The solace OF THE SOVLE AGAYNST the bytter stormes of sycknes and deathe, greatly encouragynge the faythfull, paciently to suffer the good pleasure of God in all kynde of aduersite, newly set forth in Englysshe by Thomas Becon.

Prouerbi. iii.
Refuse not the chastenynge of God, nether grudge thou, when he correcteeh the.

Anno. M.D.XLVIII.

TO THE REDER.

VERE notable is thys saiyng of our LORD and sauiour Iesu Christ he that continueth vnto the ende, Math, [...] shalbe safe, for it declareth vnto vs, that thoughe the most and greatest parte of oure lyfe semeth to be spente bothe faythfully, and godly, yet yf we perseuer not in tha [...] fayth and godlynes euen vnto the last breath, but let slyppe our holde, that we haue hadde heretofore of fayth and godly conuersatyon in Christ Iesu, all the laboures, pay­nes and trauayles, that we haue susteyned in the former parte of our lyfe, are frustrate and vayne. For noman that putteth hys hande to the Ploughe and loketh backe, Luce. [...]. is mete vnto the kyngdome of God. And it is wrytten in the Reuelatiō of saint Iohn. Be faithful vnto the [...]eath, aud I shal gyue the y • crown Apoca, [...] [Page] of lyfe, the crowne of lyfe is prom [...] ­sed. But to whome? verely to those that be faythfull euen vnto deathe, as saynte Paule sayth. Noman is crowned excepte he stryueth lauful­ly, tim. ii. to stryue laufully, is not to play the cowarde in the battell of Christ our captaine, & to giue place to our aduersaryes, but at all tymes vale­auntly to fyghte agaynt them with the stronge and myghty shylde of faith, and so to contynue euen vnto the ende. And albeit thys conflycte betwene the faythfull Christyanes and ther enemyes be at all tymes ieoperdous and full of peryl, yet in in the tyme of syckenes, and when deathe begynneth to drawe nyghe, it is most daungerous. In healthe and prosperite Satans assaultes seme to be but tryfles and thynges of daliauns, but in aduersite, trou­ble, sycknes and death, they appere moost vehement, greuous, terrible [Page] and not able to be resysted, at whych tyme, yf we gyue place, we are vn­done, yf we manfully resist, the vic­tory is oures. We muste therefore (godly reder) agaynst thys so peril­lous tyme of sycknes and death, so furnyshe our selfes vnto thys bat­tayll, that we be not put to flyghte, euer remembrynge that oure stryfe and fyghting, is not against bloud and fleshe, but agaynste Rulers, agaynst powers, against the lordes of the worlde, ephe. v [...] the Gouernours of the darkenes of thys worlde, a­gaynst spiretuall subtilities or wy­lynesses in heuēly thynges, I meane Satan with all his infernall army and deuellysh warryours. And for­asmuche as our pryncipal conflycte and chefe battel is in y • tyme of sycknes & paynes of death, and seyng we haue then most nede of consolation and comforte, that we be not ouer­come nor subdued of our enemyes, [Page] but know how we shal both take the crosse of Christ, appere it to y • fleshe neuer so painful, & put our aduersaries to flight & so continue faithful to the ende: I haue trāslated this lytel treatise folowing, wherin y • shal [...] finde most swet & presēt cōfort both for thy selfe & other, an armoures or wepens to defende thy selfe agaynst all thyn enemies, that not they ouer the, but thou ouer them mayst full gloriously triumphe, & get the vic­tori through Iesus christ our grād [...] captayne, this lytyl worke I wysh [...] to be in the hādes of al the faithful at all tymes, but specially in y e time of ther sycknes, y • thei might learn [...] vnfainedly to reioyse in tribulatiō and valeātly to striue agaynste th [...] enemies, the slesh, the world, y • diui [...] hell, syn, death and desperatiō. Yea [...] I wishe y • al the faithful in the tim [...] of ther sicknes might haue this tr [...] atyse red vnto thē, ether of ther cu [...]rates [Page] or of some other faithful chri­stians: so shuld thei w tout al doubt fin [...]e exceding great cōforte, paci­ently & thankfully beare the crosse that god laieth vpō thē, & with glad hartes wyshe wyth S. Paule to be losoned frō this wretched body and to be with Christ in glory. Philip. Farewel good Reder, & pray that the Gospel of our health, Roma. whych is the myghty power of god vnto saluatiō for euery one that beleueth, may haue free passage emonge vs vnto the vtter subuersiō of Antichrist & his king­dom. Pray also, that we may so lede our lyfes in al thinges cōformable to the wyl of god, that through our godly maners & Christen cōuersa­tion we may garnyshe & beautifye the doctrine of our sauiour & Lord Iesu Christ, to whome wyth the fa­ther and the holy ghost be al glory prayse and honour, worldes wyth­out ende.

AMEN.

THE SOLACE OF THE SOVLE.

