aeterna per tua merita Domine Iesu Christe qui cum Deo patre spiritu Sancto viuis reg-Deus in secula Cum autem eius vires deficient animam emissurum videatur commendetur anima per aliquem astantium hoc modo Commendatio animae morientis COmmendo te omnipotenti Deo charissime frater et ei cuius es creatura committo proficiscere anima Christiana de hoc misero mundo In nomine Patris omnipotentis qui te creauit In nomine Iesu Christi filij eius qui pro te passus est In nomine Spiritus Sancti qul in te fusus est Egrediente aute animatua de corpore splendidus Angelorum caetus tibi occurrat omnium sanctorum caetus te accipiat appareat tibi mitis clemens Iesus Christus qui inter assistentes sibi te iugiter interesse decernat vt locus tuus in pace sit habitatio tua in Hierusalem coelesti Ignores omnino quid horret in tenebris quid stridet in flammis quid cruciat in tormentis Cedat tibi nequissimus Sathan cum satellitibus suis nec in aduentu suo te vincat sedcoram angelis dei contremiscat as in aterna noctis chaos immane diffugiat at exurget Deus dissipentur omnes inimici eius sicut deficit fumus ita deficiant Iusti autem exultentur exultent in conspectu Dei Confundantur igitur erubescant ante te tar tareae legiones ministri satanae iter tuum impedire non audeāt Liberet te à cruciatu Christus qui pro te mori dignatus est constituet te Christus filius Dei inter paradisi sui amena semper virentia i am inter oues suos verus te ille pastor agnoscat Ille ab omnibus peccatis tuis absoluat atque ad dextram in electorum suorum sorte te constituat vt redemptorem tuum facie ad faciam videas cōstitutum agmina beatorum contemplationis diuinae gaudio potiaris in secula saeculonum Amen Certaine Praiers vsed by our Fore-fathers in the darkest times of Popery in the time of a mans sickenesse some to bee made for the sicke and some by the sicke person gathered out of the same ancient books When the sicke person feeles his strength to faile then let him commend his soule to God in this Praier O Most high and soueraigne God whose goodnesse and mercie is infinite ô most glorious Trinity which art loue and mercie and goodnesse it selfe haue mercy on me most miserable sinner for vnto thee and vnto thy hands I commend my spirit ô Lord my most louing God father of mercies shew thy mercy on me thy poore creature and forsake mee not in my last neede but stand with me Lord and helpe my succourlesse soule saue my poore and desolate soule that it bee not deuoured of the infernall dogges O most louing Lord sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ the sonne of the liuing God I beseech thee for the honor and by the vertue of thy most blessed passion command that I may be receiued into the number of thy Saints and seruants O my Sauiour my Redeemer I here yeeld vp my selfe wholly to thee O grant mee thy grace and thy glory vochsafe me pardon of my sin and giue me a portion of thy glory But ô my deere Lord I chalenge not a place in heauen for any worthines of my owne merits for I am but dust ashes a most wretched finner but for the vertue of thy most blessed passiō by which thou diddest vouchsafe to redeeme mee miserable man and to purchase heauē for me euen with the price of thy precious bloud I beseech thee therefore by thy most blessed bitter passion which thou sustainedst on the Crosse for me especially in that houre whē thy blessed soule did leaue the body that thou wouldest haue mercy on my poore soule at the time of my departure Then let him lift vp his heart with ioy and thanksgiuing and say Lord thou hast broken my bonds therefore I will offer to thee the sacrifice of praise After if his weaknesse grow so that hee loose the vse of his speech let some of the by-standers say these prayers following ouer him or more if he liue so long MErcifull God and Father wee beseech thee for the multitudes of thy mercies look fauourably vpon this thy seruant our deere brother who with true and hearty confession seeks pardon of all his sinnes at the hand of thy mercies O Lord heare vs for him and we beseech thee for him most holy father to renew in his heart what euer is corrupted by the frailty of his flesh and restore that grace which the wily and malicious enemy the diuell hath stolne out of his soule O Lord recall him to the vnity of thy Church ingraft him into the body of thy soule O Lord take pitty of the sighes and sobbes of his soule and groanes of his heart o Lord looke vpon his teares gather them in thy bottle and be good to him who hath no hope comfort nor confidence but in thy mercy and seale vp the assurance of his reconciliation with thee O most holy Father we humbly commend the soule of this thy seruant and our brother into the hands of thy vnmeasureable mercies humbly