at any time cōfessed any thing to charge the innocent whereby you might cleare your selfe or thereby to escape and be at libertie then burthen not your selfe therewith nor let your soule carrie any such thing away but excuse the innocent and pray to God for mercy that he will pardon you and not suffer your heart to be bent to any vngodly way to excuse your offence and to defend it But before God confesse it aske grace and séeing it is come to light confesse it before the whole worlde or else you striue against Gods iudgement his will his worke which surely is horrible from which our Lord defend you of his grace through Christ Iesus his welbeloued sonne in the holy Ghost Amen Tenthly I further also charge you my deare friend that from the bottome of your hart you wil reconcile forgiue and forget all men that haue done any thing against you either by worde or déede whether it be for this matter or for any other before If you haue by any mā bene hurted or harmed though they be guiltie of this your iudgmēt suffring and death either if they haue espyed or laid hand vpon you al this together shal you cast out of your heart and lay aside all maner of swelling snarling malice hatred enimitie and euill will and contrarie shewe a gentle heart friendly loue and gentle speach without all hatred bitternesse and euill will as a patient lamb as Christ our Lord which was altogether innocent yet vpon the crosse prayed for his enimies and said Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe Thus shall you likewise do and thinke Well now welbeloued Lord and father though I be not guiltlesse and innocent as thy welbeloued sonne but haue worthily deserued all punishment wrath and vengeaunce Likewise séeing thou of frée grace and mercy through Iesus Christe hast for euer pardoned me after my departure wilt neuermore remēber my sin therefore I require thée that thou wilt giue vnto me such a gentle friendly Christian hart through thy holy spirit wherby I may forgiue and forget and also reconcile my selfe vnto euery man as well friendes as foes for thou wilt also forgiue me yea thou hast already clearly forgiuen all my sins misdéeds And for better assurance hereof giue me grace might and suche a burning charitie toward my neighbours that I may forgiue euery man and that from the bottome of my heart So shall I be sure that thou hast forgotten and forgiuen me and at the last day this shall be the signe that is the Christian and brotherly loue that we also be thy disciples séeing that we doe shewe Christian loue one toward an other Kéepe in me also the gratious promise of Christe my louing Lorde that saith thus Matth. 6. When you forgiue men their faultes then will also my heauenlie father forgiue you your faults With these Christian comforts I comfort my selfe and stay my selfe altogether vpon thy mercifull promise Doe with me after thy godly saying and promise for thou doest require of me that I be merciful as thou also art merciful towards vs Therfore I do knowe that in this my departure to death there is no better nor more acceptable offering then that I should shewe charitie and of mercy with well vnto all men pray for all men intreat and do well vnto al men as much as is possible for me For God hath pleasure in mercy and not in offering Osée 6. Twelfthly You haue also welbeloued for a comfortable example the théefe which also had done very wickedly for whiche he also receiued punishment of the magistrate but this punishment was vnto him onely the cause and furtheraunce that he did not onely knowe GOD and was faithfull but was also hanged beside Christe his saluation whereby he conceiued speciall comfort that Christ the innocent Lorde woulde pitie his miserie and would forgiue him all his sinnes and wickednesse wherevnto otherwise he shoulde neuer haue forsaken his naughtie life but woulde haue continued in his wickednes stubbornesse and vsed his stiffnesse and arrogancie his whole life long without al repentance turning from his naughtie liuing And so peraduenture had it ben with you you would haue gone forwarde in your vnrighteousnesse therein abiden withered and starued for euer without al penance or repentance godly knowledge vnder the feareful anger of God being bound with Gods iudgement condemnation Therefore séeing that God hath deliuered you from this miserable blindnesse and error he shall from hencefoorth leade you by this occasion means and purpose first bring you to know your selfe bring you to true repentance penance suffer godly knowledge to light in your hart kéepe you in the true faith of Christe Iesu and will suffer you to depart in the same at the last without all doubt Behold now dearely beloued howe our Lorde God is a valiant almightie father that of al naughtinesse can make all goodnesse and will to his turne all worst thinges to the best Sathan had thought that through this your fall and misdéede he would for euer haue kept you in his kingdome and to haue made you a member of himselfe But our lord God commeth and bringeth to passe by this means and crosse that he hath broken and hindered all sathans purpose Sathan thought he had made all cocke sure with you and had brought you to euerlasting sinne and shame and intended to haue kept you continually therein But God commeth and turneth the leafe vp and maketh of you that were the childe of darkenesse the childe of light and of euerlasting blisse Amen Twelftly Nowe deare friende I warne you nowe at the last that you will depart hence to death without all feare nor be not dismaide of death by reason of your sinne But herein take héede that thou do not alonly looke vpon death vnder the eyes and doest wrestle with him but take thine almightie god with thée which hath before laide hand vppon death and hath ouercome him that is Iesus Christ thy Lord and king which in the garden so mightily wrestled with sinne and death that bloudie sweat dropped from him Matth. 