THOV SHALTE E­uer be at this pointe (o thou Christiane) which art sycke and dyseased, faithfulli to beleue that thy punyshement & trouble cometh not vnto the by chauns or fortune, but by the appoyntmente, councell and sufferauns of God. What soe­ [...]er syckenes, calamyte or myscry chaunchethe to the godly, all that come to passe at the appoyntmente, wyll & pleasure of God. [...]u. xvii For in hym we lyue, moue, and haue our beyng. He hath made vs, [...]. xcix and not we oure selfes. Nether shalte thou doubte, but that of a ryghte good and very fatherly mynde he sendeth the what so euer dysease thou hast, not to de­stroy the, but to call the vnto repē ­tauns, and to exercyse, proue, trye, [Page] and store vp thy fayth. For afflycti­ons are the sure sygnes & vndoub­ted tokēs of Gods high mercy, and syngulare good wyll. Whō he lo­ueth, hym he correcteh, sayth Salo­mō. Proue [...] He scourgeth euery sonne, that he receyueth: Hebr. that thy moste tender heauenly father, whyche so derely loueth the, accordīg to his singula­re good appointmēte, & of an ernest bent good wyll towarde the, wyth thys thy aduersyte euen as it were wyth bondes doth plucke backe, re­frayne, and mortifye thy olde man, that y • mayst crucyfye wyth Christe the gladlier & more cherfully thi body & offer it as a sacryfice: Rom. thys thy di [...]ease therfore, wherwith thou art vexed, is a fatherly chastysemente layde vpon the, not that thou shul­dest be distroied, but that thou shuldest be amended, quickened & made a new man. Paraduenture God the the father seeth, that thy olde Adam [Page] is fearse, stobborne, froward vnruly take his pleasure, liueth more licen­ciously thē becometh him foloweth hys awn carnal affectes, & can kepe hym selfe in no good order, therfore doth he cast thys as an halter vpon hym, snarle hym wyth thys fetters and chenes, spearethe hym in thys prison & dengden, ouercometh hym with thys punyshment, that he may brydle him, knocke him downe and kepe him vnder awe, [...] that he cast in to perell & put in extreme ieoperdye thy most noble and precious soule: fleshe and bloude reygne and beare more rule in the, thā the spirit: here is god present with thy spirit, & hel­peth her stryuing against the fearse vnrul [...] and rebellious flesh, that she maye ouercome, subdue and treade vnder foote the fleshe. Yf that were in good health and in bodely pros­perite now, paraduenture, the fleshe (as it is alway naturally disposed, [Page] pro [...]e and bent vnto y • deuyl) shuld deceyue the and cast the into many and greuous synnes agaynste God wherwyth God beynge dyspleased thou shuldest be in daunger of cur­syng and dampnatiō: that thy hea­uenly father preuentyng this incō ­modite and perell, and prouidynge for the and thy healthe, bryngethe vnder and kepethe downe thy fle­she, whych wyth all mayne and fer­se waxeth woode against the spirit, Gala. and is euermore contrary to it, that it be not waloued forth into y • most stynkynge and fylthy pudle of syn­ne, but be subiecte and obedyent to the spyrite: forasmuch than as this is the pleasure of thy mooste louin­ge Father, agayne seynge that all thyngesturne vnto thy cōmodite & wealthe, take hede dylygenlye (O brother) that thou doste not stryue agaynst the good wyl of God but, suffer & pray y • the wyl of thy father [Page] may be done in the, that he may hā ­dle the as he thinketh best, and that thou mayst not wysshe couet or de­syre any thynge, but that he shall thynke good, that all thynges may turne to the glory and praise of god and that he maye assyste the wyth his grace, that thou mayst pacient­ly and thankefully beare the crosse that is layde vpon the: for pacience bryngethe experyence, experyence bryngeth hope, and hope maketh not ashamed. Here hast thou an oc­casyon to exercyse and lerne paciēce in al thi troubles. Fyrst thou lernest that God of a fatherly minde puni­sheth the, and thys dost thou learne by experyence, na. v for excepte thou de­dyst proue in very dede, how health full it were to gyue ouer thy selfe wholly to God, to obeye hys wyll, (as Dauid saythe, it is hyghly for my profyt, that y • hast punished me) thou couldest not cōceiue a certē and xviii▪ [Page] sure hope of hym, hauyng no expe­ryēce before that a mynde so father­lye and wōderfully desyrous of the hyghe hydde vnder thys crosse and rodde. But seyng thou hast lerned that before by experience, and haste now some taste of that thynge, thou doste not despayre in any trouble, but thy hope encreaseth streyghte­wayes, seyng thou hast before oftē ­tymes proued▪ the helpe of God pre­se [...]t. And althoughe he wynketh at the matter, and sometyme suffreth the for a certen space to styke & stand faste in the myre, yet at the laste he retcheth forthe hys helping hādes, delyuereth & saueth the: he suffreth the to swymme for a certayn space, yea & to be ouerwhelmed wyth wa­ters, but he sufferethe the not to be drowned. Hereof mayste thou ga­ther a sure hope, that he wyl neuer leaue the socou [...]les nor cast y • awai, seynge he hath preserued the beyng [Page] so ofte in ieoperdye: in aflyctyons and trubles therfore dost thou lerne to conceyue and nouryshe a good and vndoubted hope of God, that euen in the moost greuous afflycti­ons of al, wher no helpe at all appe­reth, thou mayste truste vnto hym, beynge now thorouly taughte hys custome in deliuerynge and sauing hys people, thou haste lerned that afflictiōs be sent not of dyspleasure but of a Fatherly loue. Whyche thyng thou beleuyng and hauynge experyence therof, doste pacyently abyde hys helpe, neyther dispayrest thou, but trustest stedfastly, that he at the laste wyll helpe the, although he delayeth it neuer so lōge, hydeth and kepethe hym selfe secrete. And thus at the last dost thou know and vnderstand that thi disease or trou­ble is not sēt vnto the for this pur­pose that y • shuldest be destroied, bu [...] that the glory of God maye be sette [Page] abrode, & that al thinges may turne vnto thi health & saluatiō: he y • can giue him selfe ouer & wholly cōmyt him selfe to god on this maner, and put al his aff [...]auns & trust in his promises, truly that man neuer dyeth: whych thyng Christ him selfe euen wyth an ooth, because we shuld not doubt, affyrminge the same, sayeth, Uerely, verely, Iohn, v yf any man kepe my worde, he shall neuer se death. And in an other place he sayth. I am the waye, the truth, and the lyfe: he that beleueth in me, shall lyue, Iohn, x although he be dead. And he that lyueth, and beleueth in me, shal neuer dye: Iohn. [...]. these wordes of christ (o brother) loke that thou depely repose thē & wyth al di­ligence kepe them in thi minde, and whā soeuer y • perceiuest y • [...]hi minde wauer or is tr [...]bled, vnderprope & lyft it vp wyth this swete and com­fortable Iohn. [...] sayinges: he that beleuethe in Chryste, shall not taste deathe: [Page] he that beleueth in me, hath euerla­styng h [...]. xvii lyfe, sayth Christ: this is euer lastyng lyfe, to knowe the euen the true God, and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Euerlastynge lyfe is begunne in this worlde: for he that hath Christe, hath the true lyfe, for Chryst is y • lyfe: he is also the truth in, xiiii therfore wil not he mocke vs, butal the ꝓmises of god ar in hī, [...]ori. i. ye & ar in him Imē. And that y • shuldest doubt nothyng, but that God wyll abyde by hys promises, he hath bonde him selfe vnto the wyth a certen peculi­ar couenaunte and sygne put vnto thy body. [...]tisme▪ For when he being grat­ly desyrous of thy health sente hys sonne in to the worlde to offer hym selfe vnto the deathe for thy sake, he ded make and stryke vp a bargē of grace before y • christ, in whō he hath promysed, yf thou wylte beleue and be Baptysed, that he wyll gyue the euerlastynge lyfe frelye, and neuer [Page] forsake the, yea that he wyll be thy father, Psal. cii and crowne the wyth grace and mercy: thy baptysme is a sygne of thys couenaunte. Now is it ne­cessari for the, that thou cleuest with tothe and nayle to the promyses, whych are added to thys sygne. For God hathe gyuen thys sygue, that thou shuldest nothyng doubt of the grace or fauoure that he hath pro­mysed, nor yet of hys fayth concer­nynge the faythfull perfyrmans of the same: thou arte baptysed to dye wyth Christe, as Paule saythe, Rom. vi that hys death shulde be thy death, and that he shulde puryfye all thynges for thy sake, yea thou hast put hym on in babtisme, that thou shuldeste be whole in hym, and he in the.

