through thee haue I beene holpen euer since I was borne it grieueth mee that I haue so often offended thy goodnes and I am grieued that I grieue no more Lord as an humble suitor I appeale vnto the throne of mercie and there begge at thy handes remission of all my sinnes in the merites of thy bitter passion I offer vnto thee a penitent heart for the time past and promise amendment if it shall please thy diuine wisedome to continue on this my pilgrimage for the time to come wherein I refer my selfe wholly to thy heauenly will in hope of a better resurrection vnto euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Another prayer for the sicke ALmightie and euerlasting God maker of mankind which doest correct those whom thou dost loue and chastenest euerie one whome thou receyuest receiue O Lorde wee beseech thee thy seruant here visited with sicknesse distrusting in his owne merites and trusting in thy mercies Looke vpon him O Lorde as thou didst vpon Ezechias restore vnto him his former health if it bee thy will or otherwise giue him grace to take this sicknes patiently that after this life ended in thy faith and loue hee may dwell with thee in life euerlasting vnto which life vouchsafe to bring him and vs all thy hamble seruants for thy infinit mercies sake Amen The one and twentieth Chapter Wherein is laid downe the manner of commending the sicke into the handes of God at the houre of death GOd the Father who hath created thee God the Sonne who hath redeemed thee God the holy Ghost who hath infused his grace into thee assist thee in all thy tryals and leade thee the way into euerlasting peace Answer Amen Christ that died for thee keep thee from all euill Answ. Amen Christ that redeemed thee strengthen thee in all temptations Answ. Amen Christ that loued thee so deerly raise thee body and soule in the resurrection of the iust Answ. Amen Christ that sitteth at the right hand of God in heauen bring thee vnto euerlasting ioy Answ. Amen God grant thy place may be in Abrahams bosome Answer Amen God grant thou mayest behold thy blessed Sauior in the state of glorie Answ. Amen God grant thy death may be precious in his sight in whom thou art to rest for euer Answ. Amen A briefe forme of praier MOst mercifull father wee commend vnto thee this thy seruant the worke of thine own hands we commend vnto thee his soule in the merits of Christ Iesus his redeemer Accept O Lord thine owne creature forgiue we beseech thee what soeuer hath been committed by humaine fraâ—ltie and command thy Angels to bring him to the land of euerlasting peace Answer Amen Preserue O Lord the soule of thy seruant as thou diddest Noah in the floud Answ. Amen Preserue O Lord the soule of thy seruant as thou didst Lot from the fire of Sodom Answer Amen Preserue O Lord the soule of thy seruant as thou diddest Iob in all his aduersitie Answ. Amen Preserue O Lord the soule of thy seruant as thou diddest the Israelites from the power of Pharaoh and the oppression of Egypt Answ. Amen Preserue O Lord the soule of thy seruant from the malice of Sathan as thou didst Dauid from all his enemies Answ. Amen Preserue O Lord the soule of thy seruant as thou didst Daniel from the mouth of the Lions Answ. Amen Preserue O Lord the soule of thy seruant as thou diddest the three children from the fierie flames Answ. Amen Preserue O Lord the soule of thy seruant as thou diddest Elias from the false Prophetes that sought his ouerthrow Answ. Amen Preserue O Lord the soule of thy seruant and deliuer him as thou diddest thy Aposties out of prison Answ. Amen From that ruefull darknes Answer Deliuer him O Lord. From the paines of Hell Answer Deliuer him O Lord. From euerlasting malediction Answer Deliuer him O Lord. By thy natiuitie Answere O Lord deliuer him By thy crosse and passion Answere O Lord deliuer him By thy descention into hell Answere O Lord deliuer him By thy resurrection from the dead the third day Answer O Lord deliuer him By thy ascention into heauen Answer O Lord deliuer him Into thy merciful hands O heauenly Father we commend the soule of thy seruant nowe departing acknowledge wee beseech thee a sheepe of thine owne fold a lambe of thy own flocke Receiue him into the armes of thy mercy knowing the thing cannot perish which is committed to thy charge O most mercifull Iesus receiue we beseech thee his spirit in peace Amen The blessing of the sicke Iesus Christ absolue shee from all thy sinnes Answ. Amen Iesus Christ that died for thee put out all thy offences Answ. Amen Iesus Christ that calleth thee receiue thee into his heauenly kingdome Answ. Amen The Lorde blesse thee and keepe thee The Lord make his face to shine vpon thee The Lord lift vp his countenance ouer thee and giue thee a ioyfull resurrection to life euerlasting Amen Depart O Christian soule in the name of God the Father who created thee of God the Sonne who redeemed thee of God the holy Ghost who sanctified thee one liuing and immortal God to whom be glory for euer and euer Amen A Praier to be vsed by the assemblie at the time of the Christian mans departure Let vs pray O Almightie and euerlasting God seeing it hath pleased thee to take this thy seruant out of the miseries of a sinfull world vnto thy heauenly kingdome for which Lord thy name bee blessed make vs we beseech thee that yet remaine mindful of our mortalitie that we may walke before thee in righteousnesse and holinesse all the daies of our life and when the time of our departure shall come we may rest in thee as our hope is this thy seruant doth that we with him and all other departed in the faith of thy holy name may reiorce together in thy eternall and euerlasting glorie through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The two and twentieth Chapter An exhortation is comfort those who lament mourne for the departure of others TO vse mourning for the dead decencie amongst men and Christianitie doth allow it examples of holy scriptures doe approue as much What more seemely then the performance of the dutie whereby we giue testimonie of naturall affection in this solemne departure each from other God hath neither made vs stockes nor stones nor giuen vs heartes which should haue no seeling when occasions offered or times beseeming require sorrowfull affections In the contrarie what more vncomely then to vse nurth in the house of mourning A very Heathenish manner was it thought to bee by the decree of an ancient council to sport at these motiues to mourning For examples in holy scripture we find that Abraham mourned for Sarah all Israel for Samuel the people in the wildernesse for Aaron their high priest the inhabitantes of Bethulia for Iudeth that honorable widdow the Machabies for their
anger O Lord neither rebuke me in thine indignation heale me for my bones are vexed be not farre from me for trouble is hard at hand there is none to deliuer me remember thy louing mercies which haue beene euer of old cast me not away when my strength faileth mee I acknowledge my faultes and my sinne is euer against mee wash me and I shall be cleane Lord heare me hide not thy face from me for trouble is harde at hand O let my crie enter into thy presence To this or the like penitent complaint that ioyfull reply is not farre off Quoniam sperauit in me liberabo â—um Because he hath put his trust in mee I will deliuer him I will set him vp because he hath known my name Cum ipso sum in tribulatione I am with him in his tribulation The select prayers to bee vsed in the visitation of the sicke should bee obserued with many of the Psalmes of Dauid which when the afflicted reade them instruct the conscience and in times of sicknesse are wont more then ordinarie to moue the minde For these diuine hymnes saith Saint Basill they are a parte of holy Scripture High in misterie profounde in sence comfortable in doctrine and haue in times of affliction a special and peculiar grace to instruct the soule Amongst these the thirtie eight Psalm Domine ne arguas me Put me not to rebuke O Lord. The fiftie one Miserere mei Deus Haue mercie vpon me O Lord. The seuentie Psalme Deus in adiutorium Haste thee to deliuer me O God The seuentie one In te Domine spâ—raui In thee O Lord haue I trusted The seuentie seuen Voce mea ad Dominum I will crie vnto the Lord with my voice The hundred and thirtie Psalme De profundis clamaui ad te domine Domine exaudi vocem meam Out of the deepes haue I called vnto thee O Lord Lord heare my voice with many other like Psalmes proper and peculiar for the sicke Herevnto may bee added a silent meditation wherein the soule doth enter a solitarie talke with God which is verie conuenient in this ease When the ioyes of heauen haue leasure to present themselues to our religious thoughts the pleasures of our sinfull life and this worldes vanities are then seene to be of small valew as they are indeede then may we call to minde the vnspeakable loue of God towardes man in generall and our selues in particular How this 〈◊〉 sâ—ept foorth in thine of need before execution of