beseeching thee according to the greatnesse of that loue in which the blessed soule of thy sonne did commend it selfe into thy holy hands that for the worthinesse of that infinite loue of thine in which thou didst receiue that holy soule vnto thy selfe thou wouldst vouchsafe in this our brothers last houre to receiue his poore soule also and make it partaker of the same loue And thou most sweete Sauiour and most mercifull Lord Iesus thou that dying on the crosse was so pressed with anguish and torments for vs as made thee sound out that pittiful voyce vnto thy Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken me we beseech thee estrange not thy selfe and turne not away thy face frō thy seruant our brother now in the houre of his soules affliction when his strength faileth and his spirits are so spent that he cannot cal vpon theee heare vs O Lord heare vs for him and for that thy glorious victory in which thou didst triumph on the crosse for thy pretious passion and bitter death thinke of him the thoughts of mercy and not of iustice shed thy mercies in his soule speak cōfortably to his conscience deliuer his soule out of all spirituall distresse saue him frō the tormēts due vnto his deseruings bring him for thy own merits sake to eternal rest O Lod Iesus Christ which didst redeem vs with thy precious bloud write with thine own bloud in the soule and ingraue thy wounds in the heart of this thy seruant that in thē he may see read thy doleful suffrings thy sweet loue thy sufferings that they may be effectual to rasome him frō those sorrows
torments which he hath merited by his sins thy loue that it may vnite his heart to thee in inuisible inseparable bonds so as he may neuer be seperated frō thee nor thy Saints for euer and euer And Lord Iesus Christ we beseech thee make his soule partaker of all the merits of thy most sacred incarnation passion resurrection and ascention Make him pertaker of the vertue of thy most blessed sacraments and all thy holy mysteries Make him pertaker of all the praiers good deedes done in thy whole Church Make him pertaker of al the blessings graces and comforts of all thy elect and grant that with them all he may liue in thy presence for euermore O Lord which powred out thy prayer for vs on the mount Oliuet and sweat water and bloud wee beseech thee let that precious bloud of thine which thou didst so aboundantly poure out for our saluation let it bee presented and offered to thy father to stand against the multitude of of the sinnes of this thy seruant our brother Lord be with him at his last houre and then deliuer him from the anguish and torments which for his sins he may iustly feare Graciously receiue his soule in the houre of his departure open the gate of heauen vnto him and giue him a portion with thy Saints in glory for thy owne most glorious merite O Lord Iesus Christ who with God the Father and the holy Ghost liuest and raignest one God for euermore Amen And when the sicke mans strength beginnes to faile and the soule is ready to depart then let the soule be commended to God by one of the by-standers on this manner The Commendation of the soule to be said at a mans death I Heere commend thee to Almighty God most deere brother and I commit thee to him whose creature thou art Go forth therefore O Christian soule get thee gone out of this filthy world go forth in the name of the Almighty Father who created thee in the name of Iesus Christ who dyed for thee in the name of the holy Ghost who hath bene poured out vpon thee And when thou happy soule art deliuered out of the prison of the body the glorious quire of heauenly Angels meet thee and the company of all holy Saintes entertaine thee the louing countenance and cheereful face of Iesus Christ shine vpon thee a mercifull Iudge bee hee vnto thee that thou maist haue sentence to sit for euer amongst his Saints on his right hand thy dwellings be in peace and thy saluation in the heauenly Ierusalem for euermore farr be it from thee euer to feele or know how horrible the darknesse how terrible the flames and how intollerable the torments of hell are Sathan and all his hellish guard be they confounded at thy presence and if hee dare set vpon thee victory and triumph be on thy side shame and trembling fall vpon him from the presence of Gods Angels and be hee banished into the blacke mists and confused chaos of eternall darknesse But let the Lord arise and let his enemies be scattered and as the smoake vanisheth so let them flye away But let the iust be exalted and reioyce in the presence of the Lord let the infernall legions not dare to touch theee nor all Sathans helhounds presume to hinder thee and hee who disdained not to dye for thee be hee thy Sauiour and