26. therefore weigh it not And againe be not afraide of death séeing you meete with him with this king and Lord but you shall do thus to him set all your only comfort hope and assurance vppon your Christe that hath made your way for you broken the hedge and kéepeth the field and hath for you ouerthrowne the mightie Goliah and hath brought the blessed victorie home to your doore as I haue before this time shewed you and yet againe must sette before your face For nowe is the time seeing you are come to the very push and this your daungerous enimie that is very terrible vnto the whole worlde will stande chiefly with you to bring and driue you from this point and so lay hande vpon you Therfore take to yourselfe the true shielde which is Christe your defence whome you
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
it by patience the 13. to the Romans Therfore doth belong hereunto that is there to the time of sufferinges these two vertues patience and hope for with these two winges specially faith and hope you must enforce your selfe to flée vp into heauen But patience muste fight the battell with the dragon which wil strengthen and hinder your way to heauen Ninthely nowe welbeloued séeing that your sicknesse somwhat lingereth and that God for a time doeth prolong his helpe and deliuerance and will not soudenly as we desire pray and think deliuer you but wil awhile try proue your faith for your faith must be tried by aduersitie and temptation as gold is tried and proued in the fire Therefore you must be patient For albeit our Lorde GOD for a time withdraweth his merciful helpe yet will he not long be absent It should not stande with his godly nature mercie that he shoulde for euer forsake you being his childe through faith in Christe Wherfore though you a little while for the time of your suffering must sing with Christe the lamentable song and say My GOD my GOD wherefore hast thou forsaken me yet will not God long tarrie nor be absent he suffereth you to swimme a while but not vtterly so be drowned he suffereth you peraduenture one day but he will by and by afterwards raise you vp againe and giue you euerlasting peace and happinesse Therefore albeit you doe not for a little time sée Christe in his throne of grace yet shall you shortly sée him againe Iohn the .16 For his anger that is to say his fatherly correction endureth but the twinkling of an eye and he hath pleasure and delight to saue And therefore doeth our Lorde God him selfe comfort you in the Prophet Esai the .54 Cap saying thus Beholde I haue hidden my face a little from thee in the short time of anger neuertheles I will haue mercie vpon thee with my continuall fauour saith the Lorde God our deliuerer Therefore saith Saint Paule the seconde Epistle the .4 Chap. to the Cor. Although our trouble whiche is but transitorie and easie though we thinke it very heauie much and long yet doth it breede and bring foorth an euerlasting and a meruilous weightie and vnmeasurable dignitie and estimation vnto vs whiche we cannot beholde with these eyes but with inuisible eyes For no eye hath sene nor no eare heard nor no mans heart can expresse that GOD hath prepared for them that loue him Esai 64. And .1 Cor. 2. But in these things must Gods children a while be pacient suffering polished and pressed and fully bethinke and consider these comfortable sayings which be spoken vnto vs as to children the .12 to the Hebr. out of â—he Prouerbes of Solomon in the third Chapter as it is there written Take â—ot slightly but earnestly regard the Lordes â—hastening or correction and dispaire not â—hen he punisheth thee For whom the Lord â—oueth him doeth hee punish correcteth â—uery childe that he taketh to him selfe If â—ou abide his correction patiently then â—oeth God shewe him selfe as to his â—hildren for where is a sonne whome â—he father doeth not correct Howbeit â—uery chastening while it is a doing it â—oeth not reioyce vs but maketh vs sad â—nd pensiue but afterward it bringeth 〈◊〉 ioyful fruite of righteousnes to them â—hat be exercised in it And therefore â—aith Saint Iames in his first Chapter Esteme it for a perfect ioy when you chance â—o fall into many temptations and know that â—our faith if it be perfect worketh pacience â—ut patience shall perfectly abide vnto the â—â—nde To the end it may be perfect and haue â—t all no manner of imperfection .. For He that abideth to the ende he shal be blesâ—â—d Matth. the .10 Therfore a Christian may well boast him selfe of trouble séeing that we knowe that Trouble bringeth patience patience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope hope will neuer be confouÌ„ded Let vs not be ashamed for the loue of GOD is powred out into our heartes through the holy ghost which is giuen vnto vs the .6 to the Rom. Thus shall you in patience looke for the mercifull helpe