iustice to 〈◊〉 man That it was a worke 〈◊〉 comfort when God said Fiâ— Lux let there bee light made But that it was a worke of counsell and all comfort when hee said in the great worke of mans redemption Fiat Chriâ—tus Let ther be a Christ borne which shall saue my people from their sinnes And now haue wee fit opportunitie to meditate vpon the sufferinges of the Sonne of God his passion his descention into hel his resurrection the third day his ascention and glorious sitting at the right hand of God so that at the name of Iesus the sorrowfull sinner may say with Thomas Dominus meus Deus meus My Lord and my God We cannot in the world better imploy our thoughts then in calling to mind how God hath kept vs from our youth vp from how many daungers we haue beene deliuered into which we haue seene not a few fall before our eyes and our selues by his onely mercie vnto this day freed from the same Can we but with all thankfulnesse call to minde the goodnesse of God towards vs for the time past and put our whole trust and confidence in him euen in these greatest extremities yea both in life and death for the time to come seeing the Lorde is nigh to them that call vpon him yea to all such as call vpon him faithfully The fourteenth Chapter How the sicke when sicknes more more increaseth may be moued to coÌ„stancie perseuerance WHen sickenesse more and more encreaseth wee are more and more put in minde of our mortalitie and gently mooued to renounce by little and little all the repose wee haue or can haue in this tranâ—â—torie life to arme our selues to stand with constanâ—y vnto the end remembring euermore as we had a time to be borne so haue wee a time to die And our way to enter into life is first to passe the pinching griefs of a momentarie death To raise vp our spirits in times of greatest triall we may recouÌ„t with our selues that Christ himselfe went not vp to glorie but first hee suffered paine When Vriah was willed by Dauid himselfe to take his peace at home Shall I see quoth hee my Lord Ioab and the Arke of God lie abroad in the field and shall I goe take my rest and â—ase No I will not Shall we see the Sonne of GOD himselfe all in gore bloud suffering for the sinnes of the whole world and shall we refuse all suffering taking our case in Sion and our rest vppon the mountaines of Samaria as loath to endure any crosse or calamitie at all Is that Souldiour worthie to triumph with his Captaine that woulde neuer strike stroke to fight the battaile Againe whatsoeueâ— wee suffer Christ suffered more for vs. But that which principally is to bee remembred this our striuing is not beating the ayre for after wee haue fought a good fight there is laid vp for vs a crown of glorie God is saith Tertullian Agonothetes both he that purposeth the prize and rewardeth the champion Consider the olde generations of men and marke them well Was there euer any confounded that put his trust in the Lord who hath continued in his feare and was forsaken Or whome did hee euer despise that called vpon him Wherefore let the languishing person take vnto him comfort in Gods mercie Was euer the righteous forsaken God told Iosias that hee should bee gathered vnto his Fathers in peace and yet Iosias died in warre God gaue him a constant mind whereby hee died peaceably The Lord told Ieremie he should not bee vanquished Ieremie was stoned but not vanquished God gaue him an inuincible faith The Angell to the Church of Smyrna saith Esto fidelis vsque dabo tibi coronam vitae Bee thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a crowne of life To raise vp himself in this liuelie faith the sicke may make a heartie confession of his christian beliefe saying O holie Trinitie I commend my selfe vnto thee the father the sonne and the holie ghost which in vnitie of nature art one and the selâ—e same God I commend me vnto thee O omnipotent father which hast created me yea heauen earth with all things visible and inuisible I commend me vnto thee O Lorde Iesus Christ who for mee and the saluation of mankind wert sent into the world conceiued by the power of the holy Ghost borne man of the
appeared first after his resurrection to Marie Magdalene to shewe that he brought comfort to the greatest sinners of all This is a true saying saith the Apostle That Christ came into the world to saue sinners whereof I am the chiefe as if S. Paul put himselfe in the number as euerie one shoulde and say wherof I am one nay the chiefe And here we may call to minde that bottomles depth of Gods mercie who will bee called rather by the name of a father to intimate vnto vs his loue and to enconrage vs to call vpon him in time of neede whose goodnes is diffusiue and communicable vnto others whose bountie is delighted in nothing more then in doing good And is woont rather to giue great then small things God is not such a one as Adam tooke him to be from whom when he had sinned hee shoulde flie or hide him selfe for feare but God is such a one to whom Adam and all that haue sinned may haue accesse with hope and loue The seruants of Benadab in the first of Kinges and the twentieth when they saw and considered wel their distressed case began to aduise their maister Benadab after this maner We heare that the Kings of Israel are mercifull wherefore let vs cloath our selues in sackecloath that so we may goe and find fauour in their sight If this mercifulnes were a thing proper vnto the Kings of Israel what may wee looke for at the handes of him who is the God of Israel before whom they that humble themselues shall questionlesse find grace and mercie My sin is greater no Cain thou errest God his mercie is far greater couldest thou aske mercie Men cannot bee more sinnefull then God is mercifull if with penitent heartes they will but call vpon him But come we vnto Christ the fountaine of al mercie there shall we find God in his mediation onlie great without quantitie and good without qualitie as Saint Austen speaketh Christ in the Gospel was called of the Pharisies by way of reproach a friend of Publicans and sinners and so was hee in truth and veritâ—e Neuer was there such a friend to poore sinners such Publicans as he was who strake his breast saide God be mercifull to me a sinner The Parable of the lost shaepe doth shewe this loue in seeking the lost sinner the ioy of the Angels of heauen ouer our repentance may much comfort vs to cal for grace When the wandering sonne had consumed his fathers substaunce but yet returned sorowfully to acknowledge himselfe the father saith not whence â—â—mest thou or where is now all thy patrimonie but bring hither the newe garment â—il the fat calfe let vs reioyce my son was dead and is aliue Here was a welcome â—ome that might amaze this wandering sonne though wee sometimes lose the nature of children yet God doth neuer lose the name and nature of a father a name of priuiledge to his children we crie Abba father a name of care and prouidence your heauenly father eareth for you a name of loue If you giue your Children good things how much more shall your father in heauen giue you if you aske them of him And not onely a father but our father which should wounde our harts and kindle our affections in al distresses with comfort to â—al vpon him It may be said also in this case as before it was saide of the affection of a mother There is none knowes the loue of a father but a father nor any the loue of God but God himselfe who is loue That thou mightest bee blessed O man first hee created theâ— that thou mightest bee recouered when thou wert lost then hee redeemed thee which redeeming sheweth a price paied for thy raunsome which price was his dearest bloud When Christ wept and shed some fewe teares for Lazarus the Iewes reasoned and said see how he loued him but when Christ shedde his owne bloud for vs and that in great aboundance Osee how he loued vs. If hee bought vs with so deare a price will he refuse his owne peniworth If he sought vs flying from him shal be not much more receiue vs when we come vnto him Can a mother saith the Prophet Esay forget the childe of her wombe yea thoâ—gh she do yet will not God forget his people When my father and mother forsooke me saith Dauid the Lord tooke me vp We haue a good Samaritan that when the Priest and the Leuite left vs wounded to wit the Law and figures thereof passed by vs hee bound vp our wounds and paid for our curing that we might be recouered vnto euerlasting health Our Ioseph is gone before to prouide for his brethren was there euer such loue Looke how wide the East is from the West so farre hath hee sette our sinnes from vs. Nay like as the pillar of clouds was set betweene the host of their enemies and the tents of the people of Israel that no harme might befall them so hath hee set his prouidence betweene vs and all casualties that no hurt should oppresse vs Wee should be sutors vnto Christ and least our manifolde sinnes shoulde make vs bashfull he calleth vs vnto him saying Venite omnes qui laboratis onorati estis ego reficiam