Baptysme therfore is a couenaūte, whych lyfteth vp, chereth and ma­keth quyet thy consciēce before god (as Peter testifieth) that he wyl ne­uer [...]. Pet. i [...] dampne the for thy synnes. For [Page] thou beynge iustified by fayth, hast peace wyth God: a quyet, clere, and pacifyed consciēce is the true peace [...]ma. v. Thou hast perceyued a moost sure sygne as a certen seale of thys iu­stification and remission of sinnes, [...]uen Baptysme, that thou shoul­dest beleue for a certente, that God for Chrystes sake wyll haue pytye on the, preserue and delyuer the.

Nowe seynge than that God fauo­ [...]eth the, and wyll be thy father and neuer forsake the, seynge also that thou haste an vndeceauable sygne and wyt [...]es of this thing, loke that thou dost commyt and wholly giue ouer to hym bothe thy selfe and all that euer perteine vnto y • ▪ thou must also obeye hys wyll, and pacientlye suffer hys hande, whether he wyll that thou lyue or dye, that his wyll, whyche is euer best, maye be done [...]om. viii vnto the glory & prayse of hym, al­thoughe it be impossible, that tho [...] [Page] shuldest be dampned, yf thou doste faithfully trust on the mercy which he hath promysed for Christes sake and consecrate thy selfe wholly to him, obeynge his moste godly wyll in al partes. For he hath promysed, that he wyll be thy father, and for­asmuche as he is true, when thou knoweledgest hym to be thy father, and dost hope and loke for all good thinges of hym, he can none other­whyse but be thy father and saue the, although he hādle the for a cer­ten tyme neuer so hardly. Seynge thā that he hath promysed to be thy father, and thou dost truste on hys ꝓmises, wythout doubt he wyl care both for the and thyne at all tymes: wherfore thou shalt cōmend to him not only thy body, but also thy wife and chyldren, thy kynnesmen and frendes, to be shorte, all that euer thou haste, and doubte not but that [...]e wyll be a true Father, a true [Page] husbande, a true kynnesman and frēde: for he hath hytherto vsed the in these thynges only as a stuward and dyspensatoure: But now seyng he is mynded that thou shouldeste leaue of the functiō and vse of thys offyce, he wyll appoynte another in thy roome, whyche lyke a good stu­warde shall both faythfully and di­lygently loke vpon them. Yf thou hopest thys thynge of hym, and lo­kest for it wyth a ful trust of harte, it is no doubte, but he wyll do that I haue spoken: wherfore put out of thy mynde, all sorowfull care of worldly thynges, and commende it to God. Rather take thoughte for thy selfe, how thou mayste prouide for thy soule, and sende that vnto God. And seynge that God hathe forgyuen the all thy synnes frely for Christes sake, he requireth nothing at all of the, for thys exceding great and in estimable benefyte, but that [Page] thou shuldest agayne forgyue euen from the very harte them that haue done the wronge: for he promysethe Math that he wyll forgyne vs our offēces yf we forgiue men ther offēces, Mat. x ther­fore when thou haste forgyuen all Merci [...] offences euen from the very harte, yea and that so, that thou neuer re­membreste them afterwarde, praye also for them that haue hurte the accordyng to the doctrine and exa [...]ple of Christe, Luce. x yea and yf euer thou re­couerest, helpe so muche as lygheth in thy powre them that haue nede of thy helpe. Yf that thou hast a mind voyd, of dissimulation, preuy dys­pleasure, enuy, malice, yll wyll and wrathe, thou haste also a sygne and earnest token that God hath forgy­uen the thy synnes: for fayth wher­wyth thy harte is puryfyed, Actu. [...] stret­chynge out her selfe, and bryngynge [...]orth her fruites for the infynite be­nefites of God can none otherwyse [Page] then forgyue agayne and to do well to her neyghboure. Thys fruyte of charite beareth the witnes and ma­keth the sure, that thy fayth is true and lyuishe, seyng it bryngeth forth true and good fruytes: Thys mea­neth Peter, wher he commaundethe that we shulde make our vocation Pet. [...]. and election fyrme & sure with good workes, for he signifieth and plain­ly meaneth, y • thys workes ar testi­monies and sygnes that thou arte electe of God, and purchased to be hys sonne vnto the ioyes of euerla­sting lyfe. Nether is ther any cause (o brother) that god shulde forgyue the thy sinnes, for the greuousnes of thy dysease & crosse: for ther is none other satisfaction, Iohn. i [...]. none other recō ­pense for thy synnes, than the onely deth of Christ. God beholdeth none other thynge in this cause he accep­teth none other thing here than his only begottē son: he is y • lābe of god [Page] whyche taketh awaye the synnes of Iohan. the world: He is the sacrifice & obla­tion sufficient, Hebre. absolute and perfect for the synnts of the whole worlde: thy disease & paynes cā not satisfye before God for the lest syn that thou hast cōmytted, muche les are they able to deserue health & euerlasting saluatiō, as Paule testifieth, Rom [...] saying I do not thynke that the affli [...]tions of this lyfe are worthy of the glory which shalbe shewed vpon vs. No creature nether in heuen nor erth, no āgel was able to apease, mytigate & swage the wrath of the father, much les shal this thy disease & short trouble pacyfye it. For he that shulde a­swage that wrath and recōcile God to man, he muste nedes be both god and man, seynge he muste be an in­tercessor and aduocate betwen god 1. Ti [...] being angry and man condemned. Therefore was it conuentente for [Page] the sonne of god to become mā, that he sh [...]lde apease the wrathe of God the father by sufferynge paynes in hys awne body, and so preserue vs from it, as the Prophet testyfiethe, sayinge: He hath taken vpon hym our dyseases, [...]y. liii, and borne awaye our sorowes. God hath layde y • vnrigh­teousnes of vs all on hym: For the wickednes of my people haue I striken hym. et. ii Aud Peter saythe: By hys strypes were we made whole: ther­fore for thys Christ thy Lord are thy synnes forgyuen the, and for none other thynge neyther in heauen nor in earthe, not for thy good workes, nor for any afflyction, although ne­uer so harde and bytter, [...]rin. i. Christe is our only ryhhteousnes, healthe, re­demption & satisfaction: God made hym syn for vs, whych knew no syn that we myght be made righteous: wherfore yf thou beleuest, thou arte the sonne of God al redy: yf thou be [Page] the sonne of God than art thou also the heyre of God, and fellowe enhe­ritoure wyth Christ: yf euerlasting lyfe be enheritaunce and the gyfte of God, as Paule calleth it, Roma. certes then shalte thou not deserue it wyth the sorowes of thy dysease: but God wolde haue the punyshed with this sicknes, that thou myghtest represse breake, restrayne and mortyfye thy olde man, that it maye ones cease to synne, that shall come to passe at the laste by the deathe of the body. And for this cause must we dye, that our soule may departe hence vnto euer­lastyng saluation: for thys death is a gate and entrauns vnto eternall lyfe, ther at the laste are we delyue­red from al wretchednesses, miseris carefulnes, dysquietnes, from al er­roures and iuglynge castes of the dyuill, neyther shall we any more be defyled wyth the moost stynkynge fylthynes of synne, neyther shal we [Page] be seduced and led awaye into here­sys or erroures, nor yet be throwne hedlonge into desperation. For an ende of all euylles, aduersities and incōmodities is then come, yea thē shal we rest in the Lord and enioye eternall lyfe and pleasure wythout ende. Death therfore is not to be abhorred nor feared, yea it is rather most feruently to be desyred, seynge by that we passe hence vnto eternal ioyes. om. viii Uery true is y •, whych Paule sayth, to the godly all thynges wor­ke for the beste: Death in the syghte of the worlde is a thyng of all thin­ges moost odyous, mooste hatefull, most lothsome and moste horryble, yet to the faythfull it is most swet, most acceptable and most pleasaūt. And although it be so, that our old [...] Adam trēbleth at it, excheweth and abhorreth it, yet the inward man i [...] redy and wylling to suffer it, for as­muche as he perceyueth & knoweth [Page] that by it he is delyuered frome all fylthines of syn, vice, & wretchednes and departethe vnto euerlastynge ioyes.

¶How they are to be comfor­ted, whyche are in pa­rell of death.