and visitation of God and in your heart sing the pleasaunt song of thankesgiuing of the holy man Simeon Luke the second and say thus Lord nowe lettest thou thy seruaunt departe in peace as thou hast saide For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation whiche thou hast prepared for al people To be a light to lighten the heathen and to be the praise of all thy people of Israel For I haue nowe God be praised obteined the knowledge of thy saluation which is in the forgiueing of sinnes Through the tender mercie of our God whereby he hath visited vs that came from aboue That he might appeare to them that satte in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death and leade our feete into the way of peace as Zacharias did sing Luke the second The tenth welbeloued your sickenesse continueth and doth not leaue off and you thinke long for helpe yet must you giue ouer these things ye must not shrinke from God nor be faint harted but in patience haue a perfect and stedfast hope that God will not be long away though he séeme to tarrie but or it be long will come and help you yea the longer God withdraweth from you his gratious helpe the mightier and better hereafter will your helpe and comfort be for God standeth yet a while behind the wal as a louing and friendly bridegrome and looketh through the window priuily in vpon his spouse and marketh whether she doth so loue her bridgrome that she will wayt and tarrie for him and that she may perceiue that he at the length will reache out his hande to her plucke her foorth bring her home His loue is as strong as death but vnder it is hidden very life and felicitie Therfore despaire not euen in the very daunger of death and sing once againe with this congregation and with all the holy elected Saintes of GOD in your heart in this manner In the middest of our life we be compassed about with death whom shal we séeke to for help that we may get grace thou only oh Lord art high we be sorry for our misdéedes which haue offended thée oh holy Lord God oh mightie Lord God oh holy merciful Sauiour euerlasting God let vs not be drowned in the bitter danger of death Lord haue mercy vpon vs. In the middest of death the gaping of hell assaulteth vs who can deliuer vs from this great peril that canst thou Lorde alone doe thy great mercy hath compassion on our complaint and great miserie Holy Lorde GOD oh mightie Lord God oh holy mercifull Sauiour oh euerlasting God let vs not dispaire for the déepe pit of hell Lord haue mercy vpon vs. In the middest of the sorrowes of hell our sinnes lye hard vpon vs then whether shal we flée from hence
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
blessed houre and that the holy Ghost wil lead him carrie him and guide him in the right way to saluation and that he may obteine at the length euerlasting peace and felicitie We now require that this may be done Therefore say Our father which art in heauen c. Doe you require this say Yea. Well now welbeloued say you also Our father c. And yeld your selfe willingly to die and say Father thy will be done c. Almightie God kéepe you going out of this miserie from hencefoorth euermore Amen Say Lord into thy hands I commit my soule Amen ¶ In some place while the Executioner doth lead foorth the poore man and is about the execution some sing in the meane season Nowe pray we the holy Ghost as in Michshen and Sachsin c. And in some place the minister in ths meane time saith the belefe Whatsoeuer any man thinketh good and profitable that may he set foorth and doe and let the poore condemned man sleepe in the Lorde in holy hope that whatsoeuer is now sowen in shame and dishonour shall be at the last day in greater honour and glory raysed vp againe Our Lord vouchsafe to preserue vs all one with an other gratiously from sinne and keepe vs from sinne and shame for euermore through Christ Iesus his only begotten sonne in the holy Ghost Amen A faithful and Christian exhortation to repentaunce and to leade a life in the feare of GOD. SYrach amongst his sayings in the 18. Chapter warneth vs that we should in time refraine our selues from sinne and repent our selues whilest we can sinne where he also saith Doe not delay your repentance vntill you be sicke but amend your selues whilest you may sin driue not off the time to be good nor tarrie not to better thy life til the time of thy deth In this matter he mindeth to set before our face the feare of God whereby we should not onely absteine or forbeare to sinne but also for the residue of our life kéepe our selues from sinne with greate diligence Specially if we groundly déepely consider the earnestnesse and righteousnesse of God howe our Lorde God is an earnest enimie to sinne but specially to such sins as man estéemeth to be no sinne or will not acknowledge for sinne but will holde and take them as vertues and rightly done and defend them as things well done and so wholy goe forwarde and continue in an vnrepentant and stubborne life whereby he falleth from thence without all sorrowe and repentance without ceassing grieuously to sinne against God his maker in great contempt despite pride and carelesnesse whereof then God taketh a great misliking and abhomination so that he must néedes méete with suche offences with all punishment reuengeance plagues especially with dearth war pestilence c. And God our Lorde bendeth him selfe also