vos Come vnto me al that are wearie and heaâ—â—e loden and I will refresh you Did al the poore creatures come vnto the Arke to saue themselues Did the Angels carrie Lot out of Sodome and shall not wee come vnto him who calles vs so louingly and meanes no other but to bring vs vnto his euerlasting kingdome Wherefore let neither the multitude of our sins the terror of the lawe nor the feare of Gods iustice discourage vs in time of distresse Christ hath put theÌ„ al to flight as Dauid did the Philistines by killing the killing letter of the lawe who would not cast his burthen vpon him that doth desire to giue vs ease As I liue saith the Lord I woulde not the death of a sinner God woulde haue the sinnes to die but the sinner to liue whose creatures haue nourished vs whose-prouidence hath preserued vs whose mercies hath carried vs all along from our verie cradles vntill this dâ—y whose watchfull eye hath deliuered vs from so manie daungers both of bodie and soule haue we had such and so many experiments of his loue and should we now doubt thereof Is the Iudge become our aduocate and shall we feare to go forwards towards the throne of grace The Spirite and the Bride say come and let him that is a thirst comâ— and let who soeuer will drinke of the water of life come freely who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen who shall condemne Christ at the right hande of God maketh request for vs. The ninteenth Chapter Howe the sicke in the agonie of death may bee prepared towards his ende AL our life long haue we liued
proceede to whom this shall appertaine in this or the like manner And first Care is taken that the sicke 1 Now make a most sincere and humble confession of all his sinnes 2 That he be content with all his heart to liue or die as it shall seeme goâ—d to God his diuine pleasure 3 That hee bee resolued to make a heartie reconciliation with the worlde desiring forgiuenesse and forgiuing all offences whatsoeuer amongest men 4 That hee take in good part this visitation sent vnto him to prepare him to die leysurablie Gods seruant 5 That hee wholie commend him to God his mercie in the onely mediation of Christ Iesus his sauiour Secondarily Let care bee had that the sicke may be moued to call to minde 1 That all of what state or condition soeuer must depart this transitorie worlde 2 That Gods children thoroughout the volume of holy scripture and examples of auncient writers haue willingly yeelded themselues at the time of their visitation 3 That Christ himself went not vp into glorie but first hee passed through death 4 That the death of the seruaunts of God is pretious in his sight and that they rest from their labours These demaundes may bee proposed to the sicke 1 Whether he acknowledge the faith of the holie Trinitie with the articles of the Creede and in this faith be resolued to liue and die 2 Whether he be sorie for his sinnes and aske God forgiuenes with a penitent heart in the merits of Christ Iesus To which confession of faith God sendeth him this message go in peace The sicke should be willed seriously to consider 1 That Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repeÌ„tance he is a sinner therfore for him 2 That hee was the verie lambe of God that came to take away the offences of the world 3 That he is a refuge for all them that be wearie and heauie loden 4 That he is our righteousnesse 5 That if he liue he liueth vnto the Lord and it hee die hee dieth vnto the Lord whether he liue or die he is the Lords He may be requested to say with 1 The Prophet Dauid Lord remember thy seruant in al his troubles 2 The Publican God bee mercifull to me a sinner 3 The woman of Canaan Iesus thou sonne of Dauid haue pitie on me 4 Iob I know that my redeemer liueth and that I shall rise againe and see God not with other but with the selfe same eies 5 Saint Steuen Lorde Iesus receiue my spirite to say I am that wounded man blessed Samaritan heale me Iâ—am that wandering child that is not worthie to be called thy son father make me thy meanest seruant I am the lost sheep O seeke saue me bring me home Lord vnto thy heauenly fold 6 To mention the words of Christ vpon the crosse Lord into thy handes I commend my spirit Let him also say Iesus giue me 1 Patience in my trouble 2 Comfort in my afflictions 3 Strength in thy mercies 4 Deliuerance at thy pleasure If the sick bee 1 Not able to pronounce them himselfe let the articles of the Creed be recited in his presence by some other I belieue in God c. 2 Distempered as the best may be in burning feauers and otherwise choller shooting vp into the braine and the malignant humour meeting with the vitall powers which may cause rauing let him in fewe wordes bee moued to remember God and the assemblie may softly pray by him 3 Troubled with strange visions as good men haue beene beseech him in the name of God to call to mind the aboundant loue of Iesus Christ crucified 4. Pensiue and sorrowfull mention the ioyes of heauen whither he shall go by Gods grace and the troubles of this sinfull world which hee hath often felt and may nowe very thankfully leaue Reade by the sicke The history of the passion Luke 22. 23. The nine and twentieth Psalme Vnto thee O Lord. The 42. Psalme Like as the Hart desireth the water streames c. The 143. Psalme Heare my prayer O Lord. The 14. Chapter of S. Iohns Gospell The 7. Chapter of the Apocalips The 15. Chap. of the first Epistle to the Corinth If the sicke bee painefully grieued or strangely visited 1. Let not any censure him as Iobs friends who thought Iob an hipocrite because of his affection 2. Or as those yâ— told our sauior of the Galileans who iudged them greater sinners then the rest because the tower of Siloah fell vpon them 3. Or as the Barbarians who deemed S. Paul an euil man because the viper claue vnto him 4. Let none be glad when his enemie falleth least the Lord see it and it displease him Let euery one remember that of Ioseph Am not I also vnder the hand of God That of the Apostle in the twelft to the Romanes Weep with them that weep That of the Wiseman Bee not slow to visite the sicke That of S. Iames Pray one for another A forme of leauing the sicke to Gods protection THe Lord heare thee in the day of trouble the name of the God of Iacob defende thee send thee helpe from his sanctuarie and strengthen thee out of Sion Iesus Christ the Sonne of the eternall God put his blessed passion betweene thy sinnes and iudgement to come God the holy Ghost be thy comfort to and at thy end Amen The sicke may sometimes be left to silent meditation and apply hunselfe thereunto in the name of the holy Trinitie Let him also sometimes commend himself to rest with these meditations A forme of praier to bee vsed for the sicke by them that are present MOst merciful Lord wee are at this present constrayned to praye for other who are not worthy to pray for our selues beseeching thee in the multitude of thy mercies to looke downe from heauen and behold thy seruant here visited with sicknesse enlighten his mind preserue his sence continue thy grace asswage his paine and if it be thy good pleasure prolong his daies as thou diddest the daies of Ezechias if otherwise receiue him vnto thy Arke of mercie In the meane while giue him patience in trouble comfort in affliction constancie in temptations and victorie against his ghostly enemies Let the blood of thy deare sonne wash and cleanse all the spots and foulnesse of his sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide and couer his vnrighteousnes Let that ioyfull voice bee heard of him Thou shalt be with mee in Paradise Grant this O Lord for the honor and glorie of thy holy name through the same Iesus Christ our only sauior and redeemer Amen A Prayer to be vsed by the sicke himselfe O Lord Iesus who art the resurrection and the life in whom whosoeuer beleaueth shal liue though he die I neither desire the continuance of this mortalitie or a more speedie deliuerance but onely commend my selfe wholly to thy will Doe with mee most mercifull Sauior accorâ—ding to the riches of thy goodnes