deliuerer from all spirituall vexation Be the gates of paradise open vnto thee thy Christ giue thee thy place and mansion in the same And he that is the true Pastor and great Sheepeheard of the Sheepe acknowledge thee for one of his true Sheepe and receiue thee into his fold Iesus Christ absolue thee from all thy sins and place thee on his right hand among his elect that there thou maist see thy Redeemer face to face in the society of blessed sed soules maist enioy the comforts of heauenly cōtemplation and the blessed vision of God for euer and euer Amen To the Reader SEe Christian brother how in the worst times they were prepared to die and commended to God if the ancient books did not proclaime this truth some would not beleeue but that they had been made in this latter time But seeing the truth cannot be denied I desire thee with me to obserue these few collections arising out of due consideration of the premisses 1. Heere is answere to that great question how our forefathers were saued euen by the same faith as we are at this day 2. How truly Christ performed his promise namely that the gates of hell should not preuaile against the true faith for so we see that in the vilest times this Faith hath beene preserued 3. Obserue how here is no touch nor once mention of Purgatory nor of any thing to be done for their good after this life 4. Here is no relation to any pardons or indulgences from the Pope 5. Here is no necessity laid downe of sending for a Priest to bring his Hoste and his Pix and his holy water and his Taper These matters it seemes are rather commanded pressed vpon the people by the Romish Cleargie then much regarded by the wiser and godlier sort of our forefathers neither are they commanded to stay till the Priest come but saith the booke let these prayers bee said and the Commendation of his soule by one of the by-standers Lastly let it bee obserued that in all these prayers and commendations and questions and these saith the booke are all that be of necessity to be said here is not one smack of Popish idolarry or superstition In these respects I haue thought it no needlesse labour to communicate these to thee deere brother I know there be store of godly prayers and meditations already extant But these are of a special vse more then others and are venerable for their antiquity And are to be the more welcome because God preserued thē in the hands of our very enemies And thogh they were mingled with other things not so good yet Hieronym ad Laetum Grandis prudentiae est aurum in luto quaerere let vs know as S. Hierome tels vs that it is no small point of wisdome to seeke out gold out of mire and clay Make vse of these and helpe mee with thy prayers and thou shalt shortly if God permit bee pertaker of more FINIS TAM ROBVR TAM ROBOR NI-COLIS ARBOR IOVIS 1610. LONDON Printed for Leonard Becket and are to be sold at his Shop in the Temple neere the Church 1611.
mei Iesu Christi obijcio inter me iudiciuÌ„ tuum aliter tecum non contendam Et si tibi dixerit Deus quia peccator es dic Domine mortem Domini mei Iesu Christi pono inter te peccata mea si dixerit tibi quod meruisti damnationem dic Domine mortem Domini mei Iesu Christi obtendo inter te mala merita mea Ipsumque dignissimae passionis meritum offero pro merito quod ego debuissem habere heu hon habeo Si dixerit deus quod tibi est iratus die Domine mortem Domini mei Iesu Christi pono inter me iram tuam Deinde dicat ter In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum et si id ipsum non potest loqui dicat conuentus vel astantes In manus tuas domine commendamus spiritum eius Et securus moritur nec videbit mortem in eternum Et in alio vetusto codice SEquntur signa sex quibus homo potest confidere de salute 1 Si credit ea quae sunt Christianae fidei quantum ad omnia ab Ecclesia determinata 2 Si gaudet laetetur quod in fide Christi morietur 3 Si cognoscat se grauiter Deum offendisse 4 Si dolet se tam grauiter Deum offendisse 5 Si proponit a peccatis abstinere si vixerit 6 Si credit sperat venire ad saluteÌ„ aeternam non proprijs meritis sed Iesu Christi Et dicit Anselmus quod hae sex questiones proponi debent homini costituto in mortis articulo addit Deinde dicatur infirmo si Sathan tibi obijciat aliquid opponas merita Christi inter te ipsuÌ„ his peractis sine dubio saluabitur Ista consolatio preparatio ad mortem in vetustis codicibus ascribitur Anselmo qui vixit ante annos 500 in ipsa adulta fere aetate Papismi Si vero dubitaret quis quomodo patres nostri in hisce posterioribus multoque peioribus temporibus salutem aeternaÌ„ possent adipisci grassante Papismo vigente potestate tenebrarum Respondeo eandem fere preparationem intterrogationes fuisse in vsu aestimatione In densissimis