against all suche sinnes with all manner of power with all his elements as the aire the fire the water and the earth that we may behold with our eyes such apparent anger and punishment of God and must néeds taste of them in all places For from whence commeth suche warre bloudshead Who is guiltie thereof what is the very cause Is not sinne and our vnpenitent froward and proude liuing when man without all shame without all feare of God gréedily wantonly ragingly and stubbornly doth sin against our Lord God and maker Whereby it commeth to passe that many proude wanton filthy liuers be taken by God and punished very straungly Here lye in an houres space many thousandes slaine there be many times many hundreds drowned there many executed with the sworde fire water the whéele and gallowes There suffereth GOD many times within one halfe yere many thousands dy on the pestilence there many to be hungerstarued here many thousandes swallowed vp with earthquakes there many perishe in vprores and rebellions And to be short no man is able to reckon or remember howe many God must take and punishe and likewise cause to be made an example in the world whereby such foolish stubborne and godlesse wayes might be auoyded and shunned But who doeth earnestly once think vpon these things who doth turne him selfe or studie to auoyde these fearefull plagues of God who setteth before his eyes such examples of Gods anger thereby to amend his life Surely very fewe come before such execution and punishment of God and in time turne them selues before such fearefull iudgement of God auoyd sinne and thinke to begin a godly and vertuous life But in these dayes the proude froward and wicked world neuer thinketh of any of these things And thereby it commeth to passe that so many lewde so many false so many stubborne so much falshood so much sinne filthinesse beareth such a great swinge that at the length almightie God wil be so angrie that within a while there wil be no way to escape no forbearing no forgiuenesse more take place but God must in the end without more pitie or mercy hurle the pitcher to the ground with great violence and without all grace and forbearing dash them together with thunder and lightening with haile and shewers and with grieuous feare and tempestuous stormes Therfore on the behalfe of weaklings and of suche as be fraile in their liuing and conuersation I thinke good to aduise and warne them that they doe not make of their weaknesse and frailtie a wicked custome least at the length they fal into an vnpenitent and blockish life and conuersation whereby God will be grieuously offended Therefore it behoueth them in time beforehande to acknowledge their weake and sinfull liuing be sorrie for them and haue full purpose to amende their life after that sighe to obteine a heartie longing towardes a godly life and at the last to fight against sin to withstand it with all our power that there do not followe of our weakenesse an vnpenitent and blinde conuersation and least they miserably dye in that blindnesse and after that perishe euerlastingly from whiche our Lorde gratiously vouchsafe to kéepe vs Amen Againe that such weakelings in their conuersation receiue the time of grace in season not loyteringly seeking for it contemning it nor be slouthfull therein For Here is the acceptable time now is the day of grace as holy Saint Paule writeth in the second to the Corinthians the sixt Chap. Therefore let vs to our profite and for our blessednes sake imbrace it in time conuenient and not suffer it to passe away from vs or suffer suche an acceptable time of grace from God the very Iubilie yeare yea the golden yeare for euer to flée in the winde but rather pray for grace in the right and in the time méete conuenient Whereof Dauid saith in the 32. Psal. In which time al holy and suche as be weake in faith doe séeke for our Lorde God and pray for our Lorde God and call for grace and forgiuing of their sinnes and hope vppon his mercy which is promised vnto
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
where may we abide in safetie to the Lord Christe alone Thou hast shead thy bloud that hath satisfied for our sinns oh holy Lord God oh holy mightie God oh holy mercifull sauiour oh thou euerlasting God let vs not fall backe from the comfort of our faith Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Behold thus shall we reioyce in our greatest daunger and withall our heart Sing vnto our Lord God a song of thankesgiuing which is the right sacrifice of thankes Psal. 50. These be the right singers to God when the whole armie of heauen singe with vs and giue vnto God prayse and thankes Therefore nowe without all feare and trembling hope vppon the endlesse mercy of God that this your trouble and heauinesse and dangerous gronings and sighings commeth vp to Gods compassion and commeth neare inough to his heart But herein shall you stay your self and hope and so shall you be strengthened Esaie 30. And thus shal you conclude in your heart and earnestly hope and with S. Paule say thus Rom. 8. I knowe certeinly that neither death nor life neither Angel nor principalitie neither power present or to come neither aboue nor beneath nor none other creature may remoue vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. To be short Who will accuse the elected of God God is hee that doth iustifie who can condemne vs