings and to be present and readie to helpe and succour you in all your need and necessitie Thus did Dauid whē he saw himselfe in great distresse and danger 2 Sam. 24.17 and that for his sin there had fallen by a sore plague in three daies space seauentie thousand men straightway he flieth vnto God confessing his sinne and lamentablie crauing begging for mercy and forgiuenesse crying out Ecce Behold I haue sinned yea I haue done wickedly And whē he had built an altar in the threshing floore of Aranna the Iebusite where the Angel had appeared vnto him he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings thereupon And then the Scripture saith verse 25. That the Lord was appeased toward the land and the plague ceassed from Israel By which example of Dauid deare brethren confesse your sinnes pray vnto God for grace and intreate for mercie and pardon offering vp vnto God that acceptable sacrifice of a penitent contrite heart which aboue all things is well pleasing vnto him and behold God will be present and ready to helpe you neither will he at any time faile you or forsake you In like manner Iona 1.3 when God sent Ionas vnto Nineue he threatned to destroy that populous and famous citie But straightway as soone as at the preaching of Ionah the Nineuites had repented God had compassion on them he pardoned their sinnes and remitted their punishment Set before you my brethren these examples to be imitated followed Distrust not the mercie and goodnesse of God Esay 59.1 Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue he both will and can saue and helpe yea releeue and comfort you so as ye refuse not neither despise his grace and goodnesse so mercifully and abundantly offered but call vpon him for helpe and assistance of his grace Eph. 2.4 who is rich in mercie Ephesians 2.4 euen rich vnto all that call vpon him Rom. 10.12 Romanes 10.12 Now I pray and beseech the Lord Iesus Christ that onely true and approued Physition both of body and soule that these diuine medicines and spirituall directions collected and digested out of the rich store-house of the holy and sacred Scriptures may haue a powerfull and effectuall working in your hearts whereby faith may more more abound and increase and the loue of God and of your brethren more and more feruently bee inflamed in you And that abiding constant and patient in all temptations and tribulations whatsoeuer after the example of the same Christ Iesus ye may euen vnto the last gaspe cleaue and sticke fast vnto him in assured hope of eternall life and saluation through the same Christ Iesus our alone Sauiour To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all glorie and praise for euermore Amen The second part A Method or order of comforting the Sicke CHAP. I. How to comfort all such as lie vpon the bed of Sicknesse WHereas deare brother thou art so sore vexed grieued with sicknesse know for suretie and make certaine account that thou art thus afflicted and punished not by chance or fortune but by the determinate will purpose and permission of almightie God For whatsoeuer affliction or calamitie befalleth vnto the children of God it is doubtlesse sent of God and it cometh vnto them whollie and altogether at his appointment and by his guidance and direction For as much as in him wee liue Act. 17. and moue and haue our being Psal 100. It is he that hath made vs and not we our selues And doubt not thou but that it is indeed of his good will and of his loue and fatherly affection toward thee that he now sendeth this sicknes whatsoeuer it be not to destroy thee but to call thee to repentance and to exercise and stirre vp thy faith and confidence in him For afflictions are vndoubted signes of Gods vndoubted loue and fauour toward vs. Whom God loueth him saith Salomon he correcteth and chastiseth Prou. 3.12 Heb. 12.6 yea he scourgeth euery one whom he receiueth Heb 12.6 Thy mercifull and heauenly Father most dearely and
able to rest and relie vpon the word of God and therein to apprehend and lay hold vpon that infinite inestimable treasure and riches belonging to Gods deare children to wit the forgiuenesse of all their sinnes through Christ the resurrection of their bodies at the last day that most wished for and most sweet and ioyfull communion with the Saints in glorie comfortable societie and fellowship of the elect of God Meanes of strengthning our faith and life euerlasting and all these freely giuen and bestowed vpon them in Christ and through Christ Wherefore in these and other articles of our Christian faith Continuall meditation on the articles of our faith in time of sicknesse very needfull it behooueth vs daily and continually to exercise our selues and diligently to meditate thereupon But especially in time of sicknesse and agonie of death we are seriously and earnestly to meditate in our minds and to inculcate repeate often those foure last articles of our Creed Namely concerning the communion of Saints in which number we beleeue and trust stedfastly that we our selues are and shall be reckoned concerning the Remission of all our sinnes through the bloud of Christ Iesus concerning the resurrection of our bodies at the last day and life euerlasting Now vnto the serious meditation of these articles of our faith there must be adioyned 3 other things First of all feruent and continuall prayer for the increase Prayer and strengthning of our faith praying with the Apostles of our Sauiour Luk. 17.5 Luk. 17.5 O Lord increase our faith and with the father of the child that had the dumbe spirit Mar. 9.24 Marke 9.24 Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Vnto prayer ioyne carefull studie and diligence in reading and hearing of the word of God Reading hearing the word of God Rom 10.17 Esa 57.19 For faith