vnseemely in reason as nothing more and the inexcusable folly of age to bee so farre from a consideration of that which is seemely both before God and man Tully could say longe agoe of ciuill gouernemente amongest men Aptissima arma senum exercitationes virtutum Olde mens weapons what shoulde they els bee but exercises of vertue In Christianity more fitter wer it a great deale for them to be at their deuotions then to do often as they doe Isaack thoughte it tyme at these dayes to commune of blessing and of his ende My sonne let me blesse thee I am olde and know not the day of my departure They doe as much labour in effect and more that sit at the sterne and gouern as those that toyle and tosse otherwise but to mooue age to this consideration the very beholding of others that goe before them is in reason sufficient When the thirde gouernor ouer Fifty of whome mention is made in the seconde booke of Kings saw but his two fellow Captaines ouer Fifty deuoured before him it went so nere his hart that he came forth fell downe and besought the man of God that his life mighte bee pretious in his sight How many Fifties in late yeares of mortalitie and warre haue we seene or heard to haue beene deuoured by death How many of our fellow Souldiers in this spirituall conflict in which wee all fight haue wee seene die in the fielde How many of our deerest frends haue taken their leaue and gone before and yet for all this there is no comming to make humble supplication I say not to the man of God but to God himselfe that our liues and deathes may be pretious in his sight As is saith Dauid the death of hys saintes The Publicans but hearing the Axe to bee laide to the roote of the tree and that euery tree which did not bringe foorth fruit should be hewen down and cast into the fire it made them come to Iohn the Baptist wyth their Quid faciemus O what shall we doe to avoide these thinges The men of Niniueh hearing but once of their imininent ende it wrought such so great remorse in them as they all out of hand fasted put on sackecloth and sorrowed for their sinnes Often hath God knocked at the doore of our hartes to aduertise vs of our mortalitie For whe is there that hath not sometime experienced in himselfe by feeling the infirmity of his declining nature by auoidinge the perils of apparant daunger beesides the sondry warninges to this effecte whether we must And here wee may all wonder at the mercy and patience of God whoÌ„ by these motiues dooth admonish vs of our approaching ende But yet for all this how little humblinge of our selues is ther before him whose dominion reacheth vnto the endes of the earth whose power is aboue all powers from generation to generation worlde without ende who bringeth to the graue and rayseth vp agayne What a daungerous course is it neuer to awake Christ though the shippe leake and bee often in perrill of drowninge neuer to thinke of God vntill wee stand in neede of him neuer to begin to liue vntill wee are ready to die neuer to call to minde that Time of Times vntill we heare the Trumpe soundinge vntill we see the graues openinge the earth flaming the heauens melting the iudgement hastening the Iudge with all his Angels comming in the cloudes to denounce the last doome vppon all flesh which will bee vnto some wo wo when they shall crye vnto the mountaines to couer them and for shame of their sinnes hide themselues if it were possible in Hell fiâ—e If we haue any feare this shoulde mooue feare If any remembrance this shoulde cause a carefull remembrance of our ende O consider saith the Prophet you that forget God Least he take you away and there be none to deliuer you Saluation is a matter of great earnest Our Sauiour Christ by those parables of the Wise Virgins and Watchfull seruauntes what els doth he teach his Disciples vs all but in so weighty a cause to be carefull in deede Wee haue as much neede as any that euer liued vnder the cope of heauen considering these sinnefull dayes When God saide the wickednesse of men is great vppon earth it was time for Noah to prepare for an Arke to saue himselfe When once the crye of Sodome was ascended to Heauen it was time for Lot to thinke of his departure vnto the Hill countries When this world now after many strong fittes of great contentions beginnes to trifle idlely with euery fancy we may partlye gather by these sickly signes which may it is drawing and say God of Heauen helpe this worlde for it is a weake worlde indeede These bee no dayes to liue securely in but rather time and high time is it for euery one to amend one that God may haue mercy vppon vs all Haue wee not example by them that sleepe vntill the Bridegroomes comminge that euerye knocke will not bee sufficiente warrant to enter By him that wepte for a blessinge when it was too late that euery sigh will not be a satisfaction for our sins T is most sure and we had neede looke to it in time Where the tree falleth there it lyeth And as the last day saith S. Austen of our life leaueth vs so shall the day of Doome finde vs. To let all alone vntill it be too late was their folly who long since were drowned in the floud To cast onely for wealth and ease was his worldly wisedâ—m that made a suddaine farewell from both when that night his soule was taken from him and not yeelded of him To deferre all vnto the last push neuer entringe into a Religious remembraunce of our ende is an effete of that ill spirit called sensuall security which kinde of Spirite is not cast out but by Fasting and Prayer The Third Chapter How behoouefull it is for euery Christian man soberly to meditate of his ende IN the whole Tenure of a Christian life no parte more heauenly then that wee spende in Religious meditation for this Religious meditation no subiect more neerely concerneth the state of man then often to beate vpon a Remembrance of his ende wherin consisteth the Center of al his desireâ— the haruest of all his labours his sâ—re and most happy repose for euer How behoouefull then is it for euery one to sequester himselfe sometimes froÌ„ incombrances of this worlde vacare Deo to bee at leasure for God to call his best thoughts to counsel to this businesse of his soule the manyfold effectes of so good and practise will easily shewe and approoue as much For who is there that with Ezechias will not fall to set his householde his life his soule and all in order when once that of the Prophet mooues his very hart Ezechias moriere Ezechias now God bee
should not take the way for our country or thinke of setting vp our rest where our state is so â—ombersome where wee haue much Wormewood but little Hoonny more motiues to reade the Lamentations of Ieremy then wee haue to sing the Songs of Salomon God would haue it so that we should looke for an other home and hope for a better rest If euery creature groane then much more may man the most excellent of all creatures waytinge for that adoption of the Sonnes of God which shal be giuen in the resurrection of the iust When the Prophet Micheas would raise vp the pensiue harts of the people in the time of their captiuitie he put them in minde of their departure as thus Surgiâ—e hic non habetis requiem Arise to be gone here is not your place of rest In like manner to quicken a little our weary spirites amidst many calamities the lifting vp of our hartes by a meditation of our deliueraunce from this earthly thraldome as the prison of the soule will tell vs of a blessed state to come where we shall haue rest which is the ende of euery motion and the perfection of all our labours The Fifth Chapter That a consideration of the liâ—e to come may mooue in vs the same remembrance of our ende IT is a rule in naturall Philosophy that to see the Planets and those superior lightes at mid-day men must go downe into some wondrous deepe pit or well cleane from the light of the Horizon where they liue To behold with the eye of the soule the light and ioyes of the life to come men must bee farre remooued from the loue and delights of this inâ—erior world The people neuer tasted Manna vntill they were come from the Leauen of Egipt Our auncesters when they saw no other but straw cottages they neuer minded any farther buildinges but when once they beheld more seemely mansions they began forthwith to dislike that which before was very acceptable vnto them Whilest wee set our affections on earthly thinges wee seeke for no beâ—ter we looke no higher but once taking a taste of heauenly we beginne to dislike that which before was very acceptable vnto vs and grow out of liking with the meanesse of our former desâ—res And therefore as Zacheus so long as he abode in the presse was vpon the low ground to see Christ vntill he gate him vp into the figge tree so while we are in the route of too many worldly affaires wee are too low and therefore should get vp into the sweete Figge-tree or contemplation of heauenly things that there and thence we may see the ioy of Israell or excellency of the life to come God saide vnto Abraham arise and walke about this lande this is the country that I will giue thee God sayes vnto Faith arise beholde thy heauenly inheritance that is the city where thou shalt haue thy blessed abode for euer Seafaring men hauing bene long weather-beaten in the surging and daungerous Seas are wont to shout for ioy when they do discry their hauen Ioyfully may the Christian behold a farre off after the manifold stormes of this world his heauenly euerlastinge harborough the remembrance where of may mooue vs either to wish with S. Paule to be dissolued and be with Christ or reply with the Saintes in the Apocalips vnto him that said I come Euen so come Lord Iesus Here we do but sow in teares there is the place wher we shall reape in ioy Here we are members of the church militant where is nothing but combatting there shall wee be parts of the Church triumphaÌ„t where is no other but reioycinge The state of the life present and to come is figured by the Tabernacle