Christe is hee that died yea rather that is risen againe which sitteth on Gods right hand and forgiueth vs. Nowe if death sinne diuel hel all trouble aduersitie and plague fall vpon me in heapes yet will I before you all abide still in my God and still remaine a childe of euerlasting ioy and felicitie Amen The eleuenth though welbeloued that ye do persuade your selfe as though God himselfe were against you and were angrie with you by reason of forepassed sinnes yet ye shall not be afraid nor dismaye your selfe For God many times doth proue his appeareth vnto them outwardly as though he were verie angrie with them as thoughe he would lay hands on them punish them and vtterly condemne them Therefore séeing God first will make you to liue he wil before huÌ„ble you seeing he will bring you to heauen he will first caste you downe into hel For Our Lord sleyeth and reuiueth God doth cast vs into hel and leadeth vs out againe As holy Anna saith the first of Samuel the 2. Therefore in this temptation learne rightly and properly to knowe the nature and propertie of god He meaneth not euil towardes you but by this meanes he tryeth your faith and your hope that ye may be found to be perfect Surely it is a hard fight to wage battel with God him selfe as the good Patriarch Iaacob did a whole night long but at the length he had the victorie and lay aboue And therefore was he called Israel Likewise also must the spirituall Israel doe and in spiritual fight preuaile and haue the ouerhand And to be short at length it must come to passe with you thus that you must nowe onely beléeue vpon hope where no hope is Rom. 8. For True faith is a certeine assuraunce to obteine those things and not doubt on the whiche we can neither beholde nor see Heb. 11. This is your case for in outward appearance and féeling ye sée nothing but death him selfe but the eyes of your faith looke further for they sée life in the middest of death in the middest of sinne true ioy and perfection in the middest of hell heauen in the middest of Gods anger and punishment grace and euerlasting welfare This is surely a strang and wonderfull sight and this is also an excellent passing and fine knowledge a cunning aboue all cunnings whiche declareth vnto vs howe we shall find in death perfect life howe we in the déepest miserie shall be comforted how we in the greatest doubtes shall be instructed to be short when it appeareth vnto vs that we are vtterly vndone euery body hath forsaken vs euery body withdraweth their succour from vs and before our eyes there appeareth nothing but destruction and vtter vndoing we shall make much adoe and wonderfully busie our selues and in our reason and opinion knowe not whether to goe we seeme to liue and yet we dye we sée and féele and yet be in the middest of death But here we must lay aside all féeling seeing vnderstanding wisedome and reason and vtterly forsake them and with these comforts to be merrie in the middest of death and slide through it as through sléep to the blessed hope that God will through his mercy in the promise of Christe euerlastingly kéepe vs and make vs inioy his blessings What so euer Gods wil be let things appeare outwardly as they will let thinges goe and stand with vs as God will yet beleue we stedfastly that Gods grace and goodnesse will defende vs for euer contrarie to all mans reason and imagination for he will not ascribe our saluation nor giue the honour glory prayse thereof vnto vs or our workes eyther to our indeuour but vnto his endlesse mercy that at the last day we should must confesse that our saluation was not in our power in our doings in our will and might but onely in the mercy and onely grace of God which we haue obteined through Christ our onely Sauiour For which grace and good will we are bound to giue to God continual thankes and only laude and prayse his holy name and ascribe vnto him all honour power might and maiestie behold thus shal you fight and striue with God against god and push and enforce your selfe as it were through very thistles thornes to enter into heauen and there againe beginne in your heart to sing the comfortable song of the holy Dauid Psalme 73. where he thus singeth If I haue onely thee my Lord and my God I passe of nothing neither in heauen nor in earth though my body and my soul be in contempt yet art thou my God alway my heartes comfort and my health And then will GOD comfort you and say thus Esaie 41. Be not afraid I am with thee be not faint hearted for I am thy God I will strengthen thee I will helpe thee out I will holde thee vppe through the strength of my righteousnesse Twelfthly if welbeloued many assaultes and temptations fall vpon you as it were by heapes yet let them not â—ismay or discourage you for sathan â—oth willingly bestowe all his cunning when the matter commeth to the push â—r extremitie If he could not ouercome you in your life time whilest ye were â—n perfect health then wil he now more â—trongly withstande and assault you now in your weaknesse Therfore now â—earne and be expert in deede what the â—ubtiltie and craft of the wicked fiende â—s what sleightes and deuises he vseth and practiseth against you for his nature and condition is with great rage and fiercenesse to set vpon men he commeth to