Papismi tenebris pessimo nimirum illo tempore Concilij Constantiensis ante annos nimirum 200. sic enim reperio scriptum in alio vetusto codice multis abhinc annis descripto Omnis Christianus siue secularis fiue regularis modo subsequenti de sua salute inquirendus et informandus est 1 CRedis omnes principales articulos fidei insuper toti sacrae Scripturae per omnia secundum sanctorum Catholicorum orthodoxorum sanctae Ecclesiae doctorum expositionem detestatis omnes hereses errores atque superstitiones ab Ecclesia reprobatas ac laetaris insuper quod in fide Christi ac vnitate matris Eccelsiae ac obedientia morieris 2 Cognoscis te Creatorem tuum saepe multipliciter atque grauiter offendisse 3 Doles ex toto corde de omnibus peccatis contra Dei maiestatem amorem benignitatem de malis commissis bonis omissis gratias neglectis non solum timore mortis conturbatus vel paenae cuiuscuÌ„que sed magis ex amore Dei 4 Petis frater omnibus istis veniam a Iesu Christo optans per illum cor tuum illuminari ad cognitionem obliquorum vt de illis valeas specialiter paenitere 5 Proponis te vereaciter velle emeÌ„dare si supervixeris et nunquaÌ„ plus mortaliter peccare scienter sed potius omnia quanticunque chara dimittere imo etiam vitam carnalem perdere antequam Deum plus velles offendere 6 Rogas insuper Deum vt det tibi gratiam hoc propositum continuandi non recidiuandi 7 Indulges ex toto corde omnibus qui vnquam aliquid nocumentum verbo vel facto tibi intulerunt vel aliquo modo offenderunt ob amorem venerationem Domini tui Iesu Christi a quo tu veniam speras Petis etiam fideliter indulgeri remitti tibi ab ijs quos tu offendisti quouis modo 8 Vis ablata restitui integraliter in quantuÌ„ teneris iuxta tuarum facultatum valorem etiam vsque ad omnium bonorum tuorum câ—ssionem inclusiue vbi alias satisfactio fieri non valeret 9 Credis quod parte mortuus sit Christus quod aliter saluari non potes nisi per meritum passionis Domini nostri Iesu Christi agis etiam de hoc Deo gratias ex corde quantum valeas Quicunque autem ad praedictas interrogationes ex conscientia bona fide non ficta vere poterit affirmatiue respondere satis euidens argumentum salutis habet si sic decesserit quod de numero saluandorum erit QVestions to bee propounded to sicke persons whilst they haue the vse of reason and power to speake to the end that if any be not so well disposed to dye he may bee better informed and prepared And the questions be these according to Anselme the reuerend Bishop 1 Let him be asked thus Brother dost thou reioyce that thou shalt dye in the faith of Christ Ans I do 2 Brother dost thou sorrow and grieue for that thou hast not liued so well as thou oughtest The answere I do Brother hast thou a hearty purpose to liue better if God giue thee time to liue Ans I haue Brother dost thou beleeue that thou cannot be saued but by the death of Christ Ans I do Dost thou beleeue that Iesus Christ the Sonne of God dyed for thee Ans I do Dost thou giue thankes to God therefore from thy whole heart Ans I do Well then good brother whilst thy soule is yet in thy body giue him hearty thankes and settle all thy assurance vpon his death alone haue no confidence in any thing else trust thy selfe wholly to his passion couer thy selfe wholly with it fasten thy whole selfe on his crosse cast thy whole selfe into this sea And if thy Lord God say hee will iudge thee answere thou Lord I obiect the death of my Lord Iesus Christ betwixt me thy iudgement otherwise I will not contend with thee And if God say to thee thou art a sinner answer Lord it is so but I set the death of my Lord Iesus Christ betwixt thee my sinnes If hee say that thou hast deserued damnation answer It is true Lord but I place the death and merits of my Lord Iesus Christ betwixt thee and my ill deseruings and I offer vp him the most worthy merites of his passion for the merits which I should haue had but alas haue not If the Lord say further that he is angry with thee answere him Lord thou hast cause but I set the death and suffrings of my Lord Iesus Christ betwixt thy wrath and my soule Then let him say thrise Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit And if he be so weake hee