and Temple of the old Testament the Tabernacle for that it was mooueable may resemble the condition of the life present the Temple for that it was fixt and immoueable the fruition of the life to come To the framing of the Tabernacle came the Iewes onely but to the buildinge of the Temple with the inhabitants of Iewry the men of Tyre and Sydon to wit both Iewes and Gentiles all concurre in this building wherein is neuer heard the noyse of a hammer Blessed are they O Lord saith Dauid that dwell in thy house where the Sonne of God in glory is light vnto their eyes musicke vnto their eares sweetenesse vnto their taste and contentment vnto their hart where in seeing they shall know him in knowing they shall possesse him in possessing they shall loue him in louing tâ—ey shall receiue eternall blessednesse and blessed eternitie which is the garland we all runne for the crowne we all fight for All our watching and fasting and praying is like Iacobs striuing with the Aungell O blesse me Lord. Euery thing doth in nature require a perfection the heauens which are in continuall motion the Aungels which are ascending and descendinge are saide not to haue their full perfection but specially man in this troublesome motion vntill he come to the accomplishment of all his hope If the Apostle which was taken vp into the third heauen and is thought to haue seene part of this blessednesse could not expresse the excellency thereof being so high a subiect the more he did consider of it he more he seemed to wonder at it yet thus much he could say that eye had not seene care had not heard the heart of man could not coÌ„ceiue the things that God had prepared for them that loue him Reach as farre as humane vnderstanding can reach all is not aunswearable vnto the same Oâ— thinges infinite we cannot but infinitely consider To life vp our eyes towardes those glistering beames of Gods glory where the sharpest Eagle may be dazeled to wade into the depth of his excellency wherein a Camell may be plâ—nged the short reach of humane reason may mooue vs to cry with yâ— Apostle O altitudo O the depth of the loue and bouâ—ty and mercy of God They that come vnto the maine Ocean find water inough if they come by millions to take handfullâ— of it be there a multitude which no tounge can number God hath crownes for their heades and palmes for their handes when they shall follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth when they shall rest vpon Mount Sion when they shall 〈◊〉 with him and raigne with him If you aske saith Lactantius why God created the world it was for no other cause but that man should be created if you demaund why man was created it was because he should worship his Creator if you inquire farther why hee shoulde worship his Creator it was for no other cause but that he should be rewarded by him Lord what was man that thou diddest so respect him This was the bowels of Gods mercy who had no other cause of his mercy but his mercy no other ende but hys owne glory and our good which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
after that deede of mercy in burying the deade was accepted of God the next tydinges we heare of Toby is the holy man Toby is striken blinde To suffer some chastisementes wee may bee contente for respectinge our sinnes God by these afflictions doth lay but a soft hand vpon vs. It was an auncient Fathers praier Dominâ— hic vre hic seca vt in posterum sanes Lord here seare cut me that thou maist heale me in the time to come Better to suffer here then hereafter Non respicias saith Chrisostome quod via est aspera sed quo ducit Respect not so much that the way is painefull as that the â—nde thereof is pleasant When S. Iohn asked the Aungell what they were that appeared in long white garmentes with Palmes in their handes the Aungell aunsweared These are those that came out of many tribulations in the world To shew after the stormes of a troublesome life they weare Palmes crownes in token of euerlasting triumph There is a threefolde consideration that may mooue in vs matter of meditation to this effecte The first Quid fuimus what we once were The seconde Quid â—umus what we now are The third Quid eâ—â—mus what after a short space we shal be What we once were is shewed by that of Esdras O Adam saith he what hast thou done When Adam fell wee all fell If the estate of man had beene without sinne mans estate had beene as the Aungels in heauen Salomon in his princely seate was clothed in greate royalty and yet Salomon in all his royalty was not clothed like the Lillies of the Fielde But neither Salomon in all his royalty nor the Lillies of the Field was euer so clothed as was Adam beefore hee lost the clothing of innocency O happy Adam if Adam had well considered so much Wherefore as the people in the time of the Prophet Aggee beholdinge the forme of the Temple how farre inferior it was vnto the former glory thereof might in effect sorrow when they saw the one and remembred the other In like manner when wee call to minde the state of innocency wherein GOD made all thinges for man and man for himselfe in that wonderfull excellency placed him in Paradise a Garden of all delightes subiect neither to griefe of body or vexation of minde Wee cannot but with some sorrow for sinne bethinke our selues of that former felicity and in the first place Quid â—uimus what wee once were For the second consideration Quid sumus what wee now are euen soiourners in this vale of teares exiles from our natiue home where troubles come like Iobs messengers no sooner one hath tolde his tale but another steps in to say as much where men are beset with crosses and calamities round about the feeling wherof may mooue vs to breake foorth into that desire of the Apostle Who shall deliuer vs from these bodies of death Cato the wise a Heathen man could tell his Schollers that were he offered to be young againe he would in no case accept of such an offer so wearysome is the condition of our estate present For that future state Quid crimus what we shal be when these drossie bodies shal be chaunged and made like the glorious body of the Sonne of God to which bodies God in mercy saith as sometimes vnto Abraham For Ismaell I will blesse him also so of these bodies in their resurrection though as Ismaell they are not so free borne as Isaacke the Soule yet shall they haue a blessing too A Christian remembrance hereof doth make vs desire wyth longing aperfection els where Hope saith SalomoÌ„ that is deferred doth afflict the minde In the meane season considering that God is at the last the rewarder of patience and death the finisher of paine it may make vs the more cheerâ—fully to passe ouer the gretest griefes of body and afflictions of minde whatsoeuer which afflictions in this life are testimonies of Gods loue but in the life to come signes of his iustice It is the wont of Fathers to holde in their owne children when they suffer the children of bondmen to goe loosely as they list God that keepes an inheritance for his after his rod in correcting hee hath a staffe of stay and comfort Wherefore wee may reckon these trials as harbingers to warne vs before hand of deathes comming as testimonies of Gods care ouer vs as schoolemoisters towardes our ende to teach vs this lesson of learning to Die If God saith S. Ierom had promised vs all peace and quiet both in this world in the world to come then our troubles here might amaze vs and make vs doubt of our future rest but finding by proofe the manifolde tribulations of the life present we may expect with comfort the promise of the time to come If a Heathen man could say when he saw a suddaine shipwrack of all his worldly wealth all lost in a momeÌ„t Wel Fortune I see thy intent thou wouldest haue me bee a Philosopher how much more may the Christian man say after the many and manifold afflictions in minde and body well I see that God would haue me euen to become religious and to enter into a meditation of the life that is freed of all The Ninth Chapter How much it concerneth euery one in time of health to prepare himselfe for the day of his dissolution SEing that our good or bad estate in the life to come depeÌ„ds much vpon the qualitie or condition of the life present for where the tree falleth there it lieth and our passage in order is from the life of grace vnto the life of glory they see but little that perceiue not how greatly it concerneth euery Christian in time of best health while hee hath yet day before him to set forward in a prouident course that so in the coole of the euening he may arriue at the porte of euerlasting rest The dayes of man are but short his time vncertaine that little moment wee haue to prouide for a state of all continuance is runne ouer before wee are aware Gods mercy in giuing vs time and grace passeth a long as a pleasaunt riuer if wee stoppe the course thereof by our continuance in sinne it will arise high and turne into iustice and beare them downe by force ouerthrow our securest repose in this worlde That which once and neuer but once is done should bee aduisedly begun carefully prosecuted and most seriously laboured with all industry vnto the end It is the counsell of the holy Ghost Do good while ye haue time The place of making attonement with our aduersary is while wee are in the way No preparing oyle in our Lampes no entringe with the Bridegroome no running no crowning For a sure rule is it with God Do well and haue well Liue the life of the righteous and die the death of the righteous If any aske saith Lactantius whether death bee