THE best God and thy most louing father hauyng pytie on the (o Brother) calleth the from thys most wretched & misera­ble lyfe, wyllyng to remoue the vn­to him, and to cary the into y • perpe­tual ioyes of the heauēly life. Therfore yelde, gyue ouer & cōmende to hym wholly thy selfe, & all that euer thou hast, & what so euer hys wyl is lette thy wyll be thesame, and saye, lette thy wyl be done o father God, Mat. x and not myne: cry vnto Christ with the thefe fastened to the crosse, remē ber me, o Lorde, Luce. [...] when thou comeste into thy Kyngdome: erye wyth the [Page] Publican, nc. xviii Lorde be mercifull to m [...] wretched synner cry instanstly with that earneste woman the Cana­nite, [...]ath. xv o sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me. Yf thou cryest thus, Chryste wyll heare the, doubte not, he wyll haue mercy on the, he wyll forgyue the thy synnes, yea thou shalte be wyth hym in paradyse: therfore lay hande on thys Christe, cleue to him wyth tothe and nayle, commyt thy soule vnto him: cry wyth this christ crucifyde vnto God the comon fa­ther, al. lxi. o Lorde my truste is in the, let me neuer be putte to confusion, but rydde me, and delyuer me thorowe thy ryghteousnes: Bowe downe thyne eare vnto me, make haste to delyuer me. Be thou my God and stronge holde (wherunto I may al­waye fle) that thou mayst helpe me, for thou arte my strenght and refu­ge: thou art my defender: Into thy handes I cōmende my spirite: crye [Page] also wyth Dauid: Psal. vxii o Lorde thou art my strenghte, my sure holde, my re­fuge and my delyuerer. O my God thou art my helper, my defēder, and the horne of my health and my pro­tection. Unto the o Lord, lyfte I vp my soule: o my God my truste is in the, let me not be dryuen to shame: dyrecte me in thy truth, thou art the God my sauionre, Remēber, o Lord thy tender mercies, and thy pyteful compassions, whiche thou hast euer vsed: Remember not the trespasses of my yonghe: Accordynge to thy mercye remember me for thy good­nes sake: for thy names sake (o lord) forgyue my synne, for it is muche: loke on me, and haue pytye on me, deliuer me from my necessities: for­gyue me all my offenses kepe my soule, and delyuer me: Lette me not be put to cōfusion for my hole trust is in the. Yf on thys maner thou wylte call for the helpe of God with [Page] and hole hart, god wyl surely helpe [...] the in tyme conuenient, and he wyll say vnto the that, whyche is in the Psalme. Forasmuch as he hath put his trust in me, [...]sal. xc, I wyl delyuer him: I wyll defēde hym because he hath knowen my name: He hathe cryed vnto me, & I wyll fauorably heare hym. I am wyth hym in hys tribu­latiō: I wyll delyuer him & glorifie hym. Wherfore (o thou Christiane) fyght here a good fyght, stryue va­leaūtly & with a good corrage, as it becometh a true christeā man: take hede, y • geuest not ouer, take hede, thou turnest not thy backe: ther is no daunger thou stryueste not here alone, but Iesus Christ the kyng is thy guyde in thys agony, thys thy guyde & captaine shal be thyn auen ger, & in this battel he shal defende and delyuer the frō all the enemyes of thy soule, frō all perell & from all misery and wretchednes: folow this [Page] captayn goyng before the in this cō flicte and battell: he is a kynge not like to other but of an exceding and infinite powre: he hath alredy ouer­come and throwne vnder the foote for thy sake: death, Hebrc. i [...] i. Cor. x [...] Oze. xiii Satan and hell death is swallowed vp into victory Christ dyed for the: Therfore euer­lastyng death hath no power in the Christ went down for the vnto hel, that he myght deliuer the from this euerlasting darknesses therfore be on a lustye and bold [...] mynde, and wyth a valeaūte courage brast into the army. Put awaye all feare, ther is no daunger in thys behalfe: ther is no cause why thou shuldest feare the fearce and streyghte iudgement of God. Christe Iesus is a media­tour before God, i. Tim [...] the same is an ad­uocate, yea and thy Patrone, de­fender, Byshoppe and Preeste: i. Iohu. Hehre. He hathe reconcyled the to God, and hathe restored to the hys fa­fatherly [Page] mynde, whych before was estraunged from the for thy sinnes, God for Christes sake is nowe thy father, he taketh charge of the, he entierly loueth the as his most ten­der sonne. Nowe seynge that so no­ble a kyng stādeth on thy syde, who shall putte the to any busynes, who shall be bolde to assayle the or ones fyght agaynst the? who I pray the, shal do the any wronge? what daū ­ger cā ther be? heare Paule: om. viii Yf god be on our syde, sayth he, who can be agaynst vs? whyche spared not hys awne son, but gaue hym for vs all, how is it possible, that wyth him he shoulde not gyue vs all thynges? who shal lay any thyng to the char­ge of Gods electe? It is God that iustifieth, who is he that cā condemne? it is Christ that dyed, yea whych rose agayne, whyche also is at the right hande of god, and maketh in­tercession for vs: Who shall sepa­ [...]ate [Page] vs from the law of? God I am sure that neyther death, nor lyfe, nor [...]yghenes, nor