mundus Est iucundus Suam perdit animam Prore leui Atque breui Vitam perdit optimā Ergo caue Ne tam suaue Iugū spernens domini Et abiecta Legerecta Seruias libidini Si sint plagae Curam age Vt curentur citius Ne secrescant Et putrescant Pergas in deterius Ne desperes Nam cohaeres Christi esse poteris Si carnales Quantum vales Affectus excluseris Si formidas Ne diffidas Sed medelam postula Noxam plange Corpus ange Dilue piacula Siviuorum Et funclorum Christum times Iudicem Debes scire Quod perire Non vult suum supplicem Preces funde pectus tunde Flendo cor humilia Penitenti Et gementi Non negatur venia Exorando Et laudando Iesum Christum memora Nam delere Potest vere Quaecunque facinora Et si quando Te temptando Durus serpens laeserit Suspiranti Et oranti Iesus Christus aderit Quod si forte Mortis portae Te vicinum senseris Crede tamen Quod iuuamen Per eum receperis Hunc require Qui lenire Solet corda tristium Certus esto Quod est presto Votis se precantium Ipse multos iam sepultos Fecit reuiuiscere Hic auersos Et subuersos Potest Deo iungere Ipsum ama Ad hunc clama Mentem tuam eleuae Vt sustentet Et presentet Te ad caeli gaudia Ipsum Cole Vt de mole Criminum te liberet Hunc appella Ne procella Vitiorum superet Ipsum posco Quem cognosco Posse prorsus omnia Vt euellat Et repellat Cuncta quae sunt noxia Ipse donet Vt quod monet Eius verbum faciam Vt finita Carnis vita Laetus hunc aspiciam Pater Deus Fili Deus Deus alma charitas Per eterna Nos guberna Secla Deus Trinitas An Orthodoxall Confession of God the Father FIrst and last one God diuine All mens God as well as mine In thy vertue all things framing In thy knowledge all containing In thine essence chiefest good Working all what e're is good All supporting all excelling Without all yet in all dwelling All supporting vndeiected All excelling vnaffected Without all yet not excluded In all neuer yet included Ouer all in Domination Vnder all in sustentation Comprehending all without thee Filling all things round about thee Nothing vnder thee can raise thee Nought aboue thee can debase thee Nought without giues thee dimension Nought within giues thee extension Mouing all thy selfe abiding Placed without circumscribing Changing time thy selfe most stable Varying all Inuariable Force necessity nor art Alter thee in any part Time past present and to come Are one with thee both all and some All the glory now thou hast Vndiminisht aye must last Onely thou art all foreseeing Onely giuing all their being As thy wisedome did foreshow Thou framd'st the elements below A holy and orthodoxall Confession of God the Son Iesus Christ the Sauiour of Mankind SOnne thy Fathers peere in all with him Consubstantiall His figure and his splendor pure Creator made a creature Thou our humane flesh putst on Thou our cause hast vndergon Temporall yet time defying Euer liuing yet once dying God and man without illusion Both in one without confusion Thy Fathers like in Deity But not in fleshlie verity God humanity assuming The same preseruing not consuming The Godhead in this vnion yet Of his Godhead lost no whit God to God and not to 'th other Was Father but Mary to both was mother Thus both natures kept their station In this wonderous Combination Preseruing in the Essence true What was and thence producing new This our Mediator is Our leader to the land of blisse Circumcis'd babtis'd by Iohn Suffered buried and vpon The third day whence he had descended He rose and so to heauen ascended Whence he shall come when time doth cal Tho Iudg'd himselfe to iudge vs all Of Christ againe HE whom Gods power for mankind would haue borne whom borne his miracles proclaimed haue Who thus proclaim'd vpon a crosse was torne To whom thus torne the godly buriall gaue This borne proclaimed torne Entombed King God power againe to heauenly blisse did bring A true and orthodoxall Confession of the holy Ghost SPirit vncreated euer Neuer made begotten neuer From the persons two proceeding Full their equall not exceeding Not preferring them in Deity Nor seuerall from them in quality In quantity all three combine In quality alike Diuine With the Father and the Sunne Neuer ending nor begun One is Father for he begot The Sonne one borne all men wot From these the spirit proceeds alone Thus one is three and three are one Each of these is God truly Yet still but one and not Gods three But in this Deity I asseuer A Trinity vnited euer In the substance is full vnity In the persons perfect Trinity But in these that I haue reckoned None in power is first or second But allas one we must adore Fixed and firme for euermore Nor in selfe for euer changed Nor from it selfe at all estranged The conclusion with a deuour and holy prayer THis is Christian faith vnfained Orthodoxall true vnstained As I teach all vnderstand Yeelding vnto neither hand And in this my soules defence Reiect me not for mine offence Though deaths slaue yet desperation I fly in death to seeke saluation I haue no meane thy loue to gaine But this faith which I maintaine This thou seest nor will I cease By this to beg for a release Let this sacred salue be bound Vppon my sores to make them sound Though man be carried forth and lying In his graue and putrifying bound and hid from mortall eyes Yet if thou bid he must arise At thy will the graue will