of Abraham when he gaue the principall part of his goods vnto Isaacke his Sonne and vnto others Abraham gaue giftes or legacies this did Dauid Toby and Ezechias for the quiet of succeeding posteritie dispose of earthly possessions going to possesse heauenly In this disposing to bee aduised by them whose learning and knowledge is approued doth much further the well ordering of all Wee shewe our thankfulnesse vnto God and charitie to men when wee become beneficiall vnto others remeÌ„bring whose saying it was It is a blessed thing to giue In which giuing the maintenaunce of Churches Colledgs Schools Hospitals and such like godly vses should where abilitie is answerable be chiefly remeÌ„bred for by these deeds of mercie we doe not onely our selues acknowledge Gods goodnesse but make many others when wee are long since dead and rotâ—en blesse him in the participation of the same Merciful men saith the Wiseman haue honoured God by this meanes and how The Lord hath gotten great glorie by them To giue vnto the poore in time of sicknes â—â—is good but more acceptable were it to do it dayly and in time of best health This giuing is the ship that will neuer strike against the rocke but bring our marchandise home in safetie This giuing is the most gainefull interest when the mercifull shall receiue a thousand for one In keeping our riches saith Gregorie wee lose them but in dispearsing them abroad wee most surely keepe them To dispearse them when wee can holde them no longer is not so much though commendable in this kind but to giue our bread vnto the hungrie nay to take from our owne plentie to giue vnto Christes little ones is commendable indeede Blessed is hee saith Dauid that considereth the poore and needie A cuppe of colde water shall not want one day a rewarde Where is the large liberalitie wee should haue towardes the poore members of Christ The excessiue pride of the worlde in attire the needlesse superfluitie in diet hath eaten vp hospitalltie and thereâ—â— towardes many hungrie soules But to the disposition of these worldly goods and possessions wherein naturall affection may not bee extinguished the nextâ— heyre or name disinherited the custome of the place and auncientrie not violated restitution where wrong hath beene offered should be remembred debts truely discharged all which Christianlike disposition is seemely both before God and man The forgiuing our enemies when we can hurt them no more is not so much The perfect charity at al times but principally at this time that becommeth Christians may not be wanting The example of Steuen praying for his persecutors may shew vs a mirror of charity towards all These speciall respectes obserued the sicke may in the name of God dispose himself and his as thus First with a free heart and willing mind to yeeld and render his soule into the hands of Almightie God his Creator who of his endlesse goodnesse gaue him being of his infinite mercie vouchsafed to redeeme him by the death and passion of his deare Son our Sauiour Christ Iesus in whose onely merites is his last repose at parting the commending his body to Christian buriall hee may proceede as Gods grace and wise aduertisement shall direct that so the sicke laying aside all earthly respectes hee commend with penitencie and contrition of hart his soule into the hands of almightie God humbly applying vnto his faith the innumerable benefits of Christs passion and of the three things hee is then to dispose of His body goods and soule that principall care he had of all other in commending this his soule with al deuotion into yâ— hands of Iesus Christ. The Thirteenth Chapter How necessarie it is for the sicke leauing all worldly thoughtes to apply his mind to praier and some godly meditation THe disposition of worldly goods being well and wisely ordered the mind is at more quiet to consider of heauen and heauenly thinges more apt to draw neerer vnto God by the actions of Christian pietie amongst which actions we haue no sweeter incense then our deuotion offered vp by prayer The lifting vp of our handes wee may make our euening or latter sacrifice Wee haue no better Orators to pleade our cause no surer ambassadors to conclude our peace then our humble supplications vnto him who sits euer in commission to heare our suites and lookes that we should send vp ouâ— prayers that he may send downe his mercie by which meanes we enter into a spirituall traffique with God himselfe we giue a cuppe of colde water and hee returnes vs a fountaine of the water of life Wee giue him with the poore widdow two mites and hee giues vs againe the whole treasure of the Temple The merey of God saith one is like a vessell full to the verie brimme If once his faithfull children by the hand of faithfull prayer beginne to take of it it doeth ouerflowe vnto them Moreouer it is not with God as with man those who are petitioners are wont to bee trouble some vnto theÌ„ but with God the more we offer vp our praiers vnto him the more we are accepted of him The Ediles amongst the Romanes had euer their doores standing open for al that had occasion of complaint to haue free accesse vnto them With God the gates of mercie are wide open to all poore sinners that will make their prayers vnto him Come and welâ—come Now as wee should at other times and vpon other occasions with Abraham sometimes leaue our terrene affaires as hee left his seruants beneath when hee went into the mount to sacrifice to God so principally in sicknesse and griefe of bodie should we then ascend into the contemplation of heauenlye things and haue recourse to Gods mercie as to a Cittie of refuge Call vpon me saith the Lord in the time of trouble I will heare thee and thou shalt praise me In the t' me of trouble there is a refuge for extremitie and I will heare thee there 's the rewarde of mercie and thou shalt praise me there is the reflex of thankfull dutie Christ wils all that are wearie and heauiâ— laden to come vnto him and they shall not loose their labour hee will refreshe them In time of need no surer centerie then by humble prayer to repaire to God Demus operam saith S. Austen vt moriamur in precatione Let vs indeuour euen to die in prayer I lifted mine eyes vnto the hils saithe the Prophet from whence commeth my helpe And in an other place As the eyes of seruants looke vpon the hand of their master and as the eyes of a maiden vâ—to the hand of her mistresse so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercy vpon vs. Wherefore with the same Prophet let vs deuoutly say In thee O Lord haue I put my trust let me neuer bee put to confusion but â—iddâ— mee and deliuer me in thy righteousnesse correct mee not in thine
blessed virgin Marie didst suffer wast dead vnried discendedst into hell the third day didst rise againe from the dead ascendedst into heaueÌ„ where thou sittest at the right hand of the father from whence thou shalt come at the day of iudgement to iudge all flesh I commend me vnto thee O holie Spirit which proccedest from the father aâ—d the sonne whom togither I adore and glorifie which doest quicken one Catholike and Apostolike church to which thou hast in mercie graunted remission of sinnes the resurrection of these mortall bodies and euerlasting life after death The same confession may be made of the sicke in maner of oblation As I offer my selfe vnto thee O holy Trinitie the father the sonne and the holy ghost c. Also in maner of an â—siblâ— supplication As I beseech thee O holy Trinitie the father the son and the holy ghost c. In which christian confession Gods seruants may stand constant vnto the end against all temptations Not vnlike yâ— people of Ciniensis who when the ambassadors of Brutus would haue theÌ„ deliuer ouer their city and freedome into his handes Ferrum nobis a maioribus c. Tel your Captaine Brutus our auncesters haue left vs weapons to defend our right with courage constancie vnto the end The holy Ghost by the Apostle S. Paul in the sâ—xt to the Ephesians sheweth what these weapons are as the brest plate of righteousnesse the shield of faith the Helmet of saluation the sword of the spirit their feet shod with the preparation of the Gospell where is spirituall furniture for all parts only the back or hinder part excepted to signifie that the Christian souldier should not turne his backe before his enemies The Eagle to trie her young is said to carrie them vp against the piercing beames of the Sunne which seeing them to endure