faith loue prayer nor no good thought can any more appeare in their heartes If this great sore temptation shall happen also to trouble you yet despaire not therefore but be of good cheare thinke thus with your selfe I perceiue that I must altogether be naked and vnclothed and put off all that I haue spoile my selfe of euery thing that I haue or may doe all that euer I haue falleth cleane from me and forsaketh me My louing bridegrome our lord Christ wil cloath me anew adorne and dresse me and trimme me with all his iewels Therefore call now againe vpon him as vppon your highe priest that he will haue mercie vpon you intreat and pray for you and wil haue heartie compassion of your weakenesse For We haue not an high priest that can not take cōpassion of our feeblenesse but such an high priest that hath beene thoroughly tempted and is like vnto vs in all things except in sinne Therfore let vs goe vnto him with ioy to his mercie seate that wee may obteine mercie and finde grace at that time when helpe shal be necessarie for vs Heb. 5. Here haue you a very great comfort that Christ is your high priest Call vppon him earnestly that he wil send into your colde heart his holy spirite which shall call within you father father louing father Euen then shall the holy Ghost helpe vp your weakenes and intreateth for you also mightily with sighings not able to be expressed Rom. viij Then also doeth Christ himselfe pray for you like the high priest before the father suffereth not your weakenesse to be laid to your charge despiseth you not because of your vntowardnes your ignorance or faint heart for this high priest hath great compassion with our weakenes he doth not only intreat for vs but also he sheweth foorth before the father his innocent bodie which he hath offered vppon the Crosse for you a perfect sacrifice for euer Heb. 9. As also S. Paule witnesseth Ephes 5. where he saith thus Christ hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs for a gift and offering vnto God for a sweete sauour This is the noble gift and this is the auaileable offering for you which is richly accepted before God. Thus haue you now your high priest Christe oure Lord himselfe the altar wherevppon he was offered his crosse the offering his cleane vnspotted and pure bodie Nowe marke how and in what manner or fashion Christe your high priest did hang vpon the crosse for such maner of hanging is very comfortable if one would behold it with beléeuing eyes For first Christ hangeth vppon the Crosse with his armes and hands stretched out to signifie that he is readie to giue grace accept and imbrace with his armes all poore and wretched sinners for he hangeth there for the comforte of poore sinners reacheth out his armes to troubled consciences Secondarily his féete also be heaued vp and fast nailed in token that he tarrieth there for all wretched sinners for he wil not start aside nor flie from you but will continually be found and tarrieth for you Thirdly he turneth his face and not his backe to you he boweth downe his face like vnto a gentle and milde Lord to the prayers of all poore and troubled persons will gladly with all his heart heare them he is willing and readie he openeth his eares wide wherby he will certeinly heare you Fourthly his heart is wide open towardes you for it is pearced with a speare whereby he may haue heartie compassion with your aduersitie and will set your trouble very neare vnto his owne heart Fiftly he weareth a crowne of thorne vpon his head to signifie that he will be your king and defend and kéepe you from all misfortune from sinne from death from the diuell and from hell This is a maruellous gratious and louing beholding to all troubled sinners for he hangeth in the middle of sinners as a sinner bycause he will receiue all miserable forsaken sinners giue them grace and preserue and kéepe them for euer ¶ Hereafter followe certeine prayers whiche may be said before the sicke body if the sicknesse haue any continuance whereby sometime the sicke bodies heart may be touched moued and kindled that the sicknesse may not preuaile and haue the ouerhand vpon the sicke First welbeloued let vs lift vp our heartes to almightie God and put him in remembraunce of his gratious promise which he hath made vs at our holy baptisme therfore say after me though not with your mouth yet with your heart chiefly thus MY Lorde and God remember the holy couenant whiche thou hast made with me in my holy baptisme wherin thou hast receiued me to grace and to be thy childe and promised me that I beléeuing and béeing baptised should be saued Marke 16. Séeing then thou Lorde hast so assuredly bound thy selfe vnto me to be my gratious mercifull true and louing father my comforte and hope is alonely in thée therefore I stedfastly beléeue that as surely as I am baptised in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost that thou wilt be my defender deliuerer and comforter and helpe me out of all daunger leade me and defend me from all perill that neither sinne death nor hell can hurt me Therefore I will not despaire in all aduersitie and euen in the extremitie of death turn my heart vnto thée and stedfastly beléeue that thou wilt neuer forsake me but giue vnto me euerlasting blessednesse through the deseruing of Christe my Lord and Sauiour Secondarily welbeloued let vs now againe turne our selues vnto almightie God from whome commeth al help and call vpon him from the bottome of our hearts inwardly as our onely God and father and say thus OH almightie euerlasting God and father I being full of all vnrighteousnesse and sinne come vnto thée and yet am I thy welbeloued childe Therefore séeing thou art the euerlasting true God I comfort my selfe with thy promise that thou wilt faithfully performe all that thou hast promised me Nowe thou hast saide Matth. 