open At thy will his bounds are broken And forth he comes without delay If thou but once bid come away In this sea of dread and doubt My poore barke is tost about With stormes and pirates farre and wide Death and woes on euery side Come thou steeresman euer blest Calme these winds that me molest Chase these ruthlesse Pyrates hence And shew me some safe residence My tree is fruitlesse dry and dead All the bowes are withered Downe it must and to the fire If desert haue his due hire But spare it Lord another yeare With manuring it may beare If it then be dead and dry Burne it alas what remedy Mine old foe assaults me sore With fire and water more and more Poore I of all my strength bereft Onely vnto thee am left That my foe may hence be chased And I from ruines clawes released Lord vouchsafe me euery day Strength to fast and faith to pray These two meanes thy selfe hast taught To bring temptations force to nought Lord free my soule from sinnes infection By repentances direction Be thy feare in me abiding My soule to true saluation guiding Grant me faith Lord hope and loue Zeale of heauen and things aboue Tcach me prize the world at nought On thy blisse be all my
thought All my hopes on thee I found In whom all good things abound Thou art all my dignity All I haue I haue from thee Thou art my comfort in distresse Thou art my cure in heauinesse Thou art my musicke in my sadnesse Thou art my medicine in my madnesse Thou my freedome from my thrall Thou my rayser from my fall In my labour thou releiues me Thou reformes what euer grieues me All my wrongs thy hand reuengeth And from hurt my soule defendeth Thou my deepest doubts reuealest Thou my secret faults concealest Oh doe thou stay my feete from treading In paths to hell and horror leading Where eternall torment dwels With feares teares loathsome smels Where mans deepest shame is sounded And the guilty still confounded Where the scourge for euer beateth And the worme that alwaies eateth Where all those endlesse do remaine Lord preserue vs from this paine In Syon lodge me Lord for pitty Syon Dauids kingly Cittie Built by him that 's only good Whose gates are of the crosses wood Whose keies are Christs vndoubted word Whose dwellers feare none but the Lord. Whose wals are stone strong quicke and bright Whose keeper is the Lord of light Here the light doth neuer cease Endlesse spring and endlesse peace Here is musicke heauen filling Swetnesse euermore distilling Here is neither spot nor taint No defect nor no complaint No man crooked great nor small But to Christ conformed all Blessed towne diuinely graced On a rocke so strongly placed Seated sure from feare of warre I salute thy wals from farre Thee I see and thee I long for Thee I seeke and thee I groane for O what ioy thy dwellers tast All in pleasures first and last What full enioying blisse Diuine What Iewels on thy wals do shine Rubie Iacincth Chalcedon Knowne to them within alone In this glorious Company In the streetes of Syon I With Iob Moses and Eliah Will sing the heauenly Alleluiah Amen A holy meditation of mans mi sery and Gods mercy together with a deuout prayer VVIth longing cheere The thirsty Deere do seeke the brooke In such a kind The faithful minde For God doth looke And as the springs Refreshment brings in drought and sweat So God doth coole The thirsty soule in all her heate O Lord what floods of glorious goods dost thou bestow On those that be thine blest is he that well doth know Eternall blisse His guerdon is that Iesus maketh His rest but he Reapes mysery that him forsaketh Thou makest them glorious And victorious Who serue thee well In endlesse ioy From all annoy with thee they dwell But oh Humanity With how great vanity art thou betost To dote in care On things that are so quickly lost Why dost thou yeeld And leaue the field to sinnes inuasions Not well respecting But ill reiecting thy Gods perswasions Open thine eies And well aduise of whence thou art Thy life thy birth Thy state thy worth obserue each part From carelesnesse Thy selfe still blesse O man Gods Iewell How he placed thee And graced thee obserue and view well To what intent Hath God thee sent obserue with care To whom but pride Drew thee aside thou hadst bene heyre O mortall sonne Affliction is thy due hire That broke the band Of Gods commande through vaine desire But oh take heed Those paines exceed that rule in hell Whose fire so cruell Hath those for fuell that liue not well The man that ioyes In worldly toyes his soule orethrowes Respecting nought What Christ hath bought full deere God knowes Then neuer grudge If God thee iudge his yoke to beare Let not lust draw Thee from his law But hold it deere And soone apply His remedy vnto thy sore Least it increase To