she acknowledgeth them as her owne Christ knowes vs to be his by our constant suffering and therefore somtimes brings vs vnto the conflict Wee reade in the 2. Sam. 20. That Seba a rebellious Iew blew a trumpet and many of the people followed after him but the men of Iuda who were of the bloud royal they as good Isralites would liue and die with Dauid their king The olde Seba blowes many an entising blast to carrie vs away from our true allegiaunce of Christ Iesus our king All that are borne of water and the holy Ghost will liue and die in his faith Howsoeuer the world for a time frowne vpon them yet they are not as the Reede without pith or substance and so wauing with euerie winde but firme constant like Iohn Baptist that will holde his profession though he loose his head for it Wherefore considering that there is no crowne without a conquest and no conquest without courage and perseuerance the faithful like Iob say Though the Lord kill vs yet wil we put our trust in him The Fifteenth Chapter How they may be aduertised who seeme vnwilling to depart the world IF in this life only saieth the Apostle we haue hope in Christ then are we of al men most miserable to shew in effect that we haue not in this life the occomplishment of our hope Not here therefore we should expect it else where this is not our Paradise but a barren desert we may not looke for our heauen here our citie is aboue which wee all must inhabite to drawe backe when we are to goe most comfortablie to take possession of the same and the hope so long hoped for should most strengthen vs in the way is far from that Christian beliefe whereof wee make dayly profession OfteÌ„ haue we praied Thy kingdome come Nowe when God is leading vs vnto the same our vnwillingnesse to be gone cannot but argue great weakenes of faith Quid faceâ—emus si mori tantummodo fine resurrectione praeciperet Deus voluntas eius sufâ—iceret ad solatium What would we haue don if God saith Saint Ierome had commaunded vs to die without mentioning the resurrection his will ought to haue bin our comforâ—t but now hauing this stay why should we wauer Oftentimes haue we wished that we were once freed from this worlds captiuitie now God is going about to free vs indeede our desire is to continue our captiuitie still not vnlike children who crie out of painâ— and griefe and when thâ— Chirurgion comes that should ease them of all they chuse rather to remaine as they are There is no Marriner but after many sharpe stormes desireth the hauen and shal not we after so many tempests of this troublesome world accept of our deliuerance when the time is come We are giuen to loue the world too much and a great deale more then we should being onely straungers in the same Had we no farther expectation but onely to enioy a state temporall where wee might set vp our rest as hauing here attained our chiefest good then might our departure from this world bee very grieuous in deede because our being and happinesse should ende together But looking as we doe for a further condition so perinanent so blessed and death being the passage or entrie thereunto there is no cause why man if hee bethinke himselfe should vnwillingly set forwarde when his time of departure is at hande First remembring it is the ordinance of God the course of all flesh and as Iosuah calleth it the way of all the worlde What man is he saith the prophet that liueth and shall not see death It is not proper to any one which is commoÌ„ to all kings princes strong valiant take parte with them in this lot There is no reason that any should looke to bee priuiledged in that wherin all without exception must will they nill they subâ—â—t themselues Secondarily that it is a meane to bring vs from a prison with out ease from a pilgrimage without rest wee all see euidently and this made the Wise man praise the dead aboue them which are yet aliue and prefer the day of death before the day of birth surely for no other reaâ—son then for that in the one we come into a vale of misery in the other we depart from it departing in the farth of him by whom we looke for a better state to come Thirdly this being the way for the obtaining so high a reward we may steppe forth with confidence in his mercy who now calleth vs by death to the participation of yâ— same Why on Gods blessing should any bee loath that the soule should returne to him that gaue it When the louing mother sendeth forth her childe to nurse and the nurse hath kept it long enough if the mother take her owne child home againe hath this nurse anie cause to grudge or complaine How much lesse cause haue wee to shew any part of vnwillingnesse that God shoulde take home this departing soule the worke of his owne hands the plant of his owne grafting who first gaue it and will before
can offer at these times The mercie of man extends it selfe vnto his neighbour saith the Wise man but the mercie of God reacheth to all flesh and both can and will saue in a moment wherefore this suddennesse may not either giue occasion to others to iudge vncharitably or vnto the patients theÌ„selues to bee discoÌ„forted for want of time Non nocet bonis saith one si subito moriantur It dooth not hurt good men how suddenly soeuer they are called away so they depart when God calleth them which time all must tarrie For as the pleasures of this world should not cause vs to bee altogither addicted to the same so also the miseries of life shoulde not cause any how deepely distressed soeuer distrustfully to flie away or desperately with Saul to iucurre his owne daunger which foule attemptes nature herself doth abhorre but christianitie vtterly condemne To be any way accessarie vnto our owne decay or much lesse principall O God forbid Fie vpon that discontent or faithlesse cowardlinesse to run away or to flie where no feare is God is a sure refuge and wil neuer fail God is a present helpe in trouble He that brought vs into the worlde should haue the calling vs from the worlde At whose calling we may meekelie depart as becommeth vs Abridge the time we may not we ought not for all the afflictions that may betide the sonnes of men The lawes of nations haue forbid in this case the benefite of decent buriall to terrifie men from this shamefull fact of casting away themselues desperatelie At the verie motions wherof the true Christian is woont to say as Christ sayde vnto the tempter in the wildernesse Vade Satana auoyde Sathan Thus therfore an humble submitting our selues to Gods pleasure and also a faithfull commending our soules into his hands how soone soeuer we are called to depart is that direction which we should put in practise by the assisting help of Gods blessed grace A praier to be vsed of any who findes himselfe troubled in conscience or disquieted by euill motions STrengthen me O Lord against al mine enemies both bodily and ghostlye that they neuer bee able to say wee haue preuailed agaynst him By spirite is sorrowfull my heart is sadde and heauie within mee if thou be not my comfort I shal surely perish in my trouble For thy names sake O Lord haue mercie vpon mee rise vp to helpe me that hauing helpe in thee I may withstand my mortall aduersarie and say depart from mee thou wicked spirit that bringest euill thoughts and this deiection of mind goe from me thou deceyuer of man thou shalt haue no part in me for my sauior Iesus standeth by me as a strong chaÌ„pion and thou shalt flie away to thy confussion I had rather endure al affliction al punishmeÌ„ts and infamie of the world then consent to thy malicious motions Be stil therefore thou wicked spirit cease thy prouokements to euill I shall neuer assent vnto thee though greater trobles theÌ„ these come vpoÌ„ me our lord is my light my helth whoÌ„ shal I dread he is yâ— defender of my life of whoÌ„ then shal I be afraid Though an host of men set themselues against me though inâ—inite calamities ouercome mee I shall not bee discomforted for why God is my helper and redeemer in whom I trust he is my portion To whom be praise and honor now and for euermore Amen A prayer for a good departure out of this world ETernall God and most mercifull father seeing that the daies of man are as the flower of the field that soone fadeth and his time like a shodow that vanisheth away considering we are all straungers as were our forefathers and haue here no continuing citie make vs euermore Lord we beseech thee mindfull of our mortalitie that like wise virgins we may prouide oyle in our lamps to bee readie against the bridegrooms comming and that tarying thy good pleasure like watchful seruants we may bee so doing whensoeuer the maister shal returne And when sicknes summoneth vs to bee gone graunt we beseech thee thut neither the infirmitie of the flesh nor the sharpnesse of affliction nor any other meanes whatsoeuer remoue vs from a true and steadfast hope in the blessed passion of thy deare sonne Christ Iesus And when the houre of our rest is come graunt O Lord we may commend our selues into thy handes and die thy seruants