depenes, nor any o­ther creature can seperate vs from tha law of God, whych is in Christ Iesu oure Lorde. Therfore seynge that Christ is gyuen, to the wyth all that euer he hathe, so folowethe it that hys ryghteousnes, innocency, health and euerlastynge lyfe is gy­uen to the, as Paule wytnesse the, i. Cor. i. sayinge. Christe is made of God oure wysdome, ryghteousnes, sanc­tification and redemptiō. Therfore putte all thy hope, psal. cxv [...] truste and con­fidence in thys Christe, whyche is the heade cornerstone. Thys stone is a valeaunte, stronge, i. Pet. ii stedfaste and sure foūdation, wherunto thou mayste safely truste and commytte thy selfe. No tempest although ne­uer so blacke and horryble, no sho­wers, Math. vi [...] no stormes cā shake and top­ple euer thys foundation: In thys [Page] Christe, I saye, let all thy hope and confydence be sette. Caste thy selfe wholly on hym, yelde thy selfe alto­gyther to hym, cleue to hym wyth stronge fayth, let no trouble or tēp­tation plucke the frō him, although all thynges seme neuer somuche to the go to hauocke, althoughe slesh [...] and bloude yell the neuer so muche the contrary, and reason thynkethe farre otherwyse, yea althoughe th [...] Deuyll sometyme whysper in thy mynde that thou arte vtterlye vn­done, that God is an extreme enemy vnto the, and that thou haste deser­ued the punishment of hel fyre, and therfore thou must nedes be dāpned▪ For faith is a sure confidence and [...] lokynge for of thys thynges that ebre. xi are to be hoped, that is to saye, pro­mysed, and a certen [...]e and euyden knowelege of those thynges tha [...] doo not appeare wyth that holy [Page] [...] Patriarche Abraham thou must beleue vnder hope agaynste hope: thy faythe and hope muste nedes resyste and set them selfes agaynste all those thynges, whych euer blin­de reason dothe Imagyne, or that mooste sutle, and craftye enemye doo brynge to remembauns and worke agaynste the: wherfore thou muste thoroulye learne what cu­ [...]tme, deu. xxx God dothe kepe in sauynge hys: i Reg. ii. whome he wyll lyfte vp into heauen, Tobi. xii hym he bryngethe downe fyrste vnto Hell: Sap [...]e. xv Whome he wyll [...]uycken, hym dothe he fyrste kyll, Psal. c. xi [...] vpon whome he wyll exercyse hys excedynge Mercye, hym wyll he fyrst trye, and make asthoughe he woulde dampne hym. And thys is that vnfained purgatory and that true purgyng fyre, The true Purgator into the which God castethe hys Seruauntes [Page] and prouethe them as Golde in the fyre: [...]pien, iii wherefore when thou fealeste none other thynge then moste pre­sente deathe, when God [...]emeth to be mooste angry wyth the, to be gone awaye moost furdeste from the, and to haue forsaken the vtterlye, yea when he semethe that he hathe cast [...] the awaye and wyll condemne the euen then thynke thou mooste cer­tenly that he is mooste nyhhe vnto the, that he wyl defende the and de­lyuer the, yea that he then moste en­tyerly loueth the, and carethe moost of all for the: for when he doth lay [...] afflyction and trouble vpō the, th [...] dothe he remember hys mercye, as [...] the Prophete saythe. He is not an­gry for euer: as the father hath py­tye of hys sonnes so hath the Lord [...] compassion of them that feare hi [...] for he knowethe our makynge, and remembreth that we are but duste [...] The mercy of the Lorde endureth sal. c. ii [Page] euer and euer: The Lorde is a ten­der fauorer and mercyfull, he is longe sufferynge and full of com­passyon. Wherfore spare the eyes of thy senses, caste away the iudge­mente of reason, and submyt, yelde, gyue ouer, and commende thy selfe wholly to Chryste, and take it to good worth, howe so euer he hand­leth the: esteme not deathe and the dredefnlnes and sorowes therof af­ter the iudgemente of the eyes, sen­les or reason, but after the worde of God. Dauid say the, precyons is the deathe of Sayntes in the syghte of the Lorde. Agayne, Blessed are the ded, Psal. cxv [...] whych dye in the LORDE. Apo xii Chryste also saythe, he that bele­ueth in me, Iohu. vi shall not taste [...]eathe. Therfore yf any thynges come to remembraunce, whyche go aboute to turne the from Chryste, and to [...]aste the into desperation, cast them all out of thy minde: cleue to the ly­uely [Page] worde of God wyth tothe and nayle, haue thy medytation in that and euer be whettynge of that in thy mynde: For thou shalte neuer by the perspycacyte and quyckenis of thy reason perceyue, howe it maye be possyble, that by Deathe thou shouldeste goo vnto the true lyfe, howe when thou gyueste vp the Ghoste, thou shouldest departe vnto a better state, howe thy soule shoulde be kepte in the Lorde, and reaste vnto the laste daye, agayne, howe thy body beynge rotten, con­sumed and eaten of wormes, maye ryse agayne at the laste Iudge­mente, and come forthe in a newe godly forme, shape or fashon. Thys can not reason comprehende. Fayth alone is able to do it. Therfore call to thy remembraunce contynual­ly the artycles of thy faythe, and boulte oute euerye parcell of them [Page] dylygently, and weyghe them ear­nestly in thy harte.