is both wrought and also increased by hearing of the word Rom. 10. whereupon it is called the fruite of the lips that is of the words of God Esa 57.19 And Acts the 10.44 it is said that while Peter spake those words Act. 10.44 the holy Ghost fell vpon all them that heard the word Yea hereupon it is called the arme of the Lord Esa 53.1 Esa 53.1 and the power of God vnto saluation Rom. 1.16 Rom. 1.16 See therfore that the word of God dwell plenteously in thee Col. 3.16 which alone is able to make thee wise vnto saluatiō through faith in Christ Iesus 2 Tim. 3.15 2. Tim. 3.15 And let thy heart and mind be euermore possessed with the meditation and consideration of those three maine pillars and grounds of thy faith whereof thou hast assurance in the same word namely First the infinitenesse of Christ his merites which thou shalt oppose vnto the infinitenesse and greatnesse of thy sinnes Next the omnipotencie of Gods power and his natural inclinatiō vnto mercy and to pardon and forgiue sins and sinners Eze. 18.32 And lastly the vniuersalitie and generality of his gracious promises made vnto all in which number thou art to reckon thy selfe Vnto the carefull and diligent studie and meditation in the word of God and prayer Oft receiuing the Sacrament adde this also to frequent and to haue often accesse vnto the holy Sacramen◠of the bodie and bloud o◠Christ while yet thou ar◠in sound perfect health But beware that thou come vnto it rightly instructed prepared and that thou presume not to handle the same with defiled hands nor to receiue it with an vnpure and vnsanctified heart And indeed it is an horrible and feareful thing and much to be lamented that for so many yeares this holy Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ hath bene so vnworthily receiued The vnreuerēt handling of the Sacrament dangerous and so vnreuerently handled and of many contemned and lightly regarded Wherein how greeuously dangerously men offend euen the iudgements and punishments which the Lord sendeth euery day among vs do more then sufficiently witnesse testifie as S. Paul hath foretold should come to passe 1 Cor. 11.30 1 Cor. 11.30 For euen for this cause many are weake and sicke and many sleepe and are dead It is verily an exceeding great and a sure signe and token of singular and incomprehensible loue toward vs The benefit offered in the Sacrament that in this Sacrament of his Supper Christ will haue it plainly confirmed vnto vs that he hath giuen and bestowed himselfe wholly vpon vs knitting and ioyning vs vnto himselfe as members to the head to the end we may know and bee assured that we are regarded and loued defended and saued by him Thus ought all godly minds to esteeme and make account that Christ is effectuall and powerfull in them And it were to bee wished that we would at length consider deepely of the greatnesse and worthinesse of so excellent a gift that so we might be thankfull and might stirre vp our wauering and languishing faith remembring how heynous and horrible a sin vnthankfulnesse is in this kinde and how fearefull punishments must needs follow the prophanation of so holy a mystery Neither indeed are we to imagine that the grieuous threatnings vsed by S. Paul are in vaine for God is true yea truth it selfe and certainly we are to thinke that the greatest part of those plagues iudgments both publike and priuate which befall in these last times is to be imputed vnto the prophanatiō of this most holy mysterie It behooueth vs then with godly care and zeale to haue often accesse vnto that holy Sacrament wherin our soules being refreshed and comforted with that heauenly food our faith and our repentance our hope and our confidence may be more more strengthned and increased CHAP. III. Of three things which in the agonie of death do most greeuously torment terrifie and trouble our minds The remembrance of our sinnes the feare of death and the horror of hell together with the seuerall remedies thereof FIrst the sinnes which in our whole life time we haue wickedly and wretchedly committed Sinne. and wherby we haue most greeuously offended both against God and against our neighbours these when on the bed of sicknesse they come vnto our remembrance must needs greatly terrifie vs and much vexe torment vs remembring that saying of S. Paul Rom. 2.9 Rom. 2.9 That indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill Againe inasmuch as this old Adam and flesh of ours is most vnwiliing to die Death therof it is that when death approcheth mens hearts begin to quake and tremble and are readie to faile them through exceeding great sorrow and griefe For this our fearefull nature or naturall man is miserably afraid lest being once dead buried in the earth it shall neuer returne no◠come againe to the forme state but thinketh now tha◠it is past all helpe and hop◠of recouerie
vntrue in his word he will assuredly in due time make his promises to appeare he will helpe refresh and comfort vs. Whensoeuer then thy faith thy hope is not firme stedfast as it should be when thou seest and perceiuest thine heart smitten with feares and terrors when thou findest in thy selfe that thou beginnest to doubt of Gods mercie and that thou hast little or no faith at all forthwith call vpon God for helpe as Peter did when he was readie to sinke and to be drowned Math. 14.30 Implore and craue for mercie from him Mat. 14.30 and deplore and lament thine vnbeleefe and incredulitie before him Request desire his helpe with earnest prayer and intreatie and he will ease thee refresh and comfort thee and thereupon thou shalt glorifie praise him Psal 50.15 God hath vndertaken to do it and he will do it Onely see that thou ceasse not to call vpon him Beg craue incessantly with sighes and grones proceeding from