to the glorie of thy name comfort of our soules through Iesus Christ Amen The fiue and twentieth Chapter A consolatory admonitioÌ„ for those who are often ouermuch grieued at the crosses of this world IF the world hate you saith Christ our sauiour vnto his Discipleâ— you know it haâ—ed me before it hâ—red youâ— that heauinesse might not dismay or cast them downe without hope of deliuerance where he proposeth the one he promiseth the other Blessed are they that mourne for they shall receyue comfort are not those happie teares well distilled froÌ„ the limbeck of a sorowful heart yâ— shall haue the hands of the sonne of God himself to wipe theÌ„ cleane away when al flesh saith Moses had corrupted his wayes it repented yâ— lord he had made man that is God was sory that man created to so excellent an ende should himself destroy himselfe Now God sends a deluge vpon yâ— face of our earthly pleasured these floods of teares extinguish the heate of vnlawfull desires clense the corruption of our sâ—nfull liues when all is ouerpast there ensueth a calme The church wel celebrateth solemne and sanctified feasts as publike memorials of Christes blessed birth his resurrection his ascention many others before which feasts she appointeth the eeuens to be fasted in this worlde we fast the â—â—uen we shall keep holiday when we come to heauen our lord master Christ Iesus as he did seldom laugh in the worlde so did the worlde as seldom laugh vpon him He tels his followers they must become as little children litle children we know haue no other weapons to auenge themselues but their tears and what other haue wee agaynst our crosses of this worlde but our sighes and supplications sent vp to God Iob saieth Before I eate I sigh whose suffering was such that all which wee doe or can suffer sayth Saint Ierome is in effect nothing We may not looke to find God in the Gardens of Egypt whom Mâ—ses â—ound in the thornie 〈◊〉 of manifold tribulation◠〈◊〉 â—e without crosses we may rather wish then hope The golden worlde is gone wheein men did ioy in nothing more then in sinceritie and loue now this yron age of ours yeeldeth store of crosses and vnconscionable wrongs such is the calamitie of our time wel heauines may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Wee may not repine at these trials if we desire to solace our selues in the vanities of this worlde our desires are vnlawfull Lots wife her minde was vpon her substance
earthquake after yâ— earthquake there came a fire but yâ— Lord was not in the fire after the fire there came a still soft voice and the Lorde came with the voice Where a calme and quiet life is there God is These tossing and troblesome dispositions these fierie scorching humors are they from that wisedome that is pure peaceable gentle easie to bee intreated full of mercie and good fruites without iudging and without hypocrisâ—e as S. Iames speaketh it seemeth not if we may as we may saith he iudge the fountaine by the water or that men would once frame themselues to liue religiously to liue peaceablie Christ saith Pacem relinquo vobis Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you In the trial of the holy man Iob Sathan saith of him hast thou not hedged him in as of these droues of Camelles and heardes of cattell and children Iob is so blessed as if Iob should not blesse God Iob were worse then a stocke or stone Wee see amongst men the Master requireth seruice the Captaine fight Hee that said Da Caesari quae sunt Caesaris said also Date Deo quae sunt Dei Giue vnto God that which is Gods which is the reuerence and worship of his holy name The principall effectes therefore that this remembrance of our ende ought to worke in vs is puritie and sinceritie of life which doth not consist in some talkatiue shew of a mortified profession but must bee done in tâ—uth and veritie The Prophete Esay exhorting to the true fruits of conâ—râ—tion doth not say Discite bene loqui learne to speake well but Discite bene facere learne to do well apply your selues to equitie deliuer the oppressed helpe the fatherlesse to his right let the widdowes complaint come before you it was our Sauiors owne rule The works that I doe testifie of mee In like manner the workes that proceede from vs doe beare witnesse of vs. Wee must not haue the voice of Iacob and the hands of Esau. We must not doe as boat-men are wont who row one way but looke another talke this way but liue the contrarie nor as foolish Marchants who make a little shew outward but haue bare storehouses beneath but our religious actions are they that must shortly stand by vs the pennie is readie for the end of the day which is drawing on apace the sunne is long since past the Meridian line we know death will not be answered with a Habe nos excusatos we had need bestirre our selues the time is not longe we may remember whither we are going Foolish virgines thinke their oyle will neuer be spent Christ sayes the children of this world are wiser in their generation Are we so carefull for the time to come as commonly we are for the time present I wold to God we were Last of all our continuance in this world being onely a passage vnto that to come should mooue vs to meditate of the ende wherefore God sent vs hither And the condition we expect when wee are departed hence which departure should dayly put vs in minde to eschew euill and doe good to feare God and keepâ— his commaundements The nine and twentieth Chapter VVherein is shewed in the last place that a consideration of Christ his second comming to iudgement ought to moue euerie one to liue religiously and also to applie himselfe to this lesson of learning to Die THe manifolde reasons before alledged may induce the carefuâ—l Christian to liue reliâ—giouslie to learn to die the ineuitable necessitie of death is in it selfe sufficient For what Esculapius or phisition how skilfull soeuer can make mortaliâ—ie immortall The radicall moysture by little and little will flash so long with the wasting Lampe vntill at last the light goeth out the lampe is spent and so an ende God himselfe doth teach vs a consideration of our mortalâ— estate both by testimonies of his sacred word as also by many spectacles before our eyes so that wee doe not onely heare with our eares but also behold often with our eies both what we are and what we shall bee Many are the euents which we may reade to haue befallen others the sudden end of Ananias and Saphira of Anastasius whom the Church stories doe mention may moue tâ—e most retchlesse to remember themselues The Prophet Dauid mentioning the sudden destruction of those which murmured against God in the wildernes sayth While the meate was yet in their mouthes the wrath of God came vpoÌ„ them Of which very instance the Apostle saith These things came vpon them for our example and are written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come If all this be not sufficient yet a consideration of Christ his second comming to iudgement should at last moue euerie man vnto a moste serious remembrance of the time to come That which the holy Ghost doth set downe so often and is in scripture forceablie expressed and that in too many places so euidently laide before vs the holy Ghost doth thereby shew how diligently the same subiect should bee considered of by vs. Now what more forceablie expressed in the sacred volume then is the second comming of Christ vnto iudgement which is called a great day and such a day as neuer was from the beginning of the world when the Sunne shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light when the Stars shall fall from heauen when the voice of the trumpet shall sound when all the kindreds of the earth shal mourne when they shall see the sonne of man come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie when the Sepulchres shall open when the sea and the earth shall giue vp their dead when all the worlde Kinges princes and potentates of the earth shall appeare before the tribunal seate of Christ. Blessed Lord what a time shall this bee I knowe not sayth Saint Chrysostome what others doe thinke of it for my selfe it makes mee often tremble to consider it Doe wee not beholde from yeare to yeare the Sunne to yeeld lesse heat whereby the fruites of the earth doe lesse kindly ripen O that we had hearts to meditate of this great comming of Christ to iudgement then woulde wee soone for a sinfull life past bee auenged vpon our eyes and wish with Ieremie that our heads were a fountane of waâ—ter then woulde wee say with Demosthenes yea euerie one would soone answere the first prouocatioÌ„ to euil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not buie repentaunce so deare To flatter our selues with hope of deferring of this time is all in vaine Talem â—te inueniet dies Domini qualem â—e reli quit extremus virae dies Looke howe the laste day of thy life doeth leaue thee so shall the day of iudgement finde thee Who woulde not but accept of the fatherlie forewarning of Christ our Sauiour by those