¶Howe he is to be spoken vnto, whyche is redy to gyue vp the Ghoste.

O Brother in Chryst, now loke that thou fyghteste a good fyghte, loke that thou aby­deste in the faythe valeauntly, and stedfastly. Infyxe and depely en­graue in thy breste, the Promyses of Chryste thy redemer. Iohan. x I am the resurrection and lyfe, sayth Christ. He that beleuethe in me, shall lyue and neuer dye. Chryste toke the na­ture of man vpon hym sufferynge many iniuryes and wronges, and when he dyed, Hehre. x he offred hym selfe a sacryfyce for our sinnes on y • altare [Page] of the Crosse, Iohn. il. he wyth hys holye bloudthorowlye and in all poyntes clensed the synnes of al mankynde: thys Chryste wyll not forsake the, thys Christ wil not leaue y • socour­les, this Christ careth for the: Christ saueth the & defēdeth the, so that no yll or misery shall chauns vnto the: the foundatiō of God standeth sure hauing this seale. THE LORDE KNOVVETH, VVHYCHE ARE HYS. i. Tim. ii Christe saythe, my shepe heare my voyce, & I know thē and thei folow me, & I giue thē euer lastynge lyfe, neyther shall they pe­ryshe for euer, ohan. x. nor yet shall any man plucke thē out of my hande: my fa­ther whych gaue thē to me, is grea­ter then al, & noman can plucke thē out of my fathers hande: I and my father am one. Wherfore (o brother) in Christ, cōmende thy soule to God the father, which loueth y • so derely, crye with Christ thy brother, when [Page] he honge on the crosse, Luc. xx o father into thy handes I commende my spirit God the Father of all mercye, moughte lede the into euer­lastynge lyfe, and saue the vnto that most ioyefull resur­rection of the last iudgement AMEN.

Virescit vulnera virtus.

A prayer to be sayde of the syck­man, beynge in perell of deathe.