11. When I am troubled in my conscience with sinne care néede heauinesse and am heauie laden many wayes and I repaire vnto thée that then thou wilt help me and receiue me in my heauinesse For as much as thou art my welbeloued father and I am thy childe therefore doe I looke for from thée wholy all good things help comfort in al trouble for thou art not an earthly father whiche somtime can neither help him selfe nor his children but thou Lorde art the almightie heauenly father that wilt willingly with all thy heart helpe me likewise art able so to doe by reason of thy almightie power For thou art the maker of heauen and of earth thou hast all thinges in thy hande and power all cretures of heauen and of earth be subiect vnto thée and must serue and obey thée euen as thou listest Therfore Lord despise me
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
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
right way What beleeue you of this sacrament J Beléeue that there is according to the word of Christe giuen vnto me the body and bloud of Christe though in such sorte as reason can not perceiue So that God almightie worketh in me and towards me in the receiuing therof all that which my Lorde Iesus hath there promised as specially that his body maketh me cleane and maketh my body to be in fellowshippe with Christ and with all Christians and that his bloud doth washe away all my sinnes Therefore I doubt nothing at all but that I doe receiue there the body bloud of Christe albeit that by reason I can not perceiue how or by what manner and way neyther is it necessarie for me to knowe It was sufficient to Christes Apostles that they knewe that Christe was risen from death albeit they could not tell nor perceiue how he came vnto them the doores being shut in What is Christes Supper or Gods boord IT is nothing else but the Testament of Iesus Christe our Lorde which he made and ordeined before his passion and death for all them that beléeue vpon him and for them that in their baptisme through the deseruing of his death and resurrection be made frée from the power and kingdome of the diuell and chosen to be Gods children or inheritours of the kingdome of heauen To them hath he promised and giueth in this sacrament truely his body and his bloud for their comfort wherby they be fully assured made certeine by faith in their consciences that he will giue vnto them all the goodnesse of God and make them coheires with him with the whole Christian congregation in a perfect fellowship of all Saints For in as much as Christe hath promised and giuen vnto them his body and his bloud why can he not giue vnto them al other good things that he hath either in heaueÌ„ or in earth Herevpon shal his body and his bloud certenly be receiued to assure vs that our louing Lord Christ wil not betray vs but make vs with him to be Lordes and inheritours of all the goodnesse of God. Whosoeuer will receiue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ ought to know how to answere to the fiue questions folowing The first Question 1 WHerefore receiue you this Sacrament Aunswere Therefore bicause I may be a coheire with Christe and haue fellowship with him with all holy Saintes and with all good Christians with them to suffer and to dye Question 2 What doe you beléeue or what doe you confesse is in this sacrament Answere When I receiue the Sacrament I beleeue that vnder breade and wine I receiue the body and bloud of Christe but it is not sufficient that I know but also I must beléeue that my lord Christ hath giuen me them for a perfect signe and token seale and testament Question 3 What be the wordes of this Testament which our Lord Iesus did vse Answere Thus said the Lord to his Apostles when he gaue vnto them this breade Take ye and eate ye This is my body which shall be giuen for you And when he gaue them the cup he saide Drinke you all of this This is my bloude of the newe Testament whiche shall be shead for you and for many for the forgiuenesse of sinnes Do this in the remembrance of me Question 4 Wherefore do you take that token or signe séeing that faith is sufficient Answere I receiue the signes and tokens therfore bicause I may strengthen my faith not bicause I doubt in my beléefe but bicause God hath giuen me the signe with the word of his tender grace and mercy Therefore I will not despise to vse and acquaint my selfe with them Question 5 How will you vse the Sacrament Answere I will eate and drinke and beléeue this word which he spake vnto his Apostles when he gaue them this sacrameÌ„t We ought to take these comfortable promises with a faithfull heart A breefe declaration of the Lordes Prayer called Our Father FIrste we must consider wherfore we pray what is meant by wherefore the time occasion doeth always bring them But bicause we should not be carefull nor trouble our selues wherfore we should pray séeing we be now in such extremities that many troubles daily fall amongest vs and that from day to day the longer the worse although we shuld very much pray For The diuell is a liar