worse disease and plague thee more Doe not dispaire Thou maist be heire with Christ in ioy By casting out Corruptions roote thy soules annoy Still feare thou must But not distrust and beg thy cure For errours weepe Thy body keepe lowly and pure If to thy feare Thy iudge appeare with angry face Know he will loose Not one of those that beg his grace Pray without rest And knock thy brest humble thy minde All that bewaile Their errours fraile haue pardon sign'd And do not spare In hymme and prayer Iesus to praise For mercy still Is at his will at all assayes And when the diuell The Prince of euill attempteth thee Then if thou pray Christ will not stay to set thee free All be thou were To death most neere yet still be sure And vnderstand That his high hand containes thy cure Be he thy quest That giues all rest from restlesse woes Who so adore And him implore shall come to those For many an one Dead long agon hath he reuiued And saued more That were before of grace depriued Be all thy loue On God aboue Lift vp thy spirit That thou maist tast The Saints repast through his sole merit And honour him That he from sinne may thee deliuer That sinnes increase In thee may cease in prayer perseuer On him I call That all in all hath in his power Against all harme Be he myne arme my shield my towre And this liues length Vouchsafe vs strength to keepe his hest That at our end Wee may ascend To endlesse rest Amen Here followeth the means and manner how our forefathers in the time of Popery prepared themselues and others to dye consisting first of the confession of their faith and secondly of the prayers which were made by them for them in their last sicknesse by which it may appeare that though they were misled by the crafty Romish Clergy in diuers errours and superstions yet in the great point of the meanes of saluation they were of our religion and were saued by it INterrogationes quae fieri debent morituris dum adhuc vsum rationis habent loquendi vt si quis minus dispositus fuerit ad moriendum de meliori informetur atque in eodem confortetur Illae autem interrogationes debent fieri fecundum Anselmum Episcopum hoc modo Primos queratur sic Frater 1 laetaris quod in fide Christi morieris Ille respondet Etiam Frater 2 penitet te non tam bene vixisse sicut debuisses Respondeat etiam Frater habes animum emendandi si spatium viuendi haberes Respon Etiam Frater credis te non posse nisi per Christi mortem saluari Resp Etiam Credis quod prote mortuus est Dominus Iesus Christus fillius Dei Resp Etiam Agis ei gratias ex toto corde de hoc Respo Etiam Age ergo ei dum superest in te anima semper gratias in hac sola morte fiduciam tuam constitue in nulla alia re fiduciam habe huic mortite totum committe hac sola te totum contege totum immisce te in hac morte totum confige in hac morte te totum inuolue Et si dominus Deus voluerit tu iudicare dic Domine mortem Domini
cannot then let the company who stand by say Lord into thy hands we commend his soule He that doth thus is safe and secure for he shall neuer tast of eternall death Also in another old booke I find this written THese be the six signes vpon which a man may rest confident of his saluation 1 If he beleeue the Articles of Christian faith as many as are determined by the Churche 2 If he reioyce to dye in the faith of Christ 3 If hee know that hee hath grieuously offended God 4 If he bee heartily sorry for it 5 If he resolue to forsake his sinnes if God giue him life 6 If he hope and beleeue to come to eternall saluation not by his owne merits but by the merits of Iesus Christ And Anselme saith that these six questions are to bee asked of euery one at the time of his death and saith further thus Then say to the sicke person if Sathan obiect any thing against thee oppose thou the merits of Christ betwixt thee and him and thus without all doubt hee shall be saued This consolation of the sicke and preparation to their death is in ancient Copies ascribed to Anselme who liued more then 500 yeares agoe euen when Popery was almost growne to perfect age Now if any man make question how our fathers were saued in these later and worse times when Popery preuailed in a greater measure I answere that euen almost the same preparation and same questions were vsed long after Anselme euen in the deepest darkenesse of Popery For in the most euill time about the Councell of Constance some two hundred years ago Thus I finde it written in ancient Booke and it is ascribed to Gerson Euery Christian whether secular or regular is thus to be examined and informed in his sicknesse touching his saluation 1 DOest thou beleeue all the principal articles of faith and all that is contained in the whole body of holy Scripture according to the exposition