O Most mercyf [...]ll God, o fa­ther of al mercy the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ, be mercyful to me a synuer, haue pytie on me, and quyckely helpe me poore wretche for thy mooste bytter and moost precious passion and deathe [Page] of Iesus Chryste thy onely begoten sonne and oure onely redemer and sauyoure. Amen. Entre not into Iudgemente wyth thy seruaunte, o Lorde handle me not accordynge to my deserues and merites, neyther rewarde me after myne iniquytie but for thyne infynite and vnme­surable bounte and excedyng great mercy receyue me. I miserable and weake creature am in thy hande, I am thy bonde seruaunte and thy debter. O most gentle God, o moste fauorable Father, forsake me not, cast me not away pore wretche that I am, I am thyn wyth al that euer I can make. Noman is able to con­firme me, noman is able to delyuer me, nomā is able to helpe me, but y • alone. Thou art the true helper in aduersite, y •are the moste sure & pre­sent cōfort iu al necessite, y • alone art our helpe, our buluarke, our fortre­sse, & our most mighty & stronly de­fence [Page] fence towre, y • o god, art our refuge, thou art our strenght, thou art our helper in al our tribulatiōs: In the o Lord, do I trust, let me not be cō ­foūded, let me neuer be put to shame let me not be deceyued of my hope, but preserue me for thyn righteous­nes. Bow down thin eare vnto me, make hast to deliuer me. Be my de­fēder, o god, & my strong holde that thou maist saue me: for thou art my strength & my refuge, yea y • arte my god, & my destenies ar in thy hādes Lightē thy coūtenaūs vpō thy ser­uaūt, saue me for thy mercyes sake, o Lorde. And forasmuche (o swete Father) as it is thy godly pleasure to call me from thys myserable lyfe and wretched worlde, I moost enti­erly beseche the so to defende me in thys agonye of deathe, that Satan nor his ministers preuayle against me, but that I contynue faythfull and constante vnto the ende in the [Page] confession of thy holy name, lokyng for full remyssyon of all my synnes in the precyons bloude of thy wel­beloued sonne and my sauyour Ie­sus Christe, and that I departynge in this fayth and perfecte trust may be placed emong thy blessed saintes and heauēly spirites, so for euer to remayne wy [...]h the in glory. Graunt this o most mercyfull father for thy son Iesus Christes sake. Lorde re­cyue my spirite. Father into thy hā ­des I commend my spyrit: for thou that arte the God of truth haste re­demed me. To the be all glory and honoure.

Amen.

¶The articles of the Christen fayth.

FYRST, I beleue in one god Deut. vi. And father of oure Lorde Iesu Christe. ii. Cor. i. The whych is the Lorde of heauen [Page] and earth. Luke: xit. And creator of all, creatures. Hebre. i. Yea he is father of vs all, and: Epe. iiii. The which hath elected vs to be his children through Iesu Christ. Ephe. i. And therfore shall we all hym wor­sh [...]ppe onely, and besyde hym haue none other goddes. Deut. vi Also we shal feare hym as one almighty God. Psal. xxxiiii. And as mercy full father we shall loue hym wyth all oure hartes, wyth all our soule, and wyth all our power and mynde Math. xxii [...] And vpon hym muste stāde all our hope. Hiere. vii. For he is the father of lyghte. Iacob. i. Of the whych all mankynde leueth Aetu. xiii. And receyueth both bo­delye goodes. Prouerb x. And e­nerlastynke saluation. Psal. xxxvii Togyther wyth all perfite gyftes, whych come and descence from him alone. Iacobi .i. Furthermore I beleue in Iesu Christe, the sonne of [Page] the lyuing God our lord. i. Cor. vii The whych is the very bryghtnesse of hys fathers glorye, and the very ymage of his substaunce. Hebre. i. Yea he is the onely begotten sonne of the father. Iohn. i. Come forth of the mouthe of the moste hyeghest God. Eccles. xxiii. Fyrst boren be­fore all creatures. Collos. i. Tho­row the whych all thynges are cre­ated. Hebre. i. In whom we haue redemption, namely remyssyon of synnes thorow hys bloude. Col. i. With the which he hath washed vs Apo. i. And hath also recōciled vs again to his most holy & gloriouse father. Ephe. ii. That were afore enemyes to God. Roma. viii. For after the tyme that God had made man, after hys ymage and symily­tude, he seate hym in Paradise that he shoulde eate of all the fruytes in the gardyn of pleasure, exceptynge [Page] him the tree of knowledge of good and euyll. Gene. ii. But man dys­obeyed the Lord his God, and trās­gressed hys commaundemente. Gene. iii. Thorow the whyche dis­obedyence and transgressyon of the godly commaundement, death and curse is come ouer all mankynde. Roma .v. And when ther was no helpe, nor comforte for man where­by he myghte haue bene redeymed, or delyuered oute of Sathans po­wer, then hathe God the mercyfull Father pytye vpon mankynde, and Promysed them a seade, namelye Iesus Chryste, hys onelye begot­ten sonne, the whych shoulde treade vpon the heade of the Serpente, and ouercome the Dyuyll, and re­store vs to lyfe agayne. Genesis. iii. And lykewyse as God is ryghtuouse in all hys wayes, and holy in all hys workes. Psalmes. clv. [Page] And true in al hys wordes. Psal. li. So hath he kepet all hys promises tre [...]ly. And as the time was fulfil­led. Gala. iiii. God leat hys word descend in to the wombe of the vir­gyn Mary, and by the workyng of the holye ghoste became fleshe: As Iohn witnesseth saiyng: The word became fleshe, and dwelt emong vs and we saw hys glory, as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of the father, full of grace and veritie. Iohn. i. Also thys onely begotten of God became lyke vnto vs in all thynges excepte syn. Hebre. ii. He hath suffereth death for oure sake. Esay. liii. And hath taken awaye Sathans power, and restored lyfe in againe. i. Timothe. vi. Yea he is made vnto vs wysdō, and right­wysnes, sātifyeng, and redemption. i. Cor. i. And lykewyse as he dyed for oure synnes. Hebre. ii. So is he rysen agayne through the power [Page] of hys father. Roma. vii. For our ryghtuousnes. Roma. iiii. And as he oftentymes shewed him selfe af­ter hys resurrection: vnto hys dys­ciples. Actu. i. So is he ascended vnto heauen in ther presens. Luke. xxiiii. And sytteth at the ryghte hande of the almyghty father. Rom viii. Aboue all rule and myghte, and dominion, and aboue all that maye be named, not onelye in thys world: but also in the world to come Ephe. i And hath subdued al thin­ges vnder hys fete. Hebre. ii. To be brefe he is a Lord aboue all lor­des, and a kynge aboue all kynges Apoc. xix. Yea he is an almyghtye God wyth hys father. Apoc. xxii. Iohn. x. And neuerthelesse he is our aduocat, & mediator. i. Iohn. ii [...]. Timot. ii. Our only hye preiste. Hebr. v. The saceifice that he hath done for our synnes, abydeth for e­ueermore of valure. Hebre. x. Fur­thermore [Page] lykewyse as Christe is as­cended vp in to heau [...]n, so shall he come agayne from heanen. Actu. i Wyth the dominion of hys father, and wyth the angels. Mach. xxv. For to gyue euery man rewarde af­ter his workes, yea for to iudge the quycke and dead. Act. x. i. Tim. iii.