and a murtherer And neither is the Pope nor the Turke nor many other tyrants which be against Gods worde idle Besides this we haue experience that euery aduersarie is sufficient of it selfe though this generall trouble were not therefore we haue euery where occasion sufficient which may driue vs to prayer Whosoeuer therefore cannot remember all our necessities let him take in hand and haue before his eyes the holy prayer of our Lord called Our Father in it be seuen petitions In which be conteined all troubles things necessarie 1. In the first prayer Hallowed be thy name we pray for the holy Gospel for all true preachers against all heresie misbeléeuers against the Iewes heathen Turke Pope For all these blaspheme and slander Gods name and vnhallow him that God will cut them short send good preachers kéepe his word cleane and pure against all heresie make vs apt hearers This is to intend or before to meane somewhat 2. In the second Thy kingdome come we praye that the kingdome of the diuel of death may be destroyed That is a great and a large petition for in it is conteyned the whole kingdome of the diuel that it would please God to make an end of it and set vp in vs and al men his owne kingdome through his word and the holy Ghost 3. In the third petition Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen we desire that all their willes be disappointed which striue against Gods gratious wil. That is a great vnsufferable prayer against the diuel and all wicked people meruellously putteth back many perils and misfortunes whiche the diuel and wicked people imagine and sett abroche if they were not thorough this petition disappointed 4. In the fourth petition Giue vs this day our daily bread wée do praye for the Quéenes maiestie for our magistrates for our elders for our wiues and children for our meate and drinke for the fruite in the field for peace and for such thinges as we lacke toward the mainteyning of this present life euery one in their vocation that God will blesse them therein giue them good fortune and kéepe them from all misfortune mercifully 5. In the fifte petition Forgiue vs our sinnes as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs we desire that God will be gratious to vs to turne from vs his anger whiche we haue deserued not punish vs for our wickednes and that he will deale gratiously with vs to the intent we from day to day maye waxe better and that we maye liue after his holy will and liue friendly one with another and that euery of vs maye forgiue an other their offences 6. In the sixte petition Lead vs not into temptation we pray that GOD will come and helpe all troubled heartes not suffer them to sticke in temptation but help them out therof gratiously through his word and holy spirite and that he wil vouchsafe to destroy the diuels purpose and might 7. In the seuenth petition But deliuer vs from the euill wée praye for a good houre that our Lord God will take vs out of this miserie with grace and make vs blessed for euer Thus in the Lords prayer are plentifully al thinges conteyned whatsoeuer by any meanes shal vexe or trouble vs or els whatsoeuer is méetest and most necessarie for vs Therefore the first iâ— that we purpose or intende something wherefore we will pray that will Almightie God surely giue For the commaundement is plainly there that Wee must pray the promise is also there that We shal be certeinely and surely heard And our mercifull Lord Christe himselfe hath sett foorth vnto vs both the words and the manner how we shal pray in the which all things necessarie for vs be conteined FINIS Rom. 8. Rom. 12. Eccle. 7. â—â—le 11. 1. Cor. 11. Rom. 12. â—â—tie 28. Esai 26. Esaie 9. 1. Tim. 2. â— Iohn 3 Psal. 50 Mark. 11 Matt. 6. Iohn 6. â—ohn 3. Rom. 8. Rom. 4. Ephe. 5. Iohn 6. Math. 26 1. Cor. 10.11 1. Cor. 11 2. Cor. 13 1. Cor. 15. â—ohn 12. â— Cor. 15. Matt. 6. Mat. 26. Iohn 6 Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 1. Act. 4. 2. Cor. 5. â—ctes 10. â— Pet. 2. â—ala 6. â— Pet. 1. 1. Thes 1. 1. Thes 5. Col. 1. Iohn 6 Iohn 17 Iohn 15 Iohn 8 Galat. 3 â—om 10. â—ctes 15. Iohn 1. Esaie 53. â—â—he 1 â—im 1 â—tt 18. â—â—k 19 â—â—m 3 â—ohn 4 2. Tim. 1. â—â—hn 8 â—â—hn 5 â—ohn 11. Mat. 26. Luke 12. Luk. 10. Luke 22. 2. Cor. 2. 1. Pet. 5. Ephes 6. Ephes 1. Coloss 1. Matth. 16. Ephes 6. Matth. 4. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Iohn 3. Ezech. 18. 33 Matt. 9. Matt. 18. Luk. 19 Galat. 3 Rom. 16. Zach. 13. Esaie 55. Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Iohn 3. Iohn 6 Iohn 1. Iohn 1.3 2. Pet. 1. â—om 13. Iohn 16. â—saie 54. Cor. 4. Esaie 64. â— Cor. 2. Hebr. 12. Prouerb 3. Iam. 1. Matth. 10. Rom. 6. Luk. 2. Luke 2. Psalme 50. Esaie 30. Rom. 8. 1. Sam. 2. Rom. 8. â—ebr 11. â—sal 73. â—aie 41. Col. 2. Iohn 14. Iohn 20. Matth. 15 1. Tim. 2. Iohn 2 Iohn 2 Rom. 8. â—eb 5. Rom. 8. â—ebr 9. â—phes 5. Mark. 16. â—atth 11. â—ohn 7. â—ohn 6. Iohn 5. Iohn 6. â—â—hn 1. Iohn 8. 2. Pet. 1. Phil. 3. 1. Thes 4. â—cle 38. Iohn 11. Eccle 7. Eccle. 38. â—aniel 7. Iob. 5. Prou. 29. Hebr. 12. Cant. 8. â— Cor. 10. Iob. 14. 1. Pet. 4. Iere. 25. Psal. 75. â—saie 54. Psal. 89. â— Cor. 1. â—om 8. Gen. 8. â—ohn 1. Iohn 14. Iohn 10. Deut. 12. Iohn 11. Marke 11. Marke 9. Esaie 66. Psalme 51. Psal. 68. Ios 7. Matth. 6. â—see 6. Matth 26. â— Corinth 15 Gal. 4. â—â—hn 3. Gal. 6. Eccle. 18. â— Cor. 6. â—â—al 32. Psal. 50. â—salme 119. â— Cor. 11.