the very bottome of thy heart at the hands of almâ—ghtie God the father of all mercies the God of all comfort that he will not turne his face from thee Crie out with the Disciples Luke 17.5 Lord increase my faith and with the father of the lunatick child Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Mar. 9.24 A Prayer O Lord make haste to helpe me before I be pressed downe with this heauie burden and ouerwhelmed with the same Thy mercie is aboue all thy workes O most meeke most mercifull and most gracious Father O Lord God of my saluation my refuge and deliuerer enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Christ is my righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 sanctification and redemption He it is that for me and for my sake hath endured yea and most willingly hath offered himselfe to die a most sharpe and cruell death Let these things moue thee and preuaile with thee O Father of all mercies For this Christ thy Sonne his sake haue mercie on me confirme and strengthen my heart with true and stedfast faith in thy Sonne Christ Iesus and comfort me with the consolations of thy holy Spirit that so I may haue the fruition of true and perfect ioyes in Christ Iesus for euer and euer Amen In this maner labouring and wrastling and fighting striuing with thine owne weaknesse yea and accusing and bewailing vnto God thine vnbeleefe and faint-heartednesse if thou shalt withall lay hold on Christ and shalt cleaue and sticke fast vnto him with feruent and incessant prayer crauing and desiring his helpe that he substituting himselfe as it were in thy stead would supply whatsoeuer is wanting vnto thee if thou shalt do this then behold all is well with thee then there is no danger thou art safe enough for as much as there is little difference betweene these two betweene beleefe in Christ a feruent or earnest desire to beleeue How weake therefore and faint-hearted soeuer thou art let this comfort and releeue thee that God willeth and commandeth thee in thy greatest trouble and distresse to call vpon him Psal 50.15 and that he hath promised if thou do call vpon him he will heare thee and helpe thee Moreouer as nothing is or can be more iustly and rightfully desired of God then true faith so he heareth no prayer sooner nor more willingly then that which a man powreth forth finding no goodnesse in himselfe acknowledging his owne weakenesse and wretchednesse deploring and lamenting his owne incredulitie and vnbeleefe with feruent and earnest prayers and often sighes and grones desiring and begging for faith to be giuen him These desires and requests these sighs grones these prayers this little faith though it be neuer so little or so slender it is verily a cleare sparke of that holy fire it is the good seed of God which can in no wise spring vp in vs but by the effectual working of God who by his Prophet Esay thus speaketh concerning Christ That he will not quench the smoking flaxe Esay 42.3 nor bruise the broken reede Wherefore see thou beleeue stedfastly in Christ thy Sauiour or else pray heartily and feruently that thou mayest beleeue lamenting in the meane time and complaining vnto God of thine vnbeleefe If thou do this thou needest not doubt but that thou art accepted and reputed righteous before God and art the child of God who not in vaine laid vpon Christ his onely Sonne our weaknes and our sinnes In the fift Chapter of S. Mathew his Gospell Christ himselfe saith Math. 5. That blessed are the poore in spirit blessed are they that mourne and blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse These things Christian brother are spoken vnto thee do properly belong to thee Thou art humbled and cast downe thou art poore in thine own eyes and in thine owne conceit euen poore in the graces of Gods spirit thou mournest and art grieued and vexed from thy verie heart for thy leude and wicked life formerly spent thou doest hunger thirst for righteousnesse desiring to haue faith wherby thou mayest be iustified and saued Be of good cheare and comfort thy selfe thou shalt haue that thou desirest thou art euen now alreadie become righteous before God And hereupon thou mayest boldly by the example of Saint Steuen Act. 7.59 Act. 7. and of Christ himselfe also Luke 23.46 Luk. 23. commend thy spirit into the hands of God thy heauenly Father saying A Prayer O most mercifull and louing Father into thy hands I commend my spirit or rather thy spirit for as much as thou hast made it and inspired it and placed it in this earthly tabernacle of my bodie committing the same onely vnto my charge and custodie for a short time for as much as it is thine owne proper image made after thine owne similitude and likenesse and for as much also as for its sake and to redeeme it thine onely begotten Sonne hath vouchsafed to shed his most precious bloud This Spirit of thine I say I commend againe and againe into thy hands O most gracious Father thou God of all mercies thine I am whatsoeuer I am Receiue thine owne I beseech thee Saue preserue defend and keepe it and finally of thy free mercie giue vnto it euerlasting life through Iesus Christ thy true Sonne and our onely Lord and Sauiour Amen CHAP. XIII A short Admonition touching the making and ordaining of last Wils and Testaments IT were to be wished that while men are in sound and perfect health they would be carefull to set in order all their worldly affaires and by their wils and bequests or otherwise to dispose of their temporall estate and of such earthly blessings as God hath lent them weighing and remembring the frailty and vncertaintie of this present life lest if perhaps they deferre this businesse vnto the last moment and period of their life they be preuented by death or at the least wise hindered by extremitie of