I beleue also in the holy Ghost equall god wyth the father & the son which holy ghost is a teacher of all christē. Iohn. xiiii. and he doth cloth thē wyth his gyftes, & geueth euery one the measure of faythe after hys awne wyl. i. Corin. xi [...]. And kepeth thē vnmouable in one fayth for he is a ruler of the christian cōgrega­tion. Aet. xx. He is also the anoin­mente .i. Iohn. ii. Wherewyth all Christen are anoynted, and of that behalfe are called the anoynted of the Lord. Psal. c. iiii. So is this holy ghost giuen vnto the Christen as an ernest of ther inheritaunce to [Page] ther redemption, and they agayne be hys awn to the pryse of his glory Ephe. i. To be shor [...]it is impossible wythout thys holy ghost to knowe God truely .i. Cor. ii. Or wythall the hope of the hart to beleue vpon him .i. Cor. xii Or to call vpon him as a father. Romanorum. viii.

And therefore dothe God powr thys hys holye Ghoste vppon hys chyldren, wherby they maye treuly know hym, and treuly beleue hym: and as a trew father call upon him Gala. iiii. This is my beleue in the father, in the sonne, and in the holye ghost, which tree I knowlege to be one god. Deut. vi. whous seate is the heauē, and the earth is a benche of his fete. Esay. xlvi. Yea y • which is an euerlasting .ii. Mach. i. and almyghtye God. Psal. c. xlv, The whyche alone wyll be worshypped, and serued. Dent. vi. For he can alone helpe vs. Esay. xliiii. which [Page] he doth for his names sake, & not for our righruousnes sake. Esa. xliiii.

Furthermore as I haue sayde. that al they that do belene ar ioined togither, & through the holy ghoste knytte in vnitie. so is ther a louing christē church the which is buylded of lyuyng stones .i. Pet. ii. whych church is the house of god. Hebr. iii And the house of God is the cōgre­gation of god .i. Timo. iii. And the congregation of god is the body of Christ Eph. i. And seyngy •al ryght Christians are one body .i. Corin. x. In the whyche they all thorow one spryte are baptised. i. Cor xii. So must ther be a congregatiō of sain­tes, namely that all saintes or trew beleners ar also ioyned togyther in fayth, as the members of one body Roma, xii. And in this cōmunion of saintes is remissiō of sinnes, and that without it is no syn forgeuen, nor any hope of saluatiō. Ephe. ii. yea as it is vnpossible that a mēber [Page] can lyue which is not in the body, so it is vnpossible that any man maye liue in his soule, and cā be rele [...]ced out of death by remission of syn, the whych is not a mēber of the body of Christ: for Christ hath recōcileo vs al vnto god his father in one body Ephe. ii. And therfore must al they stand in var [...]aūce that at no mēbres of this body, of the whych Christ is the head. Ephe. i. To the whych he gyueth saluation. Ephe. v.

Now muste we also knowe that albeit, that god alweyes forgeueth synnis. Esay. xliii. yet hath Christ gyuen vnto hys cōgregatiō power to bynde & to loose, whiche shall not be vnderstand after y • Antichristes doctrin. The bishop of Rome which chalenge [...]h power to remyt synnes, but the Christē congregatiō whose heade is Christ, & not the Romyshe antichrist, and his ruled of the holy ghost, & not of the fornicatish spirit [Page] of the prophetesse Iesabel. This cō gregatiō I say hath power to bynd and to loose, that is to say, all what she bindeth other looseth is done by the poweh of our Lord Iesu Christ i. Cor. v And thorow the holy ghost as a ruler of the christē cōgregatiō. Actu. xx. so is there is the Christen congregation remissyon of synnes.

Ther shalbe also a general resur rectiō of the fleshe, namely that all they that ar dead, shall ryse agayne, some to euerlastynge lyfe, & some to euerlasting paine & dānatiō. Iohn v. And they y • shall lyue & remayne vntyll the cōming of one lord Iesu Christ, they shalbe chaunged in the tīkeling of an eye at the tyme of the last trūpeth .i. Cor. xv. For the trū pet (sayth Paul (shal blow, and the dead shall ryse vncorruptible, & we shalbe chaūged. for the corruptible body must put on vncorruptibilite and this mortall body must put on [Page] immortalitie. Cor. xv. At the last is ther also one euerlysting lyfe, Iohn xvii. which al they shal receiue that beleue on Iesu Christe. Iohn. vi. and stedfastly abyd in good workes sekynge prayse, honour, and immortalitie. Roma. ii.

Thys is the summe of my beleefe yea & a trew Christe beleefe, thorow the whych faythal rightuouse lyue Aba. ii. And without the which be­lyefe no man may please god. Hebre xv. Therfore must the euerlastyng God be blessed, that our ofr hys im­mesurabl mercy and grace hath gyuen vs thys thorowe Iesu Christe Ephe. ii. To whom with the fa­father and the holy ghost be prayse, honor, and glo­ry, for euermore.

AMEN.

Apoca. ‘Be faythfull vnto the death and I wyll gyue the the crowne of lyfe.’

¶Imprynted at Loudon in Pauls churche yarde at the lygne of the Hyll by Wyllyā Hyll, and are tobe solde at the West syde of pauls vnder Peter colle­ge by Iohn Casse.

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