of the Catholicke and orthodoxall Doctors of the holy Church and dost thou detest all heresies and errours and superstitions condemned or reproued by the Church and art thou glad that thou dyest in the faith of Christ and vnity and obedience of thy Mother the Church 2 Doest thou know and confesse that thou hast many wayes and grieuously offended thy God and Creator 3 Dost thou sorrow from thy whole heart for all thy sins committed against Gods Maiesty his loue and mercy art thou truely sorrowful for the euils that thou hast committed and the good that thou hast omitted and the grace thou hast neglected and art thou agreiued not so much for feare of death or any punishment as for that loue which thou oughtest to beare towards God 4 Doest thou beg pardon for all these thy sins of Iesus Christ desiring that by him thy heart may be enlightned truely to see and know thy sins that so thou maist particularly and more seriously repent of them 5 Doest thou propound and resolue truly to amend thy life if so be thou liue and neuer hereafter to sinne so againe but rather to loose any thing how deere soeuer vnto thee yea euen life it selfe then to offend thy God againe 6 Doest thou also desire of God grace to continue in this purpose that thou maist not fall againe 7 Doest thou forgiue from thy whole heart all that haue done thee any wrong in word or deed for the loue of Christ Iesus thy Lord and Sauiour and as thou hopest for pardon from him and doest thou hartily desire to bee forgiuen of all men whom thou hast any way offended 8 Wilt thou that there be ful restitution made according to thy power yea though it should extend to thy whole estate if otherwise there cannot bee satisfaction made 9 Doest thou beleeue that Christ dyed for thee and that thou canst bee saued no otherwise but by the merites of Iesus Christ and doest thou giue God thankes for this from thy whole heart as much as thou art able And whosoeuer can giue true answere to these questions affirmatiuely out of a good conscience and faith not fayned It is an euident and sufficient testimony of saluation and let him not doubt but if he so depart hee is one of them that shall be saued Behold heere good Reader our Religion practised in the most misty times of Popery behold heere the true holy Catholike and ancient way to heauen Namely By Christ and his merits alone Heere is no trusting on mans merits either our own or others Here is no mention of Agnus deis or Wodden Crucifixes He is not bid to trust in the prayers suffrages requiems dirges Masses Trentals or other obsequies that shall be sayd for him after his departure He is sent to no Angell no nor to the Virgin Mary for matter of Saluation Nay all are excluded Christs death alone euen it alone is made the meanes of his Saluation And the makers heereof were so resolute and zealous in this point that they vse such variety of words as though they could not sufficiently expresse the excellency and the nececessity of cleauing to Christ alone in the matter of saluation And if any man suspect that this is but deuised by vs and falsely fathered vpon Antiquity let him know that not onely we haue the ancient Copies whose age will speake for themselues but euen the better sort of Papists that be learned doe know this well enough A learned Papist of this age Gasper vlenbergius in lib. de Causis Causa 14. pag. 462. editionis Colon. 1589. writeth that in a Church in Colaine this very booke is extant Manuscript and that hee hath seene it and that this manner of comforting the sicke was vsed in former ages and confesseth that it containes the very treasure kernel of Christian Religion and saith further that this manner was vsed not in Germany onely but ouer all the Christian world Indeed to the Iesuits I confesse this is held a ridiculous manner of comforting the sicke such a spirit possesseth them Thus doth Gretzer their Champion flout vs Lutherans as he cals vs for thus doing The Lutherans saith hee do Iae. Gretzerus in refutat Leyseri de histor Ord. Iesuit thus comfort their sick Relicks Crucifixes Agnus deis and such matters are but dead things and nothing worth the Scripture hath not a word of them it is therefore very vngodly to trust in them but God is our hope and God is our strength trust in him c. On this wise fashion do these godly comforters comfort their sicke persons Thus in the Iesuites iudgement it is but a seely course to trust in Gods mercy and Christs merits in points of saluation Hereby it may be discerned of what spirit they are But let them mocke vs as long as with vs they mocke the Scriptures Antiquity and the better sort of their owne side for we appeale to this